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Sample records for graphene-pmma sa mirror

  1. Tuning the Interfacial Mechanical Behaviors of Monolayer Graphene/PMMA Nanocomposites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Guorui; Dai, Zhaohe; Liu, Luqi; Hu, Hai; Dai, Qing; Zhang, Zhong

    2016-08-31

    The van der Waals (vdW) force dominated interface between graphene and polymer matrix creates weak points in the mechanical sense. Chemical functionalization was expected to be an effective approach in transfer of the outstanding performance of graphene across multiple length scales up to the macroscopic level, due to possible improvements in the interfacial adhesion. However, published works showed the contradiction that improvements, insensitivity, or even worsening of macro-mechanical performance have all been reported in graphene-based polymer nanocomposites. Particularly central cause of such discrepancy is the variations in graphene/polymer interfacial chemistry, which is critical in nanocomposites with vast interfacial area. Herein, O3/H2O gaseous mixture was utilized to oxidize monolayer graphene sheet with controlled functionalization degrees. Hydrogen bonds (H bonds) are expected to form between oxidized graphene sheet/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) at the interface. On the basis of in situ tensile-micro Raman spectroscopy, the impacts of bonding types (vdW and H-bonds) on both key interfacial parameters (such as interfacial shear strength and critical length) and failure modes of graphene/PMMA nanocomposite were clarified for the first time at the microscopic level. Our results show that owing to improved interfacial interaction via H bonds, the interface tends to be stiffening and strengthening. Moreover, the mechanical properties of the functionalized graphene/PMMA interface will be set by the competition between the enhanced interfacial adhesion and the degraded elastic modulus of graphene, which was caused by structural defects in the graphene sheet during the functionalization process and could lead to catastrophic failure of graphene sheets in our experimental observation. Our results will be helpful to design various nanofiller-based nanocomposites with high mechanical performance.

  2. Influence of Graphene Oxide on the Tribological and Electrical Properties of PMMA Composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiale Song

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The graphene oxide (GO was obtained by Hummers' method using natural graphite as raw materials. Then, the GO/poly(methyl methacrylate (PMMA nanocomposites were prepared by in situ polymerization. The tribological and electrical properties of nanocomposites were studied. As a result, the frictional coefficient of GO/PMMA nanocomposites was prominently improved with the content of the graphene oxide increasing. The electrical properties of nanocomposites were slightly increased when adding the graphene oxide.

  3. Solvent exfoliated graphene for reinforcement of PMMA composites prepared by in situ polymerization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Jialiang; Shi, Zixing; Ge, Yu; Wang, Yan; Fan, Jinchen; Yin, Jie

    2012-01-01

    Graphene (GP)-based polymer nanocomposites have attracted considerable scientific attention due to its pronounced improvement in mechanical, thermal and electrical properties compared with pure polymers. However, the preparation of well-dispersed and high-quality GP reinforced polymer composites remains a challenge. In this paper, a simple and facile approach for preparation of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) functionalized GP (GPMMA) via in situ free radical polymerization is reported. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), Raman, transmission electron microscope (TEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) are used to confirm the successful grafting of PMMA chains onto the GP sheets. Composite films are prepared by incorporating different amounts of GPMMA into the PMMA matrix through solution-casting method. Compared with pure PMMA, PMMA/GPMMA composites show simultaneously improved Young's modulus, tensile stress, elongation at break and thermal stability by addition of only 0.5 wt% GPMMA. The excellent reinforcement is attributed to good dispersion of high-quality GPMMA and strong interfacial adhesion between GPMMA and PMMA matrix as evidenced by scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of the fracture surfaces. Consequently, this simple protocol has great potential in the preparation of various high-performance polymer composites. Highlights: ► Functionalization of solvent exfoliated graphene by in situ polymerization. ► A simple and scalable method for preparing high-quality graphene. ► Functionalized graphene can be well-dispersed and have a strong interfacial adhesion with the polymer matrix. ► The nanocomposites exhibit a remarkable improvement of thermal and mechanical properties.

  4. Graphene oxide versus graphene for optimisation of PMMA bone cement for orthopaedic applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paz, E; Forriol, F; Del Real, J C; Dunne, N

    2017-08-01

    Graphene (G) and graphene oxide (GO) nano-sized powders with loadings ranging from 0.1 to 1.0wt% were investigated as reinforced agents for polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) bone cements. The mechanical properties (i.e. bend strength, bend modulus, compression strength, fracture toughness and fatigue performance) and the thermal properties (i.e. maximum temperature, setting time, curing heat and residual monomer) of the resultant nanocomposites were characterised. The mechanical performance of G-PMMA and GO-PMMA bone cements has been improved at low loadings (≤0.25wt%), especially the fracture toughness and fatigue performance. These improvements were attributed to the fact that the G and GO induced deviations in the crack fronts and hampered crack propagation. The high functionalisation of GO compared with G resulted in greater enhancements because it facilitated the creation of a stronger interfacial adhesion between the GO and PMMA. The use of loadings ≥0.25wt% showed a detriment in the mechanical performance as consequence of the formation of agglomerates as well as to an increase in the porosity. The increase in the residual monomer and the decrease in the curing heat, observed with the increase in the level of G and GO added, suggests that such materials retard and inhibit the curing reaction at high levels of loading by interfering in the radical reaction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Toward High Carrier Mobility and Low Contact Resistance:Laser Cleaning of PMMA Residues on Graphene Surfaces

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Yuehui Jia; Xin Gong; Pei Peng; Zidong Wang; Zhongzheng Tian; Liming Ren; Yunyi Fu; Han Zhang

    2016-01-01

    Poly(methyl methacrylate)(PMMA) is widely used for graphene transfer and device fabrication.However,it inevitably leaves a thin layer of polymer residues after acetone rinsing and leads to dramatic degradation of device performance.How to eliminate contamination and restore clean surfaces of graphene is still highly demanded.In this paper,we present a reliable and position-controllable method to remove the polymer residues on graphene films by laser exposure.Under proper laser conditions,PMMA residues can be substantially reduced without introducing defects to the underlying graphene.Furthermore,by applying this laser cleaning technique to the channel and contacts of graphene fieldeffect transistors(GFETs),higher carrier mobility as well as lower contact resistance can be realized.This work opens a way for probing intrinsic properties of contaminant-free graphene and fabricating high-performance GFETs with both clean channel and intimate graphene/metal contact.

  6. Fabrication of the flexible nanogenerator from BTO nanopowders on graphene coated PMMA substrates by sol-gel method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sankar Ganesh, R. [Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, SRM University, Kattankullathur, Chennai, 603203, Tamil Nadu (India); Research Institute of Electronics, Shizuoka University, 3-5-1 Johoku, Naka-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, 432-8011 (Japan); Sharma, Sanjeev K., E-mail: sksharma@dongguk.edu [Department of Semiconductor Science, Dongguk University-Seoul, Jung-gu, Seoul, 04620 (Korea, Republic of); Abinnas, N. [Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, SRM University, Kattankullathur, Chennai, 603203, Tamil Nadu (India); Durgadevi, E. [Research Institute of Electronics, Shizuoka University, 3-5-1 Johoku, Naka-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, 432-8011 (Japan); Raji, P. [Department of Physics, Mepco Schlenk Engineering College, Sivakasi, 626 005, Tamil Nadu (India); Ponnusamy, S., E-mail: suruponnus@gmail.com [Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, SRM University, Kattankullathur, Chennai, 603203, Tamil Nadu (India); Muthamizhchelvan, C. [Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, SRM University, Kattankullathur, Chennai, 603203, Tamil Nadu (India); Hayakawa, Y. [Research Institute of Electronics, Shizuoka University, 3-5-1 Johoku, Naka-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, 432-8011 (Japan); Kim, Deuk Young [Department of Semiconductor Science, Dongguk University-Seoul, Jung-gu, Seoul, 04620 (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-05-01

    Nanostructured bismuth titanate (Bi{sub 4}Ti{sub 3}O{sub 12}) or BTO powders were synthesized by the combustion method. The crystalline phase of BTO nanopowders was evaluated from X-ray diffraction (XRD) and further confirmed by selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern. The SEM and TEM micrographic images clearly showed the nanosheets like morphology of BTO nanopowder. The EDS spectrum of BTO nanopowder showed the elemental peaks of O, Bi and Ti at 0.53 keV, 2.41 keV and 4.49 keV, respectively. FTIR band peaks were observed at 815 and 595 cm{sup -1} corresponding to the stretching vibrations of Bi-O and Ti-O. The red shift in optical absorption of BTO was observed and the bandgap decreased from 3.18 to 3.08 eV as the calcined temperature increased from 600 to 800 °C. The sandwich structure, called the nanogenerator, Graphene/BTO-PDMS/Graphene (G/BTO/G), was fabricated on graphene coated polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) substrates, which produced a peak voltage (10 mV) by applying the pressure from human's finger. The switching mechanism of BTO nanosheets was observed to be dependent on the polarity and intrinsic dipole formation. - Highlights: • Bi{sub 4}Ti{sub 3}O{sub 12} (BTO) nanosheets synthesized from a simple combustion method. • SEM & TEM images confirmed the nanosheets structure with a hexagonal shape. • XRD and SAED pattern of BTO nanosheets confirmed the orthorhombic crystal structure. • Flexible G/BTO/G nanogenerator fabricated by sol-gel method. • Peak voltage was observed to be 10 mV by applying pressure from human's finger.

  7. Nano-graphene oxide incorporated into PMMA resin to prevent microbial adhesion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jung-Hwan; Jo, Jeong-Ki; Kim, Dong-Ae; Patel, Kapil Dev; Kim, Hae-Won; Lee, Hae-Hyoung

    2018-04-01

    Although polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is widely used as a dental material, a major challenge of using this substance is its poor antimicrobial (anti-adhesion) effects, which increase oral infections. Here, graphene-oxide nanosheets (nGO) were incorporated into PMMA to introduce sustained antimicrobial-adhesive effects by increasing the hydrophilicity of PMMA. After characterizing nGO and nGO-incorporated PMMA (up to 2wt%) in terms of morphology and surface characteristics, 3-point flexural strength and hardness were evaluated. The anti-adhesive effects were determined for 4 different microbial species with experimental specimens and the underlying anti-adhesive mechanism was investigated by a non-thermal oxygen plasma treatment. Sustained antimicrobial-adhesive effects were characterized with incubation in artificial saliva for up to 28 days. The typical nanosheet morphology was observed for nGO. Incorporating nGO into PMMA roughened its surface and increased its hydrophilicity without compromising flexural strength or surface hardness. An anti-adhesive effect after 1h of exposure to microbial species in artificial saliva was observed in nGO-incorporated specimens, which accelerated with increasing levels of nGO without significant cytotoxicity to oral keratinocytes. Plasma treatment of native PMMA demonstrated that the antimicrobial-adhesive effects of nGO incorporation were at least partially due to increased hydrophilicity, not changes in the surface roughness. A sustained antimicrobial-adhesive property against Candida albicans was observed in 2% nGO for up to 28 days. The presence of sustained anti-adhesion properties in nGO-incorporated PMMA without loading any antimicrobial drugs suggests the potential usefulness of this compound as a promising antimicrobial dental material for dentures, orthodontic devices and provisional restorative materials. Copyright © 2018 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Graphene on silicon dioxide via carbon ion implantation in copper with PMMA-free transfer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehnert, Jan; Spemann, Daniel; Hamza Hatahet, M.; Mändl, Stephan; Mensing, Michael; Finzel, Annemarie; Varga, Aron; Rauschenbach, Bernd

    2017-06-01

    In this work, a synthesis method for the growth of low-defect large-area graphene using carbon ion beam implantation into metallic Cu foils is presented. The Cu foils (1 cm2 in size) were pre-annealed in a vacuum at 950 °C for 2 h, implanted with 35 keV carbon ions at room temperature, and subsequently annealed at 850 °C for 2 h to form graphene layers with the layer number controlled by the implantation fluence. The graphene was then transferred to SiO2/Si substrates by a PMMA-free wet chemical etching process. The obtained regions of monolayer graphene are of ˜900 μm size. Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and optical microscopy performed at room temperature demonstrated a good quality and homogeneity of the graphene layers, especially for monolayer graphene.

  9. Graphene Synthesis & Graphene/Polymer Nanocomposites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liao, Ken-Hsuan

    -layered free standing TRG. This indicates TRG is mono-layer-dispersed in the matrix polymer. How graphene/polymer nanocomposite glass transition temperatures ( Tg) vary was investigated in this study. We measured Tg in PMMA. We used isotactic PMMA (i-PMMA) and syndiotactic-rich atactic PMMA (a-PMMA) to make TRG/PMMA nanocomposites using solvent blending and in situ polymerization in order to investigate the stereo-regularity and processing effects on the Tg. A T g increase was found in i-PMMA and in situ PMMA but not in a-PMMA. The results can be explained by the thin film confinement effect of polymer. We attribute the Tg increase to both a higher interaction density and a stronger hydrogen bonding at the interfaces. We have studied the elastic modulus of graphene oxide with various oxygen content. We used in situ AFM nano-indentation to measure the influence of oxygen on the elastic modulus of graphene oxide with various carbon/oxygen (C/O) ratios. The results show that chemical reduction (lower oxygen contents) decreases the elastic modulus of graphene oxide. We speculate that chemical reduction of oxygen atoms of epoxy groups on graphene oxide surface removes the bridging effect between carbon atoms, which leads to more flexible sheets. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).

  10. A Comparative Study on Graphene Oxide and Carbon Nanotube Reinforcement of PMMA-Siloxane-Silica Anticorrosive Coatings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harb, Samarah V; Pulcinelli, Sandra H; Santilli, Celso V; Knowles, Kevin M; Hammer, Peter

    2016-06-29

    Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene oxide (GO) have been used to reinforce PMMA-siloxane-silica nanocomposites considered to be promising candidates for environmentally compliant anticorrosive coatings. The organic-inorganic hybrids were prepared by benzoyl peroxide (BPO)-induced polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) covalently bonded through 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (MPTS) to silica domains formed by hydrolytic condensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). Single-walled carbon nanotubes and graphene oxide nanosheets were dispersed by surfactant addition and in a water/ethanol solution, respectively. These were added to PMMA-siloxane-silica hybrids at a carbon (CNT or GO) to silicon (TEOS and MPTS) molar ratio of 0.05% in two different matrices, both prepared at BPO/MMA molar ratios of 0.01 and 0.05. Atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy showed very smooth, homogeneous, and defect-free surfaces of approximately 3-7 μm thick coatings deposited onto A1020 carbon steel by dip coating. Mechanical testing and thermogravimetric analysis confirmed that both additives CNT and GO improved the scratch resistance, adhesion, wear resistance, and thermal stability of PMMA-siloxane-silica coatings. Results of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in 3.5% NaCl solution, discussed in terms of equivalent circuits, showed that the reinforced hybrid coatings act as a very efficient anticorrosive barrier with an impedance modulus up to 1 GΩ cm(2), approximately 5 orders of magnitude higher than that of bare carbon steel. In the case of GO addition, the high corrosion resistance was maintained for more than 6 months in saline medium. These results suggest that both carbon nanostructures can be used as structural reinforcement agents, improving the thermal and mechanical resistance of high performance anticorrosive PMMA-siloxane-silica coatings and thus extending their application range to abrasive environments.

  11. Synthesis and Characterization of the in Situ Bulk Polymerization of PMMA Containing Graphene Sheets Using Microwave Irradiation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad A. Aldosari

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Polymethylmethacrylate–graphene (PMMA/RGO nanocomposites were prepared via in situ bulk polymerization using two different preparation techniques. In the first approach, a mixture of graphite oxide (GO and methylmethacrylate monomers (MMA were polymerized using a bulk polymerization method with a free radical initiator. After the addition of the reducing agent hydrazine hydrate (HH, the product was reduced via microwave irradiation (MWI to obtain R-(GO-PMMA composites. In the second approach, a mixture of graphite sheets (RGO and MMA monomers were polymerized using a bulk polymerization method with a free radical initiator to obtain RGO-(PMMA composites. The composites were characterized by FTIR, 1H-NMR and Raman spectroscopy and XRD, SEM, TEM, TGA and DSC. The results indicate that the composite obtained using the first approach, which involved MWI, had a better morphology and dispersion with enhanced thermal stability compared with the composites prepared without MWI.

  12. Tough graphene-polymer microcellular foams for electromagnetic interference shielding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Hao-Bin; Yan, Qing; Zheng, Wen-Ge; He, Zhixian; Yu, Zhong-Zhen

    2011-03-01

    Functional polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)/graphene nanocomposite microcellular foams were prepared by blending of PMMA with graphene sheets followed by foaming with subcritical CO(2) as an environmentally benign foaming agent. The addition of graphene sheets endows the insulating PMMA foams with high electrical conductivity and improved electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding efficiency with microwave absorption as the dominant EMI shielding mechanism. Interestingly, because of the presence of the numerous microcellular cells, the graphene-PMMA foam exhibits greatly improved ductility and tensile toughness compared to its bulk counterpart. This work provides a promising methodology to fabricate tough and lightweight graphene-PMMA nanocomposite microcellular foams with superior electrical and EMI shielding properties by simultaneously combining the functionality and reinforcement of the graphene sheets and the toughening effect of the microcellular cells.

  13. Graphene and poly(methyl methacrylate) composite laminates on flexible substrates for volatile organic compound detection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rattanabut, Chanoknan; Wongwiriyapan, Winadda; Muangrat, Worawut; Bunjongpru, Win; Phonyiem, Mayuree; Song, Young Jae

    2018-04-01

    In this paper, we present a gas sensor for volatile organic compound (VOC) detection based on graphene and poly(methyl methacrylate) (GR/PMMA) composite laminates fabricated using CVD-grown graphene. Graphene was transferred to a poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrate by PMMA-supported wet transfer process without PMMA removal in order to achieve the deposition of GR/PMMA composite laminates on PET. The GR/PMMA and graphene sensors show completely different sensitivities to VOC vapors. The GR/PMMA and graphene sensors showed the highest sensitivities to dichloromethane (DCM). The response of the GR/PMMA sensor to DCM was 3 times higher than that of the graphene sensor but the GR/PMMA sensor hardly responded to acetone, chloroform, or benzene. The sensing mechanism of the graphene sensor can be based on the dielectric constant of VOCs, the size of VOC molecule, and electron hopping effects on defect graphene, while that of the GR/PMMA sensor can be explained in terms of the polymer swelling owing to the Hansen solubility parameter.

  14. Raman spectra of bilayer graphene covered with Poly(methyl methacrylate) thin film

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xia Minggang [MOE Key Laboratory for Nonequilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, School of Science, Xi' an Jiaotong University, 710049 (China); Center on Experimental Physics, School of Science, Xi' an Jiaotong University, 710049 (China); Su Zhidan; Zhang Shengli [MOE Key Laboratory for Nonequilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, School of Science, Xi' an Jiaotong University, 710049 (China); Department of Applied Physics, School of Science, Xi' an Jiaotong University, 710049 (China)

    2012-09-15

    The Raman spectra of bilayer graphene covered with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were investigated. Both the G and 2D peaks of PMMA-coated graphene were stiff and broad compared with those of uncovered graphene. This could be attributed to the residual strain induced by high-temperature baking during fabrication of the nanodevice. Furthermore, the two 2D peaks stiffened and broadened with increasing laser power, which is just the reverse to uncovered graphene. The stiffness is likely caused by graphene compression induced by the circular bubble of the thin PMMA film generated by laser irradiation. Our findings may contribute to the application of PMMA in the strain engineering of graphene nanodevices.

  15. Raman spectra of bilayer graphene covered with Poly(methyl methacrylate thin film

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Minggang Xia

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available The Raman spectra of bilayer graphene covered with poly(methyl methacrylate (PMMA were investigated. Both the G and 2D peaks of PMMA-coated graphene were stiff and broad compared with those of uncovered graphene. This could be attributed to the residual strain induced by high-temperature baking during fabrication of the nanodevice. Furthermore, the two 2D peaks stiffened and broadened with increasing laser power, which is just the reverse to uncovered graphene. The stiffness is likely caused by graphene compression induced by the circular bubble of the thin PMMA film generated by laser irradiation. Our findings may contribute to the application of PMMA in the strain engineering of graphene nanodevices.

  16. Microscopic analysis of saturable absorbers: Semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors versus graphene

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hader, J.; Moloney, J. V. [Nonlinear Control Strategies, Inc., 3542 N. Geronimo Ave., Tucson, Arizona 85705 (United States); College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721 (United States); Yang, H.-J.; Scheller, M. [College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721 (United States); Koch, S. W. [Department of Physics and Materials Sciences Center, Philipps Universität Marburg, Renthof 5, 35032 Marburg (Germany)

    2016-02-07

    Fully microscopic many-body calculations are used to study the influence of strong sub-picosecond pulses on the carrier distributions and corresponding optical response in saturable absorbers used for mode-locking—semiconductor (quantum well) saturable absorber mirrors (SESAMs) and single layer graphene based saturable absorber mirrors (GSAMs). Unlike in GSAMs, the saturation fluence and recovery time in SESAMs show a strong spectral dependence. While the saturation fluence in the SESAM is minimal at the excitonic bandgap, the optimal recovery time and least pulse distortion due to group delay dispersion are found for excitation higher in the first subband. For excitation near the SESAM bandgap, the saturation fluence is about one tenth of that in the GSAM. At energies above the bandgap, the fluences in both systems become similar. A strong dependence of the saturation fluence on the pulse width in both systems is caused by carrier relaxation during the pulse. The recovery time in graphene is found to be about two to four times faster than that in the SESAMs. The occurrence of negative differential transmission in graphene is shown to be caused by dopant related carriers. In SESAMs, a negative differential transmission is found when exciting below the excitonic resonance where excitation induced dephasing leads to an enhancement of the absorption. Comparisons of the simulation data to the experiment show a very good quantitative agreement.

  17. Graphene Electrodes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pizzocchero, Filippo

    The production of graphene and the other 2D materials is presented in the beginning of this thesis. Micromechanical exfoliation is the best method for obtaining relatively small and top quality samples. The invention of Graphene Finder simplifies the procedure of finding the exfoliated flakes...... in copper thin films is studied and found to be detrimental for the growth of graphene. The modified synthesis of rGO is introduced, as rGO represents a cheap alternative to CVD for large scale production of graphene. The transfer of flakes is performed by several methods, such as with PVA/PMMA support, CAB...... wedging and the pick-up technique with hBN. Several important improvements of the pick-up technique are introduced. These allowed us to transfer any 2D crystals and patterned graphene flakes with PMMA residues. We also developed the drop-down technique, which is used to release any crystal on the surface...

  18. An Nd:YLF laser Q-switched by a monolayer-graphene saturable-absorber mirror

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matía-Hernando, Paloma; Guerra, José Manuel; Weigand, Rosa

    2013-01-01

    We demonstrate Q-switched operation of a transversely diode-pumped Nd:YLF (yttrium lithium fluoride) laser using chemical vapour deposition-grown large-area monolayer graphene transferred to a dielectric saturable-absorber mirror (G-SAM). The resulting compact design operates at 1047 nm with 2.5 μs pulses in a 100% modulation Q-switch regime with an average and very stable output power of 0.5 W. Different cavity lengths have been employed and the results are compared against a theoretical model based on rate equations, evidencing the role of transverse pumping in the system. The model also reveals that monolayer graphene effectively leads to shorter and more powerful pulses compared to those with multilayer graphene. These results establish the potential of single-layer graphene for providing a reliable and efficient Q-switch mechanism in solid-state lasers. (paper)

  19. Annealing free, clean graphene transfer using alternative polymer scaffolds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, Joshua D; Doidge, Gregory P; Carrion, Enrique A; Koepke, Justin C; Kaitz, Joshua A; Datye, Isha; Behnam, Ashkan; Hewaparakrama, Jayan; Aruin, Basil; Chen, Yaofeng; Dong, Hefei; Haasch, Richard T; Lyding, Joseph W; Pop, Eric

    2015-02-06

    We examine the transfer of graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) with polymer scaffolds of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(lactic acid) (PLA), poly(phthalaldehyde) (PPA), and poly(bisphenol A carbonate) (PC). We find that optimally reactive PC scaffolds provide the cleanest graphene transfers without any annealing, after extensive comparison with optical microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and scanning tunneling microscopy. Comparatively, films transferred with PLA, PPA, PMMA/PC, and PMMA have a two-fold higher roughness and a five-fold higher chemical doping. Using PC scaffolds, we demonstrate the clean transfer of CVD multilayer graphene, fluorinated graphene, and hexagonal boron nitride. Our annealing free, PC transfers enable the use of atomically-clean nanomaterials in biomolecule encapsulation and flexible electronic applications.

  20. Annealing free, clean graphene transfer using alternative polymer scaffolds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wood, Joshua D; Doidge, Gregory P; Carrion, Enrique A; Koepke, Justin C; Datye, Isha; Behnam, Ashkan; Hewaparakrama, Jayan; Aruin, Basil; Chen, Yaofeng; Lyding, Joseph W; Kaitz, Joshua A; Dong, Hefei; Haasch, Richard T; Pop, Eric

    2015-01-01

    We examine the transfer of graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) with polymer scaffolds of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(lactic acid) (PLA), poly(phthalaldehyde) (PPA), and poly(bisphenol A carbonate) (PC). We find that optimally reactive PC scaffolds provide the cleanest graphene transfers without any annealing, after extensive comparison with optical microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and scanning tunneling microscopy. Comparatively, films transferred with PLA, PPA, PMMA/PC, and PMMA have a two-fold higher roughness and a five-fold higher chemical doping. Using PC scaffolds, we demonstrate the clean transfer of CVD multilayer graphene, fluorinated graphene, and hexagonal boron nitride. Our annealing free, PC transfers enable the use of atomically-clean nanomaterials in biomolecule encapsulation and flexible electronic applications. (paper)

  1. Neutron Reflectivity Measurement for Polymer Dynamics near Graphene Oxide Monolayers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koo, Jaseung

    We investigated the diffusion dynamics of polymer chains confined between graphene oxide layers using neutron reflectivity (NR). The bilayers of polymethylmetacrylate (PMMA)/ deuterated PMMA (d-PMMA) films and polystyrene (PS)/d-PS films with various film thickness sandwiched between Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) monolayers of graphene oxide (GO) were prepared. From the NR results, we found that PMMA diffusion dynamics was reduced near the GO surface while the PS diffusion was not significantly changed. This is due to the different strength of GO-polymer interaction. In this talk, these diffusion results will be compared with dewetting dynamics of polymer thin films on the GO monolayers. This has given us the basis for development of graphene-based nanoelectronics with high efficiency, such as heterojunction devices for polymer photovoltaic (OPV) applications.

  2. A highly sensitive hydrogen sensor with gas selectivity using a PMMA membrane-coated Pd nanoparticle/single-layer graphene hybrid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Juree; Lee, Sanggeun; Seo, Jungmok; Pyo, Soonjae; Kim, Jongbaeg; Lee, Taeyoon

    2015-02-18

    A polymer membrane-coated palladium (Pd) nanoparticle (NP)/single-layer graphene (SLG) hybrid sensor was fabricated for highly sensitive hydrogen gas (H2) sensing with gas selectivity. Pd NPs were deposited on SLG via the galvanic displacement reaction between graphene-buffered copper (Cu) and Pd ion. During the galvanic displacement reaction, graphene was used as a buffer layer, which transports electrons from Cu for Pd to nucleate on the SLG surface. The deposited Pd NPs on the SLG surface were well-distributed with high uniformity and low defects. The Pd NP/SLG hybrid was then coated with polymer membrane layer for the selective filtration of H2. Because of the selective H2 filtration effect of the polymer membrane layer, the sensor had no responses to methane, carbon monoxide, or nitrogen dioxide gas. On the contrary, the PMMA/Pd NP/SLG hybrid sensor exhibited a good response to exposure to 2% H2: on average, 66.37% response within 1.81 min and recovery within 5.52 min. In addition, reliable and repeatable sensing behaviors were obtained when the sensor was exposed to different H2 concentrations ranging from 0.025 to 2%.

  3. Characterization and electrolytic cleaning of poly(methyl methacrylate) residues on transferred chemical vapor deposited graphene

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Jianbo; Finklea, Harry O.; Liu, Yuxin

    2017-03-01

    Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) residue has long been a critical challenge for practical applications of the transferred chemical vapor deposited (CVD) graphene. Thermal annealing is empirically used for the removal of the PMMA residue; however experiments imply that there are still small amounts of residues left after thermal annealing which are hard to remove with conventional methods. In this paper, the thermal degradation of the PMMA residue upon annealing was studied by Raman spectroscopy. The study reveals that post-annealing residues are generated by the elimination of methoxycarbonyl side chains in PMMA and are believed to be absorbed on graphene via the π-π interaction between the conjugated unsaturated carbon segments and graphene. The post-annealing residues are difficult to remove by further annealing in a non-oxidative atmosphere due to their thermal and chemical stability. An electrolytic cleaning method was shown to be effective in removing these post-annealing residues while preserving the underlying graphene lattice based on Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy studies. Additionally, a solution-gated field effect transistor was used to study the transport properties of the transferred CVD graphene before thermal annealing, after thermal annealing, and after electrolytic cleaning, respectively. The results show that the carrier mobility was significantly improved, and that the p-doping was reduced by removing PMMA residues and post-annealing residues. These studies provide a more in-depth understanding on the thermal annealing process for the removal of the PMMA residues from transferred CVD graphene and a new approach to remove the post-annealing residues, resulting in a residue-free graphene.

  4. Mirror Buckling Transitions in Freestanding Graphene Membranes Induced through Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoelz, James K.

    Graphene has the ability to provide for a technological revolution. First isolated and characterized in 2004, this material shows promise in the field of flexible electronics. The electronic properties of graphene can be tuned by controlling the shape of the membrane. Of particular interest in this endeavor are the thermal ripples in graphene membranes. Years of theoretical work by such luminaries as Lev Landau, Rudolf Peierls, David Mermin and Herbert Wagner have established that 2D crystals should not be thermodynamically stable. Experimental research on thin films has supported this finding. Yet graphene exists, and freestanding graphene films have been grown on large scales. It turns out that coupling between the bending and stretching phonons can stabilize the graphene in a flat, albeit rippled phase. These ripples have attracted much attention, and recent work has shown how to arrange these ripples in a variety of configurations. In this thesis, I will present work done using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) to interact with freestanding graphene membranes. First I will present STM images of freestanding graphene and show how these images show signs of distortion under the electrostatic influence of the STM tip. This electrostatic attraction between the STM tip and the graphene sample can be used to pull on the graphene sample. At the same time, by employing Joule heating in order to heat graphene using the tunneling current, and exploiting the negative coefficient of thermal expansion, a repulsive thermal load can be generated. By repeatedly pulling on the graphene using the electrostatic potential, while sequentially increasing the setpoint current we can generate a thermal mirror buckling event. Slowly heating the graphene using the tunneling current, prepares a small convex region of graphene under the tip. By increasing thermal stress, as well as pulling using the out of plane electrostatic force, the graphene suddenly and irreversibly switches the

  5. Design, fabrication and structural optimization of tubular carbon/Kevlar®/PMMA/graphene nanoplate composite for bone fixation prosthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nasiri, F; Ajeli, S; Semnani, D; Jahanshahi, M; Emadi, R

    2018-05-02

    The present work investigates the mechanical properties of tubular carbon/Kevlar ® composite coated with poly(methyl methacrylate)/graphene nanoplates as used in the internal fixation of bones. Carbon fibers are good candidates for developing high-strength biomaterials and due to better stress transfer and electrical properties, they can enhance tissue formation. In order to improve carbon brittleness, ductile Kevlar ® was added to the composite. The tubular carbon/Kevlar ® composites have been prepared with tailorable braiding technology by changing the fiber pattern and angle in the composite structure and the number of composite layers. Fuzzy analyses are used for optimizing the tailorable parameters of 80 prepared samples and then mechanical properties of selected samples are discussed from the viewpoint of mechanical properties required for a bone fixation device. Experimental results showed that with optimizing braiding parameters the desired composite structure with mechanical properties close to bone properties could be produced. Results showed that carbon/Kevlar ® braid's physical properties, fiber composite distribution and diameter uniformity resulted in matrix uniformity, which enhanced strength and modulus due to better ability for distributing stress on the composite. Finally, as graphene nanoplates demonstrated their potential properties to improve wound healing intended for bone replacement, so reinforcing the PMMA matrix with graphene nanoplates enhanced the composite quality, for use as an implant.

  6. Growth of graphene underlayers by chemical vapor deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fabiane, Mopeli; Khamlich, Saleh; Bello, Abdulhakeem; Dangbegnon, Julien; Momodu, Damilola; Manyala, Ncholu; Charlie Johnson, A. T.

    2013-01-01

    We present a simple and very convincing approach to visualizing that subsequent layers of graphene grow between the existing monolayer graphene and the copper catalyst in chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Graphene samples were grown by CVD and then transferred onto glass substrates by the bubbling method in two ways, either direct-transfer (DT) to yield poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/graphene/glass or (2) inverted transfer (IT) to yield graphene/PMMA/glass. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to reveal surface features for both the DT and IT samples. The results from FE-SEM and AFM topographic analyses of the surfaces revealed the underlayer growth of subsequent layers. The subsequent layers in the IT samples are visualized as 3D structures, where the smaller graphene layers lie above the larger layers stacked in a concentric manner. The results support the formation of the so-called “inverted wedding cake” stacking in multilayer graphene growth

  7. Water-free transfer method for CVD-grown graphene and its application to flexible air-stable graphene transistors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Hyun Ho; Chung, Yoonyoung; Lee, Eunho; Lee, Seong Kyu; Cho, Kilwon

    2014-05-28

    Transferring graphene without water enables water-sensitive substrates to be used in graphene electronics. A polymeric bilayer (PMMA/PBU) is coated on graphene as a supporting layer for the water-free transfer process and as an excellent passivation layer that enhances device operation. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Ecological approach to graphene oxide reinforced poly (methyl methacrylate) nanocomposites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morimune, Seira; Nishino, Takashi; Goto, Takuya

    2012-07-25

    Graphene oxide (GO) possesses the desirable characteristic of aqueous solution processability attributed to the oxygen-containing functional groups on the basal planes and edges of graphene. To provide an alternative to conventional procedures for fabricating poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/GO nanocomposites, which use organic solutions and/or surfactants, we have developed an environmentally friendly technique in which PMMA is polymerized by soap-free emulsion polymerization and incorporated with GO using water as a processing medium. Experimental results showed that the fabricated PMMA/GO nanocomposites had excellent mechanical, thermal, and O2 barrier properties with the nanodispersion of GO.

  9. Poly(methyl methacrylate) as a self-assembled gate dielectric for graphene field-effect transistors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sanne, A.; Movva, H. C. P.; Kang, S.; McClellan, C.; Corbet, C. M.; Banerjee, S. K. [Microelectronics Research Center, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78758 (United States)

    2014-02-24

    We investigate poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as a low thermal budget organic gate dielectric for graphene field effect-transistors (GFETs) based on a simple process flow. We show that high temperature baking steps above the glass transition temperature (∼130 °C) can leave a self-assembled, thin PMMA film on graphene, where we get a gate dielectric almost for “free” without additional atomic layer deposition type steps. Electrical characterization of GFETs with PMMA as a gate dielectric yields a dielectric constant of k = 3.0. GFETs with thinner PMMA dielectrics have a lower dielectric constant due to decreased polarization arising from neutralization of dipoles and charged carriers as baking temperatures increase. The leakage through PMMA gate dielectric increases with decreasing dielectric thickness and increasing electric field. Unlike conventional high-k gate dielectrics, such low-k organic gate dielectrics are potentially attractive for devices such as the proposed Bilayer pseudoSpin Field-Effect Transistor or flexible high speed graphene electronics.

  10. Label-free detection of DNA hybridization using transistors based on CVD grown graphene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Tzu-Yin; Loan, Phan Thi Kim; Hsu, Chang-Lung; Lee, Yi-Hsien; Tse-Wei Wang, Jacob; Wei, Kung-Hwa; Lin, Cheng-Te; Li, Lain-Jong

    2013-03-15

    The high transconductance and low noise of graphene-based field-effect transistors based on large-area monolayer graphene produced by chemical vapor deposition are used for label-free electrical detection of DNA hybridization. The gate materials, buffer concentration and surface condition of graphene have been optimized to achieve the DNA detection sensitivity as low as 1 pM (10(-12) M), which is more sensitive than the existing report based on few-layer graphene. The graphene films obtained using conventional PMMA-assisted transfer technique exhibits PMMA residues, which degrade the sensing performance of graphene. We have demonstrated that the sensing performance of the graphene samples prepared by gold-transfer is largely enhanced (by 125%). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Two-In-One Method for Graphene Transfer: Simplified Fabrication Process for Organic Light-Emitting Diodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Lihui; Shang, Wenjuan; Han, Chao; Zhang, Qing; Yao, Yao; Ma, Xiaoqian; Wang, Minghao; Yu, Hongtao; Duan, Yu; Sun, Jie; Chen, Shufen; Huang, Wei

    2018-02-28

    Graphene as one of the most promising transparent electrode materials has been successfully applied in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). However, traditional poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) transfer method usually results in hardly removed polymeric residues on the graphene surface, which induces unwanted leakage current, poor diode behavior, and even device failure. In this work, we proposed a facile and efficient two-in-one method to obtain clean graphene and fabricate OLEDs, in which the poly(9,9-di-n-octylfluorene-alt-(1,4-phenylene-(4-sec-butylphenyl)imino)-1,4-phenylene) (TFB) layer was inserted between the graphene and PMMA film both as a protector during the graphene transfer and a hole-injection layer in OLEDs. Finally, green OLED devices were successfully fabricated on the PMMA-free graphene/TFB film, and the device luminous efficiency was increased from 64.8 to 74.5 cd/A by using the two-in-one method. Therefore, the proposed two-in-one graphene transfer method realizes a high-efficient graphene transfer and device fabrication process, which is also compatible with the roll-to-roll manufacturing. It is expected that this work can enlighten the design and fabrication of the graphene-based optoelectronic devices.

  12. A corrosion-protective coating based on a solution-processable polymer-grafted graphene oxide nanocomposite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qi, Kai; Sun, Yimin; Duan, Hongwei; Guo, Xingpeng

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Solution-processable polymer-grafted graphene nanocomposite is synthesized. • The nanocomposite exhibits synergistic properties of both building blocks. • The nanocomposite can be easily applied to form a protective coating on metals. • The coating can effectively prevent corrosion of copper substrate. - Abstract: A new type of solution-processable graphene coating has been synthesized by grafting polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) brushes on graphene oxide (GO) via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). One major finding is that the PMMA-grafted GO nanocomposite exhibits synergistic properties of both building blocks, i.e., permeation inhibition of GO and solubility of PMMA in a variety of solvents, which makes it compatible with commonly used coating methods to form uniform coatings with controlled thickness. Our results demonstrate that PMMA-grafted GO coating can effectively block charge transfer at the metal–electrolyte interface and prevent corrosion of the copper substrate under aggressive saline conditions

  13. Effect of reduced graphene oxide-carbon nanotubes hybrid nanofillers in mechanical properties of polymer nanocomposites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sa, Kadambinee; Mahakul, Prakash C.; Subramanyam, B. V. R. S.; Raiguru, Jagatpati; Das, Sonali; Alam, Injamul; Mahanandia, Pitamber

    2018-03-01

    Graphene and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have tremendous interest as reinforcing fillers due to their excellent physical properties. However, their reinforcing effect in polymer matrix is limited due to agglomeration of graphene and CNTs within the polymer matrix. Mechanical properties by the admixture of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and CNTs in Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) prepared by solution mixing method has been investigated. The prepared samples are characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The hybrid composite shows improvement in the mechanical properties compared to rGO/PMMA and MWCNTs/PMMA composites due to better interaction between rGO-MWCNTs and polymer matrix.

  14. Irradiation effect on PP/PMMA and PP/PP-g-PMMA matrices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marsongko; Soebianto, Yanti S.

    1998-01-01

    The effects of PMMA and PP-g-PMMA on the oxidation of polypropylene (PP) have been studied. The mixing was done in Laboplastomill at the temperature of 200 o C, and screw speed of 20 rpm, for 5 minutes. The PMMA concentrations were 1, 2, 5, and 10% by weight, and PP-g-PMMA (12% grafting) 5, 10, and 20% by weight. Mechanical properties (tensile strength (Tb) and elongation at break (Eb)( of the mixture decreased with the increase of PMMA content over 5%. The addition of PMMA over 3% produced non-transparent film. Electron beam irradiation at the dose of 5, 10, 30, and 50 kGy was carried out to accelerate the matrix oxidation is accelerated. The optimum properties of PP/PMMA blends can be achieved by addition of maximum 2% PMMA either direct as PMMA or as compatibilizer (PP-g-PMMA). (authors)

  15. Improvement of the quality of graphene-capped InAs/GaAs quantum dots

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Othmen, Riadh, E-mail: othmenriadh@yahoo.fr; Rezgui, Kamel; Ajlani, Hosni; Oueslati, Meherzi [Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Campus, 2092 El Manar Tunis (Tunisia); Cavanna, Antonella; Madouri, Ali [CNRS/LPN, Route de Nozay, F-91460 Marcoussis (France); Arezki, Hakim; Gunes, Fethullah [Laboratoire de Génie Electrique de Paris, 11, rue Joliot Curie Plateau de Moulon, 91192 Gif sur Yvette (France)

    2014-06-07

    In this paper, we study the transfer of graphene onto InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs). The graphene is first grown on Cu foils by chemical vapor deposition and then polymer Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) is deposited on the top of graphene/Cu. High quality graphene sheet has been obtained by lowering the dissolving rate of PMMA using vapor processing. Uncapped as well as capped graphene InAs/GaAs QDs have been studied using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. We gather from this that the average shifts Δω of QDs Raman peaks are reduced compared to those previously observed in graphene and GaAs capped QDs. The encapsulation by graphene makes the indium atomic concentration intact in the QDs by the reduction of the strain effect of graphene on QDs and the migration of In atoms towards the surface. This gives us a new hetero-structure graphene–InAs/GaAs QDs wherein the graphene plays a key role as a cap layer.

  16. Theoretical investigation of intensity-dependent optical nonlinearity in graphene-aided D-microfiber

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Manoj Kumar; Lu, Rongguo; Zhang, Yali; Ye, Shengwei; Zhang, Shangjian; Liu, Yong

    2018-01-01

    We theoretically investigate the intensity-dependent optical nonlinearity in graphene-aided D-microfiber, by tuning the chemical potential of graphene and varying radial distance and radii of the D-microfiber. Utilizing an interplay between graphene and the enhanced evanescent field of a guided mode in the waveguide of interest, the net utility of nonlinear coefficient is harnessed up to a very high value of 106 W-1m-1. Importantly, which is ∼ two orders of magnitude larger than in PMMA-graphene-PMMA waveguide. The highly dispersive nature of the waveguide, D ∼ 103 ps/nm-km, and large nonlinear figure-of-merit, FOMNL ∼ 1.29, have raised the possibilities of utilizing slow light structures to operate devices at few watts power level with microscale length. These studies have opened one window towards the next-generation all fiber-optic graphene nonlinear optical devices.

  17. Graphene oxide modified with PMMA via ATRP as a reinforcement filler

    OpenAIRE

    Gonçalves, Gil; Marques, Paula A. A. P.; Barros-Timmons, Ana; Bdikin, Igor; Singh, Manoj K.; Emami, Nazanin; Grácio, José

    2010-01-01

    Graphene is a two-dimensional new allotrope of carbon, which is stimulating great curiosity due to its superior mechanical, electrical, thermal and optical properties. Particularly attractive is the availability of bulk quantities of graphene (G) which can be easily processed by chemical exfoliation, yielding graphene oxide (GO). The resultant oxygenated graphene sheets covered with hydroxyl, epoxy and carboxyl groups offer tremendous opportunities for further functionalization opening plenty...

  18. A facile alternative technique for large-area graphene transfer via sacrificial polymer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eric Auchter

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available A novel method of transferring large-area graphene sheets onto a variety of substrates using Formvar (polyvinyl formal is presented. Due to the ease at which formvar can be dissolved in chloroform this method allows for a consistent, a clean, and a more rapid transfer than other techniques including the PMMA assisted one. This novel transfer method is demonstrated by transferring large-area graphene onto a range of substrates including commercial TEM grids, silicon dioxide and glass. Raman spectroscopy was used to confirm the presence of graphene and characterize the morphological properties of the large-area sheets. SEM and AFM analyses demonstrated the effectiveness of our rapid transfer technique for clean crystalline large-area graphene sheets. The removal of the sacrificial polymer was found to be one to two orders of magnitude faster than PMMA methods. Ultimately this facile transfer technique offers new opportunities for a wide range of applications for large-area graphene through the utilization of a new sacrificial polymer.

  19. A one pot solution blending method for highly conductive poly (methyl methacrylate)-highly reduced graphene nanocomposites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balasubramaniyan, R.; Pham, Viet Hung; Jang, Jinhee; Hur, Seung Hyun; Chung, Jin Suk

    2013-11-01

    PMMA-HRG (Poly (methyl methacrylate)-highly reduced graphene) nanocomposites were prepared by a solution blending method, and the effect of HRG loading on the electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties of the materials was studied. PMMA-HRG nanocomposites achieved a percolation threshold of 0.37 vol.% (0.039 S/m) and a maximum electrical conductivity as high as 85 S/m at a loading of 2.7 vol. %. The homogeneous dispersion of HRG sheets overcame aggregation in solution and gave a uniformly distributed single layer graphene in the PMMA matrix. The T g of PMMA-HRG increased by 19°C with a loading of 0.27 vol. %, and the storage modulus of the nanocomposites increased by 37% in the glassy region with a loading of 2.7 vol. %.

  20. Efficient Transfer of Graphene-Physical and Electrical Performance Perspective

    KAUST Repository

    Ghoneim, Mohamed T.

    2012-11-01

    Efficient Transfer of Graphene –Physical and Electrical Performance Perspective Graphene has become one of the most widely used atomic crystal structure materials since its first experimental proof by Geim-Novoselov in 2004 [1]. This is attributed to its reported incredible carrier mobility, mechanical strength and thermal conductivity [2] [3] [4]. These properties suggest interesting applications of Graphene ranging from electronics to energy storage and conversion [5]. In 2008, Chen et al reported a 40,000 cm2V-1s-1 mobility for a Single Layer Graphene (SLG) on SiO2 compared to 285 cm2V-1s-1 for silicon channel devices [6]. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is a common method for growing graphene on a metal surface as a catalyst for graphene nucleation. This adds a necessary transfer step to the target substrate ultimately desired for graphene devices fabrication. Interfacing with graphene is a critical challenge in preserving its promising high mobility. This initiated the motivation for studying the effect of intermediate interfaces imposed by transfer processes. In this work, few layers graphene (FLG) was grown on copper foils inside a high temperature furnace. Then Raman spectroscopy was performed on grown graphene sample to confirm few (in between 3-10) layers. Afterwards the sample was cut into three pieces and transferred to 300 nm SiO2 on Si substrates using three techniques, namely: (i) pickup transfer with top side of Graphene brought in contact with SiO2 [7], (ii) Ploy (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) transfer with Graphene and a PMMA support layer on top scooped from bottom side [8], and (iii) a modified direct transfer which is similar to PMMA transfer without the support layer [9]. Comparisons were done using Raman spectroscopy to determine the relative defectivity, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to observe discontinuities and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) to measure surface roughness. Then we conclude with electrical data based on the contact

  1. Graphene: Polymer composites as moisture barrier and charge transport layer toward solar cell applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakorikar, Tushar; Kavitha, M. K.; Tong, Shi Wun; Vayalamkuzhi, Pramitha; Loh, Kian Ping; Jaiswal, Manu

    2018-05-01

    Graphene: polymer composite based electrically conducting films are realized by a facile solution processable method. Ultraviolet Photoelectron Spectroscopy (UPS) measurements on the composite films, reveal a low work function of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) obtained from hydrazine hydrate reduction of graphene oxide (GO). We suggest that the low work function could potentially make rGO: PMMA composite suitable for electron conducting layer in perovskite solar cells in place of traditionally used expensive PCBM ([6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester) layer. Further, we demonstrate from the gravimetric experiments conducted on rGO: PMMA films, that the same coating is also resistant to moisture permeation. This latter property can be used to realize a protective coating layer for perovskite films, which are prone to moisture induced degradation. Thus, dual functionality of rGO-PMMA films is demonstrated towards integration with perovskite solar cells. Architecture of perovskite solar cell based on these concepts is proposed.

  2. Fabrication of poly(methyl methacrylate)-MoS{sub 2}/graphene heterostructure for memory device application

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shinde, Sachin M.; Tanemura, Masaki [Department of Frontier Materials, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555 (Japan); Kalita, Golap, E-mail: kalita.golap@nitech.ac.jp [Department of Frontier Materials, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555 (Japan); Center for Fostering Young and Innovative Researchers, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555 (Japan)

    2014-12-07

    Combination of two dimensional graphene and semi-conducting molybdenum disulfide (MoS{sub 2}) is of great interest for various electronic device applications. Here, we demonstrate fabrication of a hybridized structure with the chemical vapor deposited graphene and MoS{sub 2} crystals to configure a memory device. Elongated hexagonal and rhombus shaped MoS{sub 2} crystals are synthesized by sulfurization of thermally evaporated molybdenum oxide (MoO{sub 3}) thin film. Scanning transmission electron microscope studies reveal atomic level structure of the synthesized high quality MoS{sub 2} crystals. In the prospect of a memory device fabrication, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is used as an insulating dielectric material as well as a supporting layer to transfer the MoS{sub 2} crystals. In the fabricated device, PMMA-MoS{sub 2} and graphene layers act as the functional and electrode materials, respectively. Distinctive bistable electrical switching and nonvolatile rewritable memory effect is observed in the fabricated PMMA-MoS{sub 2}/graphene heterostructure. The developed material system and demonstrated memory device fabrication can be significant for next generation data storage applications.

  3. Study of the gamma irradiation effects on the PMMA/HA and PMMA/SW

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silva, P., E-mail: silva@ivic.v [Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cientificas, Centro de Fisica, Carretera Panamericana Km. 11, Caracas 1020-A (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Albano, C. [Universidad Central de Venezuela, Facultad de Ingenieria (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cientificas, Centro de Quimica (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Perera, R. [Departamento de Mecanica, Universidad Simon Bolivar, Caracas 1080-A (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Dominguez, N. [Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cientificas, Centro de Quimica (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of)

    2010-03-15

    The behavior of the poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) under the action of gamma radiation has been sufficiently studied. In this work, we present results from melt flow index (MFI), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) of PMMA composites with hydroxyapatite (HA) and seaweed residues (SW) irradiated with gamma rays at 1.08 kGy/h. Composites of PMMA/HA and PMMA/SW with 10%, 20% and 30% of the filler were prepared. The results show an increase in the MFI values with the integral dose of radiation, being consistent with chain-scission reactions. No EPR signal was observed in pure PMMA, while in the composites, the typical EPR signal of the PMMA radicals was observed, which increased with the amount of HA or SW. When comparing the relative intensities of the EPR signals for both types of composites, a slight increase in the concentration of free radicals generated in the sample with SW respect to that of PMMA/HA composite was obtained. A decay of the total free radical concentration was observed as time elapsed.

  4. Fast Solar-Blind AlGaN/GaN 2DEG UV detector with Transparent Graphene Electrode

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-03-01

    contact rapid thermal annealing . The anode metal contact Ni/Au are placed next to the ohmic pad. Two metal electrodes are separate from each other by...is transferred on top of the AlGaN/GaN heterostructure by standard PMMA and wet transferring method. After removing the PMMA, the graphene is

  5. Fabrication of in-situ grown graphene reinforced Cu matrix composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yakun; Zhang, Xiang; Liu, Enzuo; He, Chunnian; Shi, Chunsheng; Li, Jiajun; Nash, Philip; Zhao, Naiqin

    2016-01-01

    Graphene/Cu composites were fabricated through a graphene in-situ grown approach, which involved ball-milling of Cu powders with PMMA as solid carbon source, in-situ growth of graphene on flaky Cu powders and vacuum hot-press sintering. SEM and TEM characterization results indicated that graphene in-situ grown on Cu powders guaranteed a homogeneous dispersion and a good combination between graphene and Cu matrix, as well as the intact structure of graphene, which was beneficial to its strengthening effect. The yield strength of 244 MPa and tensile strength of 274 MPa were achieved in the composite with 0.95 wt.% graphene, which were separately 177% and 27.4% enhancement over pure Cu. Strengthening effect of in-situ grown graphene in the matrix was contributed to load transfer and dislocation strengthening. PMID:26763313

  6. Scalable stacked array piezoelectric deformable mirror for astronomy and laser processing applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wlodarczyk, Krystian L., E-mail: K.L.Wlodarczyk@hw.ac.uk; Maier, Robert R. J.; Hand, Duncan P. [Institute of Photonics and Quantum Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS (United Kingdom); Bryce, Emma; Hutson, David; Kirk, Katherine [School of Engineering and Science, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley PA1 2BE (United Kingdom); Schwartz, Noah; Atkinson, David; Beard, Steven; Baillie, Tom; Parr-Burman, Phil [UK Astronomy Technology Centre, Royal Observatory, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ (United Kingdom); Strachan, Mel [Institute of Photonics and Quantum Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS (United Kingdom); UK Astronomy Technology Centre, Royal Observatory, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ (United Kingdom)

    2014-02-15

    A prototype of a scalable and potentially low-cost stacked array piezoelectric deformable mirror (SA-PDM) with 35 active elements is presented in this paper. This prototype is characterized by a 2 μm maximum actuator stroke, a 1.4 μm mirror sag (measured for a 14 mm × 14 mm area of the unpowered SA-PDM), and a ±200 nm hysteresis error. The initial proof of concept experiments described here show that this mirror can be successfully used for shaping a high power laser beam in order to improve laser machining performance. Various beam shapes have been obtained with the SA-PDM and examples of laser machining with the shaped beams are presented.

  7. Three-dimensional graphene based passively mode-locked fiber laser.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Y; Loeblein, M; Tsang, S H; Chow, K K; Teo, E H T

    2014-12-15

    We present an all-fiber passively mode-locked fiber laser incorporating three-dimensional (3D) graphene as a saturable absorber (SA) for the first time to the best of our knowledge. The 3D graphene is synthesized by template-directed chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The SA is then simply formed by sandwiching the freestanding 3D graphene between two conventional fiber connectors without any deposition process. It is demonstrated that such 3D graphene based SA is capable to produce high quality mode-locked pulses. A passively mode-locked fiber laser is constructed and stable output pulses with a fundamental repetition rate of ~9.9 MHz and a pulse width of ~1 ps are generated from the fiber laser. The average output power of the laser is ~10.5 mW while the output pulse is operating at single pulse region. The results imply that the freestanding 3D graphene can be applied as an effective saturable absorption material for passively mode-locked lasers.

  8. Broad-spectrum enhanced absorption of graphene-molybdenum disulfide photovoltaic cells in metal-mirror microcavity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang-Tao, Liu; Yun-Kai, Cao; Hong, Tong; Dai-Qiang, Wang; Zhen-Hua, Wu

    2018-04-01

    The optical absorption of graphene-molybdenum disulfide photovoltaic cells (GM-PVc) in wedge-shaped metal-mirror microcavities (w-MMCs) combined with a spectrum-splitting structure was studied. Results showed that the combination of spectrum-splitting structure and w-MMC can enable the light absorption of GM-PVcs to reach about 65% in the broad spectrum. The influence of processing errors on the absorption of GM-PVcs in w-MMCs was 3-14 times lower than that of GM-PVcs in wedge photonic crystal microcavities. The light absorption of GM-PVcs reached 60% in the broad spectrum, even with the processing errors. The proposed structure is easy to implement and may have potentially important applications in the development of ultra-thin and high-efficiency solar cells and optoelectronic devices.

  9. Effect of growth temperature and precursor concentration on synthesis of CVD-graphene from camphor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajaram, Narasimman; Patel, Biren; Ray, Abhijit; Mukhopadhyay, Indrajit

    2018-05-01

    Here, we have synthesized CVD-graphene from camphor by using atmospheric pressure (AP)-CVD system on Cu foil. We have studied the effect of growth temperature and camphor concentration by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The domain size of the graphene is increasing with an increase in the temperature and camphor quantity. The complete coverage of graphene on the Cu foil achieved at 1020 °C. Higher camphor quantity leads to growth of multilayer graphene. The graphene is transferred by PMMA-assisted method onto the glass substrate. The sheet resistance and transmittance of the graphene are 1.5 kohm/sq and 92.7%, respectively.

  10. Enriching PMMA nanospheres with adjustable charges as novel templates for multicolored dye-PMMA nanocomposites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Xumei; Xu Shuping; Xu Weiqing; Liang Chongyang; Li Hongrui; Sun Fei

    2011-01-01

    Multicolored fluorescent dye loaded PMMA nanospheres were synthesized by the electrostatic adsorption of dye molecules on the charged PMMA nanospheres, whose charges were adjusted by choosing different initiators. The charged PMMA nanospheres have a wider capacity and advantage for combining the charged dyes. The fluorescent dye-PMMA composite nanospheres possess the advantages of higher brightness, longer lifetime and stronger resistance to photobleaching relative to dye molecules. Dye leakage remained lower than 5% over one week. These fluorescent nanospheres have been used in biological labels in cell imaging. They can easily stain blood cancer cells without further surface modification.

  11. Ferroelectric Phase Diagram of PVDF:PMMA

    OpenAIRE

    Li, Mengyuan; Stingelin, Natalie; Michels, Jasper J.; Spijkman, Mark-Jan; Asadi, Kamal; Feldman, Kirill; Blom, Paul W. M.; de Leeuw, Dago M.

    2012-01-01

    We have investigated the ferroelectric phase diagram of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The binary nonequilibrium temperature composition diagram was determined and melting of alpha- and beta-phase PVDF was identified. Ferroelectric beta-PVDF:PMMA blend films were made by melting, ice quenching, and subsequent annealing above the glass transition temperature of PMMA, close to the melting temperature of PVDF. Addition of PMMA suppresses the crystallizatio...

  12. Microwave absorption properties of reduced graphene oxide strontium hexaferrite/poly(methyl methacrylate) composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Acharya, Sanghamitra; Ray, J.; Patro, T. U.; Alegaonkar, Prashant; Datar, Suwarna

    2018-03-01

    The key factors to consider when designing microwave absorber materials for eradication of electromagnetic (EM) pollution are absorption of incident EM waves and good impedance matching. By keeping these things in mind, flexible microwave absorber composite films can be fabricated by simple gel casting techniques using reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and strontium ferrite (SF) in a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix. SF nanoparticles are synthesized by the well known sol-gel method. Subsequently, reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and SF nanocomposite (RGOSF) are prepared through a chemical reduction method using hydrazine. The structure, morphology, chemical composition, thermal stability and magnetic properties of the nanocomposite are characterized in detail by various techniques. The SF particles are found to be nearly 500 nm and decorated on RGO sheets as revealed by field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy analysis. Fourier transform infrared and and Raman spectroscopy clearly show the presence of SF in the graphene sheet by the lower peak positions. Finally, ternary polymer composites of RGO/SF/PMMA are prepared by an in situ polymerization method. Magnetic and dielectric studies of the composite reveal that the presence of RGO/SF/PMMA lead to polarization effects contributing to dielectric loss. Also, RGO surrounding SF provides a conductive network in the polymer matrix which is in turn responsible for the magnetic loss in the composite. Thus, the permittivity as well as the permeability of the composite can be controlled by an appropriate combination of RGO and SF in PMMA. More than 99% absorption efficiency is achieved by a suitable combination of magneto-dielectric coupling in the X-band frequency range by incorporating 9 wt% of RGO and 1 wt% of SF in the polymer matrix.

  13. Fiber-integrated tungsten disulfide saturable absorber (mirror) for pulsed fiber lasers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Hao; Li, Irene Ling; Ruan, Shuangchen; Guo, Tuan; Yan, Peiguang

    2016-08-01

    We propose two schemes for achieving tungsten disulfide (WS2)-based saturable absorber (SA) and saturable absorber mirror (SAM). By utilizing the pulsed laser deposition method, we grow the WS2 film on microfiber to form an evanescent field interaction SA device. Incorporating this SA device into a common ring-cavity erbium-doped fiber (EDF) laser, stably passive mode-locking can be achieved with pulse duration of 395 fs and signal-to-noise ratio of 64 dB. We also produce a fiber tip integrated WS2-SAM by utilizing the magnetron sputtering technique (MST). This new type of SAM combines the WS2 layer as SA and gold mirror as high reflective mirror. By employing the WS2-SAM, we construct the linear-cavity EDF lasers, and achieve passive mode-locking operation with pulse duration of ˜1 ns and SNR of ˜61 dB. We further achieve stably passive Q-switching operation with pulse duration of ˜160 ns and pulse energy of 54.4 nJ. These fiber-integrated SAs and SAMs have merits of compactness and reliability, paving the way for the development of new photonic devices such as SAs for pulsed laser technology.

  14. Excitation of surface electromagnetic waves in a graphene-based Bragg grating.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sreekanth, Kandammathe Valiyaveedu; Zeng, Shuwen; Shang, Jingzhi; Yong, Ken-Tye; Yu, Ting

    2012-01-01

    Here, we report the fabrication of a graphene-based Bragg grating (one-dimensional photonic crystal) and experimentally demonstrate the excitation of surface electromagnetic waves in the periodic structure using prism coupling technique. Surface electromagnetic waves are non-radiative electromagnetic modes that appear on the surface of semi-infinite 1D photonic crystal. In order to fabricate the graphene-based Bragg grating, alternating layers of high (graphene) and low (PMMA) refractive index materials have been used. The reflectivity plot shows a deepest, narrow dip after total internal reflection angle corresponds to the surface electromagnetic mode propagating at the Bragg grating/air boundary. The proposed graphene based Bragg grating can find a variety of potential surface electromagnetic wave applications such as sensors, fluorescence emission enhancement, modulators, etc.

