Autonomous Graphene Vessel for Suctioning and Storing Liquid Body of Spilled Oil

PubMed Central

Kim, Taewoo; Lee, Jeong Seok; Lee, Geonhui; Seo, Dong Kyun; Baek, Youngbin; Yoon, Jeyong; Oh, Seung M.; Kang, Tae June; Lee, Hong H.; Kim, Yong Hyup

2016-01-01

Despite remarkable strides in science and technology, the strategy for spilled oil collection has remained almost the same since the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill. The graphene vessel devised here can bring about an important yet basic change in the strategy for spilled oil collection. When it is placed on the oil-covered seawater, the graphene vessel selectively separates the oil, then collects and stores the collected oil in the vessel all by itself without any external power inputs. Capillarity and gravity work together to fill this proto-type graphene vessel with the spilled oil at a rate that is higher than 20,000 liters per square meter per hour (LMH) with oil purity better than 99.9%, and allow the vessel to withstand a water head of 0.5 m. The vessel also has a superb chemical stability and recyclability. An expanded oil contact area, considerably greater than the thickness of the oil layer, forms at the reduced graphene oxide (rGO) foam interface upon contact with the spilled oil. This expanded contact area does not change much even when the oil layer thins out. As a result, the high oil collection rate is maintained throughout the recovery of spilled oil. PMID:26923622

Sustainable oil and grease removal from synthetic stormwater runoff using bench-scale bioretention studies.

PubMed

Hong, Eunyoung; Seagren, Eric A; Davis, Allen P

2006-02-01

One of the principal components of the contaminant load in urban stormwater runoff is oil and grease (O&G) pollution, resulting from vehicle emissions. A mulch layer was used as a contaminant trap to remove O&G (dissolved and particulate-associated naphthalene, dissolved toluene, and dissolved motor oil hydrocarbons) from a synthetic runoff during a bench-scale infiltration study. Approximately 80 to 95% removal of all contaminants from synthetic runoff was found via sorption and filtration. Subsequently, approximately 90% of the sorbed naphthalene, toluene, oil, and particulate-associated naphthalene was biodegraded within approximately 3, 4, 8, and 2 days after the event, respectively, based on decreases in contaminant concentrations coupled with increases of microbial populations. These results indicate the effectiveness and sustainability of placing a thin layer of mulch on the surface of a bioretention facility for reducing O&G pollution from urban stormwater runoff.

Application of thin layer activation technique for monitoring corrosion of carbon steel in hydrocarbon processing environment.

PubMed

Saxena, R C; Biswal, Jayashree; Pant, H J; Samantray, J S; Sharma, S C; Gupta, A K; Ray, S S

2018-05-01

Acidic crude oil transportation and processing in petroleum refining and petrochemical operations cause corrosion in the pipelines and associated components. Corrosion monitoring is invariably required to test and prove operational reliability. Thin Layer Activation (TLA) technique is a nuclear technique used for measurement of corrosion and erosion of materials. The technique involves irradiation of material with high energy ion beam from an accelerator and measurement of loss of radioactivity after the material is subjected to corrosive environment. In the present study, TLA technique has been used to monitor corrosion of carbon steel (CS) in crude oil environment at high temperature. Different CS coupons were irradiated with a 13 MeV proton beam to produce Cobalt-56 radioisotope on the surface of the coupons. The corrosion studies were carried out by subjecting the irradiated coupons to a corrosive environment, i.e, uninhibited straight run gas oil (SRGO) containing known amount of naphthenic acid (NA) at high temperature. The effects of different parameters, such as, concentration of NA, temperature and fluid velocity (rpm) on corrosion behaviour of CS were studied. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emulsification properties of biosurfactant produced from Pseudomonas aeruginosa RB 28.

PubMed

Sifour, Mohamed; Al-Jilawi, Majid H; Aziz, Ghazi M

2007-04-15

Biosurfactant produced from P. aeruginosa RB 28 was extracted, purified and characterized. Thin layer chromatography results showed that the extract contained two different compounds. The identification of the nature of the two compounds showed that they were glycolipids and rhamnose was the sugar moiety in these glycolipids. It was concluded that these compounds were rhamnolipids. The production of biosurfactant was started at late log phase and reached its maximal level (2.7 g L(-1)) at the stationary phase. Study of some rhamnolipid properties showed that sunflower oil, heptadecane and paraffin were efficiently emulsified and emulsions formed with vegetable oils (olive oil, corn oil and sunflower oil) were more stable than emulsions formed with hydrocarbons.

A unique caleosin serving as the major integral protein in oil bodies isolated from Chlorella sp. cells cultured with limited nitrogen.

PubMed

Lin, I-Ping; Jiang, Pei-Luen; Chen, Chii-Shiarng; Tzen, Jason T C

2012-12-01

Accumulation of oil bodies was successfully induced in a microalga, Chlorella sp., cultured in a nitrogen-limited medium. The oil bodies were initially assembled as many small entities (mostly 0.1-1 μm), and lately found as a major irregular compartment (>3 μm) occupying more than half of the cell space. Approximately, two thirds of oil bodies isolated from Chlorella cells were broken and formed a transparent oil layer on top of the milky compact layer of the remaining stable oil bodies after being washed with 0.1% triton X-100. The stable oil bodies mainly comprised triacylglycerols as examined by thin layer chromatography analysis and confirmed by both Nile red and BODIPY stainings. Integrity of these stable oil bodies was maintained via electronegative repulsion and steric hindrance possibly provided by their surface proteins. Immunological cross-recognition revealed that a major protein of 29 kDa, tentatively identified as caleosin, was exclusively present in Chlorella oil bodies. Mass spectrometric analysis showed that the putative caleosin possessed a trypic fragment of 13 residues matching to that of a hypothetical caleosin in Picea sitchensis. With the aid of a degenerate primer designed according to the tryptic peptide, a complete cDNA fragment encoding this putative caleosin was obtained by PCR. Phylogenetic tree analysis supports that Chlorella caleosin is the most primitive caleosin found in oil bodies to date. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Boundary-layer transition and global skin friction measurement with an oil-fringe imaging technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Monson, Daryl J.; Mateer, George G.; Menter, Florian R.

1993-01-01

A new oil-fringe imaging system skin friction (FISF) technique to measure skin friction on wind tunnel models is presented. In the method used to demonstrate the technique, lines of oil are applied on surfaces that connect the intended sets of measurement points, and then a wind tunnel is run so that the oil thins and forms interference fringes that are spaced in proportion to local skin friction. After a run the fringe spacings are imaged with a CCD-array digital camera and measured on a computer. Skin friction and transition measurements on a two-dimensional wing are presented and compared with computational predictions.

Pharmacognostic Screening of Piper trichostachyon Fruits and its Comparative Analysis with Piper nigrum Using Chromatographic Techniques

PubMed Central

Upadhya, Vinayak; Pai, Sandeep R.; Ankad, Gireesh M.; Hegde, Harsha V.

2016-01-01

Background: Piper trichostachyon is a wild, endemic Piper species from Western Ghats of India. The folklore healers of Belagavi region use this plant, similar to Piper nigrum. Aims: The present study investigates the comparison between P. nigrum and P. trichostachyon using pharmacognostic parameters. Materials and Methods: Pharmacognostic evaluation was carried out in terms of morphological, microscopic characters, and phytochemical analysis using standard methods. Comparative physicochemical analysis between P. trichostachyon and P. nigrum was also carried out through estimation of micro-macro nutrients, high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) investigation and using piperine as a marker compound for reversed phase-ultra flow liquid chromatographic (RP-UFLC) technique. Results: P. trichostachyon grows in the forests, and the fruits are morphologically similar to P. nigrum fruits, so the name in Kannada “Kaadu Kalu menasu” (wild/forest black pepper). The microscopy revealed the presence of stone cells, starch grains, oil cells and globules, beaker cells, and yellowish brown pigment layer, parenchymatous cells. The presence of alkaloids, oil, and tannins were observed in P. trichostachyon fruits. The HPTLC studies visibly indicated differences among two species with 12 peaks and varied banding pattern. RP-UFLC results showed less amount of piperine in P. trichostachyon (0.05 ± 0.002 mg/g) than in P. nigrum (16.14 ± 0.807 mg/g). Conclusion: The study reports on pharmacognostic parameters of P. trichostachyon for the 1st time and will be useful for the identification and authentication. The comparative HPTLC and RP-UFLC studies resolve the differentiation impasse among two species. However, further biological efficacy studies are required to establish its use in traditional medicine. SUMMARY Piper trichostachyon grows in the forests, and the fruits are morphologically similar to Piper nigrum fruitsThe microscopy of P. trichostachyon revealed the presence of stone cells, starch grains, oil cells and globules, beaker cells and yellowish brown pigment layer, parenchymatous cellsThe high-performance thin layer chromatography studies visibly indicated differences among two species with varied banding patternReversed phase-ultra flow liquid chromatographic results showed less amount of piperine in P. trichostachyon than in P. nigrum. Abbreviation used: HPTLC: High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography, RP-UFLC: Reversed phase-ultra flow liquid chromatographic analysis, DST: Length of line, Maj: Length of large half axis for ellipse RDS - radius for circle, Rf: Retention Factor, TS: Transverse Section, TLC: Thin Layer Chromatography. PMID:27279700

Contamination control approach for the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer satellite instrumentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mrowka, Stan; Jelinsky, Sharon; Jelinsky, Patrick; Malina, Roger F.

1987-01-01

The Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer will perform an all-sky survey and spectroscopic observations over the wavelength range 80-900A. Hydrocarbon and particulate contamination will potentially affect the throughput and signal to noise ratio of the signal detected by the instruments. A witness sample program is here used to investigate and monitor the effects of specific contaminants on EUV reflectivity. Witness samples were intentionally contaminated with thin layers of pump oil. An oil layer 150 A thick was applied and found to evaporate over 8 hours. The EUV reflectivity and imaging properties were then measured and found to be acceptable for grazing angles between 5 and 30 deg. In a second test, layers 500 A thick were deposited and then allowed to evaporate in vacuum; once the oil had evaporated to at least 350 A, the final sample reflectivity was degraded less than 10 percent, but the image was degraded severely by scattering. An outline of the contamination control program is also presented.

Electrode polarization and unusual magnetodielectric effect in a transformer oil-based magnetic nanofluid thin layer.

PubMed

Rajnak, Michal; Dolnik, Bystrik; Kurimsky, Juraj; Cimbala, Roman; Kopcansky, Peter; Timko, Milan

2017-01-07

In the present paper, we provide low-frequency dielectric spectra for a thin layer of a nanofluid based on transformer oil and iron oxide nanoparticles stabilized by oleic acid. The complex dielectric permittivity measured in the frequency range from 1 mHz to 200 kHz shows an obvious electrode polarization effect and a Debye-like dielectric relaxation process. Both effects stem from the presence of space charge in the oil due to impurity ions, and in the nanofluid represented predominantly by a residual surfactant and uncompensated particle surface charge. It is shown that the spectra, which were measured in the temperature range from 298 K to 358 K, can be well represented by a fitting function consisted of one Havriliak-Negami term and the Jonscher's power law. In the investigated magnetic nanofluid layer, we found that the onset of the electrode polarization is suppressed to lower frequencies by the application of an external magnetic field (300 mT). This phenomenon is explained by a slowed-down migration of the space charge due to the Lorentz force and by a hindering effect of the formed magnetic nanoparticle aggregates. Surprisingly, a moderate decrease in the whole permittivity spectrum was observed for both parallel and perpendicular orientations of the electric and magnetic fields. This is in contradiction with the usual magnetodielectric anisotropy effect. Based on our qualitative analysis, we discuss potential reasons accountable for the observed effect.

Thin Layer Drying Kinetics of By-Products from Olive Oil Processing

PubMed Central

Montero, Irene; Miranda, Teresa; Arranz, Jose Ignacio; Rojas, Carmen Victoria

2011-01-01

The thin-layer behavior of by-products from olive oil production was determined in a solar dryer in passive and active operation modes for a temperature range of 20–50 °C. The increase in the air temperature reduced the drying time of olive pomace, sludge and olive mill wastewater. Moisture ratio was analyzed to obtain effective diffusivity values, varying in the oil mill by-products from 9.136 × 10−11 to 1.406 × 10−9 m2/s in forced convection (ma = 0.22 kg/s), and from 9.296 × 10−11 to 6.277 × 10−10 m2/s in natural convection (ma = 0.042 kg/s). Diffusivity values at each temperature were obtained using the Fick’s diffusion model and, regardless of the convection, they increased with the air temperature. The temperature dependence on the effective diffusivity was determined by an Arrhenius type relationship. The activation energies were found to be 38.64 kJ/mol, 30.44 kJ/mol and 47.64 kJ/mol for the olive pomace, the sludge and the olive mill wastewater in active mode, respectively, and 91.35 kJ/mol, 14.04 kJ/mol and 77.15 kJ/mol in natural mode, in that order. PMID:22174639

Phytochemical characterization, antimicrobial activity and reducing potential of seed oil, latex, machine oil and presscake of Jatropha curcas

PubMed Central

Sharma, Amit Kumar; Gangwar, Mayank; Kumar, Dharmendra; Nath, Gopal; Kumar Sinha, Akhoury Sudhir; Tripathi, Yamini Bhushan

2016-01-01

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the antimicrobial activity, phytochemical studies and thin layer chromatography analysis of machine oil, hexane extract of seed oil and methanol extract of presscake & latex of Jatropha curcas Linn (family Euphorbiaceae). Materials and Methods: J. curcas extracts were subjected to preliminary qualitative phytochemical screening to detect the major phytochemicals followed by its reducing power and content of phenol and flavonoids in different fractions. Thin layer chromatography was also performed using different solvent systems for the analysis of a number of constituents in the plant extracts. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated by the disc diffusion method, while the minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal concentration and minimum fungicidal concentration were calculated by micro dilution method. Results: The methanolic fraction of latex and cake exhibited marked antifungal and antibacterial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, tannins, terpenoids, steroids, glycosides, phenols and flavonoids. Reducing power showed dose dependent increase in concentration compared to standard Quercetin. Furthermore, this study recommended the isolation and separation of bioactive compounds responsible for the antibacterial activity which would be done by using different chromatographic methods such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), GC-MS etc. Conclusion: The results of the above study suggest that all parts of the plants possess potent antibacterial activity. Hence, it is important to isolate the active principles for further testing of antimicrobial and other biological efficacy. PMID:27516977

Phytochemical characterization, antimicrobial activity and reducing potential of seed oil, latex, machine oil and presscake of Jatropha curcas.

PubMed

Sharma, Amit Kumar; Gangwar, Mayank; Kumar, Dharmendra; Nath, Gopal; Kumar Sinha, Akhoury Sudhir; Tripathi, Yamini Bhushan

2016-01-01

This study aims to evaluate the antimicrobial activity, phytochemical studies and thin layer chromatography analysis of machine oil, hexane extract of seed oil and methanol extract of presscake & latex of Jatropha curcas Linn (family Euphorbiaceae). J. curcas extracts were subjected to preliminary qualitative phytochemical screening to detect the major phytochemicals followed by its reducing power and content of phenol and flavonoids in different fractions. Thin layer chromatography was also performed using different solvent systems for the analysis of a number of constituents in the plant extracts. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated by the disc diffusion method, while the minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal concentration and minimum fungicidal concentration were calculated by micro dilution method. The methanolic fraction of latex and cake exhibited marked antifungal and antibacterial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, tannins, terpenoids, steroids, glycosides, phenols and flavonoids. Reducing power showed dose dependent increase in concentration compared to standard Quercetin. Furthermore, this study recommended the isolation and separation of bioactive compounds responsible for the antibacterial activity which would be done by using different chromatographic methods such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), GC-MS etc. The results of the above study suggest that all parts of the plants possess potent antibacterial activity. Hence, it is important to isolate the active principles for further testing of antimicrobial and other biological efficacy.

One-step method for the production of nanofluids

DOEpatents

Kostic, Milivoje [Sycamore, IL; Golubovic, Mihajlo [Chicago, IL; Hull, John [Downers Grove, IL; Choi, Stephen U. S. [Naperville, IL

2011-08-16

A one step method and system for producing nanofluids by a nanoparticle-source evaporation and deposition of the evaporant into a base fluid. The base fluid such oil or ethylene glycol is placed in a rotating cylindrical drum having an adjustable heater-boat-evaporator and heat exchanger-cooler apparatus. As the drum rotates, a thin liquid layer is formed on the inside surface of the drum. An insulated heater-boat-evaporator having an evaporant material (nanoparticle-source) placed within its boat evaporator is adjustably positioned near a portion of the rotating thin liquid layer, the evaporant material being heated thereby evaporating a portion of the evaporant material and forming nanoparticles, the nanoparticles absorbed by the liquid film to form nanofluid.

Remote Oil Spill Detection and Monitoring Beneath Sea Ice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polak, Adam; Marshall, Stephen; Ren, Jinchang; Hwang, Byongjun (Phil); Hagan, Bernard; Stothard, David J. M.

2016-08-01

The spillage of oil in Polar Regions is particularly serious due to the threat to the environment and the difficulties in detecting and tracking the full extent of the oil seepage beneath the sea ice. Development of fast and reliable sensing techniques is highly desirable. In this paper hyperspectral imaging combined with signal processing and classification techniques are proposed as a potential tool to detect the presence of oil beneath the sea ice. A small sample, lab based experiment, serving as a proof of concept, resulted in the successful identification of oil presence beneath the thin ice layer as opposed to the other sample with ice only. The paper demonstrates the results of this experiment that granted a financial support to execute full feasibility study of this technology for oil spill detection beneath the sea ice.

Heat-flux gage measurements on a flat plate at a Mach number of 4.6 in the VSD high speed wind tunnel, a feasibility test (LA28). [wind tunnel tests of measuring instruments for boundary layer flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The feasibility of employing thin-film heat-flux gages was studied as a method of defining boundary layer characteristics at supersonic speeds in a high speed blowdown wind tunnel. Flow visualization techniques (using oil) were employed. Tabulated data (computer printouts), a test facility description, and photographs of test equipment are given.

Particle Swarm Transport through Immiscible Fluid Layers in a Fracture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teasdale, N. D.; Boomsma, E.; Pyrak-Nolte, L. J.

2011-12-01

Immiscible fluids occur either naturally (e.g. oil & water) or from anthropogenic processes (e.g. liquid CO2 & water) in the subsurface and complicate the transport of natural or engineered micro- or nano-scale particles. In this study, we examined the effect of immiscible fluids on the formation and evolution of particle swarms in a fracture. A particle swarm is a collection of colloidal-size particles in a dilute suspension that exhibits cohesive behavior. Swarms fall under gravity with a velocity that is greater than the settling velocity of a single particle. Thus a particle swarm of colloidal contaminants can potentially travel farther and faster in a fracture than expected for a dispersion or emulsion of colloidal particles. We investigated the formation, evolution, and break-up of colloidal swarms under gravity in a uniform aperture fracture as hydrophobic/hydrophyllic particle swarms move across an oil-water interface. A uniform aperture fracture was fabricated from two transparent acrylic rectangular prisms (100 mm x 50 mm x 100 mm) that are separated by 1, 2.5, 5, 10 or 50 mm. The fracture was placed, vertically, inside a glass tank containing a layer of pure silicone oil (polydimethylsiloxane) on distilled water. Along the length of the fracture, 30 mm was filled with oil and 70 mm with water. Experiments were conducted using silicone oils with viscosities of 5, 10, 100, or 1000 cSt. Particle swarms (5 μl) were comprised of a 1% concentration (by mass) of 25 micron glass beads (hydrophilic) suspended in a water drop, or a 1% concentration (by mass) of 3 micron polystyrene fluorescent beads (hydrophobic) suspended in a water drop. The swarm behavior was imaged using an optical fluorescent imaging system composed of a CCD camera and by green (525 nm) LED arrays for illumination. Swarms were spherical and remained coherent as they fell through the oil because of the immiscibility of oil and water. However, as a swarm approached the oil-water interface, it decreased in speed and came to rest on the interface while maintaining its spherical shape. After the interface between a swarm and the oil thinned sufficiently, the swarm was rapidly released into the water layer. The time that this took depended on the viscosity of the oil layer, which determines the rate of thinning, and on the size and properties of the particles. The swarm geometry and velocity in the water layer depended on the aperture of the fracture, the viscosity of the oil and the hydrophobicity or hydrophyllicity of the particles in the swarm. Hydrophobic beads result in multiple mini swarms after breaking through the interface rather than a single large swarm like that observed for hydrophilic swarms. After many experiments a pile formed at the bottom of the tank near the center of the fracture, indicating that swarms can lead to locally high concentration of colloidal contaminants. Acknowledgment: The authors wish to acknowledge support of this work by the Geosciences Research Program, Office of Basic Energy Sciences US Department of Energy (DE-FG02-09ER16022) and the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program at Purdue University.

Lipid oxidation. Part 2. Oxidation products of olive oil methyl esters.

PubMed

Pokorný, J; Tài, P; Parízková, H; Smidrkalová, E; El-Tarras, M F; Janícek, G

1976-01-01

Olive oil was converted into methyl esters which were autoxidized at 60 degrees C. The composition of oxidized products was determined by the comparison of infrared spectra and NMR spectra of the original and acetylated samples, the sample reduced with potassium iodide and the acetylated reduced sample. Oxidized products were separated by preparative thin layer chromatography on silica gel and characterized by selective detection and by infrared spectrometry of the fractions. The oxidation products consisted of hydroperoxido butyl oleate, substituted hydroperoxides, mono- and disubstituted monomeric derivatives and a small amount of oligomers.

Aqueous enzymatic extraction of Moringa oleifera oil.

PubMed

Mat Yusoff, Masni; Gordon, Michael H; Ezeh, Onyinye; Niranjan, Keshavan

2016-11-15

This paper reports on the extraction of Moringa oleifera (MO) oil by using aqueous enzymatic extraction (AEE) method. The effect of different process parameters on the oil recovery was discovered by using statistical optimization, besides the effect of selected parameters on the formation of its oil-in-water cream emulsions. Within the pre-determined ranges, the use of pH 4.5, moisture/kernel ratio of 8:1 (w/w), and 300stroke/min shaking speed at 40°C for 1h incubation time resulted in highest oil recovery of approximately 70% (goil/g solvent-extracted oil). These optimized parameters also result in a very thin emulsion layer, indicating minute amount of emulsion formed. Zero oil recovery with thick emulsion were observed when the used aqueous phase was re-utilized for another AEE process. The findings suggest that the critical selection of AEE parameters is key to high oil recovery with minimum emulsion formation thereby lowering the load on the de-emulsification step. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Studies on Impingement Effects of Low Density Jets on Surfaces — Determination of Shear Stress and Normal Pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sathian, Sarith. P.; Kurian, Job

2005-05-01

This paper presents the results of the Laser Reflection Method (LRM) for the determination of shear stress due to impingement of low-density free jets on flat plate. For thin oil film moving under the action of aerodynamic boundary layer the shear stress at the air-oil interface is equal to the shear stress between the surface and air. A direct and dynamic measurement of the oil film slope is measured using a position sensing detector (PSD). The thinning rate of oil film is directly measured which is the major advantage of the LRM over LISF method. From the oil film slope history, direct calculation of the shear stress is done using a three-point formula. For the full range of experiment conditions Knudsen numbers varied till the continuum limit of the transition regime. The shear stress values for low-density flows in the transition regime are thus obtained using LRM and the measured values of shear show fair agreement with those obtained by other methods. Results of the normal pressure measurements on a flat plate in low-density jets by using thermistors as pressure sensors are also presented in the paper. The normal pressure profiles obtained show the characteristic features of Newtonian impact theory for hypersonic flows.

Skin friction measurement in complex flows using thin oil film techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

The NASA Grant NAG2-261 was initiated to support a program of research to study complex flows that occur in flight and laboratory experiments by building, testing and optimizing an on-board technique for direct measurement of surface shear stress using thin oil film techniques. The program of research has proceeded under the supervision of the NASA Ames Research Center and with further cooperation from the NASA Ames-Dryden and NASA Langley Research Centers. In accordance with the original statement of work, the following research milestones were accomplished: (1) design and testing of an internally mounted one-directional skin friction meter to demonstrate the feasibility of the concept; (2) design and construction of a compact instrument capable of measuring skin friction in two directions; (3) study of transitional and fully turbulent boundary layers over a flat plate with and without longitudinal pressure gradients utilizing the compact two-directional skin friction meter; (4) study of the interaction between a turbulent boundary layer and a shock wave generated by a compression corner using the two-directional meter; and (5) flight qualification of the compact meter and accompanying electronic and pneumatic systems, preliminary installation into flight test fixture.

Easy ambient sonic-spray ionization mass spectrometry combined with thin-layer chromatography.

PubMed

Haddad, Renato; Milagre, Humberto M S; Catharino, Rodrigo Ramos; Eberlin, Marcos N

2008-04-15

On-spot detection and analyte characterization on thin-layer chromatography (TLC) plates is performed via ambient desorption/ionization and (tandem) mass spectrometry detection, that is, via easy ambient sonic spray ionization mass spectrometry (EASI-MS). As proof-of-principle cases, mixtures of semipolar nitrogenated compounds as well as pharmaceutical drugs and vegetable oils have been tested. The technique has also been applied to monitor a chemical reaction of synthetic importance. EASI is the simplest and gentlest ambient ionization technique currently available, assisted solely by N2 (or air). It uses no voltages, no electrical discharges; no UV or laser beams, and no high temperature and is most easily implemented in all API mass spectrometers. TLC is also the simplest, fastest, and most easily performed chromatographic technique. TLC plus EASI-MS therefore provide a simple and advantageous combination of chromatographic separation and sensitive detection of the TLC spots as well as on-spot MS or MS/MS characterization. The favorable characteristics of TLC-EASI-MS indicate advantageous applications in several areas such as drug and oil analysis, phytochemistry and synthetic chemistry, forensics via reliable counterfeit detection, and quality control.

Fatty acid fragmentation of triacylglycerol isolated from crude nyamplung oil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aparamarta, Hakun Wirawasista; Anggraini, Desy; Istianingsih, Della; Susanto, David Febrilliant; Widjaja, Arief; Ju, Yi-Hsu; Gunawan, Setiyo

2017-05-01

Nyamplung (Calophylluminophyllum) has many benefits ranging from roots, stems, leaves, until seeds. In this seed, C. inophyllum contained significantly high amount of crude oil (70.4%). C. inophyllum oil is known as non edible. Therefore Indonesian people generally only know that seeds can produce oil that can be used for biodiesel. In this work, the fragmentation of fatty acid in triacylglycerols (TAG) was studied. The isolation process was started with separation of non polar lipid fraction (NPLF) from crude C. inophyllum oil via batchwise multistage liquid extraction. TAG was obtained in high purity (99%) and was analyzed by Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) and Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry (GCMS). It was found that fatty acids of TAG are palmitic acid (C16:0), stearic acid (C18:0), oleic acid (C18:1c), linoleic acid (C18:2c), and linolenic acid (C18:3c). Moreover, TAG isolated from C. inophyllum oil was promising as edible oil.

Antioxidant Activity of the Essential Oils of Different Parts of Juniperus excelsa M. Bieb. subsp. excelsa and J. excelsa M. Bieb. subsp. polycarpos (K. Koch) Takhtajan (Cupressaceae)

PubMed Central

Emami, Sayyed Ahmad; Abedindo, Bibi Fatemeh; Hassanzadeh-Khayyat, Mohammad

2011-01-01

The essential oils of branchlets and fruits of Juniperus excelsa subsp. excelsa and Juniperus excelsa subsp. polycarpos were examined for their antioxidant activity. The compositions of the essential oils were studied by GC and GC-MS. To evaluation the antioxidants activity of the volatile oils, pure components and positive controls at different concentrations, thin-layer chromatography (TLC) screening methods, diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, deoxyribose degradation test and modified deoxyribose degradation test were employed. The results of the present study demonstrate some antioxidant activity for the tested essential oils obtained from various parts of both plants. It indicates that the use of these essential oils, in very low concentrations, may be useful as a natural preservative. However before any final conclusion, it is suggested that the antioxidant activity of these oils should also be evaluated by using lipid solvent system methods. PMID:24250416

Analysis of a static undulation on the surface of a thin dielectric liquid layer formed by dielectrophoresis forces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Carl V.; McHale, Glen; Mottram, Nigel J.

2011-07-01

A layer of insulating liquid of dielectric constant ɛOil and average thickness h- coats a flat surface at y = 0 at which a one-dimensional sinusoidal potential V(x ,0)=VOcos(πx /p) is applied. Dielectrophoresis forces create a static undulation (or "wrinkle") distortion h(x) of period p at the liquid/air interface. Analytical expressions have been derived for the electrostatic energy and the interfacial energy associated with the surface undulation when h(x)=h--(1/2)Acos(2πx /p) yielding a scaling relationship for A as a function of h-, p, VO, ɛOil and the surface tension. The analysis is valid as A/p → 0, and in this limit convergence with numerical simulation of the system is shown.

Thin film instabilities: Rayleigh-Taylor with thermocapillarity and Kolmogorov flow in a soap film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burgess, John Matthew

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability occurs when a more dense fluid layer is suspended above a less dense fluid layer in a gravitational field. The horizontal interface between the two fluids is unstable to infinitesimal deformations and the dense fluid falls. To counteract the destabilizing effects of gravity on the interface between two thin fluid layers, we apply a vertical temperature gradient, heating from below. The dependence of surface tension on temperature (``thermocapillarity'') can cause spatially-varying interfacial forces between two immiscible fluid layers if a variation in temperature along the interface is introduced. With an applied vertical temperature gradient, the deforming interface spontaneously develops temperature variations which locally adjust the surface tension to restore a flat interface. We find that these surface tension gradients can stabilize a more dense thin fluid layer (silicone oil, 0.015 cm thick) above a less dense thin fluid layer (air, 0.025 cm thick) in a gravitational field, in qualitative agreement with linear stability analysis. This is the first experimental observation of the stabilization of Rayleigh-Taylor instability by thermocapillary forces. We also examine the instability of a soap film flow driven by a time-independent force that is spatially periodic in the direction perpendicular to the forcing (Kolmogorov flow). The film is in the x- y plane, where the forcing approximates a shape sin (y)x̂. Linear stability analysis of an idealized model of this flow predicts a critical Reynolds number Rc~2 . In our soap film experiment, we find a critical value Rc~70 . This discrepancy can be ascribed to frictional effects from viscous coupling of gas to the film, which is neglected in the idealized model. The kinematic viscosity of the surrounding gas and the thickness of gas layers on each side of the soap film are varied in the experiments to better understand these frictional effects. We conclude that flows in soap films cannot be decoupled from flows in the surrounding gas.

How to fracture formations (in Spanish)

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

del Risco V.M.

1971-01-01

Government-owned Petroleos del Peru has found the limited-entry fracturing technique to be the most suitable under prevailing conditions for its NW. Peruvian oil fields. There, most formations available for stimulation are low- permeability and highly compact sands interbedded with thin and thick layers of clay. After experimenting with 8 different commercially available methods, a detailed analysis of the results showed the Shoot-Frac system to be the most effective.

Analysis of Trans Fat in Edible Oils with Cooking Process

PubMed Central

Song, Juhee; Park, Joohyeok; Jung, Jinyeong; Lee, Chankyu; Gim, Seo Yeoung; Ka, HyeJung; Yi, BoRa; Kim, Mi-Ja; Kim, Cho-il

2015-01-01

Trans fat is a unsaturated fatty acid with trans configuration and separated double bonds. Analytical methods have been introduced to analyze trans fat content in foods including infrared (IR) spectroscopy, gas chromatography (GC), Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, reverses-phase silver ion high performance liquid chromatography, and silver nitrate thin layer chromatography. Currently, FT-IR spectroscopy and GC are mostly used methods. Trans fat content in 6 vegetable oils were analyzed and processing effects including baking, stir-frying, pan-frying, and frying on the formation of trans fat in corn oil was evaluated by GC. Among tested vegetable oils, corn oil has 0.25 g trans fat/100 g, whereas other oils including rapeseed, soybean, olive, perilla, and sesame oils did not have detectable amount of trans fat content. Among cooking methods, stir-frying increased trans fat in corn oil whereas baking, pan-frying, and frying procedures did not make changes in trans fat content compared to untreated corn oils. However, the trans fat content was so low and food label can be declared as ‘0’ trans based on the regulation of Ministry of Food ad Drug Safety (MFDS) (< 2 g/100 g edible oil). PMID:26483890

Effect of Neem Leaf Extract and Neem Oil on Penicillium Growth, Sporulation, Morphology and Ochratoxin A Production

PubMed Central

Mossini, Simone A. G.; Arrotéia, Carla C.; Kemmelmeier, Carlos

2009-01-01

In vitro trials were conducted to evaluate the effect of Azadirachta indica (neem) extracts on mycelial growth, sporulation, morphology and ochratoxin A production by P. verrucosum and P. brevicompactum. The effect of neem oil extract from seeds and leaf was evaluated at 0.125; 0.25 and 0.5% and 6.25 and 12.5 mg/mL, respectively, in Yeast Extract Sucrose (YES) medium. Ochratoxin A production was evaluated by a thin-layer chromatography technique. Oil extracts exhibited significant (p ≤ 0.05) reduction of growth and sporulation of the fungi. No inhibition of ochratoxin A production was observed. Given its accessibility and low cost, neem oil could be implemented as part of a sustainable integrated pest management strategy for plant disease, as it has been shown to be fungitoxic by inhibition of growth and sporulation. PMID:22069528

Effect of neem leaf extract and neem oil on Penicillium growth, sporulation, morphology and ochratoxin A production.

PubMed

Mossini, Simone A G; Arrotéia, Carla C; Kemmelmeier, Carlos

2009-09-01

In vitro trials were conducted to evaluate the effect of Azadirachtaindica (neem) extracts on mycelial growth, sporulation, morphology and ochratoxin A production by P. verrucosum and P. brevicompactum. The effect of neem oil extract from seeds and leaf was evaluated at 0.125; 0.25 and 0.5% and 6.25 and 12.5 mg/mL, respectively, in Yeast Extract Sucrose (YES) medium. Ochratoxin A production was evaluated by a thin-layer chromatography technique. Oil extracts exhibited significant (p ≤ 0.05) reduction of growth and sporulation of the fungi. No inhibition of ochratoxin A production was observed. Given its accessibility and low cost, neem oil could be implemented as part of a sustainable integrated pest management strategy for plant disease, as it has been shown to be fungitoxic by inhibition of growth and sporulation.

Research on high speed drilling technology and economic integration evaluation in Oilfield

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Kun; Ni, Hongjian; Cheng, Na; Song, Jingbo

2018-01-01

The carbonate reservoir in the oilfield mainly formed in Ordovician System and Carboniferous System. The geology here is very complicated, with high heterogeneity. It gets much more difficult to control the well deflection in Permian system so that high accident ratio could be expected. The buried depth of the reservoir is large, normally 4600-6600m deep. The temperature of the layer is higher than 132 and the pressure is greater than 62MPa. The reservoir is with a high fluid properties, mainly including thin oil, heavy oil, condensate oil, gas and so on; the ground is very hard to drill, so we can foresee low drilling speed, long drilling period and high drilling cost, which will surely restrict the employing progress of the reservoir.

Micro-emulsification/encapsulation of krill oil by complex coacervation with krill protein isolated using isoelectric solubilization/precipitation.

PubMed

Shi, Liu; Beamer, Sarah K; Yang, Hong; Jaczynski, Jacek

2018-04-01

This study determined feasibility of krill protein isolated with isoelectric solubilization/precipitation (ISP) as wall material to microencapsulate krill oil by freeze-drying. Effects of krill oil/krill protein ratio on properties of microcapsules were investigated. With increased ratio, crude protein of microcapsules decreased, while total lipid increased. Although microcapsule oil loading capacity increased, loading and encapsulation efficiencies decreased. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) confirmed abundance of phospholipids, which are amphiphilic; and thus, resulted in stable emulsion (emulsion stability index). Microcapsules contained ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) at 43-60, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) at 28-41 and 9-11 g/100g of total FAs, respectively. SDS-PAGE electrophoresis revealed proteolysis of ISP krill protein, probably causing reduced loading and encapsulation efficiencies. SEM showed that krill oil/krill protein ratio affected surface microstructure. ISP krill protein showed potential as a wall material to microencapsulate krill oil; and thus, expand application of krill oil/protein for human consumption. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measurement of Pressure Fluctuations inside a Model Thrust Bearing Using PVDF Sensors

PubMed Central

Youssef, Andrew; Matthews, David; Guzzomi, Andrew; Pan, Jie

2017-01-01

Thrust bearings play a vital role in propulsion systems. They rely on a thin layer of oil being trapped between rotating surfaces to produce a low friction interface. The “quality” of this bearing affects many things from noise transmission to the ultimate catastrophic failure of the bearing itself. As a result, the direct measure of the forces and vibrations within the oil filled interface would be very desirable and would give an indication of the condition of the bearing in situ. The thickness of the oil film is, however, very small and conventional vibration sensors are too cumbersome to use in this confined space. This paper solves this problem by using a piezoelectric polymer film made from Polyvinylidine Fluoride (PVDF). These films are very thin (50 μm) and flexible and easy to install in awkward spaces such as the inside of a thrust bearing. A model thrust bearing was constructed using a 3D printer and PVDF films inserted into the base of the bearing. In doing so, it was possible to directly measure the force fluctuations due to the rotating pads and investigate various properties of the thrust bearing itself. PMID:28420152

Measurement of Pressure Fluctuations inside a Model Thrust Bearing Using PVDF Sensors.

PubMed

Youssef, Andrew; Matthews, David; Guzzomi, Andrew; Pan, Jie

2017-04-16

Thrust bearings play a vital role in propulsion systems. They rely on a thin layer of oil being trapped between rotating surfaces to produce a low friction interface. The "quality" of this bearing affects many things from noise transmission to the ultimate catastrophic failure of the bearing itself. As a result, the direct measure of the forces and vibrations within the oil filled interface would be very desirable and would give an indication of the condition of the bearing in situ. The thickness of the oil film is, however, very small and conventional vibration sensors are too cumbersome to use in this confined space. This paper solves this problem by using a piezoelectric polymer film made from Polyvinylidine Fluoride (PVDF). These films are very thin (50 m) and flexible and easy to install in awkward spaces such as the inside of a thrust bearing. A model thrust bearing was constructed using a 3D printer and PVDF films inserted into the base of the bearing. In doing so, it was possible to directly measure the force fluctuations due to the rotating pads and investigate various properties of the thrust bearing itself.

Natural and Unnatural Oil Layers on the Surface of the Gulf of Mexico Detected and Quantified in Synthetic Aperture RADAR Images with Texture Classifying Neural Network Algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacDonald, I. R.; Garcia-Pineda, O. G.; Morey, S. L.; Huffer, F.

2011-12-01

Effervescent hydrocarbons rise naturally from hydrocarbon seeps in the Gulf of Mexico and reach the ocean surface. This oil forms thin (~0.1 μm) layers that enhance specular reflectivity and have been widely used to quantify the abundance and distribution of natural seeps using synthetic aperture radar (SAR). An analogous process occurred at a vastly greater scale for oil and gas discharged from BP's Macondo well blowout. SAR data allow direct comparison of the areas of the ocean surface covered by oil from natural sources and the discharge. We used a texture classifying neural network algorithm to quantify the areas of naturally occurring oil-covered water in 176 SAR image collections from the Gulf of Mexico obtained between May 1997 and November 2007, prior to the blowout. Separately we also analyzed 36 SAR images collections obtained between 26 April and 30 July, 2010 while the discharged oil was visible in the Gulf of Mexico. For the naturally occurring oil, we removed pollution events and transient oceanographic effects by including only the reflectance anomalies that that recurred in the same locality over multiple images. We measured the area of oil layers in a grid of 10x10 km cells covering the entire Gulf of Mexico. Floating oil layers were observed in only a fraction of the total Gulf area amounting to 1.22x10^5 km^2. In a bootstrap sample of 2000 replications, the combined average area of these layers was 7.80x10^2 km^2 (sd 86.03). For a regional comparison, we divided the Gulf of Mexico into four quadrates along 90° W longitude, and 25° N latitude. The NE quadrate, where the BP discharge occurred, received on average 7.0% of the total natural seepage in the Gulf of Mexico (5.24 x10^2 km^2, sd 21.99); the NW quadrate received on average 68.0% of this total (5.30 x10^2 km^2, sd 69.67). The BP blowout occurred in the NE quadrate of the Gulf of Mexico; discharged oil that reached the surface drifted over a large area north of 25° N. Performing a similar estimate using 5x5 km grid cells, we observed discharged oil over an area of 1.20x10^5 km^2; 91% of this area was east of 90° W. The average area oil covered water observed in the SAR images was 4.41x104^ km^2, 98% of which was observed in the eastern Gulf. Numerical oil spill model experiments are used to clarify the distinction between the area impacted by the BP oil spill and the surface slicks due to known natural seeps. Natural oil seepage has been cited as a background source of hydrocarbon contamination in the Gulf of Mexico. Our direct comparison shows that during the blowout, the discharged oil impacted an average area two orders of magnitude greater than the entire Gulf total and three orders of magnitude greater than the usual dose received in the northeastern region. Because the layers of discharged oil were often many times thicker than natural seep oil, additional scale factors are required to show the true difference in doses. These differences should be weighed when evaluating the relative impact of natural and unnatural oil in a large marine ecosystem.

Capillary Rise: Validity of the Dynamic Contact Angle Models.

PubMed

Wu, Pingkeng; Nikolov, Alex D; Wasan, Darsh T

2017-08-15

The classical Lucas-Washburn-Rideal (LWR) equation, using the equilibrium contact angle, predicts a faster capillary rise process than experiments in many cases. The major contributor to the faster prediction is believed to be the velocity dependent dynamic contact angle. In this work, we investigated the dynamic contact angle models for their ability to correct the dynamic contact angle effect in the capillary rise process. We conducted capillary rise experiments of various wetting liquids in borosilicate glass capillaries and compared the model predictions with our experimental data. The results show that the LWR equations modified by the molecular kinetic theory and hydrodynamic model provide good predictions on the capillary rise of all the testing liquids with fitting parameters, while the one modified by Joos' empirical equation works for specific liquids, such as silicone oils. The LWR equation modified by molecular self-layering model predicts well the capillary rise of carbon tetrachloride, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, and n-alkanes with the molecular diameter or measured solvation force data. The molecular self-layering model modified LWR equation also has good predictions on the capillary rise of silicone oils covering a wide range of bulk viscosities with the same key parameter W(0), which results from the molecular self-layering. The advantage of the molecular self-layering model over the other models reveals the importance of the layered molecularly thin wetting film ahead of the main meniscus in the energy dissipation associated with dynamic contact angle. The analysis of the capillary rise of silicone oils with a wide range of bulk viscosities provides new insights into the capillary dynamics of polymer melts.

Membrane-based microchannel device for continuous quantitative extraction of dissolved free sulfide from water and from oil.

PubMed

Toda, Kei; Ebisu, Yuki; Hirota, Kazutoshi; Ohira, Shin-Ichi

2012-09-05

Underground fluids are important natural sources of drinking water, geothermal energy, and oil-based fuels. To facilitate the surveying of such underground fluids, a novel microchannel extraction device was investigated for in-line continuous analysis and flow injection analysis of sulfide levels in water and in oil. Of the four designs investigated, the honeycomb-patterned microchannel extraction (HMCE) device was found to offer the most effective liquid-liquid extraction. In the HMCE device, a thin silicone membrane was sandwiched between two polydimethylsiloxane plates in which honeycomb-patterned microchannels had been fabricated. The identical patterns on the two plates were accurately aligned. The extracted sulfide was detected by quenching monitoring of fluorescein mercuric acetate (FMA). The sulfide extraction efficiencies from water and oil samples of the HMCE device and of three other designs (two annular and one rectangular channel) were examined theoretically and experimentally. The best performance was obtained with the HMCE device because of its thin sample layer (small diffusion distance) and large interface area. Quantitative extraction from both water and oil could be obtained using the HMCE device. The estimated limit of detection for continuous monitoring was 0.05 μM, and sulfide concentrations in the range of 0.15-10 μM could be determined when the acceptor was 5 μM FMA alkaline solution. The method was applied to natural water analysis using flow injection mode, and the data agreed with those obtained using headspace gas chromatography-flame photometric detection. The analysis of hydrogen sulfide levels in prepared oil samples was also performed. The proposed device is expected to be used for real time survey of oil wells and groundwater wells. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Core Flood study for enhanced oil recovery through ex-situ bioaugmentation with thermo- and halo-tolerant rhamnolipid produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCIM 5514.

PubMed

Varjani, Sunita J; Upasani, Vivek N

2016-11-01

The aim of this work was to study the Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) employing core field model ex-situ bioaugmenting a thermo- and halo-tolerant rhamnolipid produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) revealed that the biosurfactant produced was rhamnolipid type. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance analysis showed that the purified rhamnolipids comprised two principal rhamnolipid homologues, i.e., Rha-Rha-C10-C14:1 and Rha-C8-C10. The rhamnolipid was stable under wide range of temperature (4°C, 30-100°C), pH (2.0-10.0) and NaCl concentration (0-18%, w/v). Core Flood model was designed for oil recovery operations using rhamnolipid. The oil recovery enhancement over Residual Oil Saturation was 8.82% through ex-situ bioaugmentation with rhamnolipid. The thermal stability of rhamnolipid shows promising scope for its application at conditions where high temperatures prevail in oil recovery processes, whereas its halo-tolerant nature increases its application in marine environment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Charge patterns as templates for the assembly of layered biomolecular structures.

PubMed

Naujoks, Nicola; Stemmer, Andreas

2006-08-01

Electric fields are used to guide the assembly of biomolecules in predefined geometric patterns on solid substrates. Local surface charges serve as templates to selectively position proteins on thin-film polymeric electret layers, thereby creating a basis for site-directed layered assembly of biomolecular structures. Charge patterns are created using the lithographic capabilities of an atomic force microscope, namely by applying voltage pulses between a conductive tip and the sample. Samples consist of a poly(methyl methacrylate) layer on a p-doped silicon support. Subsequently, the sample is developed in a water-in-oil emulsion, consisting of a dispersed aqueous phase containing biotin-modified immunoglobulinG molecules, and a continuous nonpolar, insulating oil phase. The electrostatic fields cause a net force of (di)electrophoretic nature on the droplet, thereby guiding the proteins to the predefined locations. Due to the functionalization of the immunoglobulinG molecules with biotin-groups, these patterns can now be used to initiate the localized layer-by-layer assembly of biomolecules based on the avidin-biotin mechanism. By binding 40 nm sized biotin-labelled beads to the predefined locations via a streptavidin linker, we verify the functionality of the previously deposited immunoglobulinG-biotin. All assembly steps following the initial deposition of the immunoglobulinG from emulsion can conveniently be conducted in aqueous solutions. Results show that pattern definition is maintained after immersion into aqueous solution.

Influence of long-range forces and capillarity on the function of underwater superoleophobic wrinkled surfaces.

PubMed

Owais, Ahmed; Smith-Palmer, Truis; Gentle, Angus; Neto, Chiara

2018-06-26

Underwater superoleophobic surfaces can be considered a particular type of lubricant-infused surface, that have anti-fouling properties by virtue of a trapped water layer that repels oils. However, as their function relies on a water layer being trapped in the surface roughness, it is crucial to understand the factors that determine the layer stability. In this work, the forces that are responsible for the stability of thin liquid films within structured surfaces were quantified, and the conclusions were tested against the performance of wrinkled surfaces as underwater superoleophobic coatings. Here, the system studied was a family of wrinkled surfaces made of hydrophilic poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP), whereby the wrinkle width could be controllably tuned in the range 90 nm to 8000 nm. The van der Waals free energy was quantified and the capillary forces trapping water in the surface micro- and nano-wrinkle structure were estimated. P4VP surfaces with micro-scale wrinkles had underwater superoleophobic properties, and low adhesion to different oils with droplet roll-off angle below 6° ± 1°. Despite the van der Waals free energy of the system pointing to the dewetting of a water film under oil on top of a smooth P4VP film, the wrinkled structure is sufficient to induce a Cassie state with a trapped water layer. The micro-scale wrinkles (average width 4-12 μm) were found to be particularly effective in the trapping of the water in a Cassie non-adhesive state. The P4VP wrinkled surfaces are superamphiphobic, as when they were first infused with oil, and then exposed to a droplet of water under oil, they exhibited superhydrophobic behavior. The P4VP wrinkles have the additional useful feature of being transparent underwater, which makes them useful candidates for the protection of underwater cameras and sensors.

Fungicidal and anti-aflatoxigenic effects of the essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf. (lemongrass) against Aspergillus flavus Link. isolated from stored rice.

PubMed

Paranagama, P A; Abeysekera, K H T; Abeywickrama, K; Nugaliyadde, L

2003-01-01

To develop a natural fungicide against aflatoxigenic fungi, to protect stored rice, using the essential oil of lemongrass. Aspergillus flavus Link. was isolated from stored rice and identified as an aflatoxigenic strain. Lemongrass oil was tested against A. flavus and the test oil was fungistatic and fungicidal against the test pathogen at 0.6 and 1.0 mg ml(-1), respectively. Aflatoxin production was completely inhibited at 0.1 mg ml(-1). The results obtained from the thin layer chromatographic bioassay and gas chromatography indicated citral a and b as the fungicidal constituents in lemongrass oil. During the fumigant toxicity assay of lemongrass oil, the sporulation and the mycelial growth of the test pathogen were inhibited at the concentrations of 2.80 and 3.46 mg ml(-1), respectively. Lemongrass oil could be used to manage aflatoxin formation and fungal growth of A. flavus in stored rice. Currently, fungicides are not used to control fungal pests or mycotoxin production on stored rice. Rice treated with the essential oil of lemongrass could be used to manage fungal pests as well as the insect pests in stored rice. The essential oil is chemically safe and acceptable to consumers, as synthetic chemical fungicides can cause adverse health effects to consumers.

High-resolution well-log derived dielectric properties of gas-hydrate-bearing sediments, Mount Elbert Gas Hydrate Stratigraphic Test Well, Alaska North Slope

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sun, Y.; Goldberg, D.; Collett, T.; Hunter, R.

2011-01-01

A dielectric logging tool, electromagnetic propagation tool (EPT), was deployed in 2007 in the BPXA-DOE-USGS Mount Elbert Gas Hydrate Stratigraphic Test Well (Mount Elbert Well), North Slope, Alaska. The measured dielectric properties in the Mount Elbert well, combined with density log measurements, result in a vertical high-resolution (cm-scale) estimate of gas hydrate saturation. Two hydrate-bearing sand reservoirs about 20 m thick were identified using the EPT log and exhibited gas-hydrate saturation estimates ranging from 45% to 85%. In hydrate-bearing zones where variation of hole size and oil-based mud invasion are minimal, EPT-based gas hydrate saturation estimates on average agree well with lower vertical resolution estimates from the nuclear magnetic resonance logs; however, saturation and porosity estimates based on EPT logs are not reliable in intervals with substantial variations in borehole diameter and oil-based invasion.EPT log interpretation reveals many thin-bedded layers at various depths, both above and below the thick continuous hydrate occurrences, which range from 30-cm to about 1-m thick. Such thin layers are not indicated in other well logs, or from the visual observation of core, with the exception of the image log recorded by the oil-base microimager. We also observe that EPT dielectric measurements can be used to accurately detect fine-scale changes in lithology and pore fluid properties of hydrate-bearing sediments where variation of hole size is minimal. EPT measurements may thus provide high-resolution in-situ hydrate saturation estimates for comparison and calibration with laboratory analysis. ?? 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

Studies on convective drying of `Ameclyae' Opuntia ficus-indica seeds and its effect on the quality of extracted oil based on its α-tocopherol content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassini, Lamine; Bettaieb, Emna; Motri, Samia; Desmorieux, Hélène

2018-02-01

The aim of this work is to model the thin layer convective drying kinetics of `Ameclyae' prickly pear seed variety and to evaluate the effects of drying conditions on the quality of extracted seed oil, specifically α-tocopherol content. Drying experiments were carried on following a full 23 factorial design using a vertical drying tunnel. The study is restricted to a particular particle size and a particular seed bed of height 0.5 cm, of effective porosity around 0.4 and of initial moisture content on dry basis equal to 1.2 (± 0.01) kg/kg. The temperature range was 45 to 70 °C, relative humidity range was 15-30% and air velocity was 1 and 2 m/s. The experimental drying curves were fitted to different semi-theoretical drying models proposed in the literature. The Midilli-Kucuk model was found with satisfaction describing the seed air drying curves with a correlation coefficient of 0.999 and a standard error of 0.01. For each drying condition, the extraction of fixed oil seeds was performed at cold using liquid/solid separation method. The oil quality was evaluated on the basis of the α-tocopherol content. The α-tocopherol was identified and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-UV). According to the experimental results, it was found that drying air velocity is the most important factor influencing the concentration of α-tocopherol, whereas the effects of temperature and relative humidity were lower. The increase of the velocity from 1 m/s to 2 m/s reduced the α-tocopherol concentration by about 25%. The convective drying of thin layer of seeds at soft air conditions, drying temperature of 45 °C, relative humidity of 15% and air velocity of 1 m/s give the optimal quality of extracted oil in terms of α-tocopherol content. Characterization of the morphologic structure of seeds was also performed by SEM.

Operation of low-noise single-gap RPC modules exposed to ionisation rates up to 1 kHz /cm2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ćwiok, M.; Dominik, W.; Górski, M.; Królikowski, J.

2004-11-01

Two single gap medium-size RPC modules, made of bakelite plates of very good mechanical quality of the surface and having initial volume resistivity of 1 ×1010 Ω cm, were tested in the Gamma Irradiation Facility at CERN at ionisation rates up to 1 kHz /cm2. The internal surfaces facing the gas volume of one RPC module were cladded with a thin layer of linseed oil varnish for comparison of oiled and non-oiled RPC operation. The results refer to the gas mixture of C2H2F4/isobutane (97:3) with SF6 addition below 1%. The single gap modules exhibited full detection efficiency plateau for the high voltage range of about 1 kV at full intensity of gamma rays. Good timing characteristics allowed to reach 95% efficiency at fully opened irradiation source with time window of 20 ns. The intrinsic noise rate for a non-oiled and an oiled RPC gap was, respectively, below 5 and 1 Hz /cm2 at full efficiency over 1 kV voltage range.

Mechanism of Corrosion by Naphthenic Acids and Organosulfur Compounds at High Temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Peng

Due to the law of supply and demand, the last decade has witnessed a skyrocketing in the price of light sweet crude oil. Therefore, refineries are increasingly interested in "opportunity crudes", characterized by their discounted price and relative ease of procurement. However, the attractive economics of opportunity crudes come with the disadvantage of high acid/organosulfur compound content, which could lead to corrosion and even failure of facilities in refineries. However, it is generally accepted that organosulfur compounds may form protective iron sulfide layers on the metal surface and decrease the corrosion rate. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the corrosive property of crudes at high temperatures, the mechanism of corrosion by acids (naphthenic acids) in the presence of organosulfur compounds, and methods to mitigate its corrosive effect. In 2004, an industrial project was initiated at the Institute for Corrosion and Multiphase Technology to investigate the corrosion by naphthenic acids and organosulfur compounds. In this project, for each experiment there were two experimentation phases: pretreatment and challenge. In the first pretreatment phase, a stirred autoclave was filled with a real crude oil fraction or model oil of different acidity and organosulfur compound concentration. Then, the stirred autoclave was heated to high temperatures to examine the corrosivity of the oil to different materials (specimens made from CS and 5% Cr containing steel were used). During the pretreatment, corrosion product layers were formed on the metal surface. In the second challenge phase, the steel specimens pretreated in the first phase were inserted into a rotating cylinder autoclave, called High Velocity Rig (HVR). The HVR was fed with a high-temperature oil solution of naphthenic acids to attack the iron sulfide layers. Based on the difference of specimen weight loss between the two steps, the net corrosion rate could be calculated and the protectiveness of corrosion product layer against naphthenic acid corrosion could be assessed. Routinely, the layers generated in pretreatment and challenge phases were investigated with SEM/EDS (Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy). Selectively, some thin layers formed in the first or second phase were analyzed with FIB-TEM (Focused Ion Beam - Transmission Electron Microscopy). FIB-TEM analysis revealed that there was an iron oxide layer beneath the iron sulfide layer. Experimental results showed that the iron oxide layer was closely related to the layer protectiveness against naphthenic acid corrosion and its formation was due to the presence of naphthenic acids in the fluid. Finally, a new mechanism of naphthenic acid/organosulfur compound corrosion was proposed based on properties of crudes, results of corrosion experimentation, and microscopic analysis of developed surface layers.

Rapid, Bioassay-Guided Process for the Detection and Identification of Antibacterial Neem Oil Compounds.

PubMed

Krüzselyi, Dániel; Nagy, Róbert; Ott, Péter G; Móricz, Ágnes M

2016-08-01

Bioassay guidance was used along the whole process including method development, isolation and identification of antibacterial neem (Azadirachta indica) oil compounds. The biomonitoring was performed by direct bioautography (DB), a combination of thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and antimicrobial detection. DB of neem oil showed one antibacterial zone that was not UV-active; therefore, the TLC separation was improved under DB control. The chromatographic zone that exhibited activity against Bacillus subtilis, Xanthomonas euvesicatoria, Aliivibrio fischeri, Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was characterized by TLC reagents, indicating a lipophilic, fatty acid-like chemical feature. Two compounds were found and identified in the active zone by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry as linoleic and oleic acids. Both fatty acids inhibited B. subtilis, but A. fischeri was sensitive only against linoleic acid. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Evaluation of 107 legumes for renewable sources of energy

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

Roth, W.B.; Carr, M.E.; Cull, I.M.

One hundred and seven species of randomly-collected Leguminosae were evaluated for their potential as energy-producing crops. Whole plants, excluding roots, were chemically analyzed, and 11 species were identified as the more promising for future considerations based on a numerical rating system developed at this Center. Of the 11 species, one contained principally rubber (polyisoprene) in the hydrocarbon fraction and 7 contained principally wax. Hydrocarbon fractions of 3 species with less than 0.4% were not examined. The oils of species with at least 3.0% oil were examined by thin layer chromatography (TLC) to determine classes of components and were given amore » saponification treatment to determine yields of unsaponifiable matter and fatty acids. The oil of one species was quantitatively analyzed for classes of compounds by TLC-flame ionization detection. Selected species with ratings greater than 10 are briefly discussed. 16 references, 1 figure, 2 tables.« less

Apple Snail: a Bio Cleaner of the Water Free Surface.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bassiri, Golnaz

2005-11-01

Oil spills from tankers represent a threat for shorelines and marine life. Despite continuing research, there has been little change in the fundamental technology for dealing with oil spills. An experimental investigation of the feeding strategy of Apple snails from the water free surface, called surface film feeding, is being studied motivated by the need to develop new techniques to recover oil spills. To feed on floating food (usually a thin layer of microorganisms), the apple snail forms a funnel with its foot and pulls the free surface toward the funnel. High speed imaging and particle image velocimetry were used in the present investigation to measure the free surface motion and to investigate the mechanism used by the apple snails to pull the free surface. The results suggest that the snail pulls the free surface via the wavy motion of the muscles in its funnel.

A laser interferometer for measuring skin friction in three-dimensional flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Monson, D. J.

1983-01-01

A new, nonintrusive method is described for measuring skin friction in three-dimensional flows with unknown direction. The method uses a laser interferometer to measure the changing slope of a thin oil film applied to a surface experiencing shear stress. The details of the method are described, and skin friction measurements taken in a swirling three-dimensional boundary-layer flow are presented. Comparisons between analytical results and experimental values from the laser interferometer method and from a bidirectional surface-fence gauge are made.

Accurate Measurement of the Optical Constants for Organic and Organophosphorous Liquid Layers and Drops

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

Myers, Tanya L.; Tonkyn, Russell G.; Danby, Tyler O.

We present accurate measurements for the determination of the optical constants for a series of organic liquids, including organophosphorous compounds. Bulk liquids are rarely encountered in the environment, but more commonly are present as droplets of liquids or thin layers on various substrates. Providing reference spectra to account for the plethora of morphological conditions that may be encountered under different scenarios is a challenge. An alternative approach is to provide the complex optical constants, n and k, which can be used to model the optical phenomena in media and at interfaces, minimizing the need for a vast number of laboratorymore » measurements. In this work, we present improved protocols for measuring the optical constants for a series of liquids that span the range from 7800 to 400 cm-1. The broad spectral range means that one needs to account for both the strong and weak spectral features that are encountered, all of which can be useful for detection, depending on the scenario. To span this dynamic range, both long and short cells are required for accurate measurements. The protocols are presented along with experimental and modeling results for thin layers of silicone oil on aluminum.« less

System for analysis of explosives

DOEpatents

Haas, Jeffrey S [San Ramon, CA

2010-06-29

A system for analysis of explosives. Samples are spotted on a thin layer chromatography plate. Multi-component explosives standards are spotted on the thin layer chromatography plate. The thin layer chromatography plate is dipped in a solvent mixture and chromatography is allowed to proceed. The thin layer chromatography plate is dipped in reagent 1. The thin layer chromatography plate is heated. The thin layer chromatography plate is dipped in reagent 2.

Liquid-film electron stripper

DOEpatents

Leemann, Beat T.; Yourd, Roland B.

1984-01-01

A thin freestanding oil film is produced in vacuum by directing an oil stream radially inward to the hollow-ground sharp outer edge of a rotating disc. The sides of the edge are roughened somewhat to aid in dispersing oil from the disc. Oil is removed from the surface of disc to prevent formation of oil droplets which might spin off the disc and disrupt the oil film. An ion beam is directed through the thin oil film so that electrons are stripped from the ions to increase their charge.

Liquid-film electron stripper

DOEpatents

Leemann, B.T.; Yourd, R.B.

1982-03-09

A thin freestanding oil film is produced in vacuum by directing an oil stream radially inward to the hollow-ground sharp outer edge of a rotating disc. The sides of the edge are roughened somewhat to aid in dispersing oil from the disc. Oil is removed from the surface of disc to prevent formation of oil droplets which might spin off the disc and disrupt the oil film. An ion beam is directed through the thin oil film so that electrons are stripped from the ions to increase their charge.

Characterization of Linum usitatissimum L. oil obtained from different extraction technique and in vitro antioxidant potential of supercritical fluid extract

PubMed Central

Chauhan, Rishika; Chester, Karishma; Khan, Yasmeen; Tamboli, Ennus Tajuddin; Ahmad, Sayeed

2015-01-01

Aim: Present investigation was aimed to characterize the fixed oil of Linum usitatissimum L. using five different extraction methods: Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), ultrasound-assistance, soxhlet extraction, solvent extraction, and three phase partitioning method. Materials and Methods: The SFE conditions (temperature, pressure, and volume of CO2) were optimized prior for better yield. The extracted oils were analyzed and compared for their physiochemical parameters, high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) fingerprinting. Antioxidant activity was also determined using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and superoxide scavenging method. Result: The main fatty acids were α-linolenic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid as obtained by GC-MS. HPTLC analysis revealed the presence of similar major components in chromatograms. Similarly, the pattern of peaks, as obtained in FT-IR and GC-MS spectra of same oils by different extraction methods, were superimposable. Conclusion: Analysis reported that the fixed oil of L. usitatissimum L. is a good source of n-3 fatty acid with the significant antioxidant activity of oil obtained from SFE extraction method. PMID:26681884

Chemical and biological characterization of novel essential oils from Eremophila bignoniiflora (F. Muell) (Myoporaceae): a traditional Aboriginal Australian bush medicine.

PubMed

Sadgrove, Nicholas John; Hitchcock, Maria; Watson, Kenneth; Jones, Graham Lloyd

2013-10-01

Essential oils were extracted by hydrodistillation from the traditional Australian medicinal plant Eremophila bignoniiflora, characterized chemically and then screened for bioactivity. Characterization and quantification were completed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and GC-flame ionization detection, respectively. Antimicrobial capacity was assessed using disc diffusion and micro-titre plate broth dilution and further characterized using thin layer chromatography followed by bioautography to assign activity to separated individual active components. Antifungal capacity was investigated using micro-titre plate broth dilution against pathogenic Trichophyton species. Free radical scavenging ability was assessed using the diphenylpicrylhydradyl reaction in methanol. The predominant components of the essential oil were fenchyl-acetate and bornyl-acetate. However, bioautography indicated antimicrobial ability to be largely linked to the less abundant, more polar constituents. Oils displayed only modest antifungal ability against pathogenic Trichophyton species associated with dermatophytosis, but moderate to high antimicrobial activity, particularly against the yeast Candida albicans and the bacteria Staphylococcus epidermidis. Essential oils exhibited relatively low free radical scavenging ability. Speculation over the role of essential oils in the traditional medicinal applications of E. bignoniiflora follows, exploring correlations between traditional use and investigated bioactivities. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A review of characterization of tocotrienols from plant oils and foods.

