Preparation of nanocrystalline TiN coated cubic boron nitride powders by a sol-gel process.

PubMed

Park, Hee S; Umer, M Adeel; Ryu, Ho J; Hong, Soon H

2011-01-01

Cubic boron nitride (cBN) particles coated with 20 wt% nanocrystalline TiN were prepared by coating the surface of cBN particles with TiO2, followed by nitridation with NH3 gas at 900 degrees C. Coating of TiO2 on cBN powders was accomplished by a sol-gel process from a solution of titanium (IV) isopropoxide and anhydrous ethanol. An amorphous TiO(x) layer of 50 nm thickness was homogenously formed on the surface of the cBN particles by the sol-gel process. The amorphous layer was then crystallized to an anatase TiO2 phase through calcination in air at 400 degrees C. The crystallized TiO2 layer was 50 nm in thickness, and the size of TiO2 particles comprising the layer was nearly 10 nm. The TiO2 on cBN surfaces was completely converted into nanocrystalline TiN of uniform particles 20 nm in size on cBN particles by nitridation under flowing NH3 gas.

Discovery of Superconductivity in Hard Hexagonal ε-NbN.

PubMed

Zou, Yongtao; Qi, Xintong; Zhang, Cheng; Ma, Shuailing; Zhang, Wei; Li, Ying; Chen, Ting; Wang, Xuebing; Chen, Zhiqiang; Welch, David; Zhu, Pinwen; Liu, Bingbing; Li, Qiang; Cui, Tian; Li, Baosheng

2016-02-29

Since the discovery of superconductivity in boron-doped diamond with a critical temperature (TC) near 4 K, great interest has been attracted in hard superconductors such as transition-metal nitrides and carbides. Here we report the new discovery of superconductivity in polycrystalline hexagonal ε-NbN synthesized at high pressure and high temperature. Direct magnetization and electrical resistivity measurements demonstrate that the superconductivity in bulk polycrystalline hexagonal ε-NbN is below ∼11.6 K, which is significantly higher than that for boron-doped diamond. The nature of superconductivity in hexagonal ε-NbN and the physical mechanism for the relatively lower TC have been addressed by the weaker bonding in the Nb-N network, the co-planarity of Nb-N layer as well as its relatively weaker electron-phonon coupling, as compared with the cubic δ-NbN counterpart. Moreover, the newly discovered ε-NbN superconductor remains stable at pressures up to ∼20 GPa and is significantly harder than cubic δ-NbN; it is as hard as sapphire, ultra-incompressible and has a high shear rigidity of 201 GPa to rival hard/superhard material γ-B (∼227 GPa). This exploration opens a new class of highly desirable materials combining the outstanding mechanical/elastic properties with superconductivity, which may be particularly attractive for its technological and engineering applications in extreme environments.

Discovery of superconductivity in hard hexagonal ε-NbN

DOE PAGES

Zou, Yongtao; Li, Qiang; Qi, Xintong; ...

2016-02-29

Since the discovery of superconductivity in boron-doped diamond with a critical temperature (T C) near 4 K, great interest has been attracted in hard superconductors such as transition-metal nitrides and carbides. Here we report the new discovery of superconductivity in polycrystalline hexagonal ε-NbN synthesized at high pressure and high temperature. Direct magnetization and electrical resistivity measurements demonstrate that the superconductivity in bulk polycrystalline hexagonal ε-NbN is below ~11.6 K, which is significantly higher than that for boron-doped diamond. The nature of superconductivity in hexagonal ε-NbN and the physical mechanism for the relatively lower T C have been addressed by themore » weaker bonding in the Nb-N network, the co-planarity of Nb-N layer as well as its relatively weaker electron-phonon coupling, as compared with the cubic δ-NbN counterpart. Moreover, the newly discovered ε-NbN superconductor remains stable at pressures up to ~20 GPa and is significantly harder than cubic δ-NbN; it is as hard as sapphire, ultra-incompressible and has a high shear rigidity of 201 GPa to rival hard/superhard material γ-B (~227 GPa). Furthermore, this exploration opens a new class of highly desirable materials combining the outstanding mechanical/elastic properties with superconductivity, which may be particularly attractive for its technological and engineering applications in extreme environments.« less

Discovery of Superconductivity in Hard Hexagonal ε-NbN

PubMed Central

Zou, Yongtao; Qi, Xintong; Zhang, Cheng; Ma, Shuailing; Zhang, Wei; Li, Ying; Chen, Ting; Wang, Xuebing; Chen, Zhiqiang; Welch, David; Zhu, Pinwen; Liu, Bingbing; Li, Qiang; Cui, Tian; Li, Baosheng

2016-01-01

Since the discovery of superconductivity in boron-doped diamond with a critical temperature (TC) near 4 K, great interest has been attracted in hard superconductors such as transition-metal nitrides and carbides. Here we report the new discovery of superconductivity in polycrystalline hexagonal ε-NbN synthesized at high pressure and high temperature. Direct magnetization and electrical resistivity measurements demonstrate that the superconductivity in bulk polycrystalline hexagonal ε-NbN is below ∼11.6 K, which is significantly higher than that for boron-doped diamond. The nature of superconductivity in hexagonal ε-NbN and the physical mechanism for the relatively lower TC have been addressed by the weaker bonding in the Nb-N network, the co-planarity of Nb-N layer as well as its relatively weaker electron-phonon coupling, as compared with the cubic δ-NbN counterpart. Moreover, the newly discovered ε-NbN superconductor remains stable at pressures up to ∼20 GPa and is significantly harder than cubic δ-NbN; it is as hard as sapphire, ultra-incompressible and has a high shear rigidity of 201 GPa to rival hard/superhard material γ-B (∼227 GPa). This exploration opens a new class of highly desirable materials combining the outstanding mechanical/elastic properties with superconductivity, which may be particularly attractive for its technological and engineering applications in extreme environments. PMID:26923318

Theoretical Investigation of Stabilizing Mechanism by Boron in Body-Centered Cubic Iron Through (Fe,Cr)23(C,B)6 Precipitates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahara, Ryoji; Matsunaga, Tetsuya; Hongo, Hiromichi; Tabuchi, Masaaki

2016-05-01

Small amounts of boron improve the mechanical properties in high-chromium ferritic heat-resistant steels. In this work, the stabilizing mechanism by boron in body-centered cubic iron (bcc Fe) through (Fe,Cr)23(C,B)6 precipitates was investigated by first-principles calculations. Formation energy analysis of (Fe,Cr)23(C,B)6 reveals that the compounds become more stable to elemental solids as the boron concentration increases. Furthermore, the interface energy of bcc Fe(110) || Fe23(C,B)6(111) also decreases with boron concentration in the compounds. The decreased interface energy caused by boron addition is explained by the balance between the change in the phase stability of the precipitates and the change in the misfit parameter for the bcc Fe matrix and the precipitates. These results show that boron stabilizes the microstructure of heat-resistant steels, which is important for understanding the origins of the creep strength in ferritic steels.

Co-doping of CVD diamond with boron and sulfur

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eaton, Sally Catherine

Boron is well-established as a p-type dopant in diamond, but attempts to find a viable n-type dopant remain unsuccessful. In 1999, sulfur was reported to give n-type conductivity. However, later measurements indicated that the samples contained boron and were p-type. Recently, we showed that diamond co-doped with sulfur and small quantities of boron shows n-type conductivity, which was established by Mott-Schottky analyses, thermoelectric effect, Hall measurements, scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS), and UV open-circuit photo-potential. At higher boron concentrations, a transition to p-type behavior is observed due to overcompensation. Experiments performed without boron in the feed gas or without residual boron in the reactor chamber showed no sulfur incorporation and no change in conductivity. There is evidence that the excess sulfur concentration in the near-surface region is not stable. At room temperature and below, the activation energies range from 0.06 to 0.12 eV. Above 400K there is an irreversible loss in conductivity and the activation energy increases to approximately 1.3 eV. Additionally, we observed by SIMS that there exists a concentration gradient in sulfur with film depth. This sulfur concentration gradient is also observed in our electrical measurements. STS shows a decrease in conductivity with film depth and Hall effect measurements show both p-type and n-type coefficients for samples which are n-type in the near-surface region. The flat-band potential obtained from the Mott-Schottky experiments is only 1 to 1.5 V more negative on the electrochemical scale than that for boron-doped diamond. This implies that the Fermi level is only 1 to 1.5 eV higher than the Fermi level in boron-doped diamond. This observation implies that the n-type conductivity is not by excitation of electrons to the conduction band, but by an alternate mechanism that occurs in the middle of the band gap. One such possibility is an acceptor impurity band. Electrons from individual donor states can be excited into this acceptor band where they are free to move. This mechanism would create n-type conductivity even if the Fermi level was low in the bandgap.

Bare and boron-doped cubic silicon carbide nanowires for electrochemical detection of nitrite sensitively

PubMed Central

Yang, Tao; Zhang, Liqin; Hou, Xinmei; Chen, Junhong; Chou, Kuo-Chih

2016-01-01

Fabrication of eletrochemical sensors based on wide bandgap compound semiconductors has attracted increasing interest in recent years. Here we report for the first time electrochemical nitrite sensors based on cubic silicon carbide (SiC) nanowires (NWs) with smooth surface and boron-doped cubic SiC NWs with fin-like structure. Multiple techniques including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) were used to characterize SiC and boron-doped SiC NWs. As for the electrochemical behavior of both SiC NWs electrode, the cyclic voltammetric results show that both SiC electrodes exhibit wide potential window and excellent electrocatalytic activity toward nitrite oxidation. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) determination reveals that there exists a good linear relationship between the oxidation peak current and the concentration in the range of 50–15000 μmoL L−1 (cubic SiC NWs) and 5–8000 μmoL L−1 (B-doped cubic SiC NWs) with the detection limitation of 5 and 0.5 μmoL L−1 respectively. Compared with previously reported results, both as-prepared nitrite sensors exhibit wider linear response range with comparable high sensitivity, high stability and reproducibility. PMID:27109361

Oven rack having integral lubricious, dry porcelain surface

DOEpatents

Ambrose, Jeffrey A; Mackiewicz-Ludtka, Gail; Sikka, Vinod K; Qu, Jun

2014-06-03

A lubricious glass-coated metal cooking article capable of withstanding repeated heating and cooling between room temperature and at least 500.degree. F. without chipping or cracking the glass coating, wherein the glass coating includes about 0.1 to about 20% by weight of a homogeneously distributed dry refractory lubricant material having a particle size less than about 200 .mu.m. The lubricant material is selected from the group consisting of carbon; graphite; boron nitride; cubic boron nitride; molybdenum (FV) sulfide; molybdenum sulfide; molybdenum (IV) selenide; molybdenum selenide, tungsten (IV) sulfide; tungsten disulfide; tungsten sulfide; silicon nitride (Si.sub.3N.sub.4); TiN; TiC; TiCN; TiO.sub.2; TiAlN; CrN; SiC; diamond-like carbon; tungsten carbide (WC); zirconium oxide (ZrO.sub.2); zirconium oxide and 0.1 to 40 weight % aluminum oxide; alumina-zirconia; antimony; antimony oxide; antimony trioxide; and mixtures thereof.

Boron nitride composites

DOEpatents

Kuntz, Joshua D.; Ellsworth, German F.; Swenson, Fritz J.; Allen, Patrick G.

2016-02-16

According to one embodiment, a composite product includes hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), and a plurality of cubic boron nitride (cBN) particles, wherein the plurality of cBN particles are dispersed in a matrix of the hBN. According to another embodiment, a composite product includes a plurality of cBN particles, and one or more borate-containing binders.

Finding the Stable Structures of WxN1-x with an ab-initio High-Throughput Approach

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-13

cubic boron nitride[4], carbonitrides,[5] and transition metal borides .[6, 7] Over the past several years there has been considerable theoretical...include ionic and covalent structures which seem chemically similar to W-N. These include borides , carbides, oxides, and other nitrides. In this paper we...metallic alloys, [23–27] we extended it to include over fifty new structures. These include nitrides, oxides, borides , and carbides. The important

Laser sintered thin layer graphene and cubic boron nitride reinforced nickel matrix nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Zengrong; Tong, Guoquan

2015-10-01

Laser sintered thin layer graphene (Gr)-cubic boron nitride (CBN)-Ni nanocomposites were fabricated on AISI 4140 plate substrate. The composites fabricating process, composites microstructure and mechanical properties were studied. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy were employed to study the micro structures and composition of the composites. XRD and Raman tests proved that graphene and CBN were dispersed in the nanocomposites. Nanoindentation test results indicate the significant improvements were achieved in the composites mechanical properties.

Phase stability limit of c-BN under hydrostatic and non-hydrostatic pressure conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Jianwei; Du, Jinglian; Wen, Bin; Melnik, Roderick; Kawazoe, Yoshiyuki; Zhang, Xiangyi

2014-04-01

Phase stability limit of cubic boron nitride (c-BN) has been investigated by the crystal structure search technique. It indicated that this limit is ˜1000 GPa at hydrostatic pressure condition. Above this pressure, c-BN turns into a metastable phase with respect to rocksalt type boron nitride (rs-BN). However, rs-BN cannot be retained at 0 GPa owing to its instability at pressure below 250 GPa. For non-hydrostatic pressure conditions, the phase stability limit of c-BN is substantially lower than that under hydrostatic pressure conditions and it is also dramatically different for other pressure mode.

Phase stability limit of c-BN under hydrostatic and non-hydrostatic pressure conditions

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

Xiao, Jianwei; Du, Jinglian; Wen, Bin, E-mail: wenbin@ysu.edu.cn

2014-04-28

Phase stability limit of cubic boron nitride (c-BN) has been investigated by the crystal structure search technique. It indicated that this limit is ∼1000 GPa at hydrostatic pressure condition. Above this pressure, c-BN turns into a metastable phase with respect to rocksalt type boron nitride (rs-BN). However, rs-BN cannot be retained at 0 GPa owing to its instability at pressure below 250 GPa. For non-hydrostatic pressure conditions, the phase stability limit of c-BN is substantially lower than that under hydrostatic pressure conditions and it is also dramatically different for other pressure mode.

Fluid synthesis and structure of a new polymorphic modification of boron nitride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pokropivny, V. V.; Smolyar, A. S.; Ovsiannikova, L. I.; Pokropivny, A. V.; Kuts, V. A.; Lyashenko, V. I.; Nesterenko, Yu. V.

2013-04-01

A new previously unknown phase of boron nitride with a hardness of 0.41-0.63 GPa has been pre-pared by the supercritical fluid synthesis. The presence of a new phase is confirmed by the X-ray spectra and IR absorption spectra, where new reflections and bands are distinguished. The fundamental reflection of the X-ray diffraction pattern is d = 0.286-0.291 nm, and the characteristic band in the infrared absorption spectrum is observed at 704 cm-1. The X-ray diffraction pattern and the experimental and theoretical infrared absorption spectra show that a new synthesized boron nitride phase can be a cluster crystal (space group 211) with a simple cubic lattice. Cage clusters of a fullerene-like morphology B24N24 with point symmetry O are arranged in lattice sites.

Surface Chemistry, Microstructure, and Tribological Properties of Cubic Boron Nitride Films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watanabe, Shuichi; Wheeler, Donald R.; Abel, Phillip B.; Street, Kenneth W.; Miyoshi, Kazuhisa; Murakawa, Masao; Miyake, Shojiro

1998-01-01

This report deals with the surface chemistry, microstructure, bonding state, morphology, and friction and wear properties of cubic boron nitride (c-BN) films that were synthesized by magnetically enhanced plasma ion plating. Several analytical techniques - x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and surface profilometry - were used to characterize the films. Sliding friction experiments using a ball-on-disk configuration were conducted for the c-BN films in sliding contact with 440C stainless-steel balls at room temperature in ultrahigh vacuum (pressure, 10(exp -6), in ambient air, and under water lubrication. Results indicate that the boron-to-nitrogen ratio on the surface of the as-deposited c-BN film is greater than 1 and that not all the boron is present as boron nitride but a small percentage is present as an oxide. Both in air and under water lubrication, the c-BN film in sliding contact with steel showed a low wear rate, whereas a high wear rate was observed in vacuum. In air and under water lubrication, c-BN exhibited wear resistance superior to that of amorphous boron nitride, titanium nitride, and titanium carbide.

Recent developments in turning hardened steels - A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sivaraman, V.; Prakash, S.

2017-05-01

Hard materials ranging from HRC 45 - 68 such as hardened AISI H13, AISI 4340, AISI 52100, D2 STL, D3 STEEL Steel etc., need super hard tool materials to machine. Turning of these hard materials is termed as hard turning. Hard turning makes possible direct machining of the hard materials and also eliminates the lubricant requirement and thus favoring dry machining. Hard turning is a finish turning process and hence conventional grinding is not required. Development of the new advanced super hard tool materials such as ceramic inserts, Cubic Boron Nitride, Polycrystalline Cubic Boron Nitride etc. enabled the turning of these materials. PVD and CVD methods of coating have made easier the production of single and multi layered coated tool inserts. Coatings of TiN, TiAlN, TiC, Al2O3, AlCrN over cemented carbide inserts has lead to the machining of difficult to machine materials. Advancement in the process of hard machining paved way for better surface finish, long tool life, reduced tool wear, cutting force and cutting temperatures. Micro and Nano coated carbide inserts, nanocomposite coated PCBN inserts, micro and nano CBN coated carbide inserts and similar developments have made machining of hardened steels much easier and economical. In this paper, broad literature review on turning of hardened steels including optimizing process parameters, cooling requirements, different tool materials etc., are done.

Real-Tme Boron Nitride Erosion Measurements of the HiVHAc Thruster via Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Brian C.; Yalin, Azer P.; Gallimore, Alec; Huang, Wensheng; Kamhawi, Hani

2013-01-01

Cavity ring-down spectroscopy was used to make real-time erosion measurements from the NASA High Voltage Hall Accelerator thruster. The optical sensor uses 250 nm light to measure absorption of atomic boron in the plume of an operating Hall thruster. Theerosion rate of the High Voltage Hall Accelerator thruster was measured for discharge voltages ranging from 330 to 600 V and discharge powers ranging from 1 to 3 kW. Boron densities as high as 6.5 x 10(exp 15) per cubic meter were found within the channel. Using a very simple boronvelocity model, approximate volumetric erosion rates between 5.0 x 10(exp -12) and 8.2 x 10(exp -12) cubic meter per second were found.

Determination of the optical band-gap energy of cubic and hexagonal boron nitride using luminescence excitation spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, D. A.; McGlynn, A. G.; Towlson, B. M.; Gunn, M.; Jones, D.; Jenkins, T. E.; Winter, R.; Poolton, N. R. J.

2008-02-01

Using synchrotron-based luminescence excitation spectroscopy in the energy range 4-20 eV at 8 K, the indirect Γ-X optical band-gap transition in cubic boron nitride is determined as 6.36 ± 0.03 eV, and the quasi-direct band-gap energy of hexagonal boron nitride is determined as 5.96 ± 0.04 eV. The composition and structure of the materials are self-consistently established by optically detected x-ray absorption spectroscopy, and both x-ray diffraction and Raman measurements on the same samples give independent confirmation of their chemical and structural purity: together, the results are therefore considered as providing definitive measurements of the optical band-gap energies of the two materials.

Characterization and modelling of the boron-oxygen defect activation in compensated n-type silicon

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

Schön, J.; Niewelt, T.; Broisch, J.

2015-12-28

A study of the activation of the light-induced degradation in compensated n-type Czochralski grown silicon is presented. A kinetic model is established that verifies the existence of both the fast and the slow components known from p-type and proves the quadratic dependence of the defect generation rates of both defects on the hole concentration. The model allows for the description of lifetime degradation kinetics in compensated n-type silicon under various intensities and is in accordance with the findings for p-type silicon. We found that the final concentrations of the slow defect component in compensated n-type silicon only depend on themore » interstitial oxygen concentration and on neither the boron concentration nor the equilibrium electron concentration n{sub 0}. The final concentrations of the fast defect component slightly increase with increasing boron concentration. The results on n-type silicon give new insight to the origin of the BO defect and question the existing models for the defect composition.« less

Ceramic-bonded abrasive grinding tools

DOEpatents

Holcombe, C.E. Jr.; Gorin, A.H.; Seals, R.D.

1994-11-22

Abrasive grains such as boron carbide, silicon carbide, alumina, diamond, cubic boron nitride, and mullite are combined with a cement primarily comprised of zinc oxide and a reactive liquid setting agent and solidified into abrasive grinding tools. Such grinding tools are particularly suitable for grinding and polishing stone, such as marble and granite.

Ceramic-bonded abrasive grinding tools

DOEpatents

Holcombe, Jr., Cressie E.; Gorin, Andrew H.; Seals, Roland D.

1994-01-01

Abrasive grains such as boron carbide, silicon carbide, alumina, diamond, cubic boron nitride, and mullite are combined with a cement primarily comprised of zinc oxide and a reactive liquid setting agent and solidified into abrasive grinding tools. Such grinding tools are particularly suitable for grinding and polishing stone, such as marble and granite.

Synthesis of thin films in boron-carbon-nitrogen ternary system by microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kukreja, Ratandeep Singh

The Boron Carbon Nitorgen (B-C-N) ternary system includes materials with exceptional properties such as wide band gap, excellent thermal conductivity, high bulk modulus, extreme hardness and transparency in the optical and UV range that find application in most fields ranging from micro-electronics, bio-sensors, and cutting tools to materials for space age technology. Interesting materials that belong to the B-C-N ternary system include Carbon nano-tubes, Boron Carbide, Boron Carbon Nitride (B-CN), hexagonal Boron Nitride ( h-BN), cubic Boron Nitride (c-BN), Diamond and beta Carbon Nitride (beta-C3N4). Synthesis of these materials requires precisely controlled and energetically favorable conditions. Chemical vapor deposition is widely used technique for deposition of thin films of ceramics, metals and metal-organic compounds. Microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPECVD) is especially interesting because of its ability to deposit materials that are meta-stable under the deposition conditions, for e.g. diamond. In the present study, attempt has been made to synthesize beta-carbon nitride (beta-C3N4) and cubic-Boron Nitride (c-BN) thin films by MPECVD. Also included is the investigation of dependence of residual stress and thermal conductivity of the diamond thin films, deposited by MPECVD, on substrate pre-treatment and deposition temperature. Si incorporated CNx thin films are synthesized and characterized while attempting to deposit beta-C3N4 thin films on Si substrates using Methane (CH4), Nitrogen (N2), and Hydrogen (H2). It is shown that the composition and morphology of Si incorporated CNx thin film can be tailored by controlling the sequence of introduction of the precursor gases in the plasma chamber. Greater than 100mum size hexagonal crystals of N-Si-C are deposited when Nitrogen precursor is introduced first while agglomerates of nano-meter range graphitic needles of C-Si-N are deposited when Carbon precursor is introduced first in the deposition chamber. Hexagonal -- BN thin films are successfully deposited using Diborane (B2H6) (5% in H2), Ammonia (NH3) and H2 as precursor gases in the conventional MPECVD mode with and without the negative DC bias. The quality of h-BN in the films improved with pressure and when NH3 used as the first precursor gas in the deposition chamber. c-BN thin films are successfully deposited using Boron-Trifluoride (BF3) (10% in Argon (Ar)), N2, H2, Ar and Helium (He) gases in the electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) mode of the MPECVD system with negative DC bias. Up-to 66% c-BN in the films is achieved under deposition conditions of lower gas flow rates and higher deposition pressures than that reported in the literature for film deposited by ECR-MPECVD. It is shown that the percentage c-BN in the films correlates with the deposition pressure, BF3/H2 ratio and, negative DC bias during nucleation and growth. Diamond thin films are deposited using 60%Ar, 39% H2 and, 1%CH4 at 600°C, 700°C and 800°C substrate temperatures, measured by an IR pyrometer, on Si substrates pre-treated with 3-6nm diamond sol and 20-40mum diamond slurry. Raman spectroscopy, FTIR, X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and, photo-thermal reflectivity methods are used to characterize the thin films. Residual stresses observed for the diamond thin films deposited in this study are tensile in nature and increased with deposition temperature. Better quality diamond films with lower residual stresses are obtained for films deposited on Si substrate pre-treated with 3-6nm diamond sol. Preliminary results on thermal conductivity, k, suggest that k is directly dependent on the deposition temperature and independent of substrate pre-treatment signifying that the nano-seeding technique can be used to replace conventional surface activation technique for diamond seeding where needed.

Submicron cubic boron nitride as hard as diamond

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

Liu, Guoduan; Kou, Zili, E-mail: kouzili@scu.edu.cn, E-mail: yanxz@hpstar.ac.cn; Lei, Li

Here, we report the sintering of aggregated submicron cubic boron nitride (sm-cBN) at a pressure of 8 GPa. The sintered cBN compacts exhibit hardness values comparable to that of single crystal diamond, fracture toughness about 5-fold that of cBN single crystal, in combination with a high oxidization temperature. Thus, another way has been demonstrated to improve the mechanical properties of cBN besides reducing the grain size to nano scale. In contrast to other ultrahard compacts with similar hardness, the sm-cBN aggregates are better placed for potential industrial application, as their relative low pressure manufacturing perhaps be easier and cheaper.

Shock compression behavior of a mixture of cubic and hexagonal boron nitride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Xiaojun; Yang, Gang; Zhao, Bin; Li, Peiyun; Yang, Jun; Leng, Chunwei; Liu, Hanyu; Huang, Haijun; Fei, Yingwei

2018-05-01

We report Hugoniot measurements on a mixture of cubic boron nitride (cBN) and hexagonal boron nitride (hBN, ˜10% in weight) to investigate the shock compression behavior of BN at Hugoniot stresses up to 110 GPa. We observed a discontinuity at ˜77 GPa along the Hugoniot and interpreted it as the manifestation of the shock-induced phase transition of hBN to cBN. The experimental stress at 77-110 GPa shows significant deviation from the hydrodynamic Hugoniot of cBN calculated using the Mie-Grüneisen model coupled with the reported 300 K-isotherms of cBN. Our investigation reveals that material strength in cBN increases with the experimental stress at least up to 110 GPa. The material strength might be preserved at higher stress if we consider the previously reported high stress data.

N-Doped Hybrid Graphene and Boron Nitride Armchair Nanoribbons As Nonmagnetic Semiconductors with Widely Tunable Electronic Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habibpour, Razieh; Kashi, Eslam; Vazirib, Raheleh

2018-03-01

The electronic and chemical properties of N-doped hybrid graphene and boron nitride armchair nanoribbons (N-doped a-GBNNRs) in comparison with graphene armchair nanoribbon (pristine a-GNR) and hybrid graphene and boron nitride armchair nanoribbon (C-3BN) are investigated using the density functional theory method. The results show that all the mentioned nanoribbons are nonmagnetic direct semiconductors and all the graphitic N-doped a-GBNNRs are n-type semiconductors while the rest are p-type semiconductors. The N-doped graphitic 2 and N-doped graphitic 3 structures have the lowest work function and the highest number of valence electrons (Lowdin charges) which confirms that they are effective for use in electronic device applications.

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.

Safety Assessment of Boron Nitride as Used in Cosmetics.

PubMed

Fiume, Monice M; Bergfeld, Wilma F; Belsito, Donald V; Hill, Ronald A; Klaassen, Curtis D; Liebler, Daniel C; Marks, James G; Shank, Ronald C; Slaga, Thomas J; Snyder, Paul W; Andersen, F Alan

2015-01-01

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel (Panel) assessed the safety of boron nitride which functions in cosmetics as a slip modifier (ie, it has a lubricating effect). Boron nitride is an inorganic compound with a crystalline form that can be hexagonal, spherical, or cubic; the hexagonal form is presumed to be used in cosmetics. The highest reported concentration of use of boron nitride is 25% in eye shadow formulations. Although boron nitride nanotubes are produced, boron nitride is not listed as a nanomaterial used in cosmetic formulations. The Panel reviewed available chemistry, animal data, and clinical data and concluded that this ingredient is safe in the present practices of use and concentration in cosmetic formulations. © The Author(s) 2015.

Tool wear of (Ti, Al) N-coated polycrystalline cubic boron nitride compact in cutting of hardened steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wada, Tadahiro; Hanyu, Hiroyuki

2017-11-01

Polycrystalline cubic boron nitride compact (cBN) is effective tool material for cutting hardened steel. In addition to coated high speed steel and coated cemented carbide that has long been used for cutting materials, more recently, coated cBN has also been used. In this study, to verify the effectiveness of the (Ti,Al)N-coated cBN, which is formed on the substrate of cBN by the physical vapor deposition method, the hardened steel was turned with the (Ti,Al)N-coated cBN tool at a cutting speed of 3.33, 5.00 m/s, a feed rate of 0.3 mm/rev and a depth of cut of 0.1 mm. Furthermore, the uncoated cBN, which was the substrate of the (Ti,Al)N-coated, was also used. The tool wear of the cBN tools was experimentally investigated. The following results were obtained: (1) The contact area between the rake face and the chip of the (Ti,.Al)N-coated cBN tool was smaller than that of the uncoated cBN tool. (2) The tool wear of the (Ti,Al)N-coated cBN was smaller than that of uncoated cBN. (3) The wear progress of the (Ti,Al)N-coated cBN with the main element phase of the TiCN-Al, was slower than that of the (Ti,Al)N-coated cBN with the main element phase of the TiN-Al. (4) In the case of the high cutting speed of 5.00 m/s, the tool wear of the (Ti,Al)N-coated cBN was also smaller than that of uncoated cBN. The above results clarify that the (Ti,Al)N-coated cBN can be used as a tool material in high feed cutting of hardened steel.

Prospects and limitations for p-type doping in boron nitride polymorphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weston, Leigh; van de Walle, Chris G.

Using first-principles calculations, we examine the potential for p-type doping of BN polymorphs via substitutional impurities. Based on density functional theory with a hybrid functional, our calculations reveal that group-IV elements (C, Si) substituting at the N site result in acceptor levels that are more than 1 eV above the valence-band maximum in all of the BN polymorphs, and hence far too deep to allow for p-type doping. On the other hand, group-II elements (Be, Mg) substituting at the B site lead to shallower acceptor levels. However, for the ground-state hexagonal phase (h-BN), we show that p-type doping at the B site is inhibited by the formation of hole polarons. Our calculations reveal that hole localization is intrinsic to sp2 bonded h-BN, and this places fundamental limits on hole conduction in this material. In contrast, the sp3 bonded wurtzite (w-BN) and cubic (c-BN) polymorphs are capable of forming shallow acceptor levels. For Be dopants, the acceptor ionization energies are 0.31 eV and 0.24 eV for w-BN and c-BN, respectively; these values are only slightly larger than the ionization energy of the Mg acceptor in GaN. This work was supported by NSF.

Boron Arsenide and Boron Phosphide for High Temperature and Luminescent Devices. [semiconductor devices - crystal growth/crystal structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chu, T. L.

1975-01-01

The crystal growth of boron arsenide and boron phosphide in the form of bulk crystals and epitaxial layers on suitable substrates is discussed. The physical, chemical, and electrical properties of the crystals and epitaxial layers are examined. Bulk crystals of boron arsenide were prepared by the chemical transport technique, and their carrier concentration and Hall mobility were measured. The growth of boron arsenide crystals from high temperature solutions was attempted without success. Bulk crystals of boron phosphide were also prepared by chemical transport and solution growth techniques. Techniques required for the fabrication of boron phosphide devices such as junction shaping, diffusion, and contact formation were investigated. Alloying techniques were developed for the formation of low-resistance ohmic contacts to boron phosphide. Four types of boron phosphide devices were fabricated: (1) metal-insulator-boron phosphide structures, (2) Schottky barriers; (3) boron phosphide-silicon carbide heterojunctions; and (4) p-n homojunctions. Easily visible red electroluminescence was observed from both epitaxial and solution grown p-n junctions.

Enhanced solar-blind responsivity of photodetectors based on cubic MgZnO films via gallium doping.

PubMed

Xie, Xiuhua; Zhang, Zhenzhong; Li, Binghui; Wang, Shuangpeng; Jiang, Mingming; Shan, Chongxin; Zhao, Dongxu; Chen, Hongyu; Shen, Dezhen

2014-01-13

We report on gallium (Ga) doped cubic MgZnO films, which have been grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition. It was demonstrated that Ga doping improves the n-type conduction of the cubic MgZnO films. A two-orders of magnitude enhancement in lateral n-type conduction have been achieved for the cubic MgZnO films. The responsivity of the cubic MgZnO-based photodetector has been also enhanced. Depletion region electric field intensity enhanced model was adopted to explain the improvement of quantum efficiency in Ga doped MgZnO-based detectors.

Bonding, elastic and vibrational properties in low and high pressure synthesized diamond-like BCx phases

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

Zinin, P.; Liu, X. R.; Jia, R.

Recent studies demonstrate that low pressure chemical vapor deposition at 950 K leads to the synthesis of diamond-like boron carbides with high concentrations of boron (0.66 < x < 4) in which the sp 2 fraction depends on the boron concentration [1]. This indicates that the graphitic BC3 (g-BC3) phases obtained by chemical vapor deposition materials are mixtures of diamond-like and graphitic BCx phases. This finding allows us to revise the interpretation of the x-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the g-BC3 phases discussed previously [2, 3]. To support the new interpretation, we conducted a laser heating experiment of the g-BC3more » phase. We found that after laser heating at 1100 K and 25 GPa in a diamond anvil cell (DAC) almost all graphitic layers of the g-BC3 transform into a cubic structure. The XRD pattern of the cubic BC3 phase (c-BC3) can be indexed with a cubic unit cell a = 3.619 (0.165) Å. Measurements of the equation of state of the g-BC3 phase demonstrated that boron atoms were incorporated into the graphitic B-C network. The linear compressibility along the c axis can be characterized by the value of the linear modulus Bc = 29.2 ± 1.8 GPa. Linear fitting of the experimental data for the a/a o parameter as a function of pressure gives us the value of the linear elastic modulus along the a axes: Ba = 800 ± 75 GPa.« less

Extreme-UV electrical discharge source

DOEpatents

Fornaciari, Neal R.; Nygren, Richard E.; Ulrickson, Michael A.

2002-01-01

An extreme ultraviolet and soft x-ray radiation electric capillary discharge source that includes a boron nitride housing defining a capillary bore that is positioned between two electrodes one of which is connected to a source of electric potential can generate a high EUV and soft x-ray radiation flux from the capillary bore outlet with minimal debris. The electrode that is positioned adjacent the capillary bore outlet is typically grounded. Pyrolytic boron nitride, highly oriented pyrolytic boron nitride, and cubic boron nitride are particularly suited. The boron nitride capillary bore can be configured as an insert that is encased in an exterior housing that is constructed of a thermally conductive material. Positioning the ground electrode sufficiently close to the capillary bore outlet also reduces bore erosion.

Synthesis of n-type semiconductor diamond single crystal under high pressure and high temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yong; Li, Shangsheng; Song, Mousheng; She, Yanchao; Wang, Qiang; Guan, Xuemao

2017-12-01

In this paper, diamond single crystal co-doped with sulfur and boron was successfully synthesized at the fixed pressure of 6.0 GPa and temperature range of 1535 K. Sulfur was detected in the co-doped diamond by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and the corresponding characteristic peak located at 848 cm-1. Interestingly, Hall effect measurements indicated that the diamond co-doped with sulfur and boron exhibited n-type semiconductor behaviour. Furthermore, the Hall mobility and carrier concentration of the co-doped diamond higher than those of the boron-doping diamond.

Strong confinement of optical fields using localized surface phonon polaritons in cubic boron nitride.

PubMed

Chatzakis, Ioannis; Krishna, Athith; Culbertson, James; Sharac, Nicholas; Giles, Alexander J; Spencer, Michael G; Caldwell, Joshua D

2018-05-01

Phonon polaritons (PhPs) are long-lived electromagnetic modes that originate from the coupling of infrared (IR) photons with the bound ionic lattice of a polar crystal. Cubic-boron nitride (cBN) is such a polar, semiconductor material which, due to the light atomic masses, can support high-frequency optical phonons. Here we report on random arrays of cBN nanostructures fabricated via an unpatterned reactive ion etching process. Fourier-transform infrared reflection spectra suggest the presence of localized surface PhPs within the reststrahlen band, with quality factors in excess of 38 observed. These can provide the basis of next-generation IR optical components such as antennas for communication, improved chemical spectroscopies, and enhanced emitters, sources, and detectors.

Tribo-mechanical and electrical properties of boron-containing coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Jincheng

The development of new hard protective coatings with advanced performance is very important for progress in a variety of scientific and industrial fields. Application of hard protective coatings can significantly improve the performance of parts and components, extend their service life, and save energy in many industrial applications including aerospace, automotive, manufacturing, and other industries. In addition, the multifunctionality of protective coatings is also required in many other application fields such as optics, microelectronics, biomedical, magnetic storage media, etc. Therefore, protective coatings with enhanced tribo-mechanical and corrosion properties as well as other functions are in demand. The coating characteristics can be adjusted by controlling the microstructure at different scales. For example, films with nanostructures, such as superlattice, nanocolumn, and nanocomposite systems, exhibit distinctive characteristics compared to single-phase materials. They show superior tribo-mechanical properties due to the presence of strong interfaces, and different functions can be achieved due to the multi-phase characteristics. Boron-containing materials with their excellent mechanical properties and interesting electronic characteristics are good candidates for functional hard protective coatings. For instance, cubic boron nitride (c-BN), boron carbide (B1-xCx), and titanium diboride (TiB 2) are well known for their high hardness, high thermal stability, and high chemical inertness. An interesting example is the boron carbon nitride (BCN) compound that possesses many attractive properties because its structure is similar to that of carbon (graphite and diamond) and of boron nitride (BN in hexagonal and cubic phases). The main goal of this work is to further develop the family of Boron-containing films including B1-xCx, Ti-B-C, and BCN films fabricated by magnetron sputtering, and to enhance their performance by controlling their microstructure on the nanoscale. Their tribo-mechanical, corrosion, and electrical properties are studied in relation to the composition and microstructure, aiming at enhancing their performance for multi-functional protective coating applications via microstructural design. First, B1-xCx (0 < x < 1) films with tailored tribo-mechanical properties were deposited by magnetron sputtering using one graphite and two boron targets. The hardness of the B1-xC x films was found to reach 25 GPa both for boron-rich and carbon-rich films, and the friction coefficient and wear rate can be adjusted from 0.66 to 0.13 and from 6.4x10-5 mm3/Nm to 1.3x10 -7 mm3/Nm, respectively, by changing the carbon content from 19 to 76 at.%. The hardness variation is closely related to the microstructure, and the low friction and wear rate of the B0.24C0.76 film are due to the high portion of an amorphous carbon phase. Moreover, application of the B0.81C0.19 film improves the corrosion resistance of the M2 steel substrate significantly, indicated by the decrease of the corrosion current by almost four orders of magnitude. Based on the optimization of the B1-xCx films, nanostructured Ti-B-C films with different compositions were deposited by adding titanium by simultaneously sputtering a titanium diboride target. We found that the film microstructure features TiB2 nanocrystallites embedded in an amorphous boron carbide matrix. The film hardness varies from 33 to 42 GPa with different titanium contents, which is related to the changes in microstructure, namely, the size and concentration of the TiB2 nanocrystallites. The friction coefficient and wear rate are in the ranges of 0.37-0.73 and of 3.3x10-6-5.7x10-5 mm3/Nm, respectively, which are affected by the mechanical properties and the surface chemical states of the films. By applying the Ti-B-C films, the corrosion resistance of the M2 steel substrate is significantly enhanced as documented by a reduction of the corrosion current density by two orders of magnitude. BCN films were synthesized by magnetron sputtering using a single B 4C target in an N2: Ar gas mixture. The BCN films exhibit an amorphous structure and contain a mixture of B-C, B-N, and C-N bonds. The films show p-type conductivity with an optical band gap of 1.0 eV. Subsequently, ZnO nanorods were grown on the BCN films using hydrothermal synthesis to form BCN/ZnO nanorods p-n heterojunctions. The performance of the junctions is evaluated by the I-V characterization, which shows a rectification behavior with a rectification ratio of 1500 at the bias voltages of +/-5 V.

Present knowledge of electronic properties and charge transport of icosahedral boron-rich solids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Werheit, Helmut

2009-06-01

B12 icosahedra or related structure elements determine the different modifications of elementary boron and numerous boron-rich compounds from α-rhombohedral boron with 12 to YB66 type with about 1584 atoms per unit cell. Typical are well-defined high density intrinsic defects: Jahn-Teller distorted icosahedra, vacancies, incomplete occupancies, statistical occupancies and antisite defects. The correlation between intrinsic point defects and electron deficiencies solves the discrepancy between theoretically predicted metal and experimentally proved semiconducting character. The electron deficiencies generate split-off valence states, which are decisive for the electronic transport, a superposition of band-type and hopping-type conduction. Their share depends on actual conditions like temperature or pre-excitation. The theoretical model of bipolaron hopping is incompatible with numerous experiments. Technical application of the typically p-type icosahedral boron-rich solids requires suitable n-type counterparts; doping and other possibilities are discussed.

Radiation response of cubic mesoporous silicate and borosilicate thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manzini, Ayelén; Alurralde, Martín; Luca, Vittorio

2018-01-01

The radiation response has been studied of cubic mesoporous silicate and borosilicate thin films having different boron contents prepared using the block copolymer template Brij 58 and the dip coating technique. The degree of pore ordering of the films was analysed using low-angle X-ray diffraction and film thickness measured by X-ray reflectivity. For films calcined at 350 °C, the incorporation of boron resulted in a reproducible oscillatory variation in the d-spacing and intensity of the primary reflection as a function of boron content. A clear peak was observed in the d-spacing at 5-10 mol% boron incorporation. For borosilicate films of a given composition an overall suppression of d-spacing was observed as a function of aging time relative to films that did not contain boron. This was ascribed to a slow condensation process. The films were irradiated in pile with neutrons and with iodine ions at energies of 180 keV and 70 MeV. Neutron irradiation of the silicate thin films for periods up to 30 days and aged for 400 days resulted in little reduction in either d-spacing or intensity of the primary low-angle X-ray reflection indicating that the films retained their mesopore ordering. In contrast borosilicate films for which the B (n, α) reaction was expected to result in enhanced displacement damage showed much larger variations in X-ray parameters. For these films short irradiation times resulted in a reduction of the d-spacing and intensity of the primary reflections considerably beyond that observed through aging. It is concluded that prolonged neutron irradiation and internal α irradiation have only a small, although measurable, impact on mesoporous borosilicate thin films increasing the degree of condensation and increasing unit cell contraction. When these borosilicate films were irradiated with iodine ions, more profound changes occurred. The pore ordering of the films was significantly degraded when low energy ions were used. In some cases the degree of damage was such that no low-angle reflection could be observed. This degradation of pore ordering was confirmed in scanning electron microscopy images of the irradiated films.

Preparation and Characterization of Ni Spines Grown on the Surface of Cubic Boron Nitride Grains by Electroplating Method

PubMed Central

Gui, Yanghai; Zhao, Jianbo; Chen, Jingbo; Jiang, Yuanli

2016-01-01

Cubic boron nitride (cBN) is widely applied in cutting and grinding tools. cBN grains plated by pure Ni and Ni/SiC composite were produced under the same conditions from an additive-free nickel Watts type bath. The processed electroplating products were characterized by the techniques of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermoanalysis (TG-DTA). Due to the presence of SiC particles, there are some additional nodules on the surface of Ni/SiC plated cBN compared with the pure Ni plated cBN. The unique morphology of Ni/SiC plated cBN should attain greater retention force in resin bond. Moreover, the coating weight of cBN grains could be controlled by regulating the plating time. cBN grains with 60% coating weight possess the optimum grinding performance due to their roughest and spiniest surface. In addition, Ni spines plated cBN grains show good thermal stability when temperature is lower than 464 °C. Therefore, the plated cBN grains are more stable and suitable for making resin bond abrasive tools below 225 °C. Finally, the formation mechanism of electroplating products is also discussed. PMID:28773283

Ion beam modification of the structure and properties of hexagonal boron nitride: An infrared and X-ray diffraction study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aradi, E.; Naidoo, S. R.; Billing, D. G.; Wamwangi, D.; Motochi, I.; Derry, T. E.

2014-07-01

The vibrational mode for the cubic symmetry of boron nitride (BN) has been produced by boron ion implantation of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). The optimum fluence at 150 keV was found to be 5 × 1014 ions/cm2. The presence of the c-BN phase was inferred using glancing incidence XRD (GIXRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). After implantation, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy indicated a peak at 1092 cm-1 which corresponds to the vibrational mode for nanocrystalline BN (nc-BN). The glancing angle XRD pattern after implantation exhibited c-BN diffraction peaks relative to the implantation depth of 0.4 μm.

Microstructure and fracture toughness of Mn-stabilized cubic titanium trialuminide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zbroniec, Leszek Ireneusz

This thesis project is related to the fracture toughness aspects of the mechanical behavior of the selected Mn-modified cubic Ll2 titanium trialuminicles. Fracture toughness was evaluated using two specimen types: Single-Edge-Precracked-Beam (SEPB) and Chevron-Notched-Beam (CNB). The material tested was in cast, homogenized and HIP-ed condition. In the preliminary stage of the project due to lack of the ASTM Standard for fracture toughness testing of the chevron-notched specimens in bending the analyses of the CNB configuration were done to establish the optimal chevron notch dimensions. Two types of alloys were investigated: (a) boron-free and boron doped low-Mn (9at.% Mn), as well as (b) boron-free and boron-doped high-Mn (14at.% Mn). Toughness was investigated in the temperature range from room temperature to 1000°C and was calculated from the maximum load. It has been found that toughness of coarse-grained "base" 9Mn-25Ti alloy exhibits a broad peak at the 200--500°C temperature range and then decreases with increasing temperature, reaching its room temperature value at 10000°C. However, the work of fracture (gammaWOF) and the stress intensity factor calculated from it (KIWOF) increases continuously with increasing temperature. Also the fracture mode dependence on temperature has been established. To understand the effect of environment on the fracture toughness of coarse-grained "base", boron-free 9Mn-25Ti alloy, the tests were carried out in vacuum (˜1.3 x 10-5 Pa), argon, oxygen, water and liquid nitrogen. It has been shown that fracture toughness at ambient temperature is not affected by the environments containing moisture (water vapor). It seems that at ambient temperatures these materials are completely immune to the water-vapor hydrogen embrittlement and their cause of brittleness is other than environment. To explore the influence of the grain size on fracture toughness the fracture toughness tests were also performed on the dynamically recrystallized "base", boron-free 9Mn-25Ti material with the average grain size of 45 mum. Further refinement of the grain size was obtained by ball-milling of powders in order to obtain a nanostructure material. These were subsequently consolidated by hot pressing with the objective of retaining the nanostructure to the largest extent possible. The estimated grain size of the powder compact was ˜50--200 mum. The indentation microcracking fracture toughness measurements were performed on the powder compacts. It has been found that fracture toughness is independent of the grain size in the range ˜1300--45 mum and that for the finest grains (˜50--200 mum) it drops substantially and is equal to half of that for coarse-grained material. A beneficial effect of boron doping, high-(Mn+Ti) concentration and combination of both, on the fracture toughness was observed at room and elevated temperatures. The addition of boron to a "base" 9at.% Mn-25at.% Ti trialuminicle improves the room temperature fracture toughness by 25--50%. Addition of boron to a high (Mn+Ti) trialuminide improves the room temperature fracture toughness by 100% with respect to a "base" 9Mn-25Ti alloy. Depending on the Mn+Ti concentrations and the level of boron doping, improvements of fracture toughness at 200--600°C and 800--1000°C ranges are also observed.

Effect of the hexagonal phase interlayer on rectification properties of boron nitride heterojunctions to silicon

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

Teii, K., E-mail: teii@asem.kyushu-u.ac.jp; Ito, H.; Katayama, N.

2015-02-07

Rectification properties of boron nitride/silicon p-n heterojunction diodes fabricated under low-energy ion impact by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition are studied in terms of the resistive sp{sup 2}-bonded boron nitride (sp{sup 2}BN) interlayer. A two-step biasing technique is developed to control the fraction of cubic boron nitride (cBN) phase and, hence, the thickness of the sp{sup 2}BN interlayer in the films. The rectification ratio at room temperature is increased up to the order of 10{sup 4} at ±10 V of biasing with increasing the sp{sup 2}BN thickness up to around 130 nm due to suppression of the reverse leakage current. The variation ofmore » the ideality factor in the low bias region is related to the interface disorders and defects, not to the sp{sup 2}BN thickness. The forward current follows the Frenkel-Poole emission model in the sp{sup 2}BN interlayer at relatively high fields when the anomalous effect is assumed. The transport of the minority carriers for reverse current is strongly limited by the high bulk resistance of the thick sp{sup 2}BN interlayer, while that of the major carriers for forward current is much less affected.« less

Effect of substrate temperature in the synthesis of BN nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sajjad, M.; Zhang, H. X.; Peng, X. Y.; Feng, P. X.

2011-06-01

Boron nitride (BN) nanostructures were grown on molybdenum discs at different substrate temperatures using the short-pulse laser plasma deposition technique. Large numbers of randomly oriented nanorods of fiber-like structures were obtained. The variation in the length and diameter of the nanorods as a function of the substrate temperature was systematically studied. The surface morphologies of the samples were studied using scanning electron microscopy. Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy confirmed that both the elements boron and nitrogen are dominant in the nanostructure. The x-ray diffraction (XRD) technique was used to analyse BN phases. The XRD peak that appeared at 26° showed the presence of hexagonal BN phase, whereas the peak at 44° was related to cubic BN content in the samples. Raman spectroscopic analysis showed vibrational modes of sp2- and sp3-type bonding in the sample. The Raman spectra agreed well with XRD results.

Deposition Of Cubic BN On Diamond Interlayers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ong, Tiong P.; Shing, Yuh-Han

1994-01-01

Thin films of polycrystalline, pure, cubic boron nitride (c-BN) formed on various substrates, according to proposal, by chemical vapor deposition onto interlayers of polycrystalline diamond. Substrate materials include metals, semiconductors, and insulators. Typical substrates include metal-cutting tools: polycrystalline c-BN coats advantageous for cutting ferrous materials and for use in highly oxidizing environments-applications in which diamond coats tend to dissolve in iron or be oxidized, respectively.

Plasma induced sp 2 to sp 3 transition in boron nitride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, J.; Cui, Q.; Li, X.; He, Z.; Li, W.; Ma, Y.; Guan, Q.; Gao, W.; Zou, G.

2004-12-01

The transition from sp 2 to sp 3 hybridization in boron nitride has been induced in plasma. Nano-crystals of cubic boron nitride (cBN) have been synthesized by direct current arc discharge method using hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) as the starting material. The characterization of the as-grown powders is carried out by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. It has been shown that cBN and hBN grains with 20-60 nm in size co-exist in the powders. A reaction route of sublimation - re-hybridization - crystallization had been put forward to explain the mechanism of the hybridization transition and the growth of cBN by this method.

Magnetic Resonance Characterization of Defects in Icosahedral and Cubic Boron Arsenide Bulk Crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glaser, E. R.; Freitas, J. A., Jr.; Cress, C. D.; Perkins, F. K.; Prokes, S. M.; Ruppalt, L. B.; Culbertson, J. C.; Whiteley, C.; Edgar, J. H.; Tian, F.; Ren, Z.; Kim, J.; Shi, L.; Naval Research Lab Team; Kansas State U. Team; U. Houston Team; U. Texas Team

Low-temperature electron spin resonance (ESR) at 9.5 GHz and optically-detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) at 24 GHz were employed to investigate point defects in icosahedral and cubic Boron Arsenide bulk crystals. These semiconductors are of interest for use in high radiation and/or high temperature environments. ESR of the (001) B12As2 (Eg = 3.47 eV) mm-size platelets revealed two distinct features of unknown origin. The first signal is characterized by Zeeman splitting g-values of g|| = 2.017, g⊥ = 2.0183 while the second with g|| = 2.0182, g⊥ = 1.9997. Most notably, the second signal was also observed from ODMR on the broad 2.4 eV ``yellow/green'' photoluminescence band previously reported for these crystals and suggests its direct involvement in this likely defect-related radiative recombination process. Preliminary ESR obtained for the 100-300 micron-size cubic BAs crystals revealed a signal with g-value of 2.018 (very similar to that found for the B12As2 crystals) and broad FWHM value of 182 G. Possible origins of these defects will be discussed.

p-type zinc-blende GaN on GaAs substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, M. E.; Xue, G.; Zhou, G. L.; Greene, J. E.; Morkoç, H.

1993-08-01

We report p-type cubic GaN. The Mg-doped layers were grown on vicinal (100) GaAs substrates by plasma-enhanced molecular beam epitaxy. Thermally sublimed Mg was, with N2 carrier gas, fed into an electron-cyclotron resonance source. p-type zinc-blende-structure GaN films were achieved with hole mobilities as high as 39 cm2/V s at room temperature. The cubic nature of the films were confirmed by x-ray diffractometry. The depth profile of Mg was investigated by secondary ions mass spectroscopy.

Photovoltaic Device Including A Boron Doping Profile In An I-Type Layer

DOEpatents

Yang, Liyou

1993-10-26

A photovoltaic cell for use in a single junction or multijunction photovoltaic device, which includes a p-type layer of a semiconductor compound including silicon, an i-type layer of an amorphous semiconductor compound including silicon, and an n-type layer of a semiconductor compound including silicon formed on the i-type layer. The i-type layer including an undoped first sublayer formed on the p-type layer, and a boron-doped second sublayer formed on the first sublayer.

Growth of boron doped hydrogenated nanocrystalline cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) films by Hot Wire-CVD

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

Pawbake, Amit; Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Colaba, Mumbai 400 005; Mayabadi, Azam

Highlights: • Boron doped nc-3C-SiC films prepared by HW-CVD using SiH{sub 4}/CH{sub 4}/B{sub 2}H{sub 6}. • 3C-Si-C films have preferred orientation in (1 1 1) direction. • Introduction of boron into SiC matrix retard the crystallanity in the film structure. • Film large number of SiC nanocrystallites embedded in the a-Si matrix. • Band gap values, E{sub Tauc} and E{sub 04} (E{sub 04} > E{sub Tauc}) decreases with increase in B{sub 2}H{sub 6} flow rate. - Abstract: Boron doped nanocrystalline cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) films have been prepared by HW-CVD using silane (SiH{sub 4})/methane (CH{sub 4})/diborane (B{sub 2}H{sub 6}) gasmore » mixture. The influence of boron doping on structural, optical, morphological and electrical properties have been investigated. The formation of 3C-SiC films have been confirmed by low angle XRD, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy and high resolution-transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) analysis whereas effective boron doping in nc-3C-SiC have been confirmed by conductivity, charge carrier activation energy, and Hall measurements. Raman spectroscopy and HR-TEM analysis revealed that introduction of boron into the SiC matrix retards the crystallanity in the film structure. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and non contact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) results signify that 3C-SiC film contain well resolved, large number of silicon carbide (SiC) nanocrystallites embedded in the a-Si matrix having rms surface roughness ∼1.64 nm. Hydrogen content in doped films are found smaller than that of un-doped films. Optical band gap values, E{sub Tauc} and E{sub 04} decreases with increase in B{sub 2}H{sub 6} flow rate.« less

Laser doping of boron-doped Si paste for high-efficiency silicon solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomizawa, Yuka; Imamura, Tetsuya; Soeda, Masaya; Ikeda, Yoshinori; Shiro, Takashi

2015-08-01

Boron laser doping (LD) is a promising technology for high-efficiency solar cells such as p-type passivated locally diffused solar cells and n-type Si-wafer-based solar cells. We produced a printable phosphorus- or boron-doped Si paste (NanoGram® Si paste/ink) for use as a diffuser in the LD process. We used the boron LD process to fabricate high-efficiency passivated emitter and rear locally diffused (PERL) solar cells. PERL solar cells on Czochralski Si (Cz-Si) wafers yielded a maximum efficiency of 19.7%, whereas the efficiency of a reference cell was 18.5%. Fill factors above 79% and open circuit voltages above 655 mV were measured. We found that the boron-doped area effectively performs as a local boron back surface field (BSF). The characteristics of the solar cell formed using NanoGram® Si paste/ink were better than those of the reference cell.

High-Pressure Design of Advanced BN-Based Materials.

PubMed

Kurakevych, Oleksandr O; Solozhenko, Vladimir L

2016-10-20

The aim of the present review is to highlight the state of the art in high-pressure design of new advanced materials based on boron nitride. Recent experimental achievements on the governing phase transformation, nanostructuring and chemical synthesis in the systems containing boron nitride at high pressures and high temperatures are presented. All these developments allowed discovering new materials, e.g., ultrahard nanocrystalline cubic boron nitride (nano-cBN) with hardness comparable to diamond, and superhard boron subnitride B 13 N₂. Thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of high-pressure synthesis are described based on the data obtained by in situ and ex situ methods. Mechanical and thermal properties (hardness, thermoelastic equations of state, etc.) are discussed. New synthetic perspectives, combining both soft chemistry and extreme pressure-temperature conditions are considered.

Impact of a boron rich layer on minority carrier lifetime degradation in boron spin-on dopant diffused n-type crystalline silicon solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singha, Bandana; Singh Solanki, Chetan

2016-03-01

In the production of n-type crystalline silicon solar cells with boron diffused emitters, the formation of a boron rich layer (BRL) is a common phenomenon and is largely responsible for bulk lifetime degradation. The phenomenon of BRL formation during diffusion of boron spin-on dopant and its impact on bulk lifetime degradation are investigated in this work. The BRL formed beneath the borosilicate glass layer has thicknesses varying from 10 nm-150 nm depending on the diffusion conditions. The effective and bulk minority carrier lifetimes, measured with Al2O3 deposited layers and a quinhydron-methanol solution, show that carrier lifetime degradation is proportional to the BRL thicknesses and their surface recombination velocities. The controlled diffusion processes and different oxidation techniques used in this work can partially reduce the BRL thickness and improve carrier lifetime by more than 10%. But for BRL thicknesses higher than 50 nm, different etching techniques further lower the carrier lifetime and the degradation in the device cannot be recovered.

High quality boron carbon nitride/ZnO-nanorods p-n heterojunctions based on magnetron sputtered boron carbon nitride films

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

Qian, J. C.; Department of Engineering Physics, Polytechnique Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H3A 3A7; Jha, S. K., E-mail: skylec@gmail.com, E-mail: apwjzh@cityu.edu.hk

2014-11-10

Boron carbon nitride (BCN) films were synthesized on Si (100) and fused silica substrates by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering from a B{sub 4}C target in an Ar/N{sub 2} gas mixture. The BCN films were amorphous, and they exhibited an optical band gap of ∼1.0 eV and p-type conductivity. The BCN films were over-coated with ZnO nanorod arrays using hydrothermal synthesis to form BCN/ZnO-nanorods p-n heterojunctions, exhibiting a rectification ratio of 1500 at bias voltages of ±5 V.

Dynamic consolidation of cubic boron nitride and its admixtures

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

Tan, H.; Ahrens, T.J.

1988-09-01

Cubic boron nitride (C-BN) powders admixed with graphite-structured boron nitride powder (g-BN), silicon carbide whisker (SCW), or silicon nitride whisker (SNW) were shock compacted to pressures up to 22 GPa. Unlike previous work with diamond and graphite (D. K. Potter and T. J. Ahrens, J. Appl. Phys. 63, 910 (1987)) it was found that the addition of g-BN inhibited dynamic consolidation. Good consolidation was achieved with a 4--8 ..mu..m particle size C-BN powder admixed with 15 wt.% SNW or 20 wt.% SCW. Whereas a 37--44 ..mu..m particle size C-BN mixture was only poorly consolidated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis demonstratemore » that SCW and SNW in the mixtures were highly deformed and indicated melt textures. A skin heating model was used to describe the physics of consolidation. Model calculations are consistent with SEM analysis images that indicate plastic deformation of SCW and SNW. Micro-Vickers hardness values as high as 50 GPa were obtained for consolidated C-BN and SNW mixtures. This compares to 21 GPa for single-crystal Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ and 120 GPa for diamond.« less

Core-level photoabsorption study of defects and metastable bonding configurations in boron nitride

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

Jimenez, I.; Jankowski, A.F.; Terminello, L.J.

1997-04-01

Boron nitride is an interesting material for technological applications and for fundamental solid state physics investigations. It is a compound isoelectronic with carbon and, like carbon can possess sp{sup 2} and sp{sup 3} bonded phases resembling graphite and diamond. BN crystallizes in the sp{sup 2}-bonded hexagonal (h-BN), rhombohedral (r-BN) and turbostratic phases, and in the sp{sup 3}-bonded cubic (c-BN) and wurtzite (w-BN) phases. A new family of materials is obtained when replacing C-C pairs in graphite with isoelectronic B-N pairs, resulting in C{sub 2}BN compounds. Regarding other boron compounds, BN is exceptional in the sense that it has standard two-centermore » bonds with conventional coordination numbers, while other boron compounds (e.g. B{sub 4}C) are based on the boron icosahedron unit with three-center bonds and high coordination numbers. The existence of several allotropic forms and fullerene-like structures for BN suggests a rich variety of local bonding and poses the questions of how this affects the local electronic structure and how the material accommodates the stress induced in the transition regions between different phases. One would expect point defects to play a crucial role in stress accommodation, but these must also have a strong influence in the electronic structure, since the B-N bond is polar and a point defect will thus be a charged structure. The study of point defects in relationship to the electronic structure is of fundamental interest in these materials. Recently, the authors have shown that Near-Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (NEXAFS) is sensitive to point defects in h-BN, and to the formation of metastable phases even in amorphous materials. This is significant since other phase identification techniques like vibrational spectroscopies or x-ray diffraction yield ambiguous results for nanocrystalline and amorphous samples. Serendipitously, NEXAFS also combines chemical selectivity with point defect sensitivity.« less

Extended Tersoff potential for boron nitride: Energetics and elastic properties of pristine and defective h -BN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Los, J. H.; Kroes, J. M. H.; Albe, K.; Gordillo, R. M.; Katsnelson, M. I.; Fasolino, A.

2017-11-01

We present an extended Tersoff potential for boron nitride (BN-ExTeP) for application in large scale atomistic simulations. BN-ExTeP accurately describes the main low energy B, N, and BN structures and yields quantitatively correct trends in the bonding as a function of coordination. The proposed extension of the bond order, added to improve the dependence of bonding on the chemical environment, leads to an accurate description of point defects in hexagonal BN (h -BN) and cubic BN (c -BN). We have implemented this potential in the molecular dynamics LAMMPS code and used it to determine some basic properties of pristine 2D h -BN and the elastic properties of defective h -BN as a function of defect density at zero temperature. Our results show that there is a strong correlation between the size of the static corrugation induced by the defects and the weakening of the in-plane elastic moduli.

Invited Article: Indenter materials for high temperature nanoindentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wheeler, J. M.; Michler, J.

2013-10-01

As nanoindentation at high temperatures becomes increasingly popular, a review of indenter materials for usage at high temperatures is instructive for identifying appropriate indenter-sample materials combinations to prevent indenter loss or failure due to chemical reactions or wear during indentation. This is an important consideration for nanoindentation as extremely small volumes of reacted indenter material will have a significant effect on measurements. The high temperature hardness, elastic modulus, thermal properties, and chemical reactivities of diamond, boron carbide, silicon carbide, tungsten carbide, cubic boron nitride, and sapphire are discussed. Diamond and boron carbide show the best elevated temperature hardness, while tungsten carbide demonstrates the lowest chemical reactivity with the widest array of elements.

Internal quantum efficiency mapping analysis for a >20%-efficiency n-type bifacial solar cell with front-side emitter formed by BBr3 thermal diffusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simayi, Shalamujiang; Mochizuki, Toshimitsu; Kida, Yasuhiro; Shirasawa, Katsuhiko; Takato, Hidetaka

2017-10-01

This paper presents a large-area (239-cm2) high-efficiency n-type bifacial solar cell that is processed using tube-furnace thermal diffusion employing liquid sources BBr3 for the front-side boron emitter and POCl3 for the rear-side phosphorus back surface field (BSF). The SiN x /Al2O3 stack was applied to the front-side boron emitter as a passivation layer. Both the front and rear-side electrodes are obtained using screen-printed contacts with H-patterns. The resulting highest-efficiency solar cell has front- and rear-side efficiencies of 20.3 and 18.7%, respectively, while the corresponding bifaciality is up to 92%. Finally, the passivation quality of the SiN x /Al2O3 stack on the front-side boron emitter and rear-side phosphorus BSF is investigated and visualized by measuring the internal quantum efficiency mapping of the bifacial solar cell.

Reduction in Recombination Current Density in Boron Doped Silicon Using Atomic Hydrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, Matthew Garett

The solar industry has grown immensely in recent years and has reached a point where solar energy has now become inexpensive enough that it is starting to emerge as a mainstream electrical generation source. However, recent economic analysis has suggested that for solar to become a truly wide spread source of electricity, the costs still need to plummet by a factor of 8x. This demands new and innovative concepts to help lower such cost. In pursuit of this goal, this dissertation examines the use of atomic hydrogen to lessen the recombination current density in the boron doped region of n-type silicon solar cells. This required the development of a boron diffusion process that maintained the bulk lifetime of n-type silicon such that the recombination current density could be extracted by photoconductance spectroscopy. It is demonstrated that by hydrogenating boron diffusions, the majority carrier concentration can be controlled. By using symmetrically diffused test structures with quinhydrone-methanol surface passivation the recombination current density of a hydrogenated boron profile is shown to be less than that of a standard boron profile, by as much as 30%. This is then applied to a modified industrial silicon solar cell process to demonstrate an efficiency enhancement of 0.4%.

Superhard BC(3) in cubic diamond structure.

PubMed

Zhang, Miao; Liu, Hanyu; Li, Quan; Gao, Bo; Wang, Yanchao; Li, Hongdong; Chen, Changfeng; Ma, Yanming

2015-01-09

We solve the crystal structure of recently synthesized cubic BC(3) using an unbiased swarm structure search, which identifies a highly symmetric BC(3) phase in the cubic diamond structure (d-BC(3)) that contains a distinct B-B bonding network along the body diagonals of a large 64-atom unit cell. Simulated x-ray diffraction and Raman peaks of d-BC(3) are in excellent agreement with experimental data. Calculated stress-strain relations of d-BC(3) demonstrate its intrinsic superhard nature and reveal intriguing sequential bond-breaking modes that produce superior ductility and extended elasticity, which are unique among superhard solids. The present results establish the first boron carbide in the cubic diamond structure with remarkable properties, and these new findings also provide insights for exploring other covalent solids with complex bonding configurations.

Electron affinity of cubic boron nitride terminated with vanadium oxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yu; Sun, Tianyin; Shammas, Joseph; Kaur, Manpuneet; Hao, Mei; Nemanich, Robert J.

2015-10-01

A thermally stable negative electron affinity (NEA) for a cubic boron nitride (c-BN) surface with vanadium-oxide-termination is achieved, and its electronic structure was analyzed with in-situ photoelectron spectroscopy. The c-BN films were prepared by electron cyclotron resonance plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition employing BF3 and N2 as precursors. Vanadium layers of ˜0.1 and 0.5 nm thickness were deposited on the c-BN surface in an electron beam deposition system. Oxidation of the metal layer was achieved by an oxygen plasma treatment. After 650 °C thermal annealing, the vanadium oxide on the c-BN surface was determined to be VO2, and the surfaces were found to be thermally stable, exhibiting an NEA. In comparison, the oxygen-terminated c-BN surface, where B2O3 was detected, showed a positive electron affinity of ˜1.2 eV. The B2O3 evidently acts as a negatively charged layer introducing a surface dipole directed into the c-BN. Through the interaction of VO2 with the B2O3 layer, a B-O-V layer structure would contribute a dipole between the O and V layers with the positive side facing vacuum. The lower enthalpy of formation for B2O3 is favorable for the formation of the B-O-V layer structure, which provides a thermally stable surface dipole and an NEA surface.

Consolidation of cubic and hexagonal boron nitride composites

DOE PAGES

Du Frane, W. L.; Cervantes, O.; Ellsworth, G. F.; ...

2015-12-08

When we Consolidate cubic boron nitride (cBN) it typically requires either a matrix of metal bearing materials that are undesirable for certain applications, or very high pressures within the cBN phase stability field that are prohibitive to manufacturing size and cost. We present new methodology for consolidating high stiffness cBN composites within a hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) matrix (15–25 vol%) with the aid of a binder phase (0–6 vol%) at moderate pressures (0.5–1.0 GPa) and temperatures (900–1300 °C). The composites are demonstrated to be highly tailorable with a range of compositions and resulting physical/mechanical properties. Ultrasonic measurements indicate that inmore » some cases these composites have elastic mechanical properties that exceed those of the highest strength steel alloys. Moreover, two methods were identified to prevent phase transformation of the metastable cBN phase into hBN during consolidation: 1. removal of hydrocarbons, and 2. increased cBN particle size. Lithium tetraborate worked better as a binder than boron oxide, aiding consolidation without enhancing cBN to hBN phase transformation kinetics. These powder mixtures consolidated within error of their full theoretical mass densities at 1 GPa, and had only slightly lower densities at 0.5 GPa. This shows potential for consolidation of these composites into larger parts, in a variety of shapes, at even lower pressures using more conventional manufacturing methods, such as hot-pressing.« less

Equilibrium p-T Phase Diagram of Boron: Experimental Study and Thermodynamic Analysis

PubMed Central

Solozhenko, Vladimir L.; Kurakevych, Oleksandr O.