  15. Flexural-Phonon Scattering Induced by Electrostatic Gating in Graphene

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gunst, Tue; Kaasbjerg, Kristen; Brandbyge, Mads

    2017-01-01

    Graphene has an extremely high carrier mobility partly due to its planar mirror symmetry inhibiting scattering by the highly occupied acoustic flexural phonons. Electrostatic gating of a graphene device can break the planar mirror symmetry, yielding a coupling mechanism to the flexural phonons......-limiting factor, and show how the carrier density and temperature scaling of the mobility depends on the electrostatic environment. Our findings may explain the high deformation potential for in-plane acoustic phonons extracted from experiments and, furthermore, suggest a direct relation between device symmetry...

  16. Synthesis of few-layer graphene on a Ni substrate by using DC plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PE-CVD)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Jeong Hyuk; Castro, Edward Joseph; Hwang, Yong Gyoo; Lee, Choong Hun

    2011-01-01

    In this work, few-layer graphene (FLG) was successfully grown on polycrystalline Ni a large scale by using DC plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (DC PE-CVD), which may serve as an alternative route in large-scale graphene synthesis. The synthesis time had an effect on the quality of the graphene produced. The applied DC voltage, on the other hand, influenced the minimization of the defect densities in the graphene grown. We also present a method of producing a free-standing polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)/graphene membrane on a FeCl 3(aq) solution, which could then be transferred to the desired substrate.

  17. 21 CFR 888.3027 - Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement. 888... Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement. (a) Identification. Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement is a device...: Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) Bone Cement.” [67 FR 46855, July 17, 2002] ...

  18. Bosch-like method for creating high aspect ratio poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) structures

    KAUST Repository

    Haiducu, Marius

    2012-02-02

    This paper presents a method for etching millimetre-deep trenches in commercial grade PMMA using deep-UV at 254 nm. The method is based on consecutive cycles of irradiation and development of the exposed areas, respectively. The exposure segment is performed using an inexpensive, in-house built irradiation box while the development part is accomplished using an isopropyl alcohol (IPA):H2O developer. The method was tested and characterized by etching various dimension square test structures in commercial grade, mirrored acrylic. The undercut of the sidewalls due to the uncollimated nature of the irradiation light was dramatically alleviated by using a honeycomb metallic grid in between the irradiation source and the acrylic substrate and by rotating the latter using a direct current (DC) motor-driven stage. By using an extremely affordable set-up and non-toxic, environmentally friendly materials and substances, this process represents an excellent alternative to microfabricating microfluidic devices in particular and high aspect ratio structures in general using PMMA as substrate. © 2012 SPIE.

  19. Dielectric properties of PMMA/Soot nanocomposites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clayton, Lanetra M; Cinke, Martin; Meyyappan, M; Harmon, Julie P

    2007-07-01

    Dielectric analysis (DEA) of relaxation behavior in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) soot nanocomposites is described herein. The soot, an inexpensive material, consists of carbon nanotubes, amorphous and graphitic carbon and metal particles. Results are compared to earlier studies on PMMA/multi-walled nanotube (MWNT) composites and PMMA/single-walled nanotube (SWNT) composites. The beta relaxation process appeared to be unaffected by the presence of the soot, as was noted earlier in nanotube composites. The gamma relaxation region in PMMA, normally dielectrically inactive, was "awakened" in the PMMA/soot composite. This occurrence is consistent with previously published data on nanotube composites. The dielectric permittivity, s', increased with soot content. The sample with 1% soot exhibited a permittivity (at 100 Hz and 25 degrees C) of 7.3 as compared to 5.1 for neat PMMA. Soot increased the dielectric strength, deltaE, of the composites. The 1% soot sample exhibited a dielectric strength of 6.38, while the neat PMMA had a value of 2.95 at 40 degrees C. The symmetric broadening term (alpha) was slightly higher for the 1% composite at temperatures near the secondary relaxation and near the primary relaxation, but all samples deviated from symmetrical semi-circular behavior (alpha = 1). The impact of the soot filler is seen more clearly in dielectric properties than in mechanical properties studies conducted earlier.

  20. Wavelength tunable ultrafast fiber laser via reflective mirror with taper structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Li; Huang, Chuyun; Liu, Ting; Gogneau, Noelle; Bourhis, Eric; Gierak, Jacques; Oudar, Jean-Louis

    2016-12-20

    Laser sources with a controllable flexible wavelength have found widespread applications in optical fiber communication, optical sensing, and microscopy. Here, we report a tunable mode-locked fiber laser using a graphene-based saturable absorber and a tapered mirror as an end mirror in the cavity. The phase layer in the mirror is precisely etched by focused ion beam (FIB) milling technology, and the resonant wavelength of the mirror shifts correspond to the different etch depths. By scanning the tapered mirror mechanically, the center wavelength of a mode-locked fiber laser can be continuously tuned from 1562 to 1532 nm, with a pulse width in the sub-ps level and repetition rate of 27 MHz.

  1. Au nanoparticles in PMMA matrix: In situ synthesis and the effect of Au nanoparticles on PMMA conductivity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yilmaz, Eda; Suzer, Sefik

    2010-01-01

    Thin PMMA films with and without gold nanoparticles were subjected to ±10 V d.c. and a.c. (square wave) excitations in various frequencies while recording their XPS spectra, and the resulting differences due to charging were examined. Both pure PMMA films and films containing gold nanoparticles showed charging shifts, but those of pure PMMA were more extensive than of PMMA containing gold nanoparticles, suggesting enhanced conductivity, induced by the incorporated gold nanoparticles. Non-charging behavior for these films was also observed with the increase of gold nanoparticle concentration. Gold nanoparticles were in situ synthesized and photo-patterned within the polymer films by UV irradiation.

  2. Optical design for divertor Thomson scattering system for JT-60SA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kajita, Shin; Enokuchi, Akito; Hatae, Takaki; Itami, Kiyoshi; Hamano, Takashi; Kado, Shinichiro; Ohno, Noriyasu; Takeyama, Norihide

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: •A detailed designing for collection optical system of divertor Thomson scattering system in JT-60SA is conducted. •The assessment of the density and temperature errors of the measurement system is conducted. •It is shown that the measurement could be done with the temperature error of 50% when the density was 10 20 m −3 . •The availability of the laser transmission mirrors for the measurement system is discussed. •Several guidelines to improve the measurement system are discussed. -- Abstract: Optical design for divertor Thomson scattering system in JT-60SA has been conducted. The measurement system will use a Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm, and scattered photons are collected by a collection optical system. The collection optics consists of primary mirror, secondary mirror, relay optics, and fiber collection optics. The laser transmission mirror and collection optics were designed to be installed in a slender lower port of JT-60SA. The assessment of the measurement errors in temperature was conducted for the designed collection optical system. Because of spatial limitation, the solid angle from the measurement points would be small especially for the measurement points in high field side, and consequently, the temperature errors in the high field side would be considerably large. The effects of several improvements on the error are discussed. Moreover, an assessment for the in-vessel laser transmission metallic mirrors is conducted for the present design

  3. High performance MoS2 TFT using graphene contact first process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chih-Shiang Chang Chien

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available An ohmic contact of graphene/MoS2 heterostructure is determined by using ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS. Since graphene shows a great potential to replace metal contact, a direct comparison of Cr/Au contact and graphene contact on the MoS2 thin film transistor (TFT is made. Different from metal contacts, the work function of graphene can be modulated. As a result, the subthreshold swing can be improved. And when Vggraphene changes into p-type, so graphene contact can achieve lower off current by lowering the Fermi level. To further improve the performance of MoS2 TFT, a new method using graphene contact first and MoS2 layer last process that can avoid PMMA residue and high processing temperature is applied. MoS2 TFT using this method shows on/off current ratio up to 6×106 order of magnitude, high mobility of 116 cm2/V-sec, and subthreshold swing of only 0.515 V/dec.

  4. Enhanced electrical conductivity of poly(methyl methacrylate) filled with graphene and in situ synthesized gold nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Jie; Athanassiou, Athanassia; Bonaccorso, Francesco; Fragouli, Despina

    2018-06-01

    The improvement of the electrical conductivity of polymers by incorporating graphene has been intensively studied in recent years. To further boost the electrical conductivity, blending third-party additives into the polymer/graphene systems has been demonstrated as a viable strategy. Herein, we propose a simple route to increase the electrical conductivity of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/graphene nanoplatelet (GnP) composites, by the in situ synthesis of gold nanoparticles directly into the solid film. In particular, PMMA, GnPs and a gold precursor are solution blended to form the composite films. The subsequent heat-induced formation of gold nanoparticles directly in the solid state film, cause the significant decrease of the percolation threshold of GnPs loading, from 3% to 1% by weight in the composite. This is attributed to the preferential formation of the gold nanoparticles onto the GnPs, with synergistic effects beneficial for the improvement of the electrical conductivity. The formation procedure of the gold nanoparticles, and their arrangement into the composite matrix are studied. We demonstrate that following this straightforward process it is possible to form nanocomposites able to conduct efficiently electric current even at low graphene loadings preserving at the same time the mechanical properties of the polymer matrix.

  5. TEM specimen preparation of semiconductor-PMMA-metal interfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thangadurai, P.; Lumelsky, Yulia; Silverstein, Michael S.; Kaplan, Wayne D.

    2008-01-01

    Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) cross-section specimens of PMMA in contact with gold and Si were prepared by focused ion beam (FIB) and compared with plan-view PMMA specimens prepared by a dip-coating technique. The specimens were characterized by TEM and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). In the cross-section specimens, the thin films of PMMA were located in a Si-PMMA-Au multilayer. Different thicknesses of PMMA films were spin-coated on the Si substrates. The thickness of the TEM specimens prepared by FIB was estimated using EELS to be 0.65 of the plasmon mean-free-path. Along the PMMA-Au interface, Au particle diffusion into the PMMA was observed, and the size of the Au particles was in the range of 2-4 nm. Dip-coating of PMMA directly on Cu TEM grids resulted in thin specimens with a granular morphology, with a thickness of 0.58 of the plasmon mean-free-path. The dip-coated specimens were free from ion milling induced artifacts, and thus serve as control specimens for comparison with the cross-sectioned specimens prepared by FIB

  6. Graphene Oxide Monolayer as a Compatibilizer at the Polymer-Polymer Interface for Stabilizing Polymer Bilayer Films against Dewetting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Tae-Ho; Kim, Hyeri; Choi, Ki-In; Yoo, Jeseung; Seo, Young-Soo; Lee, Jeong-Soo; Koo, Jaseung

    2016-12-06

    We investigate the effect of adding graphene oxide (GO) sheets at the polymer-polymer interface on the dewetting dynamics and compatibility of immiscible polymer bilayer films. GO monolayers are deposited at the poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-polystyrene (PS) interface by the Langmuir-Schaefer technique. GO monolayers are found to significantly inhibit the dewetting behavior of both PMMA films (on PS substrates) and PS films (on PMMA substrates). This can be interpreted in terms of an interfacial interaction between the GO sheets and these polymers, which is evidenced by the reduced contact angle of the dewet droplets. The favorable interaction of GO with both PS and PMMA facilitates compatibilization of the immiscible polymer bilayer films, thereby stabilizing their bilayer films against dewetting. This compatibilization effect is verified by neutron reflectivity measurements, which reveal that the addition of GO monolayers broadens the interface between PS and the deuterated PMMA films by 2.2 times over that of the bilayer in the absence of GO.

  7. Conjugated polymer/graphene oxide nanocomposite as thermistor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Joshi, Girish M., E-mail: varadgm@gmail.com; Deshmukh, Kalim [Polymer Nanocomposite Laboratory, Material Physics Division, School of Advanced Sciences, VIT University, Vellore - 632014, TN (India)

    2015-06-24

    We demonstrated the synthesis and measurement of temperature dependent electrical resistivity of graphene oxide (GO) reinforced poly (3, 4 - ethylenedioxythiophene) - tetramethacrylate (PEDOTTMA)/Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) based nanocomposites. Negative temperature coefficient (NTC) was observed for 0.5, 1 % GO loading and the positive temperature coefficient (PTC) was observed for 1.5 and 2 % Go loading in the temperature (40 to 120 °C). The GO inducted nanocomposite perform as an excellent thermistor and suitable for electronic and sensor domain.

  8. Conjugated polymer/graphene oxide nanocomposite as thermistor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joshi, Girish M.; Deshmukh, Kalim

    2015-01-01

    We demonstrated the synthesis and measurement of temperature dependent electrical resistivity of graphene oxide (GO) reinforced poly (3, 4 - ethylenedioxythiophene) - tetramethacrylate (PEDOTTMA)/Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) based nanocomposites. Negative temperature coefficient (NTC) was observed for 0.5, 1 % GO loading and the positive temperature coefficient (PTC) was observed for 1.5 and 2 % Go loading in the temperature (40 to 120 °C). The GO inducted nanocomposite perform as an excellent thermistor and suitable for electronic and sensor domain

  9. Characterization of poly methyl methaacrylate and reduced graphene oxide composite for application as electrolyte in dye sensitized solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shrivatsav, Roshan; Mahalingam, Vignesh; Lakshmi Narayanan, E. R.; Naveen Balaji, N.; Balu, Murali; Krishna Prasad, R.; Kumaresan, Duraisamy

    2018-04-01

    Quasi-solid state iodide/triiodide redox electrolyte containing reduced graphene oxide and poly (methyl methaacrylate) (RGO-PMMA) composites for the fabrication of more durable, high performance dye sensitized solar cells are prepared. The morphological analysis of prepared RGO-PMMA composites showed formation of spherical like morphologies of RGO dispersed PMMA particles with their macroscopic inter-particle networks having voids. The x ray diffraction and electrical conductivity studies showed the addition of 1 wt% of filler RGO into amorphous PMMA matrix increased the electrical conductivity of the polymer composite about three orders of magnitude from 10‑7 and 10‑4 S cm‑1. Further, the photovoltaic current-voltage analysis of DSSCs with different RGO-PMMA composite based iodide/triiodide redox electrolytes showed the highest power conversion efficiency of 5.38% and the fill factor 0.63 for 2% RGO-PMMA electrolyte. The EIS analysis showed an increased recombination resistance (Rct2) at TiO2 electrode/dye/electrolyte interface due to the better electrical conductivity of RGO with good ionic conductivity in 2% RGO-PMMA composite based redox electrolyte boosted the generation of a high current density and fill factor in their DSSCs.

  10. Bloch Surface Waves Using Graphene Layers: An Approach toward In-Plane Photodetectors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richa Dubey

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available A dielectric multilayer platform was investigated as a foundation for two-dimensional optics. In this paper, we present, to the best of our knowledge, the first experimental demonstration of absorption of Bloch surface waves in the presence of graphene layers. Graphene is initially grown on a Cu foil via Chemical Vapor Deposition and transferred layer by layer by a wet-transfer method using poly(methyl methacrylate, (PMMA. We exploit total internal reflection configuration and multi-heterodyne scanning near-field optical microscopy as a far-field coupling method and near-field characterization tool, respectively. The absorption is quantified in terms of propagation lengths of Bloch surface waves. A significant drop in the propagation length of the BSWs is observed in the presence of graphene layers. The propagation length of BSWs in bare multilayer is reduced to 17 times shorter in presence of graphene monolayer, and 23 times shorter for graphene bilayer.

  11. PMMA-hydroxyapatite composite material retards fatigue failure of augmented bone compared to augmentation with plain PMMA: in vivo study using a sheep model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arabmotlagh, Mohammad; Bachmaier, Samuel; Geiger, Florian; Rauschmann, Michael

    2014-11-01

    Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is the most commonly used void filler for augmentation of osteoporotic vertebral fracture, but the differing mechanical features of PMMA and osteoporotic bone result in overload and failure of adjacent bone. The aim of this study was to compare fatigue failure of bone after augmentation with PMMA-nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (HA) composite material or with plain PMMA in a sheep model. After characterization of the mechanical properties of a composite material consisting of PMMA and defined amounts (10, 20, and 30% volume fraction) of HA, the composite material with 30% volume fraction HA was implanted in one distal femur of sheep; plain PMMA was implanted in the other femur. Native non-augmented bone served as control. Three and 6 months after implantation, the augmented bone samples were exposed to cyclic loading and the evolution of damage was investigated. The fatigue life was highest for the ovine native bone and lowest for bone-PMMA specimens. Bone-composite specimens showed significantly higher fatigue life than the respective bone-PMMA specimens in both 3- and 6-month follow-up groups. These results suggest that modification of mechanical properties of PMMA by addition of HA to approximate those of cancellous bone retards fatigue failure of the surrounding bone compared to augmented bone with plain PMMA. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. PMMA Wettability Caused by Ultraviolet Radiation

    OpenAIRE

    Dehtjars, J; Lancere, L; Poļaka, N; Soudnikovich, A; Tjuļkins, F; Valters, V

    2010-01-01

    The article is targeted to explore ultraviolet radiation (UV) influence on PMMAf or eye prostheses. UV beingt he Sun lightc omponenta nd could effect PMMA surface that in turn contributesi nteractionw ith tear. PMMA wettabilityw as poweredb y UV.

  13. Black tea assisted exfoliation using a kitchen mixer allowing one-step production of graphene

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ismail, Zulhelmi; Farhana Abu Kassim, Nurul; Hannifa Abdullah, Abu; Sakinah Zainal Abidin, Anis; Sameha Ismail, Fadwa; Yusoh, Kamal

    2017-07-01

    A kitchen mixer is one of the possible tools for the exfoliation of graphene. While organic solvents such as NMP or DMF are suitable for the exfoliation of graphite, the majority are toxic and dangerously harmful when exposed to humans and the environment. Therefore, an alternative solvent must be proposed for green and sustainable production of graphene. In this initial work, we have developed a new synthesis method for graphene through the direct exfoliation of graphite in commercial black tea. We found that our maximum yield concentration of graphene is Y  =  0.032 mg ml-l after 15 min of mixing. From the data of Raman, the level of defects in our produced graphene is suggested as being very minor (I D/I G  =  0.17), despite possible graphene functionalization by oxygen groups in tea. Incorporation of our graphene into PMMA results in shifting the onset temperature from 300 °C to 326 °C, which impressively validates the potential of the produced graphene as a thermal reinforcement material for polymer composites.

  14. High-transparency and low-resistivity poly (methylmethacrylate) films containing silver nanowires and graphene-oxide nanoplatelets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bang, Yo Han; Choo, Dong Chul; Kim, Tae Whan

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • PMMA films containing both Ag-NWs and GONPs were formed by using a transfer method. • Scanning electron microscopy images showed that the Ag-NWs on the PMMA film were partially covered with the GONPs. • Transmittance and the sheet resistance of the PMMA films were approximately 90% at 550 nm and 24 Ω/sq, respectively. • Uniformity of the sheet resistance was significantly improved due to the GONP treatment. • XPS spectra showed that the enhancement in the sheet resistance originated from the quaternary nitrogen in the GONPs. - Abstract: Nanocomposite films containing silver nanowires (Ag NWs) and graphene-oxide nanoplatelets (GONPs) were formed on glass, and the nanocomposite films were then transferred to poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) films. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that Ag NWs with a length of 20 μm and a width of 80 nm, together with GONPs with a size of 15 μm, had been formed on the PMMA film and that the Ag NWs on the PMMA film were partially covered with the GONPs. While the transmittance of the PMMA film with the Ag NWs and the GONPs was almost the same as that of the PMMA film with the Ag NWs alone, the corresponding sheet resistance was decreased due to the generation of quaternary nitrogen in the GONPs, which the results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy confirmed. The transmittance and the sheet resistance of the PMMA film containing Ag NWs and GONPs were approximately 90% at 550 nm and 24 Ohm/sq, respectively.

  15. Development of a linear motion antenna for the JT-60SA ECRF system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moriyama, Shinichi; Kobayashi, Takayuki; Isayama, Akihiko; Hoshino, Katsumichi; Suzuki, Sadaaki; Hiranai, Shinichi; Yokokura, Kenji; Sawahata, Masayuki; Terakado, Masayuki; Hinata, Jun; Wada, Kenji; Sato, Yoshikatsu

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► Development of an antenna featuring linear motion (LM) concept for long pulse electron cyclotron range of frequency (ECRF) heating and current drive in JT-60SA is in progress. ► A mock-up using a metallic sliding bearing with solid lubricant was fabricated. ► A vacuum pumping test with mass analyzer showed evidence of some hydrocarbons during shaft motion. ► Injection beam profile in toroidal beam scan was checked by low power measurement with mock-up. ► Current drive characteristics with the LM antenna for typical experimental scenarios of JT-60SA have been investigated by calculation. -- Abstract: Development of an antenna that features the linear motion (LM) concept for long-pulse electron-cyclotron range of frequency heating and current drive for the JT-60SA is in progress. Combining a linearly movable first mirror and a fixed curved second mirror allows the injection-beam angle to be controlled. Cooling water is fed through the drive shaft for the first mirror and through the fixed support for the second mirror. The shaft support structure uses a metallic sliding bearing with a solid lubricant. The sliding bearing supports combined linear and rotational motion, whereas a conventional ball bearing supports either linear or rotational motion. Therefore, the sliding bearing offers the advantage of reducing the support-structure volume, which is important in the design of the relatively narrow port duct of the JT-60SA. Recently, the sliding bearing has been installed into the mockup. Results of a vacuum test with a mass analyzer indicate the presence of hydrocarbons during shaft motion. The injection-beam profile obtained from a toroidal beam scan is checked against low-power measurements taken on the mockup. Finally, for typical JT-60SA experimental scenarios, heating- and current-drive characteristics of the LM antenna are investigated theoretically

  16. Graphene Based Terahertz Absorber Designed With Effective Surface Conductivity Approach

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andryieuski, Andrei; Pizzocchero, Filippo; Booth, Tim

    Young field of terahertz (THz) science and technology demands new materials and devices, such as filters, modulators, polarization converters and absorbers. Graphene, a recently discovered single-atom-thick material, provides exciting properties for functional terahertz applications. Graphene...... conductivity and how to use it in optical design. We demonstrate a tunable THz perfect absorber, which consists of continuous graphene various structured graphene metamaterials above a metal mirror. Changing the Fermi level from 0 eV to 0.5 eV allows for drastic changes in absorbance from less than 0.1 to 1...

  17. Structural, optical investigations of graphene from graphene oxide using green method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar, Dinesh; Shukla, Shobha; Saxena, Sumit

    2015-01-01

    Graphene nano sheets (GNS) are synthesized from Graphene Oxide (GO) using commercial sugar as a reducing agent. A green and facile approach is followed to synthesize chemically converted GNS using exfoliated GO as precursor. The merit of this method is that both the reducing agents themselves and the oxidized products are environmentally friendly. The prepared materials are characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Visible absorption spectroscopy, High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). The results of XRD, UV-vis analysis provide a clear indication of removal of oxygen-containing groups from GO and the formation of GNS

  18. Suitable alkaline for graphene peeling grown on metallic catalysts using chemical vapor deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Karamat, S., E-mail: shumailakaramat@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Middle East Technical University, Ankara 06800 (Turkey); COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad 54000 (Pakistan); Sonuşen, S. [Sabancı Üniversitesi (SUNUM), İstanbul 34956 (Turkey); Çelik, Ü. [Nanomagnetics Instruments, Ankara (Turkey); Uysallı, Y. [Department of Physics, Middle East Technical University, Ankara 06800 (Turkey); Oral, A., E-mail: orahmet@metu.edu.tr [Department of Physics, Middle East Technical University, Ankara 06800 (Turkey)

    2016-04-15

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Graphene layers were grown on Pt and Cu foil via ambient pressure chemical vapor deposition method and for the delicate removal of graphene from metal catalysts, electrolysis method was used by using different alkaline (sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide and barium hydroxide). • The delamination speed of PMMA/graphene stack was higher during the KOH and LiOH electrolysis as compare to NaOH and Ba(OH){sub 2}. Ba(OH){sub 2} is not advisable because of the residues left on the graphene surface which would further trapped in between graphene and SiO{sub 2}/Si surface after transfer. The average peeling time in case of Pt electrode is ∼6 min for KOH and LiOH and ∼15 min for NaOH and Ba(OH){sub 2}. • Electrolysis method also works for the Cu catalyst. The peeling of graphene was faster in the case of Cu foil due to small size of bubbles which moves faster between the stack and the electrode surface. The average peeling time was ∼3–5 min. • XPS analysis clearly showed that the Pt substrates can be re-used again. Graphene layer was transferred to SiO{sub 2}/Si substrates and to the flexible substrate by using the same peeling method. - Abstract: In chemical vapor deposition, the higher growth temperature roughens the surface of the metal catalyst and a delicate method is necessary for the transfer of graphene from metal catalyst to the desired substrates. In this work, we grow graphene on Pt and Cu foil via ambient pressure chemical vapor deposition (AP-CVD) method and further alkaline water electrolysis was used to peel off graphene from the metallic catalyst. We used different electrolytes i.e., sodium hydroxide (NaOH), potassium hydroxide (KOH), lithium hydroxide (LiOH) and barium hydroxide Ba(OH){sub 2} for electrolysis, hydrogen bubbles evolved at the Pt cathode (graphene/Pt/PMMA stack) and as a result graphene layer peeled off from the substrate without damage. The peeling time for KOH and Li

  19. Suitable alkaline for graphene peeling grown on metallic catalysts using chemical vapor deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karamat, S.; Sonuşen, S.; Çelik, Ü.; Uysallı, Y.; Oral, A.

    2016-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Graphene layers were grown on Pt and Cu foil via ambient pressure chemical vapor deposition method and for the delicate removal of graphene from metal catalysts, electrolysis method was used by using different alkaline (sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide and barium hydroxide). • The delamination speed of PMMA/graphene stack was higher during the KOH and LiOH electrolysis as compare to NaOH and Ba(OH)_2. Ba(OH)_2 is not advisable because of the residues left on the graphene surface which would further trapped in between graphene and SiO_2/Si surface after transfer. The average peeling time in case of Pt electrode is ∼6 min for KOH and LiOH and ∼15 min for NaOH and Ba(OH)_2. • Electrolysis method also works for the Cu catalyst. The peeling of graphene was faster in the case of Cu foil due to small size of bubbles which moves faster between the stack and the electrode surface. The average peeling time was ∼3–5 min. • XPS analysis clearly showed that the Pt substrates can be re-used again. Graphene layer was transferred to SiO_2/Si substrates and to the flexible substrate by using the same peeling method. - Abstract: In chemical vapor deposition, the higher growth temperature roughens the surface of the metal catalyst and a delicate method is necessary for the transfer of graphene from metal catalyst to the desired substrates. In this work, we grow graphene on Pt and Cu foil via ambient pressure chemical vapor deposition (AP-CVD) method and further alkaline water electrolysis was used to peel off graphene from the metallic catalyst. We used different electrolytes i.e., sodium hydroxide (NaOH), potassium hydroxide (KOH), lithium hydroxide (LiOH) and barium hydroxide Ba(OH)_2 for electrolysis, hydrogen bubbles evolved at the Pt cathode (graphene/Pt/PMMA stack) and as a result graphene layer peeled off from the substrate without damage. The peeling time for KOH and LiOH was ∼6 min and for NaOH and

  20. Raman Studies on Pre- and Post-Processed CVD Graphene Films Grown under Various Nitrogen Carrier Gas Flows

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beh, K. P.; Yam, F. K.; Abdalrheem, Raed; Ng, Y. Z.; Suhaimi, F. H. A.; Lim, H. S.; Mat Jafri, M. Z.

    2018-04-01

    In this work, graphene films were grown on copper substrates using chemical vapour deposition method under various N2 carrier flow rate. The samples were characterized using Raman spectroscopy. Three sets of Raman measurements have been performed: graphene/Cu (as-grown samples), pre-annealed graphene/glass, and post-annealed graphene/glass. It was found that the Raman spectra of graphene/Cu samples possessed a hump-shaped baseline, additionally higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) that leads to attenuation graphene-related bands. Significant improvement of SNR and flat baseline were observed for graphene films transferred on glass substrate. Further analysis on the remaining sets of Raman spectra highlighted minute traces of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) could yield misleading results. Hence, the set of Raman spectra on annealed graphene/glass samples would be suitable in further elucidating the effects of N2 carrier flow towards graphene growth. From there, higher N2 flow implied dilution of methanol/H2 mixture, limiting interactions between reactants and substrate. This leads to smaller crystallite size and lesser graphene layers.

  1. Integration of a Graphite/PMMA CompositeElectrode into a Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) Substrate for Electrochemical Detection in Microchips

    Science.gov (United States)

    Regel, Anne; Lunte, Susan

    2013-01-01

    Traditional fabrication methods for polymer microchips, the bonding of two substrates together to form the microchip, can make the integration of carbon electrodes difficult. We have developed a simple and inexpensive method to integrate graphite/PMMA composite electrodes (GPCEs) into a PMMA substrate. These substrates can be bonded to other PMMA layers using a solvent-assisted thermal bonding method. The optimal composition of the GPCEs for electrochemical detection was determined using cyclic voltammetry with dopamine as a test analyte. Using the optimized GPCEs in an all-PMMA flow cell with flow injection analysis, it was possible to detect 50 nM dopamine under the best conditions. These electrodes were also evaluated for the detection of dopamine and catechol following separation by microchip electrophoresis (ME). PMID:23670816

  2. Unusual reflection of electromagnetic radiation from a stack of graphene layers at oblique incidence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bludov, Yu V; Peres, N M R; Vasilevskiy, M I

    2013-01-01

    We study the interaction of electromagnetic (EM) radiation with single-layer graphene and a stack of parallel graphene sheets at arbitrary angles of incidence. It is found that the behavior is qualitatively different for transverse magnetic (or p-polarized) and transverse electric (or s-polarized) waves. In particular, the absorbance of single-layer graphene attains a minimum (maximum) for the p (s)-polarization at the angle of total internal reflection when the light comes from a medium with a higher dielectric constant. In the case of equal dielectric constants of the media above and beneath graphene, for grazing incidence graphene is almost 100% transparent to p-polarized waves and acts as a tunable mirror for the s-polarization. These effects are enhanced for a stack of graphene sheets, so the system can work as a broad band polarizer. It is shown further that a periodic stack of graphene layers has the properties of a one-dimensional photonic crystal, with gaps (or stop bands) at certain frequencies. When an incident EM wave is reflected from this photonic crystal, the tunability of the graphene conductivity renders the possibility of controlling the gaps, and the structure can operate as a tunable spectral-selective mirror. (paper)

  3. Thermal Degradation of Nanocomposited PMMA/TiO2 Nanocomposites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hafizah, Nik Noor; Mamat, Mohamad Hafiz; Rusop, Mohamad; Said, Che Mohamad Som; Abidin, Mohd Hanafiah

    2013-01-01

    The polymer nanocomposite is a new choice to conventionally filled polymers. The lack of proper binding between the filler and the polymer can lead the decrease of the thermal and other properties of the nanocomposites. In this study, the nanocomposited PMMA/TiO 2 nanocomposites were prepared using sonication and solution casting method at different weight percent TiO 2 . The aims of adding TiO 2 in the PMMA is to study the effects of TiO 2 nanofiller on the thermal properties nanocomposites. FESEM results show the higher amounts of TiO 2 in PMMA increase the rough surface morphology of the samples. Further, the Raman results reveal that the TiO 2 nanofiller were successfully intercalated into the PMMA matrix. In addition, the thermal properties of nanocomposited PMMA/TiO 2 nanocomposites were increased with the addition of TiO 2 in the PMMA.

  4. Fungicidal PMMA-Undecylenic Acid Composites

    OpenAIRE

    Milica Petrović; Debora Bonvin; Heinrich Hofmann; Marijana Mionić Ebersold

    2018-01-01

    Undecylenic acid (UA), known as antifungal agent, still cannot be used to efficiently modify commercial dental materials in such a way that this affects Candida. Actually, issues with Candida infections and fungal resistance compromise the use of Poly(methyl-methacrylate) (PMMA) as dental material. The challenge remains to turn PMMA into an antifugal material, which can ideally affect both sessile (attached) and planktonic (free-floating) Candida cells. We aimed to tackle this challenge by de...

  5. Investigation of the cleanliness of transferred graphene. The first step toward its application as a window material for electron microscopy and spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma, Tao; Miyazaki, Kotaro; Ariga, Hiroko; Takakusagi, Satoru; Asakura, Kiyotaka

    2015-01-01

    The cleanliness of transferred graphene is of significant importance for its application as the window material in environmental cells used for electron microscopy and spectroscopy. We investigated the dependence of the cleanliness of graphene on transfer routes, including FeCl 3 etching, (NH 4 ) 2 S 2 O 8 etching, electrochemical delamination, and O 2 -bubbling, by means of transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that electrochemical delamination provided the cleanest graphene with only a small amount of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) residue existing on the surface. (author)

  6. Improved sample holders for the PMMA dosimeters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kobayashi, Toshikazu; Sone, Koji; Iso, Katsuaki

    1994-01-01

    PMMA dosimeters are widely used for high dose dosimetry. Dose is determined by measuring the change in optical density of the irradiated PMMA dosimeter element. Measurement precision depends on the mounting method of a dosimeter element in the sample room of a spectrophotometer. We tried to prepare three types of holders, (holders A, B and C in Figs. 1-3), according to the shape of PMMA dosimeter elements. We measured optical density of the irradiated PMMA dosimeter elements by using the three types of holders. It is revealed that the holder of the type A gives more precise results for the Red 4034 or Gammachrome YR dosimeter than that of the type B. The measurements with a spectrophotometer using the type C holder gives better results for the Red acrylic dosimeter than the case of the measurements by the exclusive reader. (author)

  7. Combining protein-shelled platinum nanoparticles with graphene to build a bionanohybrid capacitor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    San, Boi Hoa; Kim, Jang Ah; Kulkarni, Atul; Moh, Sang Hyun; Dugasani, Sreekantha Reddy; Subramani, Vinod Kumar; Thorat, Nanasaheb D; Lee, Hyun Ho; Park, Sung Ha; Kim, Taesung; Kim, Kyeong Kyu

    2014-12-23

    The electronic properties of biomolecules and their hybrids with inorganic materials can be utilized for the fabrication of nanoelectronic devices. Here, we report the charge transport behavior of protein-shelled inorganic nanoparticles combined with graphene and demonstrate their possible application as a bionanohybrid capacitor. The conductivity of PepA, a bacterial aminopeptidase used as a protein shell (PS), and the platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) encapsulated by PepA was measured using a field effect transistor (FET) and a graphene-based FET (GFET). Furthermore, we confirmed that the electronic properties of PepA-PtNPs were controlled by varying the size of the PtNPs. The use of two poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-coated graphene layers separated by PepA-PtNPs enabled us to build a bionanohybrid capacitor with tunable properties. The combination of bioinorganic nanohybrids with graphene is regarded as the cornerstone for developing flexible and biocompatible bionanoelectronic devices that can be integrated into bioelectric circuits for biomedical purposes.

  8. PMMA-Etching-Free Transfer of Wafer-scale Chemical Vapor Deposition Two-dimensional Atomic Crystal by a Water Soluble Polyvinyl Alcohol Polymer Method

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Ngoc, Huynh; Qian, Yongteng; Han, Suk Kil; Kang, Dae Joon

    2016-09-01

    We have explored a facile technique to transfer large area 2-Dimensional (2D) materials grown by chemical vapor deposition method onto various substrates by adding a water-soluble Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) layer between the polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) and the 2D material film. This technique not only allows the effective transfer to an arbitrary target substrate with a high degree of freedom, but also avoids PMMA etching thereby maintaining the high quality of the transferred 2D materials with minimum contamination. We applied this method to transfer various 2D materials grown on different rigid substrates of general interest, such as graphene on copper foil, h-BN on platinum and MoS2 on SiO2/Si. This facile transfer technique has great potential for future research towards the application of 2D materials in high performance optical, mechanical and electronic devices.

  9. Fungicidal PMMA-Undecylenic Acid Composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milica Petrović

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Undecylenic acid (UA, known as antifungal agent, still cannot be used to efficiently modify commercial dental materials in such a way that this affects Candida. Actually, issues with Candida infections and fungal resistance compromise the use of Poly(methyl-methacrylate (PMMA as dental material. The challenge remains to turn PMMA into an antifugal material, which can ideally affect both sessile (attached and planktonic (free-floating Candida cells. We aimed to tackle this challenge by designing PMMA-UA composites with different UA concentrations (3–12%. We studied their physico-chemical properties, the antifungal effect on Candida and the cytotoxicity toward human cells. We found that UA changes the PMMA surface into a more hydrophilic one. Mainly, as-preparation composites with ≥6% UA reduced sessile Candida for >90%. After six days, the composites were still efficiently reducing the sessile Candida cells (for ~70% for composites with ≥6% UA. Similar results were recorded for planktonic Candida. Moreover, the inhibition zone increased along with the UA concentration. The antifungal effect of UA was also examined at the surface of an UA-loaded agar and the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC90 was below the lowest-studied 0.0125% UA. Furthermore, the embedded filamentation test after 24 h and 48 h showed complete inhibition of the Candida growth at 0.4% UA.

  10. Fungicidal PMMA-Undecylenic Acid Composites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petrović, Milica; Bonvin, Debora; Hofmann, Heinrich; Mionić Ebersold, Marijana

    2018-01-08

    Undecylenic acid (UA), known as antifungal agent, still cannot be used to efficiently modify commercial dental materials in such a way that this affects Candida . Actually, issues with Candida infections and fungal resistance compromise the use of Poly(methyl-methacrylate) (PMMA) as dental material. The challenge remains to turn PMMA into an antifugal material, which can ideally affect both sessile (attached) and planktonic (free-floating) Candida cells. We aimed to tackle this challenge by designing PMMA-UA composites with different UA concentrations (3-12%). We studied their physico-chemical properties, the antifungal effect on Candida and the cytotoxicity toward human cells. We found that UA changes the PMMA surface into a more hydrophilic one. Mainly, as-preparation composites with ≥6% UA reduced sessile Candida for >90%. After six days, the composites were still efficiently reducing the sessile Candida cells (for ~70% for composites with ≥6% UA). Similar results were recorded for planktonic Candida . Moreover, the inhibition zone increased along with the UA concentration. The antifungal effect of UA was also examined at the surface of an UA-loaded agar and the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC90) was below the lowest-studied 0.0125% UA. Furthermore, the embedded filamentation test after 24 h and 48 h showed complete inhibition of the Candida growth at 0.4% UA.

  11. Fungicidal PMMA-Undecylenic Acid Composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petrović, Milica; Hofmann, Heinrich

    2018-01-01

    Undecylenic acid (UA), known as antifungal agent, still cannot be used to efficiently modify commercial dental materials in such a way that this affects Candida. Actually, issues with Candida infections and fungal resistance compromise the use of Poly(methyl-methacrylate) (PMMA) as dental material. The challenge remains to turn PMMA into an antifugal material, which can ideally affect both sessile (attached) and planktonic (free-floating) Candida cells. We aimed to tackle this challenge by designing PMMA-UA composites with different UA concentrations (3–12%). We studied their physico-chemical properties, the antifungal effect on Candida and the cytotoxicity toward human cells. We found that UA changes the PMMA surface into a more hydrophilic one. Mainly, as-preparation composites with ≥6% UA reduced sessile Candida for >90%. After six days, the composites were still efficiently reducing the sessile Candida cells (for ~70% for composites with ≥6% UA). Similar results were recorded for planktonic Candida. Moreover, the inhibition zone increased along with the UA concentration. The antifungal effect of UA was also examined at the surface of an UA-loaded agar and the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC90) was below the lowest-studied 0.0125% UA. Furthermore, the embedded filamentation test after 24 h and 48 h showed complete inhibition of the Candida growth at 0.4% UA. PMID:29316713

  12. The surface properties of PS/PMMA blends nanostructured polymeric layers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prosycevas, I.; Tamulevicius, S.; Guobiene, A.

    2004-01-01

    Solvent cast thin films of blends polystyrene (PS) and poly (methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) with nominal compositions ranging from 25/75 wt.%/v% (w/v) up to 75/25 w/v PS/PMMA with toluene as the mutual solvent on crystalline Si (100) and silica substrates has been studied. Films of PS and PMMA blends have been examined by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and ellipsometry. The blend films with less than 50% PMMA bulk concentration generally exhibit pitted surfaces; the pit size varies with film thickness and bulk composition. When the PMMA bulk concentration is greater than 50%, the film surface can be described as island-like phase-separated structure. The surface segregation and morphology are explained in terms of solubility of the two polymers in the solvent and rewetting of PMMA relative to PS

  13. The inertial damping of the VIRGO superattenuator and the residual motion of the mirror

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Losurdo, Giovanni [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare - Sezione di Firenze, Lgo E Fermi, 2, Florence (Italy)

    2002-04-07

    The VIRGO superattenuator (SA) is effective in suppressing seismic noise below the expected thermal noise level above 4 Hz. However, the residual mirror motion associated with the SA normal modes can saturate the interferometer control system. This motion is reduced by implementing a wideband (DC-5 Hz) multidimensional active control (the so-called inertial damping) which makes use of both accelerometers and position sensors and of a digital signal processing (DSP) system. Feedback forces are exerted by coil-magnet actuators on the top of an inverted pendulum pre-isolator stage. The residual root mean square motion of the mirror in 10 s is less than 0.1 {mu}m.

  14. Novel porous graphene oxide and hydroxyapatite nanosheets-reinforced sodium alginate hybrid nanocomposites for medical applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xiong, Guangyao; Luo, Honglin; Zuo, Guifu; Ren, Kaijing; Wan, Yizao

    2015-01-01

    Graphene oxide (GO) and hydroxyapatite (HAp) are frequently used as reinforcements in polymers to improve mechanical and biological properties. In this work, novel porous hybrid nanocomposites consisting of GO, HAp, and sodium alginate (SA) have been prepared by facile solution mixing and freeze drying in an attempt to obtain a scaffold with desirable mechanical and biological properties. The as-prepared porous GO/HAp/SA hybrid nanocomposites were characterized by SEM, XRD, FTIR, TGA, and mechanical testing. In addition, preliminary cell behavior was assessed by CCK8 assay. It is found that the GO/HAp/SA nanocomposites show improved compressive strength and modulus over neat SA and HAp/SA nanocomposites. CCK8 results reveal that the GO/HAp/SA nanocomposites show enhanced cell proliferation over neat SA and GO/SA nanocomposite. It has been demonstrated that GO/HAp20/SA holds promise in bone tissue engineering. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • Graphene oxide (GO), hydroxyapatite (HAp), and alginate (SA) nanocomposites were fabricated. • The novel porous composites were prepared by solution mixture and freeze drying. • The GO/HAp/SA had porous structure with porosity > 85% and pore size > 150 μm. • The GO/HAp/SA exhibited improved mechanical properties over HAp/SA counterparts. • The GO/HAp/SA showed enhanced cell proliferation over GO/SA counterparts

  15. Novel porous graphene oxide and hydroxyapatite nanosheets-reinforced sodium alginate hybrid nanocomposites for medical applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xiong, Guangyao [School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, East China Jiaotong University, Nanchang 330013 (China); Luo, Honglin [Research Institute of Biomaterials and Transportation, East China Jiaotong University, Nanchang 330013 (China); School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Key Laboratory of Advanced Ceramics and Machining Technology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Zuo, Guifu [Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of Inorganic Nonmetallic Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Hebei United University, Tangshan 063009 (China); Ren, Kaijing [Department of Joint Surgery, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin 300211 (China); Wan, Yizao, E-mail: yzwantju@126.com [Research Institute of Biomaterials and Transportation, East China Jiaotong University, Nanchang 330013 (China); School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Key Laboratory of Advanced Ceramics and Machining Technology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China)

    2015-09-15

    Graphene oxide (GO) and hydroxyapatite (HAp) are frequently used as reinforcements in polymers to improve mechanical and biological properties. In this work, novel porous hybrid nanocomposites consisting of GO, HAp, and sodium alginate (SA) have been prepared by facile solution mixing and freeze drying in an attempt to obtain a scaffold with desirable mechanical and biological properties. The as-prepared porous GO/HAp/SA hybrid nanocomposites were characterized by SEM, XRD, FTIR, TGA, and mechanical testing. In addition, preliminary cell behavior was assessed by CCK8 assay. It is found that the GO/HAp/SA nanocomposites show improved compressive strength and modulus over neat SA and HAp/SA nanocomposites. CCK8 results reveal that the GO/HAp/SA nanocomposites show enhanced cell proliferation over neat SA and GO/SA nanocomposite. It has been demonstrated that GO/HAp20/SA holds promise in bone tissue engineering. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • Graphene oxide (GO), hydroxyapatite (HAp), and alginate (SA) nanocomposites were fabricated. • The novel porous composites were prepared by solution mixture and freeze drying. • The GO/HAp/SA had porous structure with porosity > 85% and pore size > 150 μm. • The GO/HAp/SA exhibited improved mechanical properties over HAp/SA counterparts. • The GO/HAp/SA showed enhanced cell proliferation over GO/SA counterparts.

  16. Strengthening of Poly Methyl Methacrylate (PMMA) through Electron Irradiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoo, Sung Ho; Lim, Hyung San; Ha, Jun Mok; Cho, Sung Oh [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-05-15

    Poly Methyl Methacrylate (PMMA) was previously known to show the deteriorating mechanical properties when irradiated with electrons. This is true for low electron irradiation does, but it was found, through experimentation, that at high irradiation dose, PMMA demonstrates improved mechanical properties. With enough electron irradiation dose, the scissions can form new links amongst one another to achieve stability that surpasses that of the PMMA in pre-irradiation treatment state. With higher irradiation dosage and beam strength, hardness of irradiated PMMA could be increased to a much greater extent. Electrons with 50keV of energy can only penetrate around 30 μm of PMMA, thus increasing the beam energy could potentially allow for hardening of not just the surface of the PMMA samples, but the whole samples themselves. Furthermore, Pencil Hardness Test is a method to roughly analyze a material's hardness and does not provide an accurate feedback on the mechanical properties of the material of interest. Hence, a more thorough and effective method of measuring data from the use of equipment such as IZOD Impact Tester, Strain-Stress Tester and Haze Meter will be utilized in the future.

  17. Selective Electroless Nickel Plating on PMMA using Chloroform Pre-Treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sipes, Nicholas

    In the past 5 years, we have discovered that chloroform promotes the adhesion of thin gold films to Poly(methyl methacrylate) surfaces. Based on this new understanding of the interaction of chloroform with PMMA and metal atoms, we were curious to see if chloroform would promote the adhesion of Nickel to PMMA deposited by electroless plating. My goal was to selectively electroless plate Nickel onto PMMA. Chloroform was spun-cast onto 1 inch square PMMA substrates. I used electrical tape to shield one half of the PMMA from the chloroform during spin-casting; this allowed for a direct comparison of treated vs. untreated. The samples were then put through hydrochloric acid and a series of baths provided by Transene Company Inc. to electrolessly deposit nickel on the sample. After many trials, there was a clear distinction in the adhesion strength of the Nickel to the plain PMMA surface vs. the chloroform pre-treated surface. Showing that it is possible to create chloroform sites via spin-casting for electroless nickel plating on PMMA opens up the challenge to better understand the chemistry taking place and to perfect the electroless plating process.

  18. Suitable alkaline for graphene peeling grown on metallic catalysts using chemical vapor deposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karamat, S.; Sonuşen, S.; Çelik, Ü.; Uysallı, Y.; Oral, A.

    2016-04-01

    In chemical vapor deposition, the higher growth temperature roughens the surface of the metal catalyst and a delicate method is necessary for the transfer of graphene from metal catalyst to the desired substrates. In this work, we grow graphene on Pt and Cu foil via ambient pressure chemical vapor deposition (AP-CVD) method and further alkaline water electrolysis was used to peel off graphene from the metallic catalyst. We used different electrolytes i.e., sodium hydroxide (NaOH), potassium hydroxide (KOH), lithium hydroxide (LiOH) and barium hydroxide Ba(OH)2 for electrolysis, hydrogen bubbles evolved at the Pt cathode (graphene/Pt/PMMA stack) and as a result graphene layer peeled off from the substrate without damage. The peeling time for KOH and LiOH was ∼6 min and for NaOH and Ba(OH)2 it was ∼15 min. KOH and LiOH peeled off graphene very efficiently as compared to NaOH and Ba(OH)2 from the Pt electrode. In case of copper, the peeling time is ∼3-5 min. Different characterizations like optical microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy were done to analyze the as grown and transferred graphene samples.

  19. Reflectance spectroscopy of PMMA implanted with 50 keV silicon ions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Florian, Bojana [Bulgarian Institute of Metrology, 2 Prof. P. Mutafchiev Str., 1797 Sofia (Bulgaria); Stefanov, Ivan [Department of Quantum Electronics, Faculty of Physics, Sofia University, 5 James Bourchier Blvd., 1164 Sofia (Bulgaria); Hadjichristov, Georgi [Institute of Solid State Physics, 72 Tzarigradsko Chaussee Blvd., 1784 Sofia (Bulgaria)

    2009-07-01

    Recently, the modification of the specular reflectivity of PMMA implanted with low-energy (50 keV) silicon ions was studied and nano-clusters formed in PMMA by Si{sup +} implantation were evidenced by Raman spectroscopy and electrical measurements. Further, the optical loss due to off-specular (diffuse) reflectivity of this ion-implanted polymer is also of practical interest for applications such as micro-optical lenses, diffraction gratings, Fresnel lenses, waveguides, etc. We examined both specular and diffuse reflectivity of Si{sup +} implanted PMMA in the UV-Vis-NIR. The effect from Si{sup +} implantation in the dose range 10{sup 14}-10{sup 17} ions/cm{sup 2} is linked to the structure formed in PMMA where the buried ion-implanted layer has a thickness up to 100 nm. As compared to the pristine PMMA, an enhancement of the reflectivity of Si{sup +} implanted PMMA is observed, that is attributed to the modification of the subsurface region of PMMA upon the ion implantation.

  20. Comparison of Flexural Strength of Different CAD/CAM PMMA-Based Polymers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alp, Gülce; Murat, Sema; Yilmaz, Burak

    2018-01-28

    To compare the flexural strength of different computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) poly(methyl methacrylate)-based (PMMA) polymers and conventional interim resin materials after thermocycling. Rectangular-shaped specimens (n = 15, for each material) (25 × 2 × 2 mm 3 ) were fabricated from 3 CAD/CAM PMMA-based polymers (Telio CAD [T]; M-PM-Disc [M]; Polident-PMMA [P]), 1 bis-acrylate composite resin (Protemp 4 [PT]), and 1 conventional PMMA (ArtConcept Artegral Dentine [C]) according to ISO 10477:2004 Standards (Dentistry-Polymer-Based Crown and Bridge Materials). The specimens were subjected to 10,000 thermocycles (5 to 55°C). Three-point flexural strength of the specimens was tested in a universal testing machine at a 1.0 mm/min crosshead speed, and the flexural strength data (σ) were calculated (MPa). The flexural strength values were statistically analyzed using 1-way ANOVA, and Tukey HSD post-hoc test for multiple comparisons (α = 0.05). Flexural strength values ranged between 66.1 ± 13.1 and 131.9 ± 19.8 MPa. There were significant differences among the flexural strengths of tested materials, except for between T and P CAD/CAM PMMA-based polymers (p > 0.05). CAD/CAM PMMA-based polymer M had the highest flexural strength and conventional PMMA had the lowest (p CAD/CAM PMMA-based T and P polymers had significantly higher flexural strength than the bis-acrylate composite resin (p CAD/CAM PMMA-based M (p CAD/CAM PMMA-based polymers was greater than the flexural strength of bis-acrylate composite resin, which had a greater flexural strength compared to conventional PMMA resin. © 2018 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

  1. Effects of Incorporating Carboxymethyl Chitosan into PMMA Bone Cement Containing Methotrexate.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bo-Ming Liu

    Full Text Available Treatment of bone metastases usually includes surgical resection with local filling of methotrexate (MTX in polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA cement. We investigated whether incorporating carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS in MTX-PMMA cement might overcome disadvantages associated with MTX. To determine the optimal CMCS+MTX concentration to suppress the viability of cancer cells, an integrated microfluidic chip culturing highly metastatic lung cancer cells (H460 was employed. The mechanical properties, microstructure, and MTX release of (CMCS+MTX-PMMA cement were evaluated respectively by universal mechanical testing machine, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, and incubation in simulated body fluid with subsequent HPLC-MS. Implants of MTX-PMMA and (CMCS+MTX-PMMA cement were evaluated in vivo in guinea pig femurs over time using spiral computed tomography with three-dimensional image reconstruction, and SEM at 6 months. Viability of H460 cells was significantly lowest after treatment with 57 μg/mL CMCS + 21 μg/mL MTX, which was thus used in subsequent experiments. Incorporation of 1.6% (w/w CMCS to MTX-PMMA significantly increased the bending modulus, bending strength, and compressive strength by 5, 2.8, and 5.2%, respectively, confirmed by improved microstructural homogeneity. Incorporation of CMCS delayed the time-to-plateau of MTX release by 2 days, but increased the fraction released at the plateau from 3.24% (MTX-PMMA to 5.34%. Relative to the controls, the (CMCS+MTX-PMMA implants integrated better with the host bone. SEM revealed pores in the cement of the (CMCS+MTX-PMMA implants that were not obvious in the controls. In conclusion, incorporation of CMCS in MTX-PMMA appears a feasible and effective modification for improving the anti-tumor properties of MTX-PMMA cement.

  2. Sensitive methanol sensor based on PMMA-G-CNTs nanocomposites deposited onto glassy carbon electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Mohammed M; Hussein, Mahmoud A; Alamry, Khalid A; Al Shehry, Faten M; Asiri, Abdullah M

    2016-04-01

    A new series of polymethyl methacrylate-graphene-carbon nanotubes crossbred nanocomposites in the form of PMMA-G-CNTs has been synthesized using simple dissolution procedure in organic media. The desired nanocomposites have been prepared using different loading (2 ∼ 30%) from consequently mixed GNPs/CNTs ratio and confirmed by various characterization techniques utilized to corroborate the assembly of these new hybrid series including X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The PMMA-G-CNTs nanocomposites were deposited on flat glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) to result in a sensor that has a fast response toward methanol in the phosphate buffer phase. Features including high sensitivity, low-sample volume, reliability, reproducibility, ease of integration, long-term stability, and enhanced electrochemical responses are investigated. The calibration plot is linear (r(2)=0.9895) over the 1.0 nmol L(-1) to 10.0 mmol L(-1) methanol concentration ranges. The sensitivity and detection limit is 13.491 µA cm(-2) mmol L(-2) and 0.39 ± 0.1 nmol L(-1) (at a signal-to-noise-ratio, SNR of 3), respectively. With such excellent features of analytical parameters, the developed sensor provides a new strategy for determination of methanol in biomedical and environmental analytes with satisfactory results. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Preparation and characterization of transparent PMMA-cellulose-based nanocomposites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiziltas, Esra Erbas; Kiziltas, Alper; Bollin, Shannon C; Gardner, Douglas J

    2015-01-01

    Nanocomposites of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and cellulose were made by a solution casting method using acetone as the solvent. The nanofiber networks were prepared using three different types of cellulose nanofibers: (i) nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC), (ii) cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and (iii) bacterial cellulose from nata de coca (NDC). The loading of cellulose nanofibrils in the PMMA varied between 0.25 and 0.5 wt%. The mechanical properties of the composites were evaluated using a dynamic mechanical thermal analyzer (DMTA). The flexural modulus of the nanocomposites reinforced with NDC at the 0.5 wt% loading level increased 23% compared to that of pure PMMA. The NFC composite also exhibited a slightly increased flexural strength around 60 MPa while PMMA had a flexural strength of 57 MPa. The addition of NDC increased the storage modulus (11%) compared to neat PMMA at room temperature while the storage modulus of PPMA/CNC nanocomposite containing 0.25 and 0.5 wt% cellulose increased about 46% and 260% to that of the pure PMMA at the glass transition temperature, respectively. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated that there was no significant change in thermal stability of the composites. The UV-vis transmittance of the CNF nanocomposites decreased by 9% and 27% with the addition of 0.25 wt% CNC and NDC, respectively. This work is intended to spur research and development activity for application of CNF reinforced PMMA nanocomposites in applications such as: packaging, flexible screens, optically transparent films and light-weight transparent materials for ballistic protection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Formation of hydrated layers in PMMA thin films in aqueous solution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Akers, Peter W. [School of Chemical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland (New Zealand); Nelson, Andrew R.J. [The Bragg Institute, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Menai, NSW (Australia); Williams, David E. [School of Chemical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland (New Zealand); MacDiarmid Institute of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington (New Zealand); McGillivray, Duncan J., E-mail: d.mcgillivray@auckland.ac.nz [School of Chemical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland (New Zealand); MacDiarmid Institute of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington (New Zealand)

    2015-10-30

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Homogeneous thin PMMA films prepared on Si/SiOx substrates and measured in air and water. • Reproducible formation of highly hydrated layer containing 50% water at the PMMA/SiOx interface. • When heated the films swell at 50 °C without loss of material. • Upon re-cooling to 25 °C the surface roughens and material is lost. - Abstract: Neutron reflectometry (NR) measurements have been made on thin (70–150 Å) poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) films on Si/SiOx substrates in aqueous conditions, and compared with parameters measured using ellipsometry and X-Ray reflectometry (XRR) on dry films. All techniques show that the thin films prepared using spin-coating techniques were uniform and had low roughness at both the silicon and subphase interfaces, and similar surface energetics to thicker PMMA films. In aqueous solution, NR measurements at 25 °C showed that PMMA forms a partially hydrated layer at the SiOx interface 10 Å under the film, while the bulk film remains intact and contains around 4% water. Both the PMMA film layer and the sublayer showed minimal swelling over a period of 24 h. At 50 °C, PMMA films in aqueous solution roughen and swell, without loss of PMMA material at the surface. After cooling back to 25 °C, swelling and roughening increases further, with loss of material from the PMMA layer.

  5. Formation of hydrated layers in PMMA thin films in aqueous solution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akers, Peter W.; Nelson, Andrew R.J.; Williams, David E.; McGillivray, Duncan J.

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Homogeneous thin PMMA films prepared on Si/SiOx substrates and measured in air and water. • Reproducible formation of highly hydrated layer containing 50% water at the PMMA/SiOx interface. • When heated the films swell at 50 °C without loss of material. • Upon re-cooling to 25 °C the surface roughens and material is lost. - Abstract: Neutron reflectometry (NR) measurements have been made on thin (70–150 Å) poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) films on Si/SiOx substrates in aqueous conditions, and compared with parameters measured using ellipsometry and X-Ray reflectometry (XRR) on dry films. All techniques show that the thin films prepared using spin-coating techniques were uniform and had low roughness at both the silicon and subphase interfaces, and similar surface energetics to thicker PMMA films. In aqueous solution, NR measurements at 25 °C showed that PMMA forms a partially hydrated layer at the SiOx interface 10 Å under the film, while the bulk film remains intact and contains around 4% water. Both the PMMA film layer and the sublayer showed minimal swelling over a period of 24 h. At 50 °C, PMMA films in aqueous solution roughen and swell, without loss of PMMA material at the surface. After cooling back to 25 °C, swelling and roughening increases further, with loss of material from the PMMA layer.

  6. PMMA/MWCNT nanocomposite for proton radiation shielding applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Zhenhao; Chen, Siyuan; Nambiar, Shruti; Sun, Yonghai; Zhang, Mingyu; Zheng, Wanping; Yeow, John T. W.

    2016-06-01

    Radiation shielding in space missions is critical in order to protect astronauts, spacecraft and payloads from radiation damage. Low atomic-number materials are efficient in shielding particle-radiation, but they have relatively weak material properties compared to alloys that are widely used in space applications as structural materials. However, the issues related to weight and the secondary radiation generation make alloys not suitable for space radiation shielding. Polymers, on the other hand, can be filled with different filler materials for reinforcement of material properties, while at the same time provide sufficient radiation shielding function with lower weight and less secondary radiation generation. In this study, poly(methyl-methacrylate)/multi-walled carbon nanotube (PMMA/MWCNT) nanocomposite was fabricated. The role of MWCNTs embedded in PMMA matrix, in terms of radiation shielding effectiveness, was experimentally evaluated by comparing the proton transmission properties and secondary neutron generation of the PMMA/MWCNT nanocomposite with pure PMMA and aluminum. The results showed that the addition of MWCNTs in PMMA matrix can further reduce the secondary neutron generation of the pure polymer, while no obvious change was found in the proton transmission property. On the other hand, both the pure PMMA and the nanocomposite were 18%-19% lighter in weight than aluminum for stopping the protons with the same energy and generated up to 5% fewer secondary neutrons. Furthermore, the use of MWCNTs showed enhanced thermal stability over the pure polymer, and thus the overall reinforcement effects make MWCNT an effective filler material for applications in the space industry.

  7. Synthesis and magnetic properties of bulk transparent PMMA/Fe-oxide nanocomposites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Shanghua; Qin, Jian; Fornara, Andrea; Toprak, Muhammet; Muhammed, Mamoun; Kim, Do Kyung

    2009-05-01

    PMMA/Fe-oxide nanocomposites are fabricated by a chemical method. Monodispersed Fe-oxide nanoparticles are well dispersed in the PMMA matrix by in situ polymerization, resulting in a bulk transparent polymeric nanocomposite. The magnetic behavior of the PMMA/Fe-oxide nanocomposites is investigated. The transparent PMMA/Fe-oxide nanocomposite has potentially interesting magneto-optic applications without compromising the advantages of a lightweight, noncorrosive polymeric material with very high transparency even for bulk samples.

  8. Synthesis and magnetic properties of bulk transparent PMMA/Fe-oxide nanocomposites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Shanghua; Qin Jian; Fornara, Andrea; Toprak, Muhammet; Muhammed, Mamoun; Kim, Do Kyung

    2009-01-01

    PMMA/Fe-oxide nanocomposites are fabricated by a chemical method. Monodispersed Fe-oxide nanoparticles are well dispersed in the PMMA matrix by in situ polymerization, resulting in a bulk transparent polymeric nanocomposite. The magnetic behavior of the PMMA/Fe-oxide nanocomposites is investigated. The transparent PMMA/Fe-oxide nanocomposite has potentially interesting magneto-optic applications without compromising the advantages of a lightweight, noncorrosive polymeric material with very high transparency even for bulk samples.

