Insights into electrodeposition of an inhibitor film and its inhibitive effects on calcium carbonate deposition.

PubMed

Morizot, Arnaud P; Neville, Anne

2002-01-01

Polycarboxylic acid (PAA), a common scale inhibitor has demonstrated adsorption properties on stainless steel surfaces. An electrochemically based technique has been used to assess the extent of film formation. The presence of calcium and magnesium ions in the solution and the cathodic electrochemical activity at the metal surface have been shown to enhance the inhibitor film formation by promoting the transport of the inhibitor from the solution to the metal surface. The effect of the inhibitor film in retarding scale deposition is assessed using measurement of the deposition onto metal electrodes immersed in a supersaturated solution of CaCO(3). The practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Anion-Dependent Potential Precycling Effects on Lithium Deposition/Dissolution Reaction Studied by an Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance.

PubMed

Smaran, Kumar Sai; Shibata, Sae; Omachi, Asami; Ohama, Ayano; Tomizawa, Eika; Kondo, Toshihiro

2017-10-19

The electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance technique was employed to study the initial stage of the electrodeposition and dissolution of lithium utilizing three kinds of electrolyte solutions such as LiPF 6 , LiTFSI, or LiFSI in tetraglyme. The native-SEI (solid-electrolyte interphase) formed by a potential prescan before lithium deposition/dissolution in all three solutions. Simultaneous additional SEI (add-SEI) deposition and its dissolution with lithium deposition and dissolution, respectively, were observed in LiPF 6 and LiTFSI. Conversely, the add-SEI dissolution with lithium deposition and its deposition with lithium dissolution were observed in LiFSI. Additional potential precycling resulted in the accumulation of a "pre-SEI" layer over the native-SEI layer in all of the solutions. With the pre-SEI, only lithium deposition/dissolution were significantly observed in LiTFSI and LiFSI. On the basis of the potential dependences of the mass and resistance changes, the anion-dependent effects of such a pre-SEI layer presence/absence on the lithium deposition/dissolution processes were discussed.

Cadmium zinc sulfide by solution growth

DOEpatents

Chen, Wen S.

1992-05-12

A process for depositing thin layers of a II-VI compound cadmium zinc sulfide (CdZnS) by an aqueous solution growth technique with quality suitable for high efficiency photovoltaic or other devices which can benefit from the band edge shift resulting from the inclusion of Zn in the sulfide. A first solution comprising CdCl.sub.2 2.5H.sub.2 O, NH.sub.4 Cl, NH.sub.4 OH and ZnCl.sub.2, and a second solution comprising thiourea ((NH.sub.2).sub.2 CS) are combined and placed in a deposition cell, along with a substrate to form a thin i.e. 10 nm film of CdZnS on the substrate. This process can be sequentially repeated with to achieve deposition of independent multiple layers having different Zn concentrations.

Electrodeposition of titania and barium titanate thin films for high dielectric applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Biplab Kumar

In order to address the requirement of a low-temperature low-cost cost processing for depositing high dielectric constant ceramic films for applications in embedded capacitor and flexible electronics technology, two different chemical bath processes, namely, thermohydrolytic deposition (TD) and cathodic electrodeposition (ED) have been exploited to generate titania thin films. In thermohydrolytic deposition technique, titania films were generated from acidic aqueous solution of titanium chloride on F: SnO2 coated glass and Si substrates by temperature assisted hydrolysis mechanism. On the other hand, in cathodic electrodeposition, in-situ electro-generation of hydroxyl ions triggered a fast deposition of titania on conductive substrates such as copper and F: SnO2 coated glass from peroxotitanium solution at low temperatures (˜0°C). In both techniques, solution compositions affected the morphology and crystallinity of the films. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques have been employed to perform such characterization. As both processes utilized water as solvent, the as-deposited films contained hydroxyl ligand or physically adsorbed water molecules in the titania layer. Besides that, electrodeposited films contained peroxotitanium bonds which were characterized by FTIR studies. Although as-electrodeposited titania films were X-ray amorphous, considerable crystallinity could be generated by heat treatment. The films obtained from both the processes showed v moderately high dielectric constant (ranging from 9-30 at 100 kHz) and high breakdown voltage (0.09-0.15 MV/cm) in electrical measurements. To further improve the dielectric constant, electrodeposited titania films were converted to barium titanate films in high pH barium ion containing solution at 80-90°C. The resultant film contained cubic crystalline barium titanate verified by XRD analysis. Simple low-temperature hydrothermal technique of conversion worked perfect for F:SnO2 coated glass substrates, but in this process, high pH precursor caused corrosion in copper substrates and deposition of copper oxide in the final films. To overcome this, an innovative technique, which incorporates an electrochemical protection of substrates by application of cathodic potential in addition to common hydrothermal conversion, has been adopted. Films generated by common hydrothermal technique on F:SnO 2/glass substrates and via electrochemical-hydrothermal technique on Cu substrates showed promising dielectric behavior. Apart from the experimental studies, this report also includes various thermodynamic studies related to hydrolysis and precipitation of titanium ion, protection of copper during titania deposition and barium titanate conversion. Gibbs free energy based model and speciation studies were used to understand supersaturation which is a controlling factor in thermohydrolytic deposition. Similar approaches were utilized to understand the possibilities of barium titanate formation at different Ba2+ concentrations with different pH conditions. Possibilities of atmospheric carbon dioxide incorporation to generate barium carbonate instead of barium titanate formation were also determined by mathematical calculations. Whenever relevant, results of such theoretical analysis were utilized to design the experiment or to explain the experimental observations.

Influence of solution deposition rate on properties of V2O5 thin films deposited by spray pyrolysis technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abd-Alghafour, N. M.; Ahmed, Naser M.; Hassan, Zai; Mohammad, Sabah M.

2016-07-01

Vanadium oxide (V2O5) thin films were deposited on glass substrates by using a cost-efficient spray pyrolysis technique. The films were grown at 350° through thermal decomposition of VCl3 in deionized water with different solution spray rates. The high resolution X-ray diffraction results revealed the formation of nanocrystalline films having orthorhombic structures with preferential orientation along (101) direction. The spray rate influenced the surface morphology and crystallite size of the films. The crystallite size was found to increase whereas the micro-strain was decreased by increasing the spray deposition rates. The increase in crystallite size and decrease in the macrostrain resulted in an improvement in the films' crystallinity. The UV-Visible spectroscopy analysis indicated that the average transmittance of all films lies in the range 75-80 %. The band gap of V2O5 film was decreased from 2.65 to 2.46 eV with increase of the spray deposition rate from 5 ml/min to 10 ml/min. first, second, and third level headings (first level heading).

Deposition of thin Si and Ge films by ballistic hot electron reduction in a solution-dripping mode and its application to the growth of thin SiGe films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suda, Ryutaro; Yagi, Mamiko; Kojima, Akira; Mentek, Romain; Mori, Nobuya; Shirakashi, Jun-ichi; Koshida, Nobuyoshi

2015-04-01

To enhance the usefulness of ballistic hot electron injection into solutions for depositing thin group-IV films, a dripping scheme is proposed. A very small amount of SiCl4 or GeCl4 solution was dripped onto the surface of a nanocrystalline Si (nc-Si) electron emitter, and then the emitter is driven without using any counter electrodes. It is shown that thin Si and Ge films are deposited onto the emitting surface. Spectroscopic surface and compositional analyses showed no extrinsic carbon contaminations in deposited thin films, in contrast to the results of a previous study using the dipping scheme. The availability of this technique for depositing thin SiGe films is also demonstrated using a mixture SiCl4+GeCl4 solution. Ballistic hot electrons injected into solutions with appropriate kinetic energies promote preferential reduction of target ions with no by-products leading to nuclei formation for the thin film growth. Specific advantageous features of this clean, room-temperature, and power-effective process is discussed in comparison with the conventional dry and wet processes.

Fabrication of ultrathin film capacitors by chemical solution deposition

DOE PAGES

Brennecka, Geoff L.; Tuttle, Bruce A.

2007-10-01

We present that a facile solution-based processing route using standard spin-coating deposition techniques has been developed for the production of reliable capacitors based on lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT) with active areas of ≥1 mm 2 and dielectric layer thicknesses down to 50 nm. With careful control of the dielectric phase development through improved processing, ultrathin capacitors exhibited slim ferroelectric hysteresis loops and dielectric constants of >1000, similar to those of much thicker films. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that chemical solution deposition is a viable route to the production of capacitor films which are as thin as 50 nmmore » but are still macroscopically addressable with specific capacitance values >160 nF/mm 2.« less

Use of multivariate analysis for determining sources of solutes found in wet atmospheric deposition in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hooper, R.P.; Peters, N.E.

1989-01-01

A principal-components analysis was performed on the major solutes in wet deposition collected from 194 stations in the United States and its territories. Approximately 90% of the components derived could be interpreted as falling into one of three categories - acid, salt, or an agricultural/soil association. The total mass, or the mass of any one solute, was apportioned among these components by multiple linear regression techniques. The use of multisolute components for determining trends or spatial distribution represents a substantial improvement over single-solute analysis in that these components are more directly related to the sources of the deposition. The geographic patterns displayed by the components in this analysis indicate a far more important role for acid deposition in the Southeast and intermountain regions of the United States than would be indicated by maps of sulfate or nitrate deposition alone. In the Northeast and Midwest, the acid component is not declining at most stations, as would be expected from trends in sulfate deposition, but is holding constant or increasing. This is due, in part, to a decline in the agriculture/soil factor throughout this region, which would help to neutralize the acidity.

Direct Deposition of Gas Phase Generated Aerosol Gold Nanoparticles into Biological Fluids - Corona Formation and Particle Size Shifts

PubMed Central

Svensson, Christian R.; Messing, Maria E.; Lundqvist, Martin; Schollin, Alexander; Deppert, Knut; Pagels, Joakim H.; Rissler, Jenny; Cedervall, Tommy

2013-01-01

An ongoing discussion whether traditional toxicological methods are sufficient to evaluate the risks associated with nanoparticle inhalation has led to the emergence of Air-Liquid interface toxicology. As a step in this process, this study explores the evolution of particle characteristics as they move from the airborne state into physiological solution. Airborne gold nanoparticles (AuNP) are generated using an evaporation-condensation technique. Spherical and agglomerate AuNPs are deposited into physiological solutions of increasing biological complexity. The AuNP size is characterized in air as mobility diameter and in liquid as hydrodynamic diameter. AuNP:Protein aggregation in physiological solutions is determined using dynamic light scattering, particle tracking analysis, and UV absorption spectroscopy. AuNPs deposited into homocysteine buffer form large gold-aggregates. Spherical AuNPs deposited in solutions of albumin were trapped at the Air-Liquid interface but was readily suspended in the solutions with a size close to that of the airborne particles, indicating that AuNP:Protein complex formation is promoted. Deposition into serum and lung fluid resulted in larger complexes, reflecting the formation of a more complex protein corona. UV absorption spectroscopy indicated no further aggregation of the AuNPs after deposition in solution. The corona of the deposited AuNPs shows differences compared to AuNPs generated in suspension. Deposition of AuNPs from the aerosol phase into biological fluids offers a method to study the protein corona formed, upon inhalation and deposition in the lungs in a more realistic way compared to particle liquid suspensions. This is important since the protein corona together with key particle properties (e.g. size, shape and surface reactivity) to a large extent may determine the nanoparticle effects and possible translocation to other organs. PMID:24086363

Large Scale Laser Crystallization of Solution-based Alumina-doped Zinc Oxide (AZO) Nanoinks for Highly Transparent Conductive Electrode

PubMed Central

Nian, Qiong; Callahan, Michael; Saei, Mojib; Look, David; Efstathiadis, Harry; Bailey, John; Cheng, Gary J.

2015-01-01

A new method combining aqueous solution printing with UV Laser crystallization (UVLC) and post annealing is developed to deposit highly transparent and conductive Aluminum doped Zinc Oxide (AZO) films. This technique is able to rapidly produce large area AZO films with better structural and optoelectronic properties than most high vacuum deposition, suggesting a potential large-scale manufacturing technique. The optoelectronic performance improvement attributes to UVLC and forming gas annealing (FMG) induced grain boundary density decrease and electron traps passivation at grain boundaries. The physical model and computational simulation developed in this work could be applied to thermal treatment of many other metal oxide films. PMID:26515670

Aragonite coating solutions (ACS) based on artificial seawater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tas, A. Cuneyt

2015-03-01

Aragonite (CaCO3, calcium carbonate) is an abundant biomaterial of marine life. It is the dominant inorganic phase of coral reefs, mollusc bivalve shells and the stalactites or stalagmites of geological sediments. Inorganic and initially precipitate-free aragonite coating solutions (ACS) of pH 7.4 were developed in this study to deposit monolayers of aragonite spherules or ooids on biomaterial (e.g., UHMWPE, ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene) surfaces soaked in ACS at 30 °C. The ACS solutions of this study have been developed for the surface engineering of synthetic biomaterials. The abiotic ACS solutions, enriched with calcium and bicarbonate ions at different concentrations, essentially mimicked the artificial seawater composition and started to deposit aragonite after a long (4 h) incubation period at the tropical sea surface temperature of 30 °C. While numerous techniques for the solution deposition of calcium hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2), of low thermodynamic solubility, on synthetic biomaterials have been demonstrated, procedures related to the solution-based surface deposition of high solubility aragonite remained uncommon. Monolayers of aragonite ooids deposited at 30 °C on UHMWPE substrates soaked in organic-free ACS solutions were found to possess nano-structures similar to the mortar-and-brick-type botryoids observed in biogenic marine shells. Samples were characterized using SEM, XRD, FTIR, ICP-AES and contact angle goniometry.

Effect of the nozzle tip’s geometrical shape on electrospray deposition of organic thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ueda, Hiroyuki; Takeuchi, Keita; Kikuchi, Akihiko

2017-04-01

Electrospray deposition (ESD) is a favorable wet fabrication technique for organic thin films. We investigated the effects of the nozzle tip’s geometrical shape on the spraying properties of an organic solution used for ESD. Five types of cylindrical metal nozzles with zero (flat end) to four protrusions at the tips were prepared for depositing a solution of a small-molecule compound, tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum (Alq3) solution. We confirmed that the diameter of the deposited droplets and their size dispersion decreased with an increase in the number of protrusions. The area occupation ratio of small droplets with a diameter smaller than 2 µm increased from 21 to 83% as the number of protrusions was increased from zero to four. The surface roughness root mean square of 60-nm-thick Alq3 films substantially improved from 32.5 to 6.8 nm with increasing number of protrusions.

Local electrophoretic deposition using a nanopipette for micropillar fabrication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwata, Futoshi; Metoki, Junya

2017-12-01

A novel and simple technique was developed for the fabrication of micropillars using a nanopipette that is a tapered glass capillary with a micrometer-sized aperture at the tip. The nanopipette was filled with a colloidal solution that included metal nanoparticles. Its tip was put in contact with a substrate, and the substrate was moved downward for continuous deposition of the metal colloidal solution to form micropillars. To improve fabrication reproducibility, the amount of Au colloidal solution deposited was controlled by a feedback loop that maintained a predefined constant current during electrophoretic deposition. The stiffness of the fabricated micropillars was evaluated by applying a loading force using a microcantilever under scanning electron microscopy. The Young’s modulus of the fabricated pillars was measured to be in the range of 7.7-14.8 GPa, depending on the fabrication parameters of the predefined current and fabrication speed.

Characterization of zinc oxide thin film for pH detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashim, Uda; Fathil, M. F. M.; Arshad, M. K. Md; Gopinath, Subash C. B.; Uda, M. N. A.

2017-03-01

This paper presents the fabrication process of the zinc oxide thin films for using to act as pH detection by using different PH solution. Sol-gel solution technique is used for preparing zinc oxide seed solution, followed by metal oxide deposition process by using spin coater on the silicon dioxide. Silicon dioxide layer is grown on the silicon wafer, then, ZnO seed solution is deposited on the silicon layer, baked, and annealing process carried on to undergo the characterization of its surface morphology, structural and crystalline phase. Electrical characterization is showed by using PH 4, 7, and 10 is dropped on the surface of the die, in addition, APTES solution is used as linker and also as a references of the electrical characterization.

Liquid-phase deposition of thin Si films by ballistic electro-reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohta, T.; Gelloz, B.; Kojima, A.; Koshida, N.

2013-01-01

It is shown that the nanocryatalline silicon ballistic electron emitter operates in a SiCl4 solution without using any counter electrodes and that thin amorphous Si films are efficiently deposited on the emitting surface with no contaminations and by-products. Despite the large electrochemical window of the SiCl4 solution, electrons injected with sufficiently high energies preferentially reduce Si4+ ions at the interface. Using an emitter with patterned line emission windows, a Si-wires array can be formed in parallel. This low-temperature liquid-phase deposition technique provides an alternative clean process for power-effective fabrication of advanced thin Si film structures and devices.

Lipase biofilm deposited by Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aronne, Antonio; Bloisi, Francesco; Calabria, Raffaela; Califano, Valeria; Depero, Laura E.; Fanelli, Esther; Federici, Stefania; Massoli, Patrizio; Vicari, Luciano R. M.

2015-05-01

Lipase is an enzyme that finds application in biodiesel production and for detection of esters and triglycerides in biosensors. Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation (MAPLE), a technique derived from Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) for deposition of undamaged biomolecules or polymers, is characterized by the use of a frozen target obtained from a solution/suspension of the guest material (to be deposited) in a volatile matrix (solvent). The presence of the solvent avoids or at least reduces the potential damage of guest molecules by laser radiation but only the guest material reaches the substrate in an essentially solvent-free deposition. MAPLE can be used for enzymes immobilization, essential for industrial application, allowing the development of continuous processes, an easier separation of products, the reuse of the catalyst and, in some cases, enhancing enzyme properties (pH, temperature stability, etc.) and catalytic activity in non-aqueous media. Here we show that MAPLE technique can be used to deposit undamaged lipase and that the complex structure (due to droplets generated during extraction from target) of the deposited material can be controlled by changing the laser beam fluence.

Influence of solution deposition rate on properties of V{sub 2}O{sub 5} thin films deposited by spray pyrolysis technique

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

Abd–Alghafour, N. M., E-mail: na2013bil@gmail.com; Ahmed, Naser M.; Hassan, Zai

Vanadium oxide (V{sub 2}O{sub 5}) thin films were deposited on glass substrates by using a cost-efficient spray pyrolysis technique. The films were grown at 350° through thermal decomposition of VCl{sub 3} in deionized water with different solution spray rates. The high resolution X-ray diffraction results revealed the formation of nanocrystalline films having orthorhombic structures with preferential orientation along (101) direction. The spray rate influenced the surface morphology and crystallite size of the films. The crystallite size was found to increase whereas the micro-strain was decreased by increasing the spray deposition rates. The increase in crystallite size and decrease in themore » macrostrain resulted in an improvement in the films’ crystallinity. The UV-Visible spectroscopy analysis indicated that the average transmittance of all films lies in the range 75-80 %. The band gap of V{sub 2}O{sub 5} film was decreased from 2.65 to 2.46 eV with increase of the spray deposition rate from 5 ml/min to 10 ml/min. first, second, and third level headings (first level heading).« less

Note: A novel technique for analysis of aqueous solutions by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

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

Rusak, D. A.; Bell, Z. T.; Anthony, T. P.

2015-11-15

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates typically consist of gold or silver nanoparticles deposited on a non-conductive substrate. In Raman spectroscopy, the nanoparticles produce an enhancement of the electromagnetic field which, in turn, leads to greater electronic excitation of molecules in the local environment. Here, we show that these same surfaces can be used to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio obtained in laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy of aqueous solutions. In this case, the SERS substrates not only lower breakdown thresholds and lead to more efficient plasma initiation but also provide an appropriately wettable surface for the deposition of the liquid. We refer tomore » this technique as surface-enhanced laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy.« less

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2018-04-01

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

Inkjet printing of aqueous rivulets: Formation, deposition, and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bromberg, Vadim

The past two decades have seen an explosion of research and development into nanotechnology, ranging from synthesis of novel materials that exhibit unique behavior to the assembly of fully functional devices that hold the potential to benefit all sectors of industry and society as a whole. One significant challenge for this emerging technology is the scaling of newly developed processes to the industrial level where manufacturing should be cheap, fast and with high throughput. One approach to this problem has been to develop processes of material deposition and device fabrication via solution-based additive manufacturing techniques such as printing. Specifically, it is envisioned that (in)organic functional nanomaterial that can be processed into solution form can be deposited in a precise manner (i.e., printed) onto sheets of flexible plastic/glass in a process similar to the printing of newspaper (formally, the process is dubbed Roll-to-Roll). This work is focused on experimentally studying and developing one type of solution-based material deposition technique---drop-on-demand ink-jet printing. This technique allows highly-repeatable deposition of small (pico-liter) droplets of functional ink in precise locations on a given target substrate. Although the technology has been in existence and in continuous use for many decades in the paper graphics industry, its application to nanotechnology-based fabrication processes on non-porous substrates presents many challenges stemming from the coupling of the wetting, material transport, evaporation and solid deposition phenomena that occur when printing patterns more complex than single droplets. The focus of this research has been to investigate these phenomena for the case of printed rivulets of water-based inks. A custom ink-jet apparatus has been assembled to allow direct optical observation of the flow and deposition that occur during printing. Experimental results show the importance of substrate surface energy and early-time dynamics during rivulet formation in determining the nature of subsequent particle convection and deposition. New flow and deposition phenomena have also been identified and leveraged to develop novel processes for deposition of micron-scale electrically conducting lines of silver nanoparticles. Low-temperature processing of printed silver nitrate lines with environmentally benign Ar plasma to improve electrical properties has also been investigated and will be discussed.

Electrochemical X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy for trace heavy metal analysis: enhancing X-ray fluorescence detection capabilities by four orders of magnitude.

PubMed

Hutton, Laura A; O'Neil, Glen D; Read, Tania L; Ayres, Zoë J; Newton, Mark E; Macpherson, Julie V

2014-05-06

The development of a novel analytical technique, electrochemical X-ray fluorescence (EC-XRF), is described and applied to the quantitative detection of heavy metals in solution, achieving sub-ppb limits of detection (LOD). In EC-XRF, electrochemical preconcentration of a species of interest onto the target electrode is achieved here by cathodic electrodeposition. Unambiguous elemental identification and quantification of metal concentration is then made using XRF. This simple electrochemical preconcentration step improves the LOD of energy dispersive XRF by over 4 orders of magnitude (for similar sample preparation time scales). Large area free-standing boron doped diamond grown using microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition techniques is found to be ideal as the electrode material for both electrodeposition and XRF due to its wide solvent window, transparency to the XRF beam, and ability to be produced in mechanically robust freestanding thin film form. During electrodeposition it is possible to vary both the deposition potential (Edep) and deposition time (tdep). For the metals Cu(2+) and Pb(2+) the highest detection sensitivities were found for Edep = -1.75 V and tdep (=) 4000 s with LODs of 0.05 and 0.04 ppb achieved, respectively. In mixed Cu(2+)/Pb(2+) solutions, EC-XRF shows that Cu(2+) deposition is unimpeded by Pb(2+), across a broad concentration range, but this is only true for Pb(2+) when both metals are present at low concentrations (10 nM), boding well for trace level measurements. In a dual mixed metal solution, EC-XRF can also be employed to either selectively deposit the metal which has the most positive formal reduction potential, E(0), or exhaustively deplete it from solution, enabling uninhibited detection of the metal with the more negative E(0).

Preparation of Platinum (Pt) Counter Electrode Coated by Electrochemical Technique at High Temperature for Dye-sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ponken, Tanachai; Tagsin, Kamonlapron; Suwannakhun, Chuleerat; Luecha, Jakkrit; Choawunklang, Wijit

2017-09-01

Pt counter electrode was coated by electrochemical method. Electrolyte solution was synthesized by platinum (IV) choloride (PtCl4) powder dissolved in hydrochloric acid solution. Pt films were deposited on the FTO substrate. Deposition time of 10, 30 and 60 minutes, the coating current of 5, 10, 15 and 20 mA and electrolyte solution temperatures for Pt layer synthesis of 25, 30 and 40°C were varied. Surface morphology and optical properties was analyzed by digital microscopic and UV-vis spectrophotometer. Pt films exhibit uniform surface area highly for all the conditions of coating current in the deposition time of 30 and 40 minutes at 40°C. Transmittance values of Pt films deposited on FTO substrate has approximately of 5 to 50 % show that occur high reflection corresponding to dye molecule absorption increases. DSSC device was fabricated from the TiO2 standard and immersed in dye N719 for 24 hours. Efficiency was measured by solar simulator. Efficiency value obtains as high as 5.91 % for the coating current, deposition time and solution temperature of 15 mA, 30 minutes and 40°C. Summary, influence of temperature effects efficiency increasing. Pt counter electrode can be prepared easily and the suitable usefully for DSSC.

Investigation on V2O5 Thin Films Prepared by Spray Pyrolysis Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anasthasiya, A. Nancy Anna; Gowtham, K.; Shruthi, R.; Pandeeswari, R.; Jeyaprakash, B. G.

The spray pyrolysis technique was employed to deposit V2O5 thin films on a glass substrate. By varying the precursor solution volume from 10mL to 50mL in steps of 10mL, films of various thicknesses were prepared. Orthorhombic polycrystalline V2O5 films were inferred from the XRD pattern irrespective of precursor solution volume. The micro-Raman studies suggested that annealed V2O5 thin film has good crystallinity. The effect of precursor solution volume on morphological and optical properties were analysed and reported.

Rapid Solidification of a New Generation Aluminum-Lithium Alloy via Electrospark Deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heard, David W.; Boselli, Julien; Gauvin, Raynald; Brochu, Mathieu

Electrospark deposition (ESD) is a rapid solidification processing technique capable of depositing a metal onto a conductive substrate. The short pulse duration and high pulse frequency, combined with the small amount of material transferred during each pulse, results in high cooling rates being realized, on the order of 105-106 C/sec. This study investigates the ability to induce solute trapping behavior, for a new generation aluminum-lithium alloy, AA2199, using ESD.

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

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

Anderson, T.

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

Structural and Electrical Characterization of SiO2 Gate Dielectrics Deposited from Solutions at Moderate Temperatures in Air.

PubMed

Esro, Mazran; Kolosov, Oleg; Jones, Peter J; Milne, William I; Adamopoulos, George

2017-01-11

Silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) is the most widely used dielectric for electronic applications. It is usually produced by thermal oxidation of silicon or by using a wide range of vacuum-based techniques. By default, the growth of SiO 2 by thermal oxidation of silicon requires the use of Si substrates whereas the other deposition techniques either produce low quality or poor interface material and mostly require high deposition or annealing temperatures. Recent investigations therefore have focused on the development of alternative deposition paradigms based on solutions. Here, we report the deposition of SiO 2 thin film dielectrics deposited by spray pyrolysis in air at moderate temperatures of ≈350 °C from pentane-2,4-dione solutions of SiCl 4 . SiO 2 dielectrics were investigated by means of UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, spectroscopic ellipsometry, XPS, XRD, UFM/AFM, admittance spectroscopy, and field-effect measurements. Data analysis reveals smooth (R RMS < 1 nm) amorphous films with a dielectric constant of about 3.8, an optical band gap of ≈8.1 eV, leakage current densities in the order of ≈10 -7 A/cm 2 at 1 MV/cm, and high dielectric strength in excess of 5 MV/cm. XPS measurements confirm the SiO 2 stoichiometry and FTIR spectra reveal features related to SiO 2 only. Thin film transistors implementing spray-coated SiO 2 gate dielectrics and C 60 and pentacene semiconducting channels exhibit excellent transport characteristics, i.e., negligible hysteresis, low leakage currents, high on/off current modulation ratio on the order of 10 6 , and high carrier mobility.

Numerical modeling of pollutant transport using a Lagrangian marker particle technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spaulding, M.

1976-01-01

A derivation and code were developed for the three-dimensional mass transport equation, using a particle-in-cell solution technique, to solve coastal zone waste discharge problems where particles are a major component of the waste. Improvements in the particle movement techniques are suggested and typical examples illustrated. Preliminary model comparisons with analytic solutions for an instantaneous point release in a uniform flow show good results in resolving the waste motion. The findings to date indicate that this computational model will provide a useful technique to study the motion of sediment, dredged spoils, and other particulate waste commonly deposited in coastal waters.

Hybrid deposition of thin film solid oxide fuel cells and electrolyzers

DOEpatents

Jankowski, A.F.; Makowiecki, D.M.; Rambach, G.D.; Randich, E.

1998-05-19

The use of vapor deposition techniques enables synthesis of the basic components of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC); namely, the electrolyte layer, the two electrodes, and the electrolyte-electrode interfaces. Such vapor deposition techniques provide solutions to each of the three critical steps of material synthesis to produce a thin film solid oxide fuel cell (TFSOFC). The electrolyte is formed by reactive deposition of essentially any ion conducting oxide, such as defect free, yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) by planar magnetron sputtering. The electrodes are formed from ceramic powders sputter coated with an appropriate metal and sintered to a porous compact. The electrolyte-electrode interface is formed by chemical vapor deposition of zirconia compounds onto the porous electrodes to provide a dense, smooth surface on which to continue the growth of the defect-free electrolyte, whereby a single fuel cell or multiple cells may be fabricated. 8 figs.

Hybrid deposition of thin film solid oxide fuel cells and electrolyzers

DOEpatents

Jankowski, Alan F.; Makowiecki, Daniel M.; Rambach, Glenn D.; Randich, Erik

1999-01-01

The use of vapor deposition techniques enables synthesis of the basic components of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC); namely, the electrolyte layer, the two electrodes, and the electrolyte-electrode interfaces. Such vapor deposition techniques provide solutions to each of the three critical steps of material synthesis to produce a thin film solid oxide fuel cell (TFSOFC). The electrolyte is formed by reactive deposition of essentially any ion conducting oxide, such as defect free, yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) by planar magnetron sputtering. The electrodes are formed from ceramic powders sputter coated with an appropriate metal and sintered to a porous compact. The electrolyte-electrode interface is formed by chemical vapor deposition of zirconia compounds onto the porous electrodes to provide a dense, smooth surface on which to continue the growth of the defect-free electrolyte, whereby a single fuel cell or multiple cells may be fabricated.

Hybrid deposition of thin film solid oxide fuel cells and electrolyzers

DOEpatents

Jankowski, Alan F.; Makowiecki, Daniel M.; Rambach, Glenn D.; Randich, Erik

1998-01-01

The use of vapor deposition techniques enables synthesis of the basic components of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC); namely, the electrolyte layer, the two electrodes, and the electrolyte-electrode interfaces. Such vapor deposition techniques provide solutions to each of the three critical steps of material synthesis to produce a thin film solid oxide fuel cell (TFSOFC). The electrolyte is formed by reactive deposition of essentially any ion conducting oxide, such as defect free, yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) by planar magnetron sputtering. The electrodes are formed from ceramic powders sputter coated with an appropriate metal and sintered to a porous compact. The electrolyte-electrode interface is formed by chemical vapor deposition of zirconia compounds onto the porous electrodes to provide a dense, smooth surface on which to continue the growth of the defect-free electrolyte, whereby a single fuel cell or multiple cells may be fabricated.

Picoliter Drop-On-Demand Dispensing for Multiplex Liquid Cell Transmission Electron Microscopy

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

Patterson, Joseph P.; Parent, Lucas R.; Cantlon, Joshua

2016-05-03

Abstract Liquid cell transmission electron microscopy (LCTEM) provides a unique insight into the dynamics of nanomaterials in solution. Controlling the addition of multiple solutions to the liquid cell remains a key hurdle in our ability to increase throughput and to study processes dependent on solution mixing including chemical reactions. Here, we report that a piezo dispensing technique allows for mixing of multiple solutions directly within the viewing area. This technique permits deposition of 50 pL droplets of various aqueous solutions onto the liquid cell window, before assembly of the cell in a fully controlled manner. This proof-of-concept study highlights themore » great potential of picoliter dispensing in combination with LCTEM for observing nanoparticle mixing in the solution phase and the creation of chemical gradients.« less

Controllable Electrochromic Polyamide Film and Device Produced by Facile Ultrasonic Spray-coating.

PubMed

Liu, Huan-Shen; Chang, Wei-Chieh; Chou, Chin-Yen; Pan, Bo-Cheng; Chou, Yi-Shan; Liou, Guey-Sheng; Liu, Cheng-Liang

2017-09-20

Thermally stable TPA-OMe polyamide films with high transmittance modulation in response to applied potential are formed by facile ultrasonic spray-coating. Four processing conditions (Film A, Film B, Film C and Film D) through tuning both solution concentrations and deposition temperatures can be utilized for the formation of wet and dry deposited films with two film thickness intervals. The electrochromic results show that the dry deposited rough films at higher deposition temperature generally reveal a faster electrochromic response, lower charge requirements (Q) and less conspicuous color changes (smaller optical density change (ΔOD) and lightness change (ΔL*)) during the oxidation process as compared to the wet deposited smooth films at lower deposition temperature. Moreover, thicker electrochromic films from increased solution concentration exhibit more obvious changes between coloration and bleaching transition. All these four polyamide films display colorless-to-turquoise electrochromic switching with good redox stability. The large scale patterned electrochromic film and its application for assembled device (10 × 10 cm 2 in size) are also produced and reversibly operated for color changes. These represent a major solution-processing technique produced by ultrasonic spray-coating method towards scalable and cost-effective production, allowing more freedoms to facilitate the designed electrochromic devices as required.

In situ transmission electron microscopy of lead dendrites and lead ions in aqueous solution.

PubMed

White, Edward R; Singer, Scott B; Augustyn, Veronica; Hubbard, William A; Mecklenburg, Matthew; Dunn, Bruce; Regan, Brian C

2012-07-24

An ideal technique for observing nanoscale assembly would provide atomic-resolution images of both the products and the reactants in real time. Using a transmission electron microscope we image in situ the electrochemical deposition of lead from an aqueous solution of lead(II) nitrate. Both the lead deposits and the local Pb(2+) concentration can be visualized. Depending on the rate of potential change and the potential history, lead deposits on the cathode in a structurally compact layer or in dendrites. In both cases the deposits can be removed and the process repeated. Asperities that persist through many plating and stripping cycles consistently nucleate larger dendrites. Quantitative digital image analysis reveals excellent correlation between changes in the Pb(2+) concentration, the rate of lead deposition, and the current passed by the electrochemical cell. Real-time electron microscopy of dendritic growth dynamics and the associated local ionic concentrations can provide new insight into the functional electrochemistry of batteries and related energy storage technologies.

Development of a Contactless Technique for Electrodeposition and Porous Silicon Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Mingrui

One of the key active manufacturing technologies for 3D integration is through silicon vias (TSVs), which involves etching of deep vias in a silicon substrate that are filled with an electrodeposited metal, and subsequent removal of excess metal by chemical mechanical planarization (CMP). Electrodeposition often results in undesired voids in the TSV metal fill as well as a thick overburden layer. These via plating defects can severely degrade interconnect properties and lead to variation in via resistance, electrically open vias, and trapped plating chemicals that present a reliability hazard. Thick overburden layers result in lengthy and expensive CMP processing. We are proposing a technique that pursues a viable method of depositing a high quality metal inside vias with true bottom-up filling, using an additive-free deposition solution. The mechanism is based on a novel concept of electrochemical oxidation of backside silicon that releases electrons, and subsequent chemical etching of silicon dioxide for regeneration of the surface. Electrons are transported through the bulk silicon to the interface of the via bottom and the deposition solution, where the metal ions accept these electrons and electrodeposit resulting in the bottom-up filling of the large aspect ratio vias. With regions outside the vias covered bydielectric, no metal electrodeposition should occur in these regions. Our new bottom-up technique was initially examined and successfully demonstrated on blanket silicon wafers and shown to supply electrons to provide bottom-up filling advantage of through-hole plating and the depth tailorability of blind vias. We have also conducted a fundamental study that investigated the effect of various process parameters on the characteristics of deposited Cu and Ni and established correlations between metal filling properties and various electrochemical and solution variables. A copper sulfate solution with temperature of about 65°C was shown to be suitable for achieving stable and high values of current density that translated to copper deposition rates of 2.4 mum/min with good deposition uniformity. The importance of backside silicon oxidation and subsequent oxide etching on the kinetics of metal deposition on front side silicon has also been highlighted. Further, a process model was also developed to simulate the through silicon via copper filling process using conventional and contactless electrodeposition methods with no additives being used in the electrolyte solution. A series of electrochemical measurements were employed and integrated in the development of the comprehensive process simulator. The experimental data not only provided the necessary parameters for the model but also validated the simulation accuracy. From the simulation results, the "pinch-off" effect was observed for the additive-free conventional deposition process, which further causes partial filling and void formation. By contrast, a void-free filling with higher deposition rates was achieved by the use of the contactless technique. Moreover, experimental results of contactless electrodeposition on patterned wafers showed fast rate bottom-up filling ( 3.3 mum/min) in vias of 4 mum diameter and 50 mum depth (aspect ratio = 12.5) without void formation and no copper overburden in the regions outside the vias. Efforts were also made to extend the use of the contactless technique to other applications such as synthesis of porous silicon. We were able to fabricate porous silicon with a morphological gradient using a novel design of the experimental cell. The resulted porous silicon layers show a large distribution in porosity, pore size and depth along the radius of the samples. Symmetrical arrangements were attributed to decreasing current density radially inward on the silicon surface exposed to surfactant containing HF based etchant solution. The formation mechanism as well as morphological properties and their dependence on different process parameters has been investigated in detail. In the presence of surfactants, an increase in the distribution range of porosity, pore diameter and depth was observed by increasing HF concentration or lowering pH of the etchant solution, as the formation of pores was considered to be limited by the etch rates of silicon dioxide. Gradient porous silicon was also found to be successfully formulated both at high and low current densities. Interestingly, the morphological gradient was not developed when dimethyl sulfoxide (instead of surfactants) was used in etchant solution potentially due to limitations in the availability of oxidizing species at the silicon-etchant solution interface. In the last part of the dissertation, we have discussed the gradient bottom up filling of Cu in porous silicon substrates using the contactless electrochemical method. The radially symmetric current that gradually varied across the radius of the sample area was achieved by utilizing the modified cell design, which resulted in gradient filling in the vias. Effect of different deposition parameters such as applied current density, copper sulfate concentration and etching to deposition area ratio has been examined and discussed. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.).

Growth and optoelectronic characteristic of n-Si/p-CuIn(S 1-xSe x) 2 thin-film solar cell by solution growth technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chavhan, S.; Sharma, R.

2006-07-01

The p-CuIn(S 1-xSe x) 2 (CISS) thin films have been grown on n-Si substrate by solution growth technique. The deposition parameters, such as pH (10.5), deposition time (60 min), deposition temperature (50 °C), and concentration of bath solution (0.1 M) were optimized. Elemental analysis of the p-CuIn(S 1-xSe x) 2 thin film was confirmed by energy-dispersive analysis of X-ray (EDAX). The SEM study of absorber layer shows the uniform morphology of film as well as the continuous smooth deposition onto the n-Si substrates, whose grain size is 130 nm. CuIn(S 1-xSe x) 2 ( x=0.5) reveals (1 1 2) orientation peak and exhibits the chalcopyrite structure with lattice constant a=5.28 Å and c=11.45 Å. The J- V characteristics were measured in dark and light. The device parameters have been calculated for solar cell fabrication, V=411.09 mV, and J=14.55 mA. FF=46.55% and η=4.64% under an illumination of 60 mW/cm 2. The J- V characteristics of the device under dark condition were also studied and the ideality factor was calculated, which is equal to 2.2 for n-Si/p-CuIn(S 0.5Se 0.5) 2 heterojunction thin film.

Toward a durable superhydrophobic aluminum surface by etching and ZnO nanoparticle deposition.

PubMed

Rezayi, Toktam; Entezari, Mohammad H

2016-02-01

Fabrication of suitable roughness is a fundamental step for acquiring superhydrophobic surfaces. For this purpose, a deposition of ZnO nanoparticles on Al surface was carried out by simple immersion and ultrasound approaches. Then, surface energy reduction was performed using stearic acid (STA) ethanol solution for both methods. The results demonstrated that ultrasound would lead to more stable superhydrophobic Al surfaces (STA-ZnO-Al-U) in comparison with simple immersion method (STA-ZnO-Al-I). Besides, etching in HCl solution in another sample was carried out before ZnO deposition for acquiring more mechanically stable superhydrophobic surface. The potentiodynamic measurements demonstrate that etching in HCl solution under ultrasound leads to superhydrophobic surface (STA-ZnO-Al(E)-U). This sample shows remarkable decrease in corrosion current density (icorr) and long-term stability improvement versus immersion in NaCl solution (3.5%) in comparison with the sample prepared without etching (STA-ZnO-Al-U). Scanning electron micrograph (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) confirmed a more condense and further particle deposition on Al substrate when ultrasound was applied in the system. The crystallite evaluation of deposited ZnO nanoparticles was carried out using X-ray diffractometer (XRD). Finally, for STA grafting verification on Al surface, Fourier transform infrared in conjunction with attenuated total reflection (FTIR-ATR) was used as a proper technique. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biocompatibility of hydroxyapatite coatings deposited by pulse electrodeposition technique on the Nitinol superelastic alloy.

PubMed

Marashi-Najafi, F; Khalil-Allafi, J; Etminanfar, M R

2017-07-01

The present study deals with pulse electrochemical deposition of HA on NiTi alloy and in vitro evaluation of coatings. At first step, a thermo-chemical surface modification process was applied to control the Ni release of the alloy. The electrochemical deposition of CaP coatings was examined at both dilute and concentrated solutions. The morphology and the composition of coatings were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Plate like and needle like morphologies were formed for dilute and concentrated solution respectively and HA phase was formed by increasing the pulse current density for both electrolyte. The thickness of the samples was measured using cross sectioning technique. Fibroblast cell culture test on the coated samples revealed that the HA coating obtained by dilute solution shows the best biocompatibility. Also, MTT assay showed the highest cell density and cell proliferation after 5days for the HA coating of dilute solution. The contact angle of samples was measured and the coated samples showed a hydrophilic surface. Soaking the sample in SBF revealed that the crystallization rate of calcium-phosphate compounds is higher on the plate like HA coating as compared to the needle like morphology. The P release of the HA coated samples was measured in a physiological saline solution and the results show that the ions releasing in the plate like coating are less than the needle like coating. It seems that the stability of the plate like coating in biological environments is responsible for the better biocompatibility of the coating. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thallium Bromide Deposited Using Spray Coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferreira, E. S.; Mulato, M.

2012-08-01

Spray coating was used to produce thallium bromide samples on glass substrates. The influence of several fabrication parameters on the final structural properties of the samples was investigated. Substrate position, substrate temperature, solution concentration, carrying gas, and solution flow were varied systematically, the physical deposition mechanism involved in each case being discussed. Total deposition time of about 3.5 h can lead to 62-μm-thick films, comprising completely packed micrometer-sized crystalline grains. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the samples. On the basis of the experimental data, the optimum fabrication conditions were identified. The technique offers an alternative method for fast, cheap fabrication of large-area devices for the detection of high-energy radiation, i.e., X-rays and γ-rays, in medical imaging.

RIR-MAPLE deposition of conjugated polymers and hybrid nanocomposites for application to optoelectronic devices

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

Stiff-Roberts, Adrienne D.; Pate, Ryan; McCormick, Ryan

2012-07-30

Resonant infrared matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (RIR-MAPLE) is a variation of pulsed laser deposition that is useful for organic-based thin films because it reduces material degradation by selective absorption of infrared radiation in the host matrix. A unique emulsion-based RIR-MAPLE approach has been developed that reduces substrate exposure to solvents and provides controlled and repeatable organic thin film deposition. In order to establish emulsion-based RIR-MAPLE as a preferred deposition technique for conjugated polymer or hybrid nanocomposite optoelectronic devices, studies have been conducted to demonstrate the value added by the approach in comparison to traditional solution-based deposition techniques, and this workmore » will be reviewed. The control of hybrid nanocomposite thin film deposition, and the photoconductivity in such materials deposited using emulsion-based RIR-MAPLE, will also be reviewed. The overall result of these studies is the demonstration of emulsion-based RIR-MAPLE as a viable option for the fabrication of conjugated polymer and hybrid nanocomposite optoelectronic devices that could yield improved device performance.« less

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2018-05-01

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

Dielectric properties of Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3 thin films deposited by mist plasma evaporation using aqueous solution precursor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Hui; Shi, Peng; Wang, Minqiang; Yao, Xi; Tan, O. K.

2006-06-01

Mist plasma evaporation (MPE) technique has been developed to deposit Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3 (BST) thin films on SiO2/Si and Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates at atmospheric pressure using metal nitrate aqueous solution as precursor. MPE is characterized by the injection of liquid reactants into thermal plasma where the source materials in the droplets are evaporated by the high temperature of the thermal plasma. Nanometer-scale clusters are formed in the tail flame of the plasma, and then deposited and rearranged on the substrate at a lower temperature. Due to the high temperature annealing process of the thermal plasma before deposition, well-crystallized BST films were deposited at substrate temperature of 630 °C. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss of the film at 100 kHz are 715 and 0.24, respectively. Due to the good crystallinity of the BST films deposited by MPE, high dielectric tunability up to 39.3% is achieved at low applied electric field of 100 kV cm-1.

Laser-assisted solar cell metallization processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dutta, S.

1984-01-01

Laser-assisted processing techniques utilized to produce the fine line, thin metal grid structures that are required to fabricate high efficiency solar cells are examined. Two basic techniques for metal deposition are investigated; (1) photochemical decomposition of liquid or gas phase organometallic compounds utilizing either a focused, CW ultraviolet laser (System 1) or a mask and ultraviolet flood illumination, such as that provided by a repetitively pulsed, defocused excimer laser (System 2), for pattern definition, and (2) thermal deposition of metals from organometallic solutions or vapors utilizing a focused, CW laser beam as a local heat source to draw the metallization pattern.

A comparison between the electrochemical behavior of reversible magnesium and lithium electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aurbach, D.; Gofer, Y.; Schechter, A.; Chusid, O.; Gizbar, H.; Cohen, Y.; Moshkovich, M.; Turgeman, R.

This paper describes briefly the difference between reversible lithium and magnesium electrodes. In the case of lithium, the active metal is always covered by surface films. Li dissolution-deposition is reversible only when the surface films contain elastomers and are flexible. Hence, they can accommodate the morphological changes of the electrode during the electrochemical processes without breaking down. In an ideal situation, lithium is deposited beneath the surface films, while being constantly protected in a way that prevents reactions between freshly deposited lithium and solution species. In contrast to lithium, magnesium electrodes are reversible only in solutions where surface film free conditions exist. Mg does not react with ethers, and thus, in ethereal solutions of Grignard reagents (RMgX, where R=alkyl, aryl, X=halide) and complexes of the following type: Mg(AlX 4- nR n' R n″ ') 2, R and R'=alkyl groups, X=halide, A=Al, 0< n<4 and n'+ n''= n, magnesium electrodes behave reversibly. However, it should be noted that the above stoichiometry of the Mg salts does not reflect the true structure of the active ions in solutions. Mg deposition does not occur via electron transfer to simply solvated Mg 2+ ions. The behavior of Mg electrodes in these solutions is discussed in light of studies by EQCM, EIS, FTIR, XPS, STM and standard electrochemical techniques.

Composite Ni-Co-fly ash coatings on 5083 aluminium alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panagopoulos, C. N.; Georgiou, E. P.; Tsopani, A.; Piperi, L.

2011-03-01

Ni-Co-fly ash coatings were deposited on zincate treated 5083 wrought aluminium alloy substrates with the aid of the electrodeposition technique. Structural and chemical characterization of the produced composite coatings was performed with the aid of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS) techniques. The Ni-Co-fly ash coatings were found to consist of a crystalline Ni-Co solid solution with dispersed fly ash particles. In addition, chemical analysis of the Ni-Co matrix showed that it consisted of 80 wt.% Ni and 20 wt.% Co. The co-deposition of fly ash particles leads to a significant increase of the microhardness of the coating. The corrosion behaviour of the Ni-Co-fly ash/zincate coated aluminium alloy, in a 0.3 M NaCl solution (pH = 3.5), was studied by means of potentiodynamic corrosion experiments.

Rapid prototyping of all-solution-processed multi-lengthscale electrodes using polymer-induced thin film wrinkling

PubMed Central

Gabardo, Christine M.; Adams-McGavin, Robert C.; Fung, Barnabas C.; Mahoney, Eric J.; Fang, Qiyin; Soleymani, Leyla

2017-01-01

Three-dimensional electrodes that are controllable over multiple lengthscales are very important for use in bioanalytical systems that integrate solid-phase devices with solution-phase samples. Here we present a fabrication method based on all-solution-processing and thin film wrinkling using smart polymers that is ideal for rapid prototyping of tunable three-dimensional electrodes and is extendable to large volume manufacturing. Although all-solution-processing is an attractive alternative to vapor-based techniques for low-cost manufacturing of electrodes, it often results in films suffering from low conductivity and poor substrate adhesion. These limitations are addressed here by using a smart polymer to create a conformal layer of overlapping wrinkles on the substrate to shorten the current path and embed the conductor onto the polymer layer. The structural evolution of these wrinkled electrodes, deposited by electroless deposition onto a nanoparticle seed layer, is studied at varying deposition times to understand its effects on structural parameters such as porosity, wrinkle wavelength and height. Furthermore, the effect of structural parameters on functional properties such as electro-active surface area and surface-enhanced Raman scattering is investigated. It is found that wrinkling of electroless-deposited thin films can be used to reduce sheet resistance, increase surface area, and enhance the surface-enhanced Raman scattering signal. PMID:28211898

Rapid prototyping of all-solution-processed multi-lengthscale electrodes using polymer-induced thin film wrinkling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabardo, Christine M.; Adams-McGavin, Robert C.; Fung, Barnabas C.; Mahoney, Eric J.; Fang, Qiyin; Soleymani, Leyla

2017-02-01

Three-dimensional electrodes that are controllable over multiple lengthscales are very important for use in bioanalytical systems that integrate solid-phase devices with solution-phase samples. Here we present a fabrication method based on all-solution-processing and thin film wrinkling using smart polymers that is ideal for rapid prototyping of tunable three-dimensional electrodes and is extendable to large volume manufacturing. Although all-solution-processing is an attractive alternative to vapor-based techniques for low-cost manufacturing of electrodes, it often results in films suffering from low conductivity and poor substrate adhesion. These limitations are addressed here by using a smart polymer to create a conformal layer of overlapping wrinkles on the substrate to shorten the current path and embed the conductor onto the polymer layer. The structural evolution of these wrinkled electrodes, deposited by electroless deposition onto a nanoparticle seed layer, is studied at varying deposition times to understand its effects on structural parameters such as porosity, wrinkle wavelength and height. Furthermore, the effect of structural parameters on functional properties such as electro-active surface area and surface-enhanced Raman scattering is investigated. It is found that wrinkling of electroless-deposited thin films can be used to reduce sheet resistance, increase surface area, and enhance the surface-enhanced Raman scattering signal.

Electromagnetic studies of redox systems for energy storage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, C. D.; Scherson, D.; Yeager, E.

1981-01-01

Both chromium and iron couples were studied on various electrode surfaces in acidic perchlorate solution by using rotating ring-disk techniques. It was found that chloride which forms inner sphere coordination complexes with the redox species enhances the electrode kinetics dramatically. The effects of lead underpotential deposition and surface alloy formation on the kinetics of the chromium couple on gold were studied using both linear sweep voltammetry and potential step techniques. The lad underpotential deposition was found to slow down the kinetics of the reduction of the Cr species on gold surfaces although increase the hydrogen overvoltage. The effect on the chromium kinetics can be explained in terms of principally a double layer effect. The underpotential deposition lead species with its positive charge results in a decrease in the concentration of the Cr species at the electrode surface. Similar phenomena were also observed with bismuth underpotential deposition on gold for the iron couple.

Sputtering ultra-small Pt on nanographitic flakes deposited by electrophoresis for ethanol electro oxidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daryakenari, Ahmad Ahmadi; Daryakenari, Mohammad Ahmadi; Omidvar, Hamid

2018-01-01

To acquire highly efficient and cost-effective fuel cells, numerous research works have been carried out to the development low cost and excellent performance of electrocatalysts. In this paper, a solution-based electrophoretic deposition (EPD) technique for fabrication of Pt-based catalyst layers is studied. Nanographitic flake coatings used as catalyst support for sputtered platinium (Pt) were fabricated via the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of dispersed nanographitic flakes in isopropyl alcohol. Magnesium nitrate hexahydrate (MNH) was used as an additive binder in the EPD process. Subsequently, the platinium particles were deposited by a direct sputtering on the fabricated nanographitic flake coatings.

Engineering of III-Nitride Semiconductors on Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics.

PubMed

Mánuel, J M; Jiménez, J J; Morales, F M; Lacroix, B; Santos, A J; García, R; Blanco, E; Domínguez, M; Ramírez, M; Beltrán, A M; Alexandrov, D; Tot, J; Dubreuil, R; Videkov, V; Andreev, S; Tzaneva, B; Bartsch, H; Breiling, J; Pezoldt, J; Fischer, M; Müller, J

2018-05-02

This work presents results in the field of advanced substrate solutions in order to achieve high crystalline quality group-III nitrides based heterostructures for high frequency and power devices or for sensor applications. With that objective, Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics has been used, as a non-crystalline substrate. Structures like these have never been developed before, and for economic reasons will represent a groundbreaking material in these fields of Electronic. In this sense, the report presents the characterization through various techniques of three series of specimens where GaN was deposited on this ceramic composite, using different buffer layers, and a singular metal-organic chemical vapor deposition related technique for low temperature deposition. Other single crystalline ceramic-based templates were also utilized as substrate materials, for comparison purposes.

Fabrication of polymer/cadmium sulfide hybrid solar cells [P3HT:CdS and PCPDTBT:CdS] by spray deposition.

PubMed

Kumar, Neetesh; Dutta, Viresh

2014-11-15

This paper investigates fabrication of surfactant free CdS nanoparticles (NPs) and application in the fabrication of P3HT:CdS and PCPDTBT:CdS bulk-heterojunction hybrid solar cells using high-throughput, large-area, low cost spray deposition technique. Both the hybrid active layers and hole transport layers are deposited by spray technique. The CdS/Poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) and CdS/Poly[2,6-(4,4-bis-(2-ethylhexyl)-4H-cyclopenta[2,1-b;3,4-b']dithiophene)-alt-4,7(2,1,3-benzothiadiazole)] (PCPDTBT) hybrid devices are fabricated by spray deposition process at optimized conditions (i.e. film thickness, spray solution volume, distance between sample and spray nozzle, substrate temperature, etc.). The power conversion efficiency of η=0.6% and 1.02% is obtained for P3HT:CdS and PCPDTBT:CdS hybrid devices, respectively. Spray coating holds significant promise as a technique capable of fabricating large-area, high performance hybrid solar cells. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measurement Techniques for Respiratory Tract Deposition of Airborne Nanoparticles: A Critical Review

PubMed Central

Möller, Winfried; Pagels, Joakim H.; Kreyling, Wolfgang G.; Swietlicki, Erik; Schmid, Otmar

2014-01-01

Abstract Determination of the respiratory tract deposition of airborne particles is critical for risk assessment of air pollution, inhaled drug delivery, and understanding of respiratory disease. With the advent of nanotechnology, there has been an increasing interest in the measurement of pulmonary deposition of nanoparticles because of their unique properties in inhalation toxicology and medicine. Over the last century, around 50 studies have presented experimental data on lung deposition of nanoparticles (typical diameter≤100 nm, but here≤300 nm). These data show a considerable variability, partly due to differences in the applied methodologies. In this study, we review the experimental techniques for measuring respiratory tract deposition of nano-sized particles, analyze critical experimental design aspects causing measurement uncertainties, and suggest methodologies for future studies. It is shown that, although particle detection techniques have developed with time, the overall methodology in respiratory tract deposition experiments has not seen similar progress. Available experience from previous research has often not been incorporated, and some methodological design aspects that were overlooked in 30–70% of all studies may have biased the experimental data. This has contributed to a significant uncertainty on the absolute value of the lung deposition fraction of nanoparticles. We estimate the impact of the design aspects on obtained data, discuss solutions to minimize errors, and highlight gaps in the available experimental set of data. PMID:24151837

Chain Conformation and Dynamics in Spin-Assisted Weak Polyelectrolyte Multilayers

DOE PAGES

Zhuk, Aliaksandr; Selin, Victor; Zhuk, Iryna; ...

2015-03-13

In this paper, we report on the effect of the deposition technique on film layering, stability, and chain mobility in weak polyelectrolyte layer-by-layer (LbL) films. Ellipsometry and neutron reflectometry (NR) showed that shear forces arising during spin-assisted assembly lead to smaller amounts of adsorbed polyelectrolytes within LbL films, result in a higher degree of internal film order, and dramatically improve stability of assemblies in salt solutions as compared to dip-assisted LbL assemblies. The underlying flattening of polyelectrolyte chains in spin-assisted LbL films was also revealed as an increase in ionization degree of the assembled weak polyelectrolytes. As demonstrated by fluorescencemore » recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), strong binding between spin-deposited polyelectrolytes results in a significant slowdown of chain diffusion in salt solutions as compared to dip-deposited films. Moreover, salt-induced chain intermixing in the direction perpendicular to the substrate is largely inhibited in spin-deposited films, resulting in only subdiffusional (<2 Å) chain displacements even after 200 h exposure to 1 M NaCl solutions. Finally, this persistence of polyelectrolyte layering has important ramifications for multistage drug delivery and optical applications of LbL assemblies.« less

HF treatment effect for carbon deposition on silicon (111) by DC sputtering technique

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

Aji, A. S., E-mail: aji.ravazes70@gmail.com; Darma, Y., E-mail: aji.ravazes70@gmail.com

Surface modifications of Si (111) substrate by HF solution for thin film carbon deposition have been systematically studied. Thin film carbon on Si (111) has been deposited using DC Unbalanced Magnetron Sputtering with carbon pellet doped by 5% Fe as the target. EDAX characterization confirmed that the carbon fraction on Si substrate much higher by dipping a clean Si substrate by HF solution before sputtering process in comparison with carbon fraction on Si substrate just after conventional RCA. Moreover, SEM and AFM images show the uniform thin film carbon on Si with HF treatment, in contrast to the Si withoutmore » HF solution treatment. These experimental results suggest that HF treatment of Si surface provide Si-H bonds on top Si surface that useful to enhance the carbon deposition during sputtering process. Furthermore, we investigate the thermal stability of thin film carbon on Si by thermal annealing process up to 900 °C. Atomic arrangements during annealing process were characterized by Raman spectroscopy. Raman spectra indicate that thin film carbon on Si is remaining unchanged until 600 °C and carbon atoms start to diffuse toward Si substrate after annealing at 900 °C.« less

Technology development of high-quality semiconductor devices using solution-processed crystallization of pentacene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Hung-Wei

Organic electronic materials and processing techniques have attracted considerable attention for developing organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs), since they may be patterned on flexible substrates which may be bent into a variety of shapes for applications such as displays, smart cards, solar devices and sensors Various fabrication methods for building pentacene-based OTFTs have been demonstrated. Traditional vacuum deposition and vapor deposition methods have been studied for deposition on plastic and paper, but these are unlikely to scale well to large area printing. Researchers have developed methods for processing OTFTs from solution because of the potential for low-cost and large area device manufacturing, such as through inkjet or offset printing. Most methods require the use of precursors which are used to make pentacene soluble, and these methods have typically produced much lower carrier mobility than the best vacuum deposited devices. We have investigated devices built from solution-processed pentacene that is locally crystallized at room temperature on the polymer substrates. Pentacene crystals grown in this manner are highly localized at pre-determined sites, have good crystallinity and show good carrier mobility, making this an attractive method for large area manufacturing of semiconductor devices.

Towards fully spray coated organic light emitting devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilissen, Koen; Stryckers, Jeroen; Manca, Jean; Deferme, Wim

2014-10-01

Pi-conjugated polymer light emitting devices have the potential to be the next generation of solid state lighting. In order to achieve this goal, a low cost, efficient and large area production process is essential. Polymer based light emitting devices are generally deposited using techniques based on solution processing e.g.: spin coating, ink jet printing. These techniques are not well suited for cost-effective, high throughput, large area mass production of these organic devices. Ultrasonic spray deposition however, is a deposition technique that is fast, efficient and roll to roll compatible which can be easily scaled up for the production of large area polymer light emitting devices (PLEDs). This deposition technique has already successfully been employed to produce organic photovoltaic devices (OPV)1. Recently the electron blocking layer PEDOT:PSS2 and metal top contact3 have been successfully spray coated as part of the organic photovoltaic device stack. In this study, the effects of ultrasonic spray deposition of polymer light emitting devices are investigated. For the first time - to our knowledge -, spray coating of the active layer in PLED is demonstrated. Different solvents are tested to achieve the best possible spray-able dispersion. The active layer morphology is characterized and optimized to produce uniform films with optimal thickness. Furthermore these ultrasonic spray coated films are incorporated in the polymer light emitting device stack to investigate the device characteristics and efficiency. Our results show that after careful optimization of the active layer, ultrasonic spray coating is prime candidate as deposition technique for mass production of PLEDs.

Effect of topical mitomycin-C on total collagen deposits on the submucosa of intact vocal folds in swine.

PubMed

Pereira, Marcelo Charles; Repka, Carlos Domingues; Camargo, Paulo Antonio Monteiro; Rispoli, Daniel Zeni; Campos, Antônio Carlos Ligocki; Matias, Jorge Eduardo Fouto

2009-07-01

To compare the effects of topical mitomycin-C at different concentrations on submucosal collagen deposition on the vocal folds of swine. The animals were divided into three groups according to the composition of the topical solution to be applied to the vocal folds: 0.9% saline solution (control group); 4 mg/ml mitomycin-C (group 1) and 8 mg/ml mitomycin-C (group 2). Thirty days after the application, all animals were sacrificed, their vocal folds were collected and stained by the picrosirius red technique, and submucosal collagen deposition areas were estimated by the Image Pro Plus 4.5 software. Mann-Whitney test was used to compare differences between parameters of each group. The means of the areas of submucosal collagen deposits on vocal folds were 3110.44 square micrometers (microm(2)), 3115.98 microm(2) and 3105.78 microm(2) for groups control, 1 and 2, respectively. There were no statistical differences across the three groups (p>0.05). Mitomycin-C topically applied to intact vocal folds of swine did not alter submucosal collagen deposition.

Elaboration and Characterization of TiO2 and Study of the Influence of The Number of Thin Films on the Methylene Blue Adsorption Rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madoui, Karima; Medjahed, Aicha; Hamici, Melia; Djamila, Abdi; Boudissa, Mokhtar

2018-05-01

Thin films of titanium oxide (TiO2) deposited on glass substrates were fabricated by using the sol-gel route. The realization of these thin layers was made using the dip-coating technique with a solution of titanium isopropoxyde as a precursor. The samples prepared with different numbers of deposited layers were annealed at 400 ° C for 2 hours. The main purposes of this work were investigations of both the effect of the number of thin TiO2 layers on the crystal structure of the anatase form first and, their ability to adsorb the solution of methylene blue in order to make colored filters from a photocatalytic process. The deposited titanium-oxide layers were characterized by using various techniques: namely, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and UV-Visible spectrometry. The result obtained by using the XRD technique showed the appearance of an anatase phase, as was confirmed by using Raman spectroscopy. The AFM surface analysis allowed the surface topography to be characterized and the surface roughness to be measured, which increased with increasing number of layers. The UV-Visible spectra showed that the TiO2 films had a good transmittance varying from 65% to 95% according to the number of layers. The gap energy varied as a function of the number of deposited layers. The as deposited TiO2 layers were tested as a photocatalyst towards the adsorption of methylene blue dye. The results obtained during this study showed that the adsorption capacity varied according to the number of deposited thin layers and the exposing duration to ultraviolet (UV) light. The maximum absorption rate of the dye was obtained for the two-layer sample. Seventy-two hours of irradiation allowed the adsorption intensity of the dye to be maximized for two-layer films.

Development of plasma assisted thermal vapor deposition technique for high-quality thin film.

PubMed

Lee, Kang-Il; Choi, Yong Sup; Park, Hyun Jae

2016-12-01

The novel technique of Plasma-Assisted Vapor Deposition (PAVD) is developed as a new deposition method for thin metal films. The PAVD technique yields a high-quality thin film without any heating of the substrate because evaporated particles acquire energy from plasma that is confined to the inside of the evaporation source. Experiments of silver thin film deposition have been carried out in conditions of pressure lower than 10 -3 Pa. Pure silver plasma generation is verified by the measurement of the Ag-I peak using optical emission spectroscopy. A four point probe and a UV-VIS spectrophotometer are used to measure the electrical and optical properties of the silver film that is deposited by PAVD. For an ultra-thin silver film with a thickness of 6.5 nm, we obtain the result of high-performance silver film properties, including a sheet resistance <20 Ω sq -1 and a visible-range transmittance >75%. The PAVD-film properties show a low sheet resistance of 30% and the same transmittance with conventional thermal evaporation film. In the PAVD source, highly energetic particles and UV from plasma do not reach the substrate because the plasma is completely shielded by the optimized nozzle of the crucible. This new PAVD technique could be a realistic solution to improve the qualities of transparent electrodes for organic light emission device fabrication without causing damage to the organic layers.

Development of plasma assisted thermal vapor deposition technique for high-quality thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Kang-Il; Choi, Yong Sup; Park, Hyun Jae

2016-12-01

The novel technique of Plasma-Assisted Vapor Deposition (PAVD) is developed as a new deposition method for thin metal films. The PAVD technique yields a high-quality thin film without any heating of the substrate because evaporated particles acquire energy from plasma that is confined to the inside of the evaporation source. Experiments of silver thin film deposition have been carried out in conditions of pressure lower than 10-3 Pa. Pure silver plasma generation is verified by the measurement of the Ag-I peak using optical emission spectroscopy. A four point probe and a UV-VIS spectrophotometer are used to measure the electrical and optical properties of the silver film that is deposited by PAVD. For an ultra-thin silver film with a thickness of 6.5 nm, we obtain the result of high-performance silver film properties, including a sheet resistance <20 Ω sq-1 and a visible-range transmittance >75%. The PAVD-film properties show a low sheet resistance of 30% and the same transmittance with conventional thermal evaporation film. In the PAVD source, highly energetic particles and UV from plasma do not reach the substrate because the plasma is completely shielded by the optimized nozzle of the crucible. This new PAVD technique could be a realistic solution to improve the qualities of transparent electrodes for organic light emission device fabrication without causing damage to the organic layers.

Electrochemical electron beam lithography: Write, read, and erase metallic nanocrystals on demand

PubMed Central

Park, Jeung Hun; Steingart, Daniel A.; Kodambaka, Suneel; Ross, Frances M.

2017-01-01

We develop a solution-based nanoscale patterning technique for site-specific deposition and dissolution of metallic nanocrystals. Nanocrystals are grown at desired locations by electron beam–induced reduction of metal ions in solution, with the ions supplied by dissolution of a nearby electrode via an applied potential. The nanocrystals can be “erased” by choice of beam conditions and regrown repeatably. We demonstrate these processes via in situ transmission electron microscopy using Au as the model material and extend to other metals. We anticipate that this approach can be used to deposit multicomponent alloys and core-shell nanostructures with nanoscale spatial and compositional resolutions for a variety of possible applications. PMID:28706992

RAPID COMMUNICATION: Large-area uniform ultrahigh-Jc YBa2Cu3O7-x film fabricated by the metalorganic deposition method using trifluoroacetates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Araki, Takeshi; Yamagiwa, Katsuya; Hirabayashi, Izumi; Suzuki, Katsumi; Tanaka, Shoji

2001-07-01

Ultrahigh-Jc YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) films have been successfully fabricated by the metalorganic deposition method using a trifluoroacetate coating solution which is prepared by a newly developed purification technique, the solvent-into-gel (SIG) method. The prepared pure coating solution has less than 0.25% impurities and has a wide flexibility in process conditions to obtain high-Jc YBCO film. Using this feature, we have successfully formed 50 mm diameter YBCO films, which have a critical current density over 10 MA cm-2 (77 K, 0 T) on LaAlO3 single crystalline substrates.