PubMed

Ahsan, Haseeb; Ahad, Amjid; Siddiqui, Waseem A

2015-04-01

Tocotrienols, members of the vitamin E family, are natural compounds found in a number of vegetable oils, wheat germ, barley and certain types of nuts and grains. Vegetable oils provide the best sources of these vitamin E forms, particularly palm oil and rice bran oil contain higher amounts of tocotrienols. Other sources of tocotrienols include grape fruit seed oil, oats, hazelnuts, maize, olive oil, buckthorn berry, rye, flax seed oil, poppy seed oil and sunflower oil. Tocotrienols are of four types, viz. alpha (α), beta (β), gamma (γ) and delta (δ). Unlike tocopherols, tocotrienols are unsaturated and possess an isoprenoid side chain. A number of researchers have developed methods for the extraction, analysis, identification and quantification of different types of vitamin E compounds. This article constitutes an in-depth review of the chemistry and extraction of the unsaturated vitamin E derivatives, tocotrienols, from various sources using different methods. This review article lists the different techniques that are used in the characterization and purification of tocotrienols such as soxhlet and solid-liquid extractions, saponification method, chromatography (thin layer, column chromatography, gas chromatography, supercritical fluid, high performance), capillary electrochromatography and mass spectrometry. Some of the methods described were able to identify one form or type while others could analyse all the analogues of tocotrienol molecules. Hence, this article will be helpful in understanding the various methods used in the characterization of this lesser known vitamin E variant.

21 CFR 862.2270 - Thin-layer chromatography system for clinical use.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Thin-layer chromatography system for clinical use... Instruments § 862.2270 Thin-layer chromatography system for clinical use. (a) Identification. A thin-layer... a mixture. The mixture of compounds is absorbed onto a stationary phase or thin layer of inert...

Method of transferring a thin crystalline semiconductor layer

DOEpatents

Nastasi, Michael A [Sante Fe, NM; Shao, Lin [Los Alamos, NM; Theodore, N David [Mesa, AZ

2006-12-26

A method for transferring a thin semiconductor layer from one substrate to another substrate involves depositing a thin epitaxial monocrystalline semiconductor layer on a substrate having surface contaminants. An interface that includes the contaminants is formed in between the deposited layer and the substrate. Hydrogen atoms are introduced into the structure and allowed to diffuse to the interface. Afterward, the thin semiconductor layer is bonded to a second substrate and the thin layer is separated away at the interface, which results in transferring the thin epitaxial semiconductor layer from one substrate to the other substrate.

Triboelectric generator

DOEpatents

Wang, Zhong L; Fan, Fengru; Lin, Long; Zhu, Guang; Pan, Caofeng; Zhou, Yusheng

2015-11-03

A generator includes a thin first contact charging layer and a thin second contact charging layer. The thin first contact charging layer includes a first material that has a first rating on a triboelectric series. The thin first contact charging layer has a first side with a first conductive electrode applied thereto and an opposite second side. The thin second contact charging layer includes a second material that has a second rating on a triboelectric series that is more negative than the first rating. The thin first contact charging layer has a first side with a first conductive electrode applied thereto and an opposite second side. The thin second contact charging layer is disposed adjacent to the first contact charging layer so that the second side of the second contact charging layer is in contact with the second side of the first contact charging layer.

Microbial synthesis of rhamnolipids by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 10145) on waste frying oil as low cost carbon source.

PubMed

Wadekar, S D; Kale, S B; Lali, A M; Bhowmick, D N; Pratap, A P

2012-01-01

Vegetable edible oils and fats are mainly used for frying purposes in households and the food industry. The oil undergoes degradation during frying and hence has to be replaced from time to time. Rhamnolipids are produced by microbial cultivation using refined vegetable oils as a carbon source and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 10145). The raw material cost accounts for 10-30% of the overall cost of biosurfactant production and can be reduced by using low-cost substrates. In this research, attention was focused on the preparation of rhamnolipids, which are biosurfactants, using potential frying edible oils as a carbon source via a microbial fermentation technique. The use of low-cost substrates as a carbon source was emphasized to tilt the cost of production for rhamnolipids. The yield was 2.8 g/L and 7.5 g/L from waste frying oil before and after activated earth treatment, respectively. The crude product contained mainly dirhamnolipids, confirmed by thin-layer chromatography (TLC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (LC-MS), and (1)H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Hence, the treatment can be used to convert waste frying oil as a low-cost substrate into a cost-effective carbon source.

Measurement of thin liquid film drainage using a novel high-speed impedance analyzer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hool, Kevin O.; Saunders, Robert C.; Ploehn, Harry J.

1998-09-01

This work describes the design and implementation of a new instrument, called the thin film impedance analyzer, which measures the rate of drainage of thin oil films. The instrument forms an oil film by elevating a planar oil-water interface into a water drop hanging from a stainless steel capillary tube immersed in the oil. The instrument measures the magnitude of the impedance of the matter between the capillary tube and a screen electrode immersed in the lower water phase. Under appropriate conditions, the capacitance of the oil film dominates the impedance. The instrument records the increase in the magnitude of the admittance associated with the draining and thinning of the oil film. The features of the drainage curves vary considerably with the type, amount, and location of surfactants in the oil and water phases, as well as with user-specified values of drop volume, drop equilibration time, and extent of drop compression. For this reason, the instrument has utility as a screening tool for selecting surfactants for emulsion formulations. Potential future uses include accelerated prediction of emulsion stability and extraction of oil-water interfacial rheological parameters.

Blossom thinning in apple and peach with an essential oil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A series of experiments were conducted with apple (Malus xdomestica) and peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] from 2003-2008 to evaluate the flower thinning efficacy of eugenol and a eugenol-based essential oil. Flower thinning effects by hand defoliation and alternative chemical agents were compared...

The Thin Oil Film Equation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, James L.; Naughton, Jonathan W.

1999-01-01

A thin film of oil on a surface responds primarily to the wall shear stress generated on that surface by a three-dimensional flow. The oil film is also subject to wall pressure gradients, surface tension effects and gravity. The partial differential equation governing the oil film flow is shown to be related to Burgers' equation. Analytical and numerical methods for solving the thin oil film equation are presented. A direct numerical solver is developed where the wall shear stress variation on the surface is known and which solves for the oil film thickness spatial and time variation on the surface. An inverse numerical solver is also developed where the oil film thickness spatial variation over the surface at two discrete times is known and which solves for the wall shear stress variation over the test surface. A One-Time-Level inverse solver is also demonstrated. The inverse numerical solver provides a mathematically rigorous basis for an improved form of a wall shear stress instrument suitable for application to complex three-dimensional flows. To demonstrate the complexity of flows for which these oil film methods are now suitable, extensive examination is accomplished for these analytical and numerical methods as applied to a thin oil film in the vicinity of a three-dimensional saddle of separation.

Biodegradable Photo-Crosslinked Thin Polymer Networks Based on Vegetable Oil Hydroxyfatty Acids

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Novel crosslinked thin polymer networks based on vegetable oil hydroxyfatty acids (HFAs) were prepared by UV photopolymerization and their mechanical properties were evaluated. Two raw materials, castor oil and 7,10-dihydroxy-8(E)-octadecenoic acid (DOD) were used as sources of mono- and di-HFAs, r...

On the performance of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for direct determination of trace metals in lubricating oils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Lijuan; Cao, Fan; Xiu, Junshan; Bai, Xueshi; Motto-Ros, Vincent; Gilon, Nicole; Zeng, Heping; Yu, Jin

2014-09-01

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) provides a technique to directly determine metals in viscous liquids and especially in lubricating oils. A specific laser ablation configuration of a thin layer of oil applied on the surface of a pure aluminum target was used to evaluate the analytical figures of merit of LIBS for elemental analysis of lubricating oils. Among the analyzed oils, there were a certified 75cSt blank mineral oil, 8 virgin lubricating oils (synthetic, semi-synthetic, or mineral and of 2 different manufacturers), 5 used oils (corresponding to 5 among the 8 virgin oils), and a cooking oil. The certified blank oil and 4 virgin lubricating oils were spiked with metallo-organic standards to obtain laboratory reference samples with different oil matrix. We first established calibration curves for 3 elements, Fe, Cr, Ni, with the 5 sets of laboratory reference samples in order to evaluate the matrix effect by the comparison among the different oils. Our results show that generalized calibration curves can be built for the 3 analyzed elements by merging the measured line intensities of the 5 sets of spiked oil samples. Such merged calibration curves with good correlation of the merged data are only possible if no significant matrix effect affects the measurements of the different oils. In the second step, we spiked the remaining 4 virgin oils and the cooking oils with Fe, Cr and Ni. The accuracy and the precision of the concentration determination in these prepared oils were then evaluated using the generalized calibration curves. The concentrations of metallic elements in the 5 used lubricating oils were finally determined.

Leachate migration from an in-situ oil-shale retort near Rock Springs, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Glover, Kent C.

1988-01-01

Hydrogeologic factors influencing leachate movement from an in-situ oil-shale retort near Rock Springs, Wyoming, were investigated through models of ground-water flow and solute transport. Leachate, indicated by the conservative ion thiocyanate, has been observed ? mile downgradient from the retort. The contaminated aquifer is part of the Green River Formation and consists of thin, permeable layers of tuff and sandstone interbedded with oil shale. Most solute migration has occurred in an 8-foot sandstone at the top of the aquifer. Ground-water flow in the study area is complexly three dimensional and is characterized by large vertical variations in hydraulic head. The solute-transport model was used to predict the concentration of thiocyanate at a point where ground water discharges to the land surface. Leachate with peak concentrations of thiocyanate--45 milligrams per liter or approximately one-half the initial concentration of retort water--was estimated to reach the discharge area during January 1985. This report describes many of th3 advantages, as well as the problems, of site-specific studies. Data such as the distribution of thin, permeable beds or fractures might introduce an unmanageable degree of complexity to basin-wide studies but can be incorporated readily into site-specific models. Solute migration in the study area occurs primarily in thin, permeable beds rather than in oil-shale strata. Because of this behavior, leachate traveled far greater distances than might otherwise have been expected. The detail possible in site-specific models permits more accurate prediction of solute transport than is possible with basin-wide models. A major problem in site-specific studies is identifying model boundaries that permit the accurate estimation of aquifer properties. If the quantity of water flowing through a study area cannot be determined prior to modeling, the hydraulic conductivity and ground-water velocity will be poorly estimated.

Leachate migration from an in situ oil-shale retort near Rock Springs, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Glover, K.C.

1986-01-01

Geohydrologic factors influencing leachate movement from an in situ oil shale retort near Rock Springs, Wyoming, were investigated by developing models of groundwater flow and solute transport. Leachate, indicated by the conservative ion thiocyanate, has been observed 1/2 mi downgradient from the retort. The contaminated aquifer is part of the Green River Formation and consists of thin, permeable layers of tuff and sandstone interbedded with oil shale. Most solute migration has occurred in an 8-ft sandstone at the top of the aquifer. Groundwater flow in the study area is complexly 3-D and is characterized by large vertical variations in hydraulic head. The solute transport model was used to predict the concentration of thiocyanate at a point where groundwater discharges to the land surface. Leachates with peak concentrations of thiocyanate--45 mg/L or approximately one-half the initial concentration of retort water--were estimated to reach the discharge area during January 1985. Advantages as well as the problems of site specific studies are described. Data such as the distribution of thin permeable beds or fractures may introduce an unmanageable degree of complexity to basin-wide studies but can be incorporated readily in site specific models. Solute migration in the study area primarily occurs in thin permeable beds rather than in oil shale strata. Because of this behavior, leachate traveled far greater distances than might otherwise have been expected. The detail possible in site specific models permits more accurate prediction of solute transport than is possible with basin-wide models. A major problem in site specific studies is identifying model boundaries that permit the accurate estimation of aquifer properties. If the quantity of water flowing through a study area cannot be determined prior to modeling, the hydraulic conductivity and groundwater velocity will be estimated poorly. (Author 's abstract)

The wave numbers of supercritical surface tension driven Benard convection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koschmieder, E. L.; Switzer, D. W.

1991-01-01

The cell size or the wave numbers of supercritical hexagonal convection cells in primarily surface tension driven convection on a uniformly heated plate was studied experimentally in thermal equilibrium in thin layers of silicone oil of large aspect ratio. It was found that the cell size decreases with increased temperature difference in the slightly supercritical range, and that the cell size is unique within the experimental error. It was also observed that the cell size reaches a minimum and begins to increase at larger temperature differences. This reversal of the rate of change of the wave number with temperature difference is attributed to influences of buoyancy on the fluid motion. The consequences of buoyancy were tested with three fluid layers of different depth.

The wavenumbers of supercritical surface-tension-driven Benard convection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koschmieder, E. L.; Switzer, D. W.

1992-01-01

The cell size or the wavenumbers of supercritical hexagonal convection cells in primarily surface-tension-driven convection on a uniformly heated plate has been studied experimentally in thermal equilibrium in thin layers of silicone oil of large aspect ratio. It has been found that the cell size decreases with increased temperature difference in the slightly supercritical range, and that the cell size is unique within the experimental error. It has also been observed that the cell size reaches a minimum and begins to increase at larger temperature differences. This reversal of the rate of change of the wavenumber with temperature difference is attributed to influences of buoyancy on the fluid motion. The consequences of buoyancy have been tested with three fluid layers of different depth.

Development of a forward genetic screen to isolate oil mutants in the green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

PubMed

Cagnon, Caroline; Mirabella, Boris; Nguyen, Hoa Mai; Beyly-Adriano, Audrey; Bouvet, Séverine; Cuiné, Stéphan; Beisson, Fred; Peltier, Gilles; Li-Beisson, Yonghua

2013-12-02

Oils produced by microalgae are precursors to biodiesel. To achieve a profitable production of biodiesel from microalgae, identification of factors governing oil synthesis and turnover is desirable. The green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is amenable to genetic analyses and has recently emerged as a model to study oil metabolism. However, a detailed method to isolate various types of oil mutants that is adapted to Chlamydomonas has not been reported. We describe here a forward genetic approach to isolate mutants altered in oil synthesis and turnover from C. reinhardtii. It consists of a three-step screening procedure: a primary screen by flow cytometry of Nile red stained transformants grown in 96-deep-well plates under three sequential conditions (presence of nitrogen, then absence of nitrogen, followed by oil remobilization); a confirmation step using Nile red stained biological triplicates; and a validation step consisting of the quantification by thin layer chromatography of oil content of selected strains. Thirty-one mutants were isolated by screening 1,800 transformants generated by random insertional mutagenesis (1.7%). Five showed increased oil accumulation under the nitrogen-replete condition and 13 had altered oil content under nitrogen-depletion. All mutants were affected in oil remobilization. This study demonstrates that various types of oil mutants can be isolated in Chlamydomonas based on the method set-up here, including mutants accumulating oil under optimal biomass growth. The strategy conceived and the protocol set-up should be applicable to other microalgal species such as Nannochloropsis and Chlorella, thus serving as a useful tool in Chlamydomonas oil research and algal biotechnology.

Acaricidal activity of petroleum ether extract of neem (Azadirachta indica) oil and its four fractions separated by column chromatography against Sarcoptes scabiei var. cuniculi larvae in vitro.

PubMed

Deng, Yunxia; Shi, Dongxia; Yin, Zhongqiong; Guo, Jianhong; Jia, Renyong; Xu, Jiao; Song, Xu; Lv, Cheng; Fan, Qiaojia; Liang, Xiaoxia; Shi, Fei; Ye, Gang; Zhang, Wei

2012-04-01

The petroleum ether extract of neem oil and its four fractions separated by column chromatography was diluted at different concentrations with liquid paraffin. The acaricidal bioassay was conducted using a dipping method. The results indicated that the median lethal concentration (LC50) of the petroleum ether extract (at the concentration of 500.0ml/l) was 70.9ml/l, 24h after treatment. At concentrations of 500.0, 250.0, 125.0, 62.5 and 31.2ml/l, the median lethal times (LT50) of the petroleum ether extract were 8.7, 8.8, 10.8, 11.5 and 13.1h, respectively. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) showed that the petroleum ether extract of neem oil separated into four fractions (F1-F4). Acaricidal activity of 68.3% and 100.0% in the F2 and F4 was confirmed. These results suggest that petroleum ether extracts of neem oil and its four fractions possess useful acaricidal activity in vitro. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biosurfactant-producing strains in enhancing solubilization and biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in groundwater.

PubMed

Liu, Hong; Wang, Hang; Chen, Xuehua; Liu, Na; Bao, Suriguge

2014-07-01

Three biosurfactant-producing strains designated as BS-1, BS-3, and BS-4 were screened out from crude oil-contaminated soil using a combination of surface tension measurement and oil spreading method. Thin layer chromatography and infrared analysis indicated that the biosurfactants produced by the three strains were lipopeptide, glycolipid, and phospholipid. The enhancement of solubilization and biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in groundwater employing biosurfactant-producing strains was investigated. The three strain mixtures led to more solubilization of petroleum hydrocarbons in groundwater, and the solubilization rate was 10.5 mg l−1. The combination of biosurfactant-producing strains and petroleum-degrading strains exhibited a higher biodegradation efficiency of 85.4 % than the petroleum-degrading strains (71.2 %). Biodegradation was enhanced the greatest with biosurfactant-producing strains and petroleum-degrading strains in a ratio of 1:1. Fluorescence microscopy images illustrate that the oil dispersed into smaller droplets and emulsified in the presence of biosurfactant-producing strains, which attached to the oil. Thus, the biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in groundwater was enhanced.

β-Cyclodextrin associated polymeric systems: Rheology, flow behavior in porous media and enhanced heavy oil recovery performance.

PubMed

Wei, Bing

2015-12-10

This proof of concept research evaluates an approach to improve the enhanced heavy oil recovery performance of conventional polymers. Three associated polymeric systems, based on hydrolyzed polyacrylamide, xanthan gum, and a novel hydrophobic copolymer, were proposed in this work. The results of the theoretically rheology study indicate that these systems offer superior viscoelasticity and pronounced shear-thinning behavior due to the "interlocking effect". As a result of the surfactant collaboration, the dynamic interfacial tension between oil and polymer solution can be reduced by two orders of magnitude. Sandpack flooding tests demonstrated the capacity of the developed systems in mobility control during propagating in porous media, and the adsorption behavior was represented by the thickness of the adsorbed layer. The relationship between microscopic efficiency and capillary number indicated that the associated systems can significantly reduce the residual oil saturation due to the synergistic effect of the mobility reduction and surface activity, and the overall recovery efficiency was raised by 2-20% OOIP compared to the baseline polymers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of biodiesel and biodiesel-petrodiesel blends by high performance thin layer chromatography combined with easy ambient sonic-spray ionization mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Eberlin, Livia S; Abdelnur, Patricia V; Passero, Alan; de Sa, Gilberto F; Daroda, Romeu J; de Souza, Vanderlea; Eberlin, Marcos N

2009-08-01

High performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) combined with on-spot detection and characterization via easy ambient sonic-spray ionization mass spectrometry (EASI-MS) is applied to the analysis of biodiesel (B100) and biodiesel-petrodiesel blends (BX). HPTLC provides chromatographic resolution of major components whereas EASI-MS allows on-spot characterization performed directly on the HPTLC surface at ambient conditions. Constituents (M) are detected by EASI-MS in a one component-one ion fashion as either [M + Na](+) or [M + H](+). For both B100 and BX samples, typical profiles of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) detected as [FAME + Na](+) ions allow biodiesel typification. The spectrum of the petrodiesel spot displays a homologous series of protonated alkyl pyridines which are characteristic for petrofuels (natural markers). The spectrum for residual or admixture oil spots is characterized by sodiated triglycerides [TAG + Na](+). The application of HPTLC to analyze B100 and BX samples and its combination with EASI-MS for on-spot characterization and quality control is demonstrated.

Three-component seismic data in thin interbedded reservoir exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Li-Yan; Wang, Yan-Chun; Pei, Jiang-Yun

2015-03-01

We present the first successful application of three-component seismic data to thin interbedded reservoir characterization in the Daqing placanticline of the LMD oilfield. The oilfield has reached the final high water cut stage and the principal problem is how to recognize the boundaries of sand layers that are thicker than 2 m. Conventional interpretation of single PP-wave seismic data results in multiple solutions, whereas the introduction of PS-wave enhances the reliability of interpretation. We analyze the gas reservoir characteristics by joint PP- and PS-waves, and use the amplitude and frequency decomposition attributes to delineate the gas reservoir boundaries because of the minimal effect of fluids on S-wave. We perform joint inversion of PP- and PS-waves to obtain V P/ V S, λρ, and µ ρ and map the lithology changes by using density, λρ, and µ ρ. The 3D-3C attribute λρ slices describe the sand layers distribution, while considering the well log data, and point to favorable region for tapping the remaining oil.

Thin-film Nanofibrous Composite Membranes Containing Cellulose or Chitin Barrier Layers Fabricated by Ionic Liquids

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

H Ma; B Hsiao; B Chu

The barrier layer of high-flux ultrafiltration (UF) thin-film nanofibrous composite (TFNC) membranes for purification of wastewater (e.g., bilge water) have been prepared by using cellulose, chitin, and a cellulose-chitin blend, regenerated from an ionic liquid. The structures and properties of regenerated cellulose, chitin, and a cellulose-chitin blend were analyzed with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). The surface morphology, pore size and pore size distribution of TFNC membranes were determined by SEM images and molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) methods. An oil/water emulsion, a model of bilge water, was used as the feed solution, and the permeation flux andmore » rejection ratio of the membranes were investigated. TFNC membranes based on the cellulose-chitin blend exhibited 10 times higher permeation flux when compared with a commercial UF membrane (PAN10, Sepro) with a similar rejection ratio after filtration over a time period of up to 100 h, implying the practical feasibility of such membranes for UF applications.« less

Production of a Lipopeptide Biosurfactant by a Novel Bacillus sp. and Its Applicability to Enhanced Oil Recovery.

PubMed

Varadavenkatesan, Thivaharan; Murty, Vytla Ramachandra

2013-01-01

Biosurfactants are surface-active compounds derived from varied microbial sources including bacteria and fungi. They are secreted extracellularly and have a wide range of exciting properties for bioremediation purposes. They also have vast applications in the food and medicine industry. With an objective of isolating microorganisms for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) operations, the study involved screening of organisms from an oil-contaminated site. Morphological, biochemical, and 16S rRNA analysis of the most promising candidate revealed it to be Bacillus siamensis, which has been associated with biosurfactant production, for the first time. Initial fermentation studies using mineral salt medium supplemented with crude oil resulted in a maximum biosurfactant yield of 0.64 g/L and reduction of surface tension to 36.1 mN/m at 96 h. Characterization studies were done using thin layer chromatography and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. FTIR spectra indicated the presence of carbonyl groups, alkyl bonds, and C-H and N-H stretching vibrations, typical of peptides. The extracted biosurfactant was stable at extreme temperatures, pH, and salinity. Its applicability to EOR was further verified by conducting sand pack column studies that yielded up to 60% oil recovery.

Simple TLC-screening of acylglycerol levels in biodiesel as an alternative to GC determination.

PubMed

Fontana, J D; Zagonel, G; Vechiatto, W W; Costa, B J; Laurindo, J C; Fontana, R; Pelisson, L; Jorge, B H; Lanças, F M

2009-10-01

Thin layer chromatography (TLC) stained with hot acidic p-anisaldehyde, is an interesting, fast, and low-cost technique to monitor main lipid contaminants such as triacylglycerols, diacylglycerols, and monoacylglycerols in biodiesel. These acylglycerols are detectable by the proposed planar chromatographic method, provided the content of the contaminants exceeds the limits recommended by the international norms applicable to biodiesel quality/specification, namely 0.25% in mass for total combined glycerin. The TLC data are confirmed by gas chromatography of the methyl esters of soy oil.

An Investigation into the Physico-chemical Properties of Transformer Oil Blends with Antioxidants extracted from Turmeric Powder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dukhi, Veresha; Bissessur, Ajay; Ngila, Catherine Jane; Ijumba, Nelson Mutatina

2013-07-01

The blending of transformer oil (used mainly as an insulating oil) with appropriate synthetic antioxidants, such as BHT (2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol) and DBP (2,6-di-tert-butylphenol) have been previously reported. This article is focused on the use of antioxidant extracts from turmeric (Curcuma longa), a natural source. Turmeric is well known for its antimicrobial, antioxidant and anticarcinogenic properties owing to the active nature of its components. Extracts from powdered turmeric were subsequently blended into naphthenic-based uninhibited virgin transformer oil, hereinafter referred to as extract-oil blends (E-OB). Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) of the oil blends revealed that five components extracted from turmeric powder were successfully blended into the oil. Subsequent gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis confirmed the presence of the compounds: curcumene, sesquiphellandrene, ar-turmerone, turmerone and curlone. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of the extract-oil blends, containing various levels of extracts, revealed an average temperature shift of ˜8.21°C in the initial onset of degradation in comparison to virgin non-blended oil. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay showed that an increase in the mass aliquot of turmeric extracts in the transformer oil increased the free radical scavenging activity of the oil. Electrical properties of the oil investigated showed that the dissipation factor in the blended oil was found to be lower than that of virgin transformer oil. Evidently, a lower dissipation value renders the oil blend as a superior insulator over normal virgin non-blended oil. This investigation elucidated improved physico-chemical properties of transformer oil blended with turmeric antioxidant extracts.

Acoustical scattering by multilayer spherical elastic scatterer containing electrorheological layer.

PubMed

Cai, Liang-Wu; Dacol, Dacio K; Orris, Gregory J; Calvo, David C; Nicholas, Michael

2011-01-01

A computational procedure for analyzing acoustical scattering by multilayer concentric spherical scatterers having an arbitrary mixture of acoustic and elastic materials is proposed. The procedure is then used to analyze the scattering by a spherical scatterer consisting of a solid shell and a solid core encasing an electrorheological (ER) fluid layer, and the tunability in the scattering characteristics afforded by the ER layer is explored numerically. Tunable scatterers with two different ER fluids are analyzed. One, corn starch in peanut oil, shows that a significant increase in scattering cross-section is possible in moderate frequencies. Another, fine poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA) beads in dodecane, shows only slight change in scattering cross-sections overall. But, when the shell is thin, a noticeable local resonance peak can appear near ka=1, and this resonance can be turned on or off by the external electric field.

Novel Glycolipids Synthesized Using Plant Essential Oils and Their Application in Quorum Sensing Inhibition and as Antibiofilm Agents

PubMed Central

Prabhune, Asmita

2014-01-01

Essential oils (EOs) form an important part of traditional medicine so their anti-microbial and, in the recent past, antiquorum sensing activity has been well studied. However it is likely that due to their hydrophobic nature and reduced solubility in aqueous environments full potential of their activity cannot be realized. hence it is only rational to formulate a process to make these molecules more polar in nature. The present paper reports synthesis of sophorolipids using 12 different essential oils as substrates, thus providing surfactant-like properties to these EOs. The synthesis protocol makes the use of Candida bombicola ATCC 22214 as producer organism. The production process required 7 days of incubation at 28°C and 180 rpm. Preliminary characterization of the synthesized essential oil sophorolipids (EOSLs) was performed using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Additionally, essential oils that were incapable of mediating quorum sensing inhibition (QSI) on their own became potent quorum sensing inhibitors upon conversion into their corresponding EOSLs. Antibiofilm potential of these EOSLs was also demonstrated using V. cholerae as test organism. Use of essential oils as substrates for glycolipid synthesis has not been attempted previously, and hence this is the first report. PMID:24558341

Low stress polysilicon film and method for producing same

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heuer, Arthur H. (Inventor); Kahn, Harold (Inventor); Yang, Jie (Inventor)

2001-01-01

Multi-layer assemblies of polysilicon thin films having predetermined stress characteristics and techniques for forming such assemblies are disclosed. In particular, a multi-layer assembly of polysilicon thin film may be produced that has a stress level of zero, or substantially so. The multi-layer assemblies comprise at least one constituent thin film having a tensile stress and at least one constituent thin film having a compressive stress. The thin films forming the multi-layer assemblies may be disposed immediately adjacent to one another without the use of intermediate layers between the thin films.

Low stress polysilicon film and method for producing same

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heuer, Arthur H. (Inventor); Kahn, Harold (Inventor); Yang, Jie (Inventor)

2002-01-01

Multi-layer assemblies of polysilicon thin films having predetermined stress characteristics and techniques for forming such assemblies are disclosed. In particular, a multi-layer assembly of polysilicon thin film may be produced that has a stress level of zero, or substantially so. The multi-layer assemblies comprise at least one constituent thin film having a tensile stress and at least one constituent thin film having a compressive stress. The thin films forming the multi-layer assemblies may be disposed immediately adjacent to one another without the use of intermediate layers between the thin films.

Functional assessment of plant and microalgal lipid pathway genes in yeast to enhance microbial industrial oil production.

PubMed

Peng, Huadong; Moghaddam, Lalehvash; Brinin, Anthony; Williams, Brett; Mundree, Sagadevan; Haritos, Victoria S

2018-03-01

As promising alternatives to fossil-derived oils, microbial lipids are important as industrial feedstocks for biofuels and oleochemicals. Our broad aim is to increase lipid content in oleaginous yeast through expression of lipid accumulation genes and use Saccharomyces cerevisiae to functionally assess genes obtained from oil-producing plants and microalgae. Lipid accumulation genes DGAT (diacylglycerol acyltransferase), PDAT (phospholipid: diacylglycerol acyltransferase), and ROD1 (phosphatidylcholine: diacylglycerol choline-phosphotransferase) were separately expressed in yeast and lipid production measured by fluorescence, solvent extraction, thin layer chromatography, and gas chromatography (GC) of fatty acid methyl esters. Expression of DGAT1 from Arabidopsis thaliana effectively increased total fatty acids by 1.81-fold above control, and ROD1 led to increased unsaturated fatty acid content of yeast lipid. The functional assessment approach enabled the fast selection of candidate genes for metabolic engineering of yeast for production of lipid feedstocks. © 2017 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Patch testing with thin-layer chromatograms of chamomile tea in patients allergic to sesquiterpene lactones.

PubMed

Lundh, Kerstin; Gruvberger, Birgitta; Möller, Halvor; Persson, Lena; Hindsén, Monica; Zimerson, Erik; Svensson, Ake; Bruze, Magnus

2007-10-01

Patients with contact allergy to sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) are usually hypersensitive to Asteraceae plant products such as herbal teas. The objective of this study was to show sensitizers in chamomile tea by patch testing with thin-layer chromatograms. Tea made from German chamomile was separated by thin-layer chromatography. Strips of the thin-layer chromatograms were used for patch testing SL-positive patients. 15 (43%) of 35 patients tested positively to 1 or more spots on the thin-layer chromatogram, with many individual reaction patterns. Patch testing with thin-layer chromatograms of German chamomile tea showed the presence of several allergens.

Amorphous silicon Schottky barrier solar cells incorporating a thin insulating layer and a thin doped layer

DOEpatents

Carlson, David E.

1980-01-01

Amorphous silicon Schottky barrier solar cells which incorporate a thin insulating layer and a thin doped layer adjacent to the junction forming metal layer exhibit increased open circuit voltages compared to standard rectifying junction metal devices, i.e., Schottky barrier devices, and rectifying junction metal insulating silicon devices, i.e., MIS devices.

Mobilization of lipid reserves during germination of oat (Avena sativa L.), a cereal rich in endosperm oil.

PubMed

Leonova, Svetlana; Grimberg, Asa; Marttila, Salla; Stymne, Sten; Carlsson, Anders S

2010-06-01

Since the cereal endosperm is a dead tissue in the mature grain, beta-oxidation is not possible there. This raises the question about the use of the endosperm oil in cereal grains during germination. In this study, mobilization of lipids in different tissues of germinating oat grains was analysed using thin-layer and gas chromatography. The data imply that the oat endosperm oil [triacylglycerol (TAG)] is not a dead-end product as it was absorbed by the scutellum, either as free fatty acids (FFAs) released from TAG or as intact TAG immediately degraded to FFAs. These data were supported by light and transmission electron microscopy (LM and TEM) studies where close contact between endosperm lipid droplets and the scutellum was observed. The appearance of the fused oil in the oat endosperm changed into oil droplets during germination in areas close to the aleurone and the scutellar epithelium. However, according to the data obtained by TEM these oil droplets are unlikely to be oil bodies surrounded by oleosins. Accumulation of FFA pools in the embryo suggested further transport of FFAs from the scutellum. Noticeably high levels of TAG were also accumulated in the embryo but were not synthesized by re-esterification from imported FFAs. Comparison between two oat cultivars with different amounts of oil and starch in the endosperm suggests that an increased oil to starch ratio in oat grains does not significantly impact the germination process.

Effects of Frothers and Oil at Saltwater–Air Interfaces for Oil Separation: Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Experimental Measurements

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

Chong, Leebyn; Lai, Yungchieh; Gray, McMahan

Separating oil from saltwater is a process relevant to some industries and may be aided by bubble and froth generation. Simulating saltwater–air interfaces adsorbed with surfactants and oil molecules can assist in understanding froth stability to improve separation. Here, combining with surface tension experimental measurements, in this work we employ molecular dynamics with a united-atom force field to linear alkane oil and three surfactant frothers, methyl isobutyl carbinol (MIBC), terpineol, and ethyl glycol butyl ether (EGBE), to investigate their synergistic behaviors for oil separation. The interfacial phenomena were measured for a range of frother surface coverages on saltwater. Density profilesmore » of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic portions of the frothers show an expected orientation of alcohol groups adsorbing to the polar water. A decrease in surface tension with increasing surface coverage of MIBC and terpineol was observed and reflected in experiments where the frother concentration increased. Relations between surface coverage and bulk concentration were observed by comparing the surface tension decreases. Additionally, a range of oil surface coverages was explored when the interface has a thin layer of adsorbed frother molecules. Finally, the obtained results indicate that an increase in surface coverage of oil molecules led to an increase in surface tension for all frother types and the pair correlation functions depicted MIBC and terpineol as having higher distributions with water at closer distances than with oil.« less

Effects of Frothers and Oil at Saltwater–Air Interfaces for Oil Separation: Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Experimental Measurements

DOE PAGES

Chong, Leebyn; Lai, Yungchieh; Gray, McMahan; ...

2017-06-16

Separating oil from saltwater is a process relevant to some industries and may be aided by bubble and froth generation. Simulating saltwater–air interfaces adsorbed with surfactants and oil molecules can assist in understanding froth stability to improve separation. Here, combining with surface tension experimental measurements, in this work we employ molecular dynamics with a united-atom force field to linear alkane oil and three surfactant frothers, methyl isobutyl carbinol (MIBC), terpineol, and ethyl glycol butyl ether (EGBE), to investigate their synergistic behaviors for oil separation. The interfacial phenomena were measured for a range of frother surface coverages on saltwater. Density profilesmore » of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic portions of the frothers show an expected orientation of alcohol groups adsorbing to the polar water. A decrease in surface tension with increasing surface coverage of MIBC and terpineol was observed and reflected in experiments where the frother concentration increased. Relations between surface coverage and bulk concentration were observed by comparing the surface tension decreases. Additionally, a range of oil surface coverages was explored when the interface has a thin layer of adsorbed frother molecules. Finally, the obtained results indicate that an increase in surface coverage of oil molecules led to an increase in surface tension for all frother types and the pair correlation functions depicted MIBC and terpineol as having higher distributions with water at closer distances than with oil.« less

Sacrificial amphiphiles: Eco-friendly chemical herders as oil spill mitigation chemicals.

PubMed

Gupta, Deeksha; Sarker, Bivas; Thadikaran, Keith; John, Vijay; Maldarelli, Charles; John, George

2015-06-01

Crude oil spills are a major threat to marine biota and the environment. When light crude oil spills on water, it forms a thin layer that is difficult to clean by any methods of oil spill response. Under these circumstances, a special type of amphiphile termed as "chemical herder" is sprayed onto the water surrounding the spilled oil. The amphiphile forms a monomolecular layer on the water surface, reducing the air-sea surface tension and causing the oil slick to retract into a thick mass that can be burnt in situ. The current best-known chemical herders are chemically stable and nonbiodegradable, and hence remain in the marine ecosystem for years. We architect an eco-friendly, sacrificial, and effective green herder derived from the plant-based small-molecule phytol, which is abundant in the marine environment, as an alternative to the current chemical herders. Phytol consists of a regularly branched chain of isoprene units that form the hydrophobe of the amphiphile; the chain is esterified to cationic groups to form the polar group. The ester linkage is proximal to an allyl bond in phytol, which facilitates the hydrolysis of the amphiphile after adsorption to the sea surface into the phytol hydrophobic tail, which along with the unhydrolyzed herder, remains on the surface to maintain herding action, and the cationic group, which dissolves into the water column. Eventual degradation of the phytol tail and dilution of the cation make these sacrificial amphiphiles eco-friendly. The herding behavior of phytol-based amphiphiles is evaluated as a function of time, temperature, and water salinity to examine their versatility under different conditions, ranging from ice-cold water to hot water. The green chemical herder retracted oil slicks by up to ~500, 700, and 2500% at 5°, 20°, and 35°C, respectively, during the first 10 min of the experiment, which is on a par with the current best chemical herders in practice.

Sacrificial amphiphiles: Eco-friendly chemical herders as oil spill mitigation chemicals

PubMed Central

Gupta, Deeksha; Sarker, Bivas; Thadikaran, Keith; John, Vijay; Maldarelli, Charles; John, George

2015-01-01

Crude oil spills are a major threat to marine biota and the environment. When light crude oil spills on water, it forms a thin layer that is difficult to clean by any methods of oil spill response. Under these circumstances, a special type of amphiphile termed as “chemical herder” is sprayed onto the water surrounding the spilled oil. The amphiphile forms a monomolecular layer on the water surface, reducing the air–sea surface tension and causing the oil slick to retract into a thick mass that can be burnt in situ. The current best-known chemical herders are chemically stable and nonbiodegradable, and hence remain in the marine ecosystem for years. We architect an eco-friendly, sacrificial, and effective green herder derived from the plant-based small-molecule phytol, which is abundant in the marine environment, as an alternative to the current chemical herders. Phytol consists of a regularly branched chain of isoprene units that form the hydrophobe of the amphiphile; the chain is esterified to cationic groups to form the polar group. The ester linkage is proximal to an allyl bond in phytol, which facilitates the hydrolysis of the amphiphile after adsorption to the sea surface into the phytol hydrophobic tail, which along with the unhydrolyzed herder, remains on the surface to maintain herding action, and the cationic group, which dissolves into the water column. Eventual degradation of the phytol tail and dilution of the cation make these sacrificial amphiphiles eco-friendly. The herding behavior of phytol-based amphiphiles is evaluated as a function of time, temperature, and water salinity to examine their versatility under different conditions, ranging from ice-cold water to hot water. The green chemical herder retracted oil slicks by up to ~500, 700, and 2500% at 5°, 20°, and 35°C, respectively, during the first 10 min of the experiment, which is on a par with the current best chemical herders in practice. PMID:26601197

Recycling of waste tyre rubber into oil absorbent.

PubMed

Wu, B; Zhou, M H

2009-01-01

The abundant and indiscriminant disposal of waste tyres has caused both health and environmental problems. In this work, we provide a new way to dispose off waste tyres by reusing the waste tyre rubber (WTR) for oil absorptive material production. To investigate this feasibility, a series of absorbents were prepared by graft copolymerization-blending method, using waste tyre rubber and 4-tert-butylstyrene (tBS) as monomers. Divinylbenzene (DVB) and benzoyl peroxide (BPO) were employed as crosslinker and initiator, respectively. The existence of graft-blends (WTR-g-tBS) was determined by FTIR spectrometry and verified using thin-layer chromatography (TLC). In addition, the thermal properties of WTR-g-tBS were confirmed by a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). Oil absorbency of the grafted-blends increased with increases in either feed ratio of WTR to tBS or DVB concentration. This absorbency reached a maximum of 24.0gg(-1) as the feed ratio and DVB concentration were 60/40 and 1wt%, respectively, after which it decreased. At other ratios and concentrations the absorbency decreased. The gel fraction of grafted-blends increased with increasing concentration of DVB. Oil-absorption processes in pure toluene and crude oil diluted with toluene were found to adhere to first-order absorption kinetics. Furthermore, the oil-absorption rate in diluted crude oil was observed to be lower than pure toluene.

Effects of channel thickness on oxide thin film transistor with double-stacked channel layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Kimoon; Kim, Yong-Hoon; Yoon, Sung-Min; Kim, Jiwan; Oh, Min Suk

2017-11-01

To improve the field effect mobility and control the threshold voltage ( V th ) of oxide thin film transistors (TFTs), we fabricated the oxide TFTs with double-stacked channel layers which consist of thick Zn-Sn-O (ZTO) and very thin In-Zn-O (IZO) layers. We investigated the effects of the thickness of thin conductive layer and the conductivity of thick layer on oxide TFTs with doublestacked channel layer. When we changed the thickness of thin conductive IZO channel layer, the resistivity values were changed. This resistivity of thin channel layer affected on the saturation field effect mobility and the off current of TFTs. In case of the thick ZTO channel layer which was deposited by sputtering in Ar: O2 = 10: 1, the device showed better performances than that which was deposited in Ar: O2 = 1: 1. Our TFTs showed high mobility ( μ FE ) of 40.7 cm2/Vs and V th of 4.3 V. We assumed that high mobility and the controlled V th were caused by thin conductive IZO layer and thick stable ZTO layer. Therefore, this double-stacked channel structure can be very promising way to improve the electrical characteristics of various oxide thin film transistors.

Depositing bulk or micro-scale electrodes

DOEpatents

Shah, Kedar G.; Pannu, Satinderpall S.; Tolosa, Vanessa; Tooker, Angela C.; Sheth, Heeral J.; Felix, Sarah H.; Delima, Terri L.

2016-11-01

Thicker electrodes are provided on microelectronic device using thermo-compression bonding. A thin-film electrical conducting layer forms electrical conduits and bulk depositing provides an electrode layer on the thin-film electrical conducting layer. An insulating polymer layer encapsulates the electrically thin-film electrical conducting layer and the electrode layer. Some of the insulating layer is removed to expose the electrode layer.

Method for bonding thin film thermocouples to ceramics

DOEpatents

Kreider, Kenneth G.

1993-01-01

A method is provided for adhering a thin film metal thermocouple to a ceramic substrate used in an environment up to 700 degrees Centigrade, such as at a cylinder of an internal combustion engine. The method includes the steps of: depositing a thin layer of a reactive metal on a clean ceramic substrate; and depositing thin layers of platinum and a platinum-10% rhodium alloy forming the respective legs of the thermocouple on the reactive metal layer. The reactive metal layer serves as a bond coat between the thin noble metal thermocouple layers and the ceramic substrate. The thin layers of noble metal are in the range of 1-4 micrometers thick. Preferably, the ceramic substrate is selected from the group consisting of alumina and partially stabilized zirconia. Preferably, the thin layer of reactive metal is in the range of 0.015-0.030 micrometers (15-30 nanometers) thick. The preferred reactive metal is chromium. Other reactive metals may be titanium or zirconium. The thin layer of reactive metal may be deposited by sputtering in ultra high purity argon in a vacuum of approximately 2 milliTorr (0.3 Pascals).

Multi-layer assemblies with predetermined stress profile and method for producing same

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heuer, Arthur H. (Inventor); Kahn, Harold (Inventor); Yang, Jie (Inventor); Phillips, Stephen M. (Inventor)

2003-01-01

Multi-layer assemblies of polysilicon thin films having predetermined stress characteristics and techniques for forming such assemblies are disclosed. In particular, a multi-layer assembly of polysilicon thin films may be produced that has a stress level of zero, or substantially so. The multi-layer assemblies comprise at least one constituent thin film having a tensile stress and at least one constituent thin film having a compressive stress. The thin films forming the multi-layer assemblies may be disposed immediately adjacent to one another without the use of intermediate layers between the thin films. Multi-layer assemblies exhibiting selectively determinable overall bending moments are also disclosed. Selective production of overall bending moments in microstructures enables manufacture of such structures with a wide array of geometrical configurations.

Surface studies on superhydrophobic and oleophobic polydimethylsiloxane-silica nanocomposite coating system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basu, Bharathibai J.; Dinesh Kumar, V.; Anandan, C.

2012-11-01

Superhydrophobic and oleophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-silica nanocomposite double layer coating was fabricated by applying a thin layer of low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane (FAS) as topcoat. The coatings exhibited WCA of 158-160° and stable oleophobic property with oil CA of 79°. The surface morphology was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and surface chemical composition was determined by energy dispersive X-ray spectrometery (EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). FESEM images of the coatings showed micro-nano binary structure. The improved oleophobicity was attributed to the combined effect of low surface energy of FAS and roughness created by the random distribution of silica aggregates. This is a facile, cost-effective method to obtain superhydrophobic and oleophobic surfaces on larger area of various substrates.

Laser skin friction measurements and CFD comparison of weak-to-strong swept shock/boundary-layer interactions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, K.-S.; Lee, Y.; Alvi, F. S.; Settles, G. S.; Horstman, C. C.

1990-01-01

A joint experimental and computational study of skin friction in weak-to-strong swept shock wave/turbulent boundary-layer interactions has been carried out. A planar shock wave is generated by a sharp fin at angles of attack alpha = 10 deg and 16 deg at M(infinity) = 3 and 16 and 20 deg at M(infinity) = 4. Measurements are made using the Laser Interferometer Skin Friction meter, which optically detects the rate of thinning of an oil film applied to the test surface. The results show a systematic rise in the peak c(f) at the rear part of the interaction, where the separated flow atttaches. For the stronget case studied, this peak is an order of magnitude higher than the incoming freestream c(f)level.

Optical Properties of Hybrid Inorganic/Organic Thin Film Encapsulation Layers for Flexible Top-Emission Organic Light-Emitting Diodes.

PubMed

An, Jae Seok; Jang, Ha Jun; Park, Cheol Young; Youn, Hongseok; Lee, Jong Ho; Heo, Gi-Seok; Choi, Bum Ho; Lee, Choong Hun

2015-10-01

Inorganic/organic hybrid thin film encapsulation layers consist of a thin Al2O3 layer together with polymer material. We have investigated optical properties of thin film encapsulation layers for top-emission flexible organic light-emitting diodes. The transmittance of hybrid thin film encapsulation layers and the electroluminescent spectrum of organic light-emitting diodes that were passivated by hybrid organic/inorganic thin film encapsulation layers were also examined as a function of the thickness of inorganic Al203 and monomer layers. The number of interference peaks, their intensity, and their positions in the visible range can be controlled by varying the thickness of inorganic Al2O3 layer. On the other hand, changing the thickness of monomer layer had a negligible effect on the optical properties. We also verified that there is a trade-off between transparency in the visible range and the permeation of water vapor in hybrid thin film encapsulation layers. As the number of dyads decreased, optical transparency improved while the water vapor permeation barrier was degraded. Our study suggests that, in top-emission organic light-emitting diodes, the thickness of each thin film encapsulation layer, in particular that of the inorganic layer, and the number of dyads should be controlled for highly efficient top-emission flexible organic light-emitting diodes.

Composite polymeric film and method for its use in installing a very-thin polymeric film in a device

DOEpatents

Duchane, D.V.; Barthell, B.L.

1982-04-26

A composite polymeric film and a method for its use in forming and installing a very thin (< 10 ..mu..m) polymeric film are disclosed. The composite film consists of a thin film layer and a backing layer. The backing layer is soluble in a solvent in which the thin film layer is not soluble. In accordance with the method, the composite film is installed in a device in the same position in which it is sought to finally emplace the thin film. The backing layer is then selectiely dissolved in the solvent to leave the insoluble thin film layer as an unbacked film. The method permits a very thin film to e successfully installed in devices where the fragility of the film would preclude handling and installation by conventional methods.

Composite polymeric film and method for its use in installing a very thin polymeric film in a device

DOEpatents

Duchane, David V.; Barthell, Barry L.

1984-01-01

A composite polymeric film and a method for its use in forming and installing a very thin (<10 .mu.m) polymeric film are disclosed. The composite film consists of a thin film layer and a backing layer. The backing layer is soluble in a solvent in which the thin film layer is not soluble. In accordance with the method, the composite film is installed in a device in the same position in which it is sought to finally emplace the thin film. The backing layer is then selectively dissolved in the solvent to leave the insoluble thin film layer as an unbacked film. The method permits a very thin film to be successfully installed in devices where the fragility of the film would preclude handling and installation by conventional methods.

Anti-cholinesterase activity of the standardized extract of Syzygium aromaticum L.

PubMed

Dalai, Manoj K; Bhadra, Santanu; Chaudhary, Sushil K; Bandyopadhyay, Arun; Mukherjee, Pulok K

2014-04-01

Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) is a well-known culinary spice with strong aroma; contains a high amount of oil known as clove oil. The major phyto-constituent of the clove oil is eugenol. Clove and its oil possess various medicinal uses in indigenous medicine as an antiseptic, anti-oxidant, analgesic and neuroprotective properties. Thus, it draws much attention among researchers from pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industries. The aim of the present study was to determine the anti-cholinesterase activity of the methanol extract of clove, its oil and eugenol. In vitro anti-cholinesterase activity of S. aromaticum was performed by a thin layer chromatography bio autography, 96 well micro titer plate and kinetic methods. Reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) analysis was carried out to identify the biomarker compound eugenol in clove oil. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibition study revealed that eugenol possess better inhibition of the enzymes than extract and oil. Clove extract, its oil and eugenol showed better inhibition of AChE than BChE. Polyphenolic compound eugenol was detected through RP-HPLC analysis. The content of eugenol in essential oil was found to be 0.5 μg/ml. Kinetic analysis of the cholinesterase inhibition study of the extract; clove oil and eugenol have shown that they possess mixed type of inhibition for AChE and non-competitive type of inhibition for BChE. These results might be useful in explaining the effect of clove as anti-cholinesterase agent for the management of cognitive ailments like Alzheimer's disease.

Optical properties and indentation hardness of thin-film acrylated epoxidized oil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, Mohammad Syuhaimi Ab.; Shaktur, Khaled Mohamed; Mohammad, Rahmah; Zalikha, Wan Aimi; Nawi, Norwimie; Mohd, Ahmad Faiza

2012-02-01

Epoxy acrylate has been widely used as optical resin for applications such as cladding, the core of a waveguide, and other photonic devices. In this study, sustainable resin from edible oil was used as an alternative to epoxy acrylate. Structural features and the transmission of planar thin-film resin from an ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-VIS) spectrometer were investigated upon UV exposure. It was found that high transmission still persists for all samples with and without an UV absorber for exposed and unexposed samples. The film was found to absorb strongly below 400 nm. A change in the cut-off wavelength was observed upon exposure. Thin-film hardness and its dynamic indentation in the load-unload mode with different test forces were evaluated. Vickers hardness and the elastic modulus were determined for unacrylated epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) and acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO). It was found that the AESO has a higher Vickers hardness and elastic modulus than those of unacrylated thin film. The Vickers hardness and elastic modulus were found to increase as the applied test force increased. The refractive index, thickness, and modes present were characterized from a spin-coated planar thin film. The refractive index in the transverse electric mode (TE) and transverse magnetic mode (TM) were determined and compared for unacrylated and acrylated epoxidized oil.

Multi-layered, chemically bonded lithium-ion and lithium/air batteries

DOEpatents

Narula, Chaitanya Kumar; Nanda, Jagjit; Bischoff, Brian L; Bhave, Ramesh R

2014-05-13

Disclosed are multilayer, porous, thin-layered lithium-ion batteries that include an inorganic separator as a thin layer that is chemically bonded to surfaces of positive and negative electrode layers. Thus, in such disclosed lithium-ion batteries, the electrodes and separator are made to form non-discrete (i.e., integral) thin layers. Also disclosed are methods of fabricating integrally connected, thin, multilayer lithium batteries including lithium-ion and lithium/air batteries.

Fabrication of low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells with a nanothin protective layer by atomic layer deposition

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Anode aluminum oxide-supported thin-film fuel cells having a sub-500-nm-thick bilayered electrolyte comprising a gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC) layer and an yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) layer were fabricated and electrochemically characterized in order to investigate the effect of the YSZ protective layer. The highly dense and thin YSZ layer acted as a blockage against electron and oxygen permeation between the anode and GDC electrolyte. Dense GDC and YSZ thin films were fabricated using radio frequency sputtering and atomic layer deposition techniques, respectively. The resulting bilayered thin-film fuel cell generated a significantly higher open circuit voltage of approximately 1.07 V compared with a thin-film fuel cell with a single-layered GDC electrolyte (approximately 0.3 V). PMID:23342963

Monounsaturated fatty acid ether oligomers formed during heating of virgin olive oil show agglutination activity against human red blood cells.

PubMed

Patrikios, Ioannis S; Mavromoustakos, Thomas M

2014-01-29

The present work focuses on the characterization of molecules formed when virgin olive oil is heated at 130 °C for 24 h open in air, which are found to be strong agglutinins. The hemagglutinating activity of the newly formed molecule isolated from the heated virgin olive oil sample was estimated against human red blood cells (RBCs). Dimers and polymers (high molecular weight molecules) were identified through thin layer chromatography (TLC) of the oil mixture. (1)H and (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) were the methods used for structural characterization. Among others, oligomerization of at least two monounsaturated fatty acids (FA) by an ether linkage between the hydrocarbon chains is involved. Light microscopy was used to characterize and visualize the agglutination process. Agglutination without fusion or lysis was observed. It was concluded that the heating of virgin olive oil open in air, among other effects, produces oligomerization as well as polymerization of unsaturated FA, possibly of monohydroxy, monounsaturated FA that is associated with strong hemagglutinating activity against human RBCs. The nutritional value and the effects on human health of such oligomers are not discussed in the literature and remain to be investigated.

Skin-friction measurements by laser interferometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, K.-S.; Settles, G. S.

1989-01-01

The measurement of skin friction in rapidly distorted compressible flows is difficult, and very few reliable techniques are available. A recent development, the laser interferometer skin friction (LISF) meter, promises to be useful for this purpose. This technique interferometrically measures the time rate of thinning of an oil film applied to an aerodynamic surface. Under the proper conditions the wall shear stress may thus be found directly, without reference to flow properties. The applicability of the LISF meter to supersonic boundary layers is examined experimentally. Its accuracy and repeatability are assessed, and conditions required for its successful application are considered.

The laser interferometer skin-friction meter - A numerical and experimental study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, J. D.; Westphal, R. V.

1986-01-01

Limits to the applicability of thin-film lubrication theory are established. The following two problems are considered: (1) the response of the oil film to a time-varying skin friction such as is encountered in turbulent boundary layers, and (2) a 'surface-wave instability' encountered at high skin-friction levels. Results corresponding to the first problem reveal that the laser interferometer skin-friction meter may, in principle, be applied to the measurement of instantaneous skin friction. In addressing the second problem, it is shown that the observed surface waves are not the result of a hydrodynamic instability.

Thin film electronic devices with conductive and transparent gas and moisture permeation barriers

DOEpatents

Simpson, Lin Jay

2015-07-28

Thin film electronic devices (or stacks integrated with a substrate) that include a permeation barrier formed of a thin layer of metal that provides a light transmitting and electrically conductive layer, wherein the electrical conductive layer is formed on a surface of the substrate or device layer such as a transparent conducting material layer with pin holes or defects caused by manufacturing and the thin layer of metal is deposited on the conductive layer and formed from a self-healing metal that forms self-terminating oxides. A permeation plug or block is formed in or adjacent to the thin film of metal at or proximate to the pin holes to block further permeation of contaminants through the pin holes.

Large area polysilicon films with predetermined stress characteristics and method for producing same

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heuer, Arthur H. (Inventor); Kahn, Harold (Inventor); Yang, Jie (Inventor); Phillips, Stephen M. (Inventor)

2002-01-01

Multi-layer assemblies of polysilicon thin films having predetermined stress characteristics and techniques for forming such assemblies are disclosed. In particular, a multi-layer assembly of polysilicon thin films may be produced that has a stress level of zero, or substantially so. The multi-layer assemblies comprise at least one constituent thin film having a tensile stress and at least one constituent thin film having a compressive stress. The thin films forming the multi-layer assemblies may be disposed immediately adjacent to one another without the use of intermediate layers between the thin films. Multi-layer assemblies exhibiting selectively determinable overall bending moments are also disclosed. Selective production of overall bending moments in microstructures enables manufacture of such structures with a wide array of geometrical configurations.

Comparison Between Navier-Stokes and Thin-Layer Computations for Separated Supersonic Flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Degani, David; Steger, Joseph L.

1983-01-01

In the numerical simulation of high Reynolds-number flow, one can frequently supply only enough grid points to resolve the viscous terms in a thin layer. As a consequence, a body-or stream-aligned coordinate system is frequently used and viscous terms in this direction are discarded. It is argued that these terms cannot be resolved and computational efficiency is gained by their neglect. Dropping the streamwise viscous terms in this manner has been termed the thin-layer approximation. The thin-layer concept is an old one, and similar viscous terms are dropped, for example, in parabolized Navier-Stokes schemes. However, such schemes also make additional assumptions so that the equations can be marched in space, and such a restriction is not usually imposed on a thin-layer model. The thin-layer approximation can be justified in much the same way as the boundary-layer approximation; it requires, therefore, a body-or stream-aligned coordinate and a high Reynolds number. Unlike the boundary-layer approximation, the same equations are used throughout, so there is no matching problem. Furthermore, the normal momentum equation is not simplified and the convection terms are not one-sided differenced for marching. Consequently, the thin-layer equations are numerically well behaved at separation and require no special treatment there. Nevertheless, the thin-layer approximation receives criticism. It has been suggested that the approximation is invalid at separation and, more recently, that it is inadequate for unsteady transonic flow. Although previous comparisons between the thin-layer and Navier-Stokes equations have been made, these comparisons have not been adequately documented.

Multilayer composites and manufacture of same

DOEpatents

Holesinger, Terry G.; Jia, Quanxi

2006-02-07

The present invention is directed towards a process of depositing multilayer thin films, disk-shaped targets for deposition of multilayer thin films by a pulsed laser or pulsed electron beam deposition process, where the disk-shaped targets include at least two segments with differing compositions, and a multilayer thin film structure having alternating layers of a first composition and a second composition, a pair of the alternating layers defining a bi-layer wherein the thin film structure includes at least 20 bi-layers per micron of thin film such that an individual bi-layer has a thickness of less than about 100 nanometers.

The Methods for Connectivity Judgment on Reservoir Layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Xiuguang; Dong, Qiang; Liu, Yunyang

2017-12-01

Determining reservoir layer connectivity is the base for an oil field development. The work should be done in the first time. It affects the effects of the following works. However, for some oil field with complex reservoir layers, the study hasn’t fully been done, that causes the oil production rate decreases rapidly and bad oil field development. On the other hand, the simpler the oil field is, the earlier the development should be, thus increasing oil production becomes more and more difficult today, lots of detail works should be done for a complex oil field, the study of reservoir layer connectivity is very important in it.

Biosurfactant production by Bacillus subtilis B30 and its application in enhancing oil recovery.

PubMed

Al-Wahaibi, Yahya; Joshi, Sanket; Al-Bahry, Saif; Elshafie, Abdulkadir; Al-Bemani, Ali; Shibulal, Biji

2014-02-01

The fermentative production of biosurfactants by Bacillus subtilis strain B30 and the evaluation of biosurfactant based enhanced oil recovery using core-flood were investigated. Different carbon sources (glucose, sucrose, starch, date molasses, cane molasses) were tested to determine the optimal biosurfactant production. The isolate B30 produced a biosurfactant that could reduce the surface tension and interfacial tension to 26.63±0.45 mN/m and 3.79±0.27 mN/m, respectively in less than 12h in both glucose or date molasses based media. A crude biosurfactant concentration of 0.3-0.5 g/l and critical micelle dilution (CMD) values of 1:8 were observed. The biosurfactants gave stable emulsions with wide range of hydrocarbons including light and heavy crude oil. The biosurfactants were partially purified and identified as a mixture of lipopeptides similar to surfactin, using high performance thin layer chromatography and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The biosurfactants were stable over wide range of pH, salinity and temperatures. The crude biosurfactant preparation enhanced light oil recovery by 17-26% and heavy oil recovery by 31% in core-flood studies. The results are indicative of the potential of the strain for the development of ex situ microbial enhanced oil recovery processes using glucose or date molasses based minimal media. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ordered organic-organic multilayer growth

DOEpatents

Forrest, Stephen R.; Lunt, Richard R.

2016-04-05

An ordered multilayer crystalline organic thin film structure is formed by depositing at least two layers of thin film crystalline organic materials successively wherein the at least two thin film layers are selected to have their surface energies within .+-.50% of each other, and preferably within .+-.15% of each other, whereby every thin film layer within the multilayer crystalline organic thin film structure exhibit a quasi-epitaxial relationship with the adjacent crystalline organic thin film.

Ordered organic-organic multilayer growth

DOEpatents

Forrest, Stephen R; Lunt, Richard R

2015-01-13

An ordered multilayer crystalline organic thin film structure is formed by depositing at least two layers of thin film crystalline organic materials successively wherein the at least two thin film layers are selected to have their surface energies within .+-.50% of each other, and preferably within .+-.15% of each other, whereby every thin film layer within the multilayer crystalline organic thin film structure exhibit a quasi-epitaxial relationship with the adjacent crystalline organic thin film.

Nano-crystalline thin and nano-particulate thick TiO{sub 2} layer: Cost effective sequential deposition and study on dye sensitized solar cell characteristics

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

Das, P.; Sengupta, D.; CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research

Highlights: • Thin TiO{sub 2} layer is deposited on conducting substrate using sol–gel based dip coating. • TiO{sub 2} nano-particles are synthesized using hydrothermal route. • Thick TiO{sub 2} particulate layer is deposited on prepared thin layer. • Dye sensitized solar cells are made using thin and thick layer based photo-anode. • Introduction of thin layer in particulate photo-anode improves the cell efficiency. - Abstract: A compact thin TiO{sub 2} passivation layer is introduced between the mesoporous TiO{sub 2} nano-particulate layer and the conducting glass substrate to prepare photo-anode for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). In order to understand the effectmore » of passivation layer, other two DSSCs are also developed separately using TiO{sub 2} nano-particulate and compact thin film based photo-anodes. Nano-particles are prepared using hydrothermal synthesis route and the compact passivation layer is prepared by simply dip coating the precursor sol prepared through wet chemical route. The TiO{sub 2} compact layer and the nano-particles are characterised in terms of their micro-structural features and phase formation behavior. It is found that introduction of a compact TiO{sub 2} layer in between the mesoporous TiO{sub 2} nano-particulate layer and the conducting substrate improves the solar to electric conversion efficiency of the fabricated cell. The dense thin passivation layer is supposed to enhance the photo-excited electron transfer and prevent the recombination of photo-excited electrons.« less

Distinguishing oil and water layers in a cracked porous medium using pulsed neutron logging data based on Hudson's crack theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xueang; Yang, Zhichao; Tang, Bin; Wang, Renbo; Wei, Xiong

2018-05-01

During geophysical surveys, water layers may interfere with the detection of oil layers. In order to distinguish between oil and water layers in porous cracked media, research on the properties of the cracks, the oil and water layers, and their relation to pulsed neutron logging characteristics is essential. Using Hudson's crack theory, we simulated oil and water layers in a cracked porous medium with different crack parameters corresponding to the well log responses. We found that, in a cracked medium with medium-angle (40°-50°) cracks, the thermal neutron count peak value is higher and more sensitive than those in low-angle and high-angle crack environments; in addition, the thermal neutron density distribution shows more minimum values than in other cases. Further, the thermal neutron count and the rate of change for the oil layer are greater than those of the water layer, and the time spectrum count peak value for the water layer in middle-high-angle (40°-70°) cracked environments is higher than that of the oil layer. The thermal neutron density distribution sensitivity is higher in the water layer with a range of small crack angles (0°-30°) than in the oil layer with the same range of angles. In comparing the thermal neutron density distribution, thermal neutron count peak, thermal neutron density distribution sensitivity, and time spectrum maximum in the oil and water layers, we find that neutrons in medium-angle (40°-50°) cracked reservoirs are more sensitive to deceleration and absorption than those in water layers; neutrons in approximately horizontal (0°-30°) cracked water layers are more sensitive to deceleration than those in reservoirs. These results can guide future work in the cracked media neutron logging field.

An Electrochemical Experiment Using an Optically Transparent Thin Layer Electrode

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeAngelis, Thomas P.; Heineman, William R.

1976-01-01

Describes a unified experiment in which an optically transparent thin layer electrode is used to illustrate the techniques of thin layer electrochemistry, cyclic voltammetry, controlled potential coulometry, and spectroelectrochemistry. (MLH)

Rectenna that converts infrared radiation to electrical energy

DOEpatents

Davids, Paul; Peters, David W.

2016-09-06

Technologies pertaining to converting infrared (IR) radiation to DC energy are described herein. In a general embodiment, a rectenna comprises a conductive layer. A thin insulator layer is formed on the conductive layer, and a nanoantenna is formed on the thin insulator layer. The thin insulator layer acts as a tunnel junction of a tunnel diode.

The Prevention of the Ice Hazard on Airplanes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Geer, William C; Scott, Merit

1930-01-01

A review of various methods to prevent ice formation and adhesion to aircraft surfaces is given. It was concluded that the adhesion of ice to a surface may be reduced somewhat by the application of certain waxes and varnishes. In the experiments described, the varnishes containing calcium stearate and calcium oleate gave the best results. In wind tunnel tests, the adhesion was further reduced by the application of these waxes and varnishes to a thin, heat insulating layer of rubber. The adhesion of ice is greatly reduced when the surface consists of a vehicle which carries an oil in sufficient quantity so that the surface of the vehicle is self lubricating. Ice may be removed from wings, struts, wires and other parts of an airplane during flight by the inflation of properly constructed pneumatic rubber members, providing that these members have been previously treated with a suitable low adhesion oil.

