Printable nanostructured silicon solar cells for high-performance, large-area flexible photovoltaics.

PubMed

Lee, Sung-Min; Biswas, Roshni; Li, Weigu; Kang, Dongseok; Chan, Lesley; Yoon, Jongseung

2014-10-28

Nanostructured forms of crystalline silicon represent an attractive materials building block for photovoltaics due to their potential benefits to significantly reduce the consumption of active materials, relax the requirement of materials purity for high performance, and hence achieve greatly improved levelized cost of energy. Despite successful demonstrations for their concepts over the past decade, however, the practical application of nanostructured silicon solar cells for large-scale implementation has been hampered by many existing challenges associated with the consumption of the entire wafer or expensive source materials, difficulties to precisely control materials properties and doping characteristics, or restrictions on substrate materials and scalability. Here we present a highly integrable materials platform of nanostructured silicon solar cells that can overcome these limitations. Ultrathin silicon solar microcells integrated with engineered photonic nanostructures are fabricated directly from wafer-based source materials in configurations that can lower the materials cost and can be compatible with deterministic assembly procedures to allow programmable, large-scale distribution, unlimited choices of module substrates, as well as lightweight, mechanically compliant constructions. Systematic studies on optical and electrical properties, photovoltaic performance in experiments, as well as numerical modeling elucidate important design rules for nanoscale photon management with ultrathin, nanostructured silicon solar cells and their interconnected, mechanically flexible modules, where we demonstrate 12.4% solar-to-electric energy conversion efficiency for printed ultrathin (∼ 8 μm) nanostructured silicon solar cells when configured with near-optimal designs of rear-surface nanoposts, antireflection coating, and back-surface reflector.

Power generation from nanostructured PbTe-based thermoelectrics: comprehensive development from materials to modules

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

Hu, Xiaokai; Jood, Priyanka; Ohta, Michihiro

2016-01-01

In this work, we demonstrate the use of high performance nanostructured PbTe-based materials in high conversion efficiency thermoelectric modules. We fabricated the samples of PbTe-2% MgTe doped with 4% Na and PbTe doped with 0.2% PbI2 with high thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) and sintered them with Co-Fe diffusion barriers for use as p- and n-type thermoelectric legs, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy of the PbTe legs reveals two shapes of nanostructures, disk-like and spherical. The reduction in lattice thermal conductivity through nanostructuring gives a ZT of similar to 1.8 at 810 K for p-type PbTe and similar to 1.4 atmore » 750 K for n-type PbTe. Nanostructured PbTe-based module and segmented-leg module using Bi2Te3 and nanostructured PbTe were fabricated and tested with hot-side temperatures up to 873 K in a vacuum. The maximum conversion efficiency of similar to 8.8% for a temperature difference (Delta T) of 570 K and B11% for a Delta T of 590 K have been demonstrated in the nanostructured PbTe-based module and segmented Bi2Te3/nanostructured PbTe module, respectively. Three-dimensional finite-element simulations predict that the maximum conversion efficiency of the nanostructured PbTe-based module and segmented Bi2Te3/nanostructured PbTe module reaches 12.2% for a Delta T of 570 K and 15.6% for a Delta T of 590 K respectively, which could be achieved if the electrical and thermal contact between the nanostructured PbTe legs and Cu interconnecting electrodes is further improved.« less

Physicochemical and Electrophysical Properties of Metal/Semiconductor Containing Nanostructured Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerasimov, G. N.; Gromov, V. F.; Trakhtenberg, L. I.

2018-06-01

The properties of nanostructured composites based on metal oxides and metal-polymer materials are analyzed, along with ways of preparing them. The effect the interaction between metal and semiconductor nanoparticles has on the conductivity, photoconductivity, catalytic activity, and magnetic, dielectric, and sensor properties of nanocomposites is discussed. It is shown that as a result of this interaction, a material can acquire properties that do not exist in systems of isolated particles. The transfer of electrons between metal particles of different sizes in polymeric matrices leads to specific dielectric losses, and to an increase in the rate and a change in the direction of chemical reactions catalyzed by these particles. The interaction between metal-oxide semiconductor particles results in the electronic and chemical sensitization of sensor effects in nanostructured composite materials. Studies on creating molecular machines (Brownian motors), devices for magnetic recording of information, and high-temperature superconductors based on nanostructured systems are reviewed.

Precursor Mediated Synthesis of Nanostructured Silicas: From Precursor-Surfactant Ion Pairs to Structured Materials.

PubMed

Hesemann, Peter; Nguyen, Thy Phung; Hankari, Samir El

2014-04-11

The synthesis of nanostructured anionic-surfactant-templated mesoporous silica (AMS) recently appeared as a new strategy for the formation of nanostructured silica based materials. This method is based on the use of anionic surfactants together with a co-structure-directing agent (CSDA), mostly a silylated ammonium precursor. The presence of this CSDA is necessary in order to create ionic interactions between template and silica forming phases and to ensure sufficient affinity between the two phases. This synthetic strategy was for the first time applied in view of the synthesis of surface functionalized silica bearing ammonium groups and was then extended on the formation of materials functionalized with anionic carboxylate and bifunctional amine-carboxylate groups. In the field of silica hybrid materials, the "anionic templating" strategy has recently been applied for the synthesis of silica hybrid materials from cationic precursors. Starting from di- or oligosilylated imidazolium and ammonium precursors, only template directed hydrolysis-polycondensation reactions involving complementary anionic surfactants allowed accessing structured ionosilica hybrid materials. The mechanistic particularity of this approach resides in the formation of precursor-surfactant ion pairs in the hydrolysis-polycondensation mixture. This review gives a systematic overview over the various types of materials accessed from this cooperative ionic templating approach and highlights the high potential of this original strategy for the formation of nanostructured silica based materials which appears as a complementary strategy to conventional soft templating approaches.

Micro-Nanostructures of Cellulose-Collagen for Critical Sized Bone Defect Healing.

PubMed

Aravamudhan, Aja; Ramos, Daisy M; Nip, Jonathan; Kalajzic, Ivo; Kumbar, Sangamesh G

2018-02-01

Bone tissue engineering strategies utilize biodegradable polymeric matrices alone or in combination with cells and factors to provide mechanical support to bone, while promoting cell proliferation, differentiation, and tissue ingrowth. The performance of mechanically competent, micro-nanostructured polymeric matrices, in combination with bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs), is evaluated in a critical sized bone defect. Cellulose acetate (CA) is used to fabricate a porous microstructured matrix. Type I collagen is then allowed to self-assemble on these microstructures to create a natural polymer-based, micro-nanostructured matrix (CAc). Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) matrices with identical microstructures serve as controls. Significantly higher number of implanted host cells are distributed in the natural polymer based micro-nanostructures with greater bone density and more uniform cell distribution. Additionally, a twofold increase in collagen content is observed with natural polymer based scaffolds. This study establishes the benefits of natural polymer derived micro-nanostructures in combination with donor derived BMSCs to repair and regenerate critical sized bone defects. Natural polymer based materials with mechanically competent micro-nanostructures may serve as an alternative material platform for bone regeneration. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Building one-dimensional oxidenanostructure arrays on conductive metal substrates for lithium-ion battery anodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Jian; Li, Yuanyuan; Liu, Jinping; Huang, Xintang

2011-01-01

Lithium ion battery (LIB) is potentially one of the most attractive energy storage devices. To meet the demands of future high-power and high-energy density requirements in both thin-film microbatteries and conventional batteries, it is challenging to explore novel nanostructured anode materials instead of conventional graphite. Compared to traditional electrodes based on nanostructure powder paste, directly grown ordered nanostructure array electrodes not only simplify the electrode processing, but also offer remarkable advantages such as fast electron transport/collection and ion diffusion, sufficient electrochemical reaction of individual nanostructures, enhanced material-electrolyte contact area and facile accommodation of the strains caused by lithium intercalation and de-intercalation. This article provides a brief overview of the present status in the area of LIB anodes based on one-dimensional nanostructure arrays growing directly on conductive inert metal substrates, with particular attention to metal oxides synthesized by an anodized aluminamembrane (AAM)-free solution-based or hydrothermal methods. Both the scientific developments and the techniques and challenges are critically analyzed.

Synthesis of hierarchical three-dimensional copper oxide nanostructures through a biomineralization-inspired approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fei, Xiang; Shao, Zhengzhong; Chen, Xin

2013-08-01

Three-dimensional (3D) copper oxide (CuO) nanostructures were synthesized in a regenerated Bombyx mori silk fibroin aqueous solution at room temperature. In the synthesis process, silk fibroin served as the template and helped to form the hierarchical CuO nanostructures by self-assembly. Cu(OH)2 nanowires were formed initially, and then they transformed into almond-like CuO nanostructures with branched edges and a compact middle. The size of the final CuO nanostructures can be tuned by varying the concentration of silk fibroin in the reaction system. A possible mechanism has been proposed based on various characterization techniques, such as scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis. The synthesized CuO nanostructured material has been evaluated as an anode material for lithium ion batteries, and the result showed that they had a good electrochemical performance. The straightforward energy-saving method developed in this research may provide a useful preparation strategy for other functional inorganic materials through an environmentally friendly process.Three-dimensional (3D) copper oxide (CuO) nanostructures were synthesized in a regenerated Bombyx mori silk fibroin aqueous solution at room temperature. In the synthesis process, silk fibroin served as the template and helped to form the hierarchical CuO nanostructures by self-assembly. Cu(OH)2 nanowires were formed initially, and then they transformed into almond-like CuO nanostructures with branched edges and a compact middle. The size of the final CuO nanostructures can be tuned by varying the concentration of silk fibroin in the reaction system. A possible mechanism has been proposed based on various characterization techniques, such as scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis. The synthesized CuO nanostructured material has been evaluated as an anode material for lithium ion batteries, and the result showed that they had a good electrochemical performance. The straightforward energy-saving method developed in this research may provide a useful preparation strategy for other functional inorganic materials through an environmentally friendly process. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: SEM image of the synthesized CuO without silk fibroin addition, and TEM images of the synthesized CuO with different silk fibroin concentrations. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr01872e

Electrochemical and optical biosensors based on nanomaterials and nanostructures: a review.

PubMed

Li, Ming; Li, Rui; Li, Chang Ming; Wu, Nianqiang

2011-06-01

Nanomaterials and nanostructures exhibit unique size-tunable and shape-dependent physicochemical properties that are different from those of bulk materials. Advances of nanomaterials and nanostructures open a new door to develop various novel biosensors. The present work has reviewed the recent progress in electrochemical, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and fluorescent biosensors based on nanomaterials and nanostructures. An emphasis is put on the research that demonstrates how the performance of biosensors such as the limit of detection, sensitivity and selectivity is improved by the use of nanomaterials and nanostructures.

Facile synthesis of nanostructured TiNb2O7 anode materials with superior performance for high-rate lithium ion batteries.

PubMed

Lou, Shuaifeng; Ma, Yulin; Cheng, Xinqun; Gao, Jinlong; Gao, Yunzhi; Zuo, Pengjian; Du, Chunyu; Yin, Geping

2015-12-18

One-dimensional nanostructured TiNb2O7 was prepared by a simple solution-based process and subsequent thermal annealing. The obtained anode materials exhibited excellent electrochemical performance with superior reversible capacity, rate capability and cyclic stability.

Recent developments in the fabrication of ordered nanostructure arrays based on nanosphere lithography.

PubMed

Wei, Xueyong

2010-11-01

Since it was invented two decades ago, Nanosphere Lithography (NSL) has been widely studied as a low cost and flexible technique to fabricate nanostructures. Based on the registered patents and some selected papers, this review will discuss recent developments of different NSL strategies for the fabrication of ordered nanostructure arrays. The mechanism of self-assembly process and the techniques for preparing the self-assembled nanosphere template are first briefly introduced. The nanosphere templates are used either as shadow masks or as moulds for pattern transfer. Much more work now combines NSL with other lithographic techniques and material growth methods to form novel nanostructures of complex shape or various materials. Hence, this review finally gives a discussion on some future directions in NSL study.

Melanin-templated rapid synthesis of silver nanostructures

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background As a potent antimicrobial agent, silver nanostructures have been used in nanosensors and nanomaterial-based assays for the detection of food relevant analytes such as organic molecules, aroma, chemical contaminants, gases and food borne pathogens. In addition silver based nanocomposites act as an antimicrobial for food packaging materials. In this prospective, the food grade melanin pigment extracted from sponge associated actinobacterium Nocardiopsis alba MSA10 and melanin mediated synthesis of silver nanostructures were studied. Based on the present findings, antimicrobial nanostructures can be developed against food pathogens for food industrial applications. Results Briefly, the sponge associated actinobacterium N. alba MSA10 was screened and fermentation conditions were optimized for the production of melanin pigment. The Plackett-Burman design followed by a Box-Behnken design was developed to optimize the concentration of most significant factors for improved melanin yield. The antioxidant potential, reductive capabilities and physiochemical properties of Nocardiopsis melanin was characterized. The optimum production of melanin was attained with pH 7.5, temperature 35°C, salinity 2.5%, sucrose 25 g/L and tyrosine 12.5 g/L under submerged fermentation conditions. A highest melanin production of 3.4 mg/ml was reached with the optimization using Box-Behnken design. The purified melanin showed rapid reduction and stabilization of silver nanostructures. The melanin mediated process produced uniform and stable silver nanostructures with broad spectrum antimicrobial activity against food pathogens. Conclusions The melanin pigment produced by N. alba MSA10 can be used for environmentally benign synthesis of silver nanostructures and can be useful for food packaging materials. The characteristics of broad spectrum of activity against food pathogens of silver nanostructures gives an insight for their potential applicability in incorporation of food packaging materials and antimicrobials for stored fruits and foods. PMID:24885756

Self-assembled peptide nanostructures for functional materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sardan Ekiz, Melis; Cinar, Goksu; Aref Khalily, Mohammad; Guler, Mustafa O.

2016-10-01

Nature is an important inspirational source for scientists, and presents complex and elegant examples of adaptive and intelligent systems created by self-assembly. Significant effort has been devoted to understanding these sophisticated systems. The self-assembly process enables us to create supramolecular nanostructures with high order and complexity, and peptide-based self-assembling building blocks can serve as suitable platforms to construct nanostructures showing diverse features and applications. In this review, peptide-based supramolecular assemblies will be discussed in terms of their synthesis, design, characterization and application. Peptide nanostructures are categorized based on their chemical and physical properties and will be examined by rationalizing the influence of peptide design on the resulting morphology and the methods employed to characterize these high order complex systems. Moreover, the application of self-assembled peptide nanomaterials as functional materials in information technologies and environmental sciences will be reviewed by providing examples from recently published high-impact studies.

Precursor Mediated Synthesis of Nanostructured Silicas: From Precursor-Surfactant Ion Pairs to Structured Materials

PubMed Central

Hesemann, Peter; Nguyen, Thy Phung; Hankari, Samir El

2014-01-01

The synthesis of nanostructured anionic-surfactant-templated mesoporous silica (AMS) recently appeared as a new strategy for the formation of nanostructured silica based materials. This method is based on the use of anionic surfactants together with a co-structure-directing agent (CSDA), mostly a silylated ammonium precursor. The presence of this CSDA is necessary in order to create ionic interactions between template and silica forming phases and to ensure sufficient affinity between the two phases. This synthetic strategy was for the first time applied in view of the synthesis of surface functionalized silica bearing ammonium groups and was then extended on the formation of materials functionalized with anionic carboxylate and bifunctional amine-carboxylate groups. In the field of silica hybrid materials, the “anionic templating” strategy has recently been applied for the synthesis of silica hybrid materials from cationic precursors. Starting from di- or oligosilylated imidazolium and ammonium precursors, only template directed hydrolysis-polycondensation reactions involving complementary anionic surfactants allowed accessing structured ionosilica hybrid materials. The mechanistic particularity of this approach resides in the formation of precursor-surfactant ion pairs in the hydrolysis-polycondensation mixture. This review gives a systematic overview over the various types of materials accessed from this cooperative ionic templating approach and highlights the high potential of this original strategy for the formation of nanostructured silica based materials which appears as a complementary strategy to conventional soft templating approaches. PMID:28788602

Fabrication of flexible silver nanowire conductive films and transmittance improvement based on moth-eye nanostructure array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chengpeng; Zhu, Yuwen; Yi, Peiyun; Peng, Linfa; Lai, Xinmin

2017-07-01

Transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) are widely used in optoelectronic devices, such as touch screens, liquid-crystal displays and light-emitting diodes. To date, the material of the most commonly used TCEs was indium-tin oxide (ITO), which had several intrinsic drawbacks that limited its applications in the long term, including relatively high material cost and brittleness. Silver nanowire (AgNW), as one of the alternative materials for ITO TCEs, has already gained much attention all over the world. In this paper, we reported a facile method to greatly enhance the transmittance of the AgNW TCEs without reducing the electrical conductivity based on moth-eye nanostructures, and the moth-eye nanostructures were fabricated by using a roll-to-roll ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography process. Besides, the effects of mechanical pressure and bending on the moth-eye nanostructure layer were also investigated. In the research, the optical transmittance of the flexible AgNW TCEs was enhanced from 81.3% to 86.0% by attaching moth-eye nanostructures onto the other side of the flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrate while the electrical conductivity of the AgNW TCEs was not sacrificed. This research can provide a direction for the cost-effective fabrication of moth-eye nanostructures and the transmittance improvement of the flexible transparent electrodes.

Liquid crystal alignment in electro-responsive nanostructured thermosetting materials based on block copolymer dispersed liquid crystal.

PubMed

Tercjak, A; Garcia, I; Mondragon, I

2008-07-09

Novel well-defined nanostructured thermosetting systems were prepared by modification of a diglicydylether of bisphenol-A epoxy resin (DGEBA) with 10 or 15 wt% amphiphilic poly(styrene-b-ethylene oxide) block copolymer (PSEO) and 30 or 40 wt% low molecular weight liquid crystal 4'-(hexyl)-4-biphenyl-carbonitrile (HBC) using m-xylylenediamine (MXDA) as a curing agent. The competition between well-defined nanostructured materials and the ability for alignment of the liquid crystal phase in the materials obtained has been studied by atomic and electrostatic force microscopy, AFM and EFM, respectively. Based on our knowledge, this is the first time that addition of an adequate amount (10 wt%) of a block copolymer to 40 wt% HBC-(DGEBA/MXDA) leads to a well-organized nanostructured thermosetting system (between a hexagonal and worm-like ordered structure), which is also electro-responsive with high rate contrast. This behavior was confirmed using electrostatic force microscopy (EFM), by means of the response of the HBC liquid crystal phase to the voltage applied to the EFM tip. In contrast, though materials containing 15 wt% PSEO and 30 wt% HBC also form a well-defined nanostructured thermosetting system, they do not show such a high contrast between the uncharged and charged surface.

Antibacterial Carbon Nanotubes by Impregnation with Copper Nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palza, Humberto; Saldias, Natalia; Arriagada, Paulo; Palma, Patricia; Sanchez, Jorge

2017-08-01

The addition of metal-based nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes (CNT) is a relevant method producing multifunctional materials. In this context, CNT were dispersed in an ethanol/water solution containing copper acetate for their impregnation with different copper nanostructures by either a non-thermal or a thermal post-synthesis treatment. Our simple method is based on pure CNT in an air atmosphere without any other reagents. Particles without thermal treatment were present as a well-dispersed layered copper hydroxide acetate nanostructures on CNT, as confirmed by scanning and transmission (TEM) electron microscopies, and showing a characteristic x-ray diffraction peak at 6.6°. On the other hand, by thermal post-synthesis treatment at 300°C, these layered nanostructures became Cu2O nanoparticles of around 20 nm supported on CNT, as confirmed by TEM images and x-ray diffraction peaks. These copper nanostructures present on the CNT surface rendered antibacterial behavior to the resulting hybrid materials against both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. These findings present for the first time a simple method for producing antibacterial CNT by direct impregnation of copper nanostructures.

Nanostructured composite reinforced material

DOEpatents

Seals, Roland D [Oak Ridge, TN; Ripley, Edward B [Knoxville, TN; Ludtka, Gerard M [Oak Ridge, TN

2012-07-31

A family of materials wherein nanostructures and/or nanotubes are incorporated into a multi-component material arrangement, such as a metallic or ceramic alloy or composite/aggregate, producing a new material or metallic/ceramic alloy. The new material has significantly increased strength, up to several thousands of times normal and perhaps substantially more, as well as significantly decreased weight. The new materials may be manufactured into a component where the nanostructure or nanostructure reinforcement is incorporated into the bulk and/or matrix material, or as a coating where the nanostructure or nanostructure reinforcement is incorporated into the coating or surface of a "normal" substrate material. The nanostructures are incorporated into the material structure either randomly or aligned, within grains, or along or across grain boundaries.

Composite materials formed with anchored nanostructures

DOEpatents

Seals, Roland D; Menchhofer, Paul A; Howe, Jane Y; Wang, Wei

2015-03-10

A method of forming nano-structure composite materials that have a binder material and a nanostructure fiber material is described. A precursor material may be formed using a mixture of at least one metal powder and anchored nanostructure materials. The metal powder mixture may be (a) Ni powder and (b) NiAl powder. The anchored nanostructure materials may comprise (i) NiAl powder as a support material and (ii) carbon nanotubes attached to nanoparticles adjacent to a surface of the support material. The process of forming nano-structure composite materials typically involves sintering the mixture under vacuum in a die. When Ni and NiAl are used in the metal powder mixture Ni.sub.3Al may form as the binder material after sintering. The mixture is sintered until it consolidates to form the nano-structure composite material.

Synthesis of nanostructured bio-related materials by hybridization of synthetic polymers with polysaccharides or saccharide residues.

PubMed

Kaneko, Yoshiro; Kadokawa, Jun-Ichi

2006-01-01

In the first part of this review, we describe the synthesis of nanostructured hybrid materials composed of polysaccharides and synthetic polymers. Amylose-synthetic polymer inclusion complexes were synthesized by amylose-forming polymerization using phosphorylase enzyme in the presence of synthetic polymers such as polyethers and polyesters. Alginate-polymethacrylate hybrid materials were prepared by free-radical polymerization of cationic methacrylate in the presence of sodium alginate. These methods allow the simultaneous control of the nanostructure with polymerization, giving well-defined hybrid materials. In the second part of this review, we describe the synthesis of novel glycopolymers with rigid structures. Polyaniline-based glycopolymers were synthesized by means of oxidative polymerization of N-glycosylaniline. Polysiloxane-based glycopolymers were prepared by means of introduction of sugar-lactone to the rodlike polysiloxane. These glycopolymers had regular higher-ordered structures due to their rigid polymer backbones, resulting in control of the three-dimensional array of sugar-residues.

Aggregate nanostructures of organic molecular materials.

PubMed

Liu, Huibiao; Xu, Jialiang; Li, Yongjun; Li, Yuliang

2010-12-21

Conjugated organic molecules are interesting materials because of their structures and their electronic, electrical, magnetic, optical, biological, and chemical properties. However, researchers continue to face great challenges in the construction of well-defined organic compounds that aggregate into larger molecular materials such as nanowires, tubes, rods, particles, walls, films, and other structural arrays. Such nanoscale materials could serve as direct device components. In this Account, we describe our recent progress in the construction of nanostructures formed through the aggregation of organic conjugated molecules and in the investigation of the optical, electrical, and electronic properties that depend on the size or morphology of these nanostructures. We have designed and synthesized functional conjugated organic molecules with structural features that favor assembly into aggregate nanostructures via weak intermolecular interactions. These large-area ordered molecular aggregate nanostructures are based on a variety of simpler structures such as fullerenes, perylenes, anthracenes, porphyrins, polydiacetylenes, and their derivatives. We have developed new methods to construct these larger structures including organic vapor-solid phase reaction, natural growth, association via self-polymerization and self-organization, and a combination of self-assembly and electrochemical growth. These methods are both facile and reliable, allowing us to produce ordered and aligned aggregate nanostructures, such as large-area arrays of nanowires, nanorods, and nanotubes. In addition, we can synthesize nanoscale materials with controlled properties. Large-area ordered aggregate nanostructures exhibit interesting electrical, optical, and optoelectronic properties. We also describe the preparation of large-area aggregate nanostructures of charge transfer (CT) complexes using an organic solid-phase reaction technique. By this process, we can finely control the morphologies and sizes of the organic nanostructures on wires, tubes, and rods. Through field emission studies, we demonstrate that the films made from arrays of CT complexes are a new kind of cathode materials, and we systematically investigate the effects of size and morphology on electrical properties. Low-dimension organic/inorganic hybrid nanostructures can be used to produce new classes of organic/inorganic solid materials with properties that are not observed in either the individual nanosize components or the larger bulk materials. We developed the combined self-assembly and templating technique to construct various nanostructured arrays of organic and inorganic semiconductors. The combination of hybrid aggregate nanostructures displays distinct optical and electrical properties compared with their individual components. Such hybrid structures show promise for applications in electronics, optics, photovoltaic cells, and biology. In this Account, we aim to provide an intuition for understanding the structure-function relationships in organic molecular materials. Such principles could lead to new design concepts for the development of new nonhazardous, high-performance molecular materials on aggregate nanostructures.

Hierarchical charge distribution controls self-assembly process of silk in vitro

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yi; Zhang, Cencen; Liu, Lijie; Kaplan, David L.; Zhu, Hesun; Lu, Qiang

2015-12-01

Silk materials with different nanostructures have been developed without the understanding of the inherent transformation mechanism. Here we attempt to reveal the conversion road of the various nanostructures and determine the critical regulating factors. The regulating conversion processes influenced by a hierarchical charge distribution were investigated, showing different transformations between molecules, nanoparticles and nanofibers. Various repulsion and compressive forces existed among silk fibroin molecules and aggregates due to the exterior and interior distribution of charge, which further controlled their aggregating and deaggregating behaviors and finally formed nanofibers with different sizes. Synergistic action derived from molecular mobility and concentrations could also tune the assembly process and final nanostructures. It is suggested that the complicated silk fibroin assembly processes comply a same rule based on charge distribution, offering a promising way to develop silk-based materials with designed nanostructures.

Nano-array integrated monolithic devices: toward rational materials design and multi-functional performance by scalable nanostructures assembly

DOE PAGES

Wang, Sibo; Ren, Zheng; Guo, Yanbing; ...

2016-03-21

We report the scalable three-dimensional (3-D) integration of functional nanostructures into applicable platforms represents a promising technology to meet the ever-increasing demands of fabricating high performance devices featuring cost-effectiveness, structural sophistication and multi-functional enabling. Such an integration process generally involves a diverse array of nanostructural entities (nano-entities) consisting of dissimilar nanoscale building blocks such as nanoparticles, nanowires, and nanofilms made of metals, ceramics, or polymers. Various synthetic strategies and integration methods have enabled the successful assembly of both structurally and functionally tailored nano-arrays into a unique class of monolithic devices. The performance of nano-array based monolithic devices is dictated bymore » a few important factors such as materials substrate selection, nanostructure composition and nano-architecture geometry. Therefore, the rational material selection and nano-entity manipulation during the nano-array integration process, aiming to exploit the advantageous characteristics of nanostructures and their ensembles, are critical steps towards bridging the design of nanostructure integrated monolithic devices with various practical applications. In this article, we highlight the latest research progress of the two-dimensional (2-D) and 3-D metal and metal oxide based nanostructural integrations into prototype devices applicable with ultrahigh efficiency, good robustness and improved functionality. Lastly, selective examples of nano-array integration, scalable nanomanufacturing and representative monolithic devices such as catalytic converters, sensors and batteries will be utilized as the connecting dots to display a roadmap from hierarchical nanostructural assembly to practical nanotechnology implications ranging from energy, environmental, to chemical and biotechnology areas.« less

Nano-array integrated monolithic devices: toward rational materials design and multi-functional performance by scalable nanostructures assembly

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

Wang, Sibo; Ren, Zheng; Guo, Yanbing

We report the scalable three-dimensional (3-D) integration of functional nanostructures into applicable platforms represents a promising technology to meet the ever-increasing demands of fabricating high performance devices featuring cost-effectiveness, structural sophistication and multi-functional enabling. Such an integration process generally involves a diverse array of nanostructural entities (nano-entities) consisting of dissimilar nanoscale building blocks such as nanoparticles, nanowires, and nanofilms made of metals, ceramics, or polymers. Various synthetic strategies and integration methods have enabled the successful assembly of both structurally and functionally tailored nano-arrays into a unique class of monolithic devices. The performance of nano-array based monolithic devices is dictated bymore » a few important factors such as materials substrate selection, nanostructure composition and nano-architecture geometry. Therefore, the rational material selection and nano-entity manipulation during the nano-array integration process, aiming to exploit the advantageous characteristics of nanostructures and their ensembles, are critical steps towards bridging the design of nanostructure integrated monolithic devices with various practical applications. In this article, we highlight the latest research progress of the two-dimensional (2-D) and 3-D metal and metal oxide based nanostructural integrations into prototype devices applicable with ultrahigh efficiency, good robustness and improved functionality. Lastly, selective examples of nano-array integration, scalable nanomanufacturing and representative monolithic devices such as catalytic converters, sensors and batteries will be utilized as the connecting dots to display a roadmap from hierarchical nanostructural assembly to practical nanotechnology implications ranging from energy, environmental, to chemical and biotechnology areas.« less

Nanostructured cerium oxide: preparation, characterization, and application in energy and environmental catalysis

DOE PAGES

Tang, Wen-Xiang; Gao, Pu-Xian

2016-11-10

Nanostructured cerium oxide (CeO 2) with outstanding physical and chemical properties has attracted extensive interests over the past few decades in environment and energy-related applications. With controllable synthesis of nanostructured CeO 2, much more features were technologically brought out from defect chemistry to structure-derived effects. This paper highlights recent progress on the synthesis and characterization of nanostructured ceria-based materials as well as the traditional and new applications. Specifically, several typical applications based on the desired ceria nanostructures are focused to showcase the importance of nanostructure-derived effects. Moreover, some challenges and perspectives on the nanostructured ceria are presented, such as defectsmore » controlling and retainment, scale-up fabrication, and monolithic devices. Hopefully, this paper can provide an improved understanding of nanostructured CeO 2 and offer new opportunities to promote the further research and applications in the future.« less

Nanowires, nanostructures and devices fabricated therefrom

DOEpatents

Majumdar, Arun; Shakouri, Ali; Sands, Timothy D.; Yang, Peidong; Mao, Samuel S.; Russo, Richard E.; Feick, Henning; Weber, Eicke R.; Kind, Hannes; Huang, Michael; Yan, Haoquan; Wu, Yiying; Fan, Rong

2005-04-19

One-dimensional nanostructures having uniform diameters of less than approximately 200 nm. These inventive nanostructures, which we refer to as "nanowires", include single-crystalline homostructures as well as heterostructures of at least two single-crystalline materials having different chemical compositions. Because single-crystalline materials are used to form the heterostructure, the resultant heterostructure will be single-crystalline as well. The nanowire heterostructures are generally based on a semiconducting wire wherein the doping and composition are controlled in either the longitudinal or radial directions, or in both directions, to yield a wire that comprises different materials. Examples of resulting nanowire heterostructures include a longitudinal heterostructure nanowire (LOHN) and a coaxial heterostructure nanowire (COHN).

One-Dimensional Oxide Nanostructures as Gas-Sensing Materials: Review and Issues

PubMed Central

Choi, Kyoung Jin; Jang, Ho Won

2010-01-01

In this article, we review gas sensor application of one-dimensional (1D) metal-oxide nanostructures with major emphases on the types of device structure and issues for realizing practical sensors. One of the most important steps in fabricating 1D-nanostructure devices is manipulation and making electrical contacts of the nanostructures. Gas sensors based on individual 1D nanostructure, which were usually fabricated using electron-beam lithography, have been a platform technology for fundamental research. Recently, gas sensors with practical applicability were proposed, which were fabricated with an array of 1D nanostructures using scalable micro-fabrication tools. In the second part of the paper, some critical issues are pointed out including long-term stability, gas selectivity, and room-temperature operation of 1D-nanostructure-based metal-oxide gas sensors. PMID:22319343

Nanostructured Mo-based electrode materials for electrochemical energy storage.

PubMed

Hu, Xianluo; Zhang, Wei; Liu, Xiaoxiao; Mei, Yueni; Huang, Yunhui

2015-04-21

The development of advanced energy storage devices is at the forefront of research geared towards a sustainable future. Nanostructured materials are advantageous in offering huge surface to volume ratios, favorable transport features, and attractive physicochemical properties. They have been extensively explored in various fields of energy storage and conversion. This review is focused largely on the recent progress in nanostructured Mo-based electrode materials including molybdenum oxides (MoO(x), 2 ≤ x ≤ 3), dichalconides (MoX2, X = S, Se), and oxysalts for rechargeable lithium/sodium-ion batteries, Mg batteries, and supercapacitors. Mo-based compounds including MoO2, MoO3, MoO(3-y) (0 < y < 1), MMo(x)O(y) (M = Fe, Co, Ni, Ca, Mn, Zn, Mg, or Cd; x = 1, y = 4; x = 3, y = 8), MoS2, MoSe2, (MoO2)2P2O7, LiMoO2, Li2MoO3, etc. possess multiple valence states and exhibit rich chemistry. They are very attractive candidates for efficient electrochemical energy storage systems because of their unique physicochemical properties, such as conductivity, mechanical and thermal stability, and cyclability. In this review, we aim to provide a systematic summary of the synthesis, modification, and electrochemical performance of nanostructured Mo-based compounds, as well as their energy storage applications in lithium/sodium-ion batteries, Mg batteries, and pseudocapacitors. The relationship between nanoarchitectures and electrochemical performances as well as the related charge-storage mechanism is discussed. Moreover, remarks on the challenges and perspectives of Mo-containing compounds for further development in electrochemical energy storage applications are proposed. This review sheds light on the sustainable development of advanced rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors with nanostructured Mo-based electrode materials.

Nanostructure design for drastic reduction of thermal conductivity while preserving high electrical conductivity.

PubMed

Nakamura, Yoshiaki

2018-01-01

The design and fabrication of nanostructured materials to control both thermal and electrical properties are demonstrated for high-performance thermoelectric conversion. We have focused on silicon (Si) because it is an environmentally friendly and ubiquitous element. High bulk thermal conductivity of Si limits its potential as a thermoelectric material. The thermal conductivity of Si has been reduced by introducing grains, or wires, yet a further reduction is required while retaining a high electrical conductivity. We have designed two different nanostructures for this purpose. One structure is connected Si nanodots (NDs) with the same crystal orientation. The phonons scattering at the interfaces of these NDs occurred and it depended on the ND size. As a result of phonon scattering, the thermal conductivity of this nanostructured material was below/close to the amorphous limit. The other structure is Si films containing epitaxially grown Ge NDs. The Si layer imparted high electrical conductivity, while the Ge NDs served as phonon scattering bodies reducing thermal conductivity drastically. This work gives a methodology for the independent control of electron and phonon transport using nanostructured materials. This can bring the realization of thermoelectric Si-based materials that are compatible with large scale integrated circuit processing technologies.

Could Nano-Structured Materials Enable the Improved Pressure Vessels for Deep Atmospheric Probes?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srivastava, D.; Fuentes, A.; Bienstock, B.; Arnold, J. O.

2005-01-01

A viewgraph presentation on the use of Nano-Structured Materials to enable pressure vessel structures for deep atmospheric probes is shown. The topics include: 1) High Temperature/Pressure in Key X-Environments; 2) The Case for Use of Nano-Structured Materials Pressure Vessel Design; 3) Carbon based Nanomaterials; 4) Nanotube production & purification; 5) Nanomechanics of Carbon Nanotubes; 6) CNT-composites: Example (Polymer); 7) Effect of Loading sequence on Composite with 8% by volume; 8) Models for Particulate Reinforced Composites; 9) Fullerene/Ti Composite for High Strength-Insulating Layer; 10) Fullerene/Epoxy Composite for High Strength-Insulating Layer; 11) Models for Continuous Fiber Reinforced Composites; 12) Tensile Strength for Discontinuous Fiber Composite; 13) Ti + SWNT Composites: Thermal/Mechanical; 14) Ti + SWNT Composites: Tensile Strength; and 15) Nano-structured Shell for Pressure Vessels.

Nanostructures and functional materials fabricated by interferometric lithography.

PubMed

Xia, Deying; Ku, Zahyun; Lee, S C; Brueck, S R J

2011-01-11

Interferometric lithography (IL) is a powerful technique for the definition of large-area, nanometer-scale, periodically patterned structures. Patterns are recorded in a light-sensitive medium, such as a photoresist, that responds nonlinearly to the intensity distribution associated with the interference of two or more coherent beams of light. The photoresist patterns produced with IL are a platform for further fabrication of nanostructures and growth of functional materials and are building blocks for devices. This article provides a brief review of IL technologies and focuses on various applications for nanostructures and functional materials based on IL including directed self-assembly of colloidal nanoparticles, nanophotonics, semiconductor materials growth, and nanofluidic devices. Perspectives on future directions for IL and emerging applications in other fields are presented.

Nanostructured materials for hydrogen storage

DOEpatents

Williamson, Andrew J.; Reboredo, Fernando A.

2007-12-04

A system for hydrogen storage comprising a porous nano-structured material with hydrogen absorbed on the surfaces of the porous nano-structured material. The system of hydrogen storage comprises absorbing hydrogen on the surfaces of a porous nano-structured semiconductor material.

Complex Nanostructures from Materials based on Metal-Organic Frameworks for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion.

PubMed

Guan, Bu Yuan; Yu, Xin Yao; Wu, Hao Bin; Lou, Xiong Wen David

2017-12-01

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have drawn tremendous attention because of their abundant diversity in structure and composition. Recently, there has been growing research interest in deriving advanced nanomaterials with complex architectures and tailored chemical compositions from MOF-based precursors for electrochemical energy storage and conversion. Here, a comprehensive overview of the synthesis and energy-related applications of complex nanostructures derived from MOF-based precursors is provided. After a brief summary of synthetic methods of MOF-based templates and their conversion to desirable nanostructures, delicate designs and preparation of complex architectures from MOFs or their composites are described in detail, including porous structures, single-shelled hollow structures, and multishelled hollow structures, as well as other unusual complex structures. Afterward, their applications are discussed as electrode materials or catalysts for lithium-ion batteries, hybrid supercapacitors, water-splitting devices, and fuel cells. Lastly, the research challenges and possible development directions of complex nanostructures derived from MOF-based-templates for electrochemical energy storage and conversion applications are outlined. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A Comprehensive Review of Glucose Biosensors Based on Nanostructured Metal-Oxides

PubMed Central

Rahman, Md. Mahbubur; Saleh Ahammad, A. J.; Jin, Joon-Hyung; Ahn, Sang Jung; Lee, Jae-Joon

2010-01-01

Nanotechnology has opened new and exhilarating opportunities for exploring glucose biosensing applications of the newly prepared nanostructured materials. Nanostructured metal-oxides have been extensively explored to develop biosensors with high sensitivity, fast response times, and stability for the determination of glucose by electrochemical oxidation. This article concentrates mainly on the development of different nanostructured metal-oxide [such as ZnO, Cu(I)/(II) oxides, MnO2, TiO2, CeO2, SiO2, ZrO2, and other metal-oxides] based glucose biosensors. Additionally, we devote our attention to the operating principles (i.e., potentiometric, amperometric, impedimetric and conductometric) of these nanostructured metal-oxide based glucose sensors. Finally, this review concludes with a personal prospective and some challenges of these nanoscaled sensors. PMID:22399911

Nanostructured Ion-Exchange Membranes for Fuel Cells: Recent Advances and Perspectives.

PubMed

He, Guangwei; Li, Zhen; Zhao, Jing; Wang, Shaofei; Wu, Hong; Guiver, Michael D; Jiang, Zhongyi

2015-09-23

Polymer-based materials with tunable nanoscale structures and associated microenvironments hold great promise as next-generation ion-exchange membranes (IEMs) for acid or alkaline fuel cells. Understanding the relationships between nanostructure, physical and chemical microenvironment, and ion-transport properties are critical to the rational design and development of IEMs. These matters are addressed here by discussing representative and important advances since 2011, with particular emphasis on aromatic-polymer-based nanostructured IEMs, which are broadly divided into nanostructured polymer membranes and nanostructured polymer-filler composite membranes. For each category of membrane, the core factors that influence the physical and chemical microenvironments of the ion nanochannels are summarized. In addition, a brief perspective on the possible future directions of nanostructured IEMs is presented. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Ordered three-dimensional interconnected nanoarchitectures in anodic porous alumina

PubMed Central

Martín, Jaime; Martín-González, Marisol; Fernández, Jose Francisco; Caballero-Calero, Olga

2014-01-01

Three-dimensional nanostructures combine properties of nanoscale materials with the advantages of being macro-sized pieces when the time comes to manipulate, measure their properties, or make a device. However, the amount of compounds with the ability to self-organize in ordered three-dimensional nanostructures is limited. Therefore, template-based fabrication strategies become the key approach towards three-dimensional nanostructures. Here we report the simple fabrication of a template based on anodic aluminum oxide, having a well-defined, ordered, tunable, homogeneous 3D nanotubular network in the sub 100 nm range. The three-dimensional templates are then employed to achieve three-dimensional, ordered nanowire-networks in Bi2Te3 and polystyrene. Lastly, we demonstrate the photonic crystal behavior of both the template and the polystyrene three-dimensional nanostructure. Our approach may establish the foundations for future high-throughput, cheap, photonic materials and devices made of simple commodity plastics, metals, and semiconductors. PMID:25342247

Recent advances in metal oxide-based electrode architecture design for electrochemical energy storage.

PubMed

Jiang, Jian; Li, Yuanyuan; Liu, Jinping; Huang, Xintang; Yuan, Changzhou; Lou, Xiong Wen David

2012-10-02

Metal oxide nanostructures are promising electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors because of their high specific capacity/capacitance, typically 2-3 times higher than that of the carbon/graphite-based materials. However, their cycling stability and rate performance still can not meet the requirements of practical applications. It is therefore urgent to improve their overall device performance, which depends on not only the development of advanced electrode materials but also in a large part "how to design superior electrode architectures". In the article, we will review recent advances in strategies for advanced metal oxide-based hybrid nanostructure design, with the focus on the binder-free film/array electrodes. These binder-free electrodes, with the integration of unique merits of each component, can provide larger electrochemically active surface area, faster electron transport and superior ion diffusion, thus leading to substantially improved cycling and rate performance. Several recently emerged concepts of using ordered nanostructure arrays, synergetic core-shell structures, nanostructured current collectors, and flexible paper/textile electrodes will be highlighted, pointing out advantages and challenges where appropriate. Some future electrode design trends and directions are also discussed. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Processes for fabricating composite reinforced material

DOEpatents

Seals, Roland D.; Ripley, Edward B.; Ludtka, Gerard M.

2015-11-24

A family of materials wherein nanostructures and/or nanotubes are incorporated into a multi-component material arrangement, such as a metallic or ceramic alloy or composite/aggregate, producing a new material or metallic/ceramic alloy. The new material has significantly increased strength, up to several thousands of times normal and perhaps substantially more, as well as significantly decreased weight. The new materials may be manufactured into a component where the nanostructure or nanostructure reinforcement is incorporated into the bulk and/or matrix material, or as a coating where the nanostructure or nanostructure reinforcement is incorporated into the coating or surface of a "normal" substrate material. The nanostructures are incorporated into the material structure either randomly or aligned, within grains, or along or across grain boundaries.

Unconventional supercapacitors from nanocarbon-based electrode materials to device configurations.

PubMed

Liu, Lili; Niu, Zhiqiang; Chen, Jun

2016-07-25

As energy storage devices, supercapacitors that are also called electrochemical capacitors possess high power density, excellent reversibility and long cycle life. The recent boom in electronic devices with different functions in transparent LED displays, stretchable electronic systems and artificial skin has increased the demand for supercapacitors to move towards light, thin, integrated macro- and micro-devices with transparent, flexible, stretchable, compressible and/or wearable abilities. The successful fabrication of such supercapacitors depends mainly on the preparation of innovative electrode materials and the design of unconventional supercapacitor configurations. Tremendous research efforts have been recently made to design and construct innovative nanocarbon-based electrode materials and supercapacitors with unconventional configurations. We review here recent developments in supercapacitors from nanocarbon-based electrode materials to device configurations. The advances in nanocarbon-based electrode materials mainly include the assembly technologies of macroscopic nanostructured electrodes with different dimensions of carbon nanotubes/nanofibers, graphene, mesoporous carbon, activated carbon, and their composites. The electrodes with macroscopic nanostructured carbon-based materials overcome the issues of low conductivity, poor mechanical properties, and limited dimensions that are faced by conventional methods. The configurational design of advanced supercapacitor devices is presented with six types of unconventional supercapacitor devices: flexible, micro-, stretchable, compressible, transparent and fiber supercapacitors. Such supercapacitors display unique configurations and excellent electrochemical performance at different states such as bending, stretching, compressing and/or folding. For example, all-solid-state simplified supercapacitors that are based on nanostructured graphene composite paper are able to maintain 95% of the original capacity at a 180° folding state. The progress made so far will guide further developments in the structural design of nanocarbon-based electrode materials and the configurational diversity of supercapacitor devices. Future developments and prospects in the controllable assembly of macroscopic nanostructured electrodes and the innovation of unconventional supercapacitor configurations are also discussed. This should shed light on the R&D of supercapacitors.

Electrode Nanostructures in Lithium‐Based Batteries

PubMed Central

Mahmood, Nasir

2014-01-01

Lithium‐based batteries possessing energy densities much higher than those of the conventional batteries belong to the most promising class of future energy devices. However, there are some fundamental issues related to their electrodes which are big roadblocks in their applications to electric vehicles (EVs). Nanochemistry has advantageous roles to overcome these problems by defining new nanostructures of electrode materials. This review article will highlight the challenges associated with these chemistries both to bring high performance and longevity upon considering the working principles of the various types of lithium‐based (Li‐ion, Li‐air and Li‐S) batteries. Further, the review discusses the advantages and challenges of nanomaterials in nanostructured electrodes of lithium‐based batteries, concerns with lithium metal anode and the recent advancement in electrode nanostructures. PMID:27980896

Electrode Nanostructures in Lithium-Based Batteries.

PubMed

Mahmood, Nasir; Hou, Yanglong

2014-12-01

Lithium-based batteries possessing energy densities much higher than those of the conventional batteries belong to the most promising class of future energy devices. However, there are some fundamental issues related to their electrodes which are big roadblocks in their applications to electric vehicles (EVs). Nanochemistry has advantageous roles to overcome these problems by defining new nanostructures of electrode materials. This review article will highlight the challenges associated with these chemistries both to bring high performance and longevity upon considering the working principles of the various types of lithium-based (Li-ion, Li-air and Li-S) batteries. Further, the review discusses the advantages and challenges of nanomaterials in nanostructured electrodes of lithium-based batteries, concerns with lithium metal anode and the recent advancement in electrode nanostructures.

The microwave-assisted ionic-liquid method: a promising methodology in nanomaterials.

PubMed

Ma, Ming-Guo; Zhu, Jie-Fang; Zhu, Ying-Jie; Sun, Run-Cang

2014-09-01

In recent years, the microwave-assisted ionic-liquid method has been accepted as a promising methodology for the preparation of nanomaterials and cellulose-based nanocomposites. Applications of this method in the preparation of cellulose-based nanocomposites comply with the major principles of green chemistry, that is, they use an environmentally friendly method in environmentally preferable solvents to make use of renewable materials. This minireview focuses on the recent development of the synthesis of nanomaterials and cellulose-based nanocomposites by means of the microwave-assisted ionic-liquid method. We first discuss the preparation of nanomaterials including noble metals, metal oxides, complex metal oxides, metal sulfides, and other nanomaterials by means of this method. Then we provide an overview of the synthesis of cellulose-based nanocomposites by using this method. The emphasis is on the synthesis, microstructure, and properties of nanostructured materials obtained through this methodology. Our recent research on nanomaterials and cellulose-based nanocomposites by this rapid method is summarized. In addition, the formation mechanisms involved in the microwave-assisted ionic-liquid synthesis of nanostructured materials are discussed briefly. Finally, the future perspectives of this methodology in the synthesis of nanostructured materials are proposed. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Methods of fabricating nanostructures and nanowires and devices fabricated therefrom

DOEpatents

Majumdar, Arun [Orinda, CA; Shakouri, Ali [Santa Cruz, CA; Sands, Timothy D [Moraga, CA; Yang, Peidong [Berkeley, CA; Mao, Samuel S [Berkeley, CA; Russo, Richard E [Walnut Creek, CA; Feick, Henning [Kensington, CA; Weber, Eicke R [Oakland, CA; Kind, Hannes [Schaffhausen, CH; Huang, Michael [Los Angeles, CA; Yan, Haoquan [Albany, CA; Wu, Yiying [Albany, CA; Fan, Rong [El Cerrito, CA

2009-08-04

One-dimensional nanostructures having uniform diameters of less than approximately 200 nm. These inventive nanostructures, which we refer to as "nanowires", include single-crystalline homostructures as well as heterostructures of at least two single-crystalline materials having different chemical compositions. Because single-crystalline materials are used to form the heterostructure, the resultant heterostructure will be single-crystalline as well. The nanowire heterostructures are generally based on a semiconducting wire wherein the doping and composition are controlled in either the longitudinal or radial directions, or in both directions, to yield a wire that comprises different materials. Examples of resulting nanowire heterostructures include a longitudinal heterostructure nanowire (LOHN) and a coaxial heterostructure nanowire (COHN).

Methods of fabricating nanostructures and nanowires and devices fabricated therefrom

DOEpatents

Majumdar, Arun; Shakouri, Ali; Sands, Timothy D.; Yang, Peidong; Mao, Samuel S.; Russo, Richard E.; Feick, Henning; Weber, Eicke R.; Kind, Hannes; Huang, Michael; Yan, Haoquan; Wu, Yiying; Fan, Rong

2010-11-16

One-dimensional nanostructures having uniform diameters of less than approximately 200 nm. These inventive nanostructures, which we refer to as "nanowires", include single-crystalline homostructures as well as heterostructures of at least two single-crystalline materials having different chemical compositions. Because single-crystalline materials are used to form the heterostructure, the resultant heterostructure will be single-crystalline as well. The nanowire heterostructures are generally based on a semiconducting wire wherein the doping and composition are controlled in either the longitudinal or radial directions, or in both directions, to yield a wire that comprises different materials. Examples of resulting nanowire heterostructures include a longitudinal heterostructure nanowire (LOHN) and a coaxial heterostructure nanowire (COHN).

Methods of fabricating nanostructures and nanowires and devices fabricated therefrom

DOEpatents

Majumdar, Arun; Shakouri, Ali; Sands, Timothy D.; Yang, Peidong; Mao, Samuel S.; Russo, Richard E.; Feick, Henning; Weber, Eicke R.; Kind, Hannes; Huang, Michael; Yan, Haoquan; Wu, Yiying; Fan, Rong

2018-01-30

One-dimensional nanostructures having uniform diameters of less than approximately 200 nm. These inventive nanostructures, which we refer to as "nanowires", include single-crystalline homostructures as well as heterostructures of at least two single-crystalline materials having different chemical compositions. Because single-crystalline materials are used to form the heterostructure, the resultant heterostructure will be single-crystalline as well. The nanowire heterostructures are generally based on a semiconducting wire wherein the doping and composition are controlled in either the longitudinal or radial directions, or in both directions, to yield a wire that comprises different materials. Examples of resulting nanowire heterostructures include a longitudinal heterostructure nanowire (LOHN) and a coaxial heterostructure nanowire (COHN).

Nanostructured materials detect epidermal growth factor receptor, neuron specific enolase and carcinoembryonic antigen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefan-van Staden, Raluca-Ioana; Comnea-Stancu, Ionela Raluca; Surdu-Bob, Carmen Cristina; Badulescu, Marius

2015-09-01

New nanostructured materials based on thin films of Cu and Ni deposited on textile material (veil), as well as gold nanostructured microspheres were used for the design of new stochastic sensors. The stochastic sensors were able to detect simultaneously a panel of biomarkers comprising epidermal growth factor receptor, neuron specific enolase, and carcinoembryonic antigen from whole blood samples with high reliabilities - recovery tests higher than 97.00%, with a RSD (%) lower than 0.1%. The stochastic sensors had shown high sensitivities and low determination levels for the detection of the proposed panel of biomarkers making early detection of lung cancer possible by fast screening of whole blood.

Comprehensive Enhancement of Nanostructured Lithium-Ion Battery Cathode Materials via Conformal Graphene Dispersion.

PubMed

Chen, Kan-Sheng; Xu, Rui; Luu, Norman S; Secor, Ethan B; Hamamoto, Koichi; Li, Qianqian; Kim, Soo; Sangwan, Vinod K; Balla, Itamar; Guiney, Linda M; Seo, Jung-Woo T; Yu, Xiankai; Liu, Weiwei; Wu, Jinsong; Wolverton, Chris; Dravid, Vinayak P; Barnett, Scott A; Lu, Jun; Amine, Khalil; Hersam, Mark C

2017-04-12

Efficient energy storage systems based on lithium-ion batteries represent a critical technology across many sectors including consumer electronics, electrified transportation, and a smart grid accommodating intermittent renewable energy sources. Nanostructured electrode materials present compelling opportunities for high-performance lithium-ion batteries, but inherent problems related to the high surface area to volume ratios at the nanometer-scale have impeded their adoption for commercial applications. Here, we demonstrate a materials and processing platform that realizes high-performance nanostructured lithium manganese oxide (nano-LMO) spinel cathodes with conformal graphene coatings as a conductive additive. The resulting nanostructured composite cathodes concurrently resolve multiple problems that have plagued nanoparticle-based lithium-ion battery electrodes including low packing density, high additive content, and poor cycling stability. Moreover, this strategy enhances the intrinsic advantages of nano-LMO, resulting in extraordinary rate capability and low temperature performance. With 75% capacity retention at a 20C cycling rate at room temperature and nearly full capacity retention at -20 °C, this work advances lithium-ion battery technology into unprecedented regimes of operation.

Structure and characteristics of functional powder composite materials obtained by spark plasma sintering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oglezneva, S. A.; Kachenyuk, M. N.; Kulmeteva, V. B.; Ogleznev, N. B.

2017-07-01

The article describes the results of spark plasma sintering of ceramic materials based on titanium carbide, titanium carbosilicide, ceramic composite materials based on zirconium oxide, strengthened by carbon nanostructures and composite materials of electrotechnical purpose based on copper with addition of carbon structures and titanium carbosilicide. The research shows that the spark plasma sintering can achieve relative density of the material up to 98%. The effect of sintering temperature on the phase composition, density and porosity of the final product has been studied. It was found that with addition of carbon nanostructures the relative density and hardness decrease, but the fracture strength of ZrO2 increases up to times 2. The relative erosion resistance of the electrodes made of composite copper-based powder materials, obtained by spark plasma sintering during electroerosion treatment of tool steel exceeds that parameter of pure copper up to times 15.

Nanostructured layers of thermoelectric materials

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

Urban, Jeffrey J.; Lynch, Jared; Coates, Nelson

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to thermoelectric materials. In one aspect, a method includes providing a plurality of nanostructures. The plurality of nanostructures comprise a thermoelectric material, with each nanostructure of the plurality of nanostructures having first ligands disposed on a surface of the nanostructure. The plurality of nanostructures is mixed with a solution containing second ligands and a ligand exchange process occurs in which the first ligands disposed on the plurality of nanostructures are replaced with the second ligands. The plurality of nanostructures is deposited on a substrate to form a layer. The layer is thermallymore » annealed.« less

Nanostructured MnO2-Based Cathodes for Li-Ion/Polymer Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Skandan, Ganesh; Singhal, Amit

2005-01-01

Nanostructured MnO2-based cathodes for Li-ion/polymer electrochemical cells have been investigated in a continuing effort to develop safe, high-energy-density, reliable, low-toxicity, rechargeable batteries for a variety of applications in NASA programs and in mass-produced commercial electronic equipment. Whereas the energy densities of state-of-the-art lithium-ion/polymer batteries range from 150 to 175 W h/kg, the goal of this effort is to increase the typical energy density to about 250 W h/kg. It is also expected that an incidental benefit of this effort will be increases in power densities because the distances over which Li ions must diffuse through nanostructured cathode materials are smaller than those through solid bulk cathode materials.

High photoresponse of individual WS2 nanowire-nanoflake hybrid materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asres, Georgies Alene; Järvinen, Topias; Lorite, Gabriela S.; Mohl, Melinda; Pitkänen, Olli; Dombovari, Aron; Tóth, Geza; Spetz, Anita Lloyd; Vajtai, Robert; Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Lei, Sidong; Talapatra, Saikat; Kordas, Krisztian

2018-06-01

van der Waals solids have been recognized as highly photosensitive materials that compete conventional Si and compound semiconductor based devices. While 2-dimensional nanosheets of single and multiple layers and 1-dimensional nanowires of molybdenum and tungsten chalcogenides have been studied, their nanostructured derivatives with complex morphologies are not explored yet. Here, we report on the electrical and photosensitive properties of WS2 nanowire-nanoflake hybrid materials we developed lately. We probe individual hybrid nanostructured particles along the structure using focused ion beam deposited Pt contacts. Further, we use conductive atomic force microscopy to analyze electrical behavior across the nanostructure in the transverse direction. The electrical measurements are complemented by in situ laser beam illumination to explore the photoresponse of the nanohybrids in the visible optical spectrum. Photodetectors with responsivity up to ˜0.4 AW-1 are demonstrated outperforming graphene as well as most of the other transition metal dichalcogenide based devices.

Nanostructured material-based biofuel cells: recent advances and future prospects.

PubMed

Zhao, Cui-E; Gai, Panpan; Song, Rongbin; Chen, Ying; Zhang, Jianrong; Zhu, Jun-Jie

2017-03-06

During the past decade, biofuel cells (BFCs) have emerged as an emerging technology on account of their ability to directly generate electricity from biologically renewable catalysts and fuels. Due to the boost in nanotechnology, significant advances have been accomplished in BFCs. Although it is still challenging to promote the performance of BFCs, adopting nanostructured materials for BFC construction has been extensively proposed as an effective and promising strategy to achieve high energy production. In this review, we presented the major novel nanostructured materials applied for BFCs and highlighted the breakthroughs in this field. Based on different natures of the bio-catalysts and electron transfer process at the bio-electrode surfaces, the fundamentals of BFC systems, including enzymatic biofuel cells (EBFCs) and microbial fuel cells (MFCs), have been elucidated. In particular, the principle of electrode materials design has been detailed in terms of enhancing electrical communications between biological catalysts and electrodes. Furthermore, we have provided the applications of BFCs and potential challenges of this technology.

Nanostructured Boron Nitride With High Water Dispersibility For Boron Neutron Capture Therapy

PubMed Central

Singh, Bikramjeet; Kaur, Gurpreet; Singh, Paviter; Singh, Kulwinder; Kumar, Baban; Vij, Ankush; Kumar, Manjeet; Bala, Rajni; Meena, Ramovatar; Singh, Ajay; Thakur, Anup; Kumar, Akshay

2016-01-01

Highly water dispersible boron based compounds are innovative and advanced materials which can be used in Boron Neutron Capture Therapy for cancer treatment (BNCT). Present study deals with the synthesis of highly water dispersible nanostructured Boron Nitride (BN). Unique and relatively low temperature synthesis route is the soul of present study. The morphological examinations (Scanning/transmission electron microscopy) of synthesized nanostructures showed that they are in transient phase from two dimensional hexagonal sheets to nanotubes. It is also supported by dual energy band gap of these materials calculated from UV- visible spectrum of the material. The theoretically calculated band gap also supports the same (calculated by virtual nano lab Software). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis shows that the synthesized material has deformed structure which is further supported by Raman spectroscopy. The structural aspect of high water disperse ability of BN is also studied. The ultra-high disperse ability which is a result of structural deformation make these nanostructures very useful in BNCT. Cytotoxicity studies on various cell lines (Hela(cervical cancer), human embryonic kidney (HEK-293) and human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7)) show that the synthesized nanostructures can be used for BNCT. PMID:27759052

Processing of Nanosensors Using a Sacrificial Template Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Biaggi-Labiosa, Azlin M.; Hunter, Gary W.

2012-01-01

A new microsensor fabrication approach has been demonstrated based upon the use of nanostructures as templates. The fundamental idea is that existing nanostructures, such as carbon nano tubes or biological structures, have a material structure that can be used advantageously in order to provide new sensor systems but lack the advantages of some materials to, for example, operate at high temperatures. The approach is to start with a template using nanostructures such as a carbon nanotube. This template can then be coated by an oxide material with higher temperature capabilities. Upon heating in air, the carbon nanotube template is burned off, leaving only the metal oxide nanostructure. The resulting structure has a combination of the crystal structure and surface morphology of the carbon nanotube, combined with the material durability and hightemperature- sensing properties of the metal oxide. Further, since the metal oxide nanocrystals are deposited on the carbon nanotube, after burn-off what is left is a metal oxide porous nanostructure. This makes both the interior and the exterior of this nano structured sensor available for gas species detection. This, in effect, increases the surface area available for sensing, which has been shown in the past to significantly increase sensor performance.

Nanostructured Boron Nitride With High Water Dispersibility For Boron Neutron Capture Therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Bikramjeet; Kaur, Gurpreet; Singh, Paviter; Singh, Kulwinder; Kumar, Baban; Vij, Ankush; Kumar, Manjeet; Bala, Rajni; Meena, Ramovatar; Singh, Ajay; Thakur, Anup; Kumar, Akshay

2016-10-01

Highly water dispersible boron based compounds are innovative and advanced materials which can be used in Boron Neutron Capture Therapy for cancer treatment (BNCT). Present study deals with the synthesis of highly water dispersible nanostructured Boron Nitride (BN). Unique and relatively low temperature synthesis route is the soul of present study. The morphological examinations (Scanning/transmission electron microscopy) of synthesized nanostructures showed that they are in transient phase from two dimensional hexagonal sheets to nanotubes. It is also supported by dual energy band gap of these materials calculated from UV- visible spectrum of the material. The theoretically calculated band gap also supports the same (calculated by virtual nano lab Software). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis shows that the synthesized material has deformed structure which is further supported by Raman spectroscopy. The structural aspect of high water disperse ability of BN is also studied. The ultra-high disperse ability which is a result of structural deformation make these nanostructures very useful in BNCT. Cytotoxicity studies on various cell lines (Hela(cervical cancer), human embryonic kidney (HEK-293) and human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7)) show that the synthesized nanostructures can be used for BNCT.

A review on the application of inorganic nano-structured materials in the modification of textiles: focus on anti-microbial properties.

PubMed

Dastjerdi, Roya; Montazer, Majid

2010-08-01

Textiles can provide a suitable substrate to grow micro-organisms especially at appropriate humidity and temperature in contact to human body. Recently, increasing public concern about hygiene has been driving many investigations for anti-microbial modification of textiles. However, using many anti-microbial agents has been avoided because of their possible harmful or toxic effects. Application of inorganic nano-particles and their nano-composites would be a good alternative. This review paper has focused on the properties and applications of inorganic nano-structured materials with good anti-microbial activity potential for textile modification. The discussed nano-structured anti-microbial agents include TiO(2) nano-particles, metallic and non-metallic TiO(2) nano-composites, titania nanotubes (TNTs), silver nano-particles, silver-based nano-structured materials, gold nano-particles, zinc oxide nano-particles and nano-rods, copper nano-particles, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), nano-clay and its modified forms, gallium, liposomes loaded nano-particles, metallic and inorganic dendrimers nano-composite, nano-capsules and cyclodextrins containing nano-particles. This review is also concerned with the application methods for the modification of textiles using nano-structured materials. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DNA nanostructure-directed assembly of metal nanoparticle superlattices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Julin, Sofia; Nummelin, Sami; Kostiainen, Mauri A.; Linko, Veikko

2018-05-01

Structural DNA nanotechnology provides unique, well-controlled, versatile, and highly addressable motifs and templates for assembling materials at the nanoscale. These methods to build from the bottom-up using DNA as a construction material are based on programmable and fully predictable Watson-Crick base pairing. Researchers have adopted these techniques to an increasing extent for creating numerous DNA nanostructures for a variety of uses ranging from nanoelectronics to drug-delivery applications. Recently, an increasing effort has been put into attaching nanoparticles (the size range of 1-20 nm) to the accurate DNA motifs and into creating metallic nanostructures (typically 20-100 nm) using designer DNA nanoshapes as molds or stencils. By combining nanoparticles with the superior addressability of DNA-based scaffolds, it is possible to form well-ordered materials with intriguing and completely new optical, plasmonic, electronic, and magnetic properties. This focused review discusses the DNA structure-directed nanoparticle assemblies covering the wide range of different one-, two-, and three-dimensional systems.

Nanostructure design for drastic reduction of thermal conductivity while preserving high electrical conductivity

PubMed Central

Nakamura, Yoshiaki

2018-01-01

Abstract The design and fabrication of nanostructured materials to control both thermal and electrical properties are demonstrated for high-performance thermoelectric conversion. We have focused on silicon (Si) because it is an environmentally friendly and ubiquitous element. High bulk thermal conductivity of Si limits its potential as a thermoelectric material. The thermal conductivity of Si has been reduced by introducing grains, or wires, yet a further reduction is required while retaining a high electrical conductivity. We have designed two different nanostructures for this purpose. One structure is connected Si nanodots (NDs) with the same crystal orientation. The phonons scattering at the interfaces of these NDs occurred and it depended on the ND size. As a result of phonon scattering, the thermal conductivity of this nanostructured material was below/close to the amorphous limit. The other structure is Si films containing epitaxially grown Ge NDs. The Si layer imparted high electrical conductivity, while the Ge NDs served as phonon scattering bodies reducing thermal conductivity drastically. This work gives a methodology for the independent control of electron and phonon transport using nanostructured materials. This can bring the realization of thermoelectric Si-based materials that are compatible with large scale integrated circuit processing technologies. PMID:29371907

Modeling of space environment impact on nanostructured materials. General principles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voronina, Ekaterina; Novikov, Lev

2016-07-01

In accordance with the resolution of ISO TC20/SC14 WG4/WG6 joint meeting, Technical Specification (TS) 'Modeling of space environment impact on nanostructured materials. General principles' which describes computer simulation methods of space environment impact on nanostructured materials is being prepared. Nanomaterials surpass traditional materials for space applications in many aspects due to their unique properties associated with nanoscale size of their constituents. This superiority in mechanical, thermal, electrical and optical properties will evidently inspire a wide range of applications in the next generation spacecraft intended for the long-term (~15-20 years) operation in near-Earth orbits and the automatic and manned interplanetary missions. Currently, ISO activity on developing standards concerning different issues of nanomaterials manufacturing and applications is high enough. Most such standards are related to production and characterization of nanostructures, however there is no ISO documents concerning nanomaterials behavior in different environmental conditions, including the space environment. The given TS deals with the peculiarities of the space environment impact on nanostructured materials (i.e. materials with structured objects which size in at least one dimension lies within 1-100 nm). The basic purpose of the document is the general description of the methodology of applying computer simulation methods which relate to different space and time scale to modeling processes occurring in nanostructured materials under the space environment impact. This document will emphasize the necessity of applying multiscale simulation approach and present the recommendations for the choice of the most appropriate methods (or a group of methods) for computer modeling of various processes that can occur in nanostructured materials under the influence of different space environment components. In addition, TS includes the description of possible approximations and limitations of proposed simulation methods as well as of widely used software codes. This TS may be used as a base for developing a new standard devoted to nanomaterials applications for spacecraft.

Three dimensional (3D) microstructure-based finite element modeling of Al-SiC nanolaminates using focused ion beam (FIB) tomography

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

Mayer, Carl R.

Al-SiC nanolaminate composites show promise as high performance coating materials due to their combination of strength and toughness. Although a significant amount of modeling effort has been focused on materials with an idealized flat nanostructure, experimentally these materials exhibit complex undulating layer geometries. This work utilizes FIB tomography to characterize this nanostructure in 3D and finite element modeling to determine the effect that this complex structure has on the mechanical behavior of these materials. A sufficiently large volume was characterized such that a 1 × 2 μm micropillar could be generated from the dataset and compared directly to experimental results.more » The mechanical response from this nanostructure was then compared to pillar models using simplified structures with perfectly flat layers, layers with sinusoidal waviness, and layers with arc segment waviness. The arc segment based layer geometry showed the best agreement with the experimentally determined structure, indicating it would be the most appropriate geometry for future modeling efforts. - Highlights: •FIB tomography was used to determine the structure of an Al-SiC nanolaminate in 3D. •FEM was used to compare the deformation of the nanostructure to experimental results. •Idealized structures from literature were compared to the FIB determined structure. •Arc segment based structures approximated the FIB determined structure most closely.« less

Recent developments of nano-structured materials as the catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, SungYeon; Kim, HuiJung; Chung, Yong-Ho

2018-04-01

Developments of high efficient materials for electrocatalyst are significant topics of numerous researches since a few decades. Recent global interests related with energy conversion and storage lead to the expansion of efforts to find cost-effective catalysts that can substitute conventional catalytic materials. Especially, in the field of fuel cell, novel materials for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) have been noticed to overcome disadvantages of conventional platinum-based catalysts. Various approaching methods have been attempted to achieve low cost and high electrochemical activity comparable with Pt-based catalysts, including reducing Pt consumption by the formation of hybrid materials, Pt-based alloys, and not-Pt metal or carbon based materials. To enhance catalytic performance and stability, numerous methods such as structural modifications and complex formations with other functional materials are proposed, and they are basically based on well-defined and well-ordered catalytic active sites by exquisite control at nanoscale. In this review, we highlight the development of nano-structured catalytic materials for ORR based on recent findings, and discuss about an outlook for the direction of future researches.

DNA nanomaterials for preclinical imaging and drug delivery.

PubMed

Jiang, Dawei; England, Christopher G; Cai, Weibo

2016-10-10

Besides being the carrier of genetic information, DNA is also an excellent biological organizer to establish well-designed nanostructures in the fields of material engineering, nanotechnology, and biomedicine. DNA-based materials represent a diverse nanoscale system primarily due to their predictable base pairing and highly regulated conformations, which greatly facilitate the construction of DNA nanostructures with distinct shapes and sizes. Integrating the emerging advancements in bioconjugation techniques, DNA nanostructures can be readily functionalized with high precision for many purposes ranging from biosensors to imaging to drug delivery. Recent progress in the field of DNA nanotechnology has exhibited collective efforts to employ DNA nanostructures as smart imaging agents or delivery platforms within living organisms. Despite significant improvements in the development of DNA nanostructures, there is limited knowledge regarding the in vivo biological fate of these intriguing nanomaterials. In this review, we summarize the current strategies for designing and purifying highly-versatile DNA nanostructures for biological applications, including molecular imaging and drug delivery. Since DNA nanostructures may elicit an immune response in vivo, we also present a short discussion of their potential toxicities in biomedical applications. Lastly, we discuss future perspectives and potential challenges that may limit the effective preclinical and clinical employment of DNA nanostructures. Due to their unique properties, we predict that DNA nanomaterials will make excellent agents for effective diagnostic imaging and drug delivery, improving patient outcome in cancer and other related diseases in the near future. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Infrared hyperbolic metasurface based on nanostructured van der Waals materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Peining; Dolado, Irene; Alfaro-Mozaz, Francisco Javier; Casanova, Fèlix; Hueso, Luis E.; Liu, Song; Edgar, James H.; Nikitin, Alexey Y.; Vélez, Saül; Hillenbrand, Rainer

2018-02-01

Metasurfaces with strongly anisotropic optical properties can support deep subwavelength-scale confined electromagnetic waves (polaritons), which promise opportunities for controlling light in photonic and optoelectronic applications. We developed a mid-infrared hyperbolic metasurface by nanostructuring a thin layer of hexagonal boron nitride that supports deep subwavelength-scale phonon polaritons that propagate with in-plane hyperbolic dispersion. By applying an infrared nanoimaging technique, we visualize the concave (anomalous) wavefronts of a diverging polariton beam, which represent a landmark feature of hyperbolic polaritons. The results illustrate how near-field microscopy can be applied to reveal the exotic wavefronts of polaritons in anisotropic materials and demonstrate that nanostructured van der Waals materials can form a highly variable and compact platform for hyperbolic infrared metasurface devices and circuits.

