Sample records for nano-structured carbon films

  1. Single-layer nano-carbon film, diamond film, and diamond/nano-carbon composite film field emission performance comparison

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

    Wang, Xiaoping, E-mail: wxpchina64@aliyun.com, E-mail: wxpchina@sohu.com; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Modern Optical System, Shanghai 200093; Wang, Jinye

    A series of single-layer nano-carbon (SNC) films, diamond films, and diamond/nano-carbon (D/NC) composite films have been prepared on the highly doped silicon substrate by using microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition techniques. The films were characterised by scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and field emission I-V measurements. The experimental results indicated that the field emission maximum current density of D/NC composite films is 11.8–17.8 times that of diamond films. And the field emission current density of D/NC composite films is 2.9–5 times that of SNC films at an electric field of 3.0 V/μm. At the same time, the D/NC composite film exhibitsmore » the advantage of improved reproducibility and long term stability (both of the nano-carbon film within the D/NC composite cathode and the SNC cathode were prepared under the same experimental conditions). And for the D/NC composite sample, a high current density of 10 mA/cm{sup 2} at an electric field of 3.0 V/μm was obtained. Diamond layer can effectively improve the field emission characteristics of nano-carbon film. The reason may be due to the diamond film acts as the electron acceleration layer.« less

  2. Nano-crystalline porous tin oxide film for carbon monoxide sensing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Liu, Chung-Chiun (Inventor); Savinell, Robert F. (Inventor); Jin, Zhihong (Inventor)

    2000-01-01

    A tin oxide sol is deposited on platinum electrodes (12) of a sensor (10). The sol is calcined at a temperature of 500 to 800.degree. C. to produce a thin film of tin oxide with a thickness of about 150 nm to 2 .mu. and having a nano-crystalline structure with good stability. The sensor rapidly detects reducing gases, such as carbon monoxide, or hydrocarbons and organic vapors. Sensors using films calcined at around 700.degree. C. have high carbon monoxide selectivity with a response time of around 4 minutes and a recovery time of 1 minute, and therefore provide good detection systems for detection of trace amounts of pollutants such as toxic and flammable gases in homes, industrial settings, and hospitals.

  3. Transparent, flexible supercapacitors from nano-engineered carbon films.

    PubMed

    Jung, Hyun Young; Karimi, Majid B; Hahm, Myung Gwan; Ajayan, Pulickel M; Jung, Yung Joon

    2012-01-01

    Here we construct mechanically flexible and optically transparent thin film solid state supercapacitors by assembling nano-engineered carbon electrodes, prepared in porous templates, with morphology of interconnected arrays of complex shapes and porosity. The highly textured graphitic films act as electrode and current collector and integrated with solid polymer electrolyte, function as thin film supercapacitors. The nanostructured electrode morphology and the conformal electrolyte packaging provide enough energy and power density for the devices in addition to excellent mechanical flexibility and optical transparency, making it a unique design in various power delivery applications.

  4. Transparent, flexible supercapacitors from nano-engineered carbon films

    PubMed Central

    Jung, Hyun Young; Karimi, Majid B.; Hahm, Myung Gwan; Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Jung, Yung Joon

    2012-01-01

    Here we construct mechanically flexible and optically transparent thin film solid state supercapacitors by assembling nano-engineered carbon electrodes, prepared in porous templates, with morphology of interconnected arrays of complex shapes and porosity. The highly textured graphitic films act as electrode and current collector and integrated with solid polymer electrolyte, function as thin film supercapacitors. The nanostructured electrode morphology and the conformal electrolyte packaging provide enough energy and power density for the devices in addition to excellent mechanical flexibility and optical transparency, making it a unique design in various power delivery applications. PMID:23105970

  5. Transparent, flexible supercapacitors from nano-engineered carbon films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jung, Hyun Young; Karimi, Majid B.; Hahm, Myung Gwan; Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Jung, Yung Joon

    2012-10-01

    Here we construct mechanically flexible and optically transparent thin film solid state supercapacitors by assembling nano-engineered carbon electrodes, prepared in porous templates, with morphology of interconnected arrays of complex shapes and porosity. The highly textured graphitic films act as electrode and current collector and integrated with solid polymer electrolyte, function as thin film supercapacitors. The nanostructured electrode morphology and the conformal electrolyte packaging provide enough energy and power density for the devices in addition to excellent mechanical flexibility and optical transparency, making it a unique design in various power delivery applications.

  6. The correlation between nano-hardness and elasticity and fullerene-like clusters in hydrogenated amorphous carbon films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Yongfu; Gao, Kaixiong; Wang, Qi; Zhang, Junyan

    2018-01-01

    Fullerene-like hydrogenated carbon films have outstanding mechanical and frictional properties, but their structures have never enjoyed elaboration. In this study, we investigate the relation between nano-hardness and elasticity and fullerene-like clusters by changing energy supply form (direct current and pulse) and H2 concentration in the feedstock. It is found that the films have a network of H-rich amorphous carbon and H-poor or -deficient fullerene-like carbon, and the network change can affect hardness and elastic recovery. This is due to the energy minimization process of the film growing system in a very short pulse period at low temperature.

  7. On hydrophilicity improvement of the porous anodic alumina film by hybrid nano/micro structuring

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Weichao; Zhao, Wei; Wang, Kaige; Wang, Lei; Wang, Xuewen; Wang, Shuang; Zhang, Chen; Bai, Jintao

    2017-09-01

    In both, laboratory and industry, tremendous attention is paid to discover an effective technique to produce uniform, controllable and (super) hydrophilic surfaces over large areas that are useful in a wide range of applications. In this investigation, by combing porous anodic alumina (PAA) film with nano-structures and microarray of aluminum, the hydrophilicity of hybrid nano-micro structure has been significantly improved. It is found some factors can affect the hydrophilicity of film, such as the size and aspect ratio of microarray, the thickness of nano-PAA film etc. Comparing with pure nano-PAA films and microarray, the hybrid nano-micro structure can provide uniform surface with significantly better hydrophilicity. The improvement can be up to 84%. Also, this technique exhibits good stability and repeatability for industrial production. By optimizing the thickness of nano-PAA film and aspect ratio of micro-structures, super-hydrophilicity can be reached. This study has obvious prospect in the fields of chemical industry, biomedical engineering and lab-on-a-chip applications.

  8. Fabrication of periodical surface structures by picosecond laser irradiation of carbon thin films: transformation of amorphous carbon in nanographite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Popescu, C.; Dorcioman, G.; Bita, B.; Besleaga, C.; Zgura, I.; Himcinschi, C.; Popescu, A. C.

    2016-12-01

    Thin films of carbon were synthesized by ns pulsed laser deposition in vacuum on silicon substrates, starting from graphite targets. Further on, the films were irradiated with a picosecond laser source emitting in visible at 532 nm. After tuning of laser parameters, we obtained a film surface covered by laser induced periodical surface structures (LIPSS). They were investigated by optical, scanning electron and atomic force microscopy. It was observed that changing the irradiation angle influences the LIPSS covered area. At high magnification it was revealed that the LIPSS pattern was quite complex, being composed of other small LIPSS islands, interconnected by bridges of nanoparticles. Raman spectra for the non-irradiated carbon films were typical for a-C type of diamond-like carbon, while the LIPSS spectra were characteristic to nano-graphite. The pristine carbon film was hydrophilic, while the LIPSS covered film surface was hydrophobic.

  9. [Study on anti-coagulant property of radio frequency sputtering nano-sized TiO2 thin films].

    PubMed

    Tang, Xiaoshan; Li, Da

    2010-12-01

    Nano-TiO2 thin films were prepared by Radio frequency (RF) sputtering on pyrolytic carbon substrates. The influences of sputtering power on the structure and the surface morphology of TiO2 thin films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), and by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that the TiO2 films change to anatase through the optimum of sputtering power. The mean diameter of nano-particle is about 30 nm. The anti-coagulant property of TiO2 thin films was observed through platelet adhesion in vitro. The result of experiment reveals the amount of thrombus on the TiO2 thin films being much less than that on the pyrolytic carbon. It also indicates that the RF sputtering Nano-sized TiO2 thin films will be a new kind of promising materials applied to artificial heart valve and endovascular stent.

  10. Impact of nano/micron vegetable carbon black on mechanical, barrier and anti-photooxidation properties of fish gelatin film.

    PubMed

    Ding, Junsheng; Wu, Xiaomeng; Qi, Xiaona; Guo, Heng; Liu, Anjun; Wang, Wenhang

    2018-05-01

    In this paper, two kinds of commonly used vegetable carbon black (VCB, 3000 mesh; nano) at 50 g kg -1 concentration (based on dried gelatin) were added to 48 g kg -1 of fish gelatin (GEL) solutions and their effects on mechanical, barrier and anti-photooxidation properties of GEL films were investigated. From the SEM images, it was shown that compared with 3000 mesh VCB (1-2 μm), nano VCB (100-200 nm) made the microstructure of GEL film more compact and more gelatin chains were cross-linked by nano VCB. The addition of nano VCB significantly increased gelatin film strength with the greatest tensile strength of 52.589 MPa and stiffness with the highest Young's modulus of 968.874 MPa, but led to the reduction of film elongation. Also, the VCB presence significantly improved water vapour and oxygen barrier properties of GEL film. Importantly, nano VCB increased GEL film with better UV barrier property due to its stronger UV absorption nature when compared with micron VCB. This property could help in the preservation of oil samples in the photooxidation accelerated test. With improved properties, the nano VCB-reinforced GEL film may have great potential for application in the edible packaging field, especially for the anti-photooxidation property. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  11. Effect Of Chromium Underlayer On The Properties Of Nano-Crystalline Diamond Films

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

    Garratt, Elias; AlFaify, Salem; Yoshitake, T.

    2013-01-11

    This paper investigated the effect of chromium underlayer on the structure, microstructure and composition of the nano-crystalline diamond films. Nano-crystalline diamond thin films were deposited at high temperature in microwave-induced plasma diluted with nitrogen, on silicon substrate with a thin film of chromium as an underlayer. The composition, structure and microstructure of the deposited layers were analyzed using non-Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry, Raman Spectroscopy, Near-Edge X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure, X-ray Diffraction and Atomic Force Microscopy. Nanoindentation studies showed that the films deposited on chromium underlayer have higher hardness values compared to those deposited on silicon without an underlayer. Diamond and graphiticmore » phases of the films evaluated by x-ray and optical spectroscopic analysis determined consistency between sp2 and sp3 phases of carbon in chromium sample to that of diamond grown on silicon. Diffusion of chromium was observed using ion beam analysis which was correlated with the formation of chromium complexes by x-ray diffraction.« less

  12. Effect of chromium underlayer on the properties of nano-crystalline diamond films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garratt, E.; AlFaify, S.; Yoshitake, T.; Katamune, Y.; Bowden, M.; Nandasiri, M.; Ghantasala, M.; Mancini, D. C.; Thevuthasan, S.; Kayani, A.

    2013-01-01

    This paper investigated the effect of chromium underlayer on the structure, microstructure, and composition of the nano-crystalline diamond films. Nano-crystalline diamond thin films were deposited at high temperature in microwave-induced plasma diluted with nitrogen, on single crystal silicon substrate with a thin film of chromium as an underlayer. Characterization of the film was implemented using non-Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy, near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure, x-ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy. Nanoindentation studies showed that the films deposited on chromium underlayer have higher hardness values compared to those deposited on silicon without an underlayer. Diamond and graphitic phases of the films evaluated by x-ray and optical spectroscopic analyses determined consistency between the sp2 and sp3 phases of carbon in chromium sample to that of diamond grown on silicon. Diffusion of chromium was observed using ion beam analysis which was correlated with the formation of chromium complexes by x-ray diffraction.

  13. Self-cleaning poly(dimethylsiloxane) film with functional micro/nano hierarchical structures.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xiao-Sheng; Zhu, Fu-Yun; Han, Meng-Di; Sun, Xu-Ming; Peng, Xu-Hua; Zhang, Hai-Xia

    2013-08-27

    This paper reports a novel single-step wafer-level fabrication of superhydrophobic micro/nano dual-scale (MNDS) poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) films. The MNDS PDMS films were replicated directly from an ultralow-surface-energy silicon substrate at high temperature without any surfactant coating, achieving high precision. An improved deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) process with enhanced passivation steps was proposed to easily realize the ultralow-surface-energy MNDS silicon substrate and also utilized as a post-treatment process to strengthen the hydrophobicity of the MNDS PDMS film. The chemical modification of this enhanced passivation step to the surface energy has been studied by density functional theory, which is also the first investigation of C4F8 plasma treatment at molecular level by using first-principle calculations. From the results of a systematic study on the effect of key process parameters (i.e., baking temperature and time) on PDMS replication, insight into the interaction of hierarchical multiscale structures of polymeric materials during the micro/nano integrated fabrication process is experimentally obtained for the first time. Finite element simulation has been employed to illustrate this new phenomenon. Additionally, hierarchical PDMS pyramid arrays and V-shaped grooves have been developed and are intended for applications as functional structures for a light-absorption coating layer and directional transport of liquid droplets, respectively. This stable, self-cleaning PDMS film with functional micro/nano hierarchical structures, which is fabricated through a wafer-level single-step fabrication process using a reusable silicon mold, shows attractive potential for future applications in micro/nanodevices, especially in micro/nanofluidics.

  14. Direct growth of nano-crystalline graphite films using pulsed laser deposition with in-situ monitoring based on reflection high-energy electron diffraction technique

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

    Kwak, Jeong Hun; Lee, Sung Su; Lee, Hyeon Jun

    2016-03-21

    We report an experimental method to overcome the long processing time required for fabricating graphite films by a transfer process from a catalytic layer to a substrate, as well as our study of the growth process of graphite films using a pulsed laser deposition combined with in-situ monitoring based on reflection high-energy electron diffraction technique. We monitored the structural evolution of nano-crystalline graphite films directly grown on AlN-coated Si substrates without any catalytic layer. We found that the carbon films grown for less than 600 s cannot manifest the graphite structure due to a high defect density arising from grain boundaries;more » however, the carbon film can gradually become a nano-crystalline graphite film with a thickness of approximately up to 5 nm. The Raman spectra and electrical properties of carbon films indicate that the nano-crystalline graphite films can be fabricated, even at the growth temperature as low as 850 °C within 600 s.« less

  15. Synthesis, characterization and application of functional carbon nano materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chu, Jin

    The synthesis, characterizations and applications of carbon nanomaterials, including carbon nanorods, carbon nanosheets, carbon nanohoneycombs and carbon nanotubes were demonstrated. Different growth techniques such as pulsed laser deposition, DC/RF sputtering, hot filament physical vapour deposition, evaporative casting and vacuum filtration methods were introduced or applied for synthesizing carbon nanomaterials. The morphology, chemical compositions, bond structures, electronic, mechanical and sensing properties of the obtained samples were investigated. Tilted well-aligned carbon micro- and nano- hybrid rods were fabricated on Si at different substrate temperatures and incident angles of carbon source beam using the hot filament physical vapour deposition technique. The morphologic surfaces and bond structures of the oblique carbon rod-like structures were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron diffraction and Raman scattering spectroscopy. The field emission behaviour of the fabricated samples was also tested. Carbon nanosheets and nanohoneycombs were also synthesized on Si substrates using a hot filament physical vapor deposition technique under methane ambient and vacuum, respectively. The four-point Au electrodes are then sputtered on the surface of the nanostructured carbon films to form prototypical humidity sensors. The sensing properties of prototypical sensors at different temperature, humidity, direct current, and alternative current voltage were characterized. Linear sensing response of sensors to relative humidity ranging from 11% to 95% is observed at room temperature. Experimental data indicate that the carbon nanosheets based sensors exhibit an excellent reversible behavior and long-term stability. It also has higher response than that of the humidity sensor with carbon nanohoneycombs materials. Conducting composite films containing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were prepared in

  16. Surface nano-structure of polyamide 6 film by hydrothermal treatment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Xiaosong; Wang, Zhiliang; Liang, Songmiao; Jin, Yan; Lotz, Bernard; Yang, Shuguang

    2018-06-01

    Polyamide 6 (PA 6) melts and dissolves in super-heated water when T > 160 °C. Commercial PA 6 films were treated in super-heated water at 140 °C < T < 160 °C, i.e. below melting. Morphology, thermal behavior, mechanical properties, oxygen permeability and transparency of the film before and after hydrothermal treatment are investigated. After hydrothermal treatment, the melting temperature, crystallinity, elongation at break and toughness increase, whereas the strength decreases. The transparency and oxygen permeability decrease slightly. More interestingly, the hydrothermal treatment generates on the film surface a nano-structured layer 100 nm thick, which greatly improves adhesion and printing performance.

  17. Synthesis of nano-structure tungsten nitride thin films on silicon using Mather-type plasma focus

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hussnain, A.; Rawat, R. S.; Ahmad, R.; Umar, Z. A.; Hussain, T.; Lee, P.; Chen, Z.

    2015-07-01

    Nano-structure thin film of tungsten nitride was deposited onto Si-substrate at room temperature using Mather-type plasma focus (3.3 kJ) machine. Substrate was exposed against 10, 20, 30, and 40 deposition shots and its corresponding effect on structure, morphology, conductivity and nano-hardness has been systematically studied. The X-ray diffractormeter spectra of the exposed samples show the presence of various phases of WN and WN2 that depends on number of deposition shots. Surface morphological study revealed the uniform distribution of nano-sized grains on deposited film surface. Hardness and conductivity of exposed substrate improved with higher deposition shots. X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy survey scan of 40 deposition shots confirmed the elemental presence of W and N on Si-substrate.

  18. Growth and structure of hydrogenated carbon films containing fullerene-like structure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Peng; Wang, Xia; Liu, Weimin; Zhang, Junyan

    2008-04-01

    Hydrogenated carbon films were prepared by magnetron sputtering of a titanium target in methane and argon atmosphere. The film grown at -800 V bias exhibits excellent mechanical properties with a hardness of 20.9 GPa and an elastic recovery as high as 85%. Its structure, characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectrum, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, can be described as fullerene-like structures uniformly dispersed in an amorphous carbon matrix. In order to reveal the evolution of fullerene-like structures in our films, different bias voltages were introduced. The results show that high bias voltage leads to the accumulation of high compressive internal stress in the film and promotes the evolution of fullerene-like structures. Although the film grown at -800 V bias presents high sp2 bonding content, it exhibits good mechanical properties with high hardness and high elasticity at the same time; we attribute it to the unique structure of the film, in which a fullerene-like structure, just like a molecule spring dispersed in the film, reserves the elastic energy during distortion through reversible bond rotation and bond angle deflection, while the amorphous carbon matrix restrains the relaxation of the rigid C-C network and compressive stress and restricts the slip of graphene sheets.

  19. Structurally Oriented Nano-Sheets in Co Thin Films: Changing Their Anisotropic Physical Properties by Thermally-Induced Relaxation

    PubMed Central

    Vergara, José; Favieres, Cristina; Magén, César; de Teresa, José María; Ibarra, Manuel Ricardo

    2017-01-01

    We show how nanocrystalline Co films formed by separated oblique nano-sheets display anisotropy in their resistivity, magnetization process, surface nano-morphology and optical transmission. After performing a heat treatment at 270 °C, these anisotropies decrease. This loss has been monitored measuring the resistivity as a function of temperature. The resistivity measured parallel to the direction of the nano-sheets has been constant up to 270 °C, but it decreases when measured perpendicular to the nano-sheets. This suggests the existence of a structural relaxation, which produces the change of the Co nano-sheets during annealing. The changes in the nano-morphology and the local chemical composition of the films at the nanoscale after heating above 270 °C have been analysed by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Thus, an approach and coalescence of the nano-sheets have been directly visualized. The spectrum of activation energies of this structural relaxation has indicated that the coalescence of the nano-sheets has taken place between 1.2 and 1.7 eV. In addition, an increase in the size of the nano-crystals has occurred in the samples annealed at 400 °C. This study may be relevant for the application in devices working, for example, in the GHz range and to achieve the retention of the anisotropy of these films at higher temperatures. PMID:29206155

  20. Structurally Oriented Nano-Sheets in Co Thin Films: Changing Their Anisotropic Physical Properties by Thermally-Induced Relaxation.

    PubMed

    Vergara, José; Favieres, Cristina; Magén, César; de Teresa, José María; Ibarra, Manuel Ricardo; Madurga, Vicente

    2017-12-05

    We show how nanocrystalline Co films formed by separated oblique nano-sheets display anisotropy in their resistivity, magnetization process, surface nano-morphology and optical transmission. After performing a heat treatment at 270 °C, these anisotropies decrease. This loss has been monitored measuring the resistivity as a function of temperature. The resistivity measured parallel to the direction of the nano-sheets has been constant up to 270 °C, but it decreases when measured perpendicular to the nano-sheets. This suggests the existence of a structural relaxation, which produces the change of the Co nano-sheets during annealing. The changes in the nano-morphology and the local chemical composition of the films at the nanoscale after heating above 270 °C have been analysed by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Thus, an approach and coalescence of the nano-sheets have been directly visualized. The spectrum of activation energies of this structural relaxation has indicated that the coalescence of the nano-sheets has taken place between 1.2 and 1.7 eV. In addition, an increase in the size of the nano-crystals has occurred in the samples annealed at 400 °C. This study may be relevant for the application in devices working, for example, in the GHz range and to achieve the retention of the anisotropy of these films at higher temperatures.

  1. Solvent influence upon structure & throughput of poly vinyledene fluoride thin film nano-patterns by imprint lithography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sankar, M. S. Ravi; Gangineni, R. B.

    2018-04-01

    This work aims at understanding the solvent influence upon the throughput and structure of poly vinyledene fluoride (PVDF)nano-patterned films. The PVDF thin films are deposited by spin coating method using Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), Tetrahydrofuran (THF) and 2-butanone solvents. The nano-patterns are realized by imprinting SONY 700 MB CD aluminum constructions on PVDF thin filmsusing imprint lithography technique under ambient annealing temperature and pressure. Surface morphology &imprint pattern transfer quality is evaluated with Atomic force microscopy (AFM). Raman spectroscopy is used for evaluating the structural evolutions with respect to solvent & patterning.

  2. Electrochemistry and electrocatalysis of hemoglobin in Nafion/nano-CaCO3 film on a new ionic liquid BPPF6 modified carbon paste electrode.

    PubMed

    Sun, Wei; Gao, Ruifang; Jiao, Kui

    2007-05-03

    Room temperature ionic liquid N-butylpyridinium hexafluorophosphate (BPPF6) was used as a binder to construct a new carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE), which exhibited enhanced electrochemical behavior as compared with the traditional carbon paste electrode with paraffin. By using the CILE as the basal electrode, hemoglobin (Hb) was immobilized on the surface of the CILE with nano-CaCO3 and Nafion film step by step. The Hb molecule in the film kept its native structure and showed good electrochemical behavior. In pH 7.0 Britton-Robinson (B-R) buffer solution, a pair of well-defined, quasi-reversible cyclic voltammetric peaks appeared with cathodic and anodic peak potentials located at -0.444 and -0.285 V (vs SCE), respectively, and the formal potential (E degrees') was at -0.365 V, which was the characteristic of Hb Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couples. The formal potential of Hb shifted linearly to the increase of buffer pH with a slope of -50.6 mV pH-1, indicating that one electron transferred was accompanied with one proton transportation. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy studies showed that Hb immobilized in the Nafion/nano-CaCO3 film still remained its native arrangement. The Hb modified electrode showed an excellent electrocatalytic behavior to the reduction of H2O2, trichloroacetic acid (TCA), and NaNO2.

  3. Polyethylene-Carbon Nanotube Composite Film Deposited by Cold Spray Technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ata, Nobuhisa; Ohtake, Naoto; Akasaka, Hiroki

    2017-10-01

    Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are high-performance materials because of their superior electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and self-lubrication, and they have been studied for application to polymer composite materials as fillers. However, the methods of fabricating polymer composites with CNTs, such as injection molding, are too complicated for industrial applications. We propose a simple cold spray (CS) technique to obtain a polymer composite of polyethylene (PE) and CNTs. The composite films were deposited by CS on polypropylene and nano-porous structured aluminum substrates. The maximum thickness of the composite film was approximately 1 mm. Peaks at G and D bands were observed in the Raman spectra of the films. Scanning electron microscopy images of the film surface revealed that PE particles were melted by the acceleration gas and CNTs were attached with melted PE. The PE particles solidified after contact with the substrate. These results indicate that PE-CNT composite films were successfully deposited on polypropylene and nano-porous structured aluminum substrates by CS.

  4. Self-assembled metal nano-multilayered film prepared by co-sputtering method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xie, Tianle; Fu, Licai; Qin, Wen; Zhu, Jiajun; Yang, Wulin; Li, Deyi; Zhou, Lingping

    2018-03-01

    Nano-multilayered film is usually prepared by the arrangement deposition of different materials. In this paper, a self-assembled nano-multilayered film was deposited by simultaneous sputtering of Cu and W. The Cu/W nano-multilayered film was accumulated by W-rich layer and Cu-rich layer. Smooth interfaces with consecutive composition variation and semi-coherent even coherent relationship were identified, indicating that a spinodal-like structure with a modulation wavelength of about 20 nm formed during co-deposition process. The participation of diffusion barrier element, such as W, is believed the essential to obtain the nano-multilayered structure besides the technological parameters.

  5. A study of structural and mechanical properties of nano-crystalline tungsten nitride film synthesis by plasma focus

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hussnain, Ali; Singh Rawat, Rajdeep; Ahmad, Riaz; Hussain, Tousif; Umar, Z. A.; Ikhlaq, Uzma; Chen, Zhong; Shen, Lu

    2015-02-01

    Nano-crystalline tungsten nitride thin films are synthesized on AISI-304 steel at room temperature using Mather-type plasma focus system. The surface properties of the exposed substrate against different deposition shots are examined for crystal structure, surface morphology and mechanical properties using X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscope, field emission scanning electron microscope and nano-indenter. The XRD results show the growth of WN and WN2 phases and the development of strain/stress in the deposited films by varying the number of deposition shots. Morphology of deposited films shows the significant change in the surface structure with different ion energy doses (number of deposition shots). Due to the effect of different ion energy doses, the strain/stress developed in the deposited film leads to an improvement of hardness of deposited films.

  6. Carbon nanotube thin film strain sensor models assembled using nano- and micro-scale imaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Bo Mi; Loh, Kenneth J.; Yang, Yuan-Sen

    2017-07-01

    Nanomaterial-based thin films, particularly those based on carbon nanotubes (CNT), have brought forth tremendous opportunities for designing next-generation strain sensors. However, their strain sensing properties can vary depending on fabrication method, post-processing treatment, and types of CNTs and polymers employed. The objective of this study was to derive a CNT-based thin film strain sensor model using inputs from nano-/micro-scale experimental measurements of nanotube physical properties. This study began with fabricating ultra-low-concentration CNT-polymer thin films, followed by imaging them using atomic force microscopy. Image processing was employed for characterizing CNT dispersed shapes, lengths, and other physical attributes, and results were used for building five different types of thin film percolation-based models. Numerical simulations were conducted to assess how the morphology of dispersed CNTs in its 2D matrix affected bulk film electrical and electromechanical (strain sensing) properties. The simulation results showed that CNT morphology had a significant impact on strain sensing performance.

  7. Nanohybrids from NiCoAl-LDH coupled with carbon for pseudocapacitors: understanding the role of nano-structured carbon

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, Chang; Yang, Juan; Zhao, Changtai; Fan, Xiaoming; Wang, Gang; Qiu, Jieshan

    2014-02-01

    Transition metal layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are one of the great potential electrode materials for pseudocapacitors. However, the aggregation and low conductivity of these metal compounds will constrain electrolyte ion and electron transfer and further affect their electrochemical performances. The nano-structured carbon coupled with the LDH matrix can act as an active component or conducting scaffold to enhance or improve the rate capacity and cycle life. Here, various nano-structured carbon species, including zero-dimensional carbon black (CB), one-dimensional carbon nanotubes (CNTs), two-dimensional reduced graphene oxide (RGO), and CNT/RGO composites were used to couple with the NiCoAl-LDHs to construct LDH-carbon nanohybrid electrodes for pseudocapacitors, and the role of the nanostructured carbon was investigated and discussed in terms of the pore structure of nanohybrids and electrical conductivity. The results show that all of the carbons can be well incorporated into the LDH nanosheets to form homogeneous nanohybrid materials. The pore structure properties and electrical conductivity of nanohybrids have statistically significant effects on the electrochemical performances of the LDH-carbon nanohybrids. Of the electrodes adopted, the nanohybrid electrode consisting of NiCoAl-LDHs, CNTs, and RGO exhibits excellent electrochemical performance with a specific capacitance as high as 1188 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1 due to the synergistic effect of NiCoAl-LDHs, RGO, and CNTs, in which the RGO nanosheets are favorable for high specific surface area while the CNT has a fast electron transport path for enhancing the electrical conductivity of nanohybrids. This will shed a new light on the effect of nano-structured carbon within the electrode matrix on the electrochemical activity and open a new way for the carbon-related electrode configuration/design for supercapacitors, and other energy storage and conversion devices.Transition metal layered

  8. Photocatalytic properties of nano-structured TiO2-carbon films obtained by means of electrophoretic deposition.

    PubMed

    Peralta-Hernández, J M; Manríquez, J; Meas-Vong, Y; Rodríguez, Francisco J; Chapman, Thomas W; Maldonado, Manuel I; Godínez, Luis A

    2007-08-17

    Recent studies have shown that the light-absorption and photocatalytic efficiencies of TiO2 can be improved by coupling TiO2 nano-particles with nonmetallic dopants, such as carbon. In this paper, we describe the electrophoretic preparation of a novel TiO2-carbon nano-composite photocatalyst on a glass indium thin oxide (ITO) substrate. The objective is to take better advantage of the (e-/h+) pair generated by photoexcitation of semiconducting TiO2 particles. The transfer of electrons (e-) into adjacent carbon nano-particles promotes reduction of oxygen to produce hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) which, in the presence of iron ions, can subsequently form hydroxyl radicals (*OH) via the Fenton reaction. At the same time, *OH is formed from water by the (h+) holes in the TiO2. Thus, the *OH oxidant is produced by two routes. The efficiency of this photolytic-Fenton process was tested with a model organic compound, Orange-II (OG-II) azo dye, which is employed in the textile industry.

  9. Fabrication of a 3D micro/nano dual-scale carbon array and its demonstration as the microelectrodes for supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiang, Shulan; Shi, Tielin; Gao, Yang; Long, Hu; Xi, Shuang; Tang, Zirong

    2014-04-01

    An easily accessible method is proposed for the fabrication of a 3D micro/nano dual-scale carbon array with a large surface area. The process mainly consists of three critical steps. Firstly, a hemispherical photoresist micro-array was obtained by the cost-effective nanoimprint lithography process. Then the micro-array was transformed into hierarchical structures with longitudinal nanowires on the microstructure surface by oxygen plasma etching. Finally, the micro/nano dual-scale carbon array was fabricated by carbonizing these hierarchical photoresist structures. It has also been demonstrated that the micro/nano dual-scale carbon array can be used as the microelectrodes for supercapacitors by the electrodeposition of a manganese dioxide (MnO2) film onto the hierarchical carbon structures with greatly enhanced electrochemical performance. The specific gravimetric capacitance of the deposited micro/nano dual-scale microelectrodes is estimated to be 337 F g-1 at the scan rate of 5 mV s-1. This proposed approach of fabricating a micro/nano dual-scale carbon array provides a facile way in large-scale microstructures’ manufacturing for a wide variety of applications, including sensors and on-chip energy storage devices.

  10. Surface induced phonon decay rates in thin film nano-structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Photiadis, D. M.

    2007-12-01

    Nano-scale structure significantly impacts phonon transport and related phonon relaxation rates, with order of magnitude effects on the thermal conductivity of dielectric thin films and quantum wires, and even larger effects on the lifetimes of ultrasonic phonons of micro- (nano-) oscillators. In both cases, efforts to explain the data have been hampered by our lack of knowledge of the effects of confined dimensionality on phonon-phonon scattering rates. Using a phonon Boltzmann equation with appropriate boundary conditions on the free surfaces to take surface roughness into account, we have obtained an expression yielding phonon lifetimes in 2-D dielectric nanostructures(thin films) resulting from phonon-phonon scattering in conjunction with phonon-surface scattering. We present these theoretical results and, in the limit in which surface induced losses dominate, obtain explicit predictions for the phonon lifetimes. The predicted temperature dependence of the ultrason! ic loss does not explain the observed saturation of the loss at low temperatures(τ(T) → const), but does give results of the order of magnitude of measured ultrasonic lifetimes.

  11. Chemical structural analysis of diamondlike carbon films: II. Raman analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takabayashi, Susumu; Ješko, Radek; Shinohara, Masanori; Hayashi, Hiroyuki; Sugimoto, Rintaro; Ogawa, Shuichi; Takakuwa, Yuji

    2018-02-01

    The chemical structure of diamondlike carbon (DLC) films, synthesized by photoemission-assisted glow discharge, has been analyzed by Raman spectroscopy. Raman analysis in conjunction with the sp2 cluster model clarified the film structure. The sp2 clusters in DLC films synthesized at low temperature preferred various aliphatic structures. Sufficient argon-ion assist allowed for formation of less strained DLC films containing large amounts of hydrogen. As the synthesis temperature was increased, thermal desorption of hydrogen left carbon dangling bonds with active unpaired electrons in the films, and the reactions that followed created strained films containing aromatic sp2 clusters. In parallel, the desorption of methane molecules from the growing surface by chemisorption of hydrogen radicals prevented the action of argon ions, promoting internal strain of the films. However, in synthesis at very high temperature, where sp2 clusters are sufficiently dominant, the strain was dissolved gradually. In contrast, the DLC films synthesized at low temperature were more stable than other films synthesized at the same temperature because of stable hydrogen-carbon bonds in the films.

  12. Au-C allotrope nano-composite films at extreme conditions generated by intense ultra-short laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khan, Saif A.; Saravanan, K.; Tayyab, M.; Bagchi, S.; Avasthi, D. K.

    2016-07-01

    Structural evolution of gold-carbon allotrope nano-composite films under relativistically intense, ultra-short laser pulse irradiation is studied in this work. Au-C nano-composite films, having 4 and 10 at.% of Au, were deposited by co-sputtering technique on silicon substrates. Au-C60 NC films with 2.5 at.% Au were deposited on 12 μm thick Al foil using co-evaporation technique. These samples were radiated with single pulse from 45 fs, 10 TW Ti:Sapphire Laser at RRCAT at an intensity of 3 × 1018 W cm-2. The morphological and compositional changes were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Rutherford back-scattering spectrometry (RBS) techniques. Laser pulse created three morphologically distinct zones around the point of impact on samples with silicon substrates. The gold content in 600 μm circular region around a point of impact is found to reduce by a factor of five. Annular rings of ∼70 nm in diameter were observed in case of Au-C NC film after irradiation. Laser pulse created a hole of about 400 μm in the sample with Al foil as substrate and wavy structures of 6 μm wavelength are found to be created around this hole. The study shows radial variation in nano-structure formation with varying local intensity of laser pulse.

  13. Nano-carbon coating layer prepared by the thermal evaporation of fullerene C60 for lithium metal anodes in rechargeable lithium batteries.

    PubMed

    Arie, Arenst Andreas; Lee, Joong Kee

    2011-07-01

    A nano carbon coating layer was prepared by the thermal evaporation of fullerene C60 on the surface of lithium metal anodes for rechargeable lithium batteries. The morphology and structure of the carbon layer was firstly investigated by Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The effects of the nano-carbon coating layer on the electrochemical performance of the lithium electrode were then examined by charge-discharge tests and impedance spectroscopy. Raman spectra of carbon coating layer showed two main peaks (D and G peaks), indicating the amorphous structure of the film. A honey comb-like structure of carbon film was observed by TEM photographs, providing a transport path for the transport of lithium ions at the electrode/electrolyte interface. The carbon coated lithium electrodes exhibited a higher initial coulombic efficiency (91%) and higher specific capacity retention (88%) after the 30th cycle at 0.2 C-rate between 3.4 and 4.5 V. Impedance measurements showed that the charge transfer resistance was significantly reduced after cycle tests for the carbon coated electrodes, revealing that the more stable solid electrolyte (SEI) layer was established on their surface. Based on the experimental results, it suggested that the presence of the nano-carbon coating layer might suppress the dendritic growth on the surface of lithium metal electrodes, as confirmed by the observation of SEM images after cycle tests.

  14. Hydrogen storage properties of nano-structural carbon and metal hydrides composites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miyaoka, Hiroki; Ichikawa, Takayuki; Isobe, Shigehito; Fujii, Hironobu

    2006-08-01

    Thermodynamic and structural properties of some ball-milled mixtures composed of the hydrogenated nanostructural carbon (C nanoH x) and metal hydride (MH; M=Li, Na, Mg and Ca) were examined from thermal desoroption mass spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction, respectively. The results showed that the hydrogen desorption temperatures are significantly lowered from those of each hydride (C nanoH x, MH) in the composites. This indicates that a new type of interaction exists between C nanoH x and MH, which destabilizes C-H and/or M-H bonding as well. Therefore, the above Metal-C-H system would be recognized as a new family of hydrogen storage materials.

  15. Hierarchical Micro/Nano Structures by Combined Self-Organized Dewetting and Photopatterning of Photoresist Thin Films.

    PubMed

    Sachan, Priyanka; Kulkarni, Manish; Sharma, Ashutosh

    2015-11-17

    Photoresists are the materials of choice for micro/nanopatterning and device fabrication but are rarely used as a self-assembly material. We report for the first time a novel interplay of self-assembly and photolithography for fabrication of hierarchical and ordered micro/nano structures. We create self-organized structures by the intensified dewetting of unstable thin (∼10 nm to 1 μm) photoresist films by annealing them in an optimal solvent and nonsolvent liquid mixture that allows spontaneous dewetting to form micro/nano smooth dome-like structures. The density, size (∼100 nm to millimeters), and curvature/contact angle of the dome/droplet structures are controlled by the film thickness, composition of the dewetting liquid, and time of annealing. Ordered dewetted structures are obtained simply by creating spatial variation of viscosity by ultraviolet exposure or by photopatterning before dewetting. Further, the structures thus fabricated are readily photopatterned again on the finer length scales after dewetting. We illustrate the approach by fabricating several three-dimensional structures of varying complexity with secondary and tertiary features.

  16. Preparation of biomimetic nano-structured films with multi-scale roughness

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shelemin, A.; Nikitin, D.; Choukourov, A.; Kylián, O.; Kousal, J.; Khalakhan, I.; Melnichuk, I.; Slavínská, D.; Biederman, H.

    2016-06-01

    Biomimetic nano-structured films are valuable materials in various applications. In this study we introduce a fully vacuum-based approach for fabrication of such films. The method combines deposition of nanoparticles (NPs) by gas aggregation source and deposition of overcoat thin film that fixes the nanoparticles on a surface. This leads to the formation of nanorough surfaces which, depending on the chemical nature of the overcoat, may range from superhydrophilic to superhydrophobic. In addition, it is shown that by proper adjustment of the amount of NPs it is possible to tailor adhesive force on superhydrophobic surfaces. Finally, the possibility to produce NPs in a wide range of their size (45-240 nm in this study) makes it possible to produce surfaces not only with single scale roughness, but also with bi-modal or even multi-modal character. Such surfaces were found to be superhydrophobic with negligible water contact angle hysteresis and hence truly slippery.

  17. Electromagnetic and thermal properties of three-dimensional printed multilayered nano-carbon/poly(lactic) acid structures

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

    Paddubskaya, A.; Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, A. Goštauto 11, LT-01108 Vilnius; Valynets, N.

    A new type of light-weight material produced by 3D printing consisting of nano-carbon doped polymer layer followed by a dielectric polymer layer is proposed. We performed temperature dependent characterization and measured the electromagnetic (EM) response of the samples in the GHz and THz range. The temperature dependent structural characteristics, crystallization, and melting were observed to be strongly affected by the presence and the number of nano-carbon doped layers in the sandwich structure. The electromagnetic measurements show a great potential of such a type of periodic material for electromagnetic compatibility applications in microwave frequency range. Sandwich structures containing only two nano-carbonmore » layers already become not transparent to the microwaves, giving an electromagnetic interference shielding efficiency at the level of 8–15 dB. A sandwich consisting of one nano-carbon doped and one polymer layer is opaque for THz radiation, because of 80% of absorption. These studies serve as a basis for design and realization of specific optimal geometries of meta-surface type with the 3D printing technique, in order to reach a high level of electromagnetic interference shielding performance for real world EM cloaking and EM ecology applications.« less

  18. Oxidation-Based Continuous Laser Writing in Vertical Nano-Crystalline Graphite Thin Films

    PubMed Central

    Loisel, Loïc; Florea, Ileana; Cojocaru, Costel-Sorin; Tay, Beng Kang; Lebental, Bérengère

    2016-01-01

    Nano and femtosecond laser writing are becoming very popular techniques for patterning carbon-based materials, as they are single-step processes enabling the drawing of complex shapes without photoresist. However, pulsed laser writing requires costly laser sources and is known to cause damages to the surrounding material. By comparison, continuous-wave lasers are cheap, stable and provide energy at a more moderate rate. Here, we show that a continuous-wave laser may be used to pattern vertical nano-crystalline graphite thin films with very few macroscale defects. Moreover, a spatially resolved study of the impact of the annealing to the crystalline structure and to the oxygen ingress in the film is provided: amorphization, matter removal and high oxygen content at the center of the beam; sp2 clustering and low oxygen content at its periphery. These data strongly suggest that amorphization and matter removal are controlled by carbon oxidation. The simultaneous occurrence of oxidation and amorphization results in a unique evolution of the Raman spectra as a function of annealing time, with a decrease of the I(D)/I(G) values but an upshift of the G peak frequency. PMID:27194181

  19. Oxidation-Based Continuous Laser Writing in Vertical Nano-Crystalline Graphite Thin Films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Loisel, Loïc; Florea, Ileana; Cojocaru, Costel-Sorin; Tay, Beng Kang; Lebental, Bérengère

    2016-05-01

    Nano and femtosecond laser writing are becoming very popular techniques for patterning carbon-based materials, as they are single-step processes enabling the drawing of complex shapes without photoresist. However, pulsed laser writing requires costly laser sources and is known to cause damages to the surrounding material. By comparison, continuous-wave lasers are cheap, stable and provide energy at a more moderate rate. Here, we show that a continuous-wave laser may be used to pattern vertical nano-crystalline graphite thin films with very few macroscale defects. Moreover, a spatially resolved study of the impact of the annealing to the crystalline structure and to the oxygen ingress in the film is provided: amorphization, matter removal and high oxygen content at the center of the beam; sp2 clustering and low oxygen content at its periphery. These data strongly suggest that amorphization and matter removal are controlled by carbon oxidation. The simultaneous occurrence of oxidation and amorphization results in a unique evolution of the Raman spectra as a function of annealing time, with a decrease of the I(D)/I(G) values but an upshift of the G peak frequency.

  20. Pyrolyzed thin film carbon

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Harder, Theodore (Inventor); Konishi, Satoshi (Inventor); Miserendino, Scott (Inventor); Tai, Yu-Chong (Inventor); Liger, Matthieu (Inventor)

    2010-01-01

    A method of making carbon thin films comprises depositing a catalyst on a substrate, depositing a hydrocarbon in contact with the catalyst and pyrolyzing the hydrocarbon. A method of controlling a carbon thin film density comprises etching a cavity into a substrate, depositing a hydrocarbon into the cavity, and pyrolyzing the hydrocarbon while in the cavity to form a carbon thin film. Controlling a carbon thin film density is achieved by changing the volume of the cavity. Methods of making carbon containing patterned structures are also provided. Carbon thin films and carbon containing patterned structures can be used in NEMS, MEMS, liquid chromatography, and sensor devices.

  1. The role of carbon in ion beam nano-patterning of silicon

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

    Bhattacharjee, S.; UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, III/LB-8, Saltlake, Kolkata 700098; Karmakar, P.

    2013-10-28

    We report a comparative study of nano-pattern formations on a carbon film and a smooth Si(100) surface following inert and chemically active ion bombardment. For the case of carbon film, patterns could be formed both by inert (Ar{sup +}) and self (C{sup +}) ion bombardment with the former producing ripples at relatively lower fluence. In contrast, bombardment by inert Ar{sup +} failed to form the nano patterns on Si surface, while bombardment by the same energy C{sup +} generated the ripples. Thus, impurity induced chemical effect seems to be crucial rather than the Bradley-Harper or Carter-Vishnyakov effects for destabilizing themore » surface for ripple formation.« less

  2. Microwave plasma chemical synthesis of nanocrystalline carbon film structures and study their properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bushuev, N.; Yafarov, R.; Timoshenkov, V.; Orlov, S.; Starykh, D.

    2015-08-01

    The self-organization effect of diamond nanocrystals in polymer-graphite and carbon films is detected. The carbon materials deposition was carried from ethanol vapors out at low pressure using a highly non-equilibrium microwave plasma. Deposition processes of carbon film structures (diamond, graphite, graphene) is defined. Deposition processes of nanocrystalline structures containing diamond and graphite phases in different volume ratios is identified. The solid film was obtained under different conditions of microwave plasma chemical synthesis. We investigated the electrical properties of the nanocrystalline carbon films and identified it's from various factors. Influence of diamond-graphite film deposition mode in non-equilibrium microwave plasma at low pressure on emission characteristics was established. This effect is justified using the cluster model of the structure of amorphous carbon. It was shown that the reduction of bound hydrogen in carbon structures leads to a decrease in the threshold electric field of emission from 20-30 V/m to 5 V/m. Reducing the operating voltage field emission can improve mechanical stability of the synthesized film diamond-graphite emitters. Current density emission at least 20 A/cm2 was obtained. Nanocrystalline carbon film materials can be used to create a variety of functional elements in micro- and nanoelectronics and photonics such as cold electron source for emission in vacuum devices, photonic devices, cathodoluminescent flat display, highly efficient white light sources. The obtained graphene carbon net structure (with a net size about 6 μm) may be used for the manufacture of large-area transparent electrode for solar cells and cathodoluminescent light sources

  3. The structural and optical properties of Y (Y  =  Al, B, Si and Ti)-doped ZnO nano thin films from the first principles calculations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Wenshu; Hu, Huijun; Zhang, Caili; Li, Jianguo; Li, Yuping; Ling, Lixia; Han, Peide

    2017-12-01

    Based on the density functional theory, the structural stability and optical properties of undoped and Y (Y  =  Al, B, Si and Ti)-doped ZnO nano thin films are investigated. The good stability of the films based on the ZnO (0 0 0 1) can be obtained when the layer is larger than 12. Moreover, the dielectric function, refractive index, absorption, and reflectivity of doped ZnO nano thin films have been analyzed in detail. In the visible light range, the values of ZnO films from 12 to 24 layers are all smaller than those of the bulk. And with the augment of the layers, the values keep increasing. All the results signify that the nano film of 12 layers possesses the lowest reflectivity and weakest absorption. In addition, there is an evident impact of some doped element on the properties of nano films. The absorption and reflectivity of Ti, Si-doped ZnO nano thin films are higher than those of the clean films, while Al, B-doped are lower, especially B-doped. Moreover, the conductivity of the doped structure is better than that of the bulk. Thus, the B-doped ZnO nano thin films could be potential candidate materials of transparent conductive films.

  4. Opto-electronic characterizations of oriented nano-structure CdSe film/Si (0 0 1) heterostructure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Al-Kotb, M. S.; Al-Waheidi, Jumana Z.; Kotkata, M. F.

    2014-05-01

    Nano-crystalline CdSe thin films were fabricated by evaporating CdSe nano-powders on glass and p-Si (0 0 1) substrates. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated the hexagonal structure for the growing film along the (0 0 2) plane. The results revealed that the thermally evaporated thin film has a comparatively smoother surface with grain size ˜21 nm. Analysis of the absorption coefficient dependence on the photon energy predicts two direct band-gap values of 2.11 ± 0.02 and 1.71 ± 0.03 eV. On the basis of the Wemple-diDomenico single oscillator model, the values of single oscillator energy (Eu) and oscillator dispersion energy (Ed) found to be 2.71 ± 0.09 and 12.94 ± 0.35 eV, respectively. The photoluminescence measurements show levels at the following values: 1.824, 1.786, 1.682, and 1.617 eV confirming the native defects existence in the gap of CdSe films because of stoichiometric deviation. The forward I-V characteristics of Ni/CdSe/p-Si (0 0 1) structure have been primarily analyzed within the framework of a standard thermionic emission theory over the temperature range of 160-360 K. The characteristic parameters of the Ni/CdSe/p-Si(0 0 1) structure such as barrier height (φb), ideality factor (n), and series resistance (Rs) have been calculated using a method developed by Cheung-Cheung.

  5. Characterization of Antimicrobial Poly (Lactic Acid)/Nano-Composite Films with Silver and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Chu, Zhuangzhuang; Zhao, Tianrui; Li, Lin; Fan, Jian; Qin, Yuyue

    2017-01-01

    Antimicrobial active films based on poly (lactic acid) (PLA) were prepared with nano-silver (nano-Ag) and nano-zinc oxide (nano-ZnO) using a solvent volatilizing method. The films were characterized for mechanical, structural, thermal, physical and antimicrobial properties. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images characterized the fracture morphology of the films with different contents of nano-Ag and nano-ZnO. The addition of nanoparticles into the pure PLA film decreased the tensile strength and elasticity modulus and increased the elongation of breaks—in other words, the flexibility and extensibility of these composites improved. According to the results of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), the glass transition temperature of the PLA nano-composite films decreased, and the crystallinity of these films increased; a similar result was apparent from X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The water vapor permeability (WVP) and opacity of the PLA nano-composite films augmented compared with pure PLA film. Incorporation of nanoparticles to the PLA films significantly improved the antimicrobial activity to inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli. The results indicated that PLA films with nanoparticles could be considered a potential environmental-friendly packaging material. PMID:28773018

  6. Deposition And Characterization Of Ultra Thin Diamond Like Carbon Films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tomcik, B.

    2010-07-01

    Amorphous hydrogenated and/or nitrogenated carbon films, a-C:H/a-C:N, in overall thickness up to 2 nm are materials of choice as a mechanical and corrosion protection layer of the magnetic media in modern hard disk drive disks. In order to obtain high density and void-free films the sputtering technology has been replaced by different plasma and ion beam deposition techniques. Hydrocarbon gas precursors, like C2H2 or CH4 with H2 and N2 as reactive gases are commonly used in Kaufman DC ion and RF plasma beam sources. Optimum incident energy of carbon ions, C+, is up to 100 eV while the typical ion current densities during the film formation are in the mA/cm2 range. Other carbon deposition techniques, like filtered cathodic arc, still suffer from co-deposition of fine nanosized carbon clusters (nano dust) and their improvements are moving toward arc excitation in the kHz and MHz frequency range. Non-destructive film analysis like μ-Raman optical spectroscopy, spectroscopic ellipsometry, FTIR and optical surface analysis are mainly used in the carbon film characterization. Due to extreme low film thicknesses the surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) with pre-deposited layer of Au can reduce the signal collection time and minimize photon-induced damage during the spectra acquisition. Standard approach in the μ-Raman film evaluation is the measurement of the position (shift) and area of D and G-peaks under the deconvoluted overall carbon spectrum. Also, a slope of the carbon spectrum in the 1000-2000 cm-1 wavenumber range is used as a measure of the hydrogen intake within a film. Diamond like carbon (DLC) film should possess elasticity and self-healing properties during the occasional crash of the read-write head flying only couple of nanometers above the spinning film. Film corrosion protection capabilities are mostly evaluated by electrochemical tests, potentio-dynamic and linear polarization method and by business environmental method. Corrosion mechanism

  7. Characteristics of Sodium Polyacrylate/Nano-Sized Carbon Hydrogel for Biomedical Patch.

    PubMed

    Park, Jong-Kyu; Seo, Sun-Kyo; Cho, Seungkwan; Kim, Han-Sung; Lee, Chi-Hwan

    2018-03-01

    Conductive hydrogels were prepared for biomedical patch in order to improve the electrical conductivity. Sodium polyacrylate and nano-sized carbon were mixed and fabricated by aqueous solution gelation process in various contents of nano-sized carbon with 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 wt%. Sodium polyacrylate/nano-sized carbon conductive hydrogels were investigated by molecular structure, surface morphology and electrical conductivity. The conductivity of the hydrogel/nano-sized carbon conductive hydrogel proved to be 10% higher than conductive hydrogel without nano-sized carbon. However, it was founded that conductive hydrogels with nano-sized carbon content from 0.5 up to 2.0 wt% were remarkably decreased. This may be due to the non-uniform distribution of nano-sized carbon, resulting from agglomerates of nano-sized carbon. The developed hydrogel is intended for use in the medical and cosmetic fields that is applicable to supply micro-current from device to human body.

  8. Structural and morphological properties of mesoporous carbon coated molybdenum oxide films

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

    Dayal, Saurabh, E-mail: saurabhdayal153@gmail.com; Kumar, C. Sasi, E-mail: csasimv@gmail.com

    2016-05-06

    In the present study, we report the structural and morphological properties of mesoporous carbon coated molybdenum oxide films. The deposition of films was carried out in a two-step process, the first step involves deposition of molybdenum and carbon bilayer thin films using DC magnetron sputtering. In the second step the sample was ex-situ annealed in a muffle furnace at different temperatures (400°C to 600°C) and air cooled in the ambient atmosphere. The formation of the meso-porous carbon clusters on molybdenum oxide during the cooling step was investigated using FESEM and AFM techniques. The structural details were explored using XRD. Themore » meso-porous carbon were found growing over molybdenum oxide layer as a result of segregation phenomena.« less

  9. Effect of magnetic and electric coupling fields on micro- and nano- structure of carbon films in the CVD diamond process and their electron field emission property

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Yijia; Li, Jiaxin; Hu, Naixiu; Jiang, Yunlu; Wei, Qiuping; Yu, Zhiming; Long, Hangyu; Zhu, Hekang; Xie, Youneng; Ma, Li; Lin, Cheng-Te; Su, Weitao

    2018-03-01

    In this paper, both electric field and magnetic field were used to assist the hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) and we systematically investigated the effects of which on the (1) phase composition, (2) grain size, (3) thickness and (4) preferred orientation of diamond films through SEM, Raman and XRD. The application of magnetic field in electric field, so called ‘the magnetic and electric coupling fields’, enhanced the graphitization and refinement of diamond crystals, slowed down the decrease of film thickness along with the increase of bias current, and suppressed diamond (100) orientation. During the deposition process, the electric field provided additional energy to HFCVD system and generated large number of energetic particles which might annihilate at the substrate and lose kinetic energy, while the Lorentz force, provided by magnetic field, could constrict charged particles (including electrons) to do spiral movement, which prolonged their moving path and life, thus the system energy increased. With the graphitization of diamond films intensified, the preferred orientation of diamond films completely evolved from (110) to (100), until the orientation and diamond phase disappeared, which can be attributed to (I) the distribution and concentration ratio of carbon precursors (C2H2 and CH3) and (II) graphitization sequence of diamond crystal facets. Since the electron field emission property of carbon film is sensitive to the phase composition, thickness and preferred orientation, nano- carbon cones, prepared by the negative bias current of 20 mA and magnetic field strength of 80 Gauss, exhibited the lowest turn-on field of 6.1 V -1 μm-1.

  10. Formation of crystalline heteroepitaxial SiC films on Si by carbonization of polyimide Langmuir-Blodgett films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luchinin, Viktor V.; Goloudina, Svetlana I.; Pasyuta, Vyacheslav M.; Panov, Mikhail F.; Smirnov, Alexander N.; Kirilenko, Demid A.; Semenova, Tatyana F.; Sklizkova, Valentina P.; Gofman, Iosif V.; Svetlichnyi, Valentin M.; Kudryavtsev, Vladislav V.

    2017-06-01

    High-quality crystalline nano-thin SiC films on Si substrates were prepared by carbonization of polyimide (PI) Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films. The obtained films were characterized by Fourier transform-infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electon microscopy (TEM), transmission electron diffraction (TED), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). We demonstrated that the carbonization of a PI film on a Si substrate at 1000 °C leads to the formation of a carbon film and SiC nanocrystals on the Si substrate. It was found that five planes in the 3C-SiC(111) film are aligned with four Si(111) planes. As a result of repeated annealing of PI films containing 121 layers at 1200 °C crystalline SiC films were formed on the Si substrate. It was shown that the SiC films (35 nm) grown on Si(111) at 1200 °C have a mainly cubic 3C-SiC structure with small amount of hexagonal polytypes. Only 3C-SiC films (30 nm) were formed on the Si(100) substrate at the same temperature. It was shown that the SiC films (30-35 nm) can cover the voids with size up to 10 µm in the Si substrate. The current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the n-Si/n-SiC heterostructure were obtained by conductive atomic force microscopy.

  11. Nano-structured silica coated mesoporous carbon micro-granules for potential application in water filtration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Das, Avik; Sen, D.; Mazumder, S.; Ghosh, A. K.

    2017-05-01

    A novel nano-composite spherical micro-granule has been synthesized using a facile technique of solvent evaporation induced assembly of nanoparticles for potential application in water filtration. The spherical micro-granule is comprised of nano-structured shell of hydrophilic silica encapsulating a hydrophobic mesoporous carbon at the core. Hierarchical structure of such core-shell micro-granules has been rigorously characterized using small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering techniques and complemented with scanning electron microscopy. The hydrophilic silica envelope around the carbon core helps in incorporation of such granules into the hydrophilic polymeric ultra-filtration membrane. The interstitial micro-pores present in the silica shell can serve as water transport channels and the mesoporus carbon core enhances the separation performance due its well adsorption characteristics. It has been found that the incorporation of such granules inside the ultra-filtration membrane indeed enhances the water permeability as well as the separation performance in a significant way.

  12. Multifunctional carbon nano-paper composite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Zhichun; Chu, Hetao; Wang, Kuiwen; Liu, Yanjv; Leng, Jinsong

    2013-08-01

    Carbon Nanotube (CNT), for its excellent mechanical, electrical properties and nano size, large special surface physical property, become the most promising material. But carbon nanotube can still fabricated in micro dimension, and can't be made into macro size, so to the carbon nanotube filled composite can't explore the properties of the CNT. Carbon nano-paper is made of pure CNT, with micro pore, and it turn micro sized CNT into macro shaped membrane. Based on the piezo-resistivity and electrical conductivity of the carbon nano-paper, we used the carbon nano-paper as functional layers fabricate functional composite, and studies its strain sensing, composite material deicing and shape memory polymer (SMP) material electric actuation performance. The results shown that the resin can pregnant the nano paper, and there was good bond for nano paper and composite. The functional composite can monitoring the strain with high sensitivity comparing to foil strain gauge. The functional composite can be heated via the carbon nano paper with low power supply and high heating rate. The composite has good deicing and heat actuation performance to composite material. For the good strain sensing, electric conductivity and self-heating character of the carbon nano-paper composite, it can be used for self sensing, anti lightning strike and deicing of composite materials in aircrafts and wind turbine blades.

  13. Ternary graphene/amorphous carbon/nickel nanocomposite film for outstanding superhydrophobicity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Xiaobo; Zhou, Shengguo; Yan, Qingqing

    2018-04-01

    A novel superhydrophobic ternary graphene/amorphous carbon/nickel (G-Ni/a-C:H) carbon-based film was fabricated by a green approach of high-voltage electrochemical deposition without using aqueous solution, which was systematically investigated including the structure and relating applications on self-cleaning and corrosion resistance. Graphene and nickel nano-particle inserts were effective to tailor the feature of nanocrystallite/amorphous microstructure as well as micro-nanoscale hierarchical rose-petal-like surface for G-Ni/a-C:H carbon-based film. Surprisingly, this deposit could present outstanding superhydrophobicity with the contact angle of 158.98 deg and sliding angle of 2.75 deg without any further surface modification meanwhile it could possess fairly well adhesion. Furthermore, the superhydrophobic G-Ni/a-C:H carbon-based film could exhibit excellent corrosion resistance and self-cleaning performances compared to no graphene incorporated deposit. The procedure of fabricating deposit might be simple, scalable, and environmental friendly, indicating a promising prospect for industrial applications in the field of anti-fouling, anti-corrosion and drag resistance.

  14. Nanoscale Structure and Interaction of Compact Assemblies of Carbon Nano-Materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Timsina, Raju; Qiu, Xiangyun

    Carbon-based nano-materials (CNM) are a diverse family of multi-functional materials under research and development world wide. Our work is further motivated by the predictive power of the physical understanding of the underlying structure-interaction-function relationships. Here we present results form recent studies of the condensed phases of several model CNMs in complexation with biologically derived molecules. Specifically, we employ X-ray diffraction (XRD) to determine nanoscale structures and use the osmotic stress method to quantify their interactions. The systems under investigation are dsDNA-dispersed carbon nanotubes (dsDNA-CNT), bile-salt-dispersed carbon nanotubes, and surfactant-assisted assemblies of graphene oxides. We found that salt and molecular crowding are both effective in condensing CNMs but the resultant structures show disparate phase behaviors. The molecular interactions driving the condensation/assembly sensitively depend on the nature of CNM complex surface chemistry and range from hydrophobic to electrostatic to entropic forces.

  15. Electrical and optical properties of carbon films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kulkarni, Pranita

    Carbon and carbon-based materials, including graphite, diamond, and other thin-film structures, are being intensively researched for a wide range of electronic applications. A variety of graphitic, nano-structured carbon materials can be synthesized that have current or potential applications as thin-film transistors, photovoltaics, and supercapacitors. Diamond has been pursued for many years for electronics that can be used in extreme conditions, such as high temperature, high power, high frequency, and radiation environments. In this research study, electronic properties of diamond and graphitic films with crystallite or grain sizes in the nanometer range were investigated. The nano-structured graphitic carbon films were grown using a previously developed method based on the pyrolysis of poly(acrylonitrile) and poly(n-butyl acrylate) block copolymers (PAN-b-PBA). An important characteristic of these films is that the morphology (and therefore other properties) can be controlled by the compositions and processing of the starting block copolymers. Spherical, cylindrical, lamellar, and branched morphologies have been fabricated. The crystallite sizes, optical absorption, and morphology of PAN-b-PBA (containing 17.8% PAN) pyrolyzed between 400 and 600°C were determined and were compared to those derived by pyrolysis of PAN homopolymers at the same temperatures. Hall-effect measurements on pyrolyzed PAN-b-PBA films with spherical, cylindrical, and branched morphologies and homopolymer PAN films pyrolyzed at the same temperatures revealed that both PAN-b-PBA with different morphologies and PAN homopolymer-derived films had n-type conductivity; differences in carrier concentration and mobility values were correlated with the morphological differences of the films. Optical absorption measurements in the ultra-violet through visible wavelength range were also conducted on these films; measurements of the pseudo band-gaps and absorption coefficients were correlated with

  16. The study of structural properties of carbon nanotubes decorated with NiFe₂O₄ nanoparticles and application of nano-composite thin film as H₂S gas sensor.

    PubMed

    Hajihashemi, R; Rashidi, Ali M; Alaie, M; Mohammadzadeh, R; Izadi, N

    2014-11-01

    Nano-composite of multiwall carbon nanotube, decorated with NiFe2O4 nanoparticles (NiFe2O4-MWCNT), was synthesized using the sol-gel method. NiFe2O4-MWCNTs were characterized using different methods such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The average size of the crystallites is 23.93 nm. The values of the saturation magnetization (MS), coercivity (HC) and retentivity (MR) of NiFe2O4-MWCNTs are obtained as 15 emu g(-1), 21Oe and 5 emu g(-1), respectively. In this research, NiFe2O4-MWCNT thin films were prepared with the spin-coating method. These thin films were used as the H2S gas sensor. The results suggest the possibility of the utilization of NiFe2O4-MWCNT nano-composite, as the H2S detector. The sensor shows appropriate response towards 100 ppm of H2S at 300°C. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Structural Analysis of a Carbon Nitride Film Prepared by Ion-Beam-Assisted Deposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hayashi, Toshiyuki; Matsumuro, Akihito; Muramatsu, Mutsuo; Kohzaki, Masao; Takahashi, Yutaka; Yamaguchi, Katsumi

    1999-04-01

    The microstructure of a carbon nitride (CNx) film formed by ion-beam-assisted deposition (IBAD) was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). This film was formed on the Si (100) substrate by IBAD with an N/C transport ratio of 1. Three different spacings (0.34 nm, 0.21 nm, 0.12 nm) were observed by transmission electron diffraction (TED) and the periodic structure corresponding to the spacing of 0.34 nm was aligned perpendicular to the substrate. The bending of this plane resembled a carbon nanotube; therefore, it seemed reasonable to suppose that the CNx film obtained consisted of numerous carbon-nanotube-like structural elements grown vertically, relative to the substrate, and it also seemed appropriate that these structural elements should be termed nanotube-like carbon nitride.

  18. Electrochemical performance and structure evolution of core-shell nano-ring α-Fe2O3@Carbon anodes for lithium-ion batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Yan-Hui; Liu, Shan; Zhou, Feng-Chen; Nan, Jun-Min

    2016-12-01

    Core-shell nano-ring α-Fe2O3@Carbon (CSNR) composites with different carbon content (CSNR-5%C and CSNR-13%C) are synthesized using a hydrothermal method by controlling different amounts of glucose and α-Fe2O3 nano-rings with further annealing. The CSNR electrodes exhibit much improved specific capacity, cycling stability and rate capability compared with that of bare nano-ring α-Fe2O3 (BNR), which is attributed to the core-shell nano-ring structure of CSNR. The carbon shell in the inner and outer surface of CSNR composite can increase electron conductivity of the electrode and inhibit the volume change of α-Fe2O3 during discharge/charge processes, and the nano-ring structure of CSNR can buffer the volume change too. The CSNR-5%C electrode shows super high initial discharge/charge capacities of 1570/1220 mAh g-1 and retains 920/897 mAh g-1 after 200 cycles at 500 mA g-1 (0.5C). Even at 2000 mA g-1 (2C), the electrode delivers the initial capacities of 1400/900 mAh g-1, and still maintains 630/610 mAh g-1 after 200 cycles. The core-shell nano-rings opened during cycling and rebuilt a new flower-like structure consisting of α-Fe2O3@Carbon nano-sheets. The space among the nano-sheet networks can further buffer the volume expansion of α-Fe2O3 and facilitate the transportation of electrons and Li+ ions during the charge/discharge processes, which increases the capacity and rate capability of the electrode. It is the first time that the evolution of core-shell α-Fe2O3@Carbon changing to flower-like networks during lithiation/de-lithiation has been reported.

  19. The effect of brushing with nano calcium carbonate and calcium carbonate toothpaste on the surface roughness of nano-ionomer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anisja, D. H.; Indrani, D. J.; Herda, E.

    2017-08-01

    Nanotechnology developments in dentistry have resulted in the development of nano-ionomer, a new restorative material. The surface roughness of restorative materials can increase bacteria adhesion and lead to poor oral hygiene. Abrasive agents in toothpaste can alter tooth and restorative material surfaces. The aim of this study is to identify the effect of brushing with nano calcium carbonate, and calcium carbonate toothpaste on surface roughness of nano-ionomer. Eighteen nano-ionomer specimens were brushed with Aquabidest (doubledistilled water), nano calcium carbonate and calcium carbonate toothpaste. Brushing lasted 30 minutes, and the roughness value (Ra) was measured after each 10 minute segment using a surface roughness tester. The data was analyzed using repeated ANOVA and one-way ANOVA test. The value of nano-ionomer surface roughness increased significantly (p<0.05) after 20 minutes of brushing with the nano calcium carbonate toothpaste. Brushing with calcium carbonate toothpaste leaves nano-ionomer surfaces more rugged than brushing with nano calcium carbonate toothpaste.

  20. Structures and properties of fluorinated amorphous carbon films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, K. P.; Lin, P.; Shih, H. C.

    2004-07-01

    Fluorinated amorphous carbon (a-C:F) films were deposited by radio frequency bias assisted microwave plasma electron cyclotron resonance chemical vapor deposition with tetrafluoromethane (CF4) and acetylene (C2H2) as precursors. The deposition process was performed at two flow ratios R=0.90 and R=0.97, where R=CF4/(CF4+C2H2). The samples were annealed at 300 °C for 30 min. in a N2 atmosphere. Both Fourier transform infrared and electron spectroscopy for chemical analyzer were used to characterize the a-C:F film chemical bond and fluorine concentration, respectively. A high resolution electron energy loss spectrometer was applied to detect the electronic structure. The higher CF4 flow ratio (R=0.97) produced more sp3 linear structure, and it made the a-C:F film smoother and softer. A lifetime of around 0.34 μs and an energy gap of ˜2.75 eV were observed in both the as-deposited and after annealing conditions. The short carriers lifetime in the a-C:F film made the photoluminescence peak blueshift. The annealing changed both the structure and composition of the a-C:F film. The type of fluorocarbon bond and electronic structure characterized the mechanical and physical properties of a-C:F film.

  1. Preparation of mesoporous carbon nitride structure by the dealloying of Ni/a-CN nanocomposite films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Han; Shen, Yongqing; Huang, Jie; Liao, Bin; Wu, Xianying; Zhang, Xu

    2018-05-01

    The preparation of mesoporous carbon nitride (p-CN) structure by the selective dealloying process of Ni/a-CN nanocomposite films is investigated. The composition and structure of the Ni/a-CN nanocomposite films and porous carbon nitride (p-CN) films are determined by scan electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy. Phase separated structure including nickel carbide phase and the surrounding amorphous carbon nitride (a-CN) matrix are detected for the as-deposited films. Though the bulk diffusion is introduced in the film during the annealing process, the grain sizes for the post-annealed films are around 10 nm and change little comparing with the ones of the as-deposited films, which is associated with the thermostability of the CN surrounding in the film. The p-CN skeleton with its pore size around 12.5 nm is formed by etching the post-annealed films, indicative of the stability of the phase separated structure during the annealing process.