  9. Glass transition temperature of PMMA/modified alumina nanocomposite: Molecular dynamic study

    OpenAIRE

    Mohammadi, Maryam; Davoodi, Jamal; Javanbakht, Mahdi; Rezaei, Hamidreza

    2017-01-01

    In this study, the effect of alumina and modified alumina nanoparticles in a PMMA/alumina nanocomposite was investigated. To attain this goal, the glass transition behavior of poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA), PMMA/alumina and PMMA/hydroxylated alumina nanocomposites were investigated by molecular dynamic simulations (MD). All the MD simulations were performed using the Materials Studio 6.0 software package of Accelrys. To obtain the glass transition temperature, the variation of density vs. t...

  10. 3D-printed PMMA Preform for Hollow-core POF Drawing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zubel, M. G.; Fasano, Andrea; Woyessa, Getinet

    2016-01-01

    In this paper we report the first, to our knowledge, 3D-printed hollow-core poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) preform for polymer optical fibre drawing. It was printed of commercial PMMA by means of fused deposition modelling technique. The preform was drawn to cane, proving good enough quality...... of drawing process and the PMMA molecular weight to be appropriate for drawing. This ascertains that the manufacturing process provides preforms suitable for hollow-core fibre drawing. The paper focuses on maximisation of transparency of PMMA 3D printouts by optimising printing process parameters: nozzle...... temperature, printing speed and infill...

  11. Tribological and mechanical investigation of acrylic-based nanocomposite coatings reinforced with PMMA-grafted-MWCNT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Al-Kawaz, A. [UPR22/CNRS, Institut Charles Sadron, Université de Strasbourg, 23 Rue du Loess, BP 84047, F-67034 Strasbourg Cedex 2 (France); Rubin, A., E-mail: anne.rubin@ics-cnrs.unistra.fr [UPR22/CNRS, Institut Charles Sadron, Université de Strasbourg, 23 Rue du Loess, BP 84047, F-67034 Strasbourg Cedex 2 (France); Badi, N.; Blanck, C.; Jacomine, L. [UPR22/CNRS, Institut Charles Sadron, Université de Strasbourg, 23 Rue du Loess, BP 84047, F-67034 Strasbourg Cedex 2 (France); Janowska, I.; Pham-Huu, C. [Institute of Chemistry and Processes for Energy, Environment and Health (UMR 7515) CNRS - University of Strasbourg, 25 Rue Becquerel Strasbourg, 67087 Cedex 08 (France); Gauthier, C. [UPR22/CNRS, Institut Charles Sadron, Université de Strasbourg, 23 Rue du Loess, BP 84047, F-67034 Strasbourg Cedex 2 (France)

    2016-06-01

    The chemical functionalization of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) could improve their chemical compatibility. Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are prepared by in situ atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) using a “grafting from” approach. It allows the control of the thickness of the polymer layer grafted on MWCNTs from two parameters: the feed ratio of MMA to MWCNT, the volume fraction of solvent to MMA. This work compared the effect of several PMMA-grafted-MWNCT fillers embedded into a PMMA matrix, PMMA-grafted-MWCNT/PMMA, and obtained by solution mixing technique. We studied the tribological performances of 20 μm coatings of these nanocomposites deposited on neat PMMA. The percentage of embedded fillers is kept low to maintain the transparency of the PMMA. The coefficient of friction was found to relatively decrease with the increase of the weight fraction of polymer grafted to the surface of MWCNT. Moreover the elastic modulus also increased with increasing the weight fraction of PMMA coated MWCNT. - Highlights: • Synthesis of MWCNT-PMMA nanoparticles by ATRP “grafting from” approach. • PMMA-grafted-MWCNT/PMMA coatings with good mechanical properties. • High tribological performance of PMMA-grafted-MWCNT/PMMA coatings.

  12. Synthesis of graphene on nickel films by CVD method using methane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Castro, Manuela O. de; Liebold-Ribeiro, Yvonne; Barros, Eduardo B.; Salomao, Francisco C.C.; Mendes Filho, Josue; Souza Filho, Antonio G.; Chesman, Carlos

    2011-01-01

    Full text: Nanomaterials have opened up many possibilities for groundbreaking innovations in various technologies of modern society. One key example is graphene, which is composed of one-atom-thick sheet of sp2-bonded carbon atoms, arranged in a hexagonal symmetry. However, real world applications of graphene require well-established and large synthesis techniques. The so-called Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) is one of the most promising method for synthesizing graphene. The general idea of this technique is to dissolve carbon atoms inside a transition metal melt at a certain temperature, then allowing the dissolved carbon to precipitate at lower temperatures as single layer graphene (SLG). In the present work, we used the CVD method and methane gas as carbon source for the synthesis of graphene on silicon (Si) substrates (300nm thermal oxide) covered with sputtered nickel (Ni) films as catalyst. In order to achieve large-area and defect-free graphene sheets the influence of the different growth parameters (growth temperature and time, gas flow of methane, film thickness and grain size of Ni) on quality and quantity of graphene growth were studied. The obtained graphene films were transferred to a silicon substrate by the polymer coating process, using polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) as coating. In order to characterize the transferred graphene we used Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Raman Spectroscopy, Optical Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The results show the influence of CVD process parameters on the quality and quantity of graphene growth in our experimental conditions. Acknowledgments: The authors thank Brazilian agencies CNPq and FUNCAP for financial support and Alfonso Reina (MIT, USA) for helpful discussions. (author)

  13. Polyaniline nanofibers as a new gamma radiation stabilizer agent for PMMA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Polyanilines are reported to exhibit stabilizing effects in rubber mixtures submitted to gamma-irradiation and thermo-oxidative treatment. Such abilities may be explained by their action as radical scavengers. Since radical formation followed by main chain scission is a widely accepted mechanism for radiolytic degradation of PMMA, polyaniline is a promising additive for commercial plastics submitted to radiosterilization processing. In this work, we investigated the ability of polyaniline emeraldine salt nanofibers (PANF-HCl in preventing radiation damage on PMMA matrix. Effects of gamma-irradiation on PMMA/PANF-HCl composites films were assessed by comparison of the variation of viscosity-average molar mass (Mv of PMMA at 25 kGy dose when compared to commercial PMMA films. Samples containing 0.15% PANF-HCl (wt/wt retained 92% of the initial Mv after irradiation while control sample presented 42% of Mv retention. When exposed to 60-200 kGy doses, PANF-HCl embedded into PMMA matrix preserved their oxidation state but started to exhibit mild deprotonation. PANF-HCl nanofibers were characterized by Diffuse Reflection Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS and Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM. PMMA/PANF-HCl composites films were characterized by SEM and UV-VIS spectroscopy.

  14. Approach to osteomyelitis treatment with antibiotic loaded PMMA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wentao, Zhang; Lei, Guangyu; Liu, Yang; Wang, Wei; Song, Tao; Fan, Jinzhu

    2017-01-01

    To reduce the incidence of osteomyelitis infection, local antibiotic impregnated delivery systems are commonly used as a promising and effective approach to deliver high antibiotic concentrations at the infection site. The objective of this review was to provide a literature review regarding approach to osteomyelitis treatment with antibiotic loaded PMMA. Literature study regarding osteomyelitis treatment with antibiotic loaded carriers using key terms Antibiotic, osteomyelitis, biodegradable PMMA through published articles. Hands searching of bibliographies of identified articles were also undertaken. We concluded that Antibiotic-impregnated PMMA beads are useful options for the treatment of osteomyelitis for prolonged drug therapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Gate tuneable beamsplitter in ballistic graphene

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rickhaus, Peter; Makk, Péter, E-mail: Peter.Makk@unibas.ch; Schönenberger, Christian [Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, CH-4056 Basel (Switzerland); Liu, Ming-Hao; Richter, Klaus [Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Regensburg, D-93040 Regensburg (Germany)

    2015-12-21

    We present a beam splitter in a suspended, ballistic, multiterminal, bilayer graphene device. By using local bottomgates, a p-n interface tilted with respect to the current direction can be formed. We show that the p-n interface acts as a semi-transparent mirror in the bipolar regime and that the reflectance and transmittance of the p-n interface can be tuned by the gate voltages. Moreover, by studying the conductance features appearing in magnetic field, we demonstrate that the position of the p-n interface can be moved by 1 μm. The herein presented beamsplitter device can form the basis of electron-optic interferometers in graphene.

  16. UVO radiation effects on carbon nanotube/PMMA composites and their neutron reflectivity measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Najafi, Ebi; Koo, J. S.; Shin, K. W.

    2003-01-01

    Carbon nanotube(CNT)-Poly(methyl methacrylate)(PMMA) nanocomposite thin films have been studied. By irradiation of short wavelength ultraviolet(UV) light with ozone, the surface modification and stripping effects on their CNT/PMMA thin films was studied as a function of weight % of CNT in PMMA matrices. The experimental evidence indicates that the presence of CNT in PMMA matrix lowers significantly the stripping rate of the composites. In addition, changes of the rheological properties (i.e. diffusion coefficient) of PMMA molecules due to the presence of CNTs were also studied, in order to determine the microscopic interaction between diffusion coefficients of PMMA with and without CNTs was minimal

  17. Microwave-assisted activation for electroless nickel plating on PMMA microspheres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Yen-Chung [Graduate School of Defense Science, Chung Cheng Institute of Technology, National Defense University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan 335 (China); Materials and Electro-optics Research Division, Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan 325 (China); Liu, Robert Lian-Huey [Graduate School of Defense Science, Chung Cheng Institute of Technology, National Defense University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan 335 (China); Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Minghsin University of Science and Technology, Hsinchu Taiwan 304 (China); Chen, Xin-Liang [Graduate School of Defense Science, Chung Cheng Institute of Technology, National Defense University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan 335 (China); Shu, Hsiou-Jeng [Materials and Electro-optics Research Division, Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan 325 (China); Ger, Ming-Der, E-mail: mingderger@gmail.com [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Chung Cheng Institute of Technology, National Defense University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan 335 (China)

    2011-05-15

    A novel microwave-assisted activation method for electroless plating on PMMA microspheres is presented in this study. When the microwave irradiation was applied during the activation step, the amount of the Pd species adsorbed on PMMA surfaces was much higher than that of sample pretreated with a conventional activation process without microwave irradiation. With this activation method, it was also shown that the adsorbed Pd species with a size of 4-6 nm were uniformly distributed on the surfaces of the PMMA microspheres, thus a smooth and uniform nickel-phosphorus coating on the PMMA microspheres was obtained by subsequent electroless plating. The samples after each step were characterized by XPS, TEM, ICP and SEM.

  18. Proton beam writing of passive waveguides in PMMA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sum, T.C.; Bettiol, A.A.; Seng, H.L.; Rajta, I.; Kan, J.A. van; Watt, F.

    2003-01-01

    Symmetric y-branch buried channel waveguides in poly-methylmethacrylate (PMMA) were fabricated by proton beam writing using a focused sub-micron beam of 1.5 and 2.0 MeV protons with a dose ranging from 25 to 160 nC/mm 2 (i.e. ∼1.6 x 10 13 to 1.0 x 10 14 particles/cm 2 ) and beam currents of approximately 5-10 pA. The proton beam modifies the PMMA (i.e. changes the refractive index), forming buried channel waveguides near the end of range. The buried channel waveguides were end-coupled with monochromatic light (633 nm) and the transmitted intensity profiles were measured, indicating an intensity distribution of 0.45/0.55 from each branch. The surface compaction of the PMMA as a result of the irradiation for doses up to 160 nC/mm 2 was also investigated. From these investigations, the optimal fabrication conditions for proton beam writing of PMMA were established. Waveguides of arbitrary design can be easily fabricated using proton beam writing, making the technique ideal for the rapid prototyping of optical circuits

  19. Preparing patterned carbonaceous nanostructures directly by overexposure of PMMA using electron-beam lithography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Duan Huigao; Zhao Jianguo; Zhang Yongzhe; Xie Erqing [School of Physical Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Han Li [Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China)], E-mail: duanhg@gmail.com, E-mail: xieeq@lzu.edu.cn

    2009-04-01

    The overexposure process of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was studied in detail using electron-beam lithography. It was found that PMMA films could be directly patterned without development due to the electron-beam-induced collapse of PMMA macromolecular chains. By analyzing the evolution of surface morphologies and compositions of the overexposed PMMA films, it was also found that the transformation of PMMA from positive to negative resist was a carbonization process, so patterned carbonaceous nanostructures could be prepared directly by overexposure of PMMA using electron-beam lithography. This simple one-step process for directly obtaining patterned carbonaceous nanostructures has promising potential application as a tool to make masks and templates, nanoelectrodes, and building blocks for MEMS and nanophotonic devices.

  20. Polymeric phase change nanocomposite (PMMA/Fe:ZnO) for electronic packaging application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maji, Pranabi; Choudhary, Ram Bilash; Majhi, Malati

    2018-01-01

    This paper reported the effect of Fe-doped ZnO (Fe:ZnO) nanoparticles on the structural, morphological, thermal, optical and dielectric properties of PMMA matrix. Fe-doped ZnO nanoparticle was synthesized by co-precipitation method, after its surface modification incorporated into the PMMA matrix by free radical polymerization method. The phase analysis and crystal structure were investigated by XRD and FTIR technique. These studies confirmed the chemical structure of the PMMA/Fe:ZnO nanocomposite. FESEM image showed the pyramidal shape and high porosity of PMMA/Fe:ZnO nanocomposite. Thermal analysis of the sample was carried out by thermo-gravimetric analyzer. PMMA/Fe:ZnO nanocomposite was found to have better thermal stability compared to pure one. Broadband dielectric spectroscopic technique was used to investigate the transition of electrical properties of Fe-doped ZnO nanoparticle reinforced PMMA matrix in temperature range 313-373 K. The results elucidated a phase transition from glassy to rubbery state at 344 K.

  1. Engineering Graphene Films from Coal

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vijapur, Santosh H.

    temperature operation. Annealing of copper support was required to remove the oxide layer present on its surface and low pressure operation was demonstrated to be suitable for crystalline graphene film formation. The CVD system and the synthesis procedure were modified to address these issues. This was done by increasing the synthesis temperature, incorporating a vacuum pump for low pressure operation, and implementing two step procedure of annealing the copper substrate followed by subsequent coal pyrolysis for the synthesis of crystalline graphene films. The synthesized few layer graphene films were uniform and continuous with thickness in the range of 3-7 nm. The optical transmittance and electrical conductivity measurements demonstrated that the graphene films have >95 % transparency and sheet resistivity of 5.0 kO sq-1, respectively. An investigation of growth mechanism of coal derived graphene films synthesized via CVD was conducted utilizing spectroscopy, microscopy, and chromatography techniques. Gas collection was performed at the graphene synthesis conditions utilizing the CVD reactor without vacuum in operation. Various gases released as products of coal pyrolysis in the CVD reactor were collected and analyzed using gas chromatography. The analysis showed the presence of methane, ethane, ethene, propane, propene, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide as coal pyrolysis products. The hydrocarbon gases act as precursors for graphene growth. Raman spectroscopy, selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the formation of crystalline graphene films at 1055 °C and 18-30 min synthesis. The growth mechanism involves copper catalyzed reaction to produce amorphous carbon film within the first few minutes of synthesis. Raman spectroscopy and SAED validated that lower synthesis times (6-12 min) produced hybrid amorphous carbon films. This is followed by hydrogen catalyzed graphitization of the underlying carbon film to form

  2. Direct growth of graphene on quartz substrate as saturable absorber for femtosecond solid-state laser

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, S C; Man, B Y; Jiang, S Z; Chen, C S; Liu, M; Yang, C; Gao, S B; Zhang, C; Feng, D J; Huang, Q J; Hu, G D; Chen, X F

    2014-01-01

    We present a novel method for the direct metal-free growth of graphene on quartz substrate. The direct-grown graphene yields excellent nonlinear saturable absorption properties and is demonstrated to be suitable as a saturable absorber (SA) for an ultrafast solid-state laser. Nearly Fourier-limited 367 fs was obtained at a central wavelength of 1048 nm with a repetition rate of 105.7 MHz. At a pump power of 7.95 W, the average output power was 1.93 W and the highest pulse energy reached 18.3 nJ, with a peak power of 49.8 kW. Our work opens an easy route for making a reliable graphene SA with a mode-locking technique and also displays an exciting prospect in making low-cost and ultrafast lasers. (letter)

  3. Transfer of an exfoliated monolayer graphene flake onto an optical fiber end face for erbium-doped fiber laser mode-locking

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosa, Henrique Guimaraes; De Souza, Eunézio A Thoroh; Gomes, José Carlos Viana

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents, for the first time, the successful transfer of exfoliated monolayer graphene flake to the optical fiber end face and alignment to its core. By fabricating and optimizing a polymeric poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) substrate, it is possible to obtain a contrast of up to 11% for green light illumination, allowing the identification of monolayer graphene flakes that were transferred to optical fiber samples and aligned to its core. With Raman spectroscopy, it is demonstrated that graphene flake completely covers the optical fiber core, and its quality remains unaltered after the transfer. The generation of mode-locked erbium-doped fiber laser pulses, with a duration of 672 fs, with a single-monolayer graphene flake as a saturable absorber, is demonstrated for the first time. This transfer technique is of general applicability and can be used for other two-dimensional (2D) exfoliated materials. (letter)

  4. Study of mechanical behavior of PMMA in bending and after UV irradiation and gamma radiation; Estudo do comportamento mecanico do PMMA sob flexao apos irradiacao UV e gama

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Todt, M.L.; Kienen, V.D.; Azevedo, E.C., E-mail: helunica@yahoo.com.br [Universidade Tecnologica Federal do Parana (UTFPR), Curitiba, PR (Brazil)

    2014-07-01

    PMMA is a polymer that has density similar to water and refractive index alike to glass. It has been used in the substitution to roofing tiles and coverages, affording to be exposed to UV radiation and gamma radiation. This paper had the objective to study the effect in the flexural proprieties of the PMMA exposed to these types of radiations and the evaluation of the wettability through a contact angle measurer. The PMMA specimens have been submitted to 1500 h of UVA radiation, 1500 h of UVC radiation and to 25kGy of gamma radiation. The results show that the PMMA. (author)

  5. Synthesis and characterization of PMMA/clay nanocomposites prepared by in situ polymerization assisted by sonication; Sintese e caracterizacao de nanocompositos de PMMA/MMTO via polimerizacao in situ assistida por ultrassom

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Prado, Bruna R.; Bartoli, Julio R., E-mail: bartoli@unicamp.br [Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP (Brazil); Ito, Edson N. [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, RN (Brazil)

    2015-07-01

    In this work is presented the synthesis of nanocomposites of poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA, with organically montmorillonite (OMMT) modified clays by in situ polymerization assisted by sonication. A statistically designed experiment was used, central composing design (CCD), to study the effect of synthesis variables on the dispersion of nanoparticles in PMMA matrix. The processing and formulation factors studied were: energy of sonication and Flory-Huggins interaction parameter between PMMA and organoclay. The structural (XRD) and morphological (TEM) characterizations of the PMMA/OMMT nanocomposites are compared with the literature. It was observed significant exfoliation of OMMT modified with hydroxyl groups in the nanocomposites of PMMA, mainly at the low ultrasonic energy level (90 and 105 kJ) studied. (author)

  6. Synthesis and investigation of PMMA films with homogeneously dispersed multiwalled carbon nanotubes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pantoja-Castro, M.A.; Pérez-Robles, J.F.; González-Rodríguez, H.; Vorobiev-Vasilievitch, Y.; Martínez-Tejada, H.V.; Velasco-Santos, C.

    2013-01-01

    Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) modified by 2.2′-azoiso-butyronitrile (AIBN) were incorporated into methyl methacrylate (MMA) by sonochemistry method, resulting in homogenous dispersion of MWNT, which makes possible to obtain flexible conductive polymer-matrix nanocomposites films of PMMA, with MWNT concentrations ranging from 0 to 0.5 wt%. Modified MWNT (AIBN-MWNT) were studied by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and through visual observations in order to compare the dispersion in 2-propanone and toluene with that of pristine MWNT. Synthesized PMMA-AIBN-MWNT films were studied by FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy. Using FT-IR for the AIBN-MWNT it was not possible to identify any group or groups attached to the nanotubes. Raman spectroscopy shows a small modification in the Lorentzian peaks ratio I D/G of AIBN-MWNT, meanwhile XPS showed that atomic compositions does not change for AIBN-MWNT compared to the pristine nanotubes. Also by impedance it was analyzed the conductivity of PMMA-MWNT films and the results showed a threshold percolation at 0.5 wt%. FT-IR and Raman analyses for PMMA-AIBN-MWNT composite indicate a covalent bonding between PMMA and MWNT due to the opening of π-bonds of the nanotubes, which is related with a possible proposed reaction scheme. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • We used sonochemistry-in situ polymerization to disperse MWNT very soon in PMMA. • A high and homogenous dispersion of MWNT in PMMA was achieved. • The modification of MWNT by AIBN was analyzed using Raman. • A covalent bonding between PMMA and MWNT was analyzed by FT-IR and Raman. • According to the results of PMMA-MWNT it was proposed a scheme reaction

  7. Synthesis and investigation of PMMA films with homogeneously dispersed multiwalled carbon nanotubes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pantoja-Castro, M.A., E-mail: m_pantojaq@yahoo.com.mx [Facultad de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Av. J. Múgica S/N Col., Villa Universidad, CP 58040 Morelia, Michoacán (Mexico); Pérez-Robles, J.F. [Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Querétaro, Libramiento Norponiente #2000, Fracc. Real de Juriquilla, CP 76230 Querétaro (Mexico); González-Rodríguez, H. [Facultad de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Av. J. Múgica S/N Col., Villa Universidad, CP 58040 Morelia, Michoacán (Mexico); Vorobiev-Vasilievitch, Y. [Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Querétaro, Libramiento Norponiente #2000, Fracc. Real de Juriquilla, CP 76230 Querétaro (Mexico); Martínez-Tejada, H.V. [Instituto de Energía, Materiales y Medio Ambiente, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Circular 1 No. 70-01, Bloque 22, Medellín (Colombia); Velasco-Santos, C. [Centro de Física Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada, Universidad Autónoma de México, Av. Boulevard Juriquilla, No. 3001 Juriquilla, CP 76230 Querétaro (Mexico)

    2013-07-15

    Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) modified by 2.2′-azoiso-butyronitrile (AIBN) were incorporated into methyl methacrylate (MMA) by sonochemistry method, resulting in homogenous dispersion of MWNT, which makes possible to obtain flexible conductive polymer-matrix nanocomposites films of PMMA, with MWNT concentrations ranging from 0 to 0.5 wt%. Modified MWNT (AIBN-MWNT) were studied by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and through visual observations in order to compare the dispersion in 2-propanone and toluene with that of pristine MWNT. Synthesized PMMA-AIBN-MWNT films were studied by FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy. Using FT-IR for the AIBN-MWNT it was not possible to identify any group or groups attached to the nanotubes. Raman spectroscopy shows a small modification in the Lorentzian peaks ratio I{sub D/G} of AIBN-MWNT, meanwhile XPS showed that atomic compositions does not change for AIBN-MWNT compared to the pristine nanotubes. Also by impedance it was analyzed the conductivity of PMMA-MWNT films and the results showed a threshold percolation at 0.5 wt%. FT-IR and Raman analyses for PMMA-AIBN-MWNT composite indicate a covalent bonding between PMMA and MWNT due to the opening of π-bonds of the nanotubes, which is related with a possible proposed reaction scheme. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • We used sonochemistry-in situ polymerization to disperse MWNT very soon in PMMA. • A high and homogenous dispersion of MWNT in PMMA was achieved. • The modification of MWNT by AIBN was analyzed using Raman. • A covalent bonding between PMMA and MWNT was analyzed by FT-IR and Raman. • According to the results of PMMA-MWNT it was proposed a scheme reaction.

  8. Towards completely miscible PMMA nanocomposites reinforced by shear-stiff, nano-mica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ziadeh, Mazen; Weiss, Stephan; Fischer, Bianca; Förster, Stephan; Altstädt, Volker; Müller, Axel H E; Breu, Josef

    2014-07-01

    Optimizing the reinforcement of polymers with nanoplatelets requires optimization of the aspect ratio and the moduli of the filler while providing a complete stress transfer. Employing a novel shear-stiff, nano-mica with large aspect ratio, we focus on maximizing the interfacial interaction between filler and matrix. External surfaces of the nano-mica were selectively modified by a polycationic macro-initiator and two PMMA-polymer brushes of length below and above critical entanglement length, respectively, and the mechanical properties of the three PMMA nanocomposites were measured. The multiple electrostatic anchoring groups of the macro-initiator not only provide reliable adhesion but at the same time allow the variation of the degree of protonation providing a local match between the charge densities of the clay surface and the adsorbed macro-initiator. PMMA coating of the nano-mica via surface initiated polymerization yielded long-term stable suspensions in THF that showed birefringence of a nematic phase. Solution blending of the PMMA coated nano-mica allows for dispersing single clay tactoids in the translucent PMMA nanocomposites at 5 wt% clay loading as determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Although significantly improved mechanical properties could be achieved as compared to nanocomposites made with conventional clay fillers, the full potential - as expressed by Halpin-Tsai equations - of the PMMA coated nano-mica can still not be completely utilized. This is attributed to the non-wetting character of the densely packed PMMA brushes attached to planar nanoplatelets. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Polyethylene imine/graphene oxide layer-by-layer surface functionalization for significantly improved limit of detection and binding kinetics of immunoassays on acrylate surfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miyazaki, Celina M; Mishra, Rohit; Kinahan, David J; Ferreira, Marystela; Ducrée, Jens

    2017-10-01

    Antibody immobilization on polymeric substrates is a key manufacturing step for microfluidic devices that implement sample-to-answer automation of immunoassays. In this work, a simple and versatile method to bio-functionalize poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA), a common material of such "Lab-on-a-Chip" systems, is proposed; using the Layer-by-Layer (LbL) technique, we assemble nanostructured thin films of poly(ethylene imine) (PEI) and graphene oxide (GO). The wettability of PMMA surfaces was significantly augmented by the surface treatment with (PEI/GO) 5 film, with an 81% reduction of the contact angle, while the surface roughness increased by 600%, thus clearly enhancing wettability and antibody binding capacity. When applied to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), the limit of detection of PMMA surface was notably improved from 340pgmL -1 on commercial grade polystyrene (PS) and 230pgmL -1 on plain PMMA surfaces to 130pgmL -1 on (PEI/GO) 5 treated PMMA. Furthermore, the accelerated antibody adsorption kinetics on the LbL films of GO allowed to substantially shorten incubation times, e.g. for anti-rat IgG adsorption from 2h down to 15min on conventional and treated surfaces, respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. A Study on the Effect of Nano Alumina Particles on Fracture Behavior of PMMA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arezou Sezavar

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available In the current research, the role of nano-sized alumina on deformation and fracture mechanism of Poly Methyl Methacrylate (PMMA was investigated. For this purpose, PMMA matrix nanocomposite reinforced with different wt% of alumina (i.e., 5, 10 and 15 were fabricated using the compression molding technique. Tensile properties of produced nanocomposites were studied using Zwick Z250 apparatus at cross head speed of about 5 mm/min. In order to specify the role of alumina nanoparticles on deformation and fracture mechanism of PMMA, microscopic evaluation was performed using scanning electron microscope (SEM. The achieved results prove that tensile properties of PMMA depend on alumina wt%. For example, addition of 15 wt% alumina to PMMA causes an increase of about 25% modulus of elasticity. Micrographs taken from the fracture surface of PMMA and its nanocomposites show deformation and fracture mechanism of PMMA changes as alumina is added to it.

  11. Enhancement in insulation and mechanical properties of PMMA nanocomposite foams infused with multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeh, Jui-Ming; Chang, Kung-Chin; Peng, Chih-Wei; Lai, Mei-Chun; Hwang, Shyh-Shin; Lin, Hong-Ru; Liou, Shir-Joe

    2011-08-01

    In this study, PMMA/CNTs composite materials with carboxyl-multi walled carbon nanotubes (c-MWNTs) or untreated MWNTs were prepared via in-situ bulk polymerization. The as-prepared PMMA/CNTs composite materials were then characterized by Fourier-Transformation infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The molecular weights of PMMA extracted from PMMA/CNTs composite materials and bulk PMMA were determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) with THF used as the eluant. The PMMA/CNTs composite materials were used to produce foams by a batch process in an autoclave using nitrogen as foaming agent. The cellular microstructure, insulation and compressive mechanical properties of PMMA/CNTs composite foams were also investigated in detail. Compared to neat PMMA foam, the presence of CNTs increases in cell density and reduces cell size. The insulation and compressive mechanical properties of PMMA/CNTs composite foams were found to improve substantially those of neat PMMA foam. In particular, 22.6% decrease in thermal conductivity, 19.7% decrease in dielectric constant and 160% increase in compressive modulus were observed with the addition of 0.3 wt% carboxyl-multi walled carbon nanotubes (c-MWNTs).

  12. Comparative study between optical densitometry and spectrophotometry for evaluation of PMMA dosimeters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Louback, Luana Trevenzoli; Meira-Belo, Luiz C.

    2011-01-01

    The use of dosimetric systems based on color changes in PMMA is standardized by ISO/ASTM 51276:2002(E). In a general way, the evaluation of doses in these materials is done correlating the optical absorbance of the material and the absorbed dose. Usually, the absorbance is measured using a spectrophotometer at a wavelength suitably chosen. In the present work, it was performed a comparative study between the techniques of spectrophotometry and optical densitometry in dyed PMMA dosimeters type Harwell RED 4034 and PMMA samples commercially available in Brazil. The main results of this study were the determination of the radiochromic response for different samples of PMMA and the determination of the calibration conditions using a 60 Co beam. The studied materials are suitable for use as routine dosimeters, covering the range of the 500Gy to 100kGy. A direct comparison between the red dyed PMMA and the Harwell RED 4034 Perspex showed that the stabilization time and the fading of the radiochromic information in red dyed PMMA samples is higher than in RED 4034. However, both effects occur on period of weeks, which does not preclude its routine use. Furthermore, the increase in absorbance due to exposure to radiation, determined by the difference between specific absorbance of the irradiated sample and a non-irradiated one, is significantly higher in PMMA with red dyed that the RED 4034. In fact, the amplitude of absorbance peak of a sample irradiated with red dyed PMMA 2kGy and read at 602nm has the same order of magnitude from a peak of RED 4034 irradiated with 10 kGy and read at 640nm. A direct consequence of this fact is the real possibility of using simpler equipment (optical densitometer in this case) to measure the optical absorbance and evaluates the absorbed dose. (author)

  13. Study of PMMA materials for a digital optical module

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spina, Roberto; Tricarico, Luigi; Berardi, Vincenzo; De Rosa, Gianfranca; Ruggeri, Alan C.; Mastrorilli, Piero

    2018-05-01

    This work illustrates the material characterization to realize of a prototypal polymeric cover of a Digital Optical Module for the Hyper-Kamiokande neutrino experiment. The cover was made of a high transmittance poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA), used as a glass substitute. The main objective of the present research is to investigate the structural and optical properties of PMMA, evaluating the respect of the project specification.

  14. Optical transmission control in graphene oxide and its organic composites with ultrashort laser pulses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bala Murali Krishna, M; Narayana Rao, D; Venkatramaiah, N

    2014-01-01

    Nonlinear optical transmission of graphene oxide–(Cu, Zn, Sn, H 2 ) porphyrin composites was investigated using the Z-scan technique at 532 nm with picosecond (ps) and 800 nm with femtosecond laser pulses. Pure porphyrins show saturable absorption (SA) in reverse saturable absorption (RSA) behaviour and graphene oxide shows complete RSA behaviour, observed in an open aperture Z-scan curve. Interestingly, composites have shown a switch-over from reverse RSA to SA and back to RSA behaviour, observed with variation of intensity towards the focus, due to strong two-photon absorption as well as excited state absorption in the ps regime. This switching behaviour was interpreted as due to long lifetimes and saturation of the excited states. This may find application in optical switching. (paper)

  15. Incorporation of fluconazole in copolymer PMMA-g-PEG derivatives; Incorporacao de fluconazol em ineditos derivados do copolimero PMMA-g-PEG

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silveira, B.M.; Santos, V.M.R. dos; Novack, K.M.; Lopes, S.A., E-mail: vmrebello@yahoo.com.br [Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto (UFOP), MG (Brazil)

    2014-07-01

    The graft copolymer PMMA-g-PEG went through chemical transformations in its chain through acetylation, halogenation, methylation and esterification followed by hydrolysis reactions. Subsequently, the copolymer PMMA-g-PEG derivatives passed through the process of emulsification and incorporation of the drug fluconazole. Derivatives copolymers were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) after incorporation in order to evaluate their effectiveness. The efficiency of incorporation was observed and it was also verified that the complexity of polymer chain influence in the incorporated fluconazole content. (author)

  16. Adhesion of Candida albicans to Vanillin Incorporated Self-Curing Orthodontic PMMA Resin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zam, K.; Sawaengkit, P.; Thaweboon, S.; Thaweboon, B.

    2018-02-01

    It has been observed that there is an increase in Candida carriers during the treatment with orthodontic removable appliance. Vanillin is flavouring agent, which is known to have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of vanillin incorporated PMMA on adhesion of Candida albicans. A total of 36 orthodontic self-curing PMMA resin samples were fabricated. The samples were divided into 3 groups depending on percentage of vanillin incorporated (0.1%, 0.5% and PMMA without vanillin as control). PMMA samples were coated with saliva. The adhesion assay was performed with C. albicans (ATCC 10231). The adherent yeast cells were stained with crystal violet and counted under microscope by random selection of 3 fields at 10X magnification. The statistical analyses performed by Kruskal Wallis and Mann Whitney non-parametric test. It was found that the PMMA resin samples with vanillin incorporation significantly reduced the adhesion of C. albicans as compared to the control group. This study indicates that vanillin incorporated resin can impede the adhesion of C. albicans to about 45 - 56 %. With further testing and development, vanillin can be employed as an antifungal agent to prevent adhesion of C. albicans to orthodontic self-curing PMMA resin.

  17. Graphene for thermoelectronic solar energy conversion

    Science.gov (United States)

    De, Dilip K.; Olukunle, Olawole C.

    2017-08-01

    Graphene is a high temperature material which can stand temperature as high as 4600 K in vacuum. Even though its work function is high (4.6 eV) the thermionic emission current density at such temperature is very high. Graphene is a wonderful material whose work function can be engineered as desired. Kwon et al41 reported a chemical approach to reduce work function of graphene using K2CO3, Li2CO3, Rb2CO3, Cs2CO3. The work functions are reported to be 3.7 eV, 3.8 eV, 3.5 eV and 3.4 eV. Even though they did not report the high temperature tolerance of such alkali metal carbonate doped graphene, their works open a great promise for use of pure graphene and doped graphene as emitter (cathode) and collector (anode) in a solar thermionic energy converter. This paper discusses the dynamics of solar energy conversion to electrical energy using thermionic energy converter with graphene as emitter and collector. We have considered parabolic mirror concentrator to focus solar energy onto the emitter to achieve temperature around 4300 K. Our theoretical calculations and the modelling show that efficiency as high as 55% can easily be achieved if space-charge problem can be reduced and the collector can be cooled to certain proper temperature. We have discussed methods of controlling the associated space-charge problems. Richardson-Dushman equation modified by the authors have been used in this modelling. Such solar energy conversion would reduce the dependence on silicon solar panel and has great potential for future applications.

  18. Electrospun polyacrylonitrile nanofibers loaded with silver nanoparticles by silver mirror reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shi, Yongzheng; Li, Yajing; Zhang, Jianfeng; Yu, Zhongzhen; Yang, Dongzhi

    2015-01-01

    The silver mirror reaction (SMR) method was selected in this paper to modify electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers, and these nanofibers loaded with silver nanoparticles showed excellent antibacterial properties. PAN nanofibers were first pretreated in AgNO 3 aqueous solution before the SMR process so that the silver nanoparticles were distributed evenly on the outer surface of the nanofibers. The final PAN nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), TEM-selected area electron diffraction (SAED), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). SEM, TEM micrographs and SAED patterns confirmed homogeneous dispersion of the silver nanoparticles which were composed of monocrystals with diameters 20–30 nm. EDS and XRD results showed that these monocrystals tended to form face-centered cubic single silver. TGA test indicated that the nanoparticles loaded on the nanofibers reached above 50 wt.%. This material was also evaluated by the viable cell-counting method. The results indicated that PAN nanofibers loaded with silver nanoparticles exhibited excellent antimicrobial activities against gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli), gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and the fungus Monilia albicans. Thus, this material had many potential applications in biomedical fields. - Highlights: • Silver mirror reaction was used to prepare nanofibers loaded with silver nanoparticles. • The SAED patterns demonstrated the monocrystallinity of silver nanocrystals. • The XRD results showed nanoparticles tended to be face-centered cubic single silver. • The material showed excellent antimicrobial activities against bacteria and fungi

  19. Dielectric properties of PMMA-SiO2 hybrid films

    KAUST Repository

    Morales-Acosta, M. D.; Quevedo-Ló pez, Manuel Angel Quevedo; Alshareef, Husam N.; Gnade, Bruce E.; Ramí rez-Bon, Rafael

    2010-01-01

    Organic-inorganic hybrid films were synthesized by a modified sol-gel process. PMMASiO2 films were prepared using methylmethacrylate (MMA), tetraethil-orthosilicate (TEOS) as silicon dioxide source, and 3-trimetoxi-silil-propil-methacrylate (TMSPM) as coupling agent. FTIR measurements were performed on the hybrid films to confirm the presence of PMMA-SiO2 bonding. In addition, metal-insulator-metal (MIM) devices were fabricated to study the dielectric constant of the films as function of frequency (1 KHz to 1 MHz). Electrical results show a weak trend of the dielectric constant of the hybrid films with MMA molar ratio. More importantly, the PMMA-SiO2 hybrid films showed a higher dielectric constant than SiO2 and PMMA layers, which is likely due to the presence of additional C-O-C bond. © (2010) Trans Tech Publications.

  20. Dielectric properties of PMMA-SiO2 hybrid films

    KAUST Repository

    Morales-Acosta, M. D.

    2010-03-01

    Organic-inorganic hybrid films were synthesized by a modified sol-gel process. PMMASiO2 films were prepared using methylmethacrylate (MMA), tetraethil-orthosilicate (TEOS) as silicon dioxide source, and 3-trimetoxi-silil-propil-methacrylate (TMSPM) as coupling agent. FTIR measurements were performed on the hybrid films to confirm the presence of PMMA-SiO2 bonding. In addition, metal-insulator-metal (MIM) devices were fabricated to study the dielectric constant of the films as function of frequency (1 KHz to 1 MHz). Electrical results show a weak trend of the dielectric constant of the hybrid films with MMA molar ratio. More importantly, the PMMA-SiO2 hybrid films showed a higher dielectric constant than SiO2 and PMMA layers, which is likely due to the presence of additional C-O-C bond. © (2010) Trans Tech Publications.

  1. Phase Holograms In PMMA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maker, Paul D.; Muller, Richard E.

    1994-01-01

    Complex, computer-generated phase holograms written in thin films of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) by process of electron-beam exposure followed by chemical development. Spatial variations of phase delay in holograms quasi-continuous, as distinquished from stepwise as in binary phase holograms made by integrated-circuit fabrication. Holograms more precise than binary holograms. Greater continuity and precision results in decreased scattering loss and increased imaging efficiency.

  2. Green synthesis of amphipathic graphene aerogel constructed by using the framework of polymer-surfactant complex for water remediation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Jingjing; Wang, Ziyuan; Yang, Xianhou; Tu, Jing; Wu, Ronglan; Wang, Wei

    2018-06-01

    Graphene aerogels have been extensively studied in water treatment and oil remediation. We report a mild and green method to prepare a 3D-columnar graphene aerogel. The aerogel was synthesized by using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and stearic acid (SA) as crosslinking agents to construct a framework of reduced graphene oxide (RGO). The interaction between PVA, SA, and stacked RGO sheets created a mechanically very robust aerogel. The aerogel possesses ultra-light performance with the destiny ranging from 4.9 to 10 mg cm-3. The aerogel also demonstrated ultrafast oil absorption, good fire-resistance, and excellent mechanical properties. The adsorptive capacities are in the range of 105-250 times of its original weight for various organic liquids after the absorption. The aerogel also exhibited a strong durability and reusability, and after ten cycles of absorbing-squeezing, the adsorptive capacity is nearly unchanged, indicating potential application in practical oil remediation.

  3. Deep-UV patterning of commercial grade PMMA for low-cost, large-scale microfluidics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haiducu, M; Rahbar, M; Foulds, I G; Johnstone, R W; Sameoto, D; Parameswaran, M

    2008-01-01

    Although PMMA can be exposed using a variety of exposure sources, deep-UV at 254 nm is of interest because it is relatively inexpensive. Additionally, deep-UV sources can be readily scaled to large area exposures. Moreover, this paper will show that depths of over 100µm can be created in commercial grade PMMA using an uncollimated source. These depths are sufficient for creating microfluidic channels. This paper will provide measurements of the dissolution depth of commercial grade PMMA as a function of the exposure dose and etch time, using an IPA:H 2 O developer. Additionally, experiments were run to characterize the dependence of the dissolution rate on temperature and agitation. The patterned substrates were thermally bonded to blank PMMA pieces to enclose the channels and ports were drilled into the reservoirs. The resulting fluidic systems were then tested for leakage. The work herein presents the patterning, development and system behaviour of a complete microfluidics system based on commercial grade PMMA

  4. Synthesis and characterization of PMMA/clay nanocomposites prepared by in situ polymerization assisted by sonication

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prado, Bruna R.; Bartoli, Julio R.; Ito, Edson N.

    2015-01-01

    In this work is presented the synthesis of nanocomposites of poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA, with organically montmorillonite (OMMT) modified clays by in situ polymerization assisted by sonication. A statistically designed experiment was used, central composing design (CCD), to study the effect of synthesis variables on the dispersion of nanoparticles in PMMA matrix. The processing and formulation factors studied were: energy of sonication and Flory-Huggins interaction parameter between PMMA and organoclay. The structural (XRD) and morphological (TEM) characterizations of the PMMA/OMMT nanocomposites are compared with the literature. It was observed significant exfoliation of OMMT modified with hydroxyl groups in the nanocomposites of PMMA, mainly at the low ultrasonic energy level (90 and 105 kJ) studied. (author)

  5. Mirror boxes and mirror mounts for photophysics beamline

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raja Rao, P.M.; Raja Sekhar, B.N.; Das, N.C.; Khan, H.A.; Bhattacharya, S.S.; Roy, A.P.

    1996-01-01

    Photophysics beamline makes use of one metre Seya-Namioka monochromator and two toroidal mirrors in its fore optics. The first toroidal mirror (pre mirror) focuses light originating from the tangent point of the storage ring onto the entrance slit of the monochromator and second toroidal mirror (post mirror) collects light from the exit slit of the monochromator and focuses light onto the sample placed at a distance of about one metre away from the 2nd mirror. To steer light through monochromator and to focus it on the sample of 1mm x 1mm size require precision rotational and translational motion of the mirrors and this has been achieved with the help of precision mirror mounts. Since Indus-1 operates at pressures less than 10 -9 m.bar, the mirror mounts should be manipulated under similar ultra high vacuum conditions. Considering these requirements, two mirror boxes and two mirror mounts have been designed and fabricated. The coarse movements to the mirrors are imparted from outside the mirror chamber with the help of x-y tables and precision movements to the mirrors are achieved with the help of mirror mounts. The UHV compatibility and performance of the mirror mounts connected to mirror boxes under ultra high vacuum condition is evaluated. The details of the design, fabrication and performance evaluation are discussed in this report. 5 refs., 9 figs., 1 tab

  6. Study of anisotropic mechanical properties for aeronautical PMMA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Shang

    Full Text Available For the properties of polymer are relative to its structure, the main purpose of the present work is to investigate the mechanical properties of the aeronautical PMMA which has been treated by the directional tensile technology. Isodyne images reveal the stress state in directional PMMA. And then, an anisotropic mechanical model is established. Furthermore, all mechanical parameters are measured by the digital image correlation method. Finally, based on the anisotropic mechanical model and mechanical parameters, the FEM numerical simulation and experimental methods are applied to analyze the fracture mechanical properties along different directions.

  7. Electrospun polyacrylonitrile nanofibers loaded with silver nanoparticles by silver mirror reaction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shi, Yongzheng; Li, Yajing; Zhang, Jianfeng; Yu, Zhongzhen; Yang, Dongzhi, E-mail: yangdz@mail.buct.edu.cn

    2015-06-01

    The silver mirror reaction (SMR) method was selected in this paper to modify electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers, and these nanofibers loaded with silver nanoparticles showed excellent antibacterial properties. PAN nanofibers were first pretreated in AgNO{sub 3} aqueous solution before the SMR process so that the silver nanoparticles were distributed evenly on the outer surface of the nanofibers. The final PAN nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), TEM-selected area electron diffraction (SAED), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). SEM, TEM micrographs and SAED patterns confirmed homogeneous dispersion of the silver nanoparticles which were composed of monocrystals with diameters 20–30 nm. EDS and XRD results showed that these monocrystals tended to form face-centered cubic single silver. TGA test indicated that the nanoparticles loaded on the nanofibers reached above 50 wt.%. This material was also evaluated by the viable cell-counting method. The results indicated that PAN nanofibers loaded with silver nanoparticles exhibited excellent antimicrobial activities against gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli), gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and the fungus Monilia albicans. Thus, this material had many potential applications in biomedical fields. - Highlights: • Silver mirror reaction was used to prepare nanofibers loaded with silver nanoparticles. • The SAED patterns demonstrated the monocrystallinity of silver nanocrystals. • The XRD results showed nanoparticles tended to be face-centered cubic single silver. • The material showed excellent antimicrobial activities against bacteria and fungi.

  8. PMMA to Polystyrene bonding for polymer based microfluidic systems

    KAUST Repository

    Fan, Yiqiang

    2013-03-29

    A thermal bonding technique for Poly (methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) to Polystyrene (PS) is presented in this paper. The PMMA to PS bonding was achieved using a thermocompression method, and the bonding strength was carefully characterized. The bonding temperature ranged from 110 to 125 C with a varying compression force, from 700 to 1,000 N (0.36-0.51 MPa). After the bonding process, two kinds of adhesion quantification methods were used to measure the bonding strength: the double cantilever beam method and the tensile stress method. The results show that the bonding strength increases with a rising bonding temperature and bonding force. The results also indicate that the bonding strength is independent of bonding time. A deep-UV surface treatment method was also provided in this paper to lower the bonding temperature and compression force. Finally, a PMMA to PS bonded microfluidic device was fabricated successfully. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

  9. Printed wax masks for 254 nm deep-UV pattering of PMMA-based microfluidics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fan, Yiqiang; Liu, Yang; Li, Huawei; Foulds, Ian G

    2012-01-01

    This paper reports a new technique for masking deep-UV exposure of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) using a printed wax mask. This technique provides an inexpensive and bulk fabrication method for PMMA structures. The technique involves the direct printing of the mask onto a polymer sheet using a commercial wax printer. The wax layer was then transferred to a PMMA substrate using a thermal laminator, exposed using deep-UV (with a wavelength of 254 nm), developed in an IPA:water solution, and completed by bonding on a PMMA cap layer. A sample microfluidic device fabricated with this method is also presented, with the microchannel as narrow as 50 µm. The whole process is easy to perform without the requirement for any microfabrication facilities. (technical note)

  10. Mirroring

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wegener, Charlotte; Wegener, Gregers

    2016-01-01

    and metaphorical value of mirroring for creativity theory across two different research fields — neuroscience and learning. We engage in a mutual (possibly creative) exploration of mirroring from ‘mirror neurons’ to mirroring in social learning theory. One of the most fascinating aspects of mirroring...... as a neurobiological and as a learning phenomenon is that it points to the embodied and unconscious aspects of social interaction. Thus, mirroring should not be reduced to the non-creative, mechanical repetition of the original, outstanding creativity. To mirror is a human capability built into our capacity to create......Most definitions of creativity emphasise originality. The creative product is recognised as distinct from other products and the creative person as someone who stands out from the crowd. What tend to be overlooked are acts of mirroring as a crucial element of the creative process. The human ability...

  11. Influence of Doping Concentration on Dielectric, Optical, and Morphological Properties of PMMA Thin Films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lyly Nyl Ismail

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available PMMA thin films were deposited by sol gel spin coating method on ITO substrates. Toluene was used as the solvent to dissolve the PMMA powder. The PMMA concentration was varied from 30 ~ 120 mg. The dielectric properties were measured at frequency of 0 ~ 100 kHz. The dielectric permittivity was in the range of 7.3 to 7.5 which decreased as the PMMA concentration increased. The dielectric loss is in the range of 0.01 ~ –0.01. All samples show dielectric characteristics which have dielectric loss is less than 0.05. The optical properties for thin films were measured at room temperature across 200 ~ 1000 nm wavelength region. All samples are highly transparent. The energy band gaps are in the range of 3.6 eV to 3.9 eV when the PMMA concentration increased. The morphologies of the samples show that all samples are uniform and the surface roughness increased as the concentration increased. From this study, it is known that, the dielectric, optical, and morphology properties were influenced by the amount of PMMA concentration in the solution.

  12. A safe and cost-effective PMMA carbon source for MgB{sub 2}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ranot, Mahipal; Shinde, K. P.; Oh, Y. S.; Kang, S. H.; Chung, K. C. [Korea Institute of Materials Science, Changwon (Korea, Republic of); Jang, S. H. [Kiswire Advanced Technology Ltd, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Sinha, B. B. [National Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Mumbai, Mumbai (India); Bhardwaj, A. [Dept. of Physics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-03-15

    Carbon is proven to be very effective in pinning the magnetic vortices and improving the superconducting performance of MgB2 at high fields. In this work, we have used polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) polymer as a safe and cost effective carbon source. The effects of molecular weight of PMMA on crystal structure, microstructure as well as on superconducting properties of MgB2 were studied. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that there is a noticeable shift in (100) and (110) Bragg reflections towards higher angles, while no shift was observed in (002) reflections for MgB2 doped with different molecular weights of PMMA. This indicates that carbon could be substituted in the boron honeycomb layers without affecting the interlayer interactions. As compared to undoped MgB2, substantial enhancement in Jc(H) properties was obtained for PMMA-doped MgB2 samples both at 5 K and 20 K. The enhancement could be attributed to the effective carbon substitution for boron and the refinement of crystallite size by PMMA doping.

  13. Non-monotonic piezoresistive behaviour of graphene nanoplatelet (GNP-polymer composite flexible films prepared by solvent casting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Makireddi

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Graphene-polymer nanocomposite films show good piezoresistive behaviour and it is reported that the sensitivity increases either with the increased sheet resistance or decreased number density of the graphene fillers. A little is known about this behaviour near the percolation region. In this study, graphene nanoplatelet (GNP/poly (methyl methacrylate (PMMA flexible films are fabricated via solution casting process at varying weight percent of GNP. Electrical and piezoresistive behaviour of these films is studied as a function of GNP concentration. Piezoresistive strain sensitivity of the films is measured by affixing the film to an aluminium specimen which is subjected to monotonic uniaxial tensile load. The change in resistance of the film with strain is monitored using a four probe. An electrical percolation threshold at 3 weight percent of GNP is observed. We report non-monotonic piezoresistive behaviour of these films as a function GNP concentration. We observe an increase in gauge factor (GF with unstrained resistance of the films up to a critical resistance corresponding to percolation threshold. Beyond this limit the GF decreases with unstrained resistance.

  14. Polyaniline emeraldine base nanofibers as a radiostabilizing agent for PMMA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Araujo, Patricia L.B.; Ferreira, Carlas C.; Araujo, Elmo S.

    2007-01-01

    Polyaniline (PANI) presents antioxidant and radical-scavenging properties. Substances having these characteristics are good candidates for radioprotecting agents. Some studies have also shown results pointing out to biocompatibility and biodegradability of PANI. These characteristics are desirable for substances in contact with biological tissues and have important implications for inclusion of PANI in physical mixtures with conventional radiosterilizable polymers. In this work, nanofibers of polyaniline emeraldine doped with (±)-camphor-10-sulfonic acid (PANI-(±)-CSA) were prepared by self-assembly method. Polyaniline emeraldine base (PANI-EB) nanofibers were obtained after dedoping with NH 4 OH and used as additives in films of commercial poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). In order to assess possible radiostabilizing effects of PANI-EB and its aniline monomer (An) on the PMMA matrix, films containing 0.075 and 0.15% (wt/wt) of these substances were submitted to gamma irradiation from 25 to 75 kGy doses. Variation on viscosity-average molar mass (Mv) of the PMMA matrix at 25 kGy dose showed that samples containing An and PANI-EB nanofibers in amounts of 0.15% (wt/wt) underwent less degradation than control sample. When nanofibers were used as additives, no measurable variation of Mv could be detected in PMMA samples at this dose. At 75 kGy, all composites containing PANI-EB nanofibers underwent less degradation than control samples, suggesting that these additives are able to retain their action at doses higher than standard sterilization dose. These evidences show that PANI-EB nanofibers could be useful additives in commercial PMMA used in medical applications. FTIR spectroscopic characterization and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of PANI samples were also performed. (author)

  15. Printed wax masks for 254 nm deep-UV pattering of PMMA-based microfluidics

    KAUST Repository

    Fan, Yiqiang

    2012-01-13

    This paper reports a new technique for masking deep-UV exposure of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) using a printed wax mask. This technique provides an inexpensive and bulk fabrication method for PMMA structures. The technique involves the direct printing of the mask onto a polymer sheet using a commercial wax printer. The wax layer was then transferred to a PMMA substrate using a thermal laminator, exposed using deep-UV (with a wavelength of 254 nm), developed in an IPA:water solution, and completed by bonding on a PMMA cap layer. A sample microfluidic device fabricated with this method is also presented, with the microchannel as narrow as 50 μm. The whole process is easy to perform without the requirement for any microfabrication facilities. © 2012 IOP Publishing Ltd.

  16. Porous asymmetric SiO2-g-PMMA nanoparticles produced by phase inversion

    KAUST Repository

    Munirasu, Selvaraj

    2014-07-22

    A new kind of asymmetric organic-inorganic porous structure has been proposed. Asymmetric lattices of polymer grafted silica nanoparticles were manufactured by casting and phase inversion in water. Silica nanoparticles were first functionalized with 3-(dimethylethoxysilyl)propyl-2-bromoisobutyrate, followed by grafting of poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) segments, performed by atom-transfer radical polymerization. Mechanically stable self-standing films were prepared by casting a dispersion of functionalized nanoparticles in different solvents and immersion in water. The resulting asymmetrically porous morphology and nanoparticle assembly was characterized by scanning electron and atomic force microscopy. The PMMA functionalized SiO2 hybrid material in acetone or acetone/dioxane led to the best-assembled structures. Porous asymmetric membranes were prepared by adding free PMMA and PMMA terminated with hydrophilic hydroxyl group. Nitrogen flow of 2800 L m-2 h -1 was measured at 1.3 bar demonstrating the porosity and potential application for membrane technology. © 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York.

  17. Reinforcement of a PMMA resin for interim fixed prostheses with silica nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Topouzi, Marianthi; Kontonasaki, Eleana; Bikiaris, Dimitrios; Papadopoulou, Lambrini; Paraskevopoulos, Konstantinos M; Koidis, Petros

    2017-05-01

    Fractures in long span provisional/interim restorations are a common complication. Adequate fracture toughness is necessary to resist occlusal forces and crack propagation, so these restorations should be constructed with materials of improved mechanical properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible reinforcement of neat silica nanoparticles and trietoxyvinylsilane-modified silica nanoparticles in a PMMA resin for fixed interim restorations. Composite PMMA-Silica nanoparticles powders were mixed with PMMA liquid and compact bar shaped specimens were fabricated according to the British standard BS EN ISO 127337:2005. The single-edge notched method was used to evaluate fracture toughness (three-point bending test), while the dynamic thermomechanical properties (Storage Modulus, Loss Modulus, tanδ) of a series of nanocomposites with different amounts of nanoparticles (0.25%, 0.50%, 0.75%, 1% w.t.) were evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed and the statistically significant level was set to pPMMA resins used in fixed provisional restorations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Incorporation of fluconazole in copolymer PMMA-g-PEG derivatives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silveira, B.M.; Santos, V.M.R. dos; Novack, K.M.; Lopes, S.A.

    2014-01-01

    The graft copolymer PMMA-g-PEG went through chemical transformations in its chain through acetylation, halogenation, methylation and esterification followed by hydrolysis reactions. Subsequently, the copolymer PMMA-g-PEG derivatives passed through the process of emulsification and incorporation of the drug fluconazole. Derivatives copolymers were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) after incorporation in order to evaluate their effectiveness. The efficiency of incorporation was observed and it was also verified that the complexity of polymer chain influence in the incorporated fluconazole content. (author)

  19. Mechanical properties of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/polymethyl methacrylite (PMMA) nanocomposite prepared via the coagulation method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ismail, Noor Mazni; Aziz, Azizan; Jaafar, Mariatti

    2012-06-01

    Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) is well known as one of the best candidates for reinforcing the next generation of high performance nanocomposites due to its excellent mechanical properties. In this study, MWCNTs were dispersed in polymethyl methacrylite (PMMA) matrix to enhance its mechanical strength. MWCNT/PMMA were prepared by simple coagulation method and then hot-pressed to create nanocomposite film consists of rich nanotubes. Samples were prepared in respect to various high filler loading (1%, 3%, 5%, 7% and 10% wt.). Standard ASTM D790 flexural test was used to evaluate the mechanical properties of the composites. The morphology and surface fracture were observed via scanning electron microscope. The properties of the composites where found to be better than the neat PMMA. Flexural strength & flexural modulus of MWCNT/PMMA nanocomposite showed an improvement up to 24.1% and 107.7% compared to the neat PMMA, respectively. These studies therefore demonstrate that MWCNT/PMMA prepared by coagulation method able to successfully improve mechanical properties of PMMA.

  20. Preparation of Transparent Bulk TiO2/PMMA Hybrids with Improved Refractive Indices via an in Situ Polymerization Process Using TiO2 Nanoparticles Bearing PMMA Chains Grown by Surface-Initiated Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maeda, Satoshi; Fujita, Masato; Idota, Naokazu; Matsukawa, Kimihiro; Sugahara, Yoshiyuki

    2016-12-21

    Transparent TiO 2 /PMMA hybrids with a thickness of 5 mm and improved refractive indices were prepared by in situ polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in the presence of TiO 2 nanoparticles bearing poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) chains grown using surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP), and the effect of the chain length of modified PMMA on the dispersibility of modified TiO 2 nanoparticles in the bulk hybrids was investigated. The surfaces of TiO 2 nanoparticles were modified with both m-(chloromethyl)phenylmethanoyloxymethylphosphonic acid bearing a terminal ATRP initiator and isodecyl phosphate with a high affinity for common organic solvents, leading to sufficient dispersibility of the surface-modified particles in toluene. Subsequently, SI-ATRP of MMA was achieved from the modified surfaces of the TiO 2 nanoparticles without aggregation of the nanoparticles in toluene. The molecular weights of the PMMA chains cleaved from the modified TiO 2 nanoparticles increased with increases in the prolonging of the polymerization period, and these exhibited a narrow distribution, indicating chain growth controlled by SI-ATRP. The nanoparticles bearing PMMA chains were well-dispersed in MMA regardless of the polymerization period. Bulk PMMA hybrids containing modified TiO 2 nanoparticles with a thickness of 5 mm were prepared by in situ polymerization of the MMA dispersion. The transparency of the hybrids depended significantly on the chain length of the modified PMMA on the nanoparticles, because the modified PMMA of low molecular weight induced aggregation of the TiO 2 nanoparticles during the in situ polymerization process. The refractive indices of the bulk hybrids could be controlled by adjusting the TiO 2 content and could be increased up to 1.566 for 6.3 vol % TiO 2 content (1.492 for pristine PMMA).

  1. Mirror, mirror on the wall

    CERN Multimedia

    2005-01-01

    RICH 2, one of the two Ring Imaging Cherenkov detectors of the LHCb experiment, is being prepared to join the other detector elements ready for the first proton-proton collisions at LHC. The mirrors of the RICH2 detector are meticulously assembled in a clean room.In a large dark room, men in white move around an immense structure some 7 metres high, 10 metres wide and nearly 2.5 metres deep. Apparently effortlessly, they are installing the two large high-precision spherical mirrors. These mirrors will focus Cherenkov light, created by the charged particles that will traverse this detector, onto the photon detectors. Each spherical mirror wall is made up of facets like a fly's eye. Twenty-eight individual thin glass mirrors will all point to the same point in space to within a few micro-radians. The development of these mirrors has been technically demanding : Ideally they should be massless, sturdy, precise and have high reflectivity. In practice, though not massless, they are made from a mere 6 mm thin gl...

  2. Study of mechanical behavior of PMMA in bending and after UV irradiation and gamma radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Todt, M.L.; Kienen, V.D.; Azevedo, E.C.

    2014-01-01

    PMMA is a polymer that has density similar to water and refractive index alike to glass. It has been used in the substitution to roofing tiles and coverages, affording to be exposed to UV radiation and gamma radiation. This paper had the objective to study the effect in the flexural proprieties of the PMMA exposed to these types of radiations and the evaluation of the wettability through a contact angle measurer. The PMMA specimens have been submitted to 1500 h of UVA radiation, 1500 h of UVC radiation and to 25kGy of gamma radiation. The results show that the PMMA. (author)

  3. Printed wax masks for 254 nm deep-UV pattering of PMMA-based microfluidics

    KAUST Repository

    Fan, Yiqiang; Liu, Yang; Li, Huawei; Foulds, Ian G.

    2012-01-01

    This paper reports a new technique for masking deep-UV exposure of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) using a printed wax mask. This technique provides an inexpensive and bulk fabrication method for PMMA structures. The technique involves the direct

  4. Saturable Absorption and Modulation Characteristics of Laser with Graphene Oxide Spin Coated on ITO Substrate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xin Li

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The graphene oxide (GO thin film has been obtained by mixture of GO spin coated on substrate of indium tin oxide (ITO. The experiment has shown that continuous-wave laser is modulated when the graphene oxide saturable absorber (GO-SA is employed in the 1064 nm laser cavity. The shortest pulse width is 108 ns at the pump power of 5.04 W. Other output laser characteristics, such as the threshold pump power, the repetition rate, and the peak power, have also been measured. The results have demonstrated that graphene oxide is an available saturable absorber for 1064 nm passive Q-switching laser.

