Apparatus and method for controlling plating uniformity

DOEpatents

Hachman Jr., John T.; Kelly, James J.; West, Alan C.

2004-10-12

The use of an insulating shield for improving the current distribution in an electrochemical plating bath is disclosed. Numerical analysis is used to evaluate the influence of shield shape and position on plating uniformity. Simulation results are compared to experimental data for nickel deposition from a nickel--sulfamate bath. The shield is shown to improve the average current density at a plating surface.

Fabrication of ZnO nanorod using spray-pyrolysis and chemical bath deposition method

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

Ramadhani, Muhammad F., E-mail: brian@tf.itb.ac.id; Pasaribu, Maruli A. H., E-mail: brian@tf.itb.ac.id; Yuliarto, Brian, E-mail: brian@tf.itb.ac.id

2014-02-24

ZnO thin films with nanorod structure were deposited using Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis method for seed growth, and Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD) for nanorod growth. High purity Zn-hydrate and Urea are used to control Ph were dissolved in ethanol and aqua bidest in Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis process. Glass substrate was placed above the heater plate of reaction chamber, and subsequently sprayed with the range duration of 5, 10 and 20 minutes at the temperatures of 3500 C. As for the Chemical Bath Deposition, the glass substrate with ZnO seed on the surface was immerse to Zn-hydrate, HMTA (Hexa Methylene Tetra Amine)more » and deionized water solution for duration of 3, 5 and 7 hour and temperatures of 600 C, washed in distilled water, dried, and annealed at 3500 C for an hour. The characterization of samples was carried out to reveal the surface morphology using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). From the data, the combination of 5 minutes of Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis process and 3 hour of CBD has showed the best structure of nanorod. Meanwhile the longer Spraying process and CBD yield the bigger nanorod structure that have been made, and it makes the films more dense which make the nanorod collide each other and as a result produce unsymetric nanorod structure.« less

Fabrication of CIGS Films by Electrodeposition Method for Photovoltaic Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hyunju; Yoon, Hyukjoo; Ji, Changwook; Lee, Dongyun; Lee, Jae-Ho; Yun, Jae-Ho; Kim, Yangdo

2012-12-01

Cu(InGa)Se2 (CIGS) thin films were fabricated by electrochemical deposition in a single bath containing Cu, In, Ga, and Se ions. The electrolyte was prepared by dissolving CuCl2, InCl3, GaCl3, H2SeO3, and LiCl in deionized water. The potentiostatic deposition process was achieved by applying a voltage ranging from -0.5 V to -0.8 V versus Ag/AgCl. The effects of different chemical bath concentrations on the film composition and morphology were investigated. Stoichiometric CIGS film composition could be achieved by controlling the chemical compositions of the bath and the voltage. Gelatin was added to the solution to improve the surface and microstructures of the CIGS film. The as-deposited films were annealed at 500°C in Ar atmosphere for crystallization. The structural, morphological, and compositional properties of the CIGS thin films before and after annealing were examined by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. This study showed that the composition of the CIGS films is dependent on the bath concentration, whereas the applied potential had relatively less effect on the CIGS film composition. In addition, the use of gelatin helped in the fabrication of crack-free CIGS thin films with greatly improved surface morphology.

Bath for electrolytic reduction of alumina and method therefor

DOEpatents

Brown, Craig W.; Brooks, Richard J.; Frizzle, Patrick B.; Juric, Drago D.

2001-07-10

An electrolytic bath for use during the electrolytic reduction of alumina to aluminum. The bath comprises a molten electrolyte having the following ingredients: (a) AlF.sub.3 and at least one salt selected from the group consisting of NaF, KF, and LiF; and (b) about 0.004 wt. % to about 0.2 wt. %, based on total weight of the molten electrolyte, of at least one transition metal or at least one compound of the metal or both. The compound may be, for example, a fluoride, oxide, or carbonate. The metal can be nickel, iron, copper, cobalt, or molybdenum. The bath can be employed in a combination that includes a vessel for containing the bath and at least one non-consumable anode and at least one dimensionally stable cathode in the bath. Employing the bath of the present invention during electrolytic reduction of alumina to aluminum can improve the wetting of aluminum on a cathode by reducing or eliminating the formation of non-metallic deposits on the cathode.

Electro-deposition of superconductor oxide films

DOEpatents

Bhattacharya, Raghu N.

2001-01-01

Methods for preparing high quality superconducting oxide precursors which are well suited for further oxidation and annealing to form superconducting oxide films. The method comprises forming a multilayered superconducting precursor on a substrate by providing an electrodeposition bath comprising an electrolyte medium and a substrate electrode, and providing to the bath a plurality of precursor metal salts which are capable of exhibiting superconducting properties upon subsequent treatment. The superconducting precursor is then formed by electrodepositing a first electrodeposited (ED) layer onto the substrate electrode, followed by depositing a layer of silver onto the first electrodeposited (ED) layer, and then electrodepositing a second electrodeposited (ED) layer onto the Ag layer. The multilayered superconducting precursor is suitable for oxidation at a sufficient annealing temperature in air or an oxygen-containing atmosphere to form a crystalline superconducting oxide film.

Incorporation of Mn2+ into CdSe quantum dots by chemical bath co-deposition method for photovoltaic enhancement of quantum dot-sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chenguang; Liu, Shaowen; Liu, Xingwei; Deng, Fei; Xiong, Yan; Tsai, Fang-Chang

2018-03-01

A photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of 4.9% was obtained under 100 mW cm-2 illumination by quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) using a CdS/Mn : CdSe sensitizer. CdS quantum dots (QDs) were deposited on a TiO2 mesoporous oxide film by successive ionic layer absorption and reaction. Mn2+ doping into CdSe QDs is an innovative and simple method-chemical bath co-deposition, that is, mixing the Mn ion source with CdSe precursor solution for Mn : CdSe QD deposition. Compared with the CdS/CdSe sensitizer without Mn2+ incorporation, the PCE was increased from 3.4% to 4.9%. The effects of Mn2+ doping on the chemical, physical and photovoltaic properties of the QDSSCs were investigated by energy dispersive spectrometry, absorption spectroscopy, photocurrent density-voltage characteristics and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Mn-doped CdSe QDs in QDSSCs can obtain superior light absorption, faster electron transport and slower charge recombination than CdSe QDs.

Incorporation of Mn2+ into CdSe quantum dots by chemical bath co-deposition method for photovoltaic enhancement of quantum dot-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Zhang, Chenguang; Liu, Shaowen; Liu, Xingwei; Deng, Fei; Xiong, Yan; Tsai, Fang-Chang

2018-03-01

A photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of 4.9% was obtained under 100 mW cm -2 illumination by quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) using a CdS/Mn : CdSe sensitizer. CdS quantum dots (QDs) were deposited on a TiO 2 mesoporous oxide film by successive ionic layer absorption and reaction. Mn 2+ doping into CdSe QDs is an innovative and simple method-chemical bath co-deposition, that is, mixing the Mn ion source with CdSe precursor solution for Mn : CdSe QD deposition. Compared with the CdS/CdSe sensitizer without Mn 2+ incorporation, the PCE was increased from 3.4% to 4.9%. The effects of Mn 2+ doping on the chemical, physical and photovoltaic properties of the QDSSCs were investigated by energy dispersive spectrometry, absorption spectroscopy, photocurrent density-voltage characteristics and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Mn-doped CdSe QDs in QDSSCs can obtain superior light absorption, faster electron transport and slower charge recombination than CdSe QDs.

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) studies on Cu2SnS3 (CTS) thin films deposited by chemical bath deposition method.

PubMed

Shelke, H D; Lokhande, A C; Kim, J H; Lokhande, C D

2017-11-15

Cu 2 SnS 3 (CTS) thin films have been successfully deposited on a cost-effective stainless steel substrate by simple and inexpensive chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. The films are deliberated in provisos of their structural, morphological, optical and photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties before and after annealing treatment, using various physico-chemical techniques. The XRD studies showed the formation of triclinic phase of CTS films with nanocrystalline structure. Also, the crystallinity is enhanced with annealing and the secondary phase of Cu 2 S observed. Raman analysis confirmed the formation of CTS compound with secondary Cu 2 S phase. The SEM images also discovered mostly tiny spherical grains and significant progress in the size of grains after annealing. The films possess direct transitions with band gap energies of 1.35eV and 1.31eV before and after annealing, respectively. The improved photoconversion efficiency of CTS thin film based PEC cell is explained with the help of theoretical modeling of energy band diagram and correspondent circuit model of the impedance spectra. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Substrate spacing and thin-film yield in chemical bath deposition of semiconductor thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arias-Carbajal Reádigos, A.; García, V. M.; Gomezdaza, O.; Campos, J.; Nair, M. T. S.; Nair, P. K.

2000-11-01

Thin-film yield in the chemical bath deposition technique is studied as a function of separation between substrates in batch production. Based on a mathematical model, it is proposed and experimentally verified in the case of CdS thin films that the film thickness reaches an asymptotic maximum with increase in substrate separation. It is shown that at a separation less than 1 mm between substrates the yield, i.e. percentage in moles of a soluble cadmium salt deposited as a thin film of CdS, can exceed 50%. This behaviour is explained on the basis of the existence of a critical layer of solution near the substrate, within which the relevant ionic species have a higher probability of interacting with the thin-film layer than of contributing to precipitate formation. The critical layer depends on the solution composition and the temperature of the bath as well as the duration of deposition. An effective value for the critical layer thickness has been defined as half the substrate separation at which 90% of the maximum film thickness for the particular bath composition, bath temperature and duration of deposition is obtained. In the case of CdS thin films studied as an example, the critical layer is found to extend from 0.5 to 2.5 mm from the substrate surface, depending on the deposition conditions.

Structural and optical studied of nano structured lead sulfide thin films prepared by the chemical bath deposition technique

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

Al Din, Nasser Saad, E-mail: nsaadaldin@yahoo.com; Hussain, Nabiha, E-mail: nabihahssin@yahoo.com; Jandow, Nidhal, E-mail: nidhaljandow@yahoo.com

2016-07-25

Lead (II) Sulfide PbS thin films were deposited on glass substrates at 25°C by chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. The structural properties of the films were studied as a function of the concentration of Thiourea (CS (NH{sub 2}){sub 2}) as Source of Sulfide and deposition time. The surface morphology of the films was characterized by X-ray diffraction and SEM. The obtained results showed that the as-deposited films Polycrystalline had cubic crystalline phase that belong to S.G: Fm3m. We found that they have preferred orientation [200]. Also the thickness of thin films decrease with deposition time after certain value and, itmore » observed free sulfide had orthorhombic phase. Optical properties showed that the thin films have high transmission at visible range and low transmission at UV, IR range. The films of PbS have direct band gap (I.68 - 2.32 ev) at 300 K the values of band energy decreases with increases thickness of the Lead (II) Sulfide films.« less

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

Sandoval-Paz, M.G., E-mail: myrnasandoval@udec.cl; Rodríguez, C.A.; Porcile-Saavedra, P.F.

Copper (I) selenide thin films with orthorhombic and cubic structure were deposited on glass substrates by using the chemical bath deposition technique. The effects of the solution pH on the films growth and subsequently the structural, optical and electrical properties of the films were studied. Films with orthorhombic structure were obtained from baths wherein both metal complex and hydroxide coexist; while films with cubic structure were obtained from baths where the metal hydroxide there is no present. The structural modifications are accompanied by changes in bandgap energy, morphology and electrical resistivity of the films. - Graphical abstract: “Study of themore » crystallographic phase change on copper (I) selenide thin films prepared through chemical bath deposition by varying the pH of the solution” by M. G. Sandoval-Paz, C. A. Rodríguez, P. F. Porcile-Saavedra, C. Trejo-Cruz. Display Omitted - Highlights: • Copper (I) selenide thin films were obtained by chemical bath deposition. • Orthorhombic to cubic phase change was induced by varying the reaction solution pH. • Orthorhombic phase is obtained mainly from a hydroxides cluster mechanism. • Cubic phase is obtained mainly from an ion by ion mechanism. • Structural, optical and electrical properties are presented as a function of pH.« less

Fabrication of p-type CuO thin films using chemical bath deposition technique and their solar cell applications with Si nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akgul, Funda Aksoy; Akgul, Guvenc

2017-02-01

Recently, CuO has attracted much interest owing to its suitable material properties, inexpensive fabrication cost and potential applications for optoelectronic devices. In this study, CuO thin films were deposited on glass substrates using chemical bath deposition technique and post-deposition annealing effect on the properties of the prepared samples were investigated. p-n heterojunction solar cells were then constructed by coating of p-type CuO films onto the vertically well-aligned n-type Si nanowires synthesized through MACE method. Photovoltaic performance of the fabricated devices were determined with current-voltage (I-V) measurements under AM 1.5 G illumination. The optimal short-circuit current density, open-circuit voltage, fill factor and power conversion efficiency were found to be 3.2 mA/cm-2, 337 mV, 37.9 and 0.45%, respectively. The observed performance clearly indicates that the investigated device structure could be a promising candidate for high-performance low-cost new-generation photovoltaic diodes.

Annealing effect on structural and optical properties of chemical bath deposited MnS thin film

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

Ulutas, Cemal, E-mail: cemalulutas@hakkari.edu.tr; Gumus, Cebrail

2016-03-25

MnS thin film was prepared by the chemical bath deposition (CBD) method on commercial microscope glass substrate deposited at 30 °C. The as-deposited film was given thermal annealing treatment in air atmosphere at various temperatures (150, 300 and 450 °C) for 1 h. The MnS thin film was characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis spectrophotometer and Hall effect measurement system. The effect of annealing temperature on the structural, electrical and optical properties such as optical constants of refractive index (n) and energy band gap (E{sub g}) of the film was determined. XRD measurements reveal that the film is crystallized inmore » the wurtzite phase and changed to tetragonal Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4} phase after being annealed at 300 °C. The energy band gap of film decreased from 3.69 eV to 3.21 eV based on the annealing temperature.« less

PREPARATION OF PURE METAL FROM THEIR COMPOUNDS

DOEpatents

Slatin, H.L.

1961-08-01

S>A method is described for the preparation of uranium from U/sub 3/O/ sub 6/ by electrolytic deposition at the cathode from an alkali and/or alkaline earth fused salt bath such as fused strontium potassium chloride. (AEC)

Texture related unusual phenomena in electrodeposition and vapor deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, D. N.; Han, H. N.

2015-04-01

The tensile strength of electrodeposits generally decreases with increasing bath temperature because the grain size increases and the dislocation density decreases with increasing bath temperature. Therefore, discontinuities observed in the tensile strength vs. bath temperature curves in electrodeposition of copper are unusual. The tensile strength of electrodeposits generally increases with increasing cathode current density because the rate of nucleation in electrodeposits increases with increasing current density, which in turn gives rise to a decrease in the grain size and in turn an increase in the strength. Therefore, a decrease in the tensile strength of copper electrodeposits at a high current density is unusual. The grain size of vapor deposits is expected to decrease with decreasing substrate temperature. However, rf sputtered Co-Cr deposits showed that deposits formed on water-cooled polyimide substrates had a larger grain size than deposits formed on polyimide substrates at 200 °C. These unusual phenomena can be explained by the preferred growth model for deposition texture evolution.

Evaluation of the structural, optical and electrical properties of AZO thin films prepared by chemical bath deposition for optoelectronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, K. Deva Arun; Valanarasu, S.; Rosario, S. Rex; Ganesh, V.; Shkir, Mohd.; Sreelatha, C. J.; AlFaify, S.

2018-04-01

Aluminum doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin films for electrode applications were deposited on glass substrates using chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. The influence of deposition time on the structural, morphological, and opto-electrical properties of AZO films were investigated. Structural studies confirmed that all the deposited films were hexagonal wurtzite structure with polycrystalline nature and exhibited (002) preferential orientation. There is no other impurity phases were detected for different deposition time. Surface morphological images shows the spherically shaped grains are uniformly arranged on to the entire film surface. The EDS spectrum confirms the presence of Zn, O and Al elements in deposited AZO film. The observed optical transmittance is high (87%) in the visible region, and the calculated band gap value is 3.27 eV. In this study, the transmittance value is decreased with increasing deposition time. The room temperature PL spectrum exposed that AZO thin film deposited at (60 min) has good optical quality with less defect density. The minimum electrical resistivity and maximum carrier concentration values were observed as 8.53 × 10-3(Ω cm) and 3.53 × 1018 cm-3 for 60 min deposited film, respectively. The obtained figure of merit (ϕ) value 3.05 × 10-3(Ω/sq)- 1 is suggested for an optoelectronic device.

Structural and optical properties of Ni-doped CdS thin films prepared by chemical bath deposition method

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

Premarani, R.; Saravanakumar, S., E-mail: sarophy84@gmail.com; Chandramohan, R.

2015-06-24

The structural and optical behavior of undoped Cadmiun Sulphide (CdS) and Ni-doped CdS thinfilms prepared by Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD) technique is reported. The crystallite sizes of the thinfilms have been characterized by X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD). The particle sizes increase with the increase of Ni content in the CdS thinfilms. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) results indicated that CdS thinfilms is made up of aggregate of spherical-like particles. The composition was estimated by Energy Dispersive Analysis of X-ray (EDX) and reported. Spectroscopic studies revealed considerable improvement in transmission and the band gap of the films changes with addition of Nimore » dopant that is associated with variation in crystallite sizes in the nano regime.« less

Preparation of cuxinygazsen precursor films and powders by electroless deposition

DOEpatents

Bhattacharya, Raghu N.; Batchelor, Wendi Kay; Wiesner, Holm; Ramanathan, Kannan; Noufi, Rommel

1999-01-01

A method for electroless deposition of Cu.sub.x In.sub.y Ga.sub.z Se.sub.n (x=0-2, y=0-2, z=0-2, n=0-3) precursor films and powders onto a metallic substrate comprising: preparing an aqueous bath solution of compounds selected from the group consisting of: I) a copper compound, a selenium compound, an indium compound and gallium compound; II) a copper compound, a selenium compound and an indium compound; III) a selenium compound, and indium compound and a gallium compound; IV) a selenium compound and a indium compound; and V) a copper compound and selenium compound; each compound being present in sufficient quantity to react with each other to produce Cu.sub.x In.sub.y Ga.sub.z Se.sub.n (x=0-2, y=0-2, z=0-2, n=0-3); adjusting the pH of the aqueous bath solution to an acidic value by the addition of a dilute acid; and initiating an electroless reaction with an oxidizing counterelectrode for a sufficient time to cause a deposit of Cu.sub.x In.sub.y Ga.sub.z Se.sub.n (x=0-2, y=0-2, z=0-2, n=0-3) from the aqueous bath solution onto a metallic substrate.

Synthesis and photosensor study of as-grown CuZnO thin film by facile chemical bath deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gubari, Ghamdan M. M.; Ibrahim Mohammed S., M.; Huse, Nanasaheb P.; Dive, Avinash S.; Sharma, Ramphal

2018-05-01

We have successfully deposited CuZnO thin film on a glass substrate by facile chemical bath deposition method at 85 °C for 1 hr. Structural, topographical, Optical and Electrical properties of the prepared Thin Films were investigated by XRD, Raman spectrum, AFM, UV-Visible Spectrophotometer and I-V Measurement System respectively. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern confirmed the formation of the CuZnO composition when compared with standard JCPDS card (JCPDF # 75-0576 & # 36-1451). The Raman analysis shows a major peak at 458 cm-1 with E2 (High) vibrational mode. AFM images revealed uniform deposition over an entire glass substrate with 66.2 nm average roughness of the film. From the optical absorption spectrum, clear band edge around ˜407 nm was observed which results in a wide energy band gap of ˜3.04 eV. The electrical properties were measured at room temperature in the voltage range ±5 V, showed a drastic enhancement in current under light illumination with the highest photosensitivity of ˜99.9 % for 260 W.

Incorporation of Mn2+ into CdSe quantum dots by chemical bath co-deposition method for photovoltaic enhancement of quantum dot-sensitized solar cells

PubMed Central

Zhang, Chenguang; Liu, Shaowen; Liu, Xingwei; Deng, Fei

2018-01-01

A photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of 4.9% was obtained under 100 mW cm−2 illumination by quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) using a CdS/Mn : CdSe sensitizer. CdS quantum dots (QDs) were deposited on a TiO2 mesoporous oxide film by successive ionic layer absorption and reaction. Mn2+ doping into CdSe QDs is an innovative and simple method—chemical bath co-deposition, that is, mixing the Mn ion source with CdSe precursor solution for Mn : CdSe QD deposition. Compared with the CdS/CdSe sensitizer without Mn2+ incorporation, the PCE was increased from 3.4% to 4.9%. The effects of Mn2+ doping on the chemical, physical and photovoltaic properties of the QDSSCs were investigated by energy dispersive spectrometry, absorption spectroscopy, photocurrent density–voltage characteristics and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Mn-doped CdSe QDs in QDSSCs can obtain superior light absorption, faster electron transport and slower charge recombination than CdSe QDs. PMID:29657776

Effect of Thermal Annealing on the Band GAP and Optical Properties of Chemical Bath Deposited ZnSe Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ezema, F. I.; Ekwealor, A. B. C.; Osuji, R. U.

2006-05-01

Zinc selenide (ZnSe) thin films were deposited on glass substrate using the chemical bath deposition method at room temperature from aqueous solutions of zinc sulphate and sodium selenosulfate in which sodium hydroxide was employed as complexing agents. The `as-deposited' ZnSe thin films are red in color and annealed in oven at 473 K for 1 hour and on a hot plate in open air at 333 K for 5 minutes, affecting the morphological and optical properties. Optical properties such as absorption coefficient a and extinction coefficient k, were determined using the absorbance and transmission measurement from Unico UV-2102 PC spectrophotometer, at normal incidence of light in the wavelength range of 200-1000 nm. The films have transmittance in VIS-NIR regions that range between 26 and 87%. From absorbance and transmittance spectra, the band gap energy determined ranged between 1.60 eV and 1.75 for the `as deposited' samples, and the annealed samples exhibited a band gap shift of 0.15 eV. The high transmittance of the films together with its large band gap made them good materials for selective coatings for solar cells.

Effect of deposition temperature on the structural and optical properties of CdSe QDs thin films deposited by CBD method

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

Laatar, F., E-mail: fakher8laatar@gmail.com; Harizi, A.; Smida, A.

2016-06-15

Highlights: • Synthesis of CdSe QDs with L-Cysteine capping agent for applications in nanodevices. • The films of CdSe QDs present uniform and good dispersive particles at the surface. • Effect of bath temperature on the structural and optical properties of CdSe QDs thin films. • Investigation of the optical constants and dispersion parameters of CdSe QDs thin films. - Abstract: Cadmium selenide quantum dots (CdSe QDs) thin films were deposited onto glass substrates by a chemical bath deposition (CBD) method at different temperatures from an aqueous solution containing L-Cysteine (L-Cys) as capping agent. The evolution of the surface morphologymore » and elemental composition of the CdSe films were studied by AFM, SEM, and EDX analyses. Structural and optical properties of CdSe thin films were investigated by XRD, UV–vis and PL spectroscopy. The dispersion behavior of the refractive index is described using the single oscillator Wemple-DiDomenico (W-D) model, and the physical dispersion parameters are calculated as a function of deposition temperature. The dispersive optical parameters such as average oscillator energy (E{sub o}), dispersion energy (E{sub d}), and static refractive index (n{sub o}) were found to vary with the deposition temperature. Besides, the electrical free carrier susceptibility (χ{sub e}) and the carrier concentration of the effective mass ratio (N/m*) were evaluated according to the Spitzer-Fan model.« less

Annealing Temperature Dependence of ZnO Nanostructures Grown by Facile Chemical Bath Deposition for EGFET pH Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bazilah Rosli, Aimi; Awang, Zaiki; Sobihana Shariffudin, Shafinaz; Herman, Sukreen Hana

2018-03-01

Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanostructures were deposited using chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique in water bath at 95 °C for 4 h. Post-deposition heat treatment in air ambient at various temperature ranging from 200-600 °C for 30 min was applied in order to enhance the electrical properties of ZnO nanostructures as the sensing membrane of extended-gate field effect transistor (EGFET) pH sensor. The as-deposited sample was prepared for comparison. The samples were characterized in terms of physical and sensing properties. FESEM images showed that scattered ZnO nanorods were formed for the as-deposited sample, and the morphology of the ZnO nanorods changed to ZnO nanoflowers when the heat treatment was applied from 200-600 °C. For sensing properties, the samples heated at 300 °C showed the higher sensitivity which was 39.9 mV/pH with the linearity of 0.9792. The sensing properties was increased with the increasing annealing treatment temperature up to 300 °C before decreased drastically.

Coercivity enhancement of sintered Nd-Fe-B magnets by chemical bath deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qiushuang; Guo, Shuai; Yang, Xiao; Zeng, Jiling; Cao, Xuejing; Chen, Renjie; Yan, Aru

2018-05-01

The chemical bath deposition (CBD) method is used to diffuse the heavy rare earth element in order to obtain the high coercivity magnets with low heavy rare earth element. The jet mill powders are soaked in the alcohol suspension of Dy(CH3CHOHCH3)3 (Dy-ipa) so that Nd2Fe14B powder particles are surrounded by Dy-ipa homogeneously. By adding 1.0 wt. % Dy, the coercivity of magnet is increased from 14.47 kOe to 17.55 kOe with slight reduction of remanence after grain boundary diffusion (GBD) in the sintering and annealing processes. The temperature coefficient of coercivity optimizes from -0.629 %/°C to -0.605 %/°C as well as that of remanence improves from -0.108 %/°C to -0.100 %/°C. The CBD method is helpful for thermal stability and alignment either. The relation between the microstructure and the coercivity has been studied systematically.

Preparation of lead-zirconium-titanium film and powder by electrodeposition

DOEpatents

Bhattacharya, Raghu N.; Ginley, David S.

1995-01-01

A process for the preparation of lead-zirconium-titanium (PZT) film and powder compositions. The process comprises the steps of providing an electrodeposition bath, providing soluble salts of lead, zirconium and titanium metals to this bath, electrically energizing the bath to thereby direct ions of each respective metal to a substrate electrode and cause formation of metallic particles as a recoverable film of PZT powder on the electrode, and also recovering the resultant film as a powder. Recovery of the PZT powder can be accomplished by continually energizing the bath to thereby cause powder initially deposited on the substrate-electrode to drop therefrom into the bath from which it is subsequently removed. A second recovery alternative comprises energizing the bath for a period of time sufficient to cause PZT powder deposition on the substrate-electrode only, from which it is subsequently recovered. PZT film and powder so produced can be employed directly in electronic applications, or the film and powder can be subsequently oxidized as by an annealing process to thereby produce lead-zirconium-titanium oxide for use in electronic applications.

Preparation of lead-zirconium-titanium film and powder by electrodeposition

DOEpatents

Bhattacharya, R.N.; Ginley, D.S.

1995-10-31

A process is disclosed for the preparation of lead-zirconium-titanium (PZT) film and powder compositions. The process comprises the steps of providing an electrodeposition bath, providing soluble salts of lead, zirconium and titanium metals to this bath, electrically energizing the bath to thereby direct ions of each respective metal to a substrate electrode and cause formation of metallic particles as a recoverable film of PZT powder on the electrode, and also recovering the resultant film as a powder. Recovery of the PZT powder can be accomplished by continually energizing the bath to thereby cause powder initially deposited on the substrate-electrode to drop therefrom into the bath from which it is subsequently removed. A second recovery alternative comprises energizing the bath for a period of time sufficient to cause PZT powder deposition on the substrate-electrode only, from which it is subsequently recovered. PZT film and powder so produced can be employed directly in electronic applications, or the film and powder can be subsequently oxidized as by an annealing process to thereby produce lead-zirconium-titanium oxide for use in electronic applications. 4 figs.

Testing the role of metal hydrolysis in the anomalous electrodeposition of Ni-Fe alloys

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

Harris, T.M.; St. Clair, J.

1996-12-01

With the objective of testing several models of the anomalous codeposition (ACD) encountered in the electrodeposition of nickel-iron alloys, the effects of bath pH and complexing agents on the composition of deposits were examined. When the pH of the base line bath was increased from 3.0 to 5.0, the Ni/Fe mass ratio of the deposit increased (i.e., the deposition became less anomalous). The presence of tartrate ion in the bath produced a slight decrease in the Ni/Fe of the deposit. This complexing agent complexes ferric ion and thus prevents its precipitation but has little interaction with ferrous ion or nickelmore » ion under the electrodeposition conditions examined. The addition of ethylenediamine to the bath produced a significant increase in the Ni/Fe mass ratio. This complexing agent does not interact significantly with ferric ion or ferrous ion under the test conditions. None of these observations are consistent with the Dahms and Croll model of ACD. The effects of pH and tartaric acid on the deposit composition are consistent with the predictions of the Grande and Talbot model and the Matlosz model. The effect of ethylenediamine is not consistent with the Grande and Talbot model, but may be interpreted within the framework of the Matlosz model and the Hessami and Tobias model.« less

Conformal Electroless Nickel Plating on Silicon Wafers, Convex and Concave Pyramids, and Ultralong Nanowires.

PubMed

Gill, Thomas Mark; Zhao, Jiheng; Berenschot, Erwin J W; Tas, Niels; Zheng, Xiaolin

2018-06-25

Nickel (Ni) plating has garnered great commercial interest, as it provides excellent hardness, corrosion resistance, and electrical conductivity. Though Ni plating on conducting substrates is commonly employed via electrodeposition, plating on semiconductors and insulators often necessitates electroless approaches. Corresponding plating theory for deposition on planar substrates was developed as early as 1946, but for substrates with micro- and nanoscale features, very little is known of the relationships between plating conditions, Ni deposition quality, and substrate morphology. Herein, we describe the general theory and mechanisms of electroless Ni deposition on semiconducting silicon (Si) substrates, detailing plating bath failures and establishing relationships between critical plating bath parameters and the deposited Ni film quality. Through this theory, we develop two different plating recipes: galvanic displacement (GD) and autocatalytic deposition (ACD). Neither recipe requires pretreatment of the Si substrate, and both methods are capable of depositing uniform Ni films on planar Si substrates and convex Si pyramids. In comparison, ACD has better tunability than GD, and it provides a more conformal Ni coating on complex and high-aspect-ratio Si structures, such as inverse fractal Si pyramids and ultralong Si nanowires. Our methodology and theoretical analyses can be leveraged to develop electroless plating processes for other metals and metal alloys and to generally provide direction for the adaptation of electroless deposition to modern applications.

SnS thin films deposited by chemical bath deposition, dip coating and SILAR techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaki, Sunil H.; Chaudhary, Mahesh D.; Deshpande, M. P.

2016-05-01

The SnS thin films were synthesized by chemical bath deposition (CBD), dip coating and successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) techniques. In them, the CBD thin films were deposited at two temperatures: ambient and 70 °C. The energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical spectroscopy techniques were used to characterize the thin films. The electrical transport properties studies on the as-deposited thin films were done by measuring the I-V characteristics, DC electrical resistivity variation with temperature and the room temperature Hall effect. The obtained results are deliberated in this paper.

Cadmium sulfide thin films growth by chemical bath deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hariech, S.; Aida, M. S.; Bougdira, J.; Belmahi, M.; Medjahdi, G.; Genève, D.; Attaf, N.; Rinnert, H.

2018-03-01

Cadmium sulfide (CdS) thin films have been prepared by a simple technique such as chemical bath deposition (CBD). A set of samples CdS were deposited on glass substrates by varying the bath temperature from 55 to 75 °C at fixed deposition time (25 min) in order to investigate the effect of deposition temperature on CdS films physical properties. The determination of growth activation energy suggests that at low temperature CdS film growth is governed by the release of Cd2+ ions in the solution. The structural characterization indicated that the CdS films structure is cubic or hexagonal with preferential orientation along the direction (111) or (002), respectively. The optical characterization indicated that the films have a fairly high transparency, which varies between 55% and 80% in the visible range of the optical spectrum, the refractive index varies from 1.85 to 2.5 and the optical gap value of which can reach 2.2 eV. It can be suggested that these properties make these films perfectly suitable for their use as window film in thin films based solar cells.

Zincblende to Wurtzite phase shift of CdSe thin films prepared by electrochemical deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Rekha; Chaudhary, Sujeet; Pandya, Dinesh K.

2018-04-01

Cadmium selenide (CdSe) nanostructured thin films have been deposited on conducting glass substrates by potentiostatic electrochemical deposition (ECD) technique. The effect of electrolyte bath pH on the structural, morphological and optical properties of CdSe films has been investigated. Crystal structure of these films is characterized by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy which reveal polycrystalline nature of CdSe films exhibiting phase shift from zincblende to wurtzite structure with increase in bath pH. Optical studies reveal that the CdSe thin films have good absorbance in visible spectral region and they possess direct optical band gap which increases from 1.68 to 1.97 eV with increase in bath pH. The results suggest CdSe is an efficient absorber material for next generation solar cells.

Structural and optical properties of nano-structured CdS thin films prepared by chemical bath deposition

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

Bai, Rekha, E-mail: rekha.mittal07@gmail.com; Kumar, Dinesh; Chaudhary, Sujeet

2016-05-06

Cadmium sulfide (CdS) thin films have been deposited on conducting glass substrates by chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique. The effect of precursor concentration on the structural, morphological, compositional, and optical properties of the CdS films has been studied. Crystal structure of these CdS films is characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and it reveals polycrystalline structure with mixture of cubic and wurtzite phases with grain size decreasing as precursor concentration is increased. Optical studies reveal that the CdS thin films have high transmittance in visible spectral region reaching 90% and the films possess direct optical band gap that decreases from 2.46more » to 2.39 eV with decreasing bath concentration. Our study suggests that growth is nucleation controlled.« less

Single step synthesis of rutile TiO{sub 2} nanoflower array film by chemical bath deposition method

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

Dhandayuthapani, T.; Sivakumar, R.; Ilangovan, R., E-mail: rilangovan@yahoo.com

2016-05-06

Titanium oxide (TiO{sub 2}) nanostructures such as nanorod arrays, nanotube arrays and nanoflower arrays have been extensively investigated by the researchers. Among them nanoflower arrays has shown superior performance than other nanostructures in Dye sensitized solar cell, photocatalysis and energy storage applications. Herein, a single step synthesis for rutile TiO{sub 2} nanoflower array films suitable for device applications has been reported. Rutile TiO{sub 2} nanoflower thin film was synthesized by chemical bath deposition method using NaCl as an additive. Bath temperature induced evolution of nanoflower thin film arrays was observed from the morphological study. X-ray diffraction study confirmed the presencemore » of rutile phase polycrystalline TiO{sub 2}. Micro-Raman study revealed the presence of surface phonon mode at 105 cm{sup −1} due to the phonon confinement effect (finite size effect), in addition with the rutile Raman active modes of B{sub 1}g (143 cm{sup −1}), Eg (442 cm{sup −1}) and A{sub 1}g (607 cm{sup −1}). Further, the FTIR spectrum confirmed the presence of Ti-O-Ti bonding vibration. The Tauc plot showed the direct energy band gap nature of the film with the value of 2.9 eV.« less

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2018-02-01

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

Synthesis of Nanocrystalline SnOx (x = 1–2) Thin Film Using a Chemical Bath Deposition Method with Improved Deposition Time, Temperature and pH

PubMed Central

Ebrahimiasl, Saeideh; Yunus, Wan Md. Zin Wan; Kassim, Anuar; Zainal, Zulkarnain

2011-01-01

Nanocrystalline SnOx (x = 1–2) thin films were prepared on glass substrates by a simple chemical bath deposition method. Triethanolamine was used as complexing agent to decrease time and temperature of deposition and shift the pH of the solution to the noncorrosive region. The films were characterized for composition, surface morphology, structure and optical properties. X-ray diffraction analysis confirms that SnOx thin films consist of a polycrystalline structure with an average grain size of 36 nm. Atomic force microscopy studies show a uniform grain distribution without pinholes. The elemental composition was evaluated by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The average O/Sn atomic percentage ratio is 1.72. Band gap energy and optical transition were determined from optical absorbance data. The film was found to exhibit direct and indirect transitions in the visible spectrum with band gap values of about 3.9 and 3.7 eV, respectively. The optical transmittance in the visible region is 82%. The SnOx nanocrystals exhibit an ultraviolet emission band centered at 392 nm in the vicinity of the band edge, which is attributed to the well-known exciton transition in SnOx. Photosensitivity was detected in the positive region under illumination with white light. PMID:22163690

Effect of growth time on Ti-doped ZnO nanorods prepared by low-temperature chemical bath deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bidier, Shaker A.; Hashim, M. R.; Al-Diabat, Ahmad M.; Bououdina, M.

2017-04-01

Ti-doped ZnO nanorod arrays were grown onto Si substrate using chemical bath deposition (CBD) method at 93 °C. To investigate the effect of time deposition on the morphological, and structural properties, four Ti-doped ZnO samples were prepared at various deposition periods of time (2, 3.5, 5, and 6.5 h). FESEM images displayed high-quality and uniform nanorods with a mean length strongly dependent upon deposition time; i.e. it increases for prolonged growth time. Additionally, EFTEM images reveal a strong erosion on the lateral side for the sample prepared for 6.5 h as compared to 5 h. This might be attributed to the dissolution reaction of ZnO with for prolonged growth time. XRD analysis confirms the formation of a hexagonal wurtzite-type structure for all samples with a preferred growth orientation along the c-axis direction. The (100) peak intensity was enhanced and then quenched, which might be the result of an erosion on the lateral side of nanorods as seen in EFTEM. This study confirms the important role of growth time on the morphological features of Ti-doped ZnO nanorods prepared using CBD. Increase the growth time causes an erosion in lateral side -(100) direction XRD- and enhances the axial direction -(002), XRD.

Electrodeposition of Zn-Co-Mo Alloy on the Steel Substrate from Citrate Bath and Its Corrosion Behavior in the Chloride Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keyvani, A.; Yeganeh, M.; Rezaeyan, H.

2017-04-01

In this study, Zn-Co-Mo coatings were deposited on the steel substrate from a citrate bath after adjusting pH, concentration, and current density. The morphology, the content of alloying elements, and the thickness of deposits were studied. Deposition behavior of these ternary coatings was examined by cathodic polarization and cyclic voltammetry (CV) techniques. The synthesized deposits were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) analysis, x-ray diffraction (XRD), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and potentiodynamic polarization methods. The results showed that the deposition potential of Zn-Co-Mo alloy was feasible in negative potentials higher than about -1.25 V versus Ag/AgCl. Moreover, the corrosion behavior of these coatings was found to be related to the extent of Mo as well as the local anodes and cathodes. The amount of molybdenum in the Zn-Co-Mo coating varied from 2.6 to 14 wt.% as a result of changing the pH. Based on the experimental findings, a narrow range of pH values between 5 and 5.5 could contribute to the high quality of coating in conjunction with the corrosion resistant alloy. Besides, the coatings with Mo element could show a passive-like behavior in the anodic region.

Ni-P/Zn-Ni compositionally modulated multilayer coatings - Part 1: Electrodeposition and growth mechanism, composition, morphology, roughness and structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahadormanesh, Behrouz; Ghorbani, Mohammad

2018-06-01

The Ni-P/Zn-Ni compositionally modulated multilayer coatings CMMCs were electrodeposited from a single bath by switching the cathodic current density. The composition, surface morphology, roughness, layers growth pattern as well as the phase structure of deposits were extensively studied via SEM, EDS, AFM and XRD analysis. Effects of bath ingredients on the electrodeposition behavior were analyzed through cathodic linear sweep voltammetry. Although the concentration of Zn2+ in bath was 13 times higher than Ni2+, the Zn-Ni deposition potential was much nearer to Ni deposition potential rather than that of Zn. Addition of NaH2PO2 to the Ni deposition bath considerably raised the current density and shifted the crystallization potential of Ni to more nobble values. Codeposition of P with Zn-Ni alloy lead to crack formation in the monolayer that was deposited in 60 mA/cm2. However, the cracks were not observed in the Zn-Ni layers of multilayers. Zn-Ni layers in CMMCs exhibited a three-dimensional pattern of growth while that of Ni-P layers was two-dimensional. Also, the Ni-P deposits tends to fill the discontinuities in Zn-Ni layers and performed leveling properties and lowered the surface roughness of Zn-Ni layers and CMMCs. Structural analysis demonstrated that Ni-P layers were amorphous and the Zn-Ni layers exhibited crystallite phase of Zn11Ni2. Thus, the Ni-P/Zn-Ni CMMCs comprised of alternate layers of amorphous Ni-P and nanocrystalline Zn Ni.

High performance nano-Ni/Graphite electrode for electro-oxidation in direct alkaline ethanol fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soliman, Ahmed B.; Abdel-Samad, Hesham S.; Abdel Rehim, Sayed S.; Ahmed, Mohamed A.; Hassan, Hamdy H.

2016-09-01

Ni/Graphite electrocatalysts (Ni/G) are successfully prepared through electrodeposition of Ni from acidic (pH = 0.8) and feebly acidic (pH = 5.5) aqueous Ni (II) baths. The efficiencies of such electrodes are investigated as anodes for direct alkaline ethanol fuel cells through their ethanol electrooxidation cyclic voltammetric (CV) response in alkaline medium. A direct proportionality between the amount of the electrodeposited Ni and its CV response is found. The amounts of the deposited Ni from the two baths are recorded using the Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance (eQCM). The Ni/G electrodes prepared from the feebly acidic bath show a higher electrocatalytic response than those prepared from the acidic bath. Surface morphology of the Ni particles electrodeposited from feebly acidic bath appears in a nano-scale dimension. Various electrochemical experiments are conducted to confirm that the Ni/G ethanol electrooxidation CV response greatly depends on the pH rather than nickel ion concentration of the deposition bath. The eQCM technique is used to detect the crystalline phases of nickel as α-Ni(OH)2/γ-NiOOH and β-Ni(OH)2/β-NiOOH and their in-situ inter-transformations during the potentiodynamic polarization.

Ion chromatography in the manufacture of multilayer circuit boards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, R. E.

1987-10-01

Ion chromatography (IC) has proven useful in analyzing chemical solutions used in the manufacture of multilayer circuit boards. IC provides results on ions not expected in the production solutions. Thus, solution contamination and breakdown products can be monitored in every phase of the circuit board manufacturing. During the first phase, epoxy laminates experience an etchback, first in chromic acid, which can be analyzed for trace chloride and sulfate, then in ammonium bifluoride/HCl, which can be analyzed for fluoride and chloride. Following a wet blasting to roughen up the surface, 20 mu in. of copper are deposited using an electroless bath. Again, IC is applicable for monitoring formate, tartarate, and sulfate levels. Next, an acid copper bath is used to electroplate the through holes with 0.001 in. of ductile copper. This bath is analyzed for trace chloride. Photoimaging is then performed, and the organic solvents used can be assayed for trace ionic chloride. Finally, a fluoroboric acid-based tin-lead bath is used to deposit a solderable alloy. This bath is analyzed for total fluoroborate, tin, and lead. In addition, mobile phase ion chromatography (MPIC) is used to monitor the nonionic organic brighteners in the baths.

Ion chromatography in the manufacture of multilayer circuit boards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Robert E.

1990-01-01

Ion chromatography (IC) has proven useful in analyzing chemical solutions used in the manufacture of multilayer circuit boards. Unlike other chemical quantification techniques, IC provides results on ions not expected in the production solutions. Thus, solution contamination and break-down products can be monitored in every phase of the circuit board manufacturing. During the first phase, epoxy laminates experience an etchback, first in chromic acid, which can be analyzed for trace chloride and sulfate, then in ammonium bifluoride/HCl, which can be analyzed for fluoride and chloride. Following a wet-blasting to roughen up the surface, 20 microinches of copper are deposited using an electroless bath. Again, IC is applicable for monitoring formate, tartarate, and sulfate levels. Next, an acid copper bath is used to electroplate the through holes with 0.001 inches of ductile copper. This bath is analyzed for trace chloride. Photoimaging is then performed, and the organic solvents used can be assayed for trace ionic chloride. Finally, a fluoroboric acid-based tin-lead bath is used to deposit a solderable alloy. This bath is analyzed for fluoroborate, tin, and lead. In addition, mobile phase ion chromatography (MPIC) is used to monitor the nonionic organic brighteners in the baths.

Characterization of honeycomb-like "β-Ni(OH) 2" thin films synthesized by chemical bath deposition method and their supercapacitor application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patil, U. M.; Gurav, K. V.; Fulari, V. J.; Lokhande, C. D.; Joo, Oh Shim

Nanostructured nickel hydroxide thin films are synthesized via a simple chemical bath deposition (CBD) method using nickel nitrate Ni(NO 3) 2 as the starting material. The deposition process is based on the thermal decomposition of ammonia-complexed nickel ions at 333 K. The structural, surface morphological, optical, electrical and electrochemical properties of the films are examined. The nanocrystalline "β" phase of Ni(OH) 2 is confirmed by the X-ray diffraction analysis. Scanning electron microscopy reveals a macroporous and interconnected honeycomb-like morphology. Optical absorption studies show that "β-Ni(OH) 2" has a wide optical band-gap of 3.95 eV. The negative temperature coefficient of the electrical resistance of "β-Ni(OH) 2", is attributed to the semiconducting nature of the material. The electrochemical properties of "β-Ni(OH) 2" in KOH electrolyte are examined by cyclic voltammetric (CV) measurements. The scan-rate dependent voltammograms demonstrate pseudocapacitive behaviour when "β-Ni(OH) 2" is employed as a working electrode in a three-electrode electrochemical cell containing 2 M KOH electrolyte with a platinum counter electrode and a saturated calomel reference electrodes. A specific capacitance of ∼398 × 10 3 F kg -1 is obtained.

Electroplating and magnetostructural characterization of multisegmented Co54Ni46/Co85Ni15 nanowires from single electrochemical bath in anodic alumina templates

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Highly hexagonally ordered hard anodic aluminum oxide membranes, which have been modified by a thin cover layer of SiO2 deposited by atomic layer deposition method, were used as templates for the synthesis of electrodeposited magnetic Co-Ni nanowire arrays having diameters of around 180 to 200 nm and made of tens of segments with alternating compositions of Co54Ni46 and Co85Ni15. Each Co-Ni single segment has a mean length of around 290 nm for the Co54Ni46 alloy, whereas the length of the Co85Ni15 segments was around 430 nm. The composition and crystalline structure of each Co-Ni nanowire segment were determined by transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction techniques. The employed single-bath electrochemical nanowire growth method allows for tuning both the composition and crystalline structure of each individual Co-Ni segment. The room temperature magnetic behavior of the multisegmented Co-Ni nanowire arrays is also studied and correlated with their structural and morphological properties. PMID:23735184

The transformation of ZnO submicron dumbbells into perfect hexagonal tubular structures using CBD: a post treatment route.

PubMed

Borade, P; Joshi, K U; Gokarna, A; Lerondel, G; Jejurikar, S M

2016-01-15

In this paper, we report the synthesis of dumbbell-shaped ZnO structures and their subsequent transformation into perfect hexagonal tubes by the extended chemical bath deposition (CBD) method, retaining all advantages such as reproducibility, simplicity, quickness and economical aspect. Well-dispersed sub-micron-sized dumbbell-shaped ZnO structures were synthesized on a SiO2/Si substrate by the CBD method. As an extension of the CBD process the synthesized ZnO dumbbells were exposed to the evaporate coming out of the chemical bath for a few minutes (simply by adjusting the height of the deposit so that it remained just above the solution) to convert them into hexagonal tubes via the dissolution process. The possible dissolution mechanism responsible for the observed conversion is discussed. The optical properties (photo-luminescence) recorded at low temperature on both the structures showed an intense, sharp excitonic peak located at ∼370 nm. The improved intensity and low FWHM of the UV peak observed in the hexagonal tubular structures assures high optical quality, and hence can be used for optoelectronic applications.

Deposition of zinc sulfide thin films by chemical bath process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oladeji, Isaiah O.; Chow, Lee

1996-11-01

Deposition of high quality zinc sulfide (ZnS) thin film over a large area is required if it is to be effectively used in electroluminescent devices, solar cells, and other optoelectronic devices. Of all deposition techniques, chemical bath deposition (CBD) is the least costly technique that meets the above requirements. Recently it is found that the growth of ZnS film, of thickness less than 100 nm in a single dip, by CBD is facilitated by the use of ammonia and hydrazine as complexing agents. Here we report that the thickness of the deposited ZnS film can be increased if ammonium salt is used as a buffer. We also present an analytical study to explain our results and to further understand the ZnS growth process in CBD.

Bulk heterojunction formation between indium tin oxide nanorods and CuInS2 nanoparticles for inorganic thin film solar cell applications.

PubMed

Cho, Jin Woo; Park, Se Jin; Kim, Jaehoon; Kim, Woong; Park, Hoo Keun; Do, Young Rag; Min, Byoung Koun

2012-02-01

In this study, we developed a novel inorganic thin film solar cell configuration in which bulk heterojunction was formed between indium tin oxide (ITO) nanorods and CuInS(2) (CIS). Specifically, ITO nanorods were first synthesized by the radio frequency magnetron sputtering deposition method followed by deposition of a dense TiO(2) layer and CdS buffer layer using atomic layer deposition and chemical bath deposition method, respectively. The spatial region between the nanorods was then filled with CIS nanoparticle ink, which was presynthesized using the colloidal synthetic method. We observed that complete gap filling was achieved to form bulk heterojunction between the inorganic phases. As a proof-of-concept, solar cell devices were fabricated by depositing an Au electrode on top of the CIS layer, which exhibited the best photovoltaic response with a V(oc), J(sc), FF, and efficiency of 0.287 V, 9.63 mA/cm(2), 0.364, and 1.01%, respectively.

Pulsed Electrodeposition of Ni with Uniform Co-Deposition of Micron Sized Diamond Particles on Copper Substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Prashant; Mahato, Neelima

Nanocrystalline nickel was deposited on annealed copper substrate of unit surface area (1 cm2) via pulsed electrodeposition technique using potentiostat (model 263A, Princeton Applied Research, USA) from Watts bath containing nickel sulfate, nickel chloride ,boric acid and sodium citrate. Diamond particles of three different dimensions, viz., 1, 3, and 6 micron were added separately (5 g/L) to the watts bath and co-deposited along with nanocrystalline nickel. The temperature was kept constant at 55 °C. The solution was ultrasonicated for 45-60 minutes prior to deposition to disperse the diamond particles uniformly in the bath. Depositions were carried out at different current densities, viz., 50, 100,150 and 200 mA/ cm2 for different durations, i.e.7, 14 and 21 minutes and best results are optimized for 200mA/cm2 so it is used for all process here .Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) show uniform deposition of microstructure of micron diamond on the surface of copper embedded in the nickel matrix. Elemental mapping confirmed uniform deposition of nickel and diamond with almost no cracks or pits. Mechanical properties of the sample such as, Vicker's hardness increased abruptly after the electrodeposition. Improved microstructural and mechanical properties were found in the case of electrodeposited surfaces containing followed by 3 and 6 micron diamond. The properties were also found better than those processed via stirring the solution during deposition.

Elimination of a pollution associated with chromic acid during the electro-deposition of Cr(III) using appropriate anodic and membrane materials in a double film bath.

PubMed

Jiang, Xiaojun; Chen, Wenchao; Xu, Hongbo

2009-01-01

A method using trivalent chromium has been used to replace hexavalent chromium for the electro-deposition of chromium. Using a tri-chamber bath system various anodic materials and membranes were evaluated to minimize the production of environmentally and health damaging chromic acid. By measuring the absorbance of Cr(VI) at 640 nm, the results indicate that the use of a titanium plated ruthenium (Ti-Ru) anode produces the least amount of chromic acid byproduct compared to lead-gold alloy and graphite anodes. The concentration of Cr(VI) in the immediate vicinity of the Ti-Ru anode decreased from 0.389 mg/L to 0 during a 40-min deposition period. The use of a Nafion(TM) quaternary cation exchange membrane portioning the buffer and anode selectively prevented Cr(III) from entering the anode compartment whilst allowing the migration of H(+) to maintain overall voltaic continuity. It has been demonstrated that the use of a Ti-Ru anode with a Nafion(TM) membrane can eliminate the production of chromic acid associated with the electro-deposition of chromium plate thereby preventing its health damaging exposure to plant operators and preventing discharge of Cr(VI) into the environment. Addition of a surfactant improved current efficiency by 34.7%.

Analysis of the co-deposition of Al2O3 particles with nickel by an electrolytic route: The influence of organic additives presence and Al2O3 concentration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Temam, H. B.; Temam, E. G.

2016-04-01

Alloy coatings were prepared by co-deposition of Al2O3 particles in Ni matrix on carbon steel substrate from nickel chloride bath in which metallic powders were held in suspension. The influence of metal powder amount in the bath on chemical composition, morphology, thickness, microhardness and corrosion behavior of obtained coatings, has been investigated. It was shown that the presence of Al2O3 particles in deposit greatly improves the hardness and the wear resistance of alloy coatings. Characterization by microanalysis (EDX) of the various deposits elaborated confirms that the rate of particles incorporated increases as the concentration of solid particles increasing. The results showed that the presence of organic additives in Ni-Al2O3 electrolyte deposition led to an increase in the hardness and corrosion resistance of the deposits.

Effects of choline chloride on electrodeposited Ni coating from a Watts-type bath

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yurong; Yang, Caihong; He, Jiawei; Wang, Wenchang; Mitsuzak, Naotoshi; Chen, Zhidong

2016-05-01

Electrodeposition of bright nickel (Ni) was carried out in a Watts-type bath. Choline chloride (ChCl) was applied as a multifunctional additive and substitute for nickel chloride (NiCl2) in a Watts-type bath. The function of ChCl was investigated through conductivity tests, anodic polarization, and cathodic polarization experiments. The studies revealed that ChCl performed well as a conducting salt, anodic activator, and cathodic inhibitor. The effects of ChCl on deposition rate, preferred orientation, grain size, surface morphology, and microhardness of Ni coatings were also studied. The deposition rate reached a maximum value of greater than 27 μm h-1 when 20 g L-1 ChCl was introduced to the bath. Using X-ray diffraction, it was confirmed that progressive addition of ChCl promoted the preferred crystal orientation modification from (2 0 0) and (2 2 0) to (1 1 1), refined grain size, and enhanced microhardness. The presence of ChCl lowered the roughness of the coating.

Electrophoretic Deposition on Porous Non-Conductors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Compson, Charles; Besra, Laxmidhar; Liu, Meilin

2007-01-01

A method of electrophoretic deposition (EPD) on substrates that are porous and electrically non-conductive has been invented. Heretofore, in order to perform an EPD, it has been necessary to either (1) use a substrate material that is inherently electrically conductive or (2) subject a non-conductive substrate to a thermal and/or chemical treatment to render it conductive. In the present method, instead of relying on the electrical conductivity of the substrate, one ensures that the substrate is porous enough that when it is immersed in an EPD bath, the solvent penetrates throughout the thickness, thereby forming quasi-conductive paths through the substrate. By making it unnecessary to use a conductive substrate, this method simplifies the overall EPD process and makes new applications possible. The method is expected to be especially beneficial in enabling deposition of layers of ceramic and/or metal for chemical and electrochemical devices, notably including solid oxide fuel cells.

Chemically Deposited Thin-Film Solar Cell Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raffaelle, R.; Junek, W.; Gorse, J.; Thompson, T.; Harris, J.; Hehemann, D.; Hepp, A.; Rybicki, G.

2005-01-01

We have been working on the development of thin film photovoltaic solar cell materials that can be produced entirely by wet chemical methods on low-cost flexible substrates. P-type copper indium diselenide (CIS) absorber layers have been deposited via electrochemical deposition. Similar techniques have also allowed us to incorporate both Ga and S into the CIS structure, in order to increase its optical bandgap. The ability to deposit similar absorber layers with a variety of bandgaps is essential to our efforts to develop a multi-junction thin-film solar cell. Chemical bath deposition methods were used to deposit a cadmium sulfide (CdS) buffer layers on our CIS-based absorber layers. Window contacts were made to these CdS/CIS junctions by the electrodeposition of zinc oxide (ZnO). Structural and elemental determinations of the individual ZnO, CdS and CIS-based films via transmission spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy will be presented. The electrical characterization of the resulting devices will be discussed.

Chemical bath deposited (CBD) CuO thin films on n-silicon substrate for electronic and optical applications: Impact of growth time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sultana, Jenifar; Paul, Somdatta; Karmakar, Anupam; Yi, Ren; Dalapati, Goutam Kumar; Chattopadhyay, Sanatan

2017-10-01

Thin film of p-type cupric oxide (p-CuO) is grown on silicon (n-Si) substrate by using chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique and a precise control of thickness from 60 nm to 178 nm has been achieved. The structural properties and stoichiometric composition of the grown films are observed to depend significantly on the growth time. The chemical composition, optical properties, and structural quality are investigated in detail by employing XRD, ellipsometric measurements and SEM images. Also, the elemental composition and the oxidation states of Cu and O in the grown samples have been studied in detail by XPS measurements. Thin film of 110 nm thicknesses exhibited the best performance in terms of crystal quality, refractive index, dielectric constant, band-gap, and optical properties. The study suggests synthesis route for developing high quality CuO thin film using CBD method for electronic and optical applications.

Coercivity enhancement of sintered Nd-Fe-B magnets by chemical bath deposition of TbCl{sub 3}

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

Guo, Shuai, E-mail: gshuai@nimte.ac.cn; Zhang, Xiaofeng; Ding, Guangfei

2014-05-07

The chemical bath deposition (CBD) and the grain boundary diffusion method were combined to diffuse the heavy rare earth for obtain the thick magnets with high coercivity and low heavy rare earth. The jet mill powders were soaked into the alcohol solution of 0.2 wt. % TbCl{sub 3}. A thin layer of TbCl{sub 3} was wrapped to the surface of (PrNd){sub 2}Fe{sub 14}B powder particles. The coercivity of magnet is increased from 11.89 kOe to 14.72 kOe without significant reduction of remanence after grain boundary diffusion in the sintering and the annealing processes. The temperature coefficients of the remanence and themore » coercivity are improved by the substitution of PrNd by Tb in the surface of grains. The highly accelerated temperature/humidity stress test (HAST) results indicate that the CBD magnet has poor corrosion resistance, attributing to the present of Cl atoms in the grain boundaries.« less

Structural control of ultra-fine CoPt nanodot arrays via electrodeposition process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wodarz, Siggi; Hasegawa, Takashi; Ishio, Shunji; Homma, Takayuki

2017-05-01

CoPt nanodot arrays were fabricated by combining electrodeposition and electron beam lithography (EBL) for the use of bit-patterned media (BPM). To achieve precise control of deposition uniformity and coercivity of the CoPt nanodot arrays, their crystal structure and magnetic properties were controlled by controlling the diffusion state of metal ions from the initial deposition stage with the application of bath agitation. Following bath agitation, the composition gradient of the CoPt alloy with thickness was mitigated to have a near-ideal alloy composition of Co:Pt =80:20, which induces epitaxial-like growth from Ru substrate, thus resulting in the improvement of the crystal orientation of the hcp (002) structure from its initial deposition stages. Furthermore, the cross-sectional transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis of the nanodots deposited with bath agitation showed CoPt growth along its c-axis oriented in the perpendicular direction, having uniform lattice fringes on the hcp (002) plane from the Ru underlayer interface, which is a significant factor to induce perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Magnetic characterization of the CoPt nanodot arrays showed increase in the perpendicular coercivity and squareness of the hysteresis loops from 2.0 kOe and 0.64 (without agitation) to 4.0 kOe and 0.87 with bath agitation. Based on the detailed characterization of nanodot arrays, the precise crystal structure control of the nanodot arrays with ultra-high recording density by electrochemical process was successfully demonstrated.

Morphology selection for cupric oxide thin films by electrodeposition.

PubMed

Dhanasekaran, V; Mahalingam, T; Chandramohan, R

2011-10-01

Polycrystalline cupric oxide thin films were deposited using alkaline solution bath employing cathodic electrodeposition method. The thin films were electrodeposited at various solution pH. The surface morphology and elemental analyzes of the films were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis, respectively. SEM studies revealed that the surface morphology could be tailored suitably by adjusting the pH value during deposition. Mesh average on multiple lattice mode atomic force microscopy image was obtained and reported. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Influence of γ-phase on corrosion resistance of Zn–Ni alloy electrodeposition from acetate electrolytic bath

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selvaraju, V.; Thangaraj, V.

2018-05-01

The electrodeposition of Zn–Ni alloy containing 10% to 15% nickel was deposited from acetate electrolytic bath. The effect of current density, pH, temperature, cathodic current efficiency on the deposition of Zn–Ni alloy and the throwing power ability of the solution was investigated. The composition of the deposits and the morphology were strongly influenced by the temperature and applied current density. Corrosion resistance of a Zn–Ni alloy deposit was increases with the increase of current density. Zn–Ni alloy deposits shows higher corrosion resistance at optimum current density of 3.0 A dm‑2. X-Ray diffraction measurement confirms the presence of γ –phase Zn–Ni alloy deposition. The XRD reflection of Zn–Ni (831) was found to be increased with increase in current density. SEM studies reveal that the nanovial structure of Zn–Ni alloy deposited at 3.0 A dm‑2 gives high protection against corrosion.

Zn-Mn alloy coatings from acidic chloride bath: Effect of deposition conditions on the Zn-Mn electrodeposition-morphological and structural characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loukil, N.; Feki, M.

2017-07-01

Zn-Mn alloy electrodeposition on steel electrode in chloride bath was investigated using cyclic voltammetric, chronopotentiometric and chronoamperometric techniques. Cyclic voltammetries (CV) reveal a deep understanding of electrochemical behaviors of each metal Zn, Mn, proton discharge and Zn-Mn co-deposition. The electrochemical results show that with increasing Mn2+ ions concentration in the electrolytic bath, Mn2+ reduction occurs at lower over-potential leading to an enhancement of Mn content into the Zn-Mn deposits. A dimensionless graph model was used to analyze the effect of Mn2+ ions concentration on Zn-Mn nucleation process. It was found that the nucleation process is not extremely affected by Mn2+ concentration. Nevertheless, it significantly depends on the applied potential. Several parameters such as Mn2+ ions concentration, current density and stirring were investigated with regard to the Mn content into the final Zn-Mn coatings. It was found that the Mn content increases with increasing the applied current density jimp and Mn2+ ions concentration in the electrolytic bath. However, stirring of the solution decreases the Mn content in the Zn-Mn coatings. The phase structure and surface morphology of Zn-Mn deposits are characterized by means of X-ray diffraction analysis and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), respectively. The Zn-Mn deposited at low current density is tri-phasic and consisting of η-Zn, ζ-MnZn13 and hexagonal close packed ε-Zn-Mn. An increase in current density leads to a transition from crystalline to amorphous structure, arising from the hydroxide inclusions in the Zn-Mn coating at high current density.

AFM investigation and optical band gap study of chemically deposited PbS thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaman, S.; Mansoor, M.; Abubakar; Asim, M. M.

2016-08-01

The interest into deposition of nanocrystalline PbS thin films, the potential of designing and tailoring both the topographical features and the band gap energy (Eg) by controlling growth parameters, has significant technological importance. Nanocrystalline thin films of lead sulfide were grown onto glass substrates by chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. The experiments were carried out by varying deposition temperature. We report on the modification of structural and optical properties as a function of deposition temperature. The morphological changes of the films were analyzed by using SEM and AFM. AFM was also used to calculate average roughness of the films. XRD spectra indicated preferred growth of cubic phase of PbS films in (200) direction with increasing deposition time. Optical properties have been studied by UV-Spectrophotometer. From the diffused reflectance spectra we have calculated the optical Eg shift from 0.649-0.636 eV with increasing deposition time.

A facile one-step synthesis of Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles-decorated TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays as high performance electrode for supercapacitors

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

Zhang, Jianfang; Wang, Yan; Key Laboratory of Advance Functional Materials and Devices of Anhui Province, Hefei 230009

Via a facile one-step chemical bath deposition route, homogeneously dispersed Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles have been successfully deposited onto the inner surface of TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays (TNAs). The content and size of Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4} can be controlled by changing the deposition time. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy analysis reveal the morphologies structures of Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4}/TNAs composites. The crystal-line structures are characterized by the X-ray diffraction patterns and Raman spectra. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy further confirms the valence states of the sample elements. The electrochemical properties of Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4}/TNAs electrodes are systematically investigated bymore » the combine use of cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The resulting Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4}/TNAs electrode prepared by deposition time of 3 h shows the highest specific capacitance of 570 F g{sup −1} at a current density of 1 A g{sup −1}. And it also shows an excellent long-term cycling stability at a current density of 5 A g{sup −1}, which remaining 91.8% of the initial capacitance after 2000 cycles. Thus this kind of Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles decorated TNAs may be considered as an alternative promising candidate for high performance supercapacitor electrodes. - Graphical abstract: Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles have been uniformly deposited onto the inner surfaces of TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays through a facile one-step chemical bath deposition method. As electrodes for supercapacitors, they exhibit a relatively high specific capacity and excellent cycling stability. - Highlights: • Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles have been deposited onto TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays by chemical bath deposition. • The Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4}/TNAs exhibits a highest specific capacitance of 570 F g{sup –1} at a current density of 1 A g{sup –1}. • The Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4}/TNAs electrode shows an excellent cycling stability of 91.8% after 2000 cycles.« less

SILAR deposition of nickel sulfide counter electrode for application in quantum dot sensitized solar cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Navjot; Siwatch, Poonam; Arora, Anmol; Sharma, Jadab; Tripathi, S. K.

2018-05-01

Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cells are a likely replacement for Silicon-based solar cells. Counter electrodes are a fundamental aspect of QDSSC's performance. NiS being a less expensive material is a decent choice for the purpose. In this paper, we have discussed the synthesis of NiS by Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption Reaction. Optical, Crystallographic and Electrical studies have been presented. Electrical studies of the device with NiS counter electrode is compared with characteristics of the device with CNTs as the counter electrode. SILAR method is easy and less time to consume than chemical bath deposition or any other method. Results show the success of NiS synthesized by SILAR method as the counter electrode.

Structural and optical properties of nanostructured CdSe thin films prepared by electrochemical deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Rekha; Chaudhary, Sujeet; Pandya, Dinesh K.

2018-05-01

Cadmium selenide (CdSe) nanostructured thin films have been grown on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrates by potentiostatic electrochemical deposition (ECD) technique for use in solar energy conversion devices. The effect of bath temperature on the structural, morphological and optical properties of prepared CdSe films has been explored. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy clearly show that the CdSe films are polycrystalline and exhibit phase transformation from wurtzite to zincblende structure with increase in bath temperature. Optical spectra reveal that the nanostructured CdSe films have high absorbance in visible region and the films show a red shift in direct optical energy band gap from 1.90 to 1.65 eV with increase in bath temperature due to change in phase and bandgap tuning related to quantum confinement effect.

Studies on the electrodeposition of tin from acidic chloride-gluconate solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudnik, Ewa; Włoch, Grzegorz

2013-01-01

Electrodeposition of tin from acidic chloride-gluconate baths was investigated. Equilibrium distribution of tin(II) species showed domination of Sn(II)-gluconate complexes, but for Sn2+ concentrations 50 mM or higher increased percentage of Sn(II)-chloride complexes was found. Cyclic voltammetry, anodic stripping analysis and potentiostatic measurements indicated that rate of the cathodic process is determined by the release of metal cations from gluconate complexes in diluted bath (5 mM), but for more concentrated solutions reduction of Sn(II) ions run under diffusion control. Studies of anodic response showed that it depends on the Sn(II)/Glu ratio in the bath and deposition potential due to development of different planes of metal crystal. Average effective diffusion coefficients of metal species were determined. Morphology and structure tin deposits were also presented.