2013-01-01

Solid-state phase transformations and melting of high-purity crystalline boron have been in situ and ex situ studied at pressures to 20 GPa in the 1500–2500 K temperature range where diffusion processes become fast and lead to formation of thermodynamically stable phases. The equilibrium phase diagram of boron has been constructed based on thermodynamic analysis of experimental and literature data. The high-temperature part of the diagram contains p-T domains of thermodynamic stability of rhombohedral β-B106, orthorhombic γ-B28, pseudo-cubic (tetragonal) t'-B52, and liquid boron (L). The positions of two triple points have been experimentally estimated, i.e. β–t'–L at ~ 8.0 GPa and ~ 2490 K; and β–γ–t' at ~ 9.6 GPa and ~ 2230 K. Finally, the proposed phase diagram explains all thermodynamic aspects of boron allotropy and significantly improves our understanding of the fifth element. PMID:23912523

Synthesis of boron nitride nanostructures from catalyst of iron compounds via thermal chemical vapor deposition technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Silva, Wellington M.; Ribeiro, Hélio; Ferreira, Tiago H.; Ladeira, Luiz O.; Sousa, Edésia M. B.

2017-05-01

For the first time, patterned growth of boron nitride nanostructures (BNNs) is achieved by thermal chemical vapor deposition (TCVD) technique at 1150 °C using a mixture of FeS/Fe2O3 catalyst supported in alumina nanostructured, boron amorphous and ammonia (NH3) as reagent gas. This innovative catalyst was synthesized in our laboratory and systematically characterized. The materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The X-ray diffraction profile of the synthesized catalyst indicates the coexistence of three different crystal structures showing the presence of a cubic structure of iron oxide and iron sulfide besides the gamma alumina (γ) phase. The results show that boron nitride bamboo-like nanotubes (BNNTs) and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanosheets were successfully synthesized. Furthermore, the important contribution of this work is the manufacture of BNNs from FeS/Fe2O3 mixture.

Boron isotope fractionation in liquid chromatography with boron-specific resins as column packing material

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

Oi, Takao; Shimazaki, Hiromi; Ishii, Reiko

1997-07-01

Boron-specific resins with n-methyl glucamine as the functional group were used as column packing material of liquid chromatography for boron isotope separation. The shapes of chromatograms in reverse breakthrough experiments were heavily dependent on the pH of the eluents, and there existed a pH value at which a chromatogram of the displacement type was realized nearly ideally. The value of the single-stage separation factor for the boron isotopes varied between 1.010 and 1.022, depending on the temperature and the form of the resins. The existence of the three-coordinate boron species in addition to the four-coordinate species in the resin phasemore » is suggested.« less

N-type compensated silicon: resistivity, crystal growth, carrier lifetime, and relevant application for HIT solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Shuai; Gao, Wenxiu; Li, Zhen; Cheng, Haoran; Lin, Jinxia; Cheng, Qijin

2017-05-01

N-type compensated silicon shows unusual distribution of resistivity as crystal grows compared to the n-type uncompensated silicon. In this paper, evolutions of resistivities with varied concentrations of boron and varied starting resistivities of the n-type silicon are intensively calculated. Moreover, reduction of carrier mobility is taken into account by Schindler’s modified model of carrier mobility for the calculation of resistivity of the compensated silicon. As for substrates of solar cells, optimized starting resistivity and corresponding concentration of boron are suggested for better uniformity of resistivity and higher yield (fraction with ρ >0.5 ~ Ω \\centerdot \\text{cm} ) of the n-type compensated Cz crystal rod. A two-step growth method is investigated to obtain better uniformity of resistivity of crystal rod, and this method is very practical especially for the n-type compensated silicon. Regarding the carrier lifetime, the recombination by shallow energy-level dopants is taken into account for the compensated silicon, and evolution of carrier lifetime is simulated by considering all main recombination centers which agrees well with our measured carrier lifetimes as crystal grows. The n-type compensated silicon shows a larger reduction of carrier lifetime compared to the uncompensated silicon at the beginning of crystal growth, and recombination with a oxygen-related deep defect is sufficient to describe the reduction of degraded lifetime. Finally, standard heterojunction with intrinsic thin-layer (HIT) solar cells are made with substrates from the n-type compensated silicon rod, and a high efficiency of 22.1% is obtained with a high concentration (0.8× {{10}16}~\\text{c}{{\\text{m}}-3} ) of boron in the n-type compensated silicon feedstock. However, experimental efficiencies of HIT solar cells based on the n-type compensated silicon show an average reduction of 4% along with the crystal length compared to the uncompensated silicon. The obtained results enrich our knowledge on the n-type compensated silicon and contribute to the development of n-type compensated silicon-based solar cells for commercial application.

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

Möller, Christian, E-mail: cmoeller@cismst.de; TU Ilmenau, Institut für Physik, Weimarer Str. 32, 98693 Ilmenau; Bartel, Til

Iron-boron (FeB) pairing is observed in the n-type region of a boron and phosphorus co-doped silicon sample which is unexpected from the FeB pair model of Kimerling and Benton. To explain the experimental data, the existing FeB pair model is extended by taking into account the electronic capture and emission rates at the interstitial iron (Fe{sub i}) trap level as a function of the charge carrier densities. According to this model, the charge state of the Fe{sub i} may be charged in n-type making FeB association possible. Further, FeB pair formation during illumination in p-type silicon is investigated. This permitsmore » the determination of the charge carrier density dependent FeB dissociation rate and in consequence allows to determine the acceptor concentration in the co-doped n-type silicon by lifetime measurement.« less

The Effects of Stoichiometry on the Mechanical Properties of Icosahedral Boron Carbide Under Loading

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-11-19

ranging from 10% to 20% C using glancing incidence x - ray diffraction and similar experimental studies of structure as a function of stoichiometry were...blue) positions. it has been suggested that x - ray diffraction analysis of a series of boron-rich materials indicates a distinct change in the c lattice...Angstroms, angles in degrees, volume in cubic Angstroms). Structure Formula % C a b c α β γ Volume Experiment37 B5.6C 15.2 5.19 5.19 5.19 65.18 65.18

Low threshold field emission from high-quality cubic boron nitride films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teii, Kungen; Matsumoto, Seiichiro

2012-05-01

Field emission performance of materials with mixed sp2/sp3 phases often depends upon the phase composition at the surface. In this study, the emission performance of high-quality cubic boron nitride (cBN) films is studied in terms of phase purity. Thick cBN films consisting of micron-sized grains are prepared from boron trifluoride gas by chemical vapor deposition in a plasma jet and an inductively coupled plasma. Both the bulk and surface phase purities as well as crystallinities of cBN evaluated by visible and ultraviolet Raman spectroscopy, glancing-angle x-ray diffraction, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are the highest when the film is deposited in a plasma jet under an optimized condition. The emission turn-on field decreases with increasing the phase purity, down to around 5 V/μm for the highest cBN purity, due to the larger field enhancement, while it is higher than 14 V/μm without cBN (sp2-bonded hexagonal BN only). The results indicate that the total field enhancement for the high phase purity film is governed by the internal field amplification related to the surface coverage of more conductive cBN, rather than the external one related to the surface topology or roughness.

Superhard BC 3 in cubic diamond structure

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Miao; Liu, Hanyu; Li, Quan; ...

2015-01-06

We solve the crystal structure of recently synthesized cubic BC 3 using an unbiased swarm structure search, which identifies a highly symmetric BC 3 phase in the cubic diamond structure (d–BC3) that contains a distinct B-B bonding network along the body diagonals of a large 64-atom unit cell. Simulated x-ray diffraction and Raman peaks of d–BC 3 are in excellent agreement with experimental data. Calculated stress-strain relations of d–BC 3 demonstrate its intrinsic superhard nature and reveal intriguing sequential bond-breaking modes that produce superior ductility and extended elasticity, which are unique among superhard solids. Here, the present results establish themore » first boron carbide in the cubic diamond structure with remarkable properties, and these new findings also provide insights for exploring other covalent solids with complex bonding configurations.« less

Friction Stir Spot Welding (FSSW) of Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS)

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

Santella, M. L.; Hovanski, Yuri; Pan, Tsung-Yu

Friction stir spot welding (FSSW) is applied to join advanced high strength steels (AHSS): galvannealed dual phase 780 MPa steel (DP780GA), transformation induced plasticity 780 MPa steel (TRIP780), and hot-stamped boron steel (HSBS). A low-cost Si3N4 ceramic tool was developed and used for making welds in this study instead of polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) material used in earlier studies. FSSW has the advantages of solid-state, low-temperature process, and the ability of joining dissimilar grade of steels and thicknesses. Two different tool shoulder geometries, concave with smooth surface and convex with spiral pattern, were used in the study. Welds weremore » made by a 2-step displacement control process with weld time of 4, 6, and 10 seconds. Static tensile lap-shear strength achieved 16.4 kN for DP780GA-HSBS and 13.2kN for TRIP780-HSBS, above the spot weld strength requirements by AWS. Nugget pull-out was the failure mode of the joint. The joining mechanism was illustrated from the cross-section micrographs. Microhardness measurement showed hardening in the upper sheet steel (DP780GA or TRIP780) in the weld, but softening of HSBS in the heat-affect zone (HAZ). The study demonstrated the feasibility of making high-strength AHSS spot welds with low-cost tools.« less

Magnetic, electronic and optical properties of different graphene, BN and BC2N nanoribbons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guerra, T.; Leite, L.; Azevedo, S.; de Lima Bernardo, B.

2017-04-01

Graphene nanoribbons are predicted to be essential components in future nanoelectronics. The size, edge type, form, arrangement of atoms and width of nanoribbons drastically change their properties. However, magnetic, electronic and optical properties of armchair, chevron and sawtooth of graphene, BN and BC2N nanoribbons are not fully understood so far. Here, we make use of first-principles calculations based on the density functional theory (DFT) to investigate the structural, magnetic, electronic and optical properties of nanoribbons of graphene, boron nitride and BC2N with armchair edge, chevron-type and sawtooth forms. The lowest formation energies were found for the armchair and chevron nanoribbons of graphene and boron nitride. We have shown that the imbalance of carbon atoms between different sublattices generates a net magnetic moment. Chevron-type nanoribbons of BC2N and graphene showed a band gap comparable with silicon, and a high light absorption in the visible spectrum when compared to the other configurations.

Role of Plasma Temperature and Residence Time in Stagnation Plasma Synthesis of c-BN Nanopowders

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

outer diameter of 15mm. A center injection 19 nozzle of 1.4mm diameter is implemented for precursor introduction. Plasma and sheath gas ... Gas Phase Synthesis of Nanoparticles..................................................... 5 2.2 Cubic Boron Nitride Synthesis...11 2.2.4 Effects of gas composition ............................................................................................ 11

Deep level transient spectroscopic analysis of p/n junction implanted with boron in n-type silicon substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wakimoto, Hiroki; Nakazawa, Haruo; Matsumoto, Takashi; Nabetani, Yoichi

2018-04-01

For P-i-N diodes implanted and activated with boron ions into a highly-resistive n-type Si substrate, it is found that there is a large difference in the leakage current between relatively low temperature furnace annealing (FA) and high temperature laser annealing (LA) for activation of the p-layer. Since electron trap levels in the n-type Si substrate is supposed to be affected, we report on Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS) measurement results investigating what kinds of trap levels are formed. As a result, three kinds of electron trap levels are confirmed in the region of 1-4 μm from the p-n junction. Each DLTS peak intensity of the LA sample is smaller than that of the FA sample. In particular, with respect to the trap level which is the closest to the silicon band gap center most affecting the reverse leakage current, it was not detected in LA. It is considered that the electron trap levels are decreased due to the thermal energy of LA. On the other hand, four kinds of trap levels are confirmed in the region of 38-44 μm from the p-n junction and the DLTS peak intensities of FA and LA are almost the same, considering that the thermal energy of LA has not reached this area. The large difference between the reverse leakage current of FA and LA is considered to be affected by the deep trap level estimated to be the interstitial boron.

Thermodynamical study of boron doped CeX{sub 3} (X=Pd, Rh)

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

Sharma, Ramesh; Dwivedi, Shalini; Sharma, Yamini, E-mail: sharma.yamini62@gmail.com

2016-05-06

The structural, electronic, thermal, and optical properties of cubic non magnetic CeX{sub 3}(X=Pd, Rh) compounds which crystallize in the Au{sub 3}Cu structure have been studied using the projected augmented wave (PAW) method within the density functional theory (DFT) with generalized gradient approximation (GGA) for exchange correlation potential. In this paper we have calculated the band structure which are interpreted using the density of states. The optical properties such as extinction coefficients clearly illustrate the changes in CeX{sub 3} due to intercalation of boron. Lattice instability is observed in CePd{sub 3}B from the calculated dynamical properties.

Characterization of the Materials Synthesized by High Pressure-High Temperature Treatment of a Polymer Derived t-BC₂N Ceramic.

PubMed

Matizamhuka, Wallace R; Sigalas, Iakovos; Herrmann, Mathias; Dubronvinsky, Leonid; Dubrovinskaia, Natalia; Miyajima, Nobuyoshi; Mera, Gabriela; Riedel, Ralf

2011-11-29

Bulk B-C-N materials were synthesized under static high thermobaric conditions (20 GPa and 2,000 °C) in a multianvil apparatus from a polymer derived t-BC 1.97 N ceramic. The bulk samples were characterised using X-ray synchrotron radiation and analytical transmission electron microscopy in combination with electron energy loss spectroscopy. Polycrystalline B-C-N materials with a cubic type structure were formed under the applied reaction conditions, but the formation of a ternary cubic diamond-like c-BC₂N compound, could not be unambiguously confirmed.

Thermodynamical and thermoelectric properties of boron doped YPd{sub 3} and YRh{sub 3}

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

Dwivedi, Shalini; Sharma, Yamini, E-mail: sharma.yamini62@gmail.com; Sharma, Ramesh

2016-05-23

The structural, electronic, thermal, and optical properties of borides of cubic non-magnetic YX{sub 3} (X=Rh, Pd) compounds and their borides which crystallize in the AuCu{sub 3} structure have been studied using the density functional theory (DFT). The flat bands in the vicinity of E{sub F} which are associated with superconductivity appear in YPd{sub 3} and YRh{sub 3} band structures. However, the B s-states enhance the flat band only in YRh{sub 3}B. The optical properties clearly show that boron insertion modifies the absorption and transmittance. The YX{sub 3} alloys and their borides exhibit valuable changes in the thermopower and ZT. Itmore » is observed that the properties of the Y-X intermetallics change significantly for the Y-Rh and Y-Pd alloys and the presence of single boron atom modifies the properties to a great extent.« less

Mechanical properties of particulate composites based on a body-centered-cubic Mg-Li alloy containing boron

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whalen, R. T.; Gonzalez-Doncel, G.; Robinson, S. L.; Sherby, O. D.

1989-01-01

The effect of substituting the Mg metal in Mg-B composites by a Mg-14 wt pct Li solid solution on the ductility of the resulting composite was investigated using elastic modulus measurements on the P/M composite material prepared with a dispersion of B particles (in a vol pct range of 0-30) in a matrix of Mg-14 wt pct Li-1.5 wt pct Al. It was found that the elastic modulus of the composites increased rapidly with increasing boron, with specific stiffness values reaching about two times that of most structural materials. The values of the compression and tensile strengths increased significantly with boron additions. Good tensile ductility was achieved at the level of 10 vol pct B. However, at 20 vol pct B, the Mg-Li composite exhibited only limited tensile ductility (about 2 percent total elongation).

Shock induced polymorphic transition in quartz, carbon, and boron nitride

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tan, Hua; Ahrens, Thomas J.

1990-01-01

The model proposed by Ahrens (1988) to explain the mechanism of the polymorphism in silicates is revised, and the revised model is applied to the quartz/stishovite, graphite/diamond, and graphite-boron nitride (g-BN) phase transformations. In this model, a key assumption is that transformation to a high-density amorphous or possibly liquid phase which rapidly crystallized to the high-pressure phase is triggered by the high temperatures in the shear band and upon crossing the metastable extension of a melting curve. Good agreement between the calcualted results and published data is obtained. The present theory predicts the standard entropy for cubic BN to be 0.4-0.5 J/g K.

Effect of the Graded-Gap Layer Composition on the Formation of n + -n - -p Structures in Boron-Implanted Heteroepitaxial Cd x Hg1- x Te Layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talipov, N. Kh.; Voitsekhovskii, А. V.; Grigor'ev, D. V.

2014-07-01

Processes of formation of n + -n--p-structures in boron-implanted heteroepitaxial (HEL) CdxHg1-xTe (CMT) layers of p-type grown by molecular beam epitaxy (HEL CMT MBE) with different compositions of the upper graded-gap layer are studied. It is shown that the surface composition (xs) of HEL CMT MBE significantly affects both the electrical parameters of the implanted layer and the spatial distribution of radiation defects of donor type. For HEL CMT MBE with the small surface composition xs = 0.22-0.33, it is found that the layer electron concentration (Ns) is decreased after saturation with accumulation of radiation defects, as the dose of B+ ions is increased in the range of D = 1ṡ1011-3ṡ1015 сm-2. An increase of the surface composition up to xs = 0.49-0.56 results in a significant decrease in Ns and a disappearance of the saturation of concentration in the whole dose range. The value of Ns monotonically increases with the energy (E) of boron ions and composition xs. It is found that for B+-ion energies E = 20-100 keV, the depth of the surface n + -layer increases with increasing energy and exceeds the total projected path of boron ions. However, in the energy range E = 100-150 keV, the depth of n+-layer stops increasing with the increase of the surface composition. The depth (dn) of a lightly doped n--layer monotonically decreases with increasing energy of boron ions in the entire range of E = 20-150 keV. With increasing dose (D) of B+ ions in the interval D = 1ṡ1014-1ṡ1015сm-2, deep n--layers with dn = 4-5 μm are formed only in the HEL CMT MBE with xs = 0.22-0.33. For the samples with xs = 0.49-0.56, the depth changes in the interval dn = 1.5-2.5 μm. At D ≤ 3ṡ1013сm-2, n + -n--p-structure is not formed for all surface compositions, if implantation is performed at room temperature. However, implantation at T = 130°C leads to the formation of a deep n--layer. Planar photodiodes with the n-p-junction area of A = 35×35 μm2 made on the basis of the boron implanted HEL CMT MBE with the surface compositions xs = 0.33-0.56 had high differential resistance Rd = 3ṡ106-107 Ω•cm2 and high product R0 Aeff = 9.0-20.7 Ω•cm2, where Aeff is the effective area of the charge carrier collecting. The values of Rd and R0 Aeff increased with increasing xs. It is found that the layer electron concentration in the boron implanted HEL CMT MBE with different surface compositions is increased, when exposed to normal conditions for a few years.

Characterization of the Materials Synthesized by High Pressure-High Temperature Treatment of a Polymer Derived t-BC2N Ceramic

PubMed Central

Matizamhuka, Wallace R.; Sigalas, Iakovos; Herrmann, Mathias; Dubronvinsky, Leonid; Dubrovinskaia, Natalia; Miyajima, Nobuyoshi; Mera, Gabriela; Riedel, Ralf

2011-01-01

Bulk B-C-N materials were synthesized under static high thermobaric conditions (20 GPa and 2,000 °C) in a multianvil apparatus from a polymer derived t-BC1.97N ceramic. The bulk samples were characterised using X-ray synchrotron radiation and analytical transmission electron microscopy in combination with electron energy loss spectroscopy. Polycrystalline B-C-N materials with a cubic type structure were formed under the applied reaction conditions, but the formation of a ternary cubic diamond-like c-BC2N compound, could not be unambiguously confirmed. PMID:28824124

Cryogenic scintillation properties of n-type GaAs for the direct detection of MeV/c2 dark matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Derenzo, S.; Bourret, E.; Hanrahan, S.; Bizarri, G.

2018-03-01

This paper is the first report of n-type GaAs as a cryogenic scintillation radiation detector for the detection of electron recoils from interacting dark matter (DM) particles in the poorly explored MeV/c2 mass range. Seven GaAs samples from two commercial suppliers and with different silicon and boron concentrations were studied for their low temperature optical and scintillation properties. All samples are n-type even at low temperatures and exhibit emission between silicon donors and boron acceptors that peaks at 1.33 eV (930 nm). The lowest excitation band peaks at 1.44 eV (860 nm), and the overlap between the emission and excitation bands is small. The X-ray excited luminosities range from 7 to 43 photons/keV. Thermally stimulated luminescence measurements show that n-type GaAs does not accumulate metastable radiative states that could cause afterglow. Further development and use with cryogenic photodetectors promises a remarkable combination of large target size, ultra-low backgrounds, and a sensitivity to electron recoils of a few eV that would be produced by DM particles as light as a few MeV/c2.

The boron-tailing myth in hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cells

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

Stuckelberger, M., E-mail: michael.stuckelberger@alumni.ethz.ch; Bugnon, G.; Despeisse, M.

The boron-tailing effect in hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cells describes the reduced charge collection specifically in the blue part of the spectrum for absorber layers deposited above a critical temperature. This effect limits the device performance of state-of-the art solar cells: For enhanced current density (reduced bandgap), the deposition temperature should be as high as possible, but boron tailing gets detrimental above 200 °C. To investigate this limitation and to show potential paths to overcome it, we deposited high-efficiency a-Si:H solar cells, varying the deposition temperatures of the p-type and the intrinsic absorber (i) layers between 150 and 250 °C. Usingmore » secondary ion mass spectroscopy, we study dedicated stacks of i-p-i layers deposited at different temperatures. This allows us to track boron diffusion at the p-i and i-p interfaces as they occur in the p-i-n and n-i-p configurations of a-Si:H solar cells for different deposition conditions. Finally, we prove step-by-step that the common explanation for boron tailing—boron diffusion from the p layer into the i layer leading to enhanced recombination—is not generally true and propose an alternative explanation for the experimentally observed drop in the external quantum efficiency at short wavelengths.« less

On the universality of knot probability ratios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janse van Rensburg, E. J.; Rechnitzer, A.

2011-04-01

Let pn denote the number of self-avoiding polygons of length n on a regular three-dimensional lattice, and let pn(K) be the number which have knot type K. The probability that a random polygon of length n has knot type K is pn(K)/pn and is known to decay exponentially with length (Sumners and Whittington 1988 J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 21 1689-94, Pippenger 1989 Discrete Appl. Math. 25 273-8). Little is known rigorously about the asymptotics of pn(K), but there is substantial numerical evidence (Orlandini et al 1988 J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 31 5953-67, Marcone et al 2007 Phys. Rev. E 75 41105, Rawdon et al 2008 Macromolecules 41 4444-51, Janse van Rensburg and Rechnitzer 2008 J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 41 105002) that pn(K) grows as p_n(K) \\simeq C_K \\mu _\\emptyset ^n n^{\\alpha -3+N_K}, \\qquad as\\quad n \\rightarrow \\infty, where NK is the number of prime components of the knot type K. It is believed that the entropic exponent, α, is universal, while the exponential growth rate, μ∅, is independent of the knot type but varies with the lattice. The amplitude, CK, depends on both the lattice and the knot type. The above asymptotic form implies that the relative probability of a random polygon of length n having prime knot type K over prime knot type L is \\frac{p_n(K)/p_n}{p_n(L)/p_n} = \\frac{p_n(K)}{p_n(L)} \\simeq \\left[ \\frac{C_K}{C_L} \\right].\\\\[-8pt] In the thermodynamic limit this probability ratio becomes an amplitude ratio; it should be universal and depend only on the knot types K and L. In this communication we examine the universality of these probability ratios for polygons in the simple cubic, face-centred cubic and body-centred cubic lattices. Our results support the hypothesis that these are universal quantities. For example, we estimate that a long random polygon is approximately 28 times more likely to be a trefoil than be a figure-eight, independent of the underlying lattice, giving an estimate of the intrinsic entropy associated with knot types in closed curves.

Efficient boron-carbon-nitrogen nanotube formation via combined laser-gas flow levitation

DOEpatents

Whitney, R Roy; Jordan, Kevin; Smith, Michael W

2015-03-24

A process for producing boron nitride nanotubes and/or boron-carbon-nitrogen nanotubes of the general formula B.sub.xC.sub.yN.sub.z. The process utilizes a combination of laser light and nitrogen gas flow to support a boron ball target during heating of the boron ball target and production of a boron vapor plume which reacts with nitrogen or nitrogen and carbon to produce boron nitride nanotubes and/or boron-carbon-nitrogen nanotubes of the general formula B.sub.xC.sub.yN.sub.z.

Efficient boron nitride nanotube formation via combined laser-gas flow levitation

DOEpatents

Whitney, R. Roy; Jordan, Kevin; Smith, Michael

2014-03-18

A process for producing boron nitride nanotubes and/or boron-carbon-nitrogen nanotubes of the general formula B.sub.xC.sub.yN.sub.z. The process utilizes a combination of laser light and nitrogen gas flow to support a boron ball target during heating of the boron ball target and production of a boron vapor plume which reacts with nitrogen or nitrogen and carbon to produce boron nitride nanotubes and/or boron-carbon-nitrogen nanotubes of the general formula B.sub.xC.sub.yN.sub.z.

Efficient Boron Nitride Nanotube Formation via Combined Laser-Gas Flow Levitation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitney, R. Roy (Inventor); Jordan, Kevin (Inventor); Smith, Michael W. (Inventor)

2014-01-01

A process for producing boron nitride nanotubes and/or boron-carbon-nitrogen nanotubes of the general formula B(sub x)C(sub y)N(sub z) The process utilizes a combination of laser light and nitrogen gas flow to support a boron ball target during heating of the boron ball target and production of a boron vapor plume which reacts with nitrogen or nitrogen and carbon to produce boron nitride nanotubes and/or boron-carbon-nitrogen nanotubes of the general formula B(sub x)C(sub y)N(sub z).

Boron Nitride Obtained from Molecular Precursors: Aminoboranes Used as a BN Source for Coatings, Matrix, and Si 3N 4-BN Composite Ceramic Preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thévenot, F.; Doche, C.; Mongeot, H.; Guilhon, F.; Miele, P.; Cornu, D.; Bonnetot, B.

1997-10-01

Aminoboranes, pure or partially converted into aminoborazines using thermal or aminolysis polymerization, have been used as boron nitride precursors. An amorphous BN preceramic is obtained when pyrolysed up to 1000°C that can be stabilized using further annealing up to 1400°C or crystallized into h-BN above 1700°C. These molecular precursors have been used to prepare carbon fiber/BN matrix microcomposites to get an efficient BN coating on graphite and as a BN source in Si3N4/BN composite ceramic. The properties of these new types of samples have been compared with those obtained by classical processes. The boron nitride obtained from these precursors is a good sintering agent during the hot-pressing of the samples. However, the crystallinity of BN, even sintered up to 1800°C, remains poor. In fact, most of the mechanical properties of the composite ceramic (density, porosity, hardness) are clearly improved and the aminoboranes can be considered as convenient boron nitride sources and helpful sintering agents in hot-pressing technology.

Back-junction back-contact n-type silicon solar cell with diffused boron emitter locally blocked by implanted phosphorus

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

Müller, Ralph, E-mail: ralph.mueller@ise.fraunhofer.de; Schrof, Julian; Reichel, Christian

2014-09-08

The highest energy conversion efficiencies in the field of silicon-based photovoltaics have been achieved with back-junction back-contact (BJBC) silicon solar cells by several companies and research groups. One of the most complex parts of this cell structure is the fabrication of the locally doped p- and n-type regions, both on the back side of the solar cell. In this work, we introduce a process sequence based on a synergistic use of ion implantation and furnace diffusion. This sequence enables the formation of all doped regions for a BJBC silicon solar cell in only three processing steps. We observed that implantedmore » phosphorus can block the diffusion of boron atoms into the silicon substrate by nearly three orders of magnitude. Thus, locally implanted phosphorus can be used as an in-situ mask for a subsequent boron diffusion which simultaneously anneals the implanted phosphorus and forms the boron emitter. BJBC silicon solar cells produced with such an easy-to-fabricate process achieved conversion efficiencies of up to 21.7%. An open-circuit voltage of 674 mV and a fill factor of 80.6% prove that there is no significant recombination at the sharp transition between the highly doped emitter and the highly doped back surface field at the device level.« less

Boron Carbide: Stabilization of Highly-Loaded Aqueous Suspensions, Pressureless Sintering, and Room Temperature Injection Molding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diaz-Cano, Andres

Boron carbide (B4C) is the third hardest material after diamond and cubic boron nitride. It's unique combination of properties makes B4C a highly valuable material. With hardness values around 35 MPa, a high melting point, 2450°C, density of 2.52 g/cm3, and high chemical inertness, boron carbide is used in severe wear components, like cutting tools and sandblasting nozzles, nuclear reactors' control rots, and finally and most common application, armor. Production of complex-shaped ceramic component is complex and represents many challenges. Present research presents a new and novel approach to produce complex-shaped B4C components. Proposed approach allows forming to be done at room temperatures and under very low forming pressures. Additives and binder concentrations are kept as low as possible, around 5Vol%, while ceramics loadings are maximized above 50Vol%. Given that proposed approach uses water as the main solvent, pieces drying is simple and environmentally safe. Optimized formulation allows rheological properties to be tailored and adjust to multiple processing approaches, including, injection molding, casting, and additive manufacturing. Boron carbide samples then were pressureless sintered. Due to the high covalent character of boron carbide, multiples sintering aids and techniques have been proposed in order to achieve high levels of densification. However, is not possible to define a clear sintering methodology based on literature. Thus, present research developed a comprehensive study on the effect of multiple sintering aids on the densification of boron carbide when pressureless sintered. Relative densities above 90% were achieved with values above 30MPa in hardness. Current research allows extending the uses and application of boron carbide, and other ceramic systems, by providing a new approach to produce complex-shaped components with competitive properties.

Thermal expansion of boron subnitrides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cherednichenko, Kirill A.; Gigli, Lara; Solozhenko, Vladimir L.

2018-07-01

The lattice parameters of two boron subnitrides, B13N2 and B50N2, have been measured as a function of temperature between 298 and 1273 K, and the corresponding thermal expansion coefficients have been determined. Thermal expansion of both boron subnitrides was found to be quasi-linear, and the volume thermal expansion coefficients of B50N2 (15.7 (2) × 10-6 K-1) and B13N2 (21.3 (2) × 10-6 K-1) are of the same order of magnitude as those of boron-rich compounds with structure related to α-rhombohedral boron. For both boron subnitrides no temperature-induced phase transitions have been observed in the temperature range under study.

Fabrication and Characterization of N-Type Zinc Oxide/P-Type Boron Doped Diamond Heterojunction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marton, Marián; Mikolášek, Miroslav; Bruncko, Jaroslav; Novotný, Ivan; Ižák, Tibor; Vojs, Marian; Kozak, Halyna; Varga, Marián; Artemenko, Anna; Kromka, Alexander

2015-09-01

Diamond and ZnO are very promising wide-bandgap materials for electronic, photovoltaic and sensor applications because of their excellent electrical, optical, physical and electrochemical properties and biocompatibility. In this contribution we show that the combination of these two materials opens up the potential for fabrication of bipolar heterojunctions. Semiconducting boron doped diamond (BDD) thin films were grown on Si and UV grade silica glass substrates by HFCVD method with various boron concentration in the gas mixture. Doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Al, ZnO:Ge) thin layers were deposited by diode sputtering and pulsed lased deposition as the second semiconducting layer on the diamond films. The amount of dopants within the films was varied to obtain optimal semiconducting properties to form a bipolar p-n junction. Finally, different ZnO/BDD heterostructures were prepared and analyzed. Raman spectroscopy, SEM, Hall constant and I-V measurements were used to investigate the quality, structural and electrical properties of deposited heterostructures, respectively. I-V measurements of ZnO/BDD diodes show a rectifying ratio of 55 at ±4 V. We found that only very low dopant concentrations for both semiconducting materials enabled us to fabricate a functional p-n junction. Obtained results are promising for fabrication of optically transparent ZnO/BDD bipolar heterojunction.

Two-dimensional numerical simulation of boron diffusion for pyramidally textured silicon

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

Ma, Fa-Jun, E-mail: Fajun.Ma@nus.edu.sg; Duttagupta, Shubham; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, 117576

2014-11-14

Multidimensional numerical simulation of boron diffusion is of great relevance for the improvement of industrial n-type crystalline silicon wafer solar cells. However, surface passivation of boron diffused area is typically studied in one dimension on planar lifetime samples. This approach neglects the effects of the solar cell pyramidal texture on the boron doping process and resulting doping profile. In this work, we present a theoretical study using a two-dimensional surface morphology for pyramidally textured samples. The boron diffusivity and segregation coefficient between oxide and silicon in simulation are determined by reproducing measured one-dimensional boron depth profiles prepared using different boronmore » diffusion recipes on planar samples. The established parameters are subsequently used to simulate the boron diffusion process on textured samples. The simulated junction depth is found to agree quantitatively well with electron beam induced current measurements. Finally, chemical passivation on planar and textured samples is compared in device simulation. Particularly, a two-dimensional approach is adopted for textured samples to evaluate chemical passivation. The intrinsic emitter saturation current density, which is only related to Auger and radiative recombination, is also simulated for both planar and textured samples. The differences between planar and textured samples are discussed.« less

Thermoelectric properties of n and p-type cubic and tetragonal XTiO3 (X = Ba,Pb): A density functional theory study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, Gul; Rahman, Altaf Ur

2017-12-01

Thermoelectric properties of cubic (C) and tetragonal (T) BaTiO3 (BTO) and PbTiO3 (PTO) are investigated using density functional theory together with semiclassical Boltzmann's transport theory. Both electron and hole doped BTO and PTO are considered in 300-500 K temperature range. We observed that C-BTO has larger power factor(PF) when doped with holes, whereas n-type carrier concentration in C-PTO has larger PF. Comparing both BTO and PTO, C-PTO has larger figure of merit ZT. Tetragonal distortion reduces the Seebeck coefficient S in n-doped PTO, and the electronic structures revealed that such reduction in S is mainly caused by the increase in the optical band gaps (Γ - Γ and Γ-X).

Plasma synthesis and HPHT consolidation of BN nanoparticles, nanospheres, and nanotubes to produce nanocrystalline cubic boron nitride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stout, Christopher

Plasma methods offer a variety of advantages to nanomaterials synthesis. The process is robust, allowing varying particle sizes and phases to be generated simply by modifying key parameters. The work here demonstrates a novel approach to nanopowder synthesis using inductively-coupled plasma to decompose precursor, which are then quenched to produce a variety of boron nitride (BN)-phase nanoparticles, including cubic phase, along with short-range-order nanospheres (e.g., nano-onions) and BN nanotubes. Cubic BN (c-BN) powders can be generated through direct deposition onto a chilled substrate. The extremely-high pyrolysis temperatures afforded by the equilibrium plasma offer a unique particle growth environment, accommodating long deposition times while exposing resulting powders to temperatures in excess of 5000K without any additional particle nucleation and growth. Such conditions can yield short-range ordered amorphous BN structures in the form of 20nm diameter nanospheres. Finally, when introducing a rapid-quenching counter-flow gas against the plasma jet, high aspect ratio nanotubes are synthesized, which are collected on substrate situated radially. The benefits of these morphologies are also evident in high-pressure/high-temperature consolidation experiments, where nanoparticle phases can offer a favorable conversion route to super-hard c-BN while maintaining nanocrystallinity. Experiments using these morphologies are shown to begin to yield c-BN conversion at conditions as low as 2.0 GPa and 1500°C when using micron sized c-BN seeding to create localized regions of high pressures due to Hertzian forces acting on the nanoparticles.

Static and Dynamic Behavior of High Modulus Hybrid Boron/Glass/Aluminum Fiber Metal Laminates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeh, Po-Ching

2011-12-01

This dissertation presents the investigation of a newly developed hybrid fiber metal laminates (FMLs) which contains commingled boron fibers, glass fibers, and 2024-T3 aluminum sheets. Two types of hybrid boron/glass/aluminum FMLs are developed. The first, type I hybrid FMLs, contained a layer of boron fiber prepreg in between two layers of S2-glass fiber prepreg, sandwiched by two aluminum alloy 2024-T3 sheets. The second, type II hybrid FMLs, contained three layer of commingled hybrid boron/glass fiber prepreg layers, sandwiched by two aluminum alloy 2024-T3 sheets. The mechanical behavior and deformation characteristics including blunt notch strength, bearing strength and fatigue behavior of these two types of hybrid boron/glass/aluminum FMLs were investigated. Compared to traditional S2-glass fiber reinforced aluminum laminates (GLARE), the newly developed hybrid boron/glass/aluminum fiber metal laminates possess high modulus, high yielding stress, and good blunt notch properties. From the bearing test result, the hybrid boron/glass/aluminum fiber metal laminates showed outstanding bearing strength. The high fiber volume fraction of boron fibers in type II laminates lead to a higher bearing strength compared to both type I laminates and traditional GLARE. Both types of hybrid FMLs have improved fatigue crack initiation lives and excellent fatigue crack propagation resistance compared to traditional GLARE. The incorporation of the boron fibers improved the Young's modulus of the composite layer in FMLs, which in turn, improved the fatigue crack initiation life and crack propagation rates of the aluminum sheets. Moreover, a finite element model was established to predict and verify the properties of hybrid boron/glass/aluminum FMLs. The simulated results showed good agreement with the experimental results.

New materials from high-pressure experiments.

PubMed

McMillan, Paul F

2002-09-01

High-pressure synthesis on an industrial scale is applied to obtain synthetic diamonds and cubic boron nitride (c-BN), which are the superhard abrasives of choice for cutting and shaping hard metals and ceramics. Recently, high-pressure science has undergone a renaissance, with novel techniques and instrumentation permitting entirely new classes of high-pressure experiments. For example, superconducting behaviour was previously known for only a few elements and compounds. Under high-pressure conditions, the 'superconducting periodic table' now extends to all classes of the elements, including condensed rare gases, and ionic compounds such as CsI. Another surprising result is the newly discovered solid-state chemistry of light-element 'gas' molecules such as CO2, N2 and N2O. These react to give polymerized covalently bonded or ionic mineral structures under conditions of high pressure and temperature: the new solids are potentially recoverable to ambient conditions. Here we examine innovations in high-pressure research that might be harnessed to develop new materials for technological applications.

Comparison of Boron diffused emitters from BN, BSoD and H3BO3 dopants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singha, Bandana; Singh Solanki, Chetan

2016-12-01

In this work, we are comparing different limited boron dopant sources for the emitter formation in n-type c-Si solar cells. High purity boric acid solution, commercially available boron spin on dopant and boron nitride solid source are used for comparison of emitter doping profiles for the same time and temperature conditions of diffusion. The characterizations done for the similar sheet resistance values for all the dopant sources show different surface morphologies and different device parameters. The measured emitter saturation current densities (Joe) are more than 20 fA cm-2 for all the dopant sources. The bulk carrier lifetimes measured for different diffusion conditions and different solar cell parameters for the similar sheet resistance values show the best result for boric acid diffusion and the least for BN solid source. So, different dopant sources result in different emitter and cell performances.

Three-chain B{sub 6n+14} cages as possible precursors for the syntheses of boron fullerenes

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

Lu, Haigang, E-mail: luhg@sxu.edu.cn; Li, Si-Dian

Using the first principle methods, we proposed a series of three-chain boron cages B{sub 6n+14} (n = 1–12) which are mainly built by fusing three boron semi-double-rings. Their simple geometric structures (approximate D{sub 3} or C{sub 3} symmetry) facilitate their bottom-up syntheses from the hexagonal B{sub 7} and the double-chain boron clusters, such as B{sub 2}, B{sub 4}, B{sub 6}, B{sub 8}H{sub 2}, B{sub 10}H{sub 2}, B{sub 12}H{sub 2}, and the double ring B{sub 20}. The spherical shapes of these three-chain boron cages show that they could be taken as the possible precursors to further synthesize the boron fullerenes, suchmore » as B{sub 80}. Therefore, these three-chain boron cages provide a possible synthesis pathway of the boron fullerenes from the experimentally synthesized small planar boron clusters.« less

Electronic Structure of p- and n-Type Doping Impurities in Cubic Gallium Nitride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pentaleri, E. A.; Gubanov, V. A.; Fong, C. Y.; Klein, B. M.

1996-03-01

LMTO-TB calculations were performed to investigate the electronic structure of C, Be, Mg, Si, Zn, and Cd substitutional impurities in cubic GaN (c-GaN). The calculations used 128-site supercells consisting of 64-atoms. Empty spheres of two types occupied the remaining sites. Semi-core Ga 3d states were treated explicitly as valence states. Both amphoteric substitutions were considered for C and Si impurities, while only cation-site substitutions were considered for Be, Mg, Zn, and Cd. All metal impurities formed partially occupied impurity states at the VB edge, which may result in p-type conductivity. C and Si impurities substituted at anion sites form sharp resonances in the gap, and are inactive in creating either p- or n-type carriers. Likewise, cation-site C substitutions introduce to the middle of the band gap strongly localized states that are inactive in carrier formation. Cation-site Si substitutions form an impurity sub-band at the CB edge, leading to n-type conductivity. The DOS at the Fermi level for each impurity-doped c-GaN crystal is used to estimate the most effective p-type doping impurities. The wave-function composition, space, and energy localization is analyzed for different impurities via projections onto the orbital basis and atomic coordinational spheres, and by examining calculated charge-density distributions.

Economic use of CBN grinding tools in the production of jet turbine components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geisler, R.; Hallen, D.

The use of cubical boron nitride (CBN) grinding wheels in the production of jet turbine components of superalloys such as Inconel 100, Nimonic 90 or Rene 120 with the aid of an example of guide vane machining for low pressure turbines is described. Cost savings achieved by the use of CBN wheels as compared with conventional grinding wheels and spark erosion are presented in tabular form.

Tribological Characteristics and Applications of Superhard Coatings: CVD Diamond, DLC, and c-BN

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miyoshi, Kazuhisa; Murakawa, Masao; Watanabe, Shuichi; Takeuchi, Sadao; Wu, Richard L. C.

1999-01-01

Results of fundamental research on the tribological properties of chemical-vapor-deposited (CVD) diamond, diamondlike carbon, and cubic boron nitride films in sliding contact with CVD diamond in ultrahigh vacuum, dry nitrogen, humid air, and water are discussed. Furthermore, the actual and potential applications of the three different superhard coatings in the field of tribology technology, particularly for wear parts and tools, are reviewed.

A theranostic approach based on the use of a dual boron/Gd agent to improve the efficacy of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy in the lung cancer treatment.

PubMed

Alberti, Diego; Protti, Nicoletta; Toppino, Antonio; Deagostino, Annamaria; Lanzardo, Stefania; Bortolussi, Silva; Altieri, Saverio; Voena, Claudia; Chiarle, Roberto; Geninatti Crich, Simonetta; Aime, Silvio

2015-04-01

This study aims at developing an innovative theranostic approach for lung tumor and metastases treatment, based on Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT). It relies on to the use of low density lipoproteins (LDL) as carriers able to maximize the selective uptake of boron atoms in tumor cells and, at the same time, to quantify the in vivo boron distribution by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Tumor cells uptake was initially assessed by ICP-MS and MRI on four types of tumor (TUBO, B16-F10, MCF-7, A549) and one healthy (N-MUG) cell lines. Lung metastases were generated by intravenous injection of a Her2+ breast cancer cell line (i.e. TUBO) in BALB/c mice and transgenic EML4-ALK mice were used as primary tumor model. After neutron irradiation, tumor growth was followed for 30-40 days by MRI. Tumor masses of boron treated mice increased markedly slowly than the control group. From the clinical editor: In this article, the authors described an improvement to existing boron neutron capture therapy. The dual MRI/BNCT agent, carried by LDLs, was able to maximize the selective uptake of boron in tumor cells, and, at the same time, quantify boron distribution in tumor and in other tissues using MRI. Subsequent in vitro and in vivo experiments showed tumor cell killing after neutron irradiation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Method for enhancing the solubility of dopants in silicon

DOEpatents

Sadigh, Babak; Lenosky, Thomas J.; De La Rubia, Tomas Diaz

2003-09-30

A method for enhancing the equilibrium solid solubility of dopants in silicon, germanium and silicon-germanium alloys. The method involves subjecting silicon-based substrate to biaxial or compression strain. It has been determined that boron solubility was largely enhanced (more than 100%) by a compressive bi-axial strain, based on a size-mismatch theory since the boron atoms are smaller than the silicon atoms. It has been found that the large enhancement or mixing properties of dopants in silicon and germanium substrates is primarily governed by their, and to second order by their size-mismatch with the substrate. Further, it has been determined that the dopant solubility enhancement with strain is most effective when the charge and the size-mismatch of the impurity favor the same type of strain. Thus, the solid solubility of small p-type (e.g., boron) as well as large n-type (e.g., arsenic) dopants can be raised most dramatically by appropriate bi-axial (compressive) strain, and that solubility of a large p-type dopant (e.g, indium) in silicon will be raised due to size-mismatch with silicon, which favors tensile strain, while its negative charge prefers compressive strain, and thus the two effects counteract each other.

Development and application of colorimetric microassay for determining boron-containing compounds

Treesearch

S. Nami Kartal; Frederick Green

2002-01-01

This paper describes the development of a microsssay for boron and the application of this microassay for evaluating leachability of boron by post-treatment of southern pine with the calcium precipitating agent NHA (N'N-napthaloylhydroxylamine). The microsssay method for quantitative estimation of boron content in treated wood and leachates is a microadaptation of...

Thermal activation mechanisms and Labusch-type strengthening analysis for a family of high-entropy and equiatomic solid-solution alloys

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

Wu, Zhenggang; Gao, Yanfei; Bei, Hongbin

To understand the underlying strengthening mechanisms, thermal activation processes are investigated from stress-strain measurements with varying temperatures and strain rates for a family of equiatomic quinary, quaternary, ternary, and binary, face-center-cubic-structured, single phase solid-solution alloys, which are all subsystems of the FeNiCoCrMn high-entropy alloy. Our analysis suggests that the Labusch-type solution strengthening mechanism, rather than the lattice friction (or lattice resistance), governs the deformation behavior in equiatomic alloys. First, upon excluding the Hall-Petch effects, the activation volumes for these alloys are found to range from 10 to 1000 times the cubic power of Burgers vector, which are much larger thanmore » that required for kink pairs (i.e., the thermal activation process for the lattice resistance mechanism in body-center-cubic-structured metals). Second, the Labusch-type analysis for an N-element alloy is conducted by treating M-elements (M < N) as an effective medium and summing the strengthening contributions from the rest of N-M elements as individual solute species. For all equiatomic alloys investigated, a qualitative agreement exists between the measured strengthening effect and the Labusch strengthening factor from arbitrary M to N elements based on the lattice and modulus mismatches. Furthermore, the Labusch strengthening factor provides a practical critique to understand and design such compositionally complex but structurally simple alloys.« less

Thermal activation mechanisms and Labusch-type strengthening analysis for a family of high-entropy and equiatomic solid-solution alloys

DOE PAGES

Wu, Zhenggang; Gao, Yanfei; Bei, Hongbin

2016-11-01

To understand the underlying strengthening mechanisms, thermal activation processes are investigated from stress-strain measurements with varying temperatures and strain rates for a family of equiatomic quinary, quaternary, ternary, and binary, face-center-cubic-structured, single phase solid-solution alloys, which are all subsystems of the FeNiCoCrMn high-entropy alloy. Our analysis suggests that the Labusch-type solution strengthening mechanism, rather than the lattice friction (or lattice resistance), governs the deformation behavior in equiatomic alloys. First, upon excluding the Hall-Petch effects, the activation volumes for these alloys are found to range from 10 to 1000 times the cubic power of Burgers vector, which are much larger thanmore » that required for kink pairs (i.e., the thermal activation process for the lattice resistance mechanism in body-center-cubic-structured metals). Second, the Labusch-type analysis for an N-element alloy is conducted by treating M-elements (M < N) as an effective medium and summing the strengthening contributions from the rest of N-M elements as individual solute species. For all equiatomic alloys investigated, a qualitative agreement exists between the measured strengthening effect and the Labusch strengthening factor from arbitrary M to N elements based on the lattice and modulus mismatches. Furthermore, the Labusch strengthening factor provides a practical critique to understand and design such compositionally complex but structurally simple alloys.« less

Radiation damage and defect behavior in proton irradiated lithium-counterdoped n+p silicon solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stupica, John; Goradia, Chandra; Swartz, Clifford K.; Weinberg, Irving

1987-01-01

Two lithium-counterdoped n+p silicon solar cells with different lithium concentrations were irradiated by 10-MeV protons. Cell performance was measured as a function of fluence, and it was found that the cell with the highest concentration of lithium had the highest radiation resistance. Deep level transient spectroscopy which showed two deep level defects that were lithium related. Relating the defect energy levels obtained from this study with those from earlier work using 1-MeV electron irradiation shows no correlation of the defect energy levels. There is one marked similarity: the absence of the boron-interstitial-oxygen-interstitial defect. This consistency strengthens the belief that lithium interacts with oxygen to prevent the formation of the boron interstitial-oxygen interstitial defect. The results indicate that, in general, addition of lithium in small amounts to the p-base of a boron doped silicon solar cell such that the base remains p-type, tends to increase the radiation resistance of the cell.

A novel reduced symmetry oxide (Mg3B2O6) for magnetic tunnel junctions based on FeCo or Fe leads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, Derek

2010-03-01

Magnetic tunnel junctions with high TMR values, such as FeMgOFe, capitalize on spin filtering in the oxide due to the band symmetry of incident electrons. However, these structures rely on magnetic leads and oxide regions of the same cubic symmetry class. This raises the question of whether reducing the oxide symmetry can enhance spin filtering. A new magnetic tunnel junction (FeCoMg3B2O6FeCo) is presented that uses a reduced symmetry oxide region (orthorhombic) to filter spins between two cubic magnetic leads. Symmetry analysis of coupling between states in the cubic leads and the orthorhombic oxide indicates that majority carrier tunneling through the oxide should be favored over minority carriers. Complex band structure analysis of Mg3B2O6 shows that the relevant evanescent states in the band gap are due to boron p states and that there is sufficient difference in the decay rates of the imaginary bands for spin filtering to occur. Electronic transport calculations through a FeMg3B2O6Fe magnetic tunnel junction are also performed to address the possible influence of interface states. Some recent experimental studies of FeCoBMgOFeCoB junctions, with B diffusion into the MgO region, indicate that this new type of junction may have already been fabricated. The prospect of developing a general class of magnetic tunnel junctions based on reduced symmetry oxides is also examined.

A microdosimetric study of {sup 10}B(n,{alpha}){sup 7}Li and {sup 157}Gd(n,{gamma}) reactions for neutron capture therapy

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

Wang, C.K.C.; Sutton, M.; Evans, T.M.

1999-01-01

This paper presents the microdosimetric analysis for the most interesting cell survival experiment recently performed at the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). In this experiment, the cells were first treated with a gadolinium (Gd) labeled tumor-seeking boronated porphyrin (Gd-BOPP) or with BOPP alone, and then irradiated with thermal neutrons. The resulting cell-survival curves indicate that the {sup 157}Gd(n,{gamma}) reactions are very effective in cell killing. The death of a cell treated with Gd-BOPP was attributed to either the {sup 10}B(n,{alpha}){sup 7}Li reactions or the {sup 157}Gd(n,{gamma}) reactions (or both). However, the quantitative relationship between the two types of reaction and themore » cell-survival fraction was not clear. This paper presents the microdosimetric analysis for the BNL experiment based on the measured experimental parameters, and the results clearly suggest a quantitative relationship between the two types of reaction and the cell survival fraction. The results also suggest new research in gadolinium neutron capture therapy (GdNCT) which may lead to a more practical modality than the boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) for treating cancers.« less

Stein’s Phenomenon and Nanoparticle Characterization

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

and cubic boron 3 nitride (cBN), supporting surface phonon polaritons (SPhPs) in the infrared (Narayanaswamy and Chen 2003, Mulet et al 2002, Joulain et...J. Neyman, ed.), 1, 361-379. University of California Press. [22] Joulain K., Mulet J.-P., Marquier F., Carminati R. and Greffet J.-J. (2005...gineering Science, 36, 1569-1593. [28] Mulet J.-P., Joulain K., Carminati R. and Greffet J.-J. (2002). Enhanced radiative heat transfer at nanometric

Challenges Facing ZnO and GaN: Facts and Myths. Held in Glen Allen, Virginia on 18-19 October 2007

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-10-01

115 4 VIII.4.3.1. Improving dopant solubility........................................................... 115 VIII.4.3.2. Designing shallow defect...possible (e.g., ZnMgO grown at AFRL-Hanscom). intentional doping •Boron and aluminum only suspected n-type dopants detected (red) •Nitrogen...and sodium as only possible p-type dopants detected (blue) •The major impurity consistently present is silicon (from the quartz ampoule) •Elements

The dopant type and amount governs the electrochemical performance of graphene platforms for the antioxidant activity quantification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hui, Kai Hwee; Ambrosi, Adriano; Sofer, Zdeněk; Pumera, Martin; Bonanni, Alessandra

2015-05-01

Graphene doped with heteroatoms can show new or improved properties as compared to the original undoped material. It has been reported that the type of heteroatoms and the doping conditions can have a strong influence on the electronic and electrochemical properties of the resulting material. Here, we wish to compare the electrochemical behavior of two n-type and two p-type doped graphenes, namely boron-doped graphenes and nitrogen-doped graphenes containing different amounts of heteroatoms. We show that the boron-doped graphene containing a higher amount of dopants provides the best electroanalytical performance in terms of calibration sensitivity, selectivity and linearity of response for the detection of gallic acid normally used as the standard probe for the quantification of antioxidant activity of food and beverages. Our findings demonstrate that the type and amount of heteroatoms used for the doping have a profound influence on the electrochemical detection of gallic acid rather than the structural properties of the materials such as amounts of defects, oxygen functionalities and surface area. This finding has a profound influence on the application of doped graphenes in the field of analytical chemistry.Graphene doped with heteroatoms can show new or improved properties as compared to the original undoped material. It has been reported that the type of heteroatoms and the doping conditions can have a strong influence on the electronic and electrochemical properties of the resulting material. Here, we wish to compare the electrochemical behavior of two n-type and two p-type doped graphenes, namely boron-doped graphenes and nitrogen-doped graphenes containing different amounts of heteroatoms. We show that the boron-doped graphene containing a higher amount of dopants provides the best electroanalytical performance in terms of calibration sensitivity, selectivity and linearity of response for the detection of gallic acid normally used as the standard probe for the quantification of antioxidant activity of food and beverages. Our findings demonstrate that the type and amount of heteroatoms used for the doping have a profound influence on the electrochemical detection of gallic acid rather than the structural properties of the materials such as amounts of defects, oxygen functionalities and surface area. This finding has a profound influence on the application of doped graphenes in the field of analytical chemistry. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr01045d

Polarization-free integrated gallium-nitride photonics

PubMed Central

Bayram, C.; Liu, R.

2017-01-01

Gallium Nitride (GaN) materials are the backbone of emerging solid state lighting. To date, GaN research has been primarily focused on hexagonal phase devices due to the natural crystallization. This approach limits the output power and efficiency of LEDs, particularly in the green spectrum. However, GaN can also be engineered to be in cubic phase. Cubic GaN has a lower bandgap (~200 meV) than hexagonal GaN that enables green LEDs much easily. Besides, cubic GaN has more isotropic properties (smaller effective masses, higher carrier mobility, higher doping efficiency, and higher optical gain than hexagonal GaN), and cleavage planes. Due to phase instability, however, cubic phase materials and devices have remained mostly unexplored. Here we review a new method of cubic phase GaN generation: Hexagonal-to-cubic phase transition, based on novel nano-patterning. We report a new crystallographic modelling of this hexagonal-to-cubic phase transition and systematically study the effects of nano-patterning on the GaN phase transition via transmission electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction experiments. In summary, silicon-integrated cubic phase GaN light emitters offer a unique opportunity for exploration in next generation photonics. PMID:29307953

Anomalous stress response of ultrahard WB n compounds

DOE PAGES

Li, Quan; Zhou, Dan; Zheng, Weitao; ...

2015-10-29

Boron-rich tungsten borides are premier prototypes of a new class of ultrahard compounds. Here, we show by first-principles calculations that their stress-strain relations display surprisingly diverse and anomalous behavior under a variety of loading conditions. Most remarkable is the dramatically changing bonding configurations and deformation modes with rising boron concentration in WB n (n=2, 3, 4), resulting in significantly different stress responses and unexpected indentation strength variations. This novel phenomenon stems from the peculiar structural arrangements in tungsten borides driven by boron’s ability to form unusually versatile bonding states. Our results elucidate the intriguing deformation mechanisms that define a distinctmore » type of ultrahard material. Here, these new insights underscore the need to explore unconventional structure-property relations in a broad range of transition-metal light-element compounds.« less

Synthesis and Characterization of Low-Cost Superhard Transition-Metal Borides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaner, Richard

2013-06-01

The increasing demand for high-performance cutting and forming tools, along with the shortcomings of traditional tool materials such as diamond (unable to cut ferrous materials), cubic boron nitride (expensive) and tungsten carbide (relatively-low hardness), has motivated the search for new superhard materials for these applications. This has led us to a new class of superhard materials, dense refractory transition-metal borides, which promise to address some of the existing problems of conventional superhard materials. For example, we have synthesized rhenium diboride (ReB2) using arc melting at ambient pressure. This superhard material has demonstrated an excellent electrical conductivity and superior mechanical properties, including a Vickers hardness of 48.0 GPa (under an applied load of 0.49 N). To further increase the hardness and lower the materials costs, we have begun exploring high boron content metal borides including tungsten tetraboride (WB4) . We have synthesized WB4 by arc melting and studied its hardness and high-pressure behavior. With a similar Vickers hardness (43.3 GPa under a load of 0.49 N) and bulk modulus (326-339 GPa) to ReB2, WB4 offers a lower cost alternative and has the potential to be used in cutting tools. To further enhance the hardness of this superhard metal, we have created the binary and ternary solid solutions of WB4 with Cr, Mn and Ta, the results of which show a hardness increase of up to 20 percent. As with other metals, these metallic borides can be readily cut and shaped using electric discharge machining (EDM).

A boron and gallium co-doped ZnO intermediate layer for ZnO/Si heterojunction diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Yuanxi; Huang, Jian; Li, Bing; Tang, Ke; Ma, Yuncheng; Cao, Meng; Wang, Lin; Wang, Linjun

2018-01-01

ZnO (Zinc oxide)/Si (Silicon) heterojunctions were prepared by depositing n-type ZnO films on p-type single crystal Si substrates using magnetron sputtering. A boron and gallium co-doped ZnO (BGZO) high conductivity intermediate layer was deposited between aurum (Au) electrodes and ZnO films. The influence of the BGZO layer on the properties of Au/ZnO contacts and the performance of ZnO/Si heterojunctions was investigated. The results show an improvement in contact resistance by introducing the BGZO layer. Compared with the ZnO/Si heterojunction, the BGZO/ZnO/Si heterojunction exhibits a larger forward current, a smaller turn-on voltage and higher ratio of ultraviolet (UV) photo current/dark current.

A Soluble Dynamic Complex Strategy for the Solution-Processed Fabrication of Organic Thin-Film Transistors of a Boron-Containing Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon.

PubMed

Matsuo, Kyohei; Saito, Shohei; Yamaguchi, Shigehiro

2016-09-19

The solution-processed fabrication of thin films of organic semiconductors enables the production of cost-effective, large-area organic electronic devices under mild conditions. The formation/dissociation of a dynamic B-N coordination bond can be used for the solution-processed fabrication of semiconducting films of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) materials. The poor solubility of a boron-containing PAH in chloroform, toluene, and chlorobenzene was significantly improved by addition of minor amounts (1 wt % of solvent) of pyridine derivatives, as their coordination to the boron atom suppresses the inherent propensity of the PAHs to form π-stacks. Spin-coating solutions of the thus formed Lewis acid-base complexes resulted in the formation of amorphous thin films, which could be converted into polycrystalline films of the boron-containing PAH upon thermal annealing. Organic thin-film transistors prepared by this solution process displayed typical p-type characteristics. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Boron and Nitrogen Codoped Carbon Layers of LiFePO4 Improve the High-Rate Electrochemical Performance for Lithium Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Zhang, Jinli; Nie, Ning; Liu, Yuanyuan; Wang, Jiao; Yu, Feng; Gu, Junjie; Li, Wei

2015-09-16

An evolutionary composite of LiFePO4 with nitrogen and boron codoped carbon layers was prepared by processing hydrothermal-synthesized LiFePO4. This novel codoping method is successfully applied to LiFePO4 for commercial use, and it achieved excellent electrochemical performance. The electrochemical performance can be improved through single nitrogen doping (LiFePO4/C-N) or boron doping (LiFePO4/C-B). When modifying the LiFePO4/C-B with nitrogen (to synthesis LiFePO4/C-B+N) the undesired nonconducting N-B configurations (190.1 and 397.9 eV) are generated. This decreases the electronic conductivity from 2.56×10(-2) to 1.30×10(-2) S cm(-1) resulting in weak electrochemical performance. Nevertheless, using the opposite order to decorate LiFePO4/C-N with boron (to obtain LiFePO4/C-N+B) not only eliminates the nonconducting N-B impurity, but also promotes the conductive C-N (398.3, 400.3, and 401.1 eV) and C-B (189.5 eV) configurations-this markedly improves the electronic conductivity to 1.36×10(-1) S cm(-1). Meanwhile the positive doping strategy leads to synergistic electrochemical activity distinctly compared with single N- or B-doped materials (even much better than their sum capacity at 20 C). Moreover, due to the electron and hole-type carriers donated by nitrogen and boron atoms, the N+B codoped carbon coating tremendously enhances the electrochemical property: at the rate of 20 C, the codoped sample can elevate the discharge capacity of LFP/C from 101.1 mAh g(-1) to 121.6 mAh g(-1), and the codoped product based on commercial LiFePO4/C shows a discharge capacity of 78.4 mAh g(-1) rather than 48.1 mAh g(-1). Nevertheless, the B+N codoped sample decreases the discharge capacity of LFP/C from 101.1 mAh g(-1) to 95.4 mAh g(-1), while the commercial LFP/C changes from 48.1 mAh g(-1) to 40.6 mAh g(-1).

High Purity and Yield of Boron Nitride Nanotubes Using Amorphous Boron and a Nozzle-Type Reactor

PubMed Central

Kim, Jaewoo; Seo, Duckbong; Yoo, Jeseung; Jeong, Wanseop; Seo, Young-Soo; Kim, Jaeyong

2014-01-01

Enhancement of the production yield of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) with high purity was achieved using an amorphous boron-based precursor and a nozzle-type reactor. Use of a mixture of amorphous boron and Fe decreases the milling time for the preparation of the precursor for BNNTs synthesis, as well as the Fe impurity contained in the B/Fe interdiffused precursor nanoparticles by using a simple purification process. We also explored a nozzle-type reactor that increased the production yield of BNNTs compared to a conventional flow-through reactor. By using a nozzle-type reactor with amorphous boron-based precursor, the weight of the BNNTs sample after annealing was increased as much as 2.5-times with much less impurities compared to the case for the flow-through reactor with the crystalline boron-based precursor. Under the same experimental conditions, the yield and quantity of BNNTs were estimated as much as ~70% and ~1.15 g/batch for the former, while they are ~54% and 0.78 g/batch for the latter. PMID:28788161

High Purity and Yield of Boron Nitride Nanotubes Using Amorphous Boron and a Nozzle-Type Reactor.

PubMed

Kim, Jaewoo; Seo, Duckbong; Yoo, Jeseung; Jeong, Wanseop; Seo, Young-Soo; Kim, Jaeyong

2014-08-11

Enhancement of the production yield of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) with high purity was achieved using an amorphous boron-based precursor and a nozzle-type reactor. Use of a mixture of amorphous boron and Fe decreases the milling time for the preparation of the precursor for BNNTs synthesis, as well as the Fe impurity contained in the B/Fe interdiffused precursor nanoparticles by using a simple purification process. We also explored a nozzle-type reactor that increased the production yield of BNNTs compared to a conventional flow-through reactor. By using a nozzle-type reactor with amorphous boron-based precursor, the weight of the BNNTs sample after annealing was increased as much as 2.5-times with much less impurities compared to the case for the flow-through reactor with the crystalline boron-based precursor. Under the same experimental conditions, the yield and quantity of BNNTs were estimated as much as ~70% and ~1.15 g/batch for the former, while they are ~54% and 0.78 g/batch for the latter.

Ab initio elastic tensor of cubic Ti0.5Al0.5N alloys: Dependence of elastic constants on size and shape of the supercell model and their convergence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tasnádi, Ferenc; Odén, M.; Abrikosov, Igor A.

2012-04-01

In this study we discuss the performance of the special quasirandom structure (SQS) method in predicting the elastic properties of B1 (rocksalt) Ti0.5Al0.5N alloy. We use a symmetry-based projection technique, which gives the closest cubic approximate of the elastic tensor and allows us to align the SQSs of different shapes and sizes for a comparison in modeling elastic tensors. We show that the derived closest cubic approximate of the elastic tensor converges faster with respect to SQS size than the elastic tensor itself. That establishes a less demanding computational strategy to achieve convergence for the elastic constants. We determine the cubic elastic constants (Cij) and Zener's type elastic anisotropy (A) of Ti0.5Al0.5N. Optimal supercells, which capture accurately both the configurational disorder and cubic symmetry of elastic tensor, result in C11=447 GPa, C12=158 GPa, and C44=203 GPa with 3% of error and A=1.40 with 6% of error. In addition, we establish the general importance of selecting proper SQS with symmetry arguments to reliably model elasticity of alloys. We suggest the calculation of nine elastic tensor elements: C11, C22, C33, C12, C13, C23, C44, C55, and C66, to analyze the performance of SQSs and predict elastic constants of cubic alloys. The described methodology is general enough to be extended for alloys with other symmetry at arbitrary composition.

Road to Grid Parity through Deployment of Low-Cost 21.5% N-Type Si Solar Cells

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

Velundur, Vijay

This project seeks to develop and deploy differentiated 21.5% efficient n-type Si solar cells while reaching the SunShot module cost goal of ≤ $0.50/W. This objective hinges on development of enabling low cost technologies that simplify the manufacturing process and reduce overall processing costs. These comprise of (1) Boron emitter formation and passivation; (2) Simplified processing process for emitter and BSF layers; and (3) Advanced metallization for the front and back contacts.

FAST NEUTRONIC REACTOR

DOEpatents

Snell, A.H.

1957-12-01

This patent relates to a reactor and process for carrying out a controlled fast neutron chain reaction. A cubical reactive mass, weighing at least 920 metric tons, of uranium metal containing predominantly U/sup 238/ and having a U/sup 235/ content of at least 7.63% is assembled and the maximum neutron reproduction ratio is limited to not substantially over 1.01 by insertion and removal of a varying amount of boron, the reactive mass being substantially freed of moderator.

Electrochemically deposited Cu2O cubic particles on boron doped diamond substrate as efficient photocathode for solar hydrogen generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mavrokefalos, Christos K.; Hasan, Maksudul; Rohan, James F.; Compton, Richard G.; Foord, John S.

2017-06-01

Herein, we report a novel photocathode for the water splitting reaction. The electrochemical deposition of Cu2O particles on boron doped diamond (BDD) electrodes and the subsequent decoration with NiO nanoparticles by a dip coating method to act as co-catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction is described. The morphology analysis by scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed that Cu2O particles are cubic and decorated sporadically with NiO nanoparticles. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the electronic interaction at the interface between Cu2O and NiO through a binding energy shift of the main Cu 2p peak. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance of NiO-Cu2O/BDD showed a much higher current density (-0.33 mA/cm2) and photoconversion efficiency (0.28%) compared to the unmodified Cu2O/BDD electrode, which are only -0.12 mA/cm2 and 0.06%, respectively. The enhancement in PEC performance is attributable to the synergy of NiO as an electron conduction mediator leading to the enhanced charge separation and transfer to the reaction interface for hydrogen evolution as evidenced by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and charge carrier density calculation. Stability tests showed that the NiO nanoparticles loading content on Cu2O surface is a crucial parameter in this regard.

Comparison study of photon attenuation characteristics of Lead-Boron Polyethylene by MCNP code, XCOM and experimental data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lei; Jia, Mingchun; Gong, Junjun; Xia, Wenming

2017-08-01

The linear attenuation coefficient, mass attenuation coefficient and mean free path of various Lead-Boron Polyethylene (PbBPE) samples which can be used as the photon shielding materials in marine reactor have been simulated using the Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP)-5 code. The MCNP simulation results are in good agreement with the XCOM values and the reported experimental data for source Cesium-137 and Cobalt-60. Thus, this method based on MCNP can be used to simulate the photon attenuation characteristics of various types of PbBPE materials.

