Sample records for nanocrystalline diamond ncd

  1. Rapid Growth of Nanocrystalline Diamond on Single Crystal Diamond for Studies on Materials under Extreme Conditions

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

    Moore, Samuel L.; Samudrala, Gopi K.; Catledge, Shane A.

    Early stage nucleation morphologies of spatially localized nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) micro-anvils grown on (100)-oriented single crystal diamond (SCD) anvil surfaces were analyzed and investigated for applications in high pressure studies on materials. NCD was grown on SCD using Microwave Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition (MPCVD) for brief time intervals ranging from 1-15 minutes. Early stage film morphologies were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy and were compared to films grown for several hours. Rapid nucleation and growth of NCD on SCD is demonstrated without any pre-growth seeding of the substrate surface. As grown NCD diamond micro-anvils on SCDmore » were used to generate static pressure of 0.5 Terapascal (TPa) on a tungsten sample as measured by synchrotron x-ray diffraction in a diamond anvil cell. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis after decompression from ultrahigh pressures showed that the detachment of the NCD stage occurred in the bulk of the SCD and not at the interface, suggesting significant adhesive bond strength between nanocrystalline and single crystal diamond.« less

  2. Rapid Growth of Nanocrystalline Diamond on Single Crystal Diamond for Studies on Materials under Extreme Conditions

    DOE PAGES

    Moore, Samuel L.; Samudrala, Gopi K.; Catledge, Shane A.; ...

    2018-01-23

    Early stage nucleation morphologies of spatially localized nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) micro-anvils grown on (100)-oriented single crystal diamond (SCD) anvil surfaces were analyzed and investigated for applications in high pressure studies on materials. NCD was grown on SCD using Microwave Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition (MPCVD) for brief time intervals ranging from 1-15 minutes. Early stage film morphologies were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy and were compared to films grown for several hours. Rapid nucleation and growth of NCD on SCD is demonstrated without any pre-growth seeding of the substrate surface. As grown NCD diamond micro-anvils on SCDmore » were used to generate static pressure of 0.5 Terapascal (TPa) on a tungsten sample as measured by synchrotron x-ray diffraction in a diamond anvil cell. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis after decompression from ultrahigh pressures showed that the detachment of the NCD stage occurred in the bulk of the SCD and not at the interface, suggesting significant adhesive bond strength between nanocrystalline and single crystal diamond.« less

  3. Improvement of diamond-like carbon electrochemical corrosion resistance by addition of nanocrystalline diamond.

    PubMed

    Marciano, F R; Almeida, E C; Bonetti, L F; Corat, E J; Trava-Airoldi, V J

    2010-02-15

    Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) particles were incorporated into diamond-like carbon (DLC) films in order to investigate NCD-DLC electrochemical corrosion resistance. The films were grown over 304 stainless steel using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. NCD particles were incorporated into DLC during the deposition process. The investigation of NCD-DLC electrochemical corrosion behavior was performed using potentiodynamic polarization against NaCl. NCD-DLC films presented more negative corrosion potential and lower anodic and cathodic current densities. The electrochemical analysis indicated that NCD-DLC films present superior impedance and polarization resistance compared to the pure DLC, which indicate that they are promising corrosion protective coatings in aggressive solutions. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Nanocrystalline diamond micro-anvil grown on single crystal diamond as a generator of ultra-high pressures

    DOE PAGES

    Samudrala, Gopi K.; Moore, Samuel L.; Velisavljevic, Nenad; ...

    2016-09-29

    By combining mask-less lithography and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques, a novel two-stage diamond anvil has been fabricated. A nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) micro-anvil 30 μm in diameter was grown at the center of a [100]-oriented, diamond anvil by utilizing microwave plasma CVD method. The NCD micro-anvil has a diamond grain size of 115 nm and micro-focused Raman and X-ray Photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicate sp3-bonded diamond content of 72%. Lastly, these CVD grown NCD micro-anvils were tested in an opposed anvil configuration and the transition metals osmium and tungsten were compressed to high pressures of 264 GPa in a diamond anvilmore » cell.« less

  5. Biological evaluation of ultrananocrystalline and nanocrystalline diamond coatings.

    PubMed

    Skoog, Shelby A; Kumar, Girish; Zheng, Jiwen; Sumant, Anirudha V; Goering, Peter L; Narayan, Roger J

    2016-12-01

    Nanostructured biomaterials have been investigated for achieving desirable tissue-material interactions in medical implants. Ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) and nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) coatings are the two most studied classes of synthetic diamond coatings; these materials are grown using chemical vapor deposition and are classified based on their nanostructure, grain size, and sp 3 content. UNCD and NCD are mechanically robust, chemically inert, biocompatible, and wear resistant, making them ideal implant coatings. UNCD and NCD have been recently investigated for ophthalmic, cardiovascular, dental, and orthopaedic device applications. The aim of this study was (a) to evaluate the in vitro biocompatibility of UNCD and NCD coatings and (b) to determine if variations in surface topography and sp 3 content affect cellular response. Diamond coatings with various nanoscale topographies (grain sizes 5-400 nm) were deposited on silicon substrates using microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy revealed uniform coatings with different scales of surface topography; Raman spectroscopy confirmed the presence of carbon bonding typical of diamond coatings. Cell viability, proliferation, and morphology responses of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) to UNCD and NCD surfaces were evaluated. The hBMSCs on UNCD and NCD coatings exhibited similar cell viability, proliferation, and morphology as those on the control material, tissue culture polystyrene. No significant differences in cellular response were observed on UNCD and NCD coatings with different nanoscale topographies. Our data shows that both UNCD and NCD coatings demonstrate in vitro biocompatibility irrespective of surface topography.

  6. Micro and nanocrystalline diamond formation on reticulated vitreous carbon substrate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Diniz, A. V.; Trava-Airoldi, V. J.; Corat, E. J.; Ferreira, N. G.

    2005-10-01

    High diamond nucleation and a three-dimensional growth on reticulated vitreous carbon substrate are obtained by chemical vapor deposition. Scanning electron microscopy images show continuous films covering the whole substrate including the center of 3.5 mm thick porous samples. It is evident the nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) film formation on deeper substrate regions. The grain size can vary from nano to micro scale for deposition time of 20 h. Raman spectra of sample regions closer to filaments exhibit well-defined diamond line. For central regions of sample (depth between 1.0 and 2.0 mm) Raman spectra also confirm NCD film.

  7. Benzene oxidation at diamond electrodes: comparison of microcrystalline and nanocrystalline diamonds.

    PubMed

    Pleskov, Yu V; Krotova, M D; Elkin, V V; Varnin, V P; Teremetskaya, I G; Saveliev, A V; Ralchenko, V G

    2012-08-27

    A comparative study of benzene oxidation at boron-doped diamond (BDD) and nitrogenated nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) anodes in 0.5 M K(2)SO(4) aqueous solution is conducted by using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. It is shown by measurements of differential capacitance and anodic current that during the benzene oxidation at the BDD electrode, adsorption of a reaction intermediate occurs, which partially blocks the electrode surface and lowers the anodic current. At the NCD electrode, benzene is oxidized concurrently with oxygen evolution, a (quinoid) intermediate being adsorbed at the electrode. The adsorption and the electrode surface blocking are reflected in the impedance-frequency and impedance-potential complex-plane plots. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. The pressure sensitivity of wrinkled B-doped nanocrystalline diamond membranes

    PubMed Central

    Drijkoningen, S.; Janssens, S. D.; Pobedinskas, P.; Koizumi, S.; Van Bael, M. K.; Haenen, K.

    2016-01-01

    Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) membranes are promising candidates for use as sensitive pressure sensors. NCD membranes are able to withstand harsh conditions and are easily fabricated on glass. In this study the sensitivity of heavily boron doped NCD (B:NCD) pressure sensors is evaluated with respect to different types of supporting glass substrates, doping levels and membrane sizes. Higher pressure sensing sensitivities are obtained for membranes on Corning Eagle 2000 glass, which have a better match in thermal expansion coefficient with diamond compared to those on Schott AF45 glass. In addition, it is shown that larger and more heavily doped membranes are more sensitive. After fabrication of the membranes, the stress in the B:NCD films is released by the emergence of wrinkles. A better match between the thermal expansion coefficient of the NCD layer and the underlying substrate results in less stress and a smaller amount of wrinkles as confirmed by Raman spectroscopy and 3D surface imaging. PMID:27767048

  9. Multilayered micro/nanocrystalline CVD diamond coatings for biotribology =

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Salgueiredo, Ermelinda da Conceicao Portela

    In the present work multilayered micro/nanocrystalline (MCD/NCD) diamond coatings were developed by Hot Filament Chemical Vapour Deposition (HFCVD). The aim was to minimize the surface roughness with a top NCD layer, to maximize adhesion onto the Si3N4 ceramic substrates with a starting MCD coating and to improve the mechanical resistance by the presence of MCD/NCD interfaces in these composite coatings. This set of features assures high wear resistance and low friction coefficients which, combined to diamond biocompatibility, set this material as ideal for biotribological applications. The deposition parameters of MCD were optimized using the Taguchi method, and two varieties of NCD were used: NCD-1, grown in a methane rich gas phase, and NCD-2 where a third gas, Argon, was added to the gas mixture. The best combination of surface pre-treatments in the Si3N4 substrates is obtained by polishing the substrates with a 15 mum diamond slurry, further dry etching with CF4 plasma for 10 minutes and final ultrasonic seeding in a diamond powder suspension in ethanol for 1 hour. The interfaces of the multilayered CVD diamond films were characterized with high detail using HRTEM, STEM-EDX and EELS. The results show that at the transition from MCD to NCD a thin precursor graphitic film is formed. On the contrary, the transition of the NCD to MCD grade is free of carbon structures other than diamond, as a result of the richer atomic hydrogen content and of the higher substrate temperature for MCD deposition. At those transitions, WC nanoparticles were found due to contamination from the filament, being also present at the first interface of the MCD layer with the silicon nitride substrate. In order to study the adhesion and mechanical resistance of the diamond coatings, indentation and particle jet blasting tests were conducted, as well as tribological experiments with homologous pairs. Indentation tests proved the superior behaviour of the multilayered coatings that attained

  10. Impact of differently modified nanocrystalline diamond on the growth of neuroblastoma cells.

    PubMed

    Vaitkuviene, Aida; McDonald, Matthew; Vahidpour, Farnoosh; Noben, Jean-Paul; Sanen, Kathleen; Ameloot, Marcel; Ratautaite, Vilma; Kaseta, Vytautas; Biziuleviciene, Gene; Ramanaviciene, Almira; Nesladek, Milos; Ramanavicius, Arunas

    2015-01-25

    The aim of this study was to assess the impact of nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) thin coatings on neural cell adhesion and proliferation. NCD was fabricated on fused silica substrates by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) method. Different surface terminations were performed through exposure to reactive hydrogen and by UV induced oxidation during ozone treatment. Boron doped NCD coatings were also prepared and investigated. NCD surface wettability was determined by contact angle measurement. To assess biocompatibility of the NCD coatings, the neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line was used. Cells were plated directly onto diamond surfaces and cultured in medium with or without fetal bovine serum (FBS), in order to evaluate the ability of cells to adhere and to proliferate. The obtained results showed that these cells adhered and proliferated better on NCD surfaces than on the bare fused silica. The cell proliferation on NCD in medium with and without FBS after 48h from plating was on average, respectively, 20 and 58% higher than that on fused silica, irrespective of NCD surface modification. Our results showed that the hydrogenated, oxygenated and boron-doped NCD coatings can be used for biomedical purposes, especially where good optical transparency is required. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. 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.

  12. Design and investigation of properties of nanocrystalline diamond optical planar waveguides.

    PubMed

    Prajzler, Vaclav; Varga, Marian; Nekvindova, Pavla; Remes, Zdenek; Kromka, Alexander

    2013-04-08

    Diamond thin films have remarkable properties comparable with natural diamond. Because of these properties it is a very promising material for many various applications (sensors, heat sink, optical mirrors, chemical and radiation wear, cold cathodes, tissue engineering, etc.) In this paper we report about design, deposition and measurement of properties of optical planar waveguides fabricated from nanocrystalline diamond thin films. The nanocrystalline diamond planar waveguide was deposited by microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition and the structure of the deposited film was studied by scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The design of the presented planar waveguides was realized on the bases of modified dispersion equation and was schemed for 632.8 nm, 964 nm, 1 310 nm and 1 550 nm wavelengths. Waveguiding properties were examined by prism coupling technique and it was found that the diamond based planar optical element guided one fundamental mode for all measured wavelengths. Values of the refractive indices of our NCD thin film measured at various wavelengths were almost the same as those of natural diamond.

  13. Functionalization of nanocrystalline diamond films with phthalocyanines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Petkov, Christo; Reintanz, Philipp M.; Kulisch, Wilhelm; Degenhardt, Anna Katharina; Weidner, Tobias; Baio, Joe E.; Merz, Rolf; Kopnarski, Michael; Siemeling, Ulrich; Reithmaier, Johann Peter; Popov, Cyril

    2016-08-01

    Phthalocyanine (Pc) derivatives containing different central metal atoms (Mn, Cu, Ti) and different peripheral chains were synthesized and comprehensively characterized. Their interaction with nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films, as-grown by hot-filament chemical vapor deposition or after their modification with oxygen plasma to exchange the hydrogen termination with oxygen-containing groups, was studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. The elemental composition as determined by XPS showed that the Pc were grafted on both as-grown and O-terminated NCD. Mn, Cu and Ti were detected together with N stemming from the Pc ring and S in case of the Ti-Pc from the peripheral ligands. The results for the elemental surface composition and the detailed study of the N 1s, S 2p and O 1s core spectra revealed that Ti-Pc grafted better on as-grown NCD but Cu-Pc and Mn-Pc on O-terminated films. Samples of Mn-Pc on as-grown and O-terminated NCD were further investigated by NEXAFS spectroscopy. The results showed ordering of the grafted molecules, laying flat on the H-terminated NCD surface while only the macrocycles were oriented parallel to the O-terminated surface with the peripheral chains perpendicular to it.

  14. Effect of sputtered titanium interlayers on the properties of nanocrystalline diamond films

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

    Li, Cuiping, E-mail: licp226@126.com, E-mail: limingji@163.com; Li, Mingji, E-mail: licp226@126.com, E-mail: limingji@163.com; Wu, Xiaoguo

    2016-04-07

    Ti interlayers with different thicknesses were sputtered on Si substrates and then ultrasonically seeded in a diamond powder suspension. Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films were deposited using a dc arc plasma jet chemical vapor deposition system on the seeded Ti/Si substrates. Atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy tests showed that the roughness of the prepared Ti interlayer increased with increasing thickness. The effects of Ti interlayers with various thicknesses on the properties of NCD films were investigated. The results show nucleation, growth, and microstructure of the NCD films are strongly influenced by the Ti interlayers. The addition of a Timore » interlayer between the Si substrate and the NCD films can significantly enhance the nucleation rate and reduce the surface roughness of the NCD. The NCD film on a 120 nm Ti interlayer possesses the fastest nucleation rate and the smoothest surface. Raman spectra of the NCD films show trans-polyacetylene relevant peaks reduce with increasing Ti interlayer thickness, which can owe to the improvement of crystalline at grain boundaries. Furthermore, nanoindentation measurement results show that the NCD film on a 120 nm Ti interlayer displays a higher hardness and elastic modulus. High resolution transmission electron microscopy images of a cross-section show that C atoms diffuse into the Ti layer and Si substrate and form TiC and SiC hard phases, which can explain the enhancement of mechanical properties of NCD.« less

  15. Microarray of neuroblastoma cells on the selectively functionalized nanocrystalline diamond thin film surface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Park, Young-Sang; Son, Hyeong-Guk; Kim, Dae-Hoon; Oh, Hong-Gi; Lee, Da-Som; Kim, Min-Hye; Lim, Ki-Moo; Song, Kwang-Soup

    2016-01-01

    Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) film surfaces were modified with fluorine or oxygen by plasma treatment in an O2 or C3F8 gas environment in order to induce wettability. The oxygenated-NCD (O-NCD) film surface was hydrophilic and the fluorinated-NCD (F-NCD) surface was hydrophobic. The efficiency of early cell adhesion, which is dependent on the wettability of the cell culture plate and necessary for the growth and proliferation of cells, was 89.62 ± 3.92% on the O-NCD film and 7.78 ± 0.77% on the F-NCD film surface after 3 h of cell culture. The wettability of the NCD film surface was artificially modified using a metal mask and plasma treatment to fabricate a micro-pattern. Four types of micro-patterns were fabricated (line, circle, mesh, and word) on the NCD film surface. We precisely arrayed the neuroblastoma cells on the micro-patterned NCD film surfaces by controlling the surface wettability and cell seeding density. The neuroblastoma cells adhered and proliferated along the O-NCD film surface.

  16. Aptamer-Based Carboxyl-Terminated Nanocrystalline Diamond Sensing Arrays for Adenosine Triphosphate Detection

    PubMed Central

    Suaebah, Evi; Naramura, Takuro; Myodo, Miho; Hasegawa, Masataka; Shoji, Shuichi; Buendia, Jorge J.; Kawarada, Hiroshi

    2017-01-01

    Here, we propose simple diamond functionalization by carboxyl termination for adenosine triphosphate (ATP) detection by an aptamer. The high-sensitivity label-free aptamer sensor for ATP detection was fabricated on nanocrystalline diamond (NCD). Carboxyl termination of the NCD surface by vacuum ultraviolet excimer laser and fluorine termination of the background region as a passivated layer were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Single strand DNA (amide modification) was used as the supporting biomolecule to immobilize into the diamond surface via carboxyl termination and become a double strand with aptamer. ATP detection by aptamer was observed as a 66% fluorescence signal intensity decrease of the hybridization intensity signal. The sensor operation was also investigated by the field-effect characteristics. The shift of the drain current–drain voltage characteristics was used as the indicator for detection of ATP. From the field-effect characteristics, the shift of the drain current–drain voltage was observed in the negative direction. The negative charge direction shows that the aptamer is capable of detecting ATP. The ability of the sensor to detect ATP was investigated by fabricating a field-effect transistor on the modified NCD surface. PMID:28753998

  17. Aptamer-Based Carboxyl-Terminated Nanocrystalline Diamond Sensing Arrays for Adenosine Triphosphate Detection.

    PubMed

    Suaebah, Evi; Naramura, Takuro; Myodo, Miho; Hasegawa, Masataka; Shoji, Shuichi; Buendia, Jorge J; Kawarada, Hiroshi

    2017-07-21

    Here, we propose simple diamond functionalization by carboxyl termination for adenosine triphosphate (ATP) detection by an aptamer. The high-sensitivity label-free aptamer sensor for ATP detection was fabricated on nanocrystalline diamond (NCD). Carboxyl termination of the NCD surface by vacuum ultraviolet excimer laser and fluorine termination of the background region as a passivated layer were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Single strand DNA (amide modification) was used as the supporting biomolecule to immobilize into the diamond surface via carboxyl termination and become a double strand with aptamer. ATP detection by aptamer was observed as a 66% fluorescence signal intensity decrease of the hybridization intensity signal. The sensor operation was also investigated by the field-effect characteristics. The shift of the drain current-drain voltage characteristics was used as the indicator for detection of ATP. From the field-effect characteristics, the shift of the drain current-drain voltage was observed in the negative direction. The negative charge direction shows that the aptamer is capable of detecting ATP. The ability of the sensor to detect ATP was investigated by fabricating a field-effect transistor on the modified NCD surface.

  18. Strategy towards independent electrical stimulation from cochlear implants: Guided auditory neuron growth on topographically modified nanocrystalline diamond.

    PubMed

    Cai, Yixiao; Edin, Fredrik; Jin, Zhe; Alexsson, Andrei; Gudjonsson, Olafur; Liu, Wei; Rask-Andersen, Helge; Karlsson, Mikael; Li, Hao

    2016-02-01

    Cochlear implants (CI) have been used for several decades to treat patients with profound hearing loss. Nevertheless, results vary between individuals, and fine hearing is generally poor due to the lack of discrete neural stimulation from the individual receptor hair cells. A major problem is the deliverance of independent stimulation signals to individual auditory neurons. Fine hearing requires significantly more stimulation contacts with intimate neuron/electrode interphases from ordered axonal re-growth, something current CI technology cannot provide. Here, we demonstrate the potential application of micro-textured nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) surfaces on CI electrode arrays. Such textured NCD surfaces consist of micrometer-sized nail-head-shaped pillars (size 5×5μm(2)) made with sequences of micro/nano-fabrication processes, including sputtering, photolithography and plasma etching. The results show that human and murine inner-ear ganglion neurites and, potentially, neural progenitor cells can attach to patterned NCD surfaces without an extracellular matrix coating. Microscopic methods revealed adhesion and neural growth, specifically along the nail-head-shaped NCD pillars in an ordered manner, rather than in non-textured areas. This pattern was established when the inter-NCD pillar distance varied between 4 and 9μm. The findings demonstrate that regenerating auditory neurons show a strong affinity to the NCD pillars, and the technique could be used for neural guidance and the creation of new neural networks. Together with the NCD's unique anti-bacterial and electrical properties, patterned NCD surfaces could provide designed neural/electrode interfaces to create independent electrical stimulation signals in CI electrode arrays for the neural population. Cochlear implant is currently a successful way to treat sensorineural hearing loss and deafness especially in children. Although clinically successful, patients' fine hearing cannot be completely restored

  19. Controlling electrostatic charging of nanocrystalline diamond at nanoscale.

    PubMed

    Verveniotis, Elisseos; Kromka, Alexander; Rezek, Bohuslav

    2013-06-11

    Constant electrical current in the range of -1 to -200 pA is applied by an atomic force microscope (AFM) in contact mode regime to induce and study local electrostatic charging of oxygen-terminated nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) thin films. The NCD films are deposited on silicon in 70 nm thickness and with 60% relative sp(2) phase content. Charging current is monitored by conductive AFM. Electric potential contrast induced by the current is evaluated by Kelvin force microscopy (KFM). KFM shows well-defined, homogeneous, and reproducible microscopic patterns that are not influenced by inherent tip-surface junction fluctuations during the charging process. The charged patterns are persistent for at least 72 h due to charge trapping inside the NCD film. The current-induced charging also clearly reveals field-induced detrapping at current amplitudes >-50 pA and tip instability at >-150 pA, both of which limit the achievable potential contrast. In addition, we show that the field also determines the range of electronic states that can trap the charge. We present a model and discuss implications for control of the nanoscale charging process.

  20. Formation of nanocrystalline diamond in polymer like carbon films deposited by plasma CVD.

    PubMed

    Bhaduri, A; Chaudhuri, P

    2009-09-01

    Conventional plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) method is generally not suitable for the growth of nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films. However, our study shows that conditions favourable for powder formation help to grow large amount of nanocrystallites in conventional PECVD. With CH4 as the carbon source gas, dilution with Ar and moderate (50 W) rf power enhances formations of powders (nanoparticles) and C2 dimers within the plasma. On the other hand, with pure CH4 or with hydrogen diluted CH4, powder formation as also NCD growth is hindered. It is proposed that the nanoparticles formed in the plasma act as the "islands" while the C2 dimers are the "seeds" for the NCD growth. The structure of the films deposited on the grounded anode under different conditions of dilution has been studied. It is observed that with high Ar dilution the films contain NCD embedded in polymer like carbon (PLC) matrix.

  1. Boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond microelectrode arrays monitor cardiac action potentials.

    PubMed

    Maybeck, Vanessa; Edgington, Robert; Bongrain, Alexandre; Welch, Joseph O; Scorsone, Emanuel; Bergonzo, Philippe; Jackman, Richard B; Offenhäusser, Andreas

    2014-02-01

    The expansion of diamond-based electronics in the area of biological interfacing has not been as thoroughly explored as applications in electrochemical sensing. However, the biocompatibility of diamond, large safe electrochemical window, stability, and tunable electronic properties provide opportunities to develop new devices for interfacing with electrogenic cells. Here, the fabrication of microelectrode arrays (MEAs) with boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond (BNCD) electrodes and their interfacing with cardiomyocyte-like HL-1 cells to detect cardiac action potentials are presented. A nonreductive means of structuring doped and undoped diamond on the same substrate is shown. The resulting BNCD electrodes show high stability under mechanical stress generated by the cells. It is shown that by fabricating the entire surface of the MEA with NCD, in patterns of conductive doped, and isolating undoped regions, signal detection may be improved up to four-fold over BNCD electrodes passivated with traditional isolators. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. Nanocrystalline diamond protects Zr cladding surface against oxygen and hydrogen uptake: Nuclear fuel durability enhancement.

    PubMed

    Škarohlíd, Jan; Ashcheulov, Petr; Škoda, Radek; Taylor, Andrew; Čtvrtlík, Radim; Tomáštík, Jan; Fendrych, František; Kopeček, Jaromír; Cháb, Vladimír; Cichoň, Stanislav; Sajdl, Petr; Macák, Jan; Xu, Peng; Partezana, Jonna M; Lorinčík, Jan; Prehradná, Jana; Steinbrück, Martin; Kratochvílová, Irena

    2017-07-25

    In this work, we demonstrate and describe an effective method of protecting zirconium fuel cladding against oxygen and hydrogen uptake at both accident and working temperatures in water-cooled nuclear reactor environments. Zr alloy samples were coated with nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) layers of different thicknesses, grown in a microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus. In addition to showing that such an NCD layer prevents the Zr alloy from directly interacting with water, we show that carbon released from the NCD film enters the underlying Zr material and changes its properties, such that uptake of oxygen and hydrogen is significantly decreased. After 100-170 days of exposure to hot water at 360 °C, the oxidation of the NCD-coated Zr plates was typically decreased by 40%. Protective NCD layers may prolong the lifetime of nuclear cladding and consequently enhance nuclear fuel burnup. NCD may also serve as a passive element for nuclear safety. NCD-coated ZIRLO claddings have been selected as a candidate for Accident Tolerant Fuel in commercially operated reactors in 2020.

  3. Nanocrystalline diamond sensor targeted for selective CRP detection: an ATR-FTIR spectroscopy study.

    PubMed

    Andersson, Per Ola; Viberg, Pernilla; Forsberg, Pontus; Nikolajeff, Fredrik; Österlund, Lars; Karlsson, Mikael

    2016-05-01

    Protein immobilization on functionalized fluorine-terminated nanocrystalline (NCD) films was studied by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy using an immobilization protocol developed to specifically bind C-reactive protein (CRP). Using an ATR-FTIR spectroscopy method employing a force-controlled anvil-type configuration, three critical steps of the ex situ CRP immobilization were analyzed. First, the NCD surface was passivated by deposition of a copolymer layer consisting of polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide. Second, a synthetic modified polypeptide binder with high affinity to CRP was covalently attached to the polymeric film. Third, CRP dissolved in aqueous buffer in concentrations of 10-20 μg/mL was added on the functionalized NCD surface. Both the amide I and II bands, due to the polypeptide binder and CRP, were clearly observed in ATR-FTIR spectra. CRP amide I bands were extracted from difference spectra and yielded bands that agreed well with the reported amide I band of free (non-bonded) CRP in solution. Thus, our results show that CRP retains its secondary structure when it is attached to the polypeptide binders. Compared to previous IR studies of CRP in solution, about 200 times lower concentration was applied in the present study. Graphical Abstract Direct non-destructive ATR-FTIR analysis of C-reactive protein (CRP) selectively bound to functionalized nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) sensor surface.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2016-07-01

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

  5. Role of high microwave power on growth and microstructure of thick nanocrystalline diamond films: A comparison with large grain polycrystalline diamond films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tang, C. J.; Fernandes, A. J. S.; Girão, A. V.; Pereira, S.; Shi, Fa-Nian; Soares, M. R.; Costa, F.; Neves, A. J.; Pinto, J. L.

    2014-03-01

    In this work, we study the growth habit of nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films by exploring the very high power regime, up to 4 kW, in a 5 kW microwave plasma chemical vapour deposition (MPCVD) reactor, through addition of a small amount of nitrogen and oxygen (0.24%) into 4% CH4 in H2 plasma. The coupled effect of high microwave power and substrate temperature on NCD growth behaviour is systematically investigated by varying only power, while fixing the remaining operating parameters. When the power increases from 2 kW to 4 kW, resulting also in rise of the Si substrate temperature higher than 150 °C, the diamond films obtained maintain the NCD habit, while the growth rate increases significantly. The highest growth rate of 4.6 μm/h is achieved for the film grown at 4 kW, which represents a growth rate enhancement of about 15 times compared with that obtained when using 2 kW power. Possible factors responsible for such remarkable growth rate enhancement of the NCD films are discussed. The evolution of NCD growth characteristics such as morphology, microstructure and texture is studied by growing thick films and comparing it with that of large grain polycrystalline (PCD) films. One important characteristic of the NCD films obtained, in contrast to PCD films, is that irrespective of deposition time (i.e. film thickness), their grain size and surface roughness remain in the nanometer range throughout the growth. Finally, based on our present and previous experimental results, a potential parameter window is established for fast growth of NCD films under high power conditions.

  6. Ultrathin Nanocrystalline Diamond Films with Silicon Vacancy Color Centers via Seeding by 2 nm Detonation Nanodiamonds.

    PubMed

    Stehlik, Stepan; Varga, Marian; Stenclova, Pavla; Ondic, Lukas; Ledinsky, Martin; Pangrac, Jiri; Vanek, Ondrej; Lipov, Jan; Kromka, Alexander; Rezek, Bohuslav

    2017-11-08

    Color centers in diamonds have shown excellent potential for applications in quantum information processing, photonics, and biology. Here we report chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth of nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films as thin as 5-6 nm with photoluminescence (PL) from silicon-vacancy (SiV) centers at 739 nm. Instead of conventional 4-6 nm detonation nanodiamonds (DNDs), we prepared and employed hydrogenated 2 nm DNDs (zeta potential = +36 mV) to form extremely dense (∼1.3 × 10 13 cm -2 ), thin (2 ± 1 nm), and smooth (RMS roughness < 0.8 nm) nucleation layers on an Si/SiO x substrate, which enabled the CVD growth of such ultrathin NCD films in two different and complementary microwave (MW) CVD systems: (i) focused MW plasma with an ellipsoidal cavity resonator and (ii) pulsed MW plasma with a linear antenna arrangement. Analytical ultracentrifuge, infrared and Raman spectroscopies, atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy are used for detailed characterization of the 2 nm H-DNDs and the nucleation layer as well as the ultrathin NCD films. We also demonstrate on/off switching of the SiV center PL in the NCD films thinner than 10 nm, which is achieved by changing their surface chemistry.

  7. Osteoblast adhesion, migration, and proliferation variations on chemically patterned nanocrystalline diamond films evaluated by live-cell imaging.

    PubMed

    Broz, Antonin; Ukraintsev, Egor; Kromka, Alexander; Rezek, Bohuslav; Hubalek Kalbacova, Marie

    2017-05-01

    Cell fate modulation by adapting the surface of a biocompatible material is nowadays a challenge in implantology, tissue engineering as well as in construction of biosensors. Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) thin films are considered promising in these fields due to their extraordinary physical and chemical properties and diverse ways in which they can be modified structurally and chemically. The initial cell distribution, the rate of cell adhesion, distance of cell migration and also the cell proliferation are influenced by the NCD surface termination. Here, we use real-time live-cell imaging to investigate the above-mentioned processes on oxidized NCD (NCD-O) and hydrogenated NCD (NCD-H) to elucidate cell preference to the NCD-O especially on surfaces with microscopic surface termination patterns. Cells adhere more slowly and migrate farther on NCD-H than on NCD-O. Cells seeded with a fetal bovine serum (FBS) supplement in the medium move across the surface prior to adhesion. In the absence of FBS, the cells adhere immediately, but still exhibit different migration and proliferation on NCD-O/H regions. We discuss the impact of these effects on the formation of cell arrays on micropatterned NCD. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 1469-1478, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. A novel procedure to obtain nanocrystalline diamond/porous silicon composite by chemical vapor deposition/infiltration processes.

    PubMed

    Miranda, C R B; Azevedo, A F; Baldan, M R; Beloto, A F; Ferreira, N G

    2009-06-01

    Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films were formed on porous silicon (PS) substrate by Chemical Vapor Deposition/Infiltration (CVD/CVI) process using a hot filament reactor. This innovative procedure is determinant to grow a controlled three-dimensional diamond structure with diamond grains formation in the pores, covering uniformly the different growth planes. In this CVI process, a piece of reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) was used, under de PS substrate, as an additional solid source of hydrocarbon that ensures the production of pertinent carbon growth species directly on PS and into its pores. PS substrates were obtained by anodization etching process of n-type silicon wafer in a hydrofluoric acid (HF) solution containing acetonitrile (CH3CN) which result in an uniform and well controlled porous distribution and size when compared with the usual ethanol solution. Depositions were performed using Ar-H2-CH4 where the methane concentration varied from 0 up to 1.0 vol%, to analyze the influence of RVC use as an additional carbon source on growth mechanism. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Field Emission Gun (FEG) were used to investigate PS and NCD film morphology. SEM images of NCD showed faceted nanograins with average size from 5 to 16 nm and uniform surface texture covering all the supports among the pores resulting in an apparent micro honeycomb structure. Raman spectra confirmed the existence of sp2-bonded carbon at the grain boundaries. The spectra showed a peak that may be deconvoluted in two components at 1332 cm(-1) (diamond) and 1345 cm(-1) (D band). Two shoulders at 1150 and 1490 cm(-1) also appear and are assigned to transpolyacetylene (TPA) segments at the grain boundaries of NCD surfaces. In addition, X-ray diffraction analyses of all films presented characteristic diamond diffraction peaks corresponding to (111), (220) and (311).

  9. Osteogenic cell differentiation on H-terminated and O-terminated nanocrystalline diamond films

    PubMed Central

    Liskova, Jana; Babchenko, Oleg; Varga, Marian; Kromka, Alexander; Hadraba, Daniel; Svindrych, Zdenek; Burdikova, Zuzana; Bacakova, Lucie

    2015-01-01

    Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films are promising materials for bone implant coatings because of their biocompatibility, chemical resistance, and mechanical hardness. Moreover, NCD wettability can be tailored by grafting specific atoms. The NCD films used in this study were grown on silicon substrates by microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and grafted by hydrogen atoms (H-termination) or oxygen atoms (O-termination). Human osteoblast-like Saos-2 cells were used for biological studies on H-terminated and O-terminated NCD films. The adhesion, growth, and subsequent differentiation of the osteoblasts on NCD films were examined, and the extracellular matrix production and composition were quantified. The osteoblasts that had been cultivated on the O-terminated NCD films exhibited a higher growth rate than those grown on the H-terminated NCD films. The mature collagen fibers were detected in Saos-2 cells on both the H-terminated and O-terminated NCD films; however, the quantity of total collagen in the extracellular matrix was higher on the O-terminated NCD films, as were the amounts of calcium deposition and alkaline phosphatase activity. Nevertheless, the expression of genes for osteogenic markers – type I collagen, alkaline phosphatase, and osteocalcin – was either comparable on the H-terminated and O-terminated films or even lower on the O-terminated films. In conclusion, the higher wettability of the O-terminated NCD films is promising for adhesion and growth of osteoblasts. In addition, the O-terminated surface also seems to support the deposition of extracellular matrix proteins and extracellular matrix mineralization, and this is promising for better osteoconductivity of potential bone implant coatings. PMID:25670900

  10. Characterisation of capacitive field-effect sensors with a nanocrystalline-diamond film as transducer material for multi-parameter sensing.

    PubMed

    Abouzar, M H; Poghossian, A; Razavi, A; Williams, O A; Bijnens, N; Wagner, P; Schöning, M J

    2009-01-01

    The feasibility of a capacitive field-effect EDIS (electrolyte-diamond-insulator-semiconductor) platform for multi-parameter sensing is demonstrated by realising EDIS sensors with an O-terminated nanocrystalline-diamond (NCD) film as transducer material for the detection of pH and penicillin concentration as well as for the label-free electrical monitoring of adsorption and binding of charged macromolecules, like polyelectrolytes. The NCD films were grown on p-Si-SiO(2) substrates by microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition. To obtain O-terminated surfaces, the NCD films were treated in an oxidising medium. The NCD-based field-effect sensors have been characterised by means of constant-capacitance method. The average pH sensitivity of the O-terminated NCD film was 40 mV/pH. A low detection limit of 5 microM and a high penicillin G sensitivity of 65-70 mV/decade has been obtained for an EDIS penicillin biosensor with the adsorptively immobilised enzyme penicillinase. Alternating potential changes, having tendency to decrease with increasing the number of adsorbed polyelectrolyte layers, have been observed after the layer-by-layer deposition of polyelectrolyte multilayers, using positively charged PAH (poly (allylamine hydrochloride)) and a negatively charged PSS (poly (sodium 4-styrene sulfonate)) as a model system. The response mechanism of the developed EDIS sensors is discussed.

  11. Electrochemical decolorization of dye wastewater by surface-activated boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond electrode.

    PubMed

    Chen, Chienhung; Nurhayati, Ervin; Juang, Yaju; Huang, Chihpin

    2016-07-01

    Complex organics contained in dye wastewater are difficult to degrade and often require electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOPs) to treat it. Surface activation of the electrode used in such treatment is an important factor determining the success of the process. The performance of boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond (BD-NCD) film electrode for decolorization of Acid Yellow (AY-36) azo dye with respect to the surface activation by electrochemical polarization was studied. Anodic polarization found to be more suitable as electrode pretreatment compared to cathodic one. After anodic polarization, the originally H-terminated surface of BD-NCD was changed into O-terminated, making it more hydrophilic. Due to the oxidation of surface functional groups and some portion of sp(2) carbon in the BD-NCD film during anodic polarization, the electrode was successfully being activated showing lower background current, wider potential window and considerably less surface activity compared to the non-polarized one. Consequently, electrooxidation (EO) capability of the anodically-polarized BD-NCD to degrade AY-36 dye was significantly enhanced, capable of nearly total decolorization and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal even after several times of re-using. The BD-NCD film electrode favored acidic condition for the dye degradation; and the presence of chloride ion in the solution was found to be more advantageous than sulfate active species. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  12. Self-composite comprised of nanocrystalline diamond and a non-diamond component useful for thermoelectric applications

    DOEpatents

    Gruen, Dieter M.

    2012-09-04

    One provides nanocrystalline diamond material that comprises a plurality of substantially ordered diamond crystallites that are sized no larger than about 10 nanometers. One then disposes a non-diamond component within the nanocrystalline diamond material. By one approach this non-diamond component comprises an electrical conductor that is formed at the grain boundaries that separate the diamond crystallites from one another. The resultant nanowire is then able to exhibit a desired increase with respect to its ability to conduct electricity while also preserving the thermal conductivity behavior of the nanocrystalline diamond material.

  13. Self-composite comprised of nanocrystalline diamond and a non-diamond component useful for thermoelectric applications

    DOEpatents

    Gruen, Dieter M [Downers Grove, IL

    2009-08-11

    One provides nanocrystalline diamond material that comprises a plurality of substantially ordered diamond crystallites that are sized no larger than about 10 nanometers. One then disposes a non-diamond component within the nanocrystalline diamond material. By one approach this non-diamond component comprises an electrical conductor that is formed at the grain boundaries that separate the diamond crystallites from one another. The resultant nanowire is then able to exhibit a desired increase with respect to its ability to conduct electricity while also preserving the thermal conductivity behavior of the nanocrystalline diamond material.

  14. Low-stress doped ultrananocrystalline diamond

    DOEpatents

    Sumant, Anirudha V.; Buja, Federico; van Spengen, Willem Merlijn

    2016-10-25

    Nanocrystalline diamond coatings exhibit stress in nano/micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS). Doped nanocrstalline diamond coatings exhibit increased stress. A carbide forming metal coating reduces the in-plane stress. In addition, without any metal coating, simply growing UNCD or NCD with thickness in the range of 3-4 micron also reduces in-plane stress significantly. Such coatings can be used in MEMS applications.

  15. The activation energy for nanocrystalline diamond films deposited from an Ar/H2/CH4 hot-filament reactor.

    PubMed

    Barbosa, D C; Melo, L L; Trava-Airoldi, V J; Corat, E J

    2009-06-01

    In this work we have investigated the effect of substrate temperature on the growth rate and properties of nanocrystalline diamond thin films deposited by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD). Mixtures of 0.5 vol% CH4 and 25 vol% H2 balanced with Ar at a pressure of 50 Torr and typical deposition time of 12 h. We present the measurement of the activation energy by accurately controlling the substrate temperature independently of other CVD parameters. Growth rates have been measured in the temperature range from 550 to 800 degrees C. Characterization techniques have involved Raman spectroscopy, high resolution X-ray difractometry and scanning electron microscopy. We also present a comparison with most activation energy for micro and nanocrystalline diamond determinations in the literature and propose that there is a common trend in most observations. The result obtained can be an evidence that the growth mechanism of NCD in HFCVD reactors is very similar to MCD growth.

  16. Distinctive glial and neuronal interfacing on nanocrystalline diamond.

    PubMed

    Bendali, Amel; Agnès, Charles; Meffert, Simone; Forster, Valérie; Bongrain, Alexandre; Arnault, Jean-Charles; Sahel, José-Alain; Offenhäusser, Andreas; Bergonzo, Philippe; Picaud, Serge

    2014-01-01

    Direct electrode/neuron interfacing is a key challenge to achieve high resolution of neuronal stimulation required for visual prostheses. Neuronal interfacing on biomaterials commonly requires the presence of glial cells and/or protein coating. Nanocrystalline diamond is a highly mechanically stable biomaterial with a remarkably large potential window for the electrical stimulation of tissues. Using adult retinal cell cultures from rats, we found that glial cells and retinal neurons grew equally well on glass and nanocrystalline diamond. The use of a protein coating increased cell survival, particularly for glial cells. However, bipolar neurons appeared to grow even in direct contact with bare diamond. We investigated whether the presence of glial cells contributed to this direct neuron/diamond interface, by using purified adult retinal ganglion cells to seed diamond and glass surfaces with and without protein coatings. Surprisingly, these fully differentiated spiking neurons survived better on nanocrystalline diamond without any protein coating. This greater survival was indicated by larger cell numbers and the presence of longer neurites. When a protein pattern was drawn on diamond, neurons did not grow preferentially on the coated area, by contrast to their behavior on a patterned glass. This study highlights the interesting biocompatibility properties of nanocrystalline diamond, allowing direct neuronal interfacing, whereas a protein coating was required for glial cell growth.

  17. Distinctive Glial and Neuronal Interfacing on Nanocrystalline Diamond

    PubMed Central

    Bendali, Amel; Agnès, Charles; Meffert, Simone; Forster, Valérie; Bongrain, Alexandre; Arnault, Jean-Charles; Sahel, José-Alain; Offenhäusser, Andreas; Bergonzo, Philippe; Picaud, Serge

    2014-01-01

    Direct electrode/neuron interfacing is a key challenge to achieve high resolution of neuronal stimulation required for visual prostheses. Neuronal interfacing on biomaterials commonly requires the presence of glial cells and/or protein coating. Nanocrystalline diamond is a highly mechanically stable biomaterial with a remarkably large potential window for the electrical stimulation of tissues. Using adult retinal cell cultures from rats, we found that glial cells and retinal neurons grew equally well on glass and nanocrystalline diamond. The use of a protein coating increased cell survival, particularly for glial cells. However, bipolar neurons appeared to grow even in direct contact with bare diamond. We investigated whether the presence of glial cells contributed to this direct neuron/diamond interface, by using purified adult retinal ganglion cells to seed diamond and glass surfaces with and without protein coatings. Surprisingly, these fully differentiated spiking neurons survived better on nanocrystalline diamond without any protein coating. This greater survival was indicated by larger cell numbers and the presence of longer neurites. When a protein pattern was drawn on diamond, neurons did not grow preferentially on the coated area, by contrast to their behavior on a patterned glass. This study highlights the interesting biocompatibility properties of nanocrystalline diamond, allowing direct neuronal interfacing, whereas a protein coating was required for glial cell growth. PMID:24664111

  18. Direct Coating of Nanocrystalline Diamond on Steel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tsugawa, Kazuo; Kawaki, Shyunsuke; Ishihara, Masatou; Hasegawa, Masataka

    2012-09-01

    Nanocrystalline diamond films have been successfully deposited on stainless steel substrates without any substrate pretreatments to promote diamond nucleation, including the formation of interlayers. A low-temperature growth technique, 400 °C or lower, in microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition using a surface-wave plasma has cleared up problems in diamond growth on ferrous materials, such as the surface graphitization, long incubation time, substrate softening, and poor adhesion. The deposited nanocrystalline diamond films on stainless steel exhibit good adhesion and tribological properties, such as a high wear resistance, a low friction coefficient, and a low aggression strength, at room temperature in air without lubrication.

  19. The High performance of nanocrystalline CVD diamond coated hip joints in wear simulator test.

    PubMed

    Maru, M M; Amaral, M; Rodrigues, S P; Santos, R; Gouvea, C P; Archanjo, B S; Trommer, R M; Oliveira, F J; Silva, R F; Achete, C A

    2015-09-01

    The superior biotribological performance of nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) coatings grown by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method was already shown to demonstrate high wear resistance in ball on plate experiments under physiological liquid lubrication. However, tests with a close-to-real approach were missing and this constitutes the aim of the present work. Hip joint wear simulator tests were performed with cups and heads made of silicon nitride coated with NCD of ~10 μm in thickness. Five million testing cycles (Mc) were run, which represent nearly five years of hip joint implant activity in a patient. For the wear analysis, gravimetry, profilometry, scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy techniques were used. After 0.5 Mc of wear test, truncation of the protruded regions of the NCD film happened as a result of a fine-scale abrasive wear mechanism, evolving to extensive plateau regions and highly polished surface condition (Ra<10nm). Such surface modification took place without any catastrophic features as cracking, grain pullouts or delamination of the coatings. A steady state volumetric wear rate of 0.02 mm(3)/Mc, equivalent to a linear wear of 0.27 μm/Mc favorably compares with the best performance reported in the literature for the fourth generation alumina ceramic (0.05 mm(3)/Mc). Also, squeaking, quite common phenomenon in hard-on-hard systems, was absent in the present all-NCD system. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Diamond-coated ATR prism for infrared absorption spectroscopy of surface-modified diamond nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Remes, Z.; Kozak, H.; Rezek, B.; Ukraintsev, E.; Babchenko, O.; Kromka, A.; Girard, H. A.; Arnault, J.-C.; Bergonzo, P.

    2013-04-01

    Linear antenna microwave chemical vapor deposition process was used to homogeneously coat a 7 cm long silicon prism by 85 nm thin nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) layer. To show the advantages of the NCD-coated prism for attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) of nanoparticles, we apply diamond nanoparticles (DNPs) of 5 nm nominal size with various surface modifications by a drop-casting of their methanol dispersions. ATR-FTIR spectra of as-received, air-annealed, plasma-oxidized, and plasma-hydrogenated DNPs were measured in the 4000-1500 cm-1 spectral range. The spectra show high spectral resolution, high sensitivity to specific DNP surface moieties, and repeatability. The NCD coating provides mechanical protection against scratching and chemical stability of the surface. Moreover, unlike on bare Si surface, NCD hydrophilic properties enable optically homogeneous coverage by DNPs with some aggregation on submicron scale as evidenced by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Compared to transmission FTIR regime with KBr pellets, direct and uniform deposition of DNPs on NCD-ATR prism significantly simplifies and speeds up the analysis (from days to minutes). We discuss prospects for in situ monitoring of surface modifications and molecular grafting.

  1. Growth and tribological properties of diamond films on silicon and tungsten carbide substrates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Radhika, R.; Ramachandra Rao, M. S.

    2016-11-01

    Hot filament chemical vapor deposition technique was used to deposit microcrystalline diamond (MCD) and nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films on silicon (Si) and tungsten carbide (WC-6Co) substrates. Friction coefficient of larger diamond grains deposited on WC-6Co substrate shows less value approximately 0.2 while this differs marginally on films grown on Si substrate. The study claims that for a less friction coefficient, the grain size is not necessarily smaller. However, the less friction coefficient (less than 0.1 saturated value) in MCD and NCD deposited on Si is explained by the formation of graphitized tribolayer. This layer easily forms when diamond phase is thermodynamically unstable.

  2. Enhanced growth and osteogenic differentiation of human osteoblast-like cells on boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond thin films.

    PubMed

    Grausova, Lubica; Kromka, Alexander; Burdikova, Zuzana; Eckhardt, Adam; Rezek, Bohuslav; Vacik, Jiri; Haenen, Ken; Lisa, Vera; Bacakova, Lucie

    2011-01-01

    Intrinsic nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films have been proven to be promising substrates for the adhesion, growth and osteogenic differentiation of bone-derived cells. To understand the role of various degrees of doping (semiconducting to metallic-like), the NCD films were deposited on silicon substrates by a microwave plasma-enhanced CVD process and their boron doping was achieved by adding trimethylboron to the CH(4):H(2) gas mixture, the B∶C ratio was 133, 1000 and 6700 ppm. The room temperature electrical resistivity of the films decreased from >10 MΩ (undoped films) to 55 kΩ, 0.6 kΩ, and 0.3 kΩ (doped films with 133, 1000 and 6700 ppm of B, respectively). The increase in the number of human osteoblast-like MG 63 cells in 7-day-old cultures on NCD films was most apparent on the NCD films doped with 133 and 1000 ppm of B (153,000 ± 14,000 and 152,000 ± 10,000 cells/cm(2), respectively, compared to 113,000 ± 10,000 cells/cm(2) on undoped NCD films). As measured by ELISA per mg of total protein, the cells on NCD with 133 and 1000 ppm of B also contained the highest concentrations of collagen I and alkaline phosphatase, respectively. On the NCD films with 6700 ppm of B, the cells contained the highest concentration of focal adhesion protein vinculin, and the highest amount of collagen I was adsorbed. The concentration of osteocalcin also increased with increasing level of B doping. The cell viability on all tested NCD films was almost 100%. Measurements of the concentration of ICAM-1, i.e. an immunoglobuline adhesion molecule binding inflammatory cells, suggested that the cells on the NCD films did not undergo significant immune activation. Thus, the potential of NCD films for bone tissue regeneration can be further enhanced and tailored by B doping and that B doping up to metallic-like levels is not detrimental for cells.

  3. Enhanced Growth and Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Osteoblast-Like Cells on Boron-Doped Nanocrystalline Diamond Thin Films

    PubMed Central

    Grausova, Lubica; Kromka, Alexander; Burdikova, Zuzana; Eckhardt, Adam; Rezek, Bohuslav; Vacik, Jiri; Haenen, Ken; Lisa, Vera; Bacakova, Lucie

    2011-01-01

    Intrinsic nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films have been proven to be promising substrates for the adhesion, growth and osteogenic differentiation of bone-derived cells. To understand the role of various degrees of doping (semiconducting to metallic-like), the NCD films were deposited on silicon substrates by a microwave plasma-enhanced CVD process and their boron doping was achieved by adding trimethylboron to the CH4:H2 gas mixture, the B∶C ratio was 133, 1000 and 6700 ppm. The room temperature electrical resistivity of the films decreased from >10 MΩ (undoped films) to 55 kΩ, 0.6 kΩ, and 0.3 kΩ (doped films with 133, 1000 and 6700 ppm of B, respectively). The increase in the number of human osteoblast-like MG 63 cells in 7-day-old cultures on NCD films was most apparent on the NCD films doped with 133 and 1000 ppm of B (153,000±14,000 and 152,000±10,000 cells/cm2, respectively, compared to 113,000±10,000 cells/cm2 on undoped NCD films). As measured by ELISA per mg of total protein, the cells on NCD with 133 and 1000 ppm of B also contained the highest concentrations of collagen I and alkaline phosphatase, respectively. On the NCD films with 6700 ppm of B, the cells contained the highest concentration of focal adhesion protein vinculin, and the highest amount of collagen I was adsorbed. The concentration of osteocalcin also increased with increasing level of B doping. The cell viability on all tested NCD films was almost 100%. Measurements of the concentration of ICAM-1, i.e. an immunoglobuline adhesion molecule binding inflammatory cells, suggested that the cells on the NCD films did not undergo significant immune activation. Thus, the potential of NCD films for bone tissue regeneration can be further enhanced and tailored by B doping and that B doping up to metallic-like levels is not detrimental for cells. PMID:21695172

  4. The impact of diamond nanocrystallinity on osteoblast functions.

    PubMed

    Yang, Lei; Sheldon, Brian W; Webster, Thomas J

    2009-07-01

    Nanocrystalline diamond has been proposed as an anti-abrasive film on orthopedic implants. In this study, osteoblast (bone forming cells) functions including adhesion (up to 4h), proliferation (up to 5 days) and differentiation (up to 21 days) on different diamond film topographies were systematically investigated. In order to exclude interferences from changes in surface chemistry and wettability (energy), diamond films with nanometer and micron scale topographies were fabricated through microwave plasma enhanced chemical-vapor-deposition and hydrogen plasma treatment. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy and water contact angle measurements verified the similar surface chemistry and wettability but varied topographies for all of the diamond films prepared on silicon in this study. Cytocompatibility assays demonstrated enhanced osteoblast functions (including adhesion, proliferation, intracellular protein synthesis, alkaline phosphatase activity and extracellular calcium deposition) on nanocrystalline diamond compared to submicron diamond grain size films for all time periods tested up to 21 days. An SEM study of osteoblast attachment helped to explain the topographical impact diamond had on osteoblast functions by showing altered filopodia extensions on the different diamond topographies. In summary, these results provided insights into understanding the role diamond nanotopography had on osteoblast interactions and more importantly, the application of diamond films to improve orthopedic implant lifetimes.

  5. Transparent nanocrystalline diamond coatings and devices

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

    Sumant, Anirudha V.; Khan, Adam

    2017-08-22

    A method for coating a substrate comprises producing a plasma ball using a microwave plasma source in the presence of a mixture of gases. The plasma ball has a diameter. The plasma ball is disposed at a first distance from the substrate and the substrate is maintained at a first temperature. The plasma ball is maintained at the first distance from the substrate, and a diamond coating is deposited on the substrate. The diamond coating has a thickness. Furthermore, the diamond coating has an optical transparency of greater than about 80%. The diamond coating can include nanocrystalline diamond. The microwavemore » plasma source can have a frequency of about 915 MHz.« less

  6. Microplasma device architectures with various diamond nanostructures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kunuku, Srinivasu; Jothiramalingam Sankaran, Kamatchi; Leou, Keh-Chyang; Lin, I.-Nan

    2017-02-01

    Diamond nanostructures (DNSs) were fabricated from three different morphological diamonds, microcrystalline diamond (MCD), nanocrystalline diamond (NCD), and ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) films, using a reactive ion etching method. The plasma illumination (PI) behavior of microplasma devices using the DNSs and the diamond films as cathode were investigated. The Paschen curve approach revealed that the secondary electron emission coefficient (γ value) of diamond materials is similar irrespective of the microstructure (MCD, NCD, and UNCD) and geometry of the materials (DNSs and diamond films). The diamond materials show markedly larger γ-coefficient than conventional metallic cathode materials such as Mo that resulted in markedly better PI behavior for the corresponding microplasma devices. Moreover, the PI behavior, i.e. the voltage dependence of plasma current density (J pl-V), plasma density (n e-V), and the robustness of the devices, varied markedly with the microstructure and geometry of the cathode materials that was closely correlated to the electron field emission (EFE) properties of the cathode materials. The UNCD nanopillars, possessing good EFE properties, resulted in superior PI behavior, whereas the MCD diamond films with insufficient EFE properties led to inferior PI behavior. Consequently, enhancement of plasma characteristics is the collective effects of EFE behavior and secondary electron emission characteristics of diamond-based cathode materials.

  7. Electrochemically assisted deposition of hydroxyapatite on Ti6Al4V substrates covered by CVD diamond films - Coating characterization and first cell biological results.

    PubMed

    Strąkowska, Paulina; Beutner, René; Gnyba, Marcin; Zielinski, Andrzej; Scharnweber, Dieter

    2016-02-01

    Although titanium and its alloys are widely used as implant material for orthopedic and dental applications they show only limited corrosion stability and osseointegration in different cases. The aim of the presented research was to develop and characterize a novel surface modification system from a thin diamond base layer and a hydroxyapatite (HAp) top coating deposited on the alloy Ti6Al4V widely used for implants in contact with bone. This coating system is expected to improve both the long-term corrosion behavior and the biocompatibility and bioactivity of respective surfaces. The diamond base films were obtained by Microwave Plasma Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition (MW-PACVD); the HAp coatings were formed in aqueous solutions by electrochemically assisted deposition (ECAD) at varying polarization parameters. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman microscopy, and electrical conductivity measurements were applied to characterize the generated surface states; the calcium phosphate coatings were additionally chemically analyzed for their composition. The biological properties of the coating system were assessed using hMSC cells analyzing for cell adhesion, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation. Varying MW-PACVD process conditions resulted in composite coatings containing microcrystalline diamond (MCD/Ti-C), nanocrystalline diamond (NCD), and boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond (B-NCD) with the NCD coatings being dense and homogeneous and the B-NCD coatings showing increased electrical conductivity. The ECAD process resulted in calcium phosphate coatings from stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric HAp. The deposition of HAp on the B-NCD films run at lower cathodic potentials and resulted both in the highest coating mass and the most homogenous appearance. Initial cell biological investigations showed an improved cell adhesion in the order B-NCD>HAp/B-NCD>uncoated substrate. Cell proliferation was improved for both investigated coatings whereas ALP

  8. Nanocarbon Allotropes-Graphene and Nanocrystalline Diamond-Promote Cell Proliferation.

    PubMed

    Verdanova, Martina; Rezek, Bohuslav; Broz, Antonin; Ukraintsev, Egor; Babchenko, Oleg; Artemenko, Anna; Izak, Tibor; Kromka, Alexander; Kalbac, Martin; Hubalek Kalbacova, Marie

    2016-05-01

    Two profoundly different carbon allotropes - nanocrystalline diamond and graphene - are of considerable interest from the viewpoint of a wide range of biomedical applications including implant coating, drug and gene delivery, cancer therapy, and biosensing. Osteoblast adhesion and proliferation on nanocrystalline diamond and graphene are compared under various conditions such as differences in wettability, topography, and the presence or absence of protein interlayers between cells and the substrate. The materials are characterized in detail by means of scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and contact angle measurements. In vitro experiments have revealed a significantly higher degree of cell proliferation on graphene than on nanocrystalline diamond and a tissue culture polystyrene control material. Proliferation is promoted, in particular, by hydrophobic graphene with a large number of nanoscale wrinkles independent of the presence of a protein interlayer, i.e., substrate fouling is not a problematic issue in this respect. Nanowrinkled hydrophobic graphene, thus, exhibits superior characteristics for those biomedical applications where high cell proliferation is required under differing conditions. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. 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

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

    PubMed

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

    2015-12-01

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

  11. Epithelial cell morphology and adhesion on diamond films deposited and chemically modified by plasma processes.

    PubMed

    Rezek, Bohuslav; Ukraintsev, Egor; Krátká, Marie; Taylor, Andrew; Fendrych, Frantisek; Mandys, Vaclav

    2014-09-01

    The authors show that nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) thin films prepared by microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition apparatus with a linear antenna delivery system are well compatible with epithelial cells (5637 human bladder carcinoma) and significantly improve the cell adhesion compared to reference glass substrates. This is attributed to better adhesion of adsorbed layers to diamond as observed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) beneath the cells. Moreover, the cell morphology can be adjusted by appropriate surface treatment of diamond by using hydrogen and oxygen plasma. Cell bodies, cytoplasmic rims, and filopodia were characterized by Peakforce AFM. Oxidized NCD films perform better than other substrates under all conditions (96% of cells adhered well). A thin adsorbed layer formed from culture medium and supplemented with fetal bovine serum (FBS) covered the diamond surface and played an important role in the cell adhesion. Nevertheless, 50-100 nm large aggregates formed from the RPMI medium without FBS facilitated cell adhesion also on hydrophobic hydrogenated NCD (increase from 23% to 61%). The authors discuss applicability for biomedical uses.

  12. Gas-sensing behaviour of ZnO/diamond nanostructures.

    PubMed

    Davydova, Marina; Laposa, Alexandr; Smarhak, Jiri; Kromka, Alexander; Neykova, Neda; Nahlik, Josef; Kroutil, Jiri; Drahokoupil, Jan; Voves, Jan

    2018-01-01

    Microstructured single- and double-layered sensor devices based on p-type hydrogen-terminated nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films and/or n-type ZnO nanorods (NRs) have been obtained via a facile microwave-plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition process or a hydrothermal growth procedure. The morphology and crystal structure of the synthesized materials was analysed with scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction measurements and Raman spectroscopy. The gas sensing properties of the sensors based on i) NCD films, ii) ZnO nanorods, and iii) hybrid ZnO NRs/NCD structures were evaluated with respect to oxidizing (i.e., NO 2 , CO 2 ) and reducing (i.e., NH 3 ) gases at 150 °C. The hybrid ZnO NRs/NCD sensor showed a remarkably enhanced NO 2 response compared to the ZnO NRs sensor. Further, inspired by this special hybrid structure, the simulation of interaction between the gas molecules (NO 2 and CO 2 ) and hybrid ZnO NRs/NCD sensor was studied using DFT calculations.

  13. Nanocrystalline diamond thin films on titanium-6 aluminum-4 vanadium alloy temporomandibular joint prosthesis simulants by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fries, Marc Douglas

    A course of research has been performed to assess the suitability of nanocrystal-line diamond (NCD) films on Ti-6Al-4V alloy as wear-resistant coatings in biomedical implant use. A series of temporomandibular (TMJ) joint condyle simulants were polished and acid-passivated as per ASTM F86 standard for surface preparation of implants. A 3-mum-thick coating of NCD film was deposited by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) over the hemispherical articulation surfaces of the simulants. Plasma chemistry conditions were measured and monitored by optical emission spectroscopy (OES), using hydrogen as a relative standard. The films consist of diamond grains around 20 nm in diameter embedded in an amorphous carbon matrix, free of any detectable film stress gradient. Hardness averages 65 GPa and modulus measures 600 GPa at a depth of 250 nm into the film surface. A diffuse film/substrate boundary produces a minimal film adhesion toughness (GammaC) of 158 J/m2. The mean RMS roughness is 14.6 +/- 4.2 nm, with an average peak roughness of 82.6 +/- 65.9 nm. Examination of the surface morphology reveals a porous, dendritic surface. Wear testing resulted in two failed condylar coatings out of three tests. No macroscopic delamination was found on any sample, but micron-scale film pieces broke away, exposing the substrate. Electrochemical corrosion testing shows a seven-fold reduction in corrosion rate with the application of an NCD coating as opposed to polished, passivated Ti-6Al-4V, producing a corrosion rate comparable to wrought Co-Cr-Mo. In vivo biocompatibility testing indicates that implanted NCD films did not elicit an immune response in the rabbit model, and osteointegration was apparent for both compact and trabecular bone on both NCD film and bare Ti-6Al-4V. Overall, NCD thin film material is reasonably smooth, biocompatible, and very well adhered. Wear testing indicates that this material is unacceptable for use in demanding TMJ applications without

  14. Piezoelectric actuated micro-resonators based on the growth of diamond on aluminum nitride thin films.

    PubMed

    Hees, J; Heidrich, N; Pletschen, W; Sah, R E; Wolfer, M; Williams, O A; Lebedev, V; Nebel, C E; Ambacher, O

    2013-01-18

    Unimorph heterostructures based on piezoelectric aluminum nitride (AlN) and diamond thin films are highly desirable for applications in micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems. In this paper, we present a new approach to combine thin conductive boron-doped as well as insulating nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) with sputtered AlN films without the need for any buffer layers between AlN and NCD or polishing steps. The zeta potentials of differently treated nanodiamond (ND) particles in aqueous colloids are adjusted to the zeta potential of AlN in water. Thereby, the nucleation density for the initial growth of diamond on AlN can be varied from very low (10(8) cm(-2)), in the case of hydrogen-treated ND seeding particles, to very high values of 10(11) cm(-2) for oxidized ND particles. Our approach yielding high nucleation densities allows the growth of very thin NCD films on AlN with thicknesses as low as 40 nm for applications such as microelectromechanical beam resonators. Fabricated piezo-actuated micro-resonators exhibit enhanced mechanical properties due to the incorporation of boron-doped NCD films. Highly boron-doped NCD thin films which replace the metal top electrode offer Young's moduli of more than 1000 GPa.