Super-hydrophobic graphene coated polyurethane (GN@PU) sponge with great oil-water separation performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiaotan; Liu, Dongyan; Ma, Yuling; Nie, Jing; Sui, Guoxin

2017-11-01

The graphene/polyurethane (GN@PU) sponge was prepared via simple dip-coating PU sponges in graphene aqueous suspension containing cellulose nanowhiskers (CNWs), where CNWs played a vital role to facilitate the uniform graphene sheets coated on the skeletons of polyurethane sponge (PU). The super-hydrophobic GN@PU sponge was obtained by optimizing the ratio of GN and CNWs to choose the final coating suspensions of GN/CNWs mixture or pure graphene. The GN@PU sponge showed densely packed graphene sheets, contributing super-hydrophobicity to the sponge with water contact angle of 152° and a large lubricating oil absorption value of 31 g g-1. The elasticity, mechanical durability, thermal and chemical stability were all found to be improved after coating with the thin GN layers. Moreover, the GN@PU sponges possess outstanding recyclability and stability since no decline in absorption efficiency was observed after more than 100 cycles.

Cadmium-free junction fabrication process for CuInSe.sub.2 thin film solar cells

DOEpatents

Ramanathan, Kannan V.; Contreras, Miguel A.; Bhattacharya, Raghu N.; Keane, James; Noufi, Rommel

1999-01-01

The present invention provides an economical, simple, dry and controllable semiconductor layer junction forming process to make cadmium free high efficiency photovoltaic cells having a first layer comprised primarily of copper indium diselenide having a thin doped copper indium diselenide n-type region, generated by thermal diffusion with a group II(b) element such as zinc, and a halide, such as chlorine, and a second layer comprised of a conventional zinc oxide bilayer. A photovoltaic device according the present invention includes a first thin film layer of semiconductor material formed primarily from copper indium diselenide. Doping of the copper indium diselenide with zinc chloride is accomplished using either a zinc chloride solution or a solid zinc chloride material. Thermal diffusion of zinc chloride into the copper indium diselenide upper region creates the thin n-type copper indium diselenide surface. A second thin film layer of semiconductor material comprising zinc oxide is then applied in two layers. The first layer comprises a thin layer of high resistivity zinc oxide. The second relatively thick layer of zinc oxide is doped to exhibit low resistivity.

The effect of a herbal paste and oil extract on the lipid content of canine hair fibres.

PubMed

Momota, Yutaka; Shimada, Kenichiro; Kadoya, Chihiro; Gin, Azusa; Kobayashi, Jun; Nakamura, Yuka; Matsubara, Takako; Sako, Toshinori

2017-08-01

Application of herbal paste and oil to a dog's coat and body before rinsing (often combining with shampooing) is a cosmetic therapy available in Japan. It is highly appreciated by users, who claim that the treatment makes the coat shinier, improves volume and eliminates tangles. However, there has been no scientific evaluation of such treatments. Improvement of hair condition is derived from oils such as sebum and conditioning oils because chemicals are not used. Therefore, we examined nonpolar lipids (the primary lipids in dog hair) and the botanical oils used in this therapy. Hair samples were obtained from six beagle dogs. Groups were based on different combinations of the following processes: rinsing, shampooing, herbal therapy and herbal therapy with oil extract. Analysis of lipids was performed by high performance thin layer chromatography. The processes of shampooing and herbal therapy were associated with an equivalent reduction in cholesterol ester and triglyceride (TG). However, hair treated by herbal therapy combined with oil extract had an almost three-fold higher TG content, even after shampooing. This study demonstrated that the herbal therapy was able to coat hair samples with TG that was not removed with rinsing. Further investigation is required to evaluate the possible benefits of the application of botanical products containing lipids, such as TG, on hair coat quality in dogs. © 2017 The Authors. Veterinary Dermatology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the ESVD and ACVD.

Graphene deposited onto aligned zinc oxide nanorods as an efficient coating for headspace solid-phase microextraction of gasoline fractions from oil samples.

PubMed

Wen, Congying; Li, Mengmeng; Li, Wangbo; Li, Zizhou; Duan, Wei; Li, Yulong; Zhou, Jie; Li, Xiyou; Zeng, Jingbin

2017-12-29

The content of gasoline fraction in oil samples is not only an important indicator of oil quality, but also an indispensable fundamental data for oil refining and processing. Before its determination, efficient preconcentration and separation of gasoline fractions from complicated matrices is essential. In this work, a thin layer of graphene (G) was deposited onto oriented ZnO nanorods (ZNRs) as a SPME coating. By this approach, the surface area of G was greatly enhanced by the aligned ZNRs, and the surface polarity of ZNRs was changed from polar to less polar, which were both beneficial for the extraction of gasoline fractions. In addition, the ZNRs were well protected by the mechanically and chemically stable G, making the coating highly durable for use. With headspace SPME (HS-SPME) mode, the G/ZNRs coating can effectively extract gasoline fractions from various oil samples, whose extraction efficiency achieved 1.5-5.4 and 2.1-8.2 times higher than those of a G and commercial 7-μm PDMS coating respectively. Coupled with GC-FID, the developed method is sensitive, simple, cost effective and easily accessible for the analysis of gasoline fractions. Moreover, the method is also feasible for the detection of gasoline markers in simulated oil-polluted water, which provides an option for the monitoring of oil spill accident. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The threshold strength of laminar ceramics utilizing molar volume changes and porosity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pontin, Michael Gene

It has been shown that uniformly spaced thin compressive layers within a ceramic body can arrest the propagation of an otherwise catastrophic crack, producing a threshold strength: a strength below which the probability of failure is zero. Previous work has shown that the threshold strength increases with both the magnitude of the compressive stress and the fracture toughness of the thin layer material, and finite element analysis predicts that the threshold strength can be further increased when the elastic modulus of the compressive layer is much smaller than the thicker layer. The current work describes several new approaches to increase the threshold strength of a laminar ceramic system. The initial method utilized a molar volume expansion within the thin layers, produced by the tetragonal-to-monoclinic phase transformation of unstabilized zirconia during cooling, in order to produce large compressive stresses within the thin layers. High threshold strengths were measured for this system, but they remained relatively constant as the zirconia content was increased. It was determined that microcracking produced during the transformation reduced the magnitude of the compressive stresses, but may also have served to reduce the modulus of the thin compressive layer, providing an additional strengthening mechanism. The second approach studied the addition of porosity to reduce the elastic modulus of the thin compressive layers. A new processing method was created and analyzed, in which thick layers of the laminate were fabricated by tape-casting, and then dip-coated into a slurry, containing rice starch, to create thin porous compressive layers upon densification. The effects of porosity on the residual compressive stress, elastic modulus, and fracture toughness of the thin layers were measured and calculated, and it was found that the elastic modulus mismatch between the thin and thick layers produced a large strengthening effect for volume fractions of porosity below a critical level. Specimens with greater volume fractions of porosity exhibited complete crack arrest, typically followed by non-catastrophic failure, as cracks initiating in adjacent thick layers coalesced by cracking or delamination along the thin porous layers.

Characterization of Cu buffer layers for growth of L10-FeNi thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizuguchi, M.; Sekiya, S.; Takanashi, K.

2010-05-01

A Cu(001) layer was fabricated on a Au(001) layer to investigate the use of Cu as a buffer layer for growing L10-FeNi thin films. The epitaxial growth of a Cu buffer layer was observed using reflection high-energy electron diffraction. The flatness of the layer improved drastically with an increase in the substrate temperature although the layer was an alloy (AuCu3). An FeNi thin film was epitaxially grown on the AuCu3 buffer layer by alternate monatomic layer deposition and the formation of an L10-FeNi ordered alloy was expected. The AuCu3 buffer layer is thus a promising candidate material for the growth of L10-FeNi thin films.

Friction enhancement via micro-patterned wet elastomer adhesives on small intestinal surfaces.

PubMed

Kwon, Jiwoon; Cheung, Eugene; Park, Sukho; Sitti, Metin

2006-12-01

A micro-pillar-based silicone rubber adhesive coated with a thin silicone oil layer is investigated in this paper for developing friction-based clamping mechanisms for robotic endoscopic microcapsules. These adhesives are shown to enhance the frictional force between the capsule and the intestinal wall by a factor of about seven over a non-patterned flat elastomer material. In this study, tests performed on fresh samples of pig small intestine are used to optimize the diameter of the micro-pillars to maximize the frictional forces. In addition, the effects of other factors such as the oil viscosity and applied normal forces are investigated. It is demonstrated that the proposed micro-pillar pattern based elastomer adhesive exhibits a maximal frictional force when the pillar diameter is 140 microm and coated silicon oil has a very high viscosity (10,000 cSt). It is also found that the frictional force of the micro-patterned adhesive increases nonlinearly in proportion to the applied normal force. These adhesives would be used as a robust attachment material for developing robotic capsule endoscopes inside intestines with clamping capability.

Mechanically activated artificial cell by using microfluidics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ho, Kenneth K. Y.; Lee, Lap Man; Liu, Allen P.

2016-09-01

All living organisms sense mechanical forces. Engineering mechanosensitive artificial cell through bottom-up in vitro reconstitution offers a way to understand how mixtures of macromolecules assemble and organize into a complex system that responds to forces. We use stable double emulsion droplets (aqueous/oil/aqueous) to prototype mechanosensitive artificial cells. In order to demonstrate mechanosensation in artificial cells, we develop a novel microfluidic device that is capable of trapping double emulsions into designated chambers, followed by compression and aspiration in a parallel manner. The microfluidic device is fabricated using multilayer soft lithography technology, and consists of a control layer and a deformable flow channel. Deflections of the PDMS membrane above the main microfluidic flow channels and trapping chamber array are independently regulated pneumatically by two sets of integrated microfluidic valves. We successfully compress and aspirate the double emulsions, which result in transient increase and permanent decrease in oil thickness, respectively. Finally, we demonstrate the influx of calcium ions as a response of our mechanically activated artificial cell through thinning of oil. The development of a microfluidic device to mechanically activate artificial cells creates new opportunities in force-activated synthetic biology.

Hysteretic growth and decay of a waterspout column

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naumov, Igor V.; Herrada, Miguel A.; Sharifullin, Bulat R.; Shtern, Vladimir N.

2018-02-01

This work explores a model waterspout: a flow of water and sunflower oil driven by the rotating lid in a sealed vertical cylindrical container. The experiments reveal the hysteretic growth and decay of a water column. The numerical simulations uncover vortex breakdown (VB) in the water and oil flows. As the rotation speeds up, (1) a VB water cell emerges near the bottom center, (2) it expands and occupies almost the entire water volume except a thin layer adjusted to the interface, (3) a VB oil cell emerges and disappears above the interface-axis intersection, (4) the interface rises near the axis, descends at the periphery, and shifts from the sidewall to the bottom, (5) the water touches the lid near the axis and forms a column, extending from the bottom up to the lid. As the rotation decelerates, the process reverses, but the flow states differ from those for the direct process at same rotation speeds. It is argued that the hysteresis is a capillary phenomenon and occurs because the interface-wall contact angle differs in the direct and reverse processes.

Friction enhancement via micro-patterned wet elastomer adhesives on small intestinal surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwon, Jiwoon; Cheung, Eugene; Park, Sukho; Sitti, Metin

2006-12-01

A micro-pillar-based silicone rubber adhesive coated with a thin silicone oil layer is investigated in this paper for developing friction-based clamping mechanisms for robotic endoscopic microcapsules. These adhesives are shown to enhance the frictional force between the capsule and the intestinal wall by a factor of about seven over a non-patterned flat elastomer material. In this study, tests performed on fresh samples of pig small intestine are used to optimize the diameter of the micro-pillars to maximize the frictional forces. In addition, the effects of other factors such as the oil viscosity and applied normal forces are investigated. It is demonstrated that the proposed micro-pillar pattern based elastomer adhesive exhibits a maximal frictional force when the pillar diameter is 140 µm and coated silicon oil has a very high viscosity (10 000 cSt). It is also found that the frictional force of the micro-patterned adhesive increases nonlinearly in proportion to the applied normal force. These adhesives would be used as a robust attachment material for developing robotic capsule endoscopes inside intestines with clamping capability.

Ceramic Composite Thin Films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dikin, Dmitriy A. (Inventor); Nguyen, SonBinh T. (Inventor); Ruoff, Rodney S. (Inventor); Stankovich, Sasha (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A ceramic composite thin film or layer includes individual graphene oxide and/or electrically conductive graphene sheets dispersed in a ceramic (e.g. silica) matrix. The thin film or layer can be electrically conductive film or layer depending the amount of graphene sheets present. The composite films or layers are transparent, chemically inert and compatible with both glass and hydrophilic SiOx/silicon substrates. The composite film or layer can be produced by making a suspension of graphene oxide sheet fragments, introducing a silica-precursor or silica to the suspension to form a sol, depositing the sol on a substrate as thin film or layer, at least partially reducing the graphene oxide sheets to conductive graphene sheets, and thermally consolidating the thin film or layer to form a silica matrix in which the graphene oxide and/or graphene sheets are dispersed.

Thin-layer voltammetry of soluble species on screen-printed electrodes: proof of concept.

PubMed

Botasini, S; Martí, A C; Méndez, E

2016-10-17

Thin-layer diffusion conditions were accomplished on screen-printed electrodes by placing a controlled-weight onto the cast solution and allowing for its natural spreading. The restricted diffusive conditions were assessed by cyclic voltammetry at low voltage scan rates and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The relationship between the weight exerted over the drop and the thin-layer thickness achieved was determined, in such a way that the simple experimental set-up designed for this work could be developed into a commercial device with variable control of the thin-layer conditions. The experimental results obtained resemble those reported for the voltammetric features of electroactive soluble species employing electrodes modified with carbon nanotubes or graphene layers, suggesting that the attainment of the benefits reported for these nanomaterials could be done simply by forcing the solution to spread over the screen-printed electrodic system to form a thin layer solution. The advantages of thin-layer voltammetry in the kinetic characterization of quasi-reversible and irreversible processes are highlighted.

A model for thin layer formation by delayed particle settling at sharp density gradients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prairie, Jennifer C.; White, Brian L.

2017-02-01

Thin layers - regions where plankton or particles accumulate vertically on scales of a few meters or less - are common in coastal waters, and have important implications for both trophic dynamics and carbon cycling. These features can form by a variety of biological and physical mechanisms, including localized growth, shear-thinning, and directed swimming. An additional mechanism may result in the formation of thin layers of marine aggregates, which have been shown to decrease their settling velocity when passing through sharp density gradients, a behavior termed delayed settling. Here, we apply a simple vertical advection-diffusion model to predict the properties of aggregate thin layers formed by this process. We assume a constant vertical flux of particles from the surface, which is parameterized by observations from laboratory experiments with marine aggregates. The formation, maintenance, and shape of the layers are described in relation to non-dimensional numbers that depend on environmental conditions and particle settling properties. In particular, model results demonstrate layer intensity and sharpness both increase with higher Péclet number (Pe), that is, under conditions with weaker mixing relative to layer formation. Similarly, more intense and sharper layers are found when the delayed settling behavior of aggregates is characterized by a lower velocity minimum. The model also predicts layers that are vertically asymmetric and highly "peaky" when compared with a Gaussian distribution, features often seen in thin layers in natural environments. Lastly, by comparing model predictions with observations of thin layers in the field, we are able to gain some insight into the applicability of delayed settling as a thin layer formation mechanism in different environmental conditions.

Thin Film Transistors On Plastic Substrates

DOEpatents

Carey, Paul G.; Smith, Patrick M.; Sigmon, Thomas W.; Aceves, Randy C.

2004-01-20

A process for formation of thin film transistors (TFTs) on plastic substrates replaces standard thin film transistor fabrication techniques, and uses sufficiently lower processing temperatures so that inexpensive plastic substrates may be used in place of standard glass, quartz, and silicon wafer-based substrates. The silicon based thin film transistor produced by the process includes a low temperature substrate incapable of withstanding sustained processing temperatures greater than about 250.degree. C., an insulating layer on the substrate, a layer of silicon on the insulating layer having sections of doped silicon, undoped silicon, and poly-silicon, a gate dielectric layer on the layer of silicon, a layer of gate metal on the dielectric layer, a layer of oxide on sections of the layer of silicon and the layer of gate metal, and metal contacts on sections of the layer of silicon and layer of gate metal defining source, gate, and drain contacts, and interconnects.

Room temperature rubbing for few-layer two-dimensional thin flakes directly on flexible polymer substrates

PubMed Central

Yu, Yan; Jiang, Shenglin; Zhou, Wenli; Miao, Xiangshui; Zeng, Yike; Zhang, Guangzu; Liu, Sisi

2013-01-01

The functional layers of few-layer two-dimensional (2-D) thin flakes on flexible polymers for stretchable applications have attracted much interest. However, most fabrication methods are “indirect” processes that require transfer steps. Moreover, previously reported “transfer-free” methods are only suitable for graphene and not for other few-layer 2-D thin flakes. Here, a friction based room temperature rubbing method is proposed for fabricating different types of few-layer 2-D thin flakes (graphene, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), molybdenum disulphide (MoS2), and tungsten disulphide (WS2)) on flexible polymer substrates. Commercial 2-D raw materials (graphite, h-BN, MoS2, and WS2) that contain thousands of atom layers were used. After several minutes, different types of few-layer 2-D thin flakes were fabricated directly on the flexible polymer substrates by rubbing procedures at room temperature and without any transfer step. These few-layer 2-D thin flakes strongly adhere to the flexible polymer substrates. This strong adhesion is beneficial for future applications. PMID:24045289

Optical hydrogen sensors based on metal-hydrides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slaman, M.; Westerwaal, R.; Schreuders, H.; Dam, B.

2012-06-01

For many hydrogen related applications it is preferred to use optical hydrogen sensors above electrical systems. Optical sensors reduce the risk of ignition by spark formation and are less sensitive to electrical interference. Currently palladium and palladium alloys are used for most hydrogen sensors since they are well known for their hydrogen dissociation and absorption properties at relatively low temperatures. The disadvantages of palladium in sensors are the low optical response upon hydrogen loading, the cross sensitivity for oxygen and carbon, the limited detection range and the formation of micro-cracks after some hydrogen absorption/desorption cycles. In contrast to Pd, we find that the use of magnesium or rear earth bases metal-hydrides in optical hydrogen sensors allow tuning of the detection levels over a broad pressure range, while maintaining a high optical response. We demonstrate a stable detection layer for detecting hydrogen below 10% of the lower explosion limit in an oxygen rich environment. This detection layer is deposited at the bare end of a glass fiber as a micro-mirror and is covered with a thin layer of palladium. The palladium layer promotes the hydrogen uptake at room temperature and acts as a hydrogen selective membrane. To protect the sensor for a long time in air a final layer of a hydrophobic fluorine based coating is applied. Such a sensor can be used for example as safety detector in automotive applications. We find that this type of fiber optic hydrogen sensor is also suitable for hydrogen detection in liquids. As example we demonstrate a sensor for detecting a broad range of concentrations in transformer oil. Such a sensor can signal a warning when sparks inside a high voltage power transformer decompose the transformer oil over a long period.

Polymer thin film as coating layer to prevent corrosion of metal/metal oxide film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, Suman; Kundu, Sarathi

2018-04-01

Thin film of polymer is used as coating layer and the corrosion of metal/metal oxide layer is studied with the variation of the thickness of the coating layer. The thin layer of polystyrene is fabricated using spin coating method on copper oxide (CuO) film which is deposited on glass substrate using DC magnetron sputtering technique. Thickness of the polystyrene and the CuO layers are determined using X-ray reflectivity (XRR) technique. CuO thin films coated with the polystyrene layer are exposed to acetic acid (2.5 v/v% aqueous CH3COOH solution) environments and are subsequently analyzed using UV-Vis spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Surface morphology of the film before and after interaction with the acidic environment is determined using AFM. Results obtained from the XRR and UV-Vis spectroscopy confirm that the thin film of polystyrene acts as an anticorrosion coating layer and the strength of the coating depends upon the polymer layer thickness at a constant acid concentration.

Nonenzymatic detection of glucose using BaCuO2 thin layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ito, Takeshi; Asada, Tsuyoshi; Asai, Naoto; Shimizu, Tomohiro; Shingubara, Shoso

2017-01-01

A BaCuO2 thin layer was deposited on a glassy carbon electrode and used for the direct oxidation of glucose. The crystalline, electrochemical, and physicochemical properties that depend on the deposition temperature and deposition time were studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that the thin layer was amorphous even at 400 °C. The current density of the glucose oxidation using the thin layer deposited at 200 °C was higher than those at other deposition temperatures. Under this condition, the current density increased with the glucose concentration and deposition time. These results indicate that a BaCuO2 thin layer has potential for measuring the blood glucose level without enzymes.

Heterologous production of Pseudomonas aeruginosa rhamnolipid under anaerobic conditions for microbial enhanced oil recovery.

PubMed

Zhao, F; Shi, R; Zhao, J; Li, G; Bai, X; Han, S; Zhang, Y

2015-02-01

The ex situ application of rhamnolipid to enhance oil recovery is costly and complex in terms of rhamnolipid production and transportation, while in situ production of rhamnolipid is restricted by the oxygen-deficient environments of oil reservoirs. To overcome the oxygen-limiting conditions and to circumvent the complex regulation of rhamnolipid biosynthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an engineered strain Pseudomonas stutzeri Rhl was constructed for heterologous production of rhamnolipid under anaerobic conditions. The rhlABRI genes for rhamnolipid biosynthesis were cloned into a facultative anaerobic strain Ps. stutzeri DQ1 to construct the engineered strain Rhl. Anaerobic production of rhamnolipid was confirmed by thin layer chromatography and Fourier transform infrared analysis. Rhamnolipid product reduced the air-water surface tension to 30.3 mN m(-1) and the oil-water interfacial tension to 0.169 mN m(-1). Rhl produced rhamnolipid of 1.61 g l(-1) using glycerol as the carbon source. Rhl anaerobic culture emulsified crude oil up to EI24 ≈ 74. An extra 9.8% of original crude oil was displaced by Rhl in the core flooding test. Strain Rhl achieved anaerobic production of rhamnolipid and worked well for enhanced oil recovery in the core flooding model. The rhamnolipid produced by Rhl was similar to that of the donor strain SQ6. This is the first study to achieve anaerobic and heterologous production of rhamnolipid. Results demonstrated the potential feasibility of Rhl as a promising strain to enhance oil recovery through anaerobic production of rhamnolipid. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Methods for making thin layers of crystalline materials

DOEpatents

Lagally, Max G; Paskiewicz, Deborah M; Tanto, Boy

2013-07-23

Methods for making growth templates for the epitaxial growth of compound semiconductors and other materials are provided. The growth templates are thin layers of single-crystalline materials that are themselves grown epitaxially on a substrate that includes a thin layer of sacrificial material. The thin layer of sacrificial material, which creates a coherent strain in the single-crystalline material as it is grown thereon, includes one or more suspended sections and one or more supported sections.

Effects of sheens associated with offshore oil and gas development on the feather microstructure of pelagic seabirds.

PubMed

O'Hara, Patrick D; Morandin, Lora A

2010-05-01

Operational discharges of hydrocarbons from maritime activities can have major cumulative impacts on marine ecosystems. Small quantities of oil (i.e., 10 ml) results in often lethally reduced thermoregulation in seabirds. Thin sheens of oil and drilling fluids form around offshore petroleum production structures from currently permissible operational discharges of hydrocarbons. Methodology was developed to measure feather microstructure impacts (amalgamation index or AI) associated with sheen exposure. We collected feather samples from two common North Atlantic species of seabirds; Common Murres (Uria aalge) and Dovekies (Alle alle). Impacts were compared after feather exposure to crude oil and synthetic lubricant sheens of varying thicknesses. Feather weight and microstructure changed significantly for both species after exposure to thin sheens of crude oil and synthetic drilling fluids. Thus, seabirds may be impacted by thin sheens forming around offshore petroleum production facilities from discharged produced water containing currently admissible concentrations of hydrocarbons. (c) 2009. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental response nanosilica for reducing the pressure of water injection in ultra-low permeability reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Peisong; Niu, Liyong; Li, Xiaohong; Zhang, Zhijun

2017-12-01

The super-hydrophobic silica nanoparticles are applied to alter the wettability of rock surface from water-wet to oil-wet. The aim of this is to reduce injection pressure so as to enhance water injection efficiency in low permeability reservoirs. Therefore, a new type of environmentally responsive nanosilica (denote as ERS) is modified with organic compound containing hydrophobic groups and "pinning" groups by covalent bond and then covered with a layer of hydrophilic organic compound by chemical adsorption to achieve excellent water dispersibility. Resultant ERS is homogeneously dispersed in water with a size of about 4-8 nm like a micro-emulsion system and can be easily injected into the macro or nano channels of ultra-low permeability reservoirs. The hydrophobic nanosilica core can be released from the aqueous delivery system owing to its strong dependence on the environmental variation from normal condition to injection wells (such as pH and salinity). Then the exposed silica nanoparticles form a thin layer on the surface of narrow pore throat, leading to the wettability from water-wet to oil-wet. More importantly, the two rock cores with different permeability were surface treated with ERS dispersion with a concentration of 2 g/L, exhibit great reduce of water injection pressure by 57.4 and 39.6%, respectively, which shows great potential for exploitation of crude oil from ultra-low permeability reservoirs during water flooding. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Improvement in temperature dependence and dielectric tunability properties of PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 thin films using Ba(Mg1/3Ta2/3)O3 buffer layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Zhi; Zhou, Jing; Chen, Wen; Shen, Jie; Yang, Huimin; Zhang, Shisai; Liu, Yueli

2016-12-01

In this paper, Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) thin films were prepared via sol-gel method. The effects of Ba(Mg1/3Ta2/3)O3 (BMT) buffer layer on the temperature dependence and dielectric tunability properties of PZT thin films were studied. As the thickness of BMT buffer layer increases, the tan δ and tunability of PZT thin films decrease while tunability still maintains above 10%. This result shows that BMT buffer layer can improve the dielectric tunability properties of PZT thin films. Furthermore, the temperature coefficient of the dielectric constant decreases from 2333.4 to 906.9 ppm/°C with the thickness of BMT buffer layer increasing in the range from 25 to 205 °C, indicating that BMT buffer layer can improve the temperature stability of PZT thin films. Therefore, BMT buffer layer plays a critical role in improving temperature dependence and dielectric tunability properties of PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 thin films.

Breakthrough to Non-Vacuum Deposition of Single-Crystal, Ultra-Thin, Homogeneous Nanoparticle Layers: A Better Alternative to Chemical Bath Deposition and Atomic Layer Deposition

PubMed Central

Liao, Yu-Kuang; Liu, Yung-Tsung; Hsieh, Dan-Hua; Shen, Tien-Lin; Hsieh, Ming-Yang; Tzou, An-Jye; Chen, Shih-Chen; Tsai, Yu-Lin; Lin, Wei-Sheng; Chan, Sheng-Wen; Shen, Yen-Ping; Cheng, Shun-Jen; Chen, Chyong-Hua; Wu, Kaung-Hsiung; Chen, Hao-Ming; Kuo, Shou-Yi; Charlton, Martin D. B.; Hsieh, Tung-Po; Kuo, Hao-Chung

2017-01-01

Most thin-film techniques require a multiple vacuum process, and cannot produce high-coverage continuous thin films with the thickness of a few nanometers on rough surfaces. We present a new ”paradigm shift” non-vacuum process to deposit high-quality, ultra-thin, single-crystal layers of coalesced sulfide nanoparticles (NPs) with controllable thickness down to a few nanometers, based on thermal decomposition. This provides high-coverage, homogeneous thickness, and large-area deposition over a rough surface, with little material loss or liquid chemical waste, and deposition rates of 10 nm/min. This technique can potentially replace conventional thin-film deposition methods, such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) and chemical bath deposition (CBD) as used by the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin-film solar cell industry for decades. We demonstrate 32% improvement of CIGS thin-film solar cell efficiency in comparison to reference devices prepared by conventional CBD deposition method by depositing the ZnS NPs buffer layer using the new process. The new ZnS NPs layer allows reduction of an intrinsic ZnO layer, which can lead to severe shunt leakage in case of a CBD buffer layer. This leads to a 65% relative efficiency increase. PMID:28383488

Layer-by-Layer Assembly of a pH-Responsive and Electrochromic Thin Film

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, Daniel J.; Pridgen, Eric M.; Hammond, Paula T.; Love, J. Christopher

2010-01-01

This article summarizes an experiment on thin-film fabrication with layer-by-layer assembly that is appropriate for undergraduate laboratory courses. The purpose of this experiment is to teach students about self-assembly in the context of thin films and to expose students to the concepts of functional polymeric coatings. Students dip coat…

Ruthenium oxide ion selective thin-film electrodes for engine oil acidity monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maurya, D. K.; Sardarinejad, A.; Alameh, K.

2015-06-01

We demonstrate the concept of a low-cost, rugged, miniaturized ion selective electrode (ISE) comprising a thin film RuO2 on platinum sensing electrode deposited using RF magnetron sputtered in conjunction with an integrated Ag/AgCl and Ag reference electrodes for engine oil acidity monitoring. Model oil samples are produced by adding nitric acid into fresh fully synthetic engine oil and used for sensor evaluation. Experimental results show a linear potential-versus-acid-concentration response for nitric acid concentration between 0 (fresh oil) to 400 ppm, which demonstrate the accuracy of the RuO2 sensor in real-time operation, making it attractive for use in cars and industrial engines.

Gyrotactic trapping: A numerical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghorai, S.

2016-04-01

Gyrotactic trapping is a mechanism proposed by Durham et al. ["Disruption of vertical motility by shear triggers formation of thin Phytoplankton layers," Science 323, 1067-1070 (2009)] to explain the formation of thin phytoplankton layer just below the ocean surface. This mechanism is examined numerically using a rational model based on the generalized Taylor dispersion theory. The crucial role of sedimentation speed in the thin layer formation is demonstrated. The effects of variation in different parameters on the thin layer formation are also investigated.

[High performance thin-layer chromatography in specific blood diagnosis (author's transl)].

PubMed

Bernardelli, B; Masotti, G

1976-01-01

Furthering their research into the differentiation of various haemoglobins (both human and animal) with the use of thin layer chromatographic methods, the Authors have applied Kaiser's high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) to the specific diagnosis of blood. Although the method was superior to ascending one-dimensional thin layer chromatography for its sensitivity, Rf reproducibility and much briefer migration times, it did not turn out to be suitable for application to the specific requirements of forensic haematology.

Thin-film metal coated insulation barrier in a Josephson tunnel junction. [Patent application

DOEpatents

Hawkins, G.A.; Clarke, J.

1975-10-31

A highly stable, durable, and reproducible Josephson tunnel junction consists of a thin-film electrode of a hard superconductor, a thin oxide insulation layer over the electrode constituting a Josephson tunnel junction barrier, a thin-film layer of stabilizing metal over the barrier, and a second thin-film hard superconductive electrode over the stabilizing film. The thin stabilizing metal film is made only thick enough to limit penetration of the electrode material through the insulation layer so as to prevent a superconductive short.

Thin Film Interference: An Experiment with Microwaves and Paraffin Oil

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Anna, Michele; Corridoni, Tommaso

2015-01-01

Thin film interference manifests itself in a wide range of visually pleasing situations in everyday life (in the colored effects caused by a drop of oil on water, in soap bubbles, etc.) and is also involved in important technical applications (semi-reflecting mirrors, anti-reflection lenses, etc.). Yet, despite its familiarity, high school…

Fabrication of Crack-Free Barium Titanate Thin Film with High Dielectric Constant Using Sub-Micrometric Scale Layer-by-Layer E-Jet Deposition.

PubMed

Liang, Junsheng; Li, Pengfei; Wang, Dazhi; Fang, Xu; Ding, Jiahong; Wu, Junxiong; Tang, Chang

2016-01-19

Dense and crack-free barium titanate (BaTiO₃, BTO) thin films with a thickness of less than 4 μm were prepared by using sub-micrometric scale, layer-by-layer electrohydrodynamic jet (E-jet) deposition of the suspension ink which is composed of BTO nanopowder and BTO sol. Impacts of the jet height and line-to-line pitch of the deposition on the micro-structure of BTO thin films were investigated. Results show that crack-free BTO thin films can be prepared with 4 mm jet height and 300 μm line-to-line pitch in this work. Dielectric constant of the prepared BTO thin film was recorded as high as 2940 at 1 kHz at room temperature. Meanwhile, low dissipation factor of the BTO thin film of about 8.6% at 1 kHz was also obtained. The layer-by-layer E-jet deposition technique developed in this work has been proved to be a cost-effective, flexible and easy to control approach for the preparation of high-quality solid thin film.

Performance enhancement in Sb doped Cu(InGa)Se2 thin film solar cell by e-beam evaporation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jieyi; Shen, Honglie; Zhai, Zihao; Li, Yufang; Yi, Yunge

2018-03-01

To investigate the effects of Sb doping on the structural and electrical properties of Cu(InGa)Se2 (CIGS) thin films and solar cells, CIGS thin films, prepared by e-beam evaporation on soda-lime glass, were doped with lower and upper Sb layers in the precursor stacks respectively. Change of structure and introduction of stress were observed in the CIGS thin films with upper Sb layer in stack through XRD and Raman measurement. Both crystalline quality and compactness of CIGS thin films were improved by the doping of upper Sb layer in stack and the CIGS thin film showed an optimal structural property with 20 nm Sb layer. Movement of Fermi level of the surface of CIGS thin film after doping of upper Sb layer in stack and electrons transfer between Cu/Cu+ redox couple and CIGS thin films, which provided probability for the substitution of Sb for Cu sites at the surface of CIGS thin films, were proposed to explain the migration of Cu from the surface to the bulk of CIGS thin films. The larger barrier at the CIGS/CdS interface after doping of upper Sb layer in stack made contribution to the increase of VOC of CIGS solar cells. The efficiency of CIGS solar cell was improved from 3.3% to 7.2% after doping with 20 nm upper Sb. Compared to the CIGS solar cell with lower Sb layer in stack, in which an additional Cu2-xSe phase was found, the CIGS solar cell with upper Sb layer in stack possessed a higher efficiency.

Evaluation of double-layer density modulated Si thin films as Li-ion battery anodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taha Demirkan, Muhammed; Yurukcu, Mesut; Dursun, Burcu; Demir-Cakan, Rezan; Karabacak, Tansel

2017-10-01

Double-layer density modulated silicon thin films which contain alternating low and high density Si film layers were fabricated by magnetron sputtering. Two different samples consisting of alternating layers of high-density/low-density and low-density/high-density Si thin film layers were investigated as anode electrodes in Li-ion batteries. Si thin film in which the terminating layer at the top is low density Si layer-quoted as low-density/high-density film (LD/HD)- exhibits better performance than Si thin film that has high density layer at the top, -quoted as high-density/low-density (HD/LD). A highly stabilized cycling performance with the specific charge capacities of 2000 mAh g-1 at the 150th cycle at C/2 current density, and 1200 mAh g-1 at the 240th cycle at 10 C current density were observed for the LD/HD Si anode in the presence of fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) electrolyte additive.

Spilled oil and infaunal activity - Modification of burrowing behavior and redistribution of oil

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clifton, H.E.; Kvenvolden, K.A.; Rapp, J.B.

1984-01-01

A series of experiments in Willapa Bay, Washington, indicates the degree to which the presence of spilled oil modifies the burrowing behavior of infauna and the extent to which the animals redistribute oil into intertidal sediment. Small amounts of North Slope crude oil introduced at low tide directly into burrow openings (mostly made by the crustacean Callianassa) resulted in a limited and temporary reduction in the number of burrow openings. In contrast, a layer of oil-saturated sand 1 cm thick buried about 5 cm below the sediment surface sharply reduced the number of burrow openings. After a year, the few new burrows penetrated only the margins of the experimental plot, and bioturbation below the buried oil-saturated sand layer declined dramatically. The experiments suggest that small amounts of oil temporarily stranded by tides in themselves have no long-range effect on burrowing behavior. The fauna, however, are capable of introducing measurable amounts of oil into the subsurface, where it is retained long after the rest of the stranded oil had washed away. A buried layer of oil-saturated sand greatly reduces infaunal activity; the oil presents an effective barrier that can persist for years. The oil incorporated into the sediment from burrow openings showed evidence of degradation after 7 months. In contrast the layer of buried oil remained essentially undergraded after a period of two years, even though oil in lower concentrations above the layer was degraded after a period of one year. This variation in degree of degradation of the buried oil, as well as the heterogeneity of oil distribution wherever the oil has been incorporated from the surface, emphasises the importance of careful sampling in any attempt to locate or monitor the presence of spilled oil in the substrate.In a series of experiments in Willapa Bay, Washington, small amounts of North Slope crude oil introduced at low tide directly into burrow openings resulted in a limited and temporary reduction in the number of burrow openings. In contrast, a layer of oil-saturated sand 1 cm thick buried about 5 cm below the sediment surface sharply reduced the number of burrow openings. After a year, the few new burrows penetrated only the margins of the experimental plot, and bioturbation below the buried oil-saturated sand layer declined dramatically. The experiments suggest that small amounts of oil temporarily stranded by tides in themselves have no long-range effect on burrowing behavior. The oil incorporated into the sediment from burrow openings showed evidence of degradation after 17 months. In contrast, the layer of buried oil remained essentially undegraded after a period of two years. Refs.

Photovoltaic devices comprising cadmium stannate transparent conducting films and method for making

DOEpatents

Wu, Xuanzhi; Coutts, Timothy J.; Sheldon, Peter; Rose, Douglas H.

1999-01-01

A photovoltaic device having a substrate, a layer of Cd.sub.2 SnO.sub.4 disposed on said substrate as a front contact, a thin film comprising two or more layers of semiconductor materials disposed on said layer of Cd.sub.2 SnO.sub.4, and an electrically conductive film disposed on said thin film of semiconductor materials to form a rear electrical contact to said thin film. The device is formed by RF sputter coating a Cd.sub.2 SnO.sub.4 layer onto a substrate, depositing a thin film of semiconductor materials onto the layer of Cd.sub.2 SnO.sub.4, and depositing an electrically conductive film onto the thin film of semiconductor materials.

Amplitude various angles (AVA) phenomena in thin layer reservoir: Case study of various reservoirs

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

Nurhandoko, Bagus Endar B., E-mail: bagusnur@bdg.centrin.net.id, E-mail: bagusnur@rock-fluid.com; Rock Fluid Imaging Lab., Bandung; Susilowati, E-mail: bagusnur@bdg.centrin.net.id, E-mail: bagusnur@rock-fluid.com

2015-04-16

Amplitude various offset is widely used in petroleum exploration as well as in petroleum development field. Generally, phenomenon of amplitude in various angles assumes reservoir’s layer is quite thick. It also means that the wave is assumed as a very high frequency. But, in natural condition, the seismic wave is band limited and has quite low frequency. Therefore, topic about amplitude various angles in thin layer reservoir as well as low frequency assumption is important to be considered. Thin layer reservoir means the thickness of reservoir is about or less than quarter of wavelength. In this paper, I studied aboutmore » the reflection phenomena in elastic wave which considering interference from thin layer reservoir and transmission wave. I applied Zoeppritz equation for modeling reflected wave of top reservoir, reflected wave of bottom reservoir, and also transmission elastic wave of reservoir. Results show that the phenomena of AVA in thin layer reservoir are frequency dependent. Thin layer reservoir causes interference between reflected wave of top reservoir and reflected wave of bottom reservoir. These phenomena are frequently neglected, however, in real practices. Even though, the impact of inattention in interference phenomena caused by thin layer in AVA may cause inaccurate reservoir characterization. The relation between classes of AVA reservoir and reservoir’s character are different when effect of ones in thin reservoir and ones in thick reservoir are compared. In this paper, I present some AVA phenomena including its cross plot in various thin reservoir types based on some rock physics data of Indonesia.« less

Critical Infrastructure Rebuild Prioritization using Simulation Optimization

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

23 Figure 2.9 Production by temperature and production made from a crude oil (EIA.com)24 Figure 2.10 Natural gas industry... Oil infrastructure physical layer ...................................................................... 45 Figure 3.6 Natural gas infrastructure...information layer.......................................................... 55 Figure 3.11 Oil infrastructure information layer

Next-Generation Sequencing Assessment of Eukaryotic Diversity in Oil Sands Tailings Ponds Sediments and Surface Water.

PubMed

Aguilar, Maria; Richardson, Elisabeth; Tan, BoonFei; Walker, Giselle; Dunfield, Peter F; Bass, David; Nesbø, Camilla; Foght, Julia; Dacks, Joel B

2016-11-01

Tailings ponds in the Athabasca oil sands (Canada) contain fluid wastes, generated by the extraction of bitumen from oil sands ores. Although the autochthonous prokaryotic communities have been relatively well characterized, almost nothing is known about microbial eukaryotes living in the anoxic soft sediments of tailings ponds or in the thin oxic layer of water that covers them. We carried out the first next-generation sequencing study of microbial eukaryotic diversity in oil sands tailings ponds. In metagenomes prepared from tailings sediment and surface water, we detected very low numbers of sequences encoding eukaryotic small subunit ribosomal RNA representing seven major taxonomic groups of protists. We also produced and analysed three amplicon-based 18S rRNA libraries prepared from sediment samples. These revealed a more diverse set of taxa, 169 different OTUs encompassing up to eleven higher order groups of eukaryotes, according to detailed classification using homology searching and phylogenetic methods. The 10 most abundant OTUs accounted for > 90% of the total of reads, vs. large numbers of rare OTUs (< 1% abundance). Despite the anoxic and hydrocarbon-enriched nature of the environment, the tailings ponds harbour complex communities of microbial eukaryotes indicating that these organisms should be taken into account when studying the microbiology of the oil sands. © 2016 The Author(s) Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology © 2016 International Society of Protistologists.

Carbonyl Compounds Produced by Vaporizing Cannabis Oil Thinning Agents.

PubMed

Troutt, William D; DiDonato, Matthew D

2017-11-01

Cannabis use has increased in the United States, particularly the use of vaporized cannabis oil, which is often mixed with thinning agents for use in vaporizing devices. E-cigarette research shows that heated thinning agents produce potentially harmful carbonyls; however, similar studies have not been conducted (1) with agents that are commonly used in the cannabis industry and (2) at temperatures that are appropriate for cannabis oil vaporization. The goal of this study was to determine whether thinning agents used in the cannabis industry produce potentially harmful carbonyls when heated to a temperature that is appropriate for cannabis oil vaporization. Four thinning agents (propylene glycol [PG], vegetable glycerin [VG], polyethylene glycol 400 [PEG 400], and medium chain triglycerides [MCT]) were heated to 230°C and the resulting vapors were tested for acetaldehyde, acrolein, and formaldehyde. Each agent was tested three times. Testing was conducted in a smoking laboratory. Carbonyl levels were measured in micrograms per puff block. Analyses showed that PEG 400 produced significantly higher levels of acetaldehyde and formaldehyde than PG, MCT, and VG. Formaldehyde production was also significantly greater in PG compared with MCT and VG. Acrolein production did not differ significantly across the agents. PG and PEG 400 produced high levels of acetaldehyde and formaldehyde when heated to 230°C. Formaldehyde production from PEG 400 isolate was particularly high, with one inhalation accounting for 1.12% of the daily exposure limit, nearly the same exposure as smoking one cigarette. Because PG and PEG 400 are often mixed with cannabis oil, individuals who vaporize cannabis oil products may risk exposure to harmful formaldehyde levels. Although more research is needed, consumers and policy makers should consider these potential health effects before use and when drafting cannabis-related legislation.

Uncooled thin film pyroelectric IR detector with aerogel thermal isolation

DOEpatents

Ruffner, Judith A.; Bullington, Jeff A.; Clem, Paul G.; Warren, William L.; Brinker, C. Jeffrey; Tuttle, Bruce A.; Schwartz, Robert W.

1999-01-01

A monolithic infrared detector structure which allows integration of pyroelectric thin films atop low thermal conductivity aerogel thin films. The structure comprises, from bottom to top, a substrate, an aerogel insulating layer, a lower electrode, a pyroelectric layer, and an upper electrode layer capped by a blacking layer. The aerogel can offer thermal conductivity less than that of air, while providing a much stronger monolithic alternative to cantilevered or suspended air-gap structures for pyroelectric thin film pixel arrays. Pb(Zr.sub.0.4 Ti.sub.0.6)O.sub.3 thin films deposited on these structures displayed viable pyroelectric properties, while processed at 550.degree. C.

Separated rupture and retraction of a bi-layer free film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, Peter; Feng, Jie; Griffiths, Ian

2017-11-01

We investigate the dynamics of a rising air bubble in an aqueous phase coated with a layer of oil. Recent experiments have shown that bubble rupture at the compound air/oil/aqueous interface can effectively disperse submicrometre oil droplets into the aqueous phase, suggesting a possible mechanism for clean-up of oil spillages on the surface of the ocean. Using a theoretical model we consider the stability of the long liquid free film formed as the bubble reaches the free surface, composed of two immiscible layers of differing viscosities, where each layer experiences a van der Waals force between its interfaces. For an excess of surfactant on one gas-liquid interface we show that the instability manifests as distinct rupture events, with the oil layer rupturing first and retracting over the in-tact water layer beneath, consistent with the experimental observations. We use our model to examine the dynamics of oil retraction, showing that it follows a power-law for short times, and examine the influence of retraction on the stability of the water layer.

Microstructure and thermochromic properties of VOX-WOX-VOX ceramic thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khamseh, S.; Araghi, H.; Ghahari, M.; Faghihi Sani, M. A.

2016-03-01

W-doped VO2 films have been synthesized via oxygen annealing of V-W-V (vanadium-tungsten-vanadium) multilayered films. The effects of middle layer's thickness of V-W-V multilayered film on structure and properties of VOX-WOX-VOX ceramic thin films were investigated. The as-deposited V-W-V multilayered film showed amorphous-like structure when mixed structure of VO2 (M) and VO2 (B) was formed in VOX-WOX-VOX ceramic thin films. Tungsten content of VOX-WOX-VOX ceramic thin films increased with increasing middle layer's thickness. With increasing middle layer's thickness, room temperature square resistance ( R sq) of VOX-WOX-VOX ceramic thin films increased from 65 to 86 kΩ/sq. The VOX-WOX-VOX ceramic thin film with the thinnest middle layer showed significant SMT (semiconductor-metal transition) when SMT became negligible on increasing middle layer's thickness.

Evaluation of 107 legumes for renewable source of energy

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

Roth, W.B.; Carr, M.E.; Cull, I.M.

One hundred and seven species of randomly-collected Leguminosae were evaluated for their potential as energy-producing crops. Whole plants, excluding roots, were chemically analyzed, and 11 species were identified as the more promising for future considerations based on a numerical rating system developed at this Center. Botanical, fiber, and protein characteristics of the more promising species that had rating of less than 11 were considered excellent. Other characteristics, including contents of oil (1.7-3.2%; dry, ash-free, sample basis), polyphenol (5.4-16.5%), and hydrocarbon (0.3-0.6% for 10 species and 2.6% for one), were generally lower than those of promising species in other families previouslymore » analyzed. Of the 11 species, one contained principally rubber (polyisoprene) in the hydrocarbon fraction and 7 contained principally wax. Hydrocarbon fractions of 3 species with less than 0.4% were not examined. The oils of species with at least 3.0% oil were examined by thin layer chromatography (TLC) to determine classes of components and were given a saponification treatment to determine yields of unsaponifiable matter and fatty acids. The oil of one species was quantitatively analyzed for classes of compounds by TLC-flame ionization detection. Selected species with ratings greater than 10 are briefly discussed.« less

Weathering Patterns of Ignitable Liquids with the Advanced Distillation Curve Method

PubMed Central

Bruno, Thomas J; Allen, Samuel

2013-01-01

One can take advantage of the striking similarity of ignitable liquid vaporization (or weathering) patterns and the separation observed during distillation to predict the composition of residual compounds in fire debris. This is done with the advanced distillation curve (ADC) metrology, which separates a complex fluid by distillation into fractions that are sampled, and for which thermodynamically consistent temperatures are measured at atmospheric pressure. The collected sample fractions can be analyzed by any method that is appropriate. Analytical methods we have applied include gas chromatography (with flame ionization, mass spectrometric and sulfur chemiluminescence detection), thin layer chromatography, FTIR, Karl Fischer coulombic titrimetry, refractometry, corrosivity analysis, neutron activation analysis and cold neutron prompt gamma activation analysis. We have applied this method on product streams such as finished fuels (gasoline, diesel fuels, aviation fuels, rocket propellants), crude oils (including a crude oil made from swine manure) and waste oils streams (used automotive and transformer oils). In this paper, we present results on a variety of ignitable liquids that are not commodity fuels, chosen from the Ignitable Liquids Reference Collection (ILRC). These measurements are assembled into a preliminary database. From this selection, we discuss the significance and forensic application of the temperature data grid and the composition explicit data channel of the ADC. PMID:26401423

Weathering Patterns of Ignitable Liquids with the Advanced Distillation Curve Method.

PubMed

Bruno, Thomas J; Allen, Samuel

2013-01-01

One can take advantage of the striking similarity of ignitable liquid vaporization (or weathering) patterns and the separation observed during distillation to predict the composition of residual compounds in fire debris. This is done with the advanced distillation curve (ADC) metrology, which separates a complex fluid by distillation into fractions that are sampled, and for which thermodynamically consistent temperatures are measured at atmospheric pressure. The collected sample fractions can be analyzed by any method that is appropriate. Analytical methods we have applied include gas chromatography (with flame ionization, mass spectrometric and sulfur chemiluminescence detection), thin layer chromatography, FTIR, Karl Fischer coulombic titrimetry, refractometry, corrosivity analysis, neutron activation analysis and cold neutron prompt gamma activation analysis. We have applied this method on product streams such as finished fuels (gasoline, diesel fuels, aviation fuels, rocket propellants), crude oils (including a crude oil made from swine manure) and waste oils streams (used automotive and transformer oils). In this paper, we present results on a variety of ignitable liquids that are not commodity fuels, chosen from the Ignitable Liquids Reference Collection (ILRC). These measurements are assembled into a preliminary database. From this selection, we discuss the significance and forensic application of the temperature data grid and the composition explicit data channel of the ADC.

Analysis of the Control Factors of Groundwater Petroleum Hydrocarbons Contamination in a City’s West Part

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, L. H.; Ma, Z. M.; Liu, Z. W.

2018-05-01

Based on study of the hydrogeological condition and the characteristics of petroleum hydrocarbons pollution in karst groundwater, an oil refinery located in western part of a certain city is chosen as the study site to have an analysis on the control factors of groundwater petroleum hydrocarbons contamination. The study result shows that the control factors of groundwater petroleum hydrocarbons contamination are hydrogeological condition and biodegradation. The soil layer of Quaternary is very thin, the limestone is exposed in the surface, which makes the petroleum hydrocarbons easy to permeate into the water bearing layer. Karst-fractured zone in aquifer determines the migration way of petroleum hydrocarbons to be convection, but the magmatic rock in northern part has certain blocking effect on the migration of petroleum hydrocarbons. Biodegradation makes both the contamination plume area of petroleum hydrocarbons and the content of petroleum hydrocarbons decreased.

System and Method for Fabricating Super Conducting Circuitry on Both Sides of an Ultra-Thin Layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Ari D. (Inventor); Mikula, Vilem (Inventor)

2017-01-01

A method of fabricating circuitry in a wafer includes depositing a superconducting metal on a silicon on insulator wafer having a handle wafer, coating the wafer with a sacrificial layer and bonding the wafer to a thermally oxide silicon wafer with a first epoxy. The method includes flipping the wafer, thinning the flipped wafer by removing a handle wafer, etching a buried oxide layer, depositing a superconducting layer, bonding the wafer to a thermally oxidized silicon wafer having a handle wafer using an epoxy, flipping the wafer again, thinning the flipped wafer, etching a buried oxide layer from the wafer and etching the sacrificial layer from the wafer. The result is a wafer having superconductive circuitry on both sides of an ultra-thin silicon layer.

Photoluminescence-based quality control for thin film absorber layers of photovoltaic devices

DOEpatents

Repins, Ingrid L.; Kuciauskas, Darius

2015-07-07

A time-resolved photoluminescence-based system providing quality control during manufacture of thin film absorber layers for photovoltaic devices. The system includes a laser generating excitation beams and an optical fiber with an end used both for directing each excitation beam onto a thin film absorber layer and for collecting photoluminescence from the absorber layer. The system includes a processor determining a quality control parameter such as minority carrier lifetime of the thin film absorber layer based on the collected photoluminescence. In some implementations, the laser is a low power, pulsed diode laser having photon energy at least great enough to excite electron hole pairs in the thin film absorber layer. The scattered light may be filterable from the collected photoluminescence, and the system may include a dichroic beam splitter and a filter that transmit the photoluminescence and remove scattered laser light prior to delivery to a photodetector and a digital oscilloscope.

Device and method for luminescence enhancement by resonant energy transfer from an absorptive thin film

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

Akselrod, Gleb M.; Bawendi, Moungi G.; Bulovic, Vladimir

Disclosed are a device and a method for the design and fabrication of the device for enhancing the brightness of luminescent molecules, nanostructures, and thin films. The device includes a mirror, a dielectric medium or spacer, an absorptive layer, and a luminescent layer. The absorptive layer is a continuous thin film of a strongly absorbing organic or inorganic material. The luminescent layer may be a continuous luminescent thin film or an arrangement of isolated luminescent species, e.g., organic or metal-organic dye molecules, semiconductor quantum dots, or other semiconductor nanostructures, supported on top of the absorptive layer.

Advanced germanium layer transfer for ultra thin body on insulator structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maeda, Tatsuro; Chang, Wen-Hsin; Irisawa, Toshifumi; Ishii, Hiroyuki; Hattori, Hiroyuki; Poborchii, Vladimir; Kurashima, Yuuichi; Takagi, Hideki; Uchida, Noriyuki

2016-12-01

We present the HEtero-Layer Lift-Off (HELLO) technique to obtain ultra thin body (UTB) Ge on insulator (GeOI) substrates. The transferred ultra thin Ge layers are characterized by the Raman spectroscopy measurements down to the thickness of ˜1 nm, observing a strong Raman intensity enhancement for high quality GeOI structure in ultra thin regime due to quantum size effect. This advanced Ge layer transfer technique enabled us to demonstrate UTB-GeOI nMOSFETs with the body thickness of only 4 nm.

Y1Ba2Cu3O(6+delta) growth on thin Y-enhanced SiO2 buffer layers on silicon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robin, T.; Mesarwi, A.; Wu, N. J.; Fan, W. C.; Espoir, L.; Ignatiev, A.; Sega, R.

1991-01-01

SiO2 buffer layers as thin as 2 nm have been developed for use in the growth of Y1Ba2Cu3O(6+delta) thin films on silicon substrates. The SiO2 layers are formed through Y enhancement of silicon oxidation, and are highly stoichiometric. Y1Ba2Cu3O(6+delta) film growth on silicon with thin buffer layers has shown c orientation and Tc0 = 78 K.

Photovoltaic devices comprising cadmium stannate transparent conducting films and method for making

DOEpatents

Wu, X.; Coutts, T.J.; Sheldon, P.; Rose, D.H.

1999-07-13

A photovoltaic device is disclosed having a substrate, a layer of Cd[sub 2]SnO[sub 4] disposed on said substrate as a front contact, a thin film comprising two or more layers of semiconductor materials disposed on said layer of Cd[sub 2]SnO[sub 4], and an electrically conductive film disposed on said thin film of semiconductor materials to form a rear electrical contact to said thin film. The device is formed by RF sputter coating a Cd[sub 2]SnO[sub 4] layer onto a substrate, depositing a thin film of semiconductor materials onto the layer of Cd[sub 2]SnO[sub 4], and depositing an electrically conductive film onto the thin film of semiconductor materials. 10 figs.

delta 13C analyses of vegetable oil fatty acid components, determined by gas chromatography--combustion--isotope ratio mass spectrometry, after saponification or regiospecific hydrolysis.

PubMed

Woodbury, S E; Evershed, R P; Rossell, J B

1998-05-01

The delta 13C values of the major fatty acids of several different commercially important vegetable oils were measured by gas chromatography--combustion--isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The delta 13C values obtained were found to fall into two distinct groups, representing the C3 and C4 plants classes from which the oils were derived. The delta 13C values of the oils were measured by continuous flow elemental isotope ratio mass spectrometry and were found to be similar to their fatty acids, with slight differences between individual fatty acids. Investigations were then made into the influence on the delta 13C values of fatty acids of the position occupied on the glycerol backbone. Pancreatic lipase was employed to selectively hydrolyse fatty acids from the 1- and 3-positions with the progress of the reaction being followed by high-temperature gas chromatography in order to determine the optimum incubation time. The 2-monoacylglycerols were then isolated by thin-layer chromatography and fatty acid methyl esters prepared. The delta 13C values obtained indicate that fatty acids from any position on the glycerol backbone are isotopically identical. Thus, whilst quantification of fatty acid composition at the 2-position and measurement of delta 13C values of oils and their major fatty acids are useful criteria in edible oil purity assessment, measurement of delta 13C values of fatty acids from the 2-position does not assist with oil purity assignments.

Layered Organization in the Coastal Ocean: 4-D Assessment of Thin Layer Structure, Dynamics and Impacts

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-30

maintenance and dissipation of layers; (2) to understand the spatial coherence and spatial properties of thin layers in the coastal ocean (especially in...ORCAS profilers at K1 South and K2 had a Nortek ADV (Acoustic Doppler Velocity meter) for simultaneously measuring centimeter- scale currents and...year will be used to (1) detect the presence, intensity, thickness, temporal persistence, and spatial coherence of thin optical and acoustical layers

A tri-layer thin film containing graphene oxide to protect zinc substrates from wear

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ying; Gu, Zhengpeng; Yuan, Ningyi; Chu, Fuqiang; Cheng, Guanggui; Ding, Jianning

2018-06-01

Due to its excellent properties, Zn alloy is widely used in daily life. However, the poor wear-resisting properties of Zn alloys limits their application. In this paper, a tri-layer thin film consisting of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APS), graphene oxide (GO) and perfluoropolyethers (PFPE) were successfully prepared on the surface of Zn alloy to improve the wear-resisting properties. The as-prepared tri-layer thin films were characterized by atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and contact angle measurement. In addition, the tribological properties of the as-prepared tri-layer thin films were studied on a ball-on-plate tribometer and the morphologies of worn surfaces were observed using 3D noncontact interferometric microscope. Compared with the control samples, the tri-layer thin films showed excellent friction-reducing and wear-resisting properties, which was attributed to the synergistic effect of the GO as the load-carrying layer and the PFPE as the lubricating layer.

Fabrication of Crack-Free Barium Titanate Thin Film with High Dielectric Constant Using Sub-Micrometric Scale Layer-by-Layer E-Jet Deposition

PubMed Central

Liang, Junsheng; Li, Pengfei; Wang, Dazhi; Fang, Xu; Ding, Jiahong; Wu, Junxiong; Tang, Chang

2016-01-01

Dense and crack-free barium titanate (BaTiO3, BTO) thin films with a thickness of less than 4 μm were prepared by using sub-micrometric scale, layer-by-layer electrohydrodynamic jet (E-jet) deposition of the suspension ink which is composed of BTO nanopowder and BTO sol. Impacts of the jet height and line-to-line pitch of the deposition on the micro-structure of BTO thin films were investigated. Results show that crack-free BTO thin films can be prepared with 4 mm jet height and 300 μm line-to-line pitch in this work. Dielectric constant of the prepared BTO thin film was recorded as high as 2940 at 1 kHz at room temperature. Meanwhile, low dissipation factor of the BTO thin film of about 8.6% at 1 kHz was also obtained. The layer-by-layer E-jet deposition technique developed in this work has been proved to be a cost-effective, flexible and easy to control approach for the preparation of high-quality solid thin film. PMID:28787860

MultiLayer solid electrolyte for lithium thin film batteries

DOEpatents

Lee, Se -Hee; Tracy, C. Edwin; Pitts, John Roland; Liu, Ping

2015-07-28

A lithium metal thin-film battery composite structure is provided that includes a combination of a thin, stable, solid electrolyte layer [18] such as Lipon, designed in use to be in contact with a lithium metal anode layer; and a rapid-deposit solid electrolyte layer [16] such as LiAlF.sub.4 in contact with the thin, stable, solid electrolyte layer [18]. Batteries made up of or containing these structures are more efficient to produce than other lithium metal batteries that use only a single solid electrolyte. They are also more resistant to stress and strain than batteries made using layers of only the stable, solid electrolyte materials. Furthermore, lithium anode batteries as disclosed herein are useful as rechargeable batteries.

Enhanced interfacial deformation in a Marangoni flow: A measure of the dynamical surface tension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leite Pinto, Rodrigo; Le Roux, Sébastien; Cantat, Isabelle; Saint-Jalmes, Arnaud

2018-02-01

We investigate the flows and deformations resulting from the deposition of a water soluble surfactant at a bare oil-water interface. Once the surfactant is deposited, we show that the oil-water interface is deformed with a water bump rising upward into the oil. For a given oil, the maximal deformation—located at the surfactant deposition point—decreases with the oil-layer thickness. We also observe a critical oil-layer thickness below which the deformation becomes as large as the oil layer, leading to the rupture of this layer and an oil-water dewetting. Experimentally, it is found that this critical thickness depends on the oil density and viscosity. We then provide an analytical modelization that explains quantitatively all these experimental features. In particular, our analysis allows us to derive an analytical relationship between the vertical profile of the oil-water interface and the in-plane surface tension profile. Therefore, we propose that the monitoring of the interface vertical shape can be used as a new spatially resolved tensiometry technique.

Developments of the Physical and Electrical Properties of NiCr and NiCrSi Single-Layer and Bi-Layer Nano-Scale Thin-Film Resistors.

PubMed

Cheng, Huan-Yi; Chen, Ying-Chung; Li, Chi-Lun; Li, Pei-Jou; Houng, Mau-Phon; Yang, Cheng-Fu

2016-02-25

In this study, commercial-grade NiCr (80 wt % Ni, 20 wt % Cr) and NiCrSi (55 wt % Ni, 40 wt % Cr, 5 wt % Si) were used as targets and the sputtering method was used to deposit NiCr and NiCrSi thin films on Al₂O₃ and Si substrates at room temperature under different deposition time. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that the NiCr and NiCrSi thin films were amorphous phase, and the field-effect scanning electronic microscope observations showed that only nano-crystalline grains were revealed on the surfaces of the NiCr and NiCrSi thin films. The log (resistivity) values of the NiCr and NiCrSi thin-film resistors decreased approximately linearly as their thicknesses increased. We found that the value of temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR value) of the NiCr thin-film resistors was positive and that of the NiCrSi thin-film resistors was negative. To investigate these thin-film resistors with a low TCR value, we designed a novel bi-layer structure to fabricate the thin-film resistors via two different stacking methods. The bi-layer structures were created by depositing NiCr for 10 min as the upper (or lower) layer and depositing NiCrSi for 10, 30, or 60 min as the lower (or upper) layer. We aim to show that the stacking method had no apparent effect on the resistivity of the NiCr-NiCrSi bi-layer thin-film resistors but had large effect on the TCR value.

Developments of the Physical and Electrical Properties of NiCr and NiCrSi Single-Layer and Bi-Layer Nano-Scale Thin-Film Resistors

PubMed Central

Cheng, Huan-Yi; Chen, Ying-Chung; Li, Chi-Lun; Li, Pei-Jou; Houng, Mau-Phon; Yang, Cheng-Fu

2016-01-01

In this study, commercial-grade NiCr (80 wt % Ni, 20 wt % Cr) and NiCrSi (55 wt % Ni, 40 wt % Cr, 5 wt % Si) were used as targets and the sputtering method was used to deposit NiCr and NiCrSi thin films on Al2O3 and Si substrates at room temperature under different deposition time. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that the NiCr and NiCrSi thin films were amorphous phase, and the field-effect scanning electronic microscope observations showed that only nano-crystalline grains were revealed on the surfaces of the NiCr and NiCrSi thin films. The log (resistivity) values of the NiCr and NiCrSi thin-film resistors decreased approximately linearly as their thicknesses increased. We found that the value of temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR value) of the NiCr thin-film resistors was positive and that of the NiCrSi thin-film resistors was negative. To investigate these thin-film resistors with a low TCR value, we designed a novel bi-layer structure to fabricate the thin-film resistors via two different stacking methods. The bi-layer structures were created by depositing NiCr for 10 min as the upper (or lower) layer and depositing NiCrSi for 10, 30, or 60 min as the lower (or upper) layer. We aim to show that the stacking method had no apparent effect on the resistivity of the NiCr-NiCrSi bi-layer thin-film resistors but had large effect on the TCR value. PMID:28344296

Monitoring the layer-by-layer self-assembly of graphene and graphene oxide by spectroscopic ellipsometry.