Doped Graphene for DNA Analysis: the Electrochemical Signal is Strongly Influenced by the Kind of Dopant and the Nucleobase Structure

PubMed Central

Tian, Huidi; Wang, Lu; Sofer, Zdenek; Pumera, Martin; Bonanni, Alessandra

2016-01-01

Doping graphene with heteroatoms can alter the electronic and electrochemical properties of the starting material. Contrasting properties should be expected when the doping is carried out with electron donating species (n-type dopants) or with electron withdrawing species (p-type dopants). This in turn can have a profound influence on the electroanalytical performance of the doped material being used for the detection of specific probes. Here we investigate the electrochemical oxidation of DNA bases adenine, guanine, thymine and cytosine on two heteroatom-doped graphene platforms namely boron-doped graphene (p-type dopant) and nitrogen-doped graphene (n-type dopant). We found that overall, boron–doped graphene provided the best response in terms of electrochemical signal sensitivity for all bases. This is due to the electron deficiency of boron-doped graphene, which can promote the oxidation of DNA bases, as opposed to nitrogen-doped graphene which possesses an excess of electrons. Moreover, also the structure of the nucleobase was found to have significant influence on the obtained signal. Our study may open new frontiers in the electrochemical detection of DNA bases which is the first step for label-free DNA analysis. PMID:27623951

Advanced high temperature thermoelectrics for space power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lockwood, A.; Ewell, R.; Wood, C.

1981-01-01

Preliminary results from a spacecraft system study show that an optimum hot junction temperature is in the range of 1500 K for advanced nuclear reactor technology combined with thermoelectric conversion. Advanced silicon germanium thermoelectric conversion is feasible if hot junction temperatures can be raised roughly 100 C or if gallium phosphide can be used to improve the figure of merit, but the performance is marginal. Two new classes of refractory materials, rare earth sulfides and boron-carbon alloys, are being investigated to improve the specific weight of the generator system. Preliminary data on the sulfides have shown very high figures of merit over short temperature ranges. Both n- and p-type doping have been obtained. Pure boron-carbide may extrapolate to high figure of merit at temperatures well above 1500 K but not lower temperature; n-type conduction has been reported by others, but not yet observed in the JPL program. Inadvertant impurity doping may explain the divergence of results reported.

Surface roughness analysis after laser assisted machining of hard to cut materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Przestacki, D.; Jankowiak, M.

2014-03-01

Metal matrix composites and Si3N4 ceramics are very attractive materials for various industry applications due to extremely high hardness and abrasive wear resistance. However because of these features they are problematic for the conventional turning process. The machining on a classic lathe still requires special polycrystalline diamond (PCD) or cubic boron nitride (CBN) cutting inserts which are very expensive. In the paper an experimental surface roughness analysis of laser assisted machining (LAM) for two tapes of hard-to-cut materials was presented. In LAM, the surface of work piece is heated directly by a laser beam in order to facilitate, the decohesion of material. Surface analysis concentrates on the influence of laser assisted machining on the surface quality of the silicon nitride ceramic Si3N4 and metal matrix composite (MMC). The effect of the laser assisted machining was compared to the conventional machining. The machining parameters influence on surface roughness parameters was also investigated. The 3D surface topographies were measured using optical surface profiler. The analysis of power spectrum density (PSD) roughness profile were analyzed.

Untangling the Energetics and Dynamics of Boron Monoxide Radical Reactions (11BO; X2Sigma+)

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-15

Reaction products of isoelectronic boron monoxide (BO), cyano (CN), ethynyl (CCH), and silicon nitride (SiN) radicals with acetylene and ethylene. 3.10...Isoelectronicity in the Reactions of the Cyano (CN), Boron Monoxide (BO), Silicon Nitride (SiN), and Ethynyl (C2H) Radicals with Unsaturated Hydrocarbons...AFRL-OSR-VA-TR-2015-0111 Untangling the Energetics and Dynamics of Boron Monoxide Radical Reactions Ralf Kaiser UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII SYSTEMS HONOLULU

Initial Assessment of CSA Group Niobium Boron Based Coatings on 4340 Steel

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-07-01

Technical Report ARWSB-TR-17026 Initial Assessment of CSA Group Niobium- Boron Based Coatings on 4340 Steel C.P. Mulligan...REPORT TYPE Technical 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Initial Assessment of CSA Group Niobium- Boron Based Coatings on 4340...metallographic mounts reported as (1) thin and (2) thick Niobium- Boron (Nb-B) type coatings on steel. CSA Group is interested in providing coatings for potential

Structural and electronic properties of double-walled boron nitride nanocones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brito, E.; Silva, T. S.; Guerra, T.; Leite, L.; Azevedo, S.; Freitas, A.; Kaschny, J. R.

2018-01-01

First principles calculations were applied to study the structural and electronic properties of different configurations of double-walled boron nitride nanocones with a disclination angle of 60°. The analysis includes different rotation angles, distance between apexes, as well as distinct types of antiphase boundaries. The calculations indicate that the non-rotated configuration of double-walled nanocone with a defective line composed by C and N atoms, forming C-N bonds, is the most stable configuration. It was found that the yam angle, apexes distance and defective line composition present significant influence on the electronic properties of such structures. Moreover, analyzing the spin charge density, for the electronic states near the Fermi level, it was also found that the configuration with a defective line containing C atoms presents a net magnetic moment.

Impact of boron rich layer on performance degradation in boric acid diffused emitters for n-type crystalline Si solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singha, Bandana; Singh Solanki, Chetan

2018-01-01

Boron rich layer (BRL) formed beneath the borosilicate glass layer during p-type emitter formation is an undesirable phenomenon. It influences different cell parameters and can degrade the device performance. In this work, the device degradation study is done for different BRL thicknesses produced with different concentrations of the boric acid dopant source. The bulk carrier lifetime reduces to more than 75% and emitter saturation current density becomes more than 10-12 mA cm-2 for 60 nm of BRL thickness. The observed J sc and V oc values become zero for BRL thicknesses higher than 40 nm as seen in this work and the device properties could not be enhanced. So, higher thicknesses of BRL should be avoided.

All Chern-Simons invariants of 4D, N = 1 gauged superform hierarchies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, Katrin; Becker, Melanie; Linch, William D.; Randall, Stephen; Robbins, Daniel

2017-04-01

We give a geometric description of supersymmetric gravity/(non-)abelian p-form hierarchies in superspaces with 4D, N = 1 super-Poincaré invariance. These hierarchies give rise to Chern-Simons-like invariants, such as those of the 5D, N = 1 graviphoton and the eleven-dimensional 3-form but also generalizations such as Green-Schwarz-like/ BF -type couplings. Previous constructions based on prepotential superfields are reinterpreted in terms of p-forms in superspace thereby elucidating the underlying geometry. This vastly simplifies the calculations of superspace field-strengths, Bianchi identities, and Chern-Simons invariants. Using this, we prove the validity of a recursive formula for the conditions defining these actions for any such tensor hierarchy. Solving it at quadratic and cubic orders, we recover the known results for the BF -type and cubic Chern-Simons actions. As an application, we compute the quartic invariant ˜ AdAdAdA + . . . relevant, for example, to seven-dimensional supergravity compactifications.

Ionization equilibrium at the transition from valence-band to acceptor-band migration of holes in boron-doped diamond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poklonski, N. A.; Vyrko, S. A.; Poklonskaya, O. N.; Kovalev, A. I.; Zabrodskii, A. G.

2016-06-01

A quasi-classical model of ionization equilibrium in the p-type diamond between hydrogen-like acceptors (boron atoms which substitute carbon atoms in the crystal lattice) and holes in the valence band (v-band) is proposed. The model is applicable on the insulator side of the insulator-metal concentration phase transition (Mott transition) in p-Dia:B crystals. The densities of the spatial distributions of impurity atoms (acceptors and donors) and of holes in the crystal are considered to be Poissonian, and the fluctuations of their electrostatic potential energy are considered to be Gaussian. The model accounts for the decrease in thermal ionization energy of boron atoms with increasing concentration, as well as for electrostatic fluctuations due to the Coulomb interaction limited to two nearest point charges (impurity ions and holes). The mobility edge of holes in the v-band is assumed to be equal to the sum of the threshold energy for diffusion percolation and the exchange energy of the holes. On the basis of the virial theorem, the temperature Tj is determined, in the vicinity of which the dc band-like conductivity of holes in the v-band is approximately equal to the hopping conductivity of holes via the boron atoms. For compensation ratio (hydrogen-like donor to acceptor concentration ratio) K ≈ 0.15 and temperature Tj, the concentration of "free" holes in the v-band and their jumping (turbulent) drift mobility are calculated. Dependence of the differential energy of thermal ionization of boron atoms (at the temperature 3Tj/2) as a function of their concentration N is calculated. The estimates of the extrapolated into the temperature region close to Tj hopping drift mobility of holes hopping from the boron atoms in the charge states (0) to the boron atoms in the charge states (-1) are given. Calculations based on the model show good agreement with electrical conductivity and Hall effect measurements for p-type diamond with boron atom concentrations in the range from 3 × 1017 to 3 × 1020 cm-3, i.e., up to the Mott transition. The model uses no fitting parameters.

Flat-plate solar array project process development area, process research of non-CZ silicon material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, R. B.

1984-01-01

The program is designed to investigate the fabrication of solar cells on N-type base material by a simultaneous diffusion of N-type and P-type dopants to form an P(+)NN(+) structure. The results of simultaneous diffusion experiments are being compared to cells fabricated using sequential diffusion of dopants into N-base material in the same resistivity range. The process used for the fabrication of the simultaneously diffused P(+)NN(+) cells follows the standard Westinghouse baseline sequence for P-base material except that the two diffusion processes (boron and phosphorus) are replaced by a single diffusion step. All experiments are carried out on N-type dendritic web grown in the Westinghouse pre-pilot facility. The resistivities vary from 0.5 (UC OMEGA)cm to 5 (UC OMEGA)cm. The dopant sources used for both the simultaneous and sequential diffusion experiments are commercial metallorganic solutions with phosphorus or boron components. After these liquids are applied to the web surface, they are baked to form a hard glass which acts as a diffusion source at elevated temperatures. In experiments performed thus far, cells produced in sequential diffusion tests have properties essentially equal to the baseline N(+)PP(+) cells. However, the simultaneous diffusions have produced cells with much lower IV characteristics mainly due to cross-doping of the sources at the diffusion temperature. This cross-doping is due to the high vapor pressure phosphorus (applied as a metallorganic to the back surface) diffusion through the SiO2 mask and then acting as a diffusant source for the front surface.

Boron arsenide phonon dispersion from inelastic x-ray scattering: Potential for ultrahigh thermal conductivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Hao; Li, Chen; Tang, Shixiong; Yan, Jiaqiang; Alatas, Ahmet; Lindsay, Lucas; Sales, Brian C.; Tian, Zhiting

2016-12-01

Cubic boron arsenide (BAs) was predicted to have an exceptionally high thermal conductivity (k ) ˜2000 W m-1K-1 at room temperature, comparable to that of diamond, based on first-principles calculations. Subsequent experimental measurements, however, only obtained a k of ˜200 W m-1K-1 . To gain insight into this discrepancy, we measured phonon dispersion of single-crystal BAs along high symmetry directions using inelastic x-ray scattering and compared these with first-principles calculations. Based on the measured phonon dispersion, we have validated the theoretical prediction of a large frequency gap between acoustic and optical modes and bunching of acoustic branches, which were considered the main reasons for the predicted ultrahigh k . This supports its potential to be a super thermal conductor if very-high-quality single-crystal samples can be synthesized.

Boron arsenide phonon dispersion from inelastic x-ray scattering: Potential for ultrahigh thermal conductivity

DOE PAGES

Ma, Hao; Li, Chen; Tang, Shixiong; ...

2016-12-14

Cubic boron arsenide (BAs) was predicted to have an exceptionally high thermal conductivity (k) ~2000 Wm -1K -1 at room temperature, comparable to that of diamond, based on first-principles calculations. Subsequent experimental measurements, however, only obtained a k of ~200 Wm-1K-1. To gain insight into this discrepancy, we measured phonon dispersion of single crystal BAs along high symmetry directions using inelastic x-ray scattering (IXS) and compared these with first-principles calculations. Based on the measured phonon dispersion, we have validated the theoretical prediction of a large frequency gap between acoustic and optical modes and bunching of acoustic branches, which were consideredmore » the main reasons for the predicted ultrahigh k. This supports its potential to be a super thermal conductor if very high-quality single crystal samples can be synthesized.« less

Process research of non-CZ silicon material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, R. B.

1984-01-01

Advanced processing techniques for non-CZ silicon sheet material that might improve the cost effectiveness of photovoltaic module production were investigated. Specifically, the simultaneous diffusion of liquid boron and liquid phosphorus organometallic precursors into n-type dendritic silicon web was examined. The simultaneous junction formation method for solar cells was compared with the sequential junction formation method. The electrical resistivity of the n-n and p-n junctions was discussed. Further research activities for this program along with a program documentation schedule are given.

Probing carbon impurities in hexagonal boron nitride epilayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uddin, M. R.; Li, J.; Lin, J. Y.; Jiang, H. X.

2017-05-01

Carbon doped hexagonal boron nitride epilayers have been grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition. Photocurrent excitation spectroscopy has been utilized to probe the energy levels associated with carbon impurities in hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). The observed transition peaks in photocurrent excitation spectra correspond well to the energy positions of the bandgap, substitutional donors (CB, carbon impurities occupying boron sites), and substitutional acceptors (CN, carbon impurities occupying nitrogen sites). From the observed transition peak positions, the derived energy level of CB donors in h-BN is ED ˜ 0.45 eV, which agrees well with the value deduced from the temperature dependent electrical resistivity. The present study further confirms that the room temperature bandgap of h-BN is about 6.42-6.45 eV, and the CN deep acceptors have an energy level of about 2.2-2.3 eV. The results also infer that carbon doping introduces both shallow donors (CB) and deep acceptors (CN) via self-compensation, and the energy level of carbon donors appears to be too deep to enable carbon as a viable candidate as an n-type dopant in h-BN epilayers.

Interaction of Boron Clusters with Oxygen: a DFT Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salavitabar, Kamron; Boggavarapu, Kiran; Kandalam, Anil

A controlled combustion involving aluminum nanoparticles has often been the focus of studies in the field of solid fuel propellants. However very little focus has been given to the study of boron nanoparticles in controlled combustion. In contrast to aluminum nanoclusters, boron nanoclusters (Bn) are known to exhibit a planar geometries even at the size of n = 19 - 20, and thus offer a greater surface area for interaction with oxygen. Earlier experimental studies have shown that boron nanoclusters exhibit different reactivity with oxygen depending on their size and charge. In this poster, we present our recent density functional theory based results, focusing on the reactivity patterns of neutral and negatively charged B5 cluster with On, where n = 1 - 5; and B6 cluster with On (n = 1 - 2). The effect of charge on the reactivity of boron cluster, variation in the stability of product clusters, i e., neutral and negatively charged B5On (n = 1 - 5) and B6On (n = 1 - 2) are also examined. Financial Support from West Chester University Foundation under FaStR grant is acknowledged.

Effect of the introduction of oxide ion vacancies into cubic fluorite-type rare earth oxides on the NO decomposition catalysis

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

Masui, Toshiyuki; Nagai, Ryosuke; Imanaka, Nobuhito, E-mail: imanaka@chem.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp

2014-12-15

Cubic fluorite-type solid solutions based on Pr{sub 6}O{sub 11} and CeO{sub 2} were synthesized and oxide anion vacancies were intentionally introduced into the cubic fluorite-type lattice through the charge compensating mechanism by Mg{sup 2+} and/or Ca{sup 2+} doping into their lattices. The oxide anion vacancies bring about positive effect on NO decomposition catalysis. The reason for the increase in the catalytic activity was attributed to defect fluorite-type structures close to the C-type cubic one, because C-type cubic rare earth oxides, in which one-quarter of the oxygen atoms in the fluorite-type structure are removed, show high NO decomposition activity. In particular,more » the positive effect of the formation of oxide anion vacancies was significant for Pr{sub 6}O{sub 11} and its solid solutions, because the molar volume of Pr{sub 6}O{sub 11} is larger than that of CeO{sub 2}, and Pr{sub 6}O{sub 11} contains Pr{sup 3+} as well as Pr{sup 4+} and thereby a small amount of oxide anion vacancies exist inherently in the lattice. - Graphical abstract: Oxide anion vacancies intentionally introduced into the cubic fluorite-type lattice bring about positive effect on NO decomposition catalysis. - Highlights: • Cubic fluorite-type solid solutions were synthesized. • Oxide anion vacancies were intentionally introduced into the cubic fluorite-type lattice. • The oxide anion vacancies bring about positive effect on NO decomposition catalysis. • The activity was enhanced by making the structure close to the C-type cubic one.« less

Schottky barrier detection devices having a 4H-SiC n-type epitaxial layer

DOEpatents

Mandal, Krishna C.; Terry, J. Russell

2016-12-06

A detection device, along with methods of its manufacture and use, is provided. The detection device can include: a SiC substrate defining a substrate surface cut from planar to about 12.degree.; a buffer epitaxial layer on the substrate surface; a n-type epitaxial layer on the buffer epitaxial layer; and a top contact on the n-type epitaxial layer. The buffer epitaxial layer can include a n-type 4H--SiC epitaxial layer doped at a concentration of about 1.times.10.sup.15 cm.sup.-3 to about 5.times.10.sup.18 cm.sup.-3 with nitrogen, boron, aluminum, or a mixture thereof. The n-type epitaxial layer can include a n-type 4H--SiC epitaxial layer doped at a concentration of about 1.times.10.sup.13 cm.sup.-3 to about 5.times.10.sup.15 cm.sup.-3 with nitrogen. The top contact can have a thickness of about 8 nm to about 15 nm.

Simple-Cubic Carbon Frameworks with Atomically Dispersed Iron Dopants toward High-Efficiency Oxygen Reduction.

PubMed

Wang, Biwei; Wang, Xinxia; Zou, Jinxiang; Yan, Yancui; Xie, Songhai; Hu, Guangzhi; Li, Yanguang; Dong, Angang

2017-03-08

Iron and nitrogen codoped carbons (Fe-N-C) have attracted increasingly greater attention as electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Although challenging, the synthesis of Fe-N-C catalysts with highly dispersed and fully exposed active sites is of critical importance for improving the ORR activity. Here, we report a new type of graphitic Fe-N-C catalysts featuring numerous Fe single atoms anchored on a three-dimensional simple-cubic carbon framework. The Fe-N-C catalyst, derived from self-assembled Fe 3 O 4 nanocube superlattices, was prepared by in situ ligand carbonization followed by acid etching and ammonia activation. Benefiting from its homogeneously dispersed and fully accessible active sites, highly graphitic nature, and enhanced mass transport, our Fe-N-C catalyst outperformed Pt/C and many previously reported Fe-N-C catalysts for ORR. Furthermore, when used for constructing the cathode for zinc-air batteries, our Fe-N-C catalyst exhibited current and power densities comparable to those of the state-of-the-art Pt/C catalyst.

Advancements in n-Type Base Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells and Their Emergence in the Photovoltaic Industry

PubMed Central

ur Rehman, Atteq; Lee, Soo Hong

2013-01-01

The p-type crystalline silicon wafers have occupied most of the solar cell market today. However, modules made with n-type crystalline silicon wafers are actually the most efficient modules up to date. This is because the material properties offered by n-type crystalline silicon substrates are suitable for higher efficiencies. Properties such as the absence of boron-oxygen related defects and a greater tolerance to key metal impurities by n-type crystalline silicon substrates are major factors that underline the efficiency of n-type crystalline silicon wafer modules. The bi-facial design of n-type cells with good rear-side electronic and optical properties on an industrial scale can be shaped as well. Furthermore, the development in the industrialization of solar cell designs based on n-type crystalline silicon substrates also highlights its boost in the contributions to the photovoltaic industry. In this paper, a review of various solar cell structures that can be realized on n-type crystalline silicon substrates will be given. Moreover, the current standing of solar cell technology based on n-type substrates and its contribution in photovoltaic industry will also be discussed. PMID:24459433

Advancements in n-type base crystalline silicon solar cells and their emergence in the photovoltaic industry.

PubMed

ur Rehman, Atteq; Lee, Soo Hong

2013-01-01

The p-type crystalline silicon wafers have occupied most of the solar cell market today. However, modules made with n-type crystalline silicon wafers are actually the most efficient modules up to date. This is because the material properties offered by n-type crystalline silicon substrates are suitable for higher efficiencies. Properties such as the absence of boron-oxygen related defects and a greater tolerance to key metal impurities by n-type crystalline silicon substrates are major factors that underline the efficiency of n-type crystalline silicon wafer modules. The bi-facial design of n-type cells with good rear-side electronic and optical properties on an industrial scale can be shaped as well. Furthermore, the development in the industrialization of solar cell designs based on n-type crystalline silicon substrates also highlights its boost in the contributions to the photovoltaic industry. In this paper, a review of various solar cell structures that can be realized on n-type crystalline silicon substrates will be given. Moreover, the current standing of solar cell technology based on n-type substrates and its contribution in photovoltaic industry will also be discussed.

Integral window/photon beam position monitor and beam flux detectors for x-ray beams

DOEpatents

Shu, Deming; Kuzay, Tuncer M.

1995-01-01

A monitor/detector assembly in a synchrotron for either monitoring the position of a photon beam or detecting beam flux may additionally function as a vacuum barrier between the front end and downstream segment of the beamline in the synchrotron. A base flange of the monitor/detector assembly is formed of oxygen free copper with a central opening covered by a window foil that is fused thereon. The window foil is made of man-made materials, such as chemical vapor deposition diamond or cubic boron nitrate and in certain configurations includes a central opening through which the beams are transmitted. Sensors of low atomic number materials, such as aluminum or beryllium, are laid on the window foil. The configuration of the sensors on the window foil may be varied depending on the function to be performed. A contact plate of insulating material, such as aluminum oxide, is secured to the base flange and is thereby clamped against the sensor on the window foil. The sensor is coupled to external electronic signal processing devices via a gold or silver lead printed onto the contact plate and a copper post screw or alternatively via a copper screw and a copper spring that can be inserted through the contact plate and coupled to the sensors. In an alternate embodiment of the monitor/detector assembly, the sensors are sandwiched between the window foil of chemical vapor deposition diamond or cubic boron nitrate and a front foil made of similar material.

Electrical transport and capacitance characteristics of metal-insulator-metal structures using hexagonal and cubic boron nitride films as dielectrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teii, Kungen; Kawamoto, Shinsuke; Fukui, Shingo; Matsumoto, Seiichiro

2018-04-01

Metal-insulator-metal capacitor structures using thick hexagonal and cubic boron nitride (hBN and cBN) films as dielectrics are produced by plasma jet-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and their electrical transport and capacitance characteristics are studied in a temperature range of 298 to 473 K. The resistivity of the cBN film is of the order of 107 Ω cm at 298 K, which is lower than that of the hBN film by two orders of magnitude, while it becomes the same order as the hBN film above ˜423 K. The dominant current transport mechanism at high fields (≥1 × 104 V cm-1) is described by the Frenkel-Poole emission and thermionic emission models for the hBN and cBN films, respectively. The capacitance of the hBN film remains stable for a change in alternating-current frequency and temperature, while that of the cBN film has variations of at most 18%. The dissipation factor as a measure of energy loss is satisfactorily low (≤5%) for both films. The origin of leakage current and capacitance variation is attributed to a high defect density in the film and a transition interlayer between the substrate and the film, respectively. This suggests that cBN films with higher crystallinity, stoichiometry, and phase purity are potentially applicable for dielectrics like hBN films.

Photovoltaic devices based on high density boron-doped single-walled carbon nanotube/n-Si heterojunctions

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

Saini, Viney; Li, Zhongrui; Bourdo, Shawn

2011-01-13

A simple and easily processible photovoltaic device has been developed based on borondoped single-walled carbon nanotubes (B-SWNTs) and n-type silicon (n-Si) heterojunctions. The single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were substitutionally doped with boron atoms by thermal annealing, in the presence of B 2O 3. The samples used for these studies were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The fully functional solar cell devices were fabricated by airbrush deposition that generated uniform B-SWNT films on top of the n-Si substrates. The carbon nanotube films acted as exciton-generation sites, charge collection andmore » transportation, while the heterojunctions formed between B-SWNTs and n-Si acted as charge dissociation centers. The current-voltage characteristics in the absence of light and under illumination, as well as optical transmittance spectrum are reported here. It should be noted that the device fabrication process can be made amenable to scalability by depositing direct and uniform films using airbrushing, inkjet printing, or spin-coating techniques.« less

Characterization of boron carbide with an electron microprobe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matteudi, G.; Ruste, J.

1983-01-01

Within the framework of a study of heterogeneous materials (Matteudi et al., 1971: Matteudi and Verchery, 1972) thin deposits of boron carbide were characterized. Experiments using an electronic probe microanalyzer to analyze solid boron carbide or boron carbide in the form of thick deposits are described. Quantitative results on boron and carbon are very close to those obtained when applying the Monte Carlo-type correction calculations.

B, N co-doped carbon from cross-linking induced self-organization of boronate polymer for supercapacitor and oxygen reduction reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Ying; Yuan, Conghui; Liu, Cheng; Mao, Jie; Li, Yuntong; Wu, Haiyang; Wu, Yuzhe; Xu, Yiting; Zeng, Birong; Dai, Lizong

2017-10-01

A novel strategy has been developed to generate B, N co-doped carbon materials (CNBs) through the pyrolysis of boronate polymer nanoparticles (BPNs) derived from the condensation reaction between catechol and boronic monomers. The morphology, surface area and heteroatom (viz. B and N) content of the CNBs can be easily adjusted by altering the molar ratio between catechol and boronic monomers. The supercapacitor and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance of the CNBs are optimized. CNBs derived from equal molar ratio of catechol and boronic monomers exhibit favorable performance for supercapacitor, featuring a specific capacitance of up to 299.4 F/g at 0.2 A/g, an improved rate capability and excellent cycle stability. Notably, CNBs prepared using 1/2 molar ratio of catechol to boronic monomers show excellent ORR performance, as they demonstrate good electrocatalytic activity, high tolerance for methanol and long durability. Our findings may be of interest in the design of carbon materials with optimized electrochemical properties through the control over surface area and the content of heteroatom.

Fine-tuning the nucleophilic reactivities of boron ate complexes derived from aryl and heteroaryl boronic esters.

PubMed

Berionni, Guillaume; Leonov, Artem I; Mayer, Peter; Ofial, Armin R; Mayr, Herbert

2015-02-23

Boron ate complexes derived from thienyl and furyl boronic esters and aryllithium compounds have been isolated and characterized by X-ray crystallography. Products and mechanisms of their reactions with carbenium and iminium ions have been analyzed. Kinetics of these reactions were monitored by UV/Vis spectroscopy, and the influence of the aryl substituents, the diol ligands (pinacol, ethylene glycol, neopentyl glycol, catechol), and the counterions on the nucleophilic reactivity of the boron ate complexes were examined. A Hammett correlation confirmed the polar nature of their reactions with benzhydrylium ions, and the correlation lg k(20 °C)=sN (E+N) was employed to determine the nucleophilicities of the boron ate complexes and to compare them with those of other borates and boronates. The neopentyl and ethylene glycol derivatives were found to be 10(4) times more reactive than the pinacol and catechol derivatives. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Phenylene bridged boron-nitrogen containing dendrimers.

PubMed

Proń, Agnieszka; Baumgarten, Martin; Müllen, Klaus

2010-10-01

The synthesis and characterization of novel phenylene bridged boron-nitrogen containing π-conjugated dendrimers N3B6 and N3B3, with peripheral boron atoms and 1,3,5-triaminobenzene moiety as a core, are presented. UV-vis absorption and emission measurements reveal that the optical properties of the resulting compounds can be controlled by changing the donor/acceptor ratio: a 1:1 ratio results in a more efficient charge transfer than the 1:2 ratio. This was proven by the red shift of the emission maxima and the stronger solvatochromic effect in N3B3 compared to N3B6.

Effect of 10B isotope and vacancy defects on the phonon modes of two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sherajul Islam, Md.; Anindya, Khalid N.; Bhuiyan, Ashraful G.; Tanaka, Satoru; Makino, Takayuki; Hashimoto, Akihiro

2018-02-01

We report the details of the effects of the 10B isotope and those of B and N vacancies combined with the isotope on the phonon modes of two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). The phonon density of states and localization problems are solved using the forced vibrational method, which is suitable for an intricate and disordered system. We observe an upward shift of Raman-active E2g-mode optical phonons (32 cm-1) for a 100% 10B isotope, which matches well with the experiment and simple harmonic oscillator model. However, a downward shift of E2g-mode phonons is observed for B or N vacancies and the combination of the isotope and vacancy-type disordered BN. Strong localized eigenmodes are found for all types of defects, and a typical localization length is on the order of ˜7 nm for naturally occurring BN samples. These results are very important for understanding the heat dissipation and electron transport properties of BN-based nanoelectronics.

Predicting the structural and electronic properties of two-dimensional single layer boron nitride sheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiao-Dong; Cheng, Xin-Lu

2018-02-01

Three two-dimensional (2D) single layer boron nitride sheets have been predicted based on the first-principles calculations. These 2D boron nitride sheets are comprised of equivalent boron atoms and nitride atoms with sp2 and sp bond hybridization. The geometry optimization reflects that they all possess stable planar crystal structures with the space group P 6 bar 2 m (D3h3) symmetry. The charge density distribution manifests that the B-N bonds in these boron nitride sheets are covalent in nature but with ionic characteristics. The tunable band gaps indicate their potential applications in nanoscale electronic and optoelectronic devices by changing the length of sp-bonded Bsbnd N linkages.

Boron Abundances in A and B-type Stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lambert, David L.

1997-01-01

Boron abundances in A- and B-type stars may be a successful way to track evolutionary effects in these hot stars. The light elements - Li, Be, and B - are tracers of exposure to temperatures more moderate than those in which the H-burning CN-cycle operates. Thus, any exposure of surface stellar layers to deeper layers will affect these light element abundances. Li and Be are used in this role in investigations of evolutionary processes in cool stars, but are not observable in hotter stars. An investigation of boron, however, is possible through the B II 1362 A resonance line. We have gathered high resolution spectra from the IUE database of A- and B-type stars near 10 solar mass for which nitrogen abundances have been determined. The B II 1362 A line is blended throughout; the temperature range of this program, requiring spectrum syntheses to recover the boron abundances. For no star could we synthesize the 1362 A region using the meteoritic/solar boron abundance of log e (B) = 2.88; a lower boron abundance was necessary which may reflect evolutionary effects (e.g., mass loss or mixing near the main-sequence), the natal composition of the star forming regions, or a systematic error in the analyses (e.g., non-LTE effects). Regardless of the initial boron abundance, and despite the possibility of non-LTE effects, it seems clear that boron is severely depleted in some stars. It may be that the nitrogen and boron abundances are anticorrelated, as would be expected from mixing between the H-burning and outer stellar layers. If, as we suspect, a residue of boron is present in the A-type supergiants, we may exclude a scenario in which mixing occurs continuously between the surface and the deep layers operating the CN-cycle. Further exploitation of the B II 1362 A line as an indicator of the evolutionary status of A- and B-type stars will require a larger stellar sample to be observed with higher signal-to-noise as attainable with the Hubble Space Telescope.

Mathematical modeling and experimental validation of the spatial distribution of boron in the root of Arabidopsis thaliana identify high boron accumulation in the tip and predict a distinct root tip uptake function.

PubMed

Shimotohno, Akie; Sotta, Naoyuki; Sato, Takafumi; De Ruvo, Micol; Marée, Athanasius F M; Grieneisen, Verônica A; Fujiwara, Toru

2015-04-01

Boron, an essential micronutrient, is transported in roots of Arabidopsis thaliana mainly by two different types of transporters, BORs and NIPs (nodulin26-like intrinsic proteins). Both are plasma membrane localized, but have distinct transport properties and patterns of cell type-specific accumulation with different polar localizations, which are likely to affect boron distribution. Here, we used mathematical modeling and an experimental determination to address boron distributions in the root. A computational model of the root is created at the cellular level, describing the boron transporters as observed experimentally. Boron is allowed to diffuse into roots, in cells and cell walls, and to be transported over plasma membranes, reflecting the properties of the different transporters. The model predicts that a region around the quiescent center has a higher concentration of soluble boron than other portions. To evaluate this prediction experimentally, we determined the boron distribution in roots using laser ablation-inductivity coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The analysis indicated that the boron concentration is highest near the tip and is lower in the more proximal region of the meristem zone, similar to the pattern of soluble boron distribution predicted by the model. Our model also predicts that upward boron flux does not continuously increase from the root tip toward the mature region, indicating that boron taken up in the root tip is not efficiently transported to shoots. This suggests that root tip-absorbed boron is probably used for local root growth, and that instead it is the more mature root regions which have a greater role in transporting boron toward the shoots. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists.

Mathematical Modeling and Experimental Validation of the Spatial Distribution of Boron in the Root of Arabidopsis thaliana Identify High Boron Accumulation in the Tip and Predict a Distinct Root Tip Uptake Function

PubMed Central

Shimotohno, Akie; Sotta, Naoyuki; Sato, Takafumi; De Ruvo, Micol; Marée, Athanasius F.M.; Grieneisen, Verônica A.; Fujiwara, Toru

2015-01-01

Boron, an essential micronutrient, is transported in roots of Arabidopsis thaliana mainly by two different types of transporters, BORs and NIPs (nodulin26-like intrinsic proteins). Both are plasma membrane localized, but have distinct transport properties and patterns of cell type-specific accumulation with different polar localizations, which are likely to affect boron distribution. Here, we used mathematical modeling and an experimental determination to address boron distributions in the root. A computational model of the root is created at the cellular level, describing the boron transporters as observed experimentally. Boron is allowed to diffuse into roots, in cells and cell walls, and to be transported over plasma membranes, reflecting the properties of the different transporters. The model predicts that a region around the quiescent center has a higher concentration of soluble boron than other portions. To evaluate this prediction experimentally, we determined the boron distribution in roots using laser ablation-inductivity coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The analysis indicated that the boron concentration is highest near the tip and is lower in the more proximal region of the meristem zone, similar to the pattern of soluble boron distribution predicted by the model. Our model also predicts that upward boron flux does not continuously increase from the root tip toward the mature region, indicating that boron taken up in the root tip is not efficiently transported to shoots. This suggests that root tip-absorbed boron is probably used for local root growth, and that instead it is the more mature root regions which have a greater role in transporting boron toward the shoots. PMID:25670713

Design of the magnetic homonuclear bonds boron nitride nanosheets using DFT methods.

PubMed

Anota, E Chigo; Hernández, A Bautista; Morales, A Escobedo; Castro, M

2017-06-01

Design and characterization of the structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of armchair boron-nitride, BN (B 27 N 27 H 18 ), nanosheets were performed by means of density functional theory all-electron calculations. The HSEh1PBE-GGA method together with 6-31G(d) basis sets were used. Non-stoichiometric B 30 N 24 H 18 and B 24 N 30 H 18 compositions: rich in boron or nitrogen atoms, forming homonuclear B or N bonds, respectively, were chosen. The obtained results reveal that these BN nanosheets reach structural stability in the anionic form, where semiconductor and magnetic behaviors are promoted. Effectively, the HOMO-LUMO gap is of 2.03 and 2.39eV, respectively and the magnetic moments are of 1.0 magneton bohrs, coming from the boron atoms in both systems. The rich in boron nanosheets present high-polarity, either in the gas phase or embedded in aqueous mediums like water, as well as low chemical reactivity, signifying potential applicability in the transportation of pharmaceutical species in biological mediums. These systems are also promising for the design of electronic devices, because they possess low-work functions, mainly arising from the homonuclear boron or nitrogen bond formation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Electronic passivation of n- and p-type GaAs using chemical vapor deposited GaS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tabib-Azar, Massood; Kang, Soon; Macinnes, Andrew N.; Power, Michael B.; Barron, Andrew R.; Jenkins, Phillip P.; Hepp, Aloysius F.

1993-01-01

We report on the electronic passivation of n- and p-type GaAs using CVD cubic GaS. Au/GaS/GaAs-fabricated metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) structures exhibit classical high-frequency capacitor vs voltage (C-V) behavior with well-defined accumulation and inversion regions. Using high- and low-frequency C-V, the interface trap densities of about 10 exp 11/eV per sq cm on both n- and p-type GaAs are determined. The electronic condition of GaS/GaAs interface did not show any deterioration after a six week time period.

Strategy for designing stable and powerful nitrogen-rich high-energy materials by introducing boron atoms.

PubMed

Wu, Wen-Jie; Chi, Wei-Jie; Li, Quan-Song; Li, Ze-Sheng

2017-06-01

One of the most important aims in the development of high-energy materials is to improve their stability and thus ensure that they are safe to manufacture and transport. In this work, we theoretically investigated open-chain N 4 B 2 isomers using density functional theory in order to find the best way of stabilizing nitrogen-rich molecules. The results show that the boron atoms in these isomers are aligned linearly with their neighboring atoms, which facilitates close packing in the crystals of these materials. Upon comparing the energies of nine N 4 B 2 isomers, we found that the structure with alternating N and B atoms had the lowest energy. Structures with more than one nitrogen atom between two boron atoms had higher energies. The energy of N 4 B 2 increases by about 50 kcal/mol each time it is rearranged to include an extra nitrogen atom between the two boron atoms. More importantly, our results also show that boron atoms stabilize nitrogen-rich molecules more efficiently than carbon atoms do. Also, the combustion of any isomer of N 4 B 2 releases more heat than the corresponding isomer of N 4 C 2 does under well-oxygenated conditions. Our study suggests that the three most stable N 4 B 2 isomers (BN13, BN24, and BN34) are good candidates for high-energy molecules, and it outlines a new strategy for designing stable boron-containing high-energy materials. Graphical abstract The structural characteristics, thermodynamic stabilities, and exothermic properties of nitrogen-rich N 4 B 2 isomers were investigated by means of density functional theory.

Development of thermal model to analyze thermal flux distribution in thermally enhanced machining of high chrome white cast iron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ravi, A. M.; Murigendrappa, S. M.

2018-04-01

In recent times, thermally enhanced machining (TEM) slowly gearing up to cut hard metals like high chrome white cast iron (HCWCI) which were impossible in conventional procedures. Also setting up of suitable cutting parameters and positioning of the heat source against the work appears to be critical in order to enhance the machinability characteristics of the work material. In this research work, the Oxy - LPG flame was used as the heat source and HCWCI as the workpiece. ANSYS-CFD-Flow software was used to develop the transient thermal model to analyze the thermal flux distribution on the work surface during TEM of HCWCI using Cubic boron nitride (CBN) tools. Non-contact type Infrared thermo sensor was used to measure the surface temperature continuously at different positions, and is validated with the thermal model results. The result confirms thermal model is a better predictive tool for thermal flux distribution analysis in TEM process.

The Effect of Cutting Speed in Metallic Glass Grinding

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

Serbest, Erdinc; Bakkal, Mustafa; Karipcin, Ilker

2011-01-17

In this paper, the effects of the cutting speed in metallic glass grinding were investigated in dry conditions. The results showed that grinding forces decrease as grinding energy increase with the increasing cutting speeds. The present investigations on ground surface and grinding chips morphologies -shows that material removal and surface formation of the BMG are mainly due to the ductile chip deformation and ploughing as well as brittle fracture of some particles from the edges of the tracks. The roughness values obtained with the Cubic Boron Nitride wheels are acceptable for the grinding operation.

Reassessment of the recombination parameters of chromium in n- and p-type crystalline silicon and chromium-boron pairs in p-type crystalline silicon

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

Sun, Chang, E-mail: chang.sun@anu.edu.au; Rougieux, Fiacre E.; Macdonald, Daniel

2014-06-07

Injection-dependent lifetime spectroscopy of both n- and p-type, Cr-doped silicon wafers with different doping levels is used to determine the defect parameters of Cr{sub i} and CrB pairs, by simultaneously fitting the measured lifetimes with the Shockley-Read-Hall model. A combined analysis of the two defects with the lifetime data measured on both n- and p-type samples enables a significant tightening of the uncertainty ranges of the parameters. The capture cross section ratios k = σ{sub n}/σ{sub p} of Cr{sub i} and CrB are determined as 3.2 (−0.6, +0) and 5.8 (−3.4, +0.6), respectively. Courtesy of a direct experimental comparison of the recombinationmore » activity of chromium in n- and p-type silicon, and as also suggested by modelling results, we conclude that chromium has a greater negative impact on carrier lifetimes in p-type silicon than n-type silicon with similar doping levels.« less

Boron supplementation improves bone health of non-obese diabetic mice.

PubMed

Dessordi, Renata; Spirlandeli, Adriano Levi; Zamarioli, Ariane; Volpon, José Batista; Navarro, Anderson Marliere

2017-01-01

Diabetes Mellitus is a condition that predisposes a higher risk for the development of osteoporosis. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of boron supplementation on bone microstructure and strength in control and non-obese diabetic mice for 30days. The animals were supplemented with 40μg/0,5ml of boron solution and controls received 0,5ml of distilled water daily. We evaluated the biochemical parameters: total calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and boron; bone analysis: bone computed microtomography, and biomechanical assay with a three point test on the femur. This study consisted of 28 animals divided into four groups: Group water control - Ctrl (n=10), Group boron control - Ctrl±B (n=8), Group diabetic water - Diab (n=5) and Group diabetic boron - Diab±B (n=5). The results showed that cortical bone volume and the trabecular bone volume fraction were higher for Diab±B and Ctrl±B compared to the Diab and Ctrl groups (p≤0,05). The trabecular specific bone surface was greater for the Diab±B group, and the trabecular thickness and structure model index had the worst values for the Diab group. The boron serum concentrations were higher for the Diab±B group compared to non-supplemented groups. The magnesium concentration was lower for Diab and Diab±B compared with controls. The biomechanical test on the femur revealed maintenance of parameters of the bone strength in animals Diab±B compared to the Diab group and controls. The results suggest that boron supplementation improves parameters related to bone strength and microstructure of cortical and trabecular bone in diabetic animals and the controls that were supplemented. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Ionization equilibrium at the transition from valence-band to acceptor-band migration of holes in boron-doped diamond

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

Poklonski, N. A., E-mail: poklonski@bsu.by; Vyrko, S. A.; Poklonskaya, O. N.

A quasi-classical model of ionization equilibrium in the p-type diamond between hydrogen-like acceptors (boron atoms which substitute carbon atoms in the crystal lattice) and holes in the valence band (v-band) is proposed. The model is applicable on the insulator side of the insulator–metal concentration phase transition (Mott transition) in p-Dia:B crystals. The densities of the spatial distributions of impurity atoms (acceptors and donors) and of holes in the crystal are considered to be Poissonian, and the fluctuations of their electrostatic potential energy are considered to be Gaussian. The model accounts for the decrease in thermal ionization energy of boron atomsmore » with increasing concentration, as well as for electrostatic fluctuations due to the Coulomb interaction limited to two nearest point charges (impurity ions and holes). The mobility edge of holes in the v-band is assumed to be equal to the sum of the threshold energy for diffusion percolation and the exchange energy of the holes. On the basis of the virial theorem, the temperature T{sub j} is determined, in the vicinity of which the dc band-like conductivity of holes in the v-band is approximately equal to the hopping conductivity of holes via the boron atoms. For compensation ratio (hydrogen-like donor to acceptor concentration ratio) K ≈ 0.15 and temperature T{sub j}, the concentration of “free” holes in the v-band and their jumping (turbulent) drift mobility are calculated. Dependence of the differential energy of thermal ionization of boron atoms (at the temperature 3T{sub j}/2) as a function of their concentration N is calculated. The estimates of the extrapolated into the temperature region close to T{sub j} hopping drift mobility of holes hopping from the boron atoms in the charge states (0) to the boron atoms in the charge states (−1) are given. Calculations based on the model show good agreement with electrical conductivity and Hall effect measurements for p-type diamond with boron atom concentrations in the range from 3 × 10{sup 17} to 3 × 10{sup 20 }cm{sup −3}, i.e., up to the Mott transition. The model uses no fitting parameters.« less

Boron doped GaN and InN: Potential candidates for spintronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, S. W.; Huang, X. N.; Yao, K. L.

2017-02-01

The full potential linearized augmented plane wave method together with the Tran-Blaha modified Becke-Johnson potential is utilized to investigate the electronic structures and magnetism for boron doped GaN and InN. Calculations show the boron substituting nitrogen (BN defects) could induce the GaN and InN to be half-metallic ferromagnets. The magnetic moments mainly come from the BN defects, and each BN defect would produce the 2.00 μB total magnetic moment. The electronic structures indicate the carriers-mediated double exchange interaction plays a crucial role in forming the ferromagnetism. Positive chemical pair interactions imply the BN defects would form the homogeneous distribution in GaN and InN matrix. Moderate formation energies suggest that GaN and InN with BN defects could be fabricated experimentally.

Synthesis and Comparison of Two cBN Composites with Starting Ternary Carbide Binders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yue, Zhenming; Yang, Limin; Gong, Jianhong; Gao, Jun

2018-04-01

Ti3SiC2 and Ti3AlC2 are two promising binders for the ultrahard composite polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PcBN). In this study, the cBN composites with Ti3SiC2 and Ti3AlC2 binders with different binder contents were synthesized under the same high pressure ( 5.5 GPa) and high temperature (1350 °C) conditions. Their mechanical properties were measured separately, including Vickers hardness, bending hardening, and compression hardening. Together with XRD results, the phase compounds were also investigated. The decomposition and reaction processes were affected by binder content. Some new compounds formed during sintering, these compounds were TiC, TiSi2, SiC, TiB2, SiB4, TiB2, and TiC0.7N0.3 in Ti3SiC2-cBN composites, as well as TiC0.7N0.3, TiB2, and AlN in Ti3AlC2-cBN composites. The microstructure of the cracks surface was obtained after the bending tests, and was used to further investigate and compare their crack mode by SEM. The crack surface profile and elementary analysis on the oxidative surface were also discussed.

Synthesis and Comparison of Two cBN Composites with Starting Ternary Carbide Binders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yue, Zhenming; Yang, Limin; Gong, Jianhong; Gao, Jun

2018-05-01

Ti3SiC2 and Ti3AlC2 are two promising binders for the ultrahard composite polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PcBN). In this study, the cBN composites with Ti3SiC2 and Ti3AlC2 binders with different binder contents were synthesized under the same high pressure ( 5.5 GPa) and high temperature (1350 °C) conditions. Their mechanical properties were measured separately, including Vickers hardness, bending hardening, and compression hardening. Together with XRD results, the phase compounds were also investigated. The decomposition and reaction processes were affected by binder content. Some new compounds formed during sintering, these compounds were TiC, TiSi2, SiC, TiB2, SiB4, TiB2, and TiC0.7N0.3 in Ti3SiC2-cBN composites, as well as TiC0.7N0.3, TiB2, and AlN in Ti3AlC2-cBN composites. The microstructure of the cracks surface was obtained after the bending tests, and was used to further investigate and compare their crack mode by SEM. The crack surface profile and elementary analysis on the oxidative surface were also discussed.

A simplified boron diffusion for preparing the silicon single crystal p-n junction as an educational device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shiota, Koki; Kai, Kazuho; Nagaoka, Shiro; Tsuji, Takuto; Wakahara, Akihiro; Rusop, Mohamad

2016-07-01

The educational method which is including designing, making, and evaluating actual semiconductor devices with learning the theory is one of the best way to obtain the fundamental understanding of the device physics and to cultivate the ability to make unique ideas using the knowledge in the semiconductor device. In this paper, the simplified Boron thermal diffusion process using Sol-Gel material under normal air environment was proposed based on simple hypothesis and the feasibility of the reproducibility and reliability were investigated to simplify the diffusion process for making the educational devices, such as p-n junction, bipolar and pMOS devices. As the result, this method was successfully achieved making p+ region on the surface of the n-type silicon substrates with good reproducibility. And good rectification property of the p-n junctions was obtained successfully. This result indicates that there is a possibility to apply on the process making pMOS or bipolar transistors. It suggests that there is a variety of the possibility of the applications in the educational field to foster an imagination of new devices.

Hot isostatic pressing of silicon nitride with boron nitride, boron carbide, and carbon additions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mieskowski, Diane M.; Sanders, William A.

1989-01-01

Si3N4 test bars containing additions of BN, B4C, and C, were hot isostatically pressed in Ta cladding at 1900 and 2050 C to 98.9 percent to 99.5 percent theoretical density. Room-temperature strength data on specimens containing 2 wt pct BN and 0.5 wt pct C were comparable to data obtained for Si3N4 sintered with Y2O3, Y2O3 and Al2O3, or ZrO2. The 1370 C strengths were less than those obtained for additions of Y2O3 or ZrO2 but greater than those obtained from a combination of Y2O3 and Al2O3. SEM fractography indicated that, as with other types of Si3N4, room-temperature strength was controlled by processing flaws. The decrease in strength at 1370 C was typical of Si3N4 having an amorphous grain-boundary phase. The primary advantage of nonoxide additions appears to be in facilitating specimen removal from the Ta cladding.

AN INVESTIGATION OF THE BENZOIN METHOD FOR THE FLUORIMETRIC DETERMINATION OF BORON

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

Elliott, G.; Radley, J.A.

1961-01-01

The development of the boron -benzoin fluorescence at microgram concentrations of boron was investigated; a simple, but sensitive, fluorimeter was used. The development and decay of fluorescence intensity with time were observed in various solvents in the presence of different basic compounds. The fluorescence produced when formamide and its N-derivatives are used as the solvent media is stronger than that found when ethanol is used. A glycine buffer solution of pH 12.8 is effective in producing the correct conditions for developing fluorescence with ethanol as solvent, but is not effective in the formamide series of solvents. Isopropylamine and isobutylamine aremore » effective bases in both ethanol and the formamide series. For a series of solvents of a given chemical type, e.g., the formamides, there may be an increase in fluorescence intensity with dielectric constant, although this is not true for the alcohols. Oxygen has a pronounced inhibiting action on the development of fluorescence in ethanol, but has much less effect in formamide. There is a linear relationship between fluorescence intensity and amount of boron present in the range studied (0.05 to 0.5 - g). (auth)« less

Boric acid solution concentration influencing p-type emitter formation in n-type crystalline Si solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singha, Bandana; Singh Solanki, Chetan

2016-09-01

Boric acid (BA) is a spin on dopant (BSoD) source which is used to form p+ emitters in n-type c-Si solar cells. High purity boric acid powder (99.99% pure) when mixed with deionized (DI) water can result in high quality p-type emitter with less amount of surface defects. In this work, we have used different concentrations of boric acid solution concentrations to fabricate p-type emitters with sheet resistance values < 90 Ω/□. The corresponding junction depths for the same are less than 500 nm as measured by SIMS analysis. Boron rich layer (BRL), which is considered as detrimental in emitter performance is found to be minimal for BA solution concentration less than 2% and hence useful for p-type emitter formation.

Study of structural properties of cubic InN films on GaAs(001) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy and migration enhanced epitaxy

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

Casallas-Moreno, Y. L.; Perez-Caro, M.; Gallardo-Hernandez, S.

InN epitaxial films with cubic phase were grown by rf-plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (RF-MBE) on GaAs(001) substrates employing two methods: migration-enhanced epitaxy (MEE) and conventional MBE technique. The films were synthesized at different growth temperatures ranging from 490 to 550 Degree-Sign C, and different In beam fluxes (BEP{sub In}) ranging from 5.9 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -7} to 9.7 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -7} Torr. We found the optimum conditions for the nucleation of the cubic phase of the InN using a buffer composed of several thin layers, according to reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) patterns. Crystallographic analysis by high resolution X-ray diffraction (HR-XRD)more » and RHEED confirmed the growth of c-InN by the two methods. We achieved with the MEE method a higher crystal quality and higher cubic phase purity. The ratio of cubic to hexagonal components in InN films was estimated from the ratio of the integrated X-ray diffraction intensities of the cubic (002) and hexagonal (1011) planes measured by X-ray reciprocal space mapping (RSM). For MEE samples, the cubic phase of InN increases employing higher In beam fluxes and higher growth temperatures. We have obtained a cubic purity phase of 96.4% for a film grown at 510 Degree-Sign C by MEE.« less

Effect of Heat Treatment on Borides Precipitation and Mechanical Properties of CoCrFeNiAl1.8Cu0.7B0.3Si0.1 High-Entropy Alloy Prepared by Arc-Melting and Laser-Cladding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, H.; Tang, H.; He, Y. Z.; Zhang, J. L.; Li, W. H.; Guo, S.

2017-11-01

Effects of heat treatment on borides precipitation and mechanical properties of arc-melted and laser-cladded CoCrNiFeAl1.8Cu0.7B0.3Si0.1 high-entropy alloys were comparatively studied. The arc-melted alloy contains lots of long strip borides distributed in the body-centered cubic phase, with a hardness about 643 HV0.5. Laser-cladding can effectively inhibit the boride precipitation and the laser-cladded alloy is mainly composed of a simple bcc solid solution, with a high hardness about 769 HV0.5, indicating the strengthening effect by interstitial boron atoms is greater than the strengthening by borides precipitation. Heat treatments between 800°C and 1200°C can simultaneously improve the hardness and fracture toughness of arc-melted alloys, owing to the boride spheroidization, dissolution, re-precipitation, and hence the increased boron solubility and nano-precipitation in the bcc solid solution. By contrast, the hardness of laser-cladded alloys reduce after heat treatments in the same temperature range, due to the decreased boron solubility in the matrix.

Effect of low temperature oxidation (LTO) in reducing boron skin in boron spin on dopant diffused emitter

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

Singha, Bandana; Solanki, Chetan Singh

Formation of boron skin is an unavoidable phenomenon in p-type emitter formation with boron dopant source. The boron skin thickness is generally less than 100 nm and difficult to remove by chemical and physical means. Low temperature oxidation (LTO) used in this work is useful in removing boron skin thickness up to 30 nm and improves the emitter performance. The effective minority carrier lifetime gets improved by more than 30% after using LTO and leakage current of the emitter gets lowered by 100 times thereby showing the importance of low temperature oxidation in boron spin on dopant diffused emitters.

Biological activity of N(4)-boronated derivatives of 2'-deoxycytidine, potential agents for boron-neutron capture therapy.

PubMed

Nizioł, Joanna; Uram, Łukasz; Szuster, Magdalena; Sekuła, Justyna; Ruman, Tomasz

2015-10-01

Boron-neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a binary anticancer therapy that requires boron compound for nuclear reaction during which high energy alpha particles and lithium nuclei are formed. Unnatural, boron-containing nucleoside with hydrophobic pinacol moiety was investigated as a potential BNCT boron delivery agent. Biological properties of this compound are presented for the first time and prove that boron nucleoside has low cytotoxicity and that observed apoptotic effects suggest alteration of important functions of cancer cells. Mass spectrometry analysis of DNA from cancer cells proved that boron nucleoside is inserted into nucleic acids as a functional nucleotide derivative. NMR studies present very high degree of similarity of natural dG-dC base pair with dG-boron nucleoside system. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Boride Formation Induced by pcBN Tool Wear in Friction-Stir-Welded Stainless Steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Seung Hwan C.; Sato, Yutaka S.; Kokawa, Hiroyuki; Okamoto, Kazutaka; Hirano, Satoshi; Inagaki, Masahisa

2009-03-01

The wear of polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (pcBN) tool and its effect on second phase formation were investigated in stainless steel friction-stir (FS) welds. The nitrogen content and the flow stress were analyzed in these welds to examine pcBN tool wear. The nitrogen content in stir zone (SZ) was found to be higher in the austenitic stainless steel FS welds than in the ferritic and duplex stainless steel welds. The flow stress of austenitic stainless steels was almost 1.5 times larger than that of ferritic and duplex stainless steels. These results suggest that the higher flow stress causes the severe tool wear in austenitic stainless steels, which results in greater nitrogen pickup in austenitic stainless steel FS welds. From the microstructural observation, a possibility was suggested that Cr-rich borides with a crystallographic structure of Cr2B and Cr5B3 formed through the reaction between the increased boron and nitrogen and the matrix during FS welding (FSW).

Superhard nanocomposite of dense polymorphs of boron nitride: Noncarbon material has reached diamond hardness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubrovinskaia, Natalia; Solozhenko, Vladimir L.; Miyajima, Nobuyoshi; Dmitriev, Vladimir; Kurakevych, Oleksandr O.; Dubrovinsky, Leonid

2007-03-01

The authors report a synthesis of unique superhard aggregated boron nitride nanocomposites (ABNNCs) showing the enhancement of hardness up to 100% in comparison with single crystal c-BN. Such a great hardness increase is due to the combination of the Hall-Petch and the quantum confinement effects. The decrease of the grain size down to 14nm and the simultaneous formation of the two dense BN phases with hexagonal and cubic structures within the grains at nano- and subnanolevel result in enormous mechanical property enhancement with maximum hardness of 85(5)GPa. Thus, ABNNC is the first non-carbon-based bulk material with the value of hard-ness approaching that of single crystal and polycrystalline diamond and aggregated diamond nanorods. ABNNC also has an unusually high fracture toughness for superhard materials (K1C=15MPam0.5) and wear resistance (WH=11; compare, for industrial polycrystalline diamond, WH=3-4), in combination with high thermal stability (above 1600K in air), making it an exceptional superabrasive.

Sintering time optimization on red photoluminescence properties of manganese-doped boron carbon oxynitride (BCNO:Mn) phosphor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahid Nuryadin, Bebeh; Suryani, Yayu; Yuliani, Yuli; Setiadji, Soni; Yeti Nuryantini, Ade; Iskandar, Ferry

2018-04-01

The effect of sintering time to the transient nature and optimization of red photoluminescence manganese-doped boron carbon oxynitride (BCNO:Mn) phosphor was investigated. The BCNO:Mn samples were synthesized using a facile urea-assisted combustion route involving boric acid, citric acid, manganese salt and urea. The optimized intensity of the dual peak emission at 420 nm (blue emission) and 630 nm (red emission) in the photoluminescence (PL) spectrum could be achieved by controlling the sintering time of the BCNO:Mn. The BCNO:Mn samples in high-crystalline form was found to be in a cubic and hexagonal structure. Based on the PL analysis, it is suggested that the BCNO:Mn symmetric band at 630 nm can be attributed to the 4T1(4G)—6A1(6S) transition absorption of Mn2+ ions into the hexagonal structure. Microstructure analysis showed an irregular and agglomerated shape of the BCNO:Mn sample.

Six Sigma-based approach to optimise the diffusion process of crystalline silicon solar cell manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasad, A. Guru; Saravanan, S.; Gijo, E. V.; Dasari, Sreenivasa Murty; Tatachar, Raghu; Suratkar, Prakash

2016-02-01

Silicon-based photovoltaics (PV) plays the dominant role in the history of PV due to the continuous process and technology improvement in silicon solar cells and its manufacturing flow. In general, silicon solar cell process uses either p-type- or n-type-doped silicon as the starting material. Currently, most of the PV industries use p-type, boron-doped silicon wafer as the starting material. In this work too, the boron-doped wafers were considered as the starting material to create pn junction and phosphorus was used as n-type doping material. Industries use either phosphorous oxy chloride (POCl3) or ortho phosphoric acid (H3PO4) as the precursor for doping phosphorous. While the industries use POCl3 as the precursor, the throughput is lesser than that of the industries' use of H3PO4 due to the manufacturing limitations of the POCl3-based equipments. Hence, in order to achieve the operational excellence in POCl3-based equipments, business strategies such as the Six Sigma methodology have to be adapted. This paper describes the application of Six Sigma Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control methodology for throughput improvement of the phosphorus doping process. The optimised recipe has been implemented in the production and it is running successfully. As a result of this project, an effective gain of 0.9 MW was reported per annum.

Next generation of the self-consistent and environment-dependent Hamiltonian: Applications to various boron allotropes from zero- to three-dimensional structures

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

Tandy, P.; Yu, Ming; Leahy, C.

2015-03-28

An upgrade of the previous self-consistent and environment-dependent linear combination of atomic orbitals Hamiltonian (referred as SCED-LCAO) has been developed. This improved version of the semi-empirical SCED-LCAO Hamiltonian, in addition to the inclusion of self-consistent determination of charge redistribution, multi-center interactions, and modeling of electron-electron correlation, has taken into account the effect excited on the orbitals due to the atomic aggregation. This important upgrade has been subjected to a stringent test, the construction of the SCED-LCAO Hamiltonian for boron. It was shown that the Hamiltonian for boron has successfully characterized the electron deficiency of boron and captured the complex chemicalmore » bonding in various boron allotropes, including the planar and quasi-planar, the convex, the ring, the icosahedral, and the fullerene-like clusters, the two-dimensional monolayer sheets, and the bulk alpha boron, demonstrating its transferability, robustness, reliability, and predictive power. The molecular dynamics simulation scheme based on the Hamiltonian has been applied to explore the existence and the energetics of ∼230 compact boron clusters B{sub N} with N in the range from ∼100 to 768, including the random, the rhombohedral, and the spherical icosahedral structures. It was found that, energetically, clusters containing whole icosahedral B{sub 12} units are more stable for boron clusters of larger size (N > 200). The ease with which the simulations both at 0 K and finite temperatures were completed is a demonstration of the efficiency of the SCED-LCAO Hamiltonian.« less

Dicyanamide Salts that Adopt Smectic, Columnar, or Bicontinuous Cubic Liquid-Crystalline Mesophases.

PubMed

Park, Geonhui; Goossens, Karel; Shin, Tae Joo; Bielawski, Christopher W

2018-04-25

Although dicyanamide (i.e., [N(CN) 2 ] - ) has been commonly used to obtain low-viscosity, halogen-free, room-temperature ionic liquids, liquid-crystalline salts containing such anions have remained virtually unexplored. Here we report a series of amphiphilic dicyanamide salts that, depending on their structures and compositions, adopt smectic, columnar, or bicontinuous cubic thermotropic liquid-crystalline mesophases, even at room temperature in some cases. Their thermal properties were explored by polarized light optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis (including evolved gas analysis), and variable-temperature synchrotron X-ray diffraction. Comparison of the thermal phase characteristics of these new liquid-crystalline salts featuring "V-shaped" [N(CN) 2 ] - anions with those of structural analogues containing [SCN] - , [BF 4 ] - , [PF 6 ] - , or [CF 3 SO 3 ] - anions indicated that not only the size of the counterion but also its shape should be considered in the development of mesomorphic salts. Collectively, these discoveries may be expected to facilitate the design of thermotropic ionic liquid crystals that form inverted-type bicontinuous cubic and other sophisticated liquid-crystalline phases. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Study of a nTHGEM-based thermal neutron detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ke; Zhou, Jian-Rong; Wang, Xiao-Dong; Xiong, Tao; Zhang, Ying; Xie, Yu-Guang; Zhou, Liang; Xu, Hong; Yang, Gui-An; Wang, Yan-Feng; Wang, Yan; Wu, Jin-Jie; Sun, Zhi-Jia; Hu, Bi-Tao

2016-07-01

With new generation neutron sources, traditional neutron detectors cannot satisfy the demands of the applications, especially under high flux. Furthermore, facing the global crisis in 3He gas supply, research on new types of neutron detector as an alternative to 3He is a research hotspot in the field of particle detection. GEM (Gaseous Electron Multiplier) neutron detectors have high counting rate, good spatial and time resolution, and could be one future direction of the development of neutron detectors. In this paper, the physical process of neutron detection is simulated with Geant4 code, studying the relations between thermal conversion efficiency, boron thickness and number of boron layers. Due to the special characteristics of neutron detection, we have developed a novel type of special ceramic nTHGEM (neutron THick GEM) for neutron detection. The performance of the nTHGEM working in different Ar/CO2 mixtures is presented, including measurements of the gain and the count rate plateau using a copper target X-ray source. A detector with a single nTHGEM has been tested for 2-D imaging using a 252Cf neutron source. The key parameters of the performance of the nTHGEM detector have been obtained, providing necessary experimental data as a reference for further research on this detector. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (11127508, 11175199, 11205253, 11405191), Key Laboratory of Neutron Physics, CAEP (2013DB06, 2013BB04) and CAS (YZ201512)

Fullerene-like boron clusters stabilized by an endohedrally doped iron atom: B(n)Fe with n = 14, 16, 18 and 20.

PubMed

Tam, Nguyen Minh; Pham, Hung Tan; Duong, Long Van; Pham-Ho, My Phuong; Nguyen, Minh Tho

2015-02-07

Stabilized fullerene and tubular forms can be produced in boron clusters Bn in small sizes from n∼ 14 to 20 upon doping by transition metal atoms. B14Fe and B16Fe are stable tubes whereas B18Fe and B20Fe are stable fullerenes. Their formation and stability suggest the use of dopants to induce different growth paths leading to larger cages, fullerenes and tubes of boron.

A New Scheme for the Detection of Optical Radiation in the External Photoemissive Mode: Device Implementation

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-31

Ag that was 5µm thick and prepared at 550 C on a high resistivity Si(111) substrate. This absorption is typical of composite films prepared with...Radiometric Measurements In our Ag-Si composite film studies we used mainly n-type doped silicon, though we did prepare some Ag-Si films with p...type silicon targets. In particular we found that a 5µm thick film prepared at 550 C by magnetron co-sputtering from Ag and p-type Si (boron doped

Large area tunnel oxide passivated rear contact n -type Si solar cells with 21.2% efficiency: Large area tunnel oxide passivated rear contact n -type Si solar cells

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

Tao, Yuguo; Upadhyaya, Vijaykumar; Chen, Chia-Wei

This paper reports on the implementation of carrier-selective tunnel oxide passivated rear contact for high-efficiency screen-printed large area n-type front junction crystalline Si solar cells. It is shown that the tunnel oxide grown in nitric acid at room temperature (25°C) and capped with n+ polysilicon layer provides excellent rear contact passivation with implied open-circuit voltage iVoc of 714mV and saturation current density J0b of 10.3 fA/cm2 for the back surface field region. The durability of this passivation scheme is also investigated for a back-end high temperature process. In combination with an ion-implanted Al2O3-passivated boron emitter and screen-printed front metal grids,more » this passivated rear contact enabled 21.2% efficient front junction Si solar cells on 239 cm2 commercial grade n-type Czochralski wafers.« less

Enantioselective synthesis of α-phenyl- and α-(dimethylphenylsilyl)alkylboronic esters by ligand mediated stereoinductive reagent-controlled homologation using configurationally labile carbenoids.

PubMed

Barsamian, Adam L; Wu, Zhenhua; Blakemore, Paul R

2015-03-28

Chain extension of boronic esters by the action of configurationally labile racemic lithium carbenoids in the presence of scalemic bisoxazoline ligands was explored for the enantioselective synthesis of the two title product classes. Enantioenriched 2° carbinols generated by oxidative work-up (NaOOH) of initial α-phenylalkylboronate products were obtained in 35-83% yield and 70-96% ee by reaction of B-alkyl and B-aryl neopentyl glycol boronates with a combination of O-(α-lithiobenzyl)-N,N-diisopropylcarbamate and ligand 3,3-bis[(4S)-4,5-dihydro-4-isopropyloxazol-2-yl] pentane in toluene solvent (-78 °C to rt) with MgBr2·OEt2 additive. Enantioenriched α-(dimethylsilylphenylsilyl)alkylboronates were obtained in 35-69% yield and 9-57% ee by reaction of B-alkyl pinacol boronates with a combination of lithio(dimethylphenylsilyl)methyl 2,4,6-triisopropylbenzoate and ligand 2,2-bis[(4S)-4,5-dihydro-4-isopropyloxazol-2-yl]propane in cumene solvent (-45 °C to -95 °C to rt). The stereochemical outcome of the second type of reaction depended on the temperature history of the organolithium·ligand complex indicating that the stereoinduction mechanism in this case involves some aspect of dynamic thermodynamic resolution.

Communication: Towards catalytic nitric oxide reduction via oligomerization on boron doped graphene

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

Cantatore, Valentina, E-mail: valcan@chalmers.se; Panas, Itai

We use density functional theory to describe a novel way for metal free catalytic reduction of nitric oxide NO utilizing boron doped graphene. The present study is based on the observation that boron doped graphene and O—N=N—O{sup −} act as Lewis acid-base pair allowing the graphene surface to act as a catalyst. The process implies electron assisted N=N bond formation prior to N—O dissociation. Two N{sub 2} + O{sub 2} product channels, one of which favoring N{sub 2}O formation, are envisaged as outcome of the catalytic process. Besides, we show also that the N{sub 2} + O{sub 2} formation pathwaysmore » are contrasted by a side reaction that brings to N{sub 3}O{sub 3}{sup −} formation and decomposition into N{sub 2}O + NO{sub 2}{sup −}.« less

Ambient Carbon Dioxide Capture Using Boron-Rich Porous Boron Nitride: A Theoretical Study.