Anticancer Applications of Nanostructured Silica-Based Materials Functionalized with Titanocene Derivatives: Induction of Cell Death Mechanism through TNFR1 Modulation

PubMed Central

García-Peñas, Alberto

2018-01-01

A series of cytotoxic titanocene derivatives have been immobilized onto nanostructured silica-based materials using two different synthetic routes, namely, (i) a simple grafting protocol via protonolysis of the Ti–Cl bond; and (ii) a tethering method by elimination of ethanol using triethoxysilyl moieties of thiolato ligands attached to titanium. The resulting nanostructured systems have been characterized by different techniques such as XRD, XRF, DR-UV, BET, SEM, and TEM, observing the incorporation of the titanocene derivatives onto the nanostructured silica and slight changes in the textural features of the materials after functionalization with the metallodrugs. A complete biological study has been carried out using the synthesized materials exhibiting moderate cytotoxicity in vitro against three human hepatic carcinoma (HepG2, SK-Hep-1, Hep3B) and three human colon carcinomas (DLD-1, HT-29, COLO320) and very low cytotoxicity against normal cell lines. In addition, the cells’ metabolic activity was modified by a 24-h exposure in a dose-dependent manner. Despite not having a significant effect on TNFα or the proinflammatory interleukin 1α secretion, the materials strongly modulated tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling, even at sub-cytotoxic concentrations. This is achieved mainly by upregulation of the TNFR1 receptor production, something which has not previously been observed for these systems. PMID:29385103

Anticancer Applications of Nanostructured Silica-Based Materials Functionalized with Titanocene Derivatives: Induction of Cell Death Mechanism through TNFR1 Modulation.

PubMed

Gómez-Ruiz, Santiago; García-Peñas, Alberto; Prashar, Sanjiv; Rodríguez-Diéguez, Antonio; Fischer-Fodor, Eva

2018-01-31

A series of cytotoxic titanocene derivatives have been immobilized onto nanostructured silica-based materials using two different synthetic routes, namely, (i) a simple grafting protocol via protonolysis of the Ti-Cl bond; and (ii) a tethering method by elimination of ethanol using triethoxysilyl moieties of thiolato ligands attached to titanium. The resulting nanostructured systems have been characterized by different techniques such as XRD, XRF, DR-UV, BET, SEM, and TEM, observing the incorporation of the titanocene derivatives onto the nanostructured silica and slight changes in the textural features of the materials after functionalization with the metallodrugs. A complete biological study has been carried out using the synthesized materials exhibiting moderate cytotoxicity in vitro against three human hepatic carcinoma (HepG2, SK-Hep-1, Hep3B) and three human colon carcinomas (DLD-1, HT-29, COLO320) and very low cytotoxicity against normal cell lines. In addition, the cells' metabolic activity was modified by a 24-h exposure in a dose-dependent manner. Despite not having a significant effect on TNFα or the proinflammatory interleukin 1α secretion, the materials strongly modulated tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling, even at sub-cytotoxic concentrations. This is achieved mainly by upregulation of the TNFR1 receptor production, something which has not previously been observed for these systems.

Graphene oxide assisted synthesis of GaN nanostructures for reducing cell adhesion.

PubMed

Yang, Rong; Zhang, Ying; Li, Jingying; Han, Qiusen; Zhang, Wei; Lu, Chao; Yang, Yanlian; Dong, Hongwei; Wang, Chen

2013-11-21

We report a general approach for the synthesis of large-scale gallium nitride (GaN) nanostructures by the graphene oxide (GO) assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. A modulation effect of GaN nanostructures on cell adhesion has been observed. The morphology of the GaN surface can be controlled by GO concentrations. This approach, which is based on the predictable choice of the ratio of GO to catalysts, can be readily extended to the synthesis of other materials with controllable nanostructures. Cell studies show that GaN nanostructures reduced cell adhesion significantly compared to GaN flat surfaces. The cell-repelling property is related to the nanostructure and surface wettability. These observations of the modulation effect on cell behaviors suggest new opportunities for novel GaN nanomaterial-based biomedical devices. We believe that potential applications will emerge in the biomedical and biotechnological fields.

Cross-Discipline Bio-Nanostructured Enhanced Photonic Multimode-Sensor Science

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-23

experimental study aimed to combine soft material science with nanotechnology and multi-physics modeling to produce adaptable bio-nanostructure based on...degradation through optical analysis and tracking programs Protein and DNA engineering . - The properties of proteins to be used in sensors were studies

Silicon-embedded copper nanostructure network for high energy storage

DOEpatents

Yu, Tianyue

2018-01-23

Provided herein are nanostructure networks having high energy storage, electrochemically active electrode materials including nanostructure networks having high energy storage, as well as electrodes and batteries including the nanostructure networks having high energy storage. According to various implementations, the nanostructure networks have high energy density as well as long cycle life. In some implementations, the nanostructure networks include a conductive network embedded with electrochemically active material. In some implementations, silicon is used as the electrochemically active material. The conductive network may be a metal network such as a copper nanostructure network. Methods of manufacturing the nanostructure networks and electrodes are provided. In some implementations, metal nanostructures can be synthesized in a solution that contains silicon powder to make a composite network structure that contains both. The metal nanostructure growth can nucleate in solution and on silicon nanostructure surfaces.

Silicon-embedded copper nanostructure network for high energy storage

DOEpatents

Yu, Tianyue

2016-03-15

Provided herein are nanostructure networks having high energy storage, electrochemically active electrode materials including nanostructure networks having high energy storage, as well as electrodes and batteries including the nanostructure networks having high energy storage. According to various implementations, the nanostructure networks have high energy density as well as long cycle life. In some implementations, the nanostructure networks include a conductive network embedded with electrochemically active material. In some implementations, silicon is used as the electrochemically active material. The conductive network may be a metal network such as a copper nanostructure network. Methods of manufacturing the nanostructure networks and electrodes are provided. In some implementations, metal nanostructures can be synthesized in a solution that contains silicon powder to make a composite network structure that contains both. The metal nanostructure growth can nucleate in solution and on silicon nanostructure surfaces.

Review on recent progress of nanostructured anode materials for Li-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goriparti, Subrahmanyam; Miele, Ermanno; De Angelis, Francesco; Di Fabrizio, Enzo; Proietti Zaccaria, Remo; Capiglia, Claudio

2014-07-01

This review highlights the recent research advances in active nanostructured anode materials for the next generation of Li-ion batteries (LIBs). In fact, in order to address both energy and power demands of secondary LIBs for future energy storage applications, it is required the development of innovative kinds of electrodes. Nanostructured materials based on carbon, metal/semiconductor, metal oxides and metal phosphides/nitrides/sulfides show a variety of admirable properties for LIBs applications such as high surface area, low diffusion distance, high electrical and ionic conductivity. Therefore, nanosized active materials are extremely promising for bridging the gap towards the realization of the next generation of LIBs with high reversible capacities, increased power capability, long cycling stability and free from safety concerns. In this review, anode materials are classified, depending on their electrochemical reaction with lithium, into three groups: intercalation/de-intercalation, alloy/de-alloy and conversion materials. Furthermore, the effect of nanoscale size and morphology on the electrochemical performance is presented. Synthesis of the nanostructures, lithium battery performance and electrode reaction mechanisms are also discussed. To conclude, the main aim of this review is to provide an organic outline of the wide range of recent research progresses and perspectives on nanosized active anode materials for future LIBs.

Recent Applications of 2D Inorganic Nanosheets for Emerging Energy Storage System.

PubMed

Oh, Seung Mi; Patil, Sharad B; Jin, Xiaoyan; Hwang, Seong-Ju

2018-04-03

Among many types of nanostructured inorganic materials, highly anisotropic 2D nanosheets provide unique advantages in designing and synthesizing efficient electrode and electrocatalyst materials for novel energy storage technologies. 2D inorganic nanosheets boast lots of unique characteristics such as high surface area, short ion diffusion path, tailorable compositions, and tunable electronic structures. These merits of 2D inorganic nanosheets render them promising candidate materials as electrodes for diverse secondary batteries and supercapacitors, and electrocatalysts. A wide spectrum of examples is presented for inorganic nanosheet-based electrodes and electrocatalysts. Future perspectives in research about 2D nanosheet-based functional materials are discussed to provide insight for the development of next-generation energy storage systems using 2D nanostructured materials. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Nanocellulose as Material Building Block for Energy and Flexible Electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Liangbing

2014-03-01

In this talk, I will discuss the fabrications, properties and device applications of functional nanostructured paper based on nanocellulose. Nanostructures with tunable optical, electrical, ionic and mechanical properties will be discussed. Lab-scale demonstration devices, including low-cost Na-ion batteries, microbial fuel cells, solar cells, transparent transistors, actuators and touch screens will be briefly mentioned. These studies show that nanocellulose is a promising green material for electronics and energy devices.

Reversible creation of nanostructures between identical or different species of materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Hyun-Ik; Ko, Sungho; Park, Junyong; Lee, Dong-Eon; Jeon, Seokwoo; Ahn, Chi Won; Yoo, Kwang Soo; Park, Jae Hong

2012-07-01

In this study, accurate nanostructures with various aspect ratios are created on several types of material. This work is highly applicable to the energy, optical, and nano-bio fields, for example. A silicon (Si) nano-mold is preserved using the method described, and target nanostructures are replicated reversibly and unlimitedly to or from various hard and soft materials. It is also verified that various materials can be applied to the substrates. The results confirm that the target nanostructures are successfully created in precise straight line structures and circle structures with various aspect ratios, including extremely high aspect ratios of 1:18. It is suggested that the optimal replicating and demolding process of nanostructures with high aspect ratios, which are the most problematic, could be controlled by means of the surface energy between the functional materials. Relevant numerical and analytical studies are also performed. It is possible to expand the applicability of the nanostructured mold by adopting various backing materials, including rounded substrates. The scope of the applications is extended further by transferring the nanostructures between different species of materials including metallic materials as well as identical species.

Recent Advances in Metal Chalcogenides (MX; X = S, Se) Nanostructures for Electrochemical Supercapacitor Applications: A Brief Review

PubMed Central

Theerthagiri, Jayaraman; Durai, Govindarajan; Rana, Abu ul Hassan Sarwar; Sangeetha, Kirubanandam; Kuppusami, Parasuraman; Kim, Hyun-Seok

2018-01-01

Supercapacitors (SCs) have received a great deal of attention and play an important role for future self-powered devices, mainly owing to their higher power density. Among all types of electrical energy storage devices, electrochemical supercapacitors are considered to be the most promising because of their superior performance characteristics, including short charging time, high power density, safety, easy fabrication procedures, and long operational life. An SC consists of two foremost components, namely electrode materials, and electrolyte. The selection of appropriate electrode materials with rational nanostructured designs has resulted in improved electrochemical properties for high performance and has reduced the cost of SCs. In this review, we mainly spotlight the non-metallic oxide, especially metal chalcogenides (MX; X = S, Se) based nanostructured electrode materials for electrochemical SCs. Different non-metallic oxide materials are highlighted in various categories, such as transition metal sulfides and selenides materials. Finally, the designing strategy and future improvements on metal chalcogenide materials for the application of electrochemical SCs are also discussed. PMID:29671823

Nanostructure-based plasmon-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for surface analysis of materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Song-Yuan; Yi, Jun; Li, Jian-Feng; Ren, Bin; Wu, De-Yin; Panneerselvam, Rajapandiyan; Tian, Zhong-Qun

2016-06-01

Since 2000, there has been an explosion of activity in the field of plasmon-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (PERS), including surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) and shell-isolated nanoparticle-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SHINERS). In this Review, we explore the mechanism of PERS and discuss PERS hotspots — nanoscale regions with a strongly enhanced local electromagnetic field — that allow trace-molecule detection, biomolecule analysis and surface characterization of various materials. In particular, we discuss a new generation of hotspots that are generated from hybrid structures combining PERS-active nanostructures and probe materials, which feature a strong local electromagnetic field on the surface of the probe material. Enhancement of surface Raman signals up to five orders of magnitude can be obtained from materials that are weakly SERS active or SERS inactive. We provide a detailed overview of future research directions in the field of PERS, focusing on new PERS-active nanomaterials and nanostructures and the broad application prospect for materials science and technology.

Quantum dot behavior in transition metal dichalcogenides nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Gang; Zhang, Zhuo-Zhi; Li, Hai-Ou; Song, Xiang-Xiang; Deng, Guang-Wei; Cao, Gang; Xiao, Ming; Guo, Guo-Ping

2017-08-01

Recently, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) semiconductors have been utilized for investigating quantum phenomena because of their unique band structures and novel electronic properties. In a quantum dot (QD), electrons are confined in all lateral dimensions, offering the possibility for detailed investigation and controlled manipulation of individual quantum systems. Beyond the definition of graphene QDs by opening an energy gap in nanoconstrictions, with the presence of a bandgap, gate-defined QDs can be achieved on TMDCs semiconductors. In this paper, we review the confinement and transport of QDs in TMDCs nanostructures. The fabrication techniques for demonstrating two-dimensional (2D) materials nanostructures such as field-effect transistors and QDs, mainly based on e-beam lithography and transfer assembly techniques are discussed. Subsequently, we focus on electron transport through TMDCs nanostructures and QDs. With steady improvement in nanoscale materials characterization and using graphene as a springboard, 2D materials offer a platform that allows creation of heterostructure QDs integrated with a variety of crystals, each of which has entirely unique physical properties.

Nanocrystalline sp{sup 2} and sp{sup 3} carbons: CVD synthesis and applications

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

Terranova, M. L.; Rossi, M.; Tamburri, E., E-mail: emanuela.tamburri@uniroma2.it

The design and production of innovative materials based on nanocrystalline sp{sup 2}- and sp{sup 3}-coordinated carbons is presently a focus of the scientific community. We present a review of the nanostructures obtained in our labs using a series of synthetic routes, which make use of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques for the selective production of non-planar graphitic nanostructures, nanocrystalline diamonds, and hybrid two-phase nanostructures.

Nanostructure based EO/IR sensor development for homeland security applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sood, Ashok K.; Welser, Roger E.; Sood, Adam W.; Puri, Yash R.; Manzur, Tariq; Dhar, Nibir K.; Polla, Dennis L.; Wang, Zhong L.; Wijewarnasuriya, Priyalal S.; Anwar, A. F. M.

2011-06-01

Next Generation EO/IR focal plane arrays using nanostructure materials are being developed for a variety of Defense and Homeland Security Sensor Applications. Several different nanomaterials are being evaluated for these applications. These include ZnO nanowires, GaN Nanowires and II-VI nanowires, which have demonstrated large signal to noise ratio as a wide band gap nanostructure material in the UV band. Similarly, the work is under way using Carbon Nanotubes (CNT) for a high speed detector and focal plane array as two-dimensional array as bolometer for IR bands of interest, which can be implemented for the sensors for homeland security applications. In this paper, we will discuss the sensor design and model predicting performance of an EO/IR focal plane array and Sensor that can cover the UV to IR bands of interest. The model can provide a robust means for comparing performance of the EO/IR FPA's and Sensors that can operate in the UV, Visible-NIR (0.4- 1.8μ), SWIR (2.0-2.5μ), MWIR (3-5μ), and LWIR bands (8-14μ). This model can be used as a tool for predicting performance of nanostructure arrays under development. We will also discuss our results on growth and characterization of ZnO nanowires and CNT's for the next generation sensor applications. We also present several approaches for integrated energy harvesting using nanostructure based solar cells and Nanogenerators that can be used to supplement the energy required for nanostructure based sensors.

Highly tensile-strained Ge/InAlAs nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Daehwan; Faucher, Joseph; Mukherjee, Samik; Akey, Austin; Ironside, Daniel J.; Cabral, Matthew; Sang, Xiahan; Lebeau, James; Bank, Seth R.; Buonassisi, Tonio; Moutanabbir, Oussama; Lee, Minjoo Larry

2017-01-01

Self-assembled nanocomposites have been extensively investigated due to the novel properties that can emerge when multiple material phases are combined. Growth of epitaxial nanocomposites using lattice-mismatched constituents also enables strain-engineering, which can be used to further enhance material properties. Here, we report self-assembled growth of highly tensile-strained Ge/In0.52Al0.48As (InAlAs) nanocomposites by using spontaneous phase separation. Transmission electron microscopy shows a high density of single-crystalline germanium nanostructures coherently embedded in InAlAs without extended defects, and Raman spectroscopy reveals a 3.8% biaxial tensile strain in the germanium nanostructures. We also show that the strain in the germanium nanostructures can be tuned to 5.3% by altering the lattice constant of the matrix material, illustrating the versatility of epitaxial nanocomposites for strain engineering. Photoluminescence and electroluminescence results are then discussed to illustrate the potential for realizing devices based on this nanocomposite material.

Controlled nanostructrures formation by ultra fast laser pulses for color marking.

PubMed

Dusser, B; Sagan, Z; Soder, H; Faure, N; Colombier, J P; Jourlin, M; Audouard, E

2010-02-01

Precise nanostructuration of surface and the subsequent upgrades in material properties is a strong outcome of ultra fast laser irradiations. Material characteristics can be designed on mesoscopic scales, carrying new optical properties. We demonstrate in this work, the possibility of achieving material modifications using ultra short pulses, via polarization dependent structures generation, that can generate specific color patterns. These oriented nanostructures created on the metal surface, called ripples, are typically smaller than the laser wavelength and in the range of visible spectrum. In this way, a complex colorization process of the material, involving imprinting, calibration and reading, has been performed to associate a priori defined colors. This new method based on the control of the laser-driven nanostructure orientation allows cumulating high quantity of information in a minimal surface, proposing new applications for laser marking and new types of identifying codes.

Highly tensile-strained Ge/InAlAs nanocomposites

PubMed Central

Jung, Daehwan; Faucher, Joseph; Mukherjee, Samik; Akey, Austin; Ironside, Daniel J.; Cabral, Matthew; Sang, Xiahan; Lebeau, James; Bank, Seth R.; Buonassisi, Tonio; Moutanabbir, Oussama; Lee, Minjoo Larry

2017-01-01

Self-assembled nanocomposites have been extensively investigated due to the novel properties that can emerge when multiple material phases are combined. Growth of epitaxial nanocomposites using lattice-mismatched constituents also enables strain-engineering, which can be used to further enhance material properties. Here, we report self-assembled growth of highly tensile-strained Ge/In0.52Al0.48As (InAlAs) nanocomposites by using spontaneous phase separation. Transmission electron microscopy shows a high density of single-crystalline germanium nanostructures coherently embedded in InAlAs without extended defects, and Raman spectroscopy reveals a 3.8% biaxial tensile strain in the germanium nanostructures. We also show that the strain in the germanium nanostructures can be tuned to 5.3% by altering the lattice constant of the matrix material, illustrating the versatility of epitaxial nanocomposites for strain engineering. Photoluminescence and electroluminescence results are then discussed to illustrate the potential for realizing devices based on this nanocomposite material. PMID:28128282

Method of fabrication of anchored nanostructure materials

DOEpatents

Seals, Roland D; Menchhofer, Paul A; Howe, Jane Y; Wang, Wei

2013-11-26

Methods for fabricating anchored nanostructure materials are described. The methods include heating a nano-catalyst under a protective atmosphere to a temperature ranging from about 450.degree. C. to about 1500.degree. C. and contacting the heated nano-catalysts with an organic vapor to affix carbon nanostructures to the nano-catalysts and form the anchored nanostructure material.

A General and Mild Approach to Controllable Preparation of Manganese-Based Micro- and Nanostructured Bars for High Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Ma, Guo; Li, Sheng; Zhang, Weixin; Yang, Zeheng; Liu, Shulin; Fan, Xiaoming; Chen, Fei; Tian, Yuan; Zhang, Weibo; Yang, Shihe; Li, Mei

2016-03-07

One-dimensional (1D) micro- and nanostructured electrode materials with controllable phase and composition are appealing materials for use in lithium-ion batteries with high energy and power densities, but they are challenging to prepare. Herein, a novel ethanol-water mediated co-precipitation method by a chimie douce route (synthesis conducted under mild conditions) has been exploited to selectively prepare an extensive series of manganese-based electrode materials, manifesting the considerable generalizability and efficacy of the method. Moreover, by simply tuning the mixed solvent and reagents, transition metal oxide bars with differing aspect ratios and compositions were prepared with an unprecedented uniformity. Application prospects are demonstrated by Li-rich 0.5 Li2 MnO3 ⋅0.5 LiNi1/3 Co1/3 Mn1/3 O2 bars, which demonstrate excellent reversible capacity and rate capability thanks to the steerable nature of the synthesis and material quality. This work opens a new route to 1D micro- and nanostructured materials by customizing the precipitating solvent to orchestrate the crystallization process. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Combination of lightweight elements and nanostructured materials for batteries.

PubMed

Chen, Jun; Cheng, Fangyi

2009-06-16

In a society that increasingly relies on mobile electronics, demand is rapidly growing for both primary and rechargeable batteries that power devices from cell phones to vehicles. Existing batteries utilize lightweight active materials that use electrochemical reactions of ions such as H(+), OH(-) and Li(+)/Mg(2+) to facilitate energy storage and conversion. Ideal batteries should be inexpensive, have high energy density, and be made from environmentally friendly materials; batteries based on bulk active materials do not meet these requirements. Because of slow electrode process kinetics and low-rate ionic diffusion/migration, most conventional batteries demonstrate huge gaps between their theoretical and practical performance. Therefore, efforts are underway to improve existing battery technologies and develop new electrode reactions for the next generation of electrochemical devices. Advances in electrochemistry, surface science, and materials chemistry are leading to the use of nanomaterials for efficient energy storage and conversion. Nanostructures offer advantages over comparable bulk materials in improving battery performance. This Account summarizes our progress in battery development using a combination of lightweight elements and nanostructured materials. We highlight the benefits of nanostructured active materials for primary zinc-manganese dioxide (Zn-Mn), lithium-manganese dioxide (Li-Mn), and metal (Mg, Al, Zn)-air batteries, as well as rechargeable lithium ion (Li-ion) and nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries. Through selected examples, we illustrate the effect of structure, shape, and size on the electrochemical properties of electrode materials. Because of their numerous active sites and facile electronic/ionic transfer and diffusion, nanostructures can improve battery efficiency. In particular, we demonstrate the properties of nanostructured active materials including Mg, Al, Si, Zn, MnO(2), CuV(2)O(6), LiNi(0.8)Co(0.2)O(2), LiFePO(4), Fe(2)O(3), Co(3)O(4), TiS(2), and Ni(OH)(2) in battery applications. Electrochemical investigations reveal that we generally attain larger capacities and improved kinetics for electrode materials as their average particle size decreases. Novel nanostructures such as nanowires, nanotubes, nanourchins, and porous nanospheres show lower activation energy, enhanced reactivity, improved high-rate charge/discharge capability, and more controlled structural flexibility than their bulk counterparts. In particular, anode materials such as Si nanospheres and Fe(2)O(3) nanotubes can deliver reversible capacity exceeding 500 mA.h/g. (Graphite used commercially has a theoretical capacity of 372 mA x h/g.) Nanocomposite cathode materials such as NiP-doped LiFePO(4) and metal hydroxide-coated Ni(OH)(2) nanotubes allow us to integrate functional components, which enhance electrical conductivity and suppress volume expansion. Therefore, shifting from bulk to nanostructured electrode materials could offer a revolutionary opportunity to develop advanced green batteries with large capacity, high energy and power density, and long cycle life.

Novel biomaterials: plasma-enabled nanostructures and functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levchenko, Igor; Keidar, Michael; Cvelbar, Uroš; Mariotti, Davide; Mai-Prochnow, Anne; Fang, Jinghua; (Ken Ostrikov, Kostya

2016-07-01

Material processing techniques utilizing low-temperature plasmas as the main process tool feature many unique capabilities for the fabrication of various nanostructured materials. As compared with the neutral-gas based techniques and methods, the plasma-based approaches offer higher levels of energy and flux controllability, often leading to higher quality of the fabricated nanomaterials and sometimes to the synthesis of the hierarchical materials with interesting properties. Among others, nanoscale biomaterials attract significant attention due to their special properties towards the biological materials (proteins, enzymes), living cells and tissues. This review briefly examines various approaches based on the use of low-temperature plasma environments to fabricate nanoscale biomaterials exhibiting high biological activity, biological inertness for drug delivery system, and other features of the biomaterials make them highly attractive. In particular, we briefly discuss the plasma-assisted fabrication of gold and silicon nanoparticles for bio-applications; carbon nanoparticles for bioimaging and cancer therapy; carbon nanotube-based platforms for enzyme production and bacteria growth control, and other applications of low-temperature plasmas in the production of biologically-active materials.

Influence of bases on hydrothermal synthesis of titanate nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sikhwivhilu, Lucky M.; Sinha Ray, Suprakas; Coville, Neil J.

2009-03-01

A hydrothermal treatment of titanium dioxide (TiO2) with various bases (i.e., LiOH, NaOH, KOH, and NH4OH) was used to prepare materials with unique morphologies, relatively small crystallite sizes, and large specific surface areas. The experimental results show that the formation of TiO2 is largely dependent on the type, strength and concentration of a base. The effect of the nature of the base used and the concentration of the base on the formation of nanostructures were investigated using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, as well as surface area measurements. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and potassium hydroxide (KOH) were both used to transform the morphology of starting TiO2 material.

Conducting nanotubes or nanostructures based composites, method of making them and applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gupta, Mool C. (Inventor); Yang, Yonglai (Inventor); Dudley, Kenneth L. (Inventor); Lawrence, Roland W. (Inventor)

2013-01-01

An electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding material includes a matrix of a dielectric or partially conducting polymer, such as foamed polystyrene, with carbon nanotubes or other nanostructures dispersed therein in sufficient concentration to make the material electrically conducting. The composite is formed by dispersing the nanotube material in a solvent in which the dielectric or partially conducting polymer is soluble and mixing the resulting suspension with the dielectric or partially conducting polymer. A foaming agent can be added to produce a lightweight foamed material. An organometallic compound can be added to enhance the conductivity further by decomposition into a metal phase.

Fabrication routes for one-dimensional nanostructures via block copolymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tharmavaram, Maithri; Rawtani, Deepak; Pandey, Gaurav

2017-05-01

Nanotechnology is the field which deals with fabrication of materials with dimensions in the nanometer range by manipulating atoms and molecules. Various synthesis routes exist for the one, two and three dimensional nanostructures. Recent advancements in nanotechnology have enabled the usage of block copolymers for the synthesis of such nanostructures. Block copolymers are versatile polymers with unique properties and come in many types and shapes. Their properties are highly dependent on the blocks of the copolymers, thus allowing easy tunability of its properties. This review briefly focusses on the use of block copolymers for synthesizing one-dimensional nanostructures especially nanowires, nanorods, nanoribbons and nanofibers. Template based, lithographic, and solution based approaches are common approaches in the synthesis of nanowires, nanorods, nanoribbons, and nanofibers. Synthesis of metal, metal oxides, metal oxalates, polymer, and graphene one dimensional nanostructures using block copolymers have been discussed as well.

Molecular self-assembly approaches for supramolecular electronic and organic electronic devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yip, Hin-Lap

Molecular self-assembly represents an efficient bottom-up strategy to generate structurally well-defined aggregates of semiconducting pi-conjugated materials. The capability of tuning the chemical structures, intermolecular interactions and nanostructures through molecular engineering and novel materials processing renders it possible to tailor a large number of unprecedented properties such as charge transport, energy transfer and light harvesting. This approach does not only benefit traditional electronic devices based on bulk materials, but also generate a new research area so called "supramolecular electronics" in which electronic devices are built up with individual supramolecular nanostructures with size in the sub-hundred nanometers range. My work combined molecular self-assembly together with several novel materials processing techniques to control the nucleation and growth of organic semiconducting nanostructures from different type of pi-conjugated materials. By tailoring the interactions between the molecules using hydrogen bonds and pi-pi stacking, semiconducting nanoplatelets and nanowires with tunable sizes can be fabricated in solution. These supramolecular nanostructures were further patterned and aligned on solid substrates through printing and chemical templating methods. The capability to control the different hierarchies of organization on surface provides an important platform to study their structural-induced electronic properties. In addition to using molecular self-assembly to create different organic nanostructures, functional self-assembled monolayer (SAM) formed by spontaneous chemisorption on surfaces was used to tune the interfacial property in organic solar cells. Devices showed dramatically improved performance when appropriate SAMs were applied to optimize the contact property for efficiency charge collection.

Novel hybrid materials based on the vanadium oxide nanobelts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zabrodina, G. S.; Makarov, S. G.; Kremlev, K. V.; Yunin, P. A.; Gusev, S. A.; Kaverin, B. S.; Kaverina, L. B.; Ketkov, S. Yu.

2016-04-01

Novel hybrid materials based on zinc phthalocyanine and nanostructured vanadium oxides have attracted extensive attention for the development of academic research and innovative industrial applications such as flexible electronics, optical sensors and heterogeneous catalysts. Vanadium oxides nanobelts were synthesized via a hydrothermal treatment V2O5·nH2O gel with surfactants (TBAB, CTAB) used as structure-directing agents, where CTAB - cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, TBAB - tetrabutylammonium bromide. Hybrid materials were prepared decoration of (CTA)0.33V2O5 flexible nanobelts with cationic zinc phthalocyanine by the ion-exchange route. Investigations of the thermal stability, morphologies and structures of the (CTA)0.33V2O5, (TBA)0.16V2O5 nanobelts and zinc phthalocyanine exchange product were carried out. The hybrid materials based on the nanostructured vanadium oxide and zinc phthalocyanine were tested as photocatalysts for oxidation of citronellol and 2-mercaptoethanol by dioxygen.

GaN and ZnO nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fündling, Sönke; Sökmen, Ünsal; Behrends, Arne; Al-Suleiman, Mohamed Aid Mansur; Merzsch, Stephan; Li, Shunfeng; Bakin, Andrey; Wehmann, Hergo-Heinrich; Waag, Andreas; Lähnemann, Jonas; Jahn, Uwe; Trampert, Achim; Riechert, Henning

2010-07-01

GaN and ZnO are both wide band gap semiconductors with interesting properties concerning optoelectronic and sensor device applications. Due to the lack or the high costs of native substrates, alternatives like sapphire, silicon, or silicon carbide are taken, but the resulting lattice and thermal mismatches lead to increased defect densities which reduce the material quality. In contrast, nanostructures with high aspect ratio have lower defect densities as compared to layers. In this work, we give an overview on our results achieved on both ZnO as well as GaN based nanorods. ZnO nanostructures were grown by a wet chemical approach as well as by VPT on different substrates - even on flexible polymers. To compare the growth results we analyzed the structures by XRD and PL and show possible device applications. The GaN nano- and microstructures were grown by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy either in a self- organized process or by selective area growth for a better control of shape and material composition. Finally we take a look onto possible device applications, presenting our attempts, e.g., to build LEDs based on GaN nanostructures.

Mesoporous wormholelike carbon with controllable nanostructure for lithium ion batteries application

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

Yang, Xiaoqing, E-mail: yxq-886@163.com; Li, Xinxi; Li, Zhenghui

2015-06-15

Highlights: • Wormholelike carbon (WMC) with controllable nanostructure is prepared by sol–gel method. • The reversible capacity of WMC is much higher than that of many other reported nanocarbons. • The effect of pore diameter on Li storage capacity is investigated. - Abstract: A class of mesoporous wormholelike carbon (WMC) with controllable nanostructure was prepared by sol–gel method and then used as the anode material of lithium-ion batteries. Based on the experimental results, it is found that the nanostructure of the as-prepared WMC plays an important role in the electrochemical performances. A suitable mesopore size is necessary for a highmore » performance carbon-based anode material since it can not only guarantee effective mass transport channels but also provide large surface area. As a result, F30 with a mesopore size of 4.4 nm coupled with high surface area of 1077 m{sup 2} g{sup −1} shows a reversible capacity of 630 mAh g{sup −1}, much higher than commercial graphite and many other reported nanocarbons.« less

Semiconductor nanostructures for plasma energetic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mustafaev, Alexander; Smerdov, Rostislav; Klimenkov, Boris

2017-10-01

In this talk we discuss the research results of the three types of ultrasmall electrodes namely the nanoelectrode arrays based on composite nanostructured porous silicon (PS) layers, porous GaP and nanocrystals of ZnO. These semiconductor materials are of great interest to nano- and optoelectronic applications by virtue of their high specific surface area and extensive capability for surface functionalization. The use of semiconductor (GaN) cathodes in photon-enhanced thermionic emission systems has also proved to be effective although only a few (less than 1%) of the incident photons exceed the 3.3 eV GaN band gap. This significant drawback provided us with a solid foundation for our research in the field of nanostructured PS, and composite materials based on it exhibiting nearly optimal parameters in terms of the band gap (1.1 eV). The band gap modification for PS nanostructured layers is possible in the range of less than 1 eV and 3 eV due to the existence of quantum confinement effect and the remarkable possibilities of PS surface alteration thus providing us with a suitable material for both cathode and anode fabrication. The obtained results are applicable for solar concentration and thermionic energy conversion systems. Dr. Sci., Ph.D, Principal Scientist, Professor.

Photo-control of nanointeractions.

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

Thomes, William Joseph, Jr.; Potter, Barrett George, Jr.; Jiang, Liu

2005-02-01

The manipulation of physical interactions between structural moieties on the molecular scale is a fundamental hurdle in the realization and operation of nanostructured materials and high surface area microsystem architectures. These include such nano-interaction-based phenomena as self-assembly, fluid flow, and interfacial tribology. The proposed research utilizes photosensitive molecular structures to tune such interactions reversibly. This new material strategy provides optical actuation of nano-interactions impacting behavior on both the nano- and macroscales and with potential to impact directed nanostructure formation, microfluidic rheology, and tribological control.

Drug delivery systems based on nucleic acid nanostructures.

PubMed

de Vries, Jan Willem; Zhang, Feng; Herrmann, Andreas

2013-12-10

The field of DNA nanotechnology has progressed rapidly in recent years and hence a large variety of 1D-, 2D- and 3D DNA nanostructures with various sizes, geometries and shapes is readily accessible. DNA-based nanoobjects are fabricated by straight forward design and self-assembly processes allowing the exact positioning of functional moieties and the integration of other materials. At the same time some of these nanosystems are characterized by a low toxicity profile. As a consequence, the use of these architectures in a biomedical context has been explored. In this review the progress and possibilities of pristine nucleic acid nanostructures and DNA hybrid materials for drug delivery will be discussed. For the latter class of structures, a distinction is made between carriers with an inorganic core composed of gold or silica and amphiphilic DNA block copolymers that exhibit a soft hydrophobic interior. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tuning the Fabrication of Nanostructures by Low-Energy Highly Charged Ions.

PubMed

El-Said, Ayman S; Wilhelm, Richard A; Heller, Rene; Sorokin, Michael; Facsko, Stefan; Aumayr, Friedrich

2016-09-16

Slow highly charged ions have been utilized recently for the creation of monotype surface nanostructures (craters, calderas, or hillocks) in different materials. In the present study, we report on the ability of slow highly charged xenon ions (^{129}Xe^{Q+}) to form three different types of nanostructures on the LiF(100) surface. By increasing the charge state from Q=15 to Q=36, the shape of the impact induced nanostructures changes from craters to hillocks crossing an intermediate stage of caldera structures. A dimensional analysis of the nanostructures reveals an increase of the height up to 1.5 nm as a function of the potential energy of the incident ions. Based on the evolution of both the geometry and size of the created nanostructures, defect-mediated desorption and the development of a thermal spike are utilized as creation mechanisms of the nanostructures at low and high charge states, respectively.

The design, fabrication, and photocatalytic utility of nanostructured semiconductors: focus on TiO2-based nanostructures

PubMed Central

Banerjee, Arghya Narayan

2011-01-01

Recent advances in basic fabrication techniques of TiO2-based nanomaterials such as nanoparticles, nanowires, nanoplatelets, and both physical- and solution-based techniques have been adopted by various research groups around the world. Our research focus has been mainly on various deposition parameters used for fabricating nanostructured materials, including TiO2-organic/inorganic nanocomposite materials. Technically, TiO2 shows relatively high reactivity under ultraviolet light, the energy of which exceeds the band gap of TiO2. The development of photocatalysts exhibiting high reactivity under visible light allows the main part of the solar spectrum to be used. Visible light-activated TiO2 could be prepared by doping or sensitizing. As far as doping of TiO2 is concerned, in obtaining tailored material with improved properties, metal and nonmetal doping has been performed in the context of improved photoactivity. Nonmetal doping seems to be more promising than metal doping. TiO2 represents an effective photocatalyst for water and air purification and for self-cleaning surfaces. Additionally, it can be used as an antibacterial agent because of its strong oxidation activity and superhydrophilicity. Therefore, applications of TiO2 in terms of photocatalytic activities are discussed here. The basic mechanisms of the photoactivities of TiO2 and nanostructures are considered alongside band structure engineering and surface modification in nanostructured TiO2 in the context of doping. The article reviews the basic structural, optical, and electrical properties of TiO2, followed by detailed fabrication techniques of 0-, 1-, and quasi-2-dimensional TiO2 nanomaterials. Applications and future directions of nanostructured TiO2 are considered in the context of various photoinduced phenomena such as hydrogen production, electricity generation via dye-sensitized solar cells, photokilling and self-cleaning effect, photo-oxidation of organic pollutant, wastewater management, and organic synthesis. PMID:24198485

Chalcogenide Sensitized Carbon Based TiO2 Nanomaterial For Solar Driven Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pathak, Pawan

The demand for renewable energy is growing because fossils fuels are depleting at a rapid pace. Solar energy an abundant green energy resource. Utilizing this resource in a smart manner can resolve energy-crisis related issues. Sun light can be efficiently harvested using semiconductor based materials by utilizing photo-generated charges for numerous beneficial applications. The main goal of this thesis is to synthesize different nanostructures of TiO2, develop a novel method of coupling and synthesizing chalcogenide nanocrystals with TiO2 and to study the charge transportation effects of the various carbon allotropes in the chalcogenide nanocrystal sensitized TiO2 nanostructure. We have fabricated different nanostructures of TiO2 as solar energy harvesting materials. Effects of the different phases of TiO2 have also been studied. The anatase phase of TiO2 is more photoactive than the rutile phase of TiO2, and the higher dimension of the TiO2 can increase the surface area of the material which can produce higher photocurrent. Since TiO2 only absorbs in the UV range; to increase the absorbance TiO2 should be coupled to visible light absorbing materials. This dissertation presents a simple approach to synthesize and couple chalcogenide nanocrystals with TiO2 nanostructure to form a heterostructured composite. An atmospheric pressure based, single precursor, one-pot approach has been developed and tested to assemble chalcogenide nanocrystal on the TiO2 surface. Surface characterization using microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and elemental analysis indicates the formation of nanocrystals along the nanotube walls and inter-tubular spacing. Optical measurements indicate that the chalcogenide nanocrystals absorb in the visible region and demonstrate an increase in photocurrent in comparison to bare TiO2 nanostructure. The CdS synthesized TiO2 nanostructure produced the highest photocurrent as measured in the three electrode system. We have also assembled the PbS nanocrystal sensitized photoanode using the one pot method. Finally, the charge transportation effect of carbon allotropes has been studied. For this we assembled TiO2 conductive carbon chalcogenide nanocomposite system. Surface and elemental characterization using electron microscopy, EDX (energy dispersive x-ray) and x-ray diffraction pattern, provide the insights into the assembly of the nanostructure. Optical absorbance, Photo chronometry, Linear sweep voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance analysis have been used to provide opto-electronic performance of the material. We have studied the loading effect of various carbon allotropes, [fullerene (C 60), reduced graphene oxide (RGO), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and graphene quantum dots (GQDs)], loading effect of chalcogenide, and effect of nitrogen doping on the carbon allotropes to optimize the performance of the heterostructure. This dissertation is expected to impact the materials synthesis strategies and assemble the nanostructures used in composite electrode driven applications in the area of photo electrochemistry, PV, solar-fuels, and other associated topics of energy storage and sensing.

Complex-Morphology Metal-Based Nanostructures: Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications

PubMed Central

Gentile, Antonella; Ruffino, Francesco; Grimaldi, Maria Grazia

2016-01-01

Due to their peculiar qualities, metal-based nanostructures have been extensively used in applications such as catalysis, electronics, photography, and information storage, among others. New applications for metals in areas such as photonics, sensing, imaging, and medicine are also being developed. Significantly, most of these applications require the use of metals in the form of nanostructures with specific controlled properties. The properties of nanoscale metals are determined by a set of physical parameters that include size, shape, composition, and structure. In recent years, many research fields have focused on the synthesis of nanoscale-sized metallic materials with complex shape and composition in order to optimize the optical and electrical response of devices containing metallic nanostructures. The present paper aims to overview the most recent results—in terms of fabrication methodologies, characterization of the physico-chemical properties and applications—of complex-morphology metal-based nanostructures. The paper strongly focuses on the correlation between the complex morphology and the structures’ properties, showing how the morphological complexity (and its nanoscale control) can often give access to a wide range of innovative properties exploitable for innovative functional device production. We begin with an overview of the basic concepts on the correlation between structural and optical parameters of nanoscale metallic materials with complex shape and composition, and the possible solutions offered by nanotechnology in a large range of applications (catalysis, electronics, photonics, sensing). The aim is to assess the state of the art, and then show the innovative contributions that can be proposed in this research field. We subsequently report on innovative, versatile and low-cost synthesis techniques, suitable for providing a good control on the size, surface density, composition and geometry of the metallic nanostructures. The main purpose of this study is the fabrication of functional nanoscale-sized materials, whose properties can be tailored (in a wide range) simply by controlling the structural characteristics. The modulation of the structural parameters is required to tune the plasmonic properties of the nanostructures for applications such as biosensors, opto-electronic or photovoltaic devices and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates. The structural characterization of the obtained nanoscale materials is employed in order to define how the synthesis parameters affect the structural characteristics of the resulting metallic nanostructures. Then, macroscopic measurements are used to probe their electrical and optical properties. Phenomenological growth models are drafted to explain the processes involved in the growth and evolution of such composite systems. After the synthesis and characterization of the metallic nanostructures, we study the effects of the incorporation of the complex morphologies on the optical and electrical responses of each specific device. PMID:28335236

Graphene Emerges as a Versatile Template for Materials Preparation.

PubMed

Li, Zhengjie; Wu, Sida; Lv, Wei; Shao, Jiao-Jing; Kang, Feiyu; Yang, Quan-Hong

2016-05-01

Graphene and its derivatives are emerging as a class of novel but versatile templates for the controlled preparation and functionalization of materials. In this paper a conceptual review on graphene-based templates is given, highlighting their versatile roles in materials preparation. Graphene is capable of acting as a low-dimensional hard template, where its two-dimensional morphology directs the formation of novel nanostructures. Graphene oxide and other functionalized graphenes are amphiphilic and may be seen as soft templates for formatting the growth or inducing the controlled assembly of nanostructures. In addition, nanospaces in restacked graphene can be used for confining the growth of sheet-like nanostructures, and assemblies of interlinked graphenes can behave either as skeletons for the formation of composite materials or as sacrificial templates for novel materials with a controlled network structure. In summary, flexible graphene and its derivatives together with an increasing number of assembled structures show great potentials as templates for materials production. Many challenges remain, for example precise structural control of such novel templates and the removal of the non-functional remaining templates. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Comprehensive Enhancement of Nanostructured Lithium-Ion Battery Cathode Materials via Conformal Graphene Dispersion

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

Chen, Kan-Sheng; Xu, Rui; Luu, Norman S.

Efficient energy storage systems based on lithium-ion batteries represent a critical technology across many sectors including consumer electronics, electrified transportation, and a smart grid accommodating intermittent renewable energy sources. Nanostructured electrode materials present compelling opportunities for high-performance lithium-ion batteries, but inherent problems related to the high surface area to volume ratios at the nanometer-scale have impeded their adoption for commercial applications. Here, we demonstrate a materials and processing platform that realizes high-performance nanostructured lithium manganese oxide (nano-LMO) spinel cathodes with conformal graphene coatings as a conductive additive. The resulting nanostructured composite cathodes concurrently resolve multiple problems that have plagued nanoparticle-basedmore » lithium-ion battery electrodes including low packing density, high additive content, and poor cycling stability. Moreover, this strategy enhances the intrinsic advantages of nano-LMO, resulting in extraordinary rate capability and low temperature performance. With 75% capacity retention at a 20C cycling rate at room temperature and nearly full capacity retention at -20 degrees C, this work advances lithium-ion battery technology into unprecedented regimes of operation.« less

Electron-Beam-Lithographed Nanostructures as Reference Materials for Label-Free Scattered-Light Biosensing of Single Filoviruses.

PubMed

Agrawal, Anant; Majdi, Joseph; Clouse, Kathleen A; Stantchev, Tzanko

2018-05-23

Optical biosensors based on scattered-light measurements are being developed for rapid and label-free detection of single virions captured from body fluids. Highly controlled, stable, and non-biohazardous reference materials producing virus-like signals are valuable tools to calibrate, evaluate, and refine the performance of these new optical biosensing methods. To date, spherical polymer nanoparticles have been the only non-biological reference materials employed with scattered-light biosensing techniques. However, pathogens like filoviruses, including the Ebola virus, are far from spherical and their shape strongly affects scattered-light signals. Using electron beam lithography, we fabricated nanostructures resembling individual filamentous virions attached to a biosensing substrate (silicon wafer overlaid with silicon oxide film) and characterized their dimensions with scanning electron and atomic force microscopes. To assess the relevance of these nanostructures, we compared their signals across the visible spectrum to signals recorded from Ebola virus-like particles which exhibit characteristic filamentous morphology. We demonstrate the highly stable nature of our nanostructures and use them to obtain new insights into the relationship between virion dimensions and scattered-light signal.

Towards XNA nanotechnology: new materials from synthetic genetic polymers

PubMed Central

Pinheiro, Vitor B.; Holliger, Philipp

2014-01-01

Nucleic acids display remarkable properties beyond information storage and propagation. The well-understood base pairing rules have enabled nucleic acids to be assembled into nanostructures of ever increasing complexity. Although nanostructures can be constructed using other building blocks, including peptides and lipids, it is the capacity to evolve that sets nucleic acids apart from all other nanoscale building materials. Nonetheless, the poor chemical and biological stability of DNA and RNA constrain their applications. Recent advances in nucleic acid chemistry and polymerase engineering enable the synthesis, replication, and evolution of a range of synthetic genetic polymers (XNAs) with improved chemical and biological stability. We discuss the impact of this technology on the generation of XNA ligands, enzymes, and nanostructures with tailor-made chemistry. PMID:24745974

DNA Nanotechnology for Cancer Therapy

PubMed Central

Kumar, Vinit; Palazzolo, Stefano; Bayda, Samer; Corona, Giuseppe; Toffoli, Giuseppe; Rizzolio, Flavio

2016-01-01

DNA nanotechnology is an emerging and exciting field, and represents a forefront frontier for the biomedical field. The specificity of the interactions between complementary base pairs makes DNA an incredible building material for programmable and very versatile two- and three-dimensional nanostructures called DNA origami. Here, we analyze the DNA origami and DNA-based nanostructures as a drug delivery system. Besides their physical-chemical nature, we dissect the critical factors such as stability, loading capability, release and immunocompatibility, which mainly limit in vivo applications. Special attention was dedicated to highlighting the boundaries to be overcome to bring DNA nanostructures closer to the bedside of patients. PMID:27022418

Nanostructured Polypyrrole-Based Ammonia and Volatile Organic Compound Sensors

PubMed Central

Šetka, Milena; Drbohlavová, Jana; Hubálek, Jaromír

2017-01-01

The aim of this review is to summarize the recent progress in the fabrication of efficient nanostructured polymer-based sensors with special focus on polypyrrole. The correlation between physico-chemical parameters, mainly morphology of various polypyrrole nanostructures, and their sensitivity towards selected gas and volatile organic compounds (VOC) is provided. The different approaches of polypyrrole modification with other functional materials are also discussed. With respect to possible sensors application in medicine, namely in the diagnosis of diseases via the detection of volatile biomarkers from human breath, the sensor interaction with humidity is described as well. The major attention is paid to analytes such as ammonia and various alcohols. PMID:28287435

Relationships between the morphology and thermoresponsive behavior in micro/nanostructured thermosetting matrixes containing a 4'-(hexyloxy)-4-biphenylcarbonitrile liquid crystal.

PubMed

Tercjak, Agnieszka; Mondragon, Iñaki

2008-10-07

Meso/nanostructured thermoresponsive thermosetting materials based on an epoxy resin modified with two different molecular weight amphiphilic poly(styrene- block-ethylene oxide) block copolymers (PSEO) and a low molecular weight liquid crystal, 4'-(hexyloxy)-4-biphenylcarbonitrile (HOBC), were investigated. A strong influence of the addition of PSEO on the morphology generated in HOBC--(diglicydyl ether of bisphenol A epoxy resin/ m-xylylenediamine) was detected, especially in the case of the addition of PSEO block copolymers with a higher PEO-block content and a lower molecular weight. The morphologies generated in the ternary systems also influenced the thermoresponsive behavior of the HOBC separated phase provoked by applying an external field, such as a temperature gradient and an electrical field. Thermal analysis of the investigated materials allowed for a better understanding of the relationships between generated morphology/thermo-optical properties/PSEO:HOBC ratio, and HOBC content. Controlling the relationship between the morphology and thermoresponsive behavior in micro/nanostructured thermosetting materials based on a 4'-(hexyloxy)-4-biphenylcarbonitrile liquid crystal allows the development of materials which can find application in thermo- and in some cases electroresponsive devices, with a high contrast ratio between transparent and opaque states.

Gold coated metal nanostructures grown by glancing angle deposition and pulsed electroplating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grüner, Christoph; Reeck, Pascal; Jacobs, Paul-Philipp; Liedtke, Susann; Lotnyk, Andriy; Rauschenbach, Bernd

2018-05-01

Nickel based nanostructures are grown by glancing angle deposition (GLAD) on flat and pre-patterned substrates. These fabricated porous thin films were subsequently coated by pulsed electroplating with gold. The morphology and conformity of the gold coating were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Controlled growth of closed gold layers on the nanostructures could be achieved, while the open-pore structure of the nanosculptured thin films was preserved. Such gold coated nanostructures are a candidate for optical sensing and catalysis applications. The demonstrated method can be applied for numerous material combinations, allowing to provide GLAD thin films with new surface properties.

Aerosol Synthesis of N and N-S Doped and Crumpled Graphene Nanostructures.

PubMed

Carraro, Francesco; Cattelan, Mattia; Favaro, Marco; Calvillo, Laura

2018-06-06

Chemically modified graphene⁻based materials (CMG) are currently attracting a vast interest in their application in different fields. In particular, heteroatom-doped graphenes have revealed great potentialities in the field of electrocatalysis as substitutes of fuel cell noble metal⁻based catalysts. In this work, we investigate an innovative process for doping graphene nanostructures. We optimize a novel synthetic route based on aerosol preparation, which allows the simultaneous doping, crumpling, and reduction of graphene oxide (GO). Starting from aqueous solutions containing GO and the dopant precursors, we synthesize N- and N,S-dual-doped 3D graphene nanostructures (N-cGO and N,S-cGO). In the aerosol process, every aerosol droplet can be considered as a microreactor where dopant precursors undergo thermal decomposition and react with the GO flakes. Simultaneously, thanks to the relatively high temperature, GO undergoes crumpling and partial reduction. Using a combination of spectroscopic and microscopic characterization techniques, we investigate the morphology of the obtained materials and the chemical nature of the dopants within the crumpled graphene sheets. This study highlights the versatility of the aerosol process for the design of new CMG materials with tailored electrocatalytic properties.

Polydopamine-based concentric nanoshells with programmable architectures and plasmonic properties.

PubMed

Choi, Chun Kit K; Zhuo, Xiaolu; Chiu, Yee Ting Elaine; Yang, Hongrong; Wang, Jianfang; Choi, Chung Hang Jonathan

2017-11-09

Nanoshells, classically comprising gold as the metallic component and silica as the dielectric material, are important for fundamental studies in nanoplasmonics. They also empower a myriad of applications, including sensing, energy harvesting, and cancer therapy. Yet, laborious preparation precludes the development of next-generation nanoshells with structural complexity, compositional diversity, and tailorable plasmonic behaviors. This work presents an efficient approach to the bottom-up assembly of concentric nanoshells. By employing polydopamine as the dielectric material and exploiting its intrinsic adhesiveness and pH-tunable surface charge, the growth of each shell only takes 3-4 hours at room temperature. A series of polydopamine-based concentric nanoshells with programmable nanogap thickness, elemental composition (gold and silver), and geometrical configuration (number of layers) is prepared, followed by extensive structural characterization. Four of the silver-containing nanostructures are newly reported. Systematic investigations into the plasmonic properties of concentric nanoshells as a function of their structural parameters further reveal multiple Fano resonances and local-field "hot spots", infrequently reported plasmonic features for individual nanostructures fabricated using bottom-up wet chemistry. These results establish materials design rules for engineering complex plasmon-based systems originating from the integration of multiple plasmonic elements into defined locations within a compact nanostructure.

Solar-powered cooling system

DOEpatents

Farmer, Joseph C

2013-12-24

A solar-powered adsorption-desorption refrigeration and air conditioning system uses nanostructural materials made of high specific surface area adsorption aerogel as the adsorptive media. Refrigerant molecules are adsorbed on the high surface area of the nanostructural material. A circulation system circulates refrigerant from the nanostructural material to a cooling unit.

Nanocrystal-polymer nanocomposite electrochromic device

DOEpatents

Milliron, Delia; Runnerstrom, Evan; Helms, Brett; Llordes, Anna; Buonsanti, Raffaella; Garcia, Guillermo

2015-12-08

Described is an electrochromic nanocomposite film comprising a solid matrix of an oxide based material, the solid matrix comprising a plurality of transparent conducting oxide (TCO) nanostructures dispersed in the solid matrix and a lithium salt dispersed in the solid matrix. Also described is a near infrared nanostructured electrochromic device having a functional layer comprising the electrochromic nanocomposite film.

Highly sensitive ethanol chemical sensor based on Ni-doped SnO₂ nanostructure materials.

PubMed

Rahman, Mohammed M; Jamal, Aslam; Khan, Sher Bahadar; Faisal, M

2011-10-15

Due to potential applications of semiconductor transition doped nanostructure materials and the important advantages of synthesis in cost-effective and environmental concerns, a significant effort has been consummated for improvement of Ni-doped SnO(2) nanomaterials using hydrothermal technique at room conditions. The structural and optical properties of the low-dimensional (average diameter, 52.4 nm) Ni-doped SnO(2) nanostructures were demonstrated using various conventional techniques such as UV/visible spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The calcined doped material is an attractive semiconductor nanoparticle for accomplishment in chemical sensing by simple I-V technique, where toxic chemical (ethanol) is used as a target chemical. Thin-film of Ni-doped SnO(2) nanostructure materials with conducting coating agents on silver electrodes (AgE, surface area, 0.0216 cm(2)) revealed higher sensitivity and repeatability. The calibration plot is linear (R, 0.8440) over the large dynamic range (1.0 nM-1.0 mM), where the sensitivity is approximately 2.3148 μA cm(-2) mM(-1) with a detection limit of 0.6 nM, based on signal/noise ratio in short response time. Consequently on the basis of the sensitive communication among structures, morphologies, and properties, it is exemplified that the morphologies and the optical characteristics can be extended to a large scale in doping nanomaterials and proficient chemical sensors applications. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhancing Solar Cell Efficiencies through 1-D Nanostructures

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

The current global energy problem can be attributed to insufficient fossil fuel supplies and excessive greenhouse gas emissions resulting from increasing fossil fuel consumption. The huge demand for clean energy potentially can be met by solar-to-electricity conversions. The large-scale use of solar energy is not occurring due to the high cost and inadequate efficiencies of existing solar cells. Nanostructured materials have offered new opportunities to design more efficient solar cells, particularly one-dimensional (1-D) nanomaterials for enhancing solar cell efficiencies. These 1-D nanostructures, including nanotubes, nanowires, and nanorods, offer significant opportunities to improve efficiencies of solar cells by facilitating photon absorption, electron transport, and electron collection; however, tremendous challenges must be conquered before the large-scale commercialization of such cells. This review specifically focuses on the use of 1-D nanostructures for enhancing solar cell efficiencies. Other nanostructured solar cells or solar cells based on bulk materials are not covered in this review. Major topics addressed include dye-sensitized solar cells, quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells, and p-n junction solar cells.

Coupling Solar Energy into Reactions: Materials Design for Surface Plasmon-Mediated Catalysis.

PubMed

Long, Ran; Li, Yu; Song, Li; Xiong, Yujie

2015-08-26

Enabled by surface plasmons, noble metal nanostructures can interact with and harvest incident light. As such, they may serve as unique media to generate heat, supply energetic electrons, and provide strong local electromagnetic fields for chemical reactions through different mechanisms. This solar-to-chemical pathway provides a new approach to solar energy utilization, alternative to conventional semiconductor-based photocatalysis. To provide readers with a clear picture of this newly recognized process, this review presents coupling solar energy into chemical reactions through plasmonic nanostructures. It starts with a brief introduction of surface plasmons in metallic nanostructures, followed by a demonstration of tuning plasmonic features by tailoring their physical parameters. Owing to their tunable plasmonic properties, metallic materials offer a platform to trigger and drive chemical reactions at the nanoscale, as systematically overviewed in this article. The design rules for plasmonic materials for catalytic applications are further outlined based on existing examples. At the end of this article, the challenges and opportunities for further development of plasmonic-mediated catalysis toward energy and environmental applications are discussed. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Synthesis of Ammonia-Assisted Porous Nickel Ferrite (NiFe₂O₄) Nanostructures as an Electrode Material for Supercapacitors.

PubMed

Bhojane, Prateek; Sharma, Alfa; Pusty, Manojit; Kumar, Yogendra; Sen, Somaditya; Shirage, Parasharam

2017-02-01

In this work, we report a low cost, facile synthesis method for Nickel ferrite (NiFe₂O₄) nanostructures obtained by chemical bath deposition method for alternate transition metal oxide electrode material as a solution for clean energy. We developed a template free ammonia assisted method for obtaining porous structure which offering better supercapacitive performance of NiFe₂O₄ electrode material than previously reported for pure NiFe₂O₄. Here we explore the physical characterizations X-ray diffraction, FESEM, HRTEM performed to under-stand its crystal structure and morphology as well as the electrochemical measurements was performed to understand the electrochemical behaviour of the material. Here ammonia plays an important role in governing the structure/morphology of the material and enhances the electrochemical performance. The specific capacitance of 541 Fg⁻¹ is achieved at 2 mVs⁻¹ scan rate which is highest for the pure NiFe₂O₄ electrode material without using any addition of carbon based material, heterostructure or template based method.

Metal oxide nanostructures with hierarchical morphology

DOEpatents

Ren, Zhifeng; Lao, Jing Yu; Banerjee, Debasish

2007-11-13

The present invention relates generally to metal oxide materials with varied symmetrical nanostructure morphologies. In particular, the present invention provides metal oxide materials comprising one or more metallic oxides with three-dimensionally ordered nanostructural morphologies, including hierarchical morphologies. The present invention also provides methods for producing such metal oxide materials.

Atomistic simulations of thermal transport in Si and SiGe based materials: From bulk to nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savic, Ivana; Mingo, Natalio; Donadio, Davide; Galli, Giulia

2010-03-01

It has been recently proposed that Si and SiGe based nanostructured materials may exhibit low thermal conductivity and overall promising properties for thermoelectric applications. Hence there is a considerable interest in developing accurate theoretical and computational methods which can help interpret recent measurements, identify the physical origin of the reduced thermal conductivity, as well as shed light on the interplay between disorder and nanostructuring in determining a high figure of merit. In this work, we investigate the capability of an atomistic Green's function method [1] to describe phonon transport in several types of Si and SiGe based systems: amorphous Si, SiGe alloys, planar and nanodot Si/SiGe multilayers. We compare our results with experimental data [2,3], and with the findings of molecular dynamics simulations and calculations based on the Boltzmann transport equation. [1] I. Savic, N. Mingo, and D. A. Stewart, Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 165502 (2008). [2] S.-M. Lee, D. G. Cahill, and R. Venkatasubramanian, Appl. Phys. Lett. 70, 2957 (1997). [3] G. Pernot et al., submitted.

Recent advances in carbon based nanosystems for cancer theranostics.

PubMed

Augustine, Shine; Singh, Jay; Srivastava, Manish; Sharma, Monica; Das, Asmita; Malhotra, Bansi D

2017-05-02

One of the major challenges in our contemporary society is to facilitate healthy life for all human beings. In this context, cancer has become one of the most deadly diseases around the world, and despite many advances in theranostics techniques the treatment of cancer still remains an important problem. With recent advances made in the field of nano-biotechnology, carbon-based nanostructured materials have drawn special attention because of their unique physicochemical properties, giving rise to great potential for the diagnosis and therapy of cancer. This review deals with four different types of carbon allotrope including carbon nanotubes, graphene, fullerenes and nanodiamonds and summarizes the results of recent studies that are likely to have implications in cancer theranostics. We discuss the applications of these carbon allotropes for cancer imaging and drug delivery, hyperthermia, photodynamic therapy and acoustic wave assisted theranostics. We focus on the results of different studies conducted on functionalized/conjugated carbon nanotubes, graphene, fullerenes and nanodiamond based nanostructured materials reported in the literature in the current decade. The emphasis has been placed on the synthesis strategies, structural design, properties and possible mechanisms that are perhaps responsible for their improved theranostic characteristics. Finally, we discuss the critical issues that may accelerate the development of carbon-based nanostructured materials for application in cancer theranostics.

Functional Nanostructured Materials Based on Polymerized Surfactant Liquid Crystal Assemblies Liquid Crystal Assemblies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gin, Douglas

2003-03-01

The development of materials with controlled nanostructures is one of the most important new areas of scientific research in chemistry and engineering. Our research group has developed a novel approach for making nanostructured polymer materials with unique functional properties using liquid crystals as starting materials. In this approach, we design polymerizable organic building blocks based on lyotropic liquid crystals (LLCs) (i.e., amphiphiles or surfactants) that carry, or can accommodate, a functional property of general interest. Through appropriate molecular design, these monomers self-assemble in the presence of water into fluid, yet ordered phase-separated, water-hydrocarbon assemblies with predictable nanoscale geometries. The architectures of these LLC phases can range from stacked two-dimensional lamellae to hexagonally ordered cylindrical channels with uniform feature sizes in the 1-10 nm range. These LLC phases are then photopolymerized into robust polymer networks with preservation of their small-scale structures. This approach allows us to investigate the effect of nanometer-scale architecture on important bulk properties, as well as to engineer chemical environments on the nanometer-scale for several areas of application. In this talk, new functional materials based on the polymerization of the lyotropic inverted hexagonal phase will be presented as one example of our general approach. Issues in the design and photopolymerization of functional amphiphilic monomers that adopt this LC architecture will be discussed. More importantly, the use of the resulting nanostructured polymer networks in three areas of application will be presented: (1) as templates for the synthesis of functional nanocomposites; (2) as tunable heterogeneous catalysts, and (3) as nanoporous membrane and separation media. In particular, issues pertaining to the contribution of nanoscale architecture to the performance of these systems will be highlighted. Opportunities for tailoring the nanoscale chemical environment and architecture of these materials through molecular design will be presented. Finally, the development of methods for controlling macroscopic orientation through processing will also be discussed.

Evidence of diffusive fractal aggregation of TiO2 nanoparticles by femtosecond laser ablation at ambient conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Celardo, G. L.; Archetti, D.; Ferrini, G.; Gavioli, L.; Pingue, P.; Cavaliere, E.

2017-01-01

The specific mechanisms which lead to the formation of fractal nanostructures by pulsed laser deposition remain elusive despite intense research efforts, motivated mainly by the technological interest in obtaining tailored nanostructures with simple and scalable production methods. Here we focus on fractal nanostructures of titanium dioxide, TiO2, a strategic material for many applications, obtained by femtosecond laser ablation at ambient conditions. We compare a theoretical model of fractal formation with experimental data. The comparison of theory and experiment confirms that fractal aggregates are formed after landing of the ablated material on the substrate surface by a simple diffusive mechanism. We model the fractal formation through extensive Monte Carlo simulations based on a set of minimal assumptions: TiO2 nanoparticles arrive already formed on the substrate, then they diffuse in a size/mass independent way and stick irreversibly upon touching, thus forming fractal clusters. Despite its simplicity, our model explains the main features of the fractal structures arising from the complex interaction of large TiO2 nanoparticles with different substrates. Indeed our model is able to reproduce both the fractal dimensions and the area distributions of the nanostructures for different densities of the ablated material. Finally we discuss the role of the thermal conductivity of the substrate and the laser fluence on the properties of the fractal nanostructures. Our results represent an advancement towards controlling the production of fractal nanostructures by pulsed laser deposition.

When lithography meets self-assembly: a review of recent advances in the directed assembly of complex metal nanostructures on planar and textured surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Robert A.; Menumerov, Eredzhep; Neretina, Svetlana

2017-07-01

One of the foremost challenges in nanofabrication is the establishment of a processing science that integrates wafer-based materials, techniques, and devices with the extraordinary physicochemical properties accessible when materials are reduced to nanoscale dimensions. Such a merger would allow for exacting controls on nanostructure positioning, promote cooperative phenomenon between adjacent nanostructures and/or substrate materials, and allow for electrical contact to individual or groups of nanostructures. With neither self-assembly nor top-down lithographic processes being able to adequately meet this challenge, advancements have often relied on a hybrid strategy that utilizes lithographically-defined features to direct the assembly of nanostructures into organized patterns. While these so-called directed assembly techniques have proven viable, much of this effort has focused on the assembly of periodic arrays of spherical or near-spherical nanostructures comprised of a single element. Work directed toward the fabrication of more complex nanostructures, while still at a nascent stage, has nevertheless demonstrated the possibility of forming arrays of nanocubes, nanorods, nanoprisms, nanoshells, nanocages, nanoframes, core-shell structures, Janus structures, and various alloys on the substrate surface. In this topical review, we describe the progress made in the directed assembly of periodic arrays of these complex metal nanostructures on planar and textured substrates. The review is divided into three broad strategies reliant on: (i) the deterministic positioning of colloidal structures, (ii) the reorganization of deposited metal films at elevated temperatures, and (iii) liquid-phase chemistry practiced directly on the substrate surface. These strategies collectively utilize a broad range of techniques including capillary assembly, microcontact printing, chemical surface modulation, templated dewetting, nanoimprint lithography, and dip-pen nanolithography and employ a wide scope of chemical processes including redox reactions, alloying, dealloying, phase separation, galvanic replacement, preferential etching, template-mediated reactions, and facet-selective capping agents. Taken together, they highlight the diverse toolset available when fabricating organized surfaces of substrate-supported nanostructures.

Computational design of surfaces, nanostructures and optoelectronic materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choudhary, Kamal

Properties of engineering materials are generally influenced by defects such as point defects (vacancies, interstitials, substitutional defects), line defects (dislocations), planar defects (grain boundaries, free surfaces/nanostructures, interfaces, stacking faults) and volume defects (voids). Classical physics based molecular dynamics and quantum physics based density functional theory can be useful in designing materials with controlled defect properties. In this thesis, empirical potential based molecular dynamics was used to study the surface modification of polymers due to energetic polyatomic ion, thermodynamics and mechanics of metal-ceramic interfaces and nanostructures, while density functional theory was used to screen substituents in optoelectronic materials. Firstly, polyatomic ion-beams were deposited on polymer surfaces and the resulting chemical modifications of the surface were examined. In particular, S, SC and SH were deposited on amorphous polystyrene (PS), and C2H, CH3, and C3H5 were deposited on amorphous poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) using molecular dynamics simulations with classical reactive empirical many-body (REBO) potentials. The objective of this work was to elucidate the mechanisms by which the polymer surface modification took place. The results of the work could be used in tailoring the incident energy and/or constituents of ion beam for obtaining a particular chemistry inside the polymer surface. Secondly, a new Al-O-N empirical potential was developed within the charge optimized many body (COMB) formalism. This potential was then used to examine the thermodynamic stability of interfaces and mechanical properties of nanostructures composed of aluminum, its oxide and its nitride. The potentials were tested for these materials based on surface energies, defect energies, bulk phase stability, the mechanical properties of the most stable bulk phase, its phonon properties as well as with a genetic algorithm based evolution theory of the materials to ensure that no spurious phases had a lower cohesive energy. Thirdly, lanthanide doped and co-doped Y3Al5O 12 were examined using density functional theory (DFT) with semi-local and local functional. Theoretical results were compared and validated with experimental data and new co-doped materials with high efficiency were predicted. Finally, Transition element doped CH3NH3PbI3 were studied with DFT for validation of the model with experimental data and replacement materials for toxic Pb were predicted.

A new nanostructured Silicon biosensor for diagnostics of bovine leucosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luchenko, A. I.; Melnichenko, M. M.; Starodub, N. F.; Shmyryeva, O. M.

2010-08-01

In this report we propose a new instrumental method for the biochemical diagnostics of the bovine leucosis through the registration of the formation of the specific immune complex (antigen-antibody) with the help of biosensor based on the nano-structured silicon. The principle of the measurements is based on the determination of the photosensitivity of the surface. In spite of the existed traditional methods of the biochemical diagnostics of the bovine leucosis the proposed approach may provide the express control of the milk quality as direct on the farm and during the process raw materials. The proposed variant of the biosensor based on the nano-structured silicon may be applied for the determination of the concentration of different substances which may form the specific complex in the result of the bioaffine reactions. A new immune technique based on the nanostructured silicon and intended for the quantitative determination of some toxic substances is offered. The sensitivity of such biosensor allows determining T-2 mycotoxin at the concentration of 10 ng/ml during several minutes.

Electrospray neutralization process and apparatus for generation of nano-aerosol and nano-structured materials

DOEpatents

Bailey, Charles L.; Morozov, Victor; Vsevolodov, Nikolai N.

2010-08-17

The claimed invention describes methods and apparatuses for manufacturing nano-aerosols and nano-structured materials based on the neutralization of charged electrosprayed products with oppositely charged electrosprayed products. Electrosprayed products include molecular ions, nano-clusters and nano-fibers. Nano-aerosols can be generated when neutralization occurs in the gas phase. Neutralization of electrospan nano-fibers with molecular ions and charged nano-clusters may result in the formation of fibrous aerosols or free nano-mats. Nano-mats can also be produced on a suitable substrate, forming efficient nano-filters.