PubMed

Zhou, Kai-Ge; Chang, Meng-Jie; Wang, Hang-Xing; Xie, Yu-Long; Zhang, Hao-Li

2012-01-01

Thin films of graphene oxide, graphene and copper (II) phthalocyanine dye have been successfully fabricated by electrostatic layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly approach. We present the first variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE) investigation on these graphene-dye hybrid thin films. The thickness evaluation suggested that our LbL assembly process produces highly uniform and reproducible thin films. We demonstrate that the refractive indices of the graphene-dye thin films undergo dramatic variation in the range close to the absorption of the dyes. This investigation provides new insight to the optical properties of graphene containing thin films and shall help to establish an appropriate optical model for graphene-based hybrid materials.

In vitro antifungal activity of different components of Centratherum anthelminticum and Ocimum sanctum seed oils and their synergism against oral pathogenic fungi

PubMed Central

H Gopalkrishna, Aparna; M, Seshagiri; Muddaiah, Sunil; R, Shashidara

2016-01-01

Background. Opportunistic fungal infections like candidiasis are common in the oral cavity. In recent years Candida species have shown resistance against a number of synthetic drugs. This study assessed the antifungal activity of Centratherum anthelminticum and Ocimum sanctum seed oils against six common pathogenic Candida strains. Synergistic activity of the major oil components was also studied. Methods. Antifungal activity of Centratherum anthelminticum and Ocimum sanctum seed oils were tested against six oral fungal pathogens, Candida albicans ATCC 90028, Candida krusei 6258, Candida tropicalis 13803, Candida parapsilosis22019, Candida glabrata 90030 and Candida dubliniensis MYA 646, by disc diffusion and broth microdilution methods to determine the diameter of inhibition zone (DIZ) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), respectively. The oil was extracted using Soxhlet apparatus from seeds subjected to columnchromatography (CC) and thin layer chromatography (TLC) and major components were separated and quantified. Results. All the six Candida strains showed growth inhibition to a variable degree when tested with both seed oils. Both seed oils showed antifungal activity. For Centratherum anthelminticum seed oil maximum DIZ at 7 μL was recorded at 75.7 mm for Candida albicans ATCC 90028, and the least DIZ was 45.7 mm for Candida dubliniensis MYA 646. For Ocimum sanctum seed oil maximum DIZ at 7 μL was 61.0 mm for Candida krusei ATCC 6258 and the least DIZ was 46.7 mm for Candida tropicalis ATCC 13803. The mixtures of phospholipids and unsaponifiable matter exhibitedMIC values at 1.25 μL for both oils, whereas neutral lipids fraction and unsaponifiable matter exhibited similar MIC at 2.5 μL against Candida albicans and Candida krusei. Conclusion.Centratherum anthelminticum and Ocimum sanctumseed oils exhibited strong antifungal activity against six different species of Candida and this may be attributed to various active components in the oil and their synergistic activity. PMID:27429725

Influences of Indium Tin Oxide Layer on the Properties of RF Magnetron-Sputtered (BaSr)TiO3 Thin Films on Indium Tin Oxide-Coated Glass Substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Tae Song; Oh, Myung Hwan; Kim, Chong Hee

1993-06-01

Nearly stoichiometric ((Ba+Sr)/Ti=1.08-1.09) and optically transparent (BaSr)TiO3 thin films were deposited on an indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass substrate by means of rf magnetron sputtering for their application to the insulating layer of an electroluminescent flat panel display. The influence of the ITO layer on the properties of (BaSr)TiO3 thin films deposited on the ITO-coated substrate was investigated. The ITO layer did not affect the crystallographic orientation of (BaSr)TiO3 thin film, but enhanced the grain growth. Another effect of the ITO layer on (BaSr)TiO3 thin films was the interdiffusion phenomenon, which was studied by means of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). As the substrate temperature increased, interdiffusion intensified at the interface not only between the grown film and ITO layer but also between the ITO layer and base glass substrate. The refractive index (nf) of (BaSr)TiO3 thin film deposited on a bare glass substrate was 2.138-2.286, as a function of substrate temperature.

Corrosion-resistant multilayer structures with improved reflectivity

DOEpatents

Soufli, Regina; Fernandez-Perea, Monica; Robinson, Jeff C.

2013-04-09

In one general embodiment, a thin film structure includes a substrate; a first corrosion barrier layer above the substrate; a reflective layer above the first corrosion barrier layer, wherein the reflective layer comprises at least one repeating set of sub-layers, wherein one of the sub-layers of each set of sub-layers being of a corrodible material; and a second corrosion barrier layer above the reflective layer. In another general embodiment, a system includes an optical element having a thin film structure as recited above; and an image capture or spectrometer device. In a further general embodiment, a laser according to one embodiment includes a light source and the thin film structure as recited above.

Internal hypersonic flow. [in thin shock layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, T. C.; Rubin, S. G.

1974-01-01

An approach for studying hypersonic internal flow with the aid of a thin-shock-layer approximation is discussed, giving attention to a comparison of thin-shock-layer results with the data obtained on the basis of the imposition theory or a finite-difference integration of the Euler equations. Relations in the case of strong interaction are considered together with questions of pressure distribution and aspects of the boundary-layer solution.

Methods for producing thin film charge selective transport layers

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

Hammond, Scott Ryan; Olson, Dana C.; van Hest, Marinus Franciscus Antonius Maria

Methods for producing thin film charge selective transport layers are provided. In one embodiment, a method for forming a thin film charge selective transport layer comprises: providing a precursor solution comprising a metal containing reactive precursor material dissolved into a complexing solvent; depositing the precursor solution onto a surface of a substrate to form a film; and forming a charge selective transport layer on the substrate by annealing the film.

Al-/Ga-Doped ZnO Window Layers for Highly Efficient Cu₂ZnSn(S,Se)₄ Thin Film Solar Cells.

PubMed

Seo, Se Won; Seo, Jung Woo; Kim, Donghwan; Cheon, Ki-Beom; Lee, Doh-Kwon; Kim, Jin Young

2018-09-01

The successful use of Al-/Ga-doped ZnO (AGZO) thin films as a transparent conducting oxide (TCO) layer of a Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) thin film solar cell is demonstrated. The AGZO thin films were prepared by radio frequency (RF) sputtering. The structural, crystallographic, electrical, and optical properties of the AGZO thin films were systematically investigated. The photovoltaic properties of CZTSSe thin film solar cells incorporating the AGZO-based TCO layer were also reported. It has been found that the RF power and substrate temperature of the AGZO thin film are important factors determining the electrical, optical, and structural properties. The optimization process involving the RF power and the substrate temperature leads to good electrical and optical transmittance of the AGZO thin films. Finally, the CZTSSe solar cell with the AGZO TCO layer demonstrated a high conversion efficiency of 9.68%, which is higher than that of the conventional AZO counterpart by 12%.

Growth and optical property characterization of textured barium titanate thin films for photonic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dicken, Matthew J.; Diest, Kenneth; Park, Young-Bae; Atwater, Harry A.

2007-03-01

We have investigated the growth of barium titanate thin films on bulk crystalline and amorphous substrates utilizing biaxially oriented template layers. Ion beam-assisted deposition was used to grow thin, biaxially textured, magnesium oxide template layers on amorphous and silicon substrates. Growth of highly oriented barium titanate films on these template layers was achieved by molecular beam epitaxy using a layer-by-layer growth process. Barium titanate thin films were grown in molecular oxygen and in the presence of oxygen radicals produced by a 300 W radio frequency plasma. We used X-ray and in situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) to analyze the structural properties and show the predominantly c-oriented grains in the films. Variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry was used to analyze and compare the optical properties of the thin films grown with and without oxygen plasma. We have shown that optical quality barium titanate thin films, which show bulk crystal-like properties, can be grown on any substrate through the use of biaxially oriented magnesium oxide template layers.

Advances in Measurement of Skin Friction in Airflow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, James L.; Naughton, Jonathan W.

2006-01-01

The surface interferometric skin-friction (SISF) measurement system is an instrument for determining the distribution of surface shear stress (skin friction) on a wind-tunnel model. The SISF system utilizes the established oil-film interference method, along with advanced image-data-processing techniques and mathematical models that express the relationship between interferograms and skin friction, to determine the distribution of skin friction over an observed region of the surface of a model during a single wind-tunnel test. In the oil-film interference method, a wind-tunnel model is coated with a thin film of oil of known viscosity and is illuminated with quasi-monochromatic, collimated light, typically from a mercury lamp. The light reflected from the outer surface of the oil film interferes with the light reflected from the oil-covered surface of the model. In the present version of the oil-film interference method, a camera captures an image of the illuminated model and the image in the camera is modulated by the interference pattern. The interference pattern depends on the oil-thickness distribution on the observed surface, and this distribution can be extracted through analysis of the image acquired by the camera. The oil-film technique is augmented by a tracer technique for observing the streamline pattern. To make the streamlines visible, small dots of fluorescentchalk/oil mixture are placed on the model just before a test. During the test, the chalk particles are embedded in the oil flow and produce chalk streaks that mark the streamlines. The instantaneous rate of thinning of the oil film at a given position on the surface of the model can be expressed as a function of the instantaneous thickness, the skin-friction distribution on the surface, and the streamline pattern on the surface; the functional relationship is expressed by a mathematical model that is nonlinear in the oil-film thickness and is known simply as the thin-oil-film equation. From the image data acquired as described, the time-dependent oil-thickness distribution and streamline pattern are extracted and by inversion of the thin-oil-film equation it is then possible to determine the skin-friction distribution. In addition to a quasi-monochromatic light source, the SISF system includes a beam splitter and two video cameras equipped with filters for observing the same area on a model in different wavelength ranges, plus a frame grabber and a computer for digitizing the video images and processing the image data. One video camera acquires the interference pattern in a narrow wavelength range of the quasi-monochromatic source. The other video camera acquires the streamline image of fluorescence from the chalk in a nearby but wider wavelength range. The interference- pattern and fluorescence images are digitized, and the resulting data are processed by an algorithm that inverts the thin-oil-film equation to find the skin-friction distribution.

Structural rearrangement of β-lactoglobulin at different oil-water interfaces and its effect on emulsion stability.

PubMed

Zhai, Jiali; Wooster, Tim J; Hoffmann, Søren V; Lee, Tzong-Hsien; Augustin, Mary Ann; Aguilar, Marie-Isabel

2011-08-02

Understanding the factors that control protein structure and stability at the oil-water interface continues to be a major focus to optimize the formulation of protein-stabilized emulsions. In this study, a combination of synchrotron radiation circular dichroism spectroscopy, front-face fluorescence spectroscopy, and dual polarization interferometry (DPI) was used to characterize the conformation and geometric structure of β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg) upon adsorption to two oil-water interfaces: a hexadecane-water interface and a tricaprylin-water interface. The results show that, upon adsorption to both oil-water interfaces, β-Lg went through a β-sheet to α-helix transition with a corresponding loss of its globular tertiary structure. The degree of conformational change was also a function of the oil phase polarity. The hexadecane oil induced a much higher degree of non-native α-helix compared to the tricaprylin oil. In contrast to the β-Lg conformation in solution, the non-native α-helical-rich conformation of β-Lg at the interface was resistant to further conformational change upon heating. DPI measurements suggest that β-Lg formed a thin dense layer at emulsion droplet surfaces. The effects of high temperature and the presence of salt on these β-Lg emulsions were then investigated by monitoring changes in the ζ-potential and particle size. In the absence of salt, high electrostatic repulsion meant β-Lg-stabilized emulsions were resistant to heating to 90 °C. Adding salt (120 mM NaCl) before or after heating led to emulsion flocculation due to the screening of the electrostatic repulsion between colloidal particles. This study has provided insight into the structural properties of proteins adsorbed at the oil-water interface and has implications in the formulation and production of emulsions stabilized by globular proteins.

Effect of different coating layer on the topography and optical properties of ZnO nanostructured

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamed, R.; Mamat, M. H.; Malek, M. F.; Ismail, A. S.; Yusoff, M. M.; Asiah, M. N.; Khusaimi, Z.; Rusop, M.

2018-05-01

Magnesium (Mg) and aluminum (Al) co-doped zinc oxide (MAZO) thin films were synthesized on glass substrate by sol-gel spin coating method. MAZO thin films were prepared at different coating layers range from 1 to 9. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) was used to investigate the topography of the thin films. According to the AFM results, Root Means Square (RMS) of MAZO thin films was increased from 0.747 to 6.545 nm, with increase of number coating layer from 1 to 9, respectively. The results shown the variation on structural and topography properties of MAZO seed film when it's deposited at different coating layers on glass substrate. The optical properties was analyzed using UV-Vis spectroscopy. The obtained results show that the transmittance spectra was increased as thin films coating layer increases.

Thin layer model for nonlinear evolution of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, K. G.; Wang, L. F.; Xue, C.; Ye, W. H.; Wu, J. F.; Ding, Y. K.; Zhang, W. Y.

2018-03-01

On the basis of the thin layer approximation [Ott, Phys. Rev. Lett. 29, 1429 (1972)], a revised thin layer model for incompressible Rayleigh-Taylor instability has been developed to describe the deformation and nonlinear evolution of the perturbed interface. The differential equations for motion are obtained by analyzing the forces (the gravity and pressure difference) of fluid elements (i.e., Newton's second law). The positions of the perturbed interface are obtained from the numerical solution of the motion equations. For the case of vacuum on both sides of the layer, the positions of the upper and lower interfaces obtained from the revised thin layer approximation agree with that from the weakly nonlinear (WN) model of a finite-thickness fluid layer [Wang et al., Phys. Plasmas 21, 122710 (2014)]. For the case considering the fluids on both sides of the layer, the bubble-spike amplitude from the revised thin layer model agrees with that from the WN model [Wang et al., Phys. Plasmas 17, 052305 (2010)] and the expanded Layzer's theory [Goncharov, Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 134502 (2002)] in the early nonlinear growth regime. Note that the revised thin layer model can be applied to investigate the perturbation growth at arbitrary Atwood numbers. In addition, the large deformation (the large perturbed amplitude and the arbitrary perturbed distributions) in the initial stage can also be described by the present model.

Two-dimensional models for the optical response of thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yilei; Heinz, Tony F.

2018-04-01

In this work, we present a systematic study of 2D optical models for the response of thin layers of material under excitation by normally incident light. The treatment, within the framework of classical optics, analyzes a thin film supported by a semi-infinite substrate, with both the thin layer and the substrate assumed to exhibit local, isotropic linear response. Starting from the conventional three-dimensional (3D) slab model of the system, we derive a two-dimensional (2D) sheet model for the thin film in which the optical response is described by a sheet optical conductivity. We develop criteria for the applicability of this 2D sheet model for a layer with an optical thickness far smaller than the wavelength of the light. We examine in detail atomically thin semi-metallic and semiconductor van-der-Waals layers and ultrathin metal films as representative examples. Excellent agreement of the 2D sheet model with the 3D slab model is demonstrated over a broad spectral range from the radio frequency limit to the near ultraviolet. A linearized version of system response for the 2D model is also presented for the case where the influence of the optically thin layer is sufficiently weak. Analytical expressions for the applicability and accuracy of the different optical models are derived, and the appropriateness of the linearized treatment for the materials is considered. We discuss the advantages, as well as limitations, of these models for the purpose of deducing the optical response function of the thin layer from experiment. We generalize the theory to take into account in-plane anisotropy, layered thin film structures, and more general substrates. Implications of the 2D model for the transmission of light by the thin film and for the implementation of half- and totally absorbing layers are discussed.

Application of Satellite SAR for Discovery and Quantification of Natural Marine Oil Seeps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amos, J.; Lai, R.; Zimmer, B.; Leiva, A.; MacDonald, I.

2006-12-01

Natural marine oil seeps discharge gassy drops from the seafloor. Oil drops and gas bubbles reach the surface from water depths as great as 3000m. The oil spreads rapidly, forming an invisible layer that drifts down-wind and down-current in long, linear streaks called slicks. Oil slicks are visible in SAR data because the surfactant dampens capillary waves and reduces backscatter. Application of SAR as an exploration tool in energy prospecting is well-established. We have applied this technique for discovering the chemosynthetic communities that colonize the seafloor in the vicinity of deep-water seeps on the continental margin of the Gulf of Mexico. The management goal for this effort is to prevent harmful impact to these communities resulting from exploration or production activities. The scientific goals are to delineate the zoogeography of the chemosynthetic fauna, which is widespread on continental margins, and to establish study sites where their life history can be investigated. In the course of an ongoing, multidisciplinary study in the spring and summer of 2006, we explored 20 possible sites where SAR and geophysical data indicated seeps might occur. SAR was only partly diagnostic: all sites with SAR-detected slicks were found to have biologic communities, but communities were also found at geophysical anomalies that did not produce slicks. We acquired over 60 RADARSAT SAR images from the northern Gulf of Mexico in cooperation with the Alaska Satellite Facility. The ship RV ATLANTIS was at sea during the acquisition and collected synoptic weather and oceanographic data. To automate interpretation of large image dataset we have employed texture recognition with use of a library of textons applied iteratively to the images. This treatment shows promise in distinguishing floating oil from false targets generated by rain fronts and other phenomena. One goal of the analysis is to delineate bounding boxes to quantify the ocean area covered by the thin oil layer. These data can be used to estimate the magnitude of discharge and the flow rates. A second goal is to distinguish the ends of the slicks proximal to the seafloor sources. These results can be used to eventually census the number of active seeps in the entire Gulf of Mexico basin. Finally, successful automation to map active seep locations and delineate slicks lays the foundation for a satellite-based monitoring system to detect oil pollution events throughout the Gulf.

Polydimethylsiloxane Droplets Exhibit Extraordinarily High Antioxidative Effects in Deep-Frying.

PubMed

Totani, Nagao; Yazaki, Naoko; Yawata, Miho

2017-04-03

The addition of more than about 1 ppm polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) into oil results in PDMS forming both a layer at the oil-air interface and droplets suspended in the oil. It is widely accepted that the extraordinarily strong and stable antioxidative effects of PDMS are due to the PDMS layer. However, the PDMS layer showed no antioxidative effects when canola oil did not contain droplets but rather was covered with a layer of PDMS, then subjected to heating under high agitation to mimic deep-frying. Furthermore, no antioxidative effect was exhibited by oil-soluble methylphenylsiloxane (PMPS) in canola oil or by PDMS in PDMS-soluble canola oil fatty acid ester during heating, suggesting that PDMS must be insoluble and droplets in oil in order for PDMS to exhibit an antioxidative effect during deep-frying. The zeta potential of PDMS droplets suspended in canola oil was very high and thus the negatively charged PDMS droplets should attract nearby low molecular weight compounds. It was suggested that this attraction disturbed the motion of oxygen molecules and prevented their attack against unsaturated fatty acid moiety. This would be the reason in the deep-frying why PDMS suppressed the oxidation reaction of oil. PDMS droplets also attracted volatile compounds (molecular weight below 125 Da) generated by heating canola oil. Thus, adding PDMS to oil after heating the oil resulted in the heated oil smelling less than heated oil without PDMS.

Initial formation of calcite crystals in the thin prismatic layer with the periostracum of Pinctada fucata.

PubMed

Suzuki, Michio; Nakayama, Seiji; Nagasawa, Hiromichi; Kogure, Toshihiro

2013-02-01

Although the formation mechanism of calcite crystals in the prismatic layer has been studied well in many previous works, the initial state of calcite formation has not been observed in detail using electron microscopes. In this study, we report that the soft prismatic layer with transparent color (the thin prismatic layer) in the tip of the fresh shell of Pinctada fucata was picked up to observe the early calcification phase. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) image showed that the growth tip of the thin prismatic layer was covered by the periostracum, which was also where the initial formation of calcite crystals began. A cross-section containing the thin calcite crystals in the thin prismatic layer with the periostracum was made using a focused ion beam (FIB) system. In a transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation, the thin calcite crystal (thickness is about 1μm) on the periostracum was found to be a single crystal with the c-axis oriented perpendicular to the shell surface. On the other hand, many aggregated small particles consisting of bassanite crystals were observed in the periostracum suggesting the possibility that not only organic sulfate but also inorganic sulfates exist in the prismatic layer. These discoveries in the early calcification phase of the thin prismatic layer may help to clarify the mechanism of regulating the nucleation and orientation of the calcite crystal in the shell. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Blocking Gastric Lipase Adsorption and Displacement Processes with Viscoelastic Biopolymer Adsorption Layers.

PubMed

Scheuble, Nathalie; Lussi, Micha; Geue, Thomas; Carrière, Frédéric; Fischer, Peter

2016-10-10

Delayed fat digestion might help to fight obesity. Fat digestion begins in the stomach by adsorption of gastric lipases to oil/water interfaces. In this study we show how biopolymer covered interfaces can act as a physical barrier for recombinant dog gastric lipase (rDGL) adsorption and thus gastric lipolysis. We used β-lactoglobulin (β-lg) and thermosensitive methylated nanocrystalline cellulose (metNCC) as model biopolymers to investigate the role of interfacial fluid dynamics and morphology for interfacial displacement processes by rDGL and polysorbate 20 (P20) under gastric conditions. Moreover, the influence of the combination of the flexible β-lg and the elastic metNCC was studied. The interfaces were investigated combining interfacial techniques, such as pendant drop, interfacial shear and dilatational rheology, and neutron reflectometry. Displacement of biopolymer layers depended mainly on the fluid dynamics and thickness of the layers, both of which were drastically increased by the thermal induced gelation of metNCC at body temperature. Soft, thin β-lg interfaces were almost fully displaced from the interface, whereas the composite β-lg-metNCC layer thermogelled to a thick interfacial layer incorporating β-lg as filler material and therefore resisted higher shear forces than a pure metNCC layer. Hence, with metNCC alone lipolysis by rDGL was inhibited, whereas the layer performance could be increased by the combination with β-lg.

Buffer layers for high-Tc thin films on sapphire

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, X. D.; Foltyn, S. R.; Muenchausen, R. E.; Cooke, D. W.; Pique, A.; Kalokitis, D.; Pendrick, V.; Belohoubek, E.

1992-01-01

Buffer layers of various oxides including CeO2 and yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) have been deposited on R-plane sapphire. The orientation and crystallinity of the layers were optimized to promote epitaxial growth of YBa2Cu3O(7-delta) (YBCO) thin films. An ion beam channeling minimum yield of about 3 percent was obtained in the CeO2 layer on sapphire, indicating excellent crystallinity of the buffer layer. Among the buffer materials used, CeO2 was found to be the best one for YBCO thin films on R-plane sapphire. High Tc and Jc were obtained in YBCO thin films on sapphire with buffer layers. Surface resistances of the YBCO films were about 4 mOmega at 77 K and 25 GHz.

New Material Development for Surface Layer and Surface Technology in Tribology Science to Improve Energy Efficiency

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

Ismail, R., E-mail: rifky-mec@yahoo.com; Tauviqirrahman, M., E-mail: rifky-mec@yahoo.com; Laboratory for Surface Technology and Tribology, Faculty of Engineering Technology, University of Twente, Enschede

This paper reviews the development of new material and surface technology in tribology and its contribution to energy efficiency. Two examples of the economic benefits, resulted from the optimum tribology in the transportation sector and the manufacturing industry are discussed. The new materials are proposed to modify the surface property by laminating the bulk material with thin layer/coating. Under a suitable condition, the thin layer on a surface can provide a combination of good wear, a low friction and corrosion resistance for the mechanical components. The innovation in layer technology results molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), diamond like carbon (DLC), cubic boronmore » nitride (CBN) and diamond which perform satisfactory outcome. The application of the metallic coatings to carbon fibre reinforced polymer matrix composites (CFRP) has the capacity to provide considerable weight and power savings for many engineering components. The green material for lubricant and additives such as the use of sunflower oil which possesses good oxidation resistance and the use of mallee leaves as bio‐degradable solvent are used to answer the demand of the environmentally friendly material with good performance. The tribology research implementation for energy efficiency also touches the simple things around us such as: erasing the laser‐print in a paper with different abrasion techniques. For the technology in the engineering surface, the consideration for generating the suitable surface of the components in running‐in period has been discussed in order to prolong the components life and reduce the machine downtime. The conclusion, tribology can result in reducing manufacturing time, reducing the maintenance requirements, prolonging the service interval, improving durability, reliability and mechanical components life, and reducing harmful exhaust emission and waste. All of these advantages will increase the energy efficiency and the economic benefits.« less

New Material Development for Surface Layer and Surface Technology in Tribology Science to Improve Energy Efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ismail, R.; Tauviqirrahman, M.; Jamari, Jamari; Schipper, D. J.

2009-09-01

This paper reviews the development of new material and surface technology in tribology and its contribution to energy efficiency. Two examples of the economic benefits, resulted from the optimum tribology in the transportation sector and the manufacturing industry are discussed. The new materials are proposed to modify the surface property by laminating the bulk material with thin layer/coating. Under a suitable condition, the thin layer on a surface can provide a combination of good wear, a low friction and corrosion resistance for the mechanical components. The innovation in layer technology results molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), diamond like carbon (DLC), cubic boron nitride (CBN) and diamond which perform satisfactory outcome. The application of the metallic coatings to carbon fibre reinforced polymer matrix composites (CFRP) has the capacity to provide considerable weight and power savings for many engineering components. The green material for lubricant and additives such as the use of sunflower oil which possesses good oxidation resistance and the use of mallee leaves as bio-degradable solvent are used to answer the demand of the environmentally friendly material with good performance. The tribology research implementation for energy efficiency also touches the simple things around us such as: erasing the laser-print in a paper with different abrasion techniques. For the technology in the engineering surface, the consideration for generating the suitable surface of the components in running-in period has been discussed in order to prolong the components life and reduce the machine downtime. The conclusion, tribology can result in reducing manufacturing time, reducing the maintenance requirements, prolonging the service interval, improving durability, reliability and mechanical components life, and reducing harmful exhaust emission and waste. All of these advantages will increase the energy efficiency and the economic benefits.

Layered ultra-thin coherent structures used as electrical resistors having low-temperature coefficient of resistivity

DOEpatents

Werner, T.R.; Falco, C.M.; Schuller, I.K.

1982-08-31

A thin film resistor having a controlled temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) ranging from negative to positive degrees kelvin and having relatively high resistivity. The resistor is a multilayer superlattice crystal containing a plurality of alternating, ultra-thin layers of two different metals. TCR is varied by controlling the thickness of the individual layers. The resistor can be readily prepared by methods compatible with thin film circuitry manufacturing techniques.

Improving the performance of an electrowetting lenticular lens array by using a thin polycarbonate chamber.

PubMed

Lee, Junsik; Kim, Junoh; Kim, Cheoljoong; Shin, Dooseub; Koo, Gyohyun; Sim, Jee Hoon; Won, Yong Hyub

2016-12-26

In this paper, we used a thin polycarbonate (PC) chamber to improve the performance of an electrowetting lenticular lens array. The polycarbonate chamber changed the radius of curvature (ROC) of the oil acting as a lens, which increased the dioptric power of the liquid lens to 1666.7D. The increase in dioptric power required a reduction in the distance between the optical center of the lens and the display pixels under the chamber, which was accomplished by reducing the thickness of the chamber. The optimal thickness of the chamber was determined to be 0.5mm. Using this thin PC chamber, transmittance and viewing angle were measured and compared with an electrowetting lenticular lens with a conventional 1mm poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) chamber was done. Crosstalk which degrades clear 3D images, is an inevitable factor in lenticular lens type multi-view systems. With the 0.5mm PC chamber, the viewing zone was expanded and the ratio of the crosstalk area was reduced, which resulted in a clear 3D image. The new method of depositing the electrode layer also ensured the uniform operation of the liquid lens array.

Chlorogenic acid content, essential oil compositions, and in vitro antioxidant activities of Chromolaena odorata leaves

PubMed Central

Pitakpawasutthi, Yamon; Thitikornpong, Worathat; Palanuvej, Chanida; Ruangrungsi, Nijsiri

2016-01-01

Chromolaena odorata (L.) R. M. King and H. Rob. is a Thai medicinal plant used for the treatment of wounds, rashes, diabetes, and insect repellent. The leaves of C. odorata were collected from 10 different sources throughout Thailand. The chemical constituents of essential oils were hydro-distilled from the leaves and were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Chlorogenic acid contents were determined by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) - densitometry with winCATS software and TLC image analysis with ImageJ software. The TLC plate was developed in the mobile phase that consisted of ethyl acetate:water:formic acid (17:3:2). Antioxidant activities were examined by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and β-carotene bleaching assays. C. odorata essential oil has shown the major components of pregeijerene, dauca-5, 8-diene, (E)-caryophyllene, β-pinene, and α-pinene. The chlorogenic acid content of C. odorata leaves was determined by TLC-densitometry and TLC image analysis. Results have shown that TLC-densitometry and TLC image analysis method were not statistically significantly different. DPPH radical scavenging and β-carotene bleaching assays of ethanolic extract of C. odorata leaves showed its antioxidant potential. PMID:27144150

Effect of ZnO buffer layer on phase transition properties of vanadium dioxide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Huiqun; Li, Lekang; Li, Chunbo

2016-03-01

VO2 thin films were prepared on ZnO buffer layers by DC magnetron sputtering at room temperature using vanadium target and post annealing at 400 °C. The ZnO buffer layers with different thickness deposited on glass substrates by magnetron sputtering have a high visible and near infrared optical transmittance. The electrical resistivity and the phase transition properties of the VO2/ZnO composite thin films in terms of temperature were investigated. The results showed that the resistivity variation of VO2 thin film with ZnO buffer layer deposited for 35 min was 16 KΩ-cm. The VO2/ZnO composite thin films exhibit a reversible semiconductor-metal phase transition at 48 °C.

Thin-Layer Fuel Cell for Teaching and Classroom Demonstrations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shirkhanzadeh, M.

2009-01-01

A thin-layer fuel cell is described that is simple and easy to set up and is particularly useful for teaching and classroom demonstrations. The cell is both an electrolyzer and a fuel cell and operates using a thin layer of electrolyte with a thickness of approximately 127 micrometers and a volume of approximately 40 microliters. As an…

Experimental Study on Oil Displacement Mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pi, Yanfu; Shao, Hongzhi; Pi, Yanming; Liu, Li

2018-02-01

In this work, the objective is enhancing oil recovery in offshore heavy oil after polymer flooding. The heterogeneous physical model is especially designed for oil fields with heavy oil. The comparative study of the two displacement experiments was carried out, and the experimental data was compared and analysed. The comparison between scheme one and scheme two was analysed from the production curve. The patterns of cores are analysed and compared with each other. It was found that the oil in the high permeability layer and medium permeability layer had been widely removed in the stage of binary combination flooding. There was a high degree of use in the low permeability layer. The recovery ratio is 66.29%. After polymer flooding, the addition of binary combination flooding in the heavy oil reservoir can greatly enhance oil recovery.

Characterization and migration of oil and solids in oily sludge during centrifugation.

PubMed

Wang, Jun; Han, Xu; Huang, Qunxing; Ma, Zengyi; Chi, Yong; Yan, Jianhua

2018-05-01

The migration behaviors of oil, water and solids in sludge during centrifugation were elaborated. Size distribution, surface topography and lypohydrophilic properties were studied in detail. The average size of solids was 61 μm in original sludge, 31 μm in upper layer and 235 μm in bottom layer. The result shows that solvent is essential to separate oil phase into molecular light and weight fractions during centrifugation. With solvent/oil ratio increases from 1:2, 1:1, 2:1 to 5:1, molecular weight in upper layer decreases from 1044, 1043, 1020 to 846 combined with that in bottom layer increases. A model was proposed to calculate the oil residue content in solid phases after sedimentation. The findings of this paper provide information for optimizing the oil recovery and clean treatment.

The evolution of spatial ordering of oil drops fast spreading on a water surface

PubMed Central

Yamamoto, Daigo; Nakajima, Chika; Shioi, Akihisa; Krafft, Marie Pierre; Yoshikawa, Kenichi

2015-01-01

The design of dynamically self-assembled systems is of high interest in science and technology. Here, we report a unique cascade in the self-ordering of droplets accompanied by a dewetting transition. The dynamic self-emergent droplets are observed when a thin liquid layer of an immiscible fluorocarbon oil (perfluorooctyl bromide, PFOB) is placed on a water surface. Due to the gradual evaporation of PFOB, a circular PFOB-free domain appears as a result of a local dewetting transition. A circular pearling structure is generated at the rim with the growth of the dewetting hole. As the next stage, linear arrays of droplets are generated in a radial manner from the centre of the hole. These one-dimensional arrangements then evolve into two-dimensional hexagonal arrays of microdroplets through collective rhythmical shrinking/expanding motions. The emergence of such dynamic patterns is discussed in terms of the nonlinear kinetics of the dewetting transition under thermodynamically dissipative conditions. PMID:25998157

Antifouling Transparent ZnO Thin Films Fabricated by Atmospheric Pressure Cold Plasma Deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzaki, Yoshifumi; Du, Jinlong; Yuji, Toshifumi; Miyagawa, Hayato; Ogawa, Kazufumi

2015-09-01

One problem with outdoor-mounted solar panels is that power generation efficiency is reduced by face plate dirt; a problem with electronic touch panels is the deterioration of screen visibility caused by finger grease stains. To solve these problems, we should fabricate antifouling surfaces which have superhydrophobic and oil-repellent properties without spoiling the transparency of the transparent substrate. In this study, an antifouling surface with both superhydrophobicity and oil-repellency was fabricated on a glass substrate by forming a fractal microstructure. The fractal microstructure was constituted of transparent silica particles 100 nm in diameter and transparent zinc-oxide columns grown on silica particles through atmospheric pressure cold plasma deposition; the sample surface was coated with a chemically adsorbed monomolecular layer. Samples were obtained which had a superhydrophobic property (with a water droplet contact angle of more than 150°) and a high average transmittance of about 90% (with wavelengths ranging from 400 nm to 780 nm).

Optical characterizations of silver nanoprisms embedded in polymer thin film layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlberg, Miriam; Pourcin, Florent; Margeat, Olivier; Le Rouzo, Judikael; Berginc, Gerard; Sauvage, Rose-Marie; Ackermann, Jorg; Escoubas, Ludovic

2017-10-01

The precise control of light-matter interaction has a wide range of applications and is currently driven by the use of nanoparticles (NPs) by the recent advances in nanotechnology. Taking advantage of the material, size, shape, and surrounding media dependence of the optical properties of plasmonic NPs, thin film layers with tunable optical properties are achieved. The NPs are synthesized by wet chemistry and embedded in a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) polymer thin film layer. Spectrophotometer and spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements are coupled to finite-difference time domain numerical modeling to optically characterize the heterogeneous thin film layers. Silver nanoprisms of 10 to 50 nm edge size exhibit high absorption through the visible wavelength range. A simple optical model composed of a Cauchy law and a Lorentz law, accounting for the optical properties of the nonabsorbing polymer and the absorbing property of the nanoprisms, fits the spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements. Knowing the complex optical indices of heterogeneous thin film layers let us design layers of any optical properties.

Extracting elastic properties of an atomically thin interfacial layer by time-domain analysis of femtosecond acoustics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, H.-Y.; Huang, Y.-R.; Shih, H.-Y.; Chen, M.-J.; Sheu, J.-K.; Sun, C.-K.

2017-11-01

Modern devices adopting denser designs and complex 3D structures have created much more interfaces than before, where atomically thin interfacial layers could form. However, fundamental information such as the elastic property of the interfacial layers is hard to measure. The elastic property of the interfacial layer is of great importance in both thermal management and nano-engineering of modern devices. Appropriate techniques to probe the elastic properties of interfacial layers as thin as only several atoms are thus critically needed. In this work, we demonstrated the feasibility of utilizing the time-resolved femtosecond acoustics technique to extract the elastic properties and mass density of a 1.85-nm-thick interfacial layer, with the aid of transmission electron microscopy. We believe that this femtosecond acoustics approach will provide a strategy to measure the absolute elastic properties of atomically thin interfacial layers.

Production, deformation and mechanical investigation of magnetic alginate capsules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zwar, Elena; Kemna, Andre; Richter, Lena; Degen, Patrick; Rehage, Heinz

2018-02-01

In this article we investigated the deformation of alginate capsules in magnetic fields. The sensitivity to magnetic forces was realised by encapsulating an oil in water emulsion, where the oil droplets contained dispersed magnetic nanoparticles. We solved calcium ions in the aqueous emulsion phase, which act as crosslinking compounds for forming thin layers of alginate membranes. This encapsulating technique allows the production of flexible capsules with an emulsion as the capsule core. It is important to mention that the magnetic nanoparticles were stable and dispersed throughout the complete process, which is an important difference to most magnetic alginate-based materials. In a series of experiments, we used spinning drop techniques, capsule squeezing experiments and interfacial shear rheology in order to determine the surface Young moduli, the surface Poisson ratios and the surface shear moduli of the magnetically sensitive alginate capsules. In additional experiments, we analysed the capsule deformation in magnetic fields. In spinning drop and capsule squeezing experiments, water droplets were pressed out of the capsules at elevated values of the mechanical load. This phenomenon might be used for the mechanically triggered release of water-soluble ingredients. After drying the emulsion-filled capsules, we produced capsules, which only contained a homogeneous oil phase with stable suspended magnetic nanoparticles (organic ferrofluid). In the dried state, the thin alginate membranes of these particles were rather rigid. These dehydrated capsules could be stored at ambient conditions for several months without changing their properties. After exposure to water, the alginate membranes rehydrated and became flexible and deformable again. During this swelling process, water diffused back in the capsule. This long-term stability and rehydration offers a great spectrum of different applications as sensors, soft actuators, artificial muscles or drug delivery systems.

Thermo-chemical extraction of fuel oil from waste lubricating grease.

PubMed

Pilusa, Tsietsi Jefrey; Muzenda, Edison; Shukla, Mukul

2013-06-01

This study investigated the recovery of oil from waste grease through the process of thermal degradation in an aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide (KOH) followed by solvent extraction. Waste high temperature metal bearing grease was dissolved in a 15 w/w% KOH solution at 80°C while being agitated at 2000 rpm using a shear action agitator for a period of 15 min. Two distinct layers were observed after 8 min of settling time. The top layer being of dark brown oil and the bottom layer was a heterogeneous mixture. The two layers were separated by decantation. The bottom layer was cooled down to 45°C followed by slow addition of toluene (C7H8) while agitating at 1200 rpm for 15 min to prevent solids settling and minimise rapid volatilisation of the organic compounds in the mixture. Two distinct layers were also formed, the top homogeneous mixture of light brown oil-toluene mixture and the bottom sludge layer. The solvent was recovered from the oil for re-use by fractional distillation of the homogenous mixture. It was observed that 15 w/w% potassium hydroxide solution can chemically degrade the soap matrix in the grease and extract up to 49 w/w% of the fuel oil when subjected to high shear stress at a temperature of 80°C. The 26 w/w% extraction of oil in the remaining sludge was obtained by solvent extraction process with mass ratios of sludge to solvent of 2:1. Solvent recovery of 88% by mass was obtained via fractional distillation method. The combined extraction processes brought an overall oil yield of 75 w/w% from the waste grease. The fuel oil obtained from this process has similar properties to paraffin oil and can be blended with other oils as an alternative energy source. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emulsion Inks for 3D Printing of High Porosity Materials.

PubMed

Sears, Nicholas A; Dhavalikar, Prachi S; Cosgriff-Hernandez, Elizabeth M

2016-08-01

Photocurable emulsion inks for use with solid freeform fabrication (SFF) to generate constructs with hierarchical porosity are presented. A high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) templating technique was utilized to prepare water-in-oil emulsions from a hydrophobic photopolymer, surfactant, and water. These HIPEs displayed strong shear thinning behavior that permitted layer-by-layer deposition into complex shapes and adequately high viscosity at low shear for shape retention after extrusion. Each layer was actively polymerized with an ultraviolet cure-on-dispense (CoD) technique and compositions with sufficient viscosity were able to produce tall, complex scaffolds with an internal lattice structure and microscale porosity. Evaluation of the rheological and cure properties indicated that the viscosity and cure rate both played an important role in print fidelity. These 3D printed polyHIPE constructs benefit from the tunable pore structure of emulsion templated material and the designed architecture of 3D printing. As such, these emulsion inks can be used to create ultra high porosity constructs with complex geometries and internal lattice structures not possible with traditional manufacturing techniques. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A pore-level scenario for the development of mixed-wettability in oil reservoirs

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

Kovscek, A.R.; Wong, H.; Radke, C.J.

Understanding the role of thin films in porous media is vital if wettability is to be elucidated at the pore level. The type and thickness of films coating pore walls determines reservoir wettability and whether or not reservoir rock can be altered from its initial state of wettability. Pore shape, especially pore wall curvature, is an important factor in determining wetting-film thicknesses. Yet, pore shape and the physics of thin wetting films are generally neglected in models of flow in porous rocks. This paper incorporates thin-film forces into a collection of star-shaped capillary tubes model to describe the geological developmentmore » of mixed-wettability in reservoir rock. Here, mixed-wettability refers to continuous and distinct oil and water-wetting surfaces coexisting in the porous medium. The proposed model emphasizes the remarkable role of thin films. New pore-level fluid configurations arise that are quite unexpected. For example, efficient water displacement of oil (i.e, low residual oil saturation) characteristic of mixed-wettability porous media is ascribed to interconnected oil lenses or rivulets which bridge the walls adjacent to a pore corner. Predicted residual oil saturations are approximately 35 % less in mixed-wet rock compared to completely water-wet rock. Calculated capillary pressure curves mimic those of mixed-wet porous media in the primary drainage of water, imbibition of water, and secondary drainage modes. Amott-Harvey indices range from {minus}0.18 to 0.36 also in good agreement with experimental values. (Morrow et al, 1986; Judhunandan and Morrow, 1991).« less

Determination of the Mass Absorption Coefficient in Two-Layer Ti/V and V/Ti Thin Film Systems by the X-Ray Fluorescence Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mashin, N. I.; Chernyaeva, E. A.; Tumanova, A. N.; Gafarova, L. M.

2016-03-01

A new XRF procedure for the determination of the mass absorption coefficient in thin film Ti/V and V/Ti two-layer systems has been proposed. The procedure uses easy-to-make thin-film layers of sputtered titanium and vanadium on a polymer film substrate. Correction coefficients have been calculated that take into account attenuation of primary radiation of the X-ray tube, as well as attenuation of the spectral line of the bottom layer element in the top layer.

High Performance and Highly Reliable ZnO Thin Film Transistor Fabricated by Atomic Layer Deposition for Next Generation Displays

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-19

zinc oxide ( ZnO ) thin film as an active channel layer in TFT has become of great interest owing to their specific...630-0192 Japan Phone: +81-743-72-6060 Fax: +81-743-72-6069 E-mail: uraoka@ms.naist.jp Keywords: zinc oxide , thin film transistors , atomic layer...deposition Symposium topic: Transparent Semiconductors Oxides [Abstract] In this study, we fabricated TFTs using ZnO thin film as the

Well logging evaluation of water-flooded layers and distribution rule of remaining oil in marine sandstone reservoirs of the M oilfield in the Pearl River Mouth basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiongyan; Qin, Ruibao; Gao, Yunfeng; Fan, Hongjun

2017-03-01

In the marine sandstone reservoirs of the M oilfield the water cut is up to 98%, while the recovery factor is only 35%. Additionally, the distribution of the remaining oil is very scattered. In order to effectively assess the potential of the remaining oil, the logging evaluation of the water-flooded layers and the distribution rule of the remaining oil are studied. Based on the log response characteristics, the water-flooded layers can be qualitatively identified. On the basis of the mercury injection experimental data of the evaluation wells, the calculation model of the initial oil saturation is built. Based on conventional logging data, the evaluation model of oil saturation is established. The difference between the initial oil saturation and the residual oil saturation can be used to quantitatively evaluate the water-flooded layers. The evaluation result of the water-flooded layers is combined with the ratio of the water-flooded wells in the marine sandstone reservoirs. As a result, the degree of water flooding in the marine sandstone reservoirs can be assessed. On the basis of structural characteristics and sedimentary environments, the horizontal and vertical water-flooding rules of the different types of reservoirs are elaborated upon, and the distribution rule of the remaining oil is disclosed. The remaining oil is mainly distributed in the high parts of the structure. The remaining oil exists in the top of the reservoirs with good physical properties while the thickness of the remaining oil ranges from 2-5 m. However, the thickness of the remaining oil of the reservoirs with poor physical properties ranges from 5-8 m. The high production of some of the drilled horizontal wells shows that the above distribution rule of the remaining oil is accurate. In the marine sandstone reservoirs of the M oilfield, the research on the well logging evaluation of the water-flooded layers and the distribution rule of the remaining oil has great practical significance to the prediction of the distribution of the remaining oil and the optimization of well locations.

Domain matched epitaxial growth of (111) Ba{sub 0.5}Sr{sub 0.5}TiO{sub 3} thin films on (0001) Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} with ZnO buffer layer

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

Krishnaprasad, P. S., E-mail: pskrishnaprasu@gmail.com, E-mail: mkj@cusat.ac.in; Jayaraj, M. K., E-mail: pskrishnaprasu@gmail.com, E-mail: mkj@cusat.ac.in; Antony, Aldrin

2015-03-28

Epitaxial (111) Ba{sub 0.5}Sr{sub 0.5}TiO{sub 3} (BST) thin films have been grown by pulsed laser deposition on (0001) Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} substrate with ZnO as buffer layer. The x-ray ω-2θ, Φ-scan and reciprocal space mapping indicate epitaxial nature of BST thin films. The domain matched epitaxial growth of BST thin films over ZnO buffer layer was confirmed using Fourier filtered high resolution transmission electron microscope images of the film-buffer interface. The incorporation of ZnO buffer layer effectively suppressed the lattice mismatch and promoted domain matched epitaxial growth of BST thin films. Coplanar inter digital capacitors fabricated on epitaxial (111) BSTmore » thin films show significantly improved tunable performance over polycrystalline thin films.« less

Experimental Study of Acid Treatment Toward Characterization of Structural, Optical, and Morphological Properties of TiO2-SnO2 Composite Thin Film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fajar, M. N.; Hidayat, R.; Triwikantoro; Endarko

2018-04-01

The TiO2-SnO2 thin film with single and double-layer structure has successfully synthesized on FTO (Fluorine-doped Tin Oxide) substrate using the screen printing technique. The structural, optical, and morphological properties of the film were investigated by XRD, UV-Vis, and SEM, respectively. The results showed that the single and double-layer structure of TiO2-SnO2 thin film has mixed phase with a strong formation of casseritte phase. The acid treatment effect on TiO2-SnO2 thin film decreases the peak intensity of anatase phase formation and thin film’s absorbance values. The morphological study is also revealed that the single layer TiO2-SnO2 thin film had a more porous nature and decreased particle size distribution after acid treatment, while the double-layer TiO2-SnO2 thin film Eroded due to acid treatment.

Nanopore thin film enabled optical platform for drug loading and release.

PubMed

Song, Chao; Che, Xiangchen; Que, Long

2017-08-07

In this paper, a drug loading and release device fabricated using nanopore thin film and layer-by-layer (LbL) nanoassembly is reported. The nanopore thin film is a layer of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO), consisting of honeycomb-shape nanopores. Using the LbL nanoassembly process, the drug, using gentamicin sulfate (GS) as the model, can be loaded into the nanopores and the stacked layers on the nanopore thin film surface. The drug release from the device is achieved by immersing it into flowing DI water. Both the loading and release processes can be monitored optically. The effect of the nanopore size/volume on drug loading and release has also been evaluated. Further, the neuron cells have been cultured and can grow normally on the nanopore thin film, verifying its bio-compatibility. The successful fabrication of nanopore thin film device on silicon membrane render it as a potential implantable controlled drug release device.

Surface passivation investigation on ultra-thin atomic layer deposited aluminum oxide layers for their potential application to form tunnel layer passivated contacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xin, Zheng; Ling, Zhi Peng; Nandakumar, Naomi; Kaur, Gurleen; Ke, Cangming; Liao, Baochen; Aberle, Armin G.; Stangl, Rolf

2017-08-01

The surface passivation performance of atomic layer deposited ultra-thin aluminium oxide layers with different thickness in the tunnel layer regime, i.e., ranging from one atomic cycle (∼0.13 nm) to 11 atomic cycles (∼1.5 nm) on n-type silicon wafers is studied. The effect of thickness and thermal activation on passivation performance is investigated with corona-voltage metrology to measure the interface defect density D it(E) and the total interface charge Q tot. Furthermore, the bonding configuration variation of the AlO x films under various post-deposition thermal activation conditions is analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Additionally, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrene sulfonate) is used as capping layer on ultra-thin AlO x tunneling layers to further reduce the surface recombination current density to values as low as 42 fA/cm2. This work is a useful reference for using ultra-thin ALD AlO x layers as tunnel layers in order to form hole selective passivated contacts for silicon solar cells.

Aggregation in complex triacylglycerol oils: coarse-grained models, nanophase separation, and predicted x-ray intensities.

PubMed

Quinn, Bonnie; Peyronel, Fernanda; Gordon, Tyler; Marangoni, Alejandro; Hanna, Charles B; Pink, David A

2014-11-19

Triacylglycerols (TAGs) are biologically important molecules which form crystalline nanoplatelets (CNPs) and, ultimately, fat crystal networks in edible oils. Characterizing the self-assembled hierarchies of these networks is important to understanding their functionality and oil binding capacity. We have modelled CNPs in multicomponent oils and studied their aggregation. The oil comprises (a) a liquid component, and (b) components which phase separately on a nano-scale (nano-phase separation) to coat the surfaces of the CNPs impenetrably, either isotropically or anisotropically, with either liquid-like coatings or crystallites, forming a coating of thickness ?. We modelled three cases: (i) liquid?liquid nano-phase separation, (ii) solid?liquid nano-phase separation, with CNPs coated isotropically, and (iii) CNPs coated anisotropically. The models were applied to mixes of tristearin and triolein with fully hydrogenated canola oil, shea butter with high oleic sunflower oil, and cotton seed oil. We performed Monte Carlo simulations, computed structure functions and concluded: (1) three regimes arose: (a) thin coating regime, Δ < 0.0701 u (b) transition regime, 0.0701 u ≤ Δ ≤ 0.0916 u and (c) thick coating regime, Δ > 0.0916 u. (arbitrary units, u) (2) The thin coating regime exhibits 1D TAGwoods, which aggregate, via DLCA/RLCA, into fractal structures which are uniformly distributed in space. (3) In the thick coating regime, for an isotropic coating, TAGwoods are not formed and coated CNPs will not aggregate but will be uniformly distributed in space. For anisotropic coating, TAGwoods can be formed and might form 1D strings but will not form DLCA/RLCA clusters. (4) The regimes are, approximately: thin coating, 0 < Δ < 7.0 nm transition regime, 7.0 < Δ < 9.2 nm and thick coating, Δ > 9.2 nm (5) The minimum minority TAG concentration required to undergo nano-phase separation is, approximately, 0.29% (thin coatings) and 0.94% (thick coatings). Minority components can have substantial effects upon aggregation for concentrations less than 1%.

Fabrication and properties of ZnO/GaN heterostructure nanocolumnar thin film on Si (111) substrate

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Zinc oxide thin films have been obtained on bare and GaN buffer layer decorated Si (111) substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD), respectively. GaN buffer layer was achieved by a two-step method. The structure, surface morphology, composition, and optical properties of these thin films were investigated by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, infrared absorption spectra, and photoluminiscence (PL) spectra, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy images indicate that the flower-like grains were presented on the surface of ZnO thin films grown on GaN/Si (111) substrate, while the ZnO thin films grown on Si (111) substrate show the morphology of inclination column. PL spectrum reveals that the ultraviolet emission efficiency of ZnO thin film on GaN buffer layer is high, and the defect emission of ZnO thin film derived from Zni and Vo is low. The results demonstrate that the existence of GaN buffer layer can greatly improve the ZnO thin film on the Si (111) substrate by PLD techniques. PMID:23448090

Fabrication and properties of ZnO/GaN heterostructure nanocolumnar thin film on Si (111) substrate.

PubMed

Wei, Xianqi; Zhao, Ranran; Shao, Minghui; Xu, Xijin; Huang, Jinzhao

2013-02-28

Zinc oxide thin films have been obtained on bare and GaN buffer layer decorated Si (111) substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD), respectively. GaN buffer layer was achieved by a two-step method. The structure, surface morphology, composition, and optical properties of these thin films were investigated by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, infrared absorption spectra, and photoluminiscence (PL) spectra, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy images indicate that the flower-like grains were presented on the surface of ZnO thin films grown on GaN/Si (111) substrate, while the ZnO thin films grown on Si (111) substrate show the morphology of inclination column. PL spectrum reveals that the ultraviolet emission efficiency of ZnO thin film on GaN buffer layer is high, and the defect emission of ZnO thin film derived from Zni and Vo is low. The results demonstrate that the existence of GaN buffer layer can greatly improve the ZnO thin film on the Si (111) substrate by PLD techniques.

Conductive layer for biaxially oriented semiconductor film growth

DOEpatents

Findikoglu, Alp T.; Matias, Vladimir

2007-10-30

A conductive layer for biaxially oriented semiconductor film growth and a thin film semiconductor structure such as, for example, a photodetector, a photovoltaic cell, or a light emitting diode (LED) that includes a crystallographically oriented semiconducting film disposed on the conductive layer. The thin film semiconductor structure includes: a substrate; a first electrode deposited on the substrate; and a semiconducting layer epitaxially deposited on the first electrode. The first electrode includes a template layer deposited on the substrate and a buffer layer epitaxially deposited on the template layer. The template layer includes a first metal nitride that is electrically conductive and has a rock salt crystal structure, and the buffer layer includes a second metal nitride that is electrically conductive. The semiconducting layer is epitaxially deposited on the buffer layer. A method of making such a thin film semiconductor structure is also described.

Unexpected structural and magnetic depth dependence of YIG thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooper, J. F. K.; Kinane, C. J.; Langridge, S.; Ali, M.; Hickey, B. J.; Niizeki, T.; Uchida, K.; Saitoh, E.; Ambaye, H.; Glavic, A.

2017-09-01

We report measurements on yttrium iron garnet (YIG) thin films grown on both gadolinium gallium garnet (GGG) and yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) substrates, with and without thin Pt top layers. We provide three principal results: the observation of an interfacial region at the Pt/YIG interface, we place a limit on the induced magnetism of the Pt layer, and confirm the existence of an interfacial layer at the GGG/YIG interface. Polarized neutron reflectometry (PNR) was used to give depth dependence of both the structure and magnetism of these structures. We find that a thin film of YIG on GGG is best described by three distinct layers: an interfacial layer near the GGG, around 5 nm thick and nonmagnetic, a magnetic "bulk" phase, and a nonmagnetic and compositionally distinct thin layer near the surface. We theorize that the bottom layer, which is independent of the film thickness, is caused by Gd diffusion. The top layer is likely to be extremely important in inverse spin Hall effect measurements, and is most likely Y2O3 or very similar. Magnetic sensitivity in the PNR to any induced moment in the Pt is increased by the existence of the Y2O3 layer; any moment is found to be less than 0.02 μB/atom .

Methods for fabricating thin film III-V compound solar cell

DOEpatents

Pan, Noren; Hillier, Glen; Vu, Duy Phach; Tatavarti, Rao; Youtsey, Christopher; McCallum, David; Martin, Genevieve

2011-08-09

The present invention utilizes epitaxial lift-off in which a sacrificial layer is included in the epitaxial growth between the substrate and a thin film III-V compound solar cell. To provide support for the thin film III-V compound solar cell in absence of the substrate, a backing layer is applied to a surface of the thin film III-V compound solar cell before it is separated from the substrate. To separate the thin film III-V compound solar cell from the substrate, the sacrificial layer is removed as part of the epitaxial lift-off. Once the substrate is separated from the thin film III-V compound solar cell, the substrate may then be reused in the formation of another thin film III-V compound solar cell.

Schottky barrier solar cell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stirn, R. J.; Yeh, Y. C. M. (Inventor)

1981-01-01

A method of fabricating a Schottky barrier solar cell is described. The cell consists of a thin substrate of low cost material with at least the top surface of the substrate being electrically conductive. A thin layer of heavily doped n-type polycrystalling germanium is deposited on the substrate after a passivation layer is deposited to prevent migration of impurities into the polycrystalline germanium. The polycrystalline germanium is recrystallized to increase the crystal sizes to serve as a base layer on which a thin layer of gallium arsenide is vapor-epitaxilly grown followed by a thermally-grown oxide layer. A metal layer is deposited on the oxide layer and a grid electrode is deposited to be in electrical contact with the top surface of the metal layer.

Laser readable thermoluminescent radiation dosimeters and methods for producing thereof

DOEpatents

Braunlich, Peter F.; Tetzlaff, Wolfgang

1989-01-01

Thin layer thermoluminescent radiation dosimeters for use in laser readable dosimetry systems, and methods of fabricating such thin layer dosimeters. The thin layer thermoluminescent radiation dosimeters include a thin substrate made from glass or other inorganic materials capable of withstanding high temperatures and high heating rates. A thin layer of a thermoluminescent phoshphor material is heat bonded to the substrate using an inorganic binder such as glass. The dosimeters can be mounted in frames and cases for ease in handling. Methods of the invention include mixing a suitable phosphor composition and binder, both being in particulate or granular form. The mixture is then deposited onto a substrate such as by using mask printing techniques. The dosimeters are thereafter heated to fuse and bond the binder and phosphor to the substrate.

Rapid detection of Ganoderma-infected oil palms by microwave ergosterol extraction with HPLC and TLC.

PubMed

Muniroh, M S; Sariah, M; Zainal Abidin, M A; Lima, N; Paterson, R R M

2014-05-01

Detection of basal stem rot (BSR) by Ganoderma of oil palms was based on foliar symptoms and production of basidiomata. Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays-Polyclonal Antibody (ELISA-PAB) and PCR have been proposed as early detection methods for the disease. These techniques are complex, time consuming and have accuracy limitations. An ergosterol method was developed which correlated well with the degree of infection in oil palms, including samples growing in plantations. However, the method was capable of being optimised. This current study was designed to develop a simpler, more rapid and efficient ergosterol method with utility in the field that involved the use of microwave extraction. The optimised procedure involved extracting a small amount of Ganoderma, or Ganoderma-infected oil palm suspended in low volumes of solvent followed by irradiation in a conventional microwave oven at 70°C and medium high power for 30s, resulting in simultaneous extraction and saponification. Ergosterol was detected by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and quantified using high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection. The TLC method was novel and provided a simple, inexpensive method with utility in the field. The new method was particularly effective at extracting high yields of ergosterol from infected oil palm and enables rapid analysis of field samples on site, allowing infected oil palms to be treated or culled very rapidly. Some limitations of the method are discussed herein. The procedures lend themselves to controlling the disease more effectively and allowing more effective use of land currently employed to grow oil palms, thereby reducing pressure to develop new plantations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Layered Organization in the Coastal Ocean: 4-D Assessment of Thin Layer Structure, Dynamics and Impacts

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-30

For example, the differences seen between the waters off of the US Pacific Northwest and the California Bight are almost certainly a reflection of the...the Pacific Northwest were favorable for thin layer development during that study. This is even more evident in those cases where thin layers...approach during the 2005 and 2006 LOCO process study combined time series data from an array of our Ocean Response Coastal Analysis System ( ORCAS ) (Donaghay

How bioavailable is highly weathered Deepwater Horizon oil?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bostic, J.; Ziolkowski, L. A.; Reddy, C. M.; Aeppli, C.; Swarthout, B.

2016-02-01

Oiled sand patties continue to be deposited on northern Gulf of Mexico beaches five years after the Deepwater Horizon (DwH) oil spill. It is known that during the first 18 months post-spill, sand patties from DwH were chemically transformed, both biotically and abiotically, from wellhead release to beach deposition. However, the chemically transformed oil, which appears to become more polar over time, is not well understood in regards to its biodegradation potential. Biodegradation exerts a large control on the fate of spilled oil, representing a major conduit for its removal from the environment. To assess the bioavailability of this weathered oil, sand patties were collected from intertidal and supratidal zones of beaches in Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi in July 2015. Microbial biomarkers of the viable community, phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA), were detected on all samples collected. The PLFA distributions (mostly saturated and branched structures) and abundances (2 - 9 x 1013 cells/g sand patty) were similar across sampling locations. The positive correlation between PLFA abundance and surface area to volume ratios of sand patties indicates that microbes are preferentially inhabiting outside surfaces of the patties. We will present data on the radiocarbon (14C) content of PLFA to assess carbon (C) sources assimilated by microbes. 14C of PLFA is a powerful tool for assessing C sources assimilated in this setting. Oil has no 14C (Δ14C= -1000‰) while modern organic matter has relatively abundant 14C (Δ14C= 0‰). Fingerprinting analysis of biomarker ratios using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography will be presented to ascertain if oil originated from DwH. The extent of the chemical transformation of the oil into more polar compounds will also be measured using thin layer chromatography. Results of this investigation aim to determine the bioavailability and ultimate fate of oiled sand patties that continue to wash ashore on Gulf of Mexico beaches.

Interferometric data for a shock-wave/boundary-layer interaction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunagan, Stephen E.; Brown, James L.; Miles, John B.

1986-01-01

An experimental study of the axisymmetric shock-wave / boundary-layer strong interaction flow generated in the vicinity of a cylinder-cone intersection was conducted. The study data are useful in the documentation and understanding of compressible turbulent strong interaction flows, and are part of a more general effort to improve turbulence modeling for compressible two- and three-dimensional strong viscous/inviscid interactions. The nominal free stream Mach number was 2.85. Tunnel total pressures of 1.7 and 3.4 atm provided Reynolds number values of 18 x 10(6) and 36 x 10(6) based on model length. Three cone angles were studied giving negligible, incipient, and large scale flow separation. The initial cylinder boundary layer upstream of the interaction had a thickness of 1.0 cm. The subsonic layer of the cylinder boundary layer was quite thin, and in all cases, the shock wave penetrated a significant portion of the boundary layer. Owing to the thickness of the cylinder boundary layer, considerable structural detail was resolved for the three shock-wave / boundary-layer interaction cases considered. The primary emphasis was on the application of the holographic interferometry technique. The density field was deduced from an interferometric analysis based on the Able transform. Supporting data were obtained using a 2-D laser velocimeter, as well as mean wall pressure and oil flow measurements. The attached flow case was observed to be steady, while the separated cases exhibited shock unsteadiness. Comparisons with Navier-Stokes computations using a two-equation turbulence model are presented.

High average power scaleable thin-disk laser

DOEpatents

Beach, Raymond J.; Honea, Eric C.; Bibeau, Camille; Payne, Stephen A.; Powell, Howard; Krupke, William F.; Sutton, Steven B.

2002-01-01

Using a thin disk laser gain element with an undoped cap layer enables the scaling of lasers to extremely high average output power values. Ordinarily, the power scaling of such thin disk lasers is limited by the deleterious effects of amplified spontaneous emission. By using an undoped cap layer diffusion bonded to the thin disk, the onset of amplified spontaneous emission does not occur as readily as if no cap layer is used, and much larger transverse thin disks can be effectively used as laser gain elements. This invention can be used as a high average power laser for material processing applications as well as for weapon and air defense applications.

The enhancement mechanism of thin plasma layer on antenna radiation

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

Wang, Chunsheng, E-mail: wangcs@hit.edu.cn; Jiang, Binhao; Li, Xueai

A model of plasma-antenna is carried out to study the radiation enhancement mechanism of antenna covered by thin plasma layer. The results show when the radiation intensity achieves maximum, a region of equal electric field is formed due to the reflection of electric field at the interface of plasma and air. The plasma layer acted as an extension of the antenna. Furthermore, the shape of plasma layer is changed to verify the effect of plasma boundary on antenna radiation. The study shows the effect of thin plasma layer on electromagnetic field and provides a type of plasma antenna.

Multifunctional flexible free-standing titanate nanobelt membranes as efficient sorbents for the removal of radioactive 90Sr2+ and 137Cs+ ions and oils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Tao; Zhao, Zhiwei; Shen, Congcong; Li, Jiaxing; Tan, Xiaoli; Zeb, Akif; Wang, Xiangke; Xu, An-Wu

2016-02-01

For the increasing attention focused on saving endangered environments, there is a growing need for developing membrane materials able to perform complex functions such as removing radioactive pollutants and oil spills from water. A major challenge is the scalable fabrication of membranes with good mechanical and thermal stability, superior resistance to radiation, and excellent recyclability. In this study, we constructed a multifunctional flexible free-standing sodium titanate nanobelt (Na-TNB) membrane that was assembled as advanced radiation-tainted water treatment and oil uptake. We compared the adsorption behavior of 137Cs+ and 90Sr2+ on Na-TNB membranes under various environmental conditions. The maximum adsorption coefficient value (Kd) for Sr2+ reaches 107 mL g-1. The structural collapse of the exchange materials were confirmed by XRD, FTIR and XPS spectroscopy as well as Raman analysis. The adsorption mechanism of Na-TNB membrane is clarified by forming a stable solid with the radioactive cations permanently trapped inside. Besides, the engineered multilayer membrane is exceptionally capable in selectively and rapidly adsorbing oils up to 23 times the adsorbent weight when coated with a thin layer of hydrophobic molecules. This multifunctional membrane has exceptional potential as a suitable material for next generation water treatment and separation technologies.