  5. Photoluminescent behaviors of several kinds of europium ternary complexes doped in PMMA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, H.-G.; Lee, Yong-Ill; Park, Seongtae; Jang, Kiwan; Kim, Sang Su

    2004-01-01

    Four kinds of europium ternary complexes; Eu(DBM) 3 phen, Eu(DBM) 3 (DB-bpy), Eu(DBM) 3 (DN-bpy) and Eu(DBM) 3 biq (DBM, phen, DB-bpy, DN-bpy and biq refer to Dibenzoylmethane, 1,10-phenanthroline, 4,4'-Di-tert-butyl-2,2'-dipyridyl, 4,4'-Dinonyl-2,2'-dipyridyl and 2,2'-Biquinoline, respectively), were doped in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix. The luminescence properties of the composites were investigated by emission spectroscopy and lifetime measurements. It was found that the composites formed by the three complexes, Eu(DBM) 3 phen, Eu(DBM) 3 (DB-bpy), and Eu(DBM) 3 (DN-bpy), exhibit strong luminescence and similar emission spectral characteristics to Eu(III). Whereas, Eu(DBM) 3 biq shows large differences in its luminescence spectrum compared to those of other complexes. The luminescence was very weak and broad. The emission spectral features of Eu(III) in the Eu(DBM) 3 biq/PMMA systems change with the molar ratios of the complex and PMMA. The lifetime of 5 D 0 level of Eu(III) in Eu(DBM) 3 biq/PMMA systems is shorter than those in the other systems. The luminescence intensity of Eu(III) in Eu(DBM) 3 biq/PMMA systems decreases gradually when exposed to UV-light while the broad emission band becomes stronger

  6. Interphase and magnetotransport of LSMO-PMMA nanocomposites obtained by a sonochemical method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Romero, Mariano [Centro NanoMat/Cryssmat Lab/Cátedra de Física – DETEMA – Facultad de Química – Universidad de la República (Uruguay); Centro Interdisciplinario de Nanotecnología, Química y Física de Materiales – Universidad de la República (Uruguay); Pardo, Helena, E-mail: hpardo@fq.edu.uy [Centro NanoMat/Cryssmat Lab/Cátedra de Física – DETEMA – Facultad de Química – Universidad de la República (Uruguay); Centro Interdisciplinario de Nanotecnología, Química y Física de Materiales – Universidad de la República (Uruguay); Faccio, Ricardo [Centro NanoMat/Cryssmat Lab/Cátedra de Física – DETEMA – Facultad de Química – Universidad de la República (Uruguay); Centro Interdisciplinario de Nanotecnología, Química y Física de Materiales – Universidad de la República (Uruguay); Tumelero, Milton A. [Laboratorio de filmes finos e superficies – Departamento de Física – Universidad Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis (Brazil); and others

    2015-05-15

    In this report, we studied the structural, microstructural and compositional trends in a manganite-polymethylmethacrilate (LSMO-PMMA) nanocomposite prepared by a sonochemical method focusing in the study of its interphase and its correlation with magnetotransport. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Raman scattering and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) studies showed evidence of PMMA reactivity with partial decomposition at the LSMO nanoparticles interface. Additionally, grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) showed information about the microstructure and the separation between nanoparticles in these nanocomposite materials. An enhancement in the low field magnetoresistance (LFMR) respect to pure LSMO was observed for a 20% weight fraction addition of PMMA in the high temperature regime (205–305 K) probably due to the increase in the magnetic disorder at the grain boundaries caused by the ultrasonic treatment. Nevertheless, lower PMMA weight fraction addition showed no enhancement in LFMR respect to pure LSMO, probably in agreement with the higher decomposition rate observed at the interphase. - Highlights: • We report the synthesis of LSMO-PMMA nanocomposites by a sonochemical method. • Compositional and microstructural trends were obtained from the interphase. • This method showed long-range homogeneity and enhancement of grain boundary disorder. • The enhancement on the LFMR respect to pure manganite was obtained at higher temperatures.

  7. Interphase and magnetotransport of LSMO-PMMA nanocomposites obtained by a sonochemical method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Romero, Mariano; Pardo, Helena; Faccio, Ricardo; Tumelero, Milton A.

    2015-01-01

    In this report, we studied the structural, microstructural and compositional trends in a manganite-polymethylmethacrilate (LSMO-PMMA) nanocomposite prepared by a sonochemical method focusing in the study of its interphase and its correlation with magnetotransport. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Raman scattering and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) studies showed evidence of PMMA reactivity with partial decomposition at the LSMO nanoparticles interface. Additionally, grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) showed information about the microstructure and the separation between nanoparticles in these nanocomposite materials. An enhancement in the low field magnetoresistance (LFMR) respect to pure LSMO was observed for a 20% weight fraction addition of PMMA in the high temperature regime (205–305 K) probably due to the increase in the magnetic disorder at the grain boundaries caused by the ultrasonic treatment. Nevertheless, lower PMMA weight fraction addition showed no enhancement in LFMR respect to pure LSMO, probably in agreement with the higher decomposition rate observed at the interphase. - Highlights: • We report the synthesis of LSMO-PMMA nanocomposites by a sonochemical method. • Compositional and microstructural trends were obtained from the interphase. • This method showed long-range homogeneity and enhancement of grain boundary disorder. • The enhancement on the LFMR respect to pure manganite was obtained at higher temperatures

  8. Mirror-Image Equivalence and Interhemispheric Mirror-Image Reversal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corballis, Michael C

    2018-01-01

    Mirror-image confusions are common, especially in children and in some cases of neurological impairment. They can be a special impediment in activities such as reading and writing directional scripts, where mirror-image patterns (such as b and d ) must be distinguished. Treating mirror images as equivalent, though, can also be adaptive in the natural world, which carries no systematic left-right bias and where the same object or event can appear in opposite viewpoints. Mirror-image equivalence and confusion are natural consequences of a bilaterally symmetrical brain. In the course of learning, mirror-image equivalence may be established through a process of symmetrization, achieved through homotopic interhemispheric exchange in the formation of memory circuits. Such circuits would not distinguish between mirror images. Learning to discriminate mirror-image discriminations may depend either on existing brain asymmetries, or on extensive learning overriding the symmetrization process. The balance between mirror-image equivalence and mirror-image discrimination may nevertheless be precarious, with spontaneous confusions or reversals, such as mirror writing, sometimes appearing naturally or as a manifestation of conditions like dyslexia.

  9. Mirror-Image Equivalence and Interhemispheric Mirror-Image Reversal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael C. Corballis

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Mirror-image confusions are common, especially in children and in some cases of neurological impairment. They can be a special impediment in activities such as reading and writing directional scripts, where mirror-image patterns (such as b and d must be distinguished. Treating mirror images as equivalent, though, can also be adaptive in the natural world, which carries no systematic left-right bias and where the same object or event can appear in opposite viewpoints. Mirror-image equivalence and confusion are natural consequences of a bilaterally symmetrical brain. In the course of learning, mirror-image equivalence may be established through a process of symmetrization, achieved through homotopic interhemispheric exchange in the formation of memory circuits. Such circuits would not distinguish between mirror images. Learning to discriminate mirror-image discriminations may depend either on existing brain asymmetries, or on extensive learning overriding the symmetrization process. The balance between mirror-image equivalence and mirror-image discrimination may nevertheless be precarious, with spontaneous confusions or reversals, such as mirror writing, sometimes appearing naturally or as a manifestation of conditions like dyslexia.

  10. The Effects of Lithium Triflate (LiCF3SO3) on the PMMA-based Solid Polymer Electrolytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chew, K. W.; Chen, S. S.; Pang, W. L.; Tan, C. G.; Osman, Z.

    2010-01-01

    The effects of Lithium triflate salt (LiCF 3 SO 3 ), on the poly (methyl methacrylate)(PMMA)-based solid polymer electrolytes plasticized with propylene carbonate (PC) solvated in Tetrahydrofuran (THF) have been studied through a.c impedance spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy. Lithium triflate was incorporated into the predetermined PMMA/PC system that has the highest value of ionic conductivity. In current investigations, four combination systems: Pure PMMA, (PMMA+PC) systems, (PMMA+LiCF 3 SO 3 ) and (PMMA+PC+LiCF 3 SO 3 ) systems were prepared using the solution cast method. Solutions were stirred for numerous hours to obtain a homogenous solution before it is poured into the petri dishes under ambient temperature to form the solid electrolyte thin film. The films were then removed from petri discs and transferred into the dessicator for further drying prior to the different tests. From the characterization done through the a.c impedance spectroscopy, the highest room temperature ionic conductivity in the pure PMMA sample, (PMMA+PC) system and (PMMA+LiCF 3 SO 3 ) system is 2.83x10 -12 Scm -1 , 4.39x10 -11 Scm -1 and 3.93x10 -6 Scm -1 respectively. The conductivity for (PMMA+PC+LiCF 3 SO 3 ) system was obtained with the 30 wt% of lithium triflate, which is 2.48x10 -5 Scm -1 . Infrared spectroscopy shows that complexation occurred between the polymer and the plasticizer, and the polymer and plasticizer and salt. The interactions have been studied in the C=O band, C-O-C band and the O-CH 3 band.

  11. Mirror Neurons and Mirror-Touch Synesthesia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linkovski, Omer; Katzin, Naama; Salti, Moti

    2016-05-30

    Since mirror neurons were introduced to the neuroscientific community more than 20 years ago, they have become an elegant and intuitive account for different cognitive mechanisms (e.g., empathy, goal understanding) and conditions (e.g., autism spectrum disorders). Recently, mirror neurons were suggested to be the mechanism underlying a specific type of synesthesia. Mirror-touch synesthesia is a phenomenon in which individuals experience somatosensory sensations when seeing someone else being touched. Appealing as it is, careful delineation is required when applying this mechanism. Using the mirror-touch synesthesia case, we put forward theoretical and methodological issues that should be addressed before relying on the mirror-neurons account. © The Author(s) 2016.

  12. A FEM simulation study of the solid state hydrostatic extrusion of PMMA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, André L. M.; Riffel, Douglas B.; Misiolek, Wojciech Z.; Valberg, Henry S.

    2018-05-01

    Solid state hydrostatic extrusion (SSHE) of polymers below glass transition temperature is used to obtain highly oriented structures. Experimental studies on the SSHE of polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) have been made since early eighties but there is no information on internal temperature, stress and strain distribution. In this work we have made 3D FEM simulations of SSHE of PMMA by using the commercial DEFORM package with experimental flow curves and thermal properties from literature. The initial temperature of tooling and workpiece was 90°C, ram speeds were 1.0 and 10.0 mm/min with extrusion ratio R = 3.0. For a comparative analysis, SSHE simulation of the AA7108 aluminum alloy at 400°C was also performed. These ranges of parameters were chosen in order to encompass the parameters found in previously mentioned experiments. The best correlation with experimental hydrostatic pressure was verified for a shear friction coefficient at the material-conical die interface m = 0.50. Force-displacement curve for PMMA presented a constitutive and thermal softening in contrast to a constant force curve for aluminum. The internal temperature in the deformation zone increased in a characteristic "owl's face" profile in contrast to quasi-constant profile of aluminum alloy. In both PMMA and aluminum the stress is hydrostatic inside the container, but the stress profiles are significantly different inside the deformation zone. As expected, the strain and strain-rate profiles are practically the same for the two materials, but the temperature profile has promoted slightly differences in material flow. The velocity gradient from center to surface is higher in PMMA than aluminum. It's supposed that during hydrostatic extrusion solid PMMA has a characteristic thermally-inducted mechanical behavior.

  13. Optical properties of Sr3B2O6:Dy3+/PMMA polymer nanocomposites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khursheed, Sumara; Kumar, Vinay; Singh, Vivek K.; Sharma, Jitendra; Swart, H. C.

    2018-04-01

    The paper presents a facile way to synthesize luminescent polymer nanocomposite (PNC) films consisting of nanophosphors (NPs) of rare earth ions doped alkaline earth borates (Sr3B2O6:Dy3+) dispersed in a polymer (PMMA) matrix via a solution casting method and the results of their detailed structural and optical properties measurements. The PNC films were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Photoluminescence (PL), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The crystallinity of the dispersed NPs did not suffer on account of being dispersed in the PMMA. The Rhombohedral structure and the formation of a single phase of Sr3B2O6:Dy3+ were confirmed by the XRD data of both the NP powders and the PNC films with an average particle size of 43 nm. Also, the observed PL emission and excitation spectra of the PNC films amply suggested that embedding of the nanophosphors in the PMMA matrix preserves their typical luminescence emission. The chromaticity coordinates (x = 0.37, y = 0.39) of the PNC films also validated the yellowish white emission of the nanophosphor. DSC scans on the PMMA only and the Sr3B2O6:Dy3+/PMMA films suggested an increase in the thermal stability of the PNC films as compared to pure PMMA although no significant change in the glass transition temperature was observed.

  14. Interphase and magnetotransport of LSMO-PMMA nanocomposites obtained by a sonochemical method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romero, Mariano; Pardo, Helena; Faccio, Ricardo; Tumelero, Milton A.; Plá Cid, Cristiani Campos; Castiglioni, Jorge; Pasa, André A.; Mombrú, Álvaro W.

    2015-05-01

    In this report, we studied the structural, microstructural and compositional trends in a manganite-polymethylmethacrilate (LSMO-PMMA) nanocomposite prepared by a sonochemical method focusing in the study of its interphase and its correlation with magnetotransport. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Raman scattering and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) studies showed evidence of PMMA reactivity with partial decomposition at the LSMO nanoparticles interface. Additionally, grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) showed information about the microstructure and the separation between nanoparticles in these nanocomposite materials. An enhancement in the low field magnetoresistance (LFMR) respect to pure LSMO was observed for a 20% weight fraction addition of PMMA in the high temperature regime (205-305 K) probably due to the increase in the magnetic disorder at the grain boundaries caused by the ultrasonic treatment. Nevertheless, lower PMMA weight fraction addition showed no enhancement in LFMR respect to pure LSMO, probably in agreement with the higher decomposition rate observed at the interphase.

  15. Optical Properties and Surface Morphology of Nano-composite PMMA: TiO2 Thin Films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lyly Nyl Ismail; Ahmad Fairoz Aziz; Habibah Zulkefle

    2011-01-01

    There are two nano-composite PMMA: TiO 2 solutions were prepared in this research. First solution is nano-composite PMMA commercially available TiO 2 nanopowder and the second solution is nano-composite PMMA with self-prepared TiO 2 powder. The self-prepared TiO 2 powder is obtained by preparing the TiO 2 sol-gel. Solvo thermal method were used to dry the TiO 2 sol-gel and obtained TiO 2 crystal. Ball millers were used to grind the TiO 2 crystal in order to obtained nano sized powder. Triton-X was used as surfactant to stabilizer the composite between PMMA: TiO 2 . Besides comparing the nano-composite solution, we also studied the effect of the thin films thickness on the optical properties and surface morphology of the thin films. The thin films were deposited by sol-gel spin coating method on glass substrates. The optical properties and surface characterization were measured with UV-VIS spectrometer equipment and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The result showed that nano-composite PMMA with self prepared TiO 2 give high optical transparency than nano-composite PMMA with commercially available TiO 2 nano powder. The results also indicate as the thickness is increased the optical transparency are decreased. Both AFM images showed that the agglomerations of TiO 2 particles are occurred on the thin films and the surface roughness is increased when the thickness is increased. High agglomeration particles exist in the AFM images for nano-composite PMMA: TiO 2 with TiO 2 nano powder compare to the other nano-composite solution. (author)

  16. PS-b-PMMA/PLA blends for nanoporous templates with hierarchical and tunable pore size

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Thi-Hoa; Vayer, Marylène; Sinturel, Christophe

    2018-01-01

    Blends of poly(styrene)-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) and poly(lactide) (PLA) were deposited in the form of thin films on the surface of modified silicon wafers and exposed to tetrahydrofuran (THF) vapor annealing. It was shown that in specific experimental conditions, a core-shell morphology consisting in cylinders with a PMMA shell and a PLA core, within a continuous matrix of PS, was formed. In this case, PLA naturally segregated in the core of the PMMA cylinders, minimizing the PS/PLA interaction, which constitutes the most incompatible pair (the interaction strength between the various components was confirmed in thin films of the corresponding polymer blends). Compared to other block copolymer/homopolymer blends described in the literature, this system exhibits unexpected high increase of the characteristic lengths of the system (center-to-center distance and diameter). This was attributed to a partial solubilization of the PLA in the PMMA corona (the two polymers are highly compatible), inducing an enhanced level of PS and PLA stretching caused by the strong repulsion between these two polymers. The selective extraction of the PLA yielded to porous domains with small dimensions (6 ± 2.5 nm), reaching the performances that are currently attained in highly incompatible block polymers with low molecular weight. Further PMMA removal revealed a second porosity level, with higher pores diameter and center-to-center distance compared to the neat PS-b-PMMA system. This work highlights how PS-b-PMMA, that currently represents one of the industrial standards nanoporous template precursors, can be modified in an easy and costless approach using PLA homopolymer addition.

  17. Density functional theory study on the interactions of l-cysteine with graphene: adsorption stability and magnetism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luo, Huijuan; Li, Hejun; Fu, Qiangang; Chu, Yanhui; Cao, Xiaoyu; Sun, Can; Yuan, Xiaoyan; Liu, Lei

    2013-01-01

    Understanding the interactions between graphene and biomolecules is of fundamental relevance to the area of nanobiotechnology. Herein, we take l-cysteine as the probe biomolecule and investigate its adsorption on pristine graphene and B-, N-, Al-, Ni-, Ga-, Pd-doped graphene using density functional theory calculations. Three kinds of upright adsorption configurations, via unprotonated functional groups (–SH, –NH 2 , –COOH), are considered. The calculations reveal pristine graphene physically adsorbs l-cysteine. N-doped graphene shows physisorption towards the S-end and N-end l-cysteine, and chemisorption towards the O-end radical. Strong chemisorption, with site-specific preference, occurs on Al-, Ni-, Ga- and Pd-doped graphene, accompanied by severe structural changes. Spin polarization with an unusual mirror symmetry on Ni- and Pd-doped graphene is induced by chemisorption of unprotonated l-cysteine, except for O-end adsorption on Pd-doped graphene. The magnetization arises mainly from spin polarization of the C 2p z orbital, with a minor magnetism located on Ni or Pd. The influence of van der Waals forces is also evaluated. A thorough analysis of the adsorption stability and magnetism of these systems would be beneficial to facilitate applications in graphene-based biosensing, biomolecule immobilization, magnetic bio-separation and other fields in bionanotechnology. (paper)

  18. Refractive index depth profile in PMMA due to proton irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Szilasi, S.Z.; Rajta, I.; Budai, J.; Toth, Z.; Petrik, P.; Baradacs, E.

    2006-01-01

    Complete text of publication follows. During Proton Beam Writing the beam damage causes chain scissioning in the polymer resist material (e.g. PMMA (Polymethyl methacrylate)), producing smaller molecular weight chains. Hydrogen implantation also takes place at the end of range. Compaction of the sample has been observed too, which means that the sample density becomes higher at the places where proton irradiation occurred. Furthermore, P-beam Writing has been successfully used to create buried channel waveguides in PMMA [1], since proton irradiation increases the refractive index. There are two ways of fabricating waveguides using P-beam Writing, one of them applies direct micromachining of the high refractive index core followed by the coating of a lower refractive index cladding layer. In this application the refractive indices of the substrate, the core and the cladding have to be known, which should be homogeneous within the whole structure. The other method allows producing buried waveguides. In this case proton beam writing is used to modify the refractive index along the ion path in the sample, where most of the ion energy is deposited near the end of range also known as the Bragg peak. For polymers 10 -3 refractive index change has been reported, which is usually sufficient for forming waveguides. Those measurements of the refractive index change have been performed by the refracted near field technique. In this work we used ellipsometry, in order to measure the optical parameters of the P-beam treated sample near the surface, and along the Bragg curve. Ellipsometry measures the change in the polarization state of light occurring during reflection. This change is related to the quality of the reflecting surface (i.e. the physical structure, layer thicknesses, optical constants, surface roughness, etc.). >From these measurements the refractive index and the extinction coefficient can be determined rather accurately, which makes ellipsometry a powerful tool

  19. Candida albicans biofilms and MMA surface treatment influence the adhesion of soft denture liners to PMMA resin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martinna de Mendonça e Bertolini

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The effect of Candida albicans biofilms and methyl methacrylate (MMA pretreatment on the bond strength between soft denture liners and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA resin was analyzed. Specimens were prepared and randomly divided with respect to PMMA pretreatment, soft liner type (silicone-based or PMMA-based, and presence or absence of a C. albicans biofilm. Samples were composed of a soft denture liner bonded between two PMMA bars. Specimens (n = 10 were incubated to produce a C. albicans biofilm or stored in sterile PBS for 12 days. The tensile bond strength test was performed and failure type was determined using a stereomicroscope. Surface roughness (SR and scanning electron microscopy (SEM analysis were performed on denture liners (n = 8. Highest bond strength was observed in samples containing a silicone-based soft liner and stored in PBS, regardless of pretreatment (p < 0.01. Silicone-based specimens mostly underwent adhesive failures, while samples containing PMMA-based liners predominantly underwent cohesive failures. The silicone-based specimens SR decreased after 12 days of biofilm accumulation or PBS storage, while the SR of PMMA-based soft liners increased (p < 0.01. The PMMA-based soft liners surfaces presented sharp valleys and depressions, while silicone-based specimens surfaces exhibited more gentle features. In vitro exposure to C. albicans biofilms reduced the adhesion of denture liners to PMMA resin, and MMA pretreatment is recommended during relining procedures.

  20. Influence of amine-grafted multi-walled carbon nanotubes on physical and rheological properties of PMMA-based nanocomposites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Ki-Seok; Park, Soo-Jin

    2011-01-01

    In this work, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was grafted onto amine treated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (NH-MWNTs) and the physical and rheological properties of the NH-MWNTs-g-PMMA nanocomposites were investigated. The graft reaction of NH-MWNTs and the PMMA matrix was confirmed from the change of the N 1S peaks, including those of amine oxygen and amide oxygen, by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The thermal and mechanical properties of the NH-MWNT-g-PMMA nanocomposites were enhanced by the graft reaction between NH-MWNTs and PMMA matrix. In addition, the viscosity of the nanocomposites was increased with the addition of NH-MWNTs. Storage (G') and loss modulus (G'') were significantly increased by increase in the NH-MWNT content compared to acid-treated MWNTs/PMMA nanocomposites. This increase was attributed to the strong interaction by the grafting reaction between NH-MWNTs and the PMMA matrix. - Graphical abstract: This describes the increase of mechanical properties in NH-MWNTs-g-PMMA hybrid composites with different NH-MWNT contents. Highlights: → Aminized carbon nanotubes are used as reinforcement for poly(methylmethacrylate). → Poly(methylmethacrylate) is grafted on aminized carbon nanotubes by thermal reaction. → Grafting of carbon nanotubes and polymer provide enhanced physical properties. → It was due to the strong interaction between carbon nanotubes and polymer matrix.

  1. Silicon-ion-implanted PMMA with nanostructured ultrathin layers for plastic electronics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hadjichristov, G. B.; Ivanov, Tz E.; Marinov, Y. G.

    2014-12-01

    Being of interest for plastic electronics, ion-beam produced nanostructure, namely silicon ion (Si+) implanted polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) with ultrathin nanostructured dielectric (NSD) top layer and nanocomposite (NC) buried layer, is examined by electric measurements. In the proposed field-effect organic nanomaterial structure produced within the PMMA network by ion implantation with low energy (50 keV) Si+ at the fluence of 3.2 × 1016 cm-2 the gate NSD is ion-nanotracks-modified low-conductive surface layer, and the channel NC consists of carbon nanoclusters. In the studied ion-modified PMMA field-effect configuration, the gate NSD and the buried NC are formed as planar layers both with a thickness of about 80 nm. The NC channel of nano-clustered amorphous carbon (that is an organic semiconductor) provides a huge increase in the electrical conduction of the material in the subsurface region, but also modulates the electric field distribution in the drift region. The field effect via the gate NSD is analyzed. The most important performance parameters, such as the charge carrier field-effect mobility and amplification of this particular type of PMMA- based transconductance device with NC n-type channel and gate NSD top layer, are determined.

  2. Deformation and stress in PMMA during hard X-ray exposure for deep lithography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moldovan, N.

    1999-01-01

    The availability of high-energy, high-flux, collimated synchrotrons radiation has extended the application of deep X-ray lithography (DXRL) to thickness values of the PMMA resist of several millimeters. Some of the most severe limitations come from plastic deformation, stress, and cracks induced in PMMA during exposure and development. We have observed and characterized these phenomena quantitatively. Profilometry measurements revealed that the PMMA is subjected either to local shrinkage or to expansion, while compression and expansion evolve over time. Due to material loss and crosslinking, the material undergoes a shrinkage, while the radiation-induced decomposition generates gases expanding the polymer matrix. The overall dynamics of the material microrelief and stress during and after the exposure depend on the balance between compaction and outgassing. These depend in turn on the exposure conditions (spectrum; dose, dose rate, seaming, temperature), post-exposure storage conditions, PMMA material properties and thickness, and also on the size and geometry of the exposed patterns

  3. Fabrication of γ-MPS-Modified HNT-PMMA Nanocomposites by Ultrasound-Assisted Miniemulsion Polymerization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buruga, Kezia; Kalathi, Jagannathan T.

    2018-04-01

    Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) were modified with γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (γ-MPS) to improve their interaction with the polymer, and the modified HNTs (MHNTs) were subsequently used for the synthesis of MHNT-polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) nanocomposites by miniemulsion polymerization assisted by ultrasound. Reduced agglomeration of HNTs due to modification with γ-MPS was evident from scanning electron microscopy analysis. Modification of HNTs and exfoliation of MHNTs in the polymer nanocomposite were confirmed by the presence of their respective characteristic peaks in Fourier-transform infrared spectra and x-ray diffraction patterns. Transmission electron microscopic analysis showed that the surface of the MHNTs differed significantly from that of unmodified HNTs. MHNT-PMMA nanocomposite exhibited significantly higher glass-transition temperature (T g) compared with neat PMMA or unmodified HNT-PMMA nanocomposite. Hence, such modification of HNTs along with miniemulsion polymerization assisted by ultrasound is a promising approach to achieve better dispersion of HNTs in the polymer and to obtain nanocomposites with enhanced properties.

  4. Improved osteoblast response to UV-irradiated PMMA/TiO2 nanocomposites with controllable wettability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shayan, Mahdis; Jung, Youngsoo; Huang, Po-Shun; Moradi, Marzyeh; Plakseychuk, Anton Y; Lee, Jung-Kun; Shankar, Ravi; Chun, Youngjae

    2014-12-01

    Osteoblast response was evaluated with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)/titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanocomposite thin films that exhibit the controllable wettability with ultraviolet (UV) treatment. In this study, three samples of PMMA/TiO2 were fabricated with three different compositional volume ratios (i.e., 25/75, 50/50, and 75/25) followed by UV treatment for 0, 4, and 8 h. All samples showed the increased hydrophilicity after UV irradiation. The films fabricated with the greater amount of TiO2 and treated with the longer UV irradiation time increased the hydrophilicity more. The partial elimination of PMMA on the surface after UV irradiation created a durable hydrophilic surface by (1) exposing higher amount of TiO2 on the surface, (2) increasing the hydroxyl groups on the TiO2 surface, and (3) producing a mesoporous structure that helps to hold the water molecules on the surface longer. The partial elimination of PMMA on the surface was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Surface profiler and atomic force microscopy demonstrated the increased surface roughness after UV irradiation. Both scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy demonstrated that particles containing calcium and phosphate elements appeared on the 8 h UV-treated surface of PMMA/TiO2 25/75 samples after 4 days soaking in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium. UV treatment showed the osteoblast adhesion improved on all the surfaces. While all UV-treated hydrophilic samples demonstrated the improvement of osteoblast cell adhesion, the PMMA/TiO2 25/75 sample after 8 h UV irradiation (n = 5, P value = 0.000) represented the best cellular response as compared to other samples. UV-treated PMMA/TiO2 nanocomposite thin films with controllable surface properties represent a high potential for the biomaterials used in both orthopedic and dental applications.

  5. Characterization and bacterial anti-adherent effect on modified PMMA denture acrylic resin containing platinum nanoparticles

    OpenAIRE

    Nam, Ki-Young

    2014-01-01

    PURPOSE This study characterized the synthesis of a modified PMMA (Polymethyl methacrylate) denture acrylic loading platinum nanoparticles (PtN) and assessed its bacterial inhibitory efficacy to produce novel antimicrobial denture base material. MATERIALS AND METHODS Polymerized PMMA denture acrylic disc (20 mm × 2 mm) specimens containing 0 (control), 10, 50, 100 and 200 mg/L of PtN were fabricated respectively. The obtained platinum-PMMA nanocomposite (PtNC) was characterized by TEM (transm...

  6. A highly directive graphene antenna embedded inside a Fabry-Perot cavity in terahertz regime

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roshanaei, Majid; Karami, Hamidreza; Dehkhoda, Parisa; Esfahani, Hamid; Dabir, Fatemeh

    2018-05-01

    In this paper, a highly directive nano-thickness graphene-based antenna is introduced in the terahertz frequency band. The antenna is a graphene patch dipole which is placed between two Bragg mirrors called Fabry-Perot cavity. Tunability of the graphene's conductivity makes it possible to excite the desired resonances of the cavity. Here, first, a single resonant antenna is introduced at 5 THz with an enhanced gain from 2.11 dBi to 12.8 dBi with a beamwidth of 22.7°. Then, a triple resonant antenna at 4.7, 5 and 5.3 THz is presented with respective gains of 7.97, 11.9 and 8.52 dBi. Finally, the effect of dimensions and number of the dielectric layers of the cavity are studied in order to further increase in directivity.

  7. Manufacturing and characterisation of PMMA-graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposite sandwich films with electrospun nano-fibre core

    OpenAIRE

    D. Bhattacharyya; D. Liu; S. Rao; R. Das; J. Upadhyay

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: Nanocomposite materials, comprising of polymer matrices and nano-sized reinforcements, exhibit significantly enhanced mechanical and functional properties at extremely low filler loading. In recent years, graphene oxide (GO) has emerged as a new class of low cost nano-filler with high mechanical strength and stiffness, and alterable electrical properties. For nano-fillers with layered structure like GO, complete exfoliation and uniform dispersion of filler in the polymer matrices is ...

  8. Characterization and bacterial anti-adherent effect on modified PMMA denture acrylic resin containing platinum nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nam, Ki-Young

    2014-06-01

    This study characterized the synthesis of a modified PMMA (Polymethyl methacrylate) denture acrylic loading platinum nanoparticles (PtN) and assessed its bacterial inhibitory efficacy to produce novel antimicrobial denture base material. Polymerized PMMA denture acrylic disc (20 mm × 2 mm) specimens containing 0 (control), 10, 50, 100 and 200 mg/L of PtN were fabricated respectively. The obtained platinum-PMMA nanocomposite (PtNC) was characterized by TEM (transmission electron microscopy), SEM/EDX (scanning electron microscope/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy), thermogravimetric and atomic absorption spectrophotometer analysis. In antimicrobial assay, specimens were placed on the cell culture plate, and 100 µL of microbial suspensions of S. mutans (Streptococcus mutans) and S. sobrinus (Streptococcus sobrinus) were inoculated then incubated at 37℃ for 24 hours. The bacterial attachment was tested by FACS (fluorescence-activated cell sorting) analysis after staining with fluorescent probe. PtN were successfully loaded and uniformly immobilized into PMMA denture acrylic with a proper thermal stability and similar surface morphology as compared to control. PtNC expressed significant bacterial anti-adherent effect rather than bactericidal effect above 50 mg/L PtN loaded when compared to pristine PMMA (P=.01) with no or extremely small amounts of Pt ion eluted. This is the first report on the synthesis and its antibacterial activity of Pt-PMMA nanocomposite. PMMA denture acrylic loading PtN could be a possible intrinsic antimicrobial denture material with proper mechanical characteristics, meeting those specified for denture bases. For clinical application, future studies including biocompatibility, color stability and warranting the long-term effect were still required.

  9. Toward transparent nanocomposites based on polystyrene matrix and PMMA-grafted CeO2 nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parlak, Onur; Demir, Mustafa M

    2011-11-01

    The association of transparent polymer and nanosized pigment particles offers attractive optical materials for various potential and existing applications. However, the particles embedded into polymers scatter light due to refractive index (RI) mismatch and reduce transparency of the resulting composite material. In this study, optical composites based on polystyrene (PS) matrix and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-grafted CeO(2) hybrid particles were prepared. CeO(2) nanoparticles with an average diameter of 18 ± 8 nm were precipitated by treating Ce(NO(3))·6H(2)O with urea in the presence of a polymerizable surfactant, 3-methacyloxypropyltrimethoxy silane. PMMA chains were grafted on the surface of the nanoparticles upon free radical in situ solution polymerization. While blending of unmodified CeO(2) particles with PS resulted in opaque films, the transparency of the composite films was remarkably enhanced when prepared by PMMA-grafted CeO(2) hybrid particles, particularly those having a PMMA thickness of 9 nm. The improvement in transparency is presumably due to the reduction in RI mismatch between CeO(2) particles and the PS matrix when using PMMA chains at the interface.

  10. PMMA/Ca2+ bone cements. Hydrolytic properties and bioactivity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mónica L. Hernández

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Bone cements of poly (methyl methacrylate (PMMA have been used for about 40 years to fix artificial prosthesis to bone structure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the absorption, solubility, degradation and bioactivity of novel formulations of PMMA/Ca2+ bone cements. These properties were evaluated using a fractional experimental design. Hydrolytic parameters were determined, from which we found that 7/8 of the formulations for absorption and 6/8 for solubility fulfill the ISO 4049:2000 requirements. The final degradation values ranged between 1 and 5%, except for one of the formulations. Besides, some formulations showed bioactivity after seven days of immersion in SBF solution.

  11. Electrostatic nanopatterning of PMMA by AFM charge writing for directed nano-assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ressier, L; Nader, V Le

    2008-01-01

    Electrostatic nanopatterning of poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) thin films by atomic force microscopy (AFM) charge writing was investigated using Kelvin force microscopy (KFM). The lateral size of the electrostatic patterns and the amount of injected charges are closely correlated and can be controlled by the height of the voltage pulses applied to the AFM tip and the tip-sample separation during the writing process. Charge retention measurements show that PMMA has excellent charge storage properties in air under relative humidities from 1% to 60% and withstands immersion in ultra-pure water. This study thus reveals that PMMA is a very promising electret to create efficient electrostatic nanopatterns for directed self-assembly of nanoscale objects, including the broad range of colloidal particles or molecules in aqueous solutions

  12. Evaluation of flexural strength and surface properties of prepolymerized CAD/CAM PMMA-based polymers used for digital 3D complete dentures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arslan, Mustafa; Murat, Sema; Alp, Gulce; Zaimoglu, Ali

    2018-01-01

    The objectives of this in vitro study were to evaluate the flexural strength (FS), surface roughness (Ra), and hydrophobicity of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)-based computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) polymers and to compare the properties of different CAD/CAM PMMA-based polymers with conventional heat-polymerized PMMA following thermal cycling. Twenty rectangular-shaped specimens (64 × 10 × 3.3 mm) were fabricated from three CAD/CAM PMMA-based polymers (M-PM Disc [M], AvaDent Puck Disc [A], and Pink CAD/CAM Disc Polident [P], and one conventional heat-polymerized PMMA (Promolux [C]), according to ISO 20795-1:2013 standards. The specimens were divided into two subgroups (n = 10), a control and a thermocycled group. The specimens in the thermocycled group were subjected to 5000 thermal cycling procedures (5 to 55°C; 30 s dwell times). The Ra value was measured using a profilometer. Contact angle (CA) was assessed using the sessile drop method to evaluate surface hydrophobicity. In addition, the FS of the specimens was tested in a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 1.0 mm/min. Surface texture of the materials was assessed using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The data were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Tukey's HSD post-hoc test (α CAD/CAM PMMA-based polymers showed significantly higher FS than conventional heat-polymerized PMMA for each group (P CAD/CAM PMMA-based polymer [P] showed the highest FS, whereas conventional PMMA [C] showed the lowest FS before and after thermal cycling (P 0.05). In the thermocycled group, the lowest Ra value was observed for CAD/CAM PMMA-based polymer [M] (P CAD/CAM PMMA-based polymers [A] and [P], and conventional PMMA [C] had similar Ra values (P > 0.05). Conventional PMMA [C] had a significantly lower CA and consequently lower hydrophobicity compared to the CAD/CAM polymers in the control group (P CAD/CAM PMMA-based polymer [A] and conventional PMMA [C

  13. Characterisation and optical vapour sensing properties of PMMA thin films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Capan, I. [Balikesir University, Science and Arts Faculty, Physics Department, 10100 Balikesir (Turkey)], E-mail: inci.capan@gmail.com; Tarimci, C. [Ankara University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Engineering Physics, 06100, Tandogan, Ankara (Turkey); Hassan, A.K. [Sheffield Hallam University, Materials and Engineering Research Institute, City Campus, Pond Street, Sheffield S1 1WB (United Kingdom); Tanrisever, T. [Balikesir University, Science and Arts Faculty, Chemistry Department, 10100 Balikesir (Turkey)

    2009-01-01

    The present article reports on the characterisation of spin coated thin films of poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) for their use in organic vapour sensing application. Thin film properties of PMMA are studied by UV-visible spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique. Results obtained show that homogeneous thin films with thickness in the range between 6 and 15 nm have been successfully prepared when films were spun at speeds between 1000-5000 rpm. Using SPR technique, the sensing properties of the spun films were studied on exposures to several halohydrocarbons including chloroform, dichloromethane and trichloroethylene. Data from measured kinetic response have been used to evaluate the sensitivity of the studied films to the various analyte molecules in terms of normalised response (%) per unit concentration (ppm). The highest PMMA film sensitivity of 0.067 normalised response per ppm was observed for chloroform vapour, for films spun at 1000 rpm. The high film's sensitivity to chloroform vapour was ascribed mainly to its solubility parameter and molar volume values. Effect of film thickness on the vapour sensing properties is also discussed.

  14. Structural, thermal, optical properties and cytotoxicity of PMMA/ZnO fibers and films: Potential application in tissue engineering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Balen, Rodrigo; Vidotto da Costa, Wilian; Lara Andrade, Jéssica de; Piai, Juliana Francis [Programa de Pós-Graduação em Química, Departamento de Química, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Av. Colombo 5790, 87020-900, Zona Sete, Maringá, PR (Brazil); Muniz, Edvani Curti [Programa de Pós-Graduação em Química, Departamento de Química, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Av. Colombo 5790, 87020-900, Zona Sete, Maringá, PR (Brazil); Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia Aplicada à Agricultura, Universidade Paranaense (UNIPAR), 87502-210, Umuarama, PR (Brazil); Programa de Pós- Graduação em Ciências de Materiais & Engenharia, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR-LD), 86036-370, Londrina, PR (Brazil); Companhoni, Mychelle Vianna; Nakamura, Tânia Ueda [Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Av. Colombo 5790, 87020-900, Zona Sete, Maringá, PR (Brazil); and others

    2016-11-01

    Highlights: • Films and fibers of PMMA/ZnO nanocomposite were prepared. • ZnO NPs incorporated into PMMA fibers reduces their diameter and beads presence. • PMMA films containing ZnO exhibit higher thermal stability than pure polymer. • PMMA/ZnO nanocomposites show improved optical properties compared to pure polymer. • PMMA/ZnO shows potential for applications in tissue engineering. - Abstract: Films and fibers of PMMA/ZnO nanocomposites (100/0, 99/01, 97/03, 95/05, 90/10, and 85/15 wt.%) were produced by casting and electrospinning, respectively. Their structural, thermal, and optical properties were investigated by XRD, SEM, TGA, PAS, and PL. The incorporation of ZnO NPs reduced the diameter of PMMA fibers and the presence of beads. The surfaces of the fibers exhibited greater hydrophobicity, compared to the films, with contact angles of around 120° and 94°, respectively. PMMA films containing ZnO exhibited higher thermal stability than the pure polymer, while the corresponding fibers did not show any changes in thermal stability. The dispersion of the ZnO NPs at the surface and in the bulk of the nanocomposites appeared to be relatively homogeneous. ZnO improved the optical properties of the PMMA, with an intense absorption band near 370 nm observed for all the nanocomposites, which also exhibited luminescence with emission in the near-UV region, both attributed to ZnO. Biological tests demonstrated that fibers and films with up to 1% of ZnO exhibited good performance in the proliferation of fibroblast cells, indicating their potential for applications in tissue engineering. The fibers provided higher cell viability than the films, presumably due to their greater surface area and/or more suitable surface morphology. Nanocomposites with 15% ZnO inhibited cell proliferation, due to the cytotoxicity of the ZnO NPs. Although several applications of PMMA have been suggested by biomedical researchers, until now there have been no reports on the specific

  15. Structural, thermal, optical properties and cytotoxicity of PMMA/ZnO fibers and films: Potential application in tissue engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Balen, Rodrigo; Vidotto da Costa, Wilian; Lara Andrade, Jéssica de; Piai, Juliana Francis; Muniz, Edvani Curti; Companhoni, Mychelle Vianna; Nakamura, Tânia Ueda

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Films and fibers of PMMA/ZnO nanocomposite were prepared. • ZnO NPs incorporated into PMMA fibers reduces their diameter and beads presence. • PMMA films containing ZnO exhibit higher thermal stability than pure polymer. • PMMA/ZnO nanocomposites show improved optical properties compared to pure polymer. • PMMA/ZnO shows potential for applications in tissue engineering. - Abstract: Films and fibers of PMMA/ZnO nanocomposites (100/0, 99/01, 97/03, 95/05, 90/10, and 85/15 wt.%) were produced by casting and electrospinning, respectively. Their structural, thermal, and optical properties were investigated by XRD, SEM, TGA, PAS, and PL. The incorporation of ZnO NPs reduced the diameter of PMMA fibers and the presence of beads. The surfaces of the fibers exhibited greater hydrophobicity, compared to the films, with contact angles of around 120° and 94°, respectively. PMMA films containing ZnO exhibited higher thermal stability than the pure polymer, while the corresponding fibers did not show any changes in thermal stability. The dispersion of the ZnO NPs at the surface and in the bulk of the nanocomposites appeared to be relatively homogeneous. ZnO improved the optical properties of the PMMA, with an intense absorption band near 370 nm observed for all the nanocomposites, which also exhibited luminescence with emission in the near-UV region, both attributed to ZnO. Biological tests demonstrated that fibers and films with up to 1% of ZnO exhibited good performance in the proliferation of fibroblast cells, indicating their potential for applications in tissue engineering. The fibers provided higher cell viability than the films, presumably due to their greater surface area and/or more suitable surface morphology. Nanocomposites with 15% ZnO inhibited cell proliferation, due to the cytotoxicity of the ZnO NPs. Although several applications of PMMA have been suggested by biomedical researchers, until now there have been no reports on the specific

  16. Hydrophilic film polymerized on the inner surface of PMMA tube by an atmospheric pressure plasma jet

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Mengmeng; Huang, Jun; Yu, Jinsong; Chen, Guangliang; Qu, Shanqing

    2017-07-01

    Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) tube is widely used in biomedical and mechanical engineering fields. However, it is hampered for some special applications as the inner surface of PMMA tube exhibts a hydrophobic characteristic. The aim of this work is to explore the hydrophilic modification of the inner surface of the PMMA tubes using an atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) system that incorporates the acylic acid monomer (AA). Polar groups were grafted onto the inner surface of PMMA tube via the reactive radicals (•OH, •H, •O) generated in the Ar/O2/AA plasma, which were observed by the optical emission spectroscopy (OES). The deposition of the PAA thin layer on the PMMA surface was verified through the ATR-FTIR spectra, which clearly showed the strengthened stretching vibration of the carbonyl group (C=O) at 1700 cm-1. The XPS data show that the carbon ratios of C-OH/R and COOH/R groups increased from 9.50% and 0.07% to 13.49% and 17.07% respectively when a discharge power of 50 W was used in the APPJ system. As a result, the static water contat angle (WCA) of the modified inner surface of PMMA tube decreased from 100° to 48°. Furthermore, the biocompatibility of the APP modified PMMA tubes was illustrated by the study of the adhesion of the cultured MC3T3-E1 osteocyte cells, which exhibted a significantly enhanced adhesion density.

  17. Saturable Absorption and Modulation Characteristics of Laser with Graphene Oxide Spin Coated on ITO Substrate

    OpenAIRE

    Li, Xin; Zhang, Haikun; Wang, Peiji; Li, Guiqiu; Zhao, Shengzhi; Wang, Jing; Chen, Lijuan

    2014-01-01

    The graphene oxide (GO) thin film has been obtained by mixture of GO spin coated on substrate of indium tin oxide (ITO). The experiment has shown that continuous-wave laser is modulated when the graphene oxide saturable absorber (GO-SA) is employed in the 1064 nm laser cavity. The shortest pulse width is 108 ns at the pump power of 5.04 W. Other output laser characteristics, such as the threshold pump power, the repetition rate, and the peak power, have also been measured. The results have de...

  18. Complex Permittivity of Polyaniline-Carbon Nanotube and Nanofibre Composites in the X-band. PMMA Composites

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Makeiff, Darren A; Huber, Trisha; Saville, Paul

    2005-01-01

    ... the complex permittivity from transmission-reflection waveguide measurements in the X-band (8-12 GHz). PMMA composites containing PAni-MWNT or PAni-CNFs poorer, while PMMA composites containing PAni and MWNT mixed ex situ...

  19. Effect of Sr2TiMnO6 fillers on mechanical, dielectric and thermal behaviour of PMMA polymer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. Thomas

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Composites of poly(methyl methacrylate (PMMA and Sr2TiMnO6 (STMO were fabricated via melt mixing followed by hot pressing technique. These were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD, thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, thermo mechanical analysis (TMA and impedance analyser for their structural, thermal and dielectric properties. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE was measured between 40°C and 100°C for pure PMMA is 115.2 ppm/°C, which was decreased to 78.58 ppm/°C when the STMO content was increased to 50 wt.% in PMMA. There was no difference in the glass transition (Tg temperature of the PMMA polymer and their composites. However, the FTIR analysis indicated possible interaction between the PMMA and STMO. The density and the hardness were increased as the STMO content increased in the PMMA matrix. Permittivity was found to be as high as 30.9 at 100 Hz for the PMMA+STMO-50 wt.% composites, indicating the possibility of using these materials for capacitor applications. The thermal stability of polymer was enhanced by incorporation of STMO fillers.

  20. Efficient refolding and immobilization of PMMA-tag-fused single-chain Fv antibodies for sensitive immunological detection on a PMMA plate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumada, Yoichi; Ishikawa, Yasuyuki; Fujiwara, Yusuke; Takeda, Rui; Miyamoto, Ryosuke; Niwa, Daisuke; Momose, Shun; Kang, Bongmun; Kishimoto, Michimasa

    2014-09-01

    In this study, we investigated the efficient refolding and site-specific immobilization of single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) genetically fused with a poly(methylmethacrylate)-binding peptide (PMMA-tag). According to the results of an aggregation test of a scFv-PM in the presence of 0.5 M urea, aggregation was hardly detectable at a weak-alkaline pH (8.5) with lower concentrations of NaCl. Consequently, more than 93% recovery of the anti-RNase scFv-PM model was attained, when it was refolded by dialysis against 50 mM TAPS (pH8.5). These results suggested that the apparent isoelectric point (pI) of a target scFv was decreased to a great extent by the genetic fusion of a PMMA-tag containing 5 acidic amino acids, and, thus, the solubility of the scFv-PM in its semi-denatured form was considerably improved. We also designed alternative peptide-tags composed of plural aspartic acid residues (D5, D10 and D15-tags) to decrease the apparent pI value of the fusion protein. As a consequence, scFv-D5, scFv-D10 and scFv-D15 were also efficiently refolded with yields of more than 95%. It is noteworthy that even scFv-PS-D15, which had both a positively charged polystyrene-binding peptide (PS-tag) and a negatively charged D15-tag, was serially connected at the C-terminal region of scFvs, and also refolded with a yield of 96.1%. These results clearly indicate that controlling the apparent pI value of scFvs by the fusion of oligo-peptides composed of acidic amino acids at the C-terminus resulted in a high degree of recovery via dialysis refolding. According to the results of a sandwich ELISA using scFv-PMs, scFv-D15 and scFv-PS-D15 as ligands, high antigen-binding signals were detected from both the PMMA and phi-PS plates immobilized with scFv-PMs. Furthermore, the high antigen-binding activity of scFv-PMs was maintained in an adsorption state when it was immobilized on the surface of not only PMMA, but also hydrophilic PS (phi-PS) and polycarbonate (PC). These results

  1. Reinforcement of a PMMA resin for fixed interim prostheses with nanodiamonds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Protopapa, Popi; Kontonasaki, Eleana; Bikiaris, Dimitrios; Paraskevopoulos, Konstantinos M; Koidis, Petros

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the possible reinforcement of Nanodiamonds (ND) in a PMMA resin for fixed interim restorations. The fracture toughness (K(Ic)), impact strength and the dynamic thermomechanical properties (T(g), E´, E´´, tanδ) of a series of PMMA-ND nanocomposites with different amounts of ND were evaluated. The fracture toughness increased as the ND percentage increased up to 0.38% wt but a greater amount of ND induced a decrease in K(Ic). Impact strength and Young's modulus were also increased by increasing nanoparticles content, indicating the reinforcing effect of ND. Dynamic mechanical properties were also affected. By increasing the ND content an increase of storage modulus was recorded, while glass transition was shifted at higher temperatures. Under the limitations of this study, it can be suggested that reinforcing PMMA with ND nanoparticles -especially at low concentrations- may increase the overall performance of fixed interim prostheses.

  2. MALDI-TOF MS/MS measurements of PMMA

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Becer, C.R.; Baumgaertel, A.; Gottschaldt, M.; Schubert, U.S.

    2008-01-01

    The polymer poly(Me methacrylate) (PMMA) was analyzed using the matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) technique. The MALDI-TOF MS app. was coupled with a collision-induced dissocn. (CID) unit. The performance of the MALDI-TOF/TOF MS method in

  3. Preparation and Faraday rotation of Bi-YIG/PMMA nanocomposite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, H. P.; Hong, R. Y.; Wu, Y. J.; Di, G. Q.; Xu, B.; Zheng, Y.; Wei, D. G.

    Bismuth-substituted yttrium iron garnet (Bi-YIG) nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by coprecipitation and subsequent heating treatment. Thermal gravity-differential thermal analysis was performed to investigate the thermal behavior of the Bi-YIG precursors and to decide the best annealing temperature. Phase formation of garnet NPs was investigated by X-ray powder diffraction. The size of Bi-YIG NPs was investigated by transmission electron microscopy, and the magnetic properties of Bi-YIG NPs were measured using a vibrating sample magnetometer. The results show that the temperature needed for the transformation of Bi-YIG from the amorphous phase to the garnet phase decreases with increasing Bi content, and Bi-YIG NPs with sizes of 28-78 nm are obtained after heating treatment at 650-1000 °C. The saturation magnetization of Bi-YIG NPs increases as the Bi content increases. Moreover, the Faraday rotation of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) slices doped with Bi-YIG NPs was investigated. The results indicate that the angle of Faraday rotation increases with increasing Bi content in PMMA composites, and the maximum value of the figure of merit is 1.46°, which is comparable to the value of a sputtered film. The Bi-YIG NPs-doped PMMA slices are new promising materials for magneto-optical devices.

  4. Photocatalytic degradation of p-phenylenediamine with TiO2-coated magnetic PMMA microspheres in an aqueous solution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Y.-H.; Liu, Y.-Y.; Lin, R.-H.; Yen, F.-S.

    2009-01-01

    This study investigates the photocatalytic degradation of p-phenylenediamine (PPD) with titanium dioxide-coated magnetic poly(methyl methacrylate) (TiO 2 /mPMMA) microspheres. The TiO 2 /mPMMA microspheres are employed as novel photocatalysts with the advantages of high photocatalytic activity, magnetic separability, and good durability. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of the TiO 2 /mPMMA microspheres are used to characterize the morphology, element content, and distribution patterns of magnetite and TiO 2 nanoparticles. The BET-specific surface area and saturation magnetization of the TiO 2 /mPMMA microspheres are observed as 2.21 m 2 /g and 4.81 emu/g, respectively. The photocatalytic degradation of PPD are performed under various experimental conditions to examine the effects of initial PPD concentration, TiO 2 /mPMMA microsphere dosage, and illumination condition on the eliminations of PPD and chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentrations. Good repeatability of photocatalytic performance with the use of the TiO 2 /mPMMA microspheres has been demonstrated in the multi-run experiments. The photocatalytic kinetics for the reductions of PPD and COD associated with the initial PPD concentration, UV radiation intensity, and TiO 2 /mPMMA microsphere dosage are proposed. The relationships between the reduction percentages of COD and PPD are clearly presented

  5. Mirror fusion reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carlson, G.A.; Moir, R.W.

    1978-01-01

    We have carried out conceptual design studies of fusion reactors based on the three current mirror confinement concepts: the standard mirror, the tandem mirror, and the field-reversed mirror. Recent studies of the standard mirror have emphasized its potential as a fusion-fission hybrid reactor, designed to produce fission fuel for fission reactors. We have designed a large commercial hybrid based on standard mirror confinement, and also a small pilot plant hybrid. Tandem mirror designs include a commercial 1000 MWe fusion power plant and a nearer term tandem mirror hybrid. Field-reversed mirror designs include a multicell commercial reactor producing 75 MWe and a single cell pilot plant

  6. Mirror fusion reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1978-01-01

    Conceptual design studies were made of fusion reactors based on the three current mirror-confinement concepts: the standard mirror, the tandem mirror, and the field-reversed mirror. Recent studies of the standard mirror have emphasized its potential as a fusion-fission hybrid reactor, designed to produce fuel for fission reactors. We have designed a large commercial hybrid and a small pilot-plant hybrid based on standard mirror confinement. Tandem mirror designs include a commercial 1000-MWe fusion power plant and a nearer term tandem mirror hybrid. Field-reversed mirror designs include a multicell commercial reactor producing 75 MWe and a single-cell pilot plant

  7. Improved performance and stability of field-effect transistors with polymeric residue-free graphene channel transferred by gold layer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, Mi; Trung, Tran Quang; Jung, Jin-Heak; Kim, Bo-Yeong; Lee, Nae-Eung

    2014-03-07

    One of the most significant issues that occurs when applying chemical-vapor deposited (CVD) graphene (Gr) to various high-performance device applications is the result of polymeric residues. Polymeric residues remain on the Gr surface during Gr polymer support transfer to an arbitrary substrate, and these residues degrade CVD Gr electrical properties. In this paper, we propose that a thin layer of gold be used as a CVD Gr transfer layer, instead of a polymer support layer, to enable a polymer residue-free transfer. Comparative investigation of the surface morphological and qualitative analysis of residues on Gr surfaces and Gr field-effect transistors (GFETs) using two transfer methods demonstrates that gold-transferred Gr, with uniform, smooth, and clean surfaces, enable GFETs to perform better than Gr transferred by the polymer, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). In GFETs fabricated by the gold transfer method, field-effect carrier mobility was greatly enhanced and the position of the Dirac point was significantly reduced compared to GFETs fabricated by the PMMA transfer method. In addition, compared to the PMMA-transferred GFETs, the gold-transferred GFETs showed greatly increased stability with smaller hysteresis and higher resistance to gate bias stress effects. These results suggest that the gold transfer method for Gr provides significant improvements in GFET performance and reliability by minimizing the polymeric residues and defects on Gr.

  8. Chiral mirrors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Plum, Eric; Zheludev, Nikolay I.

    2015-01-01

    Mirrors are used in telescopes, microscopes, photo cameras, lasers, satellite dishes, and everywhere else, where redirection of electromagnetic radiation is required making them arguably the most important optical component. While conventional isotropic mirrors will reflect linear polarizations without change, the handedness of circularly polarized waves is reversed upon reflection. Here, we demonstrate a type of mirror reflecting one circular polarization without changing its handedness, while absorbing the other. The polarization-preserving mirror consists of a planar metasurface with a subwavelength pattern that cannot be superimposed with its mirror image without being lifted out of its plane, and a conventional mirror spaced by a fraction of the wavelength from the metasurface. Such mirrors enable circularly polarized lasers and Fabry-Pérot cavities with enhanced tunability, gyroscopic applications, polarization-sensitive detectors of electromagnetic waves, and can be used to enhance spectroscopies of chiral media

  9. Mirror agnosia and the mirrored-self misidentification delusion: a hypnotic analogue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Connors, Michael H; Cox, Rochelle E; Barnier, Amanda J; Langdon, Robyn; Coltheart, Max

    2012-05-01

    Mirrored-self misidentification is the delusional belief that one's reflection in the mirror is a stranger. Current theories suggest that one pathway to the delusion is mirror agnosia (a deficit in which patients are unable to use mirror knowledge when interacting with mirrors). This study examined whether a hypnotic suggestion for mirror agnosia can recreate features of the delusion. Ten high hypnotisable participants were given either a suggestion to not understand mirrors or to see the mirror as a window. Participants were asked to look into a mirror and describe what they saw. Participants were tested on their understanding of mirrors and received a series of challenges. Participants then received a detailed postexperimental inquiry. Three of five participants given the suggestion to not understand mirrors reported seeing a stranger and maintained this belief when challenged. These participants also showed signs of mirror agnosia. No participants given the suggestion to see a window reported seeing a stranger. Results indicate that a hypnotic suggestion for mirror agnosia can be used to recreate the mirrored-self misidentification delusion. Factors influencing the effectiveness of hypnotic analogues of psychopathology, such as participants' expectations and interpretations, are discussed.

  10. A highly efficient graphene oxide absorber for Q-switched Nd:GdVO4 lasers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Yonggang; Wen Xiaoming; Tang Jau; Chen, Hou Ren; Hsieh, Wen Feng

    2011-01-01

    We demonstrated that graphene oxide material could be used as a highly efficient saturable absorber for the Q-switched Nd:GdVO 4 laser. A novel and low-cost graphene oxide (GO) absorber was fabricated by a vertical evaporation technique and high viscosity of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) aqueous solution. A piece of GO/PVA absorber, a piece of round quartz, and an output coupler mirror were combined to be a sandwich structure passive component. Using such a structure, 104 ns pulses and 1.22 W average output power were obtained with the maximum pulse energy at 2 µJ and a slope efficiency of 17%.

  11. Studies on the Properties of Plasticizer and Lithium Salt on PMMA-based Solid Polymer Electrolytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chew, K. W.; Tan, C. G.; Osman, Z.

    2010-01-01

    The effects of plasticizer and lithium salt on PMMA-based solid polymer electrolyte have been investigated. In current project, three system samples consisted of pure poly(methyl methacrylate (PMMA) system, plasticized poly(methyl methacrylate)(PMMA-EC) system and the LiCF 3 SO 3 salted-poly(methyl methacrylate) containing a fixed amount of plasticizer ([PMMA-EC]-LiCF 3 SO 3 ) system have been prepared using solution casting technique. The conductivities of the films from each system are characterized by impedance spectroscopy and infrared spectrum. With the addition of plasticizer, results show improvement on the ionic conductivity value where the value of 6.25x10 -10 Scm -1 is obtained. This may be due to the nature of plasticizer that softens the polymer and hence enhanced the ionic transportation across the polymer. The room temperature conductivity for the highest conducting sample in the ([PMMA-EC]-LiCF 3 SO 3 ) system is 1.36x10 -5 Scm -1 . Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) indicates complexation between the polymer and the plasticizer and the polymer, the plasticizer and the salts, and the result of XRD further supports the observation.

  12. Characterisation and vapour sensing properties of spin coated thin films of anthracene labelled PMMA polymer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Capan, I., E-mail: inci.capan@gmail.com [Balikesir University, Faculty of Art and Sciences, Department of Physics, Cagis Campus, 10145 Balikesir (Turkey); Tarimci, C., E-mail: Celik.Tarimci@eng.ankara.edu.tr [Ankara University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Engineering Physics, 06100, Ankara (Turkey); Erdogan, M., E-mail: merdogan@balikesir.edu.tr [Balikesir University, Faculty of Art and Sciences, Department of Physics, Cagis Campus, 10145 Balikesir (Turkey); Hassan, A.K., E-mail: A.Hassan@shu.ac.uk [Materials and Engineering Research Institute, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheaf Building, Pond Street, Sheffield S1 1WB (United Kingdom)

    2009-05-05

    In the present article thin films of poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymer labelled with anthracene (Ant-PMMA) prepared by spin coating are characterised by UV-visible spectroscopy, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and their organic vapour sensing properties are investigated. Ant-PMMA films' thickness are determined by performing theoretical fitting to experimental data measured using SPR and SE. Results obtained show that the spin-cast films are of good uniformity with an average thickness of 6-8 nm. Organic vapour sensing properties are studied using SPR technique during exposures to different volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Ant-PMMA films' response to the selected VOCs has been examined in terms of solubility parameters and molar volumes of the solvents, and the films were found to be largely sensitive to benzene vapour compared to other studied analytes.

  13. Characterisation and vapour sensing properties of spin coated thin films of anthracene labelled PMMA polymer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Capan, I.; Tarimci, C.; Erdogan, M.; Hassan, A.K.

    2009-01-01

    In the present article thin films of poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymer labelled with anthracene (Ant-PMMA) prepared by spin coating are characterised by UV-visible spectroscopy, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and their organic vapour sensing properties are investigated. Ant-PMMA films' thickness are determined by performing theoretical fitting to experimental data measured using SPR and SE. Results obtained show that the spin-cast films are of good uniformity with an average thickness of 6-8 nm. Organic vapour sensing properties are studied using SPR technique during exposures to different volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Ant-PMMA films' response to the selected VOCs has been examined in terms of solubility parameters and molar volumes of the solvents, and the films were found to be largely sensitive to benzene vapour compared to other studied analytes.