PubMed

Li, Lanlan; Liu, Yan; Yang, Xiaojing; Yu, Xiaofei; Fang, Yi; Li, Qiaoling; Jin, Peng; Tang, Chengchun

2017-05-10

The development of highly efficient sorbent materials for CO 2 capture under ambient conditions is of great importance for reducing the impact of CO 2 on the environment and climate change. In this account, strong CO 2 adsorption on a boron antisite (B N ) in boron-rich porous boron nitrides (p-BN) was developed and studied. The results indicated that the material achieved larger adsorption energies of 2.09 eV (201.66 kJ/mol, PBE-D). The electronic structure calculations suggested that the introduction of B N in p-BN induced defect electronic states in the energy gap region, which strongly impacted the adsorption properties of the material. The bonding between the B N defect and the CO 2 molecule was clarified, and it was found that the electron donation first occurred from CO 2 to the B N double-acceptor state then, followed by electron back-donation from B N to CO 2 accompanied by the formation of a B N -C bond. The thermodynamic properties indicated that the adsorption of CO 2 on the B N defect to form anionic CO 2 δ- species was spontaneous at temperatures below 350 K. Both the large adsorption energies and the thermodynamic properties ensured that p-BN with a B N defect could effectively capture CO 2 under ambient conditions. Finally, to evaluate the energetic stability, the defect formation energies were estimated. The formation energy of the B N defects was found to strongly depend on the chemical environment, and the selection of different reactants (B or N sources) would achieve the goal of reducing the formation energy. These findings provided a useful guidance for the design and fabrication of a porous BN sorbent for CO 2 capture.

Design and fabrication of a novel self-powered solid-state neutron detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LiCausi, Nicholas

There is a strong interest in intercepting special nuclear materials (SNM) at national and international borders and ports for homeland security applications. Detection of SNM such as U and Pu is often accomplished by sensing their natural or induced neutron emission. Such detector systems typically use thermal neutron detectors inside a plastic moderator. In order to achieve high detection efficiency gas filled detectors are often used; these detectors require high voltage bias for operation, which complicates the system when tens or hundreds of detectors are deployed. A better type of detector would be an inexpensive solid-state detector that can be mass-produced like any other computer chip. Research surrounding solid-state detectors has been underway since the late 1990's. A simple solid-state detector employs a planar solar-cell type p-n junction and a thin conversion material that converts incident thermal neutrons into detectable alpha-particles and 7Li ions. Existing work has typically used 6LiF or 10B as this conversion layer. Although a simple planar detector can act as a highly portable, low cost detector, it is limited to relatively low detection efficiency (˜10%). To increase the efficiency, 3D perforated p-i-n silicon devices were proposed. To get high efficiency, these detectors need to be biased, resulting in increased leakage current and hence detector noise. In this research, a new type of detector structure was proposed, designed and fabricated. Among several detector structures evaluated, a honeycomb-like silicon p-n structure was selected, which is filled with natural boron as the neutron converter. A silicon p+-n diode formed on the thin silicon wall of the honeycomb structure detects the energetic alpha-particles emitted from the boron conversion layer. The silicon detection layer is fabricated to be fully depleted with an integral step during the boron filling process. This novel feature results in a simplified fabrication process. Three key advantages of the novel devices are theoretical neutron detection efficiency of ˜48%, a self-passivating structure that reduces leakage current and detector operation with no bias resulting in extremely low device noise. Processes required to fabricate the 3D type detector were explored and developed in this thesis. The detector capacitance and processing steps have been simulated with MEDICI and TSuprem-4, respectively. Lithography masks were then designed using Cadence. The fabrication process development was conducted in line with standard CMOS grade integrated circuit processing to allow for simple integration with existing fabrication facilities. A number of new processes were developed including the low pressure chemical vapor deposition of conformal boron films using diborane on very high aspect-ratio trenches and holes. Development also included methods for "wet" chemical etching and "dry" reactive ion etching of the deposited boron films. Fabricated detectors were characterized with the transmission line method, 4-point probe, I-V measurements and C-V measurements. Finally the detector response to thermal neutrons was studied. Characterization has shown significant reduction in reverse leakage current density to ˜8x10-8 A/cm2 (nearly 4 orders of magnitude over the previously published data). Results show that the fabrication process developed is capable of producing efficient (˜22.5%) solid-state thermal neutron detectors.

Boron removal in radioactive liquid waste by forward osmosis membrane

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

Doo Seong Hwang; Hei Min Choi; Kune Woo Lee

2013-07-01

This study investigated the treatment of boric acid contained in liquid radioactive waste using a forward osmosis membrane. The boron permeation through the membrane depends on the type of membrane, membrane orientation, pH of the feed solution, salt and boron concentration in the feed solution, and osmotic pressure of the draw solution. The boron flux begins to decline from pH 7 and increases with an increase of the osmotic driving force. The boron flux decreases slightly with the salt concentration, but is not heavily influenced by a low salt concentration. The boron flux increases linearly with the concentration of boron.more » No element except for boron was permeated through the FO membrane in the multi-component system. The maximum boron flux is obtained in an active layer facing a draw solution orientation of the CTA-ES membrane under conditions of less than pH 7 and high osmotic pressure. (authors)« less

New Icosahedral Boron Carbide Semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Echeverria Mora, Elena Maria

Novel semiconductor boron carbide films and boron carbide films doped with aromatic compounds have been investigated and characterized. Most of these semiconductors were formed by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The aromatic compound additives used, in this thesis, were pyridine (Py), aniline, and diaminobenzene (DAB). As one of the key parameters for semiconducting device functionality is the metal contact and, therefore, the chemical interactions or band bending that may occur at the metal/semiconductor interface, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy has been used to investigate the interaction of gold (Au) with these novel boron carbide-based semiconductors. Both n- and p-type films have been tested and pure boron carbide devices are compared to those containing aromatic compounds. The results show that boron carbide seems to behave differently from other semiconductors, opening a way for new analysis and approaches in device's functionality. By studying the electrical and optical properties of these films, it has been found that samples containing the aromatic compound exhibit an improvement in the electron-hole separation and charge extraction, as well as a decrease in the band gap. The hole carrier lifetimes for each sample were extracted from the capacitance-voltage, C(V), and current-voltage, I(V), curves. Additionally, devices, with boron carbide with the addition of pyridine, exhibited better collection of neutron capture generated pulses at ZERO applied bias, compared to the pure boron carbide samples. This is consistent with the longer carrier lifetimes estimated for these films. The I-V curves, as a function of external magnetic field, of the pure boron carbide films and films containing DAB demonstrate that significant room temperature negative magneto-resistance (> 100% for pure samples, and > 50% for samples containing DAB) is possible in the resulting dielectric thin films. Inclusion of DAB is not essential for significant negative magneto-resistance, however, these results suggest practical device applications, especially as such effects are manifested in nanoscale films with facile fabrication. Overall, the greater negative magneto-resistance, when undoped with an aromatic, suggests a material with more defects and is consistent with a shorter carrier lifetime.

Effect of reversal of double-implantation schedule of boron in mercury cadmium telluride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Rakesh; Dutt, M. B.; Nath, R.; Gopal, Vishnu; Khosla, Y. P.; Sharma, K. K.

1992-02-01

Radiation damage due to B+ ion implantation in p-type HgCdTe has been found to create Hg interstitials giving rise to n-type conversion. The implantation energies were kept at 50 and 100 keV with a dose of 1 X 1013 cm-2 each. The effect of implantation with ascending and descending orders of energies were found to be quite different from each other. Radiation enhanced diffusion is thought to be responsible for this anomaly.

Boron doping a semiconductor particle

DOEpatents

Stevens, G.D.; Reynolds, J.S.; Brown, L.K.

1998-06-09

A method of boron doping a semiconductor particle using boric acid to obtain a p-type doped particle. Either silicon spheres or silicon powder is mixed with a diluted solution of boric acid having a predetermined concentration. The spheres are dried, with the boron film then being driven into the sphere. A melt procedure mixes the driven boron uniformly throughout the sphere. In the case of silicon powder, the powder is metered out into piles and melted/fused with an optical furnace. Both processes obtain a p-type doped silicon sphere with desired resistivity. Boric acid is not a restricted chemical, is inexpensive, and does not pose any special shipping, handling, or disposal requirements. 2 figs.

Boron doping a semiconductor particle

DOEpatents

Stevens, Gary Don; Reynolds, Jeffrey Scott; Brown, Louanne Kay

1998-06-09

A method (10,30) of boron doping a semiconductor particle using boric acid to obtain a p-type doped particle. Either silicon spheres or silicon powder is mixed with a diluted solution of boric acid having a predetermined concentration. The spheres are dried (16), with the boron film then being driven (18) into the sphere. A melt procedure mixes the driven boron uniformly throughout the sphere. In the case of silicon powder, the powder is metered out (38) into piles and melted/fused (40) with an optical furnace. Both processes obtain a p-type doped silicon sphere with desired resistivity. Boric acid is not a restricted chemical, is inexpensive, and does not pose any special shipping, handling, or disposal requirements.

Boron content and isotopic composition of ocean basalts: Geochemical and cosmochemical implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaussidon, Marc; Jambon, Albert

1994-02-01

Ion microprobe determination of boron content and delta B-11 values has been performed for a set of 40 oceanic basalt glasses (N-MORB, E-MORB, BABB and OIB) whose chemical characteristics (major and trace elements and isotopic ratios) are well documented. Boron contents, determined at +/- 10% relative, range from 0.34 to 0.74 ppm in N-MORB, whereas E-MORB, BABB and OIB extend to higher concentrations (0.5-2.4 ppm). After correction for crystal fractionation, this range is reduced to 0.5-1.3 ppm. N-MORB and E-MORB also exhibit different B/K ratios, 1.0 +/- 0.3 x 10(exp -3) and 0.2 to 1.4 x 10(exp -3) respectively. This can be interpreted as resulting from the incorporation into the upper mantle of a K-rich and B-poor component (e.g., subducted oceanic crust having lost most of its initial boron). Delta B-11 values range between -7.40 +/- 2 and +0.6 +/- 2 per mill, with no significant difference between N-MORB, E-MORB, OIB or BABB. The Hawaiian samples define a strong linear correlation between boron contents, delta B-11 values, MgO and water contents and delta D values. This is interpreted as resulting from assimilation-fractionation processes which occurred within a water-rich oceanic crust, and which produced high delta B-11 values associated with high delta D values. The low level of B-11 enrichment in the upper mantle constraints the amount of boron reinjected by subduction to a maximum of about 2% of the boron present in the subducted slab. This in turn corresponds to a maximum net Boron transfer of about 3 x 10(exp 10) g/a towards the surface reservoirs. Finally, a boron content of 0.25 +/- 0.1 ppm is estimated for the bulk silicate Earth (i.e., primitive mantle), corresponding to a depletion factor relative to C1 chondrites of about 0.15 and suggesting that B was moderately volatile upon terrestrial accretion.

Cubic GaN quantum dots embedded in zinc-blende AlN microdisks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bürger, M.; Kemper, R. M.; Bader, C. A.; Ruth, M.; Declair, S.; Meier, C.; Förstner, J.; As, D. J.

2013-09-01

Microresonators containing quantum dots find application in devices like single photon emitters for quantum information technology as well as low threshold laser devices. We demonstrate the fabrication of 60 nm thin zinc-blende AlN microdisks including cubic GaN quantum dots using dry chemical etching techniques. Scanning electron microscopy analysis reveals the morphology with smooth surfaces of the microdisks. Micro-photoluminescence measurements exhibit optically active quantum dots. Furthermore this is the first report of resonator modes in the emission spectrum of a cubic AlN microdisk.

Enhanced-wetting, boron-based liquid-metal ion source and method

DOEpatents

Bozack, Michael J.; Swanson, Lynwood W.; Bell, Anthony E.; Clark Jr., William M.; Utlaut, Mark W.; Storms, Edmund K.

1999-01-01

A binary, boron-based alloy as a source for field-emission-type, ion-beam generating devices, wherein boron predominates in the alloy, preferably with a presence of about 60 atomic percent. The other constituent in the alloy is selected from the group of elements consisting of nickel, palladium and platinum. Predominance of boron in these alloys, during operation, promotes combining of boron with trace impurities of carbon in the alloys to form B.sub.4 C and thus to promote wetting of an associated carbon support substrate.

Enhanced-wetting, boron-based liquid-metal ion source and method

DOEpatents

Bozack, M.J.; Swanson, L.W.; Bell, A.E.; Clark, W.M. Jr.; Utlaut, M.W.; Storms, E.K.

1999-02-16

A binary, boron-based alloy as a source for field-emission-type, ion-beam generating devices, wherein boron predominates in the alloy, preferably with a presence of about 60 atomic percent is disclosed. The other constituent in the alloy is selected from the group of elements consisting of nickel, palladium and platinum. Predominance of boron in these alloys, during operation, promotes combining of boron with trace impurities of carbon in the alloys to form B{sub 4}C and thus to promote wetting of an associated carbon support substrate. 1 fig.

Catalyst-free one step synthesis of large area vertically stacked N-doped graphene-boron nitride heterostructures from biomass source.

PubMed

Esteve-Adell, Ivan; He, Jinbao; Ramiro, Fernando; Atienzar, Pedro; Primo, Ana; García, Hermenegildo

2018-03-01

A procedure for the one-step preparation of films of few-layer N-doped graphene on top of nanometric hexagonal boron nitride sheets ((N)graphene/h-BN) based on the pyrolysis at 900 °C under an inert atmosphere of a film of chitosan containing about 20 wt% of ammonium borate salt as a precursor is reported. During the pyrolysis a spontaneous segregation of (N)graphene and boron nitride layers takes place. The films were characterized by optical microscopy that shows a thin graphene overlayer covering the boron nitride layer, the latter showing characteristic cracks, and by XPS measurements at different monitoring angles from 0° to 50° where an increase in the proportion of C vs. B and N was observed. The resulting (N)graphene/h-BN films were also characterized by Raman, HRTEM, SEM, FIB-SEM and AFM. The thickness of the (N)graphene and h-BN layers can be controlled by varying the concentration of precursors and the spin coating rate and is typically below 5 nm. Electrical conductivity measurements using microelectrodes can cause the burning of the graphene layer at high intensities, while lower intensities show that (N)graphene/h-BN films behave as capacitors in the range of positive voltages.

Thermoelectric properties of p-type cubic and rhombohedral GeTe

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

Xing, Guangzong; Sun, Jifeng; Li, Yuwei

Here, we investigate the electronic and thermoelectric properties of GeTe in both cubic and rhombohedral phases. We find that cubic GeTe has an electronic structure with a narrow band gap that is unfavorable at high temperature, where the cubic phase is normally stable. However, cubic GeTe has electronic features that may lead to p-type performance superior to the normal rhombohedral phase at lower temperature. This is explained in part by the combination of light and heavy band character that is very effective in obtaining high thermopower and conductivity. In addition, the valence band edge carrier pockets in cubic GeTe possessmore » the largest anisotropy among cubic IV-VI analogs. These effects are stronger than the effect of band convergence in the rhombohedral structure. The results suggest further study of stabilized cubic GeTe as a thermoelectric.« less

Thermoelectric properties of p-type cubic and rhombohedral GeTe

DOE PAGES

Xing, Guangzong; Sun, Jifeng; Li, Yuwei; ...

2018-05-21

Here, we investigate the electronic and thermoelectric properties of GeTe in both cubic and rhombohedral phases. We find that cubic GeTe has an electronic structure with a narrow band gap that is unfavorable at high temperature, where the cubic phase is normally stable. However, cubic GeTe has electronic features that may lead to p-type performance superior to the normal rhombohedral phase at lower temperature. This is explained in part by the combination of light and heavy band character that is very effective in obtaining high thermopower and conductivity. In addition, the valence band edge carrier pockets in cubic GeTe possessmore » the largest anisotropy among cubic IV-VI analogs. These effects are stronger than the effect of band convergence in the rhombohedral structure. The results suggest further study of stabilized cubic GeTe as a thermoelectric.« less

Assessment of Boron Steels for Army Use

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-11-01

I IA-79-0120 5 ys-g Aofc34V5 TECHNICAL LIBRARY AD ASSESSMENT OF BORON STEELS FOR ARMVlysr 3 ,% gL&tm tew^ / „»-^~ « "’"s4...ej ASSESSMENT OF BORON STEELS FOR ARMY USE 5. TYPE OF REPORT & PERIOD COVERED Final Report 6 PERFORMING ORG. REPORT NUMBER 7...reverse side 11 necessery rmd identify by block number) Boron steels Alloy conservation Alloy substitution Materials shortages 20. ABSTRACT

Impact of dopant concentrations on emitter formation with spin on dopant source in n-type crystalline silicon solar cells

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

Singha, Bandana; Solanki, Chetan Singh

Use of a suitable dopant source for emitter formation is an essential requirement in n-type crystalline silicon solar cells. Boron spin on dopant source, used as alternative to mostly used BBr{sub 3} liquid source, can yield an emitter with less diffusion induced defects under controlled conditions. Different concentrations of commercially available spin on dopant source is used and optimized in this work for sheet resistance values of the emitter ranging from 30 Ω/□ to 70 Ω/□ with emitter doping concentrations suitable for ohmic contacts. The dopant concentrations diluted with different ratios improves the carrier lifetime and thus improves the emittermore » performance. Hence use of suitable dopant source is essential in forming emitters in n-type crystalline silicon solar cells.« less

A simplified boron diffusion for preparing the silicon single crystal p-n junction as an educational device

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

Shiota, Koki, E-mail: a14510@sr.kagawa-nct.ac.jp; Kai, Kazuho; Nagaoka, Shiro, E-mail: nagaoka@es.kagawa-nct.ac.jp

The educational method which is including designing, making, and evaluating actual semiconductor devices with learning the theory is one of the best way to obtain the fundamental understanding of the device physics and to cultivate the ability to make unique ideas using the knowledge in the semiconductor device. In this paper, the simplified Boron thermal diffusion process using Sol-Gel material under normal air environment was proposed based on simple hypothesis and the feasibility of the reproducibility and reliability were investigated to simplify the diffusion process for making the educational devices, such as p-n junction, bipolar and pMOS devices. As themore » result, this method was successfully achieved making p+ region on the surface of the n-type silicon substrates with good reproducibility. And good rectification property of the p-n junctions was obtained successfully. This result indicates that there is a possibility to apply on the process making pMOS or bipolar transistors. It suggests that there is a variety of the possibility of the applications in the educational field to foster an imagination of new devices.« less

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

An, Yipeng, E-mail: ypan@htu.edu.cn; Zhang, Mengjun; Wang, Tianxing

Very recently, boron nitride atomic chains were successively prepared and observed in experiments [O. Cretu et al., ACS Nano 8, 11950 (2015)]. Herein, using a first-principles technique, we study the magnetism and spin-dependent electronic transport properties of three types of BN atomic chains whose magnetic moment is 1 μ{sub B} for B{sub n}N{sub n−1}, 2 μ{sub B} for B{sub n}N{sub n}, and 3 μ{sub B} for B{sub n}N{sub n+1} type atomic chains, respectively. The spin-dependent electronic transport results demonstrate that the short B{sub n}N{sub n+1} chain presents an obvious spin-filtering effect with high spin polarization ratio (>90%) under low biasmore » voltages. Yet, this spin-filtering effect does not occur for long B{sub n}N{sub n+1} chains under high bias voltages and other types of BN atomic chains (B{sub n}N{sub n−1} and B{sub n}N{sub n}). The proposed short B{sub n}N{sub n+1} chain is predicted to be an effective low-bias spin filters. Moreover, the length-conductance relationships of these BN atomic chains were also studied.« less

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

Du Frane, W. L.; Cervantes, O.; Ellsworth, G. F.

When we Consolidate cubic boron nitride (cBN) it typically requires either a matrix of metal bearing materials that are undesirable for certain applications, or very high pressures within the cBN phase stability field that are prohibitive to manufacturing size and cost. We present new methodology for consolidating high stiffness cBN composites within a hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) matrix (15–25 vol%) with the aid of a binder phase (0–6 vol%) at moderate pressures (0.5–1.0 GPa) and temperatures (900–1300 °C). The composites are demonstrated to be highly tailorable with a range of compositions and resulting physical/mechanical properties. Ultrasonic measurements indicate that inmore » some cases these composites have elastic mechanical properties that exceed those of the highest strength steel alloys. Moreover, two methods were identified to prevent phase transformation of the metastable cBN phase into hBN during consolidation: 1. removal of hydrocarbons, and 2. increased cBN particle size. Lithium tetraborate worked better as a binder than boron oxide, aiding consolidation without enhancing cBN to hBN phase transformation kinetics. These powder mixtures consolidated within error of their full theoretical mass densities at 1 GPa, and had only slightly lower densities at 0.5 GPa. This shows potential for consolidation of these composites into larger parts, in a variety of shapes, at even lower pressures using more conventional manufacturing methods, such as hot-pressing.« less

Recent progress in boron nanomaterials

PubMed Central

Kondo, Takahiro

2017-01-01

Abstract Various types of zero, one, and two-dimensional boron nanomaterials such as nanoclusters, nanowires, nanotubes, nanobelts, nanoribbons, nanosheets, and monolayer crystalline sheets named borophene have been experimentally synthesized and identified in the last 20 years. Owing to their low dimensionality, boron nanomaterials have different bonding configurations from those of three-dimensional bulk boron crystals composed of icosahedra or icosahedral fragments. The resulting intriguing physical and chemical properties of boron nanomaterials are fascinating from the viewpoint of material science. Moreover, the wide variety of boron nanomaterials themselves could be the building blocks for combining with other existing nanomaterials, molecules, atoms, and/or ions to design and create materials with new functionalities and properties. Here, the progress of the boron nanomaterials is reviewed and perspectives and future directions are described. PMID:29152014

Substrate dependence of TM-polarized light emission characteristics of BAlGaN/AlN quantum wells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Seoung-Hwan; Ahn, Doyeol

2018-06-01

To study the substrate dependence of light emission characteristics of transverse-magnetic (TM)-polarized light emitted from BAlGaN/AlN quantum wells (QWs) grown on GaN and AlN substrates were investigated theoretically. It is found that the topmost valence subband for QW structures grown on AlN substrate, is heavy hole state (HH1) while that for QW structures grown on GaN substrate is crystal-field split off light hole state (CL1), irrespective of the boron content. Since TM-polarized light emission is associated with the light hole state, the TM-polarized emission peak of BAlGaN/AlN QW structures grown on GaN substrate is expected to be much larger than that of the QW structure grown on AlN substrate. Also, both QW structures show that the spontaneous emission peak of BAlGaN/AlN QW structures would be improved with the inclusion of the boron. However, it rapidly begins to decrease when the boron content exceeds a critical value.

Progress research of non-Cz silicon material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, R. B.

1983-01-01

The simultaneous diffusion of liquid boron and liquid phosphorus dopants into N-type dendritic silicon web for solar cells was investigated. It is planned that the diffusion parameters required to achieve the desired P(+)NN(+) cell structure be determined and the resultant cell properties be compared to cells produced in a sequential differential process. A cost analysis of the simultaneous junction formation process is proposed.

Cat-doping: Novel method for phosphorus and boron shallow doping in crystalline silicon at 80 °C

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

Matsumura, Hideki; Hayakawa, Taro; Ohta, Tatsunori

Phosphorus (P) or boron (B) atoms can be doped at temperatures as low as 80 to 350 °C, when crystalline silicon (c-Si) is exposed only for a few minutes to species generated by catalytic cracking reaction of phosphine (PH₃) or diborane (B₂H₆) with heated tungsten (W) catalyzer. This paper is to investigate systematically this novel doping method, “Cat-doping”, in detail. The electrical properties of P or B doped layers are studied by the Van der Pauw method based on the Hall effects measurement. The profiles of P or B atoms in c-Si are observed by secondary ion mass spectrometry mainlymore » from back side of samples to eliminate knock-on effects. It is confirmed that the surface of p-type c-Si is converted to n-type by P Cat-doping at 80 °C, and similarly, that of n-type c-Si is to p-type by B Cat-doping. The doping depth is as shallow as 5 nm or less and the electrically activated doping concentration is 10¹⁸ to 10¹⁹cm⁻³ for both P and B doping. It is also found that the surface potential of c-Si is controlled by the shallow Cat-doping and that the surface recombination velocity of minority carriers in c-Si can be enormously lowered by this potential control.« less

Stability of boron-doped graphene/copper interface: DFT, XPS and OSEE studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boukhvalov, D. W.; Zhidkov, I. S.; Kukharenko, A. I.; Slesarev, A. I.; Zatsepin, A. F.; Cholakh, S. O.; Kurmaev, E. Z.

2018-05-01

Two different types of boron-doped graphene/copper interfaces synthesized using two different flow rates of Ar through the bubbler containing the boron source were studied. X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) and optically stimulated electron emission (OSEE) measurements have demonstrated that boron-doped graphene coating provides a high corrosion resistivity of Cu-substrate with the light traces of the oxidation of carbon cover. The density functional theory calculations suggest that for the case of substitutional (graphitic) boron-defect only the oxidation near boron impurity is energetically favorable and creation of the vacancies that can induce the oxidation of copper substrate is energetically unfavorable. In the case of non-graphitic boron defects oxidation of the area, a nearby impurity is metastable that not only prevent oxidation but makes boron-doped graphene. Modeling of oxygen reduction reaction demonstrates high catalytic performance of these materials.

Radiological analysis of plutonium glass batches with natural/enriched boron

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

Rainisch, R.

2000-06-22

The disposition of surplus plutonium inventories by the US Department of Energy (DOE) includes the immobilization of certain plutonium materials in a borosilicate glass matrix, also referred to as vitrification. This paper addresses source terms of plutonium masses immobilized in a borosilicate glass matrix where the glass components include both natural boron and enriched boron. The calculated source terms pertain to neutron and gamma source strength (particles per second), and source spectrum changes. The calculated source terms corresponding to natural boron and enriched boron are compared to determine the benefits (decrease in radiation source terms) for to the use ofmore » enriched boron. The analysis of plutonium glass source terms shows that a large component of the neutron source terms is due to (a, n) reactions. The Americium-241 and plutonium present in the glass emit alpha particles (a). These alpha particles interact with low-Z nuclides like B-11, B-10, and O-17 in the glass to produce neutrons. The low-Z nuclides are referred to as target particles. The reference glass contains 9.4 wt percent B{sub 2}O{sub 3}. Boron-11 was found to strongly support the (a, n) reactions in the glass matrix. B-11 has a natural abundance of over 80 percent. The (a, n) reaction rates for B-10 are lower than for B-11 and the analysis shows that the plutonium glass neutron source terms can be reduced by artificially enriching natural boron with B-10. The natural abundance of B-10 is 19.9 percent. Boron enriched to 96-wt percent B-10 or above can be obtained commercially. Since lower source terms imply lower dose rates to radiation workers handling the plutonium glass materials, it is important to know the achievable decrease in source terms as a result of boron enrichment. Plutonium materials are normally handled in glove boxes with shielded glass windows and the work entails both extremity and whole-body exposures. Lowering the source terms of the plutonium batches will make the handling of these materials less difficult and will reduce radiation exposure to operating workers.« less

Study of the boron levels in serum after implantation of different ratios nano-hexagonal boron nitride-hydroxy apatite in rat femurs.

PubMed

Atila, Alptug; Halici, Zekai; Cadirci, Elif; Karakus, Emre; Palabiyik, Saziye Sezin; Ay, Nuran; Bakan, Feray; Yilmaz, Sahin

2016-01-01

Boron and its derivatives are effective in bone recovery and osteointegration. However, increasing the boron levels in body liquids may cause toxicity. The aim of our study is to investigate serum boron levels using ICP-MS after implantation of different ratios of nano-hBN-HA composites in rat femurs. All rats were (n=126) divided into five experimental groups (n=24) and one healthy group (6 rats); healthy (Group1), femoral defect + %100 HA (Group2), femoral defect + %2.5 hBN + %97.5 HA (Group3), femoral defect + %5 hBN + %95 HA (Group4), femoral defect + %10 hBN + %90 HA (Group5), femoral defect + %100 hBN (Group6). The femoral defect was created in the distal femur (3mm drill-bit). Each implant group was divided into four different groups (n=24) also 6 rats sacrificed for each groups in one week intervals during four weeks. In our results; at 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after implantation near bone tissue, serum levels of boron were evaluated using ICP-MS. We demonstrated that neither short-term nor long-term implantation of hBN-HA composite resulted in statistically increased serum boron levels in experimental groups compared to healthy group. In conclusion, this study investigated the implant material produced form hBN-HA for the first time. Our data suggest that hBN is a new promising target for biomaterial and implant bioengineers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of the level of boron concentrations in black teas with fruit teas available on the Polish market.

PubMed

Zioła-Frankowska, Anetta; Frankowski, Marcin; Novotny, Karel; Kanicky, Viktor

2014-01-01

The determination of boron by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry has been carried in water-soluble and acid soluble (total content) fractions of 36 samples of traditional black tea and fruit brew. The estimation of the impact of the type of tea on the concentration of boron in water-soluble and acid extracts and potential human health risk from the daily intake of boron was carried out in this study. The levels of boron differed significantly in black and fruit tea types. The mean total content of boron ranged from 8.31 to 18.40 mg/kg in black teas, from 12.85 to 15.13 mg/kg in black tea with fruit flavor, and from 12.09 to 22.77 mg/kg in fruit brews. The degree of extraction of boron in black tea ranged from 8% to 27% and for fruit tea from 17% to 69%. In addition, the values below 25% were of black teas with fruit flavors. The daily intake of B from tea infusions (three cups/day) is still within the average daily intake except for some of the fruit brews which exceed acceptable regulations of the daily intake of total boron by humans. Hence, it may not produce any health risks for human consumption, if other sources of metal contaminated food are not taken at the same time.

Exceptionally Strong Electron-Donating Ability of Bora-Ylide Substituent vis-à-vis Silylene and Silylium Ion.

PubMed

Rosas-Sánchez, Alfredo; Alvarado-Beltran, Isabel; Baceiredo, Antoine; Saffon-Merceron, Nathalie; Massou, Stéphane; Branchadell, Vicenç; Kato, Tsuyoshi

2017-08-21

Electropositive boron-based substituent (phosphonium bora-ylide) with an exceptionally strong π- and σ-electron donating character dramatically increases the stability of a new type of N-heterocyclic silylene 2 featuring amino- and bora-ylide-substituents. Moreover, the related silylium ion 4 and transition-metal-silylene complexes, with trigonal-planar geometries around the silicon center, are also well stabilized. Therefore, the N,B-heterocyclic silylene 2 can be used as a strongly electron-donating innocent ligand in coordination chemistry similarly to N-heterocyclic carbenes. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Characterization of Boron Atom Aggregation

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-06-26

if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. 1. REPORT DATE 28 JUN 2005 2. REPORT TYPE N /A 3. DATES COVERED - 4. TITLE AND...nm! n ~cm21! Dn ~cm21! 466.9 21 412 0 448.4 22 295 883 445.5 22 440 1028 440.2 22 711 1299 436.2 22 919 1507 431.9 23 147 1735 428.4 23 336 1924 427.1...absorption spectrum of B3 , vibronic symmetry G and calculated intensities. l~nm! n ~cm21! Dn~cm21! IntensityExperimenta Theory G 0 E8 1.00 230 A18 735.8 13

Molten Boron Phase-Change Thermal Energy Storage to Augment Solar Thermal Propulsion Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-07-13

Thermodynamic Properties of Transition Metal Borides . I. The Molybdenum-boron system and Elemental Boron," Journal of Physical Chemistry, Vol. 81...February 1977, pp. 318-324. 38Itoh, H., Matsudaira, T., and Naka, S., "Formation Process of Tungsten Borides by Solid State Reaction Between Tungsten...Molybdenum-Boron and Some Properties of The Molybdenum- Borides ," Journal of Metals, September 1952, pp. 983-988. 40Stout, N. D., Mar, R. W., and Boo, W. O

Microdosimetric evaluation of the neutron field for BNCT at Kyoto University reactor by using the PHITS code.

PubMed

Baba, H; Onizuka, Y; Nakao, M; Fukahori, M; Sato, T; Sakurai, Y; Tanaka, H; Endo, S

2011-02-01

In this study, microdosimetric energy distributions of secondary charged particles from the (10)B(n,α)(7)Li reaction in boron-neutron capture therapy (BNCT) field were calculated using the Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System (PHITS). The PHITS simulation was performed to reproduce the geometrical set-up of an experiment that measured the microdosimetric energy distributions at the Kyoto University Reactor where two types of tissue-equivalent proportional counters were used, one with A-150 wall alone and another with a 50-ppm-boron-loaded A-150 wall. It was found that the PHITS code is a useful tool for the simulation of the energy deposited in tissue in BNCT based on the comparisons with experimental results.

[Preparation and photocatalytic activity of boron doped CeO2/TiO2 mixed oxides].

PubMed

Tang, Xin-hu; Wei, Chao-hai; Liang, Jie-rong; Wang, Bo-guang

2006-07-01

Boron doped CeO2/TiO2 mixed oxides photocatalysts were prepared by adding boric acid and cerous nitrate during the hydrolyzation of titanium trichloride and tetrabutyl titanate. XRD, UV-Vis DRS and XPS techniques were used to characterize the crystalline structure, light absorbing ability and the chemical state of Boron element in the photocatalyst sample. The photocatalytic activities were evaluated by monitoring the degradation of acid red B under UV irradiation. These results indicate that the wavelengths at adsorbing edge are affected by the content of cerous nitrate and the maximum absorption wavelength is about 481 nm when the mole ratio of Ce/Ti is 1.0. For higher dosage of Cerium, the absorbance edge shifts to blue slightly. The prepared photocatalyst is composed of anatase TiO2 and cubic CeO2 when calcined at 500 degrees C. An increase in the calcination temperature transforms the crystalline structure of the titanium oxides from anatase to rutile, and has no obvious influence on crystalline structure of CeO2 but crystallites growth up. The absorbance edge decreases drastically with the increase of calcination temperature. With a view to the stability of photocatalyst and utilization of sun energy, 500 degrees C of calcination temperature is recommended. The XP spectrum for B1s exhibits that only a few boron ions dope into titania and ceria matrix, others exist in B2O3. The photocatalytic activity increases with increase of cerous nitrate dosage, and decreases drastically due to higher dosage (the mol ratio of Ce/Ti > 0.5). After 10 min UV irradiation, 96% of acid red B is degraded completely over photocatalyst under optimum reaction condition.

Metal-doped graphene layers composed with boron nitride-graphene as an insulator: a nano-capacitor.

PubMed

Monajjemi, Majid

2014-11-01

A model of a nanoscale dielectric capacitor composed of a few dopants has been investigated in this study. This capacitor includes metallic graphene layers which are separated by an insulating medium containing a few h-BN layers. It has been observed that the elements from group IIIA of the periodic table are more suitable as dopants for hetero-structures of the {metallic graphene/hBN/metallic graphene} capacitors compared to those from groups IA or IIA. In this study, we have specifically focused on the dielectric properties of different graphene/h-BN/graphene including their hetero-structure counterparts, i.e., Boron-graphene/h-BN/Boron-graphene, Al-graphene/h-BN/Al-graphene, Mg-graphene/h-BN/Mg-graphene, and Be-graphene/h-BN/Be-graphene stacks for monolayer form of dielectrics. Moreover, we studied the multi dielectric properties of different (h-BN)n/graphene hetero-structures of Boron-graphene/(h-BN)n/Boron-graphene.

A Review on High-Speed Machining of Titanium Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, Mustafizur; Wang, Zhi-Gang; Wong, Yoke-San

Titanium alloys have been widely used in the aerospace, biomedical and automotive industries because of their good strength-to-weight ratio and superior corrosion resistance. However, it is very difficult to machine them due to their poor machinability. When machining titanium alloys with conventional tools, the tool wear rate progresses rapidly, and it is generally difficult to achieve a cutting speed of over 60m/min. Other types of tool materials, including ceramic, diamond, and cubic boron nitride (CBN), are highly reactive with titanium alloys at higher temperature. However, binder-less CBN (BCBN) tools, which do not have any binder, sintering agent or catalyst, have a remarkably longer tool life than conventional CBN inserts even at high cutting speeds. In order to get deeper understanding of high speed machining (HSM) of titanium alloys, the generation of mathematical models is essential. The models are also needed to predict the machining parameters for HSM. This paper aims to give an overview of recent developments in machining and HSM of titanium alloys, geometrical modeling of HSM, and cutting force models for HSM of titanium alloys.

Boron containing poly-(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.

PubMed

Doğan, Ayşegül; Demirci, Selami; Bayir, Yasin; Halici, Zekai; Karakus, Emre; Aydin, Ali; Cadirci, Elif; Albayrak, Abdulmecit; Demirci, Elif; Karaman, Adem; Ayan, Arif Kursat; Gundogdu, Cemal; Sahin, Fikrettin

2014-11-01

Scaffold-based bone defect reconstructions still face many challenges due to their inadequate osteoinductive and osteoconductive properties. Various biocompatible and biodegradable scaffolds, combined with proper cell type and biochemical signal molecules, have attracted significant interest in hard tissue engineering approaches. In the present study, we have evaluated the effects of boron incorporation into poly-(lactide-co-glycolide-acid) (PLGA) scaffolds, with or without rat adipose-derived stem cells (rADSCs), on bone healing in vitro and in vivo. The results revealed that boron containing scaffolds increased in vitro proliferation, attachment and calcium mineralization of rADSCs. In addition, boron containing scaffold application resulted in increased bone regeneration by enhancing osteocalcin, VEGF and collagen type I protein levels in a femur defect model. Bone mineralization density (BMD) and computed tomography (CT) analysis proved that boron incorporated scaffold administration increased the healing rate of bone defects. Transplanting stem cells into boron containing scaffolds was found to further improve bone-related outcomes compared to control groups. Additional studies are highly warranted for the investigation of the mechanical properties of these scaffolds in order to address their potential use in clinics. The study proposes that boron serves as a promising innovative approach in manufacturing scaffold systems for functional bone tissue engineering. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Unusual ordering in c-NpPd3

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

Gofryk, Krzysztof

2010-01-01

NpPd{sub 3} exhibits two crystal structures. At room temperature, the equilibrium structure is the dhcp TiNi{sub 3}-type, but rapid cooling from melt produces the cubic AuCu{sub 3}-type structure. In both cases, the Np-Np distance is 4.1 {angstrom}, so that the Np ions are expected to be localized. Both phases of NpPd{sub 3} were first studied at the ANL in the early 1970s. Nellis et al measured the magnetic susceptibility and the electrical resistivity of cubic NpPd{sub 3}, and found evidence of magnetic ordering setting in below T{sub N} = 54 K. The magnetic order in this phase was confirmed bymore » Moessbauer and neutron studies. The neutron data revealed several magnetic Bragg peaks with an ordering wave-vector of (1/2,1/2, 1/2). In contrast, no evidence for any long-range magnetic ordering was found for dhcp NpPd{sub 3}, despite the presence of an anomaly at 30 K in the bulk magnetic data. Our recent measurements of the magnetic (magnetization, susceptibility), thermal (heat capacity) and transport (electrical resistivity, magnetoresistivity, thermopower and Hall effect) properties of cubic NpPd{sub 3} indicated highly unusual nature of the magnetic ordering. At T{sub N}, the specific heat exhibits an extremely large peak [as large as 1000 J/(mol K)] and the magnetic susceptibility shows a clear jump. The transport properties of c-NpPd{sub 3} indicate a dramatic Fermi-surface reconstruction at T{sub N}, which shows up as pronounced anomalies at this temperature in the electrical resistivity, the magnetoresistivity, the Seebeck coefficient and the Hall coefficient.« less

Type I antiferromagnetic order in Ba 2LuReO 6: Exploring the role of structural distortions in double perovskites containing 5d 2 ions

DOE PAGES

Xiong, Jie; Yan, Jiaqiang; Aczel, Adam A.; ...

2017-12-02

The structural, electrical, and magnetic properties of the double perovskite Ba 2LuReO 6 have been examined in this paper. It is an insulator whose temperature dependent conductivity is consistent with variable range hopping electrical transport. A transition to an antiferromagnet state with type I order occurs below T N = 31 K. High resolution time-of-flight neutron powder diffraction measurements show that it retains the cubic double perovskite structure down to 10 K. High intensity, low resolution neutron powder diffraction measurements confirm the antiferromagnetic order and indicate that cubic symmetry is still observed at 1.5 K. The small ordered moment ofmore » 0.34(4)μ B per Re is comparable to estimates of moments on 5d 2 ions in other antiferromagnetically ordered cubic double perovskites. Finally, comparisons with related double perovskites containing 5d 2 ions, such as Os 6+ and Re 5+, reveal that subtle changes in structure or electron configuration of the diamagnetic octahedral cations can have a large impact on the magnetic ground state, the size of the ordered moment, and the Néel temperature.« less

Calibration of the borated ion chamber at NIST reactor thermal column.

PubMed

Wang, Z; Hertel, N E; Lennox, A

2007-01-01

In boron neutron capture therapy and boron neutron capture enhanced fast neutron therapy, the absorbed dose of tissue due to the boron neutron capture reaction is difficult to measure directly. This dose can be computed from the measured thermal neutron fluence rate and the (10)B concentration at the site of interest. A borated tissue-equivalent (TE) ion chamber can be used to directly measure the boron dose in a phantom under irradiation by a neutron beam. Fermilab has two Exradin 0.5 cm(3) Spokas thimble TE ion chambers, one loaded with boron, available for such measurements. At the Fermilab Neutron Therapy Facility, these ion chambers are generally used with air as the filling gas. Since alpha particles and lithium ions from the (10)B(n,alpha)(7)Li reactions have very short ranges in air, the Bragg-Gray principle may not be satisfied for the borated TE ion chamber. A calibration method is described in this paper for the determination of boron capture dose using paired ion chambers. The two TE ion chambers were calibrated in the thermal column of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) research reactor. The borated TE ion chamber is loaded with 1,000 ppm of natural boron (184 ppm of (10)B). The NIST thermal column has a cadmium ratio of greater than 400 as determined by gold activation. The thermal neutron fluence rate during the calibration was determined using a NIST fission chamber to an accuracy of 5.1%. The chambers were calibrated at two different thermal neutron fluence rates: 5.11 x 10(6) and 4.46 x 10(7)n cm(-2) s(-1). The non-borated ion chamber reading was used to subtract collected charge not due to boron neutron capture reactions. An optically thick lithium slab was used to attenuate the thermal neutrons from the neutron beam port so the responses of the chambers could be corrected for fast neutrons and gamma rays in the beam. The calibration factor of the borated ion chamber was determined to be 1.83 x 10(9) +/- 5.5% (+/- 1sigma) n cm(-2) per nC at standard temperature and pressure condition.

Ab initio study of the effect of vacancies on the thermal conductivity of boron arsenide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Protik, Nakib Haider; Carrete, Jesús; Katcho, Nebil A.; Mingo, Natalio; Broido, David

2016-07-01

Using a first principles theoretical approach, we show that vacancies give anomalously strong suppression of the lattice thermal conductivity κ of cubic Boron arsenide (BAs), which has recently been predicted to have an exceptionally high κ . This effect is tied to the unusually large phonon lifetimes in BAs and results in a stronger reduction in the BAs κ than occurs in diamond. The large changes in bonding around vacancies cannot be accurately captured using standard perturbative methods and are instead treated here using an ab initio Green function approach. As and B vacancies are found to have similar effects on κ . In contrast, we show that commonly used mass disorder models for vacancies fail for large mass ratio compounds such as BAs, incorrectly predicting much stronger (weaker) phonon scattering when the vacancy is on the heavy (light) atom site. The quantitative treatment given here contributes to fundamental understanding of the effect of point defects on thermal transport in solids and provides guidance to synthesis efforts to grow high quality BAs.

Tribological properties of epoxy composite coatings reinforced with functionalized C-BN and H-BN nanofillers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Jingjing; Zhao, Wenjie; Wu, Yinghao; Wang, Deliang; Feng, Ruotao

2018-03-01

A series of epoxy resin (EP) composite coatings reinforced with functionalized cubic boron nitride (FC-BN) and functionalized hexagonal boron nitride (FH-BN) were fabricated successfully on 316L stainless steel by hand lay-up technique. The structure properties were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The morphologies were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Moreover, UMT-3 tribometer and surface profiler were used to investigate tribological behaviors of as-prepared composite coatings under dry friction and seawater conditions respectively. The results demonstrated that the presence of FC-BN or FH-BN fillers could greatly decrease the friction coefficient (COF) and wear rate of epoxy, in addition, composite coatings possess better tribological properties under seawater condition which was attributed to the lubricating effect of seawater. Moreover, FC-BN endows the composite coatings the highest wear resistance, and FH-BN /EP composite coatings exhibited the best friction reduction performance which is attributed to the self-lubricating performance of lamella structure for FH-BN sheet.

Grain Refinement and Texture Mitigation in Low Boron Containing TiAl-Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hecht, Ulrike; Witusiewicz, Victor T.

2017-12-01

Controlling the grain size and texture of lamellar TiAl-alloys is essential for well-balanced creep and fatigue properties. Excellent refinement and texture mitigation are achieved in aluminum lean alloys by low boron additions of 0.2 at.%. This amount is sufficient to promote in situ formation of ultrafine borides during the last stages of body centered cubic (BCC) solidification. The borides subsequently serve as nucleation sites for hexagonal close packed (HCP) during the BCC-HCP phase transformation. Bridgman solidification experiments with alloy Ti-43Al-8Nb-0.2C-0.2B were performed under a different growth velocity, i.e., cooling rate, to evaluate the HCP grain size distribution and texture. For slow-to-moderate cooling rates, about 65% of HCP grains are randomly oriented, despite the pronounced texture of the parent BCC phase resulting from directional solidification. For high cooling rates, obtained by quenching, texture mitigation is less pronounced. Only 28% of the HCP grains are randomly oriented, the majority being crystallographic variants of the Burgers orientation relationship.

The shocking development of lithium (and boron) in supernovae

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dearborn, David S. P.; Schramm, David N.; Steigman, Gary; Truran, James

1989-01-01

It is shown that significant amounts of Li-7 and B-11 are produced in Type 2 supernovae. The synthesis of these rare elements occurs as the supernova shock traverses the base of the hydrogen envelope burning He-3 to masses 7 and 11 via alpha capture. The yields in this process are sufficient to account for the difference in lithium abundance observed between Pop 2 and Pop 1 stars. Since lithium (and boron) would, in this manner, be created in the same stars that produce the bulk of the heavy elements, the lithium abundance even in old Pop 1 stars would be high (as observed). The B-11 production may remedy the long-standing problem of the traditional spallation scenario to account for the observed isotopic ratio of boron. Observational consequences of this mechanism are discussed, including the evolution of lithium and boron isotope ratios in the Galaxy and the possible use of the boron yields to constrain the number of blue progenitor Type 2 supernovae.

Multiple doping of silicon-germanium alloys for thermoelectric applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fleurial, Jean-Pierre; Vining, Cronin B.; Borshchevsky, Alex

1989-01-01

It is shown that heavy doping of n-type Si/Ge alloys with phosphorus and arsenic (V-V doping interaction) by diffusion leads to a significant enhancement of their carrier concentration and possible improvement of the thermoelectric figure of merit. High carrier concentrations were achieved by arsenic doping alone, but for a same doping level higher carrier mobilities and lower resistivities are obtained through phosphorus doping. By combining the two dopants with the proper diffusion treatments, it was possible to optimize the different properties, obtaining high carrier concentration, good carrier mobility and low electrical resistivity. Similar experiments, using the III-V doping interaction, were conducted on boron-doped p-type samples and showed the possibility of overcompensating the samples by diffusing arsenic, in order to get n-type behavior.

Comparison of the Level of Boron Concentrations in Black Teas with Fruit Teas Available on the Polish Market

PubMed Central

Zioła-Frankowska, Anetta; Frankowski, Marcin; Novotny, Karel; Kanicky, Viktor

2014-01-01

The determination of boron by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry has been carried in water-soluble and acid soluble (total content) fractions of 36 samples of traditional black tea and fruit brew. The estimation of the impact of the type of tea on the concentration of boron in water-soluble and acid extracts and potential human health risk from the daily intake of boron was carried out in this study. The levels of boron differed significantly in black and fruit tea types. The mean total content of boron ranged from 8.31 to 18.40 mg/kg in black teas, from 12.85 to 15.13 mg/kg in black tea with fruit flavor, and from 12.09 to 22.77 mg/kg in fruit brews. The degree of extraction of boron in black tea ranged from 8% to 27% and for fruit tea from 17% to 69%. In addition, the values below 25% were of black teas with fruit flavors. The daily intake of B from tea infusions (three cups/day) is still within the average daily intake except for some of the fruit brews which exceed acceptable regulations of the daily intake of total boron by humans. Hence, it may not produce any health risks for human consumption, if other sources of metal contaminated food are not taken at the same time. PMID:25379551

Application of low-temperature plasma for the synthesis of hydrogenated graphene (graphane)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shavelkina, M. B.; Amirov, R. H.; Katarzhis, V. A.; Kiselev, V. I.

2017-12-01

The possibility of a direct synthesis of hydrogenated graphene in decomposition of methane by means of low-temperature plasma was investigated. A DC plasma torch with an expanding channel-anode, a vortex gas supply and a self-setting arc length was used as a generator of low-temperature plasma. Argon was used as the plasma-forming gas. The temperatures of argon plasma and with methane addition to it were determined on the basis of spectral measurements. The synthesis products were characterized by electron microscopy and thermogravimetry. The effect of hydrogenated graphene as a nanomodifier on the properties of the cubic boron nitride based functional ceramics was investigated.

Synthesis, Structure, and Properties of Refractory Hard-Metal Borides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lech, Andrew Thomas

As the limits of what can be achieved with conventional hard compounds, such as tungsten carbide, are nearing reach, super-hard materials are an area of increasing industrial interest. The refractory hard metal borides, such as ReB2 and WB4, offer an increasingly attractive alternative to diamond and cubic boron nitride as a next-generation tool material. In this Thesis, a thorough discussion is made of the progress achieved by our laboratory towards understanding the synthesis, structure, and properties of these extremely hard compounds. Particular emphasis is placed on structural manipulation, solid solution formation, and the unique crystallographic manifestations of what might also be called "super-hard metals".

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

Han,W.Q.

Boron nitride (BN) is a synthetic binary compound located between III and V group elements in the Periodic Table. However, its properties, in terms of polymorphism and mechanical characteristics, are rather close to those of carbon compared with other III-V compounds, such as gallium nitride. BN crystallizes into a layered or a tetrahedrally linked structure, like those of graphite and diamond, respectively, depending on the conditions of its preparation, especially the pressure applied. Such correspondence between BN and carbon readily can be understood from their isoelectronic structures [1, 2]. On the other hand, in contrast to graphite, layered BN ismore » transparent and is an insulator. This material has attracted great interest because, similar to carbon, it exists in various polymorphic forms exhibiting very different properties; however, these forms do not correspond strictly to those of carbon. Crystallographically, BN is classified into four polymorphic forms: Hexagonal BN (h-BN) (Figure 1(b)); rhombohedral BN (r-BN); cubic BN (c-BN); and wurtzite BN (w-BN). BN does not occur in nature. In 1842, Balmain [3] obtained BN as a reaction product between molten boric oxide and potassium cyanide under atmospheric pressure. Thereafter, many methods for its synthesis were reported. h-BN and r-BN are formed under ambient pressure. c-BN is synthesized from h-BN under high pressure at high temperature while w-BN is prepared from h-BN under high pressure at room temperature [1]. Each BN layer consists of stacks of hexagonal plate-like units of boron and nitrogen atoms linked by SP{sup 2} hybridized orbits and held together mainly by Van der Waals force (Fig 1(b)). The hexagonal polymorph has two-layered repeating units: AA'AA'... that differ from those in graphite: ABAB... (Figure 1(a)). Within the layers of h-BN there is coincidence between the same phases of the hexagons, although the boron atoms and nitrogen atoms are alternatively located along the c-axis. The rhombohedral system consists of three-layered units: ABCABC..., whose honeycomb layers are arranged in a shifted phase, like as those of graphite. Reflecting its weak interlayer bond, the h-BN can be cleaved easily along its layers, and hence, is widely used as a lubricant material. The material is stable up to a high temperature of 2300 C before decomposition sets in [2] does not fuse a nitrogen atmosphere of 1 atm, and thus, is applicable as a refractory material. Besides having such properties, similar to those of graphite, the material is transparent, and acts as a good electric insulator, especially at high temperatures (10{sup 6} {Omega}m at 1000 C) [1]. c-BN and w-BN are tetrahedrally linked BN. The former has a cubic sphalerite-type structure, and the latter has a hexagonal wurtzite-type structure. c-BN is the second hardest known material (the hardest is diamond), the so-called white diamond. It is used mainly for grinding and cutting industrial ferrous materials because it does not react with molten iron, nickel, and related alloys at high temperatures whereas diamond does [1]. It displays the second highest thermal conductivity (6-9 W/cm.deg) after diamond. This chapter focuses principally upon information about h-BN nanomaterials, mainly BN nanotubes (BNNTs), porous BN, mono- and few-layer-BN sheets. There are good reviews book chapters about c-BN in [1, 4-6].« less

Predictions of the Electronic Structure and Related Properties of Cubic Calcium Hexaboride (CaB6)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

not display a currently valid OMB control number. 1. REPORT DATE JUN 2010 2. REPORT TYPE N/A 3. DATES COVERED - 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE...TERAKURA, AND T. MIYAKE . 2002. Abnormal Quasiparticle shifts in CaB6. Phys. Rev. B. 66: 121103-1-121103-4. LEE, BYOUNGHAK, AND LIN-WANG WANG. 2005

Orientation dependence of the dislocation microstructure in compressed body-centered cubic molybdenum

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

Wang, S.; Wang, M.P.; Chen, C., E-mail: chench011-33@163.com

2014-05-01

The orientation dependence of the deformation microstructure has been investigated in commercial pure molybdenum. After deformation, the dislocation boundaries of compressed molybdenum can be classified, similar to that in face-centered cubic metals, into three types: dislocation cells (Type 2), and extended planar boundaries parallel to (Type 1) or not parallel to (Type 3) a (110) trace. However, it shows a reciprocal relationship between face-centered cubic metals and body-centered cubic metals on the orientation dependence of the deformation microstructure. The higher the strain, the finer the microstructure is and the smaller the inclination angle between extended planar boundaries and the compressionmore » axis is. - Highlights: • A reciprocal relationship between FCC metals and BCC metals is confirmed. • The dislocation boundaries can be classified into three types in compressed Mo. • The dislocation characteristic of different dislocation boundaries is different.« less

Effective binding of perhalogenated closo-borates to serum albumins revealed by spectroscopic and ITC studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuperman, Marina V.; Losytskyy, Mykhaylo Yu.; Bykov, Alexander Yu.; Yarmoluk, Sergiy M.; Zhizhin, Konstantin Yu.; Kuznetsov, Nikolay T.; Varzatskii, Oleg A.; Gumienna-Kontecka, Elzbieta; Kovalska, Vladyslava B.

2017-08-01

The interactions of boron cluster compounds closo-borates with biomolecules are widely studied due to their efficiency as agents for boron neutron capture therapy of cancer. In present work the binding abilities of anionic halogen closo-borates [B10Hal10]2- (Hal = Cl, Br, I) and [B12Hal12]2- (Hal = Cl, I) towards bovine and human serum albumins were investigated by spectroscopic and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) methods. The protein fluorescence quenching method and ITC studies confirmed the complex formation. The degree of protein fluorescence quenching increased from chlorine to iodine boron derivatives that is attributed to external heavy atom effect. The ITC data point on the existence in the protein structure of two types of binding sites: with higher and lower affinity to closo-borates. Albumin-closo-borate complex binding ratio, n (4-5 anions per protein molecule) is higher than for the parent hydrogen closo-borates (2 anions per protein molecule). Binding constants estimated by fluorescent and ITC methods indicate higher affinity of halogen closo-borates to albumins (K in the range of 104-106 M-1) comparing to that of the hydrogen closo-borate (K about 103 M-1). Due to their high affinity and high binding ratio to albumins halogen closo-borates are proposed for further studies as agents for boron neutron capture therapy.

Properties of vacuum-evaporated boron films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feakes, F.

1973-01-01

The work on the properties of thin boron films made by vacuum evaporation of elemental boron using an electron beam as the energy source is reported. The program aimed at characterizing the properties of vacuum evaporated films. The work was directed toward those variables considered to be important in affecting the tensile strength of the boron films. In general, the thickness of the films was less than 0.002 in. The temperature of the substrate on which the boron was condensed was found to be most important. Three distinctly different forms of boron deposit were produced. Although the transition temperature was not sharply defined, at substrate temperatures of less than approximately 600 deg C the boron deposits were amorphous to X-ray. If the substrate were highly polished, the deposits were black and mirror-like. For substrates with coefficients of thermal expansion close to that of boron, the deposits were then continuous and uncracked. The studies suggest that the potential continues to exist for film-type composites to have both high strength and high modulus.

Effects of foliar boron application on seed composition, cell wall boron, and seed delta 15N and delta 13C isotopes in soybean are influenced by water stress

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Although the effect of foliar boron (B) application on yield and quality is well established for crops, limited information and controversial results still exist on the effects of foliar B application on soybean seed composition (seed protein, oil, fatty acids, and sugars). The objective of this res...

Exact optical solitons in (n + 1)-dimensions with anti-cubic nonlinearity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Younis, Muhammad; Shahid, Iram; Anbreen, Sumaira; Rizvi, Syed Tahir Raza

2018-02-01

The paper studies the propagation of optical solitons in (n + 1)-dimensions under anti-cubic law of nonlinearity. The bright, dark and singular optical solitons are extracted using the extended trial equation method. The constraint conditions, for the existence of these solitons, are also listed. Additionally, a couple of other solutions known as singular periodic and Jacobi elliptic solutions, fall out as a by-product of this scheme. The obtained results are new and reported first time in (n + 1)-dimensions with anti-cubic law of nonlinearity.

Lattice matched crystalline substrates for cubic nitride semiconductor growth

DOEpatents

Norman, Andrew G; Ptak, Aaron J; McMahon, William E

2015-02-24

Disclosed embodiments include methods of fabricating a semiconductor layer or device and devices fabricated thereby. The methods include, but are not limited to, providing a substrate having a cubic crystalline surface with a known lattice parameter and growing a cubic crystalline group III-nitride alloy layer on the cubic crystalline substrate by coincident site lattice matched epitaxy. The cubic crystalline group III-nitride alloy may be prepared to have a lattice parameter (a') that is related to the lattice parameter of the substrate (a). The group III-nitride alloy may be a cubic crystalline In.sub.xGa.sub.yAl.sub.1-x-yN alloy. The lattice parameter of the In.sub.xGa.sub.yAl.sub.1-x-yN or other group III-nitride alloy may be related to the substrate lattice parameter by (a')= 2(a) or (a')=(a)/ 2. The semiconductor alloy may be prepared to have a selected band gap.

Bias in bonding behavior among boron, carbon, and nitrogen atoms in ion implanted a-BN, a-BC, and diamond like carbon films

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

Genisel, Mustafa Fatih; Uddin, Md. Nizam; Say, Zafer

2011-10-01

In this study, we implanted N{sup +} and N{sub 2}{sup +} ions into sputter deposited amorphous boron carbide (a-BC) and diamond like carbon (DLC) thin films in an effort to understand the chemical bonding involved and investigate possible phase separation routes in boron carbon nitride (BCN) films. In addition, we investigated the effect of implanted C{sup +} ions in sputter deposited amorphous boron nitride (a-BN) films. Implanted ion energies for all ion species were set at 40 KeV. Implanted films were then analyzed using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The changes in the chemical composition and bonding chemistry due to ion-implantationmore » were examined at different depths of the films using sequential ion-beam etching and high resolution XPS analysis cycles. A comparative analysis has been made with the results from sputter deposited BCN films suggesting that implanted nitrogen and carbon atoms behaved very similar to nitrogen and carbon atoms in sputter deposited BCN films. We found that implanted nitrogen atoms would prefer bonding to carbon atoms in the films only if there is no boron atom in the vicinity or after all available boron atoms have been saturated with nitrogen. Implanted carbon atoms also preferred to either bond with available boron atoms or, more likely bonded with other implanted carbon atoms. These results were also supported by ab-initio density functional theory calculations which indicated that carbon-carbon bonds were energetically preferable to carbon-boron and carbon-nitrogen bonds.« less

Next generation of the self-consistent and environment-dependent Hamiltonian: Applications to various boron allotropes from zero- to three-dimensional structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tandy, P.; Yu, Ming; Leahy, C.; Jayanthi, C. S.; Wu, S. Y.

2015-03-01

An upgrade of the previous self-consistent and environment-dependent linear combination of atomic orbitals Hamiltonian (referred as SCED-LCAO) has been developed. This improved version of the semi-empirical SCED-LCAO Hamiltonian, in addition to the inclusion of self-consistent determination of charge redistribution, multi-center interactions, and modeling of electron-electron correlation, has taken into account the effect excited on the orbitals due to the atomic aggregation. This important upgrade has been subjected to a stringent test, the construction of the SCED-LCAO Hamiltonian for boron. It was shown that the Hamiltonian for boron has successfully characterized the electron deficiency of boron and captured the complex chemical bonding in various boron allotropes, including the planar and quasi-planar, the convex, the ring, the icosahedral, and the fullerene-like clusters, the two-dimensional monolayer sheets, and the bulk alpha boron, demonstrating its transferability, robustness, reliability, and predictive power. The molecular dynamics simulation scheme based on the Hamiltonian has been applied to explore the existence and the energetics of ˜230 compact boron clusters BN with N in the range from ˜100 to 768, including the random, the rhombohedral, and the spherical icosahedral structures. It was found that, energetically, clusters containing whole icosahedral B12 units are more stable for boron clusters of larger size (N > 200). The ease with which the simulations both at 0 K and finite temperatures were completed is a demonstration of the efficiency of the SCED-LCAO Hamiltonian.

Fermi surfaces of the pyrite-type cubic AuSb2 compared with split Fermi surfaces of the ullmannite-type cubic chiral NiSbS and PdBiSe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishimura, K.; Kakihana, M.; Nakamura, A.; Aoki, D.; Harima, H.; Hedo, M.; Nakama, T.; Ōnuki, Y.

2018-05-01

We grew high-quality single crystals of AuSb2 with the pyrite (FeS2)-type cubic structure by the Bridgman method and studied the Fermi surface properties by the de Haas-van Alphen (dHvA) experiment and the full potential LAPW band calculation. The Fermi surfaces of AuSb2 are found to be similar to those of NiSbS and PdBiSe with the ullmannite (NiSbS)-type cubic chiral structure because the crystal structures are similar each other and the number of valence electrons is the same between two different compounds. Note that each Fermi surface splits into two Fermi surfaces in NiSbS and PdBiSe, reflecting the non-centrosymmetric crystal structure.

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

Bagraev, N. T., E-mail: bagraev@mail.ioffe.ru; Grigoryev, V. Yu.; Klyachkin, L. E.

The negative-U impurity stripes confining the edge channels of semiconductor quantum wells are shown to allow the effective cooling inside in the process of the spin-dependent transport. The aforesaid also promotes the creation of composite bosons and fermions by the capture of single magnetic flux quanta at the edge channels under the conditions of low sheet density of carriers, thus opening new opportunities for the registration of quantum kinetic phenomena in weak magnetic fields at high temperatures up to the room temperature. As a certain version noted above, we present the first findings of the high temperature de Haas–van Alphenmore » (300 K) and quantum Hall (77 K) effects in the silicon sandwich structure that represents the ultranarrow, 2 nm, p-type quantum well (Si-QW) confined by the delta barriers heavily doped with boron on the n-type Si (100) surface. These data appear to result from the low density of single holes that are of small effective mass in the edge channels of p-type Si-QW because of the impurity confinement by the stripes consisting of the negative-U dipole boron centers which seems to give rise to the efficiency reduction of the electron–electron interaction.« less

Effect of Boron and Titanium Addition on the Hot Ductility of Low-Carbon Nb-Containing Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Wei-Jian; Li, Jing; Shi, Cheng-Bin; Huo, Xiang-Dong

2015-12-01

The effect of boron and titanium addition on the hot ductility of Nb-containing steel was investigated using hot tensile tests. The fracture surface and the quenched longitudinal microstructure were examined by optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that both steel samples had the similar change from 1,100°C to 700°C. The hot ductility of Nb-containing steel with boron and titanium addition was higher than the steel without boron and titanium in the temperature range of 900-750°C. Because the formation of intergranular ferrite was inhibited by solute boron segregating on the grain boundary, the formation of TiN changed the distribution of Nb- and boron-containing precipitates and improved the amount of intragranular ferrite.

Method for enhancing the solubility of boron and indium in silicon

DOEpatents

Sadigh, Babak; Lenosky, Thomas J.; Diaz de la Rubia, Tomas; Giles, Martin; Caturla, Maria-Jose; Ozolins, Vidvuds; Asta, Mark; Theiss, Silva; Foad, Majeed; Quong, Andrew

2002-01-01

A method for enhancing the equilibrium solubility of boron and indium in silicon. The method involves first-principles quantum mechanical calculations to determine the temperature dependence of the equilibrium solubility of two important p-type dopants in silicon, namely boron and indium, under various strain conditions. The equilibrium thermodynamic solubility of size-mismatched impurities, such as boron and indium in silicon, can be raised significantly if the silicon substrate is strained appropriately. For example, for boron, a 1% compressive strain raises the equilibrium solubility by 100% at 1100.degree. C.; and for indium, a 1% tensile strain at 1100.degree. C., corresponds to an enhancement of the solubility by 200%.

Effects of the Substituents of Boron Atoms on Conjugated Polymers Containing B←N Units.

PubMed

Liu, Jun; Wang, Tao; Dou, Chuandong; Wang, Lixiang

2018-06-15

Organoboron chemistry is a new tool to tune the electronic structures and properties of conjugated polymers, which are important for applications in organic opto-electronic devices. To investigate the effects of substituents of boron atoms on conjugated polymers, we synthesized three conjugated polymers based on double B←N bridged bipyridine (BNBP) with various substituents on the boron atoms. By changing the substituents from four phenyl groups and two phenyl groups/two fluorine atoms to four fluorine atoms, the BNBP-based polymers show the blue-shifted absorption spectra, decreased LUMO/HOMO energy levels and enhanced electron affinities, as well as the increased electron mobilities. Moreover, these BNBP-based polymers can be used as electron acceptors for all-polymer solar cells. These results demonstrate that the substituents of boron atoms can effectively modulate the electronic properties and applications of conjugated polymers. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Breakup of Kol'mogorov-Arnol'd-Moser tori of cubic irrational winding number

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

Mao, J.; Helleman, R.H.G.

1989-01-01

For the special case in which the irrational winding number is the root of a cubic equation, we present numerical evidence for the validity of some form of residue criterion (Greene, J. Math. Phys. 20, 1182 (1979)). This is a criterion for the breakup of Kol'mogorov-Arnol'd-Moser tori in two degrees of freedom. The cubic case is essential for future work on four-dimensional maps. While the residues do approach infinity (respectively, 0) after (respectively, before) the breaking point, it is numerically very difficult to estimate a critical residue value R/sub cr/ for this cubic case (0.15approx. ..infinity, with a ''new'' scalingmore » constant xiapprox. =0.72, where p/sub n//q/sub n/ is the nth rational approximant in the continued-fraction expansion of the cubic irrational. For a quadratic irrational this scaling reduces to the usual power-law scaling approx.delta/sup -//sup n/.« less

GaN MOSFET with Boron Trichloride-Based Dry Recess Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Y.; Wang, Q. P.; Tamai, K.; Miyashita, T.; Motoyama, S.; Wang, D. J.; Ao, J. P.; Ohno, Y.

2013-06-01

The dry recessed-gate GaN metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) on AlGaN/GaN heterostructure using boron trichloride (BCl3) as etching gas were fabricated and characterized. Etching with different etching power was conducted. Devices with silicon tetrachloride (SiCl4) etching gas were also prepared for comparison. Field-effect mobility and interface state density were extracted from current-voltage (I-V) characteristics. GaN MOSFETs on AlGaN/GaN heterostructure with BCl3 based dry recess achieved a high maximum electron mobility of 141.5 cm2V-1s-1 and a low interface state density.

Study on behaviors and performances of universal N-glycopeptide enrichment methods.

PubMed

Xue, Yu; Xie, Juanjuan; Fang, Pan; Yao, Jun; Yan, Guoquan; Shen, Huali; Yang, Pengyuan

2018-04-16

Glycosylation is a crucial process in protein biosynthesis. However, the analysis of glycopeptides through MS remains challenging due to the microheterogeneity and macroheterogeneity of the glycoprotein. Selective enrichment of glycopeptides from complex samples prior to MS analysis is essential for successful glycoproteome research. In this work, we systematically investigated the behaviors and performances of boronic acid chemistry, ZIC-HILIC, and PGC of glycopeptide enrichment to promote understanding of these methods. We also optimized boronic acid chemistry and ZIC-HILIC enrichment methods and applied them to enrich glycopeptides from mouse liver. The intact N-glycopeptides were interpreted using the in-house analysis software pGlyco 2.0. We found that boronic acid chemistry in this study preferred to capture glycopeptides with high mannose glycans, ZIC-HILIC enriched most N-glycopeptides and did not show significant preference during enrichment and PGC was not suitable for separating glycopeptides with a long amino acid sequence. We performed a detailed study on the behaviors and performances of boronic acid chemistry, ZIC-HILIC, and PGC enrichment methods and provide a better understanding of enrichment methods for further glycoproteomics research.

Boron exposure through drinking water during pregnancy and birth size.

PubMed

Igra, Annachiara Malin; Harari, Florencia; Lu, Ying; Casimiro, Esperanza; Vahter, Marie

2016-10-01

Boron is a metalloid found at highly varying concentrations in soil and water. Experimental data indicate that boron is a developmental toxicant, but the few human toxicity data available concern mostly male reproduction. To evaluate potential effects of boron exposure through drinking water on pregnancy outcomes. In a mother-child cohort in northern Argentina (n=194), 1-3 samples of serum, whole blood and urine were collected per woman during pregnancy and analyzed for boron and other elements to which exposure occurred, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Infant weight, length and head circumference were measured at birth. Drinking water boron ranged 377-10,929μg/L. The serum boron concentrations during pregnancy ranged 0.73-605μg/L (median 133μg/L) and correlated strongly with whole-blood and urinary boron, and, to a lesser extent, with water boron. In multivariable-adjusted linear spline regression analysis (non-linear association), we found that serum boron concentrations above 80μg/L were inversely associated with birth length (B-0.69cm, 95% CI -1.4; -0.024, p=0.043, per 100μg/L increase in serum boron). The impact of boron appeared stronger when we restricted the exposure to the third trimester, when the serum boron concentrations were the highest (0.73-447μg/L). An increase in serum boron of 100μg/L in the third trimester corresponded to 0.9cm shorter and 120g lighter newborns (p=0.001 and 0.021, respectively). Considering that elevated boron concentrations in drinking water are common in many areas of the world, although more screening is warranted, our novel findings warrant additional research on early-life exposure in other populations. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Wurtzite/zinc-blende electronic-band alignment in basal-plane stacking faults in semi-polar GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monavarian, Morteza; Hafiz, Shopan; Izyumskaya, Natalia; Das, Saikat; Özgür, Ümit; Morkoç, Hadis; Avrutin, Vitaliy

2016-02-01

Heteroepitaxial semipolar and nonpolar GaN layers often suffer from high densities of extended defects including basal plane stacking faults (BSFs). BSFs which are considered as inclusions of cubic zinc-blende phase in wurtzite matrix act as quantum wells strongly affecting device performance. Band alignment in BSFs has been discussed as type of band alignment at the wurtzite/zinc blende interface governs the response in differential transmission; fast decay after the pulse followed by slow recovery due to spatial splitting of electrons and heavy holes for type- II band alignment in contrast to decay with no recovery in case of type I band alignment. Based on the results, band alignment is demonstrated to be of type II in zinc-blende segments in wurtzite matrix as in BSFs.

Thymidine kinase 1 as a molecular target for boron neutron capture therapy of brain tumors

PubMed Central

Barth, Rolf F.; Yang, Weilian; Wu, Gong; Swindall, Michele; Byun, Youngjoo; Narayanasamy, Sureshbabu; Tjarks, Werner; Tordoff, Kevin; Moeschberger, Melvin L.; Eriksson, Staffan; Binns, Peter J.; Riley, Kent J.

2008-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 3-carboranyl thymidine analogue (3CTA), 3-[5-{2-(2,3-dihydroxyprop-1-yl)-o-carboran-1-yl}pentan-1-yl] thymidine, designated N5–2OH, for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) of brain tumors using the RG2 rat glioma model. Target validation was established using the thymidine kinase (TK) 1(+) wild-type, murine L929 cell line and its TK1(−) mutant counterpart, which were implanted s.c. (s.c.) into nude mice. Two intratumoral (i.t.) injections of 10B-enriched N5–2OH were administered to tumor-bearing mice at 2-hour intervals, after which BNCT was carried out at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Research Reactor. Thirty days after BNCT, mice bearing TK1(+) L929 tumors had a 15× reduction in tumor volume compared with TK1(−) controls. Based on these favorable results, BNCT studies were then initiated in rats bearing intracerebral (i.c.) RG2 gliomas, after i.c. administration of N5–2OH by Alzet osmotic pumps, either alone or in combination with i.v. (i.v.) boronophenylalanine (BPA), a drug that has been used clinically. The mean survival times (MSTs) of RG2 glioma bearing rats were 45.6 ± 7.2 days, 35.0 ± 3.3days, and 52.9 ± 8.9 days, respectively, for animals that received N5–2OH, BPA, or both. The differences between the survival plots of rats that received N5–2OH and BPA alone were highly significant (P = 0.0003). These data provide proof-of-principle that a 3CTA can function as a boron delivery agent for NCT. Further studies are planned to design and synthesize 3CTAs with enhanced chemical and biological properties, and increased therapeutic efficacy. PMID:18981415

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) Dose Calculation using Geometrical Factors Spherical Interface for Glioblastoma Multiforme

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

Zasneda, Sabriani; Widita, Rena

2010-06-22

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a cancer therapy by utilizing thermal neutron to produce alpha particles and lithium nuclei. The superiority of BNCT is that the radiation effects could be limited only for the tumor cells. BNCT radiation dose depends on the distribution of boron in the tumor. Absorbed dose to the cells from the reaction 10B (n, {alpha}) 7Li was calculated near interface medium containing boron and boron-free region. The method considers the contribution of the alpha particle and recoiled lithium particle to the absorbed dose and the variation of Linear Energy Transfer (LET) charged particles energy. Geometricalmore » factor data of boron distribution for the spherical surface is used to calculate the energy absorbed in the tumor cells, brain and scalp for case Glioblastoma Multiforme. The result shows that the optimal dose in tumor is obtained for boron concentrations of 22.1 mg {sup 10}B/g blood.« less

Detection of boron nitride radicals by emission spectroscopy in a laser-induced plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutouquet, C.; Acquaviva, S.; Hermann, J.

2001-06-01

Several vibrational bands of boron nitride radicals have been observed in a plasma produced by pulsed-laser ablation of a boron nitride target in low-pressure nitrogen or argon atmospheres. Using time- and space-resolved emission spectroscopic measurements with a high dynamic range, the most abundant isotopic species B 11N have been detected. The emission bands in the spectral range from 340 to 380 nm belong to the Δυ =-1, 0, +1 sequences of the triplet system (transition A 3Π-X 3Π). For positive identification, the molecular emission bands have been compared with synthetic spectra obtained by computer simulations. Furthermore, B 10N emission bands have been reproduced by computer simulation using molecular constants which have been deduced from the B 11N constants. Nevertheless, the presence of the lower abundant isotopic radical B 10N was not proved due the noise level which masked the low emission intensity of the B 10N band heads.

Structural and electrical properties of trimethylboron-doped silicon nanowires

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

Lew, K.-K.; Pan Ling; Bogart, Timothy E.

2004-10-11

Trimethylboron (TMB) was investigated as a p-type dopant source for the vapor-liquid-solid growth of boron-doped silicon nanowires (SiNWs). The boron concentration in the nanowires was measured using secondary ion mass spectrometry and results were compared for boron-doping using TMB and diborane (B{sub 2}H{sub 6}) sources. Boron concentrations ranging from 1x10{sup 18} to 4x10{sup 19} cm{sup -3} were obtained by varying the inlet dopant/SiH{sub 4} gas ratio. TEM characterization revealed that the B{sub 2}H{sub 6}-doped SiNWs consisted of a crystalline core with a thick amorphous Si coating, while the TMB-doped SiNWs were predominantly single crystal even at high boron concentrations. Themore » difference in structural properties was attributed to the higher thermal stability and reduced reactivity of TMB compared to B{sub 2}H{sub 6}. Four-point resistivity and gate-dependent conductance measurements were used to confirm p-type conductivity in the TMB-doped nanowires and to investigate the effect of dopant concentration on nanowire resistivity.« less

Analysis of Hybrid Type Boron-Doped Carbon Stripper Foils in J-PARC RCS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamazaki, Y.; Yoshimoto, M.; Takeda, O.; Kinsho, M.; Taguchi, T.; Yamamoto, S.; Kurihara, T.; Sugai, I.

2013-03-01

J-PARC (Japan-Proton Accelerator Research Complex) requires a carbon stripper foil to strip electrons from the H- beam supplied by the linac before injection into the Rapid Cycling Synchrotron (RCS) [1]. The foil thickness is about μm (200μg/cm2) corresponding to conversion efficiency of 99.7% from the primary H- beams of 181MeV energy to H+. We have successfully developed the Hybrid type thick Boron-doped Carbon (HBC) stripper foil, which showed a drastic improvement the lifetime without thickness reduction and shrinkage at the irradiated area. We started to study carbon stripper foils microscopically why carbon foils have considerable endurance for the beam impact by boron-doped. At first step, we made a comparison of ion irradiation effect between normal carbon and HBC by the electric microscope, ion-induced analysis. In particular, it seems that grain size of boron-rich area became much larger by irradiation for HBC. It was also observed that the boron-rich grain grew up by taking around material and generated pinholes more than 100 nm near itself consequently.

Ammonium fluoride-activated synthesis of cubic δ-TaN nanoparticles at low temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Young-Jun; Kim, Dae-Young; Lee, Kap-Ho; Han, Moon-Hee; Kang, Kyoung-Soo; Bae, Ki-Kwang; Lee, Jong-Hyeon

2013-03-01

Cubic delta-tantalum nitride ( δ-TaN) nanoparticles were selectively prepared using a K2TaF7 + (5 + k) NaN3 + kNH4F reactive mixture ( k being the number of moles of NH4F) via a combustion process under a nitrogen pressure of 2.0 MPa. The combustion temperature, when plotted as a function of the number of moles of NH4F used, was in the range of 850°C to 1,170°C. X-ray diffraction patterns revealed the formation of cubic δ-TaN nanoparticles at 850°C to 950°C when NH4F is used in an amount of 2.0 mol (or greater) in the combustion experiment. Phase pure cubic δ-TaN synthesized at k = 4 exhibited a specific surface area of 30.59 m2/g and grain size of 5 to 10 nm, as estimated from the transmission electron microscopy micrograph. The role of NH4F in the formation process of δ-TaN is discussed with regard to a hypothetical reaction mechanism.

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

Crabtree, D.J.

Three types of boron/epoxy prepreg tape were prestressed to fracture weak sites along the fiber by winding over 0.3- to 0.6-inch diameter rollers prior to lamination. The prestressed prepreg was then laminated, and design allowable testing was conducted to determine if mechanical strength properties are increased and data scatter is reduced by prestressing. The types of prepreg studied were standard 'Rigidite' 5505/4 prepreg, carbon substrate boron fiber prepreg, and a prepreg made from 'defect' tungsten substrate boron that was manufactured in a high-speed, low-cost, production process. The strength of angleply composites of both 'Rigidite' 5505/4 and carbon substrate boron compositesmore » were unaffected by prestressing. A study was made to determine if prepreg costs could be reduced by manufacturing low-cost 'defect' boron fiber and prestressing it to improve its properties. The results of this study were inconclusive. The test results show prestressing marginally improved some composite properties while others were reduced. On 'Rigidite' 5505/4 unidirectional composites, fatigue strength was significantly improved by prestressing, while longitudinal tensile strength was reduced at room temperature and 350 F. On unidirectional carbon substrate boron composites, the longitudinal tensile strength at room temperature and 350F was increased with attendant variability, while fatigue strength at high stress levels was reduced but not affected at low stress levels.« less

Matrix Transformation in Boron Containing High-Temperature Co-Re-Cr Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strunz, Pavel; Mukherji, Debashis; Beran, Přemysl; Gilles, Ralph; Karge, Lukas; Hofmann, Michael; Hoelzel, Markus; Rösler, Joachim; Farkas, Gergely

2018-03-01

An addition of boron largely increases the ductility in polycrystalline high-temperature Co-Re alloys. Therefore, the effect of boron on the alloy structural characteristics is of high importance for the stability of the matrix at operational temperatures. Volume fractions of ɛ (hexagonal close-packed—hcp), γ (face-centered cubic—fcc) and σ (Cr2Re3 type) phases were measured at ambient and high temperatures (up to 1500 °C) for a boron-containing Co-17Re-23Cr alloy using neutron diffraction. The matrix phase undergoes an allotropic transformation from ɛ to γ structure at high temperatures, similar to pure cobalt and to the previously investigated, more complex Co-17Re-23Cr-1.2Ta-2.6C alloy. It was determined in this study that the transformation temperature depends on the boron content (0-1000 wt. ppm). Nevertheless, the transformation temperature did not change monotonically with the increase in the boron content but reached a minimum at approximately 200 ppm of boron. A probable reason is the interplay between the amount of boron in the matrix and the amount of σ phase, which binds hcp-stabilizing elements (Cr and Re). Moreover, borides were identified in alloys with high boron content.

Study of the effects of focused high-energy boron ion implantation in diamond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ynsa, M. D.; Agulló-Rueda, F.; Gordillo, N.; Maira, A.; Moreno-Cerrada, D.; Ramos, M. A.

2017-08-01

Boron-doped diamond is a material with a great technological and industrial interest because of its exceptional chemical, physical and structural properties. At modest boron concentrations, insulating diamond becomes a p-type semiconductor and at higher concentrations a superconducting metal at low temperature. The most conventional preparation method used so far, has been the homogeneous incorporation of boron doping during the diamond synthesis carried out either with high-pressure sintering of crystals or by chemical vapour deposition (CVD) of films. With these methods, high boron concentration can be included without distorting significantly the diamond crystalline lattice. However, it is complicated to manufacture boron-doped microstructures. A promising alternative to produce such microstructures could be the implantation of focused high-energy boron ions, although boron fluences are limited by the damage produced in diamond. In this work, the effect of focused high-energy boron ion implantation in single crystals of diamond is studied under different irradiation fluences and conditions. Micro-Raman spectra of the sample were measured before and after annealing at 1000 °C as a function of irradiation fluence, for both superficial and buried boron implantation, to assess the changes in the diamond lattice by the creation of vacancies and defects and their degree of recovery after annealing.

Tuning the p-type Schottky barrier in 2D metal/semiconductor interface:boron-sheet on MoSe2, and WSe2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Couto, W. R. M.; Miwa, R. H.; Fazzio, A.

2017-10-01

Van der Waals (vdW) metal/semiconductor heterostructures have been investigated through first-principles calculations. We have considered the recently synthesized borophene (Mannix et al 2015 Science 350 1513), and the planar boron sheets (S1 and S2) (Feng et al 2016 Nat. Chem. 8 563) as the 2D metal layer, and the transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) MoSe2, and WSe2 as the semiconductor monolayer. We find that the energetic stability of those 2D metal/semiconductor heterojunctions is mostly ruled by the vdW interactions; however, chemical interactions also take place in borophene/TMDC. The electronic charge transfer at the metal/semiconductor interface has been mapped, where we find a a net charge transfer from the TMDCs to the boron sheets. Further electronic structure calculations reveal that the metal/semiconductor interfaces, composed by planar boron sheets S1 and S2, present a p-type Schottky barrier which can be tuned to a p-type ohmic contact by an external electric field.

Experimental realization of two-dimensional boron sheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Baojie; Zhang, Jin; Zhong, Qing; Li, Wenbin; Li, Shuai; Li, Hui; Cheng, Peng; Meng, Sheng; Chen, Lan; Wu, Kehui

2016-06-01

A variety of two-dimensional materials have been reported in recent years, yet single-element systems such as graphene and black phosphorus have remained rare. Boron analogues have been predicted, as boron atoms possess a short covalent radius and the flexibility to adopt sp2 hybridization, features that favour the formation of two-dimensional allotropes, and one example of such a borophene material has been reported recently. Here, we present a parallel experimental work showing that two-dimensional boron sheets can be grown epitaxially on a Ag(111) substrate. Two types of boron sheet, a β12 sheet and a χ3 sheet, both exhibiting a triangular lattice but with different arrangements of periodic holes, are observed by scanning tunnelling microscopy. Density functional theory simulations agree well with experiments, and indicate that both sheets are planar without obvious vertical undulations. The boron sheets are quite inert to oxidization and interact only weakly with their substrate. We envisage that such boron sheets may find applications in electronic devices in the future.

Growth of boron-doped few-layer graphene by molecular beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soares, G. V.; Nakhaie, S.; Heilmann, M.; Riechert, H.; Lopes, J. M. J.

2018-04-01

We investigated the growth of boron-doped few-layer graphene on α-Al2O3 (0001) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy using two different growth approaches: one where boron was provided during the entire graphene synthesis and the second where boron was provided only during the second half of the graphene growth run. Electrical measurements show a higher p-type carrier concentration for samples fabricated utilizing the second approach, with a remarkable modulation in the carrier concentration of almost two orders of magnitude in comparison to the pristine graphene film. The results concerning the influence of the boron flux at different growth stages of graphene on the electrical and physicochemical properties of the films are presented.

Syntheses of super-hard boron-rich solids in the B-C-N-O system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hubert, Herve Pierre

Alpha-rhombohedral (alpha-rh.) B-rich materials belonging to the B-C-N-O system were prepared using high-pressure, high-temperature techniques. The samples were synthesized using a multianvil device and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and parallel electron energy-loss spectroscopy (PEELS). In the B-O system, the formation of BsbxO materials produced from mixtures of B and Bsb2Osb3 between 1 to 10 GPa and 1000 to 1800sp°C was investigated. Graphitic and diamond-like Bsb2O, reported in previous studies, were not detected. The refractory boron suboxide, nominally Bsb6O, which has the alpha-rh. B structure, is the dominant suboxide in the P and T range of our investigation. High-pressure techniques were used successfully to synthesize boron suboxide of improved purity and crystallinity, and less oxygen-deficient (i.e., closer to the nominal Bsb6O composition) in comparison to room-pressure syntheses. Quantitative analyses indicate compositions of Bsb6Osb{0.95} and Bsb6Osb{0.77} for high-pressure and room-pressure samples, respectively. The first preparation, between 4 to 5.5 GPa, of Bsb6O in which the preferred form of the material is as macroscopic near-perfect regular icosahedra (to 30 mum in diameter) is reported. The Bsb6O icosahedra are similar to the multiply-twinned particles observed in some cubic materials. However, a major difference is that Bsb6O has a rhombohedral structure that closely fits the geometrical requirements for obtaining icosahedral twins. The Bsb6O grains are neither 3D-periodic nor quasicrystalline. Their formation can be described as a Mackay packing of icosahedral Bsb{12} units and provides an alternative to crystal formation by propagation of translational symmetry. Icosahedral twins ranging from 20 nm to 30 mum in diameter, as well as micron-sized euhedral crystals (to 40 mum) were prepared. The structural similarity of compounds with the alpha-rh. B structure is thought to lead to solid solution. In the B-C-O system, intermediate phases were prepared showing evidence of solid solution between Bsb4C and Bsb6O. Boron carbide crystals containing a significant amount of O, typically Bsb6Csb{1.1}Osb{0.33} and Bsb6Csb{1.28}Osb{0.31}, were grown to 20 mum in diameter from mixtures in which B and C were reacted with excess Bsb2Osb3 at 7.5 GPa and 1700sp°C. Cyclic five-fold twins or twins that approximate Bsb6O icosahedra were observed, but the cell dimensions of the B-C-O materials preclude the formation of icosahedral twins. Nanorods with composition near Bsb6C with minor O were grown in a Bsb2Osb3 melt. The mechanism controlling the growth of the nanorods is similar to the solution-liquid-solid (SLS) process. The first conclusive bulk synthesis of a new boron nitride, Bsb6Nsb1-x, was obtained by reacting B and hexagonal BN at 7.5 GPa and 1700sp°C. XRD and PEELS substantiate that this material has a structure related to that of alpha-rh. B and chemical analysis of this compound showed an average composition of Bsb6Nsb{0.92}.

Defect-Based Modulation of Optoelectronic Properties for Biofunctionalized Hexagonal Boron Nitride Nanosheets.

PubMed

Shakourian-Fard, Mehdi; Heydari, Hadiseh; Kamath, Ganesh

2017-09-06

Defect engineering potentially allows for dramatic tuning of the optoelectronic properties of two-dimensional materials. With the help of DFT calculations, a systematic study of DNA nucleobases adsorbed on hexagonal boron-nitride nanoflakes (h-BNNFs) with boron (V B ) and nitrogen (V N ) monovacancies is presented. The presence of V N and V B defects increases the binding strength of nucleobases by 9 and 34 kcal mol -1 , respectively (h-BNNF-V B >h-BNNF-V N >h-BNNF). A more negative electrostatic potential at the V B site makes the h-BNNF-V B surface more reactive than that of h-BNNF-V N , enabling H-bonding interactions with nucleobases. This binding energy difference affects the recovery time-a significant factor for developing DNA biosensors-of the surfaces in the order h-BNNF-V B >h-BNNF-V N >h-BNNF. The presence of V B and V N defect sites increases the electrical conductivity of the h-BNNF surface, V N defects being more favorable than V B sites. The blueshift of absorption peaks of the h-BNNF-V B -nucleobase complexes, in contrast to the redshift observed for h-BNNF-V N -nucleobase complexes, is attributed to their observed differences in binding energies, the HOMO-LUMO energy gap and other optoelectronic properties. Time-dependent DFT calculations reveal that the monovacant boron-nitride-sheet-nucleobase composites absorb visible light in the range 300-800 nm, thus making them suitable for light-emitting devices and sensing nucleobases in the visible region. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Low-temperature sequential pulsed chemical vapor deposition of ternary B{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}N and B{sub x}In{sub 1-x}N thin film alloys

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

Haider, Ali, E-mail: ali.haider@bilkent.edu.tr, E-mail: biyikli@unam.bilkent.edu.tr; Kizir, Seda; Ozgit-Akgun, Cagla

In this work, the authors have performed sequential pulsed chemical vapor deposition of ternary B{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}N and B{sub x}In{sub 1-x}N alloys at a growth temperature of 450 °C. Triethylboron, triethylgallium, trimethylindium, and N{sub 2} or N{sub 2}/H{sub 2} plasma have been utilized as boron, gallium, indium, and nitrogen precursors, respectively. The authors have studied the compositional dependence of structural, optical, and morphological properties of B{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}N and B{sub x}In{sub 1-x}N ternary thin film alloys. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction measurements showed that boron incorporation in wurtzite lattice of GaN and InN diminishes the crystallinity of B{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}N and B{submore » x}In{sub 1-x}N sample. Refractive index decreased from 2.24 to 1.65 as the B concentration of B{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}N increased from 35% to 88%. Similarly, refractive index of B{sub x}In{sub 1-x}N changed from 1.98 to 1.74 for increase in B concentration value from 32% to 87%, respectively. Optical transmission band edge values of the B{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}N and B{sub x}In{sub 1-x}N films shifted to lower wavelengths with increasing boron content, indicating the tunability of energy band gap with alloy composition. Atomic force microscopy measurements revealed an increase in surface roughness with boron concentration of B{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}N, while an opposite trend was observed for B{sub x}In{sub 1-x}N thin films.« less

Polytype transition of N-face GaN:Mg from wurtzite to zinc-blende

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monroy, E.; Hermann, M.; Sarigiannidou, E.; Andreev, T.; Holliger, P.; Monnoye, S.; Mank, H.; Daudin, B.; Eickhoff, M.

2004-10-01

We have investigated the polytype conversion of a GaN film from N-face wurtzite (2H) to zinc-blende (3C) structure due to Mg doping during growth by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy. Structural analysis by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and high-resolution x-ray diffraction measurement revealed alignment of the cubic phase with the [111] axis perpendicular to the substrate surface. The optical characteristics of GaN:Mg layers are shown to be very sensitive to the presence of the cubic polytype. For low Mg doping, photoluminescence is dominated by a phonon-replicated donor-acceptor pair at ˜3.25eV, related to the shallow Mg acceptor level, accompanied by a narrow excitonic emission. For high Mg doping, the photoluminescence spectra are also dominated by a line around 3.25eV, but this emission displays the behavior of excitonic luminescence from cubic GaN. A cubic-related donor-acceptor transition at ˜3.16eV is also observed, together with a broad blue band around 2.9eV, previously reported in heavily Mg-doped 3C-GaN(001).

Band gap engineering of BC2N for nanoelectronic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Wei Hong; Hamzah, Afiq; Ahmadi, Mohammad Taghi; Ismail, Razali

2017-12-01

The BC2N as an example of boron-carbon-nitride (BCN), has the analogous structure as the graphene and boron nitride. It is predicted to have controllable electronic properties. Therefore, the analytical study on the engineer-able band gap of the BC2N is carried out based on the schematic structure of BC2N. The Nearest Neighbour Tight Binding (NNTB) model is employed with the dispersion relation and the density of state (DOS) as the main band gap analysing parameter. The results show that the hopping integrals having the significant effect on the band gap, band structure and DOS of BC2N nanowire (BC2NNW) need to be taken into consideration. The presented model indicates consistent trends with the published computational results around the Dirac points with the extracted band gap of 0.12 eV. Also, it is distinguished that wide energy gap of boron nitride (BN) is successfully narrowed by this carbon doped material which assures the application of BC2N on the nanoelectronics and optoelectronics in the near future.

Synthesis of Continuous Boron Nitride Nanofibers by Electrospinning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xia; Wen, G.; Zhang, Tao; Xia, Long; Zhong, Bo; Fan, Shaoyu

Continuous boron nitride nanofibers (BNNFs) have been gotten by electrospinning. The appropriate precursor of BNNFs was electrospinned to green born nitride nanofibers (GBNNFs) with temperatures from 80°C to 100°C in the protection of N2. By successive heat treatments in N2, the organics in GBNNFs disappeared and BN ceramics nanofibers came into being. The average diameters of BNNFs by electrospinning are less than 10 μm

Effect of dietary boron on 5-fluorouracil induced oral mucositis in rats

PubMed Central

Aras, Mutan Hamdi; Sezer, Ufuk; Erkilic, Suna; Demir, Tuncer; Dagli, Seyda Nur

2013-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of boron on 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)–induced oral mucositis in rats. Materials and Methods: Sixty-four male Wistar albino rats were injected with 5-FU on days 1 and 3. The right cheek pouch mucosa was scratched with the tip of an 18-G needle, dragged twice in a linear movement, on days 3 and 5. The animals were randomly divided into two groups of 32: boron group (BG) and control group (CG). Rats in the CG did not receive any treatment, whereas the others were fed boron (3 mg·kg-1·day-1) by gavage. The animals were sacrificed on day 3 (n = 8), 6 (n = 8), 9 (n = 8), and 12 (n = 8), and the cheek pouch was removed for histopathological analysis. Results: On day 3, both groups showed necrosis and active inflammation, but the inflammation was mild in CG and moderate in BG. On day 6, both BG and CG showed necrosis; in the CG, there was moderate inflammation, and in the BG, there was severe inflammation and granulation tissue around the necrotic area. On day 9, re-epithelization began in both groups, and there were no differences between groups. Re-epithelization was complete in both groups on day 12. Conclusion: We found no beneficial effect of boron in healing oral mucositis. Additional research is warranted to elucidate the pathogenic inflammatory mechanisms involved in mucositis and the prophylactic and therapeutic roles of antioxidants. PMID:24926211

Electronic structure and optical property of boron doped semiconducting graphene nanoribbons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Aqing; Shao, Qingyi; Wang, Li; Deng, Feng

2011-08-01

We present a system study on the electronic structure and optical property of boron doped semiconducting graphene nanoribbons using the density functional theory. Energy band structure, density of states, deformation density, Mulliken popular and optical spectra are considered to show the special electronic structure of boron doped semiconducting graphene nanoribbons. The C-B bond form is discussed in detail. From our analysis it is concluded that the Fermi energy of boron doped semiconducting graphene nanoribbons gets lower than that of intrinsic semiconducting graphene nanoribbons. Our results also show that the boron doped semiconducting graphene nanoribbons behave as p-type semiconducting and that the absorption coefficient of boron doped armchair graphene nanoribbons is generally enhanced between 2.0 eV and 3.3 eV. Therefore, our results have a great significance in developing nano-material for fabricating the nano-photovoltaic devices.

Electric heater for nuclear fuel rod simulators

DOEpatents

McCulloch, Reginald W.; Morgan, Jr., Chester S.; Dial, Ralph E.

1982-01-01

The present invention is directed to an electric cartridge-type heater for use as a simulator for a nuclear fuel pin in reactor studies. The heater comprises an elongated cylindrical housing containing a longitudinally extending helically wound heating element with the heating element radially inwardly separated from the housing. Crushed cold-pressed preforms of boron nitride electrically insulate the heating element from the housing while providing good thermal conductivity. Crushed cold-pressed preforms of magnesia or a magnesia-15 percent boron nitride mixture are disposed in the cavity of the helical heating element. The coefficient of thermal expansion of the magnesia or the magnesia-boron nitride mixture is higher than that of the boron nitride disposed about the heating element for urging the boron nitride radially outwardly against the housing during elevated temperatures to assure adequate thermal contact between the housing and the boron nitride.

Epitaxy of boron phosphide on AlN, 4H-SiC, 3C-SiC and ZrB2 substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padavala, Balabalaji

The semiconductor boron phosphide (BP) has many outstanding features making it attractive for developing various electronic devices, including neutron detectors. In order to improve the efficiency of these devices, BP must have high crystal quality along with the best possible electrical properties. This research is focused on growing high quality crystalline BP films on a variety of superior substrates like AlN, 4H-SiC, 3C-SiC and ZrB2 by chemical vapor deposition. In particular, the influence of various parameters such as temperature, reactant flow rates, and substrate type and its crystalline orientation on the properties of BP films were studied in detail. Twin-free BP films were produced by depositing on off-axis 4H-SiC(0001) substrate tilted 4° toward [11¯00] and crystal symmetry matched zincblende 3C-SiC. BP crystalline quality improved at higher deposition temperature (1200°C) when deposited on AlN, 4H-SiC, whereas increased strain in 3C-SiC and increased boron segregation in ZrB2 at higher temperatures limited the best deposition temperature to below 1200°C. In addition, higher flow ratios of PH 3 to B2H6 resulted in smoother films and improved quality of BP on all substrates. The FWHM of the Raman peak (6.1 cm -1), XRD BP(111) peak FWHM (0.18°) and peak ratios of BP(111)/(200) = 5157 and BP(111)/(220) = 7226 measured on AlN/sapphire were the best values reported in the literature for BP epitaxial films. The undoped films on AlN/sapphire were n-type with a highest electron mobility of 37.8 cm2/V˙s and a lowest carrier concentration of 3.15x1018 cm -3. Raman imaging had lower values of FWHM (4.8 cm-1 ) and a standard deviation (0.56 cm-1) for BP films on AlN/sapphire compared to 4H-SiC, 3C-SiC substrates. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy revealed residual tensile strain in BP on 4H-SiC, 3C-SiC, ZrB2/4H-SiC, bulk AlN substrates while compressive strain was evident on AlN/sapphire and bulk ZrB2 substrates. Among the substrates studied, AlN/sapphire proved to be the best choice for BP epitaxy, even though it did not eliminate rotational twinning in BP. The substrates investigated in this work were found to be viable for BP epitaxy and show promising potential for further enhancement of BP properties.

a New Method to Measure 10B Uptake in Lung Adenocarcinoma in Hospital Bnct

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donegani, E. M.; Basilico, F.; Bolognini, D.; Borasio, P.; Capelli, E.; Cappelletti, P.; Chiari, P.; Frigerio, M.; Gelosa, S.; Giannini, G.; Hasan, S.; Mattera, A.; Mauri, P.; Monti, A. F.; Ostinelli, A.; Prest, M.; Vallazza, E.; Zanini, A.

2010-04-01

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a radiotherapic technique still under development that could become crucial in the fight against some types of cancer (extended ones, located near vital organs or radio resistant). This binary technique requires the administration to the patient of a boron delivery agent and the irradiation with a thermal neutron beam. The high LET particles produced in the 10B(n,α)7Li reaction are exploited to destroy the tumour cells. This work presents a new system based on neutron autoradiography with a non-depleted self-triggering microstrip silicon detector, using a neutron beam produced by a hospital Linac. The system is fast, real time and allows the detection of 10B contents down to 25 ng. The main results on the study of 10B uptake in biological samples will be described in terms of kinetic curves (10B uptake as a function of time).

Cytocompatibility evaluation of gum Arabic-coated ultra-pure boron nitride nanotubes on human cells.

PubMed

Ciofani, Gianni; Del Turco, Serena; Rocca, Antonella; de Vito, Giuseppe; Cappello, Valentina; Yamaguchi, Maho; Li, Xia; Mazzolai, Barbara; Basta, Giuseppina; Gemmi, Mauro; Piazza, Vincenzo; Golberg, Dmitri; Mattoli, Virgilio

2014-05-01

Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) are tubular nanoparticles with a structure analogous to that of carbon nanotubes, but with B and N atoms that completely replace the C atoms. Many favorable results indicate BNNTs as safe nanomaterials; however, important concerns have recently been raised about ultra-pure, long (~10 µm) BNNTs tested on several cell types. Here, we propose additional experiments with the same BNNTs, but shortened (~1.5 µm) with a homogenization/sonication treatment that allows for their dispersion in gum Arabic aqueous solutions. Obtained BNNTs are tested on human endothelial and neuron-like cells with several independent biocompatibility assays. Moreover, for the first time, their strong sum-frequency generation signal is exploited to assess the cellular uptake. Our data demonstrate no toxic effects up to concentrations of 20 µg/ml, once more confirming biosafety of BNNTs, and again highlighting that nanoparticle aspect ratio plays a key role in the biocompatibility evaluation.

Upgraded metallurgical-grade silicon solar cells with efficiency above 20%

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

Zheng, P.; Rougieux, F. E.; Samundsett, C.

We present solar cells fabricated with n-type Czochralski–silicon wafers grown with strongly compensated 100% upgraded metallurgical-grade feedstock, with efficiencies above 20%. The cells have a passivated boron-diffused front surface, and a rear locally phosphorus-diffused structure fabricated using an etch-back process. The local heavy phosphorus diffusion on the rear helps to maintain a high bulk lifetime in the substrates via phosphorus gettering, whilst also reducing recombination under the rear-side metal contacts. The independently measured results yield a peak efficiency of 20.9% for the best upgraded metallurgical-grade silicon cell and 21.9% for a control device made with electronic-grade float-zone silicon. The presencemore » of boron-oxygen related defects in the cells is also investigated, and we confirm that these defects can be partially deactivated permanently by annealing under illumination.« less

BN-C Hybrid Nanoribbons as Gas Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darvishi Gilan, Mahdi; Chegel, Raad

2018-02-01

The effects of carbon monoxide (CO) and ammonia (NH3) molecules adsorption on the various composites of boron nitride and graphene BN-C hybrid nanoribbons are investigated using the non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) technique based on density functional theory (DFT). The effects of adsorption with possible random configurations on the average of the density of states (DOS), transmission coefficient, and the current-voltage ( I- V) characteristics are calculated. The results indicate that, by embedding armchair graphene nanoribbon (AGNR) with boron nitride nanoribbon (BNNR), the various electronic properties can be observed after gas molecule adsorption. The electronic structure and gap of hybrids system is modified due to gas adsorption, and the systems act like the n-type semiconductor by NH3 molecule adsorption. The hybrid structures due to their tunable band gap are better candidates for gas detecting compared to the pristine BNNRs and AGNRs.

Synthesis and characterization of boron fenbufen and its F-18 labeled homolog for boron neutron capture therapy of COX-2 overexpressed cholangiocarcinoma.

PubMed

Yeh, Chun-Nan; Chang, Chi-Wei; Chung, Yi-Hsiu; Tien, Shi-Wei; Chen, Yong-Ren; Chen, Tsung-Wen; Huang, Ying-Cheng; Wang, Hsin-Ell; Chou, You-Cheng; Chen, Ming-Huang; Chiang, Kun-Chun; Huang, Wen-Sheng; Yu, Chung-Shan

2017-09-30

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a binary therapy that employs neutron irradiation on the boron agents to release high-energy helium and alpha particles to kill cancer cells. An optimal response to BNCT depends critically on the time point of maximal 10 B accumulation and highest tumor to normal ratio (T/N) for performing the neutron irradiation. The aggressive cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) representing a liver cancer that overexpresses COX-2 enzyme is aimed to be targeted by COX-2 selective boron carrier, fenbufen boronopinacol (FBPin). Two main works were performed including: 1) chemical synthesis of FBPin as the boron carrier and 2) radiochemical labeling with F-18 to provide the radiofluoro congener, m-[ 18 F]fluorofenbufen ester boronopinacol (m-[ 18 F]FFBPin), to assess the binding affinity, cellular accumulation level and distribution profile in CCA rats. FBPin was prepared from bromofenbufen via 3 steps with 82% yield. The binding assay employed [ 18 F]FFBPin to compete FBPin for binding to COX-1 (IC 50 =0.91±0.68μM) and COX-2 (IC 50 =0.33±0.24μM). [ 18 F]FFBPin-derived 60-min dynamic PET scans predict the 10 B-accumulation of 0.8-1.2ppm in liver and 1.2-1.8ppm in tumor and tumor to normal ratio=1.38±0.12. BNCT was performed 40-55min post intravenous administration of FBPin (20-30mg) in the CCA rats. CCA rats treated with BNCT display more tumor reduction than that by NCT with respect of 2-[ 18 F]fluoro-2-deoxy glucose uptake in the tumor region of interest, 20.83±3.00% (n=12) vs. 12.83±3.79% (n=10), P=0.05. The visualizing agent [ 18 F]FFBPin resembles FBPin to generate the time-dependent boron concentration profile. Optimal neutron irradiation period is thus determinable for BNCT. A boron-substituted agent based on COX-2-binding features has been prepared. The moderate COX-2/COX-1 selectivity index of 2.78 allows a fair tumor selectivity index of 1.38 with a mild cardiovascular effect. The therapeutic effect from FBPin with BNCT warrants a proper COX-2 targeting of boron NSAIDs. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

[Effect of drinking boron on microtructure of adrenal gland in rats].

PubMed

Li, Shenghe; Wang, Jue; Zhou, Jinxing; Jin, Guangming; Gu, Youfang; Xu, Wanxiang

2012-09-01

The effects of drinking boron exposure on the mass, organ indexes and structure of adrenal gland were studied in the paper. Methods 192 Sprague-Dawley rats (28 +/- 2 days) with no bacteria infecting were divided into six groups (n = 32, male = female) randomly. Treated rats drunk the distilled water which supplemented with boron of 0, 40, 80, 160, 320 and 640 mg/L, respectively, for 60 days. At the 30th and the 60th day of experiment, 16 rats (n = 8, male = female) of each group were selected and made into narcosis with 10% Chloral Hydrate. The adrenal glands were obtained, weighted and fixed after dissection, then the samples were made into paraffin sections, stained with HE stain and chromaffin, observed and photographed by Olympus CH-30 microphotograph system. Compared with control group, the average mass of adrenal gland of male rats in each experiment group decreased significantly or most significantly at the 30th day of experiment (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), but the index of adrenal gland of male rats in the group of 640 mg/L boron at 60th day of experiment increased significantly (P < 0.05). Under the microscope, the microstructure of adrenal gland of rats in the group of 40 mg/L boron were better obviously than control group, and the numbers of chromaffin granules in chromaffin cell increased obviously. The histopathological changes of different degree could be observed in the group of 80 to 640 mg/L boron, and they became remarkable with the boron supplementation. By comparative observation, the damage of cells in adrenal medulla appeared ahead of them in adrenal cortex, and the pathological change of adrenal gland in male rats were obvious than female rats. Drinking supplemented with 40 mg/L boron could prompt the structure of adrenal gland in rats, but could cause different degree damage, or even obvious toxic effect when the concentration of boron supplementation in drinking from 80 to 640 mg/L.

Evaluation of Process Performance for Sustainable Hard Machining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rotella, Giovanna; Umbrello, Domenico; , Oscar W. Dillon, Jr.; Jawahir, I. S.

This paper aims to evaluate the sustainability performance of machining operation of through-hardening steel, AISI 52100, taking into account the impact of the material removal process in its various aspects. Experiments were performed for dry and cryogenic cutting conditions using chamfered cubic boron nitride (CBN) tool inserts at varying cutting conditions (cutting speed and feed rate). Cutting forces, mechanical power, tool wear, white layer thickness, surface roughness and residual stresses were investigated in order to evaluate the effects of extreme in-process cooling on the machined surface. The results indicate that cryogenic cooling has the potential to be used for surface integrity enhancement for improved product life and more sustainable functional performance.

Novel semiconducting boron carbide/pyridine polymers for neutron detection at zero bias

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Echeverría, Elena; James, Robinson; Chiluwal, Umesh; Pasquale, Frank L.; Colón Santana, Juan A.; Gapfizi, Richard; Tae, Jae-Do; Driver, M. Sky; Enders, A.; Kelber, Jeffry A.; Dowben, P. A.

2015-01-01

Thin films containing aromatic pyridine moieties bonded to boron, in the partially dehydrogenated boron-rich icosahedra (B10C2HX), prove to be an effective material for neutron detection applications when deposited on n-doped (100) silicon substrates. The characteristic I-V curves for the heterojunction diodes exhibit strong rectification and largely unperturbed normalized reverse bias leakage currents with increasing pyridine content. The neutron capture generated pulses from these heterojunction diodes were obtained at zero bias voltage although without the signatures of complete electron-hole collection. These results suggest that modifications to boron carbide may result in better neutron voltaic materials.

Rapid direct conversion of Cu2-xSe to CuAgSe nanoplatelets via ion exchange reactions at room temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moroz, N. A.; Olvera, A.; Willis, G. M.; Poudeu, P. F. P.

2015-05-01

The use of template nanostructures for the creation of photovoltaic and thermoelectric semiconductors is becoming a quickly expanding synthesis strategy. In this work we report a simple two-step process enabling the formation of ternary CuAgSe nanoplatelets with a great degree of control over the composition and shape. Starting with hexagonal nanoplatelets of cubic Cu2-xSe, ternary CuAgSe nanoplatelets were generated through a rapid ion exchange reaction at 300 K using AgNO3 solution. The Cu2-xSe nanoplatelet template and the final CuAgSe nanoplatelets were analyzed by electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). It was found that both the low temperature pseudotetragonal and the high temperature cubic forms of CuAgSe phase were created while maintaining the morphology of the Cu2-xSe nanoplatelet template. Thermal and electronic transport measurements of hot-pressed pellets of the synthesized CuAgSe nanoplatelets showed a drastic reduction in the thermal conductivity and a sharp transition from n-type (S = -45 μV K-1) to p-type (S = +200 μV K-1) semiconducting behavior upon heating above the structural transition from the low temperature orthorhombic to the high temperature super-ionic cubic phase. This simple reaction process utilizing a template nanostructure matrix represents an energy efficient, cost-efficient, and versatile strategy to create interesting materials with lower defect density and superior thermoelectric performance.The use of template nanostructures for the creation of photovoltaic and thermoelectric semiconductors is becoming a quickly expanding synthesis strategy. In this work we report a simple two-step process enabling the formation of ternary CuAgSe nanoplatelets with a great degree of control over the composition and shape. Starting with hexagonal nanoplatelets of cubic Cu2-xSe, ternary CuAgSe nanoplatelets were generated through a rapid ion exchange reaction at 300 K using AgNO3 solution. The Cu2-xSe nanoplatelet template and the final CuAgSe nanoplatelets were analyzed by electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). It was found that both the low temperature pseudotetragonal and the high temperature cubic forms of CuAgSe phase were created while maintaining the morphology of the Cu2-xSe nanoplatelet template. Thermal and electronic transport measurements of hot-pressed pellets of the synthesized CuAgSe nanoplatelets showed a drastic reduction in the thermal conductivity and a sharp transition from n-type (S = -45 μV K-1) to p-type (S = +200 μV K-1) semiconducting behavior upon heating above the structural transition from the low temperature orthorhombic to the high temperature super-ionic cubic phase. This simple reaction process utilizing a template nanostructure matrix represents an energy efficient, cost-efficient, and versatile strategy to create interesting materials with lower defect density and superior thermoelectric performance. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr01451d

Mechanical and Thermophysical Properties of Cubic Rock-Salt AlN Under High Pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lebga, Noudjoud; Daoud, Salah; Sun, Xiao-Wei; Bioud, Nadhira; Latreche, Abdelhakim

2018-03-01

Density functional theory, density functional perturbation theory, and the Debye model have been used to investigate the structural, elastic, sound velocity, and thermodynamic properties of AlN with cubic rock-salt structure under high pressure, yielding the equilibrium structural parameters, equation of state, and elastic constants of this interesting material. The isotropic shear modulus, Pugh ratio, and Poisson's ratio were also investigated carefully. In addition, the longitudinal, transverse, and average elastic wave velocities, phonon contribution to the thermal conductivity, and interesting thermodynamic properties were predicted and analyzed in detail. The results demonstrate that the behavior of the elastic wave velocities under increasing hydrostatic pressure explains the hardening of the corresponding phonons. Based on the elastic stability criteria under pressure, it is found that AlN with cubic rock-salt structure is mechanically stable, even at pressures up to 100 GPa. Analysis of the Pugh ratio and Poisson's ratio revealed that AlN with cubic rock-salt structure behaves in brittle manner.

Planar CoB18- Cluster: a New Motif for - and Metallo-Borophenes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Teng-Teng; Jian, Tian; Lopez, Gary; Li, Wan-Lu; Chen, Xin; Li, Jun; Wang, Lai-Sheng

2016-06-01

Combined Photoelectron Spectroscopy (PES) and theoretical calculations have found that anion boron clusters (Bn-) are planar and quasi-planar up to B25-. Recent works show that anion pure boron clusters continued to be planar at B27-,B30-,B35- and B36-. B35- and B36- provide the first experimental evidence for the viability of the two-dimensional (2D) boron sheets (Borophene). The 2D to three-dimensional (3D) transitions are shown to happen at B40-,B39- and B28-, which possess cage-like structures. These fullerene-like boron cage clusters are named as Borospherene. Recently, borophenes or similar structures are claimed to be synthesized by several groups. Following an electronic design principle, a series of transition-metal-doped boron clusters (M©Bn-, n=8-10) are found to possess the monocyclic wheel structures. Meanwhile, CoB12- and RhB12- are revealed to adopt half-sandwich-type structures with the quasi-planar B12 moiety similar to the B12- cluster. Very lately, we show that the CoB16- cluster possesses a highly symmetric Cobalt-centered drum-like structure, with a new record of coordination number at 16. Here we report the CoB18- cluster to possess a unique planar structure, in which the Co atom is doped into the network of a planar boron cluster. PES reveals that the CoB18- cluster is a highly stable electronic system with the first adiabatic detachment energy (ADE) at 4.0 eV. Global minimum searches along with high-level quantum calculations show the global minimum for CoB18- is perfectly planar and closed shell (1A1) with C2v symmetry. The Co atom is bonded with 7 boron atoms in the closest coordination shell and the other 11 boron atoms in the outer coordination shell. The calculated vertical detachment energy (VDE) values match quite well with our experimental results. Chemical bonding analysis by the Adaptive Natural Density Partitioning (AdNDP) method shows the CoB18- cluster is π-aromatic with four 4-centered-2-electron (4c-2e) π bonds and one 19-centered-2-electron (19c-2e) π bond, 10 π electrons in total. This perfectly planar structure reveals the viability of creating a new class of hetero-borophenes and metallo-borophenes by doping metal atoms into the plane of monolayer boron atoms. This gives a new approach to design perspective hetero-borophenes and metallo-borophenes materials with tunable chemical, magnetic and optical properties.

Modeling of Laser Vaporization and Plume Chemistry in a Boron Nitride Nanotube Production Rig

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gnoffo, Peter A.; Fay, Catharine C.

2012-01-01

Flow in a pressurized, vapor condensation (PVC) boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) production rig is modeled. A laser provides a thermal energy source to the tip of a boron ber bundle in a high pressure nitrogen chamber causing a plume of boron-rich gas to rise. The buoyancy driven flow is modeled as a mixture of thermally perfect gases (B, B2, N, N2, BN) in either thermochemical equilibrium or chemical nonequilibrium assuming steady-state melt and vaporization from a 1 mm radius spot at the axis of an axisymmetric chamber. The simulation is intended to define the macroscopic thermochemical environment from which boron-rich species, including nanotubes, condense out of the plume. Simulations indicate a high temperature environment (T > 4400K) for elevated pressures within 1 mm of the surface sufficient to dissociate molecular nitrogen and form BN at the base of the plume. Modifications to Program LAURA, a finite-volume based solver for hypersonic flows including coupled radiation and ablation, are described to enable this simulation. Simulations indicate that high pressure synthesis conditions enable formation of BN vapor in the plume that may serve to enhance formation of exceptionally long nanotubes in the PVC process.

High-Efficiency Silicon Carbide (SiC) Converters. Delivery Order 0001: Development of High-Temperature, High-Power, High-Efficiency, High-Voltage Converters Using Silicon Carbide

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-03-01

32 Silicon Dioxide as a Mask ......................................................... 34 Silicon Nitride as a Mask...phosphorous (P), and arsenic (As) for n-type material and aluminum (Al), boron (B), beryllium (Be), gallium (Ga), oxygen (O), and scandium (Sc) for...O2 in carbon tetrafluoride (CF4), nitrogen trifluoride (NF3), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) were observed because these gases produce high fluorine

Self-organization of dendritic supermolecules, based on isocyanide-gold(I), -copper(I), -palladium(II), and -platinum(II) complexes, into micellar cubic mesophases.

PubMed

Coco, Silverio; Cordovilla, Carlos; Donnio, Bertrand; Espinet, Pablo; García-Casas, María Jesús; Guillon, Daniel

2008-01-01

First- and second-generation dendrimers with an isocyanide group as the focal functional point (CN-G(n); n: 1,2) and their corresponding organometallic complexes [MCl(CN-G(n))] (M: Au, Cu), [{CuCl(CN-G(n))2}2], and trans-[MI2(CN-G(n))2] (M: Pd, Pt) have been synthesized. The free ligands and the first-generation complexes do not show mesogenic behavior, but all of the second-generation complexes display a thermotropic micellar cubic mesophase, over a large temperature range, and some of them directly at room temperature. The structure of the mesophase consists of the packing of two, discrete polyhedral micellar aggregates in a three-dimensional cubic Im$\\bar 3$m lattice.

Effect of MoO3 on the synthesis of boron nitride nanotubes over Fe and Ni catalysts.

PubMed

Nithya, Jeghan Shrine Maria; Pandurangan, Arumugam

2012-05-01

Synthesis of boron nitride nanotubes at reduced temperature is important for industrial manufactures. In this study boron nitride nanotubes were synthesized by thermal evaporation method using B/Fe2O3/MoO3 and B/Ni2O3/MoO3 mixtures separately with ammonia as the nitrogen source. The growth of boron nitride nanotubes occurred at 1100 degrees C, which was relatively lower than other metal oxides assisted growth processes requiring higher than 1200 degrees C. MoO3 promoted formation of B2O2 and aided boron nitride nanotubes growth at a reduced temperature. The boron nitride nanotubes with bamboo shaped, nested cone structured and straight tubes like forms were evident from the high resolution transmission electron microscopy. Metallic Fe and Ni, formed during the process, were the catalysts for the growth of boron nitride nanotubes. Their formation was established by X-ray diffraction. FT Raman showed a peak due to B-N vibration of BNNTs close to 1370 cm(-1). Hence MoO3 assisted growth of boron nitride nanotubes is advantageous, as it significantly reduced the synthesis temperature.

Stimulation of bone formation by dietary boron in an orthopedically expanded suture in rabbits.

PubMed

Uysal, Tancan; Ustdal, Ayca; Sonmez, Mehmet Fatih; Ozturk, Figen

2009-09-01

To evaluate the effects of dietary boron on bone regeneration in rabbits in response to expansion of the midpalatal suture during different retention periods. Twenty-eight 12-week-old New Zealand white male rabbits were separated into four equal groups: group 1 (B+10) and group 2 (B-10) had retention periods of 10 days with or without boron intake, respectively. Group 3 (B+20, with boron) and group 4 (B-20, without boron) were retained for 20 days. All groups had a 5-day expansion period. For both B+ groups, boron was prepared in distilled water and given to the rabbits during their (1) nursery phase (40 days), (2) expansion phase, and (3) retention period at a dosage of 3 mg/kg daily by oral gavage. Bone regeneration in the midpalatal suture was evaluated by a bone histomorphometric method, and the mineralized area (Md.Ar), fibrosis area (Fb.Ar), mineralized area/fibrosis area (Md.Ar/Fb.Ar), bone area (B.Ar) and osteoblast number (N.Ob) parameters were evaluated. Statistical analysis showed significant differences between groups for all investigated measurements. Md.Ar (P < .01), Md.Ar/Fb.Ar (P < .001), B.Ar (P < .01), and N.Ob (P < .01) parameters were increased and Fb.Ar (P < .01) was decreased in groups B+10 and B+20. No significant differences were observed during an additional 10-day retention period in all groups (P < .05). Boron has a positive effect on the early phase of bone regeneration of the midpalatal suture in response to expansion and may be beneficial in routine maxillary expansion procedures.

Phase stability and mechanical properties of Mo1-xNx with 0 ≤ x ≤ 1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balasubramanian, Karthik; Huang, Liping; Gall, Daniel

2017-11-01

First-principle density-functional calculations coupled with the USPEX evolutionary phase-search algorithm are employed to calculate the convex hull of the Mo-N binary system. Eight molybdenum nitride compound phases are found to be thermodynamically stable: tetragonal β-Mo3N, hexagonal δ-Mo3N2, cubic γ-Mo11N8, orthorhombic ɛ-Mo4N3, cubic γ-Mo14N11, monoclinic σ-MoN and σ-Mo2N3, and hexagonal δ-MoN2. The convex hull is a straight line for 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.44 such that bcc Mo and the five listed compound phases with x ≤ 0.44 are predicted to co-exist in thermodynamic equilibrium. Comparing the convex hulls of cubic and hexagonal Mo1-xNx indicates that cubic structures are preferred for molybdenum rich (x < 0.3) compounds, and hexagonal phases are favored for nitrogen rich (x > 0.5) compositions, while similar formation enthalpies for cubic and hexagonal phases at intermediate x = 0.3-0.5 imply that kinetic factors play a crucial role in the phase formation. The volume per atom Vo of the thermodynamically stable Mo1-xNx phases decreases from 13.17 to 9.56 Å3 as x increases from 0.25 to 0.67, with plateaus at Vo = 11.59 Å3 for hexagonal and cubic phases and Vo = 10.95 Å3 for orthorhombic and monoclinic phases. The plateaus are attributed to the changes in the average coordination numbers of molybdenum and nitrogen atoms, which increase from 2 to 6 and decrease from 6 to 4, respectively, indicating an increasing covalent bonding character with increasing x. The change in bonding character and the associated phase change from hexagonal to cubic/orthorhombic to monoclinic cause steep increases in the isotropic elastic modulus E = 387-487 GPa, the shear modulus G = 150-196 GPa, and the hardness H = 14-24 GPa in the relatively narrow composition range x = 0.4-0.5. This also causes a drop in Poisson's ratio from 0.29 to 0.24 and an increase in Pugh's ratio from 0.49 to 0.64, indicating a ductile-to-brittle transition between x = 0.44 and 0.5.

Thermal Stability of Hi-Nicalon SiC Fiber in Nitrogen and Silicon Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhatt, R. T.; Garg, A.

1995-01-01

The room temperature tensile strength of uncoated and two types of pyrolytic boron nitride coated (PBN and Si-rich PBN) Hi-Nicalon SiC fibers was determined after 1 to 400 hr heat treatments to 1800 C under N2 pressures of 0.1, 2, and 4 MPa, and under 0.1 Mpa argon and vacuum environments. In addition, strength stability of both uncoated and coated fibers embedded in silicon powder and exposed to 0.1 MPa N2 for 24 hrs at temperatures to 1400 C was investigated. The uncoated and both types of BN coated fibers exposed to N2 for 1 hr showed noticeable strength degradation above 1400 C and 1600 C, respectively. The strength degradation appeared independent of nitrogen pressure, time of heat treatment, and surface coatings. TEM microstructural analysis suggests that flaws created due to SiC grain growth are responsible for the strength degradation. In contact with silicon powder, the uncoated and both types of PBN coated fibers degrade rapidly above 1350 C.

Temporally and spatially resolved plasma spectroscopy in pulsed laser deposition of ultra-thin boron nitride films

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

Glavin, Nicholas R., E-mail: nicholas.glavin.1@us.af.mil, E-mail: andrey.voevodin@us.af.mil; School of Mechanical Engineering and Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907; Muratore, Christopher

2015-04-28

Physical vapor deposition (PVD) has recently been investigated as a viable, alternative growth technique for two-dimensional materials with multiple benefits over other vapor deposition synthesis methods. The high kinetic energies and chemical reactivities of the condensing species formed from PVD processes can facilitate growth over large areas and at reduced substrate temperatures. In this study, chemistry, kinetic energies, time of flight data, and spatial distributions within a PVD plasma plume ablated from a boron nitride (BN) target by a KrF laser at different pressures of nitrogen gas were investigated. Time resolved spectroscopy and wavelength specific imaging were used to identifymore » and track atomic neutral and ionized species including B{sup +}, B*, N{sup +}, N*, and molecular species including N{sub 2}*, N{sub 2}{sup +}, and BN. Formation and decay of these species formed both from ablation of the target and from interactions with the background gas were investigated and provided insights into fundamental growth mechanisms of continuous, amorphous boron nitride thin films. The correlation of the plasma diagnostic results with film chemical composition and thickness uniformity studies helped to identify that a predominant mechanism for BN film formation is condensation surface recombination of boron ions and neutral atomic nitrogen species. These species arrive nearly simultaneously to the substrate location, and BN formation occurs microseconds before arrival of majority of N{sup +} ions generated by plume collisions with background molecular nitrogen. The energetic nature and extended dwelling time of incident N{sup +} ions at the substrate location was found to negatively impact resulting BN film stoichiometry and thickness. Growth of stoichiometric films was optimized at enriched concentrations of ionized boron and neutral atomic nitrogen in plasma near the condensation surface, providing few nanometer thick films with 1:1 BN stoichiometry and good thicknesses uniformity over macroscopic areas.« less

Handheld Delivery System for Modified Boron-Type Fire Extinguishment Agent

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-11-01

was to develop and test a handheld portable delivery system for use with the modified boron-type fire extinguishing agent for metal fires . B...BACKGROUND A need exists for an extinguishing agent and accompanying delivery system that are effective against complex geometry metal fires . A modified...agent and its delivery system have proven effective against complex geometry metal fires containing up to 200 pounds of magnesium metal. Further

MIDA boronates are hydrolysed fast and slow by two different mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzalez, Jorge A.; Ogba, O. Maduka; Morehouse, Gregory F.; Rosson, Nicholas; Houk, Kendall N.; Leach, Andrew G.; Cheong, Paul H.-Y.; Burke, Martin D.; Lloyd-Jones, Guy C.

2016-11-01

MIDA boronates (N-methylimidodiacetic boronic acid esters) serve as an increasingly general platform for small-molecule construction based on building blocks, largely because of the dramatic and general rate differences with which they are hydrolysed under various basic conditions. Yet the mechanistic underpinnings of these rate differences have remained unclear, which has hindered efforts to address the current limitations of this chemistry. Here we show that there are two distinct mechanisms for this hydrolysis: one is base mediated and the other neutral. The former can proceed more than three orders of magnitude faster than the latter, and involves a rate-limiting attack by a hydroxide at a MIDA carbonyl carbon. The alternative ‘neutral’ hydrolysis does not require an exogenous acid or base and involves rate-limiting B-N bond cleavage by a small water cluster, (H2O)n. The two mechanisms can operate in parallel, and their relative rates are readily quantified by 18O incorporation. Whether hydrolysis is ‘fast’ or ‘slow’ is dictated by the pH, the water activity and the mass-transfer rates between phases. These findings stand to enable, in a rational way, an even more effective and widespread utilization of MIDA boronates in synthesis.

Energetics of cubic and hexagonal phases in Mn-doped GaN : First-principles pseudopotential calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Eun-Ae; Kang, Joongoo; Chang, K. J.

2006-12-01

We perform first-principles pseudopotential calculations to study the influence of Mn doping on the stability of two polytypes, wurtzite and zinc-blende, in GaN . In Mn δ -doped GaN and GaMnN alloys, we find similar critical concentrations of the Mn ions for stabilizing the zinc-blende phase against the wurtzite phase. Using a slab geometry of hexagonal lattices, we find that it is energetically unfavorable to form inversion domains with Mn exposure, in contrast to Mg doping. At the initial stage of epitaxial growth, a stacking fault that leads to the cubic bonds can be generated with the Mn exposure to the Ga-polar surface. However, the influence of the Mn δ -doped layer on the formation of the cubic phase is only effective for GaN layers deposited up to two monolayers. We find that the Mn ions are energetically more stable on the growth front than in the bulk, indicating that these ions act as a surfactant. Thus it is possible to grow cubic GaN if the Mn ions are periodically supplied or diffuse out from the Mn δ -doped layer to the growth front during the growth process.

Geant4 beam model for boron neutron capture therapy: investigation of neutron dose components.

PubMed

Moghaddasi, Leyla; Bezak, Eva

2018-03-01

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a biochemically-targeted type of radiotherapy, selectively delivering localized dose to tumour cells diffused in normal tissue, while minimizing normal tissue toxicity. BNCT is based on thermal neutron capture by stable [Formula: see text]B nuclei resulting in emission of short-ranged alpha particles and recoil [Formula: see text]Li nuclei. The purpose of the current work was to develop and validate a Monte Carlo BNCT beam model and to investigate contribution of individual dose components resulting of neutron interactions. A neutron beam model was developed in Geant4 and validated against published data. The neutron beam spectrum, obtained from literature for a cyclotron-produced beam, was irradiated to a water phantom with boron concentrations of 100 μg/g. The calculated percentage depth dose curves (PDDs) in the phantom were compared with published data to validate the beam model in terms of total and boron depth dose deposition. Subsequently, two sensitivity studies were conducted to quantify the impact of: (1) neutron beam spectrum, and (2) various boron concentrations on the boron dose component. Good agreement was achieved between the calculated and measured neutron beam PDDs (within 1%). The resulting boron depth dose deposition was also in agreement with measured data. The sensitivity study of several boron concentrations showed that the calculated boron dose gradually converged beyond 100 μg/g boron concentration. This results suggest that 100μg/g tumour boron concentration may be optimal and above this value limited increase in boron dose is expected for a given neutron flux.

Characterization of Boron Contamination in Fluorine Implantation using Boron Trifluoride as a Source Material

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

Schmeide, Matthias; Kondratenko, Serguei

2011-01-07

Fluorine implantation process purity was considered on different types of high current implanters. It was found that implanters equipped with an indirectly heated cathode ion source show an enhanced deep boron contamination compared to a high current implanter using a cold RF-driven multicusp ion source when boron trifluoride is used for fluorine implantations. This contamination is directly related to the source technology and thus, should be considered potentially for any implanter design using hot cathode/hot filament ion source, independently of the manufacturer.The boron contamination results from the generation of double charged boron ions in the arc chamber and the subsequentmore » charge exchange reaction to single charged boron ions taking place between the arc chamber and the extraction electrode. The generation of the double charged boron ions depends mostly on the source parameters, whereas the pressure in the region between the arc chamber and the extraction electrode is mostly responsible for the charge exchange from double charged to single charged ions. The apparent mass covers a wide range, starting at mass 11. A portion of boron ions with energies of (19/11) times higher than fluorine energy has the same magnetic rigidity as fluorine beam and cannot be separated by the analyzer magnet. The earlier described charge exchange effects between the extraction electrode and the entrance to the analyzer magnet, however, generates boron beam with a higher magnetic rigidity compared to fluorine beam and cannot cause boron contamination after mass-separation.The energetic boron contamination was studied as a function of the ion source parameters, such as gas flow, arc voltage, and source magnet settings, as well as analyzing magnet aperture resolution. This allows process optimization reducing boron contamination to the level acceptable for device performance.« less

2. Credit USAF, ca. 1945. Original housed in the Records ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

2. Credit USAF, ca. 1945. Original housed in the Records of the Defense Intelligence Agency. Record Group 373. National Archives. Cartographic and Architectural Branch. Washington, D.C. Oblique aerial photo 16PS5M79-1-0-48-4:3:1152:12:120003500N11745W looking roughly north northeast across North Base from a position over Rogers Dry Lake. Largest structures are hangars, beginning with Building 4305 (Unicon Portable Hangar) at view center and continuing to right with Buildings 4401 and 4402 (Type HANG-N-A hangars), with Building 4505 (Type HANG-P-A hangar) in the distance. Bachelor Officers' Quarters known as the "Desert Rat Hotel" (T-l) was located adjacent to Building 4305. - Edwards Air Force Base, North Base, North Base Road, Boron, Kern County, CA

Polymorphic one-dimensional (N2H4)2ZnTe: soluble precursors for the formation of hexagonal or cubic zinc telluride.

PubMed

Mitzi, David B

2005-10-03

Two hydrazine zinc(II) telluride polymorphs, (N2H4)2ZnTe, have been isolated, using ambient-temperature solution-based techniques, and the crystal structures determined: alpha-(N2H4)2ZnTe (1) [P21, a = 7.2157(4) Angstroms, b = 11.5439(6) Angstroms, c = 7.3909(4) Angstroms, beta = 101.296(1) degrees, Z = 4] and beta-(N2H4)2ZnTe (2) [Pn, a = 8.1301(5) Angstroms, b = 6.9580(5) Angstroms, c = 10.7380(7) Angstroms, beta = 91.703(1) degrees, Z = 4]. The zinc atoms in 1 and 2 are tetrahedrally bonded to two terminal hydrazine molecules and two bridging tellurium atoms, leading to the formation of extended one-dimensional (1-D) zinc telluride chains, with different chain conformations and packings distinguishing the two polymorphs. Thermal decomposition of (N2H4)2ZnTe first yields crystalline wurtzite (hexagonal) ZnTe at temperatures as low as 200 degrees C, followed by the more stable zinc blende (cubic) form at temperatures above 350 degrees C. The 1-D polymorphs are soluble in hydrazine and can be used as convenient precursors for the low-temperature solution processing of p-type ZnTe semiconducting films.

Manufacturing Methods for Process Effects on Aluminum Casting Allowables

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-03-01

silicon ingot (25% Si) 4 . Copper as copper shot 5. Manganese as aluminum manganese ingot (10% Mn) 6 . Titanium and boron as titanium -boron wire 7. Silver...in stock form 4 . Silver in granule form. 5. Manganese (10 percent) in button form 6 . 201 refining salt ( Titanium -Boron) Melt chemistry is adjusted to...FAFB, OH 45433 4 . PERFORIN41N ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER(S) 5. MONITORING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMSER(S) NOR 85-119 AFWAL-TR-.84- 4 117 I 6 *. NAME OF

Zn-dopant dependent defect evolution in GaN nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Bing; Liu, Baodan; Wang, Yujia; Zhuang, Hao; Liu, Qingyun; Yuan, Fang; Jiang, Xin

2015-10-01

Zn doped GaN nanowires with different doping levels (0, <1 at%, and 3-5 at%) have been synthesized through a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. The effect of Zn doping on the defect evolution, including stacking fault, dislocation, twin boundary and phase boundary, has been systematically investigated by transmission electron microscopy and first-principles calculations. Undoped GaN nanowires show a hexagonal wurtzite (WZ) structure with good crystallinity. Several kinds of twin boundaries, including (101&cmb.macr;3), (101&cmb.macr;1) and (202&cmb.macr;1), as well as Type I stacking faults (...ABABC&cmb.b.line;BCB...), are observed in the nanowires. The increasing Zn doping level (<1 at%) induces the formation of screw dislocations featuring a predominant screw component along the radial direction of the GaN nanowires. At high Zn doping level (3-5 at%), meta-stable cubic zinc blende (ZB) domains are generated in the WZ GaN nanowires. The WZ/ZB phase boundary (...ABABAC&cmb.b.line;BA...) can be identified as Type II stacking faults. The density of stacking faults (both Type I and Type II) increases with increasing the Zn doping levels, which in turn leads to a rough-surface morphology in the GaN nanowires. First-principles calculations reveal that Zn doping will reduce the formation energy of both Type I and Type II stacking faults, favoring their nucleation in GaN nanowires. An understanding of the effect of Zn doping on the defect evolution provides an important method to control the microstructure and the electrical properties of p-type GaN nanowires.Zn doped GaN nanowires with different doping levels (0, <1 at%, and 3-5 at%) have been synthesized through a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. The effect of Zn doping on the defect evolution, including stacking fault, dislocation, twin boundary and phase boundary, has been systematically investigated by transmission electron microscopy and first-principles calculations. Undoped GaN nanowires show a hexagonal wurtzite (WZ) structure with good crystallinity. Several kinds of twin boundaries, including (101&cmb.macr;3), (101&cmb.macr;1) and (202&cmb.macr;1), as well as Type I stacking faults (...ABABC&cmb.b.line;BCB...), are observed in the nanowires. The increasing Zn doping level (<1 at%) induces the formation of screw dislocations featuring a predominant screw component along the radial direction of the GaN nanowires. At high Zn doping level (3-5 at%), meta-stable cubic zinc blende (ZB) domains are generated in the WZ GaN nanowires. The WZ/ZB phase boundary (...ABABAC&cmb.b.line;BA...) can be identified as Type II stacking faults. The density of stacking faults (both Type I and Type II) increases with increasing the Zn doping levels, which in turn leads to a rough-surface morphology in the GaN nanowires. First-principles calculations reveal that Zn doping will reduce the formation energy of both Type I and Type II stacking faults, favoring their nucleation in GaN nanowires. An understanding of the effect of Zn doping on the defect evolution provides an important method to control the microstructure and the electrical properties of p-type GaN nanowires. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: HRTEM image of undoped GaN nanowires and first-principles calculations of Zn doped WZ-GaN. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr04771d

The Modification of Polyurethane Foams Using New Boroorganic Polyols (II) Polyurethane Foams from Boron-Modified Hydroxypropyl Urea Derivatives

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

The work focuses on research related to determination of application possibility of new, ecofriendly boroorganic polyols in rigid polyurethane foams production. Polyols were obtained from hydroxypropyl urea derivatives esterified with boric acid and propylene carbonate. The influence of esterification type on properties of polyols and next on polyurethane foams properties was determined. Nitrogen and boron impacts on the foams' properties were discussed, for instance, on their physical, mechanical, and electric properties. Boron presence causes improvement of dimensional stability and thermal stability of polyurethane foams. They can be applied even at temperature 150°C. Unfortunately, introducing boron in polyurethanes foams affects deterioration of their water absorption, which increases as compared to the foams that do not contain boron. However, presence of both boron and nitrogen determines the decrease of the foams combustibility. Main impact on the decrease combustibility of the obtained foams has nitrogen presence, but in case of proper boron and nitrogen ratio their synergic activity on the combustibility decrease can be easily seen. PMID:24587721

Influence of boron content on the microstructure and tribological properties of Cr-B-N coatings in water lubrication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Qiang; Zhou, Fei; Gao, Song; Wu, Zhiwei; Wang, Qianzhi; Chen, Kangmin; Zhou, Zhifeng; Li, Lawrence Kwok-Yan

2016-07-01

Cr-B-N coatings with different boron contents were deposited on Si(1 0 0) wafers and 316 L stainless steels using unbalanced magnetron sputtering system by way of adjusting the CrB2 target currents. The microstructure and mechanical properties of Cr-B-N coatings were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), white light interferometric three dimensional profilometer and nano-indentation tester, respectively. The tribological properties of Cr-B-N/SiC tribopairs in water were studied using ball-on-disk tribometer. The results showed that the Cr-B-N coatings showed a fine nanocomposite structure consisted of CrN nanograins and amorphous BN phase regardless of boron contents, and the typical columnar structure became featureless with increasing the CrB2 target current. The hardness and reduced elastic modulus first increased to 28.9 GPa and 330 GPa at the CrB2 target current of 2 A, and then decreased gradually with further increasing the CrB2 target current to 4 A. As compared with the CrN/SiC tribopairs, the lowest friction coefficient of Cr-B-N/SiC ball tribopairs in water was 0.15, and the wear resistance of Cr-B-N coatings was effectively enhanced.