Single potential electrodeposition of nanostructured battery materials for lithium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mosby, James Matthew

The increasing reliance on portable electronics is continuing to fuel research in the area of low power lithium-ion batteries, while a new surge in research for high power lithium-ion batteries has been sparked by the demand for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and plug-in electric vehicles (PEV). To compete with current lead-acid battery chemistry, a few of the shortcomings of lithium-ion battery chemistry need to be addressed. The three main drawbacks of lithium-ion batteries for this application are: (1) low power density, (2) safety, and (3) the high cost of manufacturing. This dissertation covers the development of a low cost fabrication technique for an alternative anode material with high surface area geometries. The anode material is safer than the conventional anode material in lithium-ion batteries and the high surface area geometries permit higher power densities to be achieved. Electrodeposition is an inexpensive alternative method for synthesizing materials for electronics, energy conversion and energy storage applications relative to traditional solid state techniques. These techniques led to expensive device fabrication. Unlike most solid state synthesis routes, electrodeposition can usually be performed from common solutions and at moderate conditions. Three other benefits of using electrodeposition are: (1) it allows precise control of composition and crystallinity, (2) it provides the ability to deposit on complex shapes, and (3) it can deposit materials with nanoscale dimensions. The use of electrodeposition for alternative anode materials results in the deposition of the material directly onto the current collector that is used for the battery testing and applications without the need of additional binders and with excellent electrical contact. While this improves the characterization of the material and lowers the weight of the non-active materials within a battery, it also allows the anode to be deposited onto current collectors with different sizes, shapes, and surface areas. This is advantageous because high surface area materials benefit from improved kinetics for solid state transformations and from decreases in mechanical degradation that occurs during the lithiation and delithiation of battery materials. Intermetallic materials are an alternative to conventional anode materials because they have high capacities and react reversibly with lithium at potentials that hinder the dendrite formation of metallic lithium. Unfortunately, the volume expansion associated with the lithiation and delithiation of intermetallic materials is usually large (over 300%). With this in mind a procedure for the electrodeposition of Cu2Sb from aqueous solutions was developed and is presented in this thesis. Cu2Sb is an intermetallic that lithiates at potentials more positive than the potential needed to plate lithium metal, and has a volume expansion less than 100%. Electrodeposition of an intermetallic with a relatively small volume expansion and with high surface area morphology should dramatically reduce material degradation during battery cycling, thus promoting the life of the material. To electrodeposit Cu2Sb from aqueous solutions, soluble salts of Cu2+ and Sb3+ were needed. There are many Cu2+ salts that are highly soluble in water, but most Sb 3+ salts cause formation of Sb2O3 in aqueous solutions. To obtain Sb3+ in aqueous solutions, citric acid was used as a complexing agent. The results presented in this dissertation show that solution speciation plays an important role in the electrochemistry of aqueous citrate solutions of both copper and antimony. The cyclic voltammograms (CVs) presented here show that the reduction potential of Cu2+ shifted in the negative direction and the reduction potential of Sb 3+ shifted in the positive direction with an increase in pH. Also, Cu2Sb films were deposited at a single potential (-1050 mV vs. SSCE) from aqueous solutions at pH 6. We determined that the deposition potential not only affected the crystallinity of the deposited Cu2Sb, but also the ratio of antimony to copper. The temperature of the solution bath, as well as the smoothness of the growth substrate, were found to provide control over the crystallinity of the deposited Cu2Sb. The ability to electrodeposit crystalline Cu2Sb onto a variety of conducting surfaces is uncommon for intermetallics. The ability to deposit Cu2Sb onto transmission electron microscopy (TEM) grids has allowed the investigation of the morphology, composition, and crystallinity of Cu2Sb during the nucleation and growth of the material. This investigation demonstrated that multiple transformations occur during the early stage of the nucleation of Cu2Sb. A deeper understanding of this electrodeposition procedure for this compound will be useful for extending this technique to other crystalline intermetallics. Using the procedure developed for the single potential deposition of Cu2Sb films, the information from the TEM investigation and the results of a qualitative mathematical treatment, a pulse potential deposition procedure for depositing Cu2Sb nanowire arrays was developed. This procedure leads not only to the deposition of crystalline Cu2Sb nanowires, but also to uniform filling of the templates to afford wires of uniform composition and length. After the development of the procedures for the electrodeposition of Cu2Sb films and nanowire arrays from aqueous solutions at a single potential, the battery performance of the deposited Cu2Sb was examined. The ability to directly electrodeposit Cu2Sb onto the current collector has: (1) improved the characterization of the material during the lithiation and delithiation processes, (2) decreased the weight of inactive components, and (3) allowed for the deposition of high surface area Cu2Sb. The preliminary battery testing of electrodeposited Cu2Sb supported the absence of impurities in the deposited material and demonstrated that the electrodeposited Cu2Sb lithiated and delithiated similarly to Cu2Sb synthesized with different techniques. The deposition of Cu2Sb onto TEM grids was used for the first time without binder to characterize the morphology, composition and crystallinity changes that occur during the lithiation and delithiation of Cu2Sb. Superior capacity retention and rate performance was achieved with Cu2Sb electrodeposited onto high surface area copper foil. This superior performance demonstrates the improvement in battery performance that is expected from Cu2Sb nanowires, which have an order of magnitude higher surface area relative to the copper foam.

Chemical Polymerization and Langmuir-Blodgett Techniques. 2. The Polymerization of Monolayers of 3-Substituted Pyrroles

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-09-12

the liquid -air interface could be monitored by changes in the surface area. Deposition of monolayers by Langmuir - Blodgett technique is possible and...polymerization product from the LB trough in chloroform solution. Figure 10 Langmuir - Blodgett transfer of poly (3-hexadecyl pyrrole) onto hydrophobized glass... Langmuir - Blodgett Techniques, 2: The Polymerization of Monolayers of 3-Substituted Pyrroles by W.M. Sigmund, C. Marestin, S. Keil, H. Zhou and R.S

A spray technique for preparing uniform large-area PIXE calibration standards from aqueous solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menzel, N.; Hietel, B.; Leirer, M.; Szymczak, W.; Wittmaack, K.

1999-04-01

We describe a procedure for preparing reference standards that can be used to calibrate PIXE spectra of aerosol deposits collected on suitable backing films made, for example, of synthesised polymers (polypropylene, polycarbonate etc.) or chemically modified biopolymers (e.g., cellulose actetate). Aqueous solutions of well defined concentration were prepared from metal salts. The solutions were spray-deposited on cellulose acetate backings using a nebuliser. Lateral uniformity of the deposited layer over areas ranging from several mm to several cm was accomplished by raster scanning the table on which the backing was mounted. By optimising the experimental parameters, deposition could be accomplished without any detectable wetting of delicate substrates like paper. The areal density of the deposited material was calculated from the concentration of the solute, the volume of the consumed solution and the raster scanned area. The reference standards were analysed by PIXE using an external beam chamber backfilled with helium. The Si(Li) based detection system contained a thin funny filter so that X-ray spectra could be measured down to 1 keV. The proton energy on impact was 1.1 MeV. This relatively low probe energy has the advantage of producing favourable elemental X-ray peak heights relative to the bremsstrahlung-background, notably at energies between 2 and 7 keV. Under the same conditions sufficiently high X-ray yields were achieved for heavy elements like Zn and Pb. Using large area beams, bombardment-induced stress in the backing films could be kept at a low level so that very reproducible background spectra were obtained. Hence a straightforward background subtraction routine could be employed. Sensitivities were determined for 23 elements ranging from Na to Pb. Advantages and problems associated with the different metal salts are discussed briefly.

Nanomanipulation-Coupled Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/ Ionization-Direct Organelle Mass Spectrometry: A Technique for the Detailed Analysis of Single Organelles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phelps, Mandy S.; Sturtevant, Drew; Chapman, Kent D.; Verbeck, Guido F.

2016-02-01

We describe a novel technique combining precise organelle microextraction with deposition and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) for a rapid, minimally invasive mass spectrometry (MS) analysis of single organelles from living cells. A dual-positioner nanomanipulator workstation was utilized for both extraction of organelle content and precise co-deposition of analyte and matrix solution for MALDI-direct organelle mass spectrometry (DOMS) analysis. Here, the triacylglycerol (TAG) profiles of single lipid droplets from 3T3-L1 adipocytes were acquired and results validated with nanoelectrospray ionization (NSI) MS. The results demonstrate the utility of the MALDI-DOMS technique as it enabled longer mass analysis time, higher ionization efficiency, MS imaging of the co-deposited spot, and subsequent MS/MS capabilities of localized lipid content in comparison to NSI-DOMS. This method provides selective organellar resolution, which complements current biochemical analyses and prompts for subsequent subcellular studies to be performed where limited samples and analyte volume are of concern.

Patterned mist deposition of tri-colour CdSe/ZnS quantum dot films toward RGB LED devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pickering, S.; Kshirsagar, A.; Ruzyllo, J.; Xu, J.

2012-06-01

In this experiment a technique of mist deposition was explored as a way to form patterned ultra-thin-films of CdSe/ZnS core/shell nanocrystalline quantum dots using colloidal solutions. The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of mist deposition as a patterning method for creating multicolour quantum dot light emitting diodes. Mist deposition was used to create three rows of quantum dot light emitting diodes on a single device with each row having a separate colour. The colours chosen were red, green and yellow with corresponding peak wavelengths of 620 nm, 558 nm, and 587 nm. The results obtained from this experiment show that it is possible to create multicolour devices on a single substrate. The peak brightnesses obtained in this experiment for the red, green, and yellow were 508 cd/m, 507 cd/m, and 665 cd/m, respectively. The similar LED brightness is important in display technologies using colloidal quantum dots in a precursor solution to ensure one colour does not dominate the emitted spectrum. Results obtained in-terms of brightness were superior to those achieved with inkjet deposition. This study has shown that mist deposition is a viable method for patterned deposition applied to quantum dot light emitting diode display technologies.

Solution processed deposition of electron transport layers on perovskite crystal surface-A modeling based study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mortuza, S. M.; Taufique, M. F. N.; Banerjee, Soumik

2017-02-01

The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of planar perovskite solar cells (PSCs) has reached up to ∼20%. However, structural and chemicals defects that lead to hysteresis in the perovskite based thin film pose challenges. Recent work has shown that thin films of [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) deposited on the photo absorption layer, using solution processing techniques, minimize surface pin holes and defects thereby increasing the PCE. We developed and employed a multiscale model based on molecular dynamics (MD) and kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) to establish a relationship between deposition rate and surface coverage on perovskite surface. The MD simulations of PCBMs dispersed in chlorobenzene, sandwiched between (110) perovskite substrates, indicate that PCBMs are deposited through anchoring of the oxygen atom of carbonyl group to the exposed lead (Pb) atom of (110) perovskite surface. Based on rates of distinct deposition events calculated from MD, kMC simulations were run to determine surface coverage at much larger time and length scales than accessible by MD alone. Based on the model, a generic relationship is established between deposition rate of PCBMs and surface coverage on perovskite crystal. The study also provides detailed insights into the morphology of the deposited film.

Nucleation and growth of hydroxyapatite on arc-deposited TiO2 surfaces studied by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lilja, Mirjam; Butt, Umer; Shen, Zhijian; Bjöörn, Dorota

2013-11-01

Understanding of nucleation and growth kinetics of biomimetically deposited hydroxyapatite (HA) on crystalline TiO2 surfaces is important with respect to the application and performance of HA as functional implant coatings. Arc-evaporation was used to deposit TiO2 coatings dominated by anatase phase, rutile phase or their mixtures. Subsequent formation of HA from phosphate buffered saline solution (PBS) was investigated in real-time using in situ quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation technique (QCM-D). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were employed to characterize the presence, morphology and crystal structure of TiO2 coatings and the formed HA. Increasing temperature of the PBS, increasing flow rate and applying a higher ion concentration in solution were found to accelerate HA nucleation process and hence affect growth kinetics. Lower PBS temperature resulted in the formation of HA coatings with flake-like morphology and increasing HA porosity. All TiO2 coatings under study enabled HA formation at body temperature, while in contrast Ti reference surfaces only supported HA nucleation and growth at elevated temperatures. QCM-D technique is a powerful tool for studying the impact of process parameters during biomimetic coating deposition on coating structure evolution in real time and provides valuable information for understanding, optimizing as well as tailoring the biomimetic HA growth processes.

Sol-gel antireflective spin-coating process for large-size shielding windows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belleville, Philippe F.; Prene, Philippe; Mennechez, Francoise; Bouigeon, Christian

2002-10-01

The interest of the antireflective coatings applied onto large-area glass components increases everyday for the potential application such as building or shop windows. Today, because of the use of large size components, sol-gel process is a competitive way for antireflective coating mass production. The dip-coating technique commonly used for liquid-deposition, implies a safety hazard due to coating solution handling and storage in the case of large amounts of highly flammable solvent use. On the other hand, spin-coating is a liquid low-consumption technique. Mainly devoted to coat circular small-size substrate, we have developed a spin-coating machine able to coat large-size rectangular windows (up to 1 x 1.7 m2). Both solutions and coating conditions have been optimized to deposit optical layers with accurate and uniform thickness and to highly limit the edge effects. Experimental single layer antireflective coating deposition process onto large-area shielding windows (1000 x 1700 x 20 mm3) is described. Results show that the as-developed process could produce low specular reflection value (down to 1% one side) onto white-glass windows over the visible range (460-750 nm). Low-temperature curing process (120°C) used after sol-gel deposition enables antireflective-coating to withstand abrasion-resistance properties in compliance to US-MIL-C-0675C moderate test.

Evaporation-Driven Deposition of ITO Thin Films from Aqueous Solutions with Low-Speed Dip-Coating Technique.

PubMed

Ito, Takashi; Uchiyama, Hiroaki; Kozuka, Hiromitsu

2017-05-30

We suggest a novel wet coating process for preparing indium tin oxide (ITO) films from simple solutions containing only metal salts and water via evaporation-driven film deposition during low-speed dip coating. Homogeneous ITO precursor films were deposited on silica glass substrates from the aqueous solutions containing In(NO 3 ) 3 ·3H 2 O and SnCl 4 ·5H 2 O by dip coating at substrate withdrawal speeds of 0.20-0.50 cm min -1 and then crystallized by the heat treatment at 500-800 °C for 10-60 min under N 2 gas flow of 0.5 L min -1 . The ITO films heated at 600 °C for 30 min had a high optical transparency in the visible range and a good electrical conductivity. Multiple-coating ITO films obtained with five-times dip coating exhibited the lowest sheet (ρ S ) and volume (ρ V ) resistivities of 188 Ω sq -1 and 4.23 × 10 -3 Ω cm, respectively.

Recent Development of Advanced Electrode Materials by Atomic Layer Deposition for Electrochemical Energy Storage.

PubMed

Guan, Cao; Wang, John

2016-10-01

Electrode materials play a decisive role in almost all electrochemical energy storage devices, determining their overall performance. Proper selection, design and fabrication of electrode materials have thus been regarded as one of the most critical steps in achieving high electrochemical energy storage performance. As an advanced nanotechnology for thin films and surfaces with conformal interfacial features and well controllable deposition thickness, atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been successfully developed for deposition and surface modification of electrode materials, where there are considerable issues of interfacial and surface chemistry at atomic and nanometer scale. In addition, ALD has shown great potential in construction of novel nanostructured active materials that otherwise can be hardly obtained by other processing techniques, such as those solution-based processing and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques. This review focuses on the recent development of ALD for the design and delivery of advanced electrode materials in electrochemical energy storage devices, where typical examples will be highlighted and analyzed, and the merits and challenges of ALD for applications in energy storage will also be discussed.

Properties of NiO thin films deposited by intermittent spray pyrolysis process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reguig, B. A.; Khelil, A.; Cattin, L.; Morsli, M.; Bernède, J. C.

2007-02-01

NiO thin films have been grown on glass substrates by intermittent spray pyrolysis deposition of NiCl 2·6H 2O diluted in distilled water, using a simple "perfume atomizer". The effect of the solution molarity on their properties was studied and compared to those of NiO thin films deposited with a classical spray system. It is shown that NiO thin films crystallized in the NiO structure are achieved after deposition. Whatever the precursor molarity, the grain size is around 25-30 nm. The crystallites are preferentially oriented along the (1 1 1) direction. All the films are p-type. However, the thickness and the conductivity of the NiO films depend on the precursor contraction. By comparison with the properties of films deposited by classical spray technique, it is shown that the critical precursor concentration, which induces strong thin films properties perturbations, is higher when a perfume atomizer is used. This broader stability domain can be attributed to better chlorides decomposition during the rest time used in the perfume atomizer technique.

A novel procedure for the extraction of protein deposits from soft hydrophilic contact lenses for analysis.

PubMed

Keith, D; Hong, B; Christensen, M

1997-05-01

A quick, simple, and efficient extraction technique was developed for the removal of protein from soft hydrophilic contact lenses. An extraction solvent consisting of a 50:50 mix of 0.2% trifluoroacetic acid and acetonitrile was used to remove protein from in vitro laboratory-deposited and human-worn contact lenses. The protein removed was analyzed using HPLC, bicinchoninic acid (BCA) analysis, and SDS-PAGE gel electreophoresis. Extraction efficiency for lysozyme from laboratory-deposited Group IV lenses was determined to be approximately 100%. Group IV human-worn contact lenses were extracted and analyzed for lysozyme by HPLC and total protein by bicinchoninic acid (BCA) analysis. Groups I, II, III, and IV contact lenses deposited with an artificial tear protein solution and human-worn lenses were extracted and analyzed by SDS-PAGE gel electreophoresis and micro-BCA. The ACN/TFA procedure offers a simple, quick, and efficient extraction technique for removal of protein from contact lenses for subsequent analysis.

Deposit Structure for Particle-laden Droplets Targeted by Electrospray

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghafouri, Aref; Singler, Timothy; Yong, Xin; Chiarot, Paul

2017-11-01

A hybrid printing technique that combines electrospray atomization with inkjet printing provides unique capabilities for exploring transport creating nanoparticle deposits with controlled structures. In this research, we use electrospray to deliver dry nanoparticles to the interface of particle-laden sessile droplets. Upon evaporation of the target sessile droplet, the particles at the interface are mapped to the underlying substrate. Particle locations in the final deposit were observed separately by tagging the particles dispersed inside the droplet and at its interface with different fluorophores. As expected, surfactant-free particles inside the target droplet were transported to its (pinned) contact line, creating a ``coffee ring'' morphology in the final deposit. The transport and final location of the interfacial particles was highly dependent on the presence of surfactant in the electrosprayed solution. If surfactant was present, the interfacial particles were transported to the apex of the target droplet, forming a dense region at the center of the final deposit. If the electrosprayed solution was surfactant-free, the transport of the interfacial particles was arrested and they were distributed uniformly across the final deposit. Similar deposit morphologies were found when experimenting with various surfactants, including Tween and sodium dodecyl sulfate. These results highlight the important of Marangoni flow in governing the final deposit structure for hybrid printing. This research supported by the National Science Foundation (Award 1538090).

Lipase immobilization for catalytic applications obtained using fumed silica deposited with MAPLE technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bloisi, Francesco; Califano, Valeria; Perretta, Giuseppe; Nasti, Libera; Aronne, Antonio; Di Girolamo, Rocco; Auriemma, Finizia; De Rosa, Claudio; Vicari, Luciano R. M.

2016-06-01

Lipases are enzymes used for catalyzing reactions of acylglycerides in biodiesel production from lipids, where enzyme immobilization on a substrate is required. Silica nanoparticles in different morphologies and configurations are currently used in conjunction with biological molecules for drug delivery and catalysis applications, but up to date their use for triglycerides has been limited by the large size of long-chain lipid molecules. Matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE), a laser deposition technique using a frozen solution/suspension as a target, is widely used for deposition of biomaterials and other delicate molecules. We have carried out a MAPLE deposition starting from a frozen mixture containing fumed silica and lipase in water. Deposition parameters were chosen in order to increase surface roughness and to promote the formation of complex structures. Both the target (a frozen thickened mixture of nanoparticles/catalyst in water) and the deposition configuration (a small target to substrate distance) are unusual and have been adopted in order to increase surface contact of catalyst and to facilitate access to long-chain molecules. The resulting innovative film morphology (fumed silica/lipase cluster level aggregation) and the lipase functionality (for catalytic biodiesel production) have been studied by FESEM, FTIR and transesterification tests.

Electrical properties of Al-, Cu-, Zn- rice husk charcoal junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dahonog, L. A.; Tapia, A. K. G.

2017-04-01

Rice husk in the Philippines is considered as an agricultural waste. In order to utilize the material, one common technique is to carbonize these rice husks to produce charcoal briquettes. These materials are porous in nature exhibiting electrical properties from carbon structures. In this study, rice husk charcoals (RHC) were deposited on different metal substrates (Al, Cu, Zn) via a simple solution casting method. The deposited RHC on metal substrates was observed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The films were characterized using two-point probe technique and the I-V curves were plotted. Al-RHC films appear to deviate from an ohmic behaviour while Zn-RHC and Cu-RHC showed diode-like behaviours.

Metal-doped single-walled carbon nanotubes and production thereof

DOEpatents

Dillon, Anne C.; Heben, Michael J.; Gennett, Thomas; Parilla, Philip A.

2007-01-09

Metal-doped single-walled carbon nanotubes and production thereof. The metal-doped single-walled carbon nanotubes may be produced according to one embodiment of the invention by combining single-walled carbon nanotube precursor material and metal in a solution, and mixing the solution to incorporate at least a portion of the metal with the single-walled carbon nanotube precursor material. Other embodiments may comprise sputter deposition, evaporation, and other mixing techniques.

Inkjet deposited circuit components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bidoki, S. M.; Nouri, J.; Heidari, A. A.

2010-05-01

All-printed electronics as a means of achieving ultra-low-cost electronic circuits has attracted great interest in recent years. Inkjet printing is one of the most promising techniques by which the circuit components can be ultimately drawn (i.e. printed) onto the substrate in one step. Here, the inkjet printing technique was used to chemically deposit silver nanoparticles (10-200 nm) simply by ejection of silver nitrate and reducing solutions onto different substrates such as paper, PET plastic film and textile fabrics. The silver patterns were tested for their functionality to work as circuit components like conductor, resistor, capacitor and inductor. Different levels of conductivity were achieved simply by changing the printing sequence, inks ratio and concentration. The highest level of conductivity achieved by an office thermal inkjet printer (300 dpi) was 5.54 × 105 S m-1 on paper. Inkjet deposited capacitors could exhibit a capacitance of more than 1.5 nF (parallel plate 45 × 45 mm2) and induction coils displayed an inductance of around 400 µH (planar coil 10 cm in diameter). Comparison of electronic performance of inkjet deposited components to the performance of conventionally etched items makes the technique highly promising for fabricating different printed electronic devices.

Characterization and Electrochromic Properties of Vanadium Oxide Thin Films Prepared via Spray Pyrolysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mousavi, M.; Kompany, A.; Shahtahmasebi, N.; Bagheri-Mohagheghi, M.-M.

2013-08-01

Vanadium oxide thin films were grown on glass substrates using spray pyrolysis technique. The effects of substrate temperature, vanadium concentration in the initial solution and the solution spray rate on the nanostructural and the electrochromic properties of deposited films are investigated. Characterization and the electrochromic measurements were carried out using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and cyclic voltammogram. XRD patterns showed that the prepared films have polycrystalline structure and are mostly mixed phases of orthorhombic α-V2O5 along with minor β-V2O5 and V4O9 tetragonal structures. The preferred orientation of the deposited films was found to be along [101] plane. The cyclic voltammogram results obtained for different samples showed that only the films with 0.2 M solution concentration, 5 ml/min solution spray rate and 450°C substrate temperature exhibit two-step electrochromic properties. The results show a correlation between cycle voltammogram, morphology and resistance of the films.

XPS study of thermal and electron-induced decomposition of Ni and Co acetylacetonate thin films for metal deposition

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

Weiss, Theodor; Warneke, Jonas; Zielasek, Volkmar, E-mail: zielasek@uni-bremen.de

2016-07-15

Optimizing thin metal film deposition techniques from metal-organic precursors such as atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), or electron beam-induced deposition (EBID) with the help of surface science analysis tools in ultrahigh vacuum requires a contamination-free precursor delivery technique, especially in the case of the less volatile precursors. For this purpose, the preparation of layers of undecomposed Ni(acac){sub 2} and Co(acac){sub 2} was tried via pulsed spray evaporation of a liquid solution of the precursors in ethanol into a flow of nitrogen on a CVD reactor. Solvent-free layers of intact precursor molecules were obtained when the substrate was heldmore » at a temperature of 115 °C. A qualitative comparison of thermally initiated and electron-induced precursor decomposition and metal center reduction was carried out. All deposited films were analyzed with respect to chemical composition quasi in situ by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Thermally initiated decomposition yielded higher metal-to-metal oxide ratios in the deposit than the electron-induced process for which ratios of 60:40 and 20:80 were achieved for Ni and Co, resp. Compared to continuous EBID processes, all deposits showed low levels of carbon impurities of ∼10 at. %. Therefore, postdeposition irradiation of metal acetylacetonate layers by a focused electron beam and subsequent removal of intact precursor by dissolution in ethanol or by heating is proposed as electron beam lithography technique on the laboratory scale for the production of the metal nanostructures.« less

Linking Precursor Alterations to Nanoscale Structure and Optical Transparency in Polymer Assisted Fast-Rate Dip-Coating of Vanadium Oxide Thin Films

PubMed Central

Glynn, Colm; Creedon, Donal; Geaney, Hugh; Armstrong, Eileen; Collins, Timothy; Morris, Michael A.; Dwyer, Colm O’

2015-01-01

Solution processed metal oxide thin films are important for modern optoelectronic devices ranging from thin film transistors to photovoltaics and for functional optical coatings. Solution processed techniques such as dip-coating, allow thin films to be rapidly deposited over a large range of surfaces including curved, flexible or plastic substrates without extensive processing of comparative vapour or physical deposition methods. To increase the effectiveness and versatility of dip-coated thin films, alterations to commonly used precursors can be made that facilitate controlled thin film deposition. The effects of polymer assisted deposition and changes in solvent-alkoxide dilution on the morphology, structure, optoelectronic properties and crystallinity of vanadium pentoxide thin films was studied using a dip-coating method using a substrate withdrawal speed within the fast-rate draining regime. The formation of sub-100 nm thin films could be achieved rapidly from dilute alkoxide based precursor solutions with high optical transmission in the visible, linked to the phase and film structure. The effects of the polymer addition was shown to change the crystallized vanadium pentoxide thin films from a granular surface structure to a polycrystalline structure composed of a high density of smaller in-plane grains, resulting in a uniform surface morphology with lower thickness and roughness. PMID:26123117

Determination of Lubricants on Ball Bearings by FT-IR using an Integrating Sphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Street, K. W.; Pepper, S. V.; Wright, A.

2003-01-01

The lifetime determination of space lubricants is done at our facility by accelerated testing. Several micrograms of lubricant are deposited on the surface of a ball by syringing tens of micro liters of dilute lubricant solution. The solvent evaporates and the mass of lubricant is determined by twenty weighings near the balance reliability limit. This process is timely but does not produce a good correlation between the mass of lubricant and the volume of solution applied, as would be expected. The amount of lubricant deposited on a ball can be determined directly by Fourier Transform - Infrared Spectroscopy using an integrating sphere. In this paper, we discuss reasons for choosing this methodology, optimization of quantification conditions and potential applications for the technique. The volume of lubricant solution applied to the ball gives better correlation to the IR intensity than does the weight.

A comparison of injection pain and postoperative pain of two intraosseous anesthetic techniques.

PubMed

Gallatin, Juliane; Nusstein, John; Reader, Al; Beck, Mike; Weaver, Joel

2003-01-01

The purpose of this prospective, randomized, blinded study was to compare injection pain and postoperative pain of an apical primary X-Tip intraosseous technique to a coronal primary Stabident intraosseous technique in mandibular first molars. Using a repeated-measures design, 41 subjects randomly received 2 primary intraosseous injections at 2 separate appointments. Using a site distal to the mandibular first molar for both injections, the subjects received 1.8 mL of 2% lidocaine with 1: 100,000 epinephrine administered with the X-Tip system using an apical location in alveolar mucosa or 1.8 mL of 2% lidocaine with 1: 100,000 epinephrine administered with the Stabident system using a coronal location in attached gingiva. The pain of infiltration, perforation, needle insertion, solution deposition, mock or actual guide sleeve removal and postoperative pain were recorded on a Heft-Parker visual analogue scale (VAS) scale for the 2 intraosseous systems. The results demonstrated that the apical primary X-Tip intraosseous technique was not statistically different (P > .05) from the coronal primary Stabident technique regarding pain ratings of infiltration, perforation, needle insertion, solution deposition, mock or actual guide sleeve removal and postoperative pain (at the time subjective anesthesia wore off). However, on postoperative days 1 through 3, significantly (P < .05) more males experienced postoperative pain with the X-Tip system than with the Stabident system.

Electrochemical characterization of cerium-based conversion coatings on aluminum alloy 7075-T6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joshi, Simon

This research used electrochemical techniques to characterize the deposition and corrosion protection behavior of cerium-based conversion coatings on Al 7075-T6. Alkaline activation decreased native oxide impedance (5.9 kO-cm2) by ˜25% promoting deposition of 250--500 nm coatings. Activation in NaOH solutions deposited coatings with large cracks and craters, whereas Na2CO3 activation resulted in uniform coatings, i.e., fewer cracks and almost no craters. Uniformly deposited coatings exhibited better cathodic inhibition and higher impedance (˜200 kO-cm 2) than on NaOH activated substrates (˜100 kO-cm 2). Subsurface crevices, caused by Cl- and H 2O2 in the deposition solution, were found under large cracks and craters. Thus, Na2CO3 activation produced fewer subsurface crevices. To reduce subsurface crevice formation, Ce(NO3) 3 and CeCl3 were used in different ratios. Coatings made using 100% Ce(NO3)3 solutions were ˜60 nm thick without subsurface crevices, but the coatings offered little corrosion protection. Despite formation of subsurface crevices, Cl- was necessary as impedance increased linearly with Cl- concentration in the deposition solution. To characterize the different non-uniform features of the coatings, microelectrochemical testing was performed and it showed three distinct regions: active, intermediate, and passive. Humidity experiments were performed to understand the effect of moisture during salt spray testing and showed an increase in coating impedance by making the exposed substrate oxide more passive. However, this passive oxide could not provide corrosion resistance in a chloride environment. Dissolution studies showed that cerium migration was only possible at pH ≤2. Overall, deposition of uniform 250--500 nm thick outings was essential to make it an effective barrier to Cl - attach and prevent subsurface crevices on Al 7075-T6.

Investigation of electroforming techniques. [fabrication of regeneratively cooled thrust chambers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malone, G. A.

1975-01-01

Copper and nickel electroforming was examined for the purpose of establishing the necessary processes and procedures for repeatable, successful fabrication of the outer structures of regeneratively cooled thrust chambers. The selection of electrolytes for copper and nickel deposition is described. The development studies performed to refine and complete the processes necessary for successful chamber shell fabrication and the testing employed to verify the applicability of the processes and procedures to small scale hardware are described. Specifications were developed to afford a guideline for the electroforming of high quality outer shells on regeneratively cooled thrust chamber liners. Test results indicated repeatable mechanical properties could be produced in copper deposits from the copper sulfate electrolyte with periodic current reversal and in nickel deposits from the sulfamate solution. Use of inert, removable channel fillers and the conductivizing of such is described. Techniques (verified by test) which produce high integrity bonds to copper and copper alloy liners are discussed.

Corrosion-resistant amorphous metallic films of Mo49Cr33B18 alloy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramesham, R.; Distefano, S.; Fitzgerald, D.; Thakoor, A. P.; Khanna, S. K.

1987-01-01

Corrosion-resistant amorphous metallic alloy films of Mo49Cr33B18 with a crystallization temperature of 590 C were deposited onto glass and quartz substrates by magnetron sputter-quench technique. The amorphous nature of the films was confirmed by their diffuse X-ray diffraction patterns. The deposited films are densely packed (zone T) and exhibit low stress and good adhesion to the substrate. Corrosion current of as-deposited coating of MoCrB amorphous metallic alloy is approximately three orders of magnitude less than the corrosion current of 304 stainless steel in 1N H2SO4 solution.

Direct deposition of silver nanoplates on quartz surface by sequence pre-treatment hydroxylation and silanisation.

PubMed

Abu Bakar, Norhayati; Mat Salleh, Muhamad; Ali Umar, Akrajas; Shapter, Joseph George

2017-01-01

Silver nanoparticles deposited on quartz substrates are widely used as SERS substrates. The nanoparticles can be deposited directly from colloidal solution by dipping technique. However, the adhesion of the particles on the quartz surface is very poor. Normally the substrate is pre-treated with hydroxylation or silanisation process. In this paper, we have demonstrated that the application of the sequence pre-treatment hydroxylation and silanisation have improved the density of silver nanoplates desposited on the quartz surface. •Sequence hydroxylation and silanisation pre-treatment assists the deposition of the nanoplate on the surface.•Various immersion times of the quartz surface into the colloidal nanoplates determined size distributions and density surface of the nanoplates on the surface.

In Situ Electrochemical Deposition of Microscopic Wires

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yun, Minhee; Myung, Nosang; Vasquez, Richard

2005-01-01

A method of fabrication of wires having micron and submicron dimensions is built around electrochemical deposition of the wires in their final positions between electrodes in integrated circuits or other devices in which the wires are to be used. Heretofore, nanowires have been fabricated by a variety of techniques characterized by low degrees of controllability and low throughput rates, and it has been necessary to align and electrically connect the wires in their final positions by use of sophisticated equipment in expensive and tedious post-growth assembly processes. The present method is more economical, offers higher yields, enables control of wire widths, and eliminates the need for post-growth assembly. The wires fabricated by this method could be used as simple electrical conductors or as transducers in sensors. Depending upon electrodeposition conditions and the compositions of the electroplating solutions in specific applications, the wires could be made of metals, alloys, metal oxides, semiconductors, or electrically conductive polymers. In this method, one uses fabrication processes that are standard in the semiconductor industry. These include cleaning, dry etching, low-pressure chemical vapor deposition, lithography, dielectric deposition, electron-beam lithography, and metallization processes as well as the electrochemical deposition process used to form the wires. In a typical case of fabrication of a circuit that includes electrodes between which microscopic wires are to be formed on a silicon substrate, the fabrication processes follow a standard sequence until just before the fabrication of the microscopic wires. Then, by use of a thermal SiO-deposition technique, the electrodes and the substrate surface areas in the gaps between them are covered with SiO. Next, the SiO is electron-beam patterned, then reactive-ion etched to form channels having specified widths (typically about 1 m or less) that define the widths of the wires to be formed. Drops of an electroplating solution are placed on the substrate in the regions containing the channels thus formed, then the wires are electrodeposited from the solution onto the exposed portions of the electrodes and into the channels. The electrodeposition is a room-temperature, atmospheric-pressure process. The figure shows an example of palladium wires that were electrodeposited into 1-mm-wide channels between gold electrodes.

Surface modification of silk fibroin fabric using layer-by-layer polyelectrolyte deposition and heparin immobilization for small-diameter vascular prostheses.

PubMed

Elahi, M Fazley; Guan, Guoping; Wang, Lu; Zhao, Xinzhe; Wang, Fujun; King, Martin W

2015-03-03

There is an urgent need to develop a biologically active implantable small-diameter vascular prosthesis with long-term patency. Silk-fibroin-based small-diameter vascular prosthesis is a promising candidate having higher patency rate; however, the surface modification is indeed required to improve its further hemocompatibility. In this study, silk fibroin fabric was modified by a two-stage process. First, the surface of silk fibroin fabric was coated using a layer-by-layer polyelectrolyte deposition technique by stepwise dipping the silk fibroin fabric into a solution of cationic poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and anionic poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) solution. The dipping procedure was repeated to obtain the PAH/PAA multilayers deposited on the silk fibroin fabrics. Second, the polyelectrolyte-deposited silk fibroin fabrics were treated in EDC/NHS-activated low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) solution at 4 °C for 24 h, resulting in immobilization of LMWH on the silk fibroin fabrics surface. Scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray data revealed the accomplishment of LMWH immobilization on the polyelectrolyte-deposited silk fibroin fabric surface. The higher the number of PAH/PAA coating layers on the silk fibroin fabric, the more surface hydrophilicity could be obtained, resulting in a higher fetal bovine serum protein and platelets adhesion resistance properties when tested in vitro. In addition, compared with untreated sample, the surface-modified silk fibroin fabrics showed negligible loss of bursting strength and thus reveal the acceptability of polyelectrolytes deposition and heparin immobilization approach for silk-fibroin-based small-diameter vascular prostheses modification.

Tuning vertical alignment and field emission properties of multi-walled carbon nanotube bundles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sreekanth, M.; Ghosh, S.; Srivastava, P.

2018-01-01

We report the growth of vertically aligned carbon nanotube bundles on Si substrate by thermal chemical vapor deposition technique. Vertical alignment was achieved without any carrier gas or lithography-assisted deposition. Growth has been carried out at 850 °C for different quantities of solution of xylene and ferrocene ranging from 2.25 to 3.00 ml in steps of 0.25 ml at a fixed concentration of 0.02 gm (ferrocene) per ml. To understand the growth mechanism, deposition was carried out for different concentrations of the solution by changing only the ferrocene quantity, ranging from 0.01 to 0.03 gm/ml. A tunable vertical alignment of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has been achieved by this process and examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopic techniques. Micro-crystalline structural analysis has been done using Raman spectroscopy. A systematic variation in field emission (FE) current density has been observed. The highest FE current density is seen for the film grown with 0.02 gm/ml concentration, which is attributed to the better alignment of CNTs, less structural disorder and less entanglement of CNTs on the surface. The alignment of CNTs has been qualitatively understood on the basis of self-assembled catalytic particles.

Explosive Contamination from Substrate Surfaces: Differences and Similarities in Contamination Techniques using RDX and C-4

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

C.J. Miller; T.S. Yoder

The amount of time that an explosive is present on the surface of a material is dependent upon the original amount of explosive on the surface, temperature, humidity, rain, etc. This laboratory study focused on looking at similarities and differences in three different surface contamination techniques that are used when performance testing explosive trace detection equipment in an attempt to determine how effective the techniques are at replicating actual field samples. The three techniques used were dry transfer deposition of solutions using the Transportation Security Laboratory (TSL) patented dry transfer techniques (US patent 6470730), direct deposition of explosive standards, andmore » fingerprinting of actual explosives. Explosives were deposited on the surface of one of five substrates using one of the three different deposition techniques. The process was repeated for each surface type using each contamination technique. The surface types used were: 50% cotton/50% polyester as found in T-shirts, 100% cotton with a smooth surface such as that found in a cotton dress shirt, 100% cotton on a rough surface such as that found on canvas or denim, suede leather such as might be found on jackets, purses, or shoes, and metal obtained from a car hood at a junk yard. The samples were not pre-cleaned prior to testing and contained sizing agents, and in the case of the metal, oil and dirt. The substrates were photographed using a Zeiss Discover V12 stereoscope with Axiocam ICc1 3 megapixel digital camera to determine the difference in the crystalline structure and surface contamination in an attempt to determine differences and similarities associated with current contamination techniques.« less

Novel growth techniques for the deposition of high-quality perovskite thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ng, Annie; Ren, Zhiwei; Li, Gang; Djurišić, Aleksandra B.; Surya, Charles

2018-02-01

We present investigations on the growth of high quality CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPI) thin films using both vapor and solution techniques. Recent work on perovskite film growth indicates critical dependencies of the film quality on the nucleation and crystallization steps requiring: i.) uniform distribution of nucleation sites; and ii.) optimal crystallization rate that facilitates the growth of a compact, continuous film with low density of pinholes. Our work shows that the hybrid chemical vapor deposition technique (HCVD) technique is well suited for the deposition of evenly distributed nucleation sites and the optimization of the crystallization rate of the film through detailed monitoring of the thermal profile of the growth process. Signficant reduction in the defect states is recorded by annealing the perovskite films in O2. The results are consistent with theoretical studies by Yin et al. 1 on O and Cl passivation of the shallow states at the grain boundary of MAPI. Their work provides the theoretical basis for our experimental observations on the passivation of shallow states by oxygen annealing. High quality films were achieved through detailed management of the carrier gas composition and the thermal profile of the nucleation and crystallization steps.

Geophysical techniques applied to urban planning in complex near surface environments. Examples of Zaragoza, NE Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pueyo-Anchuela, Ó.; Casas-Sainz, A. M.; Soriano, M. A.; Pocoví-Juan, A.

Complex geological shallow subsurface environments represent an important handicap in urban and building projects. The geological features of the Central Ebro Basin, with sharp lateral changes in Quaternary deposits, alluvial karst phenomena and anthropic activity can preclude the characterization of future urban areas only from isolated geomechanical tests or from non-correctly dimensioned geophysical techniques. This complexity is here analyzed in two different test fields, (i) one of them linked to flat-bottomed valleys with irregular distribution of Quaternary deposits related to sharp lateral facies changes and irregular preconsolidated substratum position and (ii) a second one with similar complexities in the alluvial deposits and karst activity linked to solution of the underlying evaporite substratum. The results show that different geophysical techniques allow for similar geological models to be obtained in the first case (flat-bottomed valleys), whereas only the application of several geophysical techniques can permit to correctly evaluate the geological model complexities in the second case (alluvial karst). In this second case, the geological and superficial information permit to refine the sensitivity of the applied geophysical techniques to different indicators of karst activity. In both cases 3D models are needed to correctly distinguish alluvial lateral sedimentary changes from superimposed karstic activity.

Homogeneous Matrix Deposition on Dried Agar for MALDI Imaging Mass Spectrometry of Microbial Cultures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffmann, Thomas; Dorrestein, Pieter C.

2015-11-01

Matrix deposition on agar-based microbial colonies for MALDI imaging mass spectrometry is often complicated by the complex media on which microbes are grown. This Application Note demonstrates how consecutive short spray pulses of a matrix solution can form an evenly closed matrix layer on dried agar. Compared with sieving dry matrix onto wet agar, this method supports analyte cocrystallization, which results in significantly more signals, higher signal-to-noise ratios, and improved ionization efficiency. The even matrix layer improves spot-to-spot precision of measured m/z values when using TOF mass spectrometers. With this technique, we established reproducible imaging mass spectrometry of myxobacterial cultures on nutrient-rich cultivation media, which was not possible with the sieving technique.

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.

Experimental characterization and modeling for the growth rate of oxide coatings from liquid solutions of metalorganic precursors by ultrasonic pulsed injection in a cold-wall low-pressure reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krumdieck, Susan Pran

Several years ago, a method for depositing ceramic coatings called the Pulsed-MOCVD system was developed by the Raj group at Cornell University in association with Dr. Harvey Berger and Sono-Tek Corporation. The process was used to produce epitaxial thin films of TiO2 on sapphire substrates under conditions of low pressure, relatively high temperature, and very low growth rate. The system came to CU-Boulder when Professor Raj moved here in 1997. It is quite a simple technique and has several advantages over typical CVD systems. The purpose of this dissertation is two-fold; (1) understand the chemical processes, thermodynamics, and kinetics of the Pulsed-MOCVD technique, and (2) determine the possible applications by studying the film structure and morphology over the entire range of deposition conditions. Polycrystalline coatings of ceramic materials were deposited on nickel in the low-pressure, cold-wall reactor from metalorganic precursors, titanium isopropoxide, and a mixture of zirconium isopropoxide and yttria isopropoxide. The process utilized pulsed liquid injection of a dilute precursor solution with atomization by ultrasonic nozzle. Thin films (less than 1mum) with fine-grained microstructure and thick coatings (up to 1mum) with columnar-microstructure were deposited on heated metal substrates by thermal decomposition of a single liquid precursor. The influence of each of the primary deposition parameters, substrate temperature, total flow rate, and precursor concentration on growth rate, conversion efficiency and morphology were investigated. The operating conditions were determined for kinetic, mass transfer, and evaporation process control regimes. Kinetic controlled deposition was found to produce equiaxed morphology while mass transfer controlled deposition produced columnar morphology. A kinetic model of the deposition process was developed and compared to data for deposition of TiO2 from Ti(OC3H7) 4 precursor. The results demonstrate that growth rate and morphology over the range of process operating conditions would make the Pulsed-MOCVD system suitable for application of thermal barrier coatings, electrical insulating layers, corrosion protection coatings, and the electrolyte layers in solid oxide fuel cells.

Deposition of tetracene thin films on SiO2/Si substrates by rapid expansion of supercritical solutions using carbon dioxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujii, Tatsuya; Takahashi, Yuta; Uchida, Hirohisa

2015-03-01

We report on a novel deposition technique of tetracene (naphthacene) thin films on SiO2/Si substrates by rapid expansion of supercritical solutions (RESS) using CO2. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy show that the thin films consist of a high density of submicron-sized grains. The growth mode of the grains followed the Volmer-Weber mode. X-ray diffraction shows that the thin films have regularly arranged structures in both the horizontal and vertical directions of the substrate. A fabricated top-contacted organic thin-film transistor with the tetracene active layer showed p-type transistor characteristics with a field-effect mobility of 5.1 × 10-4 cm2 V-1 s-1.

Preparing polymeric matrix composites using an aqueous slurry technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, Norman J. (Inventor); Towell, Timothy W. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

An aqueous process was developed to prepare a consolidated composite laminate from an aqueous slurry. An aqueous poly(amic acid) surfactant solution was prepared by dissolving a poly(amic acid) powder in an aqueous ammonia solution. A polymeric powder was added to this solution to form a slurry. The slurry was deposited on carbon fiber to form a prepreg which was dried and stacked to form a composite laminate. The composite laminate was consolidated using pressure and was heated to form the polymeric matrix. The resulting composite laminate exhibited high fracture toughness and excellent consolidation.

Electrical, structural and morphological properties of chemically sprayed F-doped ZnO films: effect of the ageing-time of the starting solution, solvent and substrate temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guillén-Santiago, A.; Olvera, M. De La L.; Maldonado, A.; Asomoza, R.; Acosta, D. R.

2004-04-01

Conductive and highly transparent fluorine-doped zinc oxide (ZnO:F) thin films were deposited onto glass substrates by the chemical spray technique, using zinc acetate and hydrofluoric acid as precursors. Electrical, structural, morphological and optical characteristics were analyzed as a function of the ageing-time of the starting solution, alcoholic solvent type (methanol or ethanol) and the substrate temperature. The results show that these variables play a crucial role on the physical properties measured. The growth rates obtained were of 3 nm/s, showing that the chemical species involved are adequate for the film growth. The effect of the solution ageing-time on the electrical properties was monitored along three weeks. A gradual resistivity decrease with the ageing-time was observed, until a minimum value is reached, at 7 or 9 days depending on the alcohol employed. Films deposited after this time have resistivity values slightly higher. All the films were polycrystalline, with a hexagonal wurtzite structure whose preferential growth is strongly dependent on the deposition variables. Under optimal deposition conditions, ZnO:F films with a high transmittance in the visible spectrum (>85%), resistivity as low as 7 × 10-3 cm and maximum electronic mobility around of 4 cm2/(V-s) were obtained.

Topography evolution of rough-surface metallic substrates by solution deposition planarization method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, Jingyuan; Zhao, Yue; Liu, Linfei; Wu, Wei; Zhang, Zhiwei; Hong, Zhiyong; Li, Yijie; Jin, Zhijian

2018-01-01

As an emerging technique for surface smoothing, solution deposition planarization (SDP) has recently drawn more attention on the fabrication of the second generation high temperature superconducting (2G-HTS) tapes. In our work, a number of amorphous oxide layers were deposited on electro-polished or mirror-rolled metallic substrates by chemical solution route. Topography evolution of surface defects on these two types of metallic substrates was thoroughly investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). It was showed that root mean square roughness values (at 50 × 50 μm2 scanning scale) on both rough substrates reduced to ∼5 nm after coating with SDP-layer. The smoothing effect was mainly attributed to decrease of the depth at grain boundary grooving on the electro-polished metallic substrate. On the mirror-rolled metallic substrates, the amplitude and frequency of the height fluctuation perpendicular to the rolling direction were gradually reduced as depositing more numbers of SDP-layer. A high Jc value of 4.17 MA cm-2 (at 77 K, s.f.) was achieved on a full stack of YBCO/CeO2/IBAD-MgO/SDP-layer/C276 sample. This study enhanced understanding of the topography evolution on the surface defects covered by the SDP-layer, and demonstrated a low-cost route for fabricating IBAD-MgO based YBCO templates with a simplified architecture.

Formation of Indium-Doped Zinc Oxide Thin Films Using Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis: The Importance of the Water Content in the Aerosol Solution and the Substrate Temperature for Enhancing Electrical Transport.

PubMed

Biswal, Rajesh; Castañeda, Luis; Moctezuma, Rosario; Vega-Pérez, Jaime; Olvera, María De La Luz; Maldonado, Arturo

2012-03-12

Indium doped zinc oxide [ZnO:In] thin films have been deposited at 430°C on soda-lime glass substrates by the chemical spray technique, starting from zinc acetate and indium acetate. Pulverization of the solution was done by ultrasonic excitation. The variations in the electrical, structural, optical, and morphological characteristics of ZnO:In thin films, as a function of both the water content in the starting solution and the substrate temperature, were studied. The electrical resistivity of ZnO:In thin films is not significantly affected with the increase in the water content, up to 200 mL/L; further increase in water content causes an increase in the resistivity of the films. All films show a polycrystalline character, fitting well with the hexagonal ZnO wurtzite-type structure. No preferential growth in samples deposited with the lowest water content was observed, whereas an increase in water content gave rise to a (002) growth. The surface morphology of the films shows a consistency with structure results, as non-geometrical shaped round grains were observed in the case of films deposited with the lowest water content, whereas hexagonal slices, with a wide size distribution were observed in the other cases. In addition, films deposited with the highest water content show a narrow size distribution.

Fluid inclusion study of some Sarrabus fluorite deposits, Sardinia, Italy.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Belkin, H.E.; de Vivo, B.; Valera, R.

1984-01-01

Fluid inclusions in six deposits of fluorite fracture fillings associated with Hercynian (Carboniferous) cycle magmatism were studied by microthermometric techniques. All the inclusions were liquid dominated, aqueous, and homogenized in the liquid phase. One-phase (liquid), two-phase (liquid + vapour) and three-phase (liquid, vapour, and solid NaCl daughter mineral) fluid inclusions were noted. This study indicates that five of the fluorite deposits formed from 95o-125oC fluids with approx 15 wt.% NaCl. One other deposit appears to have been formed by very dilute solutions at approx 125oC. It is suggested that the local fluorite-forming process was the formation of fracture-localized hydrothermal systems in which magmatic water interaction with some other fluid-connate, meteoric, or marine.-G.J.N.

Solution deposition assembly

DOEpatents

Roussillon, Yann; Scholz, Jeremy H; Shelton, Addison; Green, Geoff T; Utthachoo, Piyaphant

2014-01-21

Methods and devices are provided for improved deposition systems. In one embodiment of the present invention, a deposition system is provided for use with a solution and a substrate. The system comprises of a solution deposition apparatus; at least one heating chamber, at least one assembly for holding a solution over the substrate; and a substrate curling apparatus for curling at least one edge of the substrate to define a zone capable of containing a volume of the solution over the substrate. In another embodiment of the present invention, a deposition system for use with a substrate, the system comprising a solution deposition apparatus; at heating chamber; and at least assembly for holding solution over the substrate to allow for a depth of at least about 0.5 microns to 10 mm.

Proteomic analysis of protein deposits on worn daily wear silicone hydrogel contact lenses

PubMed Central

Wei, Xiaojia; Aliwarga, Yulina; Carnt, Nicole A.; Garrett, Qian; Willcox, Mark D.P.

2008-01-01

Purpose Previous studies have demonstrated deposition of tear proteins onto worn contact lenses. In this study, we used proteomic techniques to analyze the protein deposits extracted from worn daily wear silicone hydrogel contact lenses in combination with different lens care solutions. Methods Worn lenses were collected and protein deposits extracted using urea and surfactant. Protein extracts were desalted, concentrated, and then separated using one-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Individual protein components in extracts were identified using liquid chromatography combined with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) after trypsin digestion. Results One-dimensional gel electrophoresis revealed that lysozyme and other small proteins (around 20 kDa) were the most abundant proteins in the extracts. LC-MS-MS revealed a wide array of proteins in lens extracts with lysozyme and lipocalin 1 being the most commonly identified in deposit extracts. Conclusions Worn contact lenses deposit a wide array of proteins from tear film and other sources. Protein deposit profiles varied and were specific for each contact lens material. PMID:18989384

Anodization: a promising nano-modification technique of titanium implants for orthopedic applications.

PubMed

Yao, Chang; Webster, Thomas J

2006-01-01

Anodization is a well-established surface modification technique that produces protective oxide layers on valve metals such as titanium. Many studies have used anodization to produce micro-porous titanium oxide films on implant surfaces for orthopedic applications. An additional hydrothermal treatment has also been used in conjunction with anodization to deposit hydroxyapatite on titanium surfaces; this is in contrast to using traditional plasma spray deposition techniques. Recently, the ability to create nanometer surface structures (e.g., nano-tubular) via anodization of titanium implants in fluorine solutions have intrigued investigators to fabricate nano-scale surface features that mimic the natural bone environment. This paper will present an overview of anodization techniques used to produce micro-porous titanium oxide structures and nano-tubular oxide structures, subsequent properties of these anodized titanium surfaces, and ultimately their in vitro as well as in vivo biological responses pertinent for orthopedic applications. Lastly, this review will emphasize why anodized titanium structures that have nanometer surface features enhance bone forming cell functions.

Water-assisted growth of graphene on carbon nanotubes by the chemical vapor deposition method.

PubMed

Feng, Jian-Min; Dai, Ye-Jing

2013-05-21

Combining carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with graphene has been proved to be a feasible method for improving the performance of graphene for some practical applications. This paper reports a water-assisted route to grow graphene on CNTs from ferrocene and thiophene dissolved in ethanol by the chemical vapor deposition method in an argon flow. A double injection technique was used to separately inject ethanol solution and water for the preparation of graphene/CNTs. First, CNTs were prepared from ethanol solution and water. The injection of ethanol solution was suspended and water alone was injected into the reactor to etch the CNTs. Thereafter, ethanol solution was injected along with water, which is the key factor in obtaining graphene/CNTs. Transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Raman scattering analyses confirmed that the products were the hybrid materials of graphene/CNTs. X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy analysis showed the presence of oxygen rich functional groups on the surface of the graphene/CNTs. Given the activity of the graphene/CNT surface, CdS quantum dots adhered onto it uniformly through simple mechanical mixing.

CALCIUM BINDING TO INTESTINAL MEMBRANES

PubMed Central

Oschman, James L.; Wall, Betty J.

1972-01-01

Flame photometry reveals that glutaraldehyde and buffer solutions in routine use for electron microscopy contain varying amounts of calcium. The presence of electron-opaque deposits adjacent to membranes in a variety of tissues can be correlated with the presence of calcium in the fixative. In insect intestine (midgut), deposits occur adjacent to apical and lateral plasma membranes. The deposits are particularly evident in tissues fixed in glutaraldehyde without postosmication. They are also observed in osmicated tissue if calcium is added to wash and osmium solutions. Deposits are absent when calcium-free fixatives are used, but are present when traces of CaCl2 (as low as 5 x 10-5 M) are added. The deposits occur at regular intervals along junctional membranes, providing images strikingly similar to those obtained by other workers who have used pyroantimonate in an effort to localize sodium. Other divalent cations (Mg++, Sr++, Ba++, Mn++, Fe++) appear to substitute for calcium, while sodium, potassium, lanthanum, and mercury do not. After postfixing with osmium with calcium added, the deposits can be resolved as patches along the inner leaflet of apical and lateral plasma membranes. The dense regions may thus localize membrane constituents that bind calcium. The results are discussed in relation to the role of calcium in control of cell-to-cell communication, intestinal calcium uptake, and the pyroantimonate technique for ion localization. PMID:4569411

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2000-11-01

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

CHEMICAL SOLUTION DEPOSITION BASED OXIDE BUFFERS AND YBCO COATED CONDUCTORS

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

Paranthaman, Mariappan Parans

We have reviewed briefly the growth of buffer and high temperature superconducting oxide thin films using a chemical solution deposition (CSD) method. In the Rolling-Assisted Biaxially Textured Substrates (RABiTS) process, developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, utilizes the thermo mechanical processing to obtain the flexible, biaxially oriented copper, nickel or nickel-alloy substrates. Buffers and Rare Earth Barium Copper Oxide (REBCO) superconductors have been deposited epitaxially on the textured nickel alloy substrates. The starting substrate serves as a template for the REBCO layer, which has substantially fewer weak links. Buffer layers play a major role in fabricating the second generation REBCOmore » wire technology. The main purpose of the buffer layers is to provide a smooth, continuous and chemically inert surface for the growth of the REBCO film, while transferring the texture from the substrate to the superconductor layer. To achieve this, the buffer layers need to be epitaxial to the substrate, i.e. they have to nucleate and grow in the same bi-axial texture provided by the textured metal foil. The most commonly used RABiTS multi-layer architectures consist of a starting template of biaxially textured Ni-5 at.% W (Ni-W) substrate with a seed (first) layer of Yttrium Oxide (Y2O3), a barrier (second) layer of Yttria Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ), and a Cerium Oxide (CeO2) cap (third) layer. These three buffer layers are generally deposited using physical vapor deposition (PVD) techniques such as reactive sputtering. On top of the PVD template, REBCO film is then grown by a chemical solution deposition. This article reviews in detail about the list of oxide buffers and superconductor REBCO films grown epitaxially on single crystal and/or biaxially textured Ni-W substrates using a CSD method.« less

Improved PECVD Si x N y film as a mask layer for deep wet etching of the silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Jianqiang; Yin, Yi Jun; Han, Dong; Dong, LiZhen

2017-09-01

Although plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) silicon nitride (Si x N y ) films have been extensively investigated by many researchers, requirements of film properties vary from device to device. For some applications utilizing Si x N y film as the mask Layer for deep wet etching of the silicon, it is very desirable to obtain a high quality film. In this study, Si x N y films were deposited on silicon substrates by PECVD technique from the mixtures of NH3 and 5% SiH4 diluted in Ar. The deposition temperature and RF power were fixed at 400 °C and 20 W, respectively. By adjusting the SiH4/NH3 flow ratio, Si x N y films of different compositions were deposited on silicon wafers. The stoichiometry, residual stress, etch rate in 1:50 HF, BHF solution and 40% KOH solution of deposited Si x N y films were measured. The experimental results show that the optimum SiH4/NH3 flow ratio at which deposited Si x N y films can perfectly protect the polysilicon resistors on the front side of wafers during KOH etching is between 1.63 and 2.24 under the given temperature and RF power. Polysilicon resistors protected by the Si x N y films can withstand 6 h 40% KOH double-side etching at 80 °C. At the range of SiH4/NH3 flow ratios, the Si/N atom ratio of films ranges from 0.645 to 0.702, which slightly deviate the ideal stoichiometric ratio of LPCVD Si3N4 film. In addition, the silicon nitride films with the best protection effect are not the films of minimum etch rate in KOH solution.

Inorganic photovoltaic devices fabricated using nanocrystal spray deposition.

PubMed

Foos, Edward E; Yoon, Woojun; Lumb, Matthew P; Tischler, Joseph G; Townsend, Troy K

2013-09-25

Soluble inorganic nanocrystals offer a potential route to the fabrication of all-inorganic devices using solution deposition techniques. Spray processing offers several advantages over the more common spin- and dip-coating procedures, including reduced material loss during fabrication, higher sample throughput, and deposition over a larger area. The primary difference observed, however, is an overall increase in the film roughness. In an attempt to quantify the impact of this morphology change on the devices, we compare the overall performance of spray-deposited versus spin-coated CdTe-based Schottky junction solar cells and model their dark current-voltage characteristics. Spray deposition of the active layer results in a power conversion efficiency of 2.3 ± 0.3% with a fill factor of 45.7 ± 3.4%, Voc of 0.39 ± 0.06 V, and Jsc of 13.3 ± 3.0 mA/cm(2) under one sun illumination.

Organic/hybrid thin films deposited by matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stiff-Roberts, Adrienne D.; Ge, Wangyao

2017-12-01

Some of the most exciting materials research in the 21st century attempts to resolve the challenge of simulating, synthesizing, and characterizing new materials with unique properties designed from first principles. Achievements in such development for organic and organic-inorganic hybrid materials make them important options for electronic and/or photonic devices because they can impart multi-functionality, flexibility, transparency, and sustainability to emerging systems, such as wearable electronics. Functional organic materials include small molecules, oligomers, and polymers, while hybrid materials include inorganic nanomaterials (such as zero-dimensional quantum dots, one-dimensional carbon nanotubes, or two-dimensional nanosheets) combined with organic matrices. A critically important step to implementing new electronic and photonic devices using such materials is the processing of thin films. While solution-based processing is the most common laboratory technique for organic and hybrid materials, vacuum-based deposition has been critical to the commercialization of organic light emitting diodes based on small molecules, for example. Therefore, it is desirable to explore vacuum-based deposition of organic and hybrid materials that include larger macromolecules, such as polymers. This review article motivates the need for physical vapor deposition of polymeric and hybrid thin films using matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE), which is a type of pulsed laser deposition. This review describes the development of variations in the MAPLE technique, discusses the current understanding of laser-target interactions and growth mechanisms for different MAPLE variations, surveys demonstrations of MAPLE-deposited organic and hybrid materials for electronic and photonic devices, and provides a future outlook for the technique.

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

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

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

Electrodeposition of copper composites from deep eutectic solvents based on choline chloride.

PubMed

Abbott, Andrew P; El Ttaib, Khalid; Frisch, Gero; McKenzie, Katy J; Ryder, Karl S

2009-06-07

Here we describe for the first time the electrolytic deposition of copper and copper composites from a solution of the metal chloride salt in either urea-choline chloride, or ethylene glycol-choline chloride based eutectics. We show that the deposition kinetics and thermodynamics are quite unlike those in aqueous solution under comparable conditions and that the copper ion complexation is also different. The mechanism of copper nucleation is studied using chronoamperometry and it is shown that progressive nucleation leads to a bright nano-structured deposit. In contrast, instantaneous nucleation, at lower concentrations of copper ions, leads to a dull deposit. This work also pioneers the use of the electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) to monitor both current efficiency and the inclusion of inert particulates into the copper coatings. This technique allows the first in situ quantification or particulate inclusion. It was found that the composition of composite material was strongly dependent on the amount of species suspended in solution. It was also shown that the majority of material was dragged onto the surface rather than settling on to it. The distribution of the composite material was found to be even throughout the coating. This technology is important because it facilitates deposition of bright copper coatings without co-ligands such as cyanide. The incorporation of micron-sized particulates into ionic liquids has resulted, in one case, in a decrease in viscosity. This observation is both unusual and surprising; we explain this here in terms of an increase in the free volume of the liquid and local solvent perturbation.

Structural characterization of nickel oxide/hydroxide nanosheets produced by CBD technique

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

Taşköprü, T., E-mail: ttaskopru@anadolu.edu.tr; Department of Physics, Çankırı Karatekin University, Çankırı 18100; Zor, M.

2015-10-15

Graphical abstract: SEM images of (a) as deposited β-Ni(OH)2 and (b) NiO samples deposited with pH 10 solution. The inset figures shows the absorbance spectra of (a) β-Ni(OH)2 and (b) NiO samples. - Highlights: • The formation of β-Ni(OH){sub 2} and NiO were confirmed with XRD, SEM, FT-IR and Raman. • Porous nickel oxide was synthesized after heat treatment of nickel hydroxide. • The increase in pH value changes the nanoflake structure to hexagonal nanosheet. • On increasing the pH from 8 to 11, the band gap decreases from 3.52 to 3.37 eV. - Abstract: Nickel hydroxide samples were depositedmore » onto glass substrates using Ni(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}·6H{sub 2}O and aqueous ammonia by chemical bath deposition technique. The influence of pH of solution was investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared, Raman spectroscopy, optical absorption and BET analysis. The as-deposited samples were identified as β-Ni(OH){sub 2}, were transformed into NiO after heat treatment in air at 500 °C for 2 h. Porous nickel oxide nanosheets are obtained by heating nickel hydroxide nanosheets. The optical transitions observed in the absorbance spectra below optical band gap is due to defects or Ni{sup 2+} vacancies in NiO samples. The band gap energy of NiO samples changes between 3.37 and 3.52 eV depending on the pH values.« less

Engineering interfacial properties of organic semiconductors through soft-contact lamination and surface functionalization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shu, Andrew Leo

Organic electronics is a topic of interest due to its potential for low temperature and solution processing for large area and flexible applications. Examples of organic electronic devices are already available on the market; however these are, in general, still rather expensive. In order to fully realize inexpensive and efficient organic electronics, the properties of organic films need to be understood and strategies developed to take advantage of these properties to improve device performance. This work focuses on two strategies that can be used to control charge transport at interfaces with active organic semiconducting thin films. These strategies are studied and verified with a range of photoemission spectroscopy, surface probe microscopy, and electrical measurements. Vacuum evaporated molecular organic devices have long used layer stacking of different materials as a method of dividing roles in a device and modifying energy level alignment to improve device performance and efficiency. Applying this type of architecture for solution-processed devices, on the other hand, is nontrivial, as an issue of removal of or mixing with underlying layers arises. We present and examine here soft-contact lamination as a viable technique for depositing solution-processed multilayer structures. The energetics at homojunctions of a couple of air-stable polymers is investigated. Charge transport is then compared between a two-layer film and a single-layer film of equivalent thicknesses. The interface formed by soft-contact lamination is found to be transparent with respect to electronic charge carriers. We also propose a technique for modifying electronic level alignment at active organic-organic heterojunctions using dipolar self-assembled monolayers (SAM). An ultra-thin metal oxide is first deposited via a gentle low temperature chemical vapor deposition as an adhesion layer for the SAM. The deposition is shown to be successful for a variety of organic films. A series of phenylphosphonic acid SAM molecules with various molecular dipoles is then used to functionalize the surface of an organic film and found to modify the work function depending on the molecular dipole across the molecule. This in turn is found to modify the energy level alignment between the underlying organic film with an organic film deposited on top.

Electrodeposited silk coatings for functionalized implant applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elia, Roberto

The mechanical and morphological properties of titanium as well as its biocompatibility and osteoinductive characteristics have made it the material of choice for dental implant systems. Although the success rate of titanium implants exceeds 90% in healthy individuals, a large subset of the population has one or more risk factors that inhibit implant integration. Treatments and coatings have been developed to improve clinical outcomes via introduction of appropriate surface topography, texture and roughness or incorporation of bioactive molecules. It is essential that the coatings and associated deposition techniques are controllable and reproducible. Currently, methods of depositing functional coatings are dictated by numerous parameters (temperature, particle size distribution, pH and voltage), which result in variable coating thickness, strength, porosity and weight, and hinder or preclude biomolecule incorporation. Silk is a highly versatile protein with a unique combination of mechanical and physical properties, including tunable degradation, biocompatibility, drug stabilizing capabilities and mechanical properties. Most recently an electrogelation technique was developed which allows for the deposition of gels which dry seamlessly over the contoured topography of the conductive substrate. In this work we examine the potential use of silk electrogels as mechanically robust implant coatings capable of sequestering and releasing therapeutic agents. Electrodeposition of silk electrogels formed in uniform electric fields was characterized with respect to field intensity and deposition time. Gel formation kinetics were used to derive functions which allowed for the prediction of coating deposition over a range of process and solution parameters. Silk electrogel growth orientation was shown to be influenced by the applied electric field. Coatings were reproducible and tunable via intrinsic silk solution properties and extrinsic process parameters. Adhesion was modulated over a 10-fold range and implant insertion into bone mimics demonstrated that the coatings were able to withstand delamination forces experienced during these mock implantations. Antibiotic release from coated implant studs inhibited bacterial growth and dexamethasone release was shown to stimulate calcium deposition in mesenchymal stem cells.

Physics and fingerprints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voss-de Haan, Patrick

2006-08-01

This article discusses a variety of aspects in the detection and development of fingerprints and the physics involved in it. It gives an introduction to some basic issues like composition and properties of fingerprint deposits and a rudimentary framework of dactyloscopy; it covers various techniques for the visualization of latent fingerprints; and it concludes with a view of current research topics. The techniques range from very common procedures, such as powdering and cyanoacrylate fuming, to more demanding methods, for example luminescence and vacuum metal deposition, to fairly unusual approaches like autoradiography. The emphasis is placed on the physical rather than the forensic aspects of these topics while trying to give the physicist—who is not dealing with fingerprinting and forensic science on a daily basis—a feeling for the problems and solutions in the visualization of latent fingerprints.

Homogeneous matrix deposition on dried agar for MALDI imaging mass spectrometry of microbial cultures.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Thomas; Dorrestein, Pieter C

2015-11-01

Matrix deposition on agar-based microbial colonies for MALDI imaging mass spectrometry is often complicated by the complex media on which microbes are grown. This Application Note demonstrates how consecutive short spray pulses of a matrix solution can form an evenly closed matrix layer on dried agar. Compared with sieving dry matrix onto wet agar, this method supports analyte cocrystallization, which results in significantly more signals, higher signal-to-noise ratios, and improved ionization efficiency. The even matrix layer improves spot-to-spot precision of measured m/z values when using TOF mass spectrometers. With this technique, we established reproducible imaging mass spectrometry of myxobacterial cultures on nutrient-rich cultivation media, which was not possible with the sieving technique. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Effect of solvent volume on the physical properties of aluminium doped nanocrystalline zinc oxide thin films deposited using a simplified spray pyrolysis technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jabena Begum, N.; Mohan, R.; Ravichandran, K.

2013-01-01

Aluminium doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin films were deposited by employing a low cost and simplified spray technique using a perfume atomizer from starting solutions having different volumes (10, 20, … , 50 mL) of solvent. The effect of solvent volume on the structural, electrical, optical, photoluminescence (PL) and surface morphological properties was studied. The electrical resistivity of the AZO films is remarkably influenced by the variation in the solvent volume. The X-ray diffraction profiles clearly showed that all the films have preferential orientation along the (0 0 2) plane irrespective of the solvent volume. The crystallite size was found to be in the nano range of 35-46 nm. The optical transmittance in the visible region is desirably high (>85%). The AFM images show columnar morphology with varying grain size. The PL studies revealed that the AZO film deposited from 50 mL of solvent volume has good quality with lesser defect density.

Oxygen-free atomic layer deposition of indium sulfide

DOEpatents

Martinson, Alex B.; Hock, Adam S.; McCarthy, Robert; Weimer, Matthew S.

2016-07-05

A method for synthesizing an In(III) N,N'-diisopropylacetamidinate precursor including cooling a mixture comprised of diisopropylcarbodiimide and diethyl ether to approximately -30.degree. C., adding methyllithium drop-wise into the mixture, allowing the mixture to warm to room temperature, adding indium(III) chloride as a solid to the mixture to produce a white solid, dissolving the white solid in pentane to form a clear and colorless solution, filtering the mixture over a celite plug, and evaporating the solution under reduced pressure to obtain a solid In(III) N,N'-diisopropylacetamidinate precursor. This precursor has been further used to develop a novel atomic layer deposition technique for indium sulfide by dosing a reactor with the precursor, purging with nitrogen, dosing with dilute hydrogen sulfide, purging again with nitrogen, and repeating these steps to increase growth.

A decade of monitoring at Swiss Long-Term Forest Ecosystem Research (LWF) sites: can we observe trends in atmospheric acid deposition and in soil solution acidity?