  14. Mirror profile optimization for nano-focusing KB mirror

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Lin; Baker, Robert; Barrett, Ray; Cloetens, Peter; Dabin, Yves

    2010-01-01

    A KB focusing mirror width profile has been optimized to achieve nano-focusing for the nano-imaging end-station ID22NI at the ESRF. The complete mirror and flexure bender assembly has been modeled in 3D with finite element analysis using ANSYS. Bender stiffness, anticlastic effects and geometrical non-linear effects have been considered. Various points have been studied: anisotropy and crystal orientation, stress in the mirror and bender, actuator resolution and the mirror-bender adhesive bonding... Extremely high performance of the mirror is expected with residual slope error smaller than 0.6 μrad, peak-to-valley, compared to the bent slope of 3000 μrad.

  15. Timecourse of mirror and counter-mirror effects measured with transcranial magnetic stimulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cavallo, Andrea; Heyes, Cecilia; Becchio, Cristina; Bird, Geoffrey; Catmur, Caroline

    2014-08-01

    The human mirror system has been the subject of much research over the past two decades, but little is known about the timecourse of mirror responses. In addition, it is unclear whether mirror and counter-mirror effects follow the same timecourse. We used single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation to investigate the timecourse of mirror and counter-mirror responses in the human brain. Experiment 1 demonstrated that mirror responses can be measured from around 200 ms after observed action onset. Experiment 2 demonstrated significant effects of counter-mirror sensorimotor training at all timepoints at which a mirror response was found in Experiment 1 (i.e. from 200 ms onward), indicating that mirror and counter-mirror responses follow the same timecourse. By suggesting similarly direct routes for mirror and counter-mirror responses, these results support the associative account of mirror neuron origins whereby mirror responses arise as a result of correlated sensorimotor experience during development. More generally, they contribute to theorizing regarding mirror neuron function by providing some constraints on how quickly mirror responses can influence social cognition. © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  16. Durability and Mechanical Performance of PMMA/Stone Sludge Nanocomposites for Acrylic Solid Surface Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samah EL-Bashir

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Acrylic solid surface sheets were prepared by mixing different kinds of stone sludge fillers (SSF in Poly (methyl methacrylate (PMMA nanocomposites. PMMA nanocomposite syrups were made using free radical polymerization of methylmethacrylate (MMA, then two kinds of nanofillers were added, namely, hydrophilic nanosilica and clay Halloysite nanotubules (HNTs. Acrylic solid surface sheets were manufactured by mixing the syrups with SSFs. The morphology of the produced sheets was studied using optical, and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM that revealed the uniform distribution of stone sludge in the polymeric matrix. The study of the physical properties showed promising mechanical performance and durability of PMMA/SSF nanocomposites for acrylic solid surface applications.

  17. Femtosecond all-optical parallel logic gates based on tunable saturable to reverse saturable absorption in graphene-oxide thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roy, Sukhdev; Yadav, Chandresh

    2013-01-01

    A detailed theoretical analysis of ultrafast transition from saturable absorption (SA) to reverse saturable absorption (RSA) has been presented in graphene-oxide thin films with femtosecond laser pulses at 800 nm. Increase in pulse intensity leads to switching from SA to RSA with increased contrast due to two-photon absorption induced excited-state absorption. Theoretical results are in good agreement with reported experimental results. Interestingly, it is also shown that increase in concentration results in RSA to SA transition. The switching has been optimized to design parallel all-optical femtosecond NOT, AND, OR, XOR, and the universal NAND and NOR logic gates

  18. Facile electrochemical synthesis of few layered graphene from discharged battery electrode and its

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Santosh K. Tiwari

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available A cost-effective, simple and non-hazardous route for synthesis of few-layered graphene from waste zinc carbon battery (ZCB electrodes via electrochemical expansion (ECE has been reported. In this synthesis, we have electrochemically exfoliated the graphene layers, by intercalating sodium dodecyl benzenesulfonate (SDBS surfactant into graphitic layers at different D.C. voltages with a constant SDBS concentration. The graphene sheets were isolated, purified and characterized by Transmission electron microscopy (TEM, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR, X-ray diffraction (XRD, Raman spectrometry, Ultraviolet absorption (UV, Selected area electron diffraction (SAED and Cyclic voltammetry. Best result was obtained at 4.5 V of D.C. A possible mechanism for the intercalation process has been proposed. A promising application of the produced material for supercapacitor application has also been explored in combination with polyaniline.

  19. Electrical conductivity of polyaniline doped PVC–PMMA polymer

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) thin films has been measured by studying the – characteristics at various temperatures in the range 323–363 K. The results are presented in the form of – characteristics and analysis has been made by ...

  20. PMMA embolization to the left dorsal foot artery during percutaneous vertebroplasty for spinal metastases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iliopoulos, Panagiotis; Panagiotis, Iliopoulos; Korovessis, Panagiotis; Panagiotis, Korovessis; Vitsas, Vasilios; Vasilios, Vitsas

    2014-05-01

    Distal arterial embolization to the foot with PMMA during vertebral augmentation has not been previously reported. We report a rare case of distal PMMA embolization to the dorsal foot artery during ipsilateral percutaneous lumbar vertebral augmentation in a patient with spinal osteolytic metastases. A 68-year-old woman was admitted because of severe disabling low back pain. Plain roentgenograms, MRI and CT-scan revealed osteolysis in the L4 and L5 vertebral bodies with prevertebral soft tissue involvement. Percutaneous vertebroplasty with PMMA was performed in L2 to L5 vertebrae under general anesthesia. Intraoperatively, leakage into the segmental vessels L3 and L5 was observed. Four hours after the procedure the clinical diagnosis of acute ischemia and drop foot on the left was made. CT-angiography justified linear cement leakage in the course of the left third lumbar vein and fifth lumbar artery, and to the ipsilateral common iliac artery. The patient was treated with low molecular heparin and the ischemia resolved without further sequelae 1 week postoperatively. PMMA leakage is a complication associated with vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. Although the outcome of the PMMA embolization to the vessels resolved without sequelae, in our case spine surgeons and interventional radiologists should be aware on this rare complication in patients with osteolytic vertebral metastases even when contemporary cement containment techniques are used.

  1. Broadband tunable electromagnetically induced transparency analogue metamaterials based on graphene in terahertz band

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yue; Leng, Yanbing; Wang, Li; Dong, Lianhe; Liu, Shunrui; Wang, Jun; Sun, Yanjun

    2018-06-01

    Most of the actively controlled electromagnetically induced transparency analogue (EIT-like) metamaterials were implemented with narrowband modulations. In this paper, a broadband tunable EIT-like metamaterial based on graphene in the terahertz band is presented. It consists of a cut wire as the bright resonator and two couples of H-shaped resonators in mirror symmetry as the dark resonators. A broadband tunable property of transmission amplitude is realized by changing the Fermi level of graphene. Furthermore, the geometries of the metamaterial structure are optimized to achieve the ideal curve through the simulation. Such EIT-like metamaterials proposed here are promising candidates for designing active wide-band slow-light devices, wide-band terahertz active filters, and wide-band terahertz modulators.

  2. Two dimensional PMMA nanofluidic device fabricated by hot embossing and oxygen plasma assisted thermal bonding methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Zhifu; Sun, Lei; Zou, Helin; Cheng, E.

    2015-05-01

    A method for obtaining a low-cost and high-replication precision two-dimensional (2D) nanofluidic device with a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) sheet is proposed. To improve the replication precision of the 2D PMMA nanochannels during the hot embossing process, the deformation of the PMMA sheet was analyzed by a numerical simulation method. The constants of the generalized Maxwell model used in the numerical simulation were calculated by experimental compressive creep curves based on previously established fitting formula. With optimized process parameters, 176 nm-wide and 180 nm-deep nanochannels were successfully replicated into the PMMA sheet with a replication precision of 98.2%. To thermal bond the 2D PMMA nanochannels with high bonding strength and low dimensional loss, the parameters of the oxygen plasma treatment and thermal bonding process were optimized. In order to measure the dimensional loss of 2D nanochannels after thermal bonding, a dimension loss evaluating method based on the nanoindentation experiments was proposed. According to the dimension loss evaluating method, the total dimensional loss of 2D nanochannels was 6 nm and 21 nm in width and depth, respectively. The tensile bonding strength of the 2D PMMA nanofluidic device was 0.57 MPa. The fluorescence images demonstrate that there was no blocking or leakage over the entire microchannels and nanochannels.

  3. Développement et analyse rhéologique d'une surface polymère nanocomposite anti-friction

    OpenAIRE

    Al-Kawaz , Ammar

    2015-01-01

    The goal of this thesis is the identification of couplings (nanoparticles / matrix poly (methyl methacrylate) PMMA) which ensure PMMA surface rigidity while maintaining maximum transparency. The choice fell on three types of carbonaceous nanoparticles: Few layer graphene (FLG), graphene oxide (GO) and carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). A first part describes the preparation and functionalization of these three types of nanoparticles to provide a better dispersion in the matrix. Two methods were used t...

  4. Hydroxyapatite thin films synthesized by pulsed laser deposition and magnetron sputtering on PMMA substrates for medical applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Socol, G.; Macovei, A.M.; Miroiu, F.; Stefan, N.; Duta, L.; Dorcioman, G.; Mihailescu, I.N.; Petrescu, S.M.; Stan, G.E.; Marcov, D.A.; Chiriac, A.; Poeata, I.

    2010-01-01

    Functionalized implants represent an advanced approaching in implantology, aiming to improve the biointegration and the long-term success of surgical procedures. We report on the synthesis of hydroxyapatite (HA) thin films on polymethylmetacrylate (PMMA) substrates - used as cranio-spinal implant-type structures - by two alternative methods: pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and radio-frequency magnetron sputtering (MS). The deposition parameters were optimized in order to avoid the substrate overheating. Stoichiometric HA structures were obtained by PLD with incident laser fluences of 1.4-2.75 J/cm 2 , pressures of 30-46.66 Pa and 10 Hz pulses repetition rate. The MS depositions were performed at constant pressure of 0.3 Pa in inert and reactive atmospheres. SEM-EDS, XRD, FTIR and pull-out measurements were performed assessing the apatitic-type structure of the prepared films along with their satisfactory mechanical adhesion. Cell viability, proliferation and adhesion tests in osteosarcoma SaOs2 cell cultures were performed to validate the bioactive behaviour of the structures and to select the most favourable deposition regimes. For PLD, this requires a low fluence of 1.4 J/cm 2 , reduced pressure of water vapours and a 100 o C/4 h thermal treatment. For MS, the best results were obtained for 80% Ar + 20% O 2 reactive atmosphere at low RF power (∼75 W). Cells grown on these coatings exhibit behaviour similar to those grown on the standard borosilicate glass control: increased viability, good proliferation, and optimal cell adhesion. In vitro tests proved that HA/PMMA neurosurgical structures prepared by PLD and MS are compatible for the interaction with human bone cells.

  5. Complications with PMMA compared with other materials used in cranioplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafaella de Souza LEÃO

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA has been considered a suitable material for cranioplasty. However, no consensus has been reached concerning the best material for cranioplasty with regard to minimizing complications. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare the complication rates of PMMA with those of autologous bone and titanium mesh. This review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42016042725. Systematic searches were conducted on PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science. The focus question was, “Do PMMA prostheses used in cranioplasty have complications rates similar to those of autologous bone and titanium mesh?” A meta-analysis of complication rates was performed on the basis of dichotomous outcomes assessed by risk ratio (RR with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI. From 1014 data sources, 11 articles were selected according to eligibility criteria. These articles involved 1,256 individuals and 1,278 cranioplasties using autologous bone (n = 408, PMMA (n = 379, or titanium (n = 151. The follow-up period ranged from 63 days to 54.3 months. No difference was observed between the complication rates of PMMA and autologous bone (p = 0.94; RR, 0.98; 95%CI, 0.54–1.75 or between PMMA and titanium (p = 0.38; RR, 1.59; 95%CI, 0.57–4.48. Sub-analysis of the reasons for craniotomy (trauma/non-trauma was conducted, which revealed no significant difference (p = 0.91; RR, 0.95; 95%CI, 0.37–2.42. The meta-analysis indicated that the use of PMMA yields complication rates that are near those of autologous bone and titanium mesh.

  6. A PMMA coated PMN–PT single crystal resonator for sensing chemical agents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frank, Michael; Kassegne, Sam; Moon, Kee S

    2010-01-01

    A highly sensitive lead magnesium niobate–lead titanate (PMN–PT) single crystal resonator coated with a thin film of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) useful for detecting chemical agents such as acetone, methanol, and isopropyl alcohol is presented. Swelling of the cured PMMA polymer layer in the presence of acetone, methanol, and isopropyl alcohol vapors is sensed as a mass change transduced to an electrical signal by the PMN–PT thickness shear mode sensor. Frequency change in the PMN–PT sensor is demonstrated to vary according to the concentration of the chemical vapor present within the sensing chamber. For acetone, the results indicate a frequency change more than 6000 times greater than that which would be expected from a quartz crystal microbalance coated with PMMA. This study is the first of its kind to demonstrate vapor loading of adsorbed chemical agents onto a polymer coated PMN–PT resonator

  7. Graphene on graphene antidot lattices

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gregersen, Søren Schou; Pedersen, Jesper Goor; Power, Stephen

    2015-01-01

    Graphene bilayer systems are known to exhibit a band gap when the layer symmetry is broken by applying a perpendicular electric field. The resulting band structure resembles that of a conventional semiconductor with a parabolic dispersion. Here, we introduce a bilayer graphene heterostructure......, where single-layer graphene is placed on top of another layer of graphene with a regular lattice of antidots. We dub this class of graphene systems GOAL: graphene on graphene antidot lattice. By varying the structure geometry, band-structure engineering can be performed to obtain linearly dispersing...

  8. Studying of Perovskite Nanoparticles in PMMA Matrix Used As Light Converter for Silicon Solar Cell

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lipiński M.

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The nanoparticles of CH3NH3PbBr3 hybrid perovskites were synthesized. These perovskite nanoparticles we embedded in polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA in order to obtain the composite, which we used as light converter for silicon solar cells. It was shown that the composite emit the light with the intensity maximum at about 527 nm when exited by a short wavelength (300÷450 nm of light. The silicon solar cells were used to examine the effect of down-conversion (DC process by perovskite nanoparticles embedded in PMMA. For experiments, two groups of monocrystalline silicon solar cells were used. The first one included the solar cells without surface texturization and antireflection coating. The second one included the commercial cells with surface texturization and antireflection coating. In every series of the cells one part of the cells were covered by composite (CH3NH3PbBr3 in PMMA layer and second part of cells by pure PMMA for comparison. It was shown that External Quantum Efficiency EQE of the photovoltaic cells covered by composite (CH3NH3PbBr3 in PMMA layer was improved in both group of the cells but unfortunately the Internal Quantum Efficiency was reduced. This reduction was caused by high absorption of the short wavelength light and reabsorption of the luminescence light. Therefore, the CH3NH3PbBr3 perovskite nanoparticles embedded in PMMA matrix were unable to increase silicon solar cell efficiency in the tested systems.

  9. Preventive effects of a phospholipid polymer coating on PMMA on biofilm formation by oral streptococci

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shibata, Yukie; Yamashita, Yoshihisa; Tsuru, Kanji; Ishihara, Kazuhiko; Fukazawa, Kyoko; Ishikawa, Kunio

    2016-12-01

    The regulation of biofilm formation on dental materials such as denture bases is key to oral health. Recently, a biocompatible phospholipid polymer, poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine-co-n-butyl methacrylate) (PMB) coating, was reported to inhibit sucrose-dependent biofilm formation by Streptococcus mutans, a cariogenic bacterium, on the surface of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) denture bases. However, S. mutans is a minor component of the oral microbiome and does not play an important role in biofilm formation in the absence of sucrose. Other, more predominant oral streptococci must play an indispensable role in sucrose-independent biofilm formation. In the present study, the effect of PMB coating on PMMA was evaluated using various oral streptococci that are known to be initial colonizers during biofilm formation on tooth surfaces. PMB coating on PMMA drastically reduced sucrose-dependent tight biofilm formation by two cariogenic bacteria (S. mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus), among seven tested oral streptococci, as described previously [N. Takahashi, F. Iwasa, Y. Inoue, H. Morisaki, K. Ishihara, K. Baba, J. Prosthet. Dent. 112 (2014) 194-203]. Streptococci other than S. mutans and S. sobrinus did not exhibit tight biofilm formation even in the presence of sucrose. On the other hand, all seven species of oral streptococci exhibited distinctly reduced glucose-dependent soft biofilm retention on PMB-coated PMMA. We conclude that PMB coating on PMMA surfaces inhibits biofilm attachment by initial colonizer oral streptococci, even in the absence of sucrose, indicating that PMB coating may help maintain clean conditions on PMMA surfaces in the oral cavity.

  10. Temperature-dependent self-assembly and rheological behavior of a thermoreversible pmma-P n BA-PMMA triblock copolymer gel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zabet, Mahla; Mishra, Satish; Boy, Ramiz; Walters, Keisha B.; Naskar, Amit K.; Kundu, Santanu (UO); (ORNL); (MSSU)

    2017-03-25

    Self-assembly and mechanical properties of triblock copolymers in a mid-block selective solvent are of interest in many applications. Herein, we report physical assembly of an ABA triblock copolymer, [PMMA–PnBA–PMMA] in two different mid-block selective solvents, n-butanol and 2-ethyl-1-hexanol. Gel formation resulting from end-block associations and the corresponding changes in mechanical properties have been investigated over a temperature range of -80 °C to 60 °C, from near the solvent melting points to above the gelation temperature. Shear-rheometry, thermal analysis, and small-angle neutron scattering data reveal formation and transition of structure in these systems from a liquid state to a gel state to a percolated cluster network with decrease in temperature. The aggregated PMMA end-blocks display a glass transition temperature. Our results provide new understanding into the structural changes of a self-assembled triblock copolymer gel over a large length scale and wide temperature range.

  11. EDITORIAL: Epitaxial graphene Epitaxial graphene

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Heer, Walt A.; Berger, Claire

    2012-04-01

    Graphene is widely regarded as an important new electronic material with interesting two-dimensional electron gas properties. Not only that, but graphene is widely considered to be an important new material for large-scale integrated electronic devices that may eventually even succeed silicon. In fact, there are countless publications that demonstrate the amazing applications potential of graphene. In order to realize graphene electronics, a platform is required that is compatible with large-scale electronics processing methods. It was clear from the outset that graphene grown epitaxially on silicon carbide substrates was exceptionally well suited as a platform for graphene-based electronics, not only because the graphene sheets are grown directly on electronics-grade silicon carbide (an important semiconductor in its own right), but also because these sheets are oriented with respect to the semiconductor. Moreover, the extremely high temperatures involved in production assure essentially defect-free and contamination-free materials with well-defined interfaces. Epitaxial graphene on silicon carbide is not a unique material, but actually a class of materials. It is a complex structure consisting of a reconstructed silicon carbide surface, which, for planar hexagonal silicon carbide, is either the silicon- or the carbon-terminated face, an interfacial carbon rich layer, followed by one or more graphene layers. Consequently, the structure of graphene films on silicon carbide turns out to be a rich surface-science puzzle that has been intensively studied and systematically unravelled with a wide variety of surface science probes. Moreover, the graphene films produced on the carbon-terminated face turn out to be rotationally stacked, resulting in unique and important structural and electronic properties. Finally, in contrast to essentially all other graphene production methods, epitaxial graphene can be grown on structured silicon carbide surfaces to produce graphene

  12. Research on Continuous Injection Direct Rolling Process for PMMA Optical Plate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    HaiXiong Wang

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Continuous injection direct rolling (CIDR combined intermittent injection and rolling process is a new technology for molding optical polymer plates with microstructured patterns; research on forming PMMA optical plates is an aspect of it in this paper. The equipment of CIDR process consists of plastic injection module, precision rolling module, and automatic coiling module. Based on the establishing mathematical CIDR models, numerical analysis was used to explode the distribution of velocity, temperature, and pressure in injection-rolling zone. The simulation results show that it is feasible to control the temperature, velocity, and injection-rolling force, so it can form polymer plate under certain process condition. CIDR experiment equipment has been designed and produced. PMMA optical plate was obtained by CIDR experiments, longitudinal thickness difference is 0.005 mm/200 mm, horizontal thickness difference is 0.02/200 mm, transmittance is 86.3%, Haze is 0.61%, and the difference is little compared with optical glasses. So it can be confirmed that CIDR process is practical to produce PMMA optical plates.

  13. Preparation and characterization of Tb3+ and Tb(sal)3.nH2O doped PC:PMMA blend

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dwivedi, Y.; Singh, A.K.; Prakash, Rajiv; Rai, S.B.

    2011-01-01

    Tb doped polycarbonate:poly(methyl methacrylate) (Tb-PC:PMMA) blend was prepared with varying proportions of PC and PMMA. Thermal and spectroscopic properties of the doped polymer have been investigated employing Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) absorption and differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) techniques. PC:PMMA blend (with 10 wt% PC and 90 wt% PMMA) shows better miscibility. Optical properties of the dopant Tb 3+ ions have been investigated using UV-vis absorption and fluorescence excited by 355 nm radiation. It is seen that luminescence intensity of Tb 3+ ion depends on PC:PMMA ratio and on Tb 3+ ion concentration. Concentration quenching is seen for TbCl 3 .6H 2 O concentration larger than 4 wt%. Addition of salicylic acid to the polymer blend increases the luminescence from Tb 3+ ions. Luminescence decay curve analysis affirms the non-radiative energy transfer from salicylic acid to Tb 3+ ions, which is identified as the reason behind this enhancement. - Highlights: → Blend formation is confirmed at PC/90PMMA, using FTIR and DSC techniques. → Absorption and bandgap studies of blend and parent components were studied. → Optical properties of Tb and Tb(sal) 3 .nH 2 O complex have been studied in PC/PMMA blend. → Luminescence decay curves confirm non-radiative energy transfer from Sal to Tb 3+ ions.

  14. Influence of ligands on the photoluminescent properties of Eu3+ in europium β-diketonate/PMMA-doped systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, H.-G.; Park, Seongtae; Jang, Kiwan; Feng, X.-S.; Kim, Changdae; Seo, H.-J.; Lee, Y.-I.

    2004-01-01

    Three kinds of europium β-diketonates Eu(DBM) 3 , Eu(BA) 3 and Eu(TTA) 3 (DBM: Dibenzoylmethane; BA: 1-Benzoylacetone; TTA: Thenoyltrifluoroacetone) were doped in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix. The doped systems were studied by using photoluminescent (PL) spectroscopy, emission decay experiments and X-ray diffractometry. Eu(III) ions in the doped Eu(DBM) 3 /PMMA systems have two distinct symmetric sites and the emission band changes greatly with the compositions. Eu(III) in the Eu(BA) 3 /PMMA systems gives only one symmetric site in the doped systems and the emission band changes slightly with the compositions. Although two distinct symmetric sites of Eu(III) can be distinguished in the doped systems of Eu(TTA) 3 /PMMA, the two sites have similar 5 D 0 lifetimes and the luminescent spectra almost do not change with the compositions. XRD reveals that crystallites were formed in the doped Eu(DBM) 3 /PMMA systems that have different crystalline structure from that of the chelate, and Eu(BA) 3 and Eu(TTA) 3 exist in amorphous state in the doped systems. The difference between the PL properties and structures of the doped systems for the three kinds of chelates should be attributed to different interactions between the chelate molecules and between the chelate and PMMA

  15. Experimental and Numerical Comparison Q-Switched Fiber Laser Generation using Graphene as Saturable Absorber

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Awang Noor Azura

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available We demonstrated the comparison experimentally and numerically a compact Q-switched erbium-doped fiber (EDF laser based on graphene as a saturable absorber (SA. By optically driven deposition of graphene on a fiber core, the SA is constructed and inserted into a diode-pumped EDF laser cavity. Lasing in CW region starts at 10 mW, whereas stable self-starting Q-switching with a central wavelength of 1530 nm begins at 18 mW. In this paper, at 35 mW, the maximum pulse energy reaches at 2 μJ with pulse repetition rate of 1 MHz and the narrowest pulse width is around 10 μs is obtained. The stability of the pulse is verified from the radio-frequency (RF spectrum with a measured signal-to-noise ratio (SNR of 48 dB. In this study, the design is compared with the simulation using the Optisystem software. The output power of the experimental study is also compared with the simulation to examine the performance.

  16. Distortion of chain conformation and reduced entanglement in polymer-graphene oxide nanocomposites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weir, Michael; Boothroyd, Stephen; Johnson, David; Thompson, Richard; Coleman, Karl; Clarke, Nigel

    Graphene and related two-dimensional materials are excellent candidates as filler materials in polymer nanocomposites due to their extraordinary physical properties and high aspect ratio. To explore the mechanism by which the filler affects the bulk properties of these unique systems, and to build understanding from the macromolecular level upwards, we use a combination of small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and oscillatory rheology. Where a good dispersion is achieved in poly(methyl methacrylate)-graphene oxide (PMMA-GO) nanocomposites, we observe a reduction in the polymer radius of gyration with increasing GO concentration that is consistent with the predicted behavior of polymer melt chains at a solid interface. We use concepts from thin-film polymer physics to formulate a scaling relation for the reduction in entanglements caused by the GO interfaces. Using these scaling arguments, we utilize SANS results to directly estimate the changes to the elastic plateau modulus of the network of entangled polymer chains, and find a correlation with the measured bulk rheology. We present a direct link between interfacial confinement effects and the bulk polymer nanocomposite properties, whilst demonstrating a model system for measuring thin film polymer physics in the bulk.

  17. Experimental ex-vivo validation of PMMA-based bone cements loaded with magnetic nanoparticles enabling hyperthermia of metastatic bone tumors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariem Harabech

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Percutaneous vertebroplasty comprises the injection of Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA bone cement into vertebrae and can be used for the treatment of compression fractures of vertebrae. Metastatic bone tumors can cause such compression fractures but are not treated when injecting PMMA-based bone cement. Hyperthermia of tumors can on the other hand be attained by placing magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs in an alternating magnetic field (AMF. Loading the PMMA-based bone cement with MNPs could both serve vertebra stabilization and metastatic bone tumor hyperthermia when subjecting this PMMA-MNP to an AMF. A dedicated pancake coil is designed with a self-inductance of 10 μH in series with a capacitance of 0.1 μF that acts as resonant inductor-capacitor circuit to generate the AMF. The thermal rise is appraised in beef vertebra placed at 10 cm from the AMF generating circuit using optical temperatures sensors, i.e. in the center of the PMMA-MNP bone cement, which is located in the vicinity of metastatic bone tumors in clinical applications; and in the spine, which needs to be safeguarded to high temperature exposures. Results show a temperature rise of about 7 °C in PMMA-MNP whereas the temperature rise in the spine remains limited to 1 °C. Moreover, multicycles heating of PMMA-MNP is experimentally verified, validating the technical feasibility of having PMMA-MNP as basic component for percutaneous vertebroplasty combined with hyperthermia treatment of metastatic bone tumors.

  18. The effect of alumina nanofillers size and shape on mechanical behavior of PMMA matrix composite

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ben Hasan Somaya Ahmed

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Composites with the addition of alumina nanofillers show improvement in mechanical properties. The PMMA polymer was used as a matrix and two different types of nanofillers, having extremely different shapes were added in the matrix to form the composite. Reinforcements were based on alumina nanoparticles having either spherical shape or whiskers having the length to diameter ratio of 100. The influence of alumina fillers size, shape and fillers loading on mechanical properties of prepared composite were studied using the nanoindentation measurements and dynamic mechanical analysis. It was observed that both alumina whiskers and alumina spherical nanoparticles added in the PMMA matrix improved the mechanical properties of the composite but the improvement was significantly higher with alumina whisker reinforcement. The concentration of the reinforcing alumina spherical nanoparticles and alumina whiskers in PMMA matrix varied up to 5 wt. %. The best performance was obtained by the addition of 3 wt. % of alumina whiskers in the PMMA matrix with regard to mechanical properties of the obtained composite.

  19. Investigation of optical properties of PMMA opals and inverse opals with YVO4-Eu nano-phosphors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thakur, Shashi; Gathania, Arvind K.

    2015-01-01

    In recent years, opals and inverse opals have attracted the attention of researchers because of their potential applications in photonic devices. The idea of the periodic photonic crystal was proposed by Yablonovitch and John. The photonic crystals are in analogy with crystalline solid: electromagnetic waves propagating in the photonic crystal experienced periodic spatial variation of dielectric constant, as the de Broglie wave propagation in crystalline solids experienced periodic variation of the atomic potential. In the present work we synthesized the PMMA spheres using colloidal crystallization method and PMMA colloidal multilayer crystal were developed on the quartz substrate by self-assembly vertical deposition method. Afterward PMMA microspheres were infiltrated with YVO 4 -Eu nano-phosphors followed by heating at 500 °C and above to form the inverse opals. Transmission spectra for pure PMMA, infiltrated PMMA and inverse opal of PMMA are obtained. The colloidal crystal multilayer shows a stop band at 596nm, which arises from the Bragg reflection of the (111) planes. The central position of this band gap is shifted to 608nm because of the change in the refractive index of the structure after infiltration. As the calcination was carried out at 500 °C and 600 °C, the central position of the band shifted to 483nm and 500nm respectively, because of the change in the effective refractive index of the structure and shrinkage in the direction perpendicular to the film. The resulting structure still exhibits a band gap, as the crystalline ordering is kept after the crystal is inverted. The intensity of inverse opals of PMMA is very small as compared to the bulk powder briefing the application of microstructures for the low voltage light emitting diodes (LEDs). The results show band gap and luminescent characteristics strongly depend upon infiltration. (author)

  20. Morphology and dielectric properties of poly hydroxybutyrate(PHB)/polymethyl methacrylat(PMMA) blends with some antimicrobial applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abou aiad, T.H.M.

    2005-01-01

    Poly(3-hydroxy)butyrate (PHB) is microbial polyester presenting the advantages of biodegradability and biocompatibility but suffers from several problems as it is brittle and has low abilities for some chemical modifications. To overcome such problems a reactive blending was done with a glassy acrylic polymer, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with different compositions. The dielectric response of poly [(7)-3-hydroxybutyrate] (PHB)/(PMMA) was investigated as a function of frequency (100 Hz to 100 KHz) and at different temperatures from 20 to 160 degree C above the glass transition temperature of PHB. The results revealed the existence of a single relaxation process indicating that there is miscibility between amorphous fractions of PHB and PMMA. Subsequently a continuous decrease in relaxation strength occurred, indicating considerable changes in molecular mobility. The results provide further evidence that molecular mobility in the amorphous regions decreases significantly and this would be the reason for the embrittlement detected on ageing at room temperature. Also the morphological study of such blends don't show macro phase separation of PMMA on the surface scan which may be attributed to the compatibility in melt between PHB and PMMA particle in the PHB matrix. The biological activity of such investigated systems was tested against a representative number of pathogenic organisms by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The activity was found to increase by increasing the amount of PMMA in the blend

  1. NaF-loaded core-shell PAN-PMMA nanofibers as reinforcements for Bis-GMA/TEGDMA restorative resins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Liyuan; Zhou, Xuegang; Zhong, Hong; Deng, Xuliang; Cai, Qing; Yang, Xiaoping

    2014-01-01

    A kind of core-shell nanofibers containing sodium fluoride (NaF) was produced and used as reinforcing materials for dimethacrylate-based dental restorative resins in this study. The core-shell nanofibers were prepared by coaxial-electrospinning with polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) solutions as core and shell fluids, respectively. The produced PAN-PMMA nanofibers varied in fiber diameter and the thickness of PMMA shell depending on electrospinning parameters. NaF-loaded nanofibers were obtained by incorporating NaF nanocrystals into the core fluid at two loadings (0.8 or 1.0wt.%). Embedment of NaF nanocrystals into the PAN core did not damage the core-shell structure. The addition of PAN-PMMA nanofibers into Bis-GMA/TEGDMA clearly showed the reinforcement due to the good interfacial adhesion between fibers and resin. The flexural strength (Fs) and flexural modulus (Ey) of the composites decreased slightly as the thickness of PMMA shell increasing. Sustained fluoride releases with minor initial burst release were achieved from NaF-loaded core-shell nanofibers and the corresponding composites, which was quite different from the case of embedding NaF nanocrystals into the dental resin directly. The study demonstrated that NaF-loaded PAN-PMMA core-shell nanofibers were not only able to improve the mechanical properties of restorative resin, but also able to provide sustained fluoride release to help in preventing secondary caries. © 2013.

  2. Microfluidic DNA microarrays in PMMA chips: streamlined fabrication via simultaneous DNA immobilization and bonding activation by brief UV exposure

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sabourin, David; Petersen, J; Snakenborg, Detlef

    2010-01-01

    This report presents and describes a simple and scalable method for producing functional DNA microarrays within enclosed polymeric, PMMA, microfluidic devices. Brief (30 s) exposure to UV simultaneously immobilized poly(T)poly(C)-tagged DNA probes to the surface of unmodified PMMA and activated...... the surface for bonding below the glass transition temperature of the bulk PMMA. Functionality and validation of the enclosed PMMA microarrays was demonstrated as 18 patients were correctly genotyped for all eight mutation sites in the HBB gene interrogated. The fabrication process therefore produced probes...... with desired hybridization properties and sufficient bonding between PMMA layers to allow construction of microfluidic devices. The streamlined fabrication method is suited to the production of low-cost microfluidic microarray-based diagnostic devices and, as such, is equally applicable to the development...

  3. Influence of ZrO2 nanoparticles and thermal treatment on the properties of PMMA/ZrO2 hybrid coatings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reyes-Acosta, M.A.; Torres-Huerta, A.M.; Domínguez-Crespo, M.A.; Flores-Vela, A.I.; Dorantes-Rosales, H.J.; Ramírez-Meneses, E.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • PMMA/ZrO 2 nanocomposites were prepared by melt blending in a single screw extruder. • The nanoparticles of m-, t-ZrO 2 were successfully synthesized using sol–gel technique. • The prepared PMMA/ZrO 2 nanocomposites have better UV protection than pure PMMA. • The thermal stability of the PMMA increases with low amount of ZrO 2 nanoparticles. • PMMA/ZrO 2 nanocomposites show superior values of elastic modulus and hardness. - Abstract: In this work, ZrO 2 nanoparticles were synthesized by the sol–gel method, treated thermally at different temperatures (400, 600 and 800 °C), and added to a polymer matrix in two different weight percentages (0.5 and 1) by single screw extrusion in order to determine the influence of these parameters on the thermal stability and UV radiation resistance of PMMA/ZrO 2 composites. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and nanoindentation techniques were used to evaluate the structural, morphological, optical, thermal and mechanical properties of as-prepared composites. The average crystallite sizes for ZrO 2 sintered at 600 and 800 °C were about 17 and 26 nm, respectively. It was found that the incorporation of a low percentage of ZrO 2 nanoparticles increased the thermal properties of PMMA as well as its hardness and elastic modulus. The degradation temperature at 10 wt.% loss of the PMMA/ZrO 2 (0.5 wt.%, 400 °C) nanocomposite was approximately 48 °C higher than that of pure PMMA. The absorption in the UV region was increased according to the ZrO 2 heat treatment temperature and amount added to the polymer matrix

  4. Synthesis and characterization of a novel nitric oxide fluorescent probe CdS-PMMA nanocomposite via in-situ bulk polymerization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Liyun; Li, Tao; Zhong, Yunming; Fan, Chao; Huang, Jun

    2014-02-01

    A novel nitric oxide (NO) fluorescent probe CdS-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanocomposites with different molar ratios of CdS quantum dots (QDs) to PMMA are developed successfully via in-situ bulk polymerization method. The optical properties of CdS/PMMA nanocomposites are studied by UV-Vis absorption spectra and fluorescence (FL) spectra in detail. It is demonstrated that the optical properties from such nanocomposite solution are tuned and stabilized by simply varying the concentration of CdS in the final product. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of CdS-PMMA nanocomposite with higher loading of CdS show broad pattern for cubic CdS, which has narrow particle size distribution with less than 5 nm in PMMA observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The surface morphological characterization of the CdS-PMMA nanocomposite has been done through atomic force microscopy (AFM). The thermo-gravimetric analyses (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) confirm the enhanced thermal stability of CdS-PMMA nanocomposites than PMMA. NO can coordinate with Cd(2+) as a ligand for transition metal complexes, which will cause a quenching effect on the fluorescence of CdS QDs. Therefore, a significant quenching effect on the fluorescence of the CdS-PMMA nanocomposite is observed in the presence of NO. The fluorescence responses are concentration-dependent and can be well described by the typical Stern-Volmer equation, and a linear calibration I0/I=1.0021+0.1944[NO] (R(2)=0.96052) is obtained in the range from 1.4×10(-5) to 9.3×10(-3) mol/L NO with a detection limit of 1.0×10(-6) mol/L (S/N=3). © 2013.

  5. Fatigue Resistance of Filled NR with PMMA-Wrapped and Rare Earth-Doped Alumina-Siloxane Gel

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2002-01-01

    Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was used to wrap alumina-siloxane sol which was produced by water glass, aluminum nitrate and α-methacrylic acid, and as a result, alumina-siloxane gel wrapped by PMMA was obtained. Meanwhile, rare earth ions were employed to dope in the course of reaction, and the formed rare earth doped PMMA microcapsule powder was filled into natural rubber (NR). It is found through the analysis of mechanical properties that Young′s modulus universally improves and a remarkable resistance to fatigue is displayed. Retention rate of tensile strength is twice that of the controlled sample after ten thousand times of extension fatigue.

  6. Effect of plasma fluorination variables on the deposition and growth of partially fluorinated polymer over PMMA films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giovana da Silva Padilha

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available In this work, an investigation was made of the modification of film surface of Poly(methylmethacrylate (PMMA using the plasma polymerization technique. PMMA films 10 µm thick were obtained by Spin-Coating starting from a chloroform solution (15.36% w/w. The films were exposed to the plasma of CHF3 at different gas pressures and exposure times to increase the thickness of fluorinated polymers onto PMMA films. The plasma fluorinated optical films were characterized by gravimetry, FTIR-ATR, contact angle of wetting, SEM and AFM. The surface fluorination of PMMA films can be inferred by the increase in contact angle under all experimental conditions, and confirmed with FTIR-ATR analysis. Gravimetry showed an increase of the fluorinated polymer layer over PMMA films, being 1.55 µm thick at 0.7 torr and 40 minutes of plasma exposure. The SEM analysis showed a well-defined layer of fluorinated polymer, with fluorine being detected in the EDS analysis. The film roughness for the fluorinated polymers was around of 200 Å, quite satisfactory for a 1.55 µm cladding.

  7. Photocatalytic degradation of p-phenylenediamine with TiO{sub 2}-coated magnetic PMMA microspheres in an aqueous solution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Y.-H. [Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, National Taipei University of Technology, 1, Sec. 3, Chung-Hsiao E. Road, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China)], E-mail: yhchen1@ntu.edu.tw; Liu, Y.-Y.; Lin, R.-H.; Yen, F.-S. [Department of Chemical and Material Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences, 415 Chien Kung Road, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan (China)

    2009-04-30

    This study investigates the photocatalytic degradation of p-phenylenediamine (PPD) with titanium dioxide-coated magnetic poly(methyl methacrylate) (TiO{sub 2}/mPMMA) microspheres. The TiO{sub 2}/mPMMA microspheres are employed as novel photocatalysts with the advantages of high photocatalytic activity, magnetic separability, and good durability. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of the TiO{sub 2}/mPMMA microspheres are used to characterize the morphology, element content, and distribution patterns of magnetite and TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles. The BET-specific surface area and saturation magnetization of the TiO{sub 2}/mPMMA microspheres are observed as 2.21 m{sup 2}/g and 4.81 emu/g, respectively. The photocatalytic degradation of PPD are performed under various experimental conditions to examine the effects of initial PPD concentration, TiO{sub 2}/mPMMA microsphere dosage, and illumination condition on the eliminations of PPD and chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentrations. Good repeatability of photocatalytic performance with the use of the TiO{sub 2}/mPMMA microspheres has been demonstrated in the multi-run experiments. The photocatalytic kinetics for the reductions of PPD and COD associated with the initial PPD concentration, UV radiation intensity, and TiO{sub 2}/mPMMA microsphere dosage are proposed. The relationships between the reduction percentages of COD and PPD are clearly presented.

  8. Topological mirror superconductivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Fan; Kane, C L; Mele, E J

    2013-08-02

    We demonstrate the existence of topological superconductors (SCs) protected by mirror and time-reversal symmetries. D-dimensional (D=1, 2, 3) crystalline SCs are characterized by 2(D-1) independent integer topological invariants, which take the form of mirror Berry phases. These invariants determine the distribution of Majorana modes on a mirror symmetric boundary. The parity of total mirror Berry phase is the Z(2) index of a class DIII SC, implying that a DIII topological SC with a mirror line must also be a topological mirror SC but not vice versa and that a DIII SC with a mirror plane is always time-reversal trivial but can be mirror topological. We introduce representative models and suggest experimental signatures in feasible systems. Advances in quantum computing, the case for nodal SCs, the case for class D, and topological SCs protected by rotational symmetries are pointed out.

  9. An approach to correlate experimental and theoretical thermal conductivity of MWNT/PMMA polymer composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Verma, M; Patidar, D; Sharma, K B; Saxena, N S

    2015-01-01

    In this paper an effort is made to correlate temperature dependent effective thermal conductivity measured by experimental method to theoretical results obtained from different models. MWNT/PMMA polymer nanocomposites were prepared by solution casting method, with different wt% of MWNT (0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 1, 5, 10 wt%) dispersed in the PMMA matrix. The effective thermal conductivity from 30 °C to 110 °C is measured by Hot Disk Thermal Constant Analyser, based on transient plane source technique. Experimental study reveals that effective thermal conductivity increases with increasing concentration of MWNT in PMMA and increases exponentially at high temperatures for high (5, 10) wt% samples. This behavior of effective thermal conductivity is explained in terms of the interactions between polymer–MWNT and MWNT–MWNT. Consequently these results were found to be in agreement with theoretical models such as Series, Parallel, Lewis/Neilson and empirical formula. The discrepancy found in Lewis/Neilson model at high temperature for high wt% of MWNT in PMMA is due to some change in values of parameters incorporated in the model. (paper)

  10. Patterning of PMMA microfluidic parts using screen printing process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahari Kaleibar, Aminreza; Rahbar, Mona; Haiducu, Marius; Parameswaran, Ash M.

    2010-02-01

    An inexpensive and rapid micro-fabrication process for producing PMMA microfluidic components has been presented. Our proposed technique takes advantages of commercially available economical technologies such as the silk screen printing and UV patterning of PMMA substrates to produce the microfluidic components. As a demonstration of our proposed technique, we had utilized a homemade deep-UV source, λ=254nm, a silk screen mask made using a local screen-printing shop and Isopropyl alcohol - water mixture (IPA-water) as developer to quickly define the microfluidic patterns. The prototyped devices were successfully bonded, sealed, and the device functionality tested and demonstrated. The screen printing based technique can produce microfluidic channels as small as 50 micrometers quite easily, making this technique the most cost-effective, fairly high precision and at the same time an ultra economical plastic microfluidic components fabrication process reported to date.

  11. Correlation between MWCNT aspect ratio and the mechanical properties of composites of PMMA and MWCNTs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mu, Mulan; Teblum, Eti; Figiel, Łukasz; Nessim, Gilbert Daniel; McNally, Tony

    2018-04-01

    The correlation between MWCNT aspect ratio and the quasi-static and dynamic mechanical properties of composites of MWCNTs and PMMA was studied for relatively long MWCNT lengths, in the range 0.3 mm to 5 mm (aspect ratios up to 5 × 105) and at low loading (0.15 wt%). The height of the MWCNTs prepared were modulated by controlling the amount of water vapour introduced in the reactor limiting Ostwald ripening of the catalyst, the formation of amorphous carbon and any increase in CNT diameter. The Tg of PMMA increased by up to 4 °C on addition of the longest tubes as they have the ability to form physical junctions with the polymer chains which lead to enhanced PMMA-MWCNTs interactions and increased mechanical properties, Young’s modulus by 20% on addition of 5 mm long MWCNTs. Predictions of the Young’s modulus of the composites of PMMA and MWCNT with the Mori-Tanaka theory show that future micromechanical models should account for MWCNT agglomeration and polymer-nanotube interactions as a function of CNT length.

  12. Synthesis of transparent ZnO/PMMA nanocomposite films through free-radical copolymerization of asymmetric zinc methacrylate acetate and in-situ thermal decomposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang Lin [Department of Chemistry, Nanchang University, 999 Xuefu Avenue, Nanchang 330031 (China); Institute of Polymers, Nanchang University, 999 Xuefu Avenue, Nanchang 330031 (China); Li Fan, E-mail: lfan@ncu.edu.cn [Institute of Polymers, Nanchang University, 999 Xuefu Avenue, Nanchang 330031 (China); Chen Yiwang, E-mail: ywchen@ncu.edu.cn [Department of Chemistry, Nanchang University, 999 Xuefu Avenue, Nanchang 330031 (China); Institute of Polymers, Nanchang University, 999 Xuefu Avenue, Nanchang 330031 (China); Wang Xiaofeng [Institute of Polymers, Nanchang University, 999 Xuefu Avenue, Nanchang 330031 (China)

    2011-08-15

    In this paper, a new and simple approach for in-situ preparation of transparent ZnO/poly(metyl methacrylate) (ZnO/PMMA) nanocomposite films was developed. Poly(methyl methacrylate)-co-poly(zinc methacrylate acetate) (PMMA-co-PZnMAAc) copolymer was synthesized via free-radical polymerization between methyl methacrylate (MMA) and zinc methacrylate acetate (ZnMAAc), where asymmetric ZnMAAc with only one terminal double bond (C=C) was applied to act as the precursor for ZnO nanocrystals and could avoid cross-link. Subsequently, transparent ZnO/PMMA nanocomposite films were obtained by in-situ thermal decomposition. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) image revealed that ZnO nanocrystals were homogeneously dispersed in PMMA matrix. With thermal decomposition time increasing, the absorption intensity in UV region and photoluminescence intensity of ZnO/PMMA nanocomposite films enhanced. However, the optical properties diminished when the thermal decomposition temperature increased. The TGA measurement displayed ZnO/PMMA nanocomposite films prepared by the in-situ synthesis method possessed better thermal stability compared with those prepared by the physical blending method and pristine PMMA films. - Highlights: > ZnO/PMMA hybrid films were prepared via free-radical polymerization and in-situ thermal decomposition. > ZnO NCs are homogeneously dispersed in the PMMA matrix and these films have good optical properties. > Thermal stability of these films is improved compared with those of physically blending ones.

  13. Synthesis of transparent ZnO/PMMA nanocomposite films through free-radical copolymerization of asymmetric zinc methacrylate acetate and in-situ thermal decomposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Lin; Li Fan; Chen Yiwang; Wang Xiaofeng

    2011-01-01

    In this paper, a new and simple approach for in-situ preparation of transparent ZnO/poly(metyl methacrylate) (ZnO/PMMA) nanocomposite films was developed. Poly(methyl methacrylate)-co-poly(zinc methacrylate acetate) (PMMA-co-PZnMAAc) copolymer was synthesized via free-radical polymerization between methyl methacrylate (MMA) and zinc methacrylate acetate (ZnMAAc), where asymmetric ZnMAAc with only one terminal double bond (C=C) was applied to act as the precursor for ZnO nanocrystals and could avoid cross-link. Subsequently, transparent ZnO/PMMA nanocomposite films were obtained by in-situ thermal decomposition. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) image revealed that ZnO nanocrystals were homogeneously dispersed in PMMA matrix. With thermal decomposition time increasing, the absorption intensity in UV region and photoluminescence intensity of ZnO/PMMA nanocomposite films enhanced. However, the optical properties diminished when the thermal decomposition temperature increased. The TGA measurement displayed ZnO/PMMA nanocomposite films prepared by the in-situ synthesis method possessed better thermal stability compared with those prepared by the physical blending method and pristine PMMA films. - Highlights: → ZnO/PMMA hybrid films were prepared via free-radical polymerization and in-situ thermal decomposition. → ZnO NCs are homogeneously dispersed in the PMMA matrix and these films have good optical properties. → Thermal stability of these films is improved compared with those of physically blending ones.

  14. Memory and threshold switching in thin film PMMA polymer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rabah, K.V.O.

    1995-05-01

    Threshold switching between two impedance states have been observed at room temperature in a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) thin film sandwiched between two evaporated Al-metal electrodes. The cell's I-V characteristics were found to exhibit memory property. (author). 19 refs, 4 figs

  15. Synthesis and characterization of a novel nitric oxide fluorescent probe CdS-PMMA nanocomposite via in-situ bulk polymerization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ding, Liyun, E-mail: dlyw@whut.edu.cn; Li, Tao; Zhong, Yunming; Fan, Chao; Huang, Jun

    2014-02-01

    A novel nitric oxide (NO) fluorescent probe CdS-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanocomposites with different molar ratios of CdS quantum dots (QDs) to PMMA are developed successfully via in-situ bulk polymerization method. The optical properties of CdS/PMMA nanocomposites are studied by UV–Vis absorption spectra and fluorescence (FL) spectra in detail. It is demonstrated that the optical properties from such nanocomposite solution are tuned and stabilized by simply varying the concentration of CdS in the final product. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of CdS-PMMA nanocomposite with higher loading of CdS show broad pattern for cubic CdS, which has narrow particle size distribution with less than 5 nm in PMMA observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The surface morphological characterization of the CdS-PMMA nanocomposite has been done through atomic force microscopy (AFM). The thermo-gravimetric analyses (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) confirm the enhanced thermal stability of CdS-PMMA nanocomposites than PMMA. NO can coordinate with Cd{sup 2+} as a ligand for transition metal complexes, which will cause a quenching effect on the fluorescence of CdS QDs. Therefore, a significant quenching effect on the fluorescence of the CdS-PMMA nanocomposite is observed in the presence of NO. The fluorescence responses are concentration-dependent and can be well described by the typical Stern–Volmer equation, and a linear calibration I{sub 0}/I = 1.0021 + 0.1944[NO] (R{sup 2} = 0.96052) is obtained in the range from 1.4 × 10{sup −5} to 9.3 × 10{sup −3} mol/L NO with a detection limit of 1.0 × 10{sup −6} mol/L (S/N = 3). - Highlights: • CdS-PMMA nanocomposite was developed by in-situ bulk polymerization for NO detection. • The fluorescence quenching mechanism relies on the interaction between NO and Cd{sup 2+}. • The fluorescence response shows a good linear reproducibility with NO concentrations. • A linear calibration is

  16. Synthesis and characterization of a novel nitric oxide fluorescent probe CdS-PMMA nanocomposite via in-situ bulk polymerization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ding, Liyun; Li, Tao; Zhong, Yunming; Fan, Chao; Huang, Jun

    2014-01-01

    A novel nitric oxide (NO) fluorescent probe CdS-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanocomposites with different molar ratios of CdS quantum dots (QDs) to PMMA are developed successfully via in-situ bulk polymerization method. The optical properties of CdS/PMMA nanocomposites are studied by UV–Vis absorption spectra and fluorescence (FL) spectra in detail. It is demonstrated that the optical properties from such nanocomposite solution are tuned and stabilized by simply varying the concentration of CdS in the final product. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of CdS-PMMA nanocomposite with higher loading of CdS show broad pattern for cubic CdS, which has narrow particle size distribution with less than 5 nm in PMMA observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The surface morphological characterization of the CdS-PMMA nanocomposite has been done through atomic force microscopy (AFM). The thermo-gravimetric analyses (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) confirm the enhanced thermal stability of CdS-PMMA nanocomposites than PMMA. NO can coordinate with Cd 2+ as a ligand for transition metal complexes, which will cause a quenching effect on the fluorescence of CdS QDs. Therefore, a significant quenching effect on the fluorescence of the CdS-PMMA nanocomposite is observed in the presence of NO. The fluorescence responses are concentration-dependent and can be well described by the typical Stern–Volmer equation, and a linear calibration I 0 /I = 1.0021 + 0.1944[NO] (R 2 = 0.96052) is obtained in the range from 1.4 × 10 −5 to 9.3 × 10 −3 mol/L NO with a detection limit of 1.0 × 10 −6 mol/L (S/N = 3). - Highlights: • CdS-PMMA nanocomposite was developed by in-situ bulk polymerization for NO detection. • The fluorescence quenching mechanism relies on the interaction between NO and Cd 2+ . • The fluorescence response shows a good linear reproducibility with NO concentrations. • A linear calibration is obtained in the range from 1.4 × 10

  17. The influences of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) on the cytotoxicity and mechanical properties of Poly-methylmethacrylate (PMMA)-based dental resin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiao, Yang; Ma, Sai; Li, Jing; Shan, Lequn; Yang, Yanwei; Li, Meng; Chen, Jihua

    2015-01-01

    Objectives. This study aimed to investigate the influences of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) on cytotoxicity and mechanical properties of Poly-methylmethacrylate (PMMA) dental resins. Methods. Experimental PMMA resin was prepared by incorporating various concentrations of NAC (0, 0.15, 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 wt.%). MTT assay was performed to investigate viability of human dental pulp cells after exposure to extract of PMMA resin with or without NAC. Cell adhesion on resin specimens was examined with scanning electron microscopy. Degree of conversion was studied with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Flexural strength, microhardness and surface roughness was evaluated using a universal testing machine, microhardness tester and optical profilometer, respectively. Results. Incorporation of NAC into PMMA resin significantly reduced its cytotoxicity and enhanced cell adhesion on its surface. NAC induced negative influences on the mechanical and physical properties of PMMA resin in a dose-dependent manner. The degree of conversion for all experimental PMMA resins reached as high as 72% after 24 h of polymerization. All the tested properties were maintained when the concentration of incorporated NAC was 0.15 wt.%. Conclusion. The addition of 0.15 wt.% NAC remarkably improved biocompatibility of PMMA resin without exerting significant negative influence on its mechanical and physical properties.

  18. Design and Proof-of-Concept Use of a Circular PMMA Platform with 16-Well Sample Capacity for Microwave-Accelerated Bioassays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohammed, Muzaffer; Aslan, Kadir

    2013-01-01

    We demonstrate the design and the proof-of-concept use of a new, circular poly(methyl methacrylate)-based bioassay platform (PMMA platform), which affords for the rapid processing of 16 samples at once. The circular PMMA platform (5 cm in diameter) was coated with a silver nanoparticle film to accelerate the bioassay steps by microwave heating. A model colorimetric bioassay for biotinylated albumin (using streptavidin-labeled horse radish peroxidase) was performed on the PMMA platform coated with and without silver nanoparticles (a control experiment), and at room temperature and using microwave heating. It was shown that the simulated temperature profile of the PMMA platform during microwave heating were comparable to the real-time temperature profile during actual microwave heating of the constructed PMMA platform in a commercial microwave oven. The model colorimetric bioassay for biotinylated albumin was successfully completed in ~2 min (total assay time) using microwave heating, as compared to 90 min at room temperature (total assay time), which indicates a ~45-fold decrease in assay time. Our PMMA platform design afforded for significant reduction in non-specific interactions and low background signal as compared to non-silvered PMMA surfaces when employed in a microwave-accelerated bioassay carried out in a conventional microwave cavity.

  19. Suppression or knockout of SaF/SaM overcomes the Sa-mediated hybrid male sterility in rice

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Yongyao Xie; Baixiao Niu; Yunming Long; Gousi Li; Jintao Tang; Yaling Zhang; Ding Ren; Yao-Guang Liu; Letian Chen

    2017-01-01

    Hybrids between the indica and japonica subspecies of rice (Oryza sativa) are usually sterile, which hinders utilization of heterosis in the inter-subspecific hybrid breeding. The complex locus Sa comprises two adjacently located genes, SaF and SaM, which interact to cause abortion of pollen grains carrying the japonica allele in japonica-indica hybrids. Here we showed that silencing of SaF or SaM by RNA interference restored male fertility in indica-japonica hybrids with heterozygous Sa. We further used clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9-based genome editing to knockout the SaF and SaM alleles, respectively, of an indica rice line to create hybrid-compatible lines. The resultant artificial neutral alleles did not affect pollen viability and other agricultural traits, but did break down the reproductive barrier in the hybrids. We found that some rice lines have natural neutral allele Sa-n, which was compatible with the typical japonica or indica Sa alleles in hybrids. Our results demonstrate that SaF and SaM are required for hybrid male sterility, but are not essential for pollen development. This study provides effective approaches for the generation of hybrid-compatible lines by knocking out the Sa locus or using the natural Sa-n allele to overcome hybrid male sterility in rice breeding.

  20. Superlubricating graphene and graphene oxide films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sumant, Anirudha V.; Erdemir, Ali; Choi, Junho; Berman, Diana

    2018-02-13

    A system and method for forming at least one of graphene and graphene oxide on a substrate and an opposed wear member. The system includes graphene and graphene oxide formed by an exfoliation process or solution processing method to dispose graphene and/or graphene oxide onto a substrate. The system further includes an opposing wear member disposed on another substrate and a gas atmosphere of an inert gas like N2, ambient, a humid atmosphere and a water solution.

  1. Evaluation relaxed volume of .sub.a-./sub.PMMA and .sub.a-./sub.PMMA/CB from heating

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Hadač, J.; Slobodian, P.; Sáha, P.; Říha, Pavel

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 108, special issue 1 (2014), s. 50-58 ISSN 0009-2770 Grant - others:GA MŠk(CZ) EE.2.3.20.0104; GA MŠk(CZ) ED2.1.00/03.0111 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20600510 Institutional support: RVO:67985874 Keywords : isobaric heating * physical aging * PMMA * volume relaxation * polymer/carbon black composite Subject RIV: BK - Fluid Dynamics Impact factor: 0.272, year: 2014 http://www.chemicke-listy.cz/docs/full/2014_s1_s50-s58.pdf

  2. Structural, optical and photo thermal properties of Er3+:Y2O3 doped PMMA nanocomposite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tabanli, Sevcan; Eryurek, Gonul

    2018-02-01

    Thermal decomposition technique was employed to synthesize of phosphors of yttria (Y2O3) doped with erbium (Er3+) ions. After the synthesized procedure, the nano-sized crystalline powders were annealed at 800oC for 24 h. Annealed powders were embedded in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) by free radical polymerization to fabricate nanocomposite polymer materials. The crystalline structure of the powder and doped PMMA nanocomposite samples were determined using X-ray diffraction technique. Scherrer's equation and the FW1/5/4/5M method were used to determine average crystalline size and grain size distributions, respectively. The spectroscopic properties of the powders and doped PMMA nanocomposites were studied by measuring the upconversion emission spectra under near-infrared laser excitation at room temperature. The laser-induced photo thermal behaviors of Er3+:Y2O3 nano-powders and doped PMMA nanocomposite were investigated using the fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) technique.

  3. Ag+12 ion induced modifications of structural and optical properties of ZnO-PMMA nanocomposite films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharma, Sarla; Vijay, Y. K.; Vyas, Rishi

    2013-01-01

    The influence of swift heavy ion (SHI) irradiation on structural and photoluminescence (PL) properties of ZnO-PMMA nanocomposite films, prepared by solution casting method, was studied. The ZnO-PMMA nanocomposite films were irradiated using 120 MeV Ag +12 ions at different fluences varying from 1×10 11 to 1×10 13 ions/cm 2 . The intensity of the X-ray diffraction peaks is increased at the high fluence, without evolution of any new peak. A shift in absorption edge (i.e. shift in optical band gap) towards higher wavelength was observed after irradiation and PL from ZnO-PMMA nanocomposite films is found to increase up to a critical fluence and then found to be suppressed for higher fluence (1×10 12 ion/cm 2 ). The change in photoluminescence after irradiation can be attributed to the change in microstructure of PMMA matrix as well as the agglomeration of ZnO nanoparticles.

  4. Significance of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) modification by zinc oxide nanoparticles for fungal biofilm formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cierech, Mariusz; Kolenda, Adam; Grudniak, Anna M; Wojnarowicz, Jacek; Woźniak, Bartosz; Gołaś, Marlena; Swoboda-Kopeć, Ewa; Łojkowski, Witold; Mierzwińska-Nastalska, Elżbieta

    2016-08-20

    The objective of this study was to obtain a material composite with antifungal properties for dentures to be used as an alternative protocol in denture stomatitis treatment and prevention. Denture stomatitis is still a clinical problem in patients particularly vulnerable to this disease. Composites of PMMA and doped ZnO-NPs (weight concentrations, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%) and PMMA with sprayed solvothermal and hydrothermal ZnO-NPs were tested. The following investigations of newly formed biomaterials were undertaken: influence on Candida albicans solution, biofilm staining, XTT analysis and a quantitative analysis of adhered C. albicans. These studies evidenced the antifungal activity of both nanocomposites PMMA-ZnO-NPs and the efficacy of sputtering of zinc oxide nanoparticles on the PMMA. The study of the biofilm deposition on the surface showed that antifungal properties increase with increasing concentration of ZnO-NPs. The XTT assay in conjunction with testing the turbidity of solutions may indicate the mechanism by which ZnO-NPs exert their effect on the increased induction of antioxidative stress in microorganism cells. The denture base made of the aforesaid materials may play a preventive role in patients susceptible to fungal infections. Based on the results obtained a modified treatment of stomatitis Type II (Newton's classification) complicated by fungal infection was proposed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Modifications in optical and structural properties of PMMA/PCTFE blend films as a function of PCTFE concentration

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tripathi, J., E-mail: jtripathi00@gmail.com [Dept. of Physics, ISLE, IPS Academy, Indore (India); Sharma, A. [Dept. of Physics, Manipal University Jaipur, Jaipur (India); Tripathi, S. [UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, Indore (India); Bisen, R. [Dept. of Physics, ISLE, IPS Academy, Indore (India); Agrawal, A. [Dept. of Elect. and Commun., Global Engineering College, Jabalpur (India)

    2017-06-15

    The poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymer blend films were prepared by solution casting method with varying PolyChloroTriFluoroEthylene (PCTFE) concentrations (1–5 wt %). The crystallinity, bonding behavior and disorder in the films were investigated with X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), UV–visible and ellipsometry techniques, while surface morphology was studied using Atomic force microscopy (AFM). The nanocrystalline nature of PMMA is seen to be preserved in the blends although there are clear indications of bond modifications. The addition of PCTFE results in the improvement of overall crystallinity of the films via the interaction among PMMA and degraded PCTFE molecules when the films are casted from diluted solutions. In agreement, corresponding disorder in terms of Urbach energy shows a decreasing trend upon inclusion of more and more PCTFE molecules. Micro-Raman spectra are dominated by fluorescence background, which is proposed as arising from degraded PCTFE. Supporting this, FTIR spectra also shows modifications in bonding as a function of PCTFE percentage, but this bond modification is not enough to produce refractive index variation in the sample, which is dominated by the host PMMA contribution for all the PCTFE concentrations. The study suggests the useful range of PCTFE concentration in which PMMA host properties can be modified for optimizing optical and structural properties without much degradation of PCTFE. - Highlights: • PMMA blend films with varying PCTFE concentrations (1–5 wt%) were prepared. • Nanocrystalline nature of PMMA is preserved in spite of bond modifications. • Addition of PCTFE results in improvement of overall crystallinity of the films. • Urbach energy shows a decreasing Disorder upon inclusion of more PCTFE molecules. • FTIR spectra show bond modifications without changing refractive index.