  2. Fabrication of thickness controllable free-standing sandwich-structured hybrid carbon film for high-rate and high-power supercapacitor

    PubMed Central

    Wei, Helin; Wei, Sihang; Tian, Weifeng; Zhu, Daming; Liu, Yuhao; Yuan, Lili; Li, Xin

    2014-01-01

    Hybrid carbon films composed of graphene film and porous carbon film may give full play to the advantages of both carbon materials, and have great potential for application in energy storage and conversion devices. Unfortunately, there are very few reports on fabrication of hybrid carbon films. Here we demonstrate a simple approach to fabricate free-standing sandwich-structured hybrid carbon film composed of porous amorphous carbon film and multilayer graphene film by chemical vapor deposition in a controllable and scalable way. Hybrid carbon films reveal good electrical conductivity, excellent flexibility, and good compatibility with substrate. Supercapacitors assembled by hybrid carbon films exhibit ultrahigh rate capability, wide frequency range, good capacitance performance, and high-power density. Moreover, this approach may provide a general path for fabrication of hybrid carbon materials with different structures by using different metals with high carbon solubility, and greatly expands the application scope of carbon materials. PMID:25394410

  3. Development of Novel Magnetic Metal Oxide Films and Carbon Nanotube Materials for Magnetic Device Applications

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-01-23

    From these studies we learned that nano wires of Fe grown in the lumens of multi-walled carbon nanotubes ( MWCNTs ) required four times higher 35...studies we learned that nano wires of Fe grown in the lumens of multi-walled carbon nanotubes ( MWCNTs ) required four times higher magnetic field...properties of nano-metric Fe thin films on 325 MgO(100) and nano wires of Fe prepared in the lumens of MWCNTs using magnetron DC-sputtering were studied

  4. Nano-structured surface plasmon resonance sensor for sensitivity enhancement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Jae-Ho; Kim, Hyo-Sop; Kim, Jin-Ho; Choi, Sung-Wook; Cho, Yong-Jin

    2008-08-01

    A new nano-structured SPR sensor was devised to improve its sensitivity. Nano-scaled silica particles were used as the template to fabricate nano-structure. The surface of the silica particles was modified with thiol group and a single layer of the modified silica particles was attached on the gold or silver thin film using Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) method. Thereafter, gold or silver was coated on the template by an e-beam evaporator. Finally, the nano-structured surface with basin-like shape was obtained after removing the silica particles by sonication. Applying the new developed SPR sensor to a model food of alcoholic beverage, the sensitivities for the gold and silver nano-structured sensors, respectively, had 95% and 126% higher than the conventional one.

  5. Atomic-Layer-Deposition of Indium Oxide Nano-films for Thin-Film Transistors.

    PubMed

    Ma, Qian; Zheng, He-Mei; Shao, Yan; Zhu, Bao; Liu, Wen-Jun; Ding, Shi-Jin; Zhang, David Wei

    2018-01-09

    Atomic-layer-deposition (ALD) of In 2 O 3 nano-films has been investigated using cyclopentadienyl indium (InCp) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) as precursors. The In 2 O 3 films can be deposited preferentially at relatively low temperatures of 160-200 °C, exhibiting a stable growth rate of 1.4-1.5 Å/cycle. The surface roughness of the deposited film increases gradually with deposition temperature, which is attributed to the enhanced crystallization of the film at a higher deposition temperature. As the deposition temperature increases from 150 to 200 °C, the optical band gap (E g ) of the deposited film rises from 3.42 to 3.75 eV. In addition, with the increase of deposition temperature, the atomic ratio of In to O in the as-deposited film gradually shifts towards that in the stoichiometric In 2 O 3 , and the carbon content also reduces by degrees. For 200 °C deposition temperature, the deposited film exhibits an In:O ratio of 1:1.36 and no carbon incorporation. Further, high-performance In 2 O 3 thin-film transistors with an Al 2 O 3 gate dielectric were achieved by post-annealing in air at 300 °C for appropriate time, demonstrating a field-effect mobility of 7.8 cm 2 /V⋅s, a subthreshold swing of 0.32 V/dec, and an on/off current ratio of 10 7 . This was ascribed to passivation of oxygen vacancies in the device channel.

  6. Defect analysis and detection of micro nano structured optical thin film

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Chang; Shi, Nuo; Zhou, Lang; Shi, Qinfeng; Yang, Yang; Li, Zhuo

    2017-10-01

    This paper focuses on developing an automated method for detecting defects on our wavelength conversion thin film. We analyzes the operating principle of our wavelength conversion Micro/Nano thin film which absorbing visible light and emitting infrared radiation, indicates the relationship between the pixel's pattern and the radiation of the thin film, and issues the principle of defining blind pixels and their categories due to the calculated and experimental results. An effective method is issued for the automated detection based on wavelet transform and template matching. The results reveal that this method has desired accuracy and processing speed.

  7. High-voltage electric-field-induced growth of aligned ``cow-nipple-like'' submicro-nano carbon isomeric structure via chemical vapor deposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liao, Chengwei; Zhang, Yupeng; Pan, Chunxu

    2012-12-01

    In this study, a novel vertically aligned carbon material, named "cow-nipple-like" submicro-nano carbon isomeric structure, was synthesized by the thermal decomposition of C2H2 in a chemical-vapor deposition system with a high-voltage external electric field. The microstructures were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy, respectively. The results revealed that (1) the total height of the carbon isomeric structure was in a rang of 90-250 nm; (2) the carbon isomeric structure consisted of a submicro- or nano-sized hemisphere carbon ball with 30-120 nm in diameter at the bottom and a vertically grown carbon nanotube with 10-40 nm in diameter upon the carbon ball; (3) there was a sudden change in diameter at the junction of the carbon ball and carbon nanotube. In addition, the carbon isomeric structure showed an excellent controllability, that is, the density, height, and diameter could be controlled effectively by adjusting the precursor ferrocene concentration in the catalytic solution and C2H2 ventilation time. A possible growth model was proposed to describe the formation mechanism, and a theoretic calculation was carried out to discuss the effect of high-voltage electric field upon the growth of the carbon isomeric structure.

  8. Voltammetric and impedance behaviours of surface-treated nano-crystalline diamond film electrodes

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

    Liu, F. B.; Jing, B.; Cui, Y.

    2015-04-15

    The electrochemical performances of hydrogen- and oxygen-terminated nano-crystalline diamond film electrodes were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and AC impedance spectroscopy. In addition, the surface morphologies, phase structures, and chemical states of the two diamond films were analysed by scanning probe microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. The results indicated that the potential window is narrower for the hydrogen-terminated nano-crystalline diamond film than for the oxygen-terminated one. The diamond film resistance and capacitance of oxygen-terminated diamond film are much larger than those of the hydrogen-terminated diamond film, and the polarization resistances and double-layer capacitance corresponding to oxygen-terminated diamond filmmore » are both one order of magnitude larger than those corresponding to the hydrogen-terminated diamond film. The electrochemical behaviours of the two diamond film electrodes are discussed.« less

  9. Thermal Stress Behavior of Micro- and Nano-Size Aluminum Films

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

    Hanabusa, T.; Kusaka, K.; Nishida, M.

    2008-03-17

    In-situ observation of thermal stresses in thin films deposited on silicon substrate was made by X-ray and synchrotron radiation. Specimens prepared in this experiment were micro- and nano-size thin aluminum films with and without passivation film. The thickness of the film was 1 micrometer for micro-size films and 10, 20 and 50 nanometer for nano-size films. The stress measurement in micro-size films was made by X-ray radiation whereas the measurement of nano-size films was made by synchrotron radiation. Residual stress measurement revealed tensile stresses in all as-deposited films. Thermal stresses were measured in a series of heating- and cooling-stage. Thermalmore » stress behavior of micro-size films revealed hysteresis loop during a heating and cooling process. The width of a hysteresis loop was larger in passivated film that unpassivated film. No hysteresis loops were observed in nano-size films with SiO{sub 2} passivation. Strengthning mechanism in thin films was discussed on a passivation film and a film thickness.« less

  10. Study of Surface Cleaning Methods and Pyrolysis Temperature on Nano-Structured Carbon Films using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy

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

    Kerber, Pranita B.; Porter, Lisa M.; McCullough, L. A.

    2012-10-12

    Nanostructured carbon (ns-C) films fabricated by stabilization and pyrolysis of di-block copolymers are of interest for a variety of electrical/electronic applications due to their chemical inertness, high-temperature insensitivity, very high surface area, and tunable electrical resistivity over a wide range [Kulkarni et al., Synth. Met. 159, (2009) 177]. Because of their high porosity and associated high specific surface area, controlled surface cleaning studies are important for fabricating electronic devices from these films. In this study, quantification of surface composition and surface cleaning studies on ns-C films synthesized by carbonization of di-block copolymers of polyacrylonitrile-b-poly(n-butyl acrylate) (PAN-b-PBA) at two different temperaturesmore » were carried out. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used for elemental analysis and to determine the efficacy of various surface cleaning methods for ns-C films and to examine the polymer residues in the films. The in-situ surface cleaning methods included: HF vapor treatment, vacuum annealing, and exposure to UV-ozone. Quantitative analysis of high-resolution XPS scans showed 11 at. % of nitrogen present in the films pyrolyzed at 600 °C, suggesting incomplete denitrogenation of the copolymer films. The nitrogen atomic concentration reduced significantly for films pyrolyzed at 900 °C confirming extensive denitrogenation at that temperature. Furthermore, quantitative analysis of nitrogen sub-peaks indicated higher loss of nitrogen atoms residing at the edge of graphitic clusters relative to that of nitrogen atoms within the graphitic cluster, suggesting higher graphitization with increasing pyrolysis temperature. Of the surface cleaning methods investigated, in-situ annealing of the films at 300 °C for 40 min was found to be the most efficacious in removing adventitious carbon and oxygen impurities from the surface.« less

  11. Structure and Mechanical Properties of Polybutadiene Thin Films Bound to Surface-Modified Carbon Interface.

    PubMed

    Hori, Koichiro; Yamada, Norifumi L; Fujii, Yoshihisa; Masui, Tomomi; Kishimoto, Hiroyuki; Seto, Hideki

    2017-09-12

    The structure and mechanical properties of polybutadiene (PB) films on bare and surface-modified carbon films were examined. There was an interfacial layer of PB near the carbon layer whose density was higher (lower) than that of the bulk material on the hydrophobic (hydrophilic) carbon surface. To glean information about the structure and mechanical properties of PB at the carbon interface, a residual layer (RL) adhering to the carbon surface, which was considered to be a model of "bound rubber layer", was obtained by rinsing the PB film with toluene. The density and thickness of the RLs were identical to those of the interfacial layer of the PB film. In accordance with the change in the density, normal stress of the RLs evaluated by atomic force microscopy was also dependent on the surface free energy: the RLs on the hydrophobic carbon were hard like glass, whereas those on the hydrophilic carbon were soft like rubber. Similarly, the wear test revealed that the RLs on the hydrophilic carbon could be peeled off by scratching under a certain stress, whereas the RLs on the hydrophobic carbons were resistant to scratching.

  12. Electrochemistry of hemoglobin entrapped in a Nafion/nano-ZnO film on carbon ionic liquid electrode.

    PubMed

    Sun, Wei; Zhai, ZiQin; Wang, DanDan; Liu, ShuFeng; Jiao, Kui

    2009-02-01

    A stable composite film composed of the ionomer Nafion, the ZnO nanoparticle and the protein hemoglobin was cast on the surface of an ionic liquid modified carbon paste electrode (CILE) to establish a modified electrode denoted as Nafion/nano-ZnO/Hb/CILE. UV-vis and FT-IR spectrum showed that hemoglobin in the film retained its native conformation. The electrochemical behaviors of hemoglobin entrapped in the film were carefully investigated with cyclic voltammetry. A pair of well-defined and quasi-reversible redox voltammetric peaks for Hb Fe(III)/Fe(II) was obtained with the standard potential (E(0)') located at -0.344 V (vs. SCE) in phosphate buffer solution (PBS, pH 7.0), which was attributed to the direct electron transfer of Hb with electrode in the microenvironments of ZnO nanoparticle and ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMIMPF(6)). The electrochemical parameters of Hb in the composite film were further carefully calculated with the results of the electron-transfer rate constant (k(s)) as 0.139 s(-1), the charge transfer coefficient (alpha) as 0.413 and the number of electron transferred (n) as 0.95. The Hb modified electrode showed good electrocatalytic ability toward the reduction of trichloroacetic acid (TCA).

  13. Ultrahigh hardness and high electrical resistivity in nano-twinned, nanocrystalline high-entropy alloy films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huo, Wenyi; Liu, Xiaodong; Tan, Shuyong; Fang, Feng; Xie, Zonghan; Shang, Jianku; Jiang, Jianqing

    2018-05-01

    Nano-twinned, nanocrystalline CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy films were produced by magnetron sputtering. The films exhibit a high hardness of 8.5 GPa, the elastic modulus of 161.9 GPa and the resistivity as high as 135.1 μΩ·cm. The outstanding mechanical properties were found to result from the resistance of deformation created by nanocrystalline grains and nano-twins, while the electrical resistivity was attributed to the strong blockage effect induced by grain boundaries and lattice distortions. The results lay a solid foundation for the development of advanced films with structural and functional properties combined in micro-/nano-electronic devices.

  14. Synthesis of ultra-nano-carbon composite materials with extremely high conductivity by plasma post-treatment process of ultrananocrystalline diamond films

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

    Yeh, Chien-Jui; Leou, Keh-Chyang; Manoharan, Divinah

    2015-08-24

    Needle-like diamond grains encased in nano-graphitic layers are an ideal granular structure of diamond films to achieve high conductivity and superior electron field emission (EFE) properties. This paper describes the plasma post-treatment (ppt) of ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) films at low substrate temperature to achieve such a unique granular structure. The CH{sub 4}/N{sub 2} plasma ppt-processed films exhibit high conductivity of σ = 1099 S/cm as well as excellent EFE properties with turn-on field of E{sub 0} = 2.48 V/μm (J{sub e} = 1.0 mA/cm{sup 2} at 6.5 V/μm). The ppt of UNCD film is simple and robust process that is especially useful for device applications.

  15. New possibility on InZnO nano thin film for green emissive optoelectronic devices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sugumaran, Sathish; Noor Bin Ahmad, Mohd; Faizal Jamlos, Mohd; Bellan, Chandar Shekar; Chandran, Sharmila; Sivaraj, Manoj

    2016-04-01

    Indium zinc oxide (InZnO) nano thin film was prepared from InZnO nanoparticles (NPs) by thermal evaporation technique. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed the presence of metal-oxide bond. X-ray diffraction pattern revealed the mixed phase structure. The presence of elements In, Zn and O were identified from energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Size of the NPs was found to be 171 and 263 nm by transmission electron microscopy. Scanning electron microscopy image showed the spherical shape uniform morphology with uniform distribution grains. Photoluminescence spectrum exhibited a broad green emission for InZnO nano thin film. The acquired results of structure, smooth morphology and photoluminescence property suggested that the InZnO nano thin film to be a promising material for room temperature green emissive optoelectronic, laser diodes, solar cells and other optical devices.

  16. Evolution of Structural and Electrical Properties of Carbon Films from Amorphous Carbon to Nanocrystalline Graphene on Quartz Glass by HFCVD.

    PubMed

    Zhai, Zihao; Shen, Honglie; Chen, Jieyi; Li, Xuemei; Jiang, Ye

    2018-05-23

    Direct growth of graphene films on glass is of great importance but has so far met with limited success. The noncatalytic property of glass results in the low decomposition ability of hydrocarbon precursors, especially at reduced temperatures (<1000 °C), and therefore amorphous carbon (a-C) films are more likely to be obtained. Here, we report the hydrogen influence on the structural and electrical properties of carbon films deposited on quartz glass at 850 °C by hot-filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD). The results revealed that the obtained a-C films were all graphitelike carbon films. Structural transition of the deposited films from a-C to nanocrystalline graphene was achieved by raising the hydrogen dilution ratios from 10 to over 80%. On the basis of systematic structural and chemical characterizations, a schematic process with three steps including sp 2 chain aggregation, aromatic ring formation, and sp 3 bond etching was proposed to interpret the structural evolution. The nanocrystalline graphene films grown on glass by HFCVD exhibited good electrical performance with a carrier mobility of 36.76 cm 2 /(V s) and a resistivity of 5.24 × 10 -3 Ω cm over an area of 1 cm 2 . Temperature-dependent electrical characterizations revealed that the electronic transport in carbon films was dominated by defect, localized, and extended states, respectively, when increasing the temperature from 75 to 292 K. The nanocrystalline graphene films presented higher carrier mobility and lower carrier concentration than those of a-C films, which was mainly attributed to their smaller conductive activation energy. The present investigation provides an effective way for direct growth of graphene films on glass at reduced temperatures and also offers useful insights into the understanding of structural and electrical relationship between a-C and graphene.

  17. Investigation of bioactivity and cell effects of nano-porous sol-gel derived bioactive glass film

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ma, Zhijun; Ji, Huijiao; Hu, Xiaomeng; Teng, Yu; Zhao, Guiyun; Mo, Lijuan; Zhao, Xiaoli; Chen, Weibo; Qiu, Jianrong; Zhang, Ming

    2013-11-01

    In orthopedic surgery, bioactive glass film coating is extensively studied to improve the synthetic performance of orthopedic implants. A lot of investigations have confirmed that nano-porous structure in bioactive glasses can remarkably improve their bioactivity. Nevertheless, researches on preparation of nano-porous bioactive glasses in the form of film coating and their cell response activities are scarce. Herein, we report the preparation of nano-porous bioactive glass film on commercial glass slide based on a sol-gel technique, together with the evaluation of its in vitro bioactivity through immersion in simulated body fluid and monitoring the precipitation of apatite-like layer. Cell responses of the samples, including attachment, proliferation and osteogenic differentiation, were also investigated using BMSCS (bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells) as a model. The results presented here provide some basic information on structural influence of bioactive glass film on the improvement of bioactivity and cellular effects.

  18. Fabrication of resonant patterns using thermal nano-imprint lithography for thin-film photovoltaic applications.

    PubMed

    Khaleque, Tanzina; Svavarsson, Halldor Gudfinnur; Magnusson, Robert

    2013-07-01

    A single-step, low-cost fabrication method to generate resonant nano-grating patterns on poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA; plexiglas) substrates using thermal nano-imprint lithography is reported. A guided-mode resonant structure is obtained by subsequent deposition of thin films of transparent conductive oxide and amorphous silicon on the imprinted area. Referenced to equivalent planar structures, around 25% and 45% integrated optical absorbance enhancement is observed over the 450-nm to 900-nm wavelength range in one- and two-dimensional patterned samples, respectively. The fabricated elements provided have 300-nm periods. Thermally imprinted thermoplastic substrates hold potential for low-cost fabrication of nano-patterned thin-film solar cells for efficient light management.

  19. Protolytic carbon film technology

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

    Renschler, C.L.; White, C.A.

    1996-04-01

    This paper presents a technique for the deposition of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) on virtually any surface allowing carbon film formation with only the caveat that the substrate must withstand carbonization temperatures of at least 600 degrees centigrade. The influence of processing conditions upon the structure and properties of the carbonized film is discussed. Electrical conductivity, microstructure, and morphology control are also described.

  20. Multifunctional Poly(2,5-benzimidazole)/Carbon Nanotube Composite Films

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-01-01

    Multifunctional Poly(2,5- benzimidazole )/Carbon Nanotube Composite Films JI-YE KANG,1 SOO-MI EO,1 IN-YUP JEON,1 YEONG SUK CHOI,2 LOON-SENG TAN,3 JONG...molecular-weight poly(2,5- benzimidazole ) (ABPBI). ABPBI/carbon nanotube (CNT) compo- sites were prepared via in situ polymerization of the AB-monomer in the...polymerization; multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT); nano- composites; poly(2,5- benzimidazole ); (ABPBI); polycondensa- tion; poly(phosphoric acid); single-walled

  1. Growth control of carbon nanotubes using by anodic aluminum oxide nano templates.

    PubMed

    Park, Yong Seob; Choi, Won Seek; Yi, Junsin; Lee, Jaehyeong

    2014-05-01

    Anodic Aluminum Oxide (AAO) template prepared in acid electrolyte possess regular and highly anisotropic porous structure with pore diameter range from five to several hundred nanometers, and with a density of pores ranging from 10(9) to 10(11) cm(-2). AAO can be used as microfilters and templates for the growth of CNTs and metal or semiconductor nanowires. Varying anodizing conditions such as temperature, electrolyte, applied voltage, anodizing and widening time, one can control the diameter, the length, and the density of pores. In this work, we deposited Al thin film by radio frequency magnetron sputtering method to fabricate AAO nano template and synthesized multi-well carbon nanotubes on a glass substrate by microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPECVD). AAO nano-porous templates with various pore sizes and depths were introduced to control the dimension and density of CNT arrays. The AAO nano template was synthesize on glass by two-step anodization technique. The average diameter and interpore distance of AAO nano template are about 65 nm and 82 nm. The pore density and AAO nano template thickness are about 2.1 x 10(10) pores/cm2 and 1 microm, respectively. Aligned CNTs on the AAO nano template were synthesized by MPECVD at 650 degrees C with the Ni catalyst layer. The length and diameter of CNTs were grown 2 microm and 50 nm, respectively.

  2. 3D nano-structures for laser nano-manipulation

    PubMed Central

    Seniutinas, Gediminas; Gervinskas, Gediminas; Brasselet, Etienne; Juodkazis, Saulius

    2013-01-01

    Summary The resputtering of gold films from nano-holes defined in a sacrificial PMMA mask, which was made by electron beam lithography, was carried out with a dry plasma etching tool in order to form well-like structures with a high aspect ratio (height/width ≈ 3–4) at the rims of the nano-holes. The extraordinary transmission through the patterns of such nano-wells was investigated experimentally and numerically. By doing numerical simulations of 50-nm and 100-nm diameter polystyrene beads in water and air, we show the potential of such patterns for self-induced back-action (SIBA) trapping. The best trapping conditions were found to be a trapping force of 2 pN/W/μm2 (numerical result) exerted on a 50-nm diameter bead in water. The simulations were based on the analytical Lorentz force model. PMID:24062979

  3. Growth of fullerene-like carbon nitride thin solid films consisting of cross-linked nano-onions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Czigány, Zs.; Brunell, I. F.; Neidhardt, J.; Hultman, L.; Suenaga, K.

    2001-10-01

    Fullerene-like CNx (x≈0.12) thin solid films were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering of graphite in a nitrogen and argon discharge on cleaved NaCl and Si(001) substrates at 450 °C. As-deposited films consist of 5 nm diam CNx nano-onions with shell sizes corresponding to Goldberg polyhedra determined by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Electron energy loss spectroscopy revealed that N incorporation is higher in the core of the onions than at the perimeter. N incorporation promotes pentagon formation and provides reactive sites for interlinks between shells of the onions. A model is proposed for the formation of CNx nano-onions by continuous surface nucleation and growth of hemispherical shells.

  4. Strongly coupled inorganic-nano-carbon hybrid materials for energy storage.

    PubMed

    Wang, Hailiang; Dai, Hongjie

    2013-04-07

    The global shift of energy production from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources requires more efficient and reliable electrochemical energy storage devices. In particular, the development of electric or hydrogen powered vehicles calls for much-higher-performance batteries, supercapacitors and fuel cells than are currently available. In this review, we present an approach to synthesize electrochemical energy storage materials to form strongly coupled hybrids (SC-hybrids) of inorganic nanomaterials and novel graphitic nano-carbon materials such as carbon nanotubes and graphene, through nucleation and growth of nanoparticles at the functional groups of oxidized graphitic nano-carbon. We show that the inorganic-nano-carbon hybrid materials represent a new approach to synthesize electrode materials with higher electrochemical performance than traditional counterparts made by simple physical mixtures of electrochemically active inorganic particles and conducting carbon materials. The inorganic-nano-carbon hybrid materials are novel due to possible chemical bonding between inorganic nanoparticles and oxidized carbon, affording enhanced charge transport and increased rate capability of electrochemical materials without sacrificing specific capacity. Nano-carbon with various degrees of oxidation provides a novel substrate for nanoparticle nucleation and growth. The interactions between inorganic precursors and oxidized-carbon substrates provide a degree of control over the morphology, size and structure of the resulting inorganic nanoparticles. This paper reviews the recent development of inorganic-nano-carbon hybrid materials for electrochemical energy storage and conversion, including the preparation and functionalization of graphene sheets and carbon nanotubes to impart oxygen containing groups and defects, and methods of synthesis of nanoparticles of various morphologies on oxidized graphene and carbon nanotubes. We then review the applications of the SC

  5. Assisted deposition of nano-hydroxyapatite onto exfoliated carbon nanotube oxide scaffolds.

    PubMed

    Zanin, H; Rosa, C M R; Eliaz, N; May, P W; Marciano, F R; Lobo, A O

    2015-06-14

    Electrodeposited nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAp) is more similar to biological apatite in terms of microstructure and dimension than apatites prepared by other processes. Reinforcement with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) enhances its mechanical properties and increases adhesion of osteoblasts. Here, we carefully studied nHAp deposited onto vertically aligned multi-walled CNT (VAMWCNT) scaffolds by electrodeposition and soaking in a simulated body fluid (SBF). VAMWCNTs are porous biocompatible scaffolds with nanometric porosity and exceptional mechanical and chemical properties. The VAMWCNT films were prepared on a Ti substrate by a microwave plasma chemical vapour deposition method, and then oxidized and exfoliated by oxygen plasma etching (OPE) to produce graphene oxide (GO) at the VAMWCNT tips. The attachment of oxygen functional groups was found to be crucial for nHAp nucleation during electrodeposition. A thin layer of plate-like and needle-like nHAp with high crystallinity was formed without any need for thermal treatment. This composite (henceforth referred to as nHAp-VAMWCNT-GO) served as the scaffold for in vitro biomineralization when soaked in the SBF, resulting in the formation of both carbonate-rich and carbonate-poor globular-like nHAp. Different steps in the deposition of biological apatite onto VAMWCNT-GO and during the short-term biomineralization process were analysed. Due to their unique structure and properties, such nano-bio-composites may become useful in accelerating in vivo bone regeneration processes.

  6. Assisted deposition of nano-hydroxyapatite onto exfoliated carbon nanotube oxide scaffolds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zanin, H.; Rosa, C. M. R.; Eliaz, N.; May, P. W.; Marciano, F. R.; Lobo, A. O.

    2015-05-01

    Electrodeposited nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAp) is more similar to biological apatite in terms of microstructure and dimension than apatites prepared by other processes. Reinforcement with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) enhances its mechanical properties and increases adhesion of osteoblasts. Here, we carefully studied nHAp deposited onto vertically aligned multi-walled CNT (VAMWCNT) scaffolds by electrodeposition and soaking in a simulated body fluid (SBF). VAMWCNTs are porous biocompatible scaffolds with nanometric porosity and exceptional mechanical and chemical properties. The VAMWCNT films were prepared on a Ti substrate by a microwave plasma chemical vapour deposition method, and then oxidized and exfoliated by oxygen plasma etching (OPE) to produce graphene oxide (GO) at the VAMWCNT tips. The attachment of oxygen functional groups was found to be crucial for nHAp nucleation during electrodeposition. A thin layer of plate-like and needle-like nHAp with high crystallinity was formed without any need for thermal treatment. This composite (henceforth referred to as nHAp-VAMWCNT-GO) served as the scaffold for in vitro biomineralization when soaked in the SBF, resulting in the formation of both carbonate-rich and carbonate-poor globular-like nHAp. Different steps in the deposition of biological apatite onto VAMWCNT-GO and during the short-term biomineralization process were analysed. Due to their unique structure and properties, such nano-bio-composites may become useful in accelerating in vivo bone regeneration processes.

  7. Thermal behaviour and corrosion resistance of nano-ZnO/polyurethane film

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Virgawati, E.; Soegijono, B.

    2018-03-01

    Hybrid materials Nano-ZnO/polyurethane film was prepared with different zinc oxide (ZnO) content in polyurethane as a matrix. The film was deposited on low carbon steel plate using high volume low pressure (HVLP) method. To observe thermal behaviour of the film, the sample was investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to see whether any chemical reaction of ZnO in polyurethane occured. TGA and FTIR results showed that the decomposition temperature shifted to a higher point and the chemical reaction of zinc oxide in polyurethane occurred. The surface morphology changed and the corrosion resistance increased with an increase of ZnO content

  8. Effect of lead ion concentration on the structural and optical properties of nano-crystalline PbS thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zaman, S.; Mehmood, S. K.; Mansoor, M.; Asim, M. M.

    2014-06-01

    PbS thin films have received considerable attention because of their potential applications in opto-electronics applications. Spontaneous reaction of lead acetate and thiourea in aqueous hydrazine hydrate has been used for depositing PbS thin films on glass substrates. Structural and optical properties of PbS thin films are greatly influenced by the morality of the reactants and crystal defects in the lattice. Our work focuses on the variation in lead ion concentration and its effect on the structural and optical properties of PbS thin films. The deposited films were analyzed using XRD, SEM, spectrophotometer and dark resistance measurement. XRD patterns indicated the formation of major phase of nano crystalline PbS with minor presence of lead oxide phase. We also noticed that peak intensity ratio of I111/I200 varied by changing the Pb ion concentration. The film thickness and dark resistance increased whereas optical band gap decreased with the decreasing Pb ion concentration. SEM scans showed that the grain size is less than 100 nm and is not affected by varying Pb ion concentration.

  9. Novel nano-semiconductor film layer supported nano-Pd Complex Nanostructured Catalyst Pd/Ⓕ-MeOx/AC for High Efficient Selective Hydrogenation of Phenol to Cyclohexanone.

    PubMed

    Si, Jiaqi; Ouyang, Wenbing; Zhang, Yanji; Xu, Wentao; Zhou, Jicheng

    2017-04-28

    Supported metal as a type of heterogeneous catalysts are the most widely used in industrial processes. High dispersion of the metal particles of supported catalyst is a key factor in determining the performance of such catalysts. Here we report a novel catalyst Pd/Ⓕ-MeO x /AC with complex nanostructured, Pd nanoparticles supported on the platelike nano-semiconductor film/activated carbon, prepared by the photocatalytic reduction method, which exhibited high efficient catalytic performance for selective hydrogenation of phenol to cyclohexanone. Conversion of phenol achieved up to more than 99% with a lower mole ratio (0.5%) of active components Pd and phenol within 2 h at 70 °C. The synergistic effect of metal nanoparticles and nano-semiconductors support layer and the greatly increasing of contact interface of nano-metal-semiconductors may be responsible for the high efficiency. This work provides a clear demonstration that complex nanostructured catalysts with nano-metal and nano-semiconductor film layer supported on high specific surface AC can yield enhanced catalytic activity and can afford promising approach for developing new supported catalyst.

  10. Density functional theory for field emission from carbon nano-structures.

    PubMed

    Li, Zhibing

    2015-12-01

    Electron field emission is understood as a quantum mechanical many-body problem in which an electronic quasi-particle of the emitter is converted into an electron in vacuum. Fundamental concepts of field emission, such as the field enhancement factor, work-function, edge barrier and emission current density, will be investigated, using carbon nanotubes and graphene as examples. A multi-scale algorithm basing on density functional theory is introduced. We will argue that such a first principle approach is necessary and appropriate for field emission of nano-structures, not only for a more accurate quantitative description, but, more importantly, for deeper insight into field emission. Copyright © 2015 The Author. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Terahertz Science and Technology of Macroscopically Aligned Carbon Nanotube Films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kono, Junichiro

    One of the outstanding challenges in nanotechnology is how to assemble individual nano-objects into macroscopic architectures while preserving their extraordinary properties. For example, the one-dimensional character of electrons in individual carbon nanotubes leads to extremely anisotropic transport, optical, and magnetic phenomena, but their macroscopic manifestations have been limited. Here, we describe methods for preparing macroscopic films, sheets, and fibers of highly aligned carbon nanotubes and their applications to basic and applied terahertz studies. Sufficiently thick films act as ideal terahertz polarizers, and appropriately doped films operate as polarization-sensitive, flexible, powerless, and ultra-broadband detectors. Together with recently developed chirality enrichment methods, these developments will ultimately allow us to study dynamic conductivities of interacting one-dimensional electrons in macroscopic single crystals of single-chirality single-wall carbon nanotubes.

  12. Automatic hammering of nano-patterns on special polymer film by using a vibrating AFM tip

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Complicated nano-patterns with linewidth less than 18 nm can be automatically hammered by using atomic force microscopy (AFM) tip in tapping mode with high speed. In this study, the special sample was thin poly(styrene-ethylene/butylenes-styrene) (SEBS) block copolymer film with hexagonal spherical microstructures. An ordinary silicon tip was used as a nano-hammer, and the entire hammering process is controlled by a computer program. Experimental results demonstrate that such structure-tailored thin films enable AFM tip hammering to be performed on their surfaces. Both imprinted and embossed nano-patterns can be generated by using a vibrating tip with a larger tapping load and by using a predefined program to control the route of tip movement as it passes over the sample’s surface. Specific details for the fabrication of structure-tailored SEBS film and the theory for auto-hammering patterns were presented in detail. PMID:22889045

  13. SERS activity of Ag decorated nanodiamond and nano-β-SiC, diamond-like-carbon and thermally annealed diamond thin film surfaces.

    PubMed

    Kuntumalla, Mohan Kumar; Srikanth, Vadali Venkata Satya Siva; Ravulapalli, Satyavathi; Gangadharini, Upender; Ojha, Harish; Desai, Narayana Rao; Bansal, Chandrahas

    2015-09-07

    In the recent past surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) based bio-sensing has gained prominence owing to the simplicity and efficiency of the SERS technique. Dedicated and continuous research efforts have been made to develop SERS substrates that are not only stable, durable and reproducible but also facilitate real-time bio-sensing. In this context diamond, β-SiC and diamond-like-carbon (DLC) and other related thin films have been promoted as excellent candidates for bio-technological applications including real time bio-sensing. In this work, SERS activities of nanodiamond, nano-β-SiC, DLC, thermally annealed diamond thin film surfaces were examined. DLC and thermally annealed diamond thin films were found to show SERS activity without any metal nanostructures on their surfaces. The observed SERS activities of the considered surfaces are explained in terms of the electromagnetic enhancement mechanism and charge transfer resonance process.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2013-07-01

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

  15. Exploring electronic structure of one-atom thick polycrystalline graphene films: A nano angle resolved photoemission study

    PubMed Central

    Avila, José; Razado, Ivy; Lorcy, Stéphane; Fleurier, Romain; Pichonat, Emmanuelle; Vignaud, Dominique; Wallart, Xavier; Asensio, María C.

    2013-01-01

    The ability to produce large, continuous and defect free films of graphene is presently a major challenge for multiple applications. Even though the scalability of graphene films is closely associated to a manifest polycrystalline character, only a few numbers of experiments have explored so far the electronic structure down to single graphene grains. Here we report a high resolution angle and lateral resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (nano-ARPES) study of one-atom thick graphene films on thin copper foils synthesized by chemical vapor deposition. Our results show the robustness of the Dirac relativistic-like electronic spectrum as a function of the size, shape and orientation of the single-crystal pristine grains in the graphene films investigated. Moreover, by mapping grain by grain the electronic dynamics of this unique Dirac system, we show that the single-grain gap-size is 80% smaller than the multi-grain gap recently reported by classical ARPES. PMID:23942471

  16. Synthesis of sea urchin-like carbon nanotubes on nano-diamond powder.

    PubMed

    Hwang, E J; Lee, S K; Jeong, M G; Lee, Y B; Lim, D S

    2012-07-01

    Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have unique atomic structure and properties, such as a high aspect ratio and high mechanical, electrical and thermal properties. On the other hand, the agglomeration and entanglement of CNTs restrict their applications. Sea urchin-like multiwalled carbon nanotubes, which have a small aspect ratio, can minimize the problem of dispersion. The high hardness, thermal conductivity and chemical inertness of the nano-diamond powder make it suitable for a wide range of applications in the mechanical and electronic fields. CNTs were synthesized on nano-diamond powder by thermal CVD to fabricate a filler with suitable mechanical properties and chemical stability. This paper reports the growth of CNTs with a sea urchin-like structure on the surface of the nano-diamond powder. Nano-diamond powders were dispersed in an attritional milling system using zirconia beads in ethanol. After the milling process, 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APS) was added as a linker. Silanization was performed between the nano-diamond particles and the metal catalyst. Iron chloride was used as a catalyst for the fabrication of the CNTs. After drying, catalyst-attached nano-diamond powders could be achieved. The growth of the carbon nanotubes was carried out by CVD. The CNT morphology was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The mean diameter and length of the CNTs were 201 nm and 3.25 microm, respectively.

  17. High-rate nano-crystalline Li 4Ti 5O 12 attached on carbon nano-fibers for hybrid supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Naoi, Katsuhiko; Ishimoto, Shuichi; Isobe, Yusaku; Aoyagi, Shintaro

    A lithium titanate (Li 4Ti 5O 12)-based electrode which can operate at unusually high current density (300 C) was developed as negative electrode for hybrid capacitors. The high-rate Li 4Ti 5O 12 electrode has a unique nano-structure consisting of unusually small nano-crystalline Li 4Ti 5O 12 (ca. 5-20 nm) grafted onto carbon nano-fiber anchors (nc-Li 4Ti 5O 12/CNF). This nano-structured nc-Li 4Ti 5O 12/CNF composite are prepared by simple sol-gel method under ultra-centrifugal force (65,000 N) followed by instantaneous annealing at 900 °C for 3 min. A model hybrid capacitor cell consisting of a negative nc-Li 4Ti 5O 12/CNF composite electrode and a positive activated carbon electrode showed high energy density of 40 Wh L -1 and high power density of 7.5 kW L -1 comparable to conventional EDLCs.

  18. Electrical, thermal, catalytic and magnetic properties of nano-structured materials and their applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Zuwei

    Nanotechnology is a subject that studies the fabrication, properties, and applications of materials on the nanometer-scale. Top-down and bottom-up approaches are commonly used in nano-structure fabrication. The top-down approach is used to fabricate nano-structures from bulk materials by lithography, etching, and polishing etc. It is commonly used in mechanical, electronic, and photonic devices. Bottom-up approaches fabricate nano-structures from atoms or molecules by chemical synthesis, self-assembly, and deposition, such as sol-gel processing, molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), focused ion beam (FIB) milling/deposition, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and electro-deposition etc. Nano-structures can have several different dimensionalities, including zero-dimensional nano-structures, such as fullerenes, nano-particles, quantum dots, nano-sized clusters; one-dimensional nano-structures, such as carbon nanotubes, metallic and semiconducting nanowires; two-dimensional nano-structures, such as graphene, super lattice, thin films; and three-dimensional nano-structures, such as photonic structures, anodic aluminum oxide, and molecular sieves. These nano-structured materials exhibit unique electrical, thermal, optical, mechanical, chemical, and magnetic properties in the quantum mechanical regime. Various techniques can be used to study these properties, such as scanning probe microscopy (SPM), scanning/transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM), micro Raman spectroscopy, etc. These unique properties have important applications in modern technologies, such as random access memories, display, solar energy conversion, chemical sensing, and bio-medical devices. This thesis includes four main topics in the broad area of nanoscience: magnetic properties of ferro-magnetic cobalt nanowires, plasmonic properties of metallic nano-particles, photocatalytic properties of titanium dioxide nanotubes, and electro-thermal-optical properties of carbon nanotubes. These materials and their

  19. Evaluation of the adhesion on the nano-scaled polymeric film systems.

    PubMed

    Park, Tae Sung; Park, Ik Keun; Yoshida, Sanichiro

    2017-04-01

    We applied scanning acoustic microscopy known as the V(z) curve technique to photoresist thin-film systems for the evaluation of the adhesive strength at the film-substrate interface. Through the measurement of the SAW (Surface Acoustic Wave) velocity, the V(z) curve analysis allows us to quantify the stiffness of the film-substrate interface. In addition, we conducted a nano-scratch test to quantify the ultimate strength of the adhesion through the evaluation of the critical load. To vary the adhesive conditions, we prepared thin-film specimens with three different types of pre-coating surface treatments, i.e., oxygen-plasma bombardment, HMDS (Hexametyldisilazane) treatment and untreated. The magnitudes of the quantified stiffness and ultimate strength are found consistent with each other for all the specimens tested, indicating that the pre-coating surface treatment can strengthen both the stiffness and ultimate strength of the adhesion. The results of this study demonstrate the usefulness of the V(Z) analysis as a nondestructive method to evaluate the adhesion strength of nano-structured thin-film systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Nanopatterned carbon films with engineered morphology by direct carbonization of UV-stabilized block copolymer films.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yong; Liu, Jinquan; Christiansen, Silke; Kim, Dong Ha; Gösele, Ulrich; Steinhart, Martin

    2008-11-01

    Nanopatterned thin carbon films were prepared by direct and expeditious carbonization of the block copolymer polystyrene- block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS- b-P2VP) without the necessity of slow heating to the process temperature and of addition of further carbon precursors. Carbonaceous films having an ordered "dots-on-film" surface topology were obtained from reverse micelle monolayers. The regular nanoporous morphology of PS- b-P2VP films obtained by subjecting reverse micelle monolayers to swelling-induced surface reconstruction could likewise be transferred to carbon films thus characterized by ordered nanopit arrays. Stabilization of PS- b-P2VP by UV irradiation and the concurrent carbonization of both blocks were key to the conservation of the film topography. The approach reported here may enable the realization of a broad range of nanoscaled architectures for carbonaceous materials using a block copolymer ideally suited as a template because of the pronounced repulsion between its blocks and its capability to form highly ordered microdomain structures.

  1. Fabrication and Cytocompatibility of In Situ Crosslinked Carbon Nanomaterial Films

    PubMed Central

    Patel, Sunny C.; Lalwani, Gaurav; Grover, Kartikey; Qin, Yi-Xian; Sitharaman, Balaji

    2015-01-01

    Assembly of carbon nanomaterials into two-dimensional (2D) coatings and films that harness their unique physiochemical properties may lead to high impact energy capture/storage, sensors, and biomedical applications. For potential biomedical applications, the suitability of current techniques such as chemical vapor deposition, spray and dip coating, and vacuum filtration, employed to fabricate macroscopic 2D all carbon coatings or films still requires thorough examination. Each of these methods presents challenges with regards to scalability, suitability for a large variety of substrates, mechanical stability of coatings or films, or biocompatibility. Herein we report a coating process that allow for rapid, in situ chemical crosslinking of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into macroscopic all carbon coatings. The resultant coatings were found to be continuous, electrically conductive, significantly more robust, and cytocompatible to human adipose derived stem cells. The results lay groundwork for 3D layer-on-layer nanomaterial assemblies (including various forms of graphene) and also opens avenues to further explore the potential of MWCNT films as a novel class of nano-fibrous mats for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. PMID:26018775

  2. Electrolytic Generation of Nano-Scale Carbon Phases with Framework Structures in Molten Salts on Metal Cathodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Novoselova, Inessa A.; Oliinyk, Nikolai F.; Voronina, Anastasiya B.; Volkov, Sergei V.

    2008-08-01

    An electrochemical study of mechanisms of electrodeposition of carbon solid phases from halide melts (Na,K|Cl; Na,K,Cs|Cl), saturated with carbon dioxide under an excessive pressure of up to 1.5 MPa, has been carried out in the temperature range 550 - 850 °C by cyclic voltammetry. It has been found that the cathode process occurs in three steps at sweep rates of less than 0.1 Vs-1, and its electrochemical-chemical-electrochemical (ECE) mechanism is suggested. It has furthermore been found that cathodic deposits contain nano-sized carbon particles of different forms and structure: blocks of amorphous carbon, crystalline graphite, carbon nanotubes (CNT), and nanofibres. The outer diameter of the tubes is 5 - 250 nm, and the internal diameter is 2 - 140 nm. A correlation between the product structure and yield against electrolysis conditions and regimes has been established.

  3. Preparation, Properties, and Structure of Hydrogenated Amorphous Carbon Films.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Hsiung

    1990-01-01

    Hydrogenated amorphous carbon films (a-C:H) have been deposited on glass, fused silica, Si, Mo, Al, and 304 stainless steel at room temperature by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The rf glow discharge and plasma kinetics of the deposition process were investigated. Negative self-bias voltage V_{rm b} and gas pressure P were used as two major deposition parameters. The hydrogen concentration, internal stress, mass density, hardness, and thickness of the deposited films were measured. In the low energy deposition region, 0 > V_{rm b} > -100 V, soft polymerlike films with high hydrogen concentration and low density were found. Hard diamondlike films with high stress were deposited in the bias voltage range, -100 V > V _{rm b} > -1000 V. Dark graphitic films with low hydrogen concentration were grown at V_ {rm b} < -1000 V. The optical absorption of a series of a-C:H films have been measured. Optical energy gaps deduced from optical absorption data using the Tauc relation lie between 0.8 eV and 1.4 eV. Doping of a-C:H films by boron and sulfur is accompanied by an increasing number of gap states, i.e., the absorption coefficient is increased and the optical gap is reduced. The thermal stability was studied by thermal desorption spectroscopy and heat treatment at atmospheric pressure. A structural study of a-C:H films was performed using data taken on our films and from literature sources. The relation between cluster size and the intensity ratio of Raman peaks was studied. A comparison of the films as described by the graphitic cluster two-phase (GCT) model, the random covalent network (RCN) model and the all-sp ^2 defect graphite (DG) model was made. The properties and structure of a-C:H films are sensitively dependent on the preparation conditions. Correlations between the deposition conditions, structure, and properties are determined.

  4. Sub-micron phase coexistence in small-molecule organic thin films revealed by infrared nano-imaging

    PubMed Central

    Westermeier, Christian; Cernescu, Adrian; Amarie, Sergiu; Liewald, Clemens; Keilmann, Fritz; Nickel, Bert

    2014-01-01

    Controlling the domain size and degree of crystallization in organic films is highly important for electronic applications such as organic photovoltaics, but suitable nanoscale mapping is very difficult. Here we apply infrared-spectroscopic nano-imaging to directly determine the local crystallinity of organic thin films with 20-nm resolution. We find that state-of-the-art pentacene films (grown on SiO2 at elevated temperature) are structurally not homogeneous but exhibit two interpenetrating phases at sub-micrometre scale, documented by a shifted vibrational resonance. We observe bulk-phase nucleation of distinct ellipsoidal shape within the dominant pentacene thin-film phase and also further growth during storage. A faint topographical contrast as well as X-ray analysis corroborates our interpretation. As bulk-phase nucleation obstructs carrier percolation paths within the thin-film phase, hitherto uncontrolled structural inhomogeneity might have caused conflicting reports about pentacene carrier mobility. Infrared-spectroscopic nano-imaging of nanoscale polymorphism should have many applications ranging from organic nanocomposites to geologic minerals. PMID:24916130

  5. Freestanding nano crystalline Tin@carbon anode electrodes for high capacity Li-ion batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guler, M. O.; Guzeler, M.; Nalci, D.; Singil, M.; Alkan, E.; Dogan, M.; Guler, A.; Akbulut, H.

    2018-07-01

    Due to their high specific capacities tin based electrode materials are in the focus of many researchers almost for a decade. However, tin based electrodes are hampered in practical applications due to the volumetric changes during the lithiation and delithiation processes. Therefore, we designed and synthesized a novel "yolk-shell" structure in order to remove these challenges. The production of high purity nano Sn particles were synthesized through a facile chemical reduction method. As-synthesized nano particles were then embedded into conformal and self-standing carbon architectures, designed with hollow space in between the shell and the active electrode particles. As-synthesized Sn@C composite particles were decorated between the layers of graphene produced by Hummers method in order to obtained self-standing thin graphene films. A stable discharge capacity of 284.5 mA h g-1 after 250 cycles is obtained. The results have shown that Sn@C@graphene composite electrodes will be a promising novel candidate electrode material for high capacity lithium ion batteries.

  6. Structural and Electrical Characteristics of Carbon Nanowalls Synthesized on the Polyimide Film.

    PubMed

    Kwon, Seok Hun; Kim, Hyung Jin; Choi, Won Seok; Kang, Hyunil

    2018-09-01

    In this study, the structural and electrical characteristics of carbon nanowalls (CNWs) synthesized on polyimide films were investigated. CNWs were synthesized on polyimide films as various growth times. The cross-section and surface of the CNWs synthesized were examined using FE-SEM. The growth and defects of CNWs were observed by raman spectrum. The hall measurement system was used to analyzed sheet resistance, resistivity and conductivity. The CNWs synthesized at 40 minutes showed outstanding structural and electrical characterizations than another growth times.

  7. Electrochemical and anticorrosion behaviors of hybrid functionalized graphite nano-platelets/tripolyphosphate in epoxy-coated carbon steel

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

    Mohammadi, Somayeh, E-mail: somaye.mohammadi32@aut.ac.ir; Shariatpanahi, Homeira; Taromi, Faramarz Afshar

    Highlights: • FGNP was combined with TPP to obtain a hybrid nano-particle. • TEM image showed uniform distribution of the hybrid nanoparticles in epoxy coating. • FGNP is a substrate for linking of TPP anions by hydrogen bonding. • FGNP as an accelerator, provides rapid iron phosphate passive film formation. • The hybrid nano-particle can provide long-term corrosion protection. - Abstract: Functionalized graphite nano-platelets (FGNP) were combined with tripolyphosphate (TPP) to gain a hybrid nano-particle (FGNP-TPP) with homogenous dispersion in epoxy, resulting in an excellent anti-corrosion coating for carbon steel substrate. Characterization analyses of the hybrid nano-particle were performed bymore » FT-IR, SEM, XRD and TEM. TPP was linked to FGNP nano-particles by hydrogen bondings. Different epoxy coatings formulated with 1 wt.% of FGNP, FGNP-TPP and TPP were evaluated. Electrochemical investigations, salt spray and pull-off tests showed that the hybrid nano-particle can provide long-term corrosion protection compared to FGNP and TPP due to synergistic effect between FGNP as an accelerator and TPP as a corrosion inhibitor to produce a uniform and stable iron-phosphate passive film with high surface coverage.« less

  8. Structure Evolution and Thermoelectric Properties of Carbonized Polydopamine Thin Films.

    PubMed

    Li, Haoqi; Aulin, Yaroslav V; Frazer, Laszlo; Borguet, Eric; Kakodkar, Rohit; Feser, Joseph; Chen, Yan; An, Ke; Dikin, Dmitriy A; Ren, Fei

    2017-03-01

    Carbonization of nature-inspired polydopamine can yield thin films with high electrical conductivity. Understanding of the structure of carbonized PDA (cPDA) is therefore highly desired. In this study, neutron diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and other techniques indicate that cPDA samples are mainly amorphous with some short-range ordering and graphite-like structure that emerges with increasing heat treatment temperature. The electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient show different trends with heat treatment temperature, while the thermal conductivity remains insensitive. The largest room-temperature ZT of 2 × 10 -4 was obtained on samples heat-treated at 800 °C, which is higher than that of reduced graphene oxide.

  9. Preparation methodologies and nano/microstructural evaluation of metal/semiconductor thin films.

    PubMed

    Chen, Zhiwen; Jiao, Zheng; Wu, Minghong; Shek, Chan-Hung; Wu, C M Lawrence; Lai, Joseph K L

    2012-01-01

    Metal/semiconductor thin films are a class of unique materials that are widespread technological applications, particularly in the field of microelectronic devices. Assessment strategies of fractal and tures are of fundamental importance in the development of nano/microdevices. This review presents the preparation methodologies and nano/microstructural evaluation of metal/semiconductor thin films including Au/Ge bilayer films and Pd-Ge alloy thin films, which show in the form of fractals and nanocrystals. Firstly, the extended version of Au/Ge thin films for the fractal crystallization of amorphous Ge and the formation of nanocrystals developed with improved micro- and nanostructured features are described in Section 2. Secondly, the nano/microstructural characteristics of Pd/Ge alloy thin films during annealing have been investigated in detail and described in Section 3. Finally, we will draw the conclusions from the present work as shown in Section 4. It is expected that the preparation methodologies developed and the knowledge of nano/microstructural evolution gained in metal/semiconductor thin films, including Au/Ge bilayer films and Pd-Ge alloy thin films, will provide an important fundamental basis underpinning further interdisciplinary research in these fields such as physics, chemistry, materials science, and nanoscience and nanotechnology, leading to promising exciting opportunities for future technological applications involving these thin films.

  10. Structural properties of nitrogenated amorphous carbon films: Influence of deposition temperature and radiofrequency discharge power

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lazar, G.; Bouchet-Fabre, B.; Zellama, K.; Clin, M.; Ballutaud, D.; Godet, C.

    2008-10-01

    The structural properties of nitrogenated amorphous carbon deposited by radiofrequency magnetron sputtering of graphite in pure N2 plasma are investigated as a function of the substrate temperature and radiofrequency discharge power. The film composition is derived from x-ray photoemission spectroscopy, nuclear reaction analysis and elastic recoil detection measurements and the film microstructure is discussed using infrared, Raman, x-ray photoemission and near edge x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopic results. At low deposition temperature and low radiofrequency power, the films are soft, porous, and easily contaminated with water vapor and other atmospheric components. The concentration of nitrogen in the films is very large for low deposition temperatures (˜33.6at.% N at 150°C) but decreases strongly when the synthesis temperature increases (˜15at.% N at 450°C). With increasing deposition temperature and discharge power values, the main observed effects in amorphous carbon nitride alloys are a loss of nitrogen atoms, a smaller hydrogen and oxygen contamination related to the film densification, an increased order of the aromatic sp2 phase, and a strong change in the nitrogen distribution within the carbon matrix. Structural changes are well correlated with modifications of the optical and transport properties.

  11. Nano-enabled tribological thin film coatings: global patent scenario.

    PubMed

    Sivudu, Kurva S; Mahajan, Yashwant R; Joshi, Shrikant V

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to present current status and future prospects of nano-enabled tribological thin film coatings based on worldwide patent landscape analysis. The study also presents an overview of technological trends by carrying out state-of-the-art literature analysis, including survey of corporate websites. Nanostructured tribological coatings encompass a wide spectrum of nanoscale microstructures, including nanocrystalline, nanolayered, nano-multilayered, nanocomposite, nanogradient structures or their unique combinations, which are composed of single or multi-component phases. The distinct microstructural features of the coatings impart outstanding tribological properties combined with multifunctional attributes to the coated components. Their unique combination of remarkable properties make them ideal candidates for a wide range of applications in diverse fields such as cutting and metalworking tools, biomedical devices, automotive engine components, wear parts, hard disc drives etc. The patent landscape analysis has revealed that nano-enabled tribological thin film coatings have significant potential for commercial applications in view of the lion's share of corporate industry in patenting activity. The largest patent portfolio is held by Japan followed by USA, Germany, Sweden and China. The prominent players involved in this field are Mitsubishi Materials Corp., Sandvik Aktiebolag, Hitachi Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd., OC Oerlikon Corp., and so on. The outstanding potential of nanostructured thin film tribological coatings is yet to be fully unravelled and, therefore, immense opportunities are available in future for microstructurally engineered novel coatings to enhance their performance and functionality by many folds.

  12. Investigation of the Structural, Electrical, and Optical Properties of the Nano-Scale GZO Thin Films on Glass and Flexible Polyimide Substrates

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Fang-Hsing; Chen, Kun-Neng; Hsu, Chao-Ming; Liu, Min-Chu; Yang, Cheng-Fu

    2016-01-01

    In this study, Ga2O3-doped ZnO (GZO) thin films were deposited on glass and flexible polyimide (PI) substrates at room temperature (300 K), 373 K, and 473 K by the radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering method. After finding the deposition rate, all the GZO thin films with a nano-scale thickness of about 150 ± 10 nm were controlled by the deposition time. X-ray diffraction patterns indicated that the GZO thin films were not amorphous and all exhibited the (002) peak, and field emission scanning electron microscopy showed that only nano-scale particles were observed. The dependences of the structural, electrical, and optical properties of the GZO thin films on different deposition temperatures and substrates were investigated. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) was used to measure the elemental composition at the chemical and electronic states of the GZO thin films deposited on different substrates, which could be used to clarify the mechanism of difference in electrical properties of the GZO thin films. In this study, the XPS binding energy spectra of Ga2p3/2 and Ga2p1/2 peaks, Zn2p3/2 and Zn2p1/2 peaks, the Ga3d peak, and O1s peaks for GZO thin films on glass and PI substrates were well compared. PMID:28335216

  13. Dynamic studies of nano-confined polymer thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Geng, Kun

    Polymer thin films with the film thickness (h0 ) below 100 nm often exhibit physical properties different from the bulk counterparts. In order to make the best use of polymer thin films in applications, it is important to understand the physical origins of these deviations. In this dissertation, I will investigate how different factors influence dynamic properties of polymer thin films upon nano-confinement, including glass transition temperature (Tg), effective viscosity (etaeff) and self-diffusion coefficient (D ). The first part of this dissertation concerns the impacts of the molecular weight (MW) and tacticity on the Tg's of nano-confined polymer films. Previous experiments showed that the Tg of polymer films could be depressed or increased as h0 decreases. While these observations are usually attributed to the effects of the interfaces, some experiments suggested that MW's and tacticities might also play a role. To understand the effects of these factors, the Tg's of silica-based poly(alpha-methyl styrene) (PalphaMS/SiOx) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA/SiOx) thin films were studied, and the results suggested that MW's and tacticities influence Tg in nontrivial ways. The second part concerns an effort to resolve the long-standing controversy about the correlation between different dynamics of polymer thin films upon nano-confinement. Firstly, I discuss the experimental results of Tg, D and etaeff of poly(isobutyl methacrylate) films supported by silica (PiBMA/SiOx). Both T g and D were found to be independent of h 0, but etaeff decreased with decreasing h 0. Since both D and etaeff describe transport phenomena known to depend on the local friction coefficient or equivalently the local viscosity, it is questionable why D and etaeff displayed seemingly inconsistent h 0 dependencies. We envisage the different h0 dependencies to be caused by Tg, D and etaeff being different functions of the local T g's (Tg,i) or viscosities (eta i). By assuming a three

  14. Application of nano-TiO2/LDPE composite film on photocatalytic oxidation degradation of dichloromethane.

    PubMed

    Suwannahong, Kowit; Liengcharernsit, Winai; Sanongraj, Wipada; Kruenate, Jittiporn

    2012-09-01

    This study focused on the photocatalytic destruction of dichloromethane (DCM) in indoor air using the nano-TiO2/LDPE composite film as an economical photocatalyst. The nano-TiO2 was dispersed in a polyethylene matrix to form composite film. The photocatalytic activity of the nano-TiO2/LDPE composite films was evaluated through the degradation of dichloromethane(DCM) under UV-C irradiance at specific wavelength of 254 nm. The percentage of nano-TiO2 contents varied from 0, 5, and 10% (wt cat./wt LDPE composite film). The results derived from the kinetic model revealed that the photocatalytic rates of 5 and 10 wt.% nano-TiO2/ LDPE composite films follow the first order reaction while the rate of the film without TiO2 followed the zero order reaction. At low concentration of DCM, the rate of photocatalytic degradation of the DCM was slower than that at high DCM concentration. The 10 wt.% of TiO2 content of the nano-TiO2/LDPE composite film yielded the highest degradation efficiency of 78%, followed by the removal efficiency of 55% for the 5 wt.% of TiO2 content of the nano-TiO2/LDPE composite film. In contrast with the composite film containing nano-TiO2, the LDPE film without adding nano-TiO2 expressed the degradation efficiency of 28%.

  15. Electronic structure of cyclodextrin–carbon nanotube composite films

    DOE PAGES

    Jeong, Hae Kyung; Echeverria, Elena; Chakraborti, Priyanka; ...

    2017-02-10

    The electronic structures of two kinds of cyclodextrin–carbon nanotube (αCD–CNT and γCD–CNT) composite films are investigated by using (angular dependent) photoelectron spectroscopy to gain insight as to why the αCD–CNT and γCD–CNT composite films show different performances in biosensor applications. The γCD–CNT composite film is likely to have the CD localized on the surface rather than in the bulk of the film, while αCD–CNT has CD relatively more concentrated within the bulk of selvedge region of the film, rather than the surface. The results indicate that the CD, of the γCD–CNT composite, may be more bioactive, and possibly a bettermore » sensor of biomolecules due to the favorable surface position compared with that of αCD–CNT. The valence band of αCD–CNT and γCD–CNT show little difference from the CNT film except for a density of states, originating from CD, evident at a binding energy near 27 eV below Fermi level, meaning that there are few or no redox interactions between the CD and the CNT. The absence of a redox interaction between the CD and the CNT permits a clear electrochemical response to occur when guest biomolecules are captured on the composites, providing a route to biosensor applications.« less

  16. Compostability assessment of nano-reinforced poly(lactic acid) films.

    PubMed

    Balaguer, M P; Aliaga, C; Fito, C; Hortal, M

    2016-02-01

    Nanomaterials can provide plastics with great advantages on mechanical and active properties (i.e. release and capture of specific substances). Therefore, packaging is expected to become one of the leading applications for these substances by 2020. There are some applications already in the market. Nevertheless, there is still some areas under development. A key issue to be analyzed is the end-of-life of these materials once they become waste, and specifically when nanomaterials are used in biodegradable products. The present study evaluated the disintegration, biodegradability, and ecotoxicity of poly(lactic acid) films reinforced with the three following nanomaterials: (1) montmorillonite modified with an ammonium quaternary salt, (2) calcium carbonate and (3) silicon dioxide. Results on disintegration showed that films completely disintegrated into visually indistinguishable residues after 6-7weeks of incubation in composting environment. Moreover, no differences were observed in the evolution of the bioresidue with respect to color, aspect, and odor in comparison with the control. It was also observed that nanomaterials did not significantly reduce the level of biodegradability of PLA (p>0.05). In fact, biodegradation was higher, without finding significant differences (p>0.05), in all the nano-reinforced samples with respect to PLA after 130days in composting (9.4% in PLA+Nano-SiO2; 34.0% in PLA+Clay1; 48.0% in PLA+Nano-CaCO3). Finally, no significant differences (p>0.05) in ecotoxicity in plants were observed as a result of the incorporation of nanoparticles in the PLA matrix. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Method to obtain carbon nano-onions by pyrolisys of propane

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garcia-Martin, Tomas; Rincon-Arevalo, Pedro; Campos-Martin, Gemma

    2013-11-01

    We present a new and simple method for carbon nano-onions (CNOs) production which is based on the pyrolysis of Propane. CNOs are originated in a laminar premixed Propane/Oxygen flame of approximately 1.8 of stoichiometric coefficient. The stream of gasses resulting from the combustion drives the carbon particles towards the aluminium surface on which nano-onions are deposited and collected. The structure and size of the deposited carbon onion on the metal wall are characterized by High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy technique (HRTEM). The experimental images show the presence of two different types of CNOs. The first particles have diameters in the range of 18-25 nm and the second ones around 10 nm.

  18. Structure evolution and thermoelectric properties of carbonized polydopamine thin films

    DOE PAGES

    Li, Haoqi; Aulin, Yaroslav V.; Frazer, Laszlo; ...

    2017-02-13

    Carbonization of nature-inspired polydopamine can yield thin films with high electrical conductivity. Understanding of the structure of carbonized PDA (cPDA) is therefore highly desired. In this study, neutron diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and other techniques indicate that cPDA samples are mainly amorphous with some short-range ordering and graphite-like structure that emerges with increasing heat treatment temperature. The electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient show different trends with heat treatment temperature, while the thermal conductivity remains insensitive. Finally, the largest room-temperature ZT of 2 × 10 –4 was obtained on samples heat-treated at 800 °C, which is higher than that of reducedmore » graphene oxide.« less

  19. Microwave plasma CVD of NANO structured tin/carbon composites

    DOEpatents

    Marcinek, Marek [Warszawa, PL; Kostecki, Robert [Lafayette, CA

    2012-07-17

    A method for forming a graphitic tin-carbon composite at low temperatures is described. The method involves using microwave radiation to produce a neutral gas plasma in a reactor cell. At least one organo tin precursor material in the reactor cell forms a tin-carbon film on a supporting substrate disposed in the cell under influence of the plasma. The three dimensional carbon matrix material with embedded tin nanoparticles can be used as an electrode in lithium-ion batteries.

  20. Nano-honeycomb structured transparent electrode for enhanced light extraction from organic light-emitting diodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shi, Xiao-Bo; Qian, Min; Wang, Zhao-Kui; Liao, Liang-Sheng

    2015-06-01

    A universal nano-sphere lithography method has been developed to fabricate nano-structured transparent electrode, such as indium tin oxide (ITO), for light extraction from organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Perforated SiO2 film made from a monolayer colloidal crystal of polystyrene spheres and tetraethyl orthosilicate sol-gel is used as a template. Ordered nano-honeycomb pits on the ITO electrode surface are obtained by chemical etching. The proposed method can be utilized to form large-area nano-structured ITO electrode. More than two folds' enhancement in both current efficiency and power efficiency has been achieved in a red phosphorescent OLED which was fabricated on the nano-structured ITO substrate.

  1. Thermal annealing and SHI irradiation induced modifications in sandwiched structured Carbon-gold-Carbon (a-C/Au/a-C) nanocomposite thin film

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singh, S. K.; Singhal, R.

    2017-09-01

    In the present work, we study the annealing and swift heavy ion (SHI) beam induced modifications in the optical and structural properties of sandwiched structured Carbon-gold-Carbon (a-C/Au/a-C) nanocomposite (NCs) thin films. The NCs thin films were synthesized by electron-beam evaporation technique at room temperature with ∼30 nm thickness for both carbon layer and ∼6 nm for gold layer. Gold-carbon NCs thin films were annealed in the presence of argon at a temperature of 500 °C, 600 °C and 750 °C. The NCs thin films were also irradiated with 90 MeV Ni ions beam with different ion fluences in the range from 3 × 1012, 6 × 1012 and 1 × 1013 ions/cm2. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of Au nanoparticles are not observed in the pristine film but, after annealing at temperature of 600 °C and 750 °C, it was clearly seen at ∼534 nm as confirmed by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy. 90 MeV Ni irradiated thin film at the fluence of 1 × 1013 ions/cm2 also show strong absorption band at ∼534 nm. The growth and size of Au nanoparticle for pristine and 90 MeV Ni ion irradiated thin film with fluence of 1 × 1013 ions/cm2, were estimated by Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images with the bi-model distribution. The size of the gold nanoparticle (NPs) was found to be ∼4.5 nm for the pristine film and ∼5.4 nm for the irradiated film at a fluence of 1 × 1013 ions/cm2. The thickness and metal atomic fraction in carbon matrix were estimated by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS). The effect of annealing as well as heavy ion irradiation on D and G band of carbon matrix were studied by Raman spectroscopy.

  2. Photo-induced thermoelectric response in suspended single-walled carbon nanotube films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    St-Antoine, Benoit; Menard, David; Martel, Richard

    2010-03-01

    A study was carried out on the position dependent photovoltage of suspended single-walled carbon nanotube films in vacuum. The photoresponse of such films was found to be driven by a thermal mechanism, rather than by direct photoexcitation of carriers. [1] A model was developed which establishes a relation between the photoresponse profile and the local Seebeck coefficient of the film, thus opening up new perspectives for material characterization. The technique was demonstrated by monitoring the doping changes in the nanotube films obtained by successive current conditioning steps. Since the Seebeck coefficient of carbon nanotubes spans a considerable range depending on their doping state, the photovoltage amplitude can be tuned and large responses have been measured (up to 0.75mV for 1.2mW). [4pt] [1] B. St-Antoine et al. Nano Lett. 9, 3503 (2009)

  3. Fabrication of a high-density nano-porous structure on polyimide by using ultraviolet laser irradiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ma, Yong-Won; Jeong, Myung Yung; Lee, Sang-Mae; Shin, Bo Sung

    2016-03-01

    A new approach for fabricating a high-density nano-porous structure on polyimide (PI) by using a 355-nm UV laser is presented here. When PI was irradiated by using a laser, debris that had electrical conductivity was generated. Accordingly, that debris caused electrical defects in the field of electronics. Thus, many researchers have tried to focus on a clean processing without debris. However, this study focused on forming a high density of debris so as to fabricate a nano-porous structure consisting of nanofibers on the PI film. A PI film with closed pores and open pores was successfully formed by using a chemical blowing agent (azodicarbonamide, CBA) in an oven. Samples were precured at 130 °C and cured at 205 °C in sequence so that the closed pores might not coalesce in the film. When the laser irradiated the PI film with closed pores, nanofibers were generated because polyimide was not completely decomposed by photochemical ablation. Our results indicated that a film with micro-closed pores, in conjunction with a 355-nm pulsed laser, can facilitate the fabrication of a high-density nano-porous structure.

  4. Selective Photophysical Modification on Light-Emitting Polymer Films for Micro- and Nano-Patterning

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Xinping; Liu, Feifei; Li, Hongwei

    2016-01-01

    Laser-induced cross-linking in polymeric semiconductors was utilized to achieve micro- and nano-structuring in thin films. Single- and two-photon cross-linking processes led to the reduction in both the refractive index and thickness of the polymer films. The resultant photonic structures combine the features of both relief- and phase-gratings. Selective cross-linking in polymer blend films based on different optical response of different molecular phases enabled “solidification” of the phase-separation scheme, providing a stable template for further photonic structuring. Dielectric and metallic structures are demonstrated for the fabrication methods using cross-linking in polymer films. Selective cross-linking enables direct patterning into polymer films without introducing additional fabrication procedures or additional materials. The diffraction processes of the emission of the patterned polymeric semiconductors may provide enhanced output coupling for light-emitting diodes or distributed feedback for lasers. PMID:28773248

  5. Theory and Device Modeling for Nano-Structured Transistor Channels

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-06-01

    zinc oxide ( ZnO ) thin film transistors ( TFTs ) that contain nanocrystalline grains on the order of ~20nm. The authors of ref. 1 present results...problem in order to determine the threshold voltage. 15. SUBJECT TERMS nano-structured transistor , mesoscopic, zinc oxide , ZnO , field-effect...and R. Neidhard, “Microwave ZnO Thin - Film Transistors ”, IEEE Electron Dev. Lett. 29, 1024 (2008); doi: 10.1109/LED.2008.2001635.