PubMed

Pannatier, Elisabeth Graf; Thimonier, Anne; Schmitt, Maria; Walthert, Lorenz; Waldner, Peter

2011-03-01

Trends in atmospheric acid deposition and in soil solution acidity from 1995 or later until 2007 were investigated at several forest sites throughout Switzerland to assess the effects of air pollution abatements on deposition and the response of the soil solution chemistry. Deposition of the major elements was estimated from throughfall and bulk deposition measurements at nine sites of the Swiss Long-Term Forest Ecosystem Research network (LWF) since 1995 or later. Soil solution was measured at seven plots at four soil depths since 1998 or later. Trends in the molar ratio of base cations to aluminum (BC/Al) in soil solutions and in concentrations and fluxes of inorganic N (NO(3)-N + NH(4)-N), sulfate (SO(4)-S), and base cations (BC) were used to detect changes in soil solution chemistry. Acid deposition significantly decreased at three out of the nine study sites due to a decrease in total N deposition. Total SO(4)-S deposition decreased at the nine sites, but due to the relatively low amount of SO(4)-S load compared to N deposition, it did not contribute to decrease acid deposition significantly. No trend in total BC deposition was detected. In the soil solution, no trend in concentrations and fluxes of BC, SO(4)-S, and inorganic N were found at most soil depths at five out of the seven sites. This suggests that the soil solution reacted very little to the changes in atmospheric deposition. A stronger reduction in base cations compared to aluminum was detected at two sites, which might indicate that acidification of the soil solution was proceeding faster at these sites.

Corrosion studies of DC reactive magnetron sputtered alumina coating on 304 SS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thangaraj, Baskar; Mahadevan, Krishnan

2017-12-01

Aluminum oxide films on SS 304 deposited by DC reactive magnetron sputtering technique were studied with respect to the composition of the sputter gas (Ar:O2), gas pressure, substrate temperature, current etc. to achieve good insulating films with high corrosion resistance. The films were characterized by XRD and SEM techniques. Potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements were made under static conditions in order to evaluate the corrosion performance of the alumina-coated SS 304 for various immersion durations in 0.5 M and 1 M NaCl solution. Alumina-coated SS 304 has low corrosion value of 0.4550 and 1.1090MPY for 24 h immersion time in both solutions. The impedance plots for the alumina coated SS 304 in 1 M NaCl solution at different durations are slightly different to when compared to its immersion in 0.5 M NaCl solutions and are composed of two depressed semi circles. For the alumina coated film, the impedance spectrum decreased, when immersion time increased.

Asymmetric, compressive, SiGe epilayers on Si grown by lateral liquid-phase epitaxy utilizing a distinction between dislocation nucleation and glide critical thicknesses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Reilly, Andrew J.; Quitoriano, Nathaniel

2018-01-01

Uniaxially strained Si1-xGex channels have been proposed as a solution for high mobility channels in next-generation MOSFETS to ensure continued device improvement as the benefits from further miniaturisation are diminishing. Previously proposed techniques to deposit uniaxially strained Si1-xGex epilayers on Si (0 0 1) substrates require multiple deposition steps and only yielded thin strips of uniaxially strained films. A lateral liquid-phase epitaxy (LLPE) technique was developed to deposit a blanket epilayer of asymmetrically strained Si97.4Ge2.6 on Si in a single step, where the epilayer was fully strained in the growth direction and 31% strain-relaxed in the orthogonal direction. The LLPE technique promoted the glide of misfit dislocations, which nucleated in a region with an orthogonal misfit dislocation network, into a region where the dislocation nucleation was inhibited. This created an array of parallel misfit dislocations which were the source of the asymmetric strain. By observing the thicknesses at which the dislocation network transitions from orthogonal to parallel and at which point dislocation glide is exhausted, the separate critical thicknesses for dislocation nucleation and dislocation glide can be determined.

Karst is a repository for old sediments

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

Hobbs, H.C.

1994-04-01

The Paleozoic plateau of southeastern Minnesota has been repeatedly glaciated, and has accumulated several sheets of loess. In the eastern part of this area, most of the older sediments have been eroded away and the late Wisconsinan Peoria loess directly overlies limestone. A lag of erratics from one or more older tills occurs sporadically on the bedrock surface. A more complete record is preserved in some sinkholes and solution cavities. Sinkholes (surface depressions) contain material that washed or collapsed into the hole, as well as material that was deposited directly (such as loess). Solution cavities contain only material sorted bymore » water. Sinkhole fills exposed in roadcuts and quarry walls commonly lack the surface expression and black-dirt funnel'' of active sinkholes. Several of these contain erratic-bearing sediment interpreted as slopewash and mudflow. One appears to contain actual till--unsorted, unbedded pebble-loam that is not mixed with other materials commonly found on the limestone surface, such as red clay or loess. It cannot be determined whether this material was deposited directly or collapsed in later. Solution cavities are typically packed with sediment right up to the top. The bulk of such deposits is typically clay and silt; however, erratic pebbles are present in some. The fine sediment is sorted and bedded, at least in places. In one large cavity fill, a layer of rip-up clay clasts occurs near the top. Study of the stratigraphy of karst sediments in southeastern Minnesota is still preliminary. Techniques which are used to correlate them include: physical characteristics, texture analysis (on material that has not been sorted), sand and pebble lithology, and magnetic polarity. Techniques that could be used include clay mineralogy, geochemical analysis, and thermoluminescence.« less

Horizontal-to-Vertical Spectral Ratio for Estimating Thickness of Sedimentary Deposits across the PoroTomo site in Brady Hot Springs, Nevada (USA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, L.; Fratta, D.; Zeng, X.; Lord, N. E.; Wang, H. F.; Thurber, C. H.; Lin, F. C.; Feigl, K. L.; Team, P.

2016-12-01

During March 2016, the PoroTomo research team deployed more than 8700 m of DAS and DTS cable in horizontal and vertical sensing arrays, 244 three-component surface geophones, inSAR images, pressure transducers, and a vibroseis truck to actively and passively image the response of a geothermal field in Brady Hot Springs, Nevada. During the imaging period the geothermal field was manipulated to change the pore pressure in the formation. The objective of the study is to invert for poroelastic parameters within a 1500 m by 500 m by 400 m volume using tomographic techniques. Among the different imaging techniques, the research team is using passive horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio data captured with the three-component geophones to estimate the thickness of the sedimentary deposits across the PoroTomo site. The interpretation of the inverted data is complicated due the heterogeneity in the near surface deposits at the site. These deposits include diatomaceous earth, sandy/silty layers, and hardened silica associated with the presence of fumaroles. In spite of the challenges associated with deposits of very different stiffness, the mapping of sediment thickness across the Natural Laboratory helps constrain the inversion of Multiple Channel Analysis of Surface Waves to improve the quality of the solution images.

Supersonically Spray-Coated Colloidal Quantum Dot Ink Solar Cells

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

Choi, Hyekyoung; Lee, Jong-Gun; Mai, Xuan Dung

Controlling the thickness of quantum dot (QD) films is difficult using existing film formation techniques, which employ pre-ligand-exchanged PbS QD inks, because of several issues: 1) poor colloidal stability, 2) use of high-boiling-point solvents for QD dispersion, and 3) limitations associated with one-step deposition. Here in this paper, we suggest a new protocol for QD film deposition using electrical double-layered PbS QD inks, prepared by solution-phase ligand exchange using methyl ammonium lead iodide (MAPbI 3). The films are deposited by the supersonic spraying technique, which facilitates the rapid evaporation of the solvent and the subsequent deposition of the PbS QDmore » ink without requiring a post-deposition annealing treatment for solvent removal. The film thickness could be readily controlled by varying the number of spraying sweeps made across the substrate. This spray deposition process yields high-quality n-type QD films quickly (within 1 min) while minimizing the amount of the PbS QD ink used to less than 5 mg for one device (300-nm-thick absorbing layer, 2.5 x 2.5 cm 2). Further, the formation of an additional p-layer by treatment with mercaptopropionic acid allows for facile hole extraction from the QD films, resulting in a power conversion efficiency of 3.7% under 1.5 AM illumination.« less

Supersonically Spray-Coated Colloidal Quantum Dot Ink Solar Cells

DOE PAGES

Choi, Hyekyoung; Lee, Jong-Gun; Mai, Xuan Dung; ...

2017-04-04

Controlling the thickness of quantum dot (QD) films is difficult using existing film formation techniques, which employ pre-ligand-exchanged PbS QD inks, because of several issues: 1) poor colloidal stability, 2) use of high-boiling-point solvents for QD dispersion, and 3) limitations associated with one-step deposition. Here in this paper, we suggest a new protocol for QD film deposition using electrical double-layered PbS QD inks, prepared by solution-phase ligand exchange using methyl ammonium lead iodide (MAPbI 3). The films are deposited by the supersonic spraying technique, which facilitates the rapid evaporation of the solvent and the subsequent deposition of the PbS QDmore » ink without requiring a post-deposition annealing treatment for solvent removal. The film thickness could be readily controlled by varying the number of spraying sweeps made across the substrate. This spray deposition process yields high-quality n-type QD films quickly (within 1 min) while minimizing the amount of the PbS QD ink used to less than 5 mg for one device (300-nm-thick absorbing layer, 2.5 x 2.5 cm 2). Further, the formation of an additional p-layer by treatment with mercaptopropionic acid allows for facile hole extraction from the QD films, resulting in a power conversion efficiency of 3.7% under 1.5 AM illumination.« less

Thermoinduced laser-assisted deposition of molybdenum from aqueous solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kochemirovsky, Vladimir V.; Logunov, Lev S.; Zhigley, Elvira S.; Baranauskaite, Valeriia

2015-05-01

Local molybdenum deposit obtainment is promising for micro thermocouples creation on dielectric surfaces. This paper is dedicated to development of method of laser-induced molybdenum deposition from water-based solution of inorganic salt on Sitall st-50 and glass dielectric substrates, as well as research of solution composition, pH and substrate optical properties influence on result of laser-induced molybdenum deposition from solution. It was shown that depending on dielectric substrate type, as a result of laser-induced deposition metallic molybdenum or molybdenum dioxide deposit forms: molybdenum dioxide deposits in case of optically clear substrate and metallic molybdenum deposits in case of opaque glass-ceramics. While modelling interim case via using clouded glass, mixture of molybdenum and its oxide was successfully obtained.

Formation of Indium-Doped Zinc Oxide Thin Films Using Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis: The Importance of the Water Content in the Aerosol Solution and the Substrate Temperature for Enhancing Electrical Transport

PubMed Central

Biswal, Rajesh; Castañeda, Luis; Moctezuma, Rosario; Vega-Pérez, Jaime; De La Luz Olvera, María; Maldonado, Arturo

2012-01-01

Indium doped zinc oxide [ZnO:In] thin films have been deposited at 430°C on soda-lime glass substrates by the chemical spray technique, starting from zinc acetate and indium acetate. Pulverization of the solution was done by ultrasonic excitation. The variations in the electrical, structural, optical, and morphological characteristics of ZnO:In thin films, as a function of both the water content in the starting solution and the substrate temperature, were studied. The electrical resistivity of ZnO:In thin films is not significantly affected with the increase in the water content, up to 200 mL/L; further increase in water content causes an increase in the resistivity of the films. All films show a polycrystalline character, fitting well with the hexagonal ZnO wurtzite-type structure. No preferential growth in samples deposited with the lowest water content was observed, whereas an increase in water content gave rise to a (002) growth. The surface morphology of the films shows a consistency with structure results, as non-geometrical shaped round grains were observed in the case of films deposited with the lowest water content, whereas hexagonal slices, with a wide size distribution were observed in the other cases. In addition, films deposited with the highest water content show a narrow size distribution. PMID:28817056

Making molecular balloons in laser-induced explosive boiling of polymer solutions.

PubMed

Leveugle, Elodie; Sellinger, Aaron; Fitz-Gerald, James M; Zhigilei, Leonid V

2007-05-25

The effect of the dynamic molecular rearrangements leading to compositional segregation is revealed in coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of short pulse laser interaction with a polymer solution in a volatile matrix. An internal release of matrix vapor at the onset of the explosive boiling of the overheated liquid is capable of pushing polymer molecules to the outskirts of a transient bubble, forming a polymer-rich surface layer enclosing the volatile matrix material. The results explain unexpected "deflated balloon" structures observed in films deposited by the matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation technique.

Deposition and post-processing techniques for transparent conductive films

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

Christoforo, Mark Greyson; Mehra, Saahil; Salleo, Alberto

2017-07-04

In one embodiment, a method is provided for fabrication of a semitransparent conductive mesh. A first solution having conductive nanowires suspended therein and a second solution having nanoparticles suspended therein are sprayed toward a substrate, the spraying forming a mist. The mist is processed, while on the substrate, to provide a semitransparent conductive material in the form of a mesh having the conductive nanowires and nanoparticles. The nanoparticles are configured and arranged to direct light passing through the mesh. Connections between the nanowires provide conductivity through the mesh.

Growing Oxide Nanowires and Nanowire Networks by Solid State Contact Diffusion into Solution-Processed Thin Films.

PubMed

Glynn, Colm; McNulty, David; Geaney, Hugh; O'Dwyer, Colm

2016-11-01

New techniques to directly grow metal oxide nanowire networks without the need for initial nanoparticle seed deposition or postsynthesis nanowire casting will bridge the gap between bottom-up formation and top-down processing for many electronic, photonic, energy storage, and conversion technologies. Whether etched top-down, or grown from catalyst nanoparticles bottom-up, nanowire growth relies on heterogeneous material seeds. Converting surface oxide films, ubiquitous in the microelectronics industry, to nanowires and nanowire networks by the incorporation of extra species through interdiffusion can provide an alternative deposition method. It is shown that solution-processed thin films of oxides can be converted and recrystallized into nanowires and networks of nanowires by solid-state interdiffusion of ionic species from a mechanically contacted donor substrate. NaVO 3 nanowire networks on smooth Si/SiO 2 and granular fluorine-doped tin oxide surfaces can be formed by low-temperature annealing of a Na diffusion species-containing donor glass to a solution-processed V 2 O 5 thin film, where recrystallization drives nanowire growth according to the crystal habit of the new oxide phase. This technique illustrates a new method for the direct formation of complex metal oxide nanowires on technologically relevant substrates, from smooth semiconductors, to transparent conducting materials and interdigitated device structures. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Voltage control of magnetism in NiZn ferrite/mica/PMNPT heterostructure with giant tunability and narrow linewidth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xinjun; Chen, Yunpeng; Chen, Huaihao; Gao, Yuan; He, Yifan; Li, Menghui; Lin, Hwaider; Sun, Neville; Sun, Nian

2018-05-01

Recently, large magnetoelectric coupling of a spinel/piezoelectric heterostructure has been reported. However, the linewidth of the spinel is very large due to lattice mismatch when ferrite is directly deposited on piezoelectric substrates. This indicates a large magnetic loss, which impedes the spinel/piezoelectric heterostructure from useful device applications. Mica is a well-known 2D material, which can be split manually layer by layer without the substrate clamping effect. In this report, NiZn ferrite was deposited on a mica substrate by a spin-spray deposition technique. Spin-spray deposition is a wet chemical synthesis technique involving several chemical reactions for generating high-quality crystalline spinel ferrite films with various compositions directly from an aqueous solution. The thickness of ferrite is 2 μm, and the linewidth of the ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) is 115 Oe which is suitable for RF/microwave devices. The large FMR field tuning of 605 Oe was observed in NiZn ferrite/mica/PMN-PT heterostructures with minimal substrate clamping effect by reducing the thickness of the mica substrate. These multiferroic heterostructures exhibiting combined giant magnetoelectric coupling and narrow ferromagnetic resonance linewidth offer great opportunities for flexible RF magnetic devices.

Influence of polymer coating morphology on microsensor response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levit, Natalia; Pestov, Dmitry; Tepper, Gary C.

2004-03-01

Nanoscale polymeric coatings are used in a variety of sensor systems. The influence of polymer coating morphology on sensor response was investigated and it was determined that coating morphology plays a particularly important role in transducers based on optical or acoustic resonance such as surface acoustic wave (SAW) or surface plasmon resonance (SPR) devices. Nanoscale polymeric coatings were deposited onto a number of miniature devices using a "solvent-free" deposition technique known as Rapid Expansion of Supercritical Solutions (RESS). In RESS, the supercritical solvent goes into the vapor phase upon fast depressurization and separates from the polymer. Therefore, dry polymer particles are deposited from the gas phase. The average diameter of RESS precipitates is about two orders of magnitude smaller than the minimum droplet size achievable by the air-brush method. For rubbery polymers, such as PIB and PDMS, the nanoscale solute droplets produced by RESS agglomerate on the surface forming a highly-uniform continuous nanoscale film. For glassy and crstalline polymers, the RESS droplets produce uniform particulate coatings exhibiting high surface-to-volume ratio. The coating morphology can be changed by controlling the RESS processing conditions.

Preparation and characterization of electrodeposited cobalt nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irshad, M. I.; Ahmad, F.; Mohamed, N. M.; Abdullah, M. Z.

2014-10-01

Electrochemical deposition technique has been used to deposit cobalt nanowires into the nano sized channels of Anodized Aluminium Oxide (AAO) templates. CoCl2˙6H 2 O salt solution was used, which was buffered with H3BO3 and acidified by dilute H2SO4 to increase the plating life and control pH of the solution. Thin film of copper around 150 nm thick on one side of AAO template coated by e-beam evaporation system served as cathode to create electrical contact. FESEM analysis shows that the as-deposited nanowires are highly aligned, parallel to one another and have high aspect ratio with a reasonably high pore-filing factor. The TEM results show that electrodeposited cobalt nanowires are crystalline in nature. The Hysteresis loop shows the magnetization properties for in and out of plane configuration. The in plane saturation magnetization (Ms) is lower than out of plane configuration because of the easy axis of magnetization is perpendicular to nanowire axis. These magnetic nanowires could be utilized for applications such as spintronic devices, high density magnetic storage, and magnetic sensor applications.

Retention and transport of an anaerobic trichloroethene dechlorinating microbial culture in anaerobic porous media.

PubMed

Zhang, Huixin; Ulrich, Ania C; Liu, Yang

2015-06-01

The influence of solution chemistry on microbial transport was examined using the strictly anaerobic trichloroethene (TCE) bioaugmentation culture KB-1(®). A column was employed to determine transport behaviors and deposition kinetics of three distinct functional species in KB-1(®), Dehalococcoides, Geobacter, and Methanomethylovorans, over a range of ionic strengths under a well-controlled anaerobic condition. A quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was utilized to enumerate cell concentration and complementary techniques were implemented to evaluate cell surface electrokinetic potentials. Solution chemistry was found to positively affect the deposition rates, which was consistent with calculated Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) interaction energies. Retained microbial profiles showed spatially constant colloid deposition rate coefficients, in agreement with classical colloid filtration theory (CFT). It was interesting to note that the three KB-1(®) species displayed similar transport and retention behaviors under the defined experimental conditions despite their different cell electrokinetic properties. A deeper analysis of cell characteristics showed that factors, such as cell size and shape, concentration, and motility were involved in determining adhesion behavior. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Regulation of the Deposition Morphology of Inkjet-Printed Crystalline Materials via Polydopamine Functional Coatings for Highly Uniform and Electrically Conductive Patterns.

PubMed

Liu, Liang; Ma, Siyuan; Pei, Yunheng; Xiong, Xiao; Sivakumar, Preeth; Singler, Timothy J

2016-08-24

We report a method to achieve highly uniform inkjet-printed silver nitrate (AgNO3) and a reactive silver precursor patterns on rigid and flexible substrates functionalized with polydopamine (PDA) coatings. The printed AgNO3 patterns on PDA-coated substrates (glass and polyethylene terephthalate (PET)) exhibit a narrow thickness distribution ranging between 0.9 and 1 μm in the line transverse direction and uniform deposition profiles in the line axial direction. The deposited reactive silver precursor patterns on PDA-functionalized substrates also show "dome-shaped" morphology without "edge-thickened" structure due to "coffee-stain" effect. We posit that the highly uniform functional ink deposits formed on PDA-coated substrates are attributable to the strong binding interaction between the abundant catecholamine moieties at the PDA surface and the metallic silver cations (Ag(+) or Ag(NH3)(2+)) in the solutal inks. During printing of the ink rivulet and solvent evaporation, the substrate-liquid ink (S-L) interface is enriched with the silver-based cations and a solidification at the S/L interface is induced. The preferential solidification initiated at the S-L interface is further verified by the in situ visualization of the dynamic solidification process during solvent evaporation, and results suggest an enhanced crystal nucleation and growth localized at the S-L interface on PDA functionalized substrates. This interfacial interaction mediates solute transport in the liquid phase, resulting in the controlled enrichment of solute at the S-L interface and mitigated solute precipitation in both the contact line region and the liquid ink-vapor (L-V) interface due to evaporation. This mediated transport contributes to the final uniform solid deposition for both types of ink systems. This technique provides a complementary strategy for achieving highly uniform inkjet-printed crystalline structures, and can serve as an innovative foundation for high-precision additive delivery of functional materials.

Hybrid Surface Acoustic Wave- Electrohydrodynamic Atomization (SAW-EHDA) For the Development of Functional Thin Films

PubMed Central

Choi, Kyung Hyun; Kim, Hyun Bum; Ali, Kamran; Sajid, Memoon; Uddin Siddiqui, Ghayas; Chang, Dong Eui; Kim, Hyung Chan; Ko, Jeong Beom; Dang, Hyun Woo; Doh, Yang Hoi

2015-01-01

Conventional surface acoustic wave - electrostatic deposition (SAW-ED) technology is struggling to compete with other thin film fabrication technologies because of its limitation in atomizing high density solutions or solutions with strong inter-particle bonding that requires very high frequency (100 MHz) and power. In this study, a hybrid surface acoustic wave - electrohydrodynamic atomization (SAW-EHDA) system has been introduced to overcome this problem by integrating EHDA with SAW to achieve the deposition of different types of conductive inks at lower frequency (19.8 MHZ) and power. Three materials, Poly [2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1, 4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV), Zinc Oxide (ZnO), and Poly(3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene):Polystyrene Sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) have been successfully deposited as thin films through the hybrid SAW-EHDA. The films showed good morphological, chemical, electrical, and optical characteristics. To further evaluate the characteristics of deposited films, a humidity sensor was fabricated with active layer of PEDOT:PSS deposited using the SAW-EHDA system. The response of sensor was outstanding and much better when compared to similar sensors fabricated using other manufacturing techniques. The results of the device and the films’ characteristics suggest that the hybrid SAW-EHDA technology has high potential to efficiently produce wide variety of thin films and thus predict its promising future in certain areas of printed electronics. PMID:26478189

Hybrid Surface Acoustic Wave- Electrohydrodynamic Atomization (SAW-EHDA) For the Development of Functional Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Kyung Hyun; Kim, Hyun Bum; Ali, Kamran; Sajid, Memoon; Uddin Siddiqui, Ghayas; Chang, Dong Eui; Kim, Hyung Chan; Ko, Jeong Beom; Dang, Hyun Woo; Doh, Yang Hoi

2015-10-01

Conventional surface acoustic wave - electrostatic deposition (SAW-ED) technology is struggling to compete with other thin film fabrication technologies because of its limitation in atomizing high density solutions or solutions with strong inter-particle bonding that requires very high frequency (100 MHz) and power. In this study, a hybrid surface acoustic wave - electrohydrodynamic atomization (SAW-EHDA) system has been introduced to overcome this problem by integrating EHDA with SAW to achieve the deposition of different types of conductive inks at lower frequency (19.8 MHZ) and power. Three materials, Poly [2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1, 4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV), Zinc Oxide (ZnO), and Poly(3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene):Polystyrene Sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) have been successfully deposited as thin films through the hybrid SAW-EHDA. The films showed good morphological, chemical, electrical, and optical characteristics. To further evaluate the characteristics of deposited films, a humidity sensor was fabricated with active layer of PEDOT:PSS deposited using the SAW-EHDA system. The response of sensor was outstanding and much better when compared to similar sensors fabricated using other manufacturing techniques. The results of the device and the films’ characteristics suggest that the hybrid SAW-EHDA technology has high potential to efficiently produce wide variety of thin films and thus predict its promising future in certain areas of printed electronics.

Hybrid Surface Acoustic Wave-Electrohydrodynamic Atomization (SAW-EHDA) For the Development of Functional Thin Films.

PubMed

Choi, Kyung Hyun; Kim, Hyun Bum; Ali, Kamran; Sajid, Memoon; Uddin Siddiqui, Ghayas; Chang, Dong Eui; Kim, Hyung Chan; Ko, Jeong Beom; Dang, Hyun Woo; Doh, Yang Hoi

2015-10-19

Conventional surface acoustic wave - electrostatic deposition (SAW-ED) technology is struggling to compete with other thin film fabrication technologies because of its limitation in atomizing high density solutions or solutions with strong inter-particle bonding that requires very high frequency (100 MHz) and power. In this study, a hybrid surface acoustic wave - electrohydrodynamic atomization (SAW-EHDA) system has been introduced to overcome this problem by integrating EHDA with SAW to achieve the deposition of different types of conductive inks at lower frequency (19.8 MHZ) and power. Three materials, Poly [2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1, 4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV), Zinc Oxide (ZnO), and Poly(3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene):Polystyrene Sulfonate ( PSS) have been successfully deposited as thin films through the hybrid SAW-EHDA. The films showed good morphological, chemical, electrical, and optical characteristics. To further evaluate the characteristics of deposited films, a humidity sensor was fabricated with active layer of PSS deposited using the SAW-EHDA system. The response of sensor was outstanding and much better when compared to similar sensors fabricated using other manufacturing techniques. The results of the device and the films' characteristics suggest that the hybrid SAW-EHDA technology has high potential to efficiently produce wide variety of thin films and thus predict its promising future in certain areas of printed electronics.

The speciation of aqueous zinc(II) bromide solutions to 500 °C and 900 MPa determined using Raman spectroscopy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mibe, Kenji; Chou, I-Ming; Anderson, Alan J.; Mayanovic, Robert A.; Bassett, William A.

2009-01-01

A Raman spectral study was carried out on 3 solutions of varying concentration and bromide/zinc ratios. Spectra were collected at 11 different temperature-pressure conditions ranging from ambient to 500????C-0.9??GPa. Raman band assignments for zinc(II) bromide species reported in previous studies were used to determine the relative concentrations of ZnBr42-, ZnBr3-, ZnBr2, and ZnBr+ species at various temperatures and pressures. Our results are in close agreement with X-ray absorption spectroscopic (XAS) data, and confirm that the tetrabromo zinc(II) complex, ZnBr42-, is the predominant species up to 500????C in solutions having high Zn concentrations (1??m) and high bromide/zinc molar ratios ([Br]/[Zn] = 8). In agreement with previous solubility and Raman spectroscopic experiments, our measurements indicate that species with a lower number of halide ligands and charge are favored with increasing temperature in dilute solutions, and solutions with low bromide/zinc ratios ([Br]/[Zn] < 2.5). The Raman technique provides an independent experimental means of evaluating the quality of XAS analyses of data obtained from high temperature disordered systems. The combination of these two techniques provides complementary data on speciation and the structure of zinc(II) bromide complexes. The preponderance of the ZnBr42- species in highly saline brines at high temperature is consistent with the predominance of ZnCl42- in chloride-rich brines reported in previous XAS studies. Knowledge of Zn complexing in metal-rich highly saline brines is important for numerical models of ore deposition in high temperature systems such as skarns and porphyry-type deposits. ?? 2008 Elsevier B.V.

Decreased Staphylococcus aureus and increased osteoblast density on nanostructured electrophoretic-deposited hydroxyapatite on titanium without the use of pharmaceuticals.

PubMed

Mathew, Dennis; Bhardwaj, Garima; Wang, Qi; Sun, Linlin; Ercan, Batur; Geetha, Manisavagam; Webster, Thomas J

2014-01-01

Plasma-spray deposition of hydroxyapatite on titanium (Ti) has proven to be a suboptimal solution to improve orthopedic-implant success rates, as demonstrated by the increasing number of orthopedic revision surgeries due to infection, implant loosening, and a myriad of other reasons. This could be in part due to the high heat involved during plasma-spray deposition, which significantly increases hydroxyapatite crystal growth into the nonbiologically inspired micron regime. There has been a push to create nanotopographies on implant surfaces to mimic the physiological nanostructure of native bone and, thus, improve osteoblast (bone-forming cell) functions and inhibit bacteria functions. Among the several techniques that have been adopted to develop nanocoatings, electrophoretic deposition (EPD) is an attractive, versatile, and effective material-processing technique. The in vitro study reported here aimed to determine for the first time bacteria responses to hydroxyapatite coated on Ti via EPD. There were six and three times more osteoblasts on the electrophoretic-deposited hydroxyapatite on Ti compared with Ti (control) and plasma-spray-deposited hydroxyapatite on Ti after 5 days of culture, respectively. Impressively, there were 2.9 and 31.7 times less Staphylococcus aureus on electrophoretic-deposited hydroxyapatite on Ti compared with Ti (control) and plasma-spray-deposited hydroxyapatite on Ti after 18 hours of culture, respectively. Compared with uncoated Ti and plasma-sprayed hydroxyapatite coated on Ti, the results provided significant promise for the use of EPD to improve bone-cell density and be used as an antibacterial coating without resorting to the use of antibiotics.

Fabrication of Conductive Paths on a Fused Deposition Modeling Substrate using Inkjet Deposition

DOE PAGES

Zhou, Wenchao; List, III, Frederick Alyious; Duty, Chad E.; ...

2015-01-15

Inkjet deposition is one of the most attractive fabrication techniques for producing cost efficient and lightweight electronic devices on various substrates with low environmental impact. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is one of the most used and reliable additive manufacturing processes by extrusion of wire-shaped thermoplastic materials, which provides an opportunity for embedding printed electronics into mechanical structures during the building process and enables the design of compact smart structures that can sense and adapt to their own state and the environment. This paper represents one of the first explorations of integrating inkjet deposition of silver nanoparticle inks with the FDMmore » process for making compact electro-mechanical structures. Three challenges have been identified and investigated, including the discontinuity of the printed lines resulting from the irregular surface of the FDM substrate, the non-conductivity of the printed lines due to the particle segregation during the droplet drying process, and the slow drying process caused by the skinning effect . Two different techniques are developed in this paper to address the issue of continuity of the printed lines, including surface ironing and a novel thermal plow technique that plows a channel in the FDM substrate to seal off the pores in the substrate and contain the deposited inks. Two solutions are also found for obtaining conductivity from the continuous printed lines, including porous surface coating and using a more viscous ink with larger nanoparticle size. Then the effects of the printing and post-processing parameters on the conductivity are examined. It is found that post-processing is a dominant factor in determining the conductivity of the printed lines.« less

Fe3O4/γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticle multilayers deposited by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique for gas sensors application.

PubMed

Capone, S; Manera, M G; Taurino, A; Siciliano, P; Rella, R; Luby, S; Benkovicova, M; Siffalovic, P; Majkova, E

2014-02-04

Fe3O4/γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) based thin films were used as active layers in solid state resistive chemical sensors. NPs were synthesized by high temperature solution phase reaction. Sensing NP monolayers (ML) were deposited by Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) techniques onto chemoresistive transduction platforms. The sensing ML were UV treated to remove NP insulating capping. Sensors surface was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Systematic gas sensing tests in controlled atmosphere were carried out toward NO2, CO, and acetone at different concentrations and working temperatures of the sensing layers. The best sensing performance results were obtained for sensors with higher NPs coverage (10 ML), mainly for NO2 gas showing interesting selectivity toward nitrogen oxides. Electrical properties and conduction mechanisms are discussed.

Solution Deposition Methods for Carbon Nanotube Field-Effect Transistors

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

authorized documents. Citation of manufacturer’s or trade names does not constitute an official endorsement or approval of the use thereof. Destroy...processed into FETs using standard microelectronics processing techniques. The resulting devices were characterized using a semiconductor parameter...method will help to determine which conditions are useful for producing CNT devices for chemical sensing and electronic applications. 15. SUBJECT TERMS

Composition of incubation solution impacts in vitro protein uptake to silicone hydrogel contact lenses

PubMed Central

Heynen, Miriam; Luensmann, Doerte; Jones, Lyndon

2012-01-01

Purpose To determine the impact of incubation solution composition on protein deposition to silicone hydrogel (SH) contact lenses using a simplistic and a complex model of the tear film. Methods Three SH materials – senofilcon A (SA), lotrafilcon B (LB), and balafilcon A (BA) – were incubated in two different solutions; Solution A was a simplistic augmented buffered saline solution containing a single protein, whereas Solution B was a complex artificial tear solution (ATS), containing the augmented buffered saline solution in addition to proteins, lipids, and mucins (pH=7.4). The proteins of interest (lysozyme, lactoferrin, albumin) were radiolabeled with Iodine-125 (2% protein of interest) and the accumulation of the conjugated protein to the lens materials was determined after 1, 7, 14, and 28 days of incubation. Protein deposition was measured using a gamma counter and the raw data were translated into absolute amounts (µg/lens) via extrapolation from standards. Results After 28 days, lysozyme uptake was significantly lower on BA lenses when incubated in Solution A (33.7 μg) compared to Solution B (56.2 μg), p<0.001. SA lenses deposited similar amounts of lysozyme when incubated in either Solution A (2.6 μg) or Solution B (4.1 μg), p>0.05. LB lenses also deposited similar amounts of lysozyme for both solutions (Solution A: 5.0 μg, Solution B: 4.7 μg, p>0.05). After 28 days, BA lenses accumulated approximately twice the amount of lactoferrin than the other lens materials, with 30.3 μg depositing when exposed to Solution A and 22.0 μg with Solution B. The difference between the two solutions was statistically significant (p<0.001). LB materials deposited significantly greater amounts of lactoferrin when incubated in Solution A (16.6 μg) compared to Solution B (10.3 μg), p<0.001. Similar amounts of lactoferrin were accumulated onto SA lenses regardless of incubation solution composition (Solution A: 8.2 μg, Solution B: 11.2 μg, p>0.05). After 28 days, albumin deposition onto BA lenses was significantly greater when lenses were incubated in Solution B (1.7 μg) compared to Solution A (0.9 μg), p<0.001. Similar amounts of albumin were deposited on SA lenses when incubated in either solution (0.6 μg versus 0.7 μg, p>0.05). LB lenses incubated in Solution A deposited more albumin compared to Solution B (0.9 μg versus 0.6 μg), p=0.003. Discussion Protein deposition onto SH materials varied when contact lenses were incubated in either a complex ATS compared to a single protein solution. More lysozyme accumulated onto BA lenses incubated in a complex analog of the human tear film, whereas lactoferrin deposited onto SA lenses independent of incubation solution composition. To better mimic the ex vivo environment, future studies should use more appropriate analogs of the tear film. PMID:22355245

The effect of solution concentration on the physical and electrochemical properties of vanadium oxide films deposited by spray pyrolysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mousavi, M.; Kompany, A.; Shahtahmasebi, N.; Bagheri-Mohagheghi, M. M.

2013-10-01

Vanadium oxide thin films were prepared on glass substrates by using the spray pyrolysis technique. The effect of solution concentration (0.1 M, 0.2 M and 0.3 M) on the nanostructural, electrical, optical, and electrochromic properties of deposited films were investigated using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, UV—vis spectroscopy, and cyclic volta-metrics. The X-ray diffraction shows that only the sample at 0.1 M has a single β-V2O5 phase and the others have mixed phases of vanadium oxide. The lowest sheet resistance was obtained for the samples prepared at 0.3 M solution. It was also found that the optical transparency of the samples changes from 70% to 35% and the optical band gap of the samples was in the range of 2.20 to 2.41 eV, depending on the morality of solution. The cycle voltammogram shows that the sample prepared at 0.3 M has one-step electerochoromic but the other samples have two-step electerochoromic. The results show a correlation between the cycle voltammogram and the physical properties of the films.

Do trehalose and dimethyl sulfoxide affect intermembrane forces?

PubMed

Pincet, F; Perez, E; Wolfe, J

1994-12-01

The sugar trehalose is produced in some organisms that survive dehydration and desiccation, and it preserves the integrity of membranes in model systems exposed to dehydration and freezing. Dimethyl sulfoxide, a solute which permeates membranes, is added to cell suspensions in many protocols for cryopreservation. Using a surface forces apparatus, we measured the very large, short-range repulsion between phosphatidylcholine bilayers in water and in solutions of trehalose, sorbitol, and dimethyl-sulfoxide. To the resolution of the technique, the force-distance curves between bilayers are unchanged by the addition of trehalose or sorbitol in concentrations exceeding 1 kmol.m-3. A relatively small increase in adhesion in the presence of trehalose and sorbitol solutions may be explained by their osmotic effects. The partitioning of trehalose between aqueous solutions and lamellar phases of dioleylphosphatidylcholine was measured gravimetrically. The amount of trehalose that preferentially adsorbs near membrane surfaces is at most small. The presence of dimethyl sulfoxide in water (1:2 by volume) makes very little difference to the short-range interaction between deposited bilayers, but it sometimes perturbs them in ways that vary among experiments: free bilayers and/or fusion of the deposited bilayers were each observed in about one-third of the experiments.

High quality thin films of thermoelectric misfit cobalt oxides prepared by a chemical solution method

PubMed Central

Rivas-Murias, Beatriz; Manuel Vila-Fungueiriño, José; Rivadulla, Francisco

2015-01-01

Misfit cobaltates ([Bi/Ba/Sr/Ca/CoO]nRS[CoO2]q) constitute the most promising family of thermoelectric oxides for high temperature energy harvesting. However, their complex structure and chemical composition makes extremely challenging their deposition by high-vacuum physical techniques. Therefore, many of them have not been prepared as thin films until now. Here we report the synthesis of high-quality epitaxial thin films of the most representative members of this family of compounds by a water-based chemical solution deposition method. The films show an exceptional crystalline quality, with an electrical conductivity and thermopower comparable to single crystals. These properties are linked to the epitaxial matching of the rock-salt layers of the structure to the substrate, producing clean interfaces free of amorphous phases. This is an important step forward for the integration of these materials with complementary n-type thermoelectric oxides in multilayer nanostructures. PMID:26153533

Spontaneous formation of multiple land-and-groove structures of silica thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takeda, Yasuhiko; Matsuoka, Yoriko; Motohiro, Tomoyoshi

1999-05-01

We found spontaneous formation of microscopic multiple land-and-groove structures of silica thin films. Silica and nickel were simultaneously deposited onto glass substrates from two opposite oblique directions to form columnar structures of silica among which nickel nanoparticles were embedded. Then nickel was dissolved in hydrochloric acid solution. After the dissolution of the nickel particles the columns of silica became very unstable and coalesced to form the multiple land-and-groove structures. The grooves are oriented to the direction perpendicular to the two deposition directions. The distances between the neighboring grooves are fairly uniform, and can be controlled between several hundred nanometers and several microns by changing the film thickness and the ratio of the nickel deposition rate to the silica deposition rate. The process found here may propose a new class of micro fabrication techniques in contrast to the artificial photolithography.

Modeling and numerical simulations of growth and morphologies of three dimensional aggregated silver films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, L. J.; Boggess, M.; Kodpuak, E.; Deutsch, M.

2012-11-01

We report on a model for the deposition of three dimensional, aggregated nanocrystalline silver films, and an efficient numerical simulation method developed for visualizing such structures. We compare our results to a model system comprising chemically deposited silver films with morphologies ranging from dilute, uniform distributions of nanoparticles to highly porous aggregated networks. Disordered silver films grown in solution on silica substrates are characterized using digital image analysis of high resolution scanning electron micrographs. While the latter technique provides little volume information, plane-projected (two dimensional) island structure and surface coverage may be reliably determined. Three parameters governing film growth are evaluated using these data and used as inputs for the deposition model, greatly reducing computing requirements while still providing direct access to the complete (bulk) structure of the films throughout the growth process. We also show how valuable three dimensional characteristics of the deposited materials can be extracted using the simulated structures.

Electrochemical characterization of pulsed layer deposited hydroxyapatite-zirconia layers on Ti-21Nb-15Ta-6Zr alloy for biomedical application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izquierdo, Javier; Bolat, Georgiana; Cimpoesu, Nicanor; Trinca, Lucia Carmen; Mareci, Daniel; Souto, Ricardo Manuel

2016-11-01

A new titanium base Ti-21Nb-15Ta-6Zr alloy covered with hydroxyapatite-zirconia (HA-ZrO2) by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique was characterized regarding its corrosion resistance in simulated physiological Ringer's solution at 37 °C. For the sake of comparison, Ti-6Al-4V standard implant alloy, with and without hydroxyapatite-zirconia coating, was also characterized. Multiscale electrochemical analysis using both conventional averaging electrochemical techniques, namely electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization, and spatially-resolved microelectrochemical techniques (scanning electrochemical microscopy, SECM) were used to investigate the electrochemical behaviour of the materials. In addition, scanning electron microscopy evidenced that no relevant surface morphology changes occurred on the materials upon immersion in the simulated physiological solution, despite variations in their electrochemical behaviour. Although uncoated metals appear to show better performances during conventional corrosion tests, the response is still quite similar for the HA-ZrO2 coated materials while providing superior resistance towards electron transfer due to the formation of a more dense film on the surface, thus effectively behaving as a passive material. It is believed corrosion of the HA-ZrO2 coated Ti-21Nb-15Ta-6Zr alloy will have negligible effect upon biochemical and cellular events at the bone-implant interface and could facilitate osseointegration.

Synthesis and characterization of Cu3Se2 nanofilms by an underpotential deposition based electrochemical codeposition technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aydın, Zehra Yazar; Abacı, Serdar

2017-12-01

The Cu3Se2 nanofilms were synthesized with underpotential deposition based electrochemical codeposition technique for the first time in the literature. The electrochemical behaviors of copper and selenium were investigated in 0.1 M H2SO4 on Au electrode. The effects of concentration and scan rate on the electrochemical behavior of selenium were studied. The electrochemical behaviors in underpotential deposition and bulk regions of the Cu-Se system were investigated in acidic solution by cyclic voltammetry and electrolysis techniques. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and ultraviolet and visible absorption spectroscopy techniques were used for characterization of synthesized films. According to the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectrum, Cu/Se ratio was determined to be approximately 3/2. Copper selenide nanofilms are two phases and polycrystalline according to X-ray diffraction. The films mainly formed tetragonal Cu3Se2 (umangite mineral structure) structure and the particle size was approximately 45.95 nm. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that Cu3Se2 nanofilms consisted of uniform, nano-sizes and two-dimensional. It was found through AFM that the surface roughness of the film was 6.173 nm, with a mean particle size of around 50 nm. Depending on the deposition time, the band gaps of the Cu3Se2 films were in the range of 2.86-3.20 eV. Three characteristic vibrational modes belonging to Cu3Se2 nanofilms were recorded in the Raman spectrum.

Towards Understanding Soil Forming in Santa Clotilde Critical Zone Observatory: Modelling Soil Mixing Processes in a Hillslope using Luminescence Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanchez, A. R.; Laguna, A.; Reimann, T.; Giráldez, J. V.; Peña, A.; Wallinga, J.; Vanwalleghem, T.

2017-12-01

Different geomorphological processes such as bioturbation and erosion-deposition intervene in soil formation and landscape evolution. The latter processes produce the alteration and degradation of the materials that compose the rocks. The degree to which the bedrock is weathered is estimated through the fraction of the bedrock which is mixing in the soil either vertically or laterally. This study presents an analytical solution for the diffusion-advection equation to quantify bioturbation and erosion-depositions rates in profiles along a catena. The model is calibrated with age-depth data obtained from profiles using the luminescence dating based on single grain Infrared Stimulated Luminescence (IRSL). Luminescence techniques contribute to a direct measurement of the bioturbation and erosion-deposition processes. Single-grain IRSL techniques is applied to feldspar minerals of fifteen samples which were collected from four soil profiles at different depths along a catena in Santa Clotilde Critical Zone Observatory, Cordoba province, SE Spain. A sensitivity analysis is studied to know the importance of the parameters in the analytical model. An uncertainty analysis is carried out to stablish the better fit of the parameters to the measured age-depth data. The results indicate a diffusion constant at 20 cm in depth of 47 (mm2/year) in the hill-base profile and 4.8 (mm2/year) in the hilltop profile. The model has high uncertainty in the estimation of erosion and deposition rates. This study reveals the potential of luminescence single-grain techniques to quantify pedoturbation processes.

Some limitations on the possible composition of the ore-forming fluid

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barton, Paul B.

1956-01-01

The activity rations of various important anions (S, CO3, SO4, OH, F, and Cl) in hydrothermal solutions at the time of deposition are evaluated using a simple thermodynamic technique. The rations are interpreted in the light of the mineralogy of ore deposits and limites are placed on the variability of each ratio in hydrothermal solutions. All of the calculations are made for 25°C and cautious extrapolation to higher temperatures seems justified; however, additional data for elevated temperatures and pressures are needed before more than approximate values may be assigned to these ratios in the ore-forming fluid. The calculated partial pressure of CO2 in the ore fluid is generally less than one atmosphere, which suggests that a dense CO2 phase cannot be considered an importatn ore fluid for most deposits. The partial pressure of H2S is usually less than 10-4 atmospheres which makes it extremely difficult to defend the heory that metals (other than the easily complexible mercury, arsenic, antimony, and perhaps fols and silver) are transported in quantity as complex sulfide and hydrosulfides. The sulfate to sulfide ration is such that the oxidation potential at the time of deposition is defined by the following equation: Eh (in volts) = 0.22 ± 0.04 - 0.059 pH.

2D mesoscale colloidal crystal patterns on polymer substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bredikhin, Vladimir; Bityurin, Nikita

2018-05-01

The development of nanosphere lithography relies on the ability of depositing 2D colloidal crystals comprising micro- and nano-size elements on substrates of different materials. One of the most difficult problems here is deposition of coatings on hydrophobic substrates, e.g. polymers, from aqueous colloidal solutions. We use UV photooxidation for substrate hydrophilization. We demonstrate a new method of producing a two-dimensional ordered array of polymer microparticles (polystyrene microspheres ∼1 μm in diameter) on a polymer substrate (PMMA). We show that implementation of the new deposition technique for directed self-assembly of microspheres on an UV irradiated surface provides an opportunity to obtain coatings on a hydrophilized PMMA surface of large area (∼5 cm2). UV irradiation of the surface through masks allows creating 2D patterns consisting of mesoscale elements formed by the deposited self-assembled microparticles owing to the fact that the colloidal particles are deposited only on the irradiated area leaving the non-irradiated sections intact.

Quantification of metallic nanoparticle morphology with tilt series imaging by transmission electron microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, Aniruddha; Yuan, Biao; Clukay, Christopher J.; Grabill, Christopher N.; Heinrich, Helge; Bhattacharya, Aniket; Kuebler, Stephen M.

2012-02-01

We report on the quantitative analysis of electrolessly deposited Au and Ag nanoparticles (NPs) on SU8 polymer with the help of High-Angle Annular Dark-Field Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (HAADF-STEM) in tilt series. Au NPs act as nucleating agents for the electroless deposition of silver. Au NPs were prepared by attachingAu^3+cations to amine functionalized SU8 polymeric surfaces and then reducing it with aqueous NaBH4. The nanoscale morphology of the deposited NPs on the surface of polymer has been studied from the dark field TEM cross sectional images. Ag NPs were deposited on the cross-linked polymeric surface from a silver citrate solution reduced by hydroquinone. HAADF-STEM enables us to determine the distances between the NPs and their exact locations at and near the surface. The particle distribution, sizes and densities provide us with the data necessary to control the parameters for the development of the electroless deposition technique for emerging nanoscale technologies.

Broadband infrared absorption enhancement by electroless-deposited silver nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gritti, Claudia; Raza, Søren; Kadkhodazadeh, Shima; Kardynal, Beata; Malureanu, Radu; Mortensen, N. Asger; Lavrinenko, Andrei V.

2017-01-01

Decorating semiconductor surfaces with plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) is considered a viable solution for enhancing the absorptive properties of photovoltaic and photodetecting devices. We propose to deposit silver NPs on top of a semiconductor wafer by a cheap and fast electroless plating technique. Optical characterization confirms that the random array of electroless-deposited NPs improves absorption by up to 20% in a broadband of near-infrared frequencies from the bandgap edge to 2000 nm. Due to the small filling fraction of particles, the reflection in the visible range is practically unchanged, which points to the possible applications of such deposition method for harvesting photons in nanophotonics and photovoltaics. The broadband absorption is a consequence of the resonant behavior of particles with different shapes and sizes, which strongly localize the incident light at the interface of a high-index semiconductor substrate. Our hypothesis is substantiated by examining the plasmonic response of the electroless-deposited NPs using both electron energy loss spectroscopy and numerical calculations.

Investigations into the formation of nanocrystalline quantum dot thin films by mist deposition process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kshirsagar, Aditya

Semiconductor nanocrystalline quantum dots (NQDs) have material properties remarkably different compared to bulk semiconductors with the same material composition. These NQDs have various novel applications in the electronic and photonic industry, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) and flat-panel displays. In these applications, ultra-thin films of NQDs in the monolayer regime are needed to ensure optimal current transport properties and device efficiency. There is ongoing search to find a suitable method to deposit and pattern such ultra-thin films of quantum dots with few monolayer thicknesses. Several competing approaches are available, each with its pros and cons. This study explores mist deposition as the technique to fill this void. In this study, ultra-thin films of quantum dots are deposited on diverse substrates and are characterized to understand the mechanics of mist deposition. Various applications of blanket deposited and patterned quantum dot films are studied. The results discussed here include atomic force microscopy analysis of the films to study surface morphology, fluorescence microscopy to study light emission and optical microscope images to study patterning techniques. These results demonstrate the ability of mist deposition to form 1-4 monolayers thick, uniform, defect-free patterned films with root mean square (RMS) surface roughness less than 2 nm. LEDs fabricated using mist deposition show a peak luminescence greater than 500 cd/m2 for matched red, yellow and green devices using Alq3 as the electron transport layer, and over 9000 cd/m2 for red devices using ZnO as the electron transport layer, respectively. In addition to the experimental approach to study the process and explore potential applications, simulation and modeling are carried out to understand the various aspects of mist deposition. A mathematical model is presented which discusses the atomization process of the precursor solution, the physics involved during the deposition process, and the mechanics of film formation. Results of film morphology simulation using Monte Carlo techniques and process simulation using multi-physics approach are discussed. Problems in pattern transfer due to electrostatic effects when using shadow masks are presented in a separate chapter.

Chemical Synthesis of ZnS:Cu Nanosheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bodo, Bhaskarjyoti; Kalita, P. K.

2010-10-01

ZnS thin films are synthesized through chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique from aqueous solution of ZnSO4 and thiourea mixing in equal volume and equimolar ratio. A 1% CuSO4 solution is mixed with the ZnSO4 solution for doping before the final chemical reaction. SEM image shows the formation of mainly nanosheets, teeth and comb like structures. Absorption studies show red shift of enhanced band gap on Cu doping. Photoluminescence of ZnS:Cu reveals the enhancement of blue luminescence at 468 nm and low intensity green emission at 493 nm which is attributed to more Cu2+ lying in the interstices. XRD shows that the prepared ZnS nanophosphors possess cubic zinc blende structures.

SERS Taper-Fiber Nanoprobe Modified by Gold Nanoparticles Wrapped with Ultrathin Alumina Film by Atomic Layer Deposition

PubMed Central

Xu, Wenjie; Chen, Zhenyi; Chen, Na; Zhang, Heng; Liu, Shupeng; Hu, Xinmao; Wen, Jianxiang; Wang, Tingyun

2017-01-01

A taper-fiber SERS nanoprobe modified by gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) with ultrathin alumina layers was fabricated and its ability to perform remote Raman detection was demonstrated. The taper-fiber nanoprobe (TFNP) with a nanoscale tip size under 80 nm was made by heated pulling combined with the chemical etching method. The Au-NPs were deposited on the TFNP surface with the electrostatic self-assembly technology, and then the TFNP was wrapped with ultrathin alumina layers by the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. The results told us that with the increasing thickness of the alumina film, the Raman signals decreased. With approximately 1 nm alumina film, the remote detection limit for R6G aqueous solution reached 10−6 mol/L. PMID:28245618

Surface properties of magnetite in high temperature aqueous electrolyte solutions: A review.

PubMed

Vidojkovic, Sonja M; Rakin, Marko P

2017-07-01

Deposits and scales formed on heat transfer surfaces in power plant water/steam circuits have a significant negative impact on plant reliability, availability and performance, causing tremendous economic consequences and subsequent increases in electricity cost. Consequently, the improvement of the understanding of deposition mechanisms on power generating surfaces is defined as a high priority in the power industry. The deposits consist principally of iron oxides, which are steel corrosion products and usually present in colloidal form. Magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) is the predominant and most abundant compound found in water/steam cycles of all types of power plants. The crucial factor that governs the deposition process and influences the deposition rate of magnetite is the electrostatic interaction between the metal wall surfaces and the suspended colloidal particles. However, there is scarcity of data on magnetite surface properties at elevated temperatures due to difficulties in their experimental measurement. In this paper a generalized overview of existing experimental data on surface characteristics of magnetite at high temperatures is presented with particular emphasis on possible application in the power industry. A thorough analysis of experimental techniques, mathematical models and results has been performed and directions for future investigations have been considered. The state-of-the-art assessment showed that for the characterization of magnetite/aqueous electrolyte solution interface at high temperatures acid-base potentiometric titrations and electrophoresis were the most beneficial and dependable techniques which yielded results up to 290 and 200°C, respectively. Mass titrations provided data on magnetite surface charge up to 320°C, however, this technique is highly sensitive to the minor concentrations of impurities present on the surface of particle. Generally, fairly good correlation between the isoelectric point (pH iep ) and point of zero charge (pH pzc ) values has been obtained. All obtained results showed that the surface of magnetite particles is negatively charged in typical high temperature thermal power plant water, which indicates the low probability of aggregation and deposition on plant metal surfaces. The results also gave strong evidence on decline of pH iep and pH pzc with temperature in the same manner as neutral pH of water. The thermodynamic parameters of magnetite surface protonation reactions were in good agreement with each other and obtained using one site/two pK and mainly one site/one pK model. All collected data provided evidences for interaction between particles, probability of deposition and eventual attachment to the steel surface at various pH and temperatures and can serve as a foundation for future surface studies aimed at optimizing plant performances and reducing of magnetite deposition. In future works it would be indispensable to provide the surface experimental data for extended temperature ranges, typical solution chemistries and metal surfaces of power plant structural components and thus obtain entire set of results useful in modeling the surface behavior and control of deposition process in power reactors and thermal plant circuits. Moreover, the acquired results will be applicable and greatly valuable to all other types of power plants, industrial facilities and technological processes using the high temperature water medium. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of the potential gold electrowinning from an ammoniacal thiosulphate solution applied to recycling of printed circuit board scraps.

PubMed

Kasper, Angela C; Carrillo Abad, Jordi; García Gabaldón, Montserrat; Veit, Hugo M; Pérez Herranz, Valentín

2016-01-01

The use of electrochemical techniques in the selective recovery of gold from a solution containing thiosulphate, ammonia, and copper, obtained from the leaching of printed circuit boards from mobile phones using ammoniacal thiosulphate, are shown in this work. First, cyclic voltammetry tests were performed to determine the potential of electrodeposition of gold and copper, and then, electrowinning tests at different potentials for checking the rates of recovery of these metals were performed. The results of the cyclic voltammetry show that copper deposition occurs at potentials more negative than -600 mV (Ag/AgCl), whereas the gold deposition can be performed at potentials more positives than -600 mV (Ag/AgCl). The results of electrowinning show that 99% of the gold present in solutions containing thiosulphate and copper can be selectively recovered in a potential range between -400 mV (vs Ag/AgCl) and -500 mV (vs Ag/AgCl). Furthermore, 99% of copper can be recovered in potentials more negative than -700 mV (vs Ag/AgCl). © The Author(s) 2015.

Modeling drain current of indium zinc oxide thin film transistors prepared by solution deposition technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiang, Lei; Liang, Xiaoci; Cai, Guangshuo; Pei, Yanli; Yao, Ruohe; Wang, Gang

2018-06-01

Indium zinc oxide (IZO) thin film transistor (TFT) deposited by solution method is of considerable technological interest as it is a key component for the fabrication of flexible and cheap transparent electronic devices. To obtain a principal understanding of physical properties of solution-processed IZO TFT, a new drain current model that account for the charge transport is proposed. The formulation is developed by incorporating the effect of gate voltage on mobility and threshold voltage with the carrier charges. It is demonstrated that in IZO TFTs the below threshold regime should be divided into two sections: EC - EF > 3kT and EC - EF ≤ 3kT, where kT is the thermal energy, EF and EC represent the Fermi level and the conduction band edge, respectively. Additionally, in order to describe conduction mechanisms more accurately, the extended mobility edge model is conjoined, which can also get rid of the complicated and lengthy computations. The good agreement between measured and calculated results confirms the efficiency of this model for the design of integrated large-area thin film circuits.

Plasma Jet Printing and in Situ Reduction of Highly Acidic Graphene Oxide.

PubMed

Dey, Avishek; Krishnamurthy, Satheesh; Bowen, James; Nordlund, Dennis; Meyyappan, M; Gandhiraman, Ram P

2018-05-23

Miniaturization of electronic devices and the advancement of Internet of Things pose exciting challenges to develop technologies for patterned deposition of functional nanomaterials. Printed and flexible electronic devices and energy storage devices can be embedded onto clothing or other flexible surfaces. Graphene oxide (GO) has gained much attention in printed electronics due its solution processability, robustness, and high electrical conductivity in the reduced state. Here, we introduce an approach to print GO films from highly acidic suspensions with in situ reduction using an atmospheric pressure plasma jet. Low-temperature plasma of a He and H 2 mixture was used successfully to reduce a highly acidic GO suspension (pH < 2) in situ during deposition. This technique overcomes the multiple intermediate steps required to increase the conductivity of deposited GO. X-ray spectroscopic studies confirmed that the reaction intermediates and the concentration of oxygen functionalities bonded to GO have been reduced significantly by this approach without any additional steps. Moreover, the reduced GO films showed enhanced conductivity. Hence, this technique has a strong potential for printing conducting patterns of GO for a range of large-scale applications.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2015-01-01

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

Advanced Metalworking Solutions for Naval Systems That Go in Harm’s Way

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

and stress corrosion cracking failures; unique processes using compacted titanium powders that are subsequently flowformed into piping, thereby...damping characteristics, adhesion strengths in peel and shock, toxicity, flame retardancy and others. Alternate cladding techniques are being...which produces a high-quality clad overlay but at a low deposition rate relative to other cladding processes. NMC and the project team will

Two phase microstructure for Ag-Ni nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srivastava, Chandan; Rai, Rajesh Kumar

2013-03-01

In the present study, electrodeposition technique was used to produce Ag-Ni nanowires. Ag-Ni system shows extremely high bulk immiscibility. Nanowire morphology was achieved by employing an anodic alumina membrane having pores of ˜200 nm diameter. Microstructure of as-deposited wire was composed of nano-sized solid solution structured Ag-Ni nanoparticles embedded in a matrix of pure Ag phase. It is proposed that the two phase microstructure resulted from an initial formation of solid solution structured nanoparticles in the alumina template pore followed by nucleation of pure Ag phase over the particles which eventually grew to form the matrix phase.

Investigations of nanoscale variations in spin and charge transport in manganites and organic semiconductors using spin polarized scanning tunneling spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Cameron Richard

Analysis of DNA structure and behavior, up to and including full sequencing of a genome's bases, and of biological processes such as replication, transcription and translation, is essential for an understanding of genetic variation, heritable diseases and the effects of environmental factors. Recently, single-molecule techniques have been developed to study DNA properties in unprecedented detail. For a number of these techniques, controlled adsorption of linearly stretched DNA molecules on surfaces is necessary. In experiments where hybridization of adsorbed molecules to labeled probes is used to determine DNA structure, single-stranded DNA is needed. Conventionally, for long DNA's (up to Mbp), double-stranded DNA is deposited on a surface and denatured in-situ. While successful, this method has several disadvantages. This thesis reports efforts to directly adsorb long single-stranded DNA's out of solution as an alternative strategy. It consists of three parts: (1) Establishment of a simple method using Acridine Orange (AO) staining dye to determine whether DNA's are ss or ds on the surface. The method allows for the assessment of the degree of renaturation during deposition. Incubation of surface-adsorbed DNA in solutions of AO dye in the concentration range of 10--15uM were found to be effective for discriminating between ss DNA and ds DNA based on differences in the fluorescence emission spectra. (2) Deposition of ss DNA produced by heat denaturation on polymer-coated surfaces. Lambda DNA (48502bp) was adsorbed by drop evaporation or dipping/extraction of surface out of a buffered solution. The efficiency of deposition was optimized with respect to DNA concentration, buffer type and pH. (3) Separation of complementary single strands of Lambda, mono-cut digest and HindIII digest by gel electrophoresis. Using agarose gels in concentrations ranging from 0.4% to 1.4% (weight/volume), electric fields in the range 1--4V/cm in 1x Tris-Acetate-EDTA (TAE) buffer, good strand separation could be obtained. Both DC and pulsed electric fields were used and compared. Following separation, sense and anti-sense strands of lambda DNA were extracted from gels and deposited separately onto surfaces, and length distributions of the isolated molecules were measured by fluorescence microscopy.

Use of simulated evaporation to assess the potential for scale formation during reverse osmosis desalination

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huff, G.F.

2004-01-01

The tendency of solutes in input water to precipitate efficiency lowering scale deposits on the membranes of reverse osmosis (RO) desalination systems is an important factor in determining the suitability of input water for desalination. Simulated input water evaporation can be used as a technique to quantitatively assess the potential for scale formation in RO desalination systems. The technique was demonstrated by simulating the increase in solute concentrations required to form calcite, gypsum, and amorphous silica scales at 25??C and 40??C from 23 desalination input waters taken from the literature. Simulation results could be used to quantitatively assess the potential of a given input water to form scale or to compare the potential of a number of input waters to form scale during RO desalination. Simulated evaporation of input waters cannot accurately predict the conditions under which scale will form owing to the effects of potentially stable supersaturated solutions, solution velocity, and residence time inside RO systems. However, the simulated scale-forming potential of proposed input waters could be compared with the simulated scale-forming potentials and actual scale-forming properties of input waters having documented operational histories in RO systems. This may provide a technique to estimate the actual performance and suitability of proposed input waters during RO.

Zirconium doped TiO2 thin films deposited by chemical spray pyrolysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juma, A.; Oja Acik, I.; Oluwabi, A. T.; Mere, A.; Mikli, V.; Danilson, M.; Krunks, M.

2016-11-01

Chemical spray pyrolysis (CSP) is a flexible deposition technique that allows for mixing of the precursor solutions in different proportions suitable for doping thin films. The CSP method was used to dope TiO2 thin films with Zr by adding zirconium(IV) acetylacetonate into a solution of titanium(IV) isopropoxide in ethanol stabilized by acetylacetone at [Zr]/[Ti] of 0, 5, 10 and 20 at%. The Zr-doped TiO2 thin films were uniform and homogeneous showing much smaller grains than the undoped TiO2 films. Zr stabilized the anatase phase to temperatures above 800 °C depending on Zr concentration in the spray solution. The concentration of Zr determined by XPS was 6.4 at% for the thin film deposited from the 20 at% solution. According to AFM studies, Zr doping decreased the root mean square roughness of TiO2 film from 5.9 to 1.1 nm. An XRD study of samples with the highest Zr amount showed the ZrTiO4 phase started forming after annealing at 800 °C. The optical band gap for TiO2 decreased from 3.3 eV to 3.0 eV after annealing at 800 °C but for the TiO2:Zr(20) film it remained at 3.4 eV. The dielectric constant increased by more than four times with Zr-doping and this was associated with the change in the bond formations caused by substitution of Ti by Zr in the lattice.

Biocompatible Nanocoatings of Fluorinated Polyphosphazenes through Aqueous Assembly

DOE PAGES

Selin, Victor; Albright, Victoria; Ankner, John Francis; ...

2018-02-23

Nonionic fluorinated polyphosphazenes, such as poly[bis(trifluoroethoxy)phosphazene] (PTFEP), display superb biocompatibility, yet their deposition to surfaces has been limited to solution casting from organic solvents or thermal molding. Here in this paper, hydrophobic coatings of fluorinated polyphosphazenes are demonstrated through controlled deposition of ionic fluorinated polyphosphazenes (iFPs) from aqueous solutions using the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique. Specifically, the assemblies included poly[(carboxylatophenoxy)(trifluoroethoxy)phosphazenes] with varied content of fluorine atoms as iFPs (or poly[bis(carboxyphenoxy)phosphazene] (PCPP) as a control nonfluorinated polyphosphazene) and a variety of polycations. Hydrophobic interactions largely contributed to the formation of LbL films of iFPs with polycations, leading to linear growth and extremelymore » low water uptake. Hydrophobicity-enhanced ionic pairing within iFP/BPEI assemblies gave rise to large-amplitude oscillations in surface wettability as a function of capping layer, which were the largest for the most fluorinated iFP, while control PCPP/polycation systems remained hydrophilic regardless of the film top layer. Neutron reflectometry (NR) studies indicated superior layering and persistence of such layering in salt solution for iFP/BPEI films as compared to control PCPP/polycation systems. Hydrophobicity of iFP-capped LbL coatings could be further enhanced by using a highly porous polyester surgical felt rather than planar substrates for film deposition. Importantly, iFP/polycation coatings displayed biocompatibility which was similar to or superior to that of solution-cast coatings of a clinically validated material (PTFEP), as demonstrated by the hemolysis of the whole blood and protein adsorption studies.« less

Biocompatible Nanocoatings of Fluorinated Polyphosphazenes through Aqueous Assembly

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

Selin, Victor; Albright, Victoria; Ankner, John Francis

Nonionic fluorinated polyphosphazenes, such as poly[bis(trifluoroethoxy)phosphazene] (PTFEP), display superb biocompatibility, yet their deposition to surfaces has been limited to solution casting from organic solvents or thermal molding. Here in this paper, hydrophobic coatings of fluorinated polyphosphazenes are demonstrated through controlled deposition of ionic fluorinated polyphosphazenes (iFPs) from aqueous solutions using the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique. Specifically, the assemblies included poly[(carboxylatophenoxy)(trifluoroethoxy)phosphazenes] with varied content of fluorine atoms as iFPs (or poly[bis(carboxyphenoxy)phosphazene] (PCPP) as a control nonfluorinated polyphosphazene) and a variety of polycations. Hydrophobic interactions largely contributed to the formation of LbL films of iFPs with polycations, leading to linear growth and extremelymore » low water uptake. Hydrophobicity-enhanced ionic pairing within iFP/BPEI assemblies gave rise to large-amplitude oscillations in surface wettability as a function of capping layer, which were the largest for the most fluorinated iFP, while control PCPP/polycation systems remained hydrophilic regardless of the film top layer. Neutron reflectometry (NR) studies indicated superior layering and persistence of such layering in salt solution for iFP/BPEI films as compared to control PCPP/polycation systems. Hydrophobicity of iFP-capped LbL coatings could be further enhanced by using a highly porous polyester surgical felt rather than planar substrates for film deposition. Importantly, iFP/polycation coatings displayed biocompatibility which was similar to or superior to that of solution-cast coatings of a clinically validated material (PTFEP), as demonstrated by the hemolysis of the whole blood and protein adsorption studies.« less

Control of the ZnO nanowires nucleation site using microfluidic channels.

PubMed

Lee, Sang Hyun; Lee, Hyun Jung; Oh, Dongcheol; Lee, Seog Woo; Goto, Hiroki; Buckmaster, Ryan; Yasukawa, Tomoyuki; Matsue, Tomokazu; Hong, Soon-Ku; Ko, HyunChul; Cho, Meoung-Whan; Yao, Takafumi

2006-03-09

We report on the growth of uniquely shaped ZnO nanowires with high surface area and patterned over large areas by using a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microfluidic channel technique. The synthesis uses first a patterned seed template fabricated by zinc acetate solution flowing though a microfluidic channel and then growth of ZnO nanowire at the seed using thermal chemical vapor deposition on a silicon substrate. Variations the ZnO nanowire by seed pattern formed within the microfluidic channel were also observed for different substrates and concentrations of the zinc acetate solution. The photocurrent properties of the patterned ZnO nanowires with high surface area, due to their unique shape, were also investigated. These specialized shapes and patterning technique increase the possibility of realizing one-dimensional nanostructure devices such as sensors and optoelectric devices.

Preparation and Optical Properties of Spherical Inverse Opals by Liquid Phase Deposition Using Spherical Colloidal Crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aoi, Y.; Tominaga, T.

2013-03-01

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) inverse opals in spherical shape were prepared by liquid phase deposition (LPD) using spherical colloidal crystals as templates. Spherical colloidal crystals were produced by ink-jet drying technique. Aqueous emulsion droplets that contain polystyrene latex particles were ejected into air and dried. Closely packed colloidal crystals with spherical shape were obtained. The obtained spherical colloidal crystals were used as templates for the LPD. The templates were dispersed in the deposition solution of the LPD, i.e. a mixed solution of ammonium hexafluorotitanate and boric acid and reacted for 4 h at 30 °C. After the LPD process, the interstitial spaces of the spherical colloidal crystals were completely filled with titanium oxide. Subsequent heat treatment resulted in removal of templates and spherical titanium dioxide inverse opals. The spherical shape of the template was retained. SEM observations indicated that the periodic ordered voids were surrounded by titanium dioxide. The optical reflectance spectra indicated that the optical properties of the spherical titanium dioxide inverse opals were due to Bragg diffractions from the ordered structure. Filling in the voids of the inverse opals with different solvents caused remarkable changes in the reflectance peak.

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

PubMed

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

2005-01-01

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

Sputtered gold-coated ITO nanowires by alternating depositions from Indium and ITO targets for application in surface-enhanced Raman scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setti, Grazielle O.; Mamián-López, Mónica B.; Pessoa, Priscila R.; Poppi, Ronei J.; Joanni, Ednan; Jesus, Dosil P.