  6. Einstein's Mirror

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gjurchinovski, Aleksandar; Skeparovski, Aleksandar

    2008-01-01

    Reflection of light from a plane mirror in uniform rectilinear motion is a century-old problem, intimately related to the foundations of special relativity. The problem was first investigated by Einstein in his famous 1905 paper by using the Lorentz transformations to switch from the mirror's rest frame to the frame where the mirror moves at a…

  7. Facile synthesis, dielectric properties and electrocatalytic activities of PMMA-NiFe2O4 nanocomposite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maji, Pranabi; Choudhary, Ram Bilash

    2017-01-01

    The paper deals with the dielectric and catalytic properties of poly (methyl methacrylate)-nikel ferrite (PMMA-NiFe 2 O 4 ) nanocomposite. The nanocomposite was prepared by using a general and facile synthesis strategy. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra confirmed the formation of PMMA-NiFe 2 O 4 nanocomposite. Field effect scanning electron microscopic (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) images revealed that NiFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles were uniformly distributed and were tightly adhered with PMMA matrix owing to surface modification with 3-methacryloyloxy propyl trimethoxy silane (KH-570). Thermal stability was enhanced by incorporation of NiFe 2 O 4 nanofillers. The nanocomposite showed high dielectric constant and low dielectric loss. The achieved dielectric and thermal property inferred the potential application of this material in energy storage and embedded electronics devices. Further, the as prepared nanocomposite also offered a remarkable electrochemical performance towards hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) sensing. - Highlights: • PMMA-NiFe 2 O 4 nanocomposite was synthesized via free radical polymerization. • The nanocomposite exhibited high value of dielectric constant (51) and tanδ (0.3). • Thermal stability of the PMMA matrix was improved by the incorporation of NiFe 2 O 4. • The H 2 O 2 detection limit was estimated 44 μM when signal to noise (S/N) ration was 3. • The electrochemical sensitivity of H 2 O 2 was calculated 0.6727 μA mM -1 .

  8. Einstein's Mirror

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gjurchinovski, Aleksandar; Skeparovski, Aleksandar

    2008-10-01

    Reflection of light from a plane mirror in uniform rectilinear motion is a century-old problem, intimately related to the foundations of special relativity.1-4 The problem was first investigated by Einstein in his famous 1905 paper by using the Lorentz transformations to switch from the mirror's rest frame to the frame where the mirror moves at a constant velocity.5 Einstein showed an intriguing fact that the usual law of reflection would not hold in the case of a uniformly moving mirror, that is, the angles of incidence and reflection of the light would not equal each other. Later on, it has been shown that the law of reflection at a moving mirror can be obtained in various alternative ways,6-10 but none of them seems suitable for bringing this interesting subject into the high school classroom.

  9. Spectroscopic analysis of PMMA/PVC blends containing CoCl2

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N.S. Alghunaim

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Composites of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA and polyvinyl chloride (PVC polymer blend containing different concentrations (⩽10 wt. of cobalt chloride (CoCl2 were prepared by casting techniques. The changes of the structural, spectroscopic, optical and thermal parameters of the samples are studied using different tools. FT-IR spectroscopy confirmed the complexation between the blends and Co+2-ions. The decrease or increase of IR band intensity with some shifts of other bands suggests an interaction and compatibility between PMMA/PVC blends with CoCl2 take place. The Ultra violet and visible (UV/Vis spectra indicated that the presence of band gap energy depends on increasing of CoCl2 contents. The absorption intensity of the samples doped with CoCl2 becomes faint lower than the pure blend. The values of energy gap for direct and indirect transition decreases with the increase of CoCl2 due to the presence of charge transfer between PMMA/PVC and CoCl2. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA curves for all the samples have the same behavior and more steps of decomposition were observed. The reduction of mass loss for samples containing CoCl2 compared to the pure blend was observed and it was attributed to crosslink formation between the blend and CoCl2.

  10. Suppression or knockout of SaF/SaM overcomes the Sa-mediated hybrid male sterility in rice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Yongyao; Niu, Baixiao; Long, Yunming; Li, Gousi; Tang, Jintao; Zhang, Yaling; Ren, Ding; Liu, Yao-Guang; Chen, Letian

    2017-09-01

    Hybrids between the indica and japonica subspecies of rice (Oryza sativa) are usually sterile, which hinders utilization of heterosis in the inter-subspecific hybrid breeding. The complex locus Sa comprises two adjacently located genes, SaF and SaM, which interact to cause abortion of pollen grains carrying the japonica allele in japonica-indica hybrids. Here we showed that silencing of SaF or SaM by RNA interference restored male fertility in indica-japonica hybrids with heterozygous Sa. We further used clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9-based genome editing to knockout the SaF and SaM alleles, respectively, of an indica rice line to create hybrid-compatible lines. The resultant artificial neutral alleles did not affect pollen viability and other agricultural traits, but did break down the reproductive barrier in the hybrids. We found that some rice lines have natural neutral allele Sa-n, which was compatible with the typical japonica or indica Sa alleles in hybrids. Our results demonstrate that SaF and SaM are required for hybrid male sterility, but are not essential for pollen development. This study provides effective approaches for the generation of hybrid-compatible lines by knocking out the Sa locus or using the natural Sa-n allele to overcome hybrid male sterility in rice breeding. © 2017 The Authors. Bioelectromagnetics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

  11. Different photoluminescent properties of binary and ternary europium chelates doped in PMMA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Hongguo; Park, Seongtae; Jang, Kiwan; Zhang Wansong; Seo, Hyo-Jin; Lee, Yong-Ill

    2003-01-01

    Two kinds of europium-β-diketone chelates, binary Eu(DBM) 3 and ternary Eu(DBM) 3 phen were doped in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). These chelates show very different photoluminescent (PL) behaviors: the hypersensitive 5 D 0 → 7 F 2 emission bands of Eu(DBM) 3 phen change slightly with the molar ratios, while those of Eu(DBM) 3 change obviously and regularly with the molar ratios. The results of the luminescent lifetimes of 5 D 0 levels show that the binary chelate exists as two kinds of species in the doped systems, and the lifetimes and contents of each species change with the molar ratios, while the ternary chelate exists as one kind of species in the doped systems. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the binary chelate doped systems give some diffraction peaks that are different from those of pure chelate and change with the molar ratios, indicating new kinds of crystal structures formed, and consequently, the first coordination sphere of Eu 3+ ion changes; while those of the ternary chelate doped systems just show amorphous diffraction halos of the host, indicating that the ternary chelate exist in an amorphous state and disperse well in the host. The FTIR spectra of PMMA also change gradually with increasing the molar ratios of the doped two kinds of chelates, and the XRD patterns show that the amorphous halos of PMMA in the doped systems are different from those of pure PMMA and change with the molar ratios, too, suggesting the interaction between the guest and the host

  12. Amorphous Metals and Composites as Mirrors and Mirror Assemblies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hofmann, Douglas C. (Inventor); Davis, Gregory L. (Inventor); Agnes, Gregory S. (Inventor); Shapiro, Andrew A. (Inventor)

    2016-01-01

    A mirror or mirror assembly fabricated by molding, pressing, assembling, or depositing one or more bulk metal glass (BMG), bulk metal glass composite (BMGMC), or amorphous metal (AM) parts and where the optical surface and backing of the mirror can be fabricated without machining or polishing by utilizing the unique molding capabilities of this class of materials.

  13. Mirror machine reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carlson, G.A.; Moir, R.W.

    1976-01-01

    Recent mirror reactor conceptual design studies are described. Considered in detail is the design of ''standard'' Yin-Yang fusion power reactors with classical and enhanced confinement. It is shown that to be economically competitive with estimates for other future energy sources, mirror reactors require a considerable increase in Q, or major design simplifications, or preferably both. These improvements may require a departure from the ''standard'' configuration. Two attractive possibilities, both of which would use much of the same physics and technology as the ''standard'' mirror, are the field reversed mirror and the end-stoppered mirror

  14. Promising applications of graphene and graphene-based nanostructures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Bich Ha; Hieu Nguyen, Van

    2016-06-01

    The present article is a review of research works on promising applications of graphene and graphene-based nanostructures. It contains five main scientific subjects. The first one is the research on graphene-based transparent and flexible conductive films for displays and electrodes: efficient method ensuring uniform and controllable deposition of reduced graphene oxide thin films over large areas, large-scale pattern growth of graphene films for stretchble transparent electrodes, utilization of graphene-based transparent conducting films and graphene oxide-based ones in many photonic and optoelectronic devices and equipments such as the window electrodes of inorganic, organic and dye-sensitized solar cells, organic light-emitting diodes, light-emitting electrochemical cells, touch screens, flexible smart windows, graphene-based saturated absorbers in laser cavities for ultrafast generations, graphene-based flexible, transparent heaters in automobile defogging/deicing systems, heatable smart windows, graphene electrodes for high-performance organic field-effect transistors, flexible and transparent acoustic actuators and nanogenerators etc. The second scientific subject is the research on conductive inks for printed electronics to revolutionize the electronic industry by producing cost-effective electronic circuits and sensors in very large quantities: preparing high mobility printable semiconductors, low sintering temperature conducting inks, graphene-based ink by liquid phase exfoliation of graphite in organic solutions, and developing inkjet printing technique for mass production of high-quality graphene patterns with high resolution and for fabricating a variety of good-performance electronic devices, including transparent conductors, embedded resistors, thin-film transistors and micro supercapacitors. The third scientific subject is the research on graphene-based separation membranes: molecular dynamics simulation study on the mechanisms of the transport of

  15. Control of the nucleation and quality of graphene grown by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition with acetylene

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Meng; Sasaki, Shinichirou; Suzuki, Ken; Miura, Hideo

    2016-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • For the first time, we succeeded in the LPCVD growth of monolayer graphene using acetylene as the precursor gas. • The growth rate is very high when acetylene is used as the source gas. Our process has exhibited the potential to shorten the growth time of CVD graphene. • We found that the domain size, defects density, layer number and the sheet resistance of graphene can be changed by changing the acetylene flow rates. • We found that it is also possible to form bilayer graphene using acetylene. However, further study are necessary to reduce the defects density. - Abstract: Although many studies have reported the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth of large-area monolayer graphene from methane, synthesis of graphene using acetylene as the source gas has not been fully explored. In this study, the low-pressure CVD (LPCVD) growth of graphene from acetylene was systematically investigated. We succeeded in regulating the domain size, defects density, layer number and the sheet resistance of graphene by changing the acetylene flow rates. Scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy were employed to confirm the layer number, uniformity and quality of the graphene films. It is found that a low flow rate of acetylene (0.28 sccm) is required to form high-quality monolayer graphene in our system. On the other hand, the high acetylene flow rate (7 sccm) will induce the growth of the bilayer graphene domains with high defects density. On the basis of selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern, the as-grown monolayer graphene domains were analyzed to be polycrystal. We also discussed the relation between the sheet resistacne and defects density in graphene. Our results provide great insights into the understanding of the CVD growth of monolayer and bilayer graphene from acetylene.

  16. Control of the nucleation and quality of graphene grown by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition with acetylene

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Meng, E-mail: youmou@rift.mech.tohoku.ac.jp [Department of Nanomechanics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan); Sasaki, Shinichirou [Department of Nanomechanics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan); Suzuki, Ken; Miura, Hideo [Fracture and Reliability Research Institute, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan)

    2016-03-15

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • For the first time, we succeeded in the LPCVD growth of monolayer graphene using acetylene as the precursor gas. • The growth rate is very high when acetylene is used as the source gas. Our process has exhibited the potential to shorten the growth time of CVD graphene. • We found that the domain size, defects density, layer number and the sheet resistance of graphene can be changed by changing the acetylene flow rates. • We found that it is also possible to form bilayer graphene using acetylene. However, further study are necessary to reduce the defects density. - Abstract: Although many studies have reported the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth of large-area monolayer graphene from methane, synthesis of graphene using acetylene as the source gas has not been fully explored. In this study, the low-pressure CVD (LPCVD) growth of graphene from acetylene was systematically investigated. We succeeded in regulating the domain size, defects density, layer number and the sheet resistance of graphene by changing the acetylene flow rates. Scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy were employed to confirm the layer number, uniformity and quality of the graphene films. It is found that a low flow rate of acetylene (0.28 sccm) is required to form high-quality monolayer graphene in our system. On the other hand, the high acetylene flow rate (7 sccm) will induce the growth of the bilayer graphene domains with high defects density. On the basis of selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern, the as-grown monolayer graphene domains were analyzed to be polycrystal. We also discussed the relation between the sheet resistacne and defects density in graphene. Our results provide great insights into the understanding of the CVD growth of monolayer and bilayer graphene from acetylene.

  17. Interlayer shear of nanomaterials: Graphene-graphene, boron nitride-boron nitride and graphene-boron nitride

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Yinfeng Li; Weiwei Zhang; Bill Guo; Dibakar Datta

    2017-01-01

    In this paper,the interlayer sliding between graphene and boron nitride (h-BN) is studied by molecular dynamics simulations.The interlayer shear force between h-BN/h-BN is found to be six times higher than that of graphene/graphene,while the interlayer shear between graphene/h-BN is approximate to that of graphene/graphene.The graphene/h-BN heterostructure shows several anomalous interlayer shear characteristics compared to its bilayer counterparts.For graphene/graphene and h-BN/h-BN,interlayer shears only exit along the sliding direction while interlayer shear for graphene/h-BN is observed along both the translocation and perpendicular directions.Our results provide significant insight into the interlayer shear characteristics of 2D nanomaterials.

  18. Multifunctional PMMA@Fe3O4@DR Magnetic Materials for Efficient Adsorption of Dyes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bing Yu

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Magnetic porous microspheres are widely used in modern wastewater treatment technology due to their simple and quick dye adsorption and separation functions. In this article, we prepared porous polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA microspheres by the seed-swelling method, followed by in situ formation of iron oxide (Fe3O4 nanoparticles within the pore. Then, we used diazo-resin (DR to encapsulate the porous magnetic microspheres and achieve PMMA@Fe3O4@DR magnetic material. We studied the different properties of magnetic microspheres by different dye adsorption experiments before and after the encapsulation and demonstrated that the PMMA@Fe3O4@DR microspheres can be successfully used as a reusable absorbent for fast and easy removal of anionic and aromatic dyes from wastewater and can maintain excellent magnetic and adsorption properties in harsh environments.

  19. Classical mirror symmetry

    CERN Document Server

    Jinzenji, Masao

    2018-01-01

    This book furnishes a brief introduction to classical mirror symmetry, a term that denotes the process of computing Gromov–Witten invariants of a Calabi–Yau threefold by using the Picard–Fuchs differential equation of period integrals of its mirror Calabi–Yau threefold. The book concentrates on the best-known example, the quintic hypersurface in 4-dimensional projective space, and its mirror manifold. First, there is a brief review of the process of discovery of mirror symmetry and the striking result proposed in the celebrated paper by Candelas and his collaborators. Next, some elementary results of complex manifolds and Chern classes needed for study of mirror symmetry are explained. Then the topological sigma models, the A-model and the B-model, are introduced. The classical mirror symmetry hypothesis is explained as the equivalence between the correlation function of the A-model of a quintic hyper-surface and that of the B-model of its mirror manifold. On the B-model side, the process of construct...

  20. Tandem mirror and field-reversed mirror experiments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Coensgen, F.H.; Simonen, T.C.; Turner, W.C.

    1979-08-21

    This paper is largely devoted to tandem mirror and field-reversed mirror experiments at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL), and briefly summarizes results of experiments in which field-reversal has been achieved. In the tandem experiment, high-energy, high-density plasmas (nearly identical to 2XIIB plasmas) are located at each end of a solenoid where plasma ions are electrostatically confined by the high positive poentials arising in the end plug plasma. End plug ions are magnetically confined, and electrons are electrostatically confined by the overall positive potential of the system. The field-reversed mirror reactor consists of several small field-reversed mirror plasmas linked together for economic reasons. In the LLL Beta II experiment, generation of a field-reversed plasma ring will be investigated using a high-energy plasma gun with a transverse radial magnetic field. This plasma will be further heated and sustained by injection of intense, high-energy neutral beams.

  1. Ferromagnetically coupled local moments along an extended line defect in graphene

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Carter T.; Vasudevan, Smitha; Gunlycke, Daniel

    2011-03-01

    Recently an extended line defect was observed composed of octagonal and pentagonal carbon rings embedded in a graphene sheet [Nat. Nanotech. 5, 326 (2010)]. We report results of studies we have made of this defect using both first-principles and semi-empirical methods. Two types of boundary-localized states arising from the defect are identified. The first (second) type has eigenstates with wavefunctions that are anti- symmetric (symmetric) with respect to a mirror plane that is perpendicular to the graphene sheet and passes through the line defect center line. The boundary-localized anti-symmetric states are shown to be intimately connected to the zigzag edge states of semi-infinite graphene. They exhibit little dispersion along the defect line and lie close to the Fermi level giving rise to a spontaneous spin polarization along the defect once electron-electron interactions are included at the level of a mean field approximation to a Hubbard Model. Within this approach, symmetry requires that the principal moments couple ferromagnetically both along and across the line defect leading to approximately 2/3 more up than down spin electrons per defect repeat unit. This work was supported by ONR, directly and through NRL.

  2. Tooling device design for vibration-assisted high speed shaping of PMMA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mostofa, Md. Golam; Noh, J. H.; Kim, H. Y.; Ahn, J. H.; Kang, D. B.

    2010-01-01

    PMMA optical components that are used as one of the most important parts of high precision equipment and machines are increasingly replacing the glass due to the various advantages of PMMA. Especially in Light Guide Panels, the PMMA sheet that is used in Liquid Crystal Displays plays an important role in scattering the incident light and requires very fine machining as the sheet is directly related to the optical characteristics of the panels. The High Speed End milling and High Speed Shaping processes that are widely adopted and applied to the precise machining of Light Incident Plane still have quality problems, such as cracks, breakages, poor waviness, and straightness. This paper presents the tooling device design for machining a Light Incident Plane through vibration-assisted High Speed Shaping for increasing the optical quality by minimizing the above-mentioned problems. The cutting tool and the tool post presented in this paper are designed by the authors to increase the magnitude of the cutting stroke by adopting the resonant frequency without weakening the stiffness and to reduce vibrations during even high speed feeding. The dynamic characteristics of the cutting tool and the tool post are evaluated through simulation and experiment as well. The results reveal very appropriate dynamic characteristics for vibration-assisted High Speed Shaping

  3. Mirror symmetry

    CERN Document Server

    Voisin, Claire

    1999-01-01

    This is the English translation of Professor Voisin's book reflecting the discovery of the mirror symmetry phenomenon. The first chapter is devoted to the geometry of Calabi-Yau manifolds, and the second describes, as motivation, the ideas from quantum field theory that led to the discovery of mirror symmetry. The other chapters deal with more specialized aspects of the subject: the work of Candelas, de la Ossa, Greene, and Parkes, based on the fact that under the mirror symmetry hypothesis, the variation of Hodge structure of a Calabi-Yau threefold determines the Gromov-Witten invariants of its mirror; Batyrev's construction, which exhibits the mirror symmetry phenomenon between hypersurfaces of toric Fano varieties, after a combinatorial classification of the latter; the mathematical construction of the Gromov-Witten potential, and the proof of its crucial property (that it satisfies the WDVV equation), which makes it possible to construct a flat connection underlying a variation of Hodge structure in the ...

  4. Effects of the molar mass of the matrix on electrical properties, structure and morphology of plasticized PANI-PMMA blends

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gmati, Fethi; Fattoum, Arbi; Bohli, Nadra; Mohamed, Abdellatif Belhadj

    2008-01-01

    The effects of the molar mass of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) on electrical, structural and morphological properties of conductive polyaniline-polymethylmethacrylate blends have been studied. We have plasticized the PMMA matrix by using dioctyl phthalate (DioPh). Three different molar masses of PMMA, 15 000, 120 000 and 350 000 g mol -1 , have been used. The x-ray diffraction analysis showed amorphous structure for all our studied PANI-PMMA blend films. The SEM micrographs showed more aggregation with the lowest molar mass of PMMA matrix. The direct current (dc) and alternating current (ac) electrical conductivities have been investigated in the temperature range 20-300 K and frequency range 7-1 x 10 8 Hz. The results of this study indicate an increase of the conductivity when the molar mass of PMMA decreases. With the lowest molar mass of PMMA (15 000 g mol -1 ), we obtained the lowest percolation threshold (p c ∼0.3%). The dc conductivity is governed by Mott's three-dimensional variable range hopping (3D VRH) model; different Mott's parameters have been evaluated. At high frequencies, the ac conductivity follows the power law σ(ω,T) = A(T)ω s(T,ω) , which is characteristic for charge transport in disordered materials by hopping or tunnelling processes. The observed decrease in the frequency exponent s with increasing temperature suggests that the correlated barrier hopping (CBH) model best describes the ac conduction mechanism. All our blends are well described by the scaling law σ(ω)/σ dc = 1+(ω/ω c ) n with n∼0.51-0.52

  5. Technology of mirror machines: LLL facilities for magnetic mirror fusion experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Batzer, T.H.

    1977-01-01

    Significant progress in plasma confinement and temperature has been achieved in the 2XIIB facility at Livermore. These encouraging results, and their theoretical corroboration, have provided a firm basis for the design of a new generation of magnetic mirror experiments, adding support to the mirror concept of a fusion reactor. Two new mirror experiments have been proposed to succeed the currently operating 2XIIB facility. The first of these called TMX (Tandem Mirror Experiment) has been approved and is currently under construction. TMX is designed to utilize the intrinsic positive plasma potential of two strong, and relatively small, minimum B mirror cells to enhance the confinement of a much larger, magnetically weaker, centrally-located mirror cell. The second facility, MFTF (Mirror Fusion Test Facility), is currently in preliminary design with line item approval anticipated for FY 78. MFTF is designed primarily to exploit the experimental and theoretical results derived from 2XIIB. Beyond that, MFTF will develop the technology for the transition from the present small mirror experiments to large steady-state devices such as the mirror FERF/FTR. The sheer magnitude of the plasma volume, magnetic field, neutral beam power, and vacuum pumping capacity, particularly in the case of MFTF, has placed new and exciting demands on engineering technology. An engineering overview of MFTF, TMX, and associated MFE activities at Livermore will be presented

  6. Facile synthesis of monodisperse superparamagnetic Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/PMMA composite nanospheres with high magnetization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lan Fang; Liu Kexia; Jiang Wen; Zeng Xiaobo; Wu Yao; Gu Zhongwei, E-mail: Yaowu_amanda@126.com, E-mail: zwgu@scu.edu.cn [National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064 (China)

    2011-06-03

    Monodisperse superparamagnetic Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) composite nanospheres with high saturation magnetization were successfully prepared by a facile novel miniemulsion polymerization method. The ferrofluid, MMA monomer and surfactants were co-sonicated and emulsified to form stable miniemulsion for polymerization. The samples were characterized by DLS, TEM, FTIR, XRD, TGA and VSM. The diameter of the Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/PMMA composite nanospheres by DLS was close to 90 nm with corresponding polydispersity index (PDI) as small as 0.099, which indicated that the nanospheres have excellent homogeneity in aqueous medium. The TEM results implied that the Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/PMMA composite nanospheres had a perfect core-shell structure with about 3 nm thin PMMA shells, and the core was composed of many homogeneous and closely packed Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles. VSM and TGA showed that the Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/PMMA composite nanospheres with at least 65% high magnetite content were superparamagnetic, and the saturation magnetization was as high as around 39 emu g{sup -1} (total mass), which was only decreased by 17% compared with the initial bare Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles.

  7. Graphene device and method of using graphene device

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bouchiat, Vincent; Girit, Caglar; Kessler, Brian; Zettl, Alexander K.

    2015-08-11

    An embodiment of a graphene device includes a layered structure, first and second electrodes, and a dopant island. The layered structure includes a conductive layer, an insulating layer, and a graphene layer. The electrodes are coupled to the graphene layer. The dopant island is coupled to an exposed surface of the graphene layer between the electrodes. An embodiment of a method of using a graphene device includes providing the graphene device. A voltage is applied to the conductive layer of the graphene device. Another embodiment of a method of using a graphene device includes providing the graphene device without the dopant island. A dopant island is placed on an exposed surface of the graphene layer between the electrodes. A voltage is applied to the conductive layer of the graphene device. A response of the dopant island to the voltage is observed.

  8. [Motion control of moving mirror based on fixed-mirror adjustment in FTIR spectrometer].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Zhong-bing; Xu, Xian-ze; Le, Yi; Xu, Feng-qiu; Li, Jun-wei

    2012-08-01

    The performance of the uniform motion of the moving mirror, which is the only constant motion part in FTIR spectrometer, and the performance of the alignment of the fixed mirror play a key role in FTIR spectrometer, and affect the interference effect and the quality of the spectrogram and may restrict the precision and resolution of the instrument directly. The present article focuses on the research on the uniform motion of the moving mirror and the alignment of the fixed mirror. In order to improve the FTIR spectrometer, the maglev support system was designed for the moving mirror and the phase detection technology was adopted to adjust the tilt angle between the moving mirror and the fixed mirror. This paper also introduces an improved fuzzy PID control algorithm to get the accurate speed of the moving mirror and realize the control strategy from both hardware design and algorithm. The results show that the development of the moving mirror motion control system gets sufficient accuracy and real-time, which can ensure the uniform motion of the moving mirror and the alignment of the fixed mirror.

  9. Modification of PMMA/graphite nanocomposites through ion beam technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singhal, Prachi; Rattan, Sunita; Avasthi, Devesh Kumar; Tripathi, Ambuj

    2013-08-01

    Swift heavy ion (SHI) irradiation is a special technique for inducing physical and chemical modifications in bulk materials. In the present work, the SHI hs been used to prepare nanocomposites with homogeneously dispersed nanoparticles. The nanographite was synthesized from graphite using the intercalation-exfoliation method. PMMA Poly(methyl methacrylate)/graphite nanocomposites have been synthesized by in situ polymerization. The prepared PMMA/graphite nanocomposite films were irradiated with SHI irradiation (Ni ion beam, 80 MeV and C ion beam, 50 MeV) at a fluence of 1×1010 to 3×1012 ions/cm2. The nanocomposite films were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and were evaluated for their electrical and sensor properties. After irradiation, significant changes in surface morphology of nanocomposites were observed as evident from the SEM images, which show the presence of well-distributed nanographite platelets. The irradiated nanocomposites exhibit better electrical and sensor properties for the detection of nitroaromatics with marked improvement in sensitivity as compared with unirradiated nanocomposites.

  10. The Effect of H2SO4 Concentration on the Ionic Conductivity of Liquid PMMA Oligomer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Norashima Kamaluddin; Famiza Abdul Latif; Han, C.C.; Ruhani Ibrahim; Sharil Fadli Mohamad Zamri; Norashima Kamaluddin; Famiza Abdul Latif; Han, C.C.; Ruhani Ibrahim; Sharil Fadli Mohamad Zamri

    2015-01-01

    To date gel and film type polymer electrolytes have been widely synthesized due to their wide range of electrical properties. However these types of polymer electrolytes exhibit poor mechanical stability and poor electrode-electrolyte contact hence deprive the overall performance of a battery system. Therefore, in order to indulge the advantages of polymer as electrolyte, a new class of polymer electrolyte was synthesized and investigated. In this study, liquid poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) electrolyte was synthesized using the simplest free radical polymerization technique using benzoyl peroxide as the initiator. At this stage, it was found that this liquid PMMA oligomer (MW=3000 g/ mole) has a potential as electrolyte in electrochemical devices. It was found that an ionic conductivity of ∼10 -7 S/ cm at room temperature can be achieved when only small volume of high molarity of sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ) was doped in the liquid PMMA oligomer. The properties of this liquid PMMA oligomer were further investigated using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). (author)

  11. Influence of the aspect ratio of bioactive nanofillers on rheological behavior of PMMA-based orthopedic materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Tse-Ying; Chen, San-Yuan; Liu, Dean-Mo

    2004-10-15

    In this investigation, calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHA) nanocrystals with needle-like geometry were synthesized and incorporated with Poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA, to form CDHA-PMMA nanocomposites. Rheological behaviors of the PMMA-CDHA melting suspensions were systematically investigated in terms of solid loading and aspect ratio of the CDHA nanoparticles. The maximum solid loadings of nano-CDHA particles with aspect ratios of 7.2, 10.4, and 17 were determined to be 28, 31, and 57%, respectively. An increase in solid concentrations causes pronounced shear-thinning behavior. This result suggests that a strong interaction, including Van der Waals attraction and mechanical interlocking, between the nano-CDHA particles makes the nanocomposite mixture more non-Newtonian. Furthermore, it was found that packing efficiency and yield strength in the suspension were strongly influenced by the aspect ratio, especially above the critical value of 8.8. The obtained critical aspect ratio and solid content provide not only appropriate design in the PMMA-CDHA polymeric suspension for fabrication process but also optimal conditions for the fabrication of orthopedic devices via injection molding or extrusion.

  12. Influence of dopant concentration on the electrical properties of the CdSe-PMMA nanocomposite

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kaur, Ramneek; Tripathi, S. K., E-mail: surya@pu.ac.in, E-mail: surya-tr@yahoo.com [Department of Physics, Center of Advanced Study in Physics, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160 014 (India)

    2016-05-06

    This paper reports the synthesis and electrical characterization of CdSe-PMMA nanocomposite. CdSe-PMMA nanocomposite has been prepared by ex-situ technique through chemical route. The influence of three different Ag doping concentrations on the electrical properties has been studied in the temperature range ∼ 303-353 K. Transmission electron micrograph reveals the spherical morphology of the CdSe nanoparticles and their proper dispersion in the PMMA matrix. The electrical conduction of the polymer nanocomposites is through thermally activated process with single activation energy. With Ag doping, initially the activation energy increases upto 0.2 % Ag doping concentration but with further increase in Ag concentration, it decreases. This behavior has been discussed on the basis of randomly oriented grain boundaries and defect states. Thus, the results indicate that the transport properties of the polymer nanocomposites can be tailored by controlled doping concentration.

  13. Influence of dopant concentration on the electrical properties of the CdSe-PMMA nanocomposite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaur, Ramneek; Tripathi, S. K.

    2016-01-01

    This paper reports the synthesis and electrical characterization of CdSe-PMMA nanocomposite. CdSe-PMMA nanocomposite has been prepared by ex-situ technique through chemical route. The influence of three different Ag doping concentrations on the electrical properties has been studied in the temperature range ∼ 303-353 K. Transmission electron micrograph reveals the spherical morphology of the CdSe nanoparticles and their proper dispersion in the PMMA matrix. The electrical conduction of the polymer nanocomposites is through thermally activated process with single activation energy. With Ag doping, initially the activation energy increases upto 0.2 % Ag doping concentration but with further increase in Ag concentration, it decreases. This behavior has been discussed on the basis of randomly oriented grain boundaries and defect states. Thus, the results indicate that the transport properties of the polymer nanocomposites can be tailored by controlled doping concentration.

  14. Ag{sup +12} ion induced modifications of structural and optical properties of ZnO-PMMA nanocomposite films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sharma, Sarla; Vijay, Y. K. [Department of Physics, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur-302055 (India); Vyas, Rishi [Department of Physics, Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur-302017 (India)

    2013-02-05

    The influence of swift heavy ion (SHI) irradiation on structural and photoluminescence (PL) properties of ZnO-PMMA nanocomposite films, prepared by solution casting method, was studied. The ZnO-PMMA nanocomposite films were irradiated using 120 MeV Ag{sup +12} ions at different fluences varying from 1 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 11} to 1 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 13} ions/cm{sup 2}. The intensity of the X-ray diffraction peaks is increased at the high fluence, without evolution of any new peak. A shift in absorption edge (i.e. shift in optical band gap) towards higher wavelength was observed after irradiation and PL from ZnO-PMMA nanocomposite films is found to increase up to a critical fluence and then found to be suppressed for higher fluence (1 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 12} ion/cm{sup 2}). The change in photoluminescence after irradiation can be attributed to the change in microstructure of PMMA matrix as well as the agglomeration of ZnO nanoparticles.

  15. Photoluminescence of PMMA doped with fluorescein and carbosilane dendrimer and lasing in PBG resonance cavity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Chunfang; Jin Feng; Dong Xianzi; Chen Weiqiang; Duan Xuanming

    2007-01-01

    Carbosilane dendrimers with terminal allyl groups were synthesized and used to encapsulate the allyl derivative of fluorescein (allyl-FL) doped in PMMA. The optical property of this system was investigated and the results showed that the concentration of allyl-FL in PMMA could be increased to 4.5 wt% without decrease of the luminescence efficiency by adding the dendrimer into the system. The allyl-FL/dendrimer/PMMA film was embedded into a resonance cavity composed of two pieces of photonic band gap (PBG) materials to form a new-type solid-state laser. A laser emission at 589 nm was obtained when excited with a third harmonic generation (THG) of a pulsed Nd:YAG laser (355 nm) and its full-width at half-maximum of the spectrum was 1.7 nm

  16. Surface modification of graphene oxide nanosheets by protamine sulfate/sodium alginate for anti-cancer drug delivery application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Meng; Zhang, Feng; Liu, Lijiao; Zhang, Yanan; Li, Yeping; Li, Huaming; Xie, Jimin

    2018-05-01

    In order to improve the efficiency of anticancer drug delivery, a graphene oxide (GO) based drug delivery system modificated by natural peptide protamine sulfate (PRM) and sodium alginate (SA) was established via electrostatic attraction at each step of adsorption based on layer-by-layer self-assembly. The nanocomposites were then loaded with anticancer drug doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) to estimate the feasibility as drug carriers. The nanocomposites loaded with DOX revealed a remarkable pH-sensitive drug release property. The modification with protamine sulfate and sodium alginate could not only impart the nanocomposites an improved dispersibility and stability under physiological pH, but also suppress the protein adhesion. Due to the high water dispersibility and the small particle size, GO-PRM/SA nanocomposites were able to be uptaken by MCF-7 cells. It was found that GO-PRM/SA nanocomposites exhibited no obvious cytotoxicity towards MCF-7 cells, while GO-PRM/SA-DOX exhibited better cytotoxicity than GO-DOX. Therefore, the GO-PRM/SA nanocomposites were feasible as drug delivery vehicles.

  17. Thin-Film LSCs Based on PMMA Nanohybrid Coatings: Device Optimization and Outdoor Performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. M. El-Bashir

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This study concerns the design optimization of thin-film luminescent solar concentrators (TLSCs based on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA/silica nanohybrid films doped with coumarin dyestuffs specialized in coloring plastics. Two designs of TLSCs had been prepared and characterized. The first consists of a transparent nanohybrid layer coated on a fluorescent PMMA substrate. The second design is the ordinary configuration in which fluorescent nanohybrid layer is coated on a transparent PMMA substrate. The investigation of the spectral properties and efficiency parameters recommended the best solar energy conversion efficiency for the second design. The outdoor performance of optimized TLSC was also evaluated under clear sky conditions of Riyadh city, and the hourly values of the optical efficiency, ηopt, were calculated for one year. The best performance was achieved in summer since the short circuit current for PV cell was doubled after being attached to TLSC and the value of ηopt reached 40% which is higher than other values recorded before due to the abundant solar energy potential in the Arabian Peninsula.

  18. Improvement of ionic conductivity and performance of quasi-solid-state dye sensitized solar cell using PEO/PMMA gel electrolyte

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aram, E.; Ehsani, M.; Khonakdar, H.A.

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Reduced interfacial resistance of a quasi-solid-state dye sensitized solar cell with PEO/PMMA blend gel electrolytes. - Highlights: • A new polymer gel electrolyte containing PEO/PMMA was developed for DSSCs. • Optimization of polymer gel electrolyte was done for dye sensitized solar cell. • The best ionic conductivity was found in PEO/PMMA blend with 10/90 w/w composition. • The DSSC with the PEO/PMMA based electrolyte showed good photovoltaic performance. • Significant stability improvement for quasi-solid state DSSC was obtained. - Abstract: Polymer blend gel electrolytes based on polyethylene oxide (PEO) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as host polymers with various weight ratios, LiI/I 2 as redox couple in electrolyte and 4-tert-butyl pyridine as additive were prepared by solution method. The introduction of PMMA in the PEO gel electrolyte reduced the degree of crystallinity of PEO, which was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Complexation and ionic conductivity as a function of temperature were investigated with Fourier transform infrared and ionic conductometry, respectively. A good correlation was found between the degree of crystallinity and ionic conductivity. The reduction in crystallinity, governed by blending ratio, led to improvement of ionic conductivity. The best ionic conductivity was attained in PEO/PMMA blend with 10/90 w/w composition. The performance of a quasi-solid-state dye sensitized solar cell using the optimized polymer gel electrolyte was investigated. The optimized system of high ionic conductivity of 7 mS cm −1 , with fill factor of 0.59, short-circuit density of 11.11 mA cm −2 , open-circuit voltage of 0.75 V and the conversion efficiency of 4.9% under air mass 1.5 irradiation (100 mW cm −2 ) was obtained. The long-term stability of the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) during 600 h was improved by using PEO/PMMA gel electrolyte relative to a liquid type electrolyte

  19. Improvement of ionic conductivity and performance of quasi-solid-state dye sensitized solar cell using PEO/PMMA gel electrolyte

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aram, E. [Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, 14965/115 Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ehsani, M., E-mail: m.ehsani@ippi.ac.ir [Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, 14965/115 Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Khonakdar, H.A. [Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, 14965/115 Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research, D-01067 Dresden (Germany)

    2015-09-10

    Graphical abstract: Reduced interfacial resistance of a quasi-solid-state dye sensitized solar cell with PEO/PMMA blend gel electrolytes. - Highlights: • A new polymer gel electrolyte containing PEO/PMMA was developed for DSSCs. • Optimization of polymer gel electrolyte was done for dye sensitized solar cell. • The best ionic conductivity was found in PEO/PMMA blend with 10/90 w/w composition. • The DSSC with the PEO/PMMA based electrolyte showed good photovoltaic performance. • Significant stability improvement for quasi-solid state DSSC was obtained. - Abstract: Polymer blend gel electrolytes based on polyethylene oxide (PEO) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as host polymers with various weight ratios, LiI/I{sub 2} as redox couple in electrolyte and 4-tert-butyl pyridine as additive were prepared by solution method. The introduction of PMMA in the PEO gel electrolyte reduced the degree of crystallinity of PEO, which was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Complexation and ionic conductivity as a function of temperature were investigated with Fourier transform infrared and ionic conductometry, respectively. A good correlation was found between the degree of crystallinity and ionic conductivity. The reduction in crystallinity, governed by blending ratio, led to improvement of ionic conductivity. The best ionic conductivity was attained in PEO/PMMA blend with 10/90 w/w composition. The performance of a quasi-solid-state dye sensitized solar cell using the optimized polymer gel electrolyte was investigated. The optimized system of high ionic conductivity of 7 mS cm{sup −1}, with fill factor of 0.59, short-circuit density of 11.11 mA cm{sup −2}, open-circuit voltage of 0.75 V and the conversion efficiency of 4.9% under air mass 1.5 irradiation (100 mW cm{sup −2}) was obtained. The long-term stability of the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) during 600 h was improved by using PEO/PMMA gel electrolyte relative to a liquid type

  20. 21 CFR 886.1385 - Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) diagnostic contact lens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) diagnostic contact lens. 886.1385 Section 886.1385 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND... directly on the globe or cornea of the eye for diagnosis or therapy of intraocular abnormalities. (b...

  1. Nanotoxicity of graphene and graphene oxide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seabra, Amedea B; Paula, Amauri J; de Lima, Renata; Alves, Oswaldo L; Durán, Nelson

    2014-02-17

    Graphene and its derivatives are promising candidates for important biomedical applications because of their versatility. The prospective use of graphene-based materials in a biological context requires a detailed comprehension of the toxicity of these materials. Moreover, due to the expanding applications of nanotechnology, human and environmental exposures to graphene-based nanomaterials are likely to increase in the future. Because of the potential risk factors associated with the manufacture and use of graphene-related materials, the number of nanotoxicological studies of these compounds has been increasing rapidly in the past decade. These studies have researched the effects of the nanostructural/biological interactions on different organizational levels of the living system, from biomolecules to animals. This review discusses recent results based on in vitro and in vivo cytotoxicity and genotoxicity studies of graphene-related materials and critically examines the methodologies employed to evaluate their toxicities. The environmental impact from the manipulation and application of graphene materials is also reported and discussed. Finally, this review presents mechanistic aspects of graphene toxicity in biological systems. More detailed studies aiming to investigate the toxicity of graphene-based materials and to properly associate the biological phenomenon with their chemical, structural, and morphological variations that result from several synthetic and processing possibilities are needed. Knowledge about graphene-based materials could ensure the safe application of this versatile material. Consequently, the focus of this review is to provide a source of inspiration for new nanotoxicological approaches for graphene-based materials.

  2. Epitaxial-graphene/graphene-oxide junction: an essential step towards epitaxial graphene electronics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Xiaosong; Sprinkle, Mike; Li, Xuebin; Ming, Fan; Berger, Claire; de Heer, Walt A

    2008-07-11

    Graphene-oxide (GO) flakes have been deposited to bridge the gap between two epitaxial-graphene electrodes to produce all-graphene devices. Electrical measurements indicate the presence of Schottky barriers at the graphene/graphene-oxide junctions, as a consequence of the band gap in GO. The barrier height is found to be about 0.7 eV, and is reduced after annealing at 180 degrees C, implying that the gap can be tuned by changing the degree of oxidation. A lower limit of the GO mobility was found to be 850 cm2/V s, rivaling silicon. In situ local oxidation of patterned epitaxial graphene has been achieved.

  3. Investigation of Structural and Electronic Properties of CH3NH3PbI3 Stabilized by Varying Concentrations of Poly(Methyl Methacrylate (PMMA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Celline Awino

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Studies have shown that perovskites have a high potential of outdoing silicon based solar cells in terms of solar energy conversion, but their rate of degradation is also high. This study reports on improvement on the stability of CH3NH3PbI3 by passivating it with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA. Structural and electronic properties of CH3NH3PbI3 stabilized by polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA were investigated by varying concentrations of PMMA in the polymer solutions. Stability tests were performed over a period of time using modulated surface photovoltage (SPV spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD, and photoluminescence (PL measurements. The XRD patterns confirm the tetragonal structure of the deposited CH3NH3PbI3 for every concentration of PMMA. Furthermore, CH3NH3PbI3 coated with 40 mg/mL of PMMA did not show any impurity phase even after storage in air for 43 days. The Tauc gap (ETauc determined on the basis of the in-phase SPV spectra was found in the range from 1.585 to 1.62 eV for the samples stored during initial days, but shifted towards lower energies as the storage time increased. This can be proposed to be due to different chemical reactions between CH3NH3PbI3/PMMA interfaces and air. PL intensity increased with increasing concentration of PMMA except for the perovskite coated with 40 mg/mL of PMMA. PL quenching in the perovskite coated with 40 mg/mL of PMMA can be interpreted as fast electron transfer towards the substrate in the sample. This study shows that, with an optimum concentration of PMMA coating on CH3NH3PbI3, the lifetime and hence stability on electrical and structural behavior of CH3NH3PbI3 is improved.

  4. InPhoCUS (Inflated Photovoltaic Ultra-light Mirror Concentrators): First Results Of The Project And Future Perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pravettoni, Mauro; Barbato, Maurizio; Cooper, Thomas; Pedretti, Andrea; Ambrosetti, Gianluca; Steinfeld, Aldo

    2011-12-01

    InPhoCUS (Inflated PhotovoltaiC Ultra-light mirror concentratorS) is a concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) project funded by the Swiss Confederation's Innovation Promotion Agency (CTI) and developed by Airlight Energy Holding SA, the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. The proposed novel concentrating system has already been patented for concentrated solar power applications: it is made by unconventional pneumatic multilayer polymeric mirrors, has an innovative fibre-reinforced concrete structure and an original tilting mechanism to track the sun. The innovative CPV solar collector is profitable for electric power plants both for the sun-belt region and in the Mediterranean. In this paper the authors present the novel CPV system and preliminary results on cost analysis, optical design and thermal modelling.

  5. The effect of enhancing the hydrophobicity of OMMT on the characteristics of PMMA/OMMT nanocomposites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamagata, Shuichi; Hamba, Yusuke; Akasaka, Tsukasa; Ushijima, Natsumi; Uo, Motohiro; Iida, Junichiro; Watari, Fumio

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► PMMA/OMMT nanocomposites were fabricated using a solution intercalation method. ► The silicate platelets were largely well dispersed independent of the hydrophobicity. ► The partially exfoliation of the silicate layers were observed. ► The flexural modulus of the nanocomposites increased favorably. ► The strain at breakage of the nanocomposites remained suitable for our use. - Abstract: Transparent poly(methyl methacrylate)/organically modified montmorillonite (PMMA/OMMT) nanocomposites were fabricated using a solution intercalation method. Two grades of OMMT modified with quaternary alkylammonium ions and containing different amounts of organic matter, NZ70 and NX, were used. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that the peaks regarded as a (0 0 1) d-spacing and a second peak were shifted toward lower 2θ values, implying the expansion or the partial exfoliation of the silicate layers, respectively. TEM images showed that the silicate platelets were largely well dispersed independent of the hydrophobicity, although some aggregates were observed. The flexural modulus of the PMMA/OMMT nanocomposites increased favorably with an increasing amount of OMMT of either grade. However, only the NX displayed comparable strain at breakage to that of the PMMA. These results suggest that the highly hydrophobic grade NX shows great promise for use in nanocomposites made via solution intercalation.

  6. Development of form stable Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) coated thermal phase change material for solar water heater applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Munusamy, Y.; Shanmugam, S.; Shi-Ying, Kee

    2018-04-01

    Phase change material (PCM) is one of the most popular and widely used thermal energy storage material in solar water heater because it able to absorb and release a large amount of latent heat during a phase change process over a narrow temperature range. However the practical application of PCM is limited by two major issues; 1) leakage which leads to material loss and corrosion of tank and 2) large volume change during phase change process which cause pressure build up in the tank. In this work, form-stable PCM was prepared by coating myristic acid with Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) to prevent leakage of PCM. PMMA was mixed with different weight percentage (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 wt%) of dicumyl peroxide (DCP). The purpose of adding DCP to PMMA is to crosslink the polymer and to increase the mechanical strength of PMMA to hold the myristic acid content inside the coating during the phase change process. Leakage test results showed that PMMA mixed with 0.1% DCP exhibit 0% leakage. This result is further supported by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) images and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis results, where a compact and uniform coating without cracks were formed for PCM coated with PMMA with 0.1% DCP. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results shows that the melting point of form-stable PCM is 55°C, freezing point is 50°C, the latent heat of melting and freezing is 67.59 J/g.

  7. Mirror and (absence of) counter-mirror responses to action sounds measured with TMS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ticini, Luca F; Schütz-Bosbach, Simone; Waszak, Florian

    2017-11-01

    To what extent is the mirror neuron mechanism malleable to experience? The answer to this question can help characterising its ontogeny and its role in social cognition. Some suggest that it develops through sensorimotor associations congruent with our own actions. Others argue for its extreme volatility that will encode any sensorimotor association in the environment. Here, we added to this debate by exploring the effects of short goal-directed 'mirror' and 'counter-mirror' trainings (a 'mirror' training is defined as the first type of training encountered by the participants) on human auditory mirror motor-evoked potentials (MEPs). We recorded MEPs in response to two tones void of previous motor meaning, before and after mirror and counter-mirror trainings in which participants generated two tones of different pitch by performing free-choice button presses. The results showed that mirror MEPs, once established, were protected against an equivalent counter-mirror experience: they became manifest very rapidly and the same number of training trials that lead to the initial association did not suffice to reverse the MEP pattern. This steadiness of the association argues that, by serving direct-matching purposes, the mirror mechanism is a good solution for social cognition. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press.

  8. PMMA highlights the layering transition of PDMS in Langmuir films

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bernardini, C.; Stoyanov, S.D.; Cohen Stuart, M.A.; Arnaudov, L.N.; Leermakers, F.A.M.

    2011-01-01

    We report a system consisting of a mixed Langmuir monolayer, made of water-insoluble, spreadable, fluid-like polymers polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) with a minority P(DMS-b-MMA) copolymer. We have performed both Langmuir trough pressure/area isotherm measurements and

  9. Blue-shifted photoluminescence of Alq3 dispersed in PMMA

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Administrator

    Abstract. Alq3 is known to emit bright green light under UV excitation. Blue shift of the emission was reported in recent literature. This was ascribed to the presence of various isomers/crystallographic modifica- tions obtained through train sublimation. Here a blue shift was reported for Alq3 dispersed in PMMA. No iso-.

  10. Preparation and characterization of ZnO-PMMA resin nanocomposites for denture bases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cierech, Mariusz; Wojnarowicz, Jacek; Szmigiel, Dariusz; Bączkowski, Bohdan; Grudniak, Anna Maria; Wolska, Krystyna Izabela; Łojkowski, Witold; Mierzwińska-Nastalska, Elżbieta

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the paper was to investigate the antifungal activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) against Candida albicans. Some attempts have been made to find out the best way to introduce ZnONPs into polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) resin material and to determine some parameters of a newly formed composite. Zinc oxide nanoparticles were manufactured and their basic physical parameters were determined (average particle size, density, specific surface area). Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of ZnONPs was determined for the Candida albicans standard strain. The average size of ZnO conglomerates in the monomer solution of PMMA resin was measured using a dynamic light scattering instrument. PMMA resin samples with incorporated ZnONPs were produced. The morphology of nanopowder and the newly formed composite was examined under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). In addition, the roughness parameter of PMMA resin material was investigated before and after ZnONPs modification. Nanopowder with the average particle size of 30 nm, density of 5.24 g/cm3 and surface area of 39 m2/g was obtained. MIC was determined at the level of 0.75 mg/mL. The average size of ZnO conglomerates in the monomer solution of acrylic resin dropped by 11 times after ultrasound activation. SEM examination of a newly formed composite showed a successful introduction of ZnONPs confirmed by the energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. There were no statistically significant differences in the biomaterial roughness before and after the modification of ZnONPs. Zinc oxide nanoparticles were successfully incorporated into acrylic resin used for the production of denture bases. The presence of nanoparticles with sizes below 100 nm was confirmed. Nevertheless a newly created composite needs to be further investigated to improve its homogeneity, and to check its microbiological properties, strength and biocompatibility prior to its possible clinical use.

  11. Graphene-based structure, method of suspending graphene membrane, and method of depositing material onto graphene membrane

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zettl, Alexander K.; Meyer, Jannik Christian

    2013-04-02

    An embodiment of a method of suspending a graphene membrane across a gap in a support structure includes attaching graphene to a substrate. A pre-fabricated support structure having the gap is attached to the graphene. The graphene and the pre-fabricated support structure are then separated from the substrate which leaves the graphene membrane suspended across the gap in the pre-fabricated support structure. An embodiment of a method of depositing material includes placing a support structure having a graphene membrane suspended across a gap under vacuum. A precursor is adsorbed to a surface of the graphene membrane. A portion of the graphene membrane is exposed to a focused electron beam which deposits a material from the precursor onto the graphene membrane. An embodiment of a graphene-based structure includes a support structure having a gap, a graphene membrane suspended across the gap, and a material deposited in a pattern on the graphene membrane.

  12. Facile synthesis of hollow Sn–Co@PMMA nanospheres as high performance anodes for lithium-ion batteries via galvanic replacement reaction and in situ polymerization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, Xiaohui; Jiang, Anni; Yang, Hongyan; Meng, Haowen; Dou, Peng; Ma, Daqian [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Xu, Xinhua, E-mail: xhxutju@gmail.com [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin 300072 (China)

    2015-08-30

    Highlights: • Hollow Sn–Co nanospheres were synthesized via a facile galvanic replacement method. • PMMA layers were uniform coated on the surface of Sn–Co composites via in situ emulsion polymerization. • The coating layers are beneficial to suppress the aggregation and stabilize the SEI formation on the surface. • Excellent cycling stability and rate capability were obtained by coating PMMA protective layers on the surface of hollow Sn–Co nanospheres. - Abstract: Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)-coated hollow Sn–Co nanospheres (Sn–Co@PMMA) with superior electrochemical performance had been synthesized via a facile galvanic replacement method followed by an in situ emulsion polymerization route. The properties were investigated in detail and results show that the hollow Sn–Co nanospheres were evenly coated with PMMA. Benefiting from the protection of the PMMA layers, the hollow Sn–Co@PMMA nanocomposite is capable of retaining a high capacity of 590 mAh g{sup −1} after 100 cycles with a coulomb efficiency above 98%, revealing better electrochemical properties compared with hollow Sn–Co anodes. The PMMA coating could help accommodate the mechanical strain caused by volume expansion and stabilize the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) film formed on the electrode. Such a facile process could be further extended to other anode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

  13. Facile synthesis of hollow Sn–Co@PMMA nanospheres as high performance anodes for lithium-ion batteries via galvanic replacement reaction and in situ polymerization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu, Xiaohui; Jiang, Anni; Yang, Hongyan; Meng, Haowen; Dou, Peng; Ma, Daqian; Xu, Xinhua

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Hollow Sn–Co nanospheres were synthesized via a facile galvanic replacement method. • PMMA layers were uniform coated on the surface of Sn–Co composites via in situ emulsion polymerization. • The coating layers are beneficial to suppress the aggregation and stabilize the SEI formation on the surface. • Excellent cycling stability and rate capability were obtained by coating PMMA protective layers on the surface of hollow Sn–Co nanospheres. - Abstract: Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)-coated hollow Sn–Co nanospheres (Sn–Co@PMMA) with superior electrochemical performance had been synthesized via a facile galvanic replacement method followed by an in situ emulsion polymerization route. The properties were investigated in detail and results show that the hollow Sn–Co nanospheres were evenly coated with PMMA. Benefiting from the protection of the PMMA layers, the hollow Sn–Co@PMMA nanocomposite is capable of retaining a high capacity of 590 mAh g −1 after 100 cycles with a coulomb efficiency above 98%, revealing better electrochemical properties compared with hollow Sn–Co anodes. The PMMA coating could help accommodate the mechanical strain caused by volume expansion and stabilize the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) film formed on the electrode. Such a facile process could be further extended to other anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

  14. Facile synthesis of hollow Sn-Co@PMMA nanospheres as high performance anodes for lithium-ion batteries via galvanic replacement reaction and in situ polymerization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Xiaohui; Jiang, Anni; Yang, Hongyan; Meng, Haowen; Dou, Peng; Ma, Daqian; Xu, Xinhua

    2015-08-01

    Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)-coated hollow Sn-Co nanospheres (Sn-Co@PMMA) with superior electrochemical performance had been synthesized via a facile galvanic replacement method followed by an in situ emulsion polymerization route. The properties were investigated in detail and results show that the hollow Sn-Co nanospheres were evenly coated with PMMA. Benefiting from the protection of the PMMA layers, the hollow Sn-Co@PMMA nanocomposite is capable of retaining a high capacity of 590 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles with a coulomb efficiency above 98%, revealing better electrochemical properties compared with hollow Sn-Co anodes. The PMMA coating could help accommodate the mechanical strain caused by volume expansion and stabilize the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) film formed on the electrode. Such a facile process could be further extended to other anode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

  15. Influence of ZrO{sub 2} nanoparticles and thermal treatment on the properties of PMMA/ZrO{sub 2} hybrid coatings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reyes-Acosta, M.A. [Instituto Politécnico Nacional, CICATA-Altamira, CIAMS (Mexico); Instituto Politécnico Nacional, CICATA-Altamira, Km 14.5 Carretera Tampico-Puerto Industrial Altamira, C.P. 89600 Altamira, Tamps. (Mexico); Torres-Huerta, A.M., E-mail: atorresh@ipn.mx [Instituto Politécnico Nacional, CICATA-Altamira, Km 14.5 Carretera Tampico-Puerto Industrial Altamira, C.P. 89600 Altamira, Tamps. (Mexico); Domínguez-Crespo, M.A. [Instituto Politécnico Nacional, CICATA-Altamira, Km 14.5 Carretera Tampico-Puerto Industrial Altamira, C.P. 89600 Altamira, Tamps. (Mexico); Flores-Vela, A.I. [Instituto Politécnico Nacional, CMP+L, Av. Acueducto s/n, Barrio La Laguna, Col. Ticomán, C.P. 07340 México D.F. (Mexico); Dorantes-Rosales, H.J. [Instituto Politécnico Nacional, SEPI-ESIQIE, Departamento de Metalurgia, C.P. 07738 México D.F. (Mexico); Ramírez-Meneses, E. [Departamento de Ingeniería y Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Iberoamericana, Prolongación Paseo de la Reforma 880, Lomas de Santa Fe, Distrito Federal C.P. 01219 (Mexico)

    2015-09-15

    Highlights: • PMMA/ZrO{sub 2} nanocomposites were prepared by melt blending in a single screw extruder. • The nanoparticles of m-, t-ZrO{sub 2} were successfully synthesized using sol–gel technique. • The prepared PMMA/ZrO{sub 2} nanocomposites have better UV protection than pure PMMA. • The thermal stability of the PMMA increases with low amount of ZrO{sub 2} nanoparticles. • PMMA/ZrO{sub 2} nanocomposites show superior values of elastic modulus and hardness. - Abstract: In this work, ZrO{sub 2} nanoparticles were synthesized by the sol–gel method, treated thermally at different temperatures (400, 600 and 800 °C), and added to a polymer matrix in two different weight percentages (0.5 and 1) by single screw extrusion in order to determine the influence of these parameters on the thermal stability and UV radiation resistance of PMMA/ZrO{sub 2} composites. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and nanoindentation techniques were used to evaluate the structural, morphological, optical, thermal and mechanical properties of as-prepared composites. The average crystallite sizes for ZrO{sub 2} sintered at 600 and 800 °C were about 17 and 26 nm, respectively. It was found that the incorporation of a low percentage of ZrO{sub 2} nanoparticles increased the thermal properties of PMMA as well as its hardness and elastic modulus. The degradation temperature at 10 wt.% loss of the PMMA/ZrO{sub 2} (0.5 wt.%, 400 °C) nanocomposite was approximately 48 °C higher than that of pure PMMA. The absorption in the UV region was increased according to the ZrO{sub 2} heat treatment temperature and amount added to the polymer matrix.

  16. Manipulation of extinction spectra of P3HT/PMMA medium arrays on silicon substrate containing self-assembled gold nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, Ming-Chung; Chen, Shih-Wen; Li, Jia-Han; Chou, Yi; Lin, Jhih-Fong; Chen, Yang-Fang; Su, Wei-Fang

    2012-01-01

    In this study, we report a simple novel approach to modulate the extinction spectra of P3HT/PMMA by manipulating the medium arrays on a substrate that is coated with self-assembled gold nanoparticles. The 20 nm gold nanoparticles were synthesized and then self-assembled on the APTMS/silicon substrate surface by immersing the substrate into the gold colloid suspension. A high-resolution P3HT/PMMA photoluminescent electron beam resist was used to fabricate various square hole arrays on the substrate containing gold nanoparticles. The P3HT/PMMA medium composition causes the blue shifts in the extinction peaks of up to 40.6 nm by decreasing the period from 500 nm to 200 nm for P3HT/PMMA square hole arrays with a diameter of 100 nm. The magnitude of blue shift is directly proportional to the product of the changes of medium refractive index and the array structure factor. These peak shifts and intensity of extinction spectra for various P3HT/PMMA medium arrays are well described by the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation results. Since this simple cost-effective technique can tune the extinction spectrum of medium and adding the gold nanoparticles can give more functionalities for sensing applications, such as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), that provides good opportunities for the design and fabrication of new optoelectronic devices and sensors. Highlights: ► We can tune the extinction spectra of P3HT/PMMA by manipulating the medium arrays. ► These optical behaviors of P3HT/PMMA medium arrays are well described by FDTD simulation results. ► Adding the Au nanoparticles can give more functionalities for sensing applications.

  17. Manipulation of extinction spectra of P3HT/PMMA medium arrays on silicon substrate containing self-assembled gold nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, Ming-Chung [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333-02, Taiwan (China); Chen, Shih-Wen; Li, Jia-Han [Department of Engineering Science and Ocean Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106-17, Taiwan (China); Chou, Yi; Lin, Jhih-Fong [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106-17, Taiwan (China); Chen, Yang-Fang [Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106-17, Taiwan (China); Su, Wei-Fang, E-mail: suwf@ntu.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106-17, Taiwan (China)

    2012-11-15

    In this study, we report a simple novel approach to modulate the extinction spectra of P3HT/PMMA by manipulating the medium arrays on a substrate that is coated with self-assembled gold nanoparticles. The 20 nm gold nanoparticles were synthesized and then self-assembled on the APTMS/silicon substrate surface by immersing the substrate into the gold colloid suspension. A high-resolution P3HT/PMMA photoluminescent electron beam resist was used to fabricate various square hole arrays on the substrate containing gold nanoparticles. The P3HT/PMMA medium composition causes the blue shifts in the extinction peaks of up to 40.6 nm by decreasing the period from 500 nm to 200 nm for P3HT/PMMA square hole arrays with a diameter of 100 nm. The magnitude of blue shift is directly proportional to the product of the changes of medium refractive index and the array structure factor. These peak shifts and intensity of extinction spectra for various P3HT/PMMA medium arrays are well described by the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation results. Since this simple cost-effective technique can tune the extinction spectrum of medium and adding the gold nanoparticles can give more functionalities for sensing applications, such as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), that provides good opportunities for the design and fabrication of new optoelectronic devices and sensors. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We can tune the extinction spectra of P3HT/PMMA by manipulating the medium arrays. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer These optical behaviors of P3HT/PMMA medium arrays are well described by FDTD simulation results. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Adding the Au nanoparticles can give more functionalities for sensing applications.