Application of Nanostructures in Electrochromic Materials and Devices: Recent Progress.

PubMed

Wang, Jin Min; Sun, Xiao Wei; Jiao, Zhihui

2010-11-26

The recent progress in application of nanostructures in electrochromic materials and devices is reviewed. ZnO nanowire array modified by viologen and WO₃, crystalline WO₃ nanoparticles and nanorods, mesoporous WO₃ and TiO₂, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) nanotubes, Prussian blue nanoinks and nanostructures in switchable mirrors are reviewed. The electrochromic properties were significantly enhanced by applying nanostructures, resulting in faster switching responses, higher stability and higher optical contrast. A perspective on the development trends in electrochromic materials and devices is also proposed.

Morphological and physical - chemical issues of metal nanostructures used in medical field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duceac, L. D.; Velenciuc, N.; Dobre, E. C.

2016-06-01

In recent years applications of nanotechnology integrated into nanomedicine and bio-nanotechnology have attracted the attention of many researchers from different fields. Processes from chemical engineering especially nanostructured materials play an important role in medical and pharmaceutical development. Fundamental researches focused on finding simple, easily accomplished synthesis methods, morphological aspects and physico-chemical advanced characterization of nanomaterials. More over, by controlling synthesis conditions textural characteristics and physicochemical properties such as particle size, shape, surface, porosity, aggregation degree and composition can be tailored. Low cytotoxicity and antimicrobial effects of these nanostructured materials makes them be applied in medicine field. The major advantage of metal based nanoparticles is the use either for their antimicrobial properties or as drug-carriers having the potential to be active at low concentrations against infectious agents.

Composite multifunctional nanostructures based on ZnO tetrapods and superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles.

PubMed

Villani, M; Rimoldi, T; Calestani, D; Lazzarini, L; Chiesi, V; Casoli, F; Albertini, F; Zappettini, A

2013-04-05

A nanocomposite material is obtained by coupling superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NP) and vapor phase grown zinc oxide nanostructures with 'tetrapod' morphology (ZnO TP). The aim is the creation of a multifunctional material which retains the attractive features of ZnO (e.g. surface reactivity, strong UV emission, piezoelectricity) together with added magnetism. Structural, morphological, optical, magnetic and functional characterization are performed. In particular, the high saturation magnetization of Fe3O4 NP (above 50 A m(2) kg(-1)), the strong UV luminescence and the enhanced photocatalytic activity of coupled nanostructures are discussed. Thus the nanocomposite turns out to be suitable for applications in energy harvesting and conversion, gas- and bio-sensing, bio-medicine and filter-free photocatalysis.

The hybrid nanostructure of MnCo2O4.5 nanoneedle/carbon aerogel for symmetric supercapacitors with high energy density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, Pin; Zhao, Zhenhuan; Li, Liyi; Tuan, Chia-Chi; Li, Haidong; Sang, Yuanhua; Jiang, Huaidong; Wong, C. P.; Liu, Hong

2015-08-01

Current applications of carbon-based supercapacitors are limited by their low energy density. One promising strategy to enhance the energy density is to couple metal oxides with carbon materials. In this study, a porous MnCo2O4.5 nanoneedle/carbon aerogel hybrid nanostructure was synthesized by assembling MnCo2O4.5 nanoneedle arrays on the surface of channel walls of hierarchical porous carbon aerogels derived from chitosan for the supercapacitor application. The synthetic process of the hybrid nanostructure involves two steps, i.e. the growth of Mn-Co precursors on carbon aerogel by a hydrothermal process and the conversion of the precursor into MnCo2O4.5 nanoneedles by calcination. The carbon aerogel exhibits a high electrical conductivity, high specific surface area and porous structure, ensuring high electrochemical performance of the hybrid nanostructure when coupled with the porous MnCo2O4.5 nanoneedles. The symmetric supercapacitor using the MnCo2O4.5 nanoneedle/carbon aerogel hybrid nanostructure as the active electrode material exhibits a high energy density of about 84.3 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 600 W kg-1. The voltage window is as high as 1.5 V in neutral aqueous electrolytes. Due to the unique nanostructure of the electrodes, the capacitance retention reaches 86% over 5000 cycles.Current applications of carbon-based supercapacitors are limited by their low energy density. One promising strategy to enhance the energy density is to couple metal oxides with carbon materials. In this study, a porous MnCo2O4.5 nanoneedle/carbon aerogel hybrid nanostructure was synthesized by assembling MnCo2O4.5 nanoneedle arrays on the surface of channel walls of hierarchical porous carbon aerogels derived from chitosan for the supercapacitor application. The synthetic process of the hybrid nanostructure involves two steps, i.e. the growth of Mn-Co precursors on carbon aerogel by a hydrothermal process and the conversion of the precursor into MnCo2O4.5 nanoneedles by calcination. The carbon aerogel exhibits a high electrical conductivity, high specific surface area and porous structure, ensuring high electrochemical performance of the hybrid nanostructure when coupled with the porous MnCo2O4.5 nanoneedles. The symmetric supercapacitor using the MnCo2O4.5 nanoneedle/carbon aerogel hybrid nanostructure as the active electrode material exhibits a high energy density of about 84.3 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 600 W kg-1. The voltage window is as high as 1.5 V in neutral aqueous electrolytes. Due to the unique nanostructure of the electrodes, the capacitance retention reaches 86% over 5000 cycles. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr04421a

Two-dimensional tin selenide nanostructures for flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors.

PubMed

Zhang, Chunli; Yin, Huanhuan; Han, Min; Dai, Zhihui; Pang, Huan; Zheng, Yulin; Lan, Ya-Qian; Bao, Jianchun; Zhu, Jianmin

2014-04-22

Due to their unique electronic and optoelectronic properties, tin selenide nanostructures show great promise for applications in energy storage and photovoltaic devices. Despite the great progress that has been achieved, the phase-controlled synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) tin selenide nanostructures remains a challenge, and their use in supercapacitors has not been explored. In this paper, 2D tin selenide nanostructures, including pure SnSe2 nanodisks (NDs), mixed-phase SnSe-SnSe2 NDs, and pure SnSe nanosheets (NSs), have been synthesized by reacting SnCl2 and trioctylphosphine (TOP)-Se with borane-tert-butylamine complex (BTBC) and 1,3-dimethyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2(1H)-pyrimidinone. Utilizing the interplay of TOP and BTBC and changing only the amount of BTBC, the phase-controlled synthesis of 2D tin selenide nanostructures is realized for the first time. Phase-dependent pseudocapacitive behavior is observed for the resulting 2D nanostructures. The specific capacitances of pure SnSe2 NDs (168 F g(-1)) and SnSe NSs (228 F g(-1)) are much higher than those of other reported materials (e.g., graphene-Mn3O4 nanorods and TiN mesoporous spheres); thus, these tin selenide materials were used to fabricate flexible, all-solid-state supercapacitors. Devices fabricated with these two tin selenide materials exhibited high areal capacitances, good cycling stabilities, excellent flexibilities, and desirable mechanical stabilities, which were comparable to or better than those reported recently for other solid-state devices based on graphene and 3D GeSe2 nanostructures. Additionally, the rate capability of the SnSe2 NDs device was much better than that of the SnSe NS device, indicating that SnSe2 NDs are promising active materials for use in high-performance, flexible, all-solid-state supercapacitors.

Graphene-assisted room-temperature synthesis of 2D nanostructured hybrid electrode materials: dramatic acceleration of the formation rate of 2D metal oxide nanoplates induced by reduced graphene oxide nanosheets.

PubMed

Sung, Da-Young; Gunjakar, Jayavant L; Kim, Tae Woo; Kim, In Young; Lee, Yu Ri; Hwang, Seong-Ju

2013-05-27

A new prompt room temperature synthetic route to 2D nanostructured metal oxide-graphene-hybrid electrode materials can be developed by the application of colloidal reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanosheets as an efficient reaction accelerator for the synthesis of δ-MnO2 2D nanoplates. Whereas the synthesis of the 2D nanostructured δ-MnO2 at room temperature requires treating divalent manganese compounds with persulfate ions for at least 24 h, the addition of RGO nanosheet causes a dramatic shortening of synthesis time to 1 h, underscoring its effectiveness for the promotion of the formation of 2D nanostructured metal oxide. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of the accelerated synthesis of 2D nanostructured hybrid material induced by the RGO nanosheets. The observed acceleration of nanoplate formation upon the addition of RGO nanosheets is attributable to the enhancement of the oxidizing power of persulfate ions, the increase of the solubility of precursor MnCO3, and the promoted crystal growth of δ-MnO2 2D nanoplates. The resulting hybridization between RGO nanosheets and δ-MnO2 nanoplates is quite powerful not only in increasing the surface area of manganese oxide nanoplate but also in enhancing its electrochemical activity. Of prime importance is that the present δ-MnO2 -RGO nanocomposites show much superior electrode performance over most of 2D nanostructured manganate systems including a similar porous assembly of RGO and layered MnO2 nanosheets. This result underscores that the present RGO-assisted solution-based synthesis can provide a prompt and scalable method to produce nanostructured hybrid electrode materials. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Low-Dimensional Palladium Nanostructures for Fast and Reliable Hydrogen Gas Detection

PubMed Central

Noh, Jin-Seo; Lee, Jun Min; Lee, Wooyoung

2011-01-01

Palladium (Pd) has received attention as an ideal hydrogen sensor material due to its properties such as high sensitivity and selectivity to hydrogen gas, fast response, and operability at room temperature. Interestingly, various Pd nanostructures that have been realized by recent developments in nanotechnologies are known to show better performance than bulk Pd. This review highlights the characteristic properties, issues, and their possible solutions of hydrogen sensors based on the low-dimensional Pd nanostructures with more emphasis on Pd thin films and Pd nanowires. The finite size effects, relative strengths and weaknesses of the respective Pd nanostructures are discussed in terms of performance, manufacturability, and practical applicability. PMID:22346605

The influence of surface area, porous structure, and surface state on the supercapacitor performance of titanium oxynitride: implications for a nanostructuring strategy.

PubMed

Lee, Eun Joo; Lee, Lanlee; Abbas, Muhammad Awais; Bang, Jin Ho

2017-08-09

A recent surge of interest in metal (oxy)nitride materials for energy storage devices has given rise to the rapid development of various nanostructuring strategies for these materials. In supercapacitor applications, early transition metal (oxy)nitrides have been extensively explored, among which titanium oxynitride stands out due to its great potential for charge storage. Despite recent advances in supercapacitors based on titanium oxynitride, many underlying factors governing their capacitive performance remain elusive. In this work, nanostructured titanium oxynitride is prepared by firing an organic-inorganic hybrid precursor under a hot ammonia atmosphere, and the influence of its physical characteristics on the supercapacitor performance is investigated. New insights into the effects of surface area, porous structure, and surface state of titanium oxynitride on the supercapacitor performance are revealed through which a comprehensive understanding about the capacitive behavior of titanium oxynitride is provided. In addition, the implications of these insights for a nanostructuring strategy striving for higher capacitance and improved stability are discussed.

Nanostructuring of Palladium with Low-Temperature Helium Plasma

PubMed Central

Fiflis, P.; Christenson, M.P.; Connolly, N.; Ruzic, D.N.

2015-01-01

Impingement of high fluxes of helium ions upon metals at elevated temperatures has given rise to the growth of nanostructured layers on the surface of several metals, such as tungsten and molybdenum. These nanostructured layers grow from the bulk material and have greatly increased surface area over that of a not nanostructured surface. They are also superior to deposited nanostructures due to a lack of worries over adhesion and differences in material properties. Several palladium samples of varying thickness were biased and exposed to a helium helicon plasma. The nanostructures were characterized as a function of the thickness of the palladium layer and of temperature. Bubbles of ~100 nm in diameter appear to be integral to the nanostructuring process. Nanostructured palladium is also shown to have better catalytic activity than not nanostructured palladium. PMID:28347109

Nanostructuring of Palladium with Low-Temperature Helium Plasma.

PubMed

Fiflis, P; Christenson, M P; Connolly, N; Ruzic, D N

2015-11-25

Impingement of high fluxes of helium ions upon metals at elevated temperatures has given rise to the growth of nanostructured layers on the surface of several metals, such as tungsten and molybdenum. These nanostructured layers grow from the bulk material and have greatly increased surface area over that of a not nanostructured surface. They are also superior to deposited nanostructures due to a lack of worries over adhesion and differences in material properties. Several palladium samples of varying thickness were biased and exposed to a helium helicon plasma. The nanostructures were characterized as a function of the thickness of the palladium layer and of temperature. Bubbles of ~100 nm in diameter appear to be integral to the nanostructuring process. Nanostructured palladium is also shown to have better catalytic activity than not nanostructured palladium.

High-Yield Synthesis of Stoichiometric Boron Nitride Nanostructures

DOE PAGES

Nocua, José E.; Piazza, Fabrice; Weiner, Brad R.; ...

2009-01-01

Boron nimore » tride (BN) nanostructures are structural analogues of carbon nanostructures but have completely different bonding character and structural defects. They are chemically inert, electrically insulating, and potentially important in mechanical applications that include the strengthening of light structural materials. These applications require the reliable production of bulk amounts of pure BN nanostructures in order to be able to reinforce large quantities of structural materials, hence the need for the development of high-yield synthesis methods of pure BN nanostructures. Using borazine ( B 3 N 3 H 6 ) as chemical precursor and the hot-filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) technique, pure BN nanostructures with cross-sectional sizes ranging between 20 and 50 nm were obtained, including nanoparticles and nanofibers. Their crystalline structure was characterized by (XRD), their morphology and nanostructure was examined by (SEM) and (TEM), while their chemical composition was studied by (EDS), (FTIR), (EELS), and (XPS). Taken altogether, the results indicate that all the material obtained is stoichiometric nanostructured BN with hexagonal and rhombohedral crystalline structure.« less

Study of Growth Kinetics in One Dimensional and Two Dimensional ZnO Nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Xin

Because of the merits arising from the unique geometry, nanostructure materials have been an essential class of materials, which have shown great potentials in the fields of electronics, photonics, and biology. With various nanostructures being intensively investigated and successfully complemented into device applications, there has been one increasing demand to the investigation of the growth mechanism devoted to the controlled nanostructure synthesis. Motivated by this situation, this thesis is focused on the fundamental understanding of the nanostructure growth. Specifically, by taking zinc oxide as an example material, through controlling the basic driving force, that is, the supersaturation, I have rationally designed and synthesized various of nanostructures, and further applied the classical layer-by-layer growth mechanism to the understanding on the formation of these nanostructures, they are, the convex-plate-capped nanowires, the concave-plate-capped nanowires, the facet evolution at the tip of the nanowires, and the ultrathin 2D nanosheets.

Some aspects of applying nanostructured materials in air filtration, water filtration and electrical engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimmer, Dusan; Vincent, Ivo; Lovecka, Lenka; Kazda, Tomas; Giurg, Adam; Skorvan, Ondrej

2017-05-01

Nanostructures prepared from nanofibres and nanostructured composites prepared from nanofibres and fillers are gradually becoming increasingly demanded materials for applications in various industrial branches connected with catalysis, environment protection (air filtration, waste water treatment, sound absorption), in biological engineering, electronics (battery separators, electrode materials), etc. Selected applications of these materials prepared in the company SPUR a.s. are summed up in the following presentation.

3D porous and ultralight carbon hybrid nanostructure fabricated from carbon foam covered by monolayer of nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes for high performance supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Shuijian; Hou, Haoqing; Chen, Wei

2015-04-01

3D porous and self-supported carbon hybrids are promising electrode materials for supercapacitor application attributed to their prominent properties such as binder-free electrode fabrication process, excellent electric conductivity and high power density etc. We present here a facile chemical vapor deposition method to fabricate a novel 3D flexible carbon hybrid nanostructure by growing a monolayer of nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes on the skeleton of carbon foam (N-CNTs/CF) with Fe nanoparticle as catalyst. With such 3D porous, flexible and ultralight carbon nanostructure as binder-free electrode material, large surface area is available and fast ionic transport is facilitated. Moreover, the carbon-based network can provide excellent electronic conductivity. The electrochemical studies demonstrate that the supercapacitor constructed from the N-CNTs/CF hybrid exhibit high power density of 69.3 kW kg-1 and good stability with capacitance retention ration above 95% after cycled at 50 A g-1 for 5000 cycles. Therefore, the prepared porous N-CNTs/CF nanostructure is expected to be a type of excellent electrode material for electrical double layer capacitors.

High-resolution parallel-detection sensor array using piezo-phototronics effect

DOEpatents

Wang, Zhong L.; Pan, Caofeng

2015-07-28

A pressure sensor element includes a substrate, a first type of semiconductor material layer and an array of elongated light-emitting piezoelectric nanostructures extending upwardly from the first type of semiconductor material layer. A p-n junction is formed between each nanostructure and the first type semiconductor layer. An insulative resilient medium layer is infused around each of the elongated light-emitting piezoelectric nanostructures. A transparent planar electrode, disposed on the resilient medium layer, is electrically coupled to the top of each nanostructure. A voltage source is coupled to the first type of semiconductor material layer and the transparent planar electrode and applies a biasing voltage across each of the nanostructures. Each nanostructure emits light in an intensity that is proportional to an amount of compressive strain applied thereto.

Hierarchically nanostructured materials for sustainable environmental applications

PubMed Central

Ren, Zheng; Guo, Yanbing; Liu, Cai-Hong; Gao, Pu-Xian

2013-01-01

This review presents a comprehensive overview of the hierarchical nanostructured materials with either geometry or composition complexity in environmental applications. The hierarchical nanostructures offer advantages of high surface area, synergistic interactions, and multiple functionalities toward water remediation, biosensing, environmental gas sensing and monitoring as well as catalytic gas treatment. Recent advances in synthetic strategies for various hierarchical morphologies such as hollow spheres and urchin-shaped architectures have been reviewed. In addition to the chemical synthesis, the physical mechanisms associated with the materials design and device fabrication have been discussed for each specific application. The development and application of hierarchical complex perovskite oxide nanostructures have also been introduced in photocatalytic water remediation, gas sensing, and catalytic converter. Hierarchical nanostructures will open up many possibilities for materials design and device fabrication in environmental chemistry and technology. PMID:24790946

Hierarchically Nanostructured Materials for Sustainable Environmental Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Zheng; Guo, Yanbing; Liu, Cai-Hong; Gao, Pu-Xian

2013-11-01

This article presents a comprehensive overview of the hierarchical nanostructured materials with either geometry or composition complexity in environmental applications. The hierarchical nanostructures offer advantages of high surface area, synergistic interactions and multiple functionalities towards water remediation, environmental gas sensing and monitoring as well as catalytic gas treatment. Recent advances in synthetic strategies for various hierarchical morphologies such as hollow spheres and urchin-shaped architectures have been reviewed. In addition to the chemical synthesis, the physical mechanisms associated with the materials design and device fabrication have been discussed for each specific application. The development and application of hierarchical complex perovskite oxide nanostructures have also been introduced in photocatalytic water remediation, gas sensing and catalytic converter. Hierarchical nanostructures will open up many possibilities for materials design and device fabrication in environmental chemistry and technology.

Controlled thermal sintering of a metal-metal oxide-carbon ternary composite with a multi-scale hollow nanostructure for use as an anode material in Li-ion batteries.

PubMed

Kim, Hwan Jin; Zhang, Kan; Choi, Jae-Man; Song, Min Sang; Park, Jong Hyeok

2014-03-11

We report a synthetic scheme for preparing a SnO2-Sn-carbon triad inverse opal porous material using the controlled sintering of Sn precursor-infiltrated polystyrene (PS) nanobead films. Because the uniform PS nanobead film, which can be converted into carbon via a sintering step, uptakes the precursor solution, the carbon can be uniformly distributed throughout the Sn-based anode material. Moreover, the partial carbonization of the PS nanobeads under a controlled Ar/oxygen environment not only produces a composite material with an inverse opal-like porous nanostructure but also converts the Sn precursor/PS into a SnO2-Sn-C triad electrode.

Hierarchically Nanostructured Transition Metal Oxides for Lithium‐Ion Batteries

PubMed Central

Zheng, Mingbo; Tang, Hao; Li, Lulu; Hu, Qin; Zhang, Li; Xue, Huaiguo

2018-01-01

Abstract Lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) have been widely used in the field of portable electric devices because of their high energy density and long cycling life. To further improve the performance of LIBs, it is of great importance to develop new electrode materials. Various transition metal oxides (TMOs) have been extensively investigated as electrode materials for LIBs. According to the reaction mechanism, there are mainly two kinds of TMOs, one is based on conversion reaction and the other is based on intercalation/deintercalation reaction. Recently, hierarchically nanostructured TMOs have become a hot research area in the field of LIBs. Hierarchical architecture can provide numerous accessible electroactive sites for redox reactions, shorten the diffusion distance of Li‐ion during the reaction, and accommodate volume expansion during cycling. With rapid research progress in this field, a timely account of this advanced technology is highly necessary. Here, the research progress on the synthesis methods, morphological characteristics, and electrochemical performances of hierarchically nanostructured TMOs for LIBs is summarized and discussed. Some relevant prospects are also proposed. PMID:29593962

Nanostructured solid substrates for efficient laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS) of low molecular weight compounds.

PubMed

Silina, Yuliya E; Volmer, Dietrich A

2013-12-07

Analytical applications often require rapid measurement of compounds from complex sample mixtures. High-speed mass spectrometry approaches frequently utilize techniques based on direct ionization of the sample by laser irradiation, mostly by means of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI). Compounds of low molecular weight are difficult to analyze by MALDI, however, because of severe interferences in the low m/z range from the organic matrix used for desorption/ionization. In recent years, surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization (SALDI) techniques have shown promise for small molecule analysis, due to the unique properties of nanostructured surfaces, in particular, the lack of a chemical background in the low m/z range and enhanced production of analyte ions by SALDI. This short review article presents a summary of the most promising recent developments in SALDI materials for MS analysis of low molecular weight analytes, with emphasis on nanostructured materials based on metals and semiconductors.

Hierarchically Nanostructured Transition Metal Oxides for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Zheng, Mingbo; Tang, Hao; Li, Lulu; Hu, Qin; Zhang, Li; Xue, Huaiguo; Pang, Huan

2018-03-01

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been widely used in the field of portable electric devices because of their high energy density and long cycling life. To further improve the performance of LIBs, it is of great importance to develop new electrode materials. Various transition metal oxides (TMOs) have been extensively investigated as electrode materials for LIBs. According to the reaction mechanism, there are mainly two kinds of TMOs, one is based on conversion reaction and the other is based on intercalation/deintercalation reaction. Recently, hierarchically nanostructured TMOs have become a hot research area in the field of LIBs. Hierarchical architecture can provide numerous accessible electroactive sites for redox reactions, shorten the diffusion distance of Li-ion during the reaction, and accommodate volume expansion during cycling. With rapid research progress in this field, a timely account of this advanced technology is highly necessary. Here, the research progress on the synthesis methods, morphological characteristics, and electrochemical performances of hierarchically nanostructured TMOs for LIBs is summarized and discussed. Some relevant prospects are also proposed.

Recent patents on perovskite ferroelectric nanostructures.

PubMed

Zhu, Xinhua

2009-01-01

Ferroelectric oxide materials with a perovskite structure have promising applications in electronic devices such as random access memories, sensors, actuators, infrared detectors, and so on. Recent advances in science and technology of ferroelectrics have resulted in the feature sizes of ferroelectric-based electronic devices entering into nanoscale dimensions. At nanoscale perovskite ferroelectric materials exhibit a pronounced size effect manifesting itself in a significant deviation of the properties of low-dimensional structures from the bulk and film counterparts. One-dimensional perovskite ferroelectric nanotube/nanowire systems, offer fundamental scientific opportunities for investigating the intrinsic size effects in ferroelectrics. In the past several years, much progress has been made both in fabrication and physical property testing of perovskite ferroelectric nanostructures. In the first part of this paper, the recent patents and literatures for fabricating ferroelectric nanowires, nanorods, nanotubes, and nanorings with promising features, are reviewed. The second part deals with the recent advances on the physical property testing of perovskite ferroelectric nanostructures. The third part summarizes the recently patents and literatures about the microstructural characterizations of perovskite ferroelectric nanostructures, to improve their crystalline quality, morphology and uniformity. Finally, we conclude this review with personal perspectives towards the potential future developments of perovskite ferroelectric nanostructures.

Fabrication of nanostructure by physical vapor deposition with glancing angle deposition technique and its applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horprathum, M.; Eiamchai, P.; Kaewkhao, J.; Chananonnawathorn, C.; Patthanasettakul, V.; Limwichean, S.; Nuntawong, N.; Chindaudom, P.

2014-09-01

A nanostructural thin film is one of the highly exploiting research areas particularly in applications in sensor, photocatalytic, and solar-cell technologies. In the past two decades, the integration of glancing-angle deposition (GLAD) technique to physical vapor deposition (PVD) process has gained significant attention for well-controlled multidimensional nanomorphologies because of fast, simple, cost-effective, and mass-production capability. The performance and functional properties of the coated thin films generally depend upon their nanostructural compositions, i.e., large aspect ratio, controllable porosity, and shape. Such structural platforms make the fabricated thin films very practical for several realistic applications. We therefore present morphological and nanostructural properties of various deposited materials, which included metals, i.e., silver (Ag), and oxide compounds, i.e., tungsten oxide (WO3), titanium dioxide (TiO2), and indium tin oxide (ITO). Different PVD techniques based on DC magnetron sputtering and electron-beam evaporation, both with the integrated GLAD component, were discussed. We further explore engineered nanostructures which enable controls of optical, electrical, and mechanical properties. These improvements led to several practical applications in surface-enhanced Raman, smart windows, gas sensors, self-cleaning materials and transparent conductive oxides (TCO).

Nanostructured manganese oxide thin films as electrode material for supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Hui; Lai, Man On; Lu, Li

2011-01-01

Electrochemical capacitors, also called supercapacitors, are alternative energy storage devices, particularly for applications requiring high power densities. Recently, manganese oxides have been extensively evaluated as electrode materials for supercapacitors due to their low cost, environmental benignity, and promising supercapacitive performance. In order to maximize the utilization of manganese oxides as the electrode material for the supercapacitors and improve their supercapacitive performance, the nanostructured manganese oxides have therefore been developed. This paper reviews the synthesis of the nanostructured manganese oxide thin films by different methods and the supercapacitive performance of different nanostructures.

Application of Nanostructures in Electrochromic Materials and Devices: Recent Progress

PubMed Central

Wang, Jinmin; Sun, Xiao Wei; Jiao, Zhihui

2010-01-01

The recent progress in application of nanostructures in electrochromic materials and devices is reviewed. ZnO nanowire array modified by viologen and WO3, crystalline WO3 nanoparticles and nanorods, mesoporous WO3 and TiO2, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) nanotubes, Prussian blue nanoinks and nanostructures in switchable mirrors are reviewed. The electrochromic properties were significantly enhanced by applying nanostructures, resulting in faster switching responses, higher stability and higher optical contrast. A perspective on the development trends in electrochromic materials and devices is also proposed. PMID:28883368

Subwavelength core/shell cylindrical nanostructures for novel plasmonic and metamaterial devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Kyoung-Ho; No, You-Shin

2017-12-01

In this review, we introduce novel plasmonic and metamaterial devices based on one-dimensional subwavelength nanostructures with cylindrical symmetry. Individual single devices with semiconductor/metal core/shell or dielectric/metal core/multi-shell structures experience strong light-matter interaction and yield unique optical properties with a variety of functions, e.g., invisibility cloaking, super-scattering/super-absorption, enhanced luminescence and nonlinear optical activities, and deep subwavelength-scale optical waveguiding. We describe the rational design of core/shell cylindrical nanostructures and the proper choice of appropriate constituent materials, which allow the efficient manipulation of electromagnetic waves and help to overcome the limitations of conventional homogeneous nanostructures. The recent developments of bottom-up synthesis combined with the top-down fabrication technologies for the practical applications and the experimental realizations of 1D subwavelength core/shell nanostructure devices are briefly discussed.

Manganese oxides-based composite electrodes for supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Dongyun; Ma, Jun; Huang, Mingyu; Liu, Feng; Chen, Taizhou; Liu, Chao; Ni, Hongjun

2017-06-01

In recent, nanostructured transition metal oxides as a new class of energy storage materials have widely attracted attention due to its excellent electrochemical performance for supercapacitors. The MnO2 based transition metal oxides and their composite electrode materials were focused in the review for supercapacitor applications. The researches on different nanostructures of manganese oxides such as Nano rods, Nano sheets, nanowires, nanotubes and so on have been discovered in recent years, together with brief explanations of their properties. Research on enhancing materials’ properties by designing combination of different materials on the micron or Nano scale is too limited, and therefore we discuss the effects of different components’ sizes and their synergy on the performance. Moreover, the low-cost and large-scale fabrication of flexible supercapacitors with high performance (high energy density and cycle stability) have been pointed out and studied.

Conversion Reaction-Based Oxide Nanomaterials for Lithium Ion Battery Anodes.

PubMed

Yu, Seung-Ho; Lee, Soo Hong; Lee, Dong Jun; Sung, Yung-Eun; Hyeon, Taeghwan

2016-04-27

Developing high-energy-density electrodes for lithium ion batteries (LIBs) is of primary importance to meet the challenges in electronics and automobile industries in the near future. Conversion reaction-based transition metal oxides are attractive candidates for LIB anodes because of their high theoretical capacities. This review summarizes recent advances on the development of nanostructured transition metal oxides for use in lithium ion battery anodes based on conversion reactions. The oxide materials covered in this review include oxides of iron, manganese, cobalt, copper, nickel, molybdenum, zinc, ruthenium, chromium, and tungsten, and mixed metal oxides. Various kinds of nanostructured materials including nanowires, nanosheets, hollow structures, porous structures, and oxide/carbon nanocomposites are discussed in terms of their LIB anode applications. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Hollow Nanostructured Anode Materials for Li-Ion Batteries

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Hollow nanostructured anode materials lie at the heart of research relating to Li-ion batteries, which require high capacity, high rate capability, and high safety. The higher capacity and higher rate capability for hollow nanostructured anode materials than that for the bulk counterparts can be attributed to their higher surface area, shorter path length for Li+ transport, and more freedom for volume change, which can reduce the overpotential and allow better reaction kinetics at the electrode surface. In this article, we review recent research activities on hollow nanostructured anode materials for Li-ion batteries, including carbon materials, metals, metal oxides, and their hybrid materials. The major goal of this review is to highlight some recent progresses in using these hollow nanomaterials as anode materials to develop Li-ion batteries with high capacity, high rate capability, and excellent cycling stability. PMID:21076674

Methods Of Fabricating Nanosturctures And Nanowires And Devices Fabricated Therefrom

DOEpatents

Majumdar, Arun; Shakouri, Ali; Sands, Timothy D.; Yang, Peidong; Mao, Samuel S.; Russo, Richard E.; Feick, Henning; Weber, Eicke R.; Kind, Hannes; Huang, Michael; Yan, Haoquan; Wu, Yiying; Fan, Rong

2006-02-07

One-dimensional nanostructures having uniform diameters of less than approximately 200 nm. These inventive nanostructures, which we refer to as "nanowires", include single-crystalline homostructures as well as heterostructures of at least two single-crystalline materials having different chemical compositions. Because single-crystalline materials are used to form the heterostructure, the resultant heterostructure will be single-crystalline as well. The nanowire heterostructures are generally based on a semiconducting wire wherein the doping and composition are controlled in either the longitudinal or radial directions, or in both directions, to yield a wire that comprises different materials. Examples of resulting nanowire heterostructures include a longitudinal heterostructure nanowire (LOHN) and a coaxial heterostructure nanowire (COHN).

Nanostructuring superconductors by ion beams: A path towards materials engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerbaldo, Roberto; Ghigo, Gianluca; Gozzelino, Laura; Laviano, Francesco; Amato, Antonino; Rovelli, Alberto; Cherubini, Roberto

2013-07-01

The paper deals with nanostructuring of superconducting materials by means of swift heavy ion beams. The aim is to modify their structural, optical and electromagnetic properties in a controlled way, to provide possibility of making them functional for specific applications. Results are presented concerning flux pinning effects (implantation of columnar defects with nanosize cross section to enhance critical currents and irreversibility fields), confined flux-flow and vortex guidance, design of devices by locally tailoring the superconducting material properties, analysis of disorder-induced effects in multi-band superconductors. These studies were carried out on different kinds of superconducting samples, from single crystals to thin films, from superconducting oxides to magnesium diboride, to recently discovered iron-based superconductors.

Carbon nanotube based hybrid nanostructures: Synthesis and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ou, Fung Suong

Hybrid nanostructures are fascinating materials for their promising applications in future nanoelectronics, electrical interconnects and energy storage devices. Practical ways of connecting individual carbon nanotubes to metal contacts for their use as interconnects and in electronic devices have been challenging. In this thesis, carbon nanotube based hybrids that combine the best properties of carbon nanotubes and metal nanowires have been fabricated. The electrical properties and Raman spectra of the hybrid nanowires are also studied. This thesis will focus on our recent results in the development of carbon nanotube hybrids for various applications. Various hybrid structures of multiwalled carbon nanotubes and metal nanowires can be fabricated using a combination of electrodeposition and chemical vapor deposition techniques. Controlled fabrication of multi-segmented structures will be studied. Several novel applications of these structures, for example, as electrodes in ultra-high power supercapacitors, multi-functional smart materials are also studied. The thesis will also highlight the development of carbon nanotube hybrids based smart materials. Hybrid nanowires with hydrophobic carbon nanotube tails and hydrophilic metal nanowire heads, allows for the assembly of spheres in solution. The design and manipulation of these carbon nanotube hybrids based smart structures for various novel applications will be discussed. Such new class of carbon nanotube hybrids surfactants are likely to lead as new tools in various fields such as microfluidics or water purification. In addition, we will also look at other variations of hybrid nanostructures fabricated from our method.

Review of Recent Progress of Plasmonic Materials and Nano-Structures for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering

PubMed Central

Wang, Alan X.; Kong, Xianming

2015-01-01

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has demonstrated single-molecule sensitivity and is becoming intensively investigated due to its significant potential in chemical and biomedical applications. SERS sensing is highly dependent on the substrate, where excitation of the localized surface plasmons (LSPs) enhances the Raman scattering signals of proximate analyte molecules. This paper reviews research progress of SERS substrates based on both plasmonic materials and nano-photonic structures. We first discuss basic plasmonic materials, such as metallic nanoparticles and nano-rods prepared by conventional bottom-up chemical synthesis processes. Then, we review rationally-designed plasmonic nano-structures created by top-down approaches or fine-controlled synthesis with high-density hot-spots to provide large SERS enhancement factors (EFs). Finally, we discuss the research progress of hybrid SERS substrates through the integration of plasmonic nano-structures with other nano-photonic devices, such as photonic crystals, bio-enabled nanomaterials, guided-wave systems, micro-fluidics and graphene. PMID:26900428

Au-Graphene Hybrid Plasmonic Nanostructure Sensor Based on Intensity Shift

PubMed Central

Alharbi, Raed; Irannejad, Mehrdad; Yavuz, Mustafa

2017-01-01

Integrating plasmonic materials, like gold with a two-dimensional material (e.g., graphene) enhances the light-material interaction and, hence, plasmonic properties of the metallic nanostructure. A localized surface plasmon resonance sensor is an effective platform for biomarker detection. They offer a better bulk surface (local) sensitivity than a regular surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor; however, they suffer from a lower figure of merit compared to that one in a propagating surface plasmon resonance sensors. In this work, a decorated multilayer graphene film with an Au nanostructures was proposed as a liquid sensor. The results showed a significant improvement in the figure of merit compared with other reported localized surface plasmon resonance sensors. The maximum figure of merit and intensity sensitivity of 240 and 55 RIU−1 (refractive index unit) at refractive index change of 0.001 were achieved which indicate the capability of the proposed sensor to detect a small change in concentration of liquids in the ng/mL level which is essential in early-stage cancer disease detection. PMID:28106850

Nanomanufacturing : nano-structured materials made layer-by-layer.

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

Cox, James V.; Cheng, Shengfeng; Grest, Gary Stephen

Large-scale, high-throughput production of nano-structured materials (i.e. nanomanufacturing) is a strategic area in manufacturing, with markets projected to exceed $1T by 2015. Nanomanufacturing is still in its infancy; process/product developments are costly and only touch on potential opportunities enabled by growing nanoscience discoveries. The greatest promise for high-volume manufacturing lies in age-old coating and imprinting operations. For materials with tailored nm-scale structure, imprinting/embossing must be achieved at high speeds (roll-to-roll) and/or over large areas (batch operation) with feature sizes less than 100 nm. Dispersion coatings with nanoparticles can also tailor structure through self- or directed-assembly. Layering films structured with thesemore » processes have tremendous potential for efficient manufacturing of microelectronics, photovoltaics and other topical nano-structured devices. This project is designed to perform the requisite R and D to bring Sandia's technology base in computational mechanics to bear on this scale-up problem. Project focus is enforced by addressing a promising imprinting process currently being commercialized.« less

Review of Recent Progress of Plasmonic Materials and Nano-Structures for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering.

PubMed

Wang, Alan X; Kong, Xianming

2015-06-01

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has demonstrated single-molecule sensitivity and is becoming intensively investigated due to its significant potential in chemical and biomedical applications. SERS sensing is highly dependent on the substrate, where excitation of the localized surface plasmons (LSPs) enhances the Raman scattering signals of proximate analyte molecules. This paper reviews research progress of SERS substrates based on both plasmonic materials and nano-photonic structures. We first discuss basic plasmonic materials, such as metallic nanoparticles and nano-rods prepared by conventional bottom-up chemical synthesis processes. Then, we review rationally-designed plasmonic nano-structures created by top-down approaches or fine-controlled synthesis with high-density hot-spots to provide large SERS enhancement factors (EFs). Finally, we discuss the research progress of hybrid SERS substrates through the integration of plasmonic nano-structures with other nano-photonic devices, such as photonic crystals, bio-enabled nanomaterials, guided-wave systems, micro-fluidics and graphene.

Cooperative Binding of Cyclodextrin Dimers to Isoflavone Analogues Elucidated by Free Energy Calculations.

PubMed

Zhang, Haiyang; Tan, Tianwei; Hetényi, Csaba; Lv, Yongqin; van der Spoel, David

2014-04-03

Dimerization of cyclodextrin (CD) molecules is an elementary step in the construction of CD-based nanostructured materials. Cooperative binding of CD cavities to guest molecules facilitates the dimerization process and, consequently, the overall stability and assembly of CD nanostructures. In the present study, all three dimerization modes (head-to-head, head-to-tail, and tail-to-tail) of β-CD molecules and their binding to three isoflavone drug analogues (puerarin, daidzin, and daidzein) were investigated in explicit water surrounding using molecular dynamics simulations. Total and individual contributions from the binding partners and solvent environment to the thermodynamics of these binding reactions are quantified in detail using free energy calculations. Cooperative drug binding to two CD cavities gives an enhanced binding strength for daidzin and daidzein, whereas for puerarin no obvious enhancement is observed. Head-to-head dimerization yields the most stable complexes for inclusion of the tested isoflavones (templates) and may be a promising building block for construction of template-stabilized CD nanostructures. Compared to the case of CD monomers, the desolvation of CD dimers and entropy changes upon complexation prove to be influential factors of cooperative binding. Our results shed light on key points of the design of CD-based supramolecular assemblies. We also show that structure-based calculation of binding thermodynamics can quantify stabilization caused by cooperative effects in building blocks of nanostructured materials.

Precise Control Over Morphology and Density of Metal and Transition Metal Nanostructures for Sensing and Energy Related Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, Minh

Metallic nanostructures are of great interest due to their applicability in various modern technologies, such as catalysis, sensing, and optoelectronics. In this work, we employed three solution-based methods, including colloidal suspension synthesis, modified galvanic displacement, and electrodeposition, to synthesize nanostructured metals and transition metals, including gold (Au), copper (Cu), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), nickel (Ni), and cobalt (Co). Our focus was to establish process-structure-property relationship and explore their applicability in the field of sensing and clean energy generation. More precisely we established relationships between experimental parameters, such as temperature, applied potential, electrolyte pH, reactant concentration, additive, and the number of deposition cycles, and the characteristics of the nanostructures, such as morphology, density, size, and size distribution. Our results indicated that the nanostructures were tunable by adjusting the process parameters. This provided insight into the growth mechanisms of the metallic nanostructures. Since properties of the nanostructures are tunable by controlling the structure, our results provided researchers with additional tools to obtain nanomaterials with desired properties for specific applications. The materials synthesized by our methods were utilized to as substrates for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and as photocathodes for photoelectrochemical production of hydrogen. The results showed that the performances of our materials were either promising or compatible with those reported in the literature, thus bringing new opportunities to the development of low-cost, high-performance, and flexible nanomaterials for the current and future technologies.

Inorganic nanostructured materials for high performance electrochemical supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Sheng; Sun, Shouheng; You, Xiao-Zeng

2014-01-01

Electrochemical supercapacitors (ES) are a well-known energy storage system that has high power density, long life-cycle and fast charge-discharge kinetics. Nanostructured materials are a new generation of electrode materials with large surface area and short transport/diffusion path for ions and electrons to achieve high specific capacitance in ES. This mini review highlights recent developments of inorganic nanostructure materials, including carbon nanomaterials, metal oxide nanoparticles, and metal oxide nanowires/nanotubes, for high performance ES applications.

Inorganic nanostructured materials for high performance electrochemical supercapacitors.

PubMed

Liu, Sheng; Sun, Shouheng; You, Xiao-Zeng

2014-02-21

Electrochemical supercapacitors (ES) are a well-known energy storage system that has high power density, long life-cycle and fast charge-discharge kinetics. Nanostructured materials are a new generation of electrode materials with large surface area and short transport/diffusion path for ions and electrons to achieve high specific capacitance in ES. This mini review highlights recent developments of inorganic nanostructure materials, including carbon nanomaterials, metal oxide nanoparticles, and metal oxide nanowires/nanotubes, for high performance ES applications.

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

Zhang, Tianfu; Ma, Zhuang; Li, Guoping

Electrostatic self-assembly in organic solvent without intensively oxidative or corrosive environments, was adopted to prepare Al/Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/MWCNT nanostructured energetic materials as an energy generating material. The negatively charged MWCNT was used as a glue-like agent to direct the self-assembly of the well dispersed positively charged Al (fuel) and Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} (oxide) nanoparticles. This spontaneous assembly method without any surfactant chemistry or other chemical and biological moieties decreased the aggregation of the same nanoparticles largely, moreover, the poor interfacial contact between the Al (fuel) and Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} (oxide) nanoparticles was improved significantly, which was the key characteristic ofmore » high performance nanostructured energetic materials. In addition, the assembly process was confirmed as Diffusion-Limited Aggregation. The assembled Al/Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/MWCNT nanostructured energetic materials showed excellent performance with heat release of 2400 J/g, peak pressure of 0.42 MPa and pressurization rate of 105.71 MPa/s, superior to that in the control group Al/Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanostructured energetic materials prepared by sonication with heat release of 1326 J/g, peak pressure of 0.19 MPa and pressurization rate of 33.33 MPa/s. Therefore, the approach, which is facile, opens a promising route to the high performance nanostructured energetic materials. - Graphical abstract: The negatively charged MWCNT was used as a glue-like agent to direct the self-assembly of the well dispersed positively charged Al (fuel) and Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} (oxide) nanoparticles. - Highlights: • A facile spontaneous electrostatic assembly strategy without surfactant was adopted. • The fuels and oxidizers assembled into densely packed nanostructured composites. • The assembled nanostructured energetic materials have excellent performance. • This high performance energetic material can be scaled up for practical application. • This strategy can be applied into other nanostructured energetic material systems.« less

Nanostructured metal sulfides for energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rui, Xianhong; Tan, Huiteng; Yan, Qingyu

2014-08-01

Advanced electrodes with a high energy density at high power are urgently needed for high-performance energy storage devices, including lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and supercapacitors (SCs), to fulfil the requirements of future electrochemical power sources for applications such as in hybrid electric/plug-in-hybrid (HEV/PHEV) vehicles. Metal sulfides with unique physical and chemical properties, as well as high specific capacity/capacitance, which are typically multiple times higher than that of the carbon/graphite-based materials, are currently studied as promising electrode materials. However, the implementation of these sulfide electrodes in practical applications is hindered by their inferior rate performance and cycling stability. Nanostructures offering the advantages of high surface-to-volume ratios, favourable transport properties, and high freedom for the volume change upon ion insertion/extraction and other reactions, present an opportunity to build next-generation LIBs and SCs. Thus, the development of novel concepts in material research to achieve new nanostructures paves the way for improved electrochemical performance. Herein, we summarize recent advances in nanostructured metal sulfides, such as iron sulfides, copper sulfides, cobalt sulfides, nickel sulfides, manganese sulfides, molybdenum sulfides, tin sulfides, with zero-, one-, two-, and three-dimensional morphologies for LIB and SC applications. In addition, the recently emerged concept of incorporating conductive matrices, especially graphene, with metal sulfide nanomaterials will also be highlighted. Finally, some remarks are made on the challenges and perspectives for the future development of metal sulfide-based LIB and SC devices.

Graphene-based copper oxide thin film nanostructures as high-efficiency photocathode for p-type dye-sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kilic, Bayram; Turkdogan, Sunay; Astam, Aykut; Baran, Sümeyra Seniha; Asgin, Mansur; Cebeci, Hulya; Urk, Deniz

2017-10-01

Graphene-based p-type dye-sensitized solar cells (p-DSSCs) have been proposed and fabricated using copper oxide urchin-like nanostructures (COUN) as photocathode with an FeS2 counter electrode (CE). COUN composed of Cu2O core sphere and CuO shell nanorods with overall diameters of 2 to 4 μm were grown by a simple hydrothermal method with self-assemble nucleation. It was figured out that the formation of copper oxide core/shell structures could be adjusted by an ammonia additive leading to pH change of the precursor solution. In addition to a photocathode, we also demonstrated FeS2 thin films as an efficient CE material alternative to the conventional Pt CEs in DSSCs. FeS2 nanostructures, with diameters of 50 to 80 nm, were synthesized by a similar hydrothermal approach. FeS2 nanostructures are demonstrated to be an outstanding CE material in p-DSSCs. We report graphene/COUN as photocathode and Pt/FeS2 as CE in p-DSSCs, and results show that the synergetic combination of electrodes in each side (increased interconnectivity between COUN and graphene layer, high surface area, and high catalytic activity of FeS2) increased the power conversion efficiency from 1.56% to 3.14%. The excellent performances of COUN and FeS2 thin film in working and CEs, respectively, make them unique choices among the various photocathode and CE materials studied.

Nanomaterials in Extreme Environments: Fundamentals and Applications Rostislav A. Andrievski and Arsen V. Khatchoyan

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

Devanathan, Ram

Nanomaterials in Extreme Environments Rostislav A. Andrievski and Arsen V. Khatchoyan Springer, 2016 106 pages, $99.00 (e-book $69.99) ISBN 978–3-319–25331–2 This slim volume is an extensive review of our current understanding of the response of nanostructured materials to extreme operating conditions, such as high temperature, flux of high energy neutrons, high pressure, mechanical stress, and oxidizing environments. The emphasis is on metallic materials, especially Cu alloys. Graphene-based materials, fullerenes, polymeric materials, nano-glasses and glass-ceramics are not covered by this review. The book has six chapters including an introduction and a brief conclusion. The introduction documents the growth of scientific interestmore » in nanostructured materials and stresses the need to study the behavior of nanomaterials under extreme conditions. This chapter also presents Herbert Gleiter’s classification of nanomaterials into twelve groups based on the shapes of the nanoscale features and chemical composition of the components of the nanostructure. The second chapter deals with the high temperature environment and the thermodynamics and kinetics of grain growth. The authors identify the lack of reliable thermodynamic data as a key limitation in this field. The discussion brings out the interplay of structural relaxation, redistribution of excess free volume, diffusion, and recrystallization in multicomponent nanostructures at elevated temperature. Chapter 3 focuses on the effects of ion and neutron irradiation on the structure and properties of nanomaterials. The authors do a good job of highlighting recent studies on the radiation tolerance of nanocrystalline oxides and rapid grain growth under irradiation. The material addresses both fission and fusion reactor applications. Chapter 4 reviews the effects of severe plastic deformation and cyclic loading on nanostructure formation and phase transformation. This chapter also explores the challenge of achieving high density while retaining nanostructural features during processing under extreme loads and high temperatures. Chapter 5 discusses the effects of corrosion on nanomaterials. The behavior of a variety of alloys and high melting point compounds in liquid media and high temperature oxidizing environments is reviewed. The concluding chapter identifies areas for further research. The book would have benefited from careful copy editing for use of the English language. Moreover, the excessive use of acronyms makes the text difficult to read. Each chapter ends with a section on the application of nanomaterials and a long list of references. The integration of theoretical approaches and simulation results with experimental data offers fresh insights into the behavior of nanomaterials. Overall, this book will serve as useful reference material for researchers interested in nanomaterials driven to extremes. Reviewer: Ram Devanathan is Technical Group Manager of Reactor Materials and Mechanical Design, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, USA.« less

Surface Functionalized Nanostructured Ceramic Sorbents for the Effective Collection and Recovery of Uranium from Seawater

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

Chouyyok, Wilaiwan; Pittman, Jonathan W.; Warner, Marvin G.

2016-05-02

The ability to collect uranium from seawater offers the potential for a nearly limitless fuel supply for nuclear energy. We evaluated the use of functionalized nanostructured sorbents for the collection and recovery of uranium from seawater. Extraction of trace minerals from seawater and brines is challenging due to the high ionic strength of seawater, low mineral concentrations, and fouling of surfaces over time. We demonstrate that rationally assembled sorbent materials that integrate high affinity surface chemistry and high surface area nanostructures into an application relevant micro/macro structure enables collection performance that far exceeds typical sorbent materials. High surface area nanostructuredmore » silica with surface chemistries composed of phosphonic acid, phosphonates, 3,4 hydroxypyridinone, and EDTA showed superior performance for uranium collection. A few phosphorous-based commercial resins, specifically Diphonix and Ln Resin, also performed well. We demonstrate an effective and environmentally benign method of stripping the uranium from the high affinity sorbents using inexpensive nontoxic carbonate solutions. The cyclic use of preferred sorbents and acidic reconditioning of materials was shown to improve performance. Composite thin films composed of the nanostructured sorbents and a porous polymer binder are shown to have excellent kinetics and good capacity while providing an effective processing configuration for trace mineral recovery from solutions. Initial work using the composite thin films shows significant improvements in processing capacity over the previously reported sorbent materials.« less

Carbon nanostructure based mechano-nanofluidics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Wei; Wang, Jin; Ma, Ming

2018-03-01

Fast transport of water inside carbon nanostructures, such as carbon nanotubes and graphene-based nanomaterials, has addressed persistent challenges in nanofluidics. Recently reported new mechanisms show that the coupling between phonons in these materials and fluids under-confinement could lead to the enhancement of the diffusion coefficient. These developments have led to the emerging field of mechano-nanofluidics, which studies the effects of mechanical actuations on the properties of nanofluidics. In this tutorial review, we provide the basic concepts and development of mechano-nanofluidics. We also summarize the current status of experimental observations of fluids flow in individual nanochannels and theoretical interpretations. Finally, we briefly discuss the challenges and opportunities for the utilization of mechano-nanofluidics, such as controlling the fluid flow through regulating the coupling between materials and fluids.

Bottom-up design of de novo thermoelectric hybrid materials using chalcogenide resurfacing

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

Sahu, Ayaskanta; Russ, Boris; Su, Norman C.

Hybrid organic/inorganic thermoelectric materials based on conducting polymers and inorganic nanostructures have been demonstrated to combine both the inherently low thermal conductivity of the polymer and the superior charge transport properties (high power factors) of the inorganic component. While their performance today still lags behind that of conventional inorganic thermoelectric materials, solution-processable hybrids have made rapid progress and also offer unique advantages not available to conventional rigid inorganic thermoelectrics, namely: (1) low cost fabrication on rigid and flexible substrates, as well as (2) engineering complex conformal geometries for energy harvesting/cooling. While the number of reports of new classes of viablemore » hybrid thermoelectric materials is growing, no group has reported a general approach for bottom-up design of both p- and n-type materials from one common base. Thus, unfortunately, the literature comprises mostly of disconnected discoveries, which limits development and calls for a first-principles approach for property manipulation analogous to doping in traditional semiconductor thermoelectrics. Here, molecular engineering at the organic/inorganic interface and simple processing techniques are combined to demonstrate a modular approach enabling de novo design of complex hybrid thermoelectric systems. Here, we chemically modify the surfaces of inorganic nanostructures and graft conductive polymers to yield robust solution processable p- and n-type inorganic/organic hybrid nanostructures. Our new modular approach not only offers researchers new tools to perform true bottom-up design of thermoelectric hybrids, but also strong performance advantages as well due to the quality of the designed interfaces. For example, we obtain enhanced power factors in existing (by up to 500% in Te/PEDOT:PSS) and novel (Bi 2S 3/PEDOT:PSS) p-type systems, and also generate water-processable and air-stable high performing n-type hybrid systems (Bi 2Te 3/PEDOT:PSS), thus highlighting the potency of our ex situ strategy in opening up new material options for thermoelectric applications. Finally, this strategy establishes a unique platform with broad handles for custom tailoring of thermal and electrical properties through hybrid material tunability and enables independent control over inorganic material chemistry, nanostructure geometry, and organic material properties, thus providing a robust pathway to major performance enhancements.« less

Bottom-up design of de novo thermoelectric hybrid materials using chalcogenide resurfacing

DOE PAGES

Sahu, Ayaskanta; Russ, Boris; Su, Norman C.; ...

2017-01-01

Hybrid organic/inorganic thermoelectric materials based on conducting polymers and inorganic nanostructures have been demonstrated to combine both the inherently low thermal conductivity of the polymer and the superior charge transport properties (high power factors) of the inorganic component. While their performance today still lags behind that of conventional inorganic thermoelectric materials, solution-processable hybrids have made rapid progress and also offer unique advantages not available to conventional rigid inorganic thermoelectrics, namely: (1) low cost fabrication on rigid and flexible substrates, as well as (2) engineering complex conformal geometries for energy harvesting/cooling. While the number of reports of new classes of viablemore » hybrid thermoelectric materials is growing, no group has reported a general approach for bottom-up design of both p- and n-type materials from one common base. Thus, unfortunately, the literature comprises mostly of disconnected discoveries, which limits development and calls for a first-principles approach for property manipulation analogous to doping in traditional semiconductor thermoelectrics. Here, molecular engineering at the organic/inorganic interface and simple processing techniques are combined to demonstrate a modular approach enabling de novo design of complex hybrid thermoelectric systems. Here, we chemically modify the surfaces of inorganic nanostructures and graft conductive polymers to yield robust solution processable p- and n-type inorganic/organic hybrid nanostructures. Our new modular approach not only offers researchers new tools to perform true bottom-up design of thermoelectric hybrids, but also strong performance advantages as well due to the quality of the designed interfaces. For example, we obtain enhanced power factors in existing (by up to 500% in Te/PEDOT:PSS) and novel (Bi 2S 3/PEDOT:PSS) p-type systems, and also generate water-processable and air-stable high performing n-type hybrid systems (Bi 2Te 3/PEDOT:PSS), thus highlighting the potency of our ex situ strategy in opening up new material options for thermoelectric applications. Finally, this strategy establishes a unique platform with broad handles for custom tailoring of thermal and electrical properties through hybrid material tunability and enables independent control over inorganic material chemistry, nanostructure geometry, and organic material properties, thus providing a robust pathway to major performance enhancements.« less

High capacity electrode materials for batteries and process for their manufacture

DOEpatents

Johnson, Christopher S.; Xiong, Hui; Rajh, Tijana; Shevchenko, Elena; Tepavcevic, Sanja

2018-04-03

The present invention provides a nanostructured metal oxide material for use as a component of an electrode in a lithium-ion or sodium-ion battery. The material comprises a nanostructured titanium oxide or vanadium oxide film on a metal foil substrate, produced by depositing or forming a nanostructured titanium dioxide or vanadium oxide material on the substrate, and then charging and discharging the material in an electrochemical cell from a high voltage in the range of about 2.8 to 3.8 V, to a low voltage in the range of about 0.8 to 1.4 V over a period of about 1/30 of an hour or less. Lithium-ion and sodium-ion electrochemical cells comprising electrodes formed from the nanostructured metal oxide materials, as well as batteries formed from the cells, also are provided.

The hybrid nanostructure of MnCo2O4.5 nanoneedle/carbon aerogel for symmetric supercapacitors with high energy density.

PubMed

Hao, Pin; Zhao, Zhenhuan; Li, Liyi; Tuan, Chia-Chi; Li, Haidong; Sang, Yuanhua; Jiang, Huaidong; Wong, C P; Liu, Hong

2015-09-14

Current applications of carbon-based supercapacitors are limited by their low energy density. One promising strategy to enhance the energy density is to couple metal oxides with carbon materials. In this study, a porous MnCo2O4.5 nanoneedle/carbon aerogel hybrid nanostructure was synthesized by assembling MnCo2O4.5 nanoneedle arrays on the surface of channel walls of hierarchical porous carbon aerogels derived from chitosan for the supercapacitor application. The synthetic process of the hybrid nanostructure involves two steps, i.e. the growth of Mn-Co precursors on carbon aerogel by a hydrothermal process and the conversion of the precursor into MnCo2O4.5 nanoneedles by calcination. The carbon aerogel exhibits a high electrical conductivity, high specific surface area and porous structure, ensuring high electrochemical performance of the hybrid nanostructure when coupled with the porous MnCo2O4.5 nanoneedles. The symmetric supercapacitor using the MnCo2O4.5 nanoneedle/carbon aerogel hybrid nanostructure as the active electrode material exhibits a high energy density of about 84.3 Wh kg(-1) at a power density of 600 W kg(-1). The voltage window is as high as 1.5 V in neutral aqueous electrolytes. Due to the unique nanostructure of the electrodes, the capacitance retention reaches 86% over 5000 cycles.

Structure and conductivity of nanostructured YBCO ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palchayev, D. K.; Gadzhimagomedov, S. Kh; Murlieva, Zh Kh; Rabadanov, M. Kh; Emirov, R. M.

2017-12-01

Superconducting nanostructured ceramics based on YBa2Cu3O7-δ were made of nanopowder obtained by burning nitrate-organic precursors. The structure, morphology, electrical resistivity, and density of ceramics were studied. Various porosity values of the ceramics were achieved by preliminary heat treatment of the nanopowder. The features of conductivity and the reason for increase of the of the superconducting transition temperature in these materials are discussed.

Sensitive and selective cataluminescence-based sensor system for acetone and diethyl ether determination.

PubMed

Wang, Qihui; Li, Bo; Wang, Yuhuai; Shou, Zhouxiang; Shi, Guolong

2015-05-01

A three-dimensional hierarchical CdO nanostructure with a novel bio-inspired morphology is reported. The field emission scanning electronic microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffractometer were employed to characterize the as-prepared samples. In gas-sensing measurements, acetone and diethyl ether were employed as target gases to investigate cataluminescence (CTL) sensing properties of the CdO nanostructure. The results show that the as-fabricated CdO nanostructure exhibited outstanding CTL properties such as stable intensity, high signal/noise values, short response and recovery time. The limit of detection of acetone and diethyl ether was ca. 6.5 ppm and 6.7 ppm, respectively, which was below the standard permitted concentrations. Additionally, a principal components analysis method was used to investigate the recognizable ability of the CTL sensor, and it was found that acetone and diethyl ether can be distinguished clearly. The performance of the bio-inspired CdO nanostructure-based sensor system suggested the promising application of the CdO nanostructure as a novel highly efficient CTL sensing material. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Simulation of the light emission properties of patterned metal-based nanostructures for ultra-high density optical storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Weijun; Zhu, Yaping; Luo, Jun; Peng, Sha; Lei, Yu; Tong, Qing; Zhang, Xinyu; Xie, Changsheng

2015-10-01

Current researches show that the surface plasmon-polariton modes (SPPMs) in metallic nanostructures can lead to a powerful localization of guided light signals, which is generally as small as a few nanometers and thus far beyond the diffraction limit of electromagnetic waves in dielectric media. In this paper, our attention is paid to the modeling and simulation of particular kinds of patterned metal-based nanostructure fabricated over several common wafers such as typical silicon dioxide. The nanostructures are designed for concentrating and delivering incident light energy into nanoscale regions. In our research, the factors, for instance, optical materials, patterned nano-structures, the distance arrangement between adjacent single nanopattern, and the frequency of incident electromagnetic wave, are taken as variables, and further the CST microwave studio is used to simulate optical behaviors of the devices developed by us. By comparing the transmittance and electric field intensity distribution in small area, the nano-light-emission effects are analyzed, and the conditions for obtaining near-field nanospots have been chosen.

Nanostructured Materials Utilized in Biopolymer-based Plastics for Food Packaging Applications.

PubMed

Ghanbarzadeh, Babak; Oleyaei, Seyed Amir; Almasi, Hadi

2015-01-01

Most materials currently used for food packaging are nondegradable, generating environmental problems. Several biopolymers have been exploited to develop materials for ecofriendly food packaging. However, the use of biopolymers has been limited because of their usually poor mechanical and barrier properties, which may be improved by adding reinforcing compounds (fillers), forming composites. Most reinforced materials present poor matrix-filler interactions, which tend to improve with decreasing filler dimensions. The use of fillers with at least one nanoscale dimension (nanoparticles) produces nanocomposites. Nanoparticles have proportionally larger surface area than their microscale counterparts, which favors the filler-matrix interactions and the performance of the resulting material. Besides nanoreinforcements, nanoparticles can have other functions when added to a polymer, such as antimicrobial activity, etc. in this review paper, the structure and properties of main kinds of nanostructured materials which have been studied to use as nanofiller in biopolymer matrices are overviewed, as well as their effects and applications.

Nanostructured materials for ocular delivery: nanodesign for enhanced bioadhesion, transepithelial permeability and sustained delivery

PubMed Central

Kim, Jean; Schlesinger, Erica B; Desai, Tejal A

2015-01-01

Effective drug delivery to the eye is an ongoing challenge due to poor patient compliance coupled with numerous physiological barriers. Eye drops for the front of the eye and ocular injections for the back of the eye are the most prevalent delivery methods, both of which require relatively frequent administration and are burdensome to the patient. Novel drug delivery techniques stand to drastically improve safety, efficacy and patient compliance for ocular therapeutics. Remarkable advances in nanofabrication technologies make the application of nanostructured materials to ocular drug delivery possible. This article focuses on the use of nanostructured materials with nanoporosity or nanotopography for ocular delivery. Specifically, we discuss nanotopography for enhanced bioadhesion and permeation and nanoporous materials for controlled release drug delivery. As examples, application of polymeric nanostructures for greater transepithelial permeability, nanostructured microparticles for enhanced preocular retention time and nanoporous membranes for tuning drug release profile are covered. PMID:26652282

Multimillion Atom Reactive Simulations of Nanostructured Energetic Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-08-01

code) 2007 Reprint Aug 2006-Aug 2007 Multimillion Atom Reactive Simulations of Nanostructured Energetic Materials W911NF-04-1-0178 sub 2781-USC-DOA...Priya Vashishta 213 821 2663 Reset Multimillion Atom Reactive Simulations of Nanostructured Energetic Materials Priya Vashishta,∗ Rajiv K. Kalia...function of the particle velocity that drives the shock [18]. The MD and experimental data agree very well. Furthermore, the simulation shows a sudden

Spine-like Nanostructured Carbon Interconnected by Graphene for High-performance Supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Sang-Hoon; Yoon, Seung-Beom; Kim, Hyun-Kyung; Han, Joong Tark; Park, Hae-Woong; Han, Joah; Yun, Seok-Min; Jeong, Han Gi; Roh, Kwang Chul; Kim, Kwang-Bum

2014-08-01

Recent studies on supercapacitors have focused on the development of hierarchical nanostructured carbons by combining two-dimensional graphene and other conductive sp2 carbons, which differ in dimensionality, to improve their electrochemical performance. Herein, we report a strategy for synthesizing a hierarchical graphene-based carbon material, which we shall refer to as spine-like nanostructured carbon, from a one-dimensional graphitic carbon nanofiber by controlling the local graphene/graphitic structure via an expanding process and a co-solvent exfoliation method. Spine-like nanostructured carbon has a unique hierarchical structure of partially exfoliated graphitic blocks interconnected by thin graphene sheets in the same manner as in the case of ligaments. Owing to the exposed graphene layers and interconnected sp2 carbon structure, this hierarchical nanostructured carbon possesses a large, electrochemically accessible surface area with high electrical conductivity and exhibits high electrochemical performance.

Spine-like nanostructured carbon interconnected by graphene for high-performance supercapacitors.

PubMed

Park, Sang-Hoon; Yoon, Seung-Beom; Kim, Hyun-Kyung; Han, Joong Tark; Park, Hae-Woong; Han, Joah; Yun, Seok-Min; Jeong, Han Gi; Roh, Kwang Chul; Kim, Kwang-Bum

2014-08-19

Recent studies on supercapacitors have focused on the development of hierarchical nanostructured carbons by combining two-dimensional graphene and other conductive sp(2) carbons, which differ in dimensionality, to improve their electrochemical performance. Herein, we report a strategy for synthesizing a hierarchical graphene-based carbon material, which we shall refer to as spine-like nanostructured carbon, from a one-dimensional graphitic carbon nanofiber by controlling the local graphene/graphitic structure via an expanding process and a co-solvent exfoliation method. Spine-like nanostructured carbon has a unique hierarchical structure of partially exfoliated graphitic blocks interconnected by thin graphene sheets in the same manner as in the case of ligaments. Owing to the exposed graphene layers and interconnected sp(2) carbon structure, this hierarchical nanostructured carbon possesses a large, electrochemically accessible surface area with high electrical conductivity and exhibits high electrochemical performance.

Spine-like Nanostructured Carbon Interconnected by Graphene for High-performance Supercapacitors

PubMed Central

Park, Sang-Hoon; Yoon, Seung-Beom; Kim, Hyun-Kyung; Han, Joong Tark; Park, Hae-Woong; Han, Joah; Yun, Seok-Min; Jeong, Han Gi; Roh, Kwang Chul; Kim, Kwang-Bum

2014-01-01

Recent studies on supercapacitors have focused on the development of hierarchical nanostructured carbons by combining two-dimensional graphene and other conductive sp2 carbons, which differ in dimensionality, to improve their electrochemical performance. Herein, we report a strategy for synthesizing a hierarchical graphene-based carbon material, which we shall refer to as spine-like nanostructured carbon, from a one-dimensional graphitic carbon nanofiber by controlling the local graphene/graphitic structure via an expanding process and a co-solvent exfoliation method. Spine-like nanostructured carbon has a unique hierarchical structure of partially exfoliated graphitic blocks interconnected by thin graphene sheets in the same manner as in the case of ligaments. Owing to the exposed graphene layers and interconnected sp2 carbon structure, this hierarchical nanostructured carbon possesses a large, electrochemically accessible surface area with high electrical conductivity and exhibits high electrochemical performance. PMID:25134517

Enhanced exchange bias and improved ferromagnetic properties in Permalloy-BiFe0.95Co0.05O3 core-shell nanostructures.

PubMed

Javed, K; Li, W J; Ali, S S; Shi, D W; Khan, U; Riaz, S; Han, X F

2015-12-14

Hybrid core-shell nanostructures consisting of permalloy (Ni80Fe20) and multiferroic(BiFeO3, BFO/BiFe0.95Co0.05O3, BFC) materials were synthesized by a two-step method, based on wet chemical impregnation and subsequent electrodeposition within porous alumina membranes. Structural and magnetic characterizations have been done to investigate doping effect on magnetic properties and exchange bias. The magnetometry analysis revealed significant enhancements of the exchange bias and coercivity in NiFe-BFC core-shell nanostructures as compared with NiFe-BFO core-shell nanostructures. The enhancements can be attributed to the effective reduction of ferromagnet domain sizes between adjacent layers of core-shell structure. It indicates that it is possible to improve properties of multiferroic composites by site-engineering method. Our approach opens a pathway to obtain optimized nanostructured multiferroic composites exhibiting tunable magnetic properties.

Enhanced exchange bias and improved ferromagnetic properties in Permalloy–BiFe0.95Co0.05O3 core–shell nanostructures

PubMed Central

Javed, K.; Li, W. J.; Ali, S. S.; Shi, D. W.; Khan, U.; Riaz, S.; Han, X. F.

2015-01-01

Hybrid core–shell nanostructures consisting of permalloy (Ni80Fe20) and multiferroic(BiFeO3, BFO/BiFe0.95Co0.05O3, BFC) materials were synthesized by a two-step method, based on wet chemical impregnation and subsequent electrodeposition within porous alumina membranes. Structural and magnetic characterizations have been done to investigate doping effect on magnetic properties and exchange bias. The magnetometry analysis revealed significant enhancements of the exchange bias and coercivity in NiFe-BFC core-shell nanostructures as compared with NiFe-BFO core-shell nanostructures. The enhancements can be attributed to the effective reduction of ferromagnet domain sizes between adjacent layers of core-shell structure. It indicates that it is possible to improve properties of multiferroic composites by site-engineering method. Our approach opens a pathway to obtain optimized nanostructured multiferroic composites exhibiting tunable magnetic properties. PMID:26658956

Porous multi-component material for the capture and separation of species of interest

DOEpatents

Addleman, Raymond S.; Chouyyok, Wilaiwan; Li, Xiaohong S.; Cinson, Anthony D.; Gerasimenko, Aleksandr A

2016-06-21

A method and porous multi-component material for the capture, separation or chemical reaction of a species of interest is disclosed. The porous multi-component material includes a substrate and a composite thin film. The composite thin film is formed by combining a porous polymer with a nanostructured material. The nanostructured material may include a surface chemistry for the capture of chemicals or particles. The composite thin film is coupled to the support or device surface. The method and material provides a simple, fast, and chemically and physically benign way to integrate nanostructured materials into devices while preserving their chemical activity.

Synthesis and properties of transition-metal arsenide nanostructures: From superparamagnetism to superconductivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desai, Prachi

This dissertation study focuses on developing new protocols for synthesis of nanostructured transition-metal pnictides including superconducting LiFeAs and studying their structure- property relationship. Nanostructured materials are known to differ in properties compared to their bulk counterparts owing to enhanced surface area and increased packing efficiency in devices. Synthetic chemistry skills and nanofabrication techniques like wet chemistry, electrodeposition, solvothermal, hydrothermal and lithography, are extremely useful for creating nanostructures of these functional materials. This is a challenging task simply because maintaining the phase composition same as that of the bulk material along with achieving nanostructures (nanoparticles, nanowires, nanopillars etc.) simultaneously is not easy. Papers I and II showcase novel synthesis methods for E based pnictides [EPn where E = 1st row transition elements and Pn = P, As etc.]. The superparamagnetism of transition-metal pnictides (e.g. FeAs, CoAs) nanomaterials obtained by this method have interesting magnetic features like high blocking temperatures and inter-particle magnetic exchange. Paper III, shows the concept of generalized protocol of EAs synthesis and discusses the principles behind this method. This protocol has been tested for applicability to not only FeAs, but also MnAs, CoAs and CrAs systems. Generalization of this method along with the discovery of superparamagnetic behavior in FeAs is one of the key findings of this research work. Alongside, paper IV shows the formation of Co3O4 nanowires through solid-solid conversion route aided by sacrificial templates.