2015-08-01

Indium Tin oxide (ITO) nanowires were deposited by RF sputtering over oxidized silicon using ITO and Indium targets. The nanowires grew on the substrate with a catalyst layer of Indium by the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism. Modifications in the deposition conditions affected the morphology and dimensions of the nanowires. The samples, after being covered with gold, were evaluated as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates for detection of dye solutions and very good intensifications of the Raman signal were obtained. The SERS performance of the samples was also compared to that of a commercial SERS substrate and the results achieved were similar. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time ITO nanowires were grown by the sputtering technique using oxide and metal targets.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2018-04-01

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

Fabrication of nanostructured metal oxide films with supercritical carbon dioxide: Processing and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

You, Eunyoung

Nanostructured metal oxide films have many applications in catalysis, microelectronics, microfluidics, photovoltaics and other fields. Since the performance of a device depends greatly on the structure of the material, the development of methodologies that enable prescriptive control of morphology are of great interest. The focus of this work is to control the structure and properties of the nanostructured metal oxide films using novel synthetic schemes in supercritical fluids and to use those films as key building components in alternative energy applications. A supercritical fluid is a substance at a temperature and pressure above its critical point. It typically exhibits gas-like transport properties and liquid-like densities. Supercritical fluid deposition (SFD) utilizes these properties of supercritical CO2 (scCO2) to deposit chemically pure metal, oxides and alloys of metal films. SFD is a chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-like process in the sense that it uses similar metal organic precursors and deposits films at elevated temperatures. Instead of vaporizing or subliming the precursors, they are dissolved in supercritical fluids. SFD has typically shown to exhibit higher precursor concentrations, lower deposition temperatures, conformal deposition of films on high aspect ratio features as compared to CVD. In2 O3, ZnO and SnO2 are attractive materials because they are used in transparent conductors. SFD of these materials were studied and In2 O3 deposition kinetics using tris(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionato) In (III) as precursor were determined. Growth rate dependence on the deposition temperature and the precursor concentrations were studied and the physicochemical and optical properties of In2 O3 films were characterized. Metal oxide nanochannels that can potentially be used for microfluidics have been fabricated by sequentially performing nanoimprint lithography (NIL) and SFD. NIL was used to pattern photoresist grating on substrates and SFD of TiO2 was performed thereafter. Subsequent calcination of the samples at high temperature of 400 °C revealed TiO2 nanochannels. H2-assisted-codeposition of Pt and cerium oxide using SFD was performed on porous carbon substrates for their use as anodes for direct methanol fuel cells. X-ray photoelectron analysis revealed that Pt was deposited as a pure metal and Ce was deposited as an oxide. Electrochemical analysis of a full cell revealed that an anode prepared with SFD exhibited better performance than that prepared with conventional brush-painting method. The second process that was developed is a direct spray-on technique to rapidly deposit crystalline nanoscale dendritic TiO2 onto a solid surface. This technique employs atomization of precursor solutions in supercritical fluids combined with the plasma thermal spraying. A solution of metal oxide precursor in scCO2 was expanded across a nozzle into the plasma jet where it is converted to metal oxide. We have investigated TiO2 as our model system using titanium tetra isopropoxide (Ttip) as a precursor. The film structure depends on key process variables including precursor concentration, precursor solution flow rate and plasma gun to substrate distance. The high surface area of the deposited films is attractive for applications in photovoltaics and we have fabricated dye-sensitized solar cells using these films.

The Effects of Postprocessing on Physical and Solution Deposition of Complex Oxide Thin Films for Tunable Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-01

BST barium strontium titanate εr dielectric constant MIM metal /insulator/ metal MOSD metal organic spin deposition PtSi platinum silicide RF...improvement. In addition, BST films processed via solution metal organic spin deposition, which yield a lower dielectric range of 150–335, also...layers. This report details how we used solution and physical deposition to fabricate thin films via radio frequency (RF) sputtering and metal

Microstructural Evolution in Solution Heat Treatment of Gas-Atomized Al Alloy (7075) Powder for Cold Spray

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabard, A.; de Villiers Lovelock, H. L.; Hussain, T.

2018-01-01

Cold gas dynamic spray is being explored as a repair technique for high-value metallic components, given its potential to produce pore and oxide-free deposits of between several micrometers and several millimeters thick with good levels of adhesion and mechanical strength. However, feedstock powders for cold spray experience rapid solidification if manufactured by gas atomization and hence can exhibit non-equilibrium microstructures and localized segregation of alloying elements. Here, we used sealed quartz tube solution heat treatment of a precipitation hardenable 7075 aluminum alloy feedstock to yield a consistent and homogeneous powder phase composition and microstructure prior to cold spraying, aiming for a more controllable heat treatment response of the cold spray deposits. It was shown that the dendritic microstructure and solute segregation in the gas-atomized powders were altered, such that the heat-treated powder exhibits a homogeneous distribution of solute atoms. Micro-indentation testing revealed that the heat-treated powder exhibited a mean hardness decrease of nearly 25% compared to the as-received powder. Deformation of the powder particles was enhanced by heat treatment, resulting in an improved coating with higher thickness ( 300 μm compared to 40 μm for untreated feedstock). Improved particle-substrate bonding was evidenced by formation of jets at the particle boundaries.

The importance of dissolved free oxygen during formation of sandstone-type uranium deposits

USGS Publications Warehouse

Granger, Harry Clifford; Warren, C.G.

1979-01-01

One factor which distinguishes t, he genesis of roll-type uranium deposits from the Uravan Mineral Belt and other sandstone-type uranium deposits may be the presence and concentration of dissolved free oxygen in the ore-forming. solutions. Although dissolved oxygen is a necessary prerequisite for the formation of roll-type deposits, it is proposed that a lack of dissolved oxygen is a prerequisite for the Uravan deposits. Solutions that formed both types of deposits probably had a supergene origin and originated as meteoric water in approximate equilibrium with atmospheric oxygen. Roll-type deposits were formed where the Eh dropped abruptly following consumption of the oxygen by iron sulfide minerals and creation of kinetically active sulfur species that could reduce uranium. The solutions that formed the Uravan deposits, on the other hand, probably first equilibrated with sulfide-free ferrous-ferric detrital minerals and fossil organic matter in the host rock. That is, the uraniferous solutions lost their oxygen without lowering their Eh enough to precipitate uranium. Without oxygen, they then. became incapable of oxidizing iron sulfide minerals. Subsequent localization and formation of ore bodies from these oxygen-depleted solutions, therefore, was not necessarily dependent on large reducing capacities.

Additive Manufacturing of Cranial Simulants for Blast Induced Traumatic Brain Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-28

REPORT TYPE 08/28/2017 Poster 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Additive Manufacturing of Cranial Sin1ulants for Blast Induced Traumatic Brain Injut’y 6... manufacturing techniques: Fused deposition modeling: ca sling molds Casting: white and gray matter Polymerization of injected solution...Sandia National Laboratories Conclusion MICHIGAN STAT[ l- I’ll I \\ I R <, I r \\ Additive manufacturrng provrdes a cost effective fabrration

Chemical vapor deposition of mesoporous graphene nanoballs for supercapacitor.

PubMed

Lee, Jung-Soo; Kim, Sun-I; Yoon, Jong-Chul; Jang, Ji-Hyun

2013-07-23

A mass-producible mesoporous graphene nanoball (MGB) was fabricated via a precursor-assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique for supercapacitor application. Polystyrene balls and reduced iron created under high temperature and a hydrogen gas environment provide a solid carbon source and a catalyst for graphene growth during the precursor-assisted CVD process, respectively. Carboxylic acid and sulfonic acid functionalization of the polystyrene ball facilitates homogeneous dispersion of the hydrophobic polymer template in the metal precursor solution, thus, resulting in a MGB with a uniform number of graphene layers. The MGB is shown to have a specific surface area of 508 m(2)/g and is mesoporous with a mean mesopore diameter of 4.27 nm. Mesopores are generated by the removal of agglomerated iron domains, permeating down through the soft polystyrene spheres and providing the surface for subsequent graphene growth during the heating process in a hydrogen environment. This technique requires only drop-casting of the precursor/polystyrene solution, allowing for mass-production of multilayer MGBs. The supercapacitor fabricated by the use of the MGB as an electrode demonstrates a specific capacitance of 206 F/g and more than 96% retention of capacitance after 10,000 cycles. The outstanding characteristics of the MGB as an electrode for supercapacitors verify the strong potential for use in energy-related areas.

The effect of reconditioning techniques by welding on the quality of deposits on crankshafts, case study SMAW

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chivu, O. R.; Cicic, D. T.; Rontescu, C.; Vasile, I. M.; Petriceanu, C.

2015-11-01

Currently, we are searching for a range of solutions for repairing the crankshafts that had snapped during operation. The paper deals with the extension of the two methods for reconditioning by welding in the energy industry in the field of repairing the crankshafts in the automotive industry. The results obtained through the application of methods for reconditioning Weld Toe Tempering Technique and filling layers of sidings, which was used as a welding procedure SMAW. Qualitative and quantitative comparisons between the results of the two methods based on the criterion of rigidity are carried out.

Microstructure, thickness and sheet resistivity of Cu/Ni thin film produced by electroplating technique on the variation of electrolyte temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toifur, M.; Yuningsih, Y.; Khusnani, A.

2018-03-01

In this research, it has been made Cu/Ni thin film produced with electroplating technique. The deposition process was done in the plating bath using Cu and Ni as cathode and anode respectively. The electrolyte solution was made from the mixture of HBrO3 (7.5g), NiSO4 (100g), NiCl2 (15g), and aquadest (250 ml). Electrolyte temperature was varied from 40°C up to 80°C, to make the Ni ions in the solution easy to move to Cu cathode. The deposition was done during 2 minutes on the potential of 1.5 volt. Many characterizations were done including the thickness of Ni film, microstructure, and sheet resistivity. The results showed that at all samples Ni had attacked on the Cu substrate to form Cu/Ni. The raising of electrolyte temperature affected the increasing of Ni thickness that is the Ni thickness increase with the increasing electrolyte temperature. From the EDS spectrum, it can be informed that samples already contain Ni and Cu elements and NiO and CuO compounds. Addition element and compound are found for sample Cu/Ni resulted from 70° electrolyte temperature of Ni deposition, that are Pt and PtO2. From XRD pattern, there are several phases which have crystal structure i.e. Cu, Ni, and NiO, while CuO and PtO2 have amorphous structure. The sheet resistivity linearly decreases with the increasing electrolyte temperature.

Sol-gel derived ceramic electrolyte films on porous substrates

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

Kueper, T.W.

1992-05-01

A process for the deposition of sol-gel derived thin films on porous substrates has been developed; such films should be useful for solid oxide fuel cells and related applications. Yttria-stabilized zirconia films have been formed from metal alkoxide starting solutions. Dense films have been deposited on metal substrates and ceramic substrates, both dense and porous, through dip-coating and spin-coating techniques, followed by a heat treatment in air. X-ray diffraction has been used to determine the crystalline phases formed and the extent of reactions with various substrates which may be encountered in gas/gas devices. Surface coatings have been successfully applied tomore » porous substrates through the control of substrate pore size and deposition parameters. Wetting of the substrate pores by the coating solution is discussed, and conditions are defined for which films can be deposited over the pores without filling the interiors of the pores. Shrinkage cracking was encountered in films thicker than a critical value, which depended on the sol-gel process parameters and on the substrate characteristics. Local discontinuities were also observed in films which were thinner than a critical value which depended on the substrate pore size. A theoretical discussion of cracking mechanisms is presented for both types of cracking, and the conditions necessary for successful thin formation are defined. The applicability of these film gas/gas devices is discussed.« less

Study of Lightweight Ni-Co Alloy Mirrors Obtained by Electroforming Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Ruth; Muntele, Iulia; Muntele, Claudiu; Zimmerman, Robert; Ila, Daryush; Smith, W. Scott (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

One contribution in reducing the costs of optics in space can be provided by production of ultralight mirrors. The decrease in the weight of the primary mirror of a telescope is anticipated to lead to the possibility of increasing the size of the telescopes, therefore increasing the amount and distance from which information is received. An electroplating process of ultralight replica mirrors from nickel sulfamate solution will be described. Based on an experimental setup with cylindrical symmetry, flat mirrors with a diameter of 7 inches and thickness of 1.5 mm are made from a Ni-Co alloy. The composition of the resulting deposit is analyzed using Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) and Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE). In order to resolve Ni and Co, 10 MeV nitrogen ions are used as projectiles in the RBS measurements. Solution parameters monitored during the deposition process using optical absorption and polarography will be correlated with the final concentration of Ni and Co in the deposit. Bath parameters like temperature, current density, agitation level and acidity are chosen at certain values and maintained constant from one sample to another throughout the deposition process. The purpose of the experiment is to obtain mirrors with near zero stress, and predetermined composition and hardness. This study is an intermediate step in obtaining through the same process, but with a larger scale setup, ultralight large aperture replica mirrors.

Synthesis of BiFeO3 thin films by chemical solution deposition - Structural and magnetic studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angappane, S.; Kambhala, Nagaiah

2012-06-01

BiFeO3 thin films were deposited on Si (100) substrates by chemical solution deposition. A precursor solution of bismuth acetate and iron acetylacetonate dissolved in distilled water and acetic acid was spin coated on to silicon substrates at ambient conditions, followed by drying and annealing at 650 °C. The films were characterized by XRD and FESEM to study structural properties and morphology. The magnetic properties studied by SQUID magnetometer shows the ferromagnetic nature of the chemical solution deposited BiFeO3 films which are crucial for low cost device applications.

Advanced Materials and Fabrication Techniques for the Orion Attitude Control Motor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gorti, Sridhar; Holmes, Richard; O'Dell, John; McKechnie, Timothy; Shchetkovskiy, Anatoliy

2013-01-01

Rhenium, with its high melting temperature, excellent elevated temperature properties, and lack of a ductile-to-brittle transition temperature (DBTT), is ideally suited for the hot gas components of the ACM (Attitude Control Motor), and other high-temperature applications. However, the high cost of rhenium makes fabricating these components using conventional fabrication techniques prohibitive. Therefore, near-net-shape forming techniques were investigated for producing cost-effective rhenium and rhenium alloy components for the ACM and other propulsion applications. During this investigation, electrochemical forming (EL-Form ) techniques were evaluated for producing the hot gas components. The investigation focused on demonstrating that EL-Form processing techniques could be used to produce the ACM flow distributor. Once the EL-Form processing techniques were established, a representative rhenium flow distributor was fabricated, and samples were harvested for material properties testing at both room and elevated temperatures. As a lower cost and lighter weight alternative to an all-rhenium component, rhenium- coated graphite and carbon-carbon were also evaluated. The rhenium-coated components were thermal-cycle tested to verify that they could withstand the expected thermal loads during service. High-temperature electroforming is based on electrochemical deposition of compact layers of metals onto a mandrel of the desired shape. Mandrels used for electro-deposition of near-net shaped parts are generally fabricated from high-density graphite. The graphite mandrel is easily machined and does not react with the molten electrolyte. For near-net shape components, the inner surface of the electroformed part replicates the polished graphite mandrel. During processing, the mandrel itself becomes the cathode, and scrap or refined refractory metal is the anode. Refractory metal atoms from the anode material are ionized in the molten electrolytic solution, and are deposited onto the cathodic mandrel by electrochemical reduction. Rotation of the mandrel ensures uniform distribution of refractory material. The EL-Form process allows for manufacturing in an inert atmosphere with deposition rates from 0.0004 to 0.002 in./h (10.2 to 50.8 m/h). Thicknesses typically range from microns to greater than 0.5 in. (13 mm). The refractory component produced is fabricated, dependably, to within one micron of the desired tolerances with no shrinkage or distortion as in other refractory metal manufacture techniques. The electroforming process has been used to produce solid, nonporous deposits of rhenium, iridium, niobium, tungsten, and their alloys.

Metallic nanoparticle deposition techniques for enhanced organic photovoltaic cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cacha, Brian Joseph Gonda

Energy generation via organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells provide many advantages over alternative processes including flexibility and price. However, more efficient OPVs are required in order to be competitive for applications. One way to enhance efficiency is through manipulation of exciton mechanisms within the OPV, for example by inserting a thin film of bathocuproine (BCP) and gold nanoparticles between the C60/Al and ZnPc/ITO interfaces, respectively. We find that BCP increases efficiencies by 330% due to gains of open circuit voltage (Voc) by 160% and short circuit current (Jsc) by 130%. However, these gains are complicated by the anomalous photovoltaic effect and an internal chemical potential. Exploration in the tuning of metallic nanoparticle deposition on ITO was done through four techniques. Drop casting Ag nanoparticle solution showed arduous control on deposited morphology. Spin-coating deposited very low densities of nanoparticles. Drop casting and spin-coating methods showed arduous control on Ag nanoparticle morphology due to clustering and low deposition density, respectively. Sputtered gold on glass was initially created to aid the adherence of Ag nanoparticles but instead showed a quick way to deposit aggregated gold nanoparticles. Electrodeposition of gold nanoparticles (AuNP) proved a quick method to tune nanoparticle morphology on ITO substrates. Control of deposition parameters affected AuNP size and distribution. AFM images of electrodeposited AuNPs showed sizes ranging from 39 to 58 nm. UV-Vis spectroscopy showed the presence of localized plasmon resonance through absorption peaks ranging from 503 to 614 nm. A linear correlation between electrodeposited AuNP size and peak absorbance was seen with a slope of 3.26 wavelength(nm)/diameter(nm).

Effect of Thermal Budget on the Electrical Characterization of Atomic Layer Deposited HfSiO/TiN Gate Stack MOSCAP Structure

PubMed Central

Khan, Z. N.; Ahmed, S.; Ali, M.

2016-01-01

Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) capacitors (MOSCAP) have been instrumental in making CMOS nano-electronics realized for back-to-back technology nodes. High-k gate stacks including the desirable metal gate processing and its integration into CMOS technology remain an active research area projecting the solution to address the requirements of technology roadmaps. Screening, selection and deposition of high-k gate dielectrics, post-deposition thermal processing, choice of metal gate structure and its post-metal deposition annealing are important parameters to optimize the process and possibly address the energy efficiency of CMOS electronics at nano scales. Atomic layer deposition technique is used throughout this work because of its known deposition kinetics resulting in excellent electrical properties and conformal structure of the device. The dynamics of annealing greatly influence the electrical properties of the gate stack and consequently the reliability of the process as well as manufacturable device. Again, the choice of the annealing technique (migration of thermal flux into the layer), time-temperature cycle and sequence are key parameters influencing the device’s output characteristics. This work presents a careful selection of annealing process parameters to provide sufficient thermal budget to Si MOSCAP with atomic layer deposited HfSiO high-k gate dielectric and TiN gate metal. The post-process annealing temperatures in the range of 600°C -1000°C with rapid dwell time provide a better trade-off between the desirable performance of Capacitance-Voltage hysteresis and the leakage current. The defect dynamics is thought to be responsible for the evolution of electrical characteristics in this Si MOSCAP structure specifically designed to tune the trade-off at low frequency for device application. PMID:27571412

Molecular organization in MAPLE-deposited conjugated polymer thin films and the implications for carrier transport characteristics

DOE PAGES

Dong, Ban Xuan; Li, Anton; Strzalka, Joseph; ...

2016-09-18

The morphological structure of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) thin films deposited by both Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation (MAPLE) and solution spin-casting methods are investigated. We found that the MAPLE samples possessed a higher degree of disorder, with random orientations of polymer crystallites along the side-chain stacking, π-π stacking, and conjugated backbone directions. Furthermore, the average molecular orientations and relative degrees of crystallinity of MAPLE-deposited polymer films are insensitive to the chemistries of the substrates onto which they were deposited; this is in stark contrast to the films prepared by the conventional spin-casting technique. In spite of the seemingly unfavorable molecular orientations andmore » the highly disordered morphologies, the in-plane charge carrier transport characteristics of the MAPLE samples are comparable to those of spin-cast samples, exhibiting similar transport activation energies (56 meV versus 54 meV) to those reported in the literature for high mobility polymers.« less

Molecular organization in MAPLE-deposited conjugated polymer thin films and the implications for carrier transport characteristics

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

Dong, Ban Xuan; Li, Anton; Strzalka, Joseph

The morphological structure of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) thin films deposited by both Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation (MAPLE) and solution spin-casting methods are investigated. We found that the MAPLE samples possessed a higher degree of disorder, with random orientations of polymer crystallites along the side-chain stacking, π-π stacking, and conjugated backbone directions. Furthermore, the average molecular orientations and relative degrees of crystallinity of MAPLE-deposited polymer films are insensitive to the chemistries of the substrates onto which they were deposited; this is in stark contrast to the films prepared by the conventional spin-casting technique. In spite of the seemingly unfavorable molecular orientations andmore » the highly disordered morphologies, the in-plane charge carrier transport characteristics of the MAPLE samples are comparable to those of spin-cast samples, exhibiting similar transport activation energies (56 meV versus 54 meV) to those reported in the literature for high mobility polymers.« less

An investigation on the electrochemical behavior of the Co/Cu multilayer system.

PubMed

Mahshid, S S; Dolati, A

2010-09-01

Co/Cu multilayers were deposited in a sulfate solution by controlling the current and potential for the deposition of cobalt and copper layer respectively. The electrochemical behavior of these multilayers was studied by cyclic voltammetry and current transients. In addition, a mathematical analysis was used to characterize the electrodeposition system. Simultaneously, the nucleation and growth mechanisms were monitored by these techniques. In this case, the results clearly showed that electrodeposition of cobalt layers was a kinetically controlled process while the reduction of copper ions was a diffusion-control process. Although nucleation mechanism of the single Co deposit was found as a progressive system, it was found as an instantaneous system with three-dimensional growth mechanism in the Co/Cu bilayer deposition. Atomic Forced Microscopy images of the Co/Cu multilayer also confirmed the aforementioned nucleation mechanism, where it was expected that the growth of multilayer films would form a laminar-type structure containing a large number of equally-sized rounded grains in each layer.

Cadmium sulfide thin films growth by chemical bath deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2018-03-01

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

Electrophoretic deposition of tetracycline modified silk fibroin coatings for functionalization of titanium surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhen; Qu, Yinying; Li, Xiaoshuang; Zhang, Sheng; Wei, Qingsong; Shi, Yusheng; Chen, Lili

2014-06-01

Electrophoretic deposition has been widely used for the fabrication of functional coatings onto metal implant. A characteristic feature of this process is that positively charged materials migrate toward the cathode and can deposit on it. In this study, silk fibroin was decorated with tetracycline in aqueous solution to impart positive charge, and then deposited on negatively titanium cathode under certain electric field. The characterization of the obtained coatings indicated that the intermolecular hydrogen bonds formed between the backbone of silk fibroin and tetracycline molecular. In vitro biological tests demonstrated that osteoblast-like cells achieved acceptable cell affinity on the tetracycline cross-linked silk fibroin coatings, although greater cell viability was seen on pure silk fibroin coatings. The cationic silk fibroin coatings showed remarkable antibacterial activity against gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria. Therefore, we concluded that electrophoretic deposition was an effective and efficient technique to prepare cationic silk fibroin coatings on the titanium surface and that cationic silk fibroin coatings with acceptable biocompatibility and antibacterial property were promising candidates for further loading of functional agents.

Deposition dynamics of multi-solvent bioinks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaneelil, Paul; Pack, Min; Cui, Chunxiao; Han, Li-Hsin; Sun, Ying

2017-11-01

Inkjet printing cellular scaffolds using bioinks is gaining popularity due to the advancement of printing technology as well as the growing demands of regenerative medicine. Numerous studies have been conducted on printing scaffolds of biomimetic structures that support the cell production of human tissues. However, the underlying physics of the deposition dynamics of bioinks remains elusive. Of particular interest is the unclear deposition dynamics of multi-solvent bioinks, which is often used to tune the micro-architecture formation. Here we systematically studied the effects of jetting frequency, solvent properties, substrate wettability, and temperature on the three-dimensional deposition patterns of bioinks made of Methacrylated Gelatin and Carboxylated Gelatin. The microflows inside the inkjet-printed picolitre drops were visualized using fluorescence tracer particles to decipher the complex processes of multi-solvent evaporation and solute self-assembly. The evolution of droplet shape was observed using interferometry. With the integrated techniques, the interplay of solvent evaporation, biopolymer deposition, and multi-drop interactions were directly observed for various ink and substrate properties, and printing conditions. Such knowledge enables the design and fabrication of a variety of tissue engineering scaffolds for potential use in regenerative medicine.

Microwave irradiation-assisted deposition of Ga2O3 on III-nitrides for deep-UV opto-electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaiswal, Piyush; Ul Muazzam, Usman; Pratiyush, Anamika Singh; Mohan, Nagaboopathy; Raghavan, Srinivasan; Muralidharan, R.; Shivashankar, S. A.; Nath, Digbijoy N.

2018-01-01

We report on the deposition of Ga2O3 on III-nitride epi-layers using the microwave irradiation technique. We also report on the demonstration of a Ga2O3 device: a visible-blind, deep-UV detector, with a GaN-based heterostructure as the substrate. The film deposited in the solution medium, at <200 °C, using a metalorganic precursor, was nanocrystalline. XRD confirms that the as-deposited film, when annealed at high temperature, turns to polycrystalline β-Ga2O3. SEM shows the as-deposited film to be uniform, with a surface roughness of 4-5 nm, as revealed by AFM. Interdigitated metal-semiconductor-metal devices with Ni/Au contact exhibited a peak spectral response at 230 nm and a good visible rejection ratio. This demonstration of a deep-UV detector on the β-Ga2O3/III-nitride stack is expected to open up possibilities of functional and physical integration of β-Ga2O3 and GaN material families towards enabling next-generation high-performance devices by exciting band and heterostructure engineering.

Influence of Polymer-Clay Interfacial Interactions on the Ignition Time of Polymer/Clay Nanocomposites

PubMed Central

Zope, Indraneel S.; Yu, Zhong-Zhen

2017-01-01

Metal ions present on smectite clay (montmorillonite) platelets have preferential reactivity towards peroxy/alkoxy groups during polyamide 6 (PA6) thermal decomposition. This changes the decomposition pathway and negatively affects the ignition response of PA6. To restrict these interfacial interactions, high-temperature-resistant polymers such as polyetherimide (PEI) and polyimide (PI) were used to coat clay layers. PEI was deposited on clay by solution-precipitation, whereas PI was deposited through a solution-imidization-precipitation technique before melt blending with PA6. The absence of polymer-clay interfacial interactions has resulted in a similar time-to-ignition of PA6/PEI-clay (133 s) and PA6/PI-clay (139 s) composites as neat PA6 (140 s). On the contrary, PA6 with conventional ammonium-based surfactant modified clay has showed a huge drop in time-to-ignition (81 s), as expected. The experimental evidences provided herein reveal the role of the catalytic activity of clay during the early stages of polymer decomposition. PMID:28800095

Structural and optical properties of Na-doped ZnO films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akcan, D.; Gungor, A.; Arda, L.

2018-06-01

Zn1-xNaxO (x = 0.0-0.05) solutions have been synthesized by the sol-gel technique using Zinc acetate dihydrate and Sodium acetate which were dissolved into solvent and chelating agent. Na-doped ZnO nanoparticles were obtained from solutions to find phase and crystal structure. Na-doped ZnO films have been deposited onto glass substrate by using sol-gel dip coating system. The effects of dopant concentration on the structure, morphology, and optical properties of Na-doped ZnO thin films deposited on glass substrate are investigated. Characterization of Zn1-xNaxO nanoparticles and thin films are examined using differential thermal analysis (DTA)/thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-Ray diffractometer (XRD). Optical properties of Zn1-xNaxO thin films were obtained by using PG Instruments UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometer in 190-1100 nm range. The structure, morphology, and optical properties of thin films are presented.

Influence of Polymer-Clay Interfacial Interactions on the Ignition Time of Polymer/Clay Nanocomposites.

PubMed

Zope, Indraneel S; Dasari, Aravind; Yu, Zhong-Zhen

2017-08-11

Metal ions present on smectite clay (montmorillonite) platelets have preferential reactivity towards peroxy/alkoxy groups during polyamide 6 (PA6) thermal decomposition. This changes the decomposition pathway and negatively affects the ignition response of PA6. To restrict these interfacial interactions, high-temperature-resistant polymers such as polyetherimide (PEI) and polyimide (PI) were used to coat clay layers. PEI was deposited on clay by solution-precipitation, whereas PI was deposited through a solution-imidization-precipitation technique before melt blending with PA6. The absence of polymer-clay interfacial interactions has resulted in a similar time-to-ignition of PA6/PEI-clay (133 s) and PA6/PI-clay (139 s) composites as neat PA6 (140 s). On the contrary, PA6 with conventional ammonium-based surfactant modified clay has showed a huge drop in time-to-ignition (81 s), as expected. The experimental evidences provided herein reveal the role of the catalytic activity of clay during the early stages of polymer decomposition.

Deposition and Characterization of Thin Films on Metallic Substrates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gatica, Jorge E.

2005-01-01

A CVD method was successfully developed to produce conversion coatings on aluminum alloys surfaces with reproducible results with a variety of precursors. A well defined protocol to prepare the precursor solutions formulated in a previous research was extended to other additives. It was demonstrated that solutions prepared following such a protocol could be used to systematically generate protective coatings onto aluminum surfaces. Experiments with a variety of formulations revealed that a refined deposition protocol yields reproducible conversion coatings of controlled composition. A preliminary correlation between solution formulations and successful precursors was derived. Coatings were tested for adhesion properties enhancement for commercial paints. A standard testing method was followed and clear trends were identified. Only one precursors was tested systematically. Anticipated work on other precursors should allow a better characterization of the effect of intermetallics on the production of conversion/protective coatings on metals and ceramics. The significance of this work was the practical demonstration that chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques can be used to systematically generate protective/conversion coating on non-ferrous surfaces. In order to become an effective approach to replace chromate-based pre- treatment processes, namely in the aerospace or automobile industry, the process parameters must be defined more precisely. Moreover, the feasibility of scale-up designs necessitates a more comprehensive characterization of the fluid flow, transport phenomena, and chemical kinetics interacting in the process. Kinetic characterization showed a significantly different effect of magnesium-based precursors when compared to iron-based precursors. Future work will concentrate on refining the process through computer simulations and further experimental studies on the effect of other transition metals to induce deposition of conversion/protective films on aluminum and other metallic substrates.

Effects of atmospheric deposition nitrogen flux and its composition on soil solution chemistry from a red soil farmland, southeast China.

PubMed

Cui, Jian; Zhou, Jing; Peng, Ying; Chan, Andrew; Mao, Jingdong

2015-12-01

A detailed study on the solution chemistry of red soil in South China is presented. Data are collected from two simulated column-leaching experiments with an improved setup to evaluate the effects of atmospheric N deposition (ADN) composition and ADN flux on agricultural soil acidification using a (15)N tracer technique and an in situ soil solution sampler. The results show that solution pH values decline regardless of the increase of the NH4(+)/NO3(-) ratio in the ADN composition or ADN flux, while exchangeable Al(3+), Ca(2+), Mg(2+), and K(+) concentrations increase at different soil depths (20, 40, and 60 cm). Compared with the control, ADN (60 kg per ha per year N, NH4(+)/NO3(-) ratio of 2 : 1) decreases solution pH values, increases solution concentrations of NO3(-)-N, Al(3+), Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) at the middle and lower soil depths, and promotes their removal. NH4(+)-N was not detected in red soil solutions of all the three soil layers, which might be attributed to effects of nitrification, absorption and fixation in farmland red soil. Some of the NO3(-)-N concentrations at 40-60 cm soil depth exceed the safe drinking level of 10 mg L(-1), especially when the ADN flux is beyond 60 kg ha(-1) N. These features are critical for understanding the ADN agro-ecological effects, and for future assessment of ecological critical loads of ADN in red soil farmlands.

Electrochemical Deposition of Niobium onto the Surface of Copper Using a Novel Choline Chloride-Based Ionic Liquid

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

Wixtroma, Alex I.; Buhlera, Jessica E.; Reece, Charles E.

2013-06-01

Recent research has shown that choline chloride-based solutions can be used to replace acid-based electrochemical polishing solutions. In this study niobium metal was successfully deposited on the surface of copper substrate via electrochemical deposition using a novel choline chloride-based ionic liquid. The niobium metal used for deposition on the Cu had been dissolved in the solution from electrochemical polishing of a solid niobium piece prior to the deposition. The visible coating on the surface of the Cu was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX). This deposition method effectively recycles previously dissolved niobium from electrochemicalmore » polishing.« less

Evaporation-induced flow in an inviscid liquid line at any contact angle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petsi, A. J.; Burganos, V. N.

2006-04-01

The problem of potential flow inside an evaporating liquid line, shaped as an infinitely long cylindrical segment lying on a flat surface, is considered and an analytical solution is obtained for any contact angle in (0,π) . In this way, microflow details inside linear liquid bodies evaporating on hydrophilic, hydrophobic, and strongly hydrophobic substrates can now be obtained. The mathematical formulation employs the velocity potential and stream function formulations in bipolar coordinates and the solution is obtained using the technique of Fourier transform. Both pinned and depinned contact lines are considered. The solution is applicable to any evaporation mechanism but for illustration purposes numerical results are presented here for the particular case of kinetically controlled evaporation. For hydrophilic substrates, the flow inside the evaporating liquid line is directed towards the edges for pinned contact lines, thus, promoting a coffee stain effect. The opposite flow direction is observed for depinned contact lines. However, for strongly hydrophobic substrates, flow is directed outwards for both pinned and depinned contact lines, but owing to its low magnitude compared to that on hydrophilic substrates, a craterlike colloidal deposit should be expected rather than a ringlike deposit, in agreement with experimental observations.

Ion chromatography in the manufacture of multilayer circuit boards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Robert E.

1990-01-01

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

Effect of Co2+ concentration on the crystal structure of electrodeposited Co nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukhtar, Aiman; Mehmood, Tahir; Khan, Babar Shahzad; Tan, Ming

2016-05-01

The structure of Co nanowires deposited at the same potential depends on Co2+ concentration in solution. When depositing at -1.6 V, the formed Co nanowire are hcp phase in 0.356 M solution, a mixture of hcp and fcc phases in 0.53 M solution, almost fcc phase in 0.71 M solution and pure fcc phase in 1.06 M solution. The transient curves show two interesting observations. First, the imax increases with increasing concentration of Co2+ ions while the tm decreases with increasing concentration. Second, the imax and tm observed in depositing Co nanowires at -1.6 V in the 0.71 M solution are close to those in depositing Co nanowires at -3.0 V in the 0.356 M solution. A higher imax and shorter tm can represent a larger Ns (saturation nucleus density). Therefore we believe that the deposition at -1.6 V in higher concentrations such as 0.71 and 1.067 M can lead to a larger Ns, indicating the formation of smaller critical nuclei. The structure of Co can be determined by the critical nucleus size and smaller critical nuclei favor the formation of fcc Co. Therefore the fcc Co nanowires were observed when depositing in the high concentration solution such as 0.71 and 1.067 M.

Performance and stress analysis of metal oxide films for CMOS-integrated gas sensors.

PubMed

Filipovic, Lado; Selberherr, Siegfried

2015-03-25

The integration of gas sensor components into smart phones, tablets and wrist watches will revolutionize the environmental health and safety industry by providing individuals the ability to detect harmful chemicals and pollutants in the environment using always-on hand-held or wearable devices. Metal oxide gas sensors rely on changes in their electrical conductance due to the interaction of the oxide with a surrounding gas. These sensors have been extensively studied in the hopes that they will provide full gas sensing functionality with CMOS integrability. The performance of several metal oxide materials, such as tin oxide (SnO2), zinc oxide (ZnO), indium oxide (In2O3) and indium-tin-oxide (ITO), are studied for the detection of various harmful or toxic cases. Due to the need for these films to be heated to temperatures between 250°C and 550°C during operation in order to increase their sensing functionality, a considerable degradation of the film can result. The stress generation during thin film deposition and the thermo-mechanical stress that arises during post-deposition cooling is analyzed through simulations. A tin oxide thin film is deposited using the efficient and economical spray pyrolysis technique, which involves three steps: the atomization of the precursor solution, the transport of the aerosol droplets towards the wafer and the decomposition of the precursor at or near the substrate resulting in film growth. The details of this technique and a simulation methodology are presented. The dependence of the deposition technique on the sensor performance is also discussed.

Performance and Stress Analysis of Metal Oxide Films for CMOS-Integrated Gas Sensors

PubMed Central

Filipovic, Lado; Selberherr, Siegfried

2015-01-01

The integration of gas sensor components into smart phones, tablets and wrist watches will revolutionize the environmental health and safety industry by providing individuals the ability to detect harmful chemicals and pollutants in the environment using always-on hand-held or wearable devices. Metal oxide gas sensors rely on changes in their electrical conductance due to the interaction of the oxide with a surrounding gas. These sensors have been extensively studied in the hopes that they will provide full gas sensing functionality with CMOS integrability. The performance of several metal oxide materials, such as tin oxide (SnO2), zinc oxide (ZnO), indium oxide (In2O3) and indium-tin-oxide (ITO), are studied for the detection of various harmful or toxic cases. Due to the need for these films to be heated to temperatures between 250 °C and 550 °C during operation in order to increase their sensing functionality, a considerable degradation of the film can result. The stress generation during thin film deposition and the thermo-mechanical stress that arises during post-deposition cooling is analyzed through simulations. A tin oxide thin film is deposited using the efficient and economical spray pyrolysis technique, which involves three steps: the atomization of the precursor solution, the transport of the aerosol droplets towards the wafer and the decomposition of the precursor at or near the substrate resulting in film growth. The details of this technique and a simulation methodology are presented. The dependence of the deposition technique on the sensor performance is also discussed. PMID:25815445

Nanoparticle motion on the surface of drying droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Mingfei; Yong, Xin

2018-03-01

Advances in solution-based printing and surface patterning techniques for additive manufacturing demand a clear understanding of particle dynamics in drying colloidal droplets and its relationship with deposit structure. Although the evaporation-driven deposition has been studied thoroughly for the particles dispersed in the bulk of the droplet, few investigations have focused on the particles strongly adsorbed to the droplet surface. We modeled the assembly and deposition of the surface-active particles in a drying sessile droplet with a pinned contact line by the multiphase lattice Boltzmann-Brownian dynamics method. The particle trajectory and its area density profile characterize the assembly dynamics and deposition pattern development during evaporation. While the bulk-dispersed particles continuously move to the contact line, forming the typical "coffee-ring" deposit, the interface-bound particles migrate first toward the apex and then to the contact line as the droplet dries out. To understand this unexpected behavior, we resolve the droplet velocity field both in the bulk and within the interfacial region. The simulation results agree well with the analytical solution for the Stokes flow inside an evaporating droplet. At different stages of evaporation, our study reveals that the competition between the tangential surface flow and the downward motion of the evaporating liquid-vapor interface governs the dynamics of the interface-bound particles. In particular, the interface displacement contributes to the particle motion toward the droplet apex in a short phase, while the outward advective flow prevails at the late stage of drying and carries the particles to the contact line. The final deposit of the surface-adsorbed particles exhibits a density enhancement at the center, in addition to a coffee ring. Despite its small influence on the final deposit in the present study, the distinct dynamics of surface-active particles due to the interfacial confinement could offer a new route to deposition control when combined with Marangoni effects.

Optimization of cathodic arc deposition and pulsed plasma melting techniques for growing smooth superconducting Pb photoemissive films for SRF injectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nietubyć, Robert; Lorkiewicz, Jerzy; Sekutowicz, Jacek; Smedley, John; Kosińska, Anna

2018-05-01

Superconducting photoinjectors have a potential to be the optimal solution for moderate and high current cw operating free electron lasers. For this application, a superconducting lead (Pb) cathode has been proposed to simplify the cathode integration into a 1.3 GHz, TESLA-type, 1.6-cell long purely superconducting gun cavity. In the proposed design, a lead film several micrometres thick is deposited onto a niobium plug attached to the cavity back wall. Traditional lead deposition techniques usually produce very non-uniform emission surfaces and often result in a poor adhesion of the layer. A pulsed plasma melting procedure reducing the non-uniformity of the lead photocathodes is presented. In order to determine the parameters optimal for this procedure, heat transfer from plasma to the film was first modelled to evaluate melting front penetration range and liquid state duration. The obtained results were verified by surface inspection of witness samples. The optimal procedure was used to prepare a photocathode plug, which was then tested in an electron gun. The quantum efficiency and the value of cavity quality factor have been found to satisfy the requirements for an injector of the European-XFEL facility.

Supercritical fluid molecular spray film deposition and powder formation

DOEpatents

Smith, Richard D.

1986-01-01

Solid films are deposited, or fine powders formed, by dissolving a solid material into a supercritical fluid solution at an elevated pressure and then rapidly expanding the solution through a short orifice into a region of relatively low pressure. This produces a molecular spray which is directed against a substrate to deposit a solid thin film thereon, or discharged into a collection chamber to collect a fine powder. Upon expansion and supersonic interaction with background gases in the low pressure region, any clusters of solvent are broken up and the solvent is vaporized and pumped away. Solute concentration in the solution is varied primarily by varying solution pressure to determine, together with flow rate, the rate of deposition and to control in part whether a film or powder is produced and the granularity of each. Solvent clustering and solute nucleation are controlled by manipulating the rate of expansion of the solution and the pressure of the lower pressure region. Solution and low pressure region temperatures are also controlled.

A solution-processed quaternary oxide system obtained at low-temperature using a vertical diffusion technique

PubMed Central

Yoon, Seokhyun; Kim, Si Joon; Tak, Young Jun; Kim, Hyun Jae

2017-01-01

We report a method for fabricating solution-processed quaternary In-Ga-Zn-O (IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) at low annealing temperatures using a vertical diffusion technique (VDT). The VDT is a deposition process for spin-coating binary and ternary oxide layers consecutively and annealing at once. With the VDT, uniform and dense quaternary oxide layers were fabricated at lower temperatures (280 °C). Compared to conventional IGZO and ternary In-Zn-O (IZO) thin films, VDT IGZO thin film had higher density of the metal-oxide bonds and lower density of the oxygen vacancies. The field-effect mobility of VDT IGZO TFT increased three times with an improved stability under positive bias stress than IZO TFT due to the reduction in oxygen vacancies. Therefore, the VDT process is a simple method that reduces the processing temperature without any additional treatment for quaternary oxide semiconductors with uniform layers. PMID:28230088

A solution-processed quaternary oxide system obtained at low-temperature using a vertical diffusion technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Seokhyun; Kim, Si Joon; Tak, Young Jun; Kim, Hyun Jae

2017-02-01

We report a method for fabricating solution-processed quaternary In-Ga-Zn-O (IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) at low annealing temperatures using a vertical diffusion technique (VDT). The VDT is a deposition process for spin-coating binary and ternary oxide layers consecutively and annealing at once. With the VDT, uniform and dense quaternary oxide layers were fabricated at lower temperatures (280 °C). Compared to conventional IGZO and ternary In-Zn-O (IZO) thin films, VDT IGZO thin film had higher density of the metal-oxide bonds and lower density of the oxygen vacancies. The field-effect mobility of VDT IGZO TFT increased three times with an improved stability under positive bias stress than IZO TFT due to the reduction in oxygen vacancies. Therefore, the VDT process is a simple method that reduces the processing temperature without any additional treatment for quaternary oxide semiconductors with uniform layers.

A solution-processed quaternary oxide system obtained at low-temperature using a vertical diffusion technique.

PubMed

Yoon, Seokhyun; Kim, Si Joon; Tak, Young Jun; Kim, Hyun Jae

2017-02-23

We report a method for fabricating solution-processed quaternary In-Ga-Zn-O (IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) at low annealing temperatures using a vertical diffusion technique (VDT). The VDT is a deposition process for spin-coating binary and ternary oxide layers consecutively and annealing at once. With the VDT, uniform and dense quaternary oxide layers were fabricated at lower temperatures (280 °C). Compared to conventional IGZO and ternary In-Zn-O (IZO) thin films, VDT IGZO thin film had higher density of the metal-oxide bonds and lower density of the oxygen vacancies. The field-effect mobility of VDT IGZO TFT increased three times with an improved stability under positive bias stress than IZO TFT due to the reduction in oxygen vacancies. Therefore, the VDT process is a simple method that reduces the processing temperature without any additional treatment for quaternary oxide semiconductors with uniform layers.

Characteristics of polyaniline cobalt supported catalysts for epoxidation reactions.

PubMed

Kowalski, Grzegorz; Pielichowski, Jan; Grzesik, Mirosław

2014-01-01

A study of polyaniline (PANI) doping with various cobalt compounds, that is, cobalt(II) chloride, cobalt(II) acetate, and cobalt(II) salen, is presented. The catalysts were prepared by depositing cobalt compounds onto the polymer surface. PANI powders containing cobalt ions were obtained by one- or two-step method suspending PANI in the following acetonitrile/acetic acid solution or acetonitrile and then acetic acid solution. Moreover different ratios of Co(II) : PANI were studied. Catalysts obtained with both methods and at all ratios were investigated using various techniques including AAS and XPS spectroscopy. The optimum conditions for preparation of PANI/Co catalysts were established. Catalytic activity of polyaniline cobalt(II) supported catalysts was tested in dec-1-ene epoxidation with molecular oxygen at room temperature. The relationship between the amount of cobalt species, measured with both AAS and XPS techniques, and the activity of PANI-Co catalysts has been established.

Characteristics of Polyaniline Cobalt Supported Catalysts for Epoxidation Reactions

PubMed Central

Kowalski, Grzegorz; Pielichowski, Jan; Grzesik, Mirosław

2014-01-01

A study of polyaniline (PANI) doping with various cobalt compounds, that is, cobalt(II) chloride, cobalt(II) acetate, and cobalt(II) salen, is presented. The catalysts were prepared by depositing cobalt compounds onto the polymer surface. PANI powders containing cobalt ions were obtained by one- or two-step method suspending PANI in the following acetonitrile/acetic acid solution or acetonitrile and then acetic acid solution. Moreover different ratios of Co(II) : PANI were studied. Catalysts obtained with both methods and at all ratios were investigated using various techniques including AAS and XPS spectroscopy. The optimum conditions for preparation of PANI/Co catalysts were established. Catalytic activity of polyaniline cobalt(II) supported catalysts was tested in dec-1-ene epoxidation with molecular oxygen at room temperature. The relationship between the amount of cobalt species, measured with both AAS and XPS techniques, and the activity of PANI-Co catalysts has been established. PMID:24701183

Nonequilibrium Phase Chemistry in High Temperature Structure Alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, R.

1991-01-01

Titanium and nickel aluminides of nonequilibrium microstructures and in thin gauge thickness were identified, characterized and produced for potential high temperature applications. A high rate sputter deposition technique for rapid surveillance of the microstructures and nonequilibrium phase is demonstrated. Alloys with specific compositions were synthesized with extended solid solutions, stable dispersoids, and specific phase boundaries associated with different heat treatments. Phase stability and mechanical behavior of these nonequilibrium alloys were investigated and compared.

Cathodic Deposition of Mg(OH)2 Coatings on Pure mg in Three mg Salts Aqueous Solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yongjun, Zhang; Xiaomeng, Pei; Shugong, Jia

Film-forming effects of cathodic deposition on pure Mg substrate at constant DC in aqueous solutions of magnesium nitrate (Mg(NO3)2ṡ6H2O), magnesium chloride (MgCl2ṡ6H2O) and magnesium sulfate (MgSO4ṡ7H2O) respectively were investigated systematically. Typical processes were studied by potentiodynamic cathodic polarization and galvanostatic polarization and typical samples were analyzed by SEM and XRD. The results indicate that the depositing efficiency is not only the highest but stablest, and deposited coatings show the best uniformity with Mg(NO3)2ṡ6H2O solution employed as depositing medium and applied current density ≥1.0mA cm-2. Cathodic deposition leads to regular mass loss of Mg substrate. The cathodic polarization curve of pure Mg in magnesium nitrate solution shows more obvious pseudo-passivation, several Tafel regions with different slopes appearing before diffusion-limited current density region, and oxygen consumption is the major cathodic reduction reaction under specified current density. However, hydrogen evolution reaction is dominant in both Mg chloride and Mg sulfate solutions. The deposition coatings are all composed of continuous and uniform mesh-like “basic layer” adjacent to substrate and discrete distributed snowball-like particles on the microscopic scale. The phase compositions are all crystal Mg(OH)2, and the coatings deposited in Mg chloride solution have (011) preferred orientation.

Numerical modeling of consolidation processes in hydraulically deposited soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brink, Nicholas Robert

Hydraulically deposited soils are encountered in many common engineering applications including mine tailing and geotextile tube fills, though the consolidation process for such soils is highly nonlinear and requires the use of advanced numerical techniques to provide accurate predictions. Several commercially available finite element codes poses the ability to model soil consolidation, and it was the goal of this research to assess the ability of two of these codes, ABAQUS and PLAXIS, to model the large-strain, two-dimensional consolidation processes which occur in hydraulically deposited soils. A series of one- and two-dimensionally drained rectangular models were first created to assess the limitations of ABAQUS and PLAXIS when modeling consolidation of highly compressible soils. Then, geotextile tube and TSF models were created to represent actual scenarios which might be encountered in engineering practice. Several limitations were discovered, including the existence of a minimum preconsolidation stress below which numerical solutions become unstable.

Immunological multimetal deposition for rapid visualization of sweat fingerprints.

PubMed

He, Yayun; Xu, Linru; Zhu, Yu; Wei, Qianhui; Zhang, Meiqin; Su, Bin

2014-11-10

A simple method termed immunological multimetal deposition (iMMD) was developed for rapid visualization of sweat fingerprints with bare eyes, by combining the conventional MMD with the immunoassay technique. In this approach, antibody-conjugated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were used to specifically interact with the corresponding antigens in the fingerprint residue. The AuNPs serve as the nucleation sites for autometallographic deposition of silver particles from the silver staining solution, generating a dark ridge pattern for visual detection. Using fingerprints inked with human immunoglobulin G (hIgG), we obtained the optimal formulation of iMMD, which was then successfully applied to visualize sweat fingerprints through the detection of two secreted polypeptides, epidermal growth factor and lysozyme. In comparison with the conventional MMD, iMMD is faster and can provide additional information than just identification. Moreover, iMMD is facile and does not need expensive instruments. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Organic electronic devices with multiple solution-processed layers

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

Forrest, Stephen R.; Lassiter, Brian E.; Zimmerman, Jeramy D.

2016-07-05

A method for fabricating an organic light emitting device stack involves depositing a first conductive electrode layer over a substrate; depositing a first set of one or more organic layers, wherein at least one of the first set of organic layers is a first emissive layer and one of the first set of organic layers is deposited by a solution-based process that utilizes a first solvent; depositing a first conductive interlayer by a dry deposition process; and depositing a second set of one or more organic layers, wherein at least one of the second set of organic layers is amore » second emissive layer and one of the second set of organic layers is deposited by a solution-based process that utilizes a second solvent, wherein all layers that precede the layer deposited using the second solvent are insoluble in the second solvent.« less

Organic electronic devices with multiple solution-processed layers

DOEpatents

Forrest, Stephen R.; Lassiter, Brian E.; Zimmerman, Jeramy D.

2015-08-04

A method of fabricating a tandem organic photosensitive device involves depositing a first layer of an organic electron donor type material film by solution-processing of the organic electron donor type material dissolved in a first solvent; depositing a first layer of an organic electron acceptor type material over the first layer of the organic electron donor type material film by a dry deposition process; depositing a conductive layer over the interim stack by a dry deposition process; depositing a second layer of the organic electron donor type material over the conductive layer by solution-processing of the organic electron donor type material dissolved in a second solvent, wherein the organic electron acceptor type material and the conductive layer are insoluble in the second solvent; depositing a second layer of an organic electron acceptor type material over the second layer of the organic electron donor type material film by a dry deposition process, resulting in a stack.

Electrical properties of metal/Al2O3/In0.53Ga0.47As capacitors grown on InP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrandis, Philippe; Billaud, Mathilde; Duvernay, Julien; Martin, Mickael; Arnoult, Alexandre; Grampeix, Helen; Cassé, Mikael; Boutry, Hervé; Baron, Thierry; Vinet, Maud; Reimbold, Gilles

2018-04-01

To overcome the Fermi-level pinning in III-V metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors, attention is usually focused on the choice of dielectric and surface chemical treatments prior to oxide deposition. In this work, we examined the influence of the III-V material surface cleaning and the semiconductor growth technique on the electrical properties of metal/Al2O3/In0.53Ga0.47As capacitors grown on InP(100) substrates. By means of the capacitance-voltage measurements, we demonstrated that samples do not have the same total oxide charge density depending on the cleaning solution used [(NH4)2S or NH4OH] prior to oxide deposition. The determination of the interface trap density revealed that a Fermi-level pinning occurs for samples grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition but not for similar samples grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Deep level transient spectroscopy analysis explained the Fermi-level pinning by an additional signal for samples grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition, attributed to the tunneling effect of carriers trapped in oxide toward interface states. This work emphasizes that the choice of appropriate oxide and cleaning treatment is not enough to prevent a Fermi-level pinning in III-V metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors. The semiconductor growth technique needs to be taken into account because it impacts the trapping properties of the oxide.

The Unusual Colour of Copper Deposited on a Graphite Electrode in an Aqueous Solution of CuSO[subscript 4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petrusevski, Vladimir M.; Stojanovska, Marina

2010-01-01

The colour of the copper layer deposited on a graphite electrode during electrolysis of an aqueous solution of copper(II) sulfate looks whitish-grey when inspected in situ. Taking the electrode out of the solution reveals the familiar orange-red colour of deposited copper. The explanation is found in terms of the almost ideal complementary colours…

Electrochemical deposition of silver in room-temperature ionic liquids and its surface-enhanced Raman scattering effect.

PubMed

He, Ping; Liu, Hongtao; Li, Zhiying; Liu, Yang; Xu, Xiudong; Li, Jinghong

2004-11-09

The use of room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) as media for electrochemical application is very attractive. In this work, the electrochemical deposition of silver was investigated at a glassy carbon electrode in hydrophobic 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMIMPF6) and hydrophilic 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIMBF4) RTILs and in KNO3 aqueous solution by cyclic voltammetric and potentiostatic transient techniques. The voltammograms showed the presence of reduction and oxidation peaks associated with the deposition and dissolution of silver from AgBF4 in both BMIMPF6 and BMIMBF(4), resembling the redox behavior of AgNO3 in KNO3 aqueous solution. A crossover loop was observed in all the cyclic voltammograms of these electrochemical systems, indicating a nucleation process. From the analysis of the experimental current transients, it was shown that the electrochemical deposition process of silver in these media was characteristic of 3D nucleation with diffusion-controlled hemispherical growth, and the silver nucleation closely followed the response predicted for progressive nucleation in BMIMPF6 and instantaneous nucleation in KNO3 aqueous solution, respectively. Compared with these two cases, the electrochemical deposition of silver in BMIMBF4 deviated from both the instantaneous and progressive nucleation models, which could be controlled by mixed kinetics and diffusion. On the basis of the experimental results, it was shown that parameters such as viscosity and water miscibility of RTILs would affect the electrodeposition behavior of silver. Atom force microscopy was employed to probe the surface morphology of the silver deposit, and it showed that the shining electrodeposit of silver was fairly dense and separate nanoclusters of <100 nm were in evidence, corresponding to an island growth model. The strongly enhanced Raman scattering from the monolayer film of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid demonstrated that as-prepared silver nanoparticular film was surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) active. The enhancement factor was calculated to be up to 9.0 x 10(5) and 1.0 x 10(6) for the silver film obtained in BMIMPF6 and BMIMBF4 RTILs, respectively.

Fractionation of silver isotopes in native silver explained by redox reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathur, Ryan; Arribas, Antonio; Megaw, Peter; Wilson, Marc; Stroup, Steven; Meyer-Arrivillaga, Danilo; Arribas, Isabel

2018-03-01

Scant data exist on the silver isotope composition of native silver specimens because of the relative newness of the technique. This study increases the published dataset by an order of magnitude and presents 80 silver new isotope analyses from native silver originating from a diverse set of worldwide deposits (8 deposit types, 33 mining districts in five continents). The measured isotopic range (defined as δ109Ag/107Ag in per mil units compared to NIST 978 Ag isotope standard) is +2.1 to -0.86‰ (2σ errors less than 0.015); with no apparent systematic correlations to date with deposit type or even within districts. Importantly, the data centering on 0‰ all come from high temperature hypogene/primary deposits whereas flanking and overlapping data represent secondary supergene deposits. To investigate the causes for the more fractionated values, several laboratory experiments involving oxidation of silver from natural specimens of Ag-rich sulfides and precipitation and adsorption of silver onto reagent grade MnO2 and FeOOH were conducted. Simple leach experiments demonstrate little Ag isotope fractionation occurred through oxidation of Ag from native Ag (Δsolution-native109Ag = 0.12‰). In contrast, significant fractionation occurred through precipitation of native Ag onto MnO2 (up to Δsolution-MnO2109Ag = 0.68‰, or 0.3amu). Adsorption of silver onto the MnO2 and FeOOH did not produce as large fractionation as precipitation (mean value of Δsolution-MnO2109Ag = 0.10‰). The most likely cause for the isotopic variations seen relates to redox effects such as the reduction of silver from Ag (I) to Ag° that occurs during precipitation onto the mineral surface. Since many Ag deposits have halos dominated by MnO2 and FeOOH phases, potential may exist for the silver isotope composition of ores and surrounding geochemical haloes to be used to better understand ore genesis and potential exploration applications. Aside from the Mn oxides, surface fluid silver isotope compositions might provide information about geochemical reactions relevant to both environmental and hydrometallurgical applications.

Biochemical component identification by plasmonic improved whispering gallery mode optical resonance based sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saetchnikov, Vladimir A.; Tcherniavskaia, Elina A.; Saetchnikov, Anton V.; Schweiger, Gustav; Ostendorf, Andreas

2014-05-01

Experimental data on detection and identification of variety of biochemical agents, such as proteins, microelements, antibiotic of different generation etc. in both single and multi component solutions under varied in wide range concentration analyzed on the light scattering parameters of whispering gallery mode optical resonance based sensor are represented. Multiplexing on parameters and components has been realized using developed fluidic sensor cell with fixed in adhesive layer dielectric microspheres and data processing. Biochemical component identification has been performed by developed network analysis techniques. Developed approach is demonstrated to be applicable both for single agent and for multi component biochemical analysis. Novel technique based on optical resonance on microring structures, plasmon resonance and identification tools has been developed. To improve a sensitivity of microring structures microspheres fixed by adhesive had been treated previously by gold nanoparticle solution. Another technique used thin film gold layers deposited on the substrate below adhesive. Both biomolecule and nanoparticle injections caused considerable changes of optical resonance spectra. Plasmonic gold layers under optimized thickness also improve parameters of optical resonance spectra. Biochemical component identification has been also performed by developed network analysis techniques both for single and for multi component solution. So advantages of plasmon enhancing optical microcavity resonance with multiparameter identification tools is used for development of a new platform for ultra sensitive label-free biomedical sensor.

Corrosion of 85-5-5-5 bronze in natural and synthetic acid rain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morselli, L.; Bernardi, E.; Chiavari, C.; Brunoro, G.

In order to investigate the decay of bronzes exposed to acid wet depositions, a comparative study has been performed by following the corrosion behaviour of different sets of bronze specimens exposed either to natural rain or to a similar solution, without organic compounds, artificially reproduced in laboratory. The as cast G85 bronze specimens were exposed to aggressive solutions for different periods through a wet-dry technique. The pH trend of the solutions and the amount of metals transferred into the solutions were periodically monitored. OM, SEM, XRD, RAMAN analyses and ac electrochemical measurements were performed on the artificially weathered specimens. Preliminary results, showing the difference between the ageing in natural and synthetic rain, suggest the influence of the organic components on the corrosion process. In particular, the growth of a more uniform protective layer of corrosion products on the metal surface exposed to the natural rain could be attributed to these components.

Effect of pH of spray solution on the electrical properties of cadmium oxide thin films

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

Hodlur, R. M.; Gunnagol, Raghu M.; Rabinal, M. K., E-mail: mkrabinal@yahoo.com

2015-06-24

Highly conducting transparent cadmium oxide thin films were prepared by conventional spray pyrolysis technique on glass at 375 °C substrate temperature. The pH of the spray solution was varied by adding ammonia/hydrochloric acid in the spray solution. The XRD pattern showed cubic phase. A lowest resistivity of 9.9 × 10{sup −4} Ω cm (with carrier concentration (n) = 5.1 × 10{sup 20} cm{sup −3}, mobility (µ)=12.4 cm{sup 2}/Vs) is observed for pH ∼12. The resistivity is tuned almost by three orders of magnitude by controlling the bath pH with optical transmittance more than 70 %. Thus, without any doping, the electricalmore » conductivity of CdO films could be easily tuned by simply varying the pH of spray solution without compromising the transparency and keeping the other deposition parameters fixed.« less

Simple and effective graphene laser processing for neuron patterning application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorenzoni, Matteo; Brandi, Fernando; Dante, Silvia; Giugni, Andrea; Torre, Bruno

2013-06-01

A straightforward fabrication technique to obtain patterned substrates promoting ordered neuron growth is presented. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) single layer graphene (SLG) was machined by means of single pulse UV laser ablation technique at the lowest effective laser fluence in order to minimize laser damage effects. Patterned substrates were then coated with poly-D-lysine by means of a simple immersion in solution. Primary embryonic hippocampal neurons were cultured on our substrate, demonstrating an ordered interconnected neuron pattern mimicking the pattern design. Surprisingly, the functionalization is more effective on the SLG, resulting in notably higher alignment for neuron adhesion and growth. Therefore the proposed technique should be considered a valuable candidate to realize a new generation of highly specialized biosensors.

Simple and effective graphene laser processing for neuron patterning application

PubMed Central

Lorenzoni, Matteo; Brandi, Fernando; Dante, Silvia; Giugni, Andrea; Torre, Bruno

2013-01-01

A straightforward fabrication technique to obtain patterned substrates promoting ordered neuron growth is presented. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) single layer graphene (SLG) was machined by means of single pulse UV laser ablation technique at the lowest effective laser fluence in order to minimize laser damage effects. Patterned substrates were then coated with poly-D-lysine by means of a simple immersion in solution. Primary embryonic hippocampal neurons were cultured on our substrate, demonstrating an ordered interconnected neuron pattern mimicking the pattern design. Surprisingly, the functionalization is more effective on the SLG, resulting in notably higher alignment for neuron adhesion and growth. Therefore the proposed technique should be considered a valuable candidate to realize a new generation of highly specialized biosensors. PMID:23739674

Mixed mosaic membranes prepared by layer-by-layer assembly for ionic separations.

PubMed

Rajesh, Sahadevan; Yan, Yu; Chang, Hsueh-Chia; Gao, Haifeng; Phillip, William A

2014-12-23

Charge mosaic membranes, which possess distinct cationic and anionic domains that traverse the membrane thickness, are capable of selectively separating dissolved salts from similarly sized neutral solutes. Here, the generation of charge mosaic membranes using facile layer-by-layer assembly methodologies is reported. Polymeric nanotubes with pore walls lined by positively charged polyethylenimine moieties or negatively charged poly(styrenesulfonate) moieties were prepared via layer-by-layer assembly using track-etched membranes as sacrificial templates. Subsequently, both types of nanotubes were deposited on a porous support in order to produce mixed mosaic membranes. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrates that the facile deposition techniques implemented result in nanotubes that are vertically aligned without overlap between adjacent elements. Furthermore, the nanotubes span the thickness of the mixed mosaic membranes. The effects of this unique nanostructure are reflected in the transport characteristics of the mixed mosaic membranes. The hydraulic permeability of the mixed mosaic membranes in piezodialysis operations was 8 L m(-2) h(-1) bar(-1). Importantly, solute rejection experiments demonstrate that the mixed mosaic membranes are more permeable to ionic solutes than similarly sized neutral molecules. In particular, negative rejection of sodium chloride is observed (i.e., the concentration of NaCl in the solution that permeates through a mixed mosaic membrane is higher than in the initial feed solution). These properties illustrate the ability of mixed mosaic membranes to permeate dissolved ions selectively without violating electroneutrality and suggest their utility in ionic separations.

The thermodynamics of latent fingerprint corrosion of metal elements and alloys.

PubMed

Bond, John W

2008-11-01

Redox reactions taking place between the surface of a metal and fingerprint residue have been expressed thermodynamically in terms of both the Nernst equation for reduction potential and the complexation constant for the formation of complex metal halide ions in aqueous solution. These expressions are used to explain experimental results for the corrosion of 10 different metal elements by fingerprint residue in air at room temperature. Corrosion of noble metals, such as silver and gold, supports the proposition that the degree of metal corrosion is enhanced by the presence of chloride ions in eccrine sweat. Extending the experiments to include 10 metal alloys enabled the construction of a fingerprint corrosion series for 20 different metals. Fingerprint corrosion on metals alloyed with > approximately 40% copper was found to display third level fingerprint detail. A comparison of both conventional ink on paper and digital (Livescan) fingerprinting techniques with fingerprints deposited on 9 Karat gold alloy has shown that gold alloy depositions are least susceptible to third level detail obliteration by poor fingerprint capturing techniques.

Transparent CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}SnCl{sub 3}/Al-ZnO p-n heterojunction diode

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

Kumar, Sunil, E-mail: skbgudha@gmail.com; Ansari, Mohd Zubair; Khare, Neeraj

2016-05-23

A p-type Organic inorganic tin chloride (CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}SnCl{sub 3}) perovskite thin film has been synthesized by solution method. An n-type 1% Al doped ZnO (AZO) film has been deposited on FTO substrate by ultrasonic assisted chemical vapor deposition technique. A transparent CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}SnCl{sub 3}/AZO p-n heterojunction diode has been fabricated by spin coating technique. CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}SnCl{sub 3}/AZO p-n heterojunction shows 75% transparency in the visible region. I-V characteristic of CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}SnCl{sub 3}/AZO p-n heterojunction shows rectifying behavior of the diode. The diode parameters calculated as ideality factor η=2.754 and barrier height Φ= 0.76 eV. The resultmore » demonstrates the potentiality of CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}SnCl{sub 3}/AZO p-n heterojunction for transparent electronics.« less

Rapid deposition of triangular silver nanoplates on planar surfaces: application to metal-enhanced fluorescence.

PubMed

Aslan, Kadir; Lakowicz, Joseph R; Geddes, Chris D

2005-04-07

A simple and rapid wet-chemical technique for the deposition of silver triangles on conventional glass substrates, which alleviates the need for lithography, has been developed. The technique is based on the seed-mediated cetyltrimethylammonium-bromide-directed growth of silver triangles on glass surfaces, where smaller spherical silver seeds that were attached to the surface were subsequently converted and grown into silver triangles in the presence of a cationic surfactant and silver ions. The size of the silver triangles was controlled by sequential immersion of silver seed-coated glass substrates into a growth solution and by the duration time of immersion. Atomic force microscopy studies revealed that the size of the silver triangles ranged between 100 and 500 nm. Interestingly, these new surfaces are a significant improvement over traditional silver island films for applications in metal-enhanced fluorescence. A routine 16-fold enhancement in emission intensity was typically observed, for protein-immobilized indocyanine green, with a relatively very low loading density of silver triangles on the glass surface.

Electrochemical characterisation and anodic stripping voltammetry at mesoporous platinum rotating disc electrodes.

PubMed

Lozano-Sanchez, Pablo; Elliott, Joanne M

2008-02-01

Using the technique of liquid crystal templating a rotating disc electrode (RDE) was modified with a high surface area mesoporous platinum film. The surface area of the electrode was characterised by acid voltammetry, and found to be very high (ca. 86 cm(2)). Acid characterisation of the electrode produced distorted voltammograms was interpreted as being due to the extremely large surface area which produced a combination of effects such as localised pH change within the pore environment and also ohmic drop effects. Acid voltammetry in the presence of two different types of surfactant, namely Tween 20 and Triton X-100, suggested antifouling properties associated with the mesoporous deposit. Further analysis of the modified electrode using a redox couple in solution showed typical RDE behaviour although extra capacitive currents were observed due to the large surface area of the electrode. The phenomenon of underpotential deposition was exploited for the purpose of anodic stripping voltammetry and results were compared with data collected for microelectrodes. Underpotential deposition of metal ions at the mesoporous RDE was found to be similar to that at conventional platinum electrodes and mesoporous microelectrodes although the rate of surface coverage was found to be slower at a mesoporous RDE. It was found that a mesoporous RDE forms a suitable system for quantification of silver ions in solution.

Amorphous Metal Oxide Thin Films from Aqueous Precursors: New Routes to High-kappa Dielectrics, Impact of Annealing Atmosphere Humidity, and Elucidation of Non-Uniform Composition Profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woods, Keenan N.

Metal oxide thin films serve as critical components in many modern technologies, including microelectronic devices. Industrial state-of-the-art production utilizes vapor-phase techniques to make high-quality (dense, smooth, uniform) thin film materials. However, vapor-phase techniques require large energy inputs and expensive equipment and precursors. Solution-phase routes to metal oxides have attracted great interest as cost-effective alternatives to vapor-phase methods and also offer the potential of large-area coverage, facile control of metal composition, and low-temperature processing. Solution deposition has previously been dominated by sol-gel routes, which utilize organic ligands, additives, and/or solvents. However, sol-gel films are often porous and contain residual carbon impurities, which can negatively impact device properties. All-inorganic aqueous routes produce dense, ultrasmooth films without carbon impurities, but the mechanisms involved in converting aqueous precursors to metal oxides are virtually unexplored. Understanding these mechanisms and the parameters that influence them is critical for widespread use of aqueous approaches to prepare microelectronic components. Additionally, understanding (and controlling) density and composition inhomogeneities is important for optimizing electronic properties. An overview of deposition approaches and the challenges facing aqueous routes are presented in Chapter I. A summary of thin film characterization techniques central to this work is given in Chapter II. This dissertation contributes to the field of solution-phase deposition by focusing on three areas. First, an all-inorganic aqueous route to high-kappa metal oxide dielectrics is developed for two ternary systems. Chapters III and IV detail the film formation chemistry and film properties of lanthanum zirconium oxide (LZO) and zirconium aluminum oxide (ZAO), respectively. The functionality of these dielectrics as device components is also demonstrated. Second, the impact of steam annealing on the evolution of aqueous-derived films is reported. Chapter V demonstrates that steam annealing lowers processing temperatures by effectively reducing residual counterion content, improving film stability with respect to water absorption, and enhancing dielectric properties of LZO films. Third, density and composition inhomogeneities in aqueous-derived films are investigated. Chapters VI and VII examine density inhomogeneities in single- and multi-metal component thin films, respectively, and show that these density inhomogeneities are related to inhomogeneous metal component distributions. This dissertation includes previously published coauthored material.