Photoinduced doping in heterostructures of graphene and boron nitride.

PubMed

Ju, L; Velasco, J; Huang, E; Kahn, S; Nosiglia, C; Tsai, Hsin-Zon; Yang, W; Taniguchi, T; Watanabe, K; Zhang, Y; Zhang, G; Crommie, M; Zettl, A; Wang, F

2014-05-01

The design of stacks of layered materials in which adjacent layers interact by van der Waals forces has enabled the combination of various two-dimensional crystals with different electrical, optical and mechanical properties as well as the emergence of novel physical phenomena and device functionality. Here, we report photoinduced doping in van der Waals heterostructures consisting of graphene and boron nitride layers. It enables flexible and repeatable writing and erasing of charge doping in graphene with visible light. We demonstrate that this photoinduced doping maintains the high carrier mobility of the graphene/boron nitride heterostructure, thus resembling the modulation doping technique used in semiconductor heterojunctions, and can be used to generate spatially varying doping profiles such as p-n junctions. We show that this photoinduced doping arises from microscopically coupled optical and electrical responses of graphene/boron nitride heterostructures, including optical excitation of defect transitions in boron nitride, electrical transport in graphene, and charge transfer between boron nitride and graphene.

Selected Growth of Cubic and Hexagonal GaN Epitaxial Films on Polar MgO(111)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazarov, V. K.; Zimmerman, J.; Cheung, S. H.; Li, L.; Weinert, M.; Gajdardziska-Josifovska, M.

2005-06-01

Selected molecular beam epitaxy of zinc blende (111) or wurtzite (0001) GaN films on polar MgO(111) is achieved depending on whether N or Ga is deposited first. The cubic stacking is enabled by nitrogen-induced polar surface stabilization, which yields a metallic MgO(111)-(1×1)-ON surface. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and density functional theory studies indicate that the atomically abrupt semiconducting GaN(111)/MgO(111) interface has a Mg-O-N-Ga stacking, where the N atom is bonded to O at a top site. This specific atomic arrangement at the interface allows the cubic stacking to more effectively screen the substrate and film electric dipole moment than the hexagonal stacking, thus stabilizing the zinc blende phase even though the wurtzite phase is the ground state in the bulk.

The Hardest Superconducting Metal Nitride

DOE PAGES

Wang, Shanmin; Antonio, Daniel; Yu, Xiaohui; ...

2015-09-03

Transition–metal (TM) nitrides are a class of compounds with a wide range of properties and applications. Hard superconducting nitrides are of particular interest for electronic applications under working conditions such as coating and high stress (e.g., electromechanical systems). However, most of the known TM nitrides crystallize in the rock–salt structure, a structure that is unfavorable to resist shear strain, and they exhibit relatively low indentation hardness, typically in the range of 10–20 GPa. Here, we report high–pressure synthesis of hexagonal δ–MoN and cubic γ–MoN through an ion–exchange reaction at 3.5 GPa. The final products are in the bulk form withmore » crystallite sizes of 50 – 80 μm. Based on indentation testing on single crystals, hexagonal δ–MoN exhibits excellent hardness of ~30 GPa, which is 30% higher than cubic γ–MoN (~23 GPa) and is so far the hardest among the known metal nitrides. The hardness enhancement in hexagonal phase is attributed to extended covalently bonded Mo–N network than that in cubic phase. The measured superconducting transition temperatures for δ–MoN and cubic γ–MoN are 13.8 and 5.5 K, respectively, in good agreement with previous measurements.« less

The Hardest Superconducting Metal Nitride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shanmin; Antonio, Daniel; Yu, Xiaohui; Zhang, Jianzhong; Cornelius, Andrew L.; He, Duanwei; Zhao, Yusheng

2015-09-01

Transition-metal (TM) nitrides are a class of compounds with a wide range of properties and applications. Hard superconducting nitrides are of particular interest for electronic applications under working conditions such as coating and high stress (e.g., electromechanical systems). However, most of the known TM nitrides crystallize in the rock-salt structure, a structure that is unfavorable to resist shear strain, and they exhibit relatively low indentation hardness, typically in the range of 10-20 GPa. Here, we report high-pressure synthesis of hexagonal δ-MoN and cubic γ-MoN through an ion-exchange reaction at 3.5 GPa. The final products are in the bulk form with crystallite sizes of 50 - 80 μm. Based on indentation testing on single crystals, hexagonal δ-MoN exhibits excellent hardness of ~30 GPa, which is 30% higher than cubic γ-MoN (~23 GPa) and is so far the hardest among the known metal nitrides. The hardness enhancement in hexagonal phase is attributed to extended covalently bonded Mo-N network than that in cubic phase. The measured superconducting transition temperatures for δ-MoN and cubic γ-MoN are 13.8 and 5.5 K, respectively, in good agreement with previous measurements.

Enhanced optoelectronic performances of vertically aligned hexagonal boron nitride nanowalls-nanocrystalline diamond heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sankaran, Kamatchi Jothiramalingam; Hoang, Duc Quang; Kunuku, Srinivasu; Korneychuk, Svetlana; Turner, Stuart; Pobedinskas, Paulius; Drijkoningen, Sien; van Bael, Marlies K.; D' Haen, Jan; Verbeeck, Johan; Leou, Keh-Chyang; Lin, I.-Nan; Haenen, Ken

2016-07-01

Field electron emission (FEE) properties of vertically aligned hexagonal boron nitride nanowalls (hBNNWs) grown on Si have been markedly enhanced through the use of nitrogen doped nanocrystalline diamond (nNCD) films as an interlayer. The FEE properties of hBNNWs-nNCD heterostructures show a low turn-on field of 15.2 V/μm, a high FEE current density of 1.48 mA/cm2 and life-time up to a period of 248 min. These values are far superior to those for hBNNWs grown on Si substrates without the nNCD interlayer, which have a turn-on field of 46.6 V/μm with 0.21 mA/cm2 FEE current density and life-time of 27 min. Cross-sectional TEM investigation reveals that the utilization of the diamond interlayer circumvented the formation of amorphous boron nitride prior to the growth of hexagonal boron nitride. Moreover, incorporation of carbon in hBNNWs improves the conductivity of hBNNWs. Such a unique combination of materials results in efficient electron transport crossing nNCD-to-hBNNWs interface and inside the hBNNWs that results in enhanced field emission of electrons. The prospective application of these materials is manifested by plasma illumination measurements with lower threshold voltage (370 V) and longer life-time, authorizing the role of hBNNWs-nNCD heterostructures in the enhancement of electron emission.

High-Performance Organic Light-Emitting Diode with Substitutionally Boron-Doped Graphene Anode.

PubMed

Wu, Tien-Lin; Yeh, Chao-Hui; Hsiao, Wen-Ting; Huang, Pei-Yun; Huang, Min-Jie; Chiang, Yen-Hsin; Cheng, Chien-Hong; Liu, Rai-Shung; Chiu, Po-Wen

2017-05-03

The hole-injection barrier between the anode and the hole-injection layer (HIL) is of critical importance to determine the device performance of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Here, we report on a record-high external quantum efficiency (EQE) (24.6% in green phosphorescence) of OLEDs fabricated on both rigid and flexible substrates, with the performance enhanced by the use of nearly defect-free and high-mobility boron-doped graphene as an effective anode and hexaazatriphenylene hexacarbonitrile as a new type of HIL. This new structure outperforms the existing graphene-based OLEDs, in which MoO 3 , AuCl 3 , or bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide are typically used as a doping source for the p-type graphene. The improvement of the OLED performance is attributed mainly to the appreciable increase of the hole conductivity in the nearly defect-free boron-doped monolayer graphene, along with the high work function achieved by the use of a newly developed hydrocarbon precursor containing boron in the graphene growth by chemical vapor deposition.

[Study of cubic boron nitride crystal UV absorption spectroscopy].

PubMed

Liu, Hai-Bo; Jia, Gang; Chen, Gang; Meng, Qing-Ju; Zhang, Tie-Chen

2008-07-01

UV absorption spectroscopy of artificial cubic boron nitride (cBN) single crystal flake, synthesized under high-temperature and high-pressure, was studied in the present paper. UV WINLAB spectrometer was used in the experiments, and MOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY software was used for data analysis. The UV-cBN limit of 198 nm was showed in this test by a special fixture quartz sample. We calculated the energy gap by virtue of the formula: lambda0 = 1.24/E(g) (microm). The energy gap is 6. 26 eV. There are many viewpoints about the gap of cBN. By using the first-principles theory to calculate energy band structure and density of electronic states of cBN, an indirect transition due to electronics in valence band jumping into conduction band by absorbing photon can be confirmed. That leads to UV absorption. The method of calculation was based on the quantum mechanics of CASTEP in the commercial software package of Cerius2 in the Co. Accerlrys in the United States. The theory of CASTEP is based on local density approximation or gradient corrected LDA. The crystal parameter of cBN was input to the quantum mechanics of CASTEP in order to construct the crystal parameter model of cBN. We calculated the energy gap of cBN by the method of gradient corrected LDA. The method underestimates the value of nonconductor by about 1 to 2 eV. We gaot some opinions as follows: cBN is indirect band semiconductor. The energy gap is 4.76 eV, less than our experiment. The reason may be defect that we ignored in calculating process. It was reported that the results by first principles method of calculation of the band generally was less than the experimental results. This paper shows good UV characteristics of cBN because of the good agreement of experimental results with the cBN band width. That is a kind of development prospect of UV photo-electronic devices and high-temperature semiconductor devices.

Controlling the charge transfer in phenylene-bridged borylene-amine pi-conjugated systems.

PubMed

Proń, Agnieszka; Zhou, Gang; Norouzi-Arasi, Hassan; Baumgarten, Martin; Müllen, Klaus

2009-08-20

Novel boron-nitrogen-containing pi-conjugated compounds 3,3'- and 4,4'-((2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl)borylene)bis(N,N-diarylbenzenamine) (1-2), m- and p-phenylene bridged to the boron center, respectively, have been synthesized and characterized. Optical studies by means of UV-vis absorption and emission measurements as well as DFT calculations reveal a different charge transfer behavior between the para series and the meta series at ground and excited states.

High Temperature Oxidation of Boron Nitride. Part 1; Monolithic Boron Nitride

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobson, Nathan; Farmer, Serene; Moore, Arthur; Sayir, Haluk

1997-01-01

High temperature oxidation of monolithic boron nitride (BN) is examined. Hot pressed BN and both low and high density CVD BN were studied. It is shown that oxidation rates are quite sensitive to microstructural factors such as orientation, porosity, and degree of crystallinity. In addition small amounts of water vapor lead to volatilization of the B2O3 oxide as H(x)B(y)O(z). For these reasons, very different oxidation kinetics were observed for each type of BN.

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

Xiong, Jie; Yan, Jiaqiang; Aczel, Adam A.

The structural, electrical, and magnetic properties of the double perovskite Ba 2LuReO 6 have been examined in this paper. It is an insulator whose temperature dependent conductivity is consistent with variable range hopping electrical transport. A transition to an antiferromagnet state with type I order occurs below T N = 31 K. High resolution time-of-flight neutron powder diffraction measurements show that it retains the cubic double perovskite structure down to 10 K. High intensity, low resolution neutron powder diffraction measurements confirm the antiferromagnetic order and indicate that cubic symmetry is still observed at 1.5 K. The small ordered moment ofmore » 0.34(4)μ B per Re is comparable to estimates of moments on 5d 2 ions in other antiferromagnetically ordered cubic double perovskites. Finally, comparisons with related double perovskites containing 5d 2 ions, such as Os 6+ and Re 5+, reveal that subtle changes in structure or electron configuration of the diamagnetic octahedral cations can have a large impact on the magnetic ground state, the size of the ordered moment, and the Néel temperature.« less

Elevated CO2 affects plant responses to variation in boron availability

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Effects of elevated CO2 on N relations are well studied, but effects on other nutrients, especially micronutrients, are not. We investigated effects of elevated CO2 on response to variation in boron (B) availability in three unrelated species: geranium (Pelargonium x hortorum), barley (Hordeum vulga...

A review on the determination of isotope ratios of boron with mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Aggarwal, Suresh Kumar; You, Chen-Feng

2017-07-01

The present review discusses different mass spectrometric techniques-viz, thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS), and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS)-used to determine 11 B/ 10 B isotope ratio, and concentration of boron required for various applications in earth sciences, marine geochemistry, nuclear technology, environmental, and agriculture sciences, etc. The details of the techniques-P-TIMS, which uses Cs 2 BO 2 + , N-TIMS, which uses BO 2 - , and MC-ICPMS, which uses B + ions for bulk analysis or B - and B + ions for in situ micro-analysis with SIMS-are highlighted. The capabilities, advantages, limitations, and problems in each mass spectrometric technique are summarized. The results of international interlaboratory comparison experiments conducted at different times are summarized. The certified isotopic reference materials available for boron are also listed. Recent developments in laser ablation (LA) ICPMS and QQQ-ICPMS for solids analysis and MS/MS analysis, respectively, are included. The different aspects of sample preparation and analytical chemistry of boron are summarized. Finally, the future requirements of boron isotope ratios for future applications are also given. Presently, MC-ICPMS provides the best precision and accuracy (0.2-0.4‰) on isotope ratio measurements, whereas N-TIMS holds the potential to analyze smallest amount of boron, but has the issue of bias (+2‰ to 4‰) which needs further investigations. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Mass Spec Rev 36:499-519, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

New Measurements of Activation Volume in Olvine Under Anhydrous Conditions

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

Durham, W.; Mei, S; Kohlstedt, D

2009-01-01

A new cell assembly for the deformation-DIA (D-DIA) shows promise for limiting the water content of samples and providing a more mechanically stable environment for deformation. The 6-mm cubic cell consists of a 6-mm diameter mullite sphere cradled in a web of unfired pyrophyllite. The pyrophyllite flows during initial compression of the D-DIA to form gaskets between the six anvils while the mullite flows to become a nearly cubic-shaped pressure medium. Measurements on olivine indicate more than one order of magnitude drop in water content to <40 ppm H/Si compared with the boron-epoxy medium. Improved mechanical stability is achieved bymore » elimination of the thermocouple from the assembly and determination of temperature from calibration curves of furnace power vs. temperature. Three samples of polycrystalline orthopyroxene-buffer San Carlos olivine have been deformed in high-temperature creep in the new cell, at pressures of 2.7-4.9 GPa and temperatures near 1473 K. Strength is consistent with that measured in the gas-apparatus at lower pressures. Over the pressure range investigated we resolve an activation volume for creep of dry olivine of V* = 9.5 {+-} 7 x 10-6 m3/mol.« less

First principles study of electronic and structural properties of single walled zigzag boron nitride nanotubes doped with the elements of group IV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahari, Ali; jalalinejad, Amir; Bagheri, Mosahhar; Amiri, Masoud

2017-11-01

In this paper, structural and electronic properties and stability of (10, 0) born nitride nanotube (BNNT) are considered within density functional theory by doping group IV elements of the periodic table. The HOMO-LUMO gap has been strongly modified and treated a dual manner by choosing B or N sites for dopant atoms. Formation energy calculation shows that B site doping is more stable than N site doping. Results also show that all dopants turn the pristine BNNT into a p-type semiconductor except for carbon-doped BNNT at B site.

Laser Annealing of Ion Implanted HgCdTe.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-10-22

are /A 󈧳e10 4cm 2V- sec- and .(p) OA 103m mV - sec respectively. The above observations all lead to the conclusion that the donors in as-implanted...conductance. ". 5 Measured Hall Constante Hall Mobility Conductivuty Parameters type 2. Cb- (c2 v- - RH (cm.C ) Ac.v* ) Sample ....- 2 3 -1 -1A RH ...4.29.10 U=1.03.103 c(l -)- x=0.28 P ( 3 16 2.4 unimplanted ,,c -2-.l A RH .3.08"l0Z " .sYn-1 ) . Boron Implantation n n (cm a 16s. 4 48 ൒ U.12-10 1S

Itinerant ferromagnetism in fermionic systems with SP (2 N) symmetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Wang; Wu, Congjun

The Ginzburg-Landau free energy of systems with SP (2 N) symmetry describes a second order phase transition on the mean field level, since the Casimir invariants of the SP (2 N) group can be only of even order combinations of the generators of the SP (2 N) group. This is in contrast with systems having the SU (N) symmetry, where the allowance of cubic term generally makes the phase transition into first order. In this work, we consider the Hertz-Millis type itinerant ferromagnetism in an interacting fermionic system with SP (2 N) symmetry, where the ferromagnetic orders are enriched by the multi-component nature of the system. The quantum criticality is discussed near the second order phase transition point.

SU-E-T-656: Quantitative Analysis of Proton Boron Fusion Therapy (PBFT) in Various Conditions

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

Yoon, D; Jung, J; Shin, H

2015-06-15

Purpose: Three alpha particles are concomitant of proton boron interaction, which can be used in radiotherapy applications. We performed simulation studies to determine the effectiveness of proton boron fusion therapy (PBFT) under various conditions. Methods: Boron uptake regions (BURs) of various widths and densities were implemented in Monte Carlo n-particle extended (MCNPX) simulation code. The effect of proton beam energy was considered for different BURs. Four simulation scenarios were designed to verify the effectiveness of integrated boost that was observed in the proton boron reaction. In these simulations, the effect of proton beam energy was determined for different physical conditions,more » such as size, location, and boron concentration. Results: Proton dose amplification was confirmed for all proton beam energies considered (< 96.62%). Based on the simulation results for different physical conditions, the threshold for the range in which proton dose amplification occurred was estimated as 0.3 cm. Effective proton boron reaction requires the boron concentration to be equal to or greater than 14.4 mg/g. Conclusion: We established the effects of the PBFT with various conditions by using Monte Carlo simulation. The results of our research can be used for providing a PBFT dose database.« less

Optical soliton solutions of the cubic-quintic non-linear Schrödinger's equation including an anti-cubic term

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaplan, Melike; Hosseini, Kamyar; Samadani, Farzan; Raza, Nauman

2018-07-01

A wide range of problems in different fields of the applied sciences especially non-linear optics is described by non-linear Schrödinger's equations (NLSEs). In the present paper, a specific type of NLSEs known as the cubic-quintic non-linear Schrödinger's equation including an anti-cubic term has been studied. The generalized Kudryashov method along with symbolic computation package has been exerted to carry out this objective. As a consequence, a series of optical soliton solutions have formally been retrieved. It is corroborated that the generalized form of Kudryashov method is a direct, effectual, and reliable technique to deal with various types of non-linear Schrödinger's equations.

Design of high-activity single-atom catalysts via n-p codoping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiaonan; Zhou, Haiyan; Zhang, Xiaoyang; Jia, Jianfeng; Wu, Haishun

2018-03-01

The large-scale synthesis of stable single-atom catalysts (SACs) in experiments remains a significant challenge due to high surface free energy of metal atom. Here, we propose a concise n-p codoping approach, and find it can not only disperse the relatively inexpensive metal, copper (Cu), onto boron (B)-doped graphene, but also result in high-activity SACs. We use CO oxidation on B/Cu codoped graphene as a prototype example, and demonstrate that: (1) a stable SAC can be formed by stronger electrostatic attraction between the metal atom (n-type Cu) and support (p-type B-doped graphene). (2) the energy barrier of the prototype CO oxidation on B/Cu codoped graphene is 0.536 eV by the Eley-Rideal mechanism. Further analysis shows that the spin selection rule can provide well theoretical insight into high activity of our suggested SAC. The concept of n-p codoping may lead to new strategy in large-scale synthesis of stable single-atom catalysts.

Site-Competition Epitaxy for N-Type and P-Type Dopant Control in CVD Sic Epilayers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Larkin, D. J.

1995-01-01

The use of site-competition epitaxy, which is based on intentional variation of the Si/C ratio during epitaxy, has now been reproduced in numerous national and international laboratories. However, previous reports have only considered dopant incorporation control for epitaxy on the Si-face 6H-SiC(OOO1) substrates. Presented in this paper is the extension of this technique for control of phosphorous incorporation and also a comparison of controlled doping on C-face 6H-SiC(OOO1) versus Si-face 6H-SiC(OOO1) substrates for aluminum, boron, nitrogen, and phosphorous.

Three-dimensional atomic arrangement around active/inactive dopant sites in boron-doped diamond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kato, Yukako; Tsujikawa, Daichi; Hashimoto, Yusuke; Yoshida, Taisuke; Fukami, Shun; Matsuda, Hiroyuki; Taguchi, Munetaka; Matsushita, Tomohiro; Daimon, Hiroshi

2018-06-01

Boron-doped diamond has received significant attention as an advanced material for power devices owing to its high breakdown characteristics. To control the characteristics of diamond related to band conduction, it is essential to determine the atomic structure around dopants and to develop a method of controlling the atomic arrangement around dopants. We measured the photoelectron diffraction of a boron-doped diamond using a display-type ellipsoidal mesh analyzer to examine the dopant sites in heavily boron-doped diamond. The B 1s photoelectron spectrum shows two peaks for different chemical bonding sites. These two dopant sites were identified as the substitutional and interstitial sites in diamond.

Semiconductor material and method for enhancing solubility of a dopant therein

DOEpatents

Sadigh, Babak; Lenosky, Thomas J.; Rubia, Tomas Diaz; Giles, Martin; Caturla, Maria-Jose; Ozolins, Vidvuds; Asta, Mark; Theiss, Silva; Foad, Majeed; Quong, Andrew

2003-09-09

A method for enhancing the equilibrium solubility of boron and indium in silicon. The method involves first-principles quantum mechanical calculations to determine the temperature dependence of the equilibrium solubility of two important p-type dopants in silicon, namely boron and indium, under various strain conditions. The equilibrium thermodynamic solubility of size-mismatched impurities, such as boron and indium in silicon, can be raised significantly if the silicon substrate is strained appropriately. For example, for boron, a 1% compressive strain raises the equilibrium solubility by 100% at 1100.degree. C.; and for indium, a 1% tensile strain at 1100.degree. C., corresponds to an enhancement of the solubility by 200%.

A Semiconductor Material And Method For Enhancing Solubility Of A Dopant Therein

DOEpatents

Sadigh, Babak; Lenosky, Thomas J.; Diaz de la Rubia, Tomas; Giles, Martin; Caturla, Maria-Jose; Ozolins, Vidvuds; Asta, Mark; Theiss, Silva; Foad, Majeed; Quong, Andrew

2005-03-29

A method for enhancing the equilibrium solubility of boron ad indium in silicon. The method involves first-principles quantum mechanical calculations to determine the temperature dependence of the equilibrium solubility of two important p-type dopants in silicon, namely boron and indium, under various strain conditions. The equilibrium thermodynamic solubility of size-mismatched impurities, such as boron and indium in silicon, can be raised significantly if the silicon substrate is strained appropriately. For example, for boron, a 1% compressive strain raises the equilibrium solubility by 100% at 1100.degree. C.; and for indium, a 1% tensile strain at 1100.degree. C., corresponds to an enhancement of the solubility by 200%.

Semiconducting boron carbide polymers devices for neutron detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Echeverria, Elena; Pasquale, Frank L.; James, Robinson; Colón Santana, Juan A.; Adenwalla, Shireen; Kelber, Jeffry A.; Dowben, Peter A.

2014-03-01

Boron carbide materials, with aromatic compounds included, prove to be effective materials as solid state neutron detector detectors. The I-V characteristic curves for these heterojunction diodes with silicon show that these modified boron carbides, in the presence of these linking groups such as 1,4-diaminobenzene (DAB) and pyridine, are p-type. Cadmium was used as shield to discriminate between neutron-induced signals and thermal neutrons, and thermal neutron capture is evident, while gamma detection was not realized. Neutron detection signals for these heterojunction diode were observed, a measurable zero bias current noted, even without complete electron-hole collection. This again illustrates that boron carbide devices can be considered a neutron voltaic.

Hydrogenation effects on carrier transport in boron-doped ultrananocrystalline diamond/amorphous carbon films prepared by coaxial arc plasma deposition

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

Katamune, Yūki, E-mail: yuki-katamune@kyudai.jp; Takeichi, Satoshi; Ohmagari, Shinya

2015-11-15

Boron-doped ultrananocrystalline diamond/hydrogenated amorphous carbon composite (UNCD/a-C:H) films were deposited by coaxial arc plasma deposition with a boron-blended graphite target at a base pressure of <10{sup −3} Pa and at hydrogen pressures of ≤53.3 Pa. The hydrogenation effects on the electrical properties of the films were investigated in terms of chemical bonding. Hydrogen-scattering spectrometry showed that the maximum hydrogen content was 35 at. % for the film produced at 53.3-Pa hydrogen pressure. The Fourier-transform infrared spectra showed strong absorptions by sp{sup 3} C–H bonds, which were specific to the UNCD/a-C:H, and can be attributed to hydrogen atoms terminating the dangling bondsmore » at ultrananocrystalline diamond grain boundaries. Temperature-dependence of the electrical conductivity showed that the films changed from semimetallic to semiconducting with increasing hydrogen pressure, i.e., with enhanced hydrogenation, probably due to hydrogenation suppressing the formation of graphitic bonds, which are a source of carriers. Carrier transport in semiconducting hydrogenated films can be explained by a variable-range hopping model. The rectifying action of heterojunctions comprising the hydrogenated films and n-type Si substrates implies carrier transport in tunneling.« less

Hybridized boron-carbon nitride fibrous nanostructures on Ni substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yap, Yoke Khin; Yoshimura, Masashi; Mori, Yusuke; Sasaki, Takatomo

2002-04-01

Stoichiometric BC2N films can be deposited on Si (100) at 800 °C, however, they are phase separated as pure carbon and BN phases. Likewise, hybridized boron-carbon nitride (BCN) films can be synthesized on Ni substrates. On Ni, the carbon and BN phases are hybridized through carbon nitride and boron carbide bonds. These films appeared as fibrous nanostructures. Evidence indicates that the Ni substrate acts as a sink for the carbon and forces the carbon composites to grow on top of the B and N atoms. However, as these films are grown thicker, phase separation occurs again. These results indicate that hybridized BCN phases should now be regarded as semiconducting or superhard nanostructures. High-temperature deposition on Ni substrates might be a solution to the obstacle of preparing hybridized BCN phases.

Effect of B, N, Ge, Sn, K doping on electronic-transport properties of (5, 0) zigzag carbon nanotube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamalian, Monir; Seyed Jalili, Yousef; Abbasi, Afshin

2018-04-01

In this paper the effect of impurity on the electronic properties and quantum conductance of zigzag (5, 0) carbon nanotube have been studied by using the Density Functional Theory (DFT) combined with Non-Equilibrium Green’s Function (NEGF) formalism with TranSIESTA software. The effect of Boron (B), Nitrogen (N), Germanium (Ge), Tin (Sn) and Potassium (K) impurities on the CNT conduction behavior and physical characteristics, like density of states (DOS), band structure, transmission coefficients and quantum conductance was considered and discussed simultaneously. The current‑voltage (I‑V) curves of all the proposed models were studied for comparative study under low-bias conditions. The distinct changes in conductance reported as the positions, number and type of dopants was varied in central region of the CNT between two electrodes at different bias voltages. This suggested conductance enhancement mechanism for the charge transport in the doped CNT at different positions is important for the design of CNT based nanoelectronic devices. The results show that Germanium, Tin and Potassium dopant atoms has increased the conductance of the model manifold than other doping atoms furthermore 10 Boron and 10 Nitrogen dopant atoms showed the amazing property of Negative Differential Resistance (NDR).

Multi-Functional BN-BN Composite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kang, Jin Ho (Inventor); Bryant, Robert G. (Inventor); Park, Cheol (Inventor); Sauti, Godfrey (Inventor); Gibbons, Luke (Inventor); Lowther, Sharon (Inventor); Thibeault, Sheila A. (Inventor); Fay, Catharine C. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

Multifunctional Boron Nitride nanotube-Boron Nitride (BN-BN) nanocomposites for energy transducers, thermal conductors, anti-penetrator/wear resistance coatings, and radiation hardened materials for harsh environments. An all boron-nitride structured BN-BN composite is synthesized. A boron nitride containing precursor is synthesized, then mixed with boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) to produce a composite solution which is used to make green bodies of different forms including, for example, fibers, mats, films, and plates. The green bodies are pyrolized to facilitate transformation into BN-BN composite ceramics. The pyrolysis temperature, pressure, atmosphere and time are controlled to produce a desired BN crystalline structure. The wholly BN structured materials exhibit excellent thermal stability, high thermal conductivity, piezoelectricity as well as enhanced toughness, hardness, and radiation shielding properties. By substituting with other elements into the original structure of the nanotubes and/or matrix, new nanocomposites (i.e., BCN, BCSiN ceramics) which possess excellent hardness, tailored photonic bandgap and photoluminescence, result.

Electrochemical Corrosion Behavior of Spray-Formed Boron-Modified Supermartensitic Stainless Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zepon, Guilherme; Nogueira, Ricardo P.; Kiminami, Claudio S.; Botta, Walter J.; Bolfarini, Claudemiro

2017-04-01

Spray-formed boron-modified supermartensitic stainless steel (SMSS) grades are alloys developed to withstand severe wear conditions. The addition of boron to the conventional chemical composition of SMSS, combined with the solidification features promoted by the spray forming process, leads to a microstructure composed of low carbon martensitic matrix reinforced by an eutectic network of M2B-type borides, which considerably increases the wear resistance of the stainless steel. Although the presence of borides in the microstructure has a very beneficial effect on the wear properties of the alloy, their effect on the corrosion resistance of the stainless steel was not comprehensively evaluated. The present work presents a study of the effect of boron addition on the corrosion resistance of the spray-formed boron-modified SMSS grades by means of electrochemical techniques. The borides fraction seems to have some influence on the repassivation kinetics of the spray-formed boron-modified SMSS. It was shown that the Cr content of the martensitic matrix is the microstructural feature deciding the corrosion resistance of this sort of alloys. Therefore, if the Cr content in the alloy is increased to around 14 wt pct to compensate for the boron consumed by the borides formation, the corrosion resistance of the alloy is kept at the same level of the alloy without boron addition.

Influence of High-Power Pulsed IR Laser Radiation on the Electrophysical Properties of Cd x Hg1- x Те Heteroepitaxial Layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talipov, N. Kh.

2013-05-01

Results of investigations into the electrophysical properties of p- and n-type Cd x Hg1- x Te heteroepitaxial layers grown by molecular beam and liquid phase epitaxy methods after exposure to high-power pulsed IR radiation of solid-state Nd3+:YAG and chemical DF lasers at wavelengths of 1.06 and 3.8-4.2 μm, respectively, are presented. It is demonstrated that the main types of defects resulting from pulsed irradiation are mercury vacancies that play the role of acceptors in this material. The spatial distribution of generated mercury vacancies depends on the intensity and wavelength of laser radiation: the defects generated by pulses of the Nd3+:YAG laser are concentrated only near the surface, whereas DF-laser radiation creates defects in the entire volume of the heteroepitaxial structures. It is established that irradiation with the Nd3+:YAG laser of the p-Cd x Hg1- x Te heteroepitaxial layers implanted by boron ions leads to the activation of implanted boron atoms as a result of melting and recrystallization of the irradiated surface layer.

Defective boron nitride nanotubes: mechanical properties, electronic structures and failure behaviors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Huan; Ding, Ning; Zhao, Xian; Wu, Chi-Man Lawrence

2018-03-01

Due to their excellent physical and chemical characteristics, boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) are regarded as a complementary addition to carbon nanotubes. Pioneer studies have demonstrated that defects in carbon nanotubes are considered tools for tuning the physical properties of these materials. In the present work, investigation on the mechanical and electronic properties of pristine and defective BNNTs was performed using the density functional theory method. The analysis on the intrinsic strength, stiffness, and failure critical strain of different types of BNNTs was conducted systematically. The computing results showed that the intrinsic strength of BNNTs decreased linearly with the increased Stone-Wales (SW) defect density around the axis. The SW defect density along the axis played a minor role on the changing of mechanical properties of BNNTs. The BNNT with a B vacancy expressed higher intrinsic strength than that of the N vacancy model. The final failure of the pristine BNNTs was due to the fracture of the Type1 bonds under the mechanical strain. Defects like SW or vacancy are served as the initial break site of BNNTs. Applying strain or creating defects are both effective methods for reducing the band gap of BNNTs.

Thin Refractory Films on Fused Silica Crucibles

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-07-01

9 4.1.4 Iridium 11 4.1.5 Boron Nitride (BN) 11 4.2 Adherence Testing 13 4.3 Metallography 13 5.0 Conclusions and Recommendations 16 Accession For...Chamber 4 2. Schematic of Crucible Coating Apparatus (SiC, NbN, and TiB 2) 6 3. Schematic of CVD Apparatus for Iridium 7 4. Schematic of Apparatus for...ultrahigh-purity coatings of silicon carbide (SiC), niobium nitride (NbN), titanium diboride (TiB2), iridium , and boron nitride (BN) onto the interior

Anomalous Insulator-Metal Transition in Boron Nitride-Graphene Hybrid Atomic Layers

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-13

REPORT Anomalous insulator-metal transition in boron nitride-graphene hybrid atomic layers 14 . ABSTRACT 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: The study of...from the DFT calculation. The calculated transmission through a N terminated zigzag edged h-BN nanodomain embedded in graphene is shown in Fig. 14 , with...Energy ε − ε F (eV) 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 Tr an sm is si on FIG. 14 . (Color online) Transmission through a N terminated zigzag edged h-BN nanodomain embedded in

N2O reduction over a fullerene-like boron nitride nanocage: A DFT study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esrafili, Mehdi D.

2017-07-01

We study, for the first time, the adsorption and catalytic decomposition of N2O molecule over a fullerene-like boron nitride nanocage (B12N12) using density functional theory calculations. It is found that the electron donating property of the cage plays an important role in the adsorption and activation of N2O. By the incorporation of a carbon atom into B12N12 cluster, our results indicate that the adsorption of N2O over B11N12C or B12N11C is more stronger than over pristine B12N12. The decomposition of N2O into N2 and O species over the C-doped clusters is energetically more favorable than that on B12N12. Moreover, the C-doping plays an important role in reducing the activation barrier for the CO + O* reaction over B12N12 surface.

Electrical Characterization of Irradiated Semiconducting Amorphous Hydrogenated Boron Carbide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, George Glenn

Semiconducting amorphous partially dehydrogenated boron carbide has been explored as a neutron voltaic for operation in radiation harsh environments, such as on deep space satellites/probes. A neutron voltaic device could also be used as a solid state neutron radiation detector to provide immediate alerts for radiation workers/students, as opposed to the passive dosimetry badges utilized today. Understanding how the irradiation environment effects the electrical properties of semiconducting amorphous partially dehydrogenated boron carbide is important to predicting the stability of these devices in operation. p-n heterojunction diodes were formed from the synthesis of semiconducting amorphous partially dehydrogenated boron carbide on silicon substrates through the use of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). Many forms of structural and electrical measurements and analysis have been performed on the p-n heterojunction devices as a function of both He+ ion and neutron irradiation including: transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), current versus voltage I(V), capacitance versus voltage C(V), conductance versus frequency G(f), and charge carrier lifetime (tau). In stark contrast to nearly all other electronic devices, the electrical performance of these p-n heterojunction diodes improved with irradiation. This is most likely the result of bond defect passivation and resolution of degraded icosahedral based carborane structures (icosahedral molecules missing a B, C, or H atom(s)).

Boron isotopic constraints on the source of Hawaiian shield lavas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, Ryoji; Nakamura, Eizo

2005-07-01

Boron isotopic compositions of lavas from three representative Hawaiian shield volcanoes (Kilauea, Mauna Loa, and Koolau) were analyzed by thermal ionization mass spectrometry. The boron isotopic composition of each sample was analyzed twice, once with and once without acid leaching to evaluate the effect of posteruptive boron contamination. Our acid-leaching procedure dissolved glass, olivine, secondary zeolite, and adsorbed boron; this dissolved boron was completely removed from the residue, which was comprised of plagioclase, pyroxenes, and newly formed amorphous silica. We confirmed that an appropriate acid-leaching process can eliminate adsorbed and incorporated boron contamination from all submarine samples without modifying the original 11B/ 10B ratio. On the other hand, when the sample was weathered, i.e., the olivine had an iddingsite rim, 11B/ 10B of the acid-resistant minerals are also modified, thus it is impossible to get the preeruptive 11B/ 10B value from the weathered samples. Through this elimination and evaluation procedure of posteruptive contamination, preeruptive δ 11B values for the shield lavas are -4.5 to -5.4‰ for Koolau ( N = 8), -3.6 to -4.6‰ for Kilauea ( N = 11), and -3.0 to -3.8‰ for Mauna Loa ( N = 6). Historical Kilauea lavas show a systematic temporal trend for B content and Nb/B coupled with other radiogenic isotopic ratios and trace element ratios, at constant δ 11B, indicating little or no assimilation of crustal materials in these lavas. Uncorrelated B content and δ 11B in Koolau and Mauna Loa lavas may also indicate little or no effect of crustal assimilation in these lavas. The source of KEA-component (identical to the so-called Kea end member in Hawaiian lavas) of the Hawaiian source mantle, represented by Kilauea, should be derived from lower part of subducted oceanic crust or refractory peridotite in the recycled subducted slab. The systematic trend from Kilauea to Koolau—decreasing δ 11B coupled with decreasing ɛNd as well as increasing 87Sr/ 86Sr and 206Pb/ 204Pb—is consistent with involvement of subducted sediment components in the EMK(enriched Makapuu)-component, represented by Makapuu-stage of Koolau lavas.

Boronate-functionalized hydrogel as a novel biosensing interface for the glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) based on the competitive binding with signaling glycoprotein.

PubMed

Han, Yong Duk; Kim, Ka Ram; Park, Yoo Min; Song, Seung Yeon; Yang, Yong Ju; Lee, Kangsun; Ku, Yunhee; Yoon, Hyun C

2017-08-01

According to recent increases in public healthcare costs associated with diabetes mellitus, the development of new glycemic monitoring techniques based on the biosensing of glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA 1c ), a promising long-term glycemic biomarker, has become a major challenge. In the development of HbA 1c biosensors for point-of-care applications, the selection of an effective biorecognition layer that provides a high reaction yield and specificity toward HbA 1c is regarded as the most significant issue. To address this, we developed a novel HbA 1c biosensing interfacial material by the integration of boronate hydrogel with glass fiber membrane. In the present study, a new boronate-functionalized hydrogel was designed and spatio-selectively photopolymerized on a hydrophilic glass fiber membrane by using N-hydroxyethyl acrylamide, 3-(acrylamido)phenylboronic acid, and bis(N,N'-methylene-bis-acrylamide). Using this approach, the boronic acid group, which specifically recognizes the cis-diol residue of glucose on the HbA 1c molecule, can be three-dimensionally coated on the surface of the glass fiber network with a high density. Because this network structure of boronate hydrogel-grafted fibers enables capillary-driven fluid control, facile HbA 1c biosensing in a lateral flow assay concept could be accomplished. On the proposed HbA 1c biosensing interface, various concentrations of HbA 1c (5-15%) in blood-originated samples were sensitively measured by a colorimetric assay using horseradish peroxidase, a glycoenzyme can generate chromogenic signal after the competitive binding against HbA 1c to the boronic acid residues. Based on the demonstrated advantages of boronate hydrogel-modified membrane including high analytical performance, easy operation, and cost-effectiveness, we expect that the proposed biorecognition interfacial material can be applied not only to point-of-care HbA 1c biosensors, but also to the quantitative analysis of other glycoprotein biomarkers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Surface Design and Engineering Toward Wear-Resistant, Self-Lubricant Diamond Films and Coatings. Chapter 10

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miyoshi, Kazuhisa

1999-01-01

This chapter describes three studies on the surface design, surface engineering, and tribology of chemical-vapor-deposited (CVD) diamond films and coatings toward wear-resistant, self-lubricating diamond films and coatings. Friction mechanisms and solid lubrication mechanisms of CVD diamond are stated. Effects of an amorphous hydrogenated carbon on CVD diamond, an amorphous, nondiamond carbon surface layer formed on CVD diamond by carbon and nitrogen ion implantation, and a materials combination of cubic boron nitride and CVD diamond on the adhesion, friction, and wear behaviors of CVD diamond in ultrahigh vacuum are described. How surface modification and the selected materials couple improved the tribological functionality of coatings, giving low coefficient of friction and good wear resistance, is explained.

A critical assessment of boron target compounds for boron neutron capture therapy.

PubMed

Hawthorne, M Frederick; Lee, Mark W

2003-01-01

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) has undergone dramatic developments since its inception by Locher in 1936 and the development of nuclear energy during World War II. The ensuing Cold War spawned the entirely new field of polyhedral borane chemistry, rapid advances in nuclear reactor technology and a corresponding increase in the number to reactors potentially available for BNCT. This effort has been largely oriented toward the eradication of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and melanoma with reduced interest in other types of malignancies. The design and synthesis of boron-10 target compounds needed for BNCT was not channeled to those types of compounds specifically required for GBM or melanoma. Consequently, a number of potentially useful boron agents are known which have not been biologically evaluated beyond a cursory examination and only three boron-10 enriched target species are approved for human use following their Investigational New Drug classification by the US Food and Drug Administration; BSH, BPA and GB-10. All ongoing clinical trials with GBM and melanoma are necessarily conducted with one of these three species and most often with BPA. The further development of BNCT is presently stalled by the absence of strong support for advanced compound evaluation and compound discovery driven by recent advances in biology and chemistry. A rigorous demonstration of BNCT efficacy surpassing that of currently available protocols has yet to be achieved. This article discusses the past history of compound development, contemporary problems such as compound classification and those problems which impede future advances. The latter include means for biological evaluation of new (and existing) boron target candidates at all stages of their development and the large-scale synthesis of boron target species for clinical trials and beyond. The future of BNCT is bright if latitude is given to the choice of clinical disease to be treated and if a recognized study demonstrating improved efficacy is completed. Eventually, BNCT in some form will be commercialized.

X-ray detection with zinc-blende (cubic) GaN Schottky diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gohil, T.; Whale, J.; Lioliou, G.; Novikov, S. V.; Foxon, C. T.; Kent, A. J.; Barnett, A. M.

2016-07-01

The room temperature X-ray responses as functions of time of two n type cubic GaN Schottky diodes (200 μm and 400 μm diameters) are reported. The current densities as functions of time for both diodes showed fast turn-on transients and increases in current density when illuminated with X-ray photons of energy up to 35 keV. The diodes were also electrically characterized: capacitance, implied depletion width and dark current measurements as functions of applied bias at room temperature are presented. At -5 V reverse bias, the capacitances of the diodes were measured to be (84.05 ± 0.01) pF and (121.67 ± 0.02) pF, respectively. At -5 V reverse bias, the dark current densities of the diodes were measured to be (347.2 ± 0.4) mA cm-2 and (189.0 ± 0.2) mA cm-2, respectively. The Schottky barrier heights of the devices (0.52 ± 0.07) eV and (0.63 ± 0.09) eV, respectively, were extracted from the forward dark current characteristics.

Effect of nitrogen on the growth of boron doped single crystal diamond

DOE PAGES

Karna, Sunil; Vohra, Yogesh

2013-11-18

Boron-doped single crystal diamond films were grown homoepitaxially on synthetic (100) Type Ib diamond substrates using microwave plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition. A modification in surface morphology of the film with increasing boron concentration in the plasma has been observed using atomic force microscopy. Use of nitrogen during boron doping has been found to improve the surface morphology and the growth rate of films but it lowers the electrical conductivity of the film. The Raman spectra indicated a zone center optical phonon mode along with a few additional bands at the lower wavenumber regions. The change in the peak profilemore » of the zone center optical phonon mode and its downshift were observed with the increasing boron content in the film. Furthermore, sharpening and upshift of Raman line was observed in the film that was grown in presence of nitrogen along with diborane in process gas.« less

Versatile Method for the Site-Specific Modification of DNA with Boron Clusters: Anti-Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Antisense Oligonucleotide Case.

PubMed

Ebenryter-Olbińska, Katarzyna; Kaniowski, Damian; Sobczak, Milena; Wojtczak, Błażej A; Janczak, Sławomir; Wielgus, Ewelina; Nawrot, Barbara; Leśnikowski, Zbigniew J

2017-11-21

A general and convenient approach for the incorporation of different types of boron clusters into specific locations of the DNA-oligonucleotide chain based on the automated phosphoramidite method of oligonucleotide synthesis and post-synthetic "click chemistry" modification has been developed. Pronounced effects of boron-cluster modification on the physico- and biochemical properties of the antisense oligonucleotides were observed. The silencing activity of antisense oligonucleotides bearing a single boron cluster modification in the middle of the oligonucleotide chain was substantially higher than that of unmodified oligonucleotides. This finding may be of importance for the design of therapeutic nucleic acids with improved properties. The proposed synthetic methodology broadens the availability of nucleic acid-boron cluster conjugates and opens up new avenues for their potential practical use. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

New polymeric precursors to SiNCB, BN, and La(3)Ni(2)B(2)N(3) materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wideman, Thomas W.

Boron-containing non-oxide ceramics demonstrate a number of important structural, electronic and physical properties. However, the lack of general synthetic routes to generate these materials with controlled composition, under moderate conditions, and in processed forms, has hampered both scientific studies and practical applications. The goal of the work described in this dissertation was to develop efficient new polymeric precursor routes to boron-containing materials including SiNCB ceramics composites, boron nitride fibers, and quaternary metal boro-nitride superconductors. Two types of polyborosilazane precursors to SiNCB ceramics were developed. Borazine-co-silazane copolymers were prepared through the thermal copolymerization of borazine with two silazanes, tris(trimethylsilylamino)silane, and 1,1,3,3,5,5 -hexamethylcyclotrisilazane. Polyborosilazanes with pendent boron-containing species were obtained by the modification of preformed hydridopolysilazane polymers with three monofunctional boranes: pinacolborane, 2,4-diethylborazine and 1,3-dimethyl-1,3-diaza-2-boracyclopentane. Pyrolyses of both types of polyborosilazanes produced SiNCB ceramics with controllable boron contents, enhanced thermal stabilities, and reduced crystallinity. Processible polymeric precursors to BN were also achieved by the chemical modification of polyborazylene, (Bsb3Nsb3Hsb{˜ 4}rbrack sb{x}, with diethylamine, dipentylamine, and hexamethyldisilazane. The modified polymers, unlike the parent polyborazylene, do not crosslink at low temperatures, and therefore proved to be ideal melt-spinnable precursors to BN ceramic fibers. A new polymeric precursor route to the recently discovered Lasb3Nisb2Bsb2Nsb3 superconductor (Tc = 12K) was developed by reacting lanthanum and nickel powders dispersed in the polyborazylene, to produce the intermetallic in excellent yields. The use of the polymer as a "reagent" provided a controllable, solid state source of nitrogen, and allows for the large scale syntheses of Lasb3Nisb2Bsb2Nsb3 and other quaternary metal boro-nitrides. Two new preparations of borazine, Bsb3Nsb3Hsb6, a key molecular unit in many of the polymers described above, have also been developed. Chemical investigations and practical applications of borazine-based preceramic polymers have been limited by the inefficient syntheses and high cost of borazine, which may now be prepared in 55-65% yields by the convenient, inexpensive the reaction of ammonium and borohydride salts, and the decomposition of ammonia borane, in high-boiling ether solutions.

The n-type conduction of indium-doped Cu{sub 2}O thin films fabricated by direct current magnetron co-sputtering

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

Cai, Xing-Min; Su, Xiao-Qiang; Ye, Fan, E-mail: yefan@szu.edu.cn

2015-08-24

Indium-doped Cu{sub 2}O thin films were fabricated on K9 glass substrates by direct current magnetron co-sputtering in an atmosphere of Ar and O{sub 2}. Metallic copper and indium disks were used as the targets. X-ray diffraction showed that the diffraction peaks could only be indexed to simple cubic Cu{sub 2}O, with no other phases detected. Indium atoms exist as In{sup 3+} in Cu{sub 2}O. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy showed that the transmittance of the samples was relatively high and that indium doping increased the optical band gaps. The Hall effect measurement showed that the samples were n-type semiconductors at room temperature. Themore » Seebeck effect test showed that the films were n-type semiconductors near or over room temperature (<400 K), changing to p-type at relatively high temperatures. The conduction by the samples in the temperature range of the n-type was due to thermal band conduction and the donor energy level was estimated to be 620.2–713.8 meV below the conduction band. The theoretical calculation showed that indium doping can raise the Fermi energy level of Cu{sub 2}O and, therefore, lead to n-type conduction.« less

Very Small Satellite Design for Space Sensor Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-01

example, the p and n regions are created by introducing dopant materials, such as boron (B) or phosphorous (P), respectively. Boron has one less valence...AR test chips are subjected to a brief 100 krad (SiO2) TID radiation exposure using a Cobalt -60 source, which was the maximum exposure available at

DFT applied to the study of carbon-doped zinc-blende (cubic) GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Espitia R, M. J.; Ortega-López, C.; Rodríguez Martínez, J. A.

2016-08-01

Employing first principles within the framework of density functional theory, the structural properties, electronic structure, and magnetism of C-doped zincblende (cubic) GaN were investigated. The calculations were carried out using the pseudopotential method, employed exactly as implemented in Quantum ESPRESSO code. For GaC0.0625N0.9375 concentration, a metallic behavior was found. This metallic property comes from the hybridization and polarization of C-2p states and their neighboring N-2p and G-4p states.

Curie temperatures of cubic (Ga, Mn)N diluted magnetic semiconductors from the RKKY spin model.

PubMed

Zhu, Li-Fang; Liu, Bang-Gui

2009-11-04

We explore how much the RKKY spin interaction can contribute to the high-temperature ferromagnetism in cubic (Ga, Mn)N diluted magnetic semiconductors. The usual coupling constant is used and effective carriers are considered independent of doped magnetic atoms, as is shown experimentally. Our Monte Carlo simulated results show that maximal Curie temperature is reached at the optimal carrier concentration for a given Mn concentration, equaling 373 K for 5% Mn and 703 K for 8% Mn. Because such a Monte Carlo method does not overestimate transition temperatures, these calculations indicate that the RKKY spin interaction alone can yield high-enough Curie temperatures in cubic (Ga, Mn)N under optimized conditions.

Zn-dopant dependent defect evolution in GaN nanowires.

PubMed

Yang, Bing; Liu, Baodan; Wang, Yujia; Zhuang, Hao; Liu, Qingyun; Yuan, Fang; Jiang, Xin

2015-10-21

Zn doped GaN nanowires with different doping levels (0, <1 at%, and 3-5 at%) have been synthesized through a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. The effect of Zn doping on the defect evolution, including stacking fault, dislocation, twin boundary and phase boundary, has been systematically investigated by transmission electron microscopy and first-principles calculations. Undoped GaN nanowires show a hexagonal wurtzite (WZ) structure with good crystallinity. Several kinds of twin boundaries, including (101¯3), (101¯1) and (202¯1), as well as Type I stacking faults (…ABABCBCB…), are observed in the nanowires. The increasing Zn doping level (<1 at%) induces the formation of screw dislocations featuring a predominant screw component along the radial direction of the GaN nanowires. At high Zn doping level (3-5 at%), meta-stable cubic zinc blende (ZB) domains are generated in the WZ GaN nanowires. The WZ/ZB phase boundary (…ABABACBA…) can be identified as Type II stacking faults. The density of stacking faults (both Type I and Type II) increases with increasing the Zn doping levels, which in turn leads to a rough-surface morphology in the GaN nanowires. First-principles calculations reveal that Zn doping will reduce the formation energy of both Type I and Type II stacking faults, favoring their nucleation in GaN nanowires. An understanding of the effect of Zn doping on the defect evolution provides an important method to control the microstructure and the electrical properties of p-type GaN nanowires.

Production and Characterization of Bulk MgB2 Material made by the Combination of Crystalline and Carbon Coated Amorphous Boron Powders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiroki, K.; Muralidhar, M.; Koblischka, M. R.; Murakami, M.

2017-07-01

The object of this investigation is to reduce the cost of bulk production and in the same time to increase the critical current performance of bulk MgB2 material. High-purity commercial powders of Mg metal (99.9% purity) and two types of crystalline (99% purity) and 16.5 wt% carbon-coated, nanometer-sized amorphous boron powders (98.5% purity) were mixed in a nominal composition of MgB2 to reduce the boron cost and to see the effect on the superconducting and magnetic properties. Several samples were produced mixing the crystalline boron and carbon-coated, nanometer-sized amorphous boron powders in varying ratios (50:50, 60:40, 70:30, 80:20, 90:10) and synthesized using a single-step process using the solid state reaction around 800 °C for 3 h in pure argon atmosphere. The magnetization measurements exhibited a sharp superconducting transition temperature with T c, onset around 38.6 K to 37.2 K for the bulk samples prepared utilizing the mixture of crystalline boron and 16.5% carbon-coated amorphous boron. The critical current density at higher magnetic field was improved with addition of carbon-coated boron to crystalline boron in a ratio of 80:20. The highest self-field Jc around 215,000 A/cm2 and 37,000 A/cm2 were recorded at 20 K, self-field and 2 T for the sample with a ratio of 80:10. The present results clearly demonstrate that the bulk MgB2 performance can be improved by adding carbon-coated nano boron to crystalline boron, which will be attractive to reduce the cost of bulk MgB2 material for several industrial applications.

The role of grain boundaries in hydrogen diffusion in metals at 25 C

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Danford, M. D.

1993-01-01

The effect of grain size on hydrogen diffusion at 25 C was examined for 4340 steel (body-centered cubic) and for Inconel 718 (face-centered cubic). It was found that the effect of grain size is important for body-centered cubic structures, but plays a much less important role in face centered cubic structures. Accurate measurements of hydrogen desorption coefficients during hydrogen desorption show that these are not greatly different for both types of structures.

Intramolecular B-B Linkage Between Polyhedral Cages in a Commo-Metallacarborane. Synthesis and Structure of a Fluxional Metal-Boron Cluster, (n(5)-C5(CH3)5)2Co3(CH3)4C4B8H7.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-11-01

FINSTER , E SINN, R N GRIMES N0001475--0305 UNCLASSIFIED TR-35 NL’ minimnmlhnnnhu ,IIIIIIIIIIIIIl hEIIIIIIIIEIII EEEEEEEEEEEL 1.8 MICROCOPY’ RESOLUTION...David C./ Finster Ekk/inn Russell . Grimes Department of Chemistry ",00t University ofLyirginla ’ Charlottesville, Va. 22901 Prepared for Publication In...a Commo-Metallacarborane. Synthesis and Structure of a Fluxi:. Metal-Boron Cluster, [n5C 5 (CCB3)512HCo3(C13)4C4B8H7 David C. Finster , Ekk Sinn, and

Boron and Zirconium from Crucible Refractories in a Complex Heat-Resistant Alloy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Decker, R F; Rowe, John P; Freeman, J W

1958-01-01

In a laboratory study of the factors involved in the influence of induction vacuum melting on 55ni-20cr-15co-4mo-3ti-3al heat resistant alloy, it was found that the major factor was the type of ceramic used as the crucible. The study concluded that trace amounts of boron or zirconium derived from reaction of the melt with the crucible refactories improved creep-rupture properties at 1,600 degrees F. Boron was most effective and, in addition, markedly improved hot-workability.

Present state of boron-carbon thermoelectric materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elsner, N. B.; Reynolds, G. H.

1983-01-01

Boron-carbon p-type thermoelectric materials show promise for use in advanced thermal-to-electric space power conversion systems. Here, recent data on the thermoelectric properties of boron-carbon materials, such as B9C, B13C2, B15C2, and B4C, are reviewed. In particular, attention is given to the effect of the compositional homogeneity and residual impurity content on the Seeback coefficient, electrical resistivity, and thermal conductivity of these materials. The effect of carbon content for a given level of impurity and degree of homogeneity is also discussed.

Chemical quality of ground water in San Joaquin and part of Contra Costa Counties, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sorenson, Stephen K.

1981-01-01

Chemical water-quality conditions were investigated in San Joaquin and part of Contra Costa Counties by canvassing available wells and sampling water from 324 representative wells. Chemical water types varied, with 73 percent of the wells sampled containing either calcium-magnesium bicarbonate, or calcium-sodium bicarbonate type water. Substantial areas contain ground water exceeding water-quality standards for boron, manganese, and nitrate. Trace elements, with the exception of boron and manganese, were present in negligible amounts. (USGS)

Impact of implanted phosphorus on the diffusivity of boron and its applicability to silicon solar cells

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

Schrof, Julian; Müller, Ralph; Reedy, Robert C.

2015-07-28

Boron diffusivity reduction in extrinsically doped silicon was investigated in the context of a process combination consisting of BBr3 furnace diffusion and preceding Phosphorus ion implantation. The implantation of Phosphorus leads to a substantial blocking of Boron during the subsequent Boron diffusion. First, the influences of ion implantation induced point defects as well as the initial P doping on B diffusivity were studied independently. Here, it was found that not the defects created during ion implantation but the P doping itself results in the observed B diffusion retardation. The influence of the initial P concentration was investigated in more detailmore » by varying the P implantation dose. A secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) analysis of the BSG layer after the B diffusion revealed that the B diffusion retardation is not due to potential P content in the BSG layer but rather caused by the n-type doping of the crystalline silicon itself. Based on the observations the B diffusion retardation was classified into three groups: (i) no reduction of B diffusivity, (ii) reduced B diffusivity, and (iii) blocking of the B diffusion. The retardation of B diffusion can well be explained by the phosphorus doping level resulting in a Fermi level shift and pairing of B and P ions, both reducing the B diffusivity. Besides these main influences, there are probably additional transient phenomena responsible for the blocking of boron. Those might be an interstitial transport mechanism caused by P diffusion that reduces interstitial concentration at the surface or the silicon/BSG interface shift due to oxidation during the BBr3 diffusion process. Lifetime measurements revealed that the residual (non-blocked) B leads to an increased dark saturation current density in the P doped region. Nevertheless, electrical quality is on a high level and was further increased by reducing the B dose as well as by removing the first few nanometers of the silicon surface after the BBr3 diffusion« less

Creep Strength Behavior of Boron Added P91 Steel and its Weld in the Temperature Range of 600-650°C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swaminathan, J.; Das, C. R.; Baral, Jayashree; Phaniraj, C.; Ghosh, R. N.; Albert, S. K.; Bhaduri, A. K.

One of the promising ways for mitigation of Type IV cracking — a failure by cracking at the intercritical /fine grained heat affected zone, a life limiting problem in advanced 9-12 Cr ferritic steel weld like that of P91 is through modification of alloy composition by addition of boron. Addition of boron was observed to improve the microstructure at the weld zone and hence the creep strength. In the present work, boron (100 ppm with controlled nitrogen) added P91 steel after normalizing at 1050°C and 1150°C and tempered at 760°C were studied for the creep behavior in the base metal and welded condition in the temperature range of 600-650°C. Creep strength was characterized in terms of stress and temperature dependence of creep rate and rupture time. Weld creep life was reduced compared to the base metal with rupture occurring at the ICHAZ (Type IV crack). However at longer time (at lower stress levels) exposure creep crack moves from weld metal to HAZ (Type II crack). Rupture life was found to superior for the base and weld in the boron containing steel when higher normalizing temperature is used. Estimation of 105 h was attempted based on short term rupture data available and weld strength factors were calculated. Observed values are better for P91BH condition than the values for P91BLcondition as well as those available for P91 in open literature

The competitive growth of cubic domains in Ti(1-x)AlxN films studied by diffraction anomalous near-edge structure spectroscopy.

PubMed

Pinot, Y; Tuilier, M-H; Pac, M-J; Rousselot, C; Thiaudière, D

2015-11-01

Titanium and aluminium nitride films deposited by magnetron sputtering generally grow as columnar domains made of oriented nanocrystallites with cubic or hexagonal symmetry depending on Al content, which are embedded in more disordered grain boundaries. The substitution of Al atoms for Ti in the cubic lattice of the films improves their resistance to wear and oxidation, allowing their use as protective coatings. Ti K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy, which probes both crystallized and more disordered grain boundaries, and X-ray diffraction anomalous fine structure, which is sensitive to short- and long-range order within a given crystallized domain, are carried out on a set of Ti(1-x)AlxN films deposited by magnetron sputtering on Si substrates. Attention is paid to the shape of the pre-edge region, which is sensitive to the symmetry of the site occupied by Ti atoms, either octahedral in face-centred-cubic Ti-rich (TiN, Ti0.54Al0.46N) samples or tetrahedral in hexagonal-close-packed Al-rich (Ti0.32Al0.68N) films. In order to obain information on the titanium environment in the well crystallized areas, subtraction of the smooth part of the energy-dependent structure factor for the Bragg reflections is applied to the pre-edge region of the diffraction anomalous data in order to restore their spectroscopic appearance. A flat pre-edge is related to the typical octahedral environment of Ti atoms for cubic reflections. The difference observed between pre-edge spectra associated with face-centred-cubic 200 and 111 Bragg reflections of Ti0.54Al0.46N is assigned to Ti enrichment of 111 large well ordered domains compared with the more disordered 200 ones. The sharp peak observed in the spectrum recorded from the hexagonal 002 peak of Ti0.32Al0.68N can be regarded as a standard for the pure tetrahedral Ti environment in hexagonal-close-packed nitride.

Boron-Doped Nanocrystalline Diamond Electrodes for Neural Interfaces: In vivo Biocompatibility Evaluation

PubMed Central

Alcaide, María; Taylor, Andrew; Fjorback, Morten; Zachar, Vladimir; Pennisi, Cristian P.

2016-01-01

Boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond (BDD) electrodes have recently attracted attention as materials for neural electrodes due to their superior physical and electrochemical properties, however their biocompatibility remains largely unexplored. In this work, we aim to investigate the in vivo biocompatibility of BDD electrodes in relation to conventional titanium nitride (TiN) electrodes using a rat subcutaneous implantation model. High quality BDD films were synthesized on electrodes intended for use as an implantable neurostimulation device. After implantation for 2 and 4 weeks, tissue sections adjacent to the electrodes were obtained for histological analysis. Both types of implants were contained in a thin fibrous encapsulation layer, the thickness of which decreased with time. Although the level of neovascularization around the implants was similar, BDD electrodes elicited significantly thinner fibrous capsules and a milder inflammatory reaction at both time points. These results suggest that BDD films may constitute an appropriate material to support stable performance of implantable neural electrodes over time. PMID:27013949

Far-infrared transmission in GaN, AlN, and AlGaN thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy

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

Ibanez, J.; Hernandez, S.; Alarcon-Llado, E.

2008-08-01

We present a far-infrared transmission study on group-III nitride thin films. Cubic GaN and AlN layers and c-oriented wurtzite GaN, AlN, and Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}N (x<0.3) layers were grown by molecular beam epitaxy on GaAs and Si(111) substrates, respectively. The Berreman effect allows us to observe simultaneously the transverse optic and the longitudinal optic phonons of both the cubic and the hexagonal films as transmission minima in the infrared spectra acquired with obliquely incident radiation. We discuss our results in terms of the relevant electromagnetic theory of infrared transmission in cubic and wurtzite thin films. We compare the infrared resultsmore » with visible Raman-scattering measurements. In the case of films with low scattering volumes and/or low Raman efficiencies and also when the Raman signal of the substrate material obscures the weaker peaks from the nitride films, we find that the Berreman technique is particularly useful to complement Raman spectroscopy.« less

Disorder and defects are not intrinsic to boron carbide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mondal, Swastik; Bykova, Elena; Dey, Somnath; Ali, Sk Imran; Dubrovinskaia, Natalia; Dubrovinsky, Leonid; Parakhonskiy, Gleb; van Smaalen, Sander

2016-01-01

A unique combination of useful properties in boron-carbide, such as extreme hardness, excellent fracture toughness, a low density, a high melting point, thermoelectricity, semi-conducting behavior, catalytic activity and a remarkably good chemical stability, makes it an ideal material for a wide range of technological applications. Explaining these properties in terms of chemical bonding has remained a major challenge in boron chemistry. Here we report the synthesis of fully ordered, stoichiometric boron-carbide B13C2 by high-pressure-high-temperature techniques. Our experimental electron-density study using high-resolution single-crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction data conclusively demonstrates that disorder and defects are not intrinsic to boron carbide, contrary to what was hitherto supposed. A detailed analysis of the electron density distribution reveals charge transfer between structural units in B13C2 and a new type of electron-deficient bond with formally unpaired electrons on the C-B-C group in B13C2. Unprecedented bonding features contribute to the fundamental chemistry and materials science of boron compounds that is of great interest for understanding structure-property relationships and development of novel functional materials.

Update on human health effects of boron.

PubMed

Nielsen, Forrest H

2014-10-01

In vitro, animal, and human experiments have shown that boron is a bioactive element in nutritional amounts that beneficially affects bone growth and central nervous system function, alleviates arthritic symptoms, facilitates hormone action and is associated with a reduced risk for some types of cancer. The diverse effects of boron suggest that it influences the formation and/or activity of substances that are involved in numerous biochemical processes. Several findings suggest that this influence is through the formation of boroesters in biomolecules containing cis-hydroxyl groups. These biomolecules include those that contain ribose (e.g., S-adenosylmethionine, diadenosine phosphates, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide). In addition, boron may form boroester complexes with phosphoinositides, glycoproteins, and glycolipids that affect cell membrane integrity and function. Both animal and human data indicate that an intake of less than 1.0mg/day inhibits the health benefits of boron. Dietary surveys indicate such an intake is not rare. Thus, increasing boron intake by consuming a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts and pulses should be recognized as a reasonable dietary recommendation to enhance health and well-being. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Phonon transport in single-layer boron nanoribbons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhongwei; Xie, Yuee; Peng, Qing; Chen, Yuanping

2016-11-01

Inspired by the successful synthesis of three two-dimensional (2D) allotropes, the boron sheet has recently been one of the hottest 2D materials around. However, to date, phonon transport properties of these new materials are still unknown. By using the non-equilibrium Green’s function (NEGF) combined with the first principles method, we study ballistic phonon transport in three types of boron sheets; two of them correspond to the structures reported in the experiments, while the third one is a stable structure that has not been synthesized yet. At room temperature, the highest thermal conductance of the boron nanoribbons is comparable with that of graphene, while the lowest thermal conductance is less than half of graphene’s. Compared with graphene, the three boron sheets exhibit diverse anisotropic transport characteristics. With an analysis of phonon dispersion, bonding charge density, and simplified models of atomic chains, the mechanisms of the diverse phonon properties are discussed. Moreover, we find that many hybrid patterns based on the boron allotropes can be constructed naturally without doping, adsorption, and defects. This provides abundant nanostructures for thermal management and thermoelectric applications.