Independent control of electrical and heat conduction by nanostructure designing for Si-based thermoelectric materials

PubMed Central

Yamasaka, Shuto; Watanabe, Kentaro; Sakane, Shunya; Takeuchi, Shotaro; Sakai, Akira; Sawano, Kentarou; Nakamura, Yoshiaki

2016-01-01

The high electrical and drastically-low thermal conductivities, a vital goal for high performance thermoelectric (TE) materials, are achieved in Si-based nanoarchitecture composed of Si channel layers and epitaxial Ge nanodots (NDs) with ultrahigh areal density (~1012 cm−2). In this nanoarchitecture, the ultrasmall NDs and Si channel layers play roles of phonon scattering sources and electrical conduction channels, respectively. Electron conductivity in n-type nanoacrhitecture shows high values comparable to those of epitaxial Si films despite the existence of epitaxial NDs. This is because Ge NDs mainly scattered not electrons but phonons selectively, which could be attributed to the small conduction band offset at the epitaxially-grown Si/Ge interface and high transmission probability through stacking faults. These results demonstrate an independent control of thermal and electrical conduction for phonon-glass electron-crystal TE materials by nanostructure designing and the energetic and structural interface control. PMID:26973092

Parallel macromolecular delivery and biochemical/electrochemical interface to cells employing nanostructures

DOEpatents

McKnight, Timothy E; Melechko, Anatoli V; Griffin, Guy D; Guillorn, Michael A; Merkulov, Vladimir L; Simpson, Michael L

2015-03-31

Systems and methods are described for parallel macromolecular delivery and biochemical/electrochemical interface to whole cells employing carbon nanostructures including nanofibers and nanotubes. A method includes providing a first material on at least a first portion of a first surface of a first tip of a first elongated carbon nanostructure; providing a second material on at least a second portion of a second surface of a second tip of a second elongated carbon nanostructure, the second elongated carbon nanostructure coupled to, and substantially parallel to, the first elongated carbon nanostructure; and penetrating a boundary of a biological sample with at least one member selected from the group consisting of the first tip and the second tip.

Hexagonal CeO2 nanostructures: an efficient electrode material for supercapacitors.

PubMed

Maheswari, Nallappan; Muralidharan, Gopalan

2016-09-28

Cerium oxide (CeO2) has emerged as a new and promising pseudocapacitive material due to its prominent valance states and extensive applications in various fields. In the present study, hexagonal CeO2 nanostructures have been prepared via the hydrothermal method employing cationic surfactant cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB). CTAB ensures a slow rate of hydrolysis to form small sized CeO2 nanostructures. The role of calcination temperature on the morphological, structural, electrochemical properties and cyclic stability has been assessed for supercapacitor applications. The mesoscopic hexagonal architecture endows the CeO2 with not only a higher specific capacity, but also with an excellent rate capability and cyclability. When the charge/discharge current density is increased from 2 to 10 A g(-1) the reversible charge capacity decreased from 927 F g(-1) to 475 F g(-1) while 100% capacity retention at a high current density of 20 A g(-1) even after 1500 cycles could be achieved. Furthermore, the asymmetric supercapacitor based on CeO2 exhibited a significantly higher energy density of 45.6 W h kg(-1) at a power density of 187.5 W kg(-1) with good cyclic stability. The electrochemical richness of the CeO2 nanostructure makes it a suitable electrode material for supercapacitor applications.

Carbon-based layer-by-layer nanostructures: from films to hollow capsules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Jinkee; Han, Jung Yeon; Yoon, Hyunsik; Joo, Piljae; Lee, Taemin; Seo, Eunyong; Char, Kookheon; Kim, Byeong-Su

2011-11-01

Over the past years, the layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly has been widely developed as one of the most powerful techniques to prepare multifunctional films with desired functions, structures and morphologies because of its versatility in the process steps in both material and substrate choices. Among various functional nanoscale objects, carbon-based nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes and graphene sheets, are promising candidates for emerging science and technology with their unique physical, chemical, and mechanical properties. In particular, carbon-based functional multilayer coatings based on the LbL assembly are currently being actively pursued as conducting electrodes, batteries, solar cells, supercapacitors, fuel cells and sensor applications. In this article, we give an overview on the use of carbon materials in nanostructured films and capsules prepared by the LbL assembly with the aim of unraveling the unique features and their applications of carbon multilayers prepared by the LbL assembly.

Nanostructured Thermal Protection Systems for Space Exploration Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arnold, J. O.; Chen, Y. K.; Squire, T.; Srivastava, D.; Allen, G., Jr.; Stackpoole, M.; Goldstein, H. E.; Venkatapathy, E.; Loomis, M. P.

2005-01-01

Strong research and development programs in nanotechnology and Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) exist at NASA Ames. Conceptual studies have been undertaken to determine if new, nanostructured materials (composites of existing TPS materials and nanostructured composite fibers) could improve the performance of TPS. To this end, we have studied various candidate heatshields, some composed of existing TPS materials (with known material properties), to provide a baseline for comparison with others that are admixtures of such materials and a nanostructured material. In the latter case, some assumptions were made about the thermal conductivity and strength of the admixture, relative to the baseline TPS material. For the purposes of this study, we have made the conservative assumption that only a small fraction of the remarkable properties of carbon nanotubes (for example) will be realized in the material properties of the admixtures employing them. The heatshields studied included those for Sharp leading edges (appropriate to out-of-orbit entry and aero-maneuvering), probes, an out-of-orbit Apollo Command Module (as a surrogate for NASA's new Crew Exploration Vehicle [CEV]), a Mars Sample Return Vehicle and a large heat shield for Mars aerocapture missions. We report on these conceptual studies, which show that in some cases (not all), significant improvements in the TPS can be achieved through the use of nanostructured materials.

Zinc-oxide-based nanostructured materials for heterostructure solar cells

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

Bobkov, A. A.; Maximov, A. I.; Moshnikov, V. A., E-mail: vamoshnikov@mail.ru

Results obtained in the deposition of nanostructured zinc-oxide layers by hydrothermal synthesis as the basic method are presented. The possibility of controlling the structure and morphology of the layers is demonstrated. The important role of the procedure employed to form the nucleating layer is noted. The faceted hexagonal nanoprisms obtained are promising for the fabrication of solar cells based on oxide heterostructures, and aluminum-doped zinc-oxide layers with petal morphology, for the deposition of an antireflection layer. The results are compatible and promising for application in flexible electronics.

A composite structure based on reduced graphene oxide and metal oxide nanomaterials for chemical sensors.

PubMed

Galstyan, Vardan; Comini, Elisabetta; Kholmanov, Iskandar; Ponzoni, Andrea; Sberveglieri, Veronica; Poli, Nicola; Faglia, Guido; Sberveglieri, Giorgio

2016-01-01

A hybrid nanostructure based on reduced graphene oxide and ZnO has been obtained for the detection of volatile organic compounds. The sensing properties of the hybrid structure have been studied for different concentrations of ethanol and acetone. The response of the hybrid material is significantly higher compared to pristine ZnO nanostructures. The obtained results have shown that the nanohybrid is a promising structure for the monitoring of environmental pollutants and for the application of breath tests in assessment of exposure to volatile organic compounds.

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

Chitralekha, C. S.; Rasi, Mohammed; Nair, Swapna S., E-mail: swapna.s.nair@gmail.com

A modified sol-gel method was introduced by employing a cost effective novel template to synthesize coaxial one dimensional (1-D) composite nanostructures based on CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} (CFO) - K{sub 0.5}Na{sub 0.5}NbO{sub 3} (KNN) and magnetic nanostructures based on CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} (CFO). The studies with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed that the composite material is characterized by the 1-D tubular structure. The absorption edge is blue shifted for both KNN and CFO nanotubes due to the lattice strain effect.

Anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

DOEpatents

Sunkara, Mahendra Kumar; Meduri, Praveen; Sumanasekera, Gamini

2014-12-30

An anode material for lithium-ion batteries is provided that comprises an elongated core structure capable of forming an alloy with lithium; and a plurality of nanostructures placed on a surface of the core structure, with each nanostructure being capable of forming an alloy with lithium and spaced at a predetermined distance from adjacent nanostructures.

Recycled diesel carbon nanoparticles for nanostructured battery anodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yuming; Liu, Chang; Sun, Xiaoxuan; Ye, Han; Cheung, Chunshun; Zhou, Limin

2015-02-01

Considerable attention has been devoted to using rational nanostructure design to address critical carbonaceous anode material issues for next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the fabrication of nanostructured carbonaceous anode materials often involves complex processes and expensive starting materials. Diesel engine is an important source of nanostructured carbon particles with diameters ranging 20 nm-60 nm suspended in air, resulting in a serious scourge of global climate and a series of diseases such as lung cancer, asthma, and cardiovascular disease. Here, we show that diesel carbon nanoparticles collected from diesel engines can be chemically activated to create a porous structure. The resulting nanostructured carbon electrodes have a high specific capacity of 936 mAh g-1 after 40 cycles at 0.05 A/g, and excellent cycle stability while retaining a capacity of ∼210 mAh g-1 after 1200 cycles at 5 A/g. As recycled diesel carbon nanoparticles are readily available due to the several billion tons of diesel fuel consumed every year by diesel engines, their use represents an exciting source for nanostructured carbonaceous anode materials for high-performance LIBs and improves our environment and health.

Self-organization of a tetrasubstituted tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) in a silica based hybrid organic-inorganic material.

PubMed

Cerveau, Geneviève; Corriu, Robert J P; Lerouge, Frédéric; Bellec, Nathalie; Lorcy, Dominique; Nobili, Maurizio

2004-02-21

A hybrid organic inorganic nanostructured material containing a TTF core substituted by four arms exhibited a high level of both condensation at silicon (96%) and self-organization as evidenced by X-ray diffraction and an unprecedented birefringent behaviour.

Nanostructured giant magneto-impedance multilayers deposited onto flexible substrates for low pressure sensing

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Nanostructured FeNi-based multilayers are very suitable for use as magnetic sensors using the giant magneto-impedance effect. New fields of application can be opened with these materials deposited onto flexible substrates. In this work, we compare the performance of samples prepared onto a rigid glass substrate and onto a cyclo olefin copolymer flexible one. Although a significant reduction of the field sensitivity is found due to the increased effect of the stresses generated during preparation, the results are still satisfactory for use as magnetic field sensors in special applications. Moreover, we take advantage of the flexible nature of the substrate to evaluate the pressure dependence of the giant magneto-impedance effect. Sensitivities up to 1 Ω/Pa are found for pressures in the range of 0 to 1 Pa, demostrating the suitability of these nanostructured materials deposited onto flexible substrates to build sensitive pressure sensors. PMID:22525096

PHOTONICS AND NANOTECHNOLOGY Laser nanostructuring of materials surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zavestovskaya, I. N.

2010-12-01

This paper reviews results of experimental and theoretical studies of surface micro- and nanostructuring of metals and other materials irradiated directly by short and ultrashort laser pulses. Special attention is paid to direct laser action involving melting of the material (with or without ablation), followed by ultrarapid surface solidification, which is an effective approach to producing surface nanostructures. Theoretical analysis of recrystallisation kinetics after irradiation by ultrashort laser pulses makes it possible to determine the volume fraction of crystallised phase and the average size of forming crystalline structures as functions of laser treatment regime and thermodynamic properties of the material. The present results can be used to optimise pulsed laser treatment regime in order to ensure control nanostructuring of metal surfaces.

Graphene and its nanostructure derivatives for use in bone tissue engineering: Recent advances.

PubMed

Shadjou, Nasrin; Hasanzadeh, Mohammad

2016-05-01

Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine represent areas of increasing interest because of the major progress in cell and organ transplantation, as well as advances in materials science and engineering. Tissue-engineered bone constructs have the potential to alleviate the demand arising from the shortage of suitable autograft and allograft materials for augmenting bone healing. Graphene and its derivatives have attracted much interest for applications in bone tissue engineering. For this purpose, this review focuses on more recent advances in tissue engineering based on graphene-biomaterials from 2013 to May 2015. The purpose of this article was to give a general description of studies of nanostructured graphene derivatives for bone tissue engineering. In this review, we highlight how graphene family nanomaterials are being exploited for bone tissue engineering. Firstly, the main requirements for bone tissue engineering were discussed. Then, the mechanism by which graphene based materials promote new bone formation was explained, following which the current research status of main types of nanostructured scaffolds for bone tissue engineering was reviewed and discussed. In addition, graphene-based bioactive glass, as a potential drug/growth factor carrier, was reviewed which includes the composition-structure-drug delivery relationship and the functional effect on the tissue-stimulation properties. Also, the effect of structural and textural properties of graphene based materials on development of new biomaterials for production of bone implants and bone cements were discussed. Finally, the present review intends to provide the reader an overview of the current state of the graphene based biomaterials in bone tissue engineering, its limitations and hopes as well as the future research trends for this exciting field of science. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Inorganic nanostructure-organic polymer heterostructures useful for thermoelectric devices

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

See, Kevin C.; Urban, Jeffrey J.; Segalman, Rachel A.

The present invention provides for an inorganic nanostructure-organic polymer heterostructure, useful as a thermoelectric composite material, comprising (a) an inorganic nanostructure, and (b) an electrically conductive organic polymer disposed on the inorganic nanostructure. Both the inorganic nanostructure and the electrically conductive organic polymer are solution-processable.

Epitaxial growth of hybrid nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Chaoliang; Chen, Junze; Wu, Xue-Jun; Zhang, Hua

2018-02-01

Hybrid nanostructures are a class of materials that are typically composed of two or more different components, in which each component has at least one dimension on the nanoscale. The rational design and controlled synthesis of hybrid nanostructures are of great importance in enabling the fine tuning of their properties and functions. Epitaxial growth is a promising approach to the controlled synthesis of hybrid nanostructures with desired structures, crystal phases, exposed facets and/or interfaces. This Review provides a critical summary of the state of the art in the field of epitaxial growth of hybrid nanostructures. We discuss the historical development, architectures and compositions, epitaxy methods, characterization techniques and advantages of epitaxial hybrid nanostructures. Finally, we provide insight into future research directions in this area, which include the epitaxial growth of hybrid nanostructures from a wider range of materials, the study of the underlying mechanism and determining the role of epitaxial growth in influencing the properties and application performance of hybrid nanostructures.

Metal nanostructures for non-enzymatic glucose sensing.

PubMed

Tee, Si Yin; Teng, Choon Peng; Ye, Enyi

2017-01-01

This review covers the recent development of metal nanostructures in electrochemical non-enzymatic glucose sensing. It highlights a variety of nanostructured materials including noble metals, other transition metals, bimetallic systems, and their hybrid with carbon-based nanomaterials. Particularly, attention is devoted to numerous approaches that have been implemented for improving the sensors performance by tailoring size, shape, composition, effective surface area, adsorption capability and electron-transfer properties. The correlation of the metal nanostructures to the glucose sensing performance is addressed with respect to the linear concentration range, sensitivity and detection limit. In overall, this review provides important clues from the recent scientific achievements of glucose sensor nanomaterials which will be essentially useful in designing better and more effective electrocatalysts for future electrochemical sensing industry. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hybrid nanostructures of metal/two-dimensional nanomaterials for plasmon-enhanced applications.

PubMed

Li, Xuanhua; Zhu, Jinmeng; Wei, Bingqing

2016-06-07

Hybrid nanostructures composed of graphene or other two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials and plasmonic metal components have been extensively studied. The unusual properties of 2D materials are associated with their atomically thin thickness and 2D morphology, and many impressive structures enable the metal nanomaterials to establish various interesting hybrid nanostructures with outstanding plasmonic properties. In addition, the hybrid nanostructures display unique optical characteristics that are derived from the close conjunction of plasmonic optical effects and the unique physicochemical properties of 2D materials. More importantly, the hybrid nanostructures show several plasmonic electrical effects including an improved photogeneration rate, efficient carrier transfer, and a plasmon-induced "hot carrier", playing a significant role in enhancing device performance. They have been widely studied for plasmon-enhanced optical signals, photocatalysis, photodetectors (PDs), and solar cells. In this review, the developments in the field of metal/2D hybrid nanostructures are comprehensively described. Preparation of hybrid nanostructures is first presented according to the 2D material type, as well as the metal nanomaterial morphology. The plasmonic properties and the enabled applications of the hybrid nanostructures are then described. Lastly, possible future research in this promising field is discussed.

Solution growth of single crystal methylammonium lead halide perovskite nanostructures for optoelectronic and photovoltaic applications.

PubMed

Fu, Yongping; Meng, Fei; Rowley, Matthew B; Thompson, Blaise J; Shearer, Melinda J; Ma, Dewei; Hamers, Robert J; Wright, John C; Jin, Song

2015-05-06

Understanding crystal growth and improving material quality is important for improving semiconductors for electronic, optoelectronic, and photovoltaic applications. Amidst the surging interest in solar cells based on hybrid organic-inorganic lead halide perovskites and the exciting progress in device performance, improved understanding and better control of the crystal growth of these perovskites could further boost their optoelectronic and photovoltaic performance. Here, we report new insights on the crystal growth of the perovskite materials, especially crystalline nanostructures. Specifically, single crystal nanowires, nanorods, and nanoplates of methylammonium lead halide perovskites (CH3NH3PbI3 and CH3NH3PbBr3) are successfully grown via a dissolution-recrystallization pathway in a solution synthesis from lead iodide (or lead acetate) films coated on substrates. These single crystal nanostructures display strong room-temperature photoluminescence and long carrier lifetime. We also report that a solid-liquid interfacial conversion reaction can create a highly crystalline, nanostructured MAPbI3 film with micrometer grain size and high surface coverage that enables photovoltaic devices with a power conversion efficiency of 10.6%. These results suggest that single-crystal perovskite nanostructures provide improved photophysical properties that are important for fundamental studies and future applications in nanoscale optoelectronic and photonic devices.

Rational Design and Nanoscale Integration of Multi-Heterostructures as Highly Efficient Photocatalysts

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

Duan, Xiangfeng

2017-11-03

The central goal of this project is to design and synthesize complex multi-hetero-nanostructures and fundamental investigation of their potential as efficient and robust photocatalysts. Specifically, the project aims to develop a nanoscale light-harvesting antenna that can efficiently convert solar photon energy into excited electrons and holes, and integrate such antenna with efficient redox nanocatalysts that can harness the photo-generated carriers for productive electrochemical processes. Focusing on this central goal, we have investigated several potential light-harvesting antennas including: silicon nanowires, nitrogen-doped TiO2 nanowires and the emerging perovskite materials. We also devoted considerable effort in developing electrocatalysts including: hydrogen evolution reaction (HER)more » catalysts, oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts and oxygen reduction reaction catalysts (ORR). In previous annual reports, we have described our effort in the synthesis and photoelectrochemical properties of silicon, TiO2, perovskite-based materials and heterostructures. Here, we focus our discussion on the recent effort in investigating charge transport dynamics in organolead halide perovskites, as well as carbon nanostructure and platinum nanostructure-based electrocatalysts for energy conversion and storage.« less

Nanostructured thick 3D nanofibrous scaffold can induce bone.

PubMed

Eap, Sandy; Morand, David; Clauss, François; Huck, Olivier; Stoltz, Jean-François; Lutz, Jean-Christophe; Gottenberg, Jacques-Eric; Benkirane-Jessel, Nadia; Keller, Laetitia; Fioretti, Florence

2015-01-01

Designing unique nanostructured biomimetic materials is a new challenge in modern regenerative medicine. In order to develop functional substitutes for damaged organs or tissues, several methods have been used to create implants able to regenerate robust and durable bone. Electrospinning produces nonwoven scaffolds based on polymer nanofibers mimicking the fibrillar organization of bone extracellular matrix. Here, we describe a biomimetic 3D thick nanofibrous scaffold obtained by electrospinning of the biodegradable, bioresorbable and FDA-approved polymer, poly(ε-caprolactone). Such scaffold presents a thickness reaching one centimeter. We report here the demonstration that the designed nanostructured implant is able to induce in vivo bone regeneration.

Synthesis and processing of nanostructured BN and BN/Ti composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horvath, Robert Steven

Superhard materials, such as cubic-BN, are widely used in machine tools, grinding wheels, and abrasives. Low density combined with high hardness makes c-BN and its composites attractive candidate materials for personnel and vehicular armor. However, improvements in toughness, and ballistic-impact performance, are needed to meet anticipated performance requirements. To achieve such improvements, we have targeted for development nanostructured c-BN, and its composites with Ti. Current research utilizes an experimental high pressure/high temperature (HPHT) method to produce these materials on a laboratory scale. Results from this work should transfer well into the industrial arena, utilizing high-tonnage presses used in the production of synthetic diamond and c-BN. Progress has been made in: (1) HPHT synthesis of cBN powder using Mg as catalyst; (2) HPHT consolidation of cBN powder to produce nanostructured cBN; (3) reactive-HPHT consolidation of mixed cBN/Ti powder to produce nanostructured Ti- or TiB2/TiN-bonded cBN; and (4) reactive-HPHT consolidation of mixed hBN/Ti powder to produce nanostructured Ti-bonded TiB2/TiN or TiB2/TiN. Even so, much remains to be done to lay a firm scientific foundation to enable the reproducible fabrication of large-area panels for armor applications. To this end, Rutgers has formed a partnership with a major producer of hard and superhard materials. The ability to produce hard and superhard nanostructured composites by reacting cBN or hBN with Ti under high pressure also enables multi-layered structures to be developed. Such structures may be designed to satisfy impedance-mismatch requirements for high performance armor, and possibly provide a multi-hit capability. A demonstration has been made of reactive-HPHT processing of multi-layered composites, consisting of alternating layers of superhard Ti-bonded cBN and tough Ti. It is noteworthy that the pressure requirements for processing Ti-bonded cBN, Ti-bonded TiB2/TiN, and their corresponding multi-layered structures are in the 0.1-1.0 GPa range, well within the capabilities of today's hot-pressing technologies; thus scaling this new reactive-HPHT processing technology seems assured. Future research will focus on establishing mechanisms and kinetics of the various phase transformations observed during reactive-HPHT processing, with the objective of being able to optimize processing parameters to generate nanostructured cBN-based and TiB2/TiN-based composites that display superior mechanical properties, particularly under high-strain-rate conditions.

Data related to the PC71BM loading and it's impact on nanostructuring for blend of PBDTTT-EFT:PC71BM bulk heterojunction solar cell.

PubMed

Komilian, Soheil; Oklobia, Ochai; Sadat-Shafai, Torfeh

2018-02-01

The data included in this article is based on additional supporting information presented in our recent publication Komilian et al. [1]. The role of acceptor material (PC 71 BM) in restructuring copolymer PBDTTT-EFT from its relaxed pristine structure to interfaces suitable for exciton dissociation is discussed. The analysis of data indicates that the impact of acceptor material on nanostructuring initiates concurrent processes some of which supports and some impedes charge extractions. Therefore, this manuscript is designed to identify these processes and give and account of their impact on power conversion efficiency.

Engineering optical properties using plasmonic nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tamma, Venkata Ananth

Plasmonic nanostructures can be engineered to take on unusual optical properties not found in natural materials. The optical responses of plasmonic materials are functions of the structural parameters and symmetry of the nanostructures, material parameters of the nanostructure and its surroundings and the incidence angle, frequency and polarization state of light. The scattering and hence the visibility of an object could be reduced by coating it with a plasmonic material. In this thesis, presented is an optical frequency scattering cancelation device composed of a silicon nanorod coated by a plasmonic gold nanostructure. The principle of operation was theoretically analyzed using Mie theory and the device design was verified by extensive numerical simulations. The device was fabricated using a combination of nanofabrication techniques such as electron beam lithography and focused ion beam milling. The optical responses of the scattering cancelation device and a control sample of bare silicon rod were directly visualized using near-field microscopy coupled with heterodyne interferometric detection. The experimental results were analyzed and found to match very well with theoretical prediction from numerical simulations thereby validating the design principles and our implementation. Plasmonic nanostructures could be engineered to exhibit unique optical properties such as Fano resonance characterized by narrow asymmetrical lineshape. We present dynamic tuning and symmetry lowering of Fano resonances in plasmonic nanostructures fabricated on flexible substrates. The tuning of Fano resonance was achieved by application of uniaxial mechanical stress. The design of the nanostructures was facilitated by extensive numerical simulations and the symmetry lowering was analyzed using group theoretical methods. The nanostructures were fabricated using electron beam lithography and optically characterized for various mechanical stress. The experimental results were in good agreement with the numerical simulations. The mechanically tunable plasmonic nanostructure could serve as a platform for dynamically tunable nanophotonic devices such as sensors and tunable filters.

An overview—Functional nanomaterials for lithium rechargeable batteries, supercapacitors, hydrogen storage, and fuel cells

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

Liu, Hua Kun, E-mail: hua@uow.edu.au

2013-12-15

Graphical abstract: Nanomaterials play important role in lithium ion batteries, supercapacitors, hydrogen storage and fuel cells. - Highlights: • Nanomaterials play important role for lithium rechargeable batteries. • Nanostructured materials increase the capacitance of supercapacitors. • Nanostructure improves the hydrogenation/dehydrogenation of hydrogen storage materials. • Nanomaterials enhance the electrocatalytic activity of the catalysts in fuel cells. - Abstract: There is tremendous worldwide interest in functional nanostructured materials, which are the advanced nanotechnology materials with internal or external dimensions on the order of nanometers. Their extremely small dimensions make these materials unique and promising for clean energy applications such as lithiummore » ion batteries, supercapacitors, hydrogen storage, fuel cells, and other applications. This paper will highlight the development of new approaches to study the relationships between the structure and the physical, chemical, and electrochemical properties of functional nanostructured materials. The Energy Materials Research Programme at the Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials, the University of Wollongong, has been focused on the synthesis, characterization, and applications of functional nanomaterials, including nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanowires, nanoporous materials, and nanocomposites. The emphases are placed on advanced nanotechnology, design, and control of the composition, morphology, nanostructure, and functionality of the nanomaterials, and on the subsequent applications of these materials to areas including lithium ion batteries, supercapacitors, hydrogen storage, and fuel cells.« less

Dynamic Processes in Nanostructured Crystals Under Ion Irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uglov, V. V.; Kvasov, N. T.; Shimanski, V. I.; Safronov, I. V.; Komarov, N. D.

2018-02-01

The paper presents detailed investigations of dynamic processes occurring in nanostructured Si(Fe) material under the radiation exposure, namely: heating, thermoelastic stress generation, elastic disturbances of the surrounding medium similar to weak shock waves, and dislocation generation. The performance calculations are proposed for elastic properties of the nanostructured material with a glance to size effects in nanoparticles.

Dopant-specific unzipping of carbon nanotubes for intact crystalline graphene nanostructures

PubMed Central

Lim, Joonwon; Narayan Maiti, Uday; Kim, Na-Young; Narayan, Rekha; Jun Lee, Won; Sung Choi, Dong; Oh, Youngtak; Min Lee, Ju; Yong Lee, Gil; Hun Kang, Seok; Kim, Hyunwoo; Kim, Yong-Hyun; Ouk Kim, Sang

2016-01-01

Atomic level engineering of graphene-based materials is in high demand to enable customize structures and properties for different applications. Unzipping of the graphene plane is a potential means to this end, but uncontrollable damage of the two-dimensional crystalline framework during harsh unzipping reaction has remained a key challenge. Here we present heteroatom dopant-specific unzipping of carbon nanotubes as a reliable and controllable route to customized intact crystalline graphene-based nanostructures. Substitutional pyridinic nitrogen dopant sites at carbon nanotubes can selectively initiate the unzipping of graphene side walls at a relatively low electrochemical potential (0.6 V). The resultant nanostructures consisting of unzipped graphene nanoribbons wrapping around carbon nanotube cores maintain the intact two-dimensional crystallinity with well-defined atomic configuration at the unzipped edges. Large surface area and robust electrical connectivity of the synergistic nanostructure demonstrate ultrahigh-power supercapacitor performance, which can serve for AC filtering with the record high rate capability of −85° of phase angle at 120 Hz. PMID:26796993

Materials taking a lesson from nature.

PubMed

Tian, Liangfei; Croisier, Emmanuel; Frauenrath, Holger

2013-01-01

Structural biomaterials with their often extraordinary properties and versatile functions are typically constructed from very limited sets of building blocks and types of supramolecular interactions. In this review we discuss how, inspired by nature's design principles for protein-based materials, oligopeptide-modified polymers can be used as a versatile toolbox to program nanostructure and hierarchical structure formation in synthetic materials.

Nanotechnology and health safety--toxicity and risk assessments of nanostructured materials on human health.

PubMed

Singh, Surya; Nalwa, Hari Singh

2007-09-01

The field of nanotechnology has recently emerged as the most commercially viable technology of this century because of its wide-ranging applications in our daily lives. Man-made nanostructured materials such as fullerenes, nanoparticles, nanopowders, nanotubes, nanowires, nanorods, nanofibers, quantum dots, dendrimers, nanoclusters, nanocrystals, and nanocomposites are globally produced in large quantities due to their wide potential applications, e.g., in skincare and consumer products, healthcare, electronics, photonics, biotechnology, engineering products, pharmaceuticals, drug delivery, and agriculture. Human exposure to these nanostructured materials is inevitable, as they can enter the body through the lungs or other organs via food, drink, and medicine and affect different organs and tissues such as the brain, liver, kidney, heart, colon, spleen, bone, blood, etc., and may cause cytotoxic effects, e.g., deformation and inhibition of cell growth leading to various diseases in humans and animals. Since a very wide variety of nanostructured materials exits, their interactions with biological systems and toxicity largely depend upon their properties, such as size, concentration, solubility, chemical and biological properties, and stability. The toxicity of nanostructured materials could be reduced by chemical approaches such by surface treatment, functionalization, and composite formation. This review summarizes the sources of various nanostructured materials and their human exposure, biocompatibility in relation to potential toxicological effects, risk assessment, and safety evaluation on human and animal health as well as on the environment.

Reduced thermal conductivity of nanotwinned random layer structures: a promising nanostructuring towards efficient Si and Si/Ge thermoelectric materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samaraweera, Nalaka; Chan, Kin L.; Mithraratne, Kumar

2018-05-01

Si and Si/Ge based nanostructures of reduced lattice thermal conductivity are widely attractive for developing efficient thermoelectric materials. In this study, we demonstrate the reduced thermal conductivity of Si nanotwinned random layer (NTRL) structures over corresponding superlattice and twin-free counterparts. The participation ratio analysis of vibrational modes shows that a possible cause of thermal conductivity reduction is phonon localization due to the random arrangement of twin boundaries. Via non-equilibrium molecular dynamic simulations, it is shown that ~23 and ~27% reductions over superlattice counterparts and ~55 and 53% over twin-free counterparts can be attained for the structures of total lengths of 90 and 170 nm, respectively. Furthermore, a random twin boundary distribution is applied for Si/Ge random layer structures seeking further reduction of thermal conductivity. A significant reduction in thermal conductivity of Si/Ge structures exceeding the thermal insulating performance of the corresponding amorphous Si structure by ~31% for a total length of 90 nm can be achieved. This reduction is as high as ~98% compared to the twin-free Si counterpart. It is demonstrated that application of randomly organised nanoscale twin boundaries is a promising nanostructuring strategy towards developing efficient Si and Si/Ge based thermoelectric materials in the future.

Nanostructured microtubes based on TiO2 doped by Zr and Hf oxides with the anatase structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheleznov, VV; Voit, EI; Sushkov, YV; Sarin, SA; Kuryavyi, VG; Opra, DP; Gnedenkov, SV; Sinebryukhov, SL; Sokolov, AA

2016-01-01

The nanostructured microtubes based on TiO2 have been prepared on the carbon fiber template using the sol-gel method. The microtubes consist of nanoparticles of metal oxides: TiO2/ZrO2 and TiO2/HfO2. The dependence of microtubes morphology and nanoparticles structure on the synthesis conditions has been studied using the methods of SEM, SAXS, and Raman spectroscopy. It has been demonstrated that at the stoichiometric ratio of up to 0.04 for Zr/Ti and up to 0.06 for Hf/Ti microtubes consist of uniform nanoparticles with the anatase structure. Along with further increase of the dopants content in the microtubes composition, nanoparticles acquire the core-shell structure. It has been suggested that nanoparticles have a core composed of the solid solutions Ti1-xZrxO2 or Ti1-xHfxO2 and a shell consisting of zirconium or hafnium titanate. The fabricated Zr- and Hf-doped TiO2 materials were investigated in view of their possible use as anode materials for Li-ion batteries. Charge- discharge measurements showed that the doped samples manifested significantly higher reversibility in comparison with the undoped TiO2. The method opens new prospects in synthesis of nanostructured materials for Li-ion batteries application.

Features of electrophoretic deposition process of nanostructured electrode materials for planar Li-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melkozyorova, N. A.; Zinkevich, K. G.; Lebedev, E. A.; Alekseyev, A. V.; Gromov, D. G.; Kitsyuk, E. P.; Ryazanov, R. M.; Sysa, A. V.

2017-11-01

The features of electrophoretic deposition process of composite LiCoO2-based cathode and Si-based anode materials were researched. The influence of the deposition process parameters on the structure and composition of the deposit was revealed. The possibility of a local deposition of composites on a planar lithium-ion battery structure was demonstrated.

The Effect of Small Molecule Additives on the Self-Assembly and Functionality of Protein-Polymer Diblock Copolymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Carla; Xu, Liza; Olsen, Bradley

2013-03-01

Self-assembly of globular protein-polymer block copolymers into well-defined nanostructures provides a route towards the manufacture of protein-based materials which maintains protein fold and function. The model material mCherry-b-poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) forms self-assembled nanostructures from aqueous solutions via solvent evaporation. To improve retention of protein functionality when dehydrated, small molecules such as trehalose and glycerol are added in solution prior to solvent removal. With as little as 10 wt% additive, improvements in retained functionality of 20-60% are observed in the solid-state as compared to samples in which no additive is present. Higher additive levels (up to 50%) continue to show improvement until approximately 100% of the protein function is retained. These large gains are hypothesized to originate from the ability of the additives to replace hydrogen bonds normally fulfilled by water. The addition of trehalose in the bulk material also improves the thermal stability of the protein by 15-20 °C, while glycerol decreases the thermal stability. Materials containing up to 50% additives remain microphase separated, and, upon incorporation of additives, nanostructure domain spacing tends to increase, accompanied by order-order transitions.

Nanostructures, systems, and methods for photocatalysis

DOEpatents

Reece, Steven Y.; Jarvi, Thomas D.

2015-12-08

The present invention generally relates to nanostructures and compositions comprising nanostructures, methods of making and using the nanostructures, and related systems. In some embodiments, a nanostructure comprises a first region and a second region, wherein a first photocatalytic reaction (e.g., an oxidation reaction) can be carried out at the first region and a second photocatalytic reaction (e.g., a reduction reaction) can be carried out at the second region. In some cases, the first photocatalytic reaction is the formation of oxygen gas from water and the second photocatalytic reaction is the formation of hydrogen gas from water. In some embodiments, a nanostructure comprises at least one semiconductor material, and, in some cases, at least one catalytic material and/or at least one photosensitizing agent.

Is there a shift to "active nanostructures"?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subramanian, Vrishali; Youtie, Jan; Porter, Alan L.; Shapira, Philip

2010-01-01

It has been suggested that an important transition in the long-run trajectory of nanotechnology development is a shift from passive to active nanostructures. Such a shift could present different or increased societal impacts and require new approaches for risk assessment. An active nanostructure "changes or evolves its state during its operation," according to the National Science Foundation's (2006) Active Nanostructures and Nanosystems grant solicitation. Active nanostructure examples include nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS), nanomachines, self-healing materials, targeted drugs and chemicals, energy storage devices, and sensors. This article considers two questions: (a) Is there a "shift" to active nanostructures? (b) How can we characterize the prototypical areas into which active nanostructures may emerge? We build upon the NSF definition of active nanostructures to develop a research publication search strategy, with a particular intent to distinguish between passive and active nanotechnologies. We perform bibliometric analyses and describe the main publication trends from 1995 to 2008. We then describe the prototypes of research that emerge based on reading the abstracts and review papers encountered in our search. Preliminary results suggest that there is a sharp rise in active nanostructures publications in 2006, and this rise is maintained in 2007 and through to early 2008. We present a typology that can be used to describe the kind of active nanostructures that may be commercialized and regulated in the future.

Application of a Nanostructured Enzymatic Biosensor Based on Fullerene and Gold Nanoparticles to Polyphenol Detection.

PubMed

Tortolini, Cristina; Sanzò, Gabriella; Antiochia, Riccarda; Mazzei, Franco; Favero, Gabriele

2017-01-01

Electrochemical biosensors provide an attractive means of analyzing the content of a biological sample due to the direct conversion of a biological event to an electronic signal. The signal transduction and the general performance of electrochemical biosensors are often determined by the surface architectures that connect the sensing element to the biological sample at the nanometer scale. The most common surface modification techniques, the various electrochemical transduction mechanisms, and the choice of the recognition receptor molecules all influence the ultimate sensitivity of the sensor. We show herein a novel electrochemical biosensing platform based on the coupling of two different nanostructured materials (gold nanoparticles and fullerenols) displaying interesting electrochemical features. The use of these nanomaterials improved the electrochemical performance of the proposed biosensor.An application of the nanostructured enzyme-based biosensor has been developed for evaluating the detection of polyphenols either in buffer solution or in real wine samples.

Development of a pH sensor using nanoporous nanostructures of NiO.

PubMed

Ibupoto, Z H; Khun, K; Willander, M

2014-09-01

Glass is the conventional material used in pH electrodes to monitor pH in various applications. However, the glass-based pH electrode has some limitations for particular applications. The glass sensor is limited in the use of in vivo biomedical, clinical or food applications because of the brittleness of glass, its large size, the difficulty in measuring small volumes and the absence of deformation (inflexibility). Nanostructure-based pH sensors are very sensitive, reliable, fast and applicable towards in vivo measurements. In this study, nanoporous NiO nanostructures are synthesized on a gold-coated glass substrate by a hydrothermal route using poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as a stabilizer. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were used for the morphological and crystalline studies. The grown NiO nanostructures are uniform and dense, and they possess good crystallinity. A pH sensor based on these NiO nanostructures was developed by testing the different pH values from 2-12 of phosphate buffered saline solution. The proposed pH sensor showed robust sensitivity of -43.74 ± 0.80 mV/pH and a quick response time of less than 10 s. Moreover, the repeatability, reproducibility and stability of the presented pH sensor were also studied.

Group precipitation and age hardening of nanostructured Fe-based alloys with ultra-high strengths

DOE PAGES

Jiao, Z. B.; Luan, J. H.; Miller, M. K.; ...

2016-02-19

The precipitation of nanoparticles plays a key role in determining the properties of many structural materials, and the understanding of their formation and stabilization mechanisms has been a long standing interest in the material field. However, the critical issues involving the group precipitation of various nanoparticles and their cooperative hardening mechanism remain elusive in the newly discovered Fe-based alloys with nanostructures. Here we quantitatively elucidate the nucleation mechanism, evolution kinetics and hardening effects of the group-precipitated nanoparticles in the Fe-Cu-Ni-Al-based alloys by atom probe tomography together with both first-principles and thermodynamic calculations. Our results provide the compelling evidence for twomore » interesting but complex group precipitation pathways of nanoparticles, i.e., the Cu-rich and NiAl-based precipitations. Lastly, the co-existence of the two precipitation pathways plays a key role in age hardening kinetics and ultimately enhances the hardening response, as compared to the single particle type of strengthening, therefore providing an effective new approach for strengthening materials for structural applications.« less

Group precipitation and age hardening of nanostructured Fe-based alloys with ultra-high strengths

PubMed Central

Jiao, Z. B.; Luan, J. H.; Miller, M. K.; Yu, C. Y.; Liu, C. T.

2016-01-01

The precipitation of nanoparticles plays a key role in determining the properties of many structural materials, and the understanding of their formation and stabilization mechanisms has been a long standing interest in the material field. However, the critical issues involving the group precipitation of various nanoparticles and their cooperative hardening mechanism remain elusive in the newly discovered Fe-based alloys with nanostructures. Here we quantitatively elucidate the nucleation mechanism, evolution kinetics and hardening effects of the group-precipitated nanoparticles in the Fe-Cu-Ni-Al-based alloys by atom probe tomography together with both first-principles and thermodynamic calculations. Our results provide the compelling evidence for two interesting but complex group precipitation pathways of nanoparticles, i.e., the Cu-rich and NiAl-based precipitations. The co-existence of the two precipitation pathways plays a key role in age hardening kinetics and ultimately enhances the hardening response, as compared to the single particle type of strengthening, therefore providing an effective new approach for strengthening materials for structural applications. PMID:26892834

Advanced Material Nanotechnology in Israel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Figovsky, O.; Beilin, D.; Blank, N.

One of the most interesting directions in material engineering during the past few years is the technical development of nanocomposite materials consisting from two or more phases with precise interphase border and nanostructured materials based on interpenetrated polymer network. Israel is one of world leaders in fundamental and industrial nanotechnology research, including fostering of start-up companies. Some important developments in the field of nanotechnology material engineering in Israel are summarized in the paper.

Controlled synthesis of different metal oxide nanostructures by direct current arc discharge.

PubMed

Su, Yanjie; Zhang, Jing; Zhang, Liling; Zhang, Yafei

2013-02-01

Direct current (DC) arc discharge method gives high temperature in a short time, which has been widely used to prepare carbon nanotubes. We use this simple approach to synthesize metal oxide nanostructures (MgO, SnO2) without any catalyst. Different morphologies (nanowires, nanobelts, nanocubes, and nanodisks) of metal oxide nanostructures can be controllably synthesized by changing the content of air in buffer gas. The growth mechanisms for these nanostructures are discussed in detail. Oxygen partial pressure is supposed to be one of the most important key factors. The methodology might be used to synthesize similar nanostructures of other functional oxide materials and non-oxide materials.

Contribution of tin in electrochemical properties of zinc antimonate nanostructures: An electrode material for supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balasubramaniam, M.; Balakumar, S.

2018-04-01

Tin (Sn) doped ZnSb2O6 nanostructures was synthesized by chemical precipitation method and was used as an electrode material for supercapacitors to explore its electrochemical stability and potentiality as energy storage materials. Their characteristic structural, morphological and compositional features were investigated through XRD, FESEM and XPS analysis. Results showed that the nanostructures have well ordered crystalline features with spherical particle morphology. As the size and morphology are the vital parameters in exhibiting better electrochemical properties, the prepared nanostructures exhibited a significant specific capacitance of 222 F/g at a current density of 0.5 A/g respectively. While charging and discharging for 1000 cycles, the capacitance retention was enhanced to 105.0% which depicts the stability and activeness of electrochemical sites present in the Sn doped ZnSb2O6 nanostructures even after cycling. Hence, the inclusion of Sn into ZnSb2O6 has contributed in improving the electrochemical properties thereby it represents itself as a potential electrode material for supercapacitors.

Programmable and Multifunctional DNA-Based Materials for Biomedical Applications.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuezhou; Tu, Jing; Wang, Dongqing; Zhu, Haitao; Maity, Sajal Kumar; Qu, Xiangmeng; Bogaert, Bram; Pei, Hao; Zhang, Hongbo

2018-06-01

DNA encodes the genetic information; recently, it has also become a key player in material science. Given the specific Watson-Crick base-pairing interactions between only four types of nucleotides, well-designed DNA self-assembly can be programmable and predictable. Stem-loops, sticky ends, Holliday junctions, DNA tiles, and lattices are typical motifs for forming DNA-based structures. The oligonucleotides experience thermal annealing in a near-neutral buffer containing a divalent cation (usually Mg 2+ ) to produce a variety of DNA nanostructures. These structures not only show beautiful landscape, but can also be endowed with multifaceted functionalities. This Review begins with the fundamental characterization and evolutionary trajectory of DNA-based artificial structures, but concentrates on their biomedical applications. The coverage spans from controlled drug delivery to high therapeutic profile and accurate diagnosis. A variety of DNA-based materials, including aptamers, hydrogels, origamis, and tetrahedrons, are widely utilized in different biomedical fields. In addition, to achieve better performance and functionality, material hybridization is widely witnessed, and DNA nanostructure modification is also discussed. Although there are impressive advances and high expectations, the development of DNA-based structures/technologies is still hindered by several commonly recognized challenges, such as nuclease instability, lack of pharmacokinetics data, and relatively high synthesis cost. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Mn-based nanostructured building blocks: Synthesis, characterization and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beltran Huarac, Juan

The quest for smaller functional elements of devices has stimulated increased interest in charge-transfer phenomena at the nanoscale. Mn-based nanostructured building blocks are particularly appealing given that the excited states of high-spin Mn2+ ions induce unusual d-d energy transfer processes, which is critical for better understanding the performance of electronic and spintronic devices. These nanostructures also exhibit unique properties superior to those of common Fe- and Co-based nanomaterials, including: excellent structural flexibility, enhanced electrochemical energy storage, effective ion-exchange dynamics, more comprehensive transport mechanisms, strong quantum yield, and they act as effective luminescent centers for more efficient visible light emitters. Moreover, Mn-based nanostructures (MBNs) are crucial for the design and assembly of inexpensive nanodevices in diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMS), optoelectronics, magneto-optics, and field-effect transistors, owing to the great abundance and low-cost of Mn. Nonetheless, the paucity of original methods and techniques to fabricate new multifunctional MBNs that fulfill industrial demands limits the sustainable development of innovative technology in materials sciences. In order to meet this critical need, in this thesis we develop and implement novel methods and techniques to fabricate zero- and one-dimensional highly-crystalline new-generation MBNs conducive to the generation of new technology, and provide alternative and feasible miniaturization strategies to control and devise at nanometric precision their size, shape, structure and composition. Herein, we also establish the experimental conditions to grow Mn-based nanowires (NWs), nanotubes (NTs), nanoribbons (NRs), nanosaws (NSs), nanoparticles (NPs) and nanocomposites (NCs) via chemical/physical deposition and co-precipitation chemical routes, and determine the pertinent arrangements to our experimental schemes in order to extend our bottom-up approaches towards the fabrication of different types of functional MBNs. Likewise, strategic procedures that advance the facile integration of these self-assembled nanostructures with carbon-based and magnetic/optical materials, chalcogenides, oxides, and ferroics are widely analyzed and discussed. Furthermore, we present the attractive peculiarities of three versatile MBN systems (bridging the gap between their advantageous properties and the lack of methods for their fabrication): single-crystal saw-like MnS NRs, and single-crystal MnS NWs conformally coated with carbon; doped rare-earth manganite NCs, and carbon NTs conformally coated with doped rare-earth manganite; and ZnS:Mn NPs, and Fe3O4/ZnS:Mn NCs. Concerning the applicative significance, the main features of these three systems obtained by our method are suitable to advance direct applications in nanotechnology. In this regard, this work represents a step ahead in the following areas: i) alternative anode materials to enhance the capacity and cycling performance of low-drain, long-life, low-cost, high-energy density light-weight and safer lithium-ion batteries; ii) promising luminescent materials to improve the optoelectronic performance of visible light emitters; iii) new elements for field-effect transistors that outperform the transport properties of conventional carbon-based channels; iv) bifunctional materials exhibiting optical response sensitive to external magnetic fields vital for DMS; v) novel types of nanocantilevers useful for nanosensors and nanotweezers; vi) unique multiferroics materials that exhibit magnetoelectric coupling at room temperature for spintronics; vii) potential core-shell materials showing stress-free and protective carbon shells for shock-resistance semiconductors; and viii) high-quality ceramics useful as starting materials to deposit films by pulsed laser deposition, sputtering and thermal evaporation techniques.

Magnetron sputtering in the creation of photonic nanostructures derived from Sasakia Charonda Formosana-butterfly wings for applied in dye-sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niu, Haihong; Zhou, Ru; Cheng, Cong; Zhang, Gonghai; Hu, Yu; Huang, Bin; Zhang, Shouwei; Shang, Xin; Xia, Mei; Xu, Jinzhang

2016-09-01

Creating new functional materials derived from the structures seen on butterfly wings has achieved interest in a variety of research topics. However, there need a concision approach could result in a high-quality, precise, and convenient process for the fabrication of complex nanostructures replication with unique functionalities based on the butterfly wings. Here we developed a pithy approach based on a magnetron sputtering metal Ti process for biotemplating used to refine hierarchically porous titanium dioxide photonic crystal nanostructures (TiO2sbnd PCN), themselves derived from nanostructures present on the wings of Sasakia Charonda Formosana (S. Charonda) butterflies. For the first time, the TiO2sbnd PCN were deposited on the top of the P25 active layer and were used to fabricate DSSCs as the light-scattering layers of photoanodes with power conversion efficiencies of up to 8.7%. Remarkably, a much enhanced photocurrent density and a prominent photoelectrochemical conversion capability have been achieved, which are exceeding most of the previously reported photoanodes as well as a similar butterflies replication-based device structure. Our study suggests many exciting opportunities of developing artificially engineered butterfly wing-based solar-to-fuel conversion.

Nucleic acid-based nanoengineering: novel structures for biomedical applications

PubMed Central

Li, Hanying; LaBean, Thomas H.; Leong, Kam W.

2011-01-01

Nanoengineering exploits the interactions of materials at the nanometre scale to create functional nanostructures. It relies on the precise organization of nanomaterials to achieve unique functionality. There are no interactions more elegant than those governing nucleic acids via Watson–Crick base-pairing rules. The infinite combinations of DNA/RNA base pairs and their remarkable molecular recognition capability can give rise to interesting nanostructures that are only limited by our imagination. Over the past years, creative assembly of nucleic acids has fashioned a plethora of two-dimensional and three-dimensional nanostructures with precisely controlled size, shape and spatial functionalization. These nanostructures have been precisely patterned with molecules, proteins and gold nanoparticles for the observation of chemical reactions at the single molecule level, activation of enzymatic cascade and novel modality of photonic detection, respectively. Recently, they have also been engineered to encapsulate and release bioactive agents in a stimulus-responsive manner for therapeutic applications. The future of nucleic acid-based nanoengineering is bright and exciting. In this review, we will discuss the strategies to control the assembly of nucleic acids and highlight the recent efforts to build functional nucleic acid nanodevices for nanomedicine. PMID:23050076

Photonics of 2D gold nanolayers on sapphire surface

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

Muslimov, A. E., E-mail: amuslimov@mail.ru; Butashin, A. V.; Nabatov, B. V.

Gold layers with thicknesses of up to several nanometers, including ordered and disordered 2D nanostructures of gold particles, have been formed on sapphire substrates; their morphology is described; and optical investigations are carried out. The possibility of increasing the accuracy of predicting the optical properties of gold layers and 2D nanostructures using quantum-mechanical models based on functional density theory calculation techniques is considered. The application potential of the obtained materials in photonics is estimated.

A review of electrode materials for electrochemical supercapacitors.

PubMed

Wang, Guoping; Zhang, Lei; Zhang, Jiujun

2012-01-21

In this critical review, metal oxides-based materials for electrochemical supercapacitor (ES) electrodes are reviewed in detail together with a brief review of carbon materials and conducting polymers. Their advantages, disadvantages, and performance in ES electrodes are discussed through extensive analysis of the literature, and new trends in material development are also reviewed. Two important future research directions are indicated and summarized, based on results published in the literature: the development of composite and nanostructured ES materials to overcome the major challenge posed by the low energy density of ES (476 references).

Nanostructured pseudocapacitive materials decorated 3D graphene foam electrodes for next generation supercapacitors.

PubMed

Patil, Umakant; Lee, Su Chan; Kulkarni, Sachin; Sohn, Ji Soo; Nam, Min Sik; Han, Suhyun; Jun, Seong Chan

2015-04-28

Nowadays, advancement in performance of proficient multifarious electrode materials lies conclusively at the core of research concerning energy storage devices. To accomplish superior capacitance performance the requirements of high capacity, better cyclic stability and good rate capability can be expected from integration of electrochemical double layer capacitor based carbonaceous materials (high power density) and pseudocapacitive based metal hydroxides/oxides or conducting polymers (high energy density). The envisioned three dimensional (3D) graphene foams are predominantly advantageous to extend potential applicability by offering a large active surface area and a highly conductive continuous porous network for fast charge transfer with decoration of nanosized pseudocapacitive materials. In this article, we review the latest methodologies and performance evaluation for several 3D graphene based metal oxides/hydroxides and conducting polymer electrodes with improved electrochemical properties for next-generation supercapacitors. The most recent research advancements of our and other groups in the field of 3D graphene based electrode materials for supercapacitors are discussed. To assess the studied materials fully, a careful interpretation and rigorous scrutiny of their electrochemical characteristics is essential. Auspiciously, both nano-structuration as well as confinement of metal hydroxides/oxides and conducting polymers onto a conducting porous 3D graphene matrix play a great role in improving the performance of electrodes mainly due to: (i) active material access over large surface area with fast charge transportation; (ii) synergetic effect of electric double layer and pseudocapacitive based charge storing.

Free-volume characterization of nanostructurized substances by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shpotyuk, O.; Ingram, A.; Shpotyuk, Ya.

2018-02-01

Methodological possibilities of positron annihilation lifetime (PAL) spectroscopy are examined to parameterize free-volume structural evolution processes in some nanostructurized substances obeying conversion from positronium (Ps) decaying to positron trapping. Unlike conventional x3-term fitting analysis based on admixed positron trapping and Ps decaying, the effect of nanostructurization is considered as occurring due to conversion from preferential Ps decaying in initial host matrix to positron trapping in modified (nanostructurized) host-guest matrix. The developed approach referred to as x3-x2-CDA (coupling decomposition algorithm) allows estimation defect-free bulk and defect-specific positron lifetimes of free-volume elements responsible for nanostructurization. The applicability of this approach is proved for some nanostructurized materials allowing free-volume changes through Ps-to-positron trapping conversion, such as (i) metallic Ag nanoparticles embedded in polymer matrix, (ii) structure-modification processes caused by swift heavy ions irradiation in polystyrene, and (iii) host-guest chemistry problems like water immersion in alumomagnesium spinel ceramics. This approach is considered to be used as test-indicator, separating processes of host-matrix nanostructurization due to embedded nanoparticles from uncorrelated changes in positron-trapping and Ps-decaying channels.

Efficient broadband energy detection from the visible to near-infrared using a plasmon FET.

PubMed

Cho, Seongman; Ciappesoni, Mark A; Allen, Monica S; Allen, Jeffery W; Leedy, Kevin D; Wenner, Brett R; Kim, Sung Jin

2018-04-11

Plasmon based field effect transistors (FETs) can be used to convert energy induced by incident optical radiation to electrical energy. Plasmonic FETs can efficiently detect incident light and amplify it by coupling to resonant plasmonic modes thus improving selectivity and signal to noise ratio. The spectral responses can be tailored both through optimization of nanostructure geometry as well as constitutive materials. In this paper, we studied various plasmonic nanostructures using gold for a wideband spectral response from visible to near-infrared. We show, using empirical data and simulation results, that detection loss exponentially increases as the volume of metal nanostructure increases and also a limited spectral response is possible using gold nanostructures in a plasmon to electric conversion device. Finally, we demonstrate a plasmon FET that offers a broadband spectral response from visible to telecommunication wavelengths.

Current Advances in Lanthanide‐Doped Upconversion Nanostructures for Detection and Bioapplication

PubMed Central

Chen, Cailing

2016-01-01

Along with the development of science and technology, lanthanide‐doped upconversion nanostructures as a new type of materials have taken their place in the field of nanomaterials. Upconversion luminescence is a nonlinear optical phenomenon, which absorbs two or more photons and emits one photon. Compared with traditional luminescence materials, upconversion nanostructures have many advantages, such as weak background interference, long lifetime, low excitation energy, and strong tissue penetration. These interesting nanostructures can be applied in anticounterfeit, solar cell, detection, bioimaging, therapy, and so on. This review is focused on the current advances in lanthanide‐doped upconversion nanostructures, covering not only basic luminescence mechanism, synthesis, and modification methods but also the design and fabrication of upconversion nanostructures, like core–shell nanoparticles or nanocomposites. At last, this review emphasizes the application of upconversion nanostructure in detection and bioimaging and therapy. Learning more about the advances of upconversion nanostructures can help us better exploit their excellent performance and use them in practice. PMID:27840794

Nanotransfer and nanoreplication using deterministically grown sacrificial nanotemplates

DOEpatents

Melechko, Anatoli V [Oak Ridge, TN; McKnight, Timothy E. , Guillorn, Michael A.; Ilic, Bojan [Ithaca, NY; Merkulov, Vladimir I [Knoxville, TN; Doktycz, Mitchel J [Knoxville, TN; Lowndes, Douglas H [Knoxville, TN; Simpson, Michael L [Knoxville, TN

2011-05-17

Methods, manufactures, machines and compositions are described for nanotransfer and nanoreplication using deterministically grown sacrificial nanotemplates. A method includes depositing a catalyst particle on a surface of a substrate to define a deterministically located position; growing an aligned elongated nanostructure on the substrate, an end of the aligned elongated nanostructure coupled to the substrate at the deterministically located position; coating the aligned elongated nanostructure with a conduit material; removing a portion of the conduit material to expose the catalyst particle; removing the catalyst particle; and removing the elongated nanostructure to define a nanoconduit.

Preparation and Photocatalytic Activity of Potassium-Incorporated Titanium Oxide Nanostructures Produced by the Wet Corrosion Process Using Various Titanium Alloys

PubMed Central

Lee, So Yoon; Lee, Choong Hyun; Kim, Do Yun; Locquet, Jean-Pierre; Seo, Jin Won

2015-01-01

Nanostructured potassium-incorporated Ti-based oxides have attracted much attention because the incorporated potassium can influence their structural and physico-chemical properties. With the aim of tuning the structural and physical properties, we have demonstrated the wet corrosion process (WCP) as a simple method for nanostructure fabrication using various Ti-based materials, namely Ti–6Al–4V alloy (TAV), Ti–Ni (TN) alloy and pure Ti, which have 90%, 50% and 100% initial Ti content, respectively. We have systematically investigated the relationship between the Ti content in the initial metal and the precise condition of WCP to control the structural and physical properties of the resulting nanostructures. The WCP treatment involved various concentrations of KOH solutions. The precise conditions for producing K-incorporated nanostructured titanium oxide films (nTOFs) were strongly dependent on the Ti content of the initial metal. Ti and TAV yielded one-dimensional nanowires of K-incorporated nTOFs after treatment with 10 mol/L-KOH solution, whereas TN required a higher concentration (20 mol/L-KOH solution) to produce comparable nanostructures. The obtained nanostructures revealed a blue-shift in UV absorption spectra due to the quantum confinement effects. A significant enhancement of the photocatalytic activity was observed via the chromomeric change and the intermediate formation of methylene blue molecules under UV irradiation. This study demonstrates the WCP as a simple, versatile and scalable method for the production of nanostructured K-incorporated nTOFs to be used as high-performance photocatalysts for environmental and energy applications. PMID:28347071

Nanostructured TiOx as a catalyst support material for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, Richard S.

Recent interest in the development of new catalyst support materials for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) has stimulated research into the viability of TiO2-based support structures. Specifically, substoichiometric TiO2 (TiOx) has been reported to exhibit a combination of high conductivity, stability, and corrosion resistance. These properties make TiOx-based support materials a promising prospect when considering the inferior corrosion resistance of traditional carbon-based supports. This document presents an investigation into the formation of conductive and stable TiOx thin films employing atomic layer deposition (ALD) and a post deposition oxygen reducing anneal (PDORA). Techniques for manufacturing TiOx-based catalyst support nanostructures by means of ALD in conjunction with carbon black (CB), anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) and silicon nanowires (SiNWs) will also be presented. The composition and thickness of resulting TiOx thin films was determined with the aid of Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Film crystal structure was determined with X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Film conductivity was calculated using four-point probe (4-PP) and film thickness measurement data. Resulting thin films show a significant decrease of oxygen in ALD TiOx films corresponding with a great increase in conductivity following the PDORA. The effectiveness of the PDORA was also found to be highly dependent on ALD process parameters. TiOx-based nanostructures were coated with platinum using one of three Pt deposition techniques. First, liquid phase deposition (LPD), which was performed at room temperature, provided equal access to catalyst support material surfaces which were suspended in solution. Second, plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD), which was performed at 450°C, provided good Pt particle dispersion and particle size controllability. Third, physical vapor deposition (PVD), which was also performed at room temperature, was used as a low temperature vapor-phase deposition technique for comparison with PEALD Pt coated materials. The temperature of the Pt deposition technique is an important parameter to consider due to the potential adverse effects of the strong metal support interaction (SMSI) which may take place at temperatures above 200°C. Platinum coated nanostructures were analyzed electrochemically using cyclic voltammetry (CV), rotating disk electrode (RDE) and accelerated stress tests (ASTs). CV and RDE results generally show that platinum activity values are initially not as high as those typically observed for platinum on carbon; however, AST results indicate that TiO x-based materials are much more stable long-term and hence their level of activity is likely to overtake traditional platinum on carbon materials in a PEMFC system.

Infrared Active Sm1-xndxnio3 Based Nano-Switchings For High Powers Laser Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ngom, B. D.; Kana, J. B. Kana; Nemraoui, O.; Manyala, N.; Maaza, M.; Mdjoe, R.; Beye, A. C.

2008-09-01

This contribution was targeted to engineer novel thermochromic infrared nano-structured photonics. These smart optically tuneable materials are based on rare earth nickelates in the form of ReNiO3 where Re is bi-solution of rare earth metals of Samarium "Sm" and Neodynium "Nd." In addition to their Metal-Insulator tuneable transition temperature (MIT), these MIT oxide family exhibit a specific thermal stability and thus could be ideal to an ultimate optical limiting and other Non-Linear Optical properties for high power laser sources. This MIT thermochomic ReNiO3 system is novel in its nano-structured form and has not been investigated from nonlinear optical viewpoint. This contribution reports on the optimization of the synthesis of Sm1-xNdxNiO3 Nano-structures and investigation of their corresponding MIT electron dynamics.

Three-dimensional nanostructure determination from a large diffraction data set recorded using scanning electron nanodiffraction.

PubMed

Meng, Yifei; Zuo, Jian-Min

2016-09-01

A diffraction-based technique is developed for the determination of three-dimensional nanostructures. The technique employs high-resolution and low-dose scanning electron nanodiffraction (SEND) to acquire three-dimensional diffraction patterns, with the help of a special sample holder for large-angle rotation. Grains are identified in three-dimensional space based on crystal orientation and on reconstructed dark-field images from the recorded diffraction patterns. Application to a nanocrystalline TiN thin film shows that the three-dimensional morphology of columnar TiN grains of tens of nanometres in diameter can be reconstructed using an algebraic iterative algorithm under specified prior conditions, together with their crystallographic orientations. The principles can be extended to multiphase nanocrystalline materials as well. Thus, the tomographic SEND technique provides an effective and adaptive way of determining three-dimensional nanostructures.

Scaling behavior of the thermal conductivity of width-modulated nanowires and nanofilms for heat transfer control at the nanoscale.

PubMed

Zianni, Xanthippi; Jean, Valentin; Termentzidis, Konstantinos; Lacroix, David

2014-11-21

We report on scaling behavior of the thermal conductivity of width-modulated nanowires and nanofilms that have been studied with the phonon Monte Carlo technique. It has been found that the reduction of the thermal conductivity scales with the nanostructure transmissivity, a property entirely determined by the modulation geometry, irrespectively of the material choice. Tuning of the thermal conductivity is possible by the nanostructure width-modulation without strict limitations for the modulation profile. In addition, a very significant constriction thermal resistance due to width-discontinuity has been identified, in analogy to the contact thermal resistance between two dissimilar materials. The constriction thermal resistance also scales with the modulated nanostructure transmissivity. Our conclusions are generic indicating that a wide range of materials can be used for the modulated nanostructures. Direct heat flow control can be provided by designing the nanostructure width-modulation.

Printed Biopolymer-Based Electro-Optic Device Components

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-07-01

devices and fabricated e-beam lithography-based master molds. Printed micro and nanostructures using a newly developed spin-on nanoprinting (SNAP...polymeric materials. Among the natural biopolymers , deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is an attractive material which can be used to make electronic and...photonic devices [2, 3]. If patterned on the micro and nanoscale using a soft lithography technique, high quality biodegradable optical devices can be

Monolayer graphene on nanostructured Ag for enhancement of surface-enhanced Raman scattering stable platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Zhigao; Mei, Fei; Xiao, Xiangheng; Liao, Lei; Wu, Wei; Zhang, Yupeng; Ying, Jianjian; Wang, Lingbo; Ren, Feng; Jiang, Changzhong

2015-03-01

We have reported that the Ag nanostructure-based substrate is particularly suitable for surface-enhanced Raman scattering when it is coated with monolayer graphene, an optically transparent and chemistry-inertness material in the visible range. Ag bowtie nanoantenna arrays and Ag nanogrids were fabricated using plasma-assisted nanosphere lithography. Our measurements show that atmospheric sulfur containing compounds are powerless to break in the monolayer graphene to vulcanize the surfaces of the Ag bowtie nanoantenna arrays and Ag nanogrids by various means, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Furthermore, the Ag nanostructure substrate coated with the monolayer graphene film shows a larger enhancement of Raman activity and the electromagnetic field than the uncoated substrate. Compared with those of bare Ag nanostructures, the averaged EFs of graphene-film-coated Ag nanostructures were estimated to be about 21 and 5 for Ag bowtie nanoantenna arrays and nanogrids after one month later in air, respectively. These observations are further supported by theoretical calculations.

Copper nanowire-graphene core-shell nanostructure for highly stable transparent conducting electrodes.

PubMed

Ahn, Yumi; Jeong, Youngjun; Lee, Donghwa; Lee, Youngu

2015-03-24

A copper nanowire-graphene (CuNW-G) core-shell nanostructure was successfully synthesized using a low-temperature plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition process at temperatures as low as 400 °C for the first time. The CuNW-G core-shell nanostructure was systematically characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. A transparent conducting electrode (TCE) based on the CuNW-G core-shell nanostructure exhibited excellent optical and electrical properties compared to a conventional indium tin oxide TCE. Moreover, it showed remarkable thermal oxidation and chemical stability because of the tight encapsulation of the CuNW with gas-impermeable graphene shells. The potential suitability of CuNW-G TCE was demonstrated by fabricating bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells. We anticipate that the CuNW-G core-shell nanostructure can be used as an alternative to conventional TCE materials for emerging optoelectronic devices such as flexible solar cells, displays, and touch panels.

Replication of surface nano-structure of the wing of dragonfly ( Pantala Flavescens) using nano-molding and UV nanoimprint lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Joong-Yeon; Kim, Gyutae; Kim, Sungwook; Lee, Heon

2013-07-01

The hydrophobicity of a dragonfly's wing originates from the naturally occurring nano-structure on its surface. The nano-structure on a dragonfly's wing consists of an array of nano-sized pillars, 100 nm in diameter. We re-create this hydrophobicity on various substrates, such as Si, glass, curved acrylic polymer, and flexible PET film, by replicating the nano-structure using UV curable nano-imprint lithography (NIL) and PDMS molding. The success of the nano-structure duplication was confirmed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The hydrophobicity was measured by water-based contact angle measurements. The water contact angle of the replica made of UV cured polymer was 135° ± 2°, which was slightly lower than that of the original dragonfly's wing (145° ± 2°), but much higher than that of the UV cured polymer surface without any nano-sized pillars (80°). The hydrophobicity was further improved by applying a coating of Teflon-like material.

Electronic and optoelectronic nano-devices based on carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Scarselli, M; Castrucci, P; De Crescenzi, M

2012-08-08

The discovery and understanding of nanoscale phenomena and the assembly of nanostructures into different devices are among the most promising fields of material science research. In this scenario, carbon nanostructures have a special role since, in having only one chemical element, they allow physical properties to be calculated with high precision for comparison with experiment. Carbon nanostructures, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in particular, have such remarkable electronic and structural properties that they are used as active building blocks for a large variety of nanoscale devices. We review here the latest advances in research involving carbon nanotubes as active components in electronic and optoelectronic nano-devices. Opportunities for future research are also identified.

Nanostructured materials with plasmonic nanobiosensors for early cancer detection: A past and future prospect.

PubMed

Sugumaran, Sathish; Jamlos, Mohd Faizal; Ahmad, Mohd Noor; Bellan, Chandar Shekar; Schreurs, Dominique

2018-02-15

Early cancer detection and treatment is an emerging and fascinating field of plasmonic nanobiosensor research. It paves to enrich a life without affecting living cells leading to a possible survival of the patient. This review describes a past and future prospect of an integrated research field on nanostructured metamaterials, microwave transmission, surface plasmonic resonance, nanoantennas, and their manifested versatile properties with nano-biosensors towards early cancer detection to preserve human health. Interestingly, (i) microwave transmission shows more advantages than other electromagnetic radiation in reacting with biological tissues, (ii) nanostructured metamaterial (Au) with special properties like size and shape can stimulate plasmonic effects, (iii) plasmonic based nanobiosensors are to explore the efficacy for early cancer tumour detection or single molecular detection and (iv) nanoantenna wireless communication by using microwave inverse scattering nanomesh (MISN) technique instead of conventional techniques can be adopted to characterize the microwave scattered signals from the biomarkers. It reveals that the nanostructured material with plasmonic nanobiosensor paves a fascinating platform towards early detection of cancer tumour and is anticipated to be exploited as a magnificent field in the future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electron Microscopic and Spectroscopic Characterization for Soot Source Differentiation by Laser Derivatization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaddam, Chethan K.

Combustion produced soot is highly variable with nanostructure and chemistry dependent upon combustion conditions and fuel. Previous studies have shown soot nanostructure to be dependent upon the source via quantification of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images for nanostructural parameters. In principle this permits identification of the soot source and its contribution to any particular receptor site. Yet many structural aspects are subtle, and the chemistry of lamellae is unaddressed for reasons of poorly resolved or differentiated nanostructure and insufficient sample quantity for traditional analytical methods. This characterization gap then leads to the formative question prompting this study: how best to bring out small differences in nanostructure and other seemingly subtle differences in chemistry? A process of pulsed laser annealing is proposed to highlight compositional and structural differences thereby distinctively and uniquely identifying the source of the soot. The operative premise being that small variations in nanostructure and unresolved differences in chemistry exist and are specific to the particular combustion process. The overall goal is then to develop the laser-based heating as an analytical tool by identifying the process conditions and operational parameters for optimal derivatization. Specific objectives directed towards achieving this goal include: 1) Identifying optimal laser operational parameters for derivatization. 2) Defining the dependence upon nanostructure and molecular composition using model soots while also identifying variability and range of outcomes. 3) Demonstrating differentiation upon combustion derived soots from real engines, e.g. diesel, gasoline, gas-turbines, combustors, etc. 4) Applying image processing algorithms to the laser heated soots to quantify and differentiate the transformed carbon nanostructures. For laser derivatization, a sample-housing chamber was custom built using a commercial optical grade quartz tube. Depending on the sample quantity, two different sample support systems were designed. Soot was laser-heated while in an inert (Ar) atmosphere using a pulsed Nd:YAG laser operating at 1064 nm. A laser beam dimension of ca 9 mm in diameter ensured that the entire sample area received uniform irradiation. To identify the optimal laser fluence, pulsed laser heating was applied at three different laser fluences to three carbon samples. Laser heating at these short timescales produced partially graphitized structures comprised of extended graphitic layers (>1 nm), and voids as material is rearranged. While laser heating the material with additional pulses did further graphitize the material, multiple pulses were not particularly beneficial for laser derivatization as this repetitive exposure decreased the degree of differentiation between the test samples. Based on visual HRTEM observations and quantified fringe analysis, a single pulse laser fluence of 250 mJ/cm2 (˜2800 K, determined from multiwavelength pyrommetry) produced the best derivatization without causing fragmentation or material ablation. For demonstrating the uniqueness of the laser-derivatized (nano)structure as dependent upon source and combustion conditions, the laser derivatization technique was validated by comparing different synthetic carbons, selected soots from transportation and residential combustion sources, and laboratory flames, each with recognizable nanostructure. After laser heating, the direction of nanostructure evolution of the synthetic carbons (possessing C:H > 10:1) appeared to be governed by their initial nanostructure as shown by HRTEM images. As illustration of chemistry's role, though nascent R250 carbon black showed structural similarity across multiple particles, laser heating led to either hollow shells or particles with internal structures. These differences were attributed to the chemistry of construction, i.e., the sp2/sp 3 bonding as quantified by electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), showing significant differences between particles as large as 60%. The nanostructure of soots from different transportation sources (such as diesel, jet and gasoline engines) evolved distinctively upon laser annealing. Laser derivatization of soot collected from same platform (engine-type) revealed that fuel commonality leads to similar nanostructure for the same class of combustion source, whereas, fuel dependence and ensuing chemistry differences were prominently illustrated by comparison of laser-annealed soots originating from ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) and an oxygenated fuel blend. The origin for this dependence was identified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), revealing a significantly lower sp2/sp3 carbon bonding for the oxygenated fuels compared to their pure hydrocarbon fuels. As another example, laser annealing of residential boiler soot produced highly intertwined lamellae; this was attributed to inherent chemistry differences relative to the biodiesel (B100) soot that similarly lacked recognizable nanostructure. These observations suggest that the initial soot nanostructure in conjunction with the chemistry of construction governs the material transformation under pulsed laser annealing. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.).

Using cell structures to develop functional nanomaterials and nanostructures--case studies of actin filaments and microtubules.

PubMed

Wu, Kevin Chia-Wen; Yang, Chung-Yao; Cheng, Chao-Min

2014-04-25

This article is based on the continued development of biologically relevant elements (i.e., actin filaments and microtubules in living cells) as building blocks to create functional nanomaterials and nanostructures that can then be used to manufacture nature-inspired small-scale devices or systems. Here, we summarize current progress in the field and focus specifically on processes characterized by (1) robustness and ease of use, (2) inexpensiveness, and (3) potential expandability to mass production. This article, we believe, will provide scientists and engineers with a more comprehensive understanding of how to mine biological materials and natural design features to construct functional materials and devices.

Method of making nanopatterns and nanostructures and nanopatterned functional oxide materials

DOEpatents

Dravid, Vinayak P; Donthu, Suresh K; Pan, Zixiao

2014-02-11

Method for nanopatterning of inorganic materials, such as ceramic (e.g. metal oxide) materials, and organic materials, such as polymer materials, on a variety of substrates to form nanopatterns and/or nanostructures with control of dimensions and location, all without the need for etching the materials and without the need for re-alignment between multiple patterning steps in forming nanostructures, such as heterostructures comprising multiple materials. The method involves patterning a resist-coated substrate using electron beam lithography, removing a portion of the resist to provide a patterned resist-coated substrate, and spin coating the patterned resist-coated substrate with a liquid precursor, such as a sol precursor, of the inorganic or organic material. The remaining resist is removed and the spin coated substrate is heated at an elevated temperature to crystallize the deposited precursor material.

Controlled Fabrication of Functional Capsules Based on the Synergistic Interaction between Polyphenols and MOFs under Weak Basic Condition.

PubMed

Wang, Hui; Zhu, Wei; Ping, Yuan; Wang, Chen; Gao, Ning; Yin, Xianpeng; Gu, Chen; Ding, Dan; Brinker, C Jeffrey; Li, Guangtao

2017-04-26

Metal-organic coordination materials with controllable nanostructures are of widespread interest due to the coupled benefits of inorganic/organic building blocks and desired architectures. In this work, based on the finding of a synergistic interaction between metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and natural polyphenols under weak basic condition, a facile strategy has been developed for directly fabricating diverse phenolic-inspired functional materials or metal-phenolic frameworks (MPFs) with controlled hollow nanostructures (polyhedral core-shell, rattle-like, hollow cage, etc.) and controllable size, morphology, and roughness, as well as composition. By further incorporating the diverse functionalities of polyphenols such as low toxicity and therapeutic properties, catalytic activity, and ability to serve as carbon precursors, into the novel assemblies, diverse artificially designed nanoarchitectures with target functionalities have been generated for an array of applications.

Magnetic nanostructuring and overcoming Brown's paradox to realize extraordinary high-temperature energy products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balasubramanian, Balamurugan; Mukherjee, Pinaki; Skomski, Ralph; Manchanda, Priyanka; Das, Bhaskar; Sellmyer, David J.

2014-09-01

Nanoscience has been one of the outstanding driving forces in technology recently, arguably more so in magnetism than in any other branch of science and technology. Due to nanoscale bit size, a single computer hard disk is now able to store the text of 3,000,000 average-size books, and today's high-performance permanent magnets--found in hybrid cars, wind turbines, and disk drives--are nanostructured to a large degree. The nanostructures ideally are designed from Co- and Fe-rich building blocks without critical rare-earth elements, and often are required to exhibit high coercivity and magnetization at elevated temperatures of typically up to 180 °C for many important permanent-magnet applications. Here we achieve this goal in exchange-coupled hard-soft composite films by effective nanostructuring of high-anisotropy HfCo7 nanoparticles with a high-magnetization Fe65Co35 phase. An analysis based on a model structure shows that the soft-phase addition improves the performance of the hard-magnetic material by mitigating Brown's paradox in magnetism, a substantial reduction of coercivity from the anisotropy field. The nanostructures exhibit a high room-temperature energy product of about 20.3 MGOe (161.5 kJ/m3), which is a record for a rare earth- or Pt-free magnetic material and retain values as high as 17.1 MGOe (136.1 kJ/m3) at 180°C.

Universal method for creating optically active nanostructures on layered materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kidd, Tim; He, Rui; Stollenwerk, Andrew; Oshea, Aaron; Beck, Ben; Spurgeon, Kyle; Gu, Genda

2014-03-01

We report a new method for the creating of nanostructures using a scanning electron microscope. Residual organic molecules on the surface of layered materials can be excited by electron beam radiation to burrow into the open spaces between the layers of these materials, and then are broken down further to form photoluminescent carbon nanoclusters. Surface characterization by atomic force microscopy shows the surface is nearly undamaged at the molecular level by this process, and a lack of nanostructure formation in non-layered materials confirms that the structures are created by sub-surface incorporation. The presence of carbon nanoclusters was determined by Raman Spectroscopy and photoluminescence in the visible light range. The nanostructures are react strongly to visible light, making them readily apparent using an optical microscope even for features measuring only a few nanometers tall. This technique can be used on apparently any layered material, with successful results on dichalcogenides, topological insulators, graphite, and high temperature copper oxide superconductors. This technique can create patterned nanostructures with vertical resolution at the nanometer scale and lateral resolution of tens of nanometers depending on beam spot size. This work is funded by University of Northern Iowa, NSF #DMR-1206530, and DOE #DE-AC02-98CH10886.

Electron mean-free-path filtering in Dirac material for improved thermoelectric performance.

PubMed

Liu, Te-Huan; Zhou, Jiawei; Li, Mingda; Ding, Zhiwei; Song, Qichen; Liao, Bolin; Fu, Liang; Chen, Gang

2018-01-30

Recent advancements in thermoelectric materials have largely benefited from various approaches, including band engineering and defect optimization, among which the nanostructuring technique presents a promising way to improve the thermoelectric figure of merit ( zT ) by means of reducing the characteristic length of the nanostructure, which relies on the belief that phonons' mean free paths (MFPs) are typically much longer than electrons'. Pushing the nanostructure sizes down to the length scale dictated by electron MFPs, however, has hitherto been overlooked as it inevitably sacrifices electrical conduction. Here we report through ab initio simulations that Dirac material can overcome this limitation. The monotonically decreasing trend of the electron MFP allows filtering of long-MFP electrons that are detrimental to the Seebeck coefficient, leading to a dramatically enhanced power factor. Using SnTe as a material platform, we uncover this MFP filtering effect as arising from its unique nonparabolic Dirac band dispersion. Room-temperature zT can be enhanced by nearly a factor of 3 if one designs nanostructures with grain sizes of ∼10 nm. Our work broadens the scope of the nanostructuring approach for improving the thermoelectric performance, especially for materials with topologically nontrivial electronic dynamics.

Trade-off between Photon Management Efficacy and Material Quality in Thin-Film Solar Cells on Nanostructured Substrates of High Aspect Ratio Structures

DOE PAGES

Chin, Alan; Keshavarz, Majid; Wang, Qi

2018-04-13

Although texturing of the transparent electrode of thin-film solar cells has long been used to enhance light absorption via light trapping, such texturing has involved low aspect ratio features. With the recent development of nanotechnology, nanostructured substrates enable improved light trapping and enhanced optical absorption via resonances, a process known as photon management, in thin-film solar cells. Despite the progress made in the development of photon management in thin-film solar cells using nanostructures substrates, the structural integrity of the thin-film solar cells deposited onto such nanostructured substrates is rarely considered. Here, we report the observation of the reduction in themore » open circuit voltage of amorphous silicon solar cells deposited onto a nanostructured substrate with increasing areal number density of high aspect ratio structures. For a nanostructured substrate with the areal number density of such nanostructures increasing in correlation with the distance from one edge of the substrate, a correlation between the open circuit voltage reduction and the increase of the areal number density of high aspect ratio nanostructures of the front electrode of the small-size amorphous silicon solar cells deposited onto different regions of the substrate with graded nanostructure density indicates the effect of the surface morphology on the material quality, i.e., a trade-off between photon management efficacy and material quality. Lastly, this observed trade-off highlights the importance of optimizing the morphology of the nanostructured substrate to ensure conformal deposition of the thin-film solar cell.« less

Trade-off between Photon Management Efficacy and Material Quality in Thin-Film Solar Cells on Nanostructured Substrates of High Aspect Ratio Structures

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

Chin, Alan; Keshavarz, Majid; Wang, Qi

Although texturing of the transparent electrode of thin-film solar cells has long been used to enhance light absorption via light trapping, such texturing has involved low aspect ratio features. With the recent development of nanotechnology, nanostructured substrates enable improved light trapping and enhanced optical absorption via resonances, a process known as photon management, in thin-film solar cells. Despite the progress made in the development of photon management in thin-film solar cells using nanostructures substrates, the structural integrity of the thin-film solar cells deposited onto such nanostructured substrates is rarely considered. Here, we report the observation of the reduction in themore » open circuit voltage of amorphous silicon solar cells deposited onto a nanostructured substrate with increasing areal number density of high aspect ratio structures. For a nanostructured substrate with the areal number density of such nanostructures increasing in correlation with the distance from one edge of the substrate, a correlation between the open circuit voltage reduction and the increase of the areal number density of high aspect ratio nanostructures of the front electrode of the small-size amorphous silicon solar cells deposited onto different regions of the substrate with graded nanostructure density indicates the effect of the surface morphology on the material quality, i.e., a trade-off between photon management efficacy and material quality. Lastly, this observed trade-off highlights the importance of optimizing the morphology of the nanostructured substrate to ensure conformal deposition of the thin-film solar cell.« less

An Array of Layers in Silicon Sulfides: Chain-like and Ground State Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alonso-Lanza, Tomás; Ayuela, Andrés; Aguilera-Granja, Faustino

While much is known about isoelectronic materials related to carbon nanostructures, such as boron nitride layers and nanotubes, rather less is known about equivalent silicon based materials. Following the recent discovery of phosphorene, we here discuss isoelectronic silicon monosulfide monolayers. We describe a set of anisotropic ground state structures that clearly have a high stability with respect to the near isotropic silicon monosulfide monolayers. The source of the layer anisotropy is related to the presence of Si-S double chains linked by some Si-Si covalent bonds, which lie at the core of the increased stability, together with a remarkable spd hybridization on Si. The involvement of d orbitals brings more variety to silicon-sulfide based nanostructures that are isoelectronic to phosphorene, which could be relevant for future applications, adding extra degrees of freedom. Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness MINECO, Basque Government (ETORTEK Program 2014), University of the Basque Country (GrantGrant No. IT-366-07) and MPC Material Physics Center - San Sebastián.

Block copolymer based composition and morphology control in nanostructured hybrid materials for energy conversion and storage: solar cells, batteries, and fuel cells.

PubMed

Orilall, M Christopher; Wiesner, Ulrich

2011-02-01

The development of energy conversion and storage devices is at the forefront of research geared towards a sustainable future. However, there are numerous issues that prevent the widespread use of these technologies including cost, performance and durability. These limitations can be directly related to the materials used. In particular, the design and fabrication of nanostructured hybrid materials is expected to provide breakthroughs for the advancement of these technologies. This tutorial review will highlight block copolymers as an emerging and powerful yet affordable tool to structure-direct such nanomaterials with precise control over structural dimensions, composition and spatial arrangement of materials in composites. After providing an introduction to materials design and current limitations, the review will highlight some of the most recent examples of block copolymer structure-directed nanomaterials for photovoltaics, batteries and fuel cells. In each case insights are provided into the various underlying fundamental chemical, thermodynamic and kinetic formation principles enabling general and relatively inexpensive wet-polymer chemistry methodologies for the efficient creation of multiscale functional materials. Examples include nanostructured ceramics, ceramic-carbon composites, ceramic-carbon-metal composites and metals with morphologies ranging from hexagonally arranged cylinders to three-dimensional bi-continuous cubic networks. The review ends with an outlook towards the synthesis of multicomponent and hierarchical multifunctional hybrid materials with different nano-architectures from self-assembly of higher order blocked macromolecules which may ultimately pave the way for the further development of energy conversion and storage devices.

Chemically Integrated Inorganic-Graphene Two-Dimensional Hybrid Materials for Flexible Energy Storage Devices.

PubMed

Peng, Lele; Zhu, Yue; Li, Hongsen; Yu, Guihua

2016-12-01

State-of-the-art energy storage devices are capable of delivering reasonably high energy density (lithium ion batteries) or high power density (supercapacitors). There is an increasing need for these power sources with not only superior electrochemical performance, but also exceptional flexibility. Graphene has come on to the scene and advancements are being made in integration of various electrochemically active compounds onto graphene or its derivatives so as to utilize their flexibility. Many innovative synthesis techniques have led to novel graphene-based hybrid two-dimensional nanostructures. Here, the chemically integrated inorganic-graphene hybrid two-dimensional materials and their applications for energy storage devices are examined. First, the synthesis and characterization of different kinds of inorganic-graphene hybrid nanostructures are summarized, and then the most relevant applications of inorganic-graphene hybrid materials in flexible energy storage devices are reviewed. The general design rules of using graphene-based hybrid 2D materials for energy storage devices and their current limitations and future potential to advance energy storage technologies are also discussed. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Engineering of high performance supercapacitor electrode based on Fe-Ni/Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}-NiO core/shell hybrid nanostructures

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

Singh, Ashutosh K., E-mail: ashuvishen@gmail.com, E-mail: aksingh@bose.res.in; Mandal, Kalyan

The present work reports on fabrication and supercapacitor applications of a core/shell Fe-Ni/Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}-NiO hybrid nanostructures (HNs) electrode. The core/shell Fe-Ni/Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}-NiO hybrid nanostructures have been fabricated through a two step method (nanowire fabrication and their controlled oxidation). The 1D hybrid nanostructure consists of highly porous shell layer (redox active materials NiO and Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}) and the conductive core (FeNi nanowire). Thus, the highly porous shell layer allows facile electrolyte diffusion as well as faster redox reaction kinetics; whereas the conductive FeNi nanowire core provides the proficient express way for electrons to travel to the current collector,more » which helps in the superior electrochemical performance. The core/shell Fe-Ni/Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}-NiO hybrid nanostructures electrode based supercapacitor shows very good electrochemical performances in terms of high specific capacitance nearly 1415 F g{sup −1} at a current density of 2.5 A g{sup −1}, excellent cycling stability and rate capability. The high quality electrochemical performance of core/shell hybrid nanostructures electrode shows its potential as an alternative electrode for forthcoming supercapacitor devices.« less

Flexible supercapacitors with high areal capacitance based on hierarchical carbon tubular nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Haitao; Su, Hai; Zhang, Lei; Zhang, Binbin; Chun, Fengjun; Chu, Xiang; He, Weidong; Yang, Weiqing

2016-11-01

Hierarchical structure design can greatly enhance the unique properties of primary material(s) but suffers from complicated preparation process and difficult self-assembly of materials with different dimensionalities. Here we report on the growth of single carbon tubular nanostructures with hierarchical structure (hCTNs) through a simple method based on direct conversion of carbon dioxide. Resorting to in-situ transformation and self-assembly of carbon micro/nano-structures, the obtained hCTNs are blood-like multichannel hierarchy composed of one large channel across the hCTNs and plenty of small branches connected to each other. Due to the unique pore structure and high surface area, these hCTN-based flexible supercapacitors possess the highest areal capacitance of ∼320 mF cm-2, as well as good rate-capability and excellent cycling stability (95% retention after 2500 cycles). It was established that this method can control the morphology, size, and density of hCTNs and effectively construct hCTNs well anchored to the various substrates. Our work unambiguously demonstrated the potential of hCTNs for large flexible supercapacitors and integrated energy management electronics.

One-dimension-based spatially ordered architectures for solar energy conversion.

PubMed

Liu, Siqi; Tang, Zi-Rong; Sun, Yugang; Colmenares, Juan Carlos; Xu, Yi-Jun

2015-08-07

The severe consequences of fossil fuel consumption have resulted in a need for alternative sustainable sources of energy. Conversion and storage of solar energy via a renewable method, such as photocatalysis, holds great promise as such an alternative. One-dimensional (1D) nanostructures have gained attention in solar energy conversion because they have a long axis to absorb incident sunlight yet a short radial distance for separation of photogenerated charge carriers. In particular, well-ordered spatially high dimensional architectures based on 1D nanostructures with well-defined facets or anisotropic shapes offer an exciting opportunity for bridging the gap between 1D nanostructures and the micro and macro world, providing a platform for integration of nanostructures on a larger and more manageable scale into high-performance solar energy conversion applications. In this review, we focus on the progress of photocatalytic solar energy conversion over controlled one-dimension-based spatially ordered architecture hybrids. Assembly and classification of these novel architectures are summarized, and we discuss the opportunity and future direction of integration of 1D materials into high-dimensional, spatially organized architectures, with a perspective toward improved collective performance in various artificial photoredox applications.

All-Dielectric Colored Metasurfaces with Silicon Mie Resonators.

PubMed

Proust, Julien; Bedu, Frédéric; Gallas, Bruno; Ozerov, Igor; Bonod, Nicolas

2016-08-23

The photonic resonances hosted by nanostructures provide vivid colors that can be used as color filters instead of organic colors and pigments in photodetectors and printing technology. Metallic nanostructures have been widely studied due to their ability to sustain surface plasmons that resonantly interact with light. Most of the metallic nanoparticles behave as point-like electric multipoles. However, the needs of an another degree of freedom to tune the color of the photonic nanostructure together with the use of a reliable and cost-effective material are growing. Here, we report a technique to imprint colored images based on silicon nanoparticles that host low-order electric and magnetic Mie resonances. The interplay between the electric and magnetic resonances leads to a large palette of colors. This all-dielectric fabrication technique offers the advantage to use cost-effective, reliable, and sustainable materials to provide vivid color spanning the whole visible spectrum. The interest and potential of this all-dielectric printing technique are highlighted by reproducing at a micrometer scale a Mondrian painting.

Nanostructured porous silicon-mediated drug delivery.

PubMed

Martín-Palma, Raúl J; Hernández-Montelongo, Jacobo; Torres-Costa, Vicente; Manso-Silván, Miguel; Muñoz-Noval, Álvaro

2014-08-01

The particular properties of nanostructured porous silicon (nanoPS) make it an attractive material for controlled and localized release of therapeutics within the body, aiming at increased efficacy and reduced risks of potential side effects. Since this is a rapidly evolving field as a consequence of the number of research groups involved, a critical review of the state of the art is necessary. In this work, the most promising and successful applications of nanoPS in the field of drug delivery are reviewed and discussed. Two key issues such as drug loading and release are also analyzed in detail. The development of multifunctional (hybrid) systems, aiming at imparting additional functionalities to the nanoPS particles such as luminescence, magnetic response and/or plasmonic effects (allowing simultaneous tracking and guiding), is also examined. Nanostructured materials based on silicon are promising platforms for pharmaceutical applications given their ability to degrade and low toxicity. However, a very limited number of clinical applications have been demonstrated so far.

Crystal phase-based epitaxial growth of hybrid noble metal nanostructures on 4H/fcc Au nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Qipeng; Wang, An-Liang; Gong, Yue; Hao, Wei; Cheng, Hongfei; Chen, Junze; Li, Bing; Yang, Nailiang; Niu, Wenxin; Wang, Jie; Yu, Yifu; Zhang, Xiao; Chen, Ye; Fan, Zhanxi; Wu, Xue-Jun; Chen, Jinping; Luo, Jun; Li, Shuzhou; Gu, Lin; Zhang, Hua

2018-03-01

Crystal-phase engineering offers opportunities for the rational design and synthesis of noble metal nanomaterials with unusual crystal phases that normally do not exist in bulk materials. However, it remains a challenge to use these materials as seeds to construct heterometallic nanostructures with desired crystal phases and morphologies for promising applications such as catalysis. Here, we report a strategy for the synthesis of binary and ternary hybrid noble metal nanostructures. Our synthesized crystal-phase heterostructured 4H/fcc Au nanowires enable the epitaxial growth of Ru nanorods on the 4H phase and fcc-twin boundary in Au nanowires, resulting in hybrid Au-Ru nanowires. Moreover, the method can be extended to the epitaxial growth of Rh, Ru-Rh and Ru-Pt nanorods on the 4H/fcc Au nanowires to form unique hybrid nanowires. Importantly, the Au-Ru hybrid nanowires with tunable compositions exhibit excellent electrocatalytic performance towards the hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline media.

Pressure-Responsive, Surfactant-Free CO2-Based Nanostructured Fluids

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Microemulsions are extensively used in advanced material and chemical processing. However, considerable amounts of surfactant are needed for their formulation, which is a drawback due to both economic and ecological reasons. Here, we describe the nanostructuration of recently discovered surfactant-free, carbon dioxide (CO2)-based microemulsion-like systems in a water/organic-solvent/CO2 pressurized ternary mixture. “Water-rich” nanodomains embedded into a “water-depleted” matrix have been observed and characterized by the combination of Raman spectroscopy, molecular dynamics simulations, and small-angle neutron scattering. These single-phase fluids show a reversible, pressure-responsive nanostructuration; the “water-rich” nanodomains at a given pressure can be instantaneously degraded/expanded by increasing/decreasing the pressure, resulting in a reversible, rapid, and homogeneous mixing/demixing of their content. This pressure-triggered responsiveness, together with other inherent features of these fluids, such as the absence of any contaminant in the ternary mixture (e.g., surfactant), their spontaneous formation, and their solvation capability (enabling the dissolution of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic molecules), make them appealing complex fluid systems to be used in molecular material processing and in chemical engineering. PMID:28846386

Chiral quantum dot based materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Govan, Joseph; Loudon, Alexander; Baranov, Alexander V.; Fedorov, Anatoly V.; Gun'ko, Yurii

2014-05-01

Recently, the use of stereospecific chiral stabilising molecules has also opened another avenue of interest in the area of quantum dot (QD) research. The main goal of our research is to develop new types of technologically important quantum dot materials containing chiral defects, study their properties and explore their applications. The utilisation of chiral penicillamine stabilisers allowed the preparation of new water soluble white emitting CdS quantum nanostructures which demonstrated circular dichroism in the band-edge region of the spectrum. It was also demonstrated that all three types of QDs (D-, L-, and Rac penicillamine stabilised) show very broad emission bands between 400 and 700 nm due to defects or trap states on the surfaces of the nanocrystals. In this work the chiral CdS based quantum nanostructures have also been doped by copper metal ions and new chiral penicilamine stabilized CuS nanoparticles have been prepared and investigated. It was found that copper doping had a strong effect at low levels in the synthesis of chiral CdS nanostructures. We expect that this research will open new horizons in the chemistry of chiral nanomaterials and their application in biotechnology, sensing and asymmetric synthesis.

Nanostructured severe plastic deformation processed titanium for orthodontic mini-implants.

PubMed

Serra, Glaucio; Morais, Liliane; Elias, Carlos Nelson; Semenova, Irina P; Valiev, Ruslan; Salimgareeva, Gulnaz; Pithon, Matheus; Lacerda, Rogério

2013-10-01

Titanium mini-implants have been successfully used as anchorage devices in Orthodontics. Commercially pure titanium (cpTi) was recently replaced by Ti-6Al-4V alloy as the mini-implant material base due to the higher strength properties of the alloy. However, the lower corrosion resistance and the lower biocompatibility have been lowering the success rate of Ti-6Al-4V mini-implants. Nanostructured titanium (nTi) is commercially pure titanium that was nanostructured by a specific technique of severe plastic deformation. It is bioinert, does not contain potentially toxic or allergic additives, and has higher specific strength properties than any other titanium applied in medical implants. The higher strength properties associated to the higher biocompatibility make nTi potentially useful for orthodontic mini-implant applications, theoretically overcoming cpTi and Ti-6Al-4V mini-implants. The purposes of the this work were to process nTi, to mechanically compare cpTi, Ti-6Al-4V, and nTi mini-implants by torque test, and to evaluate both the surface morphology and the fracture surface characteristics of them by SEM. Torque test results showed significant increase in the maximum torque resistance of nTi mini-implants when compared to cpTi mini-implants, and no statistical difference between Ti-6Al-4V and nTi mini-implants. SEM analysis demonstrated smooth surface morphology and transgranular fracture aspect for nTi mini-implants. Since nanostructured titanium mini-implants have mechanical properties comparable to titanium alloy mini-implants, and biocompatibility comparable to commercially pure titanium mini-implants, it is suggestive that nanostructured titanium can replace Ti-6Al-4V alloy as the material base for mini-implants. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of DC arc current on the formation of cobalt-based nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orpe, P. B.; Balasubramanian, C.; Mukherjee, S.

2017-08-01

The synthesis of cobalt-based magnetic nanostructures using DC arc discharge technique with varying arc current is reported here. The structural, morphological, compositional and magnetic properties of these nanostructures were studied as a function of applied arc current. Various techniques like X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, EDAX and vibrating sample magnetometry were used to carry out this study and the results are reported here. The results clearly indicate that for a given oxygen partial pressure, an arc current of 100 A favours the formation of unreacted cobalt atomic species. Also change in arc current leads to variation in phase, diversity in morphology etc. Other property changes such as thermal changes, mechanical changes etc. are not addressed here. The magnetic characterization further indicates that the anisotropy in shape plays a crucial role in deciding the magnetic properties of the nanostructured materials. We have quantified an interesting result in our experiment, that is, for a given partial pressure, 100 A arc current results in unique variation in structural and magnetic properties as compared to other arc currents.

Nanodiamonds as a new horizon for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications.

PubMed

Chaudhary, Harsiddhi M; Duttagupta, Aindrilla S; Jadhav, Kisan R; Chilajwar, Sai V; Kadam, Vilasrao J

2015-01-01

A palpable need for the optimization of therapeutic agents, due to challenges tackled by them such as poor pharmacokinetics and chemoresistance, has steered the journey towards novel interdisciplinary scientific field for emergence of nanostructure materials as a carrier for targeted delivery of therapeutic agents. Amongst various nanostructures, nanodiamonds are rapidly rising as promising nanostructures that are suited especially for various biomedical and imaging applications. Advantage of being biocompatible and ease of surface functionalization for targeting purpose, besides safety which are vacant by nanodiamonds made them a striking nanotool compared to other nonmaterials which seldom offer advantages of both functionality as well as safety. This review outlines the summary of nanodiamonds, regarding their types, methods of preparation, and surface modification. It also portrays the potential applications of nanodiamond as targeted drug delivery of various bioactive agents. Based on photoluminescent and optical property, nanodiamonds are envisioned as an efficient bioimaging nanostructure. Nanodiamonds as a novel platform hold great promise for targeting cancer cells and in-vivo cell imaging. Based upon their inimitable properties and applications nanodiamonds propose an exciting future in field of therapeutics and thus possess vibrant opportunities.

Nanoalloy Printed and Pulse-Laser Sintered Flexible Sensor Devices with Enhanced Stability and Materials Compatibility

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

Zhao, Wei; Rovore, Thomas; Weerawarne, Darshana

2015-06-02

While conformal and wearable devices have become one of the most desired formats for printable electronics, it is challenging to establish a scalable process that produces stable conductive patterns but also uses substrates compatible with widely available wearable materials. Here, we describe findings of an investigation of a nanoalloy ink printed and pulsed laser sintered conductive patterns as flexible functional devices with enhanced stability and materials compatibility. While nanoparticle inks are desired for printable electronics, almost all existing nanoparticle inks are based on single-metal component, which, as an electronic element, is limited by its inherent stabilities of the metal suchmore » as propensity of metal oxidation and mobility of metal ions, especially in sintering processes. The work here has demonstrated the first example in exploiting plasmonic coupling of nanoalloys and pulsed-laser energy with controllable thermal penetration. The experimental and theoretical results have revealed clear correlation between the pulsed laser parameters and the nanoalloy structural characteristics. The superior performance of the resulting flexible sensor device, upon imparting nanostructured sensing materials, for detecting volatile organic compounds has significant implications to developing stable and wearable sensors for monitoring environmental pollutants and breath biomarkers. This simple “nanoalloy printing 'laser sintering' nanostructure printing” process is entirely general to many different sensor devices and nanostructured sensing materials, enabling the ability to easily construct sophisticated sensor array.« less

Nanoalloy Printed and Pulse-Laser Sintered Flexible Sensor Devices with Enhanced Stability and Materials Compatibility.

PubMed

Zhao, Wei; Rovere, Thomas; Weerawarne, Darshana; Osterhoudt, Gavin; Kang, Ning; Joseph, Pharrah; Luo, Jin; Shim, Bonggu; Poliks, Mark; Zhong, Chuan-Jian

2015-06-23

While conformal and wearable devices have become one of the most desired formats for printable electronics, it is challenging to establish a scalable process that produces stable conductive patterns but also uses substrates compatible with widely available wearable materials. Here, we describe findings of an investigation of a nanoalloy ink printed and pulsed-laser sintered conductive patterns as flexible functional devices with enhanced stability and materials compatibility. While nanoparticle inks are desired for printable electronics, almost all existing nanoparticle inks are based on single-metal component, which, as an electronic element, is limited by its inherent stabilities of the metal such as propensity of metal oxidation and mobility of metal ions, especially in sintering processes. The work here has demonstrated the first example in exploiting plasmonic coupling of nanoalloys and pulsed-laser energy with controllable thermal penetration. The experimental and theoretical results have revealed clear correlation between the pulsed laser parameters and the nanoalloy structural characteristics. The superior performance of the resulting flexible sensor device, upon imparting nanostructured sensing materials, for detecting volatile organic compounds has significant implications to developing stable and wearable sensors for monitoring environmental pollutants and breath biomarkers. This simple "nanoalloy printing-laser sintering-nanostructure printing" process is entirely general to many different sensor devices and nanostructured sensing materials, enabling the ability to easily construct sophisticated sensor array.

Particle agglomerated 3-d nanostructures for photon absorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sivayoganathan, Mugunthan

The main objective of this thesis is to investigate the photon absorption properties of particle agglomerated 3-D structures that are synthesized through femtosecond laser ablation of solids. The size and morphology of these particle agglomerated 3-D structures, which can be tailored through adjusting laser parameters, determine the photon absorption property. A systematic theoretical and experimental study was performed to identify the effect of lasers on the size of the formed particles. The literature survey showed that the amount of supersaturation influences the growth rate as well as the nucleation rate of vapour condensed nanoparticles. Based on this theory, a mechanism was formed to explain the control of laser parameters over the size of formed particles. Further, a theoretical explanation was proposed from the experimental results for the transition of particle size distribution modals. These proposed mechanisms and explanations show the variation in particle size in the particle agglomerated 3-D nanostructures with laser parameters. The effect of laser parameters on the formed ring size was studied. Based on the previous studies, a mechanism was proposed for the formation of ring nanoclusters. The laser pulse intensity dependent ponderomotive force was the key force to define the formation of ring nanoclusters. Then the effect of laser parameters on ring size was studied. Structures fabricated on several materials such as graphite, aluminosilicate ceramic, zinc ingot, gold, and titanium were analyzed to show the influence of material properties, laser parameters, and the environmental conditions on the size of ring formed. The studies performed on the structures showed a minimum absorption of 0.75 A.U. in the bandwidth from UV to IR. The absorption spectrum is much wider compared to existing nanomaterials, such as silicon nanostructures and titanium dioxide nanostructures. To the best of the author's knowledge, it is a very competitive absorption rate when compared with the previous nanostructures used in photovoltaic conversion. Several features of nanostructures contribute to the enhancement of this light absorption. The special feature of the structure is that ease to fabricate and modify the properties by varying the laser parameters could make it competitive among other nanostructures available for solar cells.

Atomic layer deposition: an enabling technology for the growth of functional nanoscale semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biyikli, Necmi; Haider, Ali

2017-09-01

In this paper, we present the progress in the growth of nanoscale semiconductors grown via atomic layer deposition (ALD). After the adoption by semiconductor chip industry, ALD became a widespread tool to grow functional films and conformal ultra-thin coatings for various applications. Based on self-limiting and ligand-exchange-based surface reactions, ALD enabled the low-temperature growth of nanoscale dielectric, metal, and semiconductor materials. Being able to deposit wafer-scale uniform semiconductor films at relatively low-temperatures, with sub-monolayer thickness control and ultimate conformality, makes ALD attractive for semiconductor device applications. Towards this end, precursors and low-temperature growth recipes are developed to deposit crystalline thin films for compound and elemental semiconductors. Conventional thermal ALD as well as plasma-assisted and radical-enhanced techniques have been exploited to achieve device-compatible film quality. Metal-oxides, III-nitrides, sulfides, and selenides are among the most popular semiconductor material families studied via ALD technology. Besides thin films, ALD can grow nanostructured semiconductors as well using either template-assisted growth methods or bottom-up controlled nucleation mechanisms. Among the demonstrated semiconductor nanostructures are nanoparticles, nano/quantum-dots, nanowires, nanotubes, nanofibers, nanopillars, hollow and core-shell versions of the afore-mentioned nanostructures, and 2D materials including transition metal dichalcogenides and graphene. ALD-grown nanoscale semiconductor materials find applications in a vast amount of applications including functional coatings, catalysis and photocatalysis, renewable energy conversion and storage, chemical sensing, opto-electronics, and flexible electronics. In this review, we give an overview of the current state-of-the-art in ALD-based nanoscale semiconductor research including the already demonstrated and future applications.

Preparation of Nanocomposite Plasmonic Films Made from Cellulose Nanocrystals or Mesoporous Silica Decorated with Unidirectionally Aligned Gold Nanorods.

PubMed

Campbell, Michael G; Liu, Qingkun; Sanders, Aric; Evans, Julian S; Smalyukh, Ivan I

2014-04-11

Using liquid crystalline self-assembly of cellulose nanocrystals, we achieve long-range alignment of anisotropic metal nanoparticles in colloidal nanocrystal dispersions that are then used to deposit thin structured films with ordering features highly dependent on the deposition method. These hybrid films are comprised of gold nanorods unidirectionally aligned in a matrix that can be made of ordered cellulose nanocrystals or silica nanostructures obtained by using cellulose-based nanostructures as a replica. The ensuing long-range alignment of gold nanorods in both cellulose-based and nanoporous silica films results in a polarization-sensitive surface plasmon resonance. The demonstrated device-scale bulk nanoparticle alignment may enable engineering of new material properties arising from combining the orientational ordering of host nanostructures and properties of the anisotropic plasmonic metal nanoparticles. Our approach may also allow for scalable fabrication of plasmonic polarizers and nanoporous silica structures with orientationally ordered anisotropic plasmonic nanoinclusions.

Three-dimensional nanostructure determination from a large diffraction data set recorded using scanning electron nanodiffraction

DOE PAGES

Meng, Yifei; Zuo, Jian -Min

2016-07-04

A diffraction-based technique is developed for the determination of three-dimensional nanostructures. The technique employs high-resolution and low-dose scanning electron nanodiffraction (SEND) to acquire three-dimensional diffraction patterns, with the help of a special sample holder for large-angle rotation. Grains are identified in three-dimensional space based on crystal orientation and on reconstructed dark-field images from the recorded diffraction patterns. Application to a nanocrystalline TiN thin film shows that the three-dimensional morphology of columnar TiN grains of tens of nanometres in diameter can be reconstructed using an algebraic iterative algorithm under specified prior conditions, together with their crystallographic orientations. The principles can bemore » extended to multiphase nanocrystalline materials as well. Furthermore, the tomographic SEND technique provides an effective and adaptive way of determining three-dimensional nanostructures.« less

Ab Initio -Based Bond Order Potential to Investigate Low Thermal Conductivity of Stanene Nanostructures

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

Cherukara, Mathew J.; Narayanan, Badri; Kinaci, Alper

2016-08-28

We introduce a bond order potential (BOP) for stanene based on an ab initio derived training data set. The potential is optimized to accurately describe the energetics, as well as thermal and mechanical properties of a free-standing sheet, and used to study diverse nanostructures of stanene, including tubes and ribbons. As a representative case study, using the potential, we perform molecular dynamics simulations to study stanene’s structure and temperature-dependent thermal conductivity. We find that the structure of stanene is highly rippled, far in excess of other 2-D materials (e.g., graphene), owing to its low in-plane stiffness (stanene: ~ 25 N/m;more » graphene: ~ 480 N/ m). The extent of stanene’s rippling also shows stronger temperature dependence compared to that in graphene. Furthermore, we find that stanene based nanostructures have significantly lower thermal conductivity compared to graphene based structures owing to their softness (i.e., low phonon group velocities) and high anharmonic response. Our newly developed BOP will facilitate the exploration of stanene based low dimensional heterostructures for thermoelectric and thermal management applications.« less

Isotropic and anisotropic strain-induced self-assembled oxide nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibert, Marta; Abellan, Patricia; Benedetti, Alessandro; Sandiumenge, Felip; Puig, Teresa; Obradors, Xavier

2009-03-01

The apparition of new functionalities based on size- and shape-dependent properties requires strategies for the formation of well-defined structures at nanometric scale. We present a bottom-up low-cost chemically-derived methodology based on the control of strain and surface energies anisotropies in CeO2/LAO system to tune the lateral aspect ratio, orientation and kinetics of interfacial oxide nanostructures. Self-organized uniform square-based nanopyramids form under isotropic strain [1]. In contrast, highly elongated nanostructures (long/short axis ˜20) grow induced by biaxial anisotropic strain and anisotropic surface energies. Island's distinct crystallographic orientation is the clue of their differentiated shape, and also influences their distinct evolution. The kinetically-limited coarsening of isotropic nanodots contrasts with the ultrafast kinetics of anisotropic islands. Experimental analyses are based on AFM, TEM, XRD and RHEED, and simulations based on a thermodynamic model enables us to confirm the equilibrium shape of each sort of island's shape in relation to its misfit strain and surface characteristics. [1] Gibert, M. et al., Adv.Materials 19 (22), 3937 (2007).

Growth of hybrid carbon nanostructures on iron-decorated ZnO nanorods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mbuyisa, Puleng N.; Rigoni, Federica; Sangaletti, Luigi; Ponzoni, Stefano; Pagliara, Stefania; Goldoni, Andrea; Ndwandwe, Muzi; Cepek, Cinzia

2016-04-01

A novel carbon-based nanostructured material, which includes carbon nanotubes (CNTs), porous carbon, nanostructured ZnO and Fe nanoparticles, has been synthetized using catalytic chemical vapour deposition (CVD) of acetylene on vertically aligned ZnO nanorods (NRs). The deposition of Fe before the CVD process induces the presence of dense CNTs in addition to the variety of nanostructures already observed on the process done on the bare NRs, which range from amorphous graphitic carbon up to nanostructured dendritic carbon films, where the NRs are partially or completely etched. The combination of scanning electron microscopy and in situ photoemission spectroscopy indicate that Fe enhances the ZnO etching, and that the CNT synthesis is favoured by the reduced Fe mobility due to the strong interaction between Fe and the NRs, and to the presence of many defects, formed during the CVD process. Our results demonstrate that the resulting new hybrid shows a higher sensitivity to ammonia gas at ambient conditions (∼60 ppb) than the carbon nanostructures obtained without the aid of Fe, the bare ZnO NRs, or other one-dimensional carbon nanostructures, making this system of potential interest for environmental ammonia monitoring. Finally, in view of the possible application in nanoscale optoelectronics, the photoexcited carrier behaviour in these hybrid systems has been characterized by time-resolved reflectivity measurements.

Silk fibroin nanostructured materials for biomedical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitropoulos, Alexander N.

Nanostructured biopolymers have proven to be promising to develop novel biomedical applications where forming structures at the nanoscale normally occurs by self-assembly. However, synthesizing these structures can also occur by inducing materials to transition into other forms by adding chemical cross-linkers, changing pH, or changing ionic composition. Understanding the generation of nanostructures in fluid environments, such as liquid organic solvents or supercritical fluids, has not been thoroughly examined, particularly those that are based on protein-based block-copolymers. Here, we examine the transformation of reconstituted silk fibroin, which has emerged as a promising biopolymer due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and ease of functionalization, into submicron spheres and gel networks which offer applications in tissue engineering and advanced sensors. Two types of gel networks, hydrogels and aerogels, have small pores and large surface areas that are defined by their structure. We design and analyze silk nanoparticle formation using a microfluidic device while offering an application for drug delivery. Additionally, we provide a model and characterize hydrogel formation from micelles to nanoparticles, while investigating cellular response to the hydrogel in an in vitro cell culture model. Lastly, we provide a second model of nanofiber formation during near-critical and supercritical drying and characterize the silk fibroin properties at different drying pressures which, when acting as a stabilizing matrix, shows to improve the activity of entrapped enzymes dried at different pressures. This work has created new nanostructured silk fibroin forms to benefit biomedical applications that could be applied to other fibrous proteins.

Silver-Ion-Exchanged Nanostructured Zeolite X as Antibacterial Agent with Superior Ion Release Kinetics and Efficacy against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

PubMed

Chen, Shaojiang; Popovich, John; Iannuzo, Natalie; Haydel, Shelley E; Seo, Dong-Kyun

2017-11-15

As antibiotic resistance continues to be a major public health problem, antimicrobial alternatives have become critically important. Nanostructured zeolites have been considered as an ideal host for improving popular antimicrobial silver-ion-exchanged zeolites, because with very short diffusion path lengths they offer advantages in ion diffusion and release over their conventional microsized zeolite counterparts. Herein, comprehensive studies are reported on materials characteristics, silver-ion release kinetics, and antibacterial properties of silver-ion-exchanged nanostructured zeolite X with comparisons to conventional microsized silver-ion-exchanged zeolite (∼2 μm) as a reference. The nanostructured zeolites are submicrometer-sized aggregates (100-700 nm) made up of primary zeolite particles with an average primary particle size of 24 nm. The silver-ion-exchanged nanostructured zeolite released twice the concentration of silver ions at a rate approximately three times faster than the reference. The material exhibited rapid antimicrobial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 4 to 16 μg/mL after 24 h exposure in various growth media and a minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC; >99.9% population reduction) of 1 μg/mL after 2 h in water. While high concentrations of silver-ion-exchanged nanostructured zeolite X were ineffective at reducing MRSA biofilm cell viability, efficacy increased at lower concentrations. In consideration of potential medical applications, cytotoxicity of the silver-ion-exchanged nanostructured zeolite X was also investigated. After 4 days of incubation, significant reduction in eukaryotic cell viability was observed only at concentrations 4-16-fold greater than the 24 h MIC, indicating low cytotoxicity of the material. Our results establish silver-ion-exchanged nanostructured zeolites as an effective antibacterial material against dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Biocompatibility of cluster-assembled nanostructured TiO2 with primary and cancer cells.

PubMed

Carbone, Roberta; Marangi, Ida; Zanardi, Andrea; Giorgetti, Luca; Chierici, Elisabetta; Berlanda, Giuseppe; Podestà, Alessandro; Fiorentini, Francesca; Bongiorno, Gero; Piseri, Paolo; Pelicci, Pier Giuseppe; Milani, Paolo

2006-06-01

We have characterized the biocompatibility of nanostructured TiO2 films produced by the deposition of a supersonic beam of TiOx clusters. Physical analysis shows that these films possess, at the nanoscale, a granularity and porosity mimicking those of typical extracellular matrix structures and adsorption properties that could allow surface functionalization with different macromolecules such as DNA, proteins, and peptides. To explore the biocompatibility of this novel nanostructured surface, different cancer and primary cells were analyzed in terms of morphological appearance (by bright field microscopy and immunofluorescence) and growth properties, with the aim to evaluate cluster-assembled TiO2 films as substrates for cell-based and tissue-based applications. Our results strongly suggest that this new biomaterial supports normal growth and adhesion of primary and cancer cells with no need for coating with ECM proteins; we thus propose this new material as an optimal substrate for different applications in cell-based assays, biosensors or microfabricated medical devices.

Review on the progress in synthesis and application of magnetic carbon nanocomposites.

PubMed

Zhu, Maiyong; Diao, Guowang

2011-07-01

This review focuses on the synthesis and application of nanostructured composites containing magnetic nanostructures and carbon-based materials. Great progress in fabrication of magnetic carbon nanocomposites has been made by developing methods including filling process, template-based synthesis, chemical vapor deposition, hydrothermal/solvothermal method, pyrolysis procedure, sol-gel process, detonation induced reaction, self-assembly method, etc. The applications of magnetic carbon nanocomposites expanded to a wide range of fields such as environmental treatment, microwave absorption, magnetic recording media, electrochemical sensor, catalysis, separation/recognization of biomolecules and drug delivery are discussed. Finally, some future trends and perspectives in this research area are outlined.

Review on the progress in synthesis and application of magnetic carbon nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Maiyong; Diao, Guowang

2011-07-01

This review focuses on the synthesis and application of nanostructured composites containing magnetic nanostructures and carbon-based materials. Great progress in fabrication of magnetic carbon nanocomposites has been made by developing methods including filling process, template-based synthesis, chemical vapor deposition, hydrothermal/solvothermal method, pyrolysis procedure, sol-gel process, detonation induced reaction, self-assembly method, etc. The applications of magnetic carbon nanocomposites expanded to a wide range of fields such as environmental treatment, microwave absorption, magnetic recording media, electrochemical sensor, catalysis, separation/recognization of biomolecules and drug delivery are discussed. Finally, some future trends and perspectives in this research area are outlined.

In-plane InSb nanowires grown by selective area molecular beam epitaxy on semi-insulating substrate.

PubMed

Desplanque, L; Bucamp, A; Troadec, D; Patriarche, G; Wallart, X

2018-07-27

In-plane InSb nanostructures are grown on a semi-insulating GaAs substrate using an AlGaSb buffer layer covered with a patterned SiO 2 mask and selective area molecular beam epitaxy. The shape of these nanostructures is defined by the aperture in the silicon dioxide layer used as a selective mask thanks to the use of an atomic hydrogen flux during the growth. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that the mismatch accommodation between InSb and GaAs is obtained in two steps via the formation of an array of misfit dislocations both at the AlGaSb buffer layer/GaAs and at the InSb nanostructures/AlGaSb interfaces. Several micron long in-plane nanowires (NWs) can be achieved as well as more complex nanostructures such as branched NWs. The electrical properties of the material are investigated by the characterization of an InSb NW MOSFET down to 77 K. The resulting room temperature field effect mobility values are comparable with those reported on back-gated MOSFETs based on InSb NWs obtained by vapor liquid solid growth or electrodeposition. This growth method paves the way to the fabrication of complex InSb-based nanostructures.

Gas Sensors Based on One Dimensional Nanostructured Metal-Oxides: A Review

PubMed Central

Arafat, M. M.; Dinan, B.; Akbar, Sheikh A.; Haseeb, A. S. M. A.

2012-01-01

Recently one dimensional (1-D) nanostructured metal-oxides have attracted much attention because of their potential applications in gas sensors. 1-D nanostructured metal-oxides provide high surface to volume ratio, while maintaining good chemical and thermal stabilities with minimal power consumption and low weight. In recent years, various processing routes have been developed for the synthesis of 1-D nanostructured metal-oxides such as hydrothermal, ultrasonic irradiation, electrospinning, anodization, sol-gel, molten-salt, carbothermal reduction, solid-state chemical reaction, thermal evaporation, vapor-phase transport, aerosol, RF sputtering, molecular beam epitaxy, chemical vapor deposition, gas-phase assisted nanocarving, UV lithography and dry plasma etching. A variety of sensor fabrication processing routes have also been developed. Depending on the materials, morphology and fabrication process the performance of the sensor towards a specific gas shows a varying degree of success. This article reviews and evaluates the performance of 1-D nanostructured metal-oxide gas sensors based on ZnO, SnO2, TiO2, In2O3, WOx, AgVO3, CdO, MoO3, CuO, TeO2 and Fe2O3. Advantages and disadvantages of each sensor are summarized, along with the associated sensing mechanism. Finally, the article concludes with some future directions of research. PMID:22969344

Theoretical Investigations of Well-Defined Graphene Nanostructures: Catalysis, Spectroscopy, and Development of Novel Fragment-Based Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noffke, Benjamin W.

Carbon materials have the potential to replace some precious metals in renewable energy applications. These materials are particularly attractive because of the elemental abundance and relatively low nuclear mass of carbon, implying economically feasible and lightweight materials. Targeted design of carbon materials is hindered by the lack of fundamental understanding that is required to tailor their properties for the desired application. However, most available synthetic methods to create carbon materials involve harsh conditions that limit the control of the resulting structure. Without a well-defined structure, the system is too complex and fundamental studies cannot be definitive. This work seeks to gain fundamental understanding through the development and application of efficient computational models for these systems, in conjunction with experiments performed on soluble, well-defined graphene nanostructures prepared by our group using a bottom-up synthetic approach. Theory is used to determine mechanistic details for well-defined carbon systems in applications of catalysis and electrochemical transformations. The resulting computational models do well to explain previous observations of carbon materials and provide suggestions for future directions. However, as the system size of the nanostructures gets larger, the computational cost can become prohibitive. To reduce the computational scaling of quantum chemical calculations, a new fragmentation scheme has been developed that addresses the challenges of fragmenting conjugated molecules. By selecting fragments that retain important structural characteristics in graphene, a more efficient method is achieved. The new method paves the way for an automated, systematic fragmentation scheme of graphene molecules.

An improved biofunction of titanium for keratoprosthesis by hydroxyapatite-coating.

PubMed

Dong, Ying; Yang, Jingxin; Wang, Liqiang; Ma, Xiao; Huang, Yifei; Qiu, Zhiye; Cui, Fuzhai

2014-03-01

Titanium framework keratoprosthesis has been commonly used in the severe corneal blindness, but the tissue melting occurred frequently around titanium. Since hydroxyapatite has been approved to possess a good tissue integration characteristic, nanostructured hydroxyapatite was coated on the surface of titanium through the aerosol deposition method. In this study, nanostructured hydroxyapatite coating was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and auger electronic spectrometer. Biological evaluations were performed with rabbit cornea fibroblast in vitro and an animal model in vivo. The outcomes showed the coating had a grain-like surface topography and a good atomic mixed area with substrate. The rabbit cornea fibroblasts appeared a good adhesion on the surface of nanostructured hydroxyapatite in vitro. In the animal model, nanostructured hydroxyapatite-titanium implants were stably retained in the rabbit cornea, and by contrast, the corneal stroma became thinner anterior to the implants in the control. Therefore, our findings proved that nanostructured hydroxyapatite-titanium could not only provide an improved bond for substrate but also enhance the tissue integration with implants in host. As a promising material, nanostructured hydroxyapatite-titanium-based keratoprosthesis prepared by the aerosol deposition method could be utilized for the corneal blindness treatment.

Nanostructure Engineered Chemical Sensors for Hazardous Gas and Vapor Detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Jing; Lu, Yijiang

2005-01-01

A nanosensor technology has been developed using nanostructures, such as single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and metal oxides nanowires or nanobelts, on a pair of interdigitated electrodes (IDE) processed with a silicon based microfabrication and micromachining technique. The IDE fingers were fabricated using thin film metallization techniques. Both in-situ growth of nanostructure materials and casting of the nanostructure dispersions were used to make chemical sensing devices. These sensors have been exposed to hazardous gases and vapors, such as acetone, benzene, chlorine, and ammonia in the concentration range of ppm to ppb at room temperature. The electronic molecular sensing in our sensor platform can be understood by electron modulation between the nanostructure engineered device and gas molecules. As a result of the electron modulation, the conductance of nanodevice will change. Due to the large surface area, low surface energy barrier and high thermal and mechanical stability, nanostructured chemical sensors potentially can offer higher sensitivity, lower power consumption and better robustness than the state-of-the-art systems, which make them more attractive for defense and space applications. Combined with MEMS technology, light weight and compact size sensors can be made in wafer scale with low cost.

Carbon-Based Nanomaterials/Allotropes: A Glimpse of Their Synthesis, Properties and Some Applications

PubMed Central

Zainal, Zulkarnain; Yusof, Nor Azah

2018-01-01

Carbon in its single entity and various forms has been used in technology and human life for many centuries. Since prehistoric times, carbon-based materials such as graphite, charcoal and carbon black have been used as writing and drawing materials. In the past two and a half decades or so, conjugated carbon nanomaterials, especially carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, activated carbon and graphite have been used as energy materials due to their exclusive properties. Due to their outstanding chemical, mechanical, electrical and thermal properties, carbon nanostructures have recently found application in many diverse areas; including drug delivery, electronics, composite materials, sensors, field emission devices, energy storage and conversion, etc. Following the global energy outlook, it is forecasted that the world energy demand will double by 2050. This calls for a new and efficient means to double the energy supply in order to meet the challenges that forge ahead. Carbon nanomaterials are believed to be appropriate and promising (when used as energy materials) to cushion the threat. Consequently, the amazing properties of these materials and greatest potentials towards greener and environment friendly synthesis methods and industrial scale production of carbon nanostructured materials is undoubtedly necessary and can therefore be glimpsed as the focal point of many researchers in science and technology in the 21st century. This is based on the incredible future that lies ahead with these smart carbon-based materials. This review is determined to give a synopsis of new advances towards their synthesis, properties, and some applications as reported in the existing literatures. PMID:29438327

In situ neutron scattering study of nanoscale phase evolution in PbTe-PbS thermoelectric material

DOE PAGES

Ren, Fei; Schmidt, Robert; Keum, Jong K.; ...

2016-08-24

Introducing nanostructural second phases has been proved to be an effective approach to reduce the lattice thermal conductivity and thus enhance the figure of merit for many thermoelectric materials. Furthermore studies of the formation and evolution of these second phases are central to understanding temperature dependent material behavior, improving thermal stabilities, as well as designing new materials. We examined powder samples of PbTe-PbS thermoelectric material using in situ neutron diffraction and small angle neutron scattering (SANS) techniques from room temperature to elevated temperature up to 663 K, to explore quantitative information on the structure, weight fraction, and size of themore » second phase. Neutron diffraction data showed the as-milled powder was primarily solid solution before heat treatment. During heating, PbS second phase precipitated out of the PbTe matrix around 480 K, while re-dissolution started around 570 K. The second phase remained separated from the matrix upon cooling. Furthermore, SANS data indicated there are two populations of nanostructures. The size of the smaller nanostructure increased from initially 5 nm to approximately 25 nm after annealing at 650 K, while the size of the larger nanostructure remained unchanged. Our study demonstrated that in situ neutron techniques are effective means to obtain quantitative information to study temperature dependent nanostructural behavior of thermoelectrics and likely other high-temperature materials.« less

Theoretical Study of Si(x) Ge(y)Li(z) (x=4-10, y=1-10, z=0-10) Clusters for Designing of Novel Nanostructured Materials to be Utilized as Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-16

AFRL-OSR-VA-TR-2015-0088 Theoretical Study of Novel Nanostructured Materials for Lithium - Ion Batteries Mario Sanchez-Vazquez CENTRO DE INVESTIGACION...SiGeLi Clusters for Design of Novel Nanostructured Materials to Be Utilized as Anodes for Lithium - ion Batteries 5a.  CONTRACT NUMBER 5b.  GRANT NUMBER...utilized as anodes for Lithium - ion batteries Final Report Nancy Perez-Peralta and Mario Sanchez-Vazquez Abstract In order to find out if

Theoretical Study of Si(x)Ge(y)Li(z)- (x=4-10, y=1-10, z=0-10) Clusters for Designing of Novel Nanostructured Materials to be Utilized as Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-16

AFRL-OSR-VA-TR-2015-0088 Theoretical Study of Novel Nanostructured Materials for Lithium - Ion Batteries Mario Sanchez-Vazquez CENTRO DE INVESTIGACION...of Novel Nanostructured Materials to Be Utilized as Anodes for Lithium - ion Batteries 5a.  CONTRACT NUMBER 5b.  GRANT NUMBER FA9550-13-1-0175 5c...as anodes for Lithium - ion batteries Final Report Nancy Perez-Peralta and Mario Sanchez-Vazquez Abstract In order to find out if silicon

Synthesis of nanostructured materials in inverse miniemulsions and their applications.

PubMed

Cao, Zhihai; Ziener, Ulrich

2013-11-07

Polymeric nanogels, inorganic nanoparticles, and organic-inorganic hybrid nanoparticles can be prepared via the inverse miniemulsion technique. Hydrophilic functional cargos, such as proteins, DNA, and macromolecular fluoresceins, may be conveniently encapsulated in these nanostructured materials. In this review, the progress of inverse miniemulsions since 2000 is summarized on the basis of the types of reactions carried out in inverse miniemulsions, including conventional free radical polymerization, controlled/living radical polymerization, polycondensation, polyaddition, anionic polymerization, catalytic oxidation reaction, sol-gel process, and precipitation reaction of inorganic precursors. In addition, the applications of the nanostructured materials synthesized in inverse miniemulsions are also reviewed.

Simple method for preparation of nanostructurally organized spines of sand dollar Scaphechinus mirabilis (Agassiz, 1863).

PubMed

Ehrlich, Herman; Elkin, Yury N; Artoukov, Alexandr A; Stonik, Valentin A; Safronov, Peter P; Bazhenov, Vasily V; Kurek, Denis V; Varlamov, Valery P; Born, René; Meissner, Heike; Richter, Gert

2011-06-01

Unique skeletal formations of marine invertebrates, including representatives of Echinodermata, have the unique potential to serve as templates for bio-inspired materials chemistry, biomimetics, and materials science. The sand dollar Scaphechinus mirabilis (Agassiz, 1983) is widely distributed in the northwest of the Pacific Ocean from southern Japan to the Aleutian Islands. This animal is the main source of naphtochinone-based substances. These compounds have recently drawn medical attention for their use as cardiological and ophthalmological drugs. Unfortunately, after extraction of the naphtochinones, the residual skeletons and spines of the sand dollars were usually discarded. Here, we report the first method for the preparation of nanostructurally organized spines of S. mirabilis, using a simple enzymatic and hydrogen peroxide-based treatment. Application of this method opens the way for development of non-wasteful environmentally clean technology of sand dollars as well-known industrial marine invertebrates.

Recent advances in nanostructured Nb-based oxides for electrochemical energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Litao; Rui, Xianhong; Chen, Gen; Xu, Weichuan; Zou, Guifu; Luo, Hongmei

2016-04-01

For the past five years, nanostructured niobium-based oxides have emerged as one of the most prominent materials for batteries, supercapacitors, and fuel cell technologies, for instance, TiNb2O7 as an anode for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), Nb2O5 as an electrode for supercapacitors (SCs), and niobium-based oxides as chemically stable electrochemical supports for fuel cells. Their high potential window can prevent the formation of lithium dendrites, and their rich redox chemistry (Nb5+/Nb4+, Nb4+/Nb3+) makes them very promising electrode materials. Their unique chemical stability under acid conditions is favorable for practical fuel-cell operation. In this review, we summarized recent progress made concerning the use of niobium-based oxides as electrodes for batteries (LIBs, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), and vanadium redox flow batteries (VRBs)), SCs, and fuel cell applications. Moreover, crystal structures, charge storage mechanisms in different crystal structures, and electrochemical performances in terms of the specific capacitance/capacity, rate capability, and cycling stability of niobium-based oxides are discussed. Insights into the future research and development of niobium-based oxide compounds for next-generation electrochemical devices are also presented. We believe that this review will be beneficial for research scientists and graduate students who are searching for promising electrode materials for batteries, SCs, and fuel cells.

Recent advances in nanostructured Nb-based oxides for electrochemical energy storage.

PubMed

Yan, Litao; Rui, Xianhong; Chen, Gen; Xu, Weichuan; Zou, Guifu; Luo, Hongmei

2016-04-28

For the past five years, nanostructured niobium-based oxides have emerged as one of the most prominent materials for batteries, supercapacitors, and fuel cell technologies, for instance, TiNb2O7 as an anode for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), Nb2O5 as an electrode for supercapacitors (SCs), and niobium-based oxides as chemically stable electrochemical supports for fuel cells. Their high potential window can prevent the formation of lithium dendrites, and their rich redox chemistry (Nb(5+)/Nb(4+), Nb(4+)/Nb(3+)) makes them very promising electrode materials. Their unique chemical stability under acid conditions is favorable for practical fuel-cell operation. In this review, we summarized recent progress made concerning the use of niobium-based oxides as electrodes for batteries (LIBs, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), and vanadium redox flow batteries (VRBs)), SCs, and fuel cell applications. Moreover, crystal structures, charge storage mechanisms in different crystal structures, and electrochemical performances in terms of the specific capacitance/capacity, rate capability, and cycling stability of niobium-based oxides are discussed. Insights into the future research and development of niobium-based oxide compounds for next-generation electrochemical devices are also presented. We believe that this review will be beneficial for research scientists and graduate students who are searching for promising electrode materials for batteries, SCs, and fuel cells.

Surface Charge Transfer Doping via Transition Metal Oxides for Efficient p-Type Doping of II-VI Nanostructures.

PubMed

Xia, Feifei; Shao, Zhibin; He, Yuanyuan; Wang, Rongbin; Wu, Xiaofeng; Jiang, Tianhao; Duhm, Steffen; Zhao, Jianwei; Lee, Shuit-Tong; Jie, Jiansheng

2016-11-22

Wide band gap II-VI nanostructures are important building blocks for new-generation electronic and optoelectronic devices. However, the difficulty of realizing p-type conductivity in these materials via conventional doping methods has severely handicapped the fabrication of p-n homojunctions and complementary circuits, which are the fundamental components for high-performance devices. Herein, by using first-principles density functional theory calculations, we demonstrated a simple yet efficient way to achieve controlled p-type doping on II-VI nanostructures via surface charge transfer doping (SCTD) using high work function transition metal oxides such as MoO 3 , WO 3 , CrO 3 , and V 2 O 5 as dopants. Our calculations revealed that these oxides were capable of drawing electrons from II-VI nanostructures, leading to accumulation of positive charges (holes injection) in the II-VI nanostructures. As a result, Fermi levels of the II-VI nanostructures were shifted toward the valence band regions after surface modifications, along with the large enhancement of work functions. In situ ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterizations verified the significant interfacial charge transfer between II-VI nanostructures and surface dopants. Both theoretical calculations and electrical transfer measurements on the II-VI nanostructure-based field-effect transistors clearly showed the p-type conductivity of the nanostructures after surface modifications. Strikingly, II-VI nanowires could undergo semiconductor-to-metal transition by further increasing the SCTD level. SCTD offers the possibility to create a variety of electronic and optoelectronic devices from the II-VI nanostructures via realization of complementary doping.

Nanofibers of fullerene C60 through interplay of ball-and-socket supermolecules.

PubMed

Hubble, Lee J; Raston, Colin L

2007-01-01

Mixing solutions of p-tBu-calix[5]arene and C(60) in toluene results in a 1:1 complex (C(60)) intersection(p-tBu-calix[5]arene), which precipitates as nanofibers. The principle structural unit is based on a host-guest ball-and-socket nanostructure of the two components, with an extended structure comprising zigzag/helical arrays of fullerenes (powder X-ray diffraction data coupled with molecular modeling). Under argon at temperatures above 309 degrees C, the fibers undergo selective volatilization of the calixarenes to afford C(60)-core nanostructures encapsulated in a graphitic material sheath, which exhibits a dramatic increase in surface area. Above 650 degrees C the material exhibits an ohmic conductance response, due to the encapsulation process.

Improving the Capacity of Sodium Ion Battery Using a Virus-Templated Nanostructured Composite Cathode

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

Moradi, M; Li, Z; Qi, JF

In this work we investigated an energy-efficient biotemplated route to synthesize nanostructured FePO4 for sodium-based batteries. Self-assembled M13 viruses and single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have been used as a template to grow amorphous FePO4 nanoparticles at room temperature (the active composite is denoted as Bio-FePO4-CNT) to enhance the electronic conductivity of the active material. Preliminary tests demonstrate a discharge capacity as high as 166 mAh/g at C/10 rate, corresponding to composition Na0.9FePO4, which along with higher C-rate tests show this material to have the highest capacity and power performance reported for amorphous FePO4 electrodes to date.

Synthesis and Characterization of Polymer-Metal Nanostructured Membranes

DTIC Science & Technology

ions creating unique polymer -metal nanostructured membranes. A comprehensive materials characterization study was performed to understand their...fluoropolymers were also investigated. First the polymer -metal nanostructure of Nafion with several counter-ions was studied upon supercritical fluid CO2...processing. Then, novel fluorinated block copolymers were synthesized using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and their resulting nanostructure was

Gas phase electrodeposition: a programmable multimaterial deposition method for combinatorial nanostructured device discovery.

PubMed

Lin, En-Chiang; Cole, Jesse J; Jacobs, Heiko O

2010-11-10

This article reports and applies a recently discovered programmable multimaterial deposition process to the formation and combinatorial improvement of 3D nanostructured devices. The gas-phase deposition process produces charged <5 nm particles of silver, tungsten, and platinum and uses externally biased electrodes to control the material flux and to turn deposition ON/OFF in selected domains. Domains host nanostructured dielectrics to define arrays of electrodynamic 10 × nanolenses to further control the flux to form <100 nm resolution deposits. The unique feature of the process is that material type, amount, and sequence can be altered from one domain to the next leading to different types of nanostructures including multimaterial bridges, interconnects, or nanowire arrays with 20 nm positional accuracy. These features enable combinatorial nanostructured materials and device discovery. As a first demonstration, we produce and identify in a combinatorial way 3D nanostructured electrode designs that improve light scattering, absorption, and minority carrier extraction of bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cells. Photovoltaic cells from domains with long and dense nanowire arrays improve the relative power conversion efficiency by 47% when compared to flat domains on the same substrate.

Time- and Space-Resolved Spectroscopic Investigation on Pi-Conjugated Nanostructures - 2

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-12

15. SUBJECT TERMS Materials Characterization, Materials Chemistry, Nonlinear Optical Materials, Spectroscopy 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION...nanostructures will translate into new ground-breaking developments that not only allow the structure-property relationships to be probed in greater detail... spectroscopy . I. Experimental method 1. Steady-state Spectroscopy - UV-Vis-NIR Absorption & Emission Steady-state Spectroscopy - NIR

High-pressure torsion for new hydrogen storage materials.

PubMed

Edalati, Kaveh; Akiba, Etsuo; Horita, Zenji

2018-01-01

High-pressure torsion (HPT) is widely used as a severe plastic deformation technique to create ultrafine-grained structures with promising mechanical and functional properties. Since 2007, the method has been employed to enhance the hydrogenation kinetics in different Mg-based hydrogen storage materials. Recent studies showed that the method is effective not only for increasing the hydrogenation kinetics but also for improving the hydrogenation activity, for enhancing the air resistivity and more importantly for synthesizing new nanostructured hydrogen storage materials with high densities of lattice defects. This manuscript reviews some major findings on the impact of HPT process on the hydrogen storage performance of different titanium-based and magnesium-based materials.

Helical Growth of Aluminum Nitride: New Insights into Its Growth Habit from Nanostructures to Single Crystals

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xing-Hong; Shao, Rui-Wen; Jin, Lei; Wang, Jian-Yu; Zheng, Kun; Zhao, Chao-Liang; Han, Jie-Cai; Chen, Bin; Sekiguchi, Takashi; Zhang, Zhi; Zou, Jin; Song, Bo

2015-01-01

By understanding the growth mechanism of nanomaterials, the morphological features of nanostructures can be rationally controlled, thereby achieving the desired physical properties for specific applications. Herein, the growth habits of aluminum nitride (AlN) nanostructures and single crystals synthesized by an ultrahigh-temperature, catalyst-free, physical vapor transport process were investigated by transmission electron microscopy. The detailed structural characterizations strongly suggested that the growth of AlN nanostructures including AlN nanowires and nanohelixes follow a sequential and periodic rotation in the growth direction, which is independent of the size and shape of the material. Based on these experimental observations, an helical growth mechanism that may originate from the coeffect of the polar-surface and dislocation-driven growth is proposed, which offers a new insight into the related growth kinetics of low-dimensional AlN structures and will enable the rational design and synthesis of novel AlN nanostructures. Further, with the increase of temperature, the growth process of AlN grains followed the helical growth model. PMID:25976071

Influence of surface melting effects and availability of reagent ions on LDI-MS efficiency after UV laser irradiation of Pd nanostructures.

PubMed

Silina, Yuliya E; Koch, Marcus; Volmer, Dietrich A

2015-03-01

In this study, the influence of surface morphology, reagent ions and surface restructuring effects on atmospheric pressure laser desorption/ionization (LDI) for small molecules after laser irradiation of palladium self-assembled nanoparticular (Pd-NP) structures has been systematically studied. The dominant role of surface morphology during the LDI process, which was previously shown for silicon-based substrates, has not been investigated for metal-based substrates before. In our experiments, we demonstrated that both the presence of reagent ions and surface reorganization effects--in particular, melting--during laser irradiation was required for LDI activity of the substrate. The synthesized Pd nanostructures with diameters ranging from 60 to 180 nm started to melt at similar temperatures, viz. 890-898 K. These materials exhibited different LDI efficiencies, however, with Pd-NP materials being the most effective surface in our experiments. Pd nanostructures of diameters >400-800 nm started to melt at higher temperatures, >1000 K, making such targets more resistant to laser irradiation, with subsequent loss of LDI activity. Our data demonstrated that both melting of the surface structures and the presence of reagent ions were essential for efficient LDI of the investigated low molecular weight compounds. This dependence of LDI on melting points was exploited further to improve the performance of Pd-NP-based sampling targets. For example, adding sodium hypophosphite as reducing agent to Pd electrolyte solutions during synthesis lowered the melting points of the Pd-NP materials and subsequently gave reduced laser fluence requirements for LDI. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Interaction of Bacteria with Engineered Nanostructured Polymeric Materials: A Review

PubMed Central

Armentano, Ilaria; Arciola, Carla Renata; Fortunati, Elena; Ferrari, Davide; Mattioli, Samantha; Amoroso, Concetta Floriana; Rizzo, Jessica; Kenny, Jose M.; Imbriani, Marcello; Visai, Livia

2014-01-01

Bacterial infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In spite of great advances in biomaterials research and development, a significant proportion of medical devices undergo bacterial colonization and become the target of an implant-related infection. We present a review of the two major classes of antibacterial nanostructured materials: polymeric nanocomposites and surface-engineered materials. The paper describes antibacterial effects due to the induced material properties, along with the principles of bacterial adhesion and the biofilm formation process. Methods for antimicrobial modifications of polymers using a nanocomposite approach as well as surface modification procedures are surveyed and discussed, followed by a concise examination of techniques used in estimating bacteria/material interactions. Finally, we present an outline of future sceneries and perspectives on antibacterial applications of nanostructured materials to resist or counteract implant infections. PMID:25025086

Mechanisms of electron transport and recombination in ZnO nanostructures for dye-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Vega-Poot, Alberto G; Macías-Montero, Manuel; Idígoras, Jesus; Borrás, Ana; Barranco, Angel; Gonzalez-Elipe, Agustín R; Lizama-Tzec, Francisco I; Oskam, Gerko; Anta, Juan A

2014-04-14

ZnO is an attractive material for applications in dye-sensitized solar cells and related devices. This material has excellent electron-transport properties in the bulk but its electron diffusion coefficient is much smaller in mesoporous films. In this work the electron-transport properties of two different kinds of dye-sensitized ZnO nanostructures are investigated by small-perturbation electrochemical techniques. For nanoparticulate ZnO photoanodes prepared via a wet-chemistry technique, the diffusion coefficient is found to reproduce the typical behavior predicted by the multiple-trapping and the hopping models, with an exponential increase with respect to the applied bias. In contrast, in ZnO nanostructured thin films of controlled texture and crystallinity prepared via a plasma chemical vapor deposition method, the diffusion coefficient is found to be independent of the electrochemical bias. This observation suggests a different transport mechanism not controlled by trapping and electron accumulation. In spite of the quite different transport features, the recombination kinetics, the electron-collection efficiency and the photoconversion efficiency are very similar for both kinds of photoanodes, an observation that indicates that surface properties rather than electron transport is the main efficiency-determining factor in solar cells based on ZnO nanostructured photoanodes. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Carbon fiber CVD coating by carbon nanostructured for space materials protection against atomic oxygen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pastore, Roberto; Bueno Morles, Ramon; Micheli, Davide

2016-07-01

In recent years, the emphasis in space research has been shifting from space exploration to commercialization of space. In order to utilize space for commercial purposes it is necessary to understand the low earth orbit (LEO) space environment where most of the activities will be carried out. The studies on the LEO environment are mainly focused towards understanding the effect of atomic oxygen (AO) on spacecraft materials. In the first few shuttle flights, materials looked frosty because they were actually being eroded and textured: AO reacts with organic materials on spacecraft exteriors, gradually damaging them. When a spacecraft travel in LEO (where crewed vehicles and the International Space Station fly), the AO formed from the residual atmosphere can react with the spacecraft surfaces, causing damage to the vehicle. Polymers are widely used in space vehicles and systems as structural materials, thermal blankets, thermal control coatings, conformal coatings, adhesives, lubricants, etc. Exposure of polymers and composites to the space environment may result in different detrimental effects via modification of their chemical, electrical, thermal, optical and mechanical properties as well as surface erosion. The major degradation effects in polymers are due to their exposure to atomic oxygen, vacuum ultraviolet and synergistic effects, which result in different damaging effects by modification of the polymer's chemical properties. In hydrocarbon containing polymers the main AO effect is the surface erosion via chemical reactions and the release of volatile reaction products associated with the mass loss. The application of a thin protective coating to the base materials is one of the most commonly used methods of preventing AO degradation. The purpose is to provide a barrier between base material and AO environment or, in some cases, to alter AO reactions to inhibit its diffusion. The effectiveness of a coating depends on its continuity, porosity, degree of adhesion and durability in the environment. Though these coatings are efficient in protecting polymer composites, their application imposes severe constraints. Their thermal expansion coefficients may differ markedly from those of polymer composite substrates: as a result, cracks develop in the coatings on thermal cycling and AO can penetrate through them to the substrate. In addition to the technicalities of forming an effective barrier, such factors as cost, convenience of application and ease of repair are important considerations in the selection of a coating for a particular application. The latter issues drive the aerospace research toward the development of novel light composite materials, like the so called polymer nanocomposites, which are materials with a polymer matrix and a filler with at least one dimension less than 100 nanometers. Current interest in nanocomposites has been generated and maintained because nanoparticle-filled polymers exhibit unique combinations of properties not achievable with traditional composites. These combinations of properties can be achieved because of the small size of the fillers, the large surface area the fillers provide, and in many cases the unique properties of the fillers themselves. In particular, the carbon fiber-based polymeric composite materials are the basic point of interest: the aim of the present study is to find new solution to produce carbon fiber-based composites with even more upgraded performances. One intriguing strategy to tackle such an issue has been picked out in the coupling between the carbon fibers and the carbon nanostructures. That for two main reasons: first, carbon nanostructures have shown fancy potentialities for any kind of technological applications since their discovery, second, the chemical affinity between fiber and nanostructure (made of the same element) should be a likely route to approach the typical problems due to thermo-mechanical compatibility. This work is joined in such framework, by the purpose to integrate the carbon nanostructures in the carbon fibers by means of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, in order to develop the basic substrate of advanced carbon-based nanocomposite for atomic oxygen protection. The nanostructures grown onto the carbon fibers can be used to create multiscale hybrid carbon nanotube/carbon fiber composites where individual carbon fibers, which are several microns in diameter, are surrounded by nanotubes. The present objective is the setting-up of the CVD parameters for a reliable growth of carbon nanostructures on carbon fiber surface; after that, the results of a preliminary characterization related to atomic oxygen effects testing by means of a ground LEO simulation facility are reported and discussed.

Growth of GaN nanostructures with polar and semipolar orientations for the fabrication of UV LEDs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brault, Julien; Damilano, Benjamin; Courville, Aimeric; Leroux, Mathieu; Kahouli, Abdelkarim; Korytov, Maxim; Vennéguès, Philippe; Randazzo, Gaetano; Chenot, Sébastien; Vinter, Borge; De Mierry, Philippe; Massies, Jean; Rosales, Daniel; Bretagnon, Thierry; Gil, Bernard

2014-03-01

(Al,Ga)N light emitting diodes (LEDs), emitting over a large spectral range from 360 nm (GaN) down to 210 nm (AlN), have been successfully fabricated over the last decade. Clear advantages compared to the traditional mercury lamp technology (e.g. compactness, low-power operation, lifetime) have been demonstrated. However, LED efficiencies still need to be improved. The main problems are related to the structural quality and the p-type doping efficiency of (Al,Ga)N. Among the current approaches, GaN nanostructures, which confine carriers along both the growth direction and the growth plane, are seen as a solution for improving the radiative recombination efficiency by strongly reducing the impact of surrounding defects. Our approach, based on a 2D - 3D growth mode transition in molecular beam epitaxy, can lead to the spontaneous formation of GaN nanostructures on (Al,Ga)N over a broad range of Al compositions. Furthermore, the versatility of the process makes it possible to fabricate nanostructures on both (0001) oriented "polar" and (11 2 2) oriented "semipolar" materials. We show that the change in the crystal orientation has a strong impact on the morphological and optical properties of the nanostructures. The influence of growth conditions are also investigated by combining microscopy (SEM, TEM) and photoluminescence techniques. Finally, their potential as UV emitters will be discussed and the performances of GaN / (Al,Ga)N nanostructure-based LED demonstrators are presented.

A review of nanostructured lithium ion battery materials via low temperature synthesis.

PubMed

Chen, Jiajun

2013-01-01

Nanostructured materials afford us new opportunities to improve the current technology for synthesizing Li ion batteries. Generating nanomaterials with new properties via an inexpensive approach offers a tremendous potential for realizing high performance Li-ion batteries. In this review, I mainly summarize some of the recent progress made, and describe the patents awarded on synthesizing nanostructured cathode materials for these batteries via low temperature wet- chemistry methods. From an economical view, such syntheses, especially hydrothermal synthesis, may offer the opportunities for significantly lowering the cost of manufacturing battery materials, while conferring distinct environmental advantages. Recent advances in in-situ (real time) X-ray diffraction for studying hydrothermal synthesis have great potential for bettering the rational design of advanced lithium-electrode materials. The development of this technique also will be discussed.

NiCo2S4 nanorod embedded rGO sheets as electrodes for supercapacitor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, Aatreyee; Bera, Supriya; Chakraborty, Amit Kumar

2018-04-01

We report the synthesis of a hybrid nanostructure based on NiCo2S4 and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) following a facile hydrothermal method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), and electron microscopy (FESEM and HRTEM) analyses showed rod-like NiCo2S4 nanostructures embedded in rGO sheets. The electrochemical analysis of the synthesized nanohybrid using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge discharge (GCD) revealed specific capacitance of 410 F/gm indicating its suitability as a good electrode material for supercapacitor.

Synthesis of nanostructured marcasite FeS2 for energy storage applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaur, Gurpreet; Sharma, Pooja D.; Thakur, Anup; Kumar, Manjeet; Bala, Rajni; Kumar, Akshay

2018-05-01

The synthesis of marcasite FeS2 is of great interest as this area is seldom studied due to its sophisticated synthesis methods. In fulfillment of growing energy demands, there is need of cost effective alternates for energy storage devices. Nanostructured marcasite iron disulfide (FeS2) is a promising candidate as anode material for energy storage devices. FeS2 exist in many phases out of which marcasite and pyrite are best suitable for energy storage applications. Purity of the phase is a big challenge for its application oriented use. Pure marcasite (FeS2) has been synthesized by low cost, environmentally friendly hydrothermal route. The synthesized material has been characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD). Cyclic voltammetry results show the significant electrochemical performance of marcasite. This work purposes a vision to develop marcasite based electrode material for energy storage devices.

1D nanostructured Na7V4(P2O7)4(PO4) as high-potential and superior-performance cathode material for sodium-ion batteries.

PubMed

Deng, Chao; Zhang, Sen

2014-06-25

Tailoring materials into nanostructure offers unprecedented opportunities in the utilization of their functional properties. High-purity Na7V4(P2O7)4(PO4) with 1D nanostructure is prepared as a cathode material for rechargeable Na-ion batteries. An efficient synthetic approach is developed by carefully controlling the crystal growth in the molten sodium phosphate. Based on the XRD, XPS, TG, and morphological characterization, a molten-salt assisted mechanism for nanoarchitecture formation is revealed. The prepared Na7V4(P2O7)4(PO4) nanorod has rectangle sides and preferential [001] growth orientation. GITT evaluation indicates that the sodium de/intercalation of Na7V4(P2O7)4(PO4) nanorod involves V(3+)/V(4+) redox reaction and Na5V(3.5+)4(P2O7)4(PO4) as intermediate phase, which results in two pairs of potential plateaus at the equilibrium potentials of 3.8713 V (V(3+)/V(3.5+)) and 3.8879 V (V(3.5+)/V(4+)), respectively. The unique nanoarchitecture of the phase-pure Na7V4(P2O7)4(PO4) facilitates its reversible sodium de/intercalation, which is beneficial to the high-rate capability and the cycling stability. The Na7V4(P2O7)4(PO4) cathode delivers 80% of the capacity (obtained at C/20) at the 10 C rate and 95% of the initial capacity after 200 cycles. Therefore, it is feasible to design and fabricate an advanced rechargeable sodium-ion battery by employment of 1D nanostructured Na7V4(P2O7)4(PO4) as the cathode material.

Nanostructured Catalytic Hybrid Materials for Energy Conversion or Storage

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-27

and 6) and characterized them using bomb calorimetry, DSC and XRD. - We are organizing the data to make research articles and patents. [Iron...Unlimited Distribution Figure 4 • Bomb calorimeter (BC) enthalpy plot of Al-encapsulated nanofibers Nanostructured catalytic hybrid materials for energy

Biocompatibility of nanostructured boron doped diamond for the attachment and proliferation of human neural stem cells.

PubMed

Taylor, Alice C; Vagaska, Barbora; Edgington, Robert; Hébert, Clément; Ferretti, Patrizia; Bergonzo, Philippe; Jackman, Richard B

2015-12-01

We quantitatively investigate the biocompatibility of chemical vapour deposited (CVD) nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) after the inclusion of boron, with and without nanostructuring. The nanostructuring method involves a novel approach of growing NCD over carbon nanotubes (CNTs) that act as a 3D scaffold. This nanostructuring of BNCD leads to a material with increased capacitance, and this along with wide electrochemical window makes BNCD an ideal material for neural interface applications, and thus it is essential that their biocompatibility is investigated. Biocompatibility was assessed by observing the interaction of human neural stem cells (hNSCs) with a variety of NCD substrates including un-doped ones, and NCD doped with boron, which are both planar, and nanostructured. hNSCs were chosen due to their sensitivity, and various methods including cell population and confluency were used to quantify biocompatibility. Boron inclusion into NCD film was shown to have no observable effect on hNSC attachment, proliferation and viability. Furthermore, the biocompatibility of nanostructured boron-doped NCD is increased upon nanostructuring, potentially due to the increased surface area. Diamond is an attractive material for supporting the attachment and development of cells as it can show exceptional biocompatibility. When boron is used as a dopant within diamond it becomes a p-type semiconductor, and at high concentrations the diamond becomes quasi-metallic, offering the prospect of a direct electrical device-cell interfacing system.

Spin Dependent Transport Properties of Metallic and Semiconducting Nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sapkota, Keshab R.

Present computing and communication devices rely on two different classes of technologies; information processing devices are based on electrical charge transport in semiconducting materials while information storage devices are based on orientation of electron spins in magnetic materials. A realization of a hybrid-type device that is based on charge as well as spin properties of electrons would perform both of these actions thereby enhancing computation power to many folds and reducing power consumptions. This dissertation focuses on the fabrication of such spin-devices based on metallic and semiconducting nanostructures which can utilize spin as well as charge properties of electrons. A simplified design of the spin-device consists of a spin injector, a semiconducting or metallic channel, and a spin detector. The channel is the carrier of the spin signal from the injector to the detector and therefore plays a crucial role in the manipulation of spin properties in the device. In this work, nanostructures like nanowires and nanostripes are used to function the channel in the spin-device. Methods like electrospinning, hydrothermal, and wet chemical were used to synthesize nanowires while physical vapor deposition followed by heat treatment in controlled environment was used to synthesis nanostripes. Spin-devices fabrication of the synthesized nanostructures were carried out by electron beam lithography process. The details of synthesis of nanostructures, device fabrication procedures and measurement techniques will be discussed in the thesis. We have successfully fabricated the spin-devices of tellurium nanowire, indium nanostripe, and indium oxide nanostripe and studied their spin transport properties for the first time. These spin-devices show large spin relaxation length compared to normal metals like copper and offer potentials for the future technologies. Further, Heusler alloys nanowires like nanowires of Co 2FeAl were synthesized and studied for electrical transport properties since such systems are halfmetallic in nature and promise the possibilities of spin injection and detection. The study was extended to dilute magnetic semiconducting nanowire system of Cd1-xMnxTe which possess both magnetic and semiconducting properties. In summary, the studies made in this thesis will offer a new understanding of spin transport behavior for future technology.

One-Dimensional Hetero-Nanostructures for Rechargeable Batteries.

PubMed

Mai, Liqiang; Sheng, Jinzhi; Xu, Lin; Tan, Shuangshuang; Meng, Jiashen

2018-04-17

Rechargeable batteries are regarded as one of the most practical electrochemical energy storage devices that are able to convert and store the electrical energy generated from renewable resources, and they function as the key power sources for electric vehicles and portable electronics. The ultimate goals for electrochemical energy storage devices are high power and energy density, long lifetime, and high safety. To achieve the above goals, researchers have tried to apply various morphologies of nanomaterials as the electrodes to enhance the electrochemical performance. Among them, one-dimensional (1D) materials show unique superiorities, such as cross-linked structures for external stress buffering and large draw ratios for internal stress dispersion. However, a homogeneous single-component electrode material can hardly have the characteristics of high electronic/ionic conductivity and high stability in the electrochemical environment simultaneously. Therefore, designing well-defined functional 1D hetero-nanostructures that combine the advantages and overcome the limitations of different electrochemically active materials is of great significance. This Account summarizes fabrication strategies for 1D hetero-nanostructures, including nucleation and growth, deposition, and melt-casting and electrospinning. Besides, the chemical principles for each strategy are discussed. The nucleation and growth strategy is suitable for growing and constructing 1D hetero-nanostructures of partial transition metal compounds, and the experimental conditions for this strategy are relatively accessible. Deposition is a reliable strategy to synthesize 1D hetero-nanostructures by decorating functional layers on 1D substrate materials, on the condition that the preobtained substrate materials must be stable in the following deposition process. The melt-casting strategy, in which 1D hetero-nanostructures are synthesizes via a melting and molding process, is also widely used. Additionally, the main functions of 1D hetero-nanostructures are summarized into four aspects and reviewed in detail. Appropriate surface modification can effectively restrain the structure deterioration and the regeneration of the solid-electrolyte interphase layer caused by the volume change. A porous or semihollow external conducting material coating provides advanced electron/ion bicontinuous transmission. Suitable atomic heterogeneity in the crystal structure is beneficial to the expansion and stabilization of the ion diffusion channels. Multiphase-assisted structural design is also an accessible way for the sulfur electrode material restriction. Moreover, some outlooks about the further industrial production, more effective and cheaper fabrication strategies, and new heterostructures with smaller-scale composition are given in the last part. By providing an overview of fabrication methods and performance-enhancing mechanisms of 1D hetero-nanostructured electrode materials, we hope to pave a new way to facile and efficient construction of 1D hetero-nanostructures with practical utility.

Acquisition of a Modified Suction Casting Instrument for the Fabrication of Radiation Tolerant Bulk nNanostructured Metallic Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-13

Cu/ Nb films”, Philos. Mag., 84, 1021-1028, (2004). [23] D. H. Ryan, J. M. D. Coey, “Magnetic properties of iron-rich Fe- Zr glasses”, Phys. Rev. B...2226, (1982). [26] K. Fukamichi, R. J. Gambino, T. R. McGuire, “ Electrical resistivity and Hall effect in FeZr amorphous sputtered films”, J. Appl...fabricate several bulk nanostructured metallic materials. In particular we fabricated bulk nanostructured Fe- Zr alloys via suction casting technique. The as

Self-assembly of nucleic acids, silk and hybrid materials thereof.

PubMed

Humenik, Martin; Scheibel, Thomas

2014-12-17

Top-down approaches based on etching techniques have almost reached their limits in terms of dimension. Therefore, novel assembly strategies and types of nanomaterials are required to allow technological advances. Self-assembly processes independent of external energy sources and unlimited in dimensional scaling have become a very promising approach. Here,we highlight recent developments in self-assembled DNA-polymer, silk-polymer and silk-DNA hybrids as promising materials with biotic and abiotic moieties for constructing complex hierarchical materials in ‘bottom-up’ approaches. DNA block copolymers assemble into nanostructures typically exposing a DNA corona which allows functionalization, labeling and higher levels of organization due to its specific addressable recognition properties. In contrast, self-assembly of natural silk proteins as well as their recombinant variants yields mechanically stable β-sheet rich nanostructures. The combination of silk with abiotic polymers gains hybrid materials with new functionalities. Together, the precision of DNA hybridization and robustness of silk fibrillar structures combine in novel conjugates enable processing of higher-order structures with nanoscale architecture and programmable functions.

Micro/Nanostructured Materials for Sodium Ion Batteries and Capacitors.

PubMed

Li, Feng; Zhou, Zhen

2018-02-01

High-efficiency energy storage technologies and devices have received considerable attention due to their ever-increasing demand. Na-related energy storage systems, sodium ion batteries (SIBs) and sodium ion capacitors (SICs), are regarded as promising candidates for large-scale energy storage because of the abundant sources and low cost of sodium. In the last decade, many efforts, including structural and compositional optimization, effective modification of available materials, and design and exploration of new materials, have been made to promote the development of Na-related energy storage systems. In this Review, the latest developments of micro/nanostructured electrode materials for advanced SIBs and SICs, especially the rational design of unique composites with high thermodynamic stabilities and fast kinetics during charge/discharge, are summarized. In addition to the recent achievements, the remaining challenges with respect to fundamental investigations and commercialized applications are discussed in detail. Finally, the prospects of sodium-based energy storage systems are also described. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Self-assembly of nucleic acids, silk and hybrid materials thereof

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Humenik, Martin; Scheibel, Thomas

2014-12-01

Top-down approaches based on etching techniques have almost reached their limits in terms of dimension. Therefore, novel assembly strategies and types of nanomaterials are required to allow technological advances. Self-assembly processes independent of external energy sources and unlimited in dimensional scaling have become a very promising approach. Here, we highlight recent developments in self-assembled DNA-polymer, silk-polymer and silk-DNA hybrids as promising materials with biotic and abiotic moieties for constructing complex hierarchical materials in ‘bottom-up’ approaches. DNA block copolymers assemble into nanostructures typically exposing a DNA corona which allows functionalization, labeling and higher levels of organization due to its specific addressable recognition properties. In contrast, self-assembly of natural silk proteins as well as their recombinant variants yields mechanically stable β-sheet rich nanostructures. The combination of silk with abiotic polymers gains hybrid materials with new functionalities. Together, the precision of DNA hybridization and robustness of silk fibrillar structures combine in novel conjugates enable processing of higher-order structures with nanoscale architecture and programmable functions.

Pseudocapacitive Sodium Storage by Ferroelectric Sn2 P2 S6 with Layered Nanostructure.

PubMed

Huang, Sheng; Meng, Chao; Xiao, Min; Ren, Shan; Wang, Shuanjin; Han, Dongmei; Li, Yuning; Meng, Yuezhong

2018-04-19

Sodium ion batteries (SIB) are considered promising alternative candidates for lithium ion batteries (LIB) because of the wide availability and low cost of sodium, therefore the development of alternative sodium storage materials with comparable performance to LIB is urgently desired. The sodium ions with larger sizes resist intercalation or alloying because of slow reaction kinetics. Most pseudocapacitive sodium storage materials are based on subtle nanomaterial engineering, which is difficult for large-scale production. Here, ferroelectric Sn 2 P 2 S 6 with layered nanostructure is developed as sodium ion storage material. The ferroelectricity-enhanced pseudocapacitance of sodium ion in the interlayer spacing makes the electrochemical reaction easier and faster, endowing the Sn 2 P 2 S 6 electrode with excellent rate capability and cycle stability. Furthermore, the facile solid state reaction synthesis and common electrode fabrication make the Sn 2 P 2 S 6 that becomes a promising anode material of SIB. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A study of 3-dimensionally periodic carbon nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Ming; Bleiweiss, Michael; Amirzadeh, Jafar; Datta, Timir; Arammash, Fouzi

2012-02-01

Electronic structures with intricate periodic 3-dimensional arrangements at the submicron scale were investigated. These may be fabricated using artificial porous opal substrates as the templates in which the targeted conducting medium is introduced. In the past these materials were reported to show interesting electronic behaviors. [Michael Bleiweiss, et al ``Localization and Related Phenomena in Multiply Connected Nanostructured,'' BAPS, Z30.011, Nanostructured Materials Session, March 2001, Seattle]. Several materials were studied in particular disordered carbon which has been reported to show quantum transport including fractional hall steps. The results of these measurements, including the observation of localization phenomena, will be discussed. Comparisons will be made with literature data.

Quasi-one dimensional (Q1D) nanostructures: Synthesis, integration and device application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chien, Chung-Jen

Quasi-one-dimensional (Q1D) nanostructures such as nanotubes and nanowires have been widely regarded as the potential building blocks for nanoscale electronic, optoelectronic and sensing devices. In this work, the content can be divided into three categories: Nano-material synthesis and characterizations, alignment and integration, physical properties and application. The dissertation consists of seven chapters as following. Chapter 1 will give an introduction to low dimensional nano-materials. Chapter 2 explains the mechanism how Q1D nanostructure grows. Chapter 3 describes the methods how we horizontally and vertically align the Q1D nanostructure. Chapter 4 and 5 are the electrical and optical device characterization respectively. Chapter 6 demonstrates the integration of Q1D nanostructures and the device application. The last chapter will discuss the future work and conclusion of the thesis.

Correlating Microstructure and Optoelectronic Performance of Carbon-Based Nanomaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rochford, Caitlin

There is a great deal of interest in carbon nanostructures such as graphene and various forms of carbon nanotubes due to their exceptional physical, electronic, and optical properties. Many technological applications have been proposed for these nanostructures, but despite the promise many carbon nanostructure-based optoelectronic devices fail to compete with their conventional counterparts. This is often due in large part to a non-optimized material or device microstructure. Factors such as crystallinity, contact quality, defect structure, and device configuration can critically affect device performance due to the high sensitivity and extreme surface to volume ratio of carbon nanostructures. In order for the exceptional intrinsic properties of the nanostructures to be exploited, a clear understanding of the microstructure and its correlation with device-relevant optoelectronic properties is needed. This dissertation presents four projects which demonstrate this principle. First, a TiO 2-coated carbon nanofiber is studied in order to optimize its structure for use in a novel dye-sensitized solar cell. Second, the electrode configuration of an individual multiwall carbon nanotube infrared sensor is investigated in order to surpass the limitations of disordered nanotube film-based infrared sensors. Third, the properties of defect structures in large area transferred graphene films grown by chemical vapor deposition are correlated with carrier diffusion in order to understand the film's low mobility compared to exfoliated graphene. Fourth, the effect of deposition conditions on graphene-metal contact was studied with the goal of achieving sufficiently transparent contacts for investigation of the superconducting proximity effect. All four projects highlight the unique properties of carbon nanostructures as well as the need to correlate their optoelectronic properties with microstructural details in order to achieve the desired device performance.

Immunomodulatory properties of titanium dioxide nanostructural materials.

PubMed

Latha, T Sree; Reddy, Madhava C; R Durbaka, Prasad V; Muthukonda, Shankar V; Lomada, Dakshayani

2017-01-01

Although titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanostructural materials have been widely used in Biology and Medicine, very little is known about immunomodulation mechanism of these materials. Objectives of this study are to investigate in vitro immunomodulatory effects of TiO 2 . Immunosuppressant may lower immune responses and are helpful for the treatment of graft versus host diseases and autoimmune disorders. In this study, we used H 2 Ti 3 O 7 titanium dioxide nanotubes (TNT) nanotubes along with commercial TiO 2 nanoparticles (TNP) and TiO 2 fine particles (TFP). We investigated the in vitro immunomodulatory effects of TNP, TNT, and TFP using mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). Suppression was studied by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Cytokine profile was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results from this study illustrated that the TiO 2 nanostructural materials strongly suppressed splenocytes proliferation in MLR. For TNP and TNT, at 50 μg/ml suppression of 20%-25% and 30%-35%, respectively, and for TFP at 100 μg/ml suppression was 25%-30% was observed. Suppression of splenocytes proliferation in the presence of TNP, TNT, and TFP demonstrated that these nanostructural materials probably block T-cell-mediated responses in vitro . Our ELISA results confirmed that significantly lower levels of Th1 type cytokines (interleukin-2, interferon-γ) in the 48 h MLR culture supernatants. Our data suggest that TiO 2 nanostructural materials suppress splenocytes proliferation by suppressing Th1 cytokines.

Multi-Anion Intercalated Layered Double Hydroxide Nanosheet-Assembled Hollow Nanoprisms with Improved Pseudocapacitive and Electrocatalytic Properties.

PubMed

Li, Zhengping; Han, Fangchun; Li, Cheng; Jiao, Xiuling; Chen, Dairong

2018-05-04

Electrochemically active hollow nanostructured materials hold great promise in diverse energy conversion and storage applications, however, intricate synthesis steps and poor control over compositions and morphologies have limited the realization of delicate hollow structures with advanced functional properties. In this study, we demonstrate a one-step wet-chemical strategy for co-engineering the hollow nanostructure and anion intercalation of nickel cobalt layered double hydroxide (NiCo-LDH) to attain highly electrochemical active energy conversion and storage functionalities. Self-templated pseudomorphic transformation of cobalt acetate hydroxide solid nanoprisms using nickel nitrate leads to the construction of well-defined NiCo-LDH hollow nanoprisms (HNPs) with multi-anion intercalation. The unique hierarchical nanosheet-assembled hollow structure and efficiently expanded interlayer spacing offer an increased surface area and exposure of active sites, reduced mass and charge transfer resistance, and enhanced stability of the materials. This leads to a significant improvement in the pseudocapacitive and electrocatalytic properties of NiCo-LDH HNP with respect to specific capacitance, rate and cycling performance, and OER overpotential, outperforming most of the recently reported NiCo-based materials. This work establishes the potential of manipulating sacrificial template transformation for the design and fabrication of novel classes of functional materials with well-defined nanostructures for electrochemical applications and beyond. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Vertically aligned carbon nanofibers and related structures: Controlled synthesis and directed assembly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melechko, A. V.; Merkulov, V. I.; McKnight, T. E.; Guillorn, M. A.; Klein, K. L.; Lowndes, D. H.; Simpson, M. L.

2005-02-01

The controlled synthesis of materials by methods that permit their assembly into functional nanoscale structures lies at the crux of the emerging field of nanotechnology. Although only one of several materials families is of interest, carbon-based nanostructured materials continue to attract a disproportionate share of research effort, in part because of their wide-ranging properties. Additionally, developments of the past decade in the controlled synthesis of carbon nanotubes and nanofibers have opened additional possibilities for their use as functional elements in numerous applications. Vertically aligned carbon nanofibers (VACNFs) are a subclass of carbon nanostructured materials that can be produced with a high degree of control using catalytic plasma-enhanced chemical-vapor deposition (C-PECVD). Using C-PECVD the location, diameter, length, shape, chemical composition, and orientation can be controlled during VACNF synthesis. Here we review the CVD and PECVD systems, growth control mechanisms, catalyst preparation, resultant carbon nanostructures, and VACNF properties. This is followed by a review of many of the application areas for carbon nanotubes and nanofibers including electron field-emission sources, electrochemical probes, functionalized sensor elements, scanning probe microscopy tips, nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS), hydrogen and charge storage, and catalyst support. We end by noting gaps in the understanding of VACNF growth mechanisms and the challenges remaining in the development of methods for an even more comprehensive control of the carbon nanofiber synthesis process.

Nanostructured metal oxide-based materials as advanced anodes for lithium-ion batteries.

PubMed

Wu, Hao Bin; Chen, Jun Song; Hng, Huey Hoon; Lou, Xiong Wen David

2012-04-21

The search for new electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has been an important way to satisfy the ever-growing demands for better performance with higher energy/power densities, improved safety and longer cycle life. Nanostructured metal oxides exhibit good electrochemical properties, and they are regarded as promising anode materials for high-performance LIBs. In this feature article, we will focus on three different categories of metal oxides with distinct lithium storage mechanisms: tin dioxide (SnO(2)), which utilizes alloying/dealloying processes to reversibly store/release lithium ions during charge/discharge; titanium dioxide (TiO(2)), where lithium ions are inserted/deinserted into/out of the TiO(2) crystal framework; and transition metal oxides including iron oxide and cobalt oxide, which react with lithium ions via an unusual conversion reaction. For all three systems, we will emphasize that creating nanomaterials with unique structures could effectively improve the lithium storage properties of these metal oxides. We will also highlight that the lithium storage capability can be further enhanced through designing advanced nanocomposite materials containing metal oxides and other carbonaceous supports. By providing such a rather systematic survey, we aim to stress the importance of proper nanostructuring and advanced compositing that would result in improved physicochemical properties of metal oxides, thus making them promising negative electrodes for next-generation LIBs.

Aptamer-integrated DNA nanostructures for biosensing, bioimaging and cancer therapy.

PubMed

Meng, Hong-Min; Liu, Hui; Kuai, Hailan; Peng, Ruizi; Mo, Liuting; Zhang, Xiao-Bing

2016-05-03

The combination of nanostructures with biomolecules leading to the generation of functional nanosystems holds great promise for biotechnological and biomedical applications. As a naturally occurring biomacromolecule, DNA exhibits excellent biocompatibility and programmability. Also, scalable synthesis can be readily realized through automated instruments. Such unique properties, together with Watson-Crick base-pairing interactions, make DNA a particularly promising candidate to be used as a building block material for a wide variety of nanostructures. In the past few decades, various DNA nanostructures have been developed, including one-, two- and three-dimensional nanomaterials. Aptamers are single-stranded DNA or RNA molecules selected by Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX), with specific recognition abilities to their targets. Therefore, integrating aptamers into DNA nanostructures results in powerful tools for biosensing and bioimaging applications. Furthermore, owing to their high loading capability, aptamer-modified DNA nanostructures have also been altered to play the role of drug nanocarriers for in vivo applications and targeted cancer therapy. In this review, we summarize recent progress in the design of aptamers and related DNA molecule-integrated DNA nanostructures as well as their applications in biosensing, bioimaging and cancer therapy. To begin with, we first introduce the SELEX technology. Subsequently, the methodologies for the preparation of aptamer-integrated DNA nanostructures are presented. Then, we highlight their applications in biosensing and bioimaging for various targets, as well as targeted cancer therapy applications. Finally, we discuss several challenges and further opportunities in this emerging field.

MnSi nanostructures obtained from epitaxially grown thin films: magnetotransport and Hall effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schroeter, D.; Steinki, N.; Schilling, M.; Fernández Scarioni, A.; Krzysteczko, P.; Dziomba, T.; Schumacher, H. W.; Menzel, D.; Süllow, S.

2018-06-01

We present a comparative study of the (magneto)transport properties, including Hall effect, of bulk, epitaxially grown thin film and nanostructured MnSi. In order to set our results in relation to published data we extensively characterize our materials, this way establishing a comparatively good sample quality. Our analysis reveals that in particular for thin film and nanostructured material, there are extrinsic and intrinsic contributions to the electronic transport properties, which by modeling the data we separate out. Finally, we discuss our Hall effect data of nanostructured MnSi under consideration of the extrinsic contributions and with respect to the question of the detection of a topological Hall effect in a skyrmionic lattice.

Nanostructures produced by phase-separation during growth of (III-V).sub.1-x(IV.sub.2).sub.x alloys

DOEpatents

Norman, Andrew G [Evergreen, CO; Olson, Jerry M [Lakewood, CO

2007-06-12

Nanostructures (18) and methods for production thereof by phase separation during metal organic vapor-phase epitaxy (MOVPE). An embodiment of one of the methods may comprise providing a growth surface in a reaction chamber and introducing a first mixture of precursor materials into the reaction chamber to form a buffer layer (12) thereon. A second mixture of precursor materials may be provided into the reaction chamber to form an active region (14) on the buffer layer (12), wherein the nanostructure (18) is embedded in a matrix (16) in the active region (14). Additional steps are also disclosed for preparing the nanostructure (18) product for various applications.

Nanostructured SnSe: Synthesis, doping, and thermoelectric properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Shuhao; Sun, Naikun; Liu, Mei; Sucharitakul, Sukrit; Gao, Xuan P. A.

2018-03-01

IV-VI monochalcogenide SnSe or SnS has recently been proposed as a promising two-dimensional (2D) material for valleytronics and thermoelectrics. We report the synthesis of SnSe nanoflakes and nanostructured thin films with chemical vapor deposition method and their thermoelectric properties. As grown SnSe nanostructures are found to be intrinsically p-type and the single SnSe nanoflake field effect transistor was fabricated. By Ag doping, the power factor of SnSe nanostructured thin films can be improved by up to one order of magnitude compared to the "intrinsic" as grown materials. Our work provides an initial step in the pursuit of IV-VI monochalcogenides as novel 2D semiconductors for electronics and thermoelectrics.

Biomolecule-based nanomaterials and nanostructures.

PubMed

Willner, Itamar; Willner, Bilha

2010-10-13

Biomolecule-nanoparticle (or carbon nanotube) hybrid systems provide new materials that combine the unique optical, electronic, or catalytic properties of the nanoelements with the recognition or biocatalytic functions of biomolecules. This article summarizes recent applications of biomolecule-nanoparticle (or carbon nanotubes) hybrid systems for sensing, synthesis of nanostructures, and for the fabrication of nanoscale devices. The use of metallic nanoparticles for the electrical contacting of redox enzymes with electrodes, and as catalytic labels for the development of electrochemical biosensors is discussed. Similarly, biomolecule-quantum dot hybrid systems are implemented for optical biosensing, and for monitoring intracellular metabolic processes. Also, the self-assembly of biomolecule-metal nanoparticle hybrids into nanostructures and functional nanodevices is presented. The future perspectives of the field are addressed by discussing future challenges and highlighting different potential applications.

Si/C hybrid nanostructures for Li-ion anodes: An overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terranova, Maria Letizia; Orlanducci, Silvia; Tamburri, Emanuela; Guglielmotti, Valeria; Rossi, Marco

2014-01-01

This review article summarizes recent and increasing efforts in the development of novel Li ion cell anode nanomaterials based on the coupling of C with Si. The rationale behind such efforts is based on the fact that the Si-C coupling realizes a favourable combination of the two materials properties, such as the high lithiation capacity of Si and the mechanical and conductive properties of C, making Si/C hybrid nanomaterials the ideal candidates for innovative and improved Li-ion anodes. Together with an overview of the methodologies proposed in the last decade for material preparation, a discussion on relationship between organization at the nanoscale of the hybrid Si/C systems and battery performances is given. An emerging indication is that the enhancement of the batteries efficiency in terms of mass capacity, energy density and cycling stability, resides in the ability to arrange Si/C bi-component nanostructures in pre-defined architectures. Starting from the results obtained so far, this paper aims to indicate some emerging directions and to inspire promising routes to optimize fabrication of Si/C nanomaterials and engineering of Li-ion anodes structures. The use of Si/C hybrid nanostructures could represents a viable and effective solution to the foreseen limits of present lithium ion technology.

Prospects of Nanotechnology in Clinical Immunodiagnostics

PubMed Central

Ansari, Anees A.; Alhoshan, Mansour; Alsalhi, Mohamad S.; Aldwayyan, Abdullah S.

2010-01-01

Nanostructured materials are promising compounds that offer new opportunities as sensing platforms for the detection of biomolecules. Having micrometer-scale length and nanometer-scale diameters, nanomaterials can be manipulated with current nanofabrication methods, as well as self-assembly techniques, to fabricate nanoscale bio-sensing devices. Nanostructured materials possess extraordinary physical, mechanical, electrical, thermal and multifunctional properties. Such unique properties advocate their use as biomimetic membranes to immobilize and modify biomolecules on the surface of nanoparticles. Alignment, uniform dispersion, selective growth and diameter control are general parameters which play critical roles in the successful integration of nanostructures for the fabrication of bioelectronic sensing devices. In this review, we focus on different types and aspects of nanomaterials, including their synthesis, properties, conjugation with biomolecules and their application in the construction of immunosensing devices. Some key results from each cited article are summarized by relating the concept and mechanism behind each sensor, experimental conditions and the behavior of the sensor under different conditions, etc. The variety of nanomaterial-based bioelectronic devices exhibiting novel functions proves the unique properties of nanomaterials in such sensing devices, which will surely continue to expand in the future. Such nanomaterial based devices are expected to have a major impact in clinical immunodiagnostics, environmental monitoring, security surveillance and for ensuring food safety. PMID:22163566

Design, fabrication, and testing of three-dimensionally ordered macroporous materials for pseudomorphic transformation and power storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lytle, Justin Conrad

This dissertation details my study of three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) materials, which were prepared using polymer latex colloidal crystal templates. These solids are composed of close-packed and three-dimensionally interconnected spherical macropores surrounded by nanoscale solid wall skeletons. This unique architecture offers relatively large surface areas that are accessible by interconnected macropores, making these materials important for innovative catalysis, sensing, and separations applications. In addition, the three-dimensionally alternating dielectric structure can establish photonic stop bands that control the flow of light analogously to the restraint of electronic conduction by electronic bandgaps. Many potential applications would benefit from reducing device feature sizes from the bulk into the nanoscale regime. However, some compositions are more easily prepared as nanostructured materials than others. Therefore, it would be immensely important to develop synthetic methods of transforming solids that are more easily formed with nanoarchitectural features into compositions that are not. Pseudomorphic transformation reactions may be one solution to this problem, since they are capable of altering chemical composition while maintaining shape and structural morphology. Several compositions of inverse opal and nanostructured preforms were investigated in this work to study the effects of vapor-phase and solution-phase conversion reactions on materials with feature sizes ranging from a few nm to tens of mum. 3DOM SiO2 and WO3, nanostructured Ni, and colloidal silica sphere performs were studied to investigate the effects of preform chemistries, feature sizes and shapes, processing temperatures, and reagent ratios on overall pseudomorphic structural retention. Power storage and fuel cell devices based on nanostructured electrodes are a major example of how reducing device component feature sizes can greatly benefit applications. Bulk electrode geometries have diffusion-limited kinetics and relatively low energy and power densities. Nanostructured electrodes offer extremely short ion diffusion pathlengths and relatively numerous reaction sites. 3DOM SnO2 thin films, 3DOM Li4Ti 5O12 powders, and 3DOM carbon monoliths have been fabricated and characterized in this work as Li-ion anode materials, with 3DOM carbon exhibiting an enormous rate capability beyond similarly prepared, but non-templated, bulk carbon. Furthermore, a novel battery design that is three-dimensionally interpenetrated on the nanoscale was prepared and evaluated in this research.

Boron carbide nanostructures: A prospective material as an additive in concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Paviter; Kaur, Gurpreet; Kumar, Rohit; Kumar, Umesh; Singh, Kulwinder; Kumar, Manjeet; Bala, Rajni; Meena, Ramovatar; Kumar, Akshay

2018-05-01

In recent decades, manufacture and ingestion of concrete have increased particularly in developing countries. Due to its low cost, safety and strength, concrete have become an economical choice for protection of radiation shielding material in nuclear reactors. As boron carbide has been known as a neutron absorber material makes it a great candidate as an additive in concrete for shielding radiation. This paper presents the synthesis of boron carbide nanostructures by using ball milling method. The X-ray diffraction pattern, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscope analysis confirms the formation of boron carbide nanostructures. The effect of boron carbide nanostructures on the strength of concrete samples was demonstrated. The compressive strength tests of concrete cube B4C powder additives for 0 % and 5 % of total weight of cement was compared for different curing time period such as 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. The high compressive strength was observed when 5 wt % boron carbide nanostructures were used as an additive in concrete samples after 28 days curing time and showed significant improvement in strength.

Scaling laws for van der Waals interactions in nanostructured materials.

PubMed

Gobre, Vivekanand V; Tkatchenko, Alexandre

2013-01-01

Van der Waals interactions have a fundamental role in biology, physics and chemistry, in particular in the self-assembly and the ensuing function of nanostructured materials. Here we utilize an efficient microscopic method to demonstrate that van der Waals interactions in nanomaterials act at distances greater than typically assumed, and can be characterized by different scaling laws depending on the dimensionality and size of the system. Specifically, we study the behaviour of van der Waals interactions in single-layer and multilayer graphene, fullerenes of varying size, single-wall carbon nanotubes and graphene nanoribbons. As a function of nanostructure size, the van der Waals coefficients follow unusual trends for all of the considered systems, and deviate significantly from the conventionally employed pairwise-additive picture. We propose that the peculiar van der Waals interactions in nanostructured materials could be exploited to control their self-assembly.

Modified wound dressing with phyto-nanostructured coating to prevent staphylococcal and pseudomonal biofilm development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anghel, Ion; Holban, Alina Maria; Grumezescu, Alexandru Mihai; Andronescu, Ecaterina; Ficai, Anton; Anghel, Alina Georgiana; Maganu, Maria; Lazǎr, Veronica; Chifiriuc, Mariana Carmen

2012-12-01

This paper reports a newly fabricated nanophyto-modified wound dressing with microbicidal and anti-adherence properties. Nanofluid-based magnetite doped with eugenol or limonene was used to fabricate modified wound dressings. Nanostructure coated materials were characterized by TEM, XRD, and FT-IR. For the quantitative measurement of biofilm-embedded microbial cells, a culture-based method for viable cell count was used. The optimized textile dressing samples proved to be more resistant to staphylococcal and pseudomonal colonization and biofilm formation compared to the uncoated controls. The functionalized surfaces for wound dressing seems to be a very useful tool for the prevention of wound microbial contamination on viable tissues.

Modified wound dressing with phyto-nanostructured coating to prevent staphylococcal and pseudomonal biofilm development

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

This paper reports a newly fabricated nanophyto-modified wound dressing with microbicidal and anti-adherence properties. Nanofluid-based magnetite doped with eugenol or limonene was used to fabricate modified wound dressings. Nanostructure coated materials were characterized by TEM, XRD, and FT-IR. For the quantitative measurement of biofilm-embedded microbial cells, a culture-based method for viable cell count was used. The optimized textile dressing samples proved to be more resistant to staphylococcal and pseudomonal colonization and biofilm formation compared to the uncoated controls. The functionalized surfaces for wound dressing seems to be a very useful tool for the prevention of wound microbial contamination on viable tissues. PMID:23272823

Modified wound dressing with phyto-nanostructured coating to prevent staphylococcal and pseudomonal biofilm development.

PubMed

Anghel, Ion; Holban, Alina Maria; Grumezescu, Alexandru Mihai; Andronescu, Ecaterina; Ficai, Anton; Anghel, Alina Georgiana; Maganu, Maria; Laz R, Veronica; Chifiriuc, Mariana Carmen

2012-12-31

This paper reports a newly fabricated nanophyto-modified wound dressing with microbicidal and anti-adherence properties. Nanofluid-based magnetite doped with eugenol or limonene was used to fabricate modified wound dressings. Nanostructure coated materials were characterized by TEM, XRD, and FT-IR. For the quantitative measurement of biofilm-embedded microbial cells, a culture-based method for viable cell count was used. The optimized textile dressing samples proved to be more resistant to staphylococcal and pseudomonal colonization and biofilm formation compared to the uncoated controls. The functionalized surfaces for wound dressing seems to be a very useful tool for the prevention of wound microbial contamination on viable tissues.

Confined Assembly of Hollow Carbon Spheres in Carbonaceous Nanotube: A Spheres-in-Tube Carbon Nanostructure with Hierarchical Porosity for High-Performance Supercapacitor.

PubMed

Chen, Ze; Ye, Sunjie; Evans, Stephen D; Ge, Yuanhang; Zhu, Zhifeng; Tu, Yingfeng; Yang, Xiaoming

2018-05-01

Carbonaceous nanotubes (CTs) represent one of the most popular and effective carbon electrode materials for supercapacitors, but the electrochemistry performance of CTs is largely limited by their relatively low specific surface area, insufficient usage of intratube cavity, low content of heteroatom, and poor porosity. An emerging strategy for circumventing these issues is to design novel porous CT-based nanostructures. Herein, a spheres-in-tube nanostructure with hierarchical porosity is successfully engineered, by encapsulating heteroatom-doping hollow carbon spheres into one carbonaceous nanotube (HCSs@CT). This intriguing nanoarchitecture integrates the merits of large specific surface area, good porosity, and high content of heteroatoms, which synergistically facilitates the transportation and exchange of ions and electrons. Accordingly, the as-prepared HCSs@CTs possess outstanding performances as electrode materials of supercapacitors, including superior capacitance to that of CTs, HCSs, and their mixtures, coupled with excellent cycling life, demonstrating great potential for applications in energy storage. © 2018 The Authors. Published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Rational construction of three dimensional hybrid Co3O4@NiMoO4 nanosheets array for energy storage application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Wei; Wang, Jinqing; Gong, Peiwei; Sun, Jinfeng; Niu, Lengyuan; Yang, Zhigang; Wang, Zhaofeng; Yang, Shengrong

2014-12-01

Electrodes with rationally designed hybrid nanostructures can offer many opportunities for the enhanced performance in electrochemical energy storage. In this work, the uniform 2D Co3O4-based building blocks have been prepared through a facile chemical etching assistant approach and a following treatment of thermal annealing. The obtained nanosheets array has been directly employed as 2D backbone for the subsequent construction of hybrid nanostructure of Co3O4@NiMoO4 by a simple hydrothermal synthesis. As a binder-free electrode, the constructed 3D hybrid nanostructures exhibit a high specific capacitance of 1526 F g-1 at a current density of 3 mA cm-2 and a capacitance retention of 72% with the increase of current density from 3 mA cm-2 to 30 mA cm-2. Moreover, an asymmetric supercapacitor based on this hybrid Co3O4@NiMoO4 and activated carbon can deliver a maximum energy density of 37.8 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 482 W kg-1. The outstanding electrochemical behaviors presented here suggest that this hybrid nanostructured material has potential applications in energy storage.

Emerging Science and Research Opportunities for Metals and Metallic Nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handwerker, Carol A.; Pollock, Tresa M.

2014-07-01

During the next decade, fundamental research on metals and metallic nanostructures (MMNs) has the potential to continue transforming metals science into innovative materials, devices, and systems. A workshop to identify emerging and potentially transformative research areas in MMNs was held June 13 and 14, 2012, at the University of California Santa Barbara. There were 47 attendees at the workshop (listed in the Acknowledgements section), representing a broad range of academic institutions, industry, and government laboratories. The metals and metallic nanostructures (MMNs) workshop aimed to identify significant research trends, scientific fundamentals, and recent breakthroughs that can enable new or enhanced MMN performance, either alone or in a more complex materials system, for a wide range of applications. Additionally, the role that MMN research can play in high-priority research and development (R&D) areas such as the U.S. Materials Genome Initiative, the National Nanotechnology Initiative, the Advanced Manufacturing Initiative, and other similar initiatives that exist internationally was assessed. The workshop also addressed critical issues related to materials research instrumentation and the cyberinfrastructure for materials science research and education, as well as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce development, with emphasis on the United States but with an appreciation that similar challenges and opportunities for the materials community exist internationally. A central theme of the workshop was that research in MMNs has provided and will continue to provide societal benefits through the integration of experiment, theory, and simulation to link atomistic, nanoscale, microscale, and mesoscale phenomena across time scales for an ever-widening range of applications. Within this overarching theme, the workshop participants identified emerging research opportunities that are categorized and described in more detail in the following sections in terms of the following: three-dimensional (3-D) and four-dimensional (4-D) materials science. Structure evolution and the challenge of heterogeneous and multicomponent systems. The science base for property prediction across the length scales. Nanoscale phenomena at surfaces—experiment, theory, and simulation. Prediction and control of the morphology, microstructure, and properties of "bulk" nanostructured metals. Functionality and control of materials far from equilibrium. Hybrid and multifunctional materials assemblies. Materials discovery and design: enhancing the theory-simulation-experiment loop. Following an introduction, these emerging research opportunities are discussed in detail, along with challenges and opportunities for the materials community in the areas of instrumentation, cyberinfrastructure, education, and workforce development.

Micro- and nano-scale characterization to study the thermal degradation of cement-based materials

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

Lim, Seungmin, E-mail: lim76@illinois.edu; Mondal, Paramita

2014-06-01

The degradation of hydration products of cement is known to cause changes in the micro- and nano-structure, which ultimately drive thermo-mechanical degradation of cement-based composite materials at elevated temperatures. However, a detailed characterization of these changes is still incomplete. This paper presents results of an extensive experimental study carried out to investigate micro- and nano-structural changes that occur due to exposure of cement paste to high temperatures. Following heat treatment of cement paste up to 1000 °C, damage states were studied by compressive strength test, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) atomic force microscopy (AFM) and AFM image analysis.more » Using experimental results and research from existing literature, new degradation processes that drive the loss of mechanical properties of cement paste are proposed. The development of micro-cracks at the interface between unhydrated cement particles and paste matrix, a change in C–S–H nano-structure and shrinkage of C–S–H, are considered as important factors that cause the thermal degradation of cement paste. - Highlights: • The thermal degradation of hydration products of cement is characterized at micro- and nano-scale using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). • The interface between unhydrated cement particles and the paste matrix is considered the origin of micro-cracks. • When cement paste is exposed to temperatures above 300 ºC, the nano-structure of C-S-H becomes a more loosely packed globular structure, which could be indicative of C-S-H shrinkage.« less

Branched nanostructures and method of synthesizing the same

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fonseca, Luis F. (Inventor); Sola, Francisco (Inventor); Resto, Oscar (Inventor)

2009-01-01

A branched nanostructure is synthesized. A porous material, with pores having a diameter of approximately 1 .mu.m or less, is placed in a vacuum. It is irradiated with an electron beam. This causes a trunk to grow from the porous material and further causes branches to grow from the trunk.

Simulating and discussion on surface plasmon typical optical properties of patterned periodic metallic nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Runhan; Yuan, Ying; Long, Huabao; Peng, Sha; Wei, Dong; Zhang, Xinyu; Wang, Haiwei; Xie, Changsheng

2018-02-01

The intense surface plasmons (SPs) can be generated by patterned metal nano-structure arrays, through coupling incident light onto the functioned metal surface, so as to construct highly constrained surface electromagnetic modes. Therefore, a localized micro-nano-field array with a highly compressed surface electron distribution, can also be shaped and even nano-focused over the surface, which will lead to a lot of special physical effects such as anti-reflection effect, and thus indicate many new potential applications in the field of nano-photonics and -optoelectronics. In this paper, several typical patterned sub-wavelength metal nano-structure arrays were designed according to the process, in which common silicon wafer was employed as the substrate material and aluminum as the metal film with different structural size and arrangement circle. In addition, by adjusting the dielectric constant of metal material appropriately, the power control effect on metallic nanostructure was simulated. The key properties such as the excitation intensity of the surface plasmons were studied by simulating the reflectivity characteristic curves and the electric field distribution of the nanostructure excited by incident infrared beams. It is found that the angle of corners, the arrangement cycle and the metal material properties of the patterned nano-structures can be utilized as key factors to control the excitation intensity of surface plasmons.

Visible-light-responsive ZnCuO nanoparticles: benign photodynamic killers of infectious protozoans

PubMed Central

Nadhman, Akhtar; Nazir, Samina; Khan, Malik Ihsanullah; Ayub, Attiya; Muhammad, Bakhtiar; Khan, Momin; Shams, Dilawar Farhan; Yasinzai, Masoom

2015-01-01

Human beings suffer from several infectious agents such as viruses, bacteria, and protozoans. Recently, there has been a great interest in developing biocompatible nanostructures to deal with infectious agents. This study investigated benign ZnCuO nanostructures that were visible-light-responsive due to the resident copper in the lattice. The nanostructures were synthesized through a size-controlled hot-injection process, which was adaptable to the surface ligation processes. The nanostructures were then characterized through transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, diffused reflectance spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering, and photoluminescence analysis to measure crystallite nature, size, luminescence, composition, and band-gap analyses. Antiprotozoal efficiency of the current nanoparticles revealed the photodynamic killing of Leishmania protozoan, thus acting as efficient metal-based photosensitizers. The crystalline nanoparticles showed good biocompatibility when tested for macrophage toxicity and in hemolysis assays. The study opens a wide avenue for using toxic material in resident nontoxic forms as an effective antiprotozoal treatment. PMID:26604755

Coarse-grained molecular simulation of self-assembly for nonionic surfactants on graphene nanostructures.

PubMed

Wu, Dan; Yang, Xiaoning

2012-10-04

Self-assembly of amphiphilic molecules on the surfaces of nanoscale materials has an important application in a variety of nanotechnology. Here, we report a coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation on the structure and morphology of the nonionic surfactant, n-alkyl poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), adsorbed on planar graphene nanostructures. The effects of concentration, surfactant structure, and size of graphene sheet are explored. Because of the finite dimension effect, various morphological hemimicelles can be formed on nanoscale graphene surfaces, which is somewhat different from the self-assembly structures on infinite carbon surfaces. The aggregate morphology is highly dependent on the concentration, the chain lengths, and the size of graphene nanosheets. For the nonionic surfactant, the PEO headgroups show strong dispersion interaction with the carbon surface, leading to a side edge adsorption behavior. This simulation provides insight into the supramolecular self-assembly nanostructures and the adsorption mechanism for the nonionic surfactants aggregated on graphene nanostructures, which could be exploited to guide fabrication of graphene-based nanocomposites.

Polymer based plasmonic elements with dye molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Douguo; Wang, Xiangxian; Chen, Yikai; Han, Lu; Wang, Pei; Ming, Hai

2012-11-01

Recently, dielectric loaded surface plasmons (SPs) elements are inducing highly interesting in the field of nanooptics, which are composed of dielectric nanostructures fabricated on a metallic thin film. This configuration will provide a route to novel integrated micro-optical devices and components combining photonics and electronics on the same chip. The advantages are easy fabrication, easy integration, and also the potential to realizing active plasmonic devices. In this talk, we will present our recent work in this field. Polymer (PMMA) nano-structures are fabricated on a silver film by the electron beam lithography (EBL) and laser interference lithography. These nano-structures are used to manipulate the behaviors of the SPs, such as converging, diverging, and guiding the propagation of SPs in subwavelength scale. Except for the pure PMMA nano-structures, dye materials (Rhodamine B, RhB) doped PMMA structures are also fabricated on the silver film. The RhB molecules will work as the active medium to excite the SPs or compensation the loss of SPs wave. The dye doped PMMA nanostructure provides a choice to realize active plasmonic elements, such as SPs Bragg gratings. On the other hand, the interaction between the fluorescence molecules and SPs will give rise to some new optical phenomena, such as directional fluorescence emission, anisotropic fluorescence emission. These polymer based plasmonic structures are investigated with a home-built leakage radiation microscopy (LRM).

Nanostructured Coatings of Inner Surfaces in Microporous Matrixes

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-01-01

SURFACE ENERGY _.I", DISPERSED MATERIAL............................ ,BULK MATERIp,’ t. i02 10’ iol LM Figure 1. a) Surface arising due to process of...material dispersion . b) Surface energy per cm3 of dispersed material versus characteristic size of dispersed particles - nanostructures with different...growth and lateral microstructuring techniques have made it possible to realise low-dimensional electronic systems with quantum confined energy structure

Protein Biosensors Based on Polymer Nanowires, Carbon Nanotubes and Zinc Oxide Nanorods

PubMed Central

M., Anish Kumar; Jung, Soyoun; Ji, Taeksoo

2011-01-01

The development of biosensors using electrochemical methods is a promising application in the field of biotechnology. High sensitivity sensors for the bio-detection of proteins have been developed using several kinds of nanomaterials. The performance of the sensors depends on the type of nanostructures with which the biomaterials interact. One dimensional (1-D) structures such as nanowires, nanotubes and nanorods are proven to have high potential for bio-applications. In this paper we review these three different kinds of nanostructures that have attracted much attention at recent times with their great performance as biosensors. Materials such as polymers, carbon and zinc oxide have been widely used for the fabrication of nanostructures because of their enhanced performance in terms of sensitivity, biocompatibility, and ease of preparation. Thus we consider polymer nanowires, carbon nanotubes and zinc oxide nanorods for discussion in this paper. We consider three stages in the development of biosensors: (a) fabrication of biomaterials into nanostructures, (b) alignment of the nanostructures and (c) immobilization of proteins. Two different methods by which the biosensors can be developed at each stage for all the three nanostructures are examined. Finally, we conclude by mentioning some of the major challenges faced by many researchers who seek to fabricate biosensors for real time applications. PMID:22163892

High-rate production of micro- and nanostructured surfaces: Injection molding and novel process for metal tooling manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Jesus Vega, Marisely

Devices containing micro and nanostructured surfaces are developing and constantly finding new applications, especially for medical diagnostics, point-of-care applications, and microneedles. They are also employed in the functionalization of surfaces for superhydrophobicity, drag reduction, or reversible adhesion by mimicking bio-inspired surfaces. This research provides a thorough investigation on the effects of different polymeric materials and processing conditions on the replication of micro and nanostructured surfaces via injection molding. In addition, this dissertation also presents a novel approach for the production of durable microstructured metal tooling to be used for the production of surfaces with microchannels via injection molding. Materials such as thermoplastic vulcanizates are substituting regular thermoplastic materials and vulcanized elastomers in many applications due to their outstanding properties and ease of processability. These material properties broaden the scope of applications for microstructured surfaces. However, there is a need for understanding how these materials behave in microinjection molding since thermoplastic elastomers' behavior during injection molding have been shown to differ from that of the widely understood behavior of thermoplastics. Replication of microstructured surfaces using thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPV) was studied in the first part of this thesis. TPVs with different hardness's were molded using microinjection molding with various processing conditions and the replication and surface details of 20 microm pillars (aspect ratio of 1:1) were characterized. In the second part of this research liquid silicone rubber (LSR) was studied as a material for the production of micro and nanostructured surfaces. LSR is a silicone based material such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), which is widely used for research and development of micro and nanostructured devices, and thus provides all the benefits of PDMS but can be rapidly processed via liquid injection molding. LSR with its excellent mechanical properties, transparency, non-toxicity and rapid molding capabilities can bring the production of micro and nanostructured surfaces from laboratory research facilities to high-rate manufacturing. However, previous research on microstructured surfaces made off LSR does not focus on the processing aspect of this material. Therefore, there is a lack of understanding of how different processing conditions affect the replication of microstructures. Additionally, there are no reports molding nanostructures of LSR. Features between 115 microm and 0.250 microm were molded in this work and the effect of different processing conditions and features sizes were studied. For the last part of this work, a novel metal additive manufacturing technique was used for the production of microstructured surfaces to be used as tooling for injection molding. The printing method consists of metal pastes printed through a tip onto a steel substrate. Prior work has shown spreading and swelling of features when metal pastes extrude out of the printing tip. PDMS was studied as a binder material to minimize spreading and swelling of the features by curing right after printing. In addition, prior work has shown durability of this metal printed tool up to 5000 injection molding cycles. This work compares this durability to durability of commercially available selective laser sintering metal tools. Furthermore, surface roughness was studied as this is one of the most important things to consider when molding microchannels for certain applications.

TiO2 Nanostructures as Anode Materials for Li/Na-ion Batteries.

PubMed

Vazquez-Santos, Maria B; Tartaj, Pedro; Morales, Enrique; Amarilla, Jose Manuel

2018-03-14

Here we summarize some results on the use of TiO 2 nanostructures as anode materials for more efficient Li-ion (LIBs) and Na-ion (NIBs) batteries. LIBs are the leader to power portable electronic devices, and represent in the short-term the most adequate technology to power electrical vehicles, while NIBs hold promise for large storage of energy generated from renewable sources. Specifically, TiO 2 an abundant, low cost, chemically stable and environmentally safe oxide represents in LIBs an alternative to graphite for applications in which safety is mandatory. For NIBs, TiO 2 anodes (or more precisely negative electrodes) work at low voltage, assuring acceptable energy density values. Finally, assembling different TiO 2 polymorphs in the form of nanostructures decreases diffusion distances, increases the number of contacts and offering additional sites for Na + storage, helping to improve power efficiency. More specifically, in this contribution we highlighted our work on TiO 2 anatase mesocrystals of colloidal size. These sophisticate materials; showing excellent textural properties, have remarkable electrochemical performance as anodes for Li/Na-ion batteries, with conventional alkyl carbonates electrolytes and safe electrolytes based on ionic liquids. © 2018 The Chemical Society of Japan & Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

2D nanostructures for water purification: graphene and beyond.

PubMed

Dervin, Saoirse; Dionysiou, Dionysios D; Pillai, Suresh C

2016-08-18

Owing to their atomically thin structure, large surface area and mechanical strength, 2D nanoporous materials are considered to be suitable alternatives for existing desalination and water purification membrane materials. Recent progress in the development of nanoporous graphene based materials has generated enormous potential for water purification technologies. Progress in the development of nanoporous graphene and graphene oxide (GO) membranes, the mechanism of graphene molecular sieve action, structural design, hydrophilic nature, mechanical strength and antifouling properties and the principal challenges associated with nanopore generation are discussed in detail. Subsequently, the recent applications and performance of newly developed 2D materials such as 2D boron nitride (BN) nanosheets, graphyne, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), tungsten chalcogenides (WS2) and titanium carbide (Ti3C2Tx) are highlighted. In addition, the challenges affecting 2D nanostructures for water purification are highlighted and their applications in the water purification industry are discussed. Though only a few 2D materials have been explored so far for water treatment applications, this emerging field of research is set to attract a great deal of attention in the near future.

Method for producing nanostructured metal-oxides

DOEpatents

Tillotson, Thomas M.; Simpson, Randall L.; Hrubesh, Lawrence W.; Gash, Alexander

2006-01-17

A synthetic route for producing nanostructure metal-oxide-based materials using sol-gel processing. This procedure employs the use of stable and inexpensive hydrated-metal inorganic salts and environmentally friendly solvents such as water and ethanol. The synthesis involves the dissolution of the metal salt in a solvent followed by the addition of a proton scavenger, which induces gel formation in a timely manner. Both critical point (supercritical extraction) and atmospheric (low temperature evaporation) drying may be employed to produce monolithic aerogels and xerogels, respectively. Using this method synthesis of metal-oxide nanostructured materials have been carried out using inorganic salts, such as of Fe.sup.3+, Cr.sup.3+, Al.sup.3+, Ga.sup.3+, In.sup.3+, Hf.sup.4+, Sn.sup.4+, Zr.sup.4+, Nb.sup.5+, W.sup.6+, Pr.sup.3+, Er.sup.3+, Nd.sup.3+, Ce.sup.3+, U.sup.3+ and Y.sup.3+. The process is general and nanostructured metal-oxides from the following elements of the periodic table can be made: Groups 2 through 13, part of Group 14 (germanium, tin, lead), part of Group 15 (antimony, bismuth), part of Group 16 (polonium), and the lanthanides and actinides. The sol-gel processing allows for the addition of insoluble materials (e.g., metals or polymers) to the viscous sol, just before gelation, to produce a uniformly distributed nanocomposites upon gelation. As an example, energetic nanocomposites of Fe.sub.xO.sub.y gel with distributed Al metal are readily made. The compositions are stable, safe, and can be readily ignited to thermitic reaction.

High-pressure torsion for new hydrogen storage materials

PubMed Central

Edalati, Kaveh; Akiba, Etsuo; Horita, Zenji

2018-01-01

Abstract High-pressure torsion (HPT) is widely used as a severe plastic deformation technique to create ultrafine-grained structures with promising mechanical and functional properties. Since 2007, the method has been employed to enhance the hydrogenation kinetics in different Mg-based hydrogen storage materials. Recent studies showed that the method is effective not only for increasing the hydrogenation kinetics but also for improving the hydrogenation activity, for enhancing the air resistivity and more importantly for synthesizing new nanostructured hydrogen storage materials with high densities of lattice defects. This manuscript reviews some major findings on the impact of HPT process on the hydrogen storage performance of different titanium-based and magnesium-based materials. PMID:29511396

Self-catalytic crystal growth, formation mechanism, and optical properties of indium tin oxide nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Yuan-Chang; Zhong, Hua

2013-08-01

In-Sn-O nanostructures with rectangular cross-sectional rod-like, sword-like, and bowling pin-like morphologies were successfully synthesized through self-catalytic growth. Mixed metallic In and Sn powders were used as source materials, and no catalyst layer was pre-coated on the substrates. The distance between the substrate and the source materials affected the size of the Sn-rich alloy particles during crystal growth in a quartz tube. This caused In-Sn-O nanostructures with various morphologies to form. An X-ray photoelectron spectroscope and a transmittance electron microscope with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer were used to investigate the elemental binding states and compositions of the as-synthesized nanostructures. The Sn doping and oxygen vacancies in the In2O3 crystals corresponded to the blue-green and yellow-orange emission bands of the nanostructures, respectively.

Self-assembly strategies for the synthesis of functional nanostructured materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perego, M.; Seguini, G.

2016-06-01

Self-assembly is the autonomous organization of components into patterns or structures without human intervention. This is the approach followed by nature to generate living cells and represents one of the practical strategies to fabricate ensembles of nanostructures. In static self-assembly the formation of ordered structures could require energy but once formed the structures are stable. The introduction of additional regular features in the environment could be used to template the self-assembly guiding the organization of the components and determining the final structure they form. In this regard self-assembly of block copolymers represents a potent platform for fundamental studies at the nanoscale and for application-driven investigation as a tool to fabricate functional nanostructured materials. Block copolymers can hierarchically assemble into chemically distinct domains with size and periodicity on the order of 10nm or below, offering a potentially inexpensive route to generate large-area nanostructured materials. The final structure characteristics of these materials are dictated by the properties of the elementary block copolymers, like chain length, volume fraction or degree of block incompatibility. Modern synthetic chemistry offers the possibility to design these macromolecules with very specific length scales and geometries, directly embodying in the block copolymers the code that drives their self- assembling process. The understanding of the kinetics and thermodynamics of the block copolymer self-assembly process in the bulk phase as well as in thin films represents a fundamental prerequisite toward the exploitation of these materials. Incorporating block copolymer into device fabrication procedures or directly into devices, as active elements, will lead to the development of a new generation of devices fabricated using the fundamental law of nature to our advantage in order to minimize cost and power consumption in the fabrication process. Moreover the capability to precisely organize these nano-objects on appropriate substrates is the key point to support the technological development of new device concepts with predictable characteristics based on these nano-materials. In the next coming years this area of research, at the intersection between fundamental science and technology, is expected to disclose additional insights in the physics of the self-assembly process and to delineate unforeseen applications for these exciting materials.

Theory of hyperbolic stratified nanostructures for surface-enhanced Raman scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, Herman M. K.; Dezfouli, Mohsen Kamandar; Axelrod, Simon; Hughes, Stephen; Helmy, Amr S.

2017-11-01

We theoretically investigate the enhancement of surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) using hyperbolic stratified nanostructures and compare to metal nanoresonators. The photon Green function of each nanostructure within its environment is first obtained from a semianalytical modal theory, which is used in a quantum optics formalism of the molecule-nanostructure interaction to model the SERS spectrum. An intuitive methodology is presented for calculating the single-molecule enhancement factor (SMEF), which is also able to predict known experimental SERS enhancement factors of a gold nanodimer. We elucidate the important figures-of-merit of the enhancement and explore these for different designs. We find that the use of hyperbolic stratified materials can enhance the photonic local density of states (LDOS) by close to two times in comparison to pure metal nanostructures, when both designed to work at the same operating wavelengths. However, the increased LDOS is accompanied by higher electric field concentration within the lossy hyperbolic material, which leads to increased quenching that serves to reduce the overall detected SERS enhancement in the far field. For nanoresonators with resonant localized surface plasmon wavelengths in the near-infrared, the SMEF for the hyperbolic stratified nanostructure is approximately one order of magnitude lower than the pure metal counterpart. Conversely, we show that by detecting the Raman signal using a near-field probe, hyperbolic materials can provide an improvement in SERS enhancement compared to using pure metal nanostructures when the probe is sufficiently close (<50 nm ) to the Raman active molecule at the plasmonic hotspot.

Anion Exchange in II-VI Semiconducting Nanostructures via Atomic Templating.

PubMed

Agarwal, Rahul; Krook, Nadia M; Ren, Ming-Liang; Tan, Liang Z; Liu, Wenjing; Rappe, Andrew M; Agarwal, Ritesh

2018-03-14

Controlled chemical transformation of nanostructures is a promising technique to obtain precisely designed novel materials, which are difficult to synthesize otherwise. We report high-temperature vapor-phase anion-exchange reactions to chemically transform II-VI semiconductor nanostructures (100-300 nm length scale) while retaining the single crystallinity, crystal structure, morphology, and even defect distribution of the parent material via atomic templating. The concept of atomic templating is employed to obtain kinetically controlled, thermodynamically metastable structural phases such as zincblende CdSe and CdS from zincblende CdTe upon complete chemical replacement of Te with Se or S. The underlying transformation mechanisms are explained through first-principles density functional theory calculations. Atomic templating is a unique path to independently tune materials' phase and composition at the nanoscale, allowing the synthesis of novel materials.

Nanostructured materials for water desalination.

PubMed

Humplik, T; Lee, J; O'Hern, S C; Fellman, B A; Baig, M A; Hassan, S F; Atieh, M A; Rahman, F; Laoui, T; Karnik, R; Wang, E N

2011-07-22

Desalination of seawater and brackish water is becoming an increasingly important means to address the scarcity of fresh water resources in the world. Decreasing the energy requirements and infrastructure costs of existing desalination technologies remains a challenge. By enabling the manipulation of matter and control of transport at nanometer length scales, the emergence of nanotechnology offers new opportunities to advance water desalination technologies. This review focuses on nanostructured materials that are directly involved in the separation of water from salt as opposed to mitigating issues such as fouling. We discuss separation mechanisms and novel transport phenomena in materials including zeolites, carbon nanotubes, and graphene with potential applications to reverse osmosis, capacitive deionization, and multi-stage flash, among others. Such nanostructured materials can potentially enable the development of next-generation desalination systems with increased efficiency and capacity.

Nanostructured materials for water desalination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Humplik, T.; Lee, J.; O'Hern, S. C.; Fellman, B. A.; Baig, M. A.; Hassan, S. F.; Atieh, M. A.; Rahman, F.; Laoui, T.; Karnik, R.; Wang, E. N.

2011-07-01

Desalination of seawater and brackish water is becoming an increasingly important means to address the scarcity of fresh water resources in the world. Decreasing the energy requirements and infrastructure costs of existing desalination technologies remains a challenge. By enabling the manipulation of matter and control of transport at nanometer length scales, the emergence of nanotechnology offers new opportunities to advance water desalination technologies. This review focuses on nanostructured materials that are directly involved in the separation of water from salt as opposed to mitigating issues such as fouling. We discuss separation mechanisms and novel transport phenomena in materials including zeolites, carbon nanotubes, and graphene with potential applications to reverse osmosis, capacitive deionization, and multi-stage flash, among others. Such nanostructured materials can potentially enable the development of next-generation desalination systems with increased efficiency and capacity.

Polypyrrole nanostructures and their field emission investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harpale, Kashmira; More, Mahendra A.; Koinkar, Pankaj M.; Patil, Sandip S.; Sonawane, Kishor M.

2015-03-01

Polypyrrole (PPy) nanostructures have been synthesized on indium doped tin oxide (ITO) substrates by a facile electrochemical route employing cyclic voltammetry (CV) mode. The morphology of the PPy thin films was observed to be influenced by the monomer concentration. Furthermore, FTIR revealed formation of electrically conducting state of PPy. Field emission investigations of the PPy nanostructures were carried out at base pressure of 1×10-8mbar. The values of turn-on field, corresponding to emission current density of 1 μA/cm2 were observed to be 0.6, 1.0 and 1.2 V/μm for the PPy films characterized with rod-like, cauliflower and granular morphology, respectively. In case of PPy nanorods maximum current density of 1.2 mA/cm2 has been drawn at electric field of 1 V/μm. The low turn on field, extraction of very high emission current density at relatively lower applied field and good emission stability propose the PPy nanorods as a promising material for field emission based devices.

Plasmonics of magnetic and topological graphene-based nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuzmin, Dmitry A.; Bychkov, Igor V.; Shavrov, Vladimir G.; Temnov, Vasily V.

2018-02-01

Graphene is a unique material in the study of the fundamental limits of plasmonics. Apart from the ultimate single-layer thickness, its carrier concentration can be tuned by chemical doping or applying an electric field. In this manner, the electrodynamic properties of graphene can be varied from highly conductive to dielectric. Graphene supports strongly confined, propagating surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) in a broad spectral range from terahertz to mid-infrared frequencies. It also possesses a strong magneto-optical response and thus provides complimentary architectures to conventional magneto-plasmonics based on magneto-optically active metals or dielectrics. Despite a large number of review articles devoted to plasmonic properties and applications of graphene, little is known about graphene magneto-plasmonics and topological effects in graphene-based nanostructures, which represent the main subject of this review. We discuss several strategies to enhance plasmonic effects in topologically distinct closed surface landscapes, i.e. graphene nanotubes, cylindrical nanocavities and toroidal nanostructures. A novel phenomenon of the strongly asymmetric SPP propagation on chiral meta-structures and the fundamental relations between structural and plasmonic topological indices are reviewed.

New directions for nanoscale thermoelectric materials research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dresselhaus, M. S.; Chen, G.; Tang, M. Y.; Yang, R. G.; Lee, H.; Wang, D. Z.; Ren, F.; Fleurial, J. P.; Gogna, P.

2005-01-01

Many of the recent advances in enhancing the thermoelectric figure of merit are linked to nanoscale phenomena with both bulk samples containing nanoscale constituents and nanoscale materials exhibiting enhanced thermoelectric performance in their own right. Prior theoretical and experimental proof of principle studies on isolated quantum well and quantum wire samples have now evolved into studies on bulk samples containing nanostructured constituents. In this review, nanostructural composites are shown to exhibit nanostructures and properties that show promise for thermoelectric applications. A review of some of the results obtained to date are presented.

Nanomaterials for LightManagement in Electro-Optical Devices

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

Truong, Vo-Van; Singh, Jai; Tanemura, Sakae

2012-01-01

In the past decade, nanostructured materials and nanoparticles have emerged as the necessary ingredients for electrooptical applications and enhancement of device performance, in particular by making use of the light management aspects of the nanomaterials. The application areas that are being transformed profoundly include smart coating devices (e.g., electrochromic, photochromic, and thermochromic devices), solar energy, and sensing. Despite the large volume of work in the past on smart coating devices, and in particular on electrochromic devices and thermochromic fenestrations, for optical transmission or reflection control, applications remain limited because of slow response time and nonuniformity in the case of largemore » surfaces. Recent works in the field indicate that nanostructured electrochromic coatings would be an integral part of the solution to the above problem. One aspect that can thus be focused on would be the fabrication and characterization of the nanostructured smart coating materials and their compatibility with other layers in the overall smart coating device. In the area of solar photovoltaics, nanomaterials have been used in designing light-trapping schemes for inorganic as well as organic solar cells. One particular category of solar cells that has attracted much interest is the plasmonic solar cells in which metallic nanoparticles are incorporated, helping in enhancing their energy conversion efficiency. Nanostructured solar cells would eventually develop into a 'game changing' technology for making solar cells that are affordable and highly efficient, providing a sizeable alternative energy source for our ever-increasing energy needs. Sensors based on the optical properties of constituting nanostructures and nanoparticles also form a most interesting class of bio- and electrochemical sensing devices. The possibility of synthetizing nanoparticles and structures of specifically desired sizes and shapes has indeed opened a whole new range of sensing applications. In parallel to the experimental development of nanomaterials for light management in devices, theoretical modeling and analysis have also accomplished much progress, and different methods for simulating the optical properties of nanoparticles and structures have been proposed. This special issue of the Journal of Nanomaterials is thus dedicated to articles dealing with nanostructured materials that can be used for light management purpose in different applications. Silicon-rich oxide (SRO) is a dielectric material that contains Si nanoparticles and exhibits interesting physical characteristics for applications in optoelectronic devices. The work by Aceves-Mijares et al. examine, in detail the electro-, cathode- and photoluminescence properties of SRO and discuss the origin of light emission in this type of materials. SRO films, of high and medium silicon excess density, obtained by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition and annealed at 1,100 C have been studied. Results obtained by the authors have led to conclude that SRO emission properties are due to oxidation state nanoagglomerates rather than to nanocrystals, and the emission mechanism is similar to that in the donor-acceptor decay in semiconductors with a specific wide emission spectrum. Two papers are devoted to nanostructured electrochromic thin films, a category of materials most suitable for controlling light transmission or absorption in electrooptical devices, including smart window coatings. Dinh et al. have shown that by mixing nanostructured Ti and W oxides films, one can obtain devices with considerable enhancement of electrochromic efficiency and electrochemical stability as compared to the conventional nonnanostructured films. As large-area mixed Ti and W oxides can be prepared by the simple doctor blade technique followed by an electrochemical process, this type of nanostructured electrochromic films can be considered a good candidate for smart window applications. Djaoued et al. have presented their studies on the synthesis, characterization, and electrochromic applications of porous WO{sub 3} thin films with different nanocrystalline phases. Asymmetric type electrochromic devices have been constructed using hexagonal, monoclinic, and orthorhombic porous WO{sub 3} thin porous films, and their enhanced electrochromic functionality has been well demonstrated. The paper on smart materials by Chen et al. presents the synthesis of thermochromic W-doped VO{sub 2} (monoclinic/rutile) nanopowders using a novel and simple solution-based process as opposed to other conventional techniques such as excimer laser-assisted metal organic deposition and magnetron sputtering. This simple process is based on the reaction of ammonium metavanadate (NH{sub 4}VO{sub 3}) and oxalic acid dihydrate (C{sub 2}H{sub 2}O{sub 4} {center_dot} 2H{sub 2}O) followed by addition of appropriate ammonium tungstate (N{sub 5}H{sub 37}W{sub 6}O{sub 24} {center_dot} H{sub 2}O).« less

Chemical solution route to self-assembled epitaxial oxide nanostructures.

PubMed

Obradors, X; Puig, T; Gibert, M; Queraltó, A; Zabaleta, J; Mestres, N

2014-04-07

Self-assembly of oxides as a bottom-up approach to functional nanostructures goes beyond the conventional nanostructure formation based on lithographic techniques. Particularly, chemical solution deposition (CSD) is an ex situ growth approach very promising for high throughput nanofabrication at low cost. Whereas strain engineering as a strategy to define nanostructures with tight control of size, shape and orientation has been widely used in metals and semiconductors, it has been rarely explored in the emergent field of functional complex oxides. Here we will show that thermodynamic modeling can be very useful to understand the principles controlling the growth of oxide nanostructures by CSD, and some attractive kinetic features will also be presented. The methodology of strain engineering is applied in a high degree of detail to form different sorts of nanostructures (nanodots, nanowires) of the oxide CeO2 with fluorite structure which then is used as a model system to identify the principles controlling self-assembly and self-organization in CSD grown oxides. We also present, more briefly, the application of these ideas to other oxides such as manganites or BaZrO3. We will show that the nucleation and growth steps are essentially understood and manipulated while the kinetic phenomena underlying the evolution of the self-organized networks are still less widely explored, even if very appealing effects have been already observed. Overall, our investigation based on a CSD approach has opened a new strategy towards a general use of self-assembly and self-organization which can now be widely spread to many functional oxide materials.

Investigation on dielectrophoretic assembly of nanostructures and its application on chemical sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, Quan

Because of their extraordinary characteristics such as quantum confinement and large surface-tovolume ratio, semiconducting nanostructures such as nanowires or nanotubes hold great potential in sensing chemical vapors. Nanowire or nanotube based gas sensors usually possess appealing advantages such as high sensitivity, high stability, fast recovery time, and electrically controllable properties. To better predict the composition and concentration of target gas, nanostructures made from heterogeneous materials are employed to provide more predictors. In recent years, nanowires and nanotubes can be synthesized routinely through different methods. The techniques of fabricating nanowire or nanotube based sensor arrays, however, encounter obstacles and deserve further investigations. Dielectrophoresis (DEP), which refers to the motion of submicron particles inside a non-uniform electric field, has long been recognized as a nondestructive, easily implementable, and efficient approach to manipulate nanostructures onto electronic circuitries. However, due to our limited understandings, devices fabricated through DEP often end up with unpredictable number of arbitrarily aligned nanostructures. In this study, we first optimize the classical DEP formulas such that it can be applied to a more general case that a nanostructure is subjected to a non-uniform electric field with arbitrary orientation. A comprehensive model is then constructed to investigate the trajectory and alignment of DEP assembled nanostructures, which can be verified by experimental observations. The simulation results assist us to fabricate a gas sensor array with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). It is then demonstrated that the device can well sense ammonia (NH3) at room temperature, which circumvents the usually required high temperature condition for nanowire based gas sensor application. An effective approach to recover the device using DC biases to locally heat up the nanostructures is then proposed and implemented to accelerate the recovery process of the device without the requirement of heating up the whole device. As the sensors are characterized under different NH3 concentrations, the outputs are analyzed using regression methods to estimate the concentration of NH3. The quadratic model with the lasso is demonstrated to provide best performance for the collected data.

Directed assembly of nanomaterials for miniaturized sensors by dip-pen nanolithography using precursor inks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Ming

The advent of nanomaterials with enhanced properties and the means to pattern them in a controlled fashion have paved the way to construct miniaturized sensors for improved detection. However it remains a challenge for the traditional methods to create such sensors and sensor arrays. Dip pen nanolithography (DPN) can form nanostructures on a substrate by controlling the transfer of molecule inks. However, previous DPN can not pattern solid materials on insulating surfaces, which are necessary to form functional electronic devices. In the dissertation, the concept of reactive precursor inks for DPN is developed for the generation of solid functional nanostructures of the following materials: organic molecule, sol-gel material, and conducting polymer. First, the covalent bonding is unnecessary for DPN as shown in the colored ink DPN; therefore the numbers of molecules that can be patterned is extended beyond thiol or thiolated molecules. Subsequently, a reactive precursor strategy (sol) is developed to pattern inorganic or organic/inorganic composite nanostructures on silicon based substrates. The method works by hydrolysis of metal precursors in the water meniscus and allows the preparation of solid structures with controlled geometry beyond the individual molecule level. Then the SnO 2 nanostructures patterned between the gaps of electrodes are tested as gas sensors. Proof-of-concept experiments are demonstrated on miniaturized sensors that show fast response and recovery to certain gases. Furthermore, an eight-unit sensor array is fabricated on a chip using SnO2 sols that are doped with different metals. The multiplexed device can recognize different gases by comparing the response patterns with the reference patterns of known gases generated on the same array. At last, the idea of precursor ink for DPN is extended to construct conducting polymer based devices. By using an acid promoted polymerization approach, conducting polymers are patterned on silicon dioxide substrates. The patterned organic solids response to light and behave as miniaturized photo-detectors. The microstructures are studied using microscopic and spectroscopic techniques.

Structure-Property Relationships of Inorganically Surface-Modified Zeolite Molecular Sieves for Nanocomposite Membrane Fabrication

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

Lydon, Megan E; Unocic, Kinga A; Jones, Christopher W

2012-01-01

A multiscale experimental study of the structural, compositional, and morphological characteristics of aluminosilicate (LTA) and pure-silica (MFI) zeolite materials surface-modified with MgO{sub x}H{sub y} nanostructures is presented. These characteristics are correlated with the suitability of such materials in the fabrication of LTA/Matrimid mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) for CO{sub 2}/CH{sub 4} separations. The four functionalization methods studied in this work produce surface nanostructures that may appear superficially similar under SEM observation but in fact differ considerably in shape, size, surface coverage, surface area/roughness, degree of attachment to the zeolite surface, and degree of zeolite pore blocking. The evaluation of these characteristics bymore » a combination of TEM, HRTEM, N{sub 2} physisorption, multiscale compositional analysis (XPS, EDX, and ICP-AES elemental analysis), and diffraction (ED and XRD) allows improved understanding of the origin of disparate gas permeation properties observed in MMMs made with four types of surface-modified zeolite LTA materials, as well as a rational selection of the method expected to result in the best enhancement of the desired properties (in the present case, CO{sub 2}/CH{sub 4} selectivity increase without sacrificing permeability). A method based on ion exchange of the LTA with Mg{sup 2+}, followed by base-induced precipitation and growth of MgOxHy nanostructures, deemed 'ion exchange functionalization' here, offers modified particles with the best overall characteristics resulting in the most effective MMMs. LTA/Matrimid MMMs containing ion exchange functionalized particles had a considerably higher CO{sub 2}/CH{sub 4} selectivity (40) than could be obtained with the other functionalization techniques (30), while maintaining a CO{sub 2} permeability of 10 barrers. A parallel study on pure silica MFI surface nanostructures is also presented to compare and contrast with the zeolite LTA case.« less

Chiral Plasmonic Nanostructures on Achiral Nanopillars

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-10-10

spherical nanoparticles where the particle−particle plasmonic interactions create CD and chiral plasmonic excitations.11,20,34 Since CPNs are vertically...Information Additional electron microscope images, CD spectra with silica nanoparticles , and UV−vis absorbance data. This material is available free of charge...materials based on individual nanoparticles (NPs)7,8 or their assemblies9,10 have attracted much attention because of the tunability of their absorption bands

Nanostructure Neutron Converter Layer Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Cheol (Inventor); Lowther, Sharon E. (Inventor); Kang, Jin Ho (Inventor); Thibeault, Sheila A. (Inventor); Sauti, Godfrey (Inventor); Bryant, Robert G. (Inventor)

2016-01-01

Methods for making a neutron converter layer are provided. The various embodiment methods enable the formation of a single layer neutron converter material. The single layer neutron converter material formed according to the various embodiments may have a high neutron absorption cross section, tailored resistivity providing a good electric field penetration with submicron particles, and a high secondary electron emission coefficient. In an embodiment method a neutron converter layer may be formed by sequential supercritical fluid metallization of a porous nanostructure aerogel or polyimide film. In another embodiment method a neutron converter layer may be formed by simultaneous supercritical fluid metallization of a porous nanostructure aerogel or polyimide film. In a further embodiment method a neutron converter layer may be formed by in-situ metalized aerogel nanostructure development.

Complex Hollow Nanostructures: Synthesis and Energy-Related Applications.

PubMed

Yu, Le; Hu, Han; Wu, Hao Bin; Lou, Xiong Wen David

2017-04-01

Hollow nanostructures offer promising potential for advanced energy storage and conversion applications. In the past decade, considerable research efforts have been devoted to the design and synthesis of hollow nanostructures with high complexity by manipulating their geometric morphology, chemical composition, and building block and interior architecture to boost their electrochemical performance, fulfilling the increasing global demand for renewable and sustainable energy sources. In this Review, we present a comprehensive overview of the synthesis and energy-related applications of complex hollow nanostructures. After a brief classification, the design and synthesis of complex hollow nanostructures are described in detail, which include hierarchical hollow spheres, hierarchical tubular structures, hollow polyhedra, and multi-shelled hollow structures, as well as their hybrids with nanocarbon materials. Thereafter, we discuss their niche applications as electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries and hybrid supercapacitors, sulfur hosts for lithium-sulfur batteries, and electrocatalysts for oxygen- and hydrogen-involving energy conversion reactions. The potential superiorities of complex hollow nanostructures for these applications are particularly highlighted. Finally, we conclude this Review with urgent challenges and further research directions of complex hollow nanostructures for energy-related applications. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

First-principles study of the binding energy between nanostructures and its scaling with system size

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, Jianmin; Jiao, Yang; Mo, Yuxiang; Yang, Zeng-Hui; Zhu, Jian-Xin; Hyldgaard, Per; Perdew, John P.

2018-04-01

The equilibrium van der Waals binding energy is an important factor in the design of materials and devices. However, it presents great computational challenges for materials built up from nanostructures. Here we investigate the binding-energy scaling behavior from first-principles calculations. We show that the equilibrium binding energy per atom between identical nanostructures can scale up or down with nanostructure size, but can be parametrized for large N with an analytical formula (in meV/atom), Eb/N =a +b /N +c /N2+d /N3 , where N is the number of atoms in a nanostructure and a , b , c , and d are fitting parameters, depending on the properties of a nanostructure. The formula is consistent with a finite large-size limit of binding energy per atom. We find that there are two competing factors in the determination of the binding energy: Nonadditivities of van der Waals coefficients and center-to-center distance between nanostructures. To decode the detail, the nonadditivity of the static multipole polarizability is investigated from an accurate spherical-shell model. We find that the higher-order multipole polarizability displays ultrastrong intrinsic nonadditivity, no matter if the dipole polarizability is additive or not.

Boehmite nanostructures preparation by hydrothermal method from anodic aluminium oxide membrane.

PubMed

Yang, X; Wang, J Y; Pan, H Y

2009-02-01

Boehmite nanostructures were successfully synthesized from porous anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) membrane by a simple and efficient hydro-thermal method. The experiment used high purity alumina as raw material, and the whole reaction process avoided superfluous impurities to be introduced. Thus, the purity of Boehmite products was ensured. The examinations of the morphology and structure were carried out by atomic force microscope (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Composition of the specimens was analyzed using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Based on these observations the growth process was analyzed.

Simple morphological control over functional diversity of SERS materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semenova, A. A.; Goodilin, E. A.

2018-03-01

Nowadays, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) becomes a promising universal low-cost and real-time tool in biomedical applications, medical screening or forensic analysis allowing for detection of different molecules below nanomolar concentrations. Silver nanoparticles and nanostructures have proven to be a common choice for SERS measurements due to a tunable plasmon resonance, high stability and facile fabrication methods. However, a proper design of silver-based nanomaterials for highly sensitive SERS applications still remains a challenge. In this work, effective and simple preparation methods of various silver nanostructures are proposed and systematically developed using aqueous diamminesilver (I) hydroxide as a precursor.

Light-based theranostics using hybrid structures derived from biological and organic materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vankayala, Raviraj; Burns, Joshua M.; Mac, Jenny T.; Anvari, Bahman

2016-09-01

We have engineered hybrid nanostructures derived from erythrocytes, which can be doped with various near infrared (NIR) organic chromophores, including the FDA-approved indocyanine green (ICG). We refer to these vesicles as NIR erythrocyte-mimicking transducers (NETs), as they are capable of generating heat, reactive oxygen species (ROS) or emit fluorescence light. We present preliminary results that demonstrate the effectiveness of NETs for fluorescence imaging and photodynamic therapeutic destruction of breast cancer cells, upon photo-excitation using NIR light. These hybrid nanostructures present a promising platform with theranostic capability for future biomedical clinical applications.

A facile approach toward transition metal oxide hierarchical structures and their lithium storage properties.

PubMed

Zhang, Cuimiao; Chen, Jing; Zeng, Yi; Rui, Xianhong; Zhu, Jixin; Zhang, Wenyu; Xu, Chen; Lim, Tuti Mariana; Hng, Huey Hoon; Yan, Qingyu

2012-06-21

A simple, non-template, non-surfactant and environmentally friendly hydrothermal method is presented based on the controlled release of the reactants into the reaction solvents to induce slow nucleation and growth of three-dimensional hierarchical nanostructures of transition metal oxides. This method is a general approach, which can be used to prepare Co(3)O(4), CuO, and Ni(OH)(2)/NiO. These metal oxides with hierarchical nanostructures can be used as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries with good Li storage performance, e.g. high specific capacities and stable cyclability.

Solution synthesis of metal oxides for electrochemical energy storage applications.

PubMed

Xia, Xinhui; Zhang, Yongqi; Chao, Dongliang; Guan, Cao; Zhang, Yijun; Li, Lu; Ge, Xiang; Bacho, Ignacio Mínguez; Tu, Jiangping; Fan, Hong Jin

2014-05-21

This article provides an overview of solution-based methods for the controllable synthesis of metal oxides and their applications for electrochemical energy storage. Typical solution synthesis strategies are summarized and the detailed chemical reactions are elaborated for several common nanostructured transition metal oxides and their composites. The merits and demerits of these synthesis methods and some important considerations are discussed in association with their electrochemical performance. We also propose the basic guideline for designing advanced nanostructure electrode materials, and the future research trend in the development of high power and energy density electrochemical energy storage devices.

Structure and properties of nanostructured ZnO arrays and ZnO/Ag nanocomposites fabricated by pulsed electrodeposition

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

Kopach, V. R.; Klepikova, K. S.; Klochko, N. P., E-mail: klochko-np@mail.ru

We investigate the structure, surface morphology, and optical properties of nanostructured ZnO arrays fabricated by pulsed electrodeposition, Ag nanoparticles precipitated from colloidal solutions, and a ZnO/Ag nanocomposite based on them. The electronic and electrical parameters of the ZnO arrays and ZnO/Ag nanocomposites are analyzed by studying the I–V and C–V characteristics. Optimal modes for fabricating the ZnO/Ag heterostructures with the high stability and sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation as promising materials for use in photodetectors, gas sensors, and photocatalysts are determined.

Mesoporous silicon oxide films and their uses as templates in obtaining nanostructured conductive polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salgado, R.; Arteaga, G. C.; Arias, J. M.

2018-04-01

Obtaining conductive polymers (CPs) for the manufacture of OLEDs, solar cells, electrochromic devices, sensors, etc., has been possible through the use of electrochemical techniques that allow obtaining films of controlled thickness with positive results in different applications. Current trends point towards the manufacture of nanomaterials, and therefore it is necessary to develop methods that allow obtaining CPs with nanostructured morphology. This is possible by using a porous template to allow the growth of the polymeric materials. However, prior and subsequent treatments are required to separate the material from the template so that it can be evaluated in the applications mentioned above. This is why mesoporous silicon oxide films (template) are essential for the synthesis of nanostructured polymers since both the template and the polymer are obtained on the electrode surface, and therefore it is not necessary to separate the material from the template. Thus, the material can be evaluated directly in the applications mentioned above. The dimensions of the resulting nanostructures will depend on the power, time and technique used for electropolymerization as well as the monomer and the surfactant of the mesoporous film.

RNA as a stable polymer to build controllable and defined nanostructures for material and biomedical applications

PubMed Central

Li, Hui; Lee, Taek; Dziubla, Thomas; Pi, Fengmei; Guo, Sijin; Xu, Jing; Li, Chan; Haque, Farzin; Liang, Xing-Jie; Guo, Peixuan

2015-01-01

Summary The value of polymers is manifested in their vital use as building blocks in material and life sciences. Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a polynucleic acid, but its polymeric nature in materials and technological applications is often overlooked due to an impression that RNA is seemingly unstable. Recent findings that certain modifications can make RNA resistant to RNase degradation while retaining its authentic folding property and biological function, and the discovery of ultra-thermostable RNA motifs have adequately addressed the concerns of RNA unstability. RNA can serve as a unique polymeric material to build varieties of nanostructures including nanoparticles, polygons, arrays, bundles, membrane, and microsponges that have potential applications in biomedical and material sciences. Since 2005, more than a thousand publications on RNA nanostructures have been published in diverse fields, indicating a remarkable increase of interest in the emerging field of RNA nanotechnology. In this review, we aim to: delineate the physical and chemical properties of polymers that can be applied to RNA; introduce the unique properties of RNA as a polymer; review the current methods for the construction of RNA nanostructures; describe its applications in material, biomedical and computer sciences; and, discuss the challenges and future prospects in this field. PMID:26770259

Cellulose fibres, nanofibrils and microfibrils: The morphological sequence of MFC components from a plant physiology and fibre technology point of view

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chinga-Carrasco, Gary

2011-06-01

During the last decade, major efforts have been made to develop adequate and commercially viable processes for disintegrating cellulose fibres into their structural components. Homogenisation of cellulose fibres has been one of the principal applied procedures. Homogenisation has produced materials which may be inhomogeneous, containing fibres, fibres fragments, fibrillar fines and nanofibrils. The material has been denominated microfibrillated cellulose (MFC). In addition, terms relating to the nano-scale have been given to the MFC material. Several modern and high-tech nano-applications have been envisaged for MFC. However, is MFC a nano-structure? It is concluded that MFC materials may be composed of (1) nanofibrils, (2) fibrillar fines, (3) fibre fragments and (4) fibres. This implies that MFC is not necessarily synonymous with nanofibrils, microfibrils or any other cellulose nano-structure. However, properly produced MFC materials contain nano-structures as a main component, i.e. nanofibrils.

Synthesis, characterization, properties, and applications of nanosized ferroelectric, ferromagnetic, or multiferroic materials

DOE PAGES

Dhak, Debasis; Hong, Seungbum; Das, Soma; ...

2015-01-01

Recently, there has been an enormous increase in research activity in the field of ferroelectrics and ferromagnetics especially in multiferroic materials which possess both ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties simultaneously. However, the ferroelectric, ferromagnetic, and multiferroic properties should be further improved from the utilitarian and commercial viewpoints. Nanostructural materials are central to the evolution of future electronics and information technologies. Ferroelectrics and ferromagnetics have already been established as a dominant branch in electronics sector because of their diverse applications. The ongoing dimensional downscaling of materials to allow packing of increased numbers of components into integrated circuits provides the momentum for evolutionmore » of nanostructural devices. Nanoscaling of the above materials can result in a modification of their functionality. Furthermore, nanoscaling can be used to form high density arrays of nanodomain nanostructures, which is desirable for miniaturization of devices.« less

Elucidating the atomistic mechanisms underpinning plasticity in Li-Si nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Xin; Gouissem, Afif; Guduru, Pradeep R.; Sharma, Pradeep

2017-10-01

Amorphous lithium-silicon (a-Li-Si), especially in nanostructure form, is an attractive high-capacity anode material for next-generation Li-ion batteries. During cycles of charging and discharging, a-Li-Si undergoes substantive inelastic deformation and exhibits microcracking. The mechanical response to repeated lithiation-delithiation eventually results in the loss of electrical contact and consequent decrease of capacity, thus underscoring the importance of studying the plasticity of a-Li-Si nanostructures. In recent years, a variety of phenomenological continuum theories have been introduced that purport to model plasticity and the electro-chemo-mechanical behavior of a-Li-Si. Unfortunately, the micromechanisms and atomistic considerations underlying plasticity in Li-Si material are not yet fully understood and this impedes the development of physics-based constitutive models. Conventional molecular dynamics, although extensively used to study this material, is grossly inadequate to resolve this matter. As is well known, conventional molecular dynamics simulations can only address phenomena with characteristic time scales of (at most) a microsecond. Accordingly, in such simulations, the mechanical behavior is deduced under conditions of very high strain rates (usually, 108s-1 or even higher). This limitation severely impacts a realistic assessment of rate-dependent effects. In this work, we attempt to circumvent the time-scale bottleneck of conventional molecular dynamics and provide novel insights into the mechanisms underpinning plastic deformation of Li-Si nanostructures. We utilize an approach that allows imposition of slow strain rates and involves the employment of a new and recently developed potential energy surface sampling method—the so-called autonomous basin climbing—to identify the local minima in the potential energy surface. Combined with other techniques, such as nudged elastic band, kinetic Monte Carlo and transition state theory, we assess the behavior of a-Li-Si nanostructures under tensile strain rates ranging from 103 to 108s-1 . We find significant differences in the deformation behavior across the strain rates and discover that the well-known shear transformation zones (widely discussed in the context of amorphous materials) are formed by a "diffusionlike" process. We identify the rotation of the shear transformation zone as a key dissipation mechanism.

Ultra-Fast Microwave Synthesis of ZnO Nanorods on Cellulose Substrates for UV Sensor Applications

PubMed Central

Pimentel, Ana; Samouco, Ana; Araújo, Andreia; Martins, Rodrigo; Fortunato, Elvira

2017-01-01

In the present work, tracing and Whatman papers were used as substrates to grow zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures. Cellulose-based substrates are cost-efficient, highly sensitive and environmentally friendly. ZnO nanostructures with hexagonal structure were synthesized by hydrothermal under microwave irradiation using an ultrafast approach, that is, a fixed synthesis time of 10 min. The effect of synthesis temperature on ZnO nanostructures was investigated from 70 to 130 °C. An Ultra Violet (UV)/Ozone treatment directly to the ZnO seed layer prior to microwave assisted synthesis revealed expressive differences regarding formation of the ZnO nanostructures. Structural characterization of the microwave synthesized materials was carried out by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The optical characterization has also been performed. The time resolved photocurrent of the devices in response to the UV turn on/off was investigated and it has been observed that the ZnO nanorod arrays grown on Whatman paper substrate present a responsivity 3 times superior than the ones grown on tracing paper. By using ZnO nanorods, the surface area-to-volume ratio will increase and will improve the sensor sensibility, making these types of materials good candidates for low cost and disposable UV sensors. The sensors were exposed to bending tests, proving their high stability, flexibility and adaptability to different surfaces. PMID:29140304

A review on chemiresistive room temperature gas sensors based on metal oxide nanostructures, graphene and 2D transition metal dichalcogenides.

PubMed

Joshi, Nirav; Hayasaka, Takeshi; Liu, Yumeng; Liu, Huiliang; Oliveira, Osvaldo N; Lin, Liwei

2018-03-10

Room-temperature (RT) gas sensing is desirable for battery-powered or self-powered instrumentation that can monitor emissions associated with pollution and industrial processes. This review (with 171 references) discusses recent advances in three types of porous nanostructures that have shown remarkable potential for RT gas sensing. The first group comprises hierarchical oxide nanostructures (mainly oxides of Sn, Ni, Zn, W, In, La, Fe, Co). The second group comprises graphene and its derivatives (graphene, graphene oxides, reduced graphene oxides, and their composites with metal oxides and noble metals). The third group comprises 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (mainly sulfides of Mo, W, Sn, Ni, also in combination with metal oxides). They all have been found to enable RT sensing of gases such as NOx, NH 3 , H 2 , SO 2 , CO, and of vapors such as of acetone, formaldehyde or methanol. Attractive features also include high selectivity and sensitivity, long-term stability and affordable costs. Strengths and limitations of these materials are highlighted, and prospects with respect to the development of new materials to overcome existing limitations are discussed. Graphical Abstract The review summarizes the most significant progresses related to room temperature gas sensing by using hierarchical oxide nanostructures, graphene and its derivatives and 2D transition metal dichalcogenides, highlighting the peculiar gas sensing behavior with enhanced selectivity, sensitivity and long-term stability.

Defect-Rich Dopant-Free ZrO2 Nanostructures with Superior Dilute Ferromagnetic Semiconductor Properties.

PubMed

Rahman, Md Anisur; Rout, S; Thomas, Joseph P; McGillivray, Donald; Leung, Kam Tong

2016-09-14

Control of the spin degree of freedom of an electron has brought about a new era in spin-based applications, particularly spin-based electronics, with the potential to outperform the traditional charge-based semiconductor technology for data storage and information processing. However, the realization of functional spin-based devices for information processing remains elusive due to several fundamental challenges such as the low Curie temperature of group III-V and II-VI semiconductors (<200 K), and the low spin-injection efficiencies of existing III-V, II-VI, and transparent conductive oxide semiconductors in a multilayer device structure, which are caused by precipitation and migration of dopants from the host layer to the adjacent layers. Here, we use catalyst-assisted pulsed laser deposition to grow, for the first time, oxygen vacancy defect-rich, dopant-free ZrO2 nanostructures with high TC (700 K) and high magnetization (5.9 emu/g). The observed magnetization is significantly greater than both doped and defect-rich transparent conductive oxide nanomaterials reported to date. We also provide the first experimental evidence that it is the amounts and types of oxygen vacancy defects in, and not the phase of ZrO2 that control the ferromagnetic order in undoped ZrO2 nanostructures. To explain the origin of ferromagnetism in these ZrO2 nanostructures, we hypothesize a new defect-induced bound polaron model, which is generally applicable to other defect-rich, dopant-free transparent conductive oxide nanostructures. These results provide new insights into magnetic ordering in undoped dilute ferromagnetic semiconductor oxides and contribute to the design of exotic magnetic and novel multifunctional materials.

Growth of and defect reduction in nanoscale materials

DOEpatents

Jensen, Kenneth J [Berkeley, CA; Mickelson, William E [San Francisco, CA; Zettl, Alex K [Kensington, CA

2011-01-04

Methods by which the growth of a nanostructure may be precisely controlled by an electrical current are described here. In one embodiment, an interior nanostructure is grown to a predetermined geometry inside another nanostructure, which serves as a reaction chamber. The growth is effected by a catalytic agent loaded with feedstock for the interior nanostructure. Another embodiment allows a preexisting marginal quality nanostructure to be zone refined into a higher-quality nanostructure by driving a catalytic agent down a controlled length of the nanostructure with an electric current. In both embodiments, the speed of nanostructure formation is adjustable, and the growth may be stopped and restarted at will. The catalytic agent may be doped or undoped to produce semiconductor effects, and the bead may be removed via acid etching.

Tunable organization of cellulose nanocrystals for controlled thermal and optical response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diaz A., Jairo A.

The biorenewable nature of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) has opened up new opportunities for cost-effective, sustainable materials design. By taking advantage of their distinctive structural properties and self-assembly, promising applications have started to nurture the fields of flexible electronics, biomaterials, and nanocomposites. CNCs exhibit two fundamental characteristics: rod-like morphology (5-20 nm wide, 50-500 nm long), and lyotropic behavior (i.e., liquid crystalline mesophases formed in solvents), which offer unique opportunities for structural control and fine tuning of thermal and optical properties based on a proper understanding of their individual behavior and interactions at different length scales. In the present work, we attempt to provide an integral description of the influence of single crystals in the thermal and optical response exhibited by nanostructured films. Our approach involved the connection of experimental evidence with predictions of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. In order to assess the effect of CNC orientation in the bulk response, we produced cellulose nanostructured films under two different mechanisms, namely, self-organization and shear orientation. Self-organized nanostructured films exhibited the typical iridescent optical reflection generated by chiral nematic organization. Shear oriented films disrupted the cholesteric organization, generating highly aligned structures with high optical transparency. The resultant CNC organization present in all nanostructured films was estimated by a second order statistical orientational distribution based on two- dimensional XRD signals. A new method to determine the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) in a contact-free fashion was developed to properly characterize the thermal expansion of thin soft films by excluding other thermally activated phenomena. The method can be readily extended to other soft materials to accurately measure thermal strains in a non-destructive way. By evaluating the magnitude of film CTEs relative to those of individual CNC crystals, we highlighted the significant role played by crystalline interfaces. Likewise, after measuring the thermal conductivity of a single crystal and CNC films having multiple organizations, the interfacial thermal resistance arose as a governing factor for heat transport. We will offer further insights into the intricate connection of thermal and optical properties towards a future efficient manufacture and optimal CNC based-materials design.

Computational Materials: Modeling and Simulation of Nanostructured Materials and Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gates, Thomas S.; Hinkley, Jeffrey A.

2003-01-01

The paper provides details on the structure and implementation of the Computational Materials program at the NASA Langley Research Center. Examples are given that illustrate the suggested approaches to predicting the behavior and influencing the design of nanostructured materials such as high-performance polymers, composites, and nanotube-reinforced polymers. Primary simulation and measurement methods applicable to multi-scale modeling are outlined. Key challenges including verification and validation of models are highlighted and discussed within the context of NASA's broad mission objectives.

Self assembly of organic nanostructures and dielectrophoretic assembly of inorganic nanowires.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dholakia, Geetha; Kuo, Steven; Allen, E. L.

2007-03-01

Self assembly techniques enable the organization of organic molecules into nanostructures. Currently engineering strategies for efficient assembly and routine integration of inorganic nanoscale objects into functional devices is very limited. AC Dielectrophoresis is an efficient technique to manipulate inorganic nanomaterials into higher dimensional structures. We used an alumina template based sol-gel synthesis method for the growth of various metal oxide nanowires with typical diameters of 100-150 nm, ranging in length from 3-10 μm. Here we report the dielectrophoretic assembly of TiO2 nanowires, an important material for photocatalysis and photovoltaics, onto interdigitated devices. Self assembly in organic nanostructures and its dependence on structure and stereochemistry of the molecule and dielectrophoretic field dependence in the assembly of inorganic nanowires will be compared and contrasted. Tunneling spectroscopy and DOS of these nanoscale systems will also be discussed.

Selective growth of palladium and titanium dioxide nanostructures inside carbon nanotube membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hevia, Samuel; Homm, Pía; Cortes, Andrea; Núñez, Verónica; Contreras, Claudia; Vera, Jenniffer; Segura, Rodrigo

2012-06-01

Hybrid nanostructured arrays based on carbon nanotubes (CNT) and palladium or titanium dioxide materials have been synthesized using self-supported and silicon-supported anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) as nanoporous template. It is well demonstrated that carbon nanotubes can be grown using these membranes and hydrocarbon precursors that decompose at temperatures closer to 600°C without the use of a metal catalyst. In this process, carbonic fragments condensate to form stacked graphitic sheets, which adopt the shape of the pores, yielding from these moulds' multi-walled carbon nanotubes. After this process, the ends of the tubes remain open and accessible to other substances, whereas the outer walls are protected by the alumina. Taking advantage of this fact, we have performed the synthesis of palladium and titanium dioxide nanostructures selectively inside carbon nanotubes using these CNT-AAO membranes as nanoreactors.

Selective growth of palladium and titanium dioxide nanostructures inside carbon nanotube membranes.

PubMed

Hevia, Samuel; Homm, Pía; Cortes, Andrea; Núñez, Verónica; Contreras, Claudia; Vera, Jenniffer; Segura, Rodrigo

2012-06-25

Hybrid nanostructured arrays based on carbon nanotubes (CNT) and palladium or titanium dioxide materials have been synthesized using self-supported and silicon-supported anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) as nanoporous template. It is well demonstrated that carbon nanotubes can be grown using these membranes and hydrocarbon precursors that decompose at temperatures closer to 600°C without the use of a metal catalyst. In this process, carbonic fragments condensate to form stacked graphitic sheets, which adopt the shape of the pores, yielding from these moulds' multi-walled carbon nanotubes. After this process, the ends of the tubes remain open and accessible to other substances, whereas the outer walls are protected by the alumina. Taking advantage of this fact, we have performed the synthesis of palladium and titanium dioxide nanostructures selectively inside carbon nanotubes using these CNT-AAO membranes as nanoreactors.

Nanoconfinement platform for nanostructure quantification via grazing-transmission X-ray scattering

DOEpatents

Black, Charles T.; Yager, Kevin G.

2017-01-31

A nano-confinement platform that may allow improved quantification of the structural order of nanometer-scale systems. Sample-holder `chips` are designed for the GTSAXS experimental geometry. The platform involves fabricated nanostructured sample holders on and in one or more corners of a substrate support where the sample material of interest is positioned at the corner of the substrate support. In an embodiment, the substrate material making up the substrate support beneath the sample-holding area is removed. A scattering x-ray sample platform includes a substrate support arranged in a parallelepiped form, having a substantially flat base and a substantially flat top surface, the top surface being substantially parallel with the base, the parallelepiped having a plurality of corners. At least one corner of the substrate support has a sample holding area formed in the top surface of the substrate support and within a predetermined distance from the corner. The sample holding area includes a regular array of nano-wells formed in the top surface of the substrate support.

On-chip cooling by superlattice-based thin-film thermoelectrics.

PubMed

Chowdhury, Ihtesham; Prasher, Ravi; Lofgreen, Kelly; Chrysler, Gregory; Narasimhan, Sridhar; Mahajan, Ravi; Koester, David; Alley, Randall; Venkatasubramanian, Rama

2009-04-01

There is a significant need for site-specific and on-demand cooling in electronic, optoelectronic and bioanalytical devices, where cooling is currently achieved by the use of bulky and/or over-designed system-level solutions. Thermoelectric devices can address these limitations while also enabling energy-efficient solutions, and significant progress has been made in the development of nanostructured thermoelectric materials with enhanced figures-of-merit. However, fully functional practical thermoelectric coolers have not been made from these nanomaterials due to the enormous difficulties in integrating nanoscale materials into microscale devices and packaged macroscale systems. Here, we show the integration of thermoelectric coolers fabricated from nanostructured Bi2Te3-based thin-film superlattices into state-of-the-art electronic packages. We report cooling of as much as 15 degrees C at the targeted region on a silicon chip with a high ( approximately 1,300 W cm-2) heat flux. This is the first demonstration of viable chip-scale refrigeration technology and has the potential to enable a wide range of currently thermally limited applications.

Round-patterned ZnO nanostructure coated with siloxane-based polymer for nerve agent detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Hyun Ji; Lee, Ji Won; Jeong, Dong-Cheol; Ha, Seonggyun; Song, Changsik; Boo, Jin-Hyo

2018-01-01

The alignment of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures is expected to improve device sensitivities due to large surface areas which can be utilized to capture significant quantities of gas particles. In this study, we investigated patterned ZnO nanorods modified with polystyrene monolayers synthesized directly onto a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) cell to increase the coating surface area of the sensing material. Also, we designed and synthesized a siloxane-based polymer (S1 polymer) as a sensing material. The patterned ZnO nanorods coated with S1 polymers were fabricated and used for the detection of dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP). The resonance frequency of QCM was shifted due to the adsorption and desorption of a compound at the surface of the modified electrodes. We have synthesized an S1 polymer that exhibited high sensitivity to DMMP. The patterned ZnO nanorods coated with the polymer also exhibited improved sensitivity due to an enhanced surface area capable of adsorbing more DMMP vapor.

Overview of detector technologies for EO/IR sensing applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sood, Ashok K.; Zeller, John W.; Welser, Roger E.; Puri, Yash R.; Lewis, Jay S.; Dhar, Nibir K.; Wijewarnasuriya, Priyalal

2016-05-01

Optical sensing technology is critical for optical communication, defense and security applications. Advances in optoelectronics materials in the UV, Visible and Infrared, using nanostructures, and use of novel materials such as CNT and Graphene have opened doors for new approaches to apply device design methodology that are expected to offer enhanced performance and low cost optical sensors in a wide range of applications. This paper is intended to review recent advancements and present different device architectures and analysis. The chapter will briefly introduce the basics of UV and Infrared detection physics and various wave bands of interest and their characteristics [1, 2] We will cover the UV band (200-400 nm) and address some of the recent advances in nanostructures growth and characterization using ZnO/MgZnO based technologies and their applications. Recent advancements in design and development of CNT and Graphene based detection technologies have shown promise for optical sensor applications. We will present theoretical and experimental results on these device and their potential applications in various bands of interest.

Solid state thermal rectifier

DOEpatents

None

2016-07-05

Thermal rectifiers using linear nanostructures as core thermal conductors have been fabricated. A high mass density material is added preferentially to one end of the nanostructures to produce an axially non-uniform mass distribution. The resulting nanoscale system conducts heat asymmetrically with greatest heat flow in the direction of decreasing mass density. Thermal rectification has been demonstrated for linear nanostructures that are electrical insulators, such as boron nitride nanotubes, and for nanostructures that are conductive, such as carbon nanotubes.

Cu-Au alloy nanostructures coated with aptamers: a simple, stable and highly effective platform for in vivo cancer theranostics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Xiaosheng; Shi, Hui; He, Xiaoxiao; Yu, Yanru; He, Dinggeng; Tang, Jinlu; Lei, Yanli; Wang, Kemin

2016-01-01

As a star material in cancer theranostics, photoresponsive gold (Au) nanostructures may still have drawbacks, such as low thermal conductivity, irradiation-induced melting effect and high cost. To solve the problem, copper (Cu) with a much higher thermal conductivity and lower cost was introduced to generate a novel Cu-Au alloy nanostructure produced by a simple, gentle and one-pot synthetic method. Having the good qualities of both Cu and Au, the irregularly-shaped Cu-Au alloy nanostructures showed several advantages over traditional Au nanorods, including a broad and intense near-infrared (NIR) absorption band from 400 to 1100 nm, an excellent heating performance under laser irradiation at different wavelengths and even a notable photostability against melting. Then, via a simple conjugation of fluorophore-labeled aptamers on the Cu-Au alloy nanostructures, active targeting and signal output were simultaneously introduced, thus constructing a theranostic platform based on fluorophore-labeled, aptamer-coated Cu-Au alloy nanostructures. By using human leukemia CCRF-CEM cancer and Cy5-labeled aptamer Sgc8c (Cy5-Sgc8c) as the model, a selective fluorescence imaging and NIR photothermal therapy was successfully realized for both in vitro cancer cells and in vivo tumor tissues. It was revealed that Cy5-Sgc8c-coated Cu-Au alloy nanostructures were not only capable of robust target recognition and stable signal output for molecular imaging in complex biological systems, but also killed target cancer cells in mice with only five minutes of 980 nm irradiation. The platform was found to be simple, stable, biocompatible and highly effective, and shows great potential as a versatile tool for cancer theranostics.As a star material in cancer theranostics, photoresponsive gold (Au) nanostructures may still have drawbacks, such as low thermal conductivity, irradiation-induced melting effect and high cost. To solve the problem, copper (Cu) with a much higher thermal conductivity and lower cost was introduced to generate a novel Cu-Au alloy nanostructure produced by a simple, gentle and one-pot synthetic method. Having the good qualities of both Cu and Au, the irregularly-shaped Cu-Au alloy nanostructures showed several advantages over traditional Au nanorods, including a broad and intense near-infrared (NIR) absorption band from 400 to 1100 nm, an excellent heating performance under laser irradiation at different wavelengths and even a notable photostability against melting. Then, via a simple conjugation of fluorophore-labeled aptamers on the Cu-Au alloy nanostructures, active targeting and signal output were simultaneously introduced, thus constructing a theranostic platform based on fluorophore-labeled, aptamer-coated Cu-Au alloy nanostructures. By using human leukemia CCRF-CEM cancer and Cy5-labeled aptamer Sgc8c (Cy5-Sgc8c) as the model, a selective fluorescence imaging and NIR photothermal therapy was successfully realized for both in vitro cancer cells and in vivo tumor tissues. It was revealed that Cy5-Sgc8c-coated Cu-Au alloy nanostructures were not only capable of robust target recognition and stable signal output for molecular imaging in complex biological systems, but also killed target cancer cells in mice with only five minutes of 980 nm irradiation. The platform was found to be simple, stable, biocompatible and highly effective, and shows great potential as a versatile tool for cancer theranostics. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Fig. S1, S2 and Table S1. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr07017a

First-principles design of nanostructured hybrid photovoltaics based on layered transition metal phosphates

DOE PAGES

Lentz, Levi C.; Kolpak, Alexie M.

2017-04-28

The performance of bulk organic and hybrid organic-inorganic heterojunction photovoltaics is often limited by high carrier recombination arising from strongly bound excitons and low carrier mobility. Structuring materials to minimize the length scales required for exciton separation and carrier collection is therefore a promising approach for improving efficiency. In this work, first-principles computations are employed to design and characterize a new class of photovoltaic materials composed of layered transition metal phosphates (TMPs) covalently bound to organic absorber molecules to form nanostructured superlattices. Using a combination of transition metal substitution and organic functionalization, the electronic structure of these materials is systematicallymore » tuned to design a new hybrid photovoltaic material predicted to exhibit very low recombination due to the presence of a local electric field and spatially isolated, high mobility, two-dimensional electron and hole conducting channels. Furthermore, this material is predicted to have a large open-circuit voltage of 1.7 V. Here, this work suggests that hybrid TMPs constitute an interesting class of materials for further investigation in the search for achieving high efficiency, high power, and low cost photo Zirconium phosphate was chosen, in part, due to previous experiment voltaics.« less

First-principles design of nanostructured hybrid photovoltaics based on layered transition metal phosphates

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

Lentz, Levi C.; Kolpak, Alexie M.

The performance of bulk organic and hybrid organic-inorganic heterojunction photovoltaics is often limited by high carrier recombination arising from strongly bound excitons and low carrier mobility. Structuring materials to minimize the length scales required for exciton separation and carrier collection is therefore a promising approach for improving efficiency. In this work, first-principles computations are employed to design and characterize a new class of photovoltaic materials composed of layered transition metal phosphates (TMPs) covalently bound to organic absorber molecules to form nanostructured superlattices. Using a combination of transition metal substitution and organic functionalization, the electronic structure of these materials is systematicallymore » tuned to design a new hybrid photovoltaic material predicted to exhibit very low recombination due to the presence of a local electric field and spatially isolated, high mobility, two-dimensional electron and hole conducting channels. Furthermore, this material is predicted to have a large open-circuit voltage of 1.7 V. Here, this work suggests that hybrid TMPs constitute an interesting class of materials for further investigation in the search for achieving high efficiency, high power, and low cost photo Zirconium phosphate was chosen, in part, due to previous experiment voltaics.« less

Jet engine applications for materials with nanometer-scale dimensions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Appleby, J. W., Jr.

1995-01-01

The performance of advanced military and commercial gas turbine engines is often linked to advances in materials technology. High performance gas turbine engines being developed require major material advances in strength, toughness, reduced density and improved temperature capability. The emerging technology of nanostructured materials has enormous potential for producing materials with significant improvements in these properties. Extraordinary properties demonstrated in the laboratory include material strengths approaching theoretical limit, ceramics that demonstrate ductility and toughness, and materials with ultra-high hardness. Nanostructured materials and coatings have the potential for meeting future gas turbine engine requirements for improved performance, reduced weight and lower fuel consumption.

Jet engine applications for materials with nanometer-scale dimensions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Appleby, J. W., Jr.

1995-01-01

The performance of advanced military and commercial gas turbine engines is often linked to advances in materials technology. High performance gas turbine engines being developed require major material advances in strength, toughness, reduced density and improved temperature capability. The emerging technology of nanostructured materials has enormous potential for producing materials with significant improvements in these properties. Extraordinary properties demonstrated in the laboratory include material strengths approaching theoretical limit, ceramics that demonstrate ductility and toughness, and material with ultra-high hardness. Nanostructured materials and coatings have the potential for meeting future gas turbine engine requirements for improved performance, reduced weight and lower fuel consumption.

Nanostructured mesoporous materials for lithium-ion battery applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balaya, P.; Saravanan, K.; Hariharan, S.; Ramar, V.; Lee, H. S.; Kuezma, M.; Devaraj, S.; Nagaraju, D. H.; Ananthanarayanan, K.; Mason, C. W.

2011-06-01

The Energy crisis happens to be one of the greatest challenges we are facing today. In this view, much effort has been made in developing new, cost effective, environmentally friendly energy conversion and storage devices. The performance of such devices is fundamentally related to material properties. Hence, innovative materials engineering is important in solving the energy crisis problem. One such innovation in materials engineering is porous materials for energy storage. Porous electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) offer a high degree of electrolyte-electrode wettability, thus enhancing the electrochemical activity within the material. Among the porous materials, mesoporous materials draw special attention, owing to shorter diffusion lengths for Li+ and electronic movement. Nanostructured mesoporous materials also offer better packing density compared to their nanostructured counterparts such as nanopowders, nanowires, nanotubes etc., thus opening a window for developing electrode materials with high volumetric energy densities. This would directly translate into a scenario of building batteries which are much lighter than today's commercial LIBs. In this article, the authors present a simple, soft template approach for preparing both cathode and anode materials with high packing density for LIBs. The impact of porosity on the electrochemical storage performance is highlighted.

The green hydrothermal synthesis of nanostructured Cu2ZnSnSe4 as solar cell material and study of their structural, optical and morphological properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vanalakar, S. A.; Agawane, G. L.; Kamble, A. S.; Patil, P. S.; Kim, J. H.

2017-12-01

Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) has attracted intensive attention as an absorber material for the thin-film solar cells due to its high absorption coefficient, direct band gap, low toxicity, and abundance of its constituent elements. In this study nanostructured CZTSe nanoparticles are prepared via green hydrothermal synthesis without using toxic solvents, organic amines, catalysts or noxious chemicals. The structural, optical, and morphological properties of CZTSe nanostructured powder were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscope (TEM) techniques. Raman peaks at 170, 195, and 232 cm-1 confirm the formation of pure phase CZTSe nanostructured particles. In addition, the EDS and XPS results confirm the appropriate chemical purity of the annealed CZTSe nanoparticles. Meanwhile, the TEM analysis showed the presence of phase pure oval like CZTSe particle with size of about 80-140 nm. The UV-Vis-NIR absorption spectra analysis showed that the optical band gap of CZTSe nanostructured particles is about 1.14 eV. This band gap energy is close to the optimum value of a photovoltaic solar cell absorber material.

Efficient Gas-Sensing for Formaldehyde with 3D Hierarchical Co3O4 Derived from Co5-Based MOF Microcrystals.

PubMed

Zhou, Wei; Wu, Ya-Pan; Zhao, Jun; Dong, Wen-Wen; Qiao, Xiu-Qing; Hou, Dong-Fang; Bu, Xianhui; Li, Dong-Sheng

2017-11-20

Detecting formaldehyde at low operating temperature and maintaining long-term stability are of great significance. In this work, a hierarchical Co 3 O 4 nanostructure has been fabricated by calcining Co 5 -based metal-organic framework (MOF) microcrystals. Co 3 O 4 -350 particles were used for efficient gas-sensing for the detecting of formaldehyde vapor at lower working temperature (170 °C), low detection limit of 10 ppm, and long-term stability (30 days), which not only is the optimal value among all reported pure Co 3 O 4 sensing materials for the detection of formaldehyde but also is superior to that of majority of Co 3 O 4 -based composites. Such extraordinarily efficient properties might be resulted from hierarchically structures, larger surface area and unique pore structure. This strategy is further confirmed that MOFs, especially Co-clusters MOFs, could be used as precursor to synthesize 3D nanostructure metal oxide materials with high-performance, which possess high porosity and more active sites and shorter ionic diffusion lengths.

Design of nanostructured-based glucose biosensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komirisetty, Archana; Williams, Frances; Pradhan, Aswini; Konda, Rajini B.; Dondapati, Hareesh; Samantaray, Diptirani

2012-04-01

This paper presents the design of glucose sensors that will be integrated with advanced nano-materials, bio-coatings and electronics to create novel devices that are highly sensitive, inexpensive, accurate, and reliable. In the work presented, a glucose biosensor and its fabrication process flow have been designed. The device is based on electrochemical sensing using a working electrode with bio-functionalized zinc oxide (ZnO) nano-rods. Among all metal oxide nanostructures, ZnO nano-materials play a significant role as a sensing element in biosensors due to their properties such as high isoelectric point (IEP), fast electron transfer, non-toxicity, biocompatibility, and chemical stability which are very crucial parameters to achieve high sensitivity. Amperometric enzyme electrodes based on glucose oxidase (GOx) are used due to their stability and high selectivity to glucose. The device also consists of silicon dioxide and titanium layers as well as platinum working and counter electrodes and a silver/silver chloride reference electrode. Currently, the biosensors are being fabricated using the process flow developed. Once completed, the sensors will be bio-functionalized and tested to characterize their performance, including their sensitivity and stability.

General method for the synthesis of hierarchical nanocrystal-based mesoporous materials.

PubMed

Rauda, Iris E; Buonsanti, Raffaella; Saldarriaga-Lopez, Laura C; Benjauthrit, Kanokraj; Schelhas, Laura T; Stefik, Morgan; Augustyn, Veronica; Ko, Jesse; Dunn, Bruce; Wiesner, Ulrich; Milliron, Delia J; Tolbert, Sarah H

2012-07-24

Block copolymer templating of inorganic materials is a robust method for the production of nanoporous materials. The method is limited, however, by the fact that the molecular inorganic precursors commonly used generally form amorphous porous materials that often cannot be crystallized with retention of porosity. To overcome this issue, here we present a general method for the production of templated mesoporous materials from preformed nanocrystal building blocks. The work takes advantage of recent synthetic advances that allow organic ligands to be stripped off of the surface of nanocrystals to produce soluble, charge-stabilized colloids. Nanocrystals then undergo evaporation-induced co-assembly with amphiphilic diblock copolymers to form a nanostructured inorganic/organic composite. Thermal degradation of the polymer template results in nanocrystal-based mesoporous materials. Here, we show that this method can be applied to nanocrystals with a broad range of compositions and sizes, and that assembly of nanocrystals can be carried out using a broad family of polymer templates. The resultant materials show disordered but homogeneous mesoporosity that can be tuned through the choice of template. The materials also show significant microporosity, formed by the agglomerated nanocrystals, and this porosity can be tuned by the nanocrystal size. We demonstrate through careful selection of the synthetic components that specifically designed nanostructured materials can be constructed. Because of the combination of open and interconnected porosity, high surface area, and compositional tunability, these materials are likely to find uses in a broad range of applications. For example, enhanced charge storage kinetics in nanoporous Mn(3)O(4) is demonstrated here.

M13 Virus-Incorporated Biotemplates on Electrode Surfaces To Nucleate Metal Nanostructures by Electrodeposition.

PubMed

Manivannan, Shanmugam; Kang, Inhak; Seo, Yeji; Jin, Hyo-Eon; Lee, Seung-Wuk; Kim, Kyuwon

2017-09-27

We report a virus-incorporated biological template (biotemplate) on electrode surfaces and its use in electrochemical nucleation of metal nanocomposites as an electrocatalytic material for energy applications. The biotemplate was developed with M13 virus (M13) incorporated in a silicate sol-gel matrix as a scaffold to nucleate Au-Pt alloy nanostructures by electrodeposition, together with reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The phage when engineered with Y3E peptides could nucleate Au-Pt alloy nanostructures, which ensured adequate packing density, simultaneous stabilization of rGO, and a significantly increased electrochemically active surface area. Investigation of the electrocatalytic activity of the resulting sol-gel composite catalyst toward methanol oxidation in an alkaline medium showed that this catalyst had mass activity greater than that of the biotemplate containing wild-type M13 and that of monometallic Pt and other Au-Pt nanostructures with different compositions and supports. M13 in the nanocomposite materials provided a close contact between the Au-Pt alloy nanostructures and rGO. In addition, it facilitated the availability of an OH - -rich environment to the catalyst. As a result, efficient electron transfer and a synergistic catalytic effect of the Au and Pt in the alloy nanostructures toward methanol oxidation were observed. Our nanocomposite synthesis on the novel biotemplate and its application might be useful for developing novel clean and green energy-generating and energy-storage materials.

Dielectrophoresis-Based Particle Sensor Using Nanoelectrode Arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Jun; Cassell, Alan M.; Arumugam, Prabhu U.

2013-01-01

A method has been developed for concentrating, or partly separating, particles of a selected species from a liquid or gas containing these particles, and flowing in a channel. An example of this is to promote an accumulation (and thus concentration) of the selected particle (e.g., biological species such as E. coli, salmonella, anthrax, tobacco mosaic virus or herpes simplex, and non-biological materials such as nano- and microparticles, quantum dots, nanowires, nano - tubes, and other inorganic particles) adjacent to the first surface. Additionally, this method can also determine if the particle species is present in the liquid. This is accomplished by providing an insulating material in an interstitial volume between two or more adjacent nanostructure electrodes. It can also be accomplished by providing a functionalizing substance, located on a selected region of the insulating material surface, which promotes attachment of the selected species particles to the functionalized surface, and measuring a selected electrical property such as electrical impedance, conductance, or capacitance. A time-varying electrical field E, having a root-mean-square intensity of E(sup 2) rms, with a non-zero gradient in a direction transverse to the liquid or fluid flow direction, is produced by a nanostructure electrode array with a very high-magnitude gradient near exposed electrode tips. A dielectrophoretic force causes the selected particles to accumulate near the electrode tips, if the medium and selected particles have substantially different dielectric constants. An insulating material surrounds most of the nanostructure electrodes, and a region of the insulating material surface is functionalized to promote attachment of the selected particle species to the surface. An electrical property value Z(meas) is measured at the functionalized surface, and is compared with a reference value Z(ref) to determine if the selected species particles are attached to the functionalized surface. Some advantages of this innovation are that an array of nanostructure electrodes can provide an electric field intensity gradient that is one or more orders of magnitude greater than the corresponding gradient provided by a conventional microelectrode arrangement, and that, as a result of the high-magnitude field intensity gradients, a nanostructure concentrator can trap particles from high-speed microfluidic flows. This is critical for applications where the entire analysis must be performed in a few minutes

Carbon Nanotube Based Chemical Sensors for Space and Terrestrial Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Jing; Lu, Yijiang

2009-01-01

A nanosensor technology has been developed using nanostructures, such as single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), on a pair of interdigitated electrodes (IDE) processed with a silicon-based microfabrication and micromachining technique. The IDE fingers were fabricated using photolithography and thin film metallization techniques. Both in-situ growth of nanostructure materials and casting of the nanostructure dispersions were used to make chemical sensing devices. These sensors have been exposed to nitrogen dioxide, acetone, benzene, nitrotoluene, chlorine, and ammonia in the concentration range of ppm to ppb at room temperature. The electronic molecular sensing of carbon nanotubes in our sensor platform can be understood by intra- and inter-tube electron modulation in terms of charge transfer mechanisms. As a result of the charge transfer, the conductance of p-type or hole-richer SWNTs in air will change. Due to the large surface area, low surface energy barrier and high thermal and mechanical stability, nanostructured chemical sensors potentially can offer higher sensitivity, lower power consumption and better robustness than the state-of-the-art systems, which make them more attractive for defense and space applications. Combined with MEMS technology, light weight and compact size sensors can be made in wafer scale with low cost. Additionally, a wireless capability of such a sensor chip can be used for networked mobile and fixed-site detection and warning systems for military bases, facilities and battlefield areas.

Metal oxide nanosensors using polymeric membranes, enzymes and antibody receptors as ion and molecular recognition elements.

PubMed

Willander, Magnus; Khun, Kimleang; Ibupoto, Zafar Hussain

2014-05-16

The concept of recognition and biofunctionality has attracted increasing interest in the fields of chemistry and material sciences. Advances in the field of nanotechnology for the synthesis of desired metal oxide nanostructures have provided a solid platform for the integration of nanoelectronic devices. These nanoelectronics-based devices have the ability to recognize molecular species of living organisms, and they have created the possibility for advanced chemical sensing functionalities with low limits of detection in the nanomolar range. In this review, various metal oxides, such as ZnO-, CuO-, and NiO-based nanosensors, are described using different methods (receptors) of functionalization for molecular and ion recognition. These functionalized metal oxide surfaces with a specific receptor involve either a complex formation between the receptor and the analyte or an electrostatic interaction during the chemical sensing of analytes. Metal oxide nanostructures are considered revolutionary nanomaterials that have a specific surface for the immobilization of biomolecules with much needed orientation, good conformation and enhanced biological activity which further improve the sensing properties of nanosensors. Metal oxide nanostructures are associated with certain unique optical, electrical and molecular characteristics in addition to unique functionalities and surface charge features which shows attractive platforms for interfacing biorecognition elements with effective transducing properties for signal amplification. There is a great opportunity in the near future for metal oxide nanostructure-based miniaturization and the development of engineering sensor devices.

Solar-powered cooling system

DOEpatents

Farmer, Joseph C.

2015-07-28

A solar-powered adsorption-desorption refrigeration and air conditioning system that uses nanostructural materials such as aerogels, zeolites, and sol gels as the adsorptive media. Refrigerant molecules are adsorbed on the high surface area of the nanostructural material while the material is at a relatively low temperature, perhaps at night. During daylight hours, when the nanostructural materials is heated by the sun, the refrigerant are thermally desorbed from the surface of the aerogel, thereby creating a pressurized gas phase in the vessel that contains the aerogel. This solar-driven pressurization forces the heated gaseous refrigerant through a condenser, followed by an expansion valve. In the condenser, heat is removed from the refrigerant, first by circulating air or water. Eventually, the cooled gaseous refrigerant expands isenthalpically through a throttle valve into an evaporator, in a fashion similar to that in more conventional vapor recompression systems.

Cable-type supercapacitors of three-dimensional cotton thread based multi-grade nanostructures for wearable energy storage.

PubMed

Liu, Nishuang; Ma, Wenzhen; Tao, Jiayou; Zhang, Xianghui; Su, Jun; Li, Luying; Yang, Congxing; Gao, Yihua; Golberg, Dmitri; Bando, Yoshio

2013-09-20

A novel cable-type flexible supercapacitor with excellent performance is fabricated using 3D polypyrrole(PPy)-MnO2 -CNT-cotton thread multi-grade nanostructure-based electrodes. The multiple supercapacitors with a high areal capacitance 1.49 F cm(-2) at a scan rate of 1 mV s(-1) connected in series and in parallel can successfully drive a LED segment display. Such an excellent performance is attributed to the cumulative effect of conducting single-walled carbon nanotubes on cotton thread, active mesoporous flower-like MnO2 nanoplates, and PPy conductive wrapping layer improving the conductivity, and acting as pseudocapacitance material simultaneously. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Towards the Development of Electrical Biosensors Based on Nanostructured Porous Silicon

PubMed Central

Recio-Sánchez, Gonzalo; Torres-Costa, Vicente; Manso, Miguel; Gallach, Darío; López-García, Juan; Martín-Palma, Raúl J.

2010-01-01

The typical large specific surface area and high reactivity of nanostructured porous silicon (nanoPS) make this material very suitable for the development of sensors. Moreover, its biocompatibility and biodegradability opens the way to the development of biosensors. As such, in this work the use of nanoPS in the field of electrical biosensing is explored. More specifically, nanoPS-based devices with Al/nanoPS/Al and Au-NiCr/nanoPS/Au-NiCr structures were fabricated for the electrical detection of glucose and Escherichia Coli bacteria at different concentrations. The experimental results show that the current-voltage characteristics of these symmetric metal/nanoPS/metal structures strongly depend on the presence/absence and concentration of species immobilized on the surface.

Chemistry and Processing of Nanostructured Materials

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

Fox, G A; Baumann, T F; Hope-Weeks, L J

2002-01-18

Nanostructured materials can be formed through the sol-gel polymerization of inorganic or organic monomer systems. For example, a two step polymerization of tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) was developed such that silica aerogels with densities as low as 3 kg/m{sup 3} ({approx} two times the density of air) could be achieved. Organic aerogels based upon resorcinol-formaldehyde and melamine-formaldehyde can also be prepared using the sol-gel process. Materials of this type have received significant attention at LLNL due to their ultrafine cell sizes, continuous porosity, high surface area and low mass density. For both types of aerogels, sol-gel polymerization depends upon the transformation ofmore » these monomers into nanometer-sized clusters followed by cross-linking into a 3-dimensional gel network. While sol-gel chemistry provides the opportunity to synthesize new material compositions, it suffers from the inability to separate the process of cluster formation from gelation. This limitation results in structural deficiencies in the gel that impact the physical properties of the aerogel, xerogel or nanocomposite. In order to control the properties of the resultant gel, one should be able to regulate the formation of the clusters and their subsequent cross-linking. Towards this goal, we are utilizing dendrimer chemistry to separate the cluster formation from the gelation so that new nanostructured materials can be produced. Dendrimers are three-dimensional, highly branched macromolecules that are prepared in such a way that their size, shape and surface functionality are readily controlled. The dendrimers will be used as pre-formed clusters of known size that can be cross-linked to form an ordered gel network.« less

Nanostructure-mediated drug delivery.

PubMed

Hughes, Gareth A

2005-03-01

Nanotechnology is expected to have an impact on all industries including semiconductors, manufacturing, and biotechnology. Tools that provide the capability to characterize and manipulate materials at the nanoscale level further elucidate nanoscale phenomena and equip researchers and developers with the ability to fabricate novel materials and structures. One of the most promising societal impacts of nanotechnology is in the area of nanomedicine. Personalized health care, rational drug design, and targeted drug delivery are some of the benefits of a nanomedicine-based approach to therapy. This review will focus on the development of nanoscale drug delivery mechanisms. Nanostructured drug carriers allow for the delivery of not only small-molecule drugs but also the delivery of nucleic acids and proteins. Delivery of these molecules to specific areas within the body can be achieved, which will reduce systemic side effects and allow for more efficient use of the drug.