Consequence of oxidant concentration on XPS properties of chemically synthesized polythiophene thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamat, Sandip V.; Chhabra, Jasvinder; Patil, V. S.; Yadav, J. B.; Puri, R. K.; Puri, Vijaya

2018-05-01

The polythiophene thin films were prepared by a wellknown chemical bath deposition technique. The deposited thin films were characterized for structural morphological properties and the adhesion of these thin films were measured by direct pull off (DPO) method, the effect of oxidant concentration on these thin films also studied. The FTIR spectra of chemically deposited polythiophene thin films shows the absorption peak at 836 cm-1 which represents c-s stretching vibrations, shifts to 869 cm-1 as the oxidant concentration increases. The band at 666 cm-1 representing c-s-c ring deformation becomes sharper and appears with a shoulder peak due to increase in oxidant concentration.

A novel electroless method to prepare a platinum electrocatalyst on diamond for fuel cell applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyu, Xiao; Hu, Jingping; Foord, John S.; Wang, Qiang

2013-11-01

A novel electroless deposition method was demonstrated to prepare a platinum electrocatalyst on boron doped diamond (BDD) substrates without the need for pre-activation. This green method addresses the uniformity and particle size issues associated with electrodeposition and circumvents the pre-activation procedure which is necessary for conventional electroless deposition. The inert BDD substrate formed a galvanic couple with an iron wire, to overcome the activation barrier associated with conventional electroless deposition on diamond, leading to the formation of Pt nanoparticles on the electrode surface in a galvanic process coupled to a chemical process. When sodium hypophosphite was employed as the reducing agent to drive the electroless reaction Pt deposits which were contaminated with iron and phosphorus resulted. In contrast, the reducing agent ascorbic acid gave rise to high purity Pt nanoparticles. Optimal deposition conditions with respect to bath temperature, pH value and stabilizing additives are identified. Using this approach, high purity and uniformly distributed platinum nanoparticles are obtained on the diamond electrode surface, which demonstrate a high electrochemical activity towards methanol oxidation.

Investigation on structural and optical properties of ZnO film prepared by simple wet chemical method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sholehah, Amalia; Mulyadi, Rendi; Haryono, Didied; Muttakin, Imamul; Rusbana, Tb Bahtiar; Mardiyanto

2018-04-01

ZnO thin layer has a broad potential application in electronic and optoelectronic devices. In this study, vertically align ZnO layers were deposited on ITO glass using wet chemistry method. The seed layers were prepared using electrodeposition technique at 3°C. The growing process was carried out using chemical bath deposition at 90°C. To improve the structural properties, two different hydrothermal treatment variations were applied separately. From the experiment, it is shown that the hydrothermal process using N2 gas has given the best result, with average diameter, crystallite size, and band-gap energy of 68.83 nm; 56.37 nm; and 3.16 eV, respectively.

Physiological and subjective responses to standing showers, sitting showers, and sink baths.

PubMed

Ohnaka, T; Tochihara, Y; Kubo, M; Yamaguchi, C

1995-09-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate physiological and subjective responses during and after bathing in three different bathing methods. Eight healthy males bathed for 10 minutes, and then rested for 30 minutes. Three kinds of bathing methods - standing shower, sitting shower and sink bath - were adopted in this experiment. Water temperature and flow volume of the showers were kept at 41 degrees C and 11 liter/min, while water temperature of the bath was kept at 40 degrees C. Rectal temperature, skin temperatures and heart rate of the subjects were measured continuously during bathing and the subsequent 30-minute rest. Blood pressure and votes for thermal sensations were recorded before bathing, after 5 and 10 minutes of bathing, and 5, 10, 20 and 30 minutes after bathing. The following results were obtained. 1) Although rectal temperature rose, on the average, by 0.15 degrees C in all bathing methods, there were no significant differences among the three bathing methods at any time in the experiment. 2) Mean skin temperature (Tsk) during the sink bath was significantly higher than that in the standing or sitting shower. After bathing, Tsk of sink bath was slightly higher than those of the remaining conditions, but did not significantly differ among the bathing methods. 3) Heart rate increased gradually during all the bathing methods, however, only HR in the standing shower exceeded 100 beats/min which was significantly higher than those of the two remaining bathing methods. 4) Blood pressure (BP) decreased rapidly during the sink bath in contrast to an increased BP in the sitting and standing showers.

Anneal-Hardening Behavior of Cr-Fe-C Alloy Deposits Prepared in a Cr3+-Based Bath with Fe2+ Ions

PubMed Central

Huang, Ching An; Chen, Jhih You; Wang, Hai

2017-01-01

Cr-Fe-C alloy deposits were successfully prepared on high-carbon tool steel in a Cr3+-based electroplating bath containing Fe2+ ions and suitable complex agents. A Cr-based alloy deposit was obtained with an electroplating current density higher than 25 Adm−2, and a Fe-based alloy deposit was obtained using a current density of 20 Adm−2. Following electroplating, these alloy deposited specimens were annealed via rapid thermal annealing (RTA) at 500 °C for different periods up to 30 s. The experimental results show that Cr- and Fe-based alloy deposits could be significantly hardened after RTA at 500 °C for a few seconds. The maximum hardness was that of the Cr-Fe-C alloy deposit annealed at 500 °C for 10 s. The maximum hardness of 1205 Hv was detected from the annealed Cr-based alloy deposit prepared with 30 ASD. The hardening mechanism of annealed Cr- and Fe-based alloy deposits is attributed to the precipitation of C-related membranes. The hardness values of the annealed Cr- and Fe-based alloy deposits increase with the increasing degree of crystallization of the C-related membranes. PMID:29206206

Facile synthesis of PbTe nanoparticles and thin films in alkaline aqueous solution at room temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y. Y.; Cai, K. F.; Yao, X.

2009-12-01

A novel, simple, and cost-effective route to PbTe nanoparticles and films is reported in this paper. The PbTe nanoparticles and films are fabricated by a chemical bath method, at room temperature and ambient pressure, using conventional chemicals as starting materials. The average grain size of the nanoparticles collected at the bottom of the bath is ˜25 nm. The film deposited on glass substrate is dense, smooth, and uniform with silver gray metallic luster. The film exhibits p-type conduction and has a moderate Seebeck coefficient value (˜147 μV K -1) and low electrical conductivity (˜0.017 S cm -1). The formation mechanism of the PbTe nanoparticles and films is proposed.

Sulfide semiconductor materials prepared by high-speed electrodeposition and discussion of electrochemical reaction mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okamoto, Naoki; Kataoka, Kentaro; Saito, Takeyasu

2017-07-01

A manufacturing method for SnS using a one-step electrochemical technique was developed. The sulfide semiconductor was formed by electrodeposition using an aqueous bath at low temperatures. The sulfide semiconductor particles produced were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The highest current density at which SnS was formed was 1800 mA/cm2 at a bath temperature of 293 K, which is 36 times larger than that in a previous deposition process. Analysis of the chronoamperometric current-time transients indicated that in the potential range from -1100 to -2000 mV vs saturated calomel electrode (SCE), the electrodeposition of SnS can be explained by an instantaneous nucleation model.

Electrodeposition of CuZn Alloys from the Non-Cyanide Alkaline Baths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Minggang; Wei, Guoying; Hu, Shuangshuang; Xu, Shuhan; Yang, Yejiong; Miao, Qinfang

2015-10-01

Effect of copper sulfate on CuZn alloys electroplating from non-cyanide baths are investigated by different electrochemical methods. Cyclic voltammetry and current transient measurements are used to characterize the CuZn alloys electroplating system in order to analyze the nucleation and growth mechanism. The reduction of Cu and CuZn alloy on sheet iron substrates shows an instantaneous nucleation process. However, the reduction of Zn on sheet iron substrates shows a progressive nucleation process. The structure and surface morphology of CuZn alloys are analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The morphology of CuZn alloys obtained with 50 g L-1 copper sulfate presents a smooth and compact deposit and the size of crystal particle is uniform.

Process for preparing superconducting film having substantially uniform phase development

DOEpatents

Bharacharya, Raghuthan; Parilla, Philip A.; Blaugher, Richard D.

1995-01-01

A process for preparing a superconducting film, such as a thallium-barium-calcium-copper oxide superconducting film, having substantially uniform phase development. The process comprises providing an electrodeposition bath having one or more soluble salts of one or more respective potentially superconducting metals in respective amounts adequate to yield a superconducting film upon subsequent appropriate treatment. Should all of the metals required for producing a superconducting film not be made available in the bath, such metals can be a part of the ambient during a subsequent annealing process. A soluble silver salt in an amount between about 0.1% and about 4.0% by weight of the provided other salts is also provided to the bath, and the bath is electrically energized to thereby form a plated film. The film is annealed in ambient conditions suitable to cause formation of a superconductor film. Doping with silver reduces the temperature at which the liquid phase appears during the annealing step, initiates a liquid phase throughout the entire volume of deposited material, and influences the nucleation and growth of the deposited material.

Process for preparing superconducting film having substantially uniform phase development

DOEpatents

Bharacharya, R.; Parilla, P.A.; Blaugher, R.D.

1995-12-19

A process is disclosed for preparing a superconducting film, such as a thallium-barium-calcium-copper oxide superconducting film, having substantially uniform phase development. The process comprises providing an electrodeposition bath having one or more soluble salts of one or more respective potentially superconducting metals in respective amounts adequate to yield a superconducting film upon subsequent appropriate treatment. Should all of the metals required for producing a superconducting film not be made available in the bath, such metals can be a part of the ambient during a subsequent annealing process. A soluble silver salt in an amount between about 0.1% and about 4.0% by weight of the provided other salts is also provided to the bath, and the bath is electrically energized to thereby form a plated film. The film is annealed in ambient conditions suitable to cause formation of a superconductor film. Doping with silver reduces the temperature at which the liquid phase appears during the annealing step, initiates a liquid phase throughout the entire volume of deposited material, and influences the nucleation and growth of the deposited material. 3 figs.

Study of the morphology of ZnS thin films deposited on different substrates via chemical bath deposition.

PubMed

Gómez-Gutiérrez, Claudia M; Luque, P A; Castro-Beltran, A; Vilchis-Nestor, A R; Lugo-Medina, Eder; Carrillo-Castillo, A; Quevedo-Lopez, M A; Olivas, A

2015-01-01

In this work, the influence of substrate on the morphology of ZnS thin films by chemical bath deposition is studied. The materials used were zinc acetate, tri-sodium citrate, thiourea, and ammonium hydroxide/ammonium chloride solution. The growth of ZnS thin films on different substrates showed a large variation on the surface, presenting a poor growth on SiO2 and HfO2 substrates. The thin films on ITO substrate presented a uniform and compact growth without pinholes. The optical properties showed a transmittance of about 85% in the visible range of 300-800 nm with band gap of 3.7 eV. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Physical properties of nanostructured strontium oxide thin film grown by chemical bath deposition technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Farhan; Belkhedkar, M. R.; Salodkar, R. V.

2018-05-01

Nanostructured SrO thin film of thickness 139 nm was deposited by chemical bath deposition technique onto glass substrates using SrCl2.6H2O and NaOH as cationic and anionic precursors without complexing agents. The X-ray diffraction studies revealed that, SrO thin film is nanocrystalline in nature with cubic structure. The surface morphology of the SrO film was investigated by means of field emission scanning electron microscopy. The optical studies showed that SrO film exhibits direct as well as indirect optical band gap energy. The electrical resistivity and activation energy of SrO thin film is found to be of the order of 106 Ω cm and 0.58eV respectively.

Nanostructure CdS/ZnO heterojunction configuration for photocatalytic degradation of Methylene blue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velanganni, S.; Pravinraj, S.; Immanuel, P.; Thiruneelakandan, R.

2018-04-01

In the present manuscript, thin films of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) have been deposited on a FTO substrate using a simple successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) and chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. Cadmium Sulphide (CdS) nanoparticles are sensitized over ZnO thin films using SILAR method. The synthesized nanostructured CdS/ZnO heterojunction thin films was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-Vis spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy techniques. The band gap of CdS nanoparticles over ZnO nanostructure was found to be about 3.20 eV. The photocatalytic activities of the deposited CdS/ZnO thin films were evaluated by the degradation of methylene blue (MB) in an aqueous solution under sun light irradiation.

Combination for electrolytic reduction of alumina

DOEpatents

Brown, Craig W.; Brooks, Richard J.; Frizzle, Patrick B.; Juric, Drago D.

2002-04-30

An electrolytic bath for use during the electrolytic reduction of alumina to aluminum. The bath comprises molten electrolyte having the following ingredients: AlF.sub.3 and at least one salt selected from the group consisting of NaF, KF, and LiF; and about 0.004 wt. % to about 0.2 wt. %, based on total weight of the molten electrolyte, of at least one transition metal or at least one compound of the metal or both. The compound is, a fluoride; oxide, or carbonate. The metal is nickel, iron, copper, cobalt, or molybdenum. The bath is employed in a combination including a vessel for containing the bath and at least one non-consumable anode and at least one dimensionally stable cathode in the bath. Employing the instant bath during electrolytic reduction of alumina to aluminum improves the wetting of aluminum on a cathode by reducing or eliminating the formation of non-metallic deposits on the cathode.

ELECTROLYTIC PROCESS FOR PRODUCING METALS

DOEpatents

Kopelman, B.; Holden, R.B.

1961-06-01

A method is described for reducing beryllium halides to beryllium. The beryllfum halide fs placed in an eutectic mixture of alkali halides and alkaline earth halides. The constituents of this eutectic bath are so chosen that it has a melting point less than the boiling point of mercury, which acts as a cathode for the system. The beryllium metal is then deposited in the mercury upon electrolysis.

Photocatalytic efficiency of CdS film synthesized by CBD method

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

Ishiyama, T.; Sato, Y.; Jeyadevan, B.

2006-05-15

Cadmium Sulfide semiconductor has comparatively small band gap and act as photocatalyst under irradiation of visible light. For practical use, it is convenient to fix the photocatalyst on a substrate as a thin film. In this study, we prepared CdS thin film on Ti substrate by Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD). To improve photocatalytic activity, CdS film was annealed and optimum thickness was investigated.

pH effect on structural and optical properties of nanostructured zinc oxide thin films

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

Munef, R. A.

2015-03-30

ZnO nanostructures were Deposited on Objekttrager glasses for various pH values by chemical bath deposition method using Zn (NO3)2·6H2O (zinc nitrate hexahydrate) solution at 75°C reaction temperature without any posterior treatments. The ZnO nanostructures obtained were characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD, UV). The structure was hexagonal and it was found that some peaks disappear with various pH values. The grain sizes of ZnO films increases from 22-to-29nm with increasing pH. The transmission of the films was (85-95%)

Effect of Ultrasonic on Copper Electroplating from the Non-Cyanide Alkaline Baths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Minggang; Hu, Shuangshuang; Yang, Yejiong; Xu, Shuhan; Zhao, Xixi; Wei, Guoying

2014-06-01

Effects of the different ultrasonic powers on copper electrodeposition from non-cyanide alkaline baths by using pyrophosphate as complexing agent were investigated by different electrochemical methods. Cyclic voltammetry and current transient measurements were used to characterize the nucleation and growth mechanism. It is very obvious that the reduction potential moves to more positive one as the ultrasonic power increases. The quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and chronoamperometric method were used to study the relationship between the mass change and the deposition time. It was found that the current efficiency of electrolyte under 0, 60, 80 and 100 W is 91.95%, 92.14%, 89.25% and 96.11%, respectively measured by QCM measurements. The surface morphology of the electrodeposited Cu films is analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The morphology of copper films electrodeposited under the power of 60 W and 80 W presents a compact surface and the grains are fine and uniform.

In Situ Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR) Spectroscopy to Investigate Kinetics of Chemical Bath Deposition of CdS Thin Films

DOE PAGES

Kalyanaraman, Ramki; Taz, Humaira; Ruther, Rose E.; ...

2015-02-11

Techniques that can characterize the early stages of thin film deposition from liquid phase processes can aid greatly in our understanding of mechanistic aspects of chemical bath deposition (CBD). Here we have used localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) spectroscopy to monitor in-situ the kinetics of early-stage growth of cadmium sulfide (CdS) thin films on Ag nanoparticle on quartz substrates. Real-time shift during CdS deposition showed that the LSPR wavelength red shifted rapidly due to random deposition of CdS on the substrate, but saturated at longer times. LSPR modeling showed that these features could be interpreted as an initial deposition ofmore » CdS islands followed by preferential deposition onto itself. The CdS also showed significantly enhanced Raman signals up to 170 times due to surface enhanced raman scattering (SERS) from the CdS/Ag NP regions. The ex-situ SERS effect supported the LSPR shift suggesting that these techniques could be used to understand nucleation and growth phenomena from the liquid phase.« less

Experimental Studies on role of pH, potential and concentration of buffer solution for chemical bath deposition technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suresha, B. L.; Sumantha, H. S.; Salman, K. Mohammed; Pramod, N. G.; Abhiram, J.

2018-04-01

The ionization potential is usually found to be less in acid and more in base. The experiment proves that the ionization potential increases on dilution of acid to base and reduces from base to acid. The potential can be tailored according to the desired properties based on our choice of acid or base. The experimental study establishes a direct relationship between pH and electric potential. This work provides theoretical insights on the need for a basic media of pH 10 in chemical thin film growth techniques called Chemical Bath Deposition Techniques.

Chemical bath deposited and dip coating deposited CuS thin films - Structure, Raman spectroscopy and surface study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tailor, Jiten P.; Khimani, Ankurkumar J.; Chaki, Sunil H.

2018-05-01

The crystal structure, Raman spectroscopy and surface microtopography study on as-deposited CuS thin films were carried out. Thin films deposited by two techniques of solution growth were studied. The thin films used in the present study were deposited by chemical bath deposition (CBD) and dip coating deposition techniques. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of both the as-deposited thin films showed that both the films possess covellite phase of CuS and hexagonal unit cell structure. The determined lattice parameters of both the films are in agreement with the standard JCPDS as well as reported data. The crystallite size determined by Scherrer's equation and Hall-Williamsons relation using XRD data for both the as-deposited thin films showed that the respective values were in agreement with each other. The ambient Raman spectroscopy of both the as-deposited thin films showed major emission peaks at 474 cm-1 and a minor emmision peaks at 265 cm-1. The observed Raman peaks matched with the covellite phase of CuS. The atomic force microscopy of both the as-deposited thin films surfaces showed dip coating thin film to be less rough compared to CBD deposited thin film. All the obtained results are presented and deliberated in details.

Creation of superhydrophobic stainless steel surfaces by acid treatments and hydrophobic film deposition.

PubMed

Li, Lester; Breedveld, Victor; Hess, Dennis W

2012-09-26

In this work, we present a method to render stainless steel surfaces superhydrophobic while maintaining their corrosion resistance. Creation of surface roughness on 304 and 316 grade stainless steels was performed using a hydrofluoric acid bath. New insight into the etch process is developed through a detailed analysis of the chemical and physical changes that occur on the stainless steel surfaces. As a result of intergranular corrosion, along with metallic oxide and fluoride redeposition, surface roughness was generated on the nano- and microscales. Differences in alloy composition between 304 and 316 grades of stainless steel led to variations in etch rate and different levels of surface roughness for similar etch times. After fluorocarbon film deposition to lower the surface energy, etched samples of 304 and 316 stainless steel displayed maximum static water contact angles of 159.9 and 146.6°, respectively. However, etching in HF also caused both grades of stainless steel to be susceptible to corrosion. By passivating the HF-etched samples in a nitric acid bath, the corrosion resistant properties of stainless steels were recovered. When a three step process was used, consisting of etching, passivation and fluorocarbon deposition, 304 and 316 stainless steel samples exhibited maximum contact angles of 157.3 and 134.9°, respectively, while maintaining corrosion resistance.

Structural and optical properties of PbS thin films grown by chemical bath deposition

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

Seghaier, S.; Kamoun, N.; Guasch, C.

2007-09-19

Lead sulphide thin films are grown on glass substrates at various deposition times tD, in the range of 40-60 min per step of 2 min, using the chemical bath deposition technique. X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy are used to characterize the film structure. The surface composition is analysed by Auger electron spectroscopy. It appears that the as-prepared thin films are polycrystalline with cubic structure. Nanometric scale crystallites are uniformly distributed on the surface. They exhibit almost a stoechiometric composition with a [Pb]/[S] ratio equal to 1.10. Optical properties are studied in the range of 300-3300 nm by spectrophotometric measurements.more » Analysis of the optical absorption data of lead sulphide thin layers reveals a narrow optical direct band gap equal to 0.46 eV for the layer corresponding to a deposition time equal to 60 min.« less

In Situ X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure Spectroscopy of ZnO Nanowire Growth During Chemical Bath Deposition

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

McPeak, Kevin M.; Becker, Matthew A.; Britton, Nathan G.

2010-12-03

Chemical bath deposition (CBD) offers a simple and inexpensive route to deposit semiconductor nanostructures, but lack of fundamental understanding and control of the underlying chemistry has limited its versatility. Here we report the first use of in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy during CBD, enabling detailed investigation of both reaction mechanisms and kinetics of ZnO nanowire growth from zinc nitrate and hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) precursors. Time-resolved X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectra were used to quantify Zn(II) speciation in both solution and solid phases. ZnO crystallizes directly from [Zn(H{sub 2}O){sub 6}]{sup 2+} without long-lived intermediates. Using ZnO nanowire deposition as an example,more » this study establishes in situ XANES spectroscopy as an excellent quantitative tool to understand CBD of nanomaterials.« less

Facile synthesis of CoNi2S4/Co9S8 composites as advanced electrode materials for supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Fenglin; Huang, Wanxia; Zhang, Hongtao; Zhou, Dengmei

2017-12-01

In this paper, a facile chemical bath deposition method was utilized to synthesize three-dimensional nanostructured CoNi2S4/Co9S8 (CNSCS) composites as advanced electrode materials for high performance supercapacitors. CNSCS composites showed remarkable electrochemical performance owing to the high porosity, appropriate pore size distribution, novel architecture and synergistic effect of Ni/Co ions. The electrochemical tests revealed that CNSCS composites exhibited high specific capacitance (1183.3 Fg-1 at the current density of 2 Ag-1), excellent rate performance (74.9% retention with tenfold current density increase) and outstanding cycle life stability. Moreover, the effect of temperature on electrochemical performance of CNSCS composites was investigated and the results indicated the specific capacitance of CoNi2S4/Co9S8 can keep relatively stable in a wide temperature from 0 °C to 50 °C. These results indicated that the synthesized CNSCS composites can be a promising electrode materials candidate for supercapacitors and chemical bath deposition is a promising processing route for CNSCS composites production.

Preparation and characterization of copper telluride thin films by modified chemical bath deposition (M-CBD) method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pathan, H. M.; Lokhande, C. D.; Amalnerkar, D. P.; Seth, T.

2003-09-01

Copper telluride thin films were deposited using modified chemical method using copper(II) sulphate; pentahydrate [CuSO 4·5H 2O] and sodium tellurite [Na 2TeO 3] as cationic and anionic sources, respectively. Modified chemical method is based on the immersion of the substrate into separately placed cationic and anionic precursors. The preparative conditions such as concentration, pH, immersion time, immersion cycles, etc. were optimized to get good quality copper telluride thin films at room temperature. The films have been characterized for structural, compositional, optical and electrical transport properties by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), Rutherford back scattering (RBS), optical absorption/transmission, electrical resistivity and thermoemf measurement techniques.

Method and electrochemical cell for synthesis and treatment of metal monolayer electrocatalysts metal, carbon, and oxide nanoparticles ion batch, or in continuous fashion

DOEpatents

Adzic, Radoslav; Zhang, Junliang; Sasaki, Kotaro

2015-04-28

An apparatus and method for synthesis and treatment of electrocatalyst particles in batch or continuous fashion is provided. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a sonication bath and a two-compartment chamber submerged in the sonication bath. The upper and lower compartments are separated by a microporous material surface. The upper compartment comprises a cover and a working electrode (WE) connected to a Pt foil contact, with the foil contact connected to the microporous material. The upper chamber further comprises reference counter electrodes. The lower compartment comprises an electrochemical cell containing a solution of metal ions. In one embodiment, the method for synthesis of electrocatalysts comprises introducing a plurality of particles into the apparatus and applying sonication and an electrical potential to the microporous material connected to the WE. After the non-noble metal ions are deposited onto the particles, the non-noble metal ions are displaced by noble-metal ions by galvanic displacement.

Responses of Lithium-Modified Bath to a Shift in Heat Input/Output Balance and Observation of Freeze-Lining Formation During the Heat Balance Shift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jingjing; Taylor, Mark; Dorreen, Mark

2018-02-01

In the aluminum electrolysis process, new industrial aluminum/electricity power markets demand a new cell technology to extend the cell heat balance and amperage operating window of smelters by shifting the steady states. The current work investigates the responses of lithium-modified bath system when the input/output balance is shifted in a laboratory analogue to the industrial heat balance shift. Li2CO3 is added to the cryolite-AlF3-CaF2-Al2O3 system as a bath modifier. A freeze deposit is formed on a `cold finger' dipped into the bath and investigated by X-ray diffraction analysis and electron probe X-ray microanalysis. The macro- and micro-structure of the freeze lining varies with the bath superheat (bath temperature minus bath liquidus temperature) and an open crystalline layer with entrapped liquid dominates the freeze thickness. Compared with the cryolite-AlF3-CaF2-Al2O3 bath system, the lithium-modified bath freeze is more sensitive to the heat balance shift. This freeze investigation provides primary information to understand the variation of the side ledge in an industrial cell when the lithium-modified bath system is used.

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

Rodríguez, C.A.; Sandoval-Paz, M.G.; Cabello, G.

Highlights: • High quality ZnS thin films have been deposited by chemical bath deposition technique from a non-toxic precursor’s solution. • Nanocrystalline ZnS thin films with large band gap energy were synthesized without using ammonia. • Evidence that the growing of the thin films is carried out by means of hydroxide mechanism was found. • The properties of these ZnS thin films are similar and in some cases better than the corresponding ones produced using toxic precursors such as ammonia. - Abstract: In solar cells, ZnS window layer deposited by chemical bath technique can reach the highest conversion efficiency; however,more » precursors used in the process normally are materials highly volatile, toxic and harmful to the environment and health (typically ammonia and hydrazine). In this work the characterization of ZnS thin films deposited by chemical bath in a non-toxic alkaline solution is reported. The effect of deposition technique (growth in several times) on the properties of the ZnS thin film was studied. The films exhibited a high percentage of optical transmission (greater than 80%); as the deposition time increased a decreasing in the band gap values from 3.83 eV to 3.71 eV was observed. From chemical analysis, the presence of ZnS and Zn(OH){sub 2} was identified and X-ray diffraction patterns exhibited a clear peak corresponding to ZnS hexagonal phase (1 0 3) plane, which was confirmed by electron diffraction patterns. From morphological studies, compact samples with well-defined particles, low roughness, homogeneous and pinhole-free in the surface were observed. From obtained results, it is evident that deposits of ZnS–CBD using a non-toxic solution are suitable as window layer for TFSC.« less

Flatbed scanners as a source of imaging. Brightness assessment and additives determination in a nickel electroplating bath.

PubMed

Vidal, M; Amigo, J M; Bro, R; Ostra, M; Ubide, C; Zuriarrain, J

2011-05-23

Desktop flatbed scanners are very well-known devices that can provide digitized information of flat surfaces. They are practically present in most laboratories as a part of the computer support. Several quality levels can be found in the market, but all of them can be considered as tools with a high performance and low cost. The present paper shows how the information obtained with a scanner, from a flat surface, can be used with fine results for exploratory and quantitative purposes through image analysis. It provides cheap analytical measurements for assessment of quality parameters of coated metallic surfaces and monitoring of electrochemical coating bath lives. The samples used were steel sheets nickel-plated in an electrodeposition bath. The quality of the final deposit depends on the bath conditions and, especially, on the concentration of the additives in the bath. Some additives become degraded with the bath life and so is the quality of the plate finish. Analysis of the scanner images can be used to follow the evolution of the metal deposit and the concentration of additives in the bath. Principal component analysis (PCA) is applied to find significant differences in the coating of sheets, to find directions of maximum variability and to identify odd samples. The results found are favorably compared with those obtained by means of specular reflectance (SR), which is here used as a reference technique. Also the concentration of additives SPB and SA-1 along a nickel bath life can be followed using image data handled with algorithms such as partial least squares (PLS) regression and support vector regression (SVR). The quantitative results obtained with these and other algorithms are compared. All this opens new qualitative and quantitative possibilities to flatbed scanners. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Zinc-based electrolyte compositions, and related electrochemical processes and articles

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

Kniajanski, Sergei; Soloveichik, Grigorii Lev

An aqueous electrolyte composition is described, including a zinc salt based on zinc acetate or zinc glocolate. The saturation concentration of zinc in the electrolyte composition is in the range of about 2.5M to about 3.5M. The composition also contains at least one salt of a monovalent cation. The molar ratio of zinc to the monovalent cation is about 1:2. An aqueous zinc electroplating bath, containing the aqueous electrolyte composition, is also disclosed, along with a method for the electrochemical deposition of zinc onto a substrate surface, using the electroplating bath. Related flow batteries are also described, including a catholyte,more » as well as an anolyte based on the aqueous electrolyte composition, with a membrane between the catholyte and the anolyte.« less

Investigation on growth, structural, optical, electrical and X-ray sensing properties of chemically deposited zinc bismuth sulfide (ZnxBi2‑xS3) thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabarish, R.; Suriyanarayanan, N.; Kalita, J. M.; Sarma, M. P.; Wary, G.

2018-05-01

In the present work, ZnxBi2‑xS3 films were synthesized (x = 0.2 M) by a chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique at different bath temperatures (60 °C, 70 °C and 80 °C). The role of bath temperature on the formation of the films has been examined. The crystalline nature, structural parameters and surface morphology of the films were ascertained using x-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) respectively. These studies confirmed the formation of crystalline Zn0.2Bi1.8S3 films with uniform distribution of homogenous grains. The characterization results revealed that the film deposited at 70 °C has the good crystalline quality than the films deposited at 60 and 80 °C. Further, the optical absorption spectra showed that the bandgap (E g ) of the film deposited at 70 °C was about 2.39 eV which was found to be less than the same film deposited at 60 and 80 °C. The Current-Voltage (I-V) characteristics of all the films were measured under dark condition. This showed that the electrical conductivity of the film deposited at 70 °C was 1.61 × 10‑5 S cm‑1 which is ten times higher than other films. Further, the I-V characteristics of the film deposited at 70 °C was studied under x-ray radiation. The current under the x-ray radiation was significantly higher compared to the dark current. The x-ray detection sensitivity of the film was found to be maximum at 0.7 V and gradually decreases with increase of bias voltage. This analysis reveals that the film deposited at 70 °C can be used as an x-ray sensor.

ELECTRO-DEPOSITION OF NICKEL ALLOYS FROM THE PYROPHOSPHATE BATH: NICKEL- ZINC AND NICKEL-MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS

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

Panikkar, S.K.; Char, T.L.R.

1958-02-01

Results of studies on the electrodeposition of nickel-zinc and nickel-- molybdenum alloys in a pyrophosphate bath using platinium electrodes are presented. The fects of varying current density and metal contents of the electrolyte on alloy deposit composition, cathode efficiency, and cathode potential are presented in tabular form. (J.R.D.) l2432 A study was made of the effect of homogenization on the mechanical properties of solution-treated and aged aluminum and the quantitative effects of several variables on hardness. The effect of alloying elements on the increase in hardness of aluminum is shown. (J.E.D.)

Chemical bath deposition of Cu{sub 3}BiS{sub 3} thin films

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

Deshmukh, S.G., E-mail: deshmukhpradyumn@gmail.com; Vipul, Kheraj, E-mail: vipulkheraj@gmail.com; Panchal, A.K.

2016-05-06

First time, copper bismuth sulfide (Cu{sub 3}BiS{sub 3}) thin films were synthesized on the glass substrate using simple, low-cost chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique. The synthesized parameters such as temperature of bath, pH and concentration of precursors were optimized for the deposition of uniform, well adherent Cu{sub 3}BiS{sub 3} thin films. The optical, surface morphology and structural properties of the Cu{sub 3}BiS{sub 3} thin films were studied using UV-VIS-NIR spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The as- synthesized Cu{sub 3}BiS{sub 3} film exhibits a direct band gap 1.56 to 1.58 eV having absorption coefficient of the ordermore » of 10{sup 5} cm{sup −1}. The XRD declares the amorphous nature of the films. SEM images shows films were composed of close-packed fine spherical nanoparticles of 70-80 nm in diameter. The chemical composition of the film was almost stoichiometric. The optical study indicates that the Cu{sub 3}BiS{sub 3} films can be applied as an absorber layer for thin film solar cells.« less

Effect of bath temperature on structure, morphology and thermoelectric properties of CoSb{sub 3} thin films

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

Yadav, Suchitra, E-mail: suchitrayadav87@gmail.com; Pandya, Dinesh K.; Chaudhary, Sujeet

2016-05-23

CoSb{sub 3} thin films are deposited on conducting glass substrates (FTO) by electrodeposition at different bath temperatures (60°C, 70°C and 80°C) and the resulting influence of the bath temperature on the structure, morphology and electrical properties of films is investigated. X-ray diffraction confirms the formation of CoSb{sub 3} phase in the films. Scanning electron microscopy reveals that different morphologies ranging from branched nano-flakes to nano-needles evolve as bath temperature increases. It is concluded that a growth temperature of 80°C is suitable for producing CoSb{sub 3} films with such properties that show potential feasibility for thermoelectric applications.

Electrolytically deposited Cadmium Selenide Films for Photovoltaic Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dervos, C. T.; Palaiologopoulou, M. D.

2012-10-01

CdSe films were electrodeposited on pure nickel substrates. The nickel substrate was polished to a mirror finish by Al2O3 paste, etched in 10% HCl solution for 40 s and rinsed thoroughly by de-ionized water. The deposition bath contained solutions with excessive Cd2+ (0.2M) from CdSO4 and small amounts of SeO2 (1x10-3 M). The pH of the bath was adjusted to a value of 2.2 at RT by adding 10% H2SO4. The bath was first thermostated at the required temperature, which varied from 55°C to 65°C. Plating was accomplished at deposition potential 1000 mV (vs. Hg/Hg2SO4). The films formed had a uniform thickness and it was found to be approximately 2.0 μm thick (for 20 min electrodeposition process. The produced CdSe films were characterized by X-Ray diffraction and SEM. The induced semiconductor doping effect by thermal annealing in pure dry nitrogen gas was also investigated. Gold contacts were placed on top of the CdSe films, either by evaporation, or mechanically. Depending on the deposition parameters the electrical characteristics of the Ni/CdSe/Au structures may exhibit rectification properties. The optical excitation of the structure was investigated for various CdSe thicknesses.

CdS/CdSe co-sensitized SnO2 photoelectrodes for quantum dots sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Yibing; Lin, Yu; Meng, Yongming; Tu, Yongguang; Zhang, Xiaolong

2015-07-01

SnO2 nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrothermal method and applied to photo-electrodes of quantum dots-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). After sensitizing SnO2 films via CdS quantum dots, CdSe quantum dots was decorated on the surface of CdS/SnO2 photo-electrodes to further improve the power conversion efficiency. CdS and CdSe quantum dots were deposited by successive ionic layer absorption and reaction method (SILAR) and chemical bath deposition method (CBD) respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to identify the surface profile and crystal structure of SnO2 photo-electrodes before and after deposited quantum dots. After CdSe co-sensitized process, an overall power conversion efficiency of 1.78% was obtained in CdSe/CdS/SnO2 QDSSC, which showed 66.4% improvement than that of CdS/SnO2 QDSSC.

Cadmium sulphide (CdS) thin films deposited by chemical bath deposition (CBD) and dip coating techniques—a comparative study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khimani, Ankurkumar J.; Chaki, Sunil H.; Malek, Tasmira J.; Tailor, Jiten P.; Chauhan, Sanjaysinh M.; Deshpande, M. P.

2018-03-01

The CdS thin films were deposited on glass slide substrates by Chemical Bath Deposition and dip coating techniques. The films thickness variation with deposition time showed maximum films deposition at 35 min for both the films. The energy dispersive analysis of x-ray showed both the films to be stoichiometric. The x-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the films possess hexagonal crystal structure. The transmission electron, scanning electron and optical microscopy study showed the films deposition to be uniform. The selected area electron diffraction exhibited ring patterns stating the films to be polycrystalline in nature. The atomic force microscopy images showed surface formed of spherical grains, hills and valleys. The recorded optical absorbance spectra analysis revealed the films possess direct optical bandgap having values of 2.25 eV for CBD and 2.40 eV for dip coating. The refractive index (η), extinction coefficient (k), complex dielectric constant (ε) and optical conductivity (σ 0) variation with wavelength showed maximum photon absorption till the respective wavelengths corresponding to the optical bandgap energy values. The recorded photoluminescence spectra showed two emission peaks. All the obtained results have been discussed in details.

A comparative study of physico-chemical properties of CBD and SILAR grown ZnO thin films

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

Jambure, S.B.; Patil, S.J.; Deshpande, A.R.

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: Schematic model indicating ZnO nanorods by CBD (Z{sub 1}) and nanograins by SILAR (Z{sub 2}). - Highlights: • Simple methods for the synthesis of ZnO thin films. • Comparative study of physico-chemical properties of ZnO thin films prepared by CBD and SILAR methods. • CBD outperforms SILAR method. - Abstract: In the present work, nanocrystalline zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films have been successfully deposited onto glass substrates by simple and economical chemical bath deposition (CBD) and successive ionic layer adsorption reaction (SILAR) methods. These films were further characterized for their structural, optical, surface morphological and wettability properties. Themore » X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns for both CBD and SILAR deposited ZnO thin films reveal the highly crystalline hexagonal wurtzite structure. From optical studies, band gaps obtained are 2.9 and 3.0 eV for CBD and SILAR deposited thin films, respectively. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) patterns show growth of well defined randomly oriented nanorods and nanograins on the CBD and SILAR deposited samples, respectively. The resistivity of CBD deposited films (10{sup 2} Ω cm) is lower than that of SILAR deposited films (10{sup 5} Ω cm). Surface wettability studies show hydrophobic nature for both films. From the above results it can be concluded that CBD grown ZnO thin films show better properties as compared to SILAR method.« less

Electrodes from carbon nanotubes/NiO nanocomposites synthesized in modified Watts bath for supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hakamada, Masataka; Abe, Tatsuhiko; Mabuchi, Mamoru

2016-09-01

A modified Watts bath coupled with pulsed current electroplating is used to uniformly deposit ultrafine nickel oxide particles (diameter < 4 nm) on multiwalled carbon nanotubes. The capacitance of the multiwalled carbon nanotubes/nickel oxide electrodes was as high as 2480 F g-1 (per mass of nickel oxide), which is close to the theoretical capacitance of NiO.

Preparation of CIGS-based solar cells using a buffered electrodeposition bath

DOEpatents

Bhattacharya, Raghu Nath

2007-11-20

A photovoltaic cell exhibiting an overall conversion efficiency of at least 9.0% is prepared from a copper-indium-gallium-diselenide thin film. The thin film is prepared by simultaneously electroplating copper, indium, gallium, and selenium onto a substrate using a buffered electro-deposition bath. The electrodeposition is followed by adding indium to adjust the final stoichiometry of the thin film.

Forming a structure of the CoNiFe alloys by X-ray irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valko, Natalia; Kasperovich, Andrey; Koltunowicz, Tomasz N.

The experimental data of electrodeposition kinetics researches and structure formation of ternary CoNiFe alloys deposited onto low-carbon steel 08kp in the presence of X-rays are presented. Relations of deposit rate, current efficiencies, element and phase compositions of CoNiFe coatings formed from sulfate baths with respect to cathode current densities (0.5-3A/dm2), electrolyte composition and irradiation were obtained. It is shown that, the CoNiFe coatings deposited by the electrochemical method involving exposure of the X-rays are characterized by more perfect morphology surfaces with less developed surface geometry than reference coatings. The effect of the X-ray irradiation on the electrodeposition of CoNiFe coatings promotes formatting of alloys with increased electropositive component and modified phase composition.

Fabrication and electrical properties of low temperature-processed thin-film-transistors with chemical-bath deposited ZnO layer.

PubMed

Ahn, Joo-Seob; Kwon, Ji-Hye; Yang, Heesun

2013-06-01

ZnO film was grown on ZnO quantum dot seed layer-coated substrate by a low-temperature chemical bath deposition, where sodium citrate serves as a complexing agent for Zn2+ ion. The ZnO film deposited under the optimal condition exhibited a highly uniform surface morphology with a thickness of approimately 30 nm. For the fabrication of thin-film-transistor with a bottom-gate structure, ZnO film was chemically deposited on the transparent substrate of a seed layer-coated SiN(x)/ITO (indium tin oxide)/glass. As-deposited ZnO channel was baked at low temperatures of 60-200 degrees C to investigate the effect of baking temperature on electrical performances. Compared to the device with 60 degrees C-baked ZnO channel, the TFT performances of one with 200 degrees C-baked channel were substantially improved, exhibiting an on-off current ratio of 3.6 x 10(6) and a saturated field-effect mobility of 0.27 cm2/V x s.

Hydrothermal-electrochemical growth of heterogeneous ZnO: Co films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yilmaz, Ceren; Unal, Ugur

2017-10-01

This study demonstrates the preparation of heterogeneous ZnO: Co nanostructures via hydrothermal-electrochemical deposition at 130 °C and -1.1 V (vs Ag/AgCl (satd)) in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-H2O mixture. Under the stated conditions, ZnO: Co nanostructures grow preferentially along (002) direction. Strength of directional growth progressively increases with the increasing concentration of Co(II) in the deposition bath. Films are composed of hexagonal Wurtzite ZnO, metallic cobalt, and mixed cobalt oxide on the surface and cobalt(II) oxide in deeper levels. Increasing the Co(II) concentration in the deposition bath results in different morphological features as well as phase separation. Platelets, sponge-like structures, cobalt-rich spheres, microislands of cobalt-rich spheres which are interconnected by ZnO network can be synthesized by adjusting [Co(II)]: [Zn(II)] ratio. Growth mechanisms giving rise to these particular structures, surface morphology, crystal structure, phase purity, chemical binding characteristics, and optical properties of the deposits are discussed in detail.

Capacitance-voltage characterization of Al/Al2O3/PVA-PbSe MIS diode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gawri, Isha; Sharma, Mamta; Jindal, Silky; Singh, Harpreet; Tripathi, S. K.

2018-05-01

The present paper reports the capacitance-voltage characterization of Al/Al2O3/PVA-PbSe MIS diode using chemical bath deposition method. Here anodic alumina layer prepared using electrolytic deposition method on Al substrate is used as insulating material. Using the capacitance-voltage variation at a fixed frequency, the different parameters such as Depletion layer width, Barrier height, Built-in voltage and Carrier concentration has been calculated at room temperature as well as at temperature range from 123 K to 323 K. With the increase in temperature the barrier height and depletion layer width follow a decreasing trend. Therefore, the capacitance-voltage characterization at different temperatures characterization provides strong evidence that the properties of MIS diode are primarily affected by diode parameters.

Structural and Optical Properties of Core-Shell TiO2/CdS Prepared by Chemical Bath Deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Jawad, Selma M. H.

2017-10-01

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanorod arrays (NRAs) sensitized with cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles (NPs) were deposited by chemical bath deposition (CBD). TiO2 NRAs were also obtained by using the same method on glass substrates coated with fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO). The structure of the FTO/TiO2/CdS core-shell was characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and photoelectrocatalysis of FTO/TiO2 and FTO/TiO2/CdS. The FTO/TiO2 conformed to anatase and rutile phase structures for different pH values and also with annealing. XRD patterns of the FTO/TiO2/CdS sample exhibited two peaks corresponding to hexagonal (100) and (101) for CdS. Scanning electron micrographs showed nanorod structures for the TiO2 thin films deposited at a pH value equal 0.7. Optical results showed the CdS deposited on nanorod TiO2 exhibited increased absorption ability in the visible light, indicating an increased photocatalytic activity for TiO2/CdS core-shell nanorods in the visible light. When illuminated with a UV-Vis light source, the TiO2/CdS core-shell films displayed high responses. A composite exists between the TiO2 nanostructure and CdS NPs because the film absorbs the incident light located in both the visible and UV-Vis regions. A higher response to UV-Vis light was attained with the use of TiO2 NRAs/CdS NPs films prepared by CBD. This approach offers a technique for fabricating photoelectrodes.

ZnS Buffer Layers Grown by Modified Chemical Bath Deposition for CIGS Solar Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Dongchan; Ahn, Heejin; Shin, Hyundo; Um, Youngho

2018-03-01

ZnS thin films were prepared by the chemical bath deposition method using disodium ethylene-diaminetetraacetic acid and hexamethylenetetramine as complexing agents in acidic conditions. The film prepared using a preheated S-ion source showed full surface coverage, but some clusters were found that were generated by the cluster-by-cluster reaction mechanism. On the other hand, the film prepared without this source had a uniform, dense, and smooth surface and showed fewer clusters than the film prepared using a preheated S-ion source. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra showed the energy core levels of Zn, O, and S components, and Zn-OH bonding decreased on the film using the preheated S-ion source. Especially, various binding energy peaks were found in the Zn 2p 3/2 spectrum by Gaussian function fitting, and no peak corresponding to Zn-OH bonding was found for the film prepared using a preheated S-ion source. Moreover, the x-ray diffraction spectrum of the ZnS thin film using a non-preheated S-ion source showed amorphous or nanoscale crystallinity, but the emission peaks indicated that the structure of the film using preheated S-ion source was zincblende.

ZnS Buffer Layers Grown by Modified Chemical Bath Deposition for CIGS Solar Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Dongchan; Ahn, Heejin; Shin, Hyundo; Um, Youngho

2018-07-01

ZnS thin films were prepared by the chemical bath deposition method using disodium ethylene-diaminetetraacetic acid and hexamethylenetetramine as complexing agents in acidic conditions. The film prepared using a preheated S-ion source showed full surface coverage, but some clusters were found that were generated by the cluster-by-cluster reaction mechanism. On the other hand, the film prepared without this source had a uniform, dense, and smooth surface and showed fewer clusters than the film prepared using a preheated S-ion source. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra showed the energy core levels of Zn, O, and S components, and Zn-OH bonding decreased on the film using the preheated S-ion source. Especially, various binding energy peaks were found in the Zn 2 p 3/2 spectrum by Gaussian function fitting, and no peak corresponding to Zn-OH bonding was found for the film prepared using a preheated S-ion source. Moreover, the x-ray diffraction spectrum of the ZnS thin film using a non-preheated S-ion source showed amorphous or nanoscale crystallinity, but the emission peaks indicated that the structure of the film using preheated S-ion source was zincblende.

Effects of pH Value of the Electrolyte and Glycine Additive on Formation and Properties of Electrodeposited Zn-Fe Coatings

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Environmentally friendly and cyanide-free sulfate bath under continuous current and the corrosion behavior of electrodeposits of zinc-iron alloys were studied by means of electrochemical tests in a solution of 3.5% NaCl in presence and absence of glycine. The effects of pH on the quality of Zn-Fe coatings were investigated in order to improve uniformity and corrosion protection performance of the coating films. The deposit morphology was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to determine the preferred crystallographic orientations of the deposits. It was found that the uniformity and corrosion resistance of Zn-Fe coating films were strongly associated with pH of the coating electrolyte. To obtain the effect of pH on the film quality and corrosion performances of the films, the corrosion test was performed with potentiodynamic anodic polarization method. It was also observed that uniformity and corrosion resistivity of the coating films were decreased towards pH = 5 and then improved with increasing pH value of the electrolyte. The presence of glycine in the plating bath decreases the corrosion resistance of Zn-Fe coatings. PMID:23844388

Tuning the morphology of metastable MnS films by simple chemical bath deposition technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhandayuthapani, T.; Girish, M.; Sivakumar, R.; Sanjeeviraja, C.; Gopalakrishnan, R.

2015-10-01

In the present investigation, we have prepared the spherical particles, almond-like, and cauliflower-like morphological structures of metastable MnS films on glass substrate by chemical bath deposition technique at low temperature without using any complexing or chelating agent. The morphological change of MnS films with molar ratio may be due to the oriented aggregation of adjacent particles. The compositional purity of deposited film was confirmed by the EDAX study. X-ray diffraction and micro-Raman studies confirm the sulfur source concentration induced enhancement in the crystallization of films with metastable MnS phase (zinc-blende β-MnS, and wurtzite γ-MnS). The shift in PL emission peak with molar ratio may be due to the change in optical energy band gap of the MnS, which was further confirmed by the optical absorbance study. The paramagnetic behavior of the sample was confirmed by the M-H plot.

Effects of Metal Ions on the Aluminum Electrodeposition from Ionic Liquids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caporali, Stefano; Martinuzzi, Stefano M.; Von Czarnecki, Peter; Schubert, Thomas J. S.; Bardi, Ugo

2017-02-01

In this study, we report on the effects of three common transition metal ions, i.e., Ni2+, Cu2+ and Fe3+ on the electrodeposition of aluminum from a chloroaluminate ionic liquid, evaluated by means of electrochemical and morphological investigation. Aiming at the determination of the morphological and chemical effects on the aluminum coatings, variable amounts of ions were introduced into the electroplating bath. Thick (about 20 μm) Al coatings were obtained by direct deposition (galvanostatic, 10 mA cm2, 2 h) on brass or carbon steel substrates (10 mm diameter disks), and their morphology was examined via rugosimetry, optical and electron microscopy. The chemical composition of the deposits was provided by EDX analysis. Nickel and iron resulted to have only moderate effects on the coatings properties, but copper affected the process even in tiny amounts being detected in the deposits for bath content as low as 10 ppm.

Effect of Aluminum Doping on the Nanocrystalline ZnS:Al3+ Films Fabricated on Heavily-Doped p-type Si(100) Substrates by Chemical Bath Deposition Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, He-Jie; Liang, Yan; Gao, Xiao-Yong; Guo, Rui-Fang; Ji, Qiang-Min

2015-06-01

Intrinsic ZnS and aluminum-doped nanocrystalline ZnS (ZnS:Al3+) films with zinc-blende structure were fabricated on heavily-doped p-type Si(100) substrates by chemical bath deposition method. Influence of aluminum doping on the microstructure, and photoluminescent and electrical properties of the films, were intensively investigated. The average crystallite size of the films varying in the range of about 9.0 ˜ 35.0 nm initially increases and then decreases with aluminum doping contents, indicating that the crystallization of the films are initially enhanced and then weakened. The incorporation of Al3+ was confirmed from energy dispersive spectrometry and the induced microstrain in the films. Strong and stable visible emission band resulting from the defect-related light emission were observed for the intrinsic ZnS and ZnS:Al3+ films at room temperature. The photoluminescence related to the aluminum can annihilate due to the self-absorption of ZnS:Al3+ when the Al3+ content surpasses certain value. The variation of the resistivity of the films that initially reduces and then increases is mainly caused by the partial substitute for Zn2+ by Al3+ as well as the enhanced crystallization, and by the enhanced crystal boundary scattering, respectively.

An investigation into the role of polyethyleneimine in chemical bath deposition of zinc oxide nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eskandari, Alireza; Abdizadeh, Hossein; Pourshaban, Erfan; Golobostanfard, Mohammad Reza

2018-01-01

Zinc oxide nanowires are considered as promising materials for wide range of optoelectrical and chemical devices, thanks to their desirable structural and optoelectrical properties. Over the past decade, chemical bath deposition (CBD) has been widely used to synthesize these nanostructures due to its low cost and controllability. Since improving the aspect ratio and length of nanowires is a vital issue in growing one-dimensional nanostructures, the influence of polyethyleneimine (PEI) as a complexing and chelating agent on the structural, morphological, and optoelectrical properties of ZnO nanowires has been studied in this report. As-grown ZnO nanowires synthesized by mixing deionized water, zinc acetate dihydrate, hexamethylenetetramine, and PEI were characterized with field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). FESEM results unambiguously show that increasing PEI concentration (from 0 to 0.2 g in 50 ml DI water) reduces the diameter and density of nanowires from ˜120 to 56 nm and from ˜85% to 65%, respectively. Interestingly, although adding more PEI decreases nanowires diameter, over-increasing of PEI brings about an inappropriate nanostructures growth. Moreover, XRD patterns demonstrate that all the samples have wurtzite structure with a preferred orientation along c-axis which may be improved or deteriorated by adding PEI into the chemical bath. Accordingly, it is crucial to optimize the amount of PEI in CBD method. Near-band edge (NBE) region in PL spectrum also confirms wide bandgap of ZnO (˜3.3 eV). In addition, comparing the appearance of PEI free with PEI assisted solutions show a considerable difference in their colors, which may be attributed to the formation of new chemical compounds. Considering these results, PEI plays a couple of determining roles in synthesizing ZnO nanowires; making nanowires thinner, with selectively absorption to the non-polar, lateral facets of wurtzite lattice, and controlling deposition rate by forming the PEI-Zn2+-HCHO complex compounds.

The Effects of ph on Structural and Optical Characterization of Iron Oxide Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tezel, Fatma Meydaneri; Özdemir, Osman; Kariper, I. Afşin

In this study, the iron oxide thin films have been produced by chemical bath deposition (CBD) method as a function of pH onto amorphous glass substrates. The surface images of the films were investigated with scanning electron microscope (SEM). The crystal structures, orientation of crystallization, crystallite sizes, and dislocation density i.e. structural properties of the thin films were analyzed with X-ray diffraction (XRD). The optical band gap (Eg), optical transmission (T%), reflectivity (R%), absorption coefficient (α), refraction index (n), extinction coefficient (k) and dielectric constant (ɛ) of the thin films were investigated depending on pH, deposition time, solution temperature, substrate temperature, thickness of the films by UV-VIS spectrometer.

Chemical precursor impact on the properties of Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} absorber layer

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

Vashistha, Indu B., E-mail: indu-139@yahoo.com; Sharma, S. K.; Sharma, Mahesh C.

2016-04-13

In present work impact of different chemical precursor on the deposition of solar absorber layer Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} (CZTS) were studied by Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD) method without using expensive vacuum facilities and followed by annealing. As compared to the other deposition methods, CBD method is interesting one because it is simple, reproducible, non-hazardous, cost effective and well suited for producing large-area thin films at low temperatures, although effect of precursors and concentration plays a vital role in the deposition. So, the central theme of this work is optimizing and controlling of chemical reactions for different chemical precursors. Further Effectmore » of different chemical precursors i.e. sulphate and chloride is analyzed by structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) of annealed CZTS thin film revealed that films were polycrystalline in nature with kestarite tetragonal crystal structure. The Atomic Force micrographs (AFM) images indicated total coverage compact film and as well as growth of crystals. The band gap of annealed CZTS films was found in the range of optimal band gap by absorption spectroscopy.« less

A novel Ag catalyzation process using swelling impregnation method for electroless Ni deposition on Kevlar® fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pang, Hongwei; Bai, Ruicheng; Shao, Qinsi; Gao, Yufang; Li, Aijun; Tang, Zhiyong

2015-12-01

A novel Ag catalyzation process using swelling impregnation pretreatment method was developed for electroless nickel (EN) deposition on Kevlar fiber. Firstly, the fiber was immersed into an aqueous dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) solution of silver nitrate to impart silver nitrate into the inner part of the fiber near the surface. Subsequently silver nitrate was reduced to metal silver nanoparticles on the fiber surface by treatment with aqueous solution of sodium borohydride. After electroless plating, a dense and homogeneous nickel coating was obtained on the fiber surface. The silver nanoparticles formed at the fiber surface functioned as a catalyst for electroless deposition as well as an anchor for the plated layer. The study also revealed that the incorporation of surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in electroless nickel plating bath can enhance the adhesion strength of EN layer with the fiber surface and minimize the surface roughness of the EN coating. The Ni plated Kevlar fiber possessed excellent corrosion resistance and high tensile strength.

Electroless deposition of nickel-boron coatings using low frequency ultrasonic agitation: Effect of ultrasonic frequency on the coatings.

PubMed

Bonin, L; Bains, N; Vitry, V; Cobley, A J

2017-05-01

The effect of ultrasound on the properties of Nickel-Boron (NiB) coatings was investigated. NiB coatings were fabricated by electroless deposition using either ultrasonic or mechanical agitation. The deposition of Ni occurred in an aqueous bath containing a reducible metal salt (nickel chloride), reducing agent (sodium borohydride), complexing agent (ethylenediamine) and stabilizer (lead tungstate). Due to the instability of the borohydride in acidic, neutral and slightly alkaline media, pH was controlled at pH 12±1 in order to avoid destabilizing the bath. Deposition was performed in three different configurations: one with a classical mechanical agitation at 300rpm and the other two employing ultrasound at a frequency of either 20 or 35kHz. The microstructures of the electroless coatings were characterized by a combination of optical Microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The chemistry of the coatings was determined by ICP-AES (Inductively Coupled Plasma - Atomic Emission Spectrometry) after dissolution in aqua regia. The mechanical properties of the coatings were established by a combination of roughness measurements, Vickers microhardness and pin-on-disk tribology tests. Lastly, the corrosion properties were analysed by potentiodynamic polarization. The results showed that low frequency ultrasonic agitation could be used to produce coatings from an alkaline NiB bath and that the thickness of coatings obtained could be increased by over 50% compared to those produced using mechanical agitation. Although ultrasonic agitation produced a smoother coating and some alteration of the deposit morphology was observed, the mechanical and corrosion properties were very similar to those found when using mechanical agitation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Morphology controllable time-dependent CoS nanoparticle thin films as efficient counter electrode for quantum dot-sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reddy, Araveeti Eswar; Rao, S. Srinivasa; Gopi, Chandu V. V. M.; Anitha, Tarugu; Thulasi-Varma, Chebrolu Venkata; Punnoose, Dinah; Kim, Hee-Je

2017-11-01

Cobalt sulfide (CoS) agglomerated nanoparticle thin films obtained by a facile chemical bath method at different deposition times. The CoS counter electrode (CE) deposited at 3 h deposition time (CC-3h) based quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) achieves higher power conversion efficiency (η) of 3.67% than those of CC-2h (1.83%), CC-4h (2.52%), and Pt (1.48%) CEs, under one sun illumination (100 mW cm-2, AM 1.5 G). The electrochemical analysis revealed that CC-3h CE shows a smaller charge transfer resistance (9.22 Ω) at the CE/electrolyte interface than the CC-2h (23.34 Ω), CC-4h (19.73 Ω) and Pt (139.92 Ω) CEs, respectively.

Electrodeposition of CdTe thin film from acetate-based ionic liquid bath

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waldiya, Manmohansingh; Bhagat, Dharini; Mukhopadhyay, Indrajit

2018-05-01

CdTe being a direct band gap semiconductor, is mostly used in photovoltaics. Here we present, the synthesis of CdTe thin film on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate potentiostatically using 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([Bmim][Ac]) ionic liquid (IL) bath at 90 °C. Major advantages of using electrodeposition involves process simplicity, large scalability & economic viability. Some of the benefits offered by IL electrolytic bath are low vapour pressure, wide electrochemical window, and good ionic mobility. Cd(CH3COO)2 (anhydrous) and TeO2 were used as the source precursors. The IL electrolytic bath temperature was kept at 90 °C for deposition, owing to the limited solubility of TeO2 in [Bmim][Ac] IL at room temperature. Cathodic electrodeposition was carried out using a three electrode cell setup at a constant potential of -1.20 V vs. platinum (Pt) wire. The CdTe/FTO thin film were annealed in argon (Ar) atmosphere. Optical study of nanostructured CdTe film were done using UV-Vis-IR and Raman spectroscopy. Raman analysis confirms the formation of CdTe having surface optics (SO) mode at 160.6 cm-1 and transverse optics (TO) mode at 140.5 cm-1. Elemental Te peaks at 123, 140.5 and 268 cm-1 were also observed. The optical band gap of Ar annealed CdTe thin film were found to be 1.47 eV (absorbance band edge ˜ 846 nm). The optimization of deposition parameters using acetate-based IL electrolytic bath to get nearly stoichiometric CdTe thin film is currently being explored.

Impact of metal matrix composite on the evolution and erosion performance characteristics of non lubricated-dry abrasive degradation of ternary composite coating for refineries system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anawe, Paul Apeye Lucky; Fayomi, Ojo Sunday Isaac

2018-06-01

The application of rational design principles and process in electrodeposition can eliminate many engineering catastrophes related to corrosion and micromechanical failure in service. This has led to appreciate the need of surface modification on component for enhance life span. Admixed Zn-30Al-13Ti-chloride composite bath was electrolytically prepared and successfully deposited on UNS G10150 mild steel substrate by zinc dual anode deposition processes within an interval of applied current density, particle concentration and constant time. The codeposition of Zn-Al-Ti coating was studied in the presence of other bath ingredient. The effect of deposition current and particle concentration on structural property, adhesion behaviour, ideal crystal orientation, surface topography and electrochemical properties of Zn-Al-Ti alloy coating series on mild steel were analytically examined. The wear stability of the developed composite materials was examined via sliding reciprocating rig. The structural integrity was examined with scanning electron microscope equipped with EDS, X-ray diffraction; Atomic force microscope, dura scan micro-hardness tester and 3 μ metrohm Potentiostat/galvanostat. Interestingly the induced activity of the Zn-Al-Ti chloride composite alloy results into excellent structural modification and stable crystal precipitation within the structural interface as a result of Zn3Al, Zn2Ti and ZnAl3Ti2 intermetallic phase. The obtained results showed that the introduction of Ti particles in the presence of other bath additive in the plating bath mostly modified the surface and brings an increase in the microhardness, corrosion resistance and reduce wear deformation of Zn-Al-Ti chloride composite alloy.

Development of reinforced in-situ anti-corrosion and wear Zn-TiO2/ZnTiB2 coatings on mild steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fayomi, O. S. I.; Popoola, A. P. I.; Kanyane, L. R.; Monyai, T.

The development of reinforced composite coating has resulted into advanced engineering application because of the exceptional properties and increase service life. In this study, we investigated the effect of Solanum tuberosum (ST) as additive to Zn-TiO2/Zn-TiB2 sulphate bath coating by co-deposition route on mild steel. The structural characteristics and surface profile of the produced coating were examined using scanning electron microscope coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) and PosiTector (SPG) respectively. The anti-corrosion resistance activities of the deposited coatings were evaluated on a 101 AUTOLAB potentiostat/galvanostat device in a 3.65 wt% NaCl. The wear characteristics of the Zn-TiO2/TiB2 composite coatings were examined on a dry abrasive MTR-300 test rig. The thermal stability of the produced coatings was studied in an isothermal furnace at 600 °C and further characterized using a high tech optical microscope. From the results, it was found that Zn-TiO2/Zn-TiB2 were compassed with needle like pattern and perhaps a compact and distinctive structure was found with Zn-TiO2/Zn-TiB2/ST coatings. The microhardness deposited coatings increased with TiO2 and TiB2 interference in the plating bath, more significant improvement was noticed in the presence of natural bath-additive and the addition of ST lead to changes in the morphologies of the composite coatings. A massive decrease in corrosion and wear rate in all coatings produced as against the control sample was noticed. This was attributed to the dispersive strengthening activities of the embedded TiO2/TiB2/ST additive on the bath formed.

Electrodeposited Co-Pt thin films for magnetic hard disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bozzini, B.; De Vita, D.; Sportoletti, A.; Zangari, G.; Cavallotti, P. L.; Terrenzio, E.

1993-03-01

ew baths for Co-Pt electrodeposition have been developed and developed and ECD thin films (≤0.3μm) have been prepared and characterized structurally (XRD), morphologically (SEM), chemically (EDS) and magnetically (VSM); their improved corrosion, oxidation and wear resistance have been ascertained. Such alloys appear suitable candidates for magnetic storage systems, from all technological viewpoints. The originally formulated baths contain Co-NH 3-citrate complexes and Pt-p salt (Pt(NH 3) 2(NO 2) 2). Co-Pt thin films of fcc structure are deposited obtaining microcrystallites of definite composition. At Pt ⋍ 30 at% we obtain fcc films with a=0.369 nm, HC=80 kA m, and high squareness; increasing Co and decreasing Pt content in the bath it is possible to reduce the Pt content of the deposit, obtaining fcc structures containing two types of microcrystals with a = 0.3615 nm and a = 0.369 nm deposited simultaneously. NaH 2PO 2 additions to the bath have a stabilizing influence on the fcc structure of a = 0.3615 nm, Pt ⋍ 20 at% and HC as high as 200 kA/m, with hysteresis loops suitable for both longitudinal or perpendicular recording, depending on the thickness. We have prepared 2.5 in. hard disks for magnetic recording with ECD Co-Pt 20 at% with a polished and texturized ACD Ni-P underlayer. Pulse response, 1F & 2F frequency and frequency sweep response behaviour, as well as noise and overwrite characteristics have been measured for both our disks and high-standard sputtered Co-Cr-Ta production disks, showin improved D50 for Co-Pt ECD disks. The signal-to-noise ratio could be improved by pulse electrodeposition and etching post-treatments.

Synergistic effect between nano-ceramic lubricating additives and electroless deposited Ni-W-P coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Min; Cheng, Wushan; Zhao, Zuxin; Huang, Xiaobo

2013-01-01

The major solving ways for the material wear are surface modification and lubrication. Currently, the researches at home and abroad are all limited to the single study of either nano-lubricating oil additive or electroless deposited coating. The surface coating has high hardness and high wear resistance, however, the friction reduction performance of the coating with high hardness is not good, the thickness of the coating is limited, and the coating can not regenerate after wearing. The nano-lubricating additives have good tribological performance and self-repair function, but under heavy load, the self-repair rate to the worn surface with the nano-additives is smaller than the wearing rate of the friction pair. To solve the above problems, the Ni-W-P alloy coating and deposition process with excellent anti-wear, and suitable for industrial application were developed, the optimum bath composition and process can be obtained by studying the influence of the bath composition, temperature and PH value to the deposition rate and the plating solution stability. The tribological properties as well as anti-wear and friction reduction mechanism of wear self-repair nano-ceramic lubricating additives are also studied. The ring-block abrasion testing machine and energy dispersive spectrometer are used to explore the internal relation between the coating and the nano-lubricating oil additives, and the tribology mechanism, to seek the synergetic effect between the two. The test results show that the wear resistance of Ni-W-P alloy coating (with heat treatment and in oil with nano-ceramic additives) has increased hundreds times than 45 steel as the metal substrate in basic oil, the friction reduction performance is improved. This research breaks through the bottleneck of previous separate research of the above-mentioned two methods, and explores the combination use of the two methods in industrial field.

Effect of swift heavy ion irradiation on structural and opto-electrical properties of bi-layer CdS-Bi2S3 thin films prepared by solution growth technique at room temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaikh, Shaheed U.; Siddiqui, Farha Y.; Desale, Deepali J.; Ghule, Anil V.; Singh, Fouran; Kulriya, Pawan K.; Sharma, Ramphal

2015-01-01

CdS-Bi2S3 bi-layer thin films have been deposited by chemical bath deposition method on Indium Tin Oxide glass substrate at room temperature. The as-deposited thin films were annealed at 250 °C in an air atmosphere for 1 h. An air annealed thin film was irradiated using Au9+ ions with the energy of 120 MeV at fluence 5×1012 ions/cm2 using tandem pelletron accelerator. The irradiation induced modifications were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy, UV spectroscopy and I-V characteristics. XRD study reveals that the as-deposited thin films were nanocrystalline in nature. The decrease in crystallite size, increase in energy band gap and resistivity were observed after irradiation. Results are explained on the basis of energy deposited by the electronic loss after irradiation. The comparative results of as-deposited, air annealed and irradiated CdS-Bi2S3 bi-layer thin films are presented.

The study of metal sulphide nanomaterials obtained by chemical bath deposition and hot-injection technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maraeva, E. V.; Alexandrova, O. A.; Forostyanaya, N. A.; Levitskiy, V. S.; Mazing, D. S.; Maskaeva, L. N.; Markov, V. Ph; Moshnikov, V. A.; Shupta, A. A.; Spivak, Yu M.; Tulenin, S. S.

2015-11-01

In this study lead sulphide - cadmium sulphide based layers were obtained through chemical deposition of water solutions and cadmium sulphide quantum dots were formed through hot-injection technique. The article discusses the results of surface investigations with the use of atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence measurements.

Optical properties of PVA capped nanocrystalline Cd1-xZnxS thin film synthesized by chemical bath deposition technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gogoi, Lipika; Chaliha, Sumbit; Saikia, Prasanta Kumar

2018-04-01

A simple cost effective Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD) technique has been employed for the preparation of nanocrystalline Cd1-xZnxS thin films in an alkaline medium at 333K for 120 minutes in polymer matrix. Optical parameters such as transmittance, optical band gap, reflectance, refractive index and extinction coefficient of the films was made using UV-Visible spectrophotometer. UV-spectroscopy study shows a good transmittance of 80-88% in visible wavelength region for the deposited films. The direct band gap energy (Eg) for the deposited films ranged from 3.5 to 3.7 eV depending on attribution of Zn into CdS. It shows a blue shift with respect to bulk value. A increase in transmittance and band gap is found with the increase of volume of Zn content. Cd1-xZnxS thin films exhibit the least reflectance for all the wavelengths in the visible region. The refractive indices (n) of the Cd1-xZnxS films were found in the range 1.38 to 2.94 in the visible region.

Structural, optical and electrical properties of copper antimony sulfide thin films grown by a citrate-assisted single chemical bath deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loranca-Ramos, F. E.; Diliegros-Godines, C. J.; Silva González, R.; Pal, Mou

2018-01-01

Copper antimony sulfide (CAS) has been proposed as low toxicity and earth abundant absorber materials for thin film photovoltaics due to their suitable optical band gap, high absorption coefficient and p-type electrical conductivity. The present work reports the formation of copper antimony sulfide by chemical bath deposition using sodium citrate as a complexing agent. We show that by tuning the annealing condition, one can obtain either chalcostibite or tetrahedrite phase. However, the main challenge was co-deposition of copper and antimony as ternary sulfides from a single chemical bath due to the distinct chemical behavior of these metals. The as-deposited films were subjected to several trials of thermal treatment using different temperatures and time to find the optimized annealing condition. The films were characterized by different techniques including Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), profilometer, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-vis spectrophotometer, and Hall Effect measurements. The results show that the formation of chalcostibite and tetrahedrite phases is highly sensitive to annealing conditions. The electrical properties obtained for the chalcostibite films varied as the annealing temperature increases from 280 to 350 °C: hole concentration (n) = 1017-1018 cm-3, resistivity (ρ) = 1.74-2.14 Ωcm and carrier mobility (μ) = 4.7-9.26 cm2/Vseg. While for the tetrahedrite films, the electrical properties were n = 5 × 1019 cm-3, μ = 18.24 cm2/Vseg, and ρ = 5.8 × 10-3 Ωcm. A possible mechanism for the formation of ternary copper antimony sulfide has also been proposed.

Synthesis and performance of Zn-Ni-P thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soare, V.; Burada, M.; Constantin, I.; Ghita, M.; Constantin, V.; Miculescu, F.; Popescu, A. M.

2015-03-01

The electroplating of Zn-Ni-P thin film alloys from a sulfate bath containing phosphoric and phosphorous acid was investigated. The bath composition and the deposition parameters were optimized through Hull cell experiments, and the optimum experimental conditions were determined (pH = 2, temperature = 298-313 K, zinc sulfate concentration = 30 g·L-1, EDTA concentration = 15 g·L-1, and current density, = ,1.0-2.0 A·dm-2). The SEM analysis of the coating deposited from the optimum bath revealed fine-grained deposits of the alloy in the presence of EDTA. Optical microscopy analysis indicated an electrodeposited thin film with uniform thickness and good adhesion to the steel substrate. The good adherence of the coatings was also demonstrated by the scratch tests that were performed, with a maximum determined value of 25 N for the critical load. Corrosion resistance tests revealed good protection of the steel substrate by the obtained Zn-Ni-P coatings, with values up to 85.89% for samples with Ni contents higher than 76%. The surface analysis of the thin film samples before and after corrosion was performed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Project support by the Partnership Romanian Research Program (PNCDI2), CORZIFILM Project nr.72-221/2008-2011 and “EU (ERDF) and Romanian Government” that allowed for acquisition of the research infrastructure under POS-CEEO 2.2.1 project INFRANANOCHEM-Nr.19/01.03.2009.

Toward High-Efficiency Solution-Processed Planar Heterojunction Sb2S3 Solar Cells.

PubMed

Zimmermann, Eugen; Pfadler, Thomas; Kalb, Julian; Dorman, James A; Sommer, Daniel; Hahn, Giso; Weickert, Jonas; Schmidt-Mende, Lukas

2015-05-01

Low-cost hybrid solar cells have made tremendous steps forward during the past decade owing to the implementation of extremely thin inorganic coatings as absorber layers, typically in combination with organic hole transporters. Using only extremely thin films of these absorbers reduces the requirement of single crystalline high-quality materials and paves the way for low-cost solution processing compatible with roll-to-roll fabrication processes. To date, the most efficient absorber material, except for the recently introduced organic-inorganic lead halide perovskites, has been Sb 2 S 3 , which can be implemented in hybrid photovoltaics using a simple chemical bath deposition. Current high-efficiency Sb 2 S 3 devices utilize absorber coatings on nanostructured TiO 2 electrodes in combination with polymeric hole transporters. This geometry has so far been the state of the art, even though flat junction devices would be conceptually simpler with the additional potential of higher open circuit voltages due to reduced charge carrier recombination. Besides, the role of the hole transporter is not completely clarified yet. In particular, additional photocurrent contribution from the polymers has not been directly shown, which points toward detrimental parasitic light absorption in the polymers. This study presents a fine-tuned chemical bath deposition method that allows fabricating solution-processed low-cost flat junction Sb 2 S 3 solar cells with the highest open circuit voltage reported so far for chemical bath devices and efficiencies exceeding 4%. Characterization of back-illuminated solar cells in combination with transfer matrix-based simulations further allows to address the issue of absorption losses in the hole transport material and outline a pathway toward more efficient future devices.

Synthesis of Mn-doped ZnS thin films by chemical bath deposition: Optical properties in the visible region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erken, Ozge; Gunes, Mustafa; Gumus, Cebrail

2017-04-01

Transparent ZnS:Mn thin films were produced by chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique at 80 °C for 4h, 6h and 8h durations. The optical properties such as optical transmittance (T %), reflectance (R %), extinction coefficient (k) and refractive index (n) were deeply investigated in terms of contribution ratio, wavelength and film thickness. The optical properties of ZnS:Mn thin films were determined by UV/vis spectrophotometer transmittance measurements in the range of λ=300-1100 nm. Optical transmittances of the films were found from 12% to 92% in the visible region. The refractive index (n) values for visible region were calculated as 1.34-5.09. However, film thicknesses were calculated between 50 and 901 nm by gravimetric analysis.

Chemical Bath Deposited Zinc Sulfide Buffer Layers for Copper Indium Gallium Sulfur-selenide Solar Cells and Device Analysis

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

Kundu, Sambhu N.; Olsen, Larry C.

2005-01-03

Cd free CIGSS thin film solar cell structures with a MgF2/TCO/CGD-ZnS/CIGSS/Mo/SLG structure have been fabricated using chemical bath deposited (CBD)-ZnS buffer layers and high quality CIGSS absorber layers supplied from Shell Solar Industries. The use of CBD-ZnS, which is a higher band gap materials than CdS, improved the quantum efficiency of fabricated cells at lower wavelengths, leading to an increase in short circuit current. The best cell to date yielded an active area (0.43 cm2) efficiency of 13.3%. This paper also presents a discussion of the issues relating to the use of the CBD-ZnS buffer materials for improving device performance.

AlMn Transition Edge Sensors for Advanced ACTPol

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Dale; Austermann, Jason E.; Beall, James A.; Tucker, Daniel T.; Duff, Shannon M.; Gallardo, Patricio A.; Henderson, Shawn W.; Hilton, Gene C.; Ho, Shuay-Pwu; Hubmayr, Johannes;

AlMn Transition Edge Sensors for Advanced ACTPol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Dale; Austermann, Jason E.; Beall, James A.; Becker, Daniel T.; Duff, Shannon M.; Gallardo, Patricio A.; Henderson, Shawn W.; Hilton, Gene C.; Ho, Shuay-Pwu; Hubmayr, Johannes; Koopman, Brian J.; McMahon, Jeffrey J.; Nati, Federico; Niemack, Michael D.; Pappas, Christine G.; Salatino, Maria; Schmitt, Benjamin L.; Simon, Sara M.; Staggs, Suzanne T.; Van Lanen, Jeff; Ward, Jonathan T.; Wollack, Edward J.

2016-07-01

Advanced ACTPol (AdvACT) will use an array of multichroic polarization-sensitive AlMn transition edge sensor (TES) bolometers read out through time-division multiplexing. Aluminum doped with a low concentration of manganese can be deposited to a bulk film thickness for a more reliable superconducting critical temperature uniformity compared to thin bilayers. To build the TES, the AlMn alloy is deposited, over Nb wiring, to a specific thickness to set the TES normal resistance. The doping concentration of manganese coarsely defines the TES critical temperature, while a fine tuning is achieved by heating the deposited film to a specific temperature. The TES island is connected to the thermal bath via four silicon-nitride membranes, where their geometry defines the thermal conductance to the temperature of the bath. Lastly, the TES heat capacity is increased by addition of PdAu electrically connected to the AlMn film. Designs and performance characteristics of these AlMn TESs are presented for use in AdvACT.

Effects of Various Parameters on Structural and Optical Properties of CBD-Grown ZnS Thin Films: A Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinha, Tarkeshwar; Lilhare, Devjyoti; Khare, Ayush

2018-02-01

Zinc sulfide (ZnS) thin films deposited by chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique have proved their capability in a wide area of applications including electroluminescent and display devices, solar cells, sensors, and field emitters. These semiconducting thin films have attracted a much attention from the scientific community for industrial and research purposes. In this article, we provide a comprehensive review on the effect of various parameters on various properties of CBD-grown ZnS films. In the first part, we discuss the historical background of ZnS, its basic properties, and the advantages of the CBD technique. Detailed discussions on the film growth, structural and optical properties of ZnS thin films affected by various parameters, such as bath temperature and concentration, deposition time, stirring speed, complexing agents, pH value, humidity in the environment, and annealing conditions, are also presented. In later sections, brief information about the recent studies and findings is also added to explore the scope of research work in this field.

Redox artifacts in electrophysiological recordings

PubMed Central

Berman, Jonathan M.

2013-01-01

Electrophysiological techniques make use of Ag/AgCl electrodes that are in direct contact with cells or bath. In the bath, electrodes are exposed to numerous experimental conditions and chemical reagents that can modify electrode voltage. We examined voltage offsets created in Ag/AgCl electrodes by exposure to redox reagents used in electrophysiological studies. Voltage offsets were measured in reference to an electrode separated from the solution by an agar bridge. The reducing reagents Tris-2-carboxyethly-phosphine, dithiothreitol (DTT), and glutathione, as well as the oxidizing agent H2O2 used at experimentally relevant concentrations reacted with Ag in the electrodes to produce voltage offsets. Chloride ions and strong acids and bases produced offsets at millimolar concentrations. Electrolytic depletion of the AgCl layer, to replicate voltage clamp and sustained use, resulted in increased sensitivity to flow and DTT. Offsets were sensitive to electrode silver purity and to the amount and method of chloride deposition. For example, exposure to 10 μM DTT produced a voltage offset between 10 and 284 mV depending on the chloride deposition method. Currents generated by these offsets are significant and dependent on membrane conductance and by extension the expression of ion channels and may therefore appear to be biological in origin. These data demonstrate a new source of artifacts in electrophysiological recordings that can affect measurements obtained from a variety of experimental techniques from patch clamp to two-electrode voltage clamp. PMID:23344161

High-throughput combinatorial chemical bath deposition: The case of doping Cu (In, Ga) Se film with antimony

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Zongkai; Zhang, Xiaokun; Li, Guang; Cui, Yuxing; Jiang, Zhaolian; Liu, Wen; Peng, Zhi; Xiang, Yong

2018-01-01

The conventional methods for designing and preparing thin film based on wet process remain a challenge due to disadvantages such as time-consuming and ineffective, which hinders the development of novel materials. Herein, we present a high-throughput combinatorial technique for continuous thin film preparation relied on chemical bath deposition (CBD). The method is ideally used to prepare high-throughput combinatorial material library with low decomposition temperatures and high water- or oxygen-sensitivity at relatively high-temperature. To check this system, a Cu(In, Ga)Se (CIGS) thin films library doped with 0-19.04 at.% of antimony (Sb) was taken as an example to evaluate the regulation of varying Sb doping concentration on the grain growth, structure, morphology and electrical properties of CIGS thin film systemically. Combined with the Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), automated X-ray Diffraction (XRD) for rapid screening and Localized Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (LEIS), it was confirmed that this combinatorial high-throughput system could be used to identify the composition with the optimal grain orientation growth, microstructure and electrical properties systematically, through accurately monitoring the doping content and material composition. According to the characterization results, a Sb2Se3 quasi-liquid phase promoted CIGS film-growth model has been put forward. In addition to CIGS thin film reported here, the combinatorial CBD also could be applied to the high-throughput screening of other sulfide thin film material systems.

Continuous process electrorefiner

DOEpatents

Herceg, Joseph E [Naperville, IL; Saiveau, James G [Hickory Hills, IL; Krajtl, Lubomir [Woodridge, IL

2006-08-29

A new device is provided for the electrorefining of uranium in spent metallic nuclear fuels by the separation of unreacted zirconium, noble metal fission products, transuranic elements, and uranium from spent fuel rods. The process comprises an electrorefiner cell. The cell includes a drum-shaped cathode horizontally immersed about half-way into an electrolyte salt bath. A conveyor belt comprising segmented perforated metal plates transports spent fuel into the salt bath. The anode comprises the conveyor belt, the containment vessel, and the spent fuel. Uranium and transuranic elements such as plutonium (Pu) are oxidized at the anode, and, subsequently, the uranium is reduced to uranium metal at the cathode. A mechanical cutter above the surface of the salt bath removes the deposited uranium metal from the cathode.

Revised methods for estimating potential reentry exposure associated with indoor crack and crevice and perimeter application.

PubMed

Driver, Jeffrey H; Ross, John H; Pandian, Muhilan; Selim, Sami; Sharp, Janice K

2013-01-01

Surface deposition of insecticides applied as indoor residential foggers, baseboard or perimeter sprays, spot sprays, and crack-and-crevice (C&C) sprays represent pathways of unintentional, postapplication exposure for children and adults. Estimation of the magnitude of this exposure following an application event is associated with uncertainty due to many factors, including (1) surface residue deposition and distribution, (2) access to and the nature of contact with treated surfaces based on time-activity patterns of residents, and (3) the role of residue removal mechanisms such as cleaning treated surfaces, pesticide degradation or redistribution, and hand washing and bathing following contact. A comparative spatial deposition study was conducted involving broadcast, perimeter, and C&C application methods. Residues measured using a spatial grid of deposition dosimeters on floor surfaces demonstrated significantly lower residue concentrations in readily accessible areas following C&C and perimeter applications, versus broadcast treatment. Analyses of other monitoring studies support this finding. The implications of these findings are discussed for both screening-level and higher tier probabilistic postapplication, residential exposure assessment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) current guidance on interpretation of deposition following C&C application is supported by data in this study and others that indicate a ratio of 10:1 for deposition for broadcast versus C&C application. However, the perimeter deposition data are quite similar to C&C deposition and do not support a 70/30 default relative to broadcast recommended by the U.S. EPA (2012).

Organic fuel cell methods and apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Narayanan, Sekharipuram R. (Inventor); Frank, Harvey A. (Inventor); Halpert, Gerald (Inventor); Surampudi, Subbarao (Inventor); Prakash, G. K. Surya (Inventor); Vamos, Eugene (Inventor); Olah, George A. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

A liquid organic fuel cell is provided which employs a solid electrolyte membrane. An organic fuel, such as a methanol/water mixture, is circulated past an anode of a cell while oxygen or air is circulated past a cathode of the cell. The cell solid electrolyte membrane is preferably fabricated from Nafion.TM.. Additionally, a method for improving the performance of carbon electrode structures for use in organic fuel cells is provided wherein a high surface-area carbon particle/Teflon.TM.-binder structure is immersed within a Nafion.TM./methanol bath to impregnate the electrode with Nafion.TM.. A method for fabricating an anode for use in a organic fuel cell is described wherein metal alloys are deposited onto the electrode in an electro-deposition solution containing perfluorooctanesulfonic acid. A fuel additive containing perfluorooctanesulfonic acid for use with fuel cells employing a sulfuric acid electrolyte is also disclosed. New organic fuels, namely, trimethoxymethane, dimethoxymethane, and trioxane are also described for use with either conventional or improved fuel cells.

Organic fuel cell methods and apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Surampudi, Subbarao (Inventor); Narayanan, Sekharipuram R. (Inventor); Vamos, Eugene (Inventor); Halpert, Gerald (Inventor); Olah, George A. (Inventor); Frank, Harvey A. (Inventor); Prakash, G. K. Surya (Inventor)

2004-01-01

A liquid organic, fuel cell is provided which employs a solid electrolyte membrane. An organic fuel, such as a methanol/water mixture, is circulated past an anode of a cell while oxygen or air is circulated past a cathode of the cell. The cell solid electrolyte membrane is preferably fabricated from Nafion.TM.. Additionally, a method for improving the performance of carbon electrode structures for use in organic fuel cells is provided wherein a high surface-area carbon particle/Teflon.TM.-binder structure is immersed within a Nafion.TM./methanol bath to impregnate the electrode with Nafion.TM.. A method for fabricating an anode for use in a organic fuel cell is described wherein metal alloys are deposited onto the electrode in an electro-deposition solution containing perfluorooctanesulfonic acid. A fuel additive containing perfluorooctanesulfonic acid for use with fuel cells employing a sulfuric acid electrolyte is also disclosed. New organic fuels, namely, trimethoxymethane, dimethoxymethane, and trioxane are also described for use with either conventional or improved fuel cells.

Organic fuel cell methods and apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frank, Harvey A. (Inventor); Halpert, Gerald (Inventor); Surampudi, Subbarao (Inventor); Olah, George A. (Inventor); Vamos, Eugene (Inventor); Narayanan, Sekharipuram R. (Inventor); Prakash, G. K. Surya (Inventor)

2008-01-01

A liquid organic, fuel cell is provided which employs a solid electrolyte membrane. An organic fuel, such as a methanol/water mixture, is circulated past an anode of a cell while oxygen or air is circulated past a cathode of the cell. The cell solid electrolyte membrane is preferably fabricated from Nafion.TM.. Additionally, a method for improving the performance of carbon electrode structures for use in organic fuel cells is provided wherein a high surface-area carbon particle/Teflon.TM.-binder structure is immersed within a Nafion.TM./methanol bath to impregnate the electrode with Nafion.TM.. A method for fabricating an anode for use in a organic fuel cell is described wherein metal alloys are deposited onto the electrode in an electro-deposition solution containing perfluorooctanesulfonic acid. A fuel additive containing perfluorooctanesulfonic acid for use with fuel cells employing a sulfuric acid electrolyte is also disclosed. New organic fuels, namely, trimethoxymethane, dimethoxymethane, and trioxane are also described for use with either conventional or improved fuel cells.

Study of the optical properties of CuAlS2 thin films prepared by two methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, S. M.

2017-04-01

CuAlS2 thin films were successfully deposited on glass substrates using two methods: chemical spray pyrolysis (CSP) and chemical bath deposition (CBD). It was confirmed from the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis that CSP films exhibited a polycrystalline nature while amorphous nature was diagnosed for CBD films. Also XRD analysis was utilized to compute grain size, strain and dislocation density. Surface morphology was characterized using scanning electron microscope and photomicroscope images. The optical absorption measurement revealed that the direct allowed electronic transition with band gaps 2.8 eV and 3.0 eV for CBD and CSP methods, respectively. The optical constants, such as extinction coefficient ( k), refractive index ( n), real and imaginary dielectric constants ( ɛ 1, ɛ 2) were discussed. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of CuAlS2 thin films appeared as a single peak for each of them, and this is attributed to band-to-band transition.

Chemical bath deposited ZnS buffer layer for Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin film solar cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Jiyeon; Lim, Donghwan; Eo, Young-Joo; Choi, Changhwan

2018-02-01

The dependence of Zn precursors using zinc sulfate (ZnSO4), zinc acetate (Zn(CH3COO)2), and zinc chloride (ZnCl2) on the characteristics of the chemical bath deposited ZnS thin film used as a buffer layer of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin film solar cell was studied. It is found that the ZnS film deposition rate increases with higher stability constant during decomplexation reaction of zinc ligands, which affects the crack formation and the amount of sulfur and oxygen contents within the film. The band gap energies of all deposited films are in the range of 3.40-3.49 eV, which is lower than that of the bulk ZnS film due to oxygen contents within the films. Among the CIGS solar cells having ZnS buffer layers prepared by different Zn precursors, the best cell efficiency with 9.4% was attained using Zn(CH3COO)2 precursor due to increased Voc mainly. This result suggests that [Zn(NH3)4]2+ complex formation should be well controlled to attain the high quality ZnS thin films.

Inverse Leidenfrost effect: self-propelling drops on a bath

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gauthier, Anais; van der Meer, Devaraj; Lohse, Detlef; Physics of Fluids Team

2017-11-01

When deposited on very hot solid, volatile drops can levitate over a cushion of vapor, in the so-called Leidenfrost state. This phenomenon can also be observed on a hot bath and similarly to the solid case, drops are very mobile due to the absence of contact with the substrate that sustains them. We discuss here a situation of ``inverse Leidenfrost effect'' where room-temperature drops levitate on a liquid nitrogen pool - the vapor is generated here by the bath sustaining the relatively hot drop. We show that the drop's movement is not random: the liquid goes across the bath in straight lines, a pattern only disrupted by elastic bouncing on the edges. In addition, the drops are initially self-propelled; first at rest, they accelerate for a few seconds and reach velocities of the order of a few cm/s, before slowing down. We investigate experimentally the parameters that affect their successive acceleration and deceleration, such as the size and nature of the drops and we discuss the origin of this pattern.

Verification of impact of morning showering and mist sauna bathing on human physiological functions and work efficiency during the day

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Soomin; Fujimura, Hiroko; Shimomura, Yoshihiro; Katsuura, Tetsuo

2015-09-01

Recently, a growing number in Japan are switching to taking baths in the morning (morning bathing). However, the effects of the morning bathing on human physiological functions and work efficiency have not yet been revealed. Then, we hypothesized that the effect of morning bathing on physiological functions would be different from those of night bathing. In this study, we measured the physiological functions and work efficiency during the day following the morning bathing (7:10-7:20) including showering, mist sauna bathing, and no bathing as a control. Ten male healthy young adults participated in this study as the subjects. We evaluated the rectal temperature (Tre), skin temperature (Tsk), heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure (BP), the relative power density of the alpha wave (α-wave ratio) of electroencephalogram, alpha attenuation coefficient (AAC), and the error rate of the task performance. As a result, we found that the HR after the mist sauna bathing was significantly lower than those after no bathing rest 3 (11:00). Furthermore, we verified that the α-wave ratio of the Pz after the mist sauna bathing was significantly lower than those after no bathing during the task 6 (15:00). On the other hand, the α-wave ratio of the Pz after the mist sauna bathing was significantly higher than those after showering during the rest 3 (11:00). Tsk after the mist sauna bathing was higher than those after the showering at 9:00 and 15:00. In addition, the error rate of the task performance after the mist sauna bathing was lower than those after no bathing and showering at 14:00. This study concludes that a morning mist sauna is safe and maintains both skin temperature compared to other bathing methods. Moreover, it is presumed that the morning mist sauna bathing improves work efficiency comparing other bathing methods during the task period of the day following the morning bathing.

Verification of impact of morning showering and mist sauna bathing on human physiological functions and work efficiency during the day.

PubMed

Lee, Soomin; Fujimura, Hiroko; Shimomura, Yoshihiro; Katsuura, Tetsuo

2015-09-01

Recently, a growing number in Japan are switching to taking baths in the morning (morning bathing). However, the effects of the morning bathing on human physiological functions and work efficiency have not yet been revealed. Then, we hypothesized that the effect of morning bathing on physiological functions would be different from those of night bathing. In this study, we measured the physiological functions and work efficiency during the day following the morning bathing (7:10-7:20) including showering, mist sauna bathing, and no bathing as a control. Ten male healthy young adults participated in this study as the subjects. We evaluated the rectal temperature (Tre), skin temperature (Tsk), heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure (BP), the relative power density of the alpha wave (α-wave ratio) of electroencephalogram, alpha attenuation coefficient (AAC), and the error rate of the task performance. As a result, we found that the HR after the mist sauna bathing was significantly lower than those after no bathing rest 3 (11:00). Furthermore, we verified that the α-wave ratio of the Pz after the mist sauna bathing was significantly lower than those after no bathing during the task 6 (15:00). On the other hand, the α-wave ratio of the Pz after the mist sauna bathing was significantly higher than those after showering during the rest 3 (11:00). Tsk after the mist sauna bathing was higher than those after the showering at 9:00 and 15:00. In addition, the error rate of the task performance after the mist sauna bathing was lower than those after no bathing and showering at 14:00. This study concludes that a morning mist sauna is safe and maintains both skin temperature compared to other bathing methods. Moreover, it is presumed that the morning mist sauna bathing improves work efficiency comparing other bathing methods during the task period of the day following the morning bathing.

On the sub-band gap optical absorption in heat treated cadmium sulphide thin film deposited on glass by chemical bath deposition technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chattopadhyay, P.; Karim, B.; Guha Roy, S.

2013-12-01

The sub-band gap optical absorption in chemical bath deposited cadmium sulphide thin films annealed at different temperatures has been critically analyzed with special reference to Urbach relation. It has been found that the absorption co-efficient of the material in the sub-band gap region is nearly constant up to a certain critical value of the photon energy. However, as the photon energy exceeds the critical value, the absorption coefficient increases exponentially indicating the dominance of Urbach rule. The absorption coefficients in the constant absorption region and the Urbach region have been found to be sensitive to annealing temperature. A critical examination of the temperature dependence of the absorption coefficient indicates two different kinds of optical transitions to be operative in the sub-band gap region. After a careful analyses of SEM images, energy dispersive x-ray spectra, and the dc current-voltage characteristics, we conclude that the absorption spectra in the sub-band gap domain is possibly associated with optical transition processes involving deep levels and the grain boundary states of the material.

Nickel cobalt phosphorous low stress electroplating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Engelhaupt, Darell E. (Inventor); Ramsey, Brian D. (Inventor)

2002-01-01

An electrolytic plating process is provided for electrodepositing a nickel or nickel cobalt alloy which contains at least about 2% to 25% by atomic volume of phosphorous. The process solutions contains nickel and optionally cobalt sulfate, hypophosphorous acid or a salt thereof, boric acid or a salt thereof, a monodentate organic acid or a salt thereof, and a multidentate organic acid or a salt thereof. The pH of the plating bath is from about 3.0 to about 4.5. An electroplating process is also provided which includes electroplating from the bath a nickel or nickel cobalt phosphorous alloy. This process can achieve a deposit with high microyield of at least about 84 kg/mm.sup.2 (120 ksi) and a density lower than pure nickel of about 8.0 gm/cc. This process can be used to plate a deposit of essentially zero stress at plating temperatures from ambient to 70.degree. C.

Effect of Annealing Temperature on Flowerlike Cu3BiS3 Thin Films Grown by Chemical Bath Deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deshmukh, S. G.; Patel, S. J.; Patel, K. K.; Panchal, A. K.; Kheraj, Vipul

2017-10-01

For widespread application of thin-film photovoltaic solar cells, synthesis of inexpensive absorber material is essential. In this work, deposition of ternary Cu3BiS3 absorber material, which contains abundant and environmentally benign elements, was carried out on glass substrate. Flowerlike Cu3BiS3 thin films with nanoflakes as building block were formed on glass substrate by chemical bath deposition. These films were annealed at 573 K and 673 K in sulfur ambient for structural improvement. Their structure was characterized using Raman spectroscopy, as well as their surface morphological and optical properties. The x-ray diffraction profile of as-deposited Cu3BiS3 thin film revealed amorphous structure, which transformed to orthorhombic phase after annealing. The Raman spectrum exhibited a characteristic peak at 290 cm-1. Scanning electron microscopy of as-deposited Cu3BiS3 film confirmed formation of nanoflowers with diameter of around 1052 nm. Wettability testing of as-deposited Cu3BiS3 thin film demonstrated hydrophobic nature, which became hydrophilic after annealing. The measured ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectra of the Cu3BiS3 thin films gave an absorption coefficient of 105 cm-1 and direct optical bandgap of about 1.42 eV after annealing treatment. Based on all these results, such Cu3BiS3 material may have potential applications in the photovoltaic field as an absorber layer.

Enhanced Dissolution of Platinum Group Metals Using Electroless Iron Deposition Pretreatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taninouchi, Yu-ki; Okabe, Toru H.

2017-12-01

In order to develop a new method for efficiently recovering platinum group metals (PGMs) from catalyst scraps, the authors investigated an efficient dissolution process where the material was pretreated by electroless Fe deposition. When Rh-loaded alumina powder was kept in aqua regia at 313 K (40 °C) for 30 to 60 minutes, the Rh hardly dissolved. Meanwhile, after electroless Fe plating using a bath containing sodium borohydride and potassium sodium tartrate as the reducing and complexing agents, respectively, approximately 60 pct of Rh was extracted by aqua regia at 313 K (40 °C) after 30 minutes. Furthermore, when heat treatment was performed at 1200 K (927 °C) for 60 minutes in vacuum after electroless plating, the extraction of Rh approached 100 pct for the same leaching conditions. The authors also confirmed that the Fe deposition pretreatment enhanced the dissolution of Pt and Pd. These results indicate that an effective and environmentally friendly process for the separation and extraction of PGMs from catalyst scraps can be developed utilizing this Fe deposition pretreatment.

Preparation of electrochromic thin films by transformation of manganese(II) carbonate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stojkovikj, Sasho; Najdoski, Metodija; Koleva, Violeta; Demiri, Sani

2013-10-01

A new chemical bath method for deposition of manganese(II) carbonate thin film on electroconductive FTO glass substrates is designed. The homogeneous thin films with thickness in the range of 70 to 500 nm are deposited at about 98 °C from aqueous solution containing urea and MnCl2. The chemical process is based on a low temperature hydrolysis of the manganese complexes with urea. Three types of films are under consideration: as-deposited, annealed and electrochemically transformed thin films. The structure of the films is studied by XRD, IR and Raman spectroscopy. Electrochemical and optical properties are examined in eight different electrolytes (neutral and alkaline) and the best results are achieved in two component aqueous solution of 0.1 M KNO3 and 0.01 M KOH. It is established that the as-deposited MnCO3 film undergoes electrochemically transformation into birnessite-type manganese(IV) oxide films, which exhibit electrochromic color changes (from bright brown to pale yellow and vice versa) with 30% difference in the transmittance of the colored and bleached state at 400 nm.

Spray-Pyrolyzed Three-Dimensional CuInS2 Solar Cells on Nanocrystalline-Titania Electrodes with Chemical-Bath-Deposited Inx(OH)ySz Buffer Layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Duy-Cuong; Mikami, Yuki; Tsujimoto, Kazuki; Ryo, Toshihiro; Ito, Seigo

2012-10-01

Three-dimensional (3D) compound solar cells with the structure of have been fabricated by spray pyrolysis deposition of CuInS2 and chemical-bath deposition of Inx(OH)ySz for the light absorber and buffer layer, respectively. The effect of deposition and annealing conditions of Inx(OH)ySz on the photovoltaic properties of 3D CuInS2 solar cells was investigated. Inx(OH)ySz annealed in air ambient showed a better cell performance than those annealed in nitrogen ambient and without annealing. The improvement of the performance of cells with Inx(OH)ySz buffer layers annealed in air ambient is due to the increase in oxide concentration in the buffer layers [confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurement]. Among cells with Inx(OH)ySz buffer layers deposited for 1, 1.5, 1.75, and 2 h, that with Inx(OH)ySz deposited for 1.75 h showed the best cell performance. The best cell performance was observed for Inx(OH)ySz deposited for 1.75 h with annealing at 300 °C for 30 min in air ambient, and cell parameters were 22 mA cm-2 short-circuit photocurrent density, 0.41 V open-circuit voltage, 0.35 fill factor, and 3.2% conversion efficiency.

Electrochemical surface modification of titanium in dentistry.

PubMed

Kim, Kyo-Han; Ramaswamy, Narayanan

2009-01-01

Titanium and its alloys have good biocompatibility with body cells and tissues and are widely used for implant applications. However, clinical procedures place more stringent and tough requirements on the titanium surface necessitating artificial surface treatments. Among the many methods of titanium surface modification, electrochemical techniques are simple and cheap. Anodic oxidation is the anodic electrochemical technique while electrophoretic and cathodic depositions are the cathodic electrochemical techniques. By anodic oxidation it is possible to obtain desired roughness, porosity and chemical composition of the oxide. Anodic oxidation at high voltages can improve the crystallinity of the oxide. The chief advantage of this technique is doping of the coating of the bath constituents and incorporation of these elements improves the properties of the oxide. Electrophoretic deposition uses hydroxyapatite (HA) powders dispersed in a suitable solvent at a particular pH. Under these operating conditions these particles acquire positive charge and coatings are obtained on the cathodic titanium by applying an external electric field. These coatings require a post-sintering treatment to improve the coating properties. Cathodic deposition is another type of electrochemical method where HA is formed in situ from an electrolyte containing calcium and phosphate ions. It is also possible to alter structure and/or chemistry of the obtained deposit. Nano-grained HA has higher surface energy and greater biological activity and therefore emphasis is being laid to produce these coatings by cathodic deposition.

Copper-zinc electrodeposition in alkaline-sorbitol medium: Electrochemical studies and structural, morphological and chemical composition characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Almeida, M. R. H.; Barbano, E. P.; de Carvalho, M. F.; Tulio, P. C.; Carlos, I. A.

2015-04-01

The galvanostatic technique was used to analyze the electrodeposition of Cu-Zn on to AISI 1010 steel electrode from an alkaline-sorbitol bath with various proportions of the metal ions in the bath: Cu70/Zn30, Cu50/Zn50 and Cu30/Zn70. Coloration of Cu-Zn films were whitish golden, light golden, golden/gray depending on the Cu2+/Zn2+ ratios in the electrodeposition bath, deposition current density (jdep) and charge density (qdep). The highest current efficiency was ∼54.0%, at jdep -1.0 mA cm-2 and qdep 0.40 C cm-2 in the Cu70/Zn30 bath. Energy dispersive spectroscopy indicated that electrodeposits produced from the bath Cu70/Zn30 showed higher Cu content at lower jdep. Also, for same jdep the Cu content increased with qdep. Scanning electron microscopy showed that Cu-Zn electrodeposits of high quality were obtained from the Cu70/Zn30 bath, since the films were fine-grained, except the obtained at jdep -20.0 mA cm-2 and qdep 10.0 C cm-2. Also, these electrodeposits did not present cracks. X-ray analysis of the Cu-Zn electrodeposits obtained at jdep -8.0, -20.0 and -40.0 mA cm-2, in each case, with qdep 2.0 and 10.0 C cm-2, in the Cu70/Zn30 bath, suggested the occurrence of a mixture of the following phases, CuZn, CuZn5 and Cu5Zn8. Galvanostatic electrodeposits of Cu-Zn obtained from sorbitol-alkaline baths exhibited whitish golden color, with good prospects for industrial applications, especially for decorative purposes.

Influence of Different Aluminum Sources on the NH3 Gas-Sensing Properties of ZnO Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozutok, Fatma; Karaduman, Irmak; Demiri, Sani; Acar, Selim

2018-02-01

Herein we report Al-doped ZnO films (AZO) deposited on the ZnO seed layer by chemical bath deposition method. Al powder, Al oxide and Al chloride were used as sources for the deposition process and investigated for their different effects on the NH3 gas-sensing performance. The morphological and microstructural properties were investigated by employing x-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy analysis and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The characterization studies showed that the AZO thin films are crystalline and exhibit a hexagonal wurtzite structure. Ammonia (NH3) gas-sensing measurements of AZO films were performed at different concentration levels and different operation temperatures from 50°C to 210°C. The sample based on powder-Al source showed a higher response, selectivity and short response/recovery time than the remaining samples. The powder Al sample exhibited 33% response to 10-ppm ammonia gas at 190°C, confirming a strong dependence on the dopant source type.

Investigation of structural, morphological and opto-electronic properties of CdS quantum dot thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim Mohammed S., M.; Gubari, Ghamdan M. M.; Huse, Nanasaheb P.; Dive, Avinash S.; Sharma, Ramphal

2018-05-01

We have successfully deposited CdS quantum dot thin film on the glass substrate by simple and economic chemical bath deposition method at ˜50 ˚C. The X-ray diffraction study confirms the formation of CdS when compared with standard JCPDS data with average crystallite size ˜3 nm. The morphology of the film was studied by FE-SEM, which suggests the homogeneous and uniform deposition of the CdS material over the entire glass substrate with a porous structure. From UV absorption spectra we observed that the sample exhibited a band edge near ˜400 nm with a slight deviation with the presence of excitonic peak for the sample. The presence of excitonic peak may be attributed to the formation of quantum dots. The calculated band gap energy of CdS quantum dot thin film was found to be ˜3.136 eV. The thin film further characterized to study electrical parameters and the sample show a drastic increase in current after light illumination.

Annealing effect and photovoltaic properties of nano-ZnS/textured p-Si heterojunction.

PubMed

Ji, Liang-Wen; Hsiao, Yu-Jen; Tang, I-Tseng; Meen, Teen-Hang; Liu, Chien-Hung; Tsai, Jenn-Kai; Wu, Tien-Chuan; Wu, Yue-Sian

2013-11-09

The preparation and characterization of heterojunction solar cell with ZnS nanocrystals synthesized by chemical bath deposition method were studied in this work. The ZnS nanocrystals were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Lower reflectance spectra were found as the annealing temperature of ZnS film increased on the textured p-Si substrate. It was found that the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the AZO/ZnS/textured p-Si heterojunction solar cell with an annealing temperature of 250°C was η = 3.66%.

Annealing effect and photovoltaic properties of nano-ZnS/textured p-Si heterojunction

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The preparation and characterization of heterojunction solar cell with ZnS nanocrystals synthesized by chemical bath deposition method were studied in this work. The ZnS nanocrystals were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Lower reflectance spectra were found as the annealing temperature of ZnS film increased on the textured p-Si substrate. It was found that the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the AZO/ZnS/textured p-Si heterojunction solar cell with an annealing temperature of 250°C was η = 3.66%. PMID:24206942

Annealing effect and photovoltaic properties of nano-ZnS/textured p-Si heterojunction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Liang-Wen; Hsiao, Yu-Jen; Tang, I.-Tseng; Meen, Teen-Hang; Liu, Chien-Hung; Tsai, Jenn-Kai; Wu, Tien-Chuan; Wu, Yue-Sian

2013-11-01

The preparation and characterization of heterojunction solar cell with ZnS nanocrystals synthesized by chemical bath deposition method were studied in this work. The ZnS nanocrystals were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Lower reflectance spectra were found as the annealing temperature of ZnS film increased on the textured p-Si substrate. It was found that the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the AZO/ZnS/textured p-Si heterojunction solar cell with an annealing temperature of 250°C was η = 3.66%.

METAL COATING BATHS

DOEpatents

Robinson, J.W.

1958-08-26

A method is presented for restoring the effectiveness of bronze coating baths used for hot dip coating of uranium. Such baths, containing a high proportion of copper, lose their ability to wet uranium surfaces after a period of use. The ability of such a bath to wet uranium can be restored by adding a small amount of metallic aluminum to the bath, and skimming the resultant hard alloy from the surface.

Features of Wear-Resistant Cast Iron Coating Formation During Plasma-Powder Surfacing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vdovin, K. N.; Emelyushin, A. N.; Nefed'ev, S. P.

2017-09-01

The structure of coatings deposited on steel 45 by plasma-powder surfacing of white wear-resistant cast iron is studied. The effects of surfacing regime and additional production effects on the welding bath during surfacing produced by current modulation, accelerated cooling of the deposited beads by blowing with air, and accelerated cooling of the substrate with running water on the structure, are determined. A new composition is suggested for powder material for depositing wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant coatings on a carbon steel by the plasma-powder process.

Aqueous liquid feed organic fuel cell using solid polymer electrolyte membrane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olah, George A. (Inventor); Surampudi, Subbarao (Inventor); Vamos, Eugene (Inventor); Halpert, Gerald (Inventor); Narayanan, Sekharipuram R. (Inventor); Frank, Harvey A. (Inventor); Prakash, G. K. Surya (Inventor)

1997-01-01

A liquid organic fuel cell is provided which employs a solid electrolyte membrane. An organic fuel, such as a methanol/water mixture, is circulated past an anode of a cell while oxygen or air is circulated past a cathode of the cell. The cell solid electrolyte membrane is preferably fabricated from Nafion.TM.. Additionally, a method for improving the performance of carbon electrode structures for use in organic fuel cells is provided wherein a high surface-area carbon particle/Teflon.TM.-binder structure is immersed within a Nafion.TM./methanol bath to impregnate the electrode with Nafion.TM.. A method for fabricating an anode for use in a organic fuel cell is described wherein metal alloys are deposited onto the electrode in an electro-deposition solution containing perfluorooctanesulfonic acid. A fuel additive containing perfluorooctanesulfonic acid for use with fuel cells employing a sulfuric acid electrolyte is also disclosed. New organic fuels, namely, trimethoxymethane, dimethoxymethane, and trioxane are also described for use with either conventional or improved fuel cells.

Anodization process produces opaque, reflective coatings on aluminum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1965-01-01

Opaque, reflective coatings are produced on aluminum articles by an anodizing process wherein the anodizing bath contains an aqueous dispersion of finely divided insoluble inorganic compounds. These particles appear as uniformly distributed occlusions in the anodic deposit on the aluminum.

Luminescence parameters of InP/ZnS@AAO nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savchenko, S. S.; Vokhmintsev, A. S.; Weinstein, I. A.

2016-03-01

Nanostructured membranes of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) with InP/ZnS semiconductor nanocrystals deposited in pores were synthesized by electrochemical technique, physical deposition and post processing in an ultrasonic bath. Photoluminescence spectra of the samples were studied. Fluorescent properties of the quantum dots are found to be retained after the deposition. The color range is illustrated that can be covered using membranes annealed at temperatures < 900°C and by varying the concentration of the deposited InP/ZnS nanocrystals. Chromaticity coordinates and correlated color temperature for the fabricated white InP/ZnS@AAO phosphor are (0.21, 0.26) and 4115 K, respectively.

Improved performance of CdSe/CdS co-sensitized solar cells adopting efficient CuS counter electrode modified by PbS film using SILAR method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiaolong; Lin, Yu; Wu, Jihuai; Fang, Biaopeng; Zeng, Jiali

2018-04-01

In this paper, CuS film was deposited onto fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate using a facile chemical bath deposition method, and then modified by PbS using simple successive ionic layer absorption and reaction (SILAR) method with different cycles. These CuS/PbS films were utilized as counter electrodes (CEs) for CdSe/CdS co-sensitized solar cells. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy equipped with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer was used to characterize the CuS/PbS films. The results show that CuS/PbS (10 cycles) CE exhibits an improved power conversion efficiency of 5.54% under the illumination of one sun (100 mW cm-2), which is higher than the CuS/PbS (0 cycles), CuS/PbS (5 cycles), and CuS/PbS (15 cycles) CEs. This enhancement is mainly attributed to good catalytic activity and lower charge-transfer and series resistances, which have been proved by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and Tafel polarization measurements.

Hardening parts by chrome plating in manufacture and repair

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Astanin, V. K.; Pukhov, E. V.; Stekolnikov, Y. A.; Emtsev, V. V.; Golikova, O. A.

2018-03-01

In the engineering industry, galvanic coatings are widely used to prolong the service life of the machines, which contribute to the increase in the strength of the parts and their resistance to environmental influences, temperature and pressure drops, wear and fretting corrosion. Galvanic coatings have been widely applied in engineering, including agriculture, aircraft building, mining, construction, and electronics. The article focuses on the manufacturing methods of new agricultural machinery parts and the repair techniques of worn parts by chrome plating. The main attention is paid to the unstable methods of chromium deposition (in pulsed and reversing modes) in low-concentration electrolytes, which makes it possible to increase the reliability and durability of the hardened parts operation by changing the conditions of electrocrystallization, that is, directed formation of the structure and texture, thickness, roughness and microhardness of chromium plating. The practical recommendations are given on the current and temperature regimes of chromium deposition and composition of baths used for the restoration and hardening of the machine parts. Moreover, the basic methods of machining allowances removal are analysed.

Cycle life improvement of alkaline batteries via optimization of pulse current deposition of manganese dioxide under low bath temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adelkhani, H.; Ghaemi, M.; Jafari, S. M.

Pulse current electrodeposition (PCD) method has been applied to the preparation of novel electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD) in order to enhance the cycle life of rechargeable alkaline MnO 2-Zn batteries (RAM). The investigation was carried out under atmospheric pressure through a systematic variation of pulse current parameters using additive free sulfuric acid-MnSO 4 electrolyte solutions. On time (t on) was varied from 0.1 to 98.5 ms, off time (t off) from 0.25 to 19.5 ms, pulse frequencies (f) from 10 to 1000 Hz and duty cycles (θ) from 0.02 to 0.985. A constant pulse current density (I p) of 0.8 A dm -2 and average current densities (I a) in the range of 0.08-0.8 A dm -2 were applied in all experiments. Resultant materials were characterized by analyzing their chemical compositions, X-ray diffractions (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Electrochemical characterizations carried out by charge/discharge cycling of samples in laboratory designed RAM batteries and cyclic voltammetric experiments (CV). It has been proved that specific selection of duty cycle, in the order of 0.25, and a pulse frequency of 500 Hz, results in the production of pulse deposited samples (pcMDs) with more uniform distribution of particles and more compact structure than those obtained by direct current techniques (dcMDs). Results of the test batteries demonstrated that, in spite of reduction of bath temperature in the order of 40 °C, the cycle life of batteries made of pcMDs (bath temperature: 60 °C) was rather higher than those made of conventional dcMDs (boiling electrolyte solution). Under the same conditions of EMD synthesis temperature of 80 °C and battery testing, the maximum obtainable cycle life of optimized pcMD was nearly 230 cycles with approximately 30 mAh g -1 MnO 2, compared to that of dcMD, which did not exceed 20 cycles. In accordance to these results, CV has confirmed that the pulse duty cycle is the most influential parameter on the cycle life than the pulse frequency. Because of operating at lower bath temperatures, the presented synthetic mode could improve its competitiveness in economical aspects.

Effect of bathing on atopic dermatitis during the summer season

PubMed Central

Kim, Hakyoung; Ban, Jeongsuk; Park, Mi-Ran; Kim, Do-Soo; Kim, Hye-Young; Han, Youngshin; Ahn, Kangmo

2012-01-01

Background There are little objective data regarding the optimal practice methods of bathing, although bathing and the use of moisturizers are the most important facets to atopic dermatitis (AD) management. Objective We performed this study to evaluate the effect of bathing on AD. Methods Ninety-six children with AD were enrolled during the summer season. Parents were educated to bathe them once daily with mildly acidic cleansers, and to apply emollients for 14 days. Parents recorded the frequency of bathing and skin symptoms in a diary. Scoring AD (SCORAD) scores were measured at the initial and follow-up visits. Patients were divided into two groups, based on the compliance of bathing; poor compliance was defined as ≥ 2 bathless days. Results There was an improvement of SCORAD score, itching, and insomnia in the good compliance group (all p < 0.001). The mean change in SCORAD score from the baseline at the follow-up visit was greater in the good compliance group than the poor compliance group (p = 0.038). Conclusion Daily bathing using weakly acidic syndets can reduce skin symptoms of pediatric AD during the summer season. PMID:23130333

Chemical bath deposition of semiconductor thin films & nanostructures in novel microreactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McPeak, Kevin M.

Chemical bath deposition (CBD) offers a simple and inexpensive route to deposit semiconductor nanostructures and thin films, but lack of fundamental understanding and control of the underlying chemistry has limited its versatility. CBD is traditionally performed in a batch reactor, requiring only a substrate to be immersed in a supersaturated solution of aqueous precursors such as metal salts, complexing agents, and pH buffers. Highlights of CBD include low cost, operation at low temperature and atmospheric pressure, and scalability to large area substrates. In this dissertation, I explore CBD of semiconductor thin films and nanowire arrays in batch and continuous flow microreactors. Microreactors offer many advantages over traditional reactor designs including a reduction in mass transport limitations, precise temperature control and ease of production scale-up by "numbering up". Continuous flow micoreactors offer the unique advantage of providing reaction conditions that are time-invariant but change smoothly as a function of distance down the reaction channel. Growth from a bath whose composition changes along the reactor length results in deposited materials whose properties vary as a function of position on the substrate, essentially creating a combinatorial library. These substrates can be rapidly characterized to identify relationships between growth conditions and material properties or growth mechanisms. I have used CBD in a continuous flow microreactor to deposit ZnO nanowire arrays and CdZnS films whose optoelectronic properties vary as a function of position. The spatially-dependent optoelectronic properties of these materials have been correlated to changes in the composition, structure or growth mechanisms of the materials and ultimately their growth conditions by rigorous spatial characterization. CBD in a continuous flow microreactor, coupled with spatial characterization, provides a new route to understanding the connection between CBD growth conditions and the resulting optoelectronic properties of the film. The high surface-to-volume ratio of a microreactor also lends itself to in situ characterization studies. I demonstrated the first in situ x-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy (XAFS) study of CBD. The high sensitivity and ability to characterize liquid, amorphous and crystalline materials simultaneously make in situ XAFS spectroscopy an ideal tool to study the CBD of inorganic nanomaterials.

Reduced quantum dynamics with arbitrary bath spectral densities: hierarchical equations of motion based on several different bath decomposition schemes.

PubMed

Liu, Hao; Zhu, Lili; Bai, Shuming; Shi, Qiang

2014-04-07

We investigated applications of the hierarchical equation of motion (HEOM) method to perform high order perturbation calculations of reduced quantum dynamics for a harmonic bath with arbitrary spectral densities. Three different schemes are used to decompose the bath spectral density into analytical forms that are suitable to the HEOM treatment: (1) The multiple Lorentzian mode model that can be obtained by numerically fitting the model spectral density. (2) The combined Debye and oscillatory Debye modes model that can be constructed by fitting the corresponding classical bath correlation function. (3) A new method that uses undamped harmonic oscillator modes explicitly in the HEOM formalism. Methods to extract system-bath correlations were investigated for the above bath decomposition schemes. We also show that HEOM in the undamped harmonic oscillator modes can give detailed information on the partial Wigner transform of the total density operator. Theoretical analysis and numerical simulations of the spin-Boson dynamics and the absorption line shape of molecular dimers show that the HEOM formalism for high order perturbations can serve as an important tool in studying the quantum dissipative dynamics in the intermediate coupling regime.

Reduced quantum dynamics with arbitrary bath spectral densities: Hierarchical equations of motion based on several different bath decomposition schemes

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

Liu, Hao; Zhu, Lili; Bai, Shuming

2014-04-07

We investigated applications of the hierarchical equation of motion (HEOM) method to perform high order perturbation calculations of reduced quantum dynamics for a harmonic bath with arbitrary spectral densities. Three different schemes are used to decompose the bath spectral density into analytical forms that are suitable to the HEOM treatment: (1) The multiple Lorentzian mode model that can be obtained by numerically fitting the model spectral density. (2) The combined Debye and oscillatory Debye modes model that can be constructed by fitting the corresponding classical bath correlation function. (3) A new method that uses undamped harmonic oscillator modes explicitly inmore » the HEOM formalism. Methods to extract system-bath correlations were investigated for the above bath decomposition schemes. We also show that HEOM in the undamped harmonic oscillator modes can give detailed information on the partial Wigner transform of the total density operator. Theoretical analysis and numerical simulations of the spin-Boson dynamics and the absorption line shape of molecular dimers show that the HEOM formalism for high order perturbations can serve as an important tool in studying the quantum dissipative dynamics in the intermediate coupling regime.« less

Influence of TiCl4 post-treatment condition on TiO2 electrode for enhancement photovoltaic efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Eom, Tae Sung; Kim, Kyung Hwan; Bark, Chung Wung; Choi, Hyung Wook

2014-10-01

Titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) treatment processed by chemical bath deposition is usually adopted as pre- and post-treatment for nanocrystalline titanium dioxide (TiO2) film deposition in the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) technology. TiCl4 post-treatment is a widely known method capable of improving the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells. In this work, the effect of TiCl4 post-treatment on the TiO2 electrode is proposed and compared to the untreated film. A TiO2 passivating layer was deposited on FTO glass by RF magnetron sputtering. The TiO2 sol prepared sol-gel method, nanoporous TiO2 upper layer was deposited by screen printing method on the passivating layer. TiCl4 post-treatment was deposited on the substrate by hydrolysis of TiCl4 aqueous solution. Crystalline structure was adjusted by various TiCl4 concentration and dipping time: 20 mM-150 mM and 30 min-120 min. The conversion efficiency was measured by solar simulator (100 mW/cm2). The dye-sensitized solar cell using TiCl4 post-treatment was measured the maximum conversion efficiency of 5.04% due to electron transport effectively. As a result, the DSSCs based on TiCl4 post-treatment showed better photovoltaic performance than cells made purely of TiO2 nanoparticles. The relative DSSCs devices are characterized in terms of short circuit current density, open circuit voltage, fill factor, conversion efficiency.

Role of the conducting layer substrate on TiO2 nucleation when using microwave activated chemical bath deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zumeta, I.; Espinosa, R.; Ayllón, J. A.; Vigil, E.

2002-12-01

Nanostructured TiO2 is used in novel dye sensitized solar cells. Because of their interaction with light, thin TiO2 films are also used as coatings for self-cleaning glasses and tiles. Microwave activated chemical bath deposition represents a simple and cost-effective way to obtain nanostructured TiO2 films. It is important to study, in this technique, the role of the conducting layer used as the substrate. The influence of microwave-substrate interactions on TiO2 deposition is analysed using different substrate positions, employing substrates with different conductivities, and also using different microwave radiation powers for film deposition. We prove that a common domestic microwave oven with a large cavity and inhomogeneous radiation field can be used with equally satisfactory results. The transmittance spectra of the obtained films were studied and used to analyse film thickness and to obtain gap energy values. The results, regarding different indium-tin oxide resistivities and different substrate positions in the oven cavity, show that the interaction of the microwave field with the conducting layer is determinant in layer deposition. It has also been found that film thickness increases with the power of the applied radiation while the gap energies of the TiO2 films decrease approaching the 3.2 eV value reported for bulk anatase. This indicates that these films are not crystalline and it agrees with x-ray spectra that do not reveal any peak.

Electroless Cu Plating on Anodized Al Substrate for High Power LED.

PubMed

Rha, Sa-Kyun; Lee, Youn-Seoung

2015-03-01

Area-selective copper deposition on screen printed Ag pattern/anodized Al/Al substrate was attempted using a neutral electroless plating processes for printed circuit boards (PCBs), according to a range of variation of pH 6.5-pH 8 at 70 °C. The utilized basic electroless solution consisted of copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate, sodium phosphinate monohydrate, sodium citrate tribasic dihydrate, ammonium chloride, and nickel(II) sulfate hexahydrate. The pH of the copper plating solutions was adjusted from pH 6.5 to pH 8 using NH4OH. Using electroless plating in pH 6.5 and pH 7 baths, surface damage to the anodized Al layer hardly occurred; the structure of the plated Cu-rich films was a typical fcc-Cu, but a small Ni component was co-deposited. In electroless plating at pH 8, the surface of the anodized Al layer was damaged and the Cu film was composed of a lot of Ni and P which were co-deposited with Cu. Finally, in a pH 7 bath, we can make a selectively electroless plated Cu film on a PCB without any lithography and without surface damage to the anodized Al layer.

High capacity adsorption media and method of producing

DOEpatents

Tranter, Troy J.; Mann, Nicholas R.; Todd, Terry A.; Herbst, Ronald S.

2010-10-05

A method of producing an adsorption medium to remove at least one constituent from a feed stream. The method comprises dissolving and/or suspending at least one metal compound in a solvent to form a metal solution, dissolving polyacrylonitrile into the metal solution to form a PAN-metal solution, and depositing the PAN-metal solution into a quenching bath to produce the adsorption medium. The at least one constituent, such as arsenic, selenium, or antimony, is removed from the feed stream by passing the feed stream through the adsorption medium. An adsorption medium having an increased metal loading and increased capacity for arresting the at least one constituent to be removed is also disclosed. The adsorption medium includes a polyacrylonitrile matrix and at least one metal hydroxide incorporated into the polyacrylonitrile matrix.

High capacity adsorption media and method of producing

DOEpatents

Tranter, Troy J [Idaho Falls, ID; Herbst, R Scott [Idaho Falls, ID; Mann, Nicholas R [Blackfoot, ID; Todd, Terry A [Aberdeen, ID

2008-05-06

A method of producing an adsorption medium to remove at least one constituent from a feed stream. The method comprises dissolving at least one metal compound in a solvent to form a metal solution, dissolving polyacrylonitrile into the metal solution to form a PAN-metal solution, and depositing the PAN-metal solution into a quenching bath to produce the adsorption medium. The at least one constituent, such as arsenic, selenium, or antimony, is removed from the feed stream by passing the feed stream through the adsorption medium. An adsorption medium having an increased metal loading and increased capacity for arresting the at least one constituent to be removed is also disclosed. The adsorption medium includes a polyacrylonitrile matrix and at least one metal hydroxide incorporated into the polyacrylonitrile matrix.

Effect of dopent on the structural and optical properties of ZnS thin film as a buffer layer in solar cell application

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

Vashistha, Indu B., E-mail: indu-139@yahoo.com; Sharma, S. K.; Sharma, Mahesh C.

2015-08-28

In order to find the suitable alternative of toxic CdS buffer layer, deposition of pure ZnS and doped with Al by chemical bath deposition method have been reported. Further as grown pure and doped thin films have been annealed at 150°C. The structural and surface morphological properties have been characterized by X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and Atomic Force Microscope (AFM).The XRD analysis shows that annealed thin film has been polycrystalline in nature with sphalerite cubic crystal structure and AFM images indicate increment in grain size as well as growth of crystals after annealing. Optical measurement data give band gap of 3.5more » eV which is ideal band gap for buffer layer for solar cell suggesting that the obtained ZnS buffer layer is suitable in a low-cost solar cell.« less

Mössbauer and X-ray Diffraction Investigations of Sn-containing Binary and Ternary Electrodeposited Alloys from a Gluconate Bath

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuzmann, E.; Stichleutner, S.; Doyle, O.; Chisholm, C. U.; El-Sharif, M.; Homonnay, Z.; Vértes, A.

2005-04-01

Constant current technique was applied to electrodeposit tin-containing coatings such as tin-cobalt (Sn-Co), tin-iron (Sn-Fe) and a novel tin-cobalt-iron (Sn-Co-Fe) from a gluconate bath. The effect of plating parameters (current density, deposition time at an electrolyte temperature of 60°C and pH=7.0) on phase composition, crystal structure and magnetic anisotropy of alloy deposits has been investigated mainly by 57Fe CEMS, 119Sn CEMS and transmission Mössbauer Spectroscopy as well as XRD. 57Fe and 119Sn CEM spectra and XRD reflect that the dominant phases of the deposits are orthorhombic Co3Sn2, tetragonal FeSn2 or amorphous Fe-Sn and amorphous Sn-Co-Fe in Sn-Co, Sn-Fe and Sn-Co-Fe coatings, respectively. Furthermore, the relative area of the 2nd and 5th lines of the sextets representing the magnetic iron containing phases decreases continuously with increasing current density in all Fe-containing deposits. At the same time, no essential change in the magnetic anisotropy can be found with the plating time. 119Sn spectra reveal the presence of small amount of β-Sn besides the main phases in Sn-Fe and in the Sn-Co coatings. Magnetically split 119Sn spectra reflecting transferred hyperfine field were observed in the case of Co-Sn-Fe coatings.

Synthesis and characterization of lead sulphide thin films from ethanolamine (ETA) complexing agent chemical bath

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gashaw Hone, Fekadu; Dejene, F. B.

2018-02-01

Polycrystalline lead sulphide (PbS) thin films were grown on glass substrates by chemical bath deposition route using ethanolamine (ETA) as a complexing agent. The effects of ETA molar concentration on the structural, morphological, electrical and optical properties of lead sulphide thin films were thoroughly studied. The XRD analyses revealed that all the deposited thin films were face center cubic crystal structure and their preferred orientations were varied along the (111) and (200) planes. The XRD results further confirmed that ETA concentration had a significant effects on the strain, average crystalline size and dislocation density of the deposited thin films. The SEM studies illustrated the evolution and transformation of surface morphology as ETA molar concentration increased from 0.41 M to 1.64 M. The energy dispersive x-ray analysis was used to verify the compositional elements of the deposited thin films. Optical spectroscopy investigation established that the band gap of the PbS thin films were reduced from 0.98 eV to 0.68 eV as ETA concentration increased. The photoluminescence spectra showed a well defined peak at 428 nm and shoulder around 468 nm for all PbS thin films. The electrical resistivity of the thin films found in the order of 103 Ω cm at room temperature and decreased as the ETA molar concentration was increased.

Photoluminescence transient study of surface defects in ZnO nanorods grown by chemical bath deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbagiovanni, E. G.; Strano, V.; Franzò, G.; Crupi, I.; Mirabella, S.

2015-03-01

Two deep level defects (2.25 and 2.03 eV) associated with oxygen vacancies (Vo) were identified in ZnO nanorods (NRs) grown by low cost chemical bath deposition. A transient behaviour in the photoluminescence (PL) intensity of the two Vo states was found to be sensitive to the ambient environment and to NR post-growth treatment. The largest transient was found in samples dried on a hot plate with a PL intensity decay time, in air only, of 23 and 80 s for the 2.25 and 2.03 eV peaks, respectively. Resistance measurements under UV exposure exhibited a transient behaviour in full agreement with the PL transient, indicating a clear role of atmospheric O2 on the surface defect states. A model for surface defect transient behaviour due to band bending with respect to the Fermi level is proposed. The results have implications for a variety of sensing and photovoltaic applications of ZnO NRs.

Influence of a NiO intermediate layer on the properties of ZnO grown on Si by chemical bath deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Djiokap, S. R. Tankio; Urgessa, Z. N.; Mbulanga, C. M.; Boumenou, C. Kameni; Venter, A.; Botha, J. R.

2018-04-01

In this paper, the growth of ZnO nanorods on bare and NiO-coated p-Si substrates is reported. A two-step chemical bath deposition process has been used to grow the nanorods. X-ray diffraction and scanning probe microscopy confirmed that the NiO films were polycrystalline, and that the average grain size correlated with the NiO layer thickness. The ZnO nanorod morphology, orientation and optical properties seemed to be unaffected by the intermediate NiO layer thickness. Current-voltage measurements confirmed the rectifying behavior of all the ZnO/NiO/Si heterostructures. The inclusion of a NiO layer between the substrate and the ZnO nanorods are shown to cause a reduction in both the forward and reverse bias currents. This is in qualitative agreement with the band diagram of these heterostructures, which suggests that the intermediate NiO layer should act as an electron blocking layer.

[Bath Plug Closure Method for Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage by Endoscopic Endonasal Approach:Cooperative Treatment by Neurosurgeons and Otolaryngologists].

PubMed

Kawaguchi, Tomohiro; Arakawa, Kazuya; Nomura, Kazuhiro; Ogawa, Yoshikazu; Katori, Yukio; Tominaga, Teiji

2017-12-01

Endoscopic endonasal surgery, an innovative surgical technique, is used to approach sinus lesions, lesions of the skull base, and intradural tumors. The cooperation of experienced otolaryngologists and neurosurgeons is important to achieve safe and reliable surgical results. The bath plug closure method is a treatment option for patients with cerebrospinal fluid(CSF)leakage. Although it includes dural and/or intradural procedures, surgery tends to be performed by otolaryngologists because its indications, detailed maneuvers, and pitfalls are not well recognized by neurosurgeons. We reviewed the cases of patients with CSF leakage treated by using the bath plug closure method with an endoscopic endonasal approach at our institution. Three patients were treated using the bath plug closure method. CSF leakage was caused by a meningocele in two cases and trauma in one case. No postoperative intracranial complications or recurrence of CSF leakage were observed. The bath plug closure method is an effective treatment strategy and allows neurosurgeons to gain in-depth knowledge of the treatment options for CSF leakage by using an endoscopic endonasal approach.

Multi-dimensional multi-species modeling of transient electrodeposition in LIGA microfabrication.

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

Evans, Gregory Herbert; Chen, Ken Shuang

2004-06-01

This report documents the efforts and accomplishments of the LIGA electrodeposition modeling project which was headed by the ASCI Materials and Physics Modeling Program. A multi-dimensional framework based on GOMA was developed for modeling time-dependent diffusion and migration of multiple charged species in a dilute electrolyte solution with reduction electro-chemical reactions on moving deposition surfaces. By combining the species mass conservation equations with the electroneutrality constraint, a Poisson equation that explicitly describes the electrolyte potential was derived. The set of coupled, nonlinear equations governing species transport, electric potential, velocity, hydrodynamic pressure, and mesh motion were solved in GOMA, using themore » finite-element method and a fully-coupled implicit solution scheme via Newton's method. By treating the finite-element mesh as a pseudo solid with an arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian formulation and by repeatedly performing re-meshing with CUBIT and re-mapping with MAPVAR, the moving deposition surfaces were tracked explicitly from start of deposition until the trenches were filled with metal, thus enabling the computation of local current densities that potentially influence the microstructure and frictional/mechanical properties of the deposit. The multi-dimensional, multi-species, transient computational framework was demonstrated in case studies of two-dimensional nickel electrodeposition in single and multiple trenches, without and with bath stirring or forced flow. Effects of buoyancy-induced convection on deposition were also investigated. To further illustrate its utility, the framework was employed to simulate deposition in microscreen-based LIGA molds. Lastly, future needs for modeling LIGA electrodeposition are discussed.« less

Potentiodynamic studies of Ni-P-TiO2 nano-composited coating on the mild steel deposited by electroless plating method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uttam, Vibha; Duchaniya, R. K.

2016-05-01

Now a days, corrosion studies are important for reducing the wastage of metals. The importance of corrosion studies is two folds i.e. first is economic, including the reduction of material losses resulting from the wasting away or sudden failure of materials and second is conservation Electroless process is an autocatalytic reduction method in which metallic ions are reduced in the solution. Nanocomposite coatings of Ni-P-TiO2 on mild steel are deposited by varying volume of TiO2 nano-powder by electroless method from Ni-P plating bath containing Nickel Sulphate as a source of nickel ions, sodium hypophosphite as the reducing agent, lactic acid as a complexing agents and TiO2 nano powder. Electroless Ni-P-TiO2 coating have been widely used in the chemical process industries, mechanical industries, electronic industries and chloroalkali industries due to their excellent corrosion with mechanical properties. In the present work, deposition of Ni-P alloy coating and Ni-P-TiO2 nanocomposited coatings were done on the mild steel and corrosion properties were studied with Potentio-dynamic polarization measurements method in 3.5 wt% sodium chloride solution. It showed in the experiments that Ni-P-TiO2 nanocomposited coating has better corrosion resistance as comparedthan Ni-P alloy coating. Morphological studies were done by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive analysis of X-ray (EDAX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). These studies confirmed the deposition of Ni-P alloy coating and Ni-P-TiO2 nanocomposited coating.

Apollo(R) Thin Film Process Development: Final Technical Report, April 1998 - April 2002

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

Cunningham, D.W.