  15. Method to grow pure nanocrystalline diamond films at low temperatures and high deposition rates

    DOEpatents

    Carlisle, John A [Plainfield, IL; Gruen, Dieter M [Downers Grove, IL; Auciello, Orlando [Bolingbrook, IL; Xiao, Xingcheng [Woodridge, IL

    2009-07-07

    A method of depositing nanocrystalline diamond film on a substrate at a rate of not less than about 0.2 microns/hour at a substrate temperature less than about 500.degree. C. The method includes seeding the substrate surface with nanocrystalline diamond powder to an areal density of not less than about 10.sup.10sites/cm.sup.2, and contacting the seeded substrate surface with a gas of about 99% by volume of an inert gas other than helium and about 1% by volume of methane or hydrogen and one or more of acetylene, fullerene and anthracene in the presence of a microwave induced plasma while maintaining the substrate temperature less than about 500.degree. C. to deposit nanocrystalline diamond on the seeded substrate surface at a rate not less than about 0.2 microns/hour. Coatings of nanocrystalline diamond with average particle diameters of less than about 20 nanometers can be deposited with thermal budgets of 500.degree. C.-4 hours or less onto a variety of substrates such as MEMS devices.

  16. Sensitivity of diamond-capped impedance transducer to Tröger's base derivative.

    PubMed

    Stehlik, Stepan; Izak, Tibor; Kromka, Alexander; Dolenský, Bohumil; Havlík, Martin; Rezek, Bohuslav

    2012-08-01

    Sensitivity of an intrinsic nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) layer to naphthalene Tröger's base derivative decorated with pyrrole groups (TBPyr) was characterized by impedance spectroscopy. The transducer was made of Au interdigitated electrodes (IDE) with 50 μm spacing on alumina substrate which were capped with the NCD layer. The NCD-capped transducer with H-termination was able to electrically distinguish TBPyr molecules (the change of surface resistance within 30-60 kΩ) adsorbed from methanol in concentrations of 0.04 mg/mL to 40 mg/mL. An exponential decay of the surface resistance with time was observed and attributed to the readsorption of air moisture after methanol evaporation. After surface oxidation the NCD cap layer did not show any leakage due to NCD grain boundaries. We analyzed electronic transport in the transducer and propose a model for the sensing mechanism based on surface ion replacement.

  17. Structural modification of nanocrystalline diamond films via positive/negative bias enhanced nucleation and growth processes for improving their electron field emission properties

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

    Saravanan, A.; Huang, B. R.; Sankaran, K. J.

    2015-06-07

    Electron field emission (EFE) properties of nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films synthesized by the bias-enhanced growth (beg) process under different bias voltages were investigated. The induction of the nanographitic phases is presumed to be the prime factor in enhancing the EFE properties of negative biased NCD films. Transmission electron microscopic investigations reveal that a negative bias voltage of −300 V increases the rate of growth for NCD films with the size of the grains changing from nano to ultranano size. This effect also is accompanied by the induction of nanographitic filaments in the grain boundaries of the films. The turn-on field (E{submore » 0}) for the EFE process then effectively gets reduced. The EFE process of the beg-NCD{sub −300V} films can be turned on at E{sub 0} = 3.86 V/μm, and the EFE current density achieved is 1.49 mA/cm{sup 2} at an applied field of 7.85 V/μm. On the other hand, though a positive-bias beg process (+200 V) results in the reduction of grain size, it does not induce sufficient nanographitic phases to lower the E{sub 0} value of the EFE process. Moreover, the optical emission spectroscopic investigation indicates that one of the primary causes that changes the granular structure of the NCD films is the increase in the proportion of C{sub 2} and CH species induced in the growing plasma. The polarity of the bias voltage is of less importance in the microstructural evolution of the films.« less

  18. Ultra-thin nanocrystalline diamond membranes as pressure sensors for harsh environments

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

    Janssens, S. D., E-mail: stoffel.d.janssens@gmail.com; Haenen, K., E-mail: ken.haenen@uhasselt.be; IMOMEC, IMEC vzw, Wetenschapspark 1, B-3590 Diepenbeek

    2014-02-17

    Glass and diamond are suitable materials for harsh environments. Here, a procedure for fabricating ultra-thin nanocrystalline diamond membranes on glass, acting as an electrically insulating substrate, is presented. In order to investigate the pressure sensing properties of such membranes, a circular, highly conductive boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond membrane with a resistivity of 38 mΩ cm, a thickness of 150 nm, and a diameter of 555 μm is fabricated in the middle of a Hall bar structure. During the application of a positive differential pressure under the membrane (0–0.7 bar), four point piezoresistive effect measurements are performed. From these measurements, it can be concluded that the resistancemore » response of the membrane, as a function of differential pressure, is highly linear and sensitive.« less

  19. Effect of slurry composition on the chemical mechanical polishing of thin diamond films

    PubMed Central

    Werrell, Jessica M.; Mandal, Soumen; Thomas, Evan L. H.; Brousseau, Emmanuel B.; Lewis, Ryan; Borri, Paola; Davies, Philip R.; Williams, Oliver A.

    2017-01-01

    Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) thin films grown by chemical vapour deposition have an intrinsic surface roughness, which hinders the development and performance of the films’ various applications. Traditional methods of diamond polishing are not effective on NCD thin films. Films either shatter due to the combination of wafer bow and high mechanical pressures or produce uneven surfaces, which has led to the adaptation of the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) technique for NCD films. This process is poorly understood and in need of optimisation. To compare the effect of slurry composition and pH upon polishing rates, a series of NCD thin films have been polished for three hours using a Logitech Ltd. Tribo CMP System in conjunction with a polyester/polyurethane polishing cloth and six different slurries. The reduction in surface roughness was measured hourly using an atomic force microscope. The final surface chemistry was examined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and a scanning electron microscope. It was found that of all the various properties of the slurries, including pH and composition, the particle size was the determining factor for the polishing rate. The smaller particles polishing at a greater rate than the larger ones. PMID:29057022

  20. Effect of slurry composition on the chemical mechanical polishing of thin diamond films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Werrell, Jessica M.; Mandal, Soumen; Thomas, Evan L. H.; Brousseau, Emmanuel B.; Lewis, Ryan; Borri, Paola; Davies, Philip R.; Williams, Oliver A.

    2017-12-01

    Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) thin films grown by chemical vapour deposition have an intrinsic surface roughness, which hinders the development and performance of the films' various applications. Traditional methods of diamond polishing are not effective on NCD thin films. Films either shatter due to the combination of wafer bow and high mechanical pressures or produce uneven surfaces, which has led to the adaptation of the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) technique for NCD films. This process is poorly understood and in need of optimisation. To compare the effect of slurry composition and pH upon polishing rates, a series of NCD thin films have been polished for three hours using a Logitech Ltd. Tribo CMP System in conjunction with a polyester/polyurethane polishing cloth and six different slurries. The reduction in surface roughness was measured hourly using an atomic force microscope. The final surface chemistry was examined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and a scanning electron microscope. It was found that of all the various properties of the slurries, including pH and composition, the particle size was the determining factor for the polishing rate. The smaller particles polishing at a greater rate than the larger ones.

  1. Method for the preparation of nanocrystalline diamond thin films

    DOEpatents

    Gruen, Dieter M.; Krauss, Alan R.

    1998-01-01

    A method and system for manufacturing nanocrystalline diamond film on a substrate such as field emission tips. The method involves forming a carbonaceous vapor, providing a gas stream of argon, hydrocarbon and possibly hydrogen, and combining the gas with the carbonaceous vapor, passing the combined carbonaceous vapor and gas carrier stream into a chamber, forming a plasma in the chamber causing fragmentation of the carbonaceous vapor and deposition of a diamond film on the field emission tip.

  2. 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

  3. 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.

  4. Method for the preparation of nanocrystalline diamond thin films

    DOEpatents

    Gruen, D.M.; Krauss, A.R.

    1998-06-30

    A method and system are disclosed for manufacturing nanocrystalline diamond film on a substrate such as field emission tips. The method involves forming a carbonaceous vapor, providing a gas stream of argon, hydrocarbon and possibly hydrogen, and combining the gas with the carbonaceous vapor, passing the combined carbonaceous vapor and gas carrier stream into a chamber, forming a plasma in the chamber causing fragmentation of the carbonaceous vapor and deposition of a diamond film on the field emission tip. 40 figs.

  5. Investigations on diamond nanostructuring of different morphologies by the reactive-ion etching process and their potential applications.

    PubMed

    Kunuku, Srinivasu; Sankaran, Kamatchi Jothiramalingam; Tsai, Cheng-Yen; Chang, Wen-Hao; Tai, Nyan-Hwa; Leou, Keh-Chyang; Lin, I-Nan

    2013-08-14

    We report the systematic studies on the fabrication of aligned, uniform, and highly dense diamond nanostructures from diamond films of various granular structures. Self-assembled Au nanodots are used as a mask in the self-biased reactive-ion etching (RIE) process, using an O2/CF4 process plasma. The morphology of diamond nanostructures is a close function of the initial phase composition of diamond. Cone-shaped and tip-shaped diamond nanostructures result for microcrystalline diamond (MCD) and nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films, whereas pillarlike and grasslike diamond nanostructures are obtained for Ar-plasma-based and N2-plasma-based ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) films, respectively. While the nitrogen-incorporated UNCD (N-UNCD) nanograss shows the most-superior electron-field-emission properties, the NCD nanotips exhibit the best photoluminescence properties, viz, different applications need different morphology of diamond nanostructures to optimize the respective characteristics. The optimum diamond nanostructure can be achieved by proper choice of granular structure of the initial diamond film. The etching mechanism is explained by in situ observation of optical emission spectrum of RIE plasma. The preferential etching of sp(2)-bonded carbon contained in the diamond films is the prime factor, which forms the unique diamond nanostructures from each type of diamond films. However, the excited oxygen atoms (O*) are the main etching species of diamond film.

  6. Synthesis and characterization of a nanocrystalline diamond aerogel

    PubMed Central

    Pauzauskie, Peter J.; Crowhurst, Jonathan C.; Worsley, Marcus A.; Laurence, Ted A.; Kilcoyne, A. L. David; Wang, Yinmin; Willey, Trevor M.; Visbeck, Kenneth S.; Fakra, Sirine C.; Evans, William J.; Zaug, Joseph M.; Satcher, Joe H.

    2011-01-01

    Aerogel materials have myriad scientific and technological applications due to their large intrinsic surface areas and ultralow densities. However, creating a nanodiamond aerogel matrix has remained an outstanding and intriguing challenge. Here we report the high-pressure, high-temperature synthesis of a diamond aerogel from an amorphous carbon aerogel precursor using a laser-heated diamond anvil cell. Neon is used as a chemically inert, near-hydrostatic pressure medium that prevents collapse of the aerogel under pressure by conformally filling the aerogel’s void volume. Electron and X-ray spectromicroscopy confirm the aerogel morphology and composition of the nanodiamond matrix. Time-resolved photoluminescence measurements of recovered material reveal the formation of both nitrogen- and silicon- vacancy point-defects, suggesting a broad range of applications for this nanocrystalline diamond aerogel. PMID:21555550

  7. Synthesis and characterization of a nanocrystalline diamond aerogel

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

    Pauzauskie, Peter J.; Crowhurst, Jonathan C.; Worsley, Marcus A.

    2011-07-06

    Aerogel materials have myriad scientific and technological applications due to their large intrinsic surface areas and ultralow densities. However, creating a nanodiamond aerogel matrix has remained an outstanding and intriguing challenge. Here we report the high-pressure, high-temperature synthesis of a diamond aerogel from an amorphous carbon aerogel precursor using a laser-heated diamond anvil cell. Neon is used as a chemically inert, near-hydrostatic pressure medium that prevents collapse of the aerogel under pressure by conformally filling the aerogel's void volume. Electron and X-ray spectromicroscopy confirm the aerogel morphology and composition of the nanodiamond matrix. Time-resolved photoluminescence measurements of recovered material revealmore » the formation of both nitrogen- and silicon- vacancy point-defects, suggesting a broad range of applications for this nanocrystalline diamond aerogel.« less

  8. Field electron emission enhancement in lithium implanted and annealed nitrogen-incorporated nanocrystalline diamond films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sankaran, K. J.; Srinivasu, K.; Yeh, C. J.; Thomas, J. P.; Drijkoningen, S.; Pobedinskas, P.; Sundaravel, B.; Leou, K. C.; Leung, K. T.; Van Bael, M. K.; Schreck, M.; Lin, I. N.; Haenen, K.

    2017-06-01

    The field electron emission (FEE) properties of nitrogen-incorporated nanocrystalline diamond films were enhanced due to Li-ion implantation/annealing processes. Li-ion implantation mainly induced the formation of electron trap centers inside diamond grains, whereas post-annealing healed the defects and converted the a-C phase into nanographite, forming conduction channels for effective transport of electrons. This resulted in a high electrical conductivity of 11.0 S/cm and enhanced FEE performance with a low turn-on field of 10.6 V/μm, a high current density of 25.5 mA/cm2 (at 23.2 V/μm), and a high lifetime stability of 1,090 min for nitrogen incorporated nanocrystalline diamond films.

  9. Nanocrystalline hexagonal diamond formed from glassy carbon

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

    Shiell, Thomas. B.; McCulloch, Dougal G.; Bradby, Jodie E.

    Carbon exhibits a large number of allotropes and its phase behaviour is still subject to signifcant uncertainty and intensive research. The hexagonal form of diamond, also known as lonsdaleite, was discovered in the Canyon Diablo meteorite where its formation was attributed to the extreme conditions experienced during the impact. However, it has recently been claimed that lonsdaleite does not exist as a well-defned material but is instead defective cubic diamond formed under high pressure and high temperature conditions. Here we report the synthesis of almost pure lonsdaleite in a diamond anvil cell at 100GPa and 400 C. The nanocrystalline materialmore » was recovered at ambient and analysed using difraction and high resolution electron microscopy. We propose that the transformation is the result of intense radial plastic fow under compression in the diamond anvil cell, which lowers the energy barrier by locking in favourable stackings of graphene sheets. This strain induced transformation of the graphitic planes of the precursor to hexagonal diamond is supported by frst principles calculations of transformation pathways and explains why the new phase is found in an annular region. Furthermore, our findings establish that high purity lonsdaleite is readily formed under strain and hence does not require meteoritic impacts.« less

  10. Nanocrystalline hexagonal diamond formed from glassy carbon

    DOE PAGES

    Shiell, Thomas. B.; McCulloch, Dougal G.; Bradby, Jodie E.; ...

    2016-11-29

    Carbon exhibits a large number of allotropes and its phase behaviour is still subject to signifcant uncertainty and intensive research. The hexagonal form of diamond, also known as lonsdaleite, was discovered in the Canyon Diablo meteorite where its formation was attributed to the extreme conditions experienced during the impact. However, it has recently been claimed that lonsdaleite does not exist as a well-defned material but is instead defective cubic diamond formed under high pressure and high temperature conditions. Here we report the synthesis of almost pure lonsdaleite in a diamond anvil cell at 100GPa and 400 C. The nanocrystalline materialmore » was recovered at ambient and analysed using difraction and high resolution electron microscopy. We propose that the transformation is the result of intense radial plastic fow under compression in the diamond anvil cell, which lowers the energy barrier by locking in favourable stackings of graphene sheets. This strain induced transformation of the graphitic planes of the precursor to hexagonal diamond is supported by frst principles calculations of transformation pathways and explains why the new phase is found in an annular region. Furthermore, our findings establish that high purity lonsdaleite is readily formed under strain and hence does not require meteoritic impacts.« less

  11. Ultraviolet photosensitivity of sulfur-doped micro- and nano-crystalline diamond

    DOE PAGES

    Mendoza, Frank; Makarov, Vladimir; Hidalgo, Arturo; ...

    2011-06-06

    The room-temperature photosensitivity of sulfur-doped micro- (MCD), submicro- (SMCD) and nano- (NCD) crystalline diamond films synthesized by hot-filament chemical vapor deposition was studied. The structure and composition of these diamond materials were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The UV sensitivity and response time were studied for the three types of diamond materials using a steady state broad UV excitation source and two pulsed UV laser radiations. It was found that they have high sensitivity in the UV region, as high as 10 9 sec -1mV -1 range, linear response in a broad spectral range belowmore » 320 nm, photocurrents around ~10 -5 A, and short response time better than 100 ns, which is independent of fluency intensity. A phenomenological model was applied to help understand the role of defects and dopant concentration on the materials’ photosensitivity.« less

  12. YBa2Cu3O7 thin films on nanocrystalline diamond films for HTSC bolometer

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cui, G.; Beetz, C. P., Jr.; Boerstler, R.; Steinbeck, J.

    1993-01-01

    Superconducting YBa2Cu3O(7-x) films on nanocrystalline diamond thin films have been fabricated. A composite buffer layer system consisting of diamond/Si3N4/YSZ/YBCO was explored for this purpose. The as-deposited YBCO films were superconducting with Tc of about 84 K and a relatively narrow transition width of about 8 K. SEM cross sections of the films showed very sharp interfaces between diamond/Si3N4 and between Si3N4/YSZ. The deposited YBCO film had a surface roughness of about 1000 A, which is suitable for high-temperature superconductive (HTSC) bolometer fabrication. It was also found that preannealing of the nanocrystalline diamond thin films at high temperature was very important for obtaining high-quality YBCO films.

  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. Nanocrystalline diamond coatings for mechanical seals applications.

    PubMed

    Santos, J A; Neto, V F; Ruch, D; Grácio, J

    2012-08-01

    A mechanical seal is a type of seal used in rotating equipment, such as pumps and compressors. It consists of a mechanism that assists the connection of the rotating shaft to the housings of the equipments, preventing leakage or avoiding contamination. A common cause of failure of these devices is end face wear out, thus the use of a hard, smooth and wear resistant coating such as nanocrystalline diamond would be of great importance to improve their working performance and increase their lifetime. In this paper, different diamond coatings were deposited by the HFCVD process, using different deposition conditions. Additionally, the as-grown films were characterized for, quality, morphology and microstructure using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The topography and the roughness of the films were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM).

  15. Performance characteristics of nanocrystalline diamond vacuum field emission transistor array

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hsu, S. H.; Kang, W. P.; Davidson, J. L.; Huang, J. H.; Kerns, D. V.

    2012-06-01

    Nitrogen-incorporated nanocrystalline diamond (ND) vacuum field emission transistor (VFET) with self-aligned gate is fabricated by mold transfer microfabrication technique in conjunction with chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of nanocrystalline diamond on emitter cavity patterned on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. The fabricated ND-VFET demonstrates gate-controlled emission current with good signal amplification characteristics. The dc characteristics of the ND-VFET show well-defined cutoff, linear, and saturation regions with low gate turn-on voltage, high anode current, negligible gate intercepted current, and large dc voltage gain. The ac performance of the ND-VFET is measured, and the experimental data are analyzed using a modified small signal circuit model. The experimental results obtained for the ac voltage gain are found to agree with the theoretical model. A higher ac voltage gain is attainable by using a better test setup to eliminate the associated parasitic capacitances. The paper reveals the amplifier characteristics of the ND-VFET for potential applications in vacuum microelectronics.

  16. Performance characteristics of nanocrystalline diamond vacuum field emission transistor array

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hsu, S. H.; Kang, W. P.; Davidson, J. L.; Huang, J. H.; Kerns, D. V.

    2012-05-01

    Nitrogen-incorporated nanocrystalline diamond (ND) vacuum field emission transistor (VFET) with self-aligned gate is fabricated by mold transfer microfabrication technique in conjunction with chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of nanocrystalline diamond on emitter cavity patterned on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. The fabricated ND-VFET demonstrates gate-controlled emission current with good signal amplification characteristics. The dc characteristics of the ND-VFET show well-defined cutoff, linear, and saturation regions with low gate turn-on voltage, high anode current, negligible gate intercepted current, and large dc voltage gain. The ac performance of the ND-VFET is measured, and the experimental data are analyzed using a modified small signal circuit model. The experimental results obtained for the ac voltage gain are found to agree with the theoretical model. A higher ac voltage gain is attainable by using a better test setup to eliminate the associated parasitic capacitances. The paper reveals the amplifier characteristics of the ND-VFET for potential applications in vacuum microelectronics.

  17. Doping of vanadium to nanocrystalline diamond films by hot filament chemical vapor deposition

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Doping an impure element with a larger atomic volume into crystalline structure of buck crystals is normally blocked because the rigid crystalline structure could not tolerate a larger distortion. However, this difficulty may be weakened for nanocrystalline structures. Diamonds, as well as many semiconductors, have a difficulty in effective doping. Theoretical calculations carried out by DFT indicate that vanadium (V) is a dopant element for the n-type diamond semiconductor, and their several donor state levels are distributed between the conduction band and middle bandgap position in the V-doped band structure of diamond. Experimental investigation of doping vanadium into nanocrystalline diamond films (NDFs) was first attempted by hot filament chemical vapor deposition technique. Acetone/H2 gas mixtures and vanadium oxytripropoxide (VO(OCH2CH2CH3)3) solutions of acetone with V and C elemental ratios of 1:5,000, 1:2,000, and 1:1,000 were used as carbon and vanadium sources, respectively. The resistivity of the V-doped NDFs decreased two orders with the increasing V/C ratios. PMID:22873631

  18. Tailoring nanocrystalline diamond coated on titanium for osteoblast adhesion.

    PubMed

    Pareta, Rajesh; Yang, Lei; Kothari, Abhishek; Sirinrath, Sirivisoot; Xiao, Xingcheng; Sheldon, Brian W; Webster, Thomas J

    2010-10-01

    Diamond coatings with superior chemical stability, antiwear, and cytocompatibility properties have been considered for lengthening the lifetime of metallic orthopedic implants for over a decade. In this study, an attempt to tailor the surface properties of diamond films on titanium to promote osteoblast (bone forming cell) adhesion was reported. The surface properties investigated here included the size of diamond surface features, topography, wettability, and surface chemistry, all of which were controlled during microwave plasma enhanced chemical-vapor-deposition (MPCVD) processes using CH4-Ar-H2 gas mixtures. The hardness and elastic modulus of the diamond films were also determined. H2 concentration in the plasma was altered to control the crystallinity, grain size, and topography of the diamond coatings, and specific plasma gases (O2 and NH3) were introduced to change the surface chemistry of the diamond coatings. To understand the impact of the altered surface properties on osteoblast responses, cell adhesion tests were performed on the various diamond-coated titanium. The results revealed that nanocrystalline diamond (grain sizes <100 nm) coated titanium dramatically increased surface hardness, and the introduction of O2 and NH3 during the MPCVD process promoted osteoblast adhesion on diamond and, thus, should be further studied for improving orthopedic applications. Copyright 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2010.

  19. An all-diamond X-ray position and flux monitor using nitrogen-incorporated ultra-nanocrystalline diamond contacts

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

    Zou, Mengnan; Gaowei, Mengjia; Zhou, Tianyi

    Diamond X-ray detectors with conducting nitrogen-incorporated ultra-nanocrystalline diamond (N-UNCD) films as electrodes were fabricated to measure X-ray beam flux and position. Structural characterization and functionality tests were performed for these devices. The N-UNCD films grown on unseeded diamond substrates were compared with N-UNCD films grown on a seeded silicon substrate. The feasibility of the N-UNCD films acting as electrodes for X-ray detectors was confirmed by the stable performance in a monochromatic X-ray beam. The fabrication process is able to change the surface status which may influence the signal uniformity under low bias, but this effect can be neglected under fullmore » collection bias.« less

  20. Osteoblastic cells trigger gate currents on nanocrystalline diamond transistor.

    PubMed

    Izak, Tibor; Krátká, Marie; Kromka, Alexander; Rezek, Bohuslav

    2015-05-01

    We show the influence of osteoblastic SAOS-2 cells on the transfer characteristics of nanocrystalline diamond solution-gated field-effect transistors (SGFET) prepared on glass substrates. Channels of these fully transparent SGFETs are realized by hydrogen termination of undoped diamond film. After cell cultivation, the transistors exhibit about 100× increased leakage currents (up to 10nA). During and after the cell delamination, the transistors return to original gate currents. We propose a mechanism where this triggering effect is attributed to ions released from adhered cells, which depends on the cell adhesion morphology, and could be used for cell culture monitoring. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Controlling Directional Liquid Motion on Micro- and Nanocrystalline Diamond/β-SiC Composite Gradient Films.

    PubMed

    Wang, Tao; Handschuh-Wang, Stephan; Huang, Lei; Zhang, Lei; Jiang, Xin; Kong, Tiantian; Zhang, Wenjun; Lee, Chun-Sing; Zhou, Xuechang; Tang, Yongbing

    2018-01-30

    In this Article, we report the synthesis of micro- and nanocrystalline diamond/β-SiC composite gradient films, using a hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) technique and its application as a robust and chemically inert means to actuate water and hazardous liquids. As revealed by scanning electron microscopy, the composition of the surface changed gradually from pure nanocrystalline diamond (hydrophobic) to a nanocrystalline β-SiC surface (hydrophilic). Transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy were employed to determine the presence of diamond, graphite, and β-SiC phases. The as-prepared gradient films were evaluated for their ability to actuate water. Indeed, water was transported via the gradient from the hydrophobic (hydrogen-terminated diamond) to the hydrophilic side (hydroxyl-terminated β-SiC) of the gradient surface. The driving distance and velocity of water is pivotally influenced by the surface roughness. The nanogradient surface showed significant promise as the lower roughness combined with the longer gradient yields in transport distances of up to 3.7 mm, with a maximum droplet velocity of nearly 250 mm/s measured by a high-speed camera. As diamond and β-SiC are chemically inert, the gradient surfaces can be used to drive hazardous liquids and reactive mixtures, which was signified by the actuation of hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide solution. We envision that the diamond/β-SiC gradient surface has high potential as an actuator for water transport in microfluidic devices, DNA sensors, and implants, which induce guided cell growth.

  2. Graphite to ultrafine nanocrystalline diamond phase transition model and growth restriction mechanism induced by nanosecond laser processing

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

    Ren, X. D., E-mail: renxd@mail.ujs.edu.cn; Liu, R.; Zheng, L. M.

    2015-10-05

    To have a clear insight into nanocrystal growth from graphite to diamond upon high energy pulsed laser irradiation of graphite suspension, synthesis of ultrafine nanocrystalline diamonds with laser energy set up from 0.3 J to 12 J, repetition rate of 10 Hz has been studied. The method allows synthesizing ultrafine nanocrystalline particles continuously at the ambient temperature and normal pressure. The particle size is shown independent of laser energy, which is ultrafine and ranges in 2–6 nm. The theoretical grown size of nano-diamonds is found in well agreement with the experiment results. Four kinds of production were found: nano-diamond, spherical carbon nano-particles, flocculent amorphousmore » carbon, and graphene nano-ribbon rolls. A solid-vapor-plasma-liquid coexistence model describing phase transition from graphite to diamond induced by nanosecond laser processing was proposed. Graphene nano-ribbon rolls might be the intermediate phase in the conversion from graphite to diamond.« less

  3. EDC-mediated DNA attachment to nanocrystalline CVD diamond films.

    PubMed

    Christiaens, P; Vermeeren, V; Wenmackers, S; Daenen, M; Haenen, K; Nesládek, M; vandeVen, M; Ameloot, M; Michiels, L; Wagner, P

    2006-08-15

    Chemical vapour deposited (CVD) diamond is a very promising material for biosensor fabrication owing both to its chemical inertness and the ability to make it electrical semiconducting that allows for connection with integrated circuits. For biosensor construction, a biochemical method to immobilize nucleic acids to a diamond surface has been developed. Nanocrystalline diamond is grown using microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (MPECVD). After hydrogenation of the surface, 10-undecenoic acid, an omega-unsaturated fatty acid, is tethered by 254 nm photochemical attachment. This is followed by 1-ethyl-3-[3-dimethylaminopropyl]carbodiimide (EDC)-mediated attachment of amino (NH(2))-modified dsDNA. The functionality of the covalently bound dsDNA molecules is confirmed by fluorescence measurements, PCR and gel electrophoresis during 35 denaturation and rehybridisation steps. The linking method after the fatty acid attachment can easily be applied to other biomolecules like antibodies and enzymes.

  4. Improving the long-term stability of Ti6Al4V abutment screw by coating micro/nano-crystalline diamond films.

    PubMed

    Xie, Youneng; Zhou, Jing; Wei, Qiuping; Yu, Z M; Luo, Hao; Zhou, Bo; Tang, Z G

    2016-10-01

    Abutment screw loosening is the most common complication of implanting teeth. Aimed at improving the long-term stability of them, well-adherent and homogeneous micro-crystalline diamond (MCD) and nano-crystalline diamond (NCD) were deposited on DIO(®) (Dong Seo, Korea) abutment screws using a hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) system. Compared with bare DIO(®) screws, diamond coated ones showed higher post reverse toque values than the bare ones (p<0.05) after cyclic loading one million times under 100N, and no obvious flaking happened after loading test. Diamond coated disks showed lower friction coefficients of 0.15 and 0.18 in artificial saliva when countered with ZrO2 than that of bare Ti6Al4V disks of 0.40. Though higher cell apoptosis rate was observed on film coated disks, but no significant difference between MCD group and NCD group. And the cytotoxicity of diamond films was acceptable for the fact that the cell viability of them was still higher than 70% after cultured for 72h. It can be inferred that coating diamond films might be a promising modification method for Ti6Al4V abutment screws. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Pressure effects on the dissipative behavior of nanocrystalline diamond microelectromechanical resonators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Santos, J. T.; Holz, T.; Fernandes, A. J. S.; Costa, F. M.; Chu, V.; Conde, J. P.

    2015-02-01

    Diamond-based microelectromechanical resonators have the potential of enhanced performance due to the chemical inertness of the diamond structural layer and its high Young’s modulus, high wear resistance, low thermal expansion coefficient, and very high thermal conductivity. In this work, the resonance frequency and quality factor of MEMS resonators based on nanocrystalline diamond films are characterized under different air pressures. The dynamic behavior of 50-300 μm long linear bridges and double ended tuning forks, with resonance frequencies between 0.5 and 15 MHz and quality factors as high as 50 000 are described as a function of measurement pressure from high vacuum(~10 mTorr) up to atmospheric conditions. The resonance frequencies and quality factors in vacuum show good agreement with the theoretical models including anchor and thermoelastic dissipation (TED). The Young’s moduli for nanocrystalline diamond films extrapolated from experimental data are between 840-920 GPa. The critical pressure values, at which the quality factor starts decreasing due to dissipation in air, are dependent on the resonator length. Longer structures, with quality factors limited by TED and lower resonance frequencies, have low critical pressures, of the order of 1-10 Torr and go from an intrinsic dissipation, to a molecular dissipation regime and finally to a region of viscous dissipation. Shorter resonators, with higher resonance frequencies and quality factors limited by anchor losses, have higher critical pressures, some higher than atmospheric pressure, and enter directly into the viscous dissipation regime from the intrinsic region.

  6. Uncovering the Fundamental Nature of Tribological Interfaces: High Resolution Tribology and Spectroscopy of Ultrahard Nanostructured Diamond Films for MEMS and Beyond

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-12-31

    Wisconsin-Madison) for 2? ol !> o "S \\ % M 31 Statement of Objectives The original objectives of the proposal were as follows: 1. Obtain high-quality...performed multiple PEEM experiments on wear tracks on carbon-based films and polysilicon micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS) devices, a comprehensive... polysilicon MEMS device known as the "nanotractor", and studies of the structure and composition of UNCD, ta-C, and nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films. They

  7. Ferromagnetism appears in nitrogen implanted nanocrystalline diamond films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Remes, Zdenek; Sun, Shih-Jye; Varga, Marian; Chou, Hsiung; Hsu, Hua-Shu; Kromka, Alexander; Horak, Pavel

    2015-11-01

    The nanocrystalline diamond films turn to be ferromagnetic after implanting various nitrogen doses on them. Through this research, we confirm that the room-temperature ferromagnetism of the implanted samples is derived from the measurements of magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). Samples with larger crystalline grains as well as higher implanted doses present more robust ferromagnetic signals at room temperature. Raman spectra indicate that the small grain-sized samples are much more disordered than the large grain-sized ones. We propose that a slightly large saturated ferromagnetism could be observed at low temperature, because the increased localization effects have a significant impact on more disordered structure.

  8. Analysis of Short and Long Range Atomic Order in Nanocrystalline Diamonds with Application of Powder Diffractometry

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Palosz, B.; Grzanka, E.; Stelmakh, S.; Pielaszek, R.; Bismayer, U.; Neuefiend, J.; Weber, H.-P.; Proffen, T.; VonDreele, R.; Palosz, W.; hide

    2002-01-01

    Fundamental limitations, with respect to nanocrystalline materials, of the traditional elaboration of powder diffraction data like the Rietveld method are discussed. A tentative method of the analysis of powder diffraction patterns of nanocrystals is introduced which is based on the examination of the variation of lattice parameters calculated from individual Bragg lines (named the "apparent lattice parameter", alp). We examine the application of our methodology using theoretical diffraction patterns computed for models of nanocrystals with a perfect crystal lattice and for grains with a two-phase, core-shell structure. We use the method for the analysis of X-ray and neutron experimental diffraction data of nanocrystalline diamond powders of 4, 6 and 12 nm in diameter. The effects of an internal pressure and strain at the grain surface is discussed. This is based on the dependence of the alp values oil the diffraction vector Q and on the PDF analysis. It is shown, that the experimental results support well the concept of the two-phase structure of nanocrystalline diamond.

  9. Tribological properties of CVD diamond coated ceramic surfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abreu, Cristiano Simoes de

    agenda. In the present work, homologous tribological tests involving two distinct crystalline scale diamond coatings, namely microcrystalline diamond (MCD) and nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) coatings, were performed under unlubricated and water lubricated sliding conditions. The friction and wear behaviour of each diamond system was assessed using a reciprocating motion type geometry under moderated to high applied normal loads, reaching maximum values as high as 160 N in the case of lubricated MCD lms. Influence of grain size effects and surface pre-treatments of the substrate on the tribological performance of MCD and NCD coatings, respectively, has also been undertaken. Several complementary characterisation techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and micro-Raman studies, were used in order to assess the diamond quality, stress state, topography evolution of worn surfaces, wear resistance and prevailing wear mechanisms. The distinct friction regimes occurring for diamond-on-diamond dry sliding tests and condition for the delamination of the coating were also studied by the means of acoustic emission measurements. The friction performance of the MCD coatings under dry sliding were characterised by very low steady-state friction coeficient values in the range 0:03 - 0:04, regardless of the applied load. Such exceptional atrituous behaviour under unlubricated conditions was accompanied by a high resistance to wear damage, with wear rates characteristic of mild to very mild wear regimes (10. -8-10. -7mm3N-1m-1). The MCD water lubricated systems revealed even lower friction resistance (0.01 - 0.03), as well as a two-fold increase on the threshold load (150 N) prior to lm delamination under tribological stress. The inherent lower surface roughness of the NCD lms was responsible for a marginally lower steady-state friction response (0.02 - 0.03) in relation to the MCD coatings, and showed to be independent of the nishing condition and

  10. Detailed Study of BSA Adsorption on Micro- and Nanocrystalline Diamond/β-SiC Composite Gradient Films by Time-Resolved Fluorescence Microscopy.

    PubMed

    Handschuh-Wang, Stephan; Wang, Tao; Druzhinin, Sergey I; Wesner, Daniel; Jiang, Xin; Schönherr, Holger

    2017-01-24

    The adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA) on micro- and nanocrystalline diamond/β-SiC composite films synthesized using the hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) technique has been investigated by confocal fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy. BSA labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) was employed as a probe. The BSA FITC conjugate was found to preferentially adsorb on both O-/OH-terminated microcrystalline and nanocrystalline diamond compared to the OH-terminated β-SiC, resulting in an increasing amount of BSA adsorbed to the gradient surfaces with an increasing diamond/β-SiC ratio. The different strength of adsorption (>30 times for diamond with a grain size of 570 nm) coincides with different surface energy parameters and differing conformational changes upon adsorption. Fluorescence data of the adsorbed BSA FITC on the gradient film with different diamond coverage show a four-exponential decay with decay times of 3.71, 2.54, 0.66, and 0.13 ns for a grain size of 570 nm. The different decay times are attributed to the fluorescence of thiourea fluorescein residuals of linked FITC distributed in BSA with different dye-dye and dye-surface distances. The longest decay time was found to correlate linearly with the diamond grain size. The fluorescence of BSA FITC undergoes external dynamic fluorescence quenching on the diamond surface by H- and/or sp 2 -defects and/or by amorphous carbon or graphite phases. An acceleration of the internal fluorescence concentration quenching in BSA FITC because of structural changes of albumin due to adsorption, is concluded to be a secondary contributor. These results suggest that the micro- and nanocrystalline diamond/β-SiC composite gradient films can be utilized to spatially control protein adsorption and diamond crystallite size, which facilitates systematic studies at these interesting (bio)interfaces.

  11. Low temperature growth of diamond films on optical fibers using Linear Antenna CVD system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ficek, M.; Drijkoningen, S.; Karczewski, J.; Bogdanowicz, R.; Haenen, K.

    2016-01-01

    It is not trivial to achieve a good quality diamond-coated fibre interface due to a large difference in the properties and composition of the diamond films (or use coating even) and the optical fibre material, i.e. fused silica. One of the biggest problems is the high temperature during the deposition which influences the optical fibre or optical fibre sensor structure (e.g. long-period gratings (LPG)). The greatest advantage of a linear antenna microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition system (LA MW CVD) is the fact that it allows to grow the diamond layers at low temperature (below 300°C) [1]. High quality nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) thin films with thicknesses ranging from 70 nm to 150 nm, were deposited on silicon, glass and optical fibre substrates [2]. Substrates pretreatment by dip-coating and spin coating process with a dispersion consisting of detonation nanodiamond (DND) in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) has been applied. During the deposition process the continuous mode of operation of the LA MW CVD system was used, which produces a continuous wave at a maximum power of 1.9 kW (in each antenna). Diamond films on optical fibres were obtained at temperatures below 350°C, providing a clear improvement of results compared to our earlier work [3]. The samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging to investigate the morphology of the nanocrystalline diamond films. The film growth rate, film thickness, and optical properties in the VIS-NIR range, i.e. refractive index and extinction coefficient will be discussed based on measurements on reference quartz plates by using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE).

  12. Lower pressure synthesis of diamond material

    DOEpatents

    Lueking, Angela; Gutierrez, Humberto; Narayanan, Deepa; Burgess Clifford, Caroline E.; Jain, Puja

    2010-07-13

    Methods of synthesizing a diamond material, particularly nanocrystalline diamond, diamond-like carbon and bucky diamond are provided. In particular embodiments, a composition including a carbon source, such as coal, is subjected to addition of energy, such as high energy reactive milling, producing a milling product enriched in hydrogenated tetrahedral amorphous diamond-like carbon compared to the coal. A milling product is treated with heat, acid and/or base to produce nanocrystalline diamond and/or crystalline diamond-like carbon. Energy is added to produced crystalline diamond-like carbon in particular embodiments to produce bucky diamonds.

  13. Lead detection using micro/nanocrystalline boron-doped diamond by square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry.

    PubMed

    Arantes, Tatiane M; Sardinha, André; Baldan, Mauricio R; Cristovan, Fernando H; Ferreira, Neidenei G

    2014-10-01

    Monitoring heavy metal ion levels in water is essential for human health and safety. Electroanalytical techniques have presented important features to detect toxic trace heavy metals in the environment due to their high sensitivity associated with their easy operational procedures. Square-wave voltammetry is a powerful electrochemical technique that may be applied to both electrokinetic and analytical measurements, and the analysis of the characteristic parameters of this technique also enables the mechanism and kinetic evaluation of the electrochemical process under study. In this work, we present a complete optimized study on the heavy metal detection using diamond electrodes. It was analyzed the influence of the morphology characteristics as well as the doping level on micro/nanocrystalline boron-doped diamond films by means of square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) technique. The SWASV parameters were optimized for all films, considering that their kinetic response is dependent on the morphology and/or doping level. The films presented reversible results for the Lead [Pb (II)] system studied. The Pb (II) analysis was performed in ammonium acetate buffer at pH 4.5, varying the lead concentration in the range from 1 to 10 μg L(-1). The analytical responses were obtained for the four electrodes. However, the best low limit detection and reproducibility was found for boron doped nanocrystalline diamond electrodes (BDND) doped with 2000 mg L(-1) in B/C ratio. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Resistance to protein adsorption and adhesion of fibroblasts on nanocrystalline diamond films: the role of topography and boron doping.

    PubMed

    Alcaide, María; Papaioannou, Stavros; Taylor, Andrew; Fekete, Ladislav; Gurevich, Leonid; Zachar, Vladimir; Pennisi, Cristian Pablo

    2016-05-01

    Boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond (BNCD) films exhibit outstanding electrochemical properties that make them very attractive for the fabrication of electrodes for novel neural interfaces and prosthetics. In these devices, the physicochemical properties of the electrode materials are critical to ensure an efficient long-term performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the relative contribution of topography and doping to the biological performance of BNCD films. For this purpose, undoped and boron-doped NCD films were deposited on low roughness (LR) and high roughness (HR) substrates, which were studied in vitro by means of protein adsorption and fibroblast growth assays. Our results show that BNCD films significantly reduce the adsorption of serum proteins, mostly on the LR substrates. As compared to fibroblasts cultured on LR BNCD films, cells grown on the HR BNCD films showed significantly reduced adhesion and lower growth rates. The mean length of fibronectin fibrils deposited by the cells was significantly increased in the BNCD coated substrates, mainly in the LR surfaces. Overall, the largest influence on protein adsorption, cell adhesion, proliferation, and fibronectin deposition was due to the underlying sub-micron topography, with little or no influence of boron doping. In perspective, BNCD films displaying surface roughness in the submicron range may be used as a strategy to reduce the fibroblast growth on the surface of neural electrodes.

  15. Synthesis of nanocrystalline diamonds by microwave plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Purohit, V. S.; Jain, Deepti; Sathe, V. G.; Ganesan, V.; Bhoraskar, S. V.

    2007-03-01

    Nanocrystalline diamonds, varying in size from 40 to 400 nm, with random faceting were grown without the help of initial nucleation sites on nickel substrates as seen by scanning electron micrographs. These carbonaceous films were deposited in a microwave plasma reactor using hexane/nitrogen based chemical vapour deposition. The substrate temperatures during deposition were varied from 400 to 600 °C. The morphological investigations obtained by scanning electron micrographs and atomic force microscopy revealed the presence of nanocrystallites with multifaceted structures. Micro Raman investigations were carried out on the deposited films, which conclusively inferred that the growth of nanodiamond crystallites seen in the scanning electron micrographs correlate with clear Raman peaks appearing at 1120 and 1140 cm-1. Nanoindentation analysis with atomic force microscopy has revealed that the carbonaceous deposition identified by the Raman line at ~1140 cm-1, in fact, is related to nanodiamond on account of its hardness which was ~30 GPa. X-ray diffraction data supported this fact.

  16. Microstructural Evolution of Nanocrystalline Diamond Films Due to CH4/Ar/H2 Plasma Post-Treatment Process.

    PubMed

    Lin, Sheng-Chang; Yeh, Chien-Jui; Manoharan, Divinah; Leou, Keh-Chyang; Lin, I-Nan

    2015-10-07

    Plasma post-treatment process was observed to markedly enhance the electron field emission (EFE) properties of ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) films. TEM examinations reveal that the prime factor which improves the EFE properties of these films is the coalescence of ultrasmall diamond grains (∼5 nm) forming large diamond grains about hundreds of nanometers accompanied by the formation of nanographitic clusters along the grain boundaries due to the plasma post-treatment process. OES studies reveal the presence of large proportion of atomic hydrogen and C2 (or CH) species, which are the main ingredients that altered the granular structure of the UNCD films. In the post-treatment process, the plasma interacts with the diamond films by a diffusion process. The recrystallization of diamond grains started at the surface region of the material, and the interaction zone increased with the post-treatment period. The entire diamond film can be converted into a nanocrystalline granular structure when post-treated for a sufficient length of time.

  17. The kinetics, current efficiency, and power consumption of electrochemical dye decolorization by BD-NCD film electrode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nurhayati, Ervin; Juang, Yaju; Huang, Chihpin

    2017-06-01

    Diamond film electrode has been known as a material with very wide potential window for water electrolysis which leads to its applicability in numerous electrochemical processes. Its capability to produce hydroxyl radicals, a very strong oxidants, prompts its popular application in wastewater treatment. Batch and batch recirculation reactor were applied to perform bulk electrolysis experiments to investigate the kinetics of dye decolorization under different operation conditions, such as pH, active species, and current density. Furthermore, COD degradation data from batch recirculation reactor operation was used as the basis for the calculation of current efficiency and power consumption in the decolorization process. The kinetics of decolorization process using boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond (BD-NCD) film electrode revealed that acidic condition is favored for the dye degradation, and the presence of chloride ion in the solution was found to be more advantageous than sulfate active species, as evidenced by the higher reaction rate constants. Applying different current density of 10, 20 and 30 mA cm-2, it was found that the higher the current density the faster the decolorization rate. General current efficiency achieved after nearly total decolorization and 80% COD removal in batch recirculation reactor was around 74%, with specific power consumption of 4.4 kWh m-3 (in terms of volume of solution treated) or 145 kWh kg-1(in terms of kg COD treated).

  18. Optimization of Cvd Diamond Coating Type on Micro Drills in Pcb Machining

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lei, X. L.; He, Y.; Sun, F. H.

    2016-12-01

    The demand for better tools for machining printed circuit boards (PCBs) is increasing due to the extensive usage of these boards in digital electronic products. This paper is aimed at optimizing coating type on micro drills in order to extend their lifetime in PCB machining. First, the tribotests involving micro crystalline diamond (MCD), nano crystalline diamond (NCD) and bare tungsten carbide (WC-Co) against PCBs show that NCD-PCB tribopair exhibits the lowest friction coefficient (0.35) due to the unique nano structure and low surface roughness of NCD films. Thereafter, the dry machining performance of the MCD- and NCD-coated micro drills on PCBs is systematically studied, using diamond-like coating (DLC) and TiAlN-coated micro drills as comparison. The experiments show that the working lives of these micro drills can be ranked as: NCD>TiAlN>DLC>MCD>bare WC-Co. The superior cutting performance of NCD-coated micro drills in terms of the lowest flank wear growth rate, no tool degradation (e.g. chipping, tool tipping) appearance, the best hole quality as well as the lowest feed force may come from the excellent wear resistance, lower friction coefficient against PCB as well as the high adhesive strength on the underneath substrate of NCD films.

  19. Evidence for phase separation of ethanol-water mixtures at the hydrogen terminated nanocrystalline diamond surface.

    PubMed

    Janssens, Stoffel D; Drijkoningen, Sien; Saitner, Marc; Boyen, Hans-Gerd; Wagner, Patrick; Larsson, Karin; Haenen, Ken

    2012-07-28

    Interactions between ethanol-water mixtures and a hydrophobic hydrogen terminated nanocrystalline diamond surface, are investigated by sessile drop contact angle measurements. The surface free energy of the hydrophobic surface, obtained with pure liquids, differs strongly from values obtained by ethanol-water mixtures. Here, a model which explains this difference is presented. The model suggests that, due to a higher affinity of ethanol for the hydrophobic surface, when compared to water, a phase separation occurs when a mixture of both liquids is in contact with the H-terminated diamond surface. These results are supported by a computational study giving insight in the affinity and related interaction at the liquid-solid interface.

  20. Impact of diamond nanoparticles on neural cells.

    PubMed

    Vaitkuviene, Aida; Ratautaite, Vilma; Ramanaviciene, Almira; Sanen, Kathleen; Paesen, Rik; Ameloot, Marcel; Petrakova, Vladimira; McDonald, Matthew; Vahidpour, Farnoosh; Kaseta, Vytautas; Ramanauskaite, Giedre; Biziuleviciene, Gene; Nesladek, Milos; Ramanavicius, Arunas

    2015-02-01

    Diamond nanoparticles (DNPs) are very attractive for biomedical applications, particularly for bioimaging. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of DNPs on neural cancer cells and thus to assess the possible application of DNPs for these cells imaging. For this purpose, the neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line was chosen. Cells were cultured in medium with different concentrations (15, 50, 100 and 150 μg/ml) of DNPs. After 48 h of incubation, cell metabolic activity was evaluated by the XTT assay. For assessment of cellular metabolic activity, cells were also cultured on differently terminated nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) coatings in medium with 150 μg/ml of DNPs. Cell adhesion and morphology were evaluated by brightfield microscopy. Diamond nanoparticle internalization was determined by confocal microscopy. The obtained results showed that low concentrations (15, 50 and 100 μg/ml) of nanoparticles did not significantly affect the SH-SY5Y cell metabolic activity. However, a higher concentration (150 μg/ml) of DNPs statistically significantly reduced SH-SY5Y cell metabolic activity. After 48 h incubation with 150 μg/ml DNPs, cell metabolic activity was 23% lower than in medium without DNPs on standard tissue culture polystyrene. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. 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.

  2. Adhesive bonding and brazing of nanocrystalline diamond foil onto different substrate materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lodes, Matthias A.; Sailer, Stefan; Rosiwal, Stefan M.; Singer, Robert F.

    2013-10-01

    Diamond coatings are used in heavily stressed industrial applications to reduce friction and wear. Hot-filament chemical vapour deposition (HFCVD) is the favourable coating method, as it allows a coating of large surface areas with high homogeneity. Due to the high temperatures occurring in this CVD-process, the selection of substrate materials is limited. With the desire to coat light materials, steels and polymers a new approach has been developed. First, by using temperature-stable templates in the HFCVD and stripping off the diamond layer afterwards, a flexible, up to 150 μm thick and free standing nanocrystalline diamond foil (NCDF) can be produced. Afterwards, these NCDF can be applied on technical components through bonding and brazing, allowing any material as substrate. This two-step process offers the possibility to join a diamond layer on any desired surface. With a modified scratch test and Rockwell indentation testing the adhesion strength of NCDF on aluminium and steel is analysed. The results show that sufficient adhesion strength is reached both on steel and aluminium. The thermal stress in the substrates is very low and if failure occurs, cracks grow undercritically. Adhesion strength is even higher for the brazed samples, but here crack growth is critical, delaminating the diamond layer to some extent. In comparison to a sample directly coated with diamond, using a high-temperature CVD interlayer, the brazed as well as the adhesively bonded samples show very good performance, proving their competitiveness. A high support of the bonding layer could be identified as crucial, though in some cases a lower stiffness of the latter might be acceptable considering the possibility to completely avoid thermal stresses which occur during joining at higher temperatures.

  3. Multi-functional Extreme Environment Surfaces: Nanotribology for Air and Space

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-09-14

    SPANNING THE PHYSICAL SCALES OF MODERN TRIBOLOGY ( QCM ) (STM) Fundamental Challenges and Unsolved Issues How do adsorbed and tribo-generated films impact...Space Applications Satellite bearings, InfraRed sensor mechanisms Jet engine bearings 2 mm NCD MCD 300 mm Thrust II: Cryotribology and...Nanocrystalline Diamond for Space Applications Satellite bearings, InfraRed sensor mechanisms Jet engine bearings 2 mm NCD MCD 300 mm Five Years ago: Three

  4. Heterogeneous distribution of exocytotic microdomains in adrenal chromaffin cells resolved by high-density diamond ultra-microelectrode arrays.

    PubMed

    Gosso, Sara; Turturici, Marco; Franchino, Claudio; Colombo, Elisabetta; Pasquarelli, Alberto; Carbone, Emilio; Carabelli, Valentina

    2014-08-01

    Here we describe the ability of a high-density diamond microelectrode array targeted to resolve multi-site detection of fast exocytotic events from single cells. The array consists of nine boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond ultra-microelectrodes (9-Ch NCD-UMEA) radially distributed within a circular area of the dimensions of a single cell. The device can be operated in voltammetric or chronoamperometric configuration. Sensitivity to catecholamines, tested by dose-response calibrations, set the lowest detectable concentration of adrenaline to ∼5 μm. Catecholamine release from bovine or mouse chromaffin cells could be triggered by electrical stimulation or external KCl-enriched solutions. Spikes detected from the cell apex using carbon fibre microelectrodes showed an excellent correspondence with events measured at the bottom of the cell by the 9-Ch NCD-UMEA, confirming the ability of the array to resolve single quantal secretory events. Subcellular localization of exocytosis was provided by assigning each quantal event to one of the nine channels based on its location. The resulting mapping highlights the heterogeneous distribution of secretory activity in cell microdomains of 12-27 μm2. In bovine chromaffin cells, secretion was highly heterogeneous with zones of high and medium activity in 54% of the cell surface and zones of low or no activity in the remainder. The 'non-active' ('silent') zones covered 24% of the total and persisted for 6-8 min, indicating stable location. The 9-Ch NCD-UMEA therefore appears suitable for investigating the microdomain organization of neurosecretion with high spatial resolution. © 2014 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2014 The Physiological Society.

  5. Multi-functional Extreme Environment Surfaces: Nanotribology for Air and Space

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-09-14

    TRIBOLOGY ( QCM ) (STM) Fundamental Challenges and Unsolved Issues How do adsorbed and tribo-generated films impact friction and wear? How is heat dissipated...InfraRed sensor mechanisms Jet engine bearings 2 mm NCD MCD 300 mm Thrust II: Cryotribology and Nanocrystalline Diamond for Space Applications...Satellite bearings, InfraRed sensor mechanisms Jet engine bearings 2 mm NCD MCD 300 mm Five Years ago: Three publications in the area of vacuum

  6. Diamond-silicon carbide composite

    DOEpatents

    Qian, Jiang; Zhao, Yusheng

    2006-06-13

    Fully dense, diamond-silicon carbide composites are prepared from ball-milled microcrystalline diamond/amorphous silicon powder mixture. The ball-milled powder is sintered (P=5–8 GPa, T=1400K–2300K) to form composites having high fracture toughness. A composite made at 5 GPa/1673K had a measured fracture toughness of 12 MPa.dot.m1/2. By contrast, liquid infiltration of silicon into diamond powder at 5 GPa/1673K produces a composite with higher hardness but lower fracture toughness. X-ray diffraction patterns and Raman spectra indicate that amorphous silicon is partially transformed into nanocrystalline silicon at 5 GPa/873K, and nanocrystalline silicon carbide forms at higher temperatures.

  7. In vivo investigation on connective tissue healing to polished surfaces with different surface wettability.

    PubMed

    Kloss, Frank R; Steinmüller-Nethl, Doris; Stigler, Robert G; Ennemoser, Thomas; Rasse, Michael; Hächl, Oliver

    2011-07-01

    Connective tissue in contact to transgingival/-dermal implants presents itself as tight scar formation. Although rough surfaces support the attachment they increase bacterial colonisation as well. In contrast to surface roughness, little is known about the influence of surface wettability on soft-tissue healing in vivo. We therefore investigated the influence of different surface wettabilities on connective tissue healing at polished implant surfaces in vivo. Three polished experimental groups (titanium, titanium coated with hydrophobic nano-crystalline diamond (H-NCD) and titanium coated with hydrophilic nano-crystalline diamond (O-NCD) were inserted into the subcutaneous connective tissue of the abdominal wall of 24 rats. Animals were sacrificed after 1 and 4 weeks resulting in eight specimen per group per time point. Specimen were subjected to histological evaluation (van Giesson's staining) and immunohistochemistry staining for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), fibronectin and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Histological evaluation revealed dense scar formation at the titanium and H-NCD surfaces. In contrast, the connective tissue was loose at the O-NCD surface with a significantly higher number of cells after 4 weeks. O-NCD demonstrated a strong expression of PCNA and fibronectin but a weak expression of TNF-α. In contrast, the PCNA and fibronectin expression was low at the titanium and H-NCD, with a strong signal of TNF-α at the H-NCD surface. Hydrophilicity influences the connective tissue healing at polished implant surfaces in vivo positively. The attachment of connective tissue and the number of cells in contact to the surface were increased. Moreover, the inflammatory response is decreased at the hydrophilic surface. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  8. Simulations of chemical vapor deposition diamond film growth using a kinetic Monte Carlo model and two-dimensional models of microwave plasma and hot filament chemical vapor deposition reactors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    May, P. W.; Harvey, J. N.; Allan, N. L.; Richley, J. C.; Mankelevich, Yu. A.

    2010-12-01

    A one-dimensional kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) model has been developed to simulate the chemical vapor deposition of a diamond (100) surface under conditions used to grow single-crystal diamond (SCD), microcrystalline diamond (MCD), nanocrystalline diamond (NCD), and ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) films. The model considers adsorption, etching/desorption, lattice incorporation and surface migration but not defect formation or renucleation processes. Two methods have been devised for estimation of the gas phase concentrations of species at the growing diamond surface, and are used to determine adsorption rates for C1Hx hydrocarbons for the different conditions. The rate of migration of adsorbed carbon species is governed by the availability of neighboring radical sites, which, in turn, depend upon the rates of H abstraction and of surface-radical migration. The KMC model predicts growth rates and surface roughness for each of diamond types consistent with experiment. In the absence of defect formation and renucleation the average surface diffusion length, ℓ, is a key parameter controlling surface morphology. When ℓ <2, surface migration is limited by the lack of availability of surface radical sites, and the migrating surface species simply hop back and forth between two adjacent sites but do not travel far beyond their initial adsorption site. Thus, Eley-Rideal processes dominate the growth, leading to the rough surfaces seen in NCD and UNCD. The maximum or "intrinsic" surface roughness occurs for nominally zero-migration conditions (ℓ =0) with an rms value of approximately five carbon atoms. Conversely, when migration occurs over greater distances (ℓ >2), Langmuir-Hinshelwood processes dominate the growth producing the smoother surfaces of MCD and SCD. By extrapolation, we predict that atomically smooth surfaces over large areas should occur once migrating species can travel approximately five sites (ℓ ˜5). β-scission processes are found to be

  9. Radiation-Induced Damage and Recovery of Ultra-Nanocrystalline Diamond: Toward Applications in Harsh Environments

    DOE PAGES

    Martin, Aiden A.; Filevich, Jorge; Straw, Marcus; ...

    2017-10-23

    Ultra-nanocrystalline diamond (UNCD) is increasingly being used in the fabrication of devices and coatings due to its excellent tribological properties, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. Here in this work, we study its response to irradiation with kiloelectronvolt electrons as a controlled model for extreme ionizing environments. Real time Raman spectroscopy reveals that the radiation-damage mechanism entails dehydrogenation of UNCD grain boundaries, and we show that the damage can be recovered by annealing at 883 K. Lastly, our results have significant practical implications for the implementation of UNCD in extreme environment applications, and indicate that the films can be used as radiationmore » sensors.« less

  10. Radiation-Induced Damage and Recovery of Ultra-Nanocrystalline Diamond: Toward Applications in Harsh Environments

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

    Martin, Aiden A.; Filevich, Jorge; Straw, Marcus

    Ultra-nanocrystalline diamond (UNCD) is increasingly being used in the fabrication of devices and coatings due to its excellent tribological properties, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. Here in this work, we study its response to irradiation with kiloelectronvolt electrons as a controlled model for extreme ionizing environments. Real time Raman spectroscopy reveals that the radiation-damage mechanism entails dehydrogenation of UNCD grain boundaries, and we show that the damage can be recovered by annealing at 883 K. Lastly, our results have significant practical implications for the implementation of UNCD in extreme environment applications, and indicate that the films can be used as radiationmore » sensors.« less

  11. Tailoring nanocrystalline diamond film properties

    DOEpatents

    Gruen, Dieter M [Downers Grove, IL; McCauley, Thomas G [Somerville, MA; Zhou, Dan [Orlando, FL; Krauss, Alan R [Naperville, IL

    2003-07-15

    A method for controlling the crystallite size and growth rate of plasma-deposited diamond films. A plasma is established at a pressure in excess of about 55 Torr with controlled concentrations of hydrogen up to about 98% by volume, of unsubstituted hydrocarbons up to about 3% by volume and an inert gas of one or more of the noble gases and nitrogen up to about 98% by volume. The volume ratio of inert gas to hydrogen is preferably maintained at greater than about 4, to deposit a diamond film on a suitable substrate. The diamond film is deposited with a predetermined crystallite size and at a predetermined growth rate.

  12. Smooth diamond films as low friction, long wear surfaces

    DOEpatents

    Gruen, Dieter M.; Krauss, Alan R.; Erdemir, Ali; Bindal, Cuma; Zuiker, Christopher D.

    1999-01-01

    An article and method of manufacture of a nanocrystalline diamond film. The nanocrystalline film is prepared by forming a carbonaceous vapor, providing an inert gas containing gas stream and combining the gas stream with the carbonaceous containing vapor. A plasma of the combined vapor and gas stream is formed in a chamber and fragmented carbon species are deposited onto a substrate to form the nanocrystalline diamond film having a root mean square flatness of about 50 nm deviation from flatness in the as deposited state.

  13. 42 CFR 426.525 - NCD review.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false NCD review. 426.525 Section 426.525 Public Health... PROGRAM REVIEW OF NATIONAL COVERAGE DETERMINATIONS AND LOCAL COVERAGE DETERMINATIONS Review of an NCD § 426.525 NCD review. (a) Opportunity for the aggrieved party after his or her review of the NCD record...

  14. Uncovering the Physical Basis Connecting Environment and Tribological Performance of Ultrananocrystalline Diamond

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-04-17

    measured with an infrared pyrometer (550-3200°C). The substrates were coated with diamond nanoparticles (ITC Inc.) which serve as nucleation sites...wafers were seeded with nano-diamond particles prior to film growth to provide nucleation sites for diamond growth. To study the effect of surface...wafers are appropriate to generate uniform seeding. AFM tips were seeded with nano-diamond particles prior to coating with NCD to provide nucleation

  15. Nanodiamond infiltration into porous silicon through etching of solid carbon produced at different graphitization temperatures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miranda, C. R. B.; Baldan, M. R.; Beloto, A. F.; Ferreira, N. G.

    2011-09-01

    Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) was grown on the porous silicon (PS) substrate using Reticulated Vitreous Carbon (RVC) as an additional solid carbon source. RVC was produced at different heat treatment temperatures of 1300, 1500, and 2000 °C, resulting in samples with different turbostratic carbon organizations. The PS substrate was produced by an electrochemical method. NCD film was obtained by the chemical vapor infiltration/deposition process where a RVC piece was positioned just below the PS substrate. The PS and NCD samples were characterized by Field Emission Gun-Scanning Electron Microscopy (FEG-SEM). NCD films presented faceted nanograins with uniform surface texture covering all the pores resulting in an apparent micro honeycomb structure. Raman's spectra showed the D and G bands, as well as, the typical two shoulders at 1,150 and 1,490 cm-1 attributed to NCD. X-ray diffraction analyses showed the predominant (111) diamond orientation as well as the (220) and (311) peaks. The structural organization and the heteroatom presence on the RVC surface, analyzed from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, showed their significant influence on the NCD growth process. The hydrogen etching released, from RVC surface, associated to carbon and/or oxygen/nitrogen amounts led to different contributions for NCD growth.

  16. All diamond self-aligned thin film transistor

    DOEpatents

    Gerbi, Jennifer [Champaign, IL

    2008-07-01

    A substantially all diamond transistor with an electrically insulating substrate, an electrically conductive diamond layer on the substrate, and a source and a drain contact on the electrically conductive diamond layer. An electrically insulating diamond layer is in contact with the electrically conductive diamond layer, and a gate contact is on the electrically insulating diamond layer. The diamond layers may be homoepitaxial, polycrystalline, nanocrystalline or ultrananocrystalline in various combinations.A method of making a substantially all diamond self-aligned gate transistor is disclosed in which seeding and patterning can be avoided or minimized, if desired.

  17. Boron-Doped Nanocrystalline Diamond Electrodes for Neural Interfaces: In vivo Biocompatibility Evaluation

    PubMed Central

    Alcaide, María; Taylor, Andrew; Fjorback, Morten; Zachar, Vladimir; Pennisi, Cristian P.

    2016-01-01

    Boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond (BDD) electrodes have recently attracted attention as materials for neural electrodes due to their superior physical and electrochemical properties, however their biocompatibility remains largely unexplored. In this work, we aim to investigate the in vivo biocompatibility of BDD electrodes in relation to conventional titanium nitride (TiN) electrodes using a rat subcutaneous implantation model. High quality BDD films were synthesized on electrodes intended for use as an implantable neurostimulation device. After implantation for 2 and 4 weeks, tissue sections adjacent to the electrodes were obtained for histological analysis. Both types of implants were contained in a thin fibrous encapsulation layer, the thickness of which decreased with time. Although the level of neovascularization around the implants was similar, BDD electrodes elicited significantly thinner fibrous capsules and a milder inflammatory reaction at both time points. These results suggest that BDD films may constitute an appropriate material to support stable performance of implantable neural electrodes over time. PMID:27013949

  18. Diamond-Silicon Carbide Composite And Method For Preparation Thereof

    DOEpatents

    Qian, Jiang; Zhao, Yusheng

    2005-09-06

    Fully dense, diamond-silicon carbide composites are prepared from ball-milled microcrystalline diamond/amorphous silicon powder mixture. The ball-milled powder is sintered (P=5-8 GPa, T=1400K-2300K) to form composites having high fracture toughness. A composite made at 5 GPa/1673K had a measured fracture toughness of 12 MPa.multidot.m.sup.1/2. By contrast, liquid infiltration of silicon into diamond powder at 5 GPa/1673K produces a composite with higher hardness but lower fracture toughness. X-ray diffraction patterns and Raman spectra indicate that amorphous silicon is partially transformed into nanocrystalline silicon at 5 GPa/873K, and nanocrystalline silicon carbide forms at higher temperatures.

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

    Dumpala, Ravikumar; Nano Functional Materials Technology Centre, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036; Kumar, N.

    Tribo-layer formation and frictional characteristics of the SiC ball were studied with the sliding test against nanocrystalline diamond coating under atmospheric test conditions. Unsteady friction coefficients in the range of 0.04 to 0.1 were observed during the tribo-test. Friction and wear characteristics were found to be influenced by the formation of cohesive tribo-layer (thickness ∼ 1.3 μm) in the wear track of nanocrystalline diamond coating. Hardness of the tribo-layer was measured using nanoindentation technique and low hardness of ∼ 1.2 GPa was observed. The presence of silicon and oxygen in the tribo-layer was noticed by the energy dispersive spectroscopy mappingmore » and the chemical states of the silicon were analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Large amount of oxygen content in the tribo-layer indicated tribo-oxidation wear mechanism. - Highlights: • Sliding wear and friction characteristics of SiC were studied against NCD coating. • Silicon oxide tribo-layer formation was observed in the NCD coating wear track. • Low hardness 1.2 GPa of tribo-layer was measured using nanoindentation technique. • Chemical states of silicon were analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.« less

  20. Fabrication of diamond shells

    DOEpatents

    Hamza, Alex V.; Biener, Juergen; Wild, Christoph; Woerner, Eckhard

    2016-11-01

    A novel method for fabricating diamond shells is introduced. The fabrication of such shells is a multi-step process, which involves diamond chemical vapor deposition on predetermined mandrels followed by polishing, microfabrication of holes, and removal of the mandrel by an etch process. The resultant shells of the present invention can be configured with a surface roughness at the nanometer level (e.g., on the order of down to about 10 nm RMS) on a mm length scale, and exhibit excellent hardness/strength, and good transparency in the both the infra-red and visible. Specifically, a novel process is disclosed herein, which allows coating of spherical substrates with optical-quality diamond films or nanocrystalline diamond films.

  1. Development of a templated approach to fabricate diamond patterns on various substrates.

    PubMed

    Shimoni, Olga; Cervenka, Jiri; Karle, Timothy J; Fox, Kate; Gibson, Brant C; Tomljenovic-Hanic, Snjezana; Greentree, Andrew D; Prawer, Steven

    2014-06-11

    We demonstrate a robust templated approach to pattern thin films of chemical vapor deposited nanocrystalline diamond grown from monodispersed nanodiamond (mdND) seeds. The method works on a range of substrates, and we herein demonstrate the method using silicon, aluminum nitride (AlN), and sapphire substrates. Patterns are defined using photo- and e-beam lithography, which are seeded with mdND colloids and subsequently introduced into microwave assisted chemical vapor deposition reactor to grow patterned nanocrystalline diamond films. In this study, we investigate various factors that affect the selective seeding of different substrates to create high quality diamond thin films, including mdND surface termination, zeta potential, surface treatment, and plasma cleaning. Although the electrostatic interaction between mdND colloids and substrates is the main process driving adherence, we found that chemical reaction (esterification) or hydrogen bonding can potentially dominate the seeding process. Leveraging the knowledge on these different interactions, we optimize fabrication protocols to eliminate unwanted diamond nucleation outside the patterned areas. Furthermore, we have achieved the deposition of patterned diamond films and arrays over a range of feature sizes. This study contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the mdND-substrate interaction that will enable the fabrication of integrated nanocrystalline diamond thin films for microelectronics, sensors, and tissue culturing applications.

  2. Nanocrystalline cerium dioxide efficacy for gastrointestinal motility: potential for prokinetic treatment and prevention in elderly.

    PubMed

    Yefimenko, Olena Yu; Savchenko, Yuliya O; Falalyeyeva, Tetyana M; Beregova, Tetyana V; Zholobak, Nadiya M; Spivak, Mykola Ya; Shcherbakov, Oleksandr B; Bubnov, Rostyslav V

    2015-01-01

    Constipation is a common condition, with prevalence after 65 years, is a major colorectal cancer risk factor. Recent works have demonstrated advances in personalized, preventive nanomedicine, leading to the construction of new materials and nanodrugs, in particular, nanocrystalline cerium dioxide (NCD), having strong antioxidative prebiotic effect. The aim of our study was to investigate the influence of NCD on motor function of the stomach and colon in vivo and contractive activity of smooth muscles in different year-old rats. We included 80 rats: 3- (weight 130-160 g, n = 40) and 24-month old (weight 390-450 g, n = 40), divided into four groups as follows: І-control group; rats of II-ІV groups were injected intragastrically one injection per day during 10 days, 3 ml of water 3 ml/kg stabilizing solution, аnd 1 mmol/ml NCD, respectively. In all animals, we recorded spontaneous and carbachol-stimulated (0.01 mg/kg) gastrointestinal tract motor activity. We used the index of motor activity (IMA), expressed in cmH2O, for characterization of the motor function. We investigated smooth muscle contraction by tenzometric method, studied the spontaneous and stimulated motility by ballonographic method. IMA reduced by 21.1 + 0.2% (p < 0.01) in the old rats of the control group compared with the young rats. A 10-day administration of NCD increased IMA in the stomach of young rats by 9.3% (р < 0.001) vs the control group. The exposure of NCD increased the amplitude of contraction to 34.2 ± 5.4 mN (n = 10) in the stomach of old rats and increased by 32.1 ± 2.4% vs the control group (p < 0.05). NCD did not influence acetylcholine (ACh) contractions in the stomach of young rats; however, in the stomach of old rats, V nr increased by 90 ± 15.2% (р < 0.001). The index of motor activity is decreased in old rats. Nanocrystalline cerium dioxide increased the index of motor activity in all groups of rats and also evoked a

  3. Ion energy distributions and the density of CH3 radicals in a low pressure inductively coupled CH4/H2 plasma used for nanocrystalline diamond deposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Okada, Katsuyuki; Komatsu, Shojiro; Matsumoto, Seiichiro

    2003-11-01

    Ion energy distributions (IEDs) and the density of CH3 radicals (n) in a 13.56 MHz radio frequency (rf) low pressure inductively coupled CH4/H2 plasma used for nanocrystalline diamond deposition have been investigated with a quadrupole mass spectrometer. The energy distributions of positive ions were measured in a CH4/H2 plasma with 50 mTorr of the gas pressure at 500 W of the plasma input power, and were compared with those of an Ar plasma. We have found that the IEDs of Ar+, CH4+, and C2H5+ have a nearly monoenergetic peak, and a hump due to a small degree of capacitive coupling. The plasma potentials obtained from the peaks are consistent with the previously reported values measured with a Langmuir probe. On the other hand, the IEDs of H+, H2+, and H3+ have a clear asymmetric double peak due to the modulation of rf driven glow discharge. The n monotonously increases with increasing pressure. The n indicates that CH3 radicals are main precursors for the growth of nanocrystalline diamond. The estimated sticking coefficient of the CH3 radical is comparable with the reported value.

  4. A Chronology of Global Assistance Funding for NCD.

    PubMed

    Nugent, Rachel

    2016-12-01

    Funding from the global community for noncommunicable disease (NCD) prevention and control in developing countries is miniscule-dwarfed by donor support for communicable diseases, maternal and child health, and other traditional health concerns in low-income countries. Yet, NCD now constitute the bulk of illness and deaths in low-income countries with, to date, only a small uptick in donor funding evident as a response. This paper describes recent magnitude and trends in the development of assistance for NCD; identifies the main sources among the 3 groupings of multilateral, bilateral, and private philanthropic funders; and discusses issues in tracking NCD donor funding, and challenges to mobilizing donor funding for NCD. Finally, it concludes with a more (slightly) optimistic outlook. Copyright © 2016 World Heart Federation (Geneva). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Visible sub-band gap photoelectron emission from nitrogen doped and undoped polycrystalline diamond films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Elfimchev, S.; Chandran, M.; Akhvlediani, R.; Hoffman, A.

    2017-07-01

    In this study the origin of visible sub-band gap photoelectron emission (PEE) from polycrystalline diamond films is investigated. The PEE yields as a function of temperature were studied in the wavelengths range of 360-520 nm. Based on the comparison of electron emission yields from diamond films deposited on silicon and molybdenum substrates, with different thicknesses and nitrogen doping levels, we suggested that photoelectrons are generated from nitrogen related centers in diamond. Our results show that diamond film thickness and substrate material have no significant influence on the PEE yield. We found that nanocrystalline diamond films have low electron emission yields, compared to microcrystalline diamond, due to the presence of high amount of defects in the former, which trap excited electrons before escaping into the vacuum. However, the low PEE yield of nanocrystalline diamond films was found to increase with temperature. The phenomenon was explained by the trap assisted photon enhanced thermionic emission (ta-PETE) model. According to the ta-PETE model, photoelectrons are trapped by shallow traps, followed by thermal excitation at elevated temperatures and escape into the vacuum. Activation energies of trap levels were estimated for undoped nanocrystalline, undoped microcrystalline and N-doped diamond films using the Richardson-Dushman equation, which gives 0.13, 0.39 and 0.04 eV, respectively. Such low activation energy of trap levels makes the ta-PETE process very effective at elevated temperatures.

  6. Contract W911NF-12-C-0102 (Advanced Diamond Technologies, Inc.)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-06-24

    resistivity, residual stress and Raman spectra measurement is finished. Raman spectra shows basically regular nanocrystalline diamond signature as expected...diamond films including thickness, resistivity, residual stress and Raman spectra measurement is finished. Raman spectra shows basically regular...15743 WF600B05 3000 0.02 0.03 0.0018 4 Fig. 2 Raman spectra (λ=532 nm) of (a) all diamond with different doping level and (b) diamond only with

  7. Application of Powder Diffraction Methods to the Analysis of Short- and Long-Range Atomic Order in Nanocrystalline Diamond and SiC: The Concept of the Apparent Lattice Parameter (alp)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Palosz, B.; Grzanka, E.; Gierlotka, S.; Stelmakh, S.; Pielaszek, R.; Bismayer, U.; Weber, H.-P.; Palosz, W.

    2003-01-01

    Two methods of the analysis of powder diffraction patterns of diamond and SiC nanocrystals are presented: (a) examination of changes of the lattice parameters with diffraction vector Q ('apparent lattice parameter', alp) which refers to Bragg scattering, and (b), examination of changes of inter-atomic distances based on the analysis of the atomic Pair Distribution Function, PDF. Application of these methods was studied based on the theoretical diffraction patterns computed for models of nanocrystals having (i) a perfect crystal lattice, and (ii), a core-shell structure, i.e. constituting a two-phase system. The models are defined by the lattice parameter of the grain core, thickness of the surface shell, and the magnitude and distribution of the strain field in the shell. X-ray and neutron experimental diffraction data of nanocrystalline SiC and diamond powders of the grain diameter from 4 nm up to micrometers were used. The effects of the internal pressure and strain at the grain surface on the structure are discussed based on the experimentally determined dependence of the alp values on the Q-vector, and changes of the interatomic distances with the grain size determined experimentally by the atomic Pair Distribution Function (PDF) analysis. The experimental results lend a strong support to the concept of a two-phase, core and the surface shell structure of nanocrystalline diamond and SiC.

  8. 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

  9. Tribosystems based on multilayered micro/nanocrystalline CVD diamond coatings =

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shabani, Mohammadmehdi

    A combinacao das caracteristicas do diamante microcristalino (MCD) e nanocristalino (NCD), tais como elevada adesao do MCD e a baixa rugosidade superficial e baixo coeficiente de atrito do NCD, e ideal para aplicacoes tribologicas exigentes. Deste modo, o presente trabalho centrou-se no desenvolvimento de revestimentos em multicamada MCD/NCD. Filmes com dez camadas foram depositados em amostras de cerâmicos de Si3N4 pela tecnica de deposicao quimica em fase vapor assistida por filamento quente (HFCVD). A microestrutura, qualidade do diamante e adesao foram investigadas usando tecnicas como SEM, AFM, espectroscopia Raman, DRX, indentacao Brale e perfilometria otica 3D. Diversas geometrias para aplicacoes distintas foram revestidas: discos e esferas para testes tribologicos a escala laboratorial, e para testes em servico, aneis de empanques mecânicos e pastilhas de corte para torneamento. Nos ensaios tribologicos esfera-sobre-plano em movimento reciproco, sob 10-90% de humidade relativa (RH), os valores medios dos coeficientes de atrito maximo e em estado estacionario sao de 0,32 e 0,09, respetivamente. Em relacao aos coeficientes de desgaste, observou-se um valor minimo de cerca de 5,2x10-8 mm3N-1m-1 para valores intermedios de 20-25% de RH. A humidade relativa tem um forte efeito sobre o valor da carga critica que triplica a partir de 40 N a 10% RH para 120 N a 90% de RH. No intervalo de temperaturas 50-100 °C, as cargas criticas sao semelhantes as obtidas em condicoes de baixa RH ( 10-25%). A vida util das ferramentas com revestimento de dez camadas alternadas MCD/NCD e 24 mum de espessura total no torneamento de um composito de matriz metalica Al- 15 vol% Al2O3 (Al-MMC) e melhor do que a maioria das ferramentas de diamante CVD encontradas na literatura, e semelhante a maioria das ferramentas de diamante policristalino (PCD). A formacao de cratera ocorre por desgaste sucessivo das varias camadas, atrasando a delaminacao total do revestimento de diamante do

  10. Thick Nano-Crystalline Diamond films for fusion applications

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

    Dawedeit, Christoph

    This Diplomarbeit deals with the characterization of 9 differently grown diamond samples. Several techniques were used to determine the quality of these specimens for inertial confinement fusion targets. The quality of chemical vapor deposition diamond is usually considered in terms of the proportion of sp3-bonded carbon to sp2-bonded carbon in the sample. For fusion targets smoothness, Hydrogen content and density of the diamonds are further important characteristics. These characteristics are analyzed in this thesis. The research for thesis was done at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institut für angewandte Festkörperphysik Freiburg, Germany. Additionally the Lehrstuhl fuermore » Nukleartechnik at Technical University of Germany supported the work.« less

  11. 42 CFR 426.518 - NCD record furnished to the aggrieved party.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false NCD record furnished to the aggrieved party. 426... LOCAL COVERAGE DETERMINATIONS Review of an NCD § 426.518 NCD record furnished to the aggrieved party. (a) Elements of the NCD record furnished to the aggrieved party. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this...

  12. 42 CFR 426.518 - NCD record furnished to the aggrieved party.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false NCD record furnished to the aggrieved party. 426... LOCAL COVERAGE DETERMINATIONS Review of an NCD § 426.518 NCD record furnished to the aggrieved party. (a) Elements of the NCD record furnished to the aggrieved party. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this...

  13. 42 CFR 426.518 - NCD record furnished to the aggrieved party.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false NCD record furnished to the aggrieved party. 426... LOCAL COVERAGE DETERMINATIONS Review of an NCD § 426.518 NCD record furnished to the aggrieved party. (a) Elements of the NCD record furnished to the aggrieved party. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this...

  14. Examination of Short- and Long-Range Atomic Order Nanocrystalline SiC and Diamond by Powder Diffraction Methods

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Palosz, B.; Grzanka, E.; Stelmakh, S.; Gierlotka, S.; Weber, H.-P.; Proffen, T.; Palosz, W.

    2002-01-01

    The real atomic structure of nanocrystals determines unique, key properties of the materials. Determination of the structure presents a challenge due to inherent limitations of standard powder diffraction techniques when applied to nanocrystals. Alternate methodology of the structural analysis of nanocrystals (several nanometers in size) based on Bragg-like scattering and called the "apparent lattice parameter" (alp) is proposed. Application of the alp methodology to examination of the core-shell model of nanocrystals will be presented. The results of application of the alp method to structural analysis of several nanopowders were complemented by those obtained by determination of the Atomic Pair Distribution Function, PDF. Based on synchrotron and neutron diffraction data measured in a large diffraction vector of up to Q = 25 Angstroms(exp -1), the surface stresses in nanocrystalline diamond and SiC were evaluated.

  15. Diamond network: template-free fabrication and properties.

    PubMed

    Zhuang, Hao; Yang, Nianjun; Fu, Haiyuan; Zhang, Lei; Wang, Chun; Huang, Nan; Jiang, Xin

    2015-03-11

    A porous diamond network with three-dimensionally interconnected pores is of technical importance but difficult to be produced. In this contribution, we demonstrate a simple, controllable, and "template-free" approach to fabricate diamond networks. It combines the deposition of diamond/β-SiC nanocomposite film with a wet-chemical selective etching of the β-SiC phase. The porosity of these networks was tuned from 15 to 68%, determined by the ratio of the β-SiC phase in the composite films. The electrochemical working potential and the reactivity of redox probes on the diamond networks are similar to those of a flat nanocrystalline diamond film, while their surface areas are hundreds of times larger than that of a flat diamond film (e.g., 490-fold enhancement for a 3 μm thick diamond network). The marriage of the unprecedented physical/chemical features of diamond with inherent advantages of the porous structure makes the diamond network a potential candidate for various applications such as water treatment, energy conversion (batteries or fuel cells), and storage (capacitors), as well as electrochemical and biochemical sensing.

  16. Photo-stimulated low electron temperature high current diamond film field emission cathode

    DOEpatents

    Shurter,; Roger Philips, Devlin [Los Alamos, NM; David James, Moody [Santa Fe, NM; Nathan Andrew, Taccetti [Los Alamos, NM; Jose Martin, Russell [Santa Fe, NM; John, Steven [Los Alamos, NM

    2012-07-24

    An electron source includes a back contact surface having a means for attaching a power source to the back contact surface. The electron source also includes a layer comprising platinum in direct contact with the back contact surface, a composite layer of single-walled carbon nanotubes embedded in platinum in direct contact with the layer comprising platinum. The electron source also includes a nanocrystalline diamond layer in direct contact with the composite layer. The nanocrystalline diamond layer is doped with boron. A portion of the back contact surface is removed to reveal the underlying platinum. The electron source is contained in an evacuable container.

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

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

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

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

  18. Can the Success of HIV Scale-Up Advance the Global Chronic NCD Agenda?

    PubMed

    Palma, Anton M; Rabkin, Miriam; Nuwagaba-Biribonwoha, Harriet; Bongomin, Pido; Lukhele, Nomthandazo; Dlamini, Xolisile; Kidane, Altaye; El-Sadr, Wafaa M

    2016-12-01

    Noncommunicable diseases (NCD) are the leading causes of death and disability worldwide but have received suboptimal attention and funding from the global health community. Although the first United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) for NCD in 2011 aimed to stimulate donor funding and political action, only 1.3% of official development assistance for health was allocated to NCD in 2015, even less than in 2011. In stark contrast, the UNGASS on human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in 2001 sparked billions of dollars in funding for HIV and enabled millions of HIV-infected individuals to access antiretroviral treatment. Using an existing analytic framework, we compare the global responses to the HIV and NCD epidemics and distill lessons from the HIV response that might be utilized to enhance the global NCD response. These include: 1) further educating and empowering communities and patients to increase demand for NCD services and to hold national governments accountable for establishing and achieving NCD targets; and 2) evidence to support the feasibility and effectiveness of large-scale NCD screening and treatment programs in low-resource settings. We conclude with a case study from Swaziland, a country that is making progress in confronting both HIV and NCD. Copyright © 2016 World Heart Federation (Geneva). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Patterning of nanocrystalline diamond films for diamond microstructures useful in MEMS and other devices

    DOEpatents

    Gruen, Dieter M [Downers Grove, IL; Busmann, Hans-Gerd [Bremen, DE; Meyer, Eva-Maria [Bremen, DE; Auciello, Orlando [Bolingbrook, IL; Krauss, Alan R [late of Naperville, IL; Krauss, Julie R [Naperville, IL

    2004-11-02

    MEMS structure and a method of fabricating them from ultrananocrystalline diamond films having average grain sizes of less than about 10 nm and feature resolution of less than about one micron . The MEMS structures are made by contacting carbon dimer species with an oxide substrate forming a carbide layer on the surface onto which ultrananocrystalline diamond having average grain sizes of less than about 10 nm is deposited. Thereafter, microfabrication process are used to form a structure of predetermined shape having a feature resolution of less than about one micron.

  20. 42 CFR 426.515 - CMS' role in making the NCD record available.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false CMS' role in making the NCD record available. 426.515 Section 426.515 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND... COVERAGE DETERMINATIONS Review of an NCD § 426.515 CMS' role in making the NCD record available. CMS will...

  1. Effects of protein inter-layers on cell-diamond FET characteristics.

    PubMed

    Rezek, Bohuslav; Krátká, Marie; Kromka, Alexander; Kalbacova, Marie

    2010-12-15

    Diamond is recognized as an attractive material for merging solid-state and biological systems. The advantage of diamond field-effect transistors (FET) is that they are chemically resistant, bio-compatible, and can operate without gate oxides. Solution-gated FETs based on H-terminated nanocrystalline diamond films exhibiting surface conductivity are employed here for studying effects of fetal bovine serum (FBS) proteins and osteoblastic SAOS-2 cells on diamond electronic properties. FBS proteins adsorbed on the diamond FETs permanently decrease diamond conductivity as reflected by the -45 mV shift of the FET transfer characteristics. Cell cultivation for 2 days results in a further shift by another -78 mV. We attribute it to a change of diamond material properties rather than purely to the field-effect. Increase in gate leakage currents (by a factor of 4) indicates that the FBS proteins also decrease the diamond-electrolyte electronic barrier induced by C-H surface dipoles. We propose a model where the proteins replace ions in the very vicinity of the H-terminated diamond surface. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. A new tubular hot-wire CVD for diamond coating

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Motahari, Hamid; Bellah, Samad Moemen; Malekfar, Rasoul

    2017-06-01

    A new tubular hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) system using a tubular quartz vacuum chamber has been fabricated. The filaments in this system can heat the substrate and act as a gas activator and thermally activator for gas species at the same time. The nano- and microcrystalline diamond coatings on the surface of steel AISI 316 substrates have been grown. To assess the results, SEM and FESEM images and Raman spectroscopy investigations have been applied. The results reveal that micro- and nanocrystalline diamond structures have been formed in the coatings, but the disordered diamond and some non-diamond phases, such as graphitic carbons, are also present in the coating layers. The analytical measurements show the growth of diamond films with well-faceted crystals in (111) direction. However, intrinsic stress, secondary nucleation, and poor adhesion are the main issues of future research for this new designed HWCVD.

  3. 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.

  4. Possible observation of the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition in boron-doped diamond films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Coleman, Christopher; Bhattacharyya, Somnath

    2017-11-01

    The occurrence of the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) transition is investigated in heavily boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond films through a combination of current-voltage and resistance measurements. We observe transport features suggesting a robust BKT transition along with transport features related to vortex pinning in nanocrystalline diamond films with smaller grain size. The vortex core energy determined through analysis of the resistance temperature curves was found to be anti-correlated to the BKT transition temperatures. It is also observed that the higher BKT temperature is related to an increased vortex-antivortex binding energy derived from the activated transport regions. Further, the magnetic field induced superconductor insulator transition shows the possibility of the charge glass state. The consequences of granularity such as localization and vortex pinning can lead to tuneable BKT temperatures and strongly affects the field induced insulating state.

  5. Strategic investments in non-communicable diseases (NCD) research in Africa: the GSK Africa NCD Open Lab.

    PubMed

    Hall, Matthew D; Dufton, Ann M; Katso, Roy M; Gatsi, Sally A; Williams, Pauline M; Strange, Michael E

    2015-01-01

    In March 2014, GSK announced a number of new strategic investments in Africa. One of these included investment of up to 25 million Pounds Sterling (£25 million) to create the world's first R&D Open Lab to increase understanding of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Africa. The vision is to create a new global R&D effort with GSK working in partnership with major funders, academic centres and governments to share expertise and resources to conduct high-quality research. The Africa NCD Open Lab will see GSK scientists collaborate with scientific research centres across Africa. An independent advisory board of leading scientists and clinicians will provide input to develop the strategy and selection of NCD research projects within a dynamic and networked open-innovation environment. It is hoped that these research projects will inform prevention and treatment strategies in the future and will enable researchers across academia and industry to discover and develop new medicines to address the specific needs of African patients.

  6. A simple, space constrained NIRIM type reactor for chemical vapour deposition of diamond

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thomas, Evan L. H.; Ginés, Laia; Mandal, Soumen; Klemencic, Georgina M.; Williams, Oliver A.

    2018-03-01

    In this paper the design of a simple, space constrained chemical vapour deposition reactor for diamond growth is detailed. Based on the design by NIRIM, the reactor is composed of a quartz discharge tube placed within a 2.45 GHz waveguide to create the conditions required for metastable growth of diamond. Utilising largely off-the-shelf components and a modular design, the reactor allows for easy modification, repair, and cleaning between growth runs. The elements of the reactor design are laid out with the CAD files, parts list, and control files made easily available to enable replication. Finally, the quality of nanocrystalline diamond films produced are studied with SEM and Raman spectroscopy, with the observation of clear faceting and a large diamond fraction suggesting the design offers deposition of diamond with minimal complexity.

  7. An all-diamond, hermetic electrical feedthrough array for a retinal prosthesis.

    PubMed

    Ganesan, Kumaravelu; Garrett, David J; Ahnood, Arman; Shivdasani, Mohit N; Tong, Wei; Turnley, Ann M; Fox, Kate; Meffin, Hamish; Prawer, Steven

    2014-01-01

    The interface between medical implants and the human nervous system is rapidly becoming more and more complex. This rise in complexity is driving the need for increasing numbers of densely packed electrical feedthrough to carry signals to and from implanted devices. This is particularly crucial in the field of neural prosthesis where high resolution stimulating or recording arrays near peripheral nerves or in the brain could dramatically improve the performance of these devices. Here we describe a flexible strategy for implementing high density, high count arrays of hermetic electrical feedthroughs by forming conducting nitrogen doped nanocrystalline diamond channels within an insulating polycrystalline diamond substrate. A unique feature of these arrays is that the feedthroughs can themselves be used as stimulating electrodes for neural tissue. Our particular application is such a feedthrough, designed as a component of a retinal implant to restore vision to the blind. The hermeticity of the feedthroughs means that the array can also form part of an implantable capsule which can interface directly with internal electronic chips. The hermeticity of the array is demonstrated by helium leak tests and electrical and electrochemical characterisation of the feedthroughs is described. The nitrogen doped nanocrystalline diamond forming the electrical feedthroughs is shown to be non-cyctotoxic. New fabrication strategies, such as the one described here, combined with the exceptional biostability of diamond can be exploited to generate a range of biomedical implants that last for the lifetime of the user without fear of degradation.

  8. Natural occurrence of pure nano-polycrystalline diamond from impact crater

    PubMed Central

    Ohfuji, Hiroaki; Irifune, Tetsuo; Litasov, Konstantin D.; Yamashita, Tomoharu; Isobe, Futoshi; Afanasiev, Valentin P.; Pokhilenko, Nikolai P.

    2015-01-01

    Consolidated bodies of polycrystalline diamond with grain sizes less than 100 nm, nano-polycrystalline diamond (NPD), has been experimentally produced by direct conversion of graphite at high pressure and high temperature. NPD has superior hardness, toughness and wear resistance to single-crystalline diamonds because of its peculiar nano-textures, and has been successfully used for industrial and scientific applications. Such sintered nanodiamonds have, however, not been found in natural mantle diamonds. Here we identified natural pure NPD, which was produced by a large meteoritic impact about 35 Ma ago in Russia. The impact diamonds consist of well-sintered equigranular nanocrystals (5–50 nm), similar to synthetic NPD, but with distinct [111] preferred orientation. They formed through the martensitic transformation from single-crystal graphite. Stress-induced local fragmentation of the source graphite and subsequent rapid transformation to diamond in the limited time scale result in multiple diamond nucleation and suppression of the overall grain growth, producing the unique nanocrystalline texture of natural NPD. A huge amount of natural NPD is expected to be present in the Popigai crater, which is potentially important for applications as novel ultra-hard material. PMID:26424384

  9. Natural occurrence of pure nano-polycrystalline diamond from impact crater

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ohfuji, Hiroaki; Irifune, Tetsuo; Litasov, Konstantin D.; Yamashita, Tomoharu; Isobe, Futoshi; Afanasiev, Valentin P.; Pokhilenko, Nikolai P.

    2015-10-01

    Consolidated bodies of polycrystalline diamond with grain sizes less than 100 nm, nano-polycrystalline diamond (NPD), has been experimentally produced by direct conversion of graphite at high pressure and high temperature. NPD has superior hardness, toughness and wear resistance to single-crystalline diamonds because of its peculiar nano-textures, and has been successfully used for industrial and scientific applications. Such sintered nanodiamonds have, however, not been found in natural mantle diamonds. Here we identified natural pure NPD, which was produced by a large meteoritic impact about 35 Ma ago in Russia. The impact diamonds consist of well-sintered equigranular nanocrystals (5-50 nm), similar to synthetic NPD, but with distinct [111] preferred orientation. They formed through the martensitic transformation from single-crystal graphite. Stress-induced local fragmentation of the source graphite and subsequent rapid transformation to diamond in the limited time scale result in multiple diamond nucleation and suppression of the overall grain growth, producing the unique nanocrystalline texture of natural NPD. A huge amount of natural NPD is expected to be present in the Popigai crater, which is potentially important for applications as novel ultra-hard material.

  10. Effective thermal and mechanical properties of polycrystalline diamond films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheng, Hao-Yu; Yang, Chi-Yuan; Yang, Li-Chueh; Peng, Kun-Cheng; Chia, Chih-Ta; Liu, Shiu-Jen; Lin, I.-Nan; Lin, Kung-Hsuan

    2018-04-01

    Polycrystalline diamond films were demonstrated as good candidates for electron field emitters, and their mechanical/thermal properties should thus be considered for real devices. We utilized ultrafast optical techniques to investigate the phonon dynamics of several polycrystalline diamond films, prepared by microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The mechanical properties (longitudinal acoustic velocity) and thermal conductivities of diamond films were evaluated from the coherent and incoherent phonon dynamics, respectively. Ultrananocrystalline diamond films were grown using a CH4 (2%)/Ar plasma, while microcrystalline diamond films were grown using a CH4 (2%)/H2 plasma. The ultrananocrystalline diamond film (with a grain size of several nanometers) possesses low acoustic velocity (14.5 nm/ps) and low thermal conductivity (3.17 W/m K) compared with other kinds of diamond films. The acoustic velocity of diamond films increased abruptly to nearly the same as that of natural diamond and remained there when the rod-shaped diamond grains were induced due to the incorporation of H2 in the growth plasma (CH4/Ar). The thermal conductivities of the materials increased monotonously with increasing incorporation of H2 in the growth plasma (CH4/Ar). The thermal conductivity of 25.6 W/m K was attained for nanocrystalline diamond films containing spherical diamond grains (with a size of several tens of nanometers). Compared with single crystalline diamond, the low thermal conductivity of polycrystalline films results from phonon scattering at the interfaces of grains and amorphous carbon in the boundary phases.

  11. Synthesis of SiV-diamond particulates via the microwave plasma chemical deposition of ultrananocrystalline diamond on soda-lime glass fibers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kunuku, Srinivasu; Chen, Yen-Chun; Yeh, Chien-Jui; Chang, Wen-Hao; Manoharan, Divinah; Leou, Keh-Chyang; Lin, I.-Nan

    2016-10-01

    We report the synthesis of silicon-vacancy (SiV) incorporated spherical shaped ultrananocrystalline diamond (SiV-UNCD) particulates (size ∼1 μm) with bright luminescence at 738 nm. For this purpose, different granular structured polycrystalline diamond films and particulates were synthesized by using three different kinds of growth plasma conditions on the three types of substrate materials in the microwave plasma enhanced CVD process. The grain size dependent photoluminescence properties of nitrogen vacancy (NV) and SiV color centers have been investigated for different granular structured diamond samples. The luminescence of NV center and the associated phonon sidebands, which are usually observed in microcrystalline diamond and nanocrystalline diamond films, were effectively suppressed in UNCD films and UNCD particulates. Micron sized SiV-UNCD particulates with bright SiV emission has been attained by transfer of SiV-UNCD clusters on soda-lime glass fibers to inverted pyramidal cavities fabricated on Si substrates by the simple crushing of UNCD/soda-lime glass fibers in deionized water and ultrasonication. Such a plasma enhanced CVD process for synthesizing SiV-UNCD particulates with suppressed NV emission is simple and robust to attain the bright SiV-UNCD particulates to employ in practical applications.

  12. Selected Topics in CVD Diamond Research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koizumi, Satoshi; Nebel, Christoph E.; Nesladek, Milos

    2006-10-01

    Since the discovery of Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) diamond growth in 1976, the steady scientific progress often resulted in surprising new discoveries and breakthroughs. This brought us to the idea to publish the special issue Selected Topics in CVD Diamond Research in physica status solidi (a), reflecting such advancements and interesting results at the leading edge of diamond research.The present issue summarizes this progress in the CVD diamond field by selecting contributions from several areas such as superconductivity, super-excitonic radiation, quantum computing, bio-functionalization, surface electronic properties, the nature of phosphorus doping, transport properties in high energy detectors, CVD growth and properties of nanocrystalline diamond. In all these directions CVD diamond appears to be very competitive in comparison with other semiconducting materials.As Editors of this special issue, we must admit that the selection is biased by our opinion. Nonetheless, we are sure that each contribution introduces new ideas and results which will improve the understanding of the current level of physics and chemistry of this attractive wide-bandgap semiconductor and which will help to bring it closer to applications.All submissions were invited based on the contributions of the authors to their specific research field. The Feature Articles have the format of topical reviews to give the reader a comprehensive summary. Partially, however, they are written in research paper style to report new results of ongoing research.We hope that this issue will attract the attention of a broad community of scientists and engineers, and that it will facilitate the utilization of diamond in electronic applications and technologies of the future.

  13. Boron-doped diamond electrode: synthesis, characterization, functionalization and analytical applications.

    PubMed

    Luong, John H T; Male, Keith B; Glennon, Jeremy D

    2009-10-01

    In recent years, conductive diamond electrodes for electrochemical applications have been a major focus of research and development. The impetus behind such endeavors could be attributed to their wide potential window, low background current, chemical inertness, and mechanical durability. Several analytes can be oxidized by conducting diamond compared to other carbon-based materials before the breakdown of water in aqueous electrolytes. This is important for detecting and/or identifying species in solution since oxygen and hydrogen evolution do not interfere with the analysis. Thus, conductive diamond electrodes take electrochemical detection into new areas and extend their usefulness to analytes which are not feasible with conventional electrode materials. Different types of diamond electrodes, polycrystalline, microcrystalline, nanocrystalline and ultrananocrystalline, have been synthesized and characterized. Of particular interest is the synthesis of boron-doped diamond (BDD) films by chemical vapor deposition on various substrates. In the tetrahedral diamond lattice, each carbon atom is covalently bonded to its neighbors forming an extremely robust crystalline structure. Some carbon atoms in the lattice are substituted with boron to provide electrical conductivity. Modification strategies of doped diamond electrodes with metallic nanoparticles and/or electropolymerized films are of importance to impart novel characteristics or to improve the performance of diamond electrodes. Biofunctionalization of diamond films is also feasible to foster several useful bioanalytical applications. A plethora of opportunities for nanoscale analytical devices based on conducting diamond is anticipated in the very near future.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumar, Prashant; Mahato, Neelima

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

  15. ZnS/diamond composite coatings for infrared transmission applications formed by the aerosol deposition method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Johnson, Scooter D.; Kub, Fritz J.; Eddy, Charles R.

    2013-06-01

    The deposition of nano-crystalline ZnS/diamond composite protective coatings on silicon, sapphire, and ZnS substrates, as a preliminary step to coating infrared transparent ZnS substrates from powder mixtures by the aerosol deposition method is presented. Advantages of the aerosol deposition method include the ability to form dense, nanocrystalline lms up to hundreds of microns thick at room temperature and at a high deposition rate on a variety of substrates. Deposition is achieved by creating a pressure gradient that accelerates micrometer- scale particles in an aerosol to high velocity. Upon impact with the target substrate the particles fracture and embed. Continued deposition forms the thick compacted lm. Deposition from an aerosolized mixture of ZnS and diamond powders onto all targets results in linear trend from apparent sputter erosion of the substrate at 100% diamond to formation of a lm with increasing fractions of ZnS. The crossover from abrasion to lm formation on sapphire occurs above about 50% ZnS and a mixture of 90% ZnS and 10% diamond forms a well-adhered lm of about 0.7 μm thickness at a rate of 0.14 μm/min. Resulting lms are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, pro lometry, infrared transmission spectroscopy, and x-ray photoemission spectroscopy. These initial lms mark progress toward the future goal of coating ZnS substrates for abrasion resistance.

  16. Structure, Electronic Properties, and Electrochemical Behavior of a Boron-Doped Diamond/Quartz Optically Transparent Electrode.

    PubMed

    Wächter, Naihara; Munson, Catherine; Jarošová, Romana; Berkun, Isil; Hogan, Timothy; Rocha-Filho, Romeu C; Swain, Greg M

    2016-10-26

    The morphology, microstructure, chemistry, electronic properties, and electrochemical behavior of a boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond (BDD) thin film grown on quartz were evaluated. Diamond optically transparent electrodes (OTEs) are useful for transmission spectroelectrochemical measurements, offering excellent stability during anodic and cathodic polarization and exposure to a variety of chemical environments. We report on the characterization of a BDD OTE by atomic force microscopy, optical spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopic mapping, alternating-current Hall effect measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electrochemical methods. The results reported herein provide the first comprehensive study of the relationship between the physical and chemical structure and electronic properties of a diamond OTE and the electrode's electrochemical activity.

  17. Electrostatic Self-Assembly of Diamond Nanoparticles onto Al- and N-Polar Sputtered Aluminum Nitride Surfaces.

    PubMed

    Yoshikawa, Taro; Reusch, Markus; Zuerbig, Verena; Cimalla, Volker; Lee, Kee-Han; Kurzyp, Magdalena; Arnault, Jean-Charles; Nebel, Christoph E; Ambacher, Oliver; Lebedev, Vadim

    2016-11-17

    Electrostatic self-assembly of diamond nanoparticles (DNPs) onto substrate surfaces (so-called nanodiamond seeding) is a notable technique, enabling chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of nanocrystalline diamond thin films on non-diamond substrates. In this study, we examine this technique onto differently polarized (either Al- or N-polar) c -axis oriented sputtered aluminum nitride (AlN) film surfaces. This investigation shows that Al-polar films, as compared to N-polar ones, obtain DNPs with higher density and more homogeneously on their surfaces. The origin of these differences in density and homogeneity is discussed based on the hydrolysis behavior of AlN surfaces in aqueous suspensions.

  18. Electrostatic Self-Assembly of Diamond Nanoparticles onto Al- and N-Polar Sputtered Aluminum Nitride Surfaces

    PubMed Central

    Yoshikawa, Taro; Reusch, Markus; Zuerbig, Verena; Cimalla, Volker; Lee, Kee-Han; Kurzyp, Magdalena; Arnault, Jean-Charles; Nebel, Christoph E.; Ambacher, Oliver; Lebedev, Vadim

    2016-01-01

    Electrostatic self-assembly of diamond nanoparticles (DNPs) onto substrate surfaces (so-called nanodiamond seeding) is a notable technique, enabling chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of nanocrystalline diamond thin films on non-diamond substrates. In this study, we examine this technique onto differently polarized (either Al- or N-polar) c-axis oriented sputtered aluminum nitride (AlN) film surfaces. This investigation shows that Al-polar films, as compared to N-polar ones, obtain DNPs with higher density and more homogeneously on their surfaces. The origin of these differences in density and homogeneity is discussed based on the hydrolysis behavior of AlN surfaces in aqueous suspensions. PMID:28335345

  19. Study on effect of plasma surface treatments for diamond deposition by DC arc plasmatron.

    PubMed

    Kang, In-Je; Joa, Sang-Beom; Lee, Heon-Ju

    2013-11-01

    To improve the thermal conductivity and wear resistance of ceramic materials in the field of renewable energy technologies, diamond coating by plasma processing has been carried out in recent years. This study's goal is to improve diamond deposition on Al2O3 ceramic substrates by plasma surface treatments. Before diamond deposition was carried out in a vacuum, plasma surface treatments using Ar gas were conducted to improve conditions for deposition. We also conducted plasma processing for diamond deposition on Al2O3 ceramic substrates using a DC arc Plasmatron. The Al2O3 ceramic substrates with diamond film (5 x 15 mm2), were investigated by SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy), AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy) and XRD (X-ray Diffractometer). Then, the C-H stretching of synthetic diamond films by FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) was studied. We identified nanocrystalline diamond films on the Al2O3 ceramic substrates. The results showed us that the deposition rate of diamond films was 2.3 microm/h after plasma surface treatments. Comparing the above result with untreated ceramic substrates, the deposition rate improved with the surface roughness of the deposited diamond films.

  20. Nano-crystalline diamond-coated titanium dental implants - a histomorphometric study in adult domestic pigs.

    PubMed

    Metzler, Philipp; von Wilmowsky, Cornelius; Stadlinger, Bernd; Zemann, Wolfgang; Schlegel, Karl Andreas; Rosiwal, Stephan; Rupprecht, Stephan

    2013-09-01

    Promising biomaterial characteristics of diamond-coatings in biomedicine have been described in the literature. However, there is a lack of knowledge about implant osseointegration of this surface modification compared to the currently used sandblasted acid-etched Ti-Al6-V4 implants. The aim of this study was to investigate the osseointegration of microwave plasma-chemical-vapour deposition (MWP-CVD) diamond-coated Ti-Al6-V4 dental implants after healing periods of 2 and 5 months. Twenty-four MWP-CVD diamond-coated and 24 un-coated dental titanium-alloy implants (Ankylos(®)) were placed in the frontal skull of eight adult domestic pigs. To evaluate the effects of the nano-structured surfaces on bone formation, a histomorphometric analysis was performed after 2 and 5 months of implant healing. Histomorphometry analysed the bone-to-implant contact (BIC). No significant difference in BIC for the diamond-coated implants in comparison to reference implants could be observed for both healing periods. Scanning electron microscopy revealed an adequate interface between the bone and the diamond surface. No delamination or particle-dissociation due to shearing forces could be detected. In this study, diamond-coated dental titanium-alloy implants and sandblasted acid-etched implants showed a comparable degree of osseointegration. Copyright © 2012 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Diamond nanowires for highly sensitive matrix-free mass spectrometry analysis of small molecules.

    PubMed

    Coffinier, Yannick; Szunerits, Sabine; Drobecq, Hervé; Melnyk, Oleg; Boukherroub, Rabah

    2012-01-07

    This paper reports on the use of boron-doped diamond nanowires (BDD NWs) as an inorganic substrate for matrix-free laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS) analysis of small molecules. The diamond nanowires are prepared by reactive ion etching (RIE) with oxygen plasma of highly boron-doped (the boron level is 10(19) B cm(-3)) or undoped nanocrystalline diamond substrates. The resulting diamond nanowires are coated with a thin silicon oxide layer that confers a superhydrophilic character to the surface. To minimize droplet spreading, the nanowires were chemically functionalized with octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) and then UV/ozone treated to reach a final water contact angle of 120°. The sub-bandgap absorption under UV laser irradiation and the heat confinement inside the nanowires allowed desorption/ionization, most likely via a thermal mechanism, and mass spectrometry analysis of small molecules. A detection limit of 200 zeptomole for verapamil was demonstrated.

  2. Method and article of manufacture corresponding to a composite comprised of ultra nonacrystalline diamond, metal, and other nanocarbons useful for thermoelectric and other applications

    DOEpatents

    Gruen, Dieter M.

    2010-05-18

    One provides (101) disperse ultra-nanocrystalline diamond powder material that comprises a plurality of substantially ordered crystallites that are each sized no larger than about 10 nanometers. One then reacts (102) these crystallites with a metallic component. The resultant nanowire is then able to exhibit a desired increase with respect to its ability to conduct electricity while also substantially preserving the thermal conductivity behavior of the disperse ultra-nanocrystalline diamond powder material. The reaction process can comprise combining (201) the crystallites with one or more metal salts in an aqueous solution and then heating (203) that aqueous solution to remove the water. This heating can occur in a reducing atmosphere (comprising, for example, hydrogen and/or methane) to also reduce the salt to metal.

  3. A novel Mo-W interlayer approach for CVD diamond deposition on steel

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

    Kundrát, Vojtěch; Sullivan, John; Ye, Haitao, E-mail: h.ye@aston.ac.uk

    Steel is the most widely used material in engineering for its cost/performance ratio and coatings are routinely applied on its surface to further improve its properties. Diamond coated steel parts are an option for many demanding industrial applications through prolonging the lifetime of steel parts, enhancement of tool performance as well as the reduction of wear rates. Direct deposition of diamond on steel using conventional chemical vapour deposition (CVD) processes is known to give poor results due to the preferential formation of amorphous carbon on iron, nickel and other elements as well as stresses induced from the significant difference inmore » the thermal expansion coefficients of those materials. This article reports a novel approach of deposition of nanocrystalline diamond coatings on high-speed steel (M42) substrates using a multi-structured molybdenum (Mo) – tungsten (W) interlayer to form steel/Mo/Mo-W/W/diamond sandwich structures which overcome the adhesion problem related to direct magnetron sputtering deposition of pure tungsten. Surface, interface and tribology properties were evaluated to understand the role of such an interlayer structure. The multi-structured Mo-W interlayer has been proven to improve the adhesion between diamond films and steel substrates by acting as an effective diffusion barrier during the CVD diamond deposition.« less

  4. A novel Mo-W interlayer approach for CVD diamond deposition on steel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kundrát, Vojtěch; Zhang, Xiaoling; Cooke, Kevin; Sun, Hailin; Sullivan, John; Ye, Haitao

    2015-04-01

    Steel is the most widely used material in engineering for its cost/performance ratio and coatings are routinely applied on its surface to further improve its properties. Diamond coated steel parts are an option for many demanding industrial applications through prolonging the lifetime of steel parts, enhancement of tool performance as well as the reduction of wear rates. Direct deposition of diamond on steel using conventional chemical vapour deposition (CVD) processes is known to give poor results due to the preferential formation of amorphous carbon on iron, nickel and other elements as well as stresses induced from the significant difference in the thermal expansion coefficients of those materials. This article reports a novel approach of deposition of nanocrystalline diamond coatings on high-speed steel (M42) substrates using a multi-structured molybdenum (Mo) - tungsten (W) interlayer to form steel/Mo/Mo-W/W/diamond sandwich structures which overcome the adhesion problem related to direct magnetron sputtering deposition of pure tungsten. Surface, interface and tribology properties were evaluated to understand the role of such an interlayer structure. The multi-structured Mo-W interlayer has been proven to improve the adhesion between diamond films and steel substrates by acting as an effective diffusion barrier during the CVD diamond deposition.

  5. Diamond at the nanoscale: applications of diamond nanoparticles from cellular biomarkers to quantum computing.

    PubMed

    Holt, Katherine B

    2007-12-15

    Although nanocrystalline diamond powders have been produced in industrial quantities, mainly by detonation synthesis, for many decades their use in applications other than traditional polishing and grinding have been limited, until recently. This paper presents the wide-ranging applications of nanodiamond particles to date and discusses future research directions in this field. Owing to the recent commercial availability of these powders and the present interest in nanotechnology, one can predict a huge increase in research with these materials in the very near future. However, to fully exploit these materials, fundamental as well as applied research is required to understand the transition between bulk and surface properties as the size of particles decreases.

  6. 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.

  7. A novel interdigitated capacitor based biosensor for detection of cardiovascular risk marker.

    PubMed

    Quershi, Anjum; Gurbuz, Yasar; Kang, Weng P; Davidson, Jimmy L

    2009-12-15

    C-reactive protein (CRP) is a potential biomarker whose elevated levels in humans determine cardiovascular disease risk and inflammation. In this study, we have developed a novel capacitive biosensor for detection of CRP-antigen using capacitor with interdigitated gold (GID) electrodes on nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) surface. The NCD surface served as a dielectric layer between the gold electrodes. GID-surface was functionalized by antibodies and the immobilization was confirmed by Fourier transform spectroscopy (FT-IR) and contact angle measurements. The CRP-antigen detection was performed by capacitive/dielectric-constant measurements. The relaxation time and polarizability constants were estimated using Cole-Cole model. Our results showed that the relaxation time constant (tau) of only CRP-antibody was within 10(-16)-10(-13)s, which was increased to 10(-11)s after the incubation with CRP-antigen, suggesting that the CRP-antigen was captured by the antibodies on GID-surface. In addition, polarizability constant (m) of CRP was also increased upon incubation with increasing concentration of CRP-antigen. Our results showed that the response of GID-NCD-based capacitive biosensor for CRP-antigen was dependent on both concentration (25-800ng/ml) as well as frequency (50-350MHz). Furthermore, using optimized conditions, the GID-NCD based capacitive biosensor developed in this study can potentially be used for detection of elevated levels of protein risk markers in suspected subjects for early diagnosis of disease.

  8. Non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors and diabetes among adults living in slum areas of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

    PubMed

    Rawal, Lal B; Biswas, Tuhin; Khandker, Nusrat Nausheen; Saha, Shekhar Ranjan; Bidat Chowdhury, Mohammed Mahiul; Khan, Abdullah Nurus Salam; Chowdhury, Enamul Hasib; Renzaho, Andre

    2017-01-01

    Despite one-third of the urban population in Bangladesh living in urban slums and at increased risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), little is known about the NCD risk profile of this at-risk population. The aim of the study was to identify the prevalence of the NCD risk factors and the association of NCD risk factors with socio-demographic factors among the adults of urban slums in Dhaka, Bangladesh. A cross-sectional study was conducted among adult slum dwellers (aged 25 and above) residing in three purposively selected urban slums of Dhaka for at least six months preceding the survey. The risk factors assessed were- currently smoking, fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, hypertension and body mass index (BMI). Information on self-reported diabetes was also taken. A total of 507 participants (252 females; 49.7%) were interviewed and their physical measures were taken using the WHO NCD STEPS instrument. The overall prevalence of NCD risk factors was: 36.0% (95% CI: 31.82-40.41) for smoking; 95.60% (95% CI: 93.60-97.40) for insufficient fruit and vegetable intake; 15.30% (95% CI:12.12-18.71) for low physical activity;13.70% (95% CI: 10.71-16.92) for hypertension; 22.70% (95% CI: 19.31-26.02) for overweight or obesity; and 5.00% (95%: 3.20-7.00) for self-reported diabetes. In the logistic regression model, the clustering of three or more NCD risk factors was positively associated with younger age groups (p = 0.02), no formal education (p <0.001) and primary education level (p = 0.01), but did not differ by sex of the participants, monthly income and occupation. All NCD risk factors are markedly high among the urban slum adults. These findings are important to support the formulation and implementation of NCD-related polices and plan of actions that recognize urban slum populations in Bangladesh as a priority sub-population.

  9. Multichannel Boron Doped Nanocrystalline Diamond Ultramicroelectrode Arrays: Design, Fabrication and Characterization

    PubMed Central

    Kiran, Raphael; Rousseau, Lionel; Lissorgues, Gaëlle; Scorsone, Emmanuel; Bongrain, Alexandre; Yvert, Blaise; Picaud, Serge; Mailley, Pascal; Bergonzo, Philippe

    2012-01-01

    We report on the fabrication and characterization of an 8 × 8 multichannel Boron Doped Diamond (BDD) ultramicro-electrode array (UMEA). The device combines both the assets of microelectrodes, resulting from conditions in mass transport from the bulk solution toward the electrode, and of BDD's remarkable intrinsic electrochemical properties. The UMEAs were fabricated using an original approach relying on the selective growth of diamond over pre-processed 4 inches silicon substrates. The prepared UMEAs were characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results demonstrated that the electrodes have exhibited a very fast electrode transfer rate (k0) up to 0.05 cm·s−1 (in a fast redox couple) and on average, a steady state limiting current (in a 0.5 M potassium chloride aqueous solution containing 1 mM Fe(CN)64− ion at 100 mV·s−1) of 1.8 nA. The UMEAs are targeted for electrophysiological as well as analytical applications. PMID:22969367

  10. Influence of non-adherent yeast cells on electrical characteristics of diamond-based field-effect transistors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Procházka, Václav; Cifra, Michal; Kulha, Pavel; Ižák, Tibor; Rezek, Bohuslav; Kromka, Alexander

    2017-02-01

    Diamond thin films provide unique features as substrates for cell cultures and as bio-electronic sensors. Here we employ solution-gated field effect transistors (SGFET) based on nanocrystalline diamond thin films with H-terminated surface which exhibits the sub-surface p-type conductive channel. We study an influence of yeast cells (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) on electrical characteristics of the diamond SGFETs. Two different cell culture solutions (sucrose and yeast peptone dextrose-YPD) are used, with and without the cells. We have found that transfer characteristics of the SGFETs exhibit a negative shift of the gate voltage by -26 mV and -42 mV for sucrose and YPD with cells in comparison to blank solutions without the cells. This effect is attributed to a local pH change in close vicinity of the H-terminated diamond surface due to metabolic processes of the yeast cells. The pH sensitivity of the diamond-based SGFETs, the role of cell and protein adhesion on the gate surface and the role of negative surface charge of yeast cells on the SGFETs electrical characteristics are discussed as well.

  11. Two-dimensional tracking of ncd motility by back focal plane interferometry.

    PubMed Central

    Allersma, M W; Gittes, F; deCastro, M J; Stewart, R J; Schmidt, C F

    1998-01-01

    A technique for detecting the displacement of micron-sized optically trapped probes using far-field interference is introduced, theoretically explained, and used to study the motility of the ncd motor protein. Bead motions in the focal plane relative to the optical trap were detected by measuring laser intensity shifts in the back-focal plane of the microscope condenser by projection on a quadrant diode. This detection method is two-dimensional, largely independent of the position of the trap in the field of view and has approximately 10-micros time resolution. The high resolution makes it possible to apply spectral analysis to measure dynamic parameters such as local viscosity and attachment compliance. A simple quantitative theory for back-focal-plane detection was derived that shows that the laser intensity shifts are caused primarily by a far-field interference effect. The theory predicts the detector response to bead displacement, without adjustable parameters, with good accuracy. To demonstrate the potential of the method, the ATP-dependent motility of ncd, a kinesin-related motor protein, was observed with an in vitro bead assay. A fusion protein consisting of truncated ncd (amino acids 195-685) fused with glutathione-S-transferase was adsorbed to silica beads, and the axial and lateral motions of the beads along the microtubule surface were observed with high spatial and temporal resolution. The average axial velocity of the ncd-coated beads was 230 +/- 30 nm/s (average +/- SD). Spectral analysis of bead motion showed the increase in viscous drag near the surface; we also found that any elastic constraints of the moving motors are much smaller than the constraints due to binding in the presence of the nonhydrolyzable nucleotide adenylylimidodiphosphate. PMID:9533719

  12. Two-Dimensional Imaging Velocimetry of Heterogeneous Flow and Brittle Failure in Diamond

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ali, S. J.; Smith, R.; Erskine, D.; Eggert, J.; Celliers, P. M.; Collins, G. W.; Jeanloz, R.

    2014-12-01

    Understanding the nature and dynamics of heterogeneous flow in diamond subjected to shock compression is important for many fields of research, from inertial confinement fusion to the study of carbon rich planets. Waves propagating through a shocked material can be significantly altered by the various deformation mechanisms present in shocked materials, including anisotropic sound speeds, phase transformations, plastic/inelastic flow and brittle failure. Quantifying the spatial and temporal effects of these deformation mechanisms has been limited by a lack of diagnostics capable of obtaining simultaneous micron resolution spatial measurements and nanosecond resolution time measurements. We have utilized the 2D Janus High Resolution Velocimeter at LLNL to study the time and space dependence of fracture in shock-compressed diamond above the Hugoniot elastic limit. Previous work on the OMEGA laser facility (Rochester) has shown that the free-surface reflectivity of μm-grained diamond samples drops linearly with increasing sample pressure, whereas under the same conditions the reflectivity of nm-grained samples remains unaffected. These disparate observations can be understood by way of better documenting fracture in high-strain compression of diamond. To this end, we have imaged the development and evolution of elastic-wave propagation, plastic-wave propagation and fracture networks in the three primary orientations of single-crystal diamond, as well as in microcrystalline and nanocrystalline diamond, and find that the deformation behavior depends sensitively on the orientation and crystallinity of the diamonds.

  13. Ultra-Smooth Nanostructured Diamond Films Deposited from He/H2/CH4/N2 Microwave Plasmas

    PubMed Central

    Konovalov, Valery V.; Melo, Andrew; Catledge, Shane A.; Chowdhury, Shafiul

    2008-01-01

    Addition of He to a high CH4 content (10.7 vol%) H2/CH4/N2 feedgas mixture for microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition produced hard (56–72 GPa), ultra-smooth nanostructured diamond films on Ti-6Al-4V alloy substrates. Upon increase in He content up to 71 vol%, root mean squared (RMS) surface roughness of the film decreased to 9–10 nm and average diamond grain size to 5–6 nm. Our studies show that increased nanocrystallinity with He addition in plasma is related to plasma dilution, enhanced fragmentation of carbon containing species, and enhanced formation of CN radical. PMID:16573106

  14. A novel LSD1 inhibitor NCD38 ameliorates MDS-related leukemia with complex karyotype by attenuating leukemia programs via activating super-enhancers.

    PubMed

    Sugino, N; Kawahara, M; Tatsumi, G; Kanai, A; Matsui, H; Yamamoto, R; Nagai, Y; Fujii, S; Shimazu, Y; Hishizawa, M; Inaba, T; Andoh, A; Suzuki, T; Takaori-Kondo, A

    2017-11-01

    Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) regulates gene expression by affecting histone modifications and is a promising target for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with specific genetic abnormalities. Novel LSD1 inhibitors, NCD25 and NCD38, inhibited growth of MLL-AF9 leukemia as well as erythroleukemia, megakaryoblastic leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs) overt leukemia cells in the concentration range that normal hematopoiesis was spared. NCD25 and NCD38 invoked the myeloid development programs, hindered the MDS and AML oncogenic programs, and commonly upregulated 62 genes in several leukemia cells. NCD38 elevated H3K27ac level on enhancers of these LSD1 signature genes and newly activated ~500 super-enhancers. Upregulated genes with super-enhancer activation in erythroleukemia cells were enriched in leukocyte differentiation. Eleven genes including GFI1 and ERG, but not CEBPA, were identified as the LSD1 signature with super-enhancer activation. Super-enhancers of these genes were activated prior to induction of the transcripts and myeloid differentiation. Depletion of GFI1 attenuated myeloid differentiation by NCD38. Finally, a single administration of NCD38 causes the in vivo eradication of primary MDS-related leukemia cells with a complex karyotype. Together, NCD38 derepresses super-enhancers of hematopoietic regulators that are silenced abnormally by LSD1, attenuates leukemogenic programs and consequently exerts anti-leukemic effect against MDS-related leukemia with adverse outcome.

  15. NCD Prevention and Control in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Regional Approach to Policy and Program Development.

    PubMed

    Hospedales, C James; Barcelo, Alberto; Luciani, Silvana; Legetic, Branka; Ordunez, Pedro; Blanco, Adriana

    2012-03-01

    This article describes efforts from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) that have supported progress in country-driven planning and implementing of actions to address noncommunicable diseases (NCD), as well as mechanisms that PAHO has supported for countries in the Americas to share and build on each other's experiences. The Regional Strategy and Plan of Action for NCD, approved by all member states in 2006, is the major frame for this work. The strategy has 4 lines of action: policy and advocacy; surveillance; health promotion and disease prevention; and integrated management of NCD and risk factors. Cross-cutting strategies include resource mobilization, communication, training, and networks and partnerships. The strategy is operationalized through biannual work plans for which countries link and commit to achieving specific objectives. PAHO then provides technical support toward achieving these plans, and countries report progress annually. The CARMEN (Collaborative Action for Risk Factor Prevention and Effective Management of NCD [Conjunto de Acciones para la Reducción y el Manejo de las Enfermedades No transmisibles]) Network provides a major platform for sharing, and the multisector Pan American Forum for Action on NCD has been launched to extend the network to include business and civil society. PAHO also supported civil society capacity building. Almost all member states have made substantial progress in implementing their national chronic disease programs, in most instances reporting exceeding the indicators of the strategic plan related to chronic diseases. From the Caribbean countries, leadership has been provided to achieve the historic UN High-Level Meeting on NCD in September 2011. The region is on track to meet the mortality reduction target set for 2013, though much remains to be done to further increase awareness of and resources for scaling up NCD prevention and control programs, given the huge health and economic burden, increasing costs

  16. The modeling and synthesis of nanodiamonds by laser ablation of graphite and diamond-like carbon in liquid-confined ambient

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Basso, L.; Gorrini, F.; Bazzanella, N.; Cazzanelli, M.; Dorigoni, C.; Bifone, A.; Miotello, A.

    2018-01-01

    Nanodiamonds have attracted considerable interest for their potential applications in quantum computation, sensing, and bioimaging. However, synthesis of nanodiamonds typically requires high pressures and temperatures, and is still a challenge. Here, we demonstrate production of nanodiamonds by pulsed laser ablation of graphite and diamond-like carbon in water. Importantly, this technique enables production of nanocrystalline diamonds at room temperature and standard pressure conditions. Moreover, we propose a method for the purification of nanodiamonds from graphitic and amorphous carbon phases that do not require strong acids and harsh chemical conditions. Finally, we present a thermodynamic model that describes the formation of nanodiamonds during pulsed laser ablation. We show that synthesis of the crystalline phase is driven by a graphite-liquid-diamond transition process that occurs at the extreme thermodynamic conditions reached inside the ablation plume.

  17. Analysis of the application of poly-nanocrystalline diamond tools for ultra precision machining of steel with ultrasonic assistance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Doetz, M.; Dambon, O.; Klocke, F.; Bulla, B.; Schottka, K.; Robertson, D. J.

    2017-10-01

    Ultra-precision diamond turning enables the manufacturing of parts with mirror-like surfaces and highest form accuracies out of non-ferrous, a few crystalline and plastic materials. Furthermore, an ultrasonic assistance has the ability to push these boundaries and enables the machining of materials like steel, which is not possible in a conventional way due to the excessive tool wear caused by the affinity of carbon to iron. Usually monocrystalline diamonds tools are applied due to their unsurpassed cutting edge properties. New cutting tool material developments have shown that it is possible to produce tools made of nano-polycrystalline diamonds with cutting edges equivalent to monocrystalline diamonds. In nano-polycrystalline diamonds ultra-fine grains of a few tens of nanometers are firmly and directly bonded together creating an unisotropic structure. The properties of this material are described to be isotropic, harder and tougher than those of the monocrystalline diamonds, which are unisotropic. This publication will present machining results from the newest investigations of the process potential of this new polycrystalline cutting material. In order to provide a baseline with which to characterize the cutting material cutting experiments on different conventional machinable materials like Cooper or Aluminum are performed. The results provide information on the roughness and the topography of the surface focusing on the comparison to the results while machining with monocrystalline diamond. Furthermore, the cutting material is tested in machining steel with ultrasonic assistance with a focus on tool life time and surface roughness. An outlook on the machinability of other materials will be given.

  18. The Digital Health Scorecard: A New Health Literacy Metric for NCD Prevention and Care.

    PubMed

    Ratzan, Scott C; Weinberger, Michael B; Apfel, Franklin; Kocharian, Gary

    2013-06-01

    According to the World Health Organization, 3 out of 5 deaths worldwide are due to common, chronic conditions, such as heart and respiratory diseases, cancer, and diabetes. These noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are linked to multiple lifestyle risk factors, including smoking, the harmful use of alcohol, and physical inactivity. They are associated with other "intermediate" risk factors, such as elevated body mass index (BMI), hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia. Taking action to reduce these 7 risk factors can help people protect themselves against leading causes of death. All of these risk factors are measurable and modifiable, but globally available, cost-effective, and easy-to-use outcome metrics that can drive action on all levels do not yet exist. The Digital Health Scorecard is being proposed as a dynamic, globally available digital tool to raise public, professional, and policy maker NCD health literacy (the motivation and ability to access, understand, communicate, and use information to improve health and reduce the incidence of NCD). Its aim is to motivate and empower individuals to make the behavioral and choice changes needed to improve their health and reduce NCD risk factors by giving unprecedented access to global data intelligence, creating awareness, making links to professional and community-based support services and policies, and providing a simple way to measure and track risk changes. Moreover, it provides health care professionals, communities, institutions, workplaces, and nations with a simple metric to monitor progress toward agreed local, national, and global NCD targets. Copyright © 2013 World Heart Federation (Geneva). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. N-type droping of nanocrystalline diamond films with nitrogen and electrodes made therefrom

    DOEpatents

    Gruen, Dieter M [Downers Grove, IL; Krauss, Alan R [late of Naperville, IL; Auciello, Orlando H [Bolingbrook, IL; Carlisle, John A [Plainfield, IL

    2004-09-21

    An electrically conducting n-type ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) having no less than 10.sup.19 atoms/cm.sup.3 of nitrogen is disclosed. A method of making the n-doped UNCD. A method for predictably controlling the conductivity is also disclosed.

  20. Nanocrystalline ceramic materials

    DOEpatents

    Siegel, Richard W.; Nieman, G. William; Weertman, Julia R.

    1994-01-01

    A method for preparing a treated nanocrystalline metallic material. The method of preparation includes providing a starting nanocrystalline metallic material with a grain size less than about 35 nm, compacting the starting nanocrystalline metallic material in an inert atmosphere and annealing the compacted metallic material at a temperature less than about one-half the melting point of the metallic material.

  1. 42 CFR 426.518 - NCD record furnished to the aggrieved party.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICARE PROGRAM REVIEW OF NATIONAL COVERAGE DETERMINATIONS AND LOCAL... section, the NCD record consists of any document or material that CMS considered during the development of... decision memoranda. (5) An index of documents considered that are excluded under paragraph (b) of this...

  2. 42 CFR 426.518 - NCD record furnished to the aggrieved party.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICARE PROGRAM REVIEW OF NATIONAL COVERAGE DETERMINATIONS AND LOCAL... section, the NCD record consists of any document or material that CMS considered during the development of... decision memoranda. (5) An index of documents considered that are excluded under paragraph (b) of this...

  3. Nanocrystalline ceramic materials

    DOEpatents

    Siegel, R.W.; Nieman, G.W.; Weertman, J.R.

    1994-06-14

    A method is disclosed for preparing a treated nanocrystalline metallic material. The method of preparation includes providing a starting nanocrystalline metallic material with a grain size less than about 35 nm, compacting the starting nanocrystalline metallic material in an inert atmosphere and annealing the compacted metallic material at a temperature less than about one-half the melting point of the metallic material. 19 figs.

  4. Carbonate Mineral Assemblages as Inclusions in Yakutian Diamonds: TEM Verifications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Logvinova, A. M.; Wirth, R.; Sobolev, N. V.; Taylor, L. A.

    2014-12-01

    Carbonate mineral inclusions are quite rare in diamonds from the upper mantle, but are evidence for a carbonate abundance in the mantle. It is believed that such carbonatitic inclusions originated from high-density fluids (HDFs) that were enclosed in diamond during its growth. Using TEM and EPMA, several kinds of carbonate inclusions have been identified in Yakutian diamonds : aragonite, dolomite, magnesite, Ba-, Sr-, and Fe-rich carbonates. Most of them are represented by multi-phase inclusions of various chemically distinct carbonates, rich in Ca, Mg, and K and associated with minor amounts of silicate, oxide, saline, and volatile phases. Volatiles, leaving some porosity, played a significant role in the diamond growth. A single crystal of aragonite (60μm) is herein reported for the first time. This inclusion is located in the center of a diamond from the Komsomolskaya pipe. Careful CL imaging reveals the total absence of cracks around the aragonite inclusion - i.e., closed system. This inclusion has been identified by X-ray diffraction and microprobe analysis. At temperatures above 1000 0C, aragonite is only stable at high pressures of 5-6 GPa. Inside this aragonite, we observed nanocrystalline inclusions of titanite, Ni-rich sulfide, magnetite, water-bearing Mg-silicate, and fluid bubbles. Dolomite is common in carbonate multi-phase inclusions in diamonds from the Internatsionalnaya, Yubileinaya, and Udachnaya kimberlite pipes. Alluvial diamonds of the northeastern Siberian Platform are divided into two groups based on the composition of HDFs: 1) Mg-rich multi-phase inclusions (60% magnesite + dolomite + Fe-spinel + Ti-silicate + fluid bubbles); and 2) Ca-rich multi-phase inclusions (Ca,Ba-, Ca,Sr-, Ca,Fe-carbonates + Ti-silicate + Ba-apatite + fluid bubbles). High-density fluids also contain K. Volatiles in the fluid bubbles are represented by water, Cl, F, S, CO2, CH4, and heavy hydrocarbons. Origin of the second group of HDFs may be related to the non

  5. Prevention and control of chronic chest diseases: National Action Plan for NCD Prevention, Control and Health Promotion in Pakistan.

    PubMed

    Nishtar, Sania; Ahmed, Ashfaq; Kazi, Yawar; Khan, Aslam; Mohamud, Khalif Bile

    2004-12-01

    The National Action Plan for Non-Communicable Disease Prevention, Control and Health Promotion in Pakistan (NAP-NCD) does not include surveillance of Chronic Respiratory Diseases (CRDs) into the integrated NCD surveillance model due to issues with assessing the magnitude of the burden of CRD in general and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in particular, within populations. Tobacco has been used as a proxy for the magnitude of COPD in the population. However, it stresses on the need to develop acceptable criteria for the diagnosis of CRDs and methodologies to monitor CRDs. The CRD component of the NAP-NCD integrates prevention of CRDs with a comprehensive NCD prevention and control framework with specific emphasis on tobacco as a cross-cutting theme. It prioritizes the examination of trends in outdoor air pollution levels and their determinants in order to develop appropriate public health interventions. Other priority areas include research to quantify the magnitude and determinants of chronic lung diseases attributable to indoor air pollution both in the rural and urban areas; the development of appropriate public health strategies to reduce risks in such settings and the integration of guidance on CRD prevention with an NCD behaviour change communication strategy. The cross-cutting theme of environmental pollution and occupational exposure to toxins develops common action areas for CRD and cancer prevention.

  6. Synthesis and Characterization of Quenched and Crystalline Phases: Q-Carbon, Q-BN, Diamond and Phase-Pure c-BN

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bhaumik, Anagh; Narayan, Jagdish

    2018-04-01

    We report the synthesis and characterization of quenched (Q-carbon and Q-BN) and crystalline (diamond and c-BN) phases using a non-equilibrium technique. These phases are formed as a result of the melting and subsequent quenching of amorphous carbon and nanocrystalline h-BN in a super undercooled state by using high-power nanosecond laser pulses. Pulsed laser annealing also leads to the formation of nanoneedles, microneedles and single-crystal thin films of diamond and c-BN. This formation is dependent on the nucleation and growth times, which are controlled by laser energy density and thermal conductivities of substrate and as-deposited thin film. The diamond nuclei present in the Q-carbon structure ( 80% sp 3) can also be grown to larger sizes using the equilibrium hot filament chemical vapor deposition process. The texture of diamond and c-BN crystals is <111> under epitaxial growth and <110> under rapid unseeded crystallization. Our nanosecond laser processing opens up a roadmap to the fabrication of novel phases on heat-sensitive substrates.

  7. Boron-doped diamond nano/microelectrodes for bio-sensing and in vitro measurements

    PubMed Central

    Dong, Hua; Wang, Shihua; Galligan, James J.; Swain, Greg M.

    2015-01-01

    Since the fabrication of the first diamond electrode in the mid 1980s, repid progress has been made on the development and application of this new type of electrode material. Boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes exhibit outstanding properties compared to oxygen-containing sp2 carbon electrodes. These properties make BDD electrodes an ideal choice for use in complex samples. In recent years, BDD microelectrodes have been applied to in vitro and in vivo measurements of biological molecules in animals, tissues and cells. This review will summarize recent progress in the development and applications of BDD electrodes in bio-sensing and in vitro measurements of biomolecules. In the first section, the methods for BDD nanocrystalline diamond film deposition and BDD microelectrodes preparation are described. This is followed by a description and discussion of several approaches for characterization of the BDD electrode surface structure, morphology, and electrochemical activity. Further, application of BDD microelectrodes for use in the in vitro analysis of norepinephrine (NE), serotonin (5-HT), nitric oxide (NO), histamine, and adenosine from tissues are summarized and finally some of the remaining challenges are discussed. PMID:21196394

  8. Mechanical properties of nanocrystalline cobalt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karimpoor, Amir A.; Erb, Uwe

    2006-05-01

    Due to their excellent wear and corrosion properties, nanocrystalline cobalt and several cobalt alloys made by electrodeposition are currently being developed as environmentally benign replacement coatings for hard chromium electrodeposits. The focus of this study is on the mechanical properties of nanocrystalline cobalt, which are currently not well understood. A comparison is presented for hardness, tensile properties, Charpy impact properties and fracture surface analysis of both nanocrystalline (grain size: 12 nm) and conventional polycrystalline (grain size: 4.8 m) cobalt. It is shown that the hardness and tensile strength of nanocrystalline cobalt is 2-3 times higher than for polycrystalline cobalt. However, in contrast to other nanocrystalline materials tested previously, nanocrystalline cobalt retains considerable ductility with elongation to fracture values up to 7%.

  9. Involving private healthcare practitioners in an urban NCD sentinel surveillance system: lessons learned from Pune, India.

    PubMed

    Kroll, Mareike; Phalkey, Revati; Dutta, Sayani; Shukla, Sharvari; Butsch, Carsten; Bharucha, Erach; Kraas, Frauke

    2016-01-01

    Despite the rising impact of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) on public health in India, lack of quality data and routine surveillance hampers the planning process for NCD prevention and control. Current surveillance programs focus largely on communicable diseases and do not adequately include the private healthcare sector as a major source of care in cities. The objective of the study was to conceptualize, implement, and evaluate a prototype for an urban NCD sentinel surveillance system among private healthcare practitioners providing primary care in Pune, India. We mapped all private healthcare providers in three selected areas of the city, conducted a knowledge, attitude, and practice survey with regard to surveillance among 258 consenting practitioners, and assessed their willingness to participate in a routine NCD surveillance system. In total, 127 practitioners agreed and were included in a 6-month surveillance study. Data on first-time diagnoses of 10 selected NCDs alongside basic demographic and socioeconomic patient information were collected onsite on a monthly basis using a paper-based register. Descriptive and regression analyses were performed. In total, 1,532 incident cases were recorded that mainly included hypertension ( n =622, 41%) and diabetes ( n =460, 30%). Dropout rate was 10% ( n =13). The monthly reporting consistency was quite constant, with the majority ( n =63, 50%) submitting 1-10 cases in 6 months. Average number of submitted cases was highest among allopathic practitioners (17.4). A majority of the participants ( n =104, 91%) agreed that the surveillance design could be scaled up to cover the entire city. The study indicates that private primary healthcare providers (allopathic and alternate medicine practitioners) play an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of NCDs and can be involved in NCD surveillance, if certain barriers are addressed. Main barriers observed were lack of regulation of the private sector, cross

  10. NCD and the Americans with Disabilities Act: 15 Years of Progress

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frieden, Lex

    2005-01-01

    This paper discusses the National Council on Disability's role in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the continuing efforts of the Council in evaluating the implementation, effectiveness and impact of the ADA. Since its inception in 1978, the National Council on Disability (NCD) has been at the forefront in advocating for…

  11. Field electron emission from diamond and related films synthesized by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lu, Xianfeng

    The focus of this thesis is the study of the field electron emission (FEE) of diamond and related films synthesized by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The diamond and related films with different morphologies and compositions were prepared in a microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor and a hot filament CVD reactor. Various analytical techniques including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and Raman spectroscopy were employed to characterize the surface morphology and chemical composition. The influence of surface morphology on the field electron emission property of diamond films was studied. The emission current of well-oriented microcrystalline diamond films is relatively small compared to that of randomly oriented microcrystalline diamond films. Meanwhile, the nanocrystalline diamond film has demonstrated a larger emission current than microcrystalline diamond films. The nanocone structure significantly improves the electron emission current of diamond films due to its strong field enhancement effect. The sp2 phase concentration also has significant influence on the field electron emission property of diamond films. For the diamond films synthesized by gas mixture of hydrogen and methane, their field electron emission properties were enhanced with the increase of methane concentration. The field electron emission enhancement was attributed to the increase of sp2 phase concentration, which increases the electrical conductivity of diamond films. For the diamond films synthesized through graphite etching, the growth rate and nucleation density of diamond films increase significantly with decreasing hydrogen flow rate. The field electron emission properties of the diamond films were also enhanced with the decrease of hydrogen flow rate. The field electron emission enhancement can be also attributed to the increase of the sp 2 phase concentration. In addition, the deviation of the experimental

  12. Diamond film deposition on WC-Co and steel substrates with a CrN interlayer for tribological applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chandran, Maneesh; Hoffman, Alon

    2016-06-01

    The most renowned property of diamond is its exceptional hardness. By depositing diamond films on tungsten carbide (WC-Co) and steel substrates, the hardness of diamond can be combined with the toughness of these materials, resulting in an excellent wear resistance material for tribological applications. However, poor adhesion of diamond coating on these substrates leads to a lesser lifetime for the diamond coated tools than expected. The prime reasons for the lack of proper adhesion are the preferential formation of graphitic layer at the interface due to the catalytic activities of cobalt/iron and the interfacial residual stresses due to the mismatch in thermal expansion coefficients of diamond (1.5  ×  10-6 K-1) and WC-Co (5.2  ×  10-6 K-1) or steel (12  ×  10-6 K-1). In this review, we discuss the possibility of using a Cr-N interlayer as a diffusion barrier to prevent the catalytic activities of cobalt/iron and also to relax the interfacial residual stresses to some extent to enhance the adhesion of diamond coatings on these substrates. An overview of the most pertinent results of the last two decades, including the recent progress is introduced. We describe in detail how the Cr-N interlayer with the desired properties is fabricated. We give a concise overview of diamond deposition process, including the methods to vary the grain size from microcrystalline to nanocrystalline, which are suitable for some tribological applications. We describe in detail on surface and interface analysis, residual stress measurements, assessment adhesion strength and tribological performance of diamond coated WC-Co and steel substrates using various characterization techniques. We conclude by highlighting the current progress and future perspectives of diamond coatings on these substrates for tribological applications.

  13. Monitoring the evolution of boron doped porous diamond electrode on flexible retinal implant by OCT and in vivo impedance spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Hébert, Clément; Cottance, Myline; Degardin, Julie; Scorsone, Emmanuel; Rousseau, Lionel; Lissorgues, Gaelle; Bergonzo, Philippe; Picaud, Serge

    2016-12-01

    Nanocrystalline Boron doped Diamond proved to be a very attractive material for neural interfacing, especially with the retina, where reduce glia growth is observed with respect to other materials, thus facilitating neuro-stimulation over long terms. In the present study, we integrated diamond microelectrodes on a polyimide substrate and investigated their performances for the development of neural prosthesis. A full description of the microfabrication of the implants is provided and their functionalities are assessed using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. A porous structure of the electrode surface was thus revealed and showed promising properties for neural recording or stimulation. Using the flexible implant, we showed that is possible to follow in vivo the evolution of the electric contact between the diamond electrodes and the retina over 4months by using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The position of the implant was also monitored by optical coherence tomography to corroborate the information given by the impedance measurements. The results suggest that diamond microelectrodes are very good candidates for retinal prosthesis. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  14. Prevention and control of mental illnesses and mental health: National Action Plan for NCD Prevention, Control and Health Promotion in Pakistan.

    PubMed

    Nishtar, Sania; Minhas, Fareed A; Ahmed, Ashfaq; Badar, Asma; Mohamud, Khalif Bile

    2004-12-01

    As part of the National Action Plan for Non-communicable Disease Prevention, Control and Health Promotion in Pakistan (NAP-NCD), mental illnesses have been grouped alongside non-communicable diseases (NCD) within a combined strategic framework in order to synchronize public health actions. The systematic approach for mental illnesses is centred on safeguarding the rights of the mentally ill, reducing stigma and discrimination, and de-institutionalisation and rehabilitation of the mentally ill in the community outlining roles of healthcare providers, the community, legislators and policy makers. The approach has implications for support functions in a number of areas including policy building, manpower and material development and research. Priority action areas for mental health as part of NAP-NCD include the integration of surveillance of mental illnesses in a comprehensive population-based NCD surveillance system; creating awareness about mental health as part of an integrated NCD behavioural change communication strategy; integration of mental health with primary healthcare; the development of sustainable public health infrastructure to support community mental health initiatives; building capacity of the health system in support of prevention and control activities; effective implementation of existing legislation and harmonizing working relationships with law enforcing agencies. NAP-NCD also stresses on the need to integrate mental health into health services as part of a sustainable and integrated medical education programme for all categories of healthcare providers and the availability of essential psychotropic drugs at all healthcare levels. It lays emphasis on protecting the interests of special groups such as prisoners, refugees and displaced persons, women, children and individuals with disabilities. Furthermore, it promotes need-based research for contemporary mental health issues.

  15. 42 CFR 426.531 - Board's review of the NCD to apply the reasonableness standard.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... hearing unless the matter can be decided on the written record. (3) Close the NCD review record to the... appropriate scientific or clinical experts concerning clinical and scientific evidence to apply the...

  16. 42 CFR 426.531 - Board's review of the NCD to apply the reasonableness standard.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... hearing unless the matter can be decided on the written record. (3) Close the NCD review record to the... appropriate scientific or clinical experts concerning clinical and scientific evidence to apply the...

  17. 42 CFR 426.531 - Board's review of the NCD to apply the reasonableness standard.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... hearing unless the matter can be decided on the written record. (3) Close the NCD review record to the... appropriate scientific or clinical experts concerning clinical and scientific evidence to apply the...

  18. 42 CFR 426.531 - Board's review of the NCD to apply the reasonableness standard.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... hearing unless the matter can be decided on the written record. (3) Close the NCD review record to the... appropriate scientific or clinical experts concerning clinical and scientific evidence to apply the...

  19. Nano-inclusions in diamond: Evidence of diamond genesis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wirth, R.

    2015-12-01

    The use of Focused Ion Beam technology (FIB) for TEM sample preparation introduced approximately 15 years ago revolutionized the application of TEM in Geosciences. For the first time, FIB enabled cutting samples for TEM use from exactly the location we are interested in. Applied to diamond investigation, this technique revealed the presence of nanometre-sized inclusions in diamond that have been simply unknown before. Nanoinclusions in diamond from different location and origin such as diamonds from the Lower and Upper Mantle, metamorphic diamonds (Kazakhstan, Erzgebirge, Bohemia), diamonds from ophiolites (Tibet, Mongolia, Xinjiang, Ural Mountains), diamonds from igneous rocks (Hawaii, Kamchatka) and impact diamonds (Popigai Crater, Siberia) have been investigated during the last 15 years. The major conclusion of all these TEM studies is, that the nanoinclusions, their phases and phase composition together with the micro- and nanostructure evidence the origin of diamond and genesis of diamond. We can discriminate Five different mechanisms of diamond genesis in nature are observed: Diamond crystallized from a high-density fluid (Upper mantle and metamorphic diamond). Diamond crystallized from carbonatitic melt (Lower mantle diamond). Diamond precipitates from a metal alloy melt (Diamond from ophiolites). Diamond crystallized by gas phase condensation or chemical vapour condensation (CVD) (Lavas from Kamchatka, xenoliths in Hawaiian lavas). Direct transformation of graphite into diamond.

  20. Nitrogen doping, optical characterization, and electron emission study of diamond

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Park, Minseo

    Nitrogen-doped chemical vapor deposited (CVD) diamond films were synthesized with N2 (nitrogen) and C3H6N6 (melamine) as doping sources. More effective substitutional nitrogen doping was achieved with C3H6N6 than with N 2. Since a melamine molecule has an existing cyclic C-N bonded ring, it is expected that the incorporation of nitrogen on substitution diamond lattice should be facilitated. The diamond film doped with N2 contained a significant amount of non-diamond carbon phases. The samples were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, Raman scattering, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and field emission measurements. The sample produced using N 2 exhibited a lower field emission turn-on field than the sample produced using C3H6N6. It is believed that the presence of the graphitic phases (or amorphous sp2 carbon) at the grain boundaries of the diamond and/or the nanocrystallinity (or microcrystallinity) of the diamond play a significant role in lowering the turn-on field of the film produced using N2. The nature of the nitrogen-related 1190 cm-1 Raman peak was investigated. Nitrogen is incorporated predominantly to the crystalline or amorphous sp2 phases when nitrogen is added to the growing diamond. Field emission characteristics from metallic field emitter coated with type Ia and Ib diamond powders were also investigated. No significant difference in electron emission characteristics were found in these samples. Voltage-dependent field emission energy distribution (V-FEED) measurement was performed to analyze the energy distribution of the emitted electrons. It is believed that substitutional nitrogen doping plays only a minor role in changing field emission characteristics in diamond. Discontinuous diamond films were deposited on silicon using a microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) system. The diamond deposits were sharpened by argon ion beam etching. Raman spectroscopy was carried out to study the structural change of the diamond after ion beam

  1. Industrial diamond

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Olson, D.W.

    2001-01-01

    An overview of the industrial diamond industry is provided. More than 90 percent of the industrial diamond consumed in the U.S. and the rest of the world is manufactured diamond. Ireland, Japan, Russia, and the U.S. produce 75 percent of the global industrial diamond output. In 2000, the U.S. was the largest market for industrial diamond. Industrial diamond applications, prices for industrial diamonds, imports and exports of industrial diamonds, the National Defense Stockpile of industrial diamonds, and the outlook for the industrial diamond market are discussed.

  2. Microstructure and mechanical properties of diamond films on titanium-aluminum-vanadium alloy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Catledge, Shane Aaron

    The primary focus of this dissertation is the investigation of the processing-structure-property relationships of diamond films deposited on Ti-6Al-4V alloy by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD). By depositing a well-adhered protective layer of diamond on an alloy component, its hardness, wear-resistance, performance, and overall lifetime could be significantly increased. However, due to the large thermal expansion mismatch between the diamond film and metal (and the corresponding residual stress induced in the film), film adhesion is typically unsatisfactory and often results in immediate delamination after processing. Therefore, it is a major goal of this research to improve adhesion of the diamond film to the alloy substrate. Through the use of innovative processing techniques involving MPCVD deposition conditions and methane (CH4), nitrogen (N2), and hydrogen (H2) chemistry, we have achieved diamond films which consistently adhere to the alloy substrate. In addition, we have discovered that, with the appropriate choice of deposition conditions, the film structure can be tailored to range from highly crystalline, well-faceted diamond to nanocrystalline diamond with extremely low surface roughness (as low as 27 nm). The relationship between processing and structure was studied using in-situ optical emission spectroscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy, surface profilometry, glancing-angle x-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. We observe that when nitrogen is added to the H2/CH4 feedgas mixture, a carbon-nitrogen (CN) emission band arises and its relative abundance to the carbon dimer (C2) gas species is shown to have a pronounced influence on the diamond film structure. By appropriate choice of deposition chemistry and conditions, we can tailor the diamond film structure and its corresponding properties. The mechanical properties of interest in this thesis are those relating to the integrity of the film/substrate interface, as well as the

  3. Tackling the global NCD crisis: innovations in law and governance.

    PubMed

    Thomas, Bryan; Gostin, Lawrence O

    2013-01-01

    35 million people die annually of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), 80% of them in low- and middle-income countries - representing a marked epidemiological transition from infectious to chronic diseases and from richer to poorer countries. The total number of NCDs is projected to rise by 17% over the coming decade, absent significant interventions. The NCD epidemic poses unique governance challenges: the causes are multifactorial, the affected populations diffuse, and effective responses require sustained multi-sectorial cooperation. The authors propose a range of regulatory options available at the domestic level, including stricter food labeling laws, regulation of food advertisements, tax incentives for healthy lifestyle choices, changes to the built environment, and direct regulation of food and drink producers. Given the realities of globalization, such interventions require global cooperation. In 2011, the UN General Assembly held a High-level meeting on NCDs, setting a global target of a 25% reduction in premature mortality from NCDs by 2025. Yet concrete plans and resource commitments for reaching this goal are not yet in the offing, and the window is rapidly closing for achieving these targets through prevention - as opposed to treatment, which is more costly. Innovative global governance for health is urgently needed to engage private industry and civil society in the global response to the NCD crisis. © 2013 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

  4. Binding of ncd to microtubules induces a conformational change near the junction of the motor domain with the neck.

    PubMed

    Naber, N; Cooke, R; Pate, E

    1997-08-12

    We have covalently attached an electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spin probe to Cys-670 of the motor domain of ncd (nonclaret disjunctional protein) in order to investigate conformational changes associated with the chemomechanical cycle. Spin-labeling is highly specific and does not affect ncd function as monitored by either the binding affinity to microtubules or the rate of ATP hydrolysis. The EPR spectra can be deconvoluted into two components, one that is highly mobile with respect to the protein and one that is strongly immobilized. In the absence of microtubules, the relative proportions of these two components varied with temperature, showing that the transition between them involves a large change in enthalpy (DeltaH degrees = -75 kJ/mol). This result implies that the two populations represent very different protein conformations. Binding to microtubules results in virtually all probes shifting into the immobilized component, independent of the nucleotide bound. Superposition of the structures of ncd and myosin subfragment 1 reveals that the labeled cysteine is very close to the region which is homologous to the helix containing the two reactive sulfhydryls in myosin and is approximately 10 A from the junction of the motor domain with the remainder of the molecule. We conclude that the binding of ncd to microtubules results in a conformational change in this region which may be involved in the working power stroke.

  5. China's Efforts on Management, Surveillance, and Research of Noncommunicable Diseases: NCD Scorecard Project.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Xiao-Lei; Luo, Jie-Si; Zhang, Xiao-Chang; Zhai, Yi; Wu, Jing

    The incidence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) is rising dramatically throughout the world. Aspects of researches concerned with the improvement and development of prevention and control of NCDs have been conducted. Furthermore, the influence of most determinants of the major NCDs has showed that a broad and deep response involving stakeholders in different sectors is required in the prevention and control of NCDs. China has experienced an increase in NCDs in a short period compared with many countries. To address the burden of NCDs in China, it is important to learn about the progress that has been made in prevention and control of NCDs in China and worldwide, informed by opinions of stakeholders in different areas. In 2014, GRAND South developed the NCD Scorecard instrument to evaluate progress of NCD prevention and control in 23 countries through a 2-round Delphi process. The scorecard included 51 indicators in 4 domains: governance, surveillance and research, prevention and risk factors, and health system response. Stakeholders were then selected in the areas of government, nongovernmental organizations, private sectors, and academia to join the NCD Scorecard survey. Indicators of progress were scored by stakeholders from 0 (no activity), 1 (present but not adequate), and 2 (adequate) to 3 (highly adequate) and then the percentage of progress in each domain was calculated, representing the current situation in each country. There were 14 indicators in the domains of governance and surveillance and research. Of 429 stakeholders worldwide, 41 in China participated in the survey. China scored in the top 5 out of all participating countries in those 2 domains, scoring 67% in governance and 64% in surveillance and research. Indicators on which China scored particularly well included having a well-resourced unit or department responsible for NCDs, having a strong national system for recording the cause of all deaths, and having a system of NCD surveillance. Areas

  6. Challenges Facing Global Health Networks: The NCD Alliance Experience

    PubMed Central

    Dain, Katie

    2018-01-01

    Successful prevention and control of the epidemic of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) cannot be achieved by the health sector alone: a wide range of organisations from multiple sectors and across government must also be involved. This requires a new, inclusive approach to advocacy and to coordinating, convening and catalysing action across civil society, best achieved by a broad-based network. This comment maps the experience of the NCD Alliance (NCDA) on to Shiffman’s challenges for global health networks – framing (problem definition and positioning), coalition-building and governance – and highlights some further areas overlooked in his analysis. PMID:29524960

  7. Thermally Stable Nanocrystalline Steel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hulme-Smith, Christopher Neil; Ooi, Shgh Woei; Bhadeshia, Harshad K. D. H.

    2017-10-01

    Two novel nanocrystalline steels were designed to withstand elevated temperatures without catastrophic microstructural changes. In the most successful alloy, a large quantity of nickel was added to stabilize austenite and allow a reduction in the carbon content. A 50 kg cast of the novel alloy was produced and used to verify the formation of nanocrystalline bainite. Synchrotron X-ray diffractometry using in situ heating showed that austenite was able to survive more than 1 hour at 773 K (500 °C) and subsequent cooling to ambient temperature. This is the first reported nanocrystalline steel with high-temperature capability.

  8. Diamond anvil cells using boron-doped diamond electrodes covered with undoped diamond insulating layer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matsumoto, Ryo; Yamashita, Aichi; Hara, Hiroshi; Irifune, Tetsuo; Adachi, Shintaro; Takeya, Hiroyuki; Takano, Yoshihiko

    2018-05-01

    Diamond anvil cells using boron-doped metallic diamond electrodes covered with undoped diamond insulating layers have been developed for electrical transport measurements under high pressure. These designed diamonds were grown on a bottom diamond anvil via a nanofabrication process combining microwave plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition and electron beam lithography. The resistance measurements of a high-quality FeSe superconducting single crystal under high pressure were successfully demonstrated by just putting the sample and gasket on the bottom diamond anvil directly. The superconducting transition temperature of the FeSe single crystal was increased to up to 43 K by applying uniaxial-like pressure.

  9. Diffraction Studies of the Atomic Vibrations of Bulk and Surface Atoms in the Reciprocal and Real Spaces of Nanocrystalline SiC

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stelmakh, S.; Grzanka, E.; Weber, H.-P.; Vogel, S.; Palosz, B.; Palosz, B.

    2004-01-01

    To describe and evaluate the vibrational properties of nanoparticles it is necessary to distinguish between the surface and the core of the particles. Theoretical calculations show that vibrational density of states of the inner atoms of nanograins is similar to bulk material but shifted to higher energies which can be explained by the fact that the gain core is stressed (hardened) due to the presence of internal pressure. Theoretical calculations also show that there is a difference between vibrational properties of a crystal lattice of the grain interior in isolated particles and in a dense (sintered) nanocrystalline material. This is probably due to a coupling of the modes inside the grains via the grain boundaries in dense nanocrystalline bodies. We examined strains present in the surface shell based on examination of diamond and Sic nanocrystals in reciprocal (Bragg-type scattering) and real (PDF analysis) space analysis of neutron diffraction data. Recently we examined the atomic thermal motions in nanocrystalline Sic based on the assumption of a simple Einstein model for uncorrelated atomic notions. According to this model, the Bragg intensity is attenuated as a function of scattering angle by the Debye-Waller factor. Based on this assumption overall temperature factors were determined from the Wilson plots.

  10. Diamond tool machining of materials which react with diamond

    DOEpatents

    Lundin, Ralph L.; Stewart, Delbert D.; Evans, Christopher J.

    1992-01-01

    Apparatus for the diamond machining of materials which detrimentally react with diamond cutting tools in which the cutting tool and the workpiece are chilled to very low temperatures. This chilling halts or retards the chemical reaction between the workpiece and the diamond cutting tool so that wear rates of the diamond tool on previously detrimental materials are comparable with the diamond turning of materials which do not react with diamond.

  11. Diamond tool machining of materials which react with diamond

    DOEpatents

    Lundin, R.L.; Stewart, D.D.; Evans, C.J.

    1992-04-14

    An apparatus is described for the diamond machining of materials which detrimentally react with diamond cutting tools in which the cutting tool and the workpiece are chilled to very low temperatures. This chilling halts or retards the chemical reaction between the workpiece and the diamond cutting tool so that wear rates of the diamond tool on previously detrimental materials are comparable with the diamond turning of materials which do not react with diamond. 1 figs.

  12. Influence of coolant on ductile mode processing of binderless nanocrystalline tungsten carbide through ultraprecision diamond turning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Doetz, Marius; Dambon, Olaf; Klocke, Fritz; Fähnle, Oliver

    2015-08-01

    Molds made of tungsten carbide are typically used for the replicative mass production of glass lenses by precision glass molding. Consequently an ultra-precision grinding process with a subsequent fresh-feed polishing operation is conventionally applied. These processes are time consuming and have a relatively low reproducibility. An alternative manufacturing technology, with a high predictability and efficiency, which additionally allows a higher geometrical flexibility, is the single point diamond turning technique (SPDT). However, the extreme hardness and the chemical properties of tungsten carbide lead to significant tool wear and therefore the impossibility of machining the work pieces in an economical way. One approach to enlarge the tool life is to affect the contact zone between tool and work piece by the use of special cutting fluids. This publication emphasizes on the most recent investigations and results in direct machining of nano-grained tungsten carbide with mono crystal diamonds under the influence of various kinds of cutting fluids. Therefore basic ruling experiments on binderless nano grained tungsten carbide were performed, where the tool performed a linear movement with a steadily increasing depth of cut. As the ductile cutting mechanism is a prerequisite for the optical manufacturing of tungsten carbide these experiments serve the purpose for establish the influence of different cutting fluid characteristics on the cutting performance of mono crystal diamonds. Eventually it is shown that by adjusting the coolant fluid it is possible to significantly shift the transition point from ductile to brittle removal to larger depths of cut eventually enabling a SPDT of binderless tungsten carbide molds.

  13. Industrial diamond

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Olson, D.W.

    2013-01-01

    Estimated 2012 world production of natural and synthetic industrial diamond was about 4.45 billion carats. During 2012, natural industrial diamonds were produced in at least 20 countries, and synthetic industrial diamond was produced in at least 12 countries. About 99 percent of the combined natural and synthetic global output was produced in Belarus, China, Ireland, Japan, Russia, South Africa and the United States. During 2012, China was the world’s leading producer of synthetic industrial diamond followed by the United States and Russia. In 2012, the two U.S. synthetic producers, one in Pennsylvania and the other in Ohio, had an estimated output of 103 million carats, valued at about $70.6 million. This was an estimated 43.7 million carats of synthetic diamond bort, grit, and dust and powder with a value of $14.5 million combined with an estimated 59.7 million carats of synthetic diamond stone with a value of $56.1 million. Also in 2012, nine U.S. firms manufactured polycrystalline diamond (PCD) from synthetic diamond grit and powder. The United States government does not collect or maintain data for either domestic PCD producers or domestic chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamond producers for quantity or value of annual production. Current trade and consumption quantity data are not available for PCD or for CVD diamond. For these reasons, PCD and CVD diamond are not included in the industrial diamond quantitative data reported here.

  14. Appropriate salt concentration of nanodiamond colloids for electrostatic self-assembly seeding of monosized individual diamond nanoparticles on silicon dioxide surfaces.

    PubMed

    Yoshikawa, Taro; Zuerbig, Verena; Gao, Fang; Hoffmann, René; Nebel, Christoph E; Ambacher, Oliver; Lebedev, Vadim

    2015-05-19

    Monosized (∼4 nm) diamond nanoparticles arranged on substrate surfaces are exciting candidates for single-photon sources and nucleation sites for ultrathin nanocrystalline diamond film growth. The most commonly used technique to obtain substrate-supported diamond nanoparticles is electrostatic self-assembly seeding using nanodiamond colloidal suspensions. Currently, monodisperse nanodiamond colloids, which have a narrow distribution of particle sizes centering on the core particle size (∼4 nm), are available for the seeding technique on different substrate materials such as Si, SiO2, Cu, and AlN. However, the self-assembled nanoparticles tend to form small (typically a few tens of nanometers or even larger) aggregates on all of those substrate materials. In this study, this major weakness of self-assembled diamond nanoparticles was solved by modifying the salt concentration of nanodiamond colloidal suspensions. Several salt concentrations of colloidal suspensions were prepared using potassium chloride as an inserted electrolyte and were examined with respect to seeding on SiO2 surfaces. The colloidal suspensions and the seeded surfaces were characterized by dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopy, respectively. Also, the interaction energies between diamond nanoparticles in each of the examined colloidal suspensions were compared on the basis of the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory. From these investigations, it became clear that the appropriate salt concentration suppresses the formation of small aggregates during the seeding process owing to the modified electrostatic repulsive interaction between nanoparticles. Finally, monosized (<10 nm) individual diamond nanoparticles arranged on SiO2 surfaces have been successfully obtained.

  15. Free-standing nanomechanical and nanophotonic structures in single-crystal diamond

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Burek, Michael John

    inventory of luminescent defect centers (many with direct optical access to highly coherent electron and nuclear spins). Diamond has many potential applications ranging from radio frequency nanoelectromechanical systems (RF-NEMS), to all-optical signal processing and quantum optics. Despite the commercial availability of wafer-scale nanocrystalline diamond thin films on foreign substrates (namely SiO2), this diamond-on-insulator (DOI) platform typically exhibits inferior material properties due to friction, scattering, and absorption losses at grain boundaries, significant surface roughness, and large interfacial stresses. In the absence of suitable heteroepitaxial diamond growth, substantial research and development efforts have focused on novel processing techniques to yield nanoscale single-crystal diamond mechanical and optical elements. In this thesis, we demonstrate a scalable 'angled-etching' nanofabrication method for realizing nanomechanical systems and nanophotonic networks starting from bulk single-crystal diamond substrates. Angled-etching employs anisotropic oxygen-based plasma etching at an oblique angle to the substrate surface, resulting in suspended optical structures with triangular cross-sections. Using this approach, we first realize single-crystal diamond nanomechanical resonant structures. These nanoscale diamond resonators exhibit high mechanical quality-factors (approaching Q ~ 105) with mechanical resonances up to 10 MHz. Next, we demonstrate engineered nanophotonic structures, specifically racetrack resonators and photonic crystal cavities, in bulk single-crystal diamond. Our devices feature large optical Q-factors, in excess of 10 5, and operate over a wide wavelength range, spanning visible and telecom. These newly developed high-Q diamond optical nanocavities open the door for a wealth of applications, ranging from nonlinear optics and chemical sensing, to quantum information processing and cavity optomechanics. Beyond isolated nanophotonic

  16. Industrial diamond

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Olson, D.W.

    2000-01-01

    Part of the 1999 Industrial Minerals Review. A review of the state of the global industrial diamond industry in 1999 is presented. World consumption of industrial diamond has increased annually in recent years, with an estimated 500 million carats valued between $650 million and $800 million consumed in 1999. In 1999, the U.S. was the world's largest market for industrial diamond and was also one of the world's main producers; the others were Ireland, Russia, and South Africa. Uses of industrial diamonds are discussed, and prices of natural and synthetic industrial diamond are reported.

  17. Diamond bio electronics.

    PubMed

    Linares, Robert; Doering, Patrick; Linares, Bryant

    2009-01-01

    The use of diamond for advanced applications has been the dream of mankind for centuries. Until recently this dream has been realized only in the use of diamond for gemstones and abrasive applications where tons of diamonds are used on an annual basis. Diamond is the material system of choice for many applications, but its use has historically been limited due to the small size, high cost, and inconsistent (and typically poor) quality of available diamond materials until recently. The recent development of high quality, single crystal diamond crystal growth via the Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) process has allowed physcists and increasingly scientists in the life science area to think beyond these limitations and envision how diamond may be used in advanced applications ranging from quantum computing, to power generation and molecular imaging, and eventually even diamond nano-bots. Because of diamond's unique properties as a bio-compatible material, better understanding of diamond's quantum effects and a convergence of mass production, semiconductor-like fabrication process, diamond now promises a unique and powerful key to the realization of the bio-electronic devices being envisioned for the new era of medical science. The combination of robust in-the-body diamond based sensors, coupled with smart bio-functionalized diamond devices may lead to diamond being the platform of choice for bio-electronics. This generation of diamond based bio-electronic devices would contribute substantially to ushering in a paradigm shift for medical science, leading to vastly improved patient diagnosis, decrease of drug development costs and risks, and improved effectiveness of drug delivery and gene therapy programs through better timed and more customized solutions.

  18. Solid state consolidation nanocrystalline copper-tungsten using cold spray

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

    Hall, Aaron Christopher; Sarobol, Pylin; Argibay, Nicolas

    It is well known that nanostructured metals can exhibit significantly improved properties compared to metals with conventional grain size. Unfortunately, nanocrystalline metals typically are not thermodynamically stable and exhibit rapid grain growth at moderate temperatures. This severely limits their processing and use, making them impractical for most engineering applications. Recent work has shown that a number of thermodynamically stable nanocrystalline metal alloys exist. These alloys have been prepared as powders using severe plastic deformation (e.g. ball milling) processes. Consolidation of these powders without compromise of their nanocrystalline microstructure is a critical step to enabling their use as engineering materials. Wemore » demonstrate solid-state consolidation of ball milled copper-tantalum nanocrystalline metal powder using cold spray. Unfortunately, the nanocrystalline copper-tantalum powder that was consolidated did not contain the thermodynamically stable copper-tantalum nanostructure. Nevertheless, this does this demonstrates a pathway to preparation of bulk thermodynamically stable nanocrystalline copper-tantalum. Furthermore, it demonstrates a pathway to additive manufacturing (3D printing) of nanocrystalline copper-tantalum. Additive manufacturing of thermodynamically stable nanocrystalline metals is attractive because it enables maximum flexibility and efficiency in the use of these unique materials.« less

  19. Lateral overgrowth of diamond film on stripes patterned Ir/HPHT-diamond substrate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Yan-Feng; Chang, Xiaohui; Liu, Zhangcheng; Liu, Zongchen; Fu, Jiao; Zhao, Dan; Shao, Guoqing; Wang, Juan; Zhang, Shaopeng; Liang, Yan; Zhu, Tianfei; Wang, Wei; Wang, Hong-Xing

    2018-05-01

    Epitaxial lateral overgrowth (ELO) of diamond films on patterned Ir/(0 0 1)HPHT-diamond substrates have been carried out by microwave plasma CVD system. Ir/(0 0 1)HPHT-diamond substrates are fabricated by photolithographic and magnetron sputtering technique. The morphology of the as grown ELO diamond film is characterized by optical microscopy and scanning electronic microscopy. The quality and stress of the ELO diamond film are investigated by surface etching pit density and micro-Raman spectroscopy. Two ultraviolet photodetectors are fabricated on ELO diamond area and non-ELO diamond area prepared on same substrate, and that one on ELO diamond area indicates better photoelectric properties. All results indicate quality of ELO diamond film is improved.

  20. Industrial diamond

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Olson, D.W.

    2011-01-01

    Estimated world production of natural and synthetic industrial diamond was about 4.44 billion carats in 2010. Natural industrial diamond deposits have been found in more than 35 countries, and synthetic industrial diamond is produced in at least 15 countries.

  1. Size dependence of nanoscale wear of silicon carbide

    Treesearch

    Chaiyapat Tangpatjaroen; David Grierson; Steve Shannon; Joseph E. Jakes; Izabela Szlufarska

    2017-01-01

    Nanoscale, single-asperity wear of single-crystal silicon carbide (sc- SiC) and nanocrystalline silicon carbide (nc-SiC) is investigated using single-crystal diamond nanoindenter tips and nanocrystalline diamond atomic force microscopy (AFM) tips under dry conditions, and the wear behavior is compared to that of single-crystal silicon with both thin and thick native...

  2. Micromechanics Modeling of Fracture in Nanocrystalline Metals

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Glaessgen, E. H.; Piascik, R. S.; Raju, I. S.; Harris, C. E.

    2002-01-01

    Nanocrystalline metals have very high theoretical strength, but suffer from a lack of ductility and toughness. Therefore, it is critical to understand the mechanisms of deformation and fracture of these materials before their full potential can be achieved. Because classical fracture mechanics is based on the comparison of computed fracture parameters, such as stress intlmsity factors, to their empirically determined critical values, it does not adequately describe the fundamental physics of fracture required to predict the behavior of nanocrystalline metals. Thus, micromechanics-based techniques must be considered to quanti@ the physical processes of deformation and fracture within nanocrystalline metals. This paper discusses hndamental physicsbased modeling strategies that may be useful for the prediction Iof deformation, crack formation and crack growth within nanocrystalline metals.

  3. Diamond Coatings

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1990-01-01

    Advances in materials technology have demonstrated that it is possible to get the advantages of diamond in a number of applications without the cost penalty, by coating and chemically bonding an inexpensive substrate with a thin film of diamond-like carbon (DLC). Diamond films offer tremendous technical and economic potential in such advances as chemically inert protective coatings; machine tools and parts capable of resisting wear 10 times longer; ball bearings and metal cutting tools; a broad variety of optical instruments and systems; and consumer products. Among the American companies engaged in DLC commercialization is Diamonex, Inc., a diamond coating spinoff of Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. Along with its own proprietary technology for both polycrystalline diamond and DLC coatings, Diamonex is using, under an exclusive license, NASA technology for depositing DLC on a substrate. Diamonex is developing, and offering commercially, under the trade name Diamond Aegis, a line of polycrystalline diamond-coated products that can be custom tailored for optical, electronic and engineering applications. Diamonex's initial focus is on optical products and the first commercial product is expected in late 1990. Other target applications include electronic heat sink substrates, x-ray lithography masks, metal cutting tools and bearings.

  4. Industrial diamond

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Olson, D.W.

    2012-01-01

    Estimated 2011 world production of natural and synthetic industrial diamond was about 4.45 billion carats. During 2011, natural industrial diamonds were produced in more than 20 countries, and synthetic industrial diamond was produced in at least 13 countries. About 98 percent of the combined natural and synthetic global output was produced in China, Ireland, Japan, Russia, South Africa and the United States. China is the world's leading producer of synthetic industrial diamond followed by Russia and the United States.

  5. Diamonds in ophiolites: Contamination or a new diamond growth environment?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Howell, D.; Griffin, W. L.; Yang, J.; Gain, S.; Stern, R. A.; Huang, J.-X.; Jacob, D. E.; Xu, X.; Stokes, A. J.; O'Reilly, S. Y.; Pearson, N. J.

    2015-11-01

    For more than 20 years, the reported occurrence of diamonds in the chromites and peridotites of the Luobusa massif in Tibet (a complex described as an ophiolite) has been widely ignored by the diamond research community. This skepticism has persisted because the diamonds are similar in many respects to high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) synthetic/industrial diamonds (grown from metal solvents), and the finding previously has not been independently replicated. We present a detailed examination of the Luobusa diamonds (recovered from both peridotites and chromitites), including morphology, size, color, impurity characteristics (by infrared spectroscopy), internal growth structures, trace-element patterns, and C and N isotopes. A detailed comparison with synthetic industrial diamonds shows many similarities. Cubo-octahedral morphology, yellow color due to unaggregated nitrogen (C centres only, Type Ib), metal-alloy inclusions and highly negative δ13C values are present in both sets of diamonds. The Tibetan diamonds (n = 3) show an exceptionally large range in δ15N (-5.6 to + 28.7 ‰) within individual crystals, and inconsistent fractionation between {111} and {100} growth sectors. This in contrast to large synthetic HPHT diamonds grown by the temperature gradient method, which have with δ15N = 0 ‰ in {111} sectors and + 30 ‰ in {100} sectors, as reported in the literature. This comparison is limited by the small sample set combined with the fact the diamonds probably grew by different processes. However, the Tibetan diamonds do have generally higher concentrations and different ratios of trace elements; most inclusions are a NiMnCo alloy, but there are also some small REE-rich phases never seen in HPHT synthetics. These characteristics indicate that the Tibetan diamonds grew in contact with a C-saturated Ni-Mn-Co-rich melt in a highly reduced environment. The stable isotopes indicate a major subduction-related contribution to the chemical environment. The

  6. Prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases through evidence-based public health: implementing the NCD 2020 action plan.

    PubMed

    Diem, Günter; Brownson, Ross C; Grabauskas, Vilius; Shatchkute, Aushra; Stachenko, Sylvie

    2016-09-01

    The control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) was addressed by the declaration of the 66th United Nations (UN) General Assembly followed by the World Health Organization's (WHO) NCD 2020 action plan. There is a clear need to better apply evidence in public health settings to tackle both behaviour-related factors and the underlying social and economic conditions. This article describes concepts of evidence-based public health (EBPH) and outlines a set of actions that are essential for successful global NCD prevention. The authors describe the importance of knowledge translation with the goal of increasing the effectiveness of public health services, relying on both quantitative and qualitative evidence. In particular, the role of capacity building is highlighted because it is fundamental to progress in controlling NCDs. Important challenges for capacity building include the need to bridge diverse disciplines, build the evidence base across countries and the lack of formal training in public health sciences. As brief case examples, several successful capacity-building efforts are highlighted to address challenges and further evidence-based decision making. The need for a more comprehensive public health approach, addressing social, environmental and cultural conditions, has led to government-wide and society-wide strategies that are now on the agenda due to efforts such as the WHO's NCD 2020 action plan and Health 2020: the European Policy for Health and Wellbeing. These efforts need research to generate evidence in new areas (e.g. equity and sustainability), training to build public health capacity and a continuous process of improvement and knowledge generation and translation. © The Author(s) 2015.

  7. Diamond fiber field emitters

    DOEpatents

    Blanchet-Fincher, Graciela B.; Coates, Don M.; Devlin, David J.; Eaton, David F.; Silzars, Aris K.; Valone, Steven M.

    1996-01-01

    A field emission electron emitter comprising an electrode formed of at least one diamond, diamond-like carbon or glassy carbon composite fiber, said composite fiber having a non-diamond core and a diamond, diamond-like carbon or glassy carbon coating on said non-diamond core, and electronic devices employing such a field emission electron emitter.

  8. Method to fabricate portable electron source based on nitrogen incorporated ultrananocrystalline diamond (N-UNCD)

    DOEpatents

    Sumant, Anirudha V.; Divan, Ralu; Posada, Chrystian M.; Castano, Carlos H.; Grant, Edwin J.; Lee, Hyoung K.

    2016-03-29

    A source cold cathode field emission array (FEA) source based on ultra-nanocrystalline diamond (UNCD) field emitters. This system was constructed as an alternative for detection of obscured objects and material. Depending on the geometry of the given situation a flat-panel source can be used in tomography, radiography, or tomosynthesis. Furthermore, the unit can be used as a portable electron or X-ray scanner or an integral part of an existing detection system. UNCD field emitters show great field emission output and can be deposited over large areas as the case with carbon nanotube "forest" (CNT) cathodes. Furthermore, UNCDs have better mechanical and thermal properties as compared to CNT tips which further extend the lifetime of UNCD based FEA.

  9. Toward deep blue nano hope diamonds: heavily boron-doped diamond nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Heyer, Steffen; Janssen, Wiebke; Turner, Stuart; Lu, Ying-Gang; Yeap, Weng Siang; Verbeeck, Jo; Haenen, Ken; Krueger, Anke

    2014-06-24

    The production of boron-doped diamond nanoparticles enables the application of this material for a broad range of fields, such as electrochemistry, thermal management, and fundamental superconductivity research. Here we present the production of highly boron-doped diamond nanoparticles using boron-doped CVD diamond films as a starting material. In a multistep milling process followed by purification and surface oxidation we obtained diamond nanoparticles of 10-60 nm with a boron content of approximately 2.3 × 10(21) cm(-3). Aberration-corrected HRTEM reveals the presence of defects within individual diamond grains, as well as a very thin nondiamond carbon layer at the particle surface. The boron K-edge electron energy-loss near-edge fine structure demonstrates that the B atoms are tetrahedrally embedded into the diamond lattice. The boron-doped diamond nanoparticles have been used to nucleate growth of a boron-doped diamond film by CVD that does not contain an insulating seeding layer.

  10. School-based primary NCD risk reduction: education and public health perspectives.

    PubMed

    Bay, Jacquie L; Hipkins, Rosemary; Siddiqi, Kamran; Huque, Rumana; Dixon, Robyn; Shirley, Debra; Tairea, Karen; Yaqona, Delaney; Mason-Jones, Amanda; Vickers, Mark H

    2017-04-01

    The rising global burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) has heightened awareness of the necessity for primary risk prevention programmes. These aim to facilitate long-term behaviour changes in children and adolescents that can reduce NCD risk factors and disease onset in later-life. School-based programmes designed to improve childhood and adolescent health behaviours and wellbeing contribute to this; however, design and impact assessment of these is complex. These programmes should be multidisciplinary, utilizing both educational and health expertise. Health outcomes may not be evident in the short term, but may occur with learning-related behaviour modifications, highly effective when sustained over a lifetime. Thus assessment must analyse short-term learning and behaviour impacts as well as long-term capability, behaviour and health outcomes.The focus of assessment measures in the health and education sectors differs and often lacks depth in one or other area. Educators generally focus on identifying evidence of learning related to capability, attitude and/or behaviour changes, while public health practitioners typically focus on health measures (e.g. body mass index (BMI), mental health, or risk behaviours).We argue that multidisciplinary approaches incorporating education and health viewpoints clarify issues relating to the potential value of schools as a setting to facilitate primary NCD risk reduction. To demonstrate this, we need to: 1) build stronger understandings of the features of effective learning for behavioural change and the best way to evaluate these, and 2) convincingly correlate these measures with long-term metabolic health indicators by tracking learner behaviour and health over time. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  11. Synthesis, characterization, and photocatalytic properties of nanocrystalline NZO thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aryanto, D.; Hastuti, E.; Husniya, N.; Sudiro, T.; Nuryadin, B. W.

    2018-03-01

    Nanocrystalline Ni-doped ZnO (NZO) thin films were synthesized on glass substrate using sol-gel spin coating methods. The effect of annealing on the structural and optical properties of nanocrystalline thin film was studied using X-ray diffractometer (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), UV-VIS spectrophotometry, and photoluminescence (PL). The results showed that the annealing temperature strongly influenced the physical properties of nanocrystalline NZO thin films. The photocatalytic properties of nanocrystalline NZO thin films were evaluated using an aqueous solution of Rhodamine-B. The photocatalytic activity of nanocrystalline NZO thin films increased with the increase of annealing temperature. The results indicated that the structure, morphology, and band gap energy of nanocrystalline NZO thin films played an important role in photocatalytic activity.

  12. Diamond Smoothing Tools

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Voronov, Oleg

    2007-01-01

    Diamond smoothing tools have been proposed for use in conjunction with diamond cutting tools that are used in many finish-machining operations. Diamond machining (including finishing) is often used, for example, in fabrication of precise metal mirrors. A diamond smoothing tool according to the proposal would have a smooth spherical surface. For a given finish machining operation, the smoothing tool would be mounted next to the cutting tool. The smoothing tool would slide on the machined surface left behind by the cutting tool, plastically deforming the surface material and thereby reducing the roughness of the surface, closing microcracks and otherwise generally reducing or eliminating microscopic surface and subsurface defects, and increasing the microhardness of the surface layer. It has been estimated that if smoothing tools of this type were used in conjunction with cutting tools on sufficiently precise lathes, it would be possible to reduce the roughness of machined surfaces to as little as 3 nm. A tool according to the proposal would consist of a smoothing insert in a metal holder. The smoothing insert would be made from a diamond/metal functionally graded composite rod preform, which, in turn, would be made by sintering together a bulk single-crystal or polycrystalline diamond, a diamond powder, and a metallic alloy at high pressure. To form the spherical smoothing tip, the diamond end of the preform would be subjected to flat grinding, conical grinding, spherical grinding using diamond wheels, and finally spherical polishing and/or buffing using diamond powders. If the diamond were a single crystal, then it would be crystallographically oriented, relative to the machining motion, to minimize its wear and maximize its hardness. Spherically polished diamonds could also be useful for purposes other than smoothing in finish machining: They would likely also be suitable for use as heat-resistant, wear-resistant, unlubricated sliding-fit bearing inserts.

  13. Industrial diamond

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Olson, D.W.

    2006-01-01

    In 2005, estimated world production of natural and synthetic industrial diamond was 630 million carats. Natural industrial diamond deposits were found in more than 35 countries. Synthetic industrial diamond is produced in at least 15 countries. More than 81% of the combined natural and synthetic global output was produced in Ireland, Japan, Russia, South Africa and the United States.

  14. Electrical and optical properties of carbon films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kulkarni, Pranita

    the morphology and graphitic cluster sizes that were obtained from Raman scattering. To enable the development of future devices based on nanostructured carbon films, four metals (Zr, Ti, Cu, and Pt) with substantially different work functions and catalytic activity were deposited on pyrolyzed PAN-b-PBA films. All metals formed ohmic contacts to the films in the 'as-deposited' state with contact resistances of the order of 105 O. The ohmicity of all metals and the modulation of the pseudo-gap with graphitic cluster sizes were explained using the simple single-orbital tight-binding calculations for nanometer-sized graphitic clusters. Unlike most inorganic single-crystal semiconductors but commonly observed in organic or nanocrystalline materials, our modeling of resistivity-temperature measurements showed that variable-range-hopping (VRH) was the dominant current transport mechanism in the films up to room-temperature with a crossover from Mott-VRH to Efros-Skhlovskii-VRH at temperatures below 100 K. Specific contact resistivity values for all metal-copolymer (PAN-b-PBA)-derived films pyrolyzed at 600°C increased with increasing work function of the metal, suggesting that the films are n-type; this conclusion agrees with the n-type result obtained from the Hall-effect measurements. Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films have a variety of potential applications, including optical windows, Schottky diodes, and electron emitting surfaces for field emission displays. In this study Zr, Ti, Cu and Pt on intrinsic and lightly sulfur-doped (n-type) NCD films were characterized electrically and photoelectrically. All metals showed linear (ohmic) current-voltage characteristics in the as-deposited state. The Schottky barrier heights (phiB) at the metal-film interface were investigated using x-ray and ultra-violet photoelectron spectroscopy. The undoped NCD films exhibited a negative electron affinity and a band gap of 5.0 +/- 0.4 eV. The phiB were calculated based on this band gap

  15. Method of making nanocrystalline alpha alumina

    DOEpatents

    Siegel, Richard W.; Hahn, Horst; Eastman, Jeffrey A.

    1992-01-01

    Method of making selected phases of nanocrystalline ceramic materials. Various methods of controlling the production of nanocrystalline alpha alumina and titanium oxygen phases are described. Control of the gas atmosphere and use of particular oxidation treatments give rise to the ability to control the particular phases provided in the aluminum/oxygen and titanium/oxygen system.

  16. The Consortium for NCD Prevention and Control in Sub-Saharan Africa (CNCD-Africa): from concept to practice.

    PubMed

    Amuyunzu-Nyamongo, Mary; Owuor, Jared O; Blanchard, Claire

    2013-12-01

    CNCD-Africa was established in July 2009 in response to and in recognition of the continuously increasing burden of diseases such as injuries, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health in low- and middle-income countries, and specifically in countries of sub-Saharan Africa. CNCD-Africa aims to comprehensively address specific and common objectives while building capacity in the region to prevent and control NCDs. With support from key partners and funders, and a keen interest in opportunities to address NCDs from health promotion and equity perspectives, the Consortium has excelled in four key areas: convening; knowledge generation and sharing; advocacy; and networking. However, the path to successful and sustainable efforts remains laden with challenges and barriers. Retaining interest of network partners through flagship efforts and continued efforts to ascertain support from local and international partners with interest in NCDs across the region remain essential to CNCD-Africa core activities. A key lesson learnt from the early years of CNCD-Africa is that existing regional platforms can and should be used to showcase what is being done locally, and to share best practices and best-buys. In addition, partnerships and stakeholder involvement have been key for CNCD-Africa and are essential to NCD action. Sustaining such partnerships requires incentives for the various partners to keep actively involved in NCD action. This can be achieved through joint inception, project planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Another ingredient for success seems to be innovative financing for NCD efforts, which is possible through the establishment and sustaining of regional and global partnerships that are robust, locally relevant and respond to country needs.

  17. Superconductivity in diamond.

    PubMed

    Ekimov, E A; Sidorov, V A; Bauer, E D; Mel'nik, N N; Curro, N J; Thompson, J D; Stishov, S M

    2004-04-01

    Diamond is an electrical insulator well known for its exceptional hardness. It also conducts heat even more effectively than copper, and can withstand very high electric fields. With these physical properties, diamond is attractive for electronic applications, particularly when charge carriers are introduced (by chemical doping) into the system. Boron has one less electron than carbon and, because of its small atomic radius, boron is relatively easily incorporated into diamond; as boron acts as a charge acceptor, the resulting diamond is effectively hole-doped. Here we report the discovery of superconductivity in boron-doped diamond synthesized at high pressure (nearly 100,000 atmospheres) and temperature (2,500-2,800 K). Electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, specific heat and field-dependent resistance measurements show that boron-doped diamond is a bulk, type-II superconductor below the superconducting transition temperature T(c) approximately 4 K; superconductivity survives in a magnetic field up to Hc2(0) > or = 3.5 T. The discovery of superconductivity in diamond-structured carbon suggests that Si and Ge, which also form in the diamond structure, may similarly exhibit superconductivity under the appropriate conditions.

  18. Synthesis of ultrasmooth nanostructured diamond films by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition using a He/H(2)/CH(4)/N(2) gas mixture.

    PubMed

    Chowdhury, S; Hillman, Damon A; Catledge, Shane A; Konovalov, Valery V; Vohra, Yogesh K

    2006-10-01

    Ultrasmooth nanostructured diamond (USND) films were synthesized on Ti-6Al-4V medical grade substrates by adding helium in H(2)/CH(4)/N(2) plasma and changing the N(2)/CH(4) gas flow from 0 to 0.6. We were able to deposit diamond films as smooth as 6 nm (root-mean-square), as measured by an atomic force microscopy (AFM) scan area of 2 μm(2). Grain size was 4-5 nm at 71% He in (H(2) + He) and N(2)/CH(4) gas flow ratio of 0.4 without deteriorating the hardness (~50-60 GPa). The characterization of the films was performed with AFM, scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and nanoindentation techniques. XRD and Raman results showed the nanocrystalline nature of the diamond films. The plasma species during deposition were monitored by optical emission spectroscopy. With increasing N(2)/CH(4) feedgas ratio (CH(4) was fixed) in He/H(2)/CH(4)/N(2) plasma, a substantial increase of CN radical (normalized by Balmer H(α) line) was observed along with a drop in surface roughness up to a critical N(2)/CH(4) ratio of 0.4. The CN radical concentration in the plasma was thus correlated to the formation of ultrasmooth nanostructured diamond films.

  19. Diamond For Optical Material

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clay, Robert D.; Clay, John P.

    1984-12-01

    Clay Engineering Inc. currently has a proposal before DARPA to manufacture large optical quality diamond for use as optical material. The manufactured diamond will be approximately 100 mm in diameter by 100 mm long. The cost of producing the diamond is expected to be three dollars per carat. It is expected that total impurities of a few parts per billion can readily be obtained. A study of diamond is a study of the effects of impurities. The elements boron and nitrogen can replace carbon atoms in the lattice structure, making diamond a "P" or "N" type semiconductor. Diamonds which are not semiconductors are classified as type IIa. The presence of B or N in the lattice causes diamond to photoconduct in ultraviolet light. All type I and III) and most type IIa diamonds photoconduct. The manufactured diamond will not photoconduct and will have an electrical resistivity greater than 1018 ohm*m. All non-lattice impurities are in the form of inclusions which dramatically affect the mechanical properties of diamond. High purity diamond has a coefficient of absorption of order 10-3 cm-1 at wavelengths of 8 to 12 micro metres, which makes it useful for infrared applications. It also has a low coefficient of absorption at wavelengths greater than 12 micro metres. For missile and aircraft applications, diamond is relatively immune to erosion or pitting damage by sand and rain. Diamond will readily withstand the stagnation temperature of Mach 3 flight and will go to Mach 4.8 with an anti-reflective coating to protect it from oxygen attack. Diamond is highly resistant to thermal shock, which makes it valuable for high energy laser applications. Using R = St (1-)) k/Ea as a measure of thermal shock resistance, diamond is 107 w/m vs "sapphire" and Zerodur at 104 and fused quartz at 1.45x103. Diamond does not perform well in the 2.5-7.5 micro metres and less than 0.4 micro metres wavelengths. Intense beams of less than 0.4 micro metres energy can create color centers in diamond

  20. Diamond/diamond-like carbon coated nanotube structures for efficient electron field emission

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dimitrijevic, Steven (Inventor); Withers, James C. (Inventor); Loutfy, Raouf O. (Inventor)

    2005-01-01

    The present invention is directed to a nanotube coated with diamond or diamond-like carbon, a field emitter cathode comprising same, and a field emitter comprising the cathode. It is also directed to a method of preventing the evaporation of carbon from a field emitter comprising a cathode comprised of nanotubes by coating the nanotube with diamond or diamond-like carbon. In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of preventing the evaporation of carbon from an electron field emitter comprising a cathode comprised of nanotubes, which method comprises coating the nanotubes with diamond or diamond-like carbon.

  1. Structural phase stability in nanocrystalline titanium to 161 GPa

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

    Velisavljevic, Nenad; Jacobsen, Matthew K.; Vohra, Yogesh K.

    2014-09-16

    Nanocrystalline titanium (nc-Ti) metal was investigated up to 161 GPa at room temperature using a diamond anvil cell. X-ray diffraction and electrical resistance techniques were used to investigate the compressibility and structural phase stability. nc-Ti is observed to undergo three structural phase transitions at high pressures, starting with α → ω at 10GPa and followed by ω → γ at 127GPa and γ → δ at 140GPa. The observed structural phase transitions, as well as compressibility, are consistent with previously reported values for coarse grained Ti (c-Ti). The high pressure experiments on nc-Ti samples do no show any significant variationmore » of the α → ω transition pressure under varying nonhydrostatic conditions. This is in sharp contrast to c-Ti, where a significant decrease in the α → ω transition pressure is observed under increasing nonhydrostatic conditions. As a result, this would indicate that the decrease in grain size in nano grained titanium makes the α → ω phase transition less sensitive to shear stresses as compared to bulk or c-Ti.« less

  2. The Bulk Nanocrystalline zn Produced by Mechanical Attrition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, X. K.; Zhao, K. Y.; Li, C. J.; Tao, J. M.; Chan, T. L.; Koch, C. C.

    The purpose of experiment was to produce bulk nanocrystalline Zn by mechanical attrition. The bulk nanocrystalline Zn produced by mechanical attrition was studied. The microstructural evolution during cryomilling and subsequent room temperature milling was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). In this paper, Nanocrystalline Zn was produced by insitu consolidation of Zn elemental powder using mechanical attrition at liquid nitrogen and room temperature. For the samples studied, the longest elongation of 65% and highest stress of 200 MPa is obtained in nanocrystalline Zn during tensile testing at the condition of strain rate (10-3 sec-1) and 20°C which is equal to 0.43 Tm (Tm is the melting temperature of pure Zn).

  3. Diamond Synthesis Employing Nanoparticle Seeds

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Uppireddi, Kishore (Inventor); Morell, Gerardo (Inventor); Weiner, Brad R. (Inventor)

    2014-01-01

    Iron nanoparticles were employed to induce the synthesis of diamond on molybdenum, silicon, and quartz substrates. Diamond films were grown using conventional conditions for diamond synthesis by hot filament chemical vapor deposition, except that dispersed iron oxide nanoparticles replaced the seeding. This approach to diamond induction can be combined with dip pen nanolithography for the selective deposition of diamond and diamond patterning while avoiding surface damage associated to diamond-seeding methods.

  4. Anisotropic diamond etching through thermochemical reaction between Ni and diamond in high-temperature water vapour.

    PubMed

    Nagai, Masatsugu; Nakanishi, Kazuhiro; Takahashi, Hiraku; Kato, Hiromitsu; Makino, Toshiharu; Yamasaki, Satoshi; Matsumoto, Tsubasa; Inokuma, Takao; Tokuda, Norio

    2018-04-27

    Diamond possesses excellent physical and electronic properties, and thus various applications that use diamond are under development. Additionally, the control of diamond geometry by etching technique is essential for such applications. However, conventional wet processes used for etching other materials are ineffective for diamond. Moreover, plasma processes currently employed for diamond etching are not selective, and plasma-induced damage to diamond deteriorates the device-performances. Here, we report a non-plasma etching process for single crystal diamond using thermochemical reaction between Ni and diamond in high-temperature water vapour. Diamond under Ni films was selectively etched, with no etching at other locations. A diamond-etching rate of approximately 8.7 μm/min (1000 °C) was successfully achieved. To the best of our knowledge, this rate is considerably greater than those reported so far for other diamond-etching processes, including plasma processes. The anisotropy observed for this diamond etching was considerably similar to that observed for Si etching using KOH.

  5. Industrial diamond

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Olson, D.W.

    2003-01-01

    Statistics on the production, consumption, cost, trade, and government stockpile of natural and synthetic industrial diamond are provided. The outlook for the industrial diamond market is also considered.

  6. Plasma spraying method for forming diamond and diamond-like coatings

    DOEpatents

    Holcombe, C.E.; Seals, R.D.; Price, R.E.

    1997-06-03

    A method and composition is disclosed for the deposition of a thick layer of diamond or diamond-like material. The method includes high temperature processing wherein a selected composition including at least glassy carbon is heated in a direct current plasma arc device to a selected temperature above the softening point, in an inert atmosphere, and is propelled to quickly quenched on a selected substrate. The softened or molten composition crystallizes on the substrate to form a thick deposition layer comprising at least a diamond or diamond-like material. The selected composition includes at least glassy carbon as a primary constituent and may include at least one secondary constituent. Preferably, the secondary constituents are selected from the group consisting of at least diamond powder, boron carbide (B{sub 4}C) powder and mixtures thereof. 9 figs.

  7. Plasma spraying method for forming diamond and diamond-like coatings

    DOEpatents

    Holcombe, Cressie E.; Seals, Roland D.; Price, R. Eugene

    1997-01-01

    A method and composition for the deposition of a thick layer (10) of diamond or diamond-like material. The method includes high temperature processing wherein a selected composition (12) including at least glassy carbon is heated in a direct current plasma arc device to a selected temperature above the softening point, in an inert atmosphere, and is propelled to quickly quenched on a selected substrate (20). The softened or molten composition (18) crystallizes on the substrate (20) to form a thick deposition layer (10) comprising at least a diamond or diamond-like material. The selected composition (12) includes at least glassy carbon as a primary constituent (14) and may include at least one secondary constituent (16). Preferably, the secondary constituents (16) are selected from the group consisting of at least diamond powder, boron carbide (B.sub.4 C) powder and mixtures thereof.

  8. Industrial diamond

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Olson, D.W.

    2007-01-01

    World production of natural and synthetic industrial diamond was about 648 million carats in 2006, with 79 percent of the production coming from Ireland, Japan, Russia, South Africa, and the U.S. U.S. consumption was was an estimated 602 million carats, imports were over 391 million carats, and exports were about 83 million carats. About 87 percent of the industrial diamonds market uses synthetic diamonds, which are expected to become less expensive as technology improves and competition from low-cost producers increases.

  9. Aging of Nanocrystalline Mackinawite (FeS): Mineralogical and Physicochemical Properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jeong, H. Y.; Lee, H.

    2011-12-01

    Due to the extraordinary physical properties and high surface areas, nanocrystalline minerals have been widely investigated for their potential uses in treating contaminated groundwaters and surface waters. Most previous studies in this field have focused on either preparation of nanocrystalline minerals or measurement of their reactivity with environmental contaminants. Nanocrystalline minerals, due to the inherent thermodynamic instability, tend to change the physicochemical and mineralogical properties over time, usually resulting in the decreased reactivity. Thus, to better assess the long-term effectiveness of nanocrystalline minerals in field applications, such "aging" effects should be clearly delineated. In the present work, we have investigated the aging impact on nanocrystalline mackinawite (FeS), the ubiquitous Fe-bearing mineral in anoxic sulfidic sediments. Mackinawite (FeS) is known to be an effective scavenger for metal pollutants and a strong reducing reagent for chromate and chlorinated organic compounds. Our preliminary results indicate that nanocrystalline FeS ages via Ostwald ripening, particle aggregation, or mineralogical transformation. By X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, aging of nanocrystalline FeS via Ostwald ripening is found to be dominant at acidic pH. Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (TEM) shows that particle aggregation is most evident at neutral pH. Transformation of nanosized FeS into a more thermodynamically stable greigite (Fe3S4) is observed in the presence of folic acid at acidic pH. The pH-dependent aging process may be linked with changes in the apparent solubility and surface charge of FeS with pH. The Ostwald ripening or particle aggregation of nanocrystalline FeS leads to the decrease surface area, thus causing the decreased reactivity. Given the less reactivity of greigite, the transformation of nanocrystalline FeS to greigite is also expected to result in the decreased reactivity.

  10. High Pressure X-Ray Diffraction Studies of Nanocrystalline Materials

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Palosz, B.; Stel'makh, S.; Grzanka, E.; Gierlotka, S.; Palosz, W.

    2004-01-01

    Experimental evidence obtained for a variety of nanocrystalline materials suggest that the crystallographic structure of a very small size particle deviates from that in the bulk crystals. In this paper we show the effect of the surface of nanocrystals on their structure by the analysis of generation and distribution of macro- and micro-strains at high pressures and their dependence on the grain size in nanocrystalline powders of Sic. We studied the structure of Sic nanocrystals by in-situ high-pressure powder diffraction technique using synchrotron and neutron sources and hydrostatic or isostatic pressure conditions. The diffraction measurements were done in HASYLAB at DESY using a Diamond Anvil Cell (DAC) in the energy dispersive geometry in the diffraction vector range up to 3.5 - 4/A and under pressures up to 50 GPa at room temperature. In-situ high pressure neutron diffraction measurements were done at LANSCE in Los Alamos National Laboratory using the HIPD and HIPPO diffractometers with the Paris-Edinburgh and TAP-98 cells, respectively, in the diffraction vector range up to 26 Examination of the response of the material to external stresses requires nonstandard methodology of the materials characterization and description. Although every diffraction pattern contains a complete information on macro- and micro-strains, a high pressure experiment can reveal only those factors which contribute to the characteristic diffraction patterns of the crystalline phases present in the sample. The elastic properties of powders with the grain size from several nm to micrometers were examined using three methodologies: (l), the analysis of positions and widths of individual Bragg reflections (used for calculating macro- and micro-strains generated during densification) [I], (2). the analysis of the dependence of the experimental apparent lattice parameter, alp, on the diffraction vector Q [2], and (3), the atomic Pair Distribution Function (PDF) technique [3]. The results

  11. Trace elements in Gem-Quality Diamonds - Origin and evolution of diamond-forming fluid inclusions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pearson, Graham; Krebs, Mandy; Stachel, Thomas; Woodland, Sarah; Chinn, Ingrid; Kong, Julie

    2017-04-01

    In the same way that melt inclusions in phenocrysts have expanded our idea of melt formation and evolution in basalts, studying fluids trapped in diamonds is providing important new constraints on the nature of diamond-forming fluids. Fibrous and cloudy diamonds trap a high but variable density of fluid inclusions and so have been extensively studied using major and trace element compositions. In contrast, constraining the nature of the diamond-forming fluid for high purity gem-quality diamonds has been restricted by the rarity of available high quality trace element data. This is due to the extremely low concentrations of impurities that gem diamonds contain - often in the ppt range. The recent discovery of fluids in gem diamonds showing similar major element chemistry to fluid-rich diamonds suggest that many diamonds may share a common spectrum of parental fluids. Here we test this idea further. Recent advances in analytical techniques, in particular the development of the "off-line" laser ablation pre-concentration approach, have allowed fully quantitative trace element data to be recovered from "fluid-poor", high quality gem diamonds. We present trace element data for gem diamonds from a variety of locations from Canada, S. Africa and Russia, containing either silicate or sulphide inclusions to examine possible paragenetic or genetic differences between fluids. REE abundance in the "gem" diamonds vary from 0.1 to 0.0001 x chondrite. To a first order, we observe the same spectrum of trace element compositions in the gem diamonds as that seen in fluid-rich "fibrous" diamonds, supporting a common origin for the fluids. REE patterns range from extremely flat (Ce/Yb)n 2.5 to 5 (commonly in sulphide-bearing diamonds) to >70, the latter having significantly greater inter-element HFSE/LILE fractionation. In general, the fluids from the sulphide-bearing diamonds are less REE-enriched than the silicate-bearing diamonds, but the ranges overlap significantly. The very

  12. Kankan diamonds (Guinea) III: δ13C and nitrogen characteristics of deep diamonds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stachel, T.; Harris, J. W.; Aulbach, S.; Deines, P.

    Diamonds from the Kankan area in Guinea formed over a large depth profile beginning within the cratonic mantle lithosphere and extending through the asthenosphere and transition zone into the lower mantle. The carbon isotopic composition, the concentration of nitrogen impurities and the nitrogen aggregation level of diamonds representing this entire depth range have been determined. Peridotitic and eclogitic diamonds of lithospheric origin from Kankan have carbon isotopic compositions (δ13C: peridotitic -5.4 to -2.2‰ eclogitic -19.7 to -0.7‰) and nitrogen characteristics (N: peridotitic 17-648 atomic ppm; eclogitic 0-1,313 atomic ppm; aggregation from IaA to IaB) which are generally typical for diamonds of these two suites worldwide. Geothermobarometry of peridotitic and eclogitic inclusion parageneses (worldwide sources) indicates that both suites formed under very similar conditions within the cratonic lithosphere, which is not consistent with a derivation of diamonds with light carbon isotopic composition from subducted organic matter within subducting oceanic slabs. Diamonds containing majorite garnet inclusions fall to the isotopically heavy side (δ13C: -3.1‰ to +0.9‰) of the worldwide diamond population. Nitrogen contents are low (0-126 atomic ppm) and one of the two nitrogen-bearing diamonds shows such a low level of nitrogen aggregation (30% B-centre) that it cannot have been exposed to ambient temperatures of the transition zone (>=1,400 °C) for more than 0.2 Ma. This suggests rapid upward transport and formation of some Kankan diamonds pene-contemporaneous to Cretaceous kimberlite activity. Similar to these diamonds from the asthenosphere and the transition zone, lower mantle diamonds show a small shift towards isotopic heavy compositions (-6.6 to -0.5‰, mode at -3.5‰). As already observed for other mines, the nitrogen contents of lower mantle diamonds were below detection (using FTIRS). The mutual shift of sublithospheric diamonds towards

  13. Kankan diamonds (Guinea) III: δ13C and nitrogen characteristics of deep diamonds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stachel, T.; Harris, J. W.; Aulbach, S.; Deines, P.

    2001-08-01

    Diamonds from the Kankan area in Guinea formed over a large depth profile beginning within the cratonic mantle lithosphere and extending through the asthenosphere and transition zone into the lower mantle. The carbon isotopic composition, the concentration of nitrogen impurities and the nitrogen aggregation level of diamonds representing this entire depth range have been determined. Peridotitic and eclogitic diamonds of lithospheric origin from Kankan have carbon isotopic compositions (δ13C: peridotitic -5.4 to -2.2‰ eclogitic -19.7 to -0.7‰) and nitrogen characteristics (N: peridotitic 17-648 atomic ppm; eclogitic 0-1,313 atomic ppm; aggregation from IaA to IaB) which are generally typical for diamonds of these two suites worldwide. Geothermobarometry of peridotitic and eclogitic inclusion parageneses (worldwide sources) indicates that both suites formed under very similar conditions within the cratonic lithosphere, which is not consistent with a derivation of diamonds with light carbon isotopic composition from subducted organic matter within subducting oceanic slabs. Diamonds containing majorite garnet inclusions fall to the isotopically heavy side (δ13C: -3.1‰ to +0.9‰) of the worldwide diamond population. Nitrogen contents are low (0-126 atomic ppm) and one of the two nitrogen-bearing diamonds shows such a low level of nitrogen aggregation (30% B-centre) that it cannot have been exposed to ambient temperatures of the transition zone (>=1,400 °C) for more than 0.2 Ma. This suggests rapid upward transport and formation of some Kankan diamonds pene-contemporaneous to Cretaceous kimberlite activity. Similar to these diamonds from the asthenosphere and the transition zone, lower mantle diamonds show a small shift towards isotopic heavy compositions (-6.6 to -0.5‰, mode at -3.5‰). As already observed for other mines, the nitrogen contents of lower mantle diamonds were below detection (using FTIRS). The mutual shift of sublithospheric diamonds towards

  14. PREFACE: Science's gem: diamond science 2009 Science's gem: diamond science 2009

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mainwood, Alison; Newton, Mark E.; Stoneham, Marshall

    2009-09-01

    Natural diamond has been valued for its appearance and mechanical properties for at least two thousand years. As a gem stone diamond is unsurpassed. However, scientific work, especially in the last 20 years, has demonstrated that diamond has numerous surprising properties and many unique ones. Some of the extreme properties have been known for many years, but the true scale of diamond's other highly desirable features is still only coming to light as control in the synthesis of diamond, and hence material perfection, improves. The ultimate prize for man-made diamond is surely not in the synthesis of gem stones, but in delivering technological solutions enabled by diamond to the challenges facing our society today. If the special properties are to be exploited to their full potential, at least four crucial factors must be considered. First, there must be sufficient scientific understanding of diamond to make applications effective, efficient and economical. Secondly, the means of fabrication and control of properties have to be achieved so that diamond's role can be optimised. Thirdly, it is not enough that its properties are superior to existing materials: they must be so much better that it is worth initiating new technologies to exploit them. Finally, any substantial applications will have to address the society's major needs worldwide. The clear technology drivers for the 21st century come from the biomedical technologies, the demand for energy subject to global constraints, and the information technologies, where perhaps diamond will provide the major enabling technology [1]. The papers in this volume concern the solid state physics of diamond, and primarily concern the first two factors: understanding, and control of properties. They address many of the outstanding basic problems, such as the identification of existing defects, which affect the material's properties, both desirable and less so. Regarding future substantial applications, one paper discusses

  15. Thermally stable diamond brazing

    DOEpatents

    Radtke, Robert P [Kingwood, TX

    2009-02-10

    A cutting element and a method for forming a cutting element is described and shown. The cutting element includes a substrate, a TSP diamond layer, a metal interlayer between the substrate and the diamond layer, and a braze joint securing the diamond layer to the substrate. The thickness of the metal interlayer is determined according to a formula. The formula takes into account the thickness and modulus of elasticity of the metal interlayer and the thickness of the TSP diamond. This prevents the use of a too thin or too thick metal interlayer. A metal interlayer that is too thin is not capable of absorbing enough energy to prevent the TSP diamond from fracturing. A metal interlayer that is too thick may allow the TSP diamond to fracture by reason of bending stress. A coating may be provided between the TSP diamond layer and the metal interlayer. This coating serves as a thermal barrier and to control residual thermal stress.

  16. Diamond heteroepitaxial lateral overgrowth

    DOE PAGES

    Tang, Y. -H.; Bi, B.; Golding, B.

    2015-02-24

    A method of diamond heteroepitaxial lateral overgrowth is demonstrated which utilizes a photolithographic metal mask to pattern a thin (001) epitaxial diamond surface. Significant structural improvement was found, with a threading dislocation density reduced by two orders of magnitude at the top surface of a thick overgrown diamond layer. In the initial stage of overgrowth, a reduction of diamond Raman linewidth in the overgrown area was also realized. Thermally-induced stress and internal stress were determined by Raman spectroscopy of adhering and delaminated diamond films. As a result, the internal stress is found to decrease as sample thickness increases.

  17. 42 CFR 426.500 - Procedure for filing an acceptable complaint concerning a provision (or provisions) of an NCD.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... aggrieved party may initiate a review of an NCD by filing a written complaint with the Department of Health... considered timely unless it is filed with the Board within— (1) 6 months of the written statement from each... any. (v) Health Insurance Claim number, if applicable. (vi) Email address, if applicable. (2) If the...

  18. Surface invasive cleavage assay on a maskless light-directed diamond DNA microarray for genome-wide human SNP mapping.

    PubMed

    Nie, Bei; Yang, Min; Fu, Weiling; Liang, Zhiqing

    2015-07-07

    The surface invasive cleavage assay, because of its innate accuracy and ability for self-signal amplification, provides a potential route for the mapping of hundreds of thousands of human SNP sites. However, its performance on a high density DNA array has not yet been established, due to the unusual "hairpin" probe design on the microarray and the lack of chemical stability of commercially available substrates. Here we present an applicable method to implement a nanocrystalline diamond thin film as an alternative substrate for fabricating an addressable DNA array using maskless light-directed photochemistry, producing the most chemically stable and biocompatible system for genetic analysis and enzymatic reactions. The surface invasive cleavage reaction, followed by degenerated primer ligation and post-rolling circle amplification is consecutively performed on the addressable diamond DNA array, accurately mapping SNP sites from PCR-amplified human genomic target DNA. Furthermore, a specially-designed DNA array containing dual probes in the same pixel is fabricated by following a reverse light-directed DNA synthesis protocol. This essentially enables us to decipher thousands of SNP alleles in a single-pot reaction by the simple addition of enzyme, target and reaction buffers.

  19. Nature of diamonds in Yakutian eclogites: views from eclogite tomography and mineral inclusions in diamonds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anand, Mahesh; Taylor, Lawrence A.; Misra, Kula C.; Carlson, William D.; Sobolev, Nikolai V.

    2004-09-01

    We have performed dissections of two diamondiferous eclogites (UX-1 and U33/1) from the Udachnaya kimberlite, Yakutia in order to understand the nature of diamond formation and the relationship between the diamonds, their mineral inclusions, and host eclogite minerals. Diamonds were carefully recovered from each xenolith, based upon high-resolution X-ray tomography images and three-dimensional models. The nature and physical properties of minerals, in direct contact with diamonds, were investigated at the time of diamond extraction. Polished sections of the eclogites were made, containing the mould areas of the diamonds, to further investigate the chemical compositions of the host minerals and the phases that were in contact with diamonds. Major- and minor-element compositions of silicate and sulfide mineral inclusions in diamonds show variations among each other, and from those in the host eclogites. Oxygen isotope compositions of one garnet and five clinopyroxene inclusions in diamonds from another Udachnaya eclogite (U51) span the entire range recorded for eclogite xenoliths from Udachnaya. In addition, the reported compositions of almost all clinopyroxene inclusions in U51 diamonds exhibit positive Eu anomaly. This feature, together with the oxygen isotopic characteristics, is consistent with the well-established hypothesis of subduction origin for Udachnaya eclogite xenoliths. It is intuitive to expect that all eclogite xenoliths in a particular kimberlite should have common heritage, at least with respect to their included diamonds. However, the variation in the composition of multiple inclusions within diamonds, and among diamonds, from the same eclogite indicates the involvement of complex processes in diamond genesis, at least in the eclogite xenoliths from Yakutia that we have studied.

  20. Nanocrystalline heterojunction materials

    DOEpatents

    Elder, Scott H.; Su, Yali; Gao, Yufei; Heald, Steve M.

    2003-07-15

    Mesoporous nanocrystalline titanium dioxide heterojunction materials are disclosed. In one disclosed embodiment, materials comprising a core of titanium dioxide and a shell of a molybdenum oxide exhibit a decrease in their photoadsorption energy as the size of the titanium dioxide core decreases.

  1. Synthesis of Nano-Crystalline Gamma-TiAl Materials

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hales, Stephen J.; Vasquez, Peter

    2003-01-01

    One of the principal problems with nano-crystalline materials is producing them in quantities and sizes large enough for valid mechanical property evaluation. The purpose of this study was to explore an innovative method for producing nano-crystalline gamma-TiAl bulk materials using high energy ball milling and brief secondary processes. Nano-crystalline powder feedstock was produced using a Fritsch P4(TM) vario-planetary ball mill recently installed at NASA-LaRC. The high energy ball milling process employed tungsten carbide tooling (vials and balls) and no process control agents to minimize contamination. In a collaborative effort, two approaches were investigated, namely mechanical alloying of elemental powders and attrition milling of pre-alloyed powders. The objective was to subsequently use RF plasma spray deposition and short cycle vacuum hot pressing in order to effect consolidation while retaining nano-crystalline structure in bulk material. Results and discussion of the work performed to date are presented.

  2. Initial stage corrosion of nanocrystalline copper particles and thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tao, Weimin

    1997-12-01

    Corrosion behavior is an important issue in nanocrystalline materials research and development. A very fine grain size is expected to have significant effects on the corrosion resistance of these novel materials. However, both the macroscopic corrosion properties and the corresponding structure evolution during corrosion have not been fully studied. Under such circumstances, conducting fundamental research in this area is important and necessary. In this study, high purity nanocrystalline and coarse-grained copper were selected as our sample material, sodium nitrite aqueous solution at room temperature and air at a high temperature were employed as corrosive environments. The weight loss testing and electrochemical methods were used to obtain the macroscopic corrosion properties, whereas the high resolution transmission electron microscope was employed for the structure analysis. The weight loss tests indicate that the corrosion rate of nanocrystalline copper is about 5 times higher than that of coarse-grained copper at the initial stage of corrosion. The electrochemical measurements show that the corrosion potential of the nanocrystalline copper has a 230 mV negative shift in comparison with that of the coarse-grained copper. The nanocrystalline copper also exhibits a significantly higher exchange current density than the coarse-grained copper. High resolution TEM revealed that the surface structure changes at the initial stage of corrosion. It was found that the first copper oxide layer formed on the surface of nanocrystalline copper thin film contains a large density of high angle grain boundaries, whereas that formed on the surface of coarse-grained copper shows highly oriented oxide nuclei and appears to show a strong tendency for forming low angle grain boundaries. A correlation between the macroscopic corrosion properties and the structure characteristics is proposed for the nanocrystalline copper based on the concept of the "apparent" exchange current

  3. Impact resistance and energies of intermetallic bonded diamond composites and polycrystalline diamond compacts and their comparison

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gorla, Sai Prasanth

    Chemistry of intermetallic bonded diamond is studied. The impact resistance and energies of intermetallic bonded diamond is compared to current poly crystalline diamond compacts. IBD's are found to have high standards of hardness and have more impact energies absorbed. Intermetallic bonded diamond composite comprises of diamond particles dispersed in Tungsten carbide using Nickel aluminide (Ni3Al) as binder. In previous research conducted on IBD's, diamonds are successfully dispersed in intermetallic alloy of nickel aluminide and processed at 1350°C such that diamond particles remain intact without forming graphite. Composites are formed by milling, pressing the intermetallic binder and diamond particles and sintering at high temperature conditions.

  4. Chemical-Vapor-Deposited Diamond Film

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Miyoshi, Kazuhisa

    1999-01-01

    This chapter describes the nature of clean and contaminated diamond surfaces, Chemical-vapor-deposited (CVD) diamond film deposition technology, analytical techniques and the results of research on CVD diamond films, and the general properties of CVD diamond films. Further, it describes the friction and wear properties of CVD diamond films in the atmosphere, in a controlled nitrogen environment, and in an ultra-high-vacuum environment.

  5. Orapa Diamond Mine, Botswana

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2015-11-16

    This image from NASA Terra spacecraft shows the Orapa diamond mine, the world largest diamond mine by area. The mine is located in Botswana. It is the oldest of four mines operated by the same company, having begun operations in 1971. Orapa is an open pit style of mine, located on two kimberlite pipes. Currently, the Orapa mine annually produces approximately 11 million carats (2200 kg) of diamonds. The Letlhakane diamond mine is also an open pit construction. In 2003, the Letlhakane mine produced 1.06 million carats of diamonds. The Damtshaa diamond mine is the newest of four mines, located on top of four distinct kimberlite pipes of varying ore grade. The mine is forecast to produce about 5 million carats of diamond over the projected 31 year life of the mine. The image was acquired October 5, 2014, covers an area of 28 by 45 km, and is located at 21.3 degrees south, 25.4 degrees east. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20104

  6. Microstructure and thermal properties of copper–diamond composites with tungsten carbide coating on diamond particles

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

    Kang, Qiping; He, Xinbo, E-mail: xb_he@163.com; Ren, Shubin

    2015-07-15

    An effective method for preparing tungsten carbide coating on diamond surfaces was proposed to improve the interface bonding between diamond and copper. The WC coating was formed on the diamond surfaces with a reaction medium of WO{sub 3} in mixed molten NaCl–KCl salts and the copper–diamond composites were obtained by vacuum pressure infiltration of WC-coated diamond particles with pure copper. The microstructure of interface bonding between diamond and copper was discussed. Thermal conductivity and thermal expansion behavior of the obtained copper–diamond composites were investigated. Results indicated that the thermal conductivity of as-fabricated composite reached 658 W m{sup −} {sup 1}more » K{sup −} {sup 1}. Significant reduction in coefficient of thermal expansion of the composite compared with that of pure copper was obtained. - Highlights: • WC coating was successfully synthesized on diamond particles in molten salts. • WC coating obviously promoted the wettability of diamond and copper matrix. • WC coating greatly enhanced the thermal conductivity of Cu–diamond composite. • The composites are suitable candidates for heat sink applications.« less

  7. Homoepitaxial Boron Doped Diamond Anvils as Heating Elements in a Diamond Anvil Cell

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Montgomery, Jeffrey; Samudrala, Gopi; Smith, Spencer; Tsoi, Georgiy; Vohra, Yogesh; Weir, Samuel

    2013-03-01

    Recent advances in designer-diamond technology have allowed for the use of electrically and thermally conducting homoepitaxially-grown layers of boron-doped diamond (grown at 1200 °C with a 2% mixture of CH4 in H, resulting in extremely high doping levels ~ 1020/cm3) to be used as heating elements in a diamond anvil cell (DAC). These diamonds allow for precise control of the temperature inside of the diamond anvil itself, particularly when coupled with a cryostat. Furthermore, the unmatched thermally conducting nature of diamond ensures that no significant lateral gradient in temperature occurs across the culet area. Since a thermocouple can easily be attached anywhere on the diamond surface, we can also measure diamond temperatures directly. With two such heaters, one can raise sample temperatures uniformly, or with any desired gradient along the pressure axis while preserving optical access. In our continuing set of benchmark experiments, we use two newly created matching heater anvils with 500 μm culets to analyze the various fluorescence emission lines of ruby microspheres, which show more complicated behavior than traditional ruby chips. We also report on the temperature dependence of the high-pressure Raman modes of paracetamol (C8H9NO2) up to 20 GPa.

  8. Application of micro- and nanocrystalline cellulose

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sotnikova, Yu S.; Demina, T. S.; Istomin, A. V.; Goncharuk, G. P.; Grandfils, Ch; Akopova, T. A.; Zelenetskii, A. N.; Babayevsky, P. G.

    2018-04-01

    Micro- and nanocrystalline forms of cellulose were extracted from flax stalks and evaluated in terms of their applicability for various materials science tasks. It was revealed that both form of cellulose had anisometric morphology with length of 27.1 μm and 159 nm; diameter of 8.7 μm and 85 nm, respectively. They were used as reinforcing fillers for fabrication of composite films based on hydroxyethylcellulose. Film-forming and mechanical properties of the composite materials were significantly varied in dependence on filler content (0–10 wt.%) and size. As a second option of micro- and nanocrystalline cellulose application, a study of their effectiveness as stabilizing agents for oil/water Pickering emulsions was carried out. In contrast to micron-sized cellulose the nanocrystalline form appeared to be successful in the process of CH2Cl2/water interface stabilization and fabrication of polylactide microparticles via oil/water Pickering emulsion solvent evaporation technique.

  9. Investigations of Nanocrystalline Alloy Electrospark Coating Made of Nanocrystalline Alloy Based on 5БДCP Ferrum

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kolomeichenko, A. V.; Kuznetsov, I. S.; Izmaylov, A. Yu; Solovyev, R. Yu; Sharifullin, S. N.

    2017-09-01

    The article describes the properties of wear resistant electrospark coating made of nanocrystalline alloy of type 5БДCP (Finemet). It is proved that electrospark coating has nanocrystalline structure which is like amorphous matrix with nanocrystals α - Fe. Coating thickness is 33 μm, micro-hardness is 8461 - 11357 MPa, wear resistance is 0,55×104s/g. Coating ofnanocrystalline alloy of type 5БДCP can be used to increase wear resistance of machinery working surfaces.

  10. Characterization of Nanocrystalline Aluminum Alloy 5083 Powders Produced by Cryogenic Attrition

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-11-01

    Characterization of Nanocrystalline Aluminum Alloy 5083 Powders Produced by Cryogenic Attrition by Tiffany Ngo ARL-TN-0643...November 2014 Characterization of Nanocrystalline Aluminum Alloy 5083 Powders Produced by Cryogenic Attrition Tiffany Ngo Weapons and...3. DATES COVERED (From - To) August 2014 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Characterization of Nanocrystalline Aluminum Alloy 5083 Powders Produced by

  11. Nanocrystalline cellulose from coir fiber: preparation, properties, and applications

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Nanocrystalline cellulose derived from various botanical sources offers unique and potentially useful characteristics. In principle, any cellulosic material can be considered as a potential source of a nanocrystalline material, including crops, crop residues, and agroindustrial wastes. Because of t...

  12. Microinclusions in polycrystalline diamonds: insights into processes of diamond formation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jacob, D. E.; Wirth, R.; Enzmann, F.; Schwarz, J. O.; Kronz, A.

    2009-04-01

    Polycrystalline diamond aggregates (framesites) contain silicates of eclogitic and peridotitic affinity (e.g. Kurat and Dobosi, 2000). The minerals occur mostly in interstices and are intimately intergrown with the diamonds, indicating contemporaneous crystallization within the diamond stability field in the Earth's mantle. In addition to silicates, rarer phases such as Fe-carbide can sometimes be found in framesites that record unusually low local oxygen fugacity at the time of their formation (Jacob et al., 2004). Furthermore, while most gem-sized diamonds have old, often Archaean formation ages, some polycrystalline diamond aggregates have been shown to form directly preceding the kimberlite eruption (Jacob et al., 2000). Thus, these samples may provide a unique source of information on the nature and timing of small scale processes that lead to diamond formation and complement evidence from gem-sized diamonds. Here, we present a study of micro- and nano-inclusions in diamonds from a polycrystalline diamond aggregate (framesite) from the Orapa Mine (Botswana) and combine results from TEM/FIB analyses with high-resolution computerized micro-tomography (HR-µCT) and electron microprobe analyses to further constrain the formation of diamond in the Earth's mantle. Results In total, 14 microinclusions from fifteen FIB foils were investigated. Micro- and nano-inclusions identified by TEM were smaller than 1µm down to ca. 50nm in size, and are both monomineralic and multi-phase. The cavities are often lath-shaped and oriented parallel to each other; many show lattice dislocations in the surrounding diamond. In addition, inclusions are found along open cracks within the diamond single crystals. Mineral phases in the microinclusions comprise rutile, omphacite and a FeS phase (pyrrhotite). The multiphase inclusions most often consist of cavities that are only partly occupied (less than 50% of the total space), suggesting that the empty space was originally filled by a

  13. Nanocrystalline Heterojunction Materials

    DOEpatents

    Elder, Scott H.; Su, Yali; Gao, Yufei; Heald, Steve M.

    2004-02-03

    Mesoporous nanocrystalline titanium dioxide heterojunction materials and methods of making the same are disclosed. In one disclosed embodiment, materials comprising a core of titanium dioxide and a shell of a molybdenum oxide exhibit a decrease in their photoadsorption energy as the size of the titanium dioxide core decreases.

  14. Microstructural evolution of diamond growth during HFCVD

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Singh, J.

    1994-01-01

    High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) was used to study the nucleation and growth mechanism of diamond by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) process. A novel technique has shown a direct evidence for the formation of the diamond-like carbon layer 8-14 nm thick in which small diamond micro-crystallites were embedded. These diamond micro-crystallites were formed as a result of transformation of diamond-like carbon into diamond. The diamond micro-crystallites present in the amorphous diamond-like carbon layer provided nucleation sites for diamond growth. Large diamond crystallites were observed to grow from these micro-crystallites. The mechanism of diamond growth will be presented based on experimental findings.

  15. Absolute age Determinations on Diamond by Radioisotopic Methods: NOT the way to Accurately Identify Diamond Provenance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shirey, S. B.

    2002-05-01

    Gem-quality diamond contains such low abundances of parent-daughter radionuclides that dating the diamond lattice directly by isotopic measurements has been and will be impossible. Absolute ages on diamonds typically are obtained through measurements of their syngenetic mineral inclusions: Rb-Sr in garnet; Sm-Nd in garnet and pyroxene; Re-Os and U-Th-Pb in sulfide; K-Ar in pyroxene; and U-Pb in zircon. The application of the first two isotope schemes in the list requires putting together many inclusions from many diamonds whereas the latter isotope schemes permit ages on single diamonds. The key limitations on the application of these decay pairs are the availability and size of the inclusions, the abundance levels of the radionuclides, and instrumental sensitivity. Practical complications of radioisotope dating of inclusions are fatal to the application of the technique for diamond provenance. In all mines, the ratio of gem-quality diamonds to stones with datable inclusions is very high. Thus there is no way to date the valuable, marketable stones that are part of the conflict diamond problem, just their rare, flawed cousins. Each analysis destroys the diamond host plus the inclusion and can only be carried out in research labs by highly trained scientists. Thus, these methods can not be automated or applied to the bulk of diamond production. The geological problems with age dating are equally fatal to its application to diamond provenance. From the geological perspective, for age determination to work as a tool for diamond provenance studies, diamond ages would have to be specific to particular kimberlites or kimberlite fields and different between fields. The southern African Kaapvaal-Zimbabwe Craton and Limpopo Mobile Belt is the only cratonic region where age determinations have been applied on a large enough scale to a number of kimberlites to illustrate the geological problems in age measurements for diamond provenance. However, this southern African example

  16. Diamonds in an Archean greenstone belt: Diamond suites in unconventional rocks of Wawa, Northern Ontario (Canada)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kopylova, Maya; Bruce, Loryn; Ryder, John

    2010-05-01

    Diamonds typically are found on Archean cratons entrained by younger Phanerozoic kimberlites. In contrast, Wawa diamonds are hosted in "unconventional", non-kimberlitic rocks that formed contemporaneously with the mafic and sedimentary rocks of the Archean Michipicoten Greenstone Belt (MGB). We studied two diamond suites that occur within the 2.9-2.7 Ga greenschist facies rocks of MGB located in the southwest portion of the Superior Craton (E. Canada). The first diamond suite henceforth referred to as the Wawa breccia diamonds (384 stones), are hosted in the 2618-2744 Ma calc-alkaline lamprophyres and volcaniclastic breccias, contemporaneous with pillow basalts and felsic volcanics of MGB. The second suite, the Wawa conglomerate diamonds (80 crystals), are hosted in the 2697-2700 Ma poorly sorted sedimentary polymictic conglomerate which is interpreted as a proximal alluvial fan debris flow in a fan-delta environment. The majority of the diamonds was found within the matrix of the conglomerate. The diamondiferous breccia occurs 20 km north of the town of Wawa, whereas the conglomerate is found 12 km northeast of Wawa. Diamonds from the 2 occurrences were characterized and described for provenance studies. Both the breccia and conglomerate diamonds show similar crystal habits, with the predominance of octahedral single crystals and ~ 10% of cubes. The conglomerate diamonds are significantly less resorbed (no resorbtion in 43% of the stones) than the breccia diamonds (8% non-resorbed stones). In both suites, only 21-24% show high degrees of resorption. The majority of crystals in both suites are colourless, with some yellow, brown and grey stones. Conglomerate diamonds had a wider variety of colours that were not seen in the breccia diamonds, including green and pink. The breccia diamonds contain 0-740 ppm N and show two modes of N aggregation at 0-30 and 60-95%. Among the breccia diamonds, Type IaA stones comprise 17%, whereas IaAB stones make up 49% of the

  17. Status and applications of diamond and diamond-like materials: An emerging technology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1990-01-01

    Recent discoveries that make possible the growth of crystalline diamond by chemical vapor deposition offer the potential for a wide variety of new applications. This report takes a broad look at the state of the technology following from these discoveries in relation to other allied materials, such as high-pressure diamond and cubic boron nitride. Most of the potential defense, space, and commercial applications are related to diamond's hardness, but some utilize other aspects such as optical or electronic properties. The growth processes are reviewed, and techniques for characterizing the resulting materials' properties are discussed. Crystalline diamond is emphasized, but other diamond-like materials (silicon carbide, amorphous carbon containing hydrogen) are also examined. Scientific, technical, and economic problem areas that could impede the rapid exploitation of these materials are identified. Recommendations are presented covering broad areas of research and development.

  18. Laser patterning of diamond films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Narayan, J.; Chen, X.

    1992-04-01

    Selective deposition and fine-scale patterning of hot filament deposited diamond films by the use of pulsed laser irradiation on silicon and copper substrates are reported. The substrates were abraded with diamond and alumina powders before hot-filament chemical vapor deposition. A drastic enhancement in diamond nucleation (using hot-filament chemical vapor deposition) was observed on specimens treated with diamond powder, whereas enhancement on specimens pretreated with alumina powder was relatively insignificant. It is found that the seeding of diamond crystals was substantially reduced by pulsed laser annealing/melting which removes the plastic damage as well as the seed crystals introduced by diamond powder pretreatment. The selective deposition or fine-scale patterning of diamond films was achieved either by a shadow masking or by scanning a focused laser beam to generate desired patterns. The nucleation can also be enhanced by laser deposition of thin films, such as diamond-like carbon and tungsten carbide (WC), and selective deposition and patterning achieved by controlled removal or deposition of the above films.

  19. "They just come, pick and go." The Acceptability of Integrated Medication Adherence Clubs for HIV and Non Communicable Disease (NCD) Patients in Kibera, Kenya.

    PubMed

    Venables, Emilie; Edwards, Jeffrey K; Baert, Saar; Etienne, William; Khabala, Kelly; Bygrave, Helen

    2016-01-01

    The number of people on antiretroviral therapy (ART) for the long-term management of HIV in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is continuing to increase, along with the prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). The need to provide large volumes of HIV patients with ART has led to significant adaptations in how medication is delivered, but access to NCD care remains limited in many contexts. Medication Adherence Clubs (MACs) were established in Kibera, Kenya to address the large numbers of patients requiring chronic HIV and/or NCD care. Stable NCD and HIV patients can now collect their chronic medication every three months through a club, rather than through individual clinic appointments. We conducted a qualitative research study to assess patient and health-care worker perceptions and experiences of MACs in the urban informal settlement of Kibera, Kenya. A total of 106 patients (with HIV and/or other NCDs) and health-care workers were purposively sampled and included in the study. Ten focus groups and 19 in-depth interviews were conducted and 15 sessions of participant observation were carried out at the clinic where the MACs took place. Thematic data analysis was conducted using NVivo software, and coding focussed on people's experiences of MACs, the challenges they faced and their perceptions about models of care for chronic conditions. MACs were considered acceptable to patients and health-care workers because they saved time, prevented unnecessary queues in the clinic and provided people with health education and group support whilst they collected their medication. Some patients and health-care workers felt that MACs reduced stigma for HIV positive patients by treating HIV as any other chronic condition. Staff and patients reported challenges recruiting patients into MACs, including patients not fully understanding the eligibility criteria for the clubs. There were also some practical challenges during the implementation of the clubs, but MACs

  20. 31 CFR 592.310 - Rough diamond.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Rough diamond. 592.310 Section 592.310... ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ROUGH DIAMONDS CONTROL REGULATIONS General Definitions § 592.310 Rough diamond. The term rough diamond means any diamond that is unworked or simply sawn, cleaved...

  1. 31 CFR 592.310 - Rough diamond.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Rough diamond. 592.310 Section 592.310... ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ROUGH DIAMONDS CONTROL REGULATIONS General Definitions § 592.310 Rough diamond. The term rough diamond means any diamond that is unworked or simply sawn, cleaved...

  2. 31 CFR 592.310 - Rough diamond.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Rough diamond. 592.310 Section 592... FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ROUGH DIAMONDS CONTROL REGULATIONS General Definitions § 592.310 Rough diamond. The term rough diamond means any diamond that is unworked or simply sawn...

  3. 31 CFR 592.310 - Rough diamond.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Rough diamond. 592.310 Section 592.310... ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ROUGH DIAMONDS CONTROL REGULATIONS General Definitions § 592.310 Rough diamond. The term rough diamond means any diamond that is unworked or simply sawn, cleaved...

  4. 31 CFR 592.310 - Rough diamond.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Rough diamond. 592.310 Section 592.310... ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ROUGH DIAMONDS CONTROL REGULATIONS General Definitions § 592.310 Rough diamond. The term rough diamond means any diamond that is unworked or simply sawn, cleaved...

  5. Methods for preparation of nanocrystalline rare earth phosphates for lighting applications

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

    Comanzo, Holly Ann; Manoharan, Mohan; Martins Loureiro, Sergio Paulo

    Disclosed here are methods for the preparation of optionally activated nanocrystalline rare earth phosphates. The optionally activated nanocrystalline rare earth phosphates may be used as one or more of quantum-splitting phosphor, visible-light emitting phosphor, vacuum-UV absorbing phosphor, and UV-emitting phosphor. Also disclosed herein are discharge lamps comprising the optionally activated nanocrystalline rare earth phosphates provided by these methods.

  6. Electrically conductive diamond electrodes

    DOEpatents

    Swain, Greg [East Lansing, MI; Fischer, Anne [Arlington, VA; Bennett, Jason [Lansing, MI; Lowe, Michael [Holt, MI

    2009-05-19

    An electrically conductive diamond electrode and process for preparation thereof is described. The electrode comprises diamond particles coated with electrically conductive doped diamond preferably by chemical vapor deposition which are held together with a binder. The electrodes are useful for oxidation reduction in gas, such as hydrogen generation by electrolysis.

  7. Diamonds in detonation soot

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Greiner, N. Roy; Phillips, Dave; Johnson, J. D.; Volk, Fred

    1990-01-01

    Diamonds 4 to 7 nm in diameter have been identified and partially isolated from soot formed in detonations of carbon-forming composite explosives. The morphology of the soot has been examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and the identity of the diamond has been established by the electron diffraction pattern of the TEM samples and by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of the isolated solid. Graphite is also present in the form of ribbons of turbostatic structure with a thickness of 2 to 4 nm. A fraction, about 25 percent of the soot by weight, was recovered from the crude soot after oxidation of the graphite with fuming perchloric acid. This fraction showed a distinct XRD pattern of diamond and the diffuse band of amorphous carbon. The IR spectrum of these diamonds closely matches that of diamonds recovered from meteorites (Lewis et al., 1987), perhaps indicating similar surface properties after the oxidation. If these diamonds are produced in the detonation itself or during the initial expansion, they exhibit a phenomenal crystal growth rate (5 nm/0.00001 s equal 1.8 m/hr) in a medium with a very low hydrogen/carbon ratio. Because the diamonds will be carried along with the expanding gases, they will be accelerated to velocities approaching 8 km/s.

  8. Nanocrystalline cerium oxide materials for solid fuel cell systems

    DOEpatents

    Brinkman, Kyle S

    2015-05-05

    Disclosed are solid fuel cells, including solid oxide fuel cells and PEM fuel cells that include nanocrystalline cerium oxide materials as a component of the fuel cells. A solid oxide fuel cell can include nanocrystalline cerium oxide as a cathode component and microcrystalline cerium oxide as an electrolyte component, which can prevent mechanical failure and interdiffusion common in other fuel cells. A solid oxide fuel cell can also include nanocrystalline cerium oxide in the anode. A PEM fuel cell can include cerium oxide as a catalyst support in the cathode and optionally also in the anode.

  9. Fluidized bed deposition of diamond

    DOEpatents

    Laia, Jr., Joseph R.; Carroll, David W.; Trkula, Mitchell; Anderson, Wallace E.; Valone, Steven M.

    1998-01-01

    A process for coating a substrate with diamond or diamond-like material including maintaining a substrate within a bed of particles capable of being fluidized, the particles having substantially uniform dimensions and the substrate characterized as having different dimensions than the bed particles, fluidizing the bed of particles, and depositing a coating of diamond or diamond-like material upon the substrate by chemical vapor deposition of a carbon-containing precursor gas mixture, the precursor gas mixture introduced into the fluidized bed under conditions resulting in excitation mechanisms sufficient to form the diamond coating.

  10. Developments in FTIR spectroscopy of diamonds and better constraints on diamond thermal histories

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kohn, Simon; Speich, Laura; Smith, Christopher; Bulanova, Galina

    2017-04-01

    Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is a commonly-used technique for investigating diamonds. It gives the most useful information if spatially-resolved measurements are used [1]. In this contribution we discuss the best way to acquire and present FTIR data from diamonds, using examples from Murowa (Zimbabwe), Argyle (Australia) and Machado River (Brazil). Examples of FTIR core-to-rim line scans, maps with high spatial resolution and maps with high spectral resolution that are fitted to extract the spatial variation of different nitrogen and hydrogen defects are presented. Model mantle residence temperatures are calculated from the concentration of A and B nitrogen-containing defects in the diamonds using known times of annealing in the mantle. A new, two-stage thermal annealing model is presented that better constrains the thermal history of the diamond and that of the mantle lithosphere in which the diamond resided. The effect of heterogeneity within the analysed FTIR volume is quantitatively assessed and errors in model temperatures that can be introduced by studying whole diamonds instead of thin plates are discussed. The kinetics of platelet growth and degradation will be discussed and the potential for two separate, kinetically-controlled defect reactions to be used to constrain a full thermal history of the diamond will be assessed. [1] Kohn, S.C., Speich, L., Smith, C.B. and Bulanova, G.P., 2016. FTIR thermochronometry of natural diamonds: A closer look. Lithos, 265, pp.148-158.

  11. Fundamental Discovery of New Phases and Direct Conversion of Carbon into Diamond and hBN into cBN and Properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Narayan, Jagdish; Bhaumik, Anagh

    2016-04-01

    We review the discovery of new phases of carbon (Q-carbon) and BN (Q-BN) and address critical issues related to direct conversion of carbon into diamond and hBN into cBN at ambient temperatures and pressures in air without any need for catalyst and the presence of hydrogen. The Q-carbon and Q-BN are formed as a result of quenching from super undercooled state by using high-power nanosecond laser pulses. We discuss the equilibrium phase diagram ( P vs T) of carbon, and show that by rapid quenching, kinetics can shift thermodynamic graphite/diamond/liquid carbon triple point from 5000 K/12 GPa to super undercooled carbon at atmospheric pressure in air. Similarly, the hBN-cBN-Liquid triple point is shifted from 3500 K/9.5 GPa to as low as 2800 K and atmospheric pressure. It is shown that nanosecond laser heating of amorphous carbon and nanocrystalline BN on sapphire, glass, and polymer substrates can be confined to melt in a super undercooled state. By quenching this super undercooled state, we have created a new state of carbon (Q-carbon) and BN (Q-BN) from which nanocrystals, microcrystals, nanoneedles, microneedles, and thin films are formed depending upon the nucleation and growth times allowed and the presence of growth template. The large-area epitaxial diamond and cBN films are formed, when appropriate planar matching or lattice matching template is provided for growth from super undercooled liquid. The Q-phases have unique atomic structure and bonding characteristics as determined by high-resolution SEM and backscatter diffraction, HRTEM, STEM-Z, EELS, and Raman spectroscopy, and exhibit new and improved mechanical hardness, electrical conductivity, and chemical and physical properties, including room-temperature ferromagnetism and enhanced field emission. The Q-carbon exhibits robust bulk ferromagnetism with estimated Curie temperature of about 500 K and saturation magnetization value of 20 emu g-1. We have also deposited diamond on cBN by using a novel

  12. Fatigue stress concentration and notch sensitivity in nanocrystalline metals

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

    Furnish, Timothy A.; Boyce, Brad L.; Sharon, John A.

    Recent studies have shown the potential for nanocrystalline metals to possess excellent fatigue resistance compared to their coarse-grained counterparts. Although the mechanical properties of nanocrystalline metals are believed to be particularly susceptible to material defects, a systematic study of the effects of geometric discontinuities on their fatigue performance has not yet been performed. In the present work, nanocrystalline Ni–40 wt%Fe containing both intrinsic and extrinsic defects were tested in tension–tension fatigue. The defects were found to dramatically reduce the fatigue resistance, which was attributed to the relatively high notch sensitivity in the nanocrystalline material. Microstructural analysis within the crack-initiation zonesmore » underneath the defects revealed cyclically-induced abnormal grain growth (AGG) as a predominant deformation and crack initiation mechanism during high-cycle fatigue. Furthermore, the onset of AGG and the ensuing fracture is likely accelerated by the stress concentrations, resulting in the reduced fatigue resistance compared to the relatively defect-free counterparts.« less

  13. Fatigue stress concentration and notch sensitivity in nanocrystalline metals

    DOE PAGES

    Furnish, Timothy A.; Boyce, Brad L.; Sharon, John A.; ...

    2016-03-11

    Recent studies have shown the potential for nanocrystalline metals to possess excellent fatigue resistance compared to their coarse-grained counterparts. Although the mechanical properties of nanocrystalline metals are believed to be particularly susceptible to material defects, a systematic study of the effects of geometric discontinuities on their fatigue performance has not yet been performed. In the present work, nanocrystalline Ni–40 wt%Fe containing both intrinsic and extrinsic defects were tested in tension–tension fatigue. The defects were found to dramatically reduce the fatigue resistance, which was attributed to the relatively high notch sensitivity in the nanocrystalline material. Microstructural analysis within the crack-initiation zonesmore » underneath the defects revealed cyclically-induced abnormal grain growth (AGG) as a predominant deformation and crack initiation mechanism during high-cycle fatigue. Furthermore, the onset of AGG and the ensuing fracture is likely accelerated by the stress concentrations, resulting in the reduced fatigue resistance compared to the relatively defect-free counterparts.« less

  14. Effect of added dispersants on diamond particles in Ni-diamond composites fabricated with electrodeposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Choi, Yongje; Kim, Donghyun; Son, Kyungsik; Lee, Sanghyuk; Chung, Wonsub

    2015-11-01

    The electrodeposition of Ni-diamond composites was investigated to improve the dispersion and adhesion of the diamond particles, and thus, increase the performance of cutting tools. The additives, so called firstclass brighteners, benzoic sulfimide, benzene sulfonamide, and benzene sulfonic acid were used as dispersants to enhance the dispersivity of diamond particles. The dispersivity was analyzed with Image-Pro software, which was used to asses optical microscopy images, and the number of individual diamond particles and area fraction were calculated. In addition, electrochemical tests were performed, including zeta potential and galvanostatic measurements, and the adhesion strengths was tested by evaluating the wear resistance using ball-on-disk tester. The dispersion and adhesion of the diamond particles were improved when benzoic sulfimide was added to the composite plating bath at a concentration of 0.06 g/L. The number of individual diamond particles was 56 EA/mm2, and the weight loss of alumina ball and specimen was 2.88 mg and 0.80 mg, respectively.

  15. Management of NCD in low- and middle-income countries.

    PubMed

    Checkley, William; Ghannem, Hassen; Irazola, Vilma; Kimaiyo, Sylvester; Levitt, Naomi S; Miranda, J Jaime; Niessen, Louis; Prabhakaran, Dorairaj; Rabadán-Diehl, Cristina; Ramirez-Zea, Manuel; Rubinstein, Adolfo; Sigamani, Alben; Smith, Richard; Tandon, Nikhil; Wu, Yangfeng; Xavier, Denis; Yan, Lijing L

    2014-12-01

    Noncommunicable disease (NCD), comprising cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, are increasing in incidence rapidly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Some patients have access to the same treatments available in high-income countries, but most do not, and different strategies are needed. Most research on noncommunicable diseases has been conducted in high-income countries, but the need for research in LMICs has been recognized. LMICs can learn from high-income countries, but they need to devise their own systems that emphasize primary care, the use of community health workers, and sometimes the use of mobile technology. The World Health Organization has identified "best buys" it advocates as interventions in LMICs. Non-laboratory-based risk scores can be used to identify those at high risk. Targeting interventions to those at high risk for developing diabetes has been shown to work in LMICs. Indoor cooking with biomass fuels is an important cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in LMICs, and improved cookstoves with chimneys may be effective in the prevention of chronic diseases. Copyright © 2014 World Heart Federation (Geneva). All rights reserved.

  16. Some aspects of pulsed laser deposition of Si nanocrystalline films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Polyakov, B.; Petruhins, A.; Butikova, J.; Kuzmin, A.; Tale, I.

    2009-11-01

    Nanocrystalline silicon films were deposited by a picosecond laser ablation on different substrates in vacuum at room temperature. A nanocrystalline structure of the films was evidenced by atomic force microscopy (AFM), optical and Raman spectroscopies. A blue shift of the absorption edge was observed in optical absorption spectra, and a decrease of the optical phonon energy at the Brillouin zone centre was detected by Raman scattering. Early stages of nanocrystalline film formation on mica and HOPG substrates were studied by AFM. Mechanism of nanocrystal growth on substrate is discussed. in here

  17. Electrodeposition of Nanocrystalline Co-P Coatings as a Hard Chrome Alternative

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-09-02

    Electrodeposition  of Nanocrystalline Co‐P  Coatings as a Hard Chrome Alternative Report Documentation Page Form ApprovedOMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden...AND SUBTITLE Electrodeposition of Nanocrystalline Co‐P Coatings as a Hard Chrome Alternative 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c...Defense Conference – 2 September 2009 Conventional  Electrodeposits Polycrystalline (10‐100 µm) Electrodeposited Nanocrystalline Materials Pulsed

  18. Note: Novel diamond anvil cell for electrical measurements using boron-doped metallic diamond electrodes

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

    Matsumoto, R.; Sasama, Y.; Yamaguchi, T.

    2016-07-15

    A novel diamond anvil cell suitable for electrical transport measurements under high pressure has been developed. A boron-doped metallic diamond film was deposited as an electrode on a nano-polycrystalline diamond anvil using a microwave plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition technique combined with electron beam lithography. The maximum pressure that can be achieved by this assembly is above 30 GPa. We report electrical transport measurements of Pb up to 8 GPa. The boron-doped metallic diamond electrodes showed no signs of degradation after repeated compression.

  19. Structural, optical and magnetic behaviour of nanocrystalline Volborthite

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

    Arvind, Hemant K., E-mail: hemantarvind@gmail.com; Kumar, Sudhish, E-mail: skmlsu@gmail.com; Kalal, Sangeeta

    2016-05-06

    Nanocrystalline sample of Volborthite (Copper Pyrovanadate: Cu{sub 3}V{sub 2} (OH){sub 2}O{sub 7}.2H{sub 2}O) has been synthesized using wet chemical route and characterized by XRD, SEM, FTIR, UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopic and magnetization measurements. Room temperature X-ray diffraction analysis confirms the single phase monoclinic structure and nanocrystalline nature of Volborthite. The UV-Visible optical absorption spectrum displays two broad absorption peaks in the range of 200-350 nm and 400-1000 nm. The direct band gap is found to be E{sub g}= ∼2.74 eV. Bulk Volborthite was reported to be a natural frustrated antiferromagnet, however our nanocrystalline Volborthite display week ferromagnetic hysteresis loop with very small coercivity andmore » retentivity at room temperature.« less

  20. Making Diamond in the Laboratory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Strong, Herbert

    1975-01-01

    Discusses the graphite to diamond transformation and a phase diagram for carbon. Describes high temperature-higher pressure experimental apparatus and growth of diamonds from seed crystals. Reviews properties of the diamond which suggest uses for the synthetic product. Illustrations with text. (GH)

  1. [Raman studies of nanocrystalline BaTiO3 ceramics].

    PubMed

    Xiao, Chang-jiang; Jin, Chang-qing; Wang, Xiao-hui

    2008-12-01

    High pressure can significantly increase the densification. Further, during the high pressure assisted sintering, the nucleation rate is increased due to reduced energy barrier and the growth rate is suppressed due to the decreased diffusivity. Thus high pressure enables the specimen to be fabricated with relatively lower temperature and shorter sintering period that assures to obtain dense nanocrystalline ceramics. Dense nanocrystalline BaTiO3 ceramics with uniform grain sizes of 60 and 30 nm, respectively, were obtained by pressure assisted sintering. The crystal structure and phase transitions were investigated by Raman scattering at temperatures ranging from -190 to 200 degrees C. The Raman results indicated that the evolution of Raman spectrum with grain size is characterized by an intensity decrease, a broadening of the line width, a frequency shift, and the disappearance of the Raman mode. With increasing temperature, similar to 3 mm BaTiO3 normal ceramics, the successive phase transitions from rhombohedral to orthorhombic, orthorhombic to tetragonal, and tetragonal to cubic were also observed in nanocrystalline BaTiO3 ceramics. In addition, when particle size is reduced to the nanoscale, one will find some unusual physical properties in nanocrystalline ceramics, compared with those of coarse-grained BaTiO3 ceramics. The different coexistences of multiphase were found at different temperature. Especially, the ferroelectric tetragonal and orthorhombic phase can coexist at room temperature in nanocrystalline BaTiO3 ceramics. The phenomenon can be explained by the internal stress. The coexistences of different ferroelectric phases at room temperature indicate that the critical grain size for the disappearance of ferroelectricity in nanocrystalline BaTiO3 ceramics fabricated by pressure assisted sintering is below 30 nm.

  2. In situ observation of quasimelting of diamond and reversible graphite-diamond phase transformations.

    PubMed

    Huang, J Y

    2007-08-01

    Because of technique difficulties in achieving the extreme high-pressure and high-temperature (HPHT) simultaneously, direct observation of the structures of carbon at extreme HPHT conditions has not been possible. Banhart and Ajayan discovered remarkably that carbon onions can act as nanoscopic pressure cells to generate high pressures. By heating carbon onions to approximately 700 degrees C and under electron beam irradiation, the graphite-to-diamond transformation was observed in situ by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). However, the highest achievable temperature in a TEM heating holder is less than 1000 degrees C. Here we report that, by using carbon nanotubes as heaters and carbon onions as high-pressure cells, temperatures higher than 2000 degrees C and pressures higher than 40 GPa were achieved simultaneously in carbon onions. At such HPHT conditions and facilitated by electron beam irradiation, the diamond formed in the carbon onion cores frequently changed its shape, size, orientation, and internal structure and moved like a fluid, implying that it was in a quasimelting state. The fluctuation between the solid phase of diamond and the fluid/amorphous phase of diamond-like carbon, and the changes of the shape, size, and orientation of the solid diamond, were attributed to the dynamic crystallization of diamond crystal from the quasimolten state and the dynamic graphite-diamond phase transformations. Our discovery offers unprecedented opportunities to studying the nanostructures of carbon at extreme conditions in situ and at an atomic scale.

  3. PROCESS FOR COLORING DIAMONDS

    DOEpatents

    Dugdale, R.A.

    1960-07-19

    A process is given for coloring substantially colorless diamonds in the blue to blue-green range and comprises the steps of irradiating the colorless diamonds with electrons having an energy within the range 0.5 to 2 Mev to obtain an integrated electron flux of between 1 and 2 x 10/sup 18/ thc diamonds may be irradiated 1 hr when they take on a blue color with a slight green tint: After being heated at about 500 deg C for half an hour they become pure blue. Electrons within this energy range contam sufficient energy to displace the diamond atoms from their normal lattice sites into interstitial sites, thereby causing the color changes.

  4. Superconductivity in CVD diamond films.

    PubMed

    Takano, Yoshihiko

    2009-06-24

    A beautiful jewel of diamond is insulator. However, boron doping can induce semiconductive, metallic and superconducting properties in diamond. When the boron concentration is tuned over 3 × 10(20) cm(-3), diamonds enter the metallic region and show superconductivity at low temperatures. The metal-insulator transition and superconductivity are analyzed using ARPES, XAS, NMR, IXS, transport and magnetic measurements and so on. This review elucidates the physical properties and mechanism of diamond superconductor as a special superconductivity that occurs in semiconductors.

  5. Diamond Pixel Detectors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adam, W.; Berdermann, E.; Bergonzo, P.; Bertuccio, G.; Bogani, F.; Borchi, E.; Brambilla, A.; Bruzzi, M.; Colledani, C.; Conway, J.; D'Angelo, P.; Dabrowski, W.; Delpierre, P.; Deneuville, A.; Doroshenko, J.; Dulinski, W.; van Eijk, B.; Fallou, A.; Fizzotti, F.; Foster, J.; Foulon, F.; Friedl, M.; Gan, K. K.; Gheeraert, E.; Gobbi, B.; Grim, G. P.; Hallewell, G.; Han, S.; Hartjes, F.; Hrubec, J.; Husson, D.; Kagan, H.; Kania, D.; Kaplon, J.; Kass, R.; Koeth, T.; Krammer, M.; Lander, R.; Logiudice, A.; Lu, R.; mac Lynne, L.; Manfredotti, C.; Meier, D.; Mishina, M.; Moroni, L.; Oh, A.; Pan, L. S.; Pernicka, M.; Perera, L.; Pirollo, S.; Plano, R.; Procario, M.; Riester, J. L.; Roe, S.; Rott, C.; Rousseau, L.; Rudge, A.; Russ, J.; Sala, S.; Sampietro, M.; Schnetzer, S.; Sciortino, S.; Stelzer, H.; Stone, R.; Suter, B.; Tapper, R. J.; Tesarek, R.; Trischuk, W.; Tromson, D.; Vittone, E.; Wedenig, R.; Weilhammer, P.; White, C.; Zeuner, W.; Zoeller, M.

    2001-06-01

    Diamond based pixel detectors are a promising radiation-hard technology for use at the LHC. We present first results on a CMS diamond pixel sensor. With a threshold setting of 2000 electrons, an average pixel efficiency of 78% was obtained for normally incident minimum ionizing particles.

  6. Metal films on the surfaces and within diamond crystals from Arkhangelskaya and Yakutian diamond provinces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Makeev, A. B.; Kriulina, G. Yu.

    2012-12-01

    Representative samples of diamonds from five kimberlite pipes (Lomonosovskaya, Archangel'sk, Snegurochka, XXIII Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), and Internationalnaya) of the Arkhangelskaya and Yakutian diamond provinces in Russia have been studied. Thirty-three varieties of metal films have been identified as syngenetic associated minerals. The films consist of 15 chemical elements that occur in the form of native metals and their natural alloys. Remnants of metal films were detected within diamond crystals. The metal films coating diamonds are a worldwide phenomenon. To date, these films have been described from Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa. Native metals, their alloys, and intermetallides are actual companion minerals of diamond.

  7. Quantum Computing in Diamond

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-05-28

    104 N2 103 N2 (a) (b) (c) Fig. 1: Confocal microscope images of NV centers created in bulk diamond through ion implantation of (a) gallium ions...nitrogen defects in diamond by chemical vapour deposition, J. R. Rabeau, S. Prawer, Y.L. Chin, F. Jelezko, T. Gaebel, and J. Wrachtrup, Applied...Physics Letters, 86, 31926, (2005) 2. Diamond Chemical Vapour Deposition on Opitcal Fibres for Fluorescence Waveguiding, J.R. Rabeau, S.T

  8. Tracing the depositional history of Kalimantan diamonds by zircon provenance and diamond morphology studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kueter, Nico; Soesilo, Joko; Fedortchouk, Yana; Nestola, Fabrizio; Belluco, Lorenzo; Troch, Juliana; Wälle, Markus; Guillong, Marcel; Von Quadt, Albrecht; Driesner, Thomas

    2016-11-01

    Diamonds in alluvial deposits in Southeast Asia are not accompanied by indicator minerals suggesting primary kimberlite or lamproite sources. The Meratus Mountains in Southeast Borneo (Province Kalimantan Selatan, Indonesia) provide the largest known deposit of these so-called "headless" diamond deposits. Proposals for the origin of Kalimantan diamonds include the adjacent Meratus ophiolite complex, ultra-high pressure (UHP) metamorphic terranes, obducted subcontinental lithospheric mantle and undiscovered kimberlite-type sources. Here we report results from detailed sediment provenance analysis of diamond-bearing Quaternary river channel material and from representative outcrops of the oldest known formations within the Alino Group, including the diamond-bearing Campanian-Maastrichtian Manunggul Formation. Optical examination of surfaces of diamonds collected from artisanal miners in the Meratus area (247 stones) and in West Borneo (Sanggau Area, Province Kalimantan Barat; 85 stones) points toward a classical kimberlite-type source for the majority of these diamonds. Some of the diamonds host mineral inclusions suitable for deep single-crystal X-ray diffraction investigation. We determined the depth of formation of two olivines, one coesite and one peridotitic garnet inclusion. Pressure of formation estimates for the peridotitic garnet at independently derived temperatures of 930-1250 °C are between 4.8 and 6.0 GPa. Sediment provenance analysis includes petrography coupled to analyses of detrital garnet and glaucophane. The compositions of these key minerals do not indicate kimberlite-derived material. By analyzing almost 1400 zircons for trace element concentrations with laser ablation ICP-MS (LA-ICP-MS) we tested the mineral's potential as an alternative kimberlite indicator. The screening ultimately resulted in a small subset of ten zircons with a kimberlitic affinity. Subsequent U-Pb dating resulting in Cretaceous ages plus a detailed chemical reflection make

  9. Method to produce nanocrystalline powders of oxide-based phosphors for lighting applications

    DOEpatents

    Loureiro, Sergio Paulo Martins; Setlur, Anant Achyut; Williams, Darryl Stephen; Manoharan, Mohan; Srivastava, Alok Mani

    2007-12-25

    Some embodiments of the present invention are directed toward nanocrystalline oxide-based phosphor materials, and methods for making same. Typically, such methods comprise a steric entrapment route for converting precursors into such phosphor material. In some embodiments, the nanocrystalline oxide-based phosphor materials are quantum splitting phosphors. In some or other embodiments, such nanocrystalline oxide based phosphor materials provide reduced scattering, leading to greater efficiency, when used in lighting applications.

  10. High-pressure studies with x-rays using diamond anvil cells

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

    Shen, Guoyin; Mao, Ho Kwang

    2016-11-22

    Pressure profoundly alters all states of matter. The symbiotic development of ultrahigh-pressure diamond anvil cells, to compress samples to sustainable multi-megabar pressures; and synchrotron x-ray techniques, to probe materials' properties in situ, has enabled the exploration of rich high-pressure (HP) science. In this article, we first introduce the essential concept of diamond anvil cell technology, together with recent developments and its integration with other extreme environments. We then provide an overview of the latest developments in HP synchrotron techniques, their applications, and current problems, followed by a discussion of HP scientific studies using x-rays in the key multidisciplinary fields. Thesemore » HP studies include: HP x-ray emission spectroscopy, which provides information on the filled electronic states of HP samples; HP x-ray Raman spectroscopy, which probes the HP chemical bonding changes of light elements; HP electronic inelastic x-ray scattering spectroscopy, which accesses high energy electronic phenomena, including electronic band structure, Fermi surface, excitons, plasmons, and their dispersions; HP resonant inelastic x-ray scattering spectroscopy, which probes shallow core excitations, multiplet structures, and spin-resolved electronic structure; HP nuclear resonant x-ray spectroscopy, which provides phonon densities of state and time-resolved Mössbauer information; HP x-ray imaging, which provides information on hierarchical structures, dynamic processes, and internal strains; HP x-ray diffraction, which determines the fundamental structures and densities of single-crystal, polycrystalline, nanocrystalline, and non-crystalline materials; and HP radial x-ray diffraction, which yields deviatoric, elastic and rheological information. Integrating these tools with hydrostatic or uniaxial pressure media, laser and resistive heating, and cryogenic cooling, has enabled investigations of the structural, vibrational, electronic, and

  11. High-pressure studies with x-rays using diamond anvil cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shen, Guoyin; Mao, Ho Kwang

    2017-01-01

    Pressure profoundly alters all states of matter. The symbiotic development of ultrahigh-pressure diamond anvil cells, to compress samples to sustainable multi-megabar pressures; and synchrotron x-ray techniques, to probe materials’ properties in situ, has enabled the exploration of rich high-pressure (HP) science. In this article, we first introduce the essential concept of diamond anvil cell technology, together with recent developments and its integration with other extreme environments. We then provide an overview of the latest developments in HP synchrotron techniques, their applications, and current problems, followed by a discussion of HP scientific studies using x-rays in the key multidisciplinary fields. These HP studies include: HP x-ray emission spectroscopy, which provides information on the filled electronic states of HP samples; HP x-ray Raman spectroscopy, which probes the HP chemical bonding changes of light elements; HP electronic inelastic x-ray scattering spectroscopy, which accesses high energy electronic phenomena, including electronic band structure, Fermi surface, excitons, plasmons, and their dispersions; HP resonant inelastic x-ray scattering spectroscopy, which probes shallow core excitations, multiplet structures, and spin-resolved electronic structure; HP nuclear resonant x-ray spectroscopy, which provides phonon densities of state and time-resolved Mössbauer information; HP x-ray imaging, which provides information on hierarchical structures, dynamic processes, and internal strains; HP x-ray diffraction, which determines the fundamental structures and densities of single-crystal, polycrystalline, nanocrystalline, and non-crystalline materials; and HP radial x-ray diffraction, which yields deviatoric, elastic and rheological information. Integrating these tools with hydrostatic or uniaxial pressure media, laser and resistive heating, and cryogenic cooling, has enabled investigations of the structural, vibrational, electronic, and

  12. Electron energy loss spectrometry of interstellar diamonds

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bernatowicz, Thomas J.; Gibbons, Patrick C.; Lewis, Roy S.

    1990-01-01

    The results are reported of electron energy loss spectra (EELS) measurements on diamond residues from carbonaceous meteorites designed to elucidate the structure and composition of interstellar diamonds. Dynamic effective medium theory is used to model the dielectric properties of the diamonds and in particular to synthesize the observed spectra as mixtures of diamond and various pi-bonded carbons. The results are shown to be quantitatively consistent with the idea that diamonds and their surfaces are the only contributors to the electron energy loss spectra of the diamond residues and that these peculiar spectra are the result of the exceptionally small grain size and large specific surface area of the interstellar diamonds.

  13. Ultrananocrystalline diamond contacts for electronic devices

    DOEpatents

    Sumant, Anirudha V.; Smedley, John; Muller, Erik

    2016-11-01

    A method of forming electrical contacts on a diamond substrate comprises producing a plasma ball using a microwave plasma source in the presence of a mixture of gases. The mixture of gases include a source of a p-type or an n-type dopant. The plasma ball is disposed at a first distance from the diamond substrate. The diamond substrate is maintained at a first temperature. The plasma ball is maintained at the first distance from the diamond substrate for a first time, and a UNCD film, which is doped with at least one of a p-type dopant and an n-type dopant, is disposed on the diamond substrate. The doped UNCD film is patterned to define UNCD electrical contacts on the diamond substrate.

  14. Ultrananocrystalline diamond contacts for electronic devices

    DOEpatents

    Sumant, Anirudha V.; Smedley, John; Muller, Erik

    2017-12-12

    A method of forming electrical contacts on a diamond substrate comprises producing a plasma ball using a microwave plasma source in the presence of a mixture of gases. The mixture of gases include a source of a p-type or an n-type dopant. The plasma ball is disposed at a first distance from the diamond substrate. The diamond substrate is maintained at a first temperature. The plasma ball is maintained at the first distance from the diamond substrate for a first time, and a UNCD film, which is doped with at least one of a p-type dopant and an n-type dopant, is disposed on the diamond substrate. The doped UNCD film is patterned to define UNCD electrical contacts on the diamond substrate.

  15. Origins of diamond-forming fluids: An isotopic and trace element study of diamonds and silicates from diamondiferous xenoliths

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Laiginhas, Fernando; Pearson, D. Graham; McNeill, John; Gurney, John; Nowell, Geoff; Ottley, Chris

    2010-05-01

    While there is increasing understanding of the age of formation and nature of "gem" diamonds, significant debate revolves around the nature of the fluids/melts from which they form. Stable C and N isotopes have been shown to be highly variable and yet the role of subduction-related fluids remains strongly debated. Recent studies on fibrous diamonds have yielded new trace and major element data (e.g., Weiss et al., 2009) that, together with new radiogenic isotope data (Klein BenDavid et al., 2010) indicate such diamonds grow from fluids that comprise mixtures of hydrous silicic, hydrous saline and carbonatitic fluids, derived from different source components of asthenospheric and lithospheric origin. However, until now such data has been lacking from gem diamonds. Using a new laser-based technique (McNeill et al., 2009), we have analysed a suite of diamonds plus co-existing host silicates from several diamondiferous xenoliths (6 harzburgites, 1 eclogite) from the Finsch and Newlands kimberlites in order to try to understand the fluid compositions that produce gem diamonds and better understand their effects of their mantle wall rocks. Diamonds from the xenoliths show a wide variety of trace element enrichment levels. While the eclogitic diamond shows similar trace element systematics to some of the harzburgitic diamonds there are significant differences within the harzburgitic diamonds from different xenoliths, with those from Finsch being significantly enriched in Ba, Sr and Pb relative to other elements. Nd isotope data on the host silicates is variable and dominantly unradiogenic, indicative of long-term enrichment typically associated with the source of some diamond-forming fluids. We will present Sr isotopic data on host silicates and diamond fluids to constrain whether the "gem" diamonds require the complex sources of fluids that characterise the growth of fibrous diamonds. 1) Y. Weiss, R. Kessel, W.L. Griffin, I. Kiflawi, O. Klein-BenDavid, D.R. Bell, J

  16. Properties of Diamond and Diamond-Like Clusters in Nanometric Dimensions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Halicioglu, Timur; Langhoff, Stephen R. (Technical Monitor)

    1996-01-01

    Variations in materials properties of small clusters of nanometric dimensions were investigated. Investigations were carried out for diamond and diamond-like particles in spherical shapes. Calculations were performed for clusters containing over 1000 carbon atoms. Results indicate that as the cluster size diminishes, (i) the average cohesive energy becomes weaker, (ii) the excess surface energy increases, and (iii) the value for stiffness decreases.

  17. Single crystal diamond membranes for nanoelectronics.

    PubMed

    Bray, Kerem; Kato, Hiromitsu; Previdi, Rodolfo; Sandstrom, Russell; Ganesan, Kumaravelu; Ogura, Masahiko; Makino, Toshiharu; Yamasaki, Satoshi; Magyar, Andrew P; Toth, Milos; Aharonovich, Igor

    2018-02-22

    Single crystal, nanoscale diamond membranes are highly sought after for a variety of applications including nanophotonics, nanoelectronics and quantum information science. However, so far, the availability of conductive diamond membranes has remained an unreachable goal. In this work we present a complete nanofabrication methodology for engineering high aspect ratio, electrically active single crystal diamond membranes. The membranes have large lateral directions, exceeding ∼500 × 500 μm 2 and are only several hundreds of nanometers thick. We further realize vertical single crystal p-n junctions made from the diamond membranes that exhibit onset voltages of ∼10 V and a current of several mA. Moreover, we deterministically introduce optically active color centers into the membranes, and demonstrate for the first time a single crystal nanoscale diamond LED. The robust and scalable approach to engineer the electrically active single crystal diamond membranes offers new pathways for advanced nanophotonic, nanoelectronic and optomechanical devices employing diamond.

  18. Diamond collecting in northern Colorado.

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Collins, D.S.

    1982-01-01

    The discovery of numerous diamond-bearing kimberlite diatremes in the N Front Range of Colorado and Wyoming is of both scientific and economic interest. Species recovered from heavy-mineral concentrates include Cr-diopside, spinel, Mg-ilmenite, pyrope and diamond. A nodule tentatively identified as a graphite-diamond eclogite was also found. -G.W.R.

  19. Nanocrystalline Aluminum Truss Cores for Lightweight Sandwich Structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schaedler, Tobias A.; Chan, Lisa J.; Clough, Eric C.; Stilke, Morgan A.; Hundley, Jacob M.; Masur, Lawrence J.

    2017-12-01

    Substitution of conventional honeycomb composite sandwich structures with lighter alternatives has the potential to reduce the mass of future vehicles. Here we demonstrate nanocrystalline aluminum-manganese truss cores that achieve 2-4 times higher strength than aluminum alloy 5056 honeycombs of the same density. The scalable fabrication approach starts with additive manufacturing of polymer templates, followed by electrodeposition of nanocrystalline Al-Mn alloy, removal of the polymer, and facesheet integration. This facilitates curved and net-shaped sandwich structures, as well as co-curing of the facesheets, which eliminates the need for extra adhesive. The nanocrystalline Al-Mn alloy thin-film material exhibits high strength and ductility and can be converted into a three-dimensional hollow truss structure with this approach. Ultra-lightweight sandwich structures are of interest for a range of applications in aerospace, such as fairings, wings, and flaps, as well as for the automotive and sports industries.

  20. Thermally induced alkylation of diamond.

    PubMed

    Hoeb, Marco; Auernhammer, Marianne; Schoell, Sebastian J; Brandt, Martin S; Garrido, Jose A; Stutzmann, Martin; Sharp, Ian D

    2010-12-21

    We present an approach for the thermally activated formation of alkene-derived self-assembled monolayers on oxygen-terminated single and polycrystalline diamond surfaces. Chemical modification of the oxygen and hydrogen plasma-treated samples was achieved by heating in 1-octadecene. The resulting layers were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermal desorption spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and water contact angle measurements. This investigation reveals that alkenes selectively attach to the oxygen-terminated sites via covalent C-O-C bonds. The hydrophilic oxygen-terminated diamond is rendered strongly hydrophobic following this reaction. The nature of the process limits the organic layer growth to a single monolayer, and FTIR measurements reveal that such monolayers are dense and well ordered. In contrast, hydrogen-terminated diamond sites remain unaffected by this process. This method is thus complementary to the UV-initiated reaction of alkenes with diamond, which exhibits the opposite reactivity contrast. Thermal alkylation increases the range of available diamond functionalization strategies and provides a means of straightforwardly forming single organic layers in order to engineer the surface properties of diamond.

  1. Three-dimensional analysis by electron diffraction methods of nanocrystalline materials.

    PubMed

    Gammer, Christoph; Mangler, Clemens; Karnthaler, Hans-Peter; Rentenberger, Christian

    2011-12-01

    To analyze nanocrystalline structures quantitatively in 3D, a novel method is presented based on electron diffraction. It allows determination of the average size and morphology of the coherently scattering domains (CSD) in a straightforward way without the need to prepare multiple sections. The method is applicable to all kinds of bulk nanocrystalline materials. As an example, the average size of the CSD in nanocrystalline FeAl made by severe plastic deformation is determined in 3D. Assuming ellipsoidal CSD, it is deduced that the CSD have a width of 19 ± 2 nm, a length of 18 ± 1 nm, and a height of 10 ± 1 nm.

  2. Nanocrystalline copper films are never flat

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Xiaopu; Han, Jian; Plombon, John J.; Sutton, Adrian P.; Srolovitz, David J.; Boland, John J.

    2017-07-01

    We used scanning tunneling microscopy to study low-angle grain boundaries at the surface of nearly planar copper nanocrystalline (111) films. The presence of grain boundaries and their emergence at the film surface create valleys composed of dissociated edge dislocations and ridges where partial dislocations have recombined. Geometric analysis and simulations indicated that valleys and ridges were created by an out-of-plane grain rotation driven by reduction of grain boundary energy. These results suggest that in general, it is impossible to form flat two-dimensional nanocrystalline films of copper and other metals exhibiting small stacking fault energies and/or large elastic anisotropy, which induce a large anisotropy in the dislocation-line energy.

  3. Syntheses of nanocrystalline BaTiO3 and their optical properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, J.; Chu, J.; Zhang, M.

    Stoichiometric and titanium-excess nanocrystalline barium titanates were synthesized using a hydrothermal process at various hydrothermal temperatures and with further heat treatment at 500 °C and 900 °C. Owing to the different process conditions, the excess titanium exists in different states and configurations within the nanocrystalline BaTiO3 matrix; this was demonstrated by X-ray diffraction, Raman scattering, and photoluminescence. In these nanocrystalline BaTiO3, the 590, 571, 543 and 694 nm light emission bands were observed; mechanisms leading to such emissions were also discussed.

  4. Amorphous-diamond electron emitter

    DOEpatents

    Falabella, Steven

    2001-01-01

    An electron emitter comprising a textured silicon wafer overcoated with a thin (200 .ANG.) layer of nitrogen-doped, amorphous-diamond (a:D-N), which lowers the field below 20 volts/micrometer have been demonstrated using this emitter compared to uncoated or diamond coated emitters wherein the emission is at fields of nearly 60 volts/micrometer. The silicon/nitrogen-doped, amorphous-diamond (Si/a:D-N) emitter may be produced by overcoating a textured silicon wafer with amorphous-diamond (a:D) in a nitrogen atmosphere using a filtered cathodic-arc system. The enhanced performance of the Si/a:D-N emitter lowers the voltages required to the point where field-emission displays are practical. Thus, this emitter can be used, for example, in flat-panel emission displays (FEDs), and cold-cathode vacuum electronics.

  5. 46 CFR 45.33 - Diamond.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Diamond. 45.33 Section 45.33 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) LOAD LINES GREAT LAKES LOAD LINES Load Line Marks § 45.33 Diamond. (a) Each vessel must be marked with the diamond mark described in figure 2 of § 45.35 amidships below...

  6. 46 CFR 45.33 - Diamond.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Diamond. 45.33 Section 45.33 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) LOAD LINES GREAT LAKES LOAD LINES Load Line Marks § 45.33 Diamond. (a) Each vessel must be marked with the diamond mark described in figure 2 of § 45.35 amidships below...

  7. 46 CFR 45.33 - Diamond.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Diamond. 45.33 Section 45.33 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) LOAD LINES GREAT LAKES LOAD LINES Load Line Marks § 45.33 Diamond. (a) Each vessel must be marked with the diamond mark described in figure 2 of § 45.35 amidships below...

  8. 46 CFR 45.33 - Diamond.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Diamond. 45.33 Section 45.33 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) LOAD LINES GREAT LAKES LOAD LINES Load Line Marks § 45.33 Diamond. (a) Each vessel must be marked with the diamond mark described in figure 2 of § 45.35 amidships below...

  9. 46 CFR 45.33 - Diamond.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Diamond. 45.33 Section 45.33 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) LOAD LINES GREAT LAKES LOAD LINES Load Line Marks § 45.33 Diamond. (a) Each vessel must be marked with the diamond mark described in figure 2 of § 45.35 amidships below...

  10. Conversion of fullerenes to diamonds

    DOEpatents

    Gruen, Dieter M.

    1995-01-01

    A method of forming synthetic diamond or diamond-like films on a substrate surface. The method involves the steps of providing a vapor selected from the group of fullerene molecules or an inert gas/fullerene molecule mixture, providing energy to the fullerene molecules consisting of carbon-carbon bonds, the energized fullerene molecules breaking down to form fragments of fullerene molecules including C.sub.2 molecules and depositing the energized fullerene molecules with C.sub.2 fragments onto the substrate with farther fragmentation occurring and forming a thickness of diamond or diamond-like films on the substrate surface.

  11. High efficiency diamond solar cells

    DOEpatents

    Gruen, Dieter M [Downers Grove, IL

    2008-05-06

    A photovoltaic device and method of making same. A layer of p-doped microcrystalline diamond is deposited on a layer of n-doped ultrananocrystalline diamond such as by providing a substrate in a chamber, providing a first atmosphere containing about 1% by volume CH.sub.4 and about 99% by volume H.sub.2 with dopant quantities of a boron compound, subjecting the atmosphere to microwave energy to deposit a p-doped microcrystalline diamond layer on the substrate, providing a second atmosphere of about 1% by volume CH.sub.4 and about 89% by volume Ar and about 10% by volume N.sub.2, subjecting the second atmosphere to microwave energy to deposit a n-doped ultrananocrystalline diamond layer on the p-doped microcrystalline diamond layer. Electrodes and leads are added to conduct electrical energy when the layers are irradiated.

  12. Extreme creep resistance in a microstructurally stable nanocrystalline alloy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Darling, K. A.; Rajagopalan, M.; Komarasamy, M.; Bhatia, M. A.; Hornbuckle, B. C.; Mishra, R. S.; Solanki, K. N.

    2016-09-01

    Nanocrystalline metals, with a mean grain size of less than 100 nanometres, have greater room-temperature strength than their coarse-grained equivalents, in part owing to a large reduction in grain size. However, this high strength generally comes with substantial losses in other mechanical properties, such as creep resistance, which limits their practical utility; for example, creep rates in nanocrystalline copper are about four orders of magnitude higher than those in typical coarse-grained copper. The degradation of creep resistance in nanocrystalline materials is in part due to an increase in the volume fraction of grain boundaries, which lack long-range crystalline order and lead to processes such as diffusional creep, sliding and rotation. Here we show that nanocrystalline copper-tantalum alloys possess an unprecedented combination of properties: high strength combined with extremely high-temperature creep resistance, while maintaining mechanical and thermal stability. Precursory work on this family of immiscible alloys has previously highlighted their thermo-mechanical stability and strength, which has motivated their study under more extreme conditions, such as creep. We find a steady-state creep rate of less than 10-6 per second—six to eight orders of magnitude lower than most nanocrystalline metals—at various temperatures between 0.5 and 0.64 times the melting temperature of the matrix (1,356 kelvin) under an applied stress ranging from 0.85 per cent to 1.2 per cent of the shear modulus. The unusual combination of properties in our nanocrystalline alloy is achieved via a processing route that creates distinct nanoclusters of atoms that pin grain boundaries within the alloy. This pinning improves the kinetic stability of the grains by increasing the energy barrier for grain-boundary sliding and rotation and by inhibiting grain coarsening, under extremely long-term creep conditions. Our processing approach should enable the development of

  13. Radiation-induced diamond crystallization: Origin of carbonados and its implications on meteorite nano-diamonds

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ozima, M.; Tatsumoto, M.

    1997-01-01

    Ten carbonados from Central Africa were studied for U-Th-Pb systematics. To extract U, Th, and Pb from the samples, we developed a cold combustion technique wherein diamond was burnt in liquid oxygen. The technique gave low blanks; 25-50 pg for Pb, 3 pg for U, and 5 pg for Th. After very thorough acid treatments of the carbonados with hot HNO3, HF, and HCl over one week, most of U, Th, and Pb were removed from the samples. Lead in the acid-leached diamonds was highly radiogenic (206Pb/204Pb up to 470). However, the amounts of U and Th in the acid-leached diamonds are too low to account for the radiogenic Pb even if we assume 4.5 Ga for the age of the diamonds. Therefore, we conclude that the radiogenic Pb was implanted into the diamonds from surroundings by means of recoil energy of radioactive decays of U and Th. From the radiogenic lead isotopic composition, we estimate a minimum age of 2.6 Ga and a maximum age of 3.8 Ga for the formation of the carbonados. The above findings of the implantation of recoiled radiogenic Pb into carbonados is consistent with the process of radiation-induced crystallization which was proposed for carbonado by Kaminsky (1987). We show from some theoretical considerations that when highly energetic particles, such as those emitted from radioactive decay of U and Th, interact with carbonaceous materials, they give rise to cascades of atomic disturbance (over regions of about a few nanometer), and the disturbed atoms are likely to recrystallize to form micro-diamonds because of increasing surface energy due to small size. The radiation-induced diamond formation mechanism may be relevant to the origin of nano-diamonds in primitive meteorites. Copyright ?? 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.

  14. Luminescence and related properties of nanocrystalline porous silicon

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koshida, N.

    This document is part of subvolume C3 'Optical Properties' of volume 34 'Semiconductor quantum structures' of Landolt-Börnstein, Group III, Condensed Matter, on the optical properties of quantum structures based on group IV semiconductors. It discusses luminescence and related properties of nanocrystalline porous silicon. Topics include an overview of nanostructured silicon, its fabrication technology, and properties of nanocrystalline porous silicon such as confinement effects, photoluminescence, electroluminesce, carrier charging effects, ballistic transport and emission, and thermally induced acoustic emission.

  15. n-Type diamond and method for producing same

    DOEpatents

    Anderson, Richard J.

    2002-01-01

    A new n-type semiconducting diamond is disclosed, which is doped with n-type dopant atoms. Such diamond is advantageously formed by chemical vapor deposition from a source gas mixture comprising a carbon source compound for the diamond, and a volatile hot wire filament for the n-type impurity species, so that the n-type impurity atoms are doped in the diamond during its formation. A corresponding chemical vapor deposition method of forming the n-type semiconducting diamond is disclosed. The n-type semiconducting diamond of the invention may be usefully employed in the formation of diamond-based transistor devices comprising pn diamond junctions, and in other microelectronic device applications.

  16. Effect of electronic structure of the diamond surface on the strength of the diamond-metal interface

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pepper, S. V.

    1981-01-01

    A diamond surface undergoes a transformation in its electronic structure by a vacuum anneal at approximately 900 C. The polished surface has no electronic states in the band gap, whereas the annealed surface has both occupied and unoccupied states in the and gap and exhibits some electrical conductivity. The effect of this transformation on the strength of the diamond metal interface was investigated by measuring the static friction force of an atomically clean meta sphere on a diamond flat in ultrahigh vacuum. It was found that low friction (weak bonding) is associated with the diamond surface devoid of gap states whereas high friction (strong bonding) is associated with the diamond surface with gap states. Exposure of the annealed surface to excited hydrogen also leads to weak bonding. The interfacial bond is discussed in terms of interaction of the metal conduction band electrons with the band gap states on the diamond surface. Effects of surface electrical conductivity on the interfacial bond are also be considered.

  17. Gigacycle fatigue behavior by ultrasonic nanocrystalline surface modification.

    PubMed

    Ahn, D G; Amanov, A; Cho, I S; Shin, K S; Pyoun, Y S; Lee, C S; Park, I G

    2012-07-01

    Nanocrystalline surface layer up to 84 microm in thick is produced on a specimen made of Al6061-T6 alloy by means of surface treatment called ultrasonic nanocrystalline surface modification (UNSM) technique. The refined grain size is produced in the top-layer and it is increased with increasing depth from the top surface. Vickers microhardness measurement for each nanocrystalline surface layer is performed and measurement results showed that the microhardness is increased from 116 HV up to 150 HV, respectively. In this study, fatigue behavior of Al6061-T6 alloy was studied up to 10(7)-10(9) cycles by using a newly developed ultrasonic fatigue testing (UFT) rig. The fatigue results of the UNSM-treated Al6061-T6 alloy specimens were compared with those of the untreated specimens. The microstructure of the untreated and UNSM-treated specimens was characterized by means of scanning electron microscopey (SEM) and transmission electron microscopey (TEM).

  18. Diamonds: Exploration, mines and marketing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Read, George H.; Janse, A. J. A. (Bram)

    2009-11-01

    The beauty, value and mystique of exceptional quality diamonds such as the 603 carat Lesotho Promise, recovered from the Letseng Mine in 2006, help to drive a multi-billion dollar diamond exploration, mining and marketing industry that operates in some 45 countries across the globe. Five countries, Botswana, Russia, Canada, South Africa and Angola account for 83% by value and 65% by weight of annual diamond production, which is mainly produced by four major companies, De Beers, Alrosa, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton (BHPB), which together account for 78% by value and 72% by weight of annual diamond production for 2007. During the last twelve years 16 new diamond mines commenced production and 4 re-opened. In addition, 11 projects are in advanced evaluation and may begin operations within the next five years. Exploration for diamondiferous kimberlites was still energetic up to the last quarter of 2008 with most work carried out in Canada, Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Botswana. Many kimberlites were discovered but no new economic deposits were outlined as a result of this work, except for the discovery and possible development of the Bunder project by Rio Tinto in India. Exploration methods have benefitted greatly from improved techniques of high resolution geophysical aerial surveying, new research into the geochemistry of indicator minerals and further insights into the formation of diamonds and the relation to tectonic/structural events in the crust and mantle. Recent trends in diamond marketing indicate that prices for rough diamonds and polished goods were still rising up to the last quarter of 2008 and subsequently abruptly sank in line with the worldwide financial crisis. Most analysts predict that prices will rise again in the long term as the gap between supply and demand will widen because no new economic diamond discoveries have been made recently. The disparity between high rough and polished prices and low share prices of publicly

  19. The Geopolitical Setting of Conflict Diamonds.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Haggerty, S. E.

    2002-05-01

    September 11, 2001 will live in infamy. Ideological differences have also led to senseless atrocities in Angola, Congo Republic, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. Hundreds of thousands have died, scores mutilated, and millions displaced. These have gone virtually unnoticed for decades. Unnoticed that is until it became evident that these barbaric acts were fueled by the sale or bartering of diamonds for arms, or by more ingenious ways that are less traceable. There is no end in sight. Industry has long recognized that about 20% of diamonds reaching the open market are smuggled from operating mines, and more recently that an additional 4% originates from conflict diamond sources. Diamond identification by laser inscription, ion implantation, or certification protocols are subject to fraudulent tampering. And these applied methods are thwarted if cutting and polishing centers are infiltrated, or if terrorist facilities are independently established. Mark ups are substantial (40-60%) from raw material to finished product. Tracking the paths of rough stones from mines to faceted gems is impractical because some 30-50 million cts of top quality material, or about 100 million stones, would require branding each year. Moreover, the long standing tradition of site-holdings and the bourse system of mixing or matching diamonds, inadvertently ensures regional anonymity. Conflict diamonds are mined in primary kimberlites and from widely dispersed alluvial fields in tropical jungle. Landscapes, eroded by 1-5 vertical km over 100 Ma, have transformed low grade primary deposits into unconsolidated sedimentary bonanzas. The current value of stones retrieved, by motivated diggers and skillful jiggers, in rebel held territories, is impossible to determine, but in 1993 amounted to tens of millions USD. Diamonds over 100 cts continue to surface at premier prices. Borders are porous, diamonds flow easily, and armed networks are permeable and mobile. Diamonds form at great depths (over 200 km

  20. Synthesis of Mesoporous Nanocrystalline Zirconia by Surfactant-Assisted Hydrothermal Approach.

    PubMed

    Nath, Soumav; Biswas, Ashik; Kour, Prachi P; Sarma, Loka S; Sur, Ujjal Kumar; Ankamwar, Balaprasad G

    2018-08-01

    In this paper, we have reported the chemical synthesis of thermally stable mesoporous nanocrystalline zirconia with high surface area using a surfactant-assisted hydrothermal approach. We have employed different type of surfactants such as CTAB, SDS and Triton X-100 in our synthesis. The synthesized nanocrystalline zirconia multistructures exhibit various morphologies such as rod, mortar-pestle with different particle sizes. We have characterized the zirconia multistructures by X-ray diffraction study, Field emission scanning electron microscopy, Attenuated total refection infrared spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The thermal stability of as synthesized zirconia multistructures was studied by thermo gravimetric analysis, which shows the high thermal stability of nanocrystalline zirconia around 900 °C temperature.

  1. Study of diamond film growth and properties

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Albin, Sacharial

    1990-01-01

    The objective was to study diamond film growth and its properties in order to enhance the laser damage threshold of substrate materials. Calculations were performed to evaluate laser induced thermal stress parameter, R(sub T) of diamond. It is found that diamond has several orders of magnitude higher in value for R(sub T) compared to other materials. Thus, the laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) of diamond is much higher. Diamond films were grown using a microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPECVD) system at various conditions of gas composition, pressure, temperature, and substrate materials. A 0.5 percent CH4 in H2 at 20 torr were ideal conditions for growing of high quality diamond films on substrates maintained at 900 C. The diamond films were polycrystalline which were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman scattering spectroscopy. The top surface of the growing film is always rough due to the facets of polycrystalline film while the back surface of the film replicates the substrate surface. An analytical model based on two dimensional periodic heat flow was developed to calculate the effective in-plane (face parallel) diffusivity of a two layer system. The effective diffusivity of diamond/silicon samples was measured using a laser pulse technique. The thermal conductivity of the films was measured to be 13.5 W/cm K, which is better than that of a type Ia natural diamond. Laser induced damage experiments were performed on bare Si substrates, diamond film coated Si, and diamond film windows. Significant improvements in the LIDT were obtained for diamond film coated Si compared to the bare Si.

  2. Diamond Nucleation Using Polyethene

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Morell, Gerardo (Inventor); Makarov, Vladimir (Inventor); Varshney, Deepak (Inventor); Weiner, Brad (Inventor)

    2013-01-01

    The invention presents a simple, non-destructive and non-abrasive method of diamond nucleation using polyethene. It particularly describes the nucleation of diamond on an electrically viable substrate surface using polyethene via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique in a gaseous environment.

  3. Diamond nucleation using polyethene

    DOEpatents

    Morell, Gerardo; Makarov, Vladimir; Varshney, Deepak; Weiner, Brad

    2013-07-23

    The invention presents a simple, non-destructive and non-abrasive method of diamond nucleation using polyethene. It particularly describes the nucleation of diamond on an electrically viable substrate surface using polyethene via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique in a gaseous environment.

  4. Covalent attachment and growth of nanocrystalline films of photocatalytic TiOF2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Jian; Lv, Fujian; Xiao, Shengxiong; Bian, Zhenfeng; Buntkowsky, Gerd; Nuckolls, Colin; Li, Hexing

    2014-11-01

    This manuscript describes a synthesis of nanocrystalline TiOF2 film. The nanocrystalline TiOF2 becomes chemically attached to the surface of the glass slide. These films are robust and can be recycled as photocatalysts for the degradation of organic dyes and solvents. These films also have significant antibacterial properties upon irradiation.This manuscript describes a synthesis of nanocrystalline TiOF2 film. The nanocrystalline TiOF2 becomes chemically attached to the surface of the glass slide. These films are robust and can be recycled as photocatalysts for the degradation of organic dyes and solvents. These films also have significant antibacterial properties upon irradiation. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Methods for sample preparation, characterization and Fig. S1-S8. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr05598e

  5. Biologically inspired rosette nanotubes and nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite hydrogel nanocomposites as improved bone substitutes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Lijie; Rodriguez, Jose; Raez, Jose; Myles, Andrew J.; Fenniri, Hicham; Webster, Thomas J.

    2009-04-01

    Today, bone diseases such as bone fractures, osteoporosis and bone cancer represent a common and significant public health problem. The design of biomimetic bone tissue engineering materials that could restore and improve damaged bone tissues provides exciting opportunities to solve the numerous problems associated with traditional orthopedic implants. Therefore, the objective of this in vitro study was to create a biomimetic orthopedic hydrogel nanocomposite based on the self-assembly properties of helical rosette nanotubes (HRNs), the osteoconductive properties of nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (HA), and the biocompatible properties of hydrogels (specifically, poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), pHEMA). HRNs are self-assembled nanomaterials that are formed from synthetic DNA base analogs in water to mimic the helical nanostructure of collagen in bone. In this study, different geometries of nanocrystalline HA were controlled by either hydrothermal or sintering methods. 2 and 10 wt% nanocrystalline HA particles were well dispersed into HRN hydrogels using ultrasonication. The nanocrystalline HA and nanocrystalline HA/HRN hydrogels were characterized by x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Mechanical testing studies revealed that the well dispersed nanocrystalline HA in HRN hydrogels possessed improved mechanical properties compared to hydrogel controls. In addition, the results of this study provided the first evidence that the combination of either 2 or 10 wt% nanocrystalline HA and 0.01 mg ml-1 HRNs in hydrogels greatly increased osteoblast (bone-forming cell) adhesion up to 236% compared to hydrogel controls. Moreover, this study showed that HRNs stimulated HA nucleation and mineralization along their main axis in a way that is very reminiscent of the HA/collagen assembly pattern in natural bone. In summary, the presently observed excellent properties of the biomimetic nanocrystalline HA/HRN hydrogel composites

  6. Electrical impedance spectroscopy of neutron-irradiated nanocrystalline silicon carbide (3C-SiC)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huseynov, Elchin M.

    2018-01-01

    It the present work, impedance spectra of nanocrystalline 3C-SiC particles have been comparatively analyzed before and after neutron irradiation. Resonance states and shifts were observed at the impedance spectra of nanocrystalline 3C-SiC particles after neutron irradiation. Relaxation time has been calculated from interdependence of real and imaginary parts of impedance of nanocrystalline 3C-SiC particles. Calculated relaxation times have been investigated as a function of neutron irradiation period. Neutron transmutation (31P isotopes production) effects on the impedance spectra and relaxation times have been studied. Moreover, influence of agglomeration and amorphous transformation to the impedance spectra and relaxation times of nanocrystalline 3C-SiC particles have been investigated.

  7. Ultimate Atomic Bling: Nanotechnology of Diamonds

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

    Dahl, Jeremy

    2010-05-25

    Diamonds exist in all sizes, from the Hope Diamond to minuscule crystals only a few atoms across. The smallest of these diamonds are created naturally by the same processes that make petroleum. Recently, researchers discovered that these 'diamondoids' are formed in many different structural shapes, and that these shapes can be used like LEGO blocks for nanotechnology. This talk will discuss the discovery of these nano-size diamonds and highlight current SLAC/Stanford research into their applications in electronics and medicine.

  8. Silver film on nanocrystalline TiO{sub 2} support: Photocatalytic and antimicrobial ability

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

    Vukoje, Ivana D., E-mail: ivanav@vinca.rs; Tomašević-Ilić, Tijana D., E-mail: tommashev@gmail.com; Zarubica, Aleksandra R., E-mail: zarubica2000@yahoo.com

    Highlights: • Simple photocatalytic rout for deposition of Ag on nanocrystalline TiO{sub 2} films. • High antibactericidal efficiency of deposited Ag on TiO{sub 2} support. • Improved photocatalytic performance of TiO{sub 2} films in the presence of deposited Ag. - Abstract: Nanocrystalline TiO{sub 2} films were prepared on glass slides by the dip coating technique using colloidal solutions consisting of 4.5 nm particles as a precursor. Photoirradiation of nanocrystalline TiO{sub 2} film modified with alanine that covalently binds to the surface of TiO{sub 2} and at the same time chelate silver ions induced formation of metallic silver film. Optical andmore » morphological properties of thin silver films on nanocrystalline TiO{sub 2} support were studied by absorption spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. Improvement of photocatalytic performance of nanocrystalline TiO{sub 2} films after deposition of silver was observed in degradation reaction of crystal violet. Antimicrobial ability of deposited silver films on nanocrystalline TiO{sub 2} support was tested in dark as a function of time against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans. The silver films ensured maximum cells reduction of both bacteria, while the fungi reduction reached satisfactory 98.45% after 24 h of contact.« less

  9. Theoretical Study of Diamond-Like Carbons and Nucleation of Diamond

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Choon-Heung

    Different forms of amorphous carbon and hydrocarbons with varying elastic and optical properties, hardness, density and hydrogen content exist depending on the preparation technique. The structure can vary from graphitic to diamond -like, i.e., from mainly threefold coordinated to mainly four-fold coordinated. In order to study the properties of such materials, microscopic models must be developed. These studies include the modelling of crosslinked defective graphite, diamond nucleation along the graphite edges, and diamond-like carbons. Tamor's proposed structure for diamondlike carbon consists of crosslinked graphitic regions. We studied a concrete realization of this model in which the cross -links are produced by shortening the interplanar bond lengths. The model study was accomplished with a pure rhombohedral graphite cell. For this study we used a semi-empirical potential based on Tersoff's environment-dependent potential which contains angular terms. It is enhanced by a long-range potential which describes the interplanar interactions. We found a configuration corresponding to a local minimum. More general features such as the randomness of the distribution of cross-links are needed for a realistic model. A model study of diamond/graphite interfaces was motivated by recent observations by Li and Angus. They observed a significant enhancement of diamond nucleation on the graphite edge planes with the preferential orientation relationship: {0001} _{g} | {111 }_{d}, < 1120 >_{g} | < 101>_{d}. Two possible interface structures were studied using the Tersoff potential. We found that the models have comparable low interface energies even if they contain some dangling bonds. Moreover, lower interface energies were found when the dangling bonds of the non-bonded diamond layer were satisfied with hydrogen. We have proposed a growth mechanism based on this study. Finally, we constructed realistic models of dense amorphous carbon. The WWW (introduced earlier for a

  10. Structural characterization of nanocrystalline cadmium sulphide powder prepared by solvent evaporation technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pandya, Samir; Tandel, Digisha; Chodavadiya, Nisarg

    2018-05-01

    CdS is one of the most important compounds in the II-VI group of semiconductor. There are numerous applications of CdS in the form of nanoparticles and nanocrystalline. Semiconductors nanoparticles (also known as quantum dots), belong to state of matter in the transition region between molecules and solids, have attracted a great deal of attention because of their unique electrical and optical properties, compared to bulk materials. In the field of optoelectronic, nanocrystalline form utilizes mostly in the field of catalysis and fluid technology. Considering these observations, presented work had been carried out, i.e. based on the nanocrystalline material preparation. In the present work CdS nano-crystalline powder was synthesized by a simple and cost effective chemical technique to grow cadmium sulphide (CdS) nanoparticles at 200 °C with different concentrations of cadmium. The synthesis parameters were optimized. The synthesized powder was structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction and particle size analyzer. In the XRD analysis, Micro-structural parameters such as lattice strain, dislocation density and crystallite size were analysed. The broadened diffraction peaks indicated nanocrystalline particles of the film material. In addition to that the size of the prepared particles was analyzed by particle size analyzer. The results show the average size of CdS particles ranging from 80 to 100 nm. The overall conclusion of the work can be very useful in the synthesis of nanocrystalline CdS powder.

  11. X-ray topographic study of diamonds: implications for the genetic nature of inclusions in diamond

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Agrosì, Giovanna; Nestola, Fabrizio; Tempesta, Gioacchino; Bruno, Marco; Scandale, Eugenio; Harris, Jeff W.

    2014-05-01

    In recent years, several studies have focused on the growth conditions of the diamonds through the analysis of the mineral inclusions trapped in them (Howell, 2012 and references therein). Nevertheless, to obtain rigorous information about chemical and physical conditions of diamond formation, it is crucial to determine if the crystallization of the inclusions occurred before (protogenetic nature), during (syngenetic nature) or after (epigenetic nature) the growth of diamond (Wiggers de Vries et al., 2011). X-ray topography (XRDT) can be a helpful tool to verify the genetic nature of inclusions in diamond. This technique characterizes the extended defects and reconstructs the growth history of the samples (Agrosì et al., 2013 and references therein) and, consequently contributes to elucidation of the relationship between the inclusions and the host-diamond. With this aim a diamond from the Udachnaya kimberlite, Siberia, was investigated. The diamond crystal was the one previously studied by Nestola et al. (2011) who performed in-situ crystal structure refinement of the inclusions to obtain data about the formation pressure. The inclusions were iso-oriented olivines that did not show evident cracks and subsequently could not be considered epigenetic. Optical observations revealed an anomalous birefringence in the adjacent diamond and the inclusions had typical "diamond-imposed cubo-octahedral" shape for the largest olivine. The diffraction contrast study shows that the diamond exhibits significant deformation fields related to plastic post growth deformation. The crystallographic direction of strains was established applying the extinction criterion. Section topographs were taken to minimize the overlapping of the strain field associate with the different defects and revealed that no dislocations nucleated from the olivine inclusions. Generally, when a solid inclusion has been incorporated in the growing crystal, the associated volume distortion can be minimized by

  12. Conversion of fullerenes to diamond

    DOEpatents

    Gruen, Dieter M.

    1994-01-01

    A method of forming synthetic diamond on a substrate. The method involves providing a substrate surface covered with a fullerene or diamond coating, positioning a fullerene in an ionization source, creating a fullerene vapor, ionizing fullerene molecules, accelerating the fullerene ions to energies above 250 eV to form a fullerene ion beam, impinging the fullerene ion beam on the substrate surface and continuing these steps to obtain a diamond film thickness on the substrate.

  13. Diamond formation through isochemical cooling of CHO fluids vs redox buffering: examples from Marange peridotitic and Zimmi eclogitic diamonds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smit, Karen V.; Stachel, Thomas; Stern, Richard A.; Shirey, Steven B.; Steele, Andrew

    2017-04-01

    Traditional models for diamond formation within the lithospheric mantle invoke either carbonate reduction or methane oxidation. Both these mechanisms require some oxygen exchange with the surrounding wall-rock at the site of diamond precipitation. However, peridotite does not have sufficient buffering capacity to allow for diamond formation via these traditional models and instead peridotitic diamonds may form through isochemical cooling of H2O-rich CHO fluids [1]. Marange mixed-habit diamonds from eastern Zimbabwe provide the first natural confirmation of this new diamond growth model [2]. Although Marange diamonds do not contain any silicate or sulphide inclusions, they contain Ni-N-vacancy complexes detected through photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy that suggest the source fluids equilibrated in the Ni-rich depleted peridotitic lithosphere. Cuboid sectors also contain abundant micro-inclusions of CH4, the first direct observation of reduced CH4-rich fluids that are thought to percolate through the lithospheric mantle [2]. In fluid inclusion-free diamonds, core-to-rim trends in δ13C and N content are used to infer the speciation of the diamond-forming fluid. Core to rim trends of increasing δ13C with decreasing N content are interpreted as diamond growth from oxidized CO2- or carbonate-bearing fluids. Diamond growth from reduced species should show the opposite trends - decreasing δ13C from core to rim with decreasing N content. Within the CH4-bearing growth sectors of Marange diamonds, however, such a 'reduced' trend is not observed. Rather, δ13C increases from core to rim within a homogeneously grown zone [2]. These contradictory observations can be explained through either mixing between CH4- and CO2-rich end-members of hydrous fluids [2] or through closed system precipitation from an already mixed CH4-CO2 H2O-maximum fluid with XCO2 (CO2/[CO2+CH4]) between 0.3 and 0.7 [3]. These results demonstrate that Marange diamonds precipitated from cooling CH4-CO2

  14. Bulk Nanocrystalline Metals: Review of the Current State of the Art and Future Opportunities for Copper and Copper Alloys

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-05-13

    nanocrystalline materials using mechanical alloying, the alloy development and synthesis process for stabilizing these materials at elevated temperatures, and...the physical and mechanical properties of nanocrystalline materials with a focus throughout on nanocrystalline copper and a nanocrystalline Cu-Ta...approaches as well as experimental results for grain growth, grain boundary processes, and deformation mechanisms in nanocrystalline copper are

  15. Electrode characteristics of nanocrystalline AB{sub 5} compounds prepared by mechanical alloying

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

    Chen, Z.; Chen, Z.; Zhou, D.

    1998-10-01

    Nanocrystalline LaNi{sub 5} and LaNi{sub 4.5}Si{sub 0.5} synthesized by mechanical alloying were used as negative materials for Ni-MH batteries. It was found that the electrodes prepared with the nanocrystalline powders had similar discharge capacities, better activation behaviors, and longer cycle lifetimes, compared with the negative electrode prepared with polycrystalline coarse-grained LaNi{sub 5} alloy. The properties of the electrodes prepared with these nanocrystalline materials were attributed to the structural characteristics of the compounds caused by mechanical alloying.

  16. Multiplying Electrons With Diamond

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2003-01-01

    As researchers in the Space Communications Division of NASA s Glenn Research Center in 1992, Dr. Gerald Mearini, Dr. Isay Krainsky, and Dr. James Dayton made a secondary electron emission discovery that became the foundation for Mearini s company, GENVAC AeroSpace Corporation. Even after Mearini departed Glenn, then known as Lewis Research Center, his contact with NASA remained strong as he was awarded Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts to further develop his work. Mearini s work for NASA began with the investigation of diamond as a material for the suppression of secondary electron emissions. The results of his research were the opposite of what was expected diamond proved to be an excellent emitter rather than absorber. Mearini, Krainsky, and Dayton discovered that laboratory-grown diamond films can produce up to 45 electrons from a single incident electron. Having built an electron multiplier prototype at NASA, Mearini decided to start his own company to develop diamond structures usable in electron beam devices.

  17. Synthesis of nanocrystalline ZnO thin films by electron beam evaporation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kondkar, V.; Rukade, D.; Bhattacharyya, V.

    2018-05-01

    Nanocrystalline ZnO thin films have potential for applications in variety of optoelectronic devices. In the present study, nanocrystalline thin films of ZnO are grown on fused silica substrate using electron beam (e-beam) evaporation technique. Phase identification is carried out using Glancing angle X-ray diffraction (GAXRD) and Raman spectroscopy. Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopic analysis is carried out to calculate energy band gap of the ZnO film. Surface morphology of the film is investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Highly quality nanocrystalline thin films of hexagonal wurtzite ZnO are synthesized using e-beam evaporation technique.

  18. Diamond nanowires: fabrication, structure, properties, and applications.

    PubMed

    Yu, Yuan; Wu, Liangzhuan; Zhi, Jinfang

    2014-12-22

    C(sp(3) )C-bonded diamond nanowires are wide band gap semiconductors that exhibit a combination of superior properties such as negative electron affinity, chemical inertness, high Young's modulus, the highest hardness, and room-temperature thermal conductivity. The creation of 1D diamond nanowires with their giant surface-to-volume ratio enhancements makes it possible to control and enhance the fundamental properties of diamond. Although theoretical comparisons with carbon nanotubes have shown that diamond nanowires are energetically and mechanically viable structures, reproducibly synthesizing the crystalline diamond nanowires has remained challenging. We present a comprehensive, up-to-date review of diamond nanowires, including a discussion of their synthesis along with their structures, properties, and applications. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. Diamond Technology Initiative

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1994-05-01

    thermal stresses of 10 million Watts per meter, 1,000 times better than Zerodur *. This property is also important for many thermal management...products UTD has coated to date include: • Optical windows, lenses, and mirrors . Zinc sulfide infrared windows coated with a 2.5 micron-thick...implants 16, 49 microwave plasma-enhanced CVD 2 mirrors , diamond-coated 49 models of diamond growth 10, 25, 33, 34, 39 moderators 10

  20. Analysis of Ag(I) Biocide in Water Samples Using Anodic Stripping Voltammetry with a Boron-Doped Diamond Disk Electrode.

    PubMed

    Maldonado, Vanessa Y; Espinoza-Montero, Patricio J; Rusinek, Cory A; Swain, Greg M

    2018-06-05

    The electroanalytical performance of a new commercial boron-doped diamond disk and a traditional nanocrystalline thin-film electrode were compared for the anodic stripping voltammetric determination of Ag(I). The diamond disk electrode is more flexible than the planar film as the former is compatible with most electrochemical cell designs including those incorporating magnetic stirring. Additionally, mechanical polishing and surface cleaning are simpler to execute. Differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) was used to detect Ag(I) in standard solutions after optimization of the deposition potential, deposition time and scan rate. The optimized conditions were used to determine the concentration of Ag(I) in a NASA simulated potable water sample and a NIST standard reference solution. The electrochemical results were validated by ICP-OES measurements of the same solutions. The detection figures of merit for the disk electrode were as good or superior to those for the thin-film electrode. Detection limits were ≤5 μg L -1 (S/N = 3) for a 120 s deposition period, and response variabilities were <5% RSD. The polished disk electrode presented a more limited linear dynamic range presumably because of the reduced surface area available for metal phase formation. The concentrations of Ag(I) in the two water samples, as determined by DPASV, were in good agreement with the concentrations determined by ICP-OES.

  1. Note: Evaluation of microfracture strength of diamond materials using nano-polycrystalline diamond spherical indenter

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sumiya, H.; Hamaki, K.; Harano, K.

    2018-05-01

    Ultra-hard and high-strength spherical indenters with high precision and sphericity were successfully prepared from nanopolycrystalline diamond (NPD) synthesized by direct conversion sintering from graphite under high pressure and high temperature. It was shown that highly accurate and stable microfracture strength tests can be performed on various super-hard diamond materials by using the NPD spherical indenters. It was also verified that this technique enables quantitative evaluation of the strength characteristics of single crystal diamonds and NPDs which have been quite difficult to evaluate.

  2. Deposition and characterization of ZnSe nanocrystalline thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2018-02-01

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

  3. Conversion of fullerenes to diamond

    DOEpatents

    Gruen, Dieter M.

    1993-01-01

    A method of forming synthetic diamond on a substrate is disclosed. The method involves providing a substrate surface covered with a fullerene or diamond coating, positioning a fullerene in an ionization source, creating a fullerene vapor, ionizing fullerene molecules, accelerating the fullerene ions to energies above 250 eV to form a fullerene ion beam, impinging the fullerene ion beam on the substrate surface and continuing these steps to obtain a diamond thickness on the substrate.

  4. Ohmic contacts to semiconducting diamond

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zeidler, James R.; Taylor, M. J.; Zeisse, Carl R.; Hewett, C. A.; Delahoussaye, Paul R.

    1990-10-01

    Work was carried out to improve the electron beam evaporation system in order to achieve better deposited films. The basic system is an ion pumped vacuum chamber, with a three-hearth, single-gun e-beam evaporator. Four improvements were made to the system. The system was thoroughly cleaned and new ion pump elements, an e-gun beam adjust unit, and a more accurate crystal monitor were installed. The system now has a base pressure of 3 X 10(exp -9) Torr, and can easily deposit high-melting-temperature metals such as Ta with an accurately controlled thickness. Improved shadow masks were also fabricated for better alignment and control of corner contacts for electrical transport measurements. Appendices include: A Thermally Activated Solid State Reaction Process for Fabricating Ohmic Contacts to Semiconducting Diamond; Tantalum Ohmic Contacts to Diamond by a Solid State Reaction Process; Metallization of Semiconducting Diamond: Mo, Mo/Au, and Mo/Ni/Au; Specific Contact Resistance Measurements of Ohmic Contracts to Diamond; and Electrical Activation of Boron Implanted into Diamond.

  5. Diamond-Based Supercapacitors: Realization and Properties.

    PubMed

    Gao, Fang; Nebel, Christoph E

    2016-10-26

    In this Spotlight on Applications, we describe our recent progress on the fabrication of surface-enlarged boron-doped polycrystalline diamond electrodes, and evaluate their performance in supercapacitor applications. We begin with a discussion of the fabrication methods of porous diamond materials. The diamond surface enlargement starts with a top-down plasma etching method. Although the extra surface area provided by surface roughening or nanostructuring provides good outcome for sensing applications, a capacitance value <1 mF cm -2 or a surface-enlargement factor <100 fail to meet the requirement of a practical supercapacitor. Driven by the need for large surface areas, we recently focused on the tempated-growth method. We worked on both supported and free-standing porous diamond materials to enhance the areal capacitance to the "mF cm -2 " range. With our newly developed free-standing diamond paper, areal capacitance can be multiplied by stacking multilayers of the electrode material. Finally, considering the fact that there is no real diamond-based supercapacitor device up to now, we fabricated the first prototype pouch-cell device based on the free-standing diamond paper to evaluate its performance. The results reveal that the diamond paper is suitable for operation in high potential windows (up to 2.5 V) in aqueous electrolyte with a capacitance of 0.688 mF cm -2 per layer of paper (or 0.645 F g -1 ). Impedance spectroscopy revealed that the operation frequency of the device exceeds 30 Hz. Because of the large potential window and the ability to work at high frequency, the specific power of the device reached 1 × 10 5 W kg -1 . In the end, we made estimations on the future target performance of diamond supercapacitors based on the existing information.

  6. Ultratough single crystal boron-doped diamond

    DOEpatents

    Hemley, Russell J [Carnegie Inst. for Science, Washington, DC ; Mao, Ho-Kwang [Carnegie Inst. for Science, Washington, DC ; Yan, Chih-Shiue [Carnegie Inst. for Science, Washington, DC ; Liang, Qi [Carnegie Inst. for Science, Washington, DC

    2015-05-05

    The invention relates to a single crystal boron doped CVD diamond that has a toughness of at least about 22 MPa m.sup.1/2. The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing single crystal boron doped CVD diamond. The growth rate of the diamond can be from about 20-100 .mu.m/h.

  7. Recent results on CVD diamond radiation sensors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Weilhammer, P.; Adam, W.; Bauer, C.; Berdermann, E.; Bogani, F.; Borchi, E.; Bruzzi, M.; Colledani, C.; Conway, J.; Dabrowski, W.; Delpierre, P.; Deneuville, A.; Dulinski, W.; v. d. Eijk, R.; van Eijk, B.; Fallou, A.; Fish, D.; Fried, M.; Gan, K. K.; Gheeraert, E.; Grigoriev, E.; Hallewell, G.; Hall-Wilton, R.; Han, S.; Hartjes, F.; Hrubec, J.; Husson, D.; Kagan, H.; Kania, D.; Kaplon, J.; Kass, R.; Knopfle, K. T.; Krammer, M.; Manfredi, P. F.; Meier, D.; LeNormand; Pan, L. S.; Pernegger, H.; Pernicka, M.; Plano, R.; Re, V.; Riester, J. L.; Roe, S.; Roff; Rudge, A.; Schieber, M.; Schnetzer, S.; Sciortino, S.; Speziali, V.; Stelzer, H.; Stone, R.; Tapper, R. J.; Tesarek, R.; Thomson, G. B.; Trawick, M.; Trischuk, W.; Turchetta, R.; RD 42 Collaboration

    1998-02-01

    CVD diamond radiation sensors are being developed for possible use in trackers in the LHC experiments. The diamond promises to be radiation hard well beyond particle fluences that can be tolerated by Si sensors. Recent results from the RD 42 collaboration on charge collection distance and on radiation hardness of CVD diamond samples will be reported. Measurements with diamond tracking devices, both strip detectors and pixel detectors, will be discussed. Results from beam tests using a diamond strip detector which was read out with fast, 25 ns shaping time, radiation-hard pipeline electronics will be presented.

  8. Method for machining steel with diamond tools

    DOEpatents

    Casstevens, J.M.

    1984-01-01

    The present invention is directed to a method for machine optical quality finishes and contour accuracies of workpieces of carbon-containing metals such as steel with diamond tooling. The wear rate of the diamond tooling is significantly reduced by saturating the atmosphere at the interface of the workpiece and the diamond tool with a gaseous hydrocarbon during the machining operation. The presence of the gaseous hydrocarbon effectively eliminates the deterioration of the diamond tool by inhibiting or preventing the conversion of the diamond carbon to graphite carbon at the point of contact between the cutting tool and the workpiece.

  9. Method for machining steel with diamond tools

    DOEpatents

    Casstevens, John M.

    1986-01-01

    The present invention is directed to a method for machining optical quality inishes and contour accuracies of workpieces of carbon-containing metals such as steel with diamond tooling. The wear rate of the diamond tooling is significantly reduced by saturating the atmosphere at the interface of the workpiece and the diamond tool with a gaseous hydrocarbon during the machining operation. The presence of the gaseous hydrocarbon effectively eliminates the deterioration of the diamond tool by inhibiting or preventing the conversion of the diamond carbon to graphite carbon at the point of contact between the cutting tool and the workpiece.

  10. "Bulk" Nanocrystalline Metals: Review of the Current State of the Art and Future Opportunities for Copper and Copper Alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tschopp, M. A.; Murdoch, H. A.; Kecskes, L. J.; Darling, K. A.

    2014-06-01

    It is a new beginning for innovative fundamental and applied science in nanocrystalline materials. Many of the processing and consolidation challenges that have haunted nanocrystalline materials are now more fully understood, opening the doors for bulk nanocrystalline materials and parts to be produced. While challenges remain, recent advances in experimental, computational, and theoretical capability have allowed for bulk specimens that have heretofore been pursued only on a limited basis. This article discusses the methodology for synthesis and consolidation of bulk nanocrystalline materials using mechanical alloying, the alloy development and synthesis process for stabilizing these materials at elevated temperatures, and the physical and mechanical properties of nanocrystalline materials with a focus throughout on nanocrystalline copper and a nanocrystalline Cu-Ta system, consolidated via equal channel angular extrusion, with properties rivaling that of nanocrystalline pure Ta. Moreover, modeling and simulation approaches as well as experimental results for grain growth, grain boundary processes, and deformation mechanisms in nanocrystalline copper are briefly reviewed and discussed. Integrating experiments and computational materials science for synthesizing bulk nanocrystalline materials can bring about the next generation of ultrahigh strength materials for defense and energy applications.

  11. Diamond nanostructures for drug delivery, bioimaging, and biosensing.

    PubMed

    Chen, Xianfeng; Zhang, Wenjun

    2017-02-06

    Diamond features an attractive combination of outstanding mechanical, optical, thermal and electrical properties; tunable surface characteristics; and unprecedented biocompatibility. Additionally, diamond can possess unique nitrogen-vacancy emission centers that are highly photostable and extremely sensitive to magnetic fields, temperatures, ion concentrations, and spin densities. With these inherent merits, diamond in various nanoscale configurations has demonstrated a variety of distinctive applications in a broad range of fields. In particular, research on diamond nanoparticles (0-dimensional structures) and arrays of diamond nanoneedles/nanowires (1-dimensional structures) has witnessed important and exciting progress in recent years. Here, we systematically review the superior properties of diamond nanomaterials and the nitrogen-vacancy centers they contain as well as their uses in biomedical applications, including biosensing, bioimaging and drug delivery. Moreover, systematic studies of the biocompatibility and toxicity of diamond nanostructures, which constitute an important issue for the biomedical applications of diamond that has not yet been thoroughly addressed in previous reviews, are also discussed. Finally, we present our insights into the key issues concerning these diamond nanomaterials and their future development for applications.

  12. Drilling of optical glass with electroplated diamond tools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, A. J.; Luan, C. G.; Yu, A. B.

    2010-10-01

    K9 optical glass drilling experiments were carried out. Bright nickel electroplated diamond tools with small slots and under heat treatment in different temperature were fabricated. Scan electro microscope was applied to analyze the wear of electroplated diamond tool. The material removal rate and grinding ratio were calculated. Machining quality was observed. Bond coating hardness was measured. The experimental results show that coolant is needed for the drilling processes of optical glasses. Heat treatment temperature of diamond tool has influence on wearability of diamond tool and grinding ratio. There were two wear types of electroplated diamond tool, diamond grit wear and bond wear. With the machining processes, wear of diamond grits included fracture, blunt and pull-out, and electroplated bond was gradually worn out. High material removal rates could be obtained by using diamond tool with suitable slot numbers. Bright nickel coating bond presents smallest grains and has better mechanical properties. Bright nickel electroplated diamond tool with slot structure and heat treatment under 200°C was suitable for optical glass drilling.

  13. Fluid inclusions in Ebelyakh diamonds: Evidence of CO2 liberation in eclogite and the effect of H2O on diamond habit

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, Evan M.; Kopylova, Maya G.; Frezzotti, Maria Luce; Afanasiev, Valentin P.

    2015-02-01

    Fluid inclusions were studied in six octahedrally-grown, eclogitic diamonds from the Ebelyakh River mine, northern Russia, using microthermometry and Raman spectroscopy. The fluids are CO2-N2 mixtures with 40 ± 4 mol% N2, which are trapped along fractures that healed in the diamond stability field. The CO2-rich composition of the fluids provides the first empirical evidence that CO2 can be liberated as a free phase in eclogite in the diamond stability field of the lithospheric mantle, as has been previously predicted from theory. This finding means that the interpretation of carbon isotopes in eclogitic diamonds should not overlook isotopic fractionation due to CO2 liberation from carbonatitic diamond-forming media as it percolates through eclogites. Preferential nucleation of CO2 bubbles in eclogite compared to peridotite may lead to a rock type-specific fracturing mechanism and sampling bias that would help explain the overabundance of eclogite xenoliths in kimberlites. Fluid inclusions in octahedrally-grown, non-fibrous diamonds from both the studied Ebelyakh diamonds and those from other cratons do not show detectable amounts of water. In comparison, fibrous diamond fluid inclusions typically contain 10-25 wt.% water. The absence of "dry" fluids in fibrous diamonds and the presence of these in octahedrally-grown diamonds may indicate different compositions of fluids equilibrated with these two types of diamonds. If there is variability in the water content in diamond-forming fluids, it should affect diamond growth morphology. Water could be responsible for causing fibrous diamond growth, by inhibiting the advancement of growth steps within octahedral faces.

  14. D.C. Arcjet Diamond Deposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Russell, Derrek Andrew

    1995-01-01

    Polycrystalline diamond films synthesized by a D.C. (direct current) arcjet device was reported for the first time in 1988. This device is capable of higher diamond growth rates than any other form of diamond CVD (chemical vapor deposition) process due to its inherent versatility with regard to the enthalpy and fluid properties of the diamond-depositing vapor. Unfortunately, the versatility of this type of device is contrasted by many difficulties such as arc stability and large heat fluxes which make applying it toward diamond deposition a difficult problem. The purpose of this work was to convert the dc arcjet, which is primarily a metallurgical device, into a commercially viable diamond CVD process. The project was divided into two parts: process development and diagnostics. The process development effort concentrated on the certain engineering challenges. Among these was a novel arcjet design that allowed the carbon-source gas to be injected downstream of the tungsten cathode while still facilitating mixture with the main gas feed. Another engineering accomplishment was the incorporation of a water -cooled substrate cooler/spinner that maintained the substrate at the proper temperature, provided the substrate with a large thermal time constant to reduce thermal shock of the diamond film, and enabled the system to achieve a four -inch diameter growth area. The process diagnostics effort concentrated on measurements aimed at developing a fundamental understanding of the properties of the plasma jet such as temperature, plasma density, Mach number, pressure at the substrate, etc. The plasma temperature was determined to be 5195 K by measuring the rotational temperature of C _2 via optical emission spectroscopy. The Mach number of the plasma jet was determined to be ~6.0 as determined by the ratio of the stagnation pressures before and after the shock wave in the plasma jet. The C_2 concentration in the plasma jet was determined to be {~10 }^{12} cm^ {-3} by

  15. Friction and wear of plasma-deposited diamond films

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Miyoshi, Kazuhisa; Wu, Richard L. C.; Garscadden, Alan; Barnes, Paul N.; Jackson, Howard E.

    1993-01-01

    Reciprocating sliding friction experiments in humid air and in dry nitrogen and unidirectional sliding friction experiments in ultrahigh vacuum were conducted with a natural diamond pin in contact with microwave-plasma-deposited diamond films. Diamond films with a surface roughness (R rms) ranging from 15 to 160 nm were produced by microwave-plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition. In humid air and in dry nitrogen, abrasion occurred when the diamond pin made grooves in the surfaces of diamond films, and thus the initial coefficients of friction increased with increasing initial surface roughness. The equilibrium coefficients of friction were independent of the initial surface roughness of the diamond films. In vacuum the friction for diamond films contacting a diamond pin arose primarily from adhesion between the sliding surfaces. In these cases, the initial and equilibrium coefficients of friction were independent of the initial surface roughness of the diamond films. The equilibrium coefficients of friction were 0.02 to 0.04 in humid air and in dry nitrogen, but 1.5 to 1.8 in vacuum. The wear factor of the diamond films depended on the initial surface roughness, regardless of environment; it increased with increasing initial surface roughness. The wear factors were considerably higher in vacuum than in humid air and in dry nitrogen.

  16. High-density fluids and the growth of monocrystalline diamonds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Weiss, Y.; Kiflawi, I.; Davies, N.; Navon, O.

    2014-09-01

    The chemical nature and composition of the growth medium of monocrystalline (MC) diamonds is still a matter of debate, partially because carbonate-bearing high-density fluids (HDFs) that are common in fibrous diamonds have not been found in MC diamonds. Here we report the first finding of HDF microinclusions in a MC octahedral diamond from Finsch, South Africa and in the MC octahedral core of a coated diamond from Kankan, Guinea; both diamonds carry nitrogen in B-centers. Numerous microinclusions in diamond Finsch_2a_cap1 are restricted to two thin layers parallel to the (1 1 1) face, ∼20 and 200 μm from the diamond rim. Low-Mg carbonatitic HDFs are found along the inner layer while the outer layer trapped saline compositions. The major and trace element compositions of the inclusions and their infrared spectra are highly similar to those of microinclusions found in fibrous diamonds. A few isolated microinclusions of saline compositions are scattered around a sulfide inclusion in the center of the octahedral core of diamond ON-KAN-383. This evidence for the involvement of oxidized fluids in the formation of MC diamonds adds to previous reports on the antiquity of HDFs in fibrous diamonds, the presence of carbonate and halide phases in inclusions in MC diamonds and the similarity of trace element pattern of a MC diamond to those of low-Mg carbonatitic HDF in fibrous diamonds. In addition, we show that the interaction of HDFs with depleted garnets can produce sinusoidal REE patterns which are one of the primary features of lherzolitic and harzburgitic garnet inclusions in MC diamonds. Together, these observations suggest that HDFs are involved in the formation of many types of diamonds from the Archaean to the Phanerozoic. HDFs are trapped in large quantities during rapid, fibrous growth, but must also be present during the growth of many MC diamonds.

  17. Electrical applications of CVD diamond films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fujimori, Naoji

    Electronics applications of CVD diamond films are reported. The properties of epitaxial diamond films are affected by the orientation of the substrate and the deposition conditions. Boron-doped epitaxial films are found to have the same characteristics as natural IIb diamonds. An LED and an FET were successfully fabricated using boron-doped epitaxial films and Schottky junctions. However, these devices did not exhibit satisfactory properties. Other applications of CVD diamond films include speaker diaphragms (as both a thin-film coating and a free-standing film), and as an ideal packaging material (due to its high thermal conductivity and low dielectric constant).

  18. Growth characteristics of nanocrystalline silicon films fabricated by using chlorinated precursors at low temperatures.

    PubMed

    Huang, Rui; Ding, Honglin; Song, Jie; Guo, Yanqing; Wang, Xiang; Lin, Xuanying

    2010-11-01

    We employed plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique to fabricate nanocrystalline Si films at a low temperature of 250 degrees C by using SiCl4 and H2 as source gases. The evolution of microstructure of the films with deposition periods shows that nanocrystalline Si can be directly grown on amorphous substrate at the initial growth process, which is in contrast to the growth behavior observed in the SiH4/H2 system. Furthermore, it is interesting to find that the area density of nanocrystalline Si as well as grain size can be controlled by modulating the concentration of SiCl4. By decreasing the SiCl4 concentration, the area density of nanocrystalline Si can be enhanced up to 10(11) cm(-2), while the grain size is shown to decrease down to 10 nm. It is suggested that Cl plays an important role in the low-temperature growth of nanocrystalline Si.

  19. Diamond Thin-Film Thermionic Generator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clewell, J. M.; Ordonez, C. A.; Perez, J. M.

    1997-03-01

    Since the eighteen-hundreds scientists have sought to develop the highest thermal efficiency in heat engines such as thermionic generators. Modern research in the emerging diamond film industry has indicated the work functions of diamond thin-films can be much less than one electron volt, compelling fresh investigation into their capacity as thermionic generators and inviting new methodology for determining that efficiency. Our objective is to predict the efficiency of a low-work-function, degenerate semiconductor (diamond film) thermionic generator operated as a heat engine between two constant-temperature thermal reservoirs. Our presentation will focus on a theoretical model which predicts the efficiency of the system by employing a Monte Carlo computational technique from which we report results for the thermal efficiency and the thermionic current densities of diamond thin-films.

  20. Grain Size Threshold for Enhanced Irradiation Resistance in Nanocrystalline and Ultrafine Tungsten

    DOE PAGES

    El Atwani, Osman; Hinks, Jonathan; Greaves, Graeme; ...

    2017-02-21

    Nanocrystalline metals are considered highly radiation-resistant materials due to their large grain boundary areas. Here, the existence of a grain size threshold for enhanced irradiation resistance in high-temperature helium-irradiated nanocrystalline and ultrafine tungsten is demonstrated. Average bubble density, projected bubble area and the corresponding change in volume were measured via transmission electron microscopy and plotted as a function of grain size for two ion fluences. Nanocrystalline grains of less than 35 nm size possess ~10–20 times lower change in volume than ultrafine grains and this is discussed in terms of the grain boundaries defect sink efficiency.

  1. Nanocrystalline Iron-Ore-Based Catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis.

    PubMed

    Yong, Seok; Park, Ji Chan; Lee, Ho-Tae; Yang, Jung-Il; Hong, SungJun; Jung, Heon; Chun, Dong Hyun

    2016-02-01

    Nanocrystalline iron ore particles were fabricated by a wet-milling process using an Ultra Apex Mill, after which they were used as raw materials of iron-based catalysts for low-temperature Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) below 280 degrees C, which usually requires catalysts with a high surface area, a large pore volume, and a small crystallite size. The wet-milling process using the Ultra Apex Mill effectively destroyed the initial crystallite structure of the natural iron ores of several tens to hundreds of nanometers in size, resulting in the generation of nanocrystalline iron ore particles with a high surface area and a large pore volume. The iron-ore-based catalysts prepared from the nanocrystalline iron ore particles effectively catalyzed the low-temperature FTS, displaying a high CO conversion (about 90%) and good C5+ hydrocarbon productivity (about 0.22 g/g(cat)(-h)). This demonstrates the feasibility of using the iron-ore-based catalysts as inexpensive and disposable catalysts for the low-temperature FTS.

  2. Ion Beam Processing of Diamond

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-05-07

    Diamond structure. We can make ohmic contacts to silicon . If we could tailor the structure from Si to Si. C,-, to diamond, we should be able to form a low...func- ricr injection. Refractory metals such as tantalum. tung- tion of contact spacing. Extrapolation of the data to zero sten , or titanium have also...layer of the diamond could be miade n-type gallium nitride. and silicon carbide.- Mater. Sci. Fng.. vol. 91, pp.77-104.1(998. with a five to six orders

  3. Conversion of fullerenes to diamond

    DOEpatents

    Gruen, Dieter M.

    1994-01-01

    A method of forming synthetic hydrogen defect free diamond or diamond like films on a substrate. The method involves providing vapor containing fullerene molecules with or without an inert gas, providing a device to impart energy to the fullerene molecules, fragmenting at least in part some of the fullerene molecules in the vapor or energizing the molecules to incipient fragmentation, ionizing the fullerene molecules, impinging ionized fullerene molecules on the substrate to assist in causing fullerene fragmentation to obtain a thickness of diamond on the substrate.

  4. Nanocrystalline copper films are never flat.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xiaopu; Han, Jian; Plombon, John J; Sutton, Adrian P; Srolovitz, David J; Boland, John J

    2017-07-28

    We used scanning tunneling microscopy to study low-angle grain boundaries at the surface of nearly planar copper nanocrystalline (111) films. The presence of grain boundaries and their emergence at the film surface create valleys composed of dissociated edge dislocations and ridges where partial dislocations have recombined. Geometric analysis and simulations indicated that valleys and ridges were created by an out-of-plane grain rotation driven by reduction of grain boundary energy. These results suggest that in general, it is impossible to form flat two-dimensional nanocrystalline films of copper and other metals exhibiting small stacking fault energies and/or large elastic anisotropy, which induce a large anisotropy in the dislocation-line energy. Copyright © 2017 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

  5. Hot pressing of nanocrystalline tantalum using high frequency induction heating and pulse plasma sintering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jakubowicz, J.; Adamek, G.; Sopata, M.; Koper, J. K.; Siwak, P.

    2017-12-01

    The paper presents the results of nanocrystalline powder tantalum consolidation using hot pressing. The authors used two different heating techniques during hot pressing: high-frequency induction heating (HFIH) and pulse plasma sintering (PPS). A comparison of the structure, microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the bulk nanocrystalline tantalum obtained in both techniques was performed. The nanocrystalline powder was made to start from the microcrystalline one using the high-energy ball milling process. The nanocrystalline powder was hot-pressed at 1000 °C, whereas, for comparison, the microcrystalline powder was hot pressed up to 1500 °C for proper consolidation. The authors found that during hot pressing, the powder partially reacts with the graphite die covered by boron nitride, which facilitated punches and powder displacement in the die during densification. Tantalum carbide and boride in the nanocrystalline material was found, which can improve the mechanical properties. The hardness of the HFIH and PPS nanocrystalline tantalum was as high as 625 and 615 HV, respectively. The microstructure was more uniform in the PPS nanomaterial. The corrosion resistance in both cases deteriorated, in comparison to the microcrystalline material, while the PPS material corrosion resistance was slightly better than that of the HFIH one.

  6. Study on the Effect of Diamond Grain Size on Wear of Polycrystalline Diamond Compact Cutter

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abdul-Rani, A. M.; Che Sidid, Adib Akmal Bin; Adzis, Azri Hamim Ab

    2018-03-01

    Drilling operation is one of the most crucial step in oil and gas industry as it proves the availability of oil and gas under the ground. Polycrystalline Diamond Compact (PDC) bit is a type of bit which is gaining popularity due to its high Rate of Penetration (ROP). However, PDC bit can easily wear off especially when drilling hard rock. The purpose of this study is to identify the relationship between the grain sizes of the diamond and wear rate of the PDC cutter using simulation-based study with FEA software (ABAQUS). The wear rates of a PDC cutter with a different diamond grain sizes were calculated from simulated cuttings of cutters against granite. The result of this study shows that the smaller the diamond grain size, the higher the wear resistivity of PDC cutter.

  7. "Fullerene-like" Raman bands in UHP metamorphic diamonds: Metastable intermediate phases for diamond formation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harada, Y.; Igarashi, M.; Hashiguchi, Y.; Ogasawara, Y.

    2011-12-01

    Mysterious Raman bands at 1430-1480 cm-1 suggesting carbon (or carbon-bearing) species have been discovered in UHP metamorphic microdiamonds entirely enclosed in dolomite marble from Kokchetav Massif (Igarashi et al., 2011). Such Raman bands first discovered at some domains in a T-type (see Ishida et al., 2003) diamond in dolomite marble in 2005, but we have not reported this because of the possibility of misidentification by contamination. Later, similar bands were also found in the rim and the core of S-type and R-type. The relative intensities of these Raman bands to diamond (at 1332 cm-1) were 10-40 % in average (max. 90-110 %) and FWHMs are broad (25-45 cm-1). The possibility of the appearance of these Raman bands was low. As we used ordinary polished thin sections (thickness: 25 μm) and the organic materials used in thin section making have Raman bands at ca. 1450 cm-1, we carefully examined observed Raman spectra and the positions of the source materials of these bands to exclude the possibility of contaminations. Examined microdiamond grains are entirely enclosed in the host garnet, and no crack was observed in the host. We conducted 2D Raman mappings at different depths with 2 μm intervals. The result showed that the domains having these Raman bands were located within diamond grains and limited area (1-3 μm). These bands were never detected from outside diamond grains (e.g., host garnet). Thus, the unknown Raman bands at 1430-1480 cm-1 were attributed to some materials inside microdiamonds entirely included in the host garnet. The possibility of contamination was denied. Recently, we found similar Raman bands in the microdiamonds in garnet in Grt-Bt gneiss. Examined microdiamonds are entirely enclosed in garnet grain and no extra phase observed near laser spots in these microdiamond grains under an optical microscope. The Raman bands at 1430-1480 cm-1 were found from 4 microdiamond grains. The peak positions and FWHMs of these bands were as follows: (a

  8. Microstructures and mechanical properties of nanocrystalline NiTi intermetallics formed by mechanosynthesis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arunkumar, S.; Kumaravel, P.; Velmurugan, C.; Senthilkumar, V.

    2018-01-01

    The formulation of nanocrystalline NiTi shape memory alloys has potential effects in mechanical stimulation and medical implantology. The present work elucidates the effect of milling time on the product's structural characteristics, chemical composition, and microhardness for NiTi synthesized by mechanical alloying for different milling durations. Increasing the milling duration led to the formation of a nanocrystalline NiTi intermetallic at a higher level. The formation of nanocrystalline materials was directed through cold fusion, fracturing, and the development of a steady state, which were influenced by the accumulation of strain energy. In the morphological study, uninterrupted cold diffusion and fracturing were visualized using transmission electron microscopy. Particle size analysis revealed that the mean particle size was reduced to 93 μm after 20 h of milling. The mechanical strength was enhanced by the formation of a nanocrystalline intermetallic phase at longer milling time, which was confirmed by the results of Vickers hardness analyses.

  9. Detection and analysis of diamond fingerprinting feature and its application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Xin; Huang, Guoliang; Li, Qiang; Chen, Shengyi

    2011-01-01

    Before becoming a jewelry diamonds need to be carved artistically with some special geometric features as the structure of the polyhedron. There are subtle differences in the structure of this polyhedron in each diamond. With the spatial frequency spectrum analysis of diamond surface structure, we can obtain the diamond fingerprint information which represents the "Diamond ID" and has good specificity. Based on the optical Fourier Transform spatial spectrum analysis, the fingerprinting identification of surface structure of diamond in spatial frequency domain was studied in this paper. We constructed both the completely coherent diamond fingerprinting detection system illuminated by laser and the partially coherent diamond fingerprinting detection system illuminated by led, and analyzed the effect of the coherence of light source to the diamond fingerprinting feature. We studied rotation invariance and translation invariance of the diamond fingerprinting and verified the feasibility of real-time and accurate identification of diamond fingerprint. With the profit of this work, we can provide customs, jewelers and consumers with a real-time and reliable diamonds identification instrument, which will curb diamond smuggling, theft and other crimes, and ensure the healthy development of the diamond industry.

  10. Polymer blend of PLA/PHBV based bionanocomposites reinforced with nanocrystalline cellulose for potential application as packaging material.

    PubMed

    Dasan, Y K; Bhat, A H; Ahmad, Faiz

    2017-02-10

    The current research discusses the development of poly (lactic acid) (PLA) and poly-(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) reinforced nanocrystalline cellulose bionanocomposites. The nanocrystalline cellulose was derived from waste oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber by acid hydrolysis process. The resulting nanocrystalline cellulose suspension was then surface functionalized by TEMPO-mediated oxidation and solvent exchange process. Furthermore, the PLA/PHBV/nanocrystalline cellulose bionanocomposites were produced by solvent casting method. The effect of the addition of nanocrystalline cellulose on structural, morphology, mechanical and barrier properties of bionanocomposites was investigated. The results revealed that the developed bionanocomposites showed improved mechanical properties and decrease in oxygen permeability rate. Therefore, the developed bio-based composite incorporated with an optimal composition of nanocrystalline cellulose exhibits properties as compared to the polymer blend. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Vertically aligned nanowires from boron-doped diamond.

    PubMed

    Yang, Nianjun; Uetsuka, Hiroshi; Osawa, Eiji; Nebel, Christoph E

    2008-11-01

    Vertically aligned diamond nanowires with controlled geometrical properties like length and distance between wires were fabricated by use of nanodiamond particles as a hard mask and by use of reactive ion etching. The surface structure, electronic properties, and electrochemical functionalization of diamond nanowires were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) as well as electrochemical techniques. AFM and STM experiments show that diamond nanowire etched for 10 s have wire-typed structures with 3-10 nm in length and with typically 11 nm spacing in between. The electrode active area of diamond nanowires is enhanced by a factor of 2. The functionalization of nanowire tips with nitrophenyl molecules is characterized by STM on clean and on nitrophenyl molecule-modified diamond nanowires. Tip-modified diamond nanowires are promising with respect to biosensor applications where controlled biomolecule bonding is required to improve chemical stability and sensing significantly.

  12. Mineral resource of the month: diamond

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Olson, Donald W.

    2009-01-01

    The article presents information on diamond, which is regarded as the world's most popular gemstone. It states that there is strength in the covalent bonding between its carbon atoms, resulting to the strength of its physical properties. The presence of colors in diamonds may be attributed to the impurities that settle in the crystal lattice. Diamonds have been used as decorative items since the ancient era.

  13. Framework Stability of Nanocrystalline NaY in Aqueous Solution at Varying pH

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

    Petushkov, Anton; Freeman, Jasmine; Larsen, Sarah C.

    Nanocrystalline zeolites (with crystal sizes of less than 50 nm) are versatile, porous nanomaterials with potential applications in a broad range of areas including bifunctional catalysis, drug delivery, environmental protection, and sensing, to name a few. The characterization of the properties of nanocrystalline zeolites on a fundamental level is critical to the realization of these innovative applications. Nanocrystalline zeolites have unique surface chemistry that is distinct from conventional microcrystalline zeolite materials and that will result in novel applications. In the proposed work, magnetic resonance techniques (solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)) will be used tomore » elucidate the structure and reactivity of nanocrystalline zeolites and to motivate bifunctional applications. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations will enhance data interpretation through chemical shift, quadrupole coupling constant, g-value and hyperfine calculations.« less

  14. Electrodeposition of Nanocrystalline Cobalt Phosphorous Coatings as a Hard Chrome Alternative

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-11-01

    1 ASETSDefense 2014 Electrodeposition of Nanocrystalline Cobalt Phosphorous Coatings as a Hard Chrome Alternative Ruben A. Prado, CEF...COVERED 00-00-2014 to 00-00-2014 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Electrodeposition of Nanocrystalline Cobalt Phosphorous Coatings as a Hard Chrome Alternative...coatings as a Hard Chrome (EHC) electroplating alternative for DoD manufacturing and repair. – Fully define deposition parameters and properties

  15. Diamond- cBN alloy: A universal cutting material

    DOE PAGES

    Wang, Pei; He, Duanwei; Wang, Liping; ...

    2015-09-08

    Diamond and cubic boron nitride ( cBN) as conventional superhard materials have found widespread industrial applications, but both have inherent limitations. Diamond is not suitable for high-speed cutting of ferrous materials due to its poor chemical inertness, while cBN is only about half as hard as diamond. Because of their affinity in structural lattices and covalent bonding character, diamond and cBN could form alloys that can potentially fill the performance gap. However, the idea has never been demonstrated because samples obtained in the previous studies were too small to be tested for their practical performance. Here, we report the synthesismore » and characterization of transparent bulk diamond- cBN alloy compacts whose diameters (3 mm) are sufficiently large for them to be processed into cutting tools. The testing results show that the diamond- cBN alloy has superior chemical inertness over polycrystalline diamond and higher hardness than single crystal cBN. In conclusion, high-speed cutting tests on hardened steel and granite suggest that diamond- cBN alloy is indeed a universal cutting material.« less

  16. Diamond-cBN alloy: A universal cutting material

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

    Wang, Pei; High Pressure Science and Engineering Center and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154; He, Duanwei, E-mail: duanweihe@scu.edu.cn

    Diamond and cubic boron nitride (cBN) as conventional superhard materials have found widespread industrial applications, but both have inherent limitations. Diamond is not suitable for high-speed cutting of ferrous materials due to its poor chemical inertness, while cBN is only about half as hard as diamond. Because of their affinity in structural lattices and covalent bonding character, diamond and cBN could form alloys that can potentially fill the performance gap. However, the idea has never been demonstrated because samples obtained in the previous studies were too small to be tested for their practical performance. Here, we report the synthesis andmore » characterization of transparent bulk diamond-cBN alloy compacts whose diameters (3 mm) are sufficiently large for them to be processed into cutting tools. The testing results show that the diamond-cBN alloy has superior chemical inertness over polycrystalline diamond and higher hardness than single crystal cBN. High-speed cutting tests on hardened steel and granite suggest that diamond-cBN alloy is indeed a universal cutting material.« less

  17. Diamond- cBN alloy: A universal cutting material

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

    Wang, Pei; He, Duanwei; Wang, Liping

    Diamond and cubic boron nitride ( cBN) as conventional superhard materials have found widespread industrial applications, but both have inherent limitations. Diamond is not suitable for high-speed cutting of ferrous materials due to its poor chemical inertness, while cBN is only about half as hard as diamond. Because of their affinity in structural lattices and covalent bonding character, diamond and cBN could form alloys that can potentially fill the performance gap. However, the idea has never been demonstrated because samples obtained in the previous studies were too small to be tested for their practical performance. Here, we report the synthesismore » and characterization of transparent bulk diamond- cBN alloy compacts whose diameters (3 mm) are sufficiently large for them to be processed into cutting tools. The testing results show that the diamond- cBN alloy has superior chemical inertness over polycrystalline diamond and higher hardness than single crystal cBN. In conclusion, high-speed cutting tests on hardened steel and granite suggest that diamond- cBN alloy is indeed a universal cutting material.« less

  18. Bases of the Mantle-Carbonatite Conception of Diamond Genesis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Litvin, Yuriy; Spivak, Anna; Kuzyura, Anastasia

    2016-04-01

    In the mantle-carbonatite conception of diamond genesis, the results of physic-chemical experiments are coordinated with the data of analytic mineralogy of primary inclusions in natural diamonds. Generalization of the solutions of principal genetic problems constitutes the bases of the conception. The solutions are following: (1) it is grounded that diamond-parental melts of the upper mantle have peridotite/eclogite - carbonatite - carbon compositions, of the transition zone - (wadsleite↔ringwoodite) - majorite - stishovite - carbonatite - carbon compositions, and of the lower mantle - periclase/wustite - bridgmanite - Ca-perovskite -stishovite - carbonatite - carbon compositions; (2) a construction of generalized diagrams for the diamond-parental media, which reveal changeable compositions of the growth melts of diamonds and associated phases, their genetic relations to the mantle substance, and classification connections of the primary inclusions in natural diamonds; (3) experimental equilibrium phase diagrams of syngenesis of diamonds and primary inclusions, which characterize the nucleation and growth conditions of diamonds and a capture of paragenetic and xenogenetic minerals by the growing diamonds; (4) a determination of the phase diagrams of diamonds and inclusions syngenesis under the regime of fractional crystallization, which discover the regularities of ultrabasic-basic evolution and paragenesis transitions in the diamond-forming systems of the upper and lower mantle. The evidence of the physic-chemically united mode of diamond genesis at the mantle depths with different mineralogy is obtained. References. Litvin Yu.A. (2007). High-pressure mineralogy of diamond genesis. In: Advances in High-Pressure Mineralogy (edited by Eiji Ohtani), Geological Society of America Special paper 421, 83-103. Litvin Yu.A. (2012). Experimental study of physic-chemical conditions of natural diamond formation on an example of the eclogite-carbonatite-sulphide-diamond

  19. Model for temperature-dependent magnetization of nanocrystalline materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bian, Q.; Niewczas, M.

    2015-01-01

    A magnetization model of nanocrystalline materials incorporating intragrain anisotropies, intergrain interactions, and texture effects has been extended to include the thermal fluctuations. The method relies on the stochastic Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert theory of magnetization dynamics and permits to study the magnetic properties of nanocrystalline materials at arbitrary temperature below the Currie temperature. The model has been used to determine the intergrain exchange constant and grain boundary anisotropy constant of nanocrystalline Ni at 100 K and 298 K. It is found that the thermal fluctuations suppress the strength of the intergrain exchange coupling and also reduce the grain boundary anisotropy. In comparison with its value at 2 K, the interparticle exchange constant decreases by 16% and 42% and the grain boundary anisotropy constant decreases by 28% and 40% at 100 K and 298 K, respectively. An application of the model to study the grain size-dependent magnetization indicates that when the thermal activation energy is comparable to the free energy of grains, the decrease in the grain size leads to the decrease in the magnetic permeability and saturation magnetization. The mechanism by which the grain size influences the magnetic properties of nc-Ni is discussed.

  20. Nanostructured Diamond Device for Biomedical Applications.

    PubMed

    Fijalkowski, M; Karczemska, A; Lysko, J M; Zybala, R; KozaneckI, M; Filipczak, P; Ralchenko, V; Walock, M; Stanishevsky, A; Mitura, S

    2015-02-01

    Diamond is increasingly used in biomedical applications because of its unique properties such as the highest thermal conductivity, good optical properties, high electrical breakdown voltage as well as excellent biocompatibility and chemical resistance. Diamond has also been introduced as an excellent substrate to make the functional microchip structures for electrophoresis, which is the most popular separation technique for the determination of analytes. In this investigation, a diamond electrophoretic chip was manufactured by a replica method using a silicon mold. A polycrystalline 300 micron-thick diamond layer was grown by the microwave plasma-assisted CVD (MPCVD) technique onto a patterned silicon substrate followed by the removal of the substrate. The geometry of microstructure, chemical composition, thermal and optical properties of the resulting free-standing diamond electrophoretic microchip structure were examined by CLSM, SFE, UV-Vis, Raman, XRD and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, and by a modified laser flash method for thermal property measurements.

  1. Diamond-silicon carbide composite and method

    DOEpatents

    Zhao, Yusheng [Los Alamos, NM

    2011-06-14

    Uniformly dense, diamond-silicon carbide composites having high hardness, high fracture toughness, and high thermal stability are prepared by consolidating a powder mixture of diamond and amorphous silicon. A composite made at 5 GPa/1673K had a measured fracture toughness of 12 MPam.sup.1/2. By contrast, liquid infiltration of silicon into diamond powder at 5 GPa/1673K produces a composite with higher hardness but lower fracture toughness.

  2. Microhabitat use of the diamond darter

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Welsh, Stuart A.; Smith, Dustin M.; Taylor, Nate D.

    2013-01-01

    The only known extant population of the diamond darter (Crystallaria cincotta) exists in the lower 37 km of Elk River, WV, USA. Our understanding of diamond darter habitat use was previously limited, because few individuals have been observed during sampling with conventional gears. We quantified microhabitat use of diamond darters based on measurements of water depth, water velocity and per cent substrate composition. Using spotlights at night-time, we sampled 16 sites within the lower 133 km of Elk River and observed a total of 82 diamond darters at 10 of 11 sampling sites within the lower 37 km. Glides, located immediately upstream of riffles, were the primary habitats sampled for diamond darters, which included relatively shallow depths (<1 m), moderate-to-low water velocities (often < 0.5 m·s−1) and a smooth water surface. Microhabitat use (mean ± SE) of diamond darters was estimated for depth (0.47 ± 0.02 m), average velocity (0.27 ± 0.01 m·s−1) and bottom velocity (0.15 ± 0.01 m·s−1). Substrate used (mean ± SE) by diamond darters was predominantly sand intermixed with lesser amounts of gravel and cobble: % sand (52.1 ± 1.6), % small gravel (12.2 ± 0.78), % large gravel (14.2 ± 0.83), % cobble (19.8 ± 0.96) and % boulder (1.6 ± 0.36). Based on our microhabitat use data, conservation and management efforts for this species should consider preserving glide habitats within Elk River. Spotlighting, a successful sampling method for diamond darters, should be considered for study designs of population estimation and long-term monitoring.

  3. Genesis of diamond inclusions: An integrated cathodoluminescence (CL) and Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) study on eclogitic and peridotitic inclusions and their diamond host.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    van den Heuvel, Quint; Matveev, Sergei; Drury, Martyn; Gress, Michael; Chinn, Ingrid; Davies, Gareth

    2017-04-01

    Diamond inclusions are potentially fundamental to understanding the formation conditions of diamond and the volatile cycles in the deep mantle. In order to fully understand the implications of the compositional information recorded by inclusions it is vital to know whether the inclusions are proto-, syn-, or epigenetic and the extent to which they have equilibrated with diamond forming fluids. In previous studies, the widespread assumption was made that the majority of diamond inclusions are syngenetic, based upon observation of cubo-octahedral morphology imposed on the inclusions. Recent work has reported the crystallographic relationship between inclusions and the host diamond to be highly complex and the lack of crystallographic relationships between inclusions and diamonds has led some to question the significance of imposed cubo-octahedral morphology. This study presents an integrated EBSD and CL study of 9 diamonds containing 20 pyropes, 2 diopsides, 1 forsterite and 1 rutile from the Jwaneng and Letlhakane kimberlite clusters, Botswana. A new method was developed to analyze the crystallographic orientation of the host diamond and the inclusions with EBSD. Diamonds plates were sequentially polished to expose inclusions at different levels in the diamond. CL imaging at different depths was performed in order to produce a 3D view of diamond growth zones around the inclusions. Standard diamond polishing techniques proved too aggressive for silicate inclusions as they were damaged to such a degree that EBSD measurements on the inclusions were impossible. The inclusions were milled with a Ga+ focused ion beam (FIB) at a 12° angle to clean the surface for EBSD measurements. Of the 24 inclusions, 9 have an imposed cubo-octahedral morphology. Of these inclusions, 6 have faces orientated parallel to diamond growth zones and/or appear to have nucleated on a diamond growth surface, implying syngenesis. In contrast, other diamonds record resorption events such that

  4. Orientation relationship between diamond and magnesiochromite inclusions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alvaro, Matteo; Angel, Ross; Nimis, Paolo; Milani, Sula; Harris, Jeff; Nestola, Fabrizio

    2017-04-01

    The correct determination of the relative crystallographic orientations of single crystals has many applications. When single crystals undergo phase transitions, especially at high pressures, the relative orientations of the two phases yields insights into transition mechanisms (Dobson et al 2013). On the other hand, determination of the crystallographic orientations of minerals included in diamonds can provide insights into the mechanisms of their entrapment and the timing of their formation relative to the host diamond (e.g. Nestola et al. 2014, Milani et al. 2016). The reported occurrence of non-trivial orientations for some minerals in diamonds, suggesting an epitaxial relationship, has long been considered to reflect contemporaneous growth of the diamond and the inclusion (e.g. syngenesis). Correct interpretation of such orientations requires (i) a statistically significant crystallographic data set for single and multiple inclusions in a large number of diamonds, and (ii) a robust data-processing method, capable of removing ambiguities derived from the high symmetry of the diamond and the inclusion. We have developed a software to perform such processing (OrientXplot, Angel et al. 2015), starting from crystallographic orientation matrixes obtained by X-ray diffractometry or EBSD data. Previous studies of inclusions in lithospheric diamonds, by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and EBSD, indicate a wide variety in the orientations of different inclusion phases with respect to their diamond host (Futergendler & Frank-Kamenetsky 1961; Frank-Kamenetsky 1964; Wiggers de Vries et al. 2011; Nestola et al. 2014, Milani et al. 2016). For example, olivine inclusions in lithospheric diamonds from Udachnaya do not show any preferred orientations with respect to their diamond hosts, but multiple inclusions in a single diamond often show very similar orientations within few degrees. In the present work on magnesiochromite inclusions in diamonds from Udachnaya, there is a

  5. Regional patterns in the paragenesis and age of inclusions in diamond, diamond composition, and the lithospheric seismic structure of Southern Africa

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shirey, Steven B.; Harris, Jeffrey W.; Richardson, Stephen H.; Fouch, Matthew; James, David E.; Cartigny, Pierre; Deines, Peter; Viljoen, Fanus

    2003-12-01

    The Archean lithospheric mantle beneath the Kaapvaal-Zimbabwe craton of Southern Africa shows ±1% variations in seismic P-wave velocity at depths within the diamond stability field (150-250 km) that correlate regionally with differences in the composition of diamonds and their syngenetic inclusions. Seismically slower mantle trends from the mantle below Swaziland to that below southeastern Botswana, roughly following the surface outcrop pattern of the Bushveld-Molopo Farms Complex. Seismically slower mantle also is evident under the southwestern side of the Zimbabwe craton below crust metamorphosed around 2 Ga. Individual eclogitic sulfide inclusions in diamonds from the Kimberley area kimberlites, Koffiefontein, Orapa, and Jwaneng have Re-Os isotopic ages that range from circa 2.9 Ga to the Proterozoic and show little correspondence with these lithospheric variations. However, silicate inclusions in diamonds and their host diamond compositions for the above kimberlites, Finsch, Jagersfontein, Roberts Victor, Premier, Venetia, and Letlhakane do show some regional relationship to the seismic velocity of the lithosphere. Mantle lithosphere with slower P-wave velocity correlates with a greater proportion of eclogitic versus peridotitic silicate inclusions in diamond, a greater incidence of younger Sm-Nd ages of silicate inclusions, a greater proportion of diamonds with lighter C isotopic composition, and a lower percentage of low-N diamonds whereas the converse is true for diamonds from higher velocity mantle. The oldest formation ages of diamonds indicate that the mantle keels which became continental nuclei were created by middle Archean (3.2-3.3 Ga) mantle depletion events with high degrees of melting and early harzburgite formation. The predominance of sulfide inclusions that are eclogitic in the 2.9 Ga age population links late Archean (2.9 Ga) subduction-accretion events involving an oceanic lithosphere component to craton stabilization. These events resulted

  6. Multifunctionality of nanocrystalline lanthanum ferrite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rai, Atma; Thakur, Awalendra K.

    2016-05-01

    Nanocrystalline lanthanum ferrite has been synthesized by adopting modified Pechini route. No evidence of impurity or secondary phase has been detected up to the detection of error limit of X-ray diffractometer (XRD). Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction pattern reveals orthorhombic crystal system with space group Pnma (62).Crystallite size and lattice strain was found to be ˜42.8nm and 0.306% respectively. Optical band gap was found to be 2.109 eV, by UV-Visible diffused reflectance spectrum (DRS). Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) surface area was found to be ˜3.45 m2/g. Magnetization-hysteresis (M-H) loop was recorded at room temperature (300K) reveals weak ferromagnetism in Nanocrystalline lanthanum ferrite. The weak ferromagnetism in lanthanum ferrite is due to the uncompensated antiferromagnetic spin ordering. Ferroelectric loop hysteresis observed at room temperature at 100Hz depicts the presence of ferroelectric ordering in LaFeO3.Simultanious presence of magnetic and ferroelectric ordering at room temperature makes it suitable candidate of Multiferroic family.

  7. Multifunctionality of nanocrystalline lanthanum ferrite

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

    Rai, Atma, E-mail: atma@iitp.ac.in; Thakur, Awalendra K.; Centre for Energy and Environment, Indian Institute of Technology Patna 800013 India

    2016-05-06

    Nanocrystalline lanthanum ferrite has been synthesized by adopting modified Pechini route. No evidence of impurity or secondary phase has been detected up to the detection of error limit of X-ray diffractometer (XRD). Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction pattern reveals orthorhombic crystal system with space group Pnma (62).Crystallite size and lattice strain was found to be ∼42.8nm and 0.306% respectively. Optical band gap was found to be 2.109 eV, by UV-Visible diffused reflectance spectrum (DRS). Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) surface area was found to be ∼3.45 m{sup 2}/g. Magnetization-hysteresis (M-H) loop was recorded at room temperature (300K) reveals weak ferromagnetism in Nanocrystalline lanthanummore » ferrite. The weak ferromagnetism in lanthanum ferrite is due to the uncompensated antiferromagnetic spin ordering. Ferroelectric loop hysteresis observed at room temperature at 100Hz depicts the presence of ferroelectric ordering in LaFeO{sub 3}.Simultanious presence of magnetic and ferroelectric ordering at room temperature makes it suitable candidate of Multiferroic family.« less

  8. 21 CFR 872.4535 - Dental diamond instrument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Dental diamond instrument. 872.4535 Section 872...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Surgical Devices § 872.4535 Dental diamond instrument. (a) Identification. A dental diamond instrument is an abrasive device intended to smooth tooth surfaces during the...

  9. 21 CFR 872.4535 - Dental diamond instrument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Dental diamond instrument. 872.4535 Section 872...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Surgical Devices § 872.4535 Dental diamond instrument. (a) Identification. A dental diamond instrument is an abrasive device intended to smooth tooth surfaces during the...

  10. 21 CFR 872.4535 - Dental diamond instrument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Dental diamond instrument. 872.4535 Section 872...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Surgical Devices § 872.4535 Dental diamond instrument. (a) Identification. A dental diamond instrument is an abrasive device intended to smooth tooth surfaces during the...

  11. 21 CFR 872.4535 - Dental diamond instrument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Dental diamond instrument. 872.4535 Section 872...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Surgical Devices § 872.4535 Dental diamond instrument. (a) Identification. A dental diamond instrument is an abrasive device intended to smooth tooth surfaces during the...

  12. 21 CFR 872.4535 - Dental diamond instrument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Dental diamond instrument. 872.4535 Section 872...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Surgical Devices § 872.4535 Dental diamond instrument. (a) Identification. A dental diamond instrument is an abrasive device intended to smooth tooth surfaces during the...

  13. Physical and Tribological Characteristics of Ion-Implanted Diamond Films

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Miyoshi, K.; Heidger, S.; Korenyi-Both, A. L.; Jayne, D. T.; Herrera-Fierro, P.; Shogrin, B.; Wilbur, P. J.; Wu, R. L. C.; Garscadden, A.; Barnes, P. N.

    1994-01-01

    Unidirectional sliding friction experiments were conducted with a natural, polished diamond pin in contact with both as-deposited and carbon-ion-implanted diamond films in ultrahigh vacuum. Diamond films were deposited on silicon, silicon carbide, and silicon nitride by microwave-plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition. The as-deposited diamond films were impacted with carbon ions at an accelerating energy of 60 keV and a current density of 50 micron A/cm(exp 2) for approximately 6 min, resulting in a dose of 1.2 x 10(exp 17) carbon ions/cm(exp 2). The results indicate that the carbon ion implantation produced a thin surface layer of amorphous, nondiamond carbon. The nondiamond carbon greatly decreased both friction and wear of the diamond films. The coefficients of friction for the carbon-ion-implanted, fine-grain diamond films were less than 0.1, factors of 20 to 30 lower than those for the as-deposited, fine-grain diamond films. The coefficients of friction for the carbon-ion-implanted, coarse-grain diamond films were approximately 0.35, a factor of five lower than those for the as-deposited, coarse-grain diamond films. The wear rates for the carbon-ion-implanted, diamond films were on the order of 10(exp -6) mm(exp 3)/Nm, factors of 30 to 80 lower than that for the as-deposited diamond films, regardless of grain size. The friction of the carbon-ion-implanted diamond films was greatly reduced because the amorphous, nondiamond carbon, which had a low shear strength, was restricted to the surface layers (less than 0.1 micron thick) and because the underlying diamond materials retained their high hardness. In conclusion, the carbon-ion-implanted, fine-grain diamond films can be used effectively as wear resistant, self-lubricating coatings for ceramics, such as silicon nitride and silicon carbide, in ultrahigh vacuum.

  14. Heteroepitaxial Diamond Growth

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-01-12

    Si(1 11) = CH2F + H-Si(l 11) 12 20 3 These results and similar results for gas phase reactions involving CHxF4_x species with SilH3 suggest a modified...absent in the signal from diamond.7,8 Glassy carbon also exhibits spectral characteristics similar to those of graphite. 7 The diamond substrate laser...PECVD on Si(100) using an acetic acid/water/methanol mixture at 0.5 Torr and 350 C, similar to results described elsewhere 3. For comparison, a

  15. Diamond based adsorbents and their application in chromatography.

    PubMed

    Peristyy, Anton A; Fedyanina, Olga N; Paull, Brett; Nesterenko, Pavel N

    2014-08-29

    The idea of using diamond and diamond containing materials in separation sciences has attracted a strong interest in the past decade. The combination of a unique range of properties, such as chemical inertness, mechanical, thermal and hydrolytic stability, excellent thermal conductivity with minimal thermal expansion and intriguing adsorption properties makes diamond a promising material for use in various modes of chromatography. This review summarises the recent research on the preparation of diamond and diamond based stationary phases, their properties and chromatographic performance. Special attention is devoted to the dominant retention mechanisms evident for particular diamond containing phases, and their subsequent applicability to various modes of chromatography, including chromatography carried out under conditions of high temperature and pressure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. 9 CFR 311.6 - Diamond-skin disease.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Diamond-skin disease. 311.6 Section... CERTIFICATION DISPOSAL OF DISEASED OR OTHERWISE ADULTERATED CARCASSES AND PARTS § 311.6 Diamond-skin disease. Carcasses of hogs affected with diamond-skin disease when localized and not associated with systemic change...

  17. 9 CFR 311.6 - Diamond-skin disease.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Diamond-skin disease. 311.6 Section... CERTIFICATION DISPOSAL OF DISEASED OR OTHERWISE ADULTERATED CARCASSES AND PARTS § 311.6 Diamond-skin disease. Carcasses of hogs affected with diamond-skin disease when localized and not associated with systemic change...

  18. 9 CFR 311.6 - Diamond-skin disease.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Diamond-skin disease. 311.6 Section... CERTIFICATION DISPOSAL OF DISEASED OR OTHERWISE ADULTERATED CARCASSES AND PARTS § 311.6 Diamond-skin disease. Carcasses of hogs affected with diamond-skin disease when localized and not associated with systemic change...

  19. 9 CFR 311.6 - Diamond-skin disease.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Diamond-skin disease. 311.6 Section... CERTIFICATION DISPOSAL OF DISEASED OR OTHERWISE ADULTERATED CARCASSES AND PARTS § 311.6 Diamond-skin disease. Carcasses of hogs affected with diamond-skin disease when localized and not associated with systemic change...

  20. 9 CFR 311.6 - Diamond-skin disease.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Diamond-skin disease. 311.6 Section... CERTIFICATION DISPOSAL OF DISEASED OR OTHERWISE ADULTERATED CARCASSES AND PARTS § 311.6 Diamond-skin disease. Carcasses of hogs affected with diamond-skin disease when localized and not associated with systemic change...

  1. 27 CFR 9.166 - Diamond Mountain District.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Diamond Mountain District... Diamond Mountain District. (a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this section is “Diamond Mountain District.” (b) Approved map. The appropriate maps for determining the boundary of the...

  2. 27 CFR 9.166 - Diamond Mountain District.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Diamond Mountain District... Diamond Mountain District. (a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this section is “Diamond Mountain District.” (b) Approved map. The appropriate maps for determining the boundary of the...

  3. 27 CFR 9.166 - Diamond Mountain District.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Diamond Mountain District... Diamond Mountain District. (a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this section is “Diamond Mountain District.” (b) Approved map. The appropriate maps for determining the boundary of the...

  4. Organophosphonate biofunctionalization of diamond electrodes.

    PubMed

    Caterino, R; Csiki, R; Wiesinger, M; Sachsenhauser, M; Stutzmann, M; Garrido, J A; Cattani-Scholz, A; Speranza, Giorgio; Janssens, S D; Haenen, K

    2014-08-27

    The modification of the diamond surface with organic molecules is a crucial aspect to be considered for any bioapplication of this material. There is great interest in broadening the range of linker molecules that can be covalently bound to the diamond surface. In the case of protein immobilization, the hydropathicity of the surface has a major influence on the protein conformation and, thus, on the functionality of proteins immobilized at surfaces. For electrochemical applications, particular attention has to be devoted to avoid that the charge transfer between the electrode and the redox center embedded in the protein is hindered by a thick insulating linker layer. This paper reports on the grafting of 6-phosphonohexanoic acid on OH-terminated diamond surfaces, serving as linkers to tether electroactive proteins onto diamond surfaces. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirms the formation of a stable layer on the surface. The charge transfer between electroactive molecules and the substrate is studied by electrochemical characterization of the redox activity of aminomethylferrocene and cytochrome c covalently bound to the substrate through this linker. Our work demonstrates that OH-terminated diamond functionalized with 6-phosphonohexanoic acid is a suitable platform to interface redox-proteins, which are fundamental building blocks for many bioelectronics applications.

  5. Diamond MEMS: wafer scale processing, devices, and technology insertion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carlisle, J. A.

    2009-05-01

    Diamond has long held the promise of revolutionary new devices: impervious chemical barriers, smooth and reliable microscopic machines, and tough mechanical tools. Yet it's been an outsider. Laboratories have been effectively growing diamond crystals for at least 25 years, but the jump to market viability has always been blocked by the expense of diamond production and inability to integrate with other materials. Advances in chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes have given rise to a hierarchy of carbon films ranging from diamond-like carbon (DLC) to vapor-deposited diamond coatings, however. All have pros and cons based on structure and cost, but they all share some of diamond's heralded attributes. The best performer, in theory, is the purest form of diamond film possible, one absent of graphitic phases. Such a material would capture the extreme hardness, high Young's modulus and chemical inertness of natural diamond. Advanced Diamond Technologies Inc., Romeoville, Ill., is the first company to develop a distinct chemical process to create a marketable phase-pure diamond film. The material, called UNCD® (for ultrananocrystalline diamond), features grain sizes from 3 to 300 nm in size, and layers just 1 to 2 microns thick. With significant advantages over other thin films, UNCD is designed to be inexpensive enough for use in atomic force microscopy (AFM) probes, microelectromechanical machines (MEMS), cell phone circuitry, radio frequency devices, and even biosensors.

  6. Status and Applications of Diamond and Diamond-Like Materials: An Emerging Technology

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-04-30

    solar -blind detectors. * Modulated structures incorporating layers of BN and diamond, for example, to develop materials that are harder and/or tougher...hundredfold increase in power capability over silicon transistors. e Solar -blind detectors, which take advantage of the large energy gap (greater than...Some success has already been achieved, for example, in applying diamond-like coatings to ZnS and ZnSe windows using a Ge-C intermediate layer . " Anti

  7. Influence of voids distribution on the deformation behavior of nanocrystalline palladium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bachurin, D. V.

    2018-07-01

    Uniaxial deformation of three-dimensional nanocrystalline palladium containing porosity in the form of voids was investigated by means of molecular dynamics method. Simulations were performed at temperature of 300 K and at a constant strain rate of 108s-1. Two cases of voids distribution were considered: random and at triple or quadrupole junctions. It has been revealed that both the voids distribution and subsequent annealing at elevated temperature influence the deformation behavior of nanocrystalline palladium. In particular, the presence of voids at grain junctions results in a reduction of the Young's modulus and more pronounced softening effect during plastic deformation. The subsequent annealing evokes shrinkage of voids and strengthening effect. Contribution of grain boundary accommodation processes into both elastic and plastic deformation of nanocrystalline materials is discussed.

  8. Electrode characteristics of nanocrystalline (Zr, Ti)(V, Cr, Ni) 2.41 compound

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Majchrzycki, W.; Jurczyk, M.

    The electrochemical properties of nanocrystalline Zr 0.35Ti 0.65V 0.85Cr 0.26Ni 1.30 alloy, which has the hexagonal C14 type structure, have been investigated. This material has been prepared using mechanical alloying (MA) followed by annealing. The amorphous phase forms directly from the starting mixture of the elements, without other phase formation. Heating the MA samples at 1070 K for 0.5 h resulted in the creation of ordered alloy. This alloy was used as negative electrode for Ni-MH x battery. The electrochemical results show very little difference between the nanocrystalline and polycrystalline powders, as compared with the substantial difference between these and the amorphous powder. In the annealed nanocrystalline Zr 0.35Ti 0.65V 0.85Cr 0.26Ni 1.30 powders discharging capacities up to 150 mA h g -1 (at 160 mA g -1 discharging current) have been measured. The properties of nanocrystalline electrode were attributed to the structural characteristics of the compound caused by mechanical alloying.

  9. Isotopic Characterization of Diamond Growth in Fluids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bureau, Hélène; Remusat, Laurent; Esteve, Imène; Pinti, Daniele; Cartigny, Pierre

    2017-04-01

    Trapping inclusions in diamonds has been used as a diagnostic to constrain diamond growth media (e.g. Navon et al., 1994; Weiss et al., 2015) in the Earth's upper mantle. Experimental works now generate inclusion-bearing diamonds from seeds in mixtures of carbonates, graphite, and silicates in the presence of excess of pure water or saline fluids (H2O-NaCl) and investigate in more details the conditions of natural diamond growth (Bureau et al., 2012; 2016). Experiments were carried at conditions compatible with the Earth's geotherm between 6-7 GPa (1300-1675°C) in multi-anvil presses at the Bayerisches Geoinstitut, Bayreuth from a few hours two a few days. Results show that within the timescale of the experiments diamond growth occurs on seeds if water and alkali-bearing carbonates are present. We show that water promotes fast diamond growth, which is favorable to the formation of inclusions. Thin sections of a few diamond seeds containing exposed inclusions were prepared using a Focus Ion Beam (about 2 to 5 µm thickness). These sections were deposited on silicon wafers and gold coated for micron-scale determination of the delta 13C isotopic compositions using the NanoSIMS 50 installed at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris. Carbon isotope measurement with NanoSIMS were calibrated against a natural Ia and a synthetic IIa diamond used for diamond anvil cells, whose compositions were determined by gas-source mass spectrometry at IPGP at 3.6±0.1‰ and -20.9±0.1‰, respectively (Pinti et al., 2016). All the starting materials used for the experiments were also characterized for their delta 13C by the same technique at GEOTOP, Montréal. The isotopic composition of the new diamond grown areas were measured close to the inclusions. They exhibit a different isotopic signature than that of the starting seeds (starting diamond composition: -29.6 to -30.4±1.4‰). The new diamond signatures are falling into the range of signatures of the starting

  10. Defect studies of thin ZnO films prepared by pulsed laser deposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vlček, M.; Čížek, J.; Procházka, I.; Novotný, M.; Bulíř, J.; Lančok, J.; Anwand, W.; Brauer, G.; Mosnier, J.-P.

    2014-04-01

    Thin ZnO films were grown by pulsed laser deposition on four different substrates: sapphire (0 0 0 1), MgO (1 0 0), fused silica and nanocrystalline synthetic diamond. Defect studies by slow positron implantation spectroscopy (SPIS) revealed significantly higher concentration of defects in the studied films when compared to a bulk ZnO single crystal. The concentration of defects in the films deposited on single crystal sapphire and MgO substrates is higher than in the films deposited on amorphous fused silica substrate and nanocrystalline synthetic diamond. Furthermore, the effect of deposition temperature on film quality was investigated in ZnO films deposited on synthetic diamond substrates. Defect studies performed by SPIS revealed that the concentration of defects firstly decreases with increasing deposition temperature, but at too high deposition temperatures it increases again. The lowest concentration of defects was found in the film deposited at 450° C.

  11. Ion-beam-assisted etching of diamond

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Efremow, N. N.; Geis, M. W.; Flanders, D. C.; Lincoln, G. A.; Economou, N. P.

    1985-01-01

    The high thermal conductivity, low RF loss, and inertness of diamond make it useful in traveling wave tubes operating in excess of 500 GHz. Such use requires the controlled etching of type IIA diamond to produce grating like structures tens of micrometers deep. Previous work on reactive ion etching with O2 gave etching rates on the order of 20 nm/min and poor etch selectivity between the masking material (Ni or Cr) and the diamond. An alternative approach which uses a Xe(+) beam and a reactive gas flux of NO2 in an ion-beam-assisted etching system is reported. An etching rate of 200 nm/min was obtained with an etching rate ratio of 20 between the diamond and an aluminum mask.

  12. Single-Crystal Diamond Nanobeam Waveguide Optomechanics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khanaliloo, Behzad; Jayakumar, Harishankar; Hryciw, Aaron C.; Lake, David P.; Kaviani, Hamidreza; Barclay, Paul E.

    2015-10-01

    Single-crystal diamond optomechanical devices have the potential to enable fundamental studies and technologies coupling mechanical vibrations to both light and electronic quantum systems. Here, we demonstrate a single-crystal diamond optomechanical system and show that it allows excitation of diamond mechanical resonances into self-oscillations with amplitude >200 nm . The resulting internal stress field is predicted to allow driving of electron spin transitions of diamond nitrogen-vacancy centers. The mechanical resonances have a quality factor >7 ×105 and can be tuned via nonlinear frequency renormalization, while the optomechanical interface has a 150 nm bandwidth and 9.5 fm /√{Hz } sensitivity. In combination, these features make this system a promising platform for interfacing light, nanomechanics, and electron spins.

  13. Investigation of the shape transferability of nanoscale multi-tip diamond tools in the diamond turning of nanostructures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luo, Xichun; Tong, Zhen; Liang, Yingchun

    2014-12-01

    In this article, the shape transferability of using nanoscale multi-tip diamond tools in the diamond turning for scale-up manufacturing of nanostructures has been demonstrated. Atomistic multi-tip diamond tool models were built with different tool geometries in terms of the difference in the tip cross-sectional shape, tip angle, and the feature of tool tip configuration, to determine their effect on the applied forces and the machined nano-groove geometries. The quality of machined nanostructures was characterized by the thickness of the deformed layers and the dimensional accuracy achieved. Simulation results show that diamond turning using nanoscale multi-tip tools offers tremendous shape transferability in machining nanostructures. Both periodic and non-periodic nano-grooves with different cross-sectional shapes can be successfully fabricated using the multi-tip tools. A hypothesis of minimum designed ratio of tool tip distance to tip base width (L/Wf) of the nanoscale multi-tip diamond tool for the high precision machining of nanostructures was proposed based on the analytical study of the quality of the nanostructures fabricated using different types of the multi-tip tools. Nanometric cutting trials using nanoscale multi-tip diamond tools (different in L/Wf) fabricated by focused ion beam (FIB) were then conducted to verify the hypothesis. The investigations done in this work imply the potential of using the nanoscale multi-tip diamond tool for the deterministic fabrication of period and non-periodic nanostructures, which opens up the feasibility of using the process as a versatile manufacturing technique in nanotechnology.

  14. In situ Analysis of North American Diamond: Implications for Diamond Growth Modeling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schulze, D. J.; Van Rythoven, A. D.; Hauri, E.; Wang, J.

    2014-12-01

    Diamond crystals from three North American kimberlite occurrences were investigated with cathodoluminescence (CL) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) to determine their growth history, carbon isotope composition and nitrogen content. Samples analyzed include sixteen from Lynx (Quebec), twelve from Kelsey Lake (Colorado) and eighteen from A154 South (Diavik mine, Northwest Territories). Growth histories for the samples vary from simple to highly complex based on their CL images and depending on the individual stone. Deformation lamellae are evident in CL images of the Lynx crystals which typically are brownish in color. Two to five points per diamond were analyzed by SIMS for carbon isotope composition (δ13CPDB) and three to seven points for nitrogen content. The results for the A154 South (δ13CPDB = -6.76 to -1.68 ‰) and Kelsey Lake (δ13CPDB = -11.81 to -2.43 ‰) stones (mixed peridotitic and eclogitic suites) are similar to earlier reported values. The Lynx kimberlite stones have anomalously high carbon isotope ratios and range from -3.58 to +1.74 ‰. The Lynx diamond suite is almost entirely peridotitic. The unusually high (i.e. >-5‰) δ13C values of the Lynx diamonds, as well as those from Wawa, Ontario and Renard, Quebec, may indicate an anomalous carbon reservoir for the Superior cratonic mantle relative to other cratons. In addition to the heavier carbon isotope values, the Lynx samples have very low nitrogen contents (<100 ppm). Nitrogen contents for Kelsey Lake and Diavik samples are more typical and range to ~1100 ppm. Comparison of observed core to rim variations in nitrogen content and carbon isotopes with modeled Rayleigh fractionation trends for published diamond growth mechanisms allows for evaluation of carbon speciation and other parent fluid conditions. Observed trends that closely follow modeled data are rare, but appear to suggest diamond growth from carbonate-bearing fluids at Lynx and Diavik, and growth from a methane

  15. Nanocrystalline High-Entropy Alloys: A New Paradigm in High-Temperature Strength and Stability.

    PubMed

    Zou, Yu; Wheeler, Jeffrey M; Ma, Huan; Okle, Philipp; Spolenak, Ralph

    2017-03-08

    Metals with nanometer-scale grains or nanocrystalline metals exhibit high strengths at ambient conditions, yet their strengths substantially decrease with increasing temperature, rendering them unsuitable for usage at high temperatures. Here, we show that a nanocrystalline high-entropy alloy (HEA) retains an extraordinarily high yield strength over 5 GPa up to 600 °C, 1 order of magnitude higher than that of its coarse-grained form and 5 times higher than that of its single-crystalline equivalent. As a result, such nanostructured HEAs reveal strengthening figures of merit-normalized strength by the shear modulus above 1/50 and strength-to-density ratios above 0.4 MJ/kg, which are substantially higher than any previously reported values for nanocrystalline metals in the same homologous temperature range, as well as low strain-rate sensitivity of ∼0.005. Nanocrystalline HEAs with these properties represent a new class of nanomaterials for high-stress and high-temperature applications in aerospace, civilian infrastructure, and energy sectors.

  16. Surface Properties of a Nanocrystalline Fe-Ni-Nb-B Alloy After Neutron Irradiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pavùk, Milan; Sitek, Jozef; Sedlačková, Katarína

    2014-09-01

    The effect of neutron radiation on the surface properties of the nanocrystalline (Fe0.25Ni0.75)81Nb7B12 alloy was studied. Firstly, amorphous (Fe0.25Ni0.75)81Nb7B12 ribbon was brought by controlled annealing to the nanocrystalline state. After annealing, the samples of the nanocrystalline ribbon were irradiated in a nuclear reactor with neutron fluences of 1×1016cm-2 and 1 × 1017cm-2 . By utilizing the magnetic force microscopy (MFM), topography and a magnetic domain structure were recorded at the surface of the ribbon-shaped samples before and after irradiation with neutrons. The results indicate that in terms of surface the nanocrystalline (Fe0.25Ni0.75)81Nb7B12 alloy is radiation-resistant up to a neutron fluence of 1 × 1017cm-2 . The changes in topography observed for both irradiated samples are discussed

  17. Production of nanocrystalline metal powders via combustion reaction synthesis

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

    Frye, John G.; Weil, Kenneth Scott; Lavender, Curt A.

    Nanocrystalline metal powders comprising tungsten, molybdenum, rhenium and/or niobium can be synthesized using a combustion reaction. Methods for synthesizing the nanocrystalline metal powders are characterized by forming a combustion synthesis solution by dissolving in water an oxidizer, a fuel, and a base-soluble, ammonium precursor of tungsten, molybdenum, rhenium, or niobium in amounts that yield a stoichiometric burn when combusted. The combustion synthesis solution is then heated to a temperature sufficient to substantially remove water and to initiate a self-sustaining combustion reaction. The resulting powder can be subsequently reduced to metal form by heating in a reducing gas environment.

  18. Grain growth in nanocrystalline iron and Fe-Al alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mirzadeh, Hamed; Zomorodian, Amir

    2010-02-01

    The effects of the annealing temperature and time, cryomilling in liquid nitrogen, and the addition of aluminum powder on the thermal stability and grain growth behavior of nanocrystalline iron were modeled using the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) technique. The developed model can be used as a guide for the quantification of the grain growth by considering the effects of annealing temperature and time. The model also quantified the effect of Al on the thermal stability of cryomilled nanocrystalline Fe. The model results showed that the cryomilling of Fe has a tangible effect on the stabilization of the nanostructure.

  19. Investigation of laser ablation of CVD diamond film

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chao, Choung-Lii; Chou, W. C.; Ma, Kung-Jen; Chen, Ta-Tung; Liu, Y. M.; Kuo, Y. S.; Chen, Ying-Tung

    2005-04-01

    Diamond, having many advanced physical and mechanical properties, is one of the most important materials used in the mechanical, telecommunication and optoelectronic industry. However, high hardness value and extreme brittleness have made diamond extremely difficult to be machined by conventional mechanical grinding and polishing. In the present study, the microwave CVD method was employed to produce epitaxial diamond films on silicon single crystal. Laser ablation experiments were then conducted on the obtained diamond films. The underlying material removal mechanisms, microstructure of the machined surface and related machining conditions were also investigated. It was found that during the laser ablation, peaks of the diamond grains were removed mainly by the photo-thermal effects introduced by excimer laser. The diamond structures of the protruded diamond grains were transformed by the laser photonic energy into graphite, amorphous diamond and amorphous carbon which were removed by the subsequent laser shots. As the protruding peaks gradually removed from the surface the removal rate decreased. Surface roughness (Ra) was improved from above 1μm to around 0.1μm in few minutes time in this study. However, a scanning technique would be required if a large area was to be polished by laser and, as a consequence, it could be very time consuming.

  20. Single Crystal Diamond Needle as Point Electron Source.

    PubMed

    Kleshch, Victor I; Purcell, Stephen T; Obraztsov, Alexander N

    2016-10-12

    Diamond has been considered to be one of the most attractive materials for cold-cathode applications during past two decades. However, its real application is hampered by the necessity to provide appropriate amount and transport of electrons to emitter surface which is usually achieved by using nanometer size or highly defective crystallites having much lower physical characteristics than the ideal diamond. Here, for the first time the use of single crystal diamond emitter with high aspect ratio as a point electron source is reported. Single crystal diamond needles were obtained by selective oxidation of polycrystalline diamond films produced by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Field emission currents and total electron energy distributions were measured for individual diamond needles as functions of extraction voltage and temperature. The needles demonstrate current saturation phenomenon and sensitivity of emission to temperature. The analysis of the voltage drops measured via electron energy analyzer shows that the conduction is provided by the surface of the diamond needles and is governed by Poole-Frenkel transport mechanism with characteristic trap energy of 0.2-0.3 eV. The temperature-sensitive FE characteristics of the diamond needles are of great interest for production of the point electron beam sources and sensors for vacuum electronics.

  1. Single Crystal Diamond Needle as Point Electron Source

    PubMed Central

    Kleshch, Victor I.; Purcell, Stephen T.; Obraztsov, Alexander N.

    2016-01-01

    Diamond has been considered to be one of the most attractive materials for cold-cathode applications during past two decades. However, its real application is hampered by the necessity to provide appropriate amount and transport of electrons to emitter surface which is usually achieved by using nanometer size or highly defective crystallites having much lower physical characteristics than the ideal diamond. Here, for the first time the use of single crystal diamond emitter with high aspect ratio as a point electron source is reported. Single crystal diamond needles were obtained by selective oxidation of polycrystalline diamond films produced by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Field emission currents and total electron energy distributions were measured for individual diamond needles as functions of extraction voltage and temperature. The needles demonstrate current saturation phenomenon and sensitivity of emission to temperature. The analysis of the voltage drops measured via electron energy analyzer shows that the conduction is provided by the surface of the diamond needles and is governed by Poole-Frenkel transport mechanism with characteristic trap energy of 0.2–0.3 eV. The temperature-sensitive FE characteristics of the diamond needles are of great interest for production of the point electron beam sources and sensors for vacuum electronics. PMID:27731379

  2. Single Crystal Diamond Needle as Point Electron Source

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kleshch, Victor I.; Purcell, Stephen T.; Obraztsov, Alexander N.

    2016-10-01

    Diamond has been considered to be one of the most attractive materials for cold-cathode applications during past two decades. However, its real application is hampered by the necessity to provide appropriate amount and transport of electrons to emitter surface which is usually achieved by using nanometer size or highly defective crystallites having much lower physical characteristics than the ideal diamond. Here, for the first time the use of single crystal diamond emitter with high aspect ratio as a point electron source is reported. Single crystal diamond needles were obtained by selective oxidation of polycrystalline diamond films produced by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Field emission currents and total electron energy distributions were measured for individual diamond needles as functions of extraction voltage and temperature. The needles demonstrate current saturation phenomenon and sensitivity of emission to temperature. The analysis of the voltage drops measured via electron energy analyzer shows that the conduction is provided by the surface of the diamond needles and is governed by Poole-Frenkel transport mechanism with characteristic trap energy of 0.2-0.3 eV. The temperature-sensitive FE characteristics of the diamond needles are of great interest for production of the point electron beam sources and sensors for vacuum electronics.

  3. Ion-Implanted Diamond Films and Their Tribological Properties

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wu, Richard L. C.; Miyoshi, Kazuhisa; Korenyi-Both, Andras L.; Garscadden, Alan; Barnes, Paul N.

    1993-01-01

    This paper reports the physical characterization and tribological evaluation of ion-implanted diamond films. Diamond films were produced by microwave plasma, chemical vapor deposition technique. Diamond films with various grain sizes (0.3 and 3 microns) and roughness (9.1 and 92.1 nm r.m.s. respectively) were implanted with C(+) (m/e = 12) at an ion energy of 160 eV and a fluence of 6.72 x 10(exp 17) ions/sq cm. Unidirectional sliding friction experiments were conducted in ultrahigh vacuum (6.6 x 10(exp -7)Pa), dry nitrogen and humid air (40% RH) environments. The effects of C(+) ion bombardment on fine and coarse-grained diamond films are as follows: the surface morphology of the diamond films did not change; the surface roughness increased (16.3 and 135.3 nm r.m.s.); the diamond structures were damaged and formed a thin layer of amorphous non-diamond carbon; the friction coefficients dramatically decreased in the ultrahigh vacuum (0.1 and 0.4); the friction coefficients decreased slightly in the dry nitrogen and humid air environments.

  4. Twinning of cubic diamond explains reported nanodiamond polymorphs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Németh, Péter; Garvie, Laurence A. J.; Buseck, Peter R.

    2015-12-01

    The unusual physical properties and formation conditions attributed to h-, i-, m-, and n-nanodiamond polymorphs has resulted in their receiving much attention in the materials and planetary science literature. Their identification is based on diffraction features that are absent in ordinary cubic (c-) diamond (space group: Fd-3m). We show, using ultra-high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) images of natural and synthetic nanodiamonds, that the diffraction features attributed to the reported polymorphs are consistent with c-diamond containing abundant defects. Combinations of {113} reflection and <011> rotation twins produce HRTEM images and d-spacings that match those attributed to h-, i-, and m-diamond. The diagnostic features of n-diamond in TEM images can arise from thickness effects of c-diamonds. Our data and interpretations strongly suggest that the reported nanodiamond polymorphs are in fact twinned c-diamond. We also report a new type of twin (<11> rotational), which can give rise to grains with dodecagonal symmetry. Our results show that twins are widespread in diamond nanocrystals. A high density of twins could strongly influence their applications.

  5. 'Diamond' in 3-D

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2004-01-01

    This 3-D, microscopic imager mosaic of a target area on a rock called 'Diamond Jenness' was taken after NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity ground into the surface with its rock abrasion tool for a second time.

    Opportunity has bored nearly a dozen holes into the inner walls of 'Endurance Crater.' On sols 177 and 178 (July 23 and July 24, 2004), the rover worked double-duty on Diamond Jenness. Surface debris and the bumpy shape of the rock resulted in a shallow and irregular hole, only about 2 millimeters (0.08 inch) deep. The final depth was not enough to remove all the bumps and leave a neat hole with a smooth floor. This extremely shallow depression was then examined by the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer.

    On Sol 178, Opportunity's 'robotic rodent' dined on Diamond Jenness once again, grinding almost an additional 5 millimeters (about 0.2 inch). The rover then applied its Moessbauer spectrometer to the deepened hole. This double dose of Diamond Jenness enabled the science team to examine the rock at varying layers. Results from those grindings are currently being analyzed.

    The image mosaic is about 6 centimeters (2.4 inches) across.

  6. Industrial diamond

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Olson, D.W.

    2004-01-01

    Part of the 2003 industrial minerals review. Supply and demand data for industrial diamond are provided. Topics discussed are consumption, prices, imports and exports, government stockpiles, and the outlook for 2004.

  7. 16 CFR 23.13 - Disclosure of treatments to diamonds

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Disclosure of treatments to diamonds 23.13... JEWELRY, PRECIOUS METALS, AND PEWTER INDUSTRIES § 23.13 Disclosure of treatments to diamonds A diamond is a gemstone product. Treatments to diamonds should be disclosed in the manner prescribed in § 23.22...

  8. 16 CFR 23.13 - Disclosure of treatments to diamonds.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Disclosure of treatments to diamonds. 23.13... JEWELRY, PRECIOUS METALS, AND PEWTER INDUSTRIES § 23.13 Disclosure of treatments to diamonds. A diamond is a gemstone product. Treatments to diamonds should be disclosed in the manner prescribed in § 23.22...

  9. 16 CFR 23.13 - Disclosure of treatments to diamonds

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Disclosure of treatments to diamonds 23.13... JEWELRY, PRECIOUS METALS, AND PEWTER INDUSTRIES § 23.13 Disclosure of treatments to diamonds A diamond is a gemstone product. Treatments to diamonds should be disclosed in the manner prescribed in § 23.22...

  10. 16 CFR 23.13 - Disclosure of treatments to diamonds.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Disclosure of treatments to diamonds. 23.13... JEWELRY, PRECIOUS METALS, AND PEWTER INDUSTRIES § 23.13 Disclosure of treatments to diamonds. A diamond is a gemstone product. Treatments to diamonds should be disclosed in the manner prescribed in § 23.22...

  11. 16 CFR 23.13 - Disclosure of treatments to diamonds.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Disclosure of treatments to diamonds. 23.13... JEWELRY, PRECIOUS METALS, AND PEWTER INDUSTRIES § 23.13 Disclosure of treatments to diamonds. A diamond is a gemstone product. Treatments to diamonds should be disclosed in the manner prescribed in § 23.22...

  12. Diagnostic Techniques Used to Study Chemical-Vapor-Deposited Diamond Films

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Miyoshi, Kazuhisa

    2000-01-01

    The advantages and utility of chemical-vapor-deposited (CVD) diamond as an industrial ceramic can only be realized if the price and quality are right. Until recently, this technology was of interest only to the academic and basic research community. However, interest has grown because of advances made by leading CVD diamond suppliers: 1) Reduction of the cost of CVD polycrystalline diamond deposition below $5/carat ($8/sq cm); 2) Installation of production capacity; 3) Epitaxial growth of CVD single-crystal diamond. Thus, CVD diamond applications and business are an industrial reality. At present, CVD diamond is produced in the form of coatings or wafers. CVD diamond film technology offers a broader technological potential than do natural and high-pressure synthetic diamonds because size, geometry, and eventually cost will not be as limiting. Now that they are cost effective, diamond coatings - with their extreme properties - can be used in a variety of applications. Diamond coatings can improve many of the surface properties of engineering substrate materials, including erosion, corrosion, and wear resistance. Examples of actual and potential applications, from microelectromechanical systems to the wear parts of diamond coatings and related superhard coatings are described. For example, diamond coatings can be used as a chemical and mechanical barrier for the space shuttles check valves, particularly on the guide pins and seat assemblies.

  13. Thermal conductivity of amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon films prepared by hot-wire chemical-vapor deposition

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

    Jugdersuren, B.; Kearney, B. T.; Queen, D. R.

    We report 3..omega.. thermal conductivity measurements of amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon thin films from 85 to 300 K prepared by hot-wire chemical-vapor deposition, where the crystallinity of the films is controlled by the hydrogen dilution during growth. The thermal conductivity of the amorphous silicon film is in agreement with several previous reports of amorphous silicon prepared by a variety of deposition techniques. The thermal conductivity of the as-grown nanocrystalline silicon film is 70% higher and increases 35% more after an anneal at 600 degrees C. They all have similarly weak temperature dependence. Structural analysis shows that the as-grown nanocrystalline siliconmore » is approximately 60% crystalline, nanograins and grain boundaries included. The nanograins, averaging 9.1 nm in diameter in the as-grown film, are embedded in an amorphous matrix. The grain size increases to 9.7 nm upon annealing, accompanied by the disappearance of the amorphous phase. We extend the models of grain boundary scattering of phonons with two different non-Debye dispersion relations to explain our result of nanocrystalline silicon, confirming the strong grain size dependence of heat transport for nanocrystalline materials. However, the similarity in thermal conductivity between amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon suggests the heat transport mechanisms in both structures may not be as dissimilar as we currently understand.« less

  14. Alluvial Diamond Resource Potential and Production Capacity Assessment of Ghana

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Chirico, Peter G.; Malpeli, Katherine C.; Anum, Solomon; Phillips, Emily C.

    2010-01-01

    In May of 2000, a meeting was convened in Kimberley, South Africa, and attended by representatives of the diamond industry and leaders of African governments to develop a certification process intended to assure that rough, exported diamonds were free of conflictual concerns. This meeting was supported later in 2000 by the United Nations in a resolution adopted by the General Assembly. By 2002, the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) was ratified and signed by both diamond-producing and diamond-importing countries. Over 70 countries were included as members at the end of 2007. To prevent trade in 'conflict' diamonds while protecting legitimate trade, the KPCS requires that each country set up an internal system of controls to prevent conflict diamonds from entering any imported or exported shipments of rough diamonds. Every diamond or diamond shipment must be accompanied by a Kimberley Process (KP) certificate and be contained in tamper-proof packaging. The objective of this study was to assess the alluvial diamond resource endowment and current production capacity of the alluvial diamond-mining sector in Ghana. A modified volume and grade methodology was used to estimate the remaining diamond reserves within the Birim and Bonsa diamond fields. The production capacity of the sector was estimated using a formulaic expression of the number of workers reported in the sector, their productivity, and the average grade of deposits mined. This study estimates that there are approximately 91,600,000 carats of alluvial diamonds remaining in both the Birim and Bonsa diamond fields: 89,000,000 carats in the Birim and 2,600,000 carats in the Bonsa. Production capacity is calculated to be 765,000 carats per year, based on the formula used and available data on the number of workers and worker productivity. Annual production is highly dependent on the international diamond market and prices, the numbers of seasonal workers actively mining in the sector, and

  15. Effects of oxide distributed in grain boundaries on microstructure stability of nanocrystalline metals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Kai; Li, Hui; Biao Pang, Jin; Wang, Zhu

    2013-06-01

    Nanocrystalline copper and zinc prepared by high-pressure compaction method have been studied by positron lifetime spectroscopy associated with X-ray diffraction. For nanocrystalline Cu, mean grain sizes of the samples decrease after being annealed at 900 °C and increase during aging at 180 °C, revealing that the atoms exchange between the two regions. The positron lifetime results indicate that the vacancy clusters formed in the annealing process are unstable and decomposed at the aging time below 6 hours. In addition, the partially oxidized surfaces of the nanoparticles hinder the grain growth during the ageing at 180 °C, and the vacancy clusters inside the disorder regions which are related to Cu2O need longer aging time to decompose. In the case of nanocrystalline Zn, the open volume defect (not larger than divacancy) is dominant according to the high relative intensity for the short positron lifetime (τ1). The oxide (ZnO) inside the grain boundaries has been found having an effect to hinder the decrease of average positron lifetime (τav) during the annealing, which probably indicates that the oxide stabilizes the microstructure of the grain boundaries. For both nanocrystalline copper and zinc, the oxides in grain boundaries enhance the thermal stability of the microstucture, in spite of their different crystal structures. This effect is very important for the nanocrystalline materials using as radiation resistant materials.

  16. Diamond Tours

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2007-01-01

    On April 24, a group traveling with Diamond Tours visited StenniSphere, the visitor center at NASA John C. Stennis Space Center in South Mississippi. The trip marked Diamond Tours' return to StenniSphere since Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29, 2005. About 25 business professionals from Georgia enjoyed the day's tour of America's largest rocket engine test complex, along with the many displays and exhibits at the museum. Before Hurricane Katrina, the nationwide company brought more than 1,000 visitors to StenniSphere each month. That contributed to more than 100,000 visitors from around the world touring the space center each year. In past years StenniSphere's visitor relations specialists booked Diamond Tours two or three times a week, averaging 40 to 50 people per visit. SSC was established in the 1960s to test the huge engines for the Saturn V moon rockets. Now 40 years later, the center tests every main engine for the space shuttle. SSC will soon begin testing the rocket engines that will power spacecraft carrying Americans back to the moon and on to Mars. For more information or to book a tour, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/stennis/home/index.html and click on the StenniSphere logo; or call 800-237-1821 or 228-688-2370.

  17. Diamond Tours

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2007-04-27

    On April 24, a group traveling with Diamond Tours visited StenniSphere, the visitor center at NASA John C. Stennis Space Center in South Mississippi. The trip marked Diamond Tours' return to StenniSphere since Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29, 2005. About 25 business professionals from Georgia enjoyed the day's tour of America's largest rocket engine test complex, along with the many displays and exhibits at the museum. Before Hurricane Katrina, the nationwide company brought more than 1,000 visitors to StenniSphere each month. That contributed to more than 100,000 visitors from around the world touring the space center each year. In past years StenniSphere's visitor relations specialists booked Diamond Tours two or three times a week, averaging 40 to 50 people per visit. SSC was established in the 1960s to test the huge engines for the Saturn V moon rockets. Now 40 years later, the center tests every main engine for the space shuttle. SSC will soon begin testing the rocket engines that will power spacecraft carrying Americans back to the moon and on to Mars. For more information or to book a tour, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/stennis/home/index.html and click on the StenniSphere logo; or call 800-237-1821 or 228-688-2370.

  18. UV-photodetector based on NiO/diamond film

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chang, Xiaohui; Wang, Yan-Feng; Zhang, Xiaofan; Liu, Zhangcheng; Fu, Jiao; Fan, Shuwei; Bu, Renan; Zhang, Jingwen; Wang, Wei; Wang, Hong-Xing; Wang, Jingjing

    2018-01-01

    In this study, a NiO/diamond UV-photodetector has been fabricated and investigated. A single crystal diamond (SCD) layer was grown on a high-pressure-high-temperature Ib-type diamond substrate by using a microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition system. NiO films were deposited directly by the reactive magnetron sputtering technique in a mixture gas of oxygen and argon onto the SCD layer. Gold films were patterned on NiO films as electrodes to form the metal-semiconductor-metal UV-photodetector which shows good repeatability and a 2 orders of magnitude UV/visible rejection ratio. Also, the NiO/diamond photodetector has a higher responsivity and a wider response range in contrast to a diamond photodetector.

  19. Diamond thin film temperature and heat-flux sensors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Aslam, M.; Yang, G. S.; Masood, A.; Fredricks, R.

    1995-01-01

    Diamond film temperature and heat-flux sensors are developed using a technology compatible with silicon integrated circuit processing. The technology involves diamond nucleation, patterning, doping, and metallization. Multi-sensor test chips were designed and fabricated to study the thermistor behavior. The minimum feature size (device width) for 1st and 2nd generation chips are 160 and 5 micron, respectively. The p-type diamond thermistors on the 1st generation test chip show temperature and response time ranges of 80-1270 K and 0.29-25 microseconds, respectively. An array of diamond thermistors, acting as heat flux sensors, was successfully fabricated on an oxidized Si rod with a diameter of 1 cm. Some problems were encountered in the patterning of the Pt/Ti ohmic contacts on the rod, due mainly to the surface roughness of the diamond film. The use of thermistors with a minimum width of 5 micron (to improve the spatial resolution of measurement) resulted in lithographic problems related to surface roughness of diamond films. We improved the mean surface roughness from 124 nm to 30 nm by using an ultra high nucleation density of 10(exp 11)/sq cm. To deposit thermistors with such small dimensions on a curved surface, a new 3-D diamond patterning technique is currently under development. This involves writing a diamond seed pattern directly on the curved surface by a computer-controlled nozzle.

  20. 33 CFR 110.6 - Portland Harbor, Portland, Maine (between Little Diamond Island and Great Diamond Island).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Portland Harbor, Portland, Maine (between Little Diamond Island and Great Diamond Island). 110.6 Section 110.6 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ANCHORAGES ANCHORAGE REGULATIONS Special Anchorage...

  1. 33 CFR 110.6 - Portland Harbor, Portland, Maine (between Little Diamond Island and Great Diamond Island).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Portland Harbor, Portland, Maine (between Little Diamond Island and Great Diamond Island). 110.6 Section 110.6 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ANCHORAGES ANCHORAGE REGULATIONS Special Anchorage...

  2. 33 CFR 110.6 - Portland Harbor, Portland, Maine (between Little Diamond Island and Great Diamond Island).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Portland Harbor, Portland, Maine (between Little Diamond Island and Great Diamond Island). 110.6 Section 110.6 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ANCHORAGES ANCHORAGE REGULATIONS Special Anchorage...

  3. 33 CFR 110.6 - Portland Harbor, Portland, Maine (between Little Diamond Island and Great Diamond Island).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Portland Harbor, Portland, Maine (between Little Diamond Island and Great Diamond Island). 110.6 Section 110.6 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ANCHORAGES ANCHORAGE REGULATIONS Special Anchorage...

  4. 33 CFR 110.6 - Portland Harbor, Portland, Maine (between Little Diamond Island and Great Diamond Island).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Portland Harbor, Portland, Maine (between Little Diamond Island and Great Diamond Island). 110.6 Section 110.6 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ANCHORAGES ANCHORAGE REGULATIONS Special Anchorage...

  5. Physical-chemical processes of diamond grinding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lobanov, D. V.; Arhipov, P. V.; Yanyushkin, A. S.; Skeeba, V. Yu

    2017-10-01

    The article focuses on the relevance of the research into the problem of diamond abrasive metal-bonded tool performance loss with a view to enhancing the effectiveness of high-strength materials finishing processing. The article presents the results of theoretical and empirical studies of loading layer formation on the surface of diamond wheels during processing high-strength materials. The theoretical part deals with the physical and chemical processes at the contact area of the diamond wheel and work surface with the viewpoint of the electrochemical potentials equilibrium state. We defined dependencies for calculating the loading layer dimensions. The practical part of work centers on various electron-microscopic, spectral and X-ray diffraction studies of the metal-bonded wheel samples during diamond grinding. The analysis of the research results revealed the composition and structure of the loading layer. The validity of the theoretical data is confirmed by sufficient convergence of the calculated values with the results of empirical research. In order to reduce the intensity of loading and improve the cutting properties of metal-bonded diamond abrasive tools, it is recommended to use combined methods for more efficient processing of high-strength materials.

  6. Designer Diamonds: Applications in Iron-based Superconductors and Lanthanides

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vohra, Yogesh

    2013-06-01

    This talk will focus on the recent progress in the fabrication of designer diamond anvils as well as scientific applications of these diamonds in static high pressure research. The two critical parameters that have emerged in the microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition of designer diamond anvils are (1) the precise [100] alignment of the starting diamond substrate and (2) balancing the competing roles of parts per million levels of nitrogen and oxygen in the diamond growth plasma. The control of these parameters results in the fabrication of high quality designer diamonds with culet size in excess of 300 microns in diameter. The three different applications of designer diamond anvils will be discussed (1) simultaneous electrical resistance and crystal structure measurements using a synchrotron source on Iron-based superconductors with data on both electron and hole doped BaFe2As2 materials and other novel superconducting materials (2) high-pressure high-temperature melting studies on metals using eight-probe Ohmic heating designer diamonds and (3) high pressure low temperature studies on magnetic behavior of 4f-lanthanide metals using four-probe electrical resistance measurements and complementary neutron diffraction studies on a spallation neutron source. Future opportunities in boron-doped conducting designer diamond anvils as well as fabrication of two-stage designer diamonds for ultra high pressure experiments will also be presented. This work was supported by the Department of Energy (DOE) - National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) under Grant No. DE-FG52-10NA29660.

  7. Implications of diamond-turned versus diamond-ground mold fabrication techniques on precision-molded optics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mertus, Lou; Symmons, Alan

    2012-10-01

    In recent years, the trend within the molded optics community has been an overall advancement in the capability to diamond grind molds using a variety of grinding techniques. Improvements in grinding equipment, materials and tooling have enabled higher quality ceramic and carbide molds and thereby lenses. Diamond turned molds from ductile metals are still used prevalently throughout the molding industry. Each technology presents a unique set of advantages and disadvantages whether used for precision injection molding of plastic optics or precision glass molding. This paper reviews the manufacturing techniques for each approach and applicable molding process. The advantages and disadvantages of each are compared and analyzed. The subtle differences that exist in optics molded from each technique and the impact they have on the performance in various applications is reviewed. Differences stemming from tooling material properties, material-specific minor defects, as well as cutting and grinding process-induced artifacts are described in detail as well as their influence on the roughness, waviness, and form errors present on the molded surface. A comparison with results between similar surfaces for both diamond grinding and diamond turning is presented.

  8. Residual radioactivity of treated green diamonds.

    PubMed

    Cassette, Philippe; Notari, Franck; Lépy, Marie-Christine; Caplan, Candice; Pierre, Sylvie; Hainschwang, Thomas; Fritsch, Emmanuel

    2017-08-01

    Treated green diamonds can show residual radioactivity, generally due to immersion in radium salts. We report various activity measurements on two radioactive diamonds. The activity was characterized by alpha and gamma ray spectrometry, and the radon emanation was measured by alpha counting of a frozen source. Even when no residual radium contamination can be identified, measurable alpha and high-energy beta emissions could be detected. The potential health impact of radioactive diamonds and their status with regard to the regulatory policy for radioactive products are discussed. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  9. Morphology modulating the wettability of a diamond film.

    PubMed

    Tian, Shibing; Sun, Weijie; Hu, Zhaosheng; Quan, Baogang; Xia, Xiaoxiang; Li, Yunlong; Han, Dong; Li, Junjie; Gu, Changzhi

    2014-10-28

    Control of the wetting property of diamond surface has been a challenge because of its maximal hardness and good chemical inertness. In this work, the micro/nanoarray structures etched into diamond film surfaces by a maskless plasma method are shown to fix a surface's wettability characteristics, and this means that the change in morphology is able to modulate the wettability of a diamond film from weakly hydrophilic to either superhydrophilic or superhydrophobic. It can be seen that the etched diamond surface with a mushroom-shaped array is superhydrophobic following the Cassie mode, whereas the etched surface with nanocone arrays is superhydrophilic in accordance with the hemiwicking mechnism. In addition, the difference in cone densities of superhydrophilic nanocone surfaces has a significant effect on water spreading, which is mainly derived from different driving forces. This low-cost and convenient means of altering the wetting properties of diamond surfaces can be further applied to underlying wetting phenomena and expand the applications of diamond in various fields.

  10. Electron emission from diamond films seeded using kitchen-wrap polyethylene

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Varshney, D.; Makarov, V. I.; Saxena, P.; Guinel, M. J. F.; Kumar, A.; Scott, J. F.; Weiner, B. R.; Morell, G.

    2011-03-01

    Diamond has many potential electronic applications, but the diamond seeding methods are generally harsh on the substrates rendering them unsuitable for integration in electronics. We report a non-abrasive, scalable and economic process of diamond film seeding using kitchen-wrap polyethylene employing hot filament chemical vapour reaction of H2S/CH4/H2 gas mixtures on Cu substrates. The fabricated diamond films were characterized with scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, which confirm that the deposited film consists of a microcrystalline diamond of size in the range 0.5-1.0 µm. The synthesized diamond films exhibit a turn-on field of about 8.5 V µm-1 and long-term stability. Diamond film synthesis using polyethylene will enable the integration of diamond heat sinks into high-power and high-temperature electronic devices.

  11. Ionic Conduction in Nanocrystalline Materials

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2000-02-10

    In the following, we review studies performed films prepared by a polymer precursor process on on stabilized zirconia ceramics with grain sizes alumina ... titania , is reviewed. While it remains too early to make firm conclusions, the following observations are made. Additives which contribute to ion blocking...Keywords: Ionic conductivity; Nanocrystalline; Zirconia; Ceria; Titania ; Defects 1. Introduction tivity by nearly two orders of magnitude [6]. Given the

  12. Structures and Mechanical Properties of Natural and Synthetic Diamonds

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Miyoshi, Kazuhisa

    1998-01-01

    A revolution in the diamond technology is in progress, as the low-pressure process becomes an industrial reality. It will soon be possible to take advantage of the demanding properties of diamond to develop a myriad of new applications, particularly for self-lubricating, wear-resistant, and superhard coatings. The production of large diamond films or sheets at low cost, a distinct possibility in the not-too-distant future, may drastically change tribology technology, particularly regarding solid lubricants and lubricating materials and systems. This paper reviews the structures and properties of natural and synthetic diamonds to gain a better understanding of the tribological properties of diamond and related materials. Atomic and crystal structure, impurities, mechanical properties, and indentation hardness of diamond are described.

  13. Nanofluidics of Single-Crystal Diamond Nanomechanical Resonators.

    PubMed

    Kara, V; Sohn, Y-I; Atikian, H; Yakhot, V; Lončar, M; Ekinci, K L

    2015-12-09

    Single-crystal diamond nanomechanical resonators are being developed for countless applications. A number of these applications require that the resonator be operated in a fluid, that is, a gas or a liquid. Here, we investigate the fluid dynamics of single-crystal diamond nanomechanical resonators in the form of nanocantilevers. First, we measure the pressure-dependent dissipation of diamond nanocantilevers with different linear dimensions and frequencies in three gases, He, N2, and Ar. We observe that a subtle interplay between the length scale and the frequency governs the scaling of the fluidic dissipation. Second, we obtain a comparison of the surface accommodation of different gases on the diamond surface by analyzing the dissipation in the molecular flow regime. Finally, we measure the thermal fluctuations of the nanocantilevers in water and compare the observed dissipation and frequency shifts with theoretical predictions. These findings set the stage for developing diamond nanomechanical resonators operable in fluids.

  14. Lubrication by Diamond and Diamondlike Carbon Coatings

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Miyoshi, Kazuhisa

    1997-01-01

    Regardless of environment (ultrahigh vacuum, humid air, dry nitrogen, or water), ion-beam-deposited diamondlike carbon (DLC) and nitrogen-ion-implanted, chemical-vapor-deposited (CVD) diamond films had low steady-state coefficients of friction (less than 0.1) and low wear rates (less than or equal to 10(exp -6)cu mm/N(dot)m). These films can be used as effective wear-resistant, self-lubricating coatings regardless of environment. On the other hand, as-deposited, fine-grain CVD diamond films; polished, coarse-grain CVD diamond films; and polished and then fluorinated, coarse-grain CVD diamond films can be used as effective wear-resistant, self-lubricating coatings in humid air, in dry nitrogen, and in water, but they had a high coefficient of friction and a high wear rate in ultrahigh vacuum. The polished, coarse-grain CVD diamond film revealed an extremely low wear rate, far less than 10(exp 10) cu mm/N(dot)m, in water.

  15. Surface smoothening effects on growth of diamond films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reshi, Bilal Ahmad; Kumar, Shyam; Kartha, Moses J.; Varma, Raghava

    2018-04-01

    We have carried out a detailed study of the growth dynamics of the diamond film during initial time on diamond substrates. The diamond films are deposited using Microwave Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition (MPCVD) method for different times. Surface morphology and its correlation with the number of hours of growth of thin films was invested using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Diamond films have smooth interface with average roughness of 48.6873nm. The initial growth dynamics of the thin film is investigated. Interestingly, it is found that there is a decrease in the surface roughness of the film. Thus a smoothening effect is observed in the grown films. The film enters into the growth regime in the later times. Our results also find application in building diamond detector.

  16. Fabrication of Fe-Based Diamond Composites by Pressureless Infiltration

    PubMed Central

    Li, Meng; Sun, Youhong; Meng, Qingnan; Wu, Haidong; Gao, Ke; Liu, Baochang

    2016-01-01

    A metal-based matrix is usually used for the fabrication of diamond bits in order to achieve favorable properties and easy processing. In the effort to reduce the cost and to attain the desired bit properties, researchers have brought more attention to diamond composites. In this paper, Fe-based impregnated diamond composites for drill bits were fabricated by using a pressureless infiltration sintering method at 970 °C for 5 min. In addition, boron was introduced into Fe-based diamond composites. The influence of boron on the density, hardness, bending strength, grinding ratio, and microstructure was investigated. An Fe-based diamond composite with 1 wt % B has an optimal overall performance, the grinding ratio especially improving by 80%. After comparing with tungsten carbide (WC)-based diamond composites with and without 1 wt % B, results showed that the Fe-based diamond composite with 1 wt % B exhibits higher bending strength and wear resistance, being satisfactory to bit needs. PMID:28774124

  17. 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.

  18. Magnetically Orchestrated Formation of Diamond at Lower Temperatures and Pressures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Little, Reginald B.; Lochner, Eric; Goddard, Robert

    2005-01-01

    Man's curiosity and fascination with diamonds date back to ancient times. The knowledge of the many properties of diamond is recorded during Biblical times. Antoine Lavoisier determined the composition of diamond by burning in O2 to form CO2. With the then existing awareness of graphite as carbon, the race began to convert graphite to diamond. The selective chemical synthesis of diamond has been pursued by Cagniard, Hannay, Moisson and Parson. On the basis of the thermodynamically predicted equilibrium line of diamond and graphite, P W Bridgman attempted extraordinary conditions of high temperature (>2200°C) and pressure (>100,000 atm) for the allotropic conversion of graphite to diamond. H T Hall was the first to successfully form bulk diamond by realizing the kinetic restrictions to Bridgman's (thermodynamic) high pressure high temperature direct allotropic conversion. Moreover, Hall identified catalysts for the faster kinetics of diamond formation. H M Strong determined the import of the liquid catalyst during Hall's catalytic synthesis. W G Eversole discovered the slow metastable low pressure diamond formation by pyrolytic chemical vapor deposition with the molecular hydrogen etching of the rapidly forming stable graphitic carbon. J C Angus determined the import of atomic hydrogen for faster etching for faster diamond growth at low pressure. S Matsumoto has developed plasma and hot filament technology for faster hydrogen and carbon radical generations at low pressure for faster diamond formation. However the metastable low pressure chemical vapor depositions by plasma and hot filament are prone to polycrystalline films. From Bridgman to Hall to Eversole, Angus and Matsumoto, much knowledge has developed of the importance of pressure, temperature, transition metal catalyst, liquid state of metal (metal radicals atoms) and the carbon radical intermediates for diamond synthesis. Here we advance this understanding of diamond formation by demonstrating the external

  19. Diamond thin films: giving biomedical applications a new shine

    PubMed Central

    Nistor, P. A.

    2017-01-01

    Progress made in the last two decades in chemical vapour deposition technology has enabled the production of inexpensive, high-quality coatings made from diamond to become a scientific and commercial reality. Two properties of diamond make it a highly desirable candidate material for biomedical applications: first, it is bioinert, meaning that there is minimal immune response when diamond is implanted into the body, and second, its electrical conductivity can be altered in a controlled manner, from insulating to near-metallic. In vitro, diamond can be used as a substrate upon which a range of biological cells can be cultured. In vivo, diamond thin films have been proposed as coatings for implants and prostheses. Here, we review a large body of data regarding the use of diamond substrates for in vitro cell culture. We also detail more recent work exploring diamond-coated implants with the main targets being bone and neural tissue. We conclude that diamond emerges as one of the major new biomaterials of the twenty-first century that could shape the way medical treatment will be performed, especially when invasive procedures are required. PMID:28931637

  20. Synthesizing Diamond from Liquid Feedstock

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tzeng, Yonhua

    2005-01-01

    A relatively economical method of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has been developed for synthesizing diamond crystals and films. Unlike prior CVD methods for synthesizing diamond, this method does not require precisely proportioned flows of compressed gas feedstocks or the use of electrical discharges to decompose the feedstocks to obtain free radicals needed for deposition chemical reactions. Instead, the feedstocks used in this method are mixtures of common organic liquids that can be prepared in advance, and decomposition of feedstock vapors is effected simply by heating. The feedstock used in this method is a solution comprising between 90 and 99 weight percent of methanol and the balance of one or more other oxyhydrocarbons that could include ethanol, isopropanol, and/or acetone. This mixture of compounds is chosen so that dissociation of molecules results in the desired proportions of carbon-containing radicals (principally, CH3) and of OH, H, and O radicals. Undesirably, the CVD temperature and pressure conditions thermodynamically favor the growth of graphite over the growth of diamond. The H radicals are desirable because they help to stabilize the growing surface of diamond by shifting the thermodynamic balance toward favoring the growth of diamond. The OH and O radicals are desirable because they preferentially etch graphite and other non-diamond carbon, thereby helping to ensure the net deposition of pure diamond. The non-methanol compounds are included in the solution because (1) methanol contains equal numbers of C and O atoms; (2) an excess of C over O is needed to obtain net deposition of diamond; and (3) the non-methanol molecules contain multiple carbon atoms for each oxygen atom and thus supply the needed excess carbon A typical apparatus used in this method includes a reservoir containing the feedstock liquid and a partially evacuated stainless-steel reaction chamber. The reservoir is connected to the chamber via tubing and a needle valve or

  1. Isolation of bacterial cellulose nanocrystalline from pineapple peel waste: Optimization of acid concentration in the hydrolysis method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anwar, Budiman; Rosyid, Nurul Huda; Effendi, Devi Bentia; Nandiyanto, Asep Bayu Dani; Mudzakir, Ahmad; Hidayat, Topik

    2016-02-01

    Isolation of needle-shaped bacterial cellulose nanocrystalline with a diameter of 16-64 nm, a fiber length of 258-806 nm, and a degree of crystallinity of 64% from pineapple peel waste using an acid hydrolysis process was investigated. Experimental showed that selective concentration of acid played important roles in isolating the bacterial cellulose nanocrystalline from the cellulose source. To achieve the successful isolation of bacterial cellulose nanocrystalline, various acid concentrations were tested. To confirm the effect of acid concentration on the successful isolation process, the reaction conditions were fixed at a temperature of 50°C, a hydrolysis time of 30 minutes, and a bacterial cellulose-to-acid ratio of 1:50. Pineapple peel waste was used as a model for a cellulose source because to the best of our knowledge, there is no report on the use of this raw material for producing bacterial cellulose nanocrystalline. In fact, this material can be used as an alternative for ecofriendly and cost-free cellulose sources. Therefore, understanding in how to isolate bacterial cellulose nanocrystalline from pineapple peel waste has the potential for large-scale production of inexpensive cellulose nanocrystalline.

  2. The World According to Jared Diamond.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McNeil, J. R.

    2001-01-01

    Reviews the book, "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" (Jared Diamond). Examines the strengths of the book, focusing on its distinctive aspects, while also offering criticism. States that the final chapter is the most problematic part of Diamond's work. (CMK)

  3. Skin barrier function recovery after diamond microdermabrasion.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hei Sung; Lim, Sook Hee; Song, Ji Youn; Kim, Mi-Yeon; Lee, Ji Ho; Park, Jong Gap; Kim, Hyung Ok; Park, Young Min

    2009-10-01

    Microdermabrasion is a popular method for facial rejuvenation and is performed worldwide. Despite its extensive usage, there are few publications on skin barrier change after microdermabrasion and none concerning diamond microdermabrasion. Our object was to see changes in transepidermal water loss (TEWL), hydration and erythema of the face following diamond microdermabrasion. Twenty-eight patients were included in this spilt face study. TEWL, stratum corneum hydration and the degree of erythema were measured from the right and left sides of the face (forehead and cheek) at baseline. One side of the face was treated with diamond microdermabrasion and the other side was left untreated. Measurements were taken right after the procedure and repeated at set time intervals. Diamond microdermabrasion was associated with a statistically significant increase in TEWL immediately after the procedure and at 24 h. However, on day 2, levels of TEWL were back to baseline. An increase in hydration and erythema was observed right after microdermabrasion, but both returned to baseline on day 1. The results show that skin barrier function of the forehead and cheek recovers within 2 days of diamond microdermabrasion. Diamond microdermabrasion performed on a weekly basis, as presently done, is expected to allow sufficient time for the damaged skin to recover its barrier function in most parts of the face.

  4. Improve oxidation resistance at high temperature by nanocrystalline surface layer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xia, Z. X.; Zhang, C.; Huang, X. F.; Liu, W. B.; Yang, Z. G.

    2015-08-01

    An interesting change of scale sequence occurred during oxidation of nanocrystalline surface layer by means of a surface mechanical attrition treatment. The three-layer oxide structure from the surface towards the matrix is Fe3O4, spinel FeCr2O4 and corundum (Fe,Cr)2O3, which is different from the typical two-layer scale consisted of an Fe3O4 outer layer and an FeCr2O4 inner layer in conventional P91 steel. The diffusivity of Cr, Fe and O is enhanced concurrently in the nanocrystalline surface layer, which causes the fast oxidation in the initial oxidation stage. The formation of (Fe,Cr)2O3 inner layer would inhabit fast diffusion of alloy elements in the nanocrystalline surface layer of P91 steel in the later oxidation stage, and it causes a decrease in the parabolic oxidation rate compared with conventional specimens. This study provides a novel approach to improve the oxidation resistance of heat resistant steel without changing its Cr content.

  5. Synthesis and characterization of nanocrystalline mesoporous zirconia using supercritical drying.

    PubMed

    Tyagi, Beena; Sidhpuria, Kalpesh; Shaik, Basha; Jasra, Raksh Vir

    2006-06-01

    Synthesis of nano-crystalline zirconia aerogel was done by sol-gel technique and supercritical drying using n-propanol solvent at and above supercritical temperature (235-280 degrees C) and pressure (48-52 bar) of n-propanol. Zirconia xerogel samples have also been prepared by conventional thermal drying method to compare with the super critically dried samples. Crystalline phase, crystallite size, surface area, pore volume, and pore size distribution were determined for all the samples in detail to understand the effect of gel drying methods on these properties. Supercritical drying of zirconia gel was observed to give thermally stable, nano-crystalline, tetragonal zirconia aerogels having high specific surface area and porosity with narrow and uniform pore size distribution as compared to thermally dried zirconia. With supercritical drying, zirconia samples show the formation of only mesopores whereas in thermally dried samples, substantial amount of micropores are observed along with mesopores. The samples prepared using supercritical drying yield nano-crystalline zirconia with smaller crystallite size (4-6 nm) as compared to higher crystallite size (13-20 nm) observed with thermally dried zirconia.

  6. Freestanding diamond films: plates, tubes, and curved diaphragms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Obata, Tatsuo; Morimoto, Shingo

    1990-01-01

    Free-standing diamond films are prepared by CVD technique to examine their properties directly. The products have a variety of shapes such as plates, tubes and curved diaphragms. Coefficients of thermal expansion (GTE) of the tube are similar to the values of a bulk diamond in the range from 40°C to 500°C. It is found that polished diamond film has uniform infrared transmission ranging from 500cm-1 to 4000cm-1. A speaker diaphragm will be a good application for free-standing diamond film.

  7. Episodic diamond growth beneath the Kaapvaal Craton at Jwaneng Mine, Botswana

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gress, Michael U.; Howell, Daniel; Chinn, Ingrid L.; Speich, Laura; Kohn, Simon C.; van den Heuvel, Quint; Schulten, Ellen; Pals, Anna S. M.; Davies, Gareth R.

    2018-05-01

    Important implications for the interior workings of the Earth can be drawn by studying diamonds and their inclusions. To better understand the timing and number of diamond forming events beneath the NW margin of the Kaapvaal Craton, a comprehensive reassessment of Jwaneng's diamond populations has been undertaken. We report new inclusion abundance data from the visual examination of 130,000 diamonds that validate the predominance of an eclogitic diamond suite (up to 88%) with on average 5% inclusion-bearing diamonds (with inclusions >10 μm in size). From this population, polished plates from 79 diamonds of eclogitic and peridotitic paragenesis have been studied with cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) traverses. The majority (80%) record major changes in N concentration and aggregation states, as well as sharp boundaries in the CL images of individual plates that are interpreted to demarcate discrete diamond growth events. In addition, bulk FTIR data have been acquired for 373 unpolished diamonds. Silicate inclusions sampled from distinct growth zones define 2 compositional groups of omphacites and pyrope-almandines associated with different N contents in their diamond hosts. These findings reinforce previous observations that at Jwaneng at least seven individual diamond forming events can be identified - 3 peridotitic and 4 eclogitic. The results demonstrate that detailed examination of diamond plates by CL imaging and FTIR traverses is necessary to unveil the complex history recorded in diamonds.

  8. Modelling of low-temperature/large-area distributed antenna array microwave-plasma reactor used for nanocrystalline diamond deposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bénédic, Fabien; Baudrillart, Benoit; Achard, Jocelyn

    2018-02-01

    In this paper we investigate a distributed antenna array Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition system, composed of 16 microwave plasma sources arranged in a 2D matrix, which enables the growth of 4-in. diamond films at low pressure and low substrate temperature by using H2/CH4/CO2 gas chemistry. A self-consistent two-dimensional plasma model developed for hydrogen discharges is used to study the discharge behavior. Especially, the gas temperature is estimated close to 350 K at a position corresponding to the substrate location during the growth, which is suitable for low temperature deposition. Multi-source discharge modeling evidences that the uniformity of the plasma sheet formed by the individual plasmas ignited around each elementary microwave source strongly depends on the distance to the antennas. The radial profile of the film thickness homogeneity may be thus linked to the local variations of species density. Contribution to the topical issue "Plasma Sources and Plasma Processes (PSPP)", edited by Luis Lemos Alves, Thierry Belmonte and Tibeinea Minea.

  9. [Spectroscopic studies on transition metal ions in colored diamonds].

    PubMed

    Meng, Yu-Fei; Peng, Ming-Sheng

    2004-07-01

    Transition metals like nickel, cobalt and iron have been often used as solvent catalysts in high pressure high temperature (HPHT) synthesis of diamond, and nickel and cobalt ions have been found in diamond lattice. Available studies indicated that nickel and cobalt ions could enter the lattice as interstitial or substitutional impurities and form complexes with nitrogen. Polarized microscopy, SEM-EDS, EPR, PL and FTIR have been used in this study to investigate six fancy color natural and synthetic diamonds in order to determine the spectroscopic characteristics and the existing forms of transition metal ions in colored diamond lattice. Cobalt-related optical centers were first found in natural chameleon diamonds, and some new nickel and cobalt-related optical and EPR centers have also been detected in these diamond samples.

  10. New diamond cell for single-crystal x-ray diffraction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boehler, Reinhard

    2006-11-01

    A new design for a high-precision diamond cell is described. Two kinematically mounted steel disks are elastically deflected to generate pressure. This principle provides higher precision in the diamond anvil alignment than most sliding piston-cylinder or guide-pin devices at significantly lower cost. With this new diamond cell conical diamond anvils with an x-ray aperture of 85° were successfully tested to over 50GPa using helium as a pressure medium. Anvil thickness of less than 1.4mm provides high x-ray transmission and low background, a significant improvement compared to beryllium or diamond-disk backing plates. Because the diamond anvils are supported by tungsten carbide seats, samples and pressure media can be annealed by external or laser heating to provide hydrostatic pressure conditions.

  11. In situ analysis of carbon isotopes in North American diamonds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    van Rythoven, A. D.; Hauri, E. H.; Wang, J.; McCandless, T.; Shirey, S. B.; Schulze, D. J.

    2010-12-01

    Diamonds from three North American kimberlite occurrences were investigated with cathodoluminescence (CL) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) to determine their growth history and carbon isotope composition. Diamonds analyzed include fourteen from Lynx (Quebec), twelve from Kelsey Lake (Colorado) and eleven from A154 South (Diavik mine, Northwest Territories). Growth histories for the diamonds vary from simple to highly complex based on their CL images and depending on the individual stone. Deformation laminae are evident in CL images of the Lynx diamonds that typically are brownish in color. Two to five points per diamond were analyzed by SIMS for carbon isotope composition. Sample heterogeneity is minimal in terms of δ13C (vs. PDB) values. Points within single diamond had a maximum range of approximately 1 ‰. The results for the A154 South (-6.4 to -3 ‰) and Kelsey Lake (-11.2 to -2.6 ‰) stones were in accordance with earlier reported values. The Lynx kimberlite stones have anomalously high ratios and range from -3.5 to +0.2 ‰ (average: -1.4 ‰). No previous carbon isotope analyses on diamonds from Lynx or any other eastern Superior craton occurrence have been published. The diamonds possess carbon isotope ratios higher than those for the only other reported analyses of Superior craton diamonds at Wawa, Ontario (-5.5 to -1.1 ‰). In global terms, the only published analyses of diamonds that consistently contain even higher values are those from New South Wales (Australia). However, these diamonds are alluvial and contain eclogitic and/or exotic mineral inclusions. The Lynx diamonds are entirely peridotitic and from a primary deposit. The unusually low (i.e. >-5‰) δ13C values of the Lynx (and Wawa) diamonds may indicate a different carbon reservoir for the Superior craton mantle as compared to other cratons.

  12. Periodic metallo-dielectric structure in diamond.

    PubMed

    Shimizu, M; Shimotsuma, Y; Sakakura, M; Yuasa, T; Homma, H; Minowa, Y; Tanaka, K; Miura, K; Hirao, K

    2009-01-05

    Intense ultrashort light pulses induce three dimensional localized phase transformation of diamond. Photoinduced amorphous structures have electrical conducting properties of a maximum of 64 S/m based on a localized transition from sp(3) to sp(2) in diamond. The laser parameters of fluence and scanning speed affect the resultant electrical conductivities due to recrystallization and multi-filamentation phenomena. We demonstrate that the laser-processed diamond with the periodic cylinder arrays have the characteristic transmission properties in terahertz region, which are good agreement with theoretical calculations. The fabricated periodic structures act as metallo-dielectric photonic crystal.

  13. Tracing the Source of Borneo's Cempaka Diamond Deposit

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    White, L. T.; Graham, I.; Armstrong, R. A.; Hall, R.

    2014-12-01

    Several gem quality diamond deposits are found in paleo-alluvial deposits across Borneo. The source of the diamonds and their origin are enigmatic. They could have formed in Borneo and be derived from local sources, or they could be related to diamond deposits in NW Australia, and carried with the Southwest Borneo Block after it rifted from Australia in the Late Jurassic. We collected U-Pb isotopic data from detrital zircons from the Cempaka alluvial diamond deposit in southeast Borneo. Two thirds of the zircons that were dated crystallized between 75 Ma and 110 Ma. The other third are Triassic or older (223 Ma, 314-319 Ma, 353-367 Ma, 402-414 Ma, 474 Ma, 521 Ma, 549 Ma, 1135-1176 Ma, 1535 Ma, 2716 Ma). All of the Cretaceous zircons are angular, euhedral grains with minor evidence of mechanical abrasion. Considering their age and morphology they were likely derived from the nearby Schwaner Granites. The Triassic and older grains are rounded to semi-rounded and were likely derived from Australia before Borneo rifted from Gondwana. Some of the zircons have ages that resemble those of the Merlin and Argyle diamond deposits of Australia. The diamonds themselves have delicate resorption features and overgrowths that would potentially be destroyed with prolonged transport. Geochemical data collected from the diamonds implies they were associated with lamproite intrusions. Deep seismic lines and zircons from igneous rocks suggest SE Borneo, the East Java Sea and East Java are largely underlain by thick lithosphere rifted from NW Australia. Based on several lines of evidence, we propose that diamond-bearing lamproites intruded before rifting of SW Borneo from Australia, or after collision with Sundaland of SW Borneo and the East Java-West Sulawesi Blocks during the Cretaceous. Exposure of the source after the Late Cretaceous led to diamond accumulation in river systems that flowed from the Schwaner Mountains.

  14. 'Diamond Jenness': Before the Grind

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2004-01-01

    This microscopic imager mosaic of the rock called 'Diamond Jenness' was snapped on sol 177 before NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity ground into the surface with its rock abrasion tool, or 'Rat.'

    Opportunity has bored nearly a dozen holes into the inner walls of 'Endurance Crater.' On sols 177 and 178 (July 23 and July 24, 2004), the rover worked double-duty on Diamond Jenness. Surface debris and the bumpy shape of the rock resulted in a shallow and irregular hole, only about 2 millimeters (0.08 inch) deep. The final depth was not enough to remove all the bumps and leave a neat hole with a smooth floor. This extremely shallow depression was then examined by the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer. On Sol 178, Opportunity's 'robotic rodent' dined on Diamond Jenness once again, grinding almost an additional 5 millimeters (about 0.2 inch). The rover then applied its Moessbauer spectrometer to the deepened hole. This double dose of Diamond Jenness enabled the science team to examine the rock at varying layers. Results from those grindings are currently being analyzed.

    The image mosaic is about 6 centimeters (2.4 inches) across.

  15. 'Diamond Jenness': A Tough Grind

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2004-01-01

    This microscopic imager mosaic of the target area called 'Diamond Jenness' was taken after NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity ground into the surface with its rock abrasion tool for a second time.

    Opportunity has bored nearly a dozen holes into the inner walls of 'Endurance Crater.' On sols 177 and 178 (July 23 and July 24, 2004), the rover worked double-duty on Diamond Jenness. Surface debris and the bumpy shape of the rock resulted in a shallow and irregular hole, only about 2 millimeters (0.08 inch) deep. The final depth was not enough to remove all the bumps and leave a neat hole with a smooth floor. This extremely shallow depression was then examined by the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer.

    On Sol 178, Opportunity's 'robotic rodent' dined on Diamond Jenness once again, grinding almost an additional 5 millimeters (about 0.2 inch). The rover then applied its Moessbauer spectrometer to the deepened hole. This double dose of Diamond Jenness enabled the science team to examine the rock at varying layers. Results from those grindings are currently being analyzed.

    The image mosaic is about 6 centimeters (2.4 inches) across.

  16. Diamond-based single-photon emitters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aharonovich, I.; Castelletto, S.; Simpson, D. A.; Su, C.-H.; Greentree, A. D.; Prawer, S.

    2011-07-01

    The exploitation of emerging quantum technologies requires efficient fabrication of key building blocks. Sources of single photons are extremely important across many applications as they can serve as vectors for quantum information—thereby allowing long-range (perhaps even global-scale) quantum states to be made and manipulated for tasks such as quantum communication or distributed quantum computation. At the single-emitter level, quantum sources also afford new possibilities in terms of nanoscopy and bio-marking. Color centers in diamond are prominent candidates to generate and manipulate quantum states of light, as they are a photostable solid-state source of single photons at room temperature. In this review, we discuss the state of the art of diamond-based single-photon emitters and highlight their fabrication methodologies. We present the experimental techniques used to characterize the quantum emitters and discuss their photophysical properties. We outline a number of applications including quantum key distribution, bio-marking and sub-diffraction imaging, where diamond-based single emitters are playing a crucial role. We conclude with a discussion of the main challenges and perspectives for employing diamond emitters in quantum information processing.

  17. Nanocrystalline CuNi alloys: improvement of mechanical properties and thermal stability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nogues, Josep; Varea, A.; Pellicer, E.; Sivaraman, K. M.; Pane, S.; Nelson, B. J.; Surinach, S.; Baro, M. D.; Sort, J.

    2014-03-01

    Nanocrystalline metallic films are known to benefit from novel and enhanced physical and chemical properties. In spite of these outstanding properties, nanocrystalline metals typically show relatively poor thermal stability which leads to deterioration of the properties due to grain coarsening. We have studied nanocrystalline Cu1-xNix (0.56 < x < 1) thin films (3 μm-thick) electrodeposited galvanostatically onto Cu/Ti/Si (100) substrates. CuNi thin films exhibit large values of hardness (6.15 < H < 7.21 GPa), which can be tailored by varying the composition. However, pure Ni films (x = 1) suffer deterioration of their mechanical and magnetic properties after annealing during 3 h at relatively low temperatures (TANN > 475 K) due to significant grain growth. Interestingly, alloying Ni with Cu clearly improves the thermal stability of the material because grain coarsening is delayed due to segregation of a Cu-rich phase at grain boundaries, thus preserving both the mechanical and magnetic properties up to higher TANN.

  18. Transition from Irradiation-Induced Amorphization to Crystallization in Nanocrystalline Silicon Carbide

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

    Jiang, Weilin; Jiao, Liang; Wang, Haiyan

    2011-12-01

    Response to irradiation of nanocrystalline 3C-SiC is studied using 2 MeV Au+ ions near the critical temperature for amorphization and is compared to the behavior of its monocrystalline counterpart under the identical irradiation conditions. The irradiated samples have been characterized using in-situ ion channeling, ex-situ x-ray diffraction, and helium ion microscopy. Compared to monocrystalline 3C-SiC, a faster amorphization process in the nanocrystalline material (average grain size = 3.3 nm) is observed at 500 K. However, the nanograin grows with increasing ion fluence at 550 K and the grain size tends to saturate at high fluences. The striking contrast demonstrates amore » sharp transition from irradiation-induced interface-driven amorphization at 500 K to crystallization at 550 K. The results could show potential impacts of nanocrystalline SiC on nuclear fuel cladding and structural components of next-generation nuclear energy systems.« less

  19. Fabrication of microchannels in polycrystalline diamond using pre-fabricated Si substrates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chandran, Maneesh; Elfimchev, Sergey; Michaelson, Shaul; Akhvlediani, Rozalia; Ternyak, Orna; Hoffman, Alon

    2017-10-01

    In this paper, we report on a simple, feasible method to fabricate microchannels in diamond. Polycrystalline diamond microchannels were produced by fabricating trenches in a Si wafer and subsequently depositing a thin layer of diamond onto this substrate using the hot filament vapor deposition technique. Fabrication of trenches in the Si substrate at different depths was carried out by standard photolithography, and the subsequent deposition of the diamond layer was performed by the hot filament chemical vapor deposition technique. The growth mechanism of diamond that leads to the formation of closed diamond microchannels is discussed in detail based on the Knudsen number and growth chemistry of diamond. Variations in the crystallite size, crystalline quality, and thickness of the diamond layer along the trench depths were systematically analyzed using cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Defect density and formation of non-diamond forms of carbon in the diamond layer were found to increase with the trench depth, which sets a limit of 5-45 μm trench depth (or an aspect ratio of 1-9) for the fabrication of diamond microchannels using this method under the present conditions.

  20. Cathodoluminescence of diamond as an indicator of its metamorphic history

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kopylova, Maya; Bruce, Loryn; Longo, Micaela; Ryder, John; Dobrzhinetskaya, Larissa

    2010-05-01

    Diamond displays a supreme resistance to chemical and mechanical weathering, ensuring its survival through complex and prolonged crustal processes, including metamorphism and exhumation. For these reasons, volcanic sources and secondary and tertiary collectors for detrital placer diamonds, like Ural or Bingara diamonds, may be difficult to determine. If metamorphic processes leave their marks on diamond, they can be used to reconstruct crustal geologic processes and ages of primary diamondiferous volcanics. Four diamond suites extracted from metamorphic rocks have been characterized using optical CL, infrared and CL spectroscopy, and photoluminescence at the liquid nitrogen temperature. The studied diamonds are from the ~2.7 Ga sedimentary conglomerate and lamprophyric breccia metamorphosed in the greenschist facies (Wawa, Northern Ontario, Canada) during the 2.67 Ga Kenoran orogeny, and from the ultra-high pressure (UHP) terranes of Kokchetav (Kazakhstan) and Erzgebirge (Germany) exhumated in the Paleozoic. Wawa diamonds (Type IaAB and Type II) displayed green, yellow, orange, and red CL colours controlled by the CL emittance at 520, 576 nm, and between 586 and 664 nm. The UHP terranes diamonds show much weaker CL; few luminescent stones display CL peaks at 395, 498, 528 nm and a broad band at 580-668 nm. In contrast, most common diamonds found in unmetamorphosed rocks, i.e. octahedrally grown Type IaAB stones, luminescence blue emitting light at ~415-440 nm and 480-490 nm. There is a noticeable difference between cathodoluminescence of these diamonds and diamonds in metamorphic rocks. The studied diamonds that experienced metamorphism show a shift of CL emission to longer wavelengths (above 520 nm) and to green, yellow and red CL colours. Photoluminescence has the high resolution necessary to assign luminescence to specific optical centers of diamond. Diamonds in metamorphic rocks contain H3 (pairs of substitutional nitrogen atoms separated by a vacancy) and NVo