  18. U. S. Mirror Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fowler, T.K.

    1978-01-01

    The mirror approach is now the principal alternate to the tokamak in the U.S. magnetic fusion energy program. The program is now focused on two new concepts that can obtain high values of Q, defined as the ratio of fusion power output to the neutral beam power injected to sustain the reaction. These are the tandem mirror and field reversed mirror concepts. Theoretically both concepts should be able to attain Q = 5 or more, as compared with Q approximately 1 in previous mirror designs. Success with either or both of these approaches would point the way toward fusion power plants with many attractive features. The linear geometry of mirror systems offers a distinct alternative to the toroidal tokamak. As a direct consequence of this difference in geometry, it is generally possible to build mirror systems in smaller units of modular construction that can probably be made to operate in steady-state. During the next 5 years the main mirror facilities in the U.S. will be the 2XIIB (renamed Beta II); a tandem mirror experiment caled TMX; and the Mirror Fusion Test Facility (MFTF) scheduled to be completed in 1981 at a cost of $94 million. As a background for discussing this program and mirror reactor concepts in later lectures, the current status of mirror physics will be reviewed by comparing theory and experimental data in four critical areas. These are adiabatic confinement of individual ions, electron heat losses out of the ends of the machine, the achievement of beta values of order unity; and stabilization of ''loss cone'' modes

  19. Synthesis and biological evaluation of PMMA/MMT nanocomposite as denture base material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Junping; Su, Qiang; Wang, Chen; Cheng, Gang; Zhu, Ran; Shi, Jin; Yao, Kangde

    2011-04-01

    Inorganic-polymer nanocomposites are of significant interest for emerging materials due to their improved properties and unique combination of properties. Poly (methylmethacrylate) (PMMA)/montmorillonite (MMT) nanocomposites were prepared by in situ suspension polymerization with dodecylamine used as MMT-modifier. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the structures of the nanocomposites. Cytotoxicity test, hemolysis test, acute systemic toxicity test, oral mucous membrane irritation test, guinea-pig maximization test and mouse bone-marrow micronucleus test were used to evaluate the biocompatibility of PMMA/MMT nanocomposites. The results indicated that an exfoliated nanocomposite was achieved, and the resulting nanocomposites exhibited excellent biocompatibility as denture base material and had potential application in dental materials.

  20. Effect of dispersion capability of organoclay on cellular structure and physical properties of PMMA/clay nanocomposite foams

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yeh, Jui-Ming; Chang, Kung-Chin; Peng, Chih-Wei; Lai, Mei-Chun; Hung, Chih-Bing; Hsu, Sheng-Chieh; Hwang, Shyh-Shin; Lin, Hong-Ru

    2009-01-01

    In this study, PMMA/clay nanocomposite (PCN) materials with two kinds of organoclay were prepared via in situ bulk polymerization. The as-prepared PCN materials were then characterized by Fourier transformation infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). WAXRD and TEM analysis revealed that combination of both intercalated and exfoliated nanocomposites was formed and the silicate layers of the clay were uniformly dispersed at a nanometer scale in PMMA matrix. The molecular weights of PMMA extracted from PCN materials and bulk PMMA were determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) with THF used as the eluant. The PCN materials were used to produce foams by a batch process in an autoclave using nitrogen as foaming agent. The cellular structure analysis of foams was examined by SEM. The effect of dispersion capability of organoclay on the dielectric and thermal transport properties of PCN materials and foams and mechanical properties of PCN foams were investigated by LCR meter, transient plane source (TPS) technique and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), respectively.

  1. Dosimetric characteristics of methyl polymethacrylate (PMMA) commercially named as Clarex, for doses between 10 krad and 10 Mrad

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Castro Rubio Poli, D. de.

    1978-01-01

    The possibility to use the PMMA - commercially named as Clarex - for dosimetric control of industrial radiation process, taking advantage of the charges induced by ionizing radiation on the PMMA optical properties, was studied. Although theoretically other radiation effects could be eventually correlated with the dose absorbed in the PMMA (i.e., charge of mechanical or electrical properties) the dosimetric techniques based on the ultraviolet absorption spectrum modifications, near of visible region, have the advantage of their simplicity, swiftness and precision. A study on both the factors affecting the measurement reproducibility (temperature, humidity etc.) and some posterior effects that occur in the irradiated PMMA, has been acomplished. Other possible errors sources (sample thickness variation, spectrophotometer inaccuracy etc.) are also investigated. It has been concluded that the Clarex can be used as a good precision dosimeter within the interval of approximately 10 krad to 10 Mrad by measuring the optical density changes around 315 nm, provided some care is taken during handling. (Author) [pt

  2. Study of Polymeric Luminescent Blend (PC/PMMA) Doped with Europium Complex under Gamma-Iradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parra, D. F.

    2006-01-01

    Spectroscopic properties of blends formed by bisphenol-A polycarbonate (PC) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) doped with europium in organic complex were studied. Polymeric luminescent blends are potential materials for many applications; however, little information has been reported concerning the stability under thermal and radiation conditions. Luminescent films were synthesized from europium thenoyltrifluoroacetonate at different concentrations doped in PC/PMMA blends. Films produced of the luminescent polymer blend were irradiated in a 60 C o source. Their luminescent properties, in the solid state, as well as, the thermal oxidative resistance after gamma irradiation was investigated. These systems were characterized by elemental analysis, thermogravimetry (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Based on TGA data, the thermal stability of PC/PMMA:(tta)3 system is higher than the polymer blend. The DSC results indicated that those new systems are chemically stables. The emission spectra of the Eu 3 +-tta complex doped in the PC/PMMA recorded at 298 and 77 K exhibited the characteristic bands arising from the 5 D 0 →7 F J transitions (J = 0-6). The luminescence intensity decreases with increasing of precursor concentration in the doped polymer obtained by chemical reaction. This result is different from that of samples obtained by physical method in melting doping. The blend was irradiated under ionizing radiation of 60 C o source. After irradiation of the luminescent films the physical properties of luminescence, thermal and oxidative stability were evaluated.(Fapesp and Cnpq financial support)

  3. The mirror neuron system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cattaneo, Luigi; Rizzolatti, Giacomo

    2009-05-01

    Mirror neurons are a class of neurons, originally discovered in the premotor cortex of monkeys, that discharge both when individuals perform a given motor act and when they observe others perform that same motor act. Ample evidence demonstrates the existence of a cortical network with the properties of mirror neurons (mirror system) in humans. The human mirror system is involved in understanding others' actions and their intentions behind them, and it underlies mechanisms of observational learning. Herein, we will discuss the clinical implications of the mirror system.

  4. Low-modulus PMMA bone cement modified with castor oil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    López, Alejandro; Hoess, Andreas; Thersleff, Thomas; Ott, Marjam; Engqvist, Håkan; Persson, Cecilia

    2011-01-01

    Some of the current clinical and biomechanical data suggest that vertebroplasty causes the development of adjacent vertebral fractures shortly after augmentation. These findings have been attributed to high injection volumes as well as high Young's moduli of PMMA bone cements compared to that of the osteoporotic cancellous bone. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of castor oil as a plasticizer for PMMA bone cements. The Young's modulus, yield strength, maximum polymerization temperature, doughing time, setting time and the complex viscosity curves during curing, were determined. The cytotoxicity of the materials extracts was assessed on cells of an osteoblast-like cell line. The addition of up to 12 wt% castor oil decreased yield strength from 88 to 15 MPa, Young's modulus from 1500 to 446 MPa and maximum polymerization temperature from 41.3 to 25.6°C, without affecting the setting time. However, castor oil seemed to interfere with the polymerization reaction, giving a negative effect on cell viability in a worst-case scenario.

  5. Graphene transfer process and optimization of graphene coverage

    OpenAIRE

    Sabki Syarifah Norfaezah; Shamsuri Shafiq Hafly; Fauzi Siti Fazlina; Chon-Ki Meghashama Lim; Othman Noraini

    2017-01-01

    Graphene grown on transition metal is known to be high in quality due to its controlled amount of defects and potentially used for many electronic applications. The transfer process of graphene grown on transition metal to a new substrate requires optimization in order to ensure that high graphene coverage can be obtained. In this work, an improvement in the graphene transfer process is performed from graphene grown on copper foil. It has been observed that the graphene coverage is affected b...

  6. MSFC Test Results for Selected Mirrors: Brush-Wellman/Goodrich 0.5 meter Joined-Beryllium Mirror; IABG 0.5 meter C/SiC Mirror; Xinetics 0.5 meter SiC Mirror; and Kodak 0.23 meter SiO2 Mirror

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hadaway, James; Blackwell, Lisa; Matthews, Gary; Eng, Ron; Stahl, Phil; Hraba, John; Thornton, Gary

    2002-01-01

    The results of cryo tests performed at the XRCF on the above mirrors will be presented. Each mirror was tested from room-temperature to around 30 K. The first three were tested together on a 3-mirror stand in the large chamber using the PhaseCam interferometer, while the Kodak mirror was tested in the small chamber using the EPI interferometer.

  7. The effect of enhancing the hydrophobicity of OMMT on the characteristics of PMMA/OMMT nanocomposites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yamagata, Shuichi, E-mail: shuic@den.hokudai.ac.jp [Department of Orthodontics, Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 13 Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8586 (Japan); Hamba, Yusuke [Department of Orthodontics, Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 13 Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8586 (Japan); Akasaka, Tsukasa [Department of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 13 Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8586 (Japan); Ushijima, Natsumi [Support Section for Education and Research, Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 13 Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8586 (Japan); Uo, Motohiro [Advanced Biomaterials, Department of Restorative Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45, Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8549 (Japan); Iida, Junichiro [Department of Orthodontics, Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 13 Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8586 (Japan); Watari, Fumio [Department of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 13 Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8586 (Japan)

    2012-12-01

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer PMMA/OMMT nanocomposites were fabricated using a solution intercalation method. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The silicate platelets were largely well dispersed independent of the hydrophobicity. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The partially exfoliation of the silicate layers were observed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The flexural modulus of the nanocomposites increased favorably. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The strain at breakage of the nanocomposites remained suitable for our use. - Abstract: Transparent poly(methyl methacrylate)/organically modified montmorillonite (PMMA/OMMT) nanocomposites were fabricated using a solution intercalation method. Two grades of OMMT modified with quaternary alkylammonium ions and containing different amounts of organic matter, NZ70 and NX, were used. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that the peaks regarded as a (0 0 1) d-spacing and a second peak were shifted toward lower 2{theta} values, implying the expansion or the partial exfoliation of the silicate layers, respectively. TEM images showed that the silicate platelets were largely well dispersed independent of the hydrophobicity, although some aggregates were observed. The flexural modulus of the PMMA/OMMT nanocomposites increased favorably with an increasing amount of OMMT of either grade. However, only the NX displayed comparable strain at breakage to that of the PMMA. These results suggest that the highly hydrophobic grade NX shows great promise for use in nanocomposites made via solution intercalation.

  8. Graphene and Graphene Metamaterials for Terahertz Absorbers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andryieuski, Andrei; Pizzocchero, Filippo; Booth, Tim

    2013-01-01

    Graphene, due to the possibility to tune its conductivity, is the promising material for a range of the terahertz (THz) applications, such as tunable reflectors, absorbers, modulators, filters and polarization converters. Subwavelength structuring of graphene in order to form metamaterials allows...... for even more control over the THz waves. In this poster presentation I will show an elegant way to describe the graphene metamaterials and the design of graphene based absorbers. I will also present our recent experimental results on the graphene absorbers characterization....

  9. Study of SiO2/PMMA/CE tri-component interpenetrating polymer network composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Junlong; Wang Chuang; Jiao Gengsheng; Wang Qiuya

    2010-01-01

    A technology of conjugated tri-component interpenetrating polymer networks was applied to synthesize a nano-SiO 2 /polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)/cyanate (CE) composite through an asynchronous synthesis way. The microstructure of the composite was characterized using infrared spectroscopy (IR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The mechanical properties were measured in German-made DL-1000B and XCL-40 universal material test machines, respectively. Results showed that both the impact strength and the flexural strength were in the optimum status when 3% SiO 2 /PMMA/CE was chosen as a sample with the PMMA/CE ratio of 20/80. Compared with the strengths of pure cyanate, those of the composite were raised by 137.28% and 31.29%, respectively. When 3% nano-SiO 2 was added, the impact strength was increased by 29.96% and the flexural strength by 20.05%, compared with the strengths of polymers without SiO 2 . Analysis and measurements by IR and TEM indicated that no chemical reactions took place among components in the composite. The interpenetration of the conjugated tri-component improved the loading capacity of the polymer, hence the toughness enhancement of cyanate.

  10. Adsorption of Carbon Dioxide onto Tetraethylenepentamine Impregnated PMMA Sorbents with Different Pore Structure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jo, Dong Hyun; Park, Cheonggi; Jung, Hyunchul; Kim, Sung Hyun [Korea University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-02-15

    Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) supports and amine additives were investigated to adsorb CO{sub 2}. PMMA supports were fabricated by using different ratio of pore forming agents (porogen) to control the BET specific surface area, pore volume and distribution. Toluene and xylene are used for porogens. Supported amine sorbents were prepared by wet impregnation of tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) on PMMA supports. So we could identify the effect of the pore structure of supports and the quantity of impregnated TEPA on the adsorption capacity. The increased amount of toluene as pore foaming agent resulted in the decreased average pore diameter and the increased BET surface area. Polymer supports with huge different pore distribution could be fabricated by controlling the ratio of porogen. After impregnation, the support with micropore structure is supposed the pore blocking and filling effect so that it has low CO{sub 2} capacity and kinetics due to the difficulty of diffusing. Macropore structure indicates fast adsorption capacity and low influence of amine loading. In case of support with mesopore, it has high performance of adsorption capacity and kinetics. So high surface area and meso-/macro- pore structure is suitable for CO{sub 2} capture.

  11. A Novel Composite PMMA-based Bone Cement with Reduced Potential for Thermal Necrosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lv, Yang; Li, Ailing; Zhou, Fang; Pan, Xiaoyu; Liang, Fuxin; Qu, Xiaozhong; Qiu, Dong; Yang, Zhenzhong

    2015-06-03

    Percutaneous vertebroplasty (VP) and balloon kyphoplasty (BKP) are now widely used to treat patients who suffer painful vertebral compression fractures. In each of these treatments, a bone cement paste is injected into the fractured vertebral body/bodies, and the cement of choice is a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) bone cement. One drawback of this cement is the very high exothermic temperature, which, it has been suggested, causes thermal necrosis of surrounding tissue. In the present work, we prepared novel composite PMMA bone cement where microcapsules containing a phase change material (paraffin) (PCMc) were mixed with the powder of the cement. A PCM absorbs generated heat and, as such, its presence in the cement may lead to reduction in thermal necrosis. We determined a number of properties of the composite cement. Compared to the values for a control cement (a commercially available PMMA cement used in VP and BKP), each composite cement was found to have significantly lower maximum exothermic temperature, increased setting time, significantly lower compressive strength, significantly lower compressive modulus, comparable biocompatibility, and significantly smaller thermal necrosis zone. Composite cement containing 20% PCMc may be suitable for use in VP and BKP and thus deserves further evaluation.

  12. Graphene and graphene oxide: biofunctionalization and applications in biotechnology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ying; Li, Zhaohui; Wang, Jun; Li, Jinghong; Lin, Yuehe

    2011-05-01

    Graphene is the basic building block of 0D fullerene, 1D carbon nanotubes, and 3D graphite. Graphene has a unique planar structure, as well as novel electronic properties, which have attracted great interests from scientists. This review selectively analyzes current advances in the field of graphene bioapplications. In particular, the biofunctionalization of graphene for biological applications, fluorescence-resonance-energy-transfer-based biosensor development by using graphene or graphene-based nanomaterials, and the investigation of graphene or graphene-based nanomaterials for living cell studies are summarized in more detail. Future perspectives and possible challenges in this rapidly developing area are also discussed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Influence of the UV radiation on the screen-printed pH-sensitive layers based on graphene and ruthenium dioxide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pepłowski, A.; Grudziński, D.; Raczyński, T.; Wróblewski, G.; Janczak, D.; Jakubowska, M.

    2017-08-01

    Electrodes for measuring pH of the solution were fabricated by the means of screen-printing technology. Potentiometric sensors' layers comprised of composite with polymer matrix and graphene nanoplatelets/ruthenium (IV) oxide nanopowder as functional phase. Transceivers were printed on the elastic PMMA foil. Regarding potential application of the sensors in the wearable devices, dynamic response of the electrodes to changing ultraviolet radiation levels was assessed, since RuO2 is reported to be UV-sensitive. Observed changes of the electrodes' potential were of sub-millivolt magnitude, being comparable to simultaneously observed signal drift. Given this stability under varying UV conditions and previously verified good flexibility, fabricated sensors meet the requirements for wearable applications.

  14. Monolithic Magneto-Optical Nanocomposites of Barium Hexaferrite Platelets in PMMA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferk, Gregor; Krajnc, Peter; Hamler, Anton; Mertelj, Alenka; Cebollada, Federico; Drofenik, Miha; Lisjak, Darja

    2015-06-12

    The incorporation of magnetic barium hexaferrite nanoparticles in a transparent polymer matrix of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is reported for the first time. The barium hexaferrite nanoplatelets doped with Sc(3+), i.e., BaSc0.5Fe11.5O12 (BaHF), having diameters in the range 20 to 130 nm and thicknesses of approximately 5 nm, are synthesized hydrothermally and stabilized in 1-butanol with dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid. This method enables the preparation of monolithic nanocomposites by admixing the BaHF suspension into a liquid monomer, followed by in-situ, bulk free-radical polymerization. The PMMA retains its transparency for loadings of BaHF nanoparticles up to 0.27 wt.%, meaning that magnetically and optically anisotropic, monolithic nanocomposites can be synthesized when the polymerization is carried out in a magnetic field. The excellent dispersion of the magnetic nanoparticles, coupled with a reasonable control over the magnetic properties achieved in this investigation, is encouraging for the magneto-optical applications of these materials.

  15. Design of Diclofenac Sodium Indicator Strips Using Polystyrene (PS and Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA for Detection of Diclofenac Sodium in Traditional Pain Relief Herbal Medicines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ibrahim Dalli

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Diclofenac sodium is one of analgesic which is often added to traditional pain relief herbal medicines to enhance the effects. One of qualititative method that is easy, efficient and simple testing is an indicator strip. Indicator strip based Polystyrene (PS and Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA was made for the examination of diclofenac sodium that were misused as a drug chemical compound in traditional pain relief herbal medicine. Strip indikator was made by reagent blending method with specific reagents used, namely, copper sulphate (CuSO4, ferric chloride (FeCl3 and vanillin sulphate. The working principle of the indicator strip in detecting the presence of diclofenac sodium in herbal medicine is with the occurrence of a color reaction. The concentration of PS and PMMA was made in a variation of 5%, 7.5% and 10%, and the mixture of PS: PMMA 1: 5 and 1: 6 concecutively with a ratio of solvent: reactant 6: 4; 7: 3 and 8:2. The test results showed that the best indicator strip is PMMA-CuSO4 5% (7: 3, PMMA-FeCl3 5% (7: 3 and PMMA-Vanillin sulphate 7.5% (7: 3. The detection limit and stability of the strip indicators PMMA-CuSO4 5% (7: 3 are at 50 ppm and is stable up to 29 weeks, PMMA-FeCl3 5% (7: 3 has a detection limit 12,500 ppm and is stable up to 29 weeks, and PMMA-vanillin sulphate 7,5% (7: 3 has a detection limit 500 ppm and is stable up to 29 weeks. The results showed that the indicator strip can be used as an alternative method to detect diclofenac sodium in herbal medicine and finally controlling addition of chemicals in to herbal medicine.

  16. Investigation of the ferroelectric switching behavior of P(VDF-TrFE)-PMMA blended films for synaptic device applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, E J; Kim, K A; Yoon, S M

    2016-01-01

    Synaptic plasticity can be mimicked by electronic synaptic devices. By using ferroelectric thin films as gate insulator for thin-film transistors (TFT), channel conductance can be defined as the synaptic plasticity, and gradually modulated by the variations in amounts of aligned ferroelectric dipoles. Poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE)]-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) blended films are chosen and their switching kinetics are investigated by using the Kolmogorov-Avrami-Ishibashi model. The switching time for ferroelectric polarization is sensitively influenced by the amplitude of applied electric field and volumetric ratio of ferroelectric beta-phases in the P(VDF-TrFE)-PMMA films. The switching time of the P(VDF-TrFE) increases with decreasing the pulse amplitude and/or the ratio of ferroelectric beta-phases by incorporation of PMMA. The activation electric field is also found to increase as the increase in blended amount of PMMA. Synapse TFTs are fabricated using the P(VDF-TrFE)-PMMA as gate insulator and In-Ga-Zn-O active channels. The drain currents of the synapse TFTs gradually increased when the voltage pulse signals with given duration are repeatedly applied. This suggests that the synaptic weights can be modulated by the number of external pulse signals, and that the proposed synapse TFT can be applied for mimicking the operations of bio-synapses. (paper)

  17. The Axisymmetric Tandem Mirror: A Magnetic Mirror Concept Game Changer Magnet Mirror Status Study Group

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Simonen, T.; Cohen, R.; Correll, D.; Fowler, K.; Post, D.; Berk, H.; Horton, W.; Hooper, E.B.; Fisch, N.; Hassam, A.; Baldwin, D.; Pearlstein, D.; Logan, G.; Turner, B.; Moir, R.; Molvik, A.; Ryutov, D.; Ivanov, A.A; Kesner, J.; Cohen, B.; McLean, H.; Tamano, T.; Tang, X.Z.; Imai, T.

    2008-01-01

    Experimental results, theory and innovative ideas now point with increased confidence to the possibility of a Gas Dynamic Trap (GDT) neutron source which would be on the path to an attractively simple Axisymmetric Tandem Mirror (ATM) power plant. Although magnetic mirror research was terminated in the US 20 years ago, experiments continued in Japan (Gamma 10) and Russia (GDT), with a very small US effort. This research has now yielded data, increased understanding, and generated ideas resulting in the new concepts described here. Early mirror research was carried out with circular axisymmetric magnets. These plasmas were MHD unstable due to the unfavorable magnetic curvature near the mid-plane. Then the minimum-B concept emerged in which the field line curvature was everywhere favorable and the plasma was situated in a MHD stable magnetic well (70% average beta in 2XII-B). The Ioffe-bar or baseball-coil became the standard for over 40 years. In the 1980's, driven by success with minimum-B stabilization and the control of ion cyclotron instabilities in PR6 and 2XII-B, mirrors were viewed as a potentially attractive concept with near-term advantages as a lower Q neutron source for applications such as a hybrid fission fuel factory or toxic waste burner. However there are down sides to the minimum-B geometry: coil construction is complex; restraining magnetic forces limit field strength and mirror ratios. Furthermore, the magnetic field lines have geodesic curvature which introduces resonant and neoclassical radial transport as observed in early tandem mirror experiments. So what now leads us to think that simple axisymmetric mirror plasmas can be stable? The Russian GDT experiment achieves on-axis 60% beta by peaking of the kinetic plasma pressure near the mirror throat (where the curvature is favorable) to counter-balance the average unfavorable mid-plane curvature. Then a modest augmentation of plasma pressure in the expander results in stability. The GDT

  18. The Axisymmetric Tandem Mirror: A Magnetic Mirror Concept Game Changer Magnet Mirror Status Study Group

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Simonen, T; Cohen, R; Correll, D; Fowler, K; Post, D; Berk, H; Horton, W; Hooper, E B; Fisch, N; Hassam, A; Baldwin, D; Pearlstein, D; Logan, G; Turner, B; Moir, R; Molvik, A; Ryutov, D; Ivanov, A A; Kesner, J; Cohen, B; McLean, H; Tamano, T; Tang, X Z; Imai, T

    2008-10-24

    Experimental results, theory and innovative ideas now point with increased confidence to the possibility of a Gas Dynamic Trap (GDT) neutron source which would be on the path to an attractively simple Axisymmetric Tandem Mirror (ATM) power plant. Although magnetic mirror research was terminated in the US 20 years ago, experiments continued in Japan (Gamma 10) and Russia (GDT), with a very small US effort. This research has now yielded data, increased understanding, and generated ideas resulting in the new concepts described here. Early mirror research was carried out with circular axisymmetric magnets. These plasmas were MHD unstable due to the unfavorable magnetic curvature near the mid-plane. Then the minimum-B concept emerged in which the field line curvature was everywhere favorable and the plasma was situated in a MHD stable magnetic well (70% average beta in 2XII-B). The Ioffe-bar or baseball-coil became the standard for over 40 years. In the 1980's, driven by success with minimum-B stabilization and the control of ion cyclotron instabilities in PR6 and 2XII-B, mirrors were viewed as a potentially attractive concept with near-term advantages as a lower Q neutron source for applications such as a hybrid fission fuel factory or toxic waste burner. However there are down sides to the minimum-B geometry: coil construction is complex; restraining magnetic forces limit field strength and mirror ratios. Furthermore, the magnetic field lines have geodesic curvature which introduces resonant and neoclassical radial transport as observed in early tandem mirror experiments. So what now leads us to think that simple axisymmetric mirror plasmas can be stable? The Russian GDT experiment achieves on-axis 60% beta by peaking of the kinetic plasma pressure near the mirror throat (where the curvature is favorable) to counter-balance the average unfavorable mid-plane curvature. Then a modest augmentation of plasma pressure in the expander results in stability. The GDT

  19. Use of lead (II) sulfide nanoparticles as stabilizer for PMMA exposed to gamma irradiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garcia, Olga Pinheiro; Albuquerque, Marilia Cordeiro Carneiro de; Aquino, Katia Aparecida da Silva; Araujo, Elmo Silvano de, E-mail: aquino@ufpe.br [Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE (Brazil). Dept. de Energia Nuclear; Araujo, Patricia Lopes Barros de [Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife, PE (Brazil)

    2015-03-15

    Lead (II) sulfide (PbS) were synthesized by sonochemical method and crystals with cubic structure exhibit aggregated nanoparticles with size in the range of 50-100 nm. Commercial Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) containing the PbS nanoparticles (PbS-NP) exposed to gamma irradiation were investigated and both the viscosity-average molar mass (Mv ) and degradation index (DI) values were measured. Ours results showed decreases in molar mass when the systems were gamma irradiated, i. e., random scission effects that take place in the main chain. On the other hand, DI results showed that the addition of PbS-NP at 0.3 wt% into the PMMA matrix decreased 100% the number of main chain scissions. Results about the free radical scavenger action of the PbS-NP were obtained by use of 2,2-diphenyl-1-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)-hydrazyl radical (DPPH) and are discussed in this study. Analysis of infrared spectra, refraction index, mechanical, and thermal properties showed influence of the PbS-NP in the physical behavior of PMMA. (author)

  20. Influence of temperature in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) dosemeters response

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Napolitano, Celia Marina; Ferreira, Danilo Cardenuto; Camargo, Fabio de; Goncalves, Josemary Angelica Correa; Tobias, Carmen Cecilia Bueno

    2005-01-01

    The use of gamma irradiation sterilization processes in medical products and food preservation has encouraged the emergence of industrial facilities responsible for generation of doses as high as a few dozen kGy. The characterization of this radiation field requires the use of dosimeters with high spatial resolution, high resistance to radiation damage, maintenance of information absorbed doses at a time suitable for the analysis and processing of data, easy handling, etc. The dosimeters that meet most of these requirements are based on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) with dyes sensitive to radiation. The dose that can be measured with these dosimeters extends from 100Gy to 50kGy, with the estimated accuracies by manufacturers from 2 to 3%. However, in practice, there are procedures that require irradiation in different conditions of temperature, which results in changes in the response of the dosimeter. This way, considering the irradiations made in the center of radiation technology of Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP - Brazilian nuclear and energy research institute -, has studied the effect of temperature on the response of routine dosimeters PMMA type where the operational characteristics of Gammachrome YR dosimeters type and Red Perspex are being investigated respect to temperature and dose, whose results will be presented in this paper

  1. Debinding behaviour of a water soluble PEG/PMMA binder for Ti metal injection moulding

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Gang [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142 (New Zealand); Cao, Peng, E-mail: p.cao@auckland.ac.nz [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142 (New Zealand); Wen, Guian [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142 (New Zealand); Edmonds, Neil [School of Chemical Science, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142 (New Zealand)

    2013-05-15

    Polyethylene glycol (PEG) has been becoming a common component in the design of water soluble binder systems for metal injection moulding. Similar to solvent debinding, PEG can be leached out by water and the mechanism of debinding was proposed in the literature with somehow misleading information about the debinding mechanism, particularly about the formation of PEG gel. This work investigates the debinding behaviours of a PEG-based binder in titanium compacts. Titanium powder is formulated with PEG, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and stearic acid (SA) to formulate titanium feedstock. To determine the debinding kinetics, the PEG removal percentages are measured at three different temperatures and for various specimen thicknesses. A mathematic model based on diffusion-controlled debinding process is established. The evolution of porous microstructure during the water debinding process is observed using scanning electron microscopy. Based on these observations, a water debinding mechanism for titanium alloy compacts formulated with PEG-based binders is proposed. - Highlights: ► The water-debinding behaviours of the PEG binder system were investigated. ► PEG dissolution and transportation, and the pore structure development. ► A water debinding mechanism of PEG-based binders is proposed. ► Incorrect explanation of PEG gelling in the literature is corrected. ► Correction/modification made as per the reviewers' comments and suggestions.

  2. Debinding behaviour of a water soluble PEG/PMMA binder for Ti metal injection moulding

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Gang; Cao, Peng; Wen, Guian; Edmonds, Neil

    2013-01-01

    Polyethylene glycol (PEG) has been becoming a common component in the design of water soluble binder systems for metal injection moulding. Similar to solvent debinding, PEG can be leached out by water and the mechanism of debinding was proposed in the literature with somehow misleading information about the debinding mechanism, particularly about the formation of PEG gel. This work investigates the debinding behaviours of a PEG-based binder in titanium compacts. Titanium powder is formulated with PEG, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and stearic acid (SA) to formulate titanium feedstock. To determine the debinding kinetics, the PEG removal percentages are measured at three different temperatures and for various specimen thicknesses. A mathematic model based on diffusion-controlled debinding process is established. The evolution of porous microstructure during the water debinding process is observed using scanning electron microscopy. Based on these observations, a water debinding mechanism for titanium alloy compacts formulated with PEG-based binders is proposed. - Highlights: ► The water-debinding behaviours of the PEG binder system were investigated. ► PEG dissolution and transportation, and the pore structure development. ► A water debinding mechanism of PEG-based binders is proposed. ► Incorrect explanation of PEG gelling in the literature is corrected. ► Correction/modification made as per the reviewers' comments and suggestions

  3. Influence of the PMMA and the ISO slab phantom for calibrating personal dosemeters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ginjaume, M.; Ortega, X.; Barbosa, A.

    2000-01-01

    Wide agreement has been achieved among the main Bodies and Organisations involved in standardisation of radiation protection, related to the operational quantities for personal dosimetry. Since their definition in 1985, several reports have been published to clarify and define the experimental set up to be used for the calibration of dosemeters in terms of the above-mentioned quantities. Among these lines, ICRU 47 has listed five different phantoms that are used for calibration and whose results were accurate, within accepted uncertainties. However, to achieve uniformity in calibration procedures, the 30 cm x 30 cm x 15 cm PMMA slab phantom was recommended. The secondary calibration Laboratory from the Institut de Techniques Energetiques at the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) agreed with the Spanish Nacional Laboratory to adopt the recommended PMMA phantom but to improve the accuracy of the calibration procedure, by introducing a correction factor for backscatter differences in a PMMA and an ICRU slab phantom. Such corrections were of the order of 8% for the low-energy X-ray qualities. Recently, ISO in ISO 4037-3, has proposed the ISO water slab phantom which consists of a 30 cm x 30 cm x 15 cm water phantom with PMMA walls (front wall 2.5 mm thick). This new phantom could be substituted by the above mentioned PMMA phantom for radiation qualities with mean energy equal or above that of 137 Cs. The aim of this work is to compare the influence of both phantoms when calibrating personal dosemeters with photons. A set of four TL personal dosemeters that are used in the UPC personal dosimetry Service and an electronic personal dosemeter (SIEMENS EPD-2) were calibrated in terms of H p (10) and H p (0.07) using the two proposed phantoms. Calibration factors for ISO X-ray narrow spectra, 137 Cs and 60 Co were experimentally obtained for each phantom and compared. In the TL measurements, differences were found to be within TL statistical uncertainty, provided that a

  4. Graphene-doped carbon/Fe3O4 porous nanofibers with hierarchical band construction as high-performance anodes for lithium-ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He, Jianxin; Zhao, Shuyuan; Lian, Yanping; Zhou, Mengjuan; Wang, Lidan; Ding, Bin; Cui, Shizhong

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • GN@C/Fe 3 O 4 are synthesized via in-situ electrospinning and thermal treatment. • GN@C/Fe 3 O 4 show unique dark/light banding with a hierarchical porous structure. • Doped graphene induces a uniform distribution of smaller size Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles. • Doped graphene provides more active sites and accommodate the volume change. • GN@C/Fe 3 O 4 electrode displays a reversible capacity of 872 mAh/g after 100 cycles. - Abstract: Porous graphene-doped carbon/Fe 3 O 4 (GN@C/Fe 3 O 4 ) nanofibers are synthesized via in-situ electrospinning and subsequent thermal treatment for use as lithium-ion battery anode materials. A polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) solution containing ferric acetylacetone and graphene oxide nanosheets is used as the electrospinning precursor solution. The resulting porous GN@C/Fe 3 O 4 nanofibers show unique dark/light banding and a hierarchical porous structure. These nanofibers have a Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface area of 323.0 m 2 /g with a total pore volume of 0.337 cm 3 /g, which is significantly greater than that of a sample without graphene and C/Fe 3 O 4 nanofibers. The GN@C/Fe 3 O 4 nanofiber electrode displays a reversible capacity of 872 mAh/g at a current density of 100 mA/g after 100 cycles, excellent cycling stability, and superior rate capability (455 mA/g at 5 A/g). The excellent performance of porous GN@C/Fe 3 O 4 is attributed to the material’s unique structure, including its striped topography, hierarchical porous structure, and inlaid flexible graphene, which not only provides more accessible active sites for lithium-ion insertion and high-efficiency transport pathways for ions and electrons, but also accommodates the volume change associated with lithium insertion/extraction. Moreover, the zero-valent iron and graphene in the porous nanofibers enhance the conductivity of the electrodes.

  5. Structural features of the adsorption layer of pentacene on the graphite surface and the PMMA/graphite hybrid surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fadeeva, A. I.; Gorbunov, V. A.; Litunenko, T. A.

    2017-08-01

    Using the molecular dynamics and the Monte Carlo methods, we have studied the structural features and growth mechanism of the pentacene film on graphite and polymethylmethacrylate /graphite surfaces. Monolayer capacity and molecular area, optimal angles between the pentacene molecules and graphite and PMMA/graphite surfaces as well as the characteristic angles between the neighboring pentacene molecules in the adsorption layer were estimated. It is shown that the orientation of the pentacene molecules in the film is determined by a number of factors, including the surface concentration of the molecules, relief of the surface, presence or absence of the polymer layer and its thickness. The pentacene molecules adsorbed on the graphite surface keep a horizontal position relative to the long axis at any surface coverage/thickness of the film. In the presence of the PMMA layer on the graphite, the increase of the number of pentacene molecules as well as the thickness of the PMMA layer induce the change of molecular orientation from predominantly horizontal to vertical one. The reason for such behavior is supposed to be the roughness of the PMMA surface.

  6. Vibration Properties of a Steel-PMMA Composite Beam

    OpenAIRE

    He, Yuyang; Jin, Xiaoxiong

    2015-01-01

    A steel-polymethyl methacrylate (steel-PMMA) beam was fabricated to investigate the vibration properties of a one-dimensional phononic crystal structure. The experimental system included an excitation system, a signal acquisition system, and a data analysis and processing system. When an excitation signal was exerted on one end of the beam, the signals of six response points were collected with acceleration sensors. Subsequent signal analysis showed that the beam was attenuated in certain fre...

  7. Bragg grating writing in PMMA microstructured polymer optical fibers in less than 7 minutes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bundalo, Ivan-Lazar; Nielsen, Kristian; Markos, Christos

    2014-01-01

    We demonstrate fiber Bragg grating (FBG) writing in PMMA microstructured Polymer Optical Fibers (mPOFs) using UV Phase Mask technique with writing times shorter than 10 min. The shortest writing time was 6 minutes and 50 seconds and the longest writing time was 8 min and 50 sec. The FBGs were...... written in a 125 x00B5;m PMMA mPOF having 3-rings of holes, the reflection peaks were centred at 632.6 nm and have a reflectivity as high as 26 dB. We also demonstrate how the writing dynamics depends on the intensity of the writing beam....

  8. Facile Assembly of 3D Porous Reduced Graphene Oxide/Ultrathin MnO2 Nanosheets-S Aerogels as Efficient Polysulfide Adsorption Sites for High-Performance Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Xiaojun; Wang, Hui; Zhai, Gaohong; Wang, Gang

    2017-05-23

    Rechargeable lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are receiving much attention due to their high specific capacity, low cost, and environmental friendliness. Nonetheless, fast capacity decay and low specific capacity still limit their practical implementation. Herein, we report a facile strategy to overcome these challenges by the design and fabrication of 3D porous reduced graphene oxide/ultrathin MnO 2 nanosheets-S aerogel (rGM-SA) composites for Li-S batteries. By a simple solvothermal reaction process, nanosized S atoms are homogeneously decorated into the 3D scaffold formed by reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and MnO 2 nanosheets, which can form the homogeneous rGM-SA composites. In this porous network architecture, rGO serves as an electron and ion transfer pathway, a physical adsorption site for polysulfides, and provides structural stability. The ultrathin MnO 2 nanosheets provide strong binding sites for trapping polysulfide intermediates. The 3D porous rGO/MnO 2 architecture enables rapid ion transport and buffers volume expansion of sulfur during discharge. The rGM-SA composites can be directly used as lithium-sulfur battery cathodes without using binder and conductive additive. As a result of this multifunctional arrangement, the rGM-SA composites exhibit high and stable-specific capacities over 200 cycles and excellent high-rate performances. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Fluorescent biosensors enabled by graphene and graphene oxide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Huan; Zhang, Honglu; Aldalbahi, Ali; Zuo, Xiaolei; Fan, Chunhai; Mi, Xianqiang

    2017-03-15

    During the past few years, graphene and graphene oxide (GO) have attracted numerous attentions for the potential applications in various fields from energy technology, biosensing to biomedical diagnosis and therapy due to their various functionalization, high volume surface ratio, unique physical and electrical properties. Among which, graphene and graphene oxide based fluorescent biosensors enabled by their fluorescence-quenching properties have attracted great interests. The fluorescence of fluorophore or dye labeled on probes (such as molecular beacon, aptamer, DNAzymes and so on) was quenched after adsorbed on to the surface of graphene. While in the present of the targets, due to the strong interactions between probes and targets, the probes were detached from the surface of graphene, generating dramatic fluorescence, which could be used as signals for detection of the targets. This strategy was simple and economy, together with great programmable abilities of probes; we could realize detection of different kinds of species. In this review, we first briefly introduced the history of graphene and graphene oxide, and then summarized the fluorescent biosensors enabled by graphene and GO, with a detailed account of the design mechanism and comparison with other nanomaterials (e.g. carbon nanotubes and gold nanoparticles). Following that, different sensing platforms for detection of DNAs, ions, biomolecules and pathogens or cells as well as the cytotoxicity issue of graphene and GO based in vivo biosensing were further discussed. We hope that this review would do some help to researchers who are interested in graphene related biosening research work. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. 2 filler on the dielectric permittivity and electrical modulus of PMMA

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    plex in solution phase.9 Debye theory of dipolar relaxation apprehends the ... present a study on the effect of Zn(NO3)2 filler in PMMA matrix, with a view to .... 3.4 EDX analysis. The quantitative and qualitative elemental analyses of the.

  11. Covalent bonding of PMMA, PBMA, and poly(HEMA) to hydroxyapatite particles

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Liu, Q.; de Wijn, J.R.; van Blitterswijk, Clemens

    1998-01-01

    In our earlier study, we showed that the surface hydroxyl groups of hydroxyapatite have the ability to react with organic isocyanate groups. In this study, the feasibility of grafting poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (PBMA), and Poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate)

  12. Fast bragg grating inscription in PMMA polymer optical fibres: Impact of thermal pre-treatment of preforms

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Marques, Carlos A. F.; Pospori, Andreas; Demirci, Gökhan

    2017-01-01

    In this work, fibre Bragg gratings (FBGs) were inscribed in two different undoped poly- (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymer optical fibres (POFs) using different types of UV lasers and their inscription times, temperature and strain sensitivities are investigated. The POF Bragg gratings (POFBGs......) were inscribed using two UV lasers: a continuous UV HeCd @325 nm laser and a pulsed UV KrF @248 nm laser. Two PMMA POFs are used in which the primary and secondary preforms (during the two-step drawing process) have a different thermal treatment. The PMMA POFs drawn in which the primary or secondary...... preform is not specifically pre-treated need longer inscription time than the fibres drawn where both preforms have been pre-annealed at 80 °C for 2 weeks. Using both UV lasers, for the latter fibre much less inscription time is needed compared to another homemade POF. The properties of a POF fabricated...

  13. Influence of 400 keV carbon ion implantation on structural, optical and electrical properties of PMMA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arif, Shafaq, E-mail: sarif2005@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Rafique, M. Shahid [Department of Physics, University of Engineering & Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Saleemi, Farhat; Sagheer, Riffat [Department of Physics, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Naab, Fabian; Toader, Ovidiu [Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, Michigan Ion Beam Laboratory, University of Michigan, MI 48109-2104 (United States); Mahmood, Arshad; Rashid, Rashad [National Institute of Lasers and Optronics (NILOP), P.O. Nilore, Islamabad (Pakistan); Mahmood, Mazhar [Department of Metallurgy & Materials Engineering, Pakistan Institute of Engineering & Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Islamabad (Pakistan)

    2015-09-01

    Ion implantation is a useful technique to modify surface properties of polymers without altering their bulk properties. The objective of this work is to explore the 400 keV C{sup +} ion implantation effects on PMMA at different fluences ranging from 5 × 10{sup 13} to 5 × 10{sup 15} ions/cm{sup 2}. The surface topographical examination of irradiated samples has been performed using Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). The structural and chemical modifications in implanted PMMA are examined by Raman and Fourier Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) respectively. The effects of carbon ion implantation on optical properties of PMMA are investigated by UV–Visible spectroscopy. The modifications in electrical conductivity have been measured using a four point probe technique. AFM images reveal a decrease in surface roughness of PMMA with an increase in ion fluence from 5 × 10{sup 14} to 5 × 10{sup 15} ions/cm{sup 2}. The existence of amorphization and sp{sup 2}-carbon clusterization has been confirmed by Raman and FTIR spectroscopic analysis. The UV–Visible data shows a prominent red shift in absorption edge as a function of ion fluence. This shift displays a continuous reduction in optical band gap (from 3.13 to 0.66 eV) due to formation of carbon clusters. Moreover, size of carbon clusters and photoconductivity are found to increase with increasing ion fluence. The ion-induced carbonaceous clusters are believed to be responsible for an increase in electrical conductivity of PMMA from (2.14 ± 0.06) × 10{sup −10} (Ω-cm){sup −1} (pristine) to (0.32 ± 0.01) × 10{sup −5} (Ω-cm){sup −1} (irradiated sample)

  14. Viscoelastic-Viscoplastic Modelling of the Scratch Response of PMMA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Kermouche

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims at understanding how to model the time-dependent behavior of PMMA during a scratch loading at a constant speed and at middle strain levels. A brief experimental study is first presented, consisting of the analysis of microscratches carried out at various scratching velocities and normal loads. The loading conditions have been chosen in such a way that neither (viscoelasticity nor (viscoplasticity of the PMMA may be neglected a priori. The main analyzed parameter is the tip penetration depth measured during the steady state. Then, a finite element model is used to investigate the potential of classical elastic-viscoplastic constitutive models to reproduce these experimental results. It is mainly shown that these models lead to unsatisfying results. More specifically, it is pointed out here that the time-independent Young modulus used in such models is not suitable. To take into account this feature, a viscoelastic-viscoplastic model based on the connection in series of a viscoelastic part with a viscoplastic part is proposed. It is shown that it leads to more acceptable results, which points out the importance of viscoelasticity in the scratch behavior of solid polymers.

  15. Characterization of advanced polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) targets for TNSA laser irradiation

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Torrisi, L.; Cutroneo, Mariapompea; Semián, Vladimír; Ceccio, G.

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 351, OCT (2015), s. 580-587 ISSN 0169-4332 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GBP108/12/G108; GA MŠk LM2011019 Institutional support: RVO:61389005 Keywords : PMMA * TNSA * ion acceleration * laser-generating plasma Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 3.150, year: 2015

  16. Clinical characteristics of mirror syndrome: a comparison of 10 cases of mirror syndrome with non-mirror syndrome fetal hydrops cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirata, Go; Aoki, Shigeru; Sakamaki, Kentaro; Takahashi, Tsuneo; Hirahara, Fumiki; Ishikawa, Hiroshi

    2016-01-01

    To investigate clinical features of mirror syndrome. We retrospectively reviewed 71 cases of fetal hydrops with or without mirror syndrome, and compared with respect to maternal age, the body mass index, the primipara rate, the gestational age at delivery, the timing of fetal hydrops onset, the severity of fetal edema, placental swelling, the laboratory data and the fetal mortality. The data are expressed as the medians. Mirror syndrome developed in 29% (10/35) of the cases with fetal hydrops. In mirror group, the onset time of fetal hydrops was significantly earlier (29 weeks versus 31 weeks, p = 0.011), and the severity of fetal hydrops (fetal edema/biparietal diameter) was significantly higher than non-mirror group (0.23 versus 0.16, p < 0.001). There was significantly higher serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) (453,000 IU/L versus 80,000 IU/L, p < 0.001) and lower hemoglobin (8.9 g/dL versus 10.1 g/dL, p =0.002), hypoalbuminemia (2.3 mg/dL versus 2.7 mg/dL, p = 0.007), hyperuricemia (6.4 mg/dL versus 5.0 mg/dL, p = 0.043) in mirror group. Mirror syndrome is occurred frequently in early and severe fetal hydrops and cause hemodilution and elevation of serum hCG.

  17. Small mirror fusion reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carlson, G.A.; Schultz, K.R.; Smith, A.C. Jr.

    1978-01-01

    Basic requirements for the pilot plants are that they produce a net product and that they have a potential for commercial upgrade. We have investigated a small standard mirror fusion-fission hybrid, a two-component tandem mirror hybrid, and two versions of a field-reversed mirror fusion reactor--one a steady state, single cell reactor with a neutral beam-sustained plasma, the other a moving ring field-reversed mirror where the plasma passes through a reaction chamber with no energy addition

  18. Environmental Impacts on the Strength Parameters of Mineral-Acrylic (PMMA/ATH Facade Panels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aleksander Byrdy

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Composite mineral-acrylic panels consist in 80% of natural minerals produced from bauxite (aluminium hydroxides (ATH and in 20% from acrylic resin (polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA. This material due to high usability is widely used in interior finishes. Recently, the mineral-acrylic panels have been used as external claddings of buildings. So far, there are several dozen elevations realized worldwide. Due to the variability of the strength parameters of PMMA acrylic resins depending on the environmental influence, a number of tests on samples of mineral-acrylic panels to verify their suitability for use in climate conditions in Central Europe were performed. The studies determined the change of the material parameters after being subjected to aging process in conditions of high temperature, high relative humidity, freeze-thaw cycles, and UV radiation. In the studies parameters such as flexural strength and modulus of elasticity were measured at a reference temperature of 23°C. In raised and lowered temperatures only the tensile strength tests were conducted. Due to the lack of information in the available literature, the authors carried out tests of the temperature influence on the PMMA/ATH composite modulus of elasticity and flexural strength which is crucial in designing process.

  19. Porous asymmetric SiO2-g-PMMA nanoparticles produced by phase inversion

    KAUST Repository

    Munirasu, Selvaraj; Nunes, Suzana Pereira

    2014-01-01

    of functionalized nanoparticles in different solvents and immersion in water. The resulting asymmetrically porous morphology and nanoparticle assembly was characterized by scanning electron and atomic force microscopy. The PMMA functionalized SiO2 hybrid material

  20. The improvement of the mechanical properties of PMMA denture base by Al2O3 particles with nitrile rubber

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alhareb, Ahmed Omran; Akil, Hazizan Md; Ahmad, Zainal Arifin

    2017-07-01

    Poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) is mostly used for fabrication of denture base by heat-curing technique. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of Al2O3 filler as toughening particles together with nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) particles as impact modifier were used to reinforce PMMA denture base materials on the impact strength (IS) and fracture toughness (KIC). PMMA powder was mixed with liquid methyl methacrylate (MMA) and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as crosslinking agent. The powder components are PMMA, benzoyl peroxide, NBR (5, 7.5 and 10 wt%), and Al2O3 filler (5 wt%) treated by silane. The liquid components are 90% of methyl methacrylate and 10 % ethylene glycol dimethacryate. FTIR analyses confirmed that the Al2O3 filler was successfully treated with silane as coupling agent. The morphology of fracture surfaces was characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The results shown that IS and KIC improved significantly when using treated the Al2O3 filler. IS has increased to 56% (8.26 KJ/m2) and 73% (2.77 MPa.m1/2) for KIC when treated Al2O3 filler compared to unreinforced PMMA matrix. Statistical analyses of data results were significantly improved (PNBR with treated Al2O3 filler compared to other the compositions.

  1. Low operating voltage n-channel organic field effect transistors using lithium fluoride/PMMA bilayer gate dielectric

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kumar, S.; Dhar, A., E-mail: adhar@phy.iitkgp.ernet.in

    2015-10-15

    Highlights: • Alternative to chemically crosslinking of PMMA to achieve low leakage in provided. • Effect of LiF in reducing gate leakage through the OFET device is studied. • Effect of gate leakage on transistor performance has been investigated. • Low voltage operable and low temperature processed n-channel OFETs were fabricated. - Abstract: We report low temperature processed, low voltage operable n-channel organic field effect transistors (OFETs) using N,N′-Dioctyl-3,4,9,10-perylenedicarboximide (PTCDI-C{sub 8}) organic semiconductor and poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA)/lithium fluoride (LiF) bilayer gate dielectric. We have studied the role of LiF buffer dielectric in effectively reducing the gate leakage through the device and thus obtaining superior performance in contrast to the single layer PMMA dielectric devices. The bilayer OFET devices had a low threshold voltage (V{sub t}) of the order of 5.3 V. The typical values of saturation electron mobility (μ{sub s}), on/off ratio and inverse sub-threshold slope (S) for the range of devices made were estimated to be 2.8 × 10{sup −3} cm{sup 2}/V s, 385, and 3.8 V/decade respectively. Our work thus provides a potential substitution for much complicated process of chemically crosslinking PMMA to achieve low leakage, high capacitance, and thus low operating voltage OFETs.

  2. Opposed-Flow Flame Spread in a Narrow Channel Apparatus over Thin PMMA Sheets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bornand, G. R.; Olson, Sandra L.; Miller, F. J.; Pepper, J. M.; Wichman, I. S.

    2013-01-01

    Flame spread tests have been conducted over polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) samples in San Diego State University's Narrow Channel Apparatus (SDSU NCA). The Narrow Channel Apparatus (NCA) has the ability to suppress buoyant flow in horizontally spreading flames, and is currently being investigated as a possible replacement or complement to NASA's current material flammability test standard for non-metallic solids, NASA-STD-(I)-6001B Test 1. The buoyant suppression achieved with a NCA allows for tests to be conducted in a simulated microgravity atmosphere-a characteristic that Test 1 lacks since flames present in Test 1 are buoyantly driven. The SDSU NCA allows for flame spread tests to be conducted with varying opposed flow oxidizer velocities, oxygen percent by volume, and total pressure. Also, since the test sample is placed symmetrically between two confining plates so that there is a gap above and below the sample, this gap can be adjusted. This gap height adjustment allows for a compromise between heat loss from the flame to the confining boundaries and buoyancy suppression achieved by those boundaries. This article explores the effect gap height has on the flame spread rate for 75 µm thick PMMA at 1 atm pressure and 21% oxygen concentration by volume in the SDSU NCA. Flame spread results from the SDSU NCA for thin cellulose fuels have previously been compared to results from tests in actual microgravity at various test conditions with the same sample materials and were found to be in good agreement. This article also presents results from the SDSU NCA for PMMA at 1 atm pressure, opposed oxidizer velocity ranging from 3 to 35 cm/s, oxygen concentration by volume at 21%, 30 %, and 50% and fuel thicknesses of 50 and 75 µm. These results are compared to results obtained in actual microgravity for PMMA obtained at the 4.5s drop tower of MGLAB in Gifu, Japan, and the 5.2s drop tower at NASA's Zero-Gravity Research Facility in Cleveland, OH. This comparison confirms

  3. FOCUS ON GRAPHENE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peres, N M R; Ribeiro, Ricardo M

    2009-01-01

    Graphene physics is currently one of the most active research areas in condensed matter physics. Countless theoretical and experimental studies have already been performed, targeting electronic, magnetic, thermal, optical, structural and vibrational properties. Also, studies that modify pristine graphene, aiming at finding new physics and possible new applications, have been considered. These include patterning nanoribbons and quantum dots, exposing graphene's surface to different chemical species, studying multilayer systems, and inducing strain and curvature (modifying in this way graphene's electronic properties). This focus issue includes many of the latest developments on graphene research. Focus on Graphene Contents The effect of sublattice symmetry breaking on the electronic properties of doped graphene A Qaiumzadeh and R Asgari Interfaces within graphene nanoribbons J Wurm, M Wimmer, I Adagideli, K Richter and H U Baranger Weak localization and transport gap in graphene antidot lattices J Eroms and D Weiss Electronic properties of graphene antidot lattices J A Fuerst, J G Pedersen, C Flindt, N A Mortensen, M Brandbyge, T G Pedersen and A-P Jauho Splitting of critical energies in the n=0 Landau level of graphene Ana L C Pereira Double-gated graphene-based devices S Russo, M F Craciun, M Yamamoto, S Tarucha and A F Morpurgo Pinning and switching of magnetic moments in bilayer graphene Eduardo V Castro, M P Lopez-Sancho and M A H Vozmediano Electronic transport properties of graphene nanoribbons Katsunori Wakabayashi, Yositake Takane, Masayuki Yamamoto and Manfred Sigrist Many-body effects on out-of-plane phonons in graphene J Gonzalez and E Perfetto Graphene zigzag ribbons, square lattice models and quantum spin chains Mahdi Zarea and Nancy Sandler On the universal ac optical background in graphene V P Gusynin, S G Sharapov and J P Carbotte Heat conduction in graphene: experimental study and theoretical interpretation S Ghosh, D L Nika, E P Pokatilov and A A

  4. Effects of modified Clay on the morphology and thermal stability of PMMA/clay nanocomposites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsai, Tsung-Yen; Lin, Mei-Ju; Chuang, Yi-Chen; Chou, Po-Chiang

    2013-01-01

    The potential to improve the mechanical, thermal, and optical properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/clay nanocomposites prepared with clay containing an organic modifier was investigated. Pristine sodium montmorillonite clay was modified using cocoamphodipropionate, which absorbs UVB in the 280–320 nm range, via ion exchange to enhance the compatibility between the clay platelets and the methyl methacrylate polymer matrix. PMMA/clay nanocomposites were synthesized via in situ free-radical polymerization. Three types of clay with various cation-exchange capacities (CEC) were used as inorganic layered materials in these organic–inorganic hybrid nanocomposites: CL42, CL120, and CL88 with CEC values of 116, 168, and 200 meq/100 g of clay, respectively. We characterized the effects of the organoclay dispersion on UV resistance, effectiveness as an O 2 gas barrier, thermal stability, and mechanical properties of PMMA/clay nanocomposites. Gas permeability analysis demonstrated the excellent gas barrier properties of the nanocomposites, consistent with the intercalated or exfoliated morphologies observed. The optical properties were assessed using UV–Visible spectroscopy, which revealed that these materials have good optical clarity, UV resistance, and scratch resistance. The effect of the dispersion capability of organoclay on the thermal properties of PMMA/clay nanocomposites was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry; these analyses revealed excellent thermal stability of some of the modified clay nanocomposites. - Highlights: ► We control the dispersion morphology by protonation of K2 into the clay. ► The CL120 and CL88, with the higher CEC, are more random intercalated by K2. ► We report these materials have good optical clarity, and UV resistance

  5. Synthesis and fluorescence properties of some difluoroboron β-diketonate complexes and composite containing PMMA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xing, Dongye; Hou, Yanjun; Niu, Haijun

    2018-03-01

    A series of difluoroboron β-diketonate complexes, containing the indon-β-diketonate ligand carrying methyl or methoxyl substituents was synthesized. The crystal structures of the complexes were confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The fluorescence properties of compounds were studied in solution state, solid state and on PMMA polymer matrix. The photophysical data of compounds 2a-2d exhibited strong fluorescence and photostability under the ultraviolet light (Hg lamp). The complex 2b showed higher fluorescence intensity in solution state as compared to other complexes of the series. The complexes 2c and 2d showed higher fluorescence intensity in the solid state, which are ascribed to the stronger π-π interactions between ligands in the solid state. The introduction of methoxyl or methyl groups on the benzene rings enhanced the absorption intensity, emission intensity, quantum yields and fluorescence lifetimes due to their electron-donating nature. Furthermore, the complex 2b was doped into the PMMA to produce hybrid materials, where the PMMA matrix acted as sensitizer for the central boron ion to enhance the fluorescence emission intensity and quantum yields.

  6. Facile synthesis, dielectric properties and electrocatalytic activities of PMMA-NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanocomposite

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Maji, Pranabi; Choudhary, Ram Bilash, E-mail: rbcism@gmail.com

    2017-06-01

    The paper deals with the dielectric and catalytic properties of poly (methyl methacrylate)-nikel ferrite (PMMA-NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}) nanocomposite. The nanocomposite was prepared by using a general and facile synthesis strategy. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra confirmed the formation of PMMA-NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanocomposite. Field effect scanning electron microscopic (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) images revealed that NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanoparticles were uniformly distributed and were tightly adhered with PMMA matrix owing to surface modification with 3-methacryloyloxy propyl trimethoxy silane (KH-570). Thermal stability was enhanced by incorporation of NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanofillers. The nanocomposite showed high dielectric constant and low dielectric loss. The achieved dielectric and thermal property inferred the potential application of this material in energy storage and embedded electronics devices. Further, the as prepared nanocomposite also offered a remarkable electrochemical performance towards hydrogen peroxide (H{sub 2}O{sub 2}) sensing. - Highlights: • PMMA-NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanocomposite was synthesized via free radical polymerization. • The nanocomposite exhibited high value of dielectric constant (51) and tanδ (0.3). • Thermal stability of the PMMA matrix was improved by the incorporation of NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4.} • The H{sub 2}O{sub 2} detection limit was estimated 44 μM when signal to noise (S/N) ration was 3. • The electrochemical sensitivity of H{sub 2}O{sub 2} was calculated 0.6727 μA mM{sup -1}.

  7. Graphene Coatings

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stoot, Adam Carsten; Camilli, Luca; Bøggild, Peter

    2014-01-01

    Owing to its remarkable electrical and mechanical properties, graphene has been attracting tremendous interest in materials science. In particular, its chemical stability and impermeability make it a promising protective membrane. However, recent investigations reveal that single layer graphene...... cannot be used as a barrier in the long run, due to galvanic corrosion phenomena arising when oxygen or water penetrate through graphene cracks or domain boundaries. Here, we overcome this issue by using a multilayered (ML) graphene coating. Our lab- as well as industrial-scale tests demonstrate that ML...... graphene can effectively protect Ni in harsh environments, even after long term exposure. This is made possible by the presence of a high number of graphene layers, which can efficiently mask the cracks and domain boundaries defects found in individual layers of graphene. Our findings thus show...

  8. Bronze rainbow hologram mirrors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dawson, P.

    2006-02-01

    This project draws on holographic embossing techniques, ancient artistic conventions of bronze mirror design and modelling and casting processes to accomplish portraiture of reflection. Laser scanning, 3D computer graphics and holographic imaging are employed to enable a permanent 3D static holographic image to appear integrated with the real-time moving reflection of a viewer's face in a polished bronze disc. The disc and the figure which holds it (caryatid) are cast in bronze from a lost wax model, a technique which has been used for millennia to make personal mirrors. The Caryatid form of bronze mirror which went through many permutations in ancient Egyptian, Greece and Rome shows a plethora of expressive figure poses ranging from sleek nudes to highly embellished multifigure arrangements. The prototype of this series was made for Australian choreographer Graeme Murphy, Artistic Director of the Sydney Dance Company. Each subsequent mirror will be unique in figure and holographic imagery as arranged between artist and subject. Conceptually this project references both the modern experience of viewing mirrors retrieved from ancient tombs, which due to deterioration of the surface no longer reflect, and the functioning of Chinese Magic mirrors, which have the ability to project a predetermined image. Inspired by the metaphorical potential of these mirrors, which do not reflect the immediate reality of the viewer, this bronze hologram mirror series enables each viewer to reflect upon himself or herself observing simultaneously the holographic image and their own partially obliterated reflection.

  9. Lingon sa Iskolarsyip sa Dulaan (1948-2007 Looking Back on Theater Scholarship (1948-2007

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Apolonio B. Chua

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available From 1948 to 2007, the academic community produced about a hundred titles of theses and dissertations on drama and theater, or made use of data from drama and theater for larger spheres of studies. The current article looked into identifying trends and points of emphasis, as the researches and studies progressed through roughly half a century of research production in the academic setting. Inductive in approach and tentative and exploratory in its analysis, the study identified four trends and points of emphasis in research production. In the fifties and sixties, the emphasis was more on studying the play text or drama; studies veered towards a literary reading and orientation. Eventually, this trend gave way to studying the larger phenomenon of mounting, and the mise en scéne and the spectator became additional units of concern for research. Studies began to have sections on props, costumes, and staging techniques. In the eighties, a larger concern for looking at theater as social production followed. Participant observation, field work and ethnography gave equal emphasis on the social context of theater. Marxism and other perspectives from the social sciences framed theater studies then; correlations between theater and society became useful. Towards the last decade of the century, theater studies aimed at a more conceptual approach, emphasizing core concepts like panata and other related or equivalent terms, elevating and defining the study of theater as a study of culture itself. Gamit ang mahigit sa sandaang tesis at disertasyon hinggil sa dula at dulaan o sinasangkot ang mga ito na lumabas sa akademya mula 1948 hanggang 2007, kapwa sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas at sa iba pa, nilayon ng “Lingon sa Iskolarsyip sa Dulaan (1948-2007” na pulsuhan ang pangkalahatang daloy, tutok, tunguhin o kalakaran sa pagdadala ng mga pag-aaral. Panimula at exploratory sa inductive nitong lapat, nakatukoy ang pag-aaral ng apat na sapit o tutok sa daloy ng

  10. PMMA to SU-8 bonding for polymer based lab-on-a-chip systems with integrated optics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olsen, Brian Bilenberg; Nielsen, Theodor; Clausen, Bjarne Hans

    2004-01-01

    We present an adhesive bonding technique developed for SU-8 based "lab-on-a-chip"- systems with integrated optical components. Microfluidic channels and optical components (e.g. wave-guides) are defined in SU-8 photoresist on a Pyrex glass substrate. The microfluidic channels are sealed by a second...... Pyrex substrate, bonded on top of the cross-linked SU-8 structure using an inter- mediate layer of 950K molecular weight poly-methylmethacrylate (PMMA). Due to a lower refractive index of PMMA, this bonding technique offers optical waveguiding in the SU-8 structures in combination with good sealing...... of the microfluidic channels. The bonding technique is investigated with respect to bonding temperature in the range of 50 - 150 degr. C and at bonding forces of 1000 N and 2000 N on a 4-inch wafer. A maximum bonding strength of 16 MPa is achieved for the PMMA to SU-8 bonding at a bonding temperature of 110 degr. C...

  11. Reduction of Graphene Oxide to Graphene by Using Gamma Irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shamellia Sharin; Irman Abdul Rahman; Ainee Fatimah Ahmad

    2015-01-01

    This research aims to gauge the ability of gamma radiation to induce the reduction of graphene oxide to graphene. Graphene oxide powders were dispersed into a mixture of alcohol and deionized water, and the mixture was then irradiated with a "6"0Co source using a GammaCell 220 Excel irradiator at absorbed doses of 0, 5, 15, 20 and 35 kGy. According to characterization using Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), it can be seen that almost every oxygen-containing functional group has been removed after irradiation of the graphene oxide mixture. Reduction of graphene oxide was also proven from the characterization using UV-Vis Spectroscopy, in which the wavelength of graphene oxide at 237 nm was red-shifted to 277 nm after being irradiated and the peak at 292 nm, (indicating the carboxyl group) disappears in the UV-Vis spectrum of reduced graphene oxide. Morphology of graphene oxide also changed from a smooth and flat surface to crumpled. The ratio of carbon/ oxygen in the graphene oxide was lower than the carbon/ oxygen of reduced graphene oxide. At the end of the experiment, it can be deduced that graphene oxide underwent reduction, characterized before and after irradiation using Emission Scanned Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-ray, Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy and UV-Vis Spectroscopy. Therefore, we postulate that the irradiation technique that induces reduction, can be used to obtain reduced graphene oxide from graphene oxide. (author)

  12. A small punch test technique for characterizing the elastic modulus and fracture behavior of PMMA bone cement used in total joint replacement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giddings, V L; Kurtz, S M; Jewett, C W; Foulds, J R; Edidin, A A

    2001-07-01

    Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement is used in total joint replacements to anchor implants to the underlying bone. Establishing and maintaining the integrity of bone cement is thus of critical importance to the long-term outcome of joint replacement surgery. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the suitability of a novel testing technique, the small punch or miniaturized disk bend test, to characterize the elastic modulus and fracture behavior of PMMA. We investigated the hypothesis that the crack initiation behavior of PMMA during the small punch test was sensitive to the test temperature. Miniature disk-shaped specimens, 0.5 mm thick and 6.4 mm in diameter, were prepared from PMMA and Simplex-P bone cement according to manufacturers' instructions. Testing was conducted at ambient and body temperatures, and the effect of test temperature on the elastic modulus and fracture behavior was statistically evaluated using analysis of variance. For both PMMA materials, the test temperature had a significant effect on elastic modulus and crack initiation behavior. At body temperature, the specimens exhibited "ductile" crack initiation, whereas at room temperature "brittle" crack initiation was observed. The small punch test was found to be a sensitive and repeatable test method for evaluating the mechanical behavior of PMMA. In light of the results of this study, future small punch testing should be conducted at body temperature.

  13. Mirror Fusion Test Facility: an intermediate device to a mirror fusion reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karpenko, V.N.

    1983-01-01

    The Mirror Fusion Test Facility (MFTF-B) now under construction at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory represents more than an order-of-magnitude step from earlier magnetic-mirror experiments toward a future mirror fusion reactor. In fact, when the device begins operating in 1986, the Lawson criteria of ntau = 10 14 cm -3 .s will almost be achieved for D-T equivalent operation, thus signifying scientific breakeven. Major steps have been taken to develop MFTF-B technologies for tandem mirrors. Steady-state, high-field, superconducting magnets at reactor-revelant scales are used in the machine. The 30-s beam pulses, ECRH, and ICRH will also introduce steady-state technologies in those systems

  14. Mirror plasma apparatus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moir, R.W.

    1981-01-01

    A mirror plasma apparatus which utilizes shielding by arc discharge to form a blanket plasma and lithium walls to reduce neutron damage to the wall of the apparatus. An embodiment involves a rotating liquid lithium blanket for a tandem mirror plasma apparatus wherein the first wall of the central mirror cell is made of liquid lithium which is spun with angular velocity great enough to keep the liquid lithium against the first material wall, a blanket plasma preventing the lithium vapor from contaminating the plasma

  15. Mesmerising mirror neurons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heyes, Cecilia

    2010-06-01

    Mirror neurons have been hailed as the key to understanding social cognition. I argue that three currents of thought-relating to evolution, atomism and telepathy-have magnified the perceived importance of mirror neurons. When they are understood to be a product of associative learning, rather than an adaptation for social cognition, mirror neurons are no longer mesmerising, but they continue to raise important questions about both the psychology of science and the neural bases of social cognition. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Preparation and Properties of PTFE-PMMA Core-Shell Nanoparticles and Nanocomposites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diego Antonioli

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The preparation of polytetrafluoroethylene-poly(methyl methacrylate (PTFE-PMMA core-shell particles was described, featuring controlled size and narrow size distribution over a wide compositional range, through a seeded emulsion polymerization starting from a PTFE seed of 26 nanometers. Over the entire MMA/PTFE range, the particle size increases as the MMA/PTFE ratio increases. A very precise control over the particle size can be exerted by properly adjusting the ratio between the monomer and the PTFE seed. Particles in the 80–240 nm range can be prepared with uniformity indexes suited to build 2D and 3D colloidal crystals. These core-shell particles were employed to prepare nanocomposites with different compositions, through an annealing procedure at a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature of the shell forming polymer. A perfect dispersion of the PTFE particles within the PMMA matrix was obtained and optically transparent nanocomposites were prepared containing a very high PTFE amount.

  17. Three-dimensional space charge distribution measurement in electron beam irradiated PMMA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Imaizumi, Yoichi; Suzuki, Ken; Tanaka, Yasuhiro; Takada, Tatsuo

    1996-01-01

    The localized space charge distribution in electron beam irradiated PMMA was investigated using pulsed electroacoustic method. Using a conventional space charge measurement system, the distribution only in the depth direction (Z) can be measured assuming the charges distributed uniformly in the horizontal (X-Y) plane. However, it is difficult to measure the distribution of space charge accumulated in small area. Therefore, we have developed the new system to measure the three-dimensional space charge distribution using pulsed electroacoustic method. The system has a small electrode with a diameter of 1mm and a motor-drive X-Y stage to move the sample. Using the data measured at many points, the three-dimensional distribution were obtained. To estimate the system performance, the electron beam irradiated PMMA was used. The electron beam was irradiated from transmission electron microscope (TEM). The depth of injected electron was controlled using the various metal masks. The measurement results were compared with theoretically calculated values of electron range. (author)

  18. Fluorescence-based Sensing of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT) Using a Multi-channeled Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) Microimmunosensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-22

    monoclonalframesethtm) for NRL. 3-Mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane, tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and dimethylsulfoxide ( DMSO ) were obtained from Sigma...prepared via hot-embossing and tri- solvent annealing (see Experimental section). Microchannels were coated with a sol-gel film using a previously...PMMA substrate that was tri- solvent bonded to a 1.0 mm thick PMMA coverslip. The footprint of the microfluidic device is 76 × 25 × 25 mm. The

  19. Geometry of mirror manifolds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aspinwall, P.S.; Luetken, C.A.

    1991-01-01

    We analyze the mirror manifold hypothesis in one and three dimensions using the simplest available representations of the N = 2 superconformal algebra. The symmetries of these tensor models can be divided out to give an explicit representation of the mirror, and we give a simple group theoretical algorithm for determining which symmetries should be used. We show that the mirror of a superconformal field theory does not always have a geometrical interpretation, but when it does, deformations of complex structure of one manifold are reflected in deformations of the Kaehler form of the mirror manifold, and we show how the large radius limit of a manifold corresponds to a large complex structure limit in the mirror manifold. The mirror of the Tian-Yau three generation model is constructed both as a conformal field theory and as an algebraic variety with Euler number six. The Hodge numbers of this manifolds are fixed, but the intersection numbes are highly ambiguous, presumably reflected a rich structure of multicritical points in the moduli space of the field theory. (orig.)

  20. Polymer microfiber bridging Bi-tapered refractive index sensor based on evanescent field

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lv, Ri-Qing; Wang, Qi; Wang, Bo-Tao; Liu, Yu; Kong, Lingxin

    2018-05-01

    A PDMS/graphene enhanced PMMA micro optical waveguide sensor is reported in terms of fabrication method and optical characteristics. The micro optical waveguide with a diameter of 6 μm and a length of 800 μm is used as the sensing probe to realize refractive index (RI) measurement suspended in NaCl solutions with different concentrations. Experimental results show that the refractive index sensing sensitivity can reach 2027.97 nm/RIU within the refractive index ranging from 1.3333-1.3426. Research results show that PMMA/graphene micro optical waveguide doped with PDMS is an excellent high sensitive sensing technology in refractive index detection field.

  1. Mirror systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fogassi, Leonardo; Ferrari, Pier Francesco

    2011-01-01

    Mirror neurons are a class of visuomotor neurons, discovered in the monkey premotor cortex and in an anatomically connected area of the inferior parietal lobule, that activate both during action execution and action observation. They constitute a circuit dedicated to match actions made by others with the internal motor representations of the observer. It has been proposed that this matching system enables individuals to understand others' behavior and motor intentions. Here we will describe the main features of mirror neurons in monkeys. Then we will present evidence of the presence of a mirror system in humans and of its involvement in several social-cognitive functions, such as imitation, intention, and emotion understanding. This system may have several implications at a cognitive level and could be linked to specific social deficits in humans such as autism. Recent investigations addressed the issue of the plasticity of the mirror neuron system in both monkeys and humans, suggesting also their possible use in rehabilitation. WIREs Cogn Sci 2011 2 22-38 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.89 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. Mirror, Mirror by the Stairs: The Impact of Mirror Exposure on Stair versus Elevator Use in College Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hodgin, Katie L; Graham, Dan J

    2016-01-01

    Previous research has indicated that self-awareness-inducing mirrors can successfully incite behaviors that align with one's personal values, such as helping others. Other research has found a large discrepancy between the high percentage of young adults who report valuing the healthfulness of physical activity (PA) and the low percentage who actually meet PA participation standards. However, few studies have examined how mirror exposure and both perceived and actual body size influence highly valued PA participation among college students. The present study assessed stair versus elevator use on a western college campus and hypothesized that mirror exposure would increase the more personally healthy transportation method of stair use. In accordance with previous research, it was also hypothesized that males and those with a lower body mass index (BMI) would be more likely to take the stairs, and that body size distorting mirrors would impact the stair-elevator decision. One hundred sixty-seven students (51% male) enrolled in an introductory psychology course were recruited to take a survey about their "transportation choices" at an indoor campus parking garage. Participants were individually exposed to either no mirror, a standard full-length mirror, or a full-length mirror manipulated to make the reflected body size appear either slightly thinner or slightly wider than normal before being asked to go to the fourth floor of the garage for a survey. Participants' choice of floor-climbing method (stairs or elevator) was recorded, and they were administered an Internet-based survey assessing demographic information, BMI, self-awareness, perceived body size, and other variables likely to be associated with stair use. Results from logistic regression analyses revealed that participants who were not exposed to a mirror [odds ratios (OR) = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.14-0.96], males (OR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.13-0.85), those with lower BMI (OR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.71-0.99), those

  3. Mirror, Mirror by the Stairs: The Impact of Mirror Exposure on Stair versus Elevator Use in College Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katie L Hodgin

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available AbstractPrevious research has indicated that self-awareness-inducing mirrors can successfully incite behaviors that align with one’s personal values, such as helping others. Other research has found a large discrepancy between the high percentage of young adults who report valuing the healthfulness of physical activity (PA and the low percentage who actually meet PA participation standards. Few studies, however, have examined how mirror exposure and both perceived and actual body size influence highly-valued PA participation among college students. The present study assessed stair versus elevator use on a western college campus and hypothesized that mirror exposure would increase the more personally-healthy transportation method of stair use. In accordance with previous research, it was also hypothesized that males and those with a lower body mass index (BMI would be more likely to take the stairs, and that body-size distorting mirrors would impact the stair-elevator decision. One hundred and sixty-seven students (51% male enrolled in an introductory psychology course were recruited to take a survey about their transportation choices at an indoor campus parking garage. Participants were individually exposed to either no mirror, a standard full-length mirror, or a full-length mirror manipulated to make the reflected body size appear either slightly thinner or slightly wider than normal before being asked to go to the fourth floor of the garage for a survey. Participants’ choice of floor climbing method (stairs or elevator was recorded and they were administered an internet-based survey assessing demographic information, BMI, self-awareness, perceived body size, and other variables likely to be associated with stair use. Results from logistic regression analyses revealed that participants who were not exposed to a mirror (OR = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.14 – 0.96, males (OR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.13 – 0.85, those with lower BMI (OR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.71

  4. Stretching DNA in polymer nanochannels fabricated by thermal imprint in PMMA

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thamdrup, Lasse Højlund; Klukowska, A.; Kristensen, Anders

    2008-01-01

    . The stamp is compatible with molecular vapor deposition ( MVD), used for applying a durable chlorosilane based antistiction coating, and allows for imprint up to a temperature of 270 degrees C. The extension of YOYO-1 stained T4 GT7 bacteriophage DNA inside the PMMA nanochannels has been experimentally...

  5. FIB NANOPATTERNING OF METAL FILMS ON PMMA SUBSTRATES: NON-SPUTTERING MODE

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tavares, Luciana; Adashkevich, Vadzim; Chiriaev, Serguei

    polymer materials, which results in material shrinkage in the irradiated areas [2]. In this work, we demonstrate that this mechanism can be used for nanopatterning thin metal films deposited on PMMA resist spin-coated onto a silicon substrate. For this purpose, the samples were irradiated with He+ FIB...

  6. EDITORIAL: Special issue on Graphene Special issue on Graphene

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morpurgo, Alberto F.; Trauzettel, Björn

    2010-03-01

    Since the revolutionary experimental discovery of graphene in the year 2004, research on this new two-dimensional carbon allotrope has progressed at a spectacular pace. The impact of graphene on different areas of research— including physics, chemistry, and applied sciences— is only now starting to be fully appreciated. There are different factors that make graphene a truly impressive system. Regarding nano-electronics and related fields, for instance, it is the exceptional electronic and mechanical properties that yield very high room-temperature mobility values, due to the particular band structure, the material `cleanliness' (very low-concentration of impurities), as well as its stiffness. Also interesting is the possibility to have a high electrical conductivity and optical transparency, a combination which cannot be easily found in other material systems. For other fields, other properties could be mentioned, many of which are currently being explored. In the first years following this discovery, research on graphene has mainly focused on the fundamental physics aspects, triggered by the fact that electrons in graphene behave as Dirac fermions due to their interaction with the ions of the honeycomb lattice. This direction has led to the discovery of new phenomena such as Klein tunneling in a solid state system and the so-called half-integer quantum Hall effect due to a special type of Berry phase that appears in graphene. It has also led to the appreciation of thicker layers of graphene, which also have outstanding new properties of great interest in their own right (e.g., bilayer graphene, which supports chiral quasiparticles that, contrary to Dirac electrons, are not massless). Now the time is coming to deepen our knowledge and improve our control of the material properties, which is a key aspect to take one step further towards applications. The articles in the Semiconductor Science and Technology Graphene special issue deal with a diversity of topics

  7. Nd:YAG-laser-based time-domain reflectometry measurements of the intrinsic reflection signature from PMMA fiber splices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawson, Christopher M.; Michael, Robert R., Jr.; Dressel, Earl M.; Harmony, David W.

    1991-12-01

    Optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) measurements have been performed on polished polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) plastic fiber splices. After the dominant splice reflection sources due to surface roughness, inexact index matching, and fiber core misalignment were eliminated, an intrinsic OTDR signature 3 - 8 dB above the Rayleigh backscatter floor remained with all tested fibers. This minimum splice reflectivity exhibits characteristics that are consistent with sub-surface polymer damage and can be used for detection of PMMA fiber splices.

  8. Gasdynamic Mirror Fusion Propulsion Experiment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emrich, Bill; Rodgers, Stephen L. (Technical Monitor)

    2000-01-01

    A gasdynamic mirror (GDM) fusion propulsion experiment is currently being constructed at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to test the feasibility of this particular type of fusion device. Because of the open magnetic field line configuration of mirror fusion devices, they are particularly well suited for propulsion system applications since they allow for the easy ejection of thrust producing plasma. Currently, the MSFC GDM is constructed in three segments. The vacuum chamber mirror segment, the plasma injector mirror segment, and the main plasma chamber segment. Enough magnets are currently available to construct up to three main plasma chamber segments. The mirror segments are also segmented such that they can be expanded to accommodate new end plugging strategies with out requiring the disassembly of the entire mirror segment. The plasma for the experiment is generated in a microwave cavity located between the main magnets and the mirror magnets. Ion heating is accomplished through ambipolar diffusion. The objective of the experiment is to investigate the stability characteristics of the gasdynamic mirror and to map a region of parameter space within which the plasma can be confined in a stable steady state configuration. The mirror ratio, plasma density, and plasma "b" will be varied over a range of values and measurements subsequently taken to determine the degree of plasma stability.

  9. Review of mirror fusion reactor designs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bender, D.J.

    1977-01-01

    Three magnetic confinement concepts, based on the mirror principle, are described. These mirror concepts are summarized as follows: (1) fusion-fission hybrid reactor, (2) tandem mirror reactor, and (3) reversed field mirror reactor

  10. Saúde Ambiental: uma Análise dos Resultados das Conferências Nacionais de Meio Ambiente, Saúde e Saúde Ambiental

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Beatriz Maury de Carvalho

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available A representação nas políticas públicas do conceito de saúde ambiental, como expressão do equilíbrio da rede de conexões entre a sociedade humana e a natureza é discutida neste trabalho, no intuito de demonstrar o status quo da saúde ambiental nas políticas públicas no país. Primeiro foi traçado o histórico da “ambientalização na saúde”, do conceito de saúde ambiental e da institucionalização das políticas ambientais e de saúde ambiental no âmbito dos Ministérios do Meio Ambiente e da Saúde. As interações entre as políticas de Saúde e de Meio Ambiente para a efetivação de uma Política Nacional de Saúde Ambiental e as intersecções dos resultados das Conferências Nacionais de Saúde, Meio Ambiente e Saúde Ambiental foram analisadas; concluindo- se com os avanços conseguidos pelos dois setores, os desafios para a articulação intersetorial e a participação social para a construção de políticas públicas de saúde ambiental.

  11. The obsidian mirror The obsidian mirror

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria do Socorro Reis Amorin

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available The author James Norman is an American who has always lived in Mexico during the summer. He seems to love Mexican - Indian traditions and he is well acquainted with the pre-historic culture as it is shown in his book: "The Obsidian Mirror". "The Obsidian Mirror" is a mysterious story about an archeologist: Quigley that lives in a small village in Mexico-San Marcos. He is searching for antiques that belong to some tribes of pre-historic Indians in order to find out their mysteries. Quigley becomes so engaged in his work that his mind has reached a stage that is impossible to separate between Quigley the archeologist, and Quigley as an ancient Indian. The culture, the myth, the sensation of Omen - characteristics of the Indians are within himself. As a result, Quigley acts sometimes as a real Indian. The author James Norman is an American who has always lived in Mexico during the summer. He seems to love Mexican - Indian traditions and he is well acquainted with the pre-historic culture as it is shown in his book: "The Obsidian Mirror". "The Obsidian Mirror" is a mysterious story about an archeologist: Quigley that lives in a small village in Mexico-San Marcos. He is searching for antiques that belong to some tribes of pre-historic Indians in order to find out their mysteries. Quigley becomes so engaged in his work that his mind has reached a stage that is impossible to separate between Quigley the archeologist, and Quigley as an ancient Indian. The culture, the myth, the sensation of Omen - characteristics of the Indians are within himself. As a result, Quigley acts sometimes as a real Indian.

  12. Thermally induced self-assembly of cylindrical nanodomains in low molecular weight PS-b-PMMA thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seguini, Gabriele; Giammaria, Tommaso J; Lupi, Federico Ferrarese; Perego, Michele; Sparnacci, Katia; Antonioli, Diego; Gianotti, Valentina; Laus, Michele; Vita, Francesco; Placentino, Immacolata F; Francescangeli, Oriano; Hilhorst, Jan; Ferrero, Claudio

    2014-01-01

    The phase behaviour in thin films of an asymmetric polystyrene-b-polymethylmethacrylate (PS-b-PMMA) block copolymer with a molecular weight of 39 kg mol −1 was assessed at a wide range of temperatures and times. Cylindrical PMMA structures featuring a diameter close to 10 nm and perpendicularly oriented with respect to the substrate were obtained at 180 ° C in relatively short annealing times (t ≤ 30 min) by means of a simple thermal treatment performed in a standard rapid thermal processing machine. (paper)

  13. Symmetry protected topological charge in symmetry broken phase: Spin-Chern, spin-valley-Chern and mirror-Chern numbers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ezawa, Motohiko

    2014-01-01

    The Chern number is a genuine topological number. On the other hand, a symmetry protected topological (SPT) charge is a topological number only when a symmetry exists. We propose a formula for the SPT charge as a derivative of the Chern number in terms of the Green function in such a way that it is valid and related to the associated Hall current even when the symmetry is broken. We estimate the amount of deviation from the quantized value as a function of the strength of the broken symmetry. We present two examples. First, we consider Dirac electrons with the spin–orbit coupling on honeycomb lattice, where the SPT charges are given by the spin-Chern, valley-Chern and spin-valley-Chern numbers. Though the spin-Chern charge is not quantized in the presence of the Rashba coupling, the deviation is estimated to be 10 −7 in the case of silicene, a silicon cousin of graphene. Second, we analyze the effect of the mirror-symmetry breaking of the mirror-Chern number in a thin-film of topological crystalline insulator.

  14. Nanoscale strain engineering of graphene and graphene-based devices

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    N-C Yeh; C-C Hsu; M L Teague; J-Q Wang; D A Boyd; C-C Chen

    2016-01-01

    Structural distortions in nano-materials can induce dramatic changes in their electronic properties. This situation is well manifested in graphene, a two-dimensional honeycomb structure of carbon atoms with only one atomic layer thickness. In particular, strained graphene can result in both charging effects and pseudo-magnetic fields, so that controlled strain on a perfect graphene lattice can be tailored to yield desirable electronic properties. Here, we describe the theoretical foundation for strain-engineering of the electronic properties of graphene, and then provide experimental evidence for strain-induced pseudo-magnetic fields and charging effects in monolayer graphene. We further demonstrate the feasibility of nano-scale strain engineering for graphene-based devices by means of theoretical simula-tions and nano-fabrication technology.

  15. Terahertz carrier dynamics in graphene and graphene nanostructures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Søren A.; Turchinovich, Dmitry; Tielrooij, Klaas Jan

    2014-01-01

    Photoexcited charge carriers in 2D graphene and in 1D graphene nanostructures were studied with optical pump-THz probe spectroscopy. We find efficient hot-carrier multiplication in 2D graphene, and predominantly free carrier early time response in 1D nanostructures. © 2014 OSA....

  16. Semitransparent Flexible Organic Solar Cells Employing Doped-Graphene Layers as Anode and Cathode Electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Dong Hee; Jang, Chan Wook; Lee, Ha Seung; Seo, Sang Woo; Choi, Suk-Ho

    2018-01-31

    Semitransparent flexible photovoltaic cells are advantageous for effective use of solar energy in many areas such as building-integrated solar-power generation and portable photovoltaic chargers. We report semitransparent and flexible organic solar cells (FOSCs) with high aperture, composed of doped graphene layers, ZnO, P3HT:PCBM, and PEDOT:PSS as anode/cathode transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs), electron transport layer, photoactive layer, and hole transport layer, respectively, fabricated based on simple solution processing. The FOSCs do not only harvest solar energy from ultraviolet-visible region but are also less sensitive to near-infrared photons, indicating semitransparency. For the anode/cathode TCEs, graphene is doped with bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)-amide or triethylene tetramine, respectively. Power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 3.12% is obtained from the fundamental FOSC structure, and the PCE is further enhanced to 4.23% by adding an Al reflective mirror on the top or bottom side of the FOSCs. The FOSCs also exhibit remarkable mechanical flexibilities through bending tests for various curvature radii.

  17. Rapid Evaporation of Water on Graphene/Graphene-Oxide: A Molecular Dynamics Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Qibin; Xiao, Yitian; Shi, Xiaoyang; Song, Shufeng

    2017-09-07

    To reveal the mechanism of energy storage in the water/graphene system and water/grapheme-oxide system, the processes of rapid evaporation of water molecules on the sheets of graphene and graphene-oxide are investigated by molecular dynamics simulations. The results show that both the water/graphene and water/grapheme-oxide systems can store more energy than the pure water system during evaporation. The hydroxyl groups on the surface of graphene-oxide are able to reduce the attractive interactions between water molecules and the sheet of graphene-oxide. Also, the radial distribution function of the oxygen atom indicates that the hydroxyl groups affect the arrangement of water molecules at the water/graphene-oxide interface. Therefore, the capacity of thermal energy storage of the water/graphene-oxide system is lower than that of the water/graphene system, because of less desorption energy at the water/graphene-oxide interface. Also, the evaporation rate of water molecules on the graphene-oxide sheet is slower than that on the graphene sheet. The Leidenfrost phenomenon can be observed during the evaporation process in the water/grapheme-oxide system.

  18. Tandem mirror plasma confinement apparatus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fowler, T. Kenneth

    1978-11-14

    Apparatus and method for confining a plasma in a center mirror cell by use of two end mirror cells as positively charged end stoppers to minimize leakage of positive particles from the ends of the center mirror cell.

  19. Observing Graphene Grow: Catalyst–Graphene Interactions during Scalable Graphene Growth on Polycrystalline Copper

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Complementary in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffractometry, and environmental scanning electron microscopy are used to fingerprint the entire graphene chemical vapor deposition process on technologically important polycrystalline Cu catalysts to address the current lack of understanding of the underlying fundamental growth mechanisms and catalyst interactions. Graphene forms directly on metallic Cu during the high-temperature hydrocarbon exposure, whereby an upshift in the binding energies of the corresponding C1s XPS core level signatures is indicative of coupling between the Cu catalyst and the growing graphene. Minor carbon uptake into Cu can under certain conditions manifest itself as carbon precipitation upon cooling. Postgrowth, ambient air exposure even at room temperature decouples the graphene from Cu by (reversible) oxygen intercalation. The importance of these dynamic interactions is discussed for graphene growth, processing, and device integration. PMID:24041311

  20. Magneto-hydrodynamically stable axisymmetric mirrors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ryutov, D. D.; Cohen, B. I.; Molvik, A. W. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94551 (United States); Berk, H. L. [University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States); Simonen, T. C. [University of California, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)

    2011-09-15

    Making axisymmetric mirrors magnetohydrodynamically (MHD) stable opens up exciting opportunities for using mirror devices as neutron sources, fusion-fission hybrids, and pure-fusion reactors. This is also of interest from a general physics standpoint (as it seemingly contradicts well-established criteria of curvature-driven instabilities). The axial symmetry allows for much simpler and more reliable designs of mirror-based fusion facilities than the well-known quadrupole mirror configurations. In this tutorial, after a summary of classical results, several techniques for achieving MHD stabilization of the axisymmetric mirrors are considered, in particular: (1) employing the favorable field-line curvature in the end tanks; (2) using the line-tying effect; (3) controlling the radial potential distribution; (4) imposing a divertor configuration on the solenoidal magnetic field; and (5) affecting the plasma dynamics by the ponderomotive force. Some illuminative theoretical approaches for understanding axisymmetric mirror stability are described. The applicability of the various stabilization techniques to axisymmetric mirrors as neutron sources, hybrids, and pure-fusion reactors are discussed; and the constraints on the plasma parameters are formulated.

  1. Survey of mirror machine reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Condit, W.C.

    1978-01-01

    The Magnetic Mirror Fusion Program is one of the two main-line fusion efforts in the United States. Starting from the simple axisymmetric mirror concept in the 1950's, the program has successfully overcome gross flute-type instabilities (using minimum-B magnetic fields), and the most serious of the micro-instabilities which plagued it (the drift-cyclotron loss-cone mode). Dense plasmas approaching the temperature range of interest for fusion have been created (n/sub p/ = 10 14 /cc at 10 to 12 keV). At the same time, rather extensive conceptual design studies of possible mirror configurations have led to three principle designs of interest: the standard mirror fission-fusion hybrid, tandem mirror, and the field-reversed mirror. The lectures will discuss these three concepts in turn. There will be no discussion of diagnostics for the mirror machine in these lectures, but typical plasma parameters will be given for each type of machine, and the diagnostic requirements will be apparent. In a working fusion reactor, diagnostics will be required for operational control, and remarks will be made on this subject

  2. Inter-ribbon tunneling in graphene: An atomistic Bardeen approach

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Van de Put, Maarten L., E-mail: maarten.vandeput@uantwerpen.be; Magnus, Wim [Department of Physics, Universiteit Antwerpen, B-2020 Antwerpen (Belgium); imec, B-3001 Heverlee (Belgium); Vandenberghe, William G.; Fischetti, Massimo V. [Department of Material Science, University of Texas at Dallas, Texas 75080 (United States); Sorée, Bart [Department of Physics, Universiteit Antwerpen, B-2020 Antwerpen (Belgium); imec, B-3001 Heverlee (Belgium); Department of Electrical Engineering, KU Leuven, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium)

    2016-06-07

    A weakly coupled system of two crossed graphene nanoribbons exhibits direct tunneling due to the overlap of the wavefunctions of both ribbons. We apply the Bardeen transfer Hamiltonian formalism, using atomistic band structure calculations to account for the effect of the atomic structure on the tunneling process. The strong quantum-size confinement of the nanoribbons is mirrored by the one-dimensional character of the electronic structure, resulting in properties that differ significantly from the case of inter-layer tunneling, where tunneling occurs between bulk two-dimensional graphene sheets. The current-voltage characteristics of the inter-ribbon tunneling structures exhibit resonance, as well as stepwise increases in current. Both features are caused by the energetic alignment of one-dimensional peaks in the density-of-states of the ribbons. Resonant tunneling occurs if the sign of the curvature of the coupled energy bands is equal, whereas a step-like increase in the current occurs if the signs are opposite. Changing the doping modulates the onset-voltage of the effects as well as their magnitude. Doping through electrostatic gating makes these structures promising for application towards steep slope switching devices. Using the atomistic empirical pseudopotentials based Bardeen transfer Hamiltonian method, inter-ribbon tunneling can be studied for the whole range of two-dimensional materials, such as transition metal dichalcogenides. The effects of resonance and of step-like increases in the current we observe in graphene ribbons are also expected in ribbons made from these alternative two-dimensional materials, because these effects are manifestations of the one-dimensional character of the density-of-states.

  3. Transfer matrix theory of monolayer graphene/bilayer graphene heterostructure superlattice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Yu

    2014-01-01

    We have formulated a transfer matrix method to investigate electronic properties of graphene heterostructure consisting of monolayer graphene and bilayer counterpart. By evaluating transmission, conductance, and band dispersion, we show that, irrespective of the different carrier chiralities in monolayer graphene and bilayer graphene, superlattice consisting of biased bilayer graphene barrier and monolayer graphene well can mimic the electronic properties of conventional semiconductor superlattice, displaying the extended subbands in the quantum tunneling regime and producing anisotropic minigaps for the classically allowed transport. Due to the lateral confinement, the lowest mode has shifted away from the charge neutral point of monolayer graphene component, opening a sizeable gap in concerned structure. Following the gate-field and geometry modulation, all electronic states and gaps between them can be externally engineered in an electric-controllable strategy.

  4. Tandem mirror plasma confinement apparatus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fowler, T.K.

    1978-01-01

    Apparatus and method are described for confining a plasma in a center mirror cell by use of two end mirror cells as positively charged end stoppers to minimize leakage of positive particles from the ends of the center mirror cell

  5. The mirror-neuron system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rizzolatti, Giacomo; Craighero, Laila

    2004-01-01

    A category of stimuli of great importance for primates, humans in particular, is that formed by actions done by other individuals. If we want to survive, we must understand the actions of others. Furthermore, without action understanding, social organization is impossible. In the case of humans, there is another faculty that depends on the observation of others' actions: imitation learning. Unlike most species, we are able to learn by imitation, and this faculty is at the basis of human culture. In this review we present data on a neurophysiological mechanism--the mirror-neuron mechanism--that appears to play a fundamental role in both action understanding and imitation. We describe first the functional properties of mirror neurons in monkeys. We review next the characteristics of the mirror-neuron system in humans. We stress, in particular, those properties specific to the human mirror-neuron system that might explain the human capacity to learn by imitation. We conclude by discussing the relationship between the mirror-neuron system and language.

  6. Physics of mirror systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Post, R.F.

    1982-05-01

    In recent years the emphasis in research on the magnetic mirror approach to fusion has been shifted to address what are essentially economically-motivated issues. The introduction of the Tandem Mirror idea solved in principal the problem of low Q (low fusion power gain) of mirror-based fusion systems. In order to optimize the tandem mirror idea from an economic standpoint, some important improvements have been suggested. These improvements include the thermal barrier idea of Baldwin and Logan and the axicell concept of Kesner. These new modifications introduce some special physics considerations. Among these are (1) The MHD stability properties of high energy electron components in the end cells; (2) The optimization of end-cell magnetic field configurations with the objective of minimizing equilibrium parallel currents; (3) The suppression of microstabilities by use of sloshing ion distributions. Following a brief outline of tandem mirror concepts, the above three topics are discussed, with illustrative examples taken from earlier work or from recent design studies

  7. Incorporating Graphene Oxide into Alginate Polymer with a Cationic Intermediate To Strengthen Membrane Dehydration Performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guan, Kecheng; Liang, Feng; Zhu, Haipeng; Zhao, Jing; Jin, Wanqin

    2018-04-25

    Two-dimensional graphene oxide (GO) in hybrid membranes provides fast water transfer across its surface due to the abundant oxygenated functional groups to afford water sorption and the hydrophobic basal plane to create fast transporting pathways. To establish more compatible and efficient interactions for GO and sodium alginate (SA) polymer chains, cations sourced from lignin are employed to decorate GO (labeled as cation-functionalized GO (CG)) nanosheets via cation-π and π-π interactions, providing more interactive sites to confer synergetic benefits with polymer matrix. Cations from CG are also functional to partially interlock SA chains and intensify water diffusion. And with the aid of two-dimensional pathways of CG, fast selective water permeation can be realized through hybrid membranes with CG fillers. In dehydrating aqueous ethanol solution, the hybrid membrane exhibits considerable performance compared with bare SA polymer membrane (long-term stable permeation flux larger than 2500 g m -2 h -1 and water content larger than 99.7 wt %, with feed water content of 10 wt % under 70 °C). The effects of CG content in SA membrane were investigated, and the transport mechanism was correspondingly studied through varying operation conditions and membrane materials. In addition, such a membrane possesses long-term stability and almost unchanged high dehydration capability.

  8. 76 FR 13063 - Airworthiness Directives; EUROCOPTER FRANCE Model SA330F, SA330G, and SA330J Helicopters

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-03-10

    ... Airworthiness Directives; EUROCOPTER FRANCE Model SA330F, SA330G, and SA330J Helicopters AGENCY: Federal... system and the pedals rocking forward. After investigation, it was determined that the Loctite bond on the ``tall pilot'' stop nut was damaged, most likely due to aging of the adhesive. The nut came loose...

  9. Mechanical and thermal stability of graphene and graphene-based materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galashev, A. E.; Rakhmanova, O. R.

    2014-10-01

    Graphene has rapidly become one of the most popular materials for technological applications and a test material for new condensed matter ideas. This paper reviews the mechanical properties of graphene and effects related to them that have recently been discovered experimentally or predicted theoretically or by simulation. The topics discussed are of key importance for graphene's use in integrated electronics, thermal materials, and electromechanical devices and include the following: graphene transformation into other sp^2 hybridization forms; stability to stretching and compression; ion-beam-induced structural modifications; how defects and graphene edges affect the electronic properties and thermal stability of graphene and related composites.

  10. Binary Synergy Strengthening and Toughening of Bio-Inspired Nacre-like Graphene Oxide/Sodium Alginate Composite Paper.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ke; Shi, Bin; Yue, Yonghai; Qi, Juanjuan; Guo, Lin

    2015-08-25

    A crucial requirement for most engineering materials is the excellent balance of strength and toughness. By mimicking the hybrid hierarchical structure in nacre, a kind of nacre-like paper based on binary hybrid graphene oxide (GO)/sodium alginate (SA) building blocks has been successfully fabricated. Systematic evaluation for the mechanical property in different (dry/wet) environment/after thermal annealing shows a perfect combination of high strength and toughness. Both of the parameters are nearly many-times higher than those of similar materials because of the synergistic strengthening/toughening enhancement from the binary GO/SA hybrids. The successful fabrication route offers an excellent approach to design advanced strong integrated nacre-like composite materials, which can be applied in tissue engineering, protection, aerospace, and permeable membranes for separation and delivery.

  11. Nonlinear graphene plasmonics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ooi, Kelvin J. A.; Tan, Dawn T. H.

    2017-10-01

    The rapid development of graphene has opened up exciting new fields in graphene plasmonics and nonlinear optics. Graphene's unique two-dimensional band structure provides extraordinary linear and nonlinear optical properties, which have led to extreme optical confinement in graphene plasmonics and ultrahigh nonlinear optical coefficients, respectively. The synergy between graphene's linear and nonlinear optical properties gave rise to nonlinear graphene plasmonics, which greatly augments graphene-based nonlinear device performance beyond a billion-fold. This nascent field of research will eventually find far-reaching revolutionary technological applications that require device miniaturization, low power consumption and a broad range of operating wavelengths approaching the far-infrared, such as optical computing, medical instrumentation and security applications.

  12. Mirror monochromator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mankos, Marian [Electron Optica, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (United States); Shadman, Khashayar [Electron Optica, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (United States)

    2014-12-02

    In this SBIR project, Electron Optica, Inc. (EOI) is developing a mirror electron monochromator (MirrorChrom) attachment to new and retrofitted electron microscopes (EMs) for improving the energy resolution of the EM from the characteristic range of 0.2-0.5 eV to the range of 10-50 meV. This improvement will enhance the characterization of materials by imaging and spectroscopy. In particular, the monochromator will refine the energy spectra characterizing materials, as obtained from transmission EMs [TEMs] fitted with electron spectrometers, and it will increase the spatial resolution of the images of materials taken with scanning EMs (SEMs) operated at low voltages. EOI’s MirrorChrom technology utilizes a magnetic prism to simultaneously deflect the electron beam off the axis of the microscope column by 90° and disperse the electrons in proportional to their energies into a module with an electron mirror and a knife-edge. The knife-edge cuts off the tails of the energy distribution to reduce the energy spread of the electrons that are reflected, and subsequently deflected, back into the microscope column. The knife-edge is less prone to contamination, and thereby charging, than the conventional slits used in existing monochromators, which improves the reliability and stability of the module. The overall design of the MirrorChrom exploits the symmetry inherent in reversing the electron trajectory in order to maintain the beam brightness – a parameter that impacts how well the electron beam can be focused downstream onto a sample. During phase I, EOI drafted a set of candidate monochromator architectures and evaluated the trade-offs between energy resolution and beam current to achieve the optimum design for three particular applications with market potential: increasing the spatial resolution of low voltage SEMs, increasing the energy resolution of low voltage TEMs (beam energy of 5-20 keV), and increasing the energy resolution of conventional TEMs (beam

  13. Physics of mirror fusion systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Post, R.F.

    1976-01-01

    Recent experimental results with the 2XIIB mirror machine at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory have demonstrated the stable confinement of plasmas at fusion temperatures and with energy densities equaling or exceeding that of the confining fields. The physics of mirror confinement is discussed in the context of these new results. Some possible approaches to further improving the confinement properties of mirror systems and the impact of these new approaches on the prospects for mirror fusion reactors are discussed

  14. Radiative flux emitted by a burning PMMA slab

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parent, G; Acem, Z; Collin, A; Berfroi, R; Boulet, P; Pizzo, Y; Mindykowski, P; Kaiss, A; Porterie, B

    2012-01-01

    The degradation of a PMMA sample has been studied based on experimental results obtained for the radiation emission by a burning slab. Observations of the infrared emission perpendicular to the plate, in the range where the optically thin flame is weakly emitting, indicate a plate temperature close to 680 K which is an indication on the surface temperature during the degradation process. Observations from the side allow a flame characterization without the plate emission superimposition. This is a promising way for evaluating data regarding the flame characteristics: temperature, gaz concentration and soot volumetric fraction.

  15. Microindentation of Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA Based Bone Cement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Zivic

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Characterization of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA based bone cement subjected to cyclical loading using microindentation technique is presented in this paper. Indentation technique represents flexible mechanical testing due to its simplicity, minimal specimen preparation and short time needed for tests. The mechanical response of bone cement samples was studied. Realised microindentation enabled determination of the indentation testing hardness HIT and indentation modulus EIT of the observed bone cement. Analysis of optical photographs of the imprints showed that this technique can be effectively used for characterization of bone cements.

  16. Thermal effects on beryllium mirrors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weinswig, S.

    1989-01-01

    Beryllium is probably the most frequently used material for spaceborne system scan mirrors. Beryllium's properties include lightweightedness, high Young's modulus, high stiffness value, high resonance value. As an optical surface, beryllium is usually nickel plated in order to produce a higher quality surface. This process leads to the beryllium mirror acting like a bimetallic device. The mirror's deformation due to the bimetallic property can possibly degrade the performance of the associated optical system. As large space borne systems are designed and as temperature considerations become more crucial in the instruments, the concern about temporal deformation of the scan mirrors becomes a prime consideration. Therefore, two sets of tests have been conducted in order to ascertain the thermal effects on nickel plated beryllium mirrors. These tests are categorized. The purpose of this paper is to present the values of the bimetallic effect on typical nickel plated beryllium mirrors

  17. Graphene aerogels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pauzauskie, Peter J; Worsley, Marcus A; Baumann, Theodore F; Satcher, Jr., Joe H; Biener, Juergen

    2015-03-31

    Graphene aerogels with high conductivity and surface areas including a method for making a graphene aerogel, including the following steps: (1) preparing a reaction mixture comprising a graphene oxide suspension and at least one catalyst; (2) curing the reaction mixture to produce a wet gel; (3) drying the wet gel to produce a dry gel; and (4) pyrolyzing the dry gel to produce a graphene aerogel. Applications include electrical energy storage including batteries and supercapacitors.

  18. Relationship between the mechanical properties of epoxy/PMMA-b-PnBA-b-PMMA block copolymer blends and their three-dimensional nanostructures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Kishi

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Nanostructures of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A epoxy/poly(methyl methacrylate-b-poly(n-butyl acrylate-b-poly(methyl methacrylate (PMMA-b-PnBA-b-PMMA triblock copolymer (BCP blends were studied in relation to their mechanical properties. Three types of self-assembled nanostructures, such as spheres, random cylinders, and curved lamella, were controlled in phenol novolac-cured epoxy blends with a wide range of BCP content. Three types of nanostructures were observed using two-dimensional and three-dimensional transmission electron microscopy (TEM. The 3D-TEM, dynamic viscoelastic analyses, and theoretical model on the elastic modulus clarified that the spheres and the random cylinders, consisted of epoxy-immiscible PnBA phases, were discontinuously dispersed in the epoxy matrix. In contrast, the curved lamella formed co-continuous nanostructure, in which both the PnBA and epoxy phases formed continuous channels. The fracture toughness (critical strain energy release rate, GIC and the flexural moduli of elasticity (E of the cured blends were evaluated for various amounts of BCP content. The highest GIC was obtained from the random cylindrical nanostructured blends in the three types of nanostructures with the same PnBA content. The lowest E was obtained for the curved lamella with co-continuous nanostructures. The details of deformation and fracture events were observed using optical and electron microscopy, and the mechanical properties are discussed in relation to the nanostructures.

  19. Near-field flat focusing mirrors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Yu-Chieh; Staliunas, Kestutis

    2018-03-01

    This article reviews recent progress towards the design of near-field flat focusing mirrors, focusing/imaging light patterns in reflection. An important feature of such flat focusing mirrors is their transverse invariance, as they do not possess any optical axis. We start with a review of the physical background to the different focusing mechanisms of near- and far-field focusing. These near-field focusing devices like flat lenses and the reviewed near-field focusing mirrors can implement planar focusing devices without any optical axis. In contrast, various types of far-field planar focusing devices, such as high-contrast gratings and metasurfaces, unavoidably break the transverse invariance due to their radially symmetrical structures. The particular realizations of near-field flat focusing mirrors including Bragg-like dielectric mirrors and dielectric subwavelength gratings are the main subjects of the review. The first flat focusing mirror was demonstrated with a chirped mirror and was shown to manage an angular dispersion for beam focusing, similar to the management of chromatic dispersion for pulse compression. Furthermore, the reviewed optimized chirped mirror demonstrated a long near-field focal length, hardly achieved by a flat lens or a planar hyperlens. Two more different configurations of dielectric subwavelength gratings that focus a light beam at normal or oblique incidence are also reviewed. We also summarize and compare focusing performance, limitations, and future perspectives between the reviewed flat focusing mirrors and other planar focusing devices including a flat lens with a negative-index material, a planar hyperlens, a high-contrast grating, and a metasurface.

  20. Potential measurements in tandem mirrors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Glowienka, J.C.

    1985-11-01

    The US mirror program has begun conducting experiments with a thermal barrier tandem mirror configuration. This configuration requires a specific axial potential profile and implies measurements of potential for documentation and optimization of the configuration. This report briefly outlines the motivation for the thermal barrier tandem mirror and then outlines the techniques used to document the potential profile in conventional and thermal barrier tandem mirrors. Examples of typical data sets from the world's major tandem mirror experiments, TMX and TMX-U at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Gamma 10 at Tsukuba University in Japan, and the current interpretation of the data are discussed together with plans for the future improvement of measurements of plasma potential

  1. TCV mirrors cleaned by plasma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. Marot

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Metallic mirrors exposed in TCV tokamak were cleaned by plasma in laboratory. A gold (Au mirror was deposited with 185–285nm of amorphous carbon (aC:D film coming from the carbon tiles of TCV. Another molybdenum (Mo mirror had a thicker deposit due to a different location within the tokamak. The thickness measurements were carried out using ellipsometry and the reflectivity measurements performed by spectrophotometry revealed a decrease of the specular reflectivity in the entire range (250–2500nm for the Mo mirror and specifically in the visible spectrum for the Au. Comparison of the simulated reflectivity using a refractive index of 1.5 and a Cauchy model for the aC:D gives good confidence on the estimated film thickness. Plasma cleaning using radio frequency directly applied to a metallic plate where the mirrors were fixed demonstrated the ability to remove the carbon deposits. A mixture of 50% hydrogen and 50% helium was used with a −200V self-bias. Due to the low sputtering yield of He and the low chemical erosion of hydrogen leading to volatile molecules, 20h of cleaning were needed for Au mirror and more than 60h for Mo mirror. Recovery of the reflectivity was not complete for the Au mirror most likely due to damage of the surface during tokamak exposure (breakdown phenomena.

  2. Dose intercomparison study involving Fricke, ethanol chlorobenzene, PMMA and alanine dosimeters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lanuza, L.G.; Cabalfin, E.G.; Kojima, T.; Tachibana, H.

    1999-01-01

    A dose intercomparison study was carried out between the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) and Takasaki Radiation Chemistry Research Establishment, Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) to determine reliability of the dosimetry systems being used by PNRI employing ethanol chlorobenzene (ECB), Fricke and alanine dosimeters. The Fricke and ECB dosimeters were prepared at PNRI while the alanine-polystyrene dosimeter was provided by JAERI. Fricke or ECB dosimeters were irradiated together with alanine at PNRI gamma irradiation facilities. Analyses of the Fricke and ECB dosimeters were performed at PNRI while alanine dosimeters were analyzed at JAERI. A comparison study between alanine and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA, Radix RN15) dosimeters was also undertaken at JAERI. The dosimeters were irradiated together under different irradiation conditions using the gamma irradiation facilities of JAERI and Radia Industry Co. Ltd. (Japan). Evaluations of PMMA and alanine dosimeters were both performed at JAERI. Result of the dose intercomparison of PNRI with the International Atomic Energy Agency through the International Dose Assurance Service (IDAS) is also presented. (author)

  3. Dose intercomparison study involving Fricke, ethanol chlorobenzene, PMMA and alanine dosimeters

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lanuza, L G; Cabalfin, E G [Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, Quezon City (Philippines); Kojima, T; Tachibana, H [Takasaki Radiation Chemistry Research Establishment, Japan Atomic Energy Research institute, Takasaki (Japan)

    1999-03-01

    A dose intercomparison study was carried out between the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) and Takasaki Radiation Chemistry Research Establishment, Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) to determine reliability of the dosimetry systems being used by PNRI employing ethanol chlorobenzene (ECB), Fricke and alanine dosimeters. The Fricke and ECB dosimeters were prepared at PNRI while the alanine-polystyrene dosimeter was provided by JAERI. Fricke or ECB dosimeters were irradiated together with alanine at PNRI gamma irradiation facilities. Analyses of the Fricke and ECB dosimeters were performed at PNRI while alanine dosimeters were analyzed at JAERI. A comparison study between alanine and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA, Radix RN15) dosimeters was also undertaken at JAERI. The dosimeters were irradiated together under different irradiation conditions using the gamma irradiation facilities of JAERI and Radia Industry Co. Ltd. (Japan). Evaluations of PMMA and alanine dosimeters were both performed at JAERI. Result of the dose intercomparison of PNRI with the International Atomic Energy Agency through the International Dose Assurance Service (IDAS) is also presented. (author) 8 refs, 3 figs, 4 tabs

  4. Fokker-Planck equation in mirror research

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Post, R.F.

    1983-01-01

    Open confinement systems based on the magnetic mirror principle depend on the maintenance of particle distributions that may deviate substantially from Maxwellian distributions. Mirror research has therefore from the beginning relied on theoretical predictions of non-equilibrium rate processes obtained from solutions to the Fokker-Planck equation. The F-P equation plays three roles: Design of experiments, creation of classical standards against which to compare experiment, and predictions concerning mirror based fusion power systems. Analytical and computational approaches to solving the F-P equation for mirror systems will be reviewed, together with results and examples that apply to specific mirror systems, such as the tandem mirror

  5. Superlubric sliding of graphene nanoflakes on graphene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Xiaofeng; Kwon, Sangku; Park, Jeong Young; Salmeron, Miquel

    2013-02-26

    The lubricating properties of graphite and graphene have been intensely studied by sliding a frictional force microscope tip against them to understand the origin of the observed low friction. In contrast, the relative motion of free graphene layers remains poorly understood. Here we report a study of the sliding behavior of graphene nanoflakes (GNFs) on a graphene surface. Using scanning tunneling microscopy, we found that the GNFs show facile translational and rotational motions between commensurate initial and final states at temperatures as low as 5 K. The motion is initiated by a tip-induced transition of the flakes from a commensurate to an incommensurate registry with the underlying graphene layer (the superlubric state), followed by rapid sliding until another commensurate position is reached. Counterintuitively, the average sliding distance of the flakes is larger at 5 K than at 77 K, indicating that thermal fluctuations are likely to trigger their transitions from superlubric back to commensurate ground states.

  6. Anomalous friction of graphene nanoribbons on waved graphenes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jun Fang

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Friction plays a critical role in the function and maintenance of small-scale structures, where the conventional Coulomb friction law often fails. To probe the friction at small scales, here we present a molecular dynamics study on the process of dragging graphene nanoribbons on waved graphene substrates. The simulation shows that the induced friction on graphene with zero waviness is ultra-low and closely related to the surface energy barrier. On waved graphenes, the friction generally increases with the amplitude of the wave at a fixed period, but anomalously increases and then decreases with the period at a fixed amplitude. These findings provide insights into the ultra-low friction at small scales, as well as some guidelines into the fabrication of graphene-based nano-composites with high performance.

  7. Localized in situ polymerization on graphene surfaces for stabilized graphene dispersions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Das, Sriya; Wajid, Ahmed S; Shelburne, John L; Liao, Yen-Chih; Green, Micah J

    2011-06-01

    We demonstrate a novel in situ polymerization technique to develop localized polymer coatings on the surface of dispersed pristine graphene sheets. Graphene sheets show great promise as strong, conductive fillers in polymer nanocomposites; however, difficulties in dispersion quality and interfacial strength between filler and matrix have been a persistent problem for graphene-based nanocomposites, particularly for pristine graphene. With this in mind, a physisorbed polymer layer is used to stabilize graphene sheets in solution. To create this protective layer, we formed an organic microenvironment around dispersed graphene sheets in surfactant solutions, and created a nylon 6, 10 or nylon 6, 6 coating via interfacial polymerization. Technique lies at the intersection of emulsion and admicellar polymerization; a similar technique was originally developed to protect luminescent properties of carbon nanotubes in solution. These coated graphene dispersions are aggregation-resistant and may be reversibly redispersed in water even after freeze-drying. The coated graphene holds promise for a number of applications, including multifunctional graphene-polymer nanocomposites. © 2011 American Chemical Society

  8. Thermodynamics and kinetics of graphene chemistry: a graphene hydrogenation prototype study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pham, Buu Q; Gordon, Mark S

    2016-12-07

    The thermodynamic and kinetic controls of graphene chemistry are studied computationally using a graphene hydrogenation reaction and polyaromatic hydrocarbons to represent the graphene surface. Hydrogen atoms are concertedly chemisorped onto the surface of graphene models of different shapes (i.e., all-zigzag, all-armchair, zigzag-armchair mixed edges) and sizes (i.e., from 16-42 carbon atoms). The second-order Z-averaged perturbation theory (ZAPT2) method combined with Pople double and triple zeta basis sets are used for all calculations. It is found that both the net enthalpy change and the barrier height of graphene hydrogenation at graphene edges are lower than at their interior surfaces. While the thermodynamic product distribution is mainly determined by the remaining π-islands of functionalized graphenes (Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2013, 15, 3725-3735), the kinetics of the reaction is primarily correlated with the localization of the electrostatic potential of the graphene surface.

  9. Mirroring patients – or not

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Davidsen, Annette Sofie; Fosgerau, Christina Fogtmann

    2015-01-01

    on studies of imitative behaviour within linguistics and psychology, we argue that interactional mirroring is an important aspect of displaying implicit mentalization. We aimed to explore if, and in that case how, mirroring is displayed by general practitioners (GPs) and psychiatrists in consultations...... with patients with depression. We wanted to see how implicit mentalizing unfolds in physician–patient interactions. Consultations were videorecorded and analysed within the framework of conversation analysis. GPs and psychiatrists differed substantially in their propensity to mirror body movements and verbal...... and acoustic features of speech. GPs mirrored their patients more than psychiatrists in all modalities and were more flexible in their interactional behaviour. Psychiatrists seemed more static, regardless of the emotionality displayed by patients. Implicitly mirroring and attuning to patients could signify...

  10. Probing graphene defects and estimating graphene quality with optical microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lai, Shen; Kyu Jang, Sung; Jae Song, Young; Lee, Sungjoo

    2014-01-01

    We report a simple and accurate method for detecting graphene defects that utilizes the mild, dry annealing of graphene/Cu films in air. In contrast to previously reported techniques, our simple approach with optical microscopy can determine the density and degree of dislocation of defects in a graphene film without inducing water-related damage or functionalization. Scanning electron microscopy, confocal Raman and atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis were performed to demonstrate that our nondestructive approach to characterizing graphene defects with optimized thermal annealing provides rapid and comprehensive determinations of graphene quality

  11. Thinning of multilayer graphene to monolayer graphene in a plasma environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hazra, K S; Misra, D S; Rafiee, J; Rafiee, M A; Koratkar, N; Mathur, A; Roy, S S; McLauhglin, J

    2011-01-01

    We present a facile approach to transform multilayer graphene to single-layer graphene in a gradual thinning process. Our technique is based upon gradual etching of multilayer graphene in a hydrogen and nitrogen plasma environment. High resolution transmission microscopy, selected area electron diffraction and Raman spectroscopy confirm the transformation of multilayer graphene to monolayer graphene at a substrate temperature of ∼ 400 0 C. The shift in the position of the G-band peak shows a perfect linear dependence with substrate temperature, which indicates a controlled gradual etching process. Selected area electron diffraction also confirmed the removal of functional groups from the graphene surface due to the plasma treatment. We also show that plasma treatment can be used to engineer graphene nanomesh structures.

  12. Selective exfoliation of single-layer graphene from non-uniform graphene grown on Cu

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lim, Jae-Young; Lee, Jae-Hyun; Jang, Hyeon-Sik; Whang, Dongmok; Joo, Won-Jae; Hwang, SungWoo

    2015-01-01

    Graphene growth on a copper surface via metal-catalyzed chemical vapor deposition has several advantages in terms of providing high-quality graphene with the potential for scale-up, but the product is usually inhomogeneous due to the inability to control the graphene layer growth. The non-uniform regions strongly affect the reliability of the graphene in practical electronic applications. Herein, we report a novel graphene transfer method that allows for the selective exfoliation of single-layer graphene from non-uniform graphene grown on a Cu foil. Differences in the interlayer bonding energy are exploited to mechanically separate only the top single-layer graphene and transfer this to an arbitrary substrate. The dry-transferred single-layer graphene showed electrical characteristics that were more uniform than those of graphene transferred using conventional wet-etching transfer steps. (paper)

  13. Intrinsic structure and friction properties of graphene and graphene

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    In this paper, atomic structure of single-layered graphene oxide (GO) and chemically reduced graphene oxide (CRGO) nanosheets was investigated using atomic force microscopy and scanning tunnelingmicroscopy (AFM and STM). Furthermore, friction properties of the graphene and GO nanosheets were studied by ...

  14. Epitaxial graphene

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Heer, Walt A.; Berger, Claire; Wu, Xiaosong; First, Phillip N.; Conrad, Edward H.; Li, Xuebin; Li, Tianbo; Sprinkle, Michael; Hass, Joanna; Sadowski, Marcin L.; Potemski, Marek; Martinez, Gérard

    2007-07-01

    Graphene multilayers are grown epitaxially on single crystal silicon carbide. This system is composed of several graphene layers of which the first layer is electron doped due to the built-in electric field and the other layers are essentially undoped. Unlike graphite the charge carriers show Dirac particle properties (i.e. an anomalous Berry's phase, weak anti-localization and square root field dependence of the Landau level energies). Epitaxial graphene shows quasi-ballistic transport and long coherence lengths; properties that may persist above cryogenic temperatures. Paradoxically, in contrast to exfoliated graphene, the quantum Hall effect is not observed in high-mobility epitaxial graphene. It appears that the effect is suppressed due to the absence of localized states in the bulk of the material. Epitaxial graphene can be patterned using standard lithography methods and characterized using a wide array of techniques. These favorable features indicate that interconnected room temperature ballistic devices may be feasible for low-dissipation high-speed nanoelectronics.

  15. What do mirror neurons mirror?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Uithol, S.; Rooij, I.J.E.I. van; Bekkering, H.; Haselager, W.F.G.

    2011-01-01

    Single cell recordings in monkeys provide strong evidence for an important role of the motor system in action understanding. This evidence is backed up by data from studies of the (human) mirror neuron system using neuroimaging or TMS techniques, and behavioral experiments. Although the data

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monajjemi, Majid

    2014-11-01

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

  17. Study of magnetic properties of graphene nanostructures and graphene nanoribbons

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F Fazileh

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available The discovery of graphene and its remarkable electronic and magnetic properties has initiated great research interest in this material. Furthermore, there are many derivatives in these graphene related materials among which graphene nanoribbons and graphene nanofragments are candidates for future carbon-based nanoelectronics and spintronics. Theoretical studies have shown that magnetism can arise in various situations such as point defects, disorder and reduced dimensionality. Using a mean field Hubbard model, we studied the appearance of magnetic textures in zero-dimensional graphene nanofragments and one-dimensional graphene zigzag nanoribbons. Among nanofragments, triangular shape, bowtie and coronene were studied. We explain how the shape of these materials, the imbalance in the number of atoms belonging to the graphene sublattices, the existence of zero-energy states and the total and local magnetic moments were related. At the end, we focused on the effects of a model disorder potