Aligned carbon nanotube, graphene and graphite oxide thin films via substrate-directed rapid interfacial deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Arcy, Julio M.; Tran, Henry D.; Stieg, Adam Z.; Gimzewski, James K.; Kaner, Richard B.

2012-05-01

A procedure for depositing thin films of carbon nanostructures is described that overcomes the limitations typically associated with solution based methods. Transparent and conductively continuous carbon coatings can be grown on virtually any type of substrate within seconds. Interfacial surface tension gradients result in directional fluid flow and film spreading at the water/oil interface. Transparent films of carbon nanostructures are produced including aligned ropes of single-walled carbon nanotubes and assemblies of single sheets of chemically converted graphene and graphite oxide. Process scale-up, layer-by-layer deposition, and a simple method for coating non-activated hydrophobic surfaces are demonstrated.A procedure for depositing thin films of carbon nanostructures is described that overcomes the limitations typically associated with solution based methods. Transparent and conductively continuous carbon coatings can be grown on virtually any type of substrate within seconds. Interfacial surface tension gradients result in directional fluid flow and film spreading at the water/oil interface. Transparent films of carbon nanostructures are produced including aligned ropes of single-walled carbon nanotubes and assemblies of single sheets of chemically converted graphene and graphite oxide. Process scale-up, layer-by-layer deposition, and a simple method for coating non-activated hydrophobic surfaces are demonstrated. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Droplet coalescence, catenoid formation, mechanism of film growth, scanning electron micrographs showing carbon nanotube alignment, flexible transparent films of SWCNTs, AFM images of a chemically converted graphene film, and SEM images of SWCNT free-standing thin films. See DOI: 10.1039/c2nr00010e

High Resistivity Transparent/Conductive Coatings for Space Applications: Problems and Possible Improvements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cashman, Thomas; Demko, Rikako; Uppala, Nischala; Vemulapalli, Jyothi; Welch, Bryan; Hambourger, Paul D.

2003-01-01

We have prepared transparent films with a sheet relativity of 10(exp 1) to 10(exp 12) ohm/square by co-depositing a transparent conducting oxide (TCO) with magnesium fluoride, using two independently controlled RF magnetron sputter guns to facilitate adjustment of the film composition, Co-deposited indium tin oxide (ITO) and MgF2 on quartz and flexible polymeric substrate exhibited reasonably stable sheet resistivity over several months' time, with substantially lower optical reflectance than that of pure ITO. However, exposure to low-intensity blue light reduces sheet resistivity by as much as two orders of magnitude. Our results suggest this photoconductivity effect may be present in all InO(x)-based materials. We find that sheet resistivity can by "tuned" by admitting a small amount of high-purity air during deposition offering the possibility of closed loop process control.

High-Performance Ttransparent and Stretchable All-Solid Supercapacitors Based on Highly Aligned Carbon Nanotube Sheets

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-09

High-performance transparent and stretchable all-solid supercapacitors based on highly aligned carbon nanotube sheets Tao Chen1, Huisheng Peng2...stretchable all-solid supercapacitors with a good stability were developed. A transmittance up to 75% at the wavelength of 550 nmwas achieved for a...supercapacitormade from a cross-over assembly of two single-layer CNT sheets. The transparent supercapacitor has a specific capacitance of 7.3 F g21 and can be

A novel gelatin hydrogel carrier sheet for corneal endothelial transplantation.

PubMed

Watanabe, Ryou; Hayashi, Ryuhei; Kimura, Yu; Tanaka, Yuji; Kageyama, Tomofumi; Hara, Susumu; Tabata, Yasuhiko; Nishida, Kohji

2011-09-01

We examined the feasibility of using gelatin hydrogels as carrier sheets for the transplantation of cultivated corneal endothelial cells. The mechanical properties, transparency, and permeability of gelatin hydrogel sheets were compared with those of atelocollagen sheets. Immunohistochemistry (ZO-1, Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase, and N-cadherin), hematoxylin and eosin staining, and scanning electron microscopy were performed to assess the integrity of corneal endothelial cells that were cultured on gelatin hydrogel sheets. The gelatin hydrogel sheets displayed greater transparency, elastic modulus, and albumin permeability compared to those of atelocollagen sheets. The corneal endothelial cells on gelatin hydrogel sheets showed normal expression levels of ZO-1, Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase, and N-cadherin. Hematoxylin and eosin staining revealed the formation of a continuous monolayer of cells attached to the gelatin hydrogel sheet. Scanning electron microscopy observations showed that the corneal endothelial cells were arranged in a regular, mosaic, and polygonal pattern with normal cilia. These results indicate that the gelatin hydrogel sheet is a promising material to transport corneal endothelial cells during transplantation.

Improvement of Transparent Conducting Performance on Oxygen-Activated Fluorine-Doped Tin Oxide Electrodes Formed by Horizontal Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis Deposition.

PubMed

Koo, Bon-Ryul; Oh, Dong-Hyeun; Riu, Doh-Hyung; Ahn, Hyo-Jin

2017-12-27

In this study, highly transparent conducting fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) electrodes were fabricated using the horizontal ultrasonic spray pyrolysis deposition. In order to improve their transparent conducting performances, we carried out oxygen activation by adjusting the ratio of O 2 /(O 2 +N 2 ) in the carrier gas (0%, 20%, and 50%) used during the deposition process. The oxygen activation on the FTO electrodes accelerated the substitution concentration of F (F O • ) into the oxygen sites in the FTO electrode while the oxygen vacancy (V O • • ) concentration was reduced. In addition, due to growth of pyramid-shaped crystallites with (200) preferred orientations, this oxygen activation caused the formation of a uniform surface structure. As a result, compared to others, the FTO electrode prepared at 50% O 2 showed excellent electrical and optical properties (sheet resistance of ∼4.0 ± 0.14 Ω/□, optical transmittance of ∼85.3%, and figure of merit of ∼5.09 ± 0.19 × 10 -2 Ω -1 ). This led to a superb photoconversion efficiency (∼7.03 ± 0.20%) as a result of the improved short-circuit current density. The photovoltaic performance improvement can be defined by the decreased sheet resistance of FTO used as a transparent conducting electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), which is due to the combined effect of the high carrier concentration by the improved F O • concentration on the FTO electrodes and the fasted Hall mobility by the formation of a uniform FTO surface structure and distortion relaxation on the FTO lattices resulting from the reduced V O • • • concentration.

Co-Percolating Graphene-Wrapped Silver Nanowire Network for High Performance, Highly Stable, Transparent Conducting Electrodes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Ruiyi; Das, Suprem R.; Jeong, Changwook

Transparent conducting electrodes (TCEs) require high transparency and low sheet resistance for applications in photovoltaics, photodetectors, flat panel displays, touch screen devices and imagers. Indium tin oxide (ITO), or other transparent conductive oxides, have typically been used, and provide a baseline sheet resistance (RS) vs. transparency (T) relationship. However, ITO is relatively expensive (due to limited abundance of Indium), brittle, unstable, and inflexible; moreover, ITO transparency drops rapidly for wavelengths above 1000 nm. Motivated by a need for transparent conductors with comparable (or better) RS at a given T, as well as flexible structures, several alternative material systems have beenmore » investigated. Single-layer graphene (SLG) or few-layer graphene provide sufficiently high transparency (≈97% per layer) to be a potential replacement for ITO. However, large-area synthesis approaches, including chemical vapor deposition (CVD), typically yield films with relatively high sheet resistance due to small grain sizes and high-resistance grain boundaries (HGBs). In this paper, we report a hybrid structure employing a CVD SLG film and a network of silver nanowires (AgNWs): RS as low as 22 Ω/ (stabilized to 13 Ω/ after 4 months) have been observed at high transparency (88% at λ = 550 nm) in hybrid structures employing relatively low-cost commercial graphene with a starting RS of 770 Ω/. This sheet resistance is superior to typical reported values for ITO, comparable to the best reported TCEs employing graphene and/or random nanowire networks, and the film properties exhibit impressive stability under mechanical pressure, mechanical bending and over time. The design is inspired by the theory of a co-percolating network where conduction bottlenecks of a 2D film (e.g., SLG, MoS2) are circumvented by a 1D network (e.g., AgNWs, CNTs) and vice versa. The development of these high-performance hybrid structures provides a route towards robust, scalable and low-cost approaches for realizing high-performance TCE.« less

Mirage effect from thermally modulated transparent carbon nanotube sheets.

PubMed

Aliev, Ali E; Gartstein, Yuri N; Baughman, Ray H

2011-10-28

The single-beam mirage effect, also known as photothermal deflection, is studied using a free-standing, highly aligned carbon nanotube aerogel sheet as the heat source. The extremely low thermal capacitance and high heat transfer ability of these transparent forest-drawn carbon nanotube sheets enables high frequency modulation of sheet temperature over an enormous temperature range, thereby providing a sharp, rapidly changing gradient of refractive index in the surrounding liquid or gas. The advantages of temperature modulation using carbon nanotube sheets are multiple: in inert gases the temperature can reach > 2500 K; the obtained frequency range for photothermal modulation is ~100 kHz in gases and over 100 Hz in high refractive index liquids; and the heat source is transparent for optical and acoustical waves. Unlike for conventional heat sources for photothermal deflection, the intensity and phase of the thermally modulated beam component linearly depends upon the beam-to-sheet separation over a wide range of distances. This aspect enables convenient measurements of accurate values for thermal diffusivity and the temperature dependence of refractive index for both liquids and gases. The remarkable performance of nanotube sheets suggests possible applications as photo-deflectors and for switchable invisibility cloaks, and provides useful insights into their use as thermoacoustic projectors and sonar. Visibility cloaking is demonstrated in a liquid.

SU-F-T-550: Radiochromic Plastic Thin Sheet Dosimeter: Initial Performance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jordan, K; Adamovics, J

Purpose: Thin sheets, of a high sensitivity formulation of radiochromic dosimeter, Presage were prepared and evaluated for optical readout. Methods: Sheets of radiochromic polyurethane, 12 cm long, 10 cm wide and 0.2 cm thick were prepared with leuco crystal violet as the reporter molecule. Sample transmission was evaluated at a wavelength of 590 nm with in-house constructed instruments: optical cone beam laser CT scanner, fixed and scanning spot densitometers. Sample sequential irradiations to a total dose of 40 Gy were conducted with a modified, Theratron 60, cobalt radiotherapy machine at dose rates of 1 or 0.25 Gy per minute. Exposuremore » to ambient and readout light was minimized to limit background photochromic signals. Samples were stored at 4°C. Optical activity was assessed from linearly polarized transmission images. Comparison sensitivity measurements with EBT3 film were conducted. Results: Samples were transparent, smooth and pale purple before irradiation. Radiochromic reaction was completed in less than 5 minutes. A linear dose response with a sensitivity of 0.5 cm-1Gy-1 was observed. Micrometer measurements found sheet thickness variations up to 20%. Uniform dose, 2 Gy attenuation images, correlated with local sheet thicknesses. Comparable measurements with EBT3 film were 3 times more sensitive at 1 Gy but above 15 Gy, EBT3 film had lower sensitivity than 0.2 cm thick Presage sheet dosimeter due to its non-linear response. Conclusion: Dose sensitivity provided a 10% decrease in transmission for a 1 Gy dose. Improvements in mold design are expected to allow production of sheets with less than 5% variation in thickness. Above, 10 Gy, Presage sheet dosimeter performance expected to exceed EBT3 film based on linearity, sensitivity, transparency and smoothness of samples. J Adamovics is owner of Heuris Inc.« less

Transparent and Flexible Large-scale Graphene-based Heater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Junmo; Lee, Changgu; Kim, Young-Jin; Choi, Jae-Boong; Hong, Byung Hee

2011-03-01

We report the application of transparent and flexible heater with high optical transmittance and low sheet resistance using graphene films, showing outstanding thermal and electrical properties. The large-scale graphene films were grown on Cu foil by chemical vapor deposition methods, and transferred to transparent substrates by multiple stacking. The wet chemical doping process enhanced the electrical properties, showing a sheet resistance as low as 35 ohm/sq with 88.5 % transmittance. The temperature response usually depends on the dimension and the sheet resistance of the graphene-based heater. We show that a 4x4 cm2 heater can reach 80& circ; C within 40 seconds and large-scale (9x9 cm2) heater shows uniformly heating performance, which was measured using thermocouple and infra-red camera. These heaters would be very useful for defogging systems and smart windows.

Troubleshooting. Teacher's Guide and Student Activity Sheets. Small Engine Repair Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Pamela

This teacher's guide is part of an instructional series on small engine repair that is intended for use with mentally retarded and learning disabled students in general mechanical repair programs. Notes to the instructor cover equipment needed, preparation before teaching, and use of evaluation charts, transparency masters, audiovisual(s), and…

Imaging a seizure model in zebrafish with structured illumination light sheet microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yang; Dale, Savannah; Ball, Rebecca; VanLeuven, Ariel J.; Baraban, Scott; Sornborger, Andrew; Lauderdale, James D.; Kner, Peter

2018-02-01

Zebrafish are a promising vertebrate model for elucidating how neural circuits generate behavior under normal and pathological conditions. The Baraban group first demonstrated that zebrafish larvae are valuable for investigating seizure events and can be used as a model for epilepsy in humans. Because of their small size and transparency, zebrafish embryos are ideal for imaging seizure activity using calcium indicators. Light-sheet microscopy is well suited to capturing neural activity in zebrafish because it is capable of optical sectioning, high frame rates, and low excitation intensities. We describe work in our lab to use light-sheet microscopy for high-speed long-time imaging of neural activity in wildtype and mutant zebrafish to better understand the connectivity and activity of inhibitory neural networks when GABAergic signaling is altered in vivo. We show that, with light-sheet microscopy, neural activity can be recorded at 23 frames per second in twocolors for over 10 minutes allowing us to capture rare seizure events in mutants. We have further implemented structured illumination to increase resolution and contrast in the vertical and axial directions during high-speed imaging at an effective frame rate of over 7 frames per second.

Fabrication of ATO/Graphene Multi-layered Transparent Conducting Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Na; Chen, Fei; Shen, Qiang; Wang, Chuanbin; Zhang, Lianmeng

2013-03-01

A novel transparent conducting oxide based on the ATO/graphene multi-layered thin films has been developed to satisfy the application of transparent conductive electrode in solar cells. The ATO thin films are prepared by pulsed laser deposition method with high quality, namely the sheet resistance of 49.5 Ω/sq and average transmittance of 81.9 %. The prepared graphene sheet is well reduced and shows atomically thin, spotty distributed appearance on the top of the ATO thin films. The XRD and optical micrographs are used to confirm the successfully preparation of the ATO/graphene multi-layered thin films. The Hall measurements and UV-Vis spectrophotometer are conducted to evaluate the sheet resistance and optical transmittance of the innovative structure. It is found that graphene can improve the electrical properties of the ATO thin films with little influence on the optical transmittance.

Highly Transparent and Conductive Metallized Nanofibers by Electrospinning and Electroplating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Sam S.; Yarin, Alexander L.

2017-11-01

Transparent conducting films (TCFs) and transparent heaters (THs) are of interest for a wide variety of applications, from displays to window defrosters. Here, we demonstrate production of highly flexible, conducting, and transparent copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), platinum (Pt), and silver (Ag) nanofibers suitable for use not only in TCFs and THs but also in some other engineering applications. The merging of fibers at their intersections (i.e. self-junctioning) minimizes contact resistance in these films. These metallized nanofibers exhibited a remarkably low sheet resistance at a high optical transmittance. This low sheet resistance allows them to serve as low-voltage heaters, achieving a high heating temperature at a relatively low applied voltage. These nanofibers are free-standing, flexible, stretchable, and their mechanical reliability was confirmed through various mechanical endurance tests.

Solar module having reflector between cells

DOEpatents

Kardauskas, Michael J.

1999-01-01

A photovoltaic module comprising an array of electrically interconnected photovoltaic cells disposed in a planar and mutually spaced relationship between a light-transparent front cover member in sheet form and a back sheet structure is provided with a novel light-reflecting means disposed between adjacent cells for reflecting light falling in the areas between cells back toward said transparent cover member for further internal reflection onto the solar cells. The light-reflecting comprises a flexible plastic film that has been embossed so as to have a plurality of small V-shaped grooves in its front surface, and a thin light-reflecting coating on said front surface, the portions of said coating along the sides of said grooves forming light-reflecting facets, said grooves being formed so that said facets will reflect light impinging thereon back into said transparent cover sheet with an angle of incidence greater than the critical angle, whereby substantially all of the reflected light will be internally reflected from said cover sheet back to said solar modules, thereby increasing the current output of the module.

Cellulose nanofibers/reduced graphene oxide flexible transparent conductive paper.

PubMed

Gao, Kezheng; Shao, Ziqiang; Wu, Xue; Wang, Xi; Li, Jia; Zhang, Yunhua; Wang, Wenjun; Wang, Feijun

2013-08-14

The cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) paper exhibit high visible light transmittance, high mechanical strength, and excellent flexibility. Therefore, CNFs paper may be an excellent substrate material for flexible transparent electronic devices. In this paper, we endeavor to prepare CNFs-based flexible transparent conductive paper by layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly using divalent copper ions (Cu(2+)) as the crosslinking agent. The thickness of the reduced graphene oxide (RGO) active layer in the CNFs paper can be controlled by the cycle times of the LbL assembly. CNFs/[RGO]20 paper has the sheet resistances of ∼2.5 kΩ/□, and the transmittance of about 76% at a wavelength of 550 nm. Furthermore, CNFs/[RGO]20 paper inherits the excellent mechanical properties of CNFs paper, and the ultimate strength is about 136 MPa. CNFs-based flexible transparent conductive paper also exhibits excellent electrical stability and flexibility. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Electrical transport properties of spray deposited transparent conducting ortho-Zn2SnO4 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramarajan, R.; Thangaraju, K.; Babu, R. Ramesh; Joseph, D. Paul

2018-04-01

Ortho Zinc Stannate (Zn2SnO4) exhibits excellent electrical and optical properties to serve as alternate transparent electrode in optoelectronic devices. Here we have optimized ortho-Zn2SnO4 thin film by spray pyrolysis method. Deposition was done onto a pre-heated glass substrate at a temperature of 400 °C. The XRD pattern indicated films to be polycrystalline with cubic structure. The surface of films had globular and twisted metal sheet like morphologies. Films were transparent in the visible region with band gap around 3.6 eV. Transport properties were studied by Hall measurements at 300 K. Activation energies were calculated from Arrhenius's plot from temperature dependent electrical measurements and the conduction mechanism is discussed.

Process of making solar cell module

DOEpatents

Packer, M.; Coyle, P.J.

1981-03-09

A process is presented for the manufacture of solar cell modules. A solution comprising a highly plasticized polyvinyl butyral is applied to a solar cell array. The coated array is dried and sandwiched between at last two sheets of polyvinyl butyral and at least two sheets of a rigid transparent member. The sandwich is laminated by the application of heat and pressure to cause fusion and bonding of the solar cell array with the rigid transparent members to produce a solar cell module.

Optically transparent microwave screens based on engineered graphene layers.

PubMed

Grande, M; Bianco, G V; Vincenti, M A; de Ceglia, D; Capezzuto, P; Petruzzelli, V; Scalora, M; Bruno, G; D'Orazio, A

2016-10-03

We propose an innovative approach for the realization of a microwave absorber fully transparent in the optical regime. This device is based on the Salisbury screen configuration, which consists of a lossless spacer, sandwiched between two graphene sheets whose sheet resistances are different and properly engineered. Experimental results show that it is possible to achieve near-perfect electromagnetic absorption in the microwave X-band. These findings are fully supported by an analytical approach based on an equivalent circuital model. Engineering and integration of graphene sheets could facilitate the realization of innovative microwave absorbers with additional electromagnetic and optical functionalities that could circumvent some of the major limitations of opaque microwave absorbers.

Transparent conducting thin films for spacecraft applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perez-Davis, Marla E.; Malave-Sanabria, Tania; Hambourger, Paul; Rutledge, Sharon K.; Roig, David; Degroh, Kim K.; Hung, Ching-Cheh

1994-01-01

Transparent conductive thin films are required for a variety of optoelectronic applications: automotive and aircraft windows, and solar cells for space applications. Transparent conductive coatings of indium-tin-oxide (ITO)-magnesium fluoride (MgF2) and aluminum doped zinc oxide (AZO) at several dopant levels are investigated for electrical resistivity (sheet resistance), carrier concentration, optical properties, and atomic oxygen durability. The sheet resistance values of ITO-MgF2 range from 10(exp 2) to 10(exp 11) ohms/square, with transmittance of 75 to 86 percent. The AZO films sheet resistances range from 10(exp 7) to 10(exp 11) ohms/square with transmittances from 84 to 91 percent. It was found that in general, with respect to the optical properties, the zinc oxide (ZnO), AZO, and the high MgF2 content ITO-MgF2 samples, were all durable to atomic oxygen plasma, while the low MgF2 content of ITO-MgF2 samples were not durable to atomic oxygen plasma exposure.

Transparent conducting thin films for spacecraft applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Perez-Davis, M.E.; Malave-Sanabria, T.; Hambourger, P.

1994-01-01

Transparent conductive thin films are required for a variety of optoelectronic applications: automotive and aircraft windows, and solar cells for space applications. Transparent conductive coatings of indium-tin-oxide (ITO)-magnesium fluoride (MgF2) and aluminum doped zinc oxide (AZO) at several dopant levels are investigated for electrical resistivity (sheet resistance), carrier concentration, optical properties, and atomic oxygen durability. The sheet resistance values of ITO-MgF2 range from 10[sup 2] to 10[sup 11] ohms/square, with transmittance of 75 to 86 percent. The AZO films sheet resistances range from 10[sup 7] to 10[sup 11] ohms/square with transmittances from 84 to 91 percent. It was found thatmore » in general, with respect to the optical properties, the zinc oxide (ZnO), AZO, and the high MgF2 content ITO-MgF2 samples, were all durable to atomic oxygen plasma, while the low MgF2 content of ITO-MgF2 samples were not durable to atomic oxygen plasma exposure.« less

Introduction to Production/Manufacturing Drafting. Drafting Module 8. Instructor's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Missouri Univ., Columbia. Instructional Materials Lab.

This module, 1 of 10 in the Drafting curriculum guide developed in Missouri, contains 3 units of study that include some or all of the following components: performance objectives, lesson plans, information sheets, transparency masters, handouts, assignment sheets, job sheets, a unit test, and answers to the unit test. Special instructions on…

Chemical modification of cellulosic fibers for better convertibility in packaging applications.

PubMed

Vuoti, Sauli; Laatikainen, Elina; Heikkinen, Harri; Johansson, Leena-Sisko; Saharinen, Erkki; Retulainen, Elias

2013-07-25

Cellulose fiber has been modified by mechanical and chemical means in order to improve paper properties, which respond to moisture and temperature. When the cellulose is first refined and then etherified using hydroxypropylation under dry conditions, the paper sheets prepared from the hydroxypropylated cellulose show improved elongation. When the level of hydroxypropylation is high enough, the paper sheets also become transparent. Additionally, the effect of cellulose activation using different mechanical methods has been compared by esterification reactions. It is shown that removal of water is the most crucial step for the esterification reactions while other methods have a lesser impact. The paper sheets prepared from the esterified cellulose fibers show an increase in contact angles and high hydrophobicity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Standardization of blood smears prepared in transparent acetate: an alternative method for the microscopic diagnosis of malaria.

PubMed

Mello, Marcia B C; Luz, Francisco C; Leal-Santos, Fabio A; Alves, Eduardo R; Gasquez, Thamires M; Fontes, Cor J F

2014-06-17

Due to students' initial inexperience, slides are frequently broken and blood smears are damaged in microscopy training, leading to the need for their constant replacement. To minimize this problem a method of preparing blood smears on transparent acetate sheets was developed with the goal of implementing appropriate and more readily available teaching resources for the microscopic diagnosis of malaria. Acetate sheets derived from polyester were used to standardize the preparation and staining of thin and thick blood smears on transparent acetate sheets. Thick and thin blood smears were also prepared using the conventional method on glass slides. The staining was conducted using Giemsa staining for the thick and thin smears. Microscopic examination (1,000x) of the thin and thick blood smears prepared on transparent acetate produced high-quality images for both the parasites and the blood cells. The smears showed up on a clear background and with minimal dye precipitation. It was possible to clearly identify the main morphological characteristics of Plasmodium, neutrophils and platelets. After 12 months of storage, there was no change in image quality or evidence of fungal colonization. Preparation of thin and thick blood smears in transparent acetate for the microscopic diagnosis of malaria does not compromise the morphological and staining characteristics of the parasites or blood cells. It is reasonable to predict the applicability of transparent acetate in relevant situations such as the training of qualified professionals for the microscopic diagnosis of malaria and the preparation of positive specimens for competency assessment (quality control) of professionals and services involved in the diagnosis of malaria.

Indium Tin Oxide-Magnesium Fluoride Co-Deposited Films for Spacecraft Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dever, Joycer A.; Rutledge, Sharon K.; Hambourger, Paul D.; Bruckner, Eric; Ferrante, Rhea; Pal, Anna Marie; Mayer, Karen; Pietromica, Anthony J.

1998-01-01

Highly transparent coatings with a maximum sheet resistivity between 10(exp 8) and 10(exp 9) ohms/square are desired to prevent charging of solar arrays for low Earth polar orbit and geosynchronous orbit missions. Indium tin oxide (ITO) and magnesium fluoride (MgF2) were ion beam sputter co-deposited onto fused silica substrates and were evaluated for transmittance, sheet resistivity and the effects of simulated space environments including atomic oxygen (AO) and vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation. Optical properties and sheet resistivity as a function of MgF2 content in the films will be presented. Films containing 8.4 wt.% MgF2 were found to be highly transparent and provided sheet resistivity in the required range. These films maintained a high transmittance upon exposure to AO and to VUV radiation, although exposure to AO in the presence of charged species and intense electromagnetic radiation caused significant degradation in film transmittance. Sheet resistivity of the as-fabricated films increased with time in ambient conditions. Vacuum beat treatment following film deposition caused a reduction in sheet resistivity. However, following vacuum heat treatment, sheet resistivity values remained stable during storage in ambient conditions.

Use of acrylic sheet molds for elastomeric products

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heisman, R. M.; Koerner, A. E.; Messineo, S. M.

1970-01-01

Molds constructed of acrylic sheet are more easily machined than metal, are transparent to ensure complete filling during injection, and have smooth surfaces free of contamination. Technique eliminates flashing on molded parts and mold release agents.

Electrical Conductivity in Transparent Silver Nanowire Networks: Simulations and Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sherrott, Michelle; Mutiso, Rose; Rathmell, Aaron; Wiley, Benjamin; Winey, Karen

2012-02-01

We model and experimentally measure the electrical conductivity of two-dimensional networks containing finite, conductive cylinders with aspect ratio ranging from 33 to 333. We have previously used our simulations to explore the effects of cylinder orientation and aspect ratio in three-dimensional composites, and now extend the simulation to consider two-dimensional silver nanowire networks. Preliminary results suggest that increasing the aspect ratio and area fraction of these rods significantly decreases the sheet resistance of the film. For all simulated aspect ratios, this sheet resistance approaches a constant value for high area fractions of rods. This implies that regardless of aspect ratio, there is a limiting minimum sheet resistance that is characteristic of the properties of the nanowires. Experimental data from silver nanowire networks will be incorporated into the simulations to define the contact resistance and corroborate experimentally measured sheet resistances of transparent thin films.

Dependence of lattice strain relaxation, absorbance, and sheet resistance on thickness in textured ZnO@B transparent conductive oxide for thin-film solar cell applications.

PubMed

Kou, Kuang-Yang; Huang, Yu-En; Chen, Chien-Hsun; Feng, Shih-Wei

2016-01-01

The interplay of surface texture, strain relaxation, absorbance, grain size, and sheet resistance in textured, boron-doped ZnO (ZnO@B), transparent conductive oxide (TCO) materials of different thicknesses used for thin film, solar cell applications is investigated. The residual strain induced by the lattice mismatch and the difference in the thermal expansion coefficient for thicker ZnO@B is relaxed, leading to an increased surface texture, stronger absorbance, larger grain size, and lower sheet resistance. These experimental results reveal the optical and material characteristics of the TCO layer, which could be useful for enhancing the performance of solar cells through an optimized TCO layer.

Free-Standing and Transparent Graphene Membrane of Polyhedron Box-Shaped Basic Building Units Directly Grown Using a NaCl Template for Flexible Transparent and Stretchable Solid-State Supercapacitors.

PubMed

Li, Na; Yang, Gongzheng; Sun, Yong; Song, Huawei; Cui, Hao; Yang, Guowei; Wang, Chengxin

2015-05-13

Transparency has never been integrated into freestanding flexible graphene paper (FF-GP), although FF-GP has been discussed extensively, because a thin transparent graphene sheet will fracture easily when the template or substrate is removed using traditional methods. Here, transparent FF-GP (FFT-GP) was developed using NaCl as the template and was applied in transparent and stretchable supercapacitors. The capacitance was improved by nearly 1000-fold compared with that of the laminated or wrinkled chemical vapor deposition graphene-film-based supercapacitors.

A high precision instrument to measure angular and binocular deviation introduced by aircraft windscreens by using a shadow casting technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shivananju, B. N.; Yamdagni, S.; Vasu, R. M.; Asokan, S.

2012-12-01

Objects viewed through transparent sheets with residual non-parallelism and irregularity appear shifted and distorted. This distortion is measured in terms of angular and binocular deviation of an object viewed through the transparent sheet. The angular and binocular deviations introduced are particularly important in the context of aircraft windscreens and canopies as they can interfere with decision making of pilots especially while landing, leading to accidents. In this work, we have developed an instrument to measure both the angular and binocular deviations introduced by transparent sheets. This instrument is especially useful in the qualification of aircraft windscreens and canopies. It measures the deviation in the geometrical shadow cast by a periodic dot pattern trans-illuminated by the distorted light beam from the transparent test specimen compared to the reference pattern. Accurate quantification of the shift in the pattern is obtained by cross-correlating the reference shadow pattern with the specimen shadow pattern and measuring the location of the correlation peak. The developed instrument is handy to use and computes both angular and binocular deviation with an accuracy of less than ±0.1 mrad (≈0.036 mrad) and has an excellent repeatability with an error of less than 2%.

Graphene Transparent Conductive Electrodes for Next- Generation Microshutter Arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Mary; Sultana, Mahmooda; Hess, Larry

2012-01-01

Graphene is a single atomic layer of graphite. It is optically transparent and has high electron mobility, and thus has great potential to make transparent conductive electrodes. This invention contributes towards the development of graphene transparent conductive electrodes for next-generation microshutter arrays. The original design for the electrodes of the next generation of microshutters uses indium-tin-oxide (ITO) as the electrode material. ITO is widely used in NASA flight missions. The optical transparency of ITO is limited, and the material is brittle. Also, ITO has been getting more expensive in recent years. The objective of the invention is to develop a graphene transparent conductive electrode that will replace ITO. An exfoliation procedure was developed to make graphene out of graphite crystals. In addition, large areas of single-layer graphene were produced using low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) with high optical transparency. A special graphene transport procedure was developed for transferring graphene from copper substrates to arbitrary substrates. The concept is to grow large-size graphene sheets using the LPCVD system through chemical reaction, transfer the graphene film to a substrate, dope graphene to reduce the sheet resistance, and pattern the film to the dimension of the electrodes in the microshutter array. Graphene transparent conductive electrodes are expected to have a transparency of 97.7%. This covers the electromagnetic spectrum from UV to IR. In comparison, ITO electrodes currently used in microshutter arrays have 85% transparency in mid-IR, and suffer from dramatic transparency drop at a wavelength of near-IR or shorter. Thus, graphene also has potential application as transparent conductive electrodes for Schottky photodiodes in the UV region.

A Cost-Effective Transparency-Based Digital Imaging for Efficient and Accurate Wound Area Measurement

PubMed Central

Li, Pei-Nan; Li, Hong; Wu, Mo-Li; Wang, Shou-Yu; Kong, Qing-You; Zhang, Zhen; Sun, Yuan; Liu, Jia; Lv, De-Cheng

2012-01-01

Wound measurement is an objective and direct way to trace the course of wound healing and to evaluate therapeutic efficacy. Nevertheless, the accuracy and efficiency of the current measurement methods need to be improved. Taking the advantages of reliability of transparency tracing and the accuracy of computer-aided digital imaging, a transparency-based digital imaging approach is established, by which data from 340 wound tracing were collected from 6 experimental groups (8 rats/group) at 8 experimental time points (Day 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 14 and 16) and orderly archived onto a transparency model sheet. This sheet was scanned and its image was saved in JPG form. Since a set of standard area units from 1 mm2 to 1 cm2 was integrated into the sheet, the tracing areas in JPG image were measured directly, using the “Magnetic lasso tool” in Adobe Photoshop program. The pixel values/PVs of individual outlined regions were obtained and recorded in an average speed of 27 second/region. All PV data were saved in an excel form and their corresponding areas were calculated simultaneously by the formula of Y (PV of the outlined region)/X (PV of standard area unit) × Z (area of standard unit). It took a researcher less than 3 hours to finish area calculation of 340 regions. In contrast, over 3 hours were expended by three skillful researchers to accomplish the above work with traditional transparency-based method. Moreover, unlike the results obtained traditionally, little variation was found among the data calculated by different persons and the standard area units in different sizes and shapes. Given its accurate, reproductive and efficient properties, this transparency-based digital imaging approach would be of significant values in basic wound healing research and clinical practice. PMID:22666449

Highly stretchable electroluminescent skin for optical signaling and tactile sensing.

PubMed

Larson, C; Peele, B; Li, S; Robinson, S; Totaro, M; Beccai, L; Mazzolai, B; Shepherd, R

2016-03-04

Cephalopods such as octopuses have a combination of a stretchable skin and color-tuning organs to control both posture and color for visual communication and disguise. We present an electroluminescent material that is capable of large uniaxial stretching and surface area changes while actively emitting light. Layers of transparent hydrogel electrodes sandwich a ZnS phosphor-doped dielectric elastomer layer, creating thin rubber sheets that change illuminance and capacitance under deformation. Arrays of individually controllable pixels in thin rubber sheets were fabricated using replica molding and were subjected to stretching, folding, and rolling to demonstrate their use as stretchable displays. These sheets were then integrated into the skin of a soft robot, providing it with dynamic coloration and sensory feedback from external and internal stimuli. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Characteristics of Laminating Transparent Conductive Films Aimed at Nursing Indium Ingredient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikuta, Kimihiro; Aoki, Takanori; Suzuki, Akio; Matsushita, Tatsuhiko; Okuda, Masahiro

By irradiating ArF excimer laser (λ=193 nm) with energies density 0.8 ∼ 1.4 J/cm2 on the targets of ITO and AZO (Al-doped zinc oxide) by turns, the laminated transparent conducting films composed of ITO (50 nm)/AZO (250 nm) with a total films thickness of 300 nm were fabricated at substrate temperature of 220°C. At laser energy density of 1.2 J/cm2, a sheet resistance of 6.12 Ω/_??_ was obtained under conditions of oxygen pressure of 0.5 Pa for ITO. In addition, electrical characteristics of the laminated transparent conducting composed of ITO/AZO was equal to or more than that of ITO (300 nm). As a result, about 80 percent consumption of ITO was reduced at its maximum. After having examined environmental load, the sheet resistance of the laminated ITO/AZO transparent conductive oxide films did not change and therefore, the durability to the environmental conditions was maintained.

A highly crystalline single Au wire network as a high temperature transparent heater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rao, K. D. M.; Kulkarni, Giridhar U.

2014-05-01

A transparent conductor which can generate high temperatures finds important applications in optoelectronics. In this article, a wire network made of Au on quartz is shown to serve as an effective high temperature transparent heater. The heater has been fabricated by depositing Au onto a cracked sacrificial template. The highly interconnected Au wire network thus formed exhibited a transmittance of ~87% in a wide spectral range with a sheet resistance of 5.4 Ω □-1. By passing current through the network, it could be joule heated to ~600 °C within a few seconds. The extraordinary thermal performance and stability owe much to the seamless junctions present in the wire network. Furthermore, the wire network gets self-annealed through joule heating as seen from its increased crystallinity. Interestingly, both transmittance and sheet resistance improved following annealing to 92% and 3.2 Ω □-1, respectively. A transparent conductor which can generate high temperatures finds important applications in optoelectronics. In this article, a wire network made of Au on quartz is shown to serve as an effective high temperature transparent heater. The heater has been fabricated by depositing Au onto a cracked sacrificial template. The highly interconnected Au wire network thus formed exhibited a transmittance of ~87% in a wide spectral range with a sheet resistance of 5.4 Ω □-1. By passing current through the network, it could be joule heated to ~600 °C within a few seconds. The extraordinary thermal performance and stability owe much to the seamless junctions present in the wire network. Furthermore, the wire network gets self-annealed through joule heating as seen from its increased crystallinity. Interestingly, both transmittance and sheet resistance improved following annealing to 92% and 3.2 Ω □-1, respectively. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Optical micrographs, EDAX, XRD, SEM and TEM images of Au metal wires. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr00869c

One-step sub-10 μm patterning of carbon-nanotube thin films for transparent conductor applications.

PubMed

Fukaya, Norihiro; Kim, Dong Young; Kishimoto, Shigeru; Noda, Suguru; Ohno, Yutaka

2014-04-22

We propose a technique for one-step micropatterning of as-grown carbon-nanotube films on a plastic substrate with sub-10 μm resolution on the basis of the dry transfer process. By utilizing this technique, we demonstrated the novel high-performance flexible carbon-nanotube transparent conductive film with a microgrid structure, which enabled improvement of the performance over the trade-off between the sheet resistance and transmittance of a conventional uniform carbon-nanotube film. The sheet resistance was reduced by 46% at its maximum by adding the microgrid, leading to a value of 53 Ω/sq at a transmittance of 80%. We also demonstrated easy fabrication of multitouch projected capacitive sensors with 12 × 12 electrodes. The technique is quite promising for energy-saving production of transparent conductor devices with 100% material utilization.

Transparent and stretchable high-performance supercapacitors based on wrinkled graphene electrodes.

PubMed

Chen, Tao; Xue, Yuhua; Roy, Ajit K; Dai, Liming

2014-01-28

Transparent and/or stretchable energy storage devices have attracted intense attention due to their unique optical and/or mechanical properties as well as their intrinsic energy storage function. However, it remains a great challenge to integrate transparent and stretchable properties into an energy storage device because the currently developed electrodes are either transparent or stretchable, but not both. Herein, we report a simple method to fabricate wrinkled graphene with high stretchability and transparency. The resultant wrinkled graphene sheets were used as both current collector and electrode materials to develop transparent and stretchable supercapacitors, which showed a high transparency (57% at 550 nm) and can be stretched up to 40% strain without obvious performance change over hundreds of stretching cycles.

Focusing on energy and optoelectronic applications: a journey for graphene and graphene oxide at large scale.

PubMed

Wan, Xiangjian; Huang, Yi; Chen, Yongsheng

2012-04-17

Carbon is the only element that has stable allotropes in the 0th through the 3rd dimension, all of which have many outstanding properties. Graphene is the basic building block of other important carbon allotropes. Studies of graphene became much more active after the Geim group isolated "free" and "perfect" graphene sheets and demonstrated the unprecedented electronic properties of graphene in 2004. So far, no other individual material combines so many important properties, including high mobility, Hall effect, transparency, mechanical strength, and thermal conductivity. In this Account, we briefly review our studies of bulk scale graphene and graphene oxide (GO), including their synthesis and applications focused on energy and optoelectronics. Researchers use many methods to produce graphene materials: bottom-up and top-down methods and scalable methods such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and chemical exfoliation. Each fabrication method has both advantages and limitations. CVD could represent the most important production method for electronic applications. The chemical exfoliation method offers the advantages of easy scale up and easy solution processing but also produces graphene oxide (GO), which leads to defects and the introduction of heavy functional groups. However, most of these additional functional groups and defects can be removed by chemical reduction or thermal annealing. Because solution processing is required for many film and device applications, including transparent electrodes for touch screens, light-emitting devices (LED), field-effect transistors (FET), and photovoltaic devices (OPV), flexible electronics, and composite applications, the use of GO is important for the production of graphene. Because graphene has an intrinsic zero band gap, this issue needs to be tackled for its FET applications. The studies for transparent electrode related applications have made great progress, but researchers need to improve sheet resistance while maintaining reasonable transparency. Proposals for solving these issues include doping or controlling the sheet size and defects, and theory indicates that graphene can match the overall performance of indium tin oxide (ITO). We have significantly improved the specific capacitance in graphene supercapacitor devices, though our results do not yet approach theoretical values. For composite applications, the key issue is to prevent the restacking of graphene sheets, which we achieved by adding blocking molecules. The continued success of graphene studies will require further development in two areas: (1) the large scale and controlled synthesis of graphene, producing different structures and quantities that are needed for a variety of applications and (2) on table applications, such as transparent electrodes and energy storage devices. Overall, graphene has demonstrated performance that equals or surpasses that of other new carbon allotropes. These features, combined with its easier access and better processing ability, offer the potential basis for truly revolutionary applications and as a future fundamental technological material beyond the silicon age.

Effectively Transparent Front Contacts for Optoelectronic Devices

DOE PAGES

Saive, Rebecca; Borsuk, Aleca M.; Emmer, Hal S.; ...

2016-06-10

Effectively transparent front contacts for optoelectronic devices achieve a measured transparency of up to 99.9% and a measured sheet resistance of 4.8 Ω sq-1. These 3D microscale triangular cross-section grid fingers redirect incoming photons efficiently to the active semiconductor area and can replace standard grid fingers as well as transparent conductive oxide layers in optoelectronic devices. Optoelectronic devices such as light emitting diodes, photodiodes, and solar cells play an important and expanding role in modern technology. Photovoltaics is one of the largest optoelectronic industry sectors and an ever-increasing component of the world's rapidly growing renewable carbon-free electricity generation infrastructure. Inmore » recent years, the photovoltaics field has dramatically expanded owing to the large-scale manufacture of inexpensive crystalline Si and thin film cells and modules. The current record efficiency (η = 25.6%) Si solar cell utilizes a heterostructure intrinsic thin layer (HIT) design[1] to enable increased open circuit voltage, while more mass-manufacturable solar cell architectures feature front contacts.[2, 3] Thus improved solar cell front contact designs are important for future large-scale photovoltaics with even higher efficiency.« less

Drilling Machines: Vocational Machine Shop.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, John C.

The lessons and supportive information in this field tested instructional block provide a guide for teachers in developing a machine shop course of study in drilling. The document is comprised of operation sheets, information sheets, and transparency masters for 23 lessons. Each lesson plan includes a performance objective, material and tools,…

Tunable Multiple Plasmon-Induced Transparencies Based on Asymmetrical Graphene Nanoribbon Structures

PubMed Central

Lu, Chunyu; Wang, Jicheng; Yan, Shubin; Hu, Zheng-Da; Zheng, Gaige; Yang, Liu

2017-01-01

We present plasmonic devices, consisting of periodic arrays of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) and a graphene sheet waveguide, to achieve controllable plasmon-induced transparency (PIT) by numerical simulation. We analyze the bright and dark elements of the GNRs and graphene-sheet waveguide structure. Results show that applying the gate voltage can electrically tune the PIT spectrum. Adjusting the coupling distance and widths of GNRs directly results in a shift of transmission dips. In addition, increased angle of incidence causes the transmission to split into multiple PIT peaks. We also demonstrate that PIT devices based on graphene plasmonics may have promising applications as plasmonic sensors in nanophotonics. PMID:28773062

VOx effectively doping CVD-graphene for transparent conductive films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Qinghua; Shi, Liangjing; Zhang, Qinghong; Wang, Weiqi; Zheng, Huifeng; Zhang, Yuzhi; Liu, Yangqiao; Sun, Jing

2016-11-01

Chemical vapor deposition(CVD)-synthesized graphene is potentially an alternative for tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) transparent conductive films (TCFs), however its sheet resistance is still too high to meet many demands. Vanadium oxide has been widely applied as smart window materials, however, no study has been reported to use it as dopant to improve the conductivity of graphene TCFs. In this study, we firstly reported that VOx doping can effectively lower the sheet resistance of CVD-graphene films while keeping its good optical properties, whose transmittance is as high as 86-90%. The optimized VOx-doped graphene exhibits a sheet resistance as low as 176 Ω/□, which decreases by 56% compared to the undoped graphene films. The doping process is convenient, stable, economical and easy to operate. What is more, VOx can effectively increase the work function(WF) of the film, making it more appropriate for use in solar cells. The evolution of the VOx species annealed at different temperatures below 400 °C has been detailed studied for the first time, based on which the doping mechanism is proposed. The prepared VOx doped graphene is expected to be a promising candidate for transparent conductive film purposes.

A new architecture as transparent electrodes for solar and IR applications based on photonic structures via soft lithography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuang, Ping

2011-01-01

Transparent conducting electrodes with the combination of high optical transmission and good electrical conductivity are essential for solar energy harvesting and electric lighting devices. Currently, indium tin oxide (ITO) is used because ITO offers relatively high transparency (>80%) to visible light and low sheet resistance (R s = 10 ohms/square (Ω /2)) for electrical conduction. However, ITO is costly due to limited indium reserves, and it is brittle. These disadvantages have motivated the search for other conducting electrodes with similar or better properties. There has been research on a variety of electrode structures involving carbon nanotube networks, graphene films, nanowiremore » and nanopatterned meshes and grids. Due to their novel characteristics in light manipulation and collection, photonic crystal structures show promise for further improvement. Here, we report on a new architecture consisting of nanoscale high aspect ratio metallic photonic structures as transparent electrodes fabricated via a combination of processes. For (Au) and silver (Ag) structures, the visible light transmission can reach as high as 80%, and the sheet resistance of the structure can be as low as 3.2Ω /2. The optical transparency of the high aspect ratio metal structures at visible wavelength range is comparable to that of ITO glass, while their sheet resistance is more than 3 times lower, which indicates a much higher electrical conductivity of the metal structures. Furthermore, the high aspect ratio metal structures have very high infrared (IR) reflection (90%) for the transverse magnetic (TM) mode, which can lead to the development of fabrication of metallic structures as IR filters for heat control applications. Investigations of interdigitated structures based on the high aspect ratio metal electrodes are ongoing to study the feasibility in smart window applications in light transmission modulation.« less

Improved thermal oxidation stability of solution-processable silver nanowire transparent electrode by reduced graphene oxide.

PubMed

Ahn, Yumi; Jeong, Youngjun; Lee, Youngu

2012-12-01

Solution-processable silver nanowire-reduced graphene oxide (AgNW-rGO) hybrid transparent electrode was prepared in order to replace conventional ITO transparent electrode. AgNW-rGO hybrid transparent electrode exhibited high optical transmittance and low sheet resistance, which is comparable to ITO transparent electrode. In addition, it was found that AgNW-rGO hybrid transparent electrode exhibited highly enhanced thermal oxidation and chemical stabilities due to excellent gas-barrier property of rGO passivation layer onto AgNW film. Furthermore, the organic solar cells with AgNW-rGO hybrid transparent electrode showed good photovoltaic behavior as much as solar cells with AgNW transparent electrode. It is expected that AgNW-rGO hybrid transparent electrode can be used as a key component in various optoelectronic application such as display panels, touch screen panels, and solar cells.

Transparent conductors based on microscale/nanoscale materials for high performance devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Tongchuan

Transparent conductors are important as the top electrode for a variety of optoelectronic devices, including solar cells, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), at panel displays, and touch screens. Doped indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films are the predominant transparent conductor material. However, ITO thin films are brittle, making them unsuitable for the emerging flexible devices, and suffer from high material and processing cost. In my thesis, we developed a variety of transparent conductors toward a performance comparable with or superior to ITO thin films, with lower cost and potential for scalable manufacturing. Metal nanomesh (NM), hierarchical graphene/metal microgrid (MG), and hierarchical metal NM/MG materials were investigated. Simulation methods were used as a powerful tool to predict the transparency and sheet resistance of the transparent conductors by solving Maxwell's equations and Poisson's equation. Affordable and scalable fabrication processes were developed thereafter. Transparent conductors with over 90% transparency and less than 10 O/square sheet resistance were successfully fabricated on both rigid and flexible substrates. Durability tests, such as bending, heating and tape tests, were carried out to evaluate the robustness of the samples. Haze factor, which characterizes how blurry a transparent conductor appears, was also studied in-depth using analytical calculation and numerical simulation. We demonstrated a tunable haze factor for metal NM transparent conductors and analyzed the principle for tuning the haze factor. Plasmonic effects, excited by some transparent conductors, can lead to enhanced performance in photovoltaic devices. We systematically studied the effect of incorporating metal NM into ultrathin film silicon solar cells using numerical simulation, with the aid of optimization algorithms to reduce the optimization time. Mechanisms contributing to the enhanced performance were then identified and analyzed. Over 72% enhancement in short-circuit current-density was demonstrated by the optimal solar cell compared with 300-nm-thick Si solar cell with antireflection coating and silver back reflector.

Optically Transparent Microwave Polarizer Based On Quasi-Metallic Graphene.

PubMed

Grande, Marco; Bianco, Giuseppe Valerio; Vincenti, Maria Antonietta; de Ceglia, Domenico; Capezzuto, Pio; Scalora, Michael; D'Orazio, Antonella; Bruno, Giovanni

2015-11-25

In this paper, we report on the engineering and the realization of optically transparent graphene-based microwave devices using Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) graphene whose sheet resistance may be tailored down to values below 30 Ω/sq. In particular, we show that the process was successfully used to realize and characterize a simple, optically transparent graphene-based wire-grid polarizer at microwave frequencies (X band). The availability of graphene operating in a quasi-metallic region may allow the integration of graphene layers in several microwave components, thus leading to the realization of fully transparent (and flexible) microwave devices.

Optically Transparent Microwave Polarizer Based On Quasi-Metallic Graphene

PubMed Central

Grande, Marco; Bianco, Giuseppe Valerio; Vincenti, Maria Antonietta; de Ceglia, Domenico; Capezzuto, Pio; Scalora, Michael; D’Orazio, Antonella; Bruno, Giovanni

2015-01-01

In this paper, we report on the engineering and the realization of optically transparent graphene-based microwave devices using Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) graphene whose sheet resistance may be tailored down to values below 30 Ω/sq. In particular, we show that the process was successfully used to realize and characterize a simple, optically transparent graphene-based wire-grid polarizer at microwave frequencies (X band). The availability of graphene operating in a quasi-metallic region may allow the integration of graphene layers in several microwave components, thus leading to the realization of fully transparent (and flexible) microwave devices. PMID:26603112

Fabrication of high aspect ratio nanogrid transparent electrodes via capillary assembly of Ag nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Juhoon; Park, Chang-Goo; Lee, Su-Han; Cho, Changsoon; Choi, Dae-Geun; Lee, Jung-Yong

2016-05-01

In this report, we describe the fabrication of periodic Ag nanogrid electrodes by capillary assembly of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) along patterned nanogrid templates. By assembling the AgNPs into these high-aspect-ratio nanogrid patterns, we can obtain high-aspect-ratio nanogratings, which can overcome the inherent trade-off between the optical transmittance and the sheet resistance of transparent electrodes. The junction resistance between the AgNPs is effectively reduced by photochemical welding and post-annealing. The fabricated high-aspect-ratio nanogrid structure with a line width of 150 nm and a height of 450 nm has a sheet resistance of 15.2 Ω sq-1 and an optical transmittance of 85.4%.In this report, we describe the fabrication of periodic Ag nanogrid electrodes by capillary assembly of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) along patterned nanogrid templates. By assembling the AgNPs into these high-aspect-ratio nanogrid patterns, we can obtain high-aspect-ratio nanogratings, which can overcome the inherent trade-off between the optical transmittance and the sheet resistance of transparent electrodes. The junction resistance between the AgNPs is effectively reduced by photochemical welding and post-annealing. The fabricated high-aspect-ratio nanogrid structure with a line width of 150 nm and a height of 450 nm has a sheet resistance of 15.2 Ω sq-1 and an optical transmittance of 85.4%. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr01896c

Switching Vertical to Horizontal Graphene Growth Using Faraday Cage-Assisted PECVD Approach for High-Performance Transparent Heating Device.

PubMed

Qi, Yue; Deng, Bing; Guo, Xiao; Chen, Shulin; Gao, Jing; Li, Tianran; Dou, Zhipeng; Ci, Haina; Sun, Jingyu; Chen, Zhaolong; Wang, Ruoyu; Cui, Lingzhi; Chen, Xudong; Chen, Ke; Wang, Huihui; Wang, Sheng; Gao, Peng; Rummeli, Mark H; Peng, Hailin; Zhang, Yanfeng; Liu, Zhongfan

2018-02-01

Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) is an applicable route to achieve low-temperature growth of graphene, typically shaped like vertical nanowalls. However, for transparent electronic applications, the rich exposed edges and high specific surface area of vertical graphene (VG) nanowalls can enhance the carrier scattering and light absorption, resulting in high sheet resistance and low transmittance. Thus, the synthesis of laid-down graphene (LG) is imperative. Here, a Faraday cage is designed to switch graphene growth in PECVD from the vertical to the horizontal direction by weakening ion bombardment and shielding electric field. Consequently, laid-down graphene is synthesized on low-softening-point soda-lime glass (6 cm × 10 cm) at ≈580 °C. This is hardly realized through the conventional PECVD or the thermal chemical vapor deposition methods with the necessity of high growth temperature (1000 °C-1600 °C). Laid-down graphene glass has higher transparency, lower sheet resistance, and much improved macroscopic uniformity when compare to its vertical graphene counterpart and it performs better in transparent heating devices. This will inspire the next-generation applications in low-cost transparent electronics. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Evaluating conducting network based transparent electrodes from geometrical considerations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kumar, Ankush; Kulkarni, G. U., E-mail: guk@cens.res.in

2016-01-07

Conducting nanowire networks have been developed as viable alternative to existing indium tin oxide based transparent electrode (TE). The nature of electrical conduction and process optimization for electrodes have gained much from the theoretical models based on percolation transport using Monte Carlo approach and applying Kirchhoff's law on individual junctions and loops. While most of the literature work pertaining to theoretical analysis is focussed on networks obtained from conducting rods (mostly considering only junction resistance), hardly any attention has been paid to those made using template based methods, wherein the structure of network is neither similar to network obtained frommore » conducting rods nor similar to well periodic geometry. Here, we have attempted an analytical treatment based on geometrical arguments and applied image analysis on practical networks to gain deeper insight into conducting networked structure particularly in relation to sheet resistance and transmittance. Many literature examples reporting networks with straight or curvilinear wires with distributions in wire width and length have been analysed by treating the networks as two dimensional graphs and evaluating the sheet resistance based on wire density and wire width. The sheet resistance values from our analysis compare well with the experimental values. Our analysis on various examples has revealed that low sheet resistance is achieved with high wire density and compactness with straight rather than curvilinear wires and with narrower wire width distribution. Similarly, higher transmittance for given sheet resistance is possible with narrower wire width but of higher thickness, minimal curvilinearity, and maximum connectivity. For the purpose of evaluating active fraction of the network, the algorithm was made to distinguish and quantify current carrying backbone regions as against regions containing only dangling or isolated wires. The treatment can be helpful in predicting the properties of a network simply from image analysis and will be helpful in improvisation and comparison of various TEs and better understanding of electrical percolation.« less

Evaluating conducting network based transparent electrodes from geometrical considerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Ankush; Kulkarni, G. U.

2016-01-01

Conducting nanowire networks have been developed as viable alternative to existing indium tin oxide based transparent electrode (TE). The nature of electrical conduction and process optimization for electrodes have gained much from the theoretical models based on percolation transport using Monte Carlo approach and applying Kirchhoff's law on individual junctions and loops. While most of the literature work pertaining to theoretical analysis is focussed on networks obtained from conducting rods (mostly considering only junction resistance), hardly any attention has been paid to those made using template based methods, wherein the structure of network is neither similar to network obtained from conducting rods nor similar to well periodic geometry. Here, we have attempted an analytical treatment based on geometrical arguments and applied image analysis on practical networks to gain deeper insight into conducting networked structure particularly in relation to sheet resistance and transmittance. Many literature examples reporting networks with straight or curvilinear wires with distributions in wire width and length have been analysed by treating the networks as two dimensional graphs and evaluating the sheet resistance based on wire density and wire width. The sheet resistance values from our analysis compare well with the experimental values. Our analysis on various examples has revealed that low sheet resistance is achieved with high wire density and compactness with straight rather than curvilinear wires and with narrower wire width distribution. Similarly, higher transmittance for given sheet resistance is possible with narrower wire width but of higher thickness, minimal curvilinearity, and maximum connectivity. For the purpose of evaluating active fraction of the network, the algorithm was made to distinguish and quantify current carrying backbone regions as against regions containing only dangling or isolated wires. The treatment can be helpful in predicting the properties of a network simply from image analysis and will be helpful in improvisation and comparison of various TEs and better understanding of electrical percolation.

Process for forming transparent aerogel insulating arrays

DOEpatents

Tewari, Param H.; Hunt, Arlon J.

1986-01-01

An improved supercritical drying process for forming transparent silica aerogel arrays is described. The process is of the type utilizing the steps of hydrolyzing and condensing aloxides to form alcogels. A subsequent step removes the alcohol to form aerogels. The improvement includes the additional step, after alcogels are formed, of substituting a solvent, such as CO.sub.2, for the alcohol in the alcogels, the solvent having a critical temperature less than the critical temperature of the alcohol. The resulting gels are dried at a supercritical temperature for the selected solvent, such as CO.sub.2, to thereby provide a transparent aerogel array within a substantially reduced (days-to-hours) time period. The supercritical drying occurs at about 40.degree. C. instead of at about 270.degree. C. The improved process provides increased yields of large scale, structurally sound arrays. The transparent aerogel array, formed in sheets or slabs, as made in accordance with the improved process, can replace the air gap within a double glazed window, for example, to provide a substantial reduction in heat transfer. The thus formed transparent aerogel arrays may also be utilized, for example, in windows of refrigerators and ovens, or in the walls and doors thereof or as the active material in detectors for analyzing high energy elementry particles or cosmic rays.

Process for forming transparent aerogel insulating arrays

DOEpatents

Tewari, P.H.; Hunt, A.J.

1985-09-04

An improved supercritical drying process for forming transparent silica aerogel arrays is described. The process is of the type utilizing the steps of hydrolyzing and condensing aloxides to form alcogels. A subsequent step removes the alcohol to form aerogels. The improvement includes the additional step, after alcogels are formed, of substituting a solvent, such as CO/sub 2/, for the alcohol in the alcogels, the solvent having a critical temperature less than the critical temperature of the alcohol. The resulting gels are dried at a supercritical temperature for the selected solvent, such as CO/sub 2/, to thereby provide a transparent aerogel array within a substantially reduced (days-to-hours) time period. The supercritical drying occurs at about 40/sup 0/C instead of at about 270/sup 0/C. The improved process provides increased yields of large scale, structurally sound arrays. The transparent aerogel array, formed in sheets or slabs, as made in accordance with the improved process, can replace the air gap within a double glazed window, for example, to provide a substantial reduction in heat transfer. The thus formed transparent aerogel arrays may also be utilized, for example, in windows of refrigerators and ovens, or in the walls and doors thereof or as the active material in detectors for analyzing high energy elementary particles or cosmic rays.

Highly transparent and flexible circuits through patterning silver nanowires into microfluidic channels.

PubMed

Sun, Jing; Zhou, Wenhui; Yang, Haibo; Zhen, Xue; Ma, Longfei; Williams, Dirk; Sun, Xudong; Lang, Ming-Fei

2018-05-10

The development of flexible and transparent devices requires completely transparent and flexible circuits (TFCs). To overcome the disadvantages of the previously reported TFCs that are partially transparent, lacking pattern control, or labor consuming, we achieve true TFCs via a facile process with precise pattern control, exhibiting concurrent high transparency, conductivity, flexibility, stretchability, and robustness. A highly transparent and flexible conductive film is first made through spin coating silver nanowires (AgNWs) onto polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and demonstrates simultaneous high transparency (90.86%) and low sheet resistance (3.22 Ω sq-1). Taking advantage of microfluidic technology, circuits with ultraprecise and complex patterns from the microscale to milliscale are obtained through spin coating of AgNWs into microfluidic channels on PDMS. Without elaborate processing, this method may be suitable for mass production, which would contribute enormously to potential applications in wearable medical equipment and transparent electronic devices.

Strain induced chemical potential difference between monolayer graphene sheets.

PubMed

Zhang, Yupeng; Luo, Chengzhi; Li, Weiping; Pan, Chunxu

2013-04-07

Monolayer graphene sheets were deposited on a transparent and flexible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate, and a tensile strain was loaded by stretching the substrate in one direction. It was found that an electric potential difference between stretched and static monolayer graphene sheets reached 8 mV when the strain was 5%. Theoretical calculations for the band structure and total energy revealed an alternative way to experimentally tune the band gap of monolayer graphene, and induce the generation of electricity.

Copercolating Networks: An Approach for Realizing High-Performance Transparent Conductors using Multicomponent Nanostructured Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Suprem R.; Sadeque, Sajia; Jeong, Changwook; Chen, Ruiyi; Alam, Muhammad A.; Janes, David B.

2016-06-01

Although transparent conductive oxides such as indium tin oxide (ITO) are widely employed as transparent conducting electrodes (TCEs) for applications such as touch screens and displays, new nanostructured TCEs are of interest for future applications, including emerging transparent and flexible electronics. A number of twodimensional networks of nanostructured elements have been reported, including metallic nanowire networks consisting of silver nanowires, metallic carbon nanotubes (m-CNTs), copper nanowires or gold nanowires, and metallic mesh structures. In these single-component systems, it has generally been difficult to achieve sheet resistances that are comparable to ITO at a given broadband optical transparency. A relatively new third category of TCEs consisting of networks of 1D-1D and 1D-2D nanocomposites (such as silver nanowires and CNTs, silver nanowires and polycrystalline graphene, silver nanowires and reduced graphene oxide) have demonstrated TCE performance comparable to, or better than, ITO. In such hybrid networks, copercolation between the two components can lead to relatively low sheet resistances at nanowire densities corresponding to high optical transmittance. This review provides an overview of reported hybrid networks, including a comparison of the performance regimes achievable with those of ITO and single-component nanostructured networks. The performance is compared to that expected from bulk thin films and analyzed in terms of the copercolation model. In addition, performance characteristics relevant for flexible and transparent applications are discussed. The new TCEs are promising, but significant work must be done to ensure earth abundance, stability, and reliability so that they can eventually replace traditional ITO-based transparent conductors.

1.4 µm-Thick Transparent Radio Frequency Transmission Lines Based on Instant Fusion of Polyethylene Terephthalate Through Surface of Ag Nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Sang-Woo; Kim, Kwang-Seok; Park, Myeongkoo; Nah, Wansoo; Kim, Dae Up; Lee, Cheul-Ro; Jung, Seung-Boo; Kim, Jong-Woong

2018-05-01

Though a percolated network of silver nanowires (AgNWs) has been considered the most promising flexible transparent electrode because of it high conductivity, high transmittance, and excellent flexibility, fabrication of AgNW-based transmission lines designed to conduct high frequency signals has been scarcely reported. The fabrication and performance of extremely thin (1.4 µm thick) and low lossy (smaller than - 17 dB for reflection coefficient corresponding to 2.5 GHz) transmission lines with unprecedented transparency (higher than 90% for the entire visible light spectrum) are demonstrated in this study. AgNWs deposited onto a 1.4 µm-thick polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheet were irradiated by intense-pulsed-light to selectively raise their temperature. The intensive photon energy delivered to the AgNWs simultaneously caused the active diffusion of Ag atoms and plasmonic welding, resulting in large drops in resistivity without drastic changes in their physical shape or the optical transmittance of the films. Furthermore, absorption of heat also thermally activated the underlying polymer and causing it to react with the surface of the AgNWs—this results in enhanced adhesion between the AgNWs and the PET. Measurements and simulation of specially designed coplanar waveguide circuits revealed that the fabricated electrode could simultaneously provide excellent transmission characteristics and mechanical stability and transparency.

Preparation and properties of CVD-graphene/AgNWs hybrid transparent electrodes for the application of flexible optoelectronic devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xue-yan; Bao, Jun; Li, Lu; Cui, Shao-li; Du, Xiao-qing

2017-10-01

The flexible electrodes based on CVD-graphene/ AgNWs hybrid transparent films were prepared by the vacuum filtration and substrate transferring method, and several performances of the films including sheet resistance, optical transmittance, work function, surface roughness and flexibility were further researched. The results suggested that the hybrid films which were obtained by vacuum filtration and substrate transferring method have the advantages such as uniform distribution of AgNWs, high work function, low roughness and small sheet resistance and good flexibility. The sheet resistance of the hybrid films would decrease with the increasing of the concentration of AgNWs, while the surface roughness would increase and the optical transmittance at 550nm of the films decrease linearly. Organic light emitting devices (OLED) devices based on CVD-graphene/AgNWs hybrid films were fabricated, and characteristics of voltage-current density, luminance, current efficiency were tested. It's found that CVD-graphene/AgNWs hybrid films were better than CVD-graphene films when they were used as anodes for organic light emitting devices. It can be seen that CVD-graphene/AgNWs hybrid transparent films have great potential in applications of flexible electrodes, and are of great significance for promoting the development of organic light emitting devices.

Electrical and optical properties of sub-10 nm nickel silicide films for silicon solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brahmi, Hatem; Ravipati, Srikanth; Yarali, Milad; Shervin, Shahab; Wang, Weijie; Ryou, Jae-Hyun; Mavrokefalos, Anastassios

2017-01-01

Highly conductive and transparent films of ultra-thin p-type nickel silicide films have been prepared by RF magnetron sputtering of nickel on silicon substrates followed by rapid thermal annealing in an inert environment in the temperature range 400-600 °C. The films are uniform throughout the wafer with thicknesses in the range of 3-6 nm. The electrical and optical properties are presented for nickel silicide films with varying thickness. The Drude-Lorentz model and Fresnel equations were used to calculate the dielectric properties, sheet resistance, absorption and transmission of the films. These ultrathin nickel silicide films have excellent optoelectronic properties for p-type contacts with optical transparencies up to 80% and sheet resistance as low as ~0.15 µΩ cm. Furthermore, it was shown that the use of a simple anti-reflection (AR) coating can recover most of the reflected light approaching the values of a standard Si solar cell with the same AR coating. Overall, the combination of ultra-low thickness, high transmittance, low sheet resistance and ability to recover the reflected light by utilizing standard AR coating makes them ideal for utilization in silicon based photovoltaic technologies as a p-type transparent conductor.

Microwave-assisted boron and nitrogen co-doped reduced graphene oxide as a transparent conductive electrode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umrao, Sima; Mishra, Himanshu; Srivastava, Anchal; Lee, Sungjoo

2017-07-01

A crystalline Boron (B)- and Nitrogen (N)-co-doped microwave-assisted reduced graphene oxide (BNMRGO) film was investigated as a potential transparent conducting electrode (TCE) material. X-ray diffraction results revealed the good crystallinity of the BNMRGO film, and the presence of a (0004) reflection plane indicated the formation of a few small domains of hexagonal boron nitride in the microwave assisted reduced graphene oxide (MRGO) sheets under the co-doping process. Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic results indicated a reduction of sp3 carbon centers upon co-doping. The ID/IG ratio decreased after co-doping from 0.89 to 0.24, indicating a low average defect density of ˜1.01 × 1010 cm-2. Optoelectronic characterization of the BNMRGO film on a glass substrate revealed a high optical transparency of 82% at 550 nm and a low sheet resistance (Rsh) of 355 Ω/sq, which was lower than that observed from the MRGO sheets (Rsh = 719 Ω/sq). BNMRGO provided a ratio between the direct conductivity (σdc) to the optical conductivity (σoc), that is, the figure of merit of a TCE material, of 5.96. Overall, this work paves the way toward developing a manufacturable TCE.

An Ag-grid/graphene hybrid structure for large-scale, transparent, flexible heaters.

PubMed

Kang, Junmo; Jang, Yonghee; Kim, Youngsoo; Cho, Seung-Hyun; Suhr, Jonghwan; Hong, Byung Hee; Choi, Jae-Boong; Byun, Doyoung

2015-04-21

Recently, carbon materials such as carbon nanotubes and graphene have been proposed as alternatives to indium tin oxide (ITO) for fabricating transparent conducting materials. However, obtaining low sheet resistance and high transmittance of these carbon materials has been challenging due to the intrinsic properties of the materials. In this paper, we introduce highly transparent and flexible conductive films based on a hybrid structure of graphene and an Ag-grid. Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) jet printing was used to produce a micro-scale grid consisting of Ag lines less than 10 μm wide. We were able to directly write the Ag-grid on a large-area graphene/flexible substrate due to the high conductivity of graphene. The hybrid electrode could be fabricated using hot pressing transfer and EHD jet printing in a non-vacuum, maskless, and low-temperature environment. The hybrid electrode offers an effective and simple route for achieving a sheet resistance as low as ∼4 Ω per square with ∼78% optical transmittance. Finally, we demonstrate that transparent flexible heaters based on the hybrid conductive films could be used in a vehicle or a smart window system.

Plasmonic Three-Dimensional Transparent Conductor Based on Al-Doped Zinc Oxide-Coated Nanostructured Glass Using Atomic Layer Deposition

DOE PAGES

Malek, Gary A.; Aytug, Tolga; Liu, Qingfeng; ...

2015-04-02

Transparent nanostructured glass coatings, fabricated on glass substrates, with a unique three-dimensional (3D) architecture were utilized as the foundation for the design of plasmonic 3D transparent conductors. Transformation of the non-conducting 3D structure to a conducting 3D network was accomplished through atomic layer deposition of aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO). After AZO growth, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were deposited by electronbeam evaporation to enhance light trapping and decrease the overall sheet resistance. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microcopy images revealed the highly porous, nanostructured morphology of the AZO coated glass surface along with the in-plane dimensions of the depositedmore » AuNPs. Sheet resistance measurements conducted on the coated samples verified that the electrical properties of the 3D network are comparable to that of the untextured two-dimensional AZO coated glass substrates. In addition, transmittance measurements of the glass samples coated with various AZO thicknesses showed preservation of the highly transparent nature of each sample, while the AuNPs demonstrated enhanced light scattering as well as light-trapping capability.« less

Plasmonic Three-Dimensional Transparent Conductor Based on Al-Doped Zinc Oxide-Coated Nanostructured Glass Using Atomic Layer Deposition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Malek, Gary A.; Aytug, Tolga; Liu, Qingfeng

Transparent nanostructured glass coatings, fabricated on glass substrates, with a unique three-dimensional (3D) architecture were utilized as the foundation for the design of plasmonic 3D transparent conductors. Transformation of the non-conducting 3D structure to a conducting 3D network was accomplished through atomic layer deposition of aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO). After AZO growth, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were deposited by electronbeam evaporation to enhance light trapping and decrease the overall sheet resistance. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microcopy images revealed the highly porous, nanostructured morphology of the AZO coated glass surface along with the in-plane dimensions of the depositedmore » AuNPs. Sheet resistance measurements conducted on the coated samples verified that the electrical properties of the 3D network are comparable to that of the untextured two-dimensional AZO coated glass substrates. In addition, transmittance measurements of the glass samples coated with various AZO thicknesses showed preservation of the highly transparent nature of each sample, while the AuNPs demonstrated enhanced light scattering as well as light-trapping capability.« less

Carbon Nanotube Networks Reinforced by Silver Nanowires with Improved Optical Transparency and Conductivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martine, Patricia; Fakhimi, Azin; Lin, Ling; Jurewicz, Izabela; Dalton, Alan; Zakhidov, Anvar A.; Baughman, Ray H.

2015-03-01

We have fabricated highly transparent and conductive free-standing nanocomposite thin film electrodes by adding silver nanowires (AgNWs) to dry-spun Multiwall Carbon Nanotube (MWNT) aerogels. This nanocomposite exhibits desirable properties such as high optical transmittance, excellent flexibility and enhanced electrical conductivity. The incorporation of the AgNWs to the MWNT aerogels was accomplished by using a spray coating method. The optical transparency and sheet resistance of the nanocomposite was tuned by adjusting the concentration of AgNWs, back pressure and nozzle distance of the spray gun to the MWNT aerogel during deposition. As the solvent evaporated, the aerogel MWNT bundles densified via surface tension which caused the MWNT bundles to collapse. This adjustable process was responsible in forming well defined apertures that increased the nanocomposite's transmittance up to 90 percent. Via AgNWs percolation and random interconnections between separate MWNT bundles in the aerogel matrix, the sheet resistance decreased from 1 K ohm/sq to less than 100 ohm/sq. Alan G. MacDiarmid NanoTech Institute

Totally embedded hybrid thin films of carbon nanotubes and silver nanowires as flat homogenous flexible transparent conductors.

PubMed

Pillai, Suresh Kumar Raman; Wang, Jing; Wang, Yilei; Sk, Md Moniruzzaman; Prakoso, Ari Bimo; Rusli; Chan-Park, Mary B

2016-12-08

There is a great need for viable alternatives to today's transparent conductive film using largely indium tin oxide. We report the fabrication of a new type of flexible transparent conductive film using silver nanowires (AgNW) and single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) networks which are fully embedded in a UV curable resin substrate. The hybrid SWCNTs-AgNWs film is relatively flat so that the RMS roughness of the top surface of the film is 3 nm. Addition of SWCNTs networks make the film resistance uniform; without SWCNTs, sheet resistance of the surface composed of just AgNWs in resin varies from 20 Ω/sq to 10 7  Ω/sq. With addition of SWCNTs embedded in the resin, sheet resistance of the hybrid film is 29 ± 5 Ω/sq and uniform across the 47 mm diameter film discs; further, the optimized film has 85% transparency. Our lamination-transfer UV process doesn't need solvent for sacrificial substrate removal and leads to good mechanical interlocking of the nano-material networks. Additionally, electrochemical study of the film for supercapacitors application showed an impressive 10 times higher current in cyclic voltammograms compared to the control without SWCNTs. Our fabrication method is simple, cost effective and enables the large-scale fabrication of flat and flexible transparent conductive films.

Totally embedded hybrid thin films of carbon nanotubes and silver nanowires as flat homogenous flexible transparent conductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pillai, Suresh Kumar Raman; Wang, Jing; Wang, Yilei; Sk, Md Moniruzzaman; Prakoso, Ari Bimo; Rusli; Chan-Park, Mary B.

2016-12-01

There is a great need for viable alternatives to today’s transparent conductive film using largely indium tin oxide. We report the fabrication of a new type of flexible transparent conductive film using silver nanowires (AgNW) and single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) networks which are fully embedded in a UV curable resin substrate. The hybrid SWCNTs-AgNWs film is relatively flat so that the RMS roughness of the top surface of the film is 3 nm. Addition of SWCNTs networks make the film resistance uniform; without SWCNTs, sheet resistance of the surface composed of just AgNWs in resin varies from 20 Ω/sq to 107 Ω/sq. With addition of SWCNTs embedded in the resin, sheet resistance of the hybrid film is 29 ± 5 Ω/sq and uniform across the 47 mm diameter film discs; further, the optimized film has 85% transparency. Our lamination-transfer UV process doesn’t need solvent for sacrificial substrate removal and leads to good mechanical interlocking of the nano-material networks. Additionally, electrochemical study of the film for supercapacitors application showed an impressive 10 times higher current in cyclic voltammograms compared to the control without SWCNTs. Our fabrication method is simple, cost effective and enables the large-scale fabrication of flat and flexible transparent conductive films.

Totally embedded hybrid thin films of carbon nanotubes and silver nanowires as flat homogenous flexible transparent conductors

PubMed Central

Pillai, Suresh Kumar Raman; Wang, Jing; Wang, Yilei; Sk, Md Moniruzzaman; Prakoso, Ari Bimo; Rusli; Chan-Park, Mary B.

2016-01-01

There is a great need for viable alternatives to today’s transparent conductive film using largely indium tin oxide. We report the fabrication of a new type of flexible transparent conductive film using silver nanowires (AgNW) and single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) networks which are fully embedded in a UV curable resin substrate. The hybrid SWCNTs-AgNWs film is relatively flat so that the RMS roughness of the top surface of the film is 3 nm. Addition of SWCNTs networks make the film resistance uniform; without SWCNTs, sheet resistance of the surface composed of just AgNWs in resin varies from 20 Ω/sq to 107 Ω/sq. With addition of SWCNTs embedded in the resin, sheet resistance of the hybrid film is 29 ± 5 Ω/sq and uniform across the 47 mm diameter film discs; further, the optimized film has 85% transparency. Our lamination-transfer UV process doesn’t need solvent for sacrificial substrate removal and leads to good mechanical interlocking of the nano-material networks. Additionally, electrochemical study of the film for supercapacitors application showed an impressive 10 times higher current in cyclic voltammograms compared to the control without SWCNTs. Our fabrication method is simple, cost effective and enables the large-scale fabrication of flat and flexible transparent conductive films. PMID:27929125

Semi-transparent a-IGZO thin-film transistors with polymeric gate dielectric.

PubMed

Hyung, Gun Woo; Wang, Jian-Xun; Li, Zhao-Hui; Koo, Ja-Ryong; Kwon, Sang Jik; Cho, Eou-Sik; Kim, Young Kwan

2013-06-01

We report the fabrication of semi-transparent a-IGZO-based thin-film transistors (TFTs) with crosslinked poly-4-vinylphenol (PVP) gate dielectric layers on PET substrate and thermally-evaporated Al/Ag/Al source and drain (S&D) electrodes, which showed a transmittance of 64% at a 500-nm wavelength and sheet resistance of 16.8 omega/square. The semi-transparent a-IGZO TFTs with a PVP layer exhibited decent saturation mobilities (maximum approximately 5.8 cm2Ns) and on/off current ratios of approximately 10(6).

Thin-Film Nanowire Networks for Transparent Conductor Applications: Simulations of Sheet Resistance and Percolation Thresholds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winey, Karen I.; Mutiso, Rose M.; Sherrott, Michelle C.; Rathmell, Aaron R.; Wiley, Benjamin J.

2013-03-01

Thin-film metal nanowire networks are being pursued as a viable alternative to the expensive and brittle indium tin oxide (ITO) for transparent conductors. For high performance applications, nanowire networks must exhibit high transmittance at low sheet resistance. Previously, we have used complimentary experimental, simulation and theoretical techniques to explore the effects of filler aspect ratio (L/D), orientation, and size-dispersity on the electrical conductivity of three-dimensional rod-networks in bulk polymer nanocomposites. We adapted our 3D simulation approach and analytical percolation model to study the electrical properties of thin-film rod-networks. By fitting our simulation results to experimental results, we determined the average effective contact resistance between silver nanowires. This contact resistance was then used to quantify how the sheet resistance depends on the aspect ratio of the rods and to show that networks made of nanowires with L/D greater than 100 yield sheet resistances lower than the required 100 Ohm/sq. We also report the critical area fraction of rods required to form a percolated network in thin-film networks and provide an analytical expression for the critical area fraction as a function of L/D.

AVAILABLE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Indiana State Univ., Terre Haute.

THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS INCLUDE PROGRAM BROCHURES, CHARTS, COURSE OUTLINES, OVERHEAD TRANSPARENCIES, ASSIGNMENT SHEETS, STUDENT MANUALS, TEACHER MANUALS, TECHNICAL INFORMATION, AND RELATED INFORMATION IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION. A BRIEF NOTE DESCRIBES EACH. (EM)

Preparation of Aluminum Nanomesh Thin Films from an Anodic Aluminum Oxide Template as Transparent Conductive Electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yiwen; Chen, Yulong; Qiu, Mingxia; Yu, Hongyu; Zhang, Xinhai; Sun, Xiao Wei; Chen, Rui

2016-02-01

We have employed anodic aluminum oxide as a template to prepare ultrathin, transparent, and conducting Al films with a unique nanomesh structure for transparent conductive electrodes. The anodic aluminum oxide template is obtained through direct anodization of a sputtered Al layer on a glass substrate, and subsequent wet etching creates the nanomesh metallic film. The optical and conductive properties are greatly influenced by experimental conditions. By tuning the anodizing time, transparent electrodes with appropriate optical transmittance and sheet resistance have been obtained. The results demonstrate that our proposed strategy can serve as a potential method to fabricate low-cost TCEs to replace conventional indium tin oxide materials.

Preparation of Aluminum Nanomesh Thin Films from an Anodic Aluminum Oxide Template as Transparent Conductive Electrodes

PubMed Central

Li, Yiwen; Chen, Yulong; Qiu, Mingxia; Yu, Hongyu; Zhang, Xinhai; Sun, Xiao Wei; Chen, Rui

2016-01-01

We have employed anodic aluminum oxide as a template to prepare ultrathin, transparent, and conducting Al films with a unique nanomesh structure for transparent conductive electrodes. The anodic aluminum oxide template is obtained through direct anodization of a sputtered Al layer on a glass substrate, and subsequent wet etching creates the nanomesh metallic film. The optical and conductive properties are greatly influenced by experimental conditions. By tuning the anodizing time, transparent electrodes with appropriate optical transmittance and sheet resistance have been obtained. The results demonstrate that our proposed strategy can serve as a potential method to fabricate low-cost TCEs to replace conventional indium tin oxide materials. PMID:26831759

Preparation of Aluminum Nanomesh Thin Films from an Anodic Aluminum Oxide Template as Transparent Conductive Electrodes.

PubMed

Li, Yiwen; Chen, Yulong; Qiu, Mingxia; Yu, Hongyu; Zhang, Xinhai; Sun, Xiao Wei; Chen, Rui

2016-02-02

We have employed anodic aluminum oxide as a template to prepare ultrathin, transparent, and conducting Al films with a unique nanomesh structure for transparent conductive electrodes. The anodic aluminum oxide template is obtained through direct anodization of a sputtered Al layer on a glass substrate, and subsequent wet etching creates the nanomesh metallic film. The optical and conductive properties are greatly influenced by experimental conditions. By tuning the anodizing time, transparent electrodes with appropriate optical transmittance and sheet resistance have been obtained. The results demonstrate that our proposed strategy can serve as a potential method to fabricate low-cost TCEs to replace conventional indium tin oxide materials.

Tunable optical analog to electromagnetically induced transparency in graphene-ring resonators system.

PubMed

Wang, Yonghua; Xue, Chenyang; Zhang, Zengxing; Zheng, Hua; Zhang, Wendong; Yan, Shubin

2016-12-12

The analogue of electromagnetically induced transparency in optical ways has shown great potential in optical delay and quantum-information technology due to its flexible design and easy implementation. The chief drawback for these devices is the bad tunability. Here we demonstrate a tunable optical transparency system formed by graphene-silicon microrings which could control the transparent window by electro-optical means. The device consists of cascaded coupled ring resonators and a graphene/graphene capacitor which integrated on one of the rings. By tuning the Fermi level of the graphene sheets, we can modulate the round-trip ring loss so that the transparency window can be dynamically tuned. The results provide a new method for the manipulation and transmission of light in highly integrated optical circuits and quantum information storage devices.

Silver nanowire-based transparent, flexible, and conductive thin film

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

The fabrication of transparent, conductive, and uniform silver nanowire films using the scalable rod-coating technique is described in this study. Properties of the transparent conductive thin films are investigated, as well as the approaches to improve the performance of transparent silver nanowire electrodes. It is found that silver nanowires are oxidized during the coating process. Incubation in hydrogen chloride (HCl) vapor can eliminate oxidized surface, and consequently, reduce largely the resistivity of silver nanowire thin films. After HCl treatment, 175 Ω/sq and approximately 75% transmittance are achieved. The sheet resistivity drops remarkably with the rise of the film thickness or with the decrease of transparency. The thin film electrodes also demonstrated excellent flexible stability, showing < 2% resistance change after over 100 bending cycles. PMID:21711602

Fabrication of a transparent conducting electrode based on graphene/silver nanowires via layer-by-layer method for organic photovoltaic devices.

PubMed

Tugba Camic, B; Oytun, Faruk; Hasan Aslan, M; Jeong Shin, Hee; Choi, Hyosung; Basarir, Fevzihan

2017-11-01

A solution-processed transparent conducting electrode was fabricated via layer-by-layer (LBL) deposition of graphene oxide (GO) and silver nanowires (Ag NWs). First, graphite was oxidized with a modified Hummer's method to obtain negatively-charged GO sheets, and Ag NWs were functionalized with cysteamine hydrochloride to acquire positively-charged silver nanowires. Oppositely-charged GO and Ag NWs were then sequentially coated on a 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane modified glass substrate via LBL deposition, which provided highly controllable thin films in terms of optical transmittance and sheet resistance. Next, the reduction of GO sheets was performed to improve the electrical conductivity of the multilayer films. The resulting GO/Ag NWs multilayer was characterized by a UV-Vis spectrometer, field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), optical microscope (OM) and sheet resistance using a four-point probe method. The best result was achieved with a 2-bilayer film, resulting in a sheet resistance of 6.5Ω sq -1 with an optical transmittance of 78.2% at 550nm, which values are comparable to those of commercial ITO electrodes. The device based on a 2-bilayer hybrid film exhibited the highest device efficiency of 1.30% among the devices with different number of graphene/Ag NW LBL depositions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ionic skin.

PubMed

Sun, Jeong-Yun; Keplinger, Christoph; Whitesides, George M; Suo, Zhigang

2014-12-03

Electronic skins (i.e., stretchable sheets of distributed sensors) report signals using electrons, whereas natural skins report signals using ions. Here, ionic conductors are used to create a new type of sensory sheet, called "ionic skin". Ionic skins are highly stretchable, transparent, and biocompatible. They readily measure strains from 1% to 500%, and pressures as low as 1 kPa. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Thermally Diffused Al:ZnO Thin Films for Broadband Transparent Conductor.

PubMed

Tong, Chong; Yun, Juhyung; Chen, Yen-Jen; Ji, Dengxin; Gan, Qiaoqiang; Anderson, Wayne A

2016-02-17

Here, we report an approach to realize highly transparent low resistance Al-doped ZnO (AZO) films for broadband transparent conductors. Thin Al films are deposited on ZnO surfaces, followed by thermal diffusion processes, introducing the Al doping into ZnO thin films. By utilizing the interdiffusion of Al, Zn, and O, the chemical state of Al on the surfaces can be converted to a fully oxidized state, resulting in a low sheet resistance of 6.2 Ω/sq and an excellent transparency (i.e., 96.5% at 550 nm and higher than 85% up to 2500 nm), which is superior compared with some previously reported values for indium tin oxide, solution processed AZO, and many transparent conducting materials using novel nanostructures. Such AZO films are also applied as transparent conducting layers for AZO/Si heterojunction solar cells, demonstrating their applications in optoelectronic devices.

Photovoltaic module with light reflecting backskin

DOEpatents

Gonsiorawski, Ronald C [Danvers, MA

2007-07-03

A photovoltaic module comprises electrically interconnected and mutually spaced photovoltaic cells that are encapsulated by a light-transmitting encapsulant between a light-transparent front cover and a back cover, with the back cover sheet being an ionomer/nylon alloy embossed with V-shaped grooves running in at least two directions and coated with a light reflecting medium so as to provide light-reflecting facets that are aligned with the spaces between adjacent cells and oriented so as to reflect light falling in those spaces back toward said transparent front cover for further internal reflection onto the solar cells, whereby substantially all of the reflected light will be internally reflected from said cover sheet back to the photovoltaic cells, thereby increasing the current output of the module. The internal reflector improves power output by as much as 67%.

Spray-Deposited Large-Area Copper Nanowire Transparent Conductive Electrodes and Their Uses for Touch Screen Applications.

PubMed

Chu, Hsun-Chen; Chang, Yen-Chen; Lin, Yow; Chang, Shu-Hao; Chang, Wei-Chung; Li, Guo-An; Tuan, Hsing-Yu

2016-05-25

Large-area conducting transparent conducting electrodes (TCEs) were prepared by a fast, scalable, and low-cost spray deposition of copper nanowire (CuNW) dispersions. Thin, long, and pure copper nanowires were obtained via the seed-mediated growth in an organic solvent-based synthesis. The mean length and diameter of nanowires are, respectively, 37.7 μm and 46 nm, corresponding to a high-mean-aspect ratio of 790. These wires were spray-deposited onto a glass substrate to form a nanowire conducting network which function as a TCE. CuNW TCEs exhibit high-transparency and high-conductivity since their relatively long lengths are advantageous in lowering in the sheet resistance. For example, a 2 × 2 cm(2) transparent nanowire electrode exhibits transmittance of T = 90% with a sheet resistance as low as 52.7 Ω sq(-1). Large-area sizes (>50 cm(2)) of CuNW TCEs were also prepared by the spray coating method and assembled as resistive touch screens that can be integrated with a variety of devices, including LED lighting array, a computer, electric motors, and audio electronic devices, showing the capability to make diverse sizes and functionalities of CuNW TCEs by the reported method.

High-performance NiO/Ag/NiO transparent electrodes for flexible organic photovoltaic cells.

PubMed

Xue, Zhichao; Liu, Xingyuan; Zhang, Nan; Chen, Hong; Zheng, Xuanming; Wang, Haiyu; Guo, Xiaoyang

2014-09-24

Transparent electrodes with a dielectric-metal-dielectric (DMD) structure can be implemented in a simple manufacturing process and have good optical and electrical properties. In this study, nickel oxide (NiO) is introduced into the DMD structure as a more appropriate dielectric material that has a high conduction band for electron blocking and a low valence band for efficient hole transport. The indium-free NiO/Ag/NiO (NAN) transparent electrode exhibits an adjustable high transmittance of ∼82% combined with a low sheet resistance of ∼7.6 Ω·s·q(-1) and a work function of 5.3 eV after UVO treatment. The NAN electrode shows excellent surface morphology and good thermal, humidity, and environmental stabilities. Only a small change in sheet resistance can be found after NAN electrode is preserved in air for 1 year. The power conversion efficiencies of organic photovoltaic cells with NAN electrodes deposited on glass and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates are 6.07 and 5.55%, respectively, which are competitive with those of indium tin oxide (ITO)-based devices. Good photoelectric properties, the low-cost material, and the room-temperature deposition process imply that NAN electrode is a striking candidate for low-cost and flexible transparent electrode for efficient flexible optoelectronic devices.

Ultrahigh-performance transparent conductive films of carbon-welded isolated single-wall carbon nanotubes

PubMed Central

Chen, Mao-Lin; Wang, Bing-Wei; Tang, Dai-Ming; Jin, Qun; Guo, Qing-Xun; Zhang, Ding-Dong; Du, Jin-Hong; Tai, Kai-Ping; Tan, Jun; Kauppinen, Esko I.

2018-01-01

Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are ideal for fabricating transparent conductive films because of their small diameter, good optical and electrical properties, and excellent flexibility. However, a high intertube Schottky junction resistance, together with the existence of aggregated bundles of SWCNTs, leads to a degraded optoelectronic performance of the films. We report a network of isolated SWCNTs prepared by an injection floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition method, in which crossed SWCNTs are welded together by graphitic carbon. Pristine SWCNT films show a record low sheet resistance of 41 ohm □−1 at 90% transmittance for 550-nm light. After HNO3 treatment, the sheet resistance further decreases to 25 ohm □−1. Organic light-emitting diodes using this SWCNT film as anodes demonstrate a low turn-on voltage of 2.5 V, a high current efficiency of 75 cd A−1, and excellent flexibility. Investigation of isolated SWCNT-based field-effect transistors shows that the carbon-welded joints convert the Schottky contacts between metallic and semiconducting SWCNTs into near-ohmic ones, which significantly improves the conductivity of the transparent SWCNT network. Our work provides a new avenue of assembling individual SWCNTs into macroscopic thin films, which demonstrate great potential for use as transparent electrodes in various flexible electronics. PMID:29736413

Highly conductive transparent organic electrodes with multilayer structures for rigid and flexible optoelectronics.

PubMed

Guo, Xiaoyang; Liu, Xingyuan; Lin, Fengyuan; Li, Hailing; Fan, Yi; Zhang, Nan

2015-05-27

Transparent electrodes are essential components for optoelectronic devices, such as touch panels, organic light-emitting diodes, and solar cells. Indium tin oxide (ITO) is widely used as transparent electrode in optoelectronic devices. ITO has high transparency and low resistance but contains expensive rare elements, and ITO-based devices have poor mechanical flexibility. Therefore, alternative transparent electrodes with excellent opto-electrical performance and mechanical flexibility will be greatly demanded. Here, organics are introduced into dielectric-metal-dielectric structures to construct the transparent electrodes on rigid and flexible substrates. We show that organic-metal-organic (OMO) electrodes have excellent opto-electrical properties (sheet resistance of below 10 Ω sq(-1) at 85% transmission), mechanical flexibility, thermal and environmental stabilities. The OMO-based polymer photovoltaic cells show performance comparable to that of devices based on ITO electrodes. This OMO multilayer structure can therefore be used to produce transparent electrodes suitable for use in a wide range of optoelectronic devices.

Highly flexible, transparent and conducting CuS-nanosheet networks for flexible quantum-dot solar cells.

PubMed

Xu, Zijie; Li, Teng; Zhang, Fayin; Hong, Xiaodan; Xie, Shuyao; Ye, Meidan; Guo, Wenxi; Liu, Xiangyang

2017-03-17

The rapid development of modern electronics has given rise to a higher demand for flexible and wearable energy sources. Flexible transparent conducting electrodes (TCEs) are one of the essential components of flexible/wearable thin-film solar cells (SCs). In this regard, we present highly transparent and conducting CuS-nanosheet (NS) networks with an optimized sheet resistance (R s ) as low as 50 Ω sq -1 at 85% transmittance as a counter electrode (CE) for flexible quantum-dot solar cells (QDSCs). The CuS NS network electrode exhibits remarkable mechanical flexibility under bending tests compared to traditional ITO/plastic substrates and sputtered CuS films. Herein, CuS NS networks not only served as conducting films for collecting electrons from the external circuit, but also served as superior catalysts for reducing polysulfide (S 2- /S x 2- ) electrolytes. A power conversion efficiency (PCE) up to 3.25% was achieved for the QDSCs employing CuS NS networks as CEs, which was much higher than those of the devices based on Pt networks and sputtered CuS films. We believe that such CuS network TCEs with high flexibility, transparency, conductivity and catalytic activity could be widely used in making wearable electronic products.

Flexible, transparent and high-power triboelectric generator with asymmetric graphene/ITO electrodes.

PubMed

Song, Xinbo; Chen, Yuanfu; Li, Pingjian; Liu, Jingbo; Qi, Fei; Zheng, Binjie; Zhou, Jinhao; Hao, Xin; Zhang, Wanli

2016-07-29

The reported flexible and transparent triboelectric generator (FTTG) can only output ultralow power density (∼2 μW cm(-2)), which has seriously hindered its further development and application. The low power density of FTTG is mainly limited by the transparent material and the electrode structure. Herein, for the first time, a FTTG with a superior power density of 60.7 μW cm(-2) has been fabricated by designing asymmetric electrodes where graphene and indium tin oxide (ITO) act as top and bottom electrodes respectively. Moreover, the performance of FTTG with graphene/ITO (G/I) asymmetric electrodes (GI-FTTG) almost remains unchanged even after 700 cycles, indicating excellent mechanical stability. The excellent performance of GI-FTTG can be attributed to the suitable materials and unique asymmetric electrode structure: the extraordinary flexibility of the graphene top electrode ensures the GI-FTTG excellent mechanical robustness and stability even after longer cycles, and the bottom electrode with very low sheet resistance guarantees lower internal resistance and higher production rate of induction charges to obtain higher output power density. It shows that light-emitting diodes (LED) can be easily powered by GI-FTTG, which demonstrates that the GI-FTTG is very promising for harvesting electrical energy from human activities by using flexible and transparent devices.

Ceramic Composite Thin Films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dikin, Dmitriy A. (Inventor); Nguyen, SonBinh T. (Inventor); Ruoff, Rodney S. (Inventor); Stankovich, Sasha (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A ceramic composite thin film or layer includes individual graphene oxide and/or electrically conductive graphene sheets dispersed in a ceramic (e.g. silica) matrix. The thin film or layer can be electrically conductive film or layer depending the amount of graphene sheets present. The composite films or layers are transparent, chemically inert and compatible with both glass and hydrophilic SiOx/silicon substrates. The composite film or layer can be produced by making a suspension of graphene oxide sheet fragments, introducing a silica-precursor or silica to the suspension to form a sol, depositing the sol on a substrate as thin film or layer, at least partially reducing the graphene oxide sheets to conductive graphene sheets, and thermally consolidating the thin film or layer to form a silica matrix in which the graphene oxide and/or graphene sheets are dispersed.

Tunable optical analog to electromagnetically induced transparency in graphene-ring resonators system

PubMed Central

Wang, Yonghua; Xue, Chenyang; Zhang, Zengxing; Zheng, Hua; Zhang, Wendong; Yan, Shubin

2016-01-01

The analogue of electromagnetically induced transparency in optical ways has shown great potential in optical delay and quantum-information technology due to its flexible design and easy implementation. The chief drawback for these devices is the bad tunability. Here we demonstrate a tunable optical transparency system formed by graphene-silicon microrings which could control the transparent window by electro-optical means. The device consists of cascaded coupled ring resonators and a graphene/graphene capacitor which integrated on one of the rings. By tuning the Fermi level of the graphene sheets, we can modulate the round-trip ring loss so that the transparency window can be dynamically tuned. The results provide a new method for the manipulation and transmission of light in highly integrated optical circuits and quantum information storage devices. PMID:27941895

High brightness phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes on transparent and flexible cellulose films.

PubMed

Purandare, Sumit; Gomez, Eliot F; Steckl, Andrew J

2014-03-07

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) were fabricated on flexible and transparent reconstituted cellulose obtained from wood pulp. Cellulose is naturally available, abundant, and biodegradable and offers a unique substrate alternative for the fabrication of flexible OLEDs. Transparent cellulose material was formed by dissolution of cellulose in an organic solvent (dimethyl acetamide) at elevated temperature (165 °C) in the presence of a salt (LiCl). The optical transmission of 40-μm thick transparent cellulose sheet averaged 85% over the visible spectrum. High brightness and high efficiency thin film OLEDs were fabricated on transparent cellulose films using phosphorescent Ir(ppy)3 as the emitter material. The OLEDs achieved current and luminous emission efficiencies as high as 47 cd A(-1) and 20 lm W(-1), respectively, and a maximum brightness of 10,000 cd m(-2).

High brightness phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes on transparent and flexible cellulose films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purandare, Sumit; Gomez, Eliot F.; Steckl, Andrew J.

2014-03-01

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) were fabricated on flexible and transparent reconstituted cellulose obtained from wood pulp. Cellulose is naturally available, abundant, and biodegradable and offers a unique substrate alternative for the fabrication of flexible OLEDs. Transparent cellulose material was formed by dissolution of cellulose in an organic solvent (dimethyl acetamide) at elevated temperature (165 °C) in the presence of a salt (LiCl). The optical transmission of 40-μm thick transparent cellulose sheet averaged 85% over the visible spectrum. High brightness and high efficiency thin film OLEDs were fabricated on transparent cellulose films using phosphorescent Ir(ppy)3 as the emitter material. The OLEDs achieved current and luminous emission efficiencies as high as 47 cd A-1 and 20 lm W-1, respectively, and a maximum brightness of 10 000 cd m-2.

49 CFR 224.103 - Characteristics of retroreflective sheeting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... of a smooth, flat, transparent exterior film with microprismatic retroreflective elements embedded in or suspended beneath the film so as to form a non-exposed retroreflective optical system. (b) Color...

49 CFR 224.103 - Characteristics of retroreflective sheeting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... of a smooth, flat, transparent exterior film with microprismatic retroreflective elements embedded in or suspended beneath the film so as to form a non-exposed retroreflective optical system. (b) Color...

49 CFR 224.103 - Characteristics of retroreflective sheeting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... of a smooth, flat, transparent exterior film with microprismatic retroreflective elements embedded in or suspended beneath the film so as to form a non-exposed retroreflective optical system. (b) Color...

Nanoscale Polymeric Photocells by Advanced Electrospinning

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-07-20

Is desirable for efficient utilization of both infrared and ultraviolet regions of the solar spectrum. We have demonstrated that MWCNT sheet can be...recently described. 27These structures are based on very thin free-standing sheets of multiwall carbon nanotubes starting from a forest of MWCNTs home...significantly higher than earlier reported 0.081% efficiency of MEH-PPV based SCs with non-transparent and thick MWCNT hole collectors. 29 Not only were the

Transparent actuator made with few layer graphene electrode and dielectric elastomer, for variable focus lens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Taeseon; Kwon, Hyeok-Yong; Oh, Joon-Suk; Hong, Jung-Pyo; Hong, Seung-Chul; Lee, Youngkwan; Ryeol Choi, Hyouk; Jin Kim, Kwang; Hossain Bhuiya, Mainul; Nam, Jae-Do

2013-07-01

A transparent dielectric elastomer actuator driven by few-layer-graphene (FLG) electrode was experimentally investigated. The electrodes were made of graphene, which was dispersed in N-methyl-pyrrolidone. The transparent actuator was fabricated from developed FLG electrodes. The FLG electrode with its sheet resistance of 0.45 kΩ/sq (80 nm thick) was implemented to mask silicone elastomer. The developed FLG-driven actuator exhibited an optical transparency of over 57% at a wavenumber of 600 nm and produced bending displacement performance ranging from 29 to 946 μm as functions of frequency and voltage. The focus variation was clearly demonstrated under actuation to study its application-feasibility in variable focus lens and various opto-electro-mechanical devices.

Accelerated In Vitro Degradation of Optically Clear Low β-Sheet Silk Films by Enzyme-Mediated Pretreatment

PubMed Central

Shang, Ke; Rnjak-Kovacina, Jelena; Lin, Yinan; Hayden, Rebecca S.; Tao, Hu; Kaplan, David L.

2013-01-01

Purpose: To design patterned, transparent silk films with fast degradation rates for the purpose of tissue engineering corneal stroma. Methods: β-sheet (crystalline) content of silk films was decreased significantly by using a short water annealing time. Additionally, a protocol combining short water annealing time with enzymatic pretreatment of silk films with protease XIV was developed. Results: Low β-sheet content (17%–18%) and enzymatic pretreatment provided film stability in aqueous environments and accelerated degradation of the silk films in the presence of human corneal fibroblasts in vitro. The results demonstrate a direct relationship between reduced β-sheet content and enzymatic pretreatment, and overall degradation rate of the protein films. Conclusions: The novel protocol developed here provides new approaches to modulate the regeneration rate of silk biomaterials for corneal tissue regeneration needs. Translational Relevance: Patterned silk protein films possess desirable characteristics for corneal tissue engineering, including optical transparency, biocompatibility, cell alignment, and tunable mechanical properties, but current fabrication protocols do not provide adequate degradation rates to match the regeneration properties of the human cornea. This novel processing protocol makes silk films more suitable for the construction of human corneal stroma tissue and a promising way to tune silk film degradation properties to match corneal tissue regeneration. PMID:24049717

Accelerated in vitro Degradation of Optically Clear Low β-sheet Silk Films by Enzyme-Mediated Pretreatment

PubMed Central

Shang, Ke; Rnjak-Kovacina, Jelena; Lin, Yinan; Hayden, Rebecca S.; Hu, Tao; Kaplan, David L.

2013-01-01

Purpose To design patterned, transparent silk films with fast degradation rates for the purpose of tissue engineering corneal stroma, Methods β-sheet (crystalline) content of silk films was decreased significantly by using a short water annealing time. Additionally, a protocol combining short water annealing time with enzymatic pretreatment of silk films with protease XIV was developed. Results Low β-sheet content (17–18%) and enzymatic pre-treatment provided film stability in aqueous environments and accelerated degradation of the silk films in the presence of human corneal fibroblasts in vitro. The results demonstrate a direct relationship between reduced β-sheet content and enzymatic pre-treatment and overall degradation rate of the protein films. Conclusions The novel protocol developed here provides new approaches to modulate the regeneration rate of silk biomaterials for corneal tissue regeneration needs. Translational relevance Patterned silk protein films possess desirable characteristics for corneal tissue engineering, including optical transparency, biocompatibility, cell alignment and tunable mechanical properties, but current fabrication protocols do not provide adequate degradation rates to match the regeneration properties of the human cornea. This novel processing protocol makes silk films more suitable for the construction of human corneal stroma tissue and a promising way to tune silk film degradation properties to match corneal tissue regeneration. PMID:23579493

Tunable color parallel tandem organic light emitting devices with carbon nanotube and metallic sheet interlayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliva, Jorge; Papadimitratos, Alexios; Desirena, Haggeo; De la Rosa, Elder; Zakhidov, Anvar A.

2015-11-01

Parallel tandem organic light emitting devices (OLEDs) were fabricated with transparent multiwall carbon nanotube sheets (MWCNT) and thin metal films (Al, Ag) as interlayers. In parallel monolithic tandem architecture, the MWCNT (or metallic films) interlayers are an active electrode which injects similar charges into subunits. In the case of parallel tandems with common anode (C.A.) of this study, holes are injected into top and bottom subunits from the common interlayer electrode; whereas in the configuration of common cathode (C.C.), electrons are injected into the top and bottom subunits. Both subunits of the tandem can thus be monolithically connected functionally in an active structure in which each subunit can be electrically addressed separately. Our tandem OLEDs have a polymer as emitter in the bottom subunit and a small molecule emitter in the top subunit. We also compared the performance of the parallel tandem with that of in series and the additional advantages of the parallel architecture over the in-series were: tunable chromaticity, lower voltage operation, and higher brightness. Finally, we demonstrate that processing of the MWCNT sheets as a common anode in parallel tandems is an easy and low cost process, since their integration as electrodes in OLEDs is achieved by simple dry lamination process.

Correlation between the microstructures of graphite oxides and their catalytic behaviors in air oxidation of benzyl alcohol.

PubMed

Geng, Longlong; Wu, Shujie; Zou, Yongcun; Jia, Mingjun; Zhang, Wenxiang; Yan, Wenfu; Liu, Gang

2014-05-01

A series of graphite oxide (GO) materials were obtained by thermal treatment of oxidized natural graphite powder at different temperatures (from 100 to 200 °C). The microstructure evolution (i.e., layer structure and surface functional groups) of the graphite oxide during the heating process is studied by various characterization means, including XRD, N2 adsorption, TG-DTA, in situ DRIFT, XPS, Raman, TEM and Boehm titration. The characterization results show that the structures of GO materials change gradually from multilayer sheets to a transparent ultrathin 2D structure of the carbon sheets. The concentration of surface COH and HOCO groups decrease significantly upon treating temperature increasing. Benzyl alcohol oxidation with air as oxidant source was carried out to detect the catalytic behaviors of different GO materials. The activities of GO materials decrease with the increase of treating temperatures. It shows that the structure properties, including ultrathin sheets and high specific surface area, are not crucial factors affecting the catalytic activity. The type and amount of surface oxygen-containing functional groups of GO materials tightly correlates with the catalytic performance. Carboxylic groups on the surface of GO should act as oxidative sites for benzyl alcohol and the reduced form could be reoxidized by molecular oxygen. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An integrated single- and two-photon non-diffracting light-sheet microscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lau, Sze Cheung; Chiu, Hoi Chun; Zhao, Luwei; Zhao, Teng; Loy, M. M. T.; Du, Shengwang

2018-04-01

We describe a fluorescence optical microscope with both single-photon and two-photon non-diffracting light-sheet excitations for large volume imaging. With a special design to accommodate two different wavelength ranges (visible: 400-700 nm and near infrared: 800-1200 nm), we combine the line-Bessel sheet (LBS, for single-photon excitation) and the scanning Bessel beam (SBB, for two-photon excitation) light sheet together in a single microscope setup. For a transparent thin sample where the scattering can be ignored, the LBS single-photon excitation is the optimal imaging solution. When the light scattering becomes significant for a deep-cell or deep-tissue imaging, we use SBB light-sheet two-photon excitation with a longer wavelength. We achieved nearly identical lateral/axial resolution of about 350/270 nm for both imagings. This integrated light-sheet microscope may have a wide application for live-cell and live-tissue three-dimensional high-speed imaging.

Ultrasmooth, extremely deformable and shape recoverable Ag nanowire embedded transparent electrode

PubMed Central

Nam, Sanggil; Song, Myungkwan; Kim, Dong-Ho; Cho, Byungjin; Lee, Hye Moon; Kwon, Jung-Dae; Park, Sung-Gyu; Nam, Kee-Seok; Jeong, Yongsoo; Kwon, Se-Hun; Park, Yun Chang; Jin, Sung-Ho; Kang, Jae-Wook; Jo, Sungjin; Kim, Chang Su

2014-01-01

Transparent electrodes have been widely used in electronic devices such as solar cells, displays, and touch screens. Highly flexible transparent electrodes are especially desired for the development of next generation flexible electronic devices. Although indium tin oxide (ITO) is the most commonly used material for the fabrication of transparent electrodes, its brittleness and growing cost limit its utility for flexible electronic devices. Therefore, the need for new transparent conductive materials with superior mechanical properties is clear and urgent. Ag nanowire (AgNW) has been attracting increasing attention because of its effective combination of electrical and optical properties. However, it still suffers from several drawbacks, including large surface roughness, instability against oxidation and moisture, and poor adhesion to substrates. These issues need to be addressed before wide spread use of metallic NW as transparent electrodes can be realized. In this study, we demonstrated the fabrication of a flexible transparent electrode with superior mechanical, electrical and optical properties by embedding a AgNW film into a transparent polymer matrix. This technique can produce electrodes with an ultrasmooth and extremely deformable transparent electrode that have sheet resistance and transmittance comparable to those of an ITO electrode. PMID:24763248

Ultrasmooth, extremely deformable and shape recoverable Ag nanowire embedded transparent electrode.

PubMed

Nam, Sanggil; Song, Myungkwan; Kim, Dong-Ho; Cho, Byungjin; Lee, Hye Moon; Kwon, Jung-Dae; Park, Sung-Gyu; Nam, Kee-Seok; Jeong, Yongsoo; Kwon, Se-Hun; Park, Yun Chang; Jin, Sung-Ho; Kang, Jae-Wook; Jo, Sungjin; Kim, Chang Su

2014-04-25

Transparent electrodes have been widely used in electronic devices such as solar cells, displays, and touch screens. Highly flexible transparent electrodes are especially desired for the development of next generation flexible electronic devices. Although indium tin oxide (ITO) is the most commonly used material for the fabrication of transparent electrodes, its brittleness and growing cost limit its utility for flexible electronic devices. Therefore, the need for new transparent conductive materials with superior mechanical properties is clear and urgent. Ag nanowire (AgNW) has been attracting increasing attention because of its effective combination of electrical and optical properties. However, it still suffers from several drawbacks, including large surface roughness, instability against oxidation and moisture, and poor adhesion to substrates. These issues need to be addressed before wide spread use of metallic NW as transparent electrodes can be realized. In this study, we demonstrated the fabrication of a flexible transparent electrode with superior mechanical, electrical and optical properties by embedding a AgNW film into a transparent polymer matrix. This technique can produce electrodes with an ultrasmooth and extremely deformable transparent electrode that have sheet resistance and transmittance comparable to those of an ITO electrode.

Transparent ceramic scintillators for gamma spectroscopy and radiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cherepy, N. J.; Kuntz, J. D.; Seeley, Z. M.; Fisher, S. E.; Drury, O. B.; Sturm, B. W.; Hurst, T. A.; Sanner, R. D.; Roberts, J. J.; Payne, S. A.

2010-08-01

Transparent ceramics combine the scintillation performance of single crystals with the ruggedness and processability of glass. We have developed a versatile, scaleable fabrication method, wherein nanoparticle feedstock is consolidated at temperatures well below melting to form inch-scale phase-pure transparent ceramics with optical scatter of α <0.1 cm-1. We have fabricated Cerium-doped Gadolinium Garnets with light yields of ~50,000 Ph/MeV and energy resolution of <5% at 662 keV. We have also developed methods to form sheets of the high-Z ceramic scintillator, Europium-doped Lutetium Oxide Bixbyite, producing ~75,000 Ph/MeV for radiographic imaging applications.

Fabrication of textured SnO2 transparent conductive films using self-assembled Sn nanospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukumoto, Michitaka; Nakao, Shoichiro; Hirose, Yasushi; Hasegawa, Tetsuya

2018-06-01

We present a novel method to fabricate textured surfaces on transparent conductive SnO2 films by processing substrates through a bottom-up technique with potential for industrially scalable production. The substrate processing consists of three steps: deposition of precursor Sn films on glass substrates, formation of a self-assembled Sn nanosphere layer with reductive annealing, and conversion of Sn to SnO2 by oxidative annealing. Ta-doped SnO2 films conformally deposited on the self-assembled nanospherical SnO2 templates exhibited attractive optical and electrical properties, namely, enhanced haze values and low sheet resistances, for applications as transparent electrodes in photovoltaics.

Transparent and flexible heaters based on Al:ZnO degenerate semiconductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roul, Monee K.; Obasogie, Brandon; Kogo, Gilbert; Skuza, J. R.; Mundle, R. M.; Pradhan, A. K.

2017-10-01

We report on high performance transparent Al:ZnO (AZO) thin film heaters on flexible polymer (polyethylene terephthalate) and glass substrates which demonstrate low sheet resistivity. AZO thin films were grown by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering at low Ts (below 200 °C) on flexible, transparent polyethylene terephthalate substrates that show stable and reproducible results by applying low (<10 V) voltages. This study also examined identical AZO thin films on glass substrates that showed highly reproducible heating effects due to the Joule heating effect. The potential applications are foldable and wearable electronics, pain/injury therapy smart windows, automobile window defrosters, and low-cost power electronics.

Transparent conductive graphene textile fibers

PubMed Central

Neves, A. I. S.; Bointon, T. H.; Melo, L. V.; Russo, S.; de Schrijver, I.; Craciun, M. F.; Alves, H.

2015-01-01

Transparent and flexible electrodes are widely used on a variety of substrates such as plastics and glass. Yet, to date, transparent electrodes on a textile substrate have not been explored. The exceptional electrical, mechanical and optical properties of monolayer graphene make it highly attractive as a transparent electrode for applications in wearable electronics. Here, we report the transfer of monolayer graphene, grown by chemical vapor deposition on copper foil, to fibers commonly used by the textile industry. The graphene-coated fibers have a sheet resistance as low as ~1 kΩ per square, an equivalent value to the one obtained by the same transfer process onto a Si substrate, with a reduction of only 2.3 per cent in optical transparency while keeping high stability under mechanical stress. With this approach, we successfully achieved the first example of a textile electrode, flexible and truly embedded in a yarn. PMID:25952133

Improvements in purification of silver nanowires by decantation and fabrication of flexible transparent electrodes. Application to capacitive touch sensors.

PubMed

Mayousse, Céline; Celle, Caroline; Moreau, Eléonore; Mainguet, Jean-François; Carella, Alexandre; Simonato, Jean-Pierre

2013-05-31

Transparent flexible electrodes made of metallic nanowires, and in particular silver nanowires (AgNWs), appear as an extremely promising alternative to transparent conductive oxides for future optoelectronic devices. Though significant progresses have been made the last few years, there is still some room for improvement regarding the synthesis of high quality silver nanowire solutions and fabrication process of high performance electrodes. We show that the commonly used purification process can be greatly simplified through decantation. Using this process it is possible to fabricate flexible electrodes by spray coating with sheet resistance lower than 25 Ω sq⁻¹ at 90% transparency in the visible spectrum. These electrodes were used to fabricate an operative transparent flexible touch screen. To our knowledge this is the first reported AgNW based touch sensor relying on capacitive technology.

Graphene-silica composite thin films as transparent conductors.

PubMed

Watcharotone, Supinda; Dikin, Dmitriy A; Stankovich, Sasha; Piner, Richard; Jung, Inhwa; Dommett, Geoffrey H B; Evmenenko, Guennadi; Wu, Shang-En; Chen, Shu-Fang; Liu, Chuan-Pu; Nguyen, SonBinh T; Ruoff, Rodney S

2007-07-01

Transparent and electrically conductive composite silica films were fabricated on glass and hydrophilic SiOx/silicon substrates by incorporation of individual graphene oxide sheets into silica sols followed by spin-coating, chemical reduction, and thermal curing. The resulting films were characterized by SEM, AFM, TEM, low-angle X-ray reflectivity, XPS, UV-vis spectroscopy, and electrical conductivity measurements. The electrical conductivity of the films compared favorably to those of composite thin films of carbon nanotubes in silica.

Graphene-silica Composite Thin Films as Transparent Conductors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Watcharotone,S.; Dikin, D.; Stankovich, S.

2007-01-01

Transparent and electrically conductive composite silica films were fabricated on glass and hydrophilic SiO{sub x}/silicon substrates by incorporation of individual graphene oxide sheets into silica sols followed by spin-coating, chemical reduction, and thermal curing. The resulting films were characterized by SEM, AFM, TEM, low-angle X-ray reflectivity, XPS, UV-vis spectroscopy, and electrical conductivity measurements. The electrical conductivity of the films compared favorably to those of composite thin films of carbon nanotubes in silica.

Optimizing ultrathin Ag films for high performance oxide-metal-oxide flexible transparent electrodes through surface energy modulation and template-stripping procedures

PubMed Central

Yang, Xi; Gao, Pingqi; Yang, Zhenhai; Zhu, Juye; Huang, Feng; Ye, Jichun

2017-01-01

Among new flexible transparent conductive electrode (TCE) candidates, ultrathin Ag film (UTAF) is attractive for its extremely low resistance and relatively high transparency. However, the performances of UTAF based TCEs critically depend on the threshold thickness for growth of continuous Ag films and the film morphologies. Here, we demonstrate that these two parameters could be strongly altered through the modulation of substrate surface energy. By minimizing the surface energy difference between the Ag film and substrate, a 9 nm UTAF with a sheet resistance down to 6.9 Ω sq−1 can be obtained using an electron-beam evaporation process. The resultant UTAF is completely continuous and exhibits smoother morphologies and smaller optical absorbances in comparison to the counterpart of granular-type Ag film at the same thickness without surface modulation. Template-stripping procedure is further developed to transfer the UTAFs to flexible polymer matrixes and construct Al2O3/Ag/MoOx (AAM) electrodes with excellent surface morphology as well as optical and electronic characteristics, including a root-mean-square roughness below 0.21 nm, a transparency up to 93.85% at 550 nm and a sheet resistance as low as 7.39 Ω sq−1. These AAM based electrodes also show superiority in mechanical robustness, thermal oxidation stability and shape memory property. PMID:28291229

Optimizing ultrathin Ag films for high performance oxide-metal-oxide flexible transparent electrodes through surface energy modulation and template-stripping procedures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xi; Gao, Pingqi; Yang, Zhenhai; Zhu, Juye; Huang, Feng; Ye, Jichun

2017-03-01

Among new flexible transparent conductive electrode (TCE) candidates, ultrathin Ag film (UTAF) is attractive for its extremely low resistance and relatively high transparency. However, the performances of UTAF based TCEs critically depend on the threshold thickness for growth of continuous Ag films and the film morphologies. Here, we demonstrate that these two parameters could be strongly altered through the modulation of substrate surface energy. By minimizing the surface energy difference between the Ag film and substrate, a 9 nm UTAF with a sheet resistance down to 6.9 Ω sq-1 can be obtained using an electron-beam evaporation process. The resultant UTAF is completely continuous and exhibits smoother morphologies and smaller optical absorbances in comparison to the counterpart of granular-type Ag film at the same thickness without surface modulation. Template-stripping procedure is further developed to transfer the UTAFs to flexible polymer matrixes and construct Al2O3/Ag/MoOx (AAM) electrodes with excellent surface morphology as well as optical and electronic characteristics, including a root-mean-square roughness below 0.21 nm, a transparency up to 93.85% at 550 nm and a sheet resistance as low as 7.39 Ω sq-1. These AAM based electrodes also show superiority in mechanical robustness, thermal oxidation stability and shape memory property.

Effect of annealing over optoelectronic properties of graphene based transparent electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadav, Shriniwas; Kaur, Inderpreet

2016-04-01

Graphene, an atom-thick two dimensional graphitic material have led various fundamental breakthroughs in the field of science and technology. Due to their exceptional optical, physical and electrical properties, graphene based transparent electrodes have shown several applications in organic light emitting diodes, solar cells and thin film transistors. Here, we are presenting effect of annealing over optoelectronic properties of graphene based transparent electrodes. Graphene based transparent electrodes have been prepared by wet chemical approach over glass substrates. After fabrication, these electrodes tested for optical transmittance in visible region. Sheet resistance was measured using four probe method. Effect of thermal annealing at 200 °C was studied over optical and electrical performance of these electrodes. Optoelectronic performance was judged from ratio of direct current conductivity to optical conductivity (σdc/σopt) as a figure of merit for transparent conductors. The fabricated electrodes display good optical and electrical properties. Such electrodes can be alternatives for doped metal oxide based transparent electrodes.

Large-Area Cross-Aligned Silver Nanowire Electrodes for Flexible, Transparent, and Force-Sensitive Mechanochromic Touch Screens.

PubMed

Cho, Seungse; Kang, Saewon; Pandya, Ashish; Shanker, Ravi; Khan, Ziyauddin; Lee, Youngsu; Park, Jonghwa; Craig, Stephen L; Ko, Hyunhyub

2017-04-25

Silver nanowire (AgNW) networks are considered to be promising structures for use as flexible transparent electrodes for various optoelectronic devices. One important application of AgNW transparent electrodes is the flexible touch screens. However, the performances of flexible touch screens are still limited by the large surface roughness and low electrical to optical conductivity ratio of random network AgNW electrodes. In addition, although the perception of writing force on the touch screen enables a variety of different functions, the current technology still relies on the complicated capacitive force touch sensors. This paper demonstrates a simple and high-throughput bar-coating assembly technique for the fabrication of large-area (>20 × 20 cm 2 ), highly cross-aligned AgNW networks for transparent electrodes with the sheet resistance of 21.0 Ω sq -1 at 95.0% of optical transmittance, which compares favorably with that of random AgNW networks (sheet resistance of 21.0 Ω sq -1 at 90.4% of optical transmittance). As a proof of concept demonstration, we fabricate flexible, transparent, and force-sensitive touch screens using cross-aligned AgNW electrodes integrated with mechanochromic spiropyran-polydimethylsiloxane composite film. Our force-sensitive touch screens enable the precise monitoring of dynamic writings, tracing and drawing of underneath pictures, and perception of handwriting patterns with locally different writing forces. The suggested technique provides a robust and powerful platform for the controllable assembly of nanowires beyond the scale of conventional fabrication techniques, which can find diverse applications in multifunctional flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices.

Organic emitters: Light-emitting fabrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortí, Enrique; Bolink, Henk J.

2015-04-01

Light-emitting fibres that suit integration with textiles are prepared by dip-coating a steel wire with an electroluminescent material and then cleverly wrapping the structure with a carbon nanotube sheet that functions as a transparent electrode.

Nonvacuum, maskless fabrication of a flexible metal grid transparent conductor by low-temperature selective laser sintering of nanoparticle ink.

PubMed

Hong, Sukjoon; Yeo, Junyeob; Kim, Gunho; Kim, Dongkyu; Lee, Habeom; Kwon, Jinhyeong; Lee, Hyungman; Lee, Phillip; Ko, Seung Hwan

2013-06-25

We introduce a facile approach to fabricate a metallic grid transparent conductor on a flexible substrate using selective laser sintering of metal nanoparticle ink. The metallic grid transparent conductors with high transmittance (>85%) and low sheet resistance (30 Ω/sq) are readily produced on glass and polymer substrates at large scale without any vacuum or high-temperature environment. Being a maskless direct writing method, the shape and the parameters of the grid can be easily changed by CAD data. The resultant metallic grid also showed a superior stability in terms of adhesion and bending. This transparent conductor is further applied to the touch screen panel, and it is confirmed that the final device operates firmly under continuous mechanical stress.

Stretchable Platinum Network-Based Transparent Electrodes for Highly Sensitive Wearable Electronics.

PubMed

Wang, Yuting; Cheng, Jing; Xing, Yan; Shahid, Muhammad; Nishijima, Hiroki; Pan, Wei

2017-07-01

A platinum network-based transparent electrode has been fabricated by electrospinning. The unique nanobelt structured electrode demonstrates low sheet resistance (about 16 Ω sq -1 ) and high transparency of 80% and excellent flexibility. One of the most interesting demonstrations of this Pt nanobelt electrode is its excellent reversibly resilient characteristic. The electric conductivity of the flexible Pt electrode can recover to its initial value after 160% extending and this performance is repeatable and stable. The good linear relationship between the resistance and strain of the unique structured Pt electrode makes it possible to assemble a wearable high sensitive strain sensor. Present reported Pt nanobelt electrode also reveals potential applications in electrode for flexible fuel cells and highly transparent ultraviolet (UV) sensors. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Exploiting both optical and electrical anisotropy in nanowire electrodes for higher transparency.

PubMed

Dong, Jianjin; Goldthorpe, Irene A

2018-01-26

Transparent electrodes such as indium tin oxide and random meshes of silver nanowires (AgNWs) have isotropic in-plane properties. However, we show that imparting some alignment to AgNWs can create anisotropic transparency and electrical conductivity characteristics that may benefit many applications. For example, liquid crystal displays and the touch sensors on top of them often only need to be transparent to one type of polarized light as well as predominantly conductive in only one direction. Herein, AgNWs are slightly preferentially aligned during their deposition by rod coating. Compared to randomly oriented AgNW films, the alignment boosts the transparency to perpendicularly polarized light, as well as achieves a higher transparency for a given sheet resistance in one direction compared to randomly oriented AgNWs films. These factors together increase the transparency of a 16 Ω/sq electrode by 7.3 percentage points. The alignment technique is cheap and scalable, compatible with roll-to-roll processes, and most importantly does not require extra processing steps, as rod coating is already a standard process for AgNW electrode fabrication.

Exploiting both optical and electrical anisotropy in nanowire electrodes for higher transparency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Jianjin; Goldthorpe, Irene A.

2018-01-01

Transparent electrodes such as indium tin oxide and random meshes of silver nanowires (AgNWs) have isotropic in-plane properties. However, we show that imparting some alignment to AgNWs can create anisotropic transparency and electrical conductivity characteristics that may benefit many applications. For example, liquid crystal displays and the touch sensors on top of them often only need to be transparent to one type of polarized light as well as predominantly conductive in only one direction. Herein, AgNWs are slightly preferentially aligned during their deposition by rod coating. Compared to randomly oriented AgNW films, the alignment boosts the transparency to perpendicularly polarized light, as well as achieves a higher transparency for a given sheet resistance in one direction compared to randomly oriented AgNWs films. These factors together increase the transparency of a 16 Ω/sq electrode by 7.3 percentage points. The alignment technique is cheap and scalable, compatible with roll-to-roll processes, and most importantly does not require extra processing steps, as rod coating is already a standard process for AgNW electrode fabrication.

Three-Dimensional Conductive Nanocomposites Based on Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Networks and PEDOT:PSS as a Flexible Transparent Electrode for Optoelectronics.

PubMed

Cho, Er-Chieh; Li, Chiu-Ping; Huang, Jui-Hsiung; Lee, Kuen-Chan; Huang, Jen-Hsien

2015-06-03

We have synthesized conductive nanocomposites composed of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and Au nanoparticles (NPs). The Au NPs with an average size of approximately 4.3 nm are uniformly anchored on the MWCNT. After being exposed to microwave (MW) plasma irradiation, the anchored Au NPs melt and fuse, leading to larger aggregates (34 nm) that can connect the MWCNT forming a three-dimensional conducting network. The formation of a continuous MWCNT network can produce more a conductive pathway, leading to lower sheet resistance. When the Au-MWCNT is dispersed in the highly conductive polymer, poly(ethylene dioxythiophene):polystyrenesulfonate ( PSS), we can obtain solution-processable composite formulations for the preparation of a flexible transparent electrode. The resulting Au-MWCNT/PEDOT:PSS hybrid films possess a sheet resistance of 51 Ω/sq with a transmittance of 86.2% at 550 nm. We also fabricate flexible organic solar cells and electrochromic devices to demonstrate the potential use of the as-prepared composite electrodes. Compared with the indium tin oxide-based devices, both the solar cells and electrochromic devices with the composites incorporated as a transparent electrode deliver comparable performance.

Transparent, Weakly Conductive Films for Space Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griffin, John; Morgan, Ashraf; Hambourger, Paul D.

2004-01-01

Electrically insulating spacecraft surfaces are vulnerable to nonuniform charge buildup due to particles emitted by the sun. On Mars, insulating surfaces of exploration vehicles and structures will be affected by dust coatings possibly held in place by triboelectric surface charge. Application of a conductive film may be a solution to the charging problem, but the coating must be highly transparent if used on solar panels, lenses, etc. Sheet resistivity requirements depend on the application and are in the range 10(exp 2) - 10(exp 8) ohms/square. Co-deposited indium tin oxide (ITO) and MgF2 is promising, with high transparency, tailorable electrical properties, and durability to atomic oxygen. Due to ITO's relatively narrow bandgap (approximately 3.5 eV), the film might absorb enough ultraviolet to protect polymeric substrates. Recent work on dual-magnetron-sputtered ITO-MgF2 showed that a variety of polymeric substrates can be coated at room temperature. However, the sheet resistivity is very sensitive to composition, suggestive of a percolation transition. This could be a serious problem for large-scale coating production. We will report on attempts to control film composition by plasma emission monitoring of the ITO and MgF2 guns.

Stable iodide doping induced by photonic curing for carbon nanotube transparent conductive films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wachi, Atsushi; Nishikawa, Hiroyuki; Zhou, Ying; Azumi, Reiko

2018-06-01

Doping has become crucial for achieving stable and high-performance conductive transparent carbon nanotube (CNT) films. In this study, we systematically investigate the doping effects of a few materials including alkali metal iodides, nonmetal iodide, and metals. We demonstrate that photonic curing can enhance the doping effects, and correspondingly improve the conductivity of CNT films, and that such iodides have better doping effects than metals. In particular, doping with a nonmetal compound (NH4I) shows the largest potential to improve the conductivity of CNT films. Typically, doping with metal iodides reduces the sheet resistance (R S) of CNT films with 70–80% optical transmittances at λ = 550 nm from 600–2400 to 250–440 Ω/square, whereas doping with NH4I reduces R S to 57 and 84 Ω/square at 74 and 84% optical transmittances, respectively. Interestingly, such a doped CNT film exhibits only a slight increase in sheet resistance under an extreme environment of high temperature (85 °C) and high relative humidity (85%) for 350 h. The results suggest that photonic-curing-induced iodide doping is a promising approach to producing high-performance conductive transparent CNT films.

Ultraflexible Transparent Film Heater Made of Ag Nanowire/PVA Composite for Rapid-Response Thermotherapy Pads.

PubMed

Lan, Wei; Chen, Youxin; Yang, Zhiwei; Han, Weihua; Zhou, Jinyuan; Zhang, Yue; Wang, Junya; Tang, Guomei; Wei, Yupeng; Dou, Wei; Su, Qing; Xie, Erqing

2017-02-22

Ultraflexible transparent film heaters have been fabricated by embedding conductive silver (Ag) nanowires into a thin poly(vinyl alcohol) film (AgNW/PVA). A cold-pressing method was used to rationally adjust the sheet resistance of the composite films and thus the heating powers of the AgNW/PVA film heaters at certain biases. The film heaters have a favorable optical transmittance (93.1% at 26 Ω/sq) and an outstanding mechanical flexibility (no visible change in sheet resistance after 10 000 bending cycles and at a radius of curvature ≤1 mm). The film heaters have an environmental endurance, and there is no significant performance degradation after being kept at high temperature (80 °C) and high humidity (45 °C, 80% humidity) for half a year. The efficient Joule heating can increase the temperature of the film heaters (20 Ω/sq) to 74 °C in ∼20 s at a bias of 5 V. The fast-heating characteristics at low voltages (a few volts) associated with its transparent and flexibility properties make the poly(dimethylsiloxane)/AgNW/PVA composite film a potential candidate in medical thermotherapy pads.

Silver Nanowire Embedded Colorless Polyimide Heater for Wearable Chemical Sensors: Improved Reversible Reaction Kinetics of Optically Reduced Graphene Oxide.

PubMed

Choi, Seon-Jin; Kim, Sang-Joon; Jang, Ji-Soo; Lee, Ji-Hyun; Kim, Il-Doo

2016-09-14

Optically reduced graphene oxide (ORGO) sheets are successfully integrated on silver nanowire (Ag NW)-embedded transparent and flexible substrate. As a heating element, Ag NWs are embedded in a colorless polyimide (CPI) film by covering Ag NW networks using polyamic acid and subsequent imidization. Graphene oxide dispersed aqueous solution is drop-coated on the Ag NW-embedded CPI (Ag NW-CPI) film and directly irradiated by intense pulsed light to obtain ORGO sheets. The heat generation property of Ag NW-CPI film is investigated by applying DC voltage, which demonstrates unprecedentedly reliable and stable characteristics even in dynamic bending condition. To demonstrate the potential application in wearable chemical sensors, NO 2 sensing characteristic of ORGO is investigated with respect to the different heating temperature (22.7-71.7 °C) of Ag NW-CPI film. The result reveals that the ORGO sheets exhibit high sensitivity of 2.69% with reversible response/recovery sensing properties and minimal deviation of baseline resistance of around 1% toward NO 2 molecules when the temperature of Ag NW-CPI film is 71.7 °C. This work first demonstrates the improved reversible NO 2 sensing properties of ORGO sheets on flexible and transparent Ag NW-CPI film assisted by Ag NW heating networks. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A spot pattern test chart technique for measurement of geometric aberrations caused by an intervening medium—a novel method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganesan, A. R.; Arulmozhivarman, P.; Jesson, M.

2005-12-01

Accurate surface metrology and transmission characteristics measurements have become vital to certify the manufacturing excellence in the field of glass visors, windshields, menu boards and transportation industries. We report a simple, cost-effective and novel technique for the measurement of geometric aberrations in transparent materials such as glass sheets, Perspex, etc. The technique makes use of an array of spot pattern, we call the spot pattern test chart technique, in the diffraction limited imaging position having large field of view. Performance features include variable angular dynamic range and angular sensitivity. Transparent sheets as the intervening medium introduced in the line of sight, causing aberrations, are estimated in real time using the Zernike reconstruction method. Quantitative comparative analysis between a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor and the proposed new method is presented and the results are discussed.

Fabrication and stability investigation of ultra-thin transparent and flexible Cu-Ag-Au tri-layer film on PET

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prakasarao, Ch Surya; D'souza, Slavia Deeksha; Hazarika, Pratim; Karthiselva N., S.; Ramesh Babu, R.; Kovendhan, M.; Kumar, R. Arockia; Joseph, D. Paul

2018-04-01

The need for transparent conducting electrodes with high transmittance, low sheet resistance and flexibility to replace Indium Tin Oxide is ever growing. We have deposited and studied the performance of ultra-thin Cu-Ag-Au tri-layer films over a flexible poly-ethylene terephthalate substrate. Scotch tape test showed good adhesion of the metallic film. Transmittance of the tri-layer was around 40 % in visible region. Optical profiler measurements were done to study the surface features. The XRD pattern revealed that film was amorphous. Sheet resistance measured by four probe technique was around 7.7 Ohm/Δ and was stable up to 423 K. The transport parameters by Hall effect showed high conductivity and carrier concentration with a mobility of 5.58 cm2/Vs. Tests performed in an indigenously designed bending unit indicated the films to be stable both mechanically and electrically even after 50,000 bending cycles.

Preparation of smooth, flexible and stable silver nanowires- polyurethane composite transparent conductive films by transfer method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Shengchi; Wang, Haifeng; Yang, Hui; Zhang, He; Guo, Xingzhong

2018-02-01

Silver nanowires (AgNWs)-polyurethane (PU) composite transparent conductive films were fabricated via transfer method using AgNWs conductive inks and polyurethane as starting materials, and the effects of post-treatments including heat treatment, NaCl solution bath and HCl solution bath for AgNWs film on the sheet resistance and transmittance of the composite films were respectively investigated in detail. AgNWs networks are uniformly embedded in the PU layer to improve the adhesion and reduce the surface roughness of AgNWs-PU composite films. Heat treatment can melt and weld the nanowires, and NaCl and HCl solution baths promote the dissolution and re-deposition of silver and the dissolving of the polymer, both which form conduction pathways and improve contact of AgNWs for reducing the sheet resistance. Smooth and flexible AgNWs-PU composite film with a transmittance of 85% and a sheet resistance of 15 Ω · sq‑1 is obtained after treated in 0.5 wt% HCl solution bath for 60 s, and the optoelectronic properties of the resultant composite film can maintain after 1000 cycles of bending and 100 days.

Light Sheet Tomography (LST) for in situ imaging of plant roots.

PubMed

Yang, Zhengyi; Downie, Helen; Rozbicki, Emil; Dupuy, Lionel X; MacDonald, Michael P

2013-07-15

The production of crops capable of efficient nutrient use is essential for addressing the problem of global food security. The ability of a plant's root system to interact with the soil micro-environment determines how effectively it can extract water and nutrients. In order to assess this ability and develop the fast and cost effective phenotyping techniques which are needed to establish efficient root systems, in situ imaging in soil is required. To date this has not been possible due to the high density of scatterers and absorbers in soil or because other growth substrates do not sufficiently model the heterogeneity of a soil's microenvironment. We present here a new form of light sheet imaging with novel transparent soil containing refractive index matched particles. This imaging method does not rely on fluorescence, but relies solely on scattering from root material. We term this form of imaging Light Sheet Tomography (LST). We have tested LST on a range of materials and plant roots in transparent soil and gel. Due to the low density of root structures, i.e. relatively large spaces between adjacent roots, long-term monitoring of lettuce root development in situ with subsequent quantitative analysis was achieved.

Solution-processed transparent blue organic light-emitting diodes with graphene as the top cathode

PubMed Central

Chang, Jung-Hung; Lin, Wei-Hsiang; Wang, Po-Chuan; Taur, Jieh-I; Ku, Ting-An; Chen, Wei-Ting; Yan, Shiang-Jiuan; Wu, Chih-I

2015-01-01

Graphene thin films have great potential to function as transparent electrodes in organic electronic devices, due to their excellent conductivity and high transparency. Recently, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs)have been successfully demonstrated to possess high luminous efficiencies with p-doped graphene anodes. However, reliable methods to fabricate n-doped graphene cathodes have been lacking, which would limit the application of graphene in flexible electronics. In this paper, we demonstrate fully solution-processed OLEDs with n-type doped multilayer graphene as the top electrode. The work function and sheet resistance of graphene are modified by an aqueous process which can also transfer graphene on organic devices as the top electrodes. With n-doped graphene layers used as the top cathode, all-solution processed transparent OLEDs can be fabricated without any vacuum process. PMID:25892370

Transparent capacitors with hybrid ZnO:Al and Ag nanowires as electrodes.

PubMed

Zhang, Guozhen; Wu, Hao; Wang, Xiao; Wang, Ti; Liu, Chang

2016-03-11

Transparent conducting films with a composite structure of AlZnO-Ag nanowires (AgNWs) have been prepared by atomic layer deposition. The sheet resistance was reduced from 120 to 9 Ω when the AgNW networks were involved. Transparent capacitors with Al2O3-TiO2-Al2O3 dielectrics were fabricated on the composite electrodes and demonstrated a capacitance density of 10.1 fF μm(-2), which was significantly higher than that of capacitors with AlZnO electrodes (8.8 fF μm(-1)). The capacitance density remained almost unchanged in a broad frequency range from 3 kHz to 1 MHz. Moreover, a low leakage current density of 2.4 × 10(-7) A cm(-2) at 1 V was achieved. Transparent and flexible capacitors were also fabricated using the composite electrodes, and demonstrated an improved bendability. The transparent capacitors showed an average optical transmittance over 70% in the visible range, and thus open the door to practical applications in transparent integrated circuits.

Transparent heaters made by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis of SnO2 on soda-lime glass substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ansari, Mohammad; Akbari-Saatloo, Mehdi; Gharesi, Mohsen

2017-12-01

Transparent heaters have become important owing to the increasing demand in automotive and display device manufacturing industries. Indium tin oxide (ITO) is the most commonly used material for production of transparent heaters, but the fabrication cost is high as the indium resources are diminishing fast. This has been the driving force behind the intense research for discovering more durable and cost-effective alternatives. Tin oxide, with its high temperature stability and coexisting high levels of conductivity and transparency, can replace expensive ITO in the fabrication of transparent heaters. Here, we propose tin oxide films deposited using ultrasonic spray pyrolysis as the raw material for the fabrication of transparent heaters. Silver contacts are paste printed on the deposited SnO2 layers, which provide the necessary connections to the external circuitry. Deposition of films having sheet resistance in the 150 Ω/□ range takes only ∼5 minutes and the utilized methods are fully scalable to mass production level. Durability tests, carried out for weeks of continuous operation at different elevated temperatures, demonstrated the long load life of the produced heaters.

Transparent electrodes fabricated via the self-assembly of silver nanowires using a bubble template.

PubMed

Tokuno, Takehiro; Nogi, Masaya; Jiu, Jinting; Sugahara, Tohru; Suganuma, Katsuaki

2012-06-26

To shore up the demand of transparent electrodes for wide applications such as organic light emitting diodes and solar cells, transparent electrodes are required as an alternative for indium tin oxide electrodes. Herein the self-assembly method with a bubble template paves the way for cost-effective fabrication of transparent electrodes with high conductivity and transparency using self-assembly of silver nanowires (AgNWs) in a bubble template. AgNWs were first dispersed in water that was bubbled with a surfactant and a thickening agent. Furthermore, these AgNWs were assembled by lining along the bubble ridges. When the bubbles containing the AgNWs were sandwiched between two glass substrates, the bubble ridges including the AgNWs formed continuous polygonal structures. Mesh structures were formed on both glass substrates after air-drying. The mesh structures evolved into mesh transparent electrodes following heat-treatment. The AgNW mesh structure exhibited a low sheet resistance of 6.2 Ω/square with a transparency of 84% after heat treatment at 200 °C for 20 min. The performance is higher than that of transparent electrodes with random networks of AgNWs. Furthermore, the conductivity and transparency of the mesh transparent electrodes can be adjusted by changing the amount of the AgNW suspension and the space between the two glass substrates.

Copper Nanowires as Fully Transparent Conductive Electrodes

PubMed Central

Guo, Huizhang; Lin, Na; Chen, Yuanzhi; Wang, Zhenwei; Xie, Qingshui; Zheng, Tongchang; Gao, Na; Li, Shuping; Kang, Junyong; Cai, Duanjun; Peng, Dong-Liang

2013-01-01

In pondering of new promising transparent conductors to replace the cost rising tin-doped indium oxide (ITO), metal nanowires have been widely concerned. Herein, we demonstrate an approach for successful synthesis of long and fine Cu nanowires (NWs) through a novel catalytic scheme involving nickel ions. Such Cu NWs in high aspect ratio (diameter of 16.2 ± 2 nm and length up to 40 μm) provide long distance for electron transport and, meanwhile, large space for light transmission. Transparent electrodes fabricated using the Cu NW ink achieve a low sheet resistance of 1.4 Ohm/sq at 14% transmittance and a high transparency of 93.1% at 51.5 Ohm/sq. The flexibility and stability were tested with 100-timebending by 180°and no resistance change occurred. Ohmic contact was achieved to the p- and n-GaN on blue light emitting diode chip and bright electroluminescence from the front face confirmed the excellent transparency. PMID:23900572

Fully solution processed PEDOT:PSS and silver nanowire semitransparent electrodes for thin film solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaagensmith, Bjorn

Building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), such as semitransparent organic solar cells (OSC) for power generating windows, is a promising method for implementing renewable energy under the looming threat of depleting fossil fuels. OSC require a solution processed transparent electrode to be cost effective; but typically employ a non-solution processed indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent electrode. PEDOT:PSS and silver nanowire transparent electrodes have emerged as a promising alternative to ITO and are solution processed compatible. However, PEDOT:PSS requires a strong acid treatment, which is incompatible with high throughput solution processed fabrication techniques. Silver nanowires suffer from a short lifetime when subject to electrical stress. The goals of this work were to fabricate a PEDOT:PSS electrodes without using strong acids, a silver nanowire electrode with a lifetime that can exceed 6000 hours of constant electrical stress, and use these two electrodes to fabricate a semitransparent OSC. Exploring optimal solvent blend additives in conjunction with solvent bend post treatments for PEDOT:PSS electrodes could provide an acid free method that results in comparable sheet resistance and transmittance of ITO electrodes. Silver nanowires fail under electrical stress due to sulfur corrosion and Joule heating (which melts and breaks apart electrical contact). A silver oxide layer coating the nanowires could hinder sulfur corrosion and help redistribute heat. Moreover, nanowires with thicker diameters could also exhibit higher heat tolerance and take longer to corrode. Four layer PEDOT:PSS electrodes with optimal solvent blend additives and post treatments were fabricated by spin coating. Silver nanowire electrodes of varying nanowire diameter with and without UV-ozone treatment were fabricated by spray coating and subject to electrical stress of 20 mA/cm2 constant current density. PEDOT:PSS electrodes exhibited a sheet resistance of 80 O/□ and average transmittance of 73%, which were too high and too low, respectively. Silver nanowire electrodes, on the other hand, were able to achieve sheet resistances below 50 O/□ while maintaining a direct transmittance above 80%. Silver nanowires electrodes with average nanowire diameters of 80 nm lasted 2 days longer with UV-ozone treatment than without; and silver nanowire electrodes with average nanowire diameters of 233 nm lasted for 6,312 hours, which met the 6000 hour goal. PEDOT:PSS transparent electrode needs to be improved where the sheet resistance is below 50 O/□ and transmittance above 80%. This could be achieved by adding silver nanoparticles (SNP) less than 40 nm in size, which would also have a plasmonic effect enabling the solar cell to absorb ultraviolet light. Then a fully solution processed semitransparent solar cell utilizing a PEDOT:PSS:SNP and silver nanowire transparent electrodes can be fabricated.

Confocal multispot microscope for fast and deep imaging in semicleared tissues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adam, Marie-Pierre; Müllenbroich, Marie Caroline; Di Giovanna, Antonino Paolo; Alfieri, Domenico; Silvestri, Ludovico; Sacconi, Leonardo; Pavone, Francesco Saverio

2018-02-01

Although perfectly transparent specimens are imaged faster with light-sheet microscopy, less transparent samples are often imaged with two-photon microscopy leveraging its robustness to scattering; however, at the price of increased acquisition times. Clearing methods that are capable of rendering strongly scattering samples such as brain tissue perfectly transparent specimens are often complex, costly, and time intensive, even though for many applications a slightly lower level of tissue transparency is sufficient and easily achieved with simpler and faster methods. Here, we present a microscope type that has been geared toward the imaging of semicleared tissue by combining multispot two-photon excitation with rolling shutter wide-field detection to image deep and fast inside semicleared mouse brain. We present a theoretical and experimental evaluation of the point spread function and contrast as a function of shutter size. Finally, we demonstrate microscope performance in fixed brain slices by imaging dendritic spines up to 400-μm deep.

Sb2O3/Ag/Sb2O3 Multilayer Transparent Conducting Films For Ultraviolet Organic Light-emitting Diode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Chunyan; Zhang, Nan; Lin, Jie; Guo, Xiaoyang; Liu, Xingyuan

2017-01-01

A novel UV transparent conducting films based on Sb2O3/Ag/Sb2O3 (SAS) structure, which were prepared by an electron-beam thermal evaporation at room temperature. This SAS exhibits excellent electrical, optical and stable properties. Especially for UV region, the SAS has high transmittance of 80% at 306 nm and 92% at 335 nm, meanwhile achieving low sheet resistance ( ≤ 10 Ω sq-1). The UV OLED based on the SAS show competitive device performance. The UV OLED obtains the peak of UV electroluminescence at 376 nm and shows a very high maximum EQE of 4.1% with the maximum output power density of 5.18 mW cm-2. These results indicate that the potential of SAS applications in deep UV transparent electrodes and large-scale flexible transparent electronics.

Sb2O3/Ag/Sb2O3 Multilayer Transparent Conducting Films For Ultraviolet Organic Light-emitting Diode.

PubMed

Song, Chunyan; Zhang, Nan; Lin, Jie; Guo, Xiaoyang; Liu, Xingyuan

2017-01-25

A novel UV transparent conducting films based on Sb 2 O 3 /Ag/Sb 2 O 3 (SAS) structure, which were prepared by an electron-beam thermal evaporation at room temperature. This SAS exhibits excellent electrical, optical and stable properties. Especially for UV region, the SAS has high transmittance of 80% at 306 nm and 92% at 335 nm, meanwhile achieving low sheet resistance ( ≤ 10 Ω sq -1 ). The UV OLED based on the SAS show competitive device performance. The UV OLED obtains the peak of UV electroluminescence at 376 nm and shows a very high maximum EQE of 4.1% with the maximum output power density of 5.18 mW cm -2 . These results indicate that the potential of SAS applications in deep UV transparent electrodes and large-scale flexible transparent electronics.

Sb2O3/Ag/Sb2O3 Multilayer Transparent Conducting Films For Ultraviolet Organic Light-emitting Diode

PubMed Central

Song, Chunyan; Zhang, Nan; Lin, Jie; Guo, Xiaoyang; Liu, Xingyuan

2017-01-01

A novel UV transparent conducting films based on Sb2O3/Ag/Sb2O3 (SAS) structure, which were prepared by an electron-beam thermal evaporation at room temperature. This SAS exhibits excellent electrical, optical and stable properties. Especially for UV region, the SAS has high transmittance of 80% at 306 nm and 92% at 335 nm, meanwhile achieving low sheet resistance ( ≤ 10 Ω sq−1). The UV OLED based on the SAS show competitive device performance. The UV OLED obtains the peak of UV electroluminescence at 376 nm and shows a very high maximum EQE of 4.1% with the maximum output power density of 5.18 mW cm−2. These results indicate that the potential of SAS applications in deep UV transparent electrodes and large-scale flexible transparent electronics. PMID:28120888

Digitizing the KSO white light images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pötzi, W.

From 1989 up to 2007 the Sun was observed at the Kanzelhöhe Observatory in white light on photographic film material. The images are on transparent sheet films and are not available to the scientific community now. With a photo scanner for transparent film material the films are now scanned and then prepared for scientific use. The programs for post processing are already finished and as an output FITS and JPEG-files are produced. The scanning should be finished end of 2011 and the data should then be available via our homepage.

Highly Transparent and UV-Resistant Superhydrophobic SiO2-Coated ZnO Nanorod Arrays

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Highly transparent and UV-resistant superhydrophobic arrays of SiO2-coated ZnO nanorods are prepared in a sequence of low-temperature (<150 °C) steps on both glass and thin sheets of PET (2 × 2 in.2), and the superhydrophobic nanocomposite is shown to have minimal impact on solar cell device performance under AM1.5G illumination. Flexible plastics can serve as front cell and backing materials in the manufacture of flexible displays and solar cells. PMID:24495100

ITO/metal/ITO anode for efficient transparent white organic light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joo, Chul Woong; Lee, Jonghee; Sung, Woo Jin; Moon, Jaehyun; Cho, Nam Sung; Chu, Hye Yong; Lee, Jeong-Ik

2015-02-01

We report on the characteristics of enhanced and balanced white-light emission of transparent organic light emitting diodes (TOLEDs) by introducing anode that has a stack structure of ITO/metal/ITO (IMI). We have investigated an anode that has a stack structure of IMI. IMI anodes are typically composed of a thin Ag layer (˜15 nm) sandwiched between two ITO layers (˜50 nm). By inserting an Ag layer it was possible to achieve sheet resistance lower than 3 Ω/sq. and transmittance of 86% at a wavelength of 550 nm. The Ag insert can act as a reflective component. With its counterpart, a transparent cathode made of a thin Ag layer (˜15 nm), micro-cavities (MC) can be effectively induced in the OLED, leading to improved performance. Using an IMI anode, it was possible to significantly increase the current efficiencies. The current efficiencies of the top and the bottom of the IMI TOLED increased to 23.0 and 15.6 cd/A, respectively, while those of the white TOLED with the ITO anode were 20.7 and 5.1 cd/A, respectively. A 30% enhancement in the overall current efficiency was achieved by taking advantage of the MC effect and the low sheet resistance.

Scalable Fabrication of High-Performance Transparent Conductors Using Graphene Oxide-Stabilized Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Inks

PubMed Central

He, Linxiang; Liao, Chengzhu

2018-01-01

Recent development in liquid-phase processing of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) has revealed rod-coating as a promising approach for large-scale production of SWNT-based transparent conductors. Of great importance in the ink formulation is the stabilizer having excellent dispersion stability, environmental friendly and tunable rheology in the liquid state, and also can be readily removed to enhance electrical conductivity and mechanical stability. Herein we demonstrate the promise of graphene oxide (GO) as a synergistic stabilizer for SWNTs in water. SWNTs dispersed in GO is formulated into inks with homogeneous nanotube distribution, good wetting and rheological properties, and compatible with industrial rod coating practice. Microwave treatment of rod-coated films can reduce GOs and enhance electro-optical performance. The resultant films offer a sheet resistance of ~80 Ω/sq at 86% transparency, along with good mechanical flexibility. Doping the films with nitric acid can further decrease the sheet resistance to ~25 Ω/sq. Comparing with the films fabricated from typical surfactant-based SWNT inks, our films offer superior adhesion as assessed by the Scotch tape test. This study provides new insight into the selection of suitable stabilizers for functional SWNT inks with strong potential for printed electronics. PMID:29642446

Improved Flexible Transparent Conductive Electrodes based on Silver Nanowire Networks by a Simple Sunlight Illumination Approach

PubMed Central

Kou, Pengfei; Yang, Liu; Chang, Cheng; He, Sailing

2017-01-01

Silver nanowire (Ag NW) networks have attracted wide attention as transparent electrodes for emerging flexible optoelectronics. However, the sheet resistance is greatly limited by large wire-to-wire contact resistances. Here, we propose a simple sunlight illumination approach to remarkably improve their electrical conductivity without any significant degradation of the light transmittance. Because the power density is extremely low (0.1 W/cm2, 1-Sun), only slight welding between Ag NWs has been observed. Despite this, a sheet resistance of <20 Ω/sq and transmittance of ~87% at wavelength of 550 nm as well as excellent mechanical flexibility have still been achieved for Ag NW networks after sunlight illumination for 1 hour or longer, which are significant upgrades over those of ITO. Slight plasmonic welding together with the associated self-limiting effect has been investigated by numerical simulations and further verified experimentally through varied solar concentrations. Due to the reduced resistance, high-performance transparent film heaters as well as efficient defrosters have been demonstrated, which are superior to the previously-reported Ag NW based film heaters. Since the sunlight is environmentally friendly and easily available, sophisticated or expensive facilities are not necessary. Our findings are particularly meaningful and show enormous potential for outdoor applications. PMID:28169343

Aerogel: From Aerospace to Apparel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

Aspen Systems Inc. developed an aerogel-manufacturing process solved the handling problems associated with aerogel-based insulation products. Their aerogels can now be manufactured into blankets, thin sheets, beads, and molded parts; and may be transparent, translucent, or opaque. Aspen made the material effective for window and skylight insulation, non-flammable building insulation, and inexpensive firewall insulation that will withstand fires in homes and buildings, and also assist in the prevention of forest fires. Another Aspen product is Spaceloft(TM); an inexpensive, flexible blanket that incorporates a thin layer of aerogel embedded directly into the fabric. Spaceloft, is incorporated into jackets intended for wear in extremely harsh conditions and activities, such as Antarctic expeditions.

Large area nanoscale metal meshes for use as transparent conductive layers.

PubMed

Jin, Yuanhao; Li, Qunqing; Chen, Mo; Li, Guanhong; Zhao, Yudan; Xiao, Xiaoyang; Wang, Jiaping; Jiang, Kaili; Fan, Shoushan

2015-10-21

We report on the experimental realization of using super-aligned carbon nanotubes (SACNTs) as etching masks for the fabrication of large area nanoscale metal meshes. This method can easily be extended to different metals on both rigid and flexible substrates. The as-fabricated metal meshes, including the ones made of gold, copper, and aluminum, are suitable for use as transparent conductive layers (TCLs). The metal meshes, which are similar to the SACNT networks in their dimensional features of tens of nanometers, exhibit compatible performance in terms of optical transmittance and sheet resistance. Moreover, because the metal meshes are fabricated as an integrated material, there is no junction resistance between the interconnected metal nanostructures, which markedly lowers their sheet resistance at high temperatures. The fabrication of such an effective etching mask involves a simple drawing process of the SACNT networks prepared and a common deposition process. This approach should be easy to extend to various research fields and has broad prospects in commercial applications.

Hybrid display of static image and aerial image by use of transparent acrylic cubes and retro-reflectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morita, Shogo; Ito, Shusei; Yamamoto, Hirotsugu

2017-02-01

Aerial display can form transparent floating screen in the mid-air and expected to provide aerial floating signage. We have proposed aerial imaging by retro-reflection (AIRR) to form a large aerial LED screen. However, luminance of aerial image is not sufficiently high so as to be used for signage under broad daylight. The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel aerial display scheme that features hybrid display of two different types of images. Under daylight, signs made of cubes are visible. At night, or under dark lighting situation, aerial LED signs become visible. Our proposed hybrid display is composed of an LED sign, a beam splitter, retro-reflectors, and transparent acrylic cubes. Aerial LED sign is formed with AIRR. Furthermore, we place transparent acrylic cubes on the beam splitter. Light from the LED sign enters transparent acrylic cubes, reflects twice in the transparent acrylic cubes, exit and converge to planesymmetrical position with light source regarding the cube array. Thus, transparent acrylic cubes also form the real image of the source LED sign. Now, we form a sign with the transparent acrylic cubes so that this cube-based sign is apparent under daylight. We have developed a proto-type display by use of 1-cm transparent cubes and retro-reflective sheeting and successfully confirmed aerial image forming with AIRR and transparent cubes as well as cube-based sign under daylight.

E12 sheet plastination: Techniques and applications.

PubMed

Ottone, Nicolas Ernesto; Baptista, Carlos A C; Latorre, Rafael; Bianchi, Homero Felipe; Del Sol, Mariano; Fuentes, Ramon

2017-10-30

Plastination is an anatomical technique that consists of replacing the liquids and fat of specimens by reactive polymers through forced impregnation in a vacuum. These are then polymerized to achieve the final result. E12 sheet plastination involves epoxy resin impregnation of thin (2-4 mm) and ultra-thin (<2 mm) tissue sheets, producing dry, transparent, odorless, non-toxic and long-lasting sheets. E12 sheet plastination techniques were reviewed using MEDLINE, EMBASE and SciELO databases, and manual searches. After searching, 616 records were found using the online and manual searches (MEDLINE, n: 207; EMBASE, n: 346; SciELO, n: 44; Manual search: 23). Finally, 96 records were included in this review (after duplicates and articles unrelated to the subject were excluded). The aim of this work was to review the E12 sheet plastination technique, searching for articles concerning views of it, identifying the different variants implemented by researchers since its creation by Gunther von Hagens, and to identify its applications from teaching and research in anatomy to morphological sciences. Clin. Anat., 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Continuous, highly flexible, and transparent graphene films by chemical vapor deposition for organic photovoltaics.

PubMed

Gomez De Arco, Lewis; Zhang, Yi; Schlenker, Cody W; Ryu, Koungmin; Thompson, Mark E; Zhou, Chongwu

2010-05-25

We report the implementation of continuous, highly flexible, and transparent graphene films obtained by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) as transparent conductive electrodes (TCE) in organic photovoltaic cells. Graphene films were synthesized by CVD, transferred to transparent substrates, and evaluated in organic solar cell heterojunctions (TCE/poly-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene:poly styrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS)/copper phthalocyanine/fullerene/bathocuproine/aluminum). Key to our success is the continuous nature of the CVD graphene films, which led to minimal surface roughness ( approximately 0.9 nm) and offered sheet resistance down to 230 Omega/sq (at 72% transparency), much lower than stacked graphene flakes at similar transparency. In addition, solar cells with CVD graphene and indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes were fabricated side-by-side on flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates and were confirmed to offer comparable performance, with power conversion efficiencies (eta) of 1.18 and 1.27%, respectively. Furthermore, CVD graphene solar cells demonstrated outstanding capability to operate under bending conditions up to 138 degrees , whereas the ITO-based devices displayed cracks and irreversible failure under bending of 60 degrees . Our work indicates the great potential of CVD graphene films for flexible photovoltaic applications.

Application of low-coherence interferometry for in situ nondestructive evaluation of thin and thick multilayered transparent composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khomenko, Anton; Cloud, Gary Lee; Haq, Mahmoodul

2015-12-01

Multilayered transparent composites having laminates with polymer interlayers and backing sheets are commonly used in a wide range of applications where visibility, transparency, impact resistance, and safety are essential. Manufacturing flaws or damage during operation can seriously compromise both safety and performance. Most fabrication defects are not discernible until after the entire multilayered transparent composite assembly has been completed, and in-the-field inspection for damage is a problem not yet solved. A robust and reliable nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technique is needed to evaluate structural integrity and identify defects that result from manufacturing issues as well as in-service damage arising from extreme environmental conditions in addition to normal mechanical and thermal loads. Current optical techniques have limited applicability for NDE of such structures. This work presents a technique that employs a modified interferometer utilizing a laser diode or femtosecond fiber laser source to acquire in situ defect depth location inside a thin or thick multilayered transparent composite, respectively. The technique successfully located various defects inside examined composites. The results show great potential of the technique for defect detection, location, and identification in multilayered transparent composites.

Tunable metamaterial-induced transparency with gate-controlled on-chip graphene metasurface.

PubMed

Chen, Zan Hui; Tao, Jin; Gu, Jia Hua; Li, Jian; Hu, Di; Tan, Qi Long; Zhang, Fengchun; Huang, Xu Guang

2016-12-12

We propose and numerically investigate a gate-controlled on-chip graphene metasurface consisting of a monolayer graphene sheet and silicon photonic crystal-like substrate, to achieve an electrically-tunable induced transparency. The operation mechanism of the induced transparency of the on-chip graphene metasurface is analyzed. The tunable optical properties with different gate-voltages and polarizations have been discussed. Additionally, the spectral feature of the on-chip graphene metasurface as a function of the refractive index of the local environment is also investigated. The result shows that the on-chip graphene metasurface as a refractive index sensor can achieve an overall figure of merit of 8.89 in infrared wavelength range. Our study suggests that the proposed structure is potentially attractive as optoelectronic modulators and refractive index sensors.

Transparent electrodes made with ultrasonic spray coating technique for flexible heaters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wroblewski, G.; Krzemiński, J.; Janczak, D.; Sowiński, J.; Jakubowska, M.

2017-08-01

Transparent electrodes are one of the basic elements of various electronic components. The paper presents the preliminary results related to novel method of ultrasonic spray coating used for fabrication of transparent flexible electrodes. Experiments were conducted by means of specially made laboratory setup composed of ultrasonic spray generator and XYZ plotter. In the first part of the paper diverse solvents were used to determine the crucial technological parameters such as atomization voltage and fluid flow velocity. Afterwards paint containing carbon nanotubes suspended in the two solvent system was prepared and deposited on the polyethylene terephthalate foil. Thickness, roughness and electrical measurements were performed to designate the relations of technological parameters of ultrasonic spray coating on thickness, roughness, sheet resistance and optical transmission of fabricated samples.

USEEIO Satellite Tables

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

These files contain the environmental data as particular emissions or resources associated with a BEA sectors that are used in the USEEIO model. They are organized by the emission or resources type, as described in the manuscript. The main files (without SI) show the final satellite tables in the 'Exchanges' sheet which have emissions or resource use per USD for 2013. The other sheets in these files provide meta data for the create of the tables, including general information, sources, etc. The 'export' sheet is used for saving the satellite table for csv export. The data dictionary describes the fields in this sheet. The supporting files provide all the details data transformation and organization for the development of the satellite tables.This dataset is associated with the following publication:Yang, Y., W. Ingwersen, T. Hawkins, and D. Meyer. USEEIO: a New and Transparent United States Environmentally Extended Input-Output Model. JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, USA,

Flexible and transparent polyimide films containing two-dimensional alumina nanosheets templated by graphene oxide for improved barrier property.

PubMed

Tseng, I-Hsiang; Tsai, Mei-Hui; Chung, Chi-Wei

2014-08-13

Unique two-dimensional alumina nanosheets (Alns) using graphene oxide (GO) as templates are fabricated and successfully incorporated with organo-soluble polyimide (PI) to obtain highly transparent PI nanocomposite films with improved moisture barrier property. The effects of filler types and contents on water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) and transparency of PI are systematically studied. The hydroxyl groups on GO react with aluminum isopropoxide via sol-gel process to obtain alumina coverd-GO (Al-GO), and then thermal decomposition is applied to obtain Alns. Alns are the most efficient fillers among others to restrict the diffusion of water vapor within PI matrix and simultaneously maintain the transparency of PI. XRD pattern, TEM, and AFM images confirm the sheet-like morphology of Alns with ultrahigh aspect ratio. With only 0.01 wt % of Alns, the PI nanocomposite film exhibits the most significant reduction of 95% in WVTR as compared to that of pure PI film. Most importantly, the resultant PI/Alns-0.01 film exhibits excellent optical transparency and high mechanical strength and great thermal stability.

A flexible thermoresponsive cell culture substrate for direct transfer of keratinocyte cell sheets.

PubMed

Praveen, Wulligundam; Madathil, Bernadette K; Sajin Raj, R S; Kumary, T V; Anil Kumar, P R

2017-10-25

Most cell sheet engineering systems require a support or carrier to handle the harvested cell sheets. In this study, polyethylene terephthalate-based overhead projection transparency sheets (OHPS) were subjected to surface hydrolysis by alkali treatment to increase pliability and hydrophilicity and enable poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-glycidylmethacrylate) copolymer (NGMA) coating to impart thermoresponsiveness. NGMA was applied on the modified OHPS by the technique of spin coating using an indigenously designed spin coater. The spin coating had the advantage of using low volumes of the polymer and a reduced coating time. The surface chemistry and thermoresponsive coating was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and water contact angle. Human keratinocyte cells were cultured on the spin coated surface and scaffold-free cell sheets were successfully harvested by simple variation of temperature. These cell sheets were found to be viable, exhibited epithelial characteristic and cell-cell contact as confirmed by positive immunostaining for ZO-1. The integrity and morphology of the cell sheet was confirmed by stereomicroscopy and E-SEM. These results highlight the potential of the NGMA spin coated modified OHPS to serve as a thermoresponsive culture surface-cum-flexible transfer tool.

Monolithic Parallel Tandem Organic Photovoltaic Cell with Transparent Carbon Nanotube Interlayer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tanaka, S.; Mielczarek, K.; Ovalle-Robles, R.; Wang, B.; Hsu, D.; Zakhidov, A. A.

2009-01-01

We demonstrate an organic photovoltaic cell with a monolithic tandem structure in parallel connection. Transparent multiwalled carbon nanotube sheets are used as an interlayer anode electrode for this parallel tandem. The characteristics of front and back cells are measured independently. The short circuit current density of the parallel tandem cell is larger than the currents of each individual cell. The wavelength dependence of photocurrent for the parallel tandem cell shows the superposition spectrum of the two spectral sensitivities of the front and back cells. The monolithic three-electrode photovoltaic cell indeed operates as a parallel tandem with improved efficiency.

Conducting polymer composite film incorporated with aligned carbon nanotubes for transparent, flexible and efficient supercapacitor

PubMed Central

Lin, Huijuan; Li, Li; Ren, Jing; Cai, Zhenbo; Qiu, Longbin; Yang, Zhibin; Peng, Huisheng

2013-01-01

Polyaniline composite films incorporated with aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are synthesized through an easy electrodeposition process. These robust and electrically conductive films are found to function as effective electrodes to fabricate transparent and flexible supercapacitors with a maximum specific capacitance of 233 F/g at a current density of 1 A/g. It is 36 times of bare MWCNT sheet, 23 times of pure polyaniline and 3 times of randomly dispersed MWCNT/polyaniline film under the same conditions. The novel supercapacitors also show a high cyclic stability. PMID:23443325

Apparel Manufacturing (Course Outline), Exciting Careers in Apparel Manufacturing: 9377.01.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

A course for youth and adults interested in a career in apparel manufacturing and the needle trades is presented. Instruction will include a sampling tour of interest, introducing all phases of the industry from designing to shipping. Instructional materials include films, transparencies, lectures and demonstrations, information sheets,…

Temporal Stability of Metal-Chloride-Doped Chemical-Vapour-Deposited Graphene.

PubMed

Kang, Moon H; Milne, William I; Cole, Matthew T

2016-08-18

Graphene has proven to be a promising material for transparent flexible electronics. In this study, we report the development of a transfer and doping scheme of large-area chemical vapour deposited (CVD) graphene. A technique to transfer the as-grown material onto mechanically flexible and optically transparent polymeric substrates using an ultraviolet adhesive (UVA) is outlined, along with the temporal stability of the sheet resistance and optical transparency following chemical doping with various metal chlorides (Mx Cly The sheet resistance (RS ) and 550 nm optical transparency (%T550 ) of the transferred un-doped graphene was 3.5 kΩ sq(-1) (±0.2 kΩ sq(-1) ) and 84.1 % (±2.9 %), respectively. Doping with AuCl3 showed a notable reduction in RS by some 71.4 % (to 0.93 kΩ sq(-1) ) with a corresponding %T550 of 77.0 %. After 200 h exposure to air at standard temperature and pressure, the increase in RS was found to be negligible (ΔRS AuCl3 =0.06 kΩ sq(-1) ), indicating that, of the considered Mx Cly species, AuCl3 doping offered the highest degree of time stability under ambient conditions. There appears a tendency of increasing RS with time for the remaining metal chlorides studied. We attribute the observed temporal shift to desorption of molecular dopants. We find that desorption was most significant in RhCl3 -doped samples whereas, in contrast, after 200 h in ambient conditions, AuCl3 -doped graphene showed only marginal desorption. The results of this study demonstrate that chemical doping of UVA-transferred graphene is a promising means for enhancing large-area CVD graphene in order to realise a viable platform for next-generation optically transparent and mechanically flexible electronics. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Performance study of a laboratory model shallow solar pond with and without single transparent glass cover for solar thermal energy conversion applications.

PubMed

Ganesh, S; Arumugam, S

2016-12-01

The thermal performance of a shallow solar pond with and without the single transparent glass cover has been investigated experimentally. This experiment has been performed during the summer season of 2014 under the operational condition for five different storage volumes of water upto a maximum of 10liter. The pond performance is investigated in terms of the rate of energy collected and its collection efficiency. A Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) black sheet liner of 200μm thickness was laid on all the interior sides of the pond for solar energy absorption. A clear transparent PVC plastic sheet of 150μm thickness was laid over the water surface as evaporation suppressing membrane. Calibrated Copper constantan thermocouples were used to measure the temperatures of the system. A highest temperature of 81.5°C has been achieved for the stored volume of 2liter of water, when the pond was used with a single transparent glass cover of 5mm thickness. When the shallow solar pond was used without the transparent glass cover the system attained a maximum temperature of 62°C for the same stored volume of 2liter. A comparison between the two conditions of with and without the transparent glass cover, on the thermal performance of the SSP has been reported. A shallow solar pond system of the present type could be used us a source of warm water, of desired temperature, below 10°C which are required for the domestic and industrial utilities. The global warming is increased day by day; inorder to reduce global warming a typical method of small scale shallow solar pond has been used to absorb the radiation from the sun to convert it to useful heat energy by the source of water. The SSP is an eco friendly way to generate energy without polluting our environment and in an environment safety manner. Based on environmental safety this study has experimentally investigated the thermal performance of the shallow solar pond. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Facile Synthesis of Silver Nanowires with Different Aspect Ratios and Used as High-Performance Flexible Transparent Electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Qingwen; Yao, Weijing; Liu, Jun; Tian, Qingyong; Liu, Li; Li, Mengxiao; Lu, Qiang; Peng, Rui; Wu, Wei

2017-08-01

Silver nanowires (Ag NWs) are the promising materials to fabricate flexible transparent electrodes, aiming to replace indium tin oxide (ITO) in the next generation of flexible electronics. Herein, a feasible polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-mediated polyol synthesis of Ag NWs with different aspect ratios is demonstrated and high-quality Ag NWs transparent electrodes (NTEs) are fabricated without high-temperature thermal sintering. When employing the mixture of PVP with different average molecular weight as the capping agent, the diameters of Ag NWs can be tailored and Ag NWs with different aspect ratios varying from ca. 30 to ca. 1000 are obtained. Using these as-synthesized Ag NWs, the uniform Ag NWs films are fabricated by repeated spin coating. When the aspect ratios exceed 500, the optoelectronic performance of Ag NWs films improve remarkably and match up to those of ITO films. Moreover, an optimal Ag NTEs with low sheet resistance of 11.4 Ω/sq and a high parallel transmittance of 91.6% at 550 nm are achieved when the aspect ratios reach almost 1000. In addition, the sheet resistance of Ag NWs films does not show great variation after 400 cycles of bending test, suggesting an excellent flexibility. The proposed approach to fabricate highly flexible and high-performance Ag NTEs would be useful to the development of flexible devices.

Radiation-induced deposition of transparent conductive tin oxide coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umnov, S.; Asainov, O.; Temenkov, V.

2016-04-01

The study of tin oxide films is stimulated by the search for an alternative replacement of indium-tin oxide (ITO) films used as transparent conductors, oxidation catalysts, material gas sensors, etc. This work was aimed at studying the influence of argon ions irradiation on optical and electrical characteristics of tin oxide films. Thin films of tin oxide (without dopants) were deposited on glass substrates at room temperature using reactive magnetron sputtering. After deposition, the films were irradiated with an argon ion beam. The current density of the beam was (were) 2.5 mA/cm2, and the particles energy was 300-400 eV. The change of the optical and electrical properties of the films depending on the irradiation time was studied. Films optical properties were investigated by photometry in the range of 300-1100 nm. Films structural properties were studied using X-ray diffraction. The diffractometric research showed that the films, deposited on a substrate, had a crystal structure, and after argon ions irradiation they became quasi-crystalline (amorphous). It has been found that the transmission increases proportionally with the irradiation time, however the sheet resistance increases disproportionally. Tin oxide films (thickness ~30 nm) with ~100% transmittance and sheet resistance of ~100 kOhm/sq. were obtained. The study has proved to be prospective in the use of ion beams to improve the properties of transparent conducting oxides.

Fabrication of highly conductive graphene/ITO transparent bi-film through CVD and organic additives-free sol-gel techniques.

PubMed

Hemasiri, Bastian Waduge Naveen Harindu; Kim, Jae-Kwan; Lee, Ji-Myon

2017-12-19

Indium tin oxide (ITO) still remains as the main candidate for high-performance optoelectronic devices, but there is a vital requirement in the development of sol-gel based synthesizing techniques with regards to green environment and higher conductivity. Graphene/ITO transparent bi-film was synthesized by a two-step process: 10 wt. % tin-doped ITO thin films were produced by an environmentally friendly aqueous sol-gel spin coating technique with economical salts of In(NO 3 ) 3 .H 2 O and SnCl 4 , without using organic additives, on surface free energy enhanced (from 53.826 to 97.698 mJm -2 ) glass substrate by oxygen plasma treatment, which facilitated void-free continuous ITO film due to high surface wetting. The chemical vapor deposited monolayer graphene was transferred onto the synthesized ITO to enhance its electrical properties and it was capable of reducing sheet resistance over 12% while preserving the bi-film surface smoother. The ITO films contain the In 2 O 3 phase only and exhibit the polycrystalline nature of cubic structure with 14.35 ± 0.5 nm crystallite size. The graphene/ITO bi-film exhibits reproducible optical transparency with 88.66% transmittance at 550 nm wavelength, and electrical conductivity with sheet resistance of 117 Ω/sq which is much lower than that of individual sol-gel derived ITO film.

Transparent, Weakly Conductive Films for Space Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griffin, John; Morgan, Ashraf; Hambourger, Paul

2004-10-01

Electrically insulating spacecraft surfaces are vulnerable to nonuniform charge buildup due to particles emitted by the sun. On Mars, insulating surfaces of exploration vehicles and structures will be affected by dust coatings possibly held in place by triboelectric surface charge. Application of a conductive film may be a solution to the charging problem, but the coating must be highly transparent if used on solar panels, lenses, etc. Sheet resistivity requirements depend on the application and are in the range 10^2-10^8 ohms/square. Co-deposited indium tin oxide (ITO) and MgF2 is promising, with high transparency, tailorable electrical properties, and durability to atomic oxygen.(Joyce A. Dever et al., NASA TM 1998-208499 (August 1998).) Due to ITO's relatively narrow bandgap ( ˜3.5 eV), the film might absorb enough ultraviolet to protect polymeric substrates. Recent work on dual-magnetron-sputtered ITO-MgF2 showed that a variety of polymeric substrates can be coated at room temperature.(Thomas Cashman et al., Vacuum Technology & Coating, September 2003, p. 38.) However, the sheet resistivity is very sensitive to composition, suggestive of a percolation transition. This could be a serious problem for large-scale coating production. We will report on attempts to control film composition by plasma emission monitoring of the ITO and MgF2 guns. Supported by NASA Glenn Research Center, Cooperative Agreements NCC3-1033 and NCC3-1065.

Analysis of an anti-reflecting nanowire transparent electrode for solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Zhexin; Wang, Ken Xingze; Fan, Shanhui

2017-03-01

Transparent electrodes are an important component in many optoelectronic devices, especially solar cells. In this paper, we investigate a nanowire transparent electrode that also functions as an anti-reflection coating for silicon solar cells, taking into account the practical constraints that the electrode is typically encapsulated and needs to be in electric contact with the semiconductor. Numerical simulations show that the electrode can provide near-perfect broadband anti-reflection over much of the frequency range above the silicon band gap for both polarizations while keeping the sheet resistance sufficiently low. To provide insights into the physics mechanism of this broadband anti-reflection, we introduce a generalized Fabry-Perot model, which captures the effects of the higher order diffraction channels as well as the modification of the reflection coefficient of the interface introduced by the nanowires. This model is validated using frequency-domain electromagnetic simulations. Our work here provides design guidelines for nanowire transparent electrode in a device configuration that is relevant for solar cell applications.

Graphene-Based Flexible and Transparent Tunable Capacitors.

PubMed

Man, Baoyuan; Xu, Shicai; Jiang, Shouzheng; Liu, Aihua; Gao, Shoubao; Zhang, Chao; Qiu, Hengwei; Li, Zhen

2015-12-01

We report a kind of electric field tunable transparent and flexible capacitor with the structure of graphene-Bi1.5MgNb1.5O7 (BMN)-graphene. The graphene films with low sheet resistance were grown by chemical vapor deposition. The BMN thin films were fabricated on graphene by using laser molecular beam epitaxy technology. Compared to BMN films grown on Au, the samples on graphene substrates show better quality in terms of crystallinity, surface morphology, leakage current, and loss tangent. By transferring another graphene layer, we fabricated flexible and transparent capacitors with the structure of graphene-BMN-graphene. The capacitors show a large dielectric constant of 113 with high dielectric tunability of ~40.7 % at a bias field of 1.0 MV/cm. Also, the capacitor can work stably in the high bending condition with curvature radii as low as 10 mm. This flexible film capacitor has a high optical transparency of ~90 % in the visible light region, demonstrating their potential application for a wide range of flexible electronic devices.

Silver nanowire-graphene hybrid transparent conductive electrodes for highly efficient inverted organic solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Neng; Yan, Jielin; Xie, Shuang; Kong, Yuhan; Liang, Tao; Chen, Hongzheng; Xu, Mingsheng

2017-07-01

Silver nanowires (AgNWs) and graphene are both promising candidates as a transparent conductive electrode (TCE) to replace expensive and fragile indium tin oxide (ITO) TCE. A synergistically optimized performance is expected when the advantages of AgNWs and graphene are combined. In this paper, the AgNW-graphene hybrid electrode is constructed by depositing a graphene layer on top of the network of AgNWs. Compared with the pristine AgNWs electrode, the AgNW-graphene TCE exhibits reduced sheet resistance, lower surface roughness, excellent long-term stability, and corrosion resistance in corrosive liquids. The graphene layer covering the AgNWs provides additional conduction pathways for electron transport and collection by the electrode. Benefiting from these advantages of the hybrid electrodes, we achieve a power conversion efficiency of 8.12% of inverted organic solar cells using PTB7:PC71BM as the active layer, which is compared to that of the solar cells based on standard ITO TCE but about 10% higher than that based on AgNWs TCE.

Point-of-need simultaneous electrochemical detection of lead and cadmium using low-cost stencil-printed transparency electrodes.

PubMed

Martín-Yerga, Daniel; Álvarez-Martos, Isabel; Blanco-López, M Carmen; Henry, Charles S; Fernández-Abedul, M Teresa

2017-08-15

In this work, we report a simple and yet efficient stencil-printed electrochemical platform that can be integrated into the caps of sample containers and thus, allows in-field quantification of Cd(II) and Pb(II) in river water samples. The device exploits the low-cost features of carbon (as electrode material) and paper/polyester transparency sheets (as substrate). Electrochemical analysis of the working electrodes prepared on different substrates (polyester transparency sheets, chromatographic, tracing and office papers) with hexaammineruthenium(III) showed that their electroactive area and electron transfer kinetics are highly affected by the porosity of the material. Electrodes prepared on transparency substrates showed the best electroanalytical performance for the simultaneous determination of Cd(II) and Pb(II) by square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry. Interestingly, the temperature and time at which the carbon ink was cured had significant effect on the electrochemical response, especially the capacitive current. The amount of Cd and Pb on the electrode surface can be increased about 20% by in situ electrodeposition of bismuth. The electrochemical platform showed a linear range comprised between 1 and 200 μg/L for both metals, sensitivity of analysis of 0.22 and 0.087 μA/ppb and limits of detection of 0.2 and 0.3 μg/L for Cd(II) and Pb(II), respectively. The analysis of river water samples was done directly in the container where the sample was collected, which simplifies the procedure and approaches field analysis. The developed point-of-need detection system allowed simultaneous determination of Cd(II) and Pb(II) in those samples using the standard addition method with precise and accurate results. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Aerosol jet printed silver nanowire transparent electrode for flexible electronic application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tu, Li; Yuan, Sijian; Zhang, Huotian; Wang, Pengfei; Cui, Xiaolei; Wang, Jiao; Zhan, Yi-Qiang; Zheng, Li-Rong

2018-05-01

Aerosol jet printing technology enables fine feature deposition of electronic materials onto low-temperature, non-planar substrates without masks. In this work, silver nanowires (AgNWs) are proposed to be printed into transparent flexible electrodes using a Maskless Mesoscale Material Deposition Aerosol Jet® printing system on a glass substrate. The influence of the most significant process parameters, including printing cycles, printing speed, and nozzle size, on the performance of AgNW electrodes was systematically studied. The morphologies of printed patterns were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, and the transmittance was evaluated using an ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer. Under optimum conditions, high transparent AgNW electrodes with a sheet resistance of 57.68 Ω/sq and a linewidth of 50.9 μm were obtained, which is an important step towards a higher performance goal for flexible electronic applications.

Organic light-emitting diodes using novel embedded al gird transparent electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Cuiyun; Chen, Changbo; Guo, Kunping; Tian, Zhenghao; Zhu, Wenqing; Xu, Tao; Wei, Bin

2017-03-01

This work demonstrates a novel transparent electrode using embedded Al grids fabricated by a simple and cost-effective approach using photolithography and wet etching. The optical and electrical properties of Al grids versus grid geometry have been systematically investigated, it was found that Al grids exhibited a low sheet resistance of 70 Ω □-1 and a light transmission of 69% at 550 nm with advantages in terms of processing conditions and material cost as well as potential to large scale fabrication. Indium Tin Oxide-free green organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) based on Al grids transparent electrodes was demonstrated, yielding a power efficiency >15 lm W-1 and current efficiency >39 cd A-1 at a brightness of 2396 cd m-2. Furthermore, a reduced efficiency roll-off and higher brightness have been achieved compared with ITO-base device.

A high-response transparent heater based on a CuS nanosheet film with superior mechanical flexibility and chemical stability.

PubMed

Xie, Shuyao; Li, Teng; Xu, Zijie; Wang, Yanan; Liu, Xiangyang; Guo, Wenxi

2018-04-05

Transparent heaters are widely used in technologies such as window defrosting/defogging, displays, gas sensing, and medical equipment. Apart from mechanical robustness and electrical and optical reliabilities, outstanding chemical stability is also critical to the application of transparent heaters. In this regard, we first present a highly flexible and large-area CuS transparent heater fabricated by a colloidal crackle pattern method with an optimized sheet resistance (Rs) as low as 21.5 Ω sq-1 at a ∼80% transmittance. The CuS transparent heater exhibits remarkable mechanical robustness during bending tests as well as high chemical stability against acid and alkali environments. In the application as a transparent heater, the CuS heater demonstrates a high thermal resistance of 197 °C W-1 cm2 with a fast switching time (<30 s), requiring low input voltages (<4.5 V) to achieve uniform temperatures of ∼110 °C across large areas. The temperature of the wearable CuS heater, which is stuck on the skin, can be real-time controlled through a Bluetooth device in a cell phone wirelessly. Based on the wireless control system, we demonstrated an application of the CuS heater in snow removal for solar panels. These CuS network TCEs with high flexibility, transparency, conductivity, and chemical stability could be widely used in wearable electronic products.

High-Performance Flexible Transparent Electrode with an Embedded Metal Mesh Fabricated by Cost-Effective Solution Process.

PubMed

Khan, Arshad; Lee, Sangeon; Jang, Taehee; Xiong, Ze; Zhang, Cuiping; Tang, Jinyao; Guo, L Jay; Li, Wen-Di

2016-06-01

A new structure of flexible transparent electrodes is reported, featuring a metal mesh fully embedded and mechanically anchored in a flexible substrate, and a cost-effective solution-based fabrication strategy for this new transparent electrode. The embedded nature of the metal-mesh electrodes provides a series of advantages, including surface smoothness that is crucial for device fabrication, mechanical stability under high bending stress, strong adhesion to the substrate with excellent flexibility, and favorable resistance against moisture, oxygen, and chemicals. The novel fabrication process replaces vacuum-based metal deposition with an electrodeposition process and is potentially suitable for high-throughput, large-volume, and low-cost production. In particular, this strategy enables fabrication of a high-aspect-ratio (thickness to linewidth) metal mesh, substantially improving conductivity without considerably sacrificing transparency. Various prototype flexible transparent electrodes are demonstrated with transmittance higher than 90% and sheet resistance below 1 ohm sq(-1) , as well as extremely high figures of merit up to 1.5 × 10(4) , which are among the highest reported values in recent studies. Finally using our embedded metal-mesh electrode, a flexible transparent thin-film heater is demonstrated with a low power density requirement, rapid response time, and a low operating voltage. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The Relationship between Dyslexia and Meares-Irlen Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kriss, Isla; Evans, Bruce J.W.

2005-01-01

Meares-Irlen Syndrome (MIS) is characterised by symptoms of visual stress and visual perceptual distortions that are alleviated by using individually prescribed coloured filters. Coloured overlays (sheets of transparent plastic that are placed upon the page) are used to screen for the condition. MIS is diagnosed on the basis of either the…

Agricultural Mechanics. V-A-1 to V-E-1. Basic V.A.I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas A and M Univ., College Station. Vocational Instructional Services.

This packet contains five units of informational materials and transparency masters with accompanying scripts, skill sheets, and safety tests for teacher and student use in an agricultural mechanics course in vocational agriculture. The first unit introduces the agricultural mechanics shop, covering the following topics: importance of agricultural…

Light-extraction enhancement of GaN-based 395  nm flip-chip light-emitting diodes by an Al-doped ITO transparent conductive electrode.

PubMed

Xu, Jin; Zhang, Wei; Peng, Meng; Dai, Jiangnan; Chen, Changqing

2018-06-01

The distinct ultraviolet (UV) light absorption of indium tin oxide (ITO) limits the performance of GaN-based near-UV light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Herein, we report an Al-doped ITO with enhanced UV transmittance and low sheet resistance as the transparent conductive electrode for GaN-based 395 nm flip-chip near-UV LEDs. The thickness dependence of optical and electrical properties of Al-doped ITO films is investigated. The optimal Al-doped ITO film exhibited a transmittance of 93.2% at 395 nm and an average sheet resistance of 30.1  Ω/sq. Meanwhile, at an injection current of 300 mA, the forward voltage decreased from 3.14 to 3.11 V, and the light output power increased by 13% for the 395 nm near-UV flip-chip LEDs with the optimal Al-doped ITO over those with pure ITO. This Letter provides a simple and repeatable approach to further improve the light extraction efficiency of GaN-based near-UV LEDs.

Solution-Processable transparent conducting electrodes via the self-assembly of silver nanowires for organic photovoltaic devices.

PubMed

Tugba Camic, B; Jeong Shin, Hee; Hasan Aslan, M; Basarir, Fevzihan; Choi, Hyosung

2018-02-15

Solution-processed transparent conducting electrodes (TCEs) were fabricated via the self-assembly deposition of silver nanowires (Ag NWs). Glass substrates modified with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) and (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (MPTES) were coated with Ag NWs for various deposition times, leading to three different Ag NWs samples (APTES-Ag NWs (PVP), MPTES-Ag NWs (PVP), and APTES-Ag NWs (COOH)). Controlling the deposition time produced Ag NWs monolayer thin films with different optical transmittance and sheet resistance. Post-annealing treatment improved their electrical conductivity. The Ag NWs films were successfully characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy and four-point probe. Three Ag NWs films exhibited low sheet resistance of 4-19Ω/sq and high optical transmittance of 65-81% (at 550nm), which are comparable to those of commercial ITO electrode. We fabricated an organic photovoltaic device by using Ag NWs as the anode instead of ITO electrode, and optimized device with Ag NWs exhibited power conversion efficiency of 1.72%. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Microfluidic magnetic switching valves based on aggregates of magnetic nanoparticles: Effects of aggregate length and nanoparticle sizes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiemsakul, Thanakorn; Manakasettharn, Supone; Kanharattanachai, Sivakorn; Wanna, Yongyuth; Wangsuya, Sujint; Pratontep, Sirapat

2017-01-01

We demonstrate microfluidic switching valves using magnetic nanoparticles blended within the working fluid as an alternative microfluidic flow control in microchannels. Y-shaped microchannels have been fabricated by using a CO2 laser cutter to pattern microchannels on transparent poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) sheets covered with thermally bonded transparent polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheets. To examine the performance of the microfluidic magnetic switching valves, an aqueous magnetic nanoparticle suspension was injected into the microchannels by a syringe pump. Neodymium magnets were then employed to attract magnetic nanoparticles and form an aggregate that blocked the microchannels at a required position. We have found that the maximum volumetric flow rate of the syringe pump that the magnetic nanoparticle aggregate can withstand scales with the square of the external magnetic flux density. The viscosity of the fluid exhibits dependent on the aggregate length and the size of the magnetic nanoparticles. This microfluidic switching valve based on aggregates of magnetic nanoparticles has strong potentials as an on-demand flow control, which may help simplifying microfluidic channel designs.

Carbon Nanotube Thin-Film Antennas.

PubMed

Puchades, Ivan; Rossi, Jamie E; Cress, Cory D; Naglich, Eric; Landi, Brian J

2016-08-17

Multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) and single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) dipole antennas have been successfully designed, fabricated, and tested. Antennas of varying lengths were fabricated using flexible bulk MWCNT sheet material and evaluated to confirm the validity of a full-wave antenna design equation. The ∼20× improvement in electrical conductivity provided by chemically doped SWCNT thin films over MWCNT sheets presents an opportunity for the fabrication of thin-film antennas, leading to potentially simplified system integration and optical transparency. The resonance characteristics of a fabricated chlorosulfonic acid-doped SWCNT thin-film antenna demonstrate the feasibility of the technology and indicate that when the sheet resistance of the thin film is >40 ohm/sq no power is absorbed by the antenna and that a sheet resistance of <10 ohm/sq is needed to achieve a 10 dB return loss in the unbalanced antenna. The dependence of the return loss performance on the SWCNT sheet resistance is consistent with unbalanced metal, metal oxide, and other CNT-based thin-film antennas, and it provides a framework for which other thin-film antennas can be designed.

Pressure dependence of the electro-optic response function in partially exposed polymer dispersed ferroelectric liquid crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parmar, D. S.; Holmes, H. K.

1993-01-01

Ferroelectric liquid crystals in a new configuration, termed partially exposed polymer dispersed ferroelectric liquid crystal (PEPDFLC), respond to external pressures and demonstrate pressure-induced electro-optic switching response. When the PEPDFLC thin film is sandwiched between two transparent conducting electrodes, one a glass plate and the other a flexible sheet such as polyvenylidene fluoride, the switching characteristics of the thin film are a function of the pressure applied to the flexible transparent electrode and the bias voltage across the electrodes. Response time measurements reveal a linear dependence of the change in electric field with external pressure.

Near-ultraviolet light-emitting diodes with transparent conducting layer of gold-doped multi-layer graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Chu-Young; Choe, Minhyeok; Lee, Sang-Jun; Hong, Sang-Hyun; Lee, Takhee; Lim, Wantae; Kim, Sung-Tae; Park, Seong-Ju

2013-03-01

We report on gold (Au)-doped multi-layer graphene (MLG), which can be used as a transparent conducting layer in near-ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (NUV-LEDs). The optical output power of NUV-LEDs with thermally annealed Au-doped MLG was increased by 34% compared with that of NUV-LEDs with a bare MLG. This result is attributed to the reduced sheet resistance and the enhanced current injection efficiency of NUV-LEDs by the thermally annealed Au-doped MLG film, which shows high transmittance in NUV and UV regions and good adhesion of Au-doped MLG on p-GaN layer of NUV-LEDs.

Ultra-flexible and robust transparent electrodes by embedding silver nanowires into polyimide matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Rong Rong; Yu, Ming Shi; Wang, Guan Cheng; Liu, Wei; Chen, Tong Lai

2018-06-01

Silver nanowires (AgNWs) percolated films have been extensively considered as promising candidates for alternative transparent electrodes. However, due to their high surface roughness, poor adhesion and thermal stability, their practical use in transparent conducting film application is still heavily limited. In this paper, we report ultra-flexible transparent electrodes by imbedding AgNWs into polyimide (PI) thin films to achieve smooth surface, pronounced thermal stability, and high adhesion. Besides the excellent electrical conductivity of about 7-13Ω/□ in sheet resistance, the obtained AgNWs/PI films have excellent transparency and mechanical resilience due to the intrinsic physical and chemical properties of PI organic polymer. By embedding AgNWs into PI, the surface roughness of AgNWs percolated films can be reduced from 39.5 nm to 6 nm (RMS values), and the adhesion of AgNWs to PI is greatly enhanced if compared to the case of only AgNWs onto glass or plastic substrates. Additionally, the AgNWs/PI films show extraordinary stability in terms of electrical conductivity after the arbitrary twisting and thermal heating test, respectively, which are demonstrated by the electrical-thermal measurements via thermal IR imaging.

Fully solution-processed transparent electrodes based on silver nanowire composites for perovskite solar cells.

PubMed

Kim, Areum; Lee, Hongseuk; Kwon, Hyeok-Chan; Jung, Hyun Suk; Park, Nam-Gyu; Jeong, Sunho; Moon, Jooho

2016-03-28

We report all-solution-processed transparent conductive electrodes based on Ag nanowire (AgNW)-embedded metal oxide composite films for application in organometal halide perovskite solar cells. To address the thermal instability of Ag nanowires, we used combustive sol-gel derived thin films to construct ZnO/ITO/AgNW/ITO composite structures. The resulting composite configuration effectively prevented the AgNWs from undergoing undesirable side-reactions with halogen ions present in the perovskite precursor solutions that significantly deteriorate the optoelectrical properties of Ag nanowires in transparent conductive films. AgNW-based composite electrodes had a transmittance of ∼80% at 550 nm and sheet resistance of 18 Ω sq(-1). Perovskite solar cells fabricated using a fully solution-processed transparent conductive electrode, Au/spiro-OMeTAD/CH3NH3PbI3 + m-Al2O3/ZnO/ITO/AgNW/ITO, exhibited a power conversion efficiency of 8.44% (comparable to that of the FTO/glass-based counterpart at 10.81%) and were stable for 30 days in ambient air. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using AgNWs as a transparent bottom electrode in perovskite solar cells produced by a fully printable process.

Polymer-metal hybrid transparent electrodes for flexible electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Hongkyu; Jung, Suhyun; Jeong, Soyeong; Kim, Geunjin; Lee, Kwanghee

2015-03-01

Despite nearly two decades of research, the absence of ideal flexible and transparent electrodes has been the largest obstacle in realizing flexible and printable electronics for future technologies. Here we report the fabrication of ‘polymer-metal hybrid electrodes’ with high-performance properties, including a bending radius <1 mm, a visible-range transmittance>95% and a sheet resistance <10 Ω sq-1. These features arise from a surface modification of the plastic substrates using an amine-containing nonconjugated polyelectrolyte, which provides ideal metal-nucleation sites with a surface-density on the atomic scale, in combination with the successive deposition of a facile anti-reflective coating using a conducting polymer. The hybrid electrodes are fully functional as universal electrodes for high-end flexible electronic applications, such as polymer solar cells that exhibit a high power conversion efficiency of 10% and polymer light-emitting diodes that can outperform those based on transparent conducting oxides.

Polymer-metal hybrid transparent electrodes for flexible electronics

PubMed Central

Kang, Hongkyu; Jung, Suhyun; Jeong, Soyeong; Kim, Geunjin; Lee, Kwanghee

2015-01-01

Despite nearly two decades of research, the absence of ideal flexible and transparent electrodes has been the largest obstacle in realizing flexible and printable electronics for future technologies. Here we report the fabrication of ‘polymer-metal hybrid electrodes’ with high-performance properties, including a bending radius <1 mm, a visible-range transmittance>95% and a sheet resistance <10 Ω sq−1. These features arise from a surface modification of the plastic substrates using an amine-containing nonconjugated polyelectrolyte, which provides ideal metal-nucleation sites with a surface-density on the atomic scale, in combination with the successive deposition of a facile anti-reflective coating using a conducting polymer. The hybrid electrodes are fully functional as universal electrodes for high-end flexible electronic applications, such as polymer solar cells that exhibit a high power conversion efficiency of 10% and polymer light-emitting diodes that can outperform those based on transparent conducting oxides. PMID:25790133

Graphene as a transparent conducting and surface field layer in planar Si solar cells.

PubMed

Kumar, Rakesh; Mehta, Bodh R; Bhatnagar, Mehar; S, Ravi; Mahapatra, Silika; Salkalachen, Saji; Jhawar, Pratha

2014-01-01

This work presents an experimental and finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulation-based study on the application of graphene as a transparent conducting layer on a planar and untextured crystalline p-n silicon solar cell. A high-quality monolayer graphene with 97% transparency and 350 Ω/□ sheet resistance grown by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition method was transferred onto planar Si cells. An increase in efficiency from 5.38% to 7.85% was observed upon deposition of graphene onto Si cells, which further increases to 8.94% upon SiO2 deposition onto the graphene/Si structure. A large increase in photon conversion efficiency as a result of graphene deposition shows that the electronic interaction and the presence of an electric field at the graphene/Si interface together play an important role in this improvement and additionally lead to a reduction in series resistance due to the conducting nature of graphene.

Large-size, high-uniformity, random silver nanowire networks as transparent electrodes for crystalline silicon wafer solar cells.

PubMed

Xie, Shouyi; Ouyang, Zi; Jia, Baohua; Gu, Min

2013-05-06

Metal nanowire networks are emerging as next generation transparent electrodes for photovoltaic devices. We demonstrate the application of random silver nanowire networks as the top electrode on crystalline silicon wafer solar cells. The dependence of transmittance and sheet resistance on the surface coverage is measured. Superior optical and electrical properties are observed due to the large-size, highly-uniform nature of these networks. When applying the nanowire networks on the solar cells with an optimized two-step annealing process, we achieved as large as 19% enhancement on the energy conversion efficiency. The detailed analysis reveals that the enhancement is mainly caused by the improved electrical properties of the solar cells due to the silver nanowire networks. Our result reveals that this technology is a promising alternative transparent electrode technology for crystalline silicon wafer solar cells.

Optically transparent frequency selective surfaces on flexible thin plastic substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dewani, Aliya A.; O'Keefe, Steven G.; Thiel, David V.; Galehdar, Amir

2015-02-01

A novel 2D simple low cost frequency selective surface was screen printed on thin (0.21 mm), flexible transparent plastic substrate (relative permittivity 3.2). It was designed, fabricated and tested in the frequency range 10-20 GHz. The plane wave transmission and reflection coefficients agreed with numerical modelling. The effective permittivity and thickness of the backing sheet has a significant effect on the frequency characteristics. The stop band frequency reduced from 15GHz (no backing) to 12.5GHz with polycarbonate. The plastic substrate thickness beyond 1.8mm has minimal effect on the resonant frequency. While the inner element spacing controls the stop-band frequency, the substrate thickness controls the bandwidth. The screen printing technique provided a simple, low cost FSS fabrication method to produce flexible, conformal, optically transparent and bio-degradable FSS structures which can find their use in electromagnetic shielding and filtering applications in radomes, reflector antennas, beam splitters and polarizers.

Whole-central nervous system functional imaging in larval Drosophila

PubMed Central

Lemon, William C.; Pulver, Stefan R.; Höckendorf, Burkhard; McDole, Katie; Branson, Kristin; Freeman, Jeremy; Keller, Philipp J.

2015-01-01

Understanding how the brain works in tight concert with the rest of the central nervous system (CNS) hinges upon knowledge of coordinated activity patterns across the whole CNS. We present a method for measuring activity in an entire, non-transparent CNS with high spatiotemporal resolution. We combine a light-sheet microscope capable of simultaneous multi-view imaging at volumetric speeds 25-fold faster than the state-of-the-art, a whole-CNS imaging assay for the isolated Drosophila larval CNS and a computational framework for analysing multi-view, whole-CNS calcium imaging data. We image both brain and ventral nerve cord, covering the entire CNS at 2 or 5 Hz with two- or one-photon excitation, respectively. By mapping network activity during fictive behaviours and quantitatively comparing high-resolution whole-CNS activity maps across individuals, we predict functional connections between CNS regions and reveal neurons in the brain that identify type and temporal state of motor programs executed in the ventral nerve cord. PMID:26263051

[Continuing medical education and the Social Balance Sheet].

PubMed

Gatti, Giorgio

2010-06-01

The social balance sheet is an instrument used to obtain a clear and transparent account, that helps to develop an analysis of the budget from the point of view of the stakeholders; this is not all that is required by law, but it takes into account the ability of the health institutions to obtain a collaboration with the neighboring environment and with the social issues that enter into the relationship. This could be a valuable tool also for educational purposes; it is an useful task to be performed by the health workers, and an opportunity to redefine the information needs through the analysis of the results achieved.

3D Visualization of Developmental Toxicity of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene in Zebrafish Embryogenesis Using Light-Sheet Microscopy

PubMed Central

Eum, Juneyong; Kwak, Jina; Kim, Hee Joung; Ki, Seoyoung; Lee, Kooyeon; Raslan, Ahmed A.; Park, Ok Kyu; Chowdhury, Md Ashraf Uddin; Her, Song; Kee, Yun; Kwon, Seung-Hae; Hwang, Byung Joon

2016-01-01

Environmental contamination by trinitrotoluene is of global concern due to its widespread use in military ordnance and commercial explosives. Despite known long-term persistence in groundwater and soil, the toxicological profile of trinitrotoluene and other explosive wastes have not been systematically measured using in vivo biological assays. Zebrafish embryos are ideal model vertebrates for high-throughput toxicity screening and live in vivo imaging due to their small size and transparency during embryogenesis. Here, we used Single Plane Illumination Microscopy (SPIM)/light sheet microscopy to assess the developmental toxicity of explosive-contaminated water in zebrafish embryos and report 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene-associated developmental abnormalities, including defects in heart formation and circulation, in 3D. Levels of apoptotic cell death were higher in the actively developing tissues of trinitrotoluene-treated embryos than controls. Live 3D imaging of heart tube development at cellular resolution by light-sheet microscopy revealed trinitrotoluene-associated cardiac toxicity, including hypoplastic heart chamber formation and cardiac looping defects, while the real time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) quantitatively measured the molecular changes in the heart and blood development supporting the developmental defects at the molecular level. Identification of cellular toxicity in zebrafish using the state-of-the-art 3D imaging system could form the basis of a sensitive biosensor for environmental contaminants and be further valued by combining it with molecular analysis. PMID:27869673

A High Resolution Graphic Input System for Interactive Graphic Display Terminals. Appendix B.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Arsdall, Paul Jon

The search for a satisfactory computer graphics input system led to this version of an analog sheet encoder which is transparent and requires no special probes. The goal of the research was to provide high resolution touch input capabilities for an experimental minicomputer based intelligent terminal system. The technique explored is compatible…

A Visual Aid for Teaching Basic Concepts of Soil-Water Physics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eshel, Amram

1997-01-01

Presents a visual aid designed to generate an image of water movement among soil particles using an overhead projector to teach the physical phenomena related to water status and water movement in the soil. Utilizes a base plate of thin transparent plastic, opaque plastic sheets, a plate of glass, and a colored aqueous solution. (AIM)

Low-Temperature Fabrication of Robust, Transparent, and Flexible Thin-Film Transistors with a Nanolaminated Insulator.

PubMed

Kwon, Jeong Hyun; Park, Junhong; Lee, Myung Keun; Park, Jeong Woo; Jeon, Yongmin; Shin, Jeong Bin; Nam, Minwoo; Kim, Choong-Ki; Choi, Yang-Kyu; Choi, Kyung Cheol

2018-05-09

The lack of reliable, transparent, and flexible electrodes and insulators for applications in thin-film transistors (TFTs) makes it difficult to commercialize transparent, flexible TFTs (TF-TFTs). More specifically, conventional high process temperatures and the brittleness of these elements have been hurdles in developing flexible substrates vulnerable to heat. Here, we propose electrode and insulator fabrication techniques considering process temperature, transmittance, flexibility, and environmental stability. A transparent and flexible indium tin oxide (ITO)/Ag/ITO (IAI) electrode and an Al 2 O 3 /MgO (AM)-laminated insulator were optimized at the low temperature of 70 °C for the fabrication of TF-TFTs on a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate. The optimized IAI electrode with a sheet resistance of 7 Ω/sq exhibited the luminous transmittance of 85.17% and maintained its electrical conductivity after exposure to damp heat conditions because of an environmentally stable ITO capping layer. In addition, the electrical conductivity of IAI was maintained after 10 000 bending cycles with a tensile strain of 3% because of the ductile Ag film. In the metal/insulator/metal structure, the insulating and mechanical properties of the optimized AM-laminated film deposited at 70 °C were significantly improved because of the highly dense nanolaminate system, compared to those of the Al 2 O 3 film deposited at 70 °C. In addition, the amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide (a-IGZO) was used as the active channel for TF-TFTs because of its excellent chemical stability. In the environmental stability test, the ITO, a-IGZO, and AM-laminated films showed the excellent environmental stability. Therefore, our IGZO-based TFT with IAI electrodes and the 70 °C AM-laminated insulator was fabricated to evaluate robustness, transparency, flexibility, and process temperature, resulting in transfer characteristics comparable to those of an IGZO-based TFT with a 150 °C Al 2 O 3 insulator.

Flexible Polymer/Metal/Polymer and Polymer/Metal/Inorganic Trilayer Transparent Conducting Thin Film Heaters with Highly Hydrophobic Surface.

PubMed

Kang, Tae-Woon; Kim, Sung Hyun; Kim, Cheol Hwan; Lee, Sang-Mok; Kim, Han-Ki; Park, Jae Seong; Lee, Jae Heung; Yang, Yong Suk; Lee, Sang-Jin

2017-09-27

Polymer/metal/polymer and polymer/metal/inorganic trilayer-structured transparent electrodes with fluorocarbon plasma polymer thin film heaters have been proposed. The polymer/metal/polymer and polymer/metal/inorganic transparent conducting thin films fabricated on a large-area flexible polymer substrate using a continuous roll-to-roll sputtering process show excellent electrical properties and visible-light transmittance. They also exhibit water-repelling surfaces to prevent wetting and to remove contamination. In addition, the adoption of a fluorocarbon/metal/fluorocarbon film permits an outer bending radius as small as 3 mm. These films have a sheet resistance of less than 5 Ω sq -1 , sufficient to drive light-emitting diode circuits. The thin film heater with the fluorocarbon/Ag/SiN x structure exhibits excellent heating characteristics, with a temperature reaching 180 °C under the driving voltage of 13 V. Therefore, the proposed polymer/metal/polymer and polymer/metal/inorganic transparent conducting electrodes using polymer thin films can be applied in flexible and rollable displays as well as automobile window heaters and other devices.

Enhanced performance of photonic crystal GaN light-emitting diodes with graphene transparent electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Hai-Liang; Xu, Chen; Xu, Kun; Xun, Meng; Wang, Jun; Liu, Jie

2015-03-01

The two-dimensional (2D) triangle lattice air hole photonic crystal (PC) GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LED) with double-layer graphene transparent electrodes (DGTE) have been produced. The current spreading effect of the double-layer graphene (GR) on the surface of the PC structure of the LED has been researched. Specially, we found that the part of the graphene suspending over the air hole of the PC structure was of much higher conductivity, which reduced the average sheet resistance of the graphene transparent conducting electrode and improved the current spreading of the PC LED. Therefore, the work voltage of the DGTE-PC LED was obviously decreased, and the output power was greatly enhanced. The COMSOL software was used to simulate the current density distribution of the samples. The results show that the etching of PC structure results in the degradation of the current spreading and that the graphene transparent conducting electrode can offer an uniform current spreading in the DGTE-PC LED. PACS: 85.60.Jb; 68.65.Pq; 42.70.Qs

Self-assembled large scale metal alloy grid patterns as flexible transparent conductive layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohl, Melinda; Dombovari, Aron; Vajtai, Robert; Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Kordas, Krisztian

2015-09-01

The development of scalable synthesis techniques for optically transparent, electrically conductive coatings is in great demand due to the constantly increasing market price and limited resources of indium for indium tin oxide (ITO) materials currently applied in most of the optoelectronic devices. This work pioneers the scalable synthesis of transparent conductive films (TCFs) by exploiting the coffee-ring effect deposition coupled with reactive inkjet printing and subsequent chemical copper plating. Here we report two different promising alternatives to replace ITO, palladium-copper (PdCu) grid patterns and silver-copper (AgCu) fish scale like structures printed on flexible poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrates, achieving sheet resistance values as low as 8.1 and 4.9 Ω/sq, with corresponding optical transmittance of 79% and 65% at 500 nm, respectively. Both films show excellent adhesion and also preserve their structural integrity and good contact with the substrate for severe bending showing less than 4% decrease of conductivity even after 105 cycles. Transparent conductive films for capacitive touch screens and pixels of microscopic resistive electrodes are demonstrated.

Highly Conductive PEDOT:PSS Films with 1,3-Dimethyl-2-Imidazolidinone as Transparent Electrodes for Organic Light-Emitting Diodes.

PubMed

Kim, Jin Hee; Joo, Chul Woong; Lee, Jonghee; Seo, Yoon Kyung; Han, Joo Won; Oh, Ji Yoon; Kim, Jong Su; Yu, Seunggun; Lee, Jae Hyun; Lee, Jeong-Ik; Yun, Changhun; Choi, Bum Ho; Kim, Yong Hyun

2016-09-01

Highly conductive poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) ( PSS) films as transparent electrodes for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are doped with a new solvent 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone (DMI) and are optimized using solvent post-treatment. The DMI doped PSS films show significantly enhanced conductivities up to 812.1 S cm(-1) . The sheet resistance of the PSS films doped with DMI is further reduced by various solvent post-treatment. The effect of solvent post-treatment on DMI doped PSS films is investigated and is shown to reduce insulating PSS in the conductive films. The solvent posttreated PSS films are successfully employed as transparent electrodes in white OLEDs. It is shown that the efficiency of OLEDs with the optimized DMI doped PSS films is higher than that of reference OLEDs doped with a conventional solvent (ethylene glycol). The results present that the optimized PSS films with the new solvent of DMI can be a promising transparent electrode for low-cost, efficient ITO-free white OLEDs. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Self-assembled large scale metal alloy grid patterns as flexible transparent conductive layers

PubMed Central

Mohl, Melinda; Dombovari, Aron; Vajtai, Robert; Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Kordas, Krisztian

2015-01-01

The development of scalable synthesis techniques for optically transparent, electrically conductive coatings is in great demand due to the constantly increasing market price and limited resources of indium for indium tin oxide (ITO) materials currently applied in most of the optoelectronic devices. This work pioneers the scalable synthesis of transparent conductive films (TCFs) by exploiting the coffee-ring effect deposition coupled with reactive inkjet printing and subsequent chemical copper plating. Here we report two different promising alternatives to replace ITO, palladium-copper (PdCu) grid patterns and silver-copper (AgCu) fish scale like structures printed on flexible poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrates, achieving sheet resistance values as low as 8.1 and 4.9 Ω/sq, with corresponding optical transmittance of 79% and 65% at 500 nm, respectively. Both films show excellent adhesion and also preserve their structural integrity and good contact with the substrate for severe bending showing less than 4% decrease of conductivity even after 105 cycles. Transparent conductive films for capacitive touch screens and pixels of microscopic resistive electrodes are demonstrated. PMID:26333520

Formation of ultralong copper nanowires by hydrothermal growth for transparent conducting applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balela, Mary Donnabelle L.; Tan, Michael

2017-07-01

Transparent conducting electrodes are key components of optoelectronic devices, such as touch screens, organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) and solar cells. Recent market surveys have shown that the demands for these devices are rapidly growing at a tremendous rate. Semiconducting oxides, in particular indium tin oxide (ITO) are the material of choice for transparent conducting electrodes. However, these conventional oxides are typically brittle, which limits their applicability in flexible electronics. Metal nanowires, e.g. copper (Cu) nanowires, are considered as the best candidate as substitute for ITO due to their excellent mechanical and electrical properties. In this paper, ultralong copper (Cu) nanowires with were successfully prepared by hydrothermal growth at 50-80°C for 1 h. Ethylenediamine was employed as the structure-directing agents, while hydrazine was used as the reductant. In situ mixed potential measurement was also carried out to monitor Cu deposition. Higher temperature shifted the mixed potential negatively, leading to thicker Cu nanowires. Transparent conducting electrode, with a sheet resistance of 197 Ω sq-1 at an optical transmittance of around 61 %, was fabricated with the Cu nanowire ink.

Conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo: global tungsten processing plants, a critical part of the tungsten supply chain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bermúdez-Lugo, Omayra

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) analyzes supply chains to identify and define major components of mineral and material flows from ore extraction, through intermediate forms, to a final product. Two major reasons necessitate these analyses: (1) to identify risks associated with the supply of critical and strategic minerals to the United States and (2) to provide greater supply chain transparency so that policymakers have the information necessary to ensure domestic legislation compliance. This fact sheet focuses on the latter. The USGS National Minerals Information Center has been asked by governmental and non-governmental organizations to provide information on tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold (collectively known as “3TG minerals”) processing facilities worldwide in response to U.S. legislation aimed at removing the link between the trade in these minerals and civil unrest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Post beneficiation processing plants (smelters and refineries) of 3TG mineral ores and concentrates were identified by company and industry association representatives as being the link in the 3TG mineral supply chain through which these minerals can be traced to their source of origin (mine); determining the point of origin is critical to establishing a transparent conflict mineral supply chain. This fact sheet, the first in a series of 3TG mineral fact sheets, focuses on the tungsten supply chain by listing plants that consume tungsten concentrates to produce ammonium paratungstate and ferrotungsten worldwide.

Transparent Electrodes Based on Silver Nanowire Networks: From Physical Considerations towards Device Integration

PubMed Central

Bellet, Daniel; Lagrange, Mélanie; Sannicolo, Thomas; Aghazadehchors, Sara; Nguyen, Viet Huong; Langley, Daniel P.; Muñoz-Rojas, David; Jiménez, Carmen; Bréchet, Yves; Nguyen, Ngoc Duy

2017-01-01

The past few years have seen a considerable amount of research devoted to nanostructured transparent conducting materials (TCM), which play a pivotal role in many modern devices such as solar cells, flexible light-emitting devices, touch screens, electromagnetic devices, and flexible transparent thin film heaters. Currently, the most commonly used TCM for such applications (ITO: Indium Tin oxide) suffers from two major drawbacks: brittleness and indium scarcity. Among emerging transparent electrodes, silver nanowire (AgNW) networks appear to be a promising substitute to ITO since such electrically percolating networks exhibit excellent properties with sheet resistance lower than 10 Ω/sq and optical transparency of 90%, fulfilling the requirements of most applications. In addition, AgNW networks also exhibit very good mechanical flexibility. The fabrication of these electrodes involves low-temperature processing steps and scalable methods, thus making them appropriate for future use as low-cost transparent electrodes in flexible electronic devices. This contribution aims to briefly present the main properties of AgNW based transparent electrodes as well as some considerations relating to their efficient integration in devices. The influence of network density, nanowire sizes, and post treatments on the properties of AgNW networks will also be evaluated. In addition to a general overview of AgNW networks, we focus on two important aspects: (i) network instabilities as well as an efficient Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) coating which clearly enhances AgNW network stability and (ii) modelling to better understand the physical properties of these networks. PMID:28772931

Highly transparent, low-haze, hybrid cellulose nanopaper as electrodes for flexible electronics.

PubMed

Xu, Xuezhu; Zhou, Jian; Jiang, Long; Lubineau, Gilles; Ng, Tienkhee; Ooi, Boon S; Liao, Hsien-Yu; Shen, Chao; Chen, Long; Zhu, J Y

2016-06-16

Paper is an excellent candidate to replace plastics as a substrate for flexible electronics due to its low cost, renewability and flexibility. Cellulose nanopaper (CNP), a new type of paper made of nanosized cellulose fibers, is a promising substrate material for transparent and flexible electrodes due to its potentially high transparency and high mechanical strength. Although CNP substrates can achieve high transparency, they are still characterized by high diffuse transmittance and small direct transmittance, resulting in high optical haze of the substrates. In this study, we proposed a simple methodology for large-scale production of high-transparency, low-haze CNP comprising both long cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) and short cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs). By varying the CNC/CNF ratio in the hybrid CNP, we could tailor its total transmittance, direct transmittance and diffuse transmittance. By increasing the CNC content, the optical haze of the hybrid CNP could be decreased and its transparency could be increased. The direct transmittance and optical haze of the CNP were 75.1% and 10.0%, respectively, greatly improved from the values of previously reported CNP (31.1% and 62.0%, respectively). Transparent, flexible electrodes were fabricated by coating the hybrid CNP with silver nanowires (AgNWs). The electrodes showed a low sheet resistance (minimum 1.2 Ω sq(-1)) and a high total transmittance (maximum of 82.5%). The electrodes were used to make a light emitting diode (LED) assembly to demonstrate their potential use in flexible displays.

EDITORIAL: On display with transparent conducting films On display with transparent conducting films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demming, Anna

2012-03-01

Transparent conducting films were already featuring in scientific literature over one hundred years ago. In 1894 Aryton and Mather described a conducting varnish for coating the screens of electric apparatus so they would not charge when accidentally brushed by a coat sleeve or other material [1]. Their method began with a similar approach to that used to make savoury jellies; by dissolving gelatine in vinegar, after which less palatable ingredients were incorporated including sulphuric acid and an antisulphuric enamel. While the search for transparent conducting films continued to attract other researchers, the same problem remained: the transparency would be compromised if the film was too thick, and the conductivity would be compromised if the film was too thin. In the early 1950s Gillham and Preston reported that thin gold films sputtered on bismuth oxide and heated resulted in a material that successfully combined the previously mutually exclusive properties of transparency and conductivity [2]. Other oxide films were also found to favourably combine these properties, including tin oxide, as reported by Ishiguro and colleagues in Japan in 1958 [3]. Today tin oxide doped with indium (ITO) has become the industry standard for transparent conducting films in a range of applications including photovoltaic technology and displays. It is perhaps the mounting ubiquity of electronic displays as a result of the increasingly digitised and computerised environment of the modern day world that has begun to underline the main drawback of ITO: expense. In this issue, a collaboration of researchers in Korea present an overview of graphene as a transparent conducting material with the potential to replace ITO in a range of electronic and optoelectronic applications [4]. One of the first innovations in optical microscopy was the use of dyes. This principle first came into practice with the use of ultraviolet light to reveal previously indistinguishable features. As explained by a researcher in the early 1930s, 'It is obvious that if the dyes used for selective staining in ordinary microscopical work are supplemented by substances which cause a particular detail of the structure to fluoresce with a specific colour in ultraviolet light, then many strings will be added to the bow of the practical microscopist' [3]. More recently, emphasis on the role of plasmons—collective oscillations of electrons in nanoscale metal structures—has received considerable research attention. Plasmons enhance the local electromagnetic field and can lead to increased fluorescence rates from nearby fluorophores depending on the efficiency of the counteracting process, non-radiative transfer [4]. Flat ITO films have been used extensively in photovoltaic studies as transparent electrodes [5]. Over the past few years, nanowire structures have recently been used to increase the surface area of the interface between dye and oxide in dye-sensitized solar cells [6]. A collaboration of researchers in China and Australia has recently extended the innovation of the nanowire structure to the ITO electrode [7]. Using cyclic voltammetry the researchers confirmed that using a 3D ITO-nanowire electrode significantly enhanced the reaction current. Despite its attractive properties, alternatives to ITO are now in high demand. The rise in devices requiring flat electronic displays has begun to overwhelm the legitimacy of using such a rare element as indium for transparent conducting films. ITO is also brittle, causing problems for flexible displays. Films of carbon nanotubes have been proposed for transparent conducting films but improvements to the sheet resistance are needed before they can compete with the performance of ITO. The effects of HNO3 treatment on the resistivity of carbon nanotube films has attracted some debate in the community, and stimulated the work of Ji-Beom Yoo and colleagues in Korea [8]. Their results suggest that p-type doping has a larger effect on the sheet resistance of HNO3 treated carbon-nanotube films than the removal of residual N-methylpyrrolidone. Unsurprisingly graphene, the latest carbon wonder material, has also shown remarkable potential as a transparent conducting film. Chemical vapour deposition (CVD) synthesis of graphene has the advantage that it allows fabrication of the sheets to be scaled up. A collaboration of researchers in the USA, Singapore and Korea demonstrated that the conductivity of CVD graphene sheets can be improved by p-doping with AuCl3 [9]. The potential of graphene in a range of applications is also being demonstrated, as researchers in Australia and China show in a report on graphene in transparent conducting electrodes for GaN LED devices [10]. The review in this issue [4] provides a comprehensive overview of graphene as an electrode, including the synthesis, chemical doping and work function engineering of the material, as well as applications in transistors, memories, molecular junctions, touch screens, LCDs, LEDs and solar cells. Back in the early 1950s Gillham and Preston saw the possibility of using their gold sputtered bismuth oxide films for windows that could be electrically heated and took out a patent on their discovery [11]. While they saw potential applications for conducting transparent films, it could be argued that even Gillham and Preston would have been surprised at the extent to which transparent conducting films have infiltrated everyday technology over the 60 years since. It is tempting to wonder what wide reaching ramifications the current fruitful activity in graphene device research may have in the decades to come. References [1] Ayrton W E and Mather T 1894 J. Int. Elec. Eng. 23 376-80 [2] Gillham E J and Preston J S 1952 Proc. Phys. Soc. B 65 649 [3] Ishiguro K, Sasaki T, Arai T and Imai I 1958 J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 13 296-304 [4] Jo G, Choe M, Lee S, Park W, Kahng Y H and Lee T 2012 Nanotechnology 23 112001 [5] Guo P and Aegerter M A 1999 Thin Solid Films 351 290-4 [6]Law M, Greene L E, Johnson J C, Saykally R and Yang P 2005 Nat. Mater. 4 455-9 [7] Wang H-W, Ting C-F, Hung M-K, Chiou C-H, Liu Y-L, Liu Z, Ratinac K R and Ringer S P 2009 Nanotechnology 20 055601 [8] Shin D-W, Lee J H, Kim Y-H, Yu S M, Park S-Y and Yoo J-B 2009 Nanotechnology 20 475703 [9] Kim K K, Reina A, Shi Y, Park H, Li L-J, Lee Y H and Kong J 2010 Nanotechnology 21 285205 [10] Jo G et al 2010 Nanotechnology 21 185201 [11] Preston S P 1958 US Patent Specification 98 2825687

Electrostatic spray deposition of highly transparent silver nanowire electrode on flexible substrate.

PubMed

Kim, Taegeon; Canlier, Ali; Kim, Geun Hong; Choi, Jaeho; Park, Minkyu; Han, Seung Min

2013-02-01

In this work, a modified polyol synthesis by adding KBr and by replacing the AgCl with NaCl seed was used to obtain high quality silver nanowires with long aspect ratios with an average length of 13.5 μm in length and 62.5 nm in diameter. The Ag nanowires suspended in methanol solution after removing any unwanted particles using a glass filter system were then deposited on a flexible polycarbonate substrate using an electrostatic spray system. Transmittance of 92.1% at wavelength of 550 nm with sheet resistance of 20 Ω/sq and haze of 4.9% were measured for the electrostatic sprayed Ag nanowire transparent electrode.

Transferable self-welding silver nanowire network as high performance transparent flexible electrode.

PubMed

Zhu, Siwei; Gao, Yuan; Hu, Bin; Li, Jia; Su, Jun; Fan, Zhiyong; Zhou, Jun

2013-08-23

High performance transparent electrodes (TEs) with figures-of-merit as high as 471 were assembled using ultralong silver nanowires (Ag NWs). A room-temperature plasma was employed to enhance the conductivity of the Ag NW TEs by simultaneously removing the insulating PVP layer coating on the NWs and welding the junctions tightly. Furthermore, we developed a general way to fabricate TEs regardless of substrate limitations by transferring the as-fabricated Ag NW network onto various substrates directly, and the transmittance can remain as high as 91% with a sheet resistivity of 13 Ω/sq. The highly robust and stable flexible TEs will have broad applications in flexible optoelectronic and electronic devices.

Micromachined edge illuminated optically transparent automotive light guide panels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ronny, Rahima Afrose; Knopf, George K.; Bordatchev, Evgueni; Tauhiduzzaman, Mohammed; Nikumb, Suwas

2012-03-01

Edge-lit backlighting has been used extensively for a variety of small and medium-sized liquid crystal displays (LCDs). The shape, density and spatial distribution pattern of the micro-optical elements imprinted on the surface of the flat light-guide panel (LGP) are often "optimized" to improve the overall brightness and luminance uniformity. A similar concept can be used to develop interior convenience lighting panels and exterior tail lamps for automotive applications. However, costly diffusive sheeting and brightness enhancement films are not be considered for these applications because absolute luminance uniformity and the minimization of Moiré fringe effects are not significant factors in assessing quality of automotive lighting. A new design concept that involves micromilling cylindrical micro-optical elements on optically transparent plastic substrates is described in this paper. The variable parameter that controls illumination over the active regions of the panel is the depth of the individual cylindrical micro-optical elements. LightTools™ is the optical simulation tool used to explore how changing the micro-optical element depth can alter the local and global luminance. Numerical simulation and microfabrication experiments are performed on several (100mmx100mmx6mm) polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) test samples in order to verify the illumination behavior.

Ultrathin Transparent Membranes for Cellular Barrier and Co-Culture Models

PubMed Central

Carter, Robert N.; Casillo, Stephanie M.; Mazzocchi, Andrea R.; DesOrmeaux, Jon-Paul S.; Roussie, James A.; Gaborski, Thomas R.

2017-01-01

Typical in vitro barrier and co-culture models rely upon thick semi-permeable polymeric membranes that physically separate two compartments. Polymeric track-etched membranes, while permeable to small molecules, are far from physiological with respect to physical interactions with co-cultured cells and are not compatible with high-resolution imaging due to light scattering and autofluorescence. Here we report on an optically transparent ultrathin membrane with porosity exceeding 20%. We optimize deposition and annealing conditions to create a tensile and robust porous silicon dioxide membrane that is comparable in thickness to the vascular basement membrane (100–300 nm). We demonstrate that human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) spread and proliferate on these membranes similarly to control substrates. Additionally, HUVECs are able to transfer cytoplasmic cargo to adipose-derived stem cells when they are co-cultured on opposite sides of the membrane, demonstrating its thickness supports physiologically relevant cellular interactions. Lastly, we confirm that these porous glass membranes are compatible with lift-off processes yielding membrane sheets with an active area of many square centimeters. We believe that these membranes will enable new in vitro barrier and co-culture models while offering dramatically improved visualization compared to conventional alternatives. PMID:28140345

Evaluations of candidate encapsulation designs and materials for low-cost silicon photovoltaic arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaines, G. B.; Carmichael, D. C.; Sliemers, F. A.; Brockway, M. C.; Bunk, A. R.; Nance, G. P.

1978-01-01

Three encapsulation designs for silicon photovoltaic arrays based on cells with silk-screened Ag metallization have been evaluated: transparent polymeric coatings over cells laminated between two films or sheets of polymeric materials; cells adhesively bonded to a glass cover with a polymer pottant and a glass or other substrate component. Silicone and acrylic coatings were assessed, together with acrylic sheet, 0.635 mm fiberglass-reinforced polyester sheet, 0.102 mm polycarbonate/acrylic dual-layer film, 0.127 mm fluorocarbon film, soda-lime glass, borosilicate glass, low-iron glass, and several adhesives. The encapsulation materials were characterized by light transmittance measurements, determination of moisture barrier properties and bond strengths, and by the performance of cells before and after encapsulation. Silicon and acrylic coatings provided inadequate protection. Acrylic and fluorocarbon films displayed good weatherability and acceptable optical transmittance. Borosilicate, low-iron and soda-lime-float glasses were found to be acceptable candidate encapsulants for most environments.

Roll-to-Roll sputtered ITO/Cu/ITO multilayer electrode for flexible, transparent thin film heaters and electrochromic applications.

PubMed

Park, Sung-Hyun; Lee, Sang-Mok; Ko, Eun-Hye; Kim, Tae-Ho; Nah, Yoon-Chae; Lee, Sang-Jin; Lee, Jae Heung; Kim, Han-Ki

2016-09-22

We fabricate high-performance, flexible, transparent electrochromic (EC) films and thin film heaters (TFHs) on an ITO/Cu/ITO (ICI) multilayer electrode prepared by continuous roll-to-roll (RTR) sputtering of ITO and Cu targets. The RTR-sputtered ICI multilayer on a 700 mm wide PET substrate at room temperature exhibits a sheet resistance of 11.8 Ω/square and optical transmittance of 73.9%, which are acceptable for the fabrication of flexible and transparent EC films and TFHs. The effect of the Cu interlayer thickness on the electrical and optical properties of the ICI multilayer was investigated in detail. The bending and cycling fatigue tests demonstrate that the RTR-sputtered ICI multilayer was more flexible than a single ITO film because of high strain failure of the Cu interlayer. The flexible and transparent EC films and TFHs fabricated on the ICI electrode show better performances than reference EC films and TFHs with a single ITO electrode. Therefore, the RTR-sputtered ICI multilayer is the best substitute for the conventional ITO film electrode in order to realize flexible, transparent, cost-effective and large-area EC devices and TFHs that can be used as flexible and smart windows.

Roll-to-Roll sputtered ITO/Cu/ITO multilayer electrode for flexible, transparent thin film heaters and electrochromic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Sung-Hyun; Lee, Sang-Mok; Ko, Eun-Hye; Kim, Tae-Ho; Nah, Yoon-Chae; Lee, Sang-Jin; Lee, Jae Heung; Kim, Han-Ki

2016-09-01

We fabricate high-performance, flexible, transparent electrochromic (EC) films and thin film heaters (TFHs) on an ITO/Cu/ITO (ICI) multilayer electrode prepared by continuous roll-to-roll (RTR) sputtering of ITO and Cu targets. The RTR-sputtered ICI multilayer on a 700 mm wide PET substrate at room temperature exhibits a sheet resistance of 11.8 Ω/square and optical transmittance of 73.9%, which are acceptable for the fabrication of flexible and transparent EC films and TFHs. The effect of the Cu interlayer thickness on the electrical and optical properties of the ICI multilayer was investigated in detail. The bending and cycling fatigue tests demonstrate that the RTR-sputtered ICI multilayer was more flexible than a single ITO film because of high strain failure of the Cu interlayer. The flexible and transparent EC films and TFHs fabricated on the ICI electrode show better performances than reference EC films and TFHs with a single ITO electrode. Therefore, the RTR-sputtered ICI multilayer is the best substitute for the conventional ITO film electrode in order to realize flexible, transparent, cost-effective and large-area EC devices and TFHs that can be used as flexible and smart windows.

Roll-to-Roll sputtered ITO/Cu/ITO multilayer electrode for flexible, transparent thin film heaters and electrochromic applications

PubMed Central

Park, Sung-Hyun; Lee, Sang-Mok; Ko, Eun-Hye; Kim, Tae-Ho; Nah, Yoon-Chae; Lee, Sang-Jin; Lee, Jae Heung; Kim, Han-Ki

2016-01-01

We fabricate high-performance, flexible, transparent electrochromic (EC) films and thin film heaters (TFHs) on an ITO/Cu/ITO (ICI) multilayer electrode prepared by continuous roll-to-roll (RTR) sputtering of ITO and Cu targets. The RTR-sputtered ICI multilayer on a 700 mm wide PET substrate at room temperature exhibits a sheet resistance of 11.8 Ω/square and optical transmittance of 73.9%, which are acceptable for the fabrication of flexible and transparent EC films and TFHs. The effect of the Cu interlayer thickness on the electrical and optical properties of the ICI multilayer was investigated in detail. The bending and cycling fatigue tests demonstrate that the RTR-sputtered ICI multilayer was more flexible than a single ITO film because of high strain failure of the Cu interlayer. The flexible and transparent EC films and TFHs fabricated on the ICI electrode show better performances than reference EC films and TFHs with a single ITO electrode. Therefore, the RTR-sputtered ICI multilayer is the best substitute for the conventional ITO film electrode in order to realize flexible, transparent, cost-effective and large-area EC devices and TFHs that can be used as flexible and smart windows. PMID:27653830

Skills Analysis. Workshop Package on Skills Analysis, Skills Audit and Training Needs Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayton, Geoff; And Others

This four-part package is designed to assist Australian workshop leaders running 2-day workshops on skills analysis, skills audit, and training needs analysis. Part A contains information on how to use the package and a list of workshop aims. Parts B, C, and D consist, respectively, of the workshop leader's guide; overhead transparency sheets and…

Transparent indium oxide films doped with high Lewis acid strength Ge dopant for phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Sin-Bi; Lim, Jong-Wook; Lee, Sunghun; Kim, Jang-Joo; Kim, Han-Ki

2012-08-01

We report on Ge-doped In2O3(IGO) films prepared by co-sputtering GeO2 and In2O3 targets for anode of phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (POLEDs). Under optimized annealing conditions, the IGO film exhibited a low sheet resistance of 14.0 Ω/square, a high optical transmittance of 86.9% and a work function of 5.2 eV, comparable to conventional Sn-doped In2O3 (ITO) films. Due to the higher Lewis acid strength of the Ge4+ ion (3.06) than that of Sn3+(1.62), the IGO film showed higher transparency in the near infrared and higher carrier mobility of 39.16 cm2 V-1 s-1 than the ITO films. In addition, the strongly preferred (2 2 2) orientation of the IGO grains, caused by Zone II grain growth during rapid thermal annealing, increased the carrier mobility and improved the surface morphology of the IGO film. POLEDs fabricated on IGO anodes showed identical current density-voltage-luminance curves and efficiencies to POLEDs with ITO electrodes due to the low sheet resistance and high transmittance of the IGO anode.

An 8.68% efficiency chemically-doped-free graphene-silicon solar cell using silver nanowires network buried contacts.

PubMed

Yang, Lifei; Yu, Xuegong; Hu, Weidan; Wu, Xiaolei; Zhao, Yan; Yang, Deren

2015-02-25

Graphene-silicon (Gr-Si) heterojunction solar cells have been recognized as one of the most low-cost candidates in photovoltaics due to its simple fabrication process. However, the high sheet resistance of chemical vapor deposited (CVD) Gr films is still the most important limiting factor for the improvement of the power conversion efficiency of Gr-Si solar cells, especially in the case of large device-active area. In this work, we have fabricated a novel transparent conductive film by hybriding a monolayer Gr film with silver nanowires (AgNWs) network soldered by the graphene oxide (GO) flakes. This Gr-AgNWs hybrid film exhibits low sheet resistance and larger direct-current to optical conductivity ratio, quite suitable for solar cell fabrication. An efficiency of 8.68% has been achieved for the Gr-AgNWs-Si solar cell, in which the AgNWs network acts as buried contacts. Meanwhile, the Gr-AgNWs-Si solar cells have much better stability than the chemically doped Gr-Si solar cells. These results show a new route for the fabrication of high efficient and stable Gr-Si solar cells.

An investigation into graphene exfoliation and potential graphene application in MEMS devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fercana, George; Kletetschka, Gunther; Mikula, Vilem; Li, Mary

2011-02-01

The design of microelectromecanical systems (MEMS) and micro-opto-electromechanical systems (MOEMS) are often materials-limited with respect to the efficiency and capability of the material. Graphene, a one atom thick honeycomb lattice of carbon, is a highly desired material for MEMS applications. Relevant properties of graphene include the material's optical transparency, mechanical strength, energy efficiency, and electrical and thermal conductivity due to its electron mobility. Aforementioned properties make graphene a strong candidate to supplant existing transparent electrode technology and replace the conventionally used material, indium-tin oxide. In this paper we present preliminary results on work toward integration of graphene with MEMS structures. We are studying mechanical exfoliation of highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) crystals by repeatedly applying and separating adhesive materials from the HOPG surface. The resulting graphene sheets are then transferred to silicon oxide substrate using the previously applied adhesive material. We explored different adhesive options, particularly the use of Kapton tape, to improve the yield of graphene isolation along with chemical cross-linking agents which operate on a mechanism of photoinsertion of disassociated nitrene groups. These perfluorophenyl nitrenes participate in C=C addition reactions with graphene monolayers creating a covalent binding between the substrate and graphene. We are focusing on maximizing the size of isolated graphene sheets and comparing to conventional exfoliation. Preliminary results allow isolation of few layer graphene (FLG) sheets (n<3) of approximately 10μm x 44μm. Photolithography could possibly be utilized to tailor designs for microshutter technology to be used in future deep space telescopes.

Nanoscale current spreading analysis in solution-processed graphene oxide/silver nanowire transparent electrodes via conductive atomic force microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shaw, Joseph E.; Perumal, Ajay; Bradley, Donal D. C.

2016-05-21

We use conductive atomic force microscopy (CAFM) to study the origin of long-range conductivity in model transparent conductive electrodes composed of networks of reduced graphene oxide (rGO{sub X}) and silver nanowires (AgNWs), with nanoscale spatial resolution. Pristine networks of rGO{sub X} (1–3 monolayers-thick) and AgNWs exhibit sheet resistances of ∼100–1000 kΩ/□ and 100–900 Ω/□, respectively. When the materials are deposited sequentially to form bilayer rGO{sub X}/AgNW electrodes and thermally annealed at 200 °C, the sheet resistance reduces by up to 36% as compared to pristine AgNW networks. CAFM was used to analyze the current spreading in both systems in order to identify themore » nanoscale phenomena responsible for this effect. For rGO{sub X} networks, the low intra-flake conductivity and the inter-flake contact resistance is found to dominate the macroscopic sheet resistance, while for AgNW networks the latter is determined by the density of the inter-AgNW junctions and their associated resistance. In the case of the bilayer rGO{sub X}/AgNWs' networks, rGO{sub X} flakes are found to form conductive “bridges” between AgNWs. We show that these additional nanoscopic electrical connections are responsible for the enhanced macroscopic conductivity of the bilayer rGO{sub X}/AgNW electrodes. Finally, the critical role of thermal annealing on the formation of these nanoscopic connections is discussed.« less

Fabrication and Characterization of Flexible Organic Light Emitting Diodes Based on Transparent Flexible Clay Substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venkatachalam, Shanmugam; Hayashi, Hiromichi; Ebina, Takeo; Nakamura, Takashi; Nanjo, Hiroshi

2013-03-01

In the present work, transparent flexible polymer-doped clay (P-clay) substrates were prepared for flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) applications. Nanocrystalline indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films were prepared on P-clay substrates by ion-beam sputter deposition method. The structural, optical, and electrical properties of as-prepared ITO/P-clay showed that the as-prepared ITO thin film was amorphous, and the average optical transparency and sheet resistance were around 84% and 56 Ω/square, respectively. The as-prepared ITO/P-clay samples were annealed at 200 and 270 °C for 1 h to improve the optical transparency and electrical conductivity. The average optical transparency was found to be maximum at an annealing temperature of 200 °C. Finally, N,N-bis[(1-naphthyl)-N,N '-diphenyl]-1,1'-biphenyl)-4,4'-diamine (NPB), tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq3) thin films, and aluminum (Al) electrode were prepared on ITO/P-clay substrates by thermal evaporation method. The current density-voltage (J-V) characteristic of Al/NPB/ITO/P-clay showed linear Ohmic behaviour. In contrast, J-V characteristic of Al/Alq3/NPB/ITO/P-clay showed non-linear Schottky behaviour. Finally, a very flexible OLED was successfully fabricated on newly fabricated transparent flexible P-clay substrates. The electroluminescence study showed that the emission intensity of light from the flexible OLED device gradually increased with increasing applied voltage.

High-performance Bi-stage process in reduction of graphene oxide for transparent conductive electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alahbakhshi, Masoud; Fallahi, Afsoon; Mohajerani, Ezeddin; Fathollahi, Mohammad-Reza; Taromi, Faramarz Afshar; Shahinpoor, Mohsen

2017-02-01

A novel and innovative approach to develop reduction of graphene oxide (GO) solution for fabrication of highly and truly transparent conductive electrode (TCE) has been presented. Thanks to outstanding mechanical and electronic properties of graphene which offer practical applications in synthesizing composites as well as fabricating various optoelectronic devices, in this study, conductive reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) thin films were prepared through sequential chemical and thermal reduction process of homogeneously dispersed GO solutions. The conductivity and transparency of r-GO thin film is regulated using hydroiodic acid (HI) as reducing agent following by vacuum thermal annealing. The prepared r-GO is characterized by XRD, AFM, UV-vis and Raman spectroscopy. the AFM topographic images reveal surface roughness almost ∼11 nm which became less than 2 nm for the 4 mg/mL solution. Moreover, XRD analysis and Raman spectra substantiate the interlayer spacing between rGO layers has been reduced dramatically and also electronic conjugation has been ameliorated after using HI chemical agent and 700 °C thermal annealing sequentially. Subsequently providing r-GO transparent electrode with decent and satisfactory transparency, acceptable conductivity and suitable work function, it has been exploited as the anode in organic light emitting diode (OLED). The maximum luminance efficiency and maximum power efficiency reached 4.2 cd/A and 0.83 lm/W, respectively. We believe that by optimizing the hole density, sheet resistance, transparency and surface morphology of the r-GO anodes, the device efficiencies can be remarkably increased further.

Metallic nanomesh

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ren, Zhifeng; Sun, Tianyi; Guo, Chuanfei

2018-02-20

A transparent flexible nanomesh having at least one conductive element and sheet resistance less than 300.OMEGA./.quadrature. when stretched to a strain of 200% in at least one direction. The nanomesh is formed by depositing a sacrificial film, depositing, etching, and oxidizing a first metal layer on the film, etching the sacrificial film, depositing a second metal layer, and removing the first metal layer to form a nanomesh on the substrate.

Antenna sunshield membrane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bogorad, Alexander (Inventor); Bowman, Jr., Charles K. (Inventor); Meder, Martin G. (Inventor); Dottore, Frank A. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

An RF-transparent sunshield membrane covers an antenna reflector such as a parabolic dish. The blanket includes a single dielectric sheet of polyimide film 1/2-mil thick. The surface of the film facing away from the reflector is coated with a transparent electrically conductive coating such as vapor-deposited indium-tin oxide. The surface of the film facing the reflector is reinforced by an adhesively attached polyester or glass mesh, which in turn is coated with a white paint. In a particular embodiment of the invention, polyurethane paint is used. In another embodiment of the invention, a layer of paint primer is applied to the mesh under a silicone paint, and the silicone paint is cured after application for several days at room temperature to enhance adhesion to the primer.

Carbon nanotube-graphene composite film as transparent conductive electrode for GaN-based light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Chun Hong; Shen, Chao; M. Saheed, M. Shuaib; Mohamed, Norani Muti; Ng, Tien Khee; Ooi, Boon S.; Burhanudin, Zainal Arif

2016-08-01

Transparent conductive electrodes (TCE) made of carbon nanotube (CNT) and graphene composite for GaN-based light emitting diodes (LED) are presented. The TCE with 533-Ω/□ sheet resistance and 88% transmittance were obtained when chemical-vapor-deposition grown graphene was fused across CNT networks. With an additional 2-nm thin NiOx interlayer between the TCE and top p-GaN layer of the LED, the forward voltage was reduced to 5.12 V at 20-mA injection current. Four-fold improvement in terms of light output power was observed. The improvement can be ascribed to the enhanced lateral current spreading across the hybrid CNT-graphene TCE before injection into the p-GaN layer.

Filtration-wet transferred transparent conducting films of mm long carbon nanotubes grown using water-assisted chemical vapor deposition.

PubMed

Patole, Shashikant P; Shin, Dong Wook; Fugetsu, Bunshi; Yoo, Ji-Beom

2013-11-01

Transparent conducting films (TCF) made up from carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have a tremendous potential in replacing the indium tin oxide films. Compare to single wall CNTs multiwall CNTs are more metallic and are more suitable candidate for the TCF. In this letter we report the use of selectively grown mm-scale, few-wall, vertically aligned CNTs for the fabrication of TCF. Water-assisted chemical vapor deposition was used to grow the mm-scale CNTs within short growth time. A special post-growth water-vapor treatment allowed us to remove the catalyst-free CNT forest very easily from the substrate and use it for the further process. A filtration-wet transfer process was used to form the TCF. The TCF shows sheet resistance of 228 omega/sq. at 72% transparency (at 550 nm). The ratio of optical conductivity to dc conductivity was observed in between 0.21 to 0.25 for below 80% transmission.

Graphene as a transparent conducting and surface field layer in planar Si solar cells

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

This work presents an experimental and finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulation-based study on the application of graphene as a transparent conducting layer on a planar and untextured crystalline p-n silicon solar cell. A high-quality monolayer graphene with 97% transparency and 350 Ω/□ sheet resistance grown by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition method was transferred onto planar Si cells. An increase in efficiency from 5.38% to 7.85% was observed upon deposition of graphene onto Si cells, which further increases to 8.94% upon SiO2 deposition onto the graphene/Si structure. A large increase in photon conversion efficiency as a result of graphene deposition shows that the electronic interaction and the presence of an electric field at the graphene/Si interface together play an important role in this improvement and additionally lead to a reduction in series resistance due to the conducting nature of graphene. PMID:25114642

Transparent Ti-In-Sn-O multicomponent anodes for highly efficient phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Jong-Wook; Jun Kang, Seong; Lee, Sunghun; Kim, Jang-Joo; Kim, Han-Ki

2012-07-01

We report on transparent Ti-In-Sn-O (TITO) multicomponent anodes prepared by co-sputtering anatase TiO2-x and ITO targets to produce highly efficient phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). In spite of the incorporation of low cost TiO2, the crystalline TITO electrode annealed at temperature of 600 °C showed a sheet resistance of 18.06 Ω/sq, an optical transmittance of 87.96% at a wavelength of 550 nm, and a work function of 4.71 eV comparable to conventional ITO electrode. Both the quantum (21.69%) and power efficiencies (90.92 lm/W) of the phosphorescent OLED fabricated on the TITO anode were higher than those of the OLED with the reference ITO anode due to the high transparency of the TITO electrodes. This indicates that the TITO electrode is a promising indium-saving electrode that can replace high-cost ITO electrodes in the manufacture of low-cost, highly efficient phosphorescent OLEDs.

Highly efficient flexible optoelectronic devices using metal nanowire-conducting polymer composite transparent electrode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Eui Dae; Nam, Yun Seok; Seo, Houn; Lee, Bo Ram; Yu, Jae Choul; Lee, Sang Yun; Kim, Ju-Young; Park, Jang-Ung; Song, Myoung Hoon

2015-09-01

Here, we report a comprehensive analysis of the electrical, optical, mechanical, and surface morphological properties of composite nanostrutures based on silver nanowires (AgNW) and PEDOT:PSS conducting polymer for the use as flexible and transparent electrodes. Compared to ITO or the single material of AgNW or PEDOT:PSS, the AgNW/PEDOT:PSS composite electrode showed high electrical conductivity with a low sheet resistance of 26.8 Ω/sq at 91% transmittance (at 550 nm), improves surface smoothness, and enhances mechanical properties assisted by an amphiphilic fluoro-surfactant. The polymeric light-emitting diodes (PLEDs) and organic solar cells (OSCs) using the AgNW/PEDOT:PSS composite electrode showed higher device performances than those with AgNW and PEDOT:PSS electrodes and excellent flexibility under bending test. These results indicates that the AgNW/PEDOT:PSS composite presented is a good candidate as next-generation transparent elelctrodes for applications into flexible optoelectronic devices. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Ultra-Smooth, Fully Solution-Processed Large-Area Transparent Conducting Electrodes for Organic Devices

PubMed Central

Jin, Won-Yong; Ginting, Riski Titian; Ko, Keum-Jin; Kang, Jae-Wook

2016-01-01

A novel approach for the fabrication of ultra-smooth and highly bendable substrates consisting of metal grid-conducting polymers that are fully embedded into transparent substrates (ME-TCEs) was successfully demonstrated. The fully printed ME-TCEs exhibited ultra-smooth surfaces (surface roughness ~1.0 nm), were highly transparent (~90% transmittance at a wavelength of 550 nm), highly conductive (sheet resistance ~4 Ω ◻−1), and relatively stable under ambient air (retaining ~96% initial resistance up to 30 days). The ME-TCE substrates were used to fabricate flexible organic solar cells and organic light-emitting diodes exhibiting devices efficiencies comparable to devices fabricated on ITO/glass substrates. Additionally, the flexibility of the organic devices did not degrade their performance even after being bent to a bending radius of ~1 mm. Our findings suggest that ME-TCEs are a promising alternative to indium tin oxide and show potential for application toward large-area optoelectronic devices via fully printing processes. PMID:27808221

Fabrication of optically transparent chitin nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shams, M. Iftekhar; Ifuku, Shinsuke; Nogi, Masaya; Oku, Takeshi; Yano, Hiroyuki

2011-02-01

This paper demonstrates the preparation of chitin nanofibers from crab shells using a simple mechanical treatment. The nanofibers are small enough to retain the transparency of neat acrylic resin. Possessing hydroxyl and amine/ N-acetyl functionalities, water suspension of chitin nanofibers was vacuum-filtered 9 times faster than cellulose nanofibers to prepare a nanofiber sheet of 90 mm in diameter. This is a prominent advantage of chitin nanofibers over cellulose nanofibers in terms of commercial application. Interestingly, chitin acrylic resin films exhibited much higher transparency than cellulose acrylic resin films owing to the close affinity between less hydrophilic chitin and hydrophobic resin. Furthermore, the incorporation of chitin nanofibers contributes to the significant improvement of the thermal expansion and mechanical properties of the neat acrylic resin. The properties of high light transmittance and low thermal expansion make chitin nanocomposites promising candidates for the substrate in a continuous roll-to-roll process in the manufacturing of various optoelectronic devices such as flat panel displays, bendable displays, and solar cells.

Indium-saving effect and physical properties of transparent conductive multilayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawamura, M.; Kiba, T.; Abe, Y.; Kim, K. H.

2018-03-01

Indium-free transparent conductive multilayer structures consisting of top and bottom MoO3 layers and an Ag interlayer (MoO3/Ag/MoO3; MAM) are deposited onto glass substrates by vacuum evaporation. The transmittance and sheet resistance of the structures are evaluated, and the optimum structure is determined to be MAM (20/14/30 nm) as it shows the best figure of merit (FOM), which is used as the index for transparent conductive films, with a value of 6.2 × 10-3 Ω-1. To further improve the performance of the films, we attempt to fabricate a multilayer consisting of MoO3 and indium zinc oxide (IZO), based on previous results. The obtained IAM (30/14/50 nm) multilayer shows an FOM higher than that of the MAM, with a value of 32 × 10-3 Ω-1. Moreover, it reduces the amount of required indium as compared with the IZO/Ag/IZO multilayer.

Ultra-Smooth, Fully Solution-Processed Large-Area Transparent Conducting Electrodes for Organic Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Won-Yong; Ginting, Riski Titian; Ko, Keum-Jin; Kang, Jae-Wook

2016-11-01

A novel approach for the fabrication of ultra-smooth and highly bendable substrates consisting of metal grid-conducting polymers that are fully embedded into transparent substrates (ME-TCEs) was successfully demonstrated. The fully printed ME-TCEs exhibited ultra-smooth surfaces (surface roughness ~1.0 nm), were highly transparent (~90% transmittance at a wavelength of 550 nm), highly conductive (sheet resistance ~4 Ω ◻-1), and relatively stable under ambient air (retaining ~96% initial resistance up to 30 days). The ME-TCE substrates were used to fabricate flexible organic solar cells and organic light-emitting diodes exhibiting devices efficiencies comparable to devices fabricated on ITO/glass substrates. Additionally, the flexibility of the organic devices did not degrade their performance even after being bent to a bending radius of ~1 mm. Our findings suggest that ME-TCEs are a promising alternative to indium tin oxide and show potential for application toward large-area optoelectronic devices via fully printing processes.

Ultra-Smooth, Fully Solution-Processed Large-Area Transparent Conducting Electrodes for Organic Devices.

PubMed

Jin, Won-Yong; Ginting, Riski Titian; Ko, Keum-Jin; Kang, Jae-Wook

2016-11-03

A novel approach for the fabrication of ultra-smooth and highly bendable substrates consisting of metal grid-conducting polymers that are fully embedded into transparent substrates (ME-TCEs) was successfully demonstrated. The fully printed ME-TCEs exhibited ultra-smooth surfaces (surface roughness ~1.0 nm), were highly transparent (~90% transmittance at a wavelength of 550 nm), highly conductive (sheet resistance ~4 Ω ◻ -1 ), and relatively stable under ambient air (retaining ~96% initial resistance up to 30 days). The ME-TCE substrates were used to fabricate flexible organic solar cells and organic light-emitting diodes exhibiting devices efficiencies comparable to devices fabricated on ITO/glass substrates. Additionally, the flexibility of the organic devices did not degrade their performance even after being bent to a bending radius of ~1 mm. Our findings suggest that ME-TCEs are a promising alternative to indium tin oxide and show potential for application toward large-area optoelectronic devices via fully printing processes.

Transparent, conformable, active multielectrode array using organic electrochemical transistors.

PubMed

Lee, Wonryung; Kim, Dongmin; Matsuhisa, Naoji; Nagase, Masae; Sekino, Masaki; Malliaras, George G; Yokota, Tomoyuki; Someya, Takao

2017-10-03

Mechanically flexible active multielectrode arrays (MEA) have been developed for local signal amplification and high spatial resolution. However, their opaqueness limited optical observation and light stimulation during use. Here, we show a transparent, ultraflexible, and active MEA, which consists of transparent organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) and transparent Au grid wirings. The transparent OECT is made of Au grid electrodes and has shown comparable performance with OECTs with nontransparent electrodes/wirings. The transparent active MEA realizes the spatial mapping of electrocorticogram electrical signals from an optogenetic rat with 1-mm spacing and shows lower light artifacts than noise level. Our active MEA would open up the possibility of precise investigation of a neural network system with direct light stimulation.

Misfit layered Ca{sub 3}Co{sub 4}O{sub 9} as a high figure of merit p-type transparent conducting oxide film through solution processing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aksit, M.; Kolli, S. K.; Slauch, I. M.

Ca{sub 3}Co{sub 4}O{sub 9} thin films synthesized through solution processing are shown to be high-performing, p-type transparent conducting oxides (TCOs). The synthesis method is a cost-effective and scalable process that consists of sol-gel chemistry, spin coating, and heat treatments. The process parameters can be varied to produce TCO thin films with sheet resistance as low as 5.7 kΩ/sq (ρ ≈ 57 mΩ cm) or with average visible range transparency as high as 67%. The most conductive Ca{sub 3}Co{sub 4}O{sub 9} TCO thin film has near infrared region optical transmission as high as 85%. The figure of merit (FOM) for the top-performing Ca{sub 3}Co{submore » 4}O{sub 9} thin film (151 MΩ{sup −1}) is higher than FOM values reported in the literature for all other solution processed, p-type TCO thin films and higher than most others prepared by physical vapor deposition and chemical vapor deposition. Transparent conductivity in misfit layered oxides presents new opportunities for TCO compositions.« less

Copper Mesh Templated by Breath-Figure Polymer Films as Flexible Transparent Electrodes for Organic Photovoltaic Devices.

PubMed

Zhou, Weixin; Chen, Jun; Li, Yi; Wang, Danbei; Chen, Jianyu; Feng, Xiaomiao; Huang, Zhendong; Liu, Ruiqing; Lin, Xiujing; Zhang, Hongmei; Mi, Baoxiu; Ma, Yanwen

2016-05-04

Metal mesh is a significant candidate of flexible transparent electrodes to substitute the current state-of-the-art material indium tin oxide (ITO) for future flexible electronics. However, there remains a challenge to fabricate metal mesh with order patterns by a bottom-up approach. In this work, high-quality Cu mesh transparent electrodes with ordered pore arrays are prepared by using breath-figure polymer films as template. The optimal Cu mesh films present a sheet resistance of 28.7 Ω·sq(-1) at a transparency of 83.5%. The work function of Cu mesh electrode is tuned from 4.6 to 5.1 eV by Ag deposition and the following short-time UV-ozone treatment, matching well with the PSS (5.2 eV) hole extraction layer. The modified Cu mesh electrodes show remarkable potential as a substitute of ITO/PET in the flexible OPV and OLED devices. The OPV cells constructed on our Cu mesh electrodes present a similar power conversion efficiency of 2.04% as those on ITO/PET electrodes. The flexible OLED prototype devices can achieve a brightness of 10 000 cd at an operation voltage of 8 V.

Large-Scale Stretchable Semiembedded Copper Nanowire Transparent Conductive Films by an Electrospinning Template.

PubMed

Yang, Xia; Hu, Xiaotian; Wang, Qingxia; Xiong, Jian; Yang, Hanjun; Meng, Xiangchuan; Tan, Licheng; Chen, Lie; Chen, Yiwang

2017-08-09

With recent emergence of wearable electronic devices, flexible and stretchable transparent electrodes are the core components to realize innovative devices. The copper nanowire (CuNW) network is commonly chosen because of its high conductivity and transparency. However, the junction resistances and low aspect ratios still limit its further stretchable performance. Herein, a large-scale stretchable semiembedded CuNW transparent conductive film (TCF) was fabricated by electrolessly depositing Cu on the electrospun poly(4-vinylpyridine) polymer template semiembedded in polydimethylsiloxane. Compared with traditional CuNWs, which are as-coated on the flexible substrate, the semiembedded CuNW TCFs showed low sheet resistance (15.6 Ω·sq -1 at ∼82% transmittance) as well as outstanding stretchability and mechanical stability. The light-emitting diode connected the stretchable semiembedded CuNW TCFs in the electric circuit still lighted up even after stretching with 25% strain. Moreover, this semiembedded CuNW TCF was successfully applied in polymer solar cells as a stretchable conductive electrode, which yielded a power conversion efficiency of 4.6% with 0.1 cm 2 effective area. The large-scale stretchable CuNW TCFs show potential for the development of wearable electronic devices.

Transparent, conformable, active multielectrode array using organic electrochemical transistors

PubMed Central

Lee, Wonryung; Kim, Dongmin; Matsuhisa, Naoji; Nagase, Masae; Sekino, Masaki; Malliaras, George G.; Yokota, Tomoyuki; Someya, Takao

2017-01-01

Mechanically flexible active multielectrode arrays (MEA) have been developed for local signal amplification and high spatial resolution. However, their opaqueness limited optical observation and light stimulation during use. Here, we show a transparent, ultraflexible, and active MEA, which consists of transparent organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) and transparent Au grid wirings. The transparent OECT is made of Au grid electrodes and has shown comparable performance with OECTs with nontransparent electrodes/wirings. The transparent active MEA realizes the spatial mapping of electrocorticogram electrical signals from an optogenetic rat with 1-mm spacing and shows lower light artifacts than noise level. Our active MEA would open up the possibility of precise investigation of a neural network system with direct light stimulation. PMID:28923928

Single Step Laser Transfer and Laser Curing of Ag NanoWires: A Digital Process for the Fabrication of Flexible and Transparent Microelectrodes.

PubMed

Zacharatos, Filimon; Karvounis, Panagiotis; Theodorakos, Ioannis; Hatziapostolou, Antonios; Zergioti, Ioanna

2018-06-19

Ag nanowire (NW) networks have exquisite optical and electrical properties which make them ideal candidate materials for flexible transparent conductive electrodes. Despite the compatibility of Ag NW networks with laser processing, few demonstrations of laser fabricated Ag NW based components currently exist. In this work, we report on a novel single step laser transferring and laser curing process of micrometer sized pixels of Ag NW networks on flexible substrates. This process relies on the selective laser heating of the Ag NWs induced by the laser pulse energy and the subsequent localized melting of the polymeric substrate. We demonstrate that a single laser pulse can induce both transfer and curing of the Ag NW network. The feasibility of the process is confirmed experimentally and validated by Finite Element Analysis simulations, which indicate that selective heating is carried out within a submicron-sized heat affected zone. The resulting structures can be utilized as fully functional flexible transparent electrodes with figures of merit even higher than 100. Low sheet resistance (<50 Ohm/sq) and high visible light transparency (>90%) make the reported process highly desirable for a variety of applications, including selective heating or annealing of nanocomposite materials and laser processing of nanostructured materials on a large variety of optically transparent substrates, such as Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS).

Large scale, highly conductive and patterned transparent films of silver nanowires on arbitrary substrates and their application in touch screens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madaria, Anuj R.; Kumar, Akshay; Zhou, Chongwu

2011-06-01

The application of silver nanowire films as transparent conductive electrodes has shown promising results recently. In this paper, we demonstrate the application of a simple spray coating technique to obtain large scale, highly uniform and conductive silver nanowire films on arbitrary substrates. We also integrated a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-assisted contact transfer technique with spray coating, which allowed us to obtain large scale high quality patterned films of silver nanowires. The transparency and conductivity of the films was controlled by the volume of the dispersion used in spraying and the substrate area. We note that the optoelectrical property, σDC/σOp, for various films fabricated was in the range 75-350, which is extremely high for transparent thin film compared to other candidate alternatives to doped metal oxide film. Using this method, we obtain silver nanowire films on a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate with a transparency of 85% and sheet resistance of 33 Ω/sq, which is comparable to that of tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) on flexible substrates. In-depth analysis of the film shows a high performance using another commonly used figure-of-merit, ΦTE. Also, Ag nanowire film/PET shows good mechanical flexibility and the application of such a conductive silver nanowire film as an electrode in a touch panel has been demonstrated.

Visually Imperceptible Liquid-Metal Circuits for Transparent, Stretchable Electronics with Direct Laser Writing.

PubMed

Pan, Chengfeng; Kumar, Kitty; Li, Jianzhao; Markvicka, Eric J; Herman, Peter R; Majidi, Carmel

2018-03-01

A material architecture and laser-based microfabrication technique is introduced to produce electrically conductive films (sheet resistance = 2.95 Ω sq -1 ; resistivity = 1.77 × 10 -6 Ω m) that are soft, elastic (strain limit >100%), and optically transparent. The films are composed of a grid-like array of visually imperceptible liquid-metal (LM) lines on a clear elastomer. Unlike previous efforts in transparent LM circuitry, the current approach enables fully imperceptible electronics that have not only high optical transmittance (>85% at 550 nm) but are also invisible under typical lighting conditions and reading distances. This unique combination of properties is enabled with a laser writing technique that results in LM grid patterns with a line width and pitch as small as 4.5 and 100 µm, respectively-yielding grid-like wiring that has adequate conductivity for digital functionality but is also well below the threshold for visual perception. The electrical, mechanical, electromechanical, and optomechanical properties of the films are characterized and it is found that high conductivity and transparency are preserved at tensile strains of ≈100%. To demonstrate their effectiveness for emerging applications in transparent displays and sensing electronics, the material architecture is incorporated into a couple of illustrative use cases related to chemical hazard warning. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Evaluation available encapsulation materials for low-cost long-life silicon photovoltaic arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carmichael, D. C.; Gaines, G. B.; Noel, G. T.; Sliemers, F. A.; Nance, G. P.; Bunk, A. R.; Brockway, M. C.

1978-01-01

Experimental evaluation of selected encapsulation designs and materials based on an earlier study which have potential for use in low cost, long-life photovoltaic arrays are reported. The performance of candidate materials and encapsulated cells were evaluated principally for three types of encapsulation designs based on their potentially low materials and processing costs: (1) polymeric coatings, transparent conformal coatings over the cell with a structural-support substrate; (2) polymeric film lamination, cells laminated between two films or sheets of polymeric materials; and (3) glass-covered systems, cells adhesively bonded to a glass cover (superstrate) with a polymeric pottant and a glass or other substrate material. Several other design types, including those utilizing polymer sheet and pottant materials, were also included in the investigation.

High-refractive index of acrylate embedding resin clarifies mouse brain tissue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Hongfu; Xiong, Yumiao; Wang, Yu; Wang, Xiaojun; Li, Pei; Gang, Yadong; Liu, Xiuli; Zeng, Shaoqun

2017-11-01

Biological tissue transparency combined with light-sheet fluorescence microscopy is a useful method for studying the neural structure of biological tissues. The development of light-sheet fluorescence microscopy also promotes progress in biological tissue clearing methods. The current clarifying methods mostly use liquid reagent to denature protein or remove lipids first, to eliminate or reduce the scattering index or refractive index of the biological tissue. However, denaturing protein and removing lipids require complex procedures or an extended time period. Therefore, here we have developed acrylate resin with a high refractive index, which causes clearing of biological tissue directly after polymerization. This method can improve endogenous fluorescence retention by adjusting the pH value of the resin monomer.

Additive Manufacturing: From Form to Function

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

embedded electronics in clothing that could allow additional protective benefits and health monitoring options.13 AM has also enabled proof-of-concept...the International Space Station (ISS) in September 2014 to test plastics . The second 3D printer was delivered to the ISS in April 2016. In addition...was developed by the Innovative Advanced Concepts program. The sensor is essentially a transparent sheet of plastic with printed elec- tronics that

Roll-to-roll slot-die coating of 400 mm wide, flexible, transparent Ag nanowire films for flexible touch screen panels

PubMed Central

Kim, Dong-Ju; Shin, Hae-In; Ko, Eun-Hye; Kim, Ki-Hyun; Kim, Tae-Woong; Kim, Han-Ki

2016-01-01

We report fabrication of large area Ag nanowire (NW) film coated using a continuous roll-to-roll (RTR) slot die coater as a viable alternative to conventional ITO electrodes for cost-effective and large-area flexible touch screen panels (TSPs). By controlling the flow rate of shear-thinning Ag NW ink in the slot die, we fabricated Ag NW percolating network films with different sheet resistances (30–70 Ohm/square), optical transmittance values (89–90%), and haze (0.5–1%) percentages. Outer/inner bending, twisting, and rolling tests as well as dynamic fatigue tests demonstrated that the mechanical flexibility of the slot-die coated Ag NW films was superior to that of conventional ITO films. Using diamond-shape patterned Ag NW layer electrodes (50 Ohm/square, 90% optical transmittance), we fabricated 12-inch flexible film-film type and rigid glass-film-film type TSPs. Successful operation of flexible TSPs with Ag NW electrodes indicates that slot-die-coated large-area Ag NW films are promising low cost, high performance, and flexible transparent electrodes for cost-effective large-area flexible TSPs and can be substituted for ITO films, which have high sheet resistance and are brittle. PMID:27677410

Roll-to-roll slot-die coating of 400 mm wide, flexible, transparent Ag nanowire films for flexible touch screen panels.

PubMed

Kim, Dong-Ju; Shin, Hae-In; Ko, Eun-Hye; Kim, Ki-Hyun; Kim, Tae-Woong; Kim, Han-Ki

2016-09-28

We report fabrication of large area Ag nanowire (NW) film coated using a continuous roll-to-roll (RTR) slot die coater as a viable alternative to conventional ITO electrodes for cost-effective and large-area flexible touch screen panels (TSPs). By controlling the flow rate of shear-thinning Ag NW ink in the slot die, we fabricated Ag NW percolating network films with different sheet resistances (30-70 Ohm/square), optical transmittance values (89-90%), and haze (0.5-1%) percentages. Outer/inner bending, twisting, and rolling tests as well as dynamic fatigue tests demonstrated that the mechanical flexibility of the slot-die coated Ag NW films was superior to that of conventional ITO films. Using diamond-shape patterned Ag NW layer electrodes (50 Ohm/square, 90% optical transmittance), we fabricated 12-inch flexible film-film type and rigid glass-film-film type TSPs. Successful operation of flexible TSPs with Ag NW electrodes indicates that slot-die-coated large-area Ag NW films are promising low cost, high performance, and flexible transparent electrodes for cost-effective large-area flexible TSPs and can be substituted for ITO films, which have high sheet resistance and are brittle.

Roll-to-roll slot-die coating of 400 mm wide, flexible, transparent Ag nanowire films for flexible touch screen panels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Dong-Ju; Shin, Hae-In; Ko, Eun-Hye; Kim, Ki-Hyun; Kim, Tae-Woong; Kim, Han-Ki

2016-09-01

We report fabrication of large area Ag nanowire (NW) film coated using a continuous roll-to-roll (RTR) slot die coater as a viable alternative to conventional ITO electrodes for cost-effective and large-area flexible touch screen panels (TSPs). By controlling the flow rate of shear-thinning Ag NW ink in the slot die, we fabricated Ag NW percolating network films with different sheet resistances (30-70 Ohm/square), optical transmittance values (89-90%), and haze (0.5-1%) percentages. Outer/inner bending, twisting, and rolling tests as well as dynamic fatigue tests demonstrated that the mechanical flexibility of the slot-die coated Ag NW films was superior to that of conventional ITO films. Using diamond-shape patterned Ag NW layer electrodes (50 Ohm/square, 90% optical transmittance), we fabricated 12-inch flexible film-film type and rigid glass-film-film type TSPs. Successful operation of flexible TSPs with Ag NW electrodes indicates that slot-die-coated large-area Ag NW films are promising low cost, high performance, and flexible transparent electrodes for cost-effective large-area flexible TSPs and can be substituted for ITO films, which have high sheet resistance and are brittle.

High conductive and scalable Ag nanowires flexible transparent electrode by nanowelding with physical methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, W. W.; Yan, X. H.; Long, Y. F.; Liang, Y. M.; Pan, C.; Zhao, J. L.; Liu, Q. X.

2017-09-01

Transparent electrodes (TEs) are very important for electronic devices. At present, ITO is gaining the largest market share but will be reduced. Ag nanowires (AgNWs) TEs is acknowledged as one of the most potential alternative to ITO. However, AgNWs TEs still have electrical problems because of the low contact between the AgNWs. In this paper, we report three physics methods to increase the conductivity of AgNWs TEs by nanowelding the contact of nanowires. For heat-resistant materials, 200 °C heat-nanowelding can help to reduce the sheet resistance by 96.7%. For pressure resistant materials, 20MPa pressure-nanowelding can help to increase the conductivity by 98.7%. And the transmittance (>90%) remains constant during the above process. Yet, both of these methods cannot improve the adhesion between nanowires and the substrates. Luckily, tight adhesion can be obtained by overcoating a PEDOT: PSS lalyer on AgNWs film which can reduce the sheet resistance by 87.8%. This means that things are usually not perfect, and they have their own advantages and lay the foundation for the popularization and application of AgNWs TEs. In a word, these three nano-welding methods are all suit for manufacture on a large scale for high conductive AgNWs TEs.

Experimental Analysis of Desalination Unit Coupled with Solar Water Lens Concentrator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaithanya, K. K.; Rajesh, V. R.; Suresh, Rahul

2016-09-01

The main problem that the world faces in this scenario is shortage of potable water. Hence this research work rivets to increase the yield of desalination system in an economical way. The integration of solar concentrator and desalination unit can project the desired yield, but the commercially available concentrated solar power technologies (CSP) are not economically viable. So this study proposes a novel method to concentrate ample amount of solar radiation in a cost effective way. Water acting as lens is a highlighted technology initiated in this work, which can be a substitute for CSP systems. And water lens can accelerate the desalination process so as to increase the yield economically. The solar irradiance passing through the water will be concentrated at a focal point, and the concentration depends on curvature of water lens. The experimental analysis of water lens makes use of transparent thin sheet, supported on a metallic structure. The Plano convex shape of water lens is developed by varying the volume of water that is being poured on the transparent thin sheet. From the experimental analysis it is inferred that, as the curvature of water lens increases, solar irradiance can be focused more accurately on to the focus and a higher water temperature is obtained inside the solar still.

Selectively reflective transparent sheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waché, Rémi; Florescu, Marian; Sweeney, Stephen J.; Clowes, Steven K.

2015-08-01

We investigate the possibility to selectively reflect certain wavelengths while maintaining the optical properties on other spectral ranges. This is of particular interest for transparent materials, which for specific applications may require high reflectivity at pre-determined frequencies. Although there exist currently techniques such as coatings to produce selective reflection, this work focuses on new approaches for mass production of polyethylene sheets which incorporate either additives or surface patterning for selective reflection between 8 to 13 μ m. Typical additives used to produce a greenhouse effect in plastics include particles such as clays, silica or hydroxide materials. However, the absorption of thermal radiation is less efficient than the decrease of emissivity as it can be compared with the inclusion of Lambertian materials. Photonic band gap engineering by the periodic structuring of metamaterials is known in nature for producing the vivid bright colors in certain organisms via strong wavelength-selective reflection. Research to artificially engineer such structures has mainly focused on wavelengths in the visible and near infrared. However few studies to date have been carried out to investigate the properties of metastructures in the mid infrared range even though the patterning of microstructure is easier to achieve. We present preliminary results on the diffuse reflectivity using FDTD simulations and analyze the technical feasibility of these approaches.

Silver Nanowire Transparent Conductive Electrodes for High-Efficiency III-Nitride Light-Emitting Diodes

PubMed Central

Oh, Munsik; Jin, Won-Yong; Jun Jeong, Hyeon; Jeong, Mun Seok; Kang, Jae-Wook; Kim, Hyunsoo

2015-01-01

Silver nanowires (AgNWs) have been successfully demonstrated to function as next-generation transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) in organic semiconductor devices owing to their figures of merit, including high optical transmittance, low sheet resistance, flexibility, and low-cost processing. In this article, high-quality, solution-processed AgNWs with an excellent optical transmittance of 96.5% at 450 nm and a low sheet resistance of 11.7 Ω/sq were demonstrated as TCEs in inorganic III-nitride LEDs. The transmission line model applied to the AgNW contact to p-GaN showed that near ohmic contact with a specific contact resistance of ~10−3 Ωcm2 was obtained. The contact resistance had a strong bias-voltage (or current-density) dependence: namely, field-enhanced ohmic contact. LEDs fabricated with AgNW electrodes exhibited a 56% reduction in series resistance, 56.5% brighter output power, a 67.5% reduction in efficiency droop, and a approximately 30% longer current spreading length compared to LEDs fabricated with reference TCEs. In addition to the cost reduction, the observed improvements in device performance suggest that the AgNWs are promising for application as next-generation TCEs, to realise brighter, larger-area, cost-competitive inorganic III-nitride light emitters. PMID:26333768

Transparent, Conductive Coatings Developed for Arc-Proof Solar Arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

Transparent, conductive thin-film coatings have many potential applications where a surface must be able to dissipate electrical charges without sacrificing its optical properties. Such applications include automotive and aircraft windows, heat mirrors, optoelectronic devices, gas sensors, and solar cell array surfaces for space applications. Many spacecraft missions require that solar cell array surfaces dissipate charges in order to avoid damage such as electronic upsets, formation of pinholes in the protective coatings on solar array blankets, and contamination due to deposition of sputtered products. In tests at the NASA Lewis Research Center, mixed thin-films of sputter-deposited indium tin oxide (ITO) and magnesium fluoride (MgF2) that could be tailored to the desired sheet resistivity, showed transmittance values of greater than 90 percent. The samples evaluated were composed of mixed, thin-film ITO/MgF2 coatings, with a nominal thickness of 650 angstroms, deposited onto glass substrates. Preliminary results indicated that these coatings were durable to vacuum ultraviolet radiation and atomic oxygen. These coatings show promise for use on solar array surfaces in polar low-Earth-orbit environments, where a sheet resistivity of less than 10(exp 8)/square is required, and in geosynchronous orbit environments, where a resistivity of less than 10(exp 9)/square is required.

Ultrathin Optical Panel And A Method Of Making An Ultrathin Optical Panel.

DOEpatents

Biscardi, Cyrus; Brewster, Calvin; DeSanto, Leonard; Veligdan, James T.

2005-02-15

An ultrathin optical panel, and a method of producing an ultrathin optical panel, are disclosed, including stacking a plurality of glass sheets, which sheets may be coated with a transparent cladding substance or may be uncoated, fastening together the plurality of stacked coated glass sheets using an epoxy or ultraviolet adhesive, applying uniform pressure to the stack, curing the stack, sawing the stack to form an inlet face on a side of the stack and an outlet face on an opposed side of the stack, bonding a coupler to the inlet face of the stack, and fastening the stack, having the coupler bonded thereto, within a rectangular housing having an open front which is aligned with the outlet face, the rectangular housing having therein a light generator which is optically aligned with the coupler. The light generator is preferably placed parallel to and proximate with the inlet face, thereby allowing for a reduction in the depth of the housing.

Ultrathin Optical Panel And A Method Of Making An Ultrathin Optical Panel.

DOEpatents

Biscardi, Cyrus; Brewster, Calvin; DeSanto, Leonard; Veligdan, James T.

2005-05-17

An ultrathin optical panel, and a method of producing an ultrathin optical panel, are disclosed, including stacking a plurality of glass sheets, which sheets may be coated with a transparent cladding substance or may be uncoated, fastening together the plurality of stacked coated glass sheets using an epoxy or ultraviolet adhesive, applying uniform pressure to the stack, curing the stack, sawing the stack to form an inlet face on a side of the stack and an outlet face on an opposed side of the stack, bonding a coupler to the inlet face of the stack, and fastening the stack, having the coupler bonded thereto, within a rectangular housing having an open front which is aligned with the outlet face, the rectangular housing having therein a light generator which is optically aligned with the coupler. The light generator is preferably placed parallel to and proximate with the inlet face, thereby allowing for a reduction in the depth of the housing.

Ultrathin optical panel and a method of making an ultrathin optical panel

DOEpatents

Biscardi, Cyrus; Brewster, Calvin; DeSanto, Leonard; Veligdan, James T.

2003-02-11

An ultrathin optical panel, and a method of producing an ultrathin optical panel, are disclosed, including stacking a plurality of glass sheets, which sheets may be coated with a transparent cladding substance or may be uncoated, fastening together the plurality of stacked coated glass sheets using an epoxy or ultraviolet adhesive, applying uniform pressure to the stack, curing the stack, sawing the stack to form an inlet face on a side of the stack and an outlet face on an opposed side of the stack, bonding a coupler to the inlet face of the stack, and fastening the stack, having the coupler bonded thereto, within a rectangular housing having an open front which is aligned with the outlet face, the rectangular housing having therein a light generator which is optically aligned with the coupler. The light generator is preferably placed parallel to and proximate with the inlet face, thereby allowing for a reduction in the depth of the housing.

Ultrathin optical panel and a method of making an ultrathin optical panel

DOEpatents

Biscardi, Cyrus; Brewster, Calvin; DeSanto, Leonard; Veligdan, James T.

2001-10-09

An ultrathin optical panel, and a method of producing an ultrathin optical panel, are disclosed, including stacking a plurality of glass sheets, which sheets may be coated with a transparent cladding substance or may be uncoated, fastening together the plurality of stacked coated glass sheets using an epoxy or ultraviolet adhesive, applying uniform pressure to the stack, curing the stack, sawing the stack to form an inlet face on a side of the stack and an outlet face on an opposed side of the stack, bonding a coupler to the inlet face of the stack, and fastening the stack, having the coupler bonded thereto, within a rectangular housing having an open front which is aligned with the outlet face, the rectangular housing having therein a light generator which is optically aligned with the coupler. The light generator is preferably placed parallel to and proximate with the inlet face, thereby allowing for a reduction in the depth of the housing.

Ultrathin optical panel and a method of making an ultrathin optical panel

DOEpatents

Biscardi, Cyrus; Brewster, Calvin; DeSanto, Leonard; Veligdan, James T.

2002-01-01

An ultrathin optical panel, and a method of producing an ultrathin optical panel, are disclosed, including stacking a plurality of glass sheets, which sheets may be coated With a transparent cladding substance or may be uncoated, fastening together the plurality of stacked coated glass sheets using an epoxy or ultraviolet adhesive, applying uniform pressure to the stack, curing the stack, sawing the stack to form an inlet face on a side of the stack and an outlet face on an opposed side of the stack, bonding a coupler to the inlet face of the stack, and fastening the stack, having the coupler bonded thereto, within a rectangular housing having an open front which is aligned with the outlet face, the rectangular housing having therein a light generator which is optically aligned with the coupler. The light generator is preferably placed parallel to and proximate with the inlet face, thereby allowing for a reduction in the depth of the housing.

Ag paste-based nanomesh electrodes for large-area touch screen panels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chung, Sung-il; Kyeom Kim, Pan; Ha, Tae-gyu

2017-10-01

This study reports a novel method for fabricating a nickel nanomesh mold using phase shift lithography, suitable for use in large-area touch screen panel applications. Generally, the values of light transmittance and sheet resistance of metal mesh transparent conducting electrode (TCE) films are determined by the ratio of the aperture to metal areas. In this study, taking into consideration the optimal light transmittance, sheet resistance, and pattern visibility issues, the line width of the metal mesh pattern was ~1 µm, and the pitch of the pattern was ~100 µm. In addition, a novel method of manufacturing wiring electrodes using a phase shift lithography process was also developed and evaluated. A TCE film with a size of 370 mm  ×  470 mm was prepared and evaluated for its light transmittance and sheet resistance. In addition, wiring electrodes with a length of 70 mm were fabricated and their line resistances evaluated by varying their line width.

A trial map and GIS class on junior high school with university collaboration in Yokohama, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tabe, Toshimitsu; Ohnishi, Koji

2018-05-01

On the new curriculum of high school in Japan, geography will be compulsory subject in Japan from 2022. The indexes of new high school geography as compulsory subject will be 1. Using of maps and GIS, 2. Understanding of the world and International collaboration: Life and culture, issues of world, 3. Disaster prevention and ESD: natural environment and disaster, and construction of ideal society. The instruction of the GIS will be one of the issues for social studies teachers in the new curriculum. The aim of this study is to make the utilize map and GIS education content through trial class in junior high school. Trial class was done on Tsurugamine junior high school in Yokohama city with university and Yokohama city school board collaboration. In the trial class, the teacher indicated the old and new topographical maps to students and asked them to consider the characteristics of the area and the land use change. Transparent sheets overlaying is useful this activity. Transparent usage indicated the GIS function of overlay. It is good activity for students to understand the function of GIS. After the considering land use changes, they considered the future of their town. The several unused lands are spread in this area. Students present their opinions how to develop them. The important thing to carry out map and GIS class through neighborhood area is preparation of adequate maps. For this preparation, collaboration with university geography stuffs or undergraduate students are effective.

Methods of forming aluminum oxynitride-comprising bodies, including methods of forming a sheet of transparent armor

DOEpatents

Chu, Henry Shiu-Hung [Idaho Falls, ID; Lillo, Thomas Martin [Idaho Falls, ID

2008-12-02

The invention includes methods of forming an aluminum oxynitride-comprising body. For example, a mixture is formed which comprises A:B:C in a respective molar ratio in the range of 9:3.6-6.2:0.1-1.1, where "A" is Al.sub.2O.sub.3, "B" is AlN, and "C" is a total of one or more of B.sub.2O.sub.3, SiO.sub.2, Si--Al--O--N, and TiO.sub.2. The mixture is sintered at a temperature of at least 1,600.degree. C. at a pressure of no greater than 500 psia effective to form an aluminum oxynitride-comprising body which is at least internally transparent and has at least 99% maximum theoretical density.

Drop-casted self-assembling graphene oxide membranes for scanning electron microscopy on wet and dense gaseous samples.

PubMed

Krueger, Mark; Berg, Shannon; Stone, D'Arcy; Strelcov, Evgheni; Dikin, Dmitriy A; Kim, Jaemyung; Cote, Laura J; Huang, Jiaxing; Kolmakov, Andrei

2011-12-27

Graphene oxide sheets dispersed in water and many other solvents can spontaneously assemble into a surface film covering an evaporating droplet due to their amphiphilicity. Thus, graphene oxide membranes with controllable thickness suspended over an orifice have been directly fabricated using a simple drop-cast approach. Mechanical properties and electron transparency tests of these membranes show their use as electron transparent, but molecularly impenetrable, windows for environmental electron microscopy in liquids and dense gaseous media. The foreseeable, broader application of this drop-cast window methodology is the creation of access spots for electron probes to study isolated microsamples in their natural, undisrupted state within the interior of prefabricated devices (such as microfluidic chips or sealed containers of biological, chemically reactive, toxic, or forensic materials).

Organic Light Emitting Diodes with Opal Photonic Crystal Layer and Carbon Nanotube Anode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ovalle Robles, Raquel; Del Rocio Nava, Maria; Williams, Christopher; Zhang, Mei; Fang, Shaoli; Lee, Sergey; Baughman, Ray; Zakhidov, Anvar

2007-03-01

We report electroluminescence intensity and spectral changes in light emission from organic light emitting diode (OLEDs) structures, which have thin transparent films of opal photonic crystal (PC). The anode in such PC-OLED is laminated on opal layer from free standing optically transparent multiwall carbon nanotubes (T-CNT) sheets made by dry spinning from CVD grown forests. Silica and polystyrene opal films were grown on glass substrates by vertical sedimentation in colloids in thermal baths and the particle size of opal spheres ranges from 300 nm to 450 nm. The use of T-CNTs, (coated by PEDOT-PSS to avoid shorting) as hole injector, allows to eliminate the use of vacuum deposition of metals and permits to achieve tunneling hole injection regime from CNT tips into Alq^3 emission layer

Planar silver nanowire, carbon nanotube and PEDOT:PSS nanocomposite transparent electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stapleton, Andrew J.; Yambem, Soniya D.; Johns, Ashley H.; Afre, Rakesh A.; Ellis, Amanda V.; Shapter, Joe G.; Andersson, Gunther G.; Quinton, Jamie S.; Burn, Paul L.; Meredith, Paul; Lewis, David A.

2015-04-01

Highly conductive, transparent and flexible planar electrodes were fabricated using interwoven silver nanowires and single-walled carbon nanotubes (AgNW:SWCNT) in a PEDOT:PSS matrix via an epoxy transfer method from a silicon template. The planar electrodes achieved a sheet resistance of 6.6 ± 0.0 Ω/□ and an average transmission of 86% between 400 and 800 nm. A high figure of merit of 367 Ω-1 is reported for the electrodes, which is much higher than that measured for indium tin oxide and reported for other AgNW composites. The AgNW:SWCNT:PEDOT:PSS electrode was used to fabricate low temperature (annealing free) devices demonstrating their potential to function with a range of organic semiconducting polymer:fullerene bulk heterojunction blend systems.

Effect of Hydrogen Post-Annealing on Transparent Conductive ITO/Ga2O3 Bi-Layer Films for Deep Ultraviolet Light-Emitting Diodes.

PubMed

Kim, Kyeong Heon; Kim, Su Jin; Park, Sang Young; Kim, Tae Geun

2015-10-01

The effect of hydrogen post-annealing on the electrical and optical properties of ITO/Ga2O bi-layer films, deposited by RF magnetron sputtering, is investigated for potential applications to transparent conductive electrodes of ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diodes. Three samples--an as-deposited sample and two samples post-annealed in N2 gas and N2-H2 gas mixture--were prepared and annealed at different temperatures ranging from 100 °C to 500 °C for comparison. Among these samples, the sample annealed at 300 °C in a mixture of N2 and H2 gases shows the lowest sheet resistance of 301.3 Ω/square and a high UV transmittance of 87.1% at 300 nm.

Planar silver nanowire, carbon nanotube and PEDOT:PSS nanocomposite transparent electrodes

PubMed Central

Stapleton, Andrew J; Yambem, Soniya D; Johns, Ashley H; Afre, Rakesh A; Ellis, Amanda V; Shapter, Joe G; Andersson, Gunther G; Quinton, Jamie S; Burn, Paul L; Meredith, Paul

2015-01-01

Highly conductive, transparent and flexible planar electrodes were fabricated using interwoven silver nanowires and single-walled carbon nanotubes (AgNW:SWCNT) in a PEDOT:PSS matrix via an epoxy transfer method from a silicon template. The planar electrodes achieved a sheet resistance of 6.6 ± 0.0 Ω/□ and an average transmission of 86% between 400 and 800 nm. A high figure of merit of 367 Ω−1 is reported for the electrodes, which is much higher than that measured for indium tin oxide and reported for other AgNW composites. The AgNW:SWCNT:PEDOT:PSS electrode was used to fabricate low temperature (annealing free) devices demonstrating their potential to function with a range of organic semiconducting polymer:fullerene bulk heterojunction blend systems. PMID:27877771

Conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo—Tin processing plants, a critical part of the tin supply chain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, Charles

2015-03-24

Post-beneficiation processing plants (generally called smelters and refineries) for 3TG mineral ores and concentrates were identified by company and industry association representatives as being a link in the 3TG mineral supply chain through which these minerals can be traced to their source of origin (mine). The determination of the source of origin is critical to the development of a complete and transparent conflict-free mineral supply chain. Tungsten processing plants were the subject of the first fact sheet in this series published by the USGS NMIC in August 2014. Background information about historical conditions and multinational stakeholders’ voluntary due diligence guidance for minerals from conflict-affected and high-risk areas was presented in the tungsten fact sheet. Tantalum processing plants were the subject of the second fact sheet in this series published by the USGS NMIC in December 2014. This fact sheet, the third in the series about 3TG minerals, focuses on the tin supply chain by listing selected processors that produced tin materials commercially worldwide during 2013–14. It does not provide any information regarding the sources of the material processed in these facilities.

Highly Conductive and Transparent Large-Area Bilayer Graphene Realized by MoCl5 Intercalation.

PubMed

Kinoshita, Hiroki; Jeon, Il; Maruyama, Mina; Kawahara, Kenji; Terao, Yuri; Ding, Dong; Matsumoto, Rika; Matsuo, Yutaka; Okada, Susumu; Ago, Hiroki

2017-11-01

Bilayer graphene (BLG) comprises a 2D nanospace sandwiched by two parallel graphene sheets that can be used to intercalate molecules or ions for attaining novel functionalities. However, intercalation is mostly demonstrated with small, exfoliated graphene flakes. This study demonstrates intercalation of molybdenum chloride (MoCl 5 ) into a large-area, uniform BLG sheet, which is grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). This study reveals that the degree of MoCl 5 intercalation strongly depends on the stacking order of the graphene; twist-stacked graphene shows a much higher degree of intercalation than AB-stacked. Density functional theory calculations suggest that weak interlayer coupling in the twist-stacked graphene contributes to the effective intercalation. By selectively synthesizing twist-rich BLG films through control of the CVD conditions, low sheet resistance (83 Ω ▫ -1 ) is realized after MoCl 5 intercalation, while maintaining high optical transmittance (≈95%). The low sheet resistance state is relatively stable in air for more than three months. Furthermore, the intercalated BLG film is applied to organic solar cells, realizing a high power conversion efficiency. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Student Perceptions of Teaching Transparency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Alecia D.; Hunt, Andrea N.; Powell, Rachel E.; Dollar, Cindy Brooks

2013-01-01

The authors discuss the relationship between teaching transparency and active learning through the perspectives of their students. Active learning directly engages students in the learning process while transparency involves the instructor's divulgence of logic regarding course organization and activity choices. After utilizing these teaching…

Anatomical exploration of a dicephalous goat kid using sheet plastination (E12).

PubMed

Elnady, Fawzy; Sora, Mircea-Constantin

2009-06-01

A dicephalous, 1-day-old, female goat kid was presented for anatomical study. Epoxy plastination slices (E12) were used successfully to explore this condition. They provided excellent anatomic and bone detail, demonstrating organ position, shared structures, and vascular anatomy. Sheet plastination (E12) was used as an optimal method to clarify how the two heads were united, especially the neuroanatomy. The plastinated transparent slices allowed detailed study of the anatomical structures, in a non-collapsed and non-dislocated state. Thus, we anatomically explored this rare condition without traditional dissection. The advantages of plastination extended to the preservation at room temperature of this case for further topographical investigation. To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first published report of plastination of a dicephalous goat.

Experimental investigation on photoelectric properties of ZAO thin film deposited on flexible substrate by magnetron sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, Ming; Liu, Kun; Liu, Xinghua; Wang, Dongyang; Ba, Dechun; Xie, Yuanhua; Du, Guangyu; Ba, Yaoshuai

2016-12-01

Transparent conductive ZAO (Zinc Aluminum Oxide) films on flexible substrates have a great potential for low-cost mass-production solar cells. ZAO thin films were achieved on flexible PET (polyethylene terephthalate) substrates by RF magnetron sputtering technology. The surface morphology and element content, the transmittance and the sheet resistance of the films were measured to determine the optical process parameters. The results show that the ZAO thin film shows the best parameters in terms of photoelectric performance including sputtering power, working pressure, sputtering time, substrate temperature (100 W, 1.5 Pa, 60 min, 125 °C). The sheet resistance of 510 Ω and transmittance in visible region of 92% were obtained after characterization. Surface morphology was uniform and compact with a good crystal grain.

High-refractive index of acrylate embedding resin clarifies mouse brain tissue.

PubMed

Zhou, Hongfu; Xiong, Yumiao; Wang, Yu; Wang, Xiaojun; Li, Pei; Gang, Yadong; Liu, Xiuli; Zeng, Shaoqun

2017-11-01

Biological tissue transparency combined with light-sheet fluorescence microscopy is a useful method for studying the neural structure of biological tissues. The development of light-sheet fluorescence microscopy also promotes progress in biological tissue clearing methods. The current clarifying methods mostly use liquid reagent to denature protein or remove lipids first, to eliminate or reduce the scattering index or refractive index of the biological tissue. However, denaturing protein and removing lipids require complex procedures or an extended time period. Therefore, here we have developed acrylate resin with a high refractive index, which causes clearing of biological tissue directly after polymerization. This method can improve endogenous fluorescence retention by adjusting the pH value of the resin monomer. (2017) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

Transparent ITO/Ag-Pd-Cu/ITO multilayer cathode use in inverted organic solar cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Hyo-Joong; Kim, Han-Ki, E-mail: imdlhkkim@khu.ac.kr; Lee, Hyun Hwi

2015-10-15

The characteristics of transparent ITO/Ag-Pd-Cu (APC)/ITO multilayer cathodes were investigated for use in inverted organic solar cells (IOSCs). The insertion of an APC interlayer into the ITO film effectively led to crystallization of the top ITO layer, unlike that in the Ag interlayer, and resulted in a low sheet resistance of 6.55 Ohm/square and a high optical transmittance of 84.14% without post annealing. In addition, the alloying of the Pd and Cu elements into Ag prevented agglomeration and oxidization of the metal interlayer and led to more stable ITO/APC/ITO films under ambient conditions. The microstructure and interfacial structure of themore » transparent ITO/APC/ITO cathode in the IOSCs were examined in detail by synchrotron X-ray scattering and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, we suggested a possible mechanism to explain the lower PCE of the IOSCs with an ITO/APC/ITO cathode than that of a reference IOSC with a crystalline ITO cathode using the external quantum efficiency of the IOSCs.« less

Direct transfer of wafer-scale graphene films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Maria; Shah, Ali; Li, Changfeng; Mustonen, Petri; Susoma, Jannatul; Manoocheri, Farshid; Riikonen, Juha; Lipsanen, Harri

2017-09-01

Flexible electronics serve as the ubiquitous platform for the next-generation life science, environmental monitoring, display, and energy conversion applications. Outstanding multi-functional mechanical, thermal, electrical, and chemical properties of graphene combined with transparency and flexibility solidifies it as ideal for these applications. Although chemical vapor deposition (CVD) enables cost-effective fabrication of high-quality large-area graphene films, one critical bottleneck is an efficient and reproducible transfer of graphene to flexible substrates. We explore and describe a direct transfer method of 6-inch monolayer CVD graphene onto transparent and flexible substrate based on direct vapor phase deposition of conformal parylene on as-grown graphene/copper (Cu) film. The method is straightforward, scalable, cost-effective and reproducible. The transferred film showed high uniformity, lack of mechanical defects and sheet resistance for doped graphene as low as 18 Ω/sq and 96.5% transparency at 550 nm while withstanding high strain. To underline that the introduced technique is capable of delivering graphene films for next-generation flexible applications we demonstrate a wearable capacitive controller, a heater, and a self-powered triboelectric sensor.

Transparent ITO/Ag-Pd-Cu/ITO multilayer cathode use in inverted organic solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Hyo-Joong; Lee, Hyun Hwi; Kal, Jinha; Hahn, Jungseok; Kim, Han-Ki

2015-10-01

The characteristics of transparent ITO/Ag-Pd-Cu (APC)/ITO multilayer cathodes were investigated for use in inverted organic solar cells (IOSCs). The insertion of an APC interlayer into the ITO film effectively led to crystallization of the top ITO layer, unlike that in the Ag interlayer, and resulted in a low sheet resistance of 6.55 Ohm/square and a high optical transmittance of 84.14% without post annealing. In addition, the alloying of the Pd and Cu elements into Ag prevented agglomeration and oxidization of the metal interlayer and led to more stable ITO/APC/ITO films under ambient conditions. The microstructure and interfacial structure of the transparent ITO/APC/ITO cathode in the IOSCs were examined in detail by synchrotron X-ray scattering and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, we suggested a possible mechanism to explain the lower PCE of the IOSCs with an ITO/APC/ITO cathode than that of a reference IOSC with a crystalline ITO cathode using the external quantum efficiency of the IOSCs.

Effect of purity on the electro-optical properties of single wall nanotube-based transparent conductive electrodes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Garrett, Matthew P; Ivanov, Ilia N; Geohegan, David B

2013-01-01

We present a detailed assessment of centrifugation technique for purification of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) for application as transparent conductive electrodes. As- grown and highly-purified SWCNTs were dispersed in surfactants by ultrasonication, and then centrifuged to selectively remove carbonaceous and metal impurities. The centrifuged supernatant suspensions were made into thin films by transferring filtrated nanotube coat- ings onto glass slides. The absorbance and resistance of nanotube coatings were measured, and their optical purity level estimated from a comparison of the area of the near-infrared S22 SWCNT optical absorption band relative to the area of the background. The single-step centrifugationmore » process is shown to purify laser-vaporization grown SWCNTs from an initial optical purity of 0.10 to an averaged purity of 0.23, with an 8.8% yield, which is comparable to other purification techniques. The quality of transparent conductive electrodes esti- mated as a ratio of visible-spectrum absorbance to sheet conductivity is improved by a fac- tor of 12 upon purification.« less

Solution-processed assembly of ultrathin transparent conductive cellulose nanopaper embedding AgNWs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Yuanyuan; Jiang, Yaoquan; Shi, Liyi; Cao, Shaomei; Feng, Xin; Miao, Miao; Fang, Jianhui

2015-08-01

Natural biomass based cellulose nanopaper is becoming a promising transparent substrate to supersede traditional petroleum based polymer films in realizing future flexible paper-electronics. Here, ultrathin, highly transparent, outstanding conductive hybrid nanopaper with excellent mechanical flexibility was synthesized by the assembly of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) and silver nanowires (AgNWs) using a pressured extrusion paper-making technique. The hybrid nanopaper with a thickness of 4.5 μm has a good combination of transparent conductive performance and mechanical stability using bamboo/hemp NFC and AgNWs cross-linked by hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC). The heterogeneous fibrous structure of BNFC/HNFC/AgNWs endows a uniform distribution and an enhanced forward light scattering, resulting in high electrical conductivity and optical transmittance. The hybrid nanopaper with an optimal weight ratio of BNFC/HNFC to AgNWs shows outstanding synergistic properties with a transmittance of 86.41% at 550 nm and a sheet resistance of 1.90 ohm sq-1, equal to the electronic conductivity, which is about 500 S cm-1. The BNFC/HNFC/AgNW hybrid nanopaper maintains a stable electrical conductivity after the peeling test and bending at 135° for 1000 cycles, indicating remarkably strong adhesion and mechanical flexibility. Of importance here is that the high-performance and low-cost hybrid nanopaper shows promising potential for electronics application in solar cells, flexible displays and other high-technology products.Natural biomass based cellulose nanopaper is becoming a promising transparent substrate to supersede traditional petroleum based polymer films in realizing future flexible paper-electronics. Here, ultrathin, highly transparent, outstanding conductive hybrid nanopaper with excellent mechanical flexibility was synthesized by the assembly of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) and silver nanowires (AgNWs) using a pressured extrusion paper-making technique. The hybrid nanopaper with a thickness of 4.5 μm has a good combination of transparent conductive performance and mechanical stability using bamboo/hemp NFC and AgNWs cross-linked by hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC). The heterogeneous fibrous structure of BNFC/HNFC/AgNWs endows a uniform distribution and an enhanced forward light scattering, resulting in high electrical conductivity and optical transmittance. The hybrid nanopaper with an optimal weight ratio of BNFC/HNFC to AgNWs shows outstanding synergistic properties with a transmittance of 86.41% at 550 nm and a sheet resistance of 1.90 ohm sq-1, equal to the electronic conductivity, which is about 500 S cm-1. The BNFC/HNFC/AgNW hybrid nanopaper maintains a stable electrical conductivity after the peeling test and bending at 135° for 1000 cycles, indicating remarkably strong adhesion and mechanical flexibility. Of importance here is that the high-performance and low-cost hybrid nanopaper shows promising potential for electronics application in solar cells, flexible displays and other high-technology products. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr03218k

Highly transparent and thermal-stable silver nanowire conductive film covered with ZnMgO by atomic-layer-deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Lei; Huang, Dongchen; Li, Min; Xu, Hua; Zou, Jianhua; Tao, Hong; Peng, Junbiao; Xu, Miao

2017-12-01

Solution-processed silver nanowires (AgNWs) have been considered as a promising material for next generation flexible transparent conductive electrodes. However AgNWs films have several intrinsic drawbacks, such as thermal stability and storage stability. Herein, we demonstrate a laminated ZnO/MgO (ZnMgO, ZMO) as a protective layer on the AgNWs films using atomic layer deposition (ALD). The fabricated films exhibited a low sheet resistance of 16 Ω/sq with high transmittance of 91% at 550 nm, an excellent thermal stability and bending property. The ZMO film grows perpendicularly on the surface of the AgNWs, making a perfect coverage of bulk silver nanowires and junction, which can effectively prompt the electrical transport behavior and enhance stability of the silver nanowires network.

Conference on Aerospace Transparent Materials and Enclosures Held in San Diego, California on 9-13 August 1993. Volume 1.

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-03-01

existing baseline aircraft requirements which were modified based on updated threat Information, lessons learned, and composite mission profiles. Composite ...BIRD IMPACT RESISTANT COMPOSITE WINDSHIELD FRAME DEVELOPMENT S. Hargis, SM-ALCITIEC McClellan Air Force Base 0. J. Stenger University of Dayton 190 T... composite windshield frame with an arch consisting of Slaminated S-2 glass fabric and stainless steel sheets in an epoxy matrix has -. been successfully

The new normal. Avoiding financial risk and boosting transparency and governance are all emphasized in the wake of September 2008's meltdown.

PubMed

Evans, Melanie; Galloro, Vince

2009-09-21

A year after the financial sector's meltdown, hospitals are still adjusting to the economic landscape. Where once they overlooked potential balance sheet stress from debt portfolios and the riskiness of their investments, they now obsess about risk and how to minimize it. "Systems are spending a lot more time on this than they were a year ago," says Kerry Rudy, of Ziegler Capital Markets.

International Conference on Optical Computing Held in Edinburgh, Scotland on August 22-25, 1994. Technical Digest

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-08-24

Kusuda, T. Kishimoto and Y. Mitsuhashi, Nippon Sheet Glass Co. Ltd., lbaraki, Japan. A vertical and horizontal integration technique of free-space...transparent electrode on a piece of cover glass drives the liquid crystal into the desired state. Data are transferred to the SLM over 32 parallel...shows that the shift registers and clock generation circuits function as designed. A cover- glass was fixed over the pixel array, spaced with polyimide

Transparent Conducting Graphene Hybrid Films To Improve Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) Shielding Performance of Graphene.

PubMed

Ma, Limin; Lu, Zhengang; Tan, Jiubin; Liu, Jian; Ding, Xuemei; Black, Nicola; Li, Tianyi; Gallop, John; Hao, Ling

2017-10-04

Conducting graphene-based hybrids have attracted considerable attention in recent years for their scientific and technological significance in many applications. In this work, conductive graphene hybrid films, consisting of a metallic network fully encapsulated between monolayer graphene and quartz-glass substrate, were fabricated and characterized for their electromagnetic interference shielding capabilities. Experimental results show that by integration with a metallic network the sheet resistance of graphene was significantly suppressed from 813.27 to 5.53 Ω/sq with an optical transmittance at 91%. Consequently, the microwave shielding effectiveness (SE) exceeded 23.60 dB at the K u -band and 13.48 dB at the K a -band. The maximum SE value was 28.91 dB at 12 GHz. Compared with the SE of pristine monolayer graphene (3.46 dB), the SE of graphene hybrid film was enhanced by 25.45 dB (99.7% energy attenuation). At 94% optical transmittance, the sheet resistance was 20.67 Ω/sq and the maximum SE value was 20.86 dB at 12 GHz. Our results show that hybrid graphene films incorporate both high conductivity and superior electromagnetic shielding comparable to existing ITO shielding modalities. The combination of high conductivity and shielding along with the materials' earth-abundant nature, and facile large-scale fabrication, make these graphene hybrid films highly attractive for transparent EMI shielding.

Graphene-Based Functional Architectures: Sheets Regulation and Macrostructure Construction toward Actuators and Power Generators.

PubMed

Cheng, Huhu; Huang, Yaxin; Shi, Gaoquan; Jiang, Lan; Qu, Liangti

2017-07-18

Graphene, with large delocalized π electron cloud on a two-dimensional (2D) atom-thin plane, possesses excellent carrier mobility, large surface area, high light transparency, high mechanical strength, and superior flexibility. However, the lack of intrinsic band gap, poor dispersibility, and weak reactivity of graphene hinder its application scope. Heteroatom-doping regulation and surface modification of graphene can effectively reconstruct the sp 2 bonded carbon atoms and tailor the surface chemistry and interfacial interaction, while microstructure mediation on graphene can induce the special chemical and physical properties because of the quantum confinement, edge effect, and unusual mass transport process. Based on these regulations on graphene, series of methods and techniques are developed to couple the promising characters of graphene into the macroscopic architectures for potential and practical applications. In this Account, we present our effort on graphene regulation from chemical modification to microstructure control, from the morphology-designed macroassemblies to their applications in functional systems excluding the energy-storage devices. We first introduce the chemically regulative graphene with incorporated heteroatoms into the honeycomb lattice, which could open the intrinsic band gap and provide many active sites. Then the surface modification of graphene with functional components will improve dispersibility, prevent aggregation, and introduce new functions. On the other hand, microstructure mediation on graphene sheets (e.g., 0D quantum dots, 1D nanoribbons, and 2D nanomeshes) is demonstrated to induce special chemical and physical properties. Benefiting from the effective regulation on graphene sheets, diverse methods including dimension-confined strategy, filtration assembly, and hydrothermal treatment have been developed to assemble individual graphene sheets to macroscopic graphene fibers, films, and frameworks. These rationally regulated graphene sheets and well-constructed assemblies present promising applications in energy-conversion materials and device systems focusing on actuators that can convert different energy forms (e.g., electric, chemical, photonic, thermal, etc.) to mechanical actuation and electrical generators that can directly transform environmental energy to electric power. These results reveal that graphene sheets with surface chemistry and microstructure regulations as well as their rationally designed assemblies provide a promising and abundant platform for development of diverse functional devices. We hope that this Account will promote further efforts toward fundamental research on graphene regulation and the wide applications of advanced designed assemblies in new types of energy-conversion materials/devices and beyond.

Development and evaluation of adsorption sheet (HD safe sheet-U) using active carbon for the purpose of the preventing the contamination diffusion of urinary excreted anticancer drug.

PubMed

Sato, Junya; Ohkubo, Haruka; Sasaki, Yuki; Yokoi, Makoto; Hotta, Yasunori; Kudo, Kenzo

2017-01-01

Certain amount of anticancer drugs is excreted in the urine of patients receiving anticancer drugs, and urinary scattering including anticancer drugs at excretion has become a route of anticancer drug contamination. Therefore, we developed an active carbon sheet (HD safe sheet-U) that prevented diffusion by adsorbing anticancer drugs including that excreted in urine. The present study conducted a performance evaluation of this sheet. The adsorption performance of active carbon to anticancer drug in the urine was evaluated by determining concentration changes in the active carbon suspension (5 mg/mL) of 14 kinds of anticancer drugs (cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, carboplatin, cisplatin, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil, cytarabine, gemcitabine, doxorubicin, epirubicin, paclitaxel, docetaxel, etoposide, and irinotecan) diluted with artificial urine. Adhesion of the anticancer drug dropping on the sheet to a slipper sole was evaluated because urine including anticancer drugs is scattered on the floor, which can spread by adhering to shoe soles of patients and healthcare workers. The performance of the active carbon sheet was compared with two other types of medical adsorption sheets used as control sheets. Anticancer drugs diluted with artificial urine (1 mL) were dropped on the active carbon sheet and the two control sheets. The sheets were trod with slippers made by polyvinyl chloride. The adhered anticancer drug was wiped off and its quantity was determined. A remarkable decrease in anticancer drug concentrations, except for cisplatin, was detected by mixture of active carbon in the artificial urine (0-79.6%). The quantity of anticancer drug adhesion to slipper soles from the active carbon sheet was significantly lower compared with that observed for the two control sheets for eight kinds of anticancer drugs (cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, carboplatin, methotrexate, cytarabine, gemcitabine, doxorubicin, and docetaxel). There was no adhesion in cyclophosphamide and docetaxel. Furthermore, the quantities of adhesion in cytarabine, gemcitabine, doxorubicin, paclitaxel, and irinotecan were lower than determination limit. Active carbon might be effective in adsorbing urinary anticancer drugs. The active carbon sheet adsorbed urinary excreted anticancer drugs, and use of such sheets might prevent diffusion of contamination due to urinary excreted anticancer drugs.

Multi-layered fabrication of large area PDMS flexible optical light guide sheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, Robert; Knopf, George K.; Bordatchev, Evgueni V.

2017-02-01

Large area polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) flexible optical light guide sheets can be used to create a variety of passive light harvesting and illumination systems for wearable technology, advanced indoor lighting, non-planar solar light collectors, customized signature lighting, and enhanced safety illumination for motorized vehicles. These thin optically transparent micro-patterned polymer sheets can be draped over a flat or arbitrarily curved surface. The light guiding behavior of the optical light guides depends on the geometry and spatial distribution of micro-optical structures, thickness and shape of the flexible sheet, refractive indices of the constituent layers, and the wavelength of the incident light. A scalable fabrication method that combines soft-lithography, closed thin cavity molding, partial curing, and centrifugal casting is described in this paper for building thin large area multi-layered PDMS optical light guide sheets. The proposed fabrication methodology enables the of internal micro-optical structures (MOSs) in the monolithic PDMS light guide by building the optical system layer-by-layer. Each PDMS layer in the optical light guide can have the similar, or a slightly different, indices of refraction that permit total internal reflection within the optical sheet. The individual molded layers may also be defect free or micro-patterned with microlens or reflecting micro-features. In addition, the bond between adjacent layers is ensured because each layer is only partially cured before the next functional layer is added. To illustrate the scalable build-by-layers fabrication method a three-layer mechanically flexible illuminator with an embedded LED strip is constructed and demonstrated.

Conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo: global tantalum processing plants, a critical part of the tantalum supply chain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Papp, John F.

2014-01-01

Post-beneficiation processing plants (generally called smelters and refineries) for 3TG mineral ores and concentrates were identified by company and industry association representatives as being the link in the 3TG mineral supply chain through which these minerals can be traced to their source of origin (mine). The determination of the source of origin is critical to the development of a complete and transparent conflict-free mineral supply chain. Tungsten processing plants were the subject of the first fact sheet in this series published by USGS NMIC in August 2014. Background information about historical conditions and multinational stakeholders’ voluntary due diligence guidance for minerals from conflict-affected and high-risk areas is presented in the tungsten fact sheet. This fact sheet, the second in a series about 3TG minerals, focuses on the tantalum supply chain by listing selected processors that produced tantalum materials commercially worldwide during 2013–14. It does not provide any information regarding the sources of material processed in these facilities.

Unraveling the physics of vertical organic field effect transistors through nanoscale engineering of a self-assembled transparent electrode.

PubMed

Ben-Sasson, Ariel J; Tessler, Nir

2012-09-12

While organic transistors' performances are continually pushed to achieve lower power consumption, higher working frequencies, and higher current densities, a new type of organic transistors characterized by a vertical architecture offers a radically different design approach to outperform its traditional counterparts. Naturally, the distinct vertical architecture gives way to different governing physical ground rules and structural key features such as the need for an embedded transparent electrode. In this paper, we make use of a zero-frequency electric field-transparent patterned electrode produced through block-copolymer self-assembly based lithography to control the performances of the vertical organic field effect transistor (VOFET) and to study its governing physical mechanisms. Unlike other VOFET structures, this design, involving well-defined electrode architecture, is fully tractable, allowing for detailed modeling, analysis, and optimization. We provide for the first time a complete account of the physics underpinning the VOFET operation, considering two complementary mechanisms: the virtual contact formation (Schottky barrier lowering) and the induced potential barrier (solid-state triode-like shielding). We demonstrate how each mechanism, separately, accounts for the link between controllable nanoscale structural modifications in the patterned electrode and the VOFET performances. For example, the ON/OFF current ratio increases by up to 2 orders of magnitude when the perforations aspect ratio (height/width) decreases from ∼0.2 to ∼0.1. The patterned electrode is demonstrated to be not only penetrable to zero-frequency electric fields but also transparent in the visible spectrum, featuring uniformity, spike-free structure, material diversity, amenability with flexible surfaces, low sheet resistance (20-2000 Ω sq(-1)) and high transparency (60-90%). The excellent layer transparency of the patterned electrode and the VOFET's exceptional electrical performances make them both promising elements for future transparent and/or efficient organic electronics.

Anion-exchange membranes derived from quaternized polysulfone and exfoliated layered double hydroxide for fuel cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Wan; Liang, Na; Peng, Pai

2017-02-15

Layered double hydroxides (LDH) are prepared by controlling urea assisted homogeneous precipitation conditions. Morphology and crystallinity of LDHs are confirmed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope. After LDHs are incorporated into quaternized polysulfone membranes, transmission electron microscope is used to observe the exfoliated morphology of LDH sheets in the membranes. The properties of the nanocomposite membranes, including water uptake, swelling ratio, mechanical property and ionic conductivity are investigated. The nanocomposite membrane containing 5% LDH sheets shows more balanced performances, exhibiting an ionic conductivity of 2.36×10{sup −2} S cm{sup −1} at 60 °C. - Graphical abstract: Anion-exchange membrane based onmore » quaternized polysulfone and exfoliated layered double hydroxide is optically transparent and has good ionic properties.« less

Graphene-Based Transparent Electrodes for Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Rawashdeh, Nathir A. F.; Albiss, Borhan A.; Yousef, Mo'ath H. I.

2018-02-01

Several Zinc Oxide (ZnO) photo-anodes were prepared with different morphologies. For each morphology, two composites containing graphene oxide (GO) were prepared. ZnO sheet-flowers attained the highest efficiency among control samples, owing to the light diffraction that may be caused by such morphology. On the other hand, ZnO rods achieved lower performance than ZnO sheet-flowers, but higher than ZnO flowers, due to their porosity and structure, which may scatter light effectively. The effect of including GO in the photoanode matrix was studied and the results demonstrate a significant increase in short circuit current density (JSC). The addition of GO suggested an overall positive effect on cell performance, where samples of ZnO rods and Flowers had the most significant increase in their performance, due to the inhibition of charge recombination by GO.

CARETS: A prototype regional environmental information system. Volume 5: Interpretation, compilation and field verification procedures in the CARETS project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexander, R. H. (Principal Investigator); Deforth, P. W.; Fitzpatrick, K. A.; Lins, H. F., Jr.; Mcginty, H. K., III

1975-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Level 2 land use mapping from high altitude aircraft photography at a scale of 1:100,000 required production of a photomosaic mapping base for each of the 48, 50 x 50 km sheets, and the interpretation and coding of land use polygons on drafting film overlays. To enhance the value of the land use sheets, a series of overlays was compiled, showing cultural features, county boundaries and census tracts, surface geology, and drainage basins. In producing level 1 land use maps from LANDSAT imagery, at a scale of 1:250,000 drafting film was directly overlaid on LANDSAT color composite transparencies. Numerous areas of change were identified, but extensive areas of false changes were also noted.

Lateral dimension-dependent antibacterial activity of graphene oxide sheets.

PubMed

Liu, Shaobin; Hu, Ming; Zeng, Tingying Helen; Wu, Ran; Jiang, Rongrong; Wei, Jun; Wang, Liang; Kong, Jing; Chen, Yuan

2012-08-21

Graphene oxide (GO) is a promising precursor to produce graphene-family nanomaterials for various applications. Their potential health and environmental impacts need a good understanding of their cellular interactions. Many factors may influence their biological interactions with cells, and the lateral dimension of GO sheets is one of the most relevant material properties. In this study, a model bacterium, Escherichia coli ( E. coli ), was used to evaluate the antibacterial activity of well-dispersed GO sheets, whose lateral size differs by more than 100 times. Our results show that the antibacterial activity of GO sheets toward E. coli cells is lateral size dependent. Larger GO sheets show stronger antibacterial activity than do smaller ones, and they have different time- and concentration-dependent antibacterial activities. Large GO sheets lead to most cell loss after 1 h incubation, and their concentration strongly influences antibacterial activity at relative low concentration (<10 μg/mL). In contrast, when incubating with small GO sheets up to 4 h, the inactivation rate of E. coli cells continues increasing. The increase of small GO sheet concentration also results in persistent increases in their antibacterial activity. In this study, GO sheets with different lateral sizes are all well dispersed, and their oxidation capacity toward glutathione is similar, consistent with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy results. This suggests the lateral size-dependent antibacterial activity of GO sheets is caused by neither their aggregation states, nor oxidation capacity. Atomic force microscope analysis of GO sheets and cells shows that GO sheets interact strongly with cells. Large GO sheets more easily cover cells, and cells cannot proliferate once fully covered, resulting in the cell viability loss observed in the followed colony counting test. In contrast, small GO sheets adhere to the bacterial surfaces, which cannot effectively isolate cells from environment. This study highlights the importance of tailoring the lateral dimension of GO sheets to optimize the application potential with minimal risks for environmental health and safety.

Solution-processed assembly of ultrathin transparent conductive cellulose nanopaper embedding AgNWs.

PubMed

Song, Yuanyuan; Jiang, Yaoquan; Shi, Liyi; Cao, Shaomei; Feng, Xin; Miao, Miao; Fang, Jianhui

2015-08-28

Natural biomass based cellulose nanopaper is becoming a promising transparent substrate to supersede traditional petroleum based polymer films in realizing future flexible paper-electronics. Here, ultrathin, highly transparent, outstanding conductive hybrid nanopaper with excellent mechanical flexibility was synthesized by the assembly of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) and silver nanowires (AgNWs) using a pressured extrusion paper-making technique. The hybrid nanopaper with a thickness of 4.5 μm has a good combination of transparent conductive performance and mechanical stability using bamboo/hemp NFC and AgNWs cross-linked by hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC). The heterogeneous fibrous structure of BNFC/HNFC/AgNWs endows a uniform distribution and an enhanced forward light scattering, resulting in high electrical conductivity and optical transmittance. The hybrid nanopaper with an optimal weight ratio of BNFC/HNFC to AgNWs shows outstanding synergistic properties with a transmittance of 86.41% at 550 nm and a sheet resistance of 1.90 ohm sq(-1), equal to the electronic conductivity, which is about 500 S cm(-1). The BNFC/HNFC/AgNW hybrid nanopaper maintains a stable electrical conductivity after the peeling test and bending at 135° for 1000 cycles, indicating remarkably strong adhesion and mechanical flexibility. Of importance here is that the high-performance and low-cost hybrid nanopaper shows promising potential for electronics application in solar cells, flexible displays and other high-technology products.

One material, multiple functions: graphene/Ni(OH)2 thin films applied in batteries, electrochromism and sensors

PubMed Central

Neiva, Eduardo G. C.; Oliveira, Marcela M.; Bergamini, Márcio F.; Marcolino, Luiz H.; Zarbin, Aldo J. G.

2016-01-01

Different nanocomposites between reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and Ni(OH)2 nanoparticles were synthesized through modifications in the polyol method (starting from graphene oxide (GO) dispersion in ethylene glycol and nickel acetate), processed as thin films through the liquid-liquid interfacial route, homogeneously deposited over transparent electrodes and spectroscopically, microscopically and electrochemically characterized. The thin and transparent nanocomposite films (112 to 513 nm thickness, 62.6 to 19.9% transmittance at 550 nm) consist of α-Ni(OH)2 nanoparticles (mean diameter of 4.9 nm) homogeneously decorating the rGO sheets. As a control sample, neat Ni(OH)2 was prepared in the same way, consisting of porous nanoparticles with diameter ranging from 30 to 80 nm. The nanocomposite thin films present multifunctionality and they were applied as electrodes to alkaline batteries, as electrochromic material and as active component to electrochemical sensor to glycerol. In all the cases the nanocomposite films presented better performances when compared to the neat Ni(OH)2 nanoparticles, showing energy and power of 43.7 W h kg−1 and 4.8 kW kg−1 (8.24 A g−1) respectively, electrochromic efficiency reaching 70 cm2 C−1 and limit of detection as low as 15.4 ± 1.2 μmol L−1. PMID:27654065

Transparency in a Pediatric Quality Improvement Collaborative: A Passionate Journey by NPC-QIC Clinicians and Parents.

PubMed

Lihn, Stacey L; Kugler, John D; Peterson, Laura E; Lannon, Carole M; Pickles, Diane; Beekman, Robert H

2015-01-01

Transparency-sharing data or information about outcomes, processes, protocols, and practices-may be the most powerful driver of health care improvement. In this special article, the development and growth of transparency within the National Pediatric Cardiology Quality Improvement Collaborative is described. The National Pediatric Cardiology Quality Improvement Collaborative transparency journey is guided by equal numbers of clinicians and parents of children with congenital heart disease working together in a Transparency Work Group. Activities are organized around four interrelated levels of transparency (individual, organizational, collaborative, and system), each with a specified purpose and aim. A number of Transparency Work Group recommendations have been operationalized. Aggregate collaborative performance is now reported on the public-facing web site. Specific information that the Transparency Work Group recommends centers provide to parents has been developed and published. Almost half of National Pediatric Cardiology Quality Improvement Collaborative centers participated in a pilot of transparently sharing their outcomes achieved with one another. Individual centers have also begun successfully implementing recommended transparency activities. Despite progress, barriers to full transparency persist, including health care organization concerns about potential negative effects of disclosure on reputation and finances, and lack of reliable definitions, data, and reporting standards for fair comparisons of centers. The National Pediatric Cardiology Quality Improvement Collaborative's transparency efforts have been a journey that continues, not a single goal or destination. Balanced participation of clinicians and parents has been a critical element of the collaborative's success on this issue. Plans are in place to guide implementation of additional transparency recommendations across all four levels, including extension of the activities beyond the collaborative to support transparency efforts in national cardiology and cardiac surgery societies. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Deposition of the low resistive ITO-films by means of reactive magnetron sputtering of the In/Sn target on the cold substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhidik, Y. S.; Troyan, P. E.; Baturina, E. V.; Korzhenko, D. V.; Yurjev, Y. N.

2016-06-01

Detailed information on the deposition technology of the low-resistive ITO-films in oxygen-containing media by magnetron reactive sputtering from the In(90%)/Sn(10%) target on the cold substrate is given. Developed technology allows deposition ITO-films with sheet resistance 2-3 Ω/□, transparency higher than 90%. Developed technology is notable for high reproducibility of results and is compatible with production technology of semiconductor devices of optoelectronics.

Diazo Printing of ERTS Color Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcmurtry, G. J.; Petersen, G. W. (Principal Investigator); Kowalik, W. S.

1975-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. ERTS-1 color composites were made with the help of a Diazo developer and printer. Five single channel, density standards were established, using typical ERTS images, in order to determine exposure time. These standards were used to develop a graph from which the exposure time for any transparency can be estimated. Exposure times varied from 3 to 30 minutes, and clear colored polyester sheets from two manufactures were used with slightly different, but equally successful, results.

Large-area graphene films by simple solution casting of edge-selectively functionalized graphite.

PubMed

Bae, Seo-Yoon; Jeon, In-Yup; Yang, Jieun; Park, Noejung; Shin, Hyeon Suk; Park, Sungjin; Ruoff, Rodney S; Dai, Liming; Baek, Jong-Beom

2011-06-28

We report edge-selective functionalization of graphite (EFG) for the production of large-area uniform graphene films by simply solution-casting EFG dispersions in dichloromethane on silicon oxide substrates, followed by annealing. The resultant graphene films show ambipolar transport properties with sheet resistances of 0.52-3.11 kΩ/sq at 63-90% optical transmittance. EFG allows solution processing methods for the scalable production of electrically conductive, optically transparent, and mechanically robust flexible graphene films for use in practice.

Fabrication of flexible indium tin oxide-free polymer solar cells with silver nanowire transparent electrode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Ming-Yi; Chen, Tsun-Jui; Xu, Wei-Feng; Hsiao, Li-Jen; Budiawan, Widhya; Tu, Wei-Chen; Chen, Shih-Lun; Chu, Chih-Wei; Wei, Pei-Kuen

2018-03-01

Flexible indium tin oxide (ITO)-free poly(3-hexylthiophene):[6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PC61BM) solar cells with a spin-coated silver nanowire transparent electrode are demonstrated. The solution-processed silver nanowire thin film not only exhibits high transmission (∼87%), but also shows low sheet resistance R s (∼25 Ω/sq). For solar cells with a conventional structure, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of devices based on silver nanowires can reach around 2.29%. For the inverted structure, the PCE of devices can reach 3.39%. Conventional and inverted flexible ITO-based P3HT:PC61BM solar cells are also fabricated as a reference for comparison. For both types of solar cells, the PCE of ITO-free devices is very close that of an ITO-based polymer solar cell.

Self-assembled Ag nanoparticle network passivated by a nano-sized ZnO layer for transparent and flexible film heaters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Seo, Ki-Won; Kim, Han-Ki, E-mail: imdlhkkim@khu.ac.kr; Kim, Min-Yi

2015-12-15

We investigated a self-assembled Ag nanoparticle network electrode passivated by a nano-sized ZnO layer for use in high-performance transparent and flexible film heaters (TFFHs). The low temperature atomic layer deposition of a nano-sized ZnO layer effectively filled the uncovered area of Ag network and improved the current spreading in the self-assembled Ag network without a change in the sheet resistance and optical transmittance as well as mechanical flexibility. The time-temperature profiles and heat distribution analysis demonstrate that the performance of the TFTH with the ZnO/Ag network is superior to that of a TFFH with Ag nanowire electrodes. In addition, themore » TFTHs with ZnO/Ag network exhibited better stability than the TFFH with a bare Ag network due to the effective current spreading through the nano-sized ZnO layer.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dewani, Aliya A., E-mail: a.ashraf@griffith.edu.au; O’Keefe, Steven G.; Thiel, David V.

A novel 2D simple low cost frequency selective surface was screen printed on thin (0.21 mm), flexible transparent plastic substrate (relative permittivity 3.2). It was designed, fabricated and tested in the frequency range 10-20 GHz. The plane wave transmission and reflection coefficients agreed with numerical modelling. The effective permittivity and thickness of the backing sheet has a significant effect on the frequency characteristics. The stop band frequency reduced from 15GHz (no backing) to 12.5GHz with polycarbonate. The plastic substrate thickness beyond 1.8mm has minimal effect on the resonant frequency. While the inner element spacing controls the stop-band frequency, the substratemore » thickness controls the bandwidth. The screen printing technique provided a simple, low cost FSS fabrication method to produce flexible, conformal, optically transparent and bio-degradable FSS structures which can find their use in electromagnetic shielding and filtering applications in radomes, reflector antennas, beam splitters and polarizers.« less

Properties of SnO2 thin films deposited by chemical spray pyrolysis using different precursor solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdul-Hamead, Alaa A.

2018-05-01

In this article single and double nozzle (SN, DN) chemical spray pyrolysis techniques(CSP) proved that tin dioxide SnO2 thin film can be fabricated with different structures. SnO2 prepared from three different salts of tin with a concentration of 0.05 M, with thicknesses were about 0.2 ±0.02 µm. Microstructures inspections were achieved on films, beside optical transparency addition to the contact angle CA. The results show that films have tetragonal crystalline with different micro-structures, from sheet to rod and flower-like aggregates, by the variation of the used salts by DN more than SN, also the value of the CA of the prepared films varies with different structures, reaching its highest value for flower-like aggregates of about 130°. Finally, the optical transparency was different corresponding to the disparity in surfaces roughness and topography.

Biopatterning of Silk Proteins for Soft Micro-optics.

PubMed

Pal, Ramendra K; Kurland, Nicholas E; Wang, Congzhou; Kundu, Subhas C; Yadavalli, Vamsi K

2015-04-29

Silk proteins from spiders and silkworms have been proposed as outstanding candidates for soft micro-optic and photonic applications because of their optical transparency, unique biological properties, and mechanical robustness. Here, we present a method to form microstructures of the two constituent silk proteins, fibroin and sericin for use as an optical biomaterial. Using photolithography, chemically modified silk protein photoresists are patterned in 2D arrays of periodic patterns and Fresnel zone plates. Angle-dependent iridescent colors are produced in these periodic micropatterns because of the Bragg diffraction. Silk protein photolithography can used to form patterns on different substrates including flexible sheets with features of any shape with high fidelity and resolution over large areas. Finally, we show that these mechanically stable and transparent iridescent architectures are also completely biodegradable. This versatile and scalable technique can therefore be used to develop biocompatible, soft micro-optic devices that can be degraded in a controlled manner.

Transparent, flexible surface enhanced Raman scattering substrates based on Ag-coated structured PET (polyethylene terephthalate) for in-situ detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuo, Zewen; Zhu, Kai; Gu, Chuan; Wen, Yibing; Cui, Guanglei; Qu, Jun

2016-08-01

Transparent, flexible surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates were fabricated by metalization of structured polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheets. The resultant Ag-coated structured PET SERS substrates were revealed to be highly sensitive with good reproducibility and stability, an enhancement factor of 3 × 106 was acquired, which can be attributed mainly to the presence of plentiful multiple-type hot spots within the quasi-three-dimensional surface of the structured PET obtained by oxygen plasma etching. In addition, detections of model molecules on fruit skin were also carried out, demonstrating the great potential of the Ag-coated structured PET in in-situ detection of analyte on irregular objects. Importantly, the technique used for the preparation of such substrate is completely compatible with well-established silicon device technologies, and large-area fabrication with low cost can be readily realized.

A Building Brick Principle to Create Transparent Composite Films with Multicolor Emission and Self-Healing Function.

PubMed

Xiong, Yuan; Zhu, Minshen; Wang, Zhenguang; Schneider, Julian; Huang, He; Kershaw, Stephen V; Zhi, Chunyi; Rogach, Andrey L

2018-05-01

A cellulose paper is used impregnated with light-emitting CdTe nanocrystals and carbon dots, and filled with a polyurethane to fabricate uniform transparent composite films with bright photoluminescence of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) (RGB) colors. A building brick-like assembly method is introduced to realize RGB multicolor emission patterns from this composite material. By sectioning out individual pixels from monochrome-emissive composite sheets, the advantage of the self-healing properties of polyurethane is taken to arrange and weld them into a RGB patterned fabric by brief exposure to ethanol. This provides an approach to form single layer RGB light-emitting pixels, such as potentially required in the display applications, without the use of any lithographic or etching processing. The method can utilize a wide range of different solution-based kinds of light-emitting materials. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Fully solution-processed, transparent organic power-generating polarizer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chou, Wei-Yu; Hsu, Fang-Chi; Chen, Yang-Fang

2017-03-01

We fabricate transparent organic power-generating polarizer by all solution process. Based on the conventional indium-tin-oxide-coated glass as the bottom cathode, the subsequent layers are prepared by a combination of solution processing methods. Sprayed silver nanowires film serves as the top anode and can transmit greater than 80% of the visible light with sheet resistance of 16 Ω/□. By adopting the quasi-bilayer structure for the photoactive layer composed of rubbed polymer donors to produce anisotropic optical property underneath fullerene acceptors, the finished device demonstrates a power conversion efficiency of 1.36% with unpolarized light, a dichroic ratio of 3.2, and a high short circuit current ratio of 2.6 with polarized light. Our proposed fabrication procedures of devices take into account not only the cost-effective production, but also the flexibility of devices for applying in flexible, scalable circuits to advance the development of future technology.

Nanostructured p-type semiconducting transparent oxides: promising materials for nano-active devices and the emerging field of "transparent nanoelectronics".

PubMed

Banerjee, Arghya; Chattopadhyay, Kalyan K

2008-01-01

Transparent conducting oxides (TCO) with p-type semiconductivity have recently gained renewed interest for the fabrication of all-oxide transparent junctions, having potential applications in the emerging field of 'Transparent' or 'Invisible Electronics'. This kind of transparent junctions can be used as a "functional" window, which will transmit visible portion of solar radiation, but generates electricity by the absorption of the UV part. Therefore, these devices can be used as UV shield as well as UV cells. In this report, a brief review on the research activities on various p-TCO materials is furnished along-with the fabrication of different transparent p-n homojunction, heterojunction and field-effect transistors. Also the reason behind the difficulties in obtaining p-TCO materials and possible solutions are discussed in details. Considerable attention is given in describing the various patent generations on the field of p-TCO materials as well as transparent p-n junction diodes and light emitting devices. Also, most importantly, a detailed review and patenting activities on the nanocrystalline p-TCO materials and transparent nano-active device fabrication are furnished with considerable attention. And finally, a systematic description on the fabrication and characterization of nanocrystalline, p-type transparent conducting CuAlO(2) thin film, deposited by cost-effective low-temperature DC sputtering technique, by our group, is furnished in details. These p-TCO micro/nano-materials have wide range of applications in the field of optoelectronics, nanoelectronics, space sciences, field-emission displays, thermoelectric converters and sensing devices.

High Transparent and Conductive TiO2/Ag/TiO2 Multilayer Electrode Films Deposited on Sapphire Substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loka, Chadrasekhar; Moon, Sung Whan; Choi, YiSik; Lee, Kee-Sun

2018-03-01

Transparent conducting oxides attract intense interests due to its diverse industrial applications. In this study, we report sapphire substrate-based TiO2/Ag/TiO2 (TAT) multilayer structure of indium-free transparent conductive multilayer coatings. The TAT thin films were deposited at room temperature on sapphire substrates and a rigorous analysis has been presented on the electrical and optical properties of the films as a function of Ag thickness. The optical and electrical properties were mainly controlled by the Ag mid-layer thickness of the TAT tri-layer. The TAT films showed high luminous transmittance 84% at 550 nm along with noteworthy low electrical resistance 3.65 × 10-5 Ω-cm and sheet resistance of 3.77 Ω/square, which is better are than those of amorphous ITO films and any sapphire-based dielectric/metal/dielectric multilayer stack. The carrier concentration of the films was increased with respect to Ag thickness. We obtained highest Hackke's figure of merit 43.97 × 10-3 Ω-1 from the TAT multilayer thin film with a 16 nm thick Ag mid-layer.

Template-assisted growth of transparent plasmonic nanowire electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caterina Giordano, Maria; Repetto, Diego; Mennucci, Carlo; Carrara, Angelica; Buatier de Mongeot, Francesco

2016-12-01

Self-organized nanowire arrays are confined by glancing-angle Au deposition on nanopatterned glass templates prepared by ion beam sputtering. The semi-transparent 1D nanowire arrays are extended over large cm2 areas and are endowed with excellent electrical conductivity competitive with the best transparent conductive oxides (sheet resistance in the range of 5-20 Ohm sq-1). In addition, the nanowires support localized surface plasmon (LSP) resonances, which are easily tunable into the visible and near infrared spectrum and are selectively excited with incident light polarized perpendicularly to the wires. Such substrates, thus, behave as multifunctional nanoelectrodes, which combine good optoelectronic performance with dichroic plasmonic excitation. The electrical percolation process of the Au nanoelectrodes was monitored in situ during growth at glancing angle, both on flat and nanopatterned glass templates. In the first case, we observed a universal scaling of the differential percolation rate, independently of the glancing deposition angle, while deviations from the universal scaling were observed when Au was confined on nanopatterned templates. In the latter case, the pronounced shadowing effect promotes the growth of locally connected 1D Au nanosticks on the ‘illuminated’ ripple ridges, thus, introducing strong anisotropies with respect to the case of a 2D percolating network.

Embedded Ag/Ni Metal-Mesh with Low Surface Roughness As Transparent Conductive Electrode for Optoelectronic Applications.

PubMed

Chen, Xiaolian; Guo, Wenrui; Xie, Liming; Wei, Changting; Zhuang, Jinyong; Su, Wenming; Cui, Zheng

2017-10-25

Metal-mesh is one of the contenders to replace indium tin oxide (ITO) as transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) for optoelectronic applications. However, considerable surface roughness accompanying metal-mesh type of transparent electrodes has been the root cause of electrical short-circuiting for optoelectronic devices, such as organic light-emitting diode (OLED) and organic photovoltaic (OPV). In this work, a novel approach to making metal-mesh TCE has been proposed that is based on hybrid printing of silver (Ag) nanoparticle ink and electroplating of nickel (Ni). By polishing back the electroplated Ni, an extremely smooth surface was achieved. The fabricated Ag/Ni metal-mesh TCE has a surface roughness of 0.17 nm, a low sheet resistance of 2.1 Ω/□, and a high transmittance of 88.6%. The figure of merit is 1450, which is 30 times better than ITO. In addition, the Ag/Ni metal-mesh TCE shows outstanding mechanical flexibility and environmental stability at high temperature and humidity. Using the polished Ag/Ni metal-mesh TCE, a flexible quantum dot light-emitting diode (QLED) was fabricated with an efficiency of 10.4 cd/A and 3.2 lm/W at 1000 cd/m 2 .

Novel transparent high-performance AgNWs/ZnO electrodes prepared on unconventional substrates with 3D structured surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lan, Wei; Yang, Zhiwei; Zhang, Yue; Wei, Yupeng; Wang, Pengxiang; Abas, Asim; Tang, Guomei; Zhang, Xuetao; Wang, Junya; Xie, Erqing

2018-03-01

With the development of optoelectronic devices with three-dimensional (3D) structured surfaces, transparent electrodes that can be deposited on non-plane substrates have become increasingly important. In this paper, novel transparent silver nanowire (AgNWs)/ZnO film electrodes were uniformly prepared on treated 3D glass and PET substrates with a combination of spin-coating and heat-welding. The AgNWs/ZnO films show a transmittance of ∼88% and a sheet resistance of ∼10 Ω/sq. They are comparable with commercial ITO films. Furthermore, only a small in-plane resistance variation of ∼1 Ω/sq was measured using four-point probe mapping in films with a 10 cm × 10 cm area. These results confirm that these novel film electrodes are very uniform. Both electrical resistance and optical transmittance of the films remain mostly intact after 1000 bending cycles and tape peeling-tests with 10 cycles. The films show high thermal stability for more than one month at 80 °C. The strategy provides a new route for the design and fabrication of optoelectronic devices with 3D structured surfaces.

Capillary Printing of Highly Aligned Silver Nanowire Transparent Electrodes for High-Performance Optoelectronic Devices.

PubMed

Kang, Saewon; Kim, Taehyo; Cho, Seungse; Lee, Youngoh; Choe, Ayoung; Walker, Bright; Ko, Seo-Jin; Kim, Jin Young; Ko, Hyunhyub

2015-12-09

Percolation networks of silver nanowires (AgNWs) are commonly used as transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) for a variety of optoelectronic applications, but there have been no attempts to precisely control the percolation networks of AgNWs that critically affect the performances of TCEs. Here, we introduce a capillary printing technique to precisely control the NW alignment and the percolation behavior of AgNW networks. Notably, partially aligned AgNW networks exhibit a greatly lower percolation threshold, which leads to the substantial improvement of optical transmittance (96.7%) at a similar sheet resistance (19.5 Ω sq(-1)) as compared to random AgNW networks (92.9%, 20 Ω sq(-1)). Polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs) using aligned AgNW electrodes show a 30% enhanced maximum luminance (33068 cd m(-2)) compared to that with random AgNWs and a high luminance efficiency (14.25 cd A(-1)), which is the highest value reported so far using indium-free transparent electrodes for fluorescent PLEDs. In addition, polymer solar cells (PSCs) using aligned AgNW electrodes exhibit a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.57%, the highest value ever reported to date for PSCs using AgNW electrodes.

Facile Synthesis of Ultralong and Thin Copper Nanowires and Its Application to High-Performance Flexible Transparent Conductive Electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yaxiong; Liu, Ping; Zeng, Baoqing; Liu, Liming; Yang, Jianjun

2018-03-01

A hydrothermal method for synthesizing ultralong and thin copper nanowires (CuNWs) with average diameter of 35 nm and average length of 100 μm is demonstrated in this paper. The concerning raw materials include copric (II) chloride dihydrate (CuCl2·2H2O), octadecylamine (ODA), and ascorbic acid, which are all very cheap and nontoxic. The effect of different reaction time and different molar ratios to the reaction products were researched. The CuNWs prepared by the hydrothermal method were applied to fabricate CuNW transparent conductive electrode (TCE), which exhibited excellent conductivity-transmittance performance with low sheet resistance of 26.23 Ω /\\square and high transparency at 550 nm of 89.06% (excluding Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate). The electrode fabrication process was carried out at room temperature, and there was no need for post-treatment. In order to decrease roughness and protect CuNW TCEs against being oxidized, we fabricated CuNW/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) hybrid TCEs (HTCEs) using PMMA solution. The CuNW/PMMA HTCEs exhibited low surface roughness and chemical stability as compared with CuNW TCEs.

Ultra-high aspect ratio copper nanowires as transparent conductive electrodes for dye sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Zhaozhao; Mankowski, Trent; Shikoh, Ali Sehpar; Touati, Farid; Benammar, Mohieddine A.; Mansuripur, Masud; Falco, Charles M.

2016-09-01

We report the synthesis of ultra-high aspect ratio copper nanowires (CuNW) and fabrication of CuNW-based transparent conductive electrodes (TCE) with high optical transmittance (>80%) and excellent sheet resistance (Rs <30 Ω/sq). These CuNW TCEs are subsequently hybridized with aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin-film coatings, or platinum thin film coatings, or nickel thin-film coatings. Our hybrid transparent electrodes can replace indium tin oxide (ITO) films in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) as either anodes or cathodes. We highlight the challenges of integrating bare CuNWs into DSSCs, and demonstrate that hybridization renders the solar cell integrations feasible. The CuNW/AZO-based DSSCs have reasonably good open-circuit voltage (Voc = 720 mV) and short-circuit current-density (Jsc = 0.96 mA/cm2), which are comparable to what is obtained with an ITO-based DSSC fabricated with a similar process. Our CuNW-Ni based DSSCs exhibit a good open-circuit voltage (Voc = 782 mV) and a decent short-circuit current (Jsc = 3.96 mA/cm2), with roughly 1.5% optical-to-electrical conversion efficiency.

The Joule heating problem in silver nanowire transparent electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khaligh, H. H.; Xu, L.; Khosropour, A.; Madeira, A.; Romano, M.; Pradére, C.; Tréguer-Delapierre, M.; Servant, L.; Pope, M. A.; Goldthorpe, I. A.

2017-10-01

Silver nanowire transparent electrodes have shown considerable potential to replace conventional transparent conductive materials. However, in this report we show that Joule heating is a unique and serious problem with these electrodes. When conducting current densities encountered in organic solar cells, the average surface temperature of indium tin oxide (ITO) and silver nanowire electrodes, both with sheet resistances of 60 ohms/square, remains below 35 °C. However, in contrast to ITO, the temperature in the nanowire electrode is very non-uniform, with some localized points reaching temperatures above 250 °C. These hotspots accelerate nanowire degradation, leading to electrode failure after 5 days of continuous current flow. We show that graphene, a commonly used passivation layer for these electrodes, slows nanowire degradation and creates a more uniform surface temperature under current flow. However, the graphene does not prevent Joule heating in the nanowires and local points of high temperature ultimately shift the failure mechanism from nanowire degradation to melting of the underlying plastic substrate. In this paper, surface temperature mapping, lifetime testing under current flow, post-mortem analysis, and modelling illuminate the behaviour and failure mechanisms of nanowires under extended current flow and provide guidelines for managing Joule heating.

Bilayered Oxide thin films for transparent electrode application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, Titas; Narayan, Jagdish

2008-10-01

Ga doped ZnO films with electrical and optical properties comparable to indium tin oxide (ITO) is a promising candidate for transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) because of its superior stability in hydrogen environment, benign nature and relatively inexpensive supply. However, ZnO based TCO films suffer from low work function, which is a critical parameter for device applications. We report here the growth of a novel bilayered structure consisting of very thin (few monolayers) ITO, MoOx layer on Zn0.95Ga0.05O film for transparent electrode applications by using pulsed laser deposition technique at different temperatures and oxygen partial pressure. The characteristics of the ITO film and the heterostructure have been investigated in detail using XRD, TEM, XPS, and electrical and optical property measurements. It is envisaged that the overall transmittance and the resistivity are dictated by the thicker layer of ZnGa0.05O beneath the ITO layer. Hence, this study is aimed to improve the surface characteristics without affecting the overall transmittance and sheet resistance. This will enhance the transport of the carriers across the heterojunction in the device, thus, resulting in the increase in device efficiency.

ERP Evidence for the Activation of Syntactic Structure During Comprehension of Lexical Idiom.

PubMed

Zhang, Meichao; Lu, Aitao; Song, Pingfang

2017-10-01

The present study used event-related potentials to investigate whether the syntactic structure was activated in the comprehension of lexical idioms, and if so, whether it varied as a function of familiarity and semantic transparency. Participants were asked to passively read the "1+2" structural Chinese lexical idioms with each being presented following 3-5 contextual "1+2" (congruent-structure condition) or "2+1" structural Chinese phrases (incongruent-structure condition). The N400 ERP responses showed more positivity in congruent-structure condition relative to incongruent-structure condition in idioms with high familiarity and high semantic transparency, but less positivity in congruent-structure condition in idioms with high familiarity but low semantic transparency, idioms with low familiarity but high semantic transparency, and idioms with low familiarity and low semantic transparency. Our results suggest that syntactic structure, as the unnecessarity of lexical idiomatic words, was nevertheless activated, independent of familiarity and semantic transparency.

Active control and switching of broadband electromagnetically induced transparency in symmetric metadevices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yahiaoui, Riad; Manjappa, Manukumara; Srivastava, Yogesh Kumar; Singh, Ranjan

2017-07-01

Electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) arises from coupling between the bright and dark mode resonances that typically involve subwavelength structures with broken symmetry, which results in an extremely sharp transparency band. Here, we demonstrate a tunable broadband EIT effect in a symmetry preserved metamaterial structure at the terahertz frequencies. Alongside, we also envisage a photo-active EIT effect in a hybrid metal-semiconductor metamaterial, where the transparency window can be dynamically switched by shining near-infrared light beam. A robust coupled oscillator model explains the coupling mechanism in the proposed design, which shows a good agreement with the observed results on tunable broadband transparency effect. Such active, switchable, and broadband metadevices could have applications in delay bandwidth management, terahertz filtering, and slow light effects.

Carbon nanotube charge collectors for nanoimprinted hybrid perovskite photovoltaics (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakhidov, Anvar A.; Haroldson, Ross; Saranin, Danila; Martinez, Patricia; Ishteev, Artur

2017-06-01

The hybrid (organo-inorganic) lead-halide perovskites revolutionized the field of solar cell research due to the impressive power conversion efficiencies of up to 21% recently reported in perovskite based solar cells. This talk will present first the general concepts of excitonic photovoltaics, as compared to conventional Si-type solar cells, asking a question: is hybrid perovskite PV an excitonic solar cell or not? Do we need excitons dissociation at D-A interfaces or CNT charge collectors? Then I will show our recent experimental results on the fast spectroscopy of excitons, magnetic field effect on generation of correlated (e-h) pairs. Also will discuss our Hall effect results, that allows to evaluate intrinsic charge carrier transport and direct measurements of mobility in these materials performed for the first time in steady-state dc transport regime. From these measurements, we have obtained the electron-hole recombination coefficient, the carrier diffusion length and lifetime. Our main results include the intrinsic Hall carrier mobility reaching up to 60 cm2V-1s-1 in perovskite single crystals, carrier lifetimes of up to 3 ms (surprisingly too long!), and carrier diffusion lengths as long as 650 μm (huge if compared to organic and even best inorganic materials). Our results also demonstrate that photocarrier recombination in these disordered solution-processed perovskites is as weak as in the best (high-purity single crystals) of conventional direct-band inorganic semiconductors. Moreover, as we show in our experiment, carrier trapping in perovskites is also strongly suppressed, which accounts for such long carrier lifetimes and diffusion lengths, significantly longer than similar parameters in the best inorganic semiconductors, such e.g. as GaAs. All these remarkable transport properties of hybrid perovskites need to be understood from fundamental physics point of view. Looks like we need some new concepts to explain the mysterious properties of "protected" hybrid perovskites. We suggest that some of this unusual properties can be attributed to a special type of "dipole rotational polaron" formed in their lattice due to interactions of charge with methyl-ammonium organic dipoles, each of 2.3 Debye. Examples of perovskite solar cell with transparent CNT charge collectors will demonstrated the 3 D charge collection in the monolithic tandems of perovskite PV with other dissimilar materials PVs, such as OPV and inorganic PV. We describe the pioneering methods to create highly transparent CNT sheets by dry lamination from vertically alligned CVD forests of MWCNTs. Transparency can be further increased by converting CNT aerogels into locally collapsed meshs with micron scale oppenings by spraying Ag nanowires, which lowers sheet resistance to values of Rsh< 40 ohm/sq. such AgNW@CNT transparent sheets are ideal interlayers in three terminal tandems of perovskite PV with polymeric OPV and/or inorganic solar cells. We show that nanoimprinting can further improve the performance of perovskite photodetectors and optoelectronic devices

Effects of wink glass on blink rate, nibut and ocular surface symptoms during visual display unit use.

PubMed

Ang, Cheah Kiok; Mohidin, Norhani; Chung, Kah Meng

2014-09-01

Wink glass (WG), an invention to stimulate blinking at interval of 5 s was designed to reduce dry eye symptoms during visual display unit (VDU) use. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of WG on visual functions that include blink rate, ocular surface symptoms (OSS) and tear stability during VDU use. A total of 26 young and asymptomatic subjects were instructed to read articles in Malay language with a computer for 20 min with WG whereby their blink rate, pre- and post-task tear break-up time, and OSS were recorded. The results were compared to another reading session of the subjects wearing a transparent plastic sheet as a control. Non-invasive tear break-up time was reduced after reading session with transparent plastic sheet (pre-task = 5.97 s, post-task = 5.14 s, z = -2.426, p = 0.015, Wilcoxon), but remained stable (pre-task = 5.62 s, post-task = 5.35 s, z = -0.67, p = 0.501) during the reading session with WG. The blink rate recorded during reading session with plastic sheet was 9 blinks/min (median) and this increased to 15 blinks/min (z = -3.315, p = 0.001) with WG. The reading task caused OSS (maximum scores = 20) with median score of 1 (0-8) reduced to median score of 0 (0-3) after wearing WG (z = -2.417, p = 0.016). WG was found to increase post-task tear stability, increased blinking rate and reduced OSS during video display unit use among young and healthy adults. Although it may be considered as an option to improve dry eye symptoms among VDU users, further studies are warranted to establish its stability and its effect on subjects with dry eyes.

Peptide Integrated Optics.

PubMed

Handelman, Amir; Lapshina, Nadezda; Apter, Boris; Rosenman, Gil

2018-02-01

Bio-nanophotonics is a wide field in which advanced optical materials, biomedicine, fundamental optics, and nanotechnology are combined and result in the development of biomedical optical chips. Silk fibers or synthetic bioabsorbable polymers are the main light-guiding components. In this work, an advanced concept of integrated bio-optics is proposed, which is based on bioinspired peptide optical materials exhibiting wide optical transparency, nonlinear and electrooptical properties, and effective passive and active waveguiding. Developed new technology combining bottom-up controlled deposition of peptide planar wafers of a large area and top-down focus ion beam lithography provides direct fabrication of peptide optical integrated circuits. Finding a deep modification of peptide optical properties by reconformation of biological secondary structure from native phase to β-sheet architecture is followed by the appearance of visible fluorescence and unexpected transition from a native passive optical waveguiding to an active one. Original biocompatibility, switchable regimes of waveguiding, and multifunctional nonlinear optical properties make these new peptide planar optical materials attractive for application in emerging technology of lab-on-biochips, combining biomedical photonic and electronic circuits toward medical diagnosis, light-activated therapy, and health monitoring. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A three-dimensional metal grid mesh as a practical alternative to ITO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Sungwoo; Jung, Woo-Bin; Kim, Choelgyu; Won, Phillip; Lee, Sang-Gil; Cho, Kyeong Min; Jin, Ming Liang; An, Cheng Jin; Jeon, Hwan-Jin; Ko, Seung Hwan; Kim, Taek-Soo; Jung, Hee-Tae

2016-07-01

The development of a practical alternative to indium tin oxide (ITO) is one of the most important issues in flexible optoelectronics. In spite of recent progress in this field, existing approaches to prepare transparent electrodes do not satisfy all of their essential requirements. Here, we present a new substrate-embedded tall (~350 nm) and thin (~30 nm) three-dimensional (3D) metal grid mesh structure with a large area, which is prepared via secondary sputtering. This structure satisfies most of the essential requirements of transparent electrodes for practical applications in future opto-electronics: excellent optoelectronic performance (a sheet resistance of 9.8 Ω □-1 with a transmittance of 85.2%), high stretchability (no significant change in resistance for applied strains <15%), a sub-micrometer mesh period, a flat surface (a root mean square roughness of approximately 5 nm), no haze (approximately 0.5%), and strong adhesion to polymer substrates (it survives attempted detachment with 3M Scotch tape). Such outstanding properties are attributed to the unique substrate-embedded 3D structure of the electrode, which can be obtained with a high aspect ratio and in high resolution over large areas with a simple process. As a demonstration of its suitability for practical applications, our transparent electrode was successfully tested in a flexible touch screen panel. We believe that our approach opens up new practical applications in wearable electronics.The development of a practical alternative to indium tin oxide (ITO) is one of the most important issues in flexible optoelectronics. In spite of recent progress in this field, existing approaches to prepare transparent electrodes do not satisfy all of their essential requirements. Here, we present a new substrate-embedded tall (~350 nm) and thin (~30 nm) three-dimensional (3D) metal grid mesh structure with a large area, which is prepared via secondary sputtering. This structure satisfies most of the essential requirements of transparent electrodes for practical applications in future opto-electronics: excellent optoelectronic performance (a sheet resistance of 9.8 Ω □-1 with a transmittance of 85.2%), high stretchability (no significant change in resistance for applied strains <15%), a sub-micrometer mesh period, a flat surface (a root mean square roughness of approximately 5 nm), no haze (approximately 0.5%), and strong adhesion to polymer substrates (it survives attempted detachment with 3M Scotch tape). Such outstanding properties are attributed to the unique substrate-embedded 3D structure of the electrode, which can be obtained with a high aspect ratio and in high resolution over large areas with a simple process. As a demonstration of its suitability for practical applications, our transparent electrode was successfully tested in a flexible touch screen panel. We believe that our approach opens up new practical applications in wearable electronics. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr03060b

Vertical pillar-superlattice array and graphene hybrid light emitting diodes.

PubMed

Lee, Jung Min; Choung, Jae Woong; Yi, Jaeseok; Lee, Dong Hyun; Samal, Monica; Yi, Dong Kee; Lee, Chul-Ho; Yi, Gyu-Chul; Paik, Ungyu; Rogers, John A; Park, Won Il

2010-08-11

We report a type of device that combines vertical arrays of one-dimensional (1D) pillar-superlattice (PSL) structures with 2D graphene sheets to yield a class of light emitting diode (LED) with interesting mechanical, optical, and electrical characteristics. In this application, graphene sheets coated with very thin metal layers exhibit good mechanical and electrical properties and an ability to mount, in a freely suspended configuration, on the PSL arrays as a top window electrode. Optical characterization demonstrates that graphene exhibits excellent optical transparency even after deposition of the thin metal films. Thermal annealing of the graphene/metal (Gr/M) contact to the GaAs decreases the contact resistance, to provide enhanced carrier injection. The resulting PSL-Gr/M LEDs exhibit bright light emission over large areas. The result suggests the utility of graphene-based materials as electrodes in devices with unusual, nonplanar 3D architectures.

Stable doping of carbon nanotubes via molecular self assembly

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, B.; Chen, Y.; Podzorov, V., E-mail: podzorov@physics.rutgers.edu

2014-10-14

We report a novel method for stable doping of carbon nanotubes (CNT) based on methods of molecular self assembly. A conformal growth of a self-assembled monolayer of fluoroalkyl trichloro-silane (FTS) at CNT surfaces results in a strong increase of the sheet conductivity of CNT electrodes by 60–300%, depending on the CNT chirality and composition. The charge carrier mobility of undoped partially aligned CNT films was independently estimated in a field-effect transistor geometry (~100 cm²V⁻¹s⁻¹). The hole density induced by the FTS monolayer in CNT sheets is estimated to be ~1.8 ×10¹⁴cm⁻². We also show that FTS doping of CNT anodesmore » greatly improves the performance of organic solar cells. This large and stable doping effect, easily achieved in large-area samples, makes this approach very attractive for applications of CNTs in transparent and flexible electronics.« less

Transparent Information Systems through Gateways, Front Ends, Intermediaries, and Interfaces.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Martha E.

1986-01-01

Provides overview of design requirements for transparent information retrieval (implies that user sees through complexity of retrieval activities sequence). Highlights include need for transparent systems; history of transparent retrieval research; information retrieval functions (automated converters, routers, selectors, evaluators/analyzers);…

Implementation of transmission NIR as a PAT tool for monitoring drug transformation during HME processing.

PubMed

Islam, Muhammad T; Scoutaris, Nikolaos; Maniruzzaman, Mohammed; Moradiya, Hiren G; Halsey, Sheelagh A; Bradley, Michael S A; Chowdhry, Babur Z; Snowden, Martin J; Douroumis, Dennis

2015-10-01

The aim of the work reported herein was to implement process analytical technology (PAT) tools during hot melt extrusion (HME) in order to obtain a better understanding of the relationship between HME processing parameters and the extruded formulations. For the first time two in-line NIR probes (transmission and reflectance) have been coupled with HME to monitor the extrusion of the water insoluble drug indomethacin (IND) in the presence of Soluplus (SOL) or Kollidon VA64 hydrophilic polymers. In-line extrusion monitoring of sheets, produced via a specially designed die, was conducted at various drug/polymer ratios and processing parameters. Characterisation of the extruded transparent sheets was also undertaken by using DSC, XRPD and Raman mapping. Analysis of the experimental findings revealed the production of molecular solutions where IND is homogeneously blended (ascertained by Raman mapping) in the polymer matrices, as it acts as a plasticizer for both hydrophilic polymers. PCA analysis of the recorded NIR signals showed that the screw speed used in HME affects the recorded spectra but not the homogeneity of the embedded drug in the polymer sheets. The IND/VA64 and IND/SOL extruded sheets displayed rapid dissolution rates with 80% and 30% of the IND being released, respectively within the first 20min. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of length dispersity and film fabrication on the sheet resistance of copper nanowire transparent conductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borchert, James W.; Stewart, Ian E.; Ye, Shengrong; Rathmell, Aaron R.; Wiley, Benjamin J.; Winey, Karen I.

2015-08-01

Development of thin-film transparent conductors (TC) based on percolating networks of metal nanowires has leaped forward in recent years, owing to the improvement of nanowire synthetic methods and modeling efforts by several research groups. While silver nanowires are the first commercially viable iteration of this technology, systems based on copper nanowires are not far behind. Here we present an analysis of TCs composed of copper nanowire networks on sheets of polyethylene terephthalate that have been treated with various oxide-removing post treatments to improve conductivity. A pseudo-2D rod network modeling approach has been modified to include lognormal distributions in length that more closely reflect experimental data collected from the nanowire TCs. In our analysis, we find that the copper nanowire TCs are capable of achieving comparable electrical performance to silver nanowire TCs with similar dimensions. Lastly, we present a method for more accurately determining the nanowire area coverage in a TC over a large area using Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) to directly measure the metal content in the TCs. These developments will aid research and industry groups alike in the characterization of nanowire based TCs.Development of thin-film transparent conductors (TC) based on percolating networks of metal nanowires has leaped forward in recent years, owing to the improvement of nanowire synthetic methods and modeling efforts by several research groups. While silver nanowires are the first commercially viable iteration of this technology, systems based on copper nanowires are not far behind. Here we present an analysis of TCs composed of copper nanowire networks on sheets of polyethylene terephthalate that have been treated with various oxide-removing post treatments to improve conductivity. A pseudo-2D rod network modeling approach has been modified to include lognormal distributions in length that more closely reflect experimental data collected from the nanowire TCs. In our analysis, we find that the copper nanowire TCs are capable of achieving comparable electrical performance to silver nanowire TCs with similar dimensions. Lastly, we present a method for more accurately determining the nanowire area coverage in a TC over a large area using Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) to directly measure the metal content in the TCs. These developments will aid research and industry groups alike in the characterization of nanowire based TCs. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Contains calibration curve for %T vs. area fraction. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr03671b

Fabrication of fully transparent nanowire transistors for transparent and flexible electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ju, Sanghyun; Facchetti, Antonio; Xuan, Yi; Liu, Jun; Ishikawa, Fumiaki; Ye, Peide; Zhou, Chongwu; Marks, Tobin J.; Janes, David B.

2007-06-01

The development of optically transparent and mechanically flexible electronic circuitry is an essential step in the effort to develop next-generation display technologies, including `see-through' and conformable products. Nanowire transistors (NWTs) are of particular interest for future display devices because of their high carrier mobilities compared with bulk or thin-film transistors made from the same materials, the prospect of processing at low temperatures compatible with plastic substrates, as well as their optical transparency and inherent mechanical flexibility. Here we report fully transparent In2O3 and ZnO NWTs fabricated on both glass and flexible plastic substrates, exhibiting high-performance n-type transistor characteristics with ~82% optical transparency. These NWTs should be attractive as pixel-switching and driving transistors in active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) displays. The transparency of the entire pixel area should significantly enhance aperture ratio efficiency in active-matrix arrays and thus substantially decrease power consumption.

Fabrication of fully transparent nanowire transistors for transparent and flexible electronics.

PubMed

Ju, Sanghyun; Facchetti, Antonio; Xuan, Yi; Liu, Jun; Ishikawa, Fumiaki; Ye, Peide; Zhou, Chongwu; Marks, Tobin J; Janes, David B

2007-06-01

The development of optically transparent and mechanically flexible electronic circuitry is an essential step in the effort to develop next-generation display technologies, including 'see-through' and conformable products. Nanowire transistors (NWTs) are of particular interest for future display devices because of their high carrier mobilities compared with bulk or thin-film transistors made from the same materials, the prospect of processing at low temperatures compatible with plastic substrates, as well as their optical transparency and inherent mechanical flexibility. Here we report fully transparent In(2)O(3) and ZnO NWTs fabricated on both glass and flexible plastic substrates, exhibiting high-performance n-type transistor characteristics with approximately 82% optical transparency. These NWTs should be attractive as pixel-switching and driving transistors in active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) displays. The transparency of the entire pixel area should significantly enhance aperture ratio efficiency in active-matrix arrays and thus substantially decrease power consumption.

Photochemical Hydrogen Doping Induced Embedded Two-Dimensional Metallic Channel Formation in InGaZnO at Room Temperature.

PubMed

Kim, Myeong-Ho; Lee, Young-Ahn; Kim, Jinseo; Park, Jucheol; Ahn, Seungbae; Jeon, Ki-Joon; Kim, Jeong Won; Choi, Duck-Kyun; Seo, Hyungtak

2015-10-27

The photochemical tunability of the charge-transport mechanism in metal-oxide semiconductors is of great interest since it may offer a facile but effective semiconductor-to-metal transition, which results from photochemically modified electronic structures for various oxide-based device applications. This might provide a feasible hydrogen (H)-radical doping to realize the effectively H-doped metal oxides, which has not been achieved by thermal and ion-implantation technique in a reliable and controllable way. In this study, we report a photochemical conversion of InGaZnO (IGZO) semiconductor to a transparent conductor via hydrogen doping to the local nanocrystallites formed at the IGZO/glass interface at room temperature. In contrast to thermal or ionic hydrogen doping, ultraviolet exposure of the IGZO surface promotes a photochemical reaction with H radical incorporation to surface metal-OH layer formation and bulk H-doping which acts as a tunable and stable highly doped n-type doping channel and turns IGZO to a transparent conductor. This results in the total conversion of carrier conduction property to the level of metallic conduction with sheet resistance of ∼16 Ω/□, room temperature Hall mobility of 11.8 cm(2) V(-1) sec(-1), the carrier concentration at ∼10(20) cm(-3) without any loss of optical transparency. We demonstrated successful applications of photochemically highly n-doped metal oxide via optical dose control to transparent conductor with excellent chemical and optical doping stability.

Lateral assembly of oxidized graphene flakes into large-scale transparent conductive thin films with a three-dimensional surfactant 4-sulfocalix[4]arene

PubMed Central

Sundramoorthy, Ashok K.; Wang, Yilei; Wang, Jing; Che, Jianfei; Thong, Ya Xuan; Lu, Albert Chee W.; Chan-Park, Mary B.

2015-01-01

Graphene is a promising candidate material for transparent conductive films because of its excellent conductivity and one-carbon-atom thickness. Graphene oxide flakes prepared by Hummers method are typically several microns in size and must be pieced together in order to create macroscopic films. We report a macro-scale thin film fabrication method which employs a three-dimensional (3-D) surfactant, 4-sulfocalix[4]arene (SCX), as a lateral aggregating agent. After electrochemical exfoliation, the partially oxidized graphene (oGr) flakes are dispersed with SCX. The SCX forms micelles, which adsorb on the oGr flakes to enhance their dispersion, also promote aggregation into large-scale thin films under vacuum filtration. A thin oGr/SCX film can be shaved off from the aggregated oGr/SCX cake by immersing the cake in water. The oGr/SCX thin-film floating on the water can be subsequently lifted from the water surface with a substrate. The reduced oGr (red-oGr) films can be as thin as 10−20 nm with a transparency of >90% and sheet resistance of 890 ± 47 kΩ/sq. This method of electrochemical exfoliation followed by SCX-assisted suspension and hydrazine reduction, avoids using large amounts of strong acid (unlike Hummers method), is relatively simple and can easily form a large scale conductive and transparent film from oGr/SCX suspension. PMID:26040436

Time Management: A Lesson Plan, Transparencies, Handouts and Media Evaluations on the Topic.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Clifton P.

Intended for use in a 3-hour instructional program at the graduate level, the packet contains an outline of the instructional content, 9 transparencies, 12 handouts, and 7 supplementary materials. The outline is organized in terms of content, instructor activity (such as showing a transparency), and student activity. Instruction covers the…

Microfabrication of through holes in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) sheets using a laser plasma EUV source (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makimura, Tetsuya; Urai, Hikari; Niino, Hiroyuki

2017-03-01

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is a material used for cell culture substrates / bio-chips and micro total analysis systems / lab-on-chips due to its flexibility, chemical / thermo-dynamic stability, bio-compatibility, transparency and moldability. For further development, it is inevitable to develop a technique to fabricate precise three dimensional structures on micrometer-scale at high aspect ratio. In the previous works, we reported a technique for high-quality micromachining of PDMS without chemical modification, by means of photo direct machining using laser plasma EUV sources. In the present work, we have investigated fabrication of through holes. The EUV radiations around 10 nm were generated by irradiation of Ta targets with Nd:YAG laser light (10 ns, 500 mJ/pulse). The generated EUV radiations were focused using an ellipsoidal mirror. It has a narrower incident angle than those in the previous works in order to form a EUV beam with higher directivity, so that higher aspect structures can be fabricated. The focused EUV beam was incident on PDMS sheets with a thickness of 15 micrometers, through holes in a contact mask placed on top of them. Using a contact mask with holes with a diameter of three micrometers, complete through holes with a diameter of two micrometers are fabricated in the PDMS sheet. Using a contact mask with two micrometer holes, however, ablation holes almost reaches to the back side of the PDMS sheet. The fabricated structures can be explained in terms of geometrical optics. Thus, we have developed a technique for micromachining of PDMS sheets at high aspect ratios.

Transparent active matrix organic light-emitting diode displays driven by nanowire transistor circuitry.

PubMed

Ju, Sanghyun; Li, Jianfeng; Liu, Jun; Chen, Po-Chiang; Ha, Young-Geun; Ishikawa, Fumiaki; Chang, Hsiaokang; Zhou, Chongwu; Facchetti, Antonio; Janes, David B; Marks, Tobin J

2008-04-01

Optically transparent, mechanically flexible displays are attractive for next-generation visual technologies and portable electronics. In principle, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) satisfy key requirements for this application-transparency, lightweight, flexibility, and low-temperature fabrication. However, to realize transparent, flexible active-matrix OLED (AMOLED) displays requires suitable thin-film transistor (TFT) drive electronics. Nanowire transistors (NWTs) are ideal candidates for this role due to their outstanding electrical characteristics, potential for compact size, fast switching, low-temperature fabrication, and transparency. Here we report the first demonstration of AMOLED displays driven exclusively by NW electronics and show that such displays can be optically transparent. The displays use pixel dimensions suitable for hand-held applications, exhibit 300 cd/m2 brightness, and are fabricated at temperatures suitable for integration on plastic substrates.

High-Throughput Light Sheet Microscopy for the Automated Live Imaging of Larval Zebrafish

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, Ryan; Logan, Savannah; Dudley, Christopher; Parthasarathy, Raghuveer

The zebrafish is a model organism with a variety of useful properties; it is small and optically transparent, it reproduces quickly, it is a vertebrate, and there are a large variety of transgenic animals available. Because of these properties, the zebrafish is well suited to study using a variety of optical technologies including light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM), which provides high-resolution three-dimensional imaging over large fields of view. Research progress, however, is often not limited by optical techniques but instead by the number of samples one can examine over the course of an experiment, which in the case of light sheet imaging has so far been severely limited. Here we present an integrated fluidic circuit and microscope which provides rapid, automated imaging of zebrafish using several imaging modes, including LSFM, Hyperspectral Imaging, and Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy. Using this system, we show that we can increase our imaging throughput by a factor of 10 compared to previous techniques. We also show preliminary results visualizing zebrafish immune response, which is sensitive to gut microbiota composition, and which shows a strong variability between individuals that highlights the utility of high throughput imaging. National Science Foundation, Award No. DBI-1427957.

Conductive nanomaterials for printed electronics.

PubMed

Kamyshny, Alexander; Magdassi, Shlomo

2014-09-10

This is a review on recent developments in the field of conductive nanomaterials and their application in printed electronics, with particular emphasis on inkjet printing of ink formulations based on metal nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, and graphene sheets. The review describes the basic properties of conductive nanomaterials suitable for printed electronics (metal nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, and graphene), their stabilization in dispersions, formulations of conductive inks, and obtaining conductive patterns by using various sintering methods. Applications of conductive nanomaterials for electronic devices (transparent electrodes, metallization of solar cells, RFID antennas, TFTs, and light emitting devices) are also briefly reviewed.

Note: a simple experimental arrangement to generate optical vortex beams.

PubMed

Kumar, Dhirendra; Das, Abhijit; Boruah, Bosanta R

2013-02-01

In this Note, we present a simple experimental arrangement to generate optical vortex beams. We have demonstrated how by taking print of an interferogram on a transparent sheet, vortex beams with various topological charges can be generated. Experimental results show that the vortex beam indeed carries the topological charge that is used to compute the interferograms. In addition to being simple and inexpensive, one major advantage of the arrangement is that it makes it possible to generate different vortex beams quickly, unlike using the photographic process to create the holograms.

Target Acquisition: Human Observer Performance Studies and TARGAC Model Validation

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-06-01

complete Scenario I run were displayed on a monitor. A transparent sheet was attached to the face of the monitor, the approach route was sketched on...track, passed a mark on the monitor face , the target was at a stop-sign location. The IRIG-B time of that instance was noted, and, since the distance of...route right 100- 80- 60 - 40 C.) 20 [- ion, A20 recognitio 0 0 . identification,C.) . 1I . I - - -• , 4) 1000 2000 3000 4000 SP Target G Q Target I0

Self-assembly of chlorophenols in water

PubMed Central

Rogalska, Ewa; Rogalski, Marek; Gulik-Krzywicki, Tadeusz; Gulik, Annette; Chipot, Christophe

1999-01-01

In saturated solutions of some di- and trichlorophenols, structures with complex morphologies, consisting of thin, transparent sheets often coiling into helices and ultimately twisting into filaments, were observed under the optical microscope. Freeze-fracture electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, phase diagrams, and molecular modeling were performed to elucidate the observed phenomena. Here, we present evidence that the chlorophenols studied, when interacting with water, self-assemble into bilayers. The fact that some chlorophenols form the same supramolecular structures as those described previously for structurally nonrelated surfactants sheds light on the mechanisms of self-assembly. PMID:10359753

Manufacturing Process for OLED Integrated Substrate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hung, Cheng-Hung; McCamy, James; Ashtosh, Ganjoo

2017-01-27

The primary objective of this project is to demonstrate manufacturing processes for technologies that will enable commercialization of a large-area and low-cost “integrated substrate” product for rigid OLED SSL lighting. The integrated substrate product will consist of a low cost, float glass substrate combined with a transparent conductive anode film layer, and light out-coupling (internal and external extraction layers) structures. In combination, these design elements will enable an integrated substrate meeting or exceeding 2015 performance targets for cost ($60/m2), extraction efficiency (50%) and sheet resistance (<10 ohm/sq).

Ambient-Stable and Durable Conductive Ag-Nanowire-Network 2-D Films Decorated with a Ti Layer.

PubMed

Kim, Yoon-Mi; Hwang, Bu-Yeon; Lee, Ki-Wook; Kim, Jin-Yeol

2018-05-11

Highly stable and durable conductive silver nanowire (Ag NW) network electrode films were prepared through decoration with a 5-nm-thick Ti layer. The Ag NW network 2-D films showed sheet resistance values as low as 32 ohm/sq at 88% transparency when decorated with Ti. These 2-D films exhibited a 30% increase in electrical conductivity while maintaining good stability of the films through enhanced resistance to moisture and oxygen penetration as a result of the protective effect of the Ti layer.

Low-Temperature Postfunctionalization of Highly Conductive Oxide Thin-Films toward Solution-Based Large-Scale Electronics.

PubMed

Ban, Seok-Gyu; Kim, Kyung-Tae; Choi, Byung Doo; Jo, Jeong-Wan; Kim, Yong-Hoon; Facchetti, Antonio; Kim, Myung-Gil; Park, Sung Kyu

2017-08-09

Although transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) have played a key role in a wide range of solid-state electronics from conventional optoelectronics to emerging electronic systems, the processing temperature and conductivity of solution-processed materials seem to be far exceeding the thermal limitations of soft materials and insufficient for high-perfomance large-area systems, respectively. Here, we report a strategy to form highly conductive and scalable solution-processed oxide materials and their successful translation into large-area electronic applications, which is enabled by photoassisted postfunctionalization at low temperature. The low-temperature fabrication of indium-tin-oxide (ITO) thin films was achieved by using photoignited combustion synthesis combined with photoassisted reduction process under hydrogen atmosphere. It was noteworthy that the photochemically activated hydrogens on ITO surface could be triggered to facilitate highly crystalline oxygen deficient structure allowing significant increase of carrier concentration and mobility through film microstructure modifications. The low-temperature postfunctionalized ITO films demonstrated conductivity of >1607 S/cm and sheet resistance of <104 Ω/□ under the process temperature of less than 300 °C, which are comparable to those of vacuum-deposited and high-temperature annealed ITO films. Based on the photoassisted postfunctionalization route, all-solution-processed transparent metal-oxide thin-film-transistors and large-area integrated circuits with the ITO bus lines were demonstrated, showing field-effect mobilities of >6.5 cm 2 V -1 s -1 with relatively good operational stability and oscillation frequency of more than 1 MHz in 7-stage ring oscillators, respectively.

'Seeing the Dark': Grounding Phenomenal Transparency and Opacity in Precision Estimation for Active Inference.

PubMed

Limanowski, Jakub; Friston, Karl

2018-01-01

One of the central claims of the Self-model Theory of Subjectivity is that the experience of being someone - even in a minimal form - arises through a transparent phenomenal self-model, which itself can in principle be reduced to brain processes. Here, we consider whether it is possible to distinguish between phenomenally transparent and opaque states in terms of active inference. We propose a relationship of phenomenal opacity to expected uncertainty or precision; i.e., the capacity for introspective attention and implicit mental action. Thus we associate introspective attention with the deployment of 'precision' that may render the perceptual evidence (for action) opaque, while treating transparency as a necessary aspect of beliefs about action, i.e., 'what I am' doing. We conclude by proposing how we may have to nuance our conception of minimal phenomenal selfhood and agency in light of this active inference conception of transparency-opacity.

Photosynthetic potential and accumulation of assimilates in the developing chloroembryos of Cyamposis tetragonoloba (L. ) Taub

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kaladharan, P.; Vivekanandan, M.

1990-02-01

The photosynthetic potential of leaves and chloroembryos of Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub as measured by {sup 14}C-bicarbonate fixation, Hill activity, and in vivo fluorescence transients is compared. On a chlorophyll basis, dark fixation of NaH{sup 14}CO{sub 3} in chloroembryos was 1.5 times higher than that of the leaf, whereas carbon fixation under illumination was threefold higher in the leaf than in the embryos. Rates of O{sub 2} evolution were four times more in embryo than in leaf chloroplasts. Shading of developing fruits on the day of anthesis for 10 days induced a 65% reduction in dry matter accumulation in themore » etiolated embryos, as compared to the normal green embryos of the same fruit half covered by a transparent Polythene sheet. The reduction in dry weight, size of the embryos, and levels of assimilates after shading the developing fruits may be ascribed to partial autotrophy of the chloroembryos.« less

Urea-assisted low temperature green synthesis of graphene nanosheets for transparent conducting film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chamoli, Pankaj; Das, Malay K.; Kar, Kamal K.

2018-02-01

Present work demonstrates the fabrication of graphene nanosheet (GN) based transparent conducting film (TCF) using spray coating. Green synthesis of GN is carried out by reduction of graphene oxide (GO) using urea as green reducing agent. The reductive ability of urea with varied concentration is studied for GO at low temperature (i.e., 90 °C). As synthesized graphene nanosheets (GNs) are characterized by Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), and X-ray Photon spectroscopy (XPS). Raman analysis confirms that the maximum reduction of oxygen species is noticed using 30 mg/ml urea concentration at 90 °C from GO, and found Raman D to G band ratio (ID/IG) of ∼1.30. XPS analysis validates the Raman signature of removal of oxygen functional groups from GO, and obtained C/O ratio of ∼5.28. Further, transparent conducting films (TCFs) are fabricated using synthesized GNs. Thermal graphitization is carried out to enhance the optical and electrical properties of TCFs. TCF shows best performance when it is annealed at 900 °C for 1 h in vacuum, and obtained sheet resistance is ∼1.89 kΩ/□ with transmittance of ∼62.53%.

Electronic and Optical Properties of Borophene, a Two-dimensional Transparent Metal.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adamska, Lyudmyla; Sadasivam, Sridhar; Darancet, Pierre; Sharifzadeh, Sahar

Borophene is a recently synthesized metallic sheet that displays many similarities to graphene and has been predicted to be complimentary to graphene as a high density of states, optically transparent 2D conductor. The atomic arrangement of boron in the monolayer strongly depends on the growth substrate and significantly alters the optoelectronic properties. Here, we report a first-principles density functional theory and many-body perturbation theory study aimed at understanding the optoelectronic properties of two likely allotropes of monolayer boron that are consistent with experimental scanning tunneling microscopy images. We predict that despite both systems are metallic, the two allotropes have substantially different bandstructure and optical properties, with one structure being transparent up to 3 eV and the second weakly absorbing in the UV/Vis region. We demonstrate that this strong structure-dependence of optoelectronic properties is present with the application of strain. Lastly, we discuss the strength of electron-phonon and electron-hole interactions within these materials. Overall, we determine that precise control of the growth conditions in necessary for controlled optical properties. This research used resources of the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility, which is a DOE Office of Science User Facility supported under Contract DE-AC02-06CH11357, and the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) at The University of Texas at Austin.

IDEAS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Sharon L.

1991-01-01

Presented are four activities that focus on gathering and interpreting data about pizza as a basis for integrating mathematics, health, and social studies. Reproducible sheets for parents to use with their children, class-activity sheets, and a data sheet are provided. Each activity includes the objective, needed materials, directions, extensions,…

Ice stream activity scaled to ice sheet volume during Laurentide Ice Sheet deglaciation.

PubMed

Stokes, C R; Margold, M; Clark, C D; Tarasov, L

2016-02-18

The contribution of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets to sea level has increased in recent decades, largely owing to the thinning and retreat of outlet glaciers and ice streams. This dynamic loss is a serious concern, with some modelling studies suggesting that the collapse of a major ice sheet could be imminent or potentially underway in West Antarctica, but others predicting a more limited response. A major problem is that observations used to initialize and calibrate models typically span only a few decades, and, at the ice-sheet scale, it is unclear how the entire drainage network of ice streams evolves over longer timescales. This represents one of the largest sources of uncertainty when predicting the contributions of ice sheets to sea-level rise. A key question is whether ice streams might increase and sustain rates of mass loss over centuries or millennia, beyond those expected for a given ocean-climate forcing. Here we reconstruct the activity of 117 ice streams that operated at various times during deglaciation of the Laurentide Ice Sheet (from about 22,000 to 7,000 years ago) and show that as they activated and deactivated in different locations, their overall number decreased, they occupied a progressively smaller percentage of the ice sheet perimeter and their total discharge decreased. The underlying geology and topography clearly influenced ice stream activity, but--at the ice-sheet scale--their drainage network adjusted and was linked to changes in ice sheet volume. It is unclear whether these findings can be directly translated to modern ice sheets. However, contrary to the view that sees ice streams as unstable entities that can accelerate ice-sheet deglaciation, we conclude that ice streams exerted progressively less influence on ice sheet mass balance during the retreat of the Laurentide Ice Sheet.

Welded-Ag-nanowires/FTO conducting film with high transmittance and its application in transparent supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiao, Zhensong; Yang, Xiaopeng; Liu, Feng; Duan, Guangbin; Cao, Bingqiang

2017-03-01

Silver nanowires (AgNW) with a small diameter were synthesized by a facile and novel polyol reduction method. Ag nanowires ink was then spun on the surface of F-doped SnO2 (FTO) to form the AgNW/FTO conducting film. Welding treatment of the AgNW/FTO conducting film not only increased the optical transmittance from 71.9 % to 79.3 % at 550 nm and decreased the sheet resistance from 11.4 ohm sq-1 to 9.8 ohm sq-1, but also improved the adhesivity of AgNW network on FTO substrate. Furthermore, MnO2 nanosheets were directly deposited on welded-AgNW/FTO (wAF) substrate to prepare a transparent MnO2/weled-AgNW/FTO (MwAF) composite electrode. The MwAF electrode displayed excellent electrochemical performance, including high specific capacitance (375 F g-1 at 5 mV s-1) and superior cycle stability (173.3 % of the initial capacitance after 20000 GCD cycles).

Transparent Electrode Based on Silver Nanowires and Polyimide for Film Heater and Flexible Solar Cell

PubMed Central

He, Xin; Duan, Feng; Liu, Junyan; Lan, Qiuming; Wu, Jianhao; Yang, Chengyan; Yang, Weijia; Zeng, Qingguang; Wang, Huafang

2017-01-01

Transparent, conductive, and flexible Ag nanowire (NW)-polyimide (PI) composite films were fabricated by a facile solution method. Well-dispersed Ag NWs result in percolation networks on the PI supporting layer. A series of films with transmittance values of 53–80% and sheet resistances of 2.8–16.5 Ω/sq were investigated. To further verify the practicability of the Ag NWs-PI film in optoelectronic devices, we utilized it in a film heater and a flexible solar cell. The film heater was able to generate a temperature of 58 °C at a driving voltage of 3.5 V within 20 s, indicating its potential application in heating devices that require low power consumption and fast response. The flexible solar cell based on the composite film with a transmittance value of 71% presented a power conversion efficiency of 3.53%. These successful applications proved that the fabricated Ag NWs-PI composite film is a good candidate for application in flexible optoelectronic devices. PMID:29186012

Effect of supersonic spraying impact velocity on opto-electric properties of transparent conducting flexible films consisting of silver nanowire, ITO, and polyimide multilayers

DOE PAGES

Kim, Tae-Gun; Lee, Jong-Gun; Park, Chan-Woo; ...

2017-12-26

We demonstrate the use of supersonic spraying for the deposition of silver nanowires (AgNWs) on a flexible polyimide (PI) substrate for the formation of transparent and conducting films (TCF) as an alternative to nonflexible ITO (indium tin oxide). The self-fused intersections of the NWs resulted in films with a low sheet resistance (Rs = 31 ..omega../sq) and fairly high transmittance (Tr = 92%) on a glass substrate. The effect of the impact speed of the supersonically sprayed AgNWs on the opto-electric properties of the flexible TCF was evaluated by varying the spray coating conditions. The fabricated films were characterized bymore » X-ray diffraction analysis, atomic force microscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Finally, cyclic bending tests were performed on the PI/AgNW films as well as PI/ZnO/indium tin oxide/AgNW films, and the changes in their electrical properties with bending were compared.« less

Inversion layer solar cell fabrication and evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Call, R. L.

1972-01-01

Silicon solar cells with induced junctions were created by forming an inversion layer near the surface of the silicon by supplying a sheet of positive charge above the surface. This charged layer was supplied through three mechanisms: (1) supplying a positive potential to a transparent electrode separated from the silicon surface by a dielectric, (2) contaminating the oxide layer with positive ions, and (3) forming donor surface states that leave a positive charge on the surface. A movable semi-infinite shadow delineated the extent of sensitivity of the cell due to the inversion region. Measurements of the inversion layer cell response to light of different wavelengths indicated it to be more sensitive to the shorter wavelengths of the sun's spectrum than conventional cells. Theory of the conductance of the inversion layer vs. strength of the inversion layer was compared with experiment and found to match. Theoretical determinations of junction depth and inversion layer strength were made as a function of the surface potential for the transparent electrode cell.

ITO nanoparticles reused from ITO scraps and their applications to sputtering target for transparent conductive electrode layer.

PubMed

Hong, Sung-Jei; Song, Sang-Hyun; Kim, Byeong Jun; Lee, Jae-Yong; Kim, Young-Sung

2017-01-01

In this study, ITO nanoparticles (ITO-NPs) were reused from ITO target scraps to synthesize low cost ITO-NPs and to apply to make sputtering target for transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs). By controlling heat-treatment temperature as 980 °C, we achieved reused ITO-NPs having Brunauer, Emmett and Teller specific surface area (BET SSA) and average particle size 8.05 m 2 /g and 103.8 nm, respectively. The BET SSA decreases along with increasing heat-treatment temperature. The ITO-NPs were grown as round mound shape, and highly crystallized to (222) preferred orientations. Also, applying the reused ITO-NPs, we achieved an ITO target of which density was 99.6%. Using the ITO target, we achieved high quality TCE layer of which sheet resistance and optical transmittance at 550 nm were 29.5 Ω/sq. and 82.3%. Thus, it was confirmed that the reused ITO-NPs was feasible to sputtering target for TCEs layer.

ITO nanoparticles reused from ITO scraps and their applications to sputtering target for transparent conductive electrode layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Sung-Jei; Song, Sang-Hyun; Kim, Byeong Jun; Lee, Jae-Yong; Kim, Young-Sung

2017-09-01

In this study, ITO nanoparticles (ITO-NPs) were reused from ITO target scraps to synthesize low cost ITO-NPs and to apply to make sputtering target for transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs). By controlling heat-treatment temperature as 980 °C, we achieved reused ITO-NPs having Brunauer, Emmett and Teller specific surface area (BET SSA) and average particle size 8.05 m2/g and 103.8 nm, respectively. The BET SSA decreases along with increasing heat-treatment temperature. The ITO-NPs were grown as round mound shape, and highly crystallized to (222) preferred orientations. Also, applying the reused ITO-NPs, we achieved an ITO target of which density was 99.6%. Using the ITO target, we achieved high quality TCE layer of which sheet resistance and optical transmittance at 550 nm were 29.5 Ω/sq. and 82.3%. Thus, it was confirmed that the reused ITO-NPs was feasible to sputtering target for TCEs layer.

An optically transparent metasurface for broadband microwave antireflection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Jie; Zhang, Cheng; Cheng, Qiang; Yang, Jin; Cui, Tie Jun

2018-02-01

Metamaterial absorbers and diffusers provide powerful routes to decrease the backward reflection significantly with advantages of ultrathin profile and customized bandwidth. Simultaneous control of the absorption and scattering behaviors of the metamaterials which helps to improve the suppression capabilities of backward reflection, however, still remains a challenge. Aiming at this goal, we propose a metasurface constituted by two kinds of elements in a pseudorandom arrangement. By the use of indium tin oxide with moderate sheet resistance in the meta-atoms, enhanced absorption of energy can be achieved in a broad spectrum when interacted with illuminated waves. In the meanwhile, electromagnetic diffusion will be invoked from the destructive interference among the elements, giving rise to significant reduction of specular reflection as a result. Excellent agreements are observed between simulation and experiment with pronounced reflection suppression from 6.8 GHz to 19.4 GHz. In addition, the optical transparence of the patterns and substrates makes the proposed metasurface a promising candidate for future applications like photovoltaic solar cells and electromagnetic shielding glasses.

Highly-flexible, ultra-thin, and transparent single-layer graphene/silver composite electrodes for organic light emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Kun; Wang, Hu; Li, Huiying; Li, Ye; Jin, Guangyong; Gao, Lanlan; Marco, Mazzeo; Duan, Yu

2017-08-01

Transparent conductive electrode (TCE) platforms are required in many optoelectronic devices, including organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). To date, indium tin oxide based electrodes are widely used in TCEs but they still have few limitations in term of achieving flexible OLEDs and display techniques. In this paper, highly-flexible and ultra-thin TCEs were fabricated for use in OLEDs by combining single-layer graphene (SLG) with thin silver layers of only several nanometers in thickness. The as-prepared SLG + Ag (8 nm) composite electrodes showed low sheet resistances of 8.5 Ω/□, high stability over 500 bending cycles, and 74% transmittance at 550 nm wavelength. Furthermore, SLG + Ag composite electrodes employed as anodes in OLEDs delivered turn-on voltages of 2.4 V, with luminance exceeding 1300 cd m-2 at only 5 V, and maximum luminance reaching up 40 000 cd m-2 at 9 V. Also, the devices could work normally under less than the 1 cm bending radius.

Highly-stable and -flexible graphene/(CF3SO2)2NH/graphene transparent conductive electrodes for organic solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, Sang Woo; Lee, Ha Seung; Shin, Dong Hee; Kim, Ju Hwan; Jang, Chan Wook; Kim, Jong Min; Kim, Sung; Choi, Suk-Ho

2017-10-01

We first employ highly-stable and -flexible (CF3SO2)2NH-doped graphene (TFSA/GR) and GR-encapsulated TFSA/GR (GR/TFSA/GR) transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) prepared on polyethylene terephthalate substrates for flexible organic solar cells (OSCs). Compared to conventional indium tin oxide (ITO) TCEs, the TFSA-doped-GR TCEs show higher optical transmittance and larger sheet resistance. The TFSA/GR and GR/TFSA/GR TCEs show work functions of 4.89 ± 0.16 and 4.97 ± 0.18 eV, respectively, which are not only larger than those of the ITO TCEs but also indicate p-type doping of GR, and are therefore more suitable for anode TCEs of OSCs. In addition, typical GR/TFSA/GR-TCE OSCs are much more mechanically flexible than the ITO-TCE ones with their photovoltaic parameters being similar, as proved by bending tests as functions of cycle and curvature.

Nitrogen grain-boundary passivation of In-doped ZnO transparent conducting oxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, D.; Butt, M. Z.; Coughlan, C.; Caffrey, D.; Shvets, I. V.; Fleischer, K.

2018-04-01

We have investigated the properties and conduction limitations of spray pyrolysis grown, low-cost transparent conducting oxide ZnO thin films doped with indium. We analyze the optical, electrical, and crystallographic properties as functions of In content with a specific focus on postgrowth heat treatment of these thin films at 320 ∘C in an inert, nitrogen atmosphere, which improves the films electrical properties considerably. The effect was found to be dominated by nitrogen-induced grain-boundary passivation, identified by a combined study using i n situ resistance measurement upon annealing, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and x-ray diffraction studies. We also highlight the chemical mechanism of morphologic and crystallographic changes found in films with high indium content. By optimizing growth conditions according to these findings, ZnO:In with a resistivity as low as 2 ×10 -3Ω cm , high optical quality (T ≈90 % ), and sheet resistance of 32 Ω /□ has been obtained without any need for postgrowth treatments.

Graphene transparent electrode for enhanced optical power and thermal stability in GaN light-emitting diodes.

PubMed

Youn, Doo-Hyeb; Yu, Young-Jun; Choi, Hongkyw; Kim, Suck-Hwan; Choi, Sung-Yool; Choi, Choon-Gi

2013-02-22

We report an improvement of the optical power and thermal stability of GaN LEDs using a chemically doped graphene transparent conducting layer (TCL) and a low-resistance contact structure. In order to obtain low contact resistance between the TCL and p-GaN surface, a patterned graphene TCL with Cr/Au electrodes is suggested. A bi-layer patterning method of a graphene TCL was utilized to prevent the graphene from peeling off the p-GaN surface. To improve the work function and the sheet resistance of graphene, CVD (chemical vapor deposition) graphene was doped by a chemical treatment using a HNO(3) solution. The effect of the contact resistance on the power degradation of LEDs at a high injection current level was investigated. In addition, the enhancement of the optical power via an increase in the current spreading and a decrease in the potential barrier of the graphene TCL was investigated.

Graphene transparent electrode for enhanced optical power and thermal stability in GaN light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Youn, Doo-Hyeb; Yu, Young-Jun; Choi, HongKyw; Kim, Suck-Hwan; Choi, Sung-Yool; Choi, Choon-Gi

2013-02-01

We report an improvement of the optical power and thermal stability of GaN LEDs using a chemically doped graphene transparent conducting layer (TCL) and a low-resistance contact structure. In order to obtain low contact resistance between the TCL and p-GaN surface, a patterned graphene TCL with Cr/Au electrodes is suggested. A bi-layer patterning method of a graphene TCL was utilized to prevent the graphene from peeling off the p-GaN surface. To improve the work function and the sheet resistance of graphene, CVD (chemical vapor deposition) graphene was doped by a chemical treatment using a HNO3 solution. The effect of the contact resistance on the power degradation of LEDs at a high injection current level was investigated. In addition, the enhancement of the optical power via an increase in the current spreading and a decrease in the potential barrier of the graphene TCL was investigated.

Transparent Electrode Based on Silver Nanowires and Polyimide for Film Heater and Flexible Solar Cell.

PubMed

He, Xin; Duan, Feng; Liu, Junyan; Lan, Qiuming; Wu, Jianhao; Yang, Chengyan; Yang, Weijia; Zeng, Qingguang; Wang, Huafang

2017-11-29

Transparent, conductive, and flexible Ag nanowire (NW)-polyimide (PI) composite films were fabricated by a facile solution method. Well-dispersed Ag NWs result in percolation networks on the PI supporting layer. A series of films with transmittance values of 53-80% and sheet resistances of 2.8-16.5 Ω/sq were investigated. To further verify the practicability of the Ag NWs-PI film in optoelectronic devices, we utilized it in a film heater and a flexible solar cell. The film heater was able to generate a temperature of 58 °C at a driving voltage of 3.5 V within 20 s, indicating its potential application in heating devices that require low power consumption and fast response. The flexible solar cell based on the composite film with a transmittance value of 71% presented a power conversion efficiency of 3.53%. These successful applications proved that the fabricated Ag NWs-PI composite film is a good candidate for application in flexible optoelectronic devices.

Effect of supersonic spraying impact velocity on opto-electric properties of transparent conducting flexible films consisting of silver nanowire, ITO, and polyimide multilayers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Tae-Gun; Lee, Jong-Gun; Park, Chan-Woo

We demonstrate the use of supersonic spraying for the deposition of silver nanowires (AgNWs) on a flexible polyimide (PI) substrate for the formation of transparent and conducting films (TCF) as an alternative to nonflexible ITO (indium tin oxide). The self-fused intersections of the NWs resulted in films with a low sheet resistance (Rs = 31 ..omega../sq) and fairly high transmittance (Tr = 92%) on a glass substrate. The effect of the impact speed of the supersonically sprayed AgNWs on the opto-electric properties of the flexible TCF was evaluated by varying the spray coating conditions. The fabricated films were characterized bymore » X-ray diffraction analysis, atomic force microscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Finally, cyclic bending tests were performed on the PI/AgNW films as well as PI/ZnO/indium tin oxide/AgNW films, and the changes in their electrical properties with bending were compared.« less

Missile Defense: European Phased Adaptive Approach Acquisitions Face Synchronization, Transparency, and Accountability Challenges

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-21

House of Representatives Subject: Missile Defense: European Phased Adaptive Approach Acquisitions Face Synchronization , Transparency, and...TITLE AND SUBTITLE Missile Defense: European Phased Adaptive Approach Acquisitions Face Synchronization , Transparency, and Accountability...However, we found that DOD has not fully implemented a management process that synchronizes EPAA acquisition activities and ensures transparency and

New Materials for Structural Composites and Protective Coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

The objective of this Phase I project was to create novel conductive materials that are lightweight and strong enough for multiple ground support equipment and Exploration applications. The long-term goal is to combine these materials within specially designed devices to create composites or coatings with diagnostic capabilities, increased strength, and tunable properties such as transparency, electroluminescence, and fire resistance. One such technology application is a smart windows system. In such a system, the transmission of light through a window is controlled by electrical power. In the future, these materials may also be able to absorb sunlight and convert it into electrical energy to produce light, thereby creating a self-sufficient lighting system. This experiment, conducted in collaboration with the Georgia Institute of Technology, demonstrated enhancements in fabricating fiber materials from carbon nanotubes (CNT). These nanotubes were grown as forests in an ultra-high-purity chemical vapor deposition (CVD) furnace and then drawn, using novel processing techniques, into fibers and yarns that would be turned into filaments. This work was submitted to the Journal of Advanced Functional Materials. The CNT fibers were initially tested as filament materials at atmospheric pressure; however, even under high current loads, the filaments produced only random sparking. The CNT fibers were also converted into transparent, hydrophobic, and conductive sheets. Filament testing at low vacuum pressures is in progress, and the technology will be enhanced in 2008. As initial proof of the smart-windows application concept, the use of CNT sheets as composites/ protective coatings was demonstrated in collaboration with Nanocomp Technologies of Concord, New Hampshire.

Flexible packaging for PV modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhere, Neelkanth G.

2008-08-01

Economic, flexible packages that provide needed level of protection to organic and some other PV cells over >25-years have not yet been developed. However, flexible packaging is essential in niche large-scale applications. Typical configuration used in flexible photovoltaic (PV) module packaging is transparent frontsheet/encapsulant/PV cells/flexible substrate. Besides flexibility of various components, the solder bonds should also be flexible and resistant to fatigue due to cyclic loading. Flexible front sheets should provide optical transparency, mechanical protection, scratch resistance, dielectric isolation, water resistance, UV stability and adhesion to encapsulant. Examples are Tefzel, Tedlar and Silicone. Dirt can get embedded in soft layers such as silicone and obscure light. Water vapor transmittance rate (WVTR) of polymer films used in the food packaging industry as moisture barriers are ~0.05 g/(m2.day) under ambient conditions. In comparison, light emitting diodes employ packaging components that have WVTR of ~10-6 g/(m2.day). WVTR of polymer sheets can be improved by coating them with dense inorganic/organic multilayers. Ethylene vinyl acetate, an amorphous copolymer used predominantly by the PV industry has very high O2 and H2O diffusivity. Quaternary carbon chains (such as acetate) in a polymer lead to cleavage and loss of adhesional strength at relatively low exposures. Reactivity of PV module components increases in presence of O2 and H2O. Adhesional strength degrades due to the breakdown of structure of polymer by reactive, free radicals formed by high-energy radiation. Free radical formation in polymers is reduced when the aromatic rings are attached at regular intervals. This paper will review flexible packaging for PV modules.

Graphene: powder, flakes, ribbons, and sheets.

PubMed

James, Dustin K; Tour, James M

2013-10-15

Graphene's unique physical and electrical properties (high tensile strength, Young's modulus, electron mobility, and thermal conductivity) have led to its nickname of "super carbon." Graphene research involves the study of several different physical forms of the material: powders, flakes, ribbons, and sheets and others not yet named or imagined. Within those forms, graphene can include a single layer, two layers, or ≤10 sheets of sp² carbon atoms. The chemistry and applications available with graphene depend on both the physical form of the graphene and the number of layers in the material. Therefore the available permutations of graphene are numerous, and we will discuss a subset of this work, covering some of our research on the synthesis and use of many of the different physical and layered forms of graphene. Initially, we worked with commercially available graphite, with which we extended diazonium chemistry developed to functionalize single-walled carbon nanotubes to produce graphitic materials. These structures were soluble in common organic solvents and were better dispersed in composites. We developed an improved synthesis of graphene oxide (GO) and explored how the workup protocol for the synthesis of GO can change the electronic structure and chemical functionality of the GO product. We also developed a method to remove graphene layers one-by-one from flakes. These powders and sheets of GO can serve as fluid loss prevention additives in drilling fluids for the oil industry. Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) combine small width with long length, producing valuable electronic and physical properties. We developed two complementary syntheses of GNRs from multiwalled carbon nanotubes: one simple oxidative method that produces GNRs with some defects and one reductive method that produces GNRs that are less defective and more electrically conductive. These GNRs can be used in low-loss, high permittivity composites, as conductive reinforcement coatings on Kevlar fibers and in the fabrication of large area transparent electrodes. Using solid carbon sources such as polymers, food, insects, and waste, we can grow monolayer and bilayer graphene directly on metal catalysts, and carbon-sources containing nitrogen can produce nitrogen-doped graphene. The resulting graphene can be transferred to other surfaces, such as metal grids, for potential use in transparent touch screens for applications in personal electronics and large area photovoltaic devices. Because the transfer of graphene from one surface to another can lead to defects, low yields, and higher costs, we have developed methods for growing graphene directly on the substrates of interest. We can also produce patterned graphene to make GNRs or graphane/graphene superlattices within a single sheet. These superlattices could have multiple functions for use in sensors and other devices. This Account only touches upon this burgeoning area of materials chemistry, and the field will continue to expand as researchers imagine new forms and applications of graphene.

Environmental Education Activity Sheets 1-11.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halsey, Clifton F.; And Others

These activity sheets, developed by personnel of the Agricultural Extension Service of the University of Minnesota, were designed for youth group campers but may be used by other populations and individuals. Each activity sheet focuses on a separate topic: (1) Selecting Suitable Uses for Land, (2) Measuring the Steepness of Land, (3) Determining…

Hybrid nanomembranes for high power and high energy density supercapacitors and their yarn application.

PubMed

Lee, Jae Ah; Shin, Min Kyoon; Kim, Shi Hyeong; Kim, Seon Jeong; Spinks, Geoffrey M; Wallace, Gordon G; Ovalle-Robles, Raquel; Lima, Márcio D; Kozlov, Mikhail E; Baughman, Ray H

2012-01-24

We report mechanically robust, electrically conductive, free-standing, and transparent hybrid nanomembranes made of densified carbon nanotube sheets that were coated with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) using vapor phase polymerization and their performance as supercapacitors. The hybrid nanomembranes with thickness of ~66 nm and low areal density of ~15 μg/cm(2)exhibited high mechanical strength and modulus of 135 MPa and 12.6 GPa, respectively. They also had remarkable shape recovery ability in liquid and at the liquid/air interface unlike previous carbon nanotube sheets. The hybrid nanomembrane attached on a current collector had volumetric capacitance of ~40 F/cm(3) at 100 V s(-1) (~40 and ~80 times larger than that of onion-like carbon measured at 100 V s(-1) and activated carbon measured at 20 V s(-1), respectively), and it showed rectangular shapes of cyclic voltammograms up to ~5 V s(-1). High mechanical strength and flexibility of the hybrid nanomembrane enabled twisting it into microsupercapacitor yarns with diameters of ~30 μm. The yarn supercapacitor showed stable cycling performance without a metal current collector, and its capacitance decrease was only ~6% after 5000 cycles. Volumetric energy and power density of the hybrid nanomembrane was ~70 mWh cm(-3) and ~7910 W cm(-3), and the yarn possessed the energy and power density of ~47 mWh cm(-3) and ~538 W cm(-3). © 2011 American Chemical Society

46 CFR 232.4 - Balance sheet accounts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 8 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Balance sheet accounts. 232.4 Section 232.4 Shipping... ACTIVITIES UNIFORM FINANCIAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Balance Sheet § 232.4 Balance sheet accounts. (a.... (b) Purpose of balance sheet accounts. The balance sheet accounts are intended to disclose the...

46 CFR 232.4 - Balance sheet accounts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 8 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Balance sheet accounts. 232.4 Section 232.4 Shipping... ACTIVITIES UNIFORM FINANCIAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Balance Sheet § 232.4 Balance sheet accounts. (a.... (b) Purpose of balance sheet accounts. The balance sheet accounts are intended to disclose the...

[Establishment of goat limbal stem cell strain expressing Venus fluorescent protein and construction of limbal epithelial sheets].

PubMed

Yin, Jiqing; Liu, Wenqiang; Liu, Chao; Zhao, Guimin; Zhang, Yihua; Liu, Weishuai; Hua, Jinlian; Dou, Zhongying; Lei, Anmin

2010-12-01

The integrity and transparency of cornea plays a key role in vision. Limbal Stem Cells (LSCs) are precursors of cornea, which are responsible for self-renewal and replenishing corneal epithelium. Though it is successful to cell replacement therapy for impairing ocular surface by Limbal Stem Cell Transplantation (LSCT), the mechanism of renew is unclear after LSCT. To real time follow-up the migration and differentiation of corneal transplanted epithelial cells after transplanting, we transfected venus (a fluorescent protein gene) into goat LSCs, selected with G418 and established a stable transfected cell line, named GLSC-V. These cells showed green fluorescence, and which could maintain for at least 3 months. GLSC-V also were positive for anti-P63 and anti-Integrinbeta1 antibody by immunofluorescent staining. We founded neither GLSC-V nor GLSCs expressed keratin3 (k3) and keratinl2 (k12). However, GLSC-V had higher levels in expression of p63, pcna and venus compared with GLSCs. Further, we cultivated the cells on denude amniotic membrane to construct tissue engineered fluorescent corneal epithelial sheets. Histology and HE staining showed that the constructed fluorescent corneal epithelial sheets consisted of 5-6 layers of epithelium. Only the lowest basal cells of fluorescent corneal epithelial sheets expressed P63 analyzed by immunofluorescence, but not superficial epithelial cells. These results showed that our constructed fluorescent corneal epithelial sheets were similar to the normal corneal epithelium in structure and morphology. This demonstrated that they could be transplanted for patents with corneal impair, also may provide a foundation for the study on the mechanisms of corneal epithelial cell regeneration after LSCT.

Low Cost, Single Layer Replacement for the Back-Sheet and Encapsulant Layers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kempe, M. D.; Thapa, P.

2008-01-01

Ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) based polymers have been formulated for specific use in photovoltaic modules to produce better performance and longer term stability at a lower cost than standard materials. EPDM formulations are advantageous over ethylene vinyl-acetate (EVA) because they can use the same lamination/cure cycle as EVA, they do not need a second back-sheet protective material (e.g. PET/Tedlar), they have a lower glass transition temperature, no melting transition, more constant mechanical moduli as a function of temperature, they are less polar than EVA (provides better corrosion protection), and they have excellent damp heat (85 C/85% relative humidity) resistancemore » against delamination. Module designs typically use EVA on the back side of cells despite the fact that transparency is not advantageous. We have developed a single encapsulant layer that will replace standard module back-sheet constructions consisting of EVA/PET/Tedlar. Because a single low-cost material layer is used, it will provide a significant materials cost savings of about $6 to $8/m{sup 2} as compared to traditional back-sheets. Electrical insulation tests were conducted using 0.85 mm thick stainless steel sheets as a model for a cell. It was found that a polymer layer thickness of about 0.33mm provided better high voltage electrical insulation than a combined film of Tedla (0.038 mm)/PET (0.051 mm)/EVA (0.55 mm). When formulated with a white pigment, reflectivity was comparable to Tedlar{trademark}. Upon accelerated exposure to light at 60C and 60% RH it was found that an EVA layer in front of these materials would decompose before significant yellowing and delamination of the back EPDM layer occurs.« less

Fabrication and characterization of WO3/Ag/WO3 multilayer transparent anode with solution-processed WO3 for polymer light-emitting diodes

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

The dielectric/metal/dielectric multilayer is suitable for a transparent electrode because of its high-optical and high-electrical properties; however, it is fabricated by an expensive and inefficient multistep vacuum process. We present a WO3/Ag/WO3 (WAW) multilayer transparent anode with solution-processed WO3 for polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs). This WAW multilayer not only has high transmittance and low resistance but also can be easily and rapidly fabricated. We devised a novel method to deposit a thin WO3 layer by a solution process in an air environment. A tungstic acid solution was prepared from an aqueous solution of Na2WO4 and then converted to WO3 nanoparticles (NPs) by a thermal treatment. Thin WO3 NP layers form WAW multilayer with a thermal-evaporated Ag layer, and they improve the transmittance of the WAW multilayer because of its high transmittance and refractive index. Moreover, the surface of the WO3 layer is homogeneous and flat with low roughness because of the WO3 NP generation from the tungstic acid solution without aggregation. We performed optical simulation and experiments, and the optimized WAW multilayer had a high transmittance of 85% with a sheet resistance of 4 Ω/sq. Finally, PLEDs based on the WAW multilayer anode achieved a maximum luminance of 35,550 cd/m2 at 8 V, and this result implies that the solution-processed WAW multilayer is appropriate for use as a transparent anode in PLEDs. PMID:22587669

Fabrication and characterization of WO3/Ag/WO3 multilayer transparent anode with solution-processed WO3 for polymer light-emitting diodes.

PubMed

Jeon, Kangmin; Youn, Hongseok; Kim, Seongbeom; Shin, Seongbeom; Yang, Minyang

2012-05-15

The dielectric/metal/dielectric multilayer is suitable for a transparent electrode because of its high-optical and high-electrical properties; however, it is fabricated by an expensive and inefficient multistep vacuum process. We present a WO3/Ag/WO3 (WAW) multilayer transparent anode with solution-processed WO3 for polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs). This WAW multilayer not only has high transmittance and low resistance but also can be easily and rapidly fabricated. We devised a novel method to deposit a thin WO3 layer by a solution process in an air environment. A tungstic acid solution was prepared from an aqueous solution of Na2WO4 and then converted to WO3 nanoparticles (NPs) by a thermal treatment. Thin WO3 NP layers form WAW multilayer with a thermal-evaporated Ag layer, and they improve the transmittance of the WAW multilayer because of its high transmittance and refractive index. Moreover, the surface of the WO3 layer is homogeneous and flat with low roughness because of the WO3 NP generation from the tungstic acid solution without aggregation. We performed optical simulation and experiments, and the optimized WAW multilayer had a high transmittance of 85% with a sheet resistance of 4 Ω/sq. Finally, PLEDs based on the WAW multilayer anode achieved a maximum luminance of 35,550 cd/m2 at 8 V, and this result implies that the solution-processed WAW multilayer is appropriate for use as a transparent anode in PLEDs.

‘Seeing the Dark’: Grounding Phenomenal Transparency and Opacity in Precision Estimation for Active Inference

PubMed Central

Limanowski, Jakub; Friston, Karl

2018-01-01

One of the central claims of the Self-model Theory of Subjectivity is that the experience of being someone – even in a minimal form – arises through a transparent phenomenal self-model, which itself can in principle be reduced to brain processes. Here, we consider whether it is possible to distinguish between phenomenally transparent and opaque states in terms of active inference. We propose a relationship of phenomenal opacity to expected uncertainty or precision; i.e., the capacity for introspective attention and implicit mental action. Thus we associate introspective attention with the deployment of ‘precision’ that may render the perceptual evidence (for action) opaque, while treating transparency as a necessary aspect of beliefs about action, i.e., ‘what I am’ doing. We conclude by proposing how we may have to nuance our conception of minimal phenomenal selfhood and agency in light of this active inference conception of transparency-opacity. PMID:29780343

High Efficiency, Transparent, Reusable, and Active PM2.5 Filters by Hierarchical Ag Nanowire Percolation Network.

PubMed

Jeong, Seongmin; Cho, Hyunmin; Han, Seonggeun; Won, Phillip; Lee, Habeom; Hong, Sukjoon; Yeo, Junyeob; Kwon, Jinhyeong; Ko, Seung Hwan

2017-07-12

Air quality has become a major public health issue in Asia including China, Korea, and India. Particulate matters are the major concern in air quality. We present the first environmental application demonstration of Ag nanowire percolation network for a novel, electrical type transparent, reusable, and active PM2.5 air filter although the Ag nanowire percolation network has been studied as a very promising transparent conductor in optoelectronics. Compared with previous particulate matter air filter study using relatively weaker short-range intermolecular force in polar polymeric nanofiber, Ag nanowire percolation network filters use stronger long-range electrostatic force to capture PM2.5, and they are highly efficient (>99.99%), transparent, working on an active mode, low power consumption, antibacterial, and reusable after simple washing. The proposed new particulate matter filter can be applied for a highly efficient, reusable, active and energy efficient filter for wearable electronics application.

Immunostaining, dehydration, and clearing of mouse embryos for ultramicroscopy.

PubMed

Becker, Klaus; Jährling, Nina; Saghafi, Saiedeh; Dodt, Hans-Ulrich

2013-08-01

This protocol describes the preparation of mouse embryos for ultramicroscopy (UM), a powerful imaging technique that achieves precise and accurate three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions of intact macroscopic specimens with micrometer resolution. In UM, a specimen in the size range of ∼1-15 mm is illuminated perpendicular to the observation pathway by two thin counterpropagating sheets of laser light. In combination with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) immunostaining, UM allows visualization of somatic motor and sensorial nerve fibers in whole mouse embryos. Even the fine branches of the sensomotoric fibers can be visualized over a distance of up to several millimeters. In this protocol, mouse embryos are fixed and immunostained in preparation for UM. Because UM requires the excitation light sheet to travel throughout the entire horizontal width of the specimen, specimens usually have to be rendered transparent before microscope inspection. Here, the embryos are dehydrated in ethanol and then cleared in a solution of benzyl alcohol and benzyl benzoate.

Litter Control Achievement - Ohio 4-H Club Score Sheet [and] Activity Guides 1 through 7. 4-H Pilot Program 918.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Cooperative Extension Service.

Seven activity guides, evaluation sheet, and club scoresheet have been prepared for Ohio 4-H clubs' litter education program. Topics of the seven activity guides include: (1) general guidelines and types of activities; (2) little known facts about waste/litter; (3) guidelines for a walking tour; (4) fact sheet (questionnaire) related to garbage;…

Palaeo-sea-level and palaeo-ice-sheet databases: problems, strategies, and perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Düsterhus, André; Rovere, Alessio; Carlson, Anders E.; Horton, Benjamin P.; Klemann, Volker; Tarasov, Lev; Barlow, Natasha L. M.; Bradwell, Tom; Clark, Jorie; Dutton, Andrea; Gehrels, W. Roland; Hibbert, Fiona D.; Hijma, Marc P.; Khan, Nicole; Kopp, Robert E.; Sivan, Dorit; Törnqvist, Torbjörn E.

2016-04-01

Sea-level and ice-sheet databases have driven numerous advances in understanding the Earth system. We describe the challenges and offer best strategies that can be adopted to build self-consistent and standardised databases of geological and geochemical information used to archive palaeo-sea-levels and palaeo-ice-sheets. There are three phases in the development of a database: (i) measurement, (ii) interpretation, and (iii) database creation. Measurement should include the objective description of the position and age of a sample, description of associated geological features, and quantification of uncertainties. Interpretation of the sample may have a subjective component, but it should always include uncertainties and alternative or contrasting interpretations, with any exclusion of existing interpretations requiring a full justification. During the creation of a database, an approach based on accessibility, transparency, trust, availability, continuity, completeness, and communication of content (ATTAC3) must be adopted. It is essential to consider the community that creates and benefits from a database. We conclude that funding agencies should not only consider the creation of original data in specific research-question-oriented projects, but also include the possibility of using part of the funding for IT-related and database creation tasks, which are essential to guarantee accessibility and maintenance of the collected data.

Tumor Growth Suppression Induced by Biomimetic Silk Fibroin Hydrogels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Le-Ping; Silva-Correia, Joana; Ribeiro, Viviana P.; Miranda-Gonçalves, Vera; Correia, Cristina; da Silva Morais, Alain; Sousa, Rui A.; Reis, Rui M.; Oliveira, Ana L.; Oliveira, Joaquim M.; Reis, Rui L.

2016-08-01

Protein-based hydrogels with distinct conformations which enable encapsulation or differentiation of cells are of great interest in 3D cancer research models. Conformational changes may cause macroscopic shifts in the hydrogels, allowing for its use as biosensors and drug carriers. In depth knowledge on how 3D conformational changes in proteins may affect cell fate and tumor formation is required. Thus, this study reports an enzymatically crosslinked silk fibroin (SF) hydrogel system that can undergo intrinsic conformation changes from random coil to β-sheet conformation. In random coil status, the SF hydrogels are transparent, elastic, and present ionic strength and pH stimuli-responses. The random coil hydrogels become β-sheet conformation after 10 days in vitro incubation and 14 days in vivo subcutaneous implantation in rat. When encapsulated with ATDC-5 cells, the random coil SF hydrogel promotes cell survival up to 7 days, whereas the subsequent β-sheet transition induces cell apoptosis in vitro. HeLa cells are further incorporated in SF hydrogels and the constructs are investigated in vitro and in an in vivo chick chorioallantoic membrane model for tumor formation. In vivo, Angiogenesis and tumor formation are suppressed in SF hydrogels. Therefore, these hydrogels provide new insights for cancer research and uses of biomaterials.

Research on Heat Resistant Transparent Interlayers Based on the Ethylene Terpolymer.

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-08-01

the s ; - c i v i n g machine as it is about to pass under th~ kn if’e .The block was skived into 10, 30 , and 50 rail sheets. Laminat es of glass...reviewed and is approved for publicati on. Project Monito FOR THE COMMANDER T .J ~~ EI~~~~~~JR~,C~~~~~ Composite and Fibrous Materials Branch...iated under Project No. 29lZ~, “Non—metallic and Composite Mater ia ls , ” and Task No. 03, “Structural Plastics and Composites ” . The work was

Dehydration and clearing of adult Drosophila for ultramicroscopy.

PubMed

Becker, Klaus; Jährling, Nina; Saghafi, Saiedeh; Dodt, Hans-Ulrich

2013-07-01

This protocol describes the preparation of adult flies for ultramicroscopy (UM), a powerful imaging technique that achieves precise and accurate three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions of intact macroscopic specimens with micrometer resolution. In UM, a specimen in the size range of ∼1-15 mm is illuminated perpendicular to the observation pathway by two thin counterpropagating sheets of laser light. Thus, specimens for UM need to be sufficiently transparent, which requires chemical clearing in most cases. In this protocol, Drosophila melanogaster adults are fixed, dehydrated in ethanol, and then cleared in a solution of benzyl alcohol and benzyl benzoate.

An Inexpensive Optical Absorption Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greenslade, Thomas B.

2006-09-01

This optical absorption experiment can be put together in only a few minutes with materials found in most secondary or undergraduate stockrooms. The absorption material is the partly transparent flexible anti-static plastic material used to package solid-state devices. The detector is a hand-held photographic exposure meter of the type that was in common use before the advent of point-and-shoot cameras. A graph of the intensity of the transmitted light as a function of the number of sheets of the material is a decreasing exponential. The emphasis of the experiment is on the mathematical form.

Mechanics of graded glass composites and zinc oxide thin films grown at 90 degrees Celsius in water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fillery, Scott Pierson

2007-06-01

The purpose of this research was to study the mechanical stability of two different material systems. The glass laminate system, exhibiting a threshold strength when placed under an applied load and ZnO thin films grown on GaN buffered Al2O3 substrates, exhibiting variations in film stability with changes to the Lateral Epitaxial Overgrowth architecture. The glass laminates were fabricated to contain periodic thin layers containing biaxial compressive stresses using ion exchange treatments to create residual compressive stresses at the surface of soda lime silicate glass sheets. Wafer direct bonding of the ion exchanged glass sheets resulted in the fabrication of glass laminates with thin layers of compressive stress adjacent to the glass interfaces. The threshold flexural strength of the ion exchanged glass laminates was determined to be 112 MPa after the introduction of indentation cracks with indent loads ranging from 1kg to 5kg and the laminates were found to exhibit a threshold strength, i.e., a stress below which failure will not occur. Contrary to similar ceramic laminates where cracks either propagate across the compressive layer or bifurcate within the compressive layer, the cracks in the glass laminates were deflected along the interface between the bonded sheets. ZnO films were grown on (0001) GaN buffered Al2O3 substrates by aqueous solution routes at 90°C. The films were found to buckle under compressive residual stresses at film thicknesses greater than 4mum. Lateral epitaxial overgrowth techniques using hexagonal hole arrays showed an increasing film stability with larger array spacing, resulting in film thicknesses up to 92mum. Stress determinations using Raman spectroscopy indicated that stress relaxation at the free surface during film growth played a major role in film stability. Investigations using Finite Element Analysis and Raman spectroscopy demonstrated that the strain energy within the film/substrate system decreased with increasing array spacing. ZnO films grown on III-nitride LED devices for use as transparent conducting layers showed intrinsic n-type doping, high transparency and adequate electrical contact resistance, resulting in linear light output with forward bias current and improved light extraction.

Promoting transparency, accountability, and access through a multi-stakeholder initiative: lessons from the medicines transparency alliance.

PubMed

Vian, Taryn; Kohler, Jillian C; Forte, Gilles; Dimancesco, Deirdre

2017-01-01

Barriers to expanding access to medicines include weak pharmaceutical sector governance, lack of transparency and accountability, inadequate attention to social services on the political agenda, and financing challenges. Multi-stakeholder initiatives such as the Medicines Transparency Alliance (MeTA) may help overcome these barriers. Between 2008 and 2015, MeTA engaged stakeholders in the pharmaceutical sectors of seven countries (Ghana, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Peru, Philippines, Uganda, and Zambia) to promote access goals through greater transparency. We reviewed archival data to document MeTA activities and results related to transparency and accountability in the seven countries where it was implemented. We identified common themes and content areas, noting specific activities used to make information transparent and accessible, how data were used to inform discussions, and the purpose and timing of meetings and advocacy activities to help set priorities and influence governance decisions. The cross-case analysis looked for pathways which might link the MeTA strategies to results such as better policies or program improvements. Countries used evidence gathering, open meetings, and proactive information dissemination to increase transparency. MeTA fostered policy dialogue to bring together the many government, civil society and private company stakeholders concerned with access issues, and provided them with information to understand barriers to access at policy, organizational, and community levels. We found strong evidence that transparency was enhanced. Some evidence suggests that MeTA efforts contributed to new policies and civil society capacity strengthening although the impact on government accountability is not clear. MeTA appears to have achieved its goal of creating a multi-stakeholder shared policy space in which government, civil society, and private sector players can come together and have a voice in the national pharmaceutical policy making process. Assuming that transparency is in place to leverage accountability, the success of MeTA's efforts to promote accountability by the government as well as other stakeholders in the pharmaceutical sector will depend on how well efforts are sustained over time.

Cost Accounting as a Tool for Increasing Cost Transparency in Selective Hepatic Transarterial Chemoembolization.

PubMed

Ahmed, Osman; Patel, Mikin; Ward, Thomas; Sze, Daniel Y; Telischak, Kristen; Kothary, Nishita; Hofmann, Lawrence V

2015-12-01

To increase cost transparency and uncover potential areas for savings in patients receiving selective transarterial chemoembolization at a tertiary care academic center. The hospital cost accounting system charge master sheet for direct and total costs associated with selective transarterial chemoembolization in fiscal years 2013 and 2014 was queried for each of the four highest volume interventional radiologists at a single institution. There were 517 cases (range, 83-150 per physician) performed; direct costs incurred relating to care before, during, and after the procedure with respect to labor, supply, and equipment fees were calculated. A median of 48 activity codes were charged per selective transarterial chemoembolization from five cost centers, represented by the angiography suite, units for care before and after the procedure, pharmacy, and observation floors. The average direct cost of selective transarterial chemoembolization did not significantly differ among operators at $9,126.94, $8,768.77, $9,027.33, and $8,909.75 (P = .31). Intraprocedural costs accounted for 82.8% of total direct costs and provided the greatest degree in cost variability ($7,268.47-$7,691.27). The differences in intraprocedural expense among providers were not statistically significant (P = .09), even when separated into more specific procedure-related labor and supply costs. Cost accounting systems could effectively be interrogated as a method for calculating direct costs associated with selective transarterial chemoembolization. The greatest source of expenditure and variability in cost among providers was shown to be intraprocedural labor and supplies, although the effect did not appear to be operator dependent. Copyright © 2015 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pilot randomized trial of a volitional help sheet-based tool to increase leisure time physical activity in breast cancer survivors.

PubMed

Chapman, Janine; Fletcher, Chloe; Flight, Ingrid; Wilson, Carlene

2018-05-16

To develop and test a volitional help sheet-based tool to improve physical activity in breast cancer survivors compared to a standard self-generated implementation intention intervention. Pilot randomized trial conducted online over 3 months. Participants were randomized to an online volitional help sheet (n = 50) or implementation intention (n = 51) intervention. Measures were taken at baseline, 1 and 3 months. The main outcome measure was moderate-strenuous leisure time physical activity. Secondary outcomes were health-related quality of life and mood. Participants exposed to the volitional help sheet and implementation intention interventions showed similar effects after 1 month, with both groups reporting a significant increase in moderate-strenuous physical activity. After 3 months, the initial increase in physical activity was maintained by the volitional help sheet group, but not the implementation intention group. Improvements were also found for negative affect and emotional quality of life. While both interventions show promise in promoting physical activity in breast cancer survivors, the volitional help sheet may be more effective for facilitating lasting change and emotional well-being. Findings suggest that the volitional help sheet may have potential to offer a cost-effective contribution to consumer-led tertiary preventive health. Future research should test these initial findings in a definitive trial. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Physical activity is important for optimizing health in breast cancer survivors. Despite this, physical activity in this cohort remains low. Theory-based strategies are needed to help breast cancer survivors independently manage and maintain regular physical activity over the long term. What does this study add? Online planning interventions can improve physical activity in breast cancer survivors. Volitional help sheets, but not implementation intentions, show sustained effects for 3 months. The intervention shows promise as a potential low-cost addition to long-term survivorship care plans. © 2018 The British Psychological Society.

Amino-functionalized sub-40 nm ultrathin Ag/ZnO transparent electrodes for flexible polymer dispersed liquid crystal devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Jinhua; Lu, Yuehui; Wu, Wenxuan; Li, Jia; Zhang, Xianpeng; Zhu, Chaoting; Yang, Ye; Xu, Feng; Song, Weijie

2017-11-01

Various flexible transparent conducting electrodes (FTCEs) have been studied for promising applications in flexible optoelectronic devices, but there are still challenges in achieving higher transparency and conductivity, lower thickness, better mechanical flexibility, and lower preparation temperatures. In this work, we prepared a sub-40 nm Ag(9 nm)/ZnO(30 nm) FTCE at room temperature, where each layer played a relatively independent role in the tailoring of the optoelectronic properties. A continuous and smooth 9-nm Ag thin film was grown on amino-functionalized glass and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates to provide good conductivity. A 30-nm ZnO cladding, as an antireflection layer, further improved the transmittance while hardly affecting the conductivity. The room-temperature grown sub-40 nm Ag/ZnO thin films on PET substrate exhibited a transmittance of 88.6% at 550 nm and a sheet resistance of 7.6 Ω.sq-1, which were superior to those of the commercial ITO. The facile preparation benefits the integration of FTCEs into various flexible optoelectronic devices, where the excellent performance of the sub-40 nm Ag/ZnO FTCEs in a flexible polymer dispersed liquid crystal device was demonstrated. Sub-40 nm Ag/ZnO FTCEs that have the characteristics of simple structure, room-temperature preparation, and easily tailored optoelectronic properties would provide flexible optoelectronic devices with more degrees of freedom.

Ultra-thin and smooth transparent electrode for flexible and leakage-free organic light-emitting diodes

PubMed Central

Ok, Ki-Hun; Kim, Jiwan; Park, So-Ra; Kim, Youngmin; Lee, Chan-Jae; Hong, Sung-Jei; Kwak, Min-Gi; Kim, Namsu; Han, Chul Jong; Kim, Jong-Woong

2015-01-01

A smooth, ultra-flexible, and transparent electrode was developed from silver nanowires (AgNWs) embedded in a colorless polyimide (cPI) by utilizing an inverted film-processing method. The resulting AgNW-cPI composite electrode had a transparency of >80%, a low sheet resistance of 8 Ω/□, and ultra-smooth surfaces comparable to glass. Leveraging the robust mechanical properties and flexibility of cPI, the thickness of the composite film was reduced to less than 10 μm, which is conducive to extreme flexibility. This film exhibited mechanical durability, for both outward and inward bending tests, up to a bending radius of 30 μm, while maintaining its electrical performance under cyclic bending (bending radius: 500 μm) for 100,000 iterations. Phosphorescent, blue organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) were fabricated using these composites as bottom electrodes (anodes). Hole-injection was poor, because AgNWs were largely buried beneath the composite's surface. Thus, we used a simple plasma treatment to remove the thin cPI layer overlaying the nanowires without introducing other conductive materials. As a result, we were able to finely control the flexible OLEDs' electroluminescent properties using the enlarged conductive pathways. The fabricated flexible devices showed only slight performance reductions of <3% even after repeated foldings with a 30 μm bending radius. PMID:25824143

Improved Performance by SiO2 Hollow Nanospheres for Silver Nanowire-Based Flexible Transparent Conductive Films.

PubMed

Zhang, Liwen; Zhang, Longjiang; Qiu, Yejun; Ji, Yang; Liu, Ya; Liu, Hong; Li, Guangji; Guo, Qiuquan

2016-10-12

Flexible transparent conductive films (TCFs) have attracted tremendous interest thanks to the rapid development of portable/flexible/wearable electronics. TCFs on the basis of silver nanowires (AgNWs) with excellent performance are becoming an efficient alternative to replace the brittle transparent metal oxide. In this study, a promising method was developed by introducing SiO 2 hollow nanospheres (SiO 2 -HNSs) into the film to significantly improve the performance of AgNW-based TCFs. Since SiO 2 -HNSs have opposite charges to AgNWs, the strong attraction had promoted a uniform distribution of AgNWs and made the distance between AgNWs closer, which could decrease the contact resistance greatly. The introduction of SiO 2 layer remarkably enhanced the transmission of visible light and the conductivity. In addition, the TCFs constructed by AgNWs and SiO 2 -HNSs showed much higher thermal stability and adhesive force than those by only AgNWs. As an example, the transmission of AgNW/SiO 2 -HNS-coated poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) could increase about 14.3% in comparison to AgNW-coated PET. Typically, a AgNW/SiO 2 -HNS-based TCF with a sheet resistance of about 33 Ω/sq and transmittance of about 98.0% (excluding substrate) could be obtained with excellent flexibility, adhesion, and thermal stability. At last some devices were fabricated.

High-Quality AZO/Au/AZO Sandwich Film with Ultralow Optical Loss and Resistivity for Transparent Flexible Electrodes.

PubMed

Zhou, Hua; Xie, Jing; Mai, Manfang; Wang, Jing; Shen, Xiangqian; Wang, Shuying; Zhang, Lihua; Kisslinger, Kim; Wang, Hui-Qiong; Zhang, Jinxing; Li, Yu; Deng, Junhong; Ke, Shanming; Zeng, Xierong

2018-05-09

Transparent flexible electrodes are in ever-growing demand for modern stretchable optoelectronic devices, such as display technologies, solar cells, and smart windows. Such sandwich-film-electrodes deposited on polymer substrates are unattainable because of the low quality of the films, inducing a relatively large optical loss and resistivity as well as a difficulty in elucidating the interference behavior of light. In this article, we report a high-quality AZO/Au/AZO sandwich film with excellent optoelectronic performance, e.g., an average transmittance of about 81.7% (including the substrate contribution) over the visible range, a sheet resistance of 5 Ω/sq, and a figure-of-merit (FoM) factor of ∼55.1. These values are well ahead of those previously reported for sandwich-film-electrodes. Additionally, the interference behaviors of light modulated by the coat and metal layers have been explored with the employment of transmittance spectra and numerical simulations. In particular, a heater device based on an AZO/Au/AZO sandwich film exhibits high performance such as short response time (∼5 s) and uniform temperature field. This work provides a deep insight into the improvement of the film quality of the sandwich electrodes and the design of high-performance transparent flexible devices by the application of a flexible substrate with an atomically smooth surface.

Preparation of flexible organic solar cells with highly conductive and transparent metal-oxide multilayer electrodes based on silver oxide.

PubMed

Yun, Jungheum; Wang, Wei; Bae, Tae Sung; Park, Yeon Hyun; Kang, Yong-Cheol; Kim, Dong-Ho; Lee, Sunghun; Lee, Gun-Hwan; Song, Myungkwan; Kang, Jae-Wook

2013-10-23

We report that significantly more transparent yet comparably conductive AgOx films, when compared to Ag films, are synthesized by the inclusion of a remarkably small amount of oxygen (i.e., 2 or 3 atom %) in thin Ag films. An 8 nm thick AgOx (O/Ag=2.4 atom %) film embedded between 30 nm thick ITO films (ITO/AgOx/ITO) achieves a transmittance improvement of 30% when compared to a conventional ITO/Ag/ITO electrode with the same configuration by retaining the sheet resistance in the range of 10-20 Ω sq(-1). The high transmittance provides an excellent opportunity to improve the power-conversion efficiency of organic solar cells (OSCs) by successfully matching the transmittance spectral range of the electrode to the optimal absorption region of low band gap photoactive polymers, which is highly limited in OSCs utilizing conventional ITO/Ag/ITO electrodes. An improvement of the power-conversion efficiency from 4.72 to 5.88% is achieved from highly flexible organic solar cells (OSCs) fabricated on poly(ethylene terephthalate) polymer substrates by replacing the conventional ITO/Ag/ITO electrode with the ITO/AgOx/ITO electrode. This novel transparent electrode can facilitate a cost-effective, high-throughput, room-temperature fabrication solution for producing large-area flexible OSCs on heat-sensitive polymer substrates with excellent power-conversion efficiencies.

77 FR 76097 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Renewal of Currently Approved Collection; Comment Request

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2012-12-26

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... RECOVERY ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY BOARD Agency Information Collection Activities: Renewal... Management and Budget and 30- day public comment period. SUMMARY: The Recovery Accountability and... Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office...

Development of High Efficiency Four-Terminal Perovskite-Silicon Tandems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duong, The Duc

This thesis is concerned with the development of high efficiency four-terminal perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells with the potential to reduce the cost of solar energy. The work focuses on perovskite top cells and can be divided into three main parts: developing low parasitic absorption and efficient semi-transparent perovskite cells, doping perovskite materials with rubidium, and optimizing perovskite material's bandgap with quadruple-cation and mixed-halide. A further section investigates the light stability of optimized bandgap perovskite cells. In a four-terminal mechanically stacked tandem, the perovskite top cell requires two transparent contacts at both the front and rear sides. Through detailed optical and electrical power loss analysis of the tandem efficiency due to non-ideal properties of the two transparent contacts, optimal contact parameters in term of sheet resistance and transparency are identified. Indium doped tin oxide by sputtering is used for both two transparent contacts and their deposition parameters are optimized separately. The semi-transparent perovskite cell using MAPbI3 has an efficiency of more than 12% with less than 12% parasitic absorption and up to 80% transparency in the long wavelength region. Using a textured foil as anti-reflection coating, an outstanding average transparency of 84% in the long wavelength is obtained. The low parasitic absorption allows an opaque version of the semi-transparent perovskite cell to operate efficiently in a filterless spectrum splitting perovskite-silicon tandem configuration. To further enhance the performance of perovskite cells, it is essential to improve the quality of perovskite films. This can be achieved with mixed-perovskite FAPbI3/MAPbBr3. However, mixed-perovskite films normally contain small a small amount of a non-perovskite phase, which is detrimental for the cell performance. Rb-doping is found to eliminate the formation of the non-perovskite phase and enhance the crystallinity of the films. Rb-doping is studied under different excess PbI2 concentrations and the optimal condition is found to be 5% Rb-doping and 15% excess PbI2 concentration. The addition of more than 10% Rb results in the formation of an unwanted Rb-rich phase due to the significant lattice mismatch between Rb and FA/MA cations. An efficiency of 18.8% is achieved for the champion cell as compared to 16% with control cells. Importantly, Rb-doping improves the light, moisture and thermal stability of perovskite cells. The optimal bandgap of the perovskite top cell in perovskite-silicon tandems is between 1.7 eV and 1.8 eV. A quadruple-cation Rb/Cs/FA/MA mixed-halide I/Br perovskite composition is explored to obtain high quality perovskite films with a bandgap of 1.73 eV. The ratio between Cs/FA/MA cations is critical to the morphology, crystal orientation and electronic properties of perovskite films. Furthermore, 5% Rb-doping enhances the crystallinity and suppresses defect migration in the films. Semi-transparent cells with efficiencies up to 16% and negligible hysteresis are achieved using this material. With excellent transparency and optimal bandgap of the semi-transparent perovskite cell, a record four-terminal mechanically stacked perovskite-silicon tandem efficiency of 26.4% is achieved.

77 FR 5027 - Food and Drug Administration Transparency Initiative: Exploratory Program To Increase Access to...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-01

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2009-N-0247] Food and Drug Administration Transparency Initiative: Exploratory Program To Increase Access to the... responsible for a broad range of compliance and enforcement activities. Increasing the transparency of these...

AFRICAN MUSIC SPEAKS, NO. 6--PROJECT CUE, A TV UTILIZATION SHEET.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BROWN, ROBERT M.

FOURTEEN SETS OF EDUCATIONAL TV UTILIZATION GUIDE SHEETS WERE PREPARED AS TEACHER AIDS. THESE SHEETS COVER SUCH AREAS AS SYNOPSIS OF SUBJECT, SUGGESTED PREPARATION (PRETELECAST), KEY WORDS, WHAT PUPILS SHOULD LOOK AND LISTEN FOR, SUGGESTED FOLLOWUP ACTIVITIES, SUGGESTED RELATED ACTIVITIES, SUGGESTED EVALUATION, AND SUGGESTED RELATED MATERIALS.…

Graphene Oxide-Assisted Liquid Phase Exfoliation of Graphite into Graphene for Highly Conductive Film and Electromechanical Sensors.

PubMed

Tung, Tran Thanh; Yoo, Jeongha; Alotaibi, Faisal K; Nine, Md J; Karunagaran, Ramesh; Krebsz, Melinda; Nguyen, Giang T; Tran, Diana N H; Feller, Jean-Francois; Losic, Dusan

2016-06-29

Here, we report a new method to prepare graphene from graphite by the liquid phase exfoliation process with sonication using graphene oxide (GO) as a dispersant. It was found that GO nanosheets act a as surfactant to the mediated exfoliation of graphite into a GO-adsorbed graphene complex in the aqueous solution, from which graphene was separated by an additional process. The preparation of isolated graphene from a single to a few layers is routinely achieved with an exfoliation yield of up to higher than 40% from the initial graphite material. The prepared graphene sheets showed a high quality (C/O ∼ 21.5), low defect (ID/IG ∼ 0.12), and high conductivity (6.2 × 10(4) S/m). Moreover, the large lateral size ranging from 5 to 10 μm of graphene, which is believed to be due to the shielding effect of GO avoiding damage under ultrasonic jets and cavitation formed by the sonication process. The thin graphene film prepared by the spray-coating technique showed a sheet resistance of 668 Ω/sq with a transmittance of 80% at 550 nm after annealing at 350 °C for 3 h. The transparent electrode was even greater with the resistance only 66.02 Ω when graphene is deposited on an interdigitated electrode (1 mm gap). Finally, a flexible sensor based on a graphene spray-coating polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is demonstrated showing excellent performance working under human touch pressure (<10 kPa). The graphene prepared by this method has some distinct properties showing it as a promising material for applications in electronics including thin film coatings, transparent electrodes, wearable electronics, human monitoring sensors, and RFID tags.

Numerical study of electrical transport in co-percolative metal nanowire-graphene thin-films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Man Prakash; Kumar, Satish

2016-11-01

Nanowires-dispersed polycrystalline graphene has been recently explored as a transparent conducting material for applications such as solar cells, displays, and touch-screens. Metal nanowires and polycrystalline graphene play synergetic roles during the charge transport in the material by compensating for each other's limitations. In the present work, we develop and employ an extensive computational framework to study the essential characteristics of the charge transport not only on an aggregate basis but also on individual constituents' levels in these types of composite thin-films. The method allows the detailed visualization of the percolative current pathways in the material and provides the direct evidence of current crowding in the 1-D nanowires and 2-D polygraphene sheet. The framework is used to study the effects of several important governing parameters such as length, density and orientation of the nanowires, grain density in polygraphene, grain boundary resistance, and the contact resistance between nanowires and graphene. We also present and validate an effective medium theory based generalized analytical model for the composite. The analytical model is in agreement with the simulations, and it successfully predicts the overall conductance as a function of several parameters including the nanowire network density and orientation and graphene grain boundaries. Our findings suggest that the longer nanowires (compared to grain size) with low angle orientation (<40°) with respect to the main carrier transport direction provide significant advantages in enhancing the conductance of the polygraphene sheet. We also find that above a certain value of grain boundary resistance (>60 × intra-grain resistance), the overall conductance becomes nearly independent of grain boundary resistance due to nanowires. The developed model can be applied to study other emerging transparent conducting materials such as nanowires, nanotubes, polygraphene, graphene oxide, and their hybrid nanostructures.

Opposite Behavior of Multilayer Graphene/ Indium-Tin-Oxide p-Electrode for Gallium Nitride Based-Light Emitting Diodes Depending on Thickness of Indium-Tin-Oxide Layer.

PubMed

Kim, Tae Kyoung; Yoon, Yeo Jin; Oh, Seung Kyu; Cha, Yu-Jung; Hong, In Yeol; Cho, Moon Uk; Hong, Chan-Hwa; Choi, Hong Kyw; Kwak, Joon Seop

2018-09-01

In order to improve EQE, we have investigated on the role of multilayer graphene (MLG) on the electrical and optical properties of GaN based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with ultrathin ITO (5 nm or 10 nm)/p-GaN contacts. The MLG was transferred on the ITO/p-GaN to decrease sheet resistance of thin ITO p-electrode and improve the current spreading of LEDs. The LEDs with the ITO 5 nm and MLG/ITO 5 nm structures showed 3.25 and 3.06 V at 20 mA, and 11.69 and 13.02 mW/sr at 400 mA, respectively. After forming MLG on ITO 5 nm, the electro-optical properties were enhanced. Furthermore, the GaN based-LEDs applied to the ITO 10 nm, and MLG/ITO (10 nm) structures showed 2.95 and 3.06 V at 20 mA, and 20.28 and 16.74 mW/sr at 400 mA, respectively. The sheet resistance of the MLG transferred to ITO 5 nm was decreased approximately four fold compared to ITO 5 nm. On the other hand, the ITO 10 nm and MLG/ITO 10 nm showed a similar sheet resistance; the transmittance of the LEDs with ITO 10 nm decreased to 16% due to MLG formation on ITO. This suggests that the relationship between the sheet resistance and transmittance according to the ITO film thickness affected the electro-optical properties of the LEDs with a transparent p-electrode with the MLG/ITO dual structure.

Ohmic contact mechanism for RF superimposed DC sputtered-ITO transparent p-electrodes with a variety of Sn2O3 content for GaN-based light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Tae Kyoung; Yoon, Yeo Jin; Oh, Seung Kyu; Lee, Yu Lim; Cha, Yu-Jung; Kwak, Joon Seop

2018-02-01

The dependence of the electrical and optical properties of radio frequency (RF) superimposed direct current (DC) sputtered-indium tin oxide (ITO) on the tin oxide (Sn2O3) content of the ITO is investigated, in order to elucidate an ohmic contact mechanism for the sputtered-ITO transparent electrodes on p-type gallium nitride (p-GaN). Contact resistivity of the RF superimposed DC sputtered-ITO on p-GaN in LEDs decreased when Sn2O3 content was increased from 3 wt% to 7 wt% because of the reduced sheet resistance of the sputtered-ITO with the increasing Sn2O3 content. Further increases in Sn2O3 content from 7 wt% to 15 wt% resulted in deterioration of the contact resistivity, which can be attributed to reduction of the work function of the ITO with increasing Sn2O3 content, followed by increasing Schottky barrier height at the sputtered ITO/p-GaN interface. Temperature-dependent contact resistivity of the sputtered-ITO on p-GaN also revealed that the ITO contacts with 7 wt% Sn2O3 yielded the lowest effective barrier height of 0.039 eV. Based on these results, we devised sputtered-ITO transparent p-electrodes having dual compositions of Sn2O3 content (7/10 wt%). The radiant intensity of LEDs having sputtered-ITO transparent p-electrodes with the dual compositions (7/10 wt%) was enhanced by 13% compared to LEDs having ITO with Sn2O3 content of 7 wt% only.

Influence of Shading on Cooling Energy Demand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rabczak, Sławomir; Bukowska, Maria; Proszak-Miąsik, Danuta; Nowak, Krzysztof

2017-10-01

The article presents an analysis of the building cooling load taking into account the variability of the factors affecting the size of the heat gains. In order to minimize the demand for cooling, the effect of shading elements installed on the outside on the windows and its effect on size of the cooling capacity of air conditioning system for the building has been estimated. Multivariate building cooling load calculations to determine the size of the reduction in cooling demand has derived. Determination of heat gain from the sun is laborious, but gives a result which reflects the influence of the surface transparent partitions, devices used as sunscreen and its location on the building envelope in relation to the world, as well as to the internal heat gains has great attention in obtained calculation. In this study, included in the balance sheet of solar heat gains are defined in three different shading of windows. Calculating the total demand cooling is made for variants assuming 0% shading baffles transparent, 50% shading baffles transparent external shutters at an angle of 45 °, 100% shading baffles transparent hours 12 from the N and E and from 12 from the S and W of the outer slat blinds. The calculation of the average hourly cooling load was taken into account the option assuming the hypothetical possibility of default by up to 10% of the time assumed the cooling season temperatures in the rooms. To reduce the consumption of electricity energy in the cooling system of the smallest variant identified the need for the power supply for the operation of the cooling system. Also assessed the financial benefits of the temporary default of comfort.

Automatic vision system for analysis of microscopic behavior of flow and transport in porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rashidi, Mehdi; Dehmeshki, Jamshid; Dickenson, Eric; Daemi, M. Farhang

1997-10-01

This paper describes the development of a novel automated and efficient vision system to obtain velocity and concentration measurement within a porous medium. An aqueous fluid lace with a fluorescent dye to microspheres flows through a transparent, refractive-index-matched column packed with transparent crystals. For illumination purposes, a planar sheet of laser passes through the column as a CCD camera records all the laser illuminated planes. Detailed microscopic velocity and concentration fields have been computed within a 3D volume of the column. For measuring velocities, while the aqueous fluid, laced with fluorescent microspheres, flows through the transparent medium, a CCD camera records the motions of the fluorescing particles by a video cassette recorder. The recorded images are acquired automatically frame by frame and transferred to the computer for processing, by using a frame grabber an written relevant algorithms through an RS-232 interface. Since the grabbed image is poor in this stage, some preprocessings are used to enhance particles within images. Finally, these enhanced particles are monitored to calculate velocity vectors in the plane of the beam. For concentration measurements, while the aqueous fluid, laced with a fluorescent organic dye, flows through the transparent medium, a CCD camera sweeps back and forth across the column and records concentration slices on the planes illuminated by the laser beam traveling simultaneously with the camera. Subsequently, these recorded images are transferred to the computer for processing in similar fashion to the velocity measurement. In order to have a fully automatic vision system, several detailed image processing techniques are developed to match exact images that have different intensities values but the same topological characteristics. This results in normalized interstitial chemical concentrations as a function of time within the porous column.

Photoresist-Free Patterning by Mechanical Abrasion of Water-Soluble Lift-Off Resists and Bare Substrates: Toward Green Fabrication of Transparent Electrodes

PubMed Central

Printz, Adam D.; Chan, Esther; Liong, Celine; Martinez, René S.; Lipomi, Darren J.

2013-01-01

This paper describes the fabrication of transparent electrodes based on grids of copper microwires using a non-photolithographic process. The process—“abrasion lithography”—takes two forms. In the first implementation (Method I), a water-soluble commodity polymer film is abraded with a sharp tool, coated with a conductive film, and developed by immersion in water. Water dissolves the polymer film and lifts off the conductive film in the unabraded areas. In the second implementation (Method II), the substrate is abraded directly by scratching with a sharp tool (i.e., no polymer film necessary). The abraded regions of the substrate are recessed and roughened. Following deposition of a conductive film, the lower profile and roughened topography in the abraded regions prevents mechanical exfoliation of the conductive film using adhesive tape, and thus the conductive film remains only where the substrate is scratched. As an application, conductive grids exhibit average sheet resistances of 17 Ω sq–1 and transparencies of 86% are fabricated and used as the anode in organic photovoltaic cells in concert with the conductive polymer, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). Compared to devices in which PEDOT:PSS alone serves as an anode, devices comprising grids of copper/nickel microwires and PEDOT:PSS exhibit lowered series resistance, which manifests in greater fill factor and power conversion efficiency. This simple method of forming micropatterns could find use in applications where cost and environmental impact should be minimized, especially as a potential replacement for the transparent electrode indium tin oxide (ITO) in thin-film electronics over large areas (i.e., solar cells) or as a method of rapid prototyping for laboratory-scale devices. PMID:24358321

An Implantable Transparent Conductive Film with Water Resistance and Ultrabendability for Electronic Devices.

PubMed

Song, Youngjun; Kim, Sejung; Heller, Michael J

2017-12-06

Recently, instead of indium tin oxide, the random mesh pattern of metallic nanowires for flexible transparent conducting electrodes (FTCEs) has received a great amount of interest due to its flexibility, low resistance, reasonable price, and compliant processes. Mostly, nanowires for FTCEs are fabricated by spray or mayer coating methods. However, the metallic nanowire layer of FTCEs, which is fabricated by these methods, has a spiked surface roughness and low junction contact between the nanowires that lead to their high sheet resistance value. Also, the nanowires on FTCEs are easy to peel-off through exterior forces such as bending, twisting, or contact. To solve these problems, we demonstrate novel methods through which silver nanowires (AgNWs) are deposited onto a nanosize porous nitrocellulose (NC) substrate by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) and an opaque and porous substrate. Respectively, through dimethyl sulfoxide treatment, AgNWs on NC (AgNW/NC) is changed to the transparent and nonporous FTCEs. This enhances the junction contact of the AgNWs by EPD and also allows a permanent attachment of AgNWs onto the substrate. To show the mechanical strength of the AgNWs on the transparent nitrocellulose (AgNW/TNC), it is tested by applying diverse mechanical stress, such as a binding test (3M peel-off), compressing, bending, twisting, and folding. Next, we demonstrate that AgNW/TNC can be effectively implanted onto normal newspapers and papers. As paper electronics, light-emitting diodes, which are laminated onto paper, are successfully operated through a basic AgNW/TNC strip circuit. Finally, it is demonstrated that AgNW/TNC and AgNW/TNC on paper are water resistant for 15 min due to the insulation properties of the nonporous substrate.

Rapid synthesis of ultra-long silver nanowires for tailor-made transparent conductive electrodes: proof of concept in organic solar cells.

PubMed

José Andrés, Luis; Fe Menéndez, María; Gómez, David; Luisa Martínez, Ana; Bristow, Noel; Paul Kettle, Jeffrey; Menéndez, Armando; Ruiz, Bernardino

2015-07-03

Rapid synthesis of ultralong silver nanowires (AgNWs) has been obtained using a one-pot polyol-mediated synthetic procedure. The AgNWs have been prepared from the base materials in less than one hour with nanowire lengths reaching 195 μm, which represents the quickest synthesis and one of the highest reported aspect ratios to date. These results have been achieved through a joint analysis of all reaction parameters, which represents a clear progress beyond the state of the art. Dispersions of the AgNWs have been used to prepare thin, flexible, transparent and conducting films using spray coating. Due to the higher aspect ratio, an improved electrical percolation network is observed. This allows a low sheet resistance (RS = 20.2 Ω/sq), whilst maintaining high optical film transparency (T = 94.7%), driving to the highest reported figure-of-merit (FoM = 338). Owing to the light-scattering influence of the AgNWs, the density of the AgNW network can also be varied to enable controllability of the optical haze through the sample. Based on the identification of the optimal haze value, organic photovoltaics (OPVs) have been fabricated using the AgNWs as the transparent electrode and have been benchmarked against indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes. Overall, the performance of OPVs made using AgNWs sees a small decrease in power conversion efficiency (PCE), primarily due to a fall in open-circuit voltage (50 mV). This work indicates that AgNWs can provide a low cost, rapid and roll-to-roll compatible alternative to ITO in OPVs, with only a small compromise in PCE needed.

Photoresist-free patterning by mechanical abrasion of water-soluble lift-off resists and bare substrates: toward green fabrication of transparent electrodes.

PubMed

Printz, Adam D; Chan, Esther; Liong, Celine; Martinez, René S; Lipomi, Darren J

2013-01-01

This paper describes the fabrication of transparent electrodes based on grids of copper microwires using a non-photolithographic process. The process--"abrasion lithography"--takes two forms. In the first implementation (Method I), a water-soluble commodity polymer film is abraded with a sharp tool, coated with a conductive film, and developed by immersion in water. Water dissolves the polymer film and lifts off the conductive film in the unabraded areas. In the second implementation (Method II), the substrate is abraded directly by scratching with a sharp tool (i.e., no polymer film necessary). The abraded regions of the substrate are recessed and roughened. Following deposition of a conductive film, the lower profile and roughened topography in the abraded regions prevents mechanical exfoliation of the conductive film using adhesive tape, and thus the conductive film remains only where the substrate is scratched. As an application, conductive grids exhibit average sheet resistances of 17 Ω sq(-1) and transparencies of 86% are fabricated and used as the anode in organic photovoltaic cells in concert with the conductive polymer, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). Compared to devices in which PEDOT:PSS alone serves as an anode, devices comprising grids of copper/nickel microwires and PEDOT:PSS exhibit lowered series resistance, which manifests in greater fill factor and power conversion efficiency. This simple method of forming micropatterns could find use in applications where cost and environmental impact should be minimized, especially as a potential replacement for the transparent electrode indium tin oxide (ITO) in thin-film electronics over large areas (i.e., solar cells) or as a method of rapid prototyping for laboratory-scale devices.

Rapid synthesis of ultra-long silver nanowires for tailor-made transparent conductive electrodes: proof of concept in organic solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

José Andrés, Luis; Menéndez, María Fe; Gómez, David; Martínez, Ana Luisa; Bristow, Noel; Kettle, Jeffrey Paul; Menéndez, Armando; Ruiz, Bernardino

2015-07-01

Rapid synthesis of ultralong silver nanowires (AgNWs) has been obtained using a one-pot polyol-mediated synthetic procedure. The AgNWs have been prepared from the base materials in less than one hour with nanowire lengths reaching 195 μm, which represents the quickest synthesis and one of the highest reported aspect ratios to date. These results have been achieved through a joint analysis of all reaction parameters, which represents a clear progress beyond the state of the art. Dispersions of the AgNWs have been used to prepare thin, flexible, transparent and conducting films using spray coating. Due to the higher aspect ratio, an improved electrical percolation network is observed. This allows a low sheet resistance (RS = 20.2 Ω/sq), whilst maintaining high optical film transparency (T = 94.7%), driving to the highest reported figure-of-merit (FoM = 338). Owing to the light-scattering influence of the AgNWs, the density of the AgNW network can also be varied to enable controllability of the optical haze through the sample. Based on the identification of the optimal haze value, organic photovoltaics (OPVs) have been fabricated using the AgNWs as the transparent electrode and have been benchmarked against indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes. Overall, the performance of OPVs made using AgNWs sees a small decrease in power conversion efficiency (PCE), primarily due to a fall in open-circuit voltage (50 mV). This work indicates that AgNWs can provide a low cost, rapid and roll-to-roll compatible alternative to ITO in OPVs, with only a small compromise in PCE needed.

Projection type transparent 3D display using active screen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamoshita, Hiroki; Yendo, Tomohiro

2015-05-01

Equipment to enjoy a 3D image, such as a movie theater, television and so on have been developed many. So 3D video are widely known as a familiar image of technology now. The display representing the 3D image are there such as eyewear, naked-eye, the HMD-type, etc. They has been used for different applications and location. But have not been widely studied for the transparent 3D display. If transparent large 3D display is realized, it is useful to display 3D image overlaid on real scene in some applications such as road sign, shop window, screen in the conference room etc. As a previous study, to produce a transparent 3D display by using a special transparent screen and number of projectors is proposed. However, for smooth motion parallax, many projectors are required. In this paper, we propose a display that has transparency and large display area by time multiplexing projection image in time-division from one or small number of projectors to active screen. The active screen is composed of a number of vertically-long small rotate mirrors. It is possible to realize the stereoscopic viewing by changing the image of the projector in synchronism with the scanning of the beam.3D vision can be realized by light is scanned. Also, the display has transparency, because it is possible to see through the display when the mirror becomes perpendicular to the viewer. We confirmed the validity of the proposed method by using simulation.

Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project (ISMIP6) contribution to CMIP6

PubMed Central

Nowicki, Sophie M.J.; Payne, Tony; Larour, Eric; Seroussi, Helene; Goelzer, Heiko; Lipscomb, William; Gregory, Jonathan; Abe-Ouchi, Ayako; Shepherd, Andrew

2018-01-01

Reducing the uncertainty in the past, present and future contribution of ice sheets to sea-level change requires a coordinated effort between the climate and glaciology communities. The Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project for CMIP6 (ISMIP6) is the primary activity within the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project – phase 6 (CMIP6) focusing on the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets. In this paper, we describe the framework for ISMIP6 and its relationship to other activities within CMIP6. The ISMIP6 experimental design relies on CMIP6 climate models and includes, for the first time within CMIP, coupled ice sheet – climate models as well as standalone ice sheet models. To facilitate analysis of the multi-model ensemble and to generate a set of standard climate inputs for standalone ice sheet models, ISMIP6 defines a protocol for all variables related to ice sheets. ISMIP6 will provide a basis for investigating the feedbacks, impacts, and sea-level changes associated with dynamic ice sheets and for quantifying the uncertainty in ice-sheet-sourced global sea-level change. PMID:29697697

Electron beam irradiated ITO films as highly transparent p-type electrodes for GaN-based LEDs.

PubMed

Hong, C H; Wie, S M; Park, M J; Kwak, J S

2013-08-01

We have investigated the effect of electron beam irradiation on the electrical and optical properties of ITO film prepared by magnetron sputtering method at room temperature. Electron beam irradiation to the ITO films resulted in a significant decrease in sheet resistance from 1.28 x 10(-3) omega cm to 2.55 x 10(-4) omega cm and in a great increase in optical band gap from 3.72 eV to 4.16 eV, followed by improved crystallization and high transparency of 97.1% at a wavelength of 485 nm. The overall change in electrical, optical and structural properties of ITO films is related to annealing effect and energy transfer of electron by electron beam irradiation. We also fabricated GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) by using the ITO p-type electrode with/without electron beam irradiation. The results show that the LEDs having ITO p-electrode with electron beam irradiation produced higher output power due to the low absorption of light in the p-type electrode.

Daytime Solar Heating Controls Downy Mildew Peronospora belbahrii in Sweet Basil

PubMed Central

Cohen, Yigal; Rubin, Avia E.

2015-01-01

The biotrophic oomycete Peronospora belbahrii causes a devastating downy mildew disease in sweet basil. Due to the lack of resistant cultivars current control measures rely heavily on fungicides. However, resistance to fungicides and strict regulation on their deployment greatly restrict their use. Here we report on a ‘green’ method to control this disease. Growth chamber studies showed that P. belbahrii could hardly withstand exposure to high temperatures; exposure of spores, infected leaves, or infected plants to 35-45°C for 6-9 hours suppressed its survival. Therefore, daytime solar heating was employed in the field to control the downy mildew disease it causes in basil. Covering growth houses of sweet basil already infected with downy mildew with transparent infra-red-impermeable, transparent polyethylene sheets raised the daily maximal temperature during sunny hours by 11-22°C reaching 40-58°C (greenhouse effect). Such coverage, applied for a few hours during 1-3 consecutive days, had a detrimental effect on the survival of P. belbahrii: killing the pathogen and/or suppressing disease progress while enhancing growth of the host basil plants. PMID:25992649

Development of the α-IGZO/Ag/α-IGZO Triple-Layer Structure Films for the Application of Transparent Electrode.

PubMed

Chen, Kun-Neng; Yang, Cheng-Fu; Wu, Chia-Ching; Chen, Yu-Hsin

2017-02-24

We investigated the structural, optical, and electrical properties of amorphous IGZO/silver/amorphous IGZO (α-IGZO/Ag/α-IGZO) triple-layer structures that were deposited at room temperature on Eagle XG glass and flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrates through the sputtering method. Thin Ag layers with different thicknesses were inserted between two IGZO layers to form a triple-layer structure. Ag was used because of its lower absorption and resistivity. Field emission scanning electron microscopy measurements of the triple-layer structures revealed that the thicknesses of the Ag layers ranged from 13 to 41 nm. The thickness of the Ag layer had a large effect on the electrical and optical properties of the electrodes. The optimum thickness of the Ag metal thin film could be evaluated according to the optical transmittance, electrical conductivity, and figure of merit of the electrode. This study demonstrates that the α-IGZO/Ag/α-IGZO triple-layer transparent electrode can be fabricated with low sheet resistance (4.2 Ω/□) and high optical transmittance (88.1%) at room temperature without postannealing processing on the deposited thin films.

Cu mesh for flexible transparent conductive electrodes.

PubMed

Kim, Won-Kyung; Lee, Seunghun; Hee Lee, Duck; Hee Park, In; Seong Bae, Jong; Woo Lee, Tae; Kim, Ji-Young; Hun Park, Ji; Chan Cho, Yong; Ryong Cho, Chae; Jeong, Se-Young

2015-06-03

Copper electrodes with a micromesh/nanomesh structure were fabricated on a polyimide substrate using UV lithography and wet etching to produce flexible transparent conducting electrodes (TCEs). Well-defined mesh electrodes were realized through the use of high-quality Cu thin films. The films were fabricated using radio-frequency (RF) sputtering with a single-crystal Cu target--a simple but innovative approach that overcame the low oxidation resistance of ordinary Cu. Hybrid Cu mesh electrodes were fabricated by adding a capping layer of either ZnO or Al-doped ZnO. The sheet resistance and the transmittance of the electrode with an Al-doped ZnO capping layer were 6.197 ohm/sq and 90.657%, respectively, and the figure of merit was 60.502 × 10(-3)/ohm, which remained relatively unchanged after thermal annealing at 200 °C and 1,000 cycles of bending. This fabrication technique enables the mass production of large-area flexible TCEs, and the stability and high performance of Cu mesh hybrid electrodes in harsh environments suggests they have strong potential for application in smart displays and solar cells.

A Flexible and Thin Graphene/Silver Nanowires/Polymer Hybrid Transparent Electrode for Optoelectronic Devices.

PubMed

Dong, Hua; Wu, Zhaoxin; Jiang, Yaqiu; Liu, Weihua; Li, Xin; Jiao, Bo; Abbas, Waseem; Hou, Xun

2016-11-16

A typical thin and fully flexible hybrid electrode was developed by integrating the encapsulation of silver nanowires (AgNWs) network between a monolayer graphene and polymer film as a sandwich structure. Compared with the reported flexible electrodes based on PET or PEN substrate, this unique electrode exhibits the superior optoelectronic characteristics (sheet resistance of 8.06 Ω/□ at 88.3% light transmittance). Meanwhile, the specific up-to-bottom fabrication process could achieve the superflat surface (RMS = 2.58 nm), superthin thickness (∼8 μm thickness), high mechanical robustness, and lightweight. In addition, the strong corrosion resistance and stability for the hybrid electrode were proved. With these advantages, we employ this electrode to fabricate the simple flexible organic light-emitting device (OLED) and perovskite solar cell device (PSC), which exhibit the considerable performance (best PCE of OLED = 2.11 cd/A 2 ; best PCE of PSC = 10.419%). All the characteristics of the unique hybrid electrode demonstrate its potential as a high-performance transparent electrode candidate for flexible optoelectronics.

An Al-doped ZnO electrode grown by highly efficient cylindrical rotating magnetron sputtering for low cost organic photovoltaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Jun-Hyuk; Ahn, Kyung-Jun; Park, Kang-Il; Na, Seok-In; Kim, Han-Ki

2010-03-01

We report the characteristics of Al-doped zinc oxide (AZO) films prepared by a highly efficient cylindrical rotating magnetron sputtering (CRMS) system for use as a transparent conducting electrode in cost-efficient bulk hetero-junction organic solar cells (OSCs). Using a rotating cylindrical type cathode with an AZO target, whose usage was above 80%, we were able to obtain a low cost and indium free AZO electrode with a low sheet resistance of ~4.59 Ω/sq, a high transparency of 85% in the visible wavelength region and a work function of 4.9 eV at a substrate temperature of 230 °C. Moreover, the neutral poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) : poly(styrenesulfonate) based OSC fabricated on the CRMS-grown AZO electrode at 230 °C showed an open circuit voltage of 0.5 V, a short circuit current of 8.94 mA cm-2, a fill factor of 45% and power conversion efficiency of 2.01%, indicating that CRMS is a promising cost-efficient AZO deposition technique for low cost OSCs.

Linear facing target sputtering of the epitaxial Ga-doped ZnO transparent contact layer on GaN-based light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Hyun-Su; Lee, Ju-Hyun; Kwak, Joon-Seop; Lee, Hyun Hwi; Kim, Han-Ki

2013-10-01

In this study, we reported on the plasma damage-free sputtering of epitaxial Ga-doped ZnO (GZO) films on the p-GaN layer for use as a transparent contact layer (TCL) for GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) using linear facing target sputtering (LFTS). Effective confinement of high-density plasma between faced GZO targets and the substrate position located outside of the plasma region led to the deposition of the epitaxial GZO TCL with a low sheet resistance of 25.7 Ω/s and a high transmittance of 84.6% on a p-GaN layer without severe plasma damage, which was found using the conventional dc sputtering process. The low turn-on voltage of the GaN-based LEDs with an LFTS-grown GZO TCL layer that was grown at a longer target-to-substrate distance (TSD) indicates that the plasma damage of the GaN-LED could be effectively reduced by adjusting the TSD during the LFTS process.

Cylindrical Organic Solar Cells with Carbon Nanotube Charge Collectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakhidov, Dante; Lou, Raymond; Ravi, Nav; Mielczarek, Kamil; Cook, Alexander

2009-10-01

Traditional organic photovoltaic devices (OPV) are built on a flat glass substrates coated by ITO. The maximum area covered by the solar cells is limited to a two dimensional plane. Moreover the light absorption is not maximized for a very thin photoactive layer. We suggest here a cylindrical design which has a vertical structure of optical fiber coated by OPV, with light incident from the side and from edge. The sunlight, entering via a smaller area is captured into optical fiber, which allows more sunlight to be absorbed by a cylindrical OPV overcoating with multiple reflections inside the optical fiber. Instead of using brittle ITO as a hole collecting layer in the cylindrical OPV, transparent sheets of multi-walled carbon nanotubes are applied. Their highly conductive nature and 3-D collection of carriers from the P3HT/PCBM photoactive layer allows for increased efficiency over a planar geometry while keeping the device transparent. Aluminum is used as the electron collecting layer and as a cylindrical mirror. [4pt] [1] Ulbricht, et.al, phys. stat. sol. (b) 243, No. 13, 3528 - 3532 (2006) / DOI 10.1002/pssb.200669181

Heating-Rate-Triggered Carbon-Nanotube-based 3-Dimensional Conducting Networks for a Highly Sensitive Noncontact Sensing Device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tai, Yanlong; Lubineau, Gilles

2016-01-01

Recently, flexible and transparent conductive films (TCFs) are drawing more attention for their central role in future applications of flexible electronics. Here, we report the controllable fabrication of TCFs for moisture-sensing applications based on heating-rate-triggered, 3-dimensional porous conducting networks through drop casting lithography of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) ink. How ink formula and baking conditions influence the self-assembled microstructure of the TCFs is discussed. The sensor presents high-performance properties, including a reasonable sheet resistance (2.1 kohm/sq), a high visible-range transmittance (>69%, PET = 90%), and good stability when subjected to cyclic loading (>1000 cycles, better than indium tin oxide film) during processing, when formulation parameters are well optimized (weight ratio of SWCNT to PEDOT:PSS: 1:0.5, SWCNT concentration: 0.3 mg/ml, and heating rate: 36 °C/minute). Moreover, the benefits of these kinds of TCFs were verified through a fully transparent, highly sensitive, rapid response, noncontact moisture-sensing device (5 × 5 sensing pixels).

Flexible organic light emitting diodes fabricated on biocompatible silk fibroin substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yuqiang; Xie, Yuemin; Liu, Yuan; Song, Tao; Zhang, Ke-Qin; Liao, Liangsheng; Sun, Baoquan

2015-10-01

Flexible and biodegradable electronics are currently under extensive investigation for biocompatible and environmentally-friendly applications. Synthetic plastic foils are widely used as substrates for flexible electronics. But typical plastic substrates such as polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) could not be degraded in a natural bio-environment. A great demand still exists for a next-generation biocompatible and biodegradable substrate for future application. For example, electronic devices can be potentially integrated into the human body. In this work, we demonstrate that the biocompatible and biodegradable natural silk fibroin (SF) films embedded with silver nanowires (AgNWs) mesh could be employed as conductive transparent substrates to fabricate flexible organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). Compared with commercial PEN substrates coated with indium tin oxide, the AgNWs/SF composite substrates exhibit a similar sheet resistance of 12 Ω sq-1, a lower surface roughness, as well as a broader light transmission range. Flexible OLEDs based on AgNWs/SF substrates achieve a current efficiency of 19 cd A-1, demonstrating the potential of the flexible AgNWs/SF films as conductive and transparent substrates for next-generation biodegradable devices.

Fully Transparent Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diode with a Laminated Top Graphene Anode.

PubMed

Yao, Li; Fang, Xin; Gu, Wei; Zhai, Wenhao; Wan, Yi; Xie, Xixi; Xu, Wanjin; Pi, Xiaodong; Ran, Guangzhao; Qin, Guogang

2017-07-19

A new method to employ graphene as top electrode was introduced, and based on that, fully transparent quantum dot light-emitting diodes (T-QLEDs) were successfully fabricated through a lamination process. We adopted the widely used wet transfer method to transfer bilayer graphene (BG) on polydimethylsiloxane/polyethylene terephthalate (PDMS/PET) substrate. The sheet resistance of graphene reduced to ∼540 Ω/□ through transferring BG for 3 times on the PDMS/PET. The T-QLED has an inverted device structure of glass/indium tin oxide (ITO)/ZnO nanoparticles/(CdSSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs))/1,1-bis[(di-4-tolylamino)phenyl] cyclohexane (TAPC)/MoO 3 /graphene/PDMS/PET. The graphene anode on PDMS/PET substrate can be directly laminated on the MoO 3 /TAPC/(CdSSe/ZnS QDs)/ZnO nanoparticles/ITO/glass, which relied on the van der Waals interaction between the graphene/PDMS and the MoO 3 . The transmittance of the T-QLED is 79.4% at its main electroluminescence peak wavelength of 622 nm.

Spectroscopic study of transparency current in mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers.

PubMed

Revin, Dmitry G; Hassan, Randa S; Krysa, Andrey B; Wang, Yongrui; Belyanin, Alexey; Kennedy, Kenneth; Atkins, Chris N; Cockburn, John W

2012-08-13

We report measurements which give direct insight into the origins of the transparency current for λ ~5 µm In0.6Ga0.4As/In0.42Al0.58As quantum cascade lasers in the temperature range of 80-280 K. The transparency current values have been found from broadband transmission measurements through the laser waveguides under sub-threshold operating conditions. Two active region designs were compared. The active region of the first laser is based on double-LO-phonon relaxation approach, while the second device has only one lower level, without specially designed resonant LO-phonon assisted depopulation. It is shown that transparency current contributes more than 70% to the magnitude of threshold current at high temperatures for both designs.

Tunable phonon-induced transparency in bilayer graphene nanoribbons.

PubMed

Yan, Hugen; Low, Tony; Guinea, Francisco; Xia, Fengnian; Avouris, Phaedon

2014-08-13

In the phenomenon of plasmon-induced transparency, which is a classical analogue of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in atomic gases, the coherent interference between two plasmon modes results in an optical transparency window in a broad absorption spectrum. With the requirement of contrasting lifetimes, typically one of the plasmon modes involved is a dark mode that has limited coupling to the electromagnetic radiation and possesses relatively longer lifetime. Plasmon-induced transparency not only leads to light transmission at otherwise opaque frequency regions but also results in the slowing of light group velocity and enhanced optical nonlinearity. In this article, we report an analogous behavior, denoted as phonon-induced transparency (PIT), in AB-stacked bilayer graphene nanoribbons. Here, light absorption due to the plasmon excitation is suppressed in a narrow window due to the coupling with the infrared active Γ-point optical phonon, whose function here is similar to that of the dark plasmon mode in the plasmon-induced transparency. We further show that PIT in bilayer graphene is actively tunable by electrostatic gating and estimate a maximum slow light factor of around 500 at the phonon frequency of 1580 cm(-1), based on the measured spectra. Our demonstration opens an avenue for the exploration of few-photon nonlinear optics and slow light in this novel two-dimensional material.

Temperature-time dependent transmittance, sheet resistance and bonding energy of reduced graphene oxide on soda lime glass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Raj; Kumar, R. Manoj; Bera, Parthasarathi; Ariharan, S.; Lahiri, Debrupa; Lahiri, Indranil

2017-12-01

Reduced graphene oxide coated soda lime glass can act as an alternative transparent/conducting electrode for many opto-electronic applications. However, bonding between the deposited reduced graphene oxide film and the glass substrate is important for achieving better stability of the coating and an extended device lifetime. In the present study, delamination energy of reduced graphene oxide on soda lime glass was quantified by using nanoscratch technique. Graphene oxide was deposited on soda lime glass by dip coating technique and was thermally reduced at different temperatures (100 °C, 200 °C, 300 °C, 400 °C and 500 °C) and treatment time (2 h, 3 h, 4 h, 5 h and 10 h) in Ar (95%) with H2 (5%) atmosphere. An inverse behavior of delamination energy with temperature and treatment time was observed, which could be correlated with the removal of oxygen functional groups. Sheet resistance of the film demonstrated a steady decay with increasing temperature and treatment time. Functional groups attached to the graphene planes have more influence on conductivity than groups attached to the edges. Removal of functional groups could also be related to optical transmittance of the samples. Knowledge generated in this study with respect to delamination energy, sheet resistance and optical transmittance could be extensively used for various opto-electronic applications.

Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project (ISMIP6) Contribution to CMIP6

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nowicki, Sophie M. J.; Payne, Tony; Larour, Eric; Seroussi, Helene; Goelzer, Heiko; Lipscomb, William; Gregory, Jonathan; Abe-Ouchi, Ayako; Shepherd, Andrew

2016-01-01

Reducing the uncertainty in the past, present, and future contribution of ice sheets to sea-level change requires a coordinated effort between the climate and glaciology communities. The Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project for CMIP6 (ISMIP6) is the primary activity within the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6) focusing on the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. In this paper, we describe the framework for ISMIP6 and its relationship with other activities within CMIP6. The ISMIP6 experimental design relies on CMIP6 climate models and includes, for the first time within CMIP, coupled ice-sheetclimate models as well as standalone ice-sheet models. To facilitate analysis of the multi-model ensemble and to generate a set of standard climate inputs for standalone ice-sheet models, ISMIP6 defines a protocol for all variables related to ice sheets. ISMIP6 will provide a basis for investigating the feedbacks, impacts, and sea-level changes associated with dynamic ice sheets and for quantifying the uncertainty in ice-sheet-sourced global sea-level change.

Technology Systems. Laboratory Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brame, Ray; And Others

This guide contains 43 modules of laboratory activities for technology education courses. Each module includes an instructor's resource sheet and the student laboratory activity. Instructor's resource sheets include some or all of the following elements: module number, course title, activity topic, estimated time, essential elements, objectives,…

Some Aspects of the Implementation of the Principle of Transparency in Russian Universities: Research, Experience, Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Egorov, Evgeny Evgenievich; Lebedev?, Tatiana Evgenievna; Bulganina, Svetlana Viktorovna; Vasilyeva, Lyudmila Ivanovna

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to identify achieved successes, existing gaps and possible prospects of implementing the principle of transparency by Russian universities. It was focused upon the information transparency of educational activities from the perspective of legal requirements and interests of applicants and university students. The analysis…

Development of a check sheet for collecting information necessary for occupational safety and health activities and building relevant systems in overseas business places.

PubMed

Kajiki, Shigeyuki; Kobayashi, Yuichi; Uehara, Masamichi; Nakanishi, Shigemoto; Mori, Koji

2016-06-07

This study aimed to develop an information gathering check sheet to efficiently collect information necessary for Japanese companies to build global occupational safety and health management systems in overseas business places. The study group consisted of 2 researchers with occupational physician careers in a foreign-affiliated company in Japan and 3 supervising occupational physicians who were engaged in occupational safety and health activities in overseas business places. After investigating information and sources of information necessary for implementing occupational safety and health activities and building relevant systems, we conducted information acquisition using an information gathering check sheet in the field, by visiting 10 regions in 5 countries (first phase). The accuracy of the information acquired and the appropriateness of the information sources were then verified in study group meetings to improve the information gathering check sheet. Next, the improved information gathering check sheet was used in another setting (3 regions in 1 country) to confirm its efficacy (second phase), and the information gathering check sheet was thereby completed. The information gathering check sheet was composed of 9 major items (basic information on the local business place, safety and health overview, safety and health systems, safety and health staff, planning/implementation/evaluation/improvement, safety and health activities, laws and administrative organs, local medical care systems and public health, and medical support for resident personnel) and 61 medium items. We relied on the following eight information sources: the internet, company (local business place and head office in Japan), embassy/consulate, ISO certification body, university or other educational institutions, and medical institutions (aimed at Japanese people or at local workers). Through multiple study group meetings and a two-phased field survey (13 regions in 6 countries), an information gathering check sheet was completed. We confirmed the possibility that this check sheet would enable the user to obtain necessary information when expanding safety and health activities in a country or region that is new to the user. It is necessary in the future to evaluate safety and health systems and activities using this information gathering check sheet in a local business place in any country in which a Japanese business will be established, and to verify the efficacy of the check sheet by conducting model programs to test specific approaches.

Zinc oxide nanorod clusters deposited seaweed cellulose sheet for antimicrobial activity.

PubMed

Bhutiya, Priyank L; Mahajan, Mayur S; Abdul Rasheed, M; Pandey, Manoj; Zaheer Hasan, S; Misra, Nirendra

2018-06-01

Seaweed cellulose was isolated from green seaweed Ulva fasciata using a common bleaching agent. Sheet containing porous mesh was prepared from the extracted seaweed crystalline cellulose along with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod clusters grown over the sheet by single step hydrothermal method. Seaweed cellulose and zinc oxide nanorod clusters deposited seaweed cellulose sheet was characterized by FT-IR, XRD, TGA, and SEM-EDX. Morphology showed that the diameter of zinc oxide nanorods were around 70nm. Zinc oxide nanorod clusters deposited on seaweed cellulose sheet gave remarkable antibacterial activity towards gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus ceresus, Streptococcus thermophilis) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginous) microbes. Such deposited sheet has potential applications in pharmaceutical, biomedical, food packaging, water treatment and biotechnological industries. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultrathin Fluidic Laminates for Large‐Area Façade Integration and Smart Windows

PubMed Central

Heiz, Benjamin P. V.; Pan, Zhiwen; Lautenschläger, Gerhard; Sirtl, Christin; Kraus, Matthias

2016-01-01

Buildings represent more than 40% of Europe's energy demands and about one third of its CO2 emissions. Energy efficient buildings and, in particular, building skins have therefore been among the key priorities of international research agendas. Here, glass–glass fluidic devices are presented for large‐area integration with adaptive façades and smart windows. These devices enable harnessing and dedicated control of various liquids for added functionality in the building envelope. Combining a microstructured glass pane, a thin cover sheet with tailored mechanical performance, and a liquid for heat storage and transport, a flat‐panel laminate is generated with thickness adapted to a single glass sheet in conventional windows. Such multimaterial devices can be integrated with state‐of‐the‐art window glazings or façades to harvest and distribute thermal as well as solar energy by wrapping buildings into a fluidic layer. High visual transparency is achieved through adjusting the optical properties of the employed liquid. Also secondary functionality, such as chromatic windows, polychromatism, or adaptive energy uptake can be generated on part of the liquid. PMID:28331790

Adjustable liquid aperture to eliminate undesirable light in holographic projection.

PubMed

Wang, Di; Liu, Chao; Li, Lei; Zhou, Xin; Wang, Qiong-Hua

2016-02-08

In this paper, we propose an adjustable liquid aperture to eliminate the undesirable light in a holographic projection. The aperture is based on hydrodynamic actuation. A chamber is formed with a cylindrical tube. A black droplet is filled in the sidewall of the cylinder tube and the outside space is the transparent oil which is immiscible with the black droplet. An ultrathin glass sheet is attached on the bottom substrate of the device and a black shading film is secured to the central area of the glass sheet. By changing the volume of the black droplet, the black droplet will move to the middle or sidewall due to hydrodynamic actuation, so the device can be used as an adjustable aperture. A divergent spherical wave and a solid lens are used to separate the focus planes of the reconstructed image and diffraction beams induced by the liquid crystal on silicon in the holographic projection. Then the aperture is used to eliminate the diffraction beams by adjusting the size of the liquid aperture and the holographic projection does not have undesirable light.

Rapidly responsive silk fibroin hydrogels as an artificial matrix for the programmed tumor cells death.

PubMed

Ribeiro, Viviana P; Silva-Correia, Joana; Gonçalves, Cristiana; Pina, Sandra; Radhouani, Hajer; Montonen, Toni; Hyttinen, Jari; Roy, Anirban; Oliveira, Ana L; Reis, Rui L; Oliveira, Joaquim M

2018-01-01

Timely and spatially-regulated injectable hydrogels, able to suppress growing tumors in response to conformational transitions of proteins, are of great interest in cancer research and treatment. Herein, we report rapidly responsive silk fibroin (SF) hydrogels formed by a horseradish peroxidase (HRP) crosslinking reaction at physiological conditions, and demonstrate their use as an artificial biomimetic three-dimensional (3D) matrix. The proposed SF hydrogels presented a viscoelastic nature of injectable hydrogels and spontaneous conformational changes from random coil to β-sheet conformation under physiological conditions. A human neuronal glioblastoma (U251) cell line was used for screening cell encapsulation and in vitro evaluation within the SF hydrogels. The transparent random coil SF hydrogels promoted cell viability and proliferation up to 10 days of culturing, while the crystalline SF hydrogels converted into β-sheet structure induced the formation of TUNEL-positive apoptotic cells. Therefore, this work provides a powerful tool for the investigation of the microenvironment on the programed tumor cells death, by using rapidly responsive SF hydrogels as 3D in vitro tumor models.

Bottom-up formation of robust gold carbide

PubMed Central

Westenfelder, Benedikt; Biskupek, Johannes; Meyer, Jannik C.; Kurasch, Simon; Lin, Xiaohang; Scholz, Ferdinand; Gross, Axel; Kaiser, Ute

2015-01-01

A new phenomenon of structural reorganization is discovered and characterized for a gold-carbon system by in-situ atomic-resolution imaging at temperatures up to 1300 K. Here, a graphene sheet serves in three ways, as a quasi transparent substrate for aberration-corrected high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, as an in-situ heater, and as carbon supplier. The sheet has been decorated with gold nanoislands beforehand. During electron irradiation at 80 kV and at elevated temperatures, the accumulation of gold atoms has been observed on defective graphene sites or edges as well as at the facets of gold nanocrystals. Both resulted in clustering, forming unusual crystalline structures. Their lattice parameters and surface termination differ significantly from standard gold nanocrystals. The experimental data, supported by electron energy loss spectroscopy and density-functional theory calculations, suggests that isolated gold and carbon atoms form – under conditions of heat and electron irradiation – a novel type of compound crystal, Au-C in zincblende structure. The novel material is metastable, but surprisingly robust, even under annealing condition. PMID:25772348

Ultrathin Fluidic Laminates for Large-Area Façade Integration and Smart Windows.

PubMed

Heiz, Benjamin P V; Pan, Zhiwen; Lautenschläger, Gerhard; Sirtl, Christin; Kraus, Matthias; Wondraczek, Lothar

2017-03-01

Buildings represent more than 40% of Europe's energy demands and about one third of its CO 2 emissions. Energy efficient buildings and, in particular, building skins have therefore been among the key priorities of international research agendas. Here, glass-glass fluidic devices are presented for large-area integration with adaptive façades and smart windows. These devices enable harnessing and dedicated control of various liquids for added functionality in the building envelope. Combining a microstructured glass pane, a thin cover sheet with tailored mechanical performance, and a liquid for heat storage and transport, a flat-panel laminate is generated with thickness adapted to a single glass sheet in conventional windows. Such multimaterial devices can be integrated with state-of-the-art window glazings or façades to harvest and distribute thermal as well as solar energy by wrapping buildings into a fluidic layer. High visual transparency is achieved through adjusting the optical properties of the employed liquid. Also secondary functionality, such as chromatic windows, polychromatism, or adaptive energy uptake can be generated on part of the liquid.

Hydrologically-induced slow-down as a mechanism for tidewater glacier retreat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hewitt, Ian

2017-04-01

Outlet glaciers flowing into the ocean often terminate at a calving front, whose position is sensitively determined by the balance between ice discharge and calving/terminus-melting. Rapid retreat of tidewater glaciers can be initiated when the front is perturbed from a preferred pinning point, particularly when the glacier sits in an overdeepened trough. This is believed to make certain areas of ice sheets particularly vulnerable to ice loss. A number of factors may cause a previously stable front position to become unstable, including changes in buttressing provided by an ice shelf, and changes in ocean temperature. Another possibility is that initial retreat is induced by a reduction in the supply of ice from the interior of the ice sheet. Such a reduction can naturally arise from an increase in surface melting and runoff (in the absence of accumulation changes), and this may be amplified if more efficient meltwater routing reduces basal lubrication, as has been observed in some areas of the Greenland ice sheet. Since the initiation of rapid retreat often results in an increase of ice discharge at the front (due to increased ice thickness), such a process may not be easy to detect. In this study, I employ a simplified model of an outlet glacier and its frontal behaviour to examine the extent to which hydrologically induced slow-down of the feeding ice sheet may induce (or help to induce) calving front retreat. The model builds on earlier parameterisations of grounding line fluxes, and assumes that calving occurs according to a criterion that keeps the front close to the flotation thickness. The glacier bed is assumed to be plastic. This allows for a transparent identification of the different forcing terms affecting margin position. We conclude that hydrologically-induced slow-down of ice sheets is likely to have a more significant effect on mass loss than hydrologically-induced speed-up.

When transparency is opaque: Effects of diacritic marks and vowel letters on dyslexic Hebrew readers.

PubMed

Weiss, Yael; Katzir, Tami; Bitan, Tali

2016-10-01

The current study examined the effects of orthographic transparency and familiarity on brain mechanisms involved in word recognition in adult dyslexic Hebrew readers. We compared functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) brain activation in 21 dyslexic readers and 22 typical readers, and examined the effects of diacritic marks that provide transparent but less familiar information and vowel letters that increase orthographic transparency without compromising familiarity. Dyslexic readers demonstrated reduced activation in left supramarginal gyrus (SMG) as compared to typical readers, as well as different patterns of activation within the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). Furthermore, in contrast to typical readers, dyslexic readers did not show increased activation for diacritics in left temporo-parietal junction regions, associated with mapping orthography to phonology. Nevertheless, both groups showed the facilitation effect of vowel letters on regions associated with lexical-semantic access. Altogether the results suggest that while typical readers can compensate for the reduced familiarity of pointed words with increased reliance on decoding of smaller units, dyslexic readers do not, and therefore they show a higher cost. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distribution of Region 1 and 2 currents in the quietand substorm time plasma sheetfrom THEMIS observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, J.; Angelopoulos, V.; Chu, X.; McPherron, R. L.

2016-12-01

Although Earth's Region 1 and 2 currents are related to activities such as substorm initiation, their magnetospheric origin remains unclear. Utilizing the triangular configuration of THEMIS probes at 8-12 RE downtail, we seek the origin of nightside Region 1 and 2 currents. The triangular configuration allows a curlometer-like technique which do not rely on active-time boundary crossings, so we can examine the current distribution in quiet times as well as active times. Our statistical study reveals that both Region 1 and 2 currents exist in the plasma sheet during quiet and active times. Especially, this is the first unequivocal, in-situ evidence of the existence of Region 2 currents in the plasma sheet. Farther away from the neutral sheet than the Region 2 currents lie the Region 1 currents which extend at least to the plasma sheet boundary layer. At geomagnetic quiet times, the separation between the two currents is located 2.5 RE from the neutral sheet. These findings suggest that the plasma sheet is a source of Region 1 and 2 currents regardless of geomagnetic activity level. During substorms, the separation between Region 1 and 2 currents migrates toward (away from) the neutral sheet as the plasma sheet thins (thickens). This migration indicates that the deformation of Region 1 and 2 currents is associated with redistribution of FAC sources in the magnetotail. In some substorms when the THEMIS probes encounter a dipolarization, a substorm current wedge (SCW) can be inferred from our technique, and it shows a distinctively larger current density than the pre-existing Region 1 currents. This difference suggests that the SCW is not just an enhancement of the pre-existing Region 1 current; the SCW and the Region 1 currents have different sources.

Emerging materials for transparent conductive electrodes and their applications in photovoltaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Zhaozhao

Clean and affordable energy, especially solar energy, is becoming more and more important as our annual total energy consumption keeps rising. However, to make solar energy more affordable and accessible, the cost for fabrication, transportation and assembly of all components need to be reduced. As a crucial component for solar cells, transparent conductive electrode (TCE) can determine the cost and performance. A light weight, easy-to-fabricate and cost-effective new generation TCE is thus needed. While indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) has been the most widely used material for commercial applications as TCEs, its cost has gone up due to the limited global supply of indium. This is not only due to the scarcity of the element itself, but also the massive production of various opto-electronic devices such as TVs, smartphones and tablets. In order to reduce the cost for fabricating large area solar cells, substitute materials for ITO should be developed. These materials should have similar optical transmittance in the visible wavelength range, as well as similar electrical conductivity (sheet resistance) to ITO. This work starts with synthesizing ITO-replacing nano-materials, such as copper nanowires (CuNWs), derivative zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and so on. Further, we applied various deposition techniques, including spin-coating, spray-coating, Mayer-rod coating, filtration and transferring, to coat transparent substrates with these materials in order to fabricate TCEs. We characterize these materials and analyze their electrical/optical properties as TCEs. Additionally, these fabricated single-material-based TCEs were tested in various lab conditions, and their shortcomings (instability, rigidity, etc.) were highlighted. In order to address these issues, we hybridized the different materials to combine their strengths and compared the properties to single-material based TCEs. The multiple hybridized TCEs have comparable optical/electrical metrics to ITO. The doped-ZnO TCEs exhibit high optical transmittance over 90% in the visible range and low sheet resistance under 200 O/sq. For CuNW-based composite electrodes, ˜ 85% optical transmittance and ˜ 25 O/sq were observed. Meanwhile, the hybridization of materials adds additional features such as flexibility or resistance to corrosion. Finally, as a proof of concept, the CuNW-based composite TCEs were tested in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), showing similar performance to ITO based samples.

Spectral characteristics of plasma sheet ion and electron populations during undisturbed geomagnetic conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christon, S. P.; Williams, D. J.; Mitchell, D. G.; Frank, L. A.; Huang, C. Y.

1989-01-01

The spectral characteristics of plasma-sheet ion and electron populations during periods of low geomagnetic activity were determined from the analysis of 127 one-hour average samples of central plasma sheet ions and electrons. Particle data from the ISEE-1 low-energy proton and electron differential energy analyzer and medium-energy particle instrument were combined to obtain differential energy spectra in the plasma sheet at geocentric radial distances above 12 earth radii. The relationships between the ion and electron spectral shapes and between the spectral shapes and the geomagnetic activity index were statistically investigated. It was found that the presence of interplanetary particle fluxes does not affect the plasma sheet particle spectral shape.

Infrared technique for decoding of invisible laser markings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haferkamp, Heinz; Jaeschke, Peter; Stein, Johannes; Goede, Martin

2002-03-01

Counterfeiting and product piracy continues to be an important issue not only for the Western industry, but also for the society in general. Due to the drastic increase in product imitation and the request for plagiarism protection as well as for reducing thefts there is a high interest in new protection methods providing new security features. The method presented here consists of security markings which are included below paint layers. These markings are invisible for the human eye due to the non-transparency of the upper layers in the visible spectral range. However, the markings can be detected by an infrared technique taking advantage on the partial transparency of the upper paint layers in the IR-region. Metal sheets are marked using laser radiation. The beam of a Nd:YAG-laser provides a modification of the surface structure, resulting in dark markings due to the annealing effect. After coating of the laser-marked material, the markings are invisible for the bare eye. In order to read out the invisible information below the coating, an infrared reflection technique is used. The samples are illuminated with halogen lamps or infrared radiators. Many coating materials (i. e. paints) show a certain transparency in the mid-infrared region, especially between 3 - 5 micrometers . The reflected radiation is detected using an IR-camera with a sensitivity range from 3.4 - 5 micrometers . Due to the different reflection properties between the markings and their surrounding, the information can be detected.

Highly Enhanced Electromechanical Stability of Large-Area Graphene with Increased Interfacial Adhesion Energy by Electrothermal-Direct Transfer for Transparent Electrodes.

PubMed

Kim, Jangheon; Kim, Gi Gyu; Kim, Soohyun; Jung, Wonsuk

2016-09-07

Graphene, a two-dimensional sheet of carbon atoms in a hexagonal lattice structure, has been extensively investigated for research and industrial applications as a promising material with outstanding electrical, mechanical, and chemical properties. To fabricate graphene-based devices, graphene transfer to the target substrate with a clean and minimally defective surface is the first step. However, graphene transfer technologies require improvement in terms of uniform transfer with a clean, nonfolded and nontorn area, amount of defects, and electromechanical reliability of the transferred graphene. More specifically, uniform transfer of a large area is a key challenge when graphene is repetitively transferred onto pretransferred layers because the adhesion energy between graphene layers is too low to ensure uniform transfer, although uniform multilayers of graphene have exhibited enhanced electrical and optical properties. In this work, we developed a newly suggested electrothermal-direct (ETD) transfer method for large-area high quality monolayer graphene with less defects and an absence of folding or tearing of the area at the surface. This method delivers uniform multilayer transfer of graphene by repetitive monolayer transfer steps based on high adhesion energy between graphene layers and the target substrate. To investigate the highly enhanced electromechanical stability, we conducted mechanical elastic bending experiments and reliability tests in a highly humid environment. This ETD-transferred graphene is expected to replace commercial transparent electrodes with ETD graphene-based transparent electrodes and devices such as a touch panels with outstanding electromechanical stability.

Novel transparent conductor with enhanced conductivity: hybrid of silver nanowires and dual-doped graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sohn, Hiesang; Woo, Yun Sung; Shin, Weonho; Yun, Dong-Jin; Lee, Taek; Kim, Felix Sunjoo; Hwang, Jinyoung

2017-10-01

We present hybrid transparent conducting films based on silver nanowires (Ag NWs) and doped graphene through novel dual co-doping method by applying various dopants (HNO3 or Au for p-doping and N2H4 for n-doping) on top and bottom sides of graphene. We systematically investigated the effect of dual-doping on their surface as well as electrical and optical properties of graphene and Ag NW/graphene hybrid films through the combination study with various dopant types (p/p, p/n, n/p, and n/n). We found that the p/p-type dual-doped (p-type dopant: HNO3) graphene and its hybrid formation with Ag NWs appeared to be the most effective in enhancing the electrical properties of conductor (doped graphene with ΔR/R0 = 84% and Ag NW/doped graphene hybrid with ΔR/R0 = 62%), demonstrating doped monolayer graphene with high optical transmittance (TT = 97.4%), and sheet resistance (Rs = 188 Ω/sq.). We also note that dual-doping improved such electrical properties without any significant debilitation of optical transparency of conductors (doped graphene with ΔTT = 0.1% and Ag NW/doped graphene hybrid with ΔTT = 0.4%). In addition, the enhanced conductivity of p-type dual-doped graphene allows a hybrid system to form co-percolating network in which Ag NWs can form a secondary conductive path at grain boundaries of polycrystalline graphene.

Dual-scale rough multifunctional superhydrophobic ITO coatings prepared by air annealing of sputtered indium-tin alloy thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Nitant; Sasikala, S.; Mahadik, D. B.; Rao, A. V.; Barshilia, Harish C.

2012-10-01

A novel method to fabricate multifunctional indium tin oxide (ITO) coatings is discussed. Superhydrophobic ITO coatings are fabricated by radio frequency balanced magnetron sputter deposition of indium-tin alloy on glass substrates followed by complete oxidation of the samples in air. The chemical nature and structure of the coatings are verified by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy. Field emission scanning electron microscopic studies of the coatings display rod-like and blob-like microstructures, together with fractal-like nanostructures infused on top. Microscale roughness of the ITO coatings is measured by three-dimensional profilometry and is found to be in the range of 0.1-3 μm. Thus the presence of micro- and nano- sized structures result in dual-scale roughness. The variation in the contact angle with the deposition time is studied using a contact angle goniometer. High water contact angles (>160°) and low contact angle hysteresis (5°) are obtained at an optimum microscale roughness. The ITO coatings also exhibit other functional properties, such as low sheet resistance and semi-transparent behaviour in the visible region. The loss in the transparency of the ITO coatings is attributed to the presence of higher scale of roughness. The photoluminescence measurements show large photoemission in the visible region. It is expected that further improvements in the multifunctional properties of transparent conducting oxides will open new frontiers in designing novel materials with exotic properties.

ITO-MgF2 Film Development for PowerSphere Polymer Surface Protection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hambourger, Paul D.; Kerslake, Thomas W.; Waters, Deborah L.

2004-01-01

Multi-kilogram class microsatellites with a PowerSphere electric power system are attractive for fulfilling a variety of potential NASA missions. However, PowerSphere polymer surfaces must be coated with a film that has suitable electrical sheet resistivity for electrostatic discharge control, be resistant to atomic oxygen attack, be transparent to ultraviolet light for composite structure curing and resist ultraviolet light induced darkening for efficient photovoltaic cell operation. In addition, the film must be tolerant of polymer layer folding associated with launch stowage of PowerSphere inflatable structures. An excellent film material candidate to meet these requirements is co-sputtered, indium oxide (In2O3) - tin oxide (SnO2), known as 'ITO', and magnesium fluoride (MgF2). While basic ITO-MgF2 film properties have been the subject of research over the last decade, further research is required in the areas of film durability for space-inflatable applications and precise film property control for large scale commercial production. In this paper, the authors present film durability results for a folded polymer substrate and film resistance to vacuum UV darkening. The authors discuss methods and results in the area of film sheet resistivity measurement and active control, particularly dual-channel, plasma emission line measurement of ITO and MgF2 plasma sources. ITO-MgF2 film polymer coupon preparation is described as well as film deposition equipment, procedures and film characterization. Durability testing methods are also described. The pre- and post-test condition of the films is assessed microscopically and electrically. Results show that an approx. 500A ITO-18vol% MgF2 film is a promising candidate to protect PowerSphere polymer surfaces for Earth orbit missions. Preliminary data also indicate that in situ film measurement methods are promising for active film resistivity control in future large scale production. Future film research plans are also discussed.

Hanging on to the Wetlands. Book II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newton, David E.; Slesnick, Irwin L.

This middle/junior high school unit on wetland ecology consists of 12 activities and activity packets containing data sheets, activity sheets, flash cards, game cards, and other materials needed to complete the activities. The first activity is the text for a slide-tape show which provides an overview of the entire unit. Each of the remaining…

Hanging on to the Wetlands. Book I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newton, David E.; Slesnick, Irwin L.

This elementary school unit on wetland ecology consists of 12 activities and activity packets containing data sheets, activity sheets, flash cards, game cards, and other materials needed to complete the activities. The first activity is the text for a slide-tape show which provides an overview of the entire unit. Each of the remaining activities…

Palaeo sea-level and ice-sheet databases: problems, strategies and perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rovere, Alessio; Düsterhus, André; Carlson, Anders; Barlow, Natasha; Bradwell, Tom; Dutton, Andrea; Gehrels, Roland; Hibbert, Fiona; Hijma, Marc; Horton, Benjamin; Klemann, Volker; Kopp, Robert; Sivan, Dorit; Tarasov, Lev; Törnqvist, Torbjorn

2016-04-01

Databases of palaeoclimate data have driven many major developments in understanding the Earth system. The measurement and interpretation of palaeo sea-level and ice-sheet data that form such databases pose considerable challenges to the scientific communities that use them for further analyses. In this paper, we build on the experience of the PALSEA (PALeo constraints on SEA level rise) community, which is a working group inside the PAGES (Past Global Changes) project, to describe the challenges and best strategies that can be adopted to build a self-consistent and standardised database of geological and geochemical data related to palaeo sea levels and ice sheets. Our aim in this paper is to identify key points that need attention and subsequent funding when undertaking the task of database creation. We conclude that any sea-level or ice-sheet database must be divided into three instances: i) measurement; ii) interpretation; iii) database creation. Measurement should include postion, age, description of geological features, and quantification of uncertainties. All must be described as objectively as possible. Interpretation can be subjective, but it should always include uncertainties and include all the possible interpretations, without unjustified a priori exclusions. We propose that, in the creation of a database, an approach based on Accessibility, Transparency, Trust, Availability, Continued updating, Completeness and Communication of content (ATTAC3) must be adopted. Also, it is essential to consider the community structure that creates and benefits of a database. We conclude that funding sources should consider to address not only the creation of original data in specific research-question oriented projects, but also include the possibility to use part of the funding for IT-related and database creation tasks, which are essential to guarantee accessibility and maintenance of the collected data.

Hanging on to the Wetlands. Book III.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newton, David E.; Slesnick, Irwin L.

This high school unit on wetland ecology consists of 12 activities and activity packets containing data sheets, activity sheets, flash cards, game cards, and other materials needed to complete the activities. The first activity is the text for a slide-tape show which provides an overview of the entire unit. Each of the remaining activities is then…

Transparent selective illumination means suitable for use in optically activated electrical switches and optically activated electrical switches constructed using same

DOEpatents

Wilcox, R.B.

1991-09-10

A planar transparent light conducting means and an improved optically activated electrical switch made using the novel light conducting means are disclosed. The light conducting means further comprise light scattering means on one or more opposite planar surfaces thereof to transmit light from the light conducting means into adjacent media and reflective means on other surfaces of the light conducting means not containing the light scattering means. The optically activated electrical switch comprises at least two stacked photoconductive wafers, each having electrodes formed on both surfaces thereof, and separated by the planar transparent light conducting means. The light scattering means on the light conducting means face surfaces of the wafers not covered by the electrodes to transmit light from the light conducting means into the photoconductive wafers to uniformly illuminate and activate the switch. 11 figures.

Transparent selective illumination means suitable for use in optically activated electrical switches and optically activated electrical switches constructed using same

DOEpatents

Wilcox, Russell B.

1991-01-01

A planar transparent light conducting means and an improved optically activated electrical switch made using the novel light conducting means are disclosed. The light conducting means further comprise light scattering means on one or more opposite planar surfaces thereof to transmit light from the light conducting means into adjacent media and reflective means on other surfaces of the light conducting means not containing the light scattering means. The optically activated electrical switch comprises at least two stacked photoconductive wafers, each having electrodes formed on both surfaces thereof, and separated by the planar transparent light conducting means. The light scattering means on the light conducting means face surfaces of the wafers not covered by the electrodes to transmit light from the light conducting means into the photoconductive wafers to uniformly illuminate and activate the switch.

Tabletop Tectonics: Diverse Mountain Ranges Using Flour and Graphite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, D. M.

2006-12-01

It has been recognized for some time that the frontal deformation zones where plates converge (foreland fold- and-thrust belts on continents and accretionary wedges at subduction zones) involve shortening over a decoupling layer, or decollement. A simple but successful way of explaining many aspects of their behavior is called the critical Coulomb wedge model, which regards these contractional wedges as analogous to the wedge-shaped mass of soil accreted in front of a bulldozer, or the wedge of snow that piles up in front of a snow plow. The shape and deformation history of the accreted wedge of soil or snow will depend upon the frictional strength of the material being plowed up and the surface over which it is being plowed. The same is true of `bulldozer' wedges consisting of many km thick piles of sediment at convergent plate margins. Using flour (or powdered milk), sandpaper, graphite, transparency sheets, and athletic field marker chalk, manipulated with sieves, brushes, pastry bags and blocks and sheets of wood, it is possible to demonstrate a wide variety of processes and tectonic styles observed at convergent plate boundaries. Model fold-and-thrust belts that behave like natural examples with a decollement that is strong (e.g., in rock without high pore fluid pressure) or weak (e.g., in a salt horizon or with elevated pore fluid pressure) can be generated simply by placing wither sandpaper or graphite beneath the flour that is pushed across the tabletop using a block of wood (the strong basement and hiterland rocks behind the fold-thrust belt). Depending upon the strength of the decollement, the cross-sectional taper of the deforming wedge will be thin or broad, the internal deformation mild or intense, and the structures either close to symmetric or strongly forward-vergent, just as at the analogous natural fold-thrust belts. Including a horizontal sheet of wood or Plexiglas in front of the pushing block allows generation of an accretionary wedge, outer-are high, and forearc basin, just as over a subduction zone. Any dark material emplaced (a pastry bag works well) atop the experiment before deformation in the form of football-field `hash marks' every 10 cm allows for easy calculation of strain distribution at any time during or after the experiment. Finally, the entire orogen can be excavated using a plastic photocopier transparency sheet. If the original set-up included occasional thin layers of red and blue field marker chalk within sedimentary column (the rest of which consists of white flour or powdered milk), excavation reveals (quite colorfully) many internal details of the fold-thrust belts that have been generated.

Reliable radiocarbon evidence for the maximum extent of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in the easternmost Amundsen Sea Embayment during the Last Glacial Maximum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hillenbrand, C. D.; Klages, J. P.; Kuhn, G.; Smith, J.; Graham, A. G. C.; Gohl, K.; Wacker, L.

2016-02-01

We present the first age control and sedimentological data for the upper part of a stratified seismic unit that is unusually thick ( 6-9 m) for the outer shelf of the ASE and overlies an acoustically transparent unit. The transparent unit probably consists of soft till deposited during the last advance of grounded ice onto the outer shelf. We mapped subtle mega-scale glacial lineations (MSGL) on the seafloor and suggest that these are probably the expressions of bedforms originally moulded into the surface of the underlying till layer. We note that the lineations are less distinct when compared to MSGLs recorded in bathymetric data collected further upstream and suggest that this is because of the blanketing influence of the thick overlying drape. The uppermost part (≤ 3 m) of the stratified drape was sampled by two of our sediment cores and contains sufficient amounts of calcareous foraminifera throughout to establish reliable age models by radiocarbon dating. In combination with facies analysis of the recovered sediments the obtained radiocarbon dates suggest deposition of the draping unit in a sub-ice shelf/sub-sea ice to seasonal-open marine environment that existed on the outer shelf from well before (>45 ka BP) the Last Glacial Maximum until today. This indicates the maximum extent of grounded ice at the LGM must have been situated south of the two core locations, where a well-defined grounding-zone wedge (`GZWa') was deposited. The third sediment core was recovered from the toe of this wedge and retrieved grounding-line proximal glaciogenic debris flow sediments that were deposited by 14 cal. ka BP. Our new data therefore provide direct evidence for 1) the maximum extent of grounded ice in the easternmost ASE at the LGM (=GZWa), 2) the existence of a large shelf area seawards the wedge that was not covered by grounded ice during that time, and 3) landward grounding line retreat from GZWa prior to 14 cal. ka BP. This knowledge will help to improve LGM ice sheet reconstructions and to quantify precisely the volume of LGM ice-sheet build-up in Antarctica. Our study also alludes to the possibility that refugia for Antarctic shelf benthos may have existed in the ASE during the last glacial period.

Self-Activated Transparent All-Graphene Gas Sensor with Endurance to Humidity and Mechanical Bending.

PubMed

Kim, Yeon Hoo; Kim, Sang Jin; Kim, Yong-Jin; Shim, Yeong-Seok; Kim, Soo Young; Hong, Byung Hee; Jang, Ho Won

2015-10-27

Graphene is considered as one of leading candidates for gas sensor applications in the Internet of Things owing to its unique properties such as high sensitivity to gas adsorption, transparency, and flexibility. We present self-activated operation of all graphene gas sensors with high transparency and flexibility. The all-graphene gas sensors which consist of graphene for both sensor electrodes and active sensing area exhibit highly sensitive, selective, and reversible responses to NO2 without external heating. The sensors show reliable operation under high humidity conditions and bending strain. In addition to these remarkable device performances, the significantly facile fabrication process enlarges the potential of the all-graphene gas sensors for use in the Internet of Things and wearable electronics.

Diffuse light-sheet microscopy for stripe-free calcium imaging of neural populations.

PubMed

Taylor, Michael A; Vanwalleghem, Gilles C; Favre-Bulle, Itia A; Scott, Ethan K

2018-06-19

Light-sheet microscopy is used extensively in developmental biology and neuroscience. One limitation of this approach is that absorption and scattering produces shadows in the illuminating light sheet, resulting in stripe artifacts. Here, we introduce diffuse light-sheet microscopes that use a line diffuser to randomize the light propagation within the image plane, allowing the light sheets to reform after obstacles. We incorporate diffuse light sheets in two existing configurations: selective plane illumination microscopy (SPIM) in which the sample is illuminated with a static sheet of light, and digitally scanned light sheet (DSLS) in which a thin Gaussian beam is scanned across the image plane during each acquisition. We compare diffuse light-sheet microscopes to their conventional counterparts for calcium imaging of neural activity in larval zebrafish. We show that stripe artifacts can cast deep shadows that conceal some neurons, and that the stripes can flicker, producing spurious signals that could be interpreted as biological activity. Diffuse light sheets mitigate these problems, illuminating the blind spots produced by stripes and removing artifacts produced by the stripes' movements. The upgrade to diffuse light sheets is simple and inexpensive, especially in the case of DSLS, where it requires the addition of one optical element. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Vitamin C treatment promotes mesenchymal stem cell sheet formation and tissue regeneration by elevating telomerase activity.

PubMed

Wei, Fulan; Qu, Cunye; Song, Tieli; Ding, Gang; Fan, Zhipeng; Liu, Dayong; Liu, Yi; Zhang, Chunmei; Shi, Songtao; Wang, Songlin

2012-09-01

Cell sheet engineering has been developed as an alternative approach to improve mesenchymal stem cell-mediated tissue regeneration. In this study, we found that vitamin C (Vc) was capable of inducing telomerase activity in periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs), leading to the up-regulated expression of extracellular matrix type I collagen, fibronectin, and integrin β1, stem cell markers Oct4, Sox2, and Nanog as well as osteogenic markers RUNX2, ALP, OCN. Under Vc treatment, PDLSCs can form cell sheet structures because of increased cell matrix production. Interestingly, PDLSC sheets demonstrated a significant improvement in tissue regeneration compared with untreated control dissociated PDLSCs and offered an effective treatment for periodontal defects in a swine model. In addition, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell sheets and umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell sheets were also well constructed using this method. The development of Vc-mediated mesenchymal stem cell sheets may provide an easy and practical approach for cell-based tissue regeneration. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Stretchable Transparent Electrode Arrays for Simultaneous Electrical and Optical Interrogation of Neural Circuits in Vivo.

PubMed

Zhang, Jing; Liu, Xiaojun; Xu, Wenjing; Luo, Wenhan; Li, Ming; Chu, Fangbing; Xu, Lu; Cao, Anyuan; Guan, Jisong; Tang, Shiming; Duan, Xiaojie

2018-05-09

Recent developments of transparent electrode arrays provide a unique capability for simultaneous optical and electrical interrogation of neural circuits in the brain. However, none of these electrode arrays possess the stretchability highly desired for interfacing with mechanically active neural systems, such as the brain under injury, the spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Here, we report a stretchable transparent electrode array from carbon nanotube (CNT) web-like thin films that retains excellent electrochemical performance and broad-band optical transparency under stretching and is highly durable under cyclic stretching deformation. We show that the CNT electrodes record well-defined neuronal response signals with negligible light-induced artifacts from cortical surfaces under optogenetic stimulation. Simultaneous two-photon calcium imaging through the transparent CNT electrodes from cortical surfaces of GCaMP-expressing mice with epilepsy shows individual activated neurons in brain regions from which the concurrent electrical recording is taken, thus providing complementary cellular information in addition to the high-temporal-resolution electrical recording. Notably, the studies on rats show that the CNT electrodes remain operational during and after brain contusion that involves the rapid deformation of both the electrode array and brain tissue. This enables real-time, continuous electrophysiological monitoring of cortical activity under traumatic brain injury. These results highlight the potential application of the stretchable transparent CNT electrode arrays in combining electrical and optical modalities to study neural circuits, especially under mechanically active conditions, which could potentially provide important new insights into the local circuit dynamics of the spinal cord and PNS as well as the mechanism underlying traumatic injuries of the nervous system.

All about Me: Reproducible Activity Sheets To Develop Self-Esteem in Your Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palomares, Susanna

This document contains a set of reproducible activity sheets for teachers to use in enhancing the self-esteem of their students. Designed to supplement other approaches being used by teachers, the activities in this book can be used to infuse esteem-building activities into the core curriculum. The activities are organized around several…

Visible-light promoted catalytic activity of dumbbell-like Au nanorods supported on graphene/TiO2 sheets towards hydrogenation reaction.

PubMed

Dai, Yunqian; Zhu, Mingyun; Wang, Xiaotian; Wu, Yanan; Huang, Chengqian; Fu, Wanlin; Meng, Xiangyu; Sun, Yueming

2018-06-15

In this work, the rationally-designed sharp corners on Au nanorods tremendously improved the catalytic activity, particularly in the presence of visible light irradiation, towards the hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol. A strikingly increased rate constant of 50.6 g -1 s -1 L was achieved in M-Au-3, which was 41.8 times higher than that of parent Au nanorods under dark conditions. The enhanced activities were proportional to the extent of the protruding sharp corners. Furthermore, remarkably enhanced activities were achieved in novel ternary Au/RGO/TiO 2 sheets, which were endowed with a 52.0 times higher rate constant than that of straight Au nanorods. These remarkably enhanced activities were even higher than those of previously reported 3-5 nm Au and 3 nm Pt nanoparticles. It was systematically observed that there are three aspects to the synergistic effects between Au and RGO sheets: (i) electron transfer from RGO to Au, (ii) a high concentration of p-nitrophenol close to dumbbell-like Au nanorods on RGO sheets, and (iii) increased local reaction temperature from the photothermal effect of both dumbbell-like Au nanorods and RGO sheets.

Visible-light promoted catalytic activity of dumbbell-like Au nanorods supported on graphene/TiO2 sheets towards hydrogenation reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Yunqian; Zhu, Mingyun; Wang, Xiaotian; Wu, Yanan; Huang, Chengqian; Fu, Wanlin; Meng, Xiangyu; Sun, Yueming

2018-06-01

In this work, the rationally-designed sharp corners on Au nanorods tremendously improved the catalytic activity, particularly in the presence of visible light irradiation, towards the hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol. A strikingly increased rate constant of 50.6 g‑1 s‑1 L was achieved in M-Au-3, which was 41.8 times higher than that of parent Au nanorods under dark conditions. The enhanced activities were proportional to the extent of the protruding sharp corners. Furthermore, remarkably enhanced activities were achieved in novel ternary Au/RGO/TiO2 sheets, which were endowed with a 52.0 times higher rate constant than that of straight Au nanorods. These remarkably enhanced activities were even higher than those of previously reported 3–5 nm Au and 3 nm Pt nanoparticles. It was systematically observed that there are three aspects to the synergistic effects between Au and RGO sheets: (i) electron transfer from RGO to Au, (ii) a high concentration of p-nitrophenol close to dumbbell-like Au nanorods on RGO sheets, and (iii) increased local reaction temperature from the photothermal effect of both dumbbell-like Au nanorods and RGO sheets.

2009 Annual Health Physics Report for the HEU Transparency Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Radev, R

2010-04-14

During the 2009 calendar year, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) provided health physics support for the Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) Transparency Program for external and internal radiation protection. LLNL also provided technical expertise related to BDMS radioactive sources and Russian radiation safety regulatory compliance. For the calendar year 2009, there were 159 person-trips that required dose monitoring of the U.S. monitors. Of the 159 person-trips, 149 person-trips were SMVs and 10 person-trips were Transparency Monitoring Office (TMO) trips. There were 4 monitoring visits by TMO monitors to facilities other than UEIE and 10 to UEIE itself. LLNL's Hazard Control Departmentmore » laboratories provided the dosimetry services for the HEU Transparency monitors. In 2009, the HEU Transparency activities in Russia were conducted in a radiologically safe manner for the HEU Transparency monitors in accordance with the expectations of the HEU Transparency staff, NNSA and DOE. The HEU Transparency Program now has over fifteen years of successful experience in developing and providing health and safety support in meeting its technical objectives.« less

Reverse-mode thermoresponsive light attenuators produced by optical anisotropic composites of nematic liquid crystals and reactive mesogens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kakiuchida, Hiroshi; Ogiwara, Akifumi

2018-04-01

Polymer network liquid crystals (PNLCs) whose optical transmittance state switches between transparence at low temperatures and haze at high temperatures were fabricated from mixtures of nematic liquid crystals (LCs) and reactive mesogens (RMs). This PNLC structure is simple but effective, namely, consists of micro-scale domains of orientation-ordered LCs and anisotropically polymerized RMs. The domains form through photopolymerization induced phase separation with inhomogeneous irradiation projected by laser speckling techniques. This irradiation method enables you to control the size and shape of phase-separation domains, and these PNLCs can be applied to novel thermoresponsive optical devices; optical isolators, thermometric sheets, and smart windows.

Industrially Feasible Approach to Transparent, Flexible, and Conductive Carbon Nanotube Films: Cellulose-Assisted Film Deposition Followed by Solution and Photonic Processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Yeji; Chikamatsu, Masayuki; Azumi, Reiko; Saito, Takeshi; Minami, Nobutsugu

2013-02-01

We report that single-walled nanotube (SWNT) films with precisely controlled thicknesses and transmittances can be produced through the doctor-blade method using SWNT-polymer inks. The matrix polymer around SWNTs were successfully removed by either solution curing or photonic curing at room temperature, which are advantageous processes enabling direct film formation on plastic substrates. Sheet resistances as low as 68-240 Ω/sq at T=89-98% were obtained. Furthermore, the SWNT film on poly(ethylene naphthalate) exhibited superior flexibility and stability in a flexure endurance test. The method may open a wide range of opportunities for flexible electrical devices.

Transparent bifacial dye-sensitized solar cells based on organic counter electrodes and iodine-free electrolyte

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ku, Zhiliang; Rong, Yaoguang; Han, Hongwei

2013-10-01

In this study, a novel bifacially active transparent dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSCs) assembled with a transparent poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) counter electrode and a colorless iodine-free polymer gel (IFPG) electrolyte was developed. The IFPG electrolyte was prepared by employing an ionic liquid (1,2-dimethyl-3-propylinmidazolium iodide, DMPII) as the charge transfer intermediate and a polymer composite as the gelator without the addition of iodine, exhibiting high conductivity and non-absorption characters. PEDOT electrodes were prepared via a facile electro-polymerization method. By controlling the amount of polymerization charge capacity, we optimized the PEDOT electrodes with high transparency and a favorable activity for catalyzing the IFPG electrolyte. The bifacial DSSCs device fabricated by this kind of transparent PEDOT electrode and colorless IFPG electrolyte showed a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 6.35% and 4.98% at 100 mW cm-2 AM1.5 illumination corresponding to front- and rear-side illumination. It is notable that the PCE under rear-side illumination approaches 80% that of front-side illumination. Moreover, the device shows excellent stability as confirmed by aging test. These promising results highlight the enormous potential of this transparent PEDOT CE and colorless IFPG electrolyte in scaling up and commercialization of low cost and effective bifacial DSSCs.

Lutetium oxide-based transparent ceramic scintillators

DOEpatents

Seeley, Zachary; Cherepy, Nerine; Kuntz, Joshua; Payne, Stephen A.

2016-01-19

In one embodiment, a transparent ceramic of sintered nanoparticles includes gadolinium lutetium oxide doped with europium having a chemical composition (Lu.sub.1-xGd.sub.x).sub.2-YEu.sub.YO.sub.3, where X is any value within a range from about 0.05 to about 0.45 and Y is any value within a range from about 0.01 to about 0.2, and where the transparent ceramic exhibits a transparency characterized by a scatter coefficient of less than about 10%/cm. In another embodiment, a transparent ceramic scintillator of sintered nanoparticles, includes a body of sintered nanoparticles including gadolinium lutetium oxide doped with a rare earth activator (RE) having a chemical composition (Lu.sub.1-xGd.sub.x).sub.2-YRE.sub.YO.sub.3, where RE is selected from the group consisting of: Sm, Eu, Tb, and Dy, where the transparent ceramic exhibits a transparency characterized by a scatter coefficient of less than about 10%/cm.

Transparent, Flexible, Low Noise Graphene Electrodes for Simultaneous Electrophysiology and Neuroimaging

PubMed Central

Kuzum, Duygu; Takano, Hajime; Shim, Euijae; Reed, Jason C; Juul, Halvor; Richardson, Andrew G.; de Vries, Julius; Bink, Hank; Dichter, Marc A.; Lucas, Timothy H.; Coulter, Douglas A.; Cubukcu, Ertugrul; Litt, Brian

2014-01-01

Calcium imaging is a versatile experimental approach capable of resolving single neurons with single-cell spatial resolution in the brain. Electrophysiological recordings provide high temporal, but limited spatial resolution, due to the geometrical inaccessibility of the brain. An approach that integrates the advantages of both techniques could provide new insights into functions of neural circuits. Here, we report a transparent, flexible neural electrode technology based on graphene, which enables simultaneous optical imaging and electrophysiological recording. We demonstrate that hippocampal slices can be imaged through transparent graphene electrodes by both confocal and two-photon microscopy without causing any light-induced artifacts in the electrical recordings. Graphene electrodes record high frequency bursting activity and slow synaptic potentials that are hard to resolve by multi-cellular calcium imaging. This transparent electrode technology may pave the way for high spatio-temporal resolution electrooptic mapping of the dynamic neuronal activity. PMID:25327632

Fully transparent conformal organic thin-film transistor array and its application as LED front driving.

PubMed

Cui, Nan; Ren, Hang; Tang, Qingxin; Zhao, Xiaoli; Tong, Yanhong; Hu, Wenping; Liu, Yichun

2018-02-22

A fully transparent conformal organic thin-film field-effect transistor array is demonstrated based on a photolithography-compatible ultrathin metallic grid gate electrode and a solution-processed C 8 -BTBT film. The resulting organic field-effect transistor array exhibits a high optical transparency of >80% over the visible spectrum, mobility up to 2 cm 2 V -1 s -1 , on/off ratio of 10 5 -10 6 , switching current of >0.1 mA, and excellent light stability. The transparent conformal transistor array is demonstrated to adhere well to flat and curved LEDs as front driving. These results present promising applications of the solution-processed wide-bandgap organic semiconductor thin films in future large-scale transparent conformal active-matrix displays.

Synthesis, Spray Deposition, and Hot-Press Transfer of Copper Nanowires for Flexible Transparent Electrodes.

PubMed

Deshmukh, Rupali; Calvo, Micha; Schreck, Murielle; Tervoort, Elena; Sologubenko, Alla S; Niederberger, Markus

2018-06-20

We report a solution-phase approach to the synthesis of crystalline copper nanowires (Cu NWs) with an aspect ratio >1000 via a new catalytic mechanism comprising copper ions. The synthesis involves the reaction between copper(II) chloride and copper(II) acetylacetonate in a mixture of oleylamine and octadecene. Reaction parameters such as the molar ratio of precursors as well as the volume ratio of solvents offer the possibility to tune the morphology of the final product. A simple low-cost spray deposition method was used to fabricate Cu NW films on a glass substrate. Post-treatment under reducing gas (5% H 2 + 95% N 2 ) atmosphere resulted in Cu NW films with a low sheet resistance of 24.5 Ω/sq, a transmittance of T = 71% at 550 nm (including the glass substrate), and a high oxidation resistance. Moreover, the conducting Cu NW networks on a glass substrate can easily be transferred onto a polycarbonate substrate using a simple hot-press transfer method without compromising on the electrical performance. The resulting flexible transparent electrodes show excellent flexibility ( R/ R o < 1.28) upon bending to curvatures of 1 mm radius.

The role of graphene formed on silver nanowire transparent conductive electrode in ultra-violet light emitting diodes

PubMed Central

Seo, Tae Hoon; Lee, Seula; Min, Kyung Hyun; Chandramohan, S.; Park, Ah Hyun; Lee, Gun Hee; Park, Min; Suh, Eun-Kyung; Kim, Myung Jong

2016-01-01

This paper reports a highly reliable transparent conductive electrode (TCE) that integrates silver nanowires (AgNWs) and high-quality graphene as a protecting layer. Graphene with minimized defects and large graphene domains has been successfully obtained through a facile two-step growth approach. Ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) were fabricated with AgNWs or hybrid electrodes where AgNWs were combined with two-step grown graphene (A-2GE) or conventional one-step grown graphene (A-1GE). The device performance and reliability of the UV-LEDs with three different electrodes were compared. The A-2GE offered high figure of merit owing to the excellent UV transmittance and reduced sheet resistance. As a consequence, the UV-LEDs made with A-2GE demonstrated reduced forward voltage, enhanced electroluminescence (EL) intensity, and alleviated efficiency droop. The effects of joule heating and UV light illumination on the electrode stability were also studied. The present findings prove superior performance of the A-2GE under high current injection and continuous operation of UV LED, compared to other electrodes. From our observation, the A-2GE would be a reliable TCE for high power UV-LEDs. PMID:27387274

Engineering carbon nanomaterials for future applications: energy and bio-sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Santanu; Lahiri, Indranil; Kang, Chiwon; Choi, Wonbong

2011-06-01

This paper presents our recent results on carbon nanomaterials for applications in energy storage and bio-sensor. More specifically: (i) A novel binder-free carbon nanotubes (CNTs) structure as anode in Li-ion batteries. The interfacecontrolled CNT structure, synthesized through a two-step chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and directly grown on copper current collector, showed very high specific capacity - almost three times as that of graphite, excellent rate capability. (ii) A large scale graphene film was grown on Cu foil by thermal chemical vapor deposition and transferred to various substrates including PET, glass and silicon by using hot press lamination and etching process. The graphene/PET film shows high quality, flexible transparent conductive structure with unique electrical-mechanical properties; ~88.80 % light transmittance and ~ 100 Ω/sq sheet resistance. We demonstrate application of graphene/PET film as flexible and transparent electrode for field emission displays. (iii) Application of individual carbon nanotube as nanoelectrode for high sensitivity electrochemical sensor and device miniaturization. An individual CNT is split into a pair of nanoelectrodes with a gap between them. Single molecular-level detection of DNA hybridization was studied. Hybridization of the probe with its complementary strand results in an appreciable change in the electrical output signal.

Development of the α-IGZO/Ag/α-IGZO Triple-Layer Structure Films for the Application of Transparent Electrode

PubMed Central

Chen, Kun-Neng; Yang, Cheng-Fu; Wu, Chia-Ching; Chen, Yu-Hsin

2017-01-01

We investigated the structural, optical, and electrical properties of amorphous IGZO/silver/amorphous IGZO (α-IGZO/Ag/α-IGZO) triple-layer structures that were deposited at room temperature on Eagle XG glass and flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrates through the sputtering method. Thin Ag layers with different thicknesses were inserted between two IGZO layers to form a triple-layer structure. Ag was used because of its lower absorption and resistivity. Field emission scanning electron microscopy measurements of the triple-layer structures revealed that the thicknesses of the Ag layers ranged from 13 to 41 nm. The thickness of the Ag layer had a large effect on the electrical and optical properties of the electrodes. The optimum thickness of the Ag metal thin film could be evaluated according to the optical transmittance, electrical conductivity, and figure of merit of the electrode. This study demonstrates that the α-IGZO/Ag/α-IGZO triple-layer transparent electrode can be fabricated with low sheet resistance (4.2 Ω/□) and high optical transmittance (88.1%) at room temperature without postannealing processing on the deposited thin films. PMID:28772586

Heating-Rate-Triggered Carbon-Nanotube-based 3-Dimensional Conducting Networks for a Highly Sensitive Noncontact Sensing Device

PubMed Central

Tai, Yanlong; Lubineau, Gilles

2016-01-01

Recently, flexible and transparent conductive films (TCFs) are drawing more attention for their central role in future applications of flexible electronics. Here, we report the controllable fabrication of TCFs for moisture-sensing applications based on heating-rate-triggered, 3-dimensional porous conducting networks through drop casting lithography of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) ink. How ink formula and baking conditions influence the self-assembled microstructure of the TCFs is discussed. The sensor presents high-performance properties, including a reasonable sheet resistance (2.1 kohm/sq), a high visible-range transmittance (>69%, PET = 90%), and good stability when subjected to cyclic loading (>1000 cycles, better than indium tin oxide film) during processing, when formulation parameters are well optimized (weight ratio of SWCNT to PEDOT:PSS: 1:0.5, SWCNT concentration: 0.3 mg/ml, and heating rate: 36 °C/minute). Moreover, the benefits of these kinds of TCFs were verified through a fully transparent, highly sensitive, rapid response, noncontact moisture-sensing device (5 × 5 sensing pixels). PMID:26818091

Design of Contact Electrodes for Semiconductor Nanowire Solar Energy Harvesting Devices.

PubMed

Lin, Tzuging; Ramadurgam, Sarath; Yang, Chen

2017-04-12

Transparent, low-resistive contacts are critical for efficient solar energy harvesting devices. It is important to reconsider the material choices and electrode design as devices move from 2D films to 1D nanostructures. In this paper, we study the effectiveness of indium tin oxide (ITO) and metals, such as Ag and Cu, as contacts in 2D and 1D systems. Although ITO has been studied extensively and developed into an effective transparent contact for 2D devices, our results show that effectiveness does not translate to 1D systems. Particularly with consideration of resistance requirement, nanowires with metal shells as contacts enable better absorption within the semiconductor as compared to ITO. Furthermore, there is a strong dependence of contact performance on the semiconductor band gap and diameter of nanowires. We found that metal contacts outperform ITO for nanowire devices, regardless of the sheet resistance constraint, in the regime of diameters less than 100 nm and band-gaps greater than 1 eV. These metal shells optimized for best absorption are significantly thinner than ITO, which enables for the design of devices with high nanowire number density and consequently higher device efficiencies.

All-Nonvacuum-Processed CIGS Solar Cells Using Scalable Ag NWs/AZO-Based Transparent Electrodes.

PubMed

Wang, Mingqing; Choy, Kwang-Leong

2016-07-06

With record cell efficiency of 21.7%, CIGS solar cells have demonstrated to be a very promising photovoltaic (PV) technology. However, their market penetration has been limited due to the inherent high cost of the cells. In this work, to lower the cost of CIGS solar cells, all nonvacuum-processed CIGS solar cells were designed and developed. CIGS absorber was prepared by the annealing of electrodeposited metallic layers in a chalcogen atmosphere. Nonvacuum-deposited Ag nanowires (NWs)/AZO transparent electrodes (TEs) with good transmittance (92.0% at 550 nm) and high conductivity (sheet resistance of 20 Ω/□) were used to replace the vacuum-sputtered window layer. Additional thermal treatment after device preparation was conducted at 220 °C for a few of minutes to improve both the value and the uniformity of the efficiency of CIGS pixel cell on 5 × 5 cm substrate. The best performance of the all-nonvacuum-fabricated CIGS solar cells showed an efficiency of 14.05% with Jsc of 34.82 mA/cm(2), Voc of 0.58 V, and FF of 69.60%, respectively, which is comparable with the efficiency of 14.45% of a reference cell using a sputtered window layer.

The role of graphene formed on silver nanowire transparent conductive electrode in ultra-violet light emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, Tae Hoon; Lee, Seula; Min, Kyung Hyun; Chandramohan, S.; Park, Ah Hyun; Lee, Gun Hee; Park, Min; Suh, Eun-Kyung; Kim, Myung Jong

2016-07-01

This paper reports a highly reliable transparent conductive electrode (TCE) that integrates silver nanowires (AgNWs) and high-quality graphene as a protecting layer. Graphene with minimized defects and large graphene domains has been successfully obtained through a facile two-step growth approach. Ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) were fabricated with AgNWs or hybrid electrodes where AgNWs were combined with two-step grown graphene (A-2GE) or conventional one-step grown graphene (A-1GE). The device performance and reliability of the UV-LEDs with three different electrodes were compared. The A-2GE offered high figure of merit owing to the excellent UV transmittance and reduced sheet resistance. As a consequence, the UV-LEDs made with A-2GE demonstrated reduced forward voltage, enhanced electroluminescence (EL) intensity, and alleviated efficiency droop. The effects of joule heating and UV light illumination on the electrode stability were also studied. The present findings prove superior performance of the A-2GE under high current injection and continuous operation of UV LED, compared to other electrodes. From our observation, the A-2GE would be a reliable TCE for high power UV-LEDs.

A Rapid Deposition of Fluorine Doped Zinc Oxide Using the Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Vapour Deposition Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Najafi, Navid; Rozati, S. M.

2018-03-01

Fluorine-doped zinc oxide (FZO) (ZnO:F) thin films were manufactured by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) on glass substrates using zinc acetate dihydrate [C4H6O4Zn·2H2O, ZnAc] and ammonium fluoride (NH4F) as the source of fluorine with deposition duration of only 120 s for each sample. The effects of different amounts of fluorine as the dopant on the structural, electrical and optical properties of FZO thin films were investigated. The results show a polycrystalline structure at higher temperatures compared to amorphous structure at lower temperatures. The x-ray diffraction patterns of the polycrystalline films were identified as a hexagonal wurtzite structure of zinc oxide (ZnO) with the (002) preferred orientation. Also, the sheet resistance decreased from 17.8 MΩ/□ to 28.9 KΩ/□ for temperatures 325°C to 450°C, respectively. In order to further decrease the sheet resistance of the undoped ZnO thin films, fluorine was added using NH4F as the precursor, and again a drastic change in sheet resistance of only 17.7 Ω/□ was obtained. Based on the field emission scanning electron microscopy images, the fluorine concentration in CVD source is an important factor affecting the grain size and modifies electrical parameters. Ultraviolet-visible measurements revealed reduction of transparency of the layers with increasing fluorine as the dopant.

Investigation of Overrun-Processed Porous Hyaluronic Acid Carriers in Corneal Endothelial Tissue Engineering

PubMed Central

Lai, Jui-Yang; Cheng, Hsiao-Yun; Ma, David Hui-Kang

2015-01-01

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a linear polysaccharide naturally found in the eye and therefore is one of the most promising biomaterials for corneal endothelial regenerative medicine. This study reports, for the first time, the development of overrun-processed porous HA hydrogels for corneal endothelial cell (CEC) sheet transplantation and tissue engineering applications. The hydrogel carriers were characterized to examine their structures and functions. Evaluations of carbodiimide cross-linked air-dried and freeze-dried HA samples were conducted simultaneously for comparison. The results indicated that during the fabrication of freeze-dried HA discs, a technique of introducing gas bubbles in the aqueous biopolymer solutions can be used to enlarge pore structure and prevent dense surface skin formation. Among all the groups studied, the overrun-processed porous HA carriers show the greatest biological stability, the highest freezable water content and glucose permeability, and the minimized adverse effects on ionic pump function of rabbit CECs. After transfer and attachment of bioengineered CEC sheets to the overrun-processed HA hydrogel carriers, the therapeutic efficacy of cell/biopolymer constructs was tested using a rabbit model with corneal endothelial dysfunction. Clinical observations including slit-lamp biomicroscopy, specular microscopy, and corneal thickness measurements showed that the construct implants can regenerate corneal endothelium and restore corneal transparency at 4 weeks postoperatively. Our findings suggest that cell sheet transplantation using overrun-processed porous HA hydrogels offers a new way to reconstruct the posterior corneal surface and improve endothelial tissue function. PMID:26296087

High-performance single-crystalline arsenic-doped indium oxide nanowires for transparent thin-film transistors and active matrix organic light-emitting diode displays.

PubMed

Chen, Po-Chiang; Shen, Guozhen; Chen, Haitian; Ha, Young-geun; Wu, Chao; Sukcharoenchoke, Saowalak; Fu, Yue; Liu, Jun; Facchetti, Antonio; Marks, Tobin J; Thompson, Mark E; Zhou, Chongwu

2009-11-24

We report high-performance arsenic (As)-doped indium oxide (In(2)O(3)) nanowires for transparent electronics, including their implementation in transparent thin-film transistors (TTFTs) and transparent active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) displays. The As-doped In(2)O(3) nanowires were synthesized using a laser ablation process and then fabricated into TTFTs with indium-tin oxide (ITO) as the source, drain, and gate electrodes. The nanowire TTFTs on glass substrates exhibit very high device mobilities (approximately 1490 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1)), current on/off ratios (5.7 x 10(6)), steep subthreshold slopes (88 mV/dec), and a saturation current of 60 microA for a single nanowire. By using a self-assembled nanodielectric (SAND) as the gate dielectric, the device mobilities and saturation current can be further improved up to 2560 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and 160 microA, respectively. All devices exhibit good optical transparency (approximately 81% on average) in the visible spectral range. In addition, the nanowire TTFTs were utilized to control green OLEDs with varied intensities. Furthermore, a fully integrated seven-segment AMOLED display was fabricated with a good transparency of 40% and with each pixel controlled by two nanowire transistors. This work demonstrates that the performance enhancement possible by combining nanowire doping and self-assembled nanodielectrics enables silicon-free electronic circuitry for low power consumption, optically transparent, high-frequency devices assembled near room temperature.

TSCA Chemical Data Reporting Fact Sheet: Reporting Manufactured Chemical Substances from Metal Mining and Related Activities

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This fact sheet provides guidance on the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule requirements related to the reporting of mined metals, intermediates, and byproducts manufactured during metal mining and related activities.

Active microchannel fluid processing unit and method of making

DOEpatents

Bennett, Wendy D [Kennewick, WA; Martin, Peter M [Kennewick, WA; Matson, Dean W [Kennewick, WA; Roberts, Gary L [West Richland, WA; Stewart, Donald C [Richland, WA; Tonkovich, Annalee Y [Pasco, WA; Zilka, Jennifer L [Pasco, WA; Schmitt, Stephen C [Dublin, OH; Werner, Timothy M [Columbus, OH

2001-01-01

The present invention is an active microchannel fluid processing unit and method of making, both relying on having (a) at least one inner thin sheet; (b) at least one outer thin sheet; (c) defining at least one first sub-assembly for performing at least one first unit operation by stacking a first of the at least one inner thin sheet in alternating contact with a first of the at least one outer thin sheet into a first stack and placing an end block on the at least one inner thin sheet, the at least one first sub-assembly having at least a first inlet and a first outlet; and (d) defining at least one second sub-assembly for performing at least one second unit operation either as a second flow path within the first stack or by stacking a second of the at least one inner thin sheet in alternating contact with second of the at least one outer thin sheet as a second stack, the at least one second sub-assembly having at least a second inlet and a second outlet.

Active microchannel fluid processing unit and method of making

DOEpatents

Bennett, Wendy D [Kennewick, WA; Martin, Peter M [Kennewick, WA; Matson, Dean W [Kennewick, WA; Roberts, Gary L [West Richland, WA; Stewart, Donald C [Richland, WA; Tonkovich, Annalee Y [Pasco, WA; Zilka, Jennifer L [Pasco, WA; Schmitt, Stephen C [Dublin, OH; Werner, Timothy M [Columbus, OH

2002-12-10

The present invention is an active microchannel fluid processing unit and method of making, both relying on having (a) at least one inner thin sheet; (b) at least one outer thin sheet; (c) defining at least one first sub-assembly for performing at least one first unit operation by stacking a first of the at least one inner thin sheet in alternating contact with a first of the at least one outer thin sheet into a first stack and placing an end block on the at least one inner thin sheet, the at least one first sub-assembly having at least a first inlet and a first outlet; and (d) defining at least one second sub-assembly for performing at least one second unit operation either as a second flow path within the first stack or by stacking a second of the at least one inner thin sheet in alternating contact with second of the at least one outer thin sheet as a second stack, the at least one second sub-assembly having at least a second inlet and a second outlet.

The mechanistic exploration of porous activated graphene sheets-anchored SnO2 nanocrystals for application in high-performance Li-ion battery anodes.

PubMed

Yang, Yingchang; Ji, Xiaobo; Lu, Fang; Chen, Qiyuan; Banks, Craig E

2013-09-28

Porous activated graphene sheets have been for the first time exploited herein as encapsulating substrates for lithium ion battery (LIB) anodes. The as-fabricated SnO2 nanocrystals-porous activated graphene sheet (AGS) composite electrode exhibits improved electrochemical performance as an anode material for LIBs, such as better cycle performance and higher rate capability in comparison with graphene sheets, activated graphene sheets, bare SnO2 and SnO2-graphene sheet composites. The superior electrochemical performances of the designed anode can be ascribed to the porous AGS substrate, which improves the electrical conductivity of the electrode, inhibits agglomeration between particles and effectively buffers the strain from the volume variation during Li(+)-intercalation-de-intercalation and provides more cross-plane diffusion channels for Li(+) ions. As a result, the designed anode exhibits an outstanding capacity of up to 610 mA h g(-1) at a current density of 100 mA g(-1) after 50 cycles and a good rate performance of 889, 747, 607, 482 and 372 mA h g(-1) at a current density of 100, 200, 500, 1000, and 2000 mA g(-1), respectively. This work is of importance for energy storage as it provides a new substrate for the design and implementation of next-generation LIBs exhibiting exceptional electrochemical performances.

One-Step Interface Engineering for All-Inkjet-Printed, All-Organic Components in Transparent, Flexible Transistors and Inverters: Polymer Binding.

PubMed

Ha, Jewook; Chung, Seungjun; Pei, Mingyuan; Cho, Kilwon; Yang, Hoichang; Hong, Yongtaek

2017-03-15

We report a one-step interface engineering methodology which can be used on both polymer electrodes and gate dielectric for all-inkjet-printed, flexible, transparent organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) and inverters. Dimethylchlorosilane-terminated polystyrene (PS) was introduced as a surface modifier to cured poly(4-vinylphenol) dielectric and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) electrodes without any pretreatment. On the untreated and PS interlayer-treated dielectric and electrode surfaces, 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene was printed to fabricate OTFTs and inverters. With the benefit of the PS interlayer, the electrical properties of the OTFTs on a flexible plastic substrate were significantly improved, as shown by a field-effect mobility (μ FET ) of 0.27 cm 2  V -1  s -1 and an on/off current ratio (I on /I off ) of greater than 10 6 . In contrast, the untreated systems showed a low μ FET of less than 0.02 cm 2  V -1  s -1 and I on /I off ∼ 10 4 . Additionally, the all-inkjet-printed inverters based on the PS-modified surfaces exhibited a voltage gain of 7.17 V V -1 . The all-organic-based TFTs and inverters, including deformable and transparent PEDOT:PSS electrodes with a sheet resistance of 160-250 Ω sq -1 , exhibited a light transmittance of higher than 70% (at wavelength of 550 nm). Specifically, there was no significant degradation in the electrical performance of the interface engineering-assisted system after 1000 bending cycles at a radius of 5 mm.

Electrical Experiments. VT-214-12-5. Part V. Transformers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connecticut State Dept. of Education, Hartford. Div. of Vocational Education.

Designed for high school electronics students, this fifth document in a series of six electrical learning activity packages focuses on transformers. An introductory section gives the objective for the activities, an introduction, and an outline of the content. The remainder of the activity book is comprised of information sheets and job sheets on…

Temperature, Pulse, and Respiration. Instructor's Packet. Learning Activity Package.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Runge, Lillian

This instructor's packet accompanies the learning activity package (LAP) on temperature, pulse, and respiration. Contents included in the packet are a time sheet, suggested uses for the LAP, an instruction sheet, final LAP reviews, a final LAP review answer key, suggested activities, an additional resources list, and student completion cards to…

Criminal investigations and the Superfund program. Fact sheet (Final)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1990-09-01

The fact sheet, directed toward any one who witnesses fraudulent activity in EPA programs, discusses areas in which fraud and abuse can occur and provides an understanding of the criminal investigation process that results from reports of suspicious activity.

Strike It Rich with Classroom Compost.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Linda L. Cronin

1992-01-01

Discusses composting of organic materials as an alternative to landfills. Lists uses of composts and describes details of a simple composting activity for high school students. Includes an information sheet for students and a student data sheet. Suggests other composting activities. (PR)

Born Knowing: Tentacled Snakes Innately Predict Future Prey Behavior

PubMed Central

Catania, Kenneth C.

2010-01-01

Background Aquatic tentacled snakes (Erpeton tentaculatus) can take advantage of their prey's escape response by startling fish with their body before striking. The feint usually startles fish toward the snake's approaching jaws. But when fish are oriented at a right angle to the jaws, the C-start escape response translates fish parallel to the snake's head. To exploit this latter response, snakes must predict the future location of the fish. Adult snakes can make this prediction. Is it learned, or are tentacled snakes born able to predict future fish behavior? Methods and Findings Laboratory-born, naïve snakes were investigated as they struck at fish. Trials were recorded at 250 or 500 frames per second. To prevent learning, snakes were placed in a water container with a clear transparency sheet or glass bottom. The chamber was placed over a channel in a separate aquarium with fish below. Thus snakes could see and strike at fish, without contact. The snake's body feint elicited C-starts in the fish below the transparency sheet, allowing strike accuracy to be quantified in relationship to the C-starts. When fish were oriented at a right angle to the jaws, naïve snakes biased their strikes to the future location of the escaping fish's head, such that the snake's jaws and the fish's translating head usually converged. Several different types of predictive strikes were observed. Conclusions The results show that some predators have adapted their nervous systems to directly compensate for the future behavior of prey in a sensory realm that usually requires learning. Instead of behavior selected during their lifetime, newborn tentacled snakes exhibit behavior that has been selected on a different scale—over many generations. Counter adaptations in fish are not expected, as tentacled snakes are rare predators exploiting fish responses that are usually adaptive. PMID:20585384

Study of oxygen scavenging PET-based films activated by water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossi, Gabriella; Scarfato, Paola; Incarnato, Loredana

2016-05-01

In this work an active barrier system consisting of a thin and transparent film based on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was studied. Dynamic oxygen absorption measurements were performed at different values of relative humidity and temperature, pointing out that humidity is a key factor in activating the oxidation of the polymer sample. Moreover, the thermal and optical properties of the films were investigated and a good correlation was found between the crystallinity increase and the consequent transparency reduction occurring after the oxygen absorption.

Transparent gel composite films with multiple functionalities: Long-lasting anti-fogging, underwater superoleophobicity and anti-bacterial activity.

PubMed

England, Matt W; Sato, Tomoya; Urata, Chihiro; Wang, Liming; Hozumi, Atsushi

2017-11-01

Transparent gel-based composite films with multiple functionalities, showing long-lasting anti-fogging properties, underwater superoleophobicity, and anti-bacterial activity were successfully prepared from polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and aminopropyl-functionalized clay (AMP-clay). Due to the addition of glutaraldehyde (GA, cross-linker) into the PVP matrices, and AMP-functionalities to the substrate surfaces, both the adhesion properties in water and durability of the anti-fogging properties were significantly improved. In addition, this durability was also found to be markedly improved by increasing the film thickness via deposition of several PVP/AMP/GA layers, while still retaining excellent transparency. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.