2002-10-01

BP Solar first started investigative work on CdTe photovoltaics in 1986. The module product name chosen for the CdTe devices is Apollo. The deposition method chosen was electrochemical deposition due to its simplicity and good control of stoichiometric composition. The window layer used is CdS, produced from a chemical-bath deposition. Initial work focused on increasing photovoltaic cell size from a few mm2 to 900 cm2. At BP Solar's Fairfield plant, work is focused on increasing semiconductor deposition to 1 m2. The primary objective of this subcontract is to establish the conditions required for the efficient plating of CdS/CdTe on large-area,more » transparent conducting tin-oxide-coated glass superstrate. The initial phase concentrates on superstrate sizes up to 0.55 m2. Later phases will include work on 0.94 m2 superstrates. The tasks in this subcontract have been split into four main categories: (1) CdS and CdTe film studies; (2) Enhanced laser processing; (3) Outdoor testing program for the Apollo module; and (4) Production waste abatement and closed loop study.« less

Development of a Novel Method for the Exploration of the Thermal Response of Superfluid Helium Cooled Superconducting Cables to Pulse Heat Loads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winkler, T.; Koettig, T.; van Weelderen, R.; Bremer, J.; ter Brake, H. J. M.

Management of transient heat deposition in superconducting magnets and its extraction from the aforementioned is becoming increasingly important to bring high energy particle accelerator performance to higher beam energies and intensities. Precise knowledge of transient heat deposition phenomena in the magnet cables will permit to push the operation of these magnets as close as possible to their current sharing limit, without unduly provoking magnet quenches. With the prospect of operating the Large Hadron Collider at CERN at higher beam energies and intensities an investigation into the response to transient heat loads of LHC magnets, operating in pressurized superfluid helium, is being performed. The more frequently used approach mimics the cable geometry by resistive wires and uses Joule-heating to deposit energy. Instead, to approximate as closely as possible the real magnet conditions, a novel method for depositing heat in cable stacks made out of superconducting magnet-cables has been developed. The goal is to measure the temperature difference as a function of time between the cable stack and the superfluid helium bath depending on heat load and heat pulse length. The heat generation in the superconducting cable and precise measurement of small temperature differences are major challenges. The functional principle and experimental set-up are presented together with proof of principle measurements.

Processing of CuInSe{sub 2}-based solar cells: Characterization of deposition processes in terms of chemical reaction analyses. Phase 2 Annual Report, 6 May 1996--5 May 1997

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

Anderson, T.

This report describes research performed by the University of Florida during Phase 2 of this subcontract. First, to study CIGS, researchers adapted a contactless, nondestructive technique previously developed for measuring photogenerated excess carrier lifetimes in SOI wafers. This dual-beam optical modulation (DBOM) technique was used to investigate the differences between three alternative methods of depositing CdS (conventional chemical-bath deposition [CBD], metal-organic chemical vapor deposition [MOCVD], and sputtering). Second, a critical assessment of the Cu-In-Se thermochemical and phase diagram data using standard CALPHAD procedures is being performed. The outcome of this research will produce useful information on equilibrium vapor compositions (requiredmore » annealing ambients, Sex fluxes from effusion cells), phase diagrams (conditions for melt-assisted growth), chemical potentials (driving forces for diffusion and chemical reactions), and consistent solution models (extents of solid solutions and extending phase diagrams). Third, an integrated facility to fabricate CIS PV devices was established that includes migration-enhanced epitaxy (MEE) for deposition of CIS, a rapid thermal processing furnace for absorber film formation, sputtering of ZnO, CBD or MOCVD of CdS, metallization, and pattern definition.« less

Temperature dependent fabrication of cost-effective and nontoxic Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} (CZTS) thin films for solar cell

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

Digraskar, Renuka, E-mail: renukad120@gmail.com; Sathe, Bhaskar, E-mail: bhaskarsathe@gmail.com; Gattu, Ketan

2016-05-06

In the present work, Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} (CZTS) thin films have been fabricated onto the glass substrate by simple and economic chemical bath deposition technique{sup 1}, and the effect of deposition temperature is reported. The deposition temperatures used were 50°C and 60°C for a deposition time of 60 min, which are significantly lower than earlier reports. These CZTS thin films were characterized for optical, electrical, morphological and elemental properties using, UV-Vis spectrophotometer, I-V system for photosensitivity, two probe resistivity system for resistivity, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy.

Study of electroless Ni-W-P alloy coating on martensitic stainless steel

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

Nikitasari, Arini, E-mail: arini-nikitasari@yahoo.com; Mabruri, Efendi, E-mail: efendi-lipi@yahoo.com

Electroless nickel phospor (Ni-P) is widely used in many industries due to their corrosion and wear resistance, coating uniformity, and ability to coat non-conductive surfaces. The unique properties of tungsten such as high hardness, higher melting point, lower coefficient of linear thermal expansion, and high tensile strength have created a lot of interest in developing ternary Ni-W-P alloys. This article presents the study of electroless Ni-W-P alloys coating using acid or alkaline bath on martensitic stainless steel. Nickel sulfate and sodium tungstate were used as nickel and tungsten sources, respectively, and sodium hypophosphite was used as a reducing agent. Acidmore » or alkaline bath refer to bath pH condition was adjusted by adding sulfuric acid. Martensitic stainless steel was immersed in Ni-W-P bath for 15, 30, and 60 minutes. The substrate of martensitic stainless steel was subjected to pre-treatment (polishing and cleaning) and activation prior to electroless plating. The plating characteristics were investigated for concentration ratio of nickel and hypophosphite (1:3), sodium tungstate concentration 0,1 M, immersion time (15 min, 30 min, 60 min), and bath condition (acid, alkaline). The electroless Ni-W-P plating was heat treated at 400°C for 1 hour. Deposits were characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and corrosion measurement system (CMS).« less

Effects and safety of mechanical bathing as a complementary therapy for terminal stage cancer patients from the physiological and psychological perspective: a pilot study.

PubMed

Fujimoto, Sawako; Iwawaki, Yoko; Takishita, Yukie; Yamamoto, Yoko; Murota, Masako; Yoshioka, Saori; Hayano, Azusa; Hosokawa, Toyoshi; Yamanaka, Ryuya

2017-11-01

In palliative care hospitals in Japan, mechanical bathing is conducted to maintain cleanliness. However, the physiological and psychological influence of mechanical bathing on patients has not been sufficiently studied. The objective of this study was to assess, using physiological and psychological indices, the effects of mechanical bathing care for patients in the terminal stage of cancer. Mechanical bathing was performed using a Marine Court SB7000 in a supine or semi-seated position. The heart rate variability analysis method was used to measure autonomic nervous system function. The patients' state of anxiety was assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), a psychological index, and patients' verbal responses were also collected after mechanical bathing. Twenty-four patients were enrolled in this study. Their sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous activity did not differ before and after bathing. A significant difference was found between pre- and post-bathing anxiety, as evaluated by STAI (P < 0.0001). In the patient's verbal responses that was collected, the most frequently mentioned descriptors were 'comfortable' and 'relaxed'. Patients were more relaxed after mechanical bathing according to STAI evaluation and their verbal responses. The findings suggest that the method of bathing used in this study is safe and pain-relieving for terminal stage cancer patients. It is thus possible to provide safe and comfortable care for terminal stage cancer patients using mechanical baths. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Quantum dynamics simulations in an ultraslow bath using hierarchy of stochastic Schrödinger equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ke, Yaling; Zhao, Yi

2018-04-01

The hierarchy of stochastic Schrödinger equation, previously developed under the unpolarised initial bath states, is extended in this paper for open quantum dynamics under polarised initial bath conditions. The method is proved to be a powerful tool in investigating quantum dynamics exposed to an ultraslow Ohmic bath, as in this case the hierarchical truncation level and the random sampling number can be kept at a relatively small extent. By systematically increasing the system-bath coupling strength, the symmetric Ohmic spin-boson dynamics is investigated at finite temperature, with a very small cut-off frequency. It is confirmed that the slow bath makes the system dynamics extremely sensitive to the initial bath conditions. The localisation tendency is stronger in the polarised initial bath conditions. Besides, the oscillatory coherent dynamics persists even when the system-bath coupling is very strong, in correspondence with what is found recently in the deep sub-Ohmic bath, where also the low-frequency modes dominate.

AMORPHOUS ALLOY SURFACE COATINGS FOR HARD CHROMIUM REPLACEMENT - PHASE I

EPA Science Inventory

Hard chromium coatings (0.25 to10 mil thick) are used extensively for imparting wear and erosion resistance to components in both industrial and military applications. The most common means of depositing hard chromium has been through the use of chromic acid baths containing ...

Collapsed heteroclinic snaking near a heteroclinic chain in dragged meniscus problems.

PubMed

Tseluiko, D; Galvagno, M; Thiele, U

2014-04-01

A liquid film is studied that is deposited onto a flat plate that is inclined at a constant angle to the horizontal and is extracted from a liquid bath at a constant speed. We analyse steady-state solutions of a long-wave evolution equation for the film thickness. Using centre manifold theory, we first obtain an asymptotic expansion of solutions in the bath region. The presence of an additional temperature gradient along the plate that induces a Marangoni shear stress significantly changes these expansions and leads to the presence of logarithmic terms that are absent otherwise. Next, we numerically obtain steady solutions and analyse their behaviour as the plate velocity is changed. We observe that the bifurcation curve exhibits collapsed (or exponential) heteroclinic snaking when the plate inclination angle is above a certain critical value. Otherwise, the bifurcation curve is monotonic. The steady profiles along these curves are characterised by a foot-like structure that is formed close to the meniscus and is preceded by a thin precursor film further up the plate. The length of the foot increases along the bifurcation curve. Finally, we prove with a Shilnikov-type method that the snaking behaviour of the bifurcation curves is caused by the existence of an infinite number of heteroclinic orbits close to a heteroclinic chain that connects in an appropriate three-dimensional phase space the fixed point corresponding to the precursor film with the fixed point corresponding to the foot and then with the fixed point corresponding to the bath.

Structural, optical and ac electrical characterization of CBD synthesized NiO thin films: Influence of thickness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, M. R.; Mukherjee, A.; Mitra, P.

2017-09-01

We have studied the electrical conductivity, dielectric relaxation mechanism and impedance spectroscopy characteristics of nickel oxide (NiO) thin films synthesized by chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. Thickness dependent structural, optical and ac electrical characterization has been carried out and deposition time was varied to control the thickness. The material has been characterized using X-ray diffraction and UV-VIS spectrophotometer. Impedance spectroscopy analysis confirmed enhancement of ac conductivity and dielectric constant for films deposited with higher deposition time. Decrease of grain size in thicker films were confirmed from XRD analysis and activation energy of the material for electrical charge hopping process was increased with thickness of the film. Decrease in band gap in thicker films were observed which could be associated with creation of additional energy levels in the band gap of the material. Cole-Cole plot shows contribution of both grain and grain boundary towards total resistance and capacitance. The overall resistance was found to decrease from 14.6 × 105 Ω for 30 min deposited film ( 120 nm thick) to 2.42 × 105 Ω for 120 min deposited film ( 307 nm thick). Activation energy value to electrical conduction process evaluated from conductivity data was found to decrease with thickness. Identical result was obtained from relaxation time approach suggesting hopping mechanism of charge carriers.

Electrochemical growth of highly oriented organic-inorganic superlattices using solid-supported multilamellar membranes as templates.

PubMed

Xing, Li-Li; Li, Da-Peng; Hu, Shu-Xin; Jing, Huai-Yu; Fu, Honglan; Mai, Zhen-Hong; Li, Ming

2006-02-08

Controllable depositing of relatively thick inorganic sublayers into organic templates to fabricate organic-inorganic superlattices is of great importance. We report a novel approach to fabricating phospholipid/Ni(OH)(2) superlattices by electrochemical deposition of the inorganic component into solid-supported multilamellar templates. The well-ordered and highly oriented multilamellar templates are produced by spreading small drops of lipid solution on silicon surfaces and letting the solvent evaporate slowly. The templates which are used as working electrodes preserve the lamellar structure in the electrolyte solution. The resulting superlattices are highly oriented. The thickness of the nickel hydroxide is controlled by the concentration of nickel ions in the electrolyte bath. The electron density profiles derived from the X-ray diffraction data reveal that the thickness of the nickel hydroxide sublayers increases from 15 to 27 A as the concentration of nickel nitrate increases from 0.005 mol/L to 0.08 mol/L. We expect that the new method can be extended to depositing a variety of inorganic components including metals, oxides, and semiconductors.

Preparation of textural lamellar tin deposits via electrodeposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Xiaoyu; Pan, Xiaona; Wu, Libin; Li, Ruinan; Wang, Dan; Zhang, Jinqiu; Yang, Peixia

2017-06-01

Lamellar tin deposits were prepared by galvanostatical electroplating from the aqueous acidic-sulfate bath, with gelatin and benzalacetone dissolved in ethanol (ABA+EtOH) as additive, and their morphologies were investigated by scanning electron microscopy. Cathodic polarization curves revealed that the absorbability of ABA+EtOH on the cathode surface was higher than that of gelatin. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated preferred orientations of tin growth led to the formation of lamellar structure and distortion of tin lattice. The growth mechanism of lamellar tin was also discussed.

Effect of complexing agent on the photoelectrochemical properties of bath deposited CdS thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patil, S. B.; Singh, A. K.

2010-02-01

In the present paper photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance of bath deposited CdS thin films based on complexing agents i.e. ammonia and triethanolamine (TEA) has been discussed. Effect of annealing has also been analyzed. The as-deposited and annealed (at 523 K for 1 h in air) films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectroscopy, SEM, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and PEC properties. XRD studies revealed that the films were nanocrystalline in nature with mixed hexagonal and cubic phases. TEA complex resulted in better crystallinity. Further improvement in the crystallinity of the films was observed after air annealing. The marigold flower-like structure, in addition to flakes morphology, was observed with TEA complex, whereas for ammonia complex only flakes morphology was observed. The UV-vis absorption studies revealed that the optical absorption edge for the films with ammonia and TEA complex was around 475 nm and 500 nm, respectively. Annealing of the films resulted in red shift in the UV-vis absorption. The PEC cell performance of CdS films was found to be strongly affected by crystallinity and morphology of the films resulted due to complexing agent and annealing. The air annealed film deposited using TEA complex showed maximum short circuit current density ( Jsc) and open circuit voltage ( Voc) i.e. 99 μA/cm 2 and 376 mV respectively, under 10 mW/cm 2 of illumination. The films deposited using TEA complex showed good stability under PEC cell conditions.

Brushite coatings on titanium for orthopedic implants: Studies on deposition and transformation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Mukesh

Hydroxyapatite (HA, Ca5(PO4)3OH) coating on the metallic substrate is expected to assist bone growth and implant integration. However, HA is quite stable in physiological solution and the use of other more reactive calcium phosphate ceramics (CPC) could induce faster bone growth by providing calcium and phosphate ions to the interacting physiological solution. This study utilized a non-line of sight electrodeposition process to achieve brushite (CaHPO4.2H2O) coatings. The uses of potassium or sodium chloride as a conducting electrolyte in the depositing bath enhanced deposition rates and altered the morphology of the coatings. Analysis suggested a strained deposit with sight specific substitution of cations from the conducting electrolyte. Such a deposit (modified brushite) was determined to have CaHPO 4.2H2O and CaY2(1-x)HPO4•2H 2O (x ˜0.95) with Y as Na0 or K. Whereas normal brushite was obtained from unsupported baths. The deposited mass of brushite increased with charge consumed and bonding to the substrate decreased with increasing deposition time. Though inconclusive. in-situ studies on electrodeposition did not rule out the possibility of ionic species responsible for the deposit. Transformations of both forms of brushite were investigated in calcium free Hank's type simulated body fluid. Modified brushite showed periodic appearance of freshly precipitated, but poorly crystalline HA, without the benefit of monetite (CaHPO4) as an intermediate. However, normal brushite transformation showed nonstoichiometric HA with monetite as an intermediate. Normal brushite demonstrated a slower transformation to HA when compared to the transformation kinetics of modified brushite. It is shown that lattice strain due to localized ion incorporation could be used to after the properties of brushite coatings to adjust the kinetics of transformation and indirectly the amount of calcium and phosphate ions released into the surrounding.

Structure, Surface Morphology, and Optical and Electronic Properties of Annealed SnS Thin Films Obtained by CBD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reghima, Meriem; Akkari, Anis; Guasch, Cathy; Turki-Kamoun, Najoua

2014-09-01

SnS thin films were initially coated onto Pyrex substrates by the chemical bath deposition (CBD) method and annealed at various temperatures ranging from 200°C to 600°C for 30 min in nitrogen gas. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that a structural transition from face-centered cubic to orthorhombic occurs when the annealing temperature is over 500°C. The surface morphology of all thin layers was investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The elemental composition of Sn and S, as measured by energy dispersive spectroscopy, is near the stoichiometric ratio. Optical properties studied by means of transmission and reflection measurements show an increase in the absorption coefficient with increasing annealing temperatures. The band gap energy is close to 1.5 eV, which corresponds to the optimum for photovoltaic applications. Last, the thermally stimulated current measurements show that the electrically active traps located in the band gap disappear after annealing at 500°C. These results suggest that, once again, annealing as a post-deposition treatment may be useful for improving the physical properties of the SnS layers included in photovoltaic applications. Moreover, the thermo-stimulated current method may be of practical relevance to explore the electronic properties of more conventional industrial methods, such as sputtering and chemical vapor deposition.

Methods of removing a constituent from a feed stream using adsorption media

DOEpatents

Tranter, Troy J [Idaho Falls, ID; Mann, Nicholas R [Rigby, ID; Todd, Terry A [Aberdeen, ID; Herbst, Ronald S [Idaho Falls, ID

2011-05-24

A method of producing an adsorption medium to remove at least one constituent from a feed stream. The method comprises dissolving and/or suspending at least one metal compound in a solvent to form a metal solution, dissolving polyacrylonitrile into the metal solution to form a PAN-metal solution, and depositing the PAN-metal solution into a quenching bath to produce the adsorption medium. The at least one constituent, such as arsenic, selenium, or antimony, is removed from the feed stream by passing the feed stream through the adsorption medium. An adsorption medium having an increased metal loading and increased capacity for arresting the at least one constituent to be removed is also disclosed. The adsorption medium includes a polyacrylonitrile matrix and at least one metal hydroxide incorporated into the polyacrylonitrile matrix.

Quantitative assessment of combination bathing and moisturizing regimens on skin hydration in atopic dermatitis.

PubMed

Chiang, Charles; Eichenfield, Lawrence F

2009-01-01

Standard recommendations for skin care for patients with atopic dermatitis stress the importance of skin hydration and the application of moisturizers. However, objective data to guide recommendations regarding the optimal practice methods of bathing and emollient application are scarce. This study quantified cutaneous hydration status after various combination bathing and moisturizing regimens. Four bathing/moisturizer regimens were evaluated in 10 subjects, five pediatric subjects with atopic dermatitis and five subjects with healthy skin. The regimens consisted of bathing alone without emollient application, bathing and immediate emollient application, bathing and delayed application, and emollient application alone. Each regimen was evaluated in all subjects, utilizing a crossover design. Skin hydration was assessed with standard capacitance measurements. In atopic dermatitis subjects, emollient alone yielded a significantly (p < 0.05) greater mean hydration over 90 minutes (206.2% baseline hydration) than bathing with immediate emollient (141.6%), bathing and delayed emollient (141%), and bathing alone (91.4%). The combination bathing and emollient application regimens demonstrated hydration values at 90 minutes not significantly greater than baseline. Atopic dermatitis subjects had a decreased mean hydration benefit compared with normal skin subjects. Bathing without moisturizer may compromise skin hydration. Bathing followed by moisturizer application provides modest hydration benefits, though less than that of simply applying moisturizer alone.

Cu doping concentration effect on the physical properties of CdS thin films obtained by the CBD technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albor Aguilera, M. L.; Flores Márquez, J. M.; Remolina Millan, A.; Matsumoto Kuwabara, Y.; González Trujillo, M. A.; Hernández Vásquez, C.; Aguilar Hernandez, J. R.; Hernández Pérez, M. A.; Courel-Piedrahita, M.; Madeira, H. T. Yee

2017-08-01

Cu(In, Ga)Se2 (CIGS) and Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) semiconductors are direct band gap materials; when these types of material are used in solar cells, they provide efficiencies of 22.1% and 12.6%, respectively. Most traditional fabrication methods involve expensive vacuum processes including co-evaporation and sputtering techniques, where films and doping are conducted separately. On the other hand, the chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique allows an in situ process. Cu-doped CdS thin films working as a buffer layer on solar cells provide good performing devices and they may be deposited by low cost techniques such as chemical methods. In this work, Cu-doped CdS thin films were deposited using the CBD technique on SnO2:F (FTO) substrates. The elemental analysis and mapping reconstruction were conducted by EDXS. Morphological, optical and electrical properties were studied, and they revealed that Cu doping modified the CdS structure, band-gap value and the electrical properties. Cu-doped CdS films show high resistivity compared to the non-doped CdS. The appropriate parameters of Cu-doped CdS films were determined to obtain an adequate window or buffer layer on CIGS and CZTS photovoltaic solar cells.

Emergent transport in a many-body open system driven by interacting quantum baths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reisons, Juris; Mascarenhas, Eduardo; Savona, Vincenzo

2017-10-01

We analyze an open many-body system that is strongly coupled at its boundaries to interacting quantum baths. We show that the two-body interactions inside the baths induce emergent phenomena in the spin transport. The system and baths are modeled as independent spin chains resulting in a global nonhomogeneous X X Z model. The evolution of the system-bath state is simulated using matrix-product-states methods. We present two phase transitions induced by bath interactions. For weak bath interactions we observe ballistic and insulating phases. However, for strong bath interactions a diffusive phase emerges with a distinct power-law decay of the time-dependent spin current Q ∝t-α . Furthermore, we investigate long-lasting current oscillations arising from the non-Markovian dynamics in the homogeneous case and find a sharp change in their frequency scaling coinciding with the triple point of the phase diagram.

Application of chemometric methods for assessment and modelling of microbiological quality data concerning coastal bathing water in Greece.

PubMed

Papaioannou, Agelos; Rigas, George; Papastergiou, Panagiotis; Hadjichristodoulou, Christos

2014-12-02

Worldwide, the aim of managing water is to safeguard human health whilst maintaining sustainable aquatic and associated terrestrial, ecosystems. Because human enteric viruses are the most likely pathogens responsible for waterborne diseases from recreational water use, but detection methods are complex and costly for routine monitoring, it is of great interest to determine the quality of coastal bathing water with a minimum cost and maximum safety. This study handles the assessment and modelling of the microbiological quality data of 2149 seawater bathing areas in Greece over 10-year period (1997-2006) by chemometric methods. Cluster analysis results indicated that the studied bathing beaches are classified in accordance with the seasonality in three groups. Factor analysis was applied to investigate possible determining factors in the groups resulted from the cluster analysis, and also two new parameters were created in each group; VF1 includes E. coli, faecal coliforms and total coliforms and VF2 includes faecal streptococci/enterococci. By applying the cluster analysis in each seasonal group, three new groups of coasts were generated, group A (ultraclean), group B (clean) and group C (contaminated). The above analysis is confirmed by the application of discriminant analysis, and proves that chemometric methods are useful tools for assessment and modeling microbiological quality data of coastal bathing water on a large scale, and thus could attribute to effective and economical monitoring of the quality of coastal bathing water in a country with a big number of bathing coasts, like Greece. Significance for public healthThe microbiological protection of coastal bathing water quality is of great interest for the public health authorities as well as for the economy. The present study proves that this protection can be achieved by monitoring only two microbiological parameters, E. coli and faecal streptococci/enterococci instead four microbiological parameters (the two mentioned above plus Total coliforms and Faecal coliforms) that are usually monitored today. As a consequence, countries, especially those with large quantities of coastal bathing sites, can perform microbiological monitoring of their bathing waters by checking only the mentioned two parameters, thus ensuring economies of scale. Thus, funds can be used in other actions to preserve the quality of coastal water and human health. This in turn, would aid in the assessment of the quality of coastal bathing waters and provide a more timely indication of bathing water quality, hence contributing to the immediate health protection of bathers.

The effects of daily bathing on symptoms of patients with bronchial asthma

PubMed Central

Arimoto, Yoshihito; Homma, Chie; Takeoka, Shinjiro; Fukusumi, Munehisa; Mouri, Atsuto; Hamamoto, Yoichiro

2016-01-01

Background The influence of bathing in asthma patients is not yet fully known. Objective We conducted an observational study to investigate changes in symptoms and their degree by bathing in asthmatic patients. Methods A questionnaire focusing on ever experienced bathing-induced symptom changes and their degree, as well as contributing factors, was designed and administered to asthmatic patients in the outpatient department of our institute between January 2012 and November 2013. Results Two hundred fifteen cases were recruited. In 60 cases (27.9%), asthmatic symptoms appeared, including 20 cases of chest discomfort (33.3%), 19 cases of cough (31.7%), and 21 cases of wheezing (35.0%). The triggering factors included vapor inhalation (32 cases, 53.3%), hydrostatic pressure on the thorax due to body immersion in the bathtub (26 cases, 43.3%), and sudden change of air temperature (16 cases, 26.7%). Thirty-eight cases (17.7%) experienced improvement in active asthmatic symptoms by bathing. Vapor inhalation was the most common contributing factor (34 cases, 89.5%), followed by warming of the whole body (13 cases, 34.2%). There was no relationship between asthma severity and the appearance of bathing-induced symptoms or improvement of active asthmatic symptoms by bathing. Conclusion The effects of bathing in asthmatic patients widely differed from patient to patient and their etiology includes several factors. For those who suffer from bathing-induced asthma symptoms, preventive methods, such as premedication with bronchodilators before bathing, should be established. This study is registered in the University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN) clinical trials registry in Japan with the registration number UMIN000015641. PMID:27141485

Deposition Time Dependent Properties of Copper Tin Telluride (Cu₂SnTe₃) Nanoparticles for Solar Absorber Applications.

PubMed

Rakspun, Jariya; Tubtimtae, Auttasit; Vailikhit, Veeramol; Teesetsopon, Pichanan; Choopun, Supab

2018-06-01

We report the growth of copper tin telluride nanoparticles as an absorber layer using a chemical bath deposition (CBD) process for solar selective applications. The XRD results showed the phase of Cu2SnTe3 with a cubical structure. The larger-sized nanoparticles resulted with increased absorption properties and the optical band gap ranging from 1.93, 1.90, 1.58 and 1.56 eV for deposition times of 20-120 min, respectively. Then, the electrical properties of Cu2SnTe3 nanoparticles were also provided a higher current (~6-8 mA) with bias potential of zero.

Temperature uniformity in hyperthermal tumor therapy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harrison, G. H.; Robinson, J. E.; Samaras, G. M.

1978-01-01

Mouse mammary tumors heated by water bath or by microwave-induced hyperthermia exhibit a response that varies sharply with treatment temperature; therefore, uniform heating of the tumor is essential to quantitate the biological response as a function of temperature. C3H tumors implanted on the mouse flank were easily heated to uniformities within 0.1 C by using water baths. Cold spots up to 1 C below the desired treatment temperature were observed in the same tumors implanted on the hind leg. These cold spots were attributed to cooling by major blood vessels near the tumor. In this case temperature uniformity was achieved by the deposition of 2450 MHz microwave energy into the tumor volume by using parallel-opposed applicators.

DC electrodeposition of NiGa alloy nanowires in AAO template

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maleki, K.; Sanjabi, S.; Alemipour, Z.

2015-12-01

NiGa alloy nanowires were electrodeposited from an acidic sulfate bath into nanoporous anodized alumina oxide (AAO). This template was fabricated by two-step anodizing. The effects of bath composition and current density were explored on the Ga content of electrodeposited nanowires. The Ga content in the deposits was increased by increasing both Ga in the bath composition and electrodepositing current density. The NiGa alloy nanowires were synthesized for Ga content up to 2-4% without significant improving the magnetic properties. Above this threshold Ga clusters were formed and decreased the magnetic properties of the nanowires. For Ga content of the alloy above 30%, the wires were too short and incomplete. X-ray diffraction patterns reveal that the significant increase of Ga content in the nanowires, changes the FCC crystal structure of Ni to an amorphous phase. It also causes a sizeable increase in the Ga cluster size; these both lead to a significant reduction in the coercivity and the magnetization respectively.

Growth of thin film containing high density ZnO nanorods with low temperature calcinated seed layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panda, Rudrashish; Samal, Rudranarayan; Khatua, Lizina; Das, Susanta Kumar

2018-05-01

In this work we demonstrate the growth of thin film containing high density ZnO nanorods by using drop casting of the seed layer calcinated at a low temperature of 132 °C. Chemical bath deposition (CBD) method is used to grow the nanorods. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) are performed for the structural and morphological characterizations of the nanorods. The average diameter and length of nanorods are found to be 33 nm and 270 nm respectively. The bandgap of the material is estimated to be 3.2 eV from the UV-Visible absorption spectroscopy. The reported method is much more cost-effective and can be used for growth of ZnO nanorods for various applications.

Method for providing uranium with a protective copper coating

DOEpatents

Waldrop, Forrest B.; Jones, Edward

1981-01-01

The present invention is directed to a method for providing uranium metal with a protective coating of copper. Uranium metal is subjected to a conventional cleaning operation wherein oxides and other surface contaminants are removed, followed by etching and pickling operations. The copper coating is provided by first electrodepositing a thin and relatively porous flash layer of copper on the uranium in a copper cyanide bath. The resulting copper-layered article is then heated in an air or inert atmosphere to volatilize and drive off the volatile material underlying the copper flash layer. After the heating step an adherent and essentially non-porous layer of copper is electro-deposited on the flash layer of copper to provide an adherent, multi-layer copper coating which is essentially impervious to corrosion by most gases.

Comparative Study of Zn(O,S) Buffer Layers and CIGS Solar Cells Fabricated by CBD, ALD, and Sputtering: Preprint

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

Ramanathan, K.; Mann, J.; Glynn, S.

2012-06-01

Zn(O,S) thin films were deposited by chemical bath deposition (CBD), atomic layer deposition, and sputtering. Composition of the films and band gap were measured and found to follow the trends described in the literature. CBD Zn(O,S) parameters were optimized and resulted in an 18.5% efficiency cell that did not require post annealing, light soaking, or an undoped ZnO layer. Promising results were obtained with sputtering. A 13% efficiency cell was obtained for a Zn(O,S) emitter layer deposited with 0.5%O2. With further optimization of process parameters and an analysis of the loss mechanisms, it should be possible to increase the efficiency.

Physical Property Characterization of Pb2+-Doped CdS Nanofilms Deposited by Chemical-Bath Deposition at Low Temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Díaz-Reyes, J.; Contreras-Rascón, J. I.; Galván-Arellano, M.; Arias-Cerón, J. S.; Gutiérrez-Arias, J. E. M.; Flores-Mena, J. E.; Morín-Castillo, M. M.

2016-12-01

Pb2 +-doped CdS nanofilms are prepared using the growth technique chemical bath deposition (CBD) under optimum conditions lead acetate at the reservoir temperature of 20 ± 2 °C. The Pb2+ molar concentration was in the range 0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.19.67, which was determined by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The X-ray diffraction results show that the films are of PbS-CdS composites with individual CdS and PbS planes. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and Raman scattering reveal that CdS-deposited films showed the zincblende (ZB) crystalline phase. The average grain size of the CdS films ranged from 1.21 to 6.67 nm that was determined by the Debye-Scherrer equation from ZB (111) direction, and it was confirmed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Raman scattering shows that the lattice dynamics is characteristic of bimodal behaviour and the multipeaks adjust of the first optical longitudinal mode for the Pb2+-doped CdS denotes the Raman shift of the characteristic peak in the range of 305-298 cm-1 of the CdS crystals, which is associated with the lead ion incorporation. The films exhibit three direct bandgaps, 2.44 eV attributed to CdS; the other varies continuously from 1.67 to 1.99 eV and another disappears as Pb2+ molar fraction increases.

Combinatorial chemical bath deposition of CdS contacts for chalcogenide photovoltaics

DOE PAGES

Mokurala, Krishnaiah; Baranowski, Lauryn L.; de Souza Lucas, Francisco W.; ...

2016-08-01

Contact layers play an important role in thin film solar cells, but new material development and optimization of its thickness is usually a long and tedious process. A high-throughput experimental approach has been used to accelerate the rate of research in photovoltaic (PV) light absorbers and transparent conductive electrodes, however the combinatorial research on contact layers is less common. Here, we report on the chemical bath deposition (CBD) of CdS thin films by combinatorial dip coating technique and apply these contact layers to Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGSe) and Cu 2ZnSnSe 4 (CZTSe) light absorbers in PV devices. Combinatorial thickness steps ofmore » CdS thin films were achieved by removal of the substrate from the chemical bath, at regular intervals of time, and in equal distance increments. The trends in the photoconversion efficiency and in the spectral response of the PV devices as a function of thickness of CdS contacts were explained with the help of optical and morphological characterization of the CdS thin films. The maximum PV efficiency achieved for the combinatorial dip-coating CBD was similar to that for the PV devices processed using conventional CBD. Finally, the results of this study lead to the conclusion that combinatorial dip-coating can be used to accelerate the optimization of PV device performance of CdS and other candidate contact layers for a wide range of emerging absorbers.« less

Deposition of radon progeny on skin surfaces and resulting radiation doses in radon therapy.

PubMed

Tempfer, H; Hofmann, W; Schober, A; Lettner, H; Dinu, A L

2010-05-01

In the Gastein valley, Austria, radon-rich thermal water and air have been used for decades for the treatment of various diseases. To explore the exposure pathway of radon progeny adsorbed to the skin, progeny activities on the skin of patients exposed to thermal water (in a bathtub) and hot vapour (in a vapour chamber) were measured by alpha spectrometry. Average total alpha activities on the patients' skin varied from 1.2 to 4.1 Bq/cm(2) in the bathtub, and from 1.1 to 2.6 Bq/cm(2) in the vapour bath. Water pH-value and ion concentration did affect radon progeny adsorption on the skin, whereas skin greasiness and blood circulation did not. Measurements of the penetration of deposited radon progeny into the skin revealed a roughly exponential activity distribution in the upper layers of the skin. Based on the radon progeny surface activity concentrations and their depth distributions, equivalent doses to different layers of the skin, in particular to the Langerhans cells located in the epidermis, ranged from 0.12 mSv in the thermal bath to 0.33 mSv in the vapour bath, exceeding equivalent doses to the inner organs (kidneys) by inhaled radon and progeny by about a factor 3, except for the lung, which receives the highest doses via inhalation. These results suggest that radon progeny attachment on skin surfaces may play a major role in the dosimetry for both thermal water and hot vapour treatment schemes.

Wash and Wean: Bathing Patients Undergoing Weaning Trials During Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation

PubMed Central

Happ, Mary Beth; Tate, Judith A.; Swigart, Valerie A.; DiVirgilio-Thomas, Dana; Hoffman, Leslie A.

2010-01-01

BACKGROUND Bathing is a fundamental nursing care activity performed for or with the self-assistance of critically ill patients. Few studies address caregiver and/or patient-family perspectives about bathing activity during weaning from prolonged mechanical ventilation. OBJECTIVE To describe practices and beliefs about bathing patients during weaning from prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV). METHODS Secondary analysis of qualitative data (observational field notes, interviews, and clinical record review) from a larger ethnographic study involving 30 patients weaning from PMV and the clinicians who cared for them using basic qualitative description. RESULTS Bathing, hygiene, and personal care were highly valued and equated with “good” nursing care by families and nurses. Nurses and respiratory therapists reported “working around” bath time and promoted conducting weaning trials before or after bathing. Patients were nevertheless bathed during weaning trials despite clinicians expressed concerns for energy conservation. Clinicians’ recognized individual patient response to bathing during PMV weaning trials. CONCLUSION Bathing is a central care activity for PMV patients and a component of daily work processes in the ICU. Bathing requires assessment of patient condition and activity tolerance and nurse-respiratory therapist negotiation and accommodation with respect to the initiation and/or continuation of PMV weaning trials during bathing. Further study is needed to validate the impact (or lack of impact) of various timing strategies for bathing PMV patients. PMID:20561877

Potentiodynamic studies of Ni-P-TiO{sub 2} nano-composited coating on the mild steel deposited by electroless plating method

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

Uttam, Vibha, E-mail: vibhauttam74@gmail.com; Duchaniya, R. K., E-mail: rkduchaniya.meta@mnit.ac.in

2016-05-06

Now a days, corrosion studies are important for reducing the wastage of metals. The importance of corrosion studies is two folds i.e. first is economic, including the reduction of material losses resulting from the wasting away or sudden failure of materials and second is conservation Electroless process is an autocatalytic reduction method in which metallic ions are reduced in the solution. Nanocomposite coatings of Ni-P-TiO{sub 2} on mild steel are deposited by varying volume of TiO{sub 2} nano-powder by electroless method from Ni-P plating bath containing Nickel Sulphate as a source of nickel ions, sodium hypophosphite as the reducing agent,more » lactic acid as a complexing agents and TiO{sub 2} nano powder. Electroless Ni-P-TiO{sub 2} coating have been widely used in the chemical process industries, mechanical industries, electronic industries and chloroalkali industries due to their excellent corrosion with mechanical properties. In the present work, deposition of Ni-P alloy coating and Ni-P-TiO{sub 2} nanocomposited coatings were done on the mild steel and corrosion properties were studied with Potentio-dynamic polarization measurements method in 3.5 wt% sodium chloride solution. It showed in the experiments that Ni-P-TiO{sub 2} nanocomposited coating has better corrosion resistance as comparedthan Ni-P alloy coating. Morphological studies were done by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy–dispersive analysis of X-ray (EDAX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). These studies confirmed the deposition of Ni-P alloy coating and Ni-P-TiO{sub 2} nanocomposited coating.« less

Dust-bathing behavior of laying hens in enriched colony housing systems and an aviary system

PubMed Central

Louton, H.; Bergmann, S.; Reese, S.; Erhard, M. H.; Rauch, E.

2016-01-01

The dust-bathing behavior of Lohmann Selected Leghorn hens was compared in 4 enriched colony housing systems and in an aviary system. The enriched colony housing systems differed especially in the alignment and division of the functional areas dust bath, nest, and perches. Forty-eight-hour video recordings were performed at 3 time-points during the laying period, and focal animal sampling and behavior sampling methods were used to analyze the dust-bathing behavior. Focal animal data included the relative fractions of dust-bathing hens overall, of hens bathing in the dust-bath area, and of those bathing on the wire floor throughout the day. Behavior data included the number of dust-bathing bouts within a predefined time range, the duration of 1 bout, the number of and reasons for interruptions, and the number of and reasons for the termination of dust-bathing bouts. Results showed that the average duration of dust bathing varied between the 4 enriched colony housing systems compared with the aviary system. The duration of dust-bathing bouts was shorter than reported under natural conditions. A positive correlation between dust-bathing activity and size of the dust-bath area was observed. Frequently, dust baths were interrupted and terminated by disturbing influences such as pecking by other hens. This was especially observed in the enriched colony housing systems. In none of the observed systems, neither in the enriched colony housing nor in the aviary system, were all of the observed dust baths terminated “normally.” Dust bathing behavior on the wire mesh rather than in the provided dust-bath area generally was observed at different frequencies in all enriched colony housing systems during all observation periods, but never in the aviary system. The size and design of the dust-bath area influenced the prevalence of dust-bathing behavior in that small and subdivided dust-bath areas reduced the number of dust-bathing bouts but increased the incidence of sham dust bathing on the wire mesh. PMID:27044875

Influence of processing conditions on the optical properties of chemically deposited zinc sulphide (ZnS) thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Igweoko, A. E.; Augustine, C.; Idenyi, N. E.; Okorie, B. A.; Anyaegbunam, F. N. C.

2018-03-01

In this paper, we present the influence of post deposition annealing and varying concentration on the optical properties of ZnS thin films fabricated by chemical bath deposition (CBD) at 65 °C from chemical baths comprising NH3/SC(NH2)2/ZnSO4 solutions at pH of about 10. The film samples were annealed at temperatures ranging from 373 K–473 K and the concentration of the film samples vary from 0.1 M–0.7 M. Post deposition annealing and concentration played an important role on the optical parameters investigated which includes absorbance, transmittance, reflectance, absorption coefficient, band gap, refractive index and extinction coefficient. The optical parameters were found to vary with post deposition annealing in one direction and concentration of Zn2+ in the reverse direction. For instance, post deposition annealing increases the band gap from 3.65 eV for as-deposited to 3.70 eV, 3.75 eV and 3.85 eV for annealed at 373 K, 423 K and 473 K respectively whereas concentration of Zn2+ decreases the band gap from 3.95 eV at 0.1 M to 3.90 eV, 3.85 eV and 3.80 eV at 0.3 M, 0.5 M and 0.7 M respectively. The fundamental absorption edge of ZnS thin films shifted toward the highest photon energies (blue shift) after annealing and shifted toward the lowest photon energies (red shift) with increasing Zn ions concentration. A linear relation between band gap energy and Urbach energy was found. After annealing, the Urbach energy increases form 3.10 eV to 3.50 eV and decreases from 3.40 eV to 3.10 eV at varying Zn2+ concentration. The property of wide band gap makes ZnS suitable for buffer layer of film solar cells, permitting more light especially the short wavelength light into absorber layer.

7 CFR 2902.35 - Bathroom and spa cleaners.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 15 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Bathroom and spa cleaners. 2902.35 Section 2902.35... Items § 2902.35 Bathroom and spa cleaners. (a) Definition. Products that are designed to clean and/or prevent deposits on surfaces found in bathrooms and spas including, but not necessarily limited to, bath...

Effect of band-aligned double absorber layers on photovoltaic characteristics of chemical bath deposited PbS/CdS thin film solar cells.

PubMed

Ho Yeon, Deuk; Chandra Mohanty, Bhaskar; Lee, Seung Min; Soo Cho, Yong

2015-09-23

Here we report the highest energy conversion efficiency and good stability of PbS thin film-based depleted heterojunction solar cells, not involving PbS quantum dots. The PbS thin films were grown by the low cost chemical bath deposition (CBD) process at relatively low temperatures. Compared to the quantum dot solar cells which require critical and multistep complex procedures for surface passivation, the present approach, leveraging the facile modulation of the optoelectronic properties of the PbS films by the CBD process, offers a simpler route for optimization of PbS-based solar cells. Through an architectural modification, wherein two band-aligned junctions are stacked without any intervening layers, an enhancement of conversion efficiency by as much as 30% from 3.10 to 4.03% facilitated by absorption of a wider range of solar spectrum has been obtained. As an added advantage of the low band gap PbS stacked over a wide gap PbS, the devices show stability over a period of 10 days.

Chromium recovery from exhausted baths generated in plating processes and its reuse in the tanning industry.

PubMed

Torras, Josep; Buj, Irene; Rovira, Miquel; de Pablo, Joan

2012-03-30

Chromium plating used for functional purposes provides an extremely hard, wear and corrosion resistant layer by means of electrolytic deposition. Typical layer thicknesses range between 2.5 and 500 μm. Chromium electroplating baths contain high concentrations of Cr(VI) with chromium trioxide (CrO(3)) as the chromium source. When because of technical or economic reasons a bath gets exhausted, a waste containing mainly chromium as dichromate as well as other heavy metals is generated. Chromium may then be purified for use in other industrial processes with different requirements. In this work, a sustainable system for using galvanic wastes as reagents in the leather tanning industry, thus reducing quantity of wastes to be treated, is presented. Metal cations present in the chromium exhausted bath were precipitated with NaOH. Then, the solution containing mainly soluble Cr(VI) was separated. By means of sodium sulphite in acidic conditions, Cr(VI) was reduced to Cr(III) as chromium (III) sulphate. From chromium (III) sulphate a basic Cr(III) sulphate may be obtained, which is one of most used compounds in the tanning industry. Cr(III) concentration in the final solution allows its reuse without concentration, but with a slight dilution. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation of coercivity for electroplated Fe-Ni thick films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanai, T.; Eguchi, K.; Koda, K.; Kaji, J.; Aramaki, H.; Takashima, K.; Nakano, M.; Fukunaga, H.

2018-05-01

We have already reported Fe-Ni firms with good soft magnetic properties prepared by using an electroplating method. In our previous studies, we prepared the Fe-Ni films from citric-acid-based baths (CA-baths) and ammonium-chloride-based ones (AC-baths), and confirmed that the coercivity for the AC-baths was lower than that for the CA-baths. In the present study, we investigated reasons for the lower coercivity for the AC-baths to further improve the soft magnetic properties. From an observation of magnetic domains of the Fe22Ni78 films, we found that Fe22Ni78 film for AC-bath had a magnetic anisotropy in the width direction, and also found that the coercivity in the width direction was lower than the longitudinal one for the AC-bath. As an annealing for a stress relaxation in the films reduced the difference in the coercivity, we considered that the anisotropy is attributed to the magneto-elastic effect.

Study of corrosion behavior on the addition of sodium citrate in nickel electroplating on SPCC steel using EIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riastuti, R.; Ramadini, C.; Siallagan, S. T.; Rifki, A.; Herdino, F.

2018-04-01

The addition of sodium citrate to nickel electroplating process as additive is useful for refining the grain size of nickel deposit. The refining of grain size in nickel deposit as coating layer can improve surface performance, one of which corrosion resistance. This paper aims to investigate the effect of sodium citrate addition as grain refiner to promote corrosion resistance on SPCC steel. This experiment used Watt’s Bath solution of NiSO4 300 g/L, NiCl4 45 g/L, H3BO3 60 g/L, wetting agent 0.2 cc/L. Sodium citrate was added in composition of 45g/L and 60g/L. Nickel were deposited by direct current using current density on 6 A/dm2 at the acidity level of 5 for 30 minutes by keeping the operating temperature stable at 50°C. The grain size of nickel deposit was observed through Optical Microscope and Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). The corrosion behavior of SPCC was observed by linear polarization and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) methods using 3% NaCl solution. Based on the research, the addition of sodium citrate as grain refiner will increasing corrosion resistance on SPCC steel from 0.35 to 0.05 mm/year.

Status of CdS/CdTe solar cell research at NREL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramanathan, K.; Dhere, R. G.; Coutts, T. J.; Chu, T.; Chu, S.

1992-12-01

We report on the deposition of thin cadmium sulfide (CdS) layers from aqueous solutions and their optical properties. CdS layers have been deposited on soda lime glass, tin oxide coated glass and copper indium diselenide (CuInSe2) thin films. A systematic increase in the absorption is found to occur with increasing concentration of the buffer salt used in the bath. CdS/CdTe thin film solar cells have been fabricated by close spaced sublimation of CdTe, yielding 11.3% devices.

[Use of white turpentine bath emulsion and yellow turpentine solution for the treatment of chronic prostatitis complicated by excretory pathospermia].

PubMed

Karpukhin, I V; Li, A A; Gusev, M A

2009-01-01

The paper reports a review of up-to-date methods for the use of white turpentine bath emulsion and yellow turpentine solution in the treatment of chronic prostatitis complicated by excretory pathospermia. The results of bath therapy are presented. It is shown that the efficiency of white turpentine bath emulsion amounted to 69.7% compared with 88.3% in patients treated with the use of yellow turpentine solution.

Improvement of the tool life of a micro-end mill using nano-sized SiC/Ni electroplating method.

PubMed

Park, Shinyoung; Kim, Kwang-Su; Roh, Ji Young; Jang, Gyu-Beom; Ahn, Sung-Hoon; Lee, Caroline Sunyong

2012-04-01

High mechanical properties of a tungsten carbide micro-end-mill tool was achieved by extending its tool life by electroplating nano-sized SiC particles (< 100 nm) that had a hardness similar to diamond in a nickel-based material. The co-electroplating method on the surface of the micro-end-mill tool was applied using SiC particles and Ni particles. Organic additives (saccharin and ammonium chloride) were added in a Watts bath to improve the nickel matrix density in the electroplating bath and to smooth the surface of the co-electroplating. The morphology of the coated nano-sized SiC particles and the composition were measured using Scanning Electron Microscope and Energy Dispersive Spectrometer. As the Ni/SiC co-electroplating layer was applied, the hardness and friction coefficient improved by 50%. Nano-sized SiC particles with 7 wt% were deposited on the surface of the micro-end mill while the Ni matrix was smoothed by adding organic additives. The tool life of the Ni/SiC co-electroplating coating on the micro-end mill was at least 25% longer than that of the existing micro-end mills without Ni/SiC co-electroplating. Thus, nano-sized SiC/Ni coating by electroplating significantly improves the mechanical properties of tungsten carbide micro-end mills.

Nanostructured ZnO films for potential use in LPG gas sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latyshev, V. M.; Berestok, T. O.; Opanasyuk, A. S.; Kornyushchenko, A. S.; Perekrestov, V. I.

2017-05-01

The aim of the work was to obtain ZnO nanostructures with heightened surface area and to study relationship between formation method and gas sensor properties towards propane-butane mixture (LPG). In order to synthesize ZnO nanostructures chemical and physical formation methods have been utilized. The first one was chemical bath deposition technology and the second one magnetron sputtering of Zn followed by oxidation. Optimal method and technological parameters corresponding to formation of material with the highest sensor response have been determined experimentally. Dynamical gas sensor response at different temperature values and dependencies of the sensor sensitivity on the temperature at different LPG concentrations in air have been investigated. It has been found, that sensor response depends on the sample morphology and has the highest value for the structure consisting of thin nanowires. The factors that lead to the decrease in the gas sensor operating temperature have been determined.

Arrhenius parameter determination as a function of heating method and cellular microenvironment based on spatial cell viability analysis.

PubMed

Whitney, Jon; Carswell, William; Rylander, Nichole

2013-06-01

Predictions of injury in response to photothermal therapy in vivo are frequently made using Arrhenius parameters obtained from cell monolayers exposed to laser or water bath heating. However, the impact of different heating methods and cellular microenvironments on Arrhenius predictions has not been thoroughly investigated. This study determined the influence of heating method (water bath and laser irradiation) and cellular microenvironment (cell monolayers and tissue phantoms) on Arrhenius parameters and spatial viability. MDA-MB-231 cells seeded in monolayers and sodium alginate phantoms were heated with a water bath for 3-20 min at 46, 50, and 54 °C or laser irradiated (wavelength of 1064 nm and fluences of 40 W/cm(2) or 3.8 W/cm(2) for 0-4 min) in combination with photoabsorptive carbon nanohorns. Spatial viability was measured using digital image analysis of cells stained with calcein AM and propidium iodide and used to determine Arrhenius parameters. The influence of microenvironment and heating method on Arrhenius parameters and capability of parameters derived from more simplistic experimental conditions (e.g. water bath heating of monolayers) to predict more physiologically relevant systems (e.g. laser heating of phantoms) were assessed. Arrhenius predictions of the treated area (<1% viable) under-predicted the measured areas in photothermally treated phantoms by 23 mm(2) using water bath treated cell monolayer parameters, 26 mm(2) using water bath treated phantom parameters, 27 mm(2) using photothermally treated monolayer parameters, and 0.7 mm(2) using photothermally treated phantom parameters. Heating method and cellular microenvironment influenced Arrhenius parameters, with heating method having the greater impact.

Copper Electrodeposition on a Magnesium Alloy (AZ80) with a U-Shaped Surface

PubMed Central

Huang, Ching An; Yeh, Yu Hu; Lin, Che Kuan; Hsieh, Chen Yun

2014-01-01

Cu electrodeposition was performed on a cylindrical AZ80 substrate with a U-shaped surface. A uniform deposition of Cu was achieved on an AZ80 electrode via galvanostatic etching, followed by Cu electrodeposition in an eco-friendly alkaline Cu plating bath. Improper wetting and lower rotational speeds of the AZ80 electrode resulted in an uneven Cu deposition at the inner upper site of the U-shaped surface during the Cu electroplating process. This wetting effect could be deduced from the variation in the anodic potential during the galvanostatic etching. The corrosion resistance of the Cu-deposited AZ80 electrode can be considerably improved after Ni electroplating. PMID:28788252

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

Mohd Zaheruddin, K., E-mail: zaheruddin@unimap.edu.my; Rahmat, A., E-mail: azmirahmat@unimap.edu.my; Shamsul, J. B., E-mail: sbaharin@unimap.edu.my

Cobalt-hydroxyapatite (Co-HA) composites was successfully prepared by simple electroless deposition process of Co on the surface of hydroxyapatite (HA) particles. Co deposition was carried out in an alkaline bath with sodium hypophosphite as a reducing agent. The electroless process was carried out without sensitization and activation steps. The deposition of Co onto HA was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The Co-HA composite powder was compacted and sintered at 1250°C. The Co particles were homogeneously dispersed in the HA matrix after sintering and the mechanical properties of composites was enhanced to 100 % with 3more » % wt Co and gradually decreased at higher Co content.« less

Metallization of Kevlar fibers with gold.

PubMed

Little, Brian K; Li, Yunfeng; Cammarata, V; Broughton, R; Mills, G

2011-06-01

Electrochemical gold plating processes were examined for the metallization of Kevlar yarn. Conventional Sn(2+)/Pd(2+) surface activation coupled with electroless Ni deposition rendered the fibers conductive enough to serve as cathodes for electrochemical plating. The resulting coatings were quantified gravimetrically and characterized via adhesion tests together with XRD, SEM, TEM; the coatings effect on fiber strength was also probed. XRD data showed that metallic Pd formed during surface activation whereas amorphous phases and trace amounts of pure Ni metal were plated via the electroless process. Electrodeposition in a thiosulfate bath was the most efficient Au coating process as compared with the analogous electroless procedure, and with electroplating using a commercial cyanide method. Strongly adhering coatings resulted upon metallization with three consecutive electrodepositions, which produced conductive fibers able to sustain power outputs in the range of 1 W. On the other hand, metallization affected the tensile strength of the fiber and defects present in the metal deposits make questionable the effectiveness of the coatings as protective barriers. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Detection of Legionella species in environmental water by the quantitative PCR method in combination with ethidium monoazide treatment.

PubMed

Inoue, Hiroaki; Takama, Tomoko; Yoshizaki, Miwa; Agata, Kunio

2015-01-01

We detected Legionella species in 111 bath water samples and 95 cooling tower water samples by using a combination of conventional plate culture, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and qPCR combined with ethidium monoazide treatment (EMA-qPCR) methods. In the case of bath water samples, Legionella spp. were detected in 30 samples by plate culture, in 85 samples by qPCR, and in 49 samples by EMA-qPCR. Of 81 samples determined to be Legionella-negative by plate culture, 56 and 23 samples were positive by qPCR and EMA-qPCR, respectively. Therefore, EMA treatment decreased the number of Legionella-positive bath water samples detected by qPCR. In contrast, EMA treatment had no effect on cooling tower water samples. We therefore expect that EMA-qPCR is a useful method for the rapid detection of viable Legionella spp. from bath water samples.

Comparison of Membrane Filtration and Multiple-Tube Fermentation by the Colilert and Enterolert Methods for Detection of Waterborne Coliform Bacteria, Escherichia coli, and Enterococci Used in Drinking and Bathing Water Quality Monitoring in Southern Sweden

PubMed Central

Eckner, Karl F.

1998-01-01

A total of 338 water samples, 261 drinking water samples and 77 bathing water samples, obtained for routine testing were analyzed in duplicate by Swedish standard methods using multiple-tube fermentation or membrane filtration and by the Colilert and/or Enterolert methods. Water samples came from a wide variety of sources in southern Sweden (Skåne). The Colilert method was found to be more sensitive than Swedish standard methods for detecting coliform bacteria and of equal sensitivity for detecting Escherichia coli when all drinking water samples were grouped together. Based on these results, Swedac, the Swedish laboratory accreditation body, approved for the first time in Sweden use of the Colilert method at this laboratory for the analysis of all water sources not falling under public water regulations (A-krav). The coliform detection study of bathing water yielded anomalous results due to confirmation difficulties. E. coli detection in bathing water was similar by both the Colilert and Swedish standard methods as was fecal streptococcus and enterococcus detection by both the Enterolert and Swedish standard methods. PMID:9687478

A hetero-homogeneous investigation of chemical bath deposited Ga-doped ZnO nanorods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rakhsha, Amir Hosein; Abdizadeh, Hossein; Pourshaban, Erfan; Golobostanfard, Mohammad Reza

2018-01-01

One-dimensional nanostructures of zinc oxide (ZnO) have been in the center of attention, mostly for electronic applications due to their distinctive properties such as high electron mobility (100 cm2V-1s-1) and crystallinity. Thanks to its high density of vacancies and interstitial sites, wurtzite lattice of ZnO is a suitable host for gallium (Ga) as a dopant element. Herein, ZnO nanorod arrays (NRAs) are synthesized by a low-temperature chemical bath deposition (CBD) method with various concentrations of gallium nitrate hydrate as a dopant precursor. Structural and morphological analyses confirm that optimum properties of gallium-doped ZnO (GZO) are obtained at 1% (Ga to Zn molar ratio). Owing to the replacement of smaller Ga3+ ions with Zn2+ ions in the GZO structure, a slight shift of (002) peak to higher angles could be observed in XRD pattern of GZO NRAs. The scanning electron microscope images demonstrate a proliferation in the ZnO NRAs length from 650 nm for undoped ZnO (UZO) to 1200 nm for GZO-1%. However, increasing the dopant concentration above 2.5% results in formation of homogeneous zinc gallium oxide in the bulk solution, which is a sign of inefficient process of doping in GZO NRAs. Furthermore, photoluminescence spectroscopy is used to characterize the band-gap variation of the samples, which demonstrates a small red-shift in the UV emission peak and a decrease in visible emission peak intensity with introducing Ga in ZnO lattice. Lower resistivity for GZO-1% (1.1 MΩ) sample compared to UZO (1.4 MΩ) is recorded, which is compelling evidence for the presence of Ga3+ in ZnO lattice. The results suggest that incorporating Ga into ZnO lattice using CBD method is an easy and effective technique to improve the electrical properties of ZnO NRAs that is an essential factor for a broad range of devices.

Automated electrochemical synthesis and photoelectrochemical characterization of Zn1-xCo(x)O thin films for solar hydrogen production.

PubMed

Jaramillo, Thomas F; Baeck, Sung-Hyeon; Kleiman-Shwarsctein, Alan; Choi, Kyoung-Shin; Stucky, Galen D; McFarland, Eric W

2005-01-01

High-throughput electrochemical methods have been developed for the investigation of Zn1-xCo(x)O films for photoelectrochemical hydrogen production from water. A library of 120 samples containing 27 different compositions (0

Conjugate gradient heat bath for ill-conditioned actions.

PubMed

Ceriotti, Michele; Bussi, Giovanni; Parrinello, Michele

2007-08-01

We present a method for performing sampling from a Boltzmann distribution of an ill-conditioned quadratic action. This method is based on heat-bath thermalization along a set of conjugate directions, generated via a conjugate-gradient procedure. The resulting scheme outperforms local updates for matrices with very high condition number, since it avoids the slowing down of modes with lower eigenvalue, and has some advantages over the global heat-bath approach, compared to which it is more stable and allows for more freedom in devising case-specific optimizations.

Acoustic bubble removal method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trinh, E. H.; Elleman, D. D.; Wang, T. G. (Inventor)

1983-01-01

A method is described for removing bubbles from a liquid bath such as a bath of molten glass to be used for optical elements. Larger bubbles are first removed by applying acoustic energy resonant to a bath dimension to drive the larger bubbles toward a pressure well where the bubbles can coalesce and then be more easily removed. Thereafter, submillimeter bubbles are removed by applying acoustic energy of frequencies resonant to the small bubbles to oscillate them and thereby stir liquid immediately about the bubbles to facilitate their breakup and absorption into the liquid.

Real time monitoring of electroless nickel plating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rains, Aaron E.; Kline, Ronald A.

2013-01-01

This work deals with the design and manufacturing of the heat and chemical resistant transducer case required for on-line immersion testing, experimental design, data acquisition and signal processing. Results are presented for several depositions with an accuracy of two ten-thousandths of an inch in coating thickness obtained. Monitoring the deposition rate of Electroless Nickel (EN) plating in-situ will provide measurement of the accurate dimensions of the component being plated, in real time. EN is used as for corrosion and wear protection for automotive an - Electroless Nickel (EN) plating is commonly used for corrosion and wear protection for automotive and aerospace components. It plates evenly and symmetrically, theoretically allowing the part to be plated to its final dimension. Currently the standard approach to monitoring the thickness of the deposited nickel is to remove the component from the plating bath and physically measure the part. This can lead to plating problems such as pitting, non-adhesion of the deposit and contamination of the plating solution. The goal of this research effort is to demonstrate that plating thickness can be rapidly and accurately measured using ultrasonic testing. Here a special housing is designed to allow immersion of the ultrasonic transducers directly into the plating bath. An FFT based signal processing algorithm was developed to resolve closely spaced echoes for precise thickness determination. The technique in this research effort was found to be capable of measuring plating thicknesses to within 0.0002 inches. It is expected that this approach will lead to cost savings in many EN plating operations.

Influence of the Additives and The pH On the Cobalt-Molybdenum (Co-Mo) Alloy Electrodeposited On n-TypeSilicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fekih, Z.; Ghellai, N.; Fortas, G.; Chiboub, N.; Sam, S.; Chabanne-sari, N. E.; Gabouze, N.

In this work, thin films of metal alloys (Co-Mo) have been electrodeposited onto silicon (Si) surface. The effects of two different additives (H3BO3 and Na2CO3) and the pH of the solution on the electrochemically deposited films (morphology, stochiometry…) have been investigated. The properties of the deposits were characterized by using X-Rays Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS). The results show that the morphology and the film composition depend on both the pH of the solution and the additives. The presence of boric acid favors the Mo deposition. Crack-free homogeneous deposits with a low percentage of molybdenum can be easily obtained from high pH bath. The deposits were shown to exhibits a good crystalline structure.

Deposition and characterization of ZnSe nanocrystalline thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Temel, Sinan; Gökmen, F. Özge; Yaman, Elif; Nebi, Murat

2018-02-01

ZnSe nanocrystalline thin films were deposited at different deposition times by using the Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD) technique. Effects of deposition time on structural, morphological and optical properties of the obtained thin films were characterized. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was used to study the structural properties of ZnSe nanocrystalline thin films. It was found that ZnSe thin films have a cubic structure with a preferentially orientation of (111). The calculated average grain size value was about 28-30 nm. The surface morphology of these films was studied by the Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM). The surfaces of the thin films were occurred from small stacks and nano-sized particles. The band gap values of the ZnSe nanocrystalline thin films were determined by UV-Visible absorption spectrum and the band gap values were found to be between 2.65-2.86 eV.

Quantitative method for measuring heat flux emitted from a cryogenic object

DOEpatents

Duncan, Robert V.

1993-01-01

The present invention is a quantitative method for measuring the total heat flux, and of deriving the total power dissipation, of a heat-fluxing object which includes the steps of placing an electrical noise-emitting heat-fluxing object in a liquid helium bath and measuring the superfluid transition temperature of the bath. The temperature of the liquid helium bath is thereafter reduced until some measurable parameter, such as the electrical noise, exhibited by the heat-fluxing object or a temperature-dependent resistive thin film in intimate contact with the heat-fluxing object, becomes greatly reduced. The temperature of the liquid helum bath is measured at this point. The difference between the superfluid transition temperature of the liquid helium bath surrounding the heat-fluxing object, and the temperature of the liquid helium bath when the electrical noise emitted by the heat-fluxing object becomes greatly reduced, is determined. The total heat flux from the heat-fluxing object is determined as a function of this difference between these temperatures. In certain applications, the technique can be used to optimize thermal design parameters of cryogenic electronics, for example, Josephson junction and infra-red sensing devices.

Quantitative method for measuring heat flux emitted from a cryogenic object

DOEpatents

Duncan, R.V.

1993-03-16

The present invention is a quantitative method for measuring the total heat flux, and of deriving the total power dissipation, of a heat-fluxing object which includes the steps of placing an electrical noise-emitting heat-fluxing object in a liquid helium bath and measuring the superfluid transition temperature of the bath. The temperature of the liquid helium bath is thereafter reduced until some measurable parameter, such as the electrical noise, exhibited by the heat-fluxing object or a temperature-dependent resistive thin film in intimate contact with the heat-fluxing object, becomes greatly reduced. The temperature of the liquid helum bath is measured at this point. The difference between the superfluid transition temperature of the liquid helium bath surrounding the heat-fluxing object, and the temperature of the liquid helium bath when the electrical noise emitted by the heat-fluxing object becomes greatly reduced, is determined. The total heat flux from the heat-fluxing object is determined as a function of this difference between these temperatures. In certain applications, the technique can be used to optimize thermal design parameters of cryogenic electronics, for example, Josephson junction and infrared sensing devices.

Structural characterizations of pure SnS and In-doped SnS thin films using isotropic and anisotropic models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kafashan, Hosein

2018-04-01

An electrochemical route has been employed to prepare pure SnS and indium-doped SnS thin films. Six samples including undoped SnS and In-doped SnS thin films deposited on the fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrates. An aqueous solution having SnCl2 and Na2S2O3 used as the primary electrolyte. Different In-doped SnS samples were prepared by adding a different amount of 1 mM InCl3 solution into the first electrolyte. The applied potential (E), time of deposition (t), pH and bath temperature (T) were kept at ‑1 V, 30 min, 2.1 and 60 °C, respectively. For all samples, except the In-dopant concentration, all the deposition parameters are the same. After preparation, X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) with an energy dispersive X-ray analyzer (EDX) attachment, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to determine structural properties of as-deposited films. XRD patterns revealed that the synthesized undoped- and In-doped SnS thin films were crystallized in the orthorhombic structure. The shape of SnS crystals was spherical in the TEM image. X-ray peak broadening studies was done by applying Scherrer’s method, Williamson-Hall (W–H) models (including uniform deformation model (UDM), uniform strain deformation model (UDSM), and uniform deformation energy density model (UDEDM)), and size-strain plot (SSP) method. Using these techniques, the crystallite size and the lattice strains have been predicted. There was a good agreement in the particle size achieved by W–H- and SSP methods with TEM image.

Electrodeposition of ZnO-doped films as window layer for Cd-free CIGS-based solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsin, Fabien; Vénérosy, Amélie; Hildebrandt, Thibaud; Hariskos, Dimitrios; Naghavi, Negar; Lincot, Daniel; Rousset, Jean

2016-02-01

The Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin film solar cell technology has made a steady progress within the last decade reaching efficiency up to 22.3% on laboratory scale, thus overpassing the highest efficiency for polycrystalline silicon solar cells. High efficiency CIGS modules employ a so-called buffer layer of cadmium sulfide CdS deposited by Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD), which presence and Cd-containing waste present some environmental concerns. A second potential bottleneck for CIGS technology is its window layer made of i-ZnO/ZnO:Al, which is deposited by sputtering requiring expensive vacuum equipment. A non-vacuum deposition of transparent conductive oxide (TCO) relying on simpler equipment with lower investment costs will be more economically attractive, and could increase competitiveness of CIGS-based modules with the mainstream silicon-based technologies. In the frame of Novazolar project, we have developed a low-cost aqueous solution photo assisted electrodeposition process of the ZnO-based window layer for high efficiency CIGS-based solar cells. The window layer deposition have been first optimized on classical CdS buffer layer leading to cells with efficiencies similar to those measured with the sputtered references on the same absorber (15%). The the optimized ZnO doped layer has been adapted to cadmium free devices where the CdS is replaced by chemical bath deposited zinc oxysulfide Zn(S,O) buffer layer. The effect of different growth parameters has been studied on CBD-Zn(S,O)-plated co-evaporated Cu(In,Ga)Se2 substrates provided by the Zentrum für Sonnenenergie-und Wasserstoff-Forschung (ZSW). This optimization of the electrodeposition of ZnO:Cl on CIGS/Zn(S,O) stacks led to record efficiency of 14%, while the reference cell with a sputtered (Zn,Mg)O/ZnO:Al window layer has an efficiency of 15.2%.

The effect of sonication method on the mechanical properties of nanosilicon/epoxy composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razali, Nur Zarifah; Abidin, Mohd Hanafiah; Romli, Ahmad Zafir

2017-09-01

An experimental work had been conducted to deeply understand the science of dispersion uniformity and mechanical properties exerted with the addition of nano-powder in composite system. The epoxy with nano-silicon contained between 1-5 wt% were utilized to investigate the mechanical behavior and identify the morphology changes and fracture by using optical micrograph images (in which will be discussed in the fractography section). Sonication method was utilized in distributing nano-silicon homogenously in the matrix and two type of devices opted were horn and bath sonicator. In this study, an in-direct sonication (bath) method which having a frequency of 42 kHz was introduced to the samples by using water as a medium and a comparison had been made between bath and horn sonicator efficiency. Non-destructive testing such as density and morphology testing like Optical micrograph was done as to identify the morphology changes in micro-level as well as to confirm the uniformity of nano-silicon distribution in the viscous epoxy. Whilst the destructive testing (i.e izod impact) was used to measure toughness and strength of composite sample. Result shows that Izod impact at velocity 2.0 ms-1 are 2.1kJ/m2 (for bath sonication) and 1.5kJ/m2 (for horn sonication) at velocity of 3.5 ms-1 are 2.8 kJ/m2 (for bath sonication) and 2.0kJ/m2 (for horn sonication). It can be concluded that bath sonication method give significant increment compared to horn sonication.

Optimization of processing parameters on the controlled growth of ZnO nanorod arrays for the performance improvement of solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells

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

Lee, Yi-Mu, E-mail: ymlee@nuu.edu.t; Yang, Hsi-Wen

2011-03-15

High-transparency and high quality ZnO nanorod arrays were grown on the ITO substrates by a two-step chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. The effects of processing parameters including reaction temperature (25-95 {sup o}C) and solution concentration (0.01-0.1 M) on the crystal growth, alignment, optical and electrical properties were systematically investigated. It has been found that these process parameters are critical for the growth, orientation and aspect ratio of the nanorod arrays, showing different structural and optical properties. Experimental results reveal that the hexagonal ZnO nanorod arrays prepared under reaction temperature of 95 {sup o}C and solution concentration of 0.03 M possessmore » highest aspect ratio of {approx}21, and show the well-aligned orientation and optimum optical properties. Moreover the ZnO nanorod arrays based heterojunction electrodes and the solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (SS-DSSCs) were fabricated with an improved optoelectrical performance. -- Graphical abstract: The ZnO nanorod arrays demonstrate well-alignment, high aspect ratio (L/D{approx}21) and excellent optical transmittance by low-temperature chemical bath deposition (CBD). Display Omitted Research highlights: > Investigate the processing parameters of CBD on the growth of ZnO nanorod arrays. > Optimization of CBD process parameters: 0.03 M solution concentration and reaction temperature of 95 {sup o}C. > The prepared ZnO samples possess well-alignment and high aspect ratio (L/D{approx}21). > An n-ZnO/p-NiO heterojunction: great rectifying behavior and low leakage current. > SS-DSSC has J{sub SC} of 0.31 mA/cm{sup 2} and V{sub OC} of 590 mV, and an improved {eta} of 0.059%.« less

Facile One-Pot Synthesis of Flower Like Cobalt Oxide Nanostructures on Nickel Plate and Its Supercapacitance Properties.

PubMed

Kandasamy, N; Venugopal, T; Kannan, K

2018-06-01

A flower like cobalt oxide nanostructured thin film (Co2O3) on Nickel (Ni) plate as have been successfully developed via alcoholic Seed Layer assisted chemical bath Deposition (SLD) process. Through the controlled alkaline electrolytes, the flower and paddles like Co2O3 nanoarchitectures were formed. The prepared thin film was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray (SEM and EDX), Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), Raman spectroscopy techniques. Electron micrograph reveals the flower and paddles like nanostructured Co2O3 thin film deposited on Ni plates. The electrochemical characteristics were investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV), charge-discharge and AC impedance spectroscopy in different aqueous electrolytes such as NaOH, KOH, and LiOH. The maximum specific capacitance of 856 Fg-1 was attained with 2 M KOH electrolyte with 2 mVs-1 of the Co2O3 thin film coated Ni plate at 80 °C using SLD method. The capacitance values obtained with various electrolytes are in the order of KOH > NaOH > LiOH. The results indicate that the present method is economical and the material is ecofriendly with enhanced capacitance property.

Characteristics and anticorrosion performance of Fe-doped TiO2 films by liquid phase deposition method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yu; Xu, Chao; Feng, ZuDe

2014-09-01

Fe-doped TiO2 thin films were fabricated by liquid phase deposition (LPD) method, using Fe(III) nitrate as both Fe element source and fluoride scavenger instead of commonly-used boric acid (H3BO3). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and UV-vis spectrum were employed to examine the effects of Fe element on morphology, structure and optical characteristics of TiO2 films. The as-prepared films were served as photoanode applied to photogenerated cathodic protection of SUS304 stainless steel (304SS). It was observed that the photoelectrochemical properties of the as-prepared films were enhanced with the addition of Fe element compared to the undoped TiO2 film. The highest photoactivity was achieved for Ti13Fe (Fe/Ti = 3 molar ratio) film prepared in precursor bath containing 0.02 M TiF4 + 0.06 M Fe(NO3)3 under white-light illumination. The effective anticorrosion behaviors can be attributed to the Fe element incorporation which decreases the probability of photogenerated charge-carrier recombination and extends the light response range of Fe-doped TiO2 films appeared to visible-light region.

Synthesis of non-hydrazine solution processed Cu2(ZnSn)S4 thin films for solar cells applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Indu; Gupta, Preeti; Mohanty, Bhaskar Chandra

2017-05-01

Solution processing provides a versatile and inexpensive means to prepare Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin films for photovoltaic applications. Differently with the reported growth of CZTS films from hydrazine based toxic solutions, we demonstrate a simple non-toxic ethanol based solution approach to synthesize the films. Using the chemical bath deposition (CBD) method, the CZTS thin films were grown from metal salts (copper chloride, zinc chloride, and tin chloride) in ethanol and monoethanol amine (MEA) and thioacetamide in ethanol as sulfur source in a single dip followed by sulfurization. The structure, composition, morphology and optical properties of the CZTS film were studied by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and UV-vis spectroscopy. The results revealed that a post-deposition sulfurization is necessary to the phase formation and among all, sulfurization at 450°C for 60 min yielded phase pure CZTS films having kesterite structure, relatively compact morphology and an optical band gap of ˜1.52 eV indicating its suitability for solar cell applications. The results clearly validate the CBD method as a potential scalable route of preparation of CZTS thin films.

Optimization of Synthesis Conditions of Carbon Nanotubes via Ultrasonic-Assisted Floating Catalyst Deposition Using Response Surface Methodology

PubMed Central

Mohammadian, Narges; Ghoreishi, Seyyed M.; Hafeziyeh, Samira; Saeidi, Samrand; Dionysiou, Dionysios D.

2018-01-01

The growing use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in a plethora of applications has provided to us a motivation to investigate CNT synthesis by new methods. In this study, ultrasonic-assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method was employed to synthesize CNTs. The difficulty of controlling the size of clusters and achieving uniform distribution—the major problem in previous methods—was solved by using ultrasonic bath and dissolving ferrocene in xylene outside the reactor. The operating conditions were optimized using a rotatable central composite design (CCD), which helped optimize the operating conditions of the method. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to analyze these experiments. Using statistical software was very effective, considering that it decreased the number of experiments needed to achieve the optimum conditions. Synthesis of CNTs was studied as a function of three independent parameters viz. hydrogen flow rate (120–280 cm3/min), catalyst concentration (2–6 wt %), and synthesis temperature (800–1200 °C). Optimum conditions for the synthesis of CNTs were found to be 3.78 wt %, 184 cm3/min, and 976 °C for catalyst concentration, hydrogen flow rate, and synthesis temperature, respectively. Under these conditions, Raman spectrum indicates high values of (IG/ID), which means high-quality CNTs. PMID:29747451

Nonequilibrium steady state in open quantum systems: Influence action, stochastic equation and power balance

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

Hsiang, J.-T., E-mail: cosmology@gmail.com; Department of Physics, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien 97401, Taiwan; Hu, B.L.

2015-11-15

The existence and uniqueness of a steady state for nonequilibrium systems (NESS) is a fundamental subject and a main theme of research in statistical mechanics for decades. For Gaussian systems, such as a chain of classical harmonic oscillators connected at each end to a heat bath, and for classical anharmonic oscillators under specified conditions, definitive answers exist in the form of proven theorems. Answering this question for quantum many-body systems poses a challenge for the present. In this work we address this issue by deriving the stochastic equations for the reduced system with self-consistent backaction from the two baths, calculatingmore » the energy flow from one bath to the chain to the other bath, and exhibiting a power balance relation in the total (chain + baths) system which testifies to the existence of a NESS in this system at late times. Its insensitivity to the initial conditions of the chain corroborates to its uniqueness. The functional method we adopt here entails the use of the influence functional, the coarse-grained and stochastic effective actions, from which one can derive the stochastic equations and calculate the average values of physical variables in open quantum systems. This involves both taking the expectation values of quantum operators of the system and the distributional averages of stochastic variables stemming from the coarse-grained environment. This method though formal in appearance is compact and complete. It can also easily accommodate perturbative techniques and diagrammatic methods from field theory. Taken all together it provides a solid platform for carrying out systematic investigations into the nonequilibrium dynamics of open quantum systems and quantum thermodynamics. -- Highlights: •Nonequilibrium steady state (NESS) for interacting quantum many-body systems. •Derivation of stochastic equations for quantum oscillator chain with two heat baths. •Explicit calculation of the energy flow from one bath to the chain to the other bath. •Power balance relation shows the existence of NESS insensitive to initial conditions. •Functional method as a viable platform for issues in quantum thermodynamics.« less

Thermal baths as quantum resources: more friends than foes?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurizki, Gershon; Shahmoon, Ephraim; Zwick, Analia

2015-12-01

In this article we argue that thermal reservoirs (baths) are potentially useful resources in processes involving atoms interacting with quantized electromagnetic fields and their applications to quantum technologies. One may try to suppress the bath effects by means of dynamical control, but such control does not always yield the desired results. We wish instead to take advantage of bath effects, that do not obliterate ‘quantumness’ in the system-bath compound. To this end, three possible approaches have been pursued by us. (i) Control of a quantum system faster than the correlation time of the bath to which it couples: such control allows us to reveal quasi-reversible/coherent dynamical phenomena of quantum open systems, manifest by the quantum Zeno or anti-Zeno effects (QZE or AZE, respectively). Dynamical control methods based on the QZE are aimed not only at protecting the quantumness of the system, but also diagnosing the bath spectra or transferring quantum information via noisy media. By contrast, AZE-based control is useful for fast cooling of thermalized quantum systems. (ii) Engineering the coupling of quantum systems to selected bath modes: this approach, based on field-atom coupling control in cavities, waveguides and photonic band structures, allows one to drastically enhance the strength and range of atom-atom coupling through the mediation of the selected bath modes. More dramatically, it allows us to achieve bath-induced entanglement that may appear paradoxical if one takes the conventional view that coupling to baths destroys quantumness. (iii) Engineering baths with appropriate non-flat spectra: this approach is a prerequisite for the construction of the simplest and most efficient quantum heat machines (engines and refrigerators). We may thus conclude that often thermal baths are ‘more friends than foes’ in quantum technologies.

PROCESS OF ELECTROPLATING METALS WITH ALUMINUM

DOEpatents

Schickner, W.C.

1960-04-26

A process of electroplating aluminum on metals from a nonaqueous bath and a novel method of pretreating or conditioning the metal prior to electrodeposition of the aluminum are given. The process of this invention, as applied by way of example to the plating of uranium, comprises the steps of plating the uranium with the barrier inetal, immersing the barrier-coated uranium in fatty acid, and electrolyzing a water-free diethyl ether solution of aluminum chloride and lithium hydride while making the uranium the cathode until an aluminum deposit of the desired thickness has been formed. According to another preferred embodiment the barrier-coated uranium is immersed in an isopropyl alcohol solution of sterato chromic chloride prior to the fatty acid treatment of this invention.

Hybrid polymer/ZnO solar cells sensitized by PbS quantum dots

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy-p-phenylenevinylene)]/ZnO nanorod hybrid solar cells consisting of PbS quantum dots [QDs] prepared by a chemical bath deposition method were fabricated. An optimum coating of the QDs on the ZnO nanorods could strongly improve the performance of the solar cells. A maximum power conversion efficiency of 0.42% was achieved for the PbS QDs' sensitive solar cell coated by 4 cycles, which was increased almost five times compared with the solar cell without using PbS QDs. The improved efficiency is attributed to the cascade structure formed by the PbS QD coating, which results in enhanced open-circuit voltage and exciton dissociation efficiency. PMID:22313746

Studies on stability of PEC cells formed with CdS:Al films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lokhande, C. D.; Pawar, S. H.

1984-02-01

Aluminum doped and undoped CdS films are deposited on stainless steel substrates by chemical bath deposition technique and are employed in PEC cells. The effects of heat treatment to photoanode and addition of salts like KCl and NaCl in an electrolyte on the stability of the PEC cells are studied. It is found that though the PEC cells formed with CdS films are stable in NaOH-Na 2S-S electrolyte, the stability of PEC cells formed with Al doped CdS films is achieved only after the addition of saturated salts in the electrolyte.

Near-zero IR transmission of VO2 thin films deposited on Si substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chunzi; Koughia, Cyril; Li, Yuanshi; Cui, Xiaoyu; Ye, Fan; Shiri, Sheida; Sanayei, Mohsen; Wen, Shi-Jie; Yang, Qiaoqin; Kasap, Safa

2018-05-01

Vanadium dioxide (VO2) thin films of different thickness have been deposited on Si substrates by using DC magnetron sputtering. The effects of substrate pre-treatment by means of seeding (spin coating and ultrasonic bathing) and biasing on the structure and optical properties were investigated. Seeding results in a smaller grain size in the oxide film, whereas biasing results in square-textured crystals. VO2 thin films of 150 nm thick show a near-zero IR transmission in switched state. Especially, the 150 nm thick VO2 thin film with seeding treatment shows an enhanced switching efficiency.

Using conversation analytic methods to assess fidelity to a talk-based healthcare intervention for frequently attending patients.

PubMed

Barnes, Rebecca K; Jepson, Marcus; Thomas, Clare; Jackson, Sue; Metcalfe, Chris; Kessler, David; Cramer, Helen

2018-06-01

The study aim was to assess implementation fidelity (i.e., adherence) to a talk-based primary care intervention using Conversation Analytic (CA) methods. The context was a UK feasibility trial where General Practitioners (GPs) were trained to use "BATHE" (Background,Affect,Trouble,Handling,Empathy) - a technique to screen for psychosocial issues during consultations - with frequently attending patients. 35 GPs received BATHE training between July-October 2015. 15 GPs across six practices self-selected to record a sample of their consultations with study patients at three and six months. 31 consultations were recorded. 21/26 patients in four intervention practices gave permission for analysis. The recordings were transcribed and initially coded for the presence or absence of the five BATHE components. CA methods were applied to assess delivery, focusing on position and composition of each component, and patients' responses. Initial coding showed most of the BATHE components to be present in most contacts. However the CA analysis revealed unplanned deviations in position and adaptations in composition. Frequently the intervention was initiated too early in the consultation, and the BATHE questions misunderstood by patients as pertaining to their presenting problems rather than the psychosocial context for their problems. Often these deviations resulted in reducing theoretical fidelity of the intervention as a whole. A CA approach enabled a dynamic assessment of the delivery and receipt of BATHE in situ revealing common pitfalls in delivery and provided valuable examples of more and less efficacious implementations. During the trial this evidence was used in top-up trainings to address problems in delivery and to improve GP engagement. Using CA methods enabled a more accurate assessment of implementation fidelity, a fuller description of the intervention itself, and enhanced resources for future training. When positioned appropriately, BATHE can be a useful tool for eliciting information about the wider context of the medical visit. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.

Molecular tools for bathing water assessment in Europe: Balancing social science research with a rapidly developing environmental science evidence-base.

PubMed

Oliver, David M; Hanley, Nick D; van Niekerk, Melanie; Kay, David; Heathwaite, A Louise; Rabinovici, Sharyl J M; Kinzelman, Julie L; Fleming, Lora E; Porter, Jonathan; Shaikh, Sabina; Fish, Rob; Chilton, Sue; Hewitt, Julie; Connolly, Elaine; Cummins, Andy; Glenk, Klaus; McPhail, Calum; McRory, Eric; McVittie, Alistair; Giles, Amanna; Roberts, Suzanne; Simpson, Katherine; Tinch, Dugald; Thairs, Ted; Avery, Lisa M; Vinten, Andy J A; Watts, Bill D; Quilliam, Richard S

2016-02-01

The use of molecular tools, principally qPCR, versus traditional culture-based methods for quantifying microbial parameters (e.g., Fecal Indicator Organisms) in bathing waters generates considerable ongoing debate at the science-policy interface. Advances in science have allowed the development and application of molecular biological methods for rapid (~2 h) quantification of microbial pollution in bathing and recreational waters. In contrast, culture-based methods can take between 18 and 96 h for sample processing. Thus, molecular tools offer an opportunity to provide a more meaningful statement of microbial risk to water-users by providing near-real-time information enabling potentially more informed decision-making with regard to water-based activities. However, complementary studies concerning the potential costs and benefits of adopting rapid methods as a regulatory tool are in short supply. We report on findings from an international Working Group that examined the breadth of social impacts, challenges, and research opportunities associated with the application of molecular tools to bathing water regulations.

Synthesis and characterization of photoconducting (Cd:Zn)S thin films by hydrothermal assisted chemical bath deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathew, Joissy; Devasia, Sebin; Anila, E. I.

2018-04-01

We report the synthesis of polycrystalline ternary (Cd:Zn)S thin films by hydrothermal assisted chemical bath deposition on glass substrates. X-ray diffraction reveals the hexagonal phase of cadmium zinc sulphide (CZS) film with preferred orientation along the (002) plane and the average grain size to be 22.78 nm. SEM image shows clusters of nano fibers grown on the film. The optical band gap obtained from the optical absorption studies using UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy is 3.4 eV. Broad and asymmetric emission due to the combination of near band edge emission and emission fromintrinsic point defects was observed in the PL spectrum. The filmexhibit photo conductivity under illumination by light from 32 watts halogen bulb. In dark condition, the I-V curve shows non-linear behavior, whereas ohmic behavior under illumination. The Photo response of film was recorded for the light-on and light-off conditions at intervals of 100 seconds when 10V voltage was applied. We observed fast rise and decay of the photocurrent depicting high photosensitivity. This work present a simple way to obtain photo-detectors and will benefit in optical-electron devices manufacture.

Flexible low-cost infrared photodetector based on SnS thin film grown by chemical bath deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahdi, Mohamed S.; Ibrahim, K.; Ahmed, Naser M.; Kadhim, A.; Azzez, Shrook A.; Mustafa, Falah I.; Bououdina, M.

2017-10-01

A novel, flexible, and low-cost infrared (IR) SnS photodetector was fabricated onto a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate by a simple approach based on chemical bath deposition. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed an orthorhombic structure, scanning electron microscopy observations revealed flower-like morphology, and UV-vis spectroscopy indicated a direct energy gap of 1.42 eV. The photodetector exhibited maximum responsivity at 850 nm under the illumination of a Hg (Xe) lamp. The photoresponse properties of the photodetector were determined under illumination of 850 nm at various bias voltages (3, 5 and 7 V). The photodetector manifested good sensitivity, excellent reproducibility and fast response time. Both rise/decay times measured at bias voltage of 3 V were determined: τ rise  =  0.38 s and τ decay  =  0.67 s. Additionally, the photoresponse versus different power density of illumination was also measured. The as-obtained results, highlighted that the newly fabricated SnS photodetector can be considered as a promising photoelectronic device that can be effectively used in the IR region due to its excellent photoresponce characteristics, low cost, flexibility, and non-toxicity.

The use of trivalent chromium bath to obtain a solar selective black chromium coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Survilienė, S.; Češūnienė, A.; Juškėnas, R.; Selskienė, A.; Bučinskienė, D.; Kalinauskas, P.; Juškevičius, K.; Jurevičiūtė, I.

2014-06-01

Black chromium coatings were electrodeposited from a trivalent chromium bath using a ZnO additive as a second main component. Black chromium was electrodeposited on steel and copper plates and substrates plated with bright nickel prior to black chromium electrodeposition. The black chromium coatings were characterized by XRD and SEM. The XRD data suggest that the phase structure of black chromium may be defined as a zinc solid solution in chromium or a chromium solid solution in zinc depending on the chromium/zinc ratio in the deposit. The role of substrate finish was evaluated through the corrosion resistance and reflectance of black chromium. According to corrosion tests the samples plated with bright nickel prior to black chromium deposition have shown the highest corrosion resistance. The electrodeposited black chromium possesses good optical properties for the absorption of solar energy. The absorption coefficient of black chromium was found to be over 0.99 for the samples obtained without the Ni undercoat and below 0.99 for those obtained with the use of Ni undercoat. However, the use of nickel undercoat before black chromium plating is recommended because it remarkably improves the corrosion resistance of samples.

Effective properties of undoped and Indium3+-doped tin manganese telluride (Sn1 - xMnxTe) nanoparticles via using a chemical bath deposition route

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boon-on, Patsorn; Tubtimtae, Auttasit; Vailikhit, Veeramol; Teesetsopon, Pichanan; Choopun, Supab

2017-06-01

Tin manganese telluride nanoparticles (Sn1-xMnxTe NPs) were first synthesized on a niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) film using a chemical bath deposition (CBD) route. An individual particle size before and after indium (In3+) doping of ∼70-150 nm was investigated with stoichiometric formation of the SnMnTe phase. Furthermore, a cubic or rocksalt structure of the Sn0.938Mn0.062Te phase was also kept incorporated in the structure. The plotted energy band gaps for undoped and In3+-doped samples were 2.17 and 1.83 eV, respectively. The reduction of photoluminescence (PL) spectra after In3+ doping, while the indium dopant acted as a trap state incorporated in Sn1-xMnxTe NPs, showed enhanced charge separation and reduced charge recombination, which resulted in a higher charge density trapped in the conduction band of Nb2O5 and was also confirmed by the result of anodic peaks in the cyclic voltammetry. These results suggest new possibilities in optoelectronic and electrochemical devices.

Quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance for additives determination in an electrolytic nickel bath.

PubMed

Ostra, Miren; Ubide, Carlos; Vidal, Maider

2011-02-01

The use of proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR) for the quantitation of additives in a commercial electrolytic nickel bath (Supreme Plus Brilliant, Atotech formulation) is reported. A simple and quick method is described that needs only the separation of nickel ions by precipitation with NaOH. The four additives in the bath (A-5(2X), leveler; Supreme Plus Brightener (SPB); SA-1, leveler; NPA, wetting agent; all of them are commercial names from Atotech) can be quantified, whereas no other analytical methods have been found in the literature for SA-1 and NPA. Two calibration methods have been tried: integration of NMR signals with the use of a proper internal standard and partial least squares regression applied to the characteristic NMR peaks. The multivariate method was preferred because of accuracy and precision. Multivariate limits of detection of about 4 mL L⁻¹ A-5(2X), 0.4 mL L⁻¹ SPB, 0.2 mL L⁻¹ SA-1 and 0.6 mL L⁻¹ NPA were found. The dynamic ranges are suitable to follow the concentration of additives in the bath along electrodeposition. ¹H-NMR spectra provide evidence for SPB and SA-1 consumption (A-5(2X) and NPA keep unchanged along the process) and the growth of some products from SA-1 degradation can be followed. The method can, probably, be extended to other electrolytic nickel baths.

Mapping of an ultrasonic bath for ultrasound assisted extraction of mangiferin from Mangifera indica leaves.

PubMed

Kulkarni, Vrushali M; Rathod, Virendra K

2014-03-01

The present work deals with the mapping of an ultrasonic bath for the maximum extraction of mangiferin from Mangifera indica leaves. I3(-) liberation experiments (chemical transformations) and extraction (physical transformations) were carried out at different locations in an ultrasonic bath and compared. The experimental findings indicated a similar trend in variation in an ultrasonic bath by both these methods. Various parameters such as position and depth of vessel in an ultrasonic bath, diameter and shape of a vessel, frequency and input power which affect the extraction yield have been studied in detail. Maximum yield of mangiferin obtained was approximately 31 mg/g at optimized parameters: distance of 2.54 cm above the bottom of the bath, 7 cm diameter of vessel, flat bottom vessel, 6.35 cm liquid height, 122 W input power and 25 kHz frequency. The present work indicates that the position and depth of vessel in an ultrasonic bath, diameter and shape of a vessel, frequency and input power have significant effect on the extraction yield. This work can be used as a base for all ultrasonic baths to obtain maximum efficiency for ultrasound assisted extraction. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Water bath accelerated curing of concrete.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1970-01-01

Water bath methods for accelerating the strength development of portland cement concrete were investigated in a two phase study as follows. Phase I - Participation in a cooperative accelerated strength testing program sponsored by the American Societ...

Investigation of the surface composition of electrodeposited black chromium by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Survilienė, S.; Češūnienė, A.; Jasulaitienė, V.; Jurevičiūtė, I.

2015-01-01

The paper reviews black chromium electrodeposited from a trivalent chromium bath containing ZnO as a second main component. The chemical compositions of the top layers of the black chromium coatings were studied by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy method. The surface of black chromium was found to be almost entirely covered with organic substances. To gain information on the state of each element in the deposit bulk, the layer-by-layer etching of the black chromium surface with argon gas was used. Analysis of XPS spectra has shown that the top layers of black chromium without zinc are composed of various Cr(III) components, organic substances and metallic Cr, whereas metallic Cr is almost absent in black chromium containing some amount of Zn(II) compounds. The ratios of metal/oxide phases were found to be 10/27 and 2/28 for black chromium without and with zinc, respectively. It has been determined that owing to the presence of ZnO in the Cr(III) bath, the percentage of metallic chromium is substantially reduced in black chromium which is quite important for good solar selective characteristics of the coating. The results confirm some of earlier observations and provide new information on the composition of the near-surface layers.

Influence of ammonium hydroxide solution on LiMn2O4 nanostructures prepared by modified chemical bath method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koao, Lehlohonolo F.; Motloung, Setumo V.; Motaung, Tshwafo E.; Kebede, Mesfin A.

2018-04-01

LiMn2O4 (LMO) powders were prepared by modified chemical bath deposition (CBD) method by varying ammonium hydroxide solution (AHS). The volume of the AHS was varied from 5 to 120 mL in order to determine the optimum volume that is needed for preparation of LMO powders. The effect of AHS volume on the structure, morphology, and electrochemical properties of LMO powders was investigated. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the LMO powders correspond to the cubic spinel LMO phase. It was found that the XRD peaks increased in intensity with increasing volume of the AHS up to 20 mL. The estimated average grain sizes calculated using the XRD patterns were found to be in the order of 66 ± 1 nm. It was observed that the estimated average grain sizes increased up to 20 mL of AHS. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results revealed that the AHS volume does not influence the surface morphology of the prepared nano-powders. Elemental energy dispersive (EDS) analysis mapping conducted on the samples revealed homogeneous distribution of Mn and O for the sample synthesized with 120 mL of AHS. The UV-Vis spectra showed a red shift with an increase in AHS up 20 mL. The cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge cycle testing confirmed that 20 mL of AHS has superior lithium ion kinetics and electrochemical performance.

Synthesis and Physical Properties Characterization of CdSe1-ySy Nanolayers Deposited by Chemical Bath Deposition at Low-Temperature Treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flores-Mena, J. E.; Contreras-Rascón, J. I.; Diaz-Reyes, J.; Castillo-Ojeda, R. S.

In this work, we present the synthesis and structural and optical characterizations of CdSe1-y S y deposited by chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique on corning glass at a temperature of 20 ± 2 °C. The sulfur molar fraction was varied from 0 to 42.13 %, which was realized by varying the thiourea volume added to the growth solution in the range from 0 to 30 mL. The chemical stoichiometry was estimated by energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). The CdSe1-y S y showed hexagonal wurtzite crystalline phase that was found by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and Raman spectroscopy. The average grain size range of the films was 1.48-1.68 nm that was determined using the Debye-Scherrer equation W(002) direction and was confirmed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Raman scattering shows that the lattice dynamics is characteristic of bimodal behavior and the multipeaks adjust to the first optical longitudinal mode for the CdSeS, in all cases, Raman spectra show two dominant vibrational bands about 208 and 415 cm-1 associated at CdSe-1LO-like and CdSe-2LO-like. CdSe1-y S y band gap energy can be varied from 1.86 to 2.16 eV by varying the thiourea volume added in growth solution in the investigated range obtained by transmittance measurements at room temperature. The room temperature photoluminescence shows a dominant radiation band at about 3.0 eV that can be associated with exciton bonded to donor impurity and the quantum confinement because of the grain size is less than the Bohr radius.

Method of hyperthermia and tumor size influence effectiveness of doxorubicin release from thermosensitive liposomes in experimental tumors.

PubMed

Willerding, Linus; Limmer, Simone; Hossann, Martin; Zengerle, Anja; Wachholz, Kirsten; Ten Hagen, Timo L M; Koning, Gerben A; Sroka, Ronald; Lindner, Lars H; Peller, Michael

2016-01-28

Systemic chemotherapy of solid tumors could be enhanced by local hyperthermia (HT) in combination with thermosensitive liposomes (TSL) as drug carriers. In such an approach, effective HT of the tumor is considered essential for successful triggering local drug release and targeting of the drug to the tumor. To investigate the effect of HT method on the effectiveness of drug delivery, a novel laser-based HT device designed for the use in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was compared systematically with the frequently used cold light lamp and water bath HT. Long circulating phosphatidyldiglycerol-based TSL (DPPG2-TSL) with encapsulated doxorubicin (DOX) were used as drug carrier enabling intravascular drug release. Experiments were performed in male Brown Norway rats with a syngeneic soft tissue sarcoma (BN 175) located on both hind legs. One tumor was heated while the second tumor remained unheated as a reference. Six animals were investigated per HT method. DPPG2-TSL were injected i.v. at a stable tumor temperature above 40°C. Thereafter, temperature was maintained for 60min. Total DOX concentration in plasma, tumor tissue and muscle was determined post therapy by HPLC. Finally, the new laser-based device was tested in a MRI environment at 3T using DPPG2-TSL with encapsulated Gd-based contrast agent. All methods showed effective DOX delivery by TSL with 4.5-23.1ng/mg found in the heated tumors. In contrast, DOX concentration in the non-heated tumors was 0.5±0.1ng/mg. Independent of used HT methods, higher DOX levels were found in the smaller tumors. In comparison water bath induced lowest DOX delivery but still showing fourfold higher DOX concentrations compared to the non-heated tumors. With the laser-based applicator, a 13 fold higher DOX deposition was possible for large tumors and a 15 fold higher for the small tumors, respectively. Temperature gradients in the tumor tissue were higher with the laser and cold light lamp (-0.3°C/mm to -0.5°C/mm) compared to the water bath (-0.1°C/mm and -0.2°C/mm). Visualization of HT in the MRI demonstrated successful localized heating throughout the entire tumor volume by contrast agent release from DPPG2-TSL. In conclusion, HT triggered drug delivery by using DPPG2-TSL is a promising tool in chemotherapy but effectiveness markedly depended on the method of heating and also on tumor size. Local HT using a cold light lamp or the new laser applicator allowed more efficient drug delivery than using a regional water bath heating. MR-compatibility of the new applicator gives the opportunity for future experiments investing drug delivery in more detail by MRI at low technical efforts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Wort free amino nitrogen analysis adapted to a microplate format

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The standard method for determining wort free amino nitrogen content calls for the use of test tubes and glass marbles, as well as boiling and 20°C water baths. In this paper we describe how the standard method can be updated and streamlined by replacing water baths, test tubes and marbles with a th...

Method of freezing living cells and tissues with improved subsequent survival

DOEpatents

Senkan, Selim M.; Hirsch, Gerald P.

1980-01-01

This invention relates to an improved method for freezing red blood cells, ther living cells, or tissues with improved subsequent survival, wherein constant-volume freezing is utilized that results in significantly improved survival compared with constant-pressure freezing; optimization is attainable through the use of different vessel geometries, cooling baths and warming baths, and sample concentrations.

Multifunctional carbon nanoelectrodes fabricated by focused ion beam milling.

PubMed

Thakar, Rahul; Weber, Anna E; Morris, Celeste A; Baker, Lane A

2013-10-21

We report a strategy for fabrication of sub-micron, multifunctional carbon electrodes and application of these electrodes as probes for scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) and scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM). The fabrication process utilized chemical vapor deposition of parylene, followed by thermal pyrolysis to form conductive carbon and then further deposition of parylene to form an insulation layer. To achieve well-defined electrode geometries, two methods of electrode exposure were utilized. In the first method, carbon probes were masked in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to obtain a cone-shaped electrode. In the second method, the electrode area was exposed via milling with a focused ion beam (FIB) to reveal a carbon ring electrode, carbon ring/platinum disk electrode, or carbon ring/nanopore electrode. Carbon electrodes were batch fabricated (~35/batch) through the vapor deposition process and were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), and cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements. Additionally, Raman spectroscopy was utilized to examine the effects of Ga(+) ion implantation, a result of FIB milling. Constant-height, feedback mode SECM was performed with conical carbon electrodes and carbon ring electrodes. We demonstrate the utility of carbon ring/nanopore electrodes with SECM-SICM to simultaneously collect topography, ion current and electrochemical current images. In addition, carbon ring/nanopore electrodes were utilized in substrate generation/tip collection (SG/TC) SECM. In SG/TC SECM, localized delivery of redox molecules affords a higher resolution, than when the redox molecules are present in the bath solution. Multifunctional geometries of carbon electrode probes will find utility in electroanalytical applications, in general, and more specifically with electrochemical microscopy as discussed herein.

Dissipative dynamics at conical intersections: simulations with the hierarchy equations of motion method.

PubMed

Chen, Lipeng; Gelin, Maxim F; Chernyak, Vladimir Y; Domcke, Wolfgang; Zhao, Yang

2016-12-16

The effect of a dissipative environment on the ultrafast nonadiabatic dynamics at conical intersections is analyzed for a two-state two-mode model chosen to represent the S 2 (ππ*)-S 1 (nπ*) conical intersection in pyrazine (the system) which is bilinearly coupled to infinitely many harmonic oscillators in thermal equilibrium (the bath). The system-bath coupling is modeled by the Drude spectral function. The equation of motion for the reduced density matrix of the system is solved numerically exactly with the hierarchy equation of motion method using graphics-processor-unit (GPU) technology. The simulations are valid for arbitrary strength of the system-bath coupling and arbitrary bath memory relaxation time. The present computational studies overcome the limitations of weak system-bath coupling and short memory relaxation time inherent in previous simulations based on multi-level Redfield theory [A. Kühl and W. Domcke, J. Chem. Phys. 2002, 116, 263]. Time evolutions of electronic state populations and time-dependent reduced probability densities of the coupling and tuning modes of the conical intersection have been obtained. It is found that even weak coupling to the bath effectively suppresses the irregular fluctuations of the electronic populations of the isolated two-mode conical intersection. While the population of the upper adiabatic electronic state (S 2 ) is very efficiently quenched by the system-bath coupling, the population of the diabatic ππ* electronic state exhibits long-lived oscillations driven by coherent motion of the tuning mode. Counterintuitively, the coupling to the bath can lead to an enhanced lifetime of the coherence of the tuning mode as a result of effective damping of the highly excited coupling mode, which reduces the strong mode-mode coupling inherent to the conical intersection. The present results extend previous studies of the dissipative dynamics at conical intersections to the nonperturbative regime of system-bath coupling. They pave the way for future first-principles simulations of femtosecond time-resolved four-wave-mixing spectra of chromophores in condensed phases which are nonperturbative in the system dynamics, the system-bath coupling as well as the field-matter coupling.

Effect of Thickness on the Morphology and Corrosion Behavior of Cerium-Based Conversion Coatings on AZ31B Magnesium Alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castano, Carlos E.; Maddela, Surender; O'Keefe, Matthew J.; Wang, Yar-Ming

Cerium-based conversion coatings (CeCCs) were deposited onto AZ31B magnesium alloy substrates using a spontaneous reaction of CeCl3, H2O2 and gelatin in a water-based solution. The coating thickness was adjusted by controlling the immersion time in the deposition solution. Prior to deposition, the AZ31B substrates were treated using an acid pickling in nitric acid and then an alkaline cleaning in sodium metasilicate pentahydrate. After deposition, the coated samples were immersed in a phosphate bath that converted cerium oxide/hydroxide into cerium phosphate. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, potentiodynamic polarization and neutral salt spray testing studies indicated that 100 nm thick CeCC had better corrosion performance than 400 nm coatings. Characterization of the CeCCs by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed a three layer structure with different compositions.

Reproducible insulin secretion from isolated rat pancreas preparations using an organ bath.

PubMed

Morita, Asuka; Ouchi, Motoshi; Terada, Misao; Kon, Hiroe; Kishimoto, Satoko; Satoh, Keitaro; Otani, Naoyuki; Hayashi, Keitaro; Fujita, Tomoe; Inoue, Ken-Ichi; Anzai, Naohiko

2018-02-09

Diabetes mellitus is a lifestyle-related disease that is characterized by inappropriate or diminished insulin secretion. Ex vivo pharmacological studies of hypoglycemic agents are often conducted using perfused pancreatic preparations. Pancreas preparations for organ bath experiments do not require cannulation and are therefore less complex than isolated perfused pancreas preparations. However, previous research has generated almost no data on insulin secretion from pancreas preparations using organ bath preparations. The purpose of this study was to investigate the applicability of isolated rat pancreas preparations using the organ bath technique in the quantitative analysis of insulin secretion from β-cells. We found that insulin secretion significantly declined during incubation in the organ bath, whereas it was maintained in the presence of 1 µM GLP-1. Conversely, amylase secretion exhibited a modest increase during incubation and was not altered in the presence of GLP-1. These results demonstrate that the pancreatic organ bath preparation is a sensitive and reproducible method for the ex vivo assessment of the pharmacological properties of hypoglycemic agents.

Influence of Annealing Temperature on the Characteristics of Nanocrystalline SnO2 Thin Films Produced by Sol-Gel and Chemical Bath Deposition for Gas Sensor Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Jawad, Selma M. H.; Elttayf, Abdulhussain K.; Saber, Amel S.

Pure nanocrystalline SnO2 films were grown on a clean glass substrate by using sol-gel dip coating and chemical bath deposition (CBD) techniques for gas sensor applications. The films were annealed in air at 300∘C, 400∘C, and 500∘C for 60min. The deposited films with a thickness of approximately 300 ± 20 nm were analyzed through X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and optical absorption spectroscopy. Results revealed that the films produced by dip coating exhibited a tetragonal rutile structure and those produced by CBD showed a tetragonal rutile and orthorhombic structure. The crystalline sizes of the films produced by dip coating annealed at 300∘C, 400∘C, and 500∘C were 8, 14, and 22.34 nm and those for CBD films at these temperatures were 10, 15, and 22 nm, respectively. AFM and SEM results indicated that the average grain size increased as annealing temperature increased. The transmittance and absorbance spectra were then recorded at wavelengths ranging from 300nm to 1000nm. The films produced by both the methods yielded high transmission at visible regions. The optical band gap energy of dip-coated films also increased as annealing temperature increased. In particular, their optical band gap energies were 3.5, 3.75, and 3.87eV at 300∘C, 400∘C, and 500∘C, respectively. By comparison, the energy band gap of CBD-prepared films decreased as annealing temperature increased, and their corresponding band gaps were 3.95, 3.85, and 3.8eV at the specified annealing temperatures. The films were further investigated in terms of their sensing abilities for carbon monoxide (CO) gas at 50 ppm by measuring their sensitivity to this gas at different times and temperatures. Our results demonstrated that dip-coated and CBD-prepared films were highly sensitive to CO at 200∘C and 250∘C, respectively.

A study of the effects of aligned vertically growth time on ZnO nanorods deposited for the first time on Teflon substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farhat, O. F.; Halim, M. M.; Ahmed, Naser M.; Oglat, Ammar A.; Abuelsamen, A. A.; Bououdina, M.; Qaeed, M. A.

2017-12-01

In this study, ZnO nanorods (NRs) were well deposited on Teflon substrates (PTFE) via a chemical bath deposition (CBD) method at low temperature. The consequences of growth time (1 h-4 h) on the structural and optical properties of the aligned ZnO (NRs) were investigated through X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and photoluminescence (PL) analyses. The results show that the ZnO (NRs) were preferred to grew aligned along the c-axis as hexagonal wurtzite structure as proved by the sharp and strong ZnO (002) peaks of the ZnO (NRs). Irrespective of the growth continuation, FESEM photos confirmed that the ZnO nanorods arrays were fit to be aligned along the c-axis and perpendicular to (PTFE) substrates. The ZnO nanorods that exhibited the sharper stand most intense PL peaks among the sample were grown for 3hs as demonstrated by PL spectra. The device further showed a sensitivity of 4068 to low-power (1.25 mW/cm2) 375 nm light pulses without an external bias. The measurements of photoresponse demonstrated the highly reproducible characteristics of the fabricated UV detector with rapid response and baseline recovery times of 48.05 ms. Thus, this work introduced a simple, low-cost method of fabricating rapid-response, and highly photosensitive UV detectors with zero power consumption on Teflon substrates.

In situ formation deposited ZnO nanoparticles on silk fabrics under ultrasound irradiation.

PubMed

Khanjani, Somayeh; Morsali, Ali; Joo, Sang W

2013-03-01

Deposition of zinc(II) oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles on the surface of silk fabrics was prepared by sequential dipping steps in alternating bath of potassium hydroxide and zinc nitrate under ultrasound irradiation. This coating involves in situ generation and deposition of ZnO in a one step. The effects of ultrasound irradiation, concentration and sequential dipping steps on growth of the ZnO nanoparticles have been studied. Results show a decrease in the particles size as increasing power of ultrasound irradiation. Also, increasing of the concentration and sequential dipping steps increase particle size. The physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles were determined by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and wavelength dispersive X-ray (WDX). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

METHOD OF APPLYING COPPER COATINGS TO URANIUM

DOEpatents

Gray, A.G.

1959-07-14

A method is presented for protecting metallic uranium, which comprises anodic etching of the uranium in an aqueous phosphoric acid solution containing chloride ions, cleaning the etched uranium in aqueous nitric acid solution, promptly electro-plating the cleaned uranium in a copper electro-plating bath, and then electro-plating thereupon lead, tin, zinc, cadmium, chromium or nickel from an aqueous electro-plating bath.

Float processing of high-temperature complex silicate glasses and float baths used for same

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, Reid Franklin (Inventor); Cook, Glen Bennett (Inventor)

2000-01-01

A float glass process for production of high melting temperature glasses utilizes a binary metal alloy bath having the combined properties of a low melting point, low reactivity with oxygen, low vapor pressure, and minimal reactivity with the silicate glasses being formed. The metal alloy of the float medium is exothermic with a solvent metal that does not readily form an oxide. The vapor pressure of both components in the alloy is low enough to prevent deleterious vapor deposition, and there is minimal chemical and interdiffusive interaction of either component with silicate glasses under the float processing conditions. Alloys having the desired combination of properties include compositions in which gold, silver or copper is the solvent metal and silicon, germanium or tin is the solute, preferably in eutectic or near-eutectic compositions.

Iodine speciation in coastal and inland bathing waters and seaweeds extracts using a sequential injection standard addition flow-batch method.

PubMed

Santos, Inês C; Mesquita, Raquel B R; Bordalo, Adriano A; Rangel, António O S S

2015-02-01

The present work describes the development of a sequential injection standard addition method for iodine speciation in bathing waters and seaweeds extracts without prior sample treatment. Iodine speciation was obtained by assessing the iodide and iodate content, the two inorganic forms of iodine in waters. For the determination of iodide, an iodide ion selective electrode (ISE) was used. The indirect determination of iodate was based on the spectrophotometric determination of nitrite (Griess reaction). For the iodate measurement, a mixing chamber was employed (flow batch approach) to explore the inherent efficient mixing, essential for the indirect determination of iodate. The application of the standard addition method enabled detection limits of 0.14 µM for iodide and 0.02 µM for iodate, together with the direct introduction of the target water samples, coastal and inland bathing waters. The results obtained were in agreement with those obtained by ICP-MS and a colorimetric reference procedure. Recovery tests also confirmed the accuracy of the developed method which was effectively applied to bathing waters and seaweed extracts. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Coarse-grained representation of the quasi adiabatic propagator path integral for the treatment of non-Markovian long-time bath memory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richter, Martin; Fingerhut, Benjamin P.

2017-06-01

The description of non-Markovian effects imposed by low frequency bath modes poses a persistent challenge for path integral based approaches like the iterative quasi-adiabatic propagator path integral (iQUAPI) method. We present a novel approximate method, termed mask assisted coarse graining of influence coefficients (MACGIC)-iQUAPI, that offers appealing computational savings due to substantial reduction of considered path segments for propagation. The method relies on an efficient path segment merging procedure via an intermediate coarse grained representation of Feynman-Vernon influence coefficients that exploits physical properties of system decoherence. The MACGIC-iQUAPI method allows us to access the regime of biological significant long-time bath memory on the order of hundred propagation time steps while retaining convergence to iQUAPI results. Numerical performance is demonstrated for a set of benchmark problems that cover bath assisted long range electron transfer, the transition from coherent to incoherent dynamics in a prototypical molecular dimer and excitation energy transfer in a 24-state model of the Fenna-Matthews-Olson trimer complex where in all cases excellent agreement with numerically exact reference data is obtained.

Room temperature chemical bath deposition of cadmium selenide, cadmium sulfide and cadmium sulfoselenide thin films with novel nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

VanderHyde, Cephas A.; Sartale, S. D.; Patil, Jayant M.; Ghoderao, Karuna P.; Sawant, Jitendra P.; Kale, Rohidas B.

2015-10-01

A simple, convenient and low cost chemical synthesis route has been used to deposit nanostructured cadmium sulfide, selenide and sulfoselenide thin films at room temperature. The films were deposited on glass substrates, using cadmium acetate as cadmium ion and sodium selenosulfate/thiourea as a selenium/sulfur ion sources. Aqueous ammonia was used as a complex reagent and also to adjust the pH of the final solution. The as-deposited films were uniform, well adherent to the glass substrate, specularly reflective and red/yellow in color depending on selenium and sulfur composition. The X-ray diffraction pattern of deposited cadmium selenide thin film revealed the nanocrystalline nature with cubic phase; cadmium sulfide revealed mixture of cubic along with hexagonal phase and cadmium sulfoselenide thin film were grown with purely hexagonal phase. The morphological observations revealed the growth and formation of interesting one, two and three-dimensional nanostructures. The band gap of thin films was calculated and the results are reported.

High performance electrode material for supercapacitors based on α-Co(OH)2 nano-sheets prepared through pulse current cathodic electro-deposition (PC-CED)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aghazadeh, Mustafa; Rashidi, Amir; Ganjali, Mohammad Reza

2018-01-01

In this paper, the well-defined nano-sheets of α-Co(OH)2 were prepared through the cathodic electrosynthesis from an additive-free aqueous cobalt nitrate bath. The pulse current cathodic electro-deposition (PC-CED) was used as the means for the controlling the OH- electrogeneration on the cathode surface. The characteristics and electrochemical behavior of the prepared cobalt hydroxide were also assessed through SEM, TEM, XRD, BET, and IR. The results proved the product to be composed of crystalline pure α phase of cobalt hydroxide with sheet-like morphology at nanoscale. Evaluations of the electrochemical behaviour of the α-Co(OH)2 nano-sheets revealed that they are capable to delivering the specific capacitance of 1122 F g-1 at a discharge load of 3 A g-1 and SC retention of 84% after 4000 continues discharging cycles, suggesting the nano-sheets as promising candidates for use in electrochemical supercapacitors. Further, the method used for the preparation of the compounds enjoys the capability of being scaled up. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Morphology dependent field emission characteristics of ZnS/silicon nanoporous pillar array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ling Li; Zhao, Cheng Zhou; Kang, Li Ping; Liu, De Wei; Zhao, Hui Chun; Hao, Shan Peng; Zhang, Yuan Kai; Chen, Zhen Ping; Li, Xin Jian

2016-10-01

Through depositing zinc sulphide (ZnS) nanoparticals on silicon nanoporous pillar array (Si-NPA) and crater-shaped silicon nanoporous pillar array (c-Si-NPA) by chemical bath deposition (CBD) method, ZnS/Si-NPA and c-ZnS/Si-NPA were prepared and the field emission (FE) properties of them were investigated. The turn-on electric fields of were 3.8 V/mm for ZnS/Si-NPA and 5.0 V/mm for c-ZnS/Si-NPA, respectively. The lower turn-on electric fields of ZnS/Si-NPA than that of c-ZnS/Si-NPA were attributed to the different electric distribution of the field emitters causing by the different surface morphology of the two samples, which was further demonstrated via the simulated results by finite element modeling. The FN curves for the ZnS/Si-NPA showed two-slope behavior. All the results indicate that the morphology play an important role in the FE properties and designing an appropriate top morphology for the emitter is a very efficient way to improve the FE performance.

Development of Electrodeposited Zn/nano-TiO2 Composite Coatings with Enhanced Corrosion Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benea, L.; Dănăilă, E.

2017-06-01

Pure zinc coatings have been found ineffective when are used in aggressive environments such as those which contain chlorides or industrial pollutants [1]. In this paper, Zn/nano-TiO2 composite coatings with various contents of TiO2 nanoparticles (diameter size of 10 nm) were prepared on low-carbon steel by electro-codeposition technique. The deposition was carried out at different cathodic potentials ranging from -1600 mV to -2100 mV for different deposition times between 5-15 min. Pure Zn coatings were also produced under the same experimental conditions for comparison. Present work aims to investigate the effects of selected electrodeposition parameters (cathodic potential, TiO2 nanoparticle concentration in the plating bath and electrodeposition time) on the corrosion behavior of electrodeposited Zn/nano-TiO2 composite obtained. The corrosion experiments were performed in natural seawater, using electrochemical methods such as open circuit potential, potentiodynamic polarization and linear polarization resistance. The results showed that the inclusion of TiO2 nanoparticles into zinc matrix lead to an improved corrosion resistance comparatively with pure zinc coatings obtained under similar conditions.

Characteristic functions of quantum heat with baths at different temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aurell, Erik

2018-06-01

This paper is about quantum heat defined as the change in energy of a bath during a process. The presentation takes into account recent developments in classical strong-coupling thermodynamics and addresses a version of quantum heat that satisfies quantum-classical correspondence. The characteristic function and the full counting statistics of quantum heat are shown to be formally similar. The paper further shows that the method can be extended to more than one bath, e.g., two baths at different temperatures, which opens up the prospect of studying correlations and heat flow. The paper extends earlier results on the expected quantum heat in the setting of one bath [E. Aurell and R. Eichhorn, New J. Phys. 17, 065007 (2015), 10.1088/1367-2630/17/6/065007; E. Aurell, Entropy 19, 595 (2017), 10.3390/e19110595].

Soil is the origin for the presence of Naegleria fowleri in the thermal recreational waters.

PubMed

Moussa, Mirna; Tissot, Océane; Guerlotté, Jérôme; De Jonckheere, Johan F; Talarmin, Antoine

2015-01-01

Naegleria fowleri is found in most geothermal baths of Guadeloupe and has been responsible for the death of a 9-year-old boy who swam in one of these baths in 2008. We wanted to determine the origin for the presence of this amoeba in the water. Water samples were taken at the origin of the geothermal sources and at the arrival in the baths. After filtration, cultures were made and the number of Naegleria present was determined using the most probable number method. Soil samples collected in the proximity of the baths were also tested for the presence of thermophilic amoebae. The species identification was obtained by PCR. During three consecutive months, no Naegleria could be found at the origin of any geothermal source tested. In contrast, N. fowleri was isolated at least once in all baths at the arrival of the water, except one. Thermophilic amoebae could be found in each soil sample, especially near the baths located at a lower altitude, but N. fowleri was only isolated near two baths, which were also the baths most often contaminated with this species. So it appears that the contamination of the water with N. fowleri occurs after emerging from the geothermal source when the water runs over the soil. Therefore, it should be possible to reduce the concentration of N. fowleri in the geothermal baths of Guadeloupe to for example less than 1 N. fowleri/10 L by installing a pipeline between the geothermal sources and the baths and by preventing flooding water from entering the baths after rainfall. By taking these measures, we were able to eliminate N. fowleri from a pool located inside a reeducation clinic.

Optimization of formaldehyde concentration on electroless copper deposition on alumina surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahidin, S. A. M.; Fadil, N. A.; Yusop, M. Zamri; Tamin, M. N.; Osman, S. A.

2018-05-01

The effect of formaldehyde concentration on electroless copper plating on alumina wafer was studied. The main composition of plating bath was copper sulphate (CuSO4) as precursor and formaldehyde as a reducing agent. The copper deposition films were assessed by varying the ratio of CuSO4 and formaldehyde. The plating rate was calculated from the weight gained after plating process whilst the surface morphology was observed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The results show that 1:3 ratio of copper to formaldehyde is an optimum ratio to produce most uniform coating with good adhesion between copper layer and alumina wafer substrate.

Chemical surface deposition of ultra-thin semiconductors

DOEpatents

McCandless, Brian E.; Shafarman, William N.

2003-03-25

A chemical surface deposition process for forming an ultra-thin semiconducting film of Group IIB-VIA compounds onto a substrate. This process eliminates particulates formed by homogeneous reactions in bath, dramatically increases the utilization of Group IIB species, and results in the formation of a dense, adherent film for thin film solar cells. The process involves applying a pre-mixed liquid coating composition containing Group IIB and Group VIA ionic species onto a preheated substrate. Heat from the substrate causes a heterogeneous reaction between the Group IIB and VIA ionic species of the liquid coating composition, thus forming a solid reaction product film on the substrate surface.

A study on the enhancement of opto-electronic properties of CdS thin films: seed-assisted fabrication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumarage, W. G. C.; Wijesundera, R. P.; Seneviratne, V. A.; Jayalath, C. P.; Dassanayake, B. S.

2017-04-01

A novel method of fabricating chemical bath deposited CdS thin films (CBD-CdS) by using electrodeposited CdS (ED-CdS) as a seed layer is reported. The resulting thin, compact, uniform and adherent seed-assisted CdS films (ED/CBD-CdS) show enhanced effective surface area compared to both ED-CdS and CBD-CdS. The phase of these CdS films was determined to be hexagonal. The fabricated ED/CBD-CdS films show higher photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell efficiency than either ED-CdS and CBD-CdS thin films. Carrier concentration and flat band potential values for ED/CBD-CdS systems are also found to be superior compared to both ED-CdS and CBD-CdS systems.

Extreme value theory applied to the definition of bathing water quality discounting limits.

PubMed

Haggarty, R A; Ferguson, C A; Scott, E M; Iroegbu, C; Stidson, R

2010-02-01

The European Community Bathing Water Directive (European Parliament, 2006) set compliance standards for bathing waters across Europe, with minimum standards for microbiological indicators to be attained at all locations by 2015. The Directive allows up to 15% of samples affected by short-term pollution episodes to be disregarded from the figures used to classify bathing waters, provided certain management criteria have been met, including informing the public of short-term water pollution episodes. Therefore, a scientifically justifiable discounting limit is required which could be used as a management tool to determine the samples that should be removed. This paper investigates different methods of obtaining discounting limits, focusing in particular on extreme value methodology applied to data from Scottish bathing waters. Return level based limits derived from threshold models applied at a site-specific level improved the percentage of sites which met at least the minimum required standard. This approach provides a method of obtaining limits which identify the samples that should be removed from compliance calculations, although care has to be taken in terms of the quantity of data which is removed. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical bath deposition of II-VI compound thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oladeji, Isaiah Olatunde

II-VI compounds are direct bandgap semiconductors with great potentials in optoelectronic applications. Solar cells, where these materials are in greater demand, require a low cost production technology that will make the final product more affordable. Chemical bath deposition (CBD) a low cost growth technique capable of producing good quality thin film semiconductors over large area and at low temperature then becomes a suitable technology of choice. Heterogeneous reaction in a basic aqueous solution that is responsible for the II-VI compound film growth in CBD requires a metal complex. We have identified the stability constant (k) of the metal complex compatible with CBD growth mechanism to be about 106.9. This value is low enough to ensure that the substrate adsorbed complex relax for subsequent reaction with the chalcogen precursor to take place. It is also high enough to minimize the metal ion concentration in the bath participating in the precipitation of the bulk compounds. Homogeneous reaction that leads to precipitation in the reaction bath takes place because the solubility products of bulk II-VI compounds are very low. This reaction quickly depletes the bath of reactants, limit the film thickness, and degrade the film quality. While ZnS thin films are still hard to grow by CBD because of lack of suitable complexing agent, the homogeneous reaction still limits quality and thickness of both US and ZnS thin films. In this study, the zinc tetraammine complex ([Zn(NH3) 4]2+) with k = 108.9 has been forced to acquire its unsaturated form [Zn(NH3)3]2+ with a moderate k = 106.6 using hydrazine and nitrilotriacetate ion as complementary complexing agents and we have successfully grown ZnS thin films. We have also, minimized or eliminated the homogeneous reaction by using ammonium salt as a buffer and chemical bath with low reactant concentrations. These have allowed us to increase the saturation thickness of ZnS thin film by about 400% and raise that of US film form 0.2 to 0.5 mum with improved quality. A novel chemical activated diffusion of Cd into ZnS thin film at temperature lower than 100°C is also developed. This in conjunction with thermal activated diffusion at 400°C has enabled us to synthesize Cd1-xZn xS thin films suitable for solar cells from CBD grown CdS/ZnS multilayer. The potential application of the new Cd1-xZnxS/CdS/CdTe solar cell structure is also demonstrated. The unoptimized structure grown on transparent conducting oxide coated soda lime glass of 3mm thickness with no antireflection coating yielded a 10% efficiency. This efficiency is the highest ever recorded in any Cd1-xZnxS film containing CdTe solar cells.

Unusual behavior in magnesium-copper cluster matter produced by helium droplet mediated deposition.

PubMed

Emery, S B; Xin, Y; Ridge, C J; Buszek, R J; Boatz, J A; Boyle, J M; Little, B K; Lindsay, C M

2015-02-28

We demonstrate the ability to produce core-shell nanoclusters of materials that typically undergo intermetallic reactions using helium droplet mediated deposition. Composite structures of magnesium and copper were produced by sequential condensation of metal vapors inside the 0.4 K helium droplet baths and then gently deposited onto a substrate for analysis. Upon deposition, the individual clusters, with diameters ∼5 nm, form a cluster material which was subsequently characterized using scanning and transmission electron microscopies. Results of this analysis reveal the following about the deposited cluster material: it is in the un-alloyed chemical state, it maintains a stable core-shell 5 nm structure at sub-monolayer quantities, and it aggregates into unreacted structures of ∼75 nm during further deposition. Surprisingly, high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy images revealed that the copper appears to displace the magnesium at the core of the composite cluster despite magnesium being the initially condensed species within the droplet. This phenomenon was studied further using preliminary density functional theory which revealed that copper atoms, when added sequentially to magnesium clusters, penetrate into the magnesium cores.

Template-Free Electroless Plating of Gold Nanowires: Direct Surface Functionalization with Shape-Selective Nanostructures for Electrochemical Applications.

PubMed

Muench, Falk; Schaefer, Sandra; Hagelüken, Lorenz; Molina-Luna, Leopoldo; Duerrschnabel, Michael; Kleebe, Hans-Joachim; Brötz, Joachim; Vaskevich, Alexander; Rubinstein, Israel; Ensinger, Wolfgang

2017-09-13

Metal nanowires (NWs) represent a prominent nanomaterial class, the interest in which is fueled by their tunable properties as well as their excellent performance in, for example, sensing, catalysis, and plasmonics. Synthetic approaches to obtain metal NWs mostly produce colloids or rely on templates. Integrating such nanowires into devices necessitates additional fabrication steps, such as template removal, nanostructure purification, or attachment. Here, we describe the development of a facile electroless plating protocol for the direct deposition of gold nanowire films, requiring neither templates nor complex instrumentation. The method is general, producing three-dimensional nanowire structures on substrates of varying shape and composition, with different seed types. The aqueous plating bath is prepared by ligand exchange and partial reduction of tetrachloroauric acid in the presence of 4-dimethylaminopyridine and formaldehyde. Gold deposition proceeds by nucleation of new grains on existing nanostructure tips and thus selectively produces curvy, polycrystalline nanowires of high aspect ratio. The nanofabrication potential of this method is demonstrated by producing a sensor electrode, whose performance is comparable to that of known nanostructures and discussed in terms of the catalyst architecture. Due to its flexibility and simplicity, shape-selective electroless plating is a promising new tool for functionalizing surfaces with anisotropic metal nanostructures.

The potential of lipopolysaccharide as a real-time biomarker of bacterial contamination in marine bathing water.

PubMed

Sattar, Anas A; Jackson, Simon K; Bradley, Graham

2014-03-01

The use of total lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as a rapid biomarker for bacterial pollution was investigated at a bathing and surfing beach during the UK bathing season. The levels of faecal indicator bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli), the Gram-positive enterococci, and organisms commonly associated with faecal material, such as total coliforms and Bacteroides, were culturally monitored over four months to include a period of heavy rainfall and concomitant pollution. Endotoxin measurement was performed using a kinetic Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL) assay and found to correlate well with all indicators. Levels of LPS in excess of 50 Endotoxin Units (EU) mL(-1) were found to correlate with water that was unsuitable for bathing under the current European regulations. Increases in total LPS, mainly from Gram-negative indicator bacteria, are thus a potential real-time, qualitative method for testing bacterial quality of bathing waters.

Improving efficiency, reducing infection, and enhancing experience.

PubMed

Massa, Judith

For health professionals to make an informed choice and tailor each bed bath to the individual needs of the patient, they must firstly understand the different bed bath options available, their impact on skin integrity, and any associated risks they may pose to the patient in terms of cross-infection. Only with this knowledge can health professionals determine the appropriate form and frequency of the bed bath. Specialist wipes offer significant improvements in skin care and a reduced risk of cross-infection, compared with the traditional soap and water bed bath. Use of these wipes also improves the efficiency of the process, which links to the Productive Ward Initiative and results in clinical staff (i.e. nursing staff, healthcare assistants) having more time available to undertake additional patient care activities. This product focus highlights the benefits of moving to a wipe-based bed bath method, and the significant efficiency savings that can be realized as a result.

Distribution of Legionella pneumophila bacteria and Naegleria and Hartmannella amoebae in thermal saline baths used in balneotherapy.

PubMed

Zbikowska, Elżbieta; Walczak, Maciej; Krawiec, Arkadiusz

2013-01-01

The present study was aimed at investigating the coexistence and interactions between free living amoebae of Naegleria and Hartmannella genera and pathogenic Legionella pneumophila bacteria in thermal saline baths used in balneotherapy in central Poland. Water samples were collected from November 2010 to May 2011 at intervals longer than 1 month. The microorganisms were detected with the use of a very sensitive fluorescence in situ hybridisation method. In addition, the morphology of the amoebae was studied. Despite relatively high salinity level, ranging from 1.5 to 5.0 %, L. pneumophila were found in all investigated baths, although their number never exceeded 10(6) cells dm(-3). Hartmannella were not detected, while Naegleria fowleri were found in one bath. The observation that N. fowleri and L. pneumophila may coexist in thermal saline baths is the first observation emphasising potential threat from these microorganisms in balneotherapy.

Effect of Fluid Flow on Zinc Electrodeposits from Acid Chloride Electrolytes. M.S. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abdelmassir, A. A.

1982-01-01

Zinc was deposited potentiostatically from acid chloride baths. Once bath chemistry and electrochemistry were controlled, the study was focused on convective mass transfer at horizontal electrodes and its effect on cell performance. A laser schlieren imaging technique allowed in situ observations of flow patterns and their correlation with current transients. Convection was turbulent and mass transfer as a function of Rayleigh number was well correlated by: Sh = 0.14 R to the 1/3 power. Similarly, convection initiation time was correlated by DT/d squared = 38 Ra to the -2/3 power. Time scale of fluctuations was about half the initiation time. Taking the boundary layer thickness as a characteristic length, a critical Rayleigh number for the onset of convection was deduced: Ra sub CR = 5000. Placing the anode on the top of the cathode completely changed the flow pattern but kept the I-t curves identical whereas the use of a cathode grid doubled the limiting current. A well defined plateau in the current voltage curves suggested that hydrogen evolution has been successfully inhibited. Finally, long time deposition showed that convection at horizontal electrodes increased the induction time for dentrite growth by at least a factor of 2 with respect to a vertical wire.

Influence of Annealing Temperature on Some Optical and Structural Properties of Cu2ZnSnS4 Deposited by CZT Co-Electrodeposition Coupled with Chemical Bath Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okoth, Obila Jorim; Domtau, Dinfa Luka; Marina, Mukabi; John, Onyatta; Awuor, Ogacho Alex

Copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) is currently most efficient thin film solar technology in use but it is faced with problems of material scarcity and toxicity. An alternative earth abundant and non-toxic materials consisting of Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) have been investigated as a replacement for CIGS. In this work, CZTS thin films deposited by low cost co-electrodeposition, at a potential of -1.2V, coupled with chemical bath techniques at room temperature and then annealed under sulphur rich atmosphere were investigated. CZTS thin film quality determination was carried out using Raman spectroscopy which confirmed formation of quality CZTS film, main Raman peaks at 288cm-1 and 338cm-1 were observed. Electrical characterization was carried out using four-point probe instrument and the resistivity was in the order of ˜10-4Ω-cm. The optical characterization was done using UV-VIS-NIR spectrophotometer. The bandgaps of the annealed CZTS film ranged from 1.45 to 1.94eV with absorption coefficient of order ˜104cm-1 in the visible and near infrared range of the solar spectrum were observed.

Elucidating doping driven microstructure evolution and optical properties of lead sulfide thin films grown from a chemical bath

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohanty, Bhaskar Chandra; Bector, Keerti; Laha, Ranjit

2018-03-01

Doping driven remarkable microstructural evolution of PbS thin films grown by a single-step chemical bath deposition process at 60 °C is reported. The undoped films were discontinuous with octahedral-shaped crystallites after 30 min of deposition, whereas Cu doping led to a distinctly different surface microstructure characterized by densely packed elongated crystallites. A mechanism, based on the time sequence study of microstructural evolution of the films, and detailed XRD and Raman measurements, has been proposed to explain the contrasting microstructure of the doped films. The incorporation of Cu forms an interface layer, which is devoid of Pb. The excess Cu ions in this interface layer at the initial stages of film growth strongly interact and selectively stabilize the charged {111} faces containing either Pb or S compared to the uncharged {100} faces that contain both Pb and S. This interaction interferes with the natural growth habit resulting in the observed surface features of the doped films. Concurrently, the Cu-doping potentially changed the optical properties of the films: A significant widening of the bandgap from 1.52 eV to 1.74 eV for increase in Cu concentration from 0 to 20% was observed, making it a highly potential absorber layer in thin film solar cells.

Design and validation of a tissue bath 3-D printed with PLA for optically mapping suspended whole heart preparations.