Selected translations of the Russian literature on the electrogeochemical sampling technique called CHIM (chastichnoe izvlechennye metallov)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bloomstein, Edward I.; Bloomstein, Eleana; Hoover, D.B.; Smith, D.B.

1990-01-01

As part of our research into new methods for the assessment of mineral deposits, the U.S. Geological Survey has recently begun investigation of the CHIM method. As part of our studies, translation of a Russian manual on the CHIM methodology and eight articles from the Russian literature were transit ted to provide background for our own research. The translations were done by Earth Science Translation Services of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and are presented as received, without editing on our part. Below is a bibliography of the translated articles.For approximately the past 20 years Russian geoscientists have been applying an electrogeochemical sampling technique given the Russian acronym CHIM, derived from Chastichnoe Izvlechennye Metallov which translates as "partial extraction of metals". In this technique a direct current is introduced into the earth through collector electrodes similar to "porous pots" used in electrical geophysical applications. The solution in the cathode is dilute nitric acid, and current is passed through the cathode for times ranging from 6 hours to 48 hours or more. Electrical connections to the nitric acid are made through an inner conductor that is typically spectroscopically pure graphite. At the cathode, mobile cations collect on the graphite or in the nitric acid solution, both of which serve as the geochemical sampling media. These media are then analyzed by appropriate methods for the ions of interest. In most applications of the CHIM method only mobile cations are sampled, although Russian literature does refer to collection of anions as well. More recently the CHIM method has been applied by the Peoples Republic of China and the Indian Geological Survey.The literature indicates that the method has advantages over other geochemical sampling techniques by providing increased sensitivity to the metals being searched for, especially where deposits are covered by substantial overburden. In some cases success has been claimed with overburden in excess of 500 meters. The technique appears to have been applied principally to exploration for base- and precious-metal deposits, but does not appear to be limited to these. References are made in the literature to its application in the search for nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, uranium, tin, REE, tungsten, berylium, and oil and gas.

Explosive Contamination from Substrate Surfaces: Differences and Similarities in Contamination Techniques Using RDX and C-4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, C. J.; Yoder, T. S.

2010-06-01

Explosive trace detection equipment has been deployed to airports for more than a decade. During this time, the need for standardized procedures and calibrated trace amounts for ensuring that the systems are operating properly and detecting the correct explosive has been apparent but a standard representative of a fingerprint has been elusive. Standards are also necessary to evaluate instrumentation in the laboratories during development and prior to deployment to determine sample throughput, probability of detection, false positive/negative rates, ease of use by operator, mechanical and/or software problems that may be encountered, and other pertinent parameters that would result in the equipment being unusable during field operations. Since many laboratories do not have access to nor are allowed to handle explosives, the equipment is tested using techniques aimed at simulating the actual explosives fingerprint. This laboratory study focused on examining the similarities and differences in three different surface contamination techniques that are used to performance test explosive trace detection equipment in an attempt to determine how effective the techniques are at replicating actual field samples and to offer scenarios where each contamination technique is applicable. The three techniques used were dry transfer deposition of standard solutions using the Transportation Security Laboratory’s (TSL) patented dry transfer techniques (US patent 6470730), direct deposition of explosive standards onto substrates, and fingerprinting of actual explosives onto substrates. RDX was deposited on the surface of one of five substrates using one of the three different deposition techniques. The process was repeated for each substrate type using each contamination technique. The substrate types used were: 50% cotton/50% polyester as found in T-shirts, 100% cotton with a smooth surface such as that found in a cotton dress shirt, 100% cotton on a rough surface such as that found on canvas or denim, suede leather such as might be found on jackets, purses, or shoes, and painted metal obtained from a car hood at a junk yard. The samples were not pre-cleaned prior to testing and contained sizing agents, and in the case of the metal, oil and dirt. The substrates were photographed using a Zeiss Discover V12 stereoscope with Axiocam ICc1 3 megapixel digital camera to determine the difference in the crystalline structure and surface contamination in an attempt to determine differences and similarities associated with current contamination deposition techniques. Some samples were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and some were extracted and analyzed with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or gas chromatography with an electron capture detector (GC-ECD) to quantify the data.

Influence of Water on Chemical Vapor Deposition of Ni and Co thin films from ethanol solutions of acetylacetonate precursors

PubMed Central

Weiss, Theodor; Zielasek, Volkmar; Bäumer, Marcus

2015-01-01

In chemical vapor deposition experiments with pulsed spray evaporation (PSE-CVD) of liquid solutions of Ni and Co acetylacetonate in ethanol as precursors, the influence of water in the feedstock on the composition and growth kinetics of deposited Ni and Co metal films was systematically studied. Varying the water concentration in the precursor solutions, beneficial as well as detrimental effects of water on the metal film growth, strongly depending on the concentration of water and the β-diketonate in the precursor, were identified. For 2.5 mM Ni(acac)2 precursor solutions, addition of 0.5 vol% water improves growth of a metallic Ni film and reduces carbon contamination, while addition of 1.0 vol% water and more leads to significant oxidation of deposited Ni. By tuning the concentration of both, Ni(acac)2 and water in the precursor solution, the fraction of Ni metal and Ni oxide in the film or the film morphology can be adjusted. In the case of Co(acac)2, even smallest amounts of water promote complete oxidation of the deposited film. All deposited films were analyzed with respect to chemical composition quasi in situ by XPS, their morphology was evaluated after deposition by SEM. PMID:26658547

Characterization of the surface physico-chemistry of plasticized PVC used in blood bag and infusion tubing.

PubMed

Al Salloum, H; Saunier, J; Dazzi, A; Vigneron, J; Etcheberry, A; Marlière, C; Aymes-Chodur, C; Herry, J M; Bernard, M; Jubeli, E; Yagoubi, N

2017-06-01

Commercial infusion tubing and blood storage devices (tubing, blood and platelets bags) made of plasticized PVC were analyzed by spectroscopic, chromatographic and microscopic techniques in order to identify and quantify the additives added to the polymer (lubricants, thermal stabilizers, plasticizers) and to put into evidence their blooming onto the surface of the devices. For all the samples, deposits were observed on the surface but with different kinds of morphologies. Ethylene bis amide lubricant and metallic stearate stabilizers were implicated in the formation of these layers. In contact with aqueous media, these insoluble deposits were damaged, suggesting a possible particulate contamination of the infused solutions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of the supersaturation on the nucleation-growth process of scale electrodeposition by in situ observation through a transparent quartz crystal microbalance.

PubMed

Devos, O; Gabrielli, C; Tribollet, B

2004-01-01

An original technique allowed three in situ measurements to be obtained simultaneously, i.e. electrochemical and mass measurements and a microscope image of the interface between electrode and solution. The nucleation-growth process of CaCO3 deposition was investigated by varying different parameters which influenced the supersaturation coefficient, the Ca2+ concentration, pH and convection of the carbonically pure water near the substrate. The results showed that the variation of the scaling rate was due, for the two first cases, to an influence of the nucleation process whereas for the last case, the kinetics of scale deposition were modified by a shift of the growth rate.

Nickel as a catalyst for the electro-oxidation of methanol in alkaline medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdel Rahim, M. A.; Abdel Hameed, R. M.; Khalil, M. W.

The use of Ni as a catalyst for the electro-oxidation of methanol in alkaline medium was studied by cyclic voltammetry. It was found that only Ni dispersed on graphite shows a catalytic activity towards methanol oxidation but massive Ni does not. Ni was dispersed on graphite by the electro-deposition from acidic NiSO 4 solution using potentiostatic and galvanostatic techniques. The catalytic activity of the C/Ni electrodes towards methanol oxidation was found to vary with the amount of electro-deposited Ni. The dependence of the oxidation current on methanol concentration and scan rate was discussed. It was concluded from the electro-chemical measurements and SEM analysis that methanol oxidation starts as Ni-oxide is formed on the electrode surface.

Electrocatalysts by atomic layer deposition for fuel cell applications

DOE PAGES

Cheng, Niancai; Shao, Yuyan; Liu, Jun; ...

2016-01-22

Here, fuel cells are a promising technology solution for reliable and clean energy because they offer high energy conversion efficiency and low emission of pollutants. However, high cost and insufficient durability are considerable challenges for widespread adoption of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) in practical applications. Current PEMFCs catalysts have been identified as major contributors to both the high cost and limited durability. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is emerging as a powerful technique for solving these problems due to its exclusive advantages over other methods. In this review, we summarize recent developments of ALD in PEMFCs with a focusmore » on design of materials for improved catalyst activity and durability. New research directions and future trends have also been discussed.« less

Superhydrophobic Ceramic Coatings by Solution Precursor Plasma Spray

PubMed Central

Cai, Yuxuan; Coyle, Thomas W.; Azimi, Gisele; Mostaghimi, Javad

2016-01-01

This work presents a novel coating technique to manufacture ceramic superhydrophobic coatings rapidly and economically. A rare earth oxide (REO) was selected as the coating material due to its hydrophobic nature, chemical inertness, high temperature stability, and good mechanical properties, and deposited on stainless steel substrates by solution precursor plasma spray (SPPS). The effects of various spraying conditions including standoff distance, torch power, number of torch passes, types of solvent and plasma velocity were investigated. The as-sprayed coating demonstrated a hierarchically structured surface topography, which closely resembles superhydrophobic surfaces found in nature. The water contact angle on the SPPS superhydrophobic coating was up to 65% higher than on smooth REO surfaces. PMID:27091306

Gold particle formation via photoenhanced deposition on lithium niobate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaniewski, A. M.; Meeks, V.; Nemanich, R. J.

2017-05-01

In this work, we report on a technique to reduce gold chloride into sub-micron particles and nanoparticles. We use photoelectron transfer from periodically polarized lithium niobate (PPLN) illuminated with above band gap light to drive the surface reactions required for the reduction and particle formation. The particle sizes and distributions on the PPLN surface are sensitive to the solution concentration, with inhibited nucleation and large particles (>150 nm) for both low (2E-8M to 9E-7M) and high (1E-5M to 1E-3M) concentrations of gold chloride. At midrange values of the concentration, nucleation is more frequent, resulting in smaller sized particles (<150 nm). We compare the deposition process to that for silver, which has been previously studied. We find that the reduction of gold chloride into nanoparticles is inhibited compared to silver ion reduction, due to the multi-step reaction required for gold particle formation. This also has consequences for the resulting deposition patterns: while silver deposits into nanowires along boundaries between areas with opposite signed polarizations, such patterning of the deposition is not observed for gold, for a wide range of concentrations studied (2E-8 to 1E-3M).

Study of titania nanorod films deposited by matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation as a function of laser fluence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caricato, A. P.; Belviso, M. R.; Catalano, M.; Cesaria, M.; Cozzoli, P. D.; Luches, A.; Manera, M. G.; Martino, M.; Rella, R.; Taurino, A.

2011-11-01

Chemically synthesized brookite titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanorods with average diameter and length dimensions of 3-4 nm and 35-50 nm, respectively, were deposited by the matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation technique. A toluene nanorod solution was frozen at the liquid-nitrogen temperature and irradiated with a KrF excimer laser ( λ=248 nm, τ=20 ns) at the repetition rate of 10 Hz, at different fluences (25 to 350 mJ/cm2). The deposited films were structurally characterized by high-resolution scanning and transmission electron microscopy. <100> single-crystal Si wafers and carbon-coated Cu grids were used as substrates. Structural analyses evidenced the occurrence of brookite-phase crystalline nanospheres coexisting with individually distinguishable TiO2 nanorods in the films deposited at fluences varying from 50 to 350 mJ/cm2. Nanostructured TiO2 films comprising only nanorods were deposited by lowering the laser fluence to 25 mJ/cm2. The observed shape and phase transitions of the nanorods are discussed taking into account the laser-induced heating effects, reduced melting temperature and size-dependent thermodynamic stability of nanoscale TiO2.

Buffer layers on metal surfaces having biaxial texture as superconductor substrates

DOEpatents

Paranthaman, Mariappan; Lee, Dominic F.; Kroeger, Donald M.; Goyal, Amit

2000-01-01

Buffer layer architectures are epitaxially deposited on biaxially-textured rolled substrates of nickel and/or copper and their alloys for high current conductors, and more particularly buffer layer architectures such as Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Ni, YSZ/Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Ni, RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Ni, (RE=Rare Earth), RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Ni, RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /CeO.sub.2 /Ni, and RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /YSZ/CeO.sub.2 /Ni, Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Cu, YSZ/Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Cu, RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Cu, RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Cu, RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /CeO.sub.2 /Cu, and RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /YSZ/CeO.sub.2 /Cu. Deposition methods include physical vapor deposition techniques which include electron-beam evaporation, rf magnetron sputtering, pulsed laser deposition, thermal evaporation, and solution precursor approaches, which include chemical vapor deposition, combustion CVD, metal-organic decomposition, sol-gel processing, and plasma spray.

A study on the structural and mechanical properties of nanocrystalline CuS thin films grown by chemical bath deposition technique

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

Mukherjee, Nillohit; Sinha, Arijit; Khan, Gobinda Gopal

2011-01-15

We report a chemical route for the deposition of nanocrystalline thin films of CuS, using aqueous solutions of Cu(CH{sub 3}COO){sub 2}, SC(NH{sub 2}){sub 2} and N(CH{sub 2}CH{sub 2}OH){sub 3} [triethanolamine, i.e. TEA] in proper concentrations and ratios. The films were structurally characterized using X-ray diffraction technique (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and optical analysis [both photo luminescence (PL) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis)]. Optical studies showed a large blue shift in the band gap energy of the films due to quantum confinement effect exerted by the nanocrystals. From both XRD and FESEM analyses, formation of CuS nanocrystals with sizes withinmore » 10-15 nm was evident. A study on the mechanical properties was carried out using nanoindentation and nanoscratch techniques, which showed good mechanical stability and high adherence of the films with the bottom substrate. Such study on the mechanical properties of the CuS thin films is being reported here for the first time. Current-voltage (I-V) measurements were also carried out for the films, which showed p-type conductivity.« less

Quantifying charge carrier concentration in ZnO thin films by Scanning Kelvin Probe Microscopy

PubMed Central

Maragliano, C.; Lilliu, S.; Dahlem, M. S.; Chiesa, M.; Souier, T.; Stefancich, M.

2014-01-01

In the last years there has been a renewed interest for zinc oxide semiconductor, mainly triggered by its prospects in optoelectronic applications. In particular, zinc oxide thin films are being widely used for photovoltaic applications, in which the determination of the electrical conductivity is of great importance. Being an intrinsically doped material, the quantification of its doping concentration has always been challenging. Here we show how to probe the charge carrier density of zinc oxide thin films by Scanning Kelvin Probe Microscopy, a technique that allows measuring the contact potential difference between the tip and the sample surface with high spatial resolution. A simple electronic energy model is used for correlating the contact potential difference with the doping concentration in the material. Limitations of this technique are discussed in details and some experimental solutions are proposed. Two-dimensional doping concentration images acquired on radio frequency-sputtered intrinsic zinc oxide thin films with different thickness and deposited under different conditions are reported. We show that results inferred with this technique are in accordance with carrier concentration expected for zinc oxide thin films deposited under different conditions and obtained from resistivity and mobility measurements. PMID:24569599

Ceramic membranes: The effects of deposition and drying conditions on membrane morphology and performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webster, Elizabeth T.

Sol-gel methods for fabricating ceramic membranes on porous supports include dip coating, evaporative drying, and sintering. The ceramic membranes of interest in the present research were prepared from aqueous sols of silica, titania, or iron oxide nano-particles which were deposited on porous alumina supports. Physisorption measurements indicate that the diameters of the pores in the resulting membranes are 20 A or smaller. Defect formation during fabrication is particularly problematic for ceramic membranes with pore diameters in the nanometer range. Solutions to these problems would greatly enhance the commercial potential of nano-filtration membranes for gas-phase separations. Cracks are debilitating defects which originate during the drying and firing phases of fabrication. As water evaporates during drying, the sol-gel film is subjected to large capillary forces. Unchecked, these tensile forces result in catastrophic cracking across the membrane. A novel technique called internal deposition can be employed to deposit the sol particles within the pores of the support rather than on its surface. Internal deposition obstructs the propagation of cracks, thereby reducing the impact of crack-type defects. A patent for demonstration of proof of concept of the internal deposition technique has been received. Experimental difficulties associated with the nonuniform morphology of the tubular alumina support hindered further development of the internal deposition protocol. The final phase of the research incorporated a support containing uniform capillaries (Anotec(TM) disks). Two-level factorial experiments were conducted to determine the effects of various deposition and drying conditions (viz., speed and method of deposition, surface charge, humidity, and drying rate) on membrane performance. Membrane performance was characterized in terms of the permeabilities of nitrogen and helium in the resulting membranes. The permeability and pressure data were incorporated in a transport model to characterize the mechanisms of fluid flow and the morphologies of the membranes. Electron microscopy was employed to evaluate membrane coverage and to identify defects in the membranes. The results of the factorial experiments indicate that membrane performance is strongly affected by humidity during deposition and drying. These results underscore the importance of controlling process humidity during fabrication of ceramic membranes.

A facile synthesis of α-MnO2 used as a supercapacitor electrode material: The influence of the Mn-based precursor solutions on the electrochemical performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wenyao; Xu, Jiani; Pan, Yishuang; An, Lei; Xu, Kaibing; Wang, Guangjin; Yu, Zhishui; Yu, Li; Hu, Junqing

2015-12-01

Three types of α-MnO2 nanomaterials are synthesized in different Mn-based precursor solutions by using a facile electrochemical deposition at the same depositional condition. The relationships between the precursor solutions and corresponding MnO2 nanomaterials' morphology as well as the electrochemical performance have been studied. As an electrode, electrochemical measurements show that the MnO2 deposited in MnCl2 precursor solution (MnO2-P3) exhibits an enhanced specific capacitance (318.9 F g-1 at 2 mV s-1). Moreover, this electrode demonstrates a good rate capability with 44% retention, which is higher than the MnO2-P1 deposited with Mn(CH3COOH)2 solution and the MnO2-P2 deposited with Mn(NO3)2 precursor solution. Besides, the specific capacitance of the MnO2-P3 electrode nearly has 98.2% retention after 2000 cycles, showing good long-term cycle stability. These findings show that the MnO2-P3 is a promising electrode material for supercapacitors.

Electrochemical synthesis of one-dimensional ZnO nanostructures on ZnO seed layer for DSSC applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marimuthu, T.; Anandhan, N.; Thangamuthu, R.

2018-01-01

Electrochemical deposition of vertically aligned zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods were prepared on ZnO seeded fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate in the solutions consisting of different concentrations of hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA). The electrochemical, structural, morphological, vibrational and optical properties were characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, respectively. CV curves confirm that metallic zinc phase is not deposited as the HMTA concentration is about 9 mM in a deposition solution. XRD patterns of the as-prepared films show that the increasing HMTA concentrations from 0 mM to 9 mM not only increase the formation of zinc hydrate chloride (Zn5(OH)8Cl2·H2O) but also decrease and finally disappear the metallic Zn deposition. After the as-prepared films annealed at 450 ° C, the crystalline phases of Zn and Zn5(OH)8Cl2·H2O are completely converted to ZnO hexagonal wurtzite phase with high intense growth (002) plane orientation. SEM images support that the vertical growth of ZnO nanostructures (nanorods and petals) with a few flowers is found to be in the cordillera structure as the films are deposited in the solutions consisting of 3 mM, 6 mM and 9 mM HMTA respectively. Raman and PL spectra confirm that the ZnO film deposited in the solution consisting of 9 mM HMTA has a higher crystalline nature with lesser atomic defects and is also higher c-axis growth than that of other films deposited in the solutions consisting of 0 mM, 3 mM and 6 mM, respectively. UV-vis absorbance spectra corroborate that the ZnO film deposited in the solution consisting of 9 mM HMTA shows a high dye absorbance as compared with other films. The efficiency of DSSCs based on ZnO photoanodes deposited in the solutions consisting of 0 mM and 9 mM HMTA was 1.79 and 3.75%, respectively. Electrochemical impedance spectra revealed that DSSC based on ZnO photoanode deposited in the solution consisting of 9 mM HMTA has a higher charge recombination resistance (Rrec) than that of another DSSC.

Porous media grain size distribution and hydrodynamic forces effects on transport and deposition of suspended particles.

PubMed

Ahfir, Nasre-Dine; Hammadi, Ahmed; Alem, Abdellah; Wang, HuaQing; Le Bras, Gilbert; Ouahbi, Tariq

2017-03-01

The effects of porous media grain size distribution on the transport and deposition of polydisperse suspended particles under different flow velocities were investigated. Selected Kaolinite particles (2-30μm) and Fluorescein (dissolved tracer) were injected in the porous media by step input injection technique. Three sands filled columns were used: Fine sand, Coarse sand, and a third sand (Mixture) obtained by mixing the two last sands in equal weight proportion. The porous media performance on the particle removal was evaluated by analysing particles breakthrough curves, hydro-dispersive parameters determined using the analytical solution of convection-dispersion equation with a first order deposition kinetics, particles deposition profiles, and particle-size distribution of the recovered and the deposited particles. The deposition kinetics and the longitudinal hydrodynamic dispersion coefficients are controlled by the porous media grain size distribution. Mixture sand is more dispersive than Fine and Coarse sands. More the uniformity coefficient of the porous medium is large, higher is the filtration efficiency. At low velocities, porous media capture all sizes of suspended particles injected with larger ones mainly captured at the entrance. A high flow velocity carries the particles deeper into the porous media, producing more gradual changes in the deposition profile. The median diameter of the deposited particles at different depth increases with flow velocity. The large grain size distribution leads to build narrow pores enhancing the deposition of the particles by straining. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Spatial Distributions of Potassium, Solutes, and Their Deposition Rates in the Growth Zone of the Primary Corn Root 1

PubMed Central

Silk, Wendy Kuhn; Hsiao, Theodore C.; Diedenhofen, Ulrike; Matson, Christina

1986-01-01

Densities of osmoticum and potassium were measured as a function of distance from the tip of the primary root of Zea mays L. (cv WF9 × mo17). Millimeter segments were excised and analyzed for osmotic potential by a miniaturized freezing point depression technique, and for potassium by flame spectrophotometry. Local deposition rates were estimated from the continuity equation with values for density and growth velocity. Osmotic potential was uniform, −0.73 ± 0.05 megapascals, throughout the growth zone of well-watered roots. Osmoticum deposition rate was 260 μosmoles per gram fresh weight per hour. Potassium density fell from 117 micromoles per gram in the first mm region to 48 micromoles per gram at the base of the growth zone. Potassium deposition rates had a maximum of 29 micromoles per gram per hour at 3.5 millimeters from the tip and were positive (i.e. potassium was being added to the tissue) until 8 millimeters from the tip. The results are discussed in terms of ion relations of the growing zone and growth physics. PMID:16665121

Engendering Long-Term Air and Light Stability of a TiO2-Supported Porphyrinic Dye via Atomic Layer Deposition.

PubMed

Hoffeditz, William L; Son, Ho-Jin; Pellin, Michael J; Farha, Omar K; Hupp, Joseph T

2016-12-21

Organic and porphyrin-based chromophores are prevalent in liquid-junction photovoltaic and photocatalytic solar-cell chemistry; however, their long-term air and light instability may limit their practicality in real world technologies. Here, we describe the protection of a zinc porphyrin dye, adsorbed on nanoparticulate TiO 2 , from air and light degradation by a protective coating of alumina grown with a previously developed post-treatment atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. The protective Al 2 O 3 ALD layer is deposited using dimethylaluminum isopropoxide as an Al source; in contrast to the ubiquitous ALD precursor trimethylaluminum, dimethylaluminum isopropoxide does not degrade the zinc porphyrin dye, as confirmed by UV-vis measurements. The growth of this protective ALD layer around the dye can be monitored by an in-reactor quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). Furthermore, greater than 80% of porphyrin light absorption is retained over ∼1 month of exposure to air and light when the protective coating is present, whereas almost complete loss of porphyrin absorption is observed in less than 2 days in the absence of the ALD protective layer. Applying the Al 2 O 3 post-treatment technique to the TiO 2 -adsorbed dye allows the dye to remain in electronic contact with both the semiconductor surface and a surrounding electrolyte solution, the combination of which makes this technique promising for numerous other electrochemical photovoltaic and photocatalytic applications, especially those involving the dye-sensitized evolution of oxygen.

Solid-solution CrCoCuFeNi high-entropy alloy thin films synthesized by sputter deposition

DOE PAGES

An, Zhinan; Jia, Haoling; Wu, Yueying; ...

2015-05-04

The concept of high configurational entropy requires that the high-entropy alloys (HEAs) yield single-phase solid solutions. However, phase separations are quite common in bulk HEAs. A five-element alloy, CrCoCuFeNi, was deposited via radio frequency magnetron sputtering and confirmed to be a single-phase solid solution through the high-energy synchrotron X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, wavelength-dispersive spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The formation of the solid-solution phase is presumed to be due to the high cooling rate of the sputter-deposition process.

Bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells sandwiched by solution processed molybdenum oxide and titania nanosheet layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Itoh, Eiji; Goto, Yoshinori; Fukuda, Katsutoshi

2014-02-01

The contributions of ultrathin titania nanosheet (TN) crystallites were studied in both an inverted bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) cell in an indium-tin oxide (ITO)/titania nanosheet (TN)/poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT):phenyl-C61-butyric acid methylester (PCBM) active layer/MoOx/Ag multilayered photovoltaic device and a conventional BHJ cell in ITO/MoOx/P3HT:PCBM active layer/TN/Al multilayered photovoltaic device. The insertion of only one or two layers of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) and TN multilayered film prepared by the layer-by-layer deposition technique effectively decreased the leakage current and increased the open circuit voltage (VOC), fill factor (FF), and power conversion efficiency (η). The conventional cell sandwiched between a solution-processed, partially crystallized molybdenum oxide hole-extracting buffer layer and a TN electron extracting buffer layer showed comparable cell performance to a device sandwiched between vacuum-deposited molybdenum oxide and TN layers, whereas the inverted cell with solution-processed molybdenum oxide showed a poorer performance probably owing to the increment in the leakage current across the film. The abnormal S-shaped curves observed in the inverted BHJ cell above VOC disappeared with the use of a polyfluorene-based cationic semiconducting polymer as a substitute for an insulating PDDA film, resulting in the improved cell performance.

Plasmonic improvement of microcavity biomedical sensor spectroscopic characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saetchnikov, Vladimir A.; Tcherniavskaia, Elina A.; Saetchnikov, Anton V.; Schweiger, Gustav; Ostendorf, Andreas; Ghadiri, Reza

2014-03-01

New opportunity to improve a sensetivity of a label-free biomolecule detection in sensing systems based on microcavity evanescent wave optical sensors has been recently found and is being under intensive development. Novel technique based on combination of optical resonance on microring structures with plasmon resonance. Recently developed tools based on neural network data processing can realize real-time identification of biological agents. So combining advantages of plasmon enhancing optical microcavity resonance with identification tools can give a new platform for ulta sensitive label-free biomedical sensor. Our developed technique used standard glass and polymer microspheres as sensetive elements. They are fixed in the solution flow by adhesive layer on the surface being in the field of evanescence wave. Sensitive layer have been treated by gold nanoparticel (GN) solution. Another technique used thin film gold layers deposited on the substrate below adhesive. The light from a tuneable diode laser is coupled into the microsphere through a prism and was sharply focussed on the single microsphere. Images were recorded by CMOS camera. Normalized by free spectral range resonance shift of whispering gallery mode (WGM) and a relative efficiency of their excitation were used as input data for biomolecule classification. Both biomolecules and NP injection was obtained caused WGM spectra modification. But after NP treatment spectral shift and intensity of WGM resonances in biomolecule solutions increased. WGM resonances in microspheres fixed on substrate with gold layer with optimized layer thickness in biomolecule solutions also had higher intensity and spectra modification then without gold layer.

Titania Deposition on PMR-15

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meador, Mary B.; Sutter, James K.; Pizem, Hillel; Gershevitz, Olga; Goffer, Yossi; Frimer, Aryeh A.; Sukenik, Chaim N.; Sampathkumaran, Uma; Milhet, Xavier; McIlwain, Alan

2005-01-01

The formation, degree of crystallinity and adherence of dense titania (TiO2) thin film coatings on a high-temperature polyimide resin (PMR-15) can be influenced by the chemical composition of the polymer surface. Furthermore, solution deposition conditions can be adjusted to provide additional control over the morphology and crystallinity of the titania films. Recipes for solution-based titania deposition that used a slowly-hydrolyzing titanium fluoride salt in the presence of boric acid as a fluoride scavenger allowed growth of films up to 750 nm thick in 22 h. By adjusting solution pH and temperature, either amorphous titania or oriented crystalline anatase films could be formed. Surface sulfonate groups enhance the adhesion of solution-deposited oxide thin film coatings. While most sulfonation procedures severely damaged the PMR-15 surface, the use of chlorosulfonic acid followed by hydrolysis of the installed chlorosulfonyl groups provided effective surface sulfonation without significant surface damage. In some cases, the oxide deposition solution caused partial hydrolysis of the polymer surface, which itself was sufficient to allow adhesion of the titania film through chelation of titanium ions by exposed benzoic acid groups on the polymer surface.

Hydrazine-Free Solution-Deposited CuIn(S,Se)2 Solar Cells by Spray Deposition of Metal Chalcogenides.

PubMed

Arnou, Panagiota; van Hest, Maikel F A M; Cooper, Carl S; Malkov, Andrei V; Walls, John M; Bowers, Jake W

2016-05-18

Solution processing of semiconductors, such as CuInSe2 and its alloys (CIGS), can significantly reduce the manufacturing costs of thin film solar cells. Despite the recent success of solution deposition approaches for CIGS, toxic reagents such as hydrazine are usually involved, which introduce health and safety concerns. Here, we present a simple and safer methodology for the preparation of high-quality CuIn(S, Se)2 absorbers from metal sulfide solutions in a diamine/dithiol mixture. The solutions are sprayed in air, using a chromatography atomizer, followed by a postdeposition selenization step. Two different selenization methods are explored resulting in power conversion efficiencies of up to 8%.

Optimizing the Mass-Specific Activity of Bilirubin Oxidase Adlayers through Combined Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance and Dual Polarization Interferometry Analyses.

PubMed

McArdle, Trevor; McNamara, Thomas P; Fei, Fan; Singh, Kulveer; Blanford, Christopher F

2015-11-18

Two surface analysis techniques, dual polarization interferometry (DPI) and analysis by an electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation capability (E-QCM-D), were paired to find the deposition conditions that give the highest and most stable electrocatalytic activity per adsorbed mass of enzyme. Layers were formed by adsorption from buffered solutions of bilirubin oxidase from Myrothecium verrucaria at pH 6.0 to planar surfaces, under high enzyme loading (≥1 mg mL(-1)) for contact periods of up to 2 min. Both unmodified and carboxylate-functionalized gold-coated sensors showed that a deposition solution concentration of 10-25 mg mL(-1) gave the highest activity per mass of adsorbed enzyme with an effective catalytic rate constant (k(cat)) of about 60 s(-1). The densification of adsorbed layers observed by DPI correlated with reduced bioactivity observed by parallel E-QCM-D measurements. Postadsorption changes in thickness and density observed by DPI were incorporated into Kelvin-Voigt models of the QCM-D response. The modeled response matched experimental observations when the adlayer viscosity tripled after adsorption.

Spray pyrolysed Ru:TiO2 thin film electrodes prepared for electrochemical supercapacitor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fugare, B. Y.; Thakur, A. V.; Kore, R. M.; Lokhande, B. J.

2018-04-01

Ru doped TiO2 thin films are prepared by using 0.06 M aqueous solution of potassium titanium oxalate (pto), and 0.005 M aqueous solution of ruthenium tri chloride (RuCl3) precursors. The deposition was carried on stainless steel (SS) by using well known ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique (USPT) at 723° K by maintaining the spray rate 12 cc/min and compressed air flow rate 10 Lmin-1. Prepared Ru:TiO2 thin films were characterized by structurally, morphologically and electrochemically. Deposited RuO2 shows amorphous structure and TiO2 shows tetragonal crystal structure with rutile as prominent phase at very low decomposition temperature. SEM micrographs of RuO2 exhibits porous, interconnected, spherical grains type morphology and TiO2 shows porous, nanorods and nanoplates like morphology and also Ru doped TiO2 shows porous, spherical, granular and nanorods type morphology. The electrochemical cyclic voltammetery shows mixed capacitive behavior. The achieved highest value of specific capacitance 2692 F/g was Ru doped TiO2 electrode in 0.5 M H2SO4.

Radiation induced deposition of copper nanoparticles inside the nanochannels of poly(acrylic acid)-grafted poly(ethylene terephthalate) track-etched membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korolkov, Ilya V.; Güven, Olgun; Mashentseva, Anastassiya A.; Atıcı, Ayse Bakar; Gorin, Yevgeniy G.; Zdorovets, Maxim V.; Taltenov, Abzal A.

2017-01-01

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) PET, track-etched membranes (TeMs) with 400 nm average pore size were UV-grafted with poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) after oxidation of inner surfaces by H2O2/UV system. Carboxylate groups of grafted PAA chains were easily complexed with Cu2+ ions in aqueous solutions. These ions were converted into metallic copper nanoparticles (NPs) by radiation-induced reduction of copper ions in aqueous-alcohol solution by gamma rays in the dose range of 46-250 kGy. Copper ions chelating with -COOH groups of PAA chains grafted on PET TeMs form polymer-metal ion complex that prevent the formation of agglomerates during reduction of copper ions to metallic nanoparticles. The detailed analysis by X-Ray diffraction technique (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) confirmed the deposition of copper nanoparticles with the average size of 70 nm on the inner surface of nanochannels of PET TeMs. Samples were also investigated by FTIR, ESR spectroscopies to follow copper ion reduction.

Using Atomic Force Microscopy to Characterize the Conformational Properties of Proteins and Protein-DNA Complexes That Carry Out DNA Repair.

PubMed

LeBlanc, Sharonda; Wilkins, Hunter; Li, Zimeng; Kaur, Parminder; Wang, Hong; Erie, Dorothy A

2017-01-01

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a scanning probe technique that allows visualization of single biomolecules and complexes deposited on a surface with nanometer resolution. AFM is a powerful tool for characterizing protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions. It can be used to capture snapshots of protein-DNA solution dynamics, which in turn, enables the characterization of the conformational properties of transient protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions. With AFM, it is possible to determine the stoichiometries and binding affinities of protein-protein and protein-DNA associations, the specificity of proteins binding to specific sites on DNA, and the conformations of the complexes. We describe methods to prepare and deposit samples, including surface treatments for optimal depositions, and how to quantitatively analyze images. We also discuss a new electrostatic force imaging technique called DREEM, which allows the visualization of the path of DNA within proteins in protein-DNA complexes. Collectively, these methods facilitate the development of comprehensive models of DNA repair and provide a broader understanding of all protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid interactions. The structural details gleaned from analysis of AFM images coupled with biochemistry provide vital information toward establishing the structure-function relationships that govern DNA repair processes. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Optimization of cathodic arc deposition and pulsed plasma melting techniques for growing smooth superconducting Pb photoemissive films for SRF injectors

DOE PAGES

Nietubyc, Robert; Lorkiewicz, Jerzy; Sekutowicz, Jacek; ...

2018-02-14

Superconducting photoinjectors have a potential to be the optimal solution for moderate and high current cw operating free electron lasers. For this application, a superconducting lead (Pb) cathode has been proposed to simplify the cathode integration into a 1.3 GHz, TESLA-type, 1.6-cell long purely superconducting gun cavity. In the proposed design, a lead film several micrometres thick is deposited onto a niobium plug attached to the cavity back wall. Traditional lead deposition techniques usually produce very non-uniform emission surfaces and often result in a poor adhesion of the layer. A pulsed plasma melting procedure reducing the non-uniformity of the leadmore » photocathodes is presented. In order to determine the parameters optimal for this procedure, heat transfer from plasma to the film was first modelled to evaluate melting front penetration range and liquid state duration. The obtained results were verified by surface inspection of witness samples. The optimal procedure was used to prepare a photocathode plug, which was then tested in an electron gun. In conclusion, the quantum efficiency and the value of cavity quality factor have been found to satisfy the requirements for an injector of the European-XFEL facility.« less

Optimization of cathodic arc deposition and pulsed plasma melting techniques for growing smooth superconducting Pb photoemissive films for SRF injectors

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

Nietubyc, Robert; Lorkiewicz, Jerzy; Sekutowicz, Jacek

Superconducting photoinjectors have a potential to be the optimal solution for moderate and high current cw operating free electron lasers. For this application, a superconducting lead (Pb) cathode has been proposed to simplify the cathode integration into a 1.3 GHz, TESLA-type, 1.6-cell long purely superconducting gun cavity. In the proposed design, a lead film several micrometres thick is deposited onto a niobium plug attached to the cavity back wall. Traditional lead deposition techniques usually produce very non-uniform emission surfaces and often result in a poor adhesion of the layer. A pulsed plasma melting procedure reducing the non-uniformity of the leadmore » photocathodes is presented. In order to determine the parameters optimal for this procedure, heat transfer from plasma to the film was first modelled to evaluate melting front penetration range and liquid state duration. The obtained results were verified by surface inspection of witness samples. The optimal procedure was used to prepare a photocathode plug, which was then tested in an electron gun. In conclusion, the quantum efficiency and the value of cavity quality factor have been found to satisfy the requirements for an injector of the European-XFEL facility.« less

Ion/proton-conducting apparatus and method

DOEpatents

Yates, Matthew; Xue, Wei

2014-12-23

A c-axis-oriented HAP thin film synthesized by seeded growth on a palladium hydrogen membrane substrate. An exemplary synthetic process includes electrochemical seeding on the substrate, and secondary and tertiary hydrothermal treatments under conditions that favor growth along c-axes and a-axes in sequence. By adjusting corresponding synthetic conditions, an HAP this film can be grown to a controllable thickness with a dense coverage on the underlying substrate. The thin films have relatively high proton conductivity under hydrogen atmosphere and high temperature conditions. The c-axis oriented films may be integrated into fuel cells for application in the intermediate temperature range of 200-600.degree. C. The electrochemical-hydrothermal deposition technique may be applied to create other oriented crystal materials having optimized properties, useful for separations and catalysis as well as electronic and electrochemical applications, electrochemical membrane reactors, and in chemical sensors. Additional high-density and gas-tight HAP film compositions may be deposited using a two-step deposition method that includes an electrochemical deposition method followed by a hydrothermal deposition method. The two-step method uses a single hydrothermal deposition solution composition. The method may be used to deposit HAP films including but not limited to at least doped HAP films, and more particularly including carbonated HAP films. In addition, the high-density and gas-tight HAP films may be used in proton exchange membrane fuel cells.

A Simple and Scalable Fabrication Method for Organic Electronic Devices on Textiles.

PubMed

Ismailov, Usein; Ismailova, Esma; Takamatsu, Seiichi

2017-03-13

Today, wearable electronics devices combine a large variety of functional, stretchable, and flexible technologies. However, in many cases, these devices cannot be worn under everyday conditions. Therefore, textiles are commonly considered the best substrate to accommodate electronic devices in wearable use. In this paper, we describe how to selectively pattern organic electroactive materials on textiles from a solution in an easy and scalable manner. This versatile deposition technique enables the fabrication of wearable organic electronic devices on clothes.

Patterns of the adsorption of bovine serum albumin on carboxymethyl dextran and carboxymethyl cellulose films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paribok, I. V.; Solomyanskii, A. E.; Zhavnerko, G. K.

2016-02-01

Patterns of the adsorption of bovine serum albumin on carboxymethyl dextran and carboxymethyl cellulose films are studied by means of microcontact printing, atomic force microscopy, and quartz crystal microbalance. It is shown that both the charge of polysaccharide macromolecules and the technique for deposition of their films onto the surface (via adsorption from a solution or covalent cross-linking) are factors that determine the degree of nonspecific adsorption of the protein on such films.

The interaction of fingermark deposits on metal surfaces and potential ways for visualisation.

PubMed

Wightman, G; Emery, F; Austin, C; Andersson, I; Harcus, L; Arju, G; Steven, C

2015-04-01

The interaction of fingermark deposits on metals has been examined by a variety of techniques. Visualisation by film growth has been the main area of investigation through: thermal oxidation, anodising, peroxide solution, and the interaction with vapour of iodine and ammonium sulphide. Corrosion of the underlying metal has also been examined as an alternative means of visualisation. Confocal microscopy was used to look at the film thickness and corrosion products around the prints. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersion of X-rays (SEM-EDX) examined a number of metal samples to investigate film growth and the elemental distribution. The observations suggest that differential oxidation was occurring as well as corrosion into the metal. Fingermark deposits on metals can corrode into the metal depending on the reactivity of the metal and leave a recoverable mark. However, fingermark deposits can also alter the rate of chemical reaction of the substrate metal by oxidation. In some cases organic matter can inhibit reaction, both when forming an oxide layer and when corroding the metal. However, signs of third level detail from pore contact may also be visible and the monovalent ions from salts could also influence film growth. Whilst further work would need to be carried out to decide whether any of these techniques may have application in fingermark recovery, this study does suggest that fingermarks on metals may be recoverable after incidents such as fires or immersion in water. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

PROCESS FOR THE RECOVERY AND PURIFICATION OF URANIUM DEPOSITS

DOEpatents

Carter, J.M.; Kamen, M.D.

1958-10-14

A process is presented for recovering uranium values from UCl/sub 4/ deposits formed on calutrons. Such deposits are removed from the calutron parts by an aqueous wash solution which then contains the uranium values in addition to the following impurities: Ni, Cu, Fe, and Cr. This impurity bearing wash solution is treated with an oxidizing agent, and the oxidized solution is then treated with ammonia in order to precipitate the uranium as ammonium diuranate. The metal impurities of iron and chromium, which form insoluble hydroxides, are precipitated along with the uranium values. The precipitate is separated from the solution, dissolved in acid, and the solution again treated with ammonia and ammonium carbonate, which results in the precipitation of the metal impurities as hydroxides while the uranium values remain in solution.

Long term changes in atmospheric N and S throughfall deposition and effects on soil solution chemistry in a Scots pine forest in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Boxman, Andries W; Peters, Roy C J H; Roelofs, Jan G M

2008-12-01

In a Scots pine forest the throughfall deposition and the chemical composition of the soil solution was monitored since 1984. (Inter)national legislation measures led to a reduction of the deposition of nitrogen and sulphur. The deposition of sulphur has decreased by approximately 65%. The total mineral-nitrogen deposition has decreased by ca. 25%, which is mainly due to a reduction in ammonium-N deposition (-40%), since nitrate-N deposition has increased (+50%). The nitrogen concentration in the upper mineral soil solution at 10 cm depth has decreased, leading to an improved nutritional balance, which may result in improved tree vitality. In the drainage water at 90 cm depth the fluxes of NO3(-) and SO4(2-) have decreased, resulting in a reduced leeching of accompanying base cations, thus preserving nutrients in the ecosystem. It may take still several years, however, before this will meet the prerequisite of a sustainable ecosystem.

Direct printing of microstructures by femtosecond laser excitation of nanocrystals in solution

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

Shou, Wan; Pan, Heng, E-mail: hp5c7@mst.edu

2016-05-23

We report direct printing of micro/sub-micron structures by femtosecond laser excitation of semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) in solution. Laser excitation with moderate intensity (10{sup 11}–10{sup 12} W/cm{sup 2}) induces 2D and 3D deposition of CdTe nanocrystals in aqueous solution, which can be applied for direct printing of microstructures. It is believed that laser irradiation induces charge formation on nanocrystals leading to deposition. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the charged nanocrystals can respond to external electrical bias, enabling a printing approach based on selective laser induced electrophoretic deposition. Finally, energy dispersive X-ray analysis of deposited structures shows oxidation occurs and deposited structure mainlymore » consists of Cd{sub x}O.« less

Synthesis of silicon containing materials using liquid hydrosilane compositions through direct injection

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

Srinivasan, Guruvenket; Sailer, Robert A.; Hoey, Justin

An apparatus and a non-vapor-pressure dependent method of chemical vapor deposition of Si based materials using direct injection of liquid hydrosilane(s) are presented. Liquid silane precursor solutions may also include metal, non-metal or metalloid dopants, nanomaterials and solvents. An illustrative apparatus has a precursor solution and carrier gas system, atomizer and deposit head with interior chamber and a hot plate supporting the substrate. Atomized liquid silane precursor solutions and carrier gas moves through a confined reaction zone that may be heated and the aerosol and vapor are deposited on a substrate to form a thin film. The substrate may bemore » heated prior to deposition. The deposited film may be processed further with thermal or laser processing.« less

A green synthesis method for large area silver thin film containing nanoparticles.

PubMed

Shinde, N M; Lokhande, A C; Lokhande, C D

2014-07-05

The green synthesis method is inexpensive and convenient for large area deposition of thin films. For the first time, a green synthesis method for large area silver thin film containing nanoparticles is reported. Silver nanostructured films are deposited using silver nitrate solution and guava leaves extract. The study confirmed that the reaction time plays a key role in the growth and shape/size control of silver nanoparticles. The properties of silver films are studied using UV-visible spectrophotometer, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), contact angle, Fourier-transform Raman (FT-Raman) spectroscopy and Photoluminescence (PL) techniques. Finally, as an application, these films are used effectively in antibacterial activity study. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Three-dimensional printing of freeform helical microstructures: a review.

PubMed

Farahani, R D; Chizari, K; Therriault, D

2014-09-21

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a fabrication method that enables creation of structures from digital models. Among the different structures fabricated by 3D printing methods, helical microstructures attracted the attention of the researchers due to their potential in different fields such as MEMS, lab-on-a-chip systems, microelectronics and telecommunications. Here we review different types of 3D printing methods capable of fabricating 3D freeform helical microstructures. The techniques including two more common microfabrication methods (i.e., focused ion beam chemical vapour deposition and microstereolithography) and also five methods based on computer-controlled robotic direct deposition of ink filament (i.e., fused deposition modeling, meniscus-confined electrodeposition, conformal printing on a rotating mandrel, UV-assisted and solvent-cast 3D printings) and their advantages and disadvantages regarding their utilization for the fabrication of helical microstructures are discussed. Focused ion beam chemical vapour deposition and microstereolithography techniques enable the fabrication of very precise shapes with a resolution down to ∼100 nm. However, these techniques may have material constraints (e.g., low viscosity) and/or may need special process conditions (e.g., vacuum chamber) and expensive equipment. The five other techniques based on robotic extrusion of materials through a nozzle are relatively cost-effective, however show lower resolution and less precise features. The popular fused deposition modeling method offers a wide variety of printable materials but the helical microstructures manufactured featured a less precise geometry compared to the other printing methods discussed in this review. The UV-assisted and the solvent-cast 3D printing methods both demonstrated high performance for the printing of 3D freeform structures such as the helix shape. However, the compatible materials used in these methods were limited to UV-curable polymers and polylactic acid (PLA), respectively. Meniscus-confined electrodeposition is a flexible, low cost technique that is capable of fabricating 3D structures both in nano- and microscales including freeform helical microstructures (down to few microns) under room conditions using metals. However, the metals suitable for this technique are limited to those that can be electrochemically deposited with the use of an electrolyte solution. The highest precision on the helix geometry was achieved using the conformal printing on a rotating mandrel. This method offers the lowest shape deformation after printing but requires more tools (e.g., mandrel, motor) and the printed structure must be separated from the mandrel. Helical microstructures made of multifunctional materials (e.g., carbon nanotube nanocomposites, metallic coated polymer template) were used in different technological applications such as strain/load sensors, cell separators and micro-antennas. These innovative 3D microsystems exploiting the unique helix shape demonstrated their potential for better performance and more compact microsystems.

Galvanic deposition and characterization of brushite/hydroxyapatite coatings on 316L stainless steel.

PubMed

Blanda, Giuseppe; Brucato, Valerio; Pavia, Francesco Carfì; Greco, Silvia; Piazza, Salvatore; Sunseri, Carmelo; Inguanta, Rosalinda

2016-07-01

In this work, brushite and brushite/hydroxyapatite (BS, CaHPO4·H2O; HA, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) coatings were deposited on 316L stainless steel (316LSS) from a solution containing Ca(NO3)2·4H2O and NH4H2PO4 by a displacement reaction based on a galvanic contact, where zinc acts as sacrificial anode. Driving force for the cementation reaction arises from the difference in the electrochemical standard potentials of two different metallic materials (316LSS and Zn) immersed in an electrolyte, so forming a galvanic contact leading to the deposition of BS/HA on nobler metal. We found that temperature and deposition time affect coating features (morphology, structure, and composition). Deposits were characterized by means of several techniques. The morphology was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, the elemental composition was obtained by X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy, whilst the structure was identified by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. BS was deposited at all investigated temperatures covering the 316LSS surface. At low and moderate temperature, BS coatings were compact, uniform and with good crystalline degree. On BS layers, HA crystals were obtained at 50°C for all deposition times, while at 25°C, its presence was revealed only after long deposition time. Electrochemical studies show remarkable improvement in corrosion resistance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fully inkjet-printed microfluidics: a solution to low-cost rapid three-dimensional microfluidics fabrication with numerous electrical and sensing applications

PubMed Central

Su, Wenjing; Cook, Benjamin S.; Fang, Yunnan; Tentzeris, Manos M.

2016-01-01

As the needs for low-cost rapidly-produced microfluidics are growing with the trend of Lab-on-a-Chip and distributed healthcare, the fully inkjet-printing of microfluidics can be a solution to it with numerous potential electrical and sensing applications. Inkjet-printing is an additive manufacturing technique featuring no material waste and a low equipment cost. Moreover, similar to other additive manufacturing techniques, inkjet-printing is easy to learn and has a high fabrication speed, while it offers generally a great planar resolution down to below 20 µm and enables flexible designs due to its inherent thin film deposition capabilities. Due to the thin film feature, the printed objects also usually obtain a high vertical resolution (such as 4.6 µm). This paper introduces a low-cost rapid three-dimensional fabrication process of microfluidics, that relies entirely on an inkjet-printer based single platform and can be implemented directly on top of virtually any substrates. PMID:27713545

Fully inkjet-printed microfluidics: a solution to low-cost rapid three-dimensional microfluidics fabrication with numerous electrical and sensing applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Wenjing; Cook, Benjamin S.; Fang, Yunnan; Tentzeris, Manos M.

2016-10-01

As the needs for low-cost rapidly-produced microfluidics are growing with the trend of Lab-on-a-Chip and distributed healthcare, the fully inkjet-printing of microfluidics can be a solution to it with numerous potential electrical and sensing applications. Inkjet-printing is an additive manufacturing technique featuring no material waste and a low equipment cost. Moreover, similar to other additive manufacturing techniques, inkjet-printing is easy to learn and has a high fabrication speed, while it offers generally a great planar resolution down to below 20 µm and enables flexible designs due to its inherent thin film deposition capabilities. Due to the thin film feature, the printed objects also usually obtain a high vertical resolution (such as 4.6 µm). This paper introduces a low-cost rapid three-dimensional fabrication process of microfluidics, that relies entirely on an inkjet-printer based single platform and can be implemented directly on top of virtually any substrates.

Glucose Fuel Cells with a MicroChannel Fabricated on Flexible Polyimide Film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sano, Ryohei; Fukushi, Yudai; Sasaki, Tsubasa; Mogi, Hiroshi; Koide, Syohei; Ikoma, Ryuta; Akatsuka, Wataru; Tsujimura, Seiya; Nishioka, Yasushiro

2013-12-01

In this work, a glucose fuel cell was fabricated using microfabrication processes assigned for microelectromechanical systems. The fuel cell was equipped with a microchannel to flow an aqueous solution of glucose. The cell was fabricated on a flexible polyimide substrate, and its porous carbon-coated aluminum (Al) electrodes of 2.8 mm in width and 11 mm in length were formed using photolithography and screen printing techniques. Porous carbon was deposited by screen printing of carbon black ink on the Al electrode surfaces in order to increase the effective electrode surface area and to absorb more enzymes on the electrode surfaces. The microchannel with a depth of 200 μm was fabricated using a hot embossing technique. A maximum power of 0.45 μW at 0.5 V that corresponds to a power density of 1.45 μW/cm2 was realized by introducing a 200 mM concentrated glucose solution at room temperature.

Using the Semiconductors Materials of InSb-ZnTe System in Sensors for Gas Control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shubenkova, E. G.

2017-04-01

The samples of thin film semiconductor compounds InSb, ZnTe and solid solutions based on them were obtained by vapor deposition of components on a dielectric substrate in a vacuum, followed by annealing and their surface properties in CO, O2 and NH3 gas atmospheres were investigated. Identification of the samples was carried out by X-ray diffraction techniques. In the temperature range 253 ÷ 403 K and a pressure range of 1÷12 Pa the gas adsorption was measured by piezoelectric microbalance technique. In order to establish the basic regularities of processes flowing on samples surface in addition to the electrophisical were used Infrared and Raman spectroscopic measurements. The resulting addiction “surface property - composition” is extreme and have allowed to determine solid solution InSb0,95-ZnTe0,05 as the most sensitive to the presence of ammonia, selective and this sample exhibits a negligible oxidation of surface.

Aluminum Coating Influence on Nitride Layer Performance Deposited by MO-CVD in Fluidized Bed on Austenitic Stainless Steel Substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Găluşcă, D. G.; Perju, M. C.; Nejneru, C.; Burduhos Nergiş, D. D.; Lăzărescu, I. E.

2018-06-01

The modification of surface properties by duplex treatments, involving the overlapping of two surface treatment techniques, has been established as an intelligent solution to create new applications for the substrate metallic material. There are driveline components operating under very tough wear and corrosion conditions, with high temperature and humidity variations. Such components are usually made of high Cr and Ni stainless steel and for the hardening of surfaces it is recommended a thermo chemical treatment. Since stainless steels, especially austenitic stainless steels, are difficult to nitride, experimental studies focus on increasing the depth of the nitride layer and surface hardness. Achieving the goal involves changing active layer chemical composition by introducing aluminum in the surface layer. In order to find a solution, a new surface treatment technique is produced by combining aluminum thin films by MO-CVD in a fluidized bed using a triisobutylaluminum precursor with a thermo chemical nitriding treatment.

Synthesis and characterization of amorphous yttrium oxide layers by metal organic chemical solution deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martynova, I.; Tsymbarenko, D.; Kamenev, A.; Kuzmina, N.; Kaul, A.

2014-02-01

The Solution Deposition Planarization method was successfully used for smoothing Ni-alloy tapes with initial surface roughness of 26.7 nm (on 40×40 μm2 area) and 12.6 nm (on 5×5 μm2 area). New precursor solutions were prepared from yttrium acetate and diethylenetriamine or ethylenediamine in MeOH and i-PrOH-alcohols with different viscosities. Using those solutions yttria films with the residual roughness Sa=0.4 nm (on 5×5 μm2 area) and Sa=7.6 nm (on 40×40 μm2 area) were deposited on the Ni-alloy tapes.

Single liquid source plasma-enhanced metalorganic chemical vapor deposition of high-quality YBa2Cu3O(7-x) thin films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhang, Jiming; Gardiner, Robin A.; Kirlin, Peter S.; Boerstler, Robert W.; Steinbeck, John

1992-01-01

High quality YBa2Cu3O(7-x) films were grown in-situ on LaAlO3 (100) by a novel single liquid source plasma-enhanced metalorganic chemical vapor deposition process. The metalorganic complexes M(thd) (sub n), (thd = 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionate; M = Y, Ba, Cu) were dissolved in an organic solution and injected into a vaporizer immediately upstream of the reactor inlet. The single liquid source technique dramatically simplifies current CVD processing and can significantly improve the process reproducibility. X-ray diffraction measurements indicated that single phase, highly c-axis oriented YBa2Cu3O(7-x) was formed in-situ at substrate temperature 680 C. The as-deposited films exhibited a mirror-like surface, had transition temperature T(sub cO) approximately equal to 89 K, Delta T(sub c) less than 1 K, and Jc (77 K) = 10(exp 6) A/sq cm.

Hydrogen Sensor Based on Pd/GeO{sub 2} Using a Low Cost Electrochemical Deposition

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

Jawad, M. J.; Hashim, M. R.; Ali, N. K.

2011-05-25

This work reports on a synthesis of sub micron germanium dioxide (GeO{sub 2}) on porous silicon (PS) by electrochemical deposition. n-type Si (100) wafer was used to fabricate (PS) using conventional method of electrochemical etching in HF based solution. A GeCl{sub 4} was directly hydrolyzed by hydrogen peroxide to produce pure GeO{sub 2}, and then electrochemically deposited on PS. Followed by palladium (Pd) contact on GeO{sub 2} /PS was achieved by using RF sputtering technique. The grown GeO{sub 2} crystals were characterized using SEM and EDX. I-V characteristics of Pd/ GeO{sub 2} were recorded before and after hydrogen gas exposuremore » as well as with different H{sub 2} concentrations and different applied temperatures. The sensitivity of Pd/ GeO{sub 2} also has been investigated it could be seen to increase significantly with increased hydrogen concentration while it decreased with increase temperature.« less

Cathode buffer composed of fullerene-ethylenediamine adduct for an organic solar cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimoto, Yoshinori; Akiyama, Tsuyoshi; Fujita, Katsuhiko

2017-02-01

We developed a fullerene-ethylenediamine adduct (C60P-DC) for a cathode buffer material in organic bulk heterojunction solar cells, which enhance the open-circuit voltage (V oc). The evaporative spray deposition using ultra dilute solution (ESDUS) technique was employed to deposit the buffer layer onto the organic active layer to avoid damage during the deposition. By the insertion of a C60P-DC buffer layer, V oc and power conversion efficiency (PCE) were increased from 0.41 to 0.57 V and from 1.65 to 2.10%, respectively. The electron-only device with the C60P-DC buffer showed a much lower current level than that without the buffer, indicating that the V oc increase is caused not by vacuum level shift but by hole blocking. The curve fitting of current density-voltage (J-V) characteristics to the equivalent circuit with a single diode indicated that the decrease in reversed saturation current by hole blocking increased caused the V oc.

Glass-Like Thermal Conductivity of (010)-Textured Lanthanum-Doped Strontium Niobate Synthesized with Wet Chemical Deposition

DOE PAGES

Foley, Brian M.; Brown-Shaklee, Harlan J.; Campion, Michael J.; ...

2014-11-08

We have measured the cross-plane thermal conductivity (κ) of (010)-textured, undoped, and lanthanum-doped strontium niobate (Sr 2-xLa xNb 2O 7-δ) thin films via time-domain thermoreflectance. Then the thin films were deposited on (001)-oriented SrTiO 3 substrates via the highly-scalable technique of chemical solution deposition. We find that both film thickness and lanthanum doping have little effect on κ, suggesting that there is a more dominant phonon scattering mechanism present in the system; namely the weak interlayer-bonding along the b-axis in the Sr 2Nb 2O 7 parent structure. We also compare our experimental results with two variations of the minimum-limit modelmore » for κ and discuss the nature of transport in material systems with weakly-bonded layers. The low cross-plane κ of these scalably-fabricated films is comparable to that of similarly layered niobate structures grown epitaxially.« less

A rapid, partial leach and organic separation for the sensitive determination of Ag, Bi, Cd, Cu, Mo, Pb, Sb, and Zn in surface geologic materials by flame atomic absorption

USGS Publications Warehouse

Viets, J.G.; Clark, J.R.; Campbell, W.L.

1984-01-01

A solution of dilute hydrochloric acid, ascorbic acid, and potassium iodide has been found to dissolve weakly bound metals in soils, stream sediments, and oxidized rocks. Silver, Bi, Cd, Cu, Mo, Pb, Sb, and Zn are selectively extracted from this solution by a mixture of Aliquat 336 (tricaprylyl methyl ammonium chloride) and MIBK (methyl isobutyl ketone). Because potentially interfering major and minor elements do not extract, the organic separation allows interference-free determinations of Ag and Cd to the 0.05 ppm level, Mo, Cu, and Zn to 0.5 ppm, and Bi, Pb, and Sb to 1 ppm in the sample using flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. The analytical absorbance values of the organic solution used in the proposed method are generally enhanced more than threefold as compared to aqueous solutions, due to more efficient atomization and burning characteristics. The leaching and extraction procedures are extremely rapid; as many as 100 samples may be analyzed per day, yielding 800 determinations, and the technique is adaptable to field use. The proposed method was compared to total digestion methods for geochemical reference samples as well as soils and stream sediments from mineralized and unmineralized areas. The partial leach showed better anomaly contrasts than did total digestions. Because the proposed method is very rapid and is sensitive to pathfinder elements for several types of ore deposits, it should be useful for reconnaissance surveys for concealed deposits. ?? 1984.

The Underpotential Deposition of Copper on Pt(311): Site Selective Deposition and Anion Effects

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-03-14

water (18 MOhms Millipore Milli-Q water). Aqueous acid solutions were prepared from high-purity (ULTREX) sulfuric acid . Copper ion solutions were...prepared by dissolution of CuSO 4 .5H 2 0 (Aldrich Gold Label 5N5) in sulfuric acid solutions. Chloride and bromide containing solutions were prepared by...Voltammetric characteristics of a Pt(311) electrode in acidic solutions containing chloride and bromide. Fig. 1 shows cyclic voltammograxns for the

Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering Deposition of TiO2 Thin Films and Their Perovskite Solar Cell Applications

PubMed Central

Chen, Cong; Cheng, Yu; Dai, Qilin; Song, Hongwei

2015-01-01

In this work, we report a physical deposition based, compact (cp) layer synthesis for planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells. Typical solution-based synthesis of cp layer for perovskite solar cells involves low-quality of thin films, high-temperature annealing, non-flexible devices, limitation of large-scale production and that the effects of the cp layer on carrier transport have not been fully understood. In this research, using radio frequency magnetron sputtering (RFMS), TiO2 cp layers were fabricated and the thickness could be controlled by deposition time; CH3NH3PbI3 films were prepared by evaporation & immersion (E & I) method, in which PbI2 films made by thermal evaporation technique were immersed in CH3NH3I solution. The devices exhibit power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 12.1% and the photovoltaic performance can maintain 77% of its initial PCE after 1440 h. The method developed in this study has the capability of fabricating large active area devices (40 × 40 mm2) showing a promising PCE of 4.8%. Low temperature and flexible devices were realized and a PCE of 8.9% was obtained on the PET/ITO substrates. These approaches could be used in thin film based solar cells which require high-quality films leading to reduced fabrication cost and improved device performance. PMID:26631493

Solution-processed high-mobility neodymium-substituted indium oxide thin-film transistors formed by facile patterning based on aqueous precursors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Zhenguo; Lan, Linfeng; Sun, Sheng; Li, Yuzhi; Song, Wei; Gao, Peixiong; Song, Erlong; Zhang, Peng; Li, Meiling; Wang, Lei; Peng, Junbiao

2017-03-01

Solution-processed neodymium-substituted indium oxide (InNdO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) based on gel-like aqueous precursors were fabricated with a surface-selective deposition technique associated with ultraviolet irradiation. The Nd concentration can be easily tuned by changing the ratio of Nd2O3 to In2O3 precursors. It was found that Nd played roles of suppressing grain growth, suppressing oxygen vacancy formation, and increasing the electrical stability of TFTs. The InNdO TFT with a Nd:In ratio of 0.02:1 exhibited a mobility of as high as 15.6 cm2 V-1 s-1 with improved stability under gate-bias stress.

Regional deposition of mometasone furoate nasal spray suspension in humans.

PubMed

Shah, Samir A; Berger, Robert L; McDermott, John; Gupta, Pranav; Monteith, David; Connor, Alyson; Lin, Wu

2015-01-01

Nasal deposition studies can demonstrate whether nasal sprays treating allergic rhinitis and polyposis reach the ciliated posterior nasal cavity, where turbinate inflammation and other pathology occurs. However, quantifying nasal deposition is challenging, because in vitro tests do not correlate to human nasal deposition; gamma scintigraphy studies are thus used. For valid data, the radiolabel must distribute, as the drug, into different-sized droplets, remain associated with the drug in the formulation after administration, and not alter its deposition. Some nasal deposition studies have demonstrated this using homogenous solutions. However, most commercial nasal sprays are heterogeneous suspensions. Using mometasone furoate nasal suspension (MFS), we developed a technique to validate radiolabel deposition as a surrogate for nasal cavity drug deposition and characterized regional deposition and nasal clearance in humans. Mometasone furoate (MF) formulation was spiked with diethylene triamine pentacaetic acid. Both unlabeled and radiolabeled formulations (n = 3) were sprayed into a regionally divided nasal cast. Drug deposition was quantified by high pressure liquid chromatography within each region; radiolabel deposition was determined by gamma camera. Healthy subjects (n = 12) were dosed and imaged for six hours. Scintigraphic images were coregistered with magnetic resonance imaging scans to quantify anterior and posterior nasal cavity deposition and mucociliary clearance. The ratio of radiolabel to unlabeled drug was 1.05 in the nasal cast and regionally appeared to match, indicating that in vivo radiolabel deposition could represent drug deposition. In humans, MFS delivered 86% (9.2) of metered dose to the nasal cavity, approximately 60% (9.1) of metered dose to the posterior nasal cavity. After 15 minutes, mucociliary clearance removed 59% of the initial radiolabel in the nasal cavity, consistent with clearance rates from the ciliated posterior surface. MFS deposited significant drug into the posterior nasal cavity. Both nasal cast validation and mucociliary clearance confirm the radiolabel deposition distribution method accurately represented corticosteroid nasal deposition.

Regional deposition of mometasone furoate nasal spray suspension in humans.

PubMed

Shah, S A; Berger, R L; McDermott, J; Gupta, P; Monteith, D; Connor, A; Lin, W

2014-11-21

Nasal deposition studies can demonstrate whether nasal sprays treating allergic rhinitis and polyposis reach the ciliated posterior nasal cavity, where turbinate inflammation and other pathology occurs. However, quantifying nasal deposition is challenging, because in vitro tests do not correlate to human nasal deposition; gamma scintigraphy studies are thus used. For valid data, the radiolabel must distribute, as the drug, into different-sized droplets, remain associated with the drug in the formulation after administration, and not alter its deposition. Some nasal deposition studies have demonstrated this using homogenous solutions. However, most commercial nasal sprays are heterogeneous suspensions. Using mometasone furoate nasal suspension (MFS), we developed a technique to validate radiolabel deposition as a surrogate for nasal cavity drug deposition and characterized regional deposition and nasal clearance in humans. Mometasone furoate (MF) formulation was spiked with diethylene triamine pentacaetic acid. Both unlabeled and radiolabeled formulations (n = 3) were sprayed into a regionally divided nasal cast. Drug deposition was quantified by high pressure liquid chromatography within each region; radiolabel deposition was determined by gamma camera. Healthy subjects (n = 12) were dosed and imaged for six hours. Scintigraphic images were coregistered with magnetic resonance imaging scans to quantify anterior and posterior nasal cavity deposition and mucociliary clearance. The ratio of radiolabel to unlabeled drug was 1.05 in the nasal cast and regionally appeared to match, indicating that in vivo radiolabel deposition could represent drug deposition. In humans, MFS delivered 86% (9.2) of metered dose to the nasal cavity, approximately 60% (9.1) of metered dose to the posterior nasal cavity. After 15 minutes, mucociliary clearance removed 59% of the initial radiolabel in the nasal cavity, consistent with clearance rates from the ciliated posterior surface. MFS deposited significant drug into the posterior nasal cavity. Both nasal cast validation and mucociliary clearance confirm the radiolabel deposition distribution method accurately represented corticosteroid nasal deposition.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, Richard S.

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

A molecular investigation of adsorption onto mineral pigments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ninness, Brian J.

Pigment suspensions are important in several processes such as ceramics, paints, inks, and coatings. In the wet state, pigments are combined with a variety of chemical species such as polymers, surfactants, and polyelectrolytes which produce a complex colloidal system. The adsorption, desorption, and redistribution of these species at the pigment-aqueous solution interface can have an impact on the behavior in both the wet state or its final dried state. The goal of this work is to establish a molecular picture of the adsorption properties of these pigmented systems. A novel in situ infrared technique has been developed which allows the detection of adsorbed surface species on pigment particles in an aqueous environment. The technique involves the use of a polymeric binder to anchor the colloidal pigment particles to the surface of an internal reflection element (IRE). The binder only weakly perturbs about 25% of the reactive surface sites (hydroxyl groups) on silica. The reaction of succinic anhydride with an aminosilanized silica surface has been quantified using this technique. The adsorption dynamics of the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (C16TAB) at the TiO2-aqueous solution interface has been investigated using Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflection spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR) and electrokinetic analysis. At low bulk concentrations, C16TAB is shown to adsorb as isolated islands with a "defective" bilayer structure. Anionic probe molecules are shown to effectively "tune" the adsorbed surfactant microstructure. The results indicate that the structure of the adsorbed surfactant layer, and not the amount of adsorbed surfactant, dictates the subsequent adsorption behavior of the system. Atomic Layer Deposition is used to deposit a TiO2 layer onto the surfaces of silica and kaolin pigments. The process involves the cyclic reaction sequence of the vapors of TiCl4 and H2O. Three complete deposition cycles are needed before the surfaces of the modified pigments are dominated by the presence of TiO2. The modified kaolin pigments display increased dispersion stability as compared to the parent kaolin. The electrokinetic behavior of the modified kaolin is shown to be identical to that of pure TiO2 pigments.

Corrosion and wear behaviours of a reactive-sputter-deposited Ta2O5 nanoceramic coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Wei; Xu, Jiang; Lu, Xiaolin; Hu, Dongsheng; Tao, Hongliang; Munroe, Paul; Xie, Zong-Han

2016-04-01

In order to improve the wear and corrosion resistance of Ti-6Al-4V, a novel β-Ta2O5 nanoceramic coating was synthesised using reactive sputter deposition enabled by double glow discharge plasma technique. The surface topography, chemical composition, and microstructure of the newly developed coating were characterised by a variety of surface analytical techniques. The coating microstructure was found to exhibit a compact striated pattern extending in a direction perpendicular to coating surface, which is composed of equiaxed β-Ta2O5 grains with an average grain size of ∼20 nm, well adhered to the Ti-6A1-4V substrate. The hardness and the Young's modulus of the as-deposited coating were obtained by nanoindentation, and the adhesion strength between the coating and substrate was determined by a scratch tester. The dry sliding wear behaviours of the coating were investigated at room temperature against Si3N4 ceramic balls at room temperature under applied loads ranging from 2.3 N to 5.3 N using a ball-on-disc tribometer. The specific wear rates of the coating exhibited only a slight increase with applied normal load, and were shown to be two orders of magnitude lower than that for Ti-6Al-4V under the same loading condition. Furthermore, the electrochemical behaviour of the coating immersed in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution was systematically examined by using a range of complementary electrochemical techniques including potentiodynamic polarisation, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Mott-Schottky analysis as well as potential of zero charge (PZC). The results showed that the corrosion resistance of the β-Ta2O5 nanoceramic coating was better than that of Ti-6Al-4V alloy in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. Hence, by possessing higher mechanical properties and good wear and corrosion resistance, the β-Ta2O5 nanoceramic coating is considered to be a promising candidate for protection of engineering components operating under harsh conditions.

Comparison of the columnar-thin-film and vacuum-metal-deposition techniques to develop sebaceous fingermarks on nonporous substrates.

PubMed

Williams, Stephanie F; Pulsifer, Drew P; Shaler, Robert C; Ramotowski, Robert S; Brazelle, Shelly; Lakhtakia, Akhlesh

2015-03-01

Both the columnar-thin-film (CTF) and the vacuum-metal-deposition (VMD) techniques for visualizing sebaceous fingermarks require the deposition of a material thereon in a vacuum chamber. Despite that similarity, there are many differences between the two techniques. The film deposited with the CTF technique has a columnar morphology, but the film deposited with the VMD technique comprises discrete islands. A split-print methodology on a variety of fingermarked substrates was used to determine that the CTF technique is superior for developing fingermarks on clear sandwich bags and partial bloody fingermarks on stainless steel. Both techniques are similar in their ability to develop fingermarks on glass but the CTF technique yields higher contrast. The VMD technique is superior for developing fingermarks on white grocery bags and the smooth side of Gloss Finish Scotch Multitask(™) tape. Neither technique worked well for fingermarks on black garbage bags. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

The mode branching route to localization of the finite-length floating elastica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivetti, Marco; Neukirch, Sébastien

2014-09-01

The beam on elastic foundation is a general model used in physical, biological, and technological problems to study delamination, wrinkling, or pattern formation. Recent focus has been given to the buckling of beams deposited on liquid baths, and in the regime where the beam is soft compared to hydrostatic forces the wrinkling pattern observed at buckling has been shown to lead to localization of the deformation when the confinement is increased. Here we perform a global study of the general case where the intensity of the liquid foundation and the confinement are both varied. We compute equilibrium and stability of the solutions and unravel secondary bifurcations that play a major role in the route to localization. Moreover we classify the post-buckling solutions and shed light on the mechanism leading to localization. Finally, using an asymptotic technique imported from fluid mechanics, we derive an approximated analytical solution to the problem.

Preparation of IrO2-Ta2O5|Ti electrodes by immersion, painting and electrophoretic deposition for the electrochemical removal of hydrocarbons from water.

PubMed

Herrada, Rosa Alhelí; Medel, Alejandro; Manríquez, Federico; Sirés, Ignasi; Bustos, Erika

2016-12-05

After intense years of great development, the electrochemical technologies have become very suitable alternatives in niche markets like industrial wastewater reclamation and soil remediation. A key role to achieve a high efficiency in such treatments is played by the characteristics of the coating of the electrodes employed. This paper compares three techniques, namely immersion, painting and electrophoresis, for the preparation of IrO2-Ta2O5ǀTi, so-called dimensionally stable anodes (DSA(®)). The quality of the coatings has been investigated by means of surface and electrochemical analysis. Their ability to generate hydroxyl radicals and degrade aqueous solutions of hydrocarbons like phenanthrene, naphthalene and fluoranthene has been thoroughly assessed. Among the synthesis techniques, electrophoretic deposition yielded the best results, with DSA(®) electrodes exhibiting a homogeneous surface coverage that led to a good distribution of active sites, thus producing hydroxyl radicals that were able to accelerate the degradation of hydrocarbons. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Functional design of electrolytic biosensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gamage Preethichandra, D. M.; Mala Ekanayake, E. M. I.; Onoda, M.

2017-11-01

A novel amperometric biosensbased on conjugated polypyrrole (PPy) deposited on a Pt modified ITO (indium tin oxide) conductive glass substrate and their performances are described. We have presented a method of developing a highly sensitive and low-cost nano-biosensor for blood glucose measurements. The fabrication method proposed decreases the cost of production significantly as the amount of noble metals used is minimized. A nano-corrugated PPy substrate was developed through pulsed electrochemical deposition. The sensitivity achieved was 325 mA/(Mcm2) and the linear range of the developed sensor was 50-60 mmol/l. Then the application of the electrophoresis helps the glucose oxidase (GOx) on the PPy substrate. The main reason behind this high enzyme loading is the high electric field applied across the sensor surface (working electrode) and the counter electrode where that pushes the nano-scale enzyme particles floating in the phosphate buffer solution towards the substrate. The novel technique used has provided an extremely high sensitivities and very high linear ranges for enzyme (GOx) and therefore can be concluded that this is a very good technique to load enzyme onto the conducting polymer substrates.

Fabrication of a symmetric micro supercapacitor based on tubular ruthenium oxide on silicon 3D microstructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiaofeng; Yin, Yajiang; Li, Xiangyu; You, Zheng

2014-04-01

A micro-supercapacitor with a three-dimensional configuration has been fabricated using an ICP etching technique. Hydrous ruthenium oxide with a tubular morphology is successfully synthesized using a cathodic deposition technique with a Si micro prominence as a template. The desired tubular RuO2·xH2O architecture facilitates electrolyte penetration and proton exchange/diffusion. A single MEMS electrode is studied using cyclic voltammetry, and a specific capacitance of 99.3 mF cm-2 and 70 F g-1 is presented at 5 mV s-1 in neutral Na2SO4 solution. The accelerated cycle life is tested at 80 mV s-1, and satisfactory cyclability is observed. When placed on a chip, the symmetric cell exhibits good supercapacitor properties, and a specific capacitance as high as 23 mF cm-2 is achieved at 10 mA cm-2. Therefore, 3D MEMS microelectrode arrays with electrochemically deposited ruthenium oxide films are promising candidates for on-chip electrochemical micro-capacitor applications.

Solution based zinc tin oxide TFTs: the dual role of the organic solvent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salgueiro, Daniela; Kiazadeh, Asal; Branquinho, Rita; Santos, Lídia; Barquinha, Pedro; Martins, Rodrigo; Fortunato, Elvira

2017-02-01

Chemical solution deposition is a low cost, scalable and high performance technique to obtain metal oxide thin films. Recently, solution combustion synthesis has been introduced as a chemical route to reduce the processing temperature. This synthesis method takes advantage of the chemistry of the precursors as a source of energy for localized heating. According to the combustion chemistry some organic solvents can have a dual role in the reaction, acting both as solvent and fuel. In this work, we studied the role of 2-methoxyethanol in solution based synthesis of ZTO thin films and its influence on the performance of ZTO TFTs. The thermal behaviour of ZTO precursor solutions confirmed that 2-methoxyethanol acts simultaneously as a solvent and fuel, replacing the fuel function of urea. The electrical characterization of the solution based ZTO TFTs showed a slightly better performance and lower variability under positive gate bias stress when urea was not used as fuel, confirming that the excess fuel contributes negatively to the device operation and stability. Solution based ZTO TFTs demonstrated a low hysteresis (ΔV  =  -0.3 V) and a saturation mobility of 4-5 cm2 V-1 s-1.

Multicomponent Oxide Systems for Corrosion Protection.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-11-15

hydroxides on film growth. New types of mixed oxide coatings deposited from nonaqueous solutions of organometallic compounds were developed. Titanium -aluminum...mixed oxide coatings, deposited from solutions of titanium alkoxides in isopropanol, served as a prototype system for much of this work. It was found...45 13. Coating Steps and Analysis... ...................... 50 14. Auger Depth Profiles of Titanium -Aluminum Mixed Oxide *Coatings Deposited

Reclamation of niobium compounds from ionic liquid electrochemical polishing of superconducting radio frequency cavities

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

Wixtrom, Alex I.; Buhler, Jessica E.; Reece, Charles E.

2013-06-01

Recent research has shown that choline chloride (vitamin B4)-based solutions can be used as a greener alternative to acid-based electrochemical polishing solutions. This study demonstrated a successful method for electrochemical deposition of niobium compounds onto the surface of copper substrates using a novel choline chloride-based ionic liquid. Niobium ions present in the ionic liquid solution were dissolved into the solution prior to deposition via electrochemical polishing of solid niobium. A black coating was clearly visible on the surface of the Cu following deposition. This coating was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), atomic force microscopymore » (AFM), and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). This ionic liquid-based electrochemical deposition method effectively recycles previously dissolved niobium from electrochemical polishing of superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities.« less

Using rare earth elements to trace wind-driven dispersion of sediments from a point source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Pelt, R. Scott; Barnes, Melanie C. W.; Strack, John E.

2018-06-01

The entrainment and movement of aeolian sediments is determined by the direction and intensity of erosive winds. Although erosive winds may blow from all directions, in most regions there is a predominant direction. Dust emission causes the removal preferentially of soil nutrients and contaminants which may be transported tens to even thousands of kilometers from the source and deposited into other ecosystems. It would be beneficial to understand spatially and temporally how the soil source may be degraded and depositional zones enriched. A stable chemical tracer not found in the soil but applied to the surface of all particles in the surface soil would facilitate this endeavor. This study examined whether solution-applied rare earth elements (REEs) could be used to trace aeolian sediment movement from a point source through space and time at the field scale. We applied erbium nitrate solution to a 5 m2 area in the center of a 100 m diameter field 7854 m2 on the Southern High Plains of Texas. The solution application resulted in a soil-borne concentration three orders of magnitude greater than natively found in the field soil. We installed BSNE sampler masts in circular configurations and collected the trapped sediment weekly. We found that REE-tagged sediment was blown into every sampler mast during the course of the study but that there was a predominant direction of transport during the spring. This preliminary investigation suggests that the REEs provide a viable and incisive technique to study spatial and temporal variation of aeolian sediment movement from specific sources to identifiable locations of deposition or locations through which the sediments were transported as horizontal mass flux and the relative contribution of the specific source to the total mass flux.

Effects of solution pH and electrical parameters on hydroxyapatite coatings deposited by a plasma-assisted electrophoresis technique.

PubMed

Nie, X; Leyland, A; Matthews, A; Jiang, J C; Meletis, E I

2001-12-15

Hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings can be deposited using a hybrid process of plasma electrolysis and electrophoresis, called plasma-assisted electrophoretic deposition (PEPD). HA aqueous suspensions with various pH values were prepared using a modified ultrasonic cleaning bath as an agitator/stirrer. Both DC and unbalanced AC power supplies were used to bias the titanium alloy substrate materials employed in this work. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to observe and analyze coating morphology and microstructure. It was shown that the morphology and composition of the calcium phosphate coatings were significantly influenced by solution pH values; the level of "pure" HA in the coatings' composition corresponded to both solution pH and the type of power supply employed. Loss of hydroxyl radials (i.e., dehydroxylation), which degrades the performance of the hydroxyapatite coating in terms of long-term chemical and mechanical stability, can be virtually eliminated by a combination of high pH and unbalanced AC plasma power. In addition, the underlying TiO2 coatings used to support the HA layer (preproduced by plasma electrolysis process) have a nanoscaled (10-20 nm) polycrystalline structure. TEM studies also revealed a dense, continuous amorphous titania layer (10 nm in thickness) at the interface between the Ti alloy substrate and the TiO2 layer, which may play a role in improving the corrosion resistance of the substrate. Such a nanophase TiO2 layer (if used as a coating alone) may also provide a further improvement in osteoinductive properties, compared to a conventional TiO2 coating on the Ti alloy substrate. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 57: 612-618, 2001

Optimization of low cost, non toxic, earth abundant p-type Cu2SnS3 thin film for Photovoltaic application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaudhari, J. J.; Patel, S.; Joshi, U. S.

2016-09-01

Cu2SnS3 (CTS) is one of promising candidate as an absorber material for thin film solar cell. Because of relatively higher prize of Indium and hazardous environmental impact of processing of Gallium, CTS is suitable alternative candidate to Cu2SnS3 (CIGS) based solar cell as its constituent elements such as copper, tin and sulphur are abundantly available in earth's crust. CTS is ternary semiconductor and its energy band gap is 1.5eV, which is perfectly matched with solar energy spectrum for maximum transfer of solar energy into electrical energy through photovoltaic action. The primary methods for the synthesis of CTS are Thermal evaporation, electrochemical, sputtering and wet chemical methods. Here in this paper we have optimized a low cost non-vacuum solution process method for the synthesis of CTS without any external sulfurization. The X-ray diffraction studies showed the formation of phase with the peaks corresponding to (112), (220) and (312) planes. Chemical Solution Deposition (CSD) for the synthesis of CTS is suitable for large area deposition and it includes several routes like solvothermal methods, direct liquid coating and nano ink based technique. The metal Chloride salts and thiourea is used as a source of sulphur to synthesize CTS solution and homogeneous thin films of CTS deposited on glass substrate using spin coating method. Use of abrasive solvent like hydrazine and hydrogen sulphide gas which are used to synthesize CTS thin film have detrimental effect on environment, we report eco friendly solvent based approach to synthesize CTS at low temperature 200 °C.

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

Aerosol chemical vapor deposition of metal oxide films

DOEpatents

Ott, Kevin C.; Kodas, Toivo T.

1994-01-01

A process of preparing a film of a multicomponent metal oxide including: forming an aerosol from a solution comprised of a suitable solvent and at least two precursor compounds capable of volatilizing at temperatures lower than the decomposition temperature of said precursor compounds; passing said aerosol in combination with a suitable oxygen-containing carrier gas into a heated zone, said heated zone having a temperature sufficient to evaporate the solvent and volatilize said precursor compounds; and passing said volatilized precursor compounds against the surface of a substrate, said substrate having a sufficient temperature to decompose said volatilized precursor compounds whereby metal atoms contained within said volatilized precursor compounds are deposited as a metal oxide film upon the substrate is disclosed. In addition, a coated article comprising a multicomponent metal oxide film conforming to the surface of a substrate selected from the group consisting of silicon, magnesium oxide, yttrium-stabilized zirconium oxide, sapphire, or lanthanum gallate, said multicomponent metal oxide film characterized as having a substantially uniform thickness upon said FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the field of film coating deposition techniques, and more particularly to the deposition of multicomponent metal oxide films by aerosol chemical vapor deposition. This invention is the result of a contract with the Department of Energy (Contract No. W-7405-ENG-36).

Buffer layers on rolled nickel or copper as superconductor substrates

DOEpatents

Paranthaman, Mariappan; Lee, Dominic F.; Kroeger, Donald M.; Goyal, Amit

2000-01-01

Buffer layer architectures are epitaxially deposited on biaxially-textured rolled substrates of nickel and/or copper and their alloys for high current conductors, and more particularly buffer layer architectures such as Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Ni, YSZ/Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Ni, Yb.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Ni, Yb.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Ni, Yb.sub.2 O.sub.3 /CeO.sub.2 /Ni, RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Ni (RE=Rare Earth), and Yb.sub.2 O.sub.3 /YSZ/CeO.sub.2 /Ni, Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Cu, YSZ/Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Cu, Yb.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Cu, Yb.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Cu, Yb.sub.2 O.sub.3 /CeO.sub.2 /Cu, RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Cu, and Yb.sub.2 O.sub.3 /YSZ/CeO.sub.2 /Cu. Deposition methods include physical vapor deposition techniques which include electron-beam evaporation, rf magnetron sputtering, pulsed laser deposition, thermal evaporation, and solution precursor approach, which includes chemical vapor deposition, combustion CVD, metal-organic decomposition, sol-gel processing, and plasma spray.

Fluid mechanics in crystal growth - The 1982 Freeman scholar lecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ostrach, S.

1983-01-01

An attempt is made to unify the current state of knowledge in crystal growth techniques and fluid mechanics. After identifying important fluid dynamic problems for such representative crystal growth processes as closed tube vapor transport, open reactor vapor deposition, and the Czochralski and floating zone melt growth techniques, research results obtained to date are presented. It is noted that the major effort to date has been directed to the description of the nature and extent of bulk transport under realistic conditions, where bulk flow determines the heat and solute transport which strongly influence the temperature and concentration fields in the vicinity of the growth interface. Proper treatment of near field, or interface, problems cannot be given until the far field, or global flow, involved in a given crystal growth technique has been adequately described.

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy of fullerene C60 drop-deposited on the silvered porous silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khinevich, N.; Girel, K.; Bandarenka, H.; Salo, V.; Mosunov, A.

2017-11-01

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) of fullerene C60 drop-deposited from the 1.4·10-4 M aqueous solutions on the silvered porous silicon (Ag/PS) is reported for the first time. The used concentration is found to be not detected by the ordinary Raman spectroscopy. It is shown that SERS-spectrum of the fullerene deposited from the air-aged solution are characterized by less intensity than that of the fullerene solution kept out of the air. This indicates degradation of the fullerene solution due to oxidation. The results are prospective for the fast qualitative and quantitative analysis of the fullerene-based materials.

Process for electroless deposition of metals on zirconium materials

DOEpatents

Donaghy, Robert E.

1978-01-01

A process for the electroless deposition of a metal layer on an article comprised of zirconium or a zirconium alloy is disclosed. The article is activated in an aged aqueous solution comprising from about 10 to about 20 grams per liter ammonium bifluoride and from about 0.75 to about 2 grams per liter of sulfuric acid. The solution is aged by immersion of pickled zirconium in the solution for at least about 10 minutes. The loosely adhering film formed on the article in the activating step is removed and the article is contacted with an electroless plating solution containing the metal to be deposited on the article upon sufficient contact with the article.

Process for electrolytic deposition of metals on zirconium materials

DOEpatents

Donaghy, Robert E.

1979-01-30

A process for the electrolytic deposition of a metal layer on an article comprised of zirconium or a zirconium alloy is disclosed. The article is activated in an aged aqueous solution comprising from about 10 to about 20 grams per liter ammonium bifluoride and from about 0.75 to about 2 grams per liter of sulfuric acid. The solution is aged by immersion of pickled zirconium in the solution for at least about 10 minutes. The loosely adhering film formed on the article in the activating step is removed and the article is contacted with an electrolytic plating solution containing the metal to be deposited on the article in the presence of an electrode receiving current.

Optical sensors based on the NiPc-CoPc composite films deposited by drop casting and under the action of centrifugal force

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fatima, Noshin; Ahmed, Muhammad M.; Karimov, Khasan S.; Ahmad, Zubair; Fariq Muhammad, Fahmi

2017-06-01

In this study, solution processed composite films of nickel phthalocyanine (NiPc) and cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) are deposited by drop casting and under centrifugal force. The films are deposited on surface-type inter-digitated silver electrodes on ceramic alumina substrates. The effects of illumination on the impedance and capacitance of the NiPc-CoPc composite samples are investigated. The samples deposited under centrifugal force show better conductivity than the samples deposited by drop casting technique. In terms of impedance and capacitance sensitivities the samples fabricated under centrifugal force are more sensitive than the drop casting samples. The values of impedance sensitivity ({S}z) are equal to (-1.83) {{M}}{{Ω }}\\cdot {{cm}}2/{mW} and (-5.365){{M}}{{Ω }}\\cdot {{cm}}2/{mW} for the samples fabricated using drop casting and under centrifugal force, respectively. Similarly, the values of capacitance sensitivity ({S}{{c}}) are equal to 0.083 {pF}\\cdot {{cm}}2/{mW} and 0.185 {pF}\\cdot {{cm}}2/{mW} for the samples fabricated by drop casting and under centrifugal force. The films deposited using the different procedures could potentially be viable for different operational modes (i.e., conductive or capacitive) of the optical sensors. Both experimental and simulated results are discussed. Project supported by the Center for Advanced Materials (CAM), Qatar University, Qatar.

Effects of complexing agents on electrochemical deposition of FeS x O y in ZnO/FeS x O y heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Supee, A.; Ichimura, M.

2017-12-01

Heterostructures which consist of ZnO and FeS x O y were deposited via electrochemical deposition (ECD) for application to solar cells. Galvanostatic ECD was used in FeS x O y deposition with a solution containing 100 mM Na2S2O3 and 30 mM FeSO4. To alter the film properties, L(+)-tartaric acid (C4H6O6) and lactic acid [CH3CH(OH)COOH] were introduced as the complexing agents into the FeS x O y deposition solution. Larger film thickness and smaller oxygen content were obtained for the films deposited with the complexing agents. ZnO was deposited on FeS x O y by two-step pulse ECD from a solution containing Zn(NO3)2. For the ZnO/FeS x O y heterostructures fabricated with/without complexing agents, rectifying properties were confirmed in the current density-voltage ( J- V) characteristics. However, photovoltaic properties were not improved with addition of both complexing agents.

Room temperature electrodeposition of actinides from ionic solutions

DOEpatents

Hatchett, David W.; Czerwinski, Kenneth R.; Droessler, Janelle; Kinyanjui, John

2017-04-25

Uranic and transuranic metals and metal oxides are first dissolved in ozone compositions. The resulting solution in ozone can be further dissolved in ionic liquids to form a second solution. The metals in the second solution are then electrochemically deposited from the second solutions as room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL), tri-methyl-n-butyl ammonium n-bis(trifluoromethansulfonylimide) [Me.sub.3N.sup.nBu][TFSI] providing an alternative non-aqueous system for the extraction and reclamation of actinides from reprocessed fuel materials. Deposition of U metal is achieved using TFSI complexes of U(III) and U(IV) containing the anion common to the RTIL. TFSI complexes of uranium were produced to ensure solubility of the species in the ionic liquid. The methods provide a first measure of the thermodynamic properties of U metal deposition using Uranium complexes with different oxidation states from RTIL solution at room temperature.

CdTe1-x S x (x  ⩽  0.05) thin films synthesized by aqueous solution deposition and annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pruzan, Dennis S.; Hahn, Carina E.; Misra, Sudhajit; Scarpulla, Michael A.

2017-11-01

While CdS thin films are commonly deposited from aqueous solutions, CdTe thin films are extremely difficult to deposit directly from aqueous solution. In this work, we report on polycrystalline CdTe1-x S x thin films synthesized via deposition from aqueous precursor solutions followed by annealing treatments and on their physical properties. The deposition method uses spin-coating of alternating Cd2+ and Te2- aqueous solutions and rinse steps to allow formation of the films but to shear off excess reactants and poorly-bonded solids. Films are then annealed in the presence of CdCl2 as is commonly done for CdTe photovoltaic absorber layers deposited by any means. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals low void fractions and grain sizes up to 4 µm and x-ray diffraction (XRD) shows that the films are primarily cubic CdTe1-x S x (x  ⩽  0.05) with random crystallographic orientation. Optical transmission yields bandgap absorption consistent with a CdTe1-x S x dilute alloy and low-temperature photoluminescence (PL) consists of an emission band centered at 1.35 eV consistent with donor-acceptor pair (DAP) transitions in CdTe1-x S x . Together, the crystalline quality and PL yield from films produced by this method represent an important step towards electroless, ligand-free solution processed CdTe and related alloy thin films suitable for optoelectronic device applications such as thin film heterojunction or nanodipole-based photovoltaics.

The influence of spray properties on intranasal deposition.

PubMed

Foo, Mow Yee; Cheng, Yung-Sung; Su, Wei-Chung; Donovan, Maureen D

2007-01-01

While numerous devices, formulations, and spray characteristics have been shown to influence nasal deposition efficiency, few studies have attempted to identify which of these interacting factors plays the greatest role in nasal spray deposition. The deposition patterns of solutions with a wide range of surface tensions and viscosities were measured using an MRI-derived nasal cavity replica. The resulting spray plumes had angles between 29 degrees and 80 degrees and contained droplet sizes (D(v50)) from 37-157 microm. Each formulation contained rhodamine 590 as a fluorescent marker for detection. Administration angles of 30 degrees , 40 degrees , or 50 degrees above horizontal were tested to investigate the role of user technique on nasal deposition. The amount of spray deposited within specific regions of the nasal cavity was determined by disassembling the replica and measuring the amount of rhodamine retained in each section. Most of the spray droplets were deposited onto the anterior region of the model, but sprays with small plume angles were capable of reaching the turbinate region with deposition efficiencies approaching 90%. Minimal dependence on droplet size, viscosity, or device was observed. Changes in inspiratory flow rate (0-60 L/min) had no significant effect on turbinate deposition efficiency. Both plume angle and administration angle were found to be important factors in determining deposition efficiency. For administration angles of 40 degrees or 50 degrees , maximal turbinate deposition efficiency (30-50%) occurred with plume angles of 55-65 degrees , whereas a 30 degrees administration angle gave an approximately 75% deposition efficiency for similar plume angles. Deposition efficiencies of approximately 90% could be achieved with plume angles <30 degrees using 30 degrees administration angles. Both the plume angle and administration angle are critical factors in determining deposition efficiency, while many other spray parameters, including particle size, have relatively minor influences on deposition within the nasal cavity.

Extending atomistic simulation timescale in solid/liquid systems: crystal growth from solution by a parallel-replica dynamics and continuum hybrid method.

PubMed

Lu, Chun-Yaung; Voter, Arthur F; Perez, Danny

2014-01-28

Deposition of solid material from solution is ubiquitous in nature. However, due to the inherent complexity of such systems, this process is comparatively much less understood than deposition from a gas or vacuum. Further, the accurate atomistic modeling of such systems is computationally expensive, therefore leaving many intriguing long-timescale phenomena out of reach. We present an atomistic/continuum hybrid method for extending the simulation timescales of dynamics at solid/liquid interfaces. We demonstrate the method by simulating the deposition of Ag on Ag (001) from solution with a significant speedup over standard MD. The results reveal specific features of diffusive deposition dynamics, such as a dramatic increase in the roughness of the film.

Study of palladium plating components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

Palladium deposits were prepared by electrolysis for evaluation as catalytic materials. Electrolysis was carried out in acidic solutions consisting of either 1.0 M in NaCl and 0.01 M PdCl2 or 1.0 M NaCl and 0.04 M PdCl2. It was during the preparation of the palladium deposits that unexpected observations were made that led to the request for analytical services. The analyses did not, nor were they intended to, answer all of the questions. They did, however, shed light on the nature and magnitude of some of the contaminants in the solutions and in the palladium electrodes, as well as characterize the forms of the palladium deposits. Results of analyses are grouped into solution, deposit, and electrode categories for comparison purposes.

Optimal control of build height utilizing optical profilometry in cold spray deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakraborty, Abhijit; Shishkin, Sergey; Birnkrant, Michael J.

2017-04-01

Part-to-part variability and poor part quality due to failure to maintain geometric specifications pose a challenge for adopting Additive Manufacturing (AM) as a viable manufacturing process. In recent years, In-process Monitoring and Control (InPMC) has received a lot of attention as an approach to overcome these obstacles. The ability to sense geometry of the deposited layers accurately enables effective process monitoring and control of AM application. This paper demonstrates an application of geometry sensing technique for the coating deposition Cold Spray process, where solid powders are accelerated through a nozzle, collides with the substrate and adheres to it. Often the deposited surface has shape irregularities. This paper proposes an approach to suppress the iregularities by controlling the deposition height. An analytical control-oriented model is developed that expresses the resulting height of deposit as an integral function of nozzle velocity and angle. In order to obtain height information at each layer, a Micro-Epsilon laser line scanner was used for surface profiling after each deposition. This surface profile information, specifically the layer height, was then fed back to an optimal control algorithm which manipulated the nozzle speed to control the layer height to a pre specified height. While the problem is heavily nonlinear, we were able to transform it into equivalent Optimal Control problem linear w.r.t. input. That enabled development of two solution methods: one is fast and approximate, while another is more accurate but still efficient.

Synthesis of carbon nanotube-nickel nanocomposites using atomic layer deposition for high-performance non-enzymatic glucose sensing.

PubMed

Choi, Taejin; Kim, Soo Hyeon; Lee, Chang Wan; Kim, Hangil; Choi, Sang-Kyung; Kim, Soo-Hyun; Kim, Eunkyoung; Park, Jusang; Kim, Hyungjun

2015-01-15

A useful strategy has been developed to fabricate carbon-nanotube-nickel (CNT-Ni) nanocomposites through atomic layer deposition (ALD) of Ni and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of functionalized CNTs. Various techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), were used to characterize the morphology and the structure of as-prepared samples. It was confirmed that the products possess uniform Ni nanoparticles that are constructed by finely controlled deposition of Ni onto oxygen or bromine functionalized CNT surface. Electrochemical studies indicate that the CNT-Ni nanocomposites exhibit high electrocatalytic activity for glucose oxidation in alkaline solutions, which enables the products to be used in enzyme-free electrochemical sensors for glucose determination. It was demonstrated that the CNT-Ni nanocomposite-based glucose biosensor offers a variety of merits, such as a wide linear response window for glucose concentrations of 5 μM-2 mM, short response time (3 s), a low detection limit (2 μM), high sensitivity (1384.1 μA mM(-1) cm(-2)), and good selectivity and repeatability. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ion plating technique improves thin film deposition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mattox, D. M.

1968-01-01

Ion plating technique keeps the substrate surface clean until the film is deposited, allows extensive diffusion and chemical reaction, and joins insoluble or incompatible materials. The technique involves the deposition of ions on the substrate surface while it is being bombarded with inert gas ions.

Cleaning of first mirrors in ITER by means of radio frequency discharges.

PubMed

Leipold, F; Reichle, R; Vorpahl, C; Mukhin, E E; Dmitriev, A M; Razdobarin, A G; Samsonov, D S; Marot, L; Moser, L; Steiner, R; Meyer, E

2016-11-01

First mirrors of optical diagnostics in ITER are subject to charge exchange fluxes of Be, W, and potentially other elements. This may degrade the optical performance significantly via erosion or deposition. In order to restore reflectivity, cleaning by applying radio frequency (RF) power to the mirror itself and thus creating a discharge in front of the mirror will be used. The plasma generated in front of the mirror surface sputters off deposition, restoring its reflectivity. Although the functionality of such a mirror cleaning technique is proven in laboratory experiments, the technical implementation in ITER revealed obstacles which needs to be overcome: Since the discharge as an RF load in general is not very well matched to the power generator and transmission line, power reflections will occur leading to a thermal load of the cable. Its implementation for ITER requires additional R&D. This includes the design of mirrors as RF electrodes, as well as feeders and matching networks inside the vacuum vessel. Mitigation solutions will be evaluated and discussed. Furthermore, technical obstacles (i.e., cooling water pipes for the mirrors) need to be solved. Since cooling water lines are usually on ground potential at the feed through of the vacuum vessel, a solution to decouple the ground potential from the mirror would be a major simplification. Such a solution will be presented.

Infrared evanescent field sensing with quantum cascade lasers and planar silver halide waveguides.

PubMed

Charlton, Christy; Katzir, Abraham; Mizaikoff, Boris

2005-07-15

We demonstrate the first midinfrared evanescent field absorption measurements with an InGaAs/AlInAs/InP distributed feedback (DFB) quantum cascade laser (QCL) light source operated at room temperature coupled to a free-standing, thin-film, planar, silver halide waveguide. Two different analytes, each matched to the emission frequency of a QCL, were investigated to verify the potential of this technique. The emission of a 1650 cm(-1) QCL overlaps with the amide absorption band of urea, which was deposited from methanol solution, forming urea crystals at the waveguide surface after solvent evaporation. Solid urea was detected down to 80.7 microg of precipitate at the waveguide surface. The emission frequency of a 974 cm(-1) QCL overlaps with the CH3-C absorption feature of acetic anhydride. Solutions of acetic anhydride in acetonitrile have been detected down to a volume of 0.01 microL (10.8 microg) of acetic anhydride solution after deposition at the planar waveguide (PWG) surface. Free-standing, thin-film, planar, silver halide waveguides were produced by press-tapering heated, cylindrical, silver halide fiber segments to create waveguides with a thickness of 300-190 microm, a width of 3 mm, and a length of 35 mm. In addition, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) evanescent field absorption measurements with planar silver halide waveguides and transmission absorption QCL measurements verify the obtained results.

Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Thick Honeycombs.

PubMed

Hedayati, Reza; Sadighi, Mojtaba; Mohammadi Aghdam, Mohammad; Zadpoor, Amir Abbas

2016-07-23

Honeycombs resemble the structure of a number of natural and biological materials such as cancellous bone, wood, and cork. Thick honeycomb could be also used for energy absorption applications. Moreover, studying the mechanical behavior of honeycombs under in-plane loading could help understanding the mechanical behavior of more complex 3D tessellated structures such as porous biomaterials. In this paper, we study the mechanical behavior of thick honeycombs made using additive manufacturing techniques that allow for fabrication of honeycombs with arbitrary and precisely controlled thickness. Thick honeycombs with different wall thicknesses were produced from polylactic acid (PLA) using fused deposition modelling, i.e., an additive manufacturing technique. The samples were mechanically tested in-plane under compression to determine their mechanical properties. We also obtained exact analytical solutions for the stiffness matrix of thick hexagonal honeycombs using both Euler-Bernoulli and Timoshenko beam theories. The stiffness matrix was then used to derive analytical relationships that describe the elastic modulus, yield stress, and Poisson's ratio of thick honeycombs. Finite element models were also built for computational analysis of the mechanical behavior of thick honeycombs under compression. The mechanical properties obtained using our analytical relationships were compared with experimental observations and computational results as well as with analytical solutions available in the literature. It was found that the analytical solutions presented here are in good agreement with experimental and computational results even for very thick honeycombs, whereas the analytical solutions available in the literature show a large deviation from experimental observation, computational results, and our analytical solutions.

Alternate deposition and hydrogen doping technique for ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myong, Seung Yeop; Lim, Koeng Su

2006-08-01

We propose an alternate deposition and hydrogen doping (ADHD) technique for polycrystalline hydrogen-doped ZnO thin films, which is a sublayer-by-sublayer deposition based on metalorganic chemical vapor deposition and mercury-sensitized photodecomposition of hydrogen doping gas. Compared to conventional post-deposition hydrogen doping, the ADHD process provides superior electrical conductivity, stability, and surface roughness. Photoluminescence spectra measured at 10 K reveal that the ADHD technique improves ultraviolet and violet emissions by suppressing the green and yellow emissions. Therefore, the ADHD technique is shown to be very promising aid to the manufacture of improved transparent conducting electrodes and light emitting materials.

Nanostructured bioactive glass-ceramic coatings deposited by the liquid precursor plasma spraying process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Yanfeng; Song, Lei; Liu, Xiaoguang; Huang, Yi; Huang, Tao; Wu, Yao; Chen, Jiyong; Wu, Fang

2011-01-01

Bioactive glass-ceramic coatings have great potential in dental and orthopedic medical implant applications, due to its excellent bioactivity, biocompatibility and osteoinductivity. However, most of the coating preparation techniques either produce only thin thickness coatings or require tedious preparation steps. In this study, a new attempt was made to deposit bioactive glass-ceramic coatings on titanium substrates by the liquid precursor plasma spraying (LPPS) process. Tetraethyl orthosilicate, triethyl phosphate, calcium nitrate and sodium nitrate solutions were mixed together to form a suspension after hydrolysis, and the liquid suspension was used as the feedstock for plasma spraying of P 2O 5-Na 2O-CaO-SiO 2 bioactive glass-ceramic coatings. The in vitro bioactivities of the as-deposited coatings were evaluated by soaking the samples in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 4 h, 1, 2, 4, 7, 14, and 21 days, respectively. The as-deposited coating and its microstructure evolution behavior under SBF soaking were systematically analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma (ICP), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The results showed that P 2O 5-Na 2O-CaO-SiO 2 bioactive glass-ceramic coatings with nanostructure had been successfully synthesized by the LPPS technique and the synthesized coatings showed quick formation of a nanostructured HCA layer after being soaked in SBF. Overall, our results indicate that the LPPS process is an effective and simple method to synthesize nanostructured bioactive glass-ceramic coatings with good in vitro bioactivity.

Research of vacuum polymer film on three-dimension surface (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bau, Yung-Han

2016-09-01

This study focused on UV-curable acrylic hybrid of solute in vacuum-deposited on the surface and make it smooth. On the surface coating of the entire process, including the pre-treatment of organic solutes, vacuum, nozzle pressure, airflow, frequency ratio, the surface of the rotation rate, nozzle angle, UV light irradiation time, waste solute recycling.Organic solutes through a flow meter and precise measured,by high pressure or vibration of a piezoelectric material, spray our organic solute in a certain degree of vacuum,leaving nozzle of tiny micro-mist volatiles in a vacuum to form secondary atomization,deposited our surface,Since no UV light irradiation, the surface is a liquid having fluidity, so the non-planar substrates can have good performance, finally it is irradiated by UV light of sufficient energy solidify to form a solid film.The advantage of this approach is that a smooth surface,Strong adhesion, low-cost equipment, low temperature, a wide range of high deposition rate can be combined with other deposition method,Under vacuum have not waste because excess paint can be recycled.Avoid solute direct contact with human, relative to the environment-friendly.

Inorganic-polymer-derived dielectric films

DOEpatents

Brinker, C. Jeffrey; Keefer, Keith D.; Lenahan, Patrick M.

1987-01-01

A method of coating a substrate with a thin film of a polymer of predetermined porosity comprises depositing the thin film on the substrate from a non-gelled solution comprising at least one hydrolyzable metal alkoxide of a polymeric network forming cation, water, an alcohol compatible with the hydrolysis and the polymerization of the metal alkoxide, and an acid or a base, prior to depositing the film, controlling the structure of the polymer for a given composition of the solution exclusive of the acid or base component and the water component, (a) by adjusting each of the water content, the pH, and the temperature to obtain the desired concentration of alkoxide, and then adjusting the time of standing of the solution prior to lowering the temperature of the solution, and (b) lowering the temperature of the solution after the time of standing to about 15 degrees C. or lower to trap the solution in a state in which, after the depositing step, a coating of the desired porosity will be obtained, and curing the deposited film at a temperature effective for curing whereby there is obtained a thin film of a polymer of a predetermined porosity and corresponding pore size on the substrate.

Differential Deposition Technique for Figure Corrections in Grazing Incidence X-ray Optics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kilaru, Kiranmayee; Ramsey, Brian D.; Gubarev, Mikhail

2009-01-01

A differential deposition technique is being developed to correct the low- and mid-spatial-frequency deviations in the axial figure profile of Wolter type grazing incidence X-ray optics. These deviations arise due to various factors in the fabrication process and they degrade the performance of the optics by limiting the achievable angular resolution. In the differential deposition technique, material of varying thickness is selectively deposited along the length of the optic to minimize these deviations, thereby improving the overall figure. High resolution focusing optics being developed at MSFC for small animal radionuclide imaging are being coated to test the differential deposition technique. The required spatial resolution for these optics is 100 m. This base resolution is achievable with the regular electroform-nickel-replication fabrication technique used at MSFC. However, by improving the figure quality of the optics through differential deposition, we aim at significantly improving the resolution beyond this value.

Patterned self-assembled monolayers for nanoscale lithography and the control of catalytically produced electroosmosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subramanian, Shyamala

This thesis explores two applications of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) (a) for developing novel molecular assembly based nanolithography techniques and (b) for tailoring zeta-potential of surfaces towards achieving directional control of catalytically induced fluid flow. The first half of the thesis develops the process of molecular ruler lithography using sacrificial host structures. This is a novel hybrid nanolithography technique which combines chemical self-assembly with conventional fabrication methods for improving the resolution of existing lithography tools to sub-50 nm. Previous work related to molecular ruler lithography have shown the use of thiol-SAMs, placed one on top of the other like a molecular resist, for scaling down feature sizes. In this thesis various engineering solutions for improving the reproducibility, yield, nanoscale roughness and overall manufacturability of the process are introduced. This is achieved by introducing a sacrificial inert layer underneath the gold parent structure. This bilayer sacrificial host allows for preferential, easy and quick removal of the parent structures, isolates the parent metal from the underlying substrate and improves reproducibility of the lift-off process. Also it opens avenues for fabrication of high aspect ratio features. Also molecular layer vapor deposition method is developed for building the multilayer molecular resist via vapor phase to reduce contaminations and yield issues associated with solution phase deposition. The smallest isolated metal features produced using this process were 40 nm in width. The second half of the thesis describes application of thiol-SAMs to tailor surface properties of gold, specifically the surface charge or zeta potential. Previous work has demonstrated that the direction of movement of fluid in the vicinity of a catalytically active bimetallic junction placed in a solution of dilute hydrogen peroxide depends on the charge of the gold surface. SAMs with different end-group functionality impart different surface zeta potential to the gold surface. Zeta-potential engineering via patterning various end-group functionalized SAMs on gold surface to control direction of catalytically induced electroosmotic fluid flow is demonstrated for the first time. This work also describes the application of catalytic power to produce controlled rotational motion. Gold gears-like structures made using conventional microfabrication techniques and propelled by catalytic power are shown to rotate at speeds of 1 rotation/sec in a dilute solution of hydrogen peroxide. Fabrication of a force sensor for detection and measurement of catalytic forces is also introduced. The force sensor, with sensitivity in the piconewton range, consists of a microcantilever with a catalytically active silver post patterned on the tip. Changes in cantilever displacement and resonance frequency due to the catalytic force were monitored as a function of concentration of hydrogen peroxide. Overall, this thesis integrates SAM deposition and patterning techniques with conventional fabrication methods to engineer and control nanoscale structures and devices. Possible future device designs are described including CMOS devices having channel width defined using molecular ruler lithography with sacrificial hosts, drug delivery device based on AFM force sensor and channeless pumps powered by catalytic reactions with SAM controlled electroosmotic fluid flow.

Effect of Alignment on Transport Properties of Carbon Nanotube/Metallic Junctions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wincheski, Buzz; Namkung, Min; Smits, Jan; Williams, Phillip; Harvey, Robert

2003-01-01

Ballistic and spin coherent transport in single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) are predicted to enable high sensitivity single-nanotube devices for strain and magnetic field sensing. Based upon these phenomena, electron beam lithography procedures have been developed to study the transport properties of purified HiPCO single walled carbon nanotubes for development into sensory materials for nondestructive evaluation. Purified nanotubes are dispersed in solvent suspension and then deposited on the device substrate before metallic contacts are defined and deposited through electron beam lithography. This procedure produces randomly dispersed ropes, typically 2 - 20 nm in diameter, of single walled carbon nanotubes. Transport and scanning probe microscopy studies have shown a good correlation between the junction resistance and tube density, alignment, and contact quality. In order to improve transport properties of the junctions a technique has been developed to align and concentrate nanotubes at specific locations on the substrate surface. Lithographic techniques are used to define local areas where high frequency electric fields are to be concentrated. Application of the fields while the substrate is exposed to nanotube-containing solution results in nanotube arrays aligned with the electric field lines. A second electron beam lithography layer is then used to deposit metallic contacts across the aligned tubes. Experimental measurements are presented showing the increased tube alignment and improvement in the transport properties of the junctions.

Process research of non-CZ silicon material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

High risk, high payoff research areas associated with the Westinghouse process for producing photovoltaic modules using non- CZ sheet material were investigated. All work was performed using dendritic web silicon. The following tasks are discussed and associated technical results are given: (1) determining the technical feasibility of forming front and back junctions in non-CT silicon using dopant techniques; (2) determining the feasibility of forming a liquid applied diffusion mask to replace the more costly chemical vapor deposited SiO2 diffusion mask; (3) determining the feasibility of applying liquid anti-reflective solutions using meniscus coating equipment; (4) studying the production of uniform, high efficiency solar cells using ion implanation junction formation techniques; and (5) quantifying cost improvements associated with process improvements.

One-step direct transfer of pristine single-walled carbon nanotubes for functional nanoelectronics.

PubMed

Wu, Chung Chiang; Liu, Chang Hua; Zhong, Zhaohui

2010-03-10

We report a one-step direct transfer technique for the fabrication of functional nanoelectronic devices using pristine single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). Suspended SWNTs grown by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method are aligned and directly transferred onto prepatterned device electrodes at ambient temperature. Using this technique, we successfully fabricated SWNT electromechanical resonators with gate-tunable resonance frequencies. A fully suspended SWNT p-n diode has also been demonstrated with the diode ideality factor equal to 1. Our method eliminates the organic residues on SWNTs resulting from conventional lithography and solution processing. The results open up opportunities for the fundamental study of electron transport physics in ultraclean SWNTs and for room temperature fabrication of novel functional devices based on pristine SWNTs.

PROCESS OF RECOVERING URANIUM

DOEpatents

Carter, J.M.; Larson, C.E.

1958-10-01

A process is presented for recovering uranium values from calutron deposits. The process consists in treating such deposits to produce an oxidlzed acidic solution containing uranium together with the following imparities: Cu, Fe, Cr, Ni, Mn, Zn. The uranium is recovered from such an impurity-bearing solution by adjusting the pH of the solution to the range 1.5 to 3.0 and then treating the solution with hydrogen peroxide. This results in the precipitation of uranium peroxide which is substantially free of the metal impurities in the solution. The peroxide precipitate is then separated from the solution, washed, and calcined to produce uranium trioxide.

Numerical modeling of an alloy droplet deposition with non-equilibrium solidification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramanuj, Vimal

Droplet deposition is a process of extensive relevance to the microfabrication industry. Various bonding and film deposition methods utilize single or multiple droplet impingements on a substrate with subsequent splat formation through simultaneous spreading and solidification. Splat morphology and solidification characteristics play vital roles in determining the final outcome. Experimental methods have limited reach in studying such phenomena owing to the extremely small time and length scales involved. Fundamental understanding of the governing principles of fluid flow, heat transfer and phase change provide effective means of studying such processes through computational techniques. The present study aims at numerically modeling and analyzing the phenomenon of splat formation and phase change in an alloy droplet deposition process. Phase change in alloys occurs non-isothermally and its formulation poses mathematical challenges. A highly non-linear flow field in conjunction with multiple interfaces and convection-diffusion governed phase transition are some of the highlighting features involved in the numerical formulation. Moreover, the non-equilibrium solidification behavior in eutectic systems is of prime concern. The peculiar phenomenon requires special treatments in terms of modeling solid phase species diffusion, liquid phase enrichment during solute partitioning and isothermal eutectic transformation. The flow field is solved using a two-step projection algorithm coupled with enhanced interface modeling schemes. The free surface tracking and reconstruction is achieved through two approaches: VOF-PLIC and CLSVOF to achieve optimum interface accuracy with minimal computational resources. The energy equation is written in terms of enthalpy with an additional source term to account for the phase change. The solidification phenomenon is modeled using a coupled temperature-solute scheme that reflects the microscopic effects arising due to dendritic growth taking place in rapidly solidifying domains. Solid phase diffusion theories proposed in the literature are incorporated in the solute conservation equation through a back diffusion parameter till the eutectic composition; beyond which a special treatment is proposed. A simplified homogeneous mushy region model has also been outline. Both models are employed to reproduce analytical results under limiting conditions and also experimentally verified. The primary objective of the present work is to examine the splat morphology, solidification behavior and microstructural characteristics under varying operational parameters. A simplified homogeneous mushy region model is first applied to study the role of convection in an SS304 droplet deposition with substrate remelting. The results are compared with experimental findings reported in the literature and a good agreement is observed. Furthermore, a hypoeutectic Sn-Pb alloy droplet deposition is studied using a comprehensive coupled temperature solute model that accounts for the non-equilibrium solidification occurring in eutectic type of alloys. Particular focus is laid on the limitations of a homogeneous mushy region assumption, role of species composition in governing solidification, estimation of the microstructural properties and eutectic formation.

Palladium/kieselguhr composition and method

DOEpatents

Mosley, W.C. Jr.

1993-09-28

A hydrogen-absorbing composition and method for making such a composition are described. The composition comprises a metal hydride, preferably palladium, deposited onto a porous substrate such as kieselguhr, for use in hydrogen-absorbing processes. The composition is made by immersing a substrate in a concentrated solution containing palladium, such as tetra-amine palladium nitrate. Palladium from the solution is deposited onto the porous substrate, which is preferably in the form of kieselguhr particles. The substrate is then removed from the solution, calcined, and heat treated. This process is repeated until the desired amount of palladium has been deposited onto the substrate.

Palladium/kieselguhr composition and method

DOEpatents

Mosley, Jr., Wilbur C.

1993-01-01

A hydrogen-absorbing composition and method for making such a composition. The composition comprises a metal hydride, preferably palladium, deposited onto a porous substrate such as kieselguhr, for use in hydrogen-absorbing processes. The composition is made by immersing a substrate in a concentrated solution containing palladium, such as tetra-amine palladium nitrate. Palladium from the solution is deposited onto the porous substrate, which is preferably in the form of kieselguhr particles. The substrate is then removed from the solution, calcined, and heat treated. This process is repeated until the desired amount of palladium has been deposited onto the substrate.

Fabrication of Advanced Thermoelectric Materials by Hierarchical Nanovoid Generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Yeonjoon (Inventor); Elliott, James R. (Inventor); Stoakley, Diane M. (Inventor); Chu, Sang-Hyon (Inventor); King, Glen C. (Inventor); Kim, Jae-Woo (Inventor); Choi, Sang Hyouk (Inventor); Lillehei, Peter T. (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A novel method to prepare an advanced thermoelectric material has hierarchical structures embedded with nanometer-sized voids which are key to enhancement of the thermoelectric performance. Solution-based thin film deposition technique enables preparation of stable film of thermoelectric material and void generator (voigen). A subsequent thermal process creates hierarchical nanovoid structure inside the thermoelectric material. Potential application areas of this advanced thermoelectric material with nanovoid structure are commercial applications (electronics cooling), medical and scientific applications (biological analysis device, medical imaging systems), telecommunications, and defense and military applications (night vision equipments).

Photoactive lead oxide thin films by spray pyrolysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhagat, Dharini; Waldiya, Manmohansingh; Mukhopadhyay, Indrajit

2018-05-01

We report the synthesis of photoactive lead monoxide thin films on fluorine doped tin oxide substrate by cost effective spray pyrolysis technique using aqueous solution of lead acetate trihydrate. Influence of substrate temperature on the structural and optical properties of thin films was studied. Polymorph of lead monoxide, litharge (α-PbO), was obtained when the substrate temperature was kept constant at 360 °C. XRD analysis revealed that the deposits were tetragonal structured with preferred orientation along 002 plane. Band gap value was found to be 1.93ev from diffuse reflectance spectra.

In situ spray deposition of cell-loaded, thermally and chemically gelling hydrogel coatings for tissue regeneration.

PubMed

Pehlivaner Kara, Meryem O; Ekenseair, Adam K

2016-10-01

In this study, the efficacy of creating cellular hydrogel coatings on warm tissue surfaces through the minimally invasive, sprayable delivery of thermoresponsive liquid solutions was investigated. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-based (pNiPAAm) thermogelling macromers with or without addition of crosslinking polyamidoamine (PAMAM) macromers were synthesized and used to produce in situ forming thermally and chemically gelling hydrogel systems. The effect of solution and process parameters on hydrogel physical properties and morphology was evaluated and compared to poly(ethylene glycol) and injection controls. Smooth, fast, and conformal hydrogel coatings were obtained when pNiPAAm thermogelling macromers were sprayed with high PAMAM concentration at low pressure. Cellular hydrogel coatings were further fabricated by different spraying techniques: single-stream, layer-by-layer, and dual stream methods. The impact of spray technique, solution formulation, pressure, and spray solution viscosity on the viability of fibroblast and osteoblast cells encapsulated in hydrogels was elucidated. In particular, the early formation of chemically crosslinked micronetworks during bulk liquid flow was shown to significantly affect cell viability under turbulent conditions compared to injectable controls. The results demonstrated that sprayable, in situ forming hydrogels capable of delivering cell populations in a homogeneous therapeutic coating on diseased tissue surfaces offer promise as novel therapies for applications in regenerative medicine. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 2383-2393, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Nanoparticle standards

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

Havrilla, George Joseph

2016-12-08

We will purchase a COTS materials printer and adapt it for solution printing of known elemental concentration solutions. A methodology will be developed to create deposits of known mass in known locations on selected substrates. The deposits will be characterized for deposited mass, physical morphology, thickness and uniformity. Once an acceptable methodology has been developed and validated, we will create round robin samples to be characterized by LGSIMS instruments at LANL, PNNL and NIST. We will demonstrate the feasibility of depositing nanoparticles in known masses with the goal of creating separated nanoparticles in known locations.

Structure and corrosion properties of PVD Cr-N coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, C.; Bi, Q.; Ziegele, H.; Leyland, A.; Matthews, A.

2002-05-01

PVD Cr-N coatings produced by physical vapor deposition (PVD) are increasingly used for mechanical and tribological applications in various industrial sectors. These coatings are particularly attractive for their excellent corrosion resistance, which further enhances the lifetime and service quality of coated components. PVD Cr-N coated steels in an aqueous solution are usually corroded by galvanic attack via through-coating ``permeable'' defects (e.g., pores). Therefore, the corrosion performance of Cr-N coated steel is determined by a number of variables of the coating properties and corrosive environment. These variables include: (i) surface continuity and uniformity; (ii) through-coating porosity; (iii) film density and chemical stability; (iv) growth stresses; (v) interfacial and intermediate layers; (vi) coating thickness; (vii) coating composition; and (viii) substrate properties. In this article, PVD Cr-N coatings were prepared, by electron-beam PVD and sputter deposition, with different compositions, thicknesses, and surface roughnesses, by changing the N2 flow rate, applying multilayering techniques and changing the substrate finish prior to coating. The microstructure of such coatings is investigated by various analytical techniques such as glancing angle x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, which are also correlated with the corrosion performance of the coated steel. Both dc polarization and ac impedance spectroscopy were employed to investigate the corrosion resistance of Cr-N coated steel in a 0.5N NaCl solution. It has been found that the N2 flow rate during reactive deposition strongly determines the microstructure of Cr-N coatings (due to the changing nitrogen content in the film) and can thus affect the corrosion resistance of coated systems. The surface finish of the steel substrate also affects the uniformity and coverage of PVD coatings; grooves and inclusions on the original substrate can raise the susceptibility of coated systems to crevice corrosion. Increased coating thickness can also greatly reduce the incidence of through-coating porosity such that the improvement in corrosion performance of thicker Cr-N coatings is significant.

Deposit heterogeneity and the dynamics of the organic semiconductors P3HT and PCBM solution under evaporation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, H. P.; Luo, H.; Liu, T. T.; Jing, G. Y.

2015-04-01

The formation of organic semiconductor layer is the key procedure in the manufacture of organic photovoltaic solar cell, in which the natural evaporation of the solvent from the polymer solution plays the essential role for the conversion efficiency. Here, poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and fullerene derivative [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), as two types of semiconductor polymers, were selected as the active layer to form the deposit by drying the blend solution drops on the substrate. We explored the influences of droplet size and solute concentration on the homogeneity of the deposit. Additionally, the spatial distribution of molecular chains and grains and the instability of the droplet morphology during the drying were investigated. The results showed that the "coffee-ring" phenomenon occurred forming an annular deposit at the outermost edge and the width of the annular ring increased linearly with the concentration of the P3HT solution, until a saturation plateau is approached. On the other hand, the PCBM deposition presented a circular disk at low concentration, but displayed a sudden instability for an irregular perimeter at a critical concentration and there existed a second critical concentration above which the deposit exhibited the return of the stable circular shape. The results have an instructive impact on the performance of the device and the formation of fine structures during the process of printing, film preparation and painting.

Jet fuel instability mechanisms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Daniel, S. R.

1985-01-01

The mechanisms of the formation of fuel-insoluble deposits were studied in several real fuels and in a model fuel consisting of tetralin in dodecane solution. The influence of addition to the fuels of small concentrations of various compounds on the quantities of deposits formed and on the formation and disappearance of oxygenated species in solution was assessed. The effect of temperature on deposit formation was also investigated over the range of 308-453 K.

Dependence of performance of Si nanowire solar cells on geometry of the nanowires.

PubMed

Khan, Firoz; Baek, Seong-Ho; Kim, Jae Hyun

2014-01-01

The dependence of performance of silicon nanowires (SiNWs) solar cells on the growth condition of the SiNWs has been described. Metal-assisted electroless etching (MAE) technique has been used to grow SiNWs array. Different concentration of aqueous solution containing AgNO3 and HF for Ag deposition is used. The diameter and density of SiNWs are found to be dependent on concentration of solution used for Ag deposition. The diameter and density of SiNWs have been used to calculate the filling ratio of the SINWs arrays. The filling ratio is increased with increase in AgNO3 concentration, whereas it is decreased with increase in HF concentration. The minimum reflectance value achieved is ~1% for SiNWs of length of ~1.2 μ m in the wavelength range of 300-1000 nm. The performance and diode parameters strongly depend on the geometry of SiNWs. The maximum short circuit current density achieved is 35.6 mA/cm(2). The conversion efficiency of solar cell is 9.73% for SiNWs with length, diameter, and wire density of ~1.2 μ m, ~75 nm, and 90 μ m(-2), respectively.

Preparation of Macroporous Epitaxial Quartz Films on Silicon by Chemical Solution Deposition.

PubMed

Carretero-Genevrier, Adrián; Gich, Martí

2015-12-21

This work describes the detailed protocol for preparing piezoelectric macroporous epitaxial quartz films on silicon(100) substrates. This is a three-step process based on the preparation of a sol in a one-pot synthesis which is followed by the deposition of a gel film on Si(100) substrates by evaporation induced self-assembly using the dip-coating technique and ends with a thermal treatment of the material to induce the gel crystallization and the growth of the quartz film. The formation of a silica gel is based on the reaction of a tetraethyl orthosilicate and water, catalyzed by HCl, in ethanol. However, the solution contains two additional components that are essential for preparing mesoporous epitaxial quartz films from these silica gels dip-coated on Si. Alkaline earth ions, like Sr(2+) act as glass melting agents that facilitate the crystallization of silica and in combination with cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) amphiphilic template form a phase separation responsible of the macroporosity of the films. The good matching between the quartz and silicon cell parameters is also essential in the stabilization of quartz over other SiO2 polymorphs and is at the origin of the epitaxial growth.

Effects of vacuum and ageing on Zr4/Cr3 based conversion coatings on aluminium alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thirupathi, Kalaivanan; Bárczy, Pál; Vad, Kálmán; Csik, Attila; Somosvári, Béla Márton

2018-05-01

In this study, we investigate the impact of ageing and high vacuum on existing environmentally friendly Zr4/Cr3-based conversion coatings. The freshly formed coating undergoes several changes during ageing and exposure to high vacuum. Based on the present data, we propose that the coating formed over AA6082 and AA7075 alloys is sol-gel in nature, confirmed by secondary neutral mass spectroscopy (SNMS) using the depth profiling technique. Our findings reveal that there are elemental level changes that result in shrinkage of the coating. Most Zr ions in the coating are in the solute form, with lesser number of Cr and Al ions that disappear under high vacuum over a certain period of time. The remaining Cr, Zr and O atoms exist in a gelatinous state. During ageing, there is a continuous transition of ions from solute to gelatinous state. In addition, the deposition of coating ions is directly influenced by the substrates and their constituents. The extent of dissolution of aluminium in the conversion bath determines both Zr and Cr ion deposition. For a highly alloyed metal like AA7075, the dissolution rate is disturbed by copper and zinc.

Adsorption of protein GlnB of Herbaspirillum seropedicae on Si(111) investigated by AFM and XPS.

PubMed

Lubambo, A F; Benelli, E M; Klein, J; Schreiner, W; Camargo, P C

2006-01-01

The protein GlnB-Hs (GlnB of Herbaspirillum seropedicae) in diazotroph micro-organisms signalizes levels of nitrogen, carbon, and energy for a series of proteins involved in the regulation of expression and control of the activity of nitrogenase complex that converts atmospheric nitrogen in ammonia, resulting in biological nitrogen fixation. Its structure has already been determined by X-ray diffraction, revealing a trimer of (36 kDa) with lateral cavities having hydrophilic boundaries. The interactions of GlnB-Hs with the well-known Si(111) surface were investigated for different incubation times, protein concentrations in initial solution, deposition conditions, and substrate initial state. The protein solution was deposited on Si(111) and dried under controlled conditions. An atomic force microscope operating in dynamic mode shows images of circular, linear, and more complex donut-shaped protein arrangement, and also filament types of organization, which vary from a few nanometers to micrometers. Apparently, the filament formation was favored because of protein surface polarity when in contact with the silicon surface, following some specific orientation. The spin-coating technique was successfully used to obtain more uniform surface covering.

Detection and characterization of smokeless powders with ion mobility spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernandez, Neiza M.; Rosario, Santa V.; Hernandez, Samuel P.; Mina, Nairmen

2005-05-01

Smokeless Powders are a class of propellants that were developed in the late 19th century to replace black powder; it has been used as an explosive in shotguns, rifles, firearms and many other larger caliber weapons. These propellants can be placed into one of three different classes according to the chemical composition of their primary energetic ingredients. Advance equipment have been designed and used for the detection of explosives devices and compounds potentially energetic. In this research we are developing an analytical methodology to detect different formulation of smokeless powders: Alliant-American Select, Alliant-Bullseye, and Alliant-Red Dot using the ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) technique. We used different surfaces like computer diskettes, CD"s, book covers and plastics to study their adsorption/desorption process. Using micropipettes, we delivered solutions with different amounts of Smokeless Powders from a 1000 ppm solution and deposit it on various types of filters to make a calibration curve. Several amounts of Smokeless Powder were deposited to the different surfaces and collected with filter paper. The samples were desorbed directly from the filter to the instrument inlet port. Subsequently, the percentage of explosive recovered was calculated.

The role of hydrothermally prepared supported photocatalytic composite in organic micro-pollutants removal from the water.

PubMed

Shivaraju, H P; Byrappa, K

2012-07-01

This work deals with the non-biodegradable micro-pollutants degradation by supported photocatalyst based heterogeneous photocatalytic reaction. TiO2 based supported photocatalyst was prepared by the hydrothermal technique to improve the photocatalytic performance along with easy recovery of suspended photocatalyst from aqueous medium after photoreaction. TO2 deposited calcium alumino-silicate beads (CASB) supports were prepared under mild hydrothermal conditions (Temparature-200 degrees C, Duration-24 h). In the present study, industrial dyes such as Amaranth and Brilliant Yellow were used as model micro-pollutants in aqueous solution. A real time pesticide industrial effluent was tested for its photocatalytic removal of organic pollutants using TO2 deposited CASB supported photocatalytic composite as an effective photocatalyst. Photocatalytic degradation of micro-pollutants present in aqueous medium was carried out in a batch photoreactor, at atmospheric pressure and temperature (28 degrees C). The influence of different light sources, irradiation time, catalyst load and catalytic performance is discussed. The photocatalytic degradation of micro-pollutants in aqueous medium was evaluated by determination of COD and %T. Easy separation and recovery of suspended photocatalysts from aqueous solution is the major advantage of hydrothermally prepared supported photocatalytic composite.

Preparation of Macroporous Epitaxial Quartz Films on Silicon by Chemical Solution Deposition

PubMed Central

Carretero-Genevrier, Adrián; Gich, Martí

2015-01-01

This work describes the detailed protocol for preparing piezoelectric macroporous epitaxial quartz films on silicon(100) substrates. This is a three-step process based on the preparation of a sol in a one-pot synthesis which is followed by the deposition of a gel film on Si(100) substrates by evaporation induced self-assembly using the dip-coating technique and ends with a thermal treatment of the material to induce the gel crystallization and the growth of the quartz film. The formation of a silica gel is based on the reaction of a tetraethyl orthosilicate and water, catalyzed by HCl, in ethanol. However, the solution contains two additional components that are essential for preparing mesoporous epitaxial quartz films from these silica gels dip-coated on Si. Alkaline earth ions, like Sr2+ act as glass melting agents that facilitate the crystallization of silica and in combination with cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) amphiphilic template form a phase separation responsible of the macroporosity of the films. The good matching between the quartz and silicon cell parameters is also essential in the stabilization of quartz over other SiO2 polymorphs and is at the origin of the epitaxial growth. PMID:26710210

Alloy vapor deposition using ion plating and flash evaporation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spalvins, T.

1971-01-01

Method extends scope of ion plating technique to include deposition of alloy films without changing composition of plating alloy. Coatings flow with specimen material without chipping or peeling. Technique is most effective vacuum deposition method for depositing alloys for strong and lasting adherence.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kafashan, Hosein

2018-04-01

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

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

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

Electrosynthesis of ZnO nanorods and nanotowers: Morphology and X-ray Absorption Near Edge Spectroscopy studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sigircik, Gokmen; Erken, Ozge; Tuken, Tunc; Gumus, Cebrail; Ozkendir, Osman M.; Ufuktepe, Yuksel

2015-06-01

Deposition mechanism of nano-structured ZnO films has been investigated in the absence and presence of chloride ions from aqueous solution. The resulting opto-electronic properties were interpreted extensively, using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray Absorption Near Edge Spectroscopy (XANES), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), UV-Visible spectroscopy and four probe techniques. The ZnO deposition is mass transport controlled process and the interaction of chloride ions with the surface has great influence on diffusion kinetics, considering the substantial species (Zn2+ and OH-) involved in the construction of ZnO film. This effect does not change major lattice parameters, as shown with detailed analysis of XRD data. However, the texture coefficient (Tc) (0 0 2) value is higher in presence of chloride ions containing synthesis solution which gave vertically aligned, well defined and uniformly dispersed nanorods structure. The calculated Eg values are in the range 3.28-3.41 eV and 3.22-3.31 eV for ZnO nanorods and nanotowers synthesized at different deposition periods, respectively. Furthermore, the charge mobility values regarding the deposition periods were measured to be in the ranges from 130.4 to 449.2 cm2 V-1 s-1 and 126.2 to 204.7 cm2 V-1 s-1 for nanorods and nanotowers, respectively. From XANES results, it was shown that the Zn K-edge spectrum is dominated by the transition of Zn 1s core electrons into the unoccupied Zn 4p states of the conduction band. Comparing the rod and tower nano-structured ZnO thin films, the excitation behavior of valence band electrons is different. Moreover, the density states of Zn 4p are higher for ZnO nanorods.

Actinide Foil Production for MPACT Research

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

Beller, Denis

Sensitive fast-neutron detectors are required for use in lead slowing down spectrometry (LSDS), an active interrogation technique for used nuclear fuel assay for Materials Protection, Accounting, and Controls Technologies (MPACT). During the past several years UNLV sponsored a research project at RPI to investigate LSDS; began development of fission chamber detectors for use in LSDS experiments in collaboration with INL, LANL, and Oregon State U.; and participated in a LSDS experiment at LANL. In the LSDS technique, research has demonstrated that these fission chamber detectors must be sensitive to fission energy neutrons but insensitive to thermal-energy neutrons. Because most systemsmore » are highly sensitive to large thermal neutron populations due to the well-known large thermal cross section of 235U, even a miniscule amount of this isotope in a fission chamber will overwhelm the small population of higher-energy neutrons. Thus, fast-fission chamber detectors must be fabricated with highly depleted uranium (DU) or ultra-pure thorium (Th), which is about half as efficient as DU. Previous research conducted at RPI demonstrated that the required purity of DU for assay of used nuclear fuel using LSDS is less than 4 ppm 235U, material that until recently was not available in the U.S. In 2009 the PI purchased 3 grams of ultra-depleted uranium (uDU, 99.99998% 238U with just 0.2 ± 0.1 ppm 235U) from VNIIEF in Sarov, Russia. We received the material in the form of U3O8 powder in August of 2009, and verified its purity and depletion in a FY10 MPACT collaboration project. In addition, chemical processing for use in FC R&D was initiated, fission chamber detectors and a scanning alpha-particle spectrometer were developed, and foils were used in a preliminary LSDS experiment at a LANL/LANSCE in Sept. of 2010. The as-received U3O8 powder must be chemically processed to convert it to another chemical form while maintaining its purity, which then must be used to electro-deposit U or UO2 in extremely thin layers (1 to 2 mg/cm2) on various media such as films, foils, or discs. After many months of investigation and trials in FY10 and 11, UNLV researchers developed a new method to produce pure UO2 deposits on foils using a unique approach, which has never been demonstrated, that involves dissolution of U3O8 directly into room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) followed by electrodeposition from the RTIL-uDU solution (Th deposition from RTIL had been previously demonstrated). The high-purity dissolution of the U3O8 permits the use of RTIL solutions for deposition of U on metal foils in layers without introducing contamination. In FY10 and early FY11 a natural U surrogate for the uDU was used to investigate this and other techniques. In this research project UNLV will deposit directly from RTIL to produce uDU and Th foils devoid of possible contaminants. After these layers have been deposited, they will be examined for purity and uniformity. UNLV will complete the development and demonstration of the RTIL technology/ methodology to prepare uDU and Th samples for use in constructing fast-neutron detectors. Although this material was purchased for use in research using fast-fission chamber detectors for active inspection techniques for MPACT, it could also contribute to R&D for other applications, such as cross section measurements or neutron spectroscopy for national security« less

Structural properties of perovskite films on zinc oxide nanoparticles-reduced graphene oxide (ZnO-NPs/rGO) prepared by electrophoretic deposition technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahtiar, Ayi; Nurazizah, Euis Siti; Latiffah, Efa; Risdiana, Furukawa, Yukio

2018-02-01

Perovskite solar cells highly believed as next generation solar cells to replace currently available inorganic silicon solar cells due to their high power conversion efficiency and easy processing to thin films using solution processing techniques. Performance and stability, however still need to be improved for mass production and widely used for public electricity generation. Perovskite solar cells are commonly deposited on Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) film as an effective electron transport layer (ETL). We used Zinc Oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) as ETL in perovskite solar cells due to the low temperature required for crystallization and can be formed into different shapes of nanostructures. However, perovskite film can easily degrade into insulating lead iodide due to deprotonation of the methylammoniumcation at the surface of ZnO-NPs, in particular when it stored in ambient air with high relative humidity. The degradation of perovskite layer is therefore needed to be overcome. Here, we capped ZnO-NPs with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to overcome the degradation of perovskite film where ZnO-NPs is synthesized by sol-gel method. The average nanoparticle size of ZnO is 15 nm. ZnO-NPs and ZnO-NPs-rGO films are prepared using electrophoretic deposition technique, which can produce large area with good homogeneity and high reproducibility. The stability of perovskite layer can significantly be improved by capping ZnO with rGO, which is indicated by absence of color change of perovskite after storage for 5 (five) days in ambient air with relative humidity above 95%. Moreover, the X-Ray Diffaction peaks of perovskite film are more preserved when deposited on ZnO/rGO film than using only ZnO film. We strongly believe, by capping ZnO film with rGO, both the performance and stability of perovskite solar cells can be improved significantly.