In situ XAS of Pt monolayer model fuel cell catalysts: balance of na-nostructure and bimetallic interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friebel, Daniel; Viswanathan, Venkat; Larsen, Ask; Miller, Daniel J.; Ogasawara, Hirohito; Anniyev, Toyli; O'Grady, Christopher P.; Nørskov, Jens; Nilsson, Anders

2012-02-01

The mechanism of the electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) has been well understood based on DFT calculations, but there has been a lack of supporting experimental data, due to the difficulties of probing the electrocatalyst surface in situ. Our new approach using Pt monolayer model catalysts provides true surface sensitivity for - originally bulk sensitive - x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and, owing to the high resolution of the Bragg analyzer at SSRL beamline 6-2, allows for in situ detection of chemisorbed O and OH, whose stability can be used as a descriptor in predicting the activity of new ORR catalyst materials. Our ability to control the growth mode in the Pt/Rh(111) model system allows us to generate Pt nanostructures with highly different O affinities from identical starting materials.

Cooperative expression of atomic chirality in inorganic nanostructures.

PubMed

Wang, Peng-Peng; Yu, Shang-Jie; Govorov, Alexander O; Ouyang, Min

2017-02-02

Cooperative chirality phenomena extensively exist in biomolecular and organic systems via intra- and inter-molecular interactions, but study of inorganic materials has been lacking. Here we report, experimentally and theoretically, cooperative chirality in colloidal cinnabar mercury sulfide nanocrystals that originates from chirality interplay between the crystallographic lattice and geometric morphology at different length scales. A two-step synthetic scheme is developed to allow control of critical parameters of these two types of handedness, resulting in different chiral interplays expressed as observables through materials engineering. Furthermore, we adopt an electromagnetic model with the finite element method to elucidate cooperative chirality in inorganic systems, showing excellent agreement with experimental results. Our study enables an emerging class of nanostructures with tailored cooperative chirality that is vital for fundamental understanding of nanoscale chirality as well as technology applications based on new chiroptical building blocks.

Cooperative expression of atomic chirality in inorganic nanostructures

PubMed Central

Wang, Peng-peng; Yu, Shang-Jie; Govorov, Alexander O; Ouyang, Min

2017-01-01

Cooperative chirality phenomena extensively exist in biomolecular and organic systems via intra- and inter-molecular interactions, but study of inorganic materials has been lacking. Here we report, experimentally and theoretically, cooperative chirality in colloidal cinnabar mercury sulfide nanocrystals that originates from chirality interplay between the crystallographic lattice and geometric morphology at different length scales. A two-step synthetic scheme is developed to allow control of critical parameters of these two types of handedness, resulting in different chiral interplays expressed as observables through materials engineering. Furthermore, we adopt an electromagnetic model with the finite element method to elucidate cooperative chirality in inorganic systems, showing excellent agreement with experimental results. Our study enables an emerging class of nanostructures with tailored cooperative chirality that is vital for fundamental understanding of nanoscale chirality as well as technology applications based on new chiroptical building blocks. PMID:28148957

Correlation of electron backscatter diffraction and piezoresponse force microscopy for the nanoscale characterization of ferroelectric domains in polycrystalline lead zirconate titanate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burnett, T. L.; Weaver, P. M.; Blackburn, J. F.; Stewart, M.; Cain, M. G.

2010-08-01

The functional properties of ferroelectric ceramic bulk or thin film materials are strongly influenced by their nanostructure, crystallographic orientation, and structural geometry. In this paper, we show how, by combining textural analysis, through electron backscattered diffraction, with piezoresponse force microscopy, quantitative measurements of the piezoelectric properties can be made at a scale of 25 nm, smaller than the domain size. The combined technique is used to obtain data on the domain-resolved effective single crystal piezoelectric response of individual crystallites in Pb(Zr0.4Ti0.6)O3 ceramics. The results offer insight into the science of domain engineering and provide a tool for the future development of new nanostructured ferroelectric materials for memory, nanoactuators, and sensors based on magnetoelectric multiferroics.

M13 bacteriophage displaying DOPA on surfaces: fabrication of various nanostructured inorganic materials without time-consuming screening processes.

PubMed

Park, Joseph P; Do, Minjae; Jin, Hyo-Eon; Lee, Seung-Wuk; Lee, Haeshin

2014-01-01

M13 bacteriophage (phage) was engineered for the use as a versatile template for preparing various nanostructured materials via genetic engineering coupled to enzymatic chemical conversions. First, we engineered the M13 phage to display TyrGluGluGlu (YEEE) on the pVIII coat protein and then enzymatically converted the Tyr residue to 3,4-dihydroxyl-l-phenylalanine (DOPA). The DOPA-displayed M13 phage could perform two functions: assembly and nucleation. The engineered phage assembles various noble metals, metal oxides, and semiconducting nanoparticles into one-dimensional arrays. Furthermore, the DOPA-displayed phage triggered the nucleation and growth of gold, silver, platinum, bimetallic cobalt-platinum, and bimetallic iron-platinum nanowires. This versatile phage template enables rapid preparation of phage-based prototype devices by eliminating the screening process, thus reducing effort and time.

Thermal Stability and Material Balance of Nanomaterials in Waste Incineration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paur, H.-R.; Baumann, W.; Hauser, M.; Lang, I.; Teuscher, N.; Seifert, H.; Stapf, D.

2017-06-01

Nanostructured materials are widely used to improve the properties of consumer products such as tires, cosmetics, light weight equipment etc. Due to their complex composition these products are hardly recycled and thermal treatment is preferred. In this study we investigated the thermal stability and material balance of nanostructured metal oxides in flames and in an industrial waste incinerator. We studied the size distribution of nanostructured metal oxides (CeO2, TiO2, SiO2) in a flame reactor and in a heated reaction tube. In the premixed ethylene/air flame, nano-structured CeO2 partly evaporates forming a new particle mode. This is probably due to chemical reactions in the flame. In addition sintering of agglomerates takes place in the flame. In the electrically heated reaction tube however only sintering of the agglomerated nanomaterials is observed. Ceria has a low background in waste incinerators and is therefore a suitable tracer for investigating the fate of nanostructured materials. Low concentrations of Ceria were introduced by a two-phase nozzle into the post-combustion zone of a waste incinerator. By the incineration of coal dust in a burning chamber the Ceria nanoparticles are mainly found in the size range of the fly ash (1 - 10 µm) because of agglomeration. With gas as a fuel less agglomeration was observed and the Ceria nanoparticles were in the particle size range below 1 µm.

Nanostructured enzymatic biosensor based on fullerene and gold nanoparticles: preparation, characterization and analytical applications.

PubMed

Lanzellotto, C; Favero, G; Antonelli, M L; Tortolini, C; Cannistraro, S; Coppari, E; Mazzei, F

2014-05-15

In this work a novel electrochemical biosensing platform based on the coupling of two different nanostructured materials (gold nanoparticles and fullerenols) displaying interesting electrochemical features, has been developed and characterized. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) exhibit attractive electrocatalytic behavior stimulating in the last years, several sensing applications; on the other hand, fullerene and its derivatives are a very promising family of electroactive compounds although they have not yet been fully employed in biosensing. The methodology proposed in this work was finalized to the setup of a laccase biosensor based on a multilayer material consisting in AuNPs, fullerenols and Trametes versicolor Laccase (TvL) assembled layer by layer onto a gold (Au) electrode surface. The influence of different modification step procedures on the electroanalytical performance of biosensors has been evaluated. Cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) were used to characterize the modification of surface and to investigate the bioelectrocatalytic biosensor response. This biosensor showed fast amperometric response to gallic acid, which is usually considered a standard for polyphenols analysis of wines, with a linear range 0.03-0.30 mmol L(-1) (r(2)=0.9998), with a LOD of 0.006 mmol L(-1) or expressed as polyphenol index 5.0-50 mg L(-1) and LOD 1.1 mg L(-1). A tentative application of the developed nanostructured enzyme-based biosensor was performed evaluating the detection of polyphenols either in buffer solution or in real wine samples. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrostatic nanolithography in polymer materials: an alternative technique for nanostructures formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyuksyutov, Sergei F.; Paramonov, Pavel B.; Sigalov, Grigori; Vaia, Richard A.; Juhl, Shane; Sancaktar, Erol

2003-10-01

The combination of localized softening attolitres (10^2 -10^4) of polymer film by Jule heating, extremely non-uniform electric field gradients to polarize and manipulate the soften polymer, and single step technique using conventional atomic force microscopy (AFM), establishes a new paradigm for nanolithography in a broad class of polymer materials allowing rapid (order of milliseconds) creation of raised and depressed nanostructures without external heating of a polymer film of AFM tip-film contact [1]. In this work we present recent studies of AFM-assisted electrostatic nanolithography (AFMEN) such as amplitude-modulated AFMEN, and the humidity influence on nanostructures formation during contact mode AFMEN. It has been shown that the aspect ratio of nanostructures grows on the order of magnitude (0.2), while the lateral dimensions of nanodots decreases down to 10-15 nm. [1] S.F. Lyuksyutov, R.A. Vaia, P.B. Paramonov, S. Juhl, L. Waterhouse, R.M. Ralich, G. Sigalov, and E. Sancaktar, "Electrostatic nanolithography in polymers using atomic force microscopy," Nature Materials 2, 468-472 (2003)

Scalable fabrication of nanostructured devices on flexible substrates using additive driven self-assembly and nanoimprint lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watkins, James

2013-03-01

Roll-to-roll (R2R) technologies provide routes for continuous production of flexible, nanostructured materials and devices with high throughput and low cost. We employ additive-driven self-assembly to produce well-ordered polymer/nanoparticle hybrid materials that can serve as active device layers, we use highly filled nanoparticle/polymer hybrids for applications that require tailored dielectric constant or refractive index, and we employ R2R nanoimprint lithography for device scale patterning. Specific examples include the fabrication of flexible floating gate memory and large area films for optical/EM management. Our newly constructed R2R processing facility includes a custom designed, precision R2R UV-assisted nanoimprint lithography (NIL) system and hybrid nanostructured materials coaters.

Chiral Plasmonic Nanostructures Fabricated by Circularly Polarized Light.

PubMed

Saito, Koichiro; Tatsuma, Tetsu

2018-05-09

The chirality of materials results in a wide variety of advanced technologies including image display, data storage, light management including negative refraction, and enantioselective catalysis and sensing. Here, we introduce chirality to plasmonic nanostructures by using circularly polarized light as the sole chiral source for the first time. Gold nanocuboids as precursors on a semiconductor were irradiated with circularly polarized light to localize electric fields at specific corners of the cuboids depending on the handedness of light and deposited dielectric moieties as electron oscillation boosters by the localized electric field. Thus, plasmonic nanostructures with high chirality were developed. The present bottom-up method would allow the large-scale and cost-effective fabrication of chiral materials and further applications to functional materials and devices.

Insulator coated magnetic nanoparticulate composites with reduced core loss and method of manufacture thereof

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhang, Yide (Inventor); Wang, Shihe (Inventor); Xiao, Danny (Inventor)

2004-01-01

A series of bulk-size magnetic/insulating nanostructured composite soft magnetic materials with significantly reduced core loss and its manufacturing technology. This insulator coated magnetic nanostructured composite is comprises a magnetic constituent, which contains one or more magnetic components, and an insulating constituent. The magnetic constituent is nanometer scale particles (1-100 nm) coated by a thin-layered insulating phase (continuous phase). While the intergrain interaction between the immediate neighboring magnetic nanoparticles separated by the insulating phase (or coupled nanoparticles) provide the desired soft magnetic properties, the insulating material provides the much demanded high resistivity which significantly reduces the eddy current loss. The resulting material is a high performance magnetic nanostructured composite with reduced core loss.

Controlling cation segregation in perovskite-based electrodes for high electro-catalytic activity and durability.

PubMed

Li, Yifeng; Zhang, Wenqiang; Zheng, Yun; Chen, Jing; Yu, Bo; Chen, Yan; Liu, Meilin

2017-10-16

Solid oxide cell (SOC) based energy conversion systems have the potential to become the cleanest and most efficient systems for reversible conversion between electricity and chemical fuels due to their high efficiency, low emission, and excellent fuel flexibility. Broad implementation of this technology is however hindered by the lack of high-performance electrode materials. While many perovskite-based materials have shown remarkable promise as electrodes for SOCs, cation enrichment or segregation near the surface or interfaces is often observed, which greatly impacts not only electrode kinetics but also their durability and operational lifespan. Since the chemical and structural variations associated with surface enrichment or segregation are typically confined to the nanoscale, advanced experimental and computational tools are required to probe the detailed composition, structure, and nanostructure of these near-surface regions in real time with high spatial and temporal resolutions. In this review article, an overview of the recent progress made in this area is presented, highlighting the thermodynamic driving forces, kinetics, and various configurations of surface enrichment and segregation in several widely studied perovskite-based material systems. A profound understanding of the correlation between the surface nanostructure and the electro-catalytic activity and stability of the electrodes is then emphasized, which is vital to achieving the rational design of more efficient SOC electrode materials with excellent durability. Furthermore, the methodology and mechanistic understanding of the surface processes are applicable to other materials systems in a wide range of applications, including thermo-chemical photo-assisted splitting of H 2 O/CO 2 and metal-air batteries.

Recovery of Rare Earths, Precious Metals and Other Critical Materials from Geothermal Waters with Advanced Sorbent Structures

DOE Data Explorer

Pamela M. Kinsey

2015-09-30

The work evaluates, develops and demonstrates flexible, scalable mineral extraction technology for geothermal brines based upon solid phase sorbent materials with a specific focus upon rare earth elements (REEs). The selected organic and inorganic sorbent materials demonstrated high performance for collection of trace REEs, precious and valuable metals. The nanostructured materials typically performed better than commercially available sorbents. Data contains organic and inorganic sorbent removal efficiency, Sharkey Hot Springs (Idaho) water chemsitry analysis, and rare earth removal efficiency from select sorbents.

Scalable Synthesis of Triple-Core-Shell Nanostructures of TiO2 @MnO2 @C for High Performance Supercapacitors Using Structure-Guided Combustion Waves.

PubMed

Shin, Dongjoon; Shin, Jungho; Yeo, Taehan; Hwang, Hayoung; Park, Seonghyun; Choi, Wonjoon

2018-03-01

Core-shell nanostructures of metal oxides and carbon-based materials have emerged as outstanding electrode materials for supercapacitors and batteries. However, their synthesis requires complex procedures that incur high costs and long processing times. Herein, a new route is proposed for synthesizing triple-core-shell nanoparticles of TiO 2 @MnO 2 @C using structure-guided combustion waves (SGCWs), which originate from incomplete combustion inside chemical-fuel-wrapped nanostructures, and their application in supercapacitor electrodes. SGCWs transform TiO 2 to TiO 2 @C and TiO 2 @MnO 2 to TiO 2 @MnO 2 @C via the incompletely combusted carbonaceous fuels under an open-air atmosphere, in seconds. The synthesized carbon layers act as templates for MnO 2 shells in TiO 2 @C and organic shells of TiO 2 @MnO 2 @C. The TiO 2 @MnO 2 @C-based electrodes exhibit a greater specific capacitance (488 F g -1 at 5 mV s -1 ) and capacitance retention (97.4% after 10 000 cycles at 1.0 V s -1 ), while the absence of MnO 2 and carbon shells reveals a severe degradation in the specific capacitance and capacitance retention. Because the core-TiO 2 nanoparticles and carbon shell prevent the deformation of the inner and outer sides of the MnO 2 shell, the nanostructures of the TiO 2 @MnO 2 @C are preserved despite the long-term cycling, giving the superior performance. This SGCW-driven fabrication enables the scalable synthesis of multiple-core-shell structures applicable to diverse electrochemical applications. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

In vivo and in vitro investigations of a nanostructured coating material – a preclinical study

PubMed Central

Adam, Martin; Ganz, Cornelia; Xu, Weiguo; Sarajian, Hamid-Reza; Götz, Werner; Gerber, Thomas

2014-01-01

Immediate loading of dental implants is only possible if a firm bone-implant anchorage at early stages is developed. This implies early and high bone apposition onto the implant surface. A nanostructured coating material based on an osseoinductive bone grafting is investigated in relation to the osseointegration at early stages. The goal is to transmit the structure (silica matrix with embedded hydroxyapatite) and the properties of the bone grafting into a coating material. The bone grafting substitute offers an osseoinductive potential caused by an exchange of the silica matrix in vivo accompanied by vascularization. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analysis show that the coating material consists of a high porous silica matrix with embedded nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite with the same morphology as human hydroxyapatite. An in vitro investigation shows the early interaction between coating and human blood. Energy-dispersive X-ray analysis showed that the silica matrix was replaced by an organic matrix within a few minutes. Uncoated and coated titanium implants were inserted into the femora of New Zealand White rabbits. The bone-to-implant contact (BIC) was measured after 2, 4, and 6 weeks. The BIC of the coated implants was increased significantly at 2 and 4 weeks. After 6 weeks, the BIC was decreased to the level of the control group. A histological analysis revealed high bone apposition on the coated implant surface after 2 and 4 weeks. Osteoblastic and osteoclastic activities on the coating material indicated that the coating participates in the bone-remodeling process. The nanostructure of the coating material led to an exchange of the silica matrix by an autologous, organic matrix without delamination of the coating. This is the key issue in understanding initial bone formation on a coated surface. PMID:24627631

Electrical, thermal, catalytic and magnetic properties of nano-structured materials and their applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zuwei

Nanotechnology is a subject that studies the fabrication, properties, and applications of materials on the nanometer-scale. Top-down and bottom-up approaches are commonly used in nano-structure fabrication. The top-down approach is used to fabricate nano-structures from bulk materials by lithography, etching, and polishing etc. It is commonly used in mechanical, electronic, and photonic devices. Bottom-up approaches fabricate nano-structures from atoms or molecules by chemical synthesis, self-assembly, and deposition, such as sol-gel processing, molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), focused ion beam (FIB) milling/deposition, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and electro-deposition etc. Nano-structures can have several different dimensionalities, including zero-dimensional nano-structures, such as fullerenes, nano-particles, quantum dots, nano-sized clusters; one-dimensional nano-structures, such as carbon nanotubes, metallic and semiconducting nanowires; two-dimensional nano-structures, such as graphene, super lattice, thin films; and three-dimensional nano-structures, such as photonic structures, anodic aluminum oxide, and molecular sieves. These nano-structured materials exhibit unique electrical, thermal, optical, mechanical, chemical, and magnetic properties in the quantum mechanical regime. Various techniques can be used to study these properties, such as scanning probe microscopy (SPM), scanning/transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM), micro Raman spectroscopy, etc. These unique properties have important applications in modern technologies, such as random access memories, display, solar energy conversion, chemical sensing, and bio-medical devices. This thesis includes four main topics in the broad area of nanoscience: magnetic properties of ferro-magnetic cobalt nanowires, plasmonic properties of metallic nano-particles, photocatalytic properties of titanium dioxide nanotubes, and electro-thermal-optical properties of carbon nanotubes. These materials and their properties are briefly reviewed in Chapter One, including the concepts of ferro-magnetism, plasmonics, photocatalysis, thermal emission, and Raman spectra of carbon nanotubes. In Chapter Two, we focus on the magnetic properties of ferro-magnetic cobalt nanowires with high crystalline quality synthesized via a low voltage electro-deposition method. The crystal structure of these Co nanowires is characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The magnetic properties of individual nanowires and nanowire arrays are investigated by magnetic force microscope (MFM) and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) measurements. A theoretical model is developed to explain these experimental observations. In Chapter Three, we exploit the strong plasmon resonance of gold nanoparticles. We also demonstrate a new method for patterning SERS (surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy) aggregates of gold nanoparticles by using a focused laser beam to optically trap the nanoparticles in a water suspension. Raman spectroscopy is used to estimate the temperature in the laser spot during the in-situ aggregation, by measuring the Raman peak of the hydroxyl bond of water. In Chapter Four, we demonstrate plasmonic enhancement of photocatalytic water splitting under visible illumination by integrating strongly plasmonic Au nanoparticles with strongly catalytic TiO2. Electromagnetic simulations indicate that the near-field optical enhancement increases the electron-hole pair generation rate at the surface of the TiO2, thus increasing the amount of photo-generated charge contributing to catalysis. Our results suggest that enhancement factors many times larger than this are possible if this mechanism can be optimized. In Chapter Five, we study the Raman spectra and thermal emission spectra of individual suspended carbon nanotubes induced by electrical heating. Semiconducting and metallic devices exhibit different spectra, based on their distinctive band structures. Raman spectra and the blackbody emission background are used to fit the device temperature. In addition to the blackbody emission background, polarized peaks along the nanotube direction are observed in different ranges of the thermal emission spectra for metallic and semiconducting devices. These peaks are attributed to the transitions between Van Hove singularities that are thermally driven under these high applied bias voltages. A theoretical model is developed to calculate the thermal emission spectra based on this conclusion. In Chapter Six, we present some data of single crystal zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires synthesized by the CVD method, including magneto-resistance measurements, optical-resistance measurements, and scanning-gate measurements. In Chapter Seven, we discuss some future work related to photocatalysis and carbon nanotubes.

Super-Lensing and Sub-Wavelength Antennas in Mid-IR Using Silicon Carbide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shvets, Gennady; Korobkin, Dmitriy; Urzhumov, Yaroslav A.; Zorman, Christian

2006-03-01

Extraordinary properties of SiC in mid-infrared (negative dielectric permittivity and small losses) make it an ideal building block for making negative index meta-materials in that important part of the electromagnetic spectrum. We report on a series of experiments demonstrating that thin films of SiC can be used as a ``perfect'' near-field lens. We have theoretically designed and experimentally implemented a super-lens ion mid-IR using SiC. We also report excitation of electrostatic resonances of two structures based on a sub-micron film of crystalline silicon carbide: (a) nano-holes drilled in the free-standing SiC membrane, and (b) metallic nano-posts evaporated on the SiC membrane. Applications of nano-hole resonances to excitation of magnetic moments in nano-structured SiC and development of negative index materials will be discussed, as will be the prospects of using nano-structured SiC films for laser processing of materials on a nanoscale.

Nanostructured carbon and carbon nanocomposites for electrochemical energy storage applications.

PubMed

Su, Dang Sheng; Schlögl, Robert

2010-02-22

Electrochemical energy storage is one of the important technologies for a sustainable future of our society, in times of energy crisis. Lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors with their high energy or power densities, portability, and promising cycling life are the cores of future technologies. This Review describes some materials science aspects on nanocarbon-based materials for these applications. Nanostructuring (decreasing dimensions) and nanoarchitecturing (combining or assembling several nanometer-scale building blocks) are landmarks in the development of high-performance electrodes for with long cycle lifes and high safety. Numerous works reviewed herein have shown higher performances for such electrodes, but mostly give diverse values that show no converging tendency towards future development. The lack of knowledge about interface processes and defect dynamics of electrodes, as well as the missing cooperation between material scientists, electrochemists, and battery engineers, are reasons for the currently widespread trial-and-error strategy of experiments. A concerted action between all of these disciplines is a prerequisite for the future development of electrochemical energy storage devices.

Emerging technologies for high performance infrared detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Chee Leong; Mohseni, Hooman

2018-01-01

Infrared photodetectors (IRPDs) have become important devices in various applications such as night vision, military missile tracking, medical imaging, industry defect imaging, environmental sensing, and exoplanet exploration. Mature semiconductor technologies such as mercury cadmium telluride and III-V material-based photodetectors have been dominating the industry. However, in the last few decades, significant funding and research has been focused to improve the performance of IRPDs such as lowering the fabrication cost, simplifying the fabrication processes, increasing the production yield, and increasing the operating temperature by making use of advances in nanofabrication and nanotechnology. We will first review the nanomaterial with suitable electronic and mechanical properties, such as two-dimensional material, graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides, and metal oxides. We compare these with more traditional low-dimensional material such as quantum well, quantum dot, quantum dot in well, semiconductor superlattice, nanowires, nanotube, and colloid quantum dot. We will also review the nanostructures used for enhanced light-matter interaction to boost the IRPD sensitivity. These include nanostructured antireflection coatings, optical antennas, plasmonic, and metamaterials.

Nanomaterials derived from metal-organic frameworks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dang, Song; Zhu, Qi-Long; Xu, Qiang

2018-01-01

The thermal transformation of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) generates a variety of nanostructured materials, including carbon-based materials, metal oxides, metal chalcogenides, metal phosphides and metal carbides. These derivatives of MOFs have characteristics such as high surface areas, permanent porosities and controllable functionalities that enable their good performance in sensing, gas storage, catalysis and energy-related applications. Although progress has been made to tune the morphologies of MOF-derived structures at the nanometre scale, it remains crucial to further our knowledge of the relationship between morphology and performance. In this Review, we summarize the synthetic strategies and optimized methods that enable control over the size, morphology, composition and structure of the derived nanomaterials. In addition, we compare the performance of materials prepared by the MOF-templated strategy and other synthetic methods. Our aim is to reveal the relationship between the morphology and the physico-chemical properties of MOF-derived nanostructures to optimize their performance for applications such as sensing, catalysis, and energy storage and conversion.

Switchable Materials for Smart Windows.

PubMed

Wang, Yang; Runnerstrom, Evan L; Milliron, Delia J

2016-06-07

This article reviews the basic principles of and recent developments in electrochromic, photochromic, and thermochromic materials for applications in smart windows. Compared with current static windows, smart windows can dynamically modulate the transmittance of solar irradiation based on weather conditions and personal preferences, thus simultaneously improving building energy efficiency and indoor human comfort. Although some smart windows are commercially available, their widespread implementation has not yet been realized. Recent advances in nanostructured materials provide new opportunities for next-generation smart window technology owing to their unique structure-property relations. Nanomaterials can provide enhanced coloration efficiency, faster switching kinetics, and longer lifetime. In addition, their compatibility with solution processing enables low-cost and high-throughput fabrication. This review also discusses the importance of dual-band modulation of visible and near-infrared (NIR) light, as nearly 50% of solar energy lies in the NIR region. Some latest results show that solution-processable nanostructured systems can selectively modulate the NIR light without affecting the visible transmittance, thus reducing energy consumption by air conditioning, heating, and artificial lighting.

Porous Core-Shell Nanostructures for Catalytic Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ewers, Trevor David

Porous core-shell nanostructures have recently received much attention for their enhanced thermal stability. They show great potential in the field of catalysis, as reactant gases can diffuse in and out of the porous shell while the core particle is protected from sintering, a process in which particles coalesce to form larger particles. Sintering is a large problem in industry and is the primary cause of irreversible deactivation. Despite the obvious advantages of high thermal stability, porous core-shell nanoparticles can be developed to have additional interactive properties from the combination of the core and shell together, rather than just the core particle alone. This dissertation focuses on developing new porous core-shell systems in which both the core and shell take part in catalysis. Two types of systems are explored; (1) yolk-shell nanostructures with reducible oxide shells formed using the Kirkendall effect and (2) ceramic-based porous oxide shells formed using sol-gel chemistry. Of the Kirkendall-based systems, Au FexOy and Cu CoO were synthesized and studied for catalytic applications. Additionally, ZnO was explored as a potential shelling material. Sol-gel work focused on optimizing synthetic methods to allow for coating of small gold particles, which remains a challenge today. Mixed metal oxides were explored as a shelling material to make dual catalysts in which the product of a reaction on the core particle becomes a reactant within the shell.

Nano-scale gene delivery systems; current technology, obstacles, and future directions.

PubMed

Garcia-Guerra, Antonio; Dunwell, Thomas L; Trigueros, Sonia

2018-01-07

Within the different applications of nanomedicine currently being developed, nano-gene delivery is appearing as an exciting new technique with the possibility to overcome recognised hurdles and fulfill several biological and medical needs. The central component of all delivery systems is the requirement for the delivery of genetic material into cells, and for them to eventually reside in the nucleus where their desired function will be exposed. However, genetic material does not passively enter cells; thus, a delivery system is necessary. The emerging field of nano-gene delivery exploits the use of new materials and the properties that arise at the nanometre-scale to produce delivery vectors that can effectively deliver genetic material into a variety of different types of cells. The novel physicochemical properties of the new delivery vectors can be used to address the current challenges existing in nucleic acid delivery in vitro and in vivo. While there is a growing interest in nanostructure-based gene delivery, the field is still in its infancy, and there is yet much to discover about nanostructures and their physicochemical properties in a biological context. We carry out an organized and focused search of bibliographic databases. Our results suggest that despite new breakthroughs in nanostructure synthesis and advanced characterization techniques, we still face many barriers in producing highly efficient and non-toxic delivery systems. In this review, we overview the types of systems currently used for clinical and biomedical research applications along with their advantages and disadvantages, as well as discussing barriers that arise from nano-scale interactions with biological material. In conclusion, we hope that by bringing the far reaching multidisciplinary nature of nano-gene delivery to light, new targeted nanotechnology-bases strategies are developed to overcome the major challenges covered in this review. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Sub-parts per million NO2 chemi-transistor sensors based on composite porous silicon/gold nanostructures prepared by metal-assisted etching.

PubMed

Sainato, Michela; Strambini, Lucanos Marsilio; Rella, Simona; Mazzotta, Elisabetta; Barillaro, Giuseppe

2015-04-08

Surface doping of nano/mesostructured materials with metal nanoparticles to promote and optimize chemi-transistor sensing performance represents the most advanced research trend in the field of solid-state chemical sensing. In spite of the promising results emerging from metal-doping of a number of nanostructured semiconductors, its applicability to silicon-based chemi-transistor sensors has been hindered so far by the difficulties in integrating the composite metal-silicon nanostructures using the complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology. Here we propose a facile and effective top-down method for the high-yield fabrication of chemi-transistor sensors making use of composite porous silicon/gold nanostructures (cSiAuNs) acting as sensing gate. In particular, we investigate the integration of cSiAuNs synthesized by metal-assisted etching (MAE), using gold nanoparticles (NPs) as catalyst, in solid-state junction-field-effect transistors (JFETs), aimed at the detection of NO2 down to 100 parts per billion (ppb). The chemi-transistor sensors, namely cSiAuJFETs, are CMOS compatible, operate at room temperature, and are reliable, sensitive, and fully recoverable for the detection of NO2 at concentrations between 100 and 500 ppb, up to 48 h of continuous operation.

Synthesis and characterization of inorganic materials precipitated into polymeric and novel liquid crystalline systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubeck, Christopher Ryan

The use of nanostructured, hybrid materials possesses great future potential. Many examples of nanostructured materials exist within nature, such as animal bone, animal teeth, and seashells. This research, inspired by nature, strove to mimic salient properties of natural materials, utilizing methods observed within nature to produce materials. Further, this research increased the functionality of the templates from "mere" template to functional participant. Different chemical methods to produce hybrid materials were employed within this research to achieve these goals. First, electro-osmosis was utilized to drive ions into a polymeric matrix to form hybrid inorganic polymer material, creating a material inspired by naturally occurring bone or seashell in which the inorganic component provides strength and the polymeric material decreases the brittleness of the combined hybrid material. Second, self-assembled amphiphiles, forming higher ordered structures, acted as a template for inorganic cadmium sulfide. Electronically active molecules based on ethylene oxide and aniline segments were synthesized to create interaction between the templating material and the resulting inorganic cadmium sulfide. The templating process utilized self-assembly to create the inorganic structure through the interaction of the amphiphiles with water. The use of self-assembly is itself inspired by nature. Self-assembled structures are observed within living cells as cell walls and cell membranes are created through hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions. Finally, the mesostructured inorganic cadmium sulfide was itself utilized as a template to form mesostructured copper sulfide.

Charge carrier transport in defective reduced graphene oxide as quantum dots and nanoplatelets in multilayer films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jimenez, Mawin J. M.; Oliveira, Rafael F.; Almeida, Tiago P.; Hensel Ferreira, Rafael C.; Bufon, Carlos Cesar B.; Rodrigues, Varlei; Pereira-da-Silva, Marcelo A.; Gobbi, Ângelo L.; Piazzetta, Maria H. O.; Riul, Antonio, Jr.

2017-12-01

Graphene is a breakthrough 2D material due to its unique mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties, with considerable responsiveness in real applications. However, the coverage of large areas with pristine graphene is a challenge and graphene derivatives have been alternatively exploited to produce hybrid and composite materials that allow for new developments, considering also the handling of large areas using distinct methodologies. For electronic applications there is significant interest in the investigation of the electrical properties of graphene derivatives and related composites to determine whether the characteristic 2D charge transport of pristine graphene is preserved. Here, we report a systematic study of the charge transport mechanisms of reduced graphene oxide chemically functionalized with sodium polystyrene sulfonate (PSS), named as GPSS. GPSS was produced either as quantum dots (QDs) or nanoplatelets (NPLs), being further nanostructured with poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) through the layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly to produce graphene nanocomposites with molecular level control. Current-voltage (I-V) measurements indicated a meticulous growth of the LbL nanostructures onto gold interdigitated electrodes (IDEs), with a space-charge-limited current dominated by a Mott-variable range hopping mechanism. A 2D intra-planar conduction within the GPSS nanostructure was observed, which resulted in effective charge carrier mobility (μ) of 4.7 cm2 V-1 s-1 for the QDs and 34.7 cm2 V-1 s-1 for the NPLs. The LbL assemblies together with the dimension of the materials (QDs or NPLs) were favorably used for the fine tuning and control of the charge carrier mobility inside the LbL nanostructures. Such 2D charge conduction mechanism and high μ values inside an interlocked multilayered assembly containing graphene-based nanocomposites are of great interest for organic devices and functionalization of interfaces.

Wurtzite-Phased InP Micropillars Grown on Silicon with Low Surface Recombination Velocity.

PubMed

Li, Kun; Ng, Kar Wei; Tran, Thai-Truong D; Sun, Hao; Lu, Fanglu; Chang-Hasnain, Connie J

2015-11-11

The direct growth of III-V nanostructures on silicon has shown great promise in the integration of optoelectronics with silicon-based technologies. Our previous work showed that scaling up nanostructures to microsize while maintaining high quality heterogeneous integration opens a pathway toward a complete photonic integrated circuit and high-efficiency cost-effective solar cells. In this paper, we present a thorough material study of novel metastable InP micropillars monolithically grown on silicon, focusing on two enabling aspects of this technology-the stress relaxation mechanism at the heterogeneous interface and the microstructure surface quality. Aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy studies show that InP grows directly on silicon without any amorphous layer in between. A set of periodic dislocations was found at the heterointerface, relaxing the 8% lattice mismatch between InP and Si. Single crystalline InP therefore can grow on top of the fully relaxed template, yielding high-quality micropillars with diameters expanding beyond 1 μm. An interesting power-dependence trend of carrier recombination lifetimes was captured for these InP micropillars at room temperature, for the first time for micro/nanostructures. By simply combining internal quantum efficiency with carrier lifetime, we revealed the recombination dynamics of nonradiative and radiative portions separately. A very low surface recombination velocity of 1.1 × 10(3) cm/sec was obtained. In addition, we experimentally estimated the radiative recombination B coefficient of 2.0 × 10(-10) cm(3)/sec for pure wurtzite-phased InP. These values are comparable with those obtained from InP bulk. Exceeding the limits of conventional nanowires, our InP micropillars combine the strengths of both nanostructures and bulk materials and will provide an avenue in heterogeneous integration of III-V semiconductor materials onto silicon platforms.

Manganese oxide-based materials as electrochemical supercapacitor electrodes.

PubMed

Wei, Weifeng; Cui, Xinwei; Chen, Weixing; Ivey, Douglas G

2011-03-01

Electrochemical supercapacitors (ECs), characteristic of high power and reasonably high energy densities, have become a versatile solution to various emerging energy applications. This critical review describes some materials science aspects on manganese oxide-based materials for these applications, primarily including the strategic design and fabrication of these electrode materials. Nanostructurization, chemical modification and incorporation with high surface area, conductive nanoarchitectures are the three major strategies in the development of high-performance manganese oxide-based electrodes for EC applications. Numerous works reviewed herein have shown enhanced electrochemical performance in the manganese oxide-based electrode materials. However, many fundamental questions remain unanswered, particularly with respect to characterization and understanding of electron transfer and atomic transport of the electrochemical interface processes within the manganese oxide-based electrodes. In order to fully exploit the potential of manganese oxide-based electrode materials, an unambiguous appreciation of these basic questions and optimization of synthesis parameters and material properties are critical for the further development of EC devices (233 references).

Workshop on Measurement Needs for Local-Structure Determination in Inorganic Materials

PubMed Central

Levin, Igor; Vanderah, Terrell

2008-01-01

The functional responses (e.g., dielectric, magnetic, catalytic, etc.) of many industrially-relevant materials are controlled by their local structure—a term that refers to the atomic arrangements on a scale ranging from atomic (sub-nanometer) to several nanometers. Thus, accurate knowledge of local structure is central to understanding the properties of nanostructured materials, thereby placing the problem of determining atomic positions on the nanoscale—the so-called “nanostructure problem”—at the center of modern materials development. Today, multiple experimental techniques exist for probing local atomic arrangements; nonetheless, finding accurate comprehensive, and robust structural solutions for the nanostructured materials still remains a formidable challenge because any one of these methods yields only a partial view of the local structure. The primary goal of this 2-day NIST-sponsored workshop was to bring together experts in the key experimental and theoretical areas relevant to local-structure determination to devise a strategy for the collaborative effort required to develop a comprehensive measurement solution on the local scale. The participants unanimously agreed that solving the nanostructure problem—an ultimate frontier in materials characterization—necessitates a coordinated interdisciplinary effort that transcends the existing capabilities of any single institution, including national laboratories, centers, and user facilities. The discussions converged on an institute dedicated to local structure determination as the most viable organizational platform for successfully addressing the nanostructure problem. The proposed “institute” would provide an intellectual infrastructure for local structure determination by (1) developing and maintaining relevant computer software integrated in an open-source global optimization framework (Fig. 2), (2) connecting industrial and academic users with experts in measurement techniques, (3) developing and maintaining pertinent databases, and (4) providing necessary education and training. PMID:27096131

Thermal tuning of infrared resonant absorbers based on hybrid gold-VO{sub 2} nanostructures

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

Kocer, Hasan; Department of Electrical Engineering, Turkish Military Academy, 06654 Ankara; Butun, Serkan

2015-04-20

Resonant absorbers based on plasmonic materials, metamaterials, and thin films enable spectrally selective absorption filters, where absorption is maximized at the resonance wavelength. By controlling the geometrical parameters of nano/microstructures and materials' refractive indices, resonant absorbers are designed to operate at wide range of wavelengths for applications including absorption filters, thermal emitters, thermophotovoltaic devices, and sensors. However, once resonant absorbers are fabricated, it is rather challenging to control and tune the spectral absorption response. Here, we propose and demonstrate thermally tunable infrared resonant absorbers using hybrid gold-vanadium dioxide (VO{sub 2}) nanostructure arrays. Absorption intensity is tuned from 90% to 20%more » and 96% to 32% using hybrid gold-VO{sub 2} nanowire and nanodisc arrays, respectively, by heating up the absorbers above the phase transition temperature of VO{sub 2} (68 °C). Phase change materials such as VO{sub 2} deliver useful means of altering optical properties as a function of temperature. Absorbers with tunable spectral response can find applications in sensor and detector applications, in which external stimulus such as heat, electrical signal, or light results in a change in the absorption spectrum and intensity.« less

Patterning of light-extraction nanostructures on sapphire substrates using nanoimprint and ICP etching with different masking materials.

PubMed

Chen, Hao; Zhang, Qi; Chou, Stephen Y

2015-02-27

Sapphire nanopatterning is the key solution to GaN light emitting diode (LED) light extraction. One challenge is to etch deep nanostructures with a vertical sidewall in sapphire. Here, we report a study of the effects of two masking materials (SiO2 and Cr) and different etching recipes (the reaction gas ratio, the reaction pressure and the inductive power) in a chlorine-based (BCl3 and Cl2) inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching of deep nanopillars in sapphire, and the etching process optimization. The masking materials were patterned by nanoimprinting. We have achieved high aspect ratio sapphire nanopillar arrays with a much steeper sidewall than the previous etching methods. We discover that the SiO2 mask has much slower erosion rate than the Cr mask under the same etching condition, leading to the deep cylinder-shaped nanopillars (122 nm diameter, 200 nm pitch, 170 nm high, flat top, and a vertical sidewall of 80° angle), rather than the pyramid-shaped shallow pillars (200 nm based diameter, 52 nm height, and 42° sidewall) resulted by using Cr mask. The processes developed are scalable to large volume LED manufacturing.

Ethanol Gas Detection Using a Yolk-Shell (Core-Shell) α-Fe2O3 Nanospheres as Sensing Material.

PubMed

Wang, LiLi; Lou, Zheng; Deng, Jianan; Zhang, Rui; Zhang, Tong

2015-06-17

Three-dimensional (3D) nanostructures of α-Fe2O3 materials, including both hollow sphere-shaped and yolk-shell (core-shell)-shaped, have been successfully synthesized via an environmentally friendly hydrothermal approach. By expertly adjusting the reaction time, the solid, hollow, and yolk-shell shaped α-Fe2O3 can be selectively synthesized. Yolk-shell α-Fe2O3 nanospheres display outer diameters of 350 nm, and the interstitial hollow spaces layer is intimately sandwiched between the inner and outer shell of α-Fe2O3 nanostructures. The possible growth mechanism of the yolk-shell nanostructure is proposed. The results showed that the well-defined bilayer interface effectively enhanced the sensing performance of the α-Fe2O3 nanostructures (i.e., yolk-shell α-Fe2O3@α-Fe2O3), owing predominantly to the unique nanostructure, thus facilitated the transport rate and augmented the adsorption quantity of the target gas molecule under gas detection.

Tribocorrosion behaviour of nanostructured titanium substrates processed by high-pressure torsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faghihi, S.; Li, D.; Szpunar, J. A.

2010-12-01

Aseptic loosening induced by wear particles from artificial bearing materials is one of the main causes of malfunctioning in total hip replacements. With the increase in young and active patients, complications in revision surgeries and immense health care costs, there is considerable interest in wear-resistant materials that can endure longer in the harsh and corrosive body environment. Here, the tribological behaviour of nanostructured titanium substrates processed by high-pressure torsion (HPT) is investigated and compared with the coarse-grained samples. The high resolution transmission electron microscopy reveals that a nanostructured sample has a grain size of 5-10 nm compared to that of ~ 10 µm and ~ 50 µm for untreated and annealed substrates, respectively. Dry and wet wear tests were performed using a linear reciprocating ball-on-flat tribometer. Nanostructured samples show the best dry wear resistance and the lowest wear rate in the electrolyte. There was significantly lower plastic deformation and no change in preferred orientation of nanostructured samples attributable to the wear process. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) shows lower corrosion resistance for nanostructured samples. However, under the action of both wear and corrosion the nanostructured samples show superior performance and that makes them an attractive candidate for applications in which wear and corrosion act simultaneously.

Copper Oxide Nanomaterials Prepared by Solution Methods, Some Properties, and Potential Applications: A Brief Review

PubMed Central

Tran, Thi Ha; Nguyen, Viet Tuyen

2014-01-01

Cupric oxide (CuO), having a narrow bandgap of 1.2 eV and a variety of chemophysical properties, is recently attractive in many fields such as energy conversion, optoelectronic devices, and catalyst. Compared with bulk material, the advanced properties of CuO nanostructures have been demonstrated; however, the fact that these materials cannot yet be produced in large scale is an obstacle to realize the potential applications of this material. In this respect, chemical methods seem to be efficient synthesis processes which yield not only large quantities but also high quality and advanced material properties. In this paper, the effect of some general factors on the morphology and properties of CuO nanomaterials prepared by solution methods will be overviewed. In terms of advanced nanostructure synthesis, microwave method in which copper hydroxide nanostructures are produced in the precursor solution and sequentially transformed by microwave into CuO may be considered as a promising method to explore in the near future. This method produces not only large quantities of nanoproducts in a short reaction time of several minutes, but also high quality materials with advanced properties. A brief review on some unique properties and applications of CuO nanostructures will be also presented. PMID:27437488

Optical fiber sensors based on nanostructured coatings fabricated by means of the layer-by-layer electrostatic self-assembly method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arregui, Francisco J.; Matías, Ignacio R.; Claus, Richard O.

2007-07-01

The Layer-by-Layer Electrostatic Self-Assembly (ESA) method has been successfully used for the design and fabrication of nanostructured materials. More specifically, this technique has been applied for the deposition of thin films on optical fibers with the purpose of fabricating different types of optical fiber sensors. In fact, optical fiber sensors for measuring humidity, temperature, pH, hydrogen peroxide, glucose, volatile organic compounds or even gluten have been already experimentally demonstrated. The versatility of this technique allows the deposition of these sensing coatings on flat substrates and complex geometries as well. For instance, nanoFabry-Perots and microgratings have been formed on cleaved ends of optical fibers (flat surfaces) and also sensing coatings have been built onto long period gratings (cylindrical shape), tapered fiber ends (conical shape), biconically tapered fibers or even the internal side of hollow core fibers. Among the different materials used for the construction of these sensing nanostructured coatings, diverse types such as polymers, inorganic semiconductors, colorimetric indicators, fluorescent dyes, quantum dots or even biological elements as enzymes can be found. This technique opens the door to the fabrication of new types of optical fiber sensors.

Bio-inspired dental fillings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deyhle, Hans; Bunk, Oliver; Buser, Stefan; Krastl, Gabriel; Zitzmann, Nicola U.; Ilgenstein, Bernd; Beckmann, Felix; Pfeiffer, Franz; Weiger, Roland; Müller, Bert

2009-08-01

Human teeth are anisotropic composites. Dentin as the core material of the tooth consists of nanometer-sized calcium phosphate crystallites embedded in collagen fiber networks. It shows its anisotropy on the micrometer scale by its well-oriented microtubules. The detailed three-dimensional nanostructure of the hard tissues namely dentin and enamel, however, is not understood, although numerous studies on the anisotropic mechanical properties have been performed and evaluated to explain the tooth function including the enamel-dentin junction acting as effective crack barrier. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) with a spatial resolution in the 10 μm range allows determining the size and orientation of the constituents on the nanometer scale with reasonable precision. So far, only some dental materials, i.e. the fiber reinforced posts exhibit anisotropic properties related to the micrometer-size glass fibers. Dental fillings, composed of nanostructures oriented similar to the natural hard tissues of teeth, however, do not exist at all. The current X-ray-based investigations of extracted human teeth provide evidence for oriented micro- and nanostructures in dentin and enamel. These fundamental quantitative findings result in profound knowledge to develop biologically inspired dental fillings with superior resistance to thermal and mechanical shocks.

Influence of Doping and Nanostructuration on n-Type Bi2(Te0.8Se0.2)3 Alloys Synthesized by Arc Melting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gharsallah, Mouna; Serrano-Sanchez, Federico; Nemes, Norbert M.; Martinez, Jose Luis; Alonso, Jose Antonio

2017-01-01

In competitive thermoelectric devices for energy conversion and generation, high-efficiency materials of both n-type and p-type are required. For this, Bi2Te3-based alloys have the best thermoelectric properties in room temperature applications. Partial replacement of tellurium by selenium is expected to introduce new donor states in the band gap, which would alter electrical conductivity and thermopower. We report on the preparation of n-type Bi2(Te1-xSex)3 solid solutions by a straightforward arc-melting technique, yielding nanostructured polycrystalline pellets. X-ray and neutron powder diffraction was used to assess Se inclusion, also indicating that the interactions between quintuple layers constituting this material are weakened upon Se doping, while the covalency of intralayer bonds is augmented. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy shows large surfaces perpendicular to the c crystallographic axis assembled as stacked sheets. Grain boundaries related to this 2D nanostructuration affect the thermal conductivity reducing it below 0.8 Wm-1K-1 at room temperature. Furthermore, Se doping increases the absolute Seebeck coefficient up to -140 μV K-1 at 400 K, which is also beneficial for improved thermoelectric efficiency.

New protocol for synthesis of new nanomaterials with continuous 3D networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Haiwang; Zhu, Ying; Wei, Xinfang; Chen, Huanhuan; Wang, Ruijie; Zhang, Dong; Song, Huaihe; Song, Shengju

2014-05-01

Nanostructured materials are attractive to researchers because of their unique optical, magnetic, thermodynamic, electrical, mechanical, and chemical properties. Controlling the morphology of nanomaterials could provide structural systems for a wide range of technologies. As a result, the development of nanofabrication techniques that are convenient and offer design flexibility is the subject of many studies. In order to progress beyond the conventional morphologies, we have turned to hydrogels, which can serve as organic templates for nanoscale objects with continuous microstructures. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the obtained nanonetwork had a continuous microstructure, which was several microns in length and width, with a cross-sectional diameter of 5-10 nm synthesized from a 35-g hexamethylenetetramine solution and a 1.5 g Zn(NO3)2 solution, and the cross-sectional diameter can be adjusted from 5 to 200 nm by controlling the concentration of the Zn(NO3)2 solution. Our results also showed that the nanostructures based on a superabsorbent polymer template could be controlled easily in terms of size and morphology by changing the concentration of the reaction solution. This protocol could be easily extended to synthesize a variety of nanostructured materials with novel morphologies.

Large scale atomistic approaches to thermal transport and phonon scattering in nanostructured materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savic, Ivana

2012-02-01

Decreasing the thermal conductivity of bulk materials by nanostructuring and dimensionality reduction, or by introducing some amount of disorder represents a promising strategy in the search for efficient thermoelectric materials [1]. For example, considerable improvements of the thermoelectric efficiency in nanowires with surface roughness [2], superlattices [3] and nanocomposites [4] have been attributed to a significantly reduced thermal conductivity. In order to accurately describe thermal transport processes in complex nanostructured materials and directly compare with experiments, the development of theoretical and computational approaches that can account for both anharmonic and disorder effects in large samples is highly desirable. We will first summarize the strengths and weaknesses of the standard atomistic approaches to thermal transport (molecular dynamics [5], Boltzmann transport equation [6] and Green's function approach [7]) . We will then focus on the methods based on the solution of the Boltzmann transport equation, that are computationally too demanding, at present, to treat large scale systems and thus to investigate realistic materials. We will present a Monte Carlo method [8] to solve the Boltzmann transport equation in the relaxation time approximation [9], that enables computation of the thermal conductivity of ordered and disordered systems with a number of atoms up to an order of magnitude larger than feasible with straightforward integration. We will present a comparison between exact and Monte Carlo Boltzmann transport results for small SiGe nanostructures and then use the Monte Carlo method to analyze the thermal properties of realistic SiGe nanostructured materials. This work is done in collaboration with Davide Donadio, Francois Gygi, and Giulia Galli from UC Davis.[4pt] [1] See e.g. A. J. Minnich, M. S. Dresselhaus, Z. F. Ren, and G. Chen, Energy Environ. Sci. 2, 466 (2009).[0pt] [2] A. I. Hochbaum et al, Nature 451, 163 (2008).[0pt] [3] R. Venkatasubramanian, E. Siivola, T. Colpitts, and B. O'Quinn, Nature 413, 597 (2001).[0pt] [4] B. Poudel et al, Science 320, 634 (2008).[0pt] [5] See e.g. Y. He, D. Donadio, and G. Galli, Nano Lett. 11, 3608 (2011).[0pt] [6] See e.g. A. Ward and D. A. Broido, Phys. Rev. B 81, 085205 (2010).[0pt] [7] See e.g. I. Savic, N. Mingo, and D. A. Stewart, Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 165502 (2008).[0pt] [8] I. Savic, D.Donadio, F.Gygi, and G.Galli (in preparation).[0pt] [9] See e.g. J. E. Turney, E. S. Landry, A. J. H. McGaughey, and C. H. Amon, Phys. Rev. B, 79, 064301 (2009).

Metal Oxide Nanostructures and Their Gas Sensing Properties: A Review

PubMed Central

Sun, Yu-Feng; Liu, Shao-Bo; Meng, Fan-Li; Liu, Jin-Yun; Jin, Zhen; Kong, Ling-Tao; Liu, Jin-Huai

2012-01-01

Metal oxide gas sensors are predominant solid-state gas detecting devices for domestic, commercial and industrial applications, which have many advantages such as low cost, easy production, and compact size. However, the performance of such sensors is significantly influenced by the morphology and structure of sensing materials, resulting in a great obstacle for gas sensors based on bulk materials or dense films to achieve highly-sensitive properties. Lots of metal oxide nanostructures have been developed to improve the gas sensing properties such as sensitivity, selectivity, response speed, and so on. Here, we provide a brief overview of metal oxide nanostructures and their gas sensing properties from the aspects of particle size, morphology and doping. When the particle size of metal oxide is close to or less than double thickness of the space-charge layer, the sensitivity of the sensor will increase remarkably, which would be called “small size effect”, yet small size of metal oxide nanoparticles will be compactly sintered together during the film coating process which is disadvantage for gas diffusion in them. In view of those reasons, nanostructures with many kinds of shapes such as porous nanotubes, porous nanospheres and so on have been investigated, that not only possessed large surface area and relatively mass reactive sites, but also formed relatively loose film structures which is an advantage for gas diffusion. Besides, doping is also an effective method to decrease particle size and improve gas sensing properties. Therefore, the gas sensing properties of metal oxide nanostructures assembled by nanoparticles are reviewed in this article. The effect of doping is also summarized and finally the perspectives of metal oxide gas sensor are given. PMID:22736968

Metal oxide nanostructures and their gas sensing properties: a review.

PubMed

Sun, Yu-Feng; Liu, Shao-Bo; Meng, Fan-Li; Liu, Jin-Yun; Jin, Zhen; Kong, Ling-Tao; Liu, Jin-Huai

2012-01-01

Metal oxide gas sensors are predominant solid-state gas detecting devices for domestic, commercial and industrial applications, which have many advantages such as low cost, easy production, and compact size. However, the performance of such sensors is significantly influenced by the morphology and structure of sensing materials, resulting in a great obstacle for gas sensors based on bulk materials or dense films to achieve highly-sensitive properties. Lots of metal oxide nanostructures have been developed to improve the gas sensing properties such as sensitivity, selectivity, response speed, and so on. Here, we provide a brief overview of metal oxide nanostructures and their gas sensing properties from the aspects of particle size, morphology and doping. When the particle size of metal oxide is close to or less than double thickness of the space-charge layer, the sensitivity of the sensor will increase remarkably, which would be called "small size effect", yet small size of metal oxide nanoparticles will be compactly sintered together during the film coating process which is disadvantage for gas diffusion in them. In view of those reasons, nanostructures with many kinds of shapes such as porous nanotubes, porous nanospheres and so on have been investigated, that not only possessed large surface area and relatively mass reactive sites, but also formed relatively loose film structures which is an advantage for gas diffusion. Besides, doping is also an effective method to decrease particle size and improve gas sensing properties. Therefore, the gas sensing properties of metal oxide nanostructures assembled by nanoparticles are reviewed in this article. The effect of doping is also summarized and finally the perspectives of metal oxide gas sensor are given.

3D-nanostructured boron-doped diamond for microelectrode array neural interfacing.

PubMed

Piret, Gaëlle; Hébert, Clément; Mazellier, Jean-Paul; Rousseau, Lionel; Scorsone, Emmanuel; Cottance, Myline; Lissorgues, Gaelle; Heuschkel, Marc O; Picaud, Serge; Bergonzo, Philippe; Yvert, Blaise

2015-06-01

The electrode material is a key element in the design of long-term neural implants and neuroprostheses. To date, the ideal electrode material offering high longevity, biocompatibility, low-noise recording and high stimulation capabilities remains to be found. We show that 3D-nanostructured boron doped diamond (BDD), an innovative material consisting in a chemically stable material with a high aspect ratio structure obtained by encapsulation of a carbon nanotube template within two BDD nanolayers, allows neural cell attachment, survival and neurite extension. Further, we developed arrays of 20-μm-diameter 3D-nanostructured BDD microelectrodes for neural interfacing. These microelectrodes exhibited low impedances and low intrinsic recording noise levels. In particular, they allowed the detection of low amplitude (10-20 μV) local-field potentials, single units and multiunit bursts neural activity in both acute whole embryonic hindbrain-spinal cord preparations and long-term hippocampal cell cultures. Also, cyclic voltammetry measurements showed a wide potential window of about 3 V and a charge storage capacity of 10 mC.cm(-2), showing high potentiality of this material for neural stimulation. These results demonstrate the attractiveness of 3D-nanostructured BDD as a novel material for neural interfacing, with potential applications for the design of biocompatible neural implants for the exploration and rehabilitation of the nervous system. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Mechanical Properties of Nanostructured Materials Determined Through Molecular Modeling Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clancy, Thomas C.; Gates, Thomas S.

2005-01-01

The potential for gains in material properties over conventional materials has motivated an effort to develop novel nanostructured materials for aerospace applications. These novel materials typically consist of a polymer matrix reinforced with particles on the nanometer length scale. In this study, molecular modeling is used to construct fully atomistic models of a carbon nanotube embedded in an epoxy polymer matrix. Functionalization of the nanotube which consists of the introduction of direct chemical bonding between the polymer matrix and the nanotube, hence providing a load transfer mechanism, is systematically varied. The relative effectiveness of functionalization in a nanostructured material may depend on a variety of factors related to the details of the chemical bonding and the polymer structure at the nanotube-polymer interface. The objective of this modeling is to determine what influence the details of functionalization of the carbon nanotube with the polymer matrix has on the resulting mechanical properties. By considering a range of degree of functionalization, the structure-property relationships of these materials is examined and mechanical properties of these models are calculated using standard techniques.

Space confinement and rotation stress induced self-organization of double-helix nanostructure: a nanotube twist with a moving catalyst head.

PubMed

Zhao, Meng-Qiang; Zhang, Qiang; Tian, Gui-Li; Huang, Jia-Qi; Wei, Fei

2012-05-22

Inorganic materials with double-helix structure have attracted intensive attention due to not only their elegant morphology but also their amazing morphology-related potential applications. The investigation on the formation mechanism of the inorganic double-helix nanostructure is the first step for the fundamental studies of their materials or physical properties. Herein, we demonstrated the space confinement and rotation stress induced self-organization mechanism of the carbon nanotube (CNT)-array double helices under scanning electron microscopy by directly observing their formation process from individual layered double hydroxide flakes, which is a kind of hydrotalcite-like material composed of positively charged layers and charge-balancing interlayer anions. Space confinement is considered to be the most important extrinsic factor for the formation of CNT-array double helices. Synchronous growth of the CNT arrays oppositely from LDH flakes with space confinement on both sides at the same time is essential for the growth of CNT-array double helices. Coiling of the as-grown CNT arrays into double helices will proceed by self-organization, tending to the most stable morphology in order to release their internal rotation stress. Based on the demonstrated mechanism, effective routes were carried out to improve the selectivity for CNT-array double helices. The work provides a promising method for the fabrication of double-helix nanostructures with their two helices connected at the end by self-assembly.

Characterization and imaging of nanostructured materials using tabletop extreme ultraviolet light sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karl, Robert; Knobloch, Joshua; Frazer, Travis; Tanksalvala, Michael; Porter, Christina; Bevis, Charles; Chao, Weilun; Abad Mayor, Begoña.; Adams, Daniel; Mancini, Giulia F.; Hernandez-Charpak, Jorge N.; Kapteyn, Henry; Murnane, Margaret

2018-03-01

Using a tabletop coherent extreme ultraviolet source, we extend current nanoscale metrology capabilities with applications spanning from new models of nanoscale transport and materials, to nanoscale device fabrication. We measure the ultrafast dynamics of acoustic waves in materials; by analyzing the material's response, we can extract elastic properties of films as thin as 11nm. We extend this capability to a spatially resolved imaging modality by using coherent diffractive imaging to image the acoustic waves in nanostructures as they propagate. This will allow for spatially resolved characterization of the elastic properties of non-isotropic materials.

Cavitational synthesis of nanostructured inorganic materials for enhanced heterogeneous catalysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krausz, Ivo Michael

The synthesis of nanostructured inorganic materials by hydrodynamic cavitation processing was investigated. The goal of this work was to develop a general synthesis technique for nanostructured materials with a control over crystallite size in the 1--20 nm range. Materials with crystallite sizes in this range have shown enhanced catalytic activity compared to materials with larger crystallite sizes. Several supported and unsupported inorganic materials were studied to understand the effects of cavitation on crystallite size. Cavitation processing of calcium fluoride resulted in more spherical particles, attached to one another by melted necks. This work produced the first evidence of shock wave heating of nanostructured materials by hydrodynamic cavitation processing. Hydrodynamic cavitation synthesis of various catalytic support materials indicated that their phase composition and purity could be controlled by adjustment of the processing parameters. Zirconia/alumina supports synthesized using hydro-dynamic cavitation and calcined to 1368 K retained a high purity cubic zirconia phase, whereas classically prepared samples showed a phase transformation to monoclinic zirconia. Similarly, the synthesis of alumina resulted in materials with varying Bohmite and Bayerite contents as a function of the process parameters. High temperature calcination resulted in stable alumina supports with varying amounts of delta-, and theta-alumina. Synthesis studies of palladium and silver showed modest variations in crystallite size as a function of cavitation process parameters. Calcination resulted in larger grain materials, indicating a disappearance of intergrain boundaries. Based on these results, a new synthesis method was studied involving controlled agglomeration of small silver crystallites by hydrodynamic cavitation processing, followed by deposition on alumina. The optimal pH, concentration, and processing time for controlling the silver crystallite size in the cavitation equipment were determined using a statistical design of experiments approach. Three series of alumina supported silver catalysts were prepared, with silver weight loadings of 1%, 2%, and 5%. Variation of cavitation processing time between 1--64 min allowed the systematic control of silver crystallite size in the range of 3--19 nm. The preferred oxidation of CO in hydrogen (PROX) was chosen as a catalytic test reaction, because of its increasing importance for fuel cell applications. It was found that the catalytic activity was significantly increased for silver crystallite sizes below 5 nm. This work is the first experimental evidence of independent crystallite size control by hydrodynamic cavitation for alumina supported silver catalysts. The synthesis method involving controlled agglomeration and calcination is a general synthesis procedure that can be used to synthesize a wide range of novel catalysts and advanced materials.

Ceramic nanostructures and methods of fabrication

DOEpatents

Ripley, Edward B [Knoxville, TN; Seals, Roland D [Oak Ridge, TN; Morrell, Jonathan S [Knoxville, TN

2009-11-24

Structures and methods for the fabrication of ceramic nanostructures. Structures include metal particles, preferably comprising copper, disposed on a ceramic substrate. The structures are heated, preferably in the presence of microwaves, to a temperature that softens the metal particles and preferably forms a pool of molten ceramic under the softened metal particle. A nano-generator is created wherein ceramic material diffuses through the molten particle and forms ceramic nanostructures on a polar site of the metal particle. The nanostructures may comprise silica, alumina, titania, or compounds or mixtures thereof.

Dense Plasma Focus - From Alternative Fusion Source to Versatile High Energy Density Plasma Source for Plasma Nanotechnology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rawat, R. S.

2015-03-01

The dense plasma focus (DPF), a coaxial plasma gun, utilizes pulsed high current electrical discharge to heat and compress the plasma to very high density and temperature with energy densities in the range of 1-10 × 1010 J/m3. The DPF device has always been in the company of several alternative magnetic fusion devices as it produces intense fusion neutrons. Several experiments conducted on many different DPF devices ranging over several order of storage energy have demonstrated that at higher storage energy the neutron production does not follow I4 scaling laws and deteriorate significantly raising concern about the device's capability and relevance for fusion energy. On the other hand, the high energy density pinch plasma in DPF device makes it a multiple radiation source of ions, electron, soft and hard x-rays, and neutrons, making it useful for several applications in many different fields such as lithography, radiography, imaging, activation analysis, radioisotopes production etc. Being a source of hot dense plasma, strong shockwave, intense energetic beams and radiation, etc, the DPF device, additionally, shows tremendous potential for applications in plasma nanoscience and plasma nanotechnology. In the present paper, the key features of plasma focus device are critically discussed to understand the novelties and opportunities that this device offers in processing and synthesis of nanophase materials using, both, the top-down and bottom-up approach. The results of recent key experimental investigations performed on (i) the processing and modification of bulk target substrates for phase change, surface reconstruction and nanostructurization, (ii) the nanostructurization of PLD grown magnetic thin films, and (iii) direct synthesis of nanostructured (nanowire, nanosheets and nanoflowers) materials using anode target material ablation, ablated plasma and background reactive gas based synthesis and purely gas phase synthesis of various different types of nanostructured materials using DPF device will discussed to establish this device as versatile tool for plasma nanotechnology.

Quantitative and Isolated Measurement of Far-Field Light Scattering by a Single Nanostructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Donghyeong; Jeong, Kwang-Yong; Kim, Jinhyung; Ee, Ho-Seok; Kang, Ju-Hyung; Park, Hong-Gyu; Seo, Min-Kyo

2017-11-01

Light scattering by nanostructures has facilitated research on various optical phenomena and applications by interfacing the near fields and free-propagating radiation. However, direct quantitative measurement of far-field scattering by a single nanostructure on the wavelength scale or less is highly challenging. Conventional back-focal-plane imaging covers only a limited solid angle determined by the numerical aperture of the objectives and suffers from optical aberration and distortion. Here, we present a quantitative measurement of the differential far-field scattering cross section of a single nanostructure over the full hemisphere. In goniometer-based far-field scanning with a high signal-to-noise ratio of approximately 27.4 dB, weak scattering signals are efficiently isolated and detected under total-internal-reflection illumination. Systematic measurements reveal that the total and differential scattering cross sections of a Au nanorod are determined by the plasmonic Fabry-Perot resonances and the phase-matching conditions to the free-propagating radiation, respectively. We believe that our angle-resolved far-field measurement scheme provides a way to investigate and evaluate the physical properties and performance of nano-optical materials and phenomena.

Solvent-Tuned Self-Assembled Nanostructures of Chiral l/d-Phenylalanine Derivatives of Protoporphyrin IX

PubMed Central

Bobe, Mr Sharad R; Al Kobaisi, Mohammad; Bhosale, Sheshanath V; Bhosale, Sidhanath V

2015-01-01

Protoporphyrin IX is a naturally occurring amphiphilic porphyrin with a rigid hydrophobic nonpolar core and two polar propionic acid substitutions on the porphyrin ring. This molecule can be modified on the hydrophilic group, which can lead to strengthened π–π-stacking and spontaneous self-assembly into novel nanostructures. Herein, we use l- phenylalanine and d-phenylalanine to modify protoporphyrin IX, and use the two derivatives for solvophobic-controlled self-assembly. Both derivatives possess two important features: 1) the aromatic core of the porphyrin for dispersive interactions and 2) a chiral amino acid to maximize the influence of chirality on selfassembly. These derivatives lead to the formation of a variety of nanostructure morphologies, such as spheres, nanofibers, lamellar structures, and thread-like and spherical shells. Solution-based self-assembly was determined by UV/Vis, fluorescence, and circular dichroism spectroscopy, and the formed nanostructures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Such engineered porphyrin derivatives could have potential applications in energy transport and storage, supramolecular chemistry, materials science, and medicine. PMID:26478848

Solvent-Tuned Self-Assembled Nanostructures of Chiral l/d-Phenylalanine Derivatives of Protoporphyrin IX.

PubMed

Bobe, Mr Sharad R; Al Kobaisi, Mohammad; Bhosale, Sheshanath V; Bhosale, Sidhanath V

2015-08-01

Protoporphyrin IX is a naturally occurring amphiphilic porphyrin with a rigid hydrophobic nonpolar core and two polar propionic acid substitutions on the porphyrin ring. This molecule can be modified on the hydrophilic group, which can lead to strengthened π-π-stacking and spontaneous self-assembly into novel nanostructures. Herein, we use l- phenylalanine and d-phenylalanine to modify protoporphyrin IX, and use the two derivatives for solvophobic-controlled self-assembly. Both derivatives possess two important features: 1) the aromatic core of the porphyrin for dispersive interactions and 2) a chiral amino acid to maximize the influence of chirality on selfassembly. These derivatives lead to the formation of a variety of nanostructure morphologies, such as spheres, nanofibers, lamellar structures, and thread-like and spherical shells. Solution-based self-assembly was determined by UV/Vis, fluorescence, and circular dichroism spectroscopy, and the formed nanostructures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Such engineered porphyrin derivatives could have potential applications in energy transport and storage, supramolecular chemistry, materials science, and medicine.

Structural transformation in monolayer materials: a 2D to 1D transformation.

PubMed

Momeni, Kasra; Attariani, Hamed; LeSar, Richard A

2016-07-20

Reducing the dimensions of materials to atomic scales results in a large portion of atoms being at or near the surface, with lower bond order and thus higher energy. At such scales, reduction of the surface energy and surface stresses can be the driving force for the formation of new low-dimensional nanostructures, and may be exhibited through surface relaxation and/or surface reconstruction, which can be utilized for tailoring the properties and phase transformation of nanomaterials without applying any external load. Here we used atomistic simulations and revealed an intrinsic structural transformation in monolayer materials that lowers their dimension from 2D nanosheets to 1D nanostructures to reduce their surface and elastic energies. Experimental evidence of such transformation has also been revealed for one of the predicted nanostructures. Such transformation plays an important role in bi-/multi-layer 2D materials.

DNA-Templated Fabrication of Arbitrary-Structured Porous Carbon Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-07-11

same as the DNA nanostructure. Conductive AFM measurement shows that the carbon nanostructures are electrically conductive. These research activities ...surface chemistry. These research activities revealed a rich These research activities have resulted in 24 peer reviewed journal articles (23 published...of the intrinsic wettability of graphitic materials; and (c) high temperature carbonization of DNA. These activities are detailed below (Note that

Electrodeposited Nanostructured Films and Coatings: Synthesis, Structure, Properties and Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-01-01

function of the Electrodeposited Layer Thickness", B.Sc Thesis , Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada 34) Merchant, H. K., (1995) in "Defect...The following component part numbers comprise the compilation report: ADPO11800 thru ADP011832 UNCLASSIFIED ELECTRODEPOSITED NANOSTRUCTURED FILMS AND...thermomechanical processing, ball milling, rapid solidification, electrodeposition ), unique material performance characteristics in bulk materials as well as

Core-shell chromium silicide-silicon nanopillars: a contact material for future nanosystems.

PubMed

Chang, Mu-Tung; Chen, Chih-Yen; Chou, Li-Jen; Chen, Lih-Juann

2009-11-24

Chromium silicide nanostructures are fabricated inside silicon nanopillars grown by the vapor-liquid-solid mechanism. The remarkable field-emission behavior of these nanostructures results from extensive improvement of carrier transport due to the reduced energy barrier between the metal and semiconductor layers. The results warrant consideration of chromium silicide as a potentially important contact material in future nanosystems.

Polymer-based and Polymer-templated Nanostructured Thermoelectric Devices

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-23

Thermoelectric Devices Grant Number: FA9550-11-1-0017 PI : Dr. Anish Tuteja Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan...10.1021/la036369u (2004). 6 Ming, W., Wu, D., van Benthem, R. & de With, G. Superhydrophobic films from raspberry -like particles. Nano Letters 5