Improving Fire Resistance of Cotton Fabric through Layer-by-Layer Assembled Graphene Multilayer Nanocoating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Wonjun; Chung, Il Jun; Kim, Junwoo; Seo, Seongmin; Park, Yong Tae; Choi, Kyungwho

2018-05-01

In this study, thin films containing poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), stabilized with poly(4-styrene-sulfonic acid) (PSS), were assembled by a simple and cost-effective layer-by-layer (LbL) technique in order to introduce the anti-flammability to cotton. These antiflammable layers were characterized by using UV-vis spectrometry and quartz crystal microbalance as a function of the number of bilayers deposited. Scanning electron microscopy was used to visualize the morphology of the thin film coatings on the cotton fabric. The graphene-polymer thin films introduced anti-flammable properties through thermally stable carbonaceous layers at a high temperature. The thermal stability and flame retardant property of graphene-coated cotton was demonstrated by thermogravimetric analysis, cone calorimetry, and vertical flame test. The results indicate that LbL-assembled graphene-polymer thin films can be applied largely in the field of flame retardant.

Low-frequency dispersion and attenuation in anisotropic partially saturated rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavallini, Fabio; Carcione, José M.; Vidal de Ventós, Daniel; Engell-Sørensen, Lisbeth

2017-06-01

The mesoscopic-loss mechanism is believed to be the most important attenuation mechanism in porous media at seismic frequencies. It is caused by P-wave conversion to slow diffusion (Biot) modes at material inhomogeneity on length scales of the order of centimetres. It is very effective in partially saturated media, particularly in the presence of gas. We explicitly extend the theory of wave propagation at normal incidence to three periodic thin layers and using this result we obtain the five complex and frequency-dependent stiffness components of the corresponding periodic finely layered medium, where the equivalent medium is anisotropic, specifically transversely isotropic. The relaxation behaviour can be described by a single complex and frequency-dependent stiffness component, since the medium consists of plane homogeneous layers. The media can be dissimilar in any property, but a relevant example in hydrocarbon exploration is the case of partial saturation and the same frame skeleton, where the fluid can be brine, oil and gas. The numerical examples illustrate the implementation of the theory to compute the wave velocities (phase and energy) and quality factors. We consider two main cases, namely, the same frame (or skeleton) and different fluids, and the same fluid and different frame properties. Unlike the two-phase case (two fluids), the results show two relaxation peaks. This scenario is more realistic since usually reservoirs rocks contain oil, brine and gas. The theory is quite general since it is not only restricted to partial saturation, but also applies to important properties such as porosity and permeability heterogeneities.

Programmable Electrochemical Rectifier Based on a Thin-Layer Cell.

PubMed

Park, Seungjin; Park, Jun Hui; Hwang, Seongpil; Kwak, Juhyoun

2017-06-21

A programmable electrochemical rectifier based on thin-layer electrochemistry is described here. Both the rectification ratio and the response time of the device are programmable by controlling the gap distance of the thin-layer electrochemical cell, which is easily controlled using commercially available beads. One of the electrodes was modified using a ferrocene-terminated self-assembled monolayer to offer unidirectional charge transfers via soluble redox species. The thin-layer configuration provided enhanced mass transport, which was determined by the gap thickness. The device with the smallest gap thickness (∼4 μm) showed an unprecedented, high rectification ratio (up to 160) with a fast response time in a two-terminal configuration using conventional electronics.

The effects of layering in ferroelectric Si-doped HfO{sub 2} thin films

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

Lomenzo, Patrick D.; Nishida, Toshikazu, E-mail: nishida@ufl.edu; Takmeel, Qanit

2014-08-18

Atomic layer deposited Si-doped HfO{sub 2} thin films approximately 10 nm thick are deposited with various Si-dopant concentrations and distributions. The ferroelectric behavior of the HfO{sub 2} thin films are shown to be dependent on both the Si mol. % and the distribution of Si-dopants. Metal-ferroelectric-insulator-semiconductor capacitors are shown to exhibit a tunable remanent polarization through the adjustment of the Si-dopant distribution at a constant Si concentration. Inhomogeneous layering of Si-dopants within the thin films effectively lowers the remanent polarization. A pinched hysteresis loop is observed for higher Si-dopant concentrations and found to be dependent on the Si layering distribution.

NMR of thin layers using a meanderline surface coil

DOEpatents

Cowgill, Donald F.

2001-01-01

A miniature meanderline sensor coil which extends the capabilities of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to provide analysis of thin planar samples and surface layer geometries. The sensor coil allows standard NMR techniques to be used to examine thin planar (or curved) layers, extending NMRs utility to many problems of modern interest. This technique can be used to examine contact layers, non-destructively depth profile into films, or image multiple layers in a 3-dimensional sense. It lends itself to high resolution NMR techniques of magic angle spinning and thus can be used to examine the bonding and electronic structure in layered materials or to observe the chemistry associated with aging coatings. Coupling this sensor coil technology with an arrangement of small magnets will produce a penetrator probe for remote in-situ chemical analysis of groundwater or contaminant sediments. Alternatively, the sensor coil can be further miniaturized to provide sub-micron depth resolution within thin films or to orthoscopically examine living tissue. This thin-layer NMR technique using a stationary meanderline coil in a series-resonant circuit has been demonstrated and it has been determined that the flat meanderline geometry has about he same detection sensitivity as a solenoidal coil, but is specifically tailored to examine planar material layers, while avoiding signals from the bulk.

Effect of processing parameters on microstructure of MoS{sub 2} ultra-thin films synthesized by chemical vapor deposition method

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

Song, Yang; You, Suping; Sun, Kewei

2015-06-15

MoS{sub 2} ultra-thin layers are synthesized using a chemical vapor deposition method based on the sulfurization of molybdenum trioxide (MoO{sub 3}). The ultra-thin layers are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and atomic force microscope (AFM). Based on our experimental results, all the processing parameters, such as the tilt angle of substrate, applied voltage, heating time and the weight of source materials have effect on the microstructures of the layers. In this paper, the effects of such processing parameters on the crystal structures and morphologies of the as-grown layers are studied. It is found that the film obtainedmore » with the tilt angle of 0.06° is more uniform. A larger applied voltage is preferred to the growth of MoS{sub 2} thin films at a certain heating time. In order to obtain the ultra-thin layers of MoS{sub 2}, the weight of 0.003 g of source materials is preferred. Under our optimal experimental conditions, the surface of the film is smooth and composed of many uniformly distributed and aggregated particles, and the ultra-thin MoS{sub 2} atomic layers (1∼10 layers) covers an area of more than 2 mm×2 mm.« less

The properties of plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (ALD) ZnO thin films and comparison with thermal ALD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Doyoung; Kang, Hyemin; Kim, Jae-Min; Kim, Hyungjun

2011-02-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were prepared by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD) using oxygen plasma as a reactant and the properties were compared with those of thermal atomic layer deposition (TH-ALD) ZnO thin films. While hexagonal wurzite phase with preferential (0 0 2) orientation was obtained for both cases, significant differences were observed in various aspects of film properties including resistivity values between these two techniques. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements have shown that high resistivity of PE-ALD ZnO thin films is due to the oxygen interstitials at low growth temperature of 200 °C, whose amount decreases with increasing growth temperature. Thin film transistors (TFT) using TH- and PE-ALD ZnO as an active layer were also fabricated and the device properties were evaluated comparatively.

Laser readable thermoluminescent radiation dosimeters and methods for producing thereof

DOEpatents

Braunlich, P.F.; Tetzlaff, W.

1989-04-25

Thin layer thermoluminescent radiation dosimeters for use in laser readable dosimetry systems, and methods of fabricating such thin layer dosimeters are disclosed. The thin layer thermoluminescent radiation dosimeters include a thin substrate made from glass or other inorganic materials capable of withstanding high temperatures and high heating rates. A thin layer of a thermoluminescent phosphor material is heat bonded to the substrate using an inorganic binder such as glass. The dosimeters can be mounted in frames and cases for ease in handling. Methods of the invention include mixing a suitable phosphor composition and binder, both being in particulate or granular form. The mixture is then deposited onto a substrate such as by using mask printing techniques. The dosimeters are thereafter heated to fuse and bond the binder and phosphor to the substrate. 34 figs.

Fermi level de-pinning of aluminium contacts to n-type germanium using thin atomic layer deposited layers

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

Gajula, D. R., E-mail: dgajula01@qub.ac.uk; Baine, P.; Armstrong, B. M.

Fermi-level pinning of aluminium on n-type germanium (n-Ge) was reduced by insertion of a thin interfacial dielectric by atomic layer deposition. The barrier height for aluminium contacts on n-Ge was reduced from 0.7 eV to a value of 0.28 eV for a thin Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} interfacial layer (∼2.8 nm). For diodes with an Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} interfacial layer, the contact resistance started to increase for layer thicknesses above 2.8 nm. For diodes with a HfO{sub 2} interfacial layer, the barrier height was also reduced but the contact resistance increased dramatically for layer thicknesses above 1.5 nm.

Self-assembled three-dimensional and compressible interdigitated thin-film supercapacitors and batteries

PubMed Central

Nyström, Gustav; Marais, Andrew; Karabulut, Erdem; Wågberg, Lars; Cui, Yi; Hamedi, Mahiar M.

2015-01-01

Traditional thin-film energy-storage devices consist of stacked layers of active films on two-dimensional substrates and do not exploit the third dimension. Fully three-dimensional thin-film devices would allow energy storage in bulk materials with arbitrary form factors and with mechanical properties unique to bulk materials such as compressibility. Here we show three-dimensional energy-storage devices based on layer-by-layer self-assembly of interdigitated thin films on the surface of an open-cell aerogel substrate. We demonstrate a reversibly compressible three-dimensional supercapacitor with carbon nanotube electrodes and a three-dimensional hybrid battery with a copper hexacyanoferrate ion intercalating cathode and a carbon nanotube anode. The three-dimensional supercapacitor shows stable operation over 400 cycles with a capacitance of 25 F g−1 and is fully functional even at compressions up to 75%. Our results demonstrate that layer-by-layer self-assembly inside aerogels is a rapid, precise and scalable route for building high-surface-area 3D thin-film devices. PMID:26021485

Thin film electronic devices with conductive and transparent gas and moisture permeation barriers

DOEpatents

Simpson, Lin Jay

2013-12-17

A thin film stack (100, 200) is provided for use in electronic devices such as photovoltaic devices. The stack (100, 200) may be integrated with a substrate (110) such as a light transmitting/transmissive layer. A electrical conductor layer (120, 220) is formed on a surface of the substrate (110) or device layer such as a transparent conducting (TC) material layer (120,220) with pin holes or defects (224) caused by manufacturing. The stack (100) includes a thin film (130, 230) of metal that acts as a barrier for environmental contaminants (226, 228). The metal thin film (130,230) is deposited on the conductor layer (120, 220) and formed from a self-healing metal such as a metal that forms self-terminating oxides. A permeation plug or block (236) is formed in or adjacent to the thin film (130, 230) of metal at or proximate to the pin holes (224) to block further permeation of contaminants through the pin holes (224).

Fabrication of read-only type triple-layered disc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Huei Wen; Jeng, Tzuan Ren; Yen, Wen Hsin; Chan, Rong Po; Shin, Kuo Ding; Huang, Der Ray

2003-06-01

The approach to increase optical recording density has become very popular research subject in these years. One direct and effective method is to increase the recording layer stack number. That is to say, to add one more recording layer can get one more recording capacity. In this paper, we will propose a new method for manufacturing read only type multi-layered disc. The process is described in the following. This first recorded data layer (called L0) still follows the traditional DVD disc manufacturing process. We obtain the polycarbonate substrate by replicating from Ni stamper. Then polycarbonate substrate is sputtered thin silicon film for semi-reflection layer. As for second layer (L1) and even more layer (Ln-1) producing, one special kind of duplication (called SKD) method is proposed. The duplication (or replication) source of second or nth recorded data is not only limited from Ni stamper. Even polycarbonate or PMMA substrate has recording data are also acceptable sources. At next step, the duplication source is deposited by thin gold film. Then we apply spin coating to bond the first layer (L0) substrate and second layer (L1) duplication source by choosing suitable UV curing glue. After being emitted by UV lamp for several seconds, we can easily separate the duplication source of second layer (L1) from (L0) substrate. Then we find the thin second data layer (L1) is replicated and stacks upon the first layer. On the same way, we sputter thin AgTi layer on the thin second data layer for another semi- reflective layer. By following the above manufacture step, we can produce more layers. In our experimental, we prepare triple layered read-only type disc. The total capacity is almost 12GB for one side of disc, and 24GB for two side of disc. The read-out intensity of laser from each data layer is expected to be similar. Thus we have designed particular reflectance and transmittance for each data layer by controlling the thickness of thin silicon film. We can verify our design by checking the focusing error signal in S-curve search of optical pickup head. The signal quality for each layer can be found from the signal eye pattern and jitter. For compatibility with present drive system, the requirement of the readout signal from each layer should be same as DVD or CD specification

Insight into the epitaxial encapsulation of Pd catalysts in an oriented metalloporphyrin network thin film for tandem catalysis.

PubMed

Vohra, M Ismail; Li, De-Jing; Gu, Zhi-Gang; Zhang, Jian

2017-06-14

A palladium catalyst (Pd-Cs) encapsulated metalloporphyrin network PIZA-1 thin film with bifunctional properties has been developed through a modified epitaxial layer-by-layer encapsulation approach. Combining the oxidation activity of Pd-Cs and the acetalization activity of the Lewis acidic sites in the PIZA-1 thin film, this bifunctional catalyst of the Pd-Cs@PIZA-1 thin film exhibits a good catalytic activity in a one-pot tandem oxidation-acetalization reaction. Furthermore, the surface components can be controlled by ending the top layer with different precursors in the thin film preparation procedures. The catalytic performances of these thin films with different surface composites were studied under the same conditions, which showed different reaction conversions. The result revealed that the surface component can influence the catalytic performance of the thin films. This epitaxial encapsulation offers a good understanding of the tandem catalysis for thin film materials and provides useful guidance to develop new thin film materials with catalytic properties.

Use of a thin-layer technique in thyroid fine needle aspiration.

PubMed

Malle, Despoina; Valeri, Rosalia-Maria; Pazaitou-Panajiotou, Kalliopi; Kiziridou, Anastasia; Vainas, Iraklis; Destouni, Charicleia

2006-01-01

To investigate the efficacy of the ThinPrep Processor (Cytyc Corporation, Boxborough, Massachusetts, U.S.A) in fine needle aspiration (FNA) of thyroid gland lesions. This study included 459 thyroid FNA specimens obtained from patients who came to our endocrinology department with various thyroid disorders over 3 years. The cytologic material was prepared using both the conventional and ThinPrep method in the first 2 years (285 cases), while in the last one only the ThinPrep method was used (1 74 cases). The smears were stained using a modified Papanicolaou procedure and May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain. Immunocytochemistry was performed on thin-layer slides using specific monoclonal antibodies when needed. Thin-layer and direct smear diagnoses were compared with the final cytologic or histologic diagnoses, when available. Our cases included 279 adenomatoid nodules, 15 cases of Hashimoto thyroiditis, 45 follicular neoplasms, 14 Hürthle cell tumors, 58 papillary carcinomas and 1 5 anaplastic carcinomas. Thin-layer preparations showed a trend toward a lower proportion of inadequate specimens and a lower false negative rate. Cytomorphologic features showed some differences between the 2 methods. Colloid was less frequently observed on ThinPrep slides, while nuclear detail and micronucleoli were more easily detected with this technique. Moreover, ThinPrep appeared to be the appropriate method for the use of ancillary techniques in suspicious cases. Thin-layer cytology improves the diagnostic accuracy of thyroid FNA and offers the possibility of performing new techniques, such as immunocytochemistry, on the same sample in order to detect malignancy as well as the type and origin of thyroid gland neoplasms.

Photovoltaic sub-cell interconnects

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

van Hest, Marinus Franciscus Antonius Maria; Swinger Platt, Heather Anne

2017-05-09

Photovoltaic sub-cell interconnect systems and methods are provided. In one embodiment, a photovoltaic device comprises a thin film stack of layers deposited upon a substrate, wherein the thin film stack layers are subdivided into a plurality of sub-cells interconnected in series by a plurality of electrical interconnection structures; and wherein the plurality of electrical interconnection structures each comprise no more than two scribes that penetrate into the thin film stack layers.

Effect of atmospheric-pressure plasma treatment on the adhesion properties of a thin adhesive layer in a selective transfer process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Min-Ah; Kim, Chan; Hur, Min; Kang, Woo Seok; Kim, Jaegu; Kim, Jae-Hyun; Lee, Hak-Joo; Kim, Kwang-Seop

2018-01-01

The adhesion between a stamp and thin film devices is crucial for their transfer on a flexible substrate. In this paper, a thin adhesive silicone layer on the stamp was treated by atmospheric pressure plasma to locally control the adhesion strength for the selective transfer. The adhesion strength of the silicone layer was significantly reduced after the plasma treatment, while its surface energy was increased. To understand the inconsistency between the adhesion strength and surface energy changes, the surface properties of the silicone layer were characterized using nanoindentation and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. These techniques revealed that a thin, hard, silica-like layer had formed on the surface from plasma-enhanced oxidation. This layer played an important role in decreasing the contact area and increasing the interfacial slippage, resulting in decreased adhesion. As a practical application, the transfer process was demonstrated on GaN LEDs that had been previously delaminated by a laser lift-off (LLO) process. Although the LEDs were not transferred onto the treated adhesive layer due to the reduced adhesion, the untreated adhesive layer could readily pick up the LEDs. It is expected that this simple method of controlling the adhesion of a stamp with a thin adhesive layer would enable a continuous, selective and large-scale roll-to-roll selective transfer process and thereby advance the development of flexible, stretchable and wearable electronics.

Study on the growth mechanism and optical properties of sputtered lead selenide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Xigui; Gao, Kewei; Pang, Xiaolu; Yang, Huisheng; Volinsky, Alex A.

2015-11-01

Lead selenide thin films with different microstructure were deposited on Si (1 0 0) substrates using magnetron sputtering at 50 °C, 150 °C and 250 °C, respectively. The crystal structure of the sputtered PbSe thin films varies from amorphous crystalline to columnar grain, and then to double-layer (nano-crystalline layer and columnar grain layer) structure as the deposition temperature increases, which is due to the dominating growth mode of the thin films changes from Frank-van der Merwe (or layer-by-layer) growth mode at 50 °C to Volmer-Weber (or 3D island) growth mode at 150 °C, and then to Stranski-Krastanow (or 3D island-on-wetting-layer) growth mode at 250 °C. The growth mechanism of the sputtered PbSe thin films is mainly dominated by the surface and strain energy contributions. Moreover, the strain energy contribution is more prominent when the deposition temperature is less than 180 °C, while, the surface energy contribution is more prominent when the deposition temperature is higher than 180 °C. The absorption spectra of the sputtered PbSe thin films are in 3.1-5 μm range. Besides, the sputtered PbSe thin film prepared at 250 °C has two different optical band gaps due to its unique double-layer structure. According to the theoretical calculation results, the variation of the band gap with the deposition temperature is determined by the shift of the valence band maximum with the lattice constant.

Antimicrobial activity of the bioactive components of essential oils from Pakistani spices against Salmonella and other multi-drug resistant bacteria

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The main objective of this study was the phytochemical characterization of four indigenous essential oils obtained from spices and their antibacterial activities against the multidrug resistant clinical and soil isolates prevalent in Pakistan, and ATCC reference strains. Methods Chemical composition of essential oils from four Pakistani spices cumin (Cuminum cyminum), cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), cardamom (Amomum subulatum) and clove (Syzygium aromaticum) were analyzed on GC/MS. Their antibacterial activities were investigated by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and Thin-Layer Chromatography-Bioautographic (TLC-Bioautographic) assays against pathogenic strains Salmonella typhi (D1 Vi-positive), Salmonella typhi (G7 Vi-negative), Salmonella paratyphi A, Escherichia coli (SS1), Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus licheniformis (ATCC 14580). The data were statistically analyzed by using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Least Significant Difference (LSD) method to find out significant relationship of essential oils biological activities at p <0.05. Results Among all the tested essential oils, oil from the bark of C. verum showed best antibacterial activities against all selected bacterial strains in the MIC assay, especially with 2.9 mg/ml concentration against S. typhi G7 Vi-negative and P. fluorescens strains. TLC-bioautography confirmed the presence of biologically active anti-microbial components in all tested essential oils. P. fluorescens was found susceptible to C. verum essential oil while E. coli SS1 and S. aureus were resistant to C. verum and A. subulatum essential oils, respectively, as determined in bioautography assay. The GC/MS analysis revealed that essential oils of C. cyminum, C. verum, A. subulatum, and S. aromaticum contain 17.2% cuminaldehyde, 4.3% t-cinnamaldehyde, 5.2% eucalyptol and 0.73% eugenol, respectively. Conclusions Most of the essential oils included in this study possessed good antibacterial activities against selected multi drug resistant clinical and soil bacterial strains. Cinnamaldehyde was identified as the most active antimicrobial component present in the cinnamon essential oil which acted as a strong inhibitory agent in MIC assay against the tested bacteria. The results indicate that essential oils from Pakistani spices can be pursued against multidrug resistant bacteria. PMID:24119438

Synthesis and characterization of Zn(O,OH)S and AgInS2 layers to be used in thin film solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vallejo, W.; Arredondo, C. A.; Gordillo, G.

2010-11-01

In this paper AgInS2 and Zn(O,OH)S thin films were synthesized and characterized. AgInS2 layers were grown by co-evaporation from metal precursors in a two-step process, and, Zn(O,OH)S thin films were deposited from chemical bath containing thiourea, zinc acetate, sodium citrate and ammonia. X-ray diffraction measurements indicated that AgInS2 thin films grown with chalcopyrite structure, and the as-grown Zn(O,OH)S thin films were polycrystalline. It was also found that the AgInS2 films presented p-type conductivity, a high absorption coefficient (greater than 104 cm-1) and energy band-gap Eg of about 1.95 eV, Zn(O,OH),S thin films presented Eg of about 3.89 eV. Morphological analysis showed that under this synthesis conditions Zn(O,OH),S thin films coated uniformly the absorber layer. Additionally, the Zn(O,OH)S kinetic growth on AgInS2 layer was studied also. Finally, the results suggest that these layers possibly could be used in one-junction solar cells and/or as top cell in a tandem solar cell.

Deformation behavior of coherently strained InAs/GaAs(111)A heteroepitaxial systems: Theoretical calculations and experimental measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zepeda-Ruiz, Luis A.; Pelzel, Rodney I.; Nosho, Brett Z.; Weinberg, W. Henry; Maroudas, Dimitrios

2001-09-01

A comprehensive, quantitative analysis is presented of the deformation behavior of coherently strained InAs/GaAs(111)A heteroepitaxial systems. The analysis combines a hierarchical theoretical approach with experimental measurements. Continuum linear elasticity theory is linked with atomic-scale calculations of structural relaxation for detailed theoretical studies of deformation in systems consisting of InAs thin films on thin GaAs(111)A substrates that are mechanically unconstrained at their bases. Molecular-beam epitaxy is used to grow very thin InAs films on both thick and thin GaAs buffer layers on epi-ready GaAs(111)A substrates. The deformation state of these samples is characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD). The interplanar distances of thin GaAs buffer layers along the [220] and [111] crystallographic directions obtained from the corresponding XRD spectra indicate clearly that thin buffer layers deform parallel to the InAs/GaAs(111)A interfacial plane, thus aiding in the accommodation of the strain induced by lattice mismatch. The experimental measurements are in excellent agreement with the calculated lattice interplanar distances and the corresponding strain fields in the thin mechanically unconstrained substrates considered in the theoretical analysis. Therefore, this work contributes direct evidence in support of our earlier proposal that thin buffer layers in layer-by-layer semiconductor heteroepitaxy exhibit mechanical behavior similar to that of compliant substrates [see, e.g., B. Z. Nosho, L. A. Zepeda-Ruiz, R. I. Pelzel, W. H. Weinberg, and D. Maroudas, Appl. Phys. Lett. 75, 829 (1999)].

Self-assembly of dodecaphenyl POSS thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handke, Bartosz; Klita, Łukasz; Niemiec, Wiktor

2017-12-01

The self-assembly abilities of Dodecaphenyl Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane thin films on Si(1 0 0) surfaces were studied. Due to their thermal properties - relatively low sublimation temperature and preservation of molecular structure - cage type silsesquioxanes are ideal material for the preparation of a thin films by Physical Vapor Deposition. The Ultra-High Vacuum environment and the deposition precision of the PVD method enable the study of early stages of thin film growth and its molecular organization. X-ray Reflectivity and Atomic Force Microscopy measurements allow to pursuit size-effects in the structure of thin films with thickness ranges from less than a single molecular layer up to several tens of layers. Thermal treatment of the thin films triggered phase change: from a poorly ordered polycrystalline film into a well-ordered multilayer structure. Self-assembly of the layers is the effect of the π-stacking of phenyl rings, which force molecules to arrange in a superlattice, forming stacks of alternating organic-inorganic layers.

Effect of Al doping on performance of ZnO thin film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Junchen; Han, Dedong; Li, Huijin; Yu, Wen; Zhang, Shendong; Zhang, Xing; Wang, Yi

2018-03-01

In this work, we investigate the Aluminum-doped Zinc Oxide (AZO) thin films and their feasibility as the active layer for thin film transistors (TFTs). A comparison on performance is made between the AZO TFTs and ZnO TFTs. The electrical properties such as saturation mobility, subthreshold swing, and on-to-off current ratio are improved when AZO is utilized as the active layer. Oxygen component of the thin film materials indicates that Al is the suppressor for oxygen defect in active layer, which improves the subthreshold swing. Moreover, based on band structure analyzation, we observe that the carrier concentration of AZO is higher than ZnO, leading to the enhancement of saturation mobility. The microstructure of the thin films convey that the AZO films exhibit much smaller grain boundaries than ZnO films, which results in the lower off-state current and higher on-to-off current ratio of AZO TFTs. The AZO thin films show huge potential to be the active layer of TFTs.

Drop dynamics on a thin film: Thin film rupture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlson, Andreas; Kim, Pilnam; Stone, Howard A.

2011-11-01

The spreading of a water drop on an oil film that covers a solid substrate is a common event in many industrial processes. We study in experiments the dynamics of a water drop on a thin silicone oil film and quantify its interaction with the solid substrate that supports the film. The oil film becomes unstable and ruptures for solids that are hydrophilic. We determine the ``waiting time,'' the time it takes the water drop to drain the silicone film. This timescale is found to highly depend on how well water wets the solid, illustrating the interplay between intermolecular and hydrodynamic forces in the phenomenon. A phase diagram for the thin film stability is extracted based on waters equilibrium contact angle on the solid, which shows that we can either promote or inhibit de-wetting. As water comes in direct contact with the solid, it spreads and peels off the silicone film. We show the influence of viscosity, equilibrium contact angle and film height on the opening radius of the hole formed as the solid de-wets.

Validation of lipolysis product extraction from aqueous/biological samples, separation and quantification by thin-layer chromatography with flame ionization detection analysis using O-cholesteryl ethylene glycol as a new internal standard.

PubMed

Cavalier, Jean-François; Lafont, Dominique; Boullanger, Paul; Houisse, David; Giallo, Jacqueline; Ballester, Jean-Michel; Carrière, Frédéric

2009-09-11

A general and easily accessible method for the extraction followed by the simultaneous separation and quantitative determination of triacylglycerols, diacylglycerols, monoacylglycerols and free fatty acids has been improved and optimized based on existing protocols using liquid-phase extraction and thin-layer chromatography coupled to flame ionization detection (TLC/FID Iatroscan). After lipid extraction in the presence of a suitable new synthetic internal standard, namely CholE1, a single elution step using n-heptane/diethyl ether/formic acid (55:45:1, v/v/v) was applied. This method was validated in line with international bioanalytical method validation guidelines using two different matrix systems: purified water and human gastro-intestinal fluid. Overall, the assay was found to have high levels of precision with coefficients of variation ranging from 1.48% to 11.0% and accuracy ranging from -13.3% to +5.79% RE. The confidence limits of the lipid mean recovery rates varied between 89.9% and 104%. This method is therefore highly suitable for quantifying the lipolysis products generated in vitro during the hydrolysis of various fats and oils by digestive lipases, as well as those collected from the gastro-intestinal tract in the course of human clinical studies on lipid digestion.

Quality control and in vitro antioxidant potential of Coriandrum sativum Linn.

PubMed Central

Singh, Mhaveer; Tamboli, E. T.; Kamal, Y. T.; Ahmad, Wasim; Ansari, S. H.; Ahmad, Sayeed

2015-01-01

Background: Coriandrum sativum Linn., commonly known as coriander, is a well-known spice and drug in India. It has various health-related benefits and used in various Unani formulations. In this present study, quality assessment of coriander fruits was carried out by studying anatomical characters, physicochemical tests, and chemoprofiling using high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) along with in vitro antioxidant potential. Materials and Methods: Standardization was carried out as per the pharmacopeial guidelines. Estimation of heavy metals, pesticides, and aflatoxins was carried out to ascertain the presence of any contaminant in the sample. Chemoprofiling was achieved by thin layer chromatography (TLC) by optimizing the mobile phase for different extracts. The most of the pharmacological activities of coriander are based on volatile oil constituents. Hence, GC-MS profiling was also carried out using hexane-soluble fraction of hydro-alcoholic extract. The total phenolic contents and in vitro antioxidant efficacy were determined using previously established methods. Results: The quality control and anatomical studies were very valuable for the identification whereas good antioxidant potential was observed when compared to ascorbic acid. The drug was found free of contaminant when analyzed for pesticides and aflatoxins whereas heavy metals were found under reported limits. Conclusion: The work embodied in this present research can be utilized for the identification and the quality control of the coriander fruit. PMID:26681883

Thin film photovoltaic device with multilayer substrate

DOEpatents

Catalano, Anthony W.; Bhushan, Manjul

1984-01-01

A thin film photovoltaic device which utilizes at least one compound semiconductor layer chosen from Groups IIB and VA of the Periodic Table is formed on a multilayer substrate The substrate includes a lowermost support layer on which all of the other layers of the device are formed. Additionally, an uppermost carbide or silicon layer is adjacent to the semiconductor layer. Below the carbide or silicon layer is a metal layer of high conductivity and expansion coefficient equal to or slightly greater than that of the semiconductor layer.

Controlled placement and orientation of nanostructures

DOEpatents

Zettl, Alex K; Yuzvinsky, Thomas D; Fennimore, Adam M

2014-04-08

A method for controlled deposition and orientation of molecular sized nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) on substrates is disclosed. The method comprised: forming a thin layer of polymer coating on a substrate; exposing a selected portion of the thin layer of polymer to alter a selected portion of the thin layer of polymer; forming a suspension of nanostructures in a solvent, wherein the solvent suspends the nanostructures and activates the nanostructures in the solvent for deposition; and flowing a suspension of nanostructures across the layer of polymer in a flow direction; thereby: depositing a nanostructure in the suspension of nanostructures only to the selected portion of the thin layer of polymer coating on the substrate to form a deposited nanostructure oriented in the flow direction. By selectively employing portions of the method above, complex NEMS may be built of simpler NEMSs components.

Methods To Determine the Silicone Oil Layer Thickness in Sprayed-On Siliconized Syringes.

PubMed

Loosli, Viviane; Germershaus, Oliver; Steinberg, Henrik; Dreher, Sascha; Grauschopf, Ulla; Funke, Stefanie

2018-01-01

The silicone lubricant layer in prefilled syringes has been investigated with regards to siliconization process performance, prefilled syringe functionality, and drug product attributes, such as subvisible particle levels, in several studies in the past. However, adequate methods to characterize the silicone oil layer thickness and distribution are limited, and systematic evaluation is missing. In this study, white light interferometry was evaluated to close this gap in method understanding. White light interferometry demonstrated a good accuracy of 93-99% for MgF 2 coated, curved standards covering a thickness range of 115-473 nm. Thickness measurements for sprayed-on siliconized prefilled syringes with different representative silicone oil distribution patterns (homogeneous, pronounced siliconization at flange or needle side, respectively) showed high instrument (0.5%) and analyst precision (4.1%). Different white light interferometry instrument parameters (autofocus, protective shield, syringe barrel dimensions input, type of non-siliconized syringe used as base reference) had no significant impact on the measured average layer thickness. The obtained values from white light interferometry applying a fully developed method (12 radial lines, 50 mm measurement distance, 50 measurements points) were in agreement with orthogonal results from combined white and laser interferometry and 3D-laser scanning microscopy. The investigated syringe batches (lot A and B) exhibited comparable longitudinal silicone oil layer thicknesses ranging from 170-190 nm to 90-100 nm from flange to tip and homogeneously distributed silicone layers over the syringe barrel circumference (110- 135 nm). Empty break-loose (4-4.5 N) and gliding forces (2-2.5 N) were comparably low for both analyzed syringe lots. A silicone oil layer thickness of 100-200 nm was thus sufficient for adequate functionality in this particular study. Filling the syringe with a surrogate solution including short-term exposure and emptying did not significantly influence the silicone oil layer at the investigated silicone level. It thus appears reasonable to use this approach to characterize silicone oil layers in filled syringes over time. The developed method characterizes non-destructively the layer thickness and distribution of silicone oil in empty syringes and provides fast access to reliable results. The gained information can be further used to support optimization of siliconization processes and increase the understanding of syringe functionality. LAY ABSTRACT: Silicone oil layers as lubricant are required to ensure functionality of prefilled syringes. Methods evaluating these layers are limited, and systematic evaluation is missing. The aim of this study was to develop and assess white light interferometry as an analytical method to characterize sprayed-on silicone oil layers in 1 mL prefilled syringes. White light interferometry showed a good accuracy (93-99%) as well as instrument and analyst precision (0.5% and 4.1%, respectively). Different applied instrument parameters had no significant impact on the measured layer thickness. The obtained values from white light interferometry applying a fully developed method concurred with orthogonal results from 3D-laser scanning microscopy and combined white light and laser interferometry. The average layer thicknesses in two investigated syringe lots gradually decreased from 170-190 nm at the flange to 100-90 nm at the needle side. The silicone layers were homogeneously distributed over the syringe barrel circumference (110-135 nm) for both lots. Empty break-loose (4-4.5 N) and gliding forces (2-2.5 N) were comparably low for both analyzed syringe lots. Syringe filling with a surrogate solution, including short-term exposure and emptying, did not significantly affect the silicone oil layer. The developed, non-destructive method provided reliable results to characterize the silicone oil layer thickness and distribution in empty siliconized syringes. This information can be further used to support optimization of siliconization processes and increase understanding of syringe functionality. © PDA, Inc. 2018.

The use of surface layer with boron in friction pairs lubricated by engine oils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szczypiński-Sala, W.; Lubas, J.

2016-09-01

The aim of the present work is to determine the influence of surface layers with boron and engine oil on the processes of friction and wear in friction pairs. The ring samples with borided surface layer cooperated under test conditions with counterparts made with CuPb30 and AlSn20 bearing alloys. During the tests, the friction pairs were lubricated with 15W/40 Lotos mineral oil and 5W/40 Lotos synthetic oil. The lubrication of friction area with Lotos mineral oil causes the reduction of the friction force, the temperature in the friction area and the wear of the bearing alloys under study, whereas the lubrication with Lotos synthetic oil reduces the changes in the geometrical structure of the cooperating friction pair elements. Lubrication of the friction area in the start-up phase of the friction pair by mineral oil causes faster stabilization of the friction conditions in the contact area than in the cause of lubrication of the friction pair by synthetic oil. The intensity of wear of the AlSn20 bearing alloy cooperating with the borided surface layer is three times smaller than the intensity of use of the CuPb30 alloy bearing.

Effect of inserting a hole injection layer in organic light-emitting diodes: A numerical approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hyeongi; Hwang, Youngwook; Won, Taeyoung

2015-01-01

For investigating the effect of inserting a hole injection layer (HIL), we carried out a computational study concerning organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) that had a thin CuPc layer as the hole injection layer. We used S-TAD (2, 2', 7, 7'-tetrakis-(N, Ndiphenylamino)-9, 9-spirobifluoren) for the hole transfer layer, S-DPVBi (4, 4'-bis (2, 2'-diphenylvinyl)-1, 1'-spirobiphenyl) for the emission layer and Alq3 (Tris (8-hyroxyquinolinato) aluminium) for the electron transfer layer. This tri-layer device was compared with four-layer devices. To this tri-layer device, we added a thin CuPc layer, which had a 5.3 eV highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level and a 3.8 eV lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) level, as a hole injection layer, and we chose this device for Device A. Also, we varied the LUMO level or the HOMO level of the thin CuPc layer. These two devices were identified as Device C and Device D, respectively. In this paper, we simulated the carrier injection, transport and recombination in these four devices. Thereby, we showed the effect of the HIL, and we demonstrated that the characteristics of these devices were improved by adding a thin layer of CuPc between the anode and the HTL.

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

Zhong, Lirong; Truex, Michael J.; Kananizadeh, Negin

In situ anaerobic biological processes are widely applied for dechlorination of chlorinated solvents in groundwater. A wide range of organic substrates have been tested and applied to support the dechlorination processes. Vegetable oils are a promising substrate and have been shown to induce effective dechlorination, have limited geochemical impacts, and good longevity. Distribution of vegetable oil in the subsurface, because it is a non-aqueous phase material, has typically been addressed by creating emulsified oil solutions. In this study, inexpensive waste vegetable oils were suspended in a xanthan gum solution, a shear-thinning fluid, as an alternative oil delivery mechanism. The stability,more » oil droplet size and distribution, and rheological behavior of the oil suspensions that are created in the xanthan solutions were studied in batch experiments. The injectability of the suspensions and oil distribution in porous medium were evaluated in column tests. Numerical modeling of the oil droplet transport and distribution in porous media was conducted to help interpret the column-test data. Batch studies showed that simple mixing of vegetable oil and xanthan solution produced stable suspensions of the oil as micron-size droplets. The mixture rheology retains shear-thinning properties that facilitate improved uniformity of substrate distribution in heterogeneous aquifers. Column tests demonstrated successful injection of the vegetable oil suspension into porous medium. This study provided evidence that vegetable oil suspensions in xanthan are a potential substrate to support in situ anaerobic bioremediation with favorable injection properties.« less

Fabrication of ATO/Graphene Multi-layered Transparent Conducting Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Na; Chen, Fei; Shen, Qiang; Wang, Chuanbin; Zhang, Lianmeng

2013-03-01

A novel transparent conducting oxide based on the ATO/graphene multi-layered thin films has been developed to satisfy the application of transparent conductive electrode in solar cells. The ATO thin films are prepared by pulsed laser deposition method with high quality, namely the sheet resistance of 49.5 Ω/sq and average transmittance of 81.9 %. The prepared graphene sheet is well reduced and shows atomically thin, spotty distributed appearance on the top of the ATO thin films. The XRD and optical micrographs are used to confirm the successfully preparation of the ATO/graphene multi-layered thin films. The Hall measurements and UV-Vis spectrophotometer are conducted to evaluate the sheet resistance and optical transmittance of the innovative structure. It is found that graphene can improve the electrical properties of the ATO thin films with little influence on the optical transmittance.

Oriented conductive oxide electrodes on SiO2/Si and glass

DOEpatents

Jia, Quanxi; Arendt, Paul N.

2001-01-01

A thin film structure is provided including a silicon substrate with a layer of silicon dioxide on a surface thereof, and a layer of cubic oxide material deposited upon the layer of silicon dioxide by ion-beam-assisted-deposition, said layer of cubic oxide material characterized as biaxially oriented. Preferably, the cubic oxide material is yttria-stabilized zirconia. Additional thin layers of biaxially oriented ruthenium oxide or lanthanum strontium cobalt oxide are deposited upon the layer of yttria-stabilized zirconia. An intermediate layer of cerium oxide is employed between the yttria-stabilized zirconia layer and the lanthanum strontium cobalt oxide layer. Also, a layer of barium strontium titanium oxide can be upon the layer of biaxially oriented ruthenium oxide or lanthanum strontium cobalt oxide. Also, a method of forming such thin film structures, including a low temperature deposition of a layer of a biaxially oriented cubic oxide material upon the silicon dioxide surface of a silicon dioxide/silicon substrate is provided.

Damped response of shells by a constrained viscoelastic layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

El-Raheb, M.; Wagner, P.

1986-01-01

Vibration absorbers are introduced into an asymmetric configuration of thin cylinders and tori enclosing an acoustic medium. The absorbers consist of thin axial strips bonded to the cylinder with a thin viscoelastic layer. The constrained layer dissipates the energy of relative motions between strip and cylinder. The absorber is most effective on response modes with two or more circumferential waves. The use of transfer matrices is extended to the coupled cylinder-absorber system.

In vivo confocal Raman microscopic determination of depth profiles of the stratum corneum lipid organization influenced by application of various oils.

PubMed

Choe, ChunSik; Schleusener, Johannes; Lademann, Jürgen; Darvin, Maxim E

2017-08-01

The intercellular lipids (ICL) of stratum corneum (SC) play an important role in maintaining the skin barrier function. The lateral and lamellar packing order of ICL in SC is not homogenous, but rather depth-dependent. This study aimed to analyze the influence of the topically applied mineral-derived (paraffin and petrolatum) and plant-derived (almond oil and jojoba oil) oils on the depth-dependent ICL profile ordering of the SC in vivo. Confocal Raman microscopy (CRM), a unique tool to analyze the depth profile of the ICL structure non-invasively, is employed to investigate the interaction between oils and human SC in vivo. The results show that the response of SC to oils' permeation varies in the depths. All oils remain in the upper layers of the SC (0-20% of SC thickness) and show predominated differences of ICL ordering from intact skin. In these depths, skin treated with plant-derived oils shows more disordered lateral and lamellar packing order of ICL than intact skin (p<0.05). In the intermediate layers of SC (30-50% of SC thickness), the oils do not influence the lateral packing order of SC ICL (p>0.1), except plant-derived oils at the depth 30% of SC thickness. In the deeper layers of the SC (60-100% of SC thickness), no difference between ICL lateral packing order of the oil-treated and intact skin can be observed, except that at the depths of 70-90% of the SC thickness, where slight changes with more disorder states are measured for plant-derived oil treated skin (p<0.1), which could be explained by the penetration of free fatty acid fractions in the deep-located SC areas. Both oil types remain in the superficial layers of the SC (0-20% of the SC thickness). Skin treated with mineral- and plant-derived oils shows significantly higher disordered lateral and lamellar packing order of ICL in these layers of the SC compared to intact skin. Plant-derived oils significantly changed the ICL ordering in the depths of 30% and 70-90% of the SC thickness, which is likely due to the penetration of free fatty acids in the deeper layers of the SC. Copyright © 2017 Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Photocurrent generation in SnO2 thin film by surface charged chemisorption O ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Po-Ming; Liao, Ching-Han; Lin, Chia-Hua; Liu, Cheng-Yi

2018-06-01

We report a photocurrent generation mechanism in the SnO2 thin film surface layer by the charged chemisorption O ions on the SnO2 thin film surface induced by O2-annealing. A critical build-in electric field in the SnO2 surface layer resulted from the charged O ions on SnO2 surface prolongs the lifetime and reduces the recombination probability of the photo-excited electron-hole pairs by UV-laser irradiation (266 nm) in the SnO2 surface layer, which is the key for the photocurrent generation in the SnO2 thin film surface layer. The critical lifetime of prolonged photo-excited electron-hole pair is calculated to be 8.3 ms.

Multi-oxide active layer deposition using Applied Materials Pivot array coater for high-mobility metal oxide TFT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Hyun Chan; Scheer, Evelyn; Witting, Karin; Hanika, Markus; Bender, Marcus; Hsu, Hao Chien; Yim, Dong Kil

2015-11-01

By controlling a thin indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide interface layer between gate insulator and indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO), the thin-film transistor (TFT) performance can reach higher mobility as conventional IGZO as well as superior stability. For large-area display application, Applied Materials static PVD array coater (Applied Materials GmbH & Co. KG, Alzenau, Germany) using rotary targets has been developed to enable uniform thin layer deposition in display industry. Unique magnet motion parameter optimization in Pivot sputtering coater is shown to provide very uniform thin ITO layer to reach TFT performance with high mobility, not only on small scale, but also on Gen8.5 (2500 × 2200 mm glass size) production system.

Highly stable thin film transistors using multilayer channel structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nayak, Pradipta K.; Wang, Zhenwei; Anjum, D. H.; Hedhili, M. N.; Alshareef, H. N.

2015-03-01

We report highly stable gate-bias stress performance of thin film transistors (TFTs) using zinc oxide (ZnO)/hafnium oxide (HfO2) multilayer structure as the channel layer. Positive and negative gate-bias stress stability of the TFTs was measured at room temperature and at 60 °C. A tremendous improvement in gate-bias stress stability was obtained in case of the TFT with multiple layers of ZnO embedded between HfO2 layers compared to the TFT with a single layer of ZnO as the semiconductor. The ultra-thin HfO2 layers act as passivation layers, which prevent the adsorption of oxygen and water molecules in the ZnO layer and hence significantly improve the gate-bias stress stability of ZnO TFTs.

Method of manufacturing a shapeable short-resistant capacitor

DOEpatents

Taylor, Ralph S.; Myers, John D.; Baney, William J.

2013-04-02

A method that employs a novel combination of conventional fabrication techniques provides a ceramic short-resistant capacitor that is bendable and/or shapeable to provide a multiple layer capacitor that is extremely compact and amenable to desirable geometries. The method allows thinner and more flexible ceramic capacitors to be made. The method includes forming a first thin metal layer on a substrate; depositing a thin, ceramic dielectric layer over the metal layer; depositing a second thin metal layer over the dielectric layer to form a capacitor exhibiting a benign failure mode; and separating the capacitor from the substrate. The method may also include bending the resulting capacitor into a serpentine arrangement with gaps between the layers that allow venting of evaporated electrode material in the event of a benign failure.

Method and apparatus for fabricating a thin-film solar cell utilizing a hot wire chemical vapor deposition technique

DOEpatents

Wang, Qi; Iwaniczko, Eugene

2006-10-17

A thin-film solar cell is provided. The thin-film solar cell comprises an a-SiGe:H (1.6 eV) n-i-p solar cell having a deposition rate of at least ten (10) .ANG./second for the a-SiGe:H intrinsic layer by hot wire chemical vapor deposition. A method for fabricating a thin film solar cell is also provided. The method comprises depositing a n-i-p layer at a deposition rate of at least ten (10) .ANG./second for the a-SiGe:H intrinsic layer.

Ultra-high current density thin-film Si diode

DOEpatents

Wang; Qi

2008-04-22

A combination of a thin-film .mu.c-Si and a-Si:H containing diode structure characterized by an ultra-high current density that exceeds 1000 A/cm.sup.2, comprising: a substrate; a bottom metal layer disposed on the substrate; an n-layer of .mu.c-Si deposited the bottom metal layer; an i-layer of .mu.c-Si deposited on the n-layer; a buffer layer of a-Si:H deposited on the i-layer, a p-layer of .mu.c-Si deposited on the buffer layer; and a top metal layer deposited on the p-layer.

Electron transport in ultra-thin films and ballistic electron emission microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Claveau, Y.; Di Matteo, S.; de Andres, P. L.; Flores, F.

2017-03-01

We have developed a calculation scheme for the elastic electron current in ultra-thin epitaxial heterostructures. Our model uses a Keldysh’s non-equilibrium Green’s function formalism and a layer-by-layer construction of the epitaxial film. Such an approach is appropriate to describe the current in a ballistic electron emission microscope (BEEM) where the metal base layer is ultra-thin and generalizes a previous one based on a decimation technique appropriated for thick slabs. This formalism allows a full quantum mechanical description of the transmission across the epitaxial heterostructure interface, including multiple scattering via the Dyson equation, which is deemed a crucial ingredient to describe interfaces of ultra-thin layers properly in the future. We introduce a theoretical formulation needed for ultra-thin layers and we compare with results obtained for thick Au(1 1 1) metal layers. An interesting effect takes place for a width of about ten layers: a BEEM current can propagate via the center of the reciprocal space (\\overlineΓ ) along the Au(1 1 1) direction. We associate this current to a coherent interference finite-width effect that cannot be found using a decimation technique. Finally, we have tested the validity of the handy semiclassical formalism to describe the BEEM current.

Lidar observation of transition of cirrus clouds over a tropical station Gadanki (13.45° N, 79.18° E): case studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srinivasan, M. A.; Rao, C. Dhananjaya; Krishnaiah, M.

2016-05-01

The present study describes Mie lidar observations of the cirrus cloud passage showing transition between double thin layers into single thick and single thick layer into double thin layers of cirrus over Gadanki region. During Case1: 17 January 2007, Case4: 12 June 2007, Case5: 14 July 2007 and Case6: 24 July 2007 the transition is found to from two thin cirrus layers into single geometrically thick layer. Case2: 14 May 2007 and Case3: 15 May 2007, the transition is found to from single geometrically thick layer into two thin cirrus layers. Linear Depolarization Ratio (LDR) and Back Scatter Ration (BSR) are found to show similar variation with strong peaks during transition; both LDR and Cloud Optical Depth (COD) is found to show similar variation except during transition with strong peaks in COD which is not clearly found from LDR for the all cases. There is a significant weakening of zonal and meridional winds during Case1 which might be due to the transition from multiple to single thick cirrus indicating potential capability of thick cirrus in modulating the wind fields. There exists strong upward wind dominance contributed to significant ascent in cloud-base altitude thereby causing transition of multiple thin layers into single thick cirrus.

Patterning layer-by-layer self-assembled multilayer by lithography and its applications to thin film devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hua, Feng

Nanoparticles are exciting materials because they exhibit unique electronic, catalytic, and optical properties. As a novel and promising nanobuilding block, it attracts considerable research efforts in its integration into a wide variety of thin film devices. Nanoparticles were adsorbed onto the substrate with layer-by-layer self-assembly which becomes of great interest due to its suitability in colloid particle assembly. Without extremely high temperatures and sophisticated equipment, molecularly organized films in an exactly pre-designed order can grow on almost all the substrates in nature. Two approaches generating spatially separated patterns comprised of nanoparticles are demonstrated, as well as two approaches patterning more than one type of nonoparticle on a silicon wafer. The structure of the thin film patterned by these approaches are analyzed and considered suitable to the thin film device. Finally, the combination of lithography and layer-by-layer (lbl) self-assembly is utilized to realize the microelectronic device with functional nonoparticles. The lbl self-assembly is the way to coat the nonoparticles and the lighography to pattern them. Based on the coating and patterning technique, a MOS-capacitor, a MOS field-effect-transistor and magnetic thin film cantilever are fabricated.

Identification Of Fatty Acid Isomers By Gas Chromatography / Matrix Isolation / Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mossoba, Magdi M.; McDonald, Richard E.; Chen, Jo-Yun T.; Page, Samuel W.

1989-12-01

Geometric and positional isomers of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) derived from hydrogenated soybean oil and margarines were separated by silver nitrate-thin layer chromatography (AgNO3-TLC) followed by capillary gas chromatography (GC) and identified by matrix isolation / Fourier transform infrared (MI/FTIR) spectroscopyi,2. Because of the high specificity of the MI technique, it was possible to distinguish between different 18-carbon aliphatic chains of FAME positional isomers with cis or trans configuration, and to determine their degree of unsaturation. For the first time mid-IR spectra were observed for methylene-interrupted or isolated trans, trans or cis/ trans C18 FAME positional isomers. These spectra could be readily differentiated based on unique MI/FTIR spectral characteristics.

Ion beam-based studies for tribological phenomena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Racolta, P. M.; Popa-Simil, L.; Alexandreanu, B.

1996-06-01

Custom-designed experiments based on the Thin Layer Activation technique (TLA) were completed, providing information on the wear level of some engine components with additional data on transfer and adhesion of material between metallic friction couples using the RBS method. RBS experimental results concerning material transfer for a steel-brass friction couple are presented and discussed in the paper. Also, the types and concentrations of the wear products in used lubricant oils were determined by in-air PIXE. A sequential lubricant filtering-based procedure for determining the dimension distribution of the resulting radioactive wear particles by low level γ-spectrometry is presented. Experimental XRF spectra showing the non-homogeneous distribution of the retained waste particles on the filtering paper are shown.

Thin and thick layers of resin-based sealer cement bonded to root dentine compared: Adhesive behaviour.

PubMed

Pane, Epita S; Palamara, Joseph E A; Messer, Harold H

2015-12-01

This study aims to evaluate tensile and shear bond strengths of one epoxy (AH) and two methacrylate resin-based sealers (EZ and RS) in thin and thick layers bonded to root dentine. An alignment device was prepared for accurate positioning of 20 root dentine cylinders in a predefined gap of 0.1 or 1 mm. Sealer was placed in the interface. Bond strength tests were conducted. Mode of failures and representative surfaces were evaluated. Data were analysed using anova and post-hoc tests, with P < 0.05. The thick layer of sealer produced higher bond strength, except for the shear bond strength of EZ. Significant differences between thin and thick layers were found only in tensile bond strengths of AH and RS. Mixed type of failure was constantly found with all sealers. Bond strengths of thick layers of resin-based sealers to root dentine tended to be higher than with thin layers. © 2015 Australian Society of Endodontology.

Method of Fabricating Schottky Barrier solar cell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stirn, R. J.; Yeh, Y. C. M. (Inventor)

1982-01-01

On a thin substrate of low cost material with at least the top surface of the substrate being electrically conductive is deposited a thin layer of heavily doped n-type polycrystalline germanium, with crystalline sizes in the submicron range. A passivation layer may be deposited on the substrate to prevent migration of impurities into the polycrystalline germanium. The polycrystalline germanium is recrystallized to increase the crystal sizes in the germanium layer to not less than 5 micros to serve as a base layer on which a thin layer of gallium arsenide is vapor epitaxially grown to a selected thickness. A thermally-grown oxide layer of a thickness of several tens of angstroms is formed on the gallium arsenide layer. A metal layer, of not more about 100 angstroms thick, is deposited on the oxide layer, and a grid electrode is deposited to be in electrical contact with the top surface of the metal layer. An antireflection coating may be deposited on the exposed top surface of the metal layer.

Production of Sophorolipid from an Identified Current Yeast, Lachancea thermotolerans BBMCZ7FA20, Isolated from Honey Bee.

PubMed

Mousavi, Fereshteh; Beheshti-Maal, Keivan; Massah, Ahmadreza

2015-08-01

Biosurfactants are a family of diverse amphipathic molecules that are produced by several microorganisms such as bacteria, molds, and yeasts. These surface active agents have several applications in agriculture, oil processing, food, and pharmaceutical industries. In this research using YMG and YUG culture media, a native yeast strain, HG5, was isolated from honey bee. The oil spread test as a screening method was used to evaluate biosurfactant production by the yeast HG5 isolate. The 5.8s-rDNA analysis confirmed that the isolated yeast was related to Lachancea thermotolerans. We named this strain Lachancea thermotolerans strain BBMCZ7FA20 and its 5.8s-rDNA sequence was deposited in GenBank, NCBI under accession number of KM042082.1. The best precursor of biosurfactant production was canola oil and the sophorolipid amount was measured for 24.2 g/l. The thin layer chromatography and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy analysis showed that the extracted biosurfactant from Lachancea thermotolerans was sophorolipid. In conclusion, this is the first report of sophorolipid production by a native yeast Lachancea thermotolerans BBMCZ7FA20 we isolated from the honey bee gut collected from an apiary farm in Saman, Chaharmahal Bakhtiari province, Iran. We suggested that some cost-effective supplements such as canola oil, sunflower oil, and corn oils could be applied for increasing the sophorolipid production by this native yeast strain. According to several applications of biosurfactants in today world, the production of sophorolipid by Lachancea thermotolerans could be considered as a potential in the current industrial microbiology and modern microbial biotechnology.

The composition-explicit distillation curve technique: Relating chemical analysis and physical properties of complex fluids.

PubMed

Bruno, Thomas J; Ott, Lisa S; Lovestead, Tara M; Huber, Marcia L

2010-04-16

The analysis of complex fluids such as crude oils, fuels, vegetable oils and mixed waste streams poses significant challenges arising primarily from the multiplicity of components, the different properties of the components (polarity, polarizability, etc.) and matrix properties. We have recently introduced an analytical strategy that simplifies many of these analyses, and provides the added potential of linking compositional information with physical property information. This aspect can be used to facilitate equation of state development for the complex fluids. In addition to chemical characterization, the approach provides the ability to calculate thermodynamic properties for such complex heterogeneous streams. The technique is based on the advanced distillation curve (ADC) metrology, which separates a complex fluid by distillation into fractions that are sampled, and for which thermodynamically consistent temperatures are measured at atmospheric pressure. The collected sample fractions can be analyzed by any method that is appropriate. The analytical methods we have applied include gas chromatography (with flame ionization, mass spectrometric and sulfur chemiluminescence detection), thin layer chromatography, FTIR, corrosivity analysis, neutron activation analysis and cold neutron prompt gamma activation analysis. By far, the most widely used analytical technique we have used with the ADC is gas chromatography. This has enabled us to study finished fuels (gasoline, diesel fuels, aviation fuels, rocket propellants), crude oils (including a crude oil made from swine manure) and waste oils streams (used automotive and transformer oils). In this special issue of the Journal of Chromatography, specifically dedicated to extraction technologies, we describe the essential features of the advanced distillation curve metrology as an analytical strategy for complex fluids. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Characterization of aluminum selenide bi-layer thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boolchandani, Sarita; Soni, Gyanesh; Srivastava, Subodh; Vijay, Y. K.

2018-05-01

The Aluminum Selenide (AlSe) bi-layer thin films were grown on glass substrate using thermal evaporation method under high vacuum condition. The morphological characterization was done using SEM. Electrical measurement with temperature variation shows that thin films exhibit the semiconductor nature. The optical properties of prepared thin films have also been characterized by UV-VIS spectroscopy measurements. The band gap of composite thin films has been calculated by Tauc's relation at different temperature ranging 35°C-100°C.

Room temperature multiplexed gas sensing using chemical-sensitive 3.5-nm-thin silicon transistors.

PubMed

Fahad, Hossain Mohammad; Shiraki, Hiroshi; Amani, Matin; Zhang, Chuchu; Hebbar, Vivek Srinivas; Gao, Wei; Ota, Hiroki; Hettick, Mark; Kiriya, Daisuke; Chen, Yu-Ze; Chueh, Yu-Lun; Javey, Ali

2017-03-01

There is great interest in developing a low-power gas sensing technology that can sensitively and selectively quantify the chemical composition of a target atmosphere. Nanomaterials have emerged as extremely promising candidates for this technology due to their inherent low-dimensional nature and high surface-to-volume ratio. Among these, nanoscale silicon is of great interest because pristine silicon is largely inert on its own in the context of gas sensing, unless functionalized with an appropriate gas-sensitive material. We report a chemical-sensitive field-effect transistor (CS-FET) platform based on 3.5-nm-thin silicon channel transistors. Using industry-compatible processing techniques, the conventional electrically active gate stack is replaced by an ultrathin chemical-sensitive layer that is electrically nonconducting and coupled to the 3.5-nm-thin silicon channel. We demonstrate a low-power, sensitive, and selective multiplexed gas sensing technology using this platform by detecting H 2 S, H 2 , and NO 2 at room temperature for environment, health, and safety in the oil and gas industry, offering significant advantages over existing technology. Moreover, the system described here can be readily integrated with mobile electronics for distributed sensor networks in environmental pollution mapping and personal air-quality monitors.

Room temperature multiplexed gas sensing using chemical-sensitive 3.5-nm-thin silicon transistors

PubMed Central

Fahad, Hossain Mohammad; Shiraki, Hiroshi; Amani, Matin; Zhang, Chuchu; Hebbar, Vivek Srinivas; Gao, Wei; Ota, Hiroki; Hettick, Mark; Kiriya, Daisuke; Chen, Yu-Ze; Chueh, Yu-Lun; Javey, Ali

2017-01-01

There is great interest in developing a low-power gas sensing technology that can sensitively and selectively quantify the chemical composition of a target atmosphere. Nanomaterials have emerged as extremely promising candidates for this technology due to their inherent low-dimensional nature and high surface-to-volume ratio. Among these, nanoscale silicon is of great interest because pristine silicon is largely inert on its own in the context of gas sensing, unless functionalized with an appropriate gas-sensitive material. We report a chemical-sensitive field-effect transistor (CS-FET) platform based on 3.5-nm-thin silicon channel transistors. Using industry-compatible processing techniques, the conventional electrically active gate stack is replaced by an ultrathin chemical-sensitive layer that is electrically nonconducting and coupled to the 3.5-nm-thin silicon channel. We demonstrate a low-power, sensitive, and selective multiplexed gas sensing technology using this platform by detecting H2S, H2, and NO2 at room temperature for environment, health, and safety in the oil and gas industry, offering significant advantages over existing technology. Moreover, the system described here can be readily integrated with mobile electronics for distributed sensor networks in environmental pollution mapping and personal air-quality monitors. PMID:28378017

Mechanically durable, superoleophobic coatings prepared by layer-by-layer technique for anti-smudge and oil-water separation

PubMed Central

Brown, Philip S.; Bhushan, Bharat

2015-01-01

Superoleophobic surfaces are of interest for anti-fouling, self-cleaning, anti-smudge, low-drag, anti-fog, and oil-water separation applications. Current bioinspired surfaces are of limited use due to a lack of mechanical durability. A so-called layer-by-layer approach, involving charged species with electrostatic interactions between layers, can provide the flexibility needed to improve adhesion to the substrate while providing a low surface tension coating at the air interface. In this work, a polyelectrolyte binder, SiO2 nanoparticles, and a fluorosurfactant are spray deposited separately to create a durable, superoleophobic coating. Polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride (PDDA) polyelectrolyte was complexed with a fluorosurfactant layer (FL), which provides oil repellency while being hydrophilic. This oleophobic/superhydrophilic behavior was enhanced through the use of roughening with SiO2 particles resulting in a superoleophobic coating with hexadecane contact angles exceeding 155° and tilt angles of less than 4°. The coating is also superhydrophilic, which is desirable for oil-water separation applications. The durability of these coatings was examined through the use of micro- and macrowear experiments. These coatings currently display characteristics of transparency. Fabrication of these coatings via the layer-by-layer technique results in superoleophobic surfaces displaying improved durability compared to existing work where either the durability or the oil-repellency is compromised. PMID:25731716

Aggregation in complex triacylglycerol oils: coarse-grained models, nanophase separation, and predicted x-ray intensities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quinn, Bonnie; Peyronel, Fernanda; Gordon, Tyler; Marangoni, Alejandro; Hanna, Charles B.; Pink, David A.

2014-11-01

Triacylglycerols (TAGs) are biologically important molecules which form crystalline nanoplatelets (CNPs) and, ultimately, fat crystal networks in edible oils. Characterizing the self-assembled hierarchies of these networks is important to understanding their functionality and oil binding capacity. We have modelled CNPs in multicomponent oils and studied their aggregation. The oil comprises (a) a liquid componentt, and (b) components which phase separately on a nano-scale (nano-phase separation) to coat the surfaces of the CNPs impenetrably, either isotropically or anisotropically, with either liquid-like coatings or crystallites, forming a coating of thickness Δ. We modelled three cases: (i) liquid-liquid nano-phase separation, (ii) solid-liquid nano-phase separation, with CNPs coated isotropically, and (iii) CNPs coated anisotropically. The models were applied to mixes of tristearin and triolein with fully hydrogenated canola oil, shea butter with high oleic sunflower oil, and cotton seed oil. We performed Monte Carlo simulations, computed structure functions and concluded: (1) three regimes arose: (a) thin coating regime, Δ \\lt 0.0701 u (b) transition regime, 0.0701 u≤slant Δ ≤slant 0.0916 u and (c) thick coating regime, Δ \\gt 0.0916 u . (arbitrary units, u) (2) The thin coating regime exhibits 1D TAGwoods, which aggregate, via DLCA/RLCA, into fractal structures which are uniformly distributed in space. (3) In the thick coating regime, for an isotropic coating, TAGwoods are not formed and coated CNPs will not aggregate but will be uniformly distributed in space. For anisotropic coating, TAGwoods can be formed and might form 1D strings but will not form DLCA/RLCA clusters. (4) The regimes are, approximately: thin coating, 0\\lt Δ \\lt 7.0 \\text{nm} transition regime, 7.0\\ltΔ \\lt 9.2 \\text{nm} and thick coating, Δ \\gt 9.2 \\text{nm} (5) The minimum minority TAG concentration required to undergo nano-phase separation is, approximately, 0.29% (thin coatings) and 0.94% (thick coatings). Minority components can have substantial effects upon aggregation for concentrations less than 1%.