Atomic layer deposition of highly-doped Er:Al2O3 and Tm:Al2O3 for silicon-based waveguide amplifiers (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roenn, John; Karvonen, Lasse; Pyymäki-Perros, Alexander; Peyghambarian, Nasser; Lipsanen, Harri; Säynätjoki, Antti; Sun, Zhipei

2016-05-01

Recently, rare-earth doped waveguide amplifiers (REDWAs) have drawn significant attention as a promising solution to on-chip amplification of light in silicon photonics and integrated optics by virtue of their high excited state lifetime (up to 10 ms) and broad emission spectrum (up to 200 nm) at infrared wavelengths. In the family of rare-earths, at least erbium, holmium, thulium, neodymium and ytterbium have been demonstrated to be good candidates for amplifier operation at moderate concentrations (< 0.1 %). However, efficient amplifier operation in REDWAs is a very challenging task because high concentration of ions (<0.1%) is required in order to produce reasonable amplification over short device length. Inevitably, high concentration of ions leads to energy-transfer between neighboring ions, which results as decreased gain and increased noise in the amplifier system. It has been shown that these energy-transfer mechanisms in highly-doped gain media are inversely proportional to the sixth power of the distance between the ions. Therefore, novel fabrication techniques with the ability to control the distribution of the rare-earth ions within the gain medium are urgently needed in order to fabricate REDWAs with high efficiency and low noise. Here, we show that atomic layer deposition (ALD) is an excellent technique to fabricate highly-doped (<1%) RE:Al2O3 gain materials by using its nanoscale engineering ability to delicately control the incorporation of RE ions during the deposition. In our experiment, we fabricated Er:Al2O3 and Tm:Al2O3 thin films with ALD by varying the concentration of RE ions from 1% to 7%. By measuring the photoluminescence response of the fabricated samples, we demonstrate that it is possible to incorporate up to 5% of either Er- or Tm-ions in Al2O3 host before severe quenching occurs. We believe that this technique can be extended to other RE ions as well. Therefore, our results show the exceptionality of ALD as a deposition technique for REDWA technology.

Photoelectrochemical response and corrosion behavior of CdS/TiO2 nanocomposite films in an aerated 0.5 M NaCl solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boonserm, Aleena; Kruehong, Chaiyaput; Seithtanabutara, Varinrumpai; Artnaseaw, Apichart; Kwakhong, Panomkorn

2017-10-01

This research aimed to investigate the photoelectrochemical response and corrosion behavior of CdS/TiO2 nanocomposite films using electrochemical measurements in an aerated 0.5 M NaCl solution under white light illumination. The CdS/TiO2 nanocomposite films were prepared by chemical bath deposition technique in a solution of cadmium and sulfide ions. The high resolution images of CdS/TiO2 nanocomposite films were provided by field emission scanning electron microscope. Theirs chemical identification and quantitative compositional information, crystallinity and actual chemical compounds formed were determined by energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. The results indicated that the photoelectrochemical activity of the films depended strongly on CdS content. From the preparation of CdS/TiO2 nanocomposite films by 5, 10 and 15 dipping cycles in the chemical solutions, the best photoelectrochemical response was revealed by the 10 dipping cycles-prepared film. Galvanic couple testing demonstrated that the photoelectrochemical response of the film decreased continuously compared to that of anodized nanoporous TiO2 substrate which described by photocorrosion of CdS nanoparticles. In addition, chloride-ion attack also induced pitting corrosion leading to fluctuation and deterioration of photoelectrochemical response. CdO2 and Cd(OH)2 depositions were found as the main photocorrosion products on collapsed nanostructured-surface. The relevance between photoelectrochemical response and corrosion behavior of CdS/TiO2 nanocomposite film was discussed in detail.

Deposition kinetics of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) on silica in monovalent and divalent salts.

PubMed

Zhu, Pingting; Long, Guoyu; Ni, Jinren; Tong, Meiping

2009-08-01

The deposition kinetics of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) on silica surfaces were examined in both monovalent and divalent solutions under a variety of environmentally relevant ionic strength and pH conditions by employing a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (DCM-D). Soluble EPS (SEPS) and bound EPS (BEPS) were extracted from four bacterial strains with different characteristics. Maximum favorable deposition rates (k(fa)) were observed for all EPS at low ionic strengths in both NaCl and CaCl2 solutions. With the increase of ionic strength, k(fa) decreased due to the simultaneous occurrence of EPS aggregation in solutions. Deposition efficiency (alpha; the ratio of deposition rates obtained under unfavorable versus corresponding favorable conditions) for all EPS increased with increasing ionic strength in both NaCl and CaCl2 solutions, which agreed with the trends of zeta potentials and was consistent with the classic Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory. Comparison of alpha for SEPS and BEPS extracted from the same strain showed that the trends of alpha did not totally agree with trends of zeta potentials, indicating the deposition kinetics of EPS on silica surfaces were not only controlled by DLVO interactions, but also non-DLVO forces. Close comparison of alpha for EPS extracted from different sources showed alpha increased with increasing proteins to polysaccharides ratio. Subsequent experiments for EPS extracted from the same strain but with different proteins to polysaccharides ratios and from activated sludge also showed that alpha were largest for EPS with greatest proteins to polysaccharides ratio. Additional experiments for pure protein and solutions with different pure proteins to pure saccharides ratios further corroborated that larger proteins to polysaccharides ratio resulted in greater EPS deposition.

Coating Carbon Fibers With Platinum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Effinger, Michael R.; Duncan, Peter; Coupland, Duncan; Rigali, Mark J.

2007-01-01

A process for coating carbon fibers with platinum has been developed. The process may also be adaptable to coating carbon fibers with other noble and refractory metals, including rhenium and iridium. The coated carbon fibers would be used as ingredients of matrix/fiber composite materials that would resist oxidation at high temperatures. The metal coats would contribute to oxidation resistance by keeping atmospheric oxygen away from fibers when cracks form in the matrices. Other processes that have been used to coat carbon fibers with metals have significant disadvantages: Metal-vapor deposition processes yield coats that are nonuniform along both the lengths and the circumferences of the fibers. The electrical resistivities of carbon fibers are too high to be compatible with electrolytic processes. Metal/organic vapor deposition entails the use of expensive starting materials, it may be necessary to use a furnace, and the starting materials and/or materials generated in the process may be hazardous. The present process does not have these disadvantages. It yields uniform, nonporous coats and is relatively inexpensive. The process can be summarized as one of pretreatment followed by electroless deposition. The process consists of the following steps: The surfaces of the fiber are activated by deposition of palladium crystallites from a solution. The surface-activated fibers are immersed in a solution that contains platinum. A reducing agent is used to supply electrons to effect a chemical reduction in situ. The chemical reduction displaces the platinum from the solution. The displaced platinum becomes deposited on the fibers. Each platinum atom that has been deposited acts as a catalytic site for the deposition of another platinum atom. Hence, the deposition process can also be characterized as autocatalytic. The thickness of the deposited metal can be tailored via the duration of immersion and the chemical activity of the solution.

Comparative Study of Solution Phase and Vapor Phase Deposition of Aminosilanes on Silicon Dioxide Surfaces

PubMed Central

Yadav, Amrita R.; Sriram, Rashmi; Carter, Jared A.; Miller, Benjamin L.

2014-01-01

The uniformity of aminosilane layers typically used for the modification of hydroxyl bearing surfaces such as silicon dioxide is critical for a wide variety of applications, including biosensors. However, in spite of many studies that have been undertaken on surface silanization, there remains a paucity of easy-to-implement deposition methods reproducibly yielding smooth aminosilane monolayers. In this study, solution- and vapor-phase deposition methods for three aminoalkoxysilanes differing in the number of reactive groups (3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES), 3-aminopropyl methyl diethoxysilane (APMDES) and 3-aminopropyl dimethyl ethoxysilane (APDMES)) were assessed with the aim of identifying methods that yield highly uniform and reproducible silane layers that are resistant to minor procedural variations. Silane film quality was characterized based on measured thickness, hydrophilicity and surface roughness. Additionally, hydrolytic stability of the films was assessed via these thickness and contact angle values following desorption in water. We found that two simple solution-phase methods, an aqueous deposition of APTES and a toluene based deposition of APDMES, yielded high quality silane layers that exhibit comparable characteristics to those deposited via vapor-phase methods. PMID:24411379

An experiment on the dynamics of ion implantation and sputtering of surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, G. M.; Barnard, H. A.; Kesler, L. A.; Peterson, E. E.; Stahle, P. W.; Sullivan, R. M.; Whyte, D. G.; Woller, K. B.

2014-02-01

A major impediment towards a better understanding of the complex plasma-surface interaction is the limited diagnostic access to the material surface while it is undergoing plasma exposure. The Dynamics of ION Implantation and Sputtering Of Surfaces (DIONISOS) experiment overcomes this limitation by uniquely combining powerful, non-perturbing ion beam analysis techniques with a steady-state helicon plasma exposure chamber, allowing for real-time, depth-resolved in situ measurements of material compositions during plasma exposure. Design solutions are described that provide compatibility between the ion beam analysis requirements in the presence of a high-intensity helicon plasma. The three primary ion beam analysis techniques, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, elastic recoil detection, and nuclear reaction analysis, are successfully implemented on targets during plasma exposure in DIONISOS. These techniques measure parameters of interest for plasma-material interactions such as erosion/deposition rates of materials and the concentration of plasma fuel species in the material surface.

Bidisperse silica nanoparticles close-packed monolayer on silicon substrate by three step spin method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khanna, Sakshum; Marathey, Priyanka; Utsav, Chaliawala, Harsh; Mukhopadhyay, Indrajit

2018-05-01

We present the studies on the structural properties of monolayer Bidisperse silica (SiO2) nanoparticles (BDS) on Silicon (Si-100) substrate using spin coating technique. The Bidisperse silica nanoparticle was synthesised by the modified sol-gel process. Nanoparticles on the substrate are generally assembled in non-close/close-packed monolayer (CPM) form. The CPM form is obtained by depositing the colloidal suspension onto the silicon substrate using complex techniques. Here we report an effective method for forming a monolayer of bidisperse silica nanoparticle by three step spin coating technique. The samples were prepared by mixing the monodisperse solutions of different particles size 40 and 100 nm diameters. The bidisperse silica nanoparticles were self-assembled on the silicon substrate forming a close-packed monolayer film. The scanning electron microscope images of bidisperse films provided in-depth film structure of the film. The maximum surface coverage obtained was around 70-80%.

An experiment on the dynamics of ion implantation and sputtering of surfaces.

PubMed

Wright, G M; Barnard, H A; Kesler, L A; Peterson, E E; Stahle, P W; Sullivan, R M; Whyte, D G; Woller, K B

2014-02-01

A major impediment towards a better understanding of the complex plasma-surface interaction is the limited diagnostic access to the material surface while it is undergoing plasma exposure. The Dynamics of ION Implantation and Sputtering Of Surfaces (DIONISOS) experiment overcomes this limitation by uniquely combining powerful, non-perturbing ion beam analysis techniques with a steady-state helicon plasma exposure chamber, allowing for real-time, depth-resolved in situ measurements of material compositions during plasma exposure. Design solutions are described that provide compatibility between the ion beam analysis requirements in the presence of a high-intensity helicon plasma. The three primary ion beam analysis techniques, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, elastic recoil detection, and nuclear reaction analysis, are successfully implemented on targets during plasma exposure in DIONISOS. These techniques measure parameters of interest for plasma-material interactions such as erosion/deposition rates of materials and the concentration of plasma fuel species in the material surface.

Electrodeposition and Capacitive Behavior of Films for Electrodes of Electrochemical Supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, C.; Zhitomirsky, I.

2010-03-01

Polypyrrole films were deposited by anodic electropolymerization on stainless steel substrates from aqueous pyrrole solutions containing sodium salicylate and tiron additives. The deposition yield was studied under galvanostatic conditions. The amount of the deposited material was varied by the variation of deposition time at a constant current density. SEM studies showed the formation of porous films with thicknesses in the range of 0-3 μm. Cyclic voltammetry data for the films tested in 0.5 M Na2SO4 solutions showed capacitive behavior and high specific capacitance (SC) in a voltage window of 0.9 V. The films prepared from pyrrole solutions containing tiron showed better capacitive behavior compared to the films prepared from the solutions containing sodium salicylate. A highest SC of 254 F g-1 was observed for the sample with a specific mass of 89 μg cm-2 at a scan rate of 2 mV s-1. The SC decreased with an increasing film thickness and scan rate. The results indicated that the polypyrrole films deposited on the stainless steel substrates by anodic electropolymerization can be used as electrodes for electrochemical supercapacitors (ES).

Electrodeposition and capacitive behavior of films for electrodes of electrochemical supercapacitors.

PubMed

Shi, C; Zhitomirsky, I

2010-01-08

Polypyrrole films were deposited by anodic electropolymerization on stainless steel substrates from aqueous pyrrole solutions containing sodium salicylate and tiron additives. The deposition yield was studied under galvanostatic conditions. The amount of the deposited material was varied by the variation of deposition time at a constant current density. SEM studies showed the formation of porous films with thicknesses in the range of 0-3 μm. Cyclic voltammetry data for the films tested in 0.5 M Na2SO4 solutions showed capacitive behavior and high specific capacitance (SC) in a voltage window of 0.9 V. The films prepared from pyrrole solutions containing tiron showed better capacitive behavior compared to the films prepared from the solutions containing sodium salicylate. A highest SC of 254 F g-1 was observed for the sample with a specific mass of 89 μg cm-2 at a scan rate of 2 mV s-1. The SC decreased with an increasing film thickness and scan rate. The results indicated that the polypyrrole films deposited on the stainless steel substrates by anodic electropolymerization can be used as electrodes for electrochemical supercapacitors (ES).

Electrodeposition and Capacitive Behavior of Films for Electrodes of Electrochemical Supercapacitors

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Polypyrrole films were deposited by anodic electropolymerization on stainless steel substrates from aqueous pyrrole solutions containing sodium salicylate and tiron additives. The deposition yield was studied under galvanostatic conditions. The amount of the deposited material was varied by the variation of deposition time at a constant current density. SEM studies showed the formation of porous films with thicknesses in the range of 0–3 μm. Cyclic voltammetry data for the films tested in 0.5 M Na2SO4 solutions showed capacitive behavior and high specific capacitance (SC) in a voltage window of 0.9 V. The films prepared from pyrrole solutions containing tiron showed better capacitive behavior compared to the films prepared from the solutions containing sodium salicylate. A highest SC of 254 F g−1 was observed for the sample with a specific mass of 89 μg cm−2 at a scan rate of 2 mV s−1. The SC decreased with an increasing film thickness and scan rate. The results indicated that the polypyrrole films deposited on the stainless steel substrates by anodic electropolymerization can be used as electrodes for electrochemical supercapacitors (ES). PMID:20672082

Surface characterizations of oxides synthesized by successive ionic layer deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilbert, Thomas I.

Successive ionic layer deposition (SILD) is an aqueous technique for depositing thin oxide films on a surface in a layer-by-layer fashion through a series of chemical reactions. This dissertation examines empirical aspects of the SILD technique by characterizing thin oxide films synthesized on model planar supports and then extends the SILD technique to synthesize supported oxide nanostructures on three dimensional supports of interest to catalysis. Atomic force microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy provided insight into the SILD of zirconia, alumina, and barium oxide thin films on silicon wafers. The SILD conditions that most affected the surface morphology of the thin oxide films were the selection of aqueous metal salt precursors comprising the SILD solutions and the total number of SILD cycles. Recent studies suggest that a highly dispersed phase of barium oxide supported on alumina interacts differently with NO2 than a bulk-like phase of barium oxide SILD was used to synthesize disperse nanoislands or rafts of barium oxide on larger rafts of alumina supported on a silicon wafer. The SILD method was then extended to deposit barium oxide on an alumina powder support comprised of dense 150 nm spherical crystallites fused together into 1-2 pm particles. Equally weight loaded samples of barium oxide on the fused alumina powder were prepared by SILD and wet impregnation. The NO2 storage behavior of the barium oxide, evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis during NO2 temperature programmed desorption (TPD) experiments, provided insight into the dispersion of barium oxide that resulted from each of the loading techniques. The highly dispersed barium oxide rafts synthesized by SILD on fused alumina released NO2 at temperatures below 500°C during TPD. By comparison, the barium oxide loaded by wet impregnation showed a higher temperature desorption feature above 500°C indicative of bulk-like barium oxide nanoparticles. The NO2 weight loss curves were also used to calculate the relative percentages of BaO in the dispersed phase and bulk-like phase for each loading technique. The ability of SILD to synthesize highly disperse and uniform, conformal oxide coatings on three dimensional supports provides fundamental insight into the interactions between catalysts and supports.

Fabrication of a biomimetic elastic intervertebral disk scaffold using additive manufacturing.

PubMed

Whatley, Benjamin R; Kuo, Jonathan; Shuai, Cijun; Damon, Brooke J; Wen, Xuejun

2011-03-01

A custom-designed three-dimensional additive manufacturing device was developed to fabricate scaffolds for intervertebral disk (IVD) regeneration. This technique integrated a computer with a device capable of 3D movement allowing for precise motion and control over the polymer scaffold resolution. IVD scaffold structures were designed using computer-aided design to resemble the natural IVD structure. Degradable polyurethane (PU) was used as an elastic scaffold construct to mimic the elastic nature of the native IVD tissue and was deposited at a controlled rate using ultra-fine micropipettes connected to a syringe pump. The elastic PU was extruded directly onto a collecting substrate placed on a freezing stage. The three-dimensional movement of the computer-controlled device combined with the freezing stage enabled precise control of polymer deposition using extrusion. The addition of the freezing stage increased the polymer solution viscosity and hardened the polymer solution as it was extruded out of the micropipette tip. This technique created scaffolds with excellent control over macro- and micro-structure to influence cell behavior, specifically for cell adhesion, proliferation, and alignment. Concentric lamellae were printed at a high resolution to mimic the native shape and structure of the IVD. Seeded cells aligned along the concentric lamellae and acquired cell morphology similar to native tissue in the outer portion of the IVD. The fabricated scaffolds exhibited elastic behavior during compressive and shear testing, proving that the scaffolds could support loads with proper fatigue resistance without permanent deformation. Additionally, the mechanical properties of the scaffolds were comparable to those of native IVD tissue.

Highly defined 3D printed chitosan scaffolds featuring improved cell growth.

PubMed

Elviri, Lisa; Foresti, Ruben; Bergonzi, Carlo; Zimetti, Francesca; Marchi, Cinzia; Bianchera, Annalisa; Bernini, Franco; Silvestri, Marco; Bettini, Ruggero

2017-07-12

The augmented demand for medical devices devoted to tissue regeneration and possessing a controlled micro-architecture means there is a need for industrial scale-up in the production of hydrogels. A new 3D printing technique was applied to the automation of a freeze-gelation method for the preparation of chitosan scaffolds with controlled porosity. For this aim, a dedicated 3D printer was built in-house: a preliminary effort has been necessary to explore the printing parameter space to optimize the printing results in terms of geometry, tolerances and mechanical properties of the product. Analysed parameters included viscosity of the starting chitosan solution, which was measured with a Brookfield viscometer, and temperature of deposition, which was determined by filming the process with a cryocooled sensor thermal camera. Optimized parameters were applied to the production of scaffolds from solutions of chitosan alone or with the addition of raffinose as a viscosity modifier. Resulting hydrogels were characterized in terms of morphology and porosity. In vitro cell culture studies comparing 3D printed scaffolds with their homologous produced by solution casting evidenced an improvement in biocompatibility deriving from the production technique as well as from the solid state modification of chitosan stemming from the addition of the viscosity modifier.

Research on Glass Frit Deposition Based on the Electrospray Process

PubMed Central

Liu, Yifang; Chen, Daner; Zhan, Zhan; Li, Chenlei; Zheng, Jianyi; Sun, Daoheng

2016-01-01

In this paper, the electrospray technology is used to easily deposit the glass frit into patterns at a micro-scale level. First, far-field electrospray process was carried out with a mixture of glass frit in the presence of ethanol. A uniform, smooth, and dense glass frit film was obtained, verifying that the electrospray technology was feasible. Then, the distance between the nozzle and the substrate was reduced to 2 mm to carry out near-field electrospray. The experimental process was improved by setting the range of the feed rate of the substrate to match both the concentration and the flow rate of the solution. Spray diameter could be less at the voltage of 2 kV, in which the glass frit film was expected to reach the minimum line width. A uniform glass frit film with a line width within the range of 400–500 μm was prepared when the speed of the substrate was 25 mm/s. It indicates that electrospray is an efficient technique for the patterned deposition of glass frit in wafer-level hermetic encapsulation. PMID:28773417

Monte Carlo simulations of product distributions and contained metal estimates

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gettings, Mark E.

2013-01-01

Estimation of product distributions of two factors was simulated by conventional Monte Carlo techniques using factor distributions that were independent (uncorrelated). Several simulations using uniform distributions of factors show that the product distribution has a central peak approximately centered at the product of the medians of the factor distributions. Factor distributions that are peaked, such as Gaussian (normal) produce an even more peaked product distribution. Piecewise analytic solutions can be obtained for independent factor distributions and yield insight into the properties of the product distribution. As an example, porphyry copper grades and tonnages are now available in at least one public database and their distributions were analyzed. Although both grade and tonnage can be approximated with lognormal distributions, they are not exactly fit by them. The grade shows some nonlinear correlation with tonnage for the published database. Sampling by deposit from available databases of grade, tonnage, and geological details of each deposit specifies both grade and tonnage for that deposit. Any correlation between grade and tonnage is then preserved and the observed distribution of grades and tonnages can be used with no assumption of distribution form.

Post-deposition annealing temperature dependence TiO{sub 2}-based EGFET pH sensor sensitivity

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

Zulkefle, M. A., E-mail: alhadizulkefle@gmail.com; Rahman, R. A., E-mail: rohanieza.abdrahman@gmail.com; Yusoff, K. A., E-mail: khairul.aimi.yusof@gmail.com

EGFET pH sensor is one type of pH sensor that is used to measure and determine pH of a solution. The sensing membrane of EGFET pH sensor plays vital role in the overall performance of the sensor. This paper studies the effects of different annealing temperature of the TiO{sub 2} sensing membranes towards sensitivity of EGFET pH sensor. Sol-gel spin coating was chosen as TiO{sub 2} deposition techniques since it is cost-effective and produces thin film with uniform thickness. Deposited TiO{sub 2} thin films were then annealed at different annealing temperatures and then were connected to the gate of MOSFETmore » as a part of the EGFET pH sensor structure. The thin films now act as sensing membranes of the EGFET pH sensor and sensitivity of each sensing membrane towards pH was measured. From the results it was determined that sensing membrane annealed at 300 °C gave the highest sensitivity followed by sample annealed at 400 °C and 500 °C.« less

Genetic Algorithm-Based Optimization to Match Asteroid Energy Deposition Curves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tarano, Ana; Mathias, Donovan; Wheeler, Lorien; Close, Sigrid

2018-01-01

An asteroid entering Earth's atmosphere deposits energy along its path due to thermal ablation and dissipative forces that can be measured by ground-based and spaceborne instruments. Inference of pre-entry asteroid properties and characterization of the atmospheric breakup is facilitated by using an analytic fragment-cloud model (FCM) in conjunction with a Genetic Algorithm (GA). This optimization technique is used to inversely solve for the asteroid's entry properties, such as diameter, density, strength, velocity, entry angle, and strength scaling, from simulations using FCM. The previous parameters' fitness evaluation involves minimizing error to ascertain the best match between the physics-based calculated energy deposition and the observed meteors. This steady-state GA provided sets of solutions agreeing with literature, such as the meteor from Chelyabinsk, Russia in 2013 and Tagish Lake, Canada in 2000, which were used as case studies in order to validate the optimization routine. The assisted exploration and exploitation of this multi-dimensional search space enables inference and uncertainty analysis that can inform studies of near-Earth asteroids and consequently improve risk assessment.

Precipitation of thin-film organic single crystals by a novel crystal growth method using electrospray and ionic liquid film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ueda, Hiroyuki; Takeuchi, Keita; Kikuchi, Akihiko

2018-04-01

We report an organic single crystal growth technique, which uses a nonvolatile liquid thin film as a crystal growth field and supplies fine droplets containing solute from the surface of the liquid thin film uniformly and continuously by electrospray deposition. Here, we investigated the relationships between the solute concentration of the supplied solution and the morphology and size of precipitated crystals for four types of fluorescent organic low molecule material [tris(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum (Alq3), 2-(4-biphenylyl)-5-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (PBD), N,N‧-bis(3-methylphenyl)-N,N‧-diphenylbenzidine (TPD), and N,N-bis(naphthalene-1-yl)-N,N-diphenyl-benzidine (NPB)] using an ionic liquid as the nonvolatile liquid. As the concentration of the supplied solution decreased, the morphology of precipitated crystals changed from dendritic or leaf shape to platelike one. At the solution concentration of 0.1 mg/ml, relatively large platelike single crystals with a diagonal length of over 100 µm were obtained for all types of material. In the experiment using ionic liquid and dioctyl sebacate as nonvolatile liquids, it was confirmed that there is a clear positive correlation between the maximum volume of the precipitated single crystal and the solubility of solute under the same solution supply conditions.

Investigation of diamond deposition by chemical vapor transport with hydrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piekarczyk, Wladyslaw; Messier, Russell F.; Roy, Rustum; Engdahl, Chris

1990-12-01

The carbon-hydrogen chemical vapor transport system was examined in accordance with a four-stage transport model. A result of this examination is that graphite co-deposition could be avoided when diamond is deposited from gas solutions under-saturated with respect to diamond. Actual deposition experiments showed that this unusual requirement can be fulfilled but only for the condition that the transport distance between the carbon source and the substrate surface is short. In such a case diamond can be deposited equally from super-saturated as well as from under-saturated gas solutions. On the basis of thermodynamic considerations a possible explanation of this unusual phenomenon is given. It is shown that there is a possibility of deposition of diamond from both super-saturated as well as under-saturated gas solutions but only on the condition that they are in a non-equilibrium state generally called the activated state. A model of the diamond deposition process consisting of two steps is proposed. In the first step diamond and graphite are deposited simultaneously. The most important carbon deposition reaction is C2H2(g) + 2 H(g) C(diamond graphite) + CH(g). The amount of co-deposited graphite is not a direct function of the saturation state of the gas phase. In the second step graphite is etched according to the most probable reaction C(graphite) + 4 H(g) CH4(g). Atomic hydrogen in a super-equilibrium concentration is necessary not only to etch graphite but also to precipitate and graphite. 1.

Diamond deposition by chemical vapor transport with hydrogen in a closed system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piekarczyk, W.; Messier, R.; Roy, R.; Engdahl, C.

1990-11-01

The carbon-hydrogen chemical vapor transport system was examined in accordance with a four-stage transport model. A result of this examination is that graphite co-deposition could be avoided when diamond is deposited from gas solutions undersaturated with regard to diamond. Actual deposition experiments showed that this unusual requirement can be fulfilled but only for the condition that the transport distance between the carbon source and the substrate surface is short. In such a case diamond can be deposited equally from supersaturated as well as from undersaturated gas solutions. On the basis of thermodynamic considerations, a possible explanation of this unusual phenomenon is given. It is shown that there is a possibility of deposition of diamond from both supersaturated and undersaturated gas solutions but only on the condition that they are in a non-equilibrium state generally called the activated state. A model of the diamond deposition process consisting of two steps is proposed. In the first step diamond and graphite are deposited simultaneously. The most important carbon deposition reaction is C 2H 2(g)+2H(g) = C(diamond+graphite) +CH 4(g). The amount of co-deposited graphite is not a direct function of the saturation state of the gas phase. In the second step graphite is etched according to the most probable reaction C(graphite)+4H(g) = CH 4(g). Atomic hydrogen in a concentration exceeding equilibrium is necessary not only to etch graphite, but also to precipitate diamond and graphite.

Novel approach to investigation of semiconductor MOCVD by microreactor technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konakov, S. A.; Krzhizhanovskaya, V. V.

2017-11-01

Metal-Organic Chemical Vapour Deposition is a very complex technology that requires further investigation and optimization. We propose to apply microreactors to (1) replace multiple expensive time-consuming macroscale experiments by just one microreactor deposition with many points on one substrate; (2) to derive chemical reaction rates from individual deposition profiles using theoretical analytical solution. In this paper we also present the analytical solution of a simplified equation describing the deposition rate dependency on temperature. It allows to solve an inverse problem and to obtain detailed information about chemical reaction mechanism of MOCVD process.

Quantification of the activity of biomolecules in microarrays obtained by direct laser transfer.

PubMed

Dinca, V; Ranella, A; Farsari, M; Kafetzopoulos, D; Dinescu, M; Popescu, A; Fotakis, C

2008-10-01

The direct-writing technique laser-induced forward transfer has been employed for the micro-array printing of liquid solutions of the enzyme horseradish peroxidase and the protein Titin on nitrocellulose solid surfaces. The effect of two UV laser pulse lengths, femtosecond and nanosecond has been studied in relation with maintaining the activity of the transferred biomolecules. The quantification of the active biomolecules after transfer has been carried out using Bradford assay, quantitative colorimetric enzymatic assay and fluorescence techniques. Spectrophotometric measurements of the HRP and the Titin activity as well as chromatogenic and fluorescence assay studies have revealed a connection between the properties of the deposited, biologically active biomolecules, the experimental conditions and the target composition. The bioassays have shown that up to 78% of the biomolecules remained active after femtosecond laser transfer, while this value reduced to 54% after nanosecond laser transfer. The addition of glycerol in a percentage up to 70% in the solution to be transferred has contributed to the stabilization of the micro-array patterns and the increase of their resolution.

The modelling routes for the chemical vapour deposition process: application to Si 1- xGe x deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pons, M.; Bernard, C.; Rouch, H.; Madar, R.

1995-10-01

The purpose of this article is to present the modelling routes for the chemical vapour deposition process with a special emphasis on mass transport models with near local thermochemical equilibrium imposed in the gas-phase and at the deposition surface. The theoretical problems arising from the linking of the two selected approaches, thermodynamics and mass transport, are shown and a solution procedure is proposed. As an illustration, selected results of thermodynamic and mass transport analysis and of the coupled approach showed that, for the deposition of Si 1- xGe x solid solution at 1300 K (system SiGeClHAr), the thermodynamic heterogeneous stability of the reactive gases and the thermal diffusion led to the germanium depletion of the deposit.

Investigation of hydrophobic substrates for solution residue analysis utilizing an ambient desorption liquid sampling-atmospheric pressure glow discharge microplasma.

PubMed

Paing, Htoo W; Marcus, R Kenneth

2018-03-12

A practical method for preparation of solution residue samples for analysis utilizing the ambient desorption liquid sampling-atmospheric pressure glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (AD-LS-APGD-OES) microplasma is described. Initial efforts involving placement of solution aliquots in wells drilled into copper substrates, proved unsuccessful. A design-of-experiment (DOE) approach was carried out to determine influential factors during sample deposition including solution volume, solute concentration, number of droplets deposited, and the solution matrix. These various aspects are manifested in the mass of analyte deposited as well as the size/shape of the product residue. Statistical analysis demonstrated that only those initial attributes were significant factors towards the emission response of the analyte. Various approaches were investigated to better control the location/uniformity of the deposited sample. Three alternative substrates, a glass slide, a poly(tetrafluoro)ethylene (PTFE) sheet, and a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-coated glass slide, were evaluated towards the microplasma analytical performance. Co-deposition with simple organic dyes provided an accurate means of determining the location of the analyte with only minor influence on emission responses. The PDMS-coated glass provided the best performance by virtue of its providing a uniform spatial distribution of the residue material. This uniformity yielded an improved limits of detection by approximately 22× for 20 μL and 4 x for 2 μL over the other two substrates. While they operate by fundamentally different processes, this choice of substrate is not restricted to the LS-APGD, but may also be applicable to other AD methods such as DESI, DART, or LIBS. Further developments will be directed towards a field-deployable ambient desorption OES source for quantitative analysis of microvolume solution residues of nuclear forensics importance.

Fabrication of electrically bistable organic semiconducting/ferroelectric blend films by temperature controlled spin coating.

PubMed

Hu, Jinghang; Zhang, Jianchi; Fu, Zongyuan; Weng, Junhui; Chen, Weibo; Ding, Shijin; Jiang, Yulong; Zhu, Guodong

2015-03-25

Organic semiconducting/ferroelectric blend films attracted much attention due to their electrical bistability and rectification properties and thereof the potential in resistive memory devices. During film deposition from the blend solution, spinodal decomposition induced phase separation, resulting in discrete semiconducting phase whose electrical property could be modulated by the continuous ferroelectric phase. However, blend films processed by common spin coating method showed extremely rough surfaces, even comparable to the film thickness, which caused large electrical leakage and thus compromised the resistive switching performance. To improve film roughness and thus increase the productivity of these resistive devices, we developed temperature controlled spin coating technique to carefully adjust the phase separation process. Here we reported our experimental results from the blend films of ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene (P(VDF-TrFE)) and semiconducting poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT). We conducted a series of experiments at various deposition temperatures ranging from 20 to 90 °C. The resulting films were characterized by AFM, SEM, and VPFM to determine their structure and roughness. Film roughness first decreased and then increased with the increase of deposition temperature. Electrical performance was also characterized and obviously improved insulating property was obtained from the films deposited between 50 and 70 °C. By temperature control during film deposition, it is convenient to efficiently fabricate ferroelectric/semiconducting blend films with good electrical bistability.

Deposition of Crystalline Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles on Y-TZP Ceramic: A Potential Solution to Enhance Bonding Characteristics of Y-TZP Ceramics.

PubMed

Azari, Abbas; Nikzad Jamnani, Sakineh; Yazdani, Arash; Atri, Faezeh; Rasaie, Vania; Fazel Anvari Yazdi, Abbas

2017-03-01

Many advantages have been attributed to dental zirconia ceramics in terms of mechanical and physical properties; however, the bonding ability of this material to dental structure and/or veneering ceramics has always been a matter of concern. On the other hand, hydroxyapatite (HA) shows excellent biocompatibility and good bonding ability to tooth structure, with mechanically unstable and brittle characteristics, that make it clinically unacceptable for use in high stress bearing areas. The main purpose of this study was to introduce two simple yet practical methods to deposit the crystalline HA nanoparticles on zirconia ceramics. zirconia blocks were treated with HA via two different deposition methods namely thermal coating and air abrasion. Specimens were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). In both groups, the deposition techniques used were successfully accomplished, while the substrate showed no structural change. However, thermal coating group showed a uniform deposition of crystalline HA but in air abrasion method, there were dispersed thin islands of HA. Thermal coating method has the potential to significantly alter the surface characteristics of zirconia. The simple yet practical nature of the proposed method may be able to shift the bonding paradigm of dental zirconia ceramics. This latter subject needs to be addressed in future investigations.

Trends in bromide wet deposition concentrations in the contiguous United States, 2001-2016.

PubMed

Wetherbee, Gregory A; Lehmann, Christopher M B; Kerschner, Brian M; Ludtke, Amy S; Green, Lee A; Rhodes, Mark F

2018-02-01

Bromide (Br - ) and other solute concentration data from wet deposition samples collected and analyzed by the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) from 2001 to 2016, were statistically analyzed for trends both geographically and temporally by precipitation type. Analysis was limited to NADP sites in the contiguous 48 United States. The Br - concentrations for this time period had a high number of values censored at the detection limits with greater than 86 percent of sample concentrations below analytical detection. Bromide was more frequently detected at NADP sites in coastal regions. Analysis using specialized statistical techniques for censored data revealed that Br - concentrations varied by precipitation type with higher concentrations usually observed in liquid versus precipitation containing snow. Negative temporal trends in Br - wet deposition concentrations were observed at a majority of NADP sites; approximately 25 percent of these trend values were statistically significant at less than 0.05 to 0.10 significance levels. Potential causes for the negative trends were explored, including annual and seasonal changes in precipitation depth, reduced emissions of methyl bromide (CH 3 Br) from coastal wetlands, and declining industrial use of bromine compounds. The results indicate that Br - in non-coastal wet-deposition comes mainly from long-range transport, not local sources. Correlations between Br - , chloride, and nitrate concentrations also were evaluated. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Phase Evolution of YBa2Cu3O7-x films by all-chemical solution deposition route for coated conductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Yue; Tang, Xiao; Wu, Wei; Grivel, Jean-Claude

2014-05-01

In order to understand the all-chemical-solution-deposition (CSD) processes for manufacturing coated conductors, we investigated the phase evolution of YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO) films deposited by a low-fluorine metal-organic solution deposition (LF-MOD) method on CSD derived Ce0.9La0.1O2/Gd2Zr2O7/NiW. It is shown that the phase transition from the pyrolyzed film to fully converted YBCO film in the LF-MOD process is similar to that in typical trifluoroacetates-metal organic deposition (TFA-MOD) processes even though the amount of TFA in the solution is reduced by almost one half compared with typical TFA-MOD cases. Moreover, we found that the formation of impurities (mainly BaCeO3, NiWO4 and NiO) is strongly related to the annealing temperature, i.e., the diffusion controlled reactions become intensive from 760 oC, which might be connected with the poor structural and superconducting properties of the films deposited at high sintering temperatures. Based on these results, the optimized growth conditions of YBCO films were established, and a high critical current density (Jc) of about 2 MA/cm2 (77 K, self field) is achieved in a 200 nm thick YBCO film in the architecture made by our all CSD route.

Additive Manufacturing of Metal Structures at the Micrometer Scale.

PubMed

Hirt, Luca; Reiser, Alain; Spolenak, Ralph; Zambelli, Tomaso

2017-05-01

Currently, the focus of additive manufacturing (AM) is shifting from simple prototyping to actual production. One driving factor of this process is the ability of AM to build geometries that are not accessible by subtractive fabrication techniques. While these techniques often call for a geometry that is easiest to manufacture, AM enables the geometry required for best performance to be built by freeing the design process from restrictions imposed by traditional machining. At the micrometer scale, the design limitations of standard fabrication techniques are even more severe. Microscale AM thus holds great potential, as confirmed by the rapid success of commercial micro-stereolithography tools as an enabling technology for a broad range of scientific applications. For metals, however, there is still no established AM solution at small scales. To tackle the limited resolution of standard metal AM methods (a few tens of micrometers at best), various new techniques aimed at the micrometer scale and below are presently under development. Here, we review these recent efforts. Specifically, we feature the techniques of direct ink writing, electrohydrodynamic printing, laser-assisted electrophoretic deposition, laser-induced forward transfer, local electroplating methods, laser-induced photoreduction and focused electron or ion beam induced deposition. Although these methods have proven to facilitate the AM of metals with feature sizes in the range of 0.1-10 µm, they are still in a prototype stage and their potential is not fully explored yet. For instance, comprehensive studies of material availability and material properties are often lacking, yet compulsory for actual applications. We address these items while critically discussing and comparing the potential of current microscale metal AM techniques. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Electrodeposition and characterization of Ni-Mo-ZrO2 composite coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laszczyńska, A.; Winiarski, J.; Szczygieł, B.; Szczygieł, I.

2016-04-01

Ni-Mo-ZrO2 composite coatings were produced by electrodeposition technique from citrate electrolytes containing dispersed ZrO2 nanopowder. The influence of deposition parameters i.e. concentration of molybdate and ZrO2 nanoparticles in the electrolyte, bath pH and deposition current density on the composition and surface morphology of the coating has been investigated. The structure, microhardness and corrosion properties of Ni-Mo-ZrO2 composites with different molybdenum and ZrO2 content have been also examined. It was found that ZrO2 content in the deposit is increased by rising the nanoparticles concentration in the plating solution up to 20 g dm-3. An increase in molybdate concentration in the electrolyte affects negatively the amount of codeposited ZrO2 nanoparticles. The correlation between the deposition current efficiency and ZrO2 content in the composite coating has been also observed. A decrease in deposition current efficiency leads to deposition of Ni-Mo-ZrO2 composite with low nanoparticles content. This may be explained by formation of higher amounts of gas bubbles on the cathode surface, which prevent the adsorption of ZrO2 nanoparticles on the growing deposit. The XRD analysis revealed that all the studied Ni-Mo-ZrO2 coatings were composed of a single, nanocrystalline phase with FCC structure. It was found that the incorporation of ZrO2 nanoparticles into Ni-Mo alloy matrix affects positively the microhardness and also slightly improves the corrosion properties of Ni-Mo alloy coating.

Perioperative ultrasound-guided wire marking of calcific deposits in calcifying tendinitis of the rotator cuff.

PubMed

Sigg, Andreas; Draws, Detlev; Stamm, Axel; Pfeiffer, Michael

2011-03-01

The identification of a calcific deposit in the rotator cuff can often cause difficulties. A new technique is described to identify the calcific deposit perioperatively with a ultrasound-guided wire. The technique allows a safe direct marking of calcific deposits making the procedure faster especially in difficult cases.

Determination of Hg concentration in gases by PIXE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutkiewicz, E.; van Kuijen, W. J. P.; Munnik, F.; Mutsaers, P. H. A.; Rokita, E.; de Voigt, M. J. A.

1992-05-01

A method for determination of the concentration of mercury in the gaseous phase is described. In the first step of the method a stable sulphur-mercury complex is formed. For this purpose sulphur is deposited on a filter and the investigated gas flows through the filter. Millipore filters and the deposition of sulphur from Na2S2O3 * 5H2O solution were found to be most suitable. The amount of Hg absorbed on the filter was determined by PIXE or by NAA in the second step of the method. An optimization of proton energy was performed in the PIXE analysis to obtain the maximal signal-to-background ratio. The detection limit of the method, expressed as the minimal amount of Hg which has to flow through the filter equals to 30 and 2 ng for PIXE and NAA techniques, respectively. Applications of the method are also described.

Computational homogenisation for thermoviscoplasticity: application to thermally sprayed coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berthelsen, Rolf; Denzer, Ralf; Oppermann, Philip; Menzel, Andreas

2017-11-01

Metal forming processes require wear-resistant tool surfaces in order to ensure a long life cycle of the expensive tools together with a constant high quality of the produced components. Thermal spraying is a relatively widely applied coating technique for the deposit of wear protection coatings. During these coating processes, heterogeneous coatings are deployed at high temperatures followed by quenching where residual stresses occur which strongly influence the performance of the coated tools. The objective of this article is to discuss and apply a thermo-mechanically coupled simulation framework which captures the heterogeneity of the deposited coating material. Therefore, a two-scale finite element framework for the solution of nonlinear thermo-mechanically coupled problems is elaborated and applied to the simulation of thermoviscoplastic material behaviour including nonlinear thermal softening in a geometrically linearised setting. The finite element framework and material model is demonstrated by means of numerical examples.

Additive Manufacturing of Dense Hexagonal Boron Nitride Objects

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

Marquez Rossy, Andres E.; Armstrong, Beth L.; Elliott, Amy M.

The feasibility of manufacturing hexagonal boron nitride objects via additive manufacturing techniques was investigated. It was demonstrated that it is possible to hot-extrude thermoplastic filaments containing uniformly distributed boron nitride particles with a volume concentration as high as 60% and that these thermoplastic filaments can be used as feedstock for 3D-printing objects using a fused deposition system. Objects 3D-printed by fused deposition were subsequently sintered at high temperature to obtain dense ceramic products. In a parallel study the behavior of hexagonal boron nitride in aqueous solutions was investigated. It was shown that the addition of a cationic dispersant to anmore » azeotrope enabled the formulation of slurries with a volume concentration of boron nitride as high as 33%. Although these slurries exhibited complex rheological behavior, the results from this study are encouraging and provide a pathway for manufacturing hexagonal boron nitride objects via robocasting.« less

Protective coatings of metal surfaces by cold plasma treatment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manory, R.; Grill, A.

1985-01-01

The cold plasma techniques for deposition of various types of protective coatings are reviewed. The main advantage of these techniques for deposition of ceramic films is the lower process temperature, which enables heat treating of the metal prior to deposition. In the field of surface hardening of steel, significant reduction of treatment time and energy consumption were obtained. A simple model for the plasma - surface reactions in a cold plasma system is presented, and the plasma deposition techniques are discussed in view of this model.

High-mobility ultrathin semiconducting films prepared by spin coating.

PubMed

Mitzi, David B; Kosbar, Laura L; Murray, Conal E; Copel, Matthew; Afzali, Ali

2004-03-18

The ability to deposit and tailor reliable semiconducting films (with a particular recent emphasis on ultrathin systems) is indispensable for contemporary solid-state electronics. The search for thin-film semiconductors that provide simultaneously high carrier mobility and convenient solution-based deposition is also an important research direction, with the resulting expectations of new technologies (such as flexible or wearable computers, large-area high-resolution displays and electronic paper) and lower-cost device fabrication. Here we demonstrate a technique for spin coating ultrathin (approximately 50 A), crystalline and continuous metal chalcogenide films, based on the low-temperature decomposition of highly soluble hydrazinium precursors. We fabricate thin-film field-effect transistors (TFTs) based on semiconducting SnS(2-x)Se(x) films, which exhibit n-type transport, large current densities (>10(5) A cm(-2)) and mobilities greater than 10 cm2 V(-1) s(-1)--an order of magnitude higher than previously reported values for spin-coated semiconductors. The spin-coating technique is expected to be applicable to a range of metal chalcogenides, particularly those based on main group metals, as well as for the fabrication of a variety of thin-film-based devices (for example, solar cells, thermoelectrics and memory devices).

High-mobility ultrathin semiconducting films prepared by spin coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitzi, David B.; Kosbar, Laura L.; Murray, Conal E.; Copel, Matthew; Afzali, Ali

2004-03-01

The ability to deposit and tailor reliable semiconducting films (with a particular recent emphasis on ultrathin systems) is indispensable for contemporary solid-state electronics. The search for thin-film semiconductors that provide simultaneously high carrier mobility and convenient solution-based deposition is also an important research direction, with the resulting expectations of new technologies (such as flexible or wearable computers, large-area high-resolution displays and electronic paper) and lower-cost device fabrication. Here we demonstrate a technique for spin coating ultrathin (~50Å), crystalline and continuous metal chalcogenide films, based on the low-temperature decomposition of highly soluble hydrazinium precursors. We fabricate thin-film field-effect transistors (TFTs) based on semiconducting SnS2-xSex films, which exhibit n-type transport, large current densities (>105Acm-2) and mobilities greater than 10cm2V-1s-1-an order of magnitude higher than previously reported values for spin-coated semiconductors. The spin-coating technique is expected to be applicable to a range of metal chalcogenides, particularly those based on main group metals, as well as for the fabrication of a variety of thin-film-based devices (for example, solar cells, thermoelectrics and memory devices).

Different copolymer films on ZnFeCo particles: Synthesis and anticorrosion properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozyilmaz, A. Tuncay; Avsar, Busra; Ozyilmaz, Gul; Karahan, İ. Hakkı; Camurcu, Taskin; Colak, Fatma

2014-11-01

Zinc-iron-cobalt (ZnFeCo) particles were electrochemically deposited on carbon steel (CS) electrode applying current of 3 mA with chronopotentiometry technique. ZnFeCo particles had homogenous, smooth with prismatic structure. It was shown that the ZnFeCo particles exhibited important barrier effect on CS substrate. Poly(aniline-co-o-anisidine), poly(aniline-co-pyrrole), poly(aniline-co-N-methylpyrrole) and poly(o-anisidine-co-pyrrole) copolymer films were obtained on CS/ZnFeCo electrode. Evaluation of anticorrosion performance of copolymer coatings in 3.5% NaCl solution was investigated by using AC impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique, anodic polarization and the Eocp-time curves. Copolymer films exhibited significant physical barrier behavior on ZnFeCo plated carbon steel, in longer exposure time.

Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Thick Honeycombs

PubMed Central

Hedayati, Reza; Sadighi, Mojtaba; Mohammadi Aghdam, Mohammad; Zadpoor, Amir Abbas

2016-01-01

Honeycombs resemble the structure of a number of natural and biological materials such as cancellous bone, wood, and cork. Thick honeycomb could be also used for energy absorption applications. Moreover, studying the mechanical behavior of honeycombs under in-plane loading could help understanding the mechanical behavior of more complex 3D tessellated structures such as porous biomaterials. In this paper, we study the mechanical behavior of thick honeycombs made using additive manufacturing techniques that allow for fabrication of honeycombs with arbitrary and precisely controlled thickness. Thick honeycombs with different wall thicknesses were produced from polylactic acid (PLA) using fused deposition modelling, i.e., an additive manufacturing technique. The samples were mechanically tested in-plane under compression to determine their mechanical properties. We also obtained exact analytical solutions for the stiffness matrix of thick hexagonal honeycombs using both Euler-Bernoulli and Timoshenko beam theories. The stiffness matrix was then used to derive analytical relationships that describe the elastic modulus, yield stress, and Poisson’s ratio of thick honeycombs. Finite element models were also built for computational analysis of the mechanical behavior of thick honeycombs under compression. The mechanical properties obtained using our analytical relationships were compared with experimental observations and computational results as well as with analytical solutions available in the literature. It was found that the analytical solutions presented here are in good agreement with experimental and computational results even for very thick honeycombs, whereas the analytical solutions available in the literature show a large deviation from experimental observation, computational results, and our analytical solutions. PMID:28773735

Actinide targets for fundamental research in nuclear physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eberhardt, K.; Düllmann, Ch. E.; Haas, R.; Mokry, Ch.; Runke, J.; Thörle-Pospiech, P.; Trautmann, N.

2018-05-01

Thin actinide layers deposited on various substrates are widely used as calibration sources in nuclear spectroscopy. Other applications include fundamental research in nuclear chemistry and -physics, e.g., the chemical and physical properties of super-heavy elements (SHE, Z > 103) or nuclear reaction studies with heavy ions. For the design of future nuclear reactors like fast-fission reactors and accelerator-driven systems for transmutation of nuclear waste, precise data for neutron absorption as well as neutron-induced fission cross section data for 242Pu with neutrons of different energies are of particular importance, requiring suitable Pu-targets. Another application includes studies of nuclear transitions in 229Th harvested as α-decay recoil product from a thin layer of its 233U precursor. For this, a thin and very smooth layer of 233U is used. We report here on the production of actinide layers mostly obtained by Molecular Plating (MP). MP is currently the only fabrication method in cases where the desired actinide material is available only in very limited amounts or possesses a high specific activity. Here, deposition is performed from organic solution applying a current density of 1-2 mA/cm2. Under these conditions target thicknesses of 500-1000 μg/cm2 are possible applying a single deposition step with deposition yields approaching 100 %. For yield determination α-particle spectroscopy, γ-spectroscopy and Neutron Activation Analysis is routinely used. Layer homogeneity is checked with Radiographic Imaging. As an alternative technique to MP the production of thin lanthanide and actinide layers by the so-called "Drop on Demand"-technique applied e.g., in ink-jet printing is currently under investigation.

Thin film growth into the ion track structures in polyimide by atomic layer deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mättö, L.; Malm, J.; Arstila, K.; Sajavaara, T.

2017-09-01

High-aspect ratio porous structures with controllable pore diameters and without a stiff substrate can be fabricated using the ion track technique. Atomic layer deposition is an ideal technique for depositing thin films and functional surfaces on complicated 3D structures due to the high conformality of the films. In this work, we studied Al2O3 and TiO2 films grown by ALD on pristine polyimide (Kapton HN) membranes as well as polyimide membranes etched in sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and boric acid (BO3) solution by means of RBS, PIXE, SEM-EDX and helium ion microcopy (HIM). The focus was on the first ALD growth cycles. The areal density of Al2O3 film in the 400 cycle sample was determined to be 51 ± 3 × 1016 at./cm2, corresponding to the thickness of 55 ± 3 nm. Furthermore, the growth per cycle was 1.4 Å/cycle. The growth is highly linear from the first cycles. In the case of TiO2, the growth per cycle is clearly slower during the first 200 cycles but then it increases significantly. The growth rate based on RBS measurements is 0.24 Å/cycle from 3 to 200 cycles and then 0.6 Å/cycle between 200 and 400 cycles. The final areal density of TiO2 film after 400 cycles is 148 ± 3 × 1015 at./cm2 which corresponds to the thickness of 17.4 ± 0.4 nm. The modification of the polyimide surface by etching prior to the deposition did not have an effect on the Al2O3 and TiO2 growth.

Fully solution-processing route toward highly transparent polymer solar cells.

PubMed

Guo, Fei; Kubis, Peter; Stubhan, Tobias; Li, Ning; Baran, Derya; Przybilla, Thomas; Spiecker, Erdmann; Forberich, Karen; Brabec, Christoph J

2014-10-22

We report highly transparent polymer solar cells using metallic silver nanowires (AgNWs) as both the electron- and hole-collecting electrodes. The entire stack of the devices is processed from solution using a doctor blading technique. A thin layer of zinc oxide nanoparticles is introduced between photoactive layer and top AgNW electrode which plays decisive roles in device functionality: it serves as a mechanical foundation which allows the solution-deposition of top AgNWs, and more importantly it facilitates charge carriers extraction due to the better energy level alignment and the formation of ohmic contacts between the active layer/ZnO and ZnO/AgNWs. The resulting semitransparent polymer:fullerene solar cells showed a power conversion efficiency of 2.9%, which is 72% of the efficiency of an opaque reference device. Moreover, an average transmittance of 41% in the wavelength range of 400-800 nm is achieved, which is of particular interest for applications in transparent architectures.

Growing three-dimensional biomorphic graphene powders using naturally abundant diatomite templates towards high solution processability.

PubMed

Chen, Ke; Li, Cong; Shi, Liurong; Gao, Teng; Song, Xiuju; Bachmatiuk, Alicja; Zou, Zhiyu; Deng, Bing; Ji, Qingqing; Ma, Donglin; Peng, Hailin; Du, Zuliang; Rümmeli, Mark Hermann; Zhang, Yanfeng; Liu, Zhongfan

2016-11-07

Mass production of high-quality graphene with low cost is the footstone for its widespread practical applications. We present herein a self-limited growth approach for producing graphene powders by a small-methane-flow chemical vapour deposition process on naturally abundant and industrially widely used diatomite (biosilica) substrates. Distinct from the chemically exfoliated graphene, thus-produced biomorphic graphene is highly crystallized with atomic layer-thickness controllability, structural designability and less noncarbon impurities. In particular, the individual graphene microarchitectures preserve a three-dimensional naturally curved surface morphology of original diatom frustules, effectively overcoming the interlayer stacking and hence giving excellent dispersion performance in fabricating solution-processible electrodes. The graphene films derived from as-made graphene powders, compatible with either rod-coating, or inkjet and roll-to-roll printing techniques, exhibit much higher electrical conductivity (∼110,700 S m -1 at 80% transmittance) than previously reported solution-based counterparts. This work thus puts forward a practical route for low-cost mass production of various powdery two-dimensional materials.

Growing three-dimensional biomorphic graphene powders using naturally abundant diatomite templates towards high solution processability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Ke; Li, Cong; Shi, Liurong; Gao, Teng; Song, Xiuju; Bachmatiuk, Alicja; Zou, Zhiyu; Deng, Bing; Ji, Qingqing; Ma, Donglin; Peng, Hailin; Du, Zuliang; Rümmeli, Mark Hermann; Zhang, Yanfeng; Liu, Zhongfan

2016-11-01

Mass production of high-quality graphene with low cost is the footstone for its widespread practical applications. We present herein a self-limited growth approach for producing graphene powders by a small-methane-flow chemical vapour deposition process on naturally abundant and industrially widely used diatomite (biosilica) substrates. Distinct from the chemically exfoliated graphene, thus-produced biomorphic graphene is highly crystallized with atomic layer-thickness controllability, structural designability and less noncarbon impurities. In particular, the individual graphene microarchitectures preserve a three-dimensional naturally curved surface morphology of original diatom frustules, effectively overcoming the interlayer stacking and hence giving excellent dispersion performance in fabricating solution-processible electrodes. The graphene films derived from as-made graphene powders, compatible with either rod-coating, or inkjet and roll-to-roll printing techniques, exhibit much higher electrical conductivity (~110,700 S m-1 at 80% transmittance) than previously reported solution-based counterparts. This work thus puts forward a practical route for low-cost mass production of various powdery two-dimensional materials.

320-nm Flexible Solution-Processed 2,7-dioctyl[1] benzothieno[3,2-b]benzothiophene Transistors.

PubMed

Ren, Hang; Tang, Qingxin; Tong, Yanhong; Liu, Yichun

2017-08-09

Flexible organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) have received extensive attention due to their outstanding advantages such as light weight, low cost, flexibility, large-area fabrication, and compatibility with solution-processed techniques. However, compared with a rigid substrate, it still remains a challenge to obtain good device performance by directly depositing solution-processed organic semiconductors onto an ultrathin plastic substrate. In this work, ultrathin flexible OTFTs are successfully fabricated based on spin-coated 2,7-dioctyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b]benzothiophene (C8-BTBT) films. The resulting device thickness is only ~320 nm, so the device has the ability to adhere well to a three-dimension curved surface. The ultrathin C8-BTBT OTFTs exhibit a mobility as high as 4.36 cm² V -1 s -1 and an on/off current ratio of over 10⁶. These results indicate the substantial promise of our ultrathin flexible C8-BTBT OTFTs for next-generation flexible and conformal electronic devices.

320-nm Flexible Solution-Processed 2,7-dioctyl[1] benzothieno[3,2-b]benzothiophene Transistors

PubMed Central

Ren, Hang; Tang, Qingxin; Tong, Yanhong; Liu, Yichun

2017-01-01

Flexible organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) have received extensive attention due to their outstanding advantages such as light weight, low cost, flexibility, large-area fabrication, and compatibility with solution-processed techniques. However, compared with a rigid substrate, it still remains a challenge to obtain good device performance by directly depositing solution-processed organic semiconductors onto an ultrathin plastic substrate. In this work, ultrathin flexible OTFTs are successfully fabricated based on spin-coated 2,7-dioctyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b]benzothiophene (C8-BTBT) films. The resulting device thickness is only ~320 nm, so the device has the ability to adhere well to a three-dimension curved surface. The ultrathin C8-BTBT OTFTs exhibit a mobility as high as 4.36 cm2 V−1 s−1 and an on/off current ratio of over 106. These results indicate the substantial promise of our ultrathin flexible C8-BTBT OTFTs for next-generation flexible and conformal electronic devices. PMID:28792438

Electrospinning for nano- to mesoscale photonic structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skinner, Jack L.; Andriolo, Jessica M.; Murphy, John P.; Ross, Brandon M.

2017-08-01

The fabrication of photonic and electronic structures and devices has directed the manufacturing industry for the last 50 years. Currently, the majority of small-scale photonic devices are created by traditional microfabrication techniques that create features by processes such as lithography and electron or ion beam direct writing. Microfabrication techniques are often expensive and slow. In contrast, the use of electrospinning (ES) in the fabrication of micro- and nano-scale devices for the manipulation of photons and electrons provides a relatively simple and economic viable alternative. ES involves the delivery of a polymer solution to a capillary held at a high voltage relative to the fiber deposition surface. Electrostatic force developed between the collection plate and the polymer promotes fiber deposition onto the collection plate. Issues with ES fabrication exist primarily due to an instability region that exists between the capillary and collection plate and is characterized by chaotic motion of the depositing polymer fiber. Material limitations to ES also exist; not all polymers of interest are amenable to the ES process due to process dependencies on molecular weight and chain entanglement or incompatibility with other polymers and overall process compatibility. Passive and active electronic and photonic fibers fabricated through the ES have great potential for use in light generation and collection in optical and electronic structures/devices. ES produces fiber devices that can be combined with inorganic, metallic, biological, or organic materials for novel device design. Synergistic material selection and post-processing techniques are also utilized for broad-ranging applications of organic nanofibers that span from biological to electronic, photovoltaic, or photonic. As the ability to electrospin optically and/or electronically active materials in a controlled manner continues to improve, the complexity and diversity of devices fabricated from this process can be expected to grow rapidly and provide an alternative to traditional resource-intensive fabrication techniques.

Thin film processing of photorefractive BaTiO3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schuster, Paul R.

1993-01-01

During the period covered by this report, October 11, 1991 through October 10, 1992, the research has progressed in a number of different areas. The sol-gel technique was initially studied and experimentally evaluated for depositing films of BaTiO3. The difficulties with the precursors and the poor quality of the films deposited lead to the investigation of pulsed laser deposition as an alternative approach. The development of the pulsed laser deposition technique has resulted in continuous improvements to the quality of deposited films of BaTiO3. The initial depositions of BaTiO3 resulted in amorphous films, however, as the pulsed laser deposition technique continued to evolve, films were deposited in the polycrystalline state, then the textured polycrystalline state, and most recently heteroepitaxial films have also been successfully deposited on cubic (100) oriented SrTiO3 substrates. A technique for poling samples at room temperature and in air is also undergoing development with some very preliminary but positive results. The analytical techniques, which include x-ray diffraction, ferroelectric analysis, UV-Vis spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy with x-ray compositional analysis, optical and polarized light microscopy, and surface profilometry have been enhanced to allow for more detailed evaluation of the samples. In the area of optical characterization, a pulsed Nd:YAG laser has been incorporated into the experimental configuration. Now data can also be acquired within various temporal domains resulting in more detailed information on the optical response of the samples and on their photorefractive sensitivity. The recent establishment of collaborative efforts with two departments at Johns Hopkins University and the Army Research Lab at Fort Belvoir has also produced preliminary results using the metallo-organic decomposition technique as an alternative method for thin film processing of BaTiO3. RF and DC sputtering is another film deposition approach that should be initiated in the near future. Other techniques for optical characterization, which may even allow for intragrannular (within single grains) investigations, are also being considered.

Photocatalysis of zinc oxide nanotip array/titanium oxide film heterojunction prepared by aqueous solution deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Ming-Kwei; Lee, Bo-Wei; Kao, Chen-Yu

2017-05-01

A TiO2 film was prepared on indium tin oxide (ITO)/glass by aqueous solution deposition (ASD) with precursors of ammonium hexafluoro-titanate and boric acid at 40 °C. The photocatalysis of annealed TiO2 film increases with increasing growth time and decreases with increasing growth times longer than 60 min. A ZnO nanotip array was prepared on ZnO seed layer/TiO2 film/glass by aqueous solution deposition with precursors of zinc nitrate and ammonium hydroxide at 70 °C. The photocatalysis of ASD-ZnO/ASD-TiO2 film/ITO glass can be better than that of P25.

Epitaxial BiFeO3 thin films fabricated by chemical solution deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, S. K.; Kim, Y. K.; Funakubo, H.; Ishiwara, H.

2006-04-01

Epitaxial BiFeO3 (BFO) thin films were fabricated on (001)-, (110)-, and (111)-oriented single-crystal SrRuO3(SRO )/SrTiO3(STO) structures by chemical solution deposition. X-ray diffraction indicates the formation of an epitaxial single-phase perovskite structure and pole figure measurement confirms the cube-on-cube epitaxial relationship of BFO ‖SRO‖STO. Chemical-solution-deposited BFO films have a rhombohedral structure with lattice parameter of 0.395nm, which is the same structure as that of a bulk single crystal. The remanent polarization of approximately 50μC/cm2 was observed in BFO (001) thin films at 80K.

Investigations in structural morphological and optical properties of Bi-Pb-S system thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malika, Boukhalfa; Noureddine, Benramdane; Mourad, Medles; Abdelkader, Outzourhit; Attouya, Bouzidi; Hind, Tabet-derraz

Bi2S3, PbS and Bi-Pb-S system thin films were grown on glass substrates by the spray pyrolysis technique. The films growth was realized by the reaction of aqueous solutions of bismuth trichloride (BiCl3) and trihydrate Lead Acetate (TLA) (Pb(CH3COO)2.3H2O) with thiourea on heated substrates. The films study was performed as a function of the TLA volume ratio (TLA vol. ratio) in the solution obtained by the mixture of BiCl3 and thiourea used as precursor solution (PrS). X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emitting scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were used for structural and compositional analysis of the as deposited films. With the structural investigations, Bi2S3, PbS thin films and PbS-Bi2S3 composite thin films formation was confirmed. Optical properties of the deposited films were obtained using transmittance and reflectance measurements in the wavelength range [200-2500 nm]. The absorption edge shows a shift towards low energy with the increase of the TLA vol. ratio.The optical bandgaps for the films with various TLA vol. ratio are found to lie between those of the Bi2S3 and PbS ones. The optical parameters (extinction coefficient, refractive index, real and imaginary parts if the complex dielectric constant) of the thin films are also investigated. These are found to be dependent on the TLA vol. ratio.

Microstructural and mechanical characteristics of Ni–Cr thin films

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

Petley, Vijay; Sathishkumar, S.; Thulasi Raman, K.H.

2015-06-15

Highlights: • Ni–Cr thin films of varied composition deposited by DC magnetron co-sputtering. • Thin film with Ni–Cr: 80–20 at% composition exhibits most distinct behavior. • The films were tensile tested and exhibited no cracking till the substrate yielding. - Abstract: Ni–Cr alloy thin films have been deposited using magnetron co-sputtering technique at room temperature. Crystal structure was evaluated using GIXRD. Ni–Cr solid solution upto 40 at% of Cr exhibited fcc solid solution of Cr in Ni and beyond that it exhibited bcc solid solution of Ni in Cr. X-ray diffraction analysis shows formation of (1 1 1) fiber texturemore » in fcc and (2 2 0) fiber texture in bcc Ni–Cr thin films. Electron microscopy in both in-plane and transverse direction of the film surface revealed the presence of columnar microstructure for films having Cr upto 40 at%. Mechanical properties of the films are evaluated using nanoindentation. The modulus values increased with increase of Cr at% till the film is fcc. With further increase in Cr at% the modulus values decreased. Ni–Cr film with 20 at% Ni exhibits reduction in modulus and is correlated to the poor crystallization of the film as reflected in XRD analysis. The Ni–Cr thin film with 80 at% Ni and 20 at% Cr exhibited the most distinct columnar structure with highest electrical resistivity, indentation hardness and elastic modulus.« less

Electron-Beam-Induced Deposition as a Technique for Analysis of Precursor Molecule Diffusion Barriers and Prefactors.

PubMed

Cullen, Jared; Lobo, Charlene J; Ford, Michael J; Toth, Milos

2015-09-30

Electron-beam-induced deposition (EBID) is a direct-write chemical vapor deposition technique in which an electron beam is used for precursor dissociation. Here we show that Arrhenius analysis of the deposition rates of nanostructures grown by EBID can be used to deduce the diffusion energies and corresponding preexponential factors of EBID precursor molecules. We explain the limitations of this approach, define growth conditions needed to minimize errors, and explain why the errors increase systematically as EBID parameters diverge from ideal growth conditions. Under suitable deposition conditions, EBID can be used as a localized technique for analysis of adsorption barriers and prefactors.

Template directed fabrication and characterization of one-dimensional nanostructures for nanoelectronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Muhammad Ibrahim

Limitation of near future scaling down of conventional silicon technology stimulated the quest for alternative technologies in nanometer-scale materials and devices in recent years. Since the discovery of carbon nanotubes, there has been great interest in the synthesis and characterization of other one-dimensional materials. Nanorods, wires, belts, and tubes make up one particular class of anisotropic nanomaterials, which are considered quasi one-dimensional structures. Nanowires are promising materials for many novel applications, ranging from chemical and biological sensors to optical and electronic devices. This is not only because of their unique geometry, but also because they possess many unique physical properties, including electrical, magnetic, optical, as well as mechanical properties. In this dissertation, we describe the synthesis, structure and properties of nanowires of various inorganic materials fabricated simply by filling up pores or via in a template by means of electrochemical deposition (ECD). The architecture of the porous template defines the wire shape, direction and size. Because of the extreme aspect ratios of these 3D porous membranes, most physical and chemical vapor deposition techniques are ill suited for this template-directed growth technique and template directed fabrication is found to be superior in terms of low cost, high throughput, high volume, and ease of production. Also multicomponent nanowires can be grown simply by switching the solution composition or in some cases even in the same solution by switching the deposition potential. The nanowires can be released from the template matrix by chemical dissolution of the template. Based on the successful fabrication of elemental and multicomponent nanowires we have designed and fabricated InSb nanowire based field effect transistor (FET) devices on Si substrate. InSb is well known for its direct narrow band gap (0.18 eV at 300 K) with a very high electron mobility (8x10 4 cm2 V-1 s-1 at 300 K), electron velocity, and ballistic length (up to 0.7 mum at 300 K) of any known semiconductor. We demonstrated InSb nanowire devices at different diameter range from 30nm to 200nm using template directed technique which promises smaller feature sizes and an alternate, more economical path to atomic-scale computing structures than top-down lithography.

The chemical deposition of semiconductor thin-films for photovoltaic devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breen, Marc Louis

Initially, possible precursors to metal sulfide films formed by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), the standard commercial technique for manufacturing photovoltaic semiconductors, were synthesized. Triple-junction GaInP 2/GaAs/Ge solar cells, prepared by this method, were studied to understand how chemical properties and material defects can effect the performance of photovoltaic devices. Finally, novel methods for the low-temperature, solution growth of CdS, CdSe, and CuInSe2 photovoltaic materials were targeted which will reduce manufacturing costs and increase the economic feasibility of solar energy conversion. A series of dialkyldithiocarbamate copper, gallium and indium compounds were studied as possible metal sulfide MOCVD precursors. Metal powders were oxidized by dialkylthiurams in 3- or 4-methylpyridine using standard techniques for handling air and moisture-sensitive compounds. Metal chlorides reacted directly with the sodium dialkyldithiocarbamate salts. In these complexes, the metal was found in a roughly octahedral orientation, surrounded by dithiocarbamate ligands and/or solvent molecules. Triple-junction GaInP2/GaAs/Ge cells were composed of thin-films of GaInP2 and GaAs grown monolithically on top of a germanium substrate. Each layer of semiconductor material had a different bandgap and absorbed a different portion of the solar spectrum, thus improving the overall efficiency of the cell. Work focused on dark current-voltage behavior which is known to limit solar cell open-circuit voltage, fill factor, and conversion efficiency. Cells were studied using microscopic and spectroscopic techniques to correlate the effect of physical defects in the materials with poor performance of the devices as evaluated through current vs. voltage measurements. Films of US and CdSe were readily prepared in solution through an "ion-by-ion" deposition of Cd2+ and S2- (or Se 2-) generated from the slow hydrolysis of thiourea (or dimethylthiourea). The bath chemistry was carefully controlled by the adjustment of pH to slow hydrolysis and with chelating agents to sequester the cadmium ions. Triethanolamine and ethylenediamine were both effective chelators with the latter producing thicker, clearer films. Finally, US films were grown over electrodeposited CuInSe2 to form working photovoltaic devices. In summary, contributions were made which (a) advance current methods for manufacturing photovoltaic semiconductors and (b) offer an alternative route to producing new forms of thin-film solar cell devices.

Aqueous Solution-Deposited Gallium Oxide Dielectric for Low-Temperature, Low-Operating-Voltage Indium Oxide Thin-Film Transistors: A Facile Route to Green Oxide Electronics.

PubMed

Xu, Wangying; Cao, Hongtao; Liang, Lingyan; Xu, Jian-Bin

2015-07-15

We reported a novel aqueous route to fabricate Ga2O3 dielectric at low temperature. The formation and properties of Ga2O3 were investigated by a wide range of characterization techniques, revealing that Ga2O3 films could effectively block leakage current even after annealing in air at 200 °C. Furthermore, all aqueous solution-processed In2O3/Ga2O3 TFTs fabricated at 200 and 250 °C showed mobilities of 1.0 and 4.1 cm2 V(-1) s(-1), on/off current ratio of ∼10(5), low operating voltages of 4 V, and negligible hysteresis. Our study represents a significant step toward the development of low-cost, low-temperature, and large-area green oxide electronics.

Optical characterization of glutamate dehydrogenase monolayers chemisorbed on SiO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pompa, P. P.; Blasi, L.; Longo, L.; Cingolani, R.; Ciccarella, G.; Vasapollo, G.; Rinaldi, R.; Rizzello, A.; Storelli, C.; Maffia, M.

2003-04-01

This paper describes the formation of glutamate dehydrogenase monolayers on silicon dioxide, and their characterization by means of physical techniques, i.e., fluorescence spectroscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Detailed investigations of the intrinsic stability of native proteins in solution were carried out to elucidate the occurrence of conformational changes induced by the immobilization procedure. The enzyme monolayers were deposited on SiO2 after preexposing silicon surfaces to 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane and reacting the silylated surfaces with glutaric dialdehyde. The optical characterization demonstrates that the immobilization does not interfere with the fold pattern of the native enzyme. In addition, fluorescence spectroscopy, thermal denaturation, and quenching studies performed on the enzyme in solution well describe the folding and unfolding properties of glutamate dehydrogenase. The photophysical studies reported here are relevant for nanobioelectronics applications requiring protein immobilization on a chip.

Control of NORM at Eugene Island 341-A

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

Shuler, P.J.; Baudoin, D.A.; Weintritt, D.J.

1995-12-31

A field study at Eugene island 341-A, an offshore production platform in the Gulf of Mexico, was conducted to develop strategies for the cost-effective prevention of NORM (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials) deposits. The specific objectives of this study were to: (1) Determine the root cause for the NORM deposits at this facility, utilizing different diagnostic techniques. (2) Consider all engineering options that are designed to prevent NORM from forming. (3) Determine the most cost-effective engineering solution. An overall objective was to generalize the diagnostics and control methods developed for Eugene Island 341-A to other oil and gas production facilities, especiallymore » to platforms located in the Gulf of Mexico. This study determined that the NORM deposits found at Eugene Island 341-A stem from commingling incompatible produced waters at the surface. Wells completed in Sand Block A have a water containing a relatively high concentration of barium, while those formation brines in Sand Blocks B and C are high in sulfate. When these waters mix at the start of the fluid treatment facilities on the platform, barium sulfate forms. Radium that is present in the produced brines co-precipitates with the barium, thereby creating a radioactive barium sulfate scale deposit (NORM).« less

ZrN coatings deposited by high power impulse magnetron sputtering and cathodic arc techniques

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

Purandare, Yashodhan, E-mail: Y.Purandare@shu.ac.uk; Ehiasarian, Arutiun; Hovsepian, Papken

Zirconium nitride (ZrN) coatings were deposited on 1 μm finish high speed steel and 316L stainless steel test coupons. Cathodic Arc (CA) and High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HIPIMS) + Unbalanced Magnetron Sputtering (UBM) techniques were utilized to deposit coatings. CA plasmas are known to be rich in metal and gas ions of the depositing species as well as macroparticles (droplets) emitted from the arc sports. Combining HIPIMS technique with UBM in the same deposition process facilitated increased ion bombardment on the depositing species during coating growth maintaining high deposition rate. Prior to coating deposition, substrates were pretreated with Zr{sup +}more » rich plasma, for both arc deposited and HIPIMS deposited coatings, which led to a very high scratch adhesion value (L{sub C2}) of 100 N. Characterization results revealed the overall thickness of the coatings in the range of 2.5 μm with hardness in the range of 30–40 GPa depending on the deposition technique. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy and tribological experiments such as dry sliding wear tests and corrosion studies have been utilized to study the effects of ion bombardment on the structure and properties of these coatings. In all the cases, HIPIMS assisted UBM deposited coating fared equal or better than the arc deposited coatings, the reasons being discussed in this paper. Thus H+U coatings provide a good alternative to arc deposited where smooth, dense coatings are required and macrodroplets cannot be tolerated.« less

CTAB assisted growth and characterization of nanocrystalline CuO films by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Iqbal; Kaur, Gursharan; Bedi, R. K.

2011-09-01

An aqueous solution of cupric nitrate trihydrate (Cu(NO 3) 2·3H 2O) modified with cetyltrimetylammonium bromide (CTAB) is used to deposit CuO films on glass substrate by chemical spray pyrolysis technique. The thermal analysis shows that the dried CTAB doped precursor decomposes by an exothermic reaction and suggests that minimum substrate temperature for film deposition should be greater than 270 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies indicate the formation of monoclinic CuO with preferential orientation along (0 0 2) plane for all film samples. The CTAB used as cationic surfactant in precursor results in the suppression of grain growth in films along the (1 1 0), (0 2 0) and (2 2 0) crystal planes of CuO. Surfactant modified films showed an increase in crystallite size of 14 nm at substrate temperature of 300 °C. The scanning electron micrographs (FESEM) confirm the uniform distribution of facets like grains on the entire area of substrate. CTAB modified films show a significant reduction in the particle agglomeration. Electrical studies of the CuO films deposited at substrate temperature of 300 °C with and without surfactant reveal that the CTAB doping increase the activation energy of conduction by 0.217 eV and room temperature response to ammonia by 9%. The kinetics of the ammonia gas adsorption on the film surface follows the Elovich and Diffusion models.

Alternative welding reconditioning solutions without post welding heat treatment of pressure vessel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cicic, D. T.; Rontescu, C.; Bogatu, A. M.; Dijmărescu, M. C.

2017-08-01

In pressure vessels, working on high temperature and high pressure may appear some defects, cracks for example, which may lead to failure in operation. When these nonconformities are identified, after certain examination, testing and result interpretation, the decision taken is to repair or to replace the deteriorate component. In the current legislation it’s stipulated that any repair, alteration or modification to an item of pressurised equipment that was originally post-weld heat treated after welding (PWHT) should be post-weld heat treated again after repair, requirement that cannot always be respected. For that reason, worldwide, there were developed various welding repair techniques without PWHT, among we find the Half Bead Technique (HBT) and Controlled Deposition Technique (CDT). The paper presents the experimental results obtained by applying the welding reconditioning techniques HBT and CDT in order to restore as quickly as possible the pressure vessels made of 13CrMo4-5. The effects of these techniques upon the heat affected zone are analysed, the graphics of the hardness variation are drawn and the resulted structures are compared in the two cases.

Subcostal Transverse Abdominis Plane Block for Acute Pain Management: A Review.

PubMed

Soliz, Jose M; Lipski, Ian; Hancher-Hodges, Shannon; Speer, Barbra Bryce; Popat, Keyuri

2017-10-01

The subcostal transverse abdominis plane (SCTAP) block is the deposition of local anesthetic in the transverse abdominis plane inferior and parallel to the costal margin. There is a growing consensus that the SCTAP block provides better analgesia for upper abdominal incisions than the traditional transverse abdominis plane block. In addition, when used as part of a four-quadrant transverse abdominis plane block, the SCTAP block may provide adequate analgesia for major abdominal surgery. The purpose of this review is to discuss the SCTAP block, including its indications, technique, local anesthetic solutions, and outcomes.

New strategy and easy fabrication of solid-state supercapacitor based on polypyrrole and nitrile rubber.

PubMed

Lee, Sangyool; Lee, Youngkwan; Cho, Mi-Suk; Nam, Jae-Do

2008-09-01

Solid state redox supercapacitors were fabricated using a solid polymer electrolyte, nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR)-KCI and chemically deposited polypyrrole (PPy) as the conducting polymer electrodes on both surfaces of a NBR film. The optimal conditions for the preparation of the PPy/NBR electrode were confirmed as functions of the uptake of pyrrole monomer into the NBR matrix as well as the immersion time in an oxidant solution. The morphology of the PPy-NBR-KCI capacitor was observed using scanning electron microscopy. The performance of the capacitors was characterized using a galvanostatic charge-discharge technique.

Qualitative and quantitative comparisons on reconditioning by welding of crankshafts from auto industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chivu (Vîrlan, O. R.; Rontescu, C.; Cicic, D. T.; Vasile, I. M.; Petriceanu, C.

2015-11-01

One of the goals of modern society is represented by reducing the cost for the maintenance of cars. One of the pieces that break down most often on the engine block is the crankshaft, in various areas of it. Due to the fact that the price of a crankshaft is very high, specialists seek solutions for repairing and not replacing them. In this study, it is presented a comparison in terms of hardness obtained at recovering the counterweight by welding by using two methods of welding, WIG and SMAW through various techniques: normal, WTO, lateral depositing.

High Tc superconducting films from metallo-organic precursors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davison, W. W.; Shyu, S. G.; Buchanan, R. C.

High Tc superconducting films of heavy metal soaps (derived from carboxylic acid precursors) have been prepared on Si and other substrates. The precursors were synthesized and mixed in appropriate molar ratios to form the high Tc compound YBa2Cu3O(7-x), using a high boiling point common solvent base. The precursor solution was deposited by a spin casting technique on the substrates. Film thicknesses of 0.1-1.0 micron were achieved after heat treatment at 550-850 C at not longer than 4 hours. Films were analyzed as to orientation, appropriate phase, interfacial reaction, and superconducting properties.

Numerical Schemes for the Hamilton-Jacobi and Level Set Equations on Triangulated Domains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barth, Timothy J.; Sethian, James A.

2006-01-01

Borrowing from techniques developed for conservation law equations, we have developed both monotone and higher order accurate numerical schemes which discretize the Hamilton-Jacobi and level set equations on triangulated domains. The use of unstructured meshes containing triangles (2D) and tetrahedra (3D) easily accommodates mesh adaptation to resolve disparate level set feature scales with a minimal number of solution unknowns. The minisymposium talk will discuss these algorithmic developments and present sample calculations using our adaptive triangulation algorithm applied to various moving interface problems such as etching, deposition, and curvature flow.

Surface analysis monitoring of polyelectrolyte deposition on Ba 0.5Sr 0.5TiO 3 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morales-Cruz, Angel L.; Fachini, Estevão R.; Miranda, Félix A.; Cabrera, Carlos R.

2007-09-01

Thin films are currently gaining interest in many areas such as integrated optics, sensors, friction, reducing coatings, surface orientation layers, and general industrial applications. Recently, molecular self-assembling techniques have been applied for thin film deposition of electrically conducting polymers, conjugated polymers for light-emitting devices, nanoparticles, and noncentrosymmetric-ordered second order nonlinear optical (NOL) devices. Polyelectrolytes self-assemblies have been used to prepare thin films. The alternate immersion of a charged surface in polyannion and a polycation solution leads usually to the formation of films known as polyelectrolyte multilayers. These polyanion and polycation structures are not neutral. However, charge compensation appears on the surface. This constitutes the building driving force of the polyelectrolyte multilayer films. The present approach consists of two parts: (a) the chemisorption of 11-mercaptoundecylamine (MUA) to construct a self-assembled monolayer with the consequent protonation of the amine, and (b) the deposition of opposite charged polyelectrolytes in a sandwich fashion. The approach has the advantage that ionic attraction between opposite charges is the driving force for the multilayer buildup. For our purposes, the multilayer of polyelectrolytes depends on the quality of the surface needed for the application. In many cases, this approach will be used in a way that the roughness factor defects will be diminished. The polyelectrolytes selected for the study were: polystyrene sulfonate sodium salt (PSS), poly vinylsulfate potassium salt (PVS), and polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH), as shown in Fig. 1. The deposition of polyelectrolytes was carried out by a dipping procedure with the corresponding polyelectrolyte. Monitoring of the alternate deposition of polyelectrolyte bilayers was done by surface analysis techniques such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), specular reflectance infrared (IR), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The surface analysis results are presented through the adsorption steps of the polyelectrolytes layer by layer.

Polymer-assisted aqueous deposition of metal oxide films

DOEpatents

Li, DeQuan [Los Alamos, NM; Jia, Quanxi [Los Alamos, NM

2003-07-08

An organic solvent-free process for deposition of metal oxide thin films is presented. The process includes aqueous solutions of necessary metal precursors and an aqueous solution of a water-soluble polymer. After a coating operation, the resultant coating is fired at high temperatures to yield optical quality metal oxide thin films.

Aligned Carbon Nanotubes for Highly Efficient Energy Generation and Storage Devices

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-24

solution processing methods, including filtration, solution-casting, electrophoretic deposition, and Langmuir - Blodgett deposition. However, most...supercapacitors with environmentally friendly ionic liquid electrolytes. These new nanocomposite electrodes consist of the high-surface-area activated...carbons, carbon nanotubes, and ionic liquids as the integrated constituent components. The resultant composites show significantly improved charge

Comparative study of solution-phase and vapor-phase deposition of aminosilanes on silicon dioxide surfaces.

PubMed

Yadav, Amrita R; Sriram, Rashmi; Carter, Jared A; Miller, Benjamin L

2014-02-01

The uniformity of aminosilane layers typically used for the modification of hydroxyl bearing surfaces such as silicon dioxide is critical for a wide variety of applications, including biosensors. However, in spite of many studies that have been undertaken on surface silanization, there remains a paucity of easy-to-implement deposition methods reproducibly yielding smooth aminosilane monolayers. In this study, solution- and vapor-phase deposition methods for three aminoalkoxysilanes differing in the number of reactive groups (3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES), 3-aminopropyl methyl diethoxysilane (APMDES) and 3-aminopropyl dimethyl ethoxysilane (APDMES)) were assessed with the aim of identifying methods that yield highly uniform and reproducible silane layers that are resistant to minor procedural variations. Silane film quality was characterized based on measured thickness, hydrophilicity and surface roughness. Additionally, hydrolytic stability of the films was assessed via these thickness and contact angle values following desorption in water. We found that two simple solution-phase methods, an aqueous deposition of APTES and a toluene based deposition of APDMES, yielded high quality silane layers that exhibit comparable characteristics to those deposited via vapor-phase methods. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of perovskite layer on various nanostructured silicon wafer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rostan, Nur Fairuz Mohd; Sepeai, Suhaila; Ramli, Noor Fadhilah; Azhari, Ayu Wazira; Ludin, Norasikin Ahmad; Teridi, Mohd Asri Mat; Ibrahim, Mohd Adib; Zaidi, Saleem H.

2017-05-01

Crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cell dominates 90% of photovoltaic (PV) market. The c-Si is the most mature of all PV technologies and expected to remain leading the PV technology by 2050. The attractive characters of Si solar cell are stability, long lasting and higher lifetime. Presently, the efficiency of c-Si solar cell is still stuck at 25% for one and half decades. Tandem approach is one of the attempts to improve the Si solar cell efficiency with higher bandgap layer is stacked on top of Si bottom cell. Perovskite offers a big potential to be inserted into a tandem solar cell. Perovskite with bandgap of 1.6 to 1.9 eV will be able to absorb high energy photons, meanwhile c-Si with bandgap of 1.124 eV will absorb low energy photons. The high carrier mobility, high carrier lifetime, highly compatible with both solution and evaporation techniques makes perovskite an eligible candidate for perovskite-Si tandem configuration. The solution of methyl ammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) was prepared by single step precursor process. The perovskite layer was deposited on different c-Si surface structure, namely planar, textured and Si nanowires (SiNWs) by using spin-coating technique at different rotation speeds. The nanostructure of Si surface was textured using alkaline based wet chemical etching process and SiNW was grown using metal assisted etching technique. The detailed surface morphology and absorbance of perovskite were studied in this paper. The results show that the thicknesses of MAPbI3 were reduced with the increasing of rotation speed. In addition, the perovskite layer deposited on the nanostructured Si wafer became rougher as the etching time and rotation speed increased. The average surface roughness increased from ˜24 nm to ˜38 nm for etching time range between 5-60 min at constant low rotation speed (2000 rpm) for SiNWs Si wafer.

Single crystal structure analyses of scheelite-powellite CaW1-xMoxO4 solidsolutions and unique occurrence in Jisyakuyama skarn deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamashita, K.; Yoshiasa, A.; Miyazaki, H.; Tokuda, M.; Tobase, T.; Isobe, H.; Nishiyama, T.; Sugiyama, K.; Miyawaki, R.

2017-12-01

Jisyakuyama skarn deposit, Fukuchi, Fukuoka, Japan, shows a simple occurrenceformed by penetration of hot water into limestone cracks. A unique occurrence of scheelite-powellite CaW1-xMoxO4 minerals is observed in the skarn deposit. Many syntheticexperiments for scheelite-powellite solid solutions have been reported as research onfluorescent materials. In this system it is known that a complete continuous solid solution isformed even at room temperature. In this study, we have carried out the chemical analyses,crystal structural refinements and detail description of occurrence on scheelite-powelliteminerals. We have also attempted synthesis of single crystal of solid solution in a widecomposition range. The chemical compositions were determined by JEOL scanningelectron microscope and EDS, INCA system. We have performed the crystal structurerefinements of the scheelite-powellite CaW1-xMoxO4 solid solutions (x=0.0-1.0) byRIGAKU single-crystal structure analysis system RAPID. The R and S values are around0.0s and 1.03. As the result of structural refinements of natural products and many solidsolutions, we confirm that most large natural single crystals have compositions at bothendmembers, and large solid solution crystals are rare. The lattice constants, interatomicdistances and other crystallographic parameters for the solid solution change uniquely withcomposition and it was confirmed as a continuous solid solution. Single crystals of scheeliteendmember + powellite endmember + solid solution with various compositions form anaggregate in the deposit (Figure 1). Crystal shapes of powellite and scheelite arehypidiomorphic and allotriomorphic, respectively. Many solid solution crystals areaccompanied by scheelite endmember and a compositional gap is observed betweenpowellite and solid-solution crystals. The presence of several penetration solutions withsignificantly different W and Mo contents may be assumed. This research can be expectedto lead to giving restrictive conditions to elucidate the mineralization process. Figure1. Scheelite + Powellite + solid solution aggregate

[Effects of nitrogen deposition on the concentration and spectral characteristics of dissolved organic matter in soil solution in a young Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation.

PubMed

Yuan, Xiao Chun; Chen, Yue Min; Yuan, Shuo; Zheng, Wei; Si, You Tao; Yuan, Zhi Peng; Lin, Wei Sheng; Yang, Yu Sheng

2017-01-01

To study the effects of nitrogen deposition on the concentration and spectral characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the forest soil solution from the subtropical Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation, using negative pressure sampling method, the dynamics of DOM in soil solutions from 0-15 and 15-30 cm soil layer was monitored for two years and the spectroscopic features of DOM were analyzed. The results showed that nitrogen deposition significantly reduced the concentration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and increased the aromatic index (AI) and the humic index (HIX), but had no significant effect on dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) concentration in both soil layers. There was obvious seasonal variation in DOM concentration of the soil solution, which was prominently higher in summer and autumn than in spring and winter.Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) absorption spectrometry indicated that the DOM in forest soil solution had absorption peaks in the similar position of six regions, being the highest in wave number of 1145-1149 cm -1 . Three-dimensional fluorescence spectra indicated that DOM was mainly consisted of protein-like substances (Ex/Em=230 nm/300 nm) and microbial degradation products (Ex/Em=275 nm/300 nm). The availability of protein-like substances from 0-15 cm soil layer was reduced in the nitrogen treatments. Nitrogen deposition significantly reduced the concentration of DOC in soil solution, maybe largely by reducing soil pH, inhibiting soil carbon mineralization and stimulating plant growth. In particular, the decline of DOC concentration in the surface layer was due to the production inhibition of the protein-like substances and carboxylic acids. Short-term nitrogen deposition might be beneficial to the maintenance of soil fertility, while the long-term accumulation of nitrogen deposition might lead to the hard utilization of soil nutrients.

Microreactor-Assisted Nanomaterial Deposition for Photovoltaic Thin-Film Production

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

None

2009-03-01

This factsheet describes a research project whose goal is to develop and demonstrate a scalable microreactor-assisted nanomaterial deposition pilot platform for the production, purification, functionalization, and solution deposition of nanomaterials for PV applications.

Effects of nitrate and water on the oxygen isotopic analysis of barium sulfate precipitated from water samples

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hannon, Janet E.; Böhlke, John Karl; Mroczkowski, Stanley J.

2008-01-01

BaSO4 precipitated from mixed salt solutions by common techniques for SO isotopic analysis may contain quantities of H2O and NO that introduce errors in O isotope measurements. Experiments with synthetic solutions indicate that δ18O values of CO produced by decomposition of precipitated BaSO4 in a carbon reactor may be either too low or too high, depending on the relative concentrations of SO and NO and the δ18O values of the H2O, NO, and SO. Typical δ18O errors are of the order of 0.5 to 1‰ in many sample types, and can be larger in samples containing atmospheric NO, which can cause similar errors in δ17O and Δ17O. These errors can be reduced by (1) ion chromatographic separation of SO from NO, (2) increasing the salinity of the solutions before precipitating BaSO4 to minimize incorporation of H2O, (3) heating BaSO4under vacuum to remove H2O, (4) preparing isotopic reference materials as aqueous samples to mimic the conditions of the samples, and (5) adjusting measured δ18O values based on amounts and isotopic compositions of coexisting H2O and NO. These procedures are demonstrated for SO isotopic reference materials, synthetic solutions with isotopically known reagents, atmospheric deposition from Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, USA, and sulfate salt deposits from the Atacama Desert, Chile, and Mojave Desert, California, USA. These results have implications for the calibration and use of O isotope data in studies of SO sources and reaction mechanisms.

Electrodeposition of organic-inorganic tri-halide perovskites solar cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charles, U. A.; Ibrahim, M. A.; Teridi, M. A. M.

2018-02-01

Perovskite (CH3NH3PbI3) semiconductor materials are promising high-performance light energy absorber for solar cell application. However, the power conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cell is severely affected by the surface quality of the deposited thin film. Spin coating is a low-cost and widely used deposition technique for perovskite solar cell. Notably, film deposited by spin coating evolves surface hydroxide and defeats from uncontrolled precipitation and inter-diffusion reaction. Alternatively, vapor deposition (VD) method produces uniform thin film but requires precise control of complex thermodynamic parameters which makes the technique unsuitable for large scale production. Most deposition techniques for perovskite require tedious surface optimization to improve the surface quality of deposits. Optimization of perovskite surface is necessary to significantly improve device structure and electrical output. In this review, electrodeposition of perovskite solar cell is demonstrated as a scalable and reproducible technique to fabricate uniform and smooth thin film surface that circumvents the need for high vacuum environment. Electrodeposition is achieved at low temperatures, supports precise control and optimization of deposits for efficient charge transfer.

Optical and structural properties of cadmium telluride films grown by glancing angle deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ehsani, M. H.; Rezagholipour Dizaji, H.; Azizi, S.; Ghavami Mirmahalle, S. F.; Siyanaki, F. Hosseini

2013-08-01

Cadmium telluride films were grown by the glancing angle deposition (GLAD) technique. The samples were prepared under different incident deposition flux angles (α = 0°, 20° and 70° measured from the normal to the substrate surface). During deposition, the substrate temperature was maintained at room temperature. The structural study was performed using an x-ray diffraction diffractometer. The samples were found to be poly-crystalline with cubic structure for those deposited at α = 0° and 20° and hexagonal structure for the one deposited at 70°. The images of samples obtained by the field emission scanning electron microscopy technique showed that the GLAD method could produce a columnar layer tilted toward the incident deposition flux. The optical properties study by the UV-Vis spectroscopy technique showed that the use of this growth technique affected the optical properties of the films. A higher absorption coefficient in the visible and near-IR spectral range was observed for the sample deposited at α = 70°. This is an important result from the photovoltaic applications point of view where absorber materials with large absorption coefficients are needed. Also, it seems that the sample with a high incident deposition flux angle has the capability of making an n-CdTe/p-CdTe homo-junction.

Effect of Coating Thickness on the Properties of TiN Coatings Deposited on Tool Steels Using Cathodic Arc Pvd Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mubarak, A.; Akhter, Parvez; Hamzah, Esah; Mohd Toff, Mohd Radzi Hj.; Qazi, Ishtiaq A.

Titanium nitride (TiN) widely used as hard coating material, was coated on tool steels, namely on high-speed steel (HSS) and D2 tool steel by physical vapor deposition method. The study concentrated on cathodic arc physical vapor deposition (CAPVD), a technique used for the deposition of hard coatings for tooling applications, and which has many advantages. The main drawback of this technique, however, is the formation of macrodroplets (MDs) during deposition, resulting in films with rougher morphology. Various standard characterization techniques and equipment, such as electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, hardness testing machine, scratch tester, and pin-on-disc machine, were used to analyze and quantify the following properties and parameters: surface morphology, thickness, hardness, adhesion, and coefficient of friction (COF) of the deposited coatings. Surface morphology revealed that the MDs produced during the etching stage, protruded through the TiN film, resulting in film with deteriorated surface features. Both coating thickness and indentation loads influenced the hardness of the deposited coatings. The coatings deposited on HSS exhibit better adhesion compared to those on D2 tool steel. Standard deviation indicates that the coating deposited with thickness around 6.7 μm showed the most stable trend of COF versus sliding distance.

Comparison of the properties of Pb thin films deposited on Nb substrate using thermal evaporation and pulsed laser deposition techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perrone, A.; Gontad, F.; Lorusso, A.; Di Giulio, M.; Broitman, E.; Ferrario, M.

2013-11-01

Pb thin films were prepared at room temperature and in high vacuum by thermal evaporation and pulsed laser deposition techniques. Films deposited by both the techniques were investigated by scanning electron microscopy to determine their surface topology. The structure of the films was studied by X-ray diffraction in θ-2θ geometry. The photoelectron performances in terms of quantum efficiency were deduced by a high vacuum photodiode cell before and after laser cleaning procedures. Relatively high quantum efficiency (>10-5) was obtained for all the deposited films, comparable to that of corresponding bulk. Finally, film to substrate adhesion was also evaluated using the Daimler-Benz Rockwell-C adhesion test method. Weak and strong points of these two competitive techniques are illustrated and discussed.

Mathematical and field analysis of longitudinal reservoir infill

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ke, W. T.; Capart, H.

2016-12-01

In reservoirs, severe problems are caused by infilled sediment deposits. In long term, the sediment accumulation reduces the capacity of reservoir storage and flood control benefits. In the short term, the sediment deposits influence the intakes of water-supply and hydroelectricity generation. For the management of reservoir, it is important to understand the deposition process and then to predict the sedimentation in reservoir. To investigate the behaviors of sediment deposits, we propose a one-dimensional simplified theory derived by the Exner equation to predict the longitudinal sedimentation distribution in idealized reservoirs. The theory models the reservoir infill geomorphic actions for three scenarios: delta progradation, near-dam bottom deposition, and final infill. These yield three kinds of self-similar analytical solutions for the reservoir bed profiles, under different boundary conditions. Three analytical solutions are composed by error function, complementary error function, and imaginary error function, respectively. The theory is also computed by finite volume method to test the analytical solutions. The theoretical and numerical predictions are in good agreement with one-dimensional small-scale laboratory experiment. As the theory is simple to apply with analytical solutions and numerical computation, we propose some applications to simulate the long-profile evolution of field reservoirs and focus on the infill sediment deposit volume resulting the uplift of near-dam bottom elevation. These field reservoirs introduced here are Wushe Reservoir, Tsengwen Reservoir, Mudan Reservoir in Taiwan, Lago Dos Bocas in Puerto Rico, and Sakuma Dam in Japan.

Carbon nanotube suspensions, dispersions, & composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simmons, Trevor John

Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) are amazing structures that hold the potential to revolutionize many areas of scientific research. CNTs can be behave both as semiconductors and metals, can be grown in highly ordered arrays and patterns or in random orientation, and can be comprised of one graphene cylinder (single wall nanotube, SWNT) or several concentric graphene cylinders (multi-wall nanotube, MWNT). Although these structures are usually only a few nanometers wide, they can be grown up to centimeter lengths, and in massive quantities. CNTs can be produced in a variety of processes ranging from repeated combustion of organic material such as dried grass, arc-discharge with graphite electrodes, laser ablation of a graphitic target, to sophisticated chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques. CNTs are stronger than steel but lighter than aluminum, and can be more conductive than copper or semiconducting like silicon. This variety of properties has been matched by the wide variety of applications that have been developed for CNTs. Many of these applications have been limited by the inability of researchers to tame these structures, and incorporating CNTs into existing technologies can be exceedingly difficult and prohibitively expensive. It is therefore the aim of the current study to develop strategies for the solution processing and deposition of CNTs and CNT-composites, which will enable the use of CNTs in existing and emerging technologies. CNTs are not easily suspended in polar solvents and are extremely hydrophobic materials, which has limited much of the solution processing to organic solvents, which also cannot afford high quality dispersions of CNTs. The current study has developed a variety of aqueous CNT solutions that employ surfactants, water-soluble polymers, or both to create suspensions of CNTs. These CNT 'ink' solutions were deposited with a variety of techniques that have afforded many interesting structures, both randomly oriented as well as highly ordered CNT architectures, and electroactive devices such as sensors were subsequently produced from these materials. The aqueous solutions developed contain some of the longest CNTs to be suspended in water, which have many benefits for electronic and mechanical properties of the resultant composite materials. A non-covalent alternative to standard oxidative acid treatment was developed that has an equal ability to suspend CNTs in various solvents, but does not damage the CNT structure like the covalent functionalization with acids. This strategy has the potential to supplant a widely used method with improved CNT properties, faster and safer processing, and reduced environmental impact of waste materials. The results of this work also suggest that the conductivity of the CNTs may actually be improved by the processing, maximizing the utility if these materials. Electroactive devices have been successfully developed that exploit the unique electrical and physical properties of CNTs. Sensitive moisture sensors, which can possibly out-perform existing part per million sensors, have been developed with CNT inks and alumina nanoparticles. These sensor materials can be easily deposited on a wide variety of substrate materials and have an increased resistance to fouling compared to mesoporous sensors currently available. Electric double-layer supercapacitors based on novel cellulose-CNT composites have also been developed, and have commercially viable capacitance values, which make them a competitive technology with applications such as cell phones, computers, hand-held electronics, and possibly even electric automobiles. These supercapacitors employ less hazardous materials than competing technologies, and the ease of production of these devices could enable large-scale production of these materials.

High performance alloy electroforming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malone, G. A.; Winkelman, D. M.

1989-01-01

Electroformed copper and nickel are used in structural applications for advanced propellant combustion chambers. An improved process has been developed by Bell Aerospace Textron, Inc. wherein electroformed nickel-manganese alloy has demonstrated superior mechanical and thermal stability when compared to previously reported deposits from known nickel plating processes. Solution chemistry and parametric operating procedures are now established and material property data is established for deposition of thick, large complex shapes such as the Space Shuttle Main Engine. The critical operating variables are those governing the ratio of codeposited nickel and manganese. The deposition uniformity which in turn affects the manganese concentration distribution is affected by solution resistance and geometric effects as well as solution agitation. The manganese concentration in the deposit must be between 2000 and 3000 ppm for optimum physical properties to be realized. The study also includes data regarding deposition procedures for achieving excellent bond strength at an interface with copper, nickel-manganese or INCONEL 718. Applications for this electroformed material include fabrication of complex or re-entry shapes which would be difficult or impossible to form from high strength alloys such as INCONEL 718.

Method of producing solution-derived metal oxide thin films

DOEpatents

Boyle, Timothy J.; Ingersoll, David

2000-01-01

A method of preparing metal oxide thin films by a solution method. A .beta.-metal .beta.-diketonate or carboxylate compound, where the metal is selected from groups 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 of the Periodic Table, is solubilized in a strong Lewis base to form a homogeneous solution. This precursor solution forms within minutes and can be deposited on a substrate in a single layer or a multiple layers to form a metal oxide thin film. The substrate with the deposited thin film is heated to change the film from an amorphous phase to a ceramic metal oxide and cooled.

A fluorescent imaging technique for quantifying spray deposits on plant leaves

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Because of the unique characteristics of electrostatically-charged sprays, use of traditional methods to quantify deposition from these sprays has been challenging. A new fluorescent imaging technique was developed to quantify spray deposits from electrostatically-charged sprays on natural plant lea...

Solution-processing of chalcogenide materials for device applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zha, Yunlai

Chalcogenide glasses are well-known for their desirable optical properties, which have enabled many infrared applications in the fields of photonics, medicine, environmental sensing and security. Conventional deposition methods such as thermal evaporation, chemical vapor deposition, sputtering or pulse laser deposition are efficient for fabricating structures on flat surfaces. However, they have limitations in deposition on curved surfaces, deposition of thick layers and component integration. In these cases, solution-based methods, which involve the dissolution of chalcogenide glasses and processing as a liquid, become a better choice for their flexibility. After proper treatment, the associated structures can have similar optical, chemical and physical properties to the bulk. This thesis presents an in-depth study of solution-processing chalcogenide glasses, starting from the "solution state" to the "film state" and the "structure state". Firstly, chalcogenide dissolution is studied to reveal the mechanisms at molecular level and build a foundation for material processing. Dissolution processes for various chalcogenide solvent pairs are reviewed and compared. Secondly, thermal processing, in the context of high temperature annealing, is explained along with the chemical and physical properties of the annealed films. Another focus is on nanopore formation in propylamine-processed arsenic sulfide films. Pore density changes with respect to annealing temperatures and durations are characterized. Base on a proposed vacancy coalescence theory, we have identified new dissolution strategies and achieved the breakthrough of pore-free film deposition. Thirdly, several solution methods developed along with the associated photonic structures are demonstrated. The first example is "spin-coating and lamination", which produces thick (over 10 mum) chalcogenide structures. Both homogeneous thick chalcogenide structures and heterogeneous layers of different chalcogenide glasses or metals can be fabricated. Second, "micro-molding in capillaries" (MIMIC) and "micro-transfer molding" (muTM) methods are introduced for fabricating waveguides on flat and curved surfaces. The flexibility of the solution process allows waveguides to be patterned, for the first time, on a curved surface. Third, "micro channel filling" is demonstrated to produce the lowest loss among solution-processed chalcogenide waveguides. These results contribute to the advancement of chalcogenide processing technologies and help move closer towards the ultimate goal of fabricating reliable IR sensors.

The calculation of band gap energy in zinc oxide films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arif, Ali; Belahssen, Okba; Gareh, Salim; Benramache, Said

2015-01-01

We investigated the optical properties of undoped zinc oxide thin films as the n-type semiconductor; the thin films were deposited at different precursor molarities by ultrasonic spray and spray pyrolysis techniques. The thin films were deposited at different substrate temperatures ranging between 200 and 500 °C. In this paper, we present a new approach to control the optical gap energy of ZnO thin films by concentration of the ZnO solution and substrate temperatures from experimental data, which were published in international journals. The model proposed to calculate the band gap energy with the Urbach energy was investigated. The relation between the experimental data and theoretical calculation suggests that the band gap energies are predominantly estimated by the Urbach energies, film transparency, and concentration of the ZnO solution and substrate temperatures. The measurements by these proposal models are in qualitative agreements with the experimental data; the correlation coefficient values were varied in the range 0.96-0.99999, indicating high quality representation of data based on Equation (2), so that the relative errors of all calculation are smaller than 4%. Thus, one can suppose that the undoped ZnO thin films are chemically purer and have many fewer defects and less disorder owing to an almost complete chemical decomposition and contained higher optical band gap energy.

Quantitative Analysis of Electroplated Nickel Coating on Hard Metal

PubMed Central

Wahab, Hassan A.; Noordin, M. Y.; Izman, S.

2013-01-01

Electroplated nickel coating on cemented carbide is a potential pretreatment technique for providing an interlayer prior to diamond deposition on the hard metal substrate. The electroplated nickel coating is expected to be of high quality, for example, indicated by having adequate thickness and uniformity. Electroplating parameters should be set accordingly for this purpose. In this study, the gap distances between the electrodes and duration of electroplating process are the investigated variables. Their effect on the coating thickness and uniformity was analyzed and quantified using design of experiment. The nickel deposition was carried out by electroplating in a standard Watt's solution keeping other plating parameters (current: 0.1 Amp, electric potential: 1.0 V, and pH: 3.5) constant. The gap distance between anode and cathode varied at 5, 10, and 15 mm, while the plating time was 10, 20, and 30 minutes. Coating thickness was found to be proportional to the plating time and inversely proportional to the electrode gap distance, while the uniformity tends to improve at a large electrode gap. Empirical models of both coating thickness and uniformity were developed within the ranges of the gap distance and plating time settings, and an optimized solution was determined using these models. PMID:23997678

Effect of annealing temperature on structural, morphological and electrical properties of nanoparticles TiO{sub 2} thin films by sol-gel method

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

Muaz, A. K. M.; Hashim, U., E-mail: uda@unimap.edu.my; Arshad, M. K. Md.

2016-07-06

In this paper, the sol-gel method is used to prepare nanoparticles titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) thin films at different annealing temperature. The prepared sol was deposited on the p-SiO{sub 2} substrates by spin coating technique under room temperature. The nanoparticles TiO{sub 2} solution was synthesized using Ti{OCH(CH_3)_2}{sub 4} as a precursor with an methanol solution at a molar ratio 1:10. The prepared TiO{sub 2} sols will further validate through structural, morphological and electrical properties. From the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, as-deposited films was found to be amorphous in nature and tend to transform into tetragonal anatase and rutile phase asmore » the films annealed at 573 and 773 K, respectively. The diversification of the surface roughness was characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) indicated the roughness and thickness very dependent on the annealing temperature. The two-point probe electrical resistance and conductance of nanoparticles TiO{sub 2} thin films were determined by the DC current-voltage (IV) analysis. From the I-V measurement, the electrical conductance increased as the films annealed at higher temperature.« less

Growth of tungsten oxide nanostructures by chemical solution deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, L. H.; Bai, Y.; Li, C. S.; Wang, Y.; Feng, J. Q.; Lei, L.; Zhao, G. Y.; Zhang, P. X.

2018-05-01

Tungsten oxide nanostructures were fabricated on LaAlO3 (00l) substrates by a simple chemical solution deposition. The decomposition behavior and phase formation of ammonium tungstate precursor were characterized by thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction. Moreover, the morphology and chemical state of nanostructures were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectra. The effects of crystallization temperature on the formation of nanodots and nanowires were investigated. The results indicated that the change of nanostructures had close relationship with the crystallization temperature during the chemical solution deposition process. Under higher crystallization temperature, the square-like dots transformed into the dome-like nanodots and nanowires. Moreover high density well-ordered nanodots could be obtained on the substrate with the further increase of crystallization temperature. It also suggested that this simple chemical solution process could be used to adjust the nanostructures of tungsten oxide compounds on substrate.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2016-05-01

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

Method development for the determination of arsenic by sequential injection/anodic stripping voltammetry using long-lasting gold-modified screen-printed carbon electrode.

PubMed

Punrat, Eakkasit; Chuanuwatanakul, Suchada; Kaneta, Takashi; Motomizu, Shoji; Chailapakul, Orawon

2013-11-15

An automated method has been developed for determining the concentration of inorganic arsenic. The technique uses sequential injection/anodic stripping voltammetry with a long-lasting gold-modified screen-printed carbon electrode. The long-lasting gold electrode was electrochemically deposited onto a screen-printed carbon electrode at a potential of -0.5 V vs. Ag/AgCl in a supporting electrolyte solution of 1M hydrochloric acid. Under optimal conditions and the applied potentials, the electrode demonstrated that it can be used for a long time without a renewal process. The linear range for the determination of arsenic(III) was 1-100 μg L(-1), and the limit of detection (LOD) in standard solutions was as low as 0.03 μg L(-1) for a deposition time of 120 s and sample volume of 1 mL. This method was used to determine the concentration of arsenic(III) in water samples with satisfactory results. The LOD in real samples was found to be 0.5 μg L(-1). In addition, speciation between arsenic(III) and arsenic(V) has been achieved with the proposed method using deposition potentials of -0.5 V and -1.5 V for the determination of the arsenic(III) concentration and the total arsenic concentration, respectively; the results were acceptable. The proposed method is an automated system that offers a less expensive alternative for determining trace amounts of inorganic arsenic. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Deposition of Na2SO4 from salt-seeded combustion gases of a high velocity burner rig

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santoro, G. J.; Gokoglu, S. A.; Kohl, F. J.; Stearns, C. A.; Rosner, D. E.

The mechanism of deposition of Na2SO4 was studied under controlled laboratory conditions and the results have been compared to a recently developed comprehensive theory of vapor deposition. Thus Na2SO4, NaCl, NaNO3 and simulated sea salt solutions were injected into the combustor of a nominal Mach 0.3 burner rig burning jet fuel at constant fuel/air ratios. The deposits formed on inert collectors, rotation in the cross flow of the combustion gases, were weighed and analyzed. Collector temperature was uniform and could be varied over a large range by internal air cooling. Deposition rates and dew point temperatures were determined. Supplemental testing included droplet size measurements of the atomized salt solutions. These tests along with thermodynamic and transport calculations were utilized in the interpretation of the deposition results.

Deposition of Na2SO4 from salt-seeded combustion gases of a high velocity burner rig

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Santoro, G. J.; Gokoglu, S. A.; Kohl, F. J.; Stearns, C. A.; Rosner, D. E.

1984-01-01

The mechanism of deposition of Na2SO4 was studied under controlled laboratory conditions and the results have been compared to a recently developed comprehensive theory of vapor deposition. Thus Na2SO4, NaCl, NaNO3 and simulated sea salt solutions were injected into the combustor of a nominal Mach 0.3 burner rig burning jet fuel at constant fuel/air ratios. The deposits formed on inert collectors, rotation in the cross flow of the combustion gases, were weighed and analyzed. Collector temperature was uniform and could be varied over a large range by internal air cooling. Deposition rates and dew point temperatures were determined. Supplemental testing included droplet size measurements of the atomized salt solutions. These tests along with thermodynamic and transport calculations were utilized in the interpretation of the deposition results.

MetClass: A software for the visualization and exploitation of Dill's (2010) "chessboard" classification of mineral deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaabeche, Hamza; Chabou, Moulley Charaf; Bendaoud, Abderrahmane; Bodinier, Jean-Louis; Lobry, Olivier; Retif, Fabien

2016-06-01

Rising economic value of a large number of metals as a result of their importance for new technologies and industrial development has renewed worldwide interest for mineral exploration and detailed studies of ore deposits. The Dill's (2010) "chessboard" classification of mineral deposits is the most recent attempt to provide an exhaustive overview of all mineral deposits known to date. However, the voluminous Dills review paper is accessible only in print or as PDF file. In this article, we present MetClass, software that provides advanced solutions to perform efficient research and statistics using Dill's classification and the related database. MetClass allows to assemble all results relevant to a given ore deposit on a user-friendly interface. This software is therefore a valuable tool for mineral exploration and research on ore deposits, as well as an educational solution for students in metallogeny.

Aqueous origins of bright salt deposits on Ceres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zolotov, Mikhail Yu.

2017-11-01

Bright materials have been reported in association with impact craters on Ceres. The abundant Na2CO3 and some ammonium salts, NH4HCO3 and/or NH4Cl, were detected in bright deposits within Occator crater with Dawn near infrared spectroscopy. The composition and appearance of the salts suggest their aqueous mobilization and emplacement after formation of the crater. Here we consider origins of the bright deposits through calculation of speciation in the H-C-N-O-Na-Cl water-salt type system constrained by the mass balance of observed salts. Calculations of chemical equilibria show that initial solutions had the pH of ∼10. The temperature and salinity of solutions could have not exceeded ∼273 K and ∼100 g per kg H2O, respectively. Freezing models reveal an early precipitation of Na2CO3·10H2O followed by minor NaHCO3. Ammonium salts precipitate near eutectic from brines enriched in NH4+, Cl- and Na+. A late-stage precipitation of NaCl·2H2O is modeled for solution compositions with added NaCl. Calculated eutectics are above 247 K. The apparently unabundant ammonium and chloride salts in Occator's deposits imply a rapid emplacement without a compositional evolution of solution. Salty ice grains could have deposited from post-impact ballistic plumes formed through low-pressure boiling of subsurface solutions. Hydrated and ammonium salts are unstable at maximum temperatures of Ceres' surface and could decompose through space weathering. Occator's ice-free salt deposits formed through a post-depositional sublimation of ice followed by dehydration of Na2CO3·10H2O and NaHCO3 to Na2CO3. In other regions, excavated and exposed bright materials could be salts initially deposited from plumes and accumulated at depth via post-impact boiling. The lack of detection of sulfates and an elevated carbonate/chloride ratio in Ceres' materials suggest an involvement of compounds abundant in the outer solar system.

Simulated effects of reduced sulfur, nitrogen, and base cation deposition on soils and solutions in Southern Appalachian forests

Treesearch

D.W. Johnson; R.B. Susfalk; P.F. Brewer; W.T. Swank

1999-01-01

Effects of reduced deposition of N, S, and CB on nutrient pools, fluxes, soil, and soil solution chemistry were simulated for two Appalachian forest ecosystems using the nutrient cycling model. In the extremely acidic, N- and S-saturated red spruce (Picea rubens (Sarg.)) forest (Nolan Divide), reducing

Gravitational Effects on the Morphology and Kinetics of Photodeposition of Polydiacetylene Thin Films From Monomer Solutions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paley, Mark S.; Antar, Basil; Witherow, William K.; Frazier, Donald O.

1999-01-01

The goal of this proposed work is to study gravitational effects on the photodeposition of polydiacetylene thin films from monomer solutions onto transparent substrates. Polydiacetylenes have been an extensively studied class of organic polymers because they exhibit many unusual and interesting properties, including electrical conductivity and optical nonlinearity. Their long polymeric chains render polydiacetylenes readily conducive to thin film formation, which is necessary for many applications. These applications require thin polydiacetylene films possessing uniform thicknesses, high purity, minimal inhomogeneities and defects (such as scattering centers), etc. Also, understanding and controlling the microstructure and morphology of the films is important for optimizing their electronic and optical properties. The lack of techniques for processing polydiacetylenes into such films has been the primary limitation to their commercial use. We have recently discovered a novel method for the formation of polydiacetylene thin films using photo-deposition from monomer solutions onto transparent substrates with UV light. This technique is very simple to carry out, and can yield films with superior quality to those produced by conventional methods. Furthermore, these films exhibit good third-order properties and are capable of waveguiding. We have been actively studying the chemistry of diacetylene polymerization in solution and the photo-deposition of polydiacetylene thin films from solution. It is well-known that gravitational factors such as buoyancy-driven convection and sedimentation can affect chemical and mass transport processes in solution. One important aspect of polydiacetylene thin film photodeposition in solution, relevant to microgravity science, is that heat generated by absorption of UV radiation induces thermal density gradients that under the influence of gravity, can cause fluid flows (buoyancy-driven convection). Additionally, changes in the chemical composition of the solution during polymerization may cause solutal convection. These fluid flows affect transport of material to and from the film surface and thereby affect the kinetics of the growth process. This manifests itself in the morphology of the resulting films; films grown under the influence of convection tend to have less uniform thicknesses, and can possess greater inhomogeneities and defects. Specifically, polydiacetylene films photodeposited from solution, when viewed under a microscope, exhibit very small particles of solid polymer which get transported by convection from the bulk solution to the surface of the growing film and become embedded. Even when carried out under conditions designed to minimize unstable density gradients (i.e., irradiating the solution from the top), some fluid flow still takes place (particles remain present in the films). It is also possible that defect nucleation may be occurring within the films or on the surface of the substrate; this, too, can be affected by convection (as is the case with crystal growth). Hence films grown in 1-g will, at best, still possess some defects. The objective of this proposal is to investigate, both in 1-g and in low-g, the effects of gravitational factors (primarily convection) on the dynamics of these processes, and on the quality, morphology, and properties of the films obtained.

Effect of Pb content and solution concentration of Pb{sub x}TiO{sub 3} seed layer on (100)-texture and ferroelectric/dielectric behavior of PZT (52/48) thin films

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

Zhong, Jian; Batra, Vaishali; Han, Hui

The effect of Pb content and solution concentration of lead titanate (Pb{sub x}TiO{sub 3}) seed layer on the texture and electric properties of Pb{sub 1.1}(Zr{sub 0.52},Ti{sub 0.48})O{sub 3} (PZT) thin films was investigated. A variety of seed layers (y Pb{sub x}TiO{sub 3}) with varying solution concentration (y = 0.02, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2 M) and Pb content (x = 1.0, 1.05, 1.1, and 1.2) was deposited on Pt/TiO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2}/Si substrates using chemical-solution deposition method. PZT films were then deposited on these seed layers using the same process. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy investigations of the seed layers confirm change in crystal structuremore » with variation in the solution properties. XRD studies of PZT films deposited on seed layers demonstrate that the seed layer helps in enhancing (100)-texture and suppressing (111)-texture. It was observed that PZT films prepared on seed layers with lower solution concentrations results in highly (100)-textured films, which further helps to improve the electric properties. The polarization and dielectric constant of the PZT films were seen to increase while the coercive field decreased with increase in (100)-texture. Irrespective of the seed layer solution concentration, higher Pb content in the seed layer deteriorates the PZT film properties. Ninety-five percent to ninety-six percent (100)-texture was obtained from thin PZT films deposited on seed layers of 0.02 M solution concentration with 1.05 and 1.10 Pb contents, which is higher than the values reported for thick PZT films. Optimization of both Pb content and solution concentration of the seed layer is a promising route to achieve highly (100)-textured PZT films with improved electric properties.« less

Considerations for pattern placement error correction toward 5nm node

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yaegashi, Hidetami; Oyama, Kenichi; Hara, Arisa; Natori, Sakurako; Yamauchi, Shohei; Yamato, Masatoshi; Koike, Kyohei; Maslow, Mark John; Timoshkov, Vadim; Kiers, Ton; Di Lorenzo, Paolo; Fonseca, Carlos

2017-03-01

Multi-patterning has been adopted widely in high volume manufacturing as 193 immersion extension, and it becomes realistic solution of nano-order scaling. In fact, it must be key technology on single directional (1D) layout design [1] for logic devise and it becomes a major option for further scaling technique in SAQP. The requirement for patterning fidelity control is getting savior more and more, stochastic fluctuation as well as LER (Line edge roughness) has to be micro-scopic observation aria. In our previous work, such atomic order controllability was viable in complemented technique with etching and deposition [2]. Overlay issue form major potion in yield management, therefore, entire solution is needed keenly including alignment accuracy on scanner and detectability on overlay measurement instruments. As EPE (Edge placement error) was defined as the gap between design pattern and contouring of actual pattern edge, pattern registration in single process level must be considerable. The complementary patterning to fabricate 1D layout actually mitigates any process restrictions, however, multiple process step, symbolized as LELE with 193-i, is burden to yield management and affordability. Recent progress of EUV technology is remarkable, and it is major potential solution for such complicated technical issues. EUV has robust resolution limit and it must be definitely strong scaling driver for process simplification. On the other hand, its stochastic variation such like shot noise due to light source power must be resolved with any additional complemented technique. In this work, we examined the nano-order CD and profile control on EUV resist pattern and would introduce excellent accomplishments.

Monolithic microcircuit techniques and processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kennedy, B. W.

1972-01-01

Brief discussions of the techniques used to make dielectric and metal thin film depositions for monolithic circuits are presented. Silicon nitride deposition and the properties of silicon nitride films are discussed. Deposition of dichlorosilane and thermally grown silicon dioxide are reported. The deposition and thermal densification of borosilicate, aluminosilicate, and phosphosilicate glasses are discussed. Metallization for monolithic circuits and the characteristics of thin films are also included.

Modification of TiO(2) nanotube surfaces by electro-spray deposition of amoxicillin combined with PLGA for bactericidal effects at surgical implantation sites.

PubMed

Lee, Jung-Hwan; Moon, Seung-Kyun; Kim, Kwang-Mahn; Kim, Kyoung-Nam

2013-01-01

To fabricate the antibiotic-releasing coatings on TiO(2) nanotube surfaces for wide applications of implant and bone plate in medical and dental surgery, the optimal deposition time of amoxicillin/PLGA solution simultaneously performing non-toxicity and a high bactericidal effect for preventing early implant failures was found. FE-SEM, ESD and FT-IR were used for confirming deposition of amoxicillin/PLGA on the TiO(2) surface. Also, the elution of amoxicillin/PLGA in a TiO(2) nanotube surface was measured by a UV-VIS spectrophotometer. The bactericidal effect of amoxicillin on the TiO(2) nanotube surface was evaluated by using Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The cytotoxicity and cell proliferation were observed by WST assay using MC3T3-E1 osteoblast cells. The results indicated that the TiO(2) nanotube surface controlled by electro-spray deposition time with amoxicillin/PLGA solution could provide a high bactericidal effect against S. aureus by the bactericidal effect of amoxicillin, as well as good osteoblast cell proliferation at the TiO(2) nanotube surface without toxicity. This study used electro-spray deposition (ESD) methodology to obtain amoxicillin deposition in nanotube structures of TiO(2) and found the optimal deposition time of amoxicillin/PLGA solution simultaneously performing non-toxicity and a high bactericidal effect for preventing early implant failures.

Preventing kinetic roughening in physical vapor-phase-deposited films.

PubMed

Vasco, E; Polop, C; Sacedón, J L

2008-01-11

The growth kinetics of the mostly used physical vapor-phase deposition techniques -molecular beam epitaxy, sputtering, flash evaporation, and pulsed laser deposition-is investigated by rate equations with the aim of testing their suitability for the preparation of ultraflat ultrathin films. The techniques are studied in regard to the roughness and morphology during early stages of growth. We demonstrate that pulsed laser deposition is the best technique for preparing the flattest films due to two key features [use of (i) a supersaturated pulsed flux of (ii) hyperthermal species] that promote a kinetically limited Ostwald ripening mechanism.

Polyelectrolyte multilayers: preparation and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izumrudov, V. A.; Mussabayeva, B. Kh; Murzagulova, K. B.

2018-02-01

The review concerns the results of studies on the synthesis of polyelectrolyte coatings on charged surfaces. These coatings represent nanostructured systems with clearly defined tendency to self-assembly and self-adjustment, which is of particular interest for materials science, biomedicine and pharmacology. A breakthrough in this area of knowledge is due to the development and introduction of a new technique, so-called layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition of nanofilms. The technique is very simple, viz., multilayers are formed as a result of alternating treatment of a charged substrate of arbitrary shape with water-salt solutions of differently charged polyelectrolytes. Nevertheless, efficient use of the LbL method to fabricate nanofilms requires meeting certain conditions and limitations that were revealed in the course of research on model systems. Prospects for applications of polyelectrolyte layers in various fields are discussed. The bibliography includes 58 references.

Investigation of Annealing Temperature on Copper Oxide Thin Films Using Sol-Gel Spin Coating Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashim, H.; Samat, S. F. A.; Shariffudin, S. S.; Saad, P. S. M.

2018-03-01

Copper (II) Oxide or cupric oxide (CuO) is one of the well-known materials studied for thin films applications. This paper was studied on the effect of annealing temperature to CuO thin films using sol-gel method and spin coating technique. The solution was prepared by sol-gel method and the thin films were synthesized at various temperatures from 500°C to 700°C that deposited onto the quartz substrates. After the annealing process, the thin films were uniform and brownish black in colour. The measurements were performed by atomic force microscopy (AFM), surface profiler (SP), two-point probe and Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis-NIR) spectrometer. From the optical measurement, the band gap was estimated to be 1.44eV for sample annealed at 550°C.

Electroreduction of CO{sub 2} using copper-deposited on boron-doped diamond (BDD)

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

Panglipur, Hanum Sekar; Ivandini, Tribidasari A., E-mail: ivandini.tri@sci.ui.ac.id; Einaga, Yasuaki

Electroreduction of CO{sub 2} was studied at copper-modified boron-doped diamond (Cu-BDD) electrodes as the working electrode. The Cu-BDD electrodes were prepared by electrochemical reduction with various concentrations of CuSO{sub 4} solutions. FE-SEM was utilized to characterize the electrodes. At Cu-BDD electrodes, a reduction peak at around -1.2 V (vs Ag/AgCl) attributtable to CO{sub 2} reductions could be observed by cyclic voltammetry technique of CO{sub 2} bubbled in water containing 0.1M NaCl. Accordingly, electroreduction of CO{sub 2} was conducted at -1.2 V (vs Ag/AgCl) using amperometry technique. The chemical products of the electroreduction analyzed by using HPLC showed the formation of formaldehyde, formicmore » acid, and acetic acid at Cu-BDD electrodes.« less

High-pressure resistivity technique for quasi-hydrostatic compression experiments.

PubMed

Rotundu, C R; Ćuk, T; Greene, R L; Shen, Z-X; Hemley, Russell J; Struzhkin, V V

2013-06-01

Diamond anvil cell techniques are now well established and powerful methods for measuring materials properties to very high pressure. However, high pressure resistivity measurements are challenging because the electrical contacts attached to the sample have to survive to extreme stress conditions. Until recently, experiments in a diamond anvil cell were mostly limited to non-hydrostatic or quasi-hydrostatic pressure media other than inert gases. We present here a solution to the problem by using focused ion beam ultrathin lithography for a diamond anvil cell loaded with inert gas (Ne) and show typical resistivity data. These ultrathin leads are deposited on the culet of the diamond and are attaching the sample to the anvil mechanically, therefore allowing for measurements in hydrostatic or nearly hydrostatic conditions of pressure using noble gases like Ne or He as pressure transmitting media.

A structural investigation of a synthesized precursor for optical fiber applications; the heterobimetallic ErNb 2(OPr i) 13

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engholm, M.; Norin, L.; Edvardsson, S.; Lashgari, K.; Westin, G.

2006-12-01

A structural investigation of a synthesized precursor in a silica glass matrix is performed. Silica soot samples are doped with the heterobimetallic precursor ErNb 2(OPr i) 13 by using a conventional solution doping technique and heat treatments to different temperatures. The precursor has also been introduced into a silica fiber preform by using the modified chemical vapor deposition technique. Analyses are made by using ultraviolet-visible-near infrared absorption spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction. It is concluded that an immiscible system of ErNbO 4 crystallites and Nb 2O 5 is formed in the silica soot samples at high temperatures. Colloidal particles of ErNbO 4 are also formed in the silica glass fiber preform showing interesting features.

Tribological Behavior and Corrosion Resistance of Electroless Ni-B-W Coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukhopadhyay, Arkadeb; Barman, Tapan Kumar; Sahoo, Prasanta

The present study considers the tribological behavior and corrosion resistance of electroless Ni-B-W coatings deposited on AISI 1040 steel substrates. Coating is characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis and X-ray diffraction technique. In as-deposited condition, coatings are found to be amorphous. On heat treatment, precipitation of crystalline Ni (1 1 1) and its borides take place. For as-deposited coating, the microhardness is obtained as ˜759HV100 which increases to ˜1181HV100 and ˜1098HV100 when heat treated at 350∘C and 450∘C, respectively. Incorporation of W in Ni-B coating results in an increase of hardness by 89HV100 in as-deposited condition. Heat treatment also results in increase in crystallite size of Ni (1 1 1). Wear rate and coefficient of friction (COF) of the coatings are evaluated on a pin-on-disc setup under both dry and lubricated sliding conditions. Wear resistance is observed to improve on heat treatment with an increase in crystallite size while COF deteriorates. However, in as-deposited condition, wear rate and COF of Ni-B-W coatings improve by ˜5 and ˜3 times, respectively, compared with Ni-B coatings. Wear and friction performance of the coatings are enhanced under lubrication due to the columnar structure of the coatings that retain lubricants. Corrosion resistance of Ni-B-W coating in 3.5% NaCl solution gets improved on heat treatment.

Automated MALDI Matrix Coating System for Multiple Tissue Samples for Imaging Mass Spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mounfield, William P.; Garrett, Timothy J.

2012-03-01

Uniform matrix deposition on tissue samples for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) is key for reproducible analyte ion signals. Current methods often result in nonhomogenous matrix deposition, and take time and effort to produce acceptable ion signals. Here we describe a fully-automated method for matrix deposition using an enclosed spray chamber and spray nozzle for matrix solution delivery. A commercial air-atomizing spray nozzle was modified and combined with solenoid controlled valves and a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) to control and deliver the matrix solution. A spray chamber was employed to contain the nozzle, sample, and atomized matrix solution stream, and to prevent any interference from outside conditions as well as allow complete control of the sample environment. A gravity cup was filled with MALDI matrix solutions, including DHB in chloroform/methanol (50:50) at concentrations up to 60 mg/mL. Various samples (including rat brain tissue sections) were prepared using two deposition methods (spray chamber, inkjet). A linear ion trap equipped with an intermediate-pressure MALDI source was used for analyses. Optical microscopic examination showed a uniform coating of matrix crystals across the sample. Overall, the mass spectral images gathered from tissues coated using the spray chamber system were of better quality and more reproducible than from tissue specimens prepared by the inkjet deposition method.

Automated MALDI matrix coating system for multiple tissue samples for imaging mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Mounfield, William P; Garrett, Timothy J

2012-03-01

Uniform matrix deposition on tissue samples for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) is key for reproducible analyte ion signals. Current methods often result in nonhomogenous matrix deposition, and take time and effort to produce acceptable ion signals. Here we describe a fully-automated method for matrix deposition using an enclosed spray chamber and spray nozzle for matrix solution delivery. A commercial air-atomizing spray nozzle was modified and combined with solenoid controlled valves and a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) to control and deliver the matrix solution. A spray chamber was employed to contain the nozzle, sample, and atomized matrix solution stream, and to prevent any interference from outside conditions as well as allow complete control of the sample environment. A gravity cup was filled with MALDI matrix solutions, including DHB in chloroform/methanol (50:50) at concentrations up to 60 mg/mL. Various samples (including rat brain tissue sections) were prepared using two deposition methods (spray chamber, inkjet). A linear ion trap equipped with an intermediate-pressure MALDI source was used for analyses. Optical microscopic examination showed a uniform coating of matrix crystals across the sample. Overall, the mass spectral images gathered from tissues coated using the spray chamber system were of better quality and more reproducible than from tissue specimens prepared by the inkjet deposition method.

Controlling Microstructure of Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Prepared from Suspensions and Solutions by Plasma Spraying with High Feed Rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Musalek, Radek; Medricky, Jan; Tesar, Tomas; Kotlan, Jiri; Pala, Zdenek; Lukac, Frantisek; Illkova, Ksenia; Hlina, Michal; Chraska, Tomas; Sokolowski, Pawel; Curry, Nicholas

2017-12-01

Introduction of suspension and solution plasma spraying led to a breakthrough in the deposition of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) coatings and enabled preparation of new types of layers. However, their deposition with high feed rates needed, for example, for the deposition of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) on large-scale components, is still challenging. In this study, possibility of high-throughput plasma spraying of YSZ coatings is demonstrated for the latest generation of high-enthalpy hybrid water-stabilized plasma (WSP-H) torch technology. The results show that microstructure of the coatings prepared by WSP-H may be tailored for specific applications by the choice of deposition conditions, in particular formulation of the liquid feedstock. Porous and columnar coatings with low thermal conductivity (0.5-0.6 W/mK) were prepared from commercial ethanol-based suspension. Dense vertically cracked coatings with higher thermal conductivity but also higher internal cohesion were deposited from suspension containing ethanol/water mixture and coarser YSZ particles. Spraying of solution formulated from diluted zirconium acetate and yttrium nitrate hexahydrate led also to the successful deposition of YSZ coating combining regions of porous and denser microstructure and providing both low thermal conductivity and improved cohesion of the coating. Enthalpy content, liquid-plasma interaction and coating buildup mechanisms are also discussed.

Adhesion kinetics of viable Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts to quartz surfaces.

PubMed

Kuznar, Zachary A; Elimelech, Menachem

2004-12-15

The transport and deposition (adhesion) kinetics of viable Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts onto ultrapure quartz surfaces in a radial stagnation point flow system were investigated. Utilizing an optical microscope and an image-capturing device enabled real time observation of oocyst deposition behavior onto the quartz surface in solutions containing either monovalent (KCl) or divalent (CaCl2) salts. Results showed a significantly lower oocyst deposition rate in the presence of a monovalent salt compared to a divalent salt. With a monovalent salt, oocyst deposition rates and corresponding attachment efficiencies were relatively low, even at high KCl concentrations where Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory predicts the absence of an electrostatic energy barrier. On the other hand, in the presence of a divalent salt, oocyst deposition rates increased continuously as the salt concentration was increased over the entire range of ionic strengths investigated. The unusually low deposition rate in a monovalent salt solution is attributed to "electrosteric" repulsion between the Cryptosporidium oocyst and the quartz surface, most likely due to proteins on the oocyst surface that extend into the solution. It is further proposed that specific binding of calcium ions to the oocyst surface functional groups results in charge neutralization and conformational changes of surface proteins that significantly reduce electrosteric repulsion.

Chemical deposition methods using supercritical fluid solutions

DOEpatents

Sievers, Robert E.; Hansen, Brian N.

1990-01-01

A method for depositing a film of a desired material on a substrate comprises dissolving at least one reagent in a supercritical fluid comprising at least one solvent. Either the reagent is capable of reacting with or is a precursor of a compound capable of reacting with the solvent to form the desired product, or at least one additional reagent is included in the supercritical solution and is capable of reacting with or is a precursor of a compound capable of reacting with the first reagent or with a compound derived from the first reagent to form the desired material. The supercritical solution is expanded to produce a vapor or aerosol and a chemical reaction is induced in the vapor or aerosol so that a film of the desired material resulting from the chemical reaction is deposited on the substrate surface. In an alternate embodiment, the supercritical solution containing at least one reagent is expanded to produce a vapor or aerosol which is then mixed with a gas containing at least one additional reagent. A chemical reaction is induced in the resulting mixture so that a film of the desired material is deposited.

Highly uniform resistive switching properties of amorphous InGaZnO thin films prepared by a low temperature photochemical solution deposition method.

PubMed

Hu, Wei; Zou, Lilan; Chen, Xinman; Qin, Ni; Li, Shuwei; Bao, Dinghua

2014-04-09

We report on highly uniform resistive switching properties of amorphous InGaZnO (a-IGZO) thin films. The thin films were fabricated by a low temperature photochemical solution deposition method, a simple process combining chemical solution deposition and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation treatment. The a-IGZO based resistive switching devices exhibit long retention, good endurance, uniform switching voltages, and stable distribution of low and high resistance states. Electrical conduction mechanisms were also discussed on the basis of the current-voltage characteristics and their temperature dependence. The excellent resistive switching properties can be attributed to the reduction of organic- and hydrogen-based elements and the formation of enhanced metal-oxide bonding and metal-hydroxide bonding networks by hydrogen bonding due to UV irradiation, based on Fourier-transform-infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Field emission scanning electron microscopy analysis of the thin films. This study suggests that a-IGZO thin films have potential applications in resistive random access memory and the low temperature photochemical solution deposition method can find the opportunity for further achieving system on panel applications if the a-IGZO resistive switching cells were integrated with a-IGZO thin film transistors.

Acidification of soil solution in a chestnut forest stand in southern Switzerland: are there signs of recovery?

PubMed

Pannatier, Elisabeth Graf; Luster, Jörg; Zimmermann, Stephan; Blaser, Peter

2005-10-15

In a previous study, a rapid acidification of soil solution was observed between 1987 and 1997 in a cryptopodzolic soil in southern Switzerland despite a reduction in acidic deposition. The molar ratio of base nutrient cations to aluminum (BC/Al) in the soil solution was used to assess acidification. The monitoring of the soil solution chemistry was continued at the same site between 1998 and 2003 to find out how long the delay in reaction to reduced deposition would last and whether the BC/Al ratios would recover. The reevaluation of all data collected during the 16-year observation period showed no clear improvement in the BC/Al ratios, except below the litter layer where the ratios greatly increased after 1998. Initial signs of recovery were also detected in the mineral horizons, the ratios stabilizing in the second part of the observation period. Sulfate concentrations decreased significantly below the litter mat in response to decreased S deposition. BC concentrations markedly declined below the litter layer and in the mineral horizons, which was attributed to the depletion of the BC exchangeable pool as a result of continued acidic deposition.