  6. Preparation and characterization of PVP-PVA–ZnO blend polymer nano composite films

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

    Divya, S., E-mail: divi.fysics@gmail.com; Saipriya, G.; Hemalatha, J., E-mail: hemalatha@nitt.edu

    Flexible self-standing films of PVP-PVA blend composites are prepared by using ZnO as a nano filler at different concentrations. The structural, compositional, morphological and optical studies made with the help of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis) and Photoluminescence (PL) spectra are presented in this paper. The results of XRD indicate that ZnO nanoparticles are formed with hexagonal phase in the polymeric matrix. SEM images show the dispersion of ZnO nano filler in the polymer matrix. UV–vis spectra reveal that the absorption peak is centered around 235more » nm and 370 nm for the nano composite films. The blue shift is observed with decrease in the concentration of the nano filler. PL spectra shows the excitation wavelength is given at 320 nm.The emission peaks were observed at 383 nm ascribing to the electronic transitions between valence band and conduction band and the peak at 430 nm.« less

  7. The adsorption of rare earth ions using carbonized polydopamine nano shells

    DOE PAGES

    Sun, Xiaoqi; Luo, Huimin; Mahurin, Shannon Mark; ...

    2016-01-07

    Herein we report the structure effects of nano carbon shells prepared by carbonized polydopamine for rare earth elements (REEs) adsorption for the first time. The solid carbon sphere, 60 nm carbon shell and 500 nm carbon shell were prepared and investigated for adsorption and desorption of REEs. The adsorption of carbon shells for REEs was found to be better than the solid carbon sphere. The effect of acidities on the adsorption and desorption properties was discussed in this study. The good adsorption performance of carbon shells can be attributed to their porous structure, large specific surface area, amine group andmore » carbonyl group of dopamine.« less

  8. NanoSIMS Reveals New Structural and Elemental Signatures of Early Life

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Oehler, Dorothy Z.; Mostefaoui, Smail; Meibom, Anders; Selo, Madeleine; Robert, Francois; McKay, David S.

    2006-01-01

    The young technology of NanoSIMS is unlocking new information from organic matter in ancient sediments. We have used this technique to characterize sub-micron scale element composition of Proterozoic organics that are clearly biogenic as a guide for interpreting problematic structures in terrestrial or extraterrestrial samples. We used the NanoSIMS 50 of the National Museum of Natural History in Paris to map carbon, nitrogen (as CN), and sulfur in organic structures from the approximately 0.8 Ga Bitter Springs Formation. We analyzed spheroidal and filamentous microfossils as well as organic laminae that appeared amorphous by optical and scanning electron microscopy. In clear-cut microfossils, a coincidence between optical images and NanoSIMS element maps suggests a biological origin for the mapped carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen; this conclusion is supported by high resolution NanoSIMS maps showing identical spatial distributions of C, CN and S. High resolution images also demonstrate distinctive nano structure of the filaments and spheroids. In the amorphous laminae, NanoSIMS reveals morphologies reminiscent of compressed microfossils. Distinct CN/C ratios of the spheroids, filaments, and laminae may reflect their biological precursors (cell walls, cyanobacterial sheaths, and microbial communities/biofilms, respectively). Similar amorphous laminae comprise a preponderance of the organic matter in many Precambrian deposits. Thus it is possible that NanoSIMS will provide fresh insight into a large body of previously uninterpretable material. Additionally, NanoSIMS analysis may establish new biosignatures that will be helpful for assessing the origin and biogenicity of controversial Archean structures and any organic materials that may occur in Martian or other extraterrestrial samples.

  9. Nano CaCO₃ imprinted starch hybrid polyethylhexylacrylate\\polyvinylalcohol nanocomposite thin films.

    PubMed

    Prusty, Kalyani; Swain, Sarat K

    2016-03-30

    Starch hybrid polyethylhexylacrylate (PEHA)/polyvinylalcohol (PVA) nanocomposite thin films are prepared by different composition of nano CaCO3 in aqueous medium. The chemical interaction of nano CaCO3 with PEHA in presence of starch and PVA is investigated by Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). X-ray diffraction (XRD) is used in order to study the change in crystallite size and d-spacing during the formation of nanocomposite thin film. The surface morphology of nanofilms is studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The topology and surface roughness of the films is noticed by atomic force microscope (AFM). The tensile strength, thermal stability and thermal conductivity of films are increased with increase in concentrations of CaCO3 nanopowder. The chemical resistance and biodegradable properties of the nanocomposite thin films are also investigated. The growth of bacteria and fungi in starch hybrid PEHA film is reduced substantially with imprint of nano CaCO3. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Coaxial carbon plasma gun deposition of amorphous carbon films

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sater, D. M.; Gulino, D. A.; Rutledge, S. K.

    1984-01-01

    A unique plasma gun employing coaxial carbon electrodes was used in an attempt to deposit thin films of amorphous diamond-like carbon. A number of different structural, compositional, and electrical characterization techniques were used to characterize these films. These included scanning electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, X ray diffraction and absorption, spectrographic analysis, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and selected area electron diffraction. Optical absorption and electrical resistivity measurements were also performed. The films were determined to be primarily amorphous, with poor adhesion to fused silica substrates. Many inclusions of particulates were found to be present as well. Analysis of these particulates revealed the presence of trace impurities, such as Fe and Cu, which were also found in the graphite electrode material. The electrodes were the source of these impurities. No evidence of diamond-like crystallite structure was found in any of the film samples. Details of the apparatus, experimental procedure, and film characteristics are presented.

  11. The Evolution of Fabricated Gold Thin Films to Nano-Micro Particles Under Thermal Annealing Process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hajivaliei, Mahdi; Nazari, Saeed

    2016-06-01

    Gold (Au) thin films with thickness of 35nm were prepared by electron beam deposition onto flat glass substrates under high vacuum (5.3×10-3Pa) condition and they were annealed in the range of 573-873 K for 1 and 2h in atmospheric pressure. The influence of the annealing temperature on the evolution of Au thin film to nano-micro particles was studied. Moreover, the basic properties of the films, namely morphological, structural and optical were investigated. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that the Au thin films were cubic structure phase with lattice parameter around a=4.0786Å. The most preferential orientation is along (111) planes for all Au films. The lattice parameter and grain size in the films were calculated by X-ray patterns and correlated with annealing temperatures. The obtained results of ultraviolet-visible spectrometry (UV-Vis) indicate that with increasing annealing temperature, the surface plasmon resonance peak of gold nanocrystallite will disappear which implies the size of particles are grown. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) results show that the prepared gold thin films have been converted to nano-micro gold particles in different annealing temperatures. These results lead to controlling the size of produced nanocrystallite.

  12. Re-crystallization of ITO films after carbon irradiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Usman, Muhammad; Khan, Shahid; Khan, Majid; Abbas, Turab Ali

    2017-01-01

    2.0 MeV carbon ion irradiation effects on Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) thin films on glass substrate are investigated. The films are irradiated with carbon ions in the fluence range of 1 × 1013 to 1 × 1015 ions/cm2. The irradiation induced effects in ITO are compared before and after ion bombardment by systematic study of structural, optical and electrical properties of the films. The XRD results show polycrystalline nature of un-irradiated ITO films which turns to amorphous state after 1 × 1013 ions/cm2 fluence of carbon ions. Further increase in ion fluence to 1 × 1014 ions/cm2 re-crystallizes the structure and retains for even higher fluences. A gradual decrease in the electrical conductivity and transmittance of irradiated samples is observed with increasing ion fluence. The band gap of the films is observed to be decreased after carbon irradiation.

  13. 3-dimensional free standing micro-structures by proton beam writing of Su 8-silver nanoParticle polymeric composite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Igbenehi, H.; Jiguet, S.

    2012-09-01

    Proton beam lithography a maskless direct-write lithographic technique (well suited for producing 3-Dimensional microstructures in a range of resist and semiconductor materials) is demonstrated as an effective tool in the creation of electrically conductive freestanding micro-structures in an Su 8 + Nano Silver polymer composite. The structures produced show non-ohmic conductivity and fit the percolation theory conduction model of tunneling of separated nanoparticles. Measurements show threshold switching and a change in conductivity of at least 4 orders of magnitude. The predictable range of protons in materials at a given energy is exploited in the creation of high aspect ratio, free standing micro-structures, made from a commercially available SU8 Silver nano-composite (GMC3060 form Gersteltec Inc. a negative tone photo-epoxy with added metallic nano-particles(Silver)) to create films with enhanced electrical properties when exposed and cured. Nano-composite films are directly written on with a finely focused MeV accelerated Proton particle beam. The energy loss of the incident proton beams in the target polymer nano- composite film is concentrated at the end of its range, where damage occurs; changing the chemistry of the nano-composite film via an acid initiated polymerization - creating conduction paths. Changing the energy of the incident beams provide exposed regions with different penetration and damage depth - exploited in the demonstrated cantilever microstructure.

  14. The effect of nitrogen incorporation on the bonding structure of hydrogenated carbon nitride films

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

    Camero, M.; Buijnsters, J. G.; Gomez-Aleixandre, C.

    2007-03-15

    This work describes the composition and bonding structure of hydrogenated carbon nitride (a-CN{sub x}:H) films synthesized by electron cyclotron resonance chemical vapor deposition using as precursor gases argon, methane, and nitrogen. The composition of the films was derived from Rutherford backscattering and elastic recoil detection analysis and the bonding structure was examined by infrared (IR) spectroscopy and x-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES). By varying the nitrogen to methane ratio in the applied gas mixture, polymeric a-CN{sub x}:H films with N/C contents varying from 0.06 to 0.49 were obtained. Remarkably, the H content of the films ({approx}40 at. %) wasmore » rather unaffected by the nitrogenation process. The different bonding states as detected in the measured XANES C(1s) and N(1s) spectra have been correlated with those of a large number of reference samples. The XANES and IR spectroscopy results indicate that N atoms are efficiently incorporated into the amorphous carbon network and can be found in different bonding environments, such as pyridinelike, graphitelike, nitrilelike, and amino groups. The nitrogenation of the films results in the formation of N-H bonding environments at the cost of C-H structures. Also, the insertion of N induces a higher fraction of double bonds in the structure at the expense of the linear polymerlike chains, hence resulting in a more cross-linked solid. The formation of double bonds takes place through complex C=N structures and not by formation of graphitic aromatic rings. Also, the mechanical and tribological properties (hardness, friction, and wear) of the films have been studied as a function of the nitrogen content. Despite the major modifications in the bonding structure with nitrogen uptake, no significant changes in these properties are observed.« less

  15. Equivalent-Continuum Modeling of Nano-Structured Materials

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Odegard, Gregory M.; Gates, Thomas S.; Nicholson, Lee M.; Wise, Kristopher E.

    2001-01-01

    A method has been developed for modeling structure-property relationships of nano-structured materials. This method serves as a link between computational chemistry and solid mechanics by substituting discrete molecular structures with an equivalent-continuum model. It has been shown that this substitution may be accomplished by equating the vibrational potential energy of a nano-structured material with the strain energy of representative truss and continuum models. As an important example with direct application to the development and characterization of single-walled carbon nanotubes, the model has been applied to determine the effective continuum geometry of a graphene sheet. A representative volume element of the equivalent-continuum model has been developed with an effective thickness. This effective thickness has been shown to be similar to, but slightly smaller than, the interatomic spacing of graphite.

  16. Tracing photosynthetic carbon in leaves with nanoSIMS after 13CO2 labelling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dannoura, Masako; Takeuchi, Miyuki; Kominami, Yuji; Takanashi, Satoru; Kenichi, Yoshimura; Ataka, Mioko

    2015-04-01

    To understand the carbon allocation of the tree and forest ecosystem, it is important to consider the residence time of carbon in different pools at suitable time scales. For example the carbon used for respiration will stay a few minutes to a few days in the tree, the carbon used for storage or structure of leaves will stay months to years, and the carbon used for wood structure, it will stay over the whole lifespan of the tree. The leaves are the entrance of carbon in trees where it can be used for foliage growth and maintenance or exported to the other organs or the other forest ecosystem compartments. Tracing carbon isotope using NanoSIMS technique is one of useful methods to estimate where and how long the carbon stay in the tree organs. In this study, 13CO2 pulse labelling were conducted and 13C was measured by IRMS to see the amount of C remaining in the leaves with time.NanoSIMS was used to localize where the labelled C remained within the leaf tissue. Twice labelling were done on branches of Quercus serrata at FFPRI(Forest and Forest Products research Institute) in Kyoto, Japan. The first labelling was in 30 April 2012 when the leaves start flushing and the second one was in 29 May 2012 when the leaves were completely deployed. For both labelling experiment, one branch was selected and covered with transparent plastic bag. CO2 concentration was recorded with IRGA and air temperature inside the chamber was monitored. Then 13CO2 was injected into the bag, and after 1 hour, the bag was removed and the branch was again exposed to ambient air. Leaves were collected before and 10-12 times after labelling and their isotope compositions were measured by IRMS. The leaf collected just after labelling and 6 days after labelling were used for NanoSIMS observation. Samples for nanoSIMS were preserved in glutaraldehyde and then embed in epoxy resin. The sliced sample were placed on the silicon wafer and observed by NanoSIMS 50L(Cameca, France). The 13C was highest just

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

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

    2005-01-01

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

  18. Method for nano-pumping using carbon nanotubes

    DOEpatents

    Insepov, Zeke [Darien, IL; Hassanein, Ahmed [Bolingbrook, IL

    2009-12-15

    The present invention relates generally to the field of nanotechnology, carbon nanotubes and, more specifically, to a method and system for nano-pumping media through carbon nanotubes. One preferred embodiment of the invention generally comprises: method for nano-pumping, comprising the following steps: providing one or more media; providing one or more carbon nanotubes, the one or more nanotubes having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of one or more nanotubes is in contact with the media; and creating surface waves on the carbon nanotubes, wherein at least a portion of the media is pumped through the nanotube.

  19. Physical properties of spin-valve films grown on naturally oxidized metal nano-oxide surfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mao, Ming; Cerjan, Charlie; Kools, Jacques

    2002-05-01

    The physical properties of spin-valve films NiFe 25 Å/CoFe 10 Å/Cu(tCu)/CoFe 30 Å/IrMn 70 Å/Ta 20 Å with graded Cu layer thickness (tCu=18-45 Å) grown on the surface of metal nano-oxide layers (NOLs) were studied. The NOLs were formed from ultrathin Al, Cr, Cu, Nb, Ta, CoFe, NiFe, and NiFeCr layers by natural oxidation. The growth of the spin-valve films on NOLs has led to an enhancement in giant magnetoresistance value by up to 48%. A corresponding reduction in minimum film resistance by over 10% confirms that this enhancement originates from an increase in the mean free path of spin-polarized electrons due to the resultant specular reflection at the nano-oxide surfaces. A wide spectrum of oscillatory interlayer exchange coupling dependence on tCu for these NOL-bearing films suggests that a specular nano-oxide surface does not necessarily result in a smoother multilayer structure. The observation of an enhanced exchange biasing among these spin-valve films appears in contradiction to the observed deterioration of their crystallographic quality. As an important application, TaOx, CrOx, and NbOx could be employed as an alternative to AlOx as the barrier layer for magnetic tunnel junctions.

  20. Structural, morphological and optical properties of PEDOT:PSS/QDs nano-composite films prepared by spin-casting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Najeeb, Mansoor Ani; Abdullah, Shahino Mah; Aziz, Fakhra; Ahmad, Zubair; Rafique, Saqib; Wageh, S.; Al-Ghamdi, Ahmed A.; Sulaiman, Khaulah; Touati, Farid; Shakoor, R. A.; Al-Thani, N. J.

    2016-09-01

    This paper describes the structural, morphological and optical properties of the nano-composite of poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) and quantum dots (QDs). The ZnSe and CdSe QDs have been synthesized, with the aid of Mercaptoacetic acid (MAA), by a colloidal method with an average size of 5 to 7 nm. QDs have been embedded in PEDOT:PSS using a simple solution processing approach and has been deposited as thin films by spin coating technique. The QDs embedded PEDOT:PSS enhances the light absorption spectra of samples, prominently in terms of absorption intensity which may consequently improve sensitivity of the optoelectronic devices.

  1. Microstructure and physical properties of nano-biocomposite films based on cassava starch and laponite.

    PubMed

    Valencia, Germán Ayala; Luciano, Carla Giovana; Lourenço, Rodrigo Vinicius; do Amaral Sobral, Paulo José

    2018-02-01

    The aim of this research was to study the effects of laponite concentrations on some properties of nano-biocomposite films based on cassava starch, focusing mainly the relation between the properties of the surface microstructure and roughness, water contact angle and gloss. Nano-biocomposite films were produced by casting. We analyzed gloss, color, opacity, water contact angle, crystallinity by X-ray diffraction, and microstructure by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Texture parameters (energy, entropy and fractal dimension) were extracted from micrographs. We observed a great impact of laponite in the morphology of nano-biocomposite films. Texture parameters correlated with surface heterogeneity and roughness. Finally, surface roughness affected the surface hydrophilicity of nano-biocomposite films. Laponite platelets were exfoliated and/or intercalated with amylose and amylopectin chains. This research reports new information on the effects of laponite concentrations on the morphological, optical and wetting properties of nano-biocomposite films aiming future industrial applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Self-sensing and thermal energy experimental characterization of multifunctional cement-matrix composites with carbon nano-inclusions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    D'Alessandro, A.; Pisello, A. L.; Sambuco, Sara; Ubertini, F.; Asdrubali, F.; Materazzi, A. L.; Cotana, F.

    2016-04-01

    The recent progress of Nanotechnology allowed the development of new smart materials in several fields of engineering. In particular, innovative construction materials with multifunctional enhanced properties can be produced. The paper presents an experimental characterization on cement-matrix pastes doped with Carbon Nanotubes, Carbon Nano-fibers, Carbon Black and Graphene Nano-platelets. Both electro-mechanical and thermo-physical investigations have been carried out. The conductive nano-inclusions provide the cementitious matrix with piezo-resistive properties allowing the detection of external strain and stress changes. Thereby, traditional building materials, such as concrete and cementitious materials in general, would be capable of self-monitoring the state of deformation they are subject to, giving rise to diffuse sensing systems of structural integrity. Besides supplying self-sensing abilities, carbon nano-fillers may change mechanical, physical and thermal properties of cementitious composites. The experimental tests of the research have been mainly concentrated on the thermal conductivity and the optical properties of the different nano-modified materials, in order to make a critical comparison between them. The aim of the work is the characterization of an innovative multifunctional composite capable of combining self-monitoring properties with proper mechanical and thermal-energy efficiency characteristics. The potential applications of these nano-modified materials cover a wide range of possibilities, such as structural elements, floors, geothermal piles, radiant systems and more.

  3. Chemical structural analysis of diamondlike carbon films: I. Surface growth model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takabayashi, Susumu; Ješko, Radek; Shinohara, Masanori; Hayashi, Hiroyuki; Sugimoto, Rintaro; Ogawa, Shuichi; Takakuwa, Yuji

    2018-02-01

    The surface growth mechanisms of diamondlike carbon (DLC) films has been clarified. DLC films were synthesized in atmospheres with a fixed methane-to-argon ratio at different temperatures up to 700 °C by the photoemission-assisted glow discharge of photoemission-assisted plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The electrical resistivity of the films decreased logarithmically as the synthesis temperature was increased. Conversely, the dielectric constant of the films increased and became divergent at high temperature. However, the very high electrical resistivity of the film synthesized at 150 °C was retained even after post-annealing treatments at temperatures up to 500 °C, and divergence of the dielectric constant was not observed. Such films exhibited excellent thermal stability and retained large amounts of hydrogen, even after post-annealing treatments. These results suggest that numerous hydrogen atoms were incorporated into the DLC films during synthesis at low temperatures. Hydrogen atoms terminate carbon dangling bonds in the films to restrict π-conjugated growth. During synthesis at high temperature, hydrogen was desorbed from the interior of the growing films and π-conjugated conductive films were formed. Moreover, hydrogen radicals were chemisorbed by carbon atoms at the growing DLC surface, leading to removal of carbon atoms from the surface as methane gas. The methane molecules decomposed into hydrocarbons and hydrogen radicals through the attack of electrons above the surface. Hydrogen radicals contributed to the etching reaction cycle of the film; the hydrocarbon radicals were polymerized by reacting with other radicals and the methane source. The polymer radicals remained above the film, preventing the supply of the methane source and disrupting the action of argon ions. At high temperatures, the resultant DLC films were rough and thin.

  4. Improvement of thermal stability of nano-granular TMR films by using a Mg-Al-O insulator matrix

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kanie, S.; Koyama, S.

    2018-05-01

    A new metal-insulator nano-granular tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) film made of (Fe-Co)-(Mg-Al-O) has been investigated. It is confirmed that the film has granular structure in which crystal Fe-Co granules are surrounded by an amorphous Mg-Al-O matrix. A large MR ratio of 11.8 % at room temperature is observed for a 42 vol.%(Fe0.6Co0.4)-(Mg-Al-O) film annealed at 395 °C. The electrical resistivity increases rapidly by annealing at above the changing point (500 °C). The changing point is about 300 °C higher than that of conventional (Fe-Co)-(Mg-F) nano-granular TMR films. The 42 vol.%(Fe0.6Co0.4)-(Mg-Al-O) film also exhibits less degradation in the MR ratio at high annealing temperatures such as 600 °C. These results suggest the (Fe-Co)-(Mg-Al-O) film is superior to the (Fe-Co)-(Mg-F) film in thermal stability.

  5. A three-dimensional carbon nano-network for high performance lithium ion batteries

    DOE PAGES

    Tian, Miao; Wang, Wei; Liu, Yang; ...

    2014-11-20

    Three-dimensional (3D) network structure has been envisioned as a superior architecture for lithium ion battery (LIB) electrodes, which enhances both ion and electron transport to significantly improve battery performance. Herein, a 3D carbon nano-network is fabricated through chemical vapor deposition of carbon on a scalably manufactured 3D porous anodic alumina (PAA) template. As a demonstration on the applicability of 3D carbon nano-network for LIB electrodes, the low conductivity active material, TiO 2, is then uniformly coated on the 3D carbon nano-network using atomic layer deposition. High power performance is demonstrated in the 3D C/TiO 2 electrodes, where the parallel tubesmore » and gaps in the 3D carbon nano-network facilitates fast Li ion transport. A large areal capacity of ~0.37 mAh·cm –2 is achieved due to the large TiO 2 mass loading in the 60 µm-thick 3D C/TiO 2 electrodes. At a test rate of C/5, the 3D C/TiO 2 electrode with 18 nm-thick TiO 2 delivers a high gravimetric capacity of ~240 mAh g –1, calculated with the mass of the whole electrode. A long cycle life of over 1000 cycles with a capacity retention of 91% is demonstrated at 1C. In this study, the effects of the electrical conductivity of carbon nano-network, ion diffusion, and the electrolyte permeability on the rate performance of these 3D C/TiO 2 electrodes are systematically studied.« less

  6. Hydrogenated nanostructure boron doped amorphous carbon films by DC bias

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ishak, A.; Dayana, K.; Saurdi, I.; Malek, M. F.; Rusop, M.

    2018-03-01

    Hydrogenated nanostructure-boron doped amorphous carbon thin film carbon was deposited at different negative bias using custom-made deposition bias assisted-CVD. Solid of boron and palm oil were used as dopant and carbon source, respectively. The hydrogenated nanostructure amorphous films were characterized by Field emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, while the photo-response studies of thin film is done by I-V measurement under light measurement. The results showed the carbon film were in nanostructure with hydrogen and boron might be incorporated in the film. The Raman spectra observed the increase of upward shift of D and G peaks as negative bias increased which related to the structural change as boron incorporated in carbon network. These structural changes were further correlated with photo-response study and the results obtained are discussed and compared.

  7. Structure and wettability property of the growth and nucleation surfaces of thermally treated freestanding CVD diamond films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pei, Xiaoqiang; Cheng, Shaoheng; Ma, Yibo; Wu, Danfeng; Liu, Junsong; Wang, Qiliang; Yang, Yizhou; Li, Hongdong

    2015-08-01

    This paper reports the surface features and wettability properties of the (1 0 0)-textured freestanding chemical vapor deposited (CVD) diamond films after thermal exposure in air at high temperature. Thermal oxidation at proper conditions eliminates selectively nanodiamonds and non-diamond carbons in the films. The growth side of the films contains (1 0 0)-oriented micrometer-sized columns, while its nucleation side is formed of nano-sized tips. The examined wettability properties of the as-treated diamond films reveal a hydrophilicity and superhydrophilicity on the growth surface and nucleation surface, respectively, which is determined by oxygen termination and geometry structure of the surface. When the surface termination is hydrogenated, the wettability of nucleation side converted from superhydrophilicity to high hydrophobicity, while the hydrophilicity of the growth side does not change significantly. The findings open a possibility for realizing freestanding diamond films having not only novel surface structures but also multifunction applications, especially proposed on the selected growth side or nucleation side in one product.

  8. Filtered pulsed cathodic arc deposition of fullerene-like carbon and carbon nitride films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tucker, Mark D.; Czigány, Zsolt; Broitman, Esteban; Näslund, Lars-Åke; Hultman, Lars; Rosen, Johanna

    2014-04-01

    Carbon and carbon nitride films (CNx, 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.26) were deposited by filtered pulsed cathodic arc and were investigated using transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A "fullerene-like" (FL) structure of ordered graphitic planes, similar to that of magnetron sputtered FL-CNx films, was observed in films deposited at 175 °C and above, with N2 pressures of 0 and 0.5 mTorr. Higher substrate temperatures and significant nitrogen incorporation are required to produce similar FL structure by sputtering, which may, at least in part, be explained by the high ion charge states and ion energies characteristic of arc deposition. A gradual transition from majority sp3-hybridized films to sp2 films was observed with increasing substrate temperature. High elastic recovery, an attractive characteristic mechanical property of FL-CNx films, is evident in arc-deposited films both with and without nitrogen content, and both with and without FL structure.

  9. Nano-yarn carbon nanotube fiber based enzymatic glucose biosensor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Zhigang; Song, Wenhui; Burugapalli, Krishna; Moussy, Francis; Li, Ya-Li; Zhong, Xiao-Hua

    2010-04-01

    A novel brush-like electrode based on carbon nanotube (CNT) nano-yarn fiber has been designed for electrochemical biosensor applications and its efficacy as an enzymatic glucose biosensor demonstrated. The CNT nano-yarn fiber was spun directly from a chemical-vapor-deposition (CVD) gas flow reaction using a mixture of ethanol and acetone as the carbon source and an iron nano-catalyst. The fiber, 28 µm in diameter, was made of bundles of double walled CNTs (DWNTs) concentrically compacted into multiple layers forming a nano-porous network structure. Cyclic voltammetry study revealed a superior electrocatalytic activity for CNT fiber compared to the traditional Pt-Ir coil electrode. The electrode end tip of the CNT fiber was freeze-fractured to obtain a unique brush-like nano-structure resembling a scale-down electrical 'flex', where glucose oxidase (GOx) enzyme was immobilized using glutaraldehyde crosslinking in the presence of bovine serum albumin (BSA). An outer epoxy-polyurethane (EPU) layer was used as semi-permeable membrane. The sensor function was tested against a standard reference electrode. The sensitivities, linear detection range and linearity for detecting glucose for the miniature CNT fiber electrode were better than that reported for a Pt-Ir coil electrode. Thermal annealing of the CNT fiber at 250 °C for 30 min prior to fabrication of the sensor resulted in a 7.5 fold increase in glucose sensitivity. The as-spun CNT fiber based glucose biosensor was shown to be stable for up to 70 days. In addition, gold coating of the electrode connecting end of the CNT fiber resulted in extending the glucose detection limit to 25 µM. To conclude, superior efficiency of CNT fiber for glucose biosensing was demonstrated compared to a traditional Pt-Ir sensor.

  10. Fabrication and modeling of electrochemical double-layer capacitors using carbon nano-onion electrode structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Parigi, Fabio

    Electrochemical capacitors or ultracapacitors (UCs) that are commercially available today overcome battery limitations in terms of charging time (from tens of minutes to seconds) and limited lifetime (from a few thousand cycles up to more than one million) but still lack specific energy and energy density (2-5% of a lithium ion battery). The latest innovations in carbon nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes as an active electrode material for UCs, can provide up to five times as much energy and deliver up to seven times more power than today's activated carbon electrodes. Further improvements in UC power density have been achieved by using state-of-the-art carbon nano-onions (CNOs) for ultracapacitor electrodes. CNO UCs could exhibit up to five times the power density of single-wall CNT UCs and could substantially contribute to reducing the size of an energy storage system as well as the volume and weight, thus improving device performance. This dissertation describes the fabrication of CNO electrodes as part of an UC device, the measurement and analysis of the new electrode's performance as an energy storage component, and development of a new circuit model that accurately describes the CNO UC electrical behavior. The novel model is based on the impedance spectra of CNO UCs and cyclic voltammetry measurements. Further, the model was validated using experimental data and simulation. My original contributions are the fabrication process for reliable and repeatable electrode fabrication and the modeling of a carbon nano-onion ultracapacitor. The carbon nano-onion ultracapacitor model, composed of a resistor, an inductor, a capacitor (RLC), and a constant phase element (CPE), was developed along with a parameter extraction procedure for the benefit of other users. The new model developed, proved to be more accurate than previously reported UC models.

  11. SWS grating for UV band filter by nano-imprint

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Jian-Shian; Liao, Ke-Hao; Chen, Chang-Tai; Lai, Chieh-Lung; Ko, Cheng-Hao

    2009-05-01

    Regarding to researches on manufacturing process, the fabrication of nano structures on SWS (subwavelength structured) grating are mainly produced by photo lithography. We find that UV light transmission efficiency of PET film significantly drops 50% when we put nano structures on the surface of material. In this paper, we add nano structures on the surface of PET film and create a UV band filter. Decent optical filtering effects can be achieved by combining the characteristics of PET materials with nano structures on their surfaces.

  12. Method of producing carbon coated nano- and micron-scale particles

    DOEpatents

    Perry, W. Lee; Weigle, John C; Phillips, Jonathan

    2013-12-17

    A method of making carbon-coated nano- or micron-scale particles comprising entraining particles in an aerosol gas, providing a carbon-containing gas, providing a plasma gas, mixing the aerosol gas, the carbon-containing gas, and the plasma gas proximate a torch, bombarding the mixed gases with microwaves, and collecting resulting carbon-coated nano- or micron-scale particles.

  13. Biological responses of diamond-like carbon (DLC) films with different structures in biomedical application.

    PubMed

    Liao, T T; Zhang, T F; Li, S S; Deng, Q Y; Wu, B J; Zhang, Y Z; Zhou, Y J; Guo, Y B; Leng, Y X; Huang, N

    2016-12-01

    Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films are potential candidates for artificial joint surface modification in biomedical applications, and the influence of the structural features of DLC surfaces on cell functions has attracted attention in recent decades. Here, the biocompatibility of DLC films with different structures was investigated using macrophages, osteoblasts and fibroblasts. The results showed that DLC films with a low ratio of sp(2)/sp(3), which tend to have a structure similar to that of diamond, led to less inflammatory, excellent osteogenic and fibroblastic reactions, with higher cell viability, better morphology, lower release of TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α) and IL-6 (interleukin-6), and higher release of IL-10 (interleukin-10). The results also demonstrated that the high-density diamond structure (low ratio of sp(2)/sp(3)) of DLC films is beneficial for cell adhesion and growth because of better protein adsorption without electrostatic repulsion. These findings provide valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying inhibition of an inflammatory response and the promotion of osteoblastogenesis and fibrous propagation, and effectively build a system for evaluating the biocompatibility of DLC films. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Magnetically-refreshable receptor platform structures for reusable nano-biosensor chips

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yoo, Haneul; Lee, Dong Jun; Cho, Dong-guk; Park, Juhun; Nam, Ki Wan; Tak Cho, Young; Park, Jae Yeol; Chen, Xing; Hong, Seunghun

    2016-01-01

    We developed a magnetically-refreshable receptor platform structure which can be integrated with quite versatile nano-biosensor structures to build reusable nano-biosensor chips. This structure allows one to easily remove used receptor molecules from a biosensor surface and reuse the biosensor for repeated sensing operations. Using this structure, we demonstrated reusable immunofluorescence biosensors. Significantly, since our method allows one to place receptor molecules very close to a nano-biosensor surface, it can be utilized to build reusable carbon nanotube transistor-based biosensors which require receptor molecules within a Debye length from the sensor surface. Furthermore, we also show that a single sensor chip can be utilized to detect two different target molecules simply by replacing receptor molecules using our method. Since this method does not rely on any chemical reaction to refresh sensor chips, it can be utilized for versatile biosensor structures and virtually-general receptor molecular species.

  15. Fabrication and kinetics study of nano-Al/NiO thermite film by electrophoretic deposition.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Daixiong; Li, Xueming

    2015-05-21

    Nano-Al/NiO thermites were successfully prepared as film by electrophoretic deposition (EPD). For the key issue of this EPD, a mixture solvent of ethanol-acetylacetone (1:1 in volume) containing 0.00025 M nitric acid was proved to be a suitable dispersion system for EPD. The kinetics of electrophoretic deposition for both nano-Al and nano-NiO were investigated; the linear relation between deposition weight and deposition time in short time and parabolic relation in prolonged time were observed in both EPDs. The critical transition time between linear deposition kinetics and parabolic deposition kinetics for nano-Al and nano-NiO were 20 and 10 min, respectively. The theoretical calculation of the kinetics of electrophoretic deposition revealed that the equivalence ratio of nano-Al/NiO thermites film would be affected by the behavior of electrophoretic deposition for nano-Al and nano-NiO. The equivalence ratio remained steady when the linear deposition kinetics dominated for both nano-Al and nano-NiO. The equivalence ratio would change with deposition time when deposition kinetics for nano-NiO changed into parabolic kinetics dominated after 10 min. Therefore, the rule was suggested to be suitable for other EPD of bicomposites. We also studied thermodynamic properties of electrophoretic nano-Al/NiO thermites film as well as combustion performance.

  16. Preparation, assessment, and comparison of α-chitin nano-fiber films with different surface charges

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Yan; Jiang, Jie; Liu, Liang; Zheng, Ke; Yu, Shiyuan; Fan, Yimin

    2015-05-01

    Chitin nano-fibers with positive and negative charges have been, respectively, produced from partially deacetylated and 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical (TEMPO)-mediated oxidized α-chitin. The average diameters and lengths of the TEMPO-oxidized chitin nano-fibers (TOChN) were 14 ± 4.3 and 190 ± 140 nm, respectively, and the average diameters and lengths of the partially deacetylated chitin nano-fibers (DEChN) were 6 ± 1.7 and 320 ± 105 nm, respectively. A partially deacetylated chitin nano-fiber film (DEChN-F), a TEMPO-mediated and oxidized chitin nano-fiber film (TOChN-F), and a composite film (DE-TO-ChN-F) consisting of a combination of the two were prepared by drying the dispersions at 40 °C. The DEChN-F, TOChN-F, and DE-TO-ChN-F all have similar tensile strengths of approximately 90 MPa; however, the chitosan film (Chitosan-F) had a tensile strength of approximately 30 MPa. In addition, TOChN-F and DE-TO-ChN-F have a thermal weight loss at 210 °C, and DEChN-F has a thermal weight loss at 280 °C. DEChN-F was found to have antimicrobial activity with regards to Escherichia coli. Finally, the chitin nano-fiber films could be slightly degraded by cellulase, which provided a novel biological performance of the chitin nano-material.

  17. Electronic and optoelectronic nano-devices based on carbon nanotubes.

    PubMed

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

    2012-08-08

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

  18. Prediction Surface Morphology of Nanostructure Fabricated by Nano-Oxidation Technology.

    PubMed

    Huang, Jen-Ching; Chang, Ho; Kuo, Chin-Guo; Li, Jeen-Fong; You, Yong-Chin

    2015-12-04

    Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used for visualization of a nano-oxidation technique performed on diamond-like carbon (DLC) thin film. Experiments of the nano-oxidation technique of the DLC thin film include those on nano-oxidation points and nano-oxidation lines. The feature sizes of the DLC thin film, including surface morphology, depth, and width, were explored after application of a nano-oxidation technique to the DLC thin film under different process parameters. A databank for process parameters and feature sizes of thin films was then established, and multiple regression analysis (MRA) and a back-propagation neural network (BPN) were used to carry out the algorithm. The algorithmic results are compared with the feature sizes acquired from experiments, thus obtaining a prediction model of the nano-oxidation technique of the DLC thin film. The comparative results show that the prediction accuracy of BPN is superior to that of MRA. When the BPN algorithm is used to predict nano-point machining, the mean absolute percentage errors (MAPE) of depth, left side, and right side are 8.02%, 9.68%, and 7.34%, respectively. When nano-line machining is being predicted, the MAPEs of depth, left side, and right side are 4.96%, 8.09%, and 6.77%, respectively. The obtained data can also be used to predict cross-sectional morphology in the DLC thin film treated with a nano-oxidation process.

  19. Non-destructive evaluation of nano-sized structure of thin film devices by using small angle neutron scattering.

    PubMed

    Shin, E J; Seong, B S; Choi, Y; Lee, J K

    2011-01-01

    Nano-sized multi-layers copper-doped SrZrO3, platinum (Pt) and silicon oxide (SiO2) on silicon substrates were prepared by dense plasma focus (DPF) device with the high purity copper anode tip and analyzed by using small angle neutron scattering (SANS) to establish a reliable method for the non-destructive evaluation of the under-layer structure. Thin film was well formed at the time-to-dip of 5 microsec with stable plasma of DPF. Several smooth intensity peaks were periodically observed when neutron beam penetrates the thin film with multi-layers perpendicularly. The platinum layer is dominant to intensity peaks, where the copper-doped SrZnO3 layer next to the platinum layer causes peak broadening. The silicon oxide layer has less effect on the SANS spectra due to its relative thick thickness. The SANS spectra shows thicknesses of platinum and copper-doped SrZnO3 layers as 53 and 25 nm, respectively, which are well agreement with microstructure observation.

  20. Filtered pulsed cathodic arc deposition of fullerene-like carbon and carbon nitride films

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

    Tucker, Mark D., E-mail: martu@ifm.liu.se; Broitman, Esteban; Näslund, Lars-Åke

    Carbon and carbon nitride films (CN{sub x}, 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.26) were deposited by filtered pulsed cathodic arc and were investigated using transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A “fullerene-like” (FL) structure of ordered graphitic planes, similar to that of magnetron sputtered FL-CN{sub x} films, was observed in films deposited at 175 °C and above, with N{sub 2} pressures of 0 and 0.5 mTorr. Higher substrate temperatures and significant nitrogen incorporation are required to produce similar FL structure by sputtering, which may, at least in part, be explained by the high ion charge states and ion energies characteristic of arc deposition. A gradualmore » transition from majority sp{sup 3}-hybridized films to sp{sup 2} films was observed with increasing substrate temperature. High elastic recovery, an attractive characteristic mechanical property of FL-CN{sub x} films, is evident in arc-deposited films both with and without nitrogen content, and both with and without FL structure.« less

  1. Surface Roughness of Various Diamond-Like Carbon Films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Dongping; Liu, Yanhong; Chen, Baoxiang

    2006-11-01

    Atomic force microscopy is used to estimate and compare the surface morphology of hydrogenated and hydrogen-free diamond-like carbon (DLC) films. The films were prepared by using DC magnetron sputtering of a graphite target, pulsed cathodic carbon arcs, electron cyclotron resonance (ECR), plasma source ion implantation and dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). The difference in the surface structure is presented for each method of deposition. The influences of various discharge parameters on the film surface properties are discussed based upon the experimental results. The coalescence process via the diffusion of adsorbed carbon species is responsible for the formation of hydrogen-free DLC films with rough surfaces. The films with surface roughness at an atomic level can be deposited by energetic ion impacts in a highly ionized carbon plasma. The dangling bonds created by atomic hydrogen lead to the uniform growth of hydrocarbon species at the a-C:H film surfaces of the ECR or DBD plasmas.

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

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

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

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

  3. Effect of nano-silver hydrogel coating film on deep partial thickness scald model of rabbit.

    PubMed

    Xi, Peng; Li, Yan; Ge, Xiaojin; Liu, Dandan; Miao, Mingsan

    2018-05-01

    Observing the effect of nano-silver hydrogel coating film on deep partial thickness scald model of rabbit. We prepared boiling water scalded rabbits with deep II degree scald models and applied high, medium and low doses of nano-silver hydrogel coating film for different time and area. Then we compared the difference of burned paper weight before administration and after administration model burns, burn local skin irritation points infection, skin crusting and scabs from the time, and the impact of local skin tissue morphology. Rabbits deep II degree burn model successful modeling; on day 12, 18, high, medium and low doses of nano-silver hydrogel coating film significantly reduced skin irritation of rabbits infected with the integral value ( P  < 0.01, P  < 0.05); high, medium and low doses of nano-silver hydrogel coating film group significantly decreased skin irritation, infection integral value ( P  < 0.01, P  < 0.05); high, medium and low doses of nano-silver hydrogel coating film significantly reduced film rabbits' scalded skin crusting time ( P  < 0.01), significantly shortened the rabbit skin burns from the scab time ( P  < 0.01), and significantly improved the treatment of skin diseases in rabbits scald model change ( P  < 0.01, P  < 0.05). The nano-silver hydrogel coating film on the deep partial thickness burns has a significant therapeutic effect; external use has a significant role in wound healing.

  4. The Structure and Bonding State for Fullerene-Like Carbon Nitride Films with High Hardness Formed by Electron Cyclotron Resonance Plasma Sputtering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kamata, Tomoyuki; Niwa, Osamu; Umemura, Shigeru; Hirono, Shigeru

    2012-12-01

    We studied pure carbon films and carbon nitride (CN) films by using electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) sputtering. The main feature of this method is high density ion irradiation during deposition, which enables the pure carbon films to have fullerene-like (FL) structures without nitrogen incorporation. Furthermore, without substrate heating, the ECR sputtered CN films exhibited an enhanced FL microstructure and hardness comparable to that of diamond at intermediate nitrogen concentration. This microstructure consisted of bent and cross-linked graphene sheets where layered areas remarkably decreased due to increased sp3 bonding. Under high nitrogen concentration conditions, the CN films demonstrated extremely low hardness because nitrile bonding not only decreased the covalent-bonded two-dimensional hexagonal network but also annihilated the bonding there. By evaluating lattice images obtained by transmission electron microscopy and the bonding state measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we classified the ECR sputtered CN films and offered phase diagram and structure zone diagram.

  5. A highly efficient nano-cluster artificial peroxidase and its direct electrochemistry on a nano complex modified glassy carbon electrode.

    PubMed

    Hong, Jun; Wang, Wei; Huang, Kun; Yang, Wei-Yun; Zhao, Ying-Xue; Xiao, Bao-Lin; Gao, Yun-Fei; Moosavi-Movahedi, Zainab; Ghourchian, Hedayatollah; Moosavi-Movahedi, Ali Akbar

    2012-01-01

    A nano-cluster with highly efficient peroxide activity was constructed based on nafion (NF) and cytochrome c (Cyt c). UV-Vis spectrometry and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methods were utilized for characterization of the nano-structured enzyme or artificial peroxidase (AP). The nano-cluster was composed of a Chain-Ball structure, with an average ball size of about 40 nm. The Michaelis-Menten (K(m)) and catalytic rate (k(cat)) constants of the AP were determined to be 2.5 ± 0.4 µM and 0.069 ± 0.001 s(-1), respectively, in 50 mM PBS at pH 7.0. The catalytic efficiency of the AP was evaluated to be 0.028 ± 0.005 µM(-1) s(-1), which was 39 ± 5% as efficient as the native horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The AP was also immobilized on a functional multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWNCTs)-gold colloid nanoparticles (AuNPs) nano-complex modified glassy carbon (GC) electrode. The cyclic voltammetry of AP on the nano complex modified GC electrode showed a pair of well-defined redox peaks with a formal potential (E°') of -45 ± 2 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl) at a scan rate of 0.05 V/s. The heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (k(s)) was evaluated to be 0.65 s(-1). The surface concentration of electroactive AP on GC electrode (Γ) was 7 × 10(-10) mol cm(-2). The apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (K(m)(app)) was 0.23 nM.

  6. Spatio-temporal behaviour of atomic-scale tribo-ceramic films in adaptive surface engineered nano-materials.

    PubMed

    Fox-Rabinovich, G; Kovalev, A; Veldhuis, S; Yamamoto, K; Endrino, J L; Gershman, I S; Rashkovskiy, A; Aguirre, M H; Wainstein, D L

    2015-03-05

    Atomic-scale, tribo-ceramic films associated with dissipative structures formation are discovered under extreme frictional conditions which trigger self-organization. For the first time, we present an actual image of meta-stable protective tribo-ceramics within thicknesses of a few atomic layers. A mullite and sapphire structure predominates in these phases. They act as thermal barriers with an amazing energy soaking/dissipating capacity. Less protective tribo-films cannot sustain in these severe conditions and rapidly wear out. Therefore, a functional hierarchy is established. The created tribo-films act in synergy, striving to better adapt themselves to external stimuli. Under a highly complex structure and non-equilibrium state, the upcoming generation of adaptive surface engineered nano-multilayer materials behaves like intelligent systems - capable of generating, with unprecedented efficiency, the necessary tribo-films to endure an increasingly severe environment.

  7. Spatio-temporal behaviour of atomic-scale tribo-ceramic films in adaptive surface engineered nano-materials

    PubMed Central

    Fox-Rabinovich, G.; Kovalev, A.; Veldhuis, S.; Yamamoto, K.; Endrino, J. L.; Gershman, I. S.; Rashkovskiy, A.; Aguirre, M. H.; Wainstein, D. L.

    2015-01-01

    Atomic-scale, tribo-ceramic films associated with dissipative structures formation are discovered under extreme frictional conditions which trigger self-organization. For the first time, we present an actual image of meta-stable protective tribo-ceramics within thicknesses of a few atomic layers. A mullite and sapphire structure predominates in these phases. They act as thermal barriers with an amazing energy soaking/dissipating capacity. Less protective tribo-films cannot sustain in these severe conditions and rapidly wear out. Therefore, a functional hierarchy is established. The created tribo-films act in synergy, striving to better adapt themselves to external stimuli. Under a highly complex structure and non-equilibrium state, the upcoming generation of adaptive surface engineered nano-multilayer materials behaves like intelligent systems - capable of generating, with unprecedented efficiency, the necessary tribo-films to endure an increasingly severe environment. PMID:25740153

  8. Synthesis of Antimony Doped Amorphous Carbon Films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Okuyama, H.; Takashima, M.; Akasaka, H.; Ohtake, N.

    2013-06-01

    We report the effects of antimony (Sb) doping on the electrical and optical properties of amorphous carbon (a-C:H) films grown on silicon and copper substrates by magnetron sputtering deposition. For film deposition, the mixture targets fabricated from carbon and antimony powders was used. The atomic concentration of carbon, hydrogen, and antimony, in the film deposited from the 1.0 mol% Sb containing target were 81, 17, 2 at.%, respectively. These elements were homogeneously distributed in the film. On the structural effect, the average continuous sp2 carbon bonding networks decreased with Sb concentration increasing, and defects in the films were increased with the Sb incorporation because atomic radius of Sb atoms is twice larger size than that of carbon. The optical gap and the electrical resistivity were carried out before and after the Sb doping. The results show that optical gap dropped from 3.15 to 3.04 eV corresponding to non-doping to Sb-doping conditions, respectively. The electrical resistivity reduced from 10.5 to 1.0 MΩm by the Sb doping. These results suggest the doping level was newly formed in the forbidden band.

  9. Preparation, assessment, and comparison of α-chitin nano-fiber films with different surface charges.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yan; Jiang, Jie; Liu, Liang; Zheng, Ke; Yu, Shiyuan; Fan, Yimin

    2015-01-01

    Chitin nano-fibers with positive and negative charges have been, respectively, produced from partially deacetylated and 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical (TEMPO)-mediated oxidized α-chitin. The average diameters and lengths of the TEMPO-oxidized chitin nano-fibers (TOChN) were 14 ± 4.3 and 190 ± 140 nm, respectively, and the average diameters and lengths of the partially deacetylated chitin nano-fibers (DEChN) were 6 ± 1.7 and 320 ± 105 nm, respectively. A partially deacetylated chitin nano-fiber film (DEChN-F), a TEMPO-mediated and oxidized chitin nano-fiber film (TOChN-F), and a composite film (DE-TO-ChN-F) consisting of a combination of the two were prepared by drying the dispersions at 40 °C. The DEChN-F, TOChN-F, and DE-TO-ChN-F all have similar tensile strengths of approximately 90 MPa; however, the chitosan film (Chitosan-F) had a tensile strength of approximately 30 MPa. In addition, TOChN-F and DE-TO-ChN-F have a thermal weight loss at 210 °C, and DEChN-F has a thermal weight loss at 280 °C. DEChN-F was found to have antimicrobial activity with regards to Escherichia coli. Finally, the chitin nano-fiber films could be slightly degraded by cellulase, which provided a novel biological performance of the chitin nano-material.

  10. Optimization of Nano-Carbon Materials for Hydrogen Sorption

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

    Yakobson, Boris I

    2013-08-02

    Research undertaken has added to the understanding of several critical areas, by providing both negative answers (and therefore eliminating expensive further studies of unfeasible paths) and positive feasible options for storage. Theoretical evaluation of the early hypothesis of storage on pure carbon single wall nanotubes (SWNT) has been scrutinized with the use of comprehensive computational methods (and experimental tests by the Center partners), and demonstrated that the fundamentally weak binding energy of hydrogen is not sufficiently enhanced by the SWNT curvature or even defects, which renders carbon nanotubes not practical media. More promising direction taken was towards 3-dimensional architectures ofmore » high porosity where concurrent attraction of H2 molecule to surrounding walls of nano-scale cavities can double or even triple the binding energy and therefore make hydrogen storage feasible even at ambient or somewhat lower temperatures. An efficient computational tool has been developed for the rapid capacity assessment combining (i) carbon-foam structure generation, (ii) accurate empirical force fields, with quantum corrections for the lightweight H2, and (iii) grand canonical Monte Carlo simulation. This made it possible to suggest optimal designs for carbon nanofoams, obtainable via welding techniques from SWNT or by growth on template-zeolites. As a precursor for 3D-foams, we have investigated experimentally the synthesis of VANTA (Vertically Aligned NanoTube Arrays). This can be used for producing nano-foams. On the other hand, fluorination of VANTA did not show promising increase of hydrogen sorption in several tests and may require further investigation and improvements. Another significant result of this project was in developing a fundamental understanding of the elements of hydrogen spillover mechanisms. The benefit of developed models is the ability to foresee possible directions for further improvement of the spillover mechanism.« less

  11. Use of Carbon Nano-Fiber Foams as Strain Gauges to Detect Crack Propagation

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-06-01

    FIBER FOAMS AS STRAIN GAUGES TO DETECT CRACK PROPAGATION by Ervin N. Mercado June 2015 Thesis Advisor: Claudia C. Luhrs Co-Advisor...AND DATES COVERED Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE USE OF CARBON NANO-FIBER FOAMS AS STRAIN GAUGES TO DETECT CRACK PROPAGATION 5. FUNDING...using carbon nanofiber foams as strain gauge material to detect crack propagation in aluminum structures. We produced the tridimensional carbon

  12. Organic/carbon nanotubes hybrid thin films for chemical detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Banimuslem, Hikmat Adnan

    Metallophthalocyanines (MPcs) are classified as an important class of conjugated materials and they possess several advantages attributed to their unique chemical structure. Carbon nanotubes (CNT), on the other hand, are known to enhance the properties of nano-composites in the conjugated molecules, due to their one dimensional electronic skeleton, high surface area and high aspect ratio. In this thesis, work has been carried out on the investigation of different substituted metal-phthalocyanines with the aim of developing novel hybrid film structures which incorporates these phthalocyanines and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) for chemical detection applications. Octa-substituted copper phthalocyanines (CuPcR[8]) have been characterised using UV-visible absorption spectroscopy. Obtained spectra have yielded an evidence of a thermally induced molecular reorganization in the films. Influence of the nature of substituents in the phthalocyanine molecule on the thin films conductivity was also investigated. Octa-substituted lead (II) phthalocyanines (PbPcR[8]) have also been characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy. Sandwich structures of ITO/PbPcR[8]/In were prepared to investigate the electronic conduction in PbPcR[8]. The variation in the J(V) behavior of the films as a result of heat treatment is expected to be caused by changes in the alignment inside the columnar stacking of the molecules of the films. Thin films of non-covalently hybridised SWCNT and tetra-substituted copper phthalocyanine (CuPcR[4]) molecules have been produced. FTIR, DC conductivity, SEM and AFM results have revealed the [mathematical equation]; interaction between SWCNTs and CuPCR[4] molecules and shown that films obtained from the acid-treated SWCNTs/CuPcR[4] hybrids demonstrated more homogenous surface. Thin films of pristine CuPCR[4] and CuPcR[4]/S WCNT were prepared by spin coating onto gold-coated glass slides and applied as active layers for the detection of benzo

  13. Ion beam deposition of amorphous carbon films with diamond like properties

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Angus, John C.; Mirtich, Michael J.; Wintucky, Edwin G.

    1982-01-01

    Carbon films were deposited on silicon, quartz, and potassium bromide substrates from an ion beam. Growth rates were approximately 0.3 micron/hour. The films were featureless and amorphous and contained only carbon and hydrogen in significant amounts. The density and carbon/hydrogen ratio indicate the film is a hydrogen deficient polymer. One possible structure, consistent with the data, is a random network of methylene linkages and tetrahedrally coordinated carbon atoms.

  14. Formation of ultra Si/Ti nano thin film for enhancing silicon solar cell efficiency

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adam, T.; Dhahi, T. S.; Mohammed, M.; Al-Hajj, A. M.; Hashim, U.

    2017-10-01

    An alternative electrical source has l has become the major quest of every researchers due to it numerous advantages and applications of power supply and as electronic devices are becoming more and more portable. A highly efficient power supply is become inevitable. Thus. in this study, present ultrasonic based assisted fabrication of electrochemical silicon-Titanium nano thin film by in-house simple technique, uniformly silicon Nano film was fabricated and etched with HF (40%): C2H5OH (99%):1:1, < 20 nm pore diameter of silicon was fabricated. The surface and morphology reveal that the method produce uniform nano silicon porous layer with smaller silicon pores with high etching efficiency. The silicon-Titanium integrated nano porous exhibited excellent observation properties with low reflection index ~ 1.1 compared to silicon alone thin film.

  15. Design and fabrication of highly hydrophobic Mn nano-sculptured thin films and evaluation of surface properties on hydrophobicity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hosseini, Somaye; Savaloni, Hadi; Gholipour-Shahraki, Mehran

    2017-03-01

    The wettability of solid surfaces is important from the aspects of both science and technology. The Mn nano-sculptured thin films were designed and fabricated by oblique angle deposition of Mn on glass substrates at room temperature. The obtained structure was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The wettability of thin films samples was investigated by water contact angle (WCA). The 4-pointed helical star-shaped structure exhibits hydrophobicity with static WCAs of more than 133° for a 10-mg distilled water droplet. This sample also shows the rose petal effect with the additional property of high adhesion. The Mn nano-sculptured thin films also act as a sticky surface which is confirmed by hysteresis of the contact angle obtained from advancing and receding contact angles measurements. Physicochemical property of liquid phase could effectively change the contact angle, and polar solvents in contact with hydrophobic solid surfaces do not necessarily show high contact angle value.

  16. Annealing Effects on Structure and Optical Properties of Diamond-Like Carbon Films Containing Silver.

    PubMed

    Meškinis, Šarūnas; Čiegis, Arvydas; Vasiliauskas, Andrius; Šlapikas, Kęstutis; Gudaitis, Rimantas; Yaremchuk, Iryna; Fitio, Volodymyr; Bobitski, Yaroslav; Tamulevičius, Sigitas

    2016-12-01

    In the present study, diamond-like carbon films with embedded Ag nanoparticles (DLC:Ag) were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering. Structure of the films was investigated by Raman scattering spectroscopy. Atomic force microscopy was used to define thickness of DLC:Ag films as well as to study the surface morphology and size distribution of Ag nanoparticles. Optical absorbance and reflectance spectra of the films were studied in the 180-1100-nm range. Air annealing effects on structure and optical properties of the DLC:Ag were investigated. Annealing temperatures were varied in the 180-400 °C range. Changes of size and shape of the Ag nanoclusters took place due to agglomeration. It was found that air annealing of DLC:Ag films can result in graphitization following destruction of the DLC matrix. Additional activation of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effect in DLC:Ag films can be achieved by properly selecting annealing conditions. Annealing resulted in blueshift as well as significant narrowing of the plasmonic absorbance and reflectance peaks. Moreover, quadrupole surface plasmon resonance peaks appeared. Modeling of absorption spectra of the nanoclusters depending on the shape and surrounding media has been carried out.

  17. Annealing Effects on Structure and Optical Properties of Diamond-Like Carbon Films Containing Silver

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meškinis, Šarūnas; Čiegis, Arvydas; Vasiliauskas, Andrius; Šlapikas, Kęstutis; Gudaitis, Rimantas; Yaremchuk, Iryna; Fitio, Volodymyr; Bobitski, Yaroslav; Tamulevičius, Sigitas

    2016-03-01

    In the present study, diamond-like carbon films with embedded Ag nanoparticles (DLC:Ag) were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering. Structure of the films was investigated by Raman scattering spectroscopy. Atomic force microscopy was used to define thickness of DLC:Ag films as well as to study the surface morphology and size distribution of Ag nanoparticles. Optical absorbance and reflectance spectra of the films were studied in the 180-1100-nm range. Air annealing effects on structure and optical properties of the DLC:Ag were investigated. Annealing temperatures were varied in the 180-400 °C range. Changes of size and shape of the Ag nanoclusters took place due to agglomeration. It was found that air annealing of DLC:Ag films can result in graphitization following destruction of the DLC matrix. Additional activation of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effect in DLC:Ag films can be achieved by properly selecting annealing conditions. Annealing resulted in blueshift as well as significant narrowing of the plasmonic absorbance and reflectance peaks. Moreover, quadrupole surface plasmon resonance peaks appeared. Modeling of absorption spectra of the nanoclusters depending on the shape and surrounding media has been carried out.

  18. Nano-sized Ni-doped carbon aerogel for supercapacitor.

    PubMed

    Lee, Yoon Jae; Jung, Ji Chul; Park, Sunyoung; Seo, Jeong Gil; Baeck, Sung-Hyeon; Yoon, Jung Rag; Yi, Jongheop; Song, In Kyu

    2011-07-01

    Carbon aerogel was prepared by polycondensation of resorcinol with formaldehyde using sodium carbonate as a catalyst in ambient conditions. Nano-sized Ni-doped carbon aerogel was then prepared by a precipitation method in an ethanol solvent. In order to elucidate the effect of nickel content on electrochemical properties, Ni-doped carbon aerogels (21, 35, 60, and 82 wt%) were prepared and their performance for supercapacitor electrode was investigated. Electrochemical properties of Ni-doped carbon aerogel electrodes were measured by cyclic voltammetry at a scan rate of 10 mV/sec and charge/discharge test at constant current of 1 A/g in 6 M KOH electrolyte. Among the samples prepared, 35 wt% Ni-doped carbon aerogel (Ni/CA-35) showed the highest capacitance (110 F/g) and excellent charge/discharge behavior. The enhanced capacitance of Ni-doped carbon aerogel was attributed to the faradaic redox reactions of nano-sized nickel oxide. Moreover, Ni-doped carbon aerogel exhibited quite stable cyclability, indicating long-term electrochemical stability.

  19. Nano-solenoid: helicoid carbon-boron nitride hetero-nanotube

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Zi-Yue; Miao, Chunyang; Guo, Wanlin

    2013-11-01

    As a fundamental element of a nanoscale passive circuit, a nano-inductor is proposed based on a hetero-nanotube consisting of a spiral carbon strip and a spiral boron nitride strip. It is shown by density functional theory associated with nonequilibrium Green function calculations that the nanotube exhibits attractive transport properties tunable by tube chirality, diameter, component proportion and connection manner between the two strips, with excellent `OFF' state performance and high current on the order of 10-100 μA. All the hetero-nanotubes show negative differential resistance. The transmission peaks of current are absolutely derived from the helicoid carbon strips or C-BN boundaries, giving rise to a spiral current analogous with an energized nano-solenoid. According to Ampere's Law, the energized nano-solenoid can generate a uniform and tremendous magnetic field of more than 1 tesla, closing to that generated by the main magnet of medical nuclear magnetic resonance. Moreover, the magnitude of magnetic field can be easily modulated by bias voltage, providing great promise for a nano-inductor to realize electromagnetic conversion at the nanoscale.As a fundamental element of a nanoscale passive circuit, a nano-inductor is proposed based on a hetero-nanotube consisting of a spiral carbon strip and a spiral boron nitride strip. It is shown by density functional theory associated with nonequilibrium Green function calculations that the nanotube exhibits attractive transport properties tunable by tube chirality, diameter, component proportion and connection manner between the two strips, with excellent `OFF' state performance and high current on the order of 10-100 μA. All the hetero-nanotubes show negative differential resistance. The transmission peaks of current are absolutely derived from the helicoid carbon strips or C-BN boundaries, giving rise to a spiral current analogous with an energized nano-solenoid. According to Ampere's Law, the energized nano

  20. Fabrication of nano-Fe3O4 3D structure on carbon fibers as a microwave absorber and EMI shielding composite by modified EPD method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gholampoor, Mahdi; Movassagh-Alanagh, Farid; Salimkhani, Hamed

    2017-02-01

    Recently, electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials have absorbed a lot of attention due to a growing need for application in the area of electronic and wireless devices. In this study, a carbon-based EMI shielding composite was fabricated by electrophoretic deposition of Fe3O4 nano-particles on carbon fibers (CFs) as a 3D structure incorporated with an epoxy resin. Co-precipitation method was employed to synthesize Fe3O4 nano-particles. This as-synthesized Fe3O4 nano-powder was then successfully deposited on CFs using a modified multi-step electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method. The results of structural studies showed that the Fe3O4 nano-particles (25 nm) were successfully and uniformly deposited on CFs. The measured magnetic properties of as-synthesized Fe3O4 nano-powder and nano-Fe3O4/CFs composite showed that the saturation magnetization of bare Fe3O4 was decreased from Ms = 72.3 emu/g to Ms = 33.1 emu/g for nano-Fe3O4/CFs composite and also corecivity of Fe3O4 was increased from Hc = 4.9 Oe to Hc = 168 Oe for composite. The results of microwave absorption tests revealed that the reflection loss (RL) of an epoxy-based nano-Fe3O4/CFs composite are significantly influenced by layer thickness. The maximum RL value of -10.21 dB at 10.12 GHz with an effective absorption bandwidth about 2 GHz was obtained for the sample with the thickness of 2 mm. It also exhibited an EMI shielding performance of -23 dB for whole the frequency range of 8.2-12.4 GHz.

  1. Preparation of Electrically Conductive Polystyrene/Carbon Nanofiber Nanocomposite Films

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sun, Luyi; O'Reilly, Jonathan Y.; Tien, Chi-Wei; Sue, Hung-Jue

    2008-01-01

    A simple and effective approach to prepare conductive polystyrene/carbon nanofiber (PS/CNF) nanocomposite films via a solution dispersion method is presented. Inexpensive CNF, which has a structure similar to multi-walled carbon nanotubes, is chosen as a nanofiller in this experiment to achieve conductivity in PS films. A good dispersion is…

  2. Studies of Nano-structured Se77Sb23- x Ge x Thin Films Prepared by Physical Vapor Condensation Technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alvi, M. A.

    2017-02-01

    Bulk Se77Sb23- x Ge x material with x = 4 and 12 was prepared by employing a melt quench technique. Its amorphous as well as glassy nature was confirmed by x-ray diffraction analysis and nonisothermal differential scanning calorimetry measurements. The physical vapor condensation technique was applied to prepare nanostructured thin films of Se77Sb23- x Ge x material. The surface morphology of the films was examined using field-emission scanning electron microscopy, revealing average particle size between 20 nm and 50 nm. Systematic investigation of optical absorption data indicated that the optical transition was indirect in nature. The dark conductivity (dc conductivity) of nano-structured Se77Sb23- x Ge x thin films was also investigated at temperatures from 313 K to 463 K, revealing that it tended to increase with increasing temperature. Analyses of our experimental data also indicate that the conduction is due to thermally supported tunneling of charge carriers in confined states close to the band edges. The calculated values of activation energy agree well with the optical bandgap.

  3. Optimized nano-transfersomal films for enhanced sildenafil citrate transdermal delivery: ex vivo and in vivo evaluation

    PubMed Central

    Badr-Eldin, Shaimaa M; Ahmed, Osamaa AA

    2016-01-01

    Sildenafil citrate (SLD) is a selective cyclic guanosine monophosphate-specific phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor used for the oral treatment of erectile dysfunction and, more recently, for other indications, including pulmonary hypertension. The challenges facing the oral administration of the drug include poor bioavailability and short duration of action that requires frequent administration. Thus, the objective of this work is to formulate optimized SLD nano-transfersomal transdermal films with enhanced and controlled permeation aiming at surmounting the previously mentioned challenges and hence improving the drug bioavailability. SLD nano-transfersomes were prepared using modified lipid hydration technique. Central composite design was applied for the optimization of SLD nano-transfersomes with minimized vesicular size. The independent variables studied were drug-to-phospholipid molar ratio, surfactant hydrophilic lipophilic balance, and hydration medium pH. The optimized SLD nano-transfersomes were developed and evaluated for vesicular size and morphology and then incorporated into hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose transdermal films. The optimized transfersomes were unilamellar and spherical in shape with vesicular size of 130 nm. The optimized SLD nano-transfersomal films exhibited enhanced ex vivo permeation parameters with controlled profile compared to SLD control films. Furthermore, enhanced bioavailability and extended absorption were demonstrated by SLD nano-transfersomal films as reflected by their significantly higher maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and area under the curve and longer time to maxi mum plasma concentration (Tmax) compared to control films. These results highlighted the potentiality of optimized SLD nano-transfersomal films to enhance the transdermal permeation and the bioavailability of the drug with the possible consequence of reducing the dose and administration frequency. PMID:27103786

  4. Optimized nano-transfersomal films for enhanced sildenafil citrate transdermal delivery: ex vivo and in vivo evaluation.

    PubMed

    Badr-Eldin, Shaimaa M; Ahmed, Osamaa Aa

    2016-01-01

    Sildenafil citrate (SLD) is a selective cyclic guanosine monophosphate-specific phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor used for the oral treatment of erectile dysfunction and, more recently, for other indications, including pulmonary hypertension. The challenges facing the oral administration of the drug include poor bioavailability and short duration of action that requires frequent administration. Thus, the objective of this work is to formulate optimized SLD nano-transfersomal transdermal films with enhanced and controlled permeation aiming at surmounting the previously mentioned challenges and hence improving the drug bioavailability. SLD nano-transfersomes were prepared using modified lipid hydration technique. Central composite design was applied for the optimization of SLD nano-transfersomes with minimized vesicular size. The independent variables studied were drug-to-phospholipid molar ratio, surfactant hydrophilic lipophilic balance, and hydration medium pH. The optimized SLD nano-transfersomes were developed and evaluated for vesicular size and morphology and then incorporated into hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose transdermal films. The optimized transfersomes were unilamellar and spherical in shape with vesicular size of 130 nm. The optimized SLD nano-transfersomal films exhibited enhanced ex vivo permeation parameters with controlled profile compared to SLD control films. Furthermore, enhanced bioavailability and extended absorption were demonstrated by SLD nano-transfersomal films as reflected by their significantly higher maximum plasma concentration (C max) and area under the curve and longer time to maxi mum plasma concentration (T max) compared to control films. These results highlighted the potentiality of optimized SLD nano-transfersomal films to enhance the transdermal permeation and the bioavailability of the drug with the possible consequence of reducing the dose and administration frequency.

  5. Water surface assisted synthesis of large-scale carbon nanotube film for high-performance and stretchable supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Yu, Minghao; Zhang, Yangfan; Zeng, Yinxiang; Balogun, Muhammad-Sadeeq; Mai, Kancheng; Zhang, Zishou; Lu, Xihong; Tong, Yexiang

    2014-07-16

    A kind of multiwalled carbon-nanotube (MWCNT)/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film with excellent conductivity and mechanical properties is developed using a facile and large-scale water surface assisted synthesis method. The film can act as a conductive support for electrochemically active PANI nano fibers. A device based on these PANI/MWCNT/PDMS electrodes shows good and stable capacitive behavior, even under static and dynamic stretching conditions. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Structure, mechanical, and frictional properties of hydrogenated fullerene-like amorphous carbon film prepared by direct current plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Yongfu; Gao, Kaixiong; Zhang, Junyan

    2016-07-01

    In this study, fullerene like carbon (FL-C) is introduced in hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) film by employing a direct current plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The film has a low friction and wear, such as 0.011 and 2.3 × 10-9mm3/N m in the N2, and 0.014 and 8.4 × 10-8mm3/N m in the humid air, and high hardness and elasticity (25.8 GPa and 83.1%), to make further engineering applications in practice. It has several nanometers ordered domains consisting of less frequently cross-linked graphitic sheet stacks. We provide new evidences for understanding the reported Raman fit model involving four vibrational frequencies from five, six, and seven C-atom rings of FL-C structures, and discuss the structure evolution before or after friction according to the change in the 1200 cm-1 Raman band intensity caused by five- and seven-carbon rings. Friction inevitably facilitates the transformation of carbon into FL-C nanostructures, namely, the ultra low friction comes from both such structures within the carbon film and the sliding induced at friction interface.

  7. PECVD based silicon oxynitride thin films for nano photonic on chip interconnects applications.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Satinder K; Barthwal, Sumit; Singh, Vikram; Kumar, Anuj; Dwivedi, Prabhat K; Prasad, B; Kumar, Dinesh

    2013-01-01

    Thin silicon oxynitride (SiO(x)N(y)) films were deposited by low temperature (~300°C) plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD), using SiH(4), N(2)O, NH(3) precursor of the flow rate 25, 100, 30 sccm and subjected to the post deposition annealing (PDA) treatment at 400°C and 600°C for nano optical/photonics on chip interconnects applications. AFM result reveals the variation of roughness from 60.9 Å to 23.4 Å after PDA treatment with respect to the as-deposited films, favourable surface topography for integrated waveguide applications. A model of decrease in island height with the effect of PDA treatment is proposed in support of AFM results. Raman spectroscopy and FTIR measurements are performed in order to define the change in crystallite and chemical bonding of as-deposited as well as PDA treated samples. These outcomes endorsed to the densification of SiO(x)N(y) thin films, due to decrease in Si-N and Si-O bonds strain, as well the O-H, N-H bonds with in oxynitride network. The increase in refractive index and PL intensity of as deposited SiO(x)N(y) thin films to the PDA treated films at 400°C and 600°C are observed. The significant shift of PL spectra peak positions indicate the change in cluster size as the result of PDA treatment, which influence the optical properties of thin films. It might be due to out diffusion of hydrogen containing species from silicon oxynitride films after PDA treatment. In this way, the structural and optical, feasibility of SiO(x)N(y) films are demonstrated in order to obtain high quality thin films for nano optical/photonics on chip interconnects applications. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Structural characteristics of surface-functionalized nitrogen-doped diamond-like carbon films and effective adjustment to cell attachment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Ai-Ping; Liu, Min; Yu, Jian-Can; Qian, Guo-Dong; Tang, Wei-Hua

    2015-05-01

    Nitrogen-doped diamond-like carbon (DLC:N) films prepared by the filtered cathodic vacuum arc technology are functionalized with various chemical molecules including dopamine (DA), 3-Aminobenzeneboronic acid (APBA), and adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and the impacts of surface functionalities on the surface morphologies, compositions, microstructures, and cell compatibility of the DLC:N films are systematically investigated. We demonstrate that the surface groups of DLC:N have a significant effect on the surface and structural properties of the film. The activity of PC12 cells depends on the particular type of surface functional groups of DLC:N films regardless of surface roughness and wettability. Our research offers a novel way for designing functionalized carbon films as tailorable substrates for biosensors and biomedical engineering applications. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51272237, 51272231, and 51010002) and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant Nos. 2012M520063, 2013T60587, and Bsh1201016).

  9. Effect of annealing on optical properties and structure of the vanadium dioxide thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Huiqun; Li, Yi; Li, Yuming; Huang, Yize; Tong, Guoxiang; Fang, Baoying; Zheng, Qiuxin; Li, Liu; Shen, Yujian

    2012-10-01

    VO2 thin films were prepared on soda-lime glass substrates by DC magnetron sputtering at room temperature using vanadium target and post annealing in air. X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectroscopy analyses showed that the films obtained at the optimized parameters have high VO2 (011) orientation. Both low temperature deposition and post annealing method were beneficial to grow the nano-films with pure VO2 phase-structure and composition. Metalinsulator transition properties of the VO2 films in terms of infrared transmittance, transmittance variation and film thickness were investigated under varying annealing temperature. Results showed that infrared transmittance variation and transition temperature of the nano-films were significantly improved and reduced respectively. Therefore, this study was able to develop practical low-cost preparation methods for high-performance intelligent energy-saving thin films.

  10. Synthesis and characterization of Au-MWCNT/PEDOT: PSS composite film for optoelectronic applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jasna, M.; Anjana, R.; Jayaraj, M. K.

    2017-08-01

    Recently, flexible organic optoelectronics have got great attention because of their light weight, mechanical flexibility and cost effective fabrication process. Conjugated polymers like PEDOT: PSS are widely used for the transparent electrode applications due to its chemical stability, high conductivity, flexibility and optical transparency in the visible region. Conductivity of the PEDOT: PSS polymer can be enhanced by adding organic solvents or conducting nano fillers like CNT, graphene, etc. Carbon nanotubes are good nano fillers to enhance the conductivity and mechanical strength of PEDOT: PSS composite film. Inthe present work, the effect of gold nano particles in PEDOT: PSS/CNT composite is studied. The conductivity enhancement in PEDOT: PSS/CNT thin films can be attributed to the formation of CNT network in the polymer matrix and conformational change of the PEDOT from benzoid to quinoid structure. Even though the conductivity was enhanced, the transparency of the composite thin films decreased with increase in CNT concentration. To overcome this problem, gold nano particles were attached to CNT walls via chemical route. AuMWCNT/PEDOT: PSS composite films were prepared by spin coating method. TEM images confirmed the decoration of gold nano particles on CNT walls. Electrical and optical properties of the composite films were studied. This simple solution processed conducting films are suitable for optoelectronic applications

  11. Structuring in Cement Systems with Introduction of Graphene Nano-Additives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yanturina, R. A.; Trofimov, B. Ya; Ahmedjanov, R. M.

    2017-11-01

    At present, one of the most promising areas in the field of concrete research is the study of the effect of nano-additives for the production of highly effective concretes. Many authors have already obtained primary results which testify to the very effective role of nanoadditives based on carbon in modifying concrete. In this paper, the influence of a nano-additive of graphene on the phase composition and microstructure of the cement stone was studied. It has been found that, when a nano-additive of graphene is introduced, low-basic calcium hydrosilicates are mainly formed. This leads to an increase in the compressive strength of concrete. The results of the study of the microstructure of cement stone with nano-additive graphene showed that the high compressive strength of concrete modified with nano-additive graphene is explained by the cement stone dense structure. Thus, it was found that the nanoadditive of graphene contributes to the formation of a dense structure of cement stone, composed mainly of low-basic calcium hydrosilicates, and due to this, the physical and mechanical characteristics of concrete and its resistance to frost and other forms of aggression.

  12. Structural and optical characterization of GaAs nano-crystals selectively grown on Si nano-tips by MOVPE.

    PubMed

    Skibitzki, Oliver; Prieto, Ivan; Kozak, Roksolana; Capellini, Giovanni; Zaumseil, Peter; Arroyo Rojas Dasilva, Yadira; Rossell, Marta D; Erni, Rolf; von Känel, Hans; Schroeder, Thomas

    2017-03-01

    We present the nanoheteroepitaxial growth of gallium arsenide (GaAs) on nano-patterned silicon (Si) (001) substrates fabricated using a CMOS technology compatible process. The selective growth of GaAs nano-crystals (NCs) was achieved at 570 °C by MOVPE. A detailed structure and defect characterization study of the grown nano-heterostructures was performed using scanning transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, micro-Raman, and micro-photoluminescence (μ-PL) spectroscopy. The results show single-crystalline, nearly relaxed GaAs NCs on top of slightly, by the SiO 2 -mask compressively strained Si nano-tips (NTs). Given the limited contact area, GaAs/Si nanostructures benefit from limited intermixing in contrast to planar GaAs films on Si. Even though a few growth defects (e.g. stacking faults, micro/nano-twins, etc) especially located at the GaAs/Si interface region were detected, the nanoheterostructures show intensive light emission, as investigated by μ-PL spectroscopy. Achieving well-ordered high quality GaAs NCs on Si NTs may provide opportunities for superior electronic, photonic, or photovoltaic device performances integrated on the silicon technology platform.

  13. A comparative study of gelatin and starch-based nano-composite films modified by nano-cellulose and chitosan for food packaging applications.

    PubMed

    Noorbakhsh-Soltani, S M; Zerafat, M M; Sabbaghi, S

    2018-06-01

    Environmental concerns have led to extensive research for replacing polymer-based food packaging with bio-nano-composites. In this study, incorporation of nano-cellulose into gelatin and starch matrices is investigated for this purpose. Chitosan is used to improve mechanical, anti-fungal and waterproof properties. Experiments are designed and analyzed using response surface methodology. Nano-Cellulose is synthesized via acid hydrolysis and incorporated in base matrices through wet processing. Also, tensile strength test, food preservation, transparency in visible and UV and water contact angle are performed on the nano-composite films. DSC/TGA and air permeability tests are also performed on the optimal films. The results show that increasing nano-cellulose composition to 10% leads to increase the tensile strength at break to 8121 MN/m 2 and decrease the elongation at break. Also, increasing chitosan composition from 5% to 30% can enhance food preservation up to 15 days. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Wrinkling of flexoelectric nano-film/substrate systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Su, Shengkai; Huang, Huaiwei; Liu, Yijie; Zhu, Zheng H.

    2018-02-01

    The study of wrinkling mechanisms essentially helps to establish stable and controllable performance in electronic products. To gain some basic understanding of the wrinkling process in flexoelectric dielectrics, this paper models the wrinkling of nano-film/substrate systems, typically seen in stretchable electronics, subjected to substrate prestrain and voltage loading on electrodes. Flexoelectricity is considered through the constitutive equations proposed by Shen and Hu, and Euler-Bernoulli beam theory is applied to formulate the expressions of wrinkling wavelength and amplitude through the Ritz method. The effects of flexoelectricity, surface parameters, prestrain, applied voltage, structural scale etc on wrinkling behaviors, including wrinkling deformation and the wrinkling critical condition, are discussed. Results reveal that the action of both flexoelectric and surface effects is significant over only a small scale range, with film thickness less than 10 nm. Alongside these issues, the fundamental difference between flexoelectric and piezoelectric effects on wrinkling behaviors is highlighted. Piezoelectricity may act as a promoter or suppressor of wrinkling initiation and amplitude, depending on the applied voltage, while flexoelectricity not only reduces the critical prestrain or voltage required for wrinkling, but also decreases the wrinkling wavelength and amplitude.

  15. Ion beam and plasma methods of producing diamondlike carbon films

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Swec, Diane M.; Mirtich, Michael J.; Banks, Bruce A.

    1988-01-01

    A variety of plasma and ion beam techniques was employed to generate diamondlike carbon films. These methods included the use of RF sputtering, dc glow discharge, vacuum arc, plasma gun, ion beam sputtering, and both single and dual ion beam deposition. Since films were generated using a wide variety of techniques, the physico-chemical properties of these films varied considerably. In general, these films had characteristics that were desirable in a number of applications. For example, the films generated using both single and dual ion beam systems were evaluated for applications including power electronics as insulated gates and protective coatings on transmitting windows. These films were impervious to reagents which dissolve graphitic and polymeric carbon structures. Nuclear reaction and combustion analysis indicated hydrogen to carbon ratios to be 1.00, which allowed the films to have good transmittance not only in the infrared, but also in the visible. Other evaluated properties of these films include band gap, resistivity, adherence, density, microhardness, and intrinsic stress. The results of these studies and those of the other techniques for depositing diamondlike carbon films are presented.

  16. Gold-carbon composite thin films for electrochemical gas sensor prepared by reactive plasma sputtering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Okamoto, A.; Suzuki, Y.; Yoshitake, M.; Ogawa, S.; Nakano, N.

    1997-01-01

    We have investigated the properties of gold-carbon composite thin films prepared by a plasma sputtering deposition using argon and methane mixture gas. These composite films have an uneven surface in submicron scale or consist of nano-scale particles of gold polycrystalline. Such morphological properties can be controlled by the sputtering voltage and the partial pressure of methane gas. The working electrode of electrochemical gas sensor has needed a stable gas sensitivity and a good gas selectivity. Our composite film is one of the excellent candidates for a thin film working electrode of electrochemical gas sensor. It is described that the output current of sensor is related to the preparation conditions of the thin films and increase linearly as the concentration of PH 3 gas ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 ppm is increasing.

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

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

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

    2016-05-06

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

  18. Partial ablation of Ti/Al nano-layer thin film by single femtosecond laser pulse

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gaković, B.; Tsibidis, G. D.; Skoulas, E.; Petrović, S. M.; Vasić, B.; Stratakis, E.

    2017-12-01

    The interaction of ultra-short laser pulses with Titanium/Aluminium (Ti/Al) nano-layered thin film was investigated. The sample composed of alternating Ti and Al layers of a few nanometres thick was deposited by ion-sputtering. A single pulse irradiation experiment was conducted in an ambient air environment using focused and linearly polarized femtosecond laser pulses for the investigation of the ablation effects. The laser induced morphological changes and the composition were characterized using several microscopy techniques and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The following results were obtained: (i) at low values of pulse energy/fluence, ablation of the upper Ti layer only was observed; (ii) at higher laser fluence, a two-step ablation of Ti and Al layers takes place, followed by partial removal of the nano-layered film. The experimental observations were supported by a theoretical model accounting for the thermal response of the multiple layered structure upon irradiation with ultra-short laser pulses.

  19. Spontaneous nano-gap formation in Ag film using NaCl sacrificial layer for Raman enhancement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Min, Kyungchan; Jeon, Wook Jin; Kim, Youngho; Choi, Jae-Young; Yu, Hak Ki

    2018-03-01

    We report the method of fabrication of nano-gaps (known as hot spots) in Ag thin film using a sodium chloride (NaCl) sacrificial layer for Raman enhancement. The Ag thin film (20-50 nm) on the NaCl sacrificial layer undergoes an interfacial reaction due to the AgCl formed at the interface during water molecule intercalation. The intercalated water molecules can dissolve the NaCl molecules at interfaces and form the ionic state of Na+ and Cl-, promoting the AgCl formation. The Ag atoms can migrate by the driving force of this interfacial reaction, resulting in the formation of nano-size gaps in the film. The surface-enhanced Raman scattering activity of Ag films with nano-size gaps has been investigated using Raman reporter molecules, Rhodamine 6G (R6G).

  20. Vapor annealing synthesis of non-epitaxial MgB2 films on glassy carbon

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baker, A. A.; Bayu Aji, L. B.; Bae, J. H.; Stavrou, E.; Steich, D. J.; McCall, S. K.; Kucheyev, S. O.

    2018-05-01

    We describe the fabrication and characterization of 25–800 nm thick MgB2 films on glassy carbon substrates by Mg vapor annealing of sputter-deposited amorphous B films. Results demonstrate a critical role of both the initial B film thickness and the temperature–time profile on the microstructure, elemental composition, and superconducting properties of the resultant MgB2 films. Films with thicknesses of 55 nm and below exhibit a smooth surface, with a roughness of 1.1 nm, while thicker films have surface morphology consisting of elongated nano-crystallites. The suppression of the superconducting transition temperature for thin films scales linearly with the oxygen impurity concentration and also correlates with the amount of lattice disorder probed by Raman scattering. The best results are obtained by a rapid (12 min) anneal at 850 °C with large temperature ramp and cooling rates of ∼540 °C min‑1. Such fast processing suppresses the deleterious oxygen uptake.

  1. Nano-crystallization in ZnO-doped In2O3 thin films via excimer laser annealing for thin-film transistors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fujii, Mami N.; Ishikawa, Yasuaki; Ishihara, Ryoichi; van der Cingel, Johan; Mofrad, Mohammad R. T.; Bermundo, Juan Paolo Soria; Kawashima, Emi; Tomai, Shigekazu; Yano, Koki; Uraoka, Yukiharu

    2016-06-01

    In a previous work, we reported the high field effect mobility of ZnO-doped In2O3 (IZO) thin film transistors (TFTs) irradiated by excimer laser annealing (ELA) [M. Fujii et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 102, 122107 (2013)]. However, a deeper understanding of the effect of ELA on the IZO film characteristics based on crystallinity, carrier concentrations, and optical properties is needed to control localized carrier concentrations for fabricating self-aligned structures in the same oxide film and to adequately explain the physical characteristics. In the case of as-deposited IZO film used as the channel, a high carrier concentration due to a high density of oxygen vacancies was observed; such a film does not show the required TFT characteristics but can act as a conductive film. We achieved a decrease in the carrier concentration of IZO films by crystallization using ELA. This means that ELA can form localized conductive or semi-conductive areas on the IZO film. We confirmed that the reason for the carrier concentration decrease was the decrease of oxygen-deficient regions and film crystallization. The annealed IZO films showed nano-crystalline phase, and the temperature at the substrate was substantially less than the temperature limit for flexible films such as plastic, which is 50°C. This paves the way for the formation of self-aligned structures and separately formed conductive and semi-conductive regions in the same oxide film.

  2. Synthesis, Optical and Photoluminescence Properties of Cu-Doped Zno Nano-Fibers Thin Films: Nonlinear Optics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ganesh, V.; Salem, G. F.; Yahia, I. S.; Yakuphanoglu, F.

    2018-03-01

    Different concentrations of copper-doped zinc oxide thin films were coated on a glass substrate by sol-gel/spin-coating technique. The structural properties of pure and Cu-doped ZnO films were characterized by different techniques, i.e., atomic force microscopy (AFM), photoluminescence and UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy. The AFM study revealed that pure and doped ZnO films are formed as nano-fibers with a granular structure. The photoluminescence spectra of these films showed a strong ultraviolet emission peak centered at 392 nm and a strong blue emission peak cantered at 450 nm. The optical band gap of the pure and copper-doped ZnO thin films calculated from optical transmission spectra (3.29-3.23 eV) were found to be increasing with increasing copper doping concentration. The refractive index dispersion curve of pure and Cu-doped ZnO film obeyed the single-oscillator model. The optical dispersion parameters such as E o , E d , and n_{∞}2 were calculated. Further, the nonlinear refractive index and nonlinear optical susceptibility were also calculated and interpreted.

  3. Method for making carbon films

    DOEpatents

    Tan, M.X.

    1999-07-29

    A method for treating an organic polymer material, preferably a vinylidene chloride/vinyl chloride copolymer (Saran) to produce a flat sheet of carbon film material having a high surface area ([approx equal]1000 m[sup 2] /g) suitable as an electrode material for super capacitor applications. The method comprises heating a vinylidene chloride/vinyl chloride copolymer film disposed between two spaced apart graphite or ceramic plates to a first temperature of about 160 C for about 14 hours to form a stabilized vinylidene chloride/vinyl chloride polymer film, thereafter heating the stabilized film to a second temperature of about 750 C in an inert atmosphere for about one hour to form a carbon film; and finally activating the carbon film to increase the surface area by heating the carbon film in an oxidizing atmosphere to a temperature of at least 750--850 C for between 1--6 hours. 2 figs.

  4. Method for making carbon films

    DOEpatents

    Tan, Ming X.

    1999-01-01

    A method for treating an organic polymer material, preferably a vinylidene chloride/vinyl chloride copolymer (Saran) to produce a flat sheet of carbon film material having a high surface area (.apprxeq.1000 m.sup.2 /g) suitable as an electrode material for super capacitor applications. The method comprises heating a vinylidene chloride/vinyl chloride copolymer film disposed between two spaced apart graphite or ceramic plates to a first temperature of about 160.degree. C. for about 14 hours to form a stabilized vinylidene chloride/vinyl chloride polymer film, thereafter heating the stabilized film to a second temperature of about 750.degree. C. in an inert atmosphere for about one hour to form a carbon film; and finally activating the carbon film to increase the surface area by heating the carbon film in an oxidizing atmosphere to a temperature of at least 750-850.degree. C. for between 1-6 hours.

  5. Nano-QSPR Modelling of Carbon-Based Nanomaterials Properties.

    PubMed

    Salahinejad, Maryam

    2015-01-01

    Evaluation of chemical and physical properties of nanomaterials is of critical importance in a broad variety of nanotechnology researches. There is an increasing interest in computational methods capable of predicting properties of new and modified nanomaterials in the absence of time-consuming and costly experimental studies. Quantitative Structure- Property Relationship (QSPR) approaches are progressive tools in modelling and prediction of many physicochemical properties of nanomaterials, which are also known as nano-QSPR. This review provides insight into the concepts, challenges and applications of QSPR modelling of carbon-based nanomaterials. First, we try to provide a general overview of QSPR implications, by focusing on the difficulties and limitations on each step of the QSPR modelling of nanomaterials. Then follows with the most significant achievements of QSPR methods in modelling of carbon-based nanomaterials properties and their recent applications to generate predictive models. This review specifically addresses the QSPR modelling of physicochemical properties of carbon-based nanomaterials including fullerenes, single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT), multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) and graphene.

  6. Structure, mechanical, and frictional properties of hydrogenated fullerene-like amorphous carbon film prepared by direct current plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition

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

    Wang, Yongfu; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049; Gao, Kaixiong

    In this study, fullerene like carbon (FL-C) is introduced in hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) film by employing a direct current plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The film has a low friction and wear, such as 0.011 and 2.3 × 10{sup −9}mm{sup 3}/N m in the N{sub 2}, and 0.014 and 8.4 × 10{sup −8}mm{sup 3}/N m in the humid air, and high hardness and elasticity (25.8 GPa and 83.1%), to make further engineering applications in practice. It has several nanometers ordered domains consisting of less frequently cross-linked graphitic sheet stacks. We provide new evidences for understanding the reported Raman fit model involving four vibrational frequenciesmore » from five, six, and seven C-atom rings of FL-C structures, and discuss the structure evolution before or after friction according to the change in the 1200 cm{sup −1} Raman band intensity caused by five- and seven-carbon rings. Friction inevitably facilitates the transformation of carbon into FL-C nanostructures, namely, the ultra low friction comes from both such structures within the carbon film and the sliding induced at friction interface.« less

  7. Robust Superhydrophobic Carbon Nanotube Film with Lotus Leaf Mimetic Multiscale Hierarchical Structures.

    PubMed

    Wang, Pengwei; Zhao, Tianyi; Bian, Ruixin; Wang, Guangyan; Liu, Huan

    2017-12-26

    Superhydrophobic carbon nanotube (CNT) films have demonstrated many fascinating performances in versatile applications, especially for those involving solid/liquid interfacial processes, because of their ability to affect the material/energy transfer at interfaces. Thus, developing superhydrophobic CNTs has attracted extensive research interests in the past decades, and it could be achieved either by surface coating of low-free energy materials or by constructing micro/nanohierarchical structures via various complicated processes. So far, developing a simple approach to fabricate stable superhydrophobic CNTs remains a challenge because the capillary force induced coalescence frequently happens when interacting with liquid. Herein, drawing inspirations from the lotus leaf, we proposed a simple one-step chemical vapor deposition approach with programmable controlled gas flow to directly fabricate a CNT film with rather stable superhydrophobicity, which can effectively prevent even small water droplets from permeating into the film. The robust superhydrophobicity was attributable to typical lotus-leaf-like micro/nanoscale hierarchical surface structures of the CNT film, where many microscale clusters composed of entangled nanotubes randomly protrude out of the under-layer aligned nanotubes. Consequently, dual-scale air pockets were trapped within each microscale CNT cluster and between, which could largely reduce the liquid/solid interface, leading to a Cassie state. Moreover, the superhydrophobicity of the CNT film showed excellent durability after long time exposure to air and even to corrosive liquids with a wide range of pH values. We envision that the approach developed is advantageous for versatile physicochemical interfacial processes, such as drag reduction, electrochemical catalysis, anti-icing, and biosensors.

  8. Optical Detection and Sizing of Single Nano-Particles Using Continuous Wetting Films

    PubMed Central

    Hennequin, Yves; McLeod, Euan; Mudanyali, Onur; Migliozzi, Daniel; Ozcan, Aydogan; Dinten, Jean-Marc

    2013-01-01

    The physical interaction between nano-scale objects and liquid interfaces can create unique optical properties, enhancing the signatures of the objects with sub-wavelength features. Here we show that the evaporation on a wetting substrate of a polymer solution containing sub-micrometer or nano-scale particles creates liquid micro-lenses that arise from the local deformations of the continuous wetting film. These micro-lenses have properties similar to axicon lenses that are known to create beams with a long depth of focus. This enhanced depth of focus allows detection of single nanoparticles using a low magnification microscope objective lens, achieving a relatively wide field-of-view, while also lifting the constraints on precise focusing onto the object plane. Hence, by creating these liquid axicon lenses through spatial deformations of a continuous thin wetting film, we transfer the challenge of imaging individual nano-particles to detecting the light focused by these lenses. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate the detection and sizing of single nano-particles (100 and 200 nm), CpGV granuloviruses as well as Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteria over a wide field of view of e.g., 5.10×3.75 mm2 using a ×5 objective lens with a numerical aperture of 0.15. In addition to conventional lens-based microscopy, this continuous wetting film based approach is also applicable to lensfree computational on-chip imaging, which can be used to detect single nano-particles over a large field-of-view of e.g., >20-30 mm2. These results could be especially useful for high-throughput field-analysis of nano-scale objects using compact and cost-effective microscope designs. PMID:23889001

  9. Broadband photodetector based on carbon nanotube thin film/single layer graphene Schottky junction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Teng-Fei; Li, Zhi-Peng; Wang, Jiu-Zhen; Kong, Wei-Yu; Wu, Guo-An; Zheng, Yu-Zhen; Zhao, Yuan-Wei; Yao, En-Xu; Zhuang, Nai-Xi; Luo, Lin-Bao

    2016-12-01

    In this study, we present a broadband nano-photodetector based on single-layer graphene (SLG)-carbon nanotube thin film (CNTF) Schottky junction. It was found that the as-fabricated device exhibited obvious sensitivity to a wide range of illumination, with peak sensitivity at 600 and 920 nm. In addition, the SLG-CNTF device had a fast response speed (τr = 68 μs, τf = 78 μs) and good reproducibility in a wide range of switching frequencies (50-5400 Hz). The on-off ratio, responsivity, and detectivity of the device were estimated to be 1 × 102, 209 mAW-1 and 4.87 × 1010 cm Hz1/2 W-1, respectively. What is more, other device parameters including linear performance θ and linear dynamic range (LDR) were calculated to be 0.99 and 58.8 dB, respectively, which were relatively better than other carbon nanotube based devices. The totality of the above study signifies that the present SLG-CNTF Schottky junction broadband nano-photodetector may have promising application in future nano-optoelectronic devices and systems.

  10. Broadband photodetector based on carbon nanotube thin film/single layer graphene Schottky junction

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Teng-Fei; Li, Zhi-Peng; Wang, Jiu-Zhen; Kong, Wei-Yu; Wu, Guo-An; Zheng, Yu-Zhen; Zhao, Yuan-Wei; Yao, En-Xu; Zhuang, Nai-Xi; Luo, Lin-Bao

    2016-01-01

    In this study, we present a broadband nano-photodetector based on single-layer graphene (SLG)-carbon nanotube thin film (CNTF) Schottky junction. It was found that the as-fabricated device exhibited obvious sensitivity to a wide range of illumination, with peak sensitivity at 600 and 920 nm. In addition, the SLG-CNTF device had a fast response speed (τr = 68 μs, τf = 78 μs) and good reproducibility in a wide range of switching frequencies (50–5400 Hz). The on-off ratio, responsivity, and detectivity of the device were estimated to be 1 × 102, 209 mAW−1 and 4.87 × 1010 cm Hz1/2 W−1, respectively. What is more, other device parameters including linear performance θ and linear dynamic range (LDR) were calculated to be 0.99 and 58.8 dB, respectively, which were relatively better than other carbon nanotube based devices. The totality of the above study signifies that the present SLG-CNTF Schottky junction broadband nano-photodetector may have promising application in future nano-optoelectronic devices and systems. PMID:27929053

  11. Scanning gate study of organic thin-film field-effect transistor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aoki, N.; Sudou, K.; Matsusaki, K.; Okamoto, K.; Ochiai, Y.

    2008-03-01

    Scanning gate microscopy (SGM) has been applied for a study of organic thin-film field effect transistor (OFET). In contrast to one-dimensional nano-material such a carbon nanonube or nano-structure such a quantum point contact, visualization a transport characteristic of OFET channel is basically rather difficult since the channel width is much larger than the size of the SGM tip. Nevertheless, Schottky barriers are successfully visualized at the boundary between the metal electrodes and the OFET channel at ambient atmosphere.

  12. Self-organized nano-structuring of CoO islands on Fe(001)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brambilla, A.; Picone, A.; Giannotti, D.; Riva, M.; Bussetti, G.; Berti, G.; Calloni, A.; Finazzi, M.; Ciccacci, F.; Duò, L.

    2016-01-01

    The realization of nanometer-scale structures through bottom-up strategies can be accomplished by exploiting a buried network of dislocations. We show that, by following appropriate growth steps in ultra-high vacuum molecular beam epitaxy, it is possible to grow nano-structured films of CoO coupled to Fe(001) substrates, with tunable sizes (both the lateral size and the maximum height scale linearly with coverage). The growth mode is discussed in terms of the evolution of surface morphology and chemical interactions as a function of the CoO thickness. Scanning tunneling microscopy measurements reveal that square mounds of CoO with lateral dimensions of less than 25 nm and heights below 10 atomic layers are obtained by growing few-nanometers-thick CoO films on a pre-oxidized Fe(001) surface covered by an ultra-thin Co buffer layer. In the early stages of growth, a network of misfit dislocations develops, which works as a template for the CoO nano-structuring. From a chemical point of view, at variance with typical CoO/Fe interfaces, neither Fe segregation at the surface nor Fe oxidation at the buried interface are observed, as seen by Auger electron spectroscopy and X-ray Photoemission Spectroscopy, respectively.

  13. Improvement in plasma illumination properties of ultrananocrystalline diamond films by grain boundary engineering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sankaran, K. J.; Srinivasu, K.; Chen, H. C.; Dong, C. L.; Leou, K. C.; Lee, C. Y.; Tai, N. H.; Lin, I. N.

    2013-08-01

    Microstructural evolution of ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) films as a function of substrate temperature (TS) and/or by introducing H2 in Ar/CH4 plasma is investigated. Variation of the sp2 and sp3 carbon content is analyzed using UV-Raman and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectra. Morphological and microstructural studies confirm that films deposited using Ar/CH4 plasma at low TS consist of a random distribution of spherically shaped ultra-nano diamond grains with distinct sp2-bonded grain boundaries, which are attributed to the adherence of CH radicals to the nano-sized diamond clusters. By increasing TS, adhering efficiency of CH radicals to the diamond lattice drops and trans-polyacetylene (t-PA) encapsulating the nano-sized diamond grains break, whereas the addition of 1.5% H2 in Ar/CH4 plasma at low TS induces atomic hydrogen that preferentially etches out the t-PA attached to ultra-nano diamond grains. Both cases make the sp3-diamond phase less passivated. This leads to C2 radicals attaching to the diamond lattice promoting elongated clustered grains along with a complicated defect structure. Such a grain growth model is highly correlated to explain the technologically important functional property, namely, plasma illumination (PI) of UNCD films. Superior PI properties, viz. low threshold field of 0.21 V/μm with a high PI current density of 4.10 mA/cm2 (at an applied field of 0.25 V/μm) and high γ-coefficient (0.2604) are observed for the UNCD films possessing ultra-nano grains with a large fraction of grain boundary phases. The grain boundary component consists of a large amount of sp2-carbon phases that possibly form interconnected paths for facilitating the transport of electrons and the electron field emission process that markedly enhance PI properties.

  14. Using electric pulse and laser to trigger a sharp and nonvolatile change of lateral photovoltage in nano-carbon film

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

    Gan, Zhikai; Zhou, Peiqi; Huang, Xu

    A greatly enhanced lateral photovoltage (LPV) triggered by electric pulse has been observed in nano-carbon oxide semiconductor (COS) structures. The original maximal output signal of lateral photovoltage achieved in these structures is 9.8 mV. However, by combining the application of a 60 V voltage pulse with laser illumination, the LPV can reach a very high value of 183 mV and the change ratio after 60 V pulse is nearly 1800%. In addition, the states of these light and electric-pulse triggered COSs are permanently changed, showing a non-volatile characteristic. We attribute this phenomenon to the trapping effect of stimulated electrons in COSs. The work suggestsmore » an approach for tailoring LPV-based devices by electric pulse and will be useful for the development of electric pulse modulated photodetectors.« less

  15. Nanotribological performance of fullerene-like carbon nitride films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Flores-Ruiz, Francisco Javier; Enriquez-Flores, Christian Ivan; Chiñas-Castillo, Fernando; Espinoza-Beltrán, Francisco Javier

    2014-09-01

    Fullerene-like carbon nitride films exhibit high elastic modulus and low friction coefficient. In this study, thin CNx films were deposited on silicon substrate by DC magnetron sputtering and the tribological behavior at nanoscale was evaluated using an atomic force microscope. Results show that CNx films with fullerene-like structure have a friction coefficient (CoF ∼ 0.009-0.022) that is lower than amorphous CNx films (CoF ∼ 0.028-0.032). Analysis of specimens characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows that films with fullerene-like structure have a higher number of sp3 CN bonds and exhibit the best mechanical properties with high values of elastic modulus (E > 180 GPa) and hardness (H > 20 GPa). The elastic recovery determined on specimens with a fullerene-like CNx structure was of 95% while specimens of amorphous CNx structure had only 75% elastic recovery.

  16. 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

  17. Bioinspired Non-iridescent Structural Color from Polymer Blend Thin Films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nallapaneni, Asritha; Shawkey, Matthew; Karim, Alamgir

    Colors exhibited in biological species are either due to natural pigments, sub-micron structural variation or both. Structural colors thus exhibited can be iridescent (ID) or non-iridescent (NID) in nature. NID colors originate due to interference and coherent scattering of light with quasi-ordered micro- and nano- structures. Specifically, in Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) these nanostructures develop as a result of phase separation of β-keratin from cytoplasm present in cells. We replicate these structures via spinodal blend phase separation of PS-PMMA thin films. Colors of films vary from ultraviolet to blue. Scattering of UV-visible light from selectively leeched phase separated blends are studied in terms of varying domain spacing (200nm to 2 μm) of film. We control these parameters by tuning annealing time and temperature. Angle-resolved spectroscopy studies suggest that the films are weakly iridescent and scattering from phase-separated films is more diffused when compared to well-mixed films. This study offers solutions to several color-based application in paints and coatings industry.

  18. Spectroscopic study of Pbs nano-structured layer prepared by Pld utilized as a Hall-effect magnetic sensor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Atwa, D. M.; Aboulfotoh, N.; El-magd, A. Abo; Badr, Y.

    2013-10-01

    Lead sulfide (PbS) nano-structured films have been grown on quartz substrates using PLD technique. The deposited films were characterized by several structural techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Selected-area electron diffraction patterns (SAED). The results prove the formation of cubic phase of PbS nanocrystals. Elemental analysis of the deposited films compared to the bulk target was obtained via laser induced fluorescence of the produced plasma particles and the energy dispersive X-ray "EDX" technique. The Hall coefficient measurements indicate an efficient performance of the deposited films as a magnetic sensor.

  19. Correlation between bonding structure and microstructure in fullerenelike carbon nitride thin films

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

    Gago, R.; Abendroth, B.; Moeller, W.

    2005-03-15

    The bonding structure of highly ordered fullerenelike (FL) carbon nitride (CN{sub x}) thin films has been assessed by x-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES). Samples with different degrees of FL character have been analyzed to discern spectral signatures related to the FL microstructure. The XANES spectra of FL-CN{sub x} films resemble that of graphitic CN{sub x}, evidencing the sp{sup 2} hybridization of both C and N atoms. The FL structure is achieved with the promotion of N in threefold positions over pyridinelike and cyanidelike bonding environments. In addition, the relative {pi}{sup *}/{sigma}* XANES intensity ratio at the C(1s) edge is independentmore » of the FL character, while it decreases {approx}40% at the N(1s) edge with the formation of FL arrangements. This result indicates that there is no appreciable introduction of C-sp{sup 3} hybrids with the development of FL structures and, additionally, that a different spatial localization of {pi} electrons at C and N sites takes place in curved graphitic structures. The latter has implications for the elastic properties of graphene sheets and could, as such, explain the outstanding elastic properties of FL-CN{sub x}.« less

  20. Characteristics of the Energetic Igniters Through Integrating B/Ti Nano-Multilayers on TaN Film Bridge

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yan, YiChao; Shi, Wei; Jiang, HongChuan; Cai, XianYao; Deng, XinWu; Xiong, Jie; Zhang, WanLi

    2015-05-01

    The energetic igniters through integrating B/Ti nano-multilayers on tantalum nitride (TaN) ignition bridge are designed and fabricated. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) results show that nitrogen content has a great influence on the crystalline structure and TCR. TaN films under nitrogen ratio of 0.99 % exhibit a near-zero TCR value of approximately 10 ppm/°C. The scanning electron microscopy demonstrates that the layered structure of the B/Ti multilayer films is clearly visible with sharp and smooth interfaces. The electrical explosion characteristics employing a capacitor discharge firing set at the optimized charging voltage of 45 V reveal an excellent explosion performance by (B/Ti) n /TaN integration film bridge with small ignition delay time, high explosion temperature, much more bright flash of light, and much large quantities of the ejected product particles than TaN film bridge.

  1. Integrated Surface and Mechanical Characterization of Freestanding Biological and Other Nano-Structures Using Atomic Force Microscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Xin

    film promises a broad range of potential applications in electronic devices due to unique electrical and mechanical properties. SWCNT thin film is transferred onto micro-patterned SU-8 strips using wet contact print method, forming a freestanding nano-structure. AFM with tipless cantilever is used to deform the suspended thin film under mixed bending and stretching for mechanical and electromechanical characterization. The experiment helps to construct the base for next generation flexible electronic devices with fundamental understanding in morphology-property relation.

  2. Structural phase study in un-patterned and patterned PVDF semi-crystalline films

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

    Pramod, K., E-mail: rameshg.phy@pondiuni.edu.in; Gangineni, Ramesh Babu, E-mail: rameshg.phy@pondiuni.edu.in

    2014-04-24

    This work explores the structural phase studies of organic polymer- polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) thin films in semi-crystallized phase and nano-patterned PVDF thin films. The nanopatterns are transferred with the CD layer as a master using soft lithography technique. The semi-crystalline PVDF films were prepared by a still and hot (SH) method, using a homemade spin coater that has the proficiency of substrate heating by a halogen lamp. Using this set up, smooth PVDF thin films in semi-crystalline α-phase were prepared using 2-Butanone as solvent. XRD, AFM and confocal Raman microscope have been utilized to study the structural phase, crystallinity andmore » quality of the films.« less

  3. Characteristics of W Doped Nanocrystalline Carbon Films Prepared by Unbalanced Magnetron Sputtering.

    PubMed

    Park, Yong Seob; Park, Chul Min; Kim, Nam-Hoon; Kim, Jae-Moon

    2016-05-01

    Nanocrystalline tungsten doped carbon (WC) films were prepared by unbalanced magnetron sputtering. Tungsten was used as the doping material in carbon thin films with the aim of application as a contact strip in an electric railway. The structural, physical, and electrical properties of the fabricated WC films with various DC bias voltages were investigated. The films had a uniform and smooth surface. Hardness and frication characteristics of the films were improved, and the resistivity and sheet resistance decreased with increasing negative DC bias voltage. These results are associated with the nanocrystalline WC phase and sp(2) clusters in carbon networks increased by ion bombardment enhanced with increasing DC bias voltage. Consequently, the increase of sp(2) clusters containing WC nanocrystalline in the carbon films is attributed to the improvement in the physical and electrical properties.

  4. Temperature driven structural-memory-effects in carbon nanotubes filled with Fe3C nano crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boi, Filippo S.; Zhang, Xiaotian; Corrias, Anna

    2018-02-01

    We report the observation of novel temperature-driven structural-memory-effects in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) filled with Fe3C nano-crystals. These structural-transitions were measured by means of temperature (T) dependent x-ray diffraction (XRD) in the T-range from 298 K to 12 K. A clear reversible 2θ-shift in the 002-peak of the graphitic-CNTs-walls is found with the decrease of the temperature. As determined by Rietveld refinement, such 2θ-shift translates in a not previously reported decrease in the value of the CNT graphitic c-axis with the decrease of the temperature (from 298 K to 12 K). Also, a clear reversible 2θ-shift in the 031 and 131 diffraction-peaks of Fe3C is observed within the same T-range. Rietveld refinements confirm the existence of such memory-effect and also reveal a gradual decrease of the 010-axis of Fe3C with the decrease of the temperature. These observations imply that the observed structural-memory-effect is a characteristic of CNTs when Fe3C is the encapsulated ferromagnet. The generality of such memory-effects was further confirmed by additional measurements performed on other types of CNTs characterized by continuous Fe3C-filling. XRD measurements in the T-range from 298 K to 673 K revealed also an unusual reversible decrease of the Fe3C-peak intensities with the increase of the temperature. These observations can have important implications on the magnetic data recording applications of these nanostructures by helping in better understanding the unusual temperature-dependent magnetic instabilities of iron-based nano-crystals which have been recently reported in literature.

  5. Tunable nano-wrinkling of chiral surfaces: Structure and diffraction optics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rofouie, P.; Pasini, D.; Rey, A. D.

    2015-09-01

    Periodic surface nano-wrinkling is found throughout biological liquid crystalline materials, such as collagen films, spider silk gland ducts, exoskeleton of beetles, and flower petals. These surface ultrastructures are responsible for structural colors observed in some beetles and plants that can dynamically respond to external conditions, such as humidity and temperature. In this paper, the formation of the surface undulations is investigated through the interaction of anisotropic interfacial tension, swelling through hydration, and capillarity at free surfaces. Focusing on the cellulosic cholesteric liquid crystal (CCLC) material model, the generalized shape equation for anisotropic interfaces using the Cahn-Hoffman capillarity vector and the Rapini-Papoular anchoring energy are applied to analyze periodic nano-wrinkling in plant-based plywood free surfaces with water-induced cholesteric pitch gradients. Scaling is used to derive the explicit relations between the undulations' amplitude expressed as a function of the anchoring strength and the spatially varying pitch. The optical responses of the periodic nano-structured surfaces are studied through finite difference time domain simulations indicating that CCLC surfaces with spatially varying pitch reflect light in a wavelength higher than that of a CCLC's surface with constant pitch. This structural color change is controlled by the pitch gradient through hydration. All these findings provide a foundation to understand structural color phenomena in nature and for the design of optical sensor devices.

  6. Carbon films produced from ionic liquid carbon precursors

    DOEpatents

    Dai, Sheng; Luo, Huimin; Lee, Je Seung

    2013-11-05

    The invention is directed to a method for producing a film of porous carbon, the method comprising carbonizing a film of an ionic liquid, wherein the ionic liquid has the general formula (X.sup.+a).sub.x(Y.sup.-b).sub.y, wherein the variables a and b are, independently, non-zero integers, and the subscript variables x and y are, independently, non-zero integers, such that ax=by, and at least one of X.sup.+ and Y.sup.- possesses at least one carbon-nitrogen unsaturated bond. The invention is also directed to a composition comprising a porous carbon film possessing a nitrogen content of at least 10 atom %.

  7. Improvement of orthodontic friction by coating archwire with carbon nitride film

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wei, Songbo; Shao, Tianmin; Ding, Peng

    2011-10-01

    In order to reduce frictional resistance between archwire and bracket during orthodontic tooth movement, carbon nitride (CNx) thin films were deposited on the surface of archwires with ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD). The energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) analysis showed that the CNx film was successfully deposited on the surface of the orthodontic wires. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis suggested that the deposited CNx film was sp 2 carbon dominated structures, and diversiform bonds (N sbnd C, N tbnd C, et al.) coexisted in the film. The friction tests indicated that the CNx film significantly reduced the wire-bracket friction both in ambient air and in artificial saliva. The sp 2C rich structure of the CNx film as well as its protection function for the archwire was responsible for the low friction of the wire-bracket sliding system.

  8. Linear response formulism of a carbon nano-onion stringed to gold electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaur, Milanpreet; Sawhney, Ravinder Singh; Engles, Derick

    2017-04-01

    Density functional theory is used to investigate the electronic state of a carbon nano-onion conglobated by endohedral-ing the highly curved C20 fullerene within its parent fullerene C60. The Non-Equilibrium Green's Function is later employed to examine the quantum transport when the carbon nano-onion, C20@C60 is stringed to the pair of gold electrodes of (001) plane. The computed results are evaluated and compared with C20 and C60 junctions. The calculated electronic parameters of these molecular junctions are utilized to extrapolate their two electrical parameters: current and conductance. The carbon nano-onion junction assembled from the C20 and C60 molecules displays the combined effect of their molecular junctions when organized separately. Also, the insertion of C20 molecule in the hollow cavity of C60 fullerene leads to the enhancement of its current and conductance in carbon nano-onion junction formed, when compared to the one constructed otherwise.

  9. A nano-delivery system for bioactive ingredients using supercritical carbon dioxide and its release behaviors.

    PubMed

    Situ, Wenbei; Song, Xianliang; Luo, Shucan; Liang, Yan

    2017-08-01

    For the purpose of ensuring the bioavailability of bioactive ingredients, a nano-delivery system with low toxicity was developed using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO 2 ). Compared to thin-film hydration (TFH), obtaining nano-scale liposomes is easier using SC-CO 2 . The characteristic of these liposomes was also demonstrated by the analysis of particle size and morphology. An in vitro release study showed that liposomes produced using SC-CO 2 were resistant to low pH in simulated gastric conditions. In a simulated intestinal environment, enteric solubility of these liposomes was enhanced, which are important properties for controlled releasing bioactive ingredient. Furthermore, SC-CO 2 -produced liposomes had a higher storage stability than those produced using TFH. Analysis of the organic solvent residue in the liposomes by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) indicated that SC-CO 2 -produced liposomes had lower toxicity than those produced by TFH. A chemical free nano-delivery system using SC-CO 2 has been revealed for storage and controlled release of bioactive ingredients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Ultrahard carbon film from epitaxial two-layer graphene

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, Yang; Cao, Tengfei; Cellini, Filippo; Berger, Claire; de Heer, Walter A.; Tosatti, Erio; Riedo, Elisa; Bongiorno, Angelo

    2018-02-01

    Atomically thin graphene exhibits fascinating mechanical properties, although its hardness and transverse stiffness are inferior to those of diamond. So far, there has been no practical demonstration of the transformation of multilayer graphene into diamond-like ultrahard structures. Here we show that at room temperature and after nano-indentation, two-layer graphene on SiC(0001) exhibits a transverse stiffness and hardness comparable to diamond, is resistant to perforation with a diamond indenter and shows a reversible drop in electrical conductivity upon indentation. Density functional theory calculations suggest that, upon compression, the two-layer graphene film transforms into a diamond-like film, producing both elastic deformations and sp2 to sp3 chemical changes. Experiments and calculations show that this reversible phase change is not observed for a single buffer layer on SiC or graphene films thicker than three to five layers. Indeed, calculations show that whereas in two-layer graphene layer-stacking configuration controls the conformation of the diamond-like film, in a multilayer film it hinders the phase transformation.

  11. Development of novel nano-composite membranes as introduction systems for mass spectrometers: Contrasting nano-composite membranes and conventional inlet systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miranda, Luis Diego

    This dissertation presents the development of novel nano-composite membranes as introduction systems for mass spectrometers. These nano-composite membranes incorporate anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes as templates that can be used by themselves or modified by a variety of chemical deposition processes. Two types of nano-composite membranes are presented. The first nano-composite membrane has carbon deposited within the pores of an AAO membrane. The second nano-composite membrane is made by coating an AAO membrane with a thin polymer film. The following chapters describe the transmission properties these nano-composite membranes and compare them to conventional mass spectrometry introduction systems. The nano- composite membranes were finally coupled to the inlet system of an underwater mass spectrometer revealing their utility in field deployments.

  12. Room-temperature aqueous plasma electrolyzing Al2O3 nano-coating on carbon fiber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Yuping; Meng, Yang; Shen, Yonghua; Chen, Weiwei; Cheng, Huanwu; Wang, Lu

    2017-10-01

    A novel room-temperature aqueous plasma electrolysis technique has been developed in order to prepared Al2O3 nano-coating on each fiber within a carbon fiber bundle. The microstructure and formation mechanism of the Al2O3 nano-coating were systematically investigated. The oxidation resistance and tensile strength of the Al2O3-coated carbon fiber was measured at elevated temperatures. It showed that the dense Al2O3 nano-coating was relatively uniformly deposited with 80-120 nm in thickness. The Al2O3 nano-coating effectively protected the carbon fiber, evidenced by the slower oxidation rate and significant increase of the burn-out temperature from 800 °C to 950 °C. Although the bare carbon fiber remained ∼25 wt.% after oxidation at 700 °C for 20 min, a full destruction was observed, evidenced by the ∼0 GPa of the tensile strength, compared to ∼1.3 GPa of the Al2O3-coated carbon fiber due to the effective protection from the Al2O3 nano-coating. The formation mechanism of the Al2O3 nano-coating on carbon fiber was schematically established mainly based on the physic-chemical effect in the cathodic plasma arc zone.

  13. Durable polyorganosiloxane superhydrophobic films with a hierarchical structure by sol-gel and heat treatment method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiang, Zhenlin; Fang, Shuying; Wang, Chaosheng; Wang, Huaping; Ji, Chengchang

    2016-12-01

    For a surface to be superhydrophobic a combination of surface roughness and low surface energy is required. In this study, polyorganosiloxane superhydrophobic surfaces were fabricated using a sol-gel and heat treatment process followed by coating with a nanosilica (SiO2) sol and organosiloxane 1, 1, 1, 3, 5, 5, 5-heptamethyl-3-[2-(trimethoxysilyl)ethyl]-trisiloxane (β-HPEOs). The nano-structure was superimposed using self-assembled, surface-modified silica nanoparticles, forming two-dimensional hierarchical structures. The water contact angle (WCA) of polyorganosiloxane superhydrophobic surface was 143.7 ± 0.6°, which was further increased to 156.7 ± 1.1° with water angle hysteresis of 2.5 ± 0.6° by superimposing nanoparticles using a heat treatment process. An analytical characterization of the surface revealed that the nano-silica and polyorganosiloxane formed a micro/nano structure on the films and the wetting behaviour of the films changed from hydrophilic to superhydrophobic. The WCA of these films were 143.7 ± 0.6° and at heat treatment temperatures of less than 400 °C, the WCA increased from 144.5 ± 0.7° to 156.7 ± 1.1°. The prepared superhydrophobic films were stable even after heat treatment at 430 °C for 30 min and their superhydrophobicity was durable for more than 120 days. The effects of heat treatment process on the surface chemistry structure, wettability and morphology of the polyorganosiloxane superhydrophobic films were investigated in detail. The results indicated that the stability of the chemical structure was required to yield a thermally-stable superhydrophobic surface.

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

    PubMed

    Dastjerdi, Roya; Montazer, Majid

    2010-08-01

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

  15. Magnetization enhancement due to incorporation of non-magnetic nitrogen content in (Co{sub 84}Zr{sub 16})N{sub x} nano-composite films

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

    Singh, Jitendra, E-mail: jitendra@ceeri.ernet.in; Akhtar, Jamil; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, New Delhi 110001

    We report the magnetic, electronic, and structural properties of nano-composite (Co{sub 84}Zr{sub 16})N{sub x} or CZN films prepared by reactive co-sputter deposition method. As-deposited CZN films have shown enhancement in magnetization (M{sub s}) with incorporation of nitrogen content, which is related to the evolution of nano-composite phase. X-ray diffraction study has confirmed poly-crystalline growth of CZN films with fcc(331) and fcc(422) phases. High-resolution transmission electron microscope study reveals that CZN films are composed of ordered and crystalline ferromagnetic Co nano-clusters, which are embedded in the nano-composite matrix. Photoemission measurements show the change in the intensity near the Fermi level mostmore » likely due to defects and shift in the core-levels binding energy with nitrogen concentration. Raman spectroscopy data show an increase in the intensity of the Raman lines with nitrogen concentration upto 20%. However, the intensity is significantly lower for 30% sample. This indicates that less nitrogen or defect states are being substituted into the lattice above 20% and is consistent with the observed magnetic behavior. Our studies indicate that defects induced due to the incorporation of non-magnetic nitrogen content play a key role to enhance the magnetization.« less

  16. Red Phosphorus-Embedded Cross-Link-Structural Carbon Films as Flexible Anodes for Highly Reversible Li-Ion Storage

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

    Ruan, Jiafeng; Yuan, Tao; Pang, Yuepeng

    Red phosphorus (P) is considered to be one of the most attractive anodic materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to its high theoretical capacity of 2596 mAh g–1. However, intrinsic characteristics such as the poor electronic conductivity and large volume expansion at lithiation impede the development of red P. Here, we design a new strategy to embed red P particles into a cross-link-structural carbon film (P–C film), in order to improve the electronic conductivity and accommodate the volume expansion. The red P/carbon film is synthesized via vapor phase polymerization (VPP) followed by the pyrolysis process, working as a flexible binder-freemore » anode for LIBs. High cycle stability and good rate capability are achieved by the P–C film anode. With 21% P content in the film, it displays a capacity of 903 mAh g–1 after 640 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g–1 and a capacity of 460 mAh g–1 after 1000 cycles at 2.0 A g–1. Additionally, the Coulombic efficiency reaches almost 100% for each cycle. The superior properties of the P–C films together with their facile fabrication make this material attractive for further flexible and high energy density LIB applications.« less

  17. Characteristics of the Energetic Igniters Through Integrating B/Ti Nano-Multilayers on TaN Film Bridge.

    PubMed

    Yan, YiChao; Shi, Wei; Jiang, HongChuan; Cai, XianYao; Deng, XinWu; Xiong, Jie; Zhang, WanLi

    2015-12-01

    The energetic igniters through integrating B/Ti nano-multilayers on tantalum nitride (TaN) ignition bridge are designed and fabricated. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) results show that nitrogen content has a great influence on the crystalline structure and TCR. TaN films under nitrogen ratio of 0.99 % exhibit a near-zero TCR value of approximately 10 ppm/°C. The scanning electron microscopy demonstrates that the layered structure of the B/Ti multilayer films is clearly visible with sharp and smooth interfaces. The electrical explosion characteristics employing a capacitor discharge firing set at the optimized charging voltage of 45 V reveal an excellent explosion performance by (B/Ti) n /TaN integration film bridge with small ignition delay time, high explosion temperature, much more bright flash of light, and much large quantities of the ejected product particles than TaN film bridge.

  18. Rapid Obtaining of Nano-Hydroxyapatite Bioactive Films on NiTi Shape Memory Alloy by Electrodeposition Process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lobo, A. O.; Otubo, J.; Matsushima, J. T.; Corat, E. J.

    2011-07-01

    Nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA) crystalline films have been developed in this study by electrodeposition method on NiTi shape memory alloy (SMA). The electrodeposition of the n-HA films was carried out using 0.042 mol/L Ca(NO3)2 · 4H2O + 0.025 mol/L (NH4) · 2HPO4 electrolytes by applying a constant potential of -2.0 V for 120 min and keeping the solution temperature at 70 °C. The characterization of n-HA films is of special importance since bioactive properties related to n-HA have been directly identified with its specific composition and crystalline structure. AFM, XRD, EDX, FEG-SEM and Raman spectroscopy shows a homogeneous film, with high crystallinity, special composition, and bioactivity properties (Ca/P = 1.93) of n-HA on NiTi SMA surfaces. The n-HA coating with special structure would benefit the use of NiTi alloy in orthopedic applications.

  19. Microscopic vertical orientation of nano-interspaced graphene architectures in deposit films as electrodes for enhanced supercapacitor performance

    DOE PAGES

    Jang, Gyoung Gug; Song, Bo; Li, Liyi; ...

    2016-12-14

    This paper reported a novel two-step process to fabricate high-performance supercapacitor films that contain microscale domains of nano-interspaced, re-stacked graphene sheets oriented perpendicular to the surface of current collector substrate, i.e., carbon fiber paper. In the two-step process, we first used ligand molecules to modify the surface of graphene oxide (GO) sheets and manipulate the interspacing between the re-stacked GO sheets. The ligand-modified GOs, i.e., m-GOs, were then reduced to obtain more conductive graphene (m-rGO), where X-ray diffraction measurement results indicated well-controlled interlayer spacing between the restacked m-rGO sheets up to 1 nm. The typical lateral dimension of the restackedmore » m-rGO sheets were ~40 µm. Then, electrical field was introduced during m-rGO slurry deposition process to induce the vertical orientation of the m-rGO sheets/stacks in the film deposit. The direct current electrical field induced the orientation of the domains of m-rGO stacks along the direction perpendicular to the surface of deposit film, i.e., direction of electric field. Also, the applied electric field increased the interlayer spacing further, which should enhance the diffusion and accessibility of electrolyte ions. As compared with the traditionally deposited “control” films, the field-processed film deposits that contain oriented structure of graphene sheets/stacks have shown up to ~1.6 times higher values in capacitance (430 F/g at 0.5 A/g) and ~67% reduction in equivalent series resistance. Finally, the approach of using electric field to tailor the microscopic architecture of graphene-based deposit films is effective to fabricate film electrodes for high performance supercapacitors.« less

  20. Microscopic vertical orientation of nano-interspaced graphene architectures in deposit films as electrodes for enhanced supercapacitor performance

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

    Jang, Gyoung Gug; Song, Bo; Li, Liyi

    This paper reported a novel two-step process to fabricate high-performance supercapacitor films that contain microscale domains of nano-interspaced, re-stacked graphene sheets oriented perpendicular to the surface of current collector substrate, i.e., carbon fiber paper. In the two-step process, we first used ligand molecules to modify the surface of graphene oxide (GO) sheets and manipulate the interspacing between the re-stacked GO sheets. The ligand-modified GOs, i.e., m-GOs, were then reduced to obtain more conductive graphene (m-rGO), where X-ray diffraction measurement results indicated well-controlled interlayer spacing between the restacked m-rGO sheets up to 1 nm. The typical lateral dimension of the restackedmore » m-rGO sheets were ~40 µm. Then, electrical field was introduced during m-rGO slurry deposition process to induce the vertical orientation of the m-rGO sheets/stacks in the film deposit. The direct current electrical field induced the orientation of the domains of m-rGO stacks along the direction perpendicular to the surface of deposit film, i.e., direction of electric field. Also, the applied electric field increased the interlayer spacing further, which should enhance the diffusion and accessibility of electrolyte ions. As compared with the traditionally deposited “control” films, the field-processed film deposits that contain oriented structure of graphene sheets/stacks have shown up to ~1.6 times higher values in capacitance (430 F/g at 0.5 A/g) and ~67% reduction in equivalent series resistance. Finally, the approach of using electric field to tailor the microscopic architecture of graphene-based deposit films is effective to fabricate film electrodes for high performance supercapacitors.« less

  1. An optimized surface plasmon photovoltaic structure using energy transfer between discrete nano-particles.

    PubMed

    Lin, Albert; Fu, Sze-Ming; Chung, Yen-Kai; Lai, Shih-Yun; Tseng, Chi-Wei

    2013-01-14

    Surface plasmon enhancement has been proposed as a way to achieve higher absorption for thin-film photovoltaics, where surface plasmon polariton(SPP) and localized surface plasmon (LSP) are shown to provide dense near field and far field light scattering. Here it is shown that controlled far-field light scattering can be achieved using successive coupling between surface plasmonic (SP) nano-particles. Through genetic algorithm (GA) optimization, energy transfer between discrete nano-particles (ETDNP) is identified, which enhances solar cell efficiency. The optimized energy transfer structure acts like lumped-element transmission line and can properly alter the direction of photon flow. Increased in-plane component of wavevector is thus achieved and photon path length is extended. In addition, Wood-Rayleigh anomaly, at which transmission minimum occurs, is avoided through GA optimization. Optimized energy transfer structure provides 46.95% improvement over baseline planar cell. It achieves larger angular scattering capability compared to conventional surface plasmon polariton back reflector structure and index-guided structure due to SP energy transfer through mode coupling. Via SP mediated energy transfer, an alternative way to control the light flow inside thin-film is proposed, which can be more efficient than conventional index-guided mode using total internal reflection (TIR).

  2. Growth, structure and stability of sputter-deposited MoS2 thin films.

    PubMed

    Kaindl, Reinhard; Bayer, Bernhard C; Resel, Roland; Müller, Thomas; Skakalova, Viera; Habler, Gerlinde; Abart, Rainer; Cherevan, Alexey S; Eder, Dominik; Blatter, Maxime; Fischer, Fabian; Meyer, Jannik C; Polyushkin, Dmitry K; Waldhauser, Wolfgang

    2017-01-01

    Molybdenum disulphide (MoS 2 ) thin films have received increasing interest as device-active layers in low-dimensional electronics and also as novel catalysts in electrochemical processes such as the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in electrochemical water splitting. For both types of applications, industrially scalable fabrication methods with good control over the MoS 2 film properties are crucial. Here, we investigate scalable physical vapour deposition (PVD) of MoS 2 films by magnetron sputtering. MoS 2 films with thicknesses from ≈10 to ≈1000 nm were deposited on SiO 2 /Si and reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) substrates. Samples deposited at room temperature (RT) and at 400 °C were compared. The deposited MoS 2 was characterized by macro- and microscopic X-ray, electron beam and light scattering, scanning and spectroscopic methods as well as electrical device characterization. We find that room-temperature-deposited MoS 2 films are amorphous, of smooth surface morphology and easily degraded upon moderate laser-induced annealing in ambient conditions. In contrast, films deposited at 400 °C are nano-crystalline, show a nano-grained surface morphology and are comparatively stable against laser-induced degradation. Interestingly, results from electrical transport measurements indicate an unexpected metallic-like conduction character of the studied PVD MoS 2 films, independent of deposition temperature. Possible reasons for these unusual electrical properties of our PVD MoS 2 thin films are discussed. A potential application for such conductive nanostructured MoS 2 films could be as catalytically active electrodes in (photo-)electrocatalysis and initial electrochemical measurements suggest directions for future work on our PVD MoS 2 films.

  3. Growth, structure and stability of sputter-deposited MoS2 thin films

    PubMed Central

    Bayer, Bernhard C; Resel, Roland; Müller, Thomas; Skakalova, Viera; Habler, Gerlinde; Abart, Rainer; Cherevan, Alexey S; Eder, Dominik; Blatter, Maxime; Fischer, Fabian; Meyer, Jannik C; Polyushkin, Dmitry K; Waldhauser, Wolfgang

    2017-01-01

    Molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) thin films have received increasing interest as device-active layers in low-dimensional electronics and also as novel catalysts in electrochemical processes such as the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in electrochemical water splitting. For both types of applications, industrially scalable fabrication methods with good control over the MoS2 film properties are crucial. Here, we investigate scalable physical vapour deposition (PVD) of MoS2 films by magnetron sputtering. MoS2 films with thicknesses from ≈10 to ≈1000 nm were deposited on SiO2/Si and reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) substrates. Samples deposited at room temperature (RT) and at 400 °C were compared. The deposited MoS2 was characterized by macro- and microscopic X-ray, electron beam and light scattering, scanning and spectroscopic methods as well as electrical device characterization. We find that room-temperature-deposited MoS2 films are amorphous, of smooth surface morphology and easily degraded upon moderate laser-induced annealing in ambient conditions. In contrast, films deposited at 400 °C are nano-crystalline, show a nano-grained surface morphology and are comparatively stable against laser-induced degradation. Interestingly, results from electrical transport measurements indicate an unexpected metallic-like conduction character of the studied PVD MoS2 films, independent of deposition temperature. Possible reasons for these unusual electrical properties of our PVD MoS2 thin films are discussed. A potential application for such conductive nanostructured MoS2 films could be as catalytically active electrodes in (photo-)electrocatalysis and initial electrochemical measurements suggest directions for future work on our PVD MoS2 films. PMID:28685112

  4. Raman studied of undoped amorphous carbon thin film deposited by bias assisted-CVD

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ishak, A.; Fadzilah, A. N.; Dayana, K.; Saurdi, I.; Malek, M. F.; Nurbaya, Z.; Shafura, A. K.; Rusop, M.

    2018-05-01

    The undoped amorphous carbon thin film carbon was deposited at 200°C-350°C by bias assisted-CVD using palm oil as a precursor material. The effect of different substrate deposition temperatures on structural and electrical properties of undoped doped amorphous carbon film was discussed. The structural of undoped amorphous carbon films were correlated with Raman analysis through the evolution of D and G bands, Fourier spectra, and conductivity measurement. The spectral evolution observed showed the increase of upward shift of D and G peaks as substrate deposition temperatures increased. The spectral evolution observed at different substrate deposition temperatures show progressive formation of crystallites. It was predicted that small number of hydrogen is terminated with carbon at surface of thin film as shown by FTIR spectra since palm oil has high number of hydrogen (C67H127O8). These structural changes were further correlated with conductivity and the results obtained are discussed and compared. The conductivity is found in the range of 10-8 Scm-1. The increase of conductivity is correlated by the change of structural properties as correlated with characteristic parameters of Raman spectra including the position of G peak, full width at half maximum of G peak, and ID/IG and FTIR result.

  5. Sea-Sponge-like Structure of Nano-Fe3O4 on Skeleton-C with Long Cycle Life under High Rate for Li-Ion Batteries.

    PubMed

    Chen, Shipei; Wu, Qingnan; Wen, Ming; Wu, Qingsheng; Li, Jiaqi; Cui, Yi; Pinna, Nicola; Fan, Yafei; Wu, Tong

    2018-06-13

    To meet the demands of long cycle life under high rate for lithium-ion batteries, the advancement of anode materials with stable structural properties is necessarily demanded. Such promotion needs to design reasonable structure to facilitate the transportation of electron and lithium ions (Li + ). Herein, a novel C/Fe 3 O 4 sea-sponge-like structure was synthesized by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis following thermal decomposition process. On the basis of sea-sponge carbon (SSC) excellences in electronic conductivity and short Li + diffusion pathway, nano-Fe 3 O 4 anchored on stable SSC skeleton can deliver high electrochemical performance with long cycle life under high rate. During electrochemical cycling, well-dispersed nano-Fe 3 O 4 in ∼6 nm not only averts excessive pulverization and is enveloped by solid electrolyte interphase film, but also increases Li + diffusion efficiency. The much improved electrochemical properties showed a capacity of around 460 mAh g -1 at a high rate of 1.5C with a retention rate of 93%, which is maintained without degradation up to 1000 cycles (1C = 1000 mA g -1 ).

  6. Characteristic of Nano-Cu Film Prepared by Energy Filtrating Magnetron Sputtering Technique and Its Optical Property

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Zhaoyong; Hu, Xing; Yao, Ning

    2015-03-01

    At the optimized deposition parameters, Cu film was deposited by the direct current magnetron sputtering (DMS) technique and the energy filtrating magnetron sputtering (EFMS) technique. The nano-structure was charactered by x-ray diffraction. The surface morphology of the film was observed by atomic force microscopy. The optical properties of the film were measured by spectroscopic ellipsometry. The refractive index, extinction coefficient and the thickness of the film were obtained by the fitted spectroscopic ellipsometry data using the Drude-Lorentz oscillator optical model. Results suggested that a Cu film with different properties was fabricated by the EFMS technique. The film containing smaller particles is denser and the surface is smoother. The average transmission coefficient, the refractive index and the extinction coefficients are higher than those of the Cu film deposited by the DMS technique. The average transmission coefficient (400-800 nm) is more than three times higher. The refractive index and extinction coefficient (at 550 nm) are more than 36% and 14% higher, respectively.

  7. Friction Durability of Extremely Thin Diamond-Like Carbon Films at High Temperature

    PubMed Central

    Miyake, Shojiro; Suzuki, Shota; Miyake, Masatoshi

    2017-01-01

    To clarify the friction durability, both during and after the high-temperature heating of nanometer-thick diamond-like carbon (DLC) films, deposited using filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) and plasma chemical vapor deposition (P-CVD) methods, the dependence of the friction coefficient on the load and sliding cycles of the DLC films, were evaluated. Cluster-I consisted of a low friction area in which the DLC film was effective, while cluster-II consisted of a high friction area in which the lubricating effect of the DLC film was lost. The friction durability of the films was evaluated by statistical cluster analysis. Extremely thin FCVA-DLC films exhibited an excellent wear resistance at room temperature, but their friction durability was decreased at high temperatures. In contrast, the durability of the P-CVD-DLC films was increased at high temperatures when compared with that observed at room temperature. This inverse dependence on temperature corresponded to the nano-friction results obtained by atomic force microscopy. The decrease in the friction durability of the FCVA-DLC films at high temperatures, was caused by a complex effect of temperature and friction. The tribochemical reaction produced by the P-CVD-DLC films reduced their friction coefficient, increasing their durability at high temperatures. PMID:28772520

  8. Friction Durability of Extremely Thin Diamond-Like Carbon Films at High Temperature.

    PubMed

    Miyake, Shojiro; Suzuki, Shota; Miyake, Masatoshi

    2017-02-10

    To clarify the friction durability, both during and after the high-temperature heating of nanometer-thick diamond-like carbon (DLC) films, deposited using filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) and plasma chemical vapor deposition (P-CVD) methods, the dependence of the friction coefficient on the load and sliding cycles of the DLC films, were evaluated. Cluster-I consisted of a low friction area in which the DLC film was effective, while cluster-II consisted of a high friction area in which the lubricating effect of the DLC film was lost. The friction durability of the films was evaluated by statistical cluster analysis. Extremely thin FCVA-DLC films exhibited an excellent wear resistance at room temperature, but their friction durability was decreased at high temperatures. In contrast, the durability of the P-CVD-DLC films was increased at high temperatures when compared with that observed at room temperature. This inverse dependence on temperature corresponded to the nano-friction results obtained by atomic force microscopy. The decrease in the friction durability of the FCVA-DLC films at high temperatures, was caused by a complex effect of temperature and friction. The tribochemical reaction produced by the P-CVD-DLC films reduced their friction coefficient, increasing their durability at high temperatures.

  9. Carbon film electrodes for super capacitor applications

    DOEpatents

    Tan, Ming X.

    1999-01-01

    A microporous carbon film for use as electrodes in energy strorage devices is disclosed, which is made by the process comprising the steps of: (1) heating a polymer film material consisting essentially of a copolymer of polyvinylidene chloride and polyvinyl chloride in an inert atmosphere to form a carbon film; and (2) activating said carbon film to form said microporous carbon film having a density between about 0.7 g/cm.sup.2 and 1 g/cm.sup.2 and a gravimetric capacitance of about between 120 F/g and 315 F/g.

  10. Field Emission and Nanostructure of Carbon Films

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

    Merkulov, V.I.; Lowndes, D.H.; Baylor, L.R.

    1999-11-29

    The results of field emission measurements of various forms of carbon films are reported. It is shown that the films nanostructure is a crucial factor determining the field emission properties. In particular, smooth, pulsed-laser deposited amorphous carbon films with both high and low sp3 contents are poor field emitters. This is similar to the results obtained for smooth nanocrystalline, sp2-bonded carbon films. In contrast, carbon films prepared by hot-filament chemical vapor deposition (HE-CVD) exhibit very good field emission properties, including low emission turn-on fields, high emission site density, and excellent durability. HF-CVD carbon films were found to be predominantly sp2-bonded.more » However, surface morphology studies show that these films are thoroughly nanostructured, which is believed to be responsible for their promising field emission properties.« less

  11. Thermal and frictional performance evaluation of nano lubricant with multi wall carbon nano tubes (MWCNTs) as nano-additive

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lijesh K., P.; Kumar, Deepak; Muzakkir S., M.; Hirani, Harish

    2018-05-01

    A Fluid Film Bearings (FFBs) operating in hydrodynamic boundary regime can provide moderate load carrying capacity, negligible wear and friction. However in extreme operating conditions i.e. at high load and low speed, asperities of journal and bearing surfaces come in contact with each other resulting in high wear and friction. During the contact of the asperities, the temperature of the lubricant increases due to frictional heating, resulting in reduction of the viscosity of lubricant. Variation of lubricant viscosity results in low load carrying capacity of the FFB and therefore resulting in detoriation of FFB performance. In the present work it is hypothesized that, by adding multi-functional Multi Wall Carbon Nano-Tubes (MWCNT) (having high thermal conductivity and anti-friction properties) as nano-additive in the base mineral oil, the aforementioned problems can be overcome. To validate the proposed hypothesis, five different samples of lubricant is considered: Sample 1: Base oil, Sample 2: Base oil +0.05% MWCNT, Sample 3: Base oil +0.05% MWCNT +0.5%surfactant, Sample 4: Base oil +0.1% MWCNT +0.5% surfactant, and Sample 5: Base oil +0.15% MWCNT +0.5%surfactant. To evaluate the performance of the developed lubricants, experiments were performed on the reduced scale conformal block on disc test setup. The experimental condition and dimension of the block and disc were decide for the Sommerfeld number equal to 0.0025, which indicates mixed lubrication regime. The performance of lubricant is evaluated by measuring the frictional force and temperature rise of the lubricant during the experiment.

  12. Highly selective and sensitive simple sensor based on electrochemically treated nano polypyrrole-sodium dodecyl sulphate film for the detection of para-nitrophenol.

    PubMed

    Arulraj, Abraham Daniel; Vijayan, Muthunanthevar; Vasantha, Vairathevar Sivasamy

    2015-10-29

    An ultrasensitive and highly selective electrochemical sensor for the determination of p-nitrophenol (p-NP) was developed based on electrochemically treated nano polypyrrole/sodium dodecyl sulphate film (ENPPy/SDS film) modified glassy carbon electrode. The nano polypyrrole/sodium dodecyl sulphate film (NPPy/SDS film) was prepared and treated electrochemically in phosphate buffer solution. The surface morphology and elemental analysis of treated and untreated NPPy/SDS film were characterized by FESEM and EDX analysis, respectively. Wettability of polymer films were analysed by contact angle test. The hydrophilic nature of the polymer film decreased after electrochemical treatment. Effect of the pH of electrolyte and thickness of the ENPPy/SDS film on determination of p-NP was optimised by cyclic voltammetry. Under the optimised conditions, the p-NP was determined from the oxidation peak of p-hydroxyaminophenol which was formed from the reduction of p-NP in the reduction segment of cyclic voltammetry. A very good linear detection range (from 0.1 nM to 100 μM) and the best LOD (0.1 nM) were obtained for p-NP with very good selectivity. This detection limit is below to the allowed limit in drinking water, 0.43 μM, proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and earlier reports. Moreover, ENPPy/SDS film based sensor exhibits high sensitivity (4.4546 μA μM(-1)) to p-NP. Experimental results show that it is a fast and simple sensor for p-NP. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Photoluminescence Imaging of Polyfluorene Surface Structures on Semiconducting Carbon Nanotubes: Implications for Thin Film Exciton Transport.

    PubMed

    Hartmann, Nicolai F; Pramanik, Rajib; Dowgiallo, Anne-Marie; Ihly, Rachelle; Blackburn, Jeffrey L; Doorn, Stephen K

    2016-12-27

    Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have potential to act as light-harvesting elements in thin film photovoltaic devices, but performance is in part limited by the efficiency of exciton diffusion processes within the films. Factors contributing to exciton transport can include film morphology encompassing nanotube orientation, connectivity, and interaction geometry. Such factors are often defined by nanotube surface structures that are not yet well understood. Here, we present the results of a combined pump-probe and photoluminescence imaging study of polyfluorene (PFO)-wrapped (6,5) and (7,5) SWCNTs that provide additional insight into the role played by polymer structures in defining exciton transport. Pump-probe measurements suggest exciton transport occurs over larger length scales in films composed of PFO-wrapped (7,5) SWCNTs, compared to those prepared from PFO-bpy-wrapped (6,5) SWCNTs. To explore the role the difference in polymer structure may play as a possible origin of differing transport behaviors, we performed a photoluminescence imaging study of individual polymer-wrapped (6,5) and (7,5) SWCNTs. The PFO-bpy-wrapped (6,5) SWCNTs showed more uniform intensity distributions along their lengths, in contrast to the PFO-wrapped (7,5) SWCNTs, which showed irregular, discontinuous intensity distributions. These differences likely originate from differences in surface coverage and suggest the PFO wrapping on (7,5) nanotubes produces a more open surface structure than is available with the PFO-bpy wrapping of (6,5) nanotubes. The open structure likely leads to improved intertube coupling that enhances exciton transport within the (7,5) films, consistent with the results of our pump-probe measurements.

  14. Production of ultra-thin nano-scaled graphene platelets from meso-carbon micro-beads

    DOEpatents

    Zhamu, Aruna; Guo, Jiusheng; Jang, Bor Z

    2014-11-11

    A method of producing nano-scaled graphene platelets (NGPs) having an average thickness no greater than 50 nm, typically less than 2 nm, and, in many cases, no greater than 1 nm. The method comprises (a) intercalating a supply of meso-carbon microbeads (MCMBs) to produce intercalated MCMBs; and (b) exfoliating the intercalated MCMBs at a temperature and a pressure for a sufficient period of time to produce the desired NGPs. Optionally, the exfoliated product may be subjected to a mechanical shearing treatment, such as air milling, air jet milling, ball milling, pressurized fluid milling, rotating-blade grinding, or ultrasonicating. The NGPs are excellent reinforcement fillers for a range of matrix materials to produce nanocomposites. Nano-scaled graphene platelets are much lower-cost alternatives to carbon nano-tubes or carbon nano-fibers.

  15. Depolarized haze of nano-porous AAO film via porosity and aspect control

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tseng, Chun-Wei; Lin, Yung-Hsiang; Cheng, Chih-Hsien; Lin, Gong-Ru

    2018-01-01

    Multiple scattering induced haze and depolarization effects of nano-porous AAO films controlled by detuning the porosity and aspect ratio of the nano holes are investigated. The nano-porous AAO film with its porosity increasing from 12.6% to 19.3% enhances the scattering of the incident laser beam with its maximal scattering angle enlarged from 5° to 8° under TM-mode incidence and from 6° to 10° under TE-mode incidence. Because of multiple scattering within the porous holes of the AAO, the depolarization on the reflected beam by transferring its electric field from horizontal to the vertical such that the polarization ratio is degraded with a randomized haze. The porosity of AAO surface broadens from 12.6% to 19.3% when increasing the bias voltage from 40 to 60 V during the second-step of the electro-chemical anodization process, which essentially adjusts the polarization ratio under TM-mode and TE-mode incidences raise from 0.31 to 0.35 and from 0.32 to 0.48, respectively. The depolarized haze of the nano-porous AAO film is correlated with its porosity and aspect ratio controlled by the pore size and etched depth of the AAO. Under TM-mode incidence, the simulated polarization ratio increases from 0.35 to 0.38, which correlates well with experimental results. In contrast, the experiment result slightly deviates from the theoretical prediction as the TE-mode field interacts more surface area than the TM-mode field does. Such a nano-porous AAO exhibits tunable depolarized haze via the control porosity and aspect ratio, which is particularly suitable to serve as the catalytic buffer for synthesizing the hydrophobic and hazed solar energy converters.

  16. Grayscale photomask fabricated by laser direct writing in metallic nano-films.

    PubMed

    Guo, Chuan Fei; Cao, Sihai; Jiang, Peng; Fang, Ying; Zhang, Jianming; Fan, Yongtao; Wang, Yongsheng; Xu, Wendong; Zhao, Zhensheng; Liu, Qian

    2009-10-26

    The grayscale photomask plays a key role in grayscale lithography for creating 3D microstructures like micro-optical elements and MEMS structures, but how to fabricate grayscale masks in a cost-effective way is still a big challenge. Here we present novel low cost grayscale masks created in a two-step method by laser direct writing on Sn nano-films, which demonstrate continuous-tone gray levels depended on writing powers. The mechanism of the gray levels is due to the coexistence of the metal and the oxides formed in a laser-induced thermal process. The photomasks reveal good technical properties in fabricating 3D microstructures for practical applications.

  17. Hybrid Energy Cell with Hierarchical Nano/Micro-Architectured Polymer Film to Harvest Mechanical, Solar, and Wind Energies Individually/Simultaneously.

    PubMed

    Dudem, Bhaskar; Ko, Yeong Hwan; Leem, Jung Woo; Lim, Joo Ho; Yu, Jae Su

    2016-11-09

    We report the creation of hybrid energy cells based on hierarchical nano/micro-architectured polydimethylsiloxane (HNMA-PDMS) films with multifunctionality to simultaneously harvest mechanical, solar, and wind energies. These films consist of nano/micro dual-scale architectures (i.e., nanonipples on inverted micropyramidal arrays) on the PDMS surface. The HNMA-PDMS is replicable by facile and cost-effective soft imprint lithography using a nanoporous anodic alumina oxide film formed on the micropyramidal-structured silicon substrate. The HNMA-PDMS film plays multifunctional roles as a triboelectric layer in nanogenerators and an antireflection layer for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), as well as a self-cleaning surface. This film is employed in triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) devices, fabricated by laminating it on indium-tin oxide-coated polyethylene terephthalate (ITO/PET) as a bottom electrode. The large effective contact area that emerged from the densely packed hierarchical nano/micro-architectures of the PDMS film leads to the enhancement of TENG device performance. Moreover, the HNMA-PDMS/ITO/PET, with a high transmittance of >90%, also results in highly transparent TENG devices. By placing the HNMA-PDMS/ITO/PET, where the ITO/PET is coated with zinc oxide nanowires, as the top glass substrate of DSSCs, the device is able to add the functionality of TENG devices, thus creating a hybrid energy cell. The hybrid energy cell can successfully convert mechanical, solar, and wind energies into electricity, simultaneously or independently. To specify the device performance, the effects of external pushing frequency and load resistance on the output of TENG devices are also analyzed, including the photovoltaic performance of the hybrid energy cells.

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

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

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

    2016-05-23

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

  19. Preparation and structural characterization of turbostratic-carbon/graphene derived from amylose film

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sazali, N. E. S.; Deraman, M.; Omar, R.; Othman, M. A. R.; Suleman, M.; Shamsudin, S. A.; Tajuddin, N. S. M.; Hanappi, M. F. Y. M.; Hamdan, E.; Nor, N. S. M.; Basri, N. H.

    2016-11-01

    In this study, we report the preparation of turbostratic-carbon/graphene from biomass amylose film by carbonization (N2 gas) and activation (CO2 gas) over different temperatures 600, 700, 800, 900, and 1000 °C, respectively. The Raman spectroscopy results of the produced samples show that the values of the ID/IG ratio ranging from 0.75 to 0.99 are comparable to that of the commercial multilayer graphene and KOH treated multilayer graphene. The X-ray diffraction results of the produced samples show that a small decrease in the d002 (˜0.62 %) and d100 (˜0.57 %) values and a larger decrease in Lc (˜8.6 %) and La (˜27.2 %) values occurs as the carbonization and activation temperature increases, indicating that the increase in temperature has an effect on the growth of microcrystallites during carbonization and activation. This study demonstrates the potential of the amylose film to be used as a precursor for producing graphene flakes.

  20. Nano and micro mechanical properties of uncross-linked and cross-linked chitosan films

    PubMed Central

    Aryaei, Ashkan; Jayatissa, Ahalapitiya H.; Jayasuriya, A. Champa

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study is to determine the nano and micro mechanical properties for uncross-linked and cross-linked chitosan films. Specifically, we looked at nanoindentation hardness, microhardness, and elastic modulus. It is important to study the nano and microscale mechanical properties of chitosan since chitosan has been widely used for biomedical applications. Using the solvent-cast method, the chitosan films were prepared at room temperature on the cleaned glass plates. The chitosan solution was prepared by dissolving chitosan in acetic acid 1% (v/v). Tripolyphosphate (TPP) was used to create the cross-links between amine groups in chitosan and phosphate groups in TPP. In this study, atomic force microscopy was used to measure the nanoindentation hardness and surface topography of the uncross-linked and cross-linked chitosan films. Elastic modulus was then calculated from the nanoindentation results. The effective elastic modulus was determined by microhardness with some modifications to previous theories. The microhardness of the chitosan films were measured using Vicker’s hardness meter under three different loads. Our results show that the microhardness and elastic modulus for cross-linked chitosan films are higher than the uncross-linked films. However, the cross-linked chitosan films show increased brittleness when compared to uncross-linked films. By increasing the load magnitude, the microhardness increases for both uncross-linked and cross-linked chitosan films. PMID:22100082

  1. AZO films with Al nano-particles to improve the light extraction efficiency of GaN-based light-emitting diodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chou, Ying-Hung; Yan, Jheng-Tai; Lee, Hsin-Ying; Lee, Ching-Ting

    2008-02-01

    The co-sputtering Al-doped ZnO (AZO) films with Al nano-particles were used to increase the extraction efficiency of GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Fixing the ZnO radio frequency (RF) power of 100W and changing the Al DC power from 0 to 13W, the AZO films with various Al contents can be obtained. In the experimental results, the AZO films deposited with Al DC power of 0, 4.5 and 7W do not have Al segregation. However, the segregated Al nano-particles can be found in the AZO films deposited by Al DC power of 10W and 13W. The co-sputtering 170 nm-thick AZO films with and without Al nano-particles were deposited on the transparent area of LEDs and compared the light output intensity of conventional LEDs. The light intensity of LEDs with AZO films with Al DC power 0, 4.5 and 7W increased 10% than that of conventional LEDs. This was due to the AZO film played a role of anti-reflection coating (ARC) layer. The light intensity of LEDs with AZO film deposited using Al DC power of 10W and 13W increased about 35% and 30%, respectively. It can be deduced that the output light is scattered by the Al nano-particles existed in the AZO film.

  2. The effect of passivation film in preparation 3D structural carbon paper/tin oxide@carbon as freestanding anode for lithium-ion batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Deng, Chenfang; Liu, Yang; Lu, Zhongpei; Ma, Chao; Ge, Tao; Li, Weili; Yang, Gang

    2018-03-01

    Tin-based compounds are potential anode materials for high performance lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Due to the low melting point of metallic Sn, it is hard to maintain the crystal morphology of Sn during the as-follow process of carbon coating for high performance anode. In this work, the core@shell composite of SnOx@carbon (SnOx@C) is successfully fabricated on the substrate of carbon paper (CP) through electrodeposition and carbonization based on the precursor of Sn nanoparticles. A passivation shell is essentially grown onto Sn particles to obtain a stable structure of SnOx@C, otherwise the Sn particles will be pulverized and fell off the substrate of CP during the subsequent process of carbonization. The as-produced CP/SnOx@C film has excellent flexibility and mechanical stability to be directly served as electrode for LIBs. Carbon shell prevents the detachment and agglomeration of the active particles during lithiation/delithiation processes and maintains the stability of the conductive network. After 100th cycles, CP/SnOx@C electrode delivers 0.8 mAh cm-2, much higher than the capacity 0.37 mAh cm-2 of CP/Sn electrode operated at the current density of 0.1 mA cm-2. These features enable the flexible film of CP/SnOx@C to be attractive applications in energy storage devices.

  3. Hierarchical structure graphitic-like/MoS2 film as superlubricity material

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gong, Zhenbin; Jia, Xiaolong; Ma, Wei; Zhang, Bin; Zhang, Junyan

    2017-08-01

    Friction and wear result in a great amount of energy loss and the invalidation of mechanical parts, thus it is necessary to minimize friction in practical application. In this study, the graphitic-like/MoS2 films with hierarchical structure were synthesized by the combination of pulse current plasma chemical-vapor deposition and medium frequency unbalanced magnetron sputtering in preheated environment. This hierarchical structure composite with multilayer nano sheets endows the films excellent tribological performance, which easily achieves macro superlubricity (friction coefficient ∼0.004) under humid air. Furthermore, it is expected that hierarchical structure of graphitic-like/MoS2 films could match the requirements of large scale, high bear-capacity and wear-resistance of actual working conditions, which could be widely used in the industrial production as a promising superlubricity material.

  4. Carbon-Based Nano-Electro-Mechanical-Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kaul, A. B.; Khan, A. R.; Megerian, K. G.; Epp, L.; LeDuc, G.; Bagge, L.; Jennings, A. T.; Jang, D.; Greer, J. R.

    2011-01-01

    We provide an overview of our work where carbon-based nanostructures have been applied to two-dimensional (2D) planar and three-dimensional (3D) vertically-oriented nano-electro-mechanical (NEM) switches. In the first configuration, laterally oriented single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) synthesized using thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) were implemented for forming bridge-type 2D NEMS switches, where switching voltages were on the order of a few volts. In the second configuration, vertically oriented carbon nanofibers (CNFs) synthesized using plasma-enhanced (PE) CVD have been explored for their potential application in 3D NEMS. We have performed nanomechanical measurements on such vertically oriented tubes using nanoindentation to determine the mechanical properties of the CNFs. Electrostatic switching was demonstrated in the CNFs synthesized on refractory metallic nitride substrates, where a nanoprobe was used as the actuating electrode inside a scanning-electron-microscope. The switching voltages were determined to be in the tens of volts range and van der Waals interactions at these length scales appeared significant, suggesting such structures are promising for nonvolatile memory applications. A finite element model was also developed to determine a theoretical pull-in voltage which was compared to experimental results.

  5. Fabrication of nitrogen-containing diamond-like carbon film by filtered arc deposition as conductive hard-coating film

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Iijima, Yushi; Harigai, Toru; Isono, Ryo; Imai, Takahiro; Suda, Yoshiyuki; Takikawa, Hirofumi; Kamiya, Masao; Taki, Makoto; Hasegawa, Yushi; Tsuji, Nobuhiro; Kaneko, Satoru; Kunitsugu, Shinsuke; Habuchi, Hitoe; Kiyohara, Shuji; Ito, Mikio; Yick, Sam; Bendavid, Avi; Martin, Phil

    2018-01-01

    Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films, which are amorphous carbon films, have been used as hard-coating films for protecting the surface of mechanical parts. Nitrogen-containing DLC (N-DLC) films are expected as conductive hard-coating materials. N-DLC films are expected in applications such as protective films for contact pins, which are used in the electrical check process of integrated circuit chips. In this study, N-DLC films are prepared using the T-shaped filtered arc deposition (T-FAD) method, and film properties are investigated. Film hardness and film density decreased when the N content increased in the films because the number of graphite structures in the DLC film increased as the N content increased. These trends are similar to the results of a previous study. The electrical resistivity of N-DLC films changed from 0.26 to 8.8 Ω cm with a change in the nanoindentation hardness from 17 to 27 GPa. The N-DLC films fabricated by the T-FAD method showed high mechanical hardness and low electrical resistivity.

  6. Preparation and electrical-property characterization of poly(vinyl chloride)-derived carbon nanosheet by ion beam irradiation-induced carbon clustering and carbonization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jung, Chan-Hee; Sohn, Joon-Yong; Kim, Hyo-Sub; Hwang, In-Tae; Lee, Hong-Joon; Shin, Junhwa; Choi, Jae-Hak

    2018-05-01

    In this work, we demonstrated that carbon nanosheet (CNS) can easily be produced by a room-temperature, solid-state proton irradiation-induced clustering of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) films followed by carbonization. The results of the optical, chemical, and structural analyses revealed that oxidized and sp2-hybridized carbon clusters were effectively created in the PVC thin film by combined dehydrochlorination and inter-coupling reactions during proton irradiation. This was further converted to pseudo-hexagonally-structured nano-crystalline CNS with 2-D symmetry and metallic transporting character by high-temperature treatment. As a result, the CNS exhibited a very high electrical conductivity (587 S/cm) without a significant change in their thickness, a low surface roughness (0.36 nm), and a high work function (5.11 eV). These findings demonstrate that the radiation-based approach opens new avenues for the design and development of 2-D CNS as a graphene allotrope for the application of electronic devices, including field-effect transistors, electric heating devices, biosensors, supercapacitors, and fuel cells.

  7. Synthesis of α-MoO3 nano-flakes by dry oxidation of RF sputtered Mo thin films and their application in gas sensing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dwivedi, Priyanka; Dhanekar, Saakshi; Das, Samaresh

    2016-11-01

    Synthesis of orthorhombic (α) MoO3 nano-flakes by dry oxidation of RF sputtered Mo thin film is presented. The influence of Mo thickness variation, oxidation temperature and time on the crystallographic structure, surface morphology and roughness of MoO3 thin films was studied using SEM, AFM, XRD and Raman spectroscopy. A structural study shows that MoO3 is polycrystalline in nature with an α phase. It was noticed that oxidation temperature plays an important role in the formation of nano-flakes. The synthesis technique proposed is simple and suitable for large scale productions. The synthesis parameters were optimized for the fabrication of sensors. Chrome gold-based IDE (interdigitated electrodes) structures were patterned for the electrical detection of organic vapors. Sensors were exposed to wide range 5-100 ppm of organic vapors like ethanol, acetone, IPA (isopropanol alcohol) and water vapors. α-MoO3 nano-flakes have demonstrated selective sensing to acetone in the range of 10-100 ppm at 150 °C. The morphology of such nanostructures has potential in applications such as sensor devices due to their high surface area and thermal stability.

  8. Nano-Crystalline Diamond Films with Pineapple-Like Morphology Grown by the DC Arcjet vapor Deposition Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Bin; Zhang, Qin-Jian; Shi, Yan-Chao; Li, Jia-Jun; Li, Hong; Lu, Fan-Xiu; Chen, Guang-Chao

    2014-08-01

    A nano-crystlline diamond film is grown by the dc arcjet chemical vapor deposition method. The film is characterized by scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectra, respectively. The nanocrystalline grains are averagely with 80 nm in the size measured by XRD, and further proven by Raman and HRTEM. The observed novel morphology of the growth surface, pineapple-like morphology, is constructed by cubo-octahedral growth zones with a smooth faceted top surface and coarse side surfaces. The as-grown film possesses (100) dominant surface containing a little amorphous sp2 component, which is far different from the nano-crystalline film with the usual cauliflower-like morphology.

  9. Ferroelectric thin-film active sensors for structural health monitoring

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Bin; Giurgiutiu, Victor; Yuan, Zheng; Liu, Jian; Chen, Chonglin; Jiang, Jiechao; Bhalla, Amar S.; Guo, Ruyan

    2007-04-01

    Piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS) have been proven a valuable tool in structural health monitoring. Piezoelectric wafer active sensors are able to send and receive guided Lamb/Rayleigh waves that scan the structure and detect the presence of incipient cracks and structural damage. In-situ thin-film active sensor deposition can eliminate the bonding layer to improve the durability issue and reduce the acoustic impedance mismatch. Ferroelectric thin films have been shown to have piezoelectric properties that are close to those of single-crystal ferroelectrics but the fabrication of ferroelectric thin films on structural materials (steel, aluminum, titanium, etc.) has not been yet attempted. In this work, in-situ fabrication method of piezoelectric thin-film active sensors arrays was developed using the nano technology approach. Specification for the piezoelectric thin-film active sensors arrays was based on electro-mechanical-acoustical model. Ferroelectric BaTiO3 (BTO) thin films were successfully deposited on Ni tapes by pulsed laser deposition under the optimal synthesis conditions. Microstructural studies by X-ray diffractometer and transmission electron microscopy reveal that the as-grown BTO thin films have the nanopillar structures with an average size of approximately 80 nm in diameter and the good interface structures with no inter-diffusion or reaction. The dielectric and ferroelectric property measurements exhibit that the BTO films have a relatively large dielectric constant, a small dielectric loss, and an extremely large piezoelectric response with a symmetric hysteresis loop. The research objective is to develop the fabrication and optimum design of thin-film active sensor arrays for structural health monitoring applications. The short wavelengths of the micro phased arrays will permit the phased-array imaging of smaller parts and smaller damage than is currently not possible with existing technology.

  10. Photoluminescence Imaging of Polyfluorene Surface Structures on Semiconducting Carbon Nanotubes: Implications for Thin Film Exciton Transport

    DOE PAGES

    Hartmann, Nicolai F.; Pramanik, Rajib; Dowgiallo, Anne-Marie; ...

    2016-12-06

    Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have potential to act as light-harvesting elements in thin film photovoltaic devices, but performance is in part limited by the efficiency of exciton diffusion processes within the films. Factors contributing to exciton transport can include film morphology encompassing nanotube orientation, connectivity, and interaction geometry. Such factors are often defined by nanotube surface structures that are not yet well understood. We present the results of a combined pump-probe and photoluminescence imaging study of polyfluorene (PFO)-wrapped (6,5) and (7,5) SWCNTs that provide additional insight into the role played by polymer structures in defining exciton transport. The pump-probe measurementsmore » suggest exciton transport occurs over larger length scales in films composed of PFO-wrapped (7,5) SWCNTs, compared to those prepared from PFO-bpy-wrapped (6,5) SWCNTs. To explore the role the difference in polymer structure may play as a possible origin of differing transport behaviors, we performed a photoluminescence imaging study of individual polymer-wrapped (6,5) and (7,5) SWCNTs. The PFO-bpy-wrapped (6,5) SWCNTs showed more uniform intensity distributions along their lengths, in contrast to the PFO-wrapped (7,5) SWCNTs, which showed irregular, discontinuous intensity distributions. These differences likely originate from differences in surface coverage and suggest the PFO wrapping on (7,5) nanotubes produces a more open surface structure than is available with the PFO-bpy wrapping of (6,5) nanotubes. Furthermore, the open structure likely leads to improved intertube coupling that enhances exciton transport within the (7,5) films, consistent with the results of our pump-probe measurements.« less

  11. Photoluminescence Imaging of Polyfluorene Surface Structures on Semiconducting Carbon Nanotubes: Implications for Thin Film Exciton Transport

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

    Hartmann, Nicolai F.; Pramanik, Rajib; Dowgiallo, Anne-Marie

    Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have potential to act as light-harvesting elements in thin film photovoltaic devices, but performance is in part limited by the efficiency of exciton diffusion processes within the films. Factors contributing to exciton transport can include film morphology encompassing nanotube orientation, connectivity, and interaction geometry. Such factors are often defined by nanotube surface structures that are not yet well understood. We present the results of a combined pump-probe and photoluminescence imaging study of polyfluorene (PFO)-wrapped (6,5) and (7,5) SWCNTs that provide additional insight into the role played by polymer structures in defining exciton transport. The pump-probe measurementsmore » suggest exciton transport occurs over larger length scales in films composed of PFO-wrapped (7,5) SWCNTs, compared to those prepared from PFO-bpy-wrapped (6,5) SWCNTs. To explore the role the difference in polymer structure may play as a possible origin of differing transport behaviors, we performed a photoluminescence imaging study of individual polymer-wrapped (6,5) and (7,5) SWCNTs. The PFO-bpy-wrapped (6,5) SWCNTs showed more uniform intensity distributions along their lengths, in contrast to the PFO-wrapped (7,5) SWCNTs, which showed irregular, discontinuous intensity distributions. These differences likely originate from differences in surface coverage and suggest the PFO wrapping on (7,5) nanotubes produces a more open surface structure than is available with the PFO-bpy wrapping of (6,5) nanotubes. Furthermore, the open structure likely leads to improved intertube coupling that enhances exciton transport within the (7,5) films, consistent with the results of our pump-probe measurements.« less

  12. Graphene-Carbon-Metal Composite Film for a Flexible Heat Sink.

    PubMed

    Cho, Hyunjin; Rho, Hokyun; Kim, Jun Hee; Chae, Su-Hyeong; Pham, Thang Viet; Seo, Tae Hoon; Kim, Hak Yong; Ha, Jun-Seok; Kim, Hwan Chul; Lee, Sang Hyun; Kim, Myung Jong

    2017-11-22

    The heat generated from electronic devices such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), batteries, and highly integrated transistors is one of the major causes obstructing the improvement of their performance and reliability. Herein, we report a comprehensive method to dissipate the generated heat to a vast area by using the new type of graphene-carbon-metal composite film as a heat sink. The unique porous graphene-carbon-metal composite film that consists of an electrospun carbon nanofiber with arc-graphene (Arc-G) fillers and an electrochemically deposited copper (Cu) layer showed not only high electrical and thermal conductivity but also high mechanical stability. Accordingly, superior thermal management of LED devices to that of conventional Cu plates and excellent resistance stability during the repeated 10 000 bending cycles has been achieved. The heat dissipation of LEDs has been enhanced by the high heat conduction in the composite film, heat convection in the air flow, and thermal radiation at low temperature in the porous carbon structure. This result reveals that the graphene-carbon-metal composite film is one of the most promising materials for a heat sink of electronic devices in modern electronics.

  13. Carbon fiber counting. [aircraft structures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pride, R. A.

    1980-01-01

    A method was developed for characterizing the number and lengths of carbon fibers accidentally released by the burning of composite portions of civil aircraft structure in a jet fuel fire after an accident. Representative samplings of carbon fibers collected on transparent sticky film were counted from photographic enlargements with a computer aided technique which also provided fiber lengths.

  14. Enhancement of CNT/PET film adhesion by nano-scale modification for flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kang, Yu Jin; Chung, Haegeun; Kim, Min-Seop; Kim, Woong

    2015-11-01

    We demonstrate the fabrication of high-integrity flexible supercapacitors using carbon nanotubes (CNTs), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films, and ion gels. Although both CNTs and PET films are attractive materials for flexible electronics, they have poor adhesion properties. In this work, we significantly improve interfacial adhesion by introducing nanostructures at the interface of the CNT and PET layers. Simple reactive ion etching (RIE) of the PET substrates generates nano-scale roughness on the PET surface. RIE also induces hydrophilicity on the PET surface, which further enhances adhesive strength. The improved adhesion enables high integrity and excellent flexibility of the fabricated supercapacitors, demonstrated over hundreds of bending cycles. Furthermore, the supercapacitors show good cyclability with specific capacitance retention of 87.5% after 10,000 galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) cycles. Our demonstration may be important for understanding interfacial adhesion properties in nanoscale and for producing flexible, high-integrity, high-performance energy storage systems.

  15. Room-temperature low-voltage electroluminescence in amorphous carbon nitride thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reyes, R.; Legnani, C.; Ribeiro Pinto, P. M.; Cremona, M.; de Araújo, P. J. G.; Achete, C. A.

    2003-06-01

    White-blue electroluminescent emission with a voltage bias less than 10 V was achieved in rf sputter-deposited amorphous carbon nitride (a-CN) and amorphous silicon carbon nitride (a-SiCN) thin-film-based devices. The heterojunction structures of these devices consist of: Indium tin oxide (ITO), used as a transparent anode; amorphous carbon film as an emission layer, and aluminum as a cathode. The thickness of the carbon films was about 250 Å. In all of the produced diodes, a stable visible emission peaked around 475 nm is observed at room temperature and the emission intensity increases with the current density. For an applied voltage of 14 V, the luminance was about 3 mCd/m2. The electroluminescent properties of the two devices are discussed and compared.

  16. van der Waals interaction between a moving nano-cylinder and a liquid thin film.

    PubMed

    Ledesma-Alonso, René; Raphaël, Elie; Salez, Thomas; Tordjeman, Philippe; Legendre, Dominique

    2017-05-24

    We study the static and dynamic interaction between a horizontal cylindrical nano-probe and a thin liquid film. The effects of the physical and geometrical parameters, with a special focus on the film thickness, the probe speed, and the distance between the probe and the free surface are analyzed. Deformation profiles have been computed numerically from a Reynolds lubrication equation, coupled to a modified Young-Laplace equation, which takes into account the probe/liquid and the liquid/substrate non-retarded van der Waals interactions. We have found that the film thickness and the probe speed have a significant effect on the threshold separation distance below which the jump-to-contact instability is triggered. These results encourage the use of horizontal cylindrical nano-probes to scan thin liquid films, in order to determine either the physical or geometrical properties of the latter, through the measurement of interaction forces.

  17. Structural Evolution of Q-Carbon and Nanodiamonds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gupta, Siddharth; Bhaumik, Anagh; Sachan, Ritesh; Narayan, Jagdish

    2018-04-01

    This article provides insights pertaining to the first-order phase transformation involved in the growth of densely packed Q-carbon and nanodiamonds by nanosecond laser melting and quenching of diamond-like carbon (DLC) thin films. DLC films with different sp 3 content were melted rapidly in a controlled way in super-undercooled state and quenched, leading to formation of distinct nanostructures, i.e., nanodiamonds, Q-carbon, and Q-carbon nanocomposites. This analysis provides direct evidence of the dependence of the super-undercooling on the structural evolution of Q-carbon. Finite element heat flow calculations showed that the super-undercooling varies monotonically with the sp 3 content. The phenomenon of solid-liquid interfacial instability during directional solidification from the melt state is studied in detail. The resulting lateral segregation leads to formation of cellular filamentary Q-carbon nanostructures. The dependence of the cell size and wavelength at the onset of instability on the sp 3 content of DLC thin films was modeled based on perturbation theory.

  18. Enhanced absorption of microwave radiations through flexible polyvinyl alcohol-carbon black/barium hexaferrite composite films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumar, Sushil; Datt, Gopal; Santhosh Kumar, A.; Abhyankar, A. C.

    2016-10-01

    Flexible microwave absorber composite films of carbon black (CB)/barium hexaferrite nano-discs (BaF) in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix, fabricated by gel casting, exhibit ˜99.5% attenuation of electromagnetic waves in the entire 8-18 GHz (X and Ku-band) range. The X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy studies confirm the formation of CB-BaF-PVA composite films. The electromagnetic absorption properties of composite films are found to be enhanced with CB content due to the synergetic effect of multiple dielectric and magnetic losses. The 25 wt. % CB grafted PVA-BaF flexible composite films with a thickness of ˜ 2 mm exhibit effective electromagnetic shielding of 23.6 dB with a dominant contribution from absorption mechanism (SEA ˜ 21 dB). The dielectric properties of composite films are further discussed by using the Debye model. The detailed analysis reveals that major contribution to dielectric losses is from dipolar and interfacial polarizations, whereas magnetic losses are predominantly from domain wall displacement.

  19. Structural characterization of casein micelles: shape changes during film formation.

    PubMed

    Gebhardt, R; Vendrely, C; Kulozik, U

    2011-11-09

    The objective of this study was to determine the effect of size-fractionation by centrifugation on the film structure of casein micelles. Fractionated casein micelles in solution were asymmetrically distributed with a small distribution width as measured by dynamic light scattering. Films prepared from the size-fractionated samples showed a smooth surface in optical microscopy images and a homogeneous microstructure in atomic force micrographs. The nano- and microstructure of casein films was probed by micro-beam grazing incidence small angle x-ray scattering (μGISAXS). Compared to the solution measurements, the sizes determined in the film were larger and broadly distributed. The measured GISAXS patterns clearly deviate from those simulated for a sphere and suggest a deformation of the casein micelles in the film. © 2011 IOP Publishing Ltd

  20. Carbon Film Electrodes For Super Capacitor Applications

    DOEpatents

    Tan, Ming X.

    1999-07-20

    A method for treating an organic polymer material, preferably a vinylidene chloride/vinyl chloride copolymer (Saran) to produce a flat sheet of carbon film material having a high surface area (.apprxeq.1000 m.sup.2 /g) suitable as an electrode material for super capacitor applications. The method comprises heating a vinylidene chloride/vinyl chloride copolymer film disposed between two spaced apart graphite or ceramic plates to a first temperature of about 160.degree. C. for about 14 hours to form a stabilized vinylidene chloride/vinyl chloride polymer film, thereafter heating the stabilized film to a second temperature of about 750.degree. C. in an inert atmosphere for about one hour to form a carbon film; and finally activating the carbon film to increase the surface area by heating the carbon film in an oxidizing atmosphere to a temperature of at least 750-850.degree. C. for between 1-6 hours.

  1. Electrical potential induced switchable wettability of super-aligned carbon nanotube films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Guang; Duan, Zheng; Wang, Qinggong; Li, Long; Yao, Wei; Liu, Changhong

    2018-01-01

    Controlling of the wettability of micro-nano scale surfaces not only plays important roles in basic science but also presents some significant applications in interference shielding materials, microfluidics and phase-change heat transfer enhancement, etc. Here, the superhydrophobic super-aligned carbon nanotube (SACNT) films are firstly obtained by the chemical vapor deposition method and the annealing process. Then their wettabilities are in-situ switched by the electrowetting strategy. Specifically, the fascinating transformation of superhydrophobicity to the superhydrophilicity is achieved by exerting external DC voltages across the CNT-liquid interfaces, and the transitions of Cassie-to-Wenzel states are observed on the multilayer SACNT films. In addition, the electrowetting induced salt absorption of the porous SACNT is also reported here. Finally, the threshold voltages of the electrowetting behaviors for different liquids on the SACNT films and unit capacitances across the CNT-liquid interfaces are obtained, which reveal that the SACNT films have much more outstanding electrowetting properties than the previously reported works. Our approach reported here demonstrates that the wettability of SACNT films could be simply, effectively and in-situ controlled by the electrowetting method, which will have many profound implications in numerous applications such as phase-change heat transfer enhancement, optical lens with variable focal length and microfluidics, etc.

  2. Deposition of hard elastic hydrogenated fullerenelike carbon films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Zhou; Zhang, Junyan

    2011-05-01

    Hydrogenated fullerenelike carbon (H-FLC) films, with high hardness of 41.7 ± 1.4 GPa and elastic recovery of ˜75.1%, have been uniformly deposited at low temperature by pulse direct current plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (pulse DC PECVD). The superior mechanical properties of the H-FLC films are attributed to the unique curvature and interconnection of graphitic basal planes. We propose the fullerenelike structures are formed in the far nonequilibrium pulse plasma environment and stabilized in the sequential fast quenching process. It is expected that the facile deposition of H-FLC films will promote the large-scale low-temperature preparation of engineering protective films for industrial applications.

  3. Fabrication of meso- and nano-scale structures on surfaces of chalcogenide semiconductors by surface hydrodynamic interference patterning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bilanych, V.; Komanicky, V.; Lacková, M.; Feher, A.; Kuzma, V.; Rizak, V.

    2015-10-01

    We observe the change of surface relief on amorphous Ge-As-Se thin films after irradiation with an electron beam. The beam softens the glass and induces various topological surface changes in the irradiated area. The film relief change depends on the film thickness, deposited charge, and film composition. Various structures are formed: Gausian-like cones, extremely sharp Taylor cones, deep craters, and craters with large spires grown on the side. Our investigation shows that these effects can be at least partially a result of electro-hydrodynamic material flow, but the observed phenomena are likely more complex. When we irradiated structural patterns formed by the electron beam with a red laser beam, we could not only fully relax the produced patterns, but also form very complex and intricate superstructures. These organized meso- and nano-scale structures are formed by a combination of photo-induced structural relaxation, light interference on structures fabricated by the e-beam, and photo-induced material flow.

  4. Carbon decorative coatings by dip-, spin-, and spray-assisted layer-by-layer assembly deposition.

    PubMed

    Hong, Jinkee; Kang, Sang Wook

    2011-09-01

    We performed a comparative surface analysis of all-carbon nano-objects (multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNT) or graphene oxide (GO) sheets) based multilayer coatings prepared using three widely used nanofilm fabrication methods: dip-, spin-, and spray-assisted layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition. The resultant films showed a marked difference in their growth mechanisms and surface morphologies. Various carbon decorative coatings were synthesized with different surface roughness values, despite identical preparation conditions. In particular, smooth to highly rough all-carbon surfaces, as determined by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), were readily obtained by manipulating the LbL deposition methods. As was confirmed by the AFM and SEM analyses, this finding indicated the fundamental morphological evolution of one-dimensional nano-objects (MWNT) and two-dimensional nano-objects (GO) by control of the surface roughness through the deposition method. Therefore, an analysis of the three LbL-assembly methods presented herein may offer useful information about the industrial use of carbon decorative coatings and provide an insight into ways to control the structures of multilayer coatings by tuning the morphologies of carbon nano-objects.

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

    DOEpatents

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

    2010-08-17

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

  6. Highly Enhanced Raman Scattering on Carbonized Polymer Films.

    PubMed

    Yoon, Jong-Chul; Hwang, Jongha; Thiyagarajan, Pradheep; Ruoff, Rodney S; Jang, Ji-Hyun

    2017-06-28

    We have discovered a carbonized polymer film to be a reliable and durable carbon-based substrate for carbon enhanced Raman scattering (CERS). Commercially available SU8 was spin coated and carbonized (c-SU8) to yield a film optimized to have a favorable Fermi level position for efficient charge transfer, which results in a significant Raman scattering enhancement under mild measurement conditions. A highly sensitive CERS (detection limit of 10 -8 M) that was uniform over a large area was achieved on a patterned c-SU8 film and the Raman signal intensity has remained constant for 2 years. This approach works not only for the CMOS-compatible c-SU8 film but for any carbonized film with the correct composition and Fermi level, as demonstrated with carbonized-PVA (poly(vinyl alcohol)) and carbonized-PVP (polyvinylpyrollidone) films. Our study certainly expands the rather narrow range of Raman-active material platforms to include robust carbon-based films readily obtained from polymer precursors. As it uses broadly applicable and cheap polymers, it could offer great advantages in the development of practical devices for chemical/bio analysis and sensors.

  7. Facile modulation of cell adhesion to a poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate film with incorporation of polystyrene nano-spheres.

    PubMed

    Yang, Wenguang; Yu, Haibo; Li, Gongxin; Wang, Yuechao; Liu, Lianqing

    2016-12-01

    Poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) is a common hydrogel that has been actively investigated for various tissue engineering applications owing to its biocompatibility and excellent mechanical properties. However, the native PEGDA films are known for their bio-inertness which can hinder cell adhesion, thereby limiting their applications in tissue engineering and biomedicine. Recently, nano composite technology has become a particularly hot topic, and has led to the development of new methods for delivering desired properties to nanomaterials. In this study, we added polystyrene nano-spheres (PS) into a PEGDA solution to synthesize a nano-composite film and evaluated its characteristics. The experimental results showed that addition of the nanospheres to the PEGDA film not only resulted in modification of the mechanical properties and surface morphology but further improved the adhesion of cells on the film. The tensile modulus showed clear dependence on the addition of PS, which enhanced the mechanical properties of the PEGDA-PS film. We attribute the high stiffness of the hybrid hydrogel to the formation of additional cross-links between polymeric chains and the nano-sphere surface in the network. The effect of PS on cell adhesion and proliferation was evaluated in L929 mouse fibroblast cells that were seeded on the surface of various PEGDA-PS films. Cells density increased with a larger PS concentration, and the cells displayed a spreading morphology on the hybrid films, which promoted cell proliferation. Impressively, cellular stiffness could also be modulated simply by tuning the concentration of nano-spheres. Our results indicate that the addition of PS can effectively tailor the physical and biological properties of PEGDA as well as the mechanical properties of cells, with benefits for biomedical and biotechnological applications.

  8. Nano confinement effects on dynamic and viscoelastic properties of Selenium Films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yoon, Heedong; McKenna, Gregory

    2015-03-01

    In current study, we use a novel nano bubble inflation technique to study nano confinement effects on the dynamic and viscoelastic properties of physical vapor deposited Selenium films. Film thicknesses ranged from 60 to 260 nm. Creep experiments were performed for the temperatures ranging from Tg,macroscopic-14 °C to Tg,\\ macroscopic + 19 °C. Time temperature superposition and time thickness superposition were applied to create reduced creep curves, and those were compared with macroscopic data [J. Non-Cryst. Solids. 2002, 307, 790-801]. The results showed that the time temperature superposition was applicable in the glassy relaxation regime to the steady-state plateau regime. However in the long time response of the creep compliance, time thickness superposition failed due to the thickness dependence on the steady-state plateau. It was observed that the steady state compliance increased with film thickness. The thickness dependence on the plateau stiffening followed a power law of DPlateau ~ h2.46, which is greater than observed in organic polymers where the exponents observed range from 0.83 to 2.0 [Macromolecules. 2012, 45 (5), 2453-2459]. National Science Foundation Grant No. CHE 1112416 and John R. Bradford Endowment at Texas Tech

  9. Dual ion beam deposition of carbon films with diamondlike properties

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mirtich, M. J.; Swec, D. M.; Angus, J. C.

    1984-01-01

    A single and dual ion beam system was used to generate amorphous carbon films with diamond like properties. A methane/argon mixture at a molar ratio of 0.28 was ionized in the low pressure discharge chamber of a 30-cm-diameter ion source. A second ion source, 8 cm in diameter was used to direct a beam of 600 eV Argon ions on the substrates (fused silica or silicon) while the deposition from the 30-cm ion source was taking place. Nuclear reaction and combustion analysis indicate H/C ratios for the films to be 1.00. This high value of H/C, it is felt, allowed the films to have good transmittance. The films were impervious to reagents which dissolve graphitic and polymeric carbon structures. Although the measured density of the films was approximately 1.8 gm/cu cm, a value lower than diamond, the films exhibited other properties that were relatively close to diamond. These films were compared with diamondlike films generated by sputtering a graphite target.

  10. Rapid nano impact printing of silk biopolymer thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    White, Robert D.; Gray, Caprice; Mandelup, Ethan; Amsden, Jason J.; Kaplan, David L.; Omenetto, Fiorenzo G.

    2011-11-01

    In this paper, nano impact printing of silk biopolymer films is described. An indenter is rapidly accelerated and transfers the nanopattern from a silicon master into the silk film during an impact event that occurs in less than 1 ms. Contact stresses of greater than 100 MPa can be achieved during the short impact period with low power and inexpensive hardware. Ring shaped features with a diameter of 2 µm and a ring width of 100-200 nm were successfully transferred into untreated silk films using this method at room temperature. Mechanical modeling was carried out to determine the contact stress distribution, and demonstrates that imprinting can occur for contact stresses of less than 2 MPa. Thermal characterization at the impact location shows that raising the temperature to 70 °C has only a limited effect on pattern transfer. Contact stresses of greater than approximately 100 MPa result in excessive deformation of the film and poor pattern transfer.

  11. Synthesis of Carbon Nano Materials Originated from Waste Cooking Oil Using a Nebulized Spray Pyrolysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arie, A. A.; Hadisaputra, L.; Susanti, R. F.; Devianto, H.; Halim, M.; Enggar, R.; Lee, J. K.

    2017-07-01

    Synthesis of nanocarbon on snake fruit-peel’s activated carbon from waste cooking oil palm was conducted by a nebulized spray pyrolysis process (NSP) by varying the processing temperature from 650 to 750 °C. Ferrocene was used as a catalyst with constant concentration of 0.015 g/ml of carbon source. The structure of nanocarbon was studied by using scanning electron microscope (SEM),x-ray diffraction (XRD), surface area analyzer and Raman spectroscopy. SEM results showed that the structures of carbon products was in the the form of carbon nanopsheres (CNS). XRD and Raman analysis confirmed the CNS structure. The carbon producs were then tested as electrode’s materials for lithium ion capacitors (LIC) by cyclic voltammetry (CV) instruments. From the CV results the specific capacitance was estimated as 79.57 F / g at a scan rate of 0.1 mV / s and voltage range from 2.5 - 4 V. This study shows that the nano carbons synthesized from the waste cooking oil can be used as prospective electrode materials for LIC.

  12. Application Of Positron Beams For The Characterization Of Nano-scale Pores In Thin Films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hirata, K.; Ito, K.; Kobayashi, Y.; Suzuki, R.; Ohdaira, T.; Eijt, S. W. H.; Schut, H.; van Veen, A.

    2003-08-01

    We applied three positron annihilation techniques, positron 3γ-annihilation spectroscopy, positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy, and angular correlation of annihilation radiation, to the characterization of nano-scale pores in thin films by combining them with variable-energy positron beams. Characterization of pores in thin films is an important part of the research on various thin films of industrial importance. The results of our recent studies on pore characterization of thin films by positron beams will be reported here.

  13. Relationship between nano/micro structure and physical properties of TiO2-sodium caseinate composite films.

    PubMed

    Montes-de-Oca-Ávalos, Juan Manuel; Altamura, Davide; Candal, Roberto Jorge; Scattarella, Francesco; Siliqi, Dritan; Giannini, Cinzia; Herrera, María Lidia

    2018-03-01

    Films obtained by casting, starting from conventional emulsions (CE), nanoemulsions (NE) or their gels, which led to different structures, with the aim of explore the relationship between structure and physical properties, were prepared. Sodium caseinate was used as the matrix, glycerol as plasticizer, glucono-delta-lactone as acidulant to form the gels, and TiO 2 nanoparticles as reinforcement to improve physical behavior. Structural characterization was performed by SAXS and WAXS (Small and Wide Angle X-ray Scattering, respectively), combined with confocal and scanning electron microscopy. The results demonstrate that the incorporation of the lipid phase does not notably modify the mechanical properties of the films compared to solution films. Films from NE were more stable against oil release than those from CE. Incorporation of TiO 2 improved mechanical properties as measured by dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA) and uniaxial tensile tests. TiO 2 macroscopic spatial distribution homogeneity and the nanostructure character of NE films were confirmed by mapping the q-dependent scattering intensity in scanning SAXS experiments. SAXS microscopies indicated a higher intrinsic homogeneity of NE films compared to CE films, independently of the TiO 2 load. NE-films containing structures with smaller and more homogeneously distributed building blocks showed greater potential for food applications than the films prepared from sodium caseinate solutions, which are the best known films. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Microstructure and high-temperature tribological properties of Si-doped hydrogenated diamond-like carbon films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Teng Fei; Wan, Zhi Xin; Ding, Ji Cheng; Zhang, Shihong; Wang, Qi Min; Kim, Kwang Ho

    2018-03-01

    Si-doped DLC films have attracted great attention for use in tribological applications. However, their high-temperature tribological properties remain less investigated, especially in harsh oxidative working conditions. In this study, Si-doped hydrogenated DLC films with various Si content were synthesized and the effects of the addition of Si on the microstructural, mechanical and high-temperature tribological properties of the films were investigated. The results indicate that Si doping leads to an obvious increase in the sp3/sp2 ratio of DLC films, likely due to the silicon atoms preferentially substitute the sp2-hybridized carbon atoms and augment the number of sp3 sites. With Si doping, the mechanical properties, including hardness and adhesion strength, were improved, while the residual stress of the DLC films was reduced. The addition of Si leads to higher thermal and mechanical stability of DLC films because the Si atoms inhibit the graphitization of the films at an elevated temperature. Better high-temperature tribological properties of the Si-DLC films under oxidative conditions were observed, which can be attributed to the enhanced thermal stability and formation of a Si-containing lubricant layer on the surfaces of the wear tracks. The nano-wear resistance of the DLC films was also improved by Si doping.

  15. The Role of Ambient Gas and Pressure on the Structuring of Hard Diamond-Like Carbon Films Synthesized by Pulsed Laser Deposition

    PubMed Central

    Popescu, Andrei C.; Stan, George E.; Duta, Liviu; Nita, Cristina; Popescu, Camelia; Surdu, Vasile-Adrian; Husanu, Marius-Adrian; Bita, Bogdan; Ghisleni, Rudy; Himcinschi, Cameliu; Craciun, Valentin

    2015-01-01

    Hard carbon thin films were synthesized on Si (100) and quartz substrates by the Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) technique in vacuum or methane ambient to study their suitability for applications requiring high mechanical resistance. The deposited films’ surface morphology was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, crystalline status by X-ray diffraction, packing and density by X-ray reflectivity, chemical bonding by Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, adherence by “pull-out” measurements and mechanical properties by nanoindentation tests. Films synthesized in vacuum were a-C DLC type, while films synthesized in methane were categorized as a-C:H. The majority of PLD films consisted of two layers: one low density layer towards the surface and a higher density layer in contact with the substrate. The deposition gas pressure played a crucial role on films thickness, component layers thickness ratio, structure and mechanical properties. The films were smooth, amorphous and composed of a mixture of sp3-sp2 carbon, with sp3 content ranging between 50% and 90%. The thickness and density of the two constituent layers of a film directly determined its mechanical properties.

  16. Hydrogenated amorphous carbon films on steel balls and Si substrates: Nanostructural evolutions and their trigging tribological behaviors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Yongfu; Wang, Yan; Zhang, Xingkai; Shi, Jing; Gao, Kaixiong; Zhang, Bin; Zhang, Junyan

    2017-10-01

    In this study, we prepared hydrogenated amorphous carbon films on steel balls and Si substrates (steel ball- and Si substrate-films) with different deposition time, and discussed their carbon nanostructural evolutions and tribological behaviors. The steel ball-film structure started to be graphite-like structure and then gradually transformed into fullerene-like (FL) structure. The Si substrate-film structure began in FL structure and kept it through the thickness. The difference may be result from the competition between high starting substrate temperature after additional nitriding applied on the steel balls (its supply power is higher than that in the film deposition), and relaxation of compressive stress from energized ion bombardment in film deposition process. The FL structural film friction couples could achieve ultra-low friction in open air. In particular, the Si substrate-film with 3 h, against the steel ball-film with 2 h and 3 h, exhibited super-low friction (∼0.009) and superlong wear life (∼5.5 × 105 cycles). Our result could widen the superlubricity scope from previously high load and velocity, to middle load and velocity.

  17. Nanostructural characterization of amorphous diamondlike carbon films

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

    SIEGAL,MICHAEL P.; TALLANT,DAVID R.; MARTINEZ-MIRANDA,L.J.

    2000-01-27

    Nanostructural characterization of amorphous diamondlike carbon (a-C) films grown on silicon using pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) is correlated to both growth energetic and film thickness. Raman spectroscopy and x-ray reflectivity probe both the topological nature of 3- and 4-fold coordinated carbon atom bonding and the topographical clustering of their distributions within a given film. In general, increasing the energetic of PLD growth results in films becoming more ``diamondlike'', i.e. increasing mass density and decreasing optical absorbance. However, these same properties decrease appreciably with thickness. The topology of carbon atom bonding is different for material near the substrate interface compared to materialmore » within the bulk portion of an a-C film. A simple model balancing the energy of residual stress and the free energies of resulting carbon topologies is proposed to provide an explanation of the evolution of topographical bonding clusters in a growing a-C film.« less

  18. Ferromagnetically filled carbon nano-onions: the key role of sulfur in dimensional, structural and electric control

    PubMed Central

    Medranda, D.; Borowiec, J.; Zhang, Xiao; Wang, S.; Yan, K.; Zhang, J.; He, Y.; Ivaturi, S.

    2018-01-01

    A key challenge in the fabrication of ferromagnetically filled carbon nano-onions (CNOs) is the control of their thickness, dimensions and electric properties. Up to now literature works have mainly focused on the encapsulation of different types of ferromagnetic materials including α-Fe, Fe3C, Co, FeCo, FePd3 and others within CNOs. However, no report has yet shown a suitable method for controlling both the number of shells, diameter and electric properties of the produced CNOs. Here, we demonstrate an advanced chemical vapour deposition approach in which the use of small quantities of sulfur during the pyrolysis of ferrocene allows for the control of (i) the diameter of the CNOs, (ii) the number of shells and (iii) the electric properties. We demonstrate the morphological, structural, electric and magnetic properties of these new types of CNOs by using SEM, XRD, TEM, HRTEM, EIS and VSM techniques. PMID:29410810

  19. Improved adhesion of ultra-hard carbon films on cobalt–chromium orthopaedic implant alloy

    PubMed Central

    Vaid, Rishi; Diggins, Patrick; Weimer, Jeffrey J.; Koopman, M.; Vohra, Yogesh K.

    2010-01-01

    While interfacial graphite formation and subsequent poor film adhesion is commonly reported for chemical vapor deposited hard carbon films on cobalt-based materials, we find the presence of O2 in the feedgas mixture to be useful in achieving adhesion on a CoCrMo alloy. Nucleation studies of surface structure before formation of fully coalesced hard carbon films reveal that O2 feedgas helps mask the catalytic effect of cobalt with carbon through early formation of chromium oxides and carbides. The chromium oxides, in particular, act as a diffusion barrier to cobalt, minimizing its migration to the surface where it would otherwise interact deleteriously with carbon to form graphite. When O2 is not used, graphitic soot forms and films delaminate readily upon cooling to room temperature. Continuous 1 μm-thick nanostructured carbon films grown with O2 remain adhered with measured hardness of 60 GPa and show stable, non-catastrophic circumferential micro-cracks near the edges of indent craters made using Rockwell indentation. PMID:21221739

  20. Nano-embossing technology on ferroelectric thin film Pb(Zr0.3,Ti0.7)O3 for multi-bit storage application

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    In this work, we apply nano-embossing technique to form a stagger structure in ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate [Pb(Zr0.3, Ti0.7)O3 (PZT)] films and investigate the ferroelectric and electrical characterizations of the embossed and un-embossed regions, respectively, of the same films by using piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) and Radiant Technologies Precision Material Analyzer. Attributed to the different layer thickness of the patterned ferroelectric thin film, two distinctive coercive voltages have been obtained, thereby, allowing for a single ferroelectric memory cell to contain more than one bit of data. PMID:21794156

  1. Elastic instability of the nano-structured state as an intrinsic probe to study the early formation stages of sol gel derived (Pb1-xCax)TiO3 thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bretos, I.; Ricote, J.; Jiménez-Riobóo, R. J.; Pardo, L.; Calzada, M. L.

    2007-12-01

    A novel method to investigate the early formation stages of polycrystalline (Pb1-xCax)TiO3 (PCT) perovskite films by means of traditional Brillouin and micro-Brillouin spectroscopy (BS, mBS) is described in the present work. The films were prepared by chemical solution deposition (CSD) onto oxidized (100)Si substrates and treated at temperatures between 350 650 °C by rapid thermal processing (RTP). The elastic instability observed by Brillouin spectroscopy at the nano-structured state of the PCT films was used here to determine their crystallization temperatures. Coexistence of different nanocrystalline phases (e.g., pyrochlore, perovskite) in the films could also be detected by this technique. The reliability of these results is demonstrated by complementary information obtained by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning force microscopy (SFM). The effects of the annealing temperature and of the Ca2+ content on the crystallization process of these films are also discussed.

  2. Enhanced magnetostriction derived from magnetic single domain structures in cluster-assembled SmCo films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bai, Yulong; Yang, Bo; Guo, Fei; Lu, Qingshan; Zhao, Shifeng

    2017-11-01

    Cluster-assembled SmCo alloy films were prepared by low energy cluster beam deposition. The structure, magnetic domain, magnetization, and magnetostriction of the films were characterized. It is shown that the as-prepared films are assembled in compact and uniformly distributed spherical cluster nanoparticles, most of which, after vacuum in situ annealing at 700 K, aggregated to form cluster islands. These cluster islands result in transformations from superparamagnetic states to magnetic single domain (MSD) states in the films. Such MSD structures contribute to the enhanced magnetostrictive behaviors with a saturation magnetostrictive coefficient of 160 × 10-6 in comparison to 105 × 10-6 for the as-prepared films. This work demonstrates candidate materials that could be applied in nano-electro-mechanical systems, low power information storage, and weak magnetic detecting devices.

  3. Gold nanoparticles embedded electropolymerized thin film of pyrimidine derivative on glassy carbon electrode for highly sensitive detection of l-cysteine.

    PubMed

    Kannan, Ayyadurai; Sevvel, Ranganathan

    2017-09-01

    This paper demonstrates the fabrication of novel gold nanoparticles incorporated poly (4-amino-6-hydroxy-2-mercaptopyrimidine) (Nano-Au/Poly-AHMP) film modified glassy carbon electrode and it is employed for highly sensitive detection of l-cysteine (CYS). The modified electrode was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). SEM images of modified electrode revealed the homogeneous distribution of gold nanoparticles on poly (4-amino-6-hydroxy-2-mercaptopyrimidine) thin film modified glassy carbon electrode. The modified electrode was successfully utilized for highly selective and sensitive determination of l-cysteine at physiological pH7.0. The present electrochemical sensor successfully resolved the voltammetric signals of ascorbic acid (AA) and l-cysteine with peak separation of 0.510V. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of larger peak separation between AA and CYS. Wide linear concentration ranges (2μM-500μM), low detection limit (0.020μM), an excellent reproducibility and stability are achieved for cysteine sensing with this Nano-Au/Poly-AHMP/GCE. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Protein adsorption on thin films of carbon and carbon nitride monitored with in situ ellipsometry.

    PubMed

    Berlind, T; Tengvall, P; Hultman, L; Arwin, H

    2011-03-01

    Thin films of amorphous carbon and amorphous, graphitic and fullerene-like carbon nitride were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering and optically characterized with spectroscopic ellipsometry. Complementary studies using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were performed. The films were exposed to human serum albumin (HSA) and the adsorption was monitored in situ using dynamic ellipsometry. From the ellipsometric data the adsorbed amount of proteins was quantified in terms of surface mass density using de Feijter's model. The results indicate larger adsorption of proteins onto the amorphous films compared to the films with a more textured structure. Complementary studies with 125I-labeled HSA showed an apparent protein adsorption up to six times larger compared to the ellipsometry measurement. In addition, the four types of films were incubated in blood plasma followed by exposure to anti-fibrinogen, anti-HMWK or anti-C3c, revealing the materials' response to complement and contact activation. The amorphous and graphitic carbon nitride exhibit rather high immune activity compared to a titanium reference, whereas the amorphous carbon and the fullerene-like CNx show less immune complement deposition. Compared to the reference, all films exhibit indications of a stronger ability to initiate the intrinsic pathway of coagulation. Finally, the surfaces' bone-bonding ability was investigated by examination of their ability to form calcium phosphate crystals in a simulated body fluid, with a-CNx depositing most calcium phosphate after 21 days of incubation. Copyright © 2010 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Assembling of carbon nanotubes film responding to significant reduction wear and friction on steel surface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Bin; Xue, Yong; Qiang, Li; Gao, Kaixong; Liu, Qiao; Yang, Baoping; Liang, Aiming; Zhang, Junyan

    2017-11-01

    Friction properties of carbon nanotubes have been widely studied and reported, however, the friction properties of carbon nanotubes related on state of itself. It is showing superlubricity under nanoscale, but indicates high shear adhesion as aligned carbon nanotube film. However, friction properties under high load (which is commonly in industry) of carbon nanotube films are seldom reported. In this paper, carbon nanotube films, via mechanical rubbing method, were obtained and its tribology properties were investigated at high load of 5 to 15 N. Though different couple pairs were employed, the friction coefficients of carbon nanotube films are nearly the same. Compared with bare stainless steel, friction coefficients and wear rates under carbon nanotube films lubrication reduced to, at least, 1/5 and 1/(4.3-14.5), respectively. Friction test as well as structure study were carried out to reveal the mechanism of the significant reduction wear and friction on steel surface. One can conclude that sliding and densifying of carbon nanotubes at sliding interface contribute to the sufficient decrease of friction coefficients and wear rates.

  6. Silicon based nano-architectures for high power lithium-ion battery anodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krishnan, Rahul

    consisted of Carbon nanorods with an intermediate Aluminum layer finally capped by a nanoscoop of Silicon. The strain gradation arises from the fact that each of these materials has differential volumetric expansions due to different extents of Li uptake. Such a strain gradation from Carbon towards Silicon would provide for a less abrupt transition across the material interfaces thereby reducing interfacial mismatch and improving the tolerance to delamination at very high rates. This nano-architecture provided average capacities of ˜412 mAh/g with a power output of ˜100 kW/kg electrode continuously over 100 cycles. Even when the power output was as high as ˜250 kW/kgelectrode, the average capacity over 100 cycles is still ˜90 mAh/g. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy investigations revealed that the functionally strain graded nanostructures were being partially lithiated in the bulk even at high rates. The fact that charge storage was not merely a surface phenomenon supported the high energy densities obtained at high charge/discharge rates. In an attempt to improve the mass loading density of Silicon based nano-architectures, a nano-compliant layer (NCL) supported thin film architecture was also explored. This consisted of an array of oblique nanorods (the nano-compliant layer) sandwiched between the substrate and the thin film. The NCL layer was used to improve the stress tolerance of the thin film thereby allowing the use of bulk thin films as opposed to nanostructures. This would directly improve the mass loading density. Silicon films with Carbon NCLs and Carbon films with Silicon NCLs were both deposited and tested. It was found that Li+ diffusivity is higher in carbon than in silicon by at least two orders of magnitude. This was calculated from cyclic voltammetry tests using the Randles-Sevcik equation. This difference in Li+ diffusivity within the two materials was found to be the C-rate limiting factor for a given

  7. Charge transport through exciton shelves in cadmium chalcogenide quantum dot-DNA nano-bioelectronic thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goodman, Samuel M.; Noh, Hyunwoo; Singh, Vivek; Cha, Jennifer N.; Nagpal, Prashant

    2015-02-01

    Quantum dot (QD), or semiconductor nanocrystal, thin films are being explored for making solution-processable devices due to their size- and shape-tunable bandgap and discrete higher energy electronic states. While DNA has been extensively used for the self-assembly of nanocrystals, it has not been investigated for the simultaneous conduction of multiple energy charges or excitons via exciton shelves (ES) formed in QD-DNA nano-bioelectronic thin films. Here, we present studies on charge conduction through exciton shelves, which are formed via chemically coupled QDs and DNA, between electronic states of the QDs and the HOMO-LUMO levels in the complementary DNA nucleobases. While several challenges need to be addressed in optimizing the formation of devices using QD-DNA thin films, a higher charge collection efficiency for hot-carriers and our detailed investigations of charge transport mechanism in these thin films highlight their potential for applications in nano-bioelectronic devices and biological transducers.

  8. Combinatorial release of dexamethasone and amiodarone from a nano-structured parylene-C film to reduce perioperative inflammation and atrial fibrillation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Robinson, Erik; Kaushal, Sunjay; Alaboson, Justice; Sharma, Sudhish; Belagodu, Amogh; Watkins, Claire; Walker, Brandon; Webster, Gregory; McCarthy, Patrick; Ho, Dean

    2016-02-01

    Suppressing perioperative inflammation and post-operative atrial fibrillation requires effective drug delivery platforms (DDP). Localized anti-inflammatory and anti-arrhythmic agent release may be more effective than intravenous treatment to improve patient outcomes. This study utilized a dexamethasone (DEX) and amiodarone (AMIO)-loaded Parylene-C (PPX) nano-structured film to inhibit inflammation and atrial fibrillation. The PPX film was tested in an established pericardial adhesion rabbit model. Following sternotomy, the anterior pericardium was resected and the epicardium was abraded. Rabbits were randomly assigned to five treatment groups: control, oxidized PPX (PPX-Oxd), PPX-Oxd infused with DEX (PPX-Oxd[DEX]), native PPX (PPX), and PPX infused with DEX and AMIO (PPX[AMIO, DEX]). 4 weeks post-sternotomy, pericardial adhesions were evaluated for gross adhesions using a 4-point grading system and histological evaluation for epicardial neotissue fibrosis (NTF). Atrial fibrillation duration and time per induction were measured. The PPX[AMIO, DEX] group had a significant reduction in mean adhesion score compared with the control group (control 2.75 +/- 0.42 vs. PPX[AMIO, DEX] 0.25 +/- 0.42, P < 0.001). The PPX[AMIO, DEX] group was similar to native PPX (PPX 0.38 +/- 0.48 vs. PPX[AMIO, DEX] 0.25 +/- 0.42, P&z.dbd;NS). PPX-Oxd group adhesions were indistinguishable from controls (PPX-Oxd 2.83 +/- 0.41 vs. control 2.75 +/- 0.42, P&z.dbd;NS). NTF was reduced in the PPX[AMIO, DEX] group (0.80 +/- 0.10 mm) compared to control (1.78 +/- 0.13 mm, P < 0.001). Total duration of atrial fibrillation was decreased in rabbits with PPX[AMIO, DEX] films compared to control (9.5 +/- 6.8 s vs. 187.6 +/- 174.7 s, p = 0.003). Time of atrial fibrillation per successful induction decreased among PPX[AMIO, DEX] films compared to control (2.8 +/- 1.2 s vs. 103.2 +/- 178 s, p = 0.004). DEX/AMIO-loaded PPX films are associated with reduced perioperative inflammation and a diminished atrial

  9. Structural, thermal, spectroscopic, and spectral dispersion studies of nanocrystalline methyl red thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Makhlouf, Mohamed M.; El-Denglawey, Adel

    2018-04-01

    Methyl red (MR) powder is polycrystalline structure as-purchased. The uniform, homogeneous and no cracks nano MR thin films are successfully prepared using thermal evaporation technique. The structural investigation for the pristine, annealed and UV irradiated MR films shows nanorods spread in amorphous medium. The part of as-prepared films exposed to UV light irradiation of wavelength 254 nm and intensity of 2000 µW/cm2 for 1 h, while the other part of films was treated by the annealing temperature at 178 °C for 1 h. The optical properties of MR thin films were investigated using spectrophotometric measurements of the transmittance and reflectance at normal incidence in the spectral range 200-2000 nm. The optical constants, dispersion parameters, and energy loss and dielectric functions of MR thin films were calculated and showed remarkable dependence on UV irradiation and annealing temperature upon the films of MR. The dependence of absorption coefficient on the photon energy were analyzed and the results showed that MR films undergo direct allowed optical transition for pristine, annealed and irradiated MR films.

  10. Preparation and mechanical properties of carbon nanotube-silicon nitride nano-ceramic matrix composites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tian, C. Y.; Jiang, H.

    2018-01-01

    Carbon nanotube-silicon nitride nano-ceramic matrix composites were fabricated by hot-pressing nano-sized Si3N4 powders and carbon nanotubes. The effect of CNTs on the mechanical properties of silicon nitride was researched. The phase compositions and the microstructure characteristics of the samples as well as the distribution of carbon nanotube in the silicon nitride ceramic were analyzed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope. The results show that the microstructure of composites consists mainly of α-Si3N4, β-Si3N4, Si2N2O and carbon natubes. The addition of proper amount of carbon nanotubes can improve the fracture toughness and the flexural strength, and the optimal amount of carbon nanotube are both 3wt.%. However the Vickers hardness values decrease with the increase of carbon nanotubes content.

  11. A novel diamond micro-/nano-machining process for the generation of hierarchical micro-/nano-structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Zhiwei; To, Suet; Ehmann, Kornel F.; Xiao, Gaobo; Zhu, Wule

    2016-03-01

    A new mechanical micro-/nano-machining process that combines rotary spatial vibrations (RSV) of a diamond tool and the servo motions of the workpiece is proposed and applied for the generation of multi-tier hierarchical micro-/nano-structures. In the proposed micro-/nano-machining system, the servo motion, as the primary cutting motion generated by a slow-tool-servo, is adopted for the fine generation of the primary surfaces with complex shapes. The RSV, as the tertiary cutting operation, is superimposed on the secondary fundamental rotary cutting motion to construct secondary nano-structures on the primary surface. Since the RSV system generally works at much higher frequencies and motion resolution than the primary and secondary motions, it leads to an inherent hierarchical cutting architecture. To investigate the machining performance, complex micro-/nano-structures were generated and explored by both numerical simulations and actual cutting tests. Rotary vibrations of the diamond tool at a constant rotational distance offer an inherent constant cutting velocity, leading to the ability for the generation of homogeneous micro-/nano-structures with fixed amplitudes and frequencies of the vibrations, even over large-scale surfaces. Furthermore, by deliberately combining the non-resonant three-axial vibrations and the servo motion, the generation of a variety of micro-/nano-structures with complex shapes and with flexibly tunable feature sizes can be achieved.

  12. Thermal property tuning in aligned carbon nanotube films and random entangled carbon nanotube films by ion irradiation

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

    Wang, Jing; Chen, Di; Wang, Xuemei

    2015-10-12

    Ion irradiation effects on thermal property changes are compared between aligned carbon nanotube (A-CNT) films and randomly entangled carbon nanotube (R-CNT) films. After H, C, and Fe ion irradiation, a focusing ion beam with sub-mm diameter is used as a heating source, and an infrared signal is recorded to extract thermal conductivity. Ion irradiation decreases thermal conductivity of A-CNT films, but increases that of R-CNT films. We explain the opposite trends by the fact that neighboring CNT bundles are loosely bonded in A-CNT films, which makes it difficult to create inter-tube linkage/bonding upon ion irradiation. In a comparison, in R-CNTmore » films, which have dense tube networking, carbon displacements are easily trapped between touching tubes and act as inter-tube linkage to promote off-axial phonon transport. The enhancement overcomes the phonon transport loss due to phonon-defect scattering along the axial direction. A model is established to explain the dependence of thermal conductivity changes on ion irradiation parameters including ion species, energies, and current.« less

  13. Free-standing mesoporous carbon thin films with highly ordered pore architectures for nanodevices.

    PubMed

    Feng, Dan; Lv, Yingying; Wu, Zhangxiong; Dou, Yuqian; Han, Lu; Sun, Zhenkun; Xia, Yongyao; Zheng, Gengfeng; Zhao, Dongyuan

    2011-09-28

    We report for the first time the synthesis of free-standing mesoporous carbon films with highly ordered pore architecture by a simple coating-etching approach, which have an intact morphology with variable sizes as large as several square centimeters and a controllable thickness of 90 nm to ∼3 μm. The mesoporous carbon films were first synthesized by coating a resol precursors/Pluronic copolymer solution on a preoxidized silicon wafer and forming highly ordered polymeric mesostructures based on organic-organic self-assembly, followed by carbonizing at 600 °C and finally etching of the native oxide layer between the carbon film and the silicon substrate. The mesostructure of this free-standing carbon film is confirmed to be an ordered face-centered orthorhombic Fmmm structure, distorted from the (110) oriented body-centered cubic Im3̅m symmetry. The mesoporosity of the carbon films has been evaluated by nitrogen sorption, which shows a high specific BET surface area of 700 m(2)/g and large uniform mesopores of ∼4.3 nm. Both mesostructures and pore sizes can be tuned by changing the block copolymer templates or the ratio of resol to template. These free-standing mesoporous carbon films with cracking-free uniform morphology can be transferred or bent on different surfaces, especially with the aid of the soft polymer layer transfer technique, thus allowing for a variety of potential applications in electrochemistry and biomolecule separation. As a proof of concept, an electrochemical supercapacitor device directly made by the mesoporous carbon thin films shows a capacitance of 136 F/g at 0.5 A/g. Moreover, a nanofilter based on the carbon films has shown an excellent size-selective filtration of cytochrome c and bovine serum albumin.

  14. Dual-ion-beam deposition of carbon films with diamond-like properties

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mirtich, M. J.; Swec, D. M.; Angus, J. C.

    1985-01-01

    A single and dual ion beam system was used to generate amorphous carbon films with diamond like properties. A methane/argon mixture at a molar ratio of 0.28 was ionized in the low pressure discharge chamber of a 30-cm-diameter ion source. A second ion source, 8 cm in diameter was used to direct a beam of 600 eV Argon ions on the substrates (fused silica or silicon) while the deposition from the 30-cm ion source was taking place. Nuclear reaction and combustion analysis indicate H/C ratios for the films to be 1.00. This high value of H/C, it is felt, allowed the films to have good transmittance. The films were impervious to reagents which dissolve graphitic and polymeric carbon structures. Although the measured density of the films was approximately 1.8 gm/cu cm, a value lower than diamond, the films exhibited other properties that were relatively close to diamond. These films were compared with diamond like films generated by sputtering a graphite target.

  15. Preparation and mechanical properties of photo-crosslinked poly(trimethylene carbonate) and nano-hydroxyapatite composites.

    PubMed

    Geven, Mike A; Barbieri, Davide; Yuan, Huipin; de Bruijn, Joost D; Grijpma, Dirk W

    2015-01-01

    Composite materials of photo-crosslinked poly(trimethylene carbonate) and nanoscale hydroxyapatite were prepared and their mechanical characteristics for application as orbital floor implants were assessed. The composites were prepared by solvent casting poly(trimethylene carbonate) macromers with varying amounts of nano-hydroxyapatite and subsequent photo-crosslinking. The incorporation of the nano-hydroxyapatite into the composites was examined by thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy and gel content measurements. The mechanical properties were investigated by tensile testing and trouser tearing experiments. Our results show that nano-hydroxyapatite particles can readily be incorporated into photo-crosslinked poly(trimethylene carbonate) networks. Compared to the networks without nano-hydroxyapatite, incorporation of 36.3 wt.% of the apatite resulted in an increase of the E modulus, yield strength and tensile strength from 2.2 MPa to 51 MPa, 0.5 to 1.4 N/mm2 and from 1.3 to 3.9 N/mm2, respectively. We found that composites containing 12.4 wt.% nano-hydroxyapatite had the highest values of strain at break, toughness and average tear propagation strength (376% , 777 N/mm2 and 3.1 N/mm2, respectively).

  16. Biofunctionalized 3-D Carbon Nano-Network Platform for Enhanced Fibroblast Cell Adhesion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chowdhury, A. K. M. Rezaul Haque; Tavangar, Amirhossein; Tan, Bo; Venkatakrishnan, Krishnan

    2017-03-01

    Carbon nanomaterials have been investigated for various biomedical applications. In most cases, however, these nanomaterials must be functionalized biologically or chemically due to their biological inertness or possible cytotoxicity. Here, we report the development of a new carbon nanomaterial with a bioactive phase that significantly promotes cell adhesion. We synthesize the bioactive phase by introducing self-assembled nanotopography and altered nano-chemistry to graphite substrates using ultrafast laser. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that such a cytophilic bio-carbon is developed in a single step without requiring subsequent biological/chemical treatments. By controlling the nano-network concentration and chemistry, we develop platforms with different degrees of cell cytophilicity. We study quantitatively and qualitatively the cell response to nano-network platforms with NIH-3T3 fibroblasts. The findings from the in vitro study indicate that the platforms possess excellent biocompatibility and promote cell adhesion considerably. The study of the cell morphology shows a healthy attachment of cells with a well-spread shape, overextended actin filaments, and morphological symmetry, which is indicative of a high cellular interaction with the nano-network. The developed nanomaterial possesses great biocompatibility and considerably stimulates cell adhesion and subsequent cell proliferation, thus offering a promising path toward engineering various biomedical devices.

  17. Temperature dependence of nonlinear optical properties in Li doped nano-carbon bowl material

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Wei-qi; Zhou, Xin; Chang, Ying; Quan Tian, Wei; Sun, Xiu-Dong

    2013-04-01

    The mechanism for change of nonlinear optical (NLO) properties with temperature is proposed for a nonlinear optical material, Li doped curved nano-carbon bowl. Four stable conformations of Li doped corannulene were located and their electronic properties were investigated in detail. The NLO response of those Li doped conformations varies with relative position of doping agent on the curved carbon surface of corannulene. Conversion among those Li doped conformations, which could be controlled by temperature, changes the NLO response of bulk material. Thus, conformation change of alkali metal doped carbon nano-material with temperature rationalizes the variation of NLO properties of those materials.

  18. Titanyl phthalocyanine ambipolar thin film transistors making use of carbon nanotube electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Coppedè, Nicola; Valitova, Irina; Mahvash, Farzaneh; Tarabella, Giuseppe; Ranzieri, Paolo; Iannotta, Salvatore; Santato, Clara; Martel, Richard; Cicoira, Fabio

    2014-12-01

    The capability of efficiently injecting charge carriers into organic films and finely tuning their morphology and structure is crucial to improve the performance of organic thin film transistors (OTFTs). In this work, we investigate OTFTs employing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as the source-drain electrodes and, as the organic semiconductor, thin films of titanyl phthalocyanine (TiOPc) grown by supersonic molecular beam deposition (SuMBD). While CNT electrodes have shown an unprecedented ability to improve charge injection in OTFTs, SuMBD is an effective technique to tune film morphology and structure. Varying the substrate temperature during deposition, we were able to grow both amorphous (low substrate temperature) and polycrystalline (high substrate temperature) films of TiOPc. Regardless of the film morphology and structure, CNT electrodes led to superior charge injection and transport performance with respect to benchmark Au electrodes. Vacuum annealing of polycrystalline TiOPc films with CNT electrodes yielded ambipolar OTFTs.

  19. Research progress of nano self - cleaning anti-fouling coatings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Y.; Zhao, Y. J.; Teng, J. L.; Wang, J. H.; Wu, L. S.; Zheng, Y. L.

    2018-01-01

    There are many methods of evaluating the performance of nano self-cleaning anti-fouling coatings, such as carbon blacking method, coating reflection coefficient method, glass microbead method, film method, contact angle and rolling angle method, organic degradation method, and the application of performance evaluation method in self-cleaning antifouling coating. For the more, the types of nano self-cleaning anti-fouling coatings based on aqueous media was described, such as photocatalytic self-cleaning coatings, silicone coatings, organic fluorine coatings, fluorosilicone coatings, fluorocarbon coatings, polysilazane self-cleaning coatings. The research and application of different kinds of nano self-cleaning antifouling coatings are anlysised, and the latest research results are summed.

  20. Nanostructured carbon films with oriented graphitic planes

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

    Teo, E. H. T.; Kalish, R.; Kulik, J.

    2011-03-21

    Nanostructured carbon films with oriented graphitic planes can be deposited by applying energetic carbon bombardment. The present work shows the possibility of structuring graphitic planes perpendicular to the substrate in following two distinct ways: (i) applying sufficiently large carbon energies for deposition at room temperature (E>10 keV), (ii) utilizing much lower energies for deposition at elevated substrate temperatures (T>200 deg. C). High resolution transmission electron microscopy is used to probe the graphitic planes. The alignment achieved at elevated temperatures does not depend on the deposition angle. The data provides insight into the mechanisms leading to the growth of oriented graphiticmore » planes under different conditions.« less

  1. Enhanced Fluorescence Properties of Carbon Dots in Polymer Films

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Yamin; Wang, Ping; Shiral Fernando, K. A.; LeCroy, Gregory E.; Maimaiti, Halidan; Harruff-Miller, Barbara A.; Lewis, William K.; Bunker, Christopher E.; Hou, Zhi-Ling; Sun, Ya-Ping

    2016-01-01

    Carbon dots of small carbon nanoparticles surface-functionalized with 2,2′-(ethylenedioxy)bis(ethylamine) (EDA) were synthesized, and the as-synthesized sample was separated on an aqueous gel column to obtain fractions of the EDA-carbon dots with different fluorescence quantum yields. As already discussed in the literature, the variations in fluorescence performance among the fractions were attributed to the different levels and/or effectiveness of the surface functionalization-passivation in the carbon dots. These fractions, as well as carbon nanoparticles without any deliberate surface functionalization, were dispersed into poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) for composite films. In the PVA film matrix, the carbon dots and nanoparticles exhibited much enhanced fluorescence emissions in comparison with their corresponding aqueous solutions. The increased fluorescence quantum yields in the films were determined quantitatively by using a specifically designed and constructed film sample holder in the emission spectrometer. The observed fluorescence decays of the EDA-carbon dots in film and in solution were essentially the same, suggesting that the significant enhancement in fluorescence quantum yields from solution to film is static in nature. Mechanistic implications of the results, including a rationalization in terms of the compression effect on the surface passivation layer (similar to a soft corona) in carbon dots when embedded in the more restrictive film environment resulting in more favorable radiative recombinations of the carbon particle surface-trapped electrons and holes, and also potential technological applications of the brightly fluorescent composite films are highlighted and discussed. PMID:28133537

  2. Thin film solar cell design based on photonic crystal and diffractive grating structures.

    PubMed

    Mutitu, James G; Shi, Shouyuan; Chen, Caihua; Creazzo, Timothy; Barnett, Allen; Honsberg, Christiana; Prather, Dennis W

    2008-09-15

    In this paper we present novel light trapping designs applied to multiple junction thin film solar cells. The new designs incorporate one dimensional photonic crystals as band pass filters that reflect short light wavelengths (400 - 867 nm) and transmit longer wavelengths(867 -1800 nm) at the interface between two adjacent cells. In addition, nano structured diffractive gratings that cut into the photonic crystal layers are incorporated to redirect incoming waves and hence increase the optical path length of light within the solar cells. Two designs based on the nano structured gratings that have been realized using the scattering matrix and particle swarm optimization methods are presented. We also show preliminary fabrication results of the proposed devices.

  3. Functions of Nano-Materials in Food Packaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yap, Ray Chin Chong; Kwablah, Amegadze Paul Seyram; He, Jiating; Li, Xu

    Food packaging has been changing from bulky and rigid form in the past to different variation of lights and plastic packagings. Regardless of the changes, the packaging must be able to uphold its original function which is to serve as food containment as well as to protect the food from the external environment. Coupled with the increasing consumer’s awareness on food waste, higher standard of living, technological developments are underway to enhance the shelf-life of packed food as well as methods to provide indications of food packaging environment. There are many different indicators for food spoilage, but two commonly found gases in food packaging are oxygen and carbon dioxide. Oxygen is the main mechanism for food spoilage, while carbon dioxide is often used in modified-atmosphere-packaging. There are also different methods of gas scavenging and/or sensing techniques based on different concepts in the literature. In this review, the focus will be on nano-materials, namely titanium dioxide, silica, zeolites and metal organic frameworks. This review is structured in a manner to highlight how each material can be used in both gas scavenging and/or indicators applications. The last part of the review focuses on the approach and some key considerations when integrating nano-materials into the plastic film.

  4. Increased endothelial cell adhesion and elongation on micron-patterned nano-rough poly(dimethylsiloxane) films.

    PubMed

    Ranjan, Ashwini; Webster, Thomas J

    2009-07-29

    The success of synthetic vascular grafts is largely determined by their ability to promote vital endothelial cell functions such as adhesion, alignment, proliferation, and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. Developing such biomaterials requires the design and fabrication of materials that mimic select properties of native extracellular matrices. Furthermore, cells of the native endothelium have elongated and aligned morphology in the direction of blood flow, yet few materials promote this type of morphology initially, but rather rely on blood flow to orient endothelial cells. Therefore, the objective of this in vitro study was to design a biomaterial that mimics the conditions of the micro- and nano-environment of vascular intima tissue suitable for endothelial cell adhesion and elongation to improve the efficacy of small synthetic vascular grafts. Towards this end, patterned poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) films consisting of periodic arrays of nano-grooves (500 nm), with spacings ranging from 22 to 80 microm, and alternating nano- and micron roughness were fabricated using a novel electron beam physical vapor deposition method followed by polymer casting. By varying pattern spacing, the area of micron- and nano-rough surface was controlled. In vitro rat aortic endothelial cell adhesion and elongation studies indicated that endothelial cell function was enhanced on patterned PDMS surfaces with the widest spacing and greatest surface area of nano-roughness, as compared to more narrow pattern spacings and non-patterned PDMS surfaces. Specifically, endothelial cells adherent on PDMS patterned films of the widest spacing (greatest nano-rough area) displayed almost twice as much elongation as cells on non-patterned surfaces. For these reasons, the present study highlighted design criteria (the use of micron patterns of nano-features on PDMS) that may contribute to the intelligent design of new-generation vascular grafts.

  5. First Principles Investigations of Technologically and Environmentally Important Nano-structured Materials and Devices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Paul, Sujata

    In the course of my PhD I have worked on a broad range of problems using simulations from first principles: from catalysis and chemical reactions at surfaces and on nanostructures, characterization of carbon-based systems and devices, and surface and interface physics. My research activities focused on the application of ab-initio electronic structure techniques to the theoretical study of important aspects of the physics and chemistry of materials for energy and environmental applications and nano-electronic devices. A common theme of my research is the computational study of chemical reactions of environmentally important molecules (CO, CO2) using high performance simulations. In particular, my principal aim was to design novel nano-structured functional catalytic surfaces and interfaces for environmentally relevant remediation and recycling reactions, with particular attention to the management of carbon dioxide. We have studied the carbon-mediated partial sequestration and selective oxidation of carbon monoxide (CO), both in the presence and absence of hydrogen, on graphitic edges. Using first-principles calculations we have studied several reactions of CO with carbon nanostructures, where the active sites can be regenerated by the deposition of carbon decomposed from the reactant (CO) to make the reactions self-sustained. Using statistical mechanics, we have also studied the conditions under which the conversion of CO to graphene and carbon dioxide is thermodynamically favorable, both in the presence and in the absence of hydrogen. These results are a first step toward the development of processes for the carbon-mediated partial sequestration and selective oxidation of CO in a hydrogen atmosphere. We have elucidated the atomic scale mechanisms of activation and reduction of carbon dioxide on specifically designed catalytic surfaces via the rational manipulation of the surface properties that can be achieved by combining transition metal thin films on oxide

  6. Method for fabricating thin films of pyrolytic carbon

    DOEpatents

    Brassell, G.W.; Lewis, J. Jr.; Weber, G.W.

    1980-03-13

    The present invention relates to a method for fabricating ultrathin films of pyrolytic carbon. Pyrolytic carbon is vapor deposited onto a concave surface of a heated substrate to a total uniform thickness in the range of about 0.1 to 1.0 micrometer. The carbon film on the substrate is provided with a layer of adherent polymeric resin. The resulting composite film of pyrolytic carbon and polymeric resin is then easily separated from the substrate by shrinking the 10 polymeric resin coating with thermally induced forces.

  7. Method for fabricating thin films of pyrolytic carbon

    DOEpatents

    Brassell, Gilbert W.; Lewis, Jr., John; Weber, Gary W.

    1982-01-01

    The present invention relates to a method for fabricating ultra-thin films of pyrolytic carbon. Pyrolytic carbon is vapor deposited onto a concave surface of a heated substrate to a total uniform thickness in the range of about 0.1 to 1.0 micrometer. The carbon film on the substrate is provided with a layer of adherent polymeric resin. The resulting composite film of pyrolytic carbon and polymeric resin is then easily separated from the substrate by shrinking the polymeric resin coating with thermally induced forces.

  8. Compositional and structural analysis of nitrogen incorporated and ion implanted diamond thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garratt, Elias James

    Significant progress in area of nano-structured thin film systems has taken place in recent decades. In particular, diamond thin film systems are being widely studied for their wear resistant, optical and electronic properties. Of the various methods researchers use to modify the structure of such films, three techniques in particular are of interest due to their versatility: modification of the growth atmosphere, growth on metalized substrates, providing an interfacial layer, and modification through post-growth ion implantation. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects each has to the structure and composition of elements. Different techniques are applied in each section; nitrogen gas dilution in a microwave plasma CVD system, diamond deposition on a metal interfacial layer and ion implantation in thin nanocrystalline diamond film. The forms of nanocrystalline diamond film resulting from such modifications are investigated using advanced spectroscopic and spectrometric techniques, as well as mechanical testing and surface mapping. The impact of these characterizations will provide valuable perspective to researchers in materials science. Understanding the changes to the structure and properties of this class of thin films, which can be induced through various mechanisms, will allow future researchers to refine these films towards technological applications in areas of hard coatings, electronics and photonics.

  9. Phase and electrical properties of PZT thin films embedded with CuO nano-particles by a hybrid sol-gel route

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sreesattabud, Tharathip; Gibbons, Brady J.; Watcharapasorn, Anucha; Jiansirisomboon, Sukanda

    2013-07-01

    Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 or PZT thin films embedded with CuO nano-particles were successfully prepared by a hybrid sol-gel process. In this process, CuO (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5 and 1 wt. %) nanopowder was suspended in an organometallic solution of PZT, and then coated on platinised silicon substrate using a spin-coating technique. The influence of CuO nano-particles' dispersion on the phase of PZT thin films was investigated. XRD results showed a perovskite phase in all films. At the CuO concentration of 0.4-1 wt. %, a second phase was observed. The addition of CuO nano-particles affected the orientation of PZT thin films. The addition was also found to reduce the ferroelectric properties of PZT thin films. However, at 0.2 wt. % CuO concentration, the film exhibited good ferroelectric properties similar to those of PZT films. In addition, the fatigue retention properties of the PZT/CuO system was observed, and it showed 14% fatigue at 108 switching bipolar pulse cycles while the fatigue in PZT thin films was found to be 17% at the same switching bipolar pulse cycles.

  10. Recognition of sentinel lymph nodes in patients with papillary thyroid cancer by nano-carbon and methylene blue.

    PubMed

    Liu, Fangzhou; Zhu, Yan; Qian, Yichuan; Zhang, Jia; Zhang, Yu; Zhang, Yuan

    2017-01-01

    To compare the accuracy and feasibility of methylene blue and nano-carbon in clinical tracing of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). Ninety-six PTC patients were selected and randomly divided into a methylene blue group and a nano-carbon group (n=48). During surgery, tracer agent was injected around the tumor, and SLNs were resected and subjected to frozen pathological examination. The results were compared with those of routine pathological examination after surgery. Latent lymph node metastasis (level VI and lateral neck) was detected in both groups, with neck distribution of SLNs. There was no significant difference in the detection rate or accuracy of SLNs between two groups (P>0.05). The incorrect resection rate of parathyroid gland and incidence of temporary hypoparathyroidism in the methylene blue group were significantly higher than those of the nano-carbon group (t=4.137, P<0.05). The state of PTC lymph nodes can be well evaluated by SLN biopsy using both methylene blue and nano-carbon as tracers, but using nano-carbon has a lower incidence rate of parathyroid injury, with great clinical prospects accordingly.

  11. Piezo-phototronic effect enhanced photo-detector based on ZnO nano-arrays/NiO structure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Jingchang; Li, Peida; Gao, Ruixue; Lu, Xue; Li, Chengren; Lang, Yueyi; Zhang, Xiwen; Bian, Jiming

    2018-01-01

    A photo-detector with n-ZnO nano-arrays/p-NiO film structure was synthesized on flexible Ni foil substrate. In contrast to conventional detectors that detect only the photon energies greater than the band gap of working materials, the visible light with smaller photon energies (3.0 eV) than the band gap of both ZnO (3.3 eV) and NiO (3.7 eV) can be sensitively detected by this detector due to the spatially indirect type-II transition between ZnO nano-arrays and NiO film. The increase in output currents of the photo-detector with illumination density was observed at both forward and reverse bias, and it can be further enhanced by exerting external compressive strain along the c axis of ZnO nano-arrays by piezo-phototronic effect. A maximum enhancement of 1020% of the responsivity (R) was achieved under external compressive strain. The similar behaviors were demonstrated at four different excitation wavelengths (325, 365, 388 and 405 nm), providing compelling evidence that the responses performance of the photo-detector can be effectively enhanced using piezo-phototronic effect. Moreover, the piezo-phototronic effect enhanced performance can be well elucidated by the corresponding energy band diagram.

  12. Direct-Write Fabrication of Cellulose Nano-Structures via Focused Electron Beam Induced Nanosynthesis

    PubMed Central

    Ganner, Thomas; Sattelkow, Jürgen; Rumpf, Bernhard; Eibinger, Manuel; Reishofer, David; Winkler, Robert; Nidetzky, Bernd; Spirk, Stefan; Plank, Harald

    2016-01-01

    In many areas of science and technology, patterned films and surfaces play a key role in engineering and development of advanced materials. Here, we introduce a new generic technique for the fabrication of polysaccharide nano-structures via focused electron beam induced conversion (FEBIC). For the proof of principle, organosoluble trimethylsilyl-cellulose (TMSC) thin films have been deposited by spin coating on SiO2 / Si and exposed to a nano-sized electron beam. It turns out that in the exposed areas an electron induced desilylation reaction takes place converting soluble TMSC to rather insoluble cellulose. After removal of the unexposed TMSC areas, structured cellulose patterns remain on the surface with FWHM line widths down to 70 nm. Systematic FEBIC parameter sweeps reveal a generally electron dose dependent behavior with three working regimes: incomplete conversion, ideal doses and over exposure. Direct (FT-IR) and indirect chemical analyses (enzymatic degradation) confirmed the cellulosic character of ideally converted areas. These investigations are complemented by a theoretical model which suggests a two-step reaction process by means of TMSC → cellulose and cellulose → non-cellulose material conversion in excellent agreement with experimental data. The extracted, individual reaction rates allowed the derivation of design rules for FEBIC parameters towards highest conversion efficiencies and highest lateral resolution. PMID:27585861

  13. Controllable preparation of fluorine-containing fullerene-like carbon film

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Jia; Liang, Aimin; Wang, Fuguo; Xu, Longhua; Zhang, Junyan

    2016-05-01

    Fluorine-containing fullerene-like carbon (F-FLC) films were prepared by high frequency unipolar pulse plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The microstructures, mechanical properties as well as the tribological properties of the films were investigated. The results indicate that fullerene-like microstructures appear in amorphous carbon matrix and increase greatly with the increase of bias voltage from -600 to -1600 V. And the fluorine contents in F-FLC films also show a minor rise. In addition, the hardness enhances with the bias voltage and the outstanding elastic recovery maintains because of the formation of fullerene-like microstructures in the F-FLC films. Undoubtedly, the F-FLC film deposited under high bias voltage owns a superiorly low friction, which combines the merits of fluorinated carbon film and fullerene-like carbon film. Moreover, the film also shows a remarkable wear resistance, which is mainly attributed to the excellent mechanical properties. This study provides new insights for us to prepare fluorine-containing FLC films with good mechanical and tribological properties.

  14. Nano ZnO embedded in Chitosan matrix for vibration sensor application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Praveen, E.; Murugan, S.; Jayakumar, K.

    2015-06-01

    Biopolymer Chitosan is embedded with various concentration of ZnO nano particle and such a bio-nano composite electret has been fabricated by casting method. The morphological, structural, optical and electrical characterization of the bio-nano composite electret film have been carried out. Isolation and piezoelectric measurements of bio-nano composite have also been carried out indicating the possibility of using it as a mechanical sensor element.

  15. Emission Characteristics of Organic Light-Emitting Diodes and Organic Thin-Films with Planar and Corrugated Structures

    PubMed Central

    Wei, Mao-Kuo; Lin, Chii-Wann; Yang, Chih-Chung; Kiang, Yean-Woei; Lee, Jiun-Haw; Lin, Hoang-Yan

    2010-01-01

    In this paper, we review the emission characteristics from organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and organic molecular thin films with planar and corrugated structures. In a planar thin film structure, light emission from OLEDs was strongly influenced by the interference effect. With suitable design of microcavity structure and layer thicknesses adjustment, optical characteristics can be engineered to achieve high optical intensity, suitable emission wavelength, and broad viewing angles. To increase the extraction efficiency from OLEDs and organic thin-films, corrugated structure with micro- and nano-scale were applied. Microstructures can effectively redirects the waveguiding light in the substrate outside the device. For nanostructures, it is also possible to couple out the organic and plasmonic modes, not only the substrate mode. PMID:20480033

  16. Periodically striped films produced from super-aligned carbon nanotube arrays.

    PubMed

    Liu, Kai; Sun, Yinghui; Liu, Peng; Wang, Jiaping; Li, Qunqing; Fan, Shoushan; Jiang, Kaili

    2009-08-19

    We report a novel way to draw films from super-aligned carbon nanotube arrays at large drawing angles. The obtained super-aligned carbon nanotube films have a periodically striped configuration with alternating thinner and thicker film sections, and the width of the stripes is equal to the height of the original arrays. Compared with ordinary uniform films, the striped films provide a better platform for understanding the mechanism of spinning films from arrays because carbon nanotube junctions are easily observed and identified at the boundary of the stripes. Further studies show that the carbon nanotube junctions are bottleneck positions for thermal conduction and mechanical strength of the film, but do not limit its electrical conduction. These films can be utilized as striped and high-degree polarized light emission sources. Our results will be valuable for new applications and future large-scale production of tunable super-aligned carbon nanotube films.

  17. A molecular dynamics analysis of ion irradiation of ultrathin amorphous carbon films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qi, J.; Komvopoulos, K.

    2016-09-01

    Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations provide insight into nanoscale problems where continuum description breaks down, such as the modeling of ultrathin films. Amorphous carbon (a-C) films are commonly used as protective overcoats in various contemporary technologies, including microelectromechanical systems, bio-implantable devices, optical lenses, and hard-disk drives. In all of these technologies, the protective a-C film must be continuous and very thin. For example, to achieve high storage densities (e.g., on the order of 1 Tb/in.2) in magnetic recording, the thickness of the a-C film used to protect the magnetic media and the recording head against mechanical wear and corrosion must be 2-3 nm. Inert ion irradiation is an effective post-deposition method for reducing the film thickness, while preserving the mechanical and chemical characteristics. In this study, MD simulations of Ar+ ion irradiated a-C films were performed to elucidate the effects of the ion incidence angle and ion kinetic energy on the film thickness and structure. The MD results reveal that the film etching rate exhibits a strong dependence on the ion kinetic energy and ion incidence angle, with a maximum etching rate corresponding to an ion incidence angle of ˜20°. It is also shown that Ar+ ion irradiation mainly affects the structure of the upper half of the ultrathin a-C film and that carbon atom hybridization is a strong function of the ion kinetic energy and ion incidence angle. The results of this study elucidate the effects of important ion irradiation parameters on the structure and thickness of ultrathin films and provide fundamental insight into the physics of dry etching.

  18. Structure, adhesive strength and electrochemical performance of nitrogen doped diamond-like carbon thin films deposited via DC magnetron sputtering.

    PubMed

    Khun, N W; Liu, E; Krishna, M D

    2010-07-01

    Nitrogen doped diamond-like carbon (DLC:N) thin films were deposited on p-Si (100) substrates by DC magnetron sputtering with different nitrogen flow rates at a substrate temperature of about 100 degrees C. The chemical bonding structure of the films was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and micro-Raman spectroscopy. The adhesive strength and surface morphology of the films were studied using micro-scratch tester and scanning electron microscope (SEM), respectively. The electrochemical performance of the films was evaluated by potentiodynamic polarization testing and linear sweep voltammetry. The electrolytes used for the electrochemical tests were deaerated and unstirred 0.47 M KCl aqueous solution for potentiodynamic polarization testing and 0.2 M KOH and 0.1 M KCl solutions for voltammetric analysis. It was found that the DLC:N films could well passivate the underlying substrates though the corrosion resistance of the films decreased with increased nitrogen content in the films. The DLC:N films showed wide potential windows in the KOH solution, in which the detection ability of the DLC:N films to trace lead of about 1 x 10(-3) M Pb(2+) was also tested.

  19. Structure and properties of hydroxyapatite/hydroxyethyl cellulose acetate composite films.

    PubMed

    Azzaoui, K; Mejdoubi, E; Lamhamdi, A; Zaoui, S; Berrabah, M; Elidrissi, A; Hammouti, B; Fouda, Moustafa M G; Al-Deyab, Salem S

    2015-01-22

    The main aim of this research work was to develop a new inorganic-organic film. Hydroxyapaptite (HAp) particles that represent the inorganic phase was mixed well with hydroxyethyl cellulose acetate (HECA), which representing the organic phase and then the inorganic-organic films were fabricated by evaporating of the solvent. The structure as well as the properties of the formed films were characterized using different analytical tools such as field emission scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The obtained results revealed that, the HAp nanoparticles was well dispersed and well immobilized throughout the formed films. This can be attributed to the role of the nano- and micropores in the HECA substrate. In addition, a strong interaction occurred between HAp and HECA matrix. The results showed also good thermal stability and miscibility as well. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Electron Damage Effects on Carbon Nanotube Thin Films

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-03-01

    ELECTRON DAMAGE EFFECTS ON CARBON NANOTUBE THIN FILMS THESIS Jeremy S. Best, Captain, USMC AFIT-ENP-13-M-37 DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE AIR...Government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States. AFIT-ENP-13-M-37 ELECTRON DAMAGE EFFECTS ON CARBON NANOTUBE THIN FILMS...M-37 ELECTRON DAMAGE EFFECTS ON CARBON NANOTUBE THIN FILMS Jeremy S. Best, BS Aerospace Engineering Captain, USMC Approved: Dr. John McClory

  1. Preparation Nano-Structure Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) Functional Film on the Cellulose Insulation Polymer and Its Effect on the Breakdown Voltage and Hydrophobicity Properties

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Cong; Li, Yanqing; Liao, Ruijin; Liao, Qiang; Tang, Chao

    2018-01-01

    Cellulose insulation polymer is an important component of oil-paper insulation, which is widely used in power transformer. The weight of the cellulose insulation polymer materials is as high as tens of tons in the larger converter transformer. Excellent performance of oil-paper insulation is very important for ensuring the safe operation of larger converter transformer. An effective way to improve the insulation and the physicochemical property of the oil impregnated insulation pressboard/paper is currently a popular research topic. In this paper, the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) functional film was coated on the cellulose insulation pressboard by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering to improve its breakdown voltage and the hydrophobicity properties. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results show that the nano-structure PTFE functional film was successfully fabricated on the cellulose insulation pressboard surface. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) present that the nanoscale size PTFE particles were attached to the pressboard surface and it exists in the amorphous form. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) shows that the sputtered pressboard surface is still rough. The rough PTFE functional film and the reduction of the hydrophilic hydroxyl of the surface due to the shielding effect of PTFE improve the breakdown and the hydrophobicity properties of the cellulose insulation pressboard obviously. This paper provides an innovative way to improve the performance of the cellulose insulation polymer. PMID:29883376

  2. Preparation Nano-Structure Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) Functional Film on the Cellulose Insulation Polymer and Its Effect on the Breakdown Voltage and Hydrophobicity Properties.

    PubMed

    Hao, Jian; Liu, Cong; Li, Yanqing; Liao, Ruijin; Liao, Qiang; Tang, Chao

    2018-05-21

    Cellulose insulation polymer is an important component of oil-paper insulation, which is widely used in power transformer. The weight of the cellulose insulation polymer materials is as high as tens of tons in the larger converter transformer. Excellent performance of oil-paper insulation is very important for ensuring the safe operation of larger converter transformer. An effective way to improve the insulation and the physicochemical property of the oil impregnated insulation pressboard/paper is currently a popular research topic. In this paper, the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) functional film was coated on the cellulose insulation pressboard by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering to improve its breakdown voltage and the hydrophobicity properties. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results show that the nano-structure PTFE functional film was successfully fabricated on the cellulose insulation pressboard surface. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) present that the nanoscale size PTFE particles were attached to the pressboard surface and it exists in the amorphous form. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) shows that the sputtered pressboard surface is still rough. The rough PTFE functional film and the reduction of the hydrophilic hydroxyl of the surface due to the shielding effect of PTFE improve the breakdown and the hydrophobicity properties of the cellulose insulation pressboard obviously. This paper provides an innovative way to improve the performance of the cellulose insulation polymer.

  3. Quantitative measurement of adhesion of ink on plastic films with a Nano Indenter and a Scanning Probe Microscope

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shen, Weidian

    2005-03-01

    Plastic film packaging is widely used these days, especially in the convenience food industry due to its flexibility, boilability, and microwavability. Almost every package is printed with ink. The adhesion of ink on plastic films merits increasing attention to ensure quality packaging. However, inks and plastic films are polymeric materials with complicated molecular structures. The thickness of the jelly-like ink is only 500nm or less, and the thickness of the soft and flexible film is no more than 50μm, which make the quantitative measurement of their adhesion very challenging. Up to now, no scientific quantitative measurement method for the adhesion of ink on plastic films has been documented. We have tried a technique, in which a Nano-Indenter and a Scanning Probe Microscope were used to evaluate the adhesion strength of ink deposited on plastic films, quantitatively, as well as examine the configurations of adhesion failure. It was helpful in better understanding the adhesion mechanism, thus giving direction as to how to improve the adhesion.

  4. Synthesis of nano-sized lithium cobalt oxide via a sol-gel method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Guangfen; Zhang, Jing

    2012-07-01

    In this study, nano-structured LiCoO2 thin film were synthesized by coupling a sol-gel process with a spin-coating method using polyacrylic acid (PAA) as chelating agent. The optimized conditions for obtaining a better gel formulation and subsequent homogenous dense film were investigated by varying the calcination temperature, the molar mass of PAA, and the precursor's molar ratios of PAA, lithium, and cobalt ions. The gel films on the silicon substrate surfaces were deposited by multi-step spin-coating process for either increasing the density of the gel film or adjusting the quantity of PAA in the film. The gel film was calcined by an optimized two-step heating procedure in order to obtain regular nano-structured LiCoO2 materials. Both atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were utilized to analyze the crystalline and the morphology of the films, respectively.

  5. Graphene/semicrystalline-carbon derived from amylose films for supercapacitor application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Deraman, M.; Sazali, N. E. S.; Hanappi, M. F. Y. M.; Tajuddin, N. S. M.; Hamdan, E.; Suleman, M.; Othman, M. A. R.; Omar, R.; Hashim, M. A.; Basri, N. H.; Nor, N. S. M.; Dolah, B. N. M.; Noor, A. M.; Jasni, M. R. M.

    2016-08-01

    Graphene/semicrystalline-carbon in the form of carbon flakes is produced by carbonization up to 600, 700, 800, 900 and 1000°C, respectively, of the amylose films prepared by a casting method on copper foil substrate. The carbon flakes are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) method to determine their microcrystallite interlayer spacing, width and stack-height; and Raman spectroscopy (RS) method to obtain structural information from the D-, D2- and G-bands peak-intensities. The XRD results show that increase in carbonization temperature lead to ~(1-3%), ~85% and ~30%increase in the microcrystallites interlayer spacing, width and stack-height, respectively, indicating that a larger growth of microcrytallite of carbon flakes occurs in the direction parallel to (001) plane or film planar surface. The specific surface area of carbon flakes estimated from the XRD results in decreases from ~4400 to ~3400 m2/g, corresponding to the specific capacitance between ~500 to ~400 F/g, which are well within the range of specific capacitance for typical electrodes carbon for supercapacitor application. The RS results show that the multilayer graphene co-exist with semicrystalline- carbon within the carbon flakes, with the multilayer graphene relative quantities increase with increasing carbonization temperature.

  6. Preparing nano-hole arrays by using porous anodic aluminum oxide nano-structural masks for the enhanced emission from InGaN/GaN blue light-emitting diodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nguyen, Hoang-Duy; Nguyen, Hieu Pham Trung; Lee, Jae-jin; Mho, Sun-Il

    2012-12-01

    We report on the achievement of the enhanced cathodoluminescence (CL) from InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs) by using roughening surface. Nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) mask was utilized to form nano-hole arrays on the surface of InGaN/GaN LEDs. AAO membranes with ordered hexagonal structures were fabricated from aluminum foils by a two-step anodization method. The average pore densities of ˜1.0 × 1010 cm-2 and 3.0 × 1010 cm-2 were fabricated with the constant anodization voltages of 25 and 40 V, respectively. Anodic porous alumina film with a thickness of ˜600 nm has been used as a mask for the induced couple plasma etching process to fabricate nano-hole arrays on the LED surface. Diameter and depth of nano-holes can be controlled by varying the etching duration and/or the diameter of AAO membranes. Due to the reduction of total internal reflection obtained in the patterned samples, we have observed that the cathodoluminescence intensity of LEDs with nanoporous structures is increased up to eight times compared to that of samples without using nanoporous structure.

  7. Tuning Fano resonances with a nano-chamber of air.

    PubMed

    Chen, Jianjun; He, Keke; Sun, Chengwei; Wang, Yujia; Li, Hongyun; Gong, Qihuang

    2016-05-15

    By designing a polymer-film-coated asymmetric metallic slit structure that only contains one nanocavity side-coupled with a subwavelength plasmonic waveguide, the Fano resonance is realized in the experiment. The Fano resonance originates from the interference between the narrow resonant spectra of the radiative light from the nanocavity and the broad nonresonant spectra of the directly transmitted light from the slit. The lateral dimension of the asymmetric slit is only 825 nm. Due to the presence of the soft polymer film, a nano-chamber of air is constructed. Based on the opto-thermal effect, the air volume in the nano-chamber is expanded by a laser beam, which blueshifts the Fano resonance. This tunable Fano resonance in such a submicron slit structure with a nano-chamber is of importance in the highly integrated plasmonic circuits.

  8. Molecular modeling in structural nano-toxicology: interactions of nano-particles with nano-machinery of cells.

    PubMed

    Yanamala, Naveena; Kagan, Valerian E; Shvedova, Anna A

    2013-12-01

    Over the past two decades, nanotechnology has emerged as a key player in various disciplines of science and technology. Some of the most exciting applications are in the field of biomedicine - for theranostics (for combined diagnostic and therapeutic purposes) as well as for exploration of biological systems. A detailed understanding of the molecular interactions between nanoparticles and biological nano-machinery - macromolecules, membranes, and intracellular organelles - is crucial for obtaining adequate information on mechanisms of action of nanomaterials as well as a perspective on the long term effects of these materials and their possible toxicological outcomes. This review focuses on the use of structure-based computational molecular modeling as a tool to understand and to predict the interactions between nanomaterials and nano-biosystems. We review major approaches and provide examples of computational analysis of the structural principles behind such interactions. A rationale on how nanoparticles of different sizes, shape, structure and chemical properties can affect the organization and functions of nano-machinery of cells is also presented. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  9. Corrosion, optical and magnetic properties of flexible iron nitride nano thin films deposited on polymer substrate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khan, W. Q.; Wang, Qun; Jin, Xin; Yasin, G.

    2017-11-01

    Iron nitride thin films of different compositions and thicknesses were deposited on flexible polymer substrate in Ar/N2 atmosphere by reactive magnetron sputtering under varying nitrogen flow rates. The nano structured films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV-visible spectrophotometer, electrochemical impedance (EIS), atomic force (AFM) and transmission electron microscopies. The dependence of their functional properties on coating and growth conditions was studied in detail. It was found that the thin films show a uniform permeability in the frequency range of 200 MHz to 1 Ghz and can be used in this range without appreciable changes. Decrease of nitrogen flow rate resulted in the smoother surfaces which in turn increase transmittance quality and corrosion resistance. Functional properties are dependent of nature, relative concentration of the iron nitride phases and film thickness. Surface integrity is excellent for180 nm thick sample because the films appear to be very dense and free from open pores. By keeping sputtering power stable at 110 W, nitrogen flow rate of 10 sccm was ideal to develop the ferromagnetic γʹFe4N phase at room temperature.

  10. Carbon Nanotube Thin-Film Antennas.

    PubMed

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

    2016-08-17

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

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2011-11-01

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

  12. Surface plasmon effect in electrodeposited diamond-like carbon films for photovoltaic application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghosh, B.; Ray, Sekhar C.; Espinoza-González, Rodrigo; Villarroel, Roberto; Hevia, Samuel A.; Alvarez-Vega, Pedro

    2018-04-01

    Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films and nanocrystalline silver particles containing diamond-like carbon (DLC:Ag) films were electrodeposited on n-type silicon substrate (n-Si) to prepare n-Si/DLC and n-Si/DLC:Ag heterostructures for photovoltaic (PV) applications. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect in this cell structure and its overall performance have been studied in terms of morphology, optical absorption, current-voltage characteristics, capacitance-voltage characteristics, band diagram and external quantum efficiency measurements. Localized surface plasmon resonance effect of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in n-Si/DLC:Ag PV structure exhibited an enhancement of ∼28% in short circuit current density (JSC), which improved the overall efficiency of the heterostructures.

  13. On-chip and freestanding elastic carbon films for micro-supercapacitors

    DOE PAGES

    Huang, Peihua; Lethien, C.; Pinaud, S.; ...

    2016-02-11

    Integration of electrochemical capacitors with silicon-based electronics is a major challenge, limiting energy storage on a chip. We describe a wafer-scale process for manufacturing strongly adhering carbide-derived carbon films and interdigitated micro-supercapacitors with embedded titanium carbide current collectors, fully compatible with current microfabrication and silicon-based device technology. Capacitance of those films reaches 410 farads per cubic centimeter/200 millifarads per square centimeter in aqueous electrolyte and 170 farads per cubic centimeter/85 millifarads per square centimeter in organic electrolyte. We also demonstrate preparation of self-supported, mechanically stable, micrometer-thick porous carbon films with a Young’s modulus of 14.5 gigapascals, with the possibility ofmore » further transfer onto flexible substrates. Lastly, these materials are interesting for applications in structural energy storage, tribology, and gas separation.« less

  14. On-chip and freestanding elastic carbon films for micro-supercapacitors

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

    Huang, Peihua; Lethien, C.; Pinaud, S.

    Integration of electrochemical capacitors with silicon-based electronics is a major challenge, limiting energy storage on a chip. We describe a wafer-scale process for manufacturing strongly adhering carbide-derived carbon films and interdigitated micro-supercapacitors with embedded titanium carbide current collectors, fully compatible with current microfabrication and silicon-based device technology. Capacitance of those films reaches 410 farads per cubic centimeter/200 millifarads per square centimeter in aqueous electrolyte and 170 farads per cubic centimeter/85 millifarads per square centimeter in organic electrolyte. We also demonstrate preparation of self-supported, mechanically stable, micrometer-thick porous carbon films with a Young’s modulus of 14.5 gigapascals, with the possibility ofmore » further transfer onto flexible substrates. Lastly, these materials are interesting for applications in structural energy storage, tribology, and gas separation.« less

  15. Replication of cicada wing's nano-patterns by hot embossing and UV nanoimprinting.

    PubMed

    Hong, Sung-Hoon; Hwang, Jaeyeon; Lee, Heon

    2009-09-23

    The hydrophobicity of the cicada wing originates from its naturally occurring, surface nano-structure. The nano-structure of the cicada wing consists of an array of nano-sized pillars, 100 nm in diameter and 300 nm in height. In this study, the nano-structure of the cicada wing was successfully duplicated by using hot embossing lithography and UV nanoimprint lithography (NIL). The diameter and pitch of replication were the same as those of the original cicada wing and the height was a little smaller than that of the original master. The transmittance of the hot embossed PVC film was increased by 2-6% compared with that of the bare PVC film. The hydrophobicity was measured by water contact angle measurements. The water contact angle of the replica, made of UV cured polymer, was 132 degrees +/- 2 degrees , which was slightly lower than that of the original cicada wing (138 degrees +/- 2 degrees ), but much higher than that of the UV cured polymer surface without any nano-sized pillars (86 degrees ).

  16. Replication of cicada wing's nano-patterns by hot embossing and UV nanoimprinting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hong, Sung-Hoon; Hwang, Jaeyeon; Lee, Heon

    2009-09-01

    The hydrophobicity of the cicada wing originates from its naturally occurring, surface nano-structure. The nano-structure of the cicada wing consists of an array of nano-sized pillars, 100 nm in diameter and 300 nm in height. In this study, the nano-structure of the cicada wing was successfully duplicated by using hot embossing lithography and UV nanoimprint lithography (NIL). The diameter and pitch of replication were the same as those of the original cicada wing and the height was a little smaller than that of the original master. The transmittance of the hot embossed PVC film was increased by 2-6% compared with that of the bare PVC film. The hydrophobicity was measured by water contact angle measurements. The water contact angle of the replica, made of UV cured polymer, was 132° ± 2°, which was slightly lower than that of the original cicada wing (138° ± 2°), but much higher than that of the UV cured polymer surface without any nano-sized pillars (86°).

  17. Nano- and microcrystalline diamond deposition on pretreated WC-Co substrates: structural properties and adhesion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fraga, M. A.; Contin, A.; Rodríguez, L. A. A.; Vieira, J.; Campos, R. A.; Corat, E. J.; Trava Airoldi, V. J.

    2016-02-01

    Many developments have been made to improve the quality and adherence of CVD diamond films onto WC-Co hard metal tools by the removing the cobalt from the substrate surface through substrate pretreatments. Here we compare the efficiency of three chemical pretreatments of WC-Co substrates for this purpose. First, the work was focused on a detailed study of the composition and structure of as-polished and pretreated substrate surfaces to characterize the effects of the substrate preparation. Considering this objective, a set of WC-9% Co substrates, before and after pretreatment, was analyzed by FEG-SEM, EDS and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The second stage of the work was devoted to the evaluation of the influence of seeding process, using 4 nm diamond nanoparticles, on the morphology and roughness of the pretreated substrates. The last and most important stage was to deposit diamond coatings with different crystallite sizes (nano and micro) by hot-filament CVD to understand fully the mechanism of growth and adhesion of CVD diamond films on pretreated WC-Co substrates. The transition from nano to microcrystalline diamond was achieved by controlling the CH4/H2 gas ratio. The nano and microcrystalline samples were grown under same time at different substrate temperatures 600 °C and 800 °C, respectively. The different substrate temperatures allowed the analysis of the cobalt diffusion from the bulk to the substrate surface during CVD film growth. Furthermore, it was possible to evaluate how the coating adhesion is affected by the diffusion. The diamond coatings were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, XRD, EDS, FEG-SEM, atomic force microscope and 1500 N Rockwell indentation to evaluate the adhesion.

  18. Depth profiling of nitrogen within 15N-incorporated nano-crystalline diamond thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garratt, E.; AlFaify, S.; Cassidy, D. P.; Dissanayake, A.; Mancini, D. C.; Ghantasala, M. K.; Kayani, A.

    2013-09-01

    Nano-Crystalline Diamond (NCD) thin films are a topic of recent interest due to their excellent mechanical and electrical properties. The inclusion of nitrogen is a specific interest as its presence within NCD modifies its conductive properties. The methodology adopted for the characterization of nitrogen incorporated NCD films grown on a chromium underlayer determined a correlation between the chromium and nitrogen concentrations as well as a variation in the concentration profile of elements. Additionally, the concentration of nitrogen was found to be more than three times greater for these films versus those grown on a silicon substrate.

  19. Silk/nano-material hybrid: properties and functions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Steven, Eden; Lebedev, Victor; Laukhina, Elena; Laukhin, Vladimir; Alamo, Rufina G.; Rovira, Concepcio; Veciana, Jaume; Brooks, James S.

    2014-03-01

    Silk continues to emerge as a material of interest in electronics. In this work, the interaction between silk and conducting nano-materials are investigated. Simple fabrication methods, physical, electronic, thermal, and actuation properties are reported for spider silk / carbon nanotube (CNT-SS) and Bombyx mori / (BEDT-TTF)-based organic molecular conductor hybrids (ET-S). The CNT-SS fibers are produced via water and shear assisted method, resulting in fibers that are tough, custom-shapeable, flexible, and electrically conducting. For ET-S bilayer films, a layer transfer technique is developed to deposit linked crystallites of (BEDT-TTF)2I3 molecular conductor onto silk films, generating highly piezoresistive semi-transparent films. In both cases, the hybridization allows us to gain additional functions by harnessing the water-dependent properties of silk materials, for example, as humidity sensor and electrical current- or water-driven actuators. SEM, TEM, FT-IR, and resistance measurements under varying temperature, strain, and relative humidity reveal the synergistic interactions between the bio- and nano-materials. E.S. is supported by NSF-DMR 1005293.

  20. Nano-micro carbon spheres anchored on porous carbon derived from dual-biomass as high rate performance supercapacitor electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Shaobo; Zhao, Yang; Zhang, Baihui; Xia, Hui; Zhou, Jianfei; Xie, Wenke; Li, Hongjian

    2018-03-01

    Hierarchical nano-micro carbon spheres@rice straw-derived porous carbon composites are successfully synthesized by the in situ decoration of the porous carbon with carbon spheres from glucose under the assistance of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide micelles and further activated by KOH. The scanning electron microscope images clearly show the carbon spheres disperse homogeneously and orderly onto the surface and in the inner macropores of the porous carbon. The diameter of the carbon spheres varies from 475 nm to 1.6 μm, which can be easily controlled by introducing extra inducing agent. The optimal composites exhibit a large specific surface area (1122 m2 g-1), rich content of oxygen (14.2 wt %), and tunable hierarchical porous structure. When used as supercapacitor electrodes, the novel composites with abundant fruits present a high specific capacitance of 337 F g-1 at 1 A g-1, excellent rate retention of 83% from 1 to 20 A g-1 and a good cycling stability with 96% capacitance retention after 10000 cycles. In this strategy, the thought of shared ion-buffering reservoirs is proposed and the mutual promotion effects between the carbon spheres and porous carbon in the composites are also practically demonstrated to contribute the enhanced electrochemical performances.

  1. Effect of annealing on structural, optical and electrical properties of SILAR synthesized CuO thin film

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2017-05-01

    Nano crystalline CuO thin films were synthesize on glass substrate using SILAR technique. The structural, optical and electrical properties of the films were carried out for as deposited as well as for films post annealed in the temperature range 300 - 500° C. The X-ray diffraction pattern shows all the films are polycrystalline in nature with monoclinic phase. The crystallite size increase and lattice strain decreases with increase of annealing temperature indicating high quality of the films for annealed films. The value of band gap decreases with increases of annealing temperature of the film. The effect of annealing temperature on ionic conductivity and activation energy to electrical conduction process are discussed.

  2. Effects of argon addition on a-CNx film deposition by hot carbon filament chemical vapor deposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Watanabe, Yoshihisa; Aono, Masami; Yamazaki, Ayumi; Kitazawa, Nobuaki; Nakamura, Yoshikazu

    2002-07-01

    Using a carbon filament which supplies carbon and heat, amorphous carbon nitride (a-CNx) films were prepared on Si (100) substrates by hot filament chemical vapor deposition. Deposition was performed in a low-pressure atmosphere of pure nitrogen and a gas mixture of nitrogen and argon. Effects of argon additions to the nitrogen atmosphere on the film microstructure and interface composition between the film and substrate were studied by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). FESEM observations reveal that the film prepared in a pure nitrogen atmosphere has uniform nucleation and a densely packed columnar pieces structure. The film prepared in the nitrogen and argon gas mixture exhibits preferential nucleation and a tapered structure with macroscopic voids. Depth analyses using XPS reveal that the film prepared in pure nitrogen possesses a broad interface, which includes silicon carbide as well as a-CNx, whereas a sharp interface is discerned in the film prepared in the mixed nitrogen and argon gas. We observed that silicon carbide formation is suppressed by an argon addition to the nitrogen atmosphere during deposition. copyright 2002 American Vacuum Society.

  3. Filament Winding Multifunctional Carbon Nanotube Composites of Various Dimensionality

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wells, Brian David

    Carbon nanotubes (CNT) have been long considered an optimal material for composites due to their high strength, high modulus, and electrical/thermal conductivity. These composite materials have the potential to be used in the aerospace, computer, automotive, medical industry as well as many others. The nano dimensions of these structures make controlled alignment and distribution difficult using many production techniques. An area that shows promise for controlled alignment is the formation of CNT yarns. Different approaches have been used to create yarns with various winding angles and diameters. CNTs resemble traditional textile fiber structures due to their one-dimensional dimensions, axial strength and radial flexibility. One difference is, depending on the length, CNTs can have aspect ratios that far exceed those of traditional textile fibers. This can complicate processing techniques and cause agglomeration which prevents optimal structures from being created. However, with specific aspect ratios and spatial distributions a specific type of CNT, vertically aligned spinnable carbon nanotubes (VASCNTs), have interesting properties that allow carbon nanotubes to be drawn from an array in a continuous aligned web. This dissertation examines the feasibility of combining VASCNTs with another textile manufacturing process, filament winding, to create structures with various levels of dimensionality. While yarn formation with CNTs has been largely studied, there has not been significant work studying the use of VASCNTs to create composite materials. The studies that have been produces revolve around mixing CNTs into epoxy or creating uni-directional wound structures. In this dissertation VASCNTs are used to create filament wound materials with various degrees of alignment. These structures include 1 dimensional coatings applied to non-conductive polymer monofilaments, two dimensional multifunctional adhesive films, and three dimensional hybrid-nano composites. The

  4. Vertically aligned carbon nanofiber as nano-neuron interface for monitoring neural function

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

    Ericson, Milton Nance; McKnight, Timothy E; Melechko, Anatoli Vasilievich

    2012-01-01

    Neural chips, which are capable of simultaneous, multi-site neural recording and stimulation, have been used to detect and modulate neural activity for almost 30 years. As a neural interface, neural chips provide dynamic functional information for neural decoding and neural control. By improving sensitivity and spatial resolution, nano-scale electrodes may revolutionize neural detection and modulation at cellular and molecular levels as nano-neuron interfaces. We developed a carbon-nanofiber neural chip with lithographically defined arrays of vertically aligned carbon nanofiber electrodes and demonstrated its capability of both stimulating and monitoring electrophysiological signals from brain tissues in vitro and monitoring dynamic information ofmore » neuroplasticity. This novel nano-neuron interface can potentially serve as a precise, informative, biocompatible, and dual-mode neural interface for monitoring of both neuroelectrical and neurochemical activity at the single cell level and even inside the cell.« less

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

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

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

    2016-07-25

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

  6. Structural and optical properties of gold-incorporated diamond-like carbon thin films deposited by RF magnetron sputtering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Majeed, Shahbaz; Siraj, K.; Naseem, S.; Khan, Muhammad F.; Irshad, M.; Faiz, H.; Mahmood, A.

    2017-07-01

    Pure and gold-doped diamond-like carbon (Au-DLC) thin films are deposited at room temperature by using RF magnetron sputtering in an argon gas-filled chamber with a constant flow rate of 100 sccm and sputtering time of 30 min for all DLC thin films. Single-crystal silicon (1 0 0) substrates are used for the deposition of pristine and Au-DLC thin films. Graphite (99.99%) and gold (99.99%) are used as co-sputtering targets in the sputtering chamber. The optical properties and structure of Au-DLC thin films are studied with the variation of gold concentration from 1%-5%. Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), Vickers hardness measurement (VHM), and spectroscopic ellipsometry are used to analyze these thin films. Raman spectroscopy indicates increased graphitic behavior and reduction in the internal stresses of Au-DLC thin films as the function of increasing gold doping. AFM is used for surface topography, which shows that spherical-like particles are formed on the surface, which agglomerate and form larger clusters on the surface by increasing the gold content. Spectroscopy ellipsometry analysis elucidates that the refractive index and extinction coefficient are inversely related and the optical bandgap energy is decreased with increasing gold content. VHM shows that gold doping reduces the hardness of thin films, which is attributed to the increase in sp2-hybridization.

  7. Acoustic Properties of Polyurethane Composition Reinforced with Carbon Nanotubes and Silicon Oxide Nano-powder

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Orfali, Wasim A.

    This article demonstrates the acoustic properties of added small amount of carbon-nanotube and siliconoxide nano powder (S-type, P-Type) to the host material polyurethane composition. By adding CNT and/or nano-silica in the form of powder at different concentrations up to 2% within the PU composition to improve the sound absorption were investigated in the frequency range up to 1600 Hz. Sound transmission loss measurement of the samples were determined using large impedance tube. The tests showed that addition of 0.2 wt.% Silicon Oxide Nano-powder and 0.35 wt.% carbon nanotube to polyurethane composition improved sound transmissions loss (Sound Absorption) up to 80 dB than that of pure polyurethane foam sample.

  8. Metallic nano-structures for polarization-independent multi-spectral filters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tang, Yongan; Vlahovic, Branislav; Brady, David Jones

    2011-05-01

    Cross-shaped-hole arrays (CSHAs) are selected for diminishing the polarization-dependent transmission differences of incident plane waves. We investigate the light transmission spectrum of the CSHAs in a thin gold film over a wide range of features. It is observed that two well-separated and high transmission efficiency peaks could be obtained by designing the parameters in the CSHAs for both p-polarized and s-polarized waves; and a nice transmission band-pass is also observed by specific parameters of a CSHA too. It implicates the possibility to obtain a desired polarization-independent transmission spectrum from the CSHAs by designing their parameters. These findings provide potential applications of the metallic nano-structures in optical filters, optical band-pass, optical imaging, optical sensing, and biosensors.

  9. Fabrication of 3D nano-structures using reverse imprint lithography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Han, Kang-Soo; Hong, Sung-Hoon; Kim, Kang-In; Cho, Joong-Yeon; Choi, Kyung-woo; Lee, Heon

    2013-02-01

    In spite of the fact that the fabrication process of three-dimensional nano-structures is complicated and expensive, it can be applied to a range of devices to increase their efficiency and sensitivity. Simple and inexpensive fabrication of three-dimensional nano-structures is necessary. In this study, reverse imprint lithography (RIL) with UV-curable benzylmethacrylate, methacryloxypropyl terminated poly-dimethylsiloxane (M-PDMS) resin and ZnO-nano-particle-dispersed resin was used to fabricate three-dimensional nano-structures. UV-curable resins were placed between a silicon stamp and a PVA transfer template, followed by a UV curing process. Then, the silicon stamp was detached and a 2D pattern layer was transferred to the substrate using diluted UV-curable glue. Consequently, three-dimensional nano-structures were formed by stacking the two-dimensional nano-patterned layers. RIL was applied to a light-emitting diode (LED) to evaluate the optical effects of a nano-patterned layer. As a result, the light extraction of the patterned LED was increased by about 12% compared to an unpatterned LED.

  10. Fabrication of 3D nano-structures using reverse imprint lithography.

    PubMed

    Han, Kang-Soo; Hong, Sung-Hoon; Kim, Kang-In; Cho, Joong-Yeon; Choi, Kyung-Woo; Lee, Heon

    2013-02-01

    In spite of the fact that the fabrication process of three-dimensional nano-structures is complicated and expensive, it can be applied to a range of devices to increase their efficiency and sensitivity. Simple and inexpensive fabrication of three-dimensional nano-structures is necessary. In this study, reverse imprint lithography (RIL) with UV-curable benzylmethacrylate, methacryloxypropyl terminated poly-dimethylsiloxane (M-PDMS) resin and ZnO-nano-particle-dispersed resin was used to fabricate three-dimensional nano-structures.UV-curable resins were placed between a silicon stamp and a PVA transfer template, followed by a UV curing process. Then, the silicon stamp was detached and a 2D pattern layer was transferred to the substrate using diluted UV-curable glue. Consequently, three-dimensional nano-structures were formed by stacking the two-dimensional nano-patterned layers. RIL was applied to a light-emitting diode (LED) to evaluate the optical effects of a nano-patterned layer. As a result, the light extraction of the patterned LED was increased by about 12% compared to an unpatterned LED.

  11. Time-resolved Small Angle X-ray Scattering During the Formation of Detonation Nano-Carbon Condensates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bagge-Hansen, Michael; Hammons, Josh; Nielsen, Mike; Lauderbach, Lisa; Hodgin, Ralph; Bastea, Sorin; van Buuren, Tony; Pagoria, Phil; May, Chadd; Jensen, Brian; Gustavsen, Rick; Watkins, Erik; Firestone, Millie; Dattelbaum, Dana; Fried, Larry; Cowan, Matt; Willey, Trevor

    2017-06-01

    Carbon nanomaterials are spontaneously generated under high pressure and temperature conditions present during the detonation of many high explosive (HE) materials. Thermochemical modeling suggests that the phase, size, and morphology of carbon condensates are strongly dependent on the type of HE used and associated evolution of temperature and pressure during the very early stages of detonation. Experimental validation of carbon condensation under these extreme conditions has been technically challenging. Here, we present synchrotron-based, time-resolved small-angle x-ray scattering (TR-SAXS) measurements collected during HE detonations, acquired from discrete sub-100 ps x-ray pulses, every 153.4 ns. We select from various HE materials and geometries to explore a range of achievable pressures and temperatures that span detonation conditions and, correspondingly, generate an array of nano-carbon products, including nano-diamonds and nano-onions. The TR-SAXS patterns evolve rapidly over the first few hundred nanoseconds. Comparing the results with modeling offers significant progress towards a general carbon equation of state. Prepared by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

  12. Tribology of bio-inspired nanowrinkled films on ultrasoft substrates.

    PubMed

    Lackner, Juergen M; Waldhauser, Wolfgang; Major, Lukasz; Teichert, Christian; Hartmann, Paul

    2013-01-01

    Biomimetic design of new materials uses nature as antetype, learning from billions of years of evolution. This work emphasizes the mechanical and tribological properties of skin, combining both hardness and wear resistance of its surface (the stratum corneum) with high elasticity of the bulk (epidermis, dermis, hypodermis). The key for combination of such opposite properties is wrinkling, being consequence of intrinsic stresses in the bulk (soft tissue): Tribological contact to counterparts below the stress threshold for tissue trauma occurs on the thick hard stratum corneum layer pads, while tensile loads smooth out wrinkles in between these pads. Similar mechanism offers high tribological resistance to hard films on soft, flexible polymers, which is shown for diamond-like carbon (DLC) and titanium nitride thin films on ultrasoft polyurethane and harder polycarbonate substrates. The choice of these two compared substrate materials will show that ultra-soft substrate materials are decisive for the distinct tribological material. Hierarchical wrinkled structures of films on these substrates are due to high intrinsic compressive stress, which evolves during high energetic film growth. Incremental relaxation of these stresses occurs by compound deformation of film and elastic substrate surface, appearing in hierarchical nano-wrinkles. Nano-wrinkled topographies enable high elastic deformability of thin hard films, while overstressing results in zigzag film fracture along larger hierarchical wrinkle structures. Tribologically, these fracture mechanisms are highly important for ploughing and sliding of sharp and flat counterparts on hard-coated ultra-soft substrates like polyurethane. Concentration of polyurethane deformation under the applied normal loads occurs below these zigzag cracks. Unloading closes these cracks again. Even cyclic testing do not lead to film delamination and retain low friction behavior, if the adhesion to the substrate is high and the initial

  13. Tribology of bio-inspired nanowrinkled films on ultrasoft substrates

    PubMed Central

    Lackner, Juergen M.; Waldhauser, Wolfgang; Major, Lukasz; Teichert, Christian; Hartmann, Paul

    2013-01-01

    Biomimetic design of new materials uses nature as antetype, learning from billions of years of evolution. This work emphasizes the mechanical and tribological properties of skin, combining both hardness and wear resistance of its surface (the stratum corneum) with high elasticity of the bulk (epidermis, dermis, hypodermis). The key for combination of such opposite properties is wrinkling, being consequence of intrinsic stresses in the bulk (soft tissue): Tribological contact to counterparts below the stress threshold for tissue trauma occurs on the thick hard stratum corneum layer pads, while tensile loads smooth out wrinkles in between these pads. Similar mechanism offers high tribological resistance to hard films on soft, flexible polymers, which is shown for diamond-like carbon (DLC) and titanium nitride thin films on ultrasoft polyurethane and harder polycarbonate substrates. The choice of these two compared substrate materials will show that ultra-soft substrate materials are decisive for the distinct tribological material. Hierarchical wrinkled structures of films on these substrates are due to high intrinsic compressive stress, which evolves during high energetic film growth. Incremental relaxation of these stresses occurs by compound deformation of film and elastic substrate surface, appearing in hierarchical nano-wrinkles. Nano-wrinkled topographies enable high elastic deformability of thin hard films, while overstressing results in zigzag film fracture along larger hierarchical wrinkle structures. Tribologically, these fracture mechanisms are highly important for ploughing and sliding of sharp and flat counterparts on hard-coated ultra-soft substrates like polyurethane. Concentration of polyurethane deformation under the applied normal loads occurs below these zigzag cracks. Unloading closes these cracks again. Even cyclic testing do not lead to film delamination and retain low friction behavior, if the adhesion to the substrate is high and the initial

  14. Elastic properties of porous low-k dielectric nano-films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, W.; Bailey, S.; Sooryakumar, R.; King, S.; Xu, G.; Mays, E.; Ege, C.; Bielefeld, J.

    2011-08-01

    Low-k dielectrics have predominantly replaced silicon dioxide as the interlayer dielectric for interconnects in state of the art integrated circuits. In order to further reduce interconnect RC delays, additional reductions in k for these low-k materials are being pursued via the introduction of controlled levels of porosity. The main challenge for such dielectrics is the substantial reduction in elastic properties that accompanies the increased pore volume. We report on Brillouin light scattering measurements used to determine the elastic properties of these films at thicknesses well below 200 nm, which are pertinent to their introduction into present ultralarge scale integrated technology. The observation of longitudinal and transverse standing wave acoustic resonances and their transformation into traveling waves with finite in-plane wave vectors provides for a direct non-destructive measure of the principal elastic constants that characterize the elastic properties of these porous nano-scale films. The mode dispersion further confirms that for porosity levels of up to 25%, the reduction in the dielectric constant does not result in severe degradation in the Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio of the films.

  15. Optical properties of diamond like carbon nanocomposite thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alam, Md Shahbaz; Mukherjee, Nillohit; Ahmed, Sk. Faruque

    2018-05-01

    The optical properties of silicon incorporated diamond like carbon (Si-DLC) nanocomposite thin films have been reported. The Si-DLC nanocomposite thin film deposited on glass and silicon substrate by radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (RF-PECVD) process. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopic analysis revealed the presence of different bonding within the deposited films and deconvolution of FTIR spectra gives the chemical composition i.e., sp3/sp2 ratio in the films. Optical band gap calculated from transmittance spectra increased from 0.98 to 2.21 eV with a variation of silicon concentration from 0 to 15.4 at. %. Due to change in electronic structure by Si incorporation, the Si-DLC film showed a broad photoluminescence (PL) peak centered at 467 nm, i.e., in the visible range and its intensity was found to increase monotonically with at. % of Si.

  16. Superconducting properties of Nb-Cu nano-composites and nano-alloys

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

    Parab, Pradnya, E-mail: pradnyaprb@gmail.com; Kumar, Sanjeev; Bhui, Prabhjyot

    The evolution of the superconducting transition temperature (T{sub c}) in nano-composite and nano-alloys of Nb-Cu, grown by DC magnetron co-sputtering are investigated. Microstructure of these films depends less strongly on the ratio of Nb:Cu but more on the growth temperature. At higher growth temperature, phase separated granular films of Nb and Cu were formed which showed superconducting transition temperatures (T{sub c}) of ~ 7.2±0.5 K, irrespective of the composition. Our results show that this is primarily influenced by the microstructure of the films determined during growth which rules out the superconducting proximity effect expected in these systems. At room temperaturemore » growth, films with nano-scale alloying were obtained at the optimal compositional range of 45-70 atomic% (At%) of Nb. These were also superconducting with a T{sub c} of 3.2 K.« less

  17. Structural, morphological and mechanical properties of niobium nitride thin films grown by ion and electron beams emanated from plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Siddiqui, Jamil; Hussain, Tousif; Ahmad, Riaz; Umar, Zeeshan A.; Abdus Samad, Ubair

    2016-05-01

    The influence of variation in plasma deposition parameters on the structural, morphological and mechanical characteristics of the niobium nitride films grown by plasma-emanated ion and electron beams are investigated. Crystallographic investigation made by X-ray diffractometer shows that the film synthesized at 10 cm axial distance with 15 plasma focus shots (PFS) exhibits better crystallinity when compared to the other deposition conditions. Morphological analysis made by scanning electron microscope reveals a definite granular pattern composed of homogeneously distributed nano-spheroids grown as clustered particles for the film synthesized at 10 cm axial distance for 15 PFS. Roughness analysis demonstrates higher rms roughness for the films synthesized at shorter axial distance and by greater number of PFS. Maximum niobium atomic percentage (35.8) and maximum average hardness (19.4 ± 0.4 GPa) characterized by energy-dispersive spectroscopy and nano-hardness analyzer respectively are observed for film synthesized at 10 cm axial distance with 15 PFS.

  18. Mass production of polymer nano-wires filled with metal nano-particles.

    PubMed

    Lomadze, Nino; Kopyshev, Alexey; Bargheer, Matias; Wollgarten, Markus; Santer, Svetlana

    2017-08-17

    Despite the ongoing progress in nanotechnology and its applications, the development of strategies for connecting nano-scale systems to micro- or macroscale elements is hampered by the lack of structural components that have both, nano- and macroscale dimensions. The production of nano-scale wires with macroscale length is one of the most interesting challenges here. There are a lot of strategies to fabricate long nanoscopic stripes made of metals, polymers or ceramics but none is suitable for mass production of ordered and dense arrangements of wires at large numbers. In this paper, we report on a technique for producing arrays of ordered, flexible and free-standing polymer nano-wires filled with different types of nano-particles. The process utilizes the strong response of photosensitive polymer brushes to irradiation with UV-interference patterns, resulting in a substantial mass redistribution of the polymer material along with local rupturing of polymer chains. The chains can wind up in wires of nano-scale thickness and a length of up to several centimeters. When dispersing nano-particles within the film, the final arrangement is similar to a core-shell geometry with mainly nano-particles found in the core region and the polymer forming a dielectric jacket.

  19. Chemically deposited nano grain composed MoS(2) thin films for supercapacitor application.

    PubMed

    Pujari, R B; Lokhande, A C; Shelke, A R; Kim, J H; Lokhande, C D

    2017-06-15

    Low temperature soft chemical synthesis approach is employed towards MoS 2 thin film preparation on cost effective stainless steel substrate. 3-D semispherical nano-grain composed surface texture of MoS 2 film is observed through FE-SEM technique. Electrochemical supercapacitor performance of MoS 2 film is tested from cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge discharge (GCD) techniques in 1M aqueous Na 2 SO 4 electrolyte. Specific capacitance (C s ) of 180Fg -1 with CV cycling stability of 82% for 1000 cycles is achieved. Equivalent series resistance (R s ) of 1.78Ωcm -2 observed through Nyquist plot shows usefulness of MoS 2 thin film for charge conduction in supercapacitor application. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  20. Near band edge emission characteristics of sputtered nano-crystalline ZnO films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kunj, Saurabh; Sreenivas, K.

    2016-05-01

    Sputtered zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films deposited on unheated glass substrate under different sputtering gas mixtures (Ar+O2) have been investigated using X-ray diffraction and photo luminescence spectroscopy. Earlier reported studies on ZnO films prepared by different techniques exhibit either a sharp/broad near band edge (NBE) emission peak depending on the crystalline quality of the film. In the present study zinc oxide films, grown on unheated substrates, are seen to possess a preferred (002) orientation with a microstructure consisting of clustered nano-sized crystallites. The splitting in the near band edge emission (NBE) into three characteristic peaks is attributed to quantum confinement effect, and is observed specifically under an excitation of 270 nm. Deep level emission (DLE) in the range 400 to 700 nm is not observed indicating absence of deep level radiative defects.

  1. Spatial height directed microfluidic synthesis of transparent inorganic upconversion nano film

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Xiaoxia; Zhu, Cheng; Liao, Wei; Jin, Junyang; Ni, Yaru; Lu, Chunhua; Xu, Zhongzi

    2017-11-01

    A microfluidic-based synthesis of an inorganic upconversion nano film has been developed with a large area of dense-distributed NaYF4 crystal grains in a silica glass micro-reactor and the film exhibits high transparence, strong upconversion luminescence and robust adhesion with the substrate. The spatial heights of micro-reactors are tuned between 31 and 227 mm, which can regulate flow regimes. The synergistic effect of spatial height and fluid regime is put forward, which influences diffusion paths and assembly ways of different precursor molecules and consequently directs final distributions and morphologies of crystal grains, as well as optical properties due to diversity of surface and thickness of films. The spatial height of 110 mm is advantageous for high transmittance of upconversion film due to the flat surface and appropriate film thickness of 67 nm. The height of 150 mm is in favor of uniform distribution of upconversion fluorescence and achieving the strongest fluorescence due to minimized optical loss. Such a transparent upconversion film with a large area of uniform distribution is promising to promote the application of upconversion materials and spatial height directed microfluidic regime have a certain significance on many microfluidic synthesis.

  2. Growth of graphene films from non-gaseous carbon sources

    DOEpatents

    Tour, James; Sun, Zhengzong; Yan, Zheng; Ruan, Gedeng; Peng, Zhiwei

    2015-08-04

    In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides methods of forming graphene films by: (1) depositing a non-gaseous carbon source onto a catalyst surface; (2) exposing the non-gaseous carbon source to at least one gas with a flow rate; and (3) initiating the conversion of the non-gaseous carbon source to the graphene film, where the thickness of the graphene film is controllable by the gas flow rate. Additional embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to graphene films made in accordance with the methods of the present disclosure.

  3. CPP-GMR films with a current-confined-path nano-oxide layer (CCP-NOL)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fukuzawa, Hideaki; Yuasa, Hiromi; Iwasaki, Hitoshi

    2007-03-01

    We investigated the film performance and nanostructure of current-perpendicular-to-plane giant magnetoresistance (CPP-GMR) spin-valve film with a current-confined-path nano-oxide layer (CCP-NOL). By applying ion-assisted oxidation (IAO) for the CCP-NOL formation, we enhanced the MR ratio to 5.4% at a small RA value of 500 mΩ µm2 for conventional Co90Fe10 layers. Furthermore, the use of bcc-Fe50Co50 also increased the MR ratio to 8.2% at a small RA value of 580 mΩ µm2. A modified Valet-Fert model for the CCP-NOL showed that the MR enhancement by the IAO is due to the improvement in resistivity of the CCP, and that by Fe50Co50 is due to a larger spin-dependent interface scattering effect. Analysis by cross-sectional TEM and three-dimensional atom probe confirmed the formation of the CCP-NOL structure. A reliability test for test element devices showed almost no change even under acceleration stress. The CPP-GMR spin-valve film with the CCP-NOL is extendable to future high-density recording heads due to its potential for a higher MR ratio at a small value of RA.

  4. Fabrication of Conductive Macroporous Structures Through Nano-phase Separation Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Soohyun; Lee, Hyunjung

    2018-03-01

    Thermoelectric power generation performance is characterized on the basis of the figure of merit, which tends to be high in thermoelectric materials with high electrical conductivity and low thermal conductivity. Porous structures cause phonon scattering, which decreases thermal conductivity. In this study, we fabricated porous structures for thermoelectric devices via nano-phase separation of silica particles from a polyacrylonitrile (PAN) matrix via a sol-gel process. The porosity was determined by control of silica particle size with various the mixing ratio of tetraethylorthosilicate as the precursor of silica particles to PAN. High electrical conductivity was maintained by subsequent carbonization of the PAN matrix in spited of a high porosity. As the results, the conductive porous structures having porosity from 13.9 to 83.3 (%) was successfully fabricated, keeping their electrical conductivities.

  5. Preparation and properties of nanometer silk fibroin peptide/polyvinyl alcohol blend films for cell growth.

    PubMed

    Luo, Qin; Chen, Zhongmin; Hao, Xuefei; Zhu, Qiangsong; Zhou, Yucheng

    2013-10-01

    Nanometer silk fibroin peptide (Nano-SFP) was prepared from silkworm cocoons through the process of dissolution, dialysis and enzymolysis. For comparison, silk fibroin was decomposed with α-chymotrypsin, trypsin and neutrase, respectively. From the SEM and particle size analysis results, the Nano-SFP prepared by neutrase was found to be the most desirable at about 50-200 nm. Nano-SFP/polyvinyl alcohol films (Nano-SFP/PVA) were prepared by blending Nano-SFP and PVA in water with different weight ratios of 10/90, 20/80, 30/70, and 40/60. The films were characterized by IR, SEM, TG, DSC and tensile strength test for investigating their structure, surface morphology, thermostability, and mechanical property. The results showed that Nano-SFP inserted in the PVA films with small linear particles, and Nano-SFP/PVA films exhibited smooth surface, good thermostability and tensile strength. The growth of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells on films with and without Nano-SFP was investigated with MTT colorimetric assay to assess the films' ability to promote cell growth. It was observed that the Nano-SFP improved cell adhesion on the film surface, and the ability of promoting cell growth increased with the increasing content of Nano-SFP in the blend films. Nano-SFP/PVA film with the ratio of 30/70 was concluded to have the best properties. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Polyaniline/Carbon nanotube Electrochromic Films: Electrochemical Polymerization and characterization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Xiao-Xia; Zhao, Liang; Ma, De-Yue; Zeng, Yu-Run

    2018-02-01

    Polyaniline/Carbon nanotube (PANI/CNT) composite films doped with dodecyl-benzene sulfonic acid were synthesized by cyclic voltammetry on an ITO-coated glass substrate. FTIR, XRD and electrochemical analyzer were used to characterize the micro-morphology, chemical structure, crystallinity and electrochromic behavior of the films, respectively. The effect of CNT content on the properties of the films was investigated. Results show that the introducing CNTs make aniline polymerize easier than before. Within a range, the conductivity and crystallinity of PANI/CNT composites improves with CNT content increasing. The electrochromic device made from the PAN/CNT film with a CNT content of 2.5wt% presents a reflectance contrast of 38.8%, a mean response time of 2.3s and a coloration efficiency of 386.4cm2/C at 540nm. The PAN/CNT film shows better electrochromic behaviors due to some interaction between CNTs and the PANI backbones than PANI film.

  7. Nano- and micro-scale Bi-substituted iron garnet films for photonics and magneto-optic eddy current defectoscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berzhansky, V. N.; Karavainikov, A. V.; Mikhailova, T. V.; Prokopov, A. R.; Shaposhnikov, A. N.; Shumilov, A. G.; Lugovskoy, N. V.; Semuk, E. Yu.; Kharchenko, M. F.; Lukienko, I. M.; Kharchenko, Yu. M.; Belotelov, V. I.

    2017-10-01

    Synthesis technology of nano-scale Bi-substituted iron garnets films with high magneto-optic activity for photonics and plasmonics applications were proposed. The micro-scale single-crystal garnet films with different types of magnetic anisotropy as a magneto-optic sensors were synthesized. It was shown that easy-axis anisotropy films demonstrated the best results for visualization of redistribution eddy current magnetic field near defects.

  8. Effects of thermal annealing on the structural and optical properties of carbon-implanted SiO2.

    PubMed

    Poudel, P R; Paramo, J A; Poudel, P P; Diercks, D R; Strzhemechny, Y M; Rout, B; McDaniel, F D

    2012-03-01

    Amorphous carbon (a-C) nanoclusters were synthesized by the implantation of carbon ions (C-) into thermally grown silicon dioxide film (-500 nm thick) on a Si (100) wafer and processed by high temperature thermal annealing. The carbon ions were implanted with an energy of 70 keV at a fluence of 5 x 10(17) atoms/cm2. The implanted samples were annealed at 1100 degrees C for different time periods in a gas mixture of 96% Ar+4% H2. Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) were used to study the structural properties of both the as-implanted and annealed samples. HRTEM reveals the formation of nanostructures in the annealed samples. The Raman spectroscopy also confirms the formation of carbon nano-clusters in the samples annealed for 10 min, 30 min, 60 min and 90 min. No Raman features originating from the carbon-clusters are observed for the sample annealed further to 120 min, indicating a complete loss of implanted carbon from the SiO2 layer. The loss of the implanted carbon in the 120 min annealed sample from the SiO2 layer was also observed in the XPS depth profile measurements. Room temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy revealed visible emissions from the samples pointing to carbon ion induced defects as the origin of a broad 2.0-2.4 eV band, and the intrinsic defects in SiO2 as the possible origin of the -2.9 eV bands. In low temperature photoluminescence spectra, two sharp and intense photoluminescence lines at -3.31 eV and -3.34 eV appear for the samples annealed for 90 min and 120 min, whereas no such bands are observed in the samples annealed for 10 min, 30 min, and 60 min. The Si nano-clusters forming at the Si-SiO2 interface could be the origin of these intense peaks.

  9. Vertically aligned cobalt hydroxide nano-flake coated electro-etched carbon fiber cloth electrodes for supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheng, Qian; Tang, Jie; Zhang, Han; Qin, Lu-Chang

    2014-11-01

    We describe preparation and characterization of nanostructured electrodes using Co(OH)2 nano-flakes and carbon fiber cloth for supercapacitors. Nanostructured Co(OH)2 flakes are produced by electrodeposition and they are coated onto the electro-etched carbon fiber cloth. A highest specific capacitance of 3404.8 F g-1 and an area-normalized specific capacitance of 3.3 F cm-2 have been obtained from such electrodes. Morphology and structure of the nanostructured electrodes have been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The electrochemical properties have been studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV), constant-current charge and discharge, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and long-time cycling.

  10. Binder-free manganese oxide/carbon nanomaterials thin film electrode for supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Wang, Ning; Wu, Chuxin; Li, Jiaxin; Dong, Guofa; Guan, Lunhui

    2011-11-01

    A ternary thin film electrode was created by coating manganese oxide onto a network composed of single-walled carbon nanotubes and single-walled carbon nanohorns. The electrode exhibited a porous structure, which is a promising architecture for supercapacitors applications. The maximum specific capacitances of 357 F/g for total electrode at 1 A/g were achieved in 0.1 M Na(2)SO(4) aqueous solution.

  11. Reactive magnetron sputtering of N-doped carbon thin films on quartz glass for transmission photocathode applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Balalykin, N. I.; Huran, J.; Nozdrin, M. A.; Feshchenko, A. A.; Kobzev, A. P.; Sasinková, V.; Boháček, P.; Arbet, J.

    2018-03-01

    N-doped carbon thin films were deposited on a silicon substrate and quartz glass by RF reactive magnetron sputtering using a carbon target and an Ar+N2 gas mixture. During the magnetron sputtering, the substrate holder temperatures was kept at 800 °C. The carbon film thickness on the silicon substrate was about 70 nm, while on the quartz glass it was in the range 15 nm – 60 nm. The elemental concentration in the films was determined by RBS and ERD. Raman spectroscopy was used to evaluate the intensity ratios I D/I G of the D and G peaks of the carbon films. The transmission photocathodes prepared were placed in the hollow-cathode assembly of a Pierce-structure DC gun to produce photoelectrons. The quantum efficiency (QE) was calculated from the laser energy and cathode charge measured. The properties of the transmission photocathodes based on semitransparent N-doped carbon thin films on quartz glass and their potential for application in DC gun technology are discussed.

  12. Many faces of carbon

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Qian; Zhang, Shunhong; Jena, Puru

    2016-12-01

    Due to the special electronic configuration, small atomic size, light mass, and flexible bonding features, carbon exhibits many different structural configurations with very different physical and chemical properties. Here we focus our discussion on three recent forms of carbon, namely, metallic carbon, magnetic carbon, and all-pentagon-based carbon. The metallic carbon can be used for metallic interconnects in future electronic circuits, nano devices and microprocessors while the magnetic carbon can have applications in spintronics. All-pentagon-based carbon nano-structure, penta-graphene, not only expands the family of carbon materials with a number of new features, but also provides the materials basis for the 2D packing of pentagons pursued by mathematicians for almost a century.

  13. Preparation of Nd-Fe-B/α-Fe nano-composite thick-film magnets on various substrates using PLD with high laser energy density above 10 J/cm2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nakano, M.; Kondo, H.; Yamashita, A.; Yanai, T.; Itakura, M.; Fukunaga, H.

    2018-05-01

    PLD (Pulsed Laser Deposition) method with high laser energy density (LED) above 10 J/cm2 followed by a flash annealing enabled us to obtain isotropic nano-composite thick-film magnets with (BH)max ≧ 80 kJ/m3 on polycrystalline Ta substrates. We also have demonstrated that a dispersed structure composed of α-Fe together with Nd2Fe14B phases with the average grain diameter of approximately 20 nm could be formed on the Ta substrates. In this study, we tried to enhance the (BH)max value by controlling the microstructure due to the usage of different metal based substrates with each high melting point such as Ti, Nb, and W. Although it was difficult to vary the microstructure and to improve the magnetic properties of the films deposited on the substrates, we confirmed that isotropic thick-film magnets with (BH)max ≧ 80 kJ/m3 based on the nano-dispersed α-Fe and Nd2Fe14B phases could be obtained on various metal substrates with totally different polycrystalline structure. On the other hand, the use of a glass substrate lead to the deterioration of magnetic properties of a film prepared using the same preparation process.

  14. Transglutaminase-induced crosslinking of gelatin-calcium carbonate composite films.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yuemeng; Liu, Anjun; Ye, Ran; Wang, Wenhang; Li, Xin

    2015-01-01

    The effects of transglutaminase (TGase) on the rheological profiles and interactions of gelatin-calcium carbonate solutions were studied. In addition, mechanical properties, water vapour permeability and microstructures of gelatin-calcium carbonate films were also investigated and compared. Fluorescence data suggested that the interaction of TGase and gelation-calcium carbonate belonged to a static quenching mechanism, and merely one binding site between TGase and gelatin-calcium carbonate was identified. Moreover, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), the mechanical properties and the water vapour permeability studies revealed that TGase favoured the strong intramolecular polymerisation of the peptides in gelatin. The microstructures of the surfaces and cross sections in gelatin-calcium carbonate films were shown by scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs. The results of the fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated that TGase caused conformational changes in the proteins films. Therefore, TGase successfully facilitated the formation of gelatin-calcium carbonate composite films. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Vertically aligned carbon nanofiber as nano-neuron interface for monitoring neural function.

    PubMed

    Yu, Zhe; McKnight, Timothy E; Ericson, M Nance; Melechko, Anatoli V; Simpson, Michael L; Morrison, Barclay

    2012-05-01

    Neural chips, which are capable of simultaneous multisite neural recording and stimulation, have been used to detect and modulate neural activity for almost thirty years. As neural interfaces, neural chips provide dynamic functional information for neural decoding and neural control. By improving sensitivity and spatial resolution, nano-scale electrodes may revolutionize neural detection and modulation at cellular and molecular levels as nano-neuron interfaces. We developed a carbon-nanofiber neural chip with lithographically defined arrays of vertically aligned carbon nanofiber electrodes and demonstrated its capability of both stimulating and monitoring electrophysiological signals from brain tissues in vitro and monitoring dynamic information of neuroplasticity. This novel nano-neuron interface may potentially serve as a precise, informative, biocompatible, and dual-mode neural interface for monitoring of both neuroelectrical and neurochemical activity at the single-cell level and even inside the cell. The authors demonstrate the utility of a neural chip with lithographically defined arrays of vertically aligned carbon nanofiber electrodes. The new device can be used to stimulate and/or monitor signals from brain tissue in vitro and for monitoring dynamic information of neuroplasticity both intracellularly and at the single cell level including neuroelectrical and neurochemical activities. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Fabrication of Transparent Protective Diamond-Like Carbon Films on Polymer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baek, Sang-min; Shirafuji, Tatsuru; Saito, Nagahiro; Takai, Osamu

    2011-08-01

    Si doped hydrogenated amorphous carbon (Si-DLC) films as a candidate protection coating for polycarbonate (PC) were prepared using a pulse-biased inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition (ICP-CVD) system with a gas mixture of acetylene (C2H2) and tetramethylsilane [Si(CH3)4]. The effects of Si incorporation on the structure and optical properties of the Si-DLC films were investigated. In addition, plasma pretreatments with O2, N2, and Ar gases were carried out to enhance the adhesion strength of Si-DLC films on polycarbonate. Structural characterization through Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses showed that the incorporation of Si atoms in DLC films leads to an increase in the optical band gap (Eopt) with the formation of sp3 C-Si bonds. O2 plasma pretreatment improved the strength of adhesion of the Si-DLC films to polycarbonate, while Ar and N2 plasma treatments did not. This can be explained by the formation of an activated dense interfacial layer by O2 plasma pretreatment.

  17. Synthesis, characterization and sonocatalytic applications of nano-structured carbon based TiO2 catalysts.

    PubMed

    Choi, Jongbok; Cui, Mingcan; Lee, Yonghyeon; Kim, Jeonggwan; Yoon, Yeomin; Jang, Min; Khim, Jeehyeong

    2018-05-01

    In order to enhance sonocatalytic oxidation of a recalcitrant organic pollutant, rhodamine B (RhB), it is necessary to study the fundamental aspects of sonocatalysis. In this study, TiO 2 -incorporated nano-structured carbon (i.e., carbon nanotubes (CNTs) or graphene (GR)) composites were synthesized by coating TiO 2 on CNTs or GR of different mass percentages (0.5, 1, 5, and 10 wt%) by a facile hydrothermal method. The sonocatalytic degradation rates of RhB were examined for the effect of ultrasound (US) frequency and calcination temperature by using the prepared TiO 2 -NSC composites. Since US frequency affected the sonoluminescence (SL) intensities, it was proposed that there exists a correlation between the surface area or band-gap of the sonocatalysts and the degradation kinetic constants of RhB. In addition, the reusability of TiO 2 -GR composites was also investigated. Overall, the performance of TiO 2 -GRs prepared by the hydrothermal method was better than that of calcined TiO 2 -CNTs. Among TiO 2 -GRs, 5% GR incorporated media (TiO 2 -GR-5) showed the best performance. Interestingly, the kinetic constants of sonocatalysts prepared under hydrothermal conditions had a negative linear relationship with the band-gap energy for the corresponding media. Furthermore, the strongest SL intensity and highest degradation rates of RhB for both carbonaceous composites were observed at 500 kHz. The kinetic constants of calcined media decreased linearly as the specific area of the media decreased, while the band-gap energy could not be correlated with the kinetic constants. The GR combined TiO 2 composite might be a good sonocatalyst in wastewater treatment using ultrasound-based oxidation because of its high stability. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Pinning in high performance MgB2 thin films and bulks: Role of Mg-B-O nano-scale inhomogeneities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prikhna, Tatiana; Shapovalov, Andrey; Eisterer, Michael; Shaternik, Vladimir; Goldacker, Wilfried; Weber, Harald W.; Moshchil, Viktor; Kozyrev, Artem; Sverdun, Vladimir; Boutko, Viktor; Grechnev, Gennadiy; Gusev, Alexandr; Kovylaev, Valeriy; Shaternik, Anton

    2017-02-01

    The comparison of nano-crystalline MgB2 oxygen-containing thin film (140 nm) and highly dense bulk materials showed that the critical current density, Jc, depends on the distribution of Mg-B-O nano-scale inhomogeneities. It has been shown that MgB2 bulks with high Jc in low (∼106 A/cm2 in 0-1 T at 10 K) and medium magnetic fields contain MgB0.6-0.8O0.8-0.9 nano-inclusions, where δTc or a combined δTc (dominant) / δl pinning mechanism prevails, while in bulk MgB2 with high Jc in high magnetic fields (Birr(18.5 K) = 15 T, Bc2(0 K) = 42.1 T) MgB1.2-2.7O1.8-2.5 nano-layers are present and δl pinning prevails. The structure of oxygen-containing films with high Jc in low and high magnetic fields (Jc (0 Т) = 1.8 × 107 А/сm2 and Jc (5 Т) = 2 × 106 А/сm2 at 10 К) contains very fine oxygen-enriched Mg-B-O inhomogeneities and δl pinning is realized. The results of DOS calculations in MgB2-xOx cells for x = 0, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1 demonstrate that all compounds are conductors with metal-like behaviour. In the case of ordered oxygen substitution for boron the binding energy, Eb, does not increase sufficiently as compared with that for MgB2, while when oxygen atoms form zigzag chains the calculated Eb is even lower (Eb = -1.15712 Ry).

  19. Structural Chemistry of Functional Nano-Materials for Environmental Remediation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    John, Jesse

    Nano minerals and materials have become a focal point of Geoscience research due to the unique physical, chemical, optical, magnetic, electronic, and reactive properties. Many of these desired properties in Nano technology have the potential to impact society by improving remediation, photovoltaics, medicine and the sustainability limits on Earth for an expanding population. Despite the progress made on the discovery, synthesis, and manufacturing of numerous nano-materials, the atomistic cause of their desired properties is poorly understood. To gain a better understanding of the atomic structure of nano materials and their bulk counterparts we combined several crystallographic techniques to solve the crystal structure and performed formative characterization to ascertain the atomistic source of the desired application. These strategies and tools can be used to expedite discovery, development and the goals of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI). This thesis will cover the optimization of the reaction conditions and resolve the atomic structure to produce pure synthetic nano nolanite (SNN) Fe2V3O7OH. The complete structural model of nolanite was described from a bulk mineral to the nano-regime using a combination of single crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD), pair distribution function analysis (PDF) and neutron powder diffraction from synthetic material. Nolanite is isostructural to ferrihydrite, a ubiquitous nano-mineral, both of these mineral structures have been the subject for debate for the last half of century. A comparative study of the isostructural minerals nolanite, akdalaite and ferrihydrite was utilized to address the discrepancies and consolidate the structural models. Lastly, we developed a structural model for nano-crystalline titanium-based material; mono sodium titanate (MST) using high energy total X-ray scattering and PDF coupled with scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). In the USA we have accumulated over 76000 metric tons

  20. Films of Carbon Nanomaterials for Transparent Conductors

    PubMed Central

    Ho, Xinning; Wei, Jun

    2013-01-01

    The demand for transparent conductors is expected to grow rapidly as electronic devices, such as touch screens, displays, solid state lighting and photovoltaics become ubiquitous in our lives. Doped metal oxides, especially indium tin oxide, are the commonly used materials for transparent conductors. As there are some drawbacks to this class of materials, exploration of alternative materials has been conducted. There is an interest in films of carbon nanomaterials such as, carbon nanotubes and graphene as they exhibit outstanding properties. This article reviews the synthesis and assembly of these films and their post-treatment. These processes determine the film performance and understanding of this platform will be useful for future work to improve the film performance. PMID:28809267

  1. Facile fabrication of super-hydrophobic nano-needle arrays via breath figures method.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jiseok; Lew, Brian; Kim, Woo Soo

    2011-12-06

    Super-hydrophobic surfaces which have been fabricated by various methods such as photolithography, chemical treatment, self-assembly, and imprinting have gained enormous attention in recent years. Especially 2D arrays of nano-needles have been shown to have super-hydrophobicity due to their sharp surface roughness. These arrays can be easily generated by removing the top portion of the honeycomb films prepared by the breath figures method. The hydrophilic block of an amphiphilic polymer helps in the fabrication of the nano-needle arrays through the production of well-ordered honeycomb films and good adhesion of the film to a substrate. Anisotropic patterns with water wettability difference can be useful for patterning cells and other materials using their selective growth on the hydrophilic part of the pattern. However, there has not been a simple way to generate patterns with highly different wettability. Mechanical stamping of the nano-needle array with a polyurethane stamp might be the simplest way to fabricate patterns with wettability difference. In this study, super-hydrophobic nano-needle arrays were simply fabricated by removing the top portion of the honeycomb films. The maximum water contact angle obtained with the nano-needle array was 150°. By controlling the pore size and the density of the honeycomb films, the height, width, and density of nano-needle arrays were determined. Anisotropic patterns with different wettability were fabricated by simply pressing the nano-needle array at ambient temperature with polyurethane stamps which were flexible but tough. Mechanical stamping of nano-needle arrays with micron patterns produced hierarchical super-hydrophobic structures.PACS: 05.70.Np, 68.55.am, 68.55.jm.

  2. Facile fabrication of super-hydrophobic nano-needle arrays via breath figures method

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Super-hydrophobic surfaces which have been fabricated by various methods such as photolithography, chemical treatment, self-assembly, and imprinting have gained enormous attention in recent years. Especially 2D arrays of nano-needles have been shown to have super-hydrophobicity due to their sharp surface roughness. These arrays can be easily generated by removing the top portion of the honeycomb films prepared by the breath figures method. The hydrophilic block of an amphiphilic polymer helps in the fabrication of the nano-needle arrays through the production of well-ordered honeycomb films and good adhesion of the film to a substrate. Anisotropic patterns with water wettability difference can be useful for patterning cells and other materials using their selective growth on the hydrophilic part of the pattern. However, there has not been a simple way to generate patterns with highly different wettability. Mechanical stamping of the nano-needle array with a polyurethane stamp might be the simplest way to fabricate patterns with wettability difference. In this study, super-hydrophobic nano-needle arrays were simply fabricated by removing the top portion of the honeycomb films. The maximum water contact angle obtained with the nano-needle array was 150°. By controlling the pore size and the density of the honeycomb films, the height, width, and density of nano-needle arrays were determined. Anisotropic patterns with different wettability were fabricated by simply pressing the nano-needle array at ambient temperature with polyurethane stamps which were flexible but tough. Mechanical stamping of nano-needle arrays with micron patterns produced hierarchical super-hydrophobic structures. PACS: 05.70.Np, 68.55.am, 68.55.jm PMID:22145673

  3. Nano-sculptured Janus-like TiAg thin films obliquely deposited by GLAD co-sputtering for temperature sensing.

    PubMed

    Pedrosa, Paulo; Ferreira, Armando; Martin, Nicolas; Arab Pour Yazdi, Mohammad; Billard, Alain; Lanceros-Mendez, Senentxu; Vaz, Filipe

    2018-06-11

    Inclined, zigzag and spiral TiAg films were prepared by GLancing Angle Deposition (GLAD), using two distinct Ti and Ag targets with a particle incident angle of 80º and Ag contents ranging from 20 to 75 at. %. The effect of increasing Ag incorporation and columnar architecture change on the morphological, structural and electrical properties of the films was investigated. It is shown that inclined columnar features (β = 47º) with high porosity were obtained for 20 at. % Ag, with the column angle sharply decreasing (β = 21º) for 50 at. % Ag, and steeply increasing afterwards until 37º for the film with 75 at. % Ag. The sputtered films exhibit a rather well-crystallized structure for Ag contents ≥ 50 at. %, with a TiAg (111) preferential growth. No significant oxidation was detected in all films, except for the one with 20 at. % Ag, after two 298-473-298 K temperature cycles in air. The calculated temperature coefficient of resistivity (TCR) values vary between 1.4 and 5.5×10-4 K-1. Nano-sculptured spiral films exhibit consistently higher resistivity (ρ = 1.5×10-6 Ω m) and TCR values (2.9×10-4 K-1) than the inclined one with the same Ag content (ρ = 1.2×10-6 Ω m and TCR = 2.0×10-4 K-1). No significant changes are observed in the zigzag films concerning these properties. The effective anisotropy Aeff at 473 K changes from 1.3 to 1.7 for the inclined films. Spiral films exhibit an almost completely isotropic behavior with Aeff = 1.1. Ag-rich TiAg core + shell Janus-like columns were obtained with increasing Ag concentrations. © 2018 IOP Publishing Ltd.

  4. Carrier mobility enhancement of nano-crystalline semiconductor films: Incorporation of redox -relay species into the grain boundary interface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Desilva, L. A.; Bandara, T. M. W. J.; Hettiarachchi, B. H.; Kumara, G. R. A.; Perera, A. G. U.; Rajapaksa, R. M. G.; Tennakone, K.

    Dye-sensitized and perovskite solar cells and other nanostructured heterojunction electronic devices require securing intimate electronic contact between nanostructured surfaces. Generally, the strategy is solution phase coating of a hole -collector over a nano-crystalline high-band gap n-type oxide semiconductor film painted with a thin layer of the light harvesting material. The nano-crystallites of the hole - collector fills the pores of the painted oxide surface. Most ills of these devices are associated with imperfect contact and high resistance of the hole conducting layer constituted of nano-crystallites. Denaturing of the delicate light harvesting material forbid sintering at elevated temperatures to reduce the grain boundary resistance. It is found that the interfacial and grain boundary resistance can be significantly reduced via incorporation of redox species into the interfaces to form ultra-thin layers. Suitable redox moieties, preferably bonded to the surface, act as electron transfer relays greatly reducing the film resistance offerring a promising method of enhancing the effective hole mobility of nano-crystalline hole-collectors and developing hole conductor paints for application in nanostructured devices.

  5. Aligned Carbon Nanotubes for High-Performance Films and Composites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Liwen

    Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with extraordinary properties and thus many potential applications have been predicted to be the best reinforcements for the next-generation multifunctional composite materials. Difficulties exist in transferring the most use of the unprecedented properties of individual CNTs to macroscopic forms of CNT assemblies. Therefore, this thesis focuses on two main goals: 1) discussing the issues that influence the performance of bulk CNT products, and 2) fabricating high-performance dry CNT films and composite films with an understanding of the fundamental structure-property relationship in these materials. Dry CNT films were fabricated by a winding process using CNT arrays with heights of 230 mum, 300 im and 360 mum. The structures of the as-produced films, as well as their mechanical and electrical properties were examined in order to find out the effects of different CNT lengths. It was found that the shorter CNTs synthesized by shorter time in the CVD furnace exhibited less structural defects and amorphous carbon, resulting in more compact packing and better nanotube alignment when made into dry films, thus, having better mechanical and electrical performance. A novel microcombing approach was developed to mitigate the CNT waviness and alignment in the dry films, and ultrahigh mechanical properties and exceptional electrical performance were obtained. This method utilized a pair of sharp surgical blades with microsized features at the blade edges as micro-combs to, for the first time, disentangle and straighten the wavy CNTs in the dry-drawn CNT sheet at single-layer level. The as-combed CNT sheet exhibited high level of nanotube alignment and straightness, reduced structural defects, and enhanced nanotube packing density. The dry CNT films produced by microcombing had a very high Young's modulus of 172 GPa, excellent tensile strength of 3.2 GPa, and unprecedented electrical conductivity of 1.8x10 5 S/m, which were records for CNT films or

  6. Carbon nano structures: Production and characterization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beig Agha, Rosa

    L'objectif de ce memoire est de preparer et de caracteriser des nanostructures de carbone (CNS -- Carbon Nanostructures, en licence a l'Institut de recherche sur l'hydrogene, Quebec, Canada), un carbone avec un plus grand degre de graphitisation et une meilleure porosite. Le Chapitre 1 est une description generale des PEMFCs (PEMFC -- Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell) et plus particulierement des CNS comme support de catalyseurs, leur synthese et purification. Le Chapitre 2 decrit plus en details la methode de synthese et la purification des CNS, la theorie de formation des nanostructures et les differentes techniques de caracterisation que nous avons utilises telles que la diffraction aux rayons-X (XRD -- X-ray diffraction), la microscopie electronique a transmission (TEM -- transmission electron microscope ), la spectroscopie Raman, les isothermes d'adsorption d'azote a 77 K (analyse BET, t-plot, DFT), l'intrusion au mercure, et l'analyse thermogravimetrique (TGA -- thermogravimetric analysis). Le Chapitre 3 presente les resultats obtenus a chaque etape de la synthese des CNS et avec des echantillons produits a l'aide d'un broyeur de type SPEXRTM (SPEX/CertiPrep 8000D) et d'un broyeur de type planetaire (Fritsch Pulverisette 5). La difference essentielle entre ces deux types de broyeur est la facon avec laquelle les materiaux sont broyes. Le broyeur de type SPEX secoue le creuset contenant les materiaux et des billes d'acier selon 3 axes produisant ainsi des impacts de tres grande energie. Le broyeur planetaire quant a lui fait tourner et deplace le creuset contenant les materiaux et des billes d'acier selon 2 axes (plan). Les materiaux sont donc broyes differemment et l'objectif est de voir si les CNS produits ont les memes structures et proprietes. Lors de nos travaux nous avons ete confrontes a un probleme majeur. Nous n'arrivions pas a reproduire les CNS dont la methode de synthese a originellement ete developpee dans les laboratoires de l'Institut de

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

    PubMed

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

    2016-12-08

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

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2016-12-01

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

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

    PubMed Central

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

    2016-01-01

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

  10. Nano-structured variable capacitor based on P(VDF-TrFE) copolymer and carbon nanotubes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lakbita, I.; El-Hami, K.

    2018-02-01

    A newly organic capacitor was conceived with a variable capacitance using the inverse piezoelectric effect. The device consists of two parallel plates of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), known for their large surface area, high sensitivity and high electric conductivity, separated by a thin film of a dielectric layer of Polyinylidene fluoride and trifluoroehtylene (P(VDF-TrFE)) promising material for piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties. The obtained architecture is the CNT/PVDF-TrFE/CNT capacitor device. In this study, an ultra-thin film of P(VDF-TrFE) (54/46) with thickness of 20 nm was elaborated on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) by spin-coating. The morphology of the ultra-thin film and the mechanical behavior of CNT/P(VDF-TrFE)/CNT system were studied using the atomic force microscopy (AFM) combined with a lock-in amplifier in contact mode. All changes in applied voltage induce a change in thin film thickness according to the inverse piezoelectric effect that affect, consequently the capacitance. The results showed that the ratio of capacitance change ΔC to initial capacitance C0 is ΔC/C0=5%. This value is sufficient to use P(VDF-TrFE) as variable organic capacitor.

  11. Tunable far-infrared plasmonically induced transparency in graphene based nano-structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dolatabady, Alireza; Granpayeh, Nosrat

    2018-07-01

    In this paper, a structure is proposed to show the phenomenon of tunable far-infrared plasmonically induced transparency. The structure includes a nano-ribbon waveguide side-coupled to nano-stub resonators. The realized effect is due to the coupling between the consecutive nano-stub resonators spaced in properly designed distances, providing a constructive interference in the virtually created Fabry–Perot cavity. Due to the Fabry–Perot like cavity created between two consecutive nano-stubs, periodic values of nano-stubs separation can produce transparency windows. Increasing the number of nano-stubs would increase the number of transparency windows in different frequencies. The structure is theoretically investigated and numerically simulated by using the finite difference time domain method. Owing to the chemical potential dependency of graphene conductivity, the transparency windows can be actively tuned. The proposed component can be extensively utilized in nano-scale switching and slow-light systems.

  12. Characteristics of Thermoplastic Potato Starch/Bentonite Nanocomposite Film

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zakaria, N. H.; Muhammad, N.; Abdullah, M. M. A. B.; Sandu, I. G.; Wan, C. L. Mei

    2018-06-01

    The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of bentonite towards thermoplastic potato starch nanocomposite films on the mechanical, microstructure and physical properties. The nanocomposite films were prepared using bentonite nano filler (0, 1, 5, 10, 15 and 20%) through solution casting technique. Obtained result indicate that, tensile strength increased significantly with increasing bentonite content and the highest tensile strength was recorded for nanocomposite film with 20% bentonite content. Meanwhile, elongation at break increased as the bentonite content increased from 0 to 15%, however significantly decreased at 20% bentonite content due to ductile structure and anti-plasticizing effect. Besides, good dispersion between bentonite nano filler and starch matrix with slightly remaining anglomerates was evident in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image. Overall result shows that the addition of bentonite nano filler in potato starch film significantly influenced the properties of the films.

  13. Preparation of hybrid nano biocomposite κ-carrageenan/cellulose nanocrystal/nanoclay

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zakuwan, Siti Zarina; Ahmad, Ishak; Ramli, Nazaruddin

    2013-11-01

    Biodegradable composites film based on κ-carrageenan and nano particles as filler was prepared to study the mechanical strength of carrageenan composites. Solution casting technique was used to prepare_this biocomposite. Preparation of composite film and nano filler involve two stages, preparation of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) from kenaf with alkali treatment, bleaching, and hydrolysis followed by the preparation of two types of nano composite. Tensile test was carried on the composite film based on κ-carrageenan with the variation percentage of CNC and nano clay to obtain the optimum CNC and nano clay loading. After that hybrid nano-biocomposite film based on κ-carrageenan with the variation percentage of CNC/nano clay (OMMT) according to optimum value of composite carrageenan/CNC and composite carrageenan/nano clay film was prepared. The effect of nano filler on the mechanical properties of carrageenan films was examined. κ-carrageenan biocomposite increased with the optimum at 4% CNC and nano clay composition. Additional improvement of tensile strength with hybridization of CNC and nanoclay indicated better mechanical properties.

  14. Fabrication, ultra-structure characterization and in vitro studies of RF magnetron sputter deposited nano-hydroxyapatite thin films for biomedical applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Surmeneva, Maria A.; Surmenev, Roman A.; Nikonova, Yulia A.; Selezneva, Irina I.; Ivanova, Anna A.; Putlyaev, Valery I.; Prymak, Oleg; Epple, Matthias

    2014-10-01

    A series of nanostructured low-crystalline hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings averaging 170, 250, and 440 nm in thickness were deposited onto previously etched titanium substrates through radio-frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. The HA coatings were analyzed using infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). Cross sections of the thin specimens were prepared by FIB to study the microstructure of the coatings by TEM. The deposition process formed nano-scale grains, generating an amorphous layer at the substrate/coating interface and inducing the growth of a columnar grain structure perpendicular to the substrate surface. A microstructural analysis of the film confirmed that the grain size and crystallinity increased when increasing the deposition time. The nanostructured HA coatings were not cytotoxic, as proven by in vitro assays using primary dental pulp stem cells and mouse fibroblast NCTC clone L929 cells. Low-crystallinity HA coatings with different thicknesses stimulated cells to attach, proliferate and form mineralized nodules on the surface better than uncoated titanium substrates.

  15. Electrochemical properties of free-standing Sn/SnO2/multi-walled carbon nano tube anode papers for Li-ion batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alaf, M.; Gultekin, D.; Akbulut, H.

    2013-06-01

    Free-standing multiwalled carbon nano tube papers (buckypapers) were prepared by vacuum filtration from functionalized multi walled carbon nano tubes (MWCNTs) with controlling porosity. Double phase matrix Sn/SnO2/MWCNT nanocomposites were obtained in two steps, including thermal evaporation of metallic tin (Sn) on the MWCNT papers and RF plasma oxidation. The ratio between metallic tin (Sn) and tin oxide (SnO2) was controlled with plasma oxidation time. It was determined that the evaporated pure tin nano crystals were mechanically penetrated into pores of buckypapers to form functionally gradient nanocomposites. Sn/SnO2 coated on MWCNT buckypapers were used as working electrodes in assembled as coin-type (CR2016) test cells. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to determine the structure and morphology of the obtained nanocomposites. In addition, the discharge/charge test, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were carried out to characterize the electrochemical properties of these composites as anode materials for Li-ion batteries.

  16. Diamond-Like Carbon Nanorods and Fabrication Thereof

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Varshney, Deepak (Inventor); Makarov, Vladimir (Inventor); Morell, Gerardo (Inventor); Saxena, Puja (Inventor); Weiner, Brad (Inventor)

    2017-01-01

    Novel sp. (sup 3) rich diamond-like carbon (DLC) nanorod films were fabricated by hot filament chemical vapor deposition technique. The results are indicative of a bottom-up self-assembly synthesis process, which results in a hierarchical structure that consists of microscale papillae comprising numerous nanorods. The papillae have diameters ranging from 2 to 4 microns and the nanorods have diameters in the 35-45 nanometer range. A growth mechanism based on the vapor liquid-solid mechanism is proposed that accounts for the morphological aspects in the micro- and nano-scales.

  17. Self-Assembled Formation of Well-Aligned Cu-Te Nano-Rods on Heavily Cu-Doped ZnTe Thin Films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liang, Jing; Cheng, Man Kit; Lai, Ying Hoi; Wei, Guanglu; Yang, Sean Derman; Wang, Gan; Ho, Sut Kam; Tam, Kam Weng; Sou, Iam Keong

    2016-11-01

    Cu doping of ZnTe, which is an important semiconductor for various optoelectronic applications, has been successfully achieved previously by several techniques. However, besides its electrical transport characteristics, other physical and chemical properties of heavily Cu-doped ZnTe have not been reported. We found an interesting self-assembled formation of crystalline well-aligned Cu-Te nano-rods near the surface of heavily Cu-doped ZnTe thin films grown via the molecular beam epitaxy technique. A phenomenological growth model is presented based on the observed crystallographic morphology and measured chemical composition of the nano-rods using various imaging and chemical analysis techniques. When substitutional doping reaches its limit, the extra Cu atoms favor an up-migration toward the surface, leading to a one-dimensional surface modulation and formation of Cu-Te nano-rods, which explain unusual observations on the reflection high energy electron diffraction patterns and apparent resistivity of these thin films. This study provides an insight into some unexpected chemical reactions involved in the heavily Cu-doped ZnTe thin films, which may be applied to other material systems that contain a dopant having strong reactivity with the host matrix.

  18. Carbon nanotubes and graphene towards soft electronics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chae, Sang Hoon; Lee, Young Hee

    2014-04-01

    Although silicon technology has been the main driving force for miniaturizing device dimensions to improve cost and performance, the current application of Si to soft electronics (flexible and stretchable electronics) is limited due to material rigidity. As a result, various prospective materials have been proposed to overcome the rigidity of conventional Si technology. In particular, nano-carbon materials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene are promising due to outstanding elastic properties as well as an excellent combination of electronic, optoelectronic, and thermal properties compared to conventional rigid silicon. The uniqueness of these nano-carbon materials has opened new possibilities for soft electronics, which is another technological trend in the market. This review covers the recent progress of soft electronics research based on CNTs and graphene. We discuss the strategies for soft electronics with nano-carbon materials and their preparation methods (growth and transfer techniques) to devices as well as the electrical characteristics of transparent conducting films (transparency and sheet resistance) and device performances in field effect transistor (FET) (structure, carrier type, on/off ratio, and mobility). In addition to discussing state of the art performance metrics, we also attempt to clarify trade-off issues and methods to control the trade-off on/off versus mobility). We further demonstrate accomplishments of the CNT network in flexible integrated circuits on plastic substrates that have attractive characteristics. A future research direction is also proposed to overcome current technological obstacles necessary to realize commercially feasible soft electronics.

  19. Carbon nanotubes and graphene towards soft electronics.

    PubMed

    Chae, Sang Hoon; Lee, Young Hee

    2014-01-01

    Although silicon technology has been the main driving force for miniaturizing device dimensions to improve cost and performance, the current application of Si to soft electronics (flexible and stretchable electronics) is limited due to material rigidity. As a result, various prospective materials have been proposed to overcome the rigidity of conventional Si technology. In particular, nano-carbon materials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene are promising due to outstanding elastic properties as well as an excellent combination of electronic, optoelectronic, and thermal properties compared to conventional rigid silicon. The uniqueness of these nano-carbon materials has opened new possibilities for soft electronics, which is another technological trend in the market. This review covers the recent progress of soft electronics research based on CNTs and graphene. We discuss the strategies for soft electronics with nano-carbon materials and their preparation methods (growth and transfer techniques) to devices as well as the electrical characteristics of transparent conducting films (transparency and sheet resistance) and device performances in field effect transistor (FET) (structure, carrier type, on/off ratio, and mobility). In addition to discussing state of the art performance metrics, we also attempt to clarify trade-off issues and methods to control the trade-off on/off versus mobility). We further demonstrate accomplishments of the CNT network in flexible integrated circuits on plastic substrates that have attractive characteristics. A future research direction is also proposed to overcome current technological obstacles necessary to realize commercially feasible soft electronics.

  20. A reversible bipolar WORM device based on AlOxNy thin film with Al nano phase embedded

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, W.; Li, J.; Zhang, L.; Hu, X. C.

    2017-03-01

    An Al-rich AlOxNy thin film based reversible Write-Once-Read-Many-Times (WORM) memory device with MIS structure could transit from high resistance state (HRS, ∼1011 Ω) to low resistance state (LRS, ∼105 Ω) by sweeping voltage up to ∼20 V. The first switching could be recorded as writing process for WORM device which may relate to conductive path are formed through the thin film. The conductive path should be formed by both Al nano phase and oxygen vacancies. Among of them, Al nano phases are not easy to move, but oxygen vacancies could migrate under high E-field or at high temperature environment. Such conductive path is not sensitive to charging effect after it formed, but it could be broken by heating effect, which may relate to the migration of excess Al ions and oxygen vacancies at high temperature. After baking LRS (ON state) WORM device at 200 °C for 2 min, the conductivity will decrease to HRS which indicates conductive path is broken and device back to HRS (OFF state) again. This phenomenon could be recorded as recovery process. Both writing and recovery process related to migration of oxygen vacancies and could be repeated over 10 times in this study. It also indicates that there is no permanent breakdown occurred in MIS structured WORM device operation. We suggest that this conductive path only can be dissolved by a temperature sensitive electro-chemical action. This WORM device could maintain at LRS over 105 s with on-off ratio over 4 orders.

  1. Library of electrocatalytic sites in nano-structured domains: electrocatalysis of hydrogen peroxide.

    PubMed

    Pandey, Prem C; Singh, Bhupendra

    2008-12-01

    Electrochemical detection of hydrogen peroxide at eight types of ormosil-modified electrodes, referred as hexacyanoferrate-system; Prussian blue systems (PB-1, PB-2, and PB-3), palladium (Pd-) system, graphite (Gr-) system, gold nanoparticle (AuNPs) system and palladium-gold nanoparticle (Pd-AuNPs) system were studied. The results on electrochemical detection suggested that hydrogen peroxide does not undergo homogeneous electrochemical mediation; however, the presence of redox mediator within nano-structured domains facilitates the electro-analysis of the same via redox electrocatalysis. Four approaches causing manipulation in nano-structured domains are described: (a) increase in the molecular size of the components generating nano-structured domains; (b) modulation via chemical reactivity; (c) modulation by non-reactive moieties and known nanoparticles; and (d) modulation by mixed approaches (a-c), all leading to decrease in a nano-structured domains. The results demonstrated that an increase in the size of nano-structured domains or decrease in micro-porous geometry increases the efficiency of electrocatalysis. The basic reaction protocol adopted in generating nano-structured domains, followed by manipulation protocols, supported the introduction of a library for creating electrocatalytic sites with varying electrocatalytic efficiency within the same basic nano-structured platform.

  2. Room-temperature wide-range luminescence and structural, optical, and electrical properties of SILAR deposited Cu-Zn-S nano-structured thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jose, Edwin; Kumar, M. C. Santhosh

    2016-09-01

    We report the deposition of nanostructured Cu-Zn-S composite thin films by Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) method on glass substrates at room temperature. The structural, morphological, optical, photoluminescence and electrical properties of Cu-Zn-S thin films are investigated. The results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy studies indicate that the films exhibit a ternary Cu-Zn-S structure rather than the Cu xS and ZnS binary composite. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies show that the Cu-Zn-S films are covered well over glass substrates. The optical band gap energies of the Cu-Zn-S films are calculated using UV-visible absorption measurements, which are found in the range of 2.2 to 2.32 eV. The room temperature photoluminescence studies show a wide range of emissions from 410 nm to 565 nm. These emissions are mainly due to defects and vacancies in the composite system. The electrical studies using Hall effect measurements show that the Cu-Zn-S films are having p-type conductivity.

  3. Quantum-relativistic velocities in nano-transport

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Di Sia, Paolo

    2018-07-01

    In this paper I present an interesting analysis focused on the hypothesis of relativistic velocities and quantum aspects inside a nanostructure. A new analytical model is considered, able to well describe the conductors in nanostructured form. Considering appropriate scattering times, it is possible to mimic the infrared properties of oxides and semiconductors in the nano-form. The new presented result concerns the analytical form of the quantum-relativistic velocities correlation function, and how it works with experimental data of carbon nanotube films.

  4. Thermostability of Hybrid Thermoelectric Materials Consisting of Poly(Ni-ethenetetrathiolate), Polyimide and Carbon Nanotubes

    PubMed Central

    Oshima, Keisuke; Sadakata, Shifumi; Shiraishi, Yukihide; Toshima, Naoki

    2017-01-01

    Three-component organic/inorganic hybrid films were fabricated by drop-casting the mixed dispersion of nanodispersed-poly(nickel 1,1,2,2-ethenetetrathiolate) (nano-PETT), polyimide (PI) and super growth carbon nanotubes (SG-CNTs) in N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) at the designed ratio on a substrate. The dried nano-PETT/PI/SG-CNT hybrid films were prepared by the stepwise cleaning of NMP and methanol, and were dried once more. The thermoelectric properties of Seebeck coefficient S and electrical conductivity σ were measured by a thin-film thermoelectric measurement system ADVANCE RIKO ZEM-3M8 at 330–380 K. The electrical conductivity of nano-PETT/PI/SG-CNT hybrid films increased by 1.9 times for solvent treatment by clearing insulated of polymer. In addition, the density of nano-PETT/PI/SG-CNT hybrid films decreased 1.31 to 0.85 g·cm−3 with a decrease in thermal conductivity from 0.18 to 0.12 W·m−1·K−1. To evaluate the thermostability of nano-PETT/PI/SG-CNT hybrid films, the samples were kept at high temperature and the temporal change of thermoelectric properties was measured. The nano-PETT/PI/SG-CNT hybrid films were rather stable at 353 K and kept their power factor even after 4 weeks. PMID:28773182

  5. Pathways to Mesoporous Resin/Carbon Thin Films with Alternating Gyroid Morphology

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

    Zhang, Qi; Matsuoka, Fumiaki; Suh, Hyo Seon

    Three-dimensional (3D) mesoporous thin films with sub-100 nm periodic lattices are of increasing interest as templates for a number of nanotechnology applications, yet are hard to achieve with conventional top-down fabrication methods. Block copolymer self-assembly derived mesoscale structures provide a toolbox for such 3D template formation. In this work, single (alternating) gyroidal and double gyroidal mesoporous thin-film structures are achieved via solvent vapor annealing assisted co-assembly of poly(isoprene-block-styrene-block-ethylene oxide) (PI-b-PS-b-PEO, ISO) and resorcinol/phenol formaldehyde resols. In particular, the alternating gyroid thin-film morphology is highly desirable for potential template backfilling processes as a result of the large pore volume fraction. Inmore » situ grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering during solvent annealing is employed as a tool to elucidate and navigate the pathway complexity of the structure formation processes. The resulting network structures are resistant to high temperatures provided an inert atmosphere. The thin films have tunable hydrophilicity from pyrolysis at different temperatures, while pore sizes can be tailored by varying ISO molar mass. A transfer technique between substrates is demonstrated for alternating gyroidal mesoporous thin films, circumventing the need to re-optimize film formation protocols for different substrates. Increased conductivity after pyrolysis at high temperatures demonstrates that these gyroidal mesoporous resin/carbon thin films have potential as functional 3D templates for a number of nanomaterials applications.« less

  6. Free-Standing Porous Carbon Nanofiber/Carbon Nanotube Film as Sulfur Immobilizer with High Areal Capacity for Lithium-Sulfur Battery.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Ye-Zheng; Zhang, Ze; Liu, Sheng; Li, Guo-Ran; Gao, Xue-Ping

    2018-03-14

    Low sulfur utilization and poor cycle life of the sulfur cathode with high sulfur loadings remain a great challenge for lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery. Herein, the free-standing carbon film consisting of porous carbon nanofibers (PCNFs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is successfully fabricated by the electrospinning technology. The PCNF/CNT film with three-dimensional and interconnected structure is promising for the uniformity of the high-loading sulfur, good penetration of the electrolyte, and reliable accommodation of volumetric expansion of the sulfur cathode. In addition, the abundant N/O-doped elements in PCNF/CNT film are helpful to chemically trap soluble polysulfides in the charge-discharge processes. Consequently, the obtained monolayer S/PCNF/CNT film as the cathode shows high specific capacity, excellent cycle stability, and rate stability with the sulfur loading of 3.9 mg cm -2 . Moreover, the high areal capacity of 13.5 mA h cm -2 is obtained for the cathode by stacking three S/PCNF/CNT layers with the high sulfur loading of 12 mg cm -2 . The stacking-layered cathode with high sulfur loading provides excellent cycle stability, which is beneficial to fabricate high-energy-density Li-S battery in future.

  7. Ultra-stretchable conductors based on buckled super-aligned carbon nanotube films.

    PubMed

    Yu, Yang; Luo, Shu; Sun, Li; Wu, Yang; Jiang, Kaili; Li, Qunqing; Wang, Jiaping; Fan, Shoushan

    2015-06-14

    Ultra-stretchable conductors are fabricated by coating super-aligned carbon nanotube (SACNT) films on pre-strained polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates and forming buckled SACNT structures on PDMS after release of the pre-strain. The parallel SACNT/PDMS conductors demonstrate excellent stability with normalized resistance changes of only 4.1% under an applied strain as high as 200%. The SACNT/PDMS conductors prepared with cross-stacked SACNT films show even lower resistance variation. The parallel SACNT/PDMS conductors exhibit high durability with a resistance increase of less than 5% after 10,000 cycles at 150% strain. In situ microscopic observations demonstrate that the buckled SACNT structures are straightened during the stretching process with reversible morphology evolution and thus the continuous SACNT conductive network can be protected from fracture. Due to the excellent electrical and mechanical properties of SACNT films and the formation of the buckled structure, SACNT/PDMS films exhibit high stretchability and durability, possessing great potential for use as ultra-stretchable conductors for wearable electronics, sensors, and energy storage devices.

  8. Silicon solar cell performance deposited by diamond like carbon thin film ;Atomic oxygen effects;

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aghaei, Abbas Ail; Eshaghi, Akbar; Karami, Esmaeil

    2017-09-01

    In this research, a diamond-like carbon thin film was deposited on p-type polycrystalline silicon solar cell via plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition method by using methane and hydrogen gases. The effect of atomic oxygen on the functioning of silicon coated DLC thin film and silicon was investigated. Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize the structure and morphology of the DLC thin film. Photocurrent-voltage characteristics of the silicon solar cell were carried out using a solar simulator. The results showed that atomic oxygen exposure induced the including oxidation, structural changes, cross-linking reactions and bond breaking of the DLC film; thus reducing the optical properties. The photocurrent-voltage characteristics showed that although the properties of the fabricated thin film were decreased after being exposed to destructive rays, when compared with solar cell without any coating, it could protect it in atomic oxygen condition enhancing solar cell efficiency up to 12%. Thus, it can be said that diamond-like carbon thin layer protect the solar cell against atomic oxygen exposure.

  9. Bond topography and nanostructure of hydrogenated fullerene-like carbon films: A comparative study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Yongfu; Gao, Kaixiong; Shi, Jing; Zhang, Junyan

    2016-09-01

    Fullerene-like nanostructural hydrogenated amorphous carbon (FL-C:H) films were prepared by dc- and pulse- plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique (PECVD). Both the films exhibit relatively stresses (0.63 GPa) in spite of their FL features and nanostructural bonding configurations, especially the pentagonal carbon rings. The creation of pentagonal rings is not fully driven by thermodynamics, but is closely related to compressive stress determined by the ion bombardment at the discharged state of the pulse- and dc- discharged plasmas methods. The dc method leads to FL's basal planes which contain less cross-linkages, and causes amorphous strongly hydrogenated structures.

  10. Raman spectra boron doped amorphous carbon thin film deposited by bias assisted-CVD

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ishak, A.; Fadzilah, A. N.; Dayana, K.; Saurdi, I.; Malek, M. F.; Nurbaya, Z.; Shafura, A. K.; Rusop, M.

    2018-05-01

    Boron doped amorphous carbon thin film carbon was deposited at 200°C-350°C by bias assisted-CVD using palm oil as a precursor material. The structural boron doped amorphous carbon films were discussed by Raman analysis through the evolution of D and G bands. The spectral evolution observed showed the increase of upward shift of D and G peaks as substrate deposition temperatures increased. These structural changes were further correlated with optical gap and the results obtained are discussed and compared. The estimated optical band gap is found to be 1.9 to 2.05 eV and conductivity is to be in the range of 10-5 Scm-1 to 10-4 Scm-1. The decrease of optical band gap is associated to conductivity increased which change the characteristic parameters of Raman spectra including the position of G peak, full width at half maximum of G peak, and ID/IG.

  11. Piezoresistivity of Resin-Impregnated Carbon Nanotube Film at High Temperatures.

    PubMed

    Li, Min; Zuo, Tianyi; Wang, Shaokai; Gu, Yizhuo; Gao, Limin; Li, Yanxia; Zhang, Zuoguang

    2018-06-13

    This paper presents the development of a continuous carbon nanotube (CNT) composite film sensor with a strain detecting range of 0-2% for structural composites. The strain-dependent resistance responses of continuous CNT film and its resin-impregnated composite films were investigated at temperatures as high as 200 °C. The results manifest that impregnation with resin leads to a much larger gauge factor than pristine film. Both the pristine and composite films show an increase in resistivity with increasing temperature. For different composite films, the ordering of gauge factors is consistent with that of the matrix moduli. This indicates that a resin matrix with higher modulus and strong interactions between CNTs/CNT bundles and the resin matrix are beneficial for enhancing the piezoresistive effect. The CNT/PAA composite film has a gauge factor of 4.3 at 150 °C, an order of magnitude higher than the metal foil sensor. Therefore, the CNT composite films have great potential for simultaneous application for reinforcement and as strain sensor to realise a multifunctional composite. © 2018 IOP Publishing Ltd.

  12. Time dependence of carbon film deposition on SnO{sub 2}/Si using DC unbalanced magnetron sputtering

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

    Alfiadi, H., E-mail: yudi@fi.itb.ac.id; Aji, A. S., E-mail: yudi@fi.itb.ac.id; Darma, Y., E-mail: yudi@fi.itb.ac.id

    Carbon deposition on SnO{sub 2} layer has been demonstrated at low temperature using DC unbalanced magnetron-sputtering technique for various time depositions. Before carbon sputtering process, SnO{sub 2} thin layer is grown on silicon substrate by thermal evaporation method using high purity Sn wire and then fully oxidizes by dry O{sub 2} at 225°C. Carbon sputtering process was carried out at pressure of 4.6×10{sup −2} Torr by keeping the substrate temperature of 300 °C for sputtering deposition time of 1 to 4 hours. The properties of SnO{sub 2}/Si structure and carbon thin film on SnO{sub 2} is characterized using SEM, EDAX,more » XRD, FTIR, and Raman Spectra. SEM images and XRD spectra show that SnO2 thin film has uniformly growth on Si substrate and affected by annealing temperature. Raman and FTIR results confirm the formation of carbon-rich thin film on SnO{sub 2}. In addition, XRD spectra indicate that some structural change occur by increasing sputtering deposition time. Furthermore, the change of atomic structure due to the thermal annealing is analized by XRD spectra and Raman spectroscopy.« less

  13. Correlation study of nanocrystalline carbon doped thin films prepared by a thermionic vacuum arc deposition technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dinca-Balan, Virginia; Vladoiu, Rodica; Mandes, Aurelia; Prodan, Gabriel

    2017-11-01

    The synthesis of Ag, Mg and Si nanocrystalline, embedded in a hydrogen-free amorphous carbon (a-C) matrix, deposited by a high vacuum and free buffer gas technique, were investigated. The films with compact structures and extremely smooth surfaces were prepared using the thermionic vacuum arc method in one electron gun configuration, on glass and silicon substrates. The surface morphology and wettability of the obtained multifunctional thin films were investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and free surface energy (FSE) by See System. The results from the TEM measurements show how the Ag, Mg and Si interacted with carbon and the influence these materials have on the thin film structure formation and the grain size distribution. SEM correlated with EDX results reveal a very precise comparative study, regarding the quantity of the elements that morphed into carbides nanostructures. Also, the FSE results prove how different materials in combination with carbon can make changes to the surface properties.

  14. Study of structural and optical properties of ZnS zigzag nanostructured thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rahchamani, Seyyed Zabihollah; Rezagholipour Dizaji, Hamid; Ehsani, Mohammad Hossein

    2015-11-01

    Zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanostructured thin films of different thicknesses with zigzag shapes have been deposited on glass substrates by glancing angle deposition (GLAD) technique. Employing a homemade accessory attached to the substrate holder enabled the authors to control the substrate temperature and substrate angle. The prepared samples were subjected to X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and UV-VIS. spectroscopy techniques. The structural studies revealed that the film deposited at room temperature crystallized in cubic structure. The FESEM images of the samples confirmed the formation of zigzag nano-columnar shape with mean diameter about 60-80 nm. By using the data obtained from optical studies, the real part of the refractive index (n), the absorption coefficient (α) and the band gap (Eg) of the samples were calculated. The results show that the refractive indices of the prepared films are very sensitive to deposition conditions.

  15. Tuning carbon nanotube assembly for flexible, strong and conductive films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Yanjie; Li, Min; Gu, Yizhuo; Zhang, Xiaohua; Wang, Shaokai; Li, Qingwen; Zhang, Zuoguang

    2015-02-01

    Carbon nanotubes are ideal scaffolds for designing and architecting flexible graphite films with tunable mechanical, electrical and thermal properties. Herein, we demonstrate that the assembly of aligned carbon nanotubes with different aggregation density and morphology leads to different mechanical properties and anisotropic electrical conduction along the films. Using drying evaporation under tension treatment, the carbon nanotubes can be assembled into strong films with tensile strength and Young's modulus as high as 3.2 GPa and 124 GPa, respectively, leading to a remarkable toughness of 54.38 J g-1, greatly outperforming conventional graphite films, spider webs and even Kevlar fiber films. Different types of solvents may result in the assembly of CNTs with different aggregation morphology and therefore different modulus. In addition, we reveal that the high density assembly of aligned CNTs correlates with better electric conduction along the axial direction, enabling these flexible graphite films to be both strong and conductive.Carbon nanotubes are ideal scaffolds for designing and architecting flexible graphite films with tunable mechanical, electrical and thermal properties. Herein, we demonstrate that the assembly of aligned carbon nanotubes with different aggregation density and morphology leads to different mechanical properties and anisotropic electrical conduction along the films. Using drying evaporation under tension treatment, the carbon nanotubes can be assembled into strong films with tensile strength and Young's modulus as high as 3.2 GPa and 124 GPa, respectively, leading to a remarkable toughness of 54.38 J g-1, greatly outperforming conventional graphite films, spider webs and even Kevlar fiber films. Different types of solvents may result in the assembly of CNTs with different aggregation morphology and therefore different modulus. In addition, we reveal that the high density assembly of aligned CNTs correlates with better electric conduction

  16. Direct observation of pitting corrosion evolutions on carbon steel surfaces at the nano-to-micro- scales.

    PubMed

    Guo, Peng; La Plante, Erika Callagon; Wang, Bu; Chen, Xin; Balonis, Magdalena; Bauchy, Mathieu; Sant, Gaurav

    2018-05-22

    The Cl - -induced corrosion of metals and alloys is of relevance to a wide range of engineered materials, structures, and systems. Because of the challenges in studying pitting corrosion in a quantitative and statistically significant manner, its kinetics remain poorly understood. Herein, by direct, nano- to micro-scale observations using vertical scanning interferometry (VSI), we examine the temporal evolution of pitting corrosion on AISI 1045 carbon steel over large surface areas in Cl - -free, and Cl - -enriched solutions. Special focus is paid to examine the nucleation and growth of pits, and the associated formation of roughened regions on steel surfaces. By statistical analysis of hundreds of individual pits, three stages of pitting corrosion, namely, induction, propagation, and saturation, are quantitatively distinguished. By quantifying the kinetics of these processes, we contextualize our current understanding of electrochemical corrosion within a framework that considers spatial dynamics and morphology evolutions. In the presence of Cl - ions, corrosion is highly accelerated due to multiple autocatalytic factors including destabilization of protective surface oxide films and preservation of aggressive microenvironments within the pits, both of which promote continued pit nucleation and growth. These findings offer new insights into predicting and modeling steel corrosion processes in mid-pH aqueous environments.

  17. Nano-focusing effect simulation of metal film with subwavelength pattern structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wei, Dong; Yu, Yue; Li, Dapeng; Wu, Yong; Xin, Zhaowei; Xie, Xingwang; Zhang, Xinyu; Wang, Haiwei; Xie, Changsheng

    2018-02-01

    Surface plasmon polarizations (SPP) is a nano-scale photon control technology which can converge the spread of oscillation electron driven by incident light. In recent years, SPP has become an advanced research hotspot and has been studied more and more widely. The convergence effect of SPP has extensive applications, such as Schottky barrier detector in which the higher power hotspot, the lower signal-to-noise ratio. In this paper, studies have been done about the interaction of light and matter. Different geometric shapes have been simulated, which were obtained by graphic clipping. Via comparing the power of the hot spot and the minimum location on the transmittance line, we concluded the relationship of the interaction and the structure. It's found that every absorption peak corresponds a mode of LSPP spread. Therefore, we can design figure to control the spread of the SPP, and achieve fantastic goal. Finally, a typical figure with high power hotspot was given.

  18. Spectral-optical-electrical-thermal properties of deposited thin films of nano-sized calcium(II)-8-hydroxy-5,7-dinitroquinolate complex.

    PubMed

    Farag, A A M; Haggag, Sawsan M S; Mahmoud, Mohamed E

    2011-11-01

    Spectral-optical-electrical-thermal properties of deposited thin films of nano-sized calcium(II)-8-hydroxy-5,7-dinitroquinolate complex, Ca[((NO(2))(2)-8HQ)(2)], were explored, studied and evaluated in this work. Thin films of Ca[((NO(2))(2)-8HQ)(2)] were assembled by using a direct, simple and efficient layer-by-layer (LBL) chemical deposition technique. The optical properties of thin films were investigated by using spectrophotometric measurements of transmittance and reflectance at normal incidence in the wavelength range 200-2500 nm. The refractive index, n, and the absorption index, k, of Ca[((NO(2))(2)-8HQ)(2)] films were determined from the measured transmittance and reflectance. The real and imaginary dielectric constants were also determined. The analysis of the spectral behavior of the absorption coefficient in the intrinsic absorption region reveals a direct allowed transition with band gaps of 1.1 eV and 2.4 eV for the optical and transport energy gaps, respectively. The current-voltage characteristics of Ca[((NO(2))(2)-8HQ)(2)] showed a trap-charge limited conduction in determining the current at the intermediate and high bias regimes. Graphical representation of the current-voltage characteristics yields three distinct linear parts indicating the existence of three conduction mechanisms. Structural characterization and identification were confirmed by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was also used to image the surface morphology of the deposited nano-sized metal complex and such study revealed a high homogeneity in surface spherical particle distribution with average particles size in the range 20-40 nm. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) was also studied for [(NO(2))(2)-8HQ] and Ca[((NO(2))(2)-8HQ)(2)] to evaluate and confirm the thermal stability characteristics incorporated into the synthesized nano-sized Ca[((NO(2))(2)-8HQ)(2)] complex. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. The photosensitivity of carbon quantum dots/CuAlO2 films composites.

    PubMed

    Pan, Jiaqi; Sheng, Yingzhuo; Zhang, Jingxiang; Wei, Jumeng; Huang, Peng; Zhang, Xin; Feng, Boxue

    2015-07-31

    Carbon quantum dots/CuAlO2 films were prepared by a simple route through which CuAlO2 films prepared by sol-gel on crystal quartz substrates were composited with carbon quantum dots on their surface. The characterization results indicated that CuAlO2 films were well combined with carbon quantum dots. The photoconductivity of carbon quantum dots/CuAlO2 films was investigated under illumination and darkness switching, and was demonstrated to be significantly enhanced compared with CuAlO2 films. Through analysis, this enhancement of photoconductivity was attributed to the carbon quantum dots with unique up-converted photoluminescence behavior.

  20. The photosensitivity of carbon quantum dots/CuAlO2 films composites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pan, Jiaqi; Sheng, Yingzhuo; Zhang, Jingxiang; Wei, Jumeng; Huang, Peng; Zhang, Xin; Feng, Boxue

    2015-07-01

    Carbon quantum dots/CuAlO2 films were prepared by a simple route through which CuAlO2 films prepared by sol-gel on crystal quartz substrates were composited with carbon quantum dots on their surface. The characterization results indicated that CuAlO2 films were well combined with carbon quantum dots. The photoconductivity of carbon quantum dots/CuAlO2 films was investigated under illumination and darkness switching, and was demonstrated to be significantly enhanced compared with CuAlO2 films. Through analysis, this enhancement of photoconductivity was attributed to the carbon quantum dots with unique up-converted photoluminescence behavior.

  1. Structural, electronic structure and antibacterial properties of graphene-oxide nano-sheets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharma, Aditya; Varshney, Mayora; Nanda, Sitansu Sekhar; Shin, Hyun Joon; Kim, Namdong; Yi, Dong Kee; Chae, Keun-Hwa; Ok Won, Sung

    2018-04-01

    Correlation between the structural/electronic structure properties and bio-activity of graphene-based materials need to be thoroughly evaluated before their commercial implementation in the health and environment precincts. To better investigate the local hybridization of sp2/sp3 orbitals of the functional groups of graphene-oxide (GO) and their execution in the antimicrobial mechanism, we exemplify the antibacterial activity of GO sheets towards the Escherichia coli bacteria (E. coli) by applying the field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) and scanning transmission X-ray microscope (STXM) techniques. C K-edge and O K-edge NEXAFS spectra have revealed lesser sp2 carbon atoms in the aromatic ring and attachment of functional oxygen groups at GO sheets. Entrapment of E. coli bacteria by GO sheets is evidenced by FESEM investigations and has also been corroborated by nano-scale imaging of bacteria using the STXM. Spectroscopy evidence of functional oxygen moieties with GO sheets and physiochemical entrapment of E. coli bacteria have assisted us to elaborate the mechanism of cellular oxidative stress-induced disruption of bacterial membrane.

  2. Tribology of carbide derived carbon films synthesized on tungsten carbide

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tlustochowicz, Marcin

    Tribologically advantageous films of carbide derived carbon (CDC) have been successfully synthesized on binderless tungsten carbide manufactured using the plasma pressure compaction (P2CRTM) technology. In order to produce the CDC films, tungsten carbide samples were reacted with chlorine containing gas mixtures at temperatures ranging from 800°C to 1000°C in a sealed tube furnace. Some of the treated samples were later dechlorinated by an 800°C hydrogenation treatment. Detailed mechanical and structural characterizations of the CDC films and sliding contact surfaces were done using a series of analytical techniques and their results were correlated with the friction and wear behavior of the CDC films in various tribosystems, including CDC-steel, CDC-WC, CDC-Si3N4 and CDC-CDC. Optimum synthesis and treatment conditions were determined for use in two specific environments: moderately humid air and dry nitrogen. It was found that CDC films first synthesized at 1000°C and then hydrogen post-treated at 800°C performed best in air with friction coefficient values as low as 0.11. However, for dry nitrogen applications, no dechlorination was necessary and both hydrogenated and as-synthesized CDC films exhibited friction coefficients of approximately 0.03. A model of tribological behavior of CDC has been proposed that takes into consideration the tribo-oxidation of counterface material, the capillary forces from adsorbed water vapor, the carbon-based tribofilm formation, and the lubrication effect of both chlorine and hydrogen.

  3. Synthesis of Diamond-Like Carbon Films on Planar and Non-Planar Geometries by the Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Noborisaka, Mayui; Hirako, Tomoaki; Shirakura, Akira; Watanabe, Toshiyuki; Morikawa, Masashi; Seki, Masaki; Suzuki, Tetsuya

    2012-09-01

    Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films were synthesized by the dielectric barrier discharge-based plasma deposition at atmospheric pressure and their hardness and gas barrier properties were measured. A decrease in size of grains and heating substrate temperature improved nano-hardness up to 3.3 GPa. The gas barrier properties of DLC-coated poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) sheets were obtained by 3-5 times of non-coated PET with approximately 0.5 µm in film thickness. The high-gas-barrier DLC films deposited on PET sheets are expected to wrap elevated bridge of the super express and prevent them from neutralization of concrete. We also deposited DLC films inside PET bottles by the microwave surface-wave plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method at near-atmospheric pressure. Under atmospheric pressure, the films were coated uniformly inside the PET bottles, but did not show high gas barrier properties. In this paper, we summarize recent progress of DLC films synthesized at atmospheric pressure with the aimed of food packaging and concrete pillar.

  4. Mechanical deformation of carbon nanotube nano-rings on flat substrate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Meng; Ke, Changhong

    2011-04-01

    We present a numerical analysis of the mechanical deformation of carbon nanotube (CNT) nano-rings on flat graphite substrates, which is motivated by our recent experimental findings on the elastic deformation of CNT nano-rings. Our analysis considers a perfectly circular CNT ring formed by bending a straight individual or bundled single-walled nanotube to connect its two ends. The seamless CNT ring is placed vertically on a flat graphite substrate and its respective deformation curvatures under zero external force, compressive, and tensile forces are determined using a continuum model based on nonlinear elastica theory. Our results show that the van der Waals interaction between the CNT ring and the substrate has profound effects on the deformation of the CNT ring, and that the interfacial binding interaction between the CNT ring and the substrate is strongly modulated by the ring deformation. Our results demonstrate that the CNT ring in force-free conditions has a flat ring segment in contact with the substrate if the ring radius R ≥√EI/2Wvdw , in which EI is the flexural rigidity of the nanotube and Wvdw is the per-unit-length van der Waals energy between the flat ring segment and the substrate. Our results reveal that the load-deformation profiles of the CNT ring under tensile loadings exhibit bifurcation behavior, which is ascribed to its van der Waals interaction with the substrate and is dependent on its relaxed conformation on the substrate. Our work suggests that CNT nano-rings are promising for a number of applications, such as ultrasensitive force sensors and stretchable and flexible structural components in nanoscale mechanical and electromechanical systems.

  5. Orientation-dependent structural and photocatalytic properties of LaCoO3 epitaxial nano-thin films

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Yan-ping; Hu, Hai-long; Xie, Rui-shi; Ma, Guo-hua; Huo, Ji-chuan; Wang, Hai-bin

    2018-01-01

    LaCoO3 epitaxial films were grown on (100), (110) and (111) oriented LaAlO3 substrates by the polymer-assisted deposition method. Crystal structure measurement and cross-section observation indicate that all the LaCoO3 films are epitaxially grown in accordance with the orientation of LaAlO3 substrates, with biaxial compressive strain in the ab plane. Owing to the different strain directions of CoO6 octahedron, the mean Co–O bond length increases by different amounts in (100), (110) and (111) oriented films compared with that of bulk LaCoO3, and the (100) oriented LaCoO3 has the largest increase. Photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange indicates that the order of photocatalytic activity of the three oriented films is (100) > (111) > (110). Combined with analysis of electronic nature and band structure for LaCoO3 films, it is found that the change of the photocatalytic activity is closely related to the crystal field splitting energy of Co3+ and Co–O binding energy. The increase in the mean Co–O bond length will decrease the crystal field splitting energy of Co3+ and Co–O binding energy and further reduce the value of band gap energy, thus improving the photocatalytic activity. This may also provide a clue for expanding the visible-light-induced photocatalytic application of LaCoO3. PMID:29515854

  6. Orientation-dependent structural and photocatalytic properties of LaCoO3 epitaxial nano-thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Yan-ping; Liu, Hai-feng; Hu, Hai-long; Xie, Rui-shi; Ma, Guo-hua; Huo, Ji-chuan; Wang, Hai-bin

    2018-02-01

    LaCoO3 epitaxial films were grown on (100), (110) and (111) oriented LaAlO3 substrates by the polymer-assisted deposition method. Crystal structure measurement and cross-section observation indicate that all the LaCoO3 films are epitaxially grown in accordance with the orientation of LaAlO3 substrates, with biaxial compressive strain in the ab plane. Owing to the different strain directions of CoO6 octahedron, the mean Co-O bond length increases by different amounts in (100), (110) and (111) oriented films compared with that of bulk LaCoO3, and the (100) oriented LaCoO3 has the largest increase. Photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange indicates that the order of photocatalytic activity of the three oriented films is (100) > (111) > (110). Combined with analysis of electronic nature and band structure for LaCoO3 films, it is found that the change of the photocatalytic activity is closely related to the crystal field splitting energy of Co3+ and Co-O binding energy. The increase in the mean Co-O bond length will decrease the crystal field splitting energy of Co3+ and Co-O binding energy and further reduce the value of band gap energy, thus improving the photocatalytic activity. This may also provide a clue for expanding the visible-light-induced photocatalytic application of LaCoO3.

  7. Orientation-dependent structural and photocatalytic properties of LaCoO3 epitaxial nano-thin films.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yan-Ping; Liu, Hai-Feng; Hu, Hai-Long; Xie, Rui-Shi; Ma, Guo-Hua; Huo, Ji-Chuan; Wang, Hai-Bin

    2018-02-01

    LaCoO 3 epitaxial films were grown on (100), (110) and (111) oriented LaAlO 3 substrates by the polymer-assisted deposition method. Crystal structure measurement and cross-section observation indicate that all the LaCoO 3 films are epitaxially grown in accordance with the orientation of LaAlO 3 substrates, with biaxial compressive strain in the ab plane. Owing to the different strain directions of CoO 6 octahedron, the mean Co-O bond length increases by different amounts in (100), (110) and (111) oriented films compared with that of bulk LaCoO 3 , and the (100) oriented LaCoO 3 has the largest increase. Photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange indicates that the order of photocatalytic activity of the three oriented films is (100) > (111) > (110). Combined with analysis of electronic nature and band structure for LaCoO 3 films, it is found that the change of the photocatalytic activity is closely related to the crystal field splitting energy of Co 3+ and Co-O binding energy. The increase in the mean Co-O bond length will decrease the crystal field splitting energy of Co 3+ and Co-O binding energy and further reduce the value of band gap energy, thus improving the photocatalytic activity. This may also provide a clue for expanding the visible-light-induced photocatalytic application of LaCoO 3 .

  8. High rate chemical vapor deposition of carbon films using fluorinated gases

    DOEpatents

    Stafford, Byron L.; Tracy, C. Edwin; Benson, David K.; Nelson, Arthur J.

    1993-01-01

    A high rate, low-temperature deposition of amorphous carbon films is produced by PE-CVD in the presence of a fluorinated or other halide gas. The deposition can be performed at less than 100.degree. C., including ambient room temperature, with a radio frequency plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition process. With less than 6.5 atomic percent fluorine incorporated into the amorphous carbon film, the characteristics of the carbon film, including index of refraction, mass density, optical clarity, and chemical resistance are within fifteen percent (15%) of those characteristics for pure amorphous carbon films, but the deposition rates are high.

  9. Hierarchical porous carbon materials prepared using nano-ZnO as a template and activation agent for ultrahigh power supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Wang, Haoran; Yu, Shukai; Xu, Bin

    2016-09-20

    Hierarchical porous carbon materials with high surface areas and a localized graphitic structure were simply prepared from sucrose using nano-ZnO as a hard template, activation agent and graphitization catalyst simultaneously, which exhibit an outstanding high-rate performance and can endure an ultrafast scan rate of 20 V s -1 and ultrahigh current density of 1000 A g -1 .

  10. Silicon based near infrared photodetector using self-assembled organic crystalline nano-pillars

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

    Ajiki, Yoshiharu, E-mail: yoshiharu-ajiki@ot.olympus.co.jp, E-mail: isao@i.u-tokyo.ac.jp; Kan, Tetsuo; Yahiro, Masayuki

    We propose a silicon (Si) based near-infrared photodetector using self-assembled organic crystalline nano-pillars, which were formed on an n-type Si substrate and were covered with an Au thin-film. These structures act as antennas for near-infrared light, resulting in an enhancement of the light absorption on the Au film. Because the Schottky junction is formed between the Au/n-type Si, the electron excited by the absorbed light can be detected as photocurrent. The optical measurement revealed that the nano-pillar structures enhanced the responsivity for the near-infrared light by 89 (14.5 mA/W) and 16 (0.433 mA/W) times compared with those of the photodetector without nano-pillarsmore » at the wavelengths of 1.2 and 1.3 μm, respectively. Moreover, no polarization dependency of the responsivity was observed, and the acceptable incident angle ranged from 0° to 30°. These broad responses were likely to be due to the organic nano-pillar structures' having variation in their orientation, which is advantageous for near-infrared detector uses.« less

  11. Carbon Nano Tube Composites with Chemically Functionalized Plant Oils

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thielemans, Wim; Wool, Richard P.; Blau, Werner; Barron, Valerie

    2003-03-01

    Carbon Nano Tube Composites with Chemically Functionalized Plant Oil Wim Thielemans, R., P. Wool, V. Barron and W. Blau Multi-Wall Carbon Nano Tubes (MWCNT) made by the Kratchmer-Huffman CCVD process were found to interact and solubilize by slow mechanical stirring, with chemically functionalized plant oils, such as acrylated, epoxidized and maleinated triglycerides (TG) derived from plant oils. The chemical functionality on the TG imparted amphiphilic properties to the oils which allows them to self-assemble on the nanotubes, promoting both dissolution and the ability to make nanocomposites with unusual properties. Once in solution, the MWCT can be processed in a variety of methods, in particular to make composites with enhanced mechanical, fracture and thermal properties. Since the tensile modulus of MWs is about 1 TPa and a vector percolation analysis indicated tensile strengths of 50-100 GPa, we obtain significantly improved properties with even small amounts (1-3the glass transition temperature of the composite by about 20 oC, and the tensile modulus by about 11significant effects on the fracture stress can be obtained due to the both the influence of the strength and length of the MWNT at the crack tip. The ability of the oils to self-assemble on the carbon nanotube surfaces also makes them ideal candidates for self-healing materials. The properties with different functionalized oils will be reported. Supported by EPA, DoE and ISF

  12. Properties of Diamond-Like Carbon Films Synthesized by Dual-Target Unbalanced Magnetron Sputtering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Cui; Li, Guo-Qing; Gou, Wei; Mu, Zong-Xin; Zhang, Cheng-Wu

    2004-11-01

    Smooth, dense and uniform diamond-like carbon films (DLC films) for industrial applications have successfully been prepared by dual-target unbalanced magnetron sputtering and the DLC characteristics of the films are confirmed by Raman spectra. It is found that the sputtering current of target plays an important role in the DLC film deposition. Deposition rate of 3.5 μm/h is obtained by using the sputtering current of 30 A. The friction coefficient of the films is 0.2-0.225 measured by using a pin-on-disc microtribometer. The structure of the films tends to have a growth of sp3 bonds content at high sputtering current. The compressive residual stress in the films increases with the increasing sputtering current of the target.

  13. Strong White Photoluminescence from Carbon-Incorporated Silicon Oxide Fabricated by Preferential Oxidation of Silicon in Nano-Structured Si:C Layer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vasin, Andriy V.; Ishikawa, Yukari; Shibata, Noriyoshi; Salonen, Jarno; Lehto, Vesa-Pekka

    2007-05-01

    A new approach to development of light-emitting SiO2:C layers on Si wafer is demonstrated. Carbon-incorporated silicon oxide was fabricated by three-step procedure: (1) formation of the porous silicon (por-Si) layer by ordinary anodization in HF:ethanol solution; (2) carbonization at 1000 °C in acetylene flow (formation of por-Si:C layer); (3) oxidation in the flow of moisturized argon at 800 °C (formation of SiO2:C layer). Resulting SiO2:C layer exhibited very strong and stable white photoluminescence at room temperature. It is shown that high reactivity of water vapor with nano-crystalline silicon and inertness with amorphous carbon play a key role in the formation of light-emitting SiO2:C layer.

  14. A near-wearless and extremely long lifetime amorphous carbon film under high vacuum

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Liping; Zhang, Renhui; Jansson, Ulf; Nedfors, Nils

    2015-01-01

    Prolonging wear life of amorphous carbon films under vacuum was an enormous challenge. In this work, we firstly reported that amorphous carbon film as a lubricant layer containing hydrogen, oxygen, fluorine and silicon (a-C:H:O:F:Si) exhibited low friction (~0.1), ultra-low wear rate (9.0 × 10–13 mm3 N–1 mm–1) and ultra-long wear life (>2 × 106 cycles) under high vacuum. We systematically examined microstructure and composition of transfer film for understanding of the underlying frictional mechanism, which suggested that the extraordinarily excellent tribological properties were attributed to the thermodynamically and structurally stable FeF2 nanocrystallites corroborated using first-principles calculations, which were induced by the tribochemical reaction. PMID:26059254

  15. Super-low friction and super-elastic hydrogenated carbon films originated from a unique fullerene-like nanostructure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Chengbing; Yang, Shengrong; Wang, Qi; Wang, Zhou; Zhang, Junyan

    2008-06-01

    Hydrogenated carbon films were grown by a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) technique using CH4 and H2 as feedstock at ambient temperature. The microstructure of the films was characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The images showed the presence of curved basal planes in fullerene-like arrangements. An apparent amorphous graphene structure with nm-sized packages of basal planes in a turbostratic feature was observed. The fabricated fullerene-like hydrogenated carbon films (FL-C:H) possess superior mechanical properties, i.e. high hardness (19 GPa) and high elasticity (elastic recovery of 85%). More importantly, the films exhibit ultra-low friction (μ = 0.009) under ambient conditions with 20% relative humidity.

  16. Super-low friction and super-elastic hydrogenated carbon films originated from a unique fullerene-like nanostructure.

    PubMed

    Wang, Chengbing; Yang, Shengrong; Wang, Qi; Wang, Zhou; Zhang, Junyan

    2008-06-04

    Hydrogenated carbon films were grown by a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) technique using CH(4) and H(2) as feedstock at ambient temperature. The microstructure of the films was characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The images showed the presence of curved basal planes in fullerene-like arrangements. An apparent amorphous graphene structure with nm-sized packages of basal planes in a turbostratic feature was observed. The fabricated fullerene-like hydrogenated carbon films (FL-C:H) possess superior mechanical properties, i.e. high hardness (19 GPa) and high elasticity (elastic recovery of 85%). More importantly, the films exhibit ultra-low friction (μ = 0.009) under ambient conditions with 20% relative humidity.

  17. Processing-Structure-Property Relationships in Laser-Annealed PbSe Nanocrystal Thin Films.

    PubMed

    Treml, Benjamin E; Robbins, Andrew B; Whitham, Kevin; Smilgies, Detlef-M; Thompson, Michael O; Hanrath, Tobias

    2015-01-01

    As nanocrystal (NC) synthesis techniques and device architectures advance, it becomes increasingly apparent that new ways of connecting NCs with each other and their external environment are required to realize their considerable potential. Enhancing inter-NC coupling by thermal annealing has been a long-standing challenge. Conventional thermal annealing approaches are limited by the challenge of annealing the NC at sufficiently high temperatures to remove surface-bound ligands while at the same time limiting the thermal budget to prevent large-scale aggregation. Here we investigate nonequilibrium laser annealing of NC thin films that enables separation of the kinetic and thermodynamic aspects of nanocrystal fusion. We show that laser annealing of NC assemblies on nano- to microsecond time scales can transform initially isolated NCs in a thin film into an interconnected structure in which proximate dots "just touch". We investigate both pulsed laser annealing and laser spike annealing and show that both annealing methods can produce "confined-but-connected" nanocrystal films. We develop a thermal transport model to rationalize the differences in resulting film morphologies. Finally we show that the insights gained from study of nanocrystal mono- and bilayers can be extended to three-dimensional NC films. The basic processing-structure-property relationships established in this work provide guidance to future advances in creating functional thin films in which constituent NCs can purposefully interact.

  18. Low energy electron irradiation induced carbon etching: Triggering carbon film reacting with oxygen from SiO{sub 2} substrate

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

    Chen, Cheng; Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060; Wang, Chao, E-mail: cwang367@szu.edu.cn, E-mail: dfdiao@szu.edu.cn

    2016-08-01

    We report low-energy (50–200 eV) electron irradiation induced etching of thin carbon films on a SiO{sub 2} substrate. The etching mechanism was interpreted that electron irradiation stimulated the dissociation of the carbon film and SiO{sub 2}, and then triggered the carbon film reacting with oxygen from the SiO{sub 2} substrate. A requirement for triggering the etching of the carbon film is that the incident electron penetrates through the whole carbon film, which is related to both irradiation energy and film thickness. This study provides a convenient electron-assisted etching with the precursor substrate, which sheds light on an efficient pathway to themore » fabrication of nanodevices and nanosurfaces.« less

  19. Method for producing fluorinated diamond-like carbon films

    DOEpatents

    Hakovirta, Marko J.; Nastasi, Michael A.; Lee, Deok-Hyung; He, Xiao-Ming

    2003-06-03

    Fluorinated, diamond-like carbon (F-DLC) films are produced by a pulsed, glow-discharge plasma immersion ion processing procedure. The pulsed, glow-discharge plasma was generated at a pressure of 1 Pa from an acetylene (C.sub.2 H.sub.2) and hexafluoroethane (C.sub.2 F.sub.6) gas mixture, and the fluorinated, diamond-like carbon films were deposited on silicon <100>substrates. The film hardness and wear resistance were found to be strongly dependent on the fluorine content incorporated into the coatings. The hardness of the F-DLC films was found to decrease considerably when the fluorine content in the coatings reached about 20%. The contact angle of water on the F-DLC coatings was found to increase with increasing film fluorine content and to saturate at a level characteristic of polytetrafluoroethylene.

  20. Catalytic graphitization behavior of phenolic resins by addition of in situ formed nano-Fe particles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rastegar, H.; Bavand-vandchali, M.; Nemati, A.; Golestani-Fard, F.

    2018-07-01

    This work presents the catalytic graphitization process of phenolic resins (PR's) by addition of in situ nano-Fe particles as catalyst. Pyrolysis treatments of prepared compositions including various contents of nano-Fe particles were carried out at 600-1200 °C for 3 h under reducing atmosphere and graphitization process were evaluated by different techniques such as X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), Simultaneous Thermal Analysis (STA) and Raman spectroscopy that mainly performed to identify the phase and microstructural analysis, oxidation resistance and extend of graphitized carbon formation. Results indicate that, in situ graphitic carbon development were already observed after firing the samples at 800 °C for 3 h under reducing atmosphere, increasing temperature and amount of nano-Fe led to a more effective graphitization level. In addition, the different nano crystalline carbon shapes such as onion and bamboo like and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were in situ identified during graphitization process of nano-Fe containing samples. It was suggested that formation of these different nano carbon structures related to nano-Fe catalyst behavior and the carbon shell growth.

  1. Prediction Model for the Carbonation of Post-Repair Materials in Carbonated RC Structures

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Hyung-Min; Lee, Han-Seung; Singh, Jitendra Kumar

    2017-01-01

    Concrete carbonation damages the passive film that surrounds reinforcement bars, resulting in their exposure to corrosion. Studies on the prediction of concrete carbonation are thus of great significance. The repair of pre-built reinforced concrete (RC) structures by methods such as remodeling was recently introduced. While many studies have been conducted on the progress of carbonation in newly constructed buildings and RC structures fitted with new repair materials, the prediction of post-repair carbonation has not been considered. In the present study, accelerated carbonation was carried out to investigate RC structures following surface layer repair, in order to determine the carbonation depth. To validate the obtained results, a second experiment was performed under the same conditions to determine the carbonation depth by the Finite Difference Method (FDM) and Finite Element Method (FEM). For the accelerated carbonation experiment, FDM and FEM analyses, produced very similar results, thus confirming that the carbonation depth in an RC structure after surface layer repair can be predicted with accuracy. The specimen repaired using inhibiting surface coating (ISC) had the highest carbonation penetration of 19.81, while this value was the lowest for the corrosion inhibiting mortar (IM) with 13.39 mm. In addition, the carbonation depth predicted by using the carbonation prediction formula after repair indicated that that the analytical and experimental values are almost identical if the initial concentration of Ca(OH)2 is assumed to be 52%. PMID:28772852

  2. Nano-Particle Enhanced Polymer Materials for Space Flight Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Criss, Jim M., Jr.; Powell, William D.; Connell, John W.; Stallworth-Bordain, Yemaya; Brown, Tracy R.; Mintz, Eric A.; Schlea, Michelle R.; Shofne, Meisha L.

    2009-01-01

    Recent advances in materials technology both in polymer chemistry and nano-materials warrant development of enhanced structures for space flight applications. This work aims to develop spacecraft structures based on polymer matrix composites (PMCs) that utilize these advancements.. Multi-wall carbon nano-tubes (MWCNTs) are expected ·to increase mechanical performance, lower coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), increase electrical conductivity (mitigate electrostatic charge), increase thermal conductivity, and reduce moisture absorption of the resultant space structures. In this work, blends of MWCNTs with PETI-330 were prepared and characterized. The nano-reinforced resins were then resin transfer molded (RTM) into composite panels using M55J carbon fabric and compared to baseline panels fabricated from a cyanate ester (RS-3) or a polyimide (PETI-330) resin containing no MWCNTs. In addition, methods of pre-loading the fabric with the MWCNTs were also investigated. The effects of the MWCNTs on the resin processing properties and on the composite end-use properties were also determined.

  3. Study of PECVD films containing flourine and carbon and diamond like carbon films for ultra low dielectric constant interlayer dielectric applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sundaram, Nandini Ganapathy

    precursors. Pre and post-anneal structural properties of the deposited thin film were studied using laser excitation of 633 nm in a Jobin Yvon Labram high-resolution micro-Raman spectrometer. The film was further characterized using AFM, FTIR, XRD, goniometry and electrical testing. Average film roughness as measured by AFM was less than 1 nm, the k-value was 2.5, and the contact angle with water was 42°. Lastly, layered dielectric films comprising of Diamond like Carbon (DLC) and Amorphous Fluorocarbon (a:C-F) were generated using three different stack configurations and subsequently evaluated. Seven unique process conditions generated promising stacks with k-values between 1.69 and 1.95. Of these, only one film exhibited very low shrinkage rates acceptable for semiconductor device processing. Annealed a:C-F films with DLC top coat are similar in bonding structure to as deposited FC films proving that DLC deposition significantly modified the bonding structure of the underlying annealed a:C-F film. Stacks comprised of a:C-F films with higher oxygen content, deposited using high FRRs exhibited both macro and microbuckling to a larger degree and extent. Film integrity was preserved by annealing the Fluorocarbon component or by providing a DLC base coat.

  4. Evaluation of dose dependent antimicrobial activity of self-assembled chitosan, nano silver and chitosan-nano silver composite against several pathogens.

    PubMed

    Tareq, Foysal Kabir; Fayzunnesa, Mst; Kabir, Md Shahariar; Nuzat, Musrat

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this investigation to preparation of silver nanoparticles organized chitosan nano polymer, which effective against microbial and pathogens, when apply to liquid medium and edible food products surface, will rescue the growth of microbes. Self-assembly approach used to synthesis of silver nanoparticles and silver nanoparticles organized chitosan nano polymer. Silver nanoparticles and silver nanoparticles organized chitosan nano polymer and film characterized using Ultra-violate visible spectrometer (UV-vis), X-ray diffraction (X-ray), and Scanning electronic microscope (SEM). The crystalline structured protein capped nano silver successfully synthesized at range of 12 nm-29 nm and organized into chitosan nano polymer. Antimicrobial ingredient in liquid medium and food product surface provide to rescue oxidative change and growth of microorganism to provide higher safety. The silver nanoparticles organized chitosan nano polymer caused the death of microorganism. The materials in nano scale synthesized successfully using self-assembly method, which showed good antimicrobial properties. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Development of an ultra-thin film comprised of a graphene membrane and carbon nanotube vein support.

    PubMed

    Lin, Xiaoyang; Liu, Peng; Wei, Yang; Li, Qunqing; Wang, Jiaping; Wu, Yang; Feng, Chen; Zhang, Lina; Fan, Shoushan; Jiang, Kaili

    2013-01-01

    Graphene, exhibiting superior mechanical, thermal, optical and electronic properties, has attracted great interest. Considering it being one-atom-thick, and the reduced mechanical strength at grain boundaries, the fabrication of large-area suspended chemical vapour deposition graphene remains a challenge. Here we report the fabrication of an ultra-thin free-standing carbon nanotube/graphene hybrid film, inspired by the vein-membrane structure found in nature. Such a square-centimetre-sized hybrid film can realize the overlaying of large-area single-layer chemical vapour deposition graphene on to a porous vein-like carbon nanotube network. The vein-membrane-like hybrid film, with graphene suspended on the carbon nanotube meshes, possesses excellent mechanical performance, optical transparency and good electrical conductivity. The ultra-thin hybrid film features an electron transparency close to 90%, which makes it an ideal gate electrode in vacuum electronics and a high-performance sample support in transmission electron microscopy.

  6. Engineered nano-magnetic iron oxide-urea-activated carbon nanolayer sorbent for potential removal of uranium (VI) from aqueous solution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mahmoud, Mohamed E.; Khalifa, Mohamed A.; El Wakeel, Yasser M.; Header, Mennatllah S.; Abdel-Fattah, Tarek M.

    2017-04-01

    A novel magnetic nanosorbent was designed using chemical grafting of nano-magnetite (Nano-Fe3O4) with nanolayer of activated carbon (AC) via urea intermediate for the formation of Nano-Fe3O4-Urea-AC. Characterizing was carried out using FT-IR, SEM, HR-TEM, TGA, point of zero charge (Pzc) and surface area analysis. The designed sorbent maintained its magnetic properties and nanosized structure in the range of 8.7-14.1 nm. The surface area was identified as 389 m2/g based on the BET method. Sorption of uranyl ions from aqueous solutions was studied and evaluated in different experimental conditions. Removal of uranyl ions increased with increasing in pH value and the maximum percentage removal was established at pH 5.0. The removal and sorption processes of uranyl ions by Nano-Fe3O4-Urea-AC sorbent were studied and optimized using the batch technique. The key variables affecting removal of uranyl ions were studied including the effect of the contact time, dosage of Nano-Fe3O4-Urea-AC sorbent, reaction temperature, initial uranyl ions concentration and interfering anions and cations.

  7. Controlled gas-liquid interfacial plasmas for synthesis of nano-bio-carbon conjugate materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaneko, Toshiro; Hatakeyama, Rikizo

    2018-01-01

    Plasmas generated in contact with a liquid have been recognized to be a novel reactive field in nano-bio-carbon conjugate creation because several new chemical reactions have been yielded at the gas-liquid interface, which were induced by the physical dynamics of non-equilibrium plasmas. One is the ion irradiation to a liquid, which caused the spatially selective dissociation of the liquid and the generation of additive reducing and oxidizing agents, resulting in the spatially controlled synthesis of nanostructures. The other is the electron irradiation to a liquid, which directly enhanced the reduction action at the plasma-liquid interface, resulting in temporally controlled nanomaterial synthesis. Using this novel reaction field, gold nanoparticles with controlled interparticle distance were synthesized using carbon nanotubes as a template. Furthermore, nanoparticle-biomolecule conjugates and nanocarbon-biomolecule conjugates were successfully synthesized by an aqueous-solution contact plasma and an electrolyte plasma, respectively, which were rapid and low-damage processes suitable for nano-bio-carbon conjugate materials.

  8. Atomistic structures of nano-engineered SiC and radiation-induced amorphization resistance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Imada, Kenta; Ishimaru, Manabu; Sato, Kazuhisa; Xue, Haizhou; Zhang, Yanwen; Shannon, Steven; Weber, William J.

    2015-10-01

    Nano-engineered 3C-SiC thin films, which possess columnar structures with high-density stacking faults and twins, were irradiated with 2 MeV Si ions at cryogenic and room temperatures. From cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy observations in combination with Monte Carlo simulations based on the Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter code, it was found that their amorphization resistance is six times greater than bulk crystalline SiC at room temperature. High-angle bright-field images taken by spherical aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy revealed that the distortion of atomic configurations is localized near the stacking faults. The resultant strain field probably contributes to the enhancement of radiation tolerance of this material.

  9. Effect of Sb on physical properties and microstructures of laser nano/amorphous-composite film

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Jia-Ning; Gong, Shui-Li; Sun, Mei; Shan, Fei-Hu; Wang, Xi-Chang; Jiang, Shuai

    2013-11-01

    A nano/amorphous-composite film was fabricated by laser cladding (LC) of the Co-Ti-B4C-Sb mixed powders on a TA15 alloy. Such film mainly consisted of Ti-Al, Co-Ti, Co-Sb intermetallics, TiC, TiB2, TiB, and the amorphous phases. Experimental results indicated that the crystal systems of TiB2 (hexagonal)/TiC (cubic) and Sb (rhombohedral) played important role on the formation of such film. Due to the mismatch of these crystals systems and mutual immiscibility of the metallic components, Sb was not incorporated in TiB2/TiC, but formed separate nuclei during the film growth. Thus, the growth of TiB2/TiC was stopped by the Sb nucleus in such LC molten pool, so as to form the nanoscale particles.

  10. Fabrication of nano-engineered transparent conducting oxides by pulsed laser deposition.

    PubMed

    Gondoni, Paolo; Ghidelli, Matteo; Di Fonzo, Fabio; Li Bassi, Andrea; Casari, Carlo S

    2013-02-27

    Nanosecond Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) in the presence of a background gas allows the deposition of metal oxides with tunable morphology, structure, density and stoichiometry by a proper control of the plasma plume expansion dynamics. Such versatility can be exploited to produce nanostructured films from compact and dense to nanoporous characterized by a hierarchical assembly of nano-sized clusters. In particular we describe the detailed methodology to fabricate two types of Al-doped ZnO (AZO) films as transparent electrodes in photovoltaic devices: 1) at low O₂ pressure, compact films with electrical conductivity and optical transparency close to the state of the art transparent conducting oxides (TCO) can be deposited at room temperature, to be compatible with thermally sensitive materials such as polymers used in organic photovoltaics (OPVs); 2) highly light scattering hierarchical structures resembling a forest of nano-trees are produced at higher pressures. Such structures show high Haze factor (>80%) and may be exploited to enhance the light trapping capability. The method here described for AZO films can be applied to other metal oxides relevant for technological applications such as TiO₂, Al₂O₃, WO₃ and Ag₄O₄.

  11. Fabrication of Nano-engineered Transparent Conducting Oxides by Pulsed Laser Deposition

    PubMed Central

    Gondoni, Paolo; Ghidelli, Matteo; Di Fonzo, Fabio; Li Bassi, Andrea; Casari, Carlo S.

    2013-01-01

    Nanosecond Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) in the presence of a background gas allows the deposition of metal oxides with tunable morphology, structure, density and stoichiometry by a proper control of the plasma plume expansion dynamics. Such versatility can be exploited to produce nanostructured films from compact and dense to nanoporous characterized by a hierarchical assembly of nano-sized clusters. In particular we describe the detailed methodology to fabricate two types of Al-doped ZnO (AZO) films as transparent electrodes in photovoltaic devices: 1) at low O2 pressure, compact films with electrical conductivity and optical transparency close to the state of the art transparent conducting oxides (TCO) can be deposited at room temperature, to be compatible with thermally sensitive materials such as polymers used in organic photovoltaics (OPVs); 2) highly light scattering hierarchical structures resembling a forest of nano-trees are produced at higher pressures. Such structures show high Haze factor (>80%) and may be exploited to enhance the light trapping capability. The method here described for AZO films can be applied to other metal oxides relevant for technological applications such as TiO2, Al2O3, WO3 and Ag4O4. PMID:23486076

  12. Fully integrated carbon nanotube composite thin film strain sensors on flexible substrates for structural health monitoring

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Burton, A. R.; Lynch, J. P.; Kurata, M.; Law, K. H.

    2017-09-01

    Multifunctional thin film materials have opened many opportunities for novel sensing strategies for structural health monitoring. While past work has established methods of optimizing multifunctional materials to exhibit sensing properties, comparatively less work has focused on their integration into fully functional sensing systems capable of being deployed in the field. This study focuses on the advancement of a scalable fabrication process for the integration of multifunctional thin films into a fully integrated sensing system. This is achieved through the development of an optimized fabrication process that can create a broad range of sensing systems using multifunctional materials. A layer-by-layer deposited multifunctional composite consisting of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) in a polyvinyl alcohol and polysodium-4-styrene sulfonate matrix are incorporated with a lithography process to produce a fully integrated sensing system deposited on a flexible substrate. To illustrate the process, a strain sensing platform consisting of a patterned SWNT-composite thin film as a strain-sensitive element within an amplified Wheatstone bridge sensing circuit is presented. Strain sensing is selected because it presents many of the design and processing challenges that are core to patterning multifunctional thin film materials into sensing systems. Strain sensors fabricated on a flexible polyimide substrate are experimentally tested under cyclic loading using standard four-point bending coupons and a partial-scale steel frame assembly under lateral loading. The study reveals the material process is highly repeatable to produce fully integrated strain sensors with linearity and sensitivity exceeding 0.99 and 5 {{V}}/{ε }, respectively. The thin film strain sensors are robust and are capable of high strain measurements beyond 3000 μ {ε }.

  13. PREFACE: International Conference on Structural Nano Composites (NANOSTRUC 2012)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Njuguna, James

    2012-09-01

    Dear Colleagues It is a great pleasure to welcome you to NanoStruc2012 at Cranfield University. The purpose of the 2012 International Conference on Structural Nano Composites (NanoStruc2012) is to promote activities in various areas of materials and structures by providing a forum for exchange of ideas, presentation of technical achievements and discussion of future directions. NanoStruc brings together an international community of experts to discuss the state-of-the-art, new research results, perspectives of future developments, and innovative applications relevant to structural materials, engineering structures, nanocomposites, modelling and simulations, and their related application areas. The conference is split in 7 panel sessions, Metallic Nanocomposites and Coatings, Silica based Nanocomposites, safty of Nanomaterials, Carboin based Nanocomposites, Multscale Modelling, Bio materials and Application of Nanomaterials. All accepted Papers will be published in the IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), and included in the NanoStruc online digital library. The abstracts will be indexed in Scopus, Compedex, Inspec, INIS (International Nuclear Information System), Chemical Abstracts, NASA Astrophysics Data System and Polymer Library. Before ending this message, I would like to acknowledge the hard work, professional skills and efficiency of the team which ensured the general organisation. As a conclusion, I would like to Welcome you to the Nanostruc2012 and wish you a stimulating Conference and a wonderful time. On behalf of the scientific committee, Signature James Njuguna Conference Chair The PDF of this preface also contains committee listings and associates logos.

  14. Temperature-Driven Structural and Morphological Evolution of Zinc Oxide Nano-Coalesced Microstructures and Its Defect-Related Photoluminescence Properties

    PubMed Central

    Lim, Karkeng; Abdul Hamid, Muhammad Azmi; Shamsudin, Roslinda; Al-Hardan, N.H.; Mansor, Ishak; Chiu, Weesiong

    2016-01-01

    In this paper, we address the synthesis of nano-coalesced microstructured zinc oxide thin films via a simple thermal evaporation process. The role of synthesis temperature on the structural, morphological, and optical properties of the prepared zinc oxide samples was deeply investigated. The obtained photoluminescence and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy outcomes will be used to discuss the surface structure defects of the prepared samples. The results indicated that the prepared samples are polycrystalline in nature, and the sample prepared at 700 °C revealed a tremendously c-axis oriented zinc oxide. The temperature-driven morphological evolution of the zinc oxide nano-coalesced microstructures was perceived, resulting in transformation of quasi-mountain chain-like to pyramidal textured zinc oxide with increasing the synthesis temperature. The results also impart that the sample prepared at 500 °C shows a higher percentage of the zinc interstitial and oxygen vacancies. Furthermore, the intensity of the photoluminescence emission in the ultraviolet region was enhanced as the heating temperature increased from 500 °C to 700 °C. Lastly, the growth mechanism of the zinc oxide nano-coalesced microstructures is discussed according to the reaction conditions. PMID:28773425

  15. Electro-optical properties of the metal oxide-carbon thin film system of CdO-LCC

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kokshina, A. V.; Smirnov, A. V.; Razina, A. G.

    2016-08-01

    This article presents the results of a study electrical and optical properties of the thin film system of CdO-LCC. Cadmium oxide films were obtained by method of thermal oxidation. CdO-LCC thin film system was produced by applying on a CdO film a linear chain carbon film in thickness of 100 nm using the ion-plasma method, after which the obtained system was annealed. The studies showed that the obtained CdO-LCC films are quite transparent in the visible region; it has polycrystalline structure, thickness around 300 nm, the band gap to 2.3 eV. The obtained thin film system has photosensitive properties.

  16. Low temperature synthesis of diamond-based nano-carbon composite materials with high electron field emission properties

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

    Saravanan, A.; Huang, B. R.; Yeh, C. J.

    2015-06-08

    A diamond-based nano-carbon composite (d/NCC) material, which contains needle-like diamond grains encased with the nano-graphite layers, was synthesized at low substrate temperature via a bias enhanced growth process using CH{sub 4}/N{sub 2} plasma. Such a unique granular structure renders the d/NCC material very conductive (σ = 714.8 S/cm), along with superior electron field emission (EFE) properties (E{sub 0} = 4.06 V/μm and J{sub e} = 3.18 mA/cm{sup 2}) and long lifetime (τ = 842 min at 2.41 mA/cm{sup 2}). Moreover, the electrical conductivity and EFE behavior of d/NCC material can be tuned in a wide range that is especially useful for different kind of applications.

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

    PubMed

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

    2014-04-22

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

  18. Functionalized carbon micro/nanostructures for biomolecular detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Penmatsa, Varun

    Advancements in the micro-and nano-scale fabrication techniques have opened up new avenues for the development of portable, scalable and easier-to-use biosensors. Over the last few years, electrodes made of carbon have been widely used as sensing units in biosensors due to their attractive physiochemical properties. The aim of this research is to investigate different strategies to develop functionalized high surface carbon micro/nano-structures for electrochemical and biosensing devices. High aspect ratio three-dimensional carbon microarrays were fabricated via carbon microelectromechanical systems (C-MEMS) technique, which is based on pyrolyzing pre-patterned organic photoresist polymers. To further increase the surface area of the carbon microstructures, surface porosity was introduced by two strategies, i.e. (i) using F127 as porogen and (ii) oxygen reactive ion etch (RIE) treatment. Electrochemical characterization showed that porous carbon thin film electrodes prepared by using F127 as porogen had an effective surface area (Aeff 185%) compared to the conventional carbon electrode. To achieve enhanced electrochemical sensitivity for C-MEMS based functional devices, graphene was conformally coated onto high aspect ratio three-dimensional (3D) carbon micropillar arrays using electrostatic spray deposition (ESD) technique. The amperometric response of graphene/carbon micropillar electrode arrays exhibited higher electrochemical activity, improved charge transfer and a linear response towards H2O2 detection between 250μM to 5.5mM. Furthermore, carbon structures with dimensions from 50 nano-to micrometer level have been fabricated by pyrolyzing photo-nanoimprint lithography patterned organic resist polymer. Microstructure, elemental composition and resistivity characterization of the carbon nanostructures produced by this process were very similar to conventional photoresist derived carbon. Surface functionalization of the carbon nanostructures was performed using

  19. Control of the Structure of Diffusion Layer in Carbon Steels Under Nitriding with Preliminary Deposition of Copper Oxide Catalytic Films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Petrova, L. G.; Aleksandrov, V. A.; Malakhov, A. Yu.

    2017-07-01

    The effect of thin films of copper oxide deposited before nitriding on the phase composition and the kinetics of growth of diffusion layers in carbon steels is considered. The process of formation of an oxide film involves chemical reduction of pure copper on the surface of steel specimens from a salt solution and subsequent oxidation under air heating. The oxide film exerts a catalytic action in nitriding of low- and medium-carbon steels, which consists in accelerated growth of the diffusion layer, the nitride zone in the first turn. The kinetics of the nitriding process and the phase composition of the layer are controlled by the thickness of the copper oxide precursor, i.e., the deposited copper film.

  20. Fabrication of a pure TiO2 thin film using a self-polymeric titania nano-sol and its properties.

    PubMed

    Park, Won-Kyu; Song, Jeong-Hwan; Kim, Soo-Ryong; Kim, Tae-Hyun; Iwasaki, Mitusnobo

    2012-02-01

    A pure TiO2 thin film without adding any organic binder was fabricated by using a self-polymeric titania nano-sol (14 mass%), which was prepared by the acid peptization method. The particle size distribution in the 14 mass% TiO2 sol, in which almost of particles had a size below 10.2 nm and the crystal phase confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis was anatase. The diluted nano-sol had a capability to form a thin film at a low temperature (100-400 degrees C) on the slide glass by dipping method. The average thickness of a coating film was measured to be about 0.25-0.30 microm. A coated film had a high refractive index over 1.88 at least irrespective of the heat-treatment even at room temperature drying and showed a super-hydrophilicity (< 5 degrees) after 20 minutes under Ultra Violet light irradiation, and it sustained in the darkness during a long period over 7 days depending on the heat-treatment conditions. Atomic Force Microscopic observation shows that the morphology of a heat-treated film had a relationship with the long-term hydrophilicity in the darkness.

  1. Tunable Encapsulation Structure of Block Copolymer Coated Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes in Aqueous Solution

    DOE PAGES

    Han, Youngkyu; Ahn, Suk-Kyun; Zhang, Zhe; ...

    2015-05-15

    The nano-sized and shape-tunable molecular building blocks can provide great opportunities for the fabrication of precisely controlled nanostructures. In this work, we have fabricated a molecular building block of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) coated by PPO-PEO-PPO block copolymers whose encapsulation structure can be controlled via temperature or addition of small molecules. The structure and optical properties of SWNT-block copolymers have been investigated by small angle neutron scattering (SANS), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The structure of the hydrated block copolymer layer surrounding SWNT can be controlled reversibly by varying temperature as well asmore » by irreversibly adding 5-methylsalicylic acid (5MS). Increasing hydrophobicity of the polymers with temperature and strong tendency of 5MS to interact with both block copolymers and orbitals of the SWNTs are likely to be responsible for the significant structural change of the block copolymer encapsulation layer, from loose corona shell to tightly encapsulating compact shell. These result shows an efficient and simple way to fabricate and manipulate carbon-based nano building blocks in aqueous systems with tunable structure.« less

  2. Engineering and Modeling Carbon Nanofiller-Based Scaffolds for Tissue Regeneration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Al Habis, Nuha Hamad

    Conductive biopolymers are starting to emerge as potential scaffolds of the future. These scaffolds exhibit some unique properties such as inherent conductivity, mechanical and surface properties. Traditionally, a conjugated polymer is used to constitute a conductive network. An alternative method currently being used is nanofillers as additives in the polymer. In this dissertation, we fabricated an intelligent scaffold for use in tissue engineering applications. The main idea was to enhance the mechanical, electrical properties and cell growth of scaffolds by using distinct types of nanofillers such as graphene, carbon nanofiber and carbon black. We identified the optimal concentrations of nano-additive in both fibrous and film scaffolds to obtain the highest mechanical and electrical properties without neglecting any of them. Lastly, we investigated the performance of these scaffold with cell biology. To accomplish these tasks, we first studied the mechanical properties of the scaffold as a function of morphology, concentration and variety of carbon nanofillers. Results showed that there was a gradual increase of the modulus and the fracture strength while using carbon black, carbon nanofiber and graphene, due to the small and strong carbon-to-carbon bonds and the length of the interlayer spacing. Moreover, regardless of the fabrication method, there was an increase in mechanical properties as the concentration of nanofillers increased until a threshold of 7 wt% was reached for the nanofiller film scaffold and 1%wt for the fibrous scaffold. Experimental results of carbon black exhibited a good agreement when compared with data obtained using numerical approaches and analytical models, especially in the case of lower carbon black fractions. Second, we examined the influence of electrical properties of nanofillers based on the concentration and the geometry of carbon nanofillers in the polymer matrix using experimental and numerical simulation approaches. The

  3. Laser Processing of Carbon Nanotube Transparent Conducting Films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mann, Andrew

    Transparent conducting films, or TCFs, are 2D electrical conductors with the ability to transmit light. Because of this, they are used in many popular electronics including smart phones, tablets, solar panels, and televisions. The most common material used as a TCF is indium tin oxide, or ITO. Although ITO has great electrical and optical characteristics, it is expensive, brittle, and difficult to pattern. These limitations have led researchers toward other materials for the next generation of displays and touch panels. The most promising material for next generation TCFs is carbon nanotubes, or CNTs. CNTs are cylindrical tubes of carbon no more than a few atoms thick. They have different electrical and optical properties depending on their atomic structure, and are extremely strong. As an electrode, they conduct electricity through an array of randomly dispersed tubes. The array is highly transparent because of gaps between the tubes, and size and optical properties of the CNTs. Many research groups have tried making CNT TCFs with opto-electric properties similar to ITO but have difficultly achieving high conductivity. This is partly attributed to impurities from fabrication and a mix of different tube types, but is mainly caused by low junction conductivity. In functionalized nanotubes, junction conductivity is impaired by covalently bonded molecules added to the sidewalls of the tubes. The addition of this molecule, known as functionalization, is designed to facilitate CNT dispersion in a solvent by adding properties of the molecule to the CNTs. While necessary for a good solution, functionalization decreases the conductivity in the CNT array by creating defects in the tube's structures and preventing direct inter-carbon bonding. This research investigates removing the functional coating (after tube deposition) by laser processing. Laser light is able to preferentially heat the CNTs because of their optical and electrical properties. Through local conduction

  4. Role of carbon nano-materials in the analysis of biological materials by laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Najam-ul-Haq, M; Rainer, M; Szabó, Z; Vallant, R; Huck, C W; Bonn, G K

    2007-03-10

    At present, carbon nano-materials are being utilized in various procedures, especially in laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry (LDI-MS) for analyzing a range of analytes, which include peptides, proteins, metabolites, and polymers. Matrix-oriented LDI-MS techniques are very well established, with weak organic acids as energy-absorbing substances. Carbon materials, such as nano-tubes and fullerenes are being successfully applied in the small-mass range, where routine matrices have strong background signals. In addition, the role of carbon nano-materials is very well established in the fractionation and purification fields. Modified diamond powder and surfaces are utilized in binding peptides and proteins from complex biological fluids and analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry (MS). Polylysine-coated diamond is used for solid-phase extraction to pre-concentrate DNA oligonucleotides. Graphite is useful for desalting, pre-concentration, and as energy-absorbing material (matrix) in desorption/ionization. Carbon nano-tubes in their different derivatized forms are used as matrix materials for the analysis of a range of analytes, such as carbohydrates, amino acids, peptides, proteins, and some environmental samples by LDI-MS. Fullerenes are modified in different ways to bind serum entities analyzed through MALDI/TOF-MS and are subsequently utilized in their identifications. In addition, the fullerenes are a promising matrix in LDI-MS, but improvements are needed.

  5. Fabrication of micro/nano-structures by electrohydrodynamic jet technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Dazhi; Zhao, Xiaojun; Lin, Yigao; Ren, Tongqun; Liang, Junsheng; Liu, Chong; Wang, Liding

    2017-12-01

    Electrohydrodynamic jet (E-Jet) is an approach to the fabrication of micro/nano-structures by the use of electrical forces. In this process, the liquid is subjected to electrical and mechanical forces to form a liquid jet, which is further disintegrated into droplets. The major advantage of the E-Jet technique is that the sizes of the jet formed can be at the nanoscale far smaller than the nozzle size, which can realize high printing resolution with less risk of nozzle blockage. The E-Jet technique, which mainly includes E-Jet deposition and E-Jet printing, has a wide range of applications in the fabrication of micro/nano-structures for micro/nano-electromechanical system devices. This technique is also considered a micro/nano-fabrication method with a great potential for commercial use. This study mainly reviews the E-Jet deposition/printing fundamentals, fabrication process, and applications.

  6. Carbon Nanotubes Blended Hydroxyapatite Ethanol Sensor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anjum, S. R.; Khairnar, R. S.

    2016-12-01

    Nano crystals of Hydroxyapatite (HAp) were synthesized by a wet chemical precipitation method. The nano composite materials were developed by doping various weight concentrations of carbon nanotubes in HAp, followed by characterization using scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Thick films of these materials were prepared by using screen printing technique. The ethanol sensing properties of these nano crystals and nano composite films were investigated by two probe electrical method. The gas sensing features such as operating temperature, response and recovery time, maximum gas detection limit, etc. were studied, since these parameters are of prime importance for sensor. The results revealed that at room temperature, the composite materials exhibited improved sensing performance towards 100 ppm ethanol with fast response times. It also showed shorter recovery time with higher vapor uptake capacity. The ethanol adsorption processes on doped and undoped substrates can be explained by surface chemical reactions as well as providing the possible adsorption models. The novelty of this work lies in developing reusable sensor substrates for room temperature sensing.

  7. Migration of carbon dioxide included micro-nano bubble water in porous media and its monitoring

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takemura, T.; Hamamoto, S.; Suzuki, K.; Koichi, O.

    2017-12-01

    The distributed CO2 storage is the small scale storage and its located near the emission areas. In the distributed CO2 storage, the CO2 is neutralized by sediment and underground water in the subsurface region (300-500m depth). Carbon dioxide (CO2) included micro-nano bubbles is one approach in neutralizing CO2 and sediments by increasing CO2 volume per unit volume of water and accelerating the chemical reaction. In order to design underground treatment for CO2 gas in the subsurface, it is required to elucidate the behavior of CO2 included micro-nano bubbles in the water. In this study, we carried out laboratory experiment using the soil tank, and measure the amount of leakage of CO2 gas at the surface. In addition, the process of migration of carbon dioxide included micro-nano bubble was monitored by the nondestructive method, wave velocity and resistivity.

  8. Tuning carbon nanotube assembly for flexible, strong and conductive films.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yanjie; Li, Min; Gu, Yizhuo; Zhang, Xiaohua; Wang, Shaokai; Li, Qingwen; Zhang, Zuoguang

    2015-02-21

    Carbon nanotubes are ideal scaffolds for designing and architecting flexible graphite films with tunable mechanical, electrical and thermal properties. Herein, we demonstrate that the assembly of aligned carbon nanotubes with different aggregation density and morphology leads to different mechanical properties and anisotropic electrical conduction along the films. Using drying evaporation under tension treatment, the carbon nanotubes can be assembled into strong films with tensile strength and Young's modulus as high as 3.2 GPa and 124 GPa, respectively, leading to a remarkable toughness of 54.38 J g(-1), greatly outperforming conventional graphite films, spider webs and even Kevlar fiber films. Different types of solvents may result in the assembly of CNTs with different aggregation morphology and therefore different modulus. In addition, we reveal that the high density assembly of aligned CNTs correlates with better electric conduction along the axial direction, enabling these flexible graphite films to be both strong and conductive.

  9. Carbon film deposition on SnO{sub 2}/Si(111) using DC unbalanced magnetron sputtering

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

    Aji, A. S.; Darma, Y.

    In this paper, carbon deposition on SnO{sub 2} layer using DC unbalanced magnetron-sputtering technique at low temperature has been systematically studied. Sputtering process were carried out at pressure of 4.6×10{sup −2} Torr by keeping the substrate temperature at 300 °C. SnO{sub 2} were growth on silicon (111) substrate using thermal evaporation and continuing with dry oxidation of Sn at 225 °C. Thermal evaporation for high purity Sn was conducted by maintain the current source as high as 40 ampere. The quality of SnO{sub 2} on Si(111) and the characteristic of carbon thin film on SnO{sub 2} were analized by meanmore » XRD, FTIR and Raman spectra. XRD analysis shows that SnO{sub 2} film is growth uniformly on Si(111). FTIR and Raman spectra confirm the formation of thin film carbon on SnO{sub 2}. Additionally, thermal annealing for some sample series have been performed to study their structural stability. The change of atomic structure due to thermal annealing were analized by Raman and XRD spectra.« less

  10. Removing PAHs from urban runoff water by combining ozonation and carbon nano-onions.

    PubMed

    Sakulthaew, Chainarong; Comfort, Steve D; Chokejaroenrat, Chanat; Li, Xu; Harris, Clifford E

    2015-12-01

    Ozone (O3) is a chemical oxidant capable of transforming polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban runoff within minutes but complete oxidation to CO2 can take days to weeks. We developed and tested a flow-through system that used ozone to quickly transform PAHs in a runoff stream and then removed the ozone-transformed PAHs via adsorption to carbon nano-onions (CNOs). To quantify the efficacy of this approach, (14)C-labeled phenanthrene and benzo(a)pyrene, as well as a mixture of 16 unlabeled PAHs were used as test compounds. These PAHs were pumped from a reservoir into a flow-through reactor that continuously ozonated the solution. Outflow from the reactor then went to a chamber that contained CNOs to adsorb the ozone-transformed PAHs and allowed clean water to pass. By adding a microbial consortium to the CNOs following adsorption, we observed that bacteria were able to degrade the adsorbed products and release more soluble, biodegradable products back into solution. Control treatments confirmed that parent PAH structures (i.e., non-ozonated) were not biologically degraded following CNO adsorption and that O3-transformed PAHs were not released from the CNOs in the absence of bacteria. These results support the combined use of ozone, carbon nano-onions with subsequent biological degradation as a means of removing PAHs from urban runoff or a commercial waste stream. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Low-cost shape-control synthesis of porous carbon film on β″-alumina ceramics for Na-based battery application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hu, Yingying; Wen, Zhaoyin; Wu, Xiangwei; Jin, Jun

    2012-12-01

    Porous carbon films with tunable pore structure to modify the β″-alumina electrolyte surface are fabricated through a low-cost and direct wet chemistry method with glucose and poly(methyl-methacrylate) (PMMA) as precursors. FTIR analysis confirms the effective connection between the carbohydrate and the pore-forming agent PMMA through hydrogen bonds. The experimental results indicate that the structural parameters of the porous carbon films, including mean pore size and film thickness, can be tuned simply by adjusting the amount of PMMA in the glucose/PMMA composite. This soft-template-assisted method could be readily extended to modify any other ceramic surfaces. The porous carbon films are demonstrated to greatly improve the wettability of the β″-alumina ceramics by molten sodium. Na/β″-alumina/Na cells are used to investigate the interfacial properties between sodium and the β″-alumina electrolyte. The results obtained at 350 °C reveal that the polarization behavior of the cell is alleviated by the porous coating. This work represents a successful method to coat ceramics with porous carbon and offers a promising solution to overcome the polarization problems of the sodium/β″-alumina interface in Na-based batteries.

  12. Graphene nano-devices and nano-composites for structural, thermal and sensing applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yavari, Fazel

    In this dissertation we have developed graphene-based nano-devices for applications in integrated circuits and gas sensors; as well as graphene-based nano-composites for applications in structures and thermal management. First, we have studied the bandgap of graphene for semiconductor applications. Graphene as a zero-bandgap material cannot be used in the semiconductor industry unless an effective method is developed to open the bandgap in this material. We have demonstrated that a bandgap of 0.206 eV can be opened in graphene by adsorption of water vapor molecules on its surface. Water molecules break the molecular symmetries of graphene resulting in a significant bandgap opening. We also illustrate that the lack of bandgap in graphene can be used to our advantage by making sensors that are able to detect low concentrations of gas molecules mixed in air. We have shown that 1-2 layers of graphene synthesized by chemical vapor deposition enables detection of trace amounts of NO 2 and NH3 in air at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The gas species are detected by monitoring changes in electrical resistance of the graphene film due to gas adsorption. The sensor response time is inversely proportional to the gas concentration. Heating the film expels chemisorbed molecules from the graphene surface enabling reversible operation. The detection limits of ~100 parts-per-billion (ppb) for NO2 and ~500 ppb for NH3 obtained using this device are markedly superior to commercially available NO2 and NH3 detectors. This sensor is fabricated using individual graphene sheets that are exquisitely sensitive to the chemical environment. However, the fabrication and operation of devices that use individual nanostructures for sensing is complex, expensive and suffers from poor reliability due to contamination and large variability from sample-to-sample. To overcome these problems we have developed a gas sensor based on a porous 3D network of graphene sheets called graphene foam

  13. Thermal conductivity of ultrathin nano-crystalline diamond films determined by Raman thermography assisted by silicon nanowires

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anaya, Julian; Rossi, Stefano; Alomari, Mohammed; Kohn, Erhard; Tóth, Lajos; Pécz, Béla; Kuball, Martin

    2015-06-01

    The thermal transport in polycrystalline diamond films near its nucleation region is still not well understood. Here, a steady-state technique to determine the thermal transport within the nano-crystalline diamond present at their nucleation site has been demonstrated. Taking advantage of silicon nanowires as surface temperature nano-sensors, and using Raman Thermography, the in-plane and cross-plane components of the thermal conductivity of ultra-thin diamond layers and their thermal barrier to the Si substrate were determined. Both components of the thermal conductivity of the nano-crystalline diamond were found to be well below the values of polycrystalline bulk diamond, with a cross-plane thermal conductivity larger than the in-plane thermal conductivity. Also a depth dependence of the lateral thermal conductivity through the diamond layer was determined. The results impact the design and integration of diamond for thermal management of AlGaN/GaN high power transistors and also show the usefulness of the nanowires as accurate nano-thermometers.

  14. Magnetism of Amorphous and Nano-Crystallized Dc-Sputter-Deposited MgO Thin Films

    PubMed Central

    Mahadeva, Sreekanth K.; Fan, Jincheng; Biswas, Anis; Sreelatha, K.S.; Belova, Lyubov; Rao, K.V.

    2013-01-01

    We report a systematic study of room-temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM) in pristine MgO thin films in their amorphous and nano-crystalline states. The as deposited dc-sputtered films of pristine MgO on Si substrates using a metallic Mg target in an O2 containing working gas atmosphere of (N2 + O2) are found to be X-ray amorphous. All these films obtained with oxygen partial pressure (PO2) ~10% to 80% while maintaining the same total pressure of the working gas are found to be ferromagnetic at room temperature. The room temperature saturation magnetization (MS) value of 2.68 emu/cm3 obtained for the MgO film deposited in PO2 of 10% increases to 9.62 emu/cm3 for film deposited at PO2 of 40%. However, the MS values decrease steadily for further increase of oxygen partial pressure during deposition. On thermal annealing at temperatures in the range 600 to 800 °C, the films become nanocrystalline and as the crystallite size grows with longer annealing times and higher temperature, MS decreases. Our study clearly points out that it is possible to tailor the magnetic properties of thin films of MgO. The room temperature ferromagnetism in MgO films is attributed to the presence of Mg cation vacancies. PMID:28348346

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2013-10-01

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

  16. The fabrication of PLGA microvessel scaffolds with nano-patterned inner walls.

    PubMed

    Wang, Gou-Jen; Lin, Yan-Cheng; Hsu, Shan-Hui

    2010-10-01

    Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) is one of the most commonly used biodegradable, biocompatible materials. Nanostructured PLGA has immense potential for application in tissue engineering. In this article we discuss a novel approach for the fabrication of PLGA microvessel scaffolds with nanostructured inner walls. In this novel nano-patterning approach, the thermal reflow technique is first adapted to fabricate a semi-cylindrical photoresist master mold. A thin film of titanium and a thin film of aluminum are sputtered in sequence on the semi-cylindrical microvessel network. Aluminum foil anodization is then executed to transform the aluminum thin film into a porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) film. During the casting process a PLGA solution is cast on the AAO film to build up semi-cylindrical PLGA microstructures with nanostructured inner walls after which inductive coupled plasma (ICP) is implemented to assist bonding of the two PLGA structures. The result is the building of a network of microchannels with nano-patterned inner walls. Bovine endothelial cells (BECs) are carefully cultured in the scaffold via semi-dynamic seeding for 7 days. Observations show that the BECs grew more separately in a nano-patterned microvessel scaffold than they did in a smooth surface scaffold.

  17. Study of the Emission Characteristics of Single-Walled CNT and Carbon Nano-Fiber Pyrograf III

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mousa, Marwan S.; Al-Akhras, M.-Ali H.; Daradkeh, Samer

    2018-02-01

    Field emission microscopy measurements from Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs) and Carbon Nano-Fibers Pyrograf III PR-1 (CNF) were performed. Details of the materials employed in the experiments are as follows: (a) Carbon Nano-Fibers Pyrograf III PR-1 (CNF), having an average fiber diameter that is ranging between (100-200) nm with a length of (30-100) μm. (b) Single walled Carbon Nanotubes were produced by high-pressure CO over Fe particle (HiPCO: High-Pressure Carbon Monoxide process), having an average diameter ranging between (1-4) nm with a length of (1-3) μm. The experiments were performed under vacuum pressure value of (10-7 mbar). The research work reported here includes the field electron emission current-voltage (I-V) characteristics and presented as Fowler-Nordheim (FN) plots and the spatial emission current distributions (electron emission images) obtained and analyzed in terms of electron source features. For both the SWCNT and the CNF a single spot pattern for the electron spatial; distributions were observed.

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

    PubMed Central

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

    2018-01-01

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

  19. Flame Retardant Effect of Nano Fillers on Polydimethylsiloxane Composites.

    PubMed

    Jagdale, Pravin; Salimpour, Samera; Islam, Md Hujjatul; Cuttica, Fabio; Hernandez, Francisco C Robles; Tagliaferro, Alberto; Frache, Alberto

    2018-02-01

    Polydimethylsiloxane has exceptional fire retardancy characteristics, which make it a popular polymer in flame retardancy applications. Flame retardancy of polydimethylsiloxane with different nano fillers was studied. Polydimethylsiloxane composite fire property varies because of the shape, size, density, and chemical nature of nano fillers. In house made carbon and bismuth oxide nano fillers were used in polydimethylsiloxane composite. Carbon from biochar (carbonised bamboo) and a carbon by-product (carbon soot) were selected. For comparative study of nano fillers, standard commercial multiwall carbon nano tubes (functionalised, graphitised and pristine) as nano fillers were selected. Nano fillers in polydimethylsiloxane positively affects their fire retardant properties such as total smoke release, peak heat release rate, and time to ignition. Charring and surface ceramization are the main reasons for such improvement. Nano fillers in polydimethylsiloxane may affect the thermal mobility of polymer chains, which can directly affect the time to ignition. The study concludes that the addition of pristine multiwall carbon nano tubes and bismuth oxide nano particles as filler in polydimethylsiloxane composite improves the fire retardant property.

  20. Transparent sunlight conversion film based on carboxymethyl cellulose and carbon dots.

    PubMed

    You, Yaqin; Zhang, Haoran; Liu, Yingliang; Lei, Bingfu

    2016-10-20

    Transparent sunlight conversion film based on carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and carbon dots (CDs) has been developed for the first time through dispersion of CDs in CMC aqueous solution. Due to the hydrogen bonds interaction, CMC can effectively absorb the CDs, whose surfaces are functionalized by lots of polar groups. The results from atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirm that the composite film possesses a homogeneous and compact structure. Besides, the CMC matrix neither competes for absorbing excitation light nor absorbs the emissions of CDs, which reserves the inherent optical properties of the individual CDs. The composite films can efficiently convert ultraviolet light to blue light. What's more, the film is transparent and possesses excellent mechanical properties, expected to apply in the field of agricultural planting for sunlight conversion. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.