Heteroatom Nitrogen- and Boron-Doping as a Facile Strategy to Improve Photocatalytic Activity of Standalone Reduced Graphene Oxide in Hydrogen Evolution.

PubMed

Putri, Lutfi K; Ng, Boon-Junn; Ong, Wee-Jun; Lee, Hing Wah; Chang, Wei Sea; Chai, Siang-Piao

2017-02-08

Owing to its superior properties and versatility, graphene has been proliferating the energy research scene in the past decade. In this contribution, nitrogen (N-) and boron (B-) doped reduced graphene oxide (rGO) variants were investigated as a sole photocatalyst for the green production of H 2 and their properties with respect to photocatalysis were elucidated for the first time. N- and B-rGOs were facilely prepared via the pyrolysis of graphene oxide with urea and boron anhydride as their respective dopant source. The pyrolysis temperature was varied (600-800 °C for N-rGO and 800-1000 °C for B-rGO) in order to modify dopant loading percentage (%) which was found to be influential to photocatalytic activity. N-rGO600 (8.26 N at%) and B-rGO1000 (3.59 B at%), which holds the highest at% from each of their party, exhibited the highest H 2 activity. Additionally, the effects of the nature of N and B bonding configuration in H 2 photoactivity were also examined. This study demonstrates the importance of dopant atoms in graphene, rendering doping as an effective strategy to bolster photocatalytic activity for standalone graphene derivative photocatalysts.

Piezoelectric actuated micro-resonators based on the growth of diamond on aluminum nitride thin films.

PubMed

Hees, J; Heidrich, N; Pletschen, W; Sah, R E; Wolfer, M; Williams, O A; Lebedev, V; Nebel, C E; Ambacher, O

2013-01-18

Unimorph heterostructures based on piezoelectric aluminum nitride (AlN) and diamond thin films are highly desirable for applications in micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems. In this paper, we present a new approach to combine thin conductive boron-doped as well as insulating nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) with sputtered AlN films without the need for any buffer layers between AlN and NCD or polishing steps. The zeta potentials of differently treated nanodiamond (ND) particles in aqueous colloids are adjusted to the zeta potential of AlN in water. Thereby, the nucleation density for the initial growth of diamond on AlN can be varied from very low (10(8) cm(-2)), in the case of hydrogen-treated ND seeding particles, to very high values of 10(11) cm(-2) for oxidized ND particles. Our approach yielding high nucleation densities allows the growth of very thin NCD films on AlN with thicknesses as low as 40 nm for applications such as microelectromechanical beam resonators. Fabricated piezo-actuated micro-resonators exhibit enhanced mechanical properties due to the incorporation of boron-doped NCD films. Highly boron-doped NCD thin films which replace the metal top electrode offer Young's moduli of more than 1000 GPa.

Modeling Changes in Measured Conductance of Thin Boron Carbide Semiconducting Films Under Irradiation

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

Peterson, George G.; Wang, Yongqiang; Ianno, N. J.

Semiconducting, p-type, amorphous partially dehydrogenated boron carbide films (a-B 10C 2+x:H y) were deposited utilizing plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) onto n-type silicon thus creating a heterojunction diode. A model was developed for the conductance of the device as a function of perturbation frequency (f) that incorporates changes of the electrical properties for both the a-B 10C 2+x:H y film and the silicon substrate when irradiated. The virgin model has 3 independent variables (R1, C1, R3), and 1 dependent variable (f). These samples were then irradiated with 200 keV He + ions, and the conductance model was matched tomore » the measured data. It was found that initial irradiation (0.1 displacements per atom (dpa) equivalent) resulted in a decrease in the parallel junction resistance parameter from 6032 Ω to 2705 Ω. Further irradiation drastically increased the parallel junction resistance parameter to 39000 Ω (0.2 dpa equivalent), 77440 Ω (0.3 dpa equivalent), and 190000 Ω (0.5 dpa equivalent). It is believed that the initial irradiation causes type inversion of the silicon substrate changing the original junction from a p-n to a p-p+ with a much lower barrier height leading to a lower junction resistance component between the a-B 10C 2+x:H y and irradiated silicon. In addition, it was found that after irradiation, a second parallel resistor and capacitor component is required for the model, introducing 2 additional independent variables (R2, C2). This is interpreted as the junction between the irradiated and virgin silicon near ion end of range.« less

Modeling Changes in Measured Conductance of Thin Boron Carbide Semiconducting Films Under Irradiation

DOE PAGES

Peterson, George G.; Wang, Yongqiang; Ianno, N. J.; ...

2016-11-09

Semiconducting, p-type, amorphous partially dehydrogenated boron carbide films (a-B 10C 2+x:H y) were deposited utilizing plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) onto n-type silicon thus creating a heterojunction diode. A model was developed for the conductance of the device as a function of perturbation frequency (f) that incorporates changes of the electrical properties for both the a-B 10C 2+x:H y film and the silicon substrate when irradiated. The virgin model has 3 independent variables (R1, C1, R3), and 1 dependent variable (f). These samples were then irradiated with 200 keV He + ions, and the conductance model was matched tomore » the measured data. It was found that initial irradiation (0.1 displacements per atom (dpa) equivalent) resulted in a decrease in the parallel junction resistance parameter from 6032 Ω to 2705 Ω. Further irradiation drastically increased the parallel junction resistance parameter to 39000 Ω (0.2 dpa equivalent), 77440 Ω (0.3 dpa equivalent), and 190000 Ω (0.5 dpa equivalent). It is believed that the initial irradiation causes type inversion of the silicon substrate changing the original junction from a p-n to a p-p+ with a much lower barrier height leading to a lower junction resistance component between the a-B 10C 2+x:H y and irradiated silicon. In addition, it was found that after irradiation, a second parallel resistor and capacitor component is required for the model, introducing 2 additional independent variables (R2, C2). This is interpreted as the junction between the irradiated and virgin silicon near ion end of range.« less

Flat-plate solar array project process development area process research of non-CZ silicon material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

Three sets of samples were laser processed and then cell processed. The laser processing was carried out on P-type and N-type web at laser power levels from 0.5 joule/sq cm to 2.5 joule/sq cm. Six different liquid dopants were tested (3 phosphorus dopants, 2 boron dopants, 1 aluminum dopant). The laser processed web strips were fabricated into solar cells immediately after laser processing and after various annealing cycles. Spreading resistance measurements made on a number of these samples indicate that the N(+)P (phosphorus doped) junction is approx. 0.2 micrometers deep and suitable for solar cells. However, the P(+)N (or P(+)P) junction is very shallow ( 0.1 micrometers) with a low surface concentration and resulting high resistance. Due to this effect, the fabricated cells are of low efficiency. The maximum efficiency attained was 9.6% on P-type web after a 700 C anneal. The main reason for the low efficiency was a high series resistance in the cell due to a high resistance back contact.

Unusual Features of Crystal Structures of Some Simple Copper Compounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douglas, Bodie

2009-01-01

Some simple copper compounds have unusual crystal structures. Cu[subscript 3]N is cubic with N atoms at centers of octahedra formed by 6 Cu atoms. Cu[subscript 2]O (cuprite) is also cubic; O atoms are in tetrahedra formed by 4 Cu atoms. These tetrahedra are linked by sharing vertices forming two independent networks without linkages between them.…

Fabrication and characterization of poly (bisphenol A borate) with high thermal stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shujuan; Wang, Xiao; Jia, Beibei; Jing, Xinli

2017-01-01

In this work, poly (bisphenol A borate) (PBAB), which has excellent thermal resistance and a high char yield, was synthesized via a convenient A2 + B3 strategy by using bisphenol A (BPA) and boric acid (BA). The chemical reaction between BPA and BA and the chemical structure of PBAB were investigated. The results demonstrate that PBAB consists of aromatic, Ph-O-B and B-O-B structures, as well as a small number of boron hydroxyl groups and phenolic hydroxyl groups. The thermal properties of PBAB were studied by DMA and TGA. The results indicate that the glass transition temperature and char yield are gradually enhanced by increasing the boron content, where the char yield of PBAB at 800 °C in nitrogen (N2) reaches up to 71.3%. It is of particular importance that PBAB show excellent thermal resistance in N2 and air atmospheres. By analysing the pyrolysis of PBAB, the high char yield of PBAB can be attributed to the formation of boron oxide and boron carbide at high temperatures, which reduced the release of volatile carbon dioxide and improved the thermal stability of the carbonization products. This study provides a new perspective on the design of novel boron-containing polymers and possesses significant potential for the improvement of the comprehensive performance of thermosetting resins to broaden their applicability in the field of advanced composites.

Chirality Relay in 2,2'-Substituted 1,1'-Binaphthyl: Access to Propeller Chirality of the Tricoordinate Boron Center.

PubMed

Wang, Chen; Sun, Zuo-Bang; Xu, Qing-Wen; Zhao, Cui-Hua

2016-11-14

It is a challenging issue to achieve propeller chirality for triarylboranes owing to the low transition barrier between the P and M forms of the boron center. Herein, we report a new strategy to achieve propeller chirality of triarylboranes. It was found that the chirality relay from axially chiral 1,1'-binaphthyl to propeller chirality of the trivalent boron center can be realized when a Me 2 N and a Mes 2 B group (Mes=mesityl) are introduced at the 2,2'-positions of the 1,1'-binaphthyl skeleton (BN-BNaph) owing to the strong π-π interaction between the Me 2 N-bonded naphthyl ring and the phenyl ring of one adjacent Mes group, which not only exerts great steric hindrance on the rotation of the two Mes groups but also gives unequal stability to the two configurations of the boron center for a given configuration of the binaphthyl moiety. The stereostructures of the boron center were fully characterized through 1 H NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystal analyses, and theoretical calculations. Detailed comparisons with the analog BN-Ph-BNaph, in which the Mes 2 B group is separated from 1,1'-binaphthyl by a para-phenylene spacer, confirmed the essential role of π-π interaction for the successful chirality relay in BN-BNaph. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Interaction of boron cluster ions with water: Single collision dynamics and sequential etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hintz, Paul A.; Ruatta, Stephen A.; Anderson, Scott L.

1990-01-01

Reactions of mass-selected, cooled, boron cluster ions (B+n, n=1-14) with water have been studied for collision energies from 0.1 to 6.0 eV. Most work was done with D2O, however isotope effects were examined for selected reactant cluster ions. For all size clusters there are exoergic product channels, which in most cases have no activation barriers. Cross sections are generally large, however there are fluctuations with cluster size in total reactivity, collision energy dependences, and in product distributions. For small cluster ions, there is a multitude of product channels. For clusters larger than B+6, the product distributions are dominated by a single channel: Bn-1D++DBO. Under multiple collision conditions, the primary products undergo a remarkable sequence of secondary ``etching'' reactions. As these occur, boron atoms are continuously replaced by hydrogen, and the intermediate products retain the composition: Bn-mH+m. This highly efficient chemistry appears to continue unchanged as the composition changes from pure boron to mostly hydrogen. Comparison of these results is made with boron cluster ion reactions with O2 and D2, as well as reactions with water of aluminum and silicon cluster ions. Some discussion is given of the thermochemistry for these reactions, and a possible problem with the thermochemical data in the BOD/DBO system is discussed.

Twinning of cubic diamond explains reported nanodiamond polymorphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Németh, Péter; Garvie, Laurence A. J.; Buseck, Peter R.

2015-12-01

The unusual physical properties and formation conditions attributed to h-, i-, m-, and n-nanodiamond polymorphs has resulted in their receiving much attention in the materials and planetary science literature. Their identification is based on diffraction features that are absent in ordinary cubic (c-) diamond (space group: Fd-3m). We show, using ultra-high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) images of natural and synthetic nanodiamonds, that the diffraction features attributed to the reported polymorphs are consistent with c-diamond containing abundant defects. Combinations of {113} reflection and <011> rotation twins produce HRTEM images and d-spacings that match those attributed to h-, i-, and m-diamond. The diagnostic features of n-diamond in TEM images can arise from thickness effects of c-diamonds. Our data and interpretations strongly suggest that the reported nanodiamond polymorphs are in fact twinned c-diamond. We also report a new type of twin (<11> rotational), which can give rise to grains with dodecagonal symmetry. Our results show that twins are widespread in diamond nanocrystals. A high density of twins could strongly influence their applications.

Microstructure and Mechanical Behaviors of Titanium Matrix Composites Containing In Situ Whiskers Synthesized via Plasma Activated Sintering.

PubMed

Sun, Yi; Zhang, Jian; Luo, Guoqiang; Shen, Qiang; Zhang, Lianmeng

2018-04-02

In this paper, titanium matrix composites with in situ TiB whiskers were synthesized by the plasma activated sintering technique; crystalline boron and amorphous boron were used as reactants for in situ reactions, respectively. The influence of the sintering process and the crystallography type of boron on the microstructure and mechanical properties of composites were studied and compared. The densities were evaluated using Archimedes' principle. The microstructure and mechanical properties were characterized by SEM, XRD, EBSD, TEM, a universal testing machine, and a Vickers hardness tester. The prepared composite material showed a high density and excellent comprehensive performance under the PAS condition of 20 MPa at 1000 °C for 3 min. Amorphous boron had a higher reaction efficiency than crystalline boron, and it completely reacted with the titanium matrix to generate TiB whiskers, while there was still a certain amount of residual crystalline boron combining well with the titanium matrix at 1100 °C. The composite samples with a relative density of 98.33%, Vickers hardness of 389.75 HV, compression yield strength of up to 1190 MPa, and an ultimate compressive strength of up to 1710 MPa were obtained. Compared with the matrix material, the compressive strength of TC4 titanium alloy containing crystalline boron and amorphous boron was increased by 7.64% and 15.50%, respectively.

Microstructure and Mechanical Behaviors of Titanium Matrix Composites Containing In Situ Whiskers Synthesized via Plasma Activated Sintering

PubMed Central

Luo, Guoqiang; Shen, Qiang; Zhang, Lianmeng

2018-01-01

In this paper, titanium matrix composites with in situ TiB whiskers were synthesized by the plasma activated sintering technique; crystalline boron and amorphous boron were used as reactants for in situ reactions, respectively. The influence of the sintering process and the crystallography type of boron on the microstructure and mechanical properties of composites were studied and compared. The densities were evaluated using Archimedes’ principle. The microstructure and mechanical properties were characterized by SEM, XRD, EBSD, TEM, a universal testing machine, and a Vickers hardness tester. The prepared composite material showed a high density and excellent comprehensive performance under the PAS condition of 20 MPa at 1000 °C for 3 min. Amorphous boron had a higher reaction efficiency than crystalline boron, and it completely reacted with the titanium matrix to generate TiB whiskers, while there was still a certain amount of residual crystalline boron combining well with the titanium matrix at 1100 °C. The composite samples with a relative density of 98.33%, Vickers hardness of 389.75 HV, compression yield strength of up to 1190 MPa, and an ultimate compressive strength of up to 1710 MPa were obtained. Compared with the matrix material, the compressive strength of TC4 titanium alloy containing crystalline boron and amorphous boron was increased by 7.64% and 15.50%, respectively. PMID:29614842

Application of neutron transmutation doping method to initially p-type silicon material.

PubMed

Kim, Myong-Seop; Kang, Ki-Doo; Park, Sang-Jun

2009-01-01

The neutron transmutation doping (NTD) method was applied to the initially p-type silicon in order to extend the NTD applications at HANARO. The relationship between the irradiation neutron fluence and the final resistivity of the initially p-type silicon material was investigated. The proportional constant between the neutron fluence and the resistivity was determined to be 2.3473x10(19)nOmegacm(-1). The deviation of the final resistivity from the target for almost all the irradiation results of the initially p-type silicon ingots was at a range from -5% to 2%. In addition, the burn-up effect of the boron impurities, the residual (32)P activity and the effect of the compensation characteristics for the initially p-type silicon were studied. Conclusively, the practical methodology to perform the neutron transmutation doping of the initially p-type silicon ingot was established.

Development of a Novel Ni-Fe-Cr-B-Si Interlayer Material for Transient Liquid Phase Bonding of Inconel 718

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarai, U. K.; Robi, P. S.; Pal, Sukhomay

2018-04-01

A Ni-Cr-Fe-Si-B based interlayer material was developed by mechanical alloying (MA) process in a high-energy planetary ball mill. Equiaxed alloy powders of size 12 µm was obtained after milling for 50 hours. X-ray diffraction analysis of the milled powder revealed that milling of elemental powders initially resulted in microcrystalline alloy powder having face centered cubic structure, which on subsequent milling resulted in nano-crystallice alloy powder with a crystallite size of 3.2 nm. XRD analysis also reveals formation of metastable eutectic alloys resulting in lowering of the melting point of the interlayer material to 1025 °C. IN 718 superalloy samples were joined at 1050°C using the developed interlayer. A homogeneous joint was formed by the newly developed interlayer material. Three different zones were observed at the bond (i) isothermally solidified zone, (ii) diffusion affected zone and (iii) unaffected base metal. In the diffusion-affected zone, boron was present at the grain boundaries of Ni γ matrix in bulky metal borides form. The diffusion of boron from interlayer material into the base material was mechanism of isothermal solidification and bond formation in transient liquid phase bonding of IN 718.

Design and fabrication of an innovative and environmental friendly adsorbent for boron removal.

PubMed

Wei, Yu-Ting; Zheng, Yu-Ming; Chen, J Paul

2011-03-01

Boron can pose adverse effects on human beings and plants species. It exists in various water environments and is difficult to be removed by conventional technologies. In this study, an efficient and environmental friendly sorbent was fabricated by the functionalization of a natural biopolymer, chitosan, with N-methylglucamine through atom transfer radical polymerization. The SEM and BET studies revealed that the sorbent had a rougher surface and a more porous structure than the chitosan. At the optimum neutral pH, the maximum sorption capacity was as high as 3.25 mmol/g, much higher than the commercial boron selective resins (e.g., Amberlite IRA-743) and many other synthesized sorbents. Almost 90% of boron sorption occurred within 8 h and the equilibrium was established in 12 h, which was well described by an intraparticle surface diffusion model. The presence of sodium chloride and sodium nitrate had no effect on the boron removal. The boron concentration in seawater could be reduced to less than 0.5 mg/L from 4.8 mg/L when a sorbent dosage of 1.2 g/L was used. It was therefore concluded that the sorption technology from this study could be promising for boron removal from aqueous solutions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anisotropic Nanomechanics of Boron Nitride Nanotubes: Nanostructured "Skin" Effect

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srivastava, Deepak; Menon, Madhu; Cho, KyeongJae

2000-01-01

The stiffness and plasticity of boron nitride nanotubes are investigated using generalized tight-binding molecular dynamics and ab-initio total energy methods. Due to boron-nitride BN bond buckling effects, compressed zigzag BN nanotubes are found to undergo novel anisotropic strain release followed by anisotropic plastic buckling. The strain is preferentially released towards N atoms in the rotated BN bonds. The tubes buckle anisotropically towards only one end when uniaxially compressed from both. A "skin-effect" model of smart nanocomposite materials is proposed which will localize the structural damage towards the 'skin' or surface side of the material.

Determination of silicon in biological and botanical reference materials by epithermal INAA and Compton suppression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landsberger, S.; Peshev, S.; Becker, D. A.

1994-12-01

Silicon determination in sixteen botanical and biological standard reference materials is described using the 29Si(n, p) 29Al reaction through instrumental epithermal neutron activation analysis and Compton suppression gamma-ray spectroscopy. By simultaneous utilization of both cadmium and boron epithermal filters along with anticoincidence gamma-counting, detection limits as low as 12 ppm were obtained for certain matrices, much lower than previously reported values for this type of analysis. The method is applicable to many botanical and biological matrices and is attractive with its interference free, purely instrumental nature, compared with methods using the 28Si(n, p) 28Al reaction or chemical separation techniques.

Theoretical study of the regioselectivity of the interaction of 3-methyl-4-pyrimidone and 1-methyl-2-pyrimidone with Lewis acids.

PubMed

Kasende, Okuma Emile; Muya, Jules Tshishimbi; Broeckaert, Lies; Maes, Guido; Geerlings, Paul

2012-08-23

A density functional theory (DFT) study is performed to determine the stability of the complexes formed between either the N or O site of 3-methyl-4-pyrimidone and 1-methyl-2-pyrimidone molecules and different ligands. The studied ligands are boron and alkali Lewis acids, namely, B(CH(3))(3), HB(CH(3))(2), H(2)B(CH(3)), BH(3), H(2)BF, HBF(2), BF(3), Li(+), Na(+), and K(+). The acids are divided into two groups according to their hardness. The reactivity predictions, according to the molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) map and the natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis, are in agreement with the calculated relative stabilities. Our findings reveal a strong regioselectivity with borane and its derivatives preferring the nitrogen site in both pyrimidone isomers, while a preference for oxygen is observed for the alkali acids in the 3-methyl-4-pyrimidone molecule. The complexation of 1-methyl-2-pyrimidone with these hard alkali acids does not show any discrimination between the two sites due to the presence of a continuous delocalized density region between the nitrogen and the oxygen atoms. The preference of boron Lewis acids toward the N site is due to the stronger B-N bond as compared to the B-O bond. The influence of fluorine or methyl substitution on the boron atom is discussed through natural orbital analysis (NBO) concentrating on the overlap of the boron empty p-orbital with the F lone pairs and methyl hyperconjugation, respectively. The electrophilicity of the boron acids gives a good overall picture of the interaction capabilities with the Lewis base.

Semiconducting cubic titanium nitride in the Th 3 P 4 structure

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

Bhadram, Venkata S.; Liu, Hanyu; Xu, Enshi

We report the discovery of a long-sought-after phase of titanium nitride with stoichiometry Ti 3 N 4 using diamond anvil cell experiments combined with in situ high-resolution x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy techniques, supported by ab initio calculations. Ti 3 N 4 crystallizes in the cubic Th 3 P 4 structure [space group I ¯ 4 3 d (220)] from a mixture of TiN and N 2 above ≈ 75 GPa and ≈ 2400 K. The density ( ≈ 5.22 g/cc) and bulk modulus ( K 0 = 290 GPa) of cubic- Ti 3 N 4 ( c - Timore » 3 N 4 ) at 1 atm, estimated from the pressure-volume equation of state, are comparable to rocksalt TiN. Ab initio calculations based on the GW approximation and using hybrid functionals indicate that c - Ti 3 N 4 is a semiconductor with a direct band gap between 0.8 and 0.9 eV, which is larger than the previously predicted values. The c - Ti 3 N 4 phase is not recoverable to ambient pressure due to dynamic instabilities, but recovery of Ti 3 N 4 in the defect rocksalt (or related) structure may be feasible.« less

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy - A Literature Review

PubMed Central

Nedunchezhian, Kavitaa; Thiruppathy, Manigandan; Thirugnanamurthy, Sarumathi

2016-01-01

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a radiation science which is emerging as a hopeful tool in treating cancer, by selectively concentrating boron compounds in tumour cells and then subjecting the tumour cells to epithermal neutron beam radiation. BNCT bestows upon the nuclear reaction that occurs when Boron-10, a stable isotope, is irradiated with low-energy thermal neutrons to yield α particles (Helium-4) and recoiling lithium-7 nuclei. A large number of 10 Boron (10B) atoms have to be localized on or within neoplastic cells for BNCT to be effective, and an adequate number of thermal neutrons have to be absorbed by the 10B atoms to maintain a lethal 10B (n, α) lithium-7 reaction. The most exclusive property of BNCT is that it can deposit an immense dose gradient between the tumour cells and normal cells. BNCT integrates the fundamental focusing perception of chemotherapy and the gross anatomical localization proposition of traditional radiotherapy. PMID:28209015

Folate receptor-mediated boron-10 containing carbon nanoparticles as potential delivery vehicles for boron neutron capture therapy of nonfunctional pituitary adenomas.

PubMed

Dai, Congxin; Cai, Feng; Hwang, Kuo Chu; Zhou, Yongmao; Zhang, Zizhu; Liu, Xiaohai; Ma, Sihai; Yang, Yakun; Yao, Yong; Feng, Ming; Bao, Xinjie; Li, Guilin; Wei, Junji; Jiao, Yonghui; Wei, Zhenqing; Ma, Wenbin; Wang, Renzhi

2013-02-01

Invasive nonfunctional pituitary adenomas (NFPAs) are difficult to completely resect and often develop tumor recurrence after initial surgery. Currently, no medications are clinically effective in the control of NFPA. Although radiation therapy and radiosurgery are useful to prevent tumor regrowth, they are frequently withheld because of severe complications. Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a binary radiotherapy that selectively and maximally damages tumor cells without harming the surrounding normal tissue. Folate receptor (FR)-targeted boron-10 containing carbon nanoparticles is a novel boron delivery agent that can be selectively taken up by FR-expressing cells via FR-mediated endocytosis. In this study, FR-targeted boron-10 containing carbon nanoparticles were selectively taken up by NFPAs cells expressing FR but not other types of non-FR expressing pituitary adenomas. After incubation with boron-10 containing carbon nanoparticles and following irradiation with thermal neutrons, the cell viability of NFPAs was significantly decreased, while apoptotic cells were simultaneously increased. However, cells administered the same dose of FR-targeted boron-10 containing carbon nanoparticles without neutron irradiation or received the same neutron irradiation alone did not show significant decrease in cell viability or increase in apoptotic cells. The expression of Bcl-2 was down-regulated and the expression of Bax was up-regulated in NFPAs after treatment with FR-mediated BNCT. In conclusion, FR-targeted boron-10 containing carbon nanoparticles may be an ideal delivery system of boron to NFPAs cells for BNCT. Furthermore, our study also provides a novel insight into therapeutic strategies for invasive NFPA refractory to conventional therapy, while exploring these new applications of BNCT for tumors, especially benign tumors.

Morphological transformations of BNCO nanomaterials: Role of intermediates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, B. B.; Qu, X. L.; Zhu, M. K.; Levchenko, I.; Baranov, O.; Zhong, X. X.; Xu, S.; Ostrikov, K.

2018-06-01

Highly controllable structural transformation of various doped carbon and boron nitride nanomaterials have been achieved with the perspective of their application in microelectronics, optoelectronics, energy devices and catalytic reactions. Specifically, the syntheses of one-dimensional (1D) boron and nitrogen co-doped tube-like carbon nanorods and 2D vertical carbon and oxygen co-doped boron nitride nanosheets on silicon coated with gold films in N2-H2 plasma was demonstrated. During the synthesis of nanomaterials, boron carbide was used as carbon and boron sources. The results of characterizations by scanning and transmission electron microscopes, as well as micro-Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopes indicate that the formation of different nanomaterials relates to the growth temperature and quantity of boron carbide. Specifically, 1D tube-like carbon nanorods doped with boron and nitrogen are formed at ∼910 °C using a small quantity of boron carbide, while 2D vertical boron nitride nanosheets doped with carbon and oxygen are grown at ∼870 °C using a large quantity of boron carbide. These studies indicate that the behaviors of a reactive intermediate product B2O3 on surfaces of Au nanoparticles play an important role in the formation of different nanomaterials, i.e., whether the B2O3 molecules deposited on Au nanoparticles are desorbed mainly determines the formation of different nanomaterials. The formation of 2D vertical carbon and oxygen co-doped boron nitride nanosheets is related to the high growth rate of edges of nanosheets. Furthermore, the photoluminescence (PL) properties of 1D boron and nitrogen co-doped tube-like carbon nanorods and 2D vertical carbon and oxygen co-doped boron nitride nanosheets were studied at room temperature. The PL results show that all the nanomaterials generate the ultraviolet, blue, green and red PL bands, but the 2D vertical carbon and oxygen co-doped boron nitride nanosheets emit more and stronger PL bands than the 1D boron and nitrogen co-doped tube-like carbon nanorods. The significant differences in the PL properties can be attributed to different carbon structures in these nanomaterials. These achievements can be used to synthesize and control the structures of nanomaterials and contribute to the development of the next generation optoelectronic nanodevices based on 1D and 2D nanomaterials.

Photoluminescence properties of arsenic and boron doped Si3N4 nanocrystal embedded in SiN x O y matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puglia, Denise; Sombrio, Guilherme; dos Reis, Roberto; Boudinov, Henri

2018-03-01

Photoluminescence emission of Si3N4 nanocrystals embedded in SiN x O y matrices was investigated. Nanocrystals were grown by annealing of silicon oxynitride films deposited by sputtering, passivated in forming gas atmosphere and implanted with boron and arsenic. Emission energy was tuned from green to ultraviolet by changing the composition of SiN x O y matrices. Structural characterization of the nanocrystals was performed by Transmission Electron Microscopy. Photoluminescence at room and low temperatures was analyzed and the results suggest that light emission originates in the interface between the nanocrystals and the matrix. The highest photoluminescence intensity at room temperature was achieved by arsenic doped silicon oxynitride films deposited with an excess of nitrogen.

Molecular Chemistry and Engineering of Boron-Modified Polyorganosilazanes as New Processable and Functional SiBCN Precursors.

PubMed

Viard, Antoine; Fonblanc, Diane; Schmidt, Marion; Lale, Abhijeet; Salameh, Chrystelle; Soleilhavoup, Anne; Wynn, Mélanie; Champagne, Philippe; Cerneaux, Sophie; Babonneau, Florence; Chollon, Georges; Rossignol, Fabrice; Gervais, Christel; Bernard, Samuel

2017-07-06

A series of boron-modified polyorganosilazanes was synthesized from a poly(vinylmethyl-co-methyl)silazane and controlled amounts of borane dimethyl sulfide. The role of the chemistry behind their synthesis has been studied in detail by using solid-state NMR spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The intimate relationship between the chemistry and the processability of these polymers is discussed. Polymers with low boron contents displayed appropriate requirements for facile processing in solution, such as impregnation of host carbon materials, which resulted in the design of mesoporous monoliths with a high specific surface area after pyrolysis. Polymers with high boron content are more appropriate for solid-state processing to design mechanically robust monolith-type macroporous and dense structures after pyrolysis. Boron acts as a crosslinking element, which offers the possibility to extend the processability of polyorganosilazanes and suppress the distillation of oligomeric fragments in the low-temperature region of their thermal decomposition (i.e., pyrolysis) at 1000 °C under nitrogen. Polymers with controlled and high ceramic yields were generated. We provide a comprehensive mechanistic study of the two-step thermal decomposition based on a combination of thermogravimetric experiments coupled with elemental analysis, solid-state NMR spectroscopy, and FTIR spectroscopy. Selected characterization tools allowed the investigation of specific properties of the monolith-type SiBCN materials. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Low-temperature TCT characterization of heavily proton irradiated p-type magnetic Czochralski silicon detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Härkönen, J.; Tuovinen, E.; Luukka, P.; Kassamakov, I.; Autioniemi, M.; Tuominen, E.; Sane, P.; Pusa, P.; Räisänen, J.; Eremin, V.; Verbitskaya, E.; Li, Z.

2007-12-01

n +/p -/p + pad detectors processed at the Microelectronics Center of Helsinki University of Technology on boron-doped p-type high-resistivity magnetic Czochralski (MCz-Si) silicon substrates have been investigated by the transient current technique (TCT) measurements between 100 and 240 K. The detectors were irradiated by 9 MeV protons at the Accelerator Laboratory of University of Helsinki up to 1 MeV neutron equivalent fluence of 2×10 15 n/cm 2. In some of the detectors the thermal donors (TD) were introduced by intentional heat treatment at 430 °C. Hole trapping time constants and full depletion voltage values were extracted from the TCT data. We observed that hole trapping times in the order of 10 ns were found in heavily (above 1×10 15 n eq/cm 2) irradiated samples. These detectors could be fully depleted below 500 V in the temperature range of 140-180 K.

Effect of Carbon Doping on the Electronic Structure and Elastic Properties of Boron Suboxide

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-01

harden or soften B6O. The hardening or softening depends on the location and the type of a dopant . When the doping creates a B4C-like local...Lett. 2005;86:041911. 9. Nifise E. Study of sintering and structure property relationships in boron suboxide – alkaline earth metal oxide, cobalt

Dynamic Modulus and Damping of Boron, Silicon Carbide, and Alumina Fibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dicarlo, J. A.; Williams, W.

1980-01-01

The dynamic modulus and damping capacity for boron, silicon carbide, and silicon carbide coated boron fibers were measured from-190 to 800 C. The single fiber vibration test also allowed measurement of transverse thermal conductivity for the silicon carbide fibers. Temperature dependent damping capacity data for alumina fibers were calculated from axial damping results for alumina-aluminum composites. The dynamics fiber data indicate essentially elastic behavior for both the silicon carbide and alumina fibers. In contrast, the boron based fibers are strongly anelastic, displaying frequency dependent moduli and very high microstructural damping. Ths single fiber damping results were compared with composite damping data in order to investigate the practical and basic effects of employing the four fiber types as reinforcement for aluminum and titanium matrices.

Accelerator-driven boron neutron capture therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edgecock, Rob

2014-05-01

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy is a binary treatment for certain types of cancer. It works by loading the cancerous cells with a boron-10 carrying compound. This isotope has a large cross-section for thermal neutrons, the reaction producing a lithium nucleus and alpha particle that kill the cell in which they are produced. Recent studies of the boron carrier compound indicate that the uptake process works best in particularly aggressive cancers. Most studied is glioblastoma multiforme and a trial using a combination of BNCT and X-ray radiotherapy has shown an increase of nearly a factor of two in mean survival over the state of the art. However, the main technical problem with BNCT remains producing a sufficient flux of neutrons for a reasonable treatment duration in a hospital environment. This paper discusses this issue.

Electronic structures and thermochemical properties of the small silicon-doped boron clusters B(n)Si (n=1-7) and their anions.

PubMed

Tai, Truong Ba; Kadłubański, Paweł; Roszak, Szczepan; Majumdar, Devashis; Leszczynski, Jerzy; Nguyen, Minh Tho

2011-11-18

We perform a systematic investigation on small silicon-doped boron clusters B(n)Si (n=1-7) in both neutral and anionic states using density functional (DFT) and coupled-cluster (CCSD(T)) theories. The global minima of these B(n)Si(0/-) clusters are characterized together with their growth mechanisms. The planar structures are dominant for small B(n)Si clusters with n≤5. The B(6)Si molecule represents a geometrical transition with a quasi-planar geometry, and the first 3D global minimum is found for the B(7)Si cluster. The small neutral B(n)Si clusters can be formed by substituting the single boron atom of B(n+1) by silicon. The Si atom prefers the external position of the skeleton and tends to form bonds with its two neighboring B atoms. The larger B(7)Si cluster is constructed by doping Si-atoms on the symmetry axis of the B(n) host, which leads to the bonding of the silicon to the ring boron atoms through a number of hyper-coordination. Calculations of the thermochemical properties of B(n)Si(0/-) clusters, such as binding energies (BE), heats of formation at 0 K (ΔH(f)(0)) and 298 K (ΔH(f)([298])), adiabatic (ADE) and vertical (VDE) detachment energies, and dissociation energies (D(e)), are performed using the high accuracy G4 and complete basis-set extrapolation (CCSD(T)/CBS) approaches. The differences of heats of formation (at 0 K) between the G4 and CBS approaches for the B(n)Si clusters vary in the range of 0.0-4.6 kcal mol(-1). The largest difference between two approaches for ADE values is 0.15 eV. Our theoretical predictions also indicate that the species B(2)Si, B(4)Si, B(3)Si(-) and B(7)Si(-) are systems with enhanced stability, exhibiting each a double (σ and π) aromaticity. B(5)Si(-) and B(6)Si are doubly antiaromatic (σ and π) with lower stability. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Pancreas segmentation from 3D abdominal CT images using patient-specific weighted subspatial probabilistic atlases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karasawa, Kenichi; Oda, Masahiro; Hayashi, Yuichiro; Nimura, Yukitaka; Kitasaka, Takayuki; Misawa, Kazunari; Fujiwara, Michitaka; Rueckert, Daniel; Mori, Kensaku

2015-03-01

Abdominal organ segmentations from CT volumes are now widely used in the computer-aided diagnosis and surgery assistance systems. Among abdominal organs, the pancreas is especially difficult to segment because of its large individual differences of the shape and position. In this paper, we propose a new pancreas segmentation method from 3D abdominal CT volumes using patient-specific weighted-subspatial probabilistic atlases. First of all, we perform normalization of organ shapes in training volumes and an input volume. We extract the Volume Of Interest (VOI) of the pancreas from the training volumes and an input volume. We divide each training VOI and input VOI into some cubic regions. We use a nonrigid registration method to register these cubic regions of the training VOI to corresponding regions of the input VOI. Based on the registration results, we calculate similarities between each cubic region of the training VOI and corresponding region of the input VOI. We select cubic regions of training volumes having the top N similarities in each cubic region. We subspatially construct probabilistic atlases weighted by the similarities in each cubic region. After integrating these probabilistic atlases in cubic regions into one, we perform a rough-to-precise segmentation of the pancreas using the atlas. The results of the experiments showed that utilization of the training volumes having the top N similarities in each cubic region led good results of the pancreas segmentation. The Jaccard Index and the average surface distance of the result were 58.9% and 2.04mm on average, respectively.

On the Stability of c-BN-Reinforcing Particles in Ceramic Matrix Materials

PubMed Central

Wolfrum, Anne-Kathrin; Michaelis, Alexander; Herrmann, Mathias

2018-01-01

Cubic boron nitride (c-BN) composites produced at high pressures and temperatures are widely used as cutting tool materials. The advent of new, effective pressure-assisted densification methods, such as spark plasma sintering (SPS), has stimulated attempts to produce these composites at low pressures. Under low-pressure conditions, however, transformation of c-BN to the soft hexagonal BN (h-BN) phase can occur, with a strong deterioration in hardness and wear. In the present work, the influence of secondary phases (B2O3, Si3N4, and oxide glasses) on the transformation of c-BN was studied in the temperature range between 1100 °C and 1575 °C. The different heat treated c-BN particles and c-BN composites were analyzed by SEM, X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy. The transformation mechanism was found to be kinetically controlled solution–diffusion–precipitation. Given a sufficiently low liquid phase viscosity, the transformation could be observed at temperatures as low as 1200 °C for the c-BN–glass composites. In contrast, no transformation was found at temperatures up to 1575 °C when no liquid oxide phase is present in the composite. The results were compared with previous studies concerning the c-BN stability and the c-BN phase diagram. PMID:29414847

Rapid direct conversion of Cu(2-x)Se to CuAgSe nanoplatelets via ion exchange reactions at room temperature.

PubMed

Moroz, N A; Olvera, A; Willis, G M; Poudeu, P F P

2015-06-07

The use of template nanostructures for the creation of photovoltaic and thermoelectric semiconductors is becoming a quickly expanding synthesis strategy. In this work we report a simple two-step process enabling the formation of ternary CuAgSe nanoplatelets with a great degree of control over the composition and shape. Starting with hexagonal nanoplatelets of cubic Cu2-xSe, ternary CuAgSe nanoplatelets were generated through a rapid ion exchange reaction at 300 K using AgNO3 solution. The Cu2-xSe nanoplatelet template and the final CuAgSe nanoplatelets were analyzed by electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). It was found that both the low temperature pseudotetragonal and the high temperature cubic forms of CuAgSe phase were created while maintaining the morphology of the Cu2-xSe nanoplatelet template. Thermal and electronic transport measurements of hot-pressed pellets of the synthesized CuAgSe nanoplatelets showed a drastic reduction in the thermal conductivity and a sharp transition from n-type (S = -45 μV K(-1)) to p-type (S = +200 μV K(-1)) semiconducting behavior upon heating above the structural transition from the low temperature orthorhombic to the high temperature super-ionic cubic phase. This simple reaction process utilizing a template nanostructure matrix represents an energy efficient, cost-efficient, and versatile strategy to create interesting materials with lower defect density and superior thermoelectric performance.

Easy access to nucleophilic boron through diborane to magnesium boryl metathesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pécharman, Anne-Frédérique; Colebatch, Annie L.; Hill, Michael S.; McMullin, Claire L.; Mahon, Mary F.; Weetman, Catherine

2017-04-01

Organoboranes are some of the most synthetically valuable and widely used intermediates in organic and pharmaceutical chemistry. Their synthesis, however, is limited by the behaviour of common boron starting materials as archetypal Lewis acids such that common routes to organoboranes rely on the reactivity of boron as an electrophile. While the realization of convenient sources of nucleophilic boryl anions would open up a wealth of opportunity for the development of new routes to organoboranes, the synthesis of current candidates is generally limited by a need for highly reducing reaction conditions. Here, we report a simple synthesis of a magnesium boryl through the heterolytic activation of the B-B bond of bis(pinacolato)diboron, which is achieved by treatment of an easily generated magnesium diboranate complex with 4-dimethylaminopyridine. The magnesium boryl is shown to act as an unambiguous nucleophile through its reactions with iodomethane, benzophenone and N,N'-di-isopropyl carbodiimide and by density functional theory.

Structural analysis of pyridine-imino boronic esters involving secondary interactions on solid state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez-Portillo, Paola; Arenaza-Corona, Antonino; Hernández-Ahuactzi, Irán F.; Barba, Victor

2017-04-01

Twelve boronic esters (1a-1l) synthesized from 4-halo- substituted arylboronic acids (halo = F, Cl, Br, I and CF3) with 2-amino-2- alkyl (H, Me) -1,3-propanediol in presence of (3- or 4)-pyridine carboxaldehyde are described. A solvent mixture toluene/methanol 1:4 ratio was used. All compounds include both donor/acceptor functional groups, which are the necessary elements to self-assembly of the molecular species. Several secondary interactions as I⋯N, Br⋯Br, Br⋯B, F⋯B, Csbnd H⋯N, Csbnd H⋯O, Br⋯π and Csbnd H⋯π support the 1D and 2D polymeric frameworks in solid state. The coordination of the nitrogen atom from the pyridine moiety with the boron atom was not observed in either solution or solid state.

UV absorption in metal decorated boron nitride flakes: a theoretical analysis of excited states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chopra, Siddheshwar; Plasser, Felix

2017-10-01

The excited states of single metal atom (X = Co, Al and Cu) doped boron nitride flake (MBNF) B15N14H14-X and pristine boron nitride (B15N15H14) are studied by time-dependent density functional theory. The immediate effect of metal doping is a red shift of the onset of absorption from about 220 nm for pristine BNF to above 300 nm for all metal-doped variants with the biggest effect for MBNF-Co, which shows appreciable intensity even above 400 nm. These energy shifts are analysed by detailed wavefunction analysis protocols using visualisation methods, such as the natural transition orbital analysis and electron-hole correlation plots, as well as quantitative analysis of the exciton size and electron-hole populations. The analysis shows that the Co and Cu atoms provide strong contributions to the relevant states whereas the aluminium atom is only involved to a lesser extent.

The relationship of blood- and urine-boron to boron exposure in borax-workers and usefulness of urine-boron as an exposure marker.

PubMed Central

Culver, B D; Shen, P T; Taylor, T H; Lee-Feldstein, A; Anton-Culver, H; Strong, P L

1994-01-01

Daily dietary-boron intake and on-the-job inspired boron were compared with blood- and urine-boron concentrations in workers engaged in packaging and shipping borax. Fourteen workers handling borax at jobs of low, medium, and high dust exposures were sampled throughout full shifts for 5 consecutive days each. Airborne borax concentrations ranged from means of 3.3 mg/m3 to 18 mg/m3, measured gravimetrically. End-of-shift mean blood-boron concentrations ranged from 0.11 to 0.26 microgram/g; end-of-shift mean urine concentrations ranged from 3.16 to 10.72 micrograms/mg creatinine. Creatinine measures were used to adjust for differences in urine-specific gravity such that 1 ml of urine contains approximately 1 mg creatinine. There was no progressive increase in end-of-shift blood- or urine-boron concentrations across the days of the week. Urine testing done at the end of the work shift gave a somewhat better estimate of borate exposure than did blood testing, was sampled more easily, and was analytically less difficult to perform. Personal air samplers of two types were used: one, the 37-mm closed-face, two-piece cassette to estimate total dust and the other, the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) sampler to estimate inspirable particulate mass. Under the conditions of this study, the IOM air sampler more nearly estimated human exposure as measured by blood- and urine-boron levels than did the sampler that measured total dust.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) PMID:7889874

A Lithium-ion Battery Using Partially Lithiated Graphite Anode and Amphi-redox LiMn2O4 Cathode.

PubMed

Jeon, Yuju; Noh, Hyun Kuk; Song, Hyun-Kon

2017-11-01

Delithiation followed by lithiation of Li + -occupied (n-type) tetrahedral sites of cubic LiMn 2 O 4 spinel (LMO) at ~4 [Formula: see text] (delivering ~100 mAh g LMO -1 ) has been used for energy storage by lithium ion batteries (LIBs). In this work, we utilized unoccupied (p-type) octahedral sites of LMO available for lithiation at ~3 [Formula: see text] (delivering additional ~100 mAh g LMO -1 ) that have never been used for LIBs in full-cell configuration. The whole capacity of amphi-redox LMO, including both oxidizable n-type and reducible p-type redox sites, at ~200 mAh g LMO -1 was realized by using the reactions both at 4 [Formula: see text] and 3 [Formula: see text]. Durable reversibility of the 3 V reaction was achieved by graphene-wrapping LMO nanoparticles (LMO@Gn). Prelithiated graphite (Li n C 6 , n < 1) was used as anodes to lithiate the unoccupied octahedral sites of LMO for the 3 V reaction.

River gain and loss studies for the Red River of the North Basin, North Dakota and Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams-Sether, Tara

2004-01-01

The Dakota Water Resources Act passed by the U.S. Congress in 2000 authorized the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a comprehensive study of future water-quantity and -quality needs of the Red River of the North (Red River) Basin in North Dakota and of possible options to meet those water needs.  To obtain the river gain and loss information needed to properly account for available streamflow within the basin, available river gain and loss studies for the Sheyenne, Turtle, Forest, and Park Rivers in North Dakota and the Wild Rice, Sand Hill, Clearwater, South Branch Buffalo, and Otter Tail Rivers in Minnesota were reviewed.  Ground-water discharges for the Sheyenne River in a reach between Lisbon and Kindred, N. Dak., were about 28.8 cubic feet per second in 1963 and about 45.0 cubic feet per second in 1986.  Estimated monthly net evaporation losses for additional flows to the Sheyenne River from the Missouri River ranged from 1.4 cubic feet per second in 1963 to 51.0 cubic feet per second in 1976.  Maximum water losses for a reach between Harvey and West Fargo, N. Dak., for 1956-96 ranged from about 161 cubic feet per second for 1976 to about 248 cubic feet per second for 1977.  Streamflow gains of 1 to 1.5 cubic feet per second per mile were estimated for the Wild Rice, Sand Hill, and Clearwater Rivers in Minnesota.  The average ground-water discharge for a 5.2-mile reach of the Otter Tail River in Minnesota was about 14.1 cubic feet per second in August 1994.  The same reach lost about 14.1 cubic feet per second between February 1994 and June 1994 and about 21.2 cubic feet per second between August 1994 and August 1995.

Electronic structure of nitrides PuN and UN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lukoyanov, A. V.; Anisimov, V. I.

2016-11-01

The electronic structure of uranium and plutonium nitrides in ambient conditions and under pressure is investigated using the LDA + U + SO band method taking into account the spin-orbit coupling and the strong correlations of 5 f electrons of actinoid ions. The parameters of these interactions for the equilibrium cubic structure are calculated additionally. The application of pressure reduces the magnetic moment in PuN due to predominance of the f 6 configuration and the jj-type coupling. An increase in the occupancy of the 5 f state in UN leads to a decrease in the magnetic moment, which is also detected in the trigonal structure of the UN x β phase (La2O3-type structure). The theoretical results are in good agreement with the available experimental data.

Vertically Aligned BCN Nanotubes as Efficient Metal-Free Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction: A Synergetic Effect by Co-Doping with Boron and Nitrogen

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

difficulties.[20–22] In most of the previous studies, ternary compounds (e.g., ferrocene , melamine, boron oxide) were used as precursors for nanotube...the onset/peak potential and current density, though the VA- NCNT (4.1% N) prepared by pyrolysis of ferrocene under ammonia (see Supporting

Thermal conduction mechanisms in isotope-disordered boron nitride and carbon nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savic, Ivana; Mingo, Natalio; Stewart, Derek

2009-03-01

We present first principles studies which determine dominant effects limiting the heat conduction in isotope-disordered boron nitride and carbon nanotubes [1]. Using an ab initio atomistic Green's function approach, we demonstrate that localization cannot be observed in the thermal conductivity measurements [1], and that diffusive scattering is the dominant mechanism which reduces the thermal conductivity [2]. We also give concrete predictions of the magnitude of the isotope effect on the thermal conductivities of carbon and boron nitride single-walled nanotubes [2]. We furthermore show that intershell scattering is not the main limiting mechanism for the heat flow through multi-walled boron nitride nanotubes [1], and that heat conduction restricted to a few shells leads to the low thermal conductivities experimentally measured [1]. We consequently successfully compare the results of our calculations [3] with the experimental measurements [1]. [1] C. W. Chang, A. M. Fennimore, A. Afanasiev, D. Okawa, T. Ikuno, H. Garcia, D. Li, A. Majumdar, A. Zettl, Phys. Rev. Lett. 2006, 97, 085901. [2] I. Savic, N. Mingo, D. A. Stewart, Phys. Rev. Lett. 2008, 101, 165502. [3] I. Savic, D. A. Stewart, N. Mingo, to be published.

Development of real-time thermal neutron monitor using boron-loaded plastic scintillator with optical fiber for boron neutron capture therapy.

PubMed

Ishikawa, M; Ono, K; Sakurai, Y; Unesaki, H; Uritani, A; Bengua, G; Kobayashi, T; Tanaka, K; Kosako, T

2004-11-01

A new thermal neutron monitor for boron neutron capture therapy was developed in this study. We called this monitor equipped boron-loaded plastic scintillator that uses optical fiber for signal transmission as an [scintillator with optical fiber] SOF detector. A water phantom experiment was performed to verify how the SOF detector compared with conventional method of measuring thermal neutron fluence. Measurements with a single SOF detector yielded indistinguishable signals for thermal neutrons and gamma rays. To account for the gamma ray contribution in the signal recorded by the SOF detector, a paired SOF detector system was employed. This was composed of an SOF detector with boron-loaded scintillator and an SOF detector with a boron-free scintillator. The difference between the recorded counts of these paired SOF detectors was used as the measure of the gamma ray contribution in the measured neutron fluence. The paired SOF detectors were ascertained to be effective in measuring thermal neutron flux in the range above 10(6)(n/cm(2)/s). Clinical trials using paired SOF to measure thermal neutron flux during therapy confirmed that paired SOF detectors were effective as a real-time thermal neutron flux monitor.

Catalyst effects in heterogeneous nucleation of acicular ferrite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grong, Ø.; Kluken, A. O.; Nylund, H. K.; Dons, A. L.; Hjelen, J.

1995-03-01

The present investigation is concerned with basic studies of the mechanisms of acicular ferrite (AF)’formation in low-alloy steel weld metal. It is confirmed experimentally that different types of orientation relationships exist between AF and specific cubic inclusion constituent phases (i.e., γ-Al2 MnOAl2O3, and TiN). Since the majority of these falls within the Bain orientation region, it is concluded that the associated reduction of the energy barrier to nucleation is the primary cause for the ferrite nucleus to develop orientation relationships with both the substrate and the austenite. Theoretical calculations show that about 12 pct of the inclusions will contain a cubic phase that lies within the Bain region purely by chance if they are randomly orientated in space. This intrinsic density of heterogeneous nucleation sites is sufficiently high to promote the formation of fine, interlocking AF laths in the weld metal during the y- to- a transformation.

Technological capabilities of increasing surface quality of workpieces made of titanium alloy VT22 and stability of surface grinding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soler, Ya I.; Salov, V. M.; Mai, D. S.

2018-03-01

Surface grinding of flat workpieces made of alloy VT22 was conducted by the periphery of a highly porous wheel (HPW) from cubic boron nitride CBN30 B107 100 OV K27 КF40 with three processing techniques (ij). They are 10 - cross-feed per stroke, HPW cutting into a workpiece changes alternately from up to down; 12 – cross-feed per double stroke during the up HPW cutting-in at the working stroke; 22 – cross-feed per double stroke during the down HPW cutting-in at the working stroke. With the involvement of artificial neural network models, it was revealed that to improve the quality of surfaces and stability of its formation, grinding should be conducted if ij = 12.

Carbon-Based Wear Coatings: Properties and Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miyoshi, Kazuhisa

2003-01-01

The technical function of numerous engineering systems - such as vehicles, machines, and instruments - depends on the processes of motion and on the surface systems. Many processes in nature and technology depend on the motion and dynamic behavior of solids, liquids, and gases. Smart surface systems are essential because of the recent technological push toward higher speeds, loads, and operating temperatures; longer life; lighter weight and smaller size (including nanotechnology); and harsh environments in mechanical, mechatronic, and biomechanical systems. If proper attention is not given to surface systems, then vehicles, machines, instruments, and other technical systems could have short lives, consume excessive energy, experience breakdowns, result in liabilities, and fail to accomplish their missions. Surface systems strongly affect our national economy and our lifestyles. At the NASA Glenn Research Center, we believe that proper attention to surface systems, especially in education, research, and application, could lead to economic savings of between 1.3 and 1.6 percent of the gross domestic product. Wear coatings and surface systems continue to experience rapid growth as new coating and surface engineering technologies are discovered, more cost-effective coating and surface engineering solutions are developed, and marketers aggressively pursue, uncover, and exploit new applications for engineered surface systems in cutting tools and wear components. Wear coatings and smart surface systems have been used widely in industrial, consumer, automotive, aerospace, and biomedical applications. This presentation expresses the author's views of and insights into smart surface systems in wear coatings. A revolution is taking place in carbon science and technology. Diamond, an allotrope of carbon, joins graphite, fullerenes, and nanotubes as its major pure carbon structures. It has a unique combination of extreme properties: hardness and abrasion resistance; adhesion and friction; thermal conductivity; chemical and thermal inertness; corrosion and wear resistance; radiation resistance and biocompatibility; electronic, acoustic, and electrochemical characteristics; and environmental compatibility. These properties make diamond attractive for a wide range of diverse applications. In particular, chemical-vapor-deposited (CVD) diamond coatings offer a broad potential, since size and cost are not as limiting. The production of large, superhard diamond films or sheets at low cost make designer materials possible. This presentation is divided into two sections: properties and applications of hard coatings. The first section is concerned with the fundamental properties of the surfaces of CVD diamonds and related materials. The surface properties of hard coatings with favorable coefficients of friction (less than or equal to 0.1) and dimensional wear coefficients (less than or equal to 10(exp -6) cubic millimeters/N.m) in specific environments are discussed. The second section is devoted to applications. Examples of actual, successful applications and of potential challenging applications of the coatings.such as CVD diamond, diamondlike carbon, and cubic boron nitride-are described. Cutting tools coated with CVD diamond are of immediate commercial interest. Other applications, such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), valves, and bearings of CVD diamond, are being developed, but at a slow pace. There is a continually growing interest in commercializing diamondlike carbon for wear parts applications, such as biomedical parts and implants, forming dies, transport guides, magnetic tapes and disks, valves, and gears. Cubic boron nitride films are receiving attention because they can be used on tools to machine ferrous materials or on wear parts in sliding contact with ferrous materials.

Monodisperse mesoporous silica nanoparticles of distinct topology.

PubMed

Luo, Leilei; Liang, Yucang; Erichsen, Egil Sev; Anwander, Reiner

2017-06-01

Monodisperse and uniform high-quality MCM(Mobil Composition of Matter)-48-type CMSNs (Cubic Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles) are readily prepared by simply optimizing the molar ratio of ethanol and surfactant in the system TEOS-CTAB-NaOH-H 2 O-EtOH (TEOS=tetraethyl orthosilicate, CTAB=cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, EtOH=ethanol). In the absence of ethanol only hexagonal mesoporous silica with ellipsoidal and spherical morphology are obtained. The presence of ethanol drives a mesophase transformation from hexagonal to mixed hexagonal/cubic, further to purely cubic, and finally to a mixed cubic/lamellar. This is accompanied by a morphology evolution involving a mixture of ellipses/spheres, regular rods, uniform spheres, and finally a mixture of spheres/flakes. Preserving the three-dimensional (3D) cubic MCM-48 structure, use of a small amount of ethanol is beneficial to the improvement of the monodispersity of the CMSNs. Moreover, the quality of the CMSNs can also be controlled by changing the surfactant concentration or adjusting the stirring rate. All MSNs were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and N 2 physisorption, indicating highly long-range ordered pore arrays, high specific surface areas (max. 1173 m 2 g -1 ) as well as high pore volumes (max. 1.14 cm 3 g -1 ). The monodispersity of the CMSNs was verified by statistical particle size distribution from SEM (scanning electron microscopy)/TEM (transmission electron microscopy) images and DLS (dynamic light scattering). The mesophase transformation can be rationalized on the basis of an ethanol-driven change of the surfactant packing structure and charge matching at the surfactant/silicate interface. The corresponding morphology evolution can be elucidated by an ethanol-controlled hydrolysis rate of TEOS and degree of condensation of oligomeric silicate species via a nucleation and growth process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Passivation of c-Si surfaces by sub-nm amorphous silicon capped with silicon nitride

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

Wan, Yimao, E-mail: yimao.wan@anu.edu.au; Yan, Di; Bullock, James

2015-12-07

A sub-nm hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) film capped with silicon nitride (SiN{sub x}) is shown to provide a high level passivation to crystalline silicon (c-Si) surfaces. When passivated by a 0.8 nm a-Si:H/75 nm SiN{sub x} stack, recombination current density J{sub 0} values of 9, 11, 47, and 87 fA/cm{sup 2} are obtained on 10 Ω·cm n-type, 0.8 Ω·cm p-type, 160 Ω/sq phosphorus-diffused, and 120 Ω/sq boron-diffused silicon surfaces, respectively. The J{sub 0} on n-type 10 Ω·cm wafers is further reduced to 2.5 ± 0.5 fA/cm{sup 2} when the a-Si:H film thickness exceeds 2.5 nm. The passivation by the sub-nm a-Si:H/SiN{sub x} stack is thermally stable at 400 °C in N{sub 2} formore » 60 min on all four c-Si surfaces. Capacitance–voltage measurements reveal a reduction in interface defect density and film charge density with an increase in a-Si:H thickness. The nearly transparent sub-nm a-Si:H/SiN{sub x} stack is thus demonstrated to be a promising surface passivation and antireflection coating suitable for all types of surfaces encountered in high efficiency c-Si solar cells.« less

Optimization and Characterization of a Novel Self Powered Solid State Neutron Detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clinton, Justin

There is a strong interest in detecting both the diversion of special nuclear material (SNM) from legitimate, peaceful purposes and the transport of illicit SNM across domestic and international borders and ports. A simple solid-state detector employs a planar solar-cell type p-n junction and a thin conversion layer that converts incident neutrons into detectable charged particles, such as protons, alpha-particles, and heavier ions. Although simple planar devices can act as highly portable, low cost detectors, they have historically been limited to relatively low detection efficiencies; ˜10% and ˜0.2% for thermal and fast detectors, respectively. To increase intrinsic detection efficiency, the incorporation of 3D microstructures into p-i-n silicon devices was proposed. In this research, a combination of existing and new types of detector microstructures were investigated; Monte Carlo models, based on analytical calculations, were constructed and characterized using the GEANT4 simulation toolkit. The simulation output revealed that an array of etched hexagonal holes arranged in a honeycomb pattern and filled with either enriched (99% 10B) boron or parylene resulted in the highest intrinsic detection efficiencies of 48% and 0.88% for thermal and fast neutrons, respectively. The optimal parameters corresponding to each model were utilized as the basis for the fabrication of several prototype detectors. A calibrated 252Cf spontaneous fission source was utilized to generate fast neutrons, while thermal neutrons were created by placing the 252Cf in an HDPE housing designed and optimized using the MCNP simulation software. Upon construction, thermal neutron calibration was performed via activation analysis of gold foils and measurements from a 6Li loaded glass scintillator. Experimental testing of the prototype detectors resulted in maximum intrinsic efficiencies of 4.5 and 0.12% for the thermal and fast devices, respectively. The prototype thermal device was filled with natural (19% 10B) boron; scaling the response to 99% 10B enriched boron resulted in an intrinsic efficiency of 22.5%, one of the highest results in the literature. A comparison of simulated and experimental detector responses demonstrated a high degree of correlation, validating the conceptual models.

Alloy Design of Martensitic 9Cr-Boron Steel for A-USC Boiler at 650 °C — Beyond Grades 91, 92 and 122

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abe, Fujio; Tabuchi, M.; Tsukamoto, S.

Boundary hardening is shown to be the most important strengthening mechanism in creep of tempered martensitic 9% Cr steel base metal and welded joints at 650 °C. The enrichment of soluble boron near prior austenite grain boundaries (PAGBs) by the GB segregation is essential for the reduction of coarsening rate of M23C6 carbides near PAGBs, enhancing the boundary and sub-boundary hardening near PAGBs, and also for the change in α/γ transformation behavior in heat-affected-zone (HAZ) of welded joints during heating of welding, producing the same microstructure in HAZ as in the base metal. Excess addition of nitrogen to the 9Cr-boron steel promotes the formation of boron nitrides during normalizing heat treatment, which consumes most of soluble boron and degrades the creep strength. A NIMS 9Cr steel (MARBN; Martensitic 9Cr steel strengthened by boron and MX nitrides) with 120-150 ppm boron and 60-90 ppm nitrogen, where no boron nitride forms during normalizing heat treatment, exhibits not only much higher creep strength of base metal than Grades 91, 92 and 122 but also substantially no degradation in creep strength due to Type IV fracture in HAZ of welded joints at 650°C. The protective Cr2O3-rich scale forms on the surface of 9Cr steel by pre-oxidation treatment in Ar gas, which significantly improves the oxidation resistance in steam at 650°C.

Response of nitrogen metabolism to boron toxicity in tomato plants.

PubMed

Cervilla, L M; Blasco, B; Ríos, J J; Rosales, M A; Rubio-Wilhelmi, M M; Sánchez-Rodríguez, E; Romero, L; Ruiz, J M

2009-09-01

Boron (B) toxicity has become important in areas close to the Mediterranean Sea where intensive agriculture has been developed. The objective of this research was to study the effects of B toxicity (0.5 mM and 2.0 mM B) on nitrogen (N) assimilation of two tomato cultivars that are often used in these areas. Leaf biomass, relative leaf growth rate (RGR(L)), concentration of B, nitrate (NO(3) (-)), ammonium (NH(4) (+)), organic N, amino acids and soluble proteins, as well as nitrate reductase (NR), nitrite reductase (NiR), glutamine synthase (GS), glutamate synthetase (GOGAT) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activities were analysed in leaves. Boron toxicity significantly decreased leaf biomass, RGR(L), organic N, soluble proteins, and NR and NiR activities. The lowest NO(3) (-) and NH(4) (+) concentration in leaves was recorded when plants were supplied with 2.0 mM B in the root medium. Total B, amino acids, activities of GS, GOGAT and GDH increased under B toxicity. Data from the present study prove that B toxicity causes inhibition of NO(3) (-) reduction and increases NH(4) (+) assimilation in tomato plants.

Synthon preference in the cocrystal of 3,4,5-trifluorophenylboronic acid with urea.

PubMed

Kopczyńska, Karolina; Marek, Paulina H; Banaś, Bartłomiej; Madura, Izabela D

2017-11-01

The comprehensive description of the crystal structure of a novel 1:1 cocrystal of 3,4,5-trifluorophenylboronic acid with urea, C 6 H 4 BF 3 O 2 ·CH 4 N 2 O, is presented. Both components are good candidates for crystal engineering as they can create a variety of supramolecular synthons. The preference for the formation of different hetrosynthons is verified based on theoretical calculations. The syn-anti conformation of boronic acid has been found to be the most favourable in the formation of intermolecular interactions with urea. Moreover, the distortions present in the boron coordination sphere have been described quantitatively based on experimental data according to bond-valence vector model calculations. The results revealed that the deformation of the sphere is typical for a syn-anti conformation of boronic acids. The supramolecular structure of the cocrystal is composed of large synthons in the form of layers made up of O-H...O and N-H...O hydrogen bonds. The layers are joined via N-H...F hydrogen bonds which are unusual for urea cocrystal structures.

N-VSi-related center in non-irradiated 6H SiC nanostructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bagraev, Nikolay; Danilovskii, Eduard; Gets, Dmitrii; Kalabukhova, Ekaterina; Klyachkin, Leonid; Malyarenko, Anna; Savchenko, Dariya; Shanina, Bella

2014-02-01

We present the first findings of the vacancy-related centers identified by the electron spin resonance (ESR) and electrically-detected (ED) ESR method in the non-irradiated 6H-SiC nanostructure. This planar 6H-SiC nanostructure represents the ultra-narrow p-type quantum well confined by the δ-barriers heavily doped with boron on the surface of the n-type 6H-SiC (0001) wafer. The EDESR method by measuring the only magnetoresistance of the 6H SiC nanostructure under the high frequency generation from the δ-barriers appears to allow the identification of the silicon vacancy centers as well as the triplet center with spin state S=1. The same triplet center that is characterized by the larger value of the zero-field splitting constant D and anisotropic g-factor is revealed by the ESR (X-band) method. The hyperfine (hf) lines in the ESR and EDESR spectra originating from the hf interaction with the 14N nucleus allow us to attribute this triplet center to the N-VSi defect.

Ambient Temperature Synthesis of High Enantiopurity N-Protected Peptidyl Ketones by Peptidyl Thiol Ester–Boronic Acid Cross-Coupling

PubMed Central

Yang, Hao; Li, Hao; Wittenberg, Rüdiger; Egi, Masahiro; Huang, Wenwei; Liebeskind, Lanny S.

2009-01-01

α-Amino acid thiol esters derived from N-protected mono-, di-, and tripeptides couple with aryl, π-electron-rich heteroaryl, or alkenyl boronic acids in the presence of stoichiometric Cu(I) thiophene-2-carboxylate (CuTC) and catalytic Pd2(dba)3/triethylphosphite to generate the corresponding N-protected peptidyl ketones in good to excellent yields and in high enantiopurity. Triethylphosphite plays a key role as a supporting ligand by mitigating an undesired palladium-catalyzed decarbonylation-β-elimination of the α-amino thiol esters. The peptidyl ketone synthesis proceeds at room temperature under non-basic conditions and demonstrates a high tolerance to functionality. PMID:17263394

Nuclear diagnostic for fast alpha particles

DOEpatents

Grisham, Larry R.; Post Jr., Douglass E.; Dawson, John M.

1986-06-03

Measurement of the velocity distribution of confined energetic alpha particles resulting from deuterium-tritium fusion reactions in a magnetically contained plasma is provided. The fusion plasma is seeded with energetic boron neutrals for producing, by means of the reaction .sup.10 B (.alpha.,n) .sup.13 N reaction, radioactive nitrogen nuclei which are then collected by a probe. The radioactivity of the probe is then measured by conventional techniques in determining the energy distribution of the alpha particles in the plasma. In a preferred embodiment, diborane gas (B.sub.2 H.sub.6) is the source of the boron neutrals to produce .sup.13 N which decays almost exclusively by positron emission with a convenient half-life of 10 minutes.

Nuclear diagnostic for fast alpha particles

DOEpatents

Grisham, Larry R.; Post, Jr., Douglass E.; Dawson, John M.

1986-01-01

Measurement of the velocity distribution of confined energetic alpha particles resulting from deuterium-tritium fusion reactions in a magnetically contained plasma is provided. The fusion plasma is seeded with energetic boron neutrals for producing, by means of the reaction .sup.10 B (.alpha.,n) .sup.13 N reaction, radioactive nitrogen nuclei which are then collected by a probe. The radioactivity of the probe is then measured by conventional techniques in determining the energy distribution of the alpha particles in the plasma. In a preferred embodiment, diborane gas (B.sub.2 H.sub.6) is the source of the boron neutrals to produce .sup.13 N which decays almost exclusively by positron emission with a convenient half-life of 10 minutes.

Laboratory Investigation of a Leaking Type 316 Socket Weld in a Boron Injection Tank Sampling Line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Hongqing; Fyfitch, Steve; Hosier, Ryan; Hyres, James

A leak was discovered in a Type 316 stainless steel socket weld in the sampling line for the boron injection tank. A section of the pipeline containing the leaking weld was removed for laboratory investigation that included visual and Stereovisual inspections, liquid penetrant (PT) testing, metallography, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and ferrite content determinations. The leak path was a through-wall transgranular crack in the socket weld. Cracking initiated along the weld-metal-to-base-metal interface at the tip of the crevice between the socket and pipe. The crevice was exposed to oxygenated boron solution at <180°F. Shallow intergranular attack (IGA) was found in the exposed base metal inside the crevice. Based on the investigation results, it was concluded that transgranular stress corrosion cracking (TGSCC) is the primary cracking mechanism.