PubMed

Entz, Michael; King, D Ryan; Poelzing, Steven

2017-12-01

With the sudden increase in affordable manufacturing technologies, the relationship between experimentalists and the designing process for laboratory equipment is rapidly changing. While experimentalists are still dependent on engineers and manufacturers for precision electrical, mechanical, and optical equipment, it has become a realistic option for in house manufacturing of other laboratory equipment with less precise design requirements. This is possible due to decreasing costs and increasing functionality of desktop three-dimensional (3-D) printers and 3-D design software. With traditional manufacturing methods, iterative design processes are expensive and time consuming, and making more than one copy of a custom piece of equipment is prohibitive. Here, we provide an overview to design a tissue bath and stabilizer for a customizable, suspended, whole heart optical mapping apparatus that can be produced significantly faster and less expensive than conventional manufacturing techniques. This was accomplished through a series of design steps to prevent fluid leakage in the areas where the optical imaging glass was attached to the 3-D printed bath. A combination of an acetone dip along with adhesive was found to create a water tight bath. Optical mapping was used to quantify cardiac conduction velocity and action potential duration to compare 3-D printed baths to a bath that was designed and manufactured in a machine shop. Importantly, the manufacturing method did not significantly affect conduction, action potential duration, or contraction, suggesting that 3-D printed baths are equally effective for optical mapping experiments. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This article details three-dimensional printable equipment for use in suspended whole heart optical mapping experiments. This equipment is less expensive than conventional manufactured equipment as well as easily customizable to the experimentalist. The baths can be waterproofed using only a three-dimensional printer, acetone, a glass microscope slide, c-clamps, and adhesive. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

A Multicenter Pragmatic Interrupted Time Series Analysis of Chlorhexidine Gluconate Bathing in Community Hospital Intensive Care Units.

PubMed

Dicks, Kristen V; Lofgren, Eric; Lewis, Sarah S; Moehring, Rebekah W; Sexton, Daniel J; Anderson, Deverick J

2016-07-01

OBJECTIVE To determine whether daily chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing of intensive care unit (ICU) patients leads to a decrease in hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), particularly infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE). DESIGN Interrupted time series analysis. SETTING The study included 33 community hospitals participating in the Duke Infection Control Outreach Network from January 2008 through December 2013. PARTICIPANTS All ICU patients at study hospitals during the study period. METHODS Of the 33 hospitals, 17 hospitals implemented CHG bathing during the study period, and 16 hospitals that did not perform CHG bathing served as controls. Primary pre-specified outcomes included ICU central-line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), primary bloodstream infections (BSI), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). MRSA and VRE HAIs were also evaluated. RESULTS Chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing was associated with a significant downward trend in incidence rates of ICU CLABSI (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.93-0.99), ICU primary BSI (IRR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.94-0.99), VRE CLABSIs (IRR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.97-0.98), and all combined VRE infections (IRR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.93-1.00). No significant trend in MRSA infection incidence rates was identified prior to or following the implementation of CHG bathing. CONCLUSIONS In this multicenter, real-world analysis of the impact of CHG bathing, hospitals that implemented CHG bathing attained a decrease in ICU CLABSIs, ICU primary BSIs, and VRE CLABSIs. CHG bathing did not affect rates of specific or overall infections due to MRSA. Our findings support daily CHG bathing of ICU patients. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;37:791-797.

Structural and electrochemical analysis of chemically synthesized microcubic architectured lead selenide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhat, T. S.; Shinde, A. V.; Devan, R. S.; Teli, A. M.; Ma, Y. R.; Kim, J. H.; Patil, P. S.

2018-01-01

The present work deals with the synthesis of lead selenide (PbSe) thin films by simple and cost-effective chemical bath deposition method with variation in deposition time. The structural, morphological, and electrochemical properties of as-deposited thin films were examined using characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. XRD reveals formation of rock salt phase cubic structured PbSe. FE-SEM images show the formation of microcubic structured morphology. The existence of the PbSe is confirmed from the XPS analysis. On the other hand, CV curves show four reaction peaks corresponding to oxidation [PbSe and Pb(OH)2] and reduction (PbO2 and Pb(OH)2) at the surface of PbSe thin films. The PbSe:2 sample deposited for 80 min. shows maximum specific capacitance of 454 ± 5 F g- 1 obtained at 0.25 mA cm- 2 current density. The maximum energy density of 69 Wh kg- 1 was showed by PbSe:2 electrode with a power density of 1077 W kg- 1. Furthermore, electrochemical impedance studies of PbSe:2 thin film show 80 ± 3% cycling stability even after 500 CV cycles. Such results show the importance of microcubic structured PbSe thin film as an anode in supercapacitor devices.

Coated Metal Articles and Method of Making

DOEpatents

Boller, Ernest R.; Eubank, Lowell D.

2004-07-06

The method of protectively coating metallic uranium which comprises dipping the metallic uranium in a molten alloy comprising about 20-75% of copper and about 80-25% of tin, dipping the coated uranium promptly into molten tin, withdrawing it from the molten tin and removing excess molten metal, thereupon dipping it into a molten metal bath comprising aluminum until it is coated with this metal, then promptly withdrawing it from the bath.

Multi-pin chemiresistors for microchemical sensors

DOEpatents

Ho, Clifford K [Albuquerque, NM

2007-02-20

A multi-pin chemiresistor for use in microchemical sensors. A pair of free-standing, bare wires is supported by an electrically insulating support, and are oriented parallel to each other and spaced closely together. A free-standing film of a chemically sensitive polymer that swells when exposed to vapors of a volatile chemical is formed in-between the pair of closely-spaced wires by capillary action. Similar in construction to a thermocouple, this "chemicouple" is relatively inexpensive and easy to fabricate by dipping the pair of bare wires into a bath of well-mixed chemiresistor ink. Also, a chemiresistor "stick" is formed by dipping an electrically insulating rod with two or more linear or spiral-wrapped electrical traces into the bath of well-mixed chemiresistor ink, which deposits a uniform coating of the chemically sensitive polymer on the rod and the electrical traces. These "sticks" can be easily removed and replaced from a multi-chemiresistor plug.

Zn–Se–Cd–S Interlayer Formation at the CdS/Cu 2 ZnSnSe 4 Thin-Film Solar Cell Interface

DOE PAGES

Bär, Marcus; Repins, Ingrid; Weinhardt, Lothar; ...

2017-06-14

The chemical structure of the CdS/Cu 2ZnSnSe 4 (CZTSe) interface was studied by a combination of electron and X-ray spectroscopies with varying surface sensitivity. We find the CdS chemical bath deposition causes a 'redistribution' of elements in the proximity of the CdS/CZTSe interface. In detail, our data suggest that Zn and Se from the Zn-terminated CZTSe absorber and Cd and S from the buffer layer form a Zn-Se-Cd-S interlayer. Here, we find direct indications for the presence of Cd-S, Cd-Se, and Cd-Se-Zn bonds at the buffer/absorber interface. Thus, we propose the formation of a mixed Cd(S,Se)-(Cd,Zn)Se interlayer. We also suggestmore » the underlying chemical mechanism is an ion exchange mediated by the amine complexes present in the chemical bath.« less

Method of forming oxide coatings. [for solar collector heating panels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcdonald, G. E. (Inventor)

1983-01-01

This invention is concerned with an improved plating process for covering a substrate with a black metal oxide film. The invention is particularly directed to making a heating panel for a solar collector. A compound is electrodeposited from an aqueous solution containing cobalt metal salts onto a metal substrate. This compound is converted during plating into a black, highly absorbing oxide coating which contains hydrated oxides. This is achieved by the inclusion of an oxidizing agent in the plating bath. The inclusion of an oxidizing agent in the plating bath is contrary to standard electroplating practice. The hydrated oxides are converted to oxides by treatment in a hot bath, such as boiling water. An oxidizing agent may be added to the hot liquid treating bath.

[Water fungi occurence in the River Supraśl-bath Jurowce near Białystok].

PubMed

Kiziewicz, Bozena; Kozłowska, Mariola; Godlewska, Anna; Muszyńvska, Elzbieta; Mazalska, Bozenna

2004-01-01

Studies on the occurrence of aquatic fungi in the bathing sites of the Supraśl River in Jurowce village were collected in years 2000-2003. Hydrochemical analysis was performed using standard methods. Bait method was used to isolate the fungi. In the Supraśl River at Jurowce village 36 fungi species were identified, among them fish pathogens Achlya orion, Aphanomyces laevis, Dictyuchus monosporus, Saprolegnia ferax, Saprolegnia monoica, S. parasitica, human pathogens Aspergillus flavus, Candida albicans, Lagenidium humanum, Penicillium mycetomagenum, Rhizophydium keratinophilum and Trichosporon cutaneum, phytopathogens Achlya racemosa, Phytophthora gonapodoides, Pythium butleri, P. myriotylum and P. debaryanum. Physicochemical parameters of waters in Supraśl River-bathing sites had no important effect on the occurrence of fungi.

Safety of tomatillos and products containing tomatillos canned by the water-bath canning method.

PubMed

McKee, L H; Remmenga, M D; Bock, M A

1998-01-01

Three studies were conducted to evaluate the safety of tomatillos and products containing tomatillos canned by the water-bath processing method. In the first study, plain tomatillos were processed for 25, 37.5, 50 and 62.5 min. In the second study, five tomatillo/onion combinations were prepared while five tomatillo/green chile combinations were prepared in the third study. pH evaluations were conducted to determine safety in all studies using pH 4.2 as the cut-off value. No differences in the pH of plain tomatillos were detected due to processing time. All jars of plain tomatillos had pH values below 4.1. All combinations of tomatillos/onions and tomatillos/green chile containing more than 50% tomatillo had pH values below the 4.2 cut-off value. Results of the three studies indicate (1) acidification of plain tomatillos is probably unnecessary for canning by the water-bath processing method and (2) combinations of acidic tomatillos and low-acid onions or green chile must contain more than 50% tomatillos to have a pH low enough for safe water-bath processing.

Domestic water buffaloes: Access to surface water, disease prevalence and associated economic losses.

PubMed

Elahi, Ehsan; Abid, Muhammad; Zhang, Huiming; Cui, Weijun; Ul Hasson, Shabeh

2018-06-01

Given the shortage and non-availability of freshwater in Pakistan, wastewater is being used for bathing water buffaloes; however, this has a negative impact on animal welfare. Although there is a vast literature on indirect linkages between wastewater and animal productivity, studies focusing on the direct impacts of water buffaloes bathing in wastewater on animal productivity and economic losses are rare. Therefore, using 360 domestic water buffalo farms, this study examines the expenditure and production losses associated with bathing (in wastewater and freshwater) and non-bathing water buffaloes by employing partial budgeting and resource adjustment component techniques. Furthermore, it investigates the prevalence of animal diseases and associated economic effects using correlation analysis and propensity score matching techniques, respectively. The findings reveal that compared to their counterparts (freshwater bathing and non-bathing water buffaloes), buffaloes bathing in wastewater are at increased risk of clinical mastitis, foot and mouth disease (FMD) and tick infestation. Moreover, the use of wastewater for bathing buffaloes also leads to higher economic and production losses by affecting milk productivity, causing premature culling, and reducing slaughter value. The findings of the double-log model show that economic losses are higher if buffaloes bathe in wastewater within 30 min after milking, as there are more chances that those buffaloes would be exposed to bacterial penetration in the teat ducts, which may result in intramammary infection. According to the propensity score matching method, the higher economic damages per month are associated with buffaloes bathing in wastewater and freshwater, 155 and 110 USD per farm, respectively. The study findings reference the need for policies to restrict wastewater access by water buffaloes, and a regular check of and access to cool clean water wallows for bathing during hot summer days, to reduce excess heat and economic losses, and thus improve animal welfare. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fabrication and photovoltaic properties of ZnO nanorods/perovskite solar cells

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

Shirahata, Yasuhiro; Tanaike, Kohei; Akiyama, Tsuyoshi

2016-02-01

ZnO nanorods/perovskite solar cells with different lengths of ZnO nanorods were fabricated. The ZnO nanorods were prepared by chemical bath deposition and directly confirmed to be hexagon-shaped nanorods. The lengths of the ZnO nanorads were controlled by deposition condition of ZnO seed layer. Photovoltaic properties of the ZnO nanorods/CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}PbI{sub 3} solar cells were investigated by measuring current density-voltage characteristics and incident photon to current conversion efficiency. The highest conversion efficiency was obtained in ZnO nanorods/CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}PbI{sub 3} with the longest ZnO nanorods.

Fabrication and characterization of Ga-doped ZnO / Si heterojunction nanodiodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akgul, Guvenc; Akgul, Funda Aksoy

2017-02-01

In this study, temperature-dependent electrical properties of n-type Ga-doped ZnO thin film / p-type Si nanowire heterojunction diodes were reported. Metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) process was performed to fabricate Si nanowires. Ga-doped ZnO films were then deposited onto nanowires through chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique to build three-dimensional nanowire-based heterojunction diodes. Fabricated devices revealed significant diode characteristics in the temperature range of 220 - 360 K. Electrical measurements shown that diodes had a well-defined rectifying behavior with a good rectification ratio of 103 ±3 V at room temperature. Ideality factor (n) were changed from 2.2 to 1.2 with increasing temperature.

Sensor development for in situ detection of concentration polarization and fouling of reverse osmosis membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Detrich, Kahlil T.; Goulbourne, Nakhiah C.

2009-03-01

The purpose of this research is to evaluate three polymer electroding techniques in developing a novel in situ sensor for an RO system using the electrical response of a thin film composite sensor. Electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to measure the sensor response when exposed to sodium chloride solutions with concentrations from 0.1 M to 0.8 M in both single and double bath configurations. An insulated carbon grease sensor was mechanically stable while a composite Direct Assembly Process (DAP) sensor was fragile upon hydration. Scanning electron microscopy results from an impregnation-reduction technique showed gold nanoparticles were deposited most effectively when presoaked in a potassium hydroxide solution and on an uncoated membrane; surface resistances remained too high for sensor implementation. Through thickness carbon grease sensors showed a transient response to changes in concentration, and no meaningful concentration sensitivity was noted for the time scales over which EIS measurements were taken. Surface carbon grease electrodes attached to the polyamide thin film were not sensitive to concentration. The impedance spectra indicated the carbon grease sensor was unable to detect changes in concentration in double bath experiments when implemented with the polyamide surface exposed to salt solutions. DAP sensors lacked a consistent response to changes in concentration too. A reverse double bath experiment with the polysulfone layer exposed to a constant concentration exhibited a transient impedance response similar to through thickness carbon grease sensors in a single bath at constant concentration. These results suggest that the microporous polysulfone layer is responsible for sensor response to concentration.

Method of preparing silicon carbide particles dispersed in an electrolytic bath for composite electroplating of metals

DOEpatents

Peng, Yu-Min; Wang, Jih-Wen; Liue, Chun-Ying; Yeh, Shinn-Horng

1994-01-01

A method for preparing silicon carbide particles dispersed in an electrolytic bath for composite electroplating of metals includes the steps of washing the silicon carbide particles with an organic solvent; washing the silicon carbide particles with an inorganic acid; grinding the silicon carbide particles; and heating the silicon carbide particles in a nickel-containing solution at a boiling temperature for a predetermined period of time.

Evaluation of Temperature-Dependent Effective Material Properties and Performance of a Thermoelectric Module

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chien, Heng-Chieh; Chu, En-Ting; Hsieh, Huey-Lin; Huang, Jing-Yi; Wu, Sheng-Tsai; Dai, Ming-Ji; Liu, Chun-Kai; Yao, Da-Jeng

2013-07-01

We devised a novel method to evaluate the temperature-dependent effective properties of a thermoelectric module (TEM): Seebeck coefficient ( S m), internal electrical resistance ( R m), and thermal conductance ( K m). After calculation, the effective properties of the module are converted to the average material properties of a p- n thermoelectric pillar pair inside the module: Seebeck coefficient ( S TE), electrical resistivity ( ρ TE), and thermal conductivity ( k TE). For a commercial thermoelectric module (Altec 1091) chosen to verify the novel method, the measured S TE has a maximum value at bath temperature of 110°C; ρ TE shows a positive linear trend dependent on the bath temperature, and k TE increases slightly with increasing bath temperature. The results show the method to have satisfactory measurement performance in terms of practicability and reliability; the data for tests near 23°C agree with published values.

Experimental and simulation study of growth of TiO2 films on different substrates and its applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghogare, Trupti T.; Kartha, Moses J.; Kendre, Subhash D.; Pathan, Habib M.

2018-04-01

Monte-Carlo Ballistic Deposition simulations have done on substrates with different initial roughness. The grown films were observed to be porous. The initial growths of the films with seed like initiations are observed for substrate with high initial roughness. In order to confirm this effect TiO2 films were deposited on different substrates using chemical bath deposition. The surface morphological and optical properties were measured using scanning electron microscopy and a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Flower like porous structure are obtained on glass substrate and continuous porous morphology is formed on ITO substrate. The morphology of the surfaces was successfully reconstructed and the surface porosity was calculated after digitalising images and reconstructed the surfaces. The TiO2 film formed on ITO is observed to be 10% more porous than on the film formed on glass substrate. Diffusion Limited Aggregation simulations with multiple seeds confirms that the observed flower like structure formed are due to the screening effects of the diffusing ion by already deposited particles.

Investigation of Legionella Contamination in Bath Water Samples by Culture, Amoebic Co-Culture, and Real-Time Quantitative PCR Methods.

PubMed

Edagawa, Akiko; Kimura, Akio; Kawabuchi-Kurata, Takako; Adachi, Shinichi; Furuhata, Katsunori; Miyamoto, Hiroshi

2015-10-19

We investigated Legionella contamination in bath water samples, collected from 68 bathing facilities in Japan, by culture, culture with amoebic co-culture, real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR), and real-time qPCR with amoebic co-culture. Using the conventional culture method, Legionella pneumophila was detected in 11 samples (11/68, 16.2%). Contrary to our expectation, the culture method with the amoebic co-culture technique did not increase the detection rate of Legionella (4/68, 5.9%). In contrast, a combination of the amoebic co-culture technique followed by qPCR successfully increased the detection rate (57/68, 83.8%) compared with real-time qPCR alone (46/68, 67.6%). Using real-time qPCR after culture with amoebic co-culture, more than 10-fold higher bacterial numbers were observed in 30 samples (30/68, 44.1%) compared with the same samples without co-culture. On the other hand, higher bacterial numbers were not observed after propagation by amoebae in 32 samples (32/68, 47.1%). Legionella was not detected in the remaining six samples (6/68, 8.8%), irrespective of the method. These results suggest that application of the amoebic co-culture technique prior to real-time qPCR may be useful for the sensitive detection of Legionella from bath water samples. Furthermore, a combination of amoebic co-culture and real-time qPCR might be useful to detect viable and virulent Legionella because their ability to invade and multiply within free-living amoebae is considered to correlate with their pathogenicity for humans. This is the first report evaluating the efficacy of the amoebic co-culture technique for detecting Legionella in bath water samples.

Investigation of Legionella Contamination in Bath Water Samples by Culture, Amoebic Co-Culture, and Real-Time Quantitative PCR Methods

PubMed Central

Edagawa, Akiko; Kimura, Akio; Kawabuchi-Kurata, Takako; Adachi, Shinichi; Furuhata, Katsunori; Miyamoto, Hiroshi

2015-01-01

We investigated Legionella contamination in bath water samples, collected from 68 bathing facilities in Japan, by culture, culture with amoebic co-culture, real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR), and real-time qPCR with amoebic co-culture. Using the conventional culture method, Legionella pneumophila was detected in 11 samples (11/68, 16.2%). Contrary to our expectation, the culture method with the amoebic co-culture technique did not increase the detection rate of Legionella (4/68, 5.9%). In contrast, a combination of the amoebic co-culture technique followed by qPCR successfully increased the detection rate (57/68, 83.8%) compared with real-time qPCR alone (46/68, 67.6%). Using real-time qPCR after culture with amoebic co-culture, more than 10-fold higher bacterial numbers were observed in 30 samples (30/68, 44.1%) compared with the same samples without co-culture. On the other hand, higher bacterial numbers were not observed after propagation by amoebae in 32 samples (32/68, 47.1%). Legionella was not detected in the remaining six samples (6/68, 8.8%), irrespective of the method. These results suggest that application of the amoebic co-culture technique prior to real-time qPCR may be useful for the sensitive detection of Legionella from bath water samples. Furthermore, a combination of amoebic co-culture and real-time qPCR might be useful to detect viable and virulent Legionella because their ability to invade and multiply within free-living amoebae is considered to correlate with their pathogenicity for humans. This is the first report evaluating the efficacy of the amoebic co-culture technique for detecting Legionella in bath water samples. PMID:26492259

Growth and characterization of nanostructured CuO films via CBD approach for oxygen gas sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurfazliana, M. F.; Sahdan, M. Z.; Saim, H.

2017-01-01

Nanostructured copper oxide (CuO) films were grown on portable IDE circuit silicon-based by low-cost chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique at three different deposition times (3 h, 5 h and 7 h). The effect of deposition times on the morphological, structural, optical and sensing properties of the nanostructured films were investigated. From the morphological and structural properties, the nanostructured film deposited at 5 h was found to have homogenous surface of CuO nanowhiskers and high crystallinity with tenorite phase compared to 3 h and 7 h films. Besides, there is no heat treatment required in order to produce CuO nanostructures film with tenorite phase. The sensing response (resistance changes) of as-synthesized films to concentration of oxygen (O2) gas also was compared. Film resistance of CuO nanostructures was studied in an environment of dry air loaded (gas sensor chamber) with 30 % of O2 gas. The results revealed that the deposition time causes significant effect on the sensing performance of nanostructured CuO to O2 gas.

Effect of Zn(NO3)2 concentration in hydrothermal-electrochemical deposition on morphology and photoelectrochemical properties of ZnO nanorods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yilmaz, Ceren; Unal, Ugur

2016-04-01

Zn(NO3)2 concentration had been reported to be significantly influential on electrodeposition of ZnO structures. In this work, this issue is revisited using hydrothermal-electrochemical deposition (HED). Seedless, cathodic electrochemical deposition of ZnO films is carried out on ITO electrode at 130 °C in a closed glass reactor with varying Zn(NO3)2 concentration. Regardless of the concentration of Zn2+ precursor (0.001-0.1 M) in the deposition solution, vertically aligned 1-D ZnO nanorods are obtained as opposed to electrodepositions at lower temperatures (70-80 °C). We also report the effects of high bath temperature and pressure on the photoelectrochemical properties of the ZnO films. Manipulation of precursor concentration in the deposition solution allows adjustment of the aspect ratio of the nanorods and the degree of texturation along the c-axis; hence photoinduced current density. HED is shown to provide a single step synthesis route to prepare ZnO rods with desired aspect ratio specific for the desired application just by controlling the precursor concentration.

Changes in physiological and behavioral parameters of preterm infants undergoing body hygiene: a systematic review.

PubMed

Freitas, Patrícia de; Marques, Silvia Rezende; Alves, Taisy Bezerra; Takahashi, Juliana; Kimura, Amélia Fumiko

2014-08-01

Objective To verify the effect of bathing on the body temperature of preterm infants (PTI). Method Systematic review conducted in the following bibliographic electronic sources: Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde/Lilacs (BVS), Cumulated Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, PubMed, SCOPUS and Web of Science, using a combination of search terms, keywords and free terms. The review question was adjusted to the PICO acronym (Patient/population, Intervention, Control/comparative intervention, Outcome). The selected publications were evaluated according to levels of evidence and grades of recommendation for efficacy/effectiveness studies, as established by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Results Eight hundred and twenty four (824) publications were identified and four studies met the inclusion criteria, of which three analyzed the effect of sponge baths and the effect of immersion baths. Conclusion Sponge baths showed a statistically significant drop in body temperature, while in immersion baths the body temperature remained stable, although they studied late preterm infants.

Effect of an annealing on magnetic properties of Fe-Ni films electroplated in citric-acid-based plating baths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanai, T.; Koda, K.; Eguchi, K.; Morimura, T.; Takashima, K.; Nakano, M.; Fukunaga, H.

2018-04-01

We have already reported Fe-Ni films with good soft magnetic properties prepared by using an electroplating method. In the present study, we employed an annealing for further improvement in soft magnetic properties of the electroplated Fe-Ni films. The annealing reduces the coercivity of the films, and the reduction rate of the coercivity depended on the Cl- ion concentration in the bath. The Fe22Ni78 films prepared in the plating bath with high Cl- ion concentration showed large reduction rate of the coercivity, and we found that the annealing is more effective for high Cl- ion concentration bath since much lower coercivity value can be obtained compared with that for low Cl- ion concentration one.

Synthesis and characterization of structural, morphological and photosensor properties of Cu0.1Zn0.9S thin film prepared by a facile chemical method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gubari, Ghamdan M. M.; Ibrahim Mohammed S., M.; Huse, Nanasaheb P.; Dive, Avinash S.; Sharma, Ramphal

2018-05-01

The Cu0.1Zn0.9S thin film was grown by facile chemical bath deposition (CBD) method on glass substrates at 60°C. The structural, morphological, photosensor properties of the as-grown thin film has been investigated. The structural and phase confirmation of the as-grown thin film was carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique and Raman spectroscopy. The FE-SEM images showed that the thin films are well covered with material on an entire glass substrate. From the optical absorption spectrum, the direct band gap energy for the Cu0.1Zn0.9S thin film was found to be ˜3.16 eV at room temperature. The electrical properties were measured at room temperature in the voltage range ±2.5 V, showed a drastic enhancement in current under light illumination with the highest photosensitivity of ˜72 % for 260 W.

Low-Temperature Synthesis of Vertically Align ZnO Layer on ITO Glass: The Role of Seed Layer and Hydrothermal Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sholehah, Amalia; Achmad, NurSumiati; Dimyati, Arbi; Dwiyanti, Yanyan; Partuti, Tri

2017-05-01

ZnO thin layer has a broad potential application in optoelectronic devices. In the present study, vertically align ZnO layers on ITO glass were synthesized using wet chemical method. The seed layers were prepared using electrodeposition method at 3°C. After that, the growing process was carried out using chemical bath deposition (CBD) at 90°C. To improve the structural property of the ZnO layers, hydrothermal technique was used subsequently. Results showed that seeding layer has a great influence on the physical properties of the ZnO layers. Moreover, hydrothermal process conducted after the ZnO growth can enhance the morphological property of the layers. From the experiments, it is found that the ZnO layers has diameter of ∼60 nm with increasing thickness from ∼0.8 to 1.2 μm and band-gap energies of ∼3.2 eV.

Freestanding films of crosslinked gold nanoparticles prepared via layer-by-layer spin-coating.

PubMed

Schlicke, Hendrik; Schröder, Jan H; Trebbin, Martin; Petrov, Alexey; Ijeh, Michael; Weller, Horst; Vossmeyer, Tobias

2011-07-29

A new, extremely efficient method for the fabrication of films comprised of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) crosslinked by organic dithiols is presented in this paper. The method is based on layer-by-layer spin-coating of both components, GNPs and crosslinker, and enables the deposition of films several tens of nanometers in thickness within a few minutes. X-ray diffraction and conductance measurements reveal the proper adjustment concentration of the crosslinker solution of the critical is in order to prevent the destabilization and coalescence of particles. UV/vis spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and conductivity measurements indicate that films prepared via layer-by-layer spin-coating are of comparable quality to coatings prepared via laborious layer-by-layer self-assembly using immersion baths. Because spin-coated films are not bound chemically to the substrate, they can be lifted-off by alkaline underetching and transferred onto 3d-electrodes to produce electrically addressable, freely suspended films. Comparative measurements of the sheet resistances indicate that the transfer process does not compromise the film quality.

Freestanding films of crosslinked gold nanoparticles prepared via layer-by-layer spin-coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schlicke, Hendrik; Schröder, Jan H.; Trebbin, Martin; Petrov, Alexey; Ijeh, Michael; Weller, Horst; Vossmeyer, Tobias

2011-07-01

A new, extremely efficient method for the fabrication of films comprised of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) crosslinked by organic dithiols is presented in this paper. The method is based on layer-by-layer spin-coating of both components, GNPs and crosslinker, and enables the deposition of films several tens of nanometers in thickness within a few minutes. X-ray diffraction and conductance measurements reveal the proper adjustment concentration of the crosslinker solution of the critical is in order to prevent the destabilization and coalescence of particles. UV/vis spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and conductivity measurements indicate that films prepared via layer-by-layer spin-coating are of comparable quality to coatings prepared via laborious layer-by-layer self-assembly using immersion baths. Because spin-coated films are not bound chemically to the substrate, they can be lifted-off by alkaline underetching and transferred onto 3d-electrodes to produce electrically addressable, freely suspended films. Comparative measurements of the sheet resistances indicate that the transfer process does not compromise the film quality.

Role of annealing on the structural and optical properties of nanostructured diaceto bis-benzimidazole Mn(II) complex thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Praveen, P. A.; Babu, R. Ramesh; Ramamurthi, K.

2017-02-01

A coordination complex, manganese incorporated benzimidazole, thin films were prepared by chemical bath deposition method. Structural characterization of the deposited films, carried out by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman and electron paramagnetic resonance spectral analyses, reveals the distorted tetrahedral environment of the metal ion with bis-benzimidazole ligand. Further the molecular composition of the deposited metal complex was estimated by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The prepared thin films were thermally treated to study the effect of annealing temperature on the surface morphology and the results showed that the surface homogeneity of the films increased for thermally treated films up to 150 °C. But distortion and voids were observed for the films annealed at 200 °C. The Raman analysis reveals the molecular hydrogen bond distortion which leads to the evaporation of the metal complex from the thin film surface with respect to annealing temperature. The linear and nonlinear optical properties of the as prepared and annealed films were studied using ultraviolet-visible transmittance spectroscopy, second harmonic generation and Z-scan analyses. Films annealed at 150 °C show a better linear transmittance in the visible region and larger SHG efficiency and third order nonlinear susceptibility when compared with the other samples. Further, the film annealed at 150 °C was subjected to optical switching analysis and demonstrated to have an inverted switching behavior.

Economic Value of Dispensing Home-Based Preoperative Chlorhexidine Bathing Cloths to Prevent Surgical Site Infection

PubMed Central

Bailey, Rachel R.; Stuckey, Dianna R.; Norman, Bryan A.; Duggan, Andrew P.; Bacon, Kristina M.; Connor, Diana L.; Lee, Ingi; Muder, Robert R.; Lee, Bruce Y.

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVE To estimate the economic value of dispensing preoperative home-based chlorhexidine bathing cloth kits to orthopedic patients to prevent surgical site infection (SSI). METHODS A stochastic decision-analytic computer simulation model was developed from the hospital’s perspective depicting the decision of whether to dispense the kits preoperatively to orthopedic patients. We varied patient age, cloth cost, SSI-attributable excess length of stay, cost per bed-day, patient compliance with the regimen, and cloth antimicrobial efficacy to determine which variables were the most significant drivers of the model’s outcomes. RESULTS When all other variables remained at baseline and cloth efficacy was at least 50%, patient compliance only had to be half of baseline (baseline mean, 15.3%; range, 8.23%–20.0%) for chlorhexidine cloths to remain the dominant strategy (ie, less costly and providing better health outcomes). When cloth efficacy fell to 10%, 1.5 times the baseline bathing compliance also afforded dominance of the preoperative bath. CONCLUSIONS The results of our study favor the routine distribution of bathing kits. Even with low patient compliance and cloth efficacy values, distribution of bathing kits is an economically beneficial strategy for the prevention of SSI. PMID:21515977

[The application of the emulsified turpentine baths for the correction of the functional state of the cross-country skiers].

PubMed

Garnov, I O; Kuchin, A V; Loginova, T P; Varlamova, N G; Boiko, E R

2016-01-01

The baths with emulsified turpentine find the wide application in balneotherapy. They produce especially pronounced beneficial prophylactic effects in the patients presenting with microtrombosis and microvascular stasis. Moreover, these baths may be prescribed to improve microcirculation, increase the functional reserves and physical capacity in the athletes. At the same time, the current literature appears to contain no scientific publications on the application of emulsified turpentine baths for the restoration of the physical capacity of the professional ski runners. The lack of relevant information motivated the study reported in the present article. The main objective of the study involving 10 subjects was to evaluate the effectiveness of the modified emulsified turpentine baths as a method by which to restore and enhance the physical capacity of the professional cross-country skiers. The physical capacity of the athletes was evaluated from the results of the bicycle ergometer exercise test with the use of the «Oxycon Pro» system. The data obtained suggest that a course of the emulsified turpentine baths increases the activity of the cardiorespiratory system, improves the physical capacity, and enhances the functional reserves of the body in the anaerobic zone.

Isotopic effects in vibrational relaxation dynamics of H on a Si(100) surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouakline, F.; Lorenz, U.; Melani, G.; Paramonov, G. K.; Saalfrank, P.

2017-10-01

In a recent paper [U. Lorenz and P. Saalfrank, Chem. Phys. 482, 69 (2017)], we proposed a robust scheme to set up a system-bath model Hamiltonian, describing the coupling of adsorbate vibrations (system) to surface phonons (bath), from first principles. The method is based on an embedded cluster approach, using orthogonal coordinates for system and bath modes, and an anharmonic phononic expansion of the system-bath interaction up to second order. In this contribution, we use this model Hamiltonian to calculate vibrational relaxation rates of H-Si and D-Si bending modes, coupled to a fully H(D)-covered Si(100)-( 2 × 1 ) surface, at zero temperature. The D-Si bending mode has an anharmonic frequency lying inside the bath frequency spectrum, whereas the H-Si bending mode frequency is outside the bath Debye band. Therefore, in the present calculations, we only take into account one-phonon system-bath couplings for the D-Si system and both one- and two-phonon interaction terms in the case of H-Si. The computation of vibrational lifetimes is performed with two different approaches, namely, Fermi's golden rule, and a generalized Bixon-Jortner model built in a restricted vibrational space of the adsorbate-surface zeroth-order Hamiltonian. For D-Si, the Bixon-Jortner Hamiltonian can be solved by exact diagonalization, serving as a benchmark, whereas for H-Si, an iterative scheme based on the recursive residue generation method is applied, with excellent convergence properties. We found that the lifetimes obtained with perturbation theory, albeit having almost the same order of magnitude—a few hundred fs for D-Si and a couple of ps for H-Si—, are strongly dependent on the discretized numerical representation of the bath spectral density. On the other hand, the Bixon-Jortner model is free of such numerical deficiencies, therefore providing better estimates of vibrational relaxation rates, at a very low computational cost. The results obtained with this model clearly show a net exponential decay of the time-dependent survival probability for the H-Si initial vibrational state, allowing an easy extraction of the bending mode "lifetime." This is in contrast with the D-Si system, whose survival probability exhibits a non-monotonic decay, making it difficult to define such a lifetime. This different behavior of the vibrational decay is rationalized in terms of the power spectrum of the adsorbate-surface system. In the case of D-Si, it consists of several, non-uniformly distributed peaks around the bending mode frequency, whereas the H-Si spectrum exhibits a single Lorentzian lineshape, whose width corresponds to the calculated lifetime. The present work gives some insight into mechanisms of vibration-phonon coupling at surfaces. It also serves as a benchmark for multidimensional system-bath quantum dynamics, for comparison with approximate schemes such as reduced, open-system density matrix theory (where the bath is traced out and a Liouville-von Neumann equation is solved) or approximate wavefunction methods to solve the combined system-bath Schrödinger equation.

The Use of Bacterial Adherence to Hydrocarbons (BATH) Assay in Evaluation of the Hydrophobic Surface Characteristics of Potential Water Pathogens

EPA Science Inventory

Bacterial adherence to hydrocarbons, BATH, is a method for determining the hydrophobic surface characteristics of bacterial cells. The strain’s affinity for water is evaluated by thoroughly mixing a culture and hydrocarbon suspension and then evaluating the decrease in optical de...

Spray pyrolysis synthesized Cu(In,Al)(S,Se)2 thin films solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aamir Hassan, Muhammad; Mujahid, Mohammad; Woei, Leow Shin; Wong, Lydia Helena

2018-03-01

Cu(In,Al)(S,Se)2 thin films are prepared by the Spray pyrolysis of aqueous precursor solutions of copper, indium, aluminium and sulphur sources. The bandgap of the films was engineered by aluminium (Al) doping in CISSe films deposited on molybdenum (Mo) coated glass substrate. The as-sprayed thin films were selenized at 500 °C for 10 min. Cadmium sulphide (CdS) buffer layer was deposited by chemical bath deposition process. Solar cell devices were fabricated with configuration of glass/Mo/CIASSe/CdS/i-ZnO/AZO. The solar cell device containing thin film of Cu(In,Al)(S,Se)2 with our optimized composition shows j-V characteristics of Voc = 0.47 V, jsc = 21.19 mA cm-2, FF = 52.88% and power conversion efficiency of 5.27%, under AM 1.5, 100 mW cm-2 illumination.

Unusual behavior in magnesium-copper cluster matter produced by helium droplet mediated deposition

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

Emery, S. B., E-mail: samuel.emery@navy.mil; Little, B. K.; Air Force Research Laboratory, Munitions Directorate, 2306 Perimeter Rd., Eglin AFB, Florida 32542

2015-02-28

We demonstrate the ability to produce core-shell nanoclusters of materials that typically undergo intermetallic reactions using helium droplet mediated deposition. Composite structures of magnesium and copper were produced by sequential condensation of metal vapors inside the 0.4 K helium droplet baths and then gently deposited onto a substrate for analysis. Upon deposition, the individual clusters, with diameters ∼5 nm, form a cluster material which was subsequently characterized using scanning and transmission electron microscopies. Results of this analysis reveal the following about the deposited cluster material: it is in the un-alloyed chemical state, it maintains a stable core-shell 5 nm structuremore » at sub-monolayer quantities, and it aggregates into unreacted structures of ∼75 nm during further deposition. Surprisingly, high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy images revealed that the copper appears to displace the magnesium at the core of the composite cluster despite magnesium being the initially condensed species within the droplet. This phenomenon was studied further using preliminary density functional theory which revealed that copper atoms, when added sequentially to magnesium clusters, penetrate into the magnesium cores.« less

Structural studies of ZnO nanostructures by varying the deposition parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yunus, S. H. A.; Sahdan, M. Z.; Ichimura, M.; Supee, A.; Rahim, S.

2017-01-01

The effect of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) thin film on the growth of ZnO nanorods (NRs) was investigated. The structures of ZnO NRs were synthesized by chemical bath deposition (CBD) method in aqueous solution of N2O6Zn.6H2O and C6H12N4 at 90°C of deposition temperature. One of the ZnO NRs samples was deposited on a ZnO seed layer coated on a glass substrate to investigate the properties of ZnO NRs without receiving effect of other materials. Next, for diode application, the ZnO NRs was deposited on tin monosulfide (SnS) coated on indium-tin-oxide (ITO) coated glass substrate (SnS/ITO). The next, the ZnO structural properties were studied from surface morphology, X-ray diffractometer (XRD) spectra, and chemical composition by using field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), XRD and energy dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX). The growth of ZnO NRs on ZnO seed layer was investigated by ZnO seed layer condition while the growth of ZnO NRs on SnS/ITO was investigated by deposition time and deposition temperature parameters. From FESEM images, aligned ZnO NRs were obtained, and the diameters of ZnO NRs were 0.024-3.94 µm. The SnS thin film was affected by the diameter of ZnO NRs which are the ZnO NRs grow on SnS thin films has a larger diameter compared to ZnO NRs grow on ZnO seed layer. Besides that, all of ZnO peaks observed from XRD corresponding to the wurzite structure and preferentially oriented along the c-axis. In addition, EDX shows a high composition of zinc (Zn) and oxygen (O) signals, which indicated that the NRs are indeed made up of Zn and O.

Effect of polymerization method and fabrication method on occlusal vertical dimension and occlusal contacts of complete-arch prosthesis.

PubMed

Lima, Ana Paula Barbosa; Vitti, Rafael Pino; Amaral, Marina; Neves, Ana Christina Claro; da Silva Concilio, Lais Regiane

2018-04-01

This study evaluated the dimensional stability of a complete-arch prosthesis processed by conventional method in water bath or microwave energy and polymerized by two different curing cycles. Forty maxillary complete-arch prostheses were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10): MW1 - acrylic resin cured by one microwave cycle; MW2 - acrylic resin cured by two microwave cycles: WB1 - conventional acrylic resin polymerized using one curing cycle in a water bath; WB2 - conventional acrylic resin polymerized using two curing cycles in a water bath. For evaluation of dimensional stability, occlusal vertical dimension (OVD) and area of contact points were measured in two different measurement times: before and after the polymerization method. A digital caliper was used for OVD measurement. Occlusal contact registration strips were used between maxillary and mandibular dentures to measure the contact points. The images were measured using the software IpWin32, and the differences before and after the polymerization methods were calculated. The data were statistically analyzed using the one-way ANOVA and Tukey test (α = .05). he results demonstrated significant statistical differences for OVD between different measurement times for all groups. MW1 presented the highest OVD values, while WB2 had the lowest OVD values ( P <.05). No statistical differences were found for area of contact points among the groups ( P =.7150). The conventional acrylic resin polymerized using two curing cycles in a water bath led to less difference in OVD of complete-arch prosthesis.

Quantum dots coupled ZnO nanowire-array panels and their photocatalytic activities.

PubMed

Liao, Yulong; Que, Wenxiu; Zhang, Jin; Zhong, Peng; Yuan, Yuan; Qiu, Xinku; Shen, Fengyu

2013-02-01

Fabrication and characterization of a heterojunction structured by CdS quantum dots@ZnO nanowire-array panels were presented. Firstly, ZnO nanowire-array panels were prepared by using a chemical bath deposition approach where wurtzite ZnO nanowires with a diameter of about 100 nm and 3 microm in length grew perpendicularly to glass substrate. Secondly, CdS quantum dots were deposited onto the surface of the ZnO nanowire-arrays by using successive ion layer absorption and reaction method, and the CdS shell/ZnO core heterojunction were thus obtained. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscope were employed to characterize the morphological properties of the as-obtained CdS quantum dots@ZnO nanowire-array panels. X-ray diffraction was adopted to characterize the crystalline properties of the as-obtained CdS quantum dots@ZnO nanowire-array panels. Methyl orange was taken as a model compound to confirm the photocatalytic activities of the CdS shell/ZnO core heterojunction. Results indicate that CdS with narrow band gap not only acts as a visible-light sensitizer but also is responsible for an effective charge separation.

Wettability modification of porous PET by atmospheric femtosecond PLD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Assaf, Youssef; Forstmann, Guillaume; Kietzig, Anne-Marie

2018-04-01

In this study, porous structures were created on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) by femtosecond (fs) laser micromachining. While such structures offer a texture that is desirable for several applications, their wettability does not always match the application in question. The aim of this investigation is to tune the wettability of such surfaces by incorporating a controlled amount of nanoparticles into the structure. The machined PET samples were thus used as substrates for fs pulsed laser deposition (PLD) of titanium under ambient conditions. The nanoparticles were deposited as nanochain clusters due to the formation of an oxide layer between individual nanoparticles. The stability of nanoparticle incorporation was tested by placing the samples in an ultrasonic ethanol bath. Results indicated that nanoparticles were still successfully incorporated into the microstructure after sonication. Nanoparticle surface coverage was observed to be controllable through the operating fluence. The dynamic contact angles of the resulting composite surface were observed to decrease with increasing titanium incorporation. Therefore, this work highlights atmospheric fs PLD as a method for wettability modification of high surface area microstructures without undermining their topology. In addition, this technique uses almost the same equipment as the machining process by which the microstructures are initially created, further highlighting its practicality.

Pulse electrodeposition of self-lubricating Ni-W/PTFE nanocomposite coatings on mild steel surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sangeetha, S.; Kalaignan, G. Paruthimal; Anthuvan, J. Tennis

2015-12-01

Ni-W/PTFE nanocomposite coatings with various contents of PTFE (polytetafluoroethylene) particles were prepared by pulse current (PC) electrodeposition from the Ni-W plating bath containing self lubricant PTFE particles to be co-deposited. Co-deposited PTFE particulates were uniformly distributed in the Ni-W alloy matrix. The coatings were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDAX), X-ray Diffractometry (XRD) and Vicker's micro hardness tester. Tafel Polarization and electrochemical Impedance methods were used to evaluate the corrosion resistance behaviour of the nanocomposite coatings in 3.5% NaCl solution. It was found that, the Ni-W/PTFE nanocomposite coating has better corrosion resistance than the Ni-W alloy coating. Surface roughness and friction coefficient of the coated samples were assessed by Mitutoyo Surftest SJ-310 (ISO1997) and Scratch tester TR-101-M4 respectively. The contact angle (CA) of a water droplet on the surface of nanocomposite coating was measured by Optical Contact Goniometry (OCA 35). These results indicated that, the addition of PTFE in the Ni-W alloy matrix has resulted moderate microhardness, smooth surface, less friction coefficient, excellent water repellency and enhanced corrosion resistance of the nanocomposite coatings.

The optical properties and photocatalytic activity of CdS-ZnS-TiO{sub 2}/Graphite for isopropanol degradation under visible light irradiation

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

Rahmawati, Fitria, E-mail: fitria@mipa.uns.ac.id; Wulandari, Rini, E-mail: riniwulandari55@yahoo.com; Murni, Irvinna M., E-mail: irvinna-mutiara@yahoo.com

2016-02-08

This research prepared a photocatalyst tablet of CdS-ZnS-TiO{sub 2} on a graphite substrate. The synthesis was conducted through chemical bath deposition method. The graphite substrate used was a waste graphite rod from primary batteries. The aims of this research are studying the crystal structure, the optical properties and the photocatalytic activity of the prepared material. The photocatalytic activity was determined through isopropanol degradation. The result shows that the TiO{sub 2}/Graphite provide direct transition gap energy at 2.91 eV and an indirect transition gap energy at 3.21 eV. Deposition of CdS-ZnS changed the direct transition gap energy to 3.01 eV andmore » the indirect transition gap energy to 3.22 eV. Isopropanol degradation with the prepared catalyst produced new peaks at 223-224 nm and 265-266 nm confirming the production of acetone. The degradation follows first order with rate constant of 2.4 × 10{sup −2} min{sup −1}.« less

Chemical synthesis of hierarchical NiCo2S4 nanosheets like nanostructure on flexible foil for a high performance supercapacitor.

PubMed

Kim, D -Y; Ghodake, G S; Maile, N C; Kadam, A A; Sung Lee, Dae; Fulari, V J; Shinde, S K

2017-08-29

In this study, hierarchical interconnected nickel cobalt sulfide (NiCo 2 S 4 ) nanosheets were effectively deposited on a flexible stainless steel foil by the chemical bath deposition method (CBD) for high-performance supercapacitor applications. The resulting NiCo 2 S 4 sample was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and electrochemical measurements. XRD and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results confirmed the formation of the ternary NiCo 2 S 4 sample with a pure cubic phase. FE-SEM and HR-TEM revealed that the entire foil surface was fully covered with the interconnected nanosheets like surface morphology. The NiCo 2 S 4 nanosheets demonstrated impressive electrochemical characteristics with a specific capacitance of 1155 F g -1 at 10 mV s -1 and superior cycling stability (95% capacity after 2000 cycles). These electrochemical characteristics could be attributed to the higher active area and higher conductivity of the sample. The results demonstrated that the interconnected NiCo 2 S 4 nanosheets are promising as electrodes for supercapacitor and energy storage applications.

Effect of bath temperature on surface morphology and photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanorods

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

Sriharan, N.; Senthil, T. S., E-mail: tssenthi@gmail.com; Muthukumarasamy, N.

2016-05-06

ZnO nanorods were prepared by using simple hydrothermal method using four different bath temperatures. All the prepared ZnO nanorods are annealed at 450°C and are characterized by using various techniques such as X-ray diffraction, UV spectra and scanning electron microscopy. Photocatalytic activity of the prepared ZnO nanorods is analyzed. A novel photocatalytic reactor designed with ZnO nanorods prepared at 90°C shows enhanced catalytic efficiency. The role of light irradiation time, bath temperature and surface morphology of the ZnO nanorods on the performance of photocatalytic reaction is analyzed.

Multi-phase structures of boron-doped copper tin sulfide nanoparticles synthesized by chemical bath deposition for optoelectronic devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rakspun, Jariya; Kantip, Nathakan; Vailikhit, Veeramol; Choopun, Supab; Tubtimtae, Auttasit

2018-04-01

We investigated the influence of boron doping on the structural, optical, and electrical properties of copper tin sulfide (CTS) nanoparticles coated on a WO3 surface and synthesized using chemical bath deposition. Boron doping at concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 wt% was investigated. The X-ray diffraction pattern of CTS showed the presence of monoclinic Cu2Sn3S7, cubic Cu2SnS3, and orthorhombic Cu4SnS4. Boron doping influenced the preferred orientation of the nanoparticles for all phase structures and produced a lattice strain effect and changes in the dislocation density. Increasing the concentration of boron in CTS from 0.5 wt% to 2.0 wt% reduced the band gap for all phases of CTS from 1.46 to 1.29 eV and reduced the optical transmittance. Optical constants, such as the refractive index, extinction coefficient, and dissipation factor, were also obtained for B-doped CTS. The dispersion behavior of the refractive index was investigated in terms of a single oscillator model and the physical parameters were determined. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the successful synthesis of CTS nanoparticles. Cyclic voltammetry indicated that optimum boron doping (<1.5 wt% for all phases) resulted in desirable p-n junction behavior for optoelectronic applications.

Comparing the Effect of Foot Reflexology Massage, Foot Bath and Their Combination on Quality of Sleep in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome

PubMed Central

Rahmani, Ali; Naseri, Mahdi; Salaree, Mohammad Mahdi; Nehrir, Batool

2016-01-01

Introduction: Many patients in coronary care unit (CCU) suffer from decreased sleep quality caused by environmental and mental factors. This study compared the efficacy of foot reflexology massage, foot bath, and a combination of them on the quality of sleep of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods: This quasi-experimental study was implemented on ACS patients in Iran. Random sampling was used to divide the patients into four groups of 35 subjects. The groups were foot reflexology massage, foot bath, a combination of the two and the control group. Sleep quality was measured using the Veran Snyder-Halpern questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 13. Results: The mean age of the four groups was 61.22 (11.67) years. The mean sleep disturbance in intervention groups (foot reflexology massage and foot bath groups) during the second and third nights was significantly less than before intervention. The results also showed a greater reduction in sleep disturbance in the combined group than in the other groups when compared to the control group. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the intervention of foot bath and massage are effective in reducing sleep disorders and there was a synergistic effect when used in combination. This complementary care method can be recommended to be implemented by CCU nurses. PMID:28032074

Comparing the Effect of Foot Reflexology Massage, Foot Bath and Their Combination on Quality of Sleep in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome.

PubMed

Rahmani, Ali; Naseri, Mahdi; Salaree, Mohammad Mahdi; Nehrir, Batool

2016-12-01

Introduction: Many patients in coronary care unit (CCU) suffer from decreased sleep quality caused by environmental and mental factors. This study compared the efficacy of foot reflexology massage, foot bath, and a combination of them on the quality of sleep of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods: This quasi-experimental study was implemented on ACS patients in Iran. Random sampling was used to divide the patients into four groups of 35 subjects. The groups were foot reflexology massage, foot bath, a combination of the two and the control group. Sleep quality was measured using the Veran Snyder-Halpern questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 13. Results: The mean age of the four groups was 61.22 (11.67) years. The mean sleep disturbance in intervention groups (foot reflexology massage and foot bath groups) during the second and third nights was significantly less than before intervention. The results also showed a greater reduction in sleep disturbance in the combined group than in the other groups when compared to the control group. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the intervention of foot bath and massage are effective in reducing sleep disorders and there was a synergistic effect when used in combination. This complementary care method can be recommended to be implemented by CCU nurses.

Thermal care of newborns: drying and bathing practices in Malawi and Bangladesh

PubMed Central

Khan, Shane M; Kim, Eunsoo Timothy; Singh, Kavita; Amouzou, Agbessi; Carvajal-Aguirre, Liliana

2018-01-01

Background Thermal care of newborns is one of the recommended strategies to reduce hypothermia, which contributes to neonatal morbidity and mortality. However, data on these two topics have not been collected at the national level in many surveys. In this study, we examine two elements of thermal care: drying and delayed bathing of newborns after birth with the objectives of examining how two countries collected such data and then looking at various associations of these outcomes with key characteristics. Further, we examine the data for potential data quality issues as this is one of the first times that such data are available at the national level. Methods We use data from two nationally-representative household surveys: the Malawi Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2014 and the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2014. We conduct descriptive analysis of the prevalence of these two newborn practices by various socio-demographic, economic and health indicators. Results Our results indicate high levels of immediate drying/drying within 1 hour in Malawi (87%). In Bangladesh, 84% were dried within the first 10 minutes of birth. Bathing practices varied in the two settings; in Malawi, only 26% were bathed after 24 hours but in Bangladesh, 87% were bathed after the same period. While in Bangladesh there were few newborns who were never bathed (less than 5%), in Malawi, over 10% were never bathed. Newborns delivered by a skilled provider tended to have better thermal care than those delivered by unskilled providers. Conclusion These findings reveal gaps in coverage of thermal care and indicate the need to further develop the role of unskilled providers who can give unspecialized care as a means to improve thermal care for newborns. Further work to harmonize data collection methods on these topics is needed to ensure comparable data across countries. PMID:29862028

High resolution projection micro stereolithography system and method

DOEpatents

Spadaccini, Christopher M.; Farquar, George; Weisgraber, Todd; Gemberling, Steven; Fang, Nicholas; Xu, Jun; Alonso, Matthew; Lee, Howon

2016-11-15

A high-resolution P.mu.SL system and method incorporating one or more of the following features with a standard P.mu.SL system using a SLM projected digital image to form components in a stereolithographic bath: a far-field superlens for producing sub-diffraction-limited features, multiple spatial light modulators (SLM) to generate spatially-controlled three-dimensional interference holograms with nanoscale features, and the integration of microfluidic components into the resin bath of a P.mu.SL system to fabricate microstructures of different materials.

New Materials for Chalcogenide Based Solar Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tosun, Banu Selin

Thin film solar cells based on copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) have achieved efficiencies exceeding 20 %. The p-n junction in these solar cells is formed between a p-type CIGS absorber layer and a composite n-type film that consists of a 50-100 nm thin n-type CdS followed by a 50-200 nm thin n-type ZnO. This dissertation focuses on developing materials for replacing CdS and ZnO films to improve the damp-heat stability of the solar cells and for minimizing the use of Cd. Specifically, I demonstrate a new CIGS solar cell with better damp heat stability wherein the ZnO layer is replaced with SnO2. The efficiency of solar cells made with SnO2 decreased less than 5 % after 120 hours at 85 °C and 85 % relative humidity while the efficiency of solar cells made with ZnO declined by more than 70 %. Moreover, I showed that a SnO2 film deposited on top of completed CIGS solar cells significantly increased the device lifetime by forming a barrier against water diffusion. Semicrystalline SnO2 films deposited at room temperature had nanocrystals embedded in an amorphous matrix, which resulted in films without grain boundaries. These films exhibited better damp-heat stability than ZnO and crystalline SnO2 films deposited at higher temperature and this difference is attributed to the lack of grain boundary water diffusion. In addition, I studied CBD of Zn1-xCdxS from aqueous solutions of thiourea, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and zinc and cadmium sulfate. I demonstrated that films with varying composition (x) can be deposited through CBD and studied the structure and composition variation along the films' thickness. However, this traditional chemical bath deposition (CBD) approach heats the entire solution and wastes most of the chemicals by homogenous particle formation. To overcome this problem, I designed and developed a continuous-flow CBD approach to utilize the chemicals efficiently and to eliminate homogenous particle formation. Only the substrate is heated to the deposition temperature while the CBD solution is rapidly circulated between the bath and a chilled reservoir. We have demonstrated Zn1-x CdxS films for a variety of (x) values, with and without varying (x) across film thickness.

An efficient BTX sensor based on ZnO nanoflowers grown by CBD method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acharyya, D.; Bhattacharyya, P.

2015-04-01

In this paper, sensing performance of ZnO nanoflower like structures derived by chemical bath deposition method (CBD), towards Benzene Toluene and Xylene (BTX) vapors is reported. Relatively higher bath temperature (110 °C) and high pH value (pH: 11) of solution escort to higher growth rate along [0 0 0 1] plane of ZnO, which eventually resulted in pointed edge nanorod based flower like structures after 3 h. After detailed structural characterizations (field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD)), existence of different defect states (viz. oxygen vacancy (Vo), Zinc vacancy (VZn) and Zinc interstitials (Zni)) were authenticated by Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. BTX sensing performance, employing the nanoflowers as the sensing layer, was carried out in resistive mode with two Pd lateral electrodes. The sensor study was performed at different temperatures (150-350 °C) in the concentration range of 0.5-700 ppm of the respective vapors. The highest normalized resistance response (NRR%) was achieved at 200 °C. At this optimum temperature, normalized resistance responses (39.3/92.6%, 45.8/96.9%, and 47.8/99% respectively) were found to be promising towards 0.5/700 ppm of benzene, toluene and xylene. The response time of the sensor towards the target species were also found to be appreciably fast (15 s, 6 s, and 5 s) towards 700 ppm of benzene, toluene and xylene respectively. Detailed sensing mechanism for BTX with such flower like ZnO structures was explained with the help of interaction of band structures (of ZnO) with the corresponding highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of the target species.

Bath and Shower Effects in the Rat Parotid Gland Explain Increased Relative Risk of Parotid Gland Dysfunction After Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy

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

Luijk, Peter van; Faber, Hette; Schippers, Jacobus M.

2009-07-15

Purpose: To assess in a rat model whether adding a subtolerance dose in a region adjacent to a high-dose irradiated subvolume of the parotid gland influences its response (bath-and-shower effect). Methods and Materials: Irradiation of the whole, cranial 50%, and/or the caudal 50% of the parotid glands of Wistar rats was performed using 150-MeV protons. To determine suitable (i.e., subtolerance) dose levels for a bath-dose, both whole parotid glands were irradiated with 5 to 25 Gy. Subsequently groups of Wistar rats received 30 Gy to the caudal 50% (shower) and 0 to 10 Gy to the cranial 50% (bath) ofmore » both parotid glands. Stimulated saliva flow rate (function) was measured before and up to 240 days after irradiation. Results: Irradiation of both glands up to a dose of 10 Gy did not result in late loss of function and is thus regarded subtolerance. Addition of a dose bath of 1 to 10 Gy to a high-dose in the caudal 50% of the glands resulted in enhanced function loss. Conclusion: Similar to the spinal cord, the parotid gland demonstrates a bath and shower effect, which may explain the less-than-expected sparing of function after IMRT.« less

Cd-free buffer layer materials on Cu2ZnSn(SxSe1-x)4: Band alignments with ZnO, ZnS, and In2S3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barkhouse, D. Aaron R.; Haight, Richard; Sakai, Noriyuki; Hiroi, Homare; Sugimoto, Hiroki; Mitzi, David B.

2012-05-01

The heterojunctions formed between Cu2ZnSn(SxSe1-x)4 (CZTSSe) and three Cd-free n-type buffers, ZnS, ZnO, and In2S3, were studied using femtosecond ultraviolet photoemission and photovoltage spectroscopy. The electronic properties including the Fermi level location at the interface, band bending in the CZTSSe substrate, and valence and conduction band offsets were determined and correlated with device properties. We also describe a method for determining the band bending in the buffer layer and demonstrate this for the In2S3/CZTSSe system. The chemical bath deposited In2S3 buffer is found to have near optimal conduction band offset (0.15 eV), enabling the demonstration of Cd-free In2S3/CZTSSe solar cells with 7.6% power conversion efficiency.

H3PO4 treated surface modified CuS counter electrodes with high electrocatalytic activity for enhancing photovoltaic performance of quantum dot-sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panthakkal Abdul Muthalif, Mohammed; Sunesh, Chozhidakath Damodharan; Choe, Youngson

2018-05-01

Herein we report a simple synthetic strategy to prepare highly efficient and surface modified CuS counter electrodes (CEs) for quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) in the presence of phosphoric acid (H3PO4) using the chemical bath deposition method. This is the first report of successful treatment of H3PO4 on the surface of CuS CEs for designing a high-performance QDSSCs with improved photovoltaic properties. After optimization, the 4 ml H3PO4 treated CuS CE-based QDSSC exhibits excellent photovoltaic performance with a conversion efficiency (η) of 4.20% (Voc = 0.592 V, Jsc = 13.35 mA cm-2, FF = 0.532) under one full-sun illumination (100 mW cm-2, AM 1.5 G).

Three-dimensional cotton-like nickel nanowire@Ni-Co hydroxide nanosheet arrays as binder-free electrode for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Houzhao; Li, Lang; Xu, Yang; Tan, Qiuyang; Liu, Xiang; Zhang, Jun; Wang, Hanbin; Wang, Hao

2018-05-01

Three-dimensional (3D) cotton-like Ni-Co layered double hydroxide nanosheet arrays/nickel nanowires (3D Ni-Co LDH/NiNw) were successfully fabricated through a facile chemical bath deposition method. The 3D nickel nanowires are used as a conductive substrate with robust adhesion for high-pseudocapacitance Ni-Co LDH. The 3D Ni-Co LDH/NiNw electrode shows a high areal specific capacitance of 14 F cm-2 at 5 mA cm-2 and quality specific capacitance of 466.6 F g-1 at 0.125 A g-1 with respect to the whole quality of the electrode. The fabricated asymmetric supercapacitor exhibits a remarkable energy density of 0.387 mWh cm-2 using Ni-Co LDH/NiNw as the negative electrode. This high-performance composite electrode presents a new and affordable general approach for supercapacitors.

Fabrication of Nanopipette Arrays for Biosensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyyappan, Meyya (Inventor)

2015-01-01

Method for providing a nanopipette array for biosensing applications. A thin substrate of anodizable metal ("AN-metal," such as Al, Mg, Zn, Ti, Ta and/or Nb) is anodized at temperature T=20-200.degree. C., chemical bath pH=4-6 and electrical potential 1-300 Volts, to produce an array of anodized nanopipette channels, having diameters 10-50 nm, with oxidized channel surfaces of thickness 5-20 nm. A portion of exposed non-oxidized AN-metal between adjacent nanopipette channels, of length 1-5 .mu.m, is etched away, exposing inner and outer surfaces of a nanopipette channel. A probe molecule, is deposited on one or both surfaces to provide biosensing capability for K(.gtoreq.1) target molecules. Target molecule presence, in an above-threshold concentration, in a fluid passed through or adjacent to a nanopipette channel, produces characteristic detection signals associated with the probe molecule site.

Three-dimensional cotton-like nickel nanowire@Ni-Co hydroxide nanosheet arrays as binder-free electrode for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitor.

PubMed

Wan, Houzhao; Li, Lang; Xu, Yang; Tan, Qiuyang; Liu, Xiang; Zhang, Jun; Wang, Hanbin; Wang, Hao

2018-05-11

Three-dimensional (3D) cotton-like Ni-Co layered double hydroxide nanosheet arrays/nickel nanowires (3D Ni-Co LDH/NiNw) were successfully fabricated through a facile chemical bath deposition method. The 3D nickel nanowires are used as a conductive substrate with robust adhesion for high-pseudocapacitance Ni-Co LDH. The 3D Ni-Co LDH/NiNw electrode shows a high areal specific capacitance of 14 F cm -2 at 5 mA cm -2 and quality specific capacitance of 466.6 F g -1 at 0.125 A g -1 with respect to the whole quality of the electrode. The fabricated asymmetric supercapacitor exhibits a remarkable energy density of 0.387 mWh cm -2 using Ni-Co LDH/NiNw as the negative electrode. This high-performance composite electrode presents a new and affordable general approach for supercapacitors.

V2O5 encapsulated MWCNTs in 2D surface architecture: Complete solid-state bendable highly stabilized energy efficient supercapacitor device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandit, Bidhan; Dubal, Deepak P.; Gómez-Romero, Pedro; Kale, Bharat B.; Sankapal, Babasaheb R.

2017-03-01

A simple and scalable approach has been reported for V2O5 encapsulation over interconnected multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) network using chemical bath deposition method. Chemically synthesized V2O5/MWCNTs electrode exhibited excellent charge-discharge capability with extraordinary cycling retention of 93% over 4000 cycles in liquid-electrolyte. Electrochemical investigations have been performed to evaluate the origin of capacitive behavior from dual contribution of surface-controlled and diffusion-controlled charge components. Furthermore, a complete flexible solid-state, flexible symmetric supercapacitor (FSS-SSC) device was assembled with V2O5/MWCNTs electrodes which yield remarkable values of specific power and energy densities along with enhanced cyclic stability over liquid configuration. As a practical demonstration, the constructed device was used to lit the ‘VNIT’ acronym assembled using 21 LED’s.

Magnetic Catheter Manipulation in the Interventional MRI Environment

PubMed Central

Wilson, Mark W.; Martin, Alastair B.; Lillaney, Prasheel; Losey, Aaron D.; Yee, Erin J.; Bernhardt, Anthony; Malba, Vincent; Evans, Lee; Sincic, Ryan; Saeed, Maythem; Arenson, Ronald L.; Hetts, Steven W.

2013-01-01

Purpose To evaluate deflection capability of a prototype endovascular catheter, which is remotely magnetically steerable, for use in the interventional MRI environment. Materials and Methods Copper coils were mounted on the tips of commercially available 2.3 – 3.0 Fr microcatheters. The coils were fabricated in a novel manner by plasma vapor deposition of a copper layer followed by laser lithography of the layer into coils. Orthogonal helical (solenoid) and saddle-shaped (Helmholtz) coils were mounted on a single catheter tip. Microcatheters were tested in water bath phantoms in a 1.5T clinical MRI scanner, with variable simultaneous currents applied to the coils. Catheter tip deflection was imaged in the axial plane utilizing a “real-time” steady-state free precession (SSFP) MRI sequence. Degree of deflection and catheter tip orientation were measured for each current application. Results The catheter tip was clearly visible in the longitudinal and axial planes. Magnetic field artifacts were visible when the orthogonal coils at the catheter tip were energized. Variable amounts of current applied to a single coil demonstrated consistent catheter deflection in all water bath experiments. Changing current polarity reversed the observed direction of deflection, whereas current applied to two different coils resulted in deflection represented by the composite vector of individual coil activations. Microcatheter navigation through the vascular phantom was successful through control of applied current to one or more coils. Conclusion Controlled catheter deflection is possible with laser lithographed multi-axis coil tipped catheters in the MRI environment. PMID:23707097

Fluid electrodes for submersible robotics based on dielectric elastomer actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christianson, Caleb; Goldberg, Nathaniel; Cai, Shengqiang; Tolley, Michael T.

2017-04-01

Recently, dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) have gathered interest for soft robotics due to their low cost, light weight, large strain, low power consumption, and high energy density. However, developing reliable, compliant electrodes for DEAs remains an ongoing challenge due to issues with fabrication, uniformity of the conductive layer, and mechanical stiffening of the actuators caused by conductive materials with large Young's moduli. In this work, we present a method for preparing, patterning, and utilizing conductive fluid electrodes. Further, when we submerse the DEAs in a bath containing a conductive fluid connected to ground, the bath serves as a second electrode, obviating the need for depositing a conductive layer to serve as either of the electrodes required of most DEAs. When we apply a positive electrical potential to the conductive fluid in the actuator with respect to ground, the electric field across the dielectric membrane causes charge carriers in the solution to apply an electrostatic force on the membrane, which compresses the membrane and causes the actuator to deform. We have used this process to develop a tethered submersible robot that can swim in a tank of saltwater at a maximum measured speed of 9.2 mm/s. Since saltwater serves as the electrode, we overcome buoyancy issues that may be a challenge for pneumatically actuated soft robots and traditional, rigid robotics. This research opens the door to low-power underwater robots for search and rescue and environmental monitoring applications.

The availability and depiction of synthetic cathinones (i.e., bath salts) on the internet: Do online suppliers employ features to maximize purchases?

PubMed Central

Meyers, Kathleen; Kaynak, Övgü; Bresani, Elena; Curtis, Brenda; McNamara, Ashley; Brownfield, Kristine; Kirby, Kimberly C.

2015-01-01

Background “Bath salts”, a derivative of cathinone, a naturally occurring beta-ketone amphetamine analogue found in the leaves of the khat (Catha edulis) plant, is a potent class of designer drugs associated with significant medical and psychiatric consequences. They are commonly used among 20 to 29 year olds, a group with easy access to the internet and an inclination to purchase online. Therefore, the internet has the potential to play a significant role in the distribution and associated consequences of these “legal highs”. Methods Google searches were used to determine bath salts availability on retail websites and how different search terms affected the proportion of retail websites obtained. Retail websites were reviewed by two independent raters who examined content with a focus on characteristics that increase the likelihood of online sales. Results Of the 250 websites found, 31 were unique retail websites. Most retail website hits resulted when a product name was used as the search term. The top three countries hosting retail websites were registered in the United States (n=14; 45%), Germany (n=7; 23%), and the United Kingdom (n=3; 10%). These online drug suppliers provided considerable information and purchasing choice about a variety of synthetic cathinones, legitimized their sites by using recognizable images, online chat features, and mainstream payment and shipping methods, and employed characteristics that promote online purchases. Conclusion Online designer drug suppliers use sophisticated methods to market unregulated products to consumers. The international community has taken diverse approaches to address designer drugs: legislative bans, harm reduction approaches, an interim regulated legal market. Multifaceted efforts that target bath salt users, suppliers, and emergency/poison control entities are critical to comprehensively address bath salt ingestion and its consequences. PMID:25641258

A case–control study of maternal bathing habits and risk for birth defects in offspring

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Nearly all women shower or take baths during early pregnancy; however, bathing habits (i.e., shower and bath length and frequency) may be related to the risk of maternal hyperthermia and exposure to water disinfection byproducts, both of which are suspected to increase risk for multiple types of birth defects. Thus, we assessed the relationships between bathing habits during pregnancy and the risk for several nonsyndromic birth defects in offspring. Methods Data for cases with one of 13 types of birth defects and controls from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study delivered during 2000–2007 were evaluated. Logistic regression analyses were conducted separately for each type of birth defect. Results There were few associations between shower frequency or bath frequency or length and risk for birth defects in offspring. The risk for gastroschisis in offspring was increased among women who reported showers lasting ≥15 compared to <15 minutes (adjusted odds ratio: 1.43, 95% confidence interval: 1.18-1.72). In addition, we observed modest increases in the risk for spina bifida, cleft lip with or without cleft palate, and limb reduction defects in offspring of women who showered ≥15 compared to <15 minutes. The results of comparisons among more specific categories of shower length (i.e., <15 minutes versus 15–19, 20–29, and ≥ 30 minutes) were similar. Conclusions Our findings suggest that shower length may be associated with gastroschisis, but the modest associations with other birth defects were not supported by analyses of bath length or bath or shower frequency. Given that showering for ≥15 minutes during pregnancy is very common, further evaluation of the relationship between maternal showering habits and birth defects in offspring is worthwhile. PMID:24131571

Photo- and electroluminescence of sulfide and silicate phosphors embedded in synthetic opal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaplan, S. F.; Kartenko, N. F.; Kurdyukov, D. A.; Medvedev, A. V.; Badalyan, A. G.; Golubev, V. G.

2007-02-01

The sulfide (ZnS:Mn, Zn xCd 1 -xS:Mn, Zn xCd 1- xS:Ag) and silicate (Zn 2SiO 4:Mn) phosphors were synthesized directly inside the pores of synthetic opal by chemical bath deposition. These composites are perfect three-dimensional photonic crystals, which produce effective photo- and electroluminescence at room temperature. The emission spectra are considerably modified by the photonic crystal structure to become anisotropic in accordance with the photonic band gap angular dispersion.

Fabrication of Cu2O/TiO2 Nanotubes Heterojunction Arrays and Investigation of Their Photoelectrochemical Behaviour

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-11-05

investigate phase transformations in TiO2 NTs after annealing and as a consequence of the functionalization. Electrodeposition was performed in a...deposition Cu2O electrodeposition was performed by polarizing the Ti/TiO2 NTs electrodes at UE = - 0.4 V in the CuSO4 containing bath described in...polarization (UE = - 0.4 V) in the electrodeposition solution (see experimental section). As shown in Fig. 6, in spite of the constant polarizing voltage (i.e

Method for regeneration of electroless nickel plating solution

DOEpatents

Eisenmann, Erhard T.

1997-01-01

An electroless nickel(EN)/hypophosphite plating bath is provided employing acetic acid/acetate as a buffer and which is, as a result, capable of perpetual regeneration while avoiding the production of hazardous waste. A regeneration process is provided to process the spent EN plating bath solution. A concentrated starter and replenishment solution is provided for ease of operation of the plating bath. The regeneration process employs a chelating ion exchange system to remove nickel cations from spent EN plating solution. Phosphites are then removed from the solution by precipitation. The nickel cations are removed from the ion exchange system by elution with hypophosphorous acid and the nickel concentration of the eluate adjusted by addition of nickel salt. The treated solution and adjusted eluate are combined, stabilizer added, and the volume of resulting solution reduced by evaporation to form the bath starter and replenishing solution.

Method for regeneration of electroless nickel plating solution

DOEpatents

Eisenmann, E.T.

1997-03-11

An electroless nickel(EN)/hypophosphite plating bath is provided employing acetic acid/acetate as a buffer and which is, as a result, capable of perpetual regeneration while avoiding the production of hazardous waste. A regeneration process is provided to process the spent EN plating bath solution. A concentrated starter and replenishment solution is provided for ease of operation of the plating bath. The regeneration process employs a chelating ion exchange system to remove nickel cations from spent EN plating solution. Phosphites are then removed from the solution by precipitation. The nickel cations are removed from the ion exchange system by elution with hypophosphorus acid and the nickel concentration of the eluate adjusted by addition of nickel salt. The treated solution and adjusted eluate are combined, stabilizer added, and the volume of resulting solution reduced by evaporation to form the bath starter and replenishing solution. 1 fig.

Parameters controlling microstructures and resistance switching of electrodeposited cuprous oxide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yazdanparast, Sanaz

2016-12-01

Cuprous oxide (Cu2O) thin films were electrodeposited cathodically from a highly alkaline bath using tartrate as complexing agent. Different microstructures for Cu2O thin films were achieved by varying the applied potential from -0.285 to -0.395 V versus a reference electrode of Ag/AgCl at 50 °C in potentiostatic mode, and separately by changing the bath temperature from 25 to 50 °C in galvanostatic mode. Characterization experiments showed that both grain size and orientation of Cu2O can be controlled by changing the applied potential. Applying a high negative potential of -0.395 V resulted in smaller grain size of Cu2O thin films with a preferred orientation in [111] direction. An increase in the bath temperature in galvanostatic electrodeposition increased the grain size of Cu2O thin films. All the films in Au/Cu2O/Au-Pd cell showed unipolar resistance switching behavior after an initial FORMING process. Increasing the grain size of Cu2O thin films and decreasing the top electrode area increased the FORMING voltage and decreased the current level of high resistance state (HRS). The current in low resistance state (LRS) was independent of the top electrode area and the grain size of deposited films, suggesting a filamentary conduction mechanism in unipolar resistance switching of Cu2O.

A Study of Testing Different Mandrels for Electroforming Nickel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murrell, Alex D. G.

Material failure is a prevalent problem in all engineering industries, particularly aerospace and automotive. The demand high-performance materials is higher than ever. Nickel is a metal that is favoured greatly because of its ability to withstand harsh operating conditions such as corrosive environments and extreme temperatures. Nickel parts can be produced by electroforming, a unique process that requires a removable conductive mandrel. An electroplating apparatus was set up at Tennessee Technological University to deposit nickel onto these mandrels where different methods of removal would be explored. Various different mandrels - conductive and non-conductive - were tested by nickel electroplating in a Watts nickel bath to establish a firm testing procedure. The nickel coatings were retrieved where possible and were analysed with appropriate methods. It was found that tin was the best material to use for a substrate through performance ranking, and a conductive polycarbonate was the worst material choice for a substrate. The substrates that demonstrated the easiest method of removal were tin and wax. Different methods of increasing - and also inhibiting - conductivity were applied to various substrates, where it was found that the use of a conductive graphite paint was particularly beneficial to the plating potential of a substrate.

Synthesis and Characterization of Doped ZnO Nanomaterials: Potential Application in Third Generation Solar Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adcock Smith, Echo D.

ZnO nanomaterials are being incorporated into next-generation solar cell designs including dye-sensitized solar cells, multijunction solar cells, and quantum dot sensitized solar cells. ZnO nanorod (NR) arrays and nanoparticles (NP) used in these devices are typically fabricated using chemical vapor deposition and/or high-temperature reaction conditions. These methods are costly, require high energy, pressure or excessive time, but produce repeatable, defined growth that is capable of easily incorporating metal dopants. Less expensive methods of fabrication such as chemical bath deposition (CBD) eliminate the costly steps but can suffer from undefined growth, excessive waste and have a difficult time incorporating dopants into ZnO materials without additives or increased pH. This dissertation presents a novel method of growing cobalt and vanadium doped ZnO nanomaterials through microwave synthesis. The cobalt growth was compared to standard CBD and found to be faster, less wasteful, reproducible and better at incorporating cobalt ions into the ZnO lattice than typical oven CBD method. The vanadium doped ZnO microwave synthesis procedure was found to produce nanorods, nanorod arrays, and nanoparticles simultaneously. Neither the cobalt nor the vanadium growth required pH changes, catalysts or additives to assist in doping and therefore use less materials than traditional CBD. This research is important because it offers a simple, quick way to grow ZnO nanostructures and is the first to report on growing both cobalt and vanadium doped zinc oxide nanorod arrays using microwave synthesis. This synthesis method presented is a viable candidate for replacing conventional growth synthesis which will result in lowering the cost and time of production of photovoltaics while helping drive forward the development of next-generation solar cells.

Quantitative study on the chemical solution deposition of zinc oxysulfide

DOE PAGES

Reinisch, Michael; Perkins, Craig L.; Steirer, K. Xerxes

2015-11-21

Zinc Oxysulfide (ZnOS) has demonstrated potential in the last decade to replace CdS as a buffer layer material since it is a wide-band-gap semiconductor with performance advantages over CdS (E g = 2.4 eV) in the near UV-range for solar energy conversion. However, questions remain on the growth mechanisms of chemical bath deposited ZnOS. In this study, a detailed model is employed to calculate solubility diagrams that describe simple conditions for complex speciation control using only ammonium hydroxide without additional base. For these conditions, ZnOS is deposited via aqueous solution deposition on a quartz crystal microbalance in a continuous flowmore » cell. Data is used to analyze the growth rate dependence on temperature and also to elucidate the effects of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) when used as a co-solvent. Activation energies (EA) of ZnOS are calculated for different flow rates and solution compositions. As a result, the measured EA relationships are affected by changes in the primary growth mechanism when DMSO is included.« less

Single-step electrodeposition of CIS thin films with the complexing agent triethanolamine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiu, Yu-Shuen; Hsieh, Mu-Tao; Chang, Chih-Min; Chen, Chun-Shuo; Whang, Thou-Jen

2014-04-01

Some difficulties have long been encountered by single-step electrodeposition such as the optimization of electrolyte composition, deposition potentials, deposition time, and pH values. The approach of introducing ternary components into single-step electrodeposition is rather challenging especially due to the different values of the equilibrium potential for each constituent. Complexing agents play an important role in single-step electrodeposition of CuInSe2 (CIS), since the equilibrium potential of every constituent can be brought closer to each other when complexing agents are employed. In this work, single-step electrodeposition of CIS was enhanced by adding triethanolamine (TEA) into deposition bath, the CIS thin films were improved consequently in the form of polycrystalline cauliflower structures through the examination of SEM images and XRD patterns. The optimum composition of the solution for single-step electrodeposition of CIS is found to be 5 mM CuCl2, 22 mM InCl3, and 22 mM SeO2 at pH 1.5 with 0.1 M TEA. The structures, compositions, and morphologies of as-deposited and of annealed films were investigated.

Electroless Nickel Deposition for Front Side Metallization of Silicon Solar Cells

PubMed Central

Hsieh, Shu Huei; Hsieh, Jhong Min; Chen, Wen Jauh; Chuang, Chia Chih

2017-01-01

In this work, nickel thin films were deposited on texture silicon by electroless plated deposition. The electroless-deposited Ni layers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and sheet resistance measurement. The results indicate that the dominant phase was Ni2Si and NiSi in samples annealed at 300–800 °C. Sheet resistance values were found to correlate well with the surface morphology obtained by SEM and the results of XRD diffraction. The Cu/Ni contact system was used to fabricate solar cells by using two different activating baths. The open circuit voltage (Voc) of the Cu/Ni samples, before and after annealing, was measured under air mass (AM) 1.5 conditions to determine solar cell properties. The results show that open circuit voltage of a solar cell can be enhanced when the activation solution incorporated hydrofluoric acid (HF). This is mainly attributed to the native silicon oxide layer that can be decreased and/or removed by HF with the corresponding reduction of series resistance. PMID:28805724

Enhanced electrochemical performance of manganese dioxide spheres deposited on a titanium dioxide nanotube arrays substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, He; Zhang, Yanrong

2014-12-01

The deposition of MnO2 spheres on a TiO2 nanotube arrays substrate are achieved via a sequential chemical bath deposition (SCBD) method for an application of anode materials in supercapacitors. The electrochemical performance of the MnO2-TiO2 composite electrode is observed to show a strong dependence on the MnO2 loading mass, which could be adjusted by repeating the SCBD treatment for several cycles. The optimized doses of MnO2 loaded MnO2-TiO2 and MnO2-Ti samples are compared in terms of their areal capacitance studies and the former is of 175 and 101 mF cm-2 at a scan rate of 10 and 100 mV s-1, respectively, which are 1.52-fold and 1.51-fold of that of the latter sample at corresponding scan rates. The enhancement in areal capacitance has been accounted to the progressive effect of the TiO2 tubular substrate on the capacitive behavior of the loaded MnO2 rather than the different MnO2 loading mass on these two substrates. Impedance analysis reveals this enhanced electrochemical activity is owing to the tubular structure of the TiO2 substrate provides an increased reaction area and facilitates the contact of electrolyte with the active MnO2 material. This work justified the suitability of using the TiO2 nanotube arrays for constructing high-performance supercapacitors.

Role of annealing on the structural and optical properties of nanostructured diaceto bis-benzimidazole Mn(II) complex thin films.

PubMed

Praveen, P A; Babu, R Ramesh; Ramamurthi, K

2017-02-15

A coordination complex, manganese incorporated benzimidazole, thin films were prepared by chemical bath deposition method. Structural characterization of the deposited films, carried out by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman and electron paramagnetic resonance spectral analyses, reveals the distorted tetrahedral environment of the metal ion with bis-benzimidazole ligand. Further the molecular composition of the deposited metal complex was estimated by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The prepared thin films were thermally treated to study the effect of annealing temperature on the surface morphology and the results showed that the surface homogeneity of the films increased for thermally treated films up to 150°C. But distortion and voids were observed for the films annealed at 200°C. The Raman analysis reveals the molecular hydrogen bond distortion which leads to the evaporation of the metal complex from the thin film surface with respect to annealing temperature. The linear and nonlinear optical properties of the as prepared and annealed films were studied using ultraviolet-visible transmittance spectroscopy, second harmonic generation and Z-scan analyses. Films annealed at 150°C show a better linear transmittance in the visible region and larger SHG efficiency and third order nonlinear susceptibility when compared with the other samples. Further, the film annealed at 150°C was subjected to optical switching analysis and demonstrated to have an inverted switching behavior. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Three-Year Follow-Up Study of Antibiotic and Metal Residues, Antibiotic Resistance and Resistance Genes, Focusing on Kshipra—A River Associated with Holy Religious Mass-Bathing in India: Protocol Paper

PubMed Central

Diwan, Vishal; Purohit, Manju; Chandran, Salesh; Parashar, Vivek; Shah, Harshada; Mahadik, Vijay K.; Stålsby Lundborg, Cecilia; Tamhankar, Ashok J.

2017-01-01

Background: Antibiotic resistance (ABR) is one of the major health emergencies for global society. Little is known about the ABR of environmental bacteria and therefore it is important to understand ABR reservoirs in the environment and their potential impact on health. Method/Design: Quantitative and qualitative data will be collected during a 3-year follow-up study of a river associated with religious mass-bathing in Central India. Surface-water and sediment samples will be collected from seven locations at regular intervals for 3 years during religious mass-bathing and in absence of it to monitor water-quality, antibiotic residues, resistant bacteria, antibiotic resistance genes and metals. Approval has been obtained from the Ethics Committee of R.D. Gardi Medical College, Ujjain, India (No. 2013/07/17-311). Results: The results will address the issue of antibiotic residues and antibiotic resistance with a focus on a river environment in India within a typical socio-behavioural context of religious mass-bathing. It will enhance our understanding about the relationship between antibiotic residue levels, water-quality, heavy metals and antibiotic resistance patterns in Escherichia coli isolated from river-water and sediment, and seasonal differences that are associated with religious mass-bathing. We will also document, identify and clarify the genetic differences/similarities relating to phenotypic antibiotic resistance in bacteria in rivers during religious mass-bathing or during periods when there is no mass-bathing. PMID:28555050

The effectiveness of a simulated scenario to teach nursing students how to perform a bed bath: A randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Miranda, Renata Pinto Ribeiro; de Cássia Lopes Chaves, Érika; Silva Lima, Rogério; Braga, Cristiane Giffoni; Simões, Ivandira Anselmo Ribeiro; Fava, Silvana Maria Coelho Leite; Iunes, Denise Hollanda

2017-10-01

Simulation allows students to develop several skills during a bed bath that are difficult to teach only in traditional classroom lectures, such as problem-solving, student interactions with the simulator (patient), reasoning in clinical evaluations, evaluation of responses to interventions, teamwork, communication, security and privacy. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a simulated bed bath scenario on improving cognitive knowledge, practical performance and satisfaction among nursing students. Randomized controlled clinical trial. Nursing students that were in the fifth period from two educational institutions in Brazil. Nursing students (n=58). The data were collected using the assessments of cognitive knowledge, practical performance and satisfaction were made through a written test about bed baths, an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) and a satisfaction questionnaire. We identified that the acquisition and assimilation of cognitive knowledge was significantly higher in the simulation group (p=0.001). The performance was similar in both groups regardless of the teaching strategy (p=0.435). At follow-up, the simulation group had significantly more satisfaction with the teaching method than the control group (p=0.007). The teaching strategy based on a simulated scenario of a bed bath proved to be effective for the acquisition of cognitive knowledge regarding bed baths in clinical practice and improved student satisfaction with the teaching process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical Bath Deposition of p-Type Transparent, Highly Conducting (CuS)x:(ZnS)1-x Nanocomposite Thin Films and Fabrication of Si Heterojunction Solar Cells.

PubMed

Xu, Xiaojie; Bullock, James; Schelhas, Laura T; Stutz, Elias Z; Fonseca, Jose J; Hettick, Mark; Pool, Vanessa L; Tai, Kong Fai; Toney, Michael F; Fang, Xiaosheng; Javey, Ali; Wong, Lydia Helena; Ager, Joel W

2016-03-09

P-type transparent conducting films of nanocrystalline (CuS)x:(ZnS)1-x were synthesized by facile and low-cost chemical bath deposition. Wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) were used to evaluate the nanocomposite structure, which consists of sub-5 nm crystallites of sphalerite ZnS and covellite CuS. Film transparency can be controlled by tuning the size of the nanocrystallites, which is achieved by adjusting the concentration of the complexing agent during growth; optimal films have optical transmission above 70% in the visible range of the spectrum. The hole conductivity increases with the fraction of the covellite phase and can be as high as 1000 S cm(-1), which is higher than most reported p-type transparent materials and approaches that of n-type transparent materials such as indium tin oxide (ITO) and aluminum doped zinc oxide (AZO) synthesized at a similar temperature. Heterojunction p-(CuS)x:(ZnS)1-x/n-Si solar cells were fabricated with the nanocomposite film serving as a hole-selective contact. Under 1 sun illumination, an open circuit voltage of 535 mV was observed. This value compares favorably to other emerging heterojunction Si solar cells which use a low temperature process to fabricate the contact, such as single-walled carbon nanotube/Si (370-530 mV) and graphene/Si (360-552 mV).

Preparation and characterization of ZnS thin films by the chemical bath deposition method (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ando, Shizutoshi; Iwashita, Taisuke

2017-06-01

Nowadays, the conversion efficiency of Cu(In･Ga)Se2 (CIGS)-based solar cell already reached over 20%. CdS thin films prepared by chemical bath deposition (CBD) method are used for CIGS-based thin film solar cells as the buffer layer. Over the past several years, a considerable number of studies have been conducted on ZnS buffer layer prepared by CBD in order to improve in conversion efficiency of CIGS-based solar cells. In addition, application to CIGS-based solar cell of ZnS buffer layer is expected as an eco-friendly solar cell by cadmium-free. However, it was found that ZnS thin films prepared by CBD included ZnO or Zn(OH)2 as different phase [1]. Nakata et. al reported that the conversion efficiency of CIGS-based solar cell using ZnS buffer layer (CBD-ZnS/CIGS) reached over 18% [2]. The problem which we have to consider next is improvement in crystallinity of ZnS thin films prepared by CBD. In this work, we prepared ZnS thin films on quarts (Si02) and SnO2/glass substrates by CBD with the self-catalysis growth process in order to improve crystallinity and quality of CBD-ZnS thin films. The solution to use for CBD were prepared by mixture of 0.2M ZnI2 or ZnSO4, 0.6M (NH2)2CS and 8.0M NH3 aq. In the first, we prepared the particles of ZnS on Si02 or SnO2/glass substrates by CBD at 80° for 20 min as initial nucleus (1st step ). After that, the particles of ZnS on Si02 or SnO2/glass substrates grew up to be ZnS thin films by CBD method at 80° for 40 min again (2nd step). We found that the surface of ZnS thin films by CBD with the self-catalyst growth process was flat and smooth. Consequently, we concluded that the CBD technique with self-catalyst growth process in order to prepare the particles of ZnS as initial nucleus layer was useful for improvement of crystallinity of ZnS thin films on SnO2/glass. [1] J.Vidal et,al., Thin Solid Films 419 (2002) 118. [2] T.Nakata et.al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 41(2B), L165-L167 (2002)

Fabrication of cobalt-nickel binary nanowires in a highly ordered alumina template via AC electrodeposition

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Cobalt-nickel (Co-Ni) binary alloy nanowires of different compositions were co-deposited in the nanopores of highly ordered anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates from a single sulfate bath using alternating current (AC) electrodeposition. AC electrodeposition was accomplished without modifying or removing the barrier layer. Field emission scanning electron microscope was used to study the morphology of templates and alloy nanowires. Energy-dispersive X-ray analysis confirmed the deposition of Co-Ni alloy nanowires in the AAO templates. Average diameter of the alloy nanowires was approximately 40 nm which is equal to the diameter of nanopore. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the alloy nanowires consisted of both hexagonal close-packed and face-centered cubic phases. Magnetic measurements showed that the easy x-axis of magnetization is parallel to the nanowires with coercivity of approximately 706 Oe. AC electrodeposition is very simple, fast, and is useful for the homogenous deposition of various secondary nanostuctured materials into the nanopores of AAO. PMID:23941234

Structure, mechanical and magnetic properties of Al4C3 reinforced nickel matrix nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaudhari, Alok Kumar; Singh, Dhananjay Kumar; Singh, V. B.

2018-05-01

A new type of nanocomposite, Ni-Al4C3 was prepared using Al4C3 as reinforcement by cathodic co-deposition at different current densities (1.0 to 5.0 A dm‑2) from a nickel acetate-N-methyl formamide (non-aqueous) bath. Influence of current density and incorporation of Al4C3 particles in nickel matrix on the structure and properties of the composite coatings was investigated. Surface morphology and composition of the deposits were determined by SEM and EDAX. Crystallographic structure and orientation of the electrodeposited Ni-Al4C3 composite were studied by x-ray diffraction. Compared to nickel metal, these nanocomposites exhibited finer grains, higher microhardness, improved corrosion resistance and enhanced soft magnetic properties. Composite deposited at higher current densities (>2 A dm‑2) shows mild texturing along (200) plane. The effect of heat treatment on the microstructure, texture and microhardness of the nanocomposites was also investigated.

Influence of Pulse Electrodeposition and Heat Treatment on Microstructure, Tribological, and Corrosion Behavior of Nano-Grain Size Co-W Coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abazari, Somayeh; Rastegari, Saeed; Kheirandish, Shahram

2017-07-01

In the present study, Co-W nano-structured alloy coatings are produced on low-carbon steel substrate by means of pulse electrodeposition from a citrate-based bath under different average current densities and duty cycles. The results indicate that the coating deposited under 60% of duty cycle and 1 A/dm2 of average current density exhibit optimum pulse plating conditions with 44.38 wt.% W, 37 nm grain size, and 758 HV microhardness. The effect of heat treatment temperature on microstructure, composition, corrosion behavior, and morphology of amorphous deposited Co-W alloy with 44 wt.% W was investigated. The microhardness of the coating increased to 1052 HV after heat treatment at 600 °C, which is due to the formation of Co3W and CoWO4 phases in the deposit. Furthermore, the coatings heat-treated at 600 °C had lower friction coefficients and better wear resistance under various loads than before heating.

Effects of surface morphology on the optical and electrical properties of Schottky diodes of CBD deposited ZnO nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mwankemwa, Benard S.; Akinkuade, Shadrach; Maabong, Kelebogile; Nel, Jackie M.; Diale, Mmantsae

2018-04-01

We report on effect of surface morphology on the optical and electrical properties of chemical bath deposited Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures. ZnO nanostructures were deposited on the seeded conducting indium doped tin oxide substrate positioned in three different directions in the growth solution. Field emission scanning electron microscopy was used to evaluate the morphological properties of the synthesized nanostructures and revealed that the positioning of the substrate in the growth solution affects the surface morphology of the nanostructures. The optical absorbance, photoluminescence and Raman spectroscopy of the resulting nanostructures are discussed. The electrical characterization of the Schottky diode such as barrier height, ideality factor, rectification ratios, reverse saturation current and series resistance were found to depend on the nanostructures morphology. In addition, current transport mechanism in the higher forward bias of the Schottky diode was studied and space charge limited current was found to be the dominant transport mechanism in all samples.

An operational method for the real-time monitoring of E. coli numbers in bathing waters.

PubMed

Lebaron, Philippe; Henry, A; Lepeuple, A-S; Pena, G; Servais, P

2005-06-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential application of the beta-d-glucuronidase (GLUase) activity measurement for the routine detection and quantification of E. coli in marine bathing waters. GLUase activity was measured as the rate of hydrolysis of 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-d-glucuronide. Culturable E. coli were quantified by the most probable number (MPN) microplate method. Both methods were applied to a large set of seawater samples. Significant correlation was found between the log of GLUase activity and the log of culturable E. coli. The mean coefficient of variation (CV) of the GLUase activity was less than 15% at concentrations around the current standards of International regulations whereas the CV of the microplate method was around 30%. When samples were stored at 4 degrees C and 20 degrees C, the mean CV of the GLUase activity remained below 15% up to 6 hours after sample collection whereas the range of variation of the microplate method varied between 10 and 50%. We concluded that the GLUase activity is an operational, reproducible, simple, very rapid and low cost method for the real-time enumeration of E. coli in bathing waters and should be preferred to the microplate method. The GLUase activity method should be routinely applied to the rapid enumeration of E. coli in recreational waters and recommendations for its application were suggested to water quality managers.

Computing Wigner distributions and time correlation functions using the quantum thermal bath method: application to proton transfer spectroscopy.

PubMed

Basire, Marie; Borgis, Daniel; Vuilleumier, Rodolphe

2013-08-14

Langevin dynamics coupled to a quantum thermal bath (QTB) allows for the inclusion of vibrational quantum effects in molecular dynamics simulations at virtually no additional computer cost. We investigate here the ability of the QTB method to reproduce the quantum Wigner distribution of a variety of model potentials, designed to assess the performances and limits of the method. We further compute the infrared spectrum of a multidimensional model of proton transfer in the gas phase and in solution, using classical trajectories sampled initially from the Wigner distribution. It is shown that for this type of system involving large anharmonicities and strong nonlinear coupling to the environment, the quantum thermal bath is able to sample the Wigner distribution satisfactorily and to account for both zero point energy and tunneling effects. It leads to quantum time correlation functions having the correct short-time behavior, and the correct associated spectral frequencies, but that are slightly too overdamped. This is attributed to the classical propagation approximation rather than the generation of the quantized initial conditions themselves.

Phase transformation synthesis of TiO2/CdS heterojunction film with high visible-light photoelectrochemical activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Canjun; Yang, Yahui; Li, Jie; Chen, Shu

2018-06-01

CdS/TiO2 heterojunction film used as a photoanode has attracted much attention in the past few years due to its good visible light photocatalytic activity. However, CdS/TiO2 films prepared by conventional methods (successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction, chemical bath deposition and electrodeposition) show numerous grain boundaries in the CdS layer and an imperfect contact at the heterojunction interface. In this study, we designed a phase transformation method to fabricate CdS/TiO2 nanorod heterojunction films. The characterization results showed that the CdS layer with fewer grain boundaries was conformally coated on the TiO2 nanorod surface and the formation mechanism has been explained in this manuscript. Moreover, the prepared CdS/TiO2 films show a high photocatalytic activity and the photocurrent density is as high as 9.65 mA cm‑2 at 0.80 V versus RHE. It may be attributed to fewer grain boundaries and a compact heterojunction contact, which can effectively improve charge separation and transportation.

Characterization of electronic structures from CdS/Si nanoheterostructure array based on silicon nanoporous pillar array

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

Li, Yong, E-mail: liyong@pdsu.edu.cn; Song, Xiao Yan; Song, Yue Li

2016-02-15

Highlights: • CdS/Si nanoheterostructure array has been fabricated through a CBD method. • The electronic properties have been investigated by the I–V and C–V techniques. • The onset voltages, characteristic frequency and built-in potential are investigated. • The electronic structures can be tuned through the annealing treatments. - Abstract: The electronic properties of heterostructures are very important to its applications in the field of optoelectronic devices. Understanding and control of electronic properties are very necessary. CdS/Si nanoheterostructure array have been fabricated through growing CdS nanocrystals on the silicon nanoporous pillar array using a chemical bath deposition method. The electronic propertiesmore » of CdS nanoheterostructure array have been investigated by the current–voltage, complex impedance spectroscopy and capacitance–voltage techniques. The onset voltages, characteristic frequency and built-in potential are gradually increased with increasing the annealing temperature. It is indicated that the electronic structures of CdS/Si nanoheterostructure array can be tuned through the annealing treatments.« less

Fabrication of p-Si/n-ZnO:Al heterojunction diode and determination of electrical parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilican, Saliha; Gorgun, Kamuran; Aksoy, Seval; Caglar, Yasemin; Caglar, Mujdat

2018-03-01

We present a fundamental experimental study of a microwave assisted chemical bath deposition (MW-CBD) method for Al doped ZnO films. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy were used to analyze the microstructures and crystalline structures of these films, respectively. The p-Si/n-ZnO:Al heterojunction diodes were fabricated. The current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of these diodes were measured at room temperature. The important electrical parameters such as series resistance, the ideality factor and the barrier height were determined by performing plots from the forward bias I-V characteristics using different methods. The obtained results indicate that Al doping improve the electrical properties of the p-Si/n-ZnO diode. The best rectification properties were observed in the p-Si/n-ZnO:5%Al heterojunction diode, so only capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements of this diode were taken. Electrical parameter values such as series resistance, the built-in potential and the acceptor concentration calculated for this heterojunction diode.

Effects of bacteria on CdS thin films used in technological devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alpdoğan, S.; Adıgüzel, A. O.; Sahan, B.; Tunçer, M.; Metin Gubur, H.

2017-04-01

Cadmium sulfide (CdS) thin films were fabricated on glass substrates by the chemical bath deposition method at 70 {}^\\circ \\text{C} considering deposition times ranging from 2 h to 5 h. The optical band gaps of CdS thin films were found to be in the 2.42-2.37 eV range. CdS thin films had uniform spherical nano-size grains which had polycrystalline, hexagonal and cubic phases. The films had a characteristic electrical resistivity of the order of {{10}5} Ω \\text{cm} and n-type conductivity at room condition. CdS thin films were incubated in cultures of B.domonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, which exist abundantly in the environment, and form biofilms. SEM images showed that S. aureus and K. pneumonia were detected significantly on the film surfaces with a few of P. aeruginosa and B. subtilis cells attached. CdS thin film surface exhibits relatively good resistance to the colonization of P. aeruginosa and B. subtilis. Optical results showed that the band gap of CdS thin films which interacted with the bacteria is 2.42 \\text{eV} . The crystal structure and electrical properties of CdS thin films were not affected by bacterial adhesion. The antimicrobial effect of CdS nanoparticles was different for different bacterial strains.

Co-sensitization of ZnO by CdS quantum dots in natural dye-sensitized solar cells with polymeric electrolytes to improve the cell stability

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

Junhom, W.; Magaraphan, R.

2015-05-22

The CdS quantum dots (QDs) were deposited on ZnO layer by chemical bath deposition method to absorb light in the shorter wavelength region and used as photoanode in the dye sensitized solar cell (DSSCs) with natural dye extracted from Noni leaves. Microstructures of CdS-ZnO from various dipping time were characterized by XRD, FE-SEM and EDX. The results showed that the CdS is hexagonal structure and the amount of CdS increases when the dipping time increases. The maximal conversion efficiency of 0.292% was achieved by the DSSCs based on CdS QDs-sensitized ZnO film obtained from 9 min-dipping time. Furthermore, the stability ofmore » DSSCs was improved by using polymeric electrolyte. Poly (acrylic acid) (PAA) and Polyacrylamide (PAM) were introduced to CdS QDs-sensitized ZnO film from 9 min-dipping time. Each polymeric electrolyte was prepared by swelling from 0.1-2.0 %w in H2O. The maximal conversion efficiency of 0.207% was achieved for DSSCs based on CdS QDs-sensitized ZnO film with PAM 1.0% and the conversion efficiency was decreased 25% when it was left for1 hr.« less

Co-sensitization of ZnO by CdS quantum dots in natural dye-sensitized solar cells with polymeric electrolytes to improve the cell stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Junhom, W.; Magaraphan, R.

2015-05-01

The CdS quantum dots (QDs) were deposited on ZnO layer by chemical bath deposition method to absorb light in the shorter wavelength region and used as photoanode in the dye sensitized solar cell (DSSCs) with natural dye extracted from Noni leaves. Microstructures of CdS-ZnO from various dipping time were characterized by XRD, FE-SEM and EDX. The results showed that the CdS is hexagonal structure and the amount of CdS increases when the dipping time increases. The maximal conversion efficiency of 0.292% was achieved by the DSSCs based on CdS QDs-sensitized ZnO film obtained from 9 min-dipping time. Furthermore, the stability of DSSCs was improved by using polymeric electrolyte. Poly (acrylic acid) (PAA) and Polyacrylamide (PAM) were introduced to CdS QDs-sensitized ZnO film from 9 min-dipping time. Each polymeric electrolyte was prepared by swelling from 0.1-2.0 %w in H2O. The maximal conversion efficiency of 0.207% was achieved for DSSCs based on CdS QDs-sensitized ZnO film with PAM 1.0% and the conversion efficiency was decreased 25% when it was left for1 hr.

Structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of Schottky diodes based on CBD deposited ZnO:Cu nanorods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mwankemwa, Benard S.; Legodi, Matshisa J.; Mlambo, Mbuso; Nel, Jackie M.; Diale, Mmantsae

2017-07-01

Undoped and copper doped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods have been synthesized by a simple chemical bath deposition (CBD) method at a temperature of 90 °C. Structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of the synthesized ZnO nanorods were found to be dependent on the Cu doping percentage. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns revealed strong diffraction peaks of hexagonal wurtzite of ZnO, and no impurity phases from metallic zinc or copper. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed changes in diameter and shape of nanorods, where by those doped with 2 at.% and 3 at.% aggregated and became compact. Selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns indicates high quality, single crystalline wurtzite structure ZnO and intensities of bright spots varied with copper doping concentration. UV-visible absorption peaks of ZnO red shifted with increasing copper doping concentration. Raman studies demonstrated among others, strong and sharp E2 (low) and E2 (high) optical phonon peaks confirming crystal structure of ZnO. Current-voltage measurements based on the gold/ZnO nanorods/ITO showed good rectifying behavior of the Schottky diode. The predicted Schottky barrier height of 0.60 eV was obtained which is not far from the theoretical Schottky-Mott value of 0.80 eV.

Comparing the Effects of Reflexology and Footbath on Sleep Quality in the Elderly: A Controlled Clinical Trial

PubMed Central

Valizadeh, Leila; Seyyedrasooli, Alehe; Zamanazadeh, Vahid; Nasiri, Khadijeh

2015-01-01

Background: Sleep disorders are common mental disorders reported among the elderly in all countries, and with nonpharmacological interventions, they could be helped to improve their sleep quality. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of two interventions, foot reflexology and foot bath, on sleep quality in elderly people. Patients and Methods: This three-group randomized clinical trial (two experimental groups and a control group) was conducted on 69 elderly men. The two experimental groups had reflexology (n = 23) and foot bath (n = 23) interventions for 6 weeks. The reflexology intervention was done in the mornings, once a week for ten minutes on each foot. The participants in the foot bath group were asked to soak their feet in 41°C to 42°C water one hour before sleeping. The pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) was completed before and after the intervention through an interview process. Results: The results showed that the PSQI scores after intervention compared to before it in the reflexology and foot bath groups were statistically significant (P = 0.01 , P = 0.001); however, in the control group did not show a statistically significant difference (P = 0.14). In addition, the total score changes among the three groups were statistically significant (P = 0.01). Comparing the score changes of quality of sleep between the reflexology and foot bath groups showed that there was no significant difference in none of the components and the total score (P = 0.09). The two interventions had the same impact on the quality of sleep. Conclusions: It is suggested that the training of nonpharmacological methods to improve sleep quality such as reflexology and foot bath be included in the elderly health programs. In addition, it is recommended that the impact of these interventions on subjective sleep quality using polysomnographic recordings be explored in future research. PMID:26734475

Epitaxial-Growth-Induced Junction Welding of Silver Nanowire Network Electrodes.

PubMed

Kang, Hyungseok; Song, Sol-Ji; Sul, Young Eun; An, Byeong-Seon; Yin, Zhenxing; Choi, Yongsuk; Pu, Lyongsun; Yang, Cheol-Woong; Kim, Youn Sang; Cho, Sung Min; Kim, Jung-Gu; Cho, Jeong Ho

2018-05-22

In this study, we developed a roll-to-roll Ag electroplating process for metallic nanowire electrodes using a galvanostatic mode. Electroplating is a low-cost and facile method for deposition of metal onto a target surface with precise control of both the composition and the thickness. Metallic nanowire networks [silver nanowires (AgNWs) and copper nanowires (CuNWs)] coated onto a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film were immersed directly in an electroplating bath containing AgNO 3 . Solvated silver ions (Ag + ions) were deposited onto the nanowire surface through application of a constant current via an external circuit between the nanowire networks (cathode) and a Ag plate (anode). The amount of electroplated Ag was systematically controlled by changing both the applied current density and the electroplating time, which enabled precise control of the sheet resistance and optical transmittance of the metallic nanowire networks. The optimized Ag-electroplated AgNW (Ag-AgNW) films exhibited a sheet resistance of ∼19 Ω/sq at an optical transmittance of 90% (550 nm). A transmission electron microscopy study confirmed that Ag grew epitaxially on the AgNW surface, but a polycrystalline Ag structure was formed on the CuNW surface. The Ag-electroplated metallic nanowire electrodes were successfully applied to various electronic devices such as organic light-emitting diodes, triboelectric nanogenerators, and a resistive touch panel. The proposed roll-to-roll Ag electroplating process provides a simple, low-cost, and scalable method for the fabrication of enhanced transparent conductive electrode materials for next-generation electronic devices.

New Alloys for Electroformed Replicated X-Ray Optics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Engelhaupt, D.; Ramsey, B. D.; ODell, S. L.; Jones, W. D.; Russell, J. K.

2000-01-01

The process of electroforming x-ray mirror shells off a superpolished mandrel has been widely used. The recently launched XMM mission is a good example of this, containing 174 such mirror shells of diameters ranging from 0.3-0.7 m and thicknesses of 0.47-1.07 mm. To continue to utilize this technique for the next generation of x-ray observatories, where ever-larger collecting areas will be required within the constraints of tight weight budgets, demands that new alloys be developed that can withstand the large stresses imposed on very thin shells by the replication and handling processes. Towards this end, we began a development program in late 1997 to produce a high-strength alloy suitable for electroforming very thin high-resolution x-ray optics. The requirements for this task are quite severe; not only must the electroformed deposit be very strong, it must also have extremely low residual stresses to prevent serious figure distortions in large thin-walled shells. Further, the electroforming must be performed at near room temperature, as large temperature changes will modify the figure of the mandrel, in an environment that is not corrosive for the mandrel. The figure of merit for the strength of the electroformed deposit is its Precision Elastic Limit (PEL). This is a measure of permanent strain, at the few parts per million level, under applied stress. Pure nickel is very ductile and will permanently deform, at the parts-per-million level under loads of a few x 10(exp 7) Pa. These stresses are easily exceeded when thin-walled shells (150 micron thick) are replicated. Our goal was to develop an alloy an order of magnitude stronger than this. We will present the results of our development program, showing the evolution of our plating baths through to our present 'glassy' nickel alloy that satisfies the goals above. For each we will show the electroforming characteristics of the bath and the PEL measurements for the resulting alloys. We estimate the ultimate limit on shell thickness and mass for x-ray mirrors produced in these baths.

Analysis of the first- and second-generation Raving Dragon Novelty Bath Salts containing methylone and pentedrone.

PubMed

Poklis, Justin L; Wolf, Carl E; ElJordi, Omar I; Liu, Kai; Zhang, Shijun; Poklis, Alphonse

2015-01-01

In recent years, a large number of designer drugs sold as "Bath Salts" have appeared on the market. In July of 2011, Raving Dragon Novelty Bath Salts was obtained over the Internet. This product became unavailable in October of that year coinciding with the DEA issuing a temporarily schedule of mephedrone, methylone, and MDPV. Four months later in February of 2012, a new product was released from the same company under the new name Raving Dragon Voodoo Dust. The contents of both products were identified using spectroscopy methods: nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared, UV-visible, tandem mass spectrometry, and high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry. It was determined that Raving Dragon Novelty Bath Salts contained methylone. The replacement product Raving Dragon Voodoo Dust contained the unscheduled drug pentedrone. The Raving Dragon brand of products illustrates the rapid change of ingredients in these products to circumvent laws restricting availability, distribution, and use. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Method for recovering light hydrocarbons from coal agglomerates

DOEpatents

Huettenhain, Horst; Benz, August D.; Getsoian, John

1991-01-01

A method and apparatus for removing light hydrocarbons, such as heptane, from coal agglomerates includes an enclosed chamber having a substantially horizontal perforate surface therein. The coal agglomerates are introduced into a water bath within the chamber. The agglomerates are advanced over the surface while steam is substantially continuously introduced through the surface into the water bath. Steam heats the water and causes volatilization of the light hydrocarbons, which may be collected from the overhead of the chamber. The resulting agglomerates may be collected at the opposite end from the surface and subjected to final draining processes prior to transportation or use.

Effect of Initial Iron Content in a Zinc Bath on the Dissolution Rate of Iron During a Hot Dip Galvanizing Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Sang Myung; Lee, Suk Kyu; Paik, Doo-Jin; Park, Joo Hyun

2017-04-01

The mechanism of iron dissolution and the effect of initial Fe content in a Zn bath on the dissolution rate of iron were investigated using a finger rotating method (FRM). When the initial iron content, [Fe]°, in the zinc bath was less than the solubility limit, the iron content in the zinc bath showed a rapid increase, whereas a moderate increase was observed when [Fe]° was close to the solubility limit. Based on Eisenberg's kinetic model, the mass transfer coefficient of iron in the present experimental condition was calculated to be k M = 1.2 × 10-5 m/s, which was similar to the results derived by Giorgi et al. under industrial practice conditions. A dissolution of iron occurred even when the initial iron content in the zinc bath was greater than the solubility limit, which was explained by the interfacial thermodynamics in conjunction with the morphology of the surface coating layer. By analyzing the diffraction patterns using TEM, the outermost dendritic-structured coating layer was confirmed as FeZn13 ( ζ). In order to satisfy the local equilibrium based on the Gibbs-Thomson equation, iron in the dendrite-structured phase spontaneously dissolved into the zinc bath, resulting in the enrichment of iron in front of the dendrite tip. Through the diffusion boundary layer in front of the dendritic-structured layer, dissolved Fe atoms diffused out and reacted with Zn and small amounts of Al, resulting in the formation of dross particles such as FeZn10Al x ( δ). It was experimentally confirmed that the smaller the difference between the initial iron content in the zinc bath and the iron solubility limit at a given temperature, the lower the number of formed dross particles.

The oil-dispersion bath in anthroposophic medicine – an integrative review

PubMed Central

Büssing, Arndt; Cysarz, Dirk; Edelhäuser, Friedrich; Bornhöft, Gudrun; Matthiessen, Peter F; Ostermann, Thomas

2008-01-01

Background Anthroposophic medicine offers a variety of treatments, among others the oil-dispersion bath, developed in the 1930s by Werner Junge. Based on the phenomenon that oil and water do not mix and on recommendations of Rudolf Steiner, Junge developed a vortex mechanism which churns water and essential oils into a fine mist. The oil-covered droplets empty into a tub, where the patient immerses for 15–30 minutes. We review the current literature on oil-dispersion baths. Methods The following databases were searched: Medline, Pubmed, Embase, AMED and CAMbase. The search terms were 'oil-dispersion bath' and 'oil bath', and their translations in German and French. An Internet search was also performed using Google Scholar, adding the search terms 'study' and 'case report' to the search terms above. Finally, we asked several experts for gray literature not listed in the above-mentioned databases. We included only articles which met the criterion of a clinical study or case report, and excluded theoretical contributions. Results Among several articles found in books, journals and other publications, we identified 1 prospective clinical study, 3 experimental studies (enrolling healthy individuals), 5 case reports, and 3 field-reports. In almost all cases, the studies described beneficial effects – although the methodological quality of most studies was weak. Main indications were internal/metabolic diseases and psychiatric/neurological disorders. Conclusion Beyond the obvious beneficial effects of warm bathes on the subjective well-being, it remains to be clarified what the unique contribution of the distinct essential oils dispersed in the water can be. There is a lack of clinical studies exploring the efficacy of oil-dispersion baths. Such studies are recommended for the future. PMID:19055811

Effect of Dispersion Method on Stability and Dielectric Strength of Transformer Oil-Based TiO2 Nanofluids.

PubMed

Lv, Yu-Zhen; Li, Chao; Sun, Qian; Huang, Meng; Li, Cheng-Rong; Qi, Bo

2016-12-01

Dispersion stability of nanoparticles in the liquid media is of great importance to the utilization in practice. This study aims to investigate the effects of mechanical dispersion method on the dispersibility of functionalized TiO 2 nanoparticles in the transformer oil. Dispersion methods, including stirring, ultrasonic bath, and probe processes, were systematically tested to verify their versatility for preparing stable nanofluid. The test results reveal that the combination of ultrasonic bath process and stirring method has the best dispersion efficiency and the obtained nanofluid possesses the highest AC breakdown strength. Specifically, after aging for 168 h, the size of nanoparticles in the nanofluid prepared by the combination method has no obvious change, while those obtained by the other three paths are increased obviously.

Synthesis and Thermodynamic Stability of Ba2B‧B″O6 and Ba3B*B″2O9 Perovskites Using the Molten Salt Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, Wei; Virkar, Anil V.

1999-12-01

A number of mixed perovskites of the types Ba2B‧B″O6 (BaB‧1/2B″1/2O3) and Ba3B*B″2O9 (BaB*1/3B″2/3O3) where B‧=Gd, La, Nd, Sm, or Y; B″=Nb and B*=Ca were synthesized by a conventional calcination process, as well as by the molten salt method. The former consists of calcining appropriate mixtures of oxide or carbonate precursors in air at elevated temperatures (∼1250°C). The latter method consists of adding appropriate mixtures of oxide or carbonate precursors to a molten salt bath at relatively low temperatures (on the order of 300 to 500°C) so that the requisite compound is formed by dissolution-reprecipitation. X-ray diffraction confirmed the formation of a single-phase perovskite in each case with calcination at 1250°C. In a molten salt bath, however, all except Ba2LaNbO6 and Ba2NdNbO6 formed the perovskite structure. On the contrary, powders of Ba2LaNbO6 and Ba2NdNbO6 formed by a high-temperature calcination process readily decomposed when introduced into the molten salt bath. The formation of the requisite perovskite at a temperature as low as 350°C in a molten salt suggests that: (a) The perovskite is stable at 350°C. (b) The molten salt exhibits sufficient precursor solubility for the dissolution-reprecipitation process to occur in a reasonable time. Similarly, the decomposition of Ba2LaNbO6 and Ba2NdNbO6 in a molten salt bath shows that these materials are thermodynamically unstable at the temperature of the molten salt bath.

Creation of quantum steering by interaction with a common bath

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Zhe; Xu, Xiao-Qiang; Liu, Bo

2018-05-01

By applying the hierarchy equation method, we computationally study the creation of quantum steering in a two-qubit system interacting with a common bosonic bath. The calculation does not adopt conventional approximate approaches, such as the Born, Markov, rotating-wave, and other perturbative approximations. Three kinds of quantum steering, i.e., Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen steering (EPRS), temporal steering (TS), and spatiotemporal steering (STS), are considered. Since the initial state of the two qubits is chosen as a product state, there does not exist EPRS at the beginning. During the evolution, we find that STS as well as EPRS are generated at the same time. An inversion relationship between STS and TS is revealed. By varying the system-bath coupling strength from weak to ultrastrong regimes, we find the nonmonotonic dependence of STS, TS, and EPRS on the coupling strength. It is interesting to study the dynamics of the three kinds of quantum steering by using an exactly numerical method, which is not considered in previous researches.

ELECTROLYTIC CLADDING OF ZIRCONIUM ON URANIUM

DOEpatents

Wick, J.J.

1959-09-22

A method is presented for coating uranium with zircoalum by rendering the uranium surface smooth and oxidefree, immersing it in a molten electrolytic bath in NaCI, K/sub 2/ZrF/sub 6/, KF, and ZrO/sub 2/, and before the article reaches temperature equilibrium with the bath, applying an electrolyzing current of 60 amperes per square dectmeter at approximately 3 volts to form a layer of zirconium metal on the uranium.

Band alignment and optical response of facile grown NiO/ZnO nano-heterojunctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sultan, Muhammad; Mumtaz, Sundas; Ali, Asad; Khan, Muhammad Yaqoob; Iqbal, Tahir

2017-12-01

ZnO nanorods decorated by NiO nanostructures were fabricated using facile chemical route. The nanorods of ZnO were prepared by using chemical bath deposition technique and subsequently decorated by NiO using sol-gel spin coating. The density and orientation of the ZnO nanorods was controlled through the seed layer with preferential growth along c-axis and hexagonal face. X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) analysis was used to confirm stoichiometry of the materials and band alignment study of the heterostructures. Type-II band alignment was observed from the experimental results. The IV characteristics of the device depicting rectifying behavior at different temperatures were observed with photocurrent generation in response to light excitation. The electrical properties reported in this study are in line with earlier work where heterojunctions were fabricated by physical deposition techniques.

Gum and deposit formation from jet turbine and diesel fuels

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

Mayo, F.R.; Lan, B.Y.

1983-09-01

The present paper describes measurements of rates of oxidation and soluble gum formation in both pure hydrocarbons and in mixed hydrocarbon fuels. Some patterns which appear can be explained on the basis of what is known about co-oxidation of hydrocarbon mixtures. The oxidations were conducted in an oil bath at 130/sup 0/C. Gum formation is closely associated with oxidation. The compounds that copolymerize with oxygen to produce polyperoxides require the least amount of oxygen to yield a mg of gum; among other pure hydrocarbons and fuels, the rates of gum formation and oxygen absorption decrease together. The most useful approachmore » to understanding and reducing gum and deposit formation will come through understanding the effects of condensed aromatic and heterocyclic compounds on the oxidation rates of fuels. 4 figures. 4 tables.« less

Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O and Pb-Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O superconductor films via an electrodeposition process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maxfield, M.; Eckhardt, H.; Iqbal, Z.; Reidinger, F.; Baughman, R. H.

1989-05-01

A novel electrochemical process has been developed for the formation of superconducting films. Using this process, superconducting films of Bi2Sr2Ca1Cu2O8 and (Pb,Bi)2Sr2Ca1Cu2O8 have been formed. The process consists of simultaneously depositing the metallic constituents of the superconductor from a single electrolyte, and thermally oxidizing the resulting precursors film to form the superconducting phase. Application of -4 to -5 V vs Ag/Ag(+) to a conductive cathode substrate which is immersed in an electrolyte containing salts of all of the metals reduces the metal cations, causing then to deposit on the cathode as a metallic film precursor. Precursor films having desired stoichiometries were obtained by regulating the electrolyte bath composition.

Morphological and structural studies of CBD-CdS thin films by microscopy and diffraction techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez, M. A.; Guillén, C.; Herrero, J.

1998-10-01

The influence of cadmium salt and thiourea concentrations on the morphological and structural properties of chemical bath-deposited CdS thin films has been investigated. Two different feature regimes have been distinguished: an inner continuous layer grown directly on the glass and independent on the deposition conditions, and other porous overlayer, more dependent on the chemical concentrations. Root mean square, RMS, and average roughnesses, Ra, as quantified by AFM, are about 10-13 nm and 7-11 nm, respectively, for all CdS samples tested. These films are sulphur-poor, decreasing S/Cd atomic ratio from 0.82 at low cadmium salt, 1 mM, and high thiourea concentrations, 100 mM, down to 0.76 at higher [Cd 2+], 5 mM, and lower [TU], 10 mM.

Reducing interface recombination for Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} by atomic layer deposited buffer layers

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

Hultqvist, Adam; Bent, Stacey F.; Li, Jian V.

2015-07-20

Partial CuInGaSe{sub 2} (CIGS) solar cell stacks with different atomic layer deposited buffer layers and pretreatments were analyzed by photoluminescence (PL) and capacitance voltage (CV) measurements to investigate the buffer layer/CIGS interface. Atomic layer deposited ZnS, ZnO, and SnO{sub x} buffer layers were compared with chemical bath deposited CdS buffer layers. Band bending, charge density, and interface state density were extracted from the CV measurement using an analysis technique new to CIGS. The surface recombination velocity calculated from the density of interface traps for a ZnS/CIGS stack shows a remarkably low value of 810 cm/s, approaching the range of single crystallinemore » II–VI systems. Both the PL spectra and its lifetime depend on the buffer layer; thus, these measurements are not only sensitive to the absorber but also to the absorber/buffer layer system. Pretreatment of the CIGS prior to the buffer layer deposition plays a significant role on the electrical properties for the same buffer layer/CIGS stack, further illuminating the importance of good interface formation. Finally, ZnS is found to be the best performing buffer layer in this study, especially if the CIGS surface is pretreated with potassium cyanide.« less

Reducing interface recombination for Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 by atomic layer deposited buffer layers

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

Hultqvist, Adam; Li, Jian V.; Kuciauskas, Darius

2015-07-20

Partial CuInGaSe2 (CIGS) solar cell stacks with different atomic layer deposited buffer layers and pretreatments were analyzed by photoluminescence (PL) and capacitance voltage (CV) measurements to investigate the buffer layer/CIGS interface. Atomic layer deposited ZnS, ZnO, and SnOx buffer layers were compared with chemical bath deposited CdS buffer layers. Band bending, charge density, and interface state density were extracted from the CV measurement using an analysis technique new to CIGS. The surface recombination velocity calculated from the density of interface traps for a ZnS/CIGS stack shows a remarkably low value of 810 cm/s, approaching the range of single crystalline II-VImore » systems. Both the PL spectra and its lifetime depend on the buffer layer; thus, these measurements are not only sensitive to the absorber but also to the absorber/buffer layer system. Pretreatment of the CIGS prior to the buffer layer deposition plays a significant role on the electrical properties for the same buffer layer/CIGS stack, further illuminating the importance of good interface formation. Finally, ZnS is found to be the best performing buffer layer in this study, especially if the CIGS surface is pretreated with potassium cyanide.« less

Reducing interface recombination for Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 by atomic layer deposited buffer layers

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

Hultqvist, Adam; Li, Jian V.; Kuciauskas, Darius

2015-07-20

Partial CuInGaSe2 (CIGS) solar cell stacks with different atomic layer deposited buffer layers and pretreatments were analyzed by photoluminescence (PL) and capacitance voltage (CV) measurements to investigate the buffer layer/CIGS interface. Atomic layer deposited ZnS, ZnO, and SnOx buffer layers were compared with chemical bath deposited CdS buffer layers. Band bending, charge density, and interface state density were extracted from the CV measurement using an analysis technique new to CIGS. The surface recombination velocity calculated from the density of interface traps for a ZnS/CIGS stack shows a remarkably low value of 810 cm/s, approaching the range of single crystalline II–VImore » systems. Both the PL spectra and its lifetime depend on the buffer layer; thus, these measurements are not only sensitive to the absorber but also to the absorber/buffer layer system. Pretreatment of the CIGS prior to the buffer layer deposition plays a significant role on the electrical properties for the same buffer layer/CIGS stack, further illuminating the importance of good interface formation. Finally, ZnS is found to be the best performing buffer layer in this study, especially if the CIGS surface is pretreated with potassium cyanide.« less

Structure, apatite inducing ability, and corrosion behavior of chitosan/halloysite nanotube coatings prepared by electrophoretic deposition on titanium substrate.

PubMed

Molaei, A; Amadeh, A; Yari, M; Reza Afshar, M

2016-02-01

In this study chitosan/halloysite nanotube composite (CS/HNT) coatings were deposited by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) on titanium substrate. Using HNT particles were investigated as new substituents for carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in chitosan matrix coatings. The ability of chitosan as a stabilizing, charging, and blending agent for HNT particles was exploited. Furthermore, the effects of pH, electrophoretic bath, and sonicating duration were studied on the deposition of suspensions containing HNT particles. Microstructure properties of coatings showed uniform distribution of HNT particles in chitosan matrix to form smooth nanocomposite coatings. The zeta potential results revealed that at pH around 3 there is an isoelectric point for HNT and it would have cathodic and anionic states at pH values less and more than 3, respectively. Therefore, CS/HNT composite deposits were produced in the pH range of 2.5 to 3. The apatite inducing ability of chitosan-HNT composite coating assigned that HNT particles were biocompatible because they formed carbonated hydroxyapatite particles on CS/HNT coating in corrected simulated body fluid (C-SBF). Finally, electrochemical corrosion characterizations determined that corrosion resistance in CS/HNT coating has been improved compared to bare titanium substrate. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrodeposition and Characterization of Mn-Cu-Zn Alloys for Corrosion Protection Coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsurtsumia, Gigla; Gogoli, David; Koiava, Nana; Kakhniashvili, Izolda; Jokhadze, Nunu; Lezhava, Tinatin; Nioradze, Nikoloz; Tatishvili, Dimitri

2017-12-01

Mn-Cu-Zn alloys were electrodeposited from sulphate bath, containing citrate or EDTA and their mixtures as complexing ligands. The influence of bath composition and deposition parameters on alloys composition, cathodic current efficiency and structural and electrochemical properties were studied. At a higher current density (≥ 37.5 A dm-2) a uniform surface deposit of Mn-Cu-Zn was obtained. Optimal pH of electrolyte (0.3 mol/dm3Mn2+ + 0.6 mol/dm3 (NH4)2SO4 +0.1 mol/dm3Zn2++0.005 mol/dm3 Cu2++ 0.05mol/dm3Na3Cit + 0.15mol/dm3 EDTA; t=300C; τ=20 min) for silvery, nonporous coating of Mn-Cu-Zn alloy was within 6.5-7.5; coating composition: 71-83% Mn, 6-7.8% Cu, 11.5-20% Zn, current efficiency up to 40%. XRD patterns revealed BCT (body centred tetragonal) γ-Mn solid phase solution (lattice constants a=2.68 Å c=3.59 Å). Corrosion measurements of deposited alloys were performed in aerated 3.5% NaCl solution. The corrosion current density (icorr) of the electrodeposited alloys on carbon steel was 10 times lower than corrosion rate of pure zinc and manganese coatings. Triple alloy coatings corrosion potential (Ecorr = -1140 mV vs. Ag/AgCl) preserved negative potential value longer (more than three months) compared to carbon steel substrate (Ecorr = -670 mV vs. Ag/AgCl). Tafel polarization curves taken on Mn-Cu-Zn alloy coating in aerated 3.5% NaCl solution did not show a typical passivation behaviour which can be explained by formation oflow solubility of adherent corrosion products on the alloy surface. Corrosion test of Mn-Cu-Zn electrocoating in chlorine environment shows that it is the best cathodic protective coating for a steel product.

Habitual hot-spring bathing by a group of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) in their natural habitat.

PubMed

Zhang, Peng; Watanabe, Kunio; Eishi, Tokida

2007-12-01

Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) in a free-ranging group in Jigokudani valley, Nagano prefecture, are known to bathe in a hot spring. We used scan sampling in a study aimed at elucidating the causal factors and possible social transmission of this behavior. From 1980-2003, 31% of a total 114 females in the group habitually bathed in the hot spring. The habit was more widespread in dominant matrilines than in subordinate matrilines. Infants whose mothers bathed were more likely to bathe than infants of mothers who did not bathe. The number of monkeys bathing was clearly influenced by ambient air temperature. More monkeys bathed in the hot spring in winter than in summer. The results support the thermoregulation hypothesis of hot-spring bathing. Bathing behavior varies among age and sex categories of monkeys, with adult females and juveniles bathing more often than adult males and subadults. We compared hot-spring bathing with other thermoregulatory behaviors in various primate populations. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A new capillary electrophoresis buffer for determining organic and inorganic anions in electroplating bath with surfactant additives.

PubMed

Sun, H; Lau, K M; Fung, Y S

2010-05-07

Monitoring of trace impurities in electroplating bath is needed to meet EU requirements for WEEE and RoHS and for quality control of electrodeposits. Methods using IC and 100% aqueous CE buffer were found producing non-repeatable results attributed to interference of surfactants and major methanesulphonate anion. A new CE buffer containing 1.5mM tetraethylenepentaamine, 3mM 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid and 15 mM Tris in 20% (v/v) methanol at pH=8.4 was shown to enhance the separation window, reduce interaction between buffer and bath constituents, and give satisfactory repeatability with baseline separation for 14 organic and inorganic anions within 14 min, good repeatability for migration time (0.32-0.57% RSD), satisfactory peak area and peak height (2.9-4.5 and 3-4.7% respectively), low detection limit (S/N=2, 20-150 ppb), and wide working ranges (0.1-100 ppm). The CE buffer with 20% (v/v) methanol has demonstrated its capability for identifying anion impurities causing problem in aged tin bath and the use of only 10-fold dilution to produce reliable results for quality assessment in plating bath containing high surfactant additives. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin after oral, intramuscular and bath administration in crucian carp (Carassius auratus gibelio).

PubMed

Shan, Q; Fan, J; Wang, J; Zhu, X; Yin, Y; Zheng, G

2018-02-01

The pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin (ENR) was studied in crucian carp (Carassius auratus gibelio) after single administration by intramuscular (IM) injection and oral gavage (PO) at a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight and by 5 mg/L bath for 5 hr at 25°C. The plasma concentrations of ENR and ciprofloxacin (CIP) were determined by HPLC. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated based on mean ENR or CIP concentrations using WinNonlin 6.1 software. After IM, PO and bath administration, the maximum plasma concentration (C max ) of 2.29, 3.24 and 0.36 μg/ml was obtained at 4.08, 0.68 and 0 hr, respectively; the elimination half-life (T 1/2β ) was 80.95, 62.17 and 61.15 hr, respectively; the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) values were 223.46, 162.72 and 14.91 μg hr/ml, respectively. CIP, an active metabolite of enrofloxacin, was detected and measured after all methods of drug administration except bath. It is possible and practical to obtain therapeutic blood concentrations of enrofloxacin in the crucian carp using IM, PO and bath immersion administration. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Using galvanostatic electroforming of Bi 1–xSb x nanowires to control composition, crystallinity, and orientation

DOE PAGES

Limmer, Steven J.; Medlin, Douglas L.; Siegal, Michael P.; ...

2014-12-03

When using galvanostatic pulse deposition, we studied the factors influencing the quality of electroformed Bi 1–xSb x nanowires with respect to composition, crystallinity, and preferred orientation for high thermoelectric performance. Two nonaqueous baths with different Sb salts were investigated. The Sb salts used played a major role in both crystalline quality and preferred orientations. Nanowire arrays electroformed using an SbI 3 -based chemistry were polycrystalline with no preferred orientation, whereas arrays electroformed from an SbCl 3-based chemistry were strongly crystallographically textured with the desired trigonal orientation for optimal thermoelectric performance. From the SbCl 3 bath, the electroformed nanowire arraysmore » were optimized to have nanocompositional uniformity, with a nearly constant composition along the nanowire length. Moreover, nanowires harvested from the center of the array had an average composition of Bi 0.75 Sb 0.25. However, the nanowire compositions were slightly enriched in Sb in a small region near the edges of the array, with the composition approaching Bi 0.70Sb 0.30.« less

Fabrication and investigation of the optoelectrical properties of MoS2/CdS heterojunction solar cells

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)/cadmium sulfide (CdS) heterojunction solar cells were successfully synthesized via chemical bath deposition (CBD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The as-grown CdS film on a fluorine tin oxide (FTO) substrate deposited by CBD is continuous and compact. The MoS2 film deposited by CVD is homogeneous and continuous, with a uniform color and a thickness of approximately 10 nm. The optical absorption range of the MoS2/CdS heterojunction covers the visible and near-infrared spectral regions of 350 to 800 nm, which is beneficial for the improvement of solar cell efficiency. Moreover, the MoS2/CdS solar cell exhibits good current-voltage (I-V) characteristics and pronounced photovoltaic behavior, with an open-circuit voltage of 0.66 V and a short-circuit current density of 0.227 × 10-6 A/cm2, comparable to the results obtained from other MoS2-based solar cells. This research is critical to investigate more efficient and stable solar cells based on graphene-like materials in the future. PMID:25593552

The availability and depiction of synthetic cathinones (bath salts) on the Internet: Do online suppliers employ features to maximize purchases?

PubMed

Meyers, Kathleen; Kaynak, Övgü; Bresani, Elena; Curtis, Brenda; McNamara, Ashley; Brownfield, Kristine; Kirby, Kimberly C

2015-07-01

"Bath salts", a derivative of cathinone, a naturally occurring beta-ketone amphetamine analogue found in the leaves of the khat (Catha edulis) plant, is a potent class of designer drugs associated with significant medical and psychiatric consequences. They are commonly used among 20-29 year olds, a group with easy access to the Internet and an inclination to purchase online. Therefore, the Internet has the potential to play a significant role in the distribution and associated consequences of these "legal highs". Google searches were used to determine bath salts availability on retail websites and how different search terms affected the proportion of retail websites obtained. Retail websites were reviewed by two independent raters who examined content with a focus on characteristics that increase the likelihood of online sales. Of the 250 websites found, 31 were unique retail websites. Most retail website hits resulted when a product name was used as the search term. The top three countries hosting retail websites were registered in the United States (n=14; 45%), Germany (n=7; 23%), and the United Kingdom (n=3; 10%). These online drug suppliers provided considerable information and purchasing choice about a variety of synthetic cathinones, legitimized their sites by using recognizable images, online chat features, and mainstream payment and shipping methods, and employed characteristics that promote online purchases. Online designer drug suppliers use sophisticated methods to market unregulated products to consumers. The international community has taken diverse approaches to address designer drugs: legislative bans, harm reduction approaches, an interim regulated legal market. Multifaceted efforts that target bath salt users, suppliers, and emergency/poison control entities are critical to comprehensively address bath salt ingestion and its consequences. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Experimental implementation of heat-bath algorithmic cooling using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance.

PubMed

Baugh, J; Moussa, O; Ryan, C A; Nayak, A; Laflamme, R

2005-11-24

The counter-intuitive properties of quantum mechanics have the potential to revolutionize information processing by enabling the development of efficient algorithms with no known classical counterparts. Harnessing this power requires the development of a set of building blocks, one of which is a method to initialize the set of quantum bits (qubits) to a known state. Additionally, fresh ancillary qubits must be available during the course of computation to achieve fault tolerance. In any physical system used to implement quantum computation, one must therefore be able to selectively and dynamically remove entropy from the part of the system that is to be mapped to qubits. One such method is an 'open-system' cooling protocol in which a subset of qubits can be brought into contact with an external system of large heat capacity. Theoretical efforts have led to an implementation-independent cooling procedure, namely heat-bath algorithmic cooling. These efforts have culminated with the proposal of an optimal algorithm, the partner-pairing algorithm, which was used to compute the physical limits of heat-bath algorithmic cooling. Here we report the experimental realization of multi-step cooling of a quantum system via heat-bath algorithmic cooling. The experiment was carried out using nuclear magnetic resonance of a solid-state ensemble three-qubit system. We demonstrate the repeated repolarization of a particular qubit to an effective spin-bath temperature, and alternating logical operations within the three-qubit subspace to ultimately cool a second qubit below this temperature. Demonstration of the control necessary for these operations represents an important step forward in the manipulation of solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance qubits.

The Copper Sulfide Coating on Polyacrylonitrile with Chelating Agents by an Electroless Deposition Method and its EMI Shielding Effectiveness

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

Roan, M.-L.; Chen, Y.-H.; Huang, C.-Y.

2008-08-28

In this study, a variety of concentrations of chelating agents were added to obtain the anchoring effect and chelating effect in the electroless plating bath. The mechanism of the Cu{sub x(x=1,2)}S growth and the electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) of the composite were studied. It was found that the vinyl acetate residued in PAN substrate would be purged due to the swelling effect by chelating agents solution. And then, the anchoring effect occurred due to the hydrogen bonding between the pits of PAN substrate and the chelating agent. Consequently, the copper sulfide layer deposited by the electroless plating reactionmore » with EDTA and TEA. The swelling degree (S{sub d}) was proposed and evaluated from the FT-IR spectra. The relationship between swelling degree of the PAN films and EDTA (C) is expressed as: S{sub d} = 0.13+0.90xe and (-15.15C). And TEA series is expressed as: S{sub d} = 0.07+1.00xe and (-15.15C). On the other hand, the FESEM micrograph showed that the average thickness of copper sulfide increased from 76 nm to 383 nm when the concentration of EDTA increased from 0.00M to 0.20M. Consequently, the EMI SE of the composites increased from 10{approx}12 dB to 25{approx}27 dB. The GIA-XRD analyze indicated that the deposited layer consisted of CuS and Cu{sub 2}S.« less

Effect of neutral red incorporation on Al-doped ZnO thin films and its bio-electrochemical interaction with NAD+/NADP+ dependent enzymes.

PubMed

V T, Fidal; T S, Chandra

2018-09-01

A new approach to deposition of electroactive ZnO thin films have been carried out, by one-pot chemical bath deposition with Al dopant and incorporation of neutral red as organic mediator. The morphological, structural and functional characterization of the neutral red incorporated, Al-doped ZnO (NR-AZO) film was carried out using electron microscopy, FTIR, XRD and EIS respectively. The incorporated neutral red was found to induce strain in the crystal of AZO proportional to the concentration used in depositing solution which further affected the charge transfer resistance of the films in solution. One mM neutral red was found to be the optimum concentration for both conductivity and response to NADH/NADPH. The response of the films was further validated by immobilizing NAD + dependent alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and NADP + dependent glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) independently. The ADH/NR-AZO showed a sensitivity of 3.2 μA cm -2  mM -1 with a LoD of 1.7 μM of ethanol in the range 5.6 μM-7 mM, whereas GDH/NR-AZO showed a sensitivity of 4.33 μA cm -2  mM -1 with a LoD of 27 μM of glucose in the range 90 μM-4 mM. This method serves as a simple alternative to immobilize the organic redox dyes into the inorganic thin films in a single step making it electroactive towards specific biomolecules. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

How Can We Best Assess the Quality of Life of People with Dementia? The Bath Assessment of Subjective Quality of Life in Dementia (BASQID)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trigg, Richard; Skevington, Suzanne M.; Jones, Roy W.

2007-01-01

Purpose: The study aim was to develop a measure of self-reported quality of life (QoL) for people with mild to moderate dementia based on their views--the Bath Assessment of Subjective Quality of Life in Dementia (BASQID). Design and Methods: We developed the measure through multiple stages. Two field tests of the measure (ns = 60 and 150)…

Cavitation Enhancing Nanodroplets Mediate Efficient DNA Fragmentation in a Bench Top Ultrasonic Water Bath

PubMed Central

Malc, Ewa P.; Jayakody, Chatura N.; Tsuruta, James K.; Mieczkowski, Piotr A.; Janzen, William P.; Dayton, Paul A.

2015-01-01

A perfluorocarbon nanodroplet formulation is shown to be an effective cavitation enhancement agent, enabling rapid and consistent fragmentation of genomic DNA in a standard ultrasonic water bath. This nanodroplet-enhanced method produces genomic DNA libraries and next-generation sequencing results indistinguishable from DNA samples fragmented in dedicated commercial acoustic sonication equipment, and with higher throughput. This technique thus enables widespread access to fast bench-top genomic DNA fragmentation. PMID:26186461

METHOD OF PROTECTIVELY COATING URANIUM

DOEpatents

Eubank, L.D.; Boller, E.R.

1959-02-01

A method is described for protectively coating uranium with zine comprising cleaning the U for coating by pickling in concentrated HNO/sub 3/, dipping the cleaned U into a bath of molten zinc between 430 to 600 C and containing less than 0 01% each of Fe and Pb, and withdrawing and cooling to solidify the coating. The zinccoated uranium may be given a; econd coating with another metal niore resistant to the corrosive influences particularly concerned. A coating of Pb containing small proportions of Ag or Sn, or Al containing small proportions of Si may be applied over the zinc coatings by dipping in molten baths of these metals.

Parametrizing linear generalized Langevin dynamics from explicit molecular dynamics simulations

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

Gottwald, Fabian; Karsten, Sven; Ivanov, Sergei D., E-mail: sergei.ivanov@uni-rostock.de

2015-06-28

Fundamental understanding of complex dynamics in many-particle systems on the atomistic level is of utmost importance. Often the systems of interest are of macroscopic size but can be partitioned into a few important degrees of freedom which are treated most accurately and others which constitute a thermal bath. Particular attention in this respect attracts the linear generalized Langevin equation, which can be rigorously derived by means of a linear projection technique. Within this framework, a complicated interaction with the bath can be reduced to a single memory kernel. This memory kernel in turn is parametrized for a particular system studied,more » usually by means of time-domain methods based on explicit molecular dynamics data. Here, we discuss that this task is more naturally achieved in frequency domain and develop a Fourier-based parametrization method that outperforms its time-domain analogues. Very surprisingly, the widely used rigid bond method turns out to be inappropriate in general. Importantly, we show that the rigid bond approach leads to a systematic overestimation of relaxation times, unless the system under study consists of a harmonic bath bi-linearly coupled to the relevant degrees of freedom.« less

Ergodicity of the Stochastic Nosé-Hoover Heat Bath

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei Chung Lo,; Baowen Li,

2010-07-01

We numerically study the ergodicity of the stochastic Nosé-Hoover heat bath whose formalism is based on the Markovian approximation for the Nosé-Hoover equation [J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 77 (2008) 103001]. The approximation leads to a Langevin-like equation driven by a fluctuating dissipative force and multiplicative Gaussian white noise. The steady state solution of the associated Fokker-Planck equation is the canonical distribution. We investigate the dynamics of this method for the case of (i) free particle, (ii) nonlinear oscillators and (iii) lattice chains. We derive the Fokker-Planck equation for the free particle and present approximate analytical solution for the stationary distribution in the context of the Markovian approximation. Numerical simulation results for nonlinear oscillators show that this method results in a Gaussian distribution for the particles velocity. We also employ the method as heat baths to study nonequilibrium heat flow in one-dimensional Fermi-Pasta-Ulam (FPU-β) and Frenkel-Kontorova (FK) lattices. The establishment of well-defined temperature profiles are observed only when the lattice size is large. Our results provide numerical justification for such Markovian approximation for classical single- and many-body systems.

Equilibrium stochastic dynamics of a Brownian particle in inhomogeneous space: Derivation of an alternative model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharyay, A.

2018-03-01

An alternative equilibrium stochastic dynamics for a Brownian particle in inhomogeneous space is derived. Such a dynamics can model the motion of a complex molecule in its conformation space when in equilibrium with a uniform heat bath. The derivation is done by a simple generalization of the formulation due to Zwanzig for a Brownian particle in homogeneous heat bath. We show that, if the system couples to different number of bath degrees of freedom at different conformations then the alternative model gets derived. We discuss results of an experiment by Faucheux and Libchaber which probably has indicated possible limitation of the Boltzmann distribution as equilibrium distribution of a Brownian particle in inhomogeneous space and propose experimental verification of the present theory using similar methods.

Enhanced electrochemical performance of monoclinic WO3 thin film with redox additive aqueous electrolyte.

PubMed

Shinde, Pragati A; Lokhande, Vaibhav C; Chodankar, Nilesh R; Ji, Taeksoo; Kim, Jin Hyeok; Lokhande, Chandrakant D

2016-12-01

To achieve the highest electrochemical performance for supercapacitor, it is very essential to find out a suitable pair of an active electrode material and an electrolyte. In the present work, a simple approach is employed to enhance the supercapacitor performance of WO3 thin film. The WO3 thin film is prepared by a simple and cost effective chemical bath deposition method and its electrochemical performance is tested in conventional (H2SO4) and redox additive [H2SO4+hydroquinone (HQ)] electrolytes. Two-fold increment in electrochemical performance for WO3 thin film is observed in redox additive aqueous electrolyte compared to conventional electrolyte. WO3 thin film showed maximum specific capacitance of 725Fg(-1), energy density of 25.18Whkg(-1) at current density of 7mAcm(-2) with better cycling stability in redox electrolyte. This strategy provides the versatile way for designing the high performance energy storage devices. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High-current-density electrodeposition using pulsed and constant currents to produce thick CoPt magnetic films on silicon substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ewing, Jacob; Wang, Yuzheng; Arnold, David P.

2018-05-01

This paper investigates methods for electroplating thick (>20 μm), high-coercivity CoPt films using high current densities (up to 1 A/cm2) and elevated bath temperatures (70 °C). Correlations are made tying current-density and temperature process parameters with plating rate, elemental ratio and magnetic properties of the deposited CoPt films. It also investigates how pulsed currents can increase the plating rate and film to substrate adhesion. Using 500 mA/cm2 and constant current, high-quality, dense CoPt films were successfully electroplated up to 20 μm thick in 1 hr on silicon substrates (0.35 μm/min plating rate). After standard thermal treatment (675°C, 30 min) to achieve the ordered L10 crystalline phase, strong magnetic properties were measured: coercivities up 850 kA/m, remanences >0.5 T, and maximum energy products up to 46 kJ/m3.

Feasibility demonstration for electroplating ultra-thin polyimide film. [fabricating film for space erectable structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneier, R.; Braswell, T. V.; Vaughn, R. W.

1978-01-01

The effect of electrodeposition variables on film thickness was investigated using a dilute polyimide solution as a bath into which aluminum (as foil or as a vapor deposited coating) was immersed. The electrodeposited film was dried for 2 hours at 93 C (primarily to remove solvent) and cured for 18 hours at 186 C. Infrared studies indicate that imide formation (curing) occurs at 149 C under vacuum. From a conceptual viewpoint, satisfactory film metallized on one side can be obtained by this method. The cured ultra thin polyimide film exhibits properties equivalent to those of commercial film, and the surface appearance of the strippable polyimide film compares favorably with that of a sample of commercial film of thicker gauge. The feasibility of manufacturing approximately one million sq m of ultra thin film capable of being joined to fabricate an 800 m by 9 800 m square from starting material 0.5 to 1 m wide for space erectable structures was demonstrated.

Ink-jet printing technology enables self-aligned mould patterning for electroplating in a single step

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meissner, M. V.; Spengler, N.; Mager, D.; Wang, N.; Kiss, S. Z.; Höfflin, J.; While, P. T.; Korvink, J. G.

2015-06-01

We present a new self-aligned, mask-free micro-fabrication method with which to form thick-layered conductive metal micro-structures inside electroplating moulds. Seed layer patterning for electroplating was performed by ink-jet printing using a silver nano-particle ink deposited on SU-8 or Ordyl SY permanent resist. The silver ink contact angle on SU-8 was adjusted by oxygen plasma followed by a hard bake. Besides functioning as a seed layer, the printed structures further served as a shadow mask during patterning of electroplating moulds into negative photoresist. The printed silver tracks remained in strong adhesion to the substrate when exposed to the acidic chemistry of the electroplating bath. To demonstrate the process, we manufactured rectangular, low-resistivity planar micro-coils for use in magnetic resonance microscopy. MRI images of a spring onion with an in-plane resolution down to 10 µm × 10 µm were acquired using a micro-coil on an 11.7 T MRI scanner.

Assessing the sustainability of daily chlorhexidine bathing in the intensive care unit of a Veteran's Hospital by examining nurses' perspectives and experiences.

PubMed

Musuuza, Jackson S; Roberts, Tonya J; Carayon, Pascale; Safdar, Nasia

2017-01-14

Daily bathing with chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) of intensive care unit (ICU) patients has been shown to reduce healthcare-associated infections and colonization by multidrug resistant organisms. The objective of this project was to describe the process of daily CHG bathing and identify the barriers and facilitators that can influence its successful adoption and sustainability in an ICU of a Veterans Administration Hospital. We conducted 26 semi-structured interviews with a convenience sample of 4 nurse managers (NMs), 13 registered nurses (RNs) and 9 health care technicians (HCTs) working in the ICU. We used qualitative content analysis to code and analyze the data. Dedoose software was used to facilitate data management and coding. Trustworthiness and scientific integrity of the data were ensured by having two authors corroborate the coding process, conducting member checks and keeping an audit trail of all the decisions made. Duration of the interviews was 15 to 39 min (average = 26 min). Five steps of bathing were identified: 1) decision to give a bath; 2) ability to give a bath; 3) decision about which soap to use; 4) delegation of a bath; and 5) getting assistance to do a bath. The bathing process resulted in one of the following three outcomes: 1) complete bath; 2) interrupted bath; and 3) bath not done. The outcome was influenced by a combination of barriers and facilitators at each step. Most barriers were related to perceived workload, patient factors, and scheduling. Facilitators were mainly organizational factors such as the policy of daily CHG bathing, the consistent supply of CHG soap, and support such as reminders to conduct CHG baths by nurse managers. Patient bathing in ICUs is a complex process that can be hindered and interrupted by numerous factors. The decision to use CHG soap for bathing was only one of 5 steps of bathing and was largely influenced by scheduling/workload and patient factors such as clinical stability, hypersensitivity to CHG, patient refusal, presence of IV lines and general hygiene. Interventions that address the organizational, provider, and patient barriers to bathing could improve adherence to a daily CHG bathing protocol.

Variational mixed quantum/semiclassical simulation of dihalogen guest and rare-gas solid host dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Xiaolu; Cina, Jeffrey A.

2014-07-01

A variational mixed quantum-semiclassical theory for the internal nuclear dynamics of a small molecule and the induced small-amplitude coherent motion of a low-temperature host medium is developed, tested, and used to simulate the temporal evolution of nonstationary states of the internal molecular and surrounding medium degrees of freedom. In this theory, termed the Fixed Vibrational Basis/Gaussian Bath (FVB/GB) method, the system is treated fully quantum mechanically while Gaussian wave packets are used for the bath degrees of freedom. An approximate time-dependent wave function of the entire model is obtained instead of just a reduced system density matrix, so the theory enables the analysis of the entangled system and bath dynamics that ensues following initial displacement of the internal-molecular (system) coordinate from its equilibrium position. The norm- and energy-conserving properties of the propagation of our trial wave function are natural consequences of the Dirac-Frenkel-McLachlan variational principle. The variational approach also stabilizes the time evolution in comparison to the same ansatz propagated under a previously employed locally quadratic approximation to the bath potential and system-bath interaction terms in the bath-parameter equations of motion. Dynamics calculations are carried out for molecular iodine in a 2D krypton lattice that reveal both the time-course of vibrational decoherence and the details of host-atom motion accompanying energy dissipation and dephasing. This work sets the stage for the comprehensive simulation of ultrafast time-resolved optical experiments on small molecules in low-temperature solids.

Efficacy of reducing agent and surfactant contacting pattern on the performance characteristics of nickel electroless plating baths coupled with and without ultrasound.

PubMed

Agarwal, Amrita; Pujari, Murali; Uppaluri, Ramgopal; Verma, Anil

2014-07-01

This article addresses furthering the role of sonication for the optimal fabrication of nickel ceramic composite membranes using electroless plating. Deliberating upon process modifications for surfactant induced electroless plating (SIEP) and combined surfactant and sonication induced electroless plating (SSOEP), this article highlights a novel method of contacting of the reducing agent and surfactant to the conventional electroless nickel plating baths. Rigorous experimental investigations indicated that the combination of ultrasound (in degas mode), surfactant and reducing agent pattern had a profound influence in altering the combinatorial plating characteristics. For comparison purpose, purely surfactant induced nickel ELP baths have also been investigated. These novel insights consolidate newer research horizons for the role of ultrasound to achieve dense metal ceramic composite membranes in a shorter span of total plating time. Surface and physical characterizations were carried out using BET, FTIR, XRD, FESEM and nitrogen permeation experiments. It has been analyzed that the SSOEP baths provided maximum ratio of percent pore densification per unit metal film thickness (PPDδ) and hold the key for further fine tuning of the associated degrees of freedom. On the other hand SIEP baths provided lower (PPDδ) ratio but higher PPD. For SSOEP baths with dropwise reducing agent and bulk surfactant, the PPD and metal film thickness values were 73.4% and 8.4 μm which varied to 66.9% and 13.3 μm for dropwise reducing agent and drop surfactant case. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Using a Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety to Evaluate a Hospital-wide Daily Chlorhexidine Bathing Intervention.

PubMed

Caya, Teresa; Musuuza, Jackson; Yanke, Eric; Schmitz, Michelle; Anderson, Brooke; Carayon, Pascale; Safdar, Nasia

2015-01-01

We undertook a systems engineering approach to evaluate housewide implementation of daily chlorhexidine bathing. We performed direct observations of the bathing process and conducted provider and patient surveys. The main outcome was compliance with bathing using a checklist. Fifty-seven percent of baths had full compliance with the chlorhexidine bathing protocol. Additional time was the main barrier. Institutions undertaking daily chlorhexidine bathing should perform a rigorous assessment of implementation to optimize the benefits of this intervention.

Quantum dynamics of hydrogen atoms on graphene. I. System-bath modeling.

PubMed

Bonfanti, Matteo; Jackson, Bret; Hughes, Keith H; Burghardt, Irene; Martinazzo, Rocco

2015-09-28

An accurate system-bath model to investigate the quantum dynamics of hydrogen atoms chemisorbed on graphene is presented. The system comprises a hydrogen atom and the carbon atom from graphene that forms the covalent bond, and it is described by a previously developed 4D potential energy surface based on density functional theory ab initio data. The bath describes the rest of the carbon lattice and is obtained from an empirical force field through inversion of a classical equilibrium correlation function describing the hydrogen motion. By construction, model building easily accommodates improvements coming from the use of higher level electronic structure theory for the system. Further, it is well suited to a determination of the system-environment coupling by means of ab initio molecular dynamics. This paper details the system-bath modeling and shows its application to the quantum dynamics of vibrational relaxation of a chemisorbed hydrogen atom, which is here investigated at T = 0 K with the help of the multi-configuration time-dependent Hartree method. Paper II deals with the sticking dynamics.

Quantum dynamics of hydrogen atoms on graphene. I. System-bath modeling

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

Bonfanti, Matteo, E-mail: matteo.bonfanti@unimi.it; Jackson, Bret; Hughes, Keith H.

2015-09-28

An accurate system-bath model to investigate the quantum dynamics of hydrogen atoms chemisorbed on graphene is presented. The system comprises a hydrogen atom and the carbon atom from graphene that forms the covalent bond, and it is described by a previously developed 4D potential energy surface based on density functional theory ab initio data. The bath describes the rest of the carbon lattice and is obtained from an empirical force field through inversion of a classical equilibrium correlation function describing the hydrogen motion. By construction, model building easily accommodates improvements coming from the use of higher level electronic structure theorymore » for the system. Further, it is well suited to a determination of the system-environment coupling by means of ab initio molecular dynamics. This paper details the system-bath modeling and shows its application to the quantum dynamics of vibrational relaxation of a chemisorbed hydrogen atom, which is here investigated at T = 0 K with the help of the multi-configuration time-dependent Hartree method. Paper II deals with the sticking dynamics.« less

Simple and double emulsions via electrospray

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrero, Antonio; Loscertales, Ignacio G.

2005-11-01

Generation of nanoemulsions is of great interest in medical and pharmaceutical applications; drug delivery or antiviral emulsions are typical examples. The use of electrosprays for dispersing liquids inside liquid insulator baths have been recently reported, (Barrero et al. J. Colloid Interf. Sci. 272, 104, 2004). Capsules, nanotubes and coaxial nanofibers have been obtained from electrified coaxial jets (Loscertales et al. Science 295, n. 5560, 1695, 2002; J. American Chem. Soc. 126, 5376, 2004). Here we present a method for making double emulsions (both water-oil-water and o/w/o) based on the generation of compound electrosprays inside insulator liquid baths. Basically, a conducting liquid injected throughout a capillary needle is electroatomized in cone-jet mode inside a dielectric liquid bath. A third insulating liquid is injected inside the Taylor cone to form a second meniscus. Then, a steady coaxial jet, in which the insulating liquid is coated by the conducting one, develops. A double emulsion forms as a result of the jet breaking up into compound droplets electrically charged. Experimental results carried out with glycerine and different oils in a bath of heptane are reported.

Electro-chemical development of CuInGaSe2-based photovoltaic solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tolan, Gavin James

The aim of this work was to make low cost, high efficiency, graded bandgap, thin film CuInGaSe2 solar cells by electrodeposition, using novel device designs proposed by Dharmadasa et al. These new designs were first experimentally tested using well researched GaAs and AlxGa(1-x)As materials grown using MOCVD, these ideas were then transferred to electrodeposited CuInGaSe2.New designs of graded bandgap solar cells based on p-type window materials, using the well researched GaAs and AlxGa(1-x)As alloy system, have been experimentally tested. The size of the cell was gradually scaled up from 0.5 mm diameter (0.002 cm2) to 3x3 mm2 (0.090 cm2) and to 5x5 mm2 (0.250 cm2), these were then assessed using I-V and QE techniques. The devices showed Voc in the range of 1070-1175 mV, exceeding reported values, FF in the range 0.80-0.87, and Jsc in the range 11-12 mA cm-2. The reason for the low current density was believed to be due to the GaAs capping layer used in the device, which acted as a filter. To confirm this, a second set of devices was fabricated, replacing the GaAs cap with GaAlP, this increased the Jsc to 14 mA cm-2, Voc and FF remained the same.New PV device structures based on CuInGaSe2 starting from the front contact, instead of the conventional Mo back contact, have been grown by electrodeposition from aqueous solutions using a single bath. In order to investigate the effect of bath concentrations on the film properties, 3 different bath concentrations were used. PEC was used to determine the electrical conduction of these layers, and it was found that it was possible to grow p+, p, i, n, n+ layers by changing the deposition voltage. XRF was used to determine the stoichiometry of the corresponding layers, and XRD to investigate the bulk structure. The morphological properties were studied using AFM and SEM. A four-layer n-n-i-p solar cell structure was initially fabricated and I-V measurements were carried out to assess the devices. The devices were PV active with parameters Voc 235 mV, Jsc 22 mA cm-2, FF 0.38 and n 2.0%.Due to problems annealing CdS at high temperature and the difficulty of incorporating gallium into the layer, CuInSe2 cells with Mo as the substrate were deposited. To understand the mechanisms of film growth, detailed cyclic voltammetry was carried out, leading to the construction of a Pourbaix diagram for the Cu-In-Se system. Depositing the films at -0.476 V for 20 minutes, followed by 50 minutes at -0,576 mV gave the best quality films, with p-type electrical conduction. XRF and XRD were used to determine stoichiometry and structural properties respectively. A method to anneal the CuInSe2 layers without the use of H2Se was devised, and a detailed study using SEM to determine the effects of annealing time and temperature was carried out. Annealing the films at 550°C for 30 minutes gave the best results. I-V measurements were carried out using an electrolyte contact, the devices were photo active, (Voc 866 mV, Jsc 0.9 mA cm-2, FF 0.40).

[The use of white and yellow turpentine baths with diabetic patients].

PubMed

Davydova, O B; Turova, E A; Golovach, A V

1998-01-01

In patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus while and yellow turpentine baths produced a positive effect on carbohydrate metabolism. White baths were more effective in respect to lipid metabolism, blood viscosity, produced a good effect on plasmic hemocoagulation factors. Both while and yellow turpentine baths were beneficial for capillary blood flow: initially high distal blood flow in patients with prevailing distal polyneuropathy decreased while in patients with macroangiopathy initially subnormal blood flow increased. Both white and yellow turpentine baths promoted better pulse blood filling of the lower limbs and weaker peripheral resistance of large vessels. In patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus white and yellow turpentine baths contributed to normalization of carbohydrate metabolism. Yellow baths were more effective in lowering lipids. White baths induced inhibition of platelet aggregation but had no effect on coagulation, yellow baths promoted a reduction of fibrinogen but had no effect on platelet aggregation. Yellow baths produced more pronounced effect than white ones on blood viscosity and microcirculation. Both yellow and white baths stimulated pulse blood filling, corrected peripheral resistance of large and small vessels of the lower limbs.

Universal collisional activation ion trap mass spectrometry

DOEpatents

McLuckey, S.A.; Goeringer, D.E.; Glish, G.L.

1993-04-27

A universal collisional activation ion trap comprises an ion trapping means containing a bath gas and having connected thereto a noise signal generator. A method of operating a universal collisional activation ion trap comprises the steps of: providing an ion trapping means; introducing into the ion trapping means a bath gas; and, generating a noise signal within the ion trapping means; introducing into the ion trapping means a substance that, when acted upon by the noise signal, undergoes collisional activation to form product ions.

Universal collisional activation ion trap mass spectrometry

DOEpatents

McLuckey, Scott A.; Goeringer, Douglas E.; Glish, Gary L.

1993-01-01

A universal collisional activation ion trap comprises an ion trapping means containing a bath gas and having connected thereto a noise signal generator. A method of operating a universal collisional activation ion trap comprises the steps of: providing an ion trapping means; introducing into the ion trapping means a bath gas; and, generating a noise signal within the ion trapping means; introducing into the ion trapping means a substance that, when acted upon by the noise signal, undergoes collisional activation to form product ions.

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

Omkar, S.; Srikanth, R., E-mail: srik@poornaprajna.org; Banerjee, Subhashish

A protocol based on quantum error correction based characterization of quantum dynamics (QECCD) is developed for quantum process tomography on a two-qubit system interacting dissipatively with a vacuum bath. The method uses a 5-qubit quantum error correcting code that corrects arbitrary errors on the first two qubits, and also saturates the quantum Hamming bound. The dissipative interaction with a vacuum bath allows for both correlated and independent noise on the two-qubit system. We study the dependence of the degree of the correlation of the noise on evolution time and inter-qubit separation.

System for monitoring physical characteristics of fluids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trinh, E. H.; Wang, T. G. (Inventor)

1983-01-01

An apparatus and method are described for measuring physical characteristics of fluid, by placing a drop of the fluid in a batch of a second fluid and passing acoustic waves through the bath. The applied frequency of the acoustic waves is varied, to determine the precise value of a frequency at which the drop undergoes resonant oscillations. The resonant frequency indicates the interfacial tension of the drop in the bath, and the interfacial tension can indicate physical properties of the fluid in the drop.

Herbal bathing: an analysis of variation in plant use among Saramaccan and Aucan Maroons in Suriname.

PubMed

van 't Klooster, Charlotte I E A; Haabo, Vinije; Ruysschaert, Sofie; Vossen, Tessa; van Andel, Tinde R

2018-03-15

Herbal baths play an important role in the traditional health care of Maroons living in the interior of Suriname. However, little is known on the differences in plant ingredients used among and within the Maroon groups. We compared plant use in herbal baths documented for Saramaccan and Aucan Maroons, to see whether similarity in species was related to bath type, ethnic group, or geographical location. We hypothesized that because of their dissimilar cultural background, they used different species for the same type of bath. We assumed, however, that plants used in genital baths were more similar, as certain plant ingredients (e.g., essential oils), are preferred in these baths. We compiled a database from published and unpublished sources on herbal bath ingredients and constructed a presence/absence matrix per bath type and study site. To assess similarity in plant use among and within Saramaccan and Aucan communities, we performed three Detrended Correspondence Analyses on species level and the Jaccard Similarity Index to quantify similarity in bath ingredients. We recorded 349 plants used in six commonly used bath types: baby strength, adult strength, skin diseases, respiratory ailments, genital steam baths, and spiritual issues. Our results showed a large variation in plant ingredients among the Saramaccan and Aucans and little similarity between Saramaccans and Aucans, even for the same type of baths. Plant ingredients for baby baths and genital baths shared more species than the others. Even within the Saramaccan community, plant ingredients were stronger associated with location than with bath type. Plant use in bathing was strongly influenced by study site and then by ethnicity, but less by bath type. As Maroons escaped from different plantations and developed their ethnomedicinal practices in isolation, there has been little exchange in ethnobotanical knowledge after the seventeenth century between ethnic groups. Care should be taken in extrapolating plant use data collected from one location to a whole ethnic community. Maroon plant use deserves more scientific attention, especially now as there are indications that traditional knowledge is disappearing.

Electroless plating of ultrathin palladium films: self-initiated deposition and application in microreactor fabrication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muench, Falk; Oezaslan, Mehtap; Svoboda, Ingrid; Ensinger, Wolfgang

2015-10-01

We present new electroless palladium plating reactions, which can be applied to complex-shaped substrates and lead to homogeneous, dense and conformal palladium films consisting of small nanoparticles. Notably, autocatalytic and surface-selective metal deposition could be achieved on a wide range of materials without sensitization and activation pretreatments. This provides a facile and competitive route to directly deposit well-defined palladium nanofilms on e.g. carbon, paper, polymers or glass substrates. The reactions proceed at mild conditions and are based on easily accessible chemicals (reducing agent: hydrazine; metal source: PdCl2; ligands: ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), acetylacetone). Additionally, the water-soluble capping agent 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) is employed to increase the bath stability, to ensure the formation of small particles and to improve the film conformity. The great potential of the outlined reactions for micro- and nanofabrication is demonstrated by coating an ion-track etched polycarbonate membrane with a uniform Pd film of approximately 20 nm thickness. The as-prepared membrane is then employed as a highly miniaturized flow reactor, using the reduction of 4-nitrophenol with NaBH4 as a model reaction.

Effect of surfactant concentration in the electrolyte on the tribological properties of nickel-tungsten carbide composite coatings produced by pulse electro co-deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kartal, Muhammet; Uysal, Mehmet; Gul, Harun; Alp, Ahmet; Akbulut, Hatem

2015-11-01

A nickel plating bath containing WC particles was used to obtain hard and wear-resistant particle reinforced Ni/WC MMCs on steel surfaces for anti-wear applications. Copper substrates were used for electro co-deposition of Ni matrix/WC with the particle size of <1 μm tungsten carbide reinforcements. The influence of surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS) concentration on particle distribution, microhardness and wear resistance of composite coatings has been studied. The nickel films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The effects of the surfactant on the zeta potential, co-deposition and distribution of WC particles in the nickel matrix, as well as the tribological properties of composite coatings were also investigated. The tribological behaviors of the electrodeposited WC composite coatings sliding against M50 steel ball (Ø 10 mm) were examined on a CSM Instrument. All friction and wear tests were performed without lubrication at room temperature and in the ambient air (relative humidity 55-65%).

Deposition of Zinc Oxide on Different Polymer Textiles and Their Antibacterial Properties.

PubMed

Fiedot-Toboła, Marta; Ciesielska, Magdalena; Maliszewska, Irena; Rac-Rumijowska, Olga; Suchorska-Woźniak, Patrycja; Teterycz, Helena; Bryjak, Marek

2018-04-30

A surface modification of polyamide 6 (PA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP) textiles was performed using zinc oxide to obtain antibacterial layer. ZnO microrods were synthesized on ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) as a nucleus centers by chemical bath deposition (CBD) process. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicated that wurzite ZnO microrods were obtained on every sample. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Liquid Absorption Capacity (LAC) analysis indicate that the amount and structure of antibacterial layer is dependent on roughness and wettability of textile surface. The rougher and more hydrophilic is the material, the more ZnO were deposited. All studied textiles show significant bactericidal activity against Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) and Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ). A possible mechanism and difference in sensitivity between Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria to ZnO is discussed. Considering that antibacterial activity of ZnO is caused by Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generation, an influence of surface to volume ratio and crystalline parameters is also discussed.

"Electroless" E-Coating for Magnesium Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Guang-Ling

By utilizing the unique electrochemistry of Mg, a thin organic film can rapidly be deposited on the surface of a Mg alloy by dipping the Mg alloy in a cathodic E-coating bath solution without applying a current or potential. The self-deposited coating is selectively formed on Mg alloy surfaces. Although the "electroless" E-coating pre-film is relatively thin, it can offer sufficient corrosion protection for Mg alloys in a chloride-containing environment. The stability of the film can be significantly improved after curing. The corrosion resistance of the substrate Mg alloy has an important effect on the corrosion protection performance of the coating. The coating is more protective on a corrosion resistant Mg alloy than on a non-corrosion resistant Mg substrate. The coating protection performance is also influenced by the substrate surface condition or pre-treatment process. Wet cleaning + heat-treatment may be a cost-effective surface preparation/treatment for the "electroless" E-coating in industrial applications.

Large-area fluidic assembly of single-walled carbon nanotubes through dip-coating and directional evaporation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Pilnam; Kang, Tae June

2017-12-01

We present a simple and scalable fluidic-assembly approach, in which bundles of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are selectively aligned and deposited by directionally controlled dip-coating and solvent evaporation processes. The patterned surface with alternating regions of hydrophobic polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) (height 100 nm) strips and hydrophilic SiO2 substrate was withdrawn vertically at a constant speed ( 3 mm/min) from a solution bath containing SWCNTs ( 0.1 mg/ml), allowing for directional evaporation and subsequent selective deposition of nanotube bundles along the edges of horizontally aligned PDMS strips. In addition, the fluidic assembly was applied to fabricate a field effect transistor (FET) with highly oriented SWCNTs, which demonstrate significantly higher current density as well as high turn-off ratio (T/O ratio 100) as compared to that with randomly distributed carbon nanotube bundles (T/O ratio <10).

Electrochemical alloying of immiscible Ag and Co for their structural and magnetic analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santhi, Kalavathy; Kumarsan, Dhanapal; Vengidusamy, Naryanan; Arumainathan, Stephen

2017-07-01

Electrochemical alloying of immiscible Ag and Co was carried out at different current densities from electrolytes of two different concentrations, after optimizing the electrolytic bath and operating conditions. The samples obtained were characterized using X-ray diffraction to confirm the simultaneous deposition of Ag and Co and to determine their crystallographic structure. The atomic percentage of Ag and Co contents in the granular alloy was determined by ICP-OES analysis. The XPS spectra were observed to confirm the presence of Ag and Co in the metallic form in the granular alloy samples. The micrographs observed using scanning and transmission electron microscopes threw light on the surface morphology and the size of the particles. The magnetic nature of the samples was analyzed at room temperature by a vibration sample magnetometer. Their magnetic phase transition while heating was also studied to provide further evidence for the magnetic behaviour and the structure of the deposits.

Electrodeposited CuGa(Se,Te)2 thin-film prepared from sulfate bath

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oda, Yusuke; Minemoto, Takashi; Takakura, Hideyuki; Hamakawa, Yoshihiro

2006-09-01

CuGa(Se,Te)2 (CGST) thin films were prepared on a soda-lime glass substrate sputter coated with molybdenum by electrodeposition. The aqueous solution which contained CuSO4-5H2O, Ga2(SO4)3-19.3H2O, H2SeO3, H6TeO6, Li2SO4 and gelatin was adjusted to pH 2.6 with dilute H2SO4 and NaOH. It has been observed that (i) a crack-less and smooth CGST film with a composition close to the stoichiometric ratio was deposited at -600 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl) when Te was hardly included in the film and (ii) cracks and products on the surface increased with increasing Te content in the film. Annealing at 600 °C for 10 min improved the crystallinity of the as-deposited films.

Comparative study on structural and optical properties of CdS films fabricated by three different low-cost techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ravichandran, K.; Philominathan, P.

2009-03-01

Highly crystalline and transparent cadmium sulphide films were fabricated at relatively low temperature by employing an inexpensive, simplified spray technique using perfume atomizer (generally used for cosmetics). The structural, surface morphological and optical properties of the films were studied and compared with that prepared by conventional spray pyrolysis using air as carrier gas and chemical bath deposition. The films deposited by the simplified spray have preferred orientation along (1 0 1) plane. The lattice parameters were calculated as a = 4.138 Å and c = 6.718 Å which are well agreed with that obtained from the other two techniques and also with the standard data. The optical transmittance in the visible range and the optical band gap were found as 85% and 2.43 eV, respectively. The structural and optical properties of the films fabricated by the simplified spray are found to be desirable for opto-electronic applications.

Preparation and characterization of Ni-P/Ni3.1B composite alloy coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yurong; He, Jiawei; Wang, Wenchang; Shi, Jianhua; Mitsuzaki, Naotoshi; Chen, Zhidong

2014-02-01

The preparation of Ni-P/Ni3.1B composite alloy coating on the surface of copper was achieved by co-deposition of Ni3.1B nanoparticles with Ni-P coating during electroless plating. Ni-P-B alloy coating was obtained by heat-treating the as-plated Ni-P/Ni3.1B composite coating. The effect of the concentration of sodium alginate, borax, thiourea, Ni3.1B, temperature, and pH value on the deposition rate and B content were investigated and determined to be: 30 g L-1, 10 g L-1, 2 mg L-1, 20 mg L-1, 70 °C and 9.0 , respectively. Sodium alginate and thiourea were played as surfactant for coating Ni3.1B nanoparticles and stabilizer for the plating bath, respectively. Ni-P/Ni3.1B composite coating had good performance such as corrosion resistance and solderability.

Temperature crossover of decoherence rates in chaotic and regular bath dynamics.

PubMed

Sanz, A S; Elran, Y; Brumer, P

2012-03-01

The effect of chaotic bath dynamics on the decoherence of a quantum system is examined for the vibrational degrees of freedom of a diatomic molecule in a realistic, constant temperature collisional bath. As an example, the specific case of I(2) in liquid xenon is examined as a function of temperature, and the results compared with an integrable xenon bath. A crossover in behavior is found: The integrable bath induces more decoherence at low bath temperatures than does the chaotic bath, whereas the opposite is the case at the higher bath temperatures. These results, verifying a conjecture due to Wilkie, shed light on the differing views of the effect of chaotic dynamics on system decoherence.

The Effects of Acid Passivation, Tricresyl Phosphate Pre-Soak, and UV/Ozone Treatment on the Tribology of Perfluoropolyether-Lubricated 440C Stainless Steel Couples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shogrin, Bradley A.; Jones, William R., Jr.; Herrera-Fierro, Pilar

1997-01-01

The boundary-lubrication performance of perfluoropolyether (PFPE) thin films in the presence of passivated 440 C stainless steel is presented. The study utilized a standard ball-on-disc tribometer. Stainless steel surfaces were passivated with one of four techniques: 1) submersion in a chromic acid bath for 30 minutes at 46 C, 2) submersion in a chromic acid bath for 60 minutes at 56 C, 3) submersion in a tricresyl phosphate (TCP) bath for 2 days at 107 C, or 4) UV/Ozone treated for 15 minutes. After passivation, each disc had a 400 A film of PFPE (hexafluoropropene oxide) applied to it reproducibly (+/- 20%) and uniformly (+/- 15%) using a film deposition device. The lifetimes of these films were quantified by measuring the number of sliding wear cycles required to induce an increase in the friction coefficient from an initial value characteristic of the lubricated wear couple to a final, or failure value, characteristic of an unlubricated, unpassivated wear couple. The lubricated lifetime of the 440 C couple was not altered as a result of the various passivation techniques. The resulting surface chemistry of each passivation technique was examined using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). It was found that chromic acid passivation altered the Cr to Fe ratio of the surface. TCP passivation resulted in a FePO4 layer on the surface, while UV/Ozone passivation only removed the carbonaceous contamination layer. None of the passivation techniques were found to dramatically increase the oxide film thickness.

Culture and long-term care: the bath as social service in Japan.

PubMed

Traphagan, John W

2004-01-01

A central feature of Japan's approach to community-based care of the elderly, including long-term home health care, is the emphasis on providing bath facilities. For mobile elders, senior centers typically provide a public bathing facility in which people can enjoy a relaxing soak along with friends who also visit the centers. In terms of in-home long-term care, visiting bath services are provided to assist family care providers with the difflcult task of bathing a frail or disabled elder--a task made more problematic as a result of the Japanese style of bathing. I argue that the bath, as social service, is a culturally shaped solution to a specific problem of elder care that arises in the Japanese context as a result of the importance of the bath in everyday life for Japanese. While the services may be considered specific to Japan, some aspects of bathing services, particularly the mobile bath service, may also have applicability in the United States.

19.5%-Efficient CuIn1-xGaxSe2 Photovoltaic Cells Using A Cd-Zn-S Buffer Layer

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

Bhattacharya. R. N.

2008-01-01

CuIn1-xGaxSe2 (CIGS) solar cell junctions prepared by chemical-bath-deposited (CBD) Zn1-xCdxS (CdZnS), ZnS, and CdS buffer layers are discussed. A 19.52%-efficient, CIGS-based, thin-film photovoltaic device has been fabricated using a single-layer CBD CdZnS buffer layer. The mechanism that creates extensive hydroxide and oxide impurities in CBD-ZnS and CBD-CdZnS thin films (compared to CBD-CdS thin film) is presented.

Using sub-micron silver-nanoparticle based films to counter biofilm formation by Gram-negative bacteria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillett, A. R.; Baxter, S. N.; Hodgson, S. D.; Smith, G. C.; Thomas, P. J.

2018-06-01

Composite films comprised of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) grown using a low-cost straightforward chemical bath based method have been deposited on glass microscope slides to investigate their potential as a sacrificial antibacterial coating. The as-deposited films have been characterised using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical profilometry. These suggested that the films were relatively uniform in coverage. Chemical composition of the AgNP films has been studied by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The XPS analysis indicated that the Ag was in a metallic form able to sustain plasmon behaviour, and that low levels of residual nanoparticle precursors were present. Particle size was characterised using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) which showed an average particle size of 10.6 nm. The effectiveness of the films as an antibacterial coating was tested against Escherichia coli. The AgNP film was determined to be effective in the killing of E. coli cells over a 24 h period when compared to equivalent samples that contained no silver. Of particular note was that only minimal bacterial growth was detected over the first 12 h of testing, up to 78.6 times less than the control samples, suggesting the film is very efficient at slowing initial biofilm formation. The use of AgNP based films that have been synthesised using a novel low-cost, low-temperature and highly upscalable method is demonstrated as a promising solution for the deployment of silver as an effective sacrifical antimicrobial coating to counter the formation of potentially hazardous Gram negative biofilms.

A benchmark for reaction coordinates in the transition path ensemble

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

The molecular mechanism of a reaction is embedded in its transition path ensemble, the complete collection of reactive trajectories. Utilizing the information in the transition path ensemble alone, we developed a novel metric, which we termed the emergent potential energy, for distinguishing reaction coordinates from the bath modes. The emergent potential energy can be understood as the average energy cost for making a displacement of a coordinate in the transition path ensemble. Where displacing a bath mode invokes essentially no cost, it costs significantly to move the reaction coordinate. Based on some general assumptions of the behaviors of reaction and bath coordinates in the transition path ensemble, we proved theoretically with statistical mechanics that the emergent potential energy could serve as a benchmark of reaction coordinates and demonstrated its effectiveness by applying it to a prototypical system of biomolecular dynamics. Using the emergent potential energy as guidance, we developed a committor-free and intuition-independent method for identifying reaction coordinates in complex systems. We expect this method to be applicable to a wide range of reaction processes in complex biomolecular systems. PMID:27059559

21 CFR 720.4 - Information requested about cosmetic products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

.... (iii) Other baby products. (2) Bath preparations. (i) Bath oils, tablets, and salts. (ii) Bubble baths. (iii) Bath capsules. (iv) Other bath preparations. (3) Eye makeup preparations. (i) Eyebrow pencil. (ii... preparations. (4) Fragrance preparations. (i) Colognes and toilet waters. (ii) Perfumes. (iii) Powders (dusting...

21 CFR 720.4 - Information requested about cosmetic products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

.... (iii) Other baby products. (2) Bath preparations. (i) Bath oils, tablets, and salts. (ii) Bubble baths. (iii) Bath capsules. (iv) Other bath preparations. (3) Eye makeup preparations. (i) Eyebrow pencil. (ii... preparations. (4) Fragrance preparations. (i) Colognes and toilet waters. (ii) Perfumes. (iii) Powders (dusting...

Growth of ZnO nanowires on polypropylene membrane surface-Characterization and reactivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bojarska, Marta; Nowak, Bartosz; Skowroński, Jarosław; Piątkiewicz, Wojciech; Gradoń, Leon

2017-01-01

Need for a new membrane is clearly visible in recent studies, mostly due to the fouling phenomenon. Authors, focused on problem of biofouling caused by microorganisms that are present in water environment. An attempt to form a new membrane with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires was made; where plasma treatment was used as a first step of modification followed by chemical bath deposition. Such membrane will exhibit additional reactive properties. ZnO, because of its antibacterial and photocatalytic properties, is more and more often used in commercial applications. The authors used SEM imaging, measurement of the contact angle, XRD and the FT-IR analysis for membrane characterization. Amount of ZnO deposited on membrane surface was also investigated by dithizone method. Photocatalytic properties of such membranes were examined through methylene blue and humic acid degradation in laboratory scale modules with LEDs as either: wide range white or UV light source. Antibacterial and antifouling properties of polypropylene membranes modified with ZnO nanowires were examined through a series of tests involving microorganisms: model gram-positive and -negative bacteria. The obtained results showed that it is possible to modify the membrane surface in such a way, that additional reactive properties will be given. Thus, not only did the membrane become a physical barrier, but also turned out to be a reactive one.

Structural and optoelectronic studies on Ag-CdS quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim Mohammed S., M.; Gubari, Ghamdan M. M.; Huse, Nanasaheb P.; Dive, Avinash S.; Sharma, Ramphal

2018-05-01

In the present study, we have successfully deposited CdS quantum dot thin films and Ag doped CdS on a glass slide by simple and economical chemical bath deposition at room temperature. The X-ray diffraction method analysis reveals that CdS thin films exhibit hexagonal structure when compared with standard JCPDS data. The estimated average crystallite size of the quantum dots and resulted in the least crystallite size of ˜9 nm. a comparison between the optical and electrical properties of the films before and after doping Ag was made through measuring and analyzing the curves for UV and I-V. From UV absorption spectra we observed that the samples exhibited a band edge near ˜400 nm with a slight deviation with the presence of excitonic peak for both CdS and Ag doped CdS. The presence of excitonic peak may be referred to the formation of quantum dots. The calculated band gap energy of thin films was found to be 3.45 eV and 3.15 eV for both CdS and Ag doped CdS thin films respectively, where the optical absorption spectra of Ag doped CdS nanoparticles also exhibit shift with respect to that of CdS quantum dots thin films. The photosensitive of CdS thin films show an increase in photocurrent when Ag doped CdS.

Quantum Bath Refrigeration towards Absolute Zero: Challenging the Unattainability Principle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolář, M.; Gelbwaser-Klimovsky, D.; Alicki, R.; Kurizki, G.

2012-08-01

A minimal model of a quantum refrigerator, i.e., a periodically phase-flipped two-level system permanently coupled to a finite-capacity bath (cold bath) and an infinite heat dump (hot bath), is introduced and used to investigate the cooling of the cold bath towards absolute zero (T=0). Remarkably, the temperature scaling of the cold-bath cooling rate reveals that it does not vanish as T→0 for certain realistic quantized baths, e.g., phonons in strongly disordered media (fractons) or quantized spin waves in ferromagnets (magnons). This result challenges Nernst’s third-law formulation known as the unattainability principle.

Quantum bath refrigeration towards absolute zero: challenging the unattainability principle.

PubMed

Kolář, M; Gelbwaser-Klimovsky, D; Alicki, R; Kurizki, G

2012-08-31

A minimal model of a quantum refrigerator, i.e., a periodically phase-flipped two-level system permanently coupled to a finite-capacity bath (cold bath) and an infinite heat dump (hot bath), is introduced and used to investigate the cooling of the cold bath towards absolute zero (T=0). Remarkably, the temperature scaling of the cold-bath cooling rate reveals that it does not vanish as T→0 for certain realistic quantized baths, e.g., phonons in strongly disordered media (fractons) or quantized spin waves in ferromagnets (magnons). This result challenges Nernst's third-law formulation known as the unattainability principle.

Bath Salts Abuse Leading to New-Onset Psychosis and Potential for Violence.

PubMed

John, Michelle E; Thomas-Rozea, Crystal; Hahn, David

Bath salts have recently emerged as a popular designer drug of abuse causing significant hazardous effects on mental health and physical health, resulting in public health legislation making its usage illegal in the United States. To educate mental health providers on the effects of the new designer drug bath salts, including its potential to cause psychosis and violence in patients. This is a case report on a 40-year-old male with no past psychiatric history who presented with new-onset psychosis and increased risk for violence after ingesting bath salts. In addition, a literature review was performed to summarize the documented effects of bath salts abuse and the current U.S. public health legislation on bath salts. The presented case illustrates a new-onset, substance-induced psychotic disorder related to bath salts usage. The literature review explains the sympathomimetic reaction and the potential for psychotic symptoms. To discuss the physical and psychological effects of bath salts, treatment options for bath salts abuse and U.S. legislation by Ohio state law to current U.S. federal law that bans production, sale, and possession of main substances found in bath salts. It is important for mental health providers to be aware of bath salts, understand the physical and psychiatric effects of bath salts and be familiar with current legislative policy banning its usage. Lastly, bath salts abuse should be in the differential diagnosis where psychosis is new onset or clinically incongruent with known primary presentation of a psychotic disorder.

Histological study on the effect of electrolyzed reduced water-bathing on UVB radiation-induced skin injury in hairless mice.

PubMed

Yoon, Kyung Su; Huang, Xue Zhu; Yoon, Yang Suk; Kim, Soo-Ki; Song, Soon Bong; Chang, Byung Soo; Kim, Dong Heui; Lee, Kyu Jae

2011-01-01

Electrolyzed reduced water (ERW), functional water, has various beneficial effects via antioxidant mechanism in vivo and in vitro. However there is no study about beneficial effects of ERW bathing. This study aimed to determine the effect of ERW bathing on the UVB-induced skin injury in hairless mice. For this purpose, mice were irradiated with UVB to cause skin injury, followed by individually taken a bath in ERW (ERW-bathing) and tap water (TW-bathing) for 21 d. We examined cytokines profile in acute period, and histological and ultrastructural observation of skin in chronic period. We found that UVB-mediated skin injury of ERW-bathing group was significantly low compared to TW control group in the early stage of experiment. Consistently, epidermal thickening as well as the number of dermal mast cell was significantly lowered in ERW-bathing group. Defection of corneocytes under the scanning electron microscope was less observed in ERW-bathing group than in TW-bathing group. Further, the level of interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and IL-12p70 in ERW group decreased whereas those of IL-10 increased. Collectively, our data indicate that ERW-bathing significantly reduces UVB-induced skin damage through influencing pro-/anti-inflammatory cytokine balance in hairless mice. This suggests that ERW-bathing has a positive effect on acute UVB-mediated skin disorders. This is the first report on bathing effects of ERW in UVB-induced skin injury.

A unified stochastic formulation of dissipative quantum dynamics. II. Beyond linear response of spin baths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsieh, Chang-Yu; Cao, Jianshu

2018-01-01

We use the "generalized hierarchical equation of motion" proposed in Paper I [C.-Y. Hsieh and J. Cao, J. Chem. Phys. 148, 014103 (2018)] to study decoherence in a system coupled to a spin bath. The present methodology allows a systematic incorporation of higher-order anharmonic effects of the bath in dynamical calculations. We investigate the leading order corrections to the linear response approximations for spin bath models. Two kinds of spin-based environments are considered: (1) a bath of spins discretized from a continuous spectral density and (2) a bath of localized nuclear or electron spins. The main difference resides with how the bath frequency and the system-bath coupling parameters are distributed in an environment. When discretized from a continuous spectral density, the system-bath coupling typically scales as ˜1 /√{NB } where NB is the number of bath spins. This scaling suppresses the non-Gaussian characteristics of the spin bath and justifies the linear response approximations in the thermodynamic limit. For the nuclear/electron spin bath models, system-bath couplings are directly deduced from spin-spin interactions and do not necessarily obey the 1 /√{NB } scaling. It is not always possible to justify the linear response approximations in this case. Furthermore, if the spin-spin Hamiltonian is highly symmetrical, there exist additional constraints that generate highly non-Markovian and persistent dynamics that is beyond the linear response treatments.

One step electrodeposition of Cu2ZnSnS4 thin films in a novel bath with sulfurization free annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Aiyue; Li, Zhilin; Wang, Feng; Dou, Meiling; Pan, Youya; Guan, Jingyu

2017-04-01

Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) is a quaternary kesterite compound with suitable band gap for thin film solar cells. In most electrodeposition-anneal routes, sulfurization is inevitable because the as-deposited film is lack of S. In this work, a novel green electrolyte was designed for synthesizing CZTS thin films with high S content. In the one-step electrodeposition, K4P2O7 and C7H6O6S were added to form complex with metallic ions in the electrolyte, which could attribute to co-deposition. The as-deposited film obtained high S content satisfying stoichiometry. After a sulfurization free annealing, the continuous and uniform CZTS thin film was obtained, which had pure kesterite structure and a suitable band gap of 1.53 eV. Electrodeposition mechanism investigation revealed that the K4P2O7 prevented the excessive deposition of Cu2+ and Sn2+. The C7H6O6S promoted the reduction of Zn2+. So the additives narrowed the co-deposition potentials of the metallic elements through a synergetic effect. They also promoted the reduction of S2O32- to ensure the co-deposition of the four elements and the stoichiometry. The sulfurization free annealing process can promote the commercialization of CZTS films and the successful design principle of environmental friendly electrolytes could be applied in other electrodeposition systems.

Investigation of microstructural and physical characteristics of nano composite tin oxide-doped Al3+ in Zn2+ based composite coating by DAECD technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anawe, P. A. L.; Fayomi, O. S. I.; Popoola, A. P. I.

In other to overcome the devastating deterioration of mild steel in service, Zn-based embedded Al/SnO2 composite coatings have been considered as reinforcing alternative replacements to the more traditional deposition for improved surface properties by using Dual Anode Electrolytic Co-deposition (DAECD) technique from chloride bath. The structural characterization of the starting materials and deposited coating are evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) elemental analysis and atomic force microscope (AFM). The hardness behaviour, wear and intermetallic distribution was examined by diamond based microhardness tester, CETR reciprocating sliding test rig and X-ray diffractometer (XRD) respectively. The corrosion properties of the developed coating were examined in 3.5% NaCl. The microstructure of the deposited sample obtained at 7% SnO2, revealed fine-grains deposit of the Al/SnO2 on the mild steel surface. The results showed that the Al/SnO2 strengthening alloy plays a significant role in impelling the wear and corrosion behaviour of Zn-Al/SnO2 coatings in an aggressive saline environment. Interestingly Zn-30Al-7Sn-chloride showed the highest wear and improved corrosion resistance due to Al/SnO2 oxide passive film that forms during anodic polarization. This work established that co-deposition of mild steel with Al/SnO2 is auspicious in increasing the anti-wear and corrosion progression.

Influence of annealing temperature on the structural, optical and electrical properties of amorphous Zinc Sulfide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Göde, F.; Güneri, E.; Kariper, A.; Ulutaş, C.; Kirmizigül, F.; Gümüş, C.

2011-11-01

Zinc sulfide films have been deposited on glass substrates at room temperature by the chemical bath deposition technique. The growth mechanism is studied using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, optical absorption spectra and electrical measurements. The as-deposited film was given thermal annealing treatment in air atmosphere at various temperatures (100, 200, 300 400 and 500 °C) for 1 h. The annealed film was also characterized by structural, optical and electrical studies. The structural analyses revealed that the as-deposited film was amorphous, but after being annealed at 500 °C, it changed to polycrystalline. The optical band gap is direct with a value of 4.01 eV, but this value decreased to 3.74 eV with annealing temperature, except for the 500 °C anneal where it only decreased to 3.82 eV. The refractive index (n), extinction coefficient (k), and real (ɛ1) and imaginary (ɛ2) parts of the dielectric constant are evaluated. Raman peaks appearing at ~478 cm-1, ~546 cm-1, ~778 cm-1 and ~1082 cm-1 for the annealed film (500 °C) were attributed to [TOl+LAΣ, 2TOΓ, 2LO, 3LO phonons of ZnS. The electrical conductivities of both as-deposited and annealed films have been calculated to be of the order of ~10-10 (Ω cm)-1 .

Performance of Flow and Heat Transfer in a Hot-Dip Round Coreless Galvanizing Bath

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yue, Qiang; Zhang, Chengbo; Xu, Yong; Zhou, Li; Kong, Hui; Wang, Jia

2017-04-01

Flow field in a coreless hot-dip galvanizing pot was investigated through a water modeling experiment. The corresponding velocity vector was measured using an acoustic Doppler velocimeter. The flow field of molten zinc in the bath was also analyzed. Steel strip velocities from 1.7 to 2.7 m/s were adopted to determine the effect of steel strip velocity on the molten zinc flow in the bath. A large vortex filled the space at the right side of the sink roll, under linear speed from 1.0 to 2.7 m/s and width from 1.0 to 1.3 m of the steel strip, because of the effects of wall and shear stress. The results of the water modeling experiment were compared with those of numerical simulations. In the simulation, Maxwell equations were solved using finite element method to obtain magnetic flux density, electromagnetic force, and Joule heating. The Joule heating rate reached the maximum and minimum values near the side wall and at the core of the bath, respectively, because of the effect of skin and proximity. In an industrial-sized model, the molten zinc flow and temperature fields driven by electromagnetic force and Joule heating in the inductor of a coreless galvanizing bath were numerically simulated. The results indicated that the direction of electromagnetic force concentrated at the center of the galvanizing pot horizontal planes and exerted a pinch effect on molten zinc. Consequently, molten zinc in the pot was stirred by electromagnetic force. Under molten zinc flow and electromagnetic force stirring, the temperature of the molten zinc became homogeneous throughout the bath. This study provides a basis for optimizing electromagnetic fields in coreless induction pot and fine-tuning the design of steel strip parameters.

Effect of Pseudomonas sp. MT5 baths on Flavobacterium columnare infection of rainbow trout and on microbial diversity on fish skin and gills.

PubMed

Suomalainen, L R; Tiirola, M A; Valtonen, E T

2005-01-25

Use of Pseudomonas sp. strain MT5 to prevent and treat Flavobacterium columnare infection was studied in 2 experiments with fingerling rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. In the first experiment, length heterogeneity analysis of PCR-amplified DNA fragments (LH-PCR) was used to assess the effect of antagonistic baths on the microbial diversity of healthy and experimentally infected fish. In the 148 samples studied, no difference was found between bathed and unbathed fish, and 3 fragment lengths were detected most frequently: 500 (in 75.7% of the samples), 523 (62.2%) and 517 bp (40.5%). The species contributing to these fragment sizes were Pseudomonas sp., Rhodococcus sp. and F. columnare, respectively. A specific PCR for detection of Pseudomonas sp. MT5 was designed, but none of the tissue samples were found to be positive, most likely indicating poor adhesion of the strain during bathing. LH-PCR was found to be a more powerful tool for detecting F. columnare in fish tissue than traditional culture methods (chi2 = 3.9, df = 1, p < 0.05). Antagonistic baths had no effect on the outbreak of infection or on fish mortality. F. columnare was also detected in healthy fish prior to and after experimental infection, indicating that these fish were carriers of the disease. In the second experiment, intensive Pseudomonas sp. MT5 antagonistic baths were given daily to rainbow trout suffering from a natural columnaris infection. Again, the antagonistic bacteria had no effect on fish mortality, which reached 95 % in both control and antagonist-treated groups in 7 d.

Nonequilibrium, steady-state electron transport with N-representable density matrices from the anti-Hermitian contracted Schrödinger equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rothman, Adam E.; Mazziotti, David A.

2010-03-01

We study molecular conductivity for a one-electron, bath-molecule-bath model Hamiltonian. The primary quantum-mechanical variable is the one-electron reduced density matrix (1-RDM). By identifying similarities between the steady-state Liouville equation and the anti-Hermitian contracted Schrödinger equation (ACSE) [D. A. Mazziotti, Phys. Rev. A 75, 022505 (2007)], we develop a way of enforcing nonequilibrium, steady-state behavior in a time-independent theory. Our results illustrate the relationship between current and voltage in molecular junctions assuming that the total number of electrons under consideration can be fixed across all driving potentials. The impetus for this work is a recent study by Subotnik et al. that also uses the 1-RDM to study molecular conductivity under different assumptions regarding the total number of electrons [J. E. Subotnik et al., J. Chem. Phys. 130, 144105 (2009)]. Unlike calculations in the previous study, our calculations result in 1-RDMs that are fully N-representable. The present work maintains N-representability through a bath-bath mixing that is related to a time-independent relaxation of the baths in the absence of the molecule, as governed by the ACSE. A lack of N-representability can be important since it corresponds to occupying energy states in the molecule or baths with more than one electron or hole (the absence of an electron) in violation of the Pauli principle. For this reason the present work may serve as an important, albeit preliminary, step in designing a 2-RDM/ACSE method for studying steady-state molecular conductivity with an explicit treatment of electron correlation.

Spectral functions of strongly correlated extended systems via an exact quantum embedding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Booth, George H.; Chan, Garnet Kin-Lic

2015-04-01

Density matrix embedding theory (DMET) [Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 186404 (2012), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.186404], introduced an approach to quantum cluster embedding methods whereby the mapping of strongly correlated bulk problems to an impurity with finite set of bath states was rigorously formulated to exactly reproduce the entanglement of the ground state. The formalism provided similar physics to dynamical mean-field theory at a tiny fraction of the cost but was inherently limited by the construction of a bath designed to reproduce ground-state, static properties. Here, we generalize the concept of quantum embedding to dynamic properties and demonstrate accurate bulk spectral functions at similarly small computational cost. The proposed spectral DMET utilizes the Schmidt decomposition of a response vector, mapping the bulk dynamic correlation functions to that of a quantum impurity cluster coupled to a set of frequency-dependent bath states. The resultant spectral functions are obtained on the real-frequency axis, without bath discretization error, and allows for the construction of arbitrary dynamic correlation functions. We demonstrate the method on the one- (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) Hubbard model, where we obtain zero temperature and thermodynamic limit spectral functions, and show the trivial extension to two-particle Green's functions. This advance therefore extends the scope and applicability of DMET in condensed-matter problems as a computationally tractable route to correlated spectral functions of extended systems and provides a competitive alternative to dynamical mean-field theory for dynamic quantities.

Synaptic potentials recorded by the sucrosegap method from the rabbit superior cervical ganglion

PubMed Central

Kosterlitz, H. W.; Lees, G. M.; Wallis, D. I.

1970-01-01

1. Compound ganglionic potentials evoked by stimulation of the preganglionic nerves to the superior cervical ganglion of the rabbit were recorded by the sucrose-gap method. 2. When the distal part of the ganglion was bathed in flowing isotonic sucrose solution or sodium-deficient solutions, ganglionic action potentials were no longer evoked, only large synaptic potentials. 3. The compound synaptic potential, which remained unaltered for more than 1 h, originated in a population of cells at the interface between the Krebs and sucrose solutions. Hexamethonium reduced the size but did not alter the time course of the synaptic potential. 4. It is suggested that a higher concentration of sodium ions is required for the generation of ganglionic action potentials than for either conduction in the postganglionic axons or production of synaptic potentials. 5. When lithium replaced sodium in the solution bathing the distal part of the ganglion, the synaptic potential was greatly reduced in amplitude. Impulse propagation in the postganglionic axons was only slightly impaired when lithium replaced sodium in the solution bathing the axons. 6. A quantitative assessment of the potency of the ganglion-blocking drugs nicotine, pentolinium, hexamethonium and pempidine was made by measuring the depression of the synaptic potentials produced by bathing the distal part of the ganglion in flowing isotonic sucrose solution. The concentrations which produced a 50% depression were 8·1 μM nicotine, 26·5 μM pentolinium, 111 μM hexamethonium and 22·2 μM pempidine. PMID:5492898

Uniform β-Co(OH)2 disc-like nanostructures prepared by low-temperature electrochemical rout as an electrode material for supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aghazadeh, Mustafa; Shiri, Hamid Mohammad; Barmi, Abbas-Ali Malek

2013-05-01

Uniform nanostructures of cobalt hydroxide were successfully prepared by a low-temperature electrochemical method via galvanostatically deposition from a 0.005 M Co(NO3)3 bath at 10 °C. The XRD and FT-IR analyses showed that the prepared sample has a single crystalline hexagonal phase of the brucite-like Co(OH)2. Morphological characterization by SEM and TEM revealed that the prepared β-Co(OH)2 was composed of uniform compact disc-like nanostructures with diameters of 40-50 nm. The electrochemical performance of the prepared β-Co(OH)2 was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry and charge-discharge tests. A maximum specific capacitance of 736.5 F g-1 was obtained in aqueous 1 M KOH with the potential range of -0.2-0.5 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) at the scan rate of 10 mV s-1, suggesting the potential application of the prepared nanostructures as an electrode material in electrochemical supercapacitors. The results of this work showed that the low-temperature cathodic electrodeposition method can be recognized as a new and facile route for the synthesis of cobalt hydroxide nanodiscs as a promising candidate for the electrochemical supercapacitors.

Plasmon-enhanced photocatalytic activity of Na0.9Mg0.45Ti3.55O8 loaded with noble metals directly observed with scanning Kelvin probe microscopy.

PubMed

Wang, Jing-Zhou; Guo, Ze-Qing; Zhou, Jian-Ping; Lei, Yu-Xi

2018-07-27

The noble metals Au, Ag and Pt were loaded onto Na 0.9 Mg 0.45 Ti 3.55 O 8 (NMTO) using a chemical bath deposition method devised in our recent work for the first time. The composite photocatalysts exhibit more effective photodegradation of methylene blue, due to the Schottky barrier built between NMTO and noble metal. Hot electrons generated during localized surface plasmon processes in metal nanoparticles transfer to the semiconductor, manifesting as a depression of surface potential directly detectable by scanning Kelvin probe microscopy. The key factor responsible for the improved ability of semiconductor-based photocatalysts is charge separation. The most effective weight concentrations of Au, Ag and Pt loaded onto NMTO were found to be 5.00%, 12.6% and 5.55% respectively. NMTO loaded with noble metals shows good photostability and recyclability for the degradation of methylene blue. A possible mechanism for the photodegradation of methylene blue over NMTO loaded with noble metals is proposed. This work highlights the potential application of NMTO-based photocatalysts, and provides an effective method to detect localized surface plasmons.