Publications - GMC 360 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical

Science.gov Websites

DGGS GMC 360 Publication Details Title: Photomicrographs of Petrographic Thin Sections for the Inigok Reference Shell International EP, Inc., 2009, Photomicrographs of Petrographic Thin Sections for the Inigok page for information on ordering data on DVD. Keywords Oil and Gas; Petrographic; Thin Section Top of

Publications - GMC 391 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical

Science.gov Websites

DGGS GMC 391 Publication Details Title: Core descriptions, photographs and thin section photomicro , Inc., 2010, Core descriptions, photographs and thin section photomicro-graphs from the Humble Oil DDH DVD. Keywords Core Drilling; Thin Section Top of Page Department of Natural Resources, Division of

Piezoresistivity of mechanically drawn single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) thin films-: mechanism and optimizing principle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obitayo, Waris

The individual carbon nanotube (CNT) based strain sensors have been found to have excellent piezoresistive properties with a reported gauge factor (GF) of up to 3000. This GF on the other hand, has been shown to be structurally dependent on the nanotubes. In contrast, to individual CNT based strain sensors, the ensemble CNT based strain sensors have very low GFs e.g. for a single walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) thin film strain sensor, GF is ~1. As a result, studies which are mostly numerical/analytical have revealed the dependence of piezoresistivity on key parameters like concentration, orientation, length and diameter, aspect ratio, energy barrier height and Poisson ratio of polymer matrix. The fundamental understanding of the piezoresistive mechanism in an ensemble CNT based strain sensor still remains unclear, largely due to discrepancies in the outcomes of these numerical studies. Besides, there have been little or no experimental confirmation of these studies. The goal of my PhD is to study the mechanism and the optimizing principle of a SWCNT thin film strain sensor and provide experimental validation of the numerical/analytical investigations. The dependence of the piezoresistivity on key parameters like orientation, network density, bundle diameter (effective tunneling area), and length is studied, and how one can effectively optimize the piezoresistive behavior of a SWCNT thin film strain sensors. To reach this goal, my first research accomplishment involves the study of orientation of SWCNTs and its effect on the piezoresistivity of mechanically drawn SWCNT thin film based piezoresistive sensors. Using polarized Raman spectroscopy analysis and coupled electrical-mechanical test, a quantitative relationship between the strain sensitivity and SWCNT alignment order parameter was established. As compared to randomly oriented SWCNT thin films, the one with draw ratio of 3.2 exhibited ~6x increase on the GF. My second accomplishment involves studying the influence of the network density on the piezoresistivity of mechanically drawn SWCNT thin films. Mechanically drawn SWCNT thin films with different layer (or thickness) e.g. 1-layer, 3-layer, 10-layer and 20-layer SWCNT thin films were prepared to understand the variation of SWCNT network density as well as the alignment of SWCNTs on the strain sensitivity. The less entangled SWCNT bundles observed in the sparse network density (1- layer and 3-layer SWCNT thin films) allows for easy alignment and the best gauge factors. As compared to the randomly oriented SWCNT thin films, the one with draw ratio of 3.2 exhibited ~8x increase on the GF for the 1-layer SWCNT thin films while the 20-layer SWCNT thin films exhibited ~3x increase in the GF. My third accomplishment examines the effect of SWCNT bundles with different diameters on the piezoresistive behavior of mechanically drawn SWCNT thin films. SWCNT thin film network of sparse morphology (1-layer) with different bundle sizes were prepared by varying the sonication duration e.g. S0.5hr, S4hr, S10hr and S20hr and using spraying coating. The GF increased by a factor of ~10 when the randomly oriented SWCNT thin film was stretched to a draw ratio of 3.2 for the S0.5hr SWCNT thin films and by a factor of ~2 for the S20hr SWCNT thin films. Three main mechanisms were attributed to this behavior e.g. effect of concentration of exfoliated nanotubes, bundle reduction due to mechanical stretching, and influence of bundle length on the alignment of SWCNTs. Furthermore, information about the average length and length distribution is very essential when investigating the influence of individual nanotube length on the strain sensitivity. With that in mind, we would use our previously developed preparative ultracentrifuge method (PUM), and our newly developed gel electrophoresis and simultaneous Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopy (GEP-SRSPL) to characterize the average length and length distribution of individual SWCNTs respectively.

Ease of oral administration and owner-perceived acceptability of triglyceride oil, dissolving thin film strip, and gelatin capsule formulations to healthy cats.

PubMed

Traas, Anne M; Fleck, Timothy; Ellings, Andrea; Mahabir, Sean; Stuebner, Kathy; Brown, Dorothy C; Durso, Dana; DiGregorio, Michael; Bode, Lora; Kievit, Kelly I; McCall, Robert

2010-06-01

To compare owner-assessed ease of administration and overall acceptability of 3 chemically inactive formulations administered PO to cats. 90 healthy client-owned cats. Cats were randomly assigned to receive 1 of 3 formulations PO once daily for 14 days: medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, dissolving thin film strips (proprietary ingredients), or gelatin capsules filled with microcrystalline cellulose. Owners administered the formulations and rated ease of administration daily on a 10-cm visual analogue scale (VAS). At the end of the study, owners rated overall acceptability of formulations from their own perspective and their overall perception of acceptability to their cat. Mean VAS scores for daily ease of administration of MCT oil and film strips were significantly higher than scores for gelatin capsules at all time points, except on days 2, 4, and 7. There was no difference between MCT oil and film strip formulation scores. Mean VAS scores were 8.8 (MCT oil), 8.9 (film strips), and 7.4 (gelatin capsules) for overall acceptability to owners and 8.0 (MCT oil), 8.3 (film strips), and 6.7 (gelatin capsules) for overall owner-perceived acceptability to cats. Daily ease of administration on 11 of 14 days and overall owner-perceived acceptability to cats were scored significantly higher for film strips and MCT oil, compared with scores for gelatin capsules. Overall acceptability to owners followed a similar pattern; however, the differences were not significant. Dissolving thin film strip or MCT oil vehicles may allow for easier PO administration of medication to cats than does administration of gelatin capsules.

Terahertz imaging for subsurface investigation of art paintings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Locquet, A.; Dong, J.; Melis, M.; Citrin, D. S.

2017-08-01

Terahertz (THz) reflective imaging is applied to the stratigraphic and subsurface investigation of oil paintings, with a focus on the mid-20th century Italian painting, `After Fishing', by Ausonio Tanda. THz frequency-wavelet domain deconvolution, which is an enhanced deconvolution technique combining frequency-domain filtering and stationary wavelet shrinkage, is utilized to resolve the optically thin paint layers or brush strokes. Based on the deconvolved terahertz data, the stratigraphy of the painting including the paint layers is reconstructed and subsurface features are clearly revealed. Specifically, THz C-scans and B-scans are analyzed based on different types of deconvolved signals to investigate the subsurface features of the painting, including the identification of regions with more than one paint layer, the refractive-index difference between paint layers, and the distribution of the paint-layer thickness. In addition, THz images are compared with X-ray images. The THz image of the thickness distribution of the paint exhibits a high degree of correlation with the X-ray transmission image, but THz images also reveal defects in the paperboard that cannot be identified in the X-ray image. Therefore, our results demonstrate that THz imaging can be considered as an effective tool for the stratigraphic and subsurface investigation of art paintings. They also open up the way for the use of non-ionizing THz imaging as a potential substitute for ionizing X-ray analysis in nondestructive evaluation of art paintings.

Process for forming epitaxial perovskite thin film layers using halide precursors

DOEpatents

Clem, Paul G.; Rodriguez, Mark A.; Voigt, James A.; Ashley, Carol S.

2001-01-01

A process for forming an epitaxial perovskite-phase thin film on a substrate. This thin film can act as a buffer layer between a Ni substrate and a YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-x superconductor layer. The process utilizes alkali or alkaline metal acetates dissolved in halogenated organic acid along with titanium isopropoxide to dip or spin-coat the substrate which is then heated to about 700.degree. C. in an inert gas atmosphere to form the epitaxial film on the substrate. The YBCO superconductor can then be deposited on the layer formed by this invention.

Photo-EMF sensitivity of porous silicon thin layer-crystalline silicon heterojunction to ammonia adsorption.

PubMed

Vashpanov, Yuriy; Jung, Jae Il; Kwack, Kae Dal

2011-01-01

A new method of using photo-electromotive force in detecting gas and controlling sensitivity is proposed. Photo-electromotive force on the heterojunction between porous silicon thin layer and crystalline silicon wafer depends on the concentration of ammonia in the measurement chamber. A porous silicon thin layer was formed by electrochemical etching on p-type silicon wafer. A gas and light transparent electrical contact was manufactured to this porous layer. Photo-EMF sensitivity corresponding to ammonia concentration in the range from 10 ppm to 1,000 ppm can be maximized by controlling the intensity of illumination light.

19.5%-Efficient CuIn1-xGaxSe2 Photovoltaic Cells Using A Cd-Zn-S Buffer Layer

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

Bhattacharya. R. N.

2008-01-01

CuIn1-xGaxSe2 (CIGS) solar cell junctions prepared by chemical-bath-deposited (CBD) Zn1-xCdxS (CdZnS), ZnS, and CdS buffer layers are discussed. A 19.52%-efficient, CIGS-based, thin-film photovoltaic device has been fabricated using a single-layer CBD CdZnS buffer layer. The mechanism that creates extensive hydroxide and oxide impurities in CBD-ZnS and CBD-CdZnS thin films (compared to CBD-CdS thin film) is presented.

Management of light absorption in extraordinary optical transmission based ultra-thin-film tandem solar cells

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

Mashooq, Kishwar; Talukder, Muhammad Anisuzzaman, E-mail: anis@eee.buet.ac.bd

2016-05-21

Although ultra-thin-film solar cells can be attractive in reducing the cost, they suffer from low absorption as the thickness of the active layer is usually much smaller than the wavelength of incident light. Different nano-photonic techniques, including plasmonic structures, are being explored to increase the light absorption in ultra-thin-film solar cells. More than one layer of active materials with different energy bandgaps can be used in tandem to increase the light absorption as well. However, due to different amount of light absorption in different active layers, photo-generated currents in different active layers will not be the same. The current mismatchmore » between the tandem layers makes them ineffective in increasing the efficiency. In this work, we investigate the light absorption properties of tandem solar cells with two ultra-thin active layers working as two subcells and a metal layer with periodically perforated holes in-between the two subcells. While the metal layer helps to overcome the current mismatch, the periodic holes increase the absorption of incident light by helping extraordinary optical transmission of the incident light from the top to the bottom subcell, and by coupling the incident light to plasmonic and photonic modes within ultra-thin active layers. We extensively study the effects of the geometry of holes in the intermediate metal layer on the light absorption properties of tandem solar cells with ultra-thin active layers. We also study how different metals in the intermediate layer affect the light absorption; how the geometry of holes in the intermediate layer affects the absorption when the active layer materials are changed; and how the intermediate metal layer affects the collection of photo-generated electron-hole pairs at the terminals. We find that in a solar cell with 6,6-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester top subcell and copper indium gallium selenide bottom subcell, if the periodic holes in the metal layer are square or polygon, total absorption remains approximately the same. However, the total absorption suffers significantly if the holes are triangle. The transmission spectra of incident light into the bottom subcell, and hence the absorption, change significantly for square and circle holes if the active materials change to cadmium selenide (CdSe) and cadmium telluride (CdTe) in the top and bottom subcells, respectively. Although the intermediate metal layer may induce electron-hole pair recombination due to surface defects, the short-circuit current density of an ultra-thin plasmonic solar cell with an intermediate metal layer with two-dimensional hole array is >9% of that of a structure without the intermediate metal layer.« less

Fabrication of highly hydrophilic filter using natural and hydrothermally treated mica nanoparticles for efficient waste oil-water separation.

PubMed

Gunatilake, Udara Bimendra; Bandara, Jayasundera

2017-04-15

For the effective oil/water separation, a novel superhydrophilic (underwater superoleophobic) filter is fabricated with the naturally and hydrothermally treated mica particles. To fabricate a double layered filter, hydrothermally treated mica particles were initially electrodeposited on a stainless steel mesh and a natural mica particles were sprayed on the first hydrothermally deposited mica layer. The double layered mica coated membrane showed superamphiphilic and superhydrophilic/superoleophobic (contact angle >159°) characteristics in air and underwater respectively. The membrane can separate range of oil-water mixtures with oil/water separation efficiency over ∼99%. Properties of double layered mica membrane were investigated and noted that the surface adhesion properties of mica is enhanced by the hydrothermal treatment of mica and the higher roughness of the mica layer is maintained by the natural mica. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study on the Hydrogenated ZnO-Based Thin Film Transistors. Part 1

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-30

IGZO film on the performance of thin film transistors 5 Chapter 2. Hydrogenation of a- IGZO channel layer in the thin film transistors 12...effect of substrate temperature during the deposition of a- IGZO film on the performance of thin film transistors Introduction The effect of substrate...temperature during depositing IGZO channel layer on the performance of amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide (a- IGZO

Thin-Film Power Transformers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katti, Romney R.

1995-01-01

Transformer core made of thin layers of insulating material interspersed with thin layers of ferromagnetic material. Flux-linking conductors made of thinner nonferromagnetic-conductor/insulator multilayers wrapped around core. Transformers have geometric features finer than those of transformers made in customary way by machining and mechanical pressing. In addition, some thin-film materials exhibit magnetic-flux-carrying capabilities superior to those of customary bulk transformer materials. Suitable for low-cost, high-yield mass production.

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.

Effects of morphological control on the characteristics of vertical-type OTFTs using Alq3.

PubMed

Kim, Young Do; Park, Jong Wook; Kang, In Nam; Oh, Se Young

2008-09-01

We have fabricated vertical-type organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) using tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq(3)) as an n-type active material. Vertical-type OTFT using Alq(3) has a layered structure of Al(source electrode)/Alq(3)(active layer)/Al(gate electrode)/Alq(3)(active layer)/ITO glass(drain electrode). Alq(3) thin films containing various surface morphologies could be obtained by the control of evaporation rate and substrate temperature. The effects of the morphological control of Alq(3) thin layer on the grain size and the flatness of film surface were investigated. The characteristics of vertical-type OTFT significantly influenced the growth condition of Alq(3) layer.

Disruption of vertical motility by shear triggers formation of thin phytoplankton layers.

PubMed

Durham, William M; Kessler, John O; Stocker, Roman

2009-02-20

Thin layers of phytoplankton are important hotspots of ecological activity that are found in the coastal ocean, meters beneath the surface, and contain cell concentrations up to two orders of magnitude above ambient concentrations. Current interpretations of their formation favor abiotic processes, yet many phytoplankton species found in these layers are motile. We demonstrated that layers formed when the vertical migration of phytoplankton was disrupted by hydrodynamic shear. This mechanism, which we call gyrotactic trapping, can be responsible for the thin layers of phytoplankton commonly observed in the ocean. These results reveal that the coupling between active microorganism motility and ambient fluid motion can shape the macroscopic features of the marine ecological landscape.

Enhanced electrical properties of dual-layer channel ZnO thin film transistors prepared by atomic layer deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Huijin; Han, Dedong; Dong, Junchen; Yu, Wen; Liang, Yi; Luo, Zhen; Zhang, Shengdong; Zhang, Xing; Wang, Yi

2018-05-01

The thin film transistors (TFTs) with a dual-layer channel structure combing ZnO thin layer grown at 200 °C and ZnO film grown at 120 °C by atomic layer deposition are fabricated. The dual-layer channel TFT exhibits a low leakage current of 2.8 × 10-13 A, Ion/Ioff ratio of 3.4 × 109, saturation mobility μsat of 12 cm2 V-1 s-1, subthreshold swing (SS) of 0.25 V/decade. The SS value decreases to 0.18 V/decade after the annealing treatment in O2 due to the reduction of the trap states at the channel/dielectric interface and in the bulk channel layer. The enhanced performance obtained from the dual-layer channel TFTs is due to the ability of maintaining high mobility and suppressing the increase in the off-current at the same time.

Fabrication and characterization of {110}-oriented Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 thin films on Pt/SiO2/Si substrates using PdO//Pd buffer layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oshima, Naoya; Uchiyama, Kiyoshi; Ehara, Yoshitaka; Oikawa, Takahiro; Ichinose, Daichi; Tanaka, Hiroki; Sato, Tomoya; Uchida, Hiroshi; Funakubo, Hiroshi

2017-10-01

A strongly {110}-oriented perovskite-type thin film of tetragonal Pb(Zr0.4Ti0.6)O3 (PZT) was successfully obtained on a (100)Si substrate using a {101}PdO//{111}Pd thin film as a buffer layer. The {101}PdO//{111}Pd thin film buffer layer was obtained by oxidizing {111}Pd after depositing {111}Pd on a {111}Pt/TiO x /SiO2/{100}Si substrate. Using this buffer layer, a {110} c -oriented SrRuO3 (SRO) thin film was deposited by sputtering as a bottom electrode of PZT thin films. Subsequently, the {110}-oriented PZT thin film can be deposited on a (110) c SRO thin film by metal-organic chemical deposition (MOCVD) and its properties can be compared with those of PZT thin films with other orientations of {100} and {111}. Among the {100}, {110}, {111}-oriented PZT films, the {100}-oriented one showed the largest remnant polarization, which is in good agreement with those of the PZTs epitaxially grown in the 〈100〉, 〈110〉, and 〈111〉 directions. The other properties, i.e., piezoelectricity and dielectric constants, also showed similar anisotropic tendencies, which is in good agreement with the data reported in the epitaxially grown PZTs.

Modeling of Multiphase Flow through Thin Porous Layers: Application to a Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell (PEFC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, C.; Hassanizadeh, S.

2013-12-01

Multiphase flow and species transport though thin porous layers are encountered in a number of industrial applications, such as fuel cells, filters, and hygiene products. Based on some macroscale models like the Darcy's law, to date, the modeling of flow and transport through such thin layers has been mostly performed in 3D discretized domains with many computational cells. But, there are a number of problems with this approach. First, a proper representative elementary volume (REV) is not defined. Second, one needs to discretize a thin porous medium into computational cells whose size may be comparable to the pore sizes. This suggests that the traditional models are not applicable to such thin domains. Third, the interfacial conditions between neighboring layers are usually not well defined. Last, 3D modeling of a number of interacting thin porous layers often requires heavy computational efforts. So, to eliminate the drawbacks mentioned above, we propose a new approach to modeling multilayers of thin porous media as 2D interacting continua (see Fig. 1). Macroscale 2D governing equations are formulated in terms of thickness-averaged material properties. Also, the exchange of thermodynamic properties between neighboring layers is described by thickness-averaged quantities. In Comparison to previous macroscale models, our model has the distinctive advantages of: (1) it is rigorous thermodynamics-based model; (2) it is formulated in terms of thickness-averaged material properties which are easily measureable; and (3) it reduces 3D modeling to 2D leading to a very significant reduction of computation efforts. As an application, we employ the new approach in the study of liquid water flooding in the cathode of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC). To highlight the advantages of the present model, we compare the results of water distribution with those obtained from the traditional 3D Darcy-based modeling. Finally, it is worth noting that, for specific case studies, a number of material properties in the model need to be determined experimentally, such as mass and heat exchange coefficients between neighboring layers. Fig. 1: Schematic representation of three thin porous layers, which may exchange mass, momentum, and energy. Also, a typical averaging domain (REV) is shown. Note that the layer thickness and thus the REV height can be spatially variable. Also, in reality, the layers are tightly stacked and there is no gap between them.

Effect of thin oxide layers incorporated in spin valve structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillies, M. F.; Kuiper, A. E. T.; Leibbrandt, G. W. R.

2001-06-01

The enhancement of the magnetoresistance effect, induced by incorporating nano-oxide layers (NOLs) in a bottom-type spin valve, was studied for various preparation conditions. The effect of a NOL in the Co90Fe10 pinned layer was found to depend critically on the oxygen pressure applied to form the thin oxide film. Pressures over 10-3 Torr O2 yield oxides thicker than about 0.7 nm, which apparently deteriorate the biasing field which exists over the oxide. The magnetoresistance values can further be raised by forming a specular reflecting oxide on top of the sense layer. Promising results were obtained with an Al2O3 capping layer formed in a solid-state oxidation reaction that occurs spontaneously when a thin Al layer is deposited on the oxidized surface of the Co90Fe10 sense layer.

Water softening process

DOEpatents

Sheppard, John D.; Thomas, David G.

1976-01-01

This invention involves an improved process for softening hard water which comprises selectively precipitaing CaCO.sub.3 to form a thin layer thereof, increasing the pH of said water to precipitate magnesium as magnesium hydroxide and then filtering the resultant slurry through said layer. The CaCO.sub.3 layer serves as a thin permeable layer which has particularly useful application in cross-flow filtration applications.

Matching characteristics of different buffer layers with VO2 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Kai; Zhang, Dongping; Liu, Yi; Guan, Tianrui; Qin, Xiaonan; Zhong, Aihua; Cai, Xingmin; Fan, Ping; Lv, Weizhong

2016-10-01

VO2 thin films were fabricated by reactive DC magnetron sputtering on different buffer layers of MgF2, Al2O3 and TiO2, respectively. The crystallinity and orientation relationship, thickness of VO2 thin films, atoms vibrational modes, optical and electrical property, surface morphology of films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman scattering microscopy, step profiler, spectrophotometer, four-probe technique, and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. XRD results investigated that the films have preferential crystalline planes VO2 (011). The crystallinity of VO2 films grown on TiO2 buffer layers are superior to VO2 directly deposited on soda-lime glass. The Raman bands of the VO2 films correspond to an Ag symmetry mode of VO2 (M). The sample prepared on 100nm TiO2 buffer layer appears nanorods structure, and exhibits remarkable solar energy modulation ability as high as 5.82% in full spectrum and 23% in near infrared spectrum. Cross-sectional SEM image of the thin films samples indicate that MgF2 buffer layer has clear interface with VO2 layer. But there are serious interdiffusion phenomenons between Al2O3, TiO2 buffer layer with VO2 layer.

High performance thin film transistor with ZnO channel layer deposited by DC magnetron sputtering.

PubMed

Moon, Yeon-Keon; Moon, Dae-Yong; Lee, Sang-Ho; Jeong, Chang-Oh; Park, Jong-Wan

2008-09-01

Research in large area electronics, especially for low-temperature plastic substrates, focuses commonly on limitations of the semiconductor in thin film transistors (TFTs), in particular its low mobility. ZnO is an emerging example of a semiconductor material for TFTs that can have high mobility, while a-Si and organic semiconductors have low mobility (<1 cm2/Vs). ZnO-based TFTs have achieved high mobility, along with low-voltage operation low off-state current, and low gate leakage current. In general, ZnO thin films for the channel layer of TFTs are deposited with RF magnetron sputtering methods. On the other hand, we studied ZnO thin films deposited with DC magnetron sputtering for the channel layer of TFTs. After analyzing the basic physical and chemical properties of ZnO thin films, we fabricated a TFT-unit cell using ZnO thin films for the channel layer. The field effect mobility (micro(sat)) of 1.8 cm2/Vs and threshold voltage (Vth) of -0.7 V were obtained.

Magnetoelastic sensor for characterizing properties of thin-film/coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bachas, Leonidas G. (Inventor); Barrett, Gary (Inventor); Grimes, Craig A. (Inventor); Kouzoudis, Dimitris (Inventor); Schmidt, Stefan (Inventor)

2004-01-01

An apparatus for determining elasticity characteristics of a thin-film layer. The apparatus comprises a sensor element having a base magnetostrictive element at least one surface of which is at least partially coated with the thin-film layer. The thin-film layer may be of a variety of materials (having a synthetic and/or bio-component) in a state or form capable of being deposited, manually or otherwise, on the base element surface, such as by way of eye-dropper, melting, dripping, brushing, sputtering, spraying, etching, evaporation, dip-coating, laminating, etc. Among suitable thin-film layers for the sensor element of the invention are fluent bio-substances, thin-film deposits used in manufacturing processes, polymeric coatings, paint, an adhesive, and so on. A receiver, preferably remotely located, is used to measure a plurality of values for magneto-elastic emission intensity of the sensor element in either characterization: (a) the measure of the plurality of values is used to identify a magneto-elastic resonant frequency value for the sensor element; and (b) the measure of the plurality of successive values is done at a preselected magneto-elastic frequency.

Scavenging of oxygen from SrTiO3 by metals and its implications for oxide thin film deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Posadas, Agham; Kormondy, Kristy; Guo, Wei; Ponath, Patrick; Kremer, Jacqueline; Hadamek, Tobias; Demkov, Alexander

SrTiO3 is a widely used substrate for the growth of other functional oxide thin films. However, SrTiO3 loses oxygen very easily during oxide thin film deposition even under relatively high oxygen pressures. In some cases, there will be an interfacial layer of oxygen-deficient SrTiO3 formed at the interface with the deposited oxide film, depending on the metals present in the film. By depositing a variety of metals layer by layer and measuring the evolution of the core level spectra of both the deposited metal and SrTiO3 using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we show that there are three distinct types of behavior that occur for thin metal films on SrTiO3. We discuss the implications of these types of behavior for the growth of complex oxide thin films on SrTiO3, and which oxide thin films are expected to produce an interfacial oxygen-deficient layer depending on their elemental constituents.

Extraordinary Corrosion Protection from Polymer-Clay Nanobrick Wall Thin Films.

PubMed

Schindelholz, Eric J; Spoerke, Erik D; Nguyen, Hai-Duy; Grunlan, Jaime C; Qin, Shuang; Bufford, Daniel C

2018-06-20

Metals across all industries demand anticorrosion surface treatments and drive a continual need for high-performing and low-cost coatings. Here we demonstrate polymer-clay nanocomposite thin films as a new class of transparent conformal barrier coatings for protection in corrosive atmospheres. Films assembled via layer-by-layer deposition, as thin as 90 nm, are shown to reduce copper corrosion rates by >1000× in an aggressive H 2 S atmosphere. These multilayer nanobrick wall coatings hold promise as high-performing anticorrosion treatment alternatives to costlier, more toxic, and less scalable thin films, such as graphene, hexavalent chromium, or atomic-layer-deposited metal oxides.

Optical and other property changes of M-50 bearing steel surfaces for different lubricants and additive prior to scuffing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lauer, J. L.; Marxer, N.

1984-01-01

An ester lubricant base oil containing one or more standard additives to protect against wear, corrosion, and oxidation was used in an experimental ball/plate elastohydrodynamic contact under load and speed conditions such as to induce scuffing failure in short times. Both the ball and the plate were of identically treated M-50 steel. After various periods of operating time the wear track on the plate was examined with an interference microscope of plus or minus 30 A depth resolution and sometimes also with a scanning ellipsometer and an Auger spectrometer. The optically deduced surface profiles varied with wavelength, indicating the presence of surface coatings, which were confirmed by the other instruments. As scuffing was approached, a thin (approximately A) oxide layer and a carbide layer formed in the wear track in particular when tricresylphosphate antiwear additive was present in the lubricant. The rates of the formation of these layers and their reactivity toward dilute alcholic HCl depended strongly on the lubricant and additives. Based on these results suggestions for improved formulations and a test method for bearing reliability could be proposed.

Pressure and heating-rate distributions on a corrugated surface in a supersonic turbulent boundary layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sawyer, J. W.

1977-01-01

Drag and heating rates on wavy surfaces typical of current corrugated plate designs for thermal protection systems were determined experimentally. Pressure-distribution, heating-rate, and oil-flow tests were conducted in the Langley Unitary Plan wind tunnel at Mach numbers of 2.4 and 4.5 with the corrugated surface exposed to both thick and thin turbulent boundary layers. Tests were conducted with the corrugations at cross-flow angles from 0 deg to 90 deg to the flow. Results show that for cross-flow angles of 30 deg or less, the pressure drag coefficients are less than the local flat-plate skin-friction coefficients and are not significantly affected by Mach number, Reynolds number, or boundary-layer thickness over the ranges investigated. For cross-flow angles greater than 30 deg, the drag coefficients increase significantly with cross-flow angle and moderately with Reynolds number. Increasing the Mach number causes a significant reduction in the pressure drag. The average and peak heating penalties due to the corrugated surface are small for cross-flow angles of 10 deg or less but are significantly higher for the larger cross-flow angles.

Effects of V2O5/Au bi-layer electrodes on the top contact Pentacene-based organic thin film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borthakur, Tribeni; Sarma, Ranjit

2017-05-01

Top-contact Pentacene-based organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) with a thin layer of Vanadium Pent-oxide between Pentacene and Au layer are fabricated. Here we have found that the devices with V2O5/Au bi-layer source-drain electrode exhibit better field-effect mobility, high on-off ratio, low threshold voltage and low sub-threshold slope than the devices with Au only. The field-effect mobility, current on-off ratio, threshold voltage and sub-threshold slope of V2O5/Au bi-layer OTFT estimated from the device with 15 nm thick V2O5 layer is .77 cm2 v-1 s-1, 7.5×105, -2.9 V and .36 V/decade respectively.

Vertical III-nitride thin-film power diode

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

Wierer, Jr., Jonathan; Fischer, Arthur J.; Allerman, Andrew A.

2017-03-14

A vertical III-nitride thin-film power diode can hold off high voltages (kV's) when operated under reverse bias. The III-nitride device layers can be grown on a wider bandgap template layer and growth substrate, which can be removed by laser lift-off of the epitaxial device layers grown thereon.

Carbon-Nanotube Conductive Layers for Thin-Film Solar Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landis, Geoffrey A.

2005-01-01

Thin, transparent layers comprising mats of carbon nanotubes have been proposed for providing lateral (that is, inplane) electrical conductivities for collecting electric currents from the front surfaces of the emitter layers of thin-film solar photovoltaic cells. Traditionally, thin, semitransparent films of other electrically conductive materials (usually, indium tin oxide, zinc oxide, or cadmium sulfide) have been used for this purpose. As in the cases of the traditional semitransparent conductive films, the currents collected by the nanotube layers would, in turn, be further collected by front metal contact stripes. Depending on details of a specific solar-cell design, the layer of carbon nanotubes would be deposited in addition to, or instead of, a semitransparent layer of one of these traditional conductive materials (see figure). The proposal is expected to afford the following advantages: The electrical conductivity of the carbon- nanotube layer would exceed that of the corresponding semitransparent layer of traditional electrically conductive material. The greater electrical conductivity of the carbon-nanotube layer would make it possible to retain adequate lateral electrical conductivity while reducing the thickness of, or eliminating entirely, the traditional semitransparent conductive layer. As a consequence of thinning or elimination of the traditional semitransparent conductive layer, less light would be absorbed, so that more of the incident light would be available for photovoltaic conversion. The greater electrical conductivity of the carbon-nanotube layer would make it possible to increase the distance between front metal contact stripes, in addition to (or instead of) thinning or eliminating the layer of traditional semitransparent conductive material. Consequently, the fraction of solar-cell area shadowed by front metal contact stripes would be reduced again, making more of the incident light available for photovoltaic conversion. The electrical conductivities of individual carbon nanotubes can be so high that the mat of carbon nanotubes could be made sparse enough to be adequately transparent while affording adequate lateral electrical conductivity of the mat as a whole. The thickness of the nanotube layer would be chosen so that the layer would contribute significant lateral electrical conductivity, yet would be as nearly transparent as possible to incident light. A typical thickness for satisfying these competing requirements is expected to lie between 50 and 100 nm. The optimum thickness must be calculated by comparing the lateral electrical conductivity, the distance between front metal stripes, and the amount of light lost by absorption in the nanotube layer.

Experimental investigation, model development and sensitivity analysis of rheological behavior of ZnO/10W40 nano-lubricants for automotive applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hemmat Esfe, Mohammad; Saedodin, Seyfolah; Rejvani, Mousa; Shahram, Jalal

2017-06-01

In the present study, rheological behavior of ZnO/10W40 nano-lubricant is investigated by an experimental approach. Firstly, ZnO nanoparticles of 10-30 nm were dispersed in 10W40 engine oil with solid volume fractions of 0.25-2%, then the viscosity of the composed nano-lubricant was measured in temperature ranges of 5-55 °C and in various shear rates. From analyzing the results, it was revealed that both of the base oil and nano-lubricants are non-Newtonian fluids which exhibit shear thinning behavior. Sensitivity of viscosity to the solid volume fraction enhancement was calculated by a new correlation which was proposed in terms of solid volume fraction and temperature. In order to attain an accurate model by which experimental data are predicted, an artificial neural network (ANN) with a hidden layer and 5 neurons was designed. This model was considerably accurate in predicting experimental data of dynamic viscosity as R-squared and average absolute relative deviation (AARD %) were respectively 0.9999 and 0.0502.

First report of a lipopeptide biosurfactant from thermophilic bacterium Aneurinibacillus thermoaerophilus MK01 newly isolated from municipal landfill site.

PubMed

Sharafi, Hakimeh; Abdoli, Mahya; Hajfarajollah, Hamidreza; Samie, Nima; Alidoust, Leila; Abbasi, Habib; Fooladi, Jamshid; Zahiri, Hossein Shahbani; Noghabi, Kambiz Akbari

2014-07-01

A biosurfactant-producing thermophile was isolated from the Kahrizak landfill of Tehran and identified as a bacterium belonging to the genus Aneurinibacillus. A thermostable lipopeptide-type biosurfactant was purified from the culture medium of this bacterium and showed stability in the temperature range of 20-90 °C and pH range of 5-10. The produced biosurfactant could reduce the surface tension of water from 72 to 43 mN/m with a CMC of 1.21 mg/mL. The strain growing at a temperature of 45 °C produces a substantial amount of 5 g/L of biosurfactant in the medium supplemented with sunflower oil as the sole carbon source. Response surface methodology was employed to optimize the biosurfactant production using sunflower oil, sodium nitrate, and yeast extract as variables. The optimization resulted in 6.75 g/L biosurfactant production, i.e., 35% improved as compared to the unoptimized condition. Thin-layer chromatography, FTIR spectroscopy, 1H-NMR spectroscopy, and biochemical composition analysis confirmed the lipopeptide structure of the biosurfactant.

Cyclotron accelerated beams applied in wear and corrosion studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Racolta, P. M.; Popa-Simil, L.; Ivanov, E. A.; Alexandreanu, B.

1996-05-01

Wear and corrosion processes are characterized by a loss of material that is, for machine parts and components, usually in a micrometer's range. That is why, in the last two decades, many direct applications in machine construction, petrochemical and metallurgical industries based on the Thin Layer Activation (TLA) technique have been developed. In this paper general working patterns together with a few examples of TLA applications carried out using our laboratory's U-120 Cyclotron are presented. The relation between the counting rate of the radiation originating from the component's irradiated zone and the loss of the worn material can be determined mainly by two methods: the oil circulation method and the remnant radioactivity measuring method. The first method is illustrated with some typical examples such as the optimization of the running-in program of a diesel engine and anti-wear features certifying of lubricant oils. There is also presented an example where the second method mentioned above has been applied to corrosion rate determinations for different kinds of unoxidable steels used in inert gas generator construction.

Scenedesmus sp. NJ-1 isolated from Antarctica: a suitable renewable lipid source for biodiesel production.

PubMed

Chen, Zhuo; Gong, Yangmin; Fang, Xiantao; Hu, Hanhua

2012-11-01

Microalgal lipids are promising alternative feedstocks for biodiesel production. Scenedesmus sp. NJ-1, an oil-rich freshwater microalga isolated from Antarctica, was identified to be a suitable candidate to produce biodiesel in this study. This strain could grow at temperatures ranging from 4 to 35 °C. With regular decrease in nitrate concentration in the medium, large quantities of triacylglycerols accumulated under batch culture conditions detected by thin layer chromatography and BODIPY 505/515 fluorescent staining. Scenedesmus sp. NJ-1 achieved the average biomass productivity of 0.105 g l⁻¹ d⁻¹ (dry weight) and nearly the highest lipid content (35 % of dry cell weight) was reached at day 28 in the batch culture. Neutral lipids accounted for 78 % of total lipids, and C18:1 (n-9), C16:0 were the major fatty acids in total lipids, composing 37 and 20 % of total fatty acids of Scenedesmus sp. NJ-1 grown for 36 days, respectively. These results suggested that Scenedesmus sp. NJ-1 was a good source of microalgal oils for biodiesel production.

Screening high oleaginous Chlorella strains from different climate zones.

PubMed

Xu, Jin; Hu, Hanhua

2013-09-01

In outdoor cultivation, screening strains adapted to a wide temperature range or suitable strains for different environmental temperatures is of great importance. In this study, triacylglycerol (TAG) content of 23 oil-producing Chlorella strains from different climate zones were analyzed by thin layer chromatography. Four selected Chlorella strains (NJ-18, NJ-7, NMX35N and NMX139N) with rather high TAG content had higher total lipid content compared with Chlorella vulgaris SAG 211-11b. In particular, NJ-18 displayed the highest TAG productivity among the four high oil-producing Chlorella strains. Accumulation of TAGs in strain NMX35N changed a little from 30 to 40°C, showing a desirable characteristic of accumulating TAGs at high temperatures. Our results demonstrated that NJ-18 and NMX35N had suitable fatty acid profiles and good adaption to low and high temperatures respectively. Therefore, cultivation of the two Chlorella strains together might be a good option for economic biodiesel production during the whole seasons of the year. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A method of the up or down layer development of class II oil reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Fulin; Zhao, Yunfei; Fang, Yanjun; Yang, Tao; Gui, Dongxu; Wang, Gang; Feng, Chengcheng

2018-06-01

During the 13th five-year period, class II reservoirs of DaQing Oilfield first layer series development will be fully completed, secondary up or down layer development is facing new well drilling or the use of old we ll pattern network method chosen, need to determine development mode of oil block. In this paper, the system economy model is established, the up and down oil layer of the block is considered as one system, and through the comparison of the two models that new well drilling or the use of old well pattern, we can determine the development mode of the block. And take b1ddd block as an example, determine the block need to use what method to develop in different oil prices. Result show when the oil price is 40/bbl, using exiting well to production, when oil price is 70/bbl., using new drilling development model. The method to fill the theory and methodology on selection about reservoir development mode, can provide technical support for DaQing Oilfield the 14th five-year planning and long-term planning.

Electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of a thin silver layer deposited onto PET film via atmospheric pressure plasma reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Hyo-Jun; Dao, Van-Duong; Choi, Ho-Suk

2018-03-01

This study presents the first use of a plasma reduction reaction under atmospheric pressure to fabricate a thin silver layer on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film without the use of toxic chemicals, high voltages, or an expensive vacuum apparatus. The developed film is applied to electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. After repeatedly depositing a silver layer through a plasma reduction reaction on PET, we can successfully fabricate a uniformly deposited thin silver layer. It was found that both the particle size and film thickness of thin silver layers fabricated at different AgNO3 concentrations increase with an increase in the concentration of AgNO3. However, the roughness of the thin silver layer decreases when increasing the concentration of AgNO3 from 100 to 500 mM, and the roughness increases with a further increase in the concentration of AgNO3. The EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of the film is measured in the frequency range of 0.045 to 1 GHz. As a result of optimizing the electrical conductivity by measuring sheet resistance of the thin silver layer, the film fabricated from 500 mM AgNO3 exhibits the highest EMI SE among all fabricated films. The maximum values of the EMI SE are 60.490 dB at 0.1 GHz and 54.721 dB at 1.0 GHz with minimum sheet resistance of 0.244 Ω/□. Given that the proposed strategy is simple and effective, it is promising for fabricating various low-cost metal films with high EMI SE.

Comparison of reproduce signal and noise of conventional and keepered CoCrTa/Cr thin film media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sin, Kyusik; Ding, Juren; Glijer, Pawel; Sivertsen, John M.; Judy, Jack H.; Zhu, Jian-Gang

1994-05-01

We studied keepered high coercivity CoCrTa/Cr thin film media with a Cr isolation layer between the CoCrTa storage and an overcoating of an isotropic NiFe soft magnetic layer. The influence of the thickness of the NiFe and Cr layers, and the effects of head bias current on the signal output and noise, were studied using a thin film head. The reproduced signal increased by 7.3 dB, but the signal-to-noise ratio decreased by 4 dB at a linear density of 2100 fr/mm (53.3 kfr/in.) with a 1000 Å thick NiFe keeper layer. The medium noise increased with increasing NiFe thickness and the signal output decreased with decreasing Cr thickness. A low output signal obtained with very thin Cr may be due to magnetic interactions between the keeper layer and magnetic media layer. It is observed that signal distortion and timing asymmetry of the output signals depend on the thickness of the keeper layer and the head bias current. The signal distortion increased and the timing asymmetry decreased as the head bias current was increased. These results may be associated with different permeability of the keeper under the poles of the thin film head due to the superposition of head bias and bit fields.

Multiple-layered effective medium approximation approach to modeling environmental effects on alumina passivated highly porous silicon nanostructured thin films measured by in-situ Mueller matrix ellipsometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mock, Alyssa; Carlson, Timothy; VanDerslice, Jeremy; Mohrmann, Joel; Woollam, John A.; Schubert, Eva; Schubert, Mathias

2017-11-01

Optical changes in alumina passivated highly porous silicon slanted columnar thin films during controlled exposure to toluene vapor are reported. Electron-beam evaporation glancing angle deposition and subsequent atomic layer deposition are utilized to deposit alumina passivated nanostructured porous silicon thin films. In-situ Mueller matrix generalized spectroscopic ellipsometry in an environmental cell is then used to determine changes in optical properties of the nanostructured thin films by inspection of individual Mueller matrix elements, each of which exhibit sensitivity to adsorption. The use of a multiple-layered effective medium approximation model allows for accurate description of the inhomogeneous nature of toluene adsorption onto alumina passivated highly porous silicon slanted columnar thin films.

Effect of Selectively Etched Ferroelectric Thin-Film Layer on the Performance of a Tunable Bandpass Filter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Subramanyam, Guru; Vignesparamoorthy, Sivaruban; Mueller, Carl; VanKeuls, Fred; Warner, Joseph; Miranda, Felix A.

2001-01-01

The main purpose of this work is to study the effect of a selectively etched ferroelectric thin film layer on the performance of an electrically tunable filter. An X-band tunable filter was designed, fabricated and tested on a selectively etched Barium Strontium Titanate (BSTO) ferroelectric thin film layer. Tunable filters with varying lengths of BSTO thin-film in the input and output coupling gaps were modeled, as well as experimentally tested. Experimental results showed that filters with coupling gaps partially filled with BSTO maintained frequency tunability and improved the insertion loss by approx. 2dB. To the best of our knowledge, these results represent the first experimental demonstration of the advantages of selective etching in the performance of thin film ferroelectric-based tunable microwave components.

Surface layer formation of LiCoO2 thin film electrodes in non-aqueous electrolyte containing lithium bis(oxalate)borate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsui, Masaki; Dokko, Kaoru; Akita, Yasuhiro; Munakata, Hirokazu; Kanamura, Kiyoshi

2012-07-01

Surface layer formation processes on a LiCoO2 thin film electrode in a non-aqueous electrolyte containing lithium bis(oxalate)borate (LiBOB) were investigated using in situ FTIR spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The in situ FTIR spectra of the electrolyte solution containing LiBOB showed that the adsorption of BOB anions on the electrode surface occurred during the charge process of the LiCoO2 thin film electrode above 4.0 V. XPS analysis for the LiCoO2 thin film electrode charged in an electrolyte containing LiBOB suggested that the adsorbed BOB anions on the electrode surface prevent the continuous decomposition of hexafluorophosphate (PF6) anions resulting in the formation of a very thin surface layer containing organic species, while the LiCoO2 charged in a LiPF6 solution had a relatively thick surface layer containing organic species and inorganic species.

Nanofiber based triple layer hydro-philic/-phobic membrane - a solution for pore wetting in membrane distillation

PubMed Central

Prince, J. A.; Rana, D.; Matsuura, T.; Ayyanar, N.; Shanmugasundaram, T. S.; Singh, G.

2014-01-01

The innovative design and synthesis of nanofiber based hydro-philic/phobic membranes with a thin hydro-phobic nanofiber layer on the top and a thin hydrophilic nanofiber layer on the bottom of the conventional casted micro-porous layer which opens up a solution for membrane pore wetting and improves the pure water flux in membrane distillation. PMID:25377488

Burning Graphene Layer-by-Layer

PubMed Central

Ermakov, Victor A.; Alaferdov, Andrei V.; Vaz, Alfredo R.; Perim, Eric; Autreto, Pedro A. S.; Paupitz, Ricardo; Galvao, Douglas S.; Moshkalev, Stanislav A.

2015-01-01

Graphene, in single layer or multi-layer forms, holds great promise for future electronics and high-temperature applications. Resistance to oxidation, an important property for high-temperature applications, has not yet been extensively investigated. Controlled thinning of multi-layer graphene (MLG), e.g., by plasma or laser processing is another challenge, since the existing methods produce non-uniform thinning or introduce undesirable defects in the basal plane. We report here that heating to extremely high temperatures (exceeding 2000 K) and controllable layer-by-layer burning (thinning) can be achieved by low-power laser processing of suspended high-quality MLG in air in “cold-wall” reactor configuration. In contrast, localized laser heating of supported samples results in non-uniform graphene burning at much higher rates. Fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulations were also performed to reveal details of oxidation mechanisms leading to uniform layer-by-layer graphene gasification. The extraordinary resistance of MLG to oxidation paves the way to novel high-temperature applications as continuum light source or scaffolding material. PMID:26100466

Polymer mediated layer-by-layer assembly of different shaped gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Budy, Stephen M; Hamilton, Desmond J; Cai, Yuheng; Knowles, Michelle K; Reed, Scott M

2017-02-01

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have a wide range of properties with potential applications in electronics, optics, catalysis, and sensing. In order to demonstrate that dense, stable, and portable samples could be created for these applications, multiple layers of GNPs were assembled via drop casting on glass substrates by layer-by-layer (LBL) techniques. Two cationic polyelectrolytes, poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) and polyethyleneimine, one anionic polyelectrolyte, poly(sodium 4-styrene sulfonate), and one neutral polymer, polyvinylpyrrolidone, were combined with four different shapes of GNPs (spherical, rod, triangular prismatic, and octahedral) to prepare thin films. A subset of these polymer nanoparticle combinations were assembled into thin films. Synthesized GNPs were characterized via dynamic light scattering, UV-vis spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy and the LBL thin films were characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. Sensing applications of the nanoparticles in solution and thin films were tested by monitoring the localized surface plasmon resonance of the GNPs. LBL thin films were prepared ranging from 25 to 100 layers with optical densities at plasmon from 0.5 to 3.0. Sensitivity in solutions ranged from 14 to 1002nm/refractive index units (RIU) and films ranged from 18.8 to 135.1nm/RIU suggesting reduced access to the GNPs within the films. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stepwise crystallization and the layered distribution in crystallization kinetics of ultra-thin poly(ethylene terephthalate) film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuo, Biao; Xu, Jianquan; Sun, Shuzheng; Liu, Yue; Yang, Juping; Zhang, Li; Wang, Xinping

2016-06-01

Crystallization is an important property of polymeric materials. In conventional viewpoint, the transformation of disordered chains into crystals is usually a spatially homogeneous process (i.e., it occurs simultaneously throughout the sample), that is, the crystallization rate at each local position within the sample is almost the same. Here, we show that crystallization of ultra-thin poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films can occur in the heterogeneous way, exhibiting a stepwise crystallization process. We found that the layered distribution of glass transition dynamics of thin film modifies the corresponding crystallization behavior, giving rise to the layered distribution of the crystallization kinetics of PET films, with an 11-nm-thick surface layer having faster crystallization rate and the underlying layer showing bulk-like behavior. The layered distribution in crystallization kinetics results in a particular stepwise crystallization behavior during heating the sample, with the two cold-crystallization temperatures separated by up to 20 K. Meanwhile, interfacial interaction is crucial for the occurrence of the heterogeneous crystallization, as the thin film crystallizes simultaneously if the interfacial interaction is relatively strong. We anticipate that this mechanism of stepwise crystallization of thin polymeric films will allow new insight into the chain organization in confined environments and permit independent manipulation of localized properties of nanomaterials.

Stepwise crystallization and the layered distribution in crystallization kinetics of ultra-thin poly(ethylene terephthalate) film

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

Zuo, Biao, E-mail: chemizuo@zstu.edu.cn, E-mail: wxinping@yahoo.com; Xu, Jianquan; Sun, Shuzheng

2016-06-21

Crystallization is an important property of polymeric materials. In conventional viewpoint, the transformation of disordered chains into crystals is usually a spatially homogeneous process (i.e., it occurs simultaneously throughout the sample), that is, the crystallization rate at each local position within the sample is almost the same. Here, we show that crystallization of ultra-thin poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films can occur in the heterogeneous way, exhibiting a stepwise crystallization process. We found that the layered distribution of glass transition dynamics of thin film modifies the corresponding crystallization behavior, giving rise to the layered distribution of the crystallization kinetics of PET films,more » with an 11-nm-thick surface layer having faster crystallization rate and the underlying layer showing bulk-like behavior. The layered distribution in crystallization kinetics results in a particular stepwise crystallization behavior during heating the sample, with the two cold-crystallization temperatures separated by up to 20 K. Meanwhile, interfacial interaction is crucial for the occurrence of the heterogeneous crystallization, as the thin film crystallizes simultaneously if the interfacial interaction is relatively strong. We anticipate that this mechanism of stepwise crystallization of thin polymeric films will allow new insight into the chain organization in confined environments and permit independent manipulation of localized properties of nanomaterials.« less

Studies of electrical properties of low-resistivity sandstones based on digital rock technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Weichao; Sun, Jianmeng; Zhang, Jinyan; Yuan, Weiguo; Zhang, Li; Cui, Likai; Dong, Huaimin

2018-02-01

Electrical properties are important parameters to quantitatively calculate water saturation in oil and gas reservoirs by well logging interpretation. It is usual that oil layers show high resistivity responses, while water layers show low-resistivity responses. However, there are low-resistivity oil zones that exist in many oilfields around the world, leading to difficulties for reservoir evaluation. In our research, we used digital rock technology to study different internal and external factors to account for low rock resistivity responses in oil layers. We first constructed three-dimensional digital rock models with five components based on micro-computed tomography technology and x-ray diffraction experimental results, and then oil and water distributions in pores were determined by the pore morphology method. When the resistivity of each component was assigned, rock resistivities were calculated by using the finite element method. We collected 20 sandstone samples to prove the effectiveness of our numerical simulation methods. Based on the control variate method, we studied the effects of different factors on the resistivity indexes and rock resistivities. After sensitivity analyses, we found the main factors which caused low rock resistivities in oil layers. For unfractured rocks, influential factors arranged in descending order of importance were porosity, clay content, temperature, water salinity, heavy mineral, clay type and wettability. In addition, we found that the resistivity index could not provide enough information to identify a low-resistivity oil zone by using laboratory rock-electric experimental results. These results can not only expand our understandings of the electrical properties of low-resistivity rocks from oil layers, but also help identify low-resistivity oil zones better.

Engineering materials properties and process technologies for electronic and energy applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hailey, Anna Kathryn

In this thesis, we pushed the boundaries of knowledge toward exciting new alternatives in the fields of electronic materials and energy. In Part 1, we focused on organic semiconductors, assessing how disorder on different length scales impacts the electrical properties in organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs). We first explored the effect of disorder at the molecular scale due to the coexistence of isomers in thin films. By blending fractional quantities of syn and anti isomers of triethylsilylethynyl anthradithiophene (TES ADT), we found that the electrical properties of devices comprising the anti isomer plummet to that of syn after the addition of only 10% syn. Through single-crystal computational analysis, we determined that the addition of syn disorders the two-dimensional electronic coupling between anti molecules, thereby increasing charge trapping and decreasing mobilities in OTFTs with increasing syn concentrations in the active layers. We also elucidated the impact of disorder stemming from boundaries between crystalline superstructures in polycrystalline thin films. By measuring the electrical characteristics of OTFTs across interspherulite boundaries (ISBs) in TES ADT and rubrene thin films, we found the energy barriers for charge transport across ISBs to be more akin to those found across the boundaries between polymer crystallites than between conventional molecular-semiconductor grains. In contrast to sharp, creviced grain boundaries, ISBs presumably comprise trapped molecules that electrically connect neighboring spherulites, as polymer chains connect crystallites in polymer-semiconductor thin films. In Part 2, we turned our focus to the production of alternative liquid fuels, evaluating process designs to produce "drop-in" replacement diesel and gasoline from non-food biomass and domestic natural gas. By considering the storage of captured byproduct CO2 in nearby depleted shale-gas wells, these processes produce liquid fuels with low-to-negative lifecycle greenhouse-gas emissions. We assessed the economics of these processes under a range of effective emissions prices, finding that fuels from first-of-a-kind facilities will compete with petroleum-derived fuels when the prices of crude oil and emissions are at least 100/bbl and 250/tCO2,eq, respectively. Since "learning by doing" facilitates economic competitiveness, we estimate that fuels from future plants will compete at oil prices as low as $85/bbl without any emissions price.

Approximate transient and long time limit solutions for the band broadening induced by the thin sidewall-layer in liquid chromatography columns.

PubMed

Broeckhoven, Ken; Desmet, Gert

2007-11-16

Using a combination of both analytical and numerical techniques, approximate analytical expressions have been established for the transient and long time limit band broadening, originating from the presence of a thin disturbed sidewall layer in liquid chromatography columns, including packed, monolithic as well as microfabricated columns. The established expressions can be used to compare the importance of a thin disturbed sidewall layer with that of other radial heterogeneity effects (such as transcolumn packing density variations due to the relief of packing stresses). The expressions are independent of the actual velocity profile inside the layer as long as the disturbed sidewall layer occupies less than 2.5% of the column width.

Enhancement of absorption and color contrast in ultra-thin highly absorbing optical coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kats, Mikhail A.; Byrnes, Steven J.; Blanchard, Romain; Kolle, Mathias; Genevet, Patrice; Aizenberg, Joanna; Capasso, Federico

2013-09-01

Recently a new class of optical interference coatings was introduced which comprises ultra-thin, highly absorbing dielectric layers on metal substrates. We show that these lossy coatings can be augmented by an additional transparent subwavelength layer. We fabricated a sample comprising a gold substrate, an ultra-thin film of germanium with a thickness gradient, and several alumina films. The experimental reflectivity spectra showed that the additional alumina layer increases the color range that can be obtained, in agreement with calculations. More generally, this transparent layer can be used to enhance optical absorption, protect against erosion, or as a transparent electrode for optoelectronic devices.

Effect of the corn breaking method on oil distribution between stillage phases of dry-grind corn ethanol production.

PubMed

Wang, H; Wang, T; Johnson, L A; Pometto, A L

2008-11-12

The majority of fuel ethanol in the United States is produced by using the dry-grind corn ethanol process. The corn oil that is contained in the coproduct, distillers' dried grains with solubles (DDGS), can be recovered for use as a biodiesel feedstock. Oil removal will also improve the feed quality of DDGS. The most economical way to remove oil is considered to be at the centrifugation step for separating thin stillage (liquid) from coarse solids after distilling the ethanol. The more oil there is in the liquid, the more it can be recovered by centrifugation. Therefore, we studied the effects of corn preparation and grinding methods on oil distribution between liquid and solid phases. Grinding the corn to three different particle sizes, flaking, flaking and grinding, and flaking and extruding were used to break up the corn kernel before fermentation, and their effects on oil distribution between the liquid and solid phases were examined by simulating an industrial decanter centrifuge. Total oil contents were measured in the liquid and solids after centrifugation. Dry matter yield and oil partitioning in the thin stillage were highly positively correlated. Flaking slightly reduced bound fat. The flaked and then extruded corn meal released the highest amount of free oil, about 25% compared to 7% for the average of the other treatments. The freed oil from flaking, however, became nonextractable after the flaked corn was ground. Fine grinding alone had little effect on oil partitioning.

High Performance 50 nm InAlAs/In0.75GaAs Metamorphic High Electron Mobility Transistors with Si3N4 Passivation on Thin InGaAs Layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeon, Seongjin; Seo, Kwangseok

2008-04-01

We fabricated 50 nm InAlAs/InGaAs metamorphic high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) with a very thin barrier. Through the reduction of the gate-channel distance (dGC) in the epitaxial structure, a channel aspect ratio (ARC) of over three was achieved when Lg was 50 nm. We inserted a thin InGaAs layer as a protective layer, and tested various gate structures to reduce surface problems induced by barrier shrinkage and to optimize the device characteristics. Through the optimization of the gate structure with the thin InGaAs layer, the fabricated 50 nm metamorphic HEMT exhibited high DC and RF characteristics, Gm of 1.5 S/mm, and fT of 490 GHz.

Frontally eluted components procedure with thin layer chromatography as a mode of sample preparation for high performance liquid chromatography quantitation of acetaminophen in biological matrix.

PubMed

Klimek-Turek, A; Sikora, M; Rybicki, M; Dzido, T H

2016-03-04

A new concept of using thin-layer chromatography to sample preparation for the quantitative determination of solute/s followed by instrumental techniques is presented Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) is used to completely separate acetaminophen and its internal standard from other components (matrix) and to form a single spot/zone containing them at the solvent front position (after the final stage of the thin-layer chromatogram development). The location of the analytes and internal standard in the solvent front zone allows their easy extraction followed by quantitation by HPLC. The exctraction procedure of the solute/s and internal standard can proceed from whole solute frontal zone or its part without lowering in accuracy of quantitative analysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thin layer drying of cassava starch using continuous vibrated fluidized bed dryer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suherman, Trisnaningtyas, Rona

2015-12-01

This paper present the experimental work and thin layer modelling of cassava starch drying in continuous vibrated fluidized bed dryer. The experimental data was used to validate nine thin layer models of drying curve. Cassava starch with 0.21 initial moisture content was dried in different air drying temperature (50°C, 55°C, 60°C, 65°C, 70°C), different weir height in bed (0 and 1 cm), and different solid feed flow (10 and 30 gr.minute-1). The result showed air dryer temperature has a significant effect on drying curve, while the weir height and solid flow rate are slightly. Based on value of R2, χ2, and RMSE, Page Model is the most accurate simulation for thin layer drying model of cassava starch.

Fabrication of nanocrystal ink based superstrate-type CuInS₂ thin film solar cells.

PubMed

Cho, Jin Woo; Park, Se Jin; Kim, Woong; Min, Byoung Koun

2012-07-05

A CuInS₂ (CIS) nanocrystal ink was applied to thin film solar cell devices with superstrate-type configuration. Monodispersed CIS nanocrystals were synthesized by a colloidal synthetic route and re-dispersed in toluene to form an ink. A spray method was used to coat CIS films onto conducting glass substrates. Prior to CIS film deposition, TiO₂ and CdS thin films were also prepared as a blocking layer and a buffer layer, respectively. We found that both a TiO₂ blocking layer and a CdS buffer layer are necessary to generate photoresponses in superstrate-type devices. The best power conversion efficiency (∼1.45%) was achieved by the CIS superstrate-type thin film solar cell device with 200 and 100 nm thick TiO₂ and CdS films, respectively.

Synthesis and Characterization of Hydrophobic Silica Thin Layer Derived from Methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darmawan, Adi; Utari, Riyadini; Eka Saputra, Riza; Suhartana; Astuti, Yayuk

2018-01-01

This study investigated the synthesis and characterization of MTMS hydrophobic silica prepared by sol-gel method. In principle, silica xerogels and silica thin layer were obtained by reacting MTMS in ethanol solvent in some pH variations. The MTMS solution was used to modify the surface of the ceramic plate by dipcoating method to further be calcined at two different temperatures of 350°C and 500°C. The silica xerogels were analysed by FTIR, TGA-DSC and GSA to determine functional group characteristics, thermal properties and pore morphology respectively. Meanwhile, the silica thin layers were analysed their hydrophobic properties using water contact angle measurement and surface roughness determination using SEM. The results showed that the higher the pH used in the MTMS solution, the higher the resulting contact angle. The highest contact angle was obtained at pH 8.12 which reached 94.7° and 79.5° for silica thin layer calcined at 350°C and 500°C, respectively. The TGA results indicated that the methyl group survived up to 400°C and disappeared at 500°C which had implications on silica thin layer hydrophobic nature. GSA result exhibited that the silica xerogel had a close structure with a very low pore volume. While the SEM-EDX results displayed that the silica thin layer prepared at acidic pH had smoother surface morphology and became rough when prepared at an alkaline pH.

Composite lamination method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dickerson, G. E. (Inventor)

1977-01-01

A process was developed for preparing relatively thick composite laminate structure wherein thin layers of prepreg tapes are assembled, these thin layers are cut into strips that are partially cured, and stacked into the desired thickness with uncured prepreg disposed between each layer of strips. The formed laminate is finally cured and thereafter machined to the desired final dimensions.

A Step toward High-Energy Silicon-Based Thin Film Lithium Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Reyes Jiménez, Antonia; Klöpsch, Richard; Wagner, Ralf; Rodehorst, Uta C; Kolek, Martin; Nölle, Roman; Winter, Martin; Placke, Tobias

2017-05-23

The next generation of lithium ion batteries (LIBs) with increased energy density for large-scale applications, such as electric mobility, and also for small electronic devices, such as microbatteries and on-chip batteries, requires advanced electrode active materials with enhanced specific and volumetric capacities. In this regard, silicon as anode material has attracted much attention due to its high specific capacity. However, the enormous volume changes during lithiation/delithiation are still a main obstacle avoiding the broad commercial use of Si-based electrodes. In this work, Si-based thin film electrodes, prepared by magnetron sputtering, are studied. Herein, we present a sophisticated surface design and electrode structure modification by amorphous carbon layers to increase the mechanical integrity and, thus, the electrochemical performance. Therefore, the influence of amorphous C thin film layers, either deposited on top (C/Si) or incorporated between the amorphous Si thin film layers (Si/C/Si), was characterized according to their physical and electrochemical properties. The thin film electrodes were thoroughly studied by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. We can show that the silicon thin film electrodes with an amorphous C layer showed a remarkably improved electrochemical performance in terms of capacity retention and Coulombic efficiency. The C layer is able to mitigate the mechanical stress during lithiation of the Si thin film by buffering the volume changes and to reduce the loss of active lithium during solid electrolyte interphase formation and cycling.

Effects of different wetting layers on the growth of smooth ultra-thin silver thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ni, Chuan; Shah, Piyush; Sarangan, Andrew M.

2014-09-01

Ultrathin silver films (thickness below 10 nm) are of great interest as optical coatings on windows and plasmonic devices. However, producing these films has been a continuing challenge because of their tendency to form clusters or islands rather than smooth contiguous thin films. In this work we have studied the effect of Cu, Ge and ZnS as wetting layers (1.0 nm) to achieve ultrasmooth thin silver films. The silver films (5 nm) were grown by RF sputter deposition on silicon and glass substrates using a few monolayers of the different wetting materials. SEM imaging was used to characterize the surface properties such as island formation and roughness. Also the optical properties were measured to identify the optical impact of the different wetting layers. Finally, a multi-layer silver based structure is designed and fabricated, and its performance is evaluated. The comparison between the samples with different wetting layers show that the designs with wetting layers which have similar optical properties to silver produce the best overall performance. In the absence of a wetting layer, the measured optical spectra show a significant departure from the model predictions, which we attribute primarily to the formation of clusters.

Durable high strength cement concrete topping for asphalt roads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vyrozhemskyi, Valerii; Krayushkina, Kateryna; Bidnenko, Nataliia

2017-09-01

Work on improving riding qualities of pavements by means of placing a thin cement layer with high roughness and strength properties on the existing asphalt pavement were conducted in Ukraine for the first time. Such pavement is called HPCM (High Performance Cementitious Material). This is a high-strength thin cement-layer pavement of 8-9 mm thickness reinforced with metal or polymer fiber of less than 5 mm length. Increased grip properties are caused by placement of stone material of 3-5 mm fraction on the concrete surface. As a result of the research, the preparation and placement technology of high-strength cement thin-layer pavement reinforced with fiber was developed to improve friction properties of existing asphalt pavements which ensures their roughness and durability. It must be emphasized that HPCM is a fundamentally new type of thin-layer pavement in which a rigid layer of 10 mm thickness is placed on a non-rigid base thereby improving riding qualities of asphalt pavement at any season of a year.

On the absorption of solar radiation in a layer of oil beneath a layer of snow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Larsen, J. C.; Barkstrom, B. R.

1976-01-01

Solar energy deposition in oil layers covered by snow is calculated for three model snow types using radiative transfer theory. It is suggested that excess absorbed energy is unlikely to escape, so that some melting is likely to occur for snow depths less than about 4 cm.

Gravity-directed separation of both immiscible and emulsified oil/water mixtures utilizing coconut shell layer.

PubMed

Li, Jian; Xu, Changcheng; Zhang, Yan; Tang, Xiaohua; Qi, Wei; Wang, Qiong

2018-02-01

Pressure-driven and lower flux of superwetting ultrafiltration membranes in various emulsions separation are long-standing issues and major barriers for their large-scale utilization. Even though currently reported membranes have achieved great success in emulsions separeation, they still suffer from low flux and complex fabrication process resulting from their smaller nanoscale pore size. Herein, utilizition of coconut shell as a novel biomaterial for developing into a layer through the simple smashing, cleaning and stacking procedures, which not only could avoid the complexity of film making process, but also could realize efficient gravity-directed separation of both immiscible oil/water mixtures and water-in-oil emulsions with high flux. Specifically, the layer acted as "water-removing" type filtrate material with excellent underwater superoleophobicity, exhibiting high efficiency for various immiscible oil/water mixtures separation and larger oil intrusion pressure. More importantly, the layer could also serve as adsorbent material with underoil superhydrophilicity, achieving gravity-directed kinds of water-in-oil emulsions separation with high separation efficiency (above 99.99%) and higher flux (above 1620L/m 2 h), even when their pore sizes are larger than that of emulsified droplets. We deeply believe that this study would open up a new strategy for both immiscible oil/water mixtures and water-in-oil emulsions separation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fabrication of novel chitosan/PAN/magnetic ZSM-5 zeolite coated sponges for absorption of oil from water surfaces.

PubMed

Samadi, Saman; Yazd, Shabnam Sharif; Abdoli, Hossein; Jafari, Pooya; Aliabadi, Majid

2017-12-01

In the present study, the chitosan (bottom layer)/polyacrylonitrile (top layer, PAN) nanofibers were coated on the sponge surface. The synthesized magnetic Fe 3 O 4 - ZSM-5 nanozeolites have been loaded into the chitosan/PAN nanofibers to increase the performance of nanofibers toward absorption of lubricating oil, motor oil and pump oil from water surfaces. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis were used to characterize the synthesized nanozeolites. The morphology and wettability of nanofibers were determined using SEM and water contact angle tests. The influence of Fe 3 O 4 - ZSM-5 nanozeolite content and chitosan/PAN/Fe 3 O 4 - ZSM-5 nanofiber thickness was evaluated on the potential of sponges for oils absorption. The maximum capacity of the chitosan/PAN/Fe 3 O 4 - ZSM-5 nanofibers coated sponges for absorption of motor oil, lubricating oil and pump oil was found to be 99.4, 95.3 and 88.1g/g, in Fe 3 O 4 - ZSM-5 2wt.% and nanofiber thickness of 12μm (chitosan layer of 2μm and PAN layer of 10μm). The reusability of nanofibrous sponges showed that the hydrophobic chitosan/PAN/Fe 3 O 4 - ZSM-5 nanofibers coated sponges can be easily reused in water-oil separation for many cycles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Uptake of Light Elements in Thin Metallic Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markwitz, Andreas; Waldschmidt, Mathias

Ion beam analysis was used to investigate the influence of substrate temperature on the inclusion of impurities during the deposition process of thin metallic single and double layers. Thin layers of gold and aluminium were deposited at different temperatures onto thin copper layers evaporated on silicon wafer substrates. The uptake of oxygen in the layers was measured using the highly sensitive non-resonant reaction 16O(d,p)170O at 920 keV. Nuclear reaction analysis was also used to probe for carbon and nitrogen with a limit of detection better than 20 ppm. Hydrogen depth profiles were measured using elastic recoil detection on the nanometer scale. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy was used to determine the depth profiles of the metallic layers and to study diffusion processes. The combined ion beam analyses revealed an uptake of oxygen in the layers depending on the different metallic cap layers and the deposition temperature. Lowest oxygen values were measured for the Au/Cu layers, whereas the highest amount of oxygen was measured in Al/Cu layers deposited at 300°C. It was also found that with single copper layers produced at various temperatures, oxygen contamination occurred during the evaporation process and not afterwards, for example, as a consequence of the storage of the films under normal conditions for several days. Hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen were found as impurities in the single and double layered metallic films, a finding that is in agreement with the measured oxidation behaviour of the metallic films.

A new nanocomposite forward osmosis membrane custom-designed for treating shale gas wastewater

PubMed Central

Qin, Detao; Liu, Zhaoyang; Delai Sun, Darren; Song, Xiaoxiao; Bai, Hongwei

2015-01-01

Managing the wastewater discharged from oil and shale gas fields is a big challenge, because this kind of wastewater is normally polluted by high contents of both oils and salts. Conventional pressure-driven membranes experience little success for treating this wastewater because of either severe membrane fouling or incapability of desalination. In this study, we designed a new nanocomposite forward osmosis (FO) membrane for accomplishing simultaneous oil/water separation and desalination. This nanocomposite FO membrane is composed of an oil-repelling and salt-rejecting hydrogel selective layer on top of a graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets infused polymeric support layer. The hydrogel selective layer demonstrates strong underwater oleophobicity that leads to superior anti-fouling capability under various oil/water emulsions, and the infused GO in support layer can significantly mitigate internal concentration polarization (ICP) through reducing FO membrane structural parameter by as much as 20%. Compared with commercial FO membrane, this new FO membrane demonstrates more than three times higher water flux, higher removals for oil and salts (>99.9% for oil and >99.7% for multivalent ions) and significantly lower fouling tendency when investigated with simulated shale gas wastewater. These combined merits will endorse this new FO membrane with wide applications in treating highly saline and oily wastewaters. PMID:26416014

Method of forming ultra thin film devices by vacuum arc vapor deposition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schramm, Harry F. (Inventor)

2005-01-01

A method for providing an ultra thin electrical circuit integral with a portion of a surface of an object, including using a focal Vacuum Arc Vapor Deposition device having a chamber, a nozzle and a nozzle seal, depressing the nozzle seal against the portion of the object surface to create an airtight compartment in the chamber and depositing one or more ultra thin film layer(s) only on the portion of the surface of the object, the layers being of distinct patterns such that they form the circuit.

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

PubMed

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

2011-01-01

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

Layer-by-layer deposition of nanostructured CsPbBr3 perovskite thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reshetnikova, A. A.; Matyushkin, L. B.; Andronov, A. A.; Sokolov, V. S.; Aleksandrova, O. A.; Moshnikov, V. A.

2017-11-01

Layer-by-layer deposition of nanostructured perovskites cesium lead halide thin films is described. The method of deposition is based on alternate immersion of the substrate in the precursor solutions or colloidal solution of nanocrystals and methyl acetate/lead nitrate solution using the device for deposition of films by SILAR and dip-coating techniques. An example of obtaining a photosensitive structure based on nanostructures of ZnO nanowires and layers of CsBbBr3 nanocrystals is also shown.

Silicon superlattices. 2: Si-Ge heterostructures and MOS systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moriarty, J. A.

1983-01-01

Five main areas were examined: (1) the valence-and conduction-band-edge electronic structure of the thin layer ( 11 A) silicon-superlattice systems; (2) extension of thin-layer calculations to layers of thickness 11 A, where most potential experimental interest lies; (3) the electronic structure of thicker-layer (11 to 110 A) silicon superlattices; (4) preliminary calculations of impurity-scattering-limited electron mobility in the thicker-layer superlattices; and (5) production of the fine metal lines that would be required to produce on MOS superlattice.

Epitaxial thinning process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siegel, C. M. (Inventor)

1984-01-01

A method is described for thinning an epitaxial layer of a wafer that is to be used in producing diodes having a specified breakdown voltage and which also facilitates the thinning process. Current is passed through the epitaxial layer, by connecting a current source between the substrate of the wafer and an electrolyte in which the wafer is immersed. When the wafer is initially immersed, the voltage across the wafer initially drops and then rises at a steep rate. When light is applied to the wafer the voltage drops, and when the light is interrupted the voltage rises again. These changes in voltage, each indicate the breakdown voltage of a Schottky diode that could be prepared from the wafer at that time. The epitaxial layer is thinned by continuing to apply current through the wafer while it is immersed and light is applied, to form an oxide film and when the oxide film is thick the wafer can then be cleaned of oxide and the testing and thinning continued. Uninterrupted thinning can be achieved by first forming an oxide film, and then using an electrolyte that dissolves the oxide about as fast as it is being formed, to limit the thickness of the oxide layer.

The dynamics and stability of lubricating oil films during droplet transport by electrowetting in microfluidic devices.

PubMed

Kleinert, Jairus; Srinivasan, Vijay; Rival, Arnaud; Delattre, Cyril; Velev, Orlin D; Pamula, Vamsee K

2015-05-01

The operation of digital microfluidic devices with water droplets manipulated by electrowetting is critically dependent on the static and dynamic stability and lubrication properties of the oil films that separate the droplets from the solid surfaces. The factors determining the stability of the films and preventing surface fouling in such systems are not yet thoroughly understood and were experimentally investigated in this study. The experiments were performed using a standard digital microfluidic cartridge in which water droplets enclosed in a thin, oil-filled gap were transported over an array of electrodes. Stable, continuous oil films separated the droplets from the surfaces when the droplets were stationary. During droplet transport, capillary waves formed in the films on the electrode surfaces as the oil menisci receded. The waves evolved into dome-shaped oil lenses. Droplet deformation and oil displacement caused the films at the surface opposite the electrode array to transform into dimples of oil trapped over the centers of the droplets. Lower actuation voltages were associated with slower film thinning and formation of fewer, but larger, oil lenses. Lower ac frequencies induced oscillations in the droplets that caused the films to rupture. Films were also destabilized by addition of surfactants to the oil or droplet phases. Such a comprehensive understanding of the oil film behavior will enable more robust electrowetting-actuated lab-on-a-chip devices through prevention of loss of species from droplets and contamination of surfaces at points where films may break.

The dynamics and stability of lubricating oil films during droplet transport by electrowetting in microfluidic devices

PubMed Central

Kleinert, Jairus; Srinivasan, Vijay; Rival, Arnaud; Delattre, Cyril; Velev, Orlin D.; Pamula, Vamsee K.

2015-01-01

The operation of digital microfluidic devices with water droplets manipulated by electrowetting is critically dependent on the static and dynamic stability and lubrication properties of the oil films that separate the droplets from the solid surfaces. The factors determining the stability of the films and preventing surface fouling in such systems are not yet thoroughly understood and were experimentally investigated in this study. The experiments were performed using a standard digital microfluidic cartridge in which water droplets enclosed in a thin, oil-filled gap were transported over an array of electrodes. Stable, continuous oil films separated the droplets from the surfaces when the droplets were stationary. During droplet transport, capillary waves formed in the films on the electrode surfaces as the oil menisci receded. The waves evolved into dome-shaped oil lenses. Droplet deformation and oil displacement caused the films at the surface opposite the electrode array to transform into dimples of oil trapped over the centers of the droplets. Lower actuation voltages were associated with slower film thinning and formation of fewer, but larger, oil lenses. Lower ac frequencies induced oscillations in the droplets that caused the films to rupture. Films were also destabilized by addition of surfactants to the oil or droplet phases. Such a comprehensive understanding of the oil film behavior will enable more robust electrowetting-actuated lab-on-a-chip devices through prevention of loss of species from droplets and contamination of surfaces at points where films may break. PMID:26045729

Four-flux model of the light scattering in porous varnish and paint layers: towards understanding the visual appearance of altered blanched easel oil paintings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Genty-Vincent, Anaïs; Van Song, Théo Phan; Andraud, Christine; Menu, Michel

2017-07-01

Blanching of easel oil paintings is a recurring alteration that can affect the varnish layer and also the paint layer itself, and strongly alter the visual appearance. Our examinations by field emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM) of altered and unaltered samples revealed the presence of spherical pores in the altered layers, with a pore size ranging from few nanometers to few micrometers. The aim of the present study is to corroborate that the visual appearance modification can be explained by light scattering theories (Mie or Rayleigh depending on the pore size of the considered layer). The four-flux model was used to resolve the radiative transfer equation (RTE) and model the light scattering in porous varnish layers as well as in porous green earth and raw umber oil paint layers. It enables to highlight that the pore size has an important impact on the visual appearance of the altered layer (color and opacity modification). The pore concentration and the thickness of the altered part affect, however, only the opacity. This work points out that the blanching of easel oil paintings is due to light scattering by the pores, which is an important result toward the proposal of adapted and durable future conservation treatments.

Bioactivity of Essential Oil of Zingiber purpureum Rhizomes and Its Main Compounds against Two Stored Product Insects.

PubMed

Wang, Y; You, C X; Yang, K; Wu, Y; Chen, R; Zhang, W J; Liu, Z L; Du, S S; Deng, Z W; Geng, Z F; Han, J

2015-06-01

The insecticidal and repellent activities of the essential oil extracted from Zingiber purpureum Roscoe rhizomes were evaluated against Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and Lasioderma serricorne (L.) adults. During our screening program for agrochemicals from Chinese medicinal herbs and wild plants, the essential oil of Z. purpureum rhizomes was found to possess strong contact toxicity against T. castaneum and L. serricorne adults, with LD50 values of 39.0 and 16.3 µg per adult, respectively, and also showed strong fumigant toxicity against the two grain storage insects with LC50 values of 13.6 and 9.3 mg/liter of air, respectively. The essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation was investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The main components of the essential oil were identified to be sabinene (48.1%), terpinen-4-ol (25.1%), and γ-terpinene (6.7%), followed by α-terpinene (4.3%), β-thujene (3.4%), and α-phellandrene (2.7%). Sabinene, terpinen-4-ol, and γ-terpinene were separated and purified by silica gel column chromatography and preparative thin-layer chromatography. Terpinen-4-ol showed the strongest contact toxicity against T. castaneum and L. serricorne (LD50=19.7 and 5.4 µg per adult, respectively) and also the strongest fumigant toxicity against T. castaneum and L. serricorne (LC50=3.7 and 1.3 mg/liter of air, respectively). Otherwise, sabinene and terpinen-4-ol were strongly repellent against T. castaneum as well as the essential oil, while γ-terpinene exhibited weaker repellency against T. castaneum compared with the positive control, DEET (N, N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide). Moreover, only the essential oil exhibited strong repellency against L. serricorne, the three compounds exhibited weaker repellency against L. serricorne relative to DEET. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Co-composting of rose oil processing waste with caged layer manure and straw or sawdust: effects of carbon source and C/N ratio on decomposition.

PubMed

Onursal, Emrah; Ekinci, Kamil

2015-04-01

Rose oil is a specific essential oil that is produced mainly for the cosmetics industry in a few selected locations around the world. Rose oil production is a water distillation process from petals of Rosa damascena Mill. Since the oil content of the rose petals of this variety is between 0.3-0.4% (w/w), almost 4000 to 3000 kg of rose petals are needed to produce 1 kg of rose oil. Rose oil production is a seasonal activity and takes place during the relatively short period where the roses are blooming. As a result, large quantities of solid waste are produced over a limited time interval. This research aims: (i) to determine the possibilities of aerobic co-composting as a waste management option for rose oil processing waste with caged layer manure; (ii) to identify effects of different carbon sources - straw or sawdust on co-composting of rose oil processing waste and caged layer manure, which are both readily available in Isparta, where significant rose oil production also takes place; (iii) to determine the effects of different C/N ratios on co-composting by the means of organic matter decomposition and dry matter loss. Composting experiments were carried out by 12 identical laboratory-scale composting reactors (60 L) simultaneously. The results of the study showed that the best results were obtained with a mixture consisting of 50% rose oil processing waste, 64% caged layer manure and 15% straw wet weight in terms of organic matter loss (66%) and dry matter loss (38%). © The Author(s) 2015.

Electrochemical planarization

DOEpatents

Bernhardt, A.F.; Contolini, R.J.

1993-10-26

In a process for fabricating planarized thin film metal interconnects for integrated circuit structures, a planarized metal layer is etched back to the underlying dielectric layer by electropolishing, ion milling or other procedure. Electropolishing reduces processing time from hours to minutes and allows batch processing of multiple wafers. The etched back planarized thin film interconnect is flush with the dielectric layer. 12 figures.

Use of screenings to produce HMA mixtures

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-10-01

Thin-lift hot mix asphalt (HMA) layers are utilized in almost every maintenance and rehabilitation application. These mix types require smaller maximum particle sizes than most conventional HMA surface layers. Although the primary functions of thin-l...

[Ascending one-dimensional thin layer chromatography in specific blood diagnosis (author's transl)].

PubMed

Bernardelli, B; Masotti, G

1976-01-01

A brief review of the literature on chromatography in forensic haematology is followed by a report of the results obtained by using ascending one-dimensional thin layer chromatography in specific blood diagnosis.

Flat-lying semiconductor-insulator interfacial layer in DNTT thin films.

PubMed

Jung, Min-Cherl; Leyden, Matthew R; Nikiforov, Gueorgui O; Lee, Michael V; Lee, Han-Koo; Shin, Tae Joo; Takimiya, Kazuo; Qi, Yabing

2015-01-28

The molecular order of organic semiconductors at the gate dielectric is the most critical factor determining carrier mobility in thin film transistors since the conducting channel forms at the dielectric interface. Despite its fundamental importance, this semiconductor-insulator interface is not well understood, primarily because it is buried within the device. We fabricated dinaphtho[2,3-b:2',3'-f]thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (DNTT) thin film transistors by thermal evaporation in vacuum onto substrates held at different temperatures and systematically correlated the extracted charge mobility to the crystal grain size and crystal orientation. As a result, we identify a molecular layer of flat-lying DNTT molecules at the semiconductor-insulator interface. It is likely that such a layer might form in other material systems as well, and could be one of the factors reducing charge transport. Controlling this interfacial flat-lying layer may raise the ultimate possible device performance for thin film devices.

Bias of shear wave elasticity measurements in thin layer samples and a simple correction strategy.

PubMed

Mo, Jianqiang; Xu, Hao; Qiang, Bo; Giambini, Hugo; Kinnick, Randall; An, Kai-Nan; Chen, Shigao; Luo, Zongping

2016-01-01

Shear wave elastography (SWE) is an emerging technique for measuring biological tissue stiffness. However, the application of SWE in thin layer tissues is limited by bias due to the influence of geometry on measured shear wave speed. In this study, we investigated the bias of Young's modulus measured by SWE in thin layer gelatin-agar phantoms, and compared the result with finite element method and Lamb wave model simulation. The result indicated that the Young's modulus measured by SWE decreased continuously when the sample thickness decreased, and this effect was more significant for smaller thickness. We proposed a new empirical formula which can conveniently correct the bias without the need of using complicated mathematical modeling. In summary, we confirmed the nonlinear relation between thickness and Young's modulus measured by SWE in thin layer samples, and offered a simple and practical correction strategy which is convenient for clinicians to use.

AES study on the chemical composition of ferroelectric BaTiO3 thin films RF sputter-deposited on silicon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dharmadhikari, V. S.; Grannemann, W. W.

1983-01-01

AES depth profiling data are presented for thin films of BaTiO3 deposited on silicon by RF sputtering. By profiling the sputtered BaTiO3/silicon structures, it was possible to study the chemical composition and the interface characteristics of thin films deposited on silicon at different substrate temperatures. All the films showed that external surface layers were present, up to a few tens of angstroms thick, the chemical composition of which differed from that of the main layer. The main layer had stable composition, whereas the intermediate film-substrate interface consisted of reduced TiO(2-x) oxides. The thickness of this intermediate layer was a function of substrate temperature. All the films showed an excess of barium at the interface. These results are important in the context of ferroelectric phenomena observed in BaTiO3 thin films.

Impact of bimetal electrodes on dielectric properties of TiO2 and Al-doped TiO2 films.

PubMed

Kim, Seong Keun; Han, Sora; Jeon, Woojin; Yoon, Jung Ho; Han, Jeong Hwan; Lee, Woongkyu; Hwang, Cheol Seong

2012-09-26

Rutile structured Al-doped TiO(2) (ATO) and TiO(2) films were grown on bimetal electrodes (thin Ru/thick TiN, Pt, and Ir) for high-performance capacitors. The work function of the top Ru layer decreased on TiN and increased on Pt and Ir when it was thinner than ~2 nm, suggesting that the lower metal within the electrodes influences the work function of the very thin Ru layer. The use of the lower electrode with a high work function for bottom electrode eventually improves the leakage current properties of the capacitor at a very thin Ru top layer (≤2 nm) because of the increased Schottky barrier height at the interface between the dielectric and the bottom electrode. The thin Ru layer was necessary to achieve the rutile structured ATO and TiO(2) dielectric films.

Fuel cell with interdigitated porous flow-field

DOEpatents

Wilson, Mahlon S.

1997-01-01

A polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell is formed with an improved system for distributing gaseous reactants to the membrane surface. A PEM fuel cell has an ionic transport membrane with opposed catalytic surfaces formed thereon and separates gaseous reactants that undergo reactions at the catalytic surfaces of the membrane. The fuel cell may also include a thin gas diffusion layer having first and second sides with a first side contacting at least one of the catalytic surfaces. A macroporous flow-field with interdigitated inlet and outlet reactant channels contacts the second side of the thin gas diffusion layer for distributing one of the gaseous reactants over the thin gas diffusion layer for transport to an adjacent one of the catalytic surfaces of the membrane. The porous flow field may be formed from a hydrophilic material and provides uniform support across the backside of the electrode assembly to facilitate the use of thin backing layers.

Fuel cell with interdigitated porous flow-field

DOEpatents

Wilson, M.S.

1997-06-24

A polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell is formed with an improved system for distributing gaseous reactants to the membrane surface. A PEM fuel cell has an ionic transport membrane with opposed catalytic surfaces formed thereon and separates gaseous reactants that undergo reactions at the catalytic surfaces of the membrane. The fuel cell may also include a thin gas diffusion layer having first and second sides with a first side contacting at least one of the catalytic surfaces. A macroporous flow-field with interdigitated inlet and outlet reactant channels contacts the second side of the thin gas diffusion layer for distributing one of the gaseous reactants over the thin gas diffusion layer for transport to an adjacent one of the catalytic surfaces of the membrane. The porous flow field may be formed from a hydrophilic material and provides uniform support across the backside of the electrode assembly to facilitate the use of thin backing layers. 9 figs.

A simple liquid extraction protocol for overcoming the ion suppression of triacylglycerols by phospholipids in liquid chromatography mass spectrometry studies.

PubMed

Araujo, Pedro; Tilahun, Ephrem; Breivik, Joar Fjørtoft; Abdulkader, Bashir M; Frøyland, Livar; Zeng, Yingxu

2016-02-01

It is well-known that triacylglycerol (TAG) ions are suppressed by phospholipid (PL) ions in regiospecific analysis of TAG by mass spectrometry (MS). Hence, it is essential to remove the PL during sample preparation prior to MS analysis. The present article proposes a cost-effective liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) method to remove PL from TAG in different kinds of biological samples by using methanol, hexane and water. High performance thin layer chromatography confirmed the lack of PL in krill oil and salmon liver samples, submitted to the proposed LLE protocol, and liquid chromatography tandem MS confirmed that the identified TAG ions were highly enhanced after implementing the LLE procedure. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrical contacts to thin layers of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Shota; Taniguchi, Hiroki; Kawakami, Tsukasa; Cosset-Cheneau, Maxen; Arakawa, Tomonori; Miyasaka, Shigeki; Tajima, Setsuko; Niimi, Yasuhiro; Kobayashi, Kensuke

2018-05-01

Thin layers of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ (Bi2212) were fabricated using the mechanical exfoliation technique. Good electrical contacts to the thin Bi2212 films with low contact resistance were realized by depositing Ag and Au electrodes onto the Bi2212 films and annealing them with an oxygen flow at 350 °C for 30 min. We observed cross-section images of the Bi2212 thin film device using a transmission electron microscope to characterize the diffusion of Ag and Au atoms into the Bi2212 thin film.

Precise Control of the Number of Layers of Graphene by Picosecond Laser Thinning.

PubMed

Lin, Zhe; Ye, Xiaohui; Han, Jinpeng; Chen, Qiao; Fan, Peixun; Zhang, Hongjun; Xie, Dan; Zhu, Hongwei; Zhong, Minlin

2015-06-26

The properties of graphene can vary as a function of the number of layers (NOL). Controlling the NOL in large area graphene is still challenging. In this work, we demonstrate a picosecond (ps) laser thinning removal of graphene layers from multi-layered graphene to obtain desired NOL when appropriate pulse threshold energy is adopted. The thinning process is conducted in atmosphere without any coating and it is applicable for graphene films on arbitrary substrates. This method provides many advantages such as one-step process, non-contact operation, substrate and environment-friendly, and patternable, which will enable its potential applications in the manufacturing of graphene-based electronic devices.

Precise Control of the Number of Layers of Graphene by Picosecond Laser Thinning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Zhe; Ye, Xiaohui; Han, Jinpeng; Chen, Qiao; Fan, Peixun; Zhang, Hongjun; Xie, Dan; Zhu, Hongwei; Zhong, Minlin

2015-06-01

The properties of graphene can vary as a function of the number of layers (NOL). Controlling the NOL in large area graphene is still challenging. In this work, we demonstrate a picosecond (ps) laser thinning removal of graphene layers from multi-layered graphene to obtain desired NOL when appropriate pulse threshold energy is adopted. The thinning process is conducted in atmosphere without any coating and it is applicable for graphene films on arbitrary substrates. This method provides many advantages such as one-step process, non-contact operation, substrate and environment-friendly, and patternable, which will enable its potential applications in the manufacturing of graphene-based electronic devices.

Thin-film limit formalism applied to surface defect absorption.

PubMed

Holovský, Jakub; Ballif, Christophe

2014-12-15

The thin-film limit is derived by a nonconventional approach and equations for transmittance, reflectance and absorptance are presented in highly versatile and accurate form. In the thin-film limit the optical properties do not depend on the absorption coefficient, thickness and refractive index individually, but only on their product. We show that this formalism is applicable to the problem of ultrathin defective layer e.g. on a top of a layer of amorphous silicon. We develop a new method of direct evaluation of the surface defective layer and the bulk defects. Applying this method to amorphous silicon on glass, we show that the surface defective layer differs from bulk amorphous silicon in terms of light soaking.

Fabrication of Organic Thin Film Transistors Using Layer-By-Layer Assembly (Preprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

thin-film transistors ( TFTs ) have received considerable attention as a low- cost, light-weight, flexible alternative to traditional amorphous silicon...Previous studies have investigated the use of a number of materials for both the active layer and the gate dielectric in various TFT architectures. These...performance. Conjugated small molecules, such as pentacene, or polymers, such as poly(3- hexylthiophene), are commonly used as the active layer in organic TFT

Use of separate ZnTe interface layers to form ohmic contacts to p-CdTe films

DOEpatents

Gessert, T.A.

1999-06-01

A method of is disclosed improving electrical contact to a thin film of a p-type tellurium-containing II-VI semiconductor comprising: depositing a first undoped layer of ZnTe on a thin film of p-type tellurium containing II-VI semiconductor with material properties selected to limit the formation of potential barriers at the interface between the p-CdTe and the undoped layer, to a thickness sufficient to control diffusion of the metallic-doped ZnTe into the p-type tellurium-containing II-VI semiconductor, but thin enough to minimize affects of series resistance; depositing a second heavy doped p-type ZnTe layer to the first layer using an appropriate dopant; and depositing an appropriate metal onto the outer-most surface of the doped ZnTe layer for connecting an external electrical conductor to an ohmic contact. 11 figs.

High-performance a-IGZO thin-film transistor with conductive indium-tin-oxide buried layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahn, Min-Ju; Cho, Won-Ju

2017-10-01

In this study, we fabricated top-contact top-gate (TCTG) structure of amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide (a-IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) with a thin buried conductive indium-tin oxide (ITO) layer. The electrical performance of a-IGZO TFTs was improved by inserting an ITO buried layer under the IGZO channel. Also, the effect of the buried layer's length on the electrical characteristics of a-IGZO TFTs was investigated. The electrical performance of the transistors improved with increasing the buried layer's length: a large on/off current ratio of 1.1×107, a high field-effect mobility of 35.6 cm2/Vs, a small subthreshold slope of 116.1 mV/dec, and a low interface trap density of 4.2×1011 cm-2eV-1 were obtained. The buried layer a-IGZO TFTs exhibited enhanced transistor performance and excellent stability against the gate bias stress.

Thin Carbon Layers on Nanostructured Silicon-Properties and Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angelescu, Anca; Kleps, Irina; Miu, Mihaela; Simion, Monica; Bragaru, Adina; Petrescu, Stefana; Paduraru, Crina; Raducanu, Aurelia

Thin carbon layers such as silicon carbide (SiC) and diamond like carbon (DLC) layers on silicon, or on nanostructured silicon substrats were obtained by different methods. This paper is a review of our results in the areas of carbon layer microfabrication technologies and their properties related to different microsystem apllications. So, silicon membranes using a-SiC or DLC layers as etching mask, as well as silicon carbide membranes using a combined porous silicon — DLC structure were fabricated for sensor applications. A detailed evaluation of the field emission (FE) properties of these films was done to demonstrate their capability to be used in field emission devices. Carbon thin layers on nanostructured silicon samples were also investigated with respect to the living cell adhesion on these structures. The experiments indicate that the cell attachment on the surface of carbon coatings can be controlled by deposition parameters during the technological process.

Use of separate ZnTe interface layers to form OHMIC contacts to p-CdTe films

DOEpatents

Gessert, Timothy A.

1999-01-01

A method of improving electrical contact to a thin film of a p-type tellurium-containing II-VI semiconductor comprising: depositing a first undoped layer of ZnTe on a thin film of p-type tellurium containing II-VI semiconductor with material properties selected to limit the formation of potential barriers at the interface between the p-CdTe and the undoped layer, to a thickness sufficient to control diffusion of the metallic-doped ZnTe into the p-type tellurim-containing II-VI semiconductor, but thin enough to minimize affects of series resistance; depositing a second heavy doped p-type ZnTe layer to the first layer using an appropriate dopant; and depositing an appropriate metal onto the outer-most surface of the doped ZnTe layer for connecting an external electrical conductor to an ohmic contact.

Thin-film solar cell fabricated on a flexible metallic substrate

DOEpatents

Tuttle, John R.; Noufi, Rommel; Hasoon, Falah S.

2006-05-30

A thin-film solar cell (10) is provided. The thin-film solar cell (10) comprises a flexible metallic substrate (12) having a first surface and a second surface. A back metal contact layer (16) is deposited on the first surface of the flexible metallic substrate (12). A semiconductor absorber layer (14) is deposited on the back metal contact. A photoactive film deposited on the semiconductor absorber layer (14) forms a heterojunction structure and a grid contact (24) deposited on the heterjunction structure. The flexible metal substrate (12) can be constructed of either aluminium or stainless steel. Furthermore, a method of constructing a solar cell is provided. The method comprises providing an aluminum substrate (12), depositing a semiconductor absorber layer (14) on the aluminum substrate (12), and insulating the aluminum substrate (12) from the semiconductor absorber layer (14) to inhibit reaction between the aluminum substrate (12) and the semiconductor absorber layer (14).

Thin-Film Solar Cell Fabricated on a Flexible Metallic Substrate

DOEpatents

Tuttle, J. R.; Noufi, R.; Hasoon, F. S.

2006-05-30

A thin-film solar cell (10) is provided. The thin-film solar cell (10) comprises a flexible metallic substrate (12) having a first surface and a second surface. A back metal contact layer (16) is deposited on the first surface of the flexible metallic substrate (12). A semiconductor absorber layer (14) is deposited on the back metal contact. A photoactive film deposited on the semiconductor absorber layer (14) forms a heterojunction structure and a grid contact (24) deposited on the heterjunction structure. The flexible metal substrate (12) can be constructed of either aluminium or stainless steel. Furthermore, a method of constructing a solar cell is provided. The method comprises providing an aluminum substrate (12), depositing a semiconductor absorber layer (14) on the aluminum substrate (12), and insulating the aluminum substrate (12) from the semiconductor absorber layer (14) to inhibit reaction between the aluminum substrate (12) and the semiconductor absorber layer (14).

Direct charge carrier injection into Ga2O3 thin films using an In2O3 cathode buffer layer: their optical, electrical and surface state properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, W.; Zhao, X. L.; An, Y. H.; Guo, D. Y.; Qing, X. Y.; Wu, Z. P.; Li, P. G.; Li, L. H.; Cui, C.; Tang, W. H.

2017-04-01

Conductive Ga2O3 thin films with an In2O3 buffer layer have been prepared on c-plane sapphire substrates using a laser molecular beam epitaxy technique. The effects of the In2O3 buffer layer on the structure and optical, electrical and surface state properties of the Ga2O3 films have been studied. The change in conductivity of the thin films is attributed to different thicknesses of the In2O3 buffer layer, which determine the concentration of charge carriers injected into the upper Ga2O3 layer from the interface of the bilayer thin films. In addition, the increase in flat band voltage shift and capacitance values as the In2O3 buffer layer thickens are attributed to the increase in surface state density, which also contributes to the rapid shrinkage of the optical band gap of the Ga2O3. With transparency to visible light, high n-type conduction and the ability to tune the optical band gap and surface state density, we propose that Ga2O3/In2O3 bilayer thin film is an ideal n-type semiconductor for fabrication of transparent power devices, solar cell electrodes and gas sensors.

Synthesis of bimetallic nanostructures by nanosecond laser ablation of multicomponent thin films in water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikov, R. G.; Nedyalkov, N. N.; Atanasov, P. A.; Karashanova, D. B.

2018-03-01

The paper presents results on nanosecond laser ablation of thin films immersed in a liquid. The thin films were prepared by consecutive deposition of layers of different metals by thermal evaporation (first layer) and classical on-axis pulsed laser deposition (second layer); Ni/Au, Ag/Au and Ni/Ag thin films were thus deposited on glass substrates. The as-prepared films were then placed at the bottom of a glass vessel filled with double distilled water and irradiated by nanosecond laser pulses delivered by a Nd:YAG laser system at λ = 355 nm. This resulted in the formation of colloids of the thin films’ material. We also compared the processes of ablation of a bulk target and a thin film in the liquid by irradiating a Au target and a Au thin film by the same laser wavelength and fluence (λ = 355 nm, F = 5 J/cm2). The optical properties of the colloids were evaluated by optical transmittance measurements in the UV– VIS spectral range. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to estimate the particles’ size distribution.

Improvement in interfacial characteristics of low-voltage carbon nanotube thin-film transistors with solution-processed boron nitride thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeon, Jun-Young; Ha, Tae-Jun

2017-08-01

In this article, we demonstrate the potential of solution-processed boron nitride (BN) thin films for high performance single-walled carbon nanotube thin-film transistors (SWCNT-TFTs) with low-voltage operation. The use of BN thin films between solution-processed high-k dielectric layers improved the interfacial characteristics of metal-insulator-metal devices, thereby reducing the current density by three orders of magnitude. We also investigated the origin of improved device performance in SWCNT-TFTs by employing solution-processed BN thin films as an encapsulation layer. The BN encapsulation layer improves the electrical characteristics of SWCNT-TFTs, which includes the device key metrics of linear field-effect mobility, sub-threshold swing, and threshold voltage as well as the long-term stability against the aging effect in air. Such improvements can be achieved by reduced interaction of interfacial localized states with charge carriers. We believe that this work can open up a promising route to demonstrate the potential of solution-processed BN thin films on nanoelectronics.

Organic Field Effect Transistor Using Amorphous Fluoropolymer as Gate Insulating Film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitajima, Yosuke; Kojima, Kenzo; Mizutani, Teruyoshi; Ochiai, Shizuyasu

Organic field effect transistors are fabricated by the active layer of Regioregular poly (3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diy)(P3HT) thin film. CYTOP thin film made from Amorphous Fluoropolymer and fabricated by spin-coating is adopted to a gate dielectric layer on Polyethylenenaphthalate (PEN) thin film that is the substrate of an organic field effect transistor. The surface morphology and molecular orientation of P3HT thin films is observed by atomic force microscope (AFM) and X-Ray diffractometer (XRD). Grains are observed on the CYTOP thin film via an AFM image and the P3HT molecule is oriented perpendicularly on the CYTOP thin film. Based on the performance of the organic field effect transistor, the carrier mobility is 0.092 cm2/Vs, the ON/OFF ratio is 7, and the threshold voltage is -12 V. The ON/OFF ratio is relatively low and to improve On/Off ratio, the CYTOP/Polyimide double gate insulating layer is adopted to OFET.

Thin film absorber for a solar collector

DOEpatents

Wilhelm, William G.

1985-01-01

This invention pertains to energy absorbers for solar collectors, and more particularly to high performance thin film absorbers. The solar collectors comprising the absorber of this invention overcome several problems seen in current systems, such as excessive hardware, high cost and unreliability. In the preferred form, the apparatus features a substantially rigid planar frame with a thin film window bonded to one planar side of the frame. An absorber in accordance with the present invention is comprised of two thin film layers that are sealed perimetrically. In a preferred embodiment, thin film layers are formed from a metal/plastic laminate. The layers define a fluid-tight planar envelope of large surface area to volume through which a heat transfer fluid flows. The absorber is bonded to the other planar side of the frame. The thin film construction of the absorber assures substantially full envelope wetting and thus good efficiency. The window and absorber films stress the frame adding to the overall strength of the collector.

Organic photovoltaic cells utilizing ultrathin sensitizing layer

DOEpatents

Rand, Barry P [Princeton, NJ; Forrest, Stephen R [Princeton, NJ

2011-05-24

A photosensitive device includes a series of organic photoactive layers disposed between two electrodes. Each layer in the series is in direct contact with a next layer in the series. The series is arranged to form at least one donor-acceptor heterojunction, and includes a first organic photoactive layer comprising a first host material serving as a donor, a thin second organic photoactive layer comprising a second host material disposed between the first and a third organic photoactive layer, and the third organic photoactive layer comprising a third host material serving as an acceptor. The first, second, and third host materials are different. The thin second layer serves as an acceptor relative to the first layer or as a donor relative to the third layer.

In-depth evolution of chemical states and sub-10-nm-resolution crystal orientation mapping of nanograins in Ti(5 nm)/Au(20 nm)/Cr(3 nm) tri-layer thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Xiaoli; Todeschini, Matteo; Bastos da Silva Fanta, Alice; Liu, Lintao; Jensen, Flemming; Hübner, Jörg; Jansen, Henri; Han, Anpan; Shi, Peixiong; Ming, Anjie; Xie, Changqing

2018-09-01

The applications of Au thin films and their adhesion layers often suffer from a lack of sufficient information about the chemical states of adhesion layers and about the high-lateral-resolution crystallographic morphology of Au nanograins. Here, we demonstrate the in-depth evolution of the chemical states of adhesive layers at the interfaces and the crystal orientation mapping of gold nanograins with a lateral resolution of less than 10 nm in a Ti/Au/Cr tri-layer thin film system. Using transmission electron microscopy, the variation in the interdiffusion at Cr/Au and Ti/Au interfaces was confirmed. From X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) depth profiling, the chemical states of Cr, Au and Ti were characterized layer by layer, suggesting the insufficient oxidation of the adhesive layers. At the interfaces the Au 4f peaks shift to higher binding energies and this behavior can be described by a proposed model based on electron reorganization and substrate-induced final-state neutralization in small Au clusters supported by the partially oxidized Ti layer. Utilizing transmission Kikuchi diffraction (TKD) in a scanning electron microscope, the crystal orientation of Au nanograins between two adhesion layers was non-destructively characterized with sub-10 nm spatial resolution. The results provide nanoscale insights into the Ti/Au/Cr thin film system and contribute to our understanding of its behavior in nano-optic and nano-electronic devices.

Development of the α-IGZO/Ag/α-IGZO Triple-Layer Structure Films for the Application of Transparent Electrode.

PubMed

Chen, Kun-Neng; Yang, Cheng-Fu; Wu, Chia-Ching; Chen, Yu-Hsin

2017-02-24

We investigated the structural, optical, and electrical properties of amorphous IGZO/silver/amorphous IGZO (α-IGZO/Ag/α-IGZO) triple-layer structures that were deposited at room temperature on Eagle XG glass and flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrates through the sputtering method. Thin Ag layers with different thicknesses were inserted between two IGZO layers to form a triple-layer structure. Ag was used because of its lower absorption and resistivity. Field emission scanning electron microscopy measurements of the triple-layer structures revealed that the thicknesses of the Ag layers ranged from 13 to 41 nm. The thickness of the Ag layer had a large effect on the electrical and optical properties of the electrodes. The optimum thickness of the Ag metal thin film could be evaluated according to the optical transmittance, electrical conductivity, and figure of merit of the electrode. This study demonstrates that the α-IGZO/Ag/α-IGZO triple-layer transparent electrode can be fabricated with low sheet resistance (4.2 Ω/□) and high optical transmittance (88.1%) at room temperature without postannealing processing on the deposited thin films.

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

Tesfaye, Meron; MacDonald, Andrew N.; Dudenas, Peter J.

Local gas transport limitation attributed to the ionomer thin-film in the catalyst layer is a major deterrent to widespread commercialization of polymer-electrolyte fuel cells. So far functionality and limitations of these thin-films have been assumed identical in the anode and cathode. In this study, Nafion ionomer thin-films on platinum(Pt) support were exposed to H 2 and air as model schemes, mimicking anode and cathode catalyst layers. Findings indicate decreased swelling, increased densification of ionomer matrix, and increased humidity-induced aging rates in reducing environment, compared to oxidizing and inert environments. Observed phenomenon could be related to underlying Pt-gas interaction dictating Pt-ionomermore » behavior. Presented results could have significant implications about the disparate behavior of ionomer thin-film in anode and cathode catalyst layers.« less

Spectroscopic Ellipsometry Studies of Ag and ZnO Thin Films and Their Interfaces for Thin Film Photovoltaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sainju, Deepak

Many modern optical and electronic devices, including photovoltaic devices, consist of multilayered thin film structures. Spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) is a critically important characterization technique for such multilayers. SE can be applied to measure key parameters related to the structural, optical, and electrical properties of the components of multilayers with high accuracy and precision. One of the key advantages of this non-destructive technique is its capability of monitoring the growth dynamics of thin films in-situ and in real time with monolayer level precision. In this dissertation, the techniques of SE have been applied to study the component layer materials and structures used as back-reflectors and as the transparent contact layers in thin film photovoltaic technologies, including hydrogenated silicon (Si:H), copper indium-gallium diselenide (CIGS), and cadmium telluride (CdTe). The component layer materials, including silver and both intrinsic and doped zinc oxide, are fabricated on crystalline silicon and glass substrates using magnetron sputtering techniques. These thin films are measured in-situ and in real time as well as ex-situ by spectroscopic ellipsometry in order to extract parameters related to the structural properties, such as bulk layer thickness and surface roughness layer thickness and their time evolution, the latter information specific to real time measurements. The index of refraction and extinction coefficient or complex dielectric function of a single unknown layer can also be obtained from the measurement versus photon energy. Applying analytical expressions for these optical properties versus photon energy, parameters that describe electronic transport, such as electrical resistivity and electron scattering time, can be extracted. The SE technique is also performed as the sample is heated in order to derive the effects of annealing on the optical properties and derived electrical transport parameters, as well as the intrinsic temperature dependence of these properties and parameters. One of the major achievements of this dissertation research is the characterization of the thickness and optical properties of the interface layer formed between the silver and zinc oxide layers in a back-reflector structure used in thin film photovoltaics. An understanding of the impact of these thin film material properties on solar cell device performance has been complemented by applying reflectance and transmittance spectroscopy as well as simulations of cell performance.

Cu2ZnSnSe4 Thin Film Solar Cell with Depth Gradient Composition Prepared by Selenization of Sputtered Novel Precursors.

PubMed

Lai, Fang-I; Yang, Jui-Fu; Chen, Wei-Chun; Kuo, Shou-Yi

2017-11-22

In this study, we proposed a new method for the synthesis of the target material used in a two stage process for preparation of a high quality CZTSe thin film. The target material consisting of a mixture of Cu x Se and Zn x Sn 1-x alloy was synthesized, providing a quality CZTSe precursor layer for highly efficient CZTSe thin film solar cells. The CZTSe thin film can be obtained by annealing the precursor layers through a 30 min selenization process under a selenium atmosphere at 550 °C. The CZTSe thin films prepared by using the new precursor thin film were investigated and characterized using X-ray diffraction, Raman scattering, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. It was found that diffusion of Sn occurred and formed the CTSe phase and Cu x Se phase in the resultant CZTSe thin film. By selective area electron diffraction transmission electron microscopy images, the crystallinity of the CZTSe thin film was verified to be single crystal. By secondary ion mass spectroscopy measurements, it was confirmed that a double-gradient band gap profile across the CZTSe absorber layer was successfully achieved. The CZTSe solar cell with the CZTSe absorber layer consisting of the precursor stack exhibited a high efficiency of 5.46%, high short circuit current (J SC ) of 37.47 mA/cm 2 , open circuit voltage (V OC ) of 0.31 V, and fill factor (F.F.) of 47%, at a device area of 0.28 cm 2 . No crossover of the light and dark current-voltage (I-V) curves of the CZTSe solar cell was observed, and also, no red kink was observed under red light illumination, indicating a low defect concentration in the CZTSe absorber layer. Shunt leakage current with a characteristic metal/CZTSe/metal leakage current model was observed by temperature-dependent I-V curves, which led to the discovery of metal incursion through the CdS buffer layer on the CZTSe absorber layer. This leakage current, also known as space charge-limited current, grew larger as the measurement temperature increased and completely overwhelmed the diode current at a measurement temperature of 200 °C. This is due to interlayer diffusion of metal that increases the shunt leakage current and decreases the efficiency of the CZTSe thin film solar cells.

Characterization of crystallographic properties of thin films using X-ray diffraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zoo, Yeongseok

2007-12-01

Silver (Ag) has been recognized as one of promising candidates in Ultra-Large Scale Integrated (ULSI) applications in that it has the lowest bulk electrical resistivity of all pure metals and higher electromigration resistance than other interconnect materials. However, low thermal stability on Silicon Dioxide (Si02) at high temperatures (e.g., agglomeration) is considered a drawback for the Ag metallization scheme. Moreover, if a thin film is attached on a substrate, its properties may differ significantly from that of the bulk, since the properties of thin films can be significantly affected by the substrate. In this study, the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) and texture evolution of Ag thin films on different substrates were characterized using various analytical techniques. The experimental results showed that the CTE of the Ag thin film was significantly affected by underlying substrate and the surface roughness of substrate. To investigate the alloying effect for Ag meatallization, small amounts of Copper (Cu) were added and characterized using theta-2theta X-ray Diffraction (XRD) scan and pole figure analysis. These XRD techniques are useful for investigating the primary texture of a metal film, (111) in this study, which (111) is the notation of a specific plane in the orthogonal coordinate system. They revealed that the (111) textures of Ag and Ag(Cu) thin films were enhanced with increasing temperature. Comparison of texture profiles between Ag and Ag(Cu) thin films showed that Cu additions enhanced (111) texture in Ag thin films. Accordingly, the texture enhancement in Ag thin films by Cu addition was discussed. Strained Silicon-On-Insulator (SSOI) is being considered as a potential substrate for Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) technology since the induced strain results in a significant improvement in device performance. High resolution X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were used to characterize the perpendicular and parallel strains in SSOI layers. XRD diffraction profiles generated from the crystalline SSOI layer provided a direct measurement of the layer's strain components. In addition, it has demonstrated that the rotational misalignment between the layer and the substrate can be incorporated within the biaxial strain equations for epitaxial layers. Based on these results, the strain behavior of the SSOI layer and the relation between strained Si and SiO2 layers are discussed for annealed samples.

Optimization of rotational speed for growing BaFe12O19 thin films using spin coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budiawanti, S.; Soegijono, B.; Mudzakir, I.; Suharno, Fadillah, L.

2017-07-01

Barium ferrite (BaFe12O19, BaM) thin films were fabricated by the spin coating of precursors obtained by using a sol-gel method. The effects of the rotational speed on the spin-coating process for growing a BaM thin film were investigated in this study. Coated films were heat-deposited at different rotational speeds ranging from 2000 to 4000 rpm, while the number of layers was set to nine. Further, the effect of the number of layers on the growth of BaM thin films was discussed. For this purpose, we take the layers number 1 to 12 and take the constant rotational speed of 3000 rpm. All the film were characterized using X-Ray diffraction, Scanning Electron microscope, and Energy-dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer. It was found that by increasing the rotational speed the amount of material deposited on the Si substrate decreased. The measured grain size of the BaM thin film was nearly similar for three three different rotational speeds. However, the grain size was found to increase the number of layers.

GaN ultraviolet p-i-n photodetectors with enhanced deep ultraviolet quantum efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Guosheng; Xie, Feng; Wang, Jun; Guo, Jin

2017-10-01

GaN ultraviolet (UV) p-i-n photodetectors (PDs) with a thin p-AlGaN/GaN contact layer are designed and fabricated. The PD exhibits a low dark current density of˜7 nA/cm2 under -5 V, and a zero-bias peak responsivity of ˜0.16 A/W at 360 nm, which corresponds to a maximum quantum efficiency of 55%. It is found that, in the wavelength range between 250 and 365 nm, the PD with thin p-AlGaN/GaN contact layer exhibits enhanced quantum efficiency especially in a deep-UV wavelength range, than that of the control PD with conventional thin p-GaN contact layer. The improved quantum efficiency of the PD with thin p-AlGaN/GaN contact layer in the deep-UV wavelength range is mainly attributed to minority carrier reflecting properties of thin p-AlGaN/GaN heterojunction which could reduce the surface recombination loss of photon-generated carriers and improve light current collection efficiency.

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.

Ultraviolet emission enhancement in ZnO thin films modified by nanocrystalline TiO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Gaige; Lu, Xi; Qian, Liming; Xian, Fenglin

2017-05-01

In this study, nanocrystalline TiO2 modified ZnO thin films were prepared by electron beam evaporation. The structural, morphological and optical properties of the samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), UV-visible spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, respectively. The composition of the films was examined by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The photoluminescent spectrum shows that the pure ZnO thin film exhibits an ultraviolet (UV) emission peak and a strong green emission band. Surface analysis indicates that the ZnO thin film contains many oxygen vacancy defects on the surface. After the ZnO thin film is modified by the nanocrystalline TiO2 layer, the UV emission of ZnO is largely enhanced and the green emission is greatly suppressed, which suggests that the surface defects such as oxygen vacancies are passivated by the TiO2 capping layer. As for the UV emission enhancement of the ZnO thin film, the optimized thickness of the TiO2 capping layer is ∼16 nm. When the thickness is larger than 16 nm, the UV emission of the ZnO thin film will decrease because the TiO2 capping layer absorbs most of the excitation energy. The UV emission enhancement in the nanocrystalline TiO2 modified ZnO thin film can be attributed to surface passivation and flat band effect.

Effect of native oxide layers on copper thin-film tensile properties: A reactive molecular dynamics study

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

Skarlinski, Michael D., E-mail: michael.skarlinski@rochester.edu; Quesnel, David J.; Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627

2015-12-21

Metal-oxide layers are likely to be present on metallic nano-structures due to either environmental exposure during use, or high temperature processing techniques such as annealing. It is well known that nano-structured metals have vastly different mechanical properties from bulk metals; however, difficulties in modeling the transition between metallic and ionic bonding have prevented the computational investigation of the effects of oxide surface layers. Newly developed charge-optimized many body [Liang et al., Mater. Sci. Eng., R 74, 255 (2013)] potentials are used to perform fully reactive molecular dynamics simulations which elucidate the effects that metal-oxide layers have on the mechanical propertiesmore » of a copper thin-film. Simulated tensile tests are performed on thin-films while using different strain-rates, temperatures, and oxide thicknesses to evaluate changes in yield stress, modulus, and failure mechanisms. Findings indicate that copper-thin film mechanical properties are strongly affected by native oxide layers. The formed oxide layers have an amorphous structure with lower Cu-O bond-densities than bulk CuO, and a mixture of Cu{sub 2}O and CuO charge character. It is found that oxidation will cause modifications to the strain response of the elastic modulii, producing a stiffened modulii at low temperatures (<75 K) and low strain values (<5%), and a softened modulii at higher temperatures. While under strain, structural reorganization within the oxide layers facilitates brittle yielding through nucleation of defects across the oxide/metal interface. The oxide-free copper thin-film yielding mechanism is found to be a tensile-axis reorientation and grain creation. The oxide layers change the observed yielding mechanism, allowing for the inner copper thin-film to sustain an FCC-to-BCC transition during yielding. The mechanical properties are fit to a thermodynamic model based on classical nucleation theory. The fit implies that the oxidation of the films reduces the activation volume for yielding.« less

Spatially and momentum resolved energy electron loss spectra from an ultra-thin PrNiO{sub 3} layer

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

Kinyanjui, M. K., E-mail: michael.kinyanjui@uni-ulm.de; Kaiser, U.; Benner, G.

2015-05-18

We present an experimental approach which allows for the acquisition of spectra from ultra-thin films at high spatial, momentum, and energy resolutions. Spatially and momentum (q) resolved electron energy loss spectra have been obtained from a 12 nm ultra-thin PrNiO{sub 3} layer using a nano-beam electron diffraction based approach which enabled the acquisition of momentum resolved spectra from individual, differently oriented nano-domains and at different positions of the PrNiO{sub 3} thin layer. The spatial and wavelength dependence of the spectral excitations are obtained and characterized after the analysis of the experimental spectra using calculated dielectric and energy loss functions. The presentedmore » approach makes a contribution towards obtaining momentum-resolved spectra from nanostructures, thin film, heterostructures, surfaces, and interfaces.« less

Using crude glycerol and thin stillage for the production of microbial lipids through the cultivation of Rhodotorula glutinis.

PubMed

Yen, Hong-Wei; Yang, Ya-Chun; Yu, Yi-Huan

2012-10-01

Single cell oils (SCO) produced from oleaginous microorganisms are a potential alternative oil feedstock for biodiesel production. The worldwide production of glycerol, a 10% (w/w) byproduct produced in the transesterfication process of oils converted to biodiesel, is increasing as more biodiesel is being produced. For the purposes of cost reduction, crude glycerol was regarded as a suitable carbon source for the cultivation of Rhodotorula glutinis. In addition to using renewable crude glycerol, waste solution collected from the brewing company (called thin stillage) was adopted as a substitute to replace a costly nitrogen source used in the medium. The results of using mixture of crude glycerol and thin stillage indicated about a 27% increase in total biomass as compared to that of using crude glycerol with a standard medium. Using glycerol instead of glucose as the carbon source could also alter the lipid profile, resulting in an increase in linolenic acid (C18:2) to comprise over 20% of the total lipid. Successfully using renewable crude glycerol and thin stillage for the cultivation of oleaginous microorganisms could greatly enhance the economic competition of biodiesel produced from SCO. Copyright © 2012 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Materials science and integration bases for fabrication of (BaxSr1-x)TiO3 thin film capacitors with layered Cu-based electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, W.; Kabius, B.; Hiller, J. M.; Saha, S.; Carlisle, J. A.; Auciello, O.; Chang, R. P. H.; Ramesh, R.

2003-11-01

The synthesis and fundamental material properties of layered TiAl/Cu/Ta electrodes were investigated to achieve the integration of Cu electrodes with high-dielectric constant (κ) oxide thin films for application to the fabrication of high-frequency devices. The Ta layer is an excellent diffusion barrier to inhibit deleterious Cu diffusion into the Si substrate, while the TiAl layer provides an excellent barrier against oxygen diffusion into the Cu layer to inhibit Cu oxidation during the growth of the high-κ layer in an oxygen atmosphere. Polycrystalline (BaxSr1-x)TiO3 (BST) thin films were grown on the Cu-based bottom electrode by rf magnetron sputtering at temperatures in the range 400-600 °C in oxygen, to investigate the performance of BST/Cu-based capacitors. Characterization of the Cu-based layered structure using surface analytical methods showed that two amorphous oxide layers were formed on both sides of the TiAl barrier, such that the oxide layer on the free surface of the TiAl layer correlates with TiAlOx, while the oxide layer at the TiAl/Cu interface is an Al2O3-rich layer. This double amorphous barrier layer structure effectively prevents oxygen penetration towards the underlying Cu and Ta layers. The TiAlOx interfacial layer, which has a relatively low dielectric constant compared with BST, reduced the total capacitance of the BST thin film capacitors. In addition, the layered electrode-oxide interface roughening observed during the growth of BST films at high temperature, due to copper grain growth, resulted in large dielectric loss on the fabricated BST capacitors. These problems were solved by growing the BST layer at 450 °C followed by a rapid thermal annealing at 700 °C. This process significantly reduced the thickness of the TiAlOx layer and interface roughness resulting in BST capacitors exhibiting properties suitable for the fabrication of high-performance high-frequency devices. In summary, relatively high dielectric constant (280), low dielectric loss (0.007), and low leakage current (<2×10-8 A/cm2 at 100 kV/cm) were achieved for BST thin film capacitors with Cu-based electrodes.

Using atomistic simulations to model cadmium telluride thin film growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Miao; Kenny, Steven D.

2016-03-01

Cadmium telluride (CdTe) is an excellent material for low-cost, high efficiency thin film solar cells. It is important to conduct research on how defects are formed during the growth process, since defects lower the efficiency of solar cells. In this work we use computer simulation to predict the growth of a sputter deposited CdTe thin film. On-the-fly kinetic Monte Carlo technique is used to simulate the CdTe thin film growth on the (1 1 1) surfaces. The results show that on the (1 1 1) surfaces the growth mechanisms on surfaces which are terminated by Cd or Te are quite different, regardless of the deposition energy (0.1∼ 10 eV). On the Te-terminated (1 1 1) surface the deposited clusters first form a single mixed species layer, then the Te atoms in the mixed layer moved up to form a new layer. Whilst on the Cd-terminated (1 1 1) surface the new Cd and Te layers are formed at the same time. Such differences are probably caused by stronger bonding between ad-atoms and surface atoms on the Te layer than on the Cd layer.

Solid oxide fuel cell having monolithic core

DOEpatents

Ackerman, John P.; Young, John E.

1984-01-01

A solid oxide fuel cell for electrochemically combining fuel and oxidant for generating galvanic output, wherein the cell core has an array of electrolyte and interconnect walls that are substantially devoid of any composite inert materials for support. Instead, the core is monolithic, where each electrolyte wall consists of thin layers of cathode and anode materials sandwiching a thin layer of electrolyte material therebetween, and each interconnect wall consists of thin layers of the cathode and anode materials sandwiching a thin layer of interconnect material therebetween. The electrolyte walls are arranged and backfolded between adjacent interconnect walls operable to define a plurality of core passageways alternately arranged where the inside faces thereof have only the anode material or only the cathode material exposed. Means direct the fuel to the anode-exposed core passageways and means direct the oxidant to the cathode-exposed core passageway; and means also direct the galvanic output to an exterior circuit. Each layer of the electrolyte and interconnect materials is of the order of 0.002-0.01 cm thick; and each layer of the cathode and anode materials is of the order of 0.002-0.05 cm thick.

Exciton-dominated dielectric function of atomically thin MoS 2 films

DOE PAGES

Yu, Yiling; Yu, Yifei; Cai, Yongqing; ...

2015-11-24

We systematically measure the dielectric function of atomically thin MoS 2 films with different layer numbers and demonstrate that excitonic effects play a dominant role in the dielectric function when the films are less than 5–7 layers thick. The dielectric function shows an anomalous dependence on the layer number. It decreases with the layer number increasing when the films are less than 5–7 layers thick but turns to increase with the layer number for thicker films. We show that this is because the excitonic effect is very strong in the thin MoS 2 films and its contribution to the dielectricmore » function may dominate over the contribution of the band structure. We also extract the value of layer-dependent exciton binding energy and Bohr radius in the films by fitting the experimental results with an intuitive model. The dominance of excitonic effects is in stark contrast with what reported at conventional materials whose dielectric functions are usually dictated by band structures. Lastly, the knowledge of the dielectric function may enable capabilities to engineer the light-matter interactions of atomically thin MoS 2 films for the development of novel photonic devices, such as metamaterials, waveguides, light absorbers, and light emitters.« less

High efficiency copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) thin film solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajanikant, Ray Jayminkumar

The generation of electrical current from the solar radiation is known as the photovoltaic effect. Solar cell, also known as photovoltaic (PV) cell, is a device that works on the principle of photovoltaic effect, and is widely used for the generation of electricity. Thin film polycrystalline solar cells based on copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) are admirable candidates for clean energy production with competitive prices in the near future. CIGS based polycrystalline thin film solar cells with efficiencies of 20.3 % and excellent temperature stability have already been reported at the laboratory level. The present study discusses about the fabrication of CIGS solar cell. Before the fabrication part of CIGS solar cell, a numerical simulation is carried out using One-Dimensional Analysis of Microelectronic and Photonic Structures (AMPS-ID) for understanding the physics of a solar cell device, so that an optimal structure is analyzed. In the fabrication part of CIGS solar cell, Molybdenum (Mo) thin film, which acts as a 'low' resistance metallic back contact, is deposited by RF magnetron sputtering on organically cleaned soda lime glass substrate. The major advantages for using Mo are high temperature, (greater than 600 °C), stability and inertness to CIGS layer (i.e., no diffusion of CIGS into Mo). Mo thin film is deposited at room temperature (RT) by varying the RF power and the working pressure. The Mo thin films deposited with 100 W RF power and 1 mTorr working pressure show a reflectivity of above average 50 % and the low sheet resistance of about 1 O/□. The p-type CIGS layer is deposited on Mo. Before making thin films of CIGS, a powder of CIGS material is synthesized using melt-quenching method. Thin films of CIGS are prepared by a single-stage flash evaporation process on glass substrates, initially, for optimization of deposition parameters and than on Mo coated glass substrates for device fabrication. CIGS thin film is deposited at 250 °C at a pressure of 10-5 mbar. The thickness of the film was kept 1 mum for the solar cell device preparation. Rapid Thermal Annealing (RTA) is carried out of CIGS thin film at 500 °C for 2 minutes in the argon atmosphere. Annealing process mainly improves the grain growth of the CIGS and, hence the surface roughness, which is essential for a multilayered semiconductor structure. Thin layer of n-type highly resistive cadmium sulphide (CdS), generally known as a "buffer" layer, is deposited on CIGS layer by thermal and flash evaporation method at the substrate temperature of 100 °C. The CdS thin film plays a crucial role in the formation of the p-n junction and thus the solar cell device performance. The effect of CdS film substrate temperature ranging from 50 °C to 200 °C is observed. At the 100 °C substrate temperature, CdS thin film shows the near to 85 % of transmission in the visible region and resistivity of the order of greater then 20 x 109 Ocm, which are the essential characteristics of buffer layer. The bi-layer structure of ZnO, containing 70 nm i-ZnO and 500 nm aluminum (Al) doped ZnO, act as a transparent front-contact for CIGS thin film solar cell. These layers were deposited using RF magnetron sputtering. i-ZnO thin film acts as an insulating layer, which prevents the recombination of the photo-generated carries and also minimizes the lattice miss match defects between CdS and Al-ZnO. The resistivity of iZnO and Al-ZnO is of the order of 1012 Ocm and 10-4 Ocm, respectively. Al-ZnO thin films act as transparent conducting top electrode having transparency of about 85 % in the visible region. On Al-ZnO layer the finger-type grid pattern of silver (Ag), 200 nm thick, is deposited for the collection of photo-generated carriers. The thin film based multilayered structure Mo / CIGS / CdS / i-ZnO / Al-ZnO / Ag grid of CIGS solar cell is grown one by one on a single glass substrate. As-prepared CIGS solar cell device shows a minute photovoltaic effect. For the further improvement of the cell we have varied the thickness of the buffer layer i.e. CdS. In addition, the deposition of CdS is carried out using flash evaporation method to improve the CIGS/CdS junction. Heat soak pulses of about 200 °C are also applied for 20 sec for the further upgrading the junction. To protect the CIGS/CdS junction from the high-energy sputtered particles of ZnO, a fine mesh of stainless steel is placed just before the sample holder to enhance the performance of the solar cell. The influence of the thickness of iZnO and CdS has been checked. The maximum V oe and Jsc of about 138 mV and 1.3 mA/cm2 , respectively, are achieved using flash evaporated CIGS layer and flash evaporated CdS thin film. Further improvement of current performance can be done either by adopting some other fabrication method to obtain a denser CIGS absorber layer or replacing the CdS layer with some other efficient buffer layer.

Method of forming contacts for a back-contact solar cell

DOEpatents

Manning, Jane

2013-07-23

Methods of forming contacts for back-contact solar cells are described. In one embodiment, a method includes forming a thin dielectric layer on a substrate, forming a polysilicon layer on the thin dielectric layer, forming and patterning a solid-state p-type dopant source on the polysilicon layer, forming an n-type dopant source layer over exposed regions of the polysilicon layer and over a plurality of regions of the solid-state p-type dopant source, and heating the substrate to provide a plurality of n-type doped polysilicon regions among a plurality of p-type doped polysilicon regions.

Observations of metal concentrations in E-region sporadic thin layers using incoherent-scatter radar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Nobuhiro

This thesis has used incoherent-scatter radar data from the facility at Sondrestrom, Greenland to determine the ion mass values inside thin sporadic-E layers in the lower ionosphere. Metallic positively-charged ions of meteoric origin are deposited in the earth's upper atmosphere over a height range of about 85-120 km. Electric fields and neutral-gas (eg N2, O, O2) winds at high latitudes may produce convergent ion dynamics that results in the re-distribution of the background altitude distribution of the ions to form thin (1-3 km) high-density layers that are detectable with radar. A large database of experimental radar observations has been processed to determine ion mass values inside these thin ion layers. The range resolution of the radar was 600 meters that permitted mass determinations at several altitude steps within the layers. Near the lower edge of the layers the ion mass values were in the range 20-25 amu while at the top portion of the layers the mass values were generally in the range 30-40 amu. The numerical values are consistent with in-situ mass spectrometer data obtained by other researchers that suggest these layers are mainly composed of a mixture or Mg +, Si+, and Fe + ions. The small tendency for heavier ions to reside at the top portion of the layers is consistent with theory. The results have also found new evidence for the existence of complex-shaped multiple layers; the examples studied suggest similar ion mass values in different layers that in some cases are separated in altitude by several km.

The effects of GaN nanocolumn arrays and thin SixNy buffer layers on the morphology of GaN layers grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on Si(111) substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shubina, K. Yu; Pirogov, E. V.; Mizerov, A. M.; Nikitina, E. V.; Bouravleuv, A. D.

2018-03-01

The effects of GaN nanocolumn arrays and a thin SixNy layer, used as buffer layers, on the morphology of GaN epitaxial layers are investigated. Two types of samples with different buffer layers were synthesized by PA-MBE. The morphology of the samples was characterized by SEM. The crystalline quality of the samples was assessed by XRD. The possibility of synthesis of continuous crystalline GaN layers on Si(111) substrates without the addition of other materials such as aluminum nitride was demonstrated.

Thin layer asphaltic concrete density measuring using nuclear gages.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1989-03-01

A Troxler 4640 thin layer nuclear gage was evaluated under field conditions to determine if it would provide improved accuracy of density measurements on asphalt overlays of 1-3/4 and 2 inches in thickness. Statistical analysis shows slightly improve...

High-performance thin layer chromatography to assess pharmaceutical product quality.

PubMed

Kaale, Eliangiringa; Manyanga, Vicky; Makori, Narsis; Jenkins, David; Michael Hope, Samuel; Layloff, Thomas

2014-06-01

To assess the sustainability, robustness and economic advantages of high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) for quality control of pharmaceutical products. We compared three laboratories where three lots of cotrimoxazole tablets were assessed using different techniques for quantifying the active ingredient. The average assay relative standard deviation for the three lots was 1.2 with a range of 0.65-2.0. High-performance thin layer chromatography assessments are yielding valid results suitable for assessing product quality. The local pharmaceutical manufacturer had evolved the capacity to produce very high quality products. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Thin layer agar represents a cost-effective alternative for the rapid diagnosis of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis].

PubMed

Hernández-Sarmiento, José M; Martínez-Negrete, Milton A; Castrillón-Velilla, Diana M; Mejía-Espinosa, Sergio A; Mejía-Mesa, Gloria I; Zapata-Fernández, Elsa M; Rojas-Jiménez, Sara; Marín-Castro, Andrés E; Robledo-Restrepo, Jaime A

2014-01-01

Using cost-benefit analysis for comparing the thin-layer agar culture method to the standard multiple proportion method used in diagnosing multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB). A cost-benefit evaluation of two diagnostic tests was made at the Corporación para Investigaciones Biológicas (CIB) in Medellín, Colombia. 100 patients were evaluated; 10.8% rifampicin resistance and 14.3% isoniazid resistance were found. A computer-based decision tree model was used for cost-effectiveness analysis (Treeage Pro); the thin-layer agar culture method was most cost-effective, having 100% sensitivity, specificity and predictive values for detecting rifampicin and isoniazid resistance. The multiple proportion method value was calculated as being US$ 71 having an average 49 day report time compared to US$ 18 and 14 days for the thin-layer agar culture method. New technologies have been developed for diagnosing tuberculosis which are apparently faster and more effective; their operating characteristics must be evaluated as must their effectiveness in terms of cost-benefit. The present study established that using thin-layer agar culture was cheaper, equally effective and could provide results more quickly than the traditional method. This implies that a patient could receive MDR TB treatment more quickly.

Enhanced stability of thin film transistors with double-stacked amorphous IWO/IWO:N channel layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Dong; Pi, Shubin; Yang, Jianwen; Tiwari, Nidhi; Ren, Jinhua; Zhang, Qun; Liu, Po-Tsun; Shieh, Han-Ping

2018-06-01

In this work, bottom-gate top-contact thin film transistors with double-stacked amorphous IWO/IWO:N channel layer were fabricated. Herein, amorphous IWO and N-doped IWO were deposited as front and back channel layers, respectively, by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. The electrical characteristics of the bi-layer-channel thin film transistors (TFTs) were examined and compared with those of single-layer-channel (i.e., amorphous IWO or IWO:N) TFTs. It was demonstrated to exhibit a high mobility of 27.2 cm2 V‑1 s‑1 and an on/off current ratio of 107. Compared to the single peers, bi-layer a-IWO/IWO:N TFTs showed smaller hysteresis and higher stability under negative bias stress and negative bias temperature stress. The enhanced performance could be attributed to its unique double-stacked channel configuration, which successfully combined the merits of the TFTs with IWO and IWO:N channels. The underlying IWO thin film provided percolation paths for electron transport, meanwhile, the top IWO:N layer reduced the bulk trap densities. In addition, the IWO channel/gate insulator interface had reduced defects, and IWO:N back channel surface was insensitive to the ambient atmosphere. Overall, the proposed bi-layer a-IWO/IWO:N TFTs show potential for practical applications due to its possibly long-term serviceability.

Frequency Dependence of Low-Voltage Electrowetting Investigated by Impedance Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Li, Ying-Jia; Cahill, Brian P

2017-11-14

An electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) electrode was developed that facilitates the use of low alternating voltages (≤5 V AC ). This allows online investigation of the frequency dependence of electrowetting by means of impedance spectroscopy. The EWOD electrode is based on a dielectric bilayer consisting of an anodic tantalum pentoxide (Ta 2 O 5 ) thin film (d = 59.35 nm) with a high relative permittivity (ε d = 26.3) and a self-assembled hydrophobic silane monolayer. The frequency dependence of electrowetting was studied using an aqueous μL-sized sessile droplet on the planar EWOD electrode in oil. Experiments using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and optical imaging indicate the frequency dependence of all three variables in the Young-Lippmann equation: the voltage drop across the dielectric layers, capacitance per unit area, and contact angle under voltage. The electrowetting behavior induced by AC voltages is shown to be well described by the Young-Lippmann equation for AC applications below a frequency threshold. Moreover, the dielectric layers act as a capacitor and the stored electrostatic potential energy is revealed to only partially contribute to the electrowetting.

Development of buffer layer structure for epitaxial growth of (100)/(001)Pb(Zr,Ti)O3-based thin film on (111)Si wafer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayasaka, Takeshi; Yoshida, Shinya; Tanaka, Shuji

2017-07-01

This paper reports on the development of a novel buffer layer structure, (100)SrRuO3/(100)LaNiO3/(111)Pt/(111)CeO2, for the epitaxial growth of a (100)/(001)-oriented Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT)-based thin film on a (111)Si wafer. (111)Pt and (111)CeO2 were epitaxially grown on (111)Si straightforwardly. Then, the crystal orientation was forcibly changed from (111) to (100) at the LaNiO3 layer owing to its strong (100)-self-orientation property, which enabled the cube-on-cube epitaxial growth of the subsequent (100)SrRuO3 layer and preferentially (100)/(001)-oriented PZT-based thin film. The PZT-based epitaxial thin films were comprehensively characterized in terms of the crystallinity, in-plane epitaxial relationships, piezoelectricity, and so forth. This buffer layer structure for the epitaxial growth of PZT can be applied to piezoelectric micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) vibrating ring gyroscopes.

Direct numerical simulation of turbulent Rayleigh-Bénard convection in a vertical thin disk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Wei; Wang, Yin; He, Xiao-Zhou; Yik, Hiu-Fai; Wang, Xiao-Ping; Schumacher, Jorg; Tong, Penger

2017-11-01

We report a direct numerical simulation (DNS) of turbulent Rayleigh-Bénard convection in a thin vertical disk with a high-order spectral element method code NEK5000. An unstructured mesh is used to adapt the turbulent flow in the thin disk and to ensure that the mesh sizes satisfy the refined Groetzbach criterion and a new criterion for thin boundary layers proposed by Shishkina et al. The DNS results for the mean and variance temperature profiles in the thermal boundary layer region are found to be in good agreement with the predictions of the new boundary layer models proposed by Shishkina et al. and Wang et al.. Furthermore, we numerically calculate the five budget terms in the boundary layer equation, which are difficult to measure in experiment. The DNS results agree well with the theoretical predictions by Wang et al. Our numerical work thus provides a strong support for the development of a common framework for understanding the effect of boundary layer fluctuations. This work was supported in part by Hong Kong Research Grants Council.

High density nonmagnetic cobalt in thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banu, Nasrin; Singh, Surendra; Basu, Saibal; Roy, Anupam; Movva, Hema C. P.; Lauter, V.; Satpati, B.; Dev, B. N.

2018-05-01

Recently high density (HD) nonmagnetic cobalt has been discovered in a nanoscale cobalt thin film, grown on Si(111) single crystal. This form of cobalt is not only nonmagnetic but also superconducting. These promising results have encouraged further investigations of the growth of the nonmagnetic (NM) phase of cobalt. In the original investigation, the cobalt film had a natural cobalt oxide at the top. We have investigated whether the growth of HD NM cobalt layers in the thin film depends on (i) a capping layer on the cobalt film, (ii) the thickness of the cobalt film and (iii) the nature of the substrate on which the cobalt film is grown. The results of such investigations indicate that for cobalt films capped with a thin gold layer, and for various film thicknesses, HD NM cobalt layers are formed. However, instead of a Si substrate, when the cobalt films are grown on oxide substrates, such as silicon oxide or cobalt oxide, HD NM cobalt layers are not formed. The difference is attributed to the nature—crystalline or amorphous—of the substrate.

Impact of ultra-thin Al2O3-y layers on TiO2-x ReRAM switching characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trapatseli, Maria; Cortese, Simone; Serb, Alexander; Khiat, Ali; Prodromakis, Themistoklis

2017-05-01

Transition metal-oxide resistive random access memory devices have demonstrated excellent performance in switching speed, versatility of switching and low-power operation. However, this technology still faces challenges like poor cycling endurance, degradation due to high electroforming (EF) switching voltages and low yields. Approaches such as engineering of the active layer by doping or addition of thin oxide buffer layers have been often adopted to tackle these problems. Here, we have followed a strategy that combines the two; we have used ultra-thin Al2O3-y buffer layers incorporated between TiO2-x thin films taking into account both 3+/4+ oxidation states of Al/Ti cations. Our devices were tested by DC and pulsed voltage sweeping and in both cases demonstrated improved switching voltages. We believe that the Al2O3-y layers act as reservoirs of oxygen vacancies which are injected during EF, facilitate a filamentary switching mechanism and provide enhanced filament stability, as shown by the cycling endurance measurements.

Preparation of brightness stabilization agent for lignin containing pulp from biomass pyrolysis oils

DOEpatents

Agblevor, Foster A.; Besler-Guran, Serpil

2001-01-01

A process for producing a brightness stabilization mixture of water-soluble organic compounds from biomass pyrolysis oils comprising: a) size-reducing biomass material and pyrolyzing the size-reduced biomass material in a fluidized bed reactor; b) separating a char/ash component while maintaining char-pot temperatures to avoid condensation of pyrolysis vapors; c) condensing pyrolysis gases and vapors, and recovering pyrolysis oils by mixing the oils with acetone to obtain an oil-acetone mixture; d) evaporating acetone and recovering pyrolysis oils; e) extracting the pyrolysis oils with water to obtain a water extract; f) slurrying the water extract with carbon while stirring, and filtering the slurry to obtain a colorless filtrate; g) cooling the solution and stabilizing the solution against thermally-induced gelling and solidification by extraction with ethyl acetate to form an aqueous phase lower layer and an organic phase upper layer; h) discarding the upper organic layer and extracting the aqueous layer with ethyl acetate, and discarding the ethyl acetate fraction to obtain a brown-colored solution not susceptible to gelling or solidification upon heating; i) heating the solution to distill off water and other light components and concentrating a bottoms fraction comprising hydroxyacetaldehyde and other non-volatile components having high boiling points; and j) decolorizing the stabilized brown solution with activated carbon to obtain a colorless solution.

Oil Contact Angles in a Water-Decane-Silicon Dioxide System: Effects of Surface Charge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Shijing; Wang, Jingyao; Wu, Jiazhong; Liu, Qingjie; Sun, Chengzhen; Bai, Bofeng

2018-04-01

Oil wettability in the water-oil-rock systems is very sensitive to the evolution of surface charges on the rock surfaces induced by the adsorption of ions and other chemical agents in water flooding. Through a set of large-scale molecular dynamics simulations, we reveal the effects of surface charge on the oil contact angles in an ideal water-decane-silicon dioxide system. The results show that the contact angles of oil nano-droplets have a great dependence on the surface charges. As the surface charge density exceeds a critical value of 0.992 e/nm2, the contact angle reaches up to 78.8° and the water-wet state is very apparent. The variation of contact angles can be confirmed from the number density distributions of oil molecules. With increasing the surface charge density, the adsorption of oil molecules weakens and the contact areas between nano-droplets and silicon dioxide surface are reduced. In addition, the number density distributions, RDF distributions, and molecular orientations indicate that the oil molecules are adsorbed on the silicon dioxide surface layer-by-layer with an orientation parallel to the surface. However, the layered structure of oil molecules near the silicon dioxide surface becomes more and more obscure at higher surface charge densities.

Oil Contact Angles in a Water-Decane-Silicon Dioxide System: Effects of Surface Charge.

PubMed

Xu, Shijing; Wang, Jingyao; Wu, Jiazhong; Liu, Qingjie; Sun, Chengzhen; Bai, Bofeng

2018-04-19

Oil wettability in the water-oil-rock systems is very sensitive to the evolution of surface charges on the rock surfaces induced by the adsorption of ions and other chemical agents in water flooding. Through a set of large-scale molecular dynamics simulations, we reveal the effects of surface charge on the oil contact angles in an ideal water-decane-silicon dioxide system. The results show that the contact angles of oil nano-droplets have a great dependence on the surface charges. As the surface charge density exceeds a critical value of 0.992 e/nm 2 , the contact angle reaches up to 78.8° and the water-wet state is very apparent. The variation of contact angles can be confirmed from the number density distributions of oil molecules. With increasing the surface charge density, the adsorption of oil molecules weakens and the contact areas between nano-droplets and silicon dioxide surface are reduced. In addition, the number density distributions, RDF distributions, and molecular orientations indicate that the oil molecules are adsorbed on the silicon dioxide surface layer-by-layer with an orientation parallel to the surface. However, the layered structure of oil molecules near the silicon dioxide surface becomes more and more obscure at higher surface charge densities.

Electrically tunable infrared metamaterial devices

DOEpatents

Brener, Igal; Jun, Young Chul

2015-07-21

A wavelength-tunable, depletion-type infrared metamaterial optical device is provided. The device includes a thin, highly doped epilayer whose electrical permittivity can become negative at some infrared wavelengths. This highly-doped buried layer optically couples with a metamaterial layer. Changes in the transmission spectrum of the device can be induced via the electrical control of this optical coupling. An embodiment includes a contact layer of semiconductor material that is sufficiently doped for operation as a contact layer and that is effectively transparent to an operating range of infrared wavelengths, a thin, highly doped buried layer of epitaxially grown semiconductor material that overlies the contact layer, and a metallized layer overlying the buried layer and patterned as a resonant metamaterial.

Thin film solar cell including a spatially modulated intrinsic layer

DOEpatents

Guha, Subhendu; Yang, Chi-Chung; Ovshinsky, Stanford R.

1989-03-28

One or more thin film solar cells in which the intrinsic layer of substantially amorphous semiconductor alloy material thereof includes at least a first band gap portion and a narrower band gap portion. The band gap of the intrinsic layer is spatially graded through a portion of the bulk thickness, said graded portion including a region removed from the intrinsic layer-dopant layer interfaces. The band gap of the intrinsic layer is always less than the band gap of the doped layers. The gradation of the intrinsic layer is effected such that the open circuit voltage and/or the fill factor of the one or plural solar cell structure is enhanced.

Suitability of polystyrene as a functional barrier layer in coloured food contact materials.

PubMed

Genualdi, Susan; Addo Ntim, Susana; Begley, Timothy

2015-01-01

Functional barriers in food contact materials (FCMs) are used to prevent or reduce migration from inner layers in multilayer structures to food. The effectiveness of functional barrier layers was investigated in coloured polystyrene (PS) bowls due to their intended condition of use with hot liquids such as soups or stew. Migration experiments were performed over a 10-day period using USFDA-recommended food simulants (10% ethanol, 50% ethanol, corn oil and Miglyol) along with several other food oils. At the end of the 10 days, solvent dyes had migrated from the PS bowls at 12, 1 and 31,000 ng cm(-)(2) into coconut oil, palm kernel oil and Miglyol respectively, and in coconut oil and Miglyol the colour change was visible to the human eye. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images revealed that the functional barrier was no longer intact for the bowls exposed to coconut oil, palm kernel oil, Miglyol, 10% ethanol, 50% ethanol and goat's milk. Additional tests showed that 1-dodecanol, a lauryl alcohol derived from palm kernel oil and coconut oil, was present in the PS bowls at an average concentration of 11 mg kg(-1). This compound is likely to have been used as a dispersing agent for the solvent dye and aided the migration of the solvent dye from the PS bowl into the food simulant. The solvent dye was not found in the 10% ethanol, 50% ethanol and goat's milk food simulants above their respective limits of detection, which is likely to be due to its insolubility in aqueous solutions. A disrupted barrier layer is of concern because if there are unregulated materials in the inner layers of the laminate, they may migrate to food, and therefore be considered unapproved food additives resulting in the food being deemed adulterated under the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act.

Theoretical and experimental emittance measurements for a thin liquid sheet flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Englehart, Amy N.; Mcconley, Marc W.; Chubb, Donald L.

1995-01-01

Surface tension forces at the edges of a thin liquid (approximately 200 microns) sheet flow result in a triangularly shaped sheet. Such a geometry is ideal for an external flow radiator. Since the fluid must have very low vapor pressure, Dow Corning 705 silicone oil was used and the emittance of a flowing sheet of oil was determined by two methods. The emittance was derived as a function of the temperature drop between the top of the sheet and the coalescence point of the sheet, the sink temperature, the volumetric flow and the length of the sheet. the emittance for the oil was also calculated using an extinction coefficient determined from spectral transmittance data of the oil. The oil's emittance ranges from .67 to .87 depending on the sheet thickness and sheet temperature. The emittance derived from the temperature drop was slightly less than the emittance calculated from transmittance data. An investigation of temperature fluctuation upstream of the slit plate was also done. The fluctuations were determined to be negligible, not affecting the temperature drop which was due to radiation.

Pulsed laser deposition of functionalized Mg-Al layered double hydroxide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vlad, A.; Birjega, R.; Tirca, I.; Matei, A.; Mardare, C. C.; Hassel, A. W.; Nedelcea, A.; Dinescu, M.; Zavoianu, R.

2018-02-01

In this paper, magnesium-aluminium layered double hydroxide (LDH) has been functionalized with sodium dodecyl sulfate (DS) and deposited as thin film by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Mg, Al-LDH powders were prepared by co-precipitation and used as reference material. Intercalation of DS as an anionic surfactant into the LDHs host layers has been prepared in two ways: co-precipitation (P) and reconstruction (R). DS intercalation occurred in LDH powder via both preparation methods. The films deposited via PLD, in particular at 532 and 1064 nm, preserve the organic intercalated layered structure of the targets prepared from these powders. The results reveal the ability of proposed deposition technique to produce functional composite organo-modified LDHs thin films.

Fabrication and Structural Characterization of an Ultrathin Film of a Two-Dimensional-Layered Metal-Organic Framework, {Fe(py)2[Ni(CN)4]} (py = pyridine).

PubMed

Sakaida, Shun; Haraguchi, Tomoyuki; Otsubo, Kazuya; Sakata, Osami; Fujiwara, Akihiko; Kitagawa, Hiroshi

2017-07-17

We report the fabrication and characterization of the first example of a tetracyanonickelate-based two-dimensional-layered metal-organic framework, {Fe(py) 2 Ni(CN) 4 } (py = pyridine), thin film. To fabricate a nanometer-sized thin film, we utilized the layer-by-layer method, whereby a substrate was alternately soaked in solutions of the structural components. Surface X-ray studies revealed that the fabricated film was crystalline with well-controlled growth directions both parallel and perpendicular to the substrate. In addition, lattice parameter analysis indicated that the crystal system is found to be close to higher symmetry by being downsized to a thin film.

Treatment of ice cover and other thin elastic layers with the parabolic equation method.

PubMed

Collins, Michael D

2015-03-01

The parabolic equation method is extended to handle problems involving ice cover and other thin elastic layers. Parabolic equation solutions are based on rational approximations that are designed using accuracy constraints to ensure that the propagating modes are handled properly and stability constrains to ensure that the non-propagating modes are annihilated. The non-propagating modes are especially problematic for problems involving thin elastic layers. It is demonstrated that stable results may be obtained for such problems by using rotated rational approximations [Milinazzo, Zala, and Brooke, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 101, 760-766 (1997)] and generalizations of these approximations. The approach is applied to problems involving ice cover with variable thickness and sediment layers that taper to zero thickness.

Biotechnology Conference: Diagnostics 󈨛 Held in Cambridge, England on 10 and 11 December 1987.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-05-25

settings. 1 -hour culture confirmation test for herpes (ColorGene DNA hybridization test for HSV confirmation). This test NEW AMPEROMETRIC BIOSENSORS...I Thin Layer Technology: Monolayers to Multi Thin Films ................. 1 Single-Step Immunoassay Systems...if this thin-layer pr•ccss~is probe technolh,,y. and biosensors. The aim of the con- demonstrated in Figure 1 . which shows the disposition of ference

Epitaxial growth of metallic buffer layer structure and c-axis oriented Pb(Mn1/3,Nb2/3)O3-Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 thin film on Si for high performance piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thao, Pham Ngoc; Yoshida, Shinya; Tanaka, Shuji

2017-12-01

This paper reports on the development of a metallic buffer layer structure, (100) SrRuO3 (SRO)/(100) Pt/(100) Ir/(100) yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) layers for the epitaxial growth of a c-axis oriented Pb(Mn1/3,Nb2/3)O3-Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PMnN-PZT) thin film on a (100) Si wafer for piezoelectric micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS) application. The stacking layers were epitaxially grown on a Si substrate under the optimal deposition condition. A crack-free PMnN-PZT epitaxial thin films was obtained at a thickness up to at least 1.7 µm, which is enough for MEMS applications. The unimorph MEMS cantilevers based on the PMnN-PZT thin film were fabricated and characterized. As a result, the PMnN-PZT thin film exhibited -10 to -12 C/m2 as a piezoelectric coefficient e 31,f and ˜250 as a dielectric constants ɛr. The resultant FOM for piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (pMUT) is higher than those of general PZT and AlN thin films. This structure has a potential to provide high-performance pMUTs.

Apparatus for forming thin-film heterojunction solar cells employing materials selected from the class of I-III-VI.sub.2 chalcopyrite compounds

DOEpatents

Mickelsen, Reid A.; Chen, Wen S.

1983-01-01

Apparatus for forming thin-film, large area solar cells having a relatively high light-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency and characterized in that the cell comprises a p-n-type heterojunction formed of: (i) a first semiconductor layer comprising a photovoltaic active material selected from the class of I-III-VI.sub.2 chalcopyrite ternary materials which is vacuum deposited in a thin "composition-graded" layer ranging from on the order of about 2.5 microns to about 5.0 microns (.congruent.2.5 .mu.m to .congruent.5.0 .mu.m) and wherein the lower region of the photovoltaic active material preferably comprises a low resistivity region of p-type semiconductor material having a superimposed region of relatively high resistivity, transient n-type semiconductor material defining a transient p-n homojunction; and (ii), a second semiconductor layer comprising a low resistivity n-type semiconductor material wherein interdiffusion (a) between the elemental constituents of the two discrete juxtaposed regions of the first semiconductor layer defining a transient p-n homojunction layer, and (b) between the transient n-type material in the first semiconductor layer and the second n-type semiconductor layer, causes the transient n-type material in the first semiconductor layer to evolve into p-type material, thereby defining a thin layer heterojunction device characterized by the absence of voids, vacancies and nodules which tend to reduce the energy conversion efficiency of the system.

Impacts of oil spills on altimeter waveforms and radar backscatter cross section

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Yongcun; Tournadre, Jean; Li, Xiaofeng; Xu, Qing; Chapron, Bertrand

2017-05-01

Ocean surface films can damp short capillary-gravity waves, reduce the surface mean square slope, and induce "sigma0 blooms" in satellite altimeter data. No study has ascertained the effect of such film on altimeter measurements due to lack of film data. The availability of Environmental Response Management Application (ERMA) oil cover, daily oil spill extent, and thickness data acquired during the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill accident provides a unique opportunity to evaluate the impact of surface film on altimeter data. In this study, the Jason-1/2 passes nearest to the DWH platform are analyzed to understand the waveform distortion caused by the spill as well as the variation of σ0 as a function of oil thickness, wind speed, and radar band. Jason-1/2 Ku-band σ0 increased by 10 dB at low wind speed (<3 m s-1) in the oil-covered area. The mean σ0 in Ku and C bands increased by 1.0-3.5 dB for thick oil and 0.9-2.9 dB for thin oil while the waveforms are strongly distorted. As the wind increases up to 6 m s-1, the mean σ0 bloom and waveform distortion in both Ku and C bands weakened for both thick and thin oil. When wind exceeds 6 m s-1, only does the σ0 in Ku band slightly increase by 0.2-0.5 dB for thick oil. The study shows that high-resolution altimeter data can certainly help better evaluate the thickness of oil spill, particularly at low wind speeds.

Viscoelastic effects on residual oil distribution in flows through pillared microchannels.

PubMed

De, S; Krishnan, P; van der Schaaf, J; Kuipers, J A M; Peters, E A J F; Padding, J T

2018-01-15

Multiphase flow through porous media is important in a number of industrial, natural and biological processes. One application is enhanced oil recovery (EOR), where a resident oil phase is displaced by a Newtonian or polymeric fluid. In EOR, the two-phase immiscible displacement through heterogonous porous media is usually governed by competing viscous and capillary forces, expressed through a Capillary number Ca, and viscosity ratio of the displacing and displaced fluid. However, when viscoelastic displacement fluids are used, elastic forces in the displacement fluid also become significant. It is hypothesized that elastic instabilities are responsible for enhanced oil recovery through an elastic microsweep mechanism. In this work, we use a simplified geometry in the form of a pillared microchannel. We analyze the trapped residual oil size distribution after displacement by a Newtonian fluid, a nearly inelastic shear thinning fluid, and viscoelastic polymers and surfactant solutions. We find that viscoelastic polymers and surfactant solutions can displace more oil compared to Newtonian fluids and nearly inelastic shear thinning polymers at similar Ca numbers. Beyond a critical Ca number, the size of residual oil blobs decreases significantly for viscoelastic fluids. This critical Ca number directly corresponds to flow rates where elastic instabilities occur in single phase flow, suggesting a close link between enhancement of oil recovery and appearance of elastic instabilities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Costanzo, Samuel J.

1984-01-01

Clarifies where in the scheme of modern chromatography high performance thin layer chromatography (TLC) fits and why in some situations it is a viable alternative to gas and high performance liquid chromatography. New TLC plates, sample applications, plate development, and instrumental techniques are considered. (JN)

A successful development of subtle traps: Chihuido de la Sierra Negra, Neuquen Basin

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

Comeron, R.; Valenzuela, M.W.

1996-08-01

Using new traps search concepts in the Chihuido de la Sierra Negra oil field, it was possible to substantially increase production from 4400 bbl/day in 1984 to 125,000 bbl/day in 1995. Oil reserves are located within an 8000 ha area situated on the Chihuido de la Sierra Negra anticlinal flank. Success was achieved by using different techniques for subtle traps detection, namely seismic amplitude mapping, individualization of different production facies and its predictive mapping. This reduced the search and development toward low structural areas which had not been considered before. The production layers are formed by two lower Cretaceous eolianmore » sandstones called the Avile Member and the Troncoso Lower Member, with thicknesses ranging from 5 to 30 meters. 2D seismic made it possible to individualize the thickest sand areas, some of which turned out to be productive. Using 3D seismic, by means of azimuth and dip maps, fractured areas were detected where fault throws range from 5 to 10 meters. In many of these fractured zones, thin igneous intrusives are emplaced forming seals. Such determinations make it possible for different oil-water contacts and static pressures to be delimited. Due to the small fault throws, the different blocks could not be detected by conventional mapping methods. The delineation of the field compartmentalization becomes important in the waterflooding stage as well as for the detection of new traps in surrounding areas. The combination of seismic and stratigraphic methods made it possible to discover and develop Argentina`s main oil field.« less

Optimization of rhamnolipid production from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PBS towards application for microbial enhanced oil recovery.

PubMed

Sharma, Rajni; Singh, Jagdish; Verma, Neelam

2018-01-01

The present work reveals the potential of biosurfactant producing P. aeruginosa PBS for microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR). The biosurfactant production medium and culture conditions were optimized using response surface methodology. The optimization of media components and process parameters was consecutively executed in two sets of experimental runs designed by central composite rotatable design (CCRD). The maximum biosurfactant yield was attained with 2% fresh inoculum of P. aeruginosa PBS in minimal salt medium (pH 7), possessing 2.17% sodium citrate as C-source and 0.5% yeast extract as N-source, after 48 h upon incubation at 30 °C/150 rpm. Under optimum conditions, biosurfactant yield was increased more than threefold and turned out to be 2.65 g/L as compared to 0.82 g/L under previous conditions. The biosurfactant was characterized as a glycolipid comprising of four rhamnolipid homologs (RhaRhaC 10 C 10 , RhaRhaC 8 C 10 , RhaRhaC 12 C 10 /RhaRhaC 10 C 12 , RhaC 10 C 10 ) by thin layer chromatography, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry. The produced biosurfactant was highly efficient for oil recovery application showing extreme reduction in surface tension of medium (71.80 to 23.76 mN/m), immense hydrocarbons emulsification capacity (50-60%) and greater stability at wide range of temperature (4-100 °C) and pH (4-10) along with an excellent (56.18 ± 1.59%) additional oil recovery in sand-pack column lab test.

Exploring substrate/ionomer interaction under oxidizing and reducing environments

DOE PAGES

Tesfaye, Meron; MacDonald, Andrew N.; Dudenas, Peter J.; ...

2018-02-09

Local gas transport limitation attributed to the ionomer thin-film in the catalyst layer is a major deterrent to widespread commercialization of polymer-electrolyte fuel cells. So far functionality and limitations of these thin-films have been assumed identical in the anode and cathode. In this study, Nafion ionomer thin-films on platinum(Pt) support were exposed to H 2 and air as model schemes, mimicking anode and cathode catalyst layers. Findings indicate decreased swelling, increased densification of ionomer matrix, and increased humidity-induced aging rates in reducing environment, compared to oxidizing and inert environments. Observed phenomenon could be related to underlying Pt-gas interaction dictating Pt-ionomermore » behavior. Presented results could have significant implications about the disparate behavior of ionomer thin-film in anode and cathode catalyst layers.« less

Method for synthesizing thin film electrodes

DOEpatents

Boyle, Timothy J [Albuquerque, NM

2007-03-13

A method for making a thin-film electrode, either an anode or a cathode, by preparing a precursor solution using an alkoxide reactant, depositing multiple thin film layers with each layer approximately 500 1000 .ANG. in thickness, and heating the layers to above 600.degree. C. to achieve a material with electrochemical properties suitable for use in a thin film battery. The preparation of the anode precursor solution uses Sn(OCH.sub.2C(CH.sub.3).sub.3).sub.2 dissolved in a solvent in the presence of HO.sub.2CCH.sub.3 and the cathode precursor solution is formed by dissolving a mixture of (Li(OCH.sub.2C(CH.sub.3).sub.3)).sub.8 and Co(O.sub.2CCH.sub.3).H.sub.2O in at least one polar solvent.

Electrochemical Atomic Layer Epitaxy of Thin Film CdSe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pham, L.; Kaleida, K.; Happek, U.; Mathe, M. K.; Vaidyanathan, R.; Stickney, J. L.; Radevic, M.

2002-10-01

Electrochemical atomic layer epitaxy (EC-ALE) is a current developmental technique for the fabrication of compound semiconductor thin films. The deposition of elements making up the compound utilizes surface limited reactions where the potential is less than that required for bulk growth. This growth method offers mono-atomic layer control, allowing the deposition of superlattices with sharp interfaces. Here we report on the EC-ALE formation of CdSe thin films on Au and Cu substrates using an automated flow cell system. The band gap was measured using IR absorption and photoconductivity and found to be consistent with the literature value of 1.74 eV at 300K and 1.85 eV at 20K. The stoichiometry of the thin film was confirmed with electron microprobe analysis and x-ray diffraction.

Continuous shear rheometry of o/w emulsions; control of evaporation in cone/plate geometry.

PubMed

Orafidiya, L O

1989-05-01

Volatile solvents may evaporate during cone/plate viscometry so that false rheograms develop. This surface evaporation was prevented in a cod-liver oil-in-water emulsion stabilized with zanthoxylum gum by layering a film of cod-liver oil on the exposed surface of the emulsion test sample. The oil layer effectively prevented evaporation and did not alter significantly the rheological behaviour of the test material.

Characterization of Softmagnetic Thin Layers Using Barkhausen Noise Microscopy

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-04-01

magnetoresistive (MR) sensors softmagnetic thin layer systems are used. Optimal performance of these layers requires homogeneous magnetic properties , especially a...Sendust, used in inductive sensors and nanocrystalline NiFe , used in MR-sensors. In quality correlations to Barkhausen noise parameters were found...Brillouin scattering are frequently used. An important issue is the influence of mechanical properties , e.g. residual stress on the magnetic performance

Flexible Thin Metal Film Thermal Sensing System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomsen, Donald Laurence (Inventor)

2012-01-01

A flexible thin metal film thermal sensing system is provided. A thermally-conductive film made from a thermally-insulating material is doped with thermally-conductive material. At least one layer of electrically-conductive metal is deposited directly onto a surface of the thermally-conductive film. One or more devices are coupled to the layer(s) to measure an electrical characteristic associated therewith as an indication of temperature.

Optical sensors and multisensor arrays containing thin film electroluminescent devices

DOEpatents

Aylott, Jonathan W.; Chen-Esterlit, Zoe; Friedl, Jon H.; Kopelman, Raoul; Savvateev, Vadim N.; Shinar, Joseph

2001-12-18

Optical sensor, probe and array devices for detecting chemical biological, and physical analytes. The devices include an analyte-sensitive layer optically coupled to a thin film electroluminescent layer which activates the analyte-sensitive layer to provide an optical response. The optical response varies depending upon the presence of an analyte and is detected by a photodetector and analyzed to determine the properties of the analyte.

Preliminary results on complex ceramic layers deposition by atmospheric plasma spraying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Florea, Costel; Bejinariu, Costicǎ; Munteanu, Corneliu; Cimpoeşu, Nicanor

2017-04-01

In this article we obtain thin layers from complex ceramic powders using industrial equipment based on atmospheric plasma spraying. We analyze the influence of the substrate material roughness on the quality of the thin layers using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray dispersive energy analyze (EDAX). Preliminary results present an important dependence between the surface state and the structural and chemical homogeneity.

Solution processed metal oxide thin film hole transport layers for high performance organic solar cells

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

Steirer, K. Xerxes; Berry, Joseph J.; Chesin, Jordan P.

2017-01-10

A method for the application of solution processed metal oxide hole transport layers in organic photovoltaic devices and related organic electronics devices is disclosed. The metal oxide may be derived from a metal-organic precursor enabling solution processing of an amorphous, p-type metal oxide. An organic photovoltaic device having solution processed, metal oxide, thin-film hole transport layer.

Simulation of light in-coupling through an aperture probe to investigate light propagation in a thin layer for opto-electronic application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ermes, Markus; Lehnen, Stephan; Cao, Zhao; Bittkau, Karsten; Carius, Reinhard

2015-06-01

In thin optoelectronic devices, like organic light emitting diodes (OLED) or thin-film solar cells (TFSC), light propagation, which is initiated by a local point source, is of particular importance. In OLEDs, light is generated in the layer by the luminescence of single molecules, whereas in TFSCs, light is coupled into the devices by scattering at small surface features. In both applications, light propagation within the active layers has a significant impact on the optical device performance. Scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM) using aperture probes is a powerful tool to investigate this propagation with a high spatial resolution. Dual-probe SNOM allows simulating the local light generation by an illumination probe as well as the detection of the light propagated through the layer. In our work, we focus on the light propagation in thin silicon films as used in thin-film silicon solar cells. We investigate the light-in-coupling from an illuminating probe via rigorous solution of Maxwell's equations using a Finite-Difference Time-Domain approach, especially to gain insight into the light distribution inside a thin layer, which is not accessible in the experiment. The structures investigated include at and structured surfaces with varying illumination positions and wavelengths. From the performed simulations, we define a "spatial sensitivity" which is characteristic for the local structure and illumination position. This quantity can help to identify structures which are beneficial as well as detrimental to absorption inside the investigated layer. We find a strong dependence of the spatial sensitivity on the surface structure as well as both the absorption coefficient and the probe position. Furthermore, we investigate inhomogeneity in local light propagation resulting from different surface structures and illumination positions.

Relationship of Estimated SHIV Acquisition Time Points During the Menstrual Cycle and Thinning of Vaginal Epithelial Layers in Pigtail Macaques.

PubMed

Kersh, Ellen N; Ritter, Jana; Butler, Katherine; Ostergaard, Sharon Dietz; Hanson, Debra; Ellis, Shanon; Zaki, Sherif; McNicholl, Janet M

2015-12-01

HIV acquisition in the female genital tract remains incompletely understood. Quantitative data on biological HIV risk factors, the influence of reproductive hormones, and infection risk are lacking. We evaluated vaginal epithelial thickness during the menstrual cycle in pigtail macaques (Macaca nemestrina). This model previously revealed increased susceptibility to vaginal infection during and after progesterone-dominated periods in the menstrual cycle. Nucleated and nonnucleated (superficial) epithelial layers were quantitated throughout the menstrual cycle of 16 macaques. We examined the relationship with previously estimated vaginal SHIVSF162P3 acquisition time points in the cycle of 43 different animals repeatedly exposed to low virus doses. In the luteal phase (days 17 to cycle end), the mean vaginal epithelium thinned to 66% of mean follicular thickness (days 1-16; P = 0.007, Mann-Whitney test). Analyzing 4-day segments, the epithelium was thickest on days 9 to 12 and thinned to 31% thereof on days 29 to 32, with reductions of nucleated and nonnucleated layers to 36% and 15% of their previous thickness, respectively. The proportion of animals with estimated SHIV acquisition in each cycle segment correlated with nonnucleated layer thinning (Pearson r = 0.7, P < 0.05, linear regression analysis), but not nucleated layer thinning (Pearson r = 0.6, P = 0.15). These data provide a detailed picture of dynamic cycle-related changes in the vaginal epithelium of pigtail macaques. Substantial thinning occurred in the superficial, nonnucleated layer, which maintains the vaginal microbiome. The findings support vaginal tissue architecture as susceptibility factor for infection and contribute to our understanding of innate resistance to SHIV infection.

Space Radar Image of Oil Slicks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

This is a radar image of an offshore drilling field about 150 km (93 miles) west of Bombay, India, in the Arabian Sea. The dark streaks are extensive oil slicks surrounding many of the drilling platforms, which appear as bright white spots. Radar images are useful for detecting and measuring the extent of oil seepages on the ocean surface, from both natural and industrial sources. The long, thin streaks extending from many of the platforms are spreading across the sea surface, pushed by local winds. The larger dark patches are dispersed slicks that were likely discharged earlier than the longer streaks, when the winds were probably from a different direction. The dispersed oil will eventually spread out over the more dense water and become a layer which is a single molecule thick. Many forms of oil, both from biological and from petroleum sources, smooth out the ocean surface, causing the area to appear dark in radar images. There are also two forms of ocean waves shown in this image. The dominant group of large waves (upper center) are called internal waves. These waves are formed below the ocean surface at the boundary between layers of warm and cold water and they appear in the radar image because of the way they change the ocean surface. Ocean swells, which are waves generated by winds, are shown throughout the image but are most distinct in the blue area adjacent to the internal waves. Identification of waves provide oceanographers with information about the smaller scale dynamic processes of the ocean. This image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on October 9, 1994. The colors are assigned to different frequencies and polarizations of the radar as follows: Red is L-band vertically transmitted, vertically received; green is the average of L-band vertically transmitted, vertically received and C-band vertically transmitted, vertically received; blue is C-band vertically transmitted, vertically received. The image is located at 19.25 degrees north latitude and 71.34 degrees east longitude and covers an area 20 km by 45 km (12.4 miles by 27.9 miles). SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian and United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth.

Fabrication technology of CNT-Nickel Oxide based planar pseudocapacitor for MEMS and NEMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lebedev, E. A.; Kitsyuk, E. P.; Gavrilin, I. M.; Gromov, D. G.; Gruzdev, N. E.; Gavrilov, S. A.; Dronov, A. A.; Pavlov, A. A.

2015-11-01

Fabrication technology of planar pseudocapacitor (PsC) based on carbon nanotube (CNT) forest, synthesized using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method, covered with thin nickel oxide layer deposited by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method, is demonstrated. Dependences of deposited oxide layers thickness on device specific capacities is studied. It is shown that pseudocapacity of nickel oxide thin layer increases specific capacity of the CNT's based device up to 2.5 times.

Durable thin film coatings for reflectors used in low earth orbit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcclure, Donald J.

1989-01-01

This paper discusses the properties of thin film coatings used to provide a durable reflective surface for solar concentrators used in the solar dynamic system designed for the Space Station. The material system to be used consists of an adhesion promotion layer, a silver reflective layer, and a protective layer of aluminum oxide and silicon dioxide. The performance characteristics of this system are described and compared to those of several alternative systems which use aluminum as the reflective layer.

Multivariate Time Series Forecasting of Crude Palm Oil Price Using Machine Learning Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanchymalay, Kasturi; Salim, N.; Sukprasert, Anupong; Krishnan, Ramesh; Raba'ah Hashim, Ummi

2017-08-01

The aim of this paper was to study the correlation between crude palm oil (CPO) price, selected vegetable oil prices (such as soybean oil, coconut oil, and olive oil, rapeseed oil and sunflower oil), crude oil and the monthly exchange rate. Comparative analysis was then performed on CPO price forecasting results using the machine learning techniques. Monthly CPO prices, selected vegetable oil prices, crude oil prices and monthly exchange rate data from January 1987 to February 2017 were utilized. Preliminary analysis showed a positive and high correlation between the CPO price and soy bean oil price and also between CPO price and crude oil price. Experiments were conducted using multi-layer perception, support vector regression and Holt Winter exponential smoothing techniques. The results were assessed by using criteria of root mean square error (RMSE), means absolute error (MAE), means absolute percentage error (MAPE) and Direction of accuracy (DA). Among these three techniques, support vector regression(SVR) with Sequential minimal optimization (SMO) algorithm showed relatively better results compared to multi-layer perceptron and Holt Winters exponential smoothing method.

Temperature dependence of LRE-HRE-TM thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zuoyi; Cheng, Xiaomin; Lin, Gengqi; Li, Zhen; Huang, Zhixin; Jin, Fang; Wang, Xianran; Yang, Xiaofei

2003-04-01

Temperature dependence of the properties of RE-TM thin films is very important for MO recording. In this paper, we studied the temperature dependence of the magnetic and magneto-optical properties of the amorphous LRE-HRE-TM single layer thin films and LRE-HRE-TM/HRE-TM couple-bilayered thin films. For LRE-HRE-TM single layer thin films, the temperature dependence of the magnetization was investigated by using the mean field theory. The experimental and theoretical results matched very well. With the LRE substitution in HRE-TM thin film, the compensation temperature Tcomp decreased and the curie temperature Tc remained unchanged. Kerr rotation angle became larger and the saturation magnetization Ms at room temperature increased. For LRE-HRE-TM/HRE-TM couple-bilayered thin films, comparisons of the temperature dependences of the coercivities and Kerr rotation angles were made between isolated sublayers and couple-bilayered thin film.

Preventing Thin Film Dewetting via Graphene Capping.

PubMed

Cao, Peigen; Bai, Peter; Omrani, Arash A; Xiao, Yihan; Meaker, Kacey L; Tsai, Hsin-Zon; Yan, Aiming; Jung, Han Sae; Khajeh, Ramin; Rodgers, Griffin F; Kim, Youngkyou; Aikawa, Andrew S; Kolaczkowski, Mattew A; Liu, Yi; Zettl, Alex; Xu, Ke; Crommie, Michael F; Xu, Ting

2017-09-01

A monolayer 2D capping layer with high Young's modulus is shown to be able to effectively suppress the dewetting of underlying thin films of small organic semiconductor molecule, polymer, and polycrystalline metal, respectively. To verify the universality of this capping layer approach, the dewetting experiments are performed for single-layer graphene transferred onto polystyrene (PS), semiconducting thienoazacoronene (EH-TAC), gold, and also MoS 2 on PS. Thermodynamic modeling indicates that the exceptionally high Young's modulus and surface conformity of 2D capping layers such as graphene and MoS 2 substantially suppress surface fluctuations and thus dewetting. As long as the uncovered area is smaller than the fluctuation wavelength of the thin film in a dewetting process via spinodal decomposition, the dewetting should be suppressed. The 2D monolayer-capping approach opens up exciting new possibilities to enhance the thermal stability and expands the processing parameters for thin film materials without significantly altering their physical properties. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Advanced Si solid phase crystallization for vertical channel in vertical NANDs

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

Lee, Sangsoo; Son, Yong-Hoon; Semiconductor R and D Center, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Hwasung 445-701

The advanced solid phase crystallization (SPC) method using the SiGe/Si bi-layer structure is proposed to obtain high-mobility poly-Si thin-film transistors in next generation vertical NAND (VNAND) devices. During the SPC process, the top SiGe thin film acts as a selective nucleation layer to induce surface nucleation and equiaxial microstructure. Subsequently, this SiGe thin film microstructure is propagated to the underlying Si thin film by epitaxy-like growth. The initial nucleation at the SiGe surface was clearly observed by in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) when heating up to 600 °C. The equiaxial microstructures of both SiGe nucleation and Si channel layers weremore » shown in the crystallized bi-layer plan-view TEM measurements. Based on these experimental results, the large-grained and less-defective Si microstructure is expected to form near the channel region of each VNAND cell transistor, which may improve the electrical characteristics.« less

Irradiation of industrial enzyme preparations. II. Characterization of fungal pectinase by thin-layer isoelectric focusing and gel filtration

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

Delincee, H.

1978-01-01

Industrial dry fungal pectinase from A. niger was irradiated with doses (up to 1 Mrad) of /sup 60/Co-..gamma..rays effective in reducing microbial contamination. The pectinase was characterized by thin-layer isoelectric focusing and gel filtration in order to detect possible radiation-induced structural alterations. Thin-layer isoelectric focusing revealed at least fifteen multiple forms with pectin-depolymerizing activity, with isoelectric points in the range pH 4.5 to 7. Heterogeneity of pectinesterase was also demonstrated, the main band occurring around pH 4. By thin-layer gel filtration the molecular weight of the pectin-depolymerase was estimated as being about 36,000, and that of pectinesterase as about 33,000.more » Radiation-induced changes of the charge properties or molecular size of the irradiated pectinase preparation were not observed. The feasibility of using ionizing radiation for the reduction of microbial contamination of industrial enzyme preparations looks promising.« less

Stencil lithography of superconducting contacts on MBE-grown topological insulator thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schüffelgen, Peter; Rosenbach, Daniel; Neumann, Elmar; Stehno, Martin P.; Lanius, Martin; Zhao, Jialin; Wang, Meng; Sheehan, Brendan; Schmidt, Michael; Gao, Bo; Brinkman, Alexander; Mussler, Gregor; Schäpers, Thomas; Grützmacher, Detlev

2017-11-01

Topological insulator (Bi0.06Sb0.94)2Te3 thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy have been capped in-situ with a 2 nm Al film to conserve the pristine topological surface states. Subsequently, a shadow mask - structured by means of focus ion beam - was in-situ placed underneath the sample to deposit a thick layer of Al on well-defined microscopically small areas. The 2 nm thin Al layer fully oxidizes after exposure to air and in this way protects the TI surface from degradation. The thick Al layer remains metallic underneath a 3-4 nm thick native oxide layer and therefore serves as (super-) conducting contacts. Superconductor-Topological Insulator-Superconductor junctions with lateral dimensions in the nm range have then been fabricated via an alternative stencil lithography technique. Despite the in-situ deposition, transport measurements and transmission electron microscope analysis indicate a low transparency, due to an intermixed region at the interface between topological insulator thin film and metallic Al.

Method and apparatus for stable silicon dioxide layers on silicon grown in silicon nitride ambient

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cohen, R. A.; Wheeler, R. K. (Inventor)

1974-01-01

A method and apparatus for thermally growing stable silicon dioxide layers on silicon is disclosed. A previously etched and baked silicon nitride tube placed in a furnace is used to grow the silicon dioxide. First, pure oxygen is allowed to flow through the tube to initially coat the inside surface of the tube with a thin layer of silicon dioxide. After the tube is coated with the thin layer of silicon dioxide, the silicon is oxidized thermally in a normal fashion. If the tube becomes contaminated, the silicon dioxide is etched off thereby exposing clean silicon nitride and then the inside of the tube is recoated with silicon dioxide. As is disclosed, the silicon nitride tube can also be used as the ambient for the pyrolytic decomposition of silane and ammonia to form thin layers of clean silicon nitride.

Oxide-based materials by atomic layer deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Godlewski, Marek; Pietruszka, Rafał; Kaszewski, Jarosław; Witkowski, Bartłomiej S.; Gierałtowska, Sylwia; Wachnicki, Łukasz; Godlewski, Michał M.; Slonska, Anna; Gajewski, Zdzisław

2017-02-01

Thin films of wide band-gap oxides grown by Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) are suitable for a range of applications. Some of these applications will be presented. First of all, ALD-grown high-k HfO2 is used as a gate oxide in the electronic devices. Moreover, ALD-grown oxides can be used in memory devices, in transparent transistors, or as elements of solar cells. Regarding photovoltaics (PV), ALD-grown thin films of Al2O3 are already used as anti-reflection layers. In addition, thin films of ZnO are tested as replacement of ITO in PV devices. New applications in organic photovoltaics, electronics and optoelectronics are also demonstrated Considering new applications, the same layers, as used in electronics, can also find applications in biology, medicine and in a food industry. This is because layers of high-k oxides show antibacterial activity, as discussed in this work.

Method for the manufacture of phase shifting masks for EUV lithography

DOEpatents

Stearns, Daniel G.; Sweeney, Donald W.; Mirkarimi, Paul B.; Barty, Anton

2006-04-04

A method for fabricating an EUV phase shift mask is provided that includes a substrate upon which is deposited a thin film multilayer coating that has a complex-valued reflectance. An absorber layer or a buffer layer is attached onto the thin film multilayer, and the thickness of the thin film multilayer coating is altered to introduce a direct modulation in the complex-valued reflectance to produce phase shifting features.

Thin film buried anode battery

DOEpatents

Lee, Se-Hee [Lakewood, CO; Tracy, C Edwin [Golden, CO; Liu, Ping [Denver, CO

2009-12-15

A reverse configuration, lithium thin film battery (300) having a buried lithium anode layer (305) and process for making the same. The present invention is formed from a precursor composite structure (200) made by depositing electrolyte layer (204) onto substrate (201), followed by sequential depositions of cathode layer (203) and current collector (202) on the electrolyte layer. The precursor is subjected to an activation step, wherein a buried lithium anode layer (305) is formed via electroplating a lithium anode layer at the interface of substrate (201) and electrolyte film (204). The electroplating is accomplished by applying a current between anode current collector (201) and cathode current collector (202).

Development of the α-IGZO/Ag/α-IGZO Triple-Layer Structure Films for the Application of Transparent Electrode

PubMed Central

Chen, Kun-Neng; Yang, Cheng-Fu; Wu, Chia-Ching; Chen, Yu-Hsin

2017-01-01

We investigated the structural, optical, and electrical properties of amorphous IGZO/silver/amorphous IGZO (α-IGZO/Ag/α-IGZO) triple-layer structures that were deposited at room temperature on Eagle XG glass and flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrates through the sputtering method. Thin Ag layers with different thicknesses were inserted between two IGZO layers to form a triple-layer structure. Ag was used because of its lower absorption and resistivity. Field emission scanning electron microscopy measurements of the triple-layer structures revealed that the thicknesses of the Ag layers ranged from 13 to 41 nm. The thickness of the Ag layer had a large effect on the electrical and optical properties of the electrodes. The optimum thickness of the Ag metal thin film could be evaluated according to the optical transmittance, electrical conductivity, and figure of merit of the electrode. This study demonstrates that the α-IGZO/Ag/α-IGZO triple-layer transparent electrode can be fabricated with low sheet resistance (4.2 Ω/□) and high optical transmittance (88.1%) at room temperature without postannealing processing on the deposited thin films. PMID:28772586

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.

Contact interaction of thin-walled elements with an elastic layer and an infinite circular cylinder under torsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanetsyan, E. G.; Mkrtchyan, M. S.; Mkhitaryan, S. M.

2018-04-01

We consider a class of contact torsion problems on interaction of thin-walled elements shaped as an elastic thin washer – a flat circular plate of small height – with an elastic layer, in particular, with a half-space, and on interaction of thin cylindrical shells with a solid elastic cylinder, infinite in both directions. The governing equations of the physical models of elastic thin washers and thin circular cylindrical shells under torsion are derived from the exact equations of mathematical theory of elasticity using the Hankel and Fourier transforms. Within the framework of the accepted physical models, the solution of the contact problem between an elastic washer and an elastic layer is reduced to solving the Fredholm integral equation of the first kind with a kernel representable as a sum of the Weber–Sonin integral and some integral regular kernel, while solving the contact problem between a cylindrical shell and solid cylinder is reduced to a singular integral equation (SIE). An effective method for solving the governing integral equations of these problems are specified.

Effect of dead layer and strain on diffuse phase transition of PLZT relaxor thin films.

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

Tong, S.; Narayanan, M.; Ma, B.

2011-02-01

Bulk relaxor ferroelectrics exhibit excellent permittivity compared to their thin film counterpart, although both show diffuse phase transition (DPT) behavior unlike normal ferroelectrics. To better understand the effect of dead layer and strain on the observed anomaly in the dielectric properties, we have developed relaxor PLZT (lead lanthanum zirconate titanate) thin films with different thicknesses and measured their dielectric properties as a function of temperature and frequency. The effect of dead layer on thin film permittivity has been found to be independent of temperature and frequency, and is governed by the Schottky barrier between the platinum electrode and PLZT. Themore » total strain (thermal and intrinsic) in the film majorly determines the broadening, dielectric peak and temperature shift in the relaxor ferroelectric. The Curie-Weiss type law for relaxors has been further modified to incorporate these two effects to accurately predict the DPT behavior of thin film and bulk relaxor ferroelectrics. The dielectric behavior of thin film is predicted by using the bulk dielectric data from literature in the proposed equation, which agree well with the measured dielectric behavior.« less

Epitaxial growth and dielectric properties of Pb0.4Sr0.6TiO3 thin films on (00l)-oriented metallic Li0.3Ni0.7O2 coated MgO substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, X. T.; Du, P. Y.; Mak, C. L.; Wong, K. H.

2007-06-01

Highly (00l)-oriented Li0.3Ni0.7O2 thin films have been fabricated on (001) MgO substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The Pb0.4Sr0.6TiO3 (PST40) thin film deposited subsequently also shows a significant (00l)-oriented texture. Both the PST40 and Li0.3Ni0.7O2 have good epitaxial behavior. The epitaxial growth of the PST40 thin film is more perfect with the Li0.3Ni0.7O2 buffer layer due to the less distortion in the film. The dielectric tunability of the PST40 thin film with Li0.3Ni0.7O2 buffer layer therefore reaches 70%, which is 75% higher than that without Li0.3Ni0.7O2 buffer layer, and the dielectric loss of the PST40 thin film is 0.06.

Methods to induce perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in full-Heusler Co2FeSi thin layers in a magnetic tunnel junction structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shinohara, Koki; Suzuki, Takahiro; Takamura, Yota; Nakagawa, Shigeki

2018-05-01

In this study, to obtain perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions (p-MTJs) using half-metallic ferromagnets (HMFs), several methods were developed to induce perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in full-Heusler Co2FeSi (CFS) alloy thin layers in an MTJ multilayer composed of a layered CFS/MgO/CFS structure. Oxygen exposure at 2.0 Pa for 10 min after deposition of the bottom CFS layer was effective for obtaining PMA in the CFS layer. One of the reasons for the PMA is the formation of nearly ideal CFS/MgO interfaces due to oxygen exposure before the deposition of the MgO layer. The annealing process was effective for obtaining PMA in the top CFS layer capped with a Pd layer. PMA was clearly observed in the top CFS layer of a Cr(40 nm)/Pd(50 nm)/bottom CFS(0.6 nm)/MgO(2.0 nm)/top CFS(0.6 nm)/ Pd(10 nm) multilayer, where the top CFS and Pd thin films were deposited at RT and subsequently annealed at 300°C. In addition to the continuous layer growth of the films, the crystalline orientation alignment at the top CFS/Pd interface probably attributes to the origin of PMA at the top CFS layer.

Highly improved photo-induced bias stability of sandwiched triple layer structure in sol-gel processed fluorine-doped indium zinc oxide thin film transistor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Dongha; Park, Hyungjin; Bae, Byeong-Soo

2016-03-01

In order to improve the reliability of TFT, an Al2O3 insulating layer is inserted between active fluorine doped indium zinc oxide (IZO:F) thin films to form a sandwiched triple layer. All the thin films were fabricated via low-cost sol-gel process. Due to its large energy bandgap and high bonding energy with oxygen atoms, the Al2O3 layer acts as a photo-induced positive charge blocking layer that effectively blocks the migration of both holes and V o2+ toward the interface between the gate insulator and the semiconductor. The inserted Al2O3 triple layer exhibits a noticeably low turn on voltage shift of -0.7 V under NBIS as well as the good TFT performance with a mobility of 10.9 cm2/V ṡ s. We anticipate that this approach can be used to solve the stability issues such as NBIS, which is caused by inescapable oxygen vacancies.

High temperature superconductor step-edge Josephson junctions using Ti-Ca-Ba-Cu-O

DOEpatents

Ginley, David S.; Hietala, Vincent M.; Hohenwarter, Gert K. G.; Martens, Jon S.; Plut, Thomas A.; Tigges, Chris P.; Vawter, Gregory A.; Zipperian, Thomas E.

1994-10-25

A process for formulating non-hysteretic and hysteretic Josephson junctions using HTS materials which results in junctions having the ability to operate at high temperatures while maintaining high uniformity and quality. The non-hysteretic Josephson junction is formed by step-etching a LaAlO.sub.3 crystal substrate and then depositing a thin film of TlCaBaCuO on the substrate, covering the step, and forming a grain boundary at the step and a subsequent Josephson junction. Once the non-hysteretic junction is formed the next step to form the hysteretic Josephson junction is to add capacitance to the system. In the current embodiment, this is accomplished by adding a thin dielectric layer, LaA1O.sub.3, followed by a cap layer of a normal metal where the cap layer is formed by first depositing a thin layer of titanium (Ti) followed by a layer of gold (Au). The dielectric layer and the normal metal cap are patterned to the desired geometry.

Triangular Black Phosphorus Atomic Layers by Liquid Exfoliation.

PubMed

Seo, Soonjoo; Lee, Hyun Uk; Lee, Soon Chang; Kim, Yooseok; Kim, Hyeran; Bang, Junhyeok; Won, Jonghan; Kim, Youngjun; Park, Byoungnam; Lee, Jouhahn

2016-03-30

Few-layer black phosphorus (BP) is the most promising material among the two-dimensional materials due to its layered structure and the excellent semiconductor properties. Currently, thin BP atomic layers are obtained mostly by mechanical exfoliation of bulk BP, which limits applications in thin-film based electronics due to a scaling process. Here we report highly crystalline few-layer black phosphorus thin films produced by liquid exfoliation. We demonstrate that the liquid-exfoliated BP forms a triangular crystalline structure on SiO2/Si (001) and amorphous carbon. The highly crystalline BP layers are faceted with a preferred orientation of the (010) plane on the sharp edge, which is an energetically most favorable facet according to the density functional theory calculations. Our results can be useful in understanding the triangular BP structure for large-area applications in electronic devices using two-dimensional materials. The sensitivity and selectivity of liquid-exfoliated BP to gas vapor demonstrate great potential for practical applications as sensors.

Triangular Black Phosphorus Atomic Layers by Liquid Exfoliation

PubMed Central

Seo, Soonjoo; Lee, Hyun Uk; Lee, Soon Chang; Kim, Yooseok; Kim, Hyeran; Bang, Junhyeok; Won, Jonghan; Kim, Youngjun; Park, Byoungnam; Lee, Jouhahn

2016-01-01

Few-layer black phosphorus (BP) is the most promising material among the two-dimensional materials due to its layered structure and the excellent semiconductor properties. Currently, thin BP atomic layers are obtained mostly by mechanical exfoliation of bulk BP, which limits applications in thin-film based electronics due to a scaling process. Here we report highly crystalline few-layer black phosphorus thin films produced by liquid exfoliation. We demonstrate that the liquid-exfoliated BP forms a triangular crystalline structure on SiO2/Si (001) and amorphous carbon. The highly crystalline BP layers are faceted with a preferred orientation of the (010) plane on the sharp edge, which is an energetically most favorable facet according to the density functional theory calculations. Our results can be useful in understanding the triangular BP structure for large-area applications in electronic devices using two-dimensional materials. The sensitivity and selectivity of liquid-exfoliated BP to gas vapor demonstrate great potential for practical applications as sensors. PMID:27026070

Structural properties and sensing performance of high-k Nd2TiO5 thin layer-based electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor for pH detection and urea biosensing.

PubMed

Pan, Tung-Ming; Lin, Jian-Chi; Wu, Min-Hsien; Lai, Chao-Sung

2009-05-15

For high sensitive pH sensing, an electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor (EIS) device with Nd(2)TiO(5) thin layers fabricated on Si substrates by means of reactive sputtering and the subsequent post-deposition annealing (PDA) treatment was proposed. In this work, the effect of thermal annealing (600, 700, 800, and 900 degrees C) on the structural characteristics of Nd(2)TiO(5) thin layer was investigated by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The observed structural properties were then correlated with the resulting pH sensing performances. For enzymatic field-effect-transistors-based urea biosensing, a hybrid configuration of the proposed Nd(2)TiO(5) thin layer with urease-immobilized alginate film attached was established. Within the experimental conditions investigated, the EIS device with the Nd(2)TiO(5) thin layer annealed at 800 degrees C exhibited a higher pH detection sensitivity of 57.2 mV/pH, a lower hysteresis voltage of 2.33 mV, and a lower drift rate of 1.80 mV/h compared to those at other annealing temperatures. These results are attributed to the formation of a thinner low-k interfacial layer at the oxide/Si interface and the higher surface roughness occurred at this annealing temperature. Furthermore, the presented urea biosensor was also proved to be able to detect urea with good linearity (R(2)=0.99) and reasonable sensitivity of 9.52 mV/mM in the urea concentration range of 3-40 mM. As a whole, the present work has provided some fundamental data for the use of Nd(2)TiO(5) thin layer for EIS-based pH detection and the extended application for biosensing.

Epitaxial thin films

DOEpatents

Hunt, Andrew Tye; Deshpande, Girish; Lin, Wen-Yi; Jan, Tzyy-Jiuan

2006-04-25

Epitatial thin films for use as buffer layers for high temperature superconductors, electrolytes in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), gas separation membranes or dielectric material in electronic devices, are disclosed. By using CCVD, CACVD or any other suitable deposition process, epitaxial films having pore-free, ideal grain boundaries, and dense structure can be formed. Several different types of materials are disclosed for use as buffer layers in high temperature superconductors. In addition, the use of epitaxial thin films for electrolytes and electrode formation in SOFCs results in densification for pore-free and ideal gain boundary/interface microstructure. Gas separation membranes for the production of oxygen and hydrogen are also disclosed. These semipermeable membranes are formed by high-quality, dense, gas-tight, pinhole free sub-micro scale layers of mixed-conducting oxides on porous ceramic substrates. Epitaxial thin films as dielectric material in capacitors are also taught herein. Capacitors are utilized according to their capacitance values which are dependent on their physical structure and dielectric permittivity. The epitaxial thin films of the current invention form low-loss dielectric layers with extremely high permittivity. This high permittivity allows for the formation of capacitors that can have their capacitance adjusted by applying a DC bias between their electrodes.

Optical bandgap of single- and multi-layered amorphous germanium ultra-thin films

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

Liu, Pei; Zaslavsky, Alexander; Longo, Paolo

2016-01-07

Accurate optical methods are required to determine the energy bandgap of amorphous semiconductors and elucidate the role of quantum confinement in nanometer-scale, ultra-thin absorbing layers. Here, we provide a critical comparison between well-established methods that are generally employed to determine the optical bandgap of thin-film amorphous semiconductors, starting from normal-incidence reflectance and transmittance measurements. First, we demonstrate that a more accurate estimate of the optical bandgap can be achieved by using a multiple-reflection interference model. We show that this model generates more reliable results compared to the widely accepted single-pass absorption method. Second, we compare two most representative methods (Taucmore » and Cody plots) that are extensively used to determine the optical bandgap of thin-film amorphous semiconductors starting from the extracted absorption coefficient. Analysis of the experimental absorption data acquired for ultra-thin amorphous germanium (a-Ge) layers demonstrates that the Cody model is able to provide a less ambiguous energy bandgap value. Finally, we apply our proposed method to experimentally determine the optical bandgap of a-Ge/SiO{sub 2} superlattices with single and multiple a-Ge layers down to 2 nm thickness.« less

GUARD RING SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTION

DOEpatents

Goulding, F.S.; Hansen, W.L.

1963-12-01

A semiconductor diode having a very low noise characteristic when used under reverse bias is described. Surface leakage currents, which in conventional diodes greatly contribute to noise, are prevented from mixing with the desired signal currents. A p-n junction is formed with a thin layer of heavily doped semiconductor material disposed on a lightly doped, physically thick base material. An annular groove cuts through the thin layer and into the base for a short distance, dividing the thin layer into a peripheral guard ring that encircles the central region. Noise signal currents are shunted through the guard ring, leaving the central region free from such currents. (AEC)