Approach to magnetic neutron capture therapy

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

Kuznetsov, Anatoly A.; Podoynitsyn, Sergey N.; Filippov, Victor I.

2005-11-01

Purpose: The method of magnetic neutron capture therapy can be described as a combination of two methods: magnetic localization of drugs using magnetically targeted carriers and neutron capture therapy itself. Methods and Materials: In this work, we produced and tested two types of particles for such therapy. Composite ultradispersed ferro-carbon (Fe-C) and iron-boron (Fe-B) particles were formed from vapors of respective materials. Results: Two-component ultradispersed particles, containing Fe and C, were tested as magnetic adsorbent of L-boronophenylalanine and borax and were shown that borax sorption could be effective for creation of high concentration of boron atoms in the area ofmore » tumor. Kinetics of boron release into the physiologic solution demonstrate that ultradispersed Fe-B (10%) could be applied for an effective magnetic neutron capture therapy. Conclusion: Both types of the particles have high magnetization and magnetic homogeneity, allow to form stable magnetic suspensions, and have low toxicity.« less

Investigation of Hard Boron Rich Solids: Osmium Diboride and β-Rhombohedral Boron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hebbache, M.; Živković, D.

Recently, we succeeded in synthesizing three osmium borides, i.e., OsB1.1, Os2B3 and OsB2. Up to date, almost nothing is known about the physical properties of these materials. Microhardness measurements show that OsB2 is extremely hard. Ab initio calculations show that it is due to formation of covalent bonds between boron atoms. OsB2 is also a low compressibility material. It can be used for hard coatings. The β-rhombohedral polymorph of boron is the second hardest elemental crystal (H ≈ 33 GPa). It is also very light and a p-type semiconductor. In early 1970s, it has been shown that the doping of boron with 3d transition elements enhances its hardness by about 25%. We predict that, in general, heavily doped samples MBx, with x ≤ 31 or equivalently a dopant concentration larger than 3.2 at.%, should be ultrahard, i.e., H > 43 GPa. The relevant dopants M are Al, Cu, Sc, Mn, Mg and Li. In addition to these properties, boron-rich materials have a very low volatility, a high chemical inertness and high melting point. They are suitable for applications under extreme conditions and thermoelectric equipment.

Alginic Acid-Aided Dispersion of Carbon Nanotubes, Graphene, and Boron Nitride Nanomaterials for Microbial Toxicity Testing

PubMed Central

Chang, Chong Hyun

2018-01-01

Robust evaluation of potential environmental and health risks of carbonaceous and boron nitride nanomaterials (NMs) is imperative. However, significant agglomeration of pristine carbonaceous and boron nitride NMs due to strong van der Waals forces renders them not suitable for direct toxicity testing in aqueous media. Here, the natural polysaccharide alginic acid (AA) was used as a nontoxic, environmentally relevant dispersant with defined composition to disperse seven types of carbonaceous and boron nitride NMs, including multiwall carbon nanotubes, graphene, boron nitride nanotubes, and hexagonal boron nitride flakes, with various physicochemical characteristics. AA’s biocompatibility was confirmed by examining AA effects on viability and growth of two model microorganisms (the protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila and the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Using 400 mg·L−1 AA, comparably stable NM (200 mg·L−1) stock dispersions were obtained by 30-min probe ultrasonication. AA non-covalently interacted with NM surfaces and improved the dispersibility of NMs in water. The dispersion stability varied with NM morphology and size rather than chemistry. The optimized dispersion protocol established here can facilitate preparing homogeneous NM dispersions for reliable exposures during microbial toxicity testing, contributing to improved reproducibility of toxicity results. PMID:29385723

Alginic Acid-Aided Dispersion of Carbon Nanotubes, Graphene, and Boron Nitride Nanomaterials for Microbial Toxicity Testing.

PubMed

Wang, Ying; Mortimer, Monika; Chang, Chong Hyun; Holden, Patricia A

2018-01-30

Robust evaluation of potential environmental and health risks of carbonaceous and boron nitride nanomaterials (NMs) is imperative. However, significant agglomeration of pristine carbonaceous and boron nitride NMs due to strong van der Waals forces renders them not suitable for direct toxicity testing in aqueous media. Here, the natural polysaccharide alginic acid (AA) was used as a nontoxic, environmentally relevant dispersant with defined composition to disperse seven types of carbonaceous and boron nitride NMs, including multiwall carbon nanotubes, graphene, boron nitride nanotubes, and hexagonal boron nitride flakes, with various physicochemical characteristics. AA's biocompatibility was confirmed by examining AA effects on viability and growth of two model microorganisms (the protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila and the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa ). Using 400 mg·L -1 AA, comparably stable NM (200 mg·L -1 ) stock dispersions were obtained by 30-min probe ultrasonication. AA non-covalently interacted with NM surfaces and improved the dispersibility of NMs in water. The dispersion stability varied with NM morphology and size rather than chemistry. The optimized dispersion protocol established here can facilitate preparing homogeneous NM dispersions for reliable exposures during microbial toxicity testing, contributing to improved reproducibility of toxicity results.

Efficient FEM simulation of static and free vibration behavior of single walled boron nitride nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giannopoulos, Georgios I.; Kontoni, Denise-Penelope N.; Georgantzinos, Stylianos K.

2016-08-01

This paper describes the static and free vibration behavior of single walled boron nitride nanotubes using a structural mechanics based finite element method. First, depending on the type of nanotube under investigation, its three dimensional nanostructure is developed according to the well-known corresponding positions of boron and nitride atoms as well as boron nitride bonds. Then, appropriate point masses are assigned to the atomic positions of the developed space frame. Next, these point masses are suitably interconnected with two-noded, linear, spring-like, finite elements. In order to simulate effectively the interactions observed between boron and nitride atoms within the nanotube, appropriate potential energy functions are introduced for these finite elements. In this manner, various atomistic models for both armchair and zigzag nanotubes with different aspect ratios are numerically analyzed and their effective elastic modulus as well as their natural frequencies and corresponding mode shapes are obtained. Regarding the free vibration analysis, the computed results reveal bending, breathing and axial modes of vibration depending on the nanotube size and chirality as well as the applied boundary support conditions. The longitudinal stiffness of the boron nitride nanotubes is found also sensitive to their geometric characteristics.

Superhard Rhenium/Tungsten Diboride Solid Solutions.

PubMed

Lech, Andrew T; Turner, Christopher L; Lei, Jialin; Mohammadi, Reza; Tolbert, Sarah H; Kaner, Richard B

2016-11-02

Rhenium diboride (ReB 2 ), containing corrugated layers of covalently bonded boron, is a superhard metallic compound with a microhardness reaching as high as 40.5 GPa (under an applied load of 0.49 N). Tungsten diboride (WB 2 ), which takes a structural hybrid between that of ReB 2 and AlB 2 , where half of the boron layers are planar (as in AlB 2 ) and half are corrugated (as in ReB 2 ), has been shown not to be superhard. Here, we demonstrate that the ReB 2 -type structure can be maintained for solid solutions of tungsten in ReB 2 with tungsten content up to a surprisingly large limit of nearly 50 atom %. The lattice parameters for the solid solutions linearly increase along both the a- and c-axes with increasing tungsten content, as evaluated by powder X-ray and neutron diffraction. From micro- and nanoindentation hardness testing, all of the compositions within the range of 0-48 atom % W are superhard, and the bulk modulus of the 48 atom % solid solution is nearly identical to that of pure ReB 2 . These results further indicate that ReB 2 -structured compounds are superhard, as has been predicted from first-principles calculations, and may warrant further studies into additional solid solutions or ternary compounds taking this structure type.

Structural, electronic and magnetic properties of chevron-type graphene, BN and BC2N nanoribbons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guerra, T.; Azevedo, S.; Kaschny, J. R.

2017-04-01

Graphene nanoribbons are predicted to be essential components in future nanoelectronics. The size, edge type, arrangement of atoms and width of nanoribbons drastically change their properties. Boronnitrogencarbon nanoribbons properties are not fully understood so far. In the present contribution it was investigated the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of chevron-type carbon, boron nitride and BC2N nanoribbons, using first-principles calculations. The results indicate that the structural stability is closely related to the discrepancies in the bond lengths, which can induce structural deformations and stress. Such nanoribbons present a wide range of electronic behaviors, depending on their composition and particularities of the atomic arrangement. A net magnetic moment is found for structures that present carbon atoms at the nanoribbon borders. Nevertheless, the calculated magnetic moment depends on the peculiarities of the symmetric arrangement of atoms and imbalance of carbon atoms between different sublattices. It was found that all structures which have a significant energy gap do not present magnetic moment, and vice-versa. Such result indicates the strong correlation between the electronic and magnetic properties of the chevron-type nanoribbons.

Mid-infrared polaritonic coupling between boron nitride nanotubes and graphene.

PubMed

Xu, Xiaoji G; Jiang, Jian-Hua; Gilburd, Leonid; Rensing, Rachel G; Burch, Kenneth S; Zhi, Chunyi; Bando, Yoshio; Golberg, Dmitri; Walker, Gilbert C

2014-11-25

Boron nitride (BN) is considered to be a promising substrate for graphene-based devices in part because its large band gap can serve to insulate graphene in layered heterostructures. At mid-infrared frequencies, graphene supports surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), whereas hexagonal-BN (h-BN) is found to support surface phonon polaritons (SPhPs). We report on the observation of infrared polaritonic coupling between graphene SPPs and boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) SPhPs. Infrared scattering type scanning near-field optical microscopy is used to obtain spatial distribution of the two types of polaritons at the nanoscale. The observation suggests that those polaritons interact at the nanoscale in a one-dimensional/two-dimensional (1D/2D) geometry, exchanging energy in a nonplanar configuration at the nanoscale. Control of the polaritonic interaction is achieved by adjustment of the graphene Fermi level through voltage gating. Our observation suggests that boron nitride nanotubes and graphene can interact at mid-infrared frequencies and coherently exchange their energies at the nanoscale through the overlap of mutual electric near field of surface phonon polaritons and surface plasmon polaritons. Such interaction enables the design of nano-optical devices based on BNNT-graphene polaritonics in the mid-infrared range.

Ultrasensitive gas detection of large-area boron-doped graphene

DOE PAGES

Lv, Ruitao; Chen, Gugang; Li, Qing; ...

2015-11-02

Heteroatom doping is an efficient way to modify the chemical and electronic properties of graphene. In particular, boron doping is expected to induce a p-type conducting behavior to pristine (undoped) graphene which could lead to diverse applications. But, the experimental progress on atomic scale visualization and sensing properties of large-area boron-doped graphene (BG) sheets is still very scarce. This work describes the controlled growth of centimeter size, high-crystallinity BG sheets. Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy are used to visualize the atomic structure and the local density of states around boron dopants. We confirmed that BG behaves as a p-type conductormore » and a unique croissant-like feature is frequently observed within the BG lattice, which is caused by the presence of B-C trimmers embedded within the hexagonal lattice. Interestingly, it is demonstrated for the first time that BG exhibits unique sensing capabilities when detecting toxic gases, such as NO 2 and NH 3 , being able to detect extremely low concentrations (e.g. parts per trillion, parts per billion). Our work envisions that other attractive applications could now be explored based on as-synthesized BG.« less

Ab initio study of boron nitride lines on graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mata-Carrizal, Berenice; Sanginés-Mendoza, Raúl; Martinez, Edgar

2013-03-01

Graphene has unusual electronic properties which make it a promising material for electronic devices. Neverthless, the absence of a band gap sets limitations on its practical applications. Thus, it is crucial to find methods to create and tune the band gap of systems based on graphene. In this way, we explore the modulation of the electronic properties of graphene through doping with boron nitride lines. In particular, we studied the electronic structure of graphene sheets doped with boron nitride lines armchair and zigzag type. The calculations were performed using the pseudopotential LCAO method with a Generalized Gradient Approximation (GGA) for the exchange-correlation energy functional. We found that both doping lines type induce a bandgap and that the energy gap increases as the length of doping lines increases. Accordingly to our DFT calculations, we found that the energy gap on graphene doped with armchair and zigzag lines is due to a two different mechanisms to drain charge from pi- to sigma- orbitals. Thus, we found that doping graphene with boron nitride lines is a useful way to induce and modulate the bandgap on graphene. This research was supported by Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (Conacyt) under Grant No. 133022.

Influence of point defects on the near edge structure of hexagonal boron nitride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDougall, Nicholas L.; Partridge, Jim G.; Nicholls, Rebecca J.; Russo, Salvy P.; McCulloch, Dougal G.

2017-10-01

Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is a wide-band-gap semiconductor with applications including gate insulation layers in graphene transistors, far-ultraviolet light emitting devices and as hydrogen storage media. Due to its complex microstructure, defects in hBN are challenging to identify. Here, we combine x-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy with ab initio theoretical modeling to identify energetically favorable defects. Following annealing of hBN samples in vacuum and oxygen, the B and N K edges exhibited angular-dependent peak modifications consistent with in-plane defects. Theoretical calculations showed that the energetically favorable defects all produce signature features in XANES. Comparing these calculations with experiments, the principle defects were attributed to substitutional oxygen at the nitrogen site, substitutional carbon at the boron site, and hydrogen passivated boron vacancies. Hydrogen passivation of defects was found to significantly affect the formation energies, electronic states, and XANES. In the B K edge, multiple peaks above the major 1 s to π* peak occur as a result of these defects and the hydrogen passivated boron vacancy produces the frequently observed doublet in the 1 s to σ* transition. While the N K edge is less sensitive to defects, features attributable to substitutional C at the B site were observed. This defect was also calculated to have mid-gap states in its band structure that may be responsible for the 4.1-eV ultraviolet emission frequently observed from this material.

Template-Free Synthesis of Highly Porous Boron Nitride: Insights into Pore Network Design and Impact on Gas Sorption.

PubMed

Marchesini, Sofia; McGilvery, Catriona M; Bailey, Josh; Petit, Camille

2017-10-24

Production of biocompatible and stable porous materials, e.g., boron nitride, exhibiting tunable and enhanced porosity is a prerequisite if they are to be employed to address challenges such as drug delivery, molecular separations, or catalysis. However, there is currently very limited understanding of the formation mechanisms of porous boron nitride and the parameters controlling its porosity, which ultimately prevents exploiting the material's full potential. Herein, we produce boron nitride with high and tunable surface area and micro/mesoporosity via a facile template-free method using multiple readily available N-containing precursors with different thermal decomposition patterns. The gases are gradually released, creating hierarchical pores, high surface areas (>1900 m 2 /g), and micropore volumes. We use 3D tomography techniques to reconstruct the pore structure, allowing direct visualization of the mesopore network. Additional imaging and analytical tools are employed to characterize the materials from the micro- down to the nanoscale. The CO 2 uptake of the materials rivals or surpasses those of commercial benchmarks or other boron nitride materials reported to date (up to 4 times higher), even after pelletizing. Overall, the approach provides a scalable route to porous boron nitride production as well as fundamental insights into the material's formation, which can be used to design a variety of boron nitride structures.

BInGaN alloys nearly lattice-matched to GaN for high-power high-efficiency visible LEDs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Logan; Kioupakis, Emmanouil

2017-11-01

InGaN-based visible light-emitting diodes (LEDs) find commercial applications for solid-state lighting and displays, but lattice mismatch limits the thickness of InGaN quantum wells that can be grown on GaN with high crystalline quality. Since narrower wells operate at a higher carrier density for a given current density, they increase the fraction of carriers lost to Auger recombination and lower the efficiency. The incorporation of boron, a smaller group-III element, into InGaN alloys is a promising method to eliminate the lattice mismatch and realize high-power, high-efficiency visible LEDs with thick active regions. In this work, we apply predictive calculations based on hybrid density functional theory to investigate the thermodynamic, structural, and electronic properties of BInGaN alloys. Our results show that BInGaN alloys with a B:In ratio of 2:3 are better lattice matched to GaN compared to InGaN and, for indium fractions less than 0.2, nearly lattice matched. Deviations from Vegard's law appear as bowing of the in-plane lattice constant with respect to composition. Our thermodynamics calculations demonstrate that the solubility of boron is higher in InGaN than in pure GaN. Varying the Ga mole fraction while keeping the B:In ratio constant enables the adjustment of the (direct) gap in the 1.75-3.39 eV range, which covers the entire visible spectrum. Holes are strongly localized in non-bonded N 2p states caused by local bond planarization near boron atoms. Our results indicate that BInGaN alloys are promising for fabricating nitride heterostructures with thick active regions for high-power, high-efficiency LEDs.

Source of boron in the Palokas gold deposit, northern Finland: evidence from boron isotopes and major element composition of tourmaline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ranta, Jukka-Pekka; Hanski, Eero; Cook, Nick; Lahaye, Yann

2017-06-01

The recently discovered Palokas gold deposit is part of the larger Rompas-Rajapalot gold-mineralized system located in the Paleoproterozoic Peräpohja Belt, northern Finland. Tourmaline is an important gangue mineral in the Palokas gold mineralization. It occurs as tourmalinite veins and as tourmaline crystals in sulfide-rich metasomatized gold-bearing rocks. In order to understand the origin of tourmaline in the gold-mineralized rocks, we have investigated the major element chemistry and boron isotope composition of tourmaline from three areas: (1) the Palokas gold mineralization, (2) a pegmatitic tourmaline granite, and (3) the evaporitic Petäjäskoski Formation. Based on textural evidence, tourmaline in gold mineralization is divided into two different types. Type 1 is located within the host rock and is cut by rock-forming anthophyllite crystals. Type 2 occurs in late veins and/or breccia zones consisting of approximately 80% tourmaline and 20% sulfides, commonly adjacent to quartz veins. All the studied tourmaline samples belong to the alkali-group tourmaline and can be classified as dravite and schorl. The δ11B values of the three localities lie in the same range, from 0 to -4‰. Tourmaline from the Au mineralization and from the Petäjäskoski Formation has similar compositional trends. Mg is the major substituent for Al; inferred low Fe3+/Fe2+ ratios and Na values (<0.8 atoms per formula unit (apfu)) of all tourmaline samples suggest that they precipitated from reduced, low-salinity fluids. Based on the similar chemical and boron isotope composition and the Re-Os age of molybdenite related to the tourmaline-sulfide-quartz veins, we propose that the tourmaline-forming process is a result of a single magmatic-hydrothermal event related to the extensive granite magmatism at around 1.79-1.77 Ga. Tourmaline was crystallized throughout the hydrothermal process, which resulted in the paragenetic variation between type 1 and type 2. The close association of tourmaline and gold suggests that the gold precipitated from the same boron-rich source as tourmaline.

Tensile stress-strain behavior of boron/aluminum laminates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sova, J. A.; Poe, C. C., Jr.

1978-01-01

The tensile stress-strain behavior of five types of boron/aluminum laminates was investigated. Longitudinal and transverse stress-strain curves were obtained for monotonic loading to failure and for three cycles of loading to successively higher load levels. The laminate strengths predicted by assuming that the zero deg plies failed first correlated well with the experimental results. The stress-strain curves for all the boron/aluminum laminates were nonlinear except at very small strains. Within the small linear regions, elastic constants calculated from laminate theory corresponded to those obtained experimentally to within 10 to 20 percent. A limited amount of cyclic loading did not affect the ultimate strength and strain for the boron/aluminum laminates. The laminates, however, exhibited a permanent strain on unloading. The Ramberg-Osgood equation was fitted to the stress-strain curves to obtain average curves for the various laminates.

Depth profiling of hydrogen passivation of boron in Si(100)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, L. J.; Lau, W. M.; Simpson, P. J.; Schultz, P. J.

1992-08-01

The properties of SiO2/p-Si were studied using variable-energy positron-annihilation spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The oxide film was formed by ozone oxidation in the presence of ultraviolet radiation at room temperature. Both the positron-annihilation and Raman analyses show that chemical cleaning of boron-doped p-type Si(100) using concentrated hydrofluoric acid prior to the oxide formation leads to hydrogen incorporation in the semiconductor. The incorporated hydrogen passivates the boron dopant by forming a B-H complex, the presence of which increases the broadening of the line shape in the positron-annihilation analysis, and narrows the linewidth of the Raman peak. Annealing of the SiO2/Si sample at a moderate temperature of 220 °C in vacuum was found sufficient to dissociate the complex and reactivate the boron dopant.

Sodium-Ion Batteries: Improving the Rate Capability of 3D Interconnected Carbon Nanofibers Thin Film by Boron, Nitrogen Dual-Doping.

PubMed

Wang, Min; Yang, Yang; Yang, Zhenzhong; Gu, Lin; Chen, Qianwang; Yu, Yan

2017-04-01

Boron, nitrogen dual-doping 3D hard carbon nanofibers thin film is synthesized using a facile process. The nanofibers exhibit high specific capacity and remarkable high-rate capability due to the synergistic effect of 3D porous structure, large surface area, and enlarged carbon layer spacing, and the B, N codoping-induced defects.

Molecular motions in glassy crystal cyanoadamantane : a proton spin-lattice relaxation study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amoureux, J. P.; Decressain, R.; Sahour, M.; Cochon, E.

1992-02-01

Cyanoadamantane C{10}H{15}CN exhibits four different solid phases : two cubic plastic (I and I'), one cubic glassy (Ig) and one monoclinic ordered (II). In cubic plastic phases (I, I') three types of motion coexist : a uniaxial rotation of the molecule around its C—CequivN axis, a tumbling reorientation of this dipolar axis between the <~ngle 001rangle directions and a vacancy self-diffusion. In the cubic glassy state (Ig) the tumbling motion is frozen and therefore only the uniaxial rotation survives. In the ordered phase (II), the molecules only perform a 3-fold uniaxial rotation among identical positions. These different molecular motions in the four solid phases have been studied by the analysis of the T_{1 z} and T_{1 ρ} spin-lattice relaxation times in ^1H-NMR. The derived residence time are compared, when possible, to values previously deduced from quasi-elastic neutron scattering, dielectric relaxation and second moment of the ^1H-NMR lineshape. Le cyanoadamantane C{10}H{15}CN possède quatre phases solides différentes : deux plastiques cubiques (I et I'), une vitreuse cubique (Ig) et une ordonnée monoclinique (II). Dans les phases plastiques cubiques (I, I') trois types de mouvements coexistent : une rotation uniaxiale de la molécule autour de son axe C—CequivN, un basculement de cet axe dipolaire entre les directions <~ngle 001rangle et une diffusion moléculaire. Dans l'état vitreux cubique (Ig), le mouvement de basculement est gelé et seule la rotation uniaxiale subsiste. Enfin dans la phase ordonnée (II), les molécules effectuent une rotation uniaxiale d'ordre 3 entre positions indiscernables. Ces différents mouvements dans les quatre phases solides ont été évalués par l'analyse des temps de relaxation spin-réseau T_{1 z} et T_{1 ρ} en ^1H-RMN. Les temps de résidence qui en sont déduits sont comparés (lorsque cela est possible) aux valeurs correspondantes déduites précédemment par diffusion quasi-élastique des neutrons, par relaxation diélectrique et par mesure du second moment de la raie RMN.

A hybrid density functional study of silicon and phosphorus doped hexagonal boron nitride monolayer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mapasha, R. E.; Igumbor, E.; Chetty, N.

2016-10-01

We present a hybrid density functional study of silicon (Si) and phosphorus (P) doped hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). The local geometry, electronic structure and thermodynamic stability of Si B , Si N , P B and P N are examined using hybrid Heyd-Scuseria- Ernzerhof (HSE) functional. The defect induced buckling and the local bond distances around the defect are sensitive to charge state modulation q = -2, -1, 0, +1 and +2. The +1 charge state is found to be the most energetically stable state and significantly reduces the buckling. Based on the charge state thermodynamic transition levels, we noted that the Si N , Si N and P B defects are too deep to be ionized, and can alter the optical properties of h-BN material.

Evaluation of genotoxic and antigenotoxic effects of boron by the somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART) on Drosophila.

PubMed

Sarıkaya, Rabia; Erciyas, Kamile; Kara, Muhammed Isa; Sezer, Ufuk; Erciyas, Ali Fuat; Ay, Sinan

2016-10-01

In this study, different concentrations of boron have been evaluated for genotoxic and antigenotoxic properties by using the somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART) on Drosophila melanogaster. The treatment concentrations were chosen to a pretest. Third-instar larvae trans-heterozygous for two genetic markers, multiple wing hair (mwh) and flare (flr3), were treated at different concentrations (0.1, 5, 10, 20, and 40 mg/mL) of boron. In addition to investigating antigenotoxic effects, the same boron concentrations were co-administered with 0.1 mM Ethyl Methane Sulfonate (EMS). Distilled water was used as a negative control; 0.1 mM of EMS was used as a positive control. For the chronic feeding study, small plastic vials were prepared with 1.5 g of dry Drosophila Instant Medium and 5 mL of the respective test solution. Hundreds of trans-heterozygous larvae were embedded into this medium. Feeding ended with pupation of the surviving larvae. After metamorphosis, all surviving flies were collected and stored in a 70% ethanol solution. Preparation and microscopic analyses of wing were made after the treatment. Then the observed mutations were classified according to size and type of mutation per wing. Results indicated that there is no significant genotoxic effect with all of the boron concentrations. In addition, the antigenotoxic activities of boron against EMS were tested. Results indicated that all boron concentrations (0.1, 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg/mL) were able to abolish the genotoxic effects induced by the EMS. It is suggested that the observed effects can be linked to the antioxidant properties of boron. Moreover, these in vivo results will contribute to the antigenotoxicity database of boron.

Validation of a simple method of estimating plasma free cortisol: role of cortisol binding to albumin.

PubMed

Dorin, Richard I; Pai, Hemanth K; Ho, Jui T; Lewis, John G; Torpy, David J; Urban, Frank K; Qualls, Clifford R

2009-01-01

To develop, optimize, and validate a generalized mass action, equilibrium solution that incorporates measured concentrations of albumin as well as cortisol binding globulin (CBG) to estimate free cortisol. Free cortisol was estimated by Coolens method or by cubic equilibrium equation and compared to measured free cortisol, determined by ultrafiltration method, in subjects with septic shock (n=45), sepsis (n=19), and healthy controls (n=10) at 0, 30, and 60 min following administration of cosyntropin (250 mcg). The data set also included repeat testing in 30 subjects following recovery from sepsis/septic shock. The equilibrium dissociation constant for cortisol binding to albumin (K(A)) was optimized by non-linear regression. The cubic equilibrium solution was also used to model the influence of cortisol, CBG, and albumin concentration on free cortisol. Compared to measured free cortisol, the cubic solution, using an optimized K(A) of 137,800 nM, was less biased than Coolens solution, with mean percent error of -23.0% vs. -41.1% (paired t test, P<0.001). Standard deviation values were also significantly lower (Wilks' test, P<0.001) for the cubic solution (SD 35.8% vs. 40.8% for cubic vs. Coolens, respectively). Modeling studies using the cubic solution suggest an interaction effect by which low concentrations of CBG and albumin contribute to a greater increase in free cortisol than the sum of their independent effects. Mass action solutions that incorporate the measured concentration of albumin as well as CBG provide a reasonably accurate estimate of free cortisol that generalizes to conditions of health as well as a setting of hypercortisolism and low CBG and albumin concentrations associated with septic shock. Modeling studies emphasize the significant contribution of albumin deficiency and albumin-bound cortisol under conditions of CBG-deficiency, and identify a synergistic effect by which combined CBG and albumin deficiency contribute to elevation of free cortisol in septic shock.

Critical and compensation phenomena in a mixed-spin ternary alloy: A Monte Carlo study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Žukovič, M.; Bobák, A.

2010-10-01

By means of standard and histogram Monte Carlo simulations, we investigate the critical and compensation behaviour of a ternary mixed spin alloy of the type ABpC1- p on a cubic lattice. We focus on the case with the parameters corresponding to the Prussian blue analog (NipIIMn1-pII)1.5[CrIII(CN)6]·nH2O and confront our findings with those obtained by some approximative approaches and the experiments.

Quantitative evaluation of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) drugs for boron delivery and retention at subcellular scale resolution in human glioblastoma cells with imaging secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS)

PubMed Central

Chandra, S.; Ahmad, T.; Barth, R. F.; Kabalka, G. W.

2014-01-01

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) of cancer depends on the selective delivery of a sufficient number of boron-10 (10B) atoms to individual tumor cells. Cell killing results from the 10B (n, α)7Li neutron capture and fission reactions that occur if a sufficient number of 10B atoms are localized in the tumor cells. Intranuclear 10B localization enhances the efficiency of cell killing via damage to the DNA. The net cellular content of 10B atoms reflects both bound and free pools of boron in individual tumor cells. The assessment of these pools, delivered by a boron delivery agent, currently cannot be made at subcellular scale resolution by clinically applicable techniques such as PET and MRI. In this study, secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) based imaging instrument, a CAMECA IMS 3f ion microscope, capable of 500 nm spatial resolution was employed. Cryogenically prepared cultured human T98G glioblastoma cells were evaluated for boron uptake and retention of two delivery agents. The first, L-p-boronophenylalanine (BPA), has been used clinically for BNCT of high grade gliomas, recurrent tumors of the head and neck region and melanomas. The second, a boron analogue of an unnatural amino acid, 1-amino-3-borono-cyclopentanecarboxylic acid (cis-ABCPC), has been studied in rodent glioma and melanoma models by quantification of boron in the nucleus and cytoplasm of individual tumor cells. The bound and free pools of boron were assessed by exposure of cells to boron-free nutrient medium. Both BPA and cis-ABCPC delivered almost 70% of the pool of boron in the free or loosely bound form to the nucleus and cytoplasm of human glioblastoma cells. This free pool of boron could be easily mobilized out of the cell and was in some sort of equilibrium with extracellular boron. In the case of BPA, the intracellular free pool of boron also was affected by the presence of phenylalanine in the nutrient medium. This suggests that it might be advantageous if patients were placed on a low phenylalanine diet prior to the initiation of BNCT. Since BPA currently is used clinically for BNCT, our observations may have direct relevance to future clinical studies utilizing this agent and provides support for individualized treatment planning regimens rather than the use of fixed BPA infusion protocols. PMID:24684609

Quantitative evaluation of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) drugs for boron delivery and retention at subcellular-scale resolution in human glioblastoma cells with imaging secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS).

PubMed

Chandra, S; Ahmad, T; Barth, R F; Kabalka, G W

2014-06-01

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) of cancer depends on the selective delivery of a sufficient number of boron-10 ((10)B) atoms to individual tumour cells. Cell killing results from the (10)B (n, α)(7) Li neutron capture and fission reactions that occur if a sufficient number of (10)B atoms are localized in the tumour cells. Intranuclear (10)B localization enhances the efficiency of cell killing via damage to the DNA. The net cellular content of (10)B atoms reflects both bound and free pools of boron in individual tumour cells. The assessment of these pools, delivered by a boron delivery agent, currently cannot be made at subcellular-scale resolution by clinically applicable techniques such as positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. In this study, a secondary ion mass spectrometry based imaging instrument, a CAMECA IMS 3f ion microscope, capable of 500 nm spatial resolution was employed. Cryogenically prepared cultured human T98G glioblastoma cells were evaluated for boron uptake and retention of two delivery agents. The first, L-p-boronophenylalanine (BPA), has been used clinically for BNCT of high-grade gliomas, recurrent tumours of the head and neck region and melanomas. The second, a boron analogue of an unnatural amino acid, 1-amino-3-borono-cyclopentanecarboxylic acid (cis-ABCPC), has been studied in rodent glioma and melanoma models by quantification of boron in the nucleus and cytoplasm of individual tumour cells. The bound and free pools of boron were assessed by exposure of cells to boron-free nutrient medium. Both BPA and cis-ABCPC delivered almost 70% of the pool of boron in the free or loosely bound form to the nucleus and cytoplasm of human glioblastoma cells. This free pool of boron could be easily mobilized out of the cell and was in some sort of equilibrium with extracellular boron. In the case of BPA, the intracellular free pool of boron also was affected by the presence of phenylalanine in the nutrient medium. This suggests that it might be advantageous if patients were placed on a low phenylalanine diet prior to the initiation of BNCT. Since BPA currently is used clinically for BNCT, our observations may have direct relevance to future clinical studies utilizing this agent and provides support for individualized treatment planning regimens rather than the use of fixed BPA infusion protocols. © 2014 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2014 Royal Microscopical Society.

Ti, Al and N adatom adsorption and diffusion on rocksalt cubic AlN (001) and (011) surfaces: Ab initio calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mastail, C.; David, M.; Nita, F.; Michel, A.; Abadias, G.

2017-11-01

We use ab initio calculations to determine the preferred nucleation sites and migration pathways of Ti, Al and N adatoms on cubic NaCl-structure (B1) AlN surfaces, primary inputs towards a further thin film growth modelling of the TiAlN alloy system. The potential energy landscape is mapped out for both metallic species and nitrogen adatoms for two different AlN surface orientations, (001) and (110), using density functional theory. For all species, the adsorption energies on AlN(011) surface are larger than on AlN(001) surface. Ti and Al adatom adsorption energy landscapes determined at 0 K by ab initio show similar features, with stable binding sites being located in, or near, epitaxial surface positions, with Ti showing a stronger binding compared to Al. In direct contrast, N adatoms (Nad) adsorb preferentially close to N surface atoms (Nsurf), thus forming strong N2-molecule-like bonds on both AlN(001) and (011). Similar to N2 desorption mechanisms reported for other cubic transition metal nitride surfaces, in the present work we investigate Nad/Nsurf desorption on AlN(011) using a drag calculation method. We show that this process leaves a Nsurf vacancy accompanied with a spontaneous surface reconstruction, highlighting faceting formation during growth.

Perturbed dark and singular optical solitons in polarization preserving fibers by modified simple equation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yaşar, Emrullah; Yıldırım, Yakup; Zhou, Qin; Moshokoa, Seithuti P.; Ullah, Malik Zaka; Triki, Houria; Biswas, Anjan; Belic, Milivoj

2017-11-01

This paper obtains optical soliton solution to perturbed nonlinear Schrödinger's equation by modified simple equation method. There are four types of nonlinear fibers studied in this paper. They are Anti-cubic law, Quadratic-cubic law, Cubic-quintic-septic law and Triple-power law. Dark and singular soliton solutions are derived. Additional solutions such as singular periodic solutions also fall out of the integration scheme.

Structural stability and electronic properties of β-tetragonal boron: A first-principles study

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

Hayami, Wataru, E-mail: hayami.wataru@nims.go.jp

2015-01-15

It is known that elemental boron has five polymorphs: α- and β-rhombohedral, α- and β-tetragonal, and the high-pressure γ phase. β-tetragonal (β-t) boron was first discovered in 1960, but there have been only a few studies since then. We have thoroughly investigated, using first-principles calculations, the atomic and electronic structures of β-t boron, the details of which were not known previously. The difficulty of calculation arises from the fact that β-t boron has a large unit cell that contains between 184 and 196 atoms, with 12 partially-occupied interstitial sites. This makes the number of configurations of interstitial atoms too greatmore » to calculate them all. By introducing assumptions based on symmetry and preliminary calculations, the number of configurations to calculate can be greatly reduced. It was eventually found that β-t boron has the lowest total energy, with 192 atoms (8 interstitial atoms) in an orthorhombic lattice. The total energy per atom was between those of α- and β-rhombohedral boron. Another tetragonal structure with 192 atoms was found to have a very close energy. The valence bands were fully filled and the gaps were about 1.16 to 1.54 eV, making it comparable to that of β-rhombohedral boron. - Graphical abstract: Electronic density distribution for the lowest-energy configuration (N=192) viewed from the 〈1 0 0〉 direction. Left: isosurface (yellow) at d=0.09 electrons/a.u.{sup 3} Right: isosurface (orange) at d=0.12 electrons/a.u.{sup 3}. - Highlights: • β-tetragonal boron was thoroughly investigated using first-principles calculations. • The lowest energy structure contains 192 atoms in an orthorhombic lattice. • Another tetragonal structure with 192 atoms has a very close energy. • The total energy per atom is between those of α- and β-rhombohedral boron. • The band gap of the lowest energy structure is about 1.16 to 1.54 eV.« less

Cubic nitride templates

DOEpatents

Burrell, Anthony K; McCleskey, Thomas Mark; Jia, Quanxi; Mueller, Alexander H; Luo, Hongmei

2013-04-30

A polymer-assisted deposition process for deposition of epitaxial cubic metal nitride films and the like is presented. The process includes solutions of one or more metal precursor and soluble polymers having binding properties for the one or more metal precursor. After a coating operation, the resultant coating is heated at high temperatures under a suitable atmosphere to yield metal nitride films and the like. Such films can be used as templates for the development of high quality cubic GaN based electronic devices.

Improving the efficiency of boron application on the vineyards during NPK fertilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magomadov, Andy; Batukaev, Abdulmalik; Kalinitchenko, Valeriy; Minkina, Tatiana; Sushkova, Svetlana

2017-04-01

The effect of different doses and time of boron fertilization on growth and development of grape plants were studied on the soils of Terek-Kumskiy sands of Chechen Republic, Russian Federation. The studies have shown that sandy soils of pilot area have a low content of main macronutrients except of potassium. The boron content in the sandy soils varies within wide limits and characterizes this soil as lack of boron content especially in water-soluble boron distribution through the soil profile. It was developed a technique for roots feeding of grapes for the first time, that allows to control chemical processes the NPK uptake by plant roots. The studied process realized by implementation of optimum amount of boron in plant-available form, introduced in a certain phase of plants growth. It helps to improve the efficiency of nitrogen, phosphate, potassium using. It was found that boron improves the movement of growth substances and ascorbic acid from the leaves to the fertile parts and cannot be replaced by other nutrients. The plants need of boron throughout the growing season. Boron plays an important role in cell division and protein synthesis is an essential component of cell membranes. The use of boric acid as a fertilizer to increase the number of ovaries on grape plants, stimulating the formation of new points of stems and root growth, increased the number of shoots, improved growth, increased the sugar content of the grapes and taste of the fruit, which is a result of more active uptake of boron by grapes. The optimal dose of boron fertilization on the sandy soil and the comparative agroecological and economic evaluation of its application presented in the research. The use of boron fertilizers allowed to increase the sugar content, acidity, tasting score grapes up to 12-38%. The greatest effect of boron fertilization achieved by application to the phase start of sap flow in a dose of 3 kg/ha in the background N90P90K90. The developed technique for sandy soils fertilization allows to increase a quality of grapes, their properties also allow to improve a costs of produced grape material. This research was supported by Project of President of Russian Federation № MK-3476.2017.5, RFBR № 16-35-60051, 16-35-00347.

Anharmonic phonon decay in cubic GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuscó, R.; Domènech-Amador, N.; Novikov, S.; Foxon, C. T.; Artús, L.

2015-08-01

We present a Raman-scattering study of optical phonons in zinc-blende (cubic) GaN for temperatures ranging from 80 to 750 K. The experiments were performed on high-quality, cubic GaN films grown by molecular-beam epitaxy on GaAs (001) substrates. The observed temperature dependence of the optical phonon frequencies and linewidths is analyzed in the framework of anharmonic decay theory, and possible decay channels are discussed in the light of density-functional-theory calculations. The longitudinal-optical (LO) mode relaxation is found to occur via asymmetric decay into acoustic phonons, with an appreciable contribution of higher-order processes. The transverse-optical mode linewidth shows a weak temperature dependence and its frequency downshift is primarily determined by the lattice thermal expansion. The LO phonon lifetime is derived from the observed Raman linewidth and an excellent agreement with previous theoretical predictions is found.

Nanotube phonon waveguide

DOEpatents

Chang, Chih-Wei; Zettl, Alexander K.

2013-10-29

Disclosed are methods and devices in which certain types of nanotubes (e.g., carbon nanotubes and boron nitride nanotubes conduct heat with high efficiency and are therefore useful in electronic-type devices.

Effects of boron derivatives on extracellular matrix formation.

PubMed

Benderdour, M; Van Bui, T; Hess, K; Dicko, A; Belleville, F; Dousset, B

2000-10-01

Boric acid solution (3%) dramatically improves wound healing through action on the extracellular matrix, a finding that has been obtained in vitro. Consequently, investigations are presently underway to produce boronated compounds having a therapeutical effectiveness similar to that of boric acid. On the basis of experimental results obtained with boric acid, we examined the effects of boron derivatives on extracellular matrix formation and degradation and analyzed their potential toxicity by using two biological models (chick embryo cartilage and human fibroblasts). The four boron derivatives tested in this study (triethanolamine borate; N-diethyl-phosphoramidate-propylboronique acid; 2,2 dimethylhexyl-1,3-propanediol-aminopropylboronate and 1,2 propanediol-aminopropylboronate) mimicked the effects of boric acid. They induced a decrease of intracellular concentrations in extracellular matrix macromolecules (proteoglycans, proteins)-associated with an increase of their release in culture medium and stimulated the activity of intra- and extracellular proteases. Similarly to boric acid, these actions occurred after exposure of the cells to concentrations of all boron derivatives without apparent toxic effects. The compounds were found to be more toxic than boric acid itself when concentrations were calculated according to their molecular weight. Nevertheless, these in vitro preliminary results demonstrate effects of boron derivatives that may be of therapeutic benefit in wound repair.

L-Phenylalanine preloading reduces the (10)B(n, α)(7)Li dose to the normal brain by inhibiting the uptake of boronophenylalanine in boron neutron capture therapy for brain tumours.

PubMed

Watanabe, Tsubasa; Tanaka, Hiroki; Fukutani, Satoshi; Suzuki, Minoru; Hiraoka, Masahiro; Ono, Koji

2016-01-01

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a cellular-level particle radiation therapy that combines the selective delivery of boron compounds to tumour tissue with neutron irradiation. Previously, high doses of one of the boron compounds used for BNCT, L-BPA, were found to reduce the boron-derived irradiation dose to the central nervous system. However, injection with a high dose of L-BPA is not feasible in clinical settings. We aimed to find an alternative method to improve the therapeutic efficacy of this therapy. We examined the effects of oral preloading with various analogues of L-BPA in a xenograft tumour model and found that high-dose L-phenylalanine reduced the accumulation of L-BPA in the normal brain relative to tumour tissue. As a result, the maximum irradiation dose in the normal brain was 19.2% lower in the L-phenylalanine group relative to the control group. This study provides a simple strategy to improve the therapeutic efficacy of conventional boron compounds for BNCT for brain tumours and the possibility to widen the indication of BNCT to various kinds of other tumours. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Synthesis, spectroscopic and catalytic properties of some new boron hybrid molecule derivatives by BF2 and BPh2 chelation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kilic, Ahmet; Alcay, Ferhat; Aydemir, Murat; Durgun, Mustafa; Keles, Armagan; Baysal, Akın

2015-05-01

A new series of Schiff base ligands (L1-L3) and their corresponding fluorine/phenyl boron hybrid complexes [LnBF2] and [LnBPh2] (n = 1, 2 or 3) have been synthesized and well characterized by both analytical and spectroscopic methods. The Schiff base ligands and their corresponding fluorine/phenyl boron hybrid complexes have been characterized by NMR (1H, 13C and 19F), FT-IR, UV-Vis, LC-MS, and fluorescence spectroscopy as well as melting point and elemental analysis. The fluorescence efficiencies of phenyl chelate complexes are greatly red-shifted compared to those of the fluorine chelate analogs based on the same ligands, presumably due to the large steric hindrance and hard π → π∗ transition of the diphenyl boron chelation, which can effectively prevent molecular aggregation. The boron hybrid complexes were applied to the transfer hydrogenation of acetophenone derivatives to 1-phenylethanol derivatives in the presence of 2-propanol as the hydrogen source. The catalytic studies showed that boron hybrid complexes are good catalytic precursors for transfer hydrogenation of aromatic ketones in 0.1 M iso-PrOH solution. Also, we have found that both steric and electronic factors have a significant impact on the catalytic properties of this class of molecules.

Theoretical studies of urea adsorption on single wall boron-nitride nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chermahini, Alireza Najafi; Teimouri, Abbas; Farrokhpour, Hossein

2014-11-01

Surface modification of a boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) with urea molecule was investigated in terms of its energetic, geometric, and electronic properties using B3LYP and PW91 density functionals. In this investigation, various armchair (n,n) nanotubes, where n = 5, 6, 7 have been used. Two different interaction modes, including interaction with outer layer and inner layer of tube were studied. The results indicated that the adsorption of single urea molecule in all of its configurations is observed to be exothermic and physical in nature. Interestingly, the adsorption energy for the most stable configuration of urea was observed when the molecule located inside of the nanotube. Besides, the adsorption of urea on BNNTs changes the conductivity of nanotube.

Investigation of Isotopically Tailored Boron in Advanced Fission and Fusion Reactor Systems.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domaszek, Gerald Raymond

This research examines the use of B^ {11}, in the form of metallic boron and boron carbide, as a moderating and reflecting material. An examination of the neutronic characteristics of the B ^{11} isotope of boron has revealed that B^{11} has neutron scattering and absorption cross sections favorably comparable to those of Be^9 and C^ {12}. Preliminary analysis of the neutronics of B ^{11} were performed by conducting one dimensional transport calculations on an infinite slab of varying thickness. Beryllium is the best of the three materials in reflecting neutrons due primarily to the contribution from (n,2n) reactions. Tailored neutron energy beam transmission experiments were carried out to experimentally verify the predicted neutronic characteristics of B^{11 }. To further examine the neutron moderating and reflecting characteristics of B^{11 }, the energy dependent neutron flux was measured as a function of position in an exponential pile constructed of B_4C isotopically enriched to 98.5 percent B^{11}. After the experimental verification of the neutronic behavior of B^{11}, further design studies were conducted using metallic boron and boron carbide enriched in the B^{11 } isotope. The use of materials isotopically enriched in B^{11} as a liner in the first wall/blanket of a magnetic confinement fusion reactor demonstrated acceptable tritium regeneration in the lithium blanket. Analysis of the effect of contaminant levels of B^{10} showed that B^{10} contents of less than 1 percent in metallic boron produced negligible adverse effects on the tritium breeding. A comparison of the effectiveness of graphite and B^{11}_4C when used as moderators in a reactor fueled with natural uranium has shown that the maximum k_infty for a given fuel rod design is approximately the same for both materials. Approximately half the volume of the moderator is required when B^{11 }_4C is substituted for graphite to obtain essentially the same K_infty . An analysis of the effectiveness of various materials as reflector control elements for a compact space reactor has shown that B^{11} is neutronically superior to graphite in these applications. Metallic boron and boron carbide isotopically enriched in B^{11} have been demonstrated to be neutronically acceptable for varied applications in advanced reactor systems. B^ {11} has been shown to be superior in performance to graphite. While only somewhat inferior to beryllium as neutron multipliers, B^ {11} and B^{11} _4C have safety, supply and cost advantage over beryllium. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.).

Fracture mechanics correlation of boron/aluminum coupons containing stress risers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adsit, N. R.; Waszczak, J. P.

1975-01-01

The mechanical behavior of boron/aluminum near stress risers has been studied and reported. This effort was directed toward defining the tensile behavior of both unidirectional and (0/ plus or minus 45) boron/aluminum using linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM). The material used was 5.6-mil boron in 6061 aluminum, consolidated using conventional diffusion bonding techniques. Mechanical properties are reported for both unidirectional and (0/ plus or minus 45) boron/aluminum, which serve as control data for the fracture mechanics predictions. Three different flawed specimen types were studied. In each case the series of specimens remained geometrically similar to eliminate variations in finite size correction factors. The fracture data from these tests were reduced using two techniques. They both used conventional LEFM methods, but the existence of a characteristic flaw was assumed in one case and not the other. Both the data and the physical behavior of the specimens support the characteristic flaw hypothesis. Cracks were observed growing slowly in the (0/ plus or minus 45) laminates, until a critical crack length was reached at which time catastrophic failure occurred.

Superconductivity in diamond.

PubMed

Ekimov, E A; Sidorov, V A; Bauer, E D; Mel'nik, N N; Curro, N J; Thompson, J D; Stishov, S M

2004-04-01

Diamond is an electrical insulator well known for its exceptional hardness. It also conducts heat even more effectively than copper, and can withstand very high electric fields. With these physical properties, diamond is attractive for electronic applications, particularly when charge carriers are introduced (by chemical doping) into the system. Boron has one less electron than carbon and, because of its small atomic radius, boron is relatively easily incorporated into diamond; as boron acts as a charge acceptor, the resulting diamond is effectively hole-doped. Here we report the discovery of superconductivity in boron-doped diamond synthesized at high pressure (nearly 100,000 atmospheres) and temperature (2,500-2,800 K). Electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, specific heat and field-dependent resistance measurements show that boron-doped diamond is a bulk, type-II superconductor below the superconducting transition temperature T(c) approximately 4 K; superconductivity survives in a magnetic field up to Hc2(0) > or = 3.5 T. The discovery of superconductivity in diamond-structured carbon suggests that Si and Ge, which also form in the diamond structure, may similarly exhibit superconductivity under the appropriate conditions.

Crystal structure and composition of BAlN thin films: Effect of boron concentration in the gas flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shuo; Li, Xiaohang; Fischer, Alec M.; Detchprohm, Theeradetch; Dupuis, Russell D.; Ponce, Fernando A.

2017-10-01

We have investigated the microstructure of BxAl1-xN films grown by flow-modulated epitaxy at 1010 °C, with B/(B + Al) gas-flow ratios ranging from 0.06 to 0.18. The boron content obtained from X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns ranges from x = 0.02 to 0.09. On the other hand, boron content deduced from the aluminum signal in the Rutherford backscattering spectra (RBS) ranges from x = 0.06 to 0.16, closely following the gas-flow ratios. Transmission electron microscopy indicates the sole presence of a wurtzite crystal structure in the BAlN films, and a tendency towards columnar growth for B/(B + Al) gas-flow ratios below 0.12. For higher ratios, the BAlN films exhibit a tendency towards twin formation and finer microstructure. Electron energy loss spectroscopy has been used to profile spatial variations in the composition of the films. The RBS data suggest that the incorporation of B is highly efficient for our growth method, while the XRD data indicate that the epitaxial growth may be limited by a solubility limit in the crystal phase at about 9%, for the range of B/(B + Al) gas-flow ratios that we have studied, which is significantly higher than previously thought.

Hybrid, Gate-Tunable, van der Waals p–n Heterojunctions from Pentacene and MoS 2

DOE PAGES

Jariwala, Deep; Howell, Sarah L.; Chen, Kan-Sheng; ...

2015-12-18

The recent emergence of a wide variety of two-dimensional (2D) materials has created new opportunities for device concepts and applications. In particular, the availability of semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides, in addition to semimetallic graphene and insulating boron nitride, has enabled the fabrication of “all 2D” van der Waals heterostructure devices. Furthermore, the concept of van der Waals heterostructures has the potential to be significantly broadened beyond layered solids. For example, molecular and polymeric organic solids, whose surface atoms possess saturated bonds, are also known to interact via van der Waals forces and thus offer an alternative for scalable integration withmore » 2D materials. Here, we demonstrate the integration of an organic small molecule p-type semiconductor, pentacene, with a 2D n-type semiconductor, MoS2. The resulting p–n heterojunction is gate-tunable and shows asymmetric control over the antiambipolar transfer characteristic. In addition, the pentacene/MoS2 heterojunction exhibits a photovoltaic effect attributable to type II band alignment, which suggests that MoS2 can function as an acceptor in hybrid solar cells.« less

Hybrid, Gate-Tunable, van der Waals p–n Heterojunctions from Pentacene and MoS 2

DOE PAGES

Jariwala, Deep; Howell, Sarah L.; Chen, Kan -Sheng; ...

2015-12-10

Here, the recent emergence of a wide variety of two-dimensional (2D) materials has created new opportunities for device concepts and applications. In particular, the availability of semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides, in addition to semimetallic graphene and insulating boron nitride, has enabled the fabrication of “all 2D” van der Waals heterostructure devices. Furthermore, the concept of van der Waals heterostructures has the potential to be significantly broadened beyond layered solids. For example, molecular and polymeric organic solids, whose surface atoms possess saturated bonds, are also known to interact via van der Waals forces and thus offer an alternative for scalable integrationmore » with 2D materials. Here, we demonstrate the integration of an organic small molecule p-type semiconductor, pentacene, with a 2D n-type semiconductor, MoS 2. The resulting p–n heterojunction is gate-tunable and shows asymmetric control over the antiambipolar transfer characteristic. In addition, the pentacene/MoS 2 heterojunction exhibits a photovoltaic effect attributable to type II band alignment, which suggests that MoS 2 can function as an acceptor in hybrid solar cells.« less

Hybrid, Gate-Tunable, van der Waals p–n Heterojunctions from Pentacene and MoS 2

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

Jariwala, Deep; Howell, Sarah L.; Chen, Kan -Sheng

Here, the recent emergence of a wide variety of two-dimensional (2D) materials has created new opportunities for device concepts and applications. In particular, the availability of semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides, in addition to semimetallic graphene and insulating boron nitride, has enabled the fabrication of “all 2D” van der Waals heterostructure devices. Furthermore, the concept of van der Waals heterostructures has the potential to be significantly broadened beyond layered solids. For example, molecular and polymeric organic solids, whose surface atoms possess saturated bonds, are also known to interact via van der Waals forces and thus offer an alternative for scalable integrationmore » with 2D materials. Here, we demonstrate the integration of an organic small molecule p-type semiconductor, pentacene, with a 2D n-type semiconductor, MoS 2. The resulting p–n heterojunction is gate-tunable and shows asymmetric control over the antiambipolar transfer characteristic. In addition, the pentacene/MoS 2 heterojunction exhibits a photovoltaic effect attributable to type II band alignment, which suggests that MoS 2 can function as an acceptor in hybrid solar cells.« less

A molecular cross-linking approach for hybrid metal oxides

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

Jung, Dahee; Saleh, Liban A. M.; Berkson, Zachariah J.

Developing methods to create hybrid materials to maximize their transformative capabilities has been the subject of significant interest. In particular, several key methods have been developed to manipulate earth abundant metal oxides such as TiO 2 to produce hybrid materials with improved or new properties relevant to a broad spectrum of applications. Here, we introduce a new approach we refer to as “molecular doping”, whereby a hybrid molecular boron oxide material is formed from polyhedral boron cluster precursors of the type [B 12(OH) 12] 2-. This new approach is enabled by the inherent robustness of the boron cluster molecular buildingmore » block, which is compatible with harsh thermal and oxidizing conditions that are necessary for the synthesis of many metal oxides. In this work, we show how this material can be successfully interfaced with TiO 2, resulting in boron-rich hybrid materials with unprecedented photophysical and electrochemical properties.« less

A molecular cross-linking approach for hybrid metal oxides.

PubMed

Jung, Dahee; Saleh, Liban M A; Berkson, Zachariah J; El-Kady, Maher F; Hwang, Jee Youn; Mohamed, Nahla; Wixtrom, Alex I; Titarenko, Ekaterina; Shao, Yanwu; McCarthy, Kassandra; Guo, Jian; Martini, Ignacio B; Kraemer, Stephan; Wegener, Evan C; Saint-Cricq, Philippe; Ruehle, Bastian; Langeslay, Ryan R; Delferro, Massimiliano; Brosmer, Jonathan L; Hendon, Christopher H; Gallagher-Jones, Marcus; Rodriguez, Jose; Chapman, Karena W; Miller, Jeffrey T; Duan, Xiangfeng; Kaner, Richard B; Zink, Jeffrey I; Chmelka, Bradley F; Spokoyny, Alexander M

2018-04-01

There is significant interest in the development of methods to create hybrid materials that transform capabilities, in particular for Earth-abundant metal oxides, such as TiO 2 , to give improved or new properties relevant to a broad spectrum of applications. Here we introduce an approach we refer to as 'molecular cross-linking', whereby a hybrid molecular boron oxide material is formed from polyhedral boron-cluster precursors of the type [B 12 (OH) 12 ] 2- . This new approach is enabled by the inherent robustness of the boron-cluster molecular building block, which is compatible with the harsh thermal and oxidizing conditions that are necessary for the synthesis of many metal oxides. In this work, using a battery of experimental techniques and materials simulation, we show how this material can be interfaced successfully with TiO 2 and other metal oxides to give boron-rich hybrid materials with intriguing photophysical and electrochemical properties.

A molecular cross-linking approach for hybrid metal oxides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Dahee; Saleh, Liban M. A.; Berkson, Zachariah J.; El-Kady, Maher F.; Hwang, Jee Youn; Mohamed, Nahla; Wixtrom, Alex I.; Titarenko, Ekaterina; Shao, Yanwu; McCarthy, Kassandra; Guo, Jian; Martini, Ignacio B.; Kraemer, Stephan; Wegener, Evan C.; Saint-Cricq, Philippe; Ruehle, Bastian; Langeslay, Ryan R.; Delferro, Massimiliano; Brosmer, Jonathan L.; Hendon, Christopher H.; Gallagher-Jones, Marcus; Rodriguez, Jose; Chapman, Karena W.; Miller, Jeffrey T.; Duan, Xiangfeng; Kaner, Richard B.; Zink, Jeffrey I.; Chmelka, Bradley F.; Spokoyny, Alexander M.

2018-03-01

There is significant interest in the development of methods to create hybrid materials that transform capabilities, in particular for Earth-abundant metal oxides, such as TiO2, to give improved or new properties relevant to a broad spectrum of applications. Here we introduce an approach we refer to as `molecular cross-linking', whereby a hybrid molecular boron oxide material is formed from polyhedral boron-cluster precursors of the type [B12(OH)12]2-. This new approach is enabled by the inherent robustness of the boron-cluster molecular building block, which is compatible with the harsh thermal and oxidizing conditions that are necessary for the synthesis of many metal oxides. In this work, using a battery of experimental techniques and materials simulation, we show how this material can be interfaced successfully with TiO2 and other metal oxides to give boron-rich hybrid materials with intriguing photophysical and electrochemical properties.

Boron-Based Catalysts for C-C Bond-Formation Reactions.

PubMed

Rao, Bin; Kinjo, Rei

2018-05-02

Because the construction of the C-C bond is one of the most significant reactions in organic chemistry, the development of an efficient strategy has attracted much attention throughout the synthetic community. Among various protocols to form C-C bonds, organoboron compounds are not just limited to stoichiometric reagents, but have also made great achievements as catalysts because of the easy modification of the electronic and steric impacts on the boron center. This review presents recent developments of boron-based catalysts applied in the field of C-C bond-formation reactions, which are classified into four kinds on the basis of the type of boron catalyst: 1) highly Lewis acidic borane, B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 ; 2) organoboron acids, RB(OH) 2 , and their ester derivatives; 3) borenium ions, (R 2 BL)X; and 4) other miscellaneous kinds. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A novel approach for betavoltaic devices utilizing nitrogen doped graphene powder as an electrode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drake, Kyle Joseph

Nitrogen doped graphene was used to create p-n junctions with boron doped silicon wafers. When exposed to beta particle radiation, an electrical current is produced. The betavoltaic cells were fabricated and tested for comparison of power output with that of other types of betavoltaic cells reported in the literature. The electronic properties of graphene allowed it to be a plausible replacement part of the semiconductor used to convert the energy of the beta radiation to usable electrical energy. The research showed that an electric current was produced by the fabricated experimental cells.

Impact of implanted phosphorus on the diffusivity of boron and its applicability to silicon solar cells

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

Schrof, Julian, E-mail: julian.schrof@ise.fraunhofer.de; Müller, Ralph; Benick, Jan

2015-07-28

Boron diffusivity reduction in extrinsically doped silicon was investigated in the context of a process combination consisting of BBr{sub 3} furnace diffusion and preceding Phosphorus ion implantation. The implantation of Phosphorus leads to a substantial blocking of Boron during the subsequent Boron diffusion. First, the influences of ion implantation induced point defects as well as the initial P doping on B diffusivity were studied independently. Here, it was found that not the defects created during ion implantation but the P doping itself results in the observed B diffusion retardation. The influence of the initial P concentration was investigated in moremore » detail by varying the P implantation dose. A secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) analysis of the BSG layer after the B diffusion revealed that the B diffusion retardation is not due to potential P content in the BSG layer but rather caused by the n-type doping of the crystalline silicon itself. Based on the observations the B diffusion retardation was classified into three groups: (i) no reduction of B diffusivity, (ii) reduced B diffusivity, and (iii) blocking of the B diffusion. The retardation of B diffusion can well be explained by the phosphorus doping level resulting in a Fermi level shift and pairing of B and P ions, both reducing the B diffusivity. Besides these main influences, there are probably additional transient phenomena responsible for the blocking of boron. Those might be an interstitial transport mechanism caused by P diffusion that reduces interstitial concentration at the surface or the silicon/BSG interface shift due to oxidation during the BBr{sub 3} diffusion process. Lifetime measurements revealed that the residual (non-blocked) B leads to an increased dark saturation current density in the P doped region. Nevertheless, electrical quality is on a high level and was further increased by reducing the B dose as well as by removing the first few nanometers of the silicon surface after the BBr{sub 3} diffusion.« less

The accelerator neutron source for boron neutron capture therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasatov, D.; Koshkarev, A.; Kuznetsov, A.; Makarov, A.; Ostreinov, Yu; Shchudlo, I.; Sorokin, I.; Sycheva, T.; Taskaev, S.; Zaidi, L.

2016-11-01

The accelerator based epithermal neutron source for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is proposed, created and used in the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics. In 2014, with the support of the Russian Science Foundation created the BNCT laboratory for the purpose to the end of 2016 get the neutron flux, suitable for BNCT. For getting 3 mA 2.3 MeV proton beam, was created a new type accelerator - tandem accelerator with vacuum isolation. On this moment, we have a stationary proton beam with 2.3 MeV and current 1.75 mA. Generation of neutrons is carried out by dropping proton beam on to lithium target as a result of threshold reaction 7Li(p,n)7Be. Established facility is a unique scientific installation. It provides a generating of neutron flux, including a monochromatic energy neutrons, gamma radiation, alpha-particles and positrons, and may be used by other research groups for carrying out scientific researches. The article describes an accelerator neutron source, presents and discusses the result of experiments and declares future plans.

Experimental study of boron-coated straws with a neutron source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Zhaoyang; Zhou, Jianrong; Song, Yushou; Lacy, Jeffrey L.; Sun, Liang; Sun, Zhijia; Hu, Bitao; Chen, Yuanbo

2018-04-01

Multiple types of high quality neutron detectors are proposed for the first phase of the China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS), which will be commissioned in 2018. Considering the shortage of 3He supply, a detector module composed of 49 boron-coated straws (BCS) was developed by Proportional Technologies Inc. (PTI). Each straw has a length of 1000 mm and a diameter of 7.5 mm. Seven straws are tightly packed in a tube, and seven tubes are organized in a row to form a detector module. The charge division method is used for longitudinal positioning. A specific readout system was utilized to output the signal and simultaneously encode each straw. The performance of this detector module was studied using a moderated 252Cf source at the Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP). The signal amplitude spectrum indicates its n-gamma discrimination capability. Despite the complex readout method, a longitudinal resolution of FWHM=6.1 ± 0.5 mm was obtained. The three-dimensional positioning ability qualifies this BCS detector module as a promising detector for small angle neutron scattering.

Membrane protein crystallization in meso: lipid type-tailoring of the cubic phase.

PubMed Central

Cherezov, Vadim; Clogston, Jeffrey; Misquitta, Yohann; Abdel-Gawad, Wissam; Caffrey, Martin

2002-01-01

Hydrated monoolein forms the cubic-Pn3m mesophase that has been used for in meso crystallization of membrane proteins. The crystals have subsequently provided high-resolution structures by crystallographic means. It is possible that the hosting cubic phase created by monoolein alone, which itself is not a common membrane component, will limit the range of membrane proteins crystallizable by the in meso method. With a view to expanding the range of applicability of the method, we investigated by x-ray diffraction the degree to which the reference cubic-Pn3m phase formed by hydrated monoolein could be modified by other lipid types. These included phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, cardiolipin, lyso-PC, a polyethylene glycol-lipid, 2-monoolein, oleamide, and cholesterol. The results show that all nine lipids were accommodated in the cubic phase to some extent without altering phase identity. The positional isomer, 2-monoolein, was tolerated to the highest level. The least well tolerated were the anionic lipids, followed by lyso-PC. The others were accommodated to the extent of 20-25 mol %. Beyond a certain concentration limit, the lipid additives either triggered one or a series of phase transitions or saturated the phase and separated out as crystals, as seen with oleamide and cholesterol. The series of phases observed and their order of appearance were consistent with expectations in terms of interfacial curvature changes. The changes in phase type and microstructure have been rationalized on the basis of lipid molecular shape, interfacial curvature, and chain packing energy. The data should prove useful in the rational design of cubic phase crystallization matrices with different lipid profiles that match the needs of a greater range of membrane proteins. PMID:12496106

Deposition of Cubic AlN Films on MgO (100) Substrates by Laser Molecular Beam Epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mo, Z. K.; Yang, W. J.; Weng, Y.; Fu, Y. C.; He, H.; Shen, X. M.

2017-12-01

Cubic AlN (c-AlN) films were deposited on MgO (100) substrates by laser molecular beam epitaxy (LMBE) technique. The crystal structure and surface morphology of deposited films with various laser pulse energy and substrate temperature were investigated. The results indicate that c-AlN films exhibit the (200) preferred orientation, showing a good epitaxial relationship with the substrate. The surface roughness of c-AlN films increases when the laser pulse energy and substrate temperature increase. The film grown at laser pulse energy of 150 mJ and substrate temperature of 700 °C shows the best crystalline quality and relatively smooth surface.

Atomistic Interrogation of B–N Co-dopant Structures and Their Electronic Effects in Graphene

DOE PAGES

Schiros, Theanne; Nordlund, Dennis; Palova, Lucia; ...

2016-06-21

Chemical doping has been demonstrated to be an effective method for producing high-quality, large-area graphene with controlled carrier concentrations and an atomically tailored work function. Furthermore, the emergent optoelectronic properties and surface reactivity of carbon nanostructures are dictated by the microstructure of atomic dopants. Co-doping of graphene with boron and nitrogen offers the possibility to further tune the electronic properties of graphene at the atomic level, potentially creating p- and n-type domains in a single carbon sheet, opening a gap between valence and conduction bands in the 2-D semimetal. When using a suite of high-resolution synchrotron-based X-ray techniques, scanning tunnelingmore » microscopy, and density functional theory based computation we visualize and characterize B–N dopant bond structures and their electronic effects at the atomic level in single-layer graphene grown on a copper substrate. We find there is a thermodynamic driving force for B and N atoms to cluster into BNC structures in graphene, rather than randomly distribute into isolated B and N graphitic dopants, although under the present growth conditions, kinetics limit segregation of large B–N domains. We also observe that the doping effect of these BNC structures, which open a small band gap in graphene, follows the B:N ratio (B > N, p-type; B < N, n-type; B=N, neutral). We attribute this to the comparable electron-withdrawing and -donating effects, respectively, of individual graphitic B and N dopants, although local electrostatics also play a role in the work function change.« less

Boron Nitride Nanoribbons from Exfoliation of Boron Nitride Nanotubes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hung, Ching-Cheh; Hurst, Janet; Santiago, Diana

2017-01-01

Two types of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) were exfoliated into boron nitride nanoribbons (BNNR), which were identified using transmission electron microscopy: (1) commercial BNNTs with thin tube walls and small diameters. Tube unzipping was indicated by a large decrease of the sample's surface area and volume for pores less than 2 nm in diameter. (2) BNNTs with large diameters and thick walls synthesized at NASA Glenn Research Center. Here, tube unraveling was indicated by a large increase in external surface area and pore volume. For both, the exfoliation process was similar to the previous reported method to exfoliate commercial hexagonal boron nitride (hBN): Mixtures of BNNT, FeCl3, and NaF (or KF) were sequentially treated in 250 to 350 C nitrogen for intercalation, 500 to 750 C air for exfoliation, and finally HCl for purification. Property changes of the nanosized boron nitride throughout this process were also similar to the previously observed changes of commercial hBN during the exfoliation process: Both crystal structure (x-ray diffraction data) and chemical properties (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy data) of the original reactant changed after intercalation and exfoliation, but most (not all) of these changes revert back to those of the reactant once the final, purified products are obtained.

Influence of boron addition to Ti-13Zr-13Nb alloy on MG63 osteoblast cell viability and protein adsorption.

PubMed

Majumdar, P; Singh, S B; Dhara, S; Chakraborty, M

2015-01-01

Cell proliferation, cell morphology and protein adsorption on near β-type Ti-13Zr-13Nb (TZN) alloy and Ti-13Zr-13Nb-0.5B (TZNB) composite have been investigated and compared to evaluate the effect of boron addition which has been added to the Ti alloy to improve their poor tribological properties by forming in situ TiB precipitates. MG63 cell proliferation on substrates with different chemistry but the same topography was compared. The MTT assay test showed that the cell viability on the TZN alloy was higher than the boron containing TZNB composite after 36 h of incubation and the difference was pronounced after 7 days. However, both the materials showed substantially higher cell attachment than the control (polystyrene). For the same period of incubation in fetal bovine serum (FBS), the amount of protein adsorbed on the surface of boron free TZN samples was higher than that in the case of boron containing TZNB composite. The presence of boron in the TZN alloy influenced protein adsorption and cell response and they are lower in TZNB than in TZN as a result of the associated difference in chemical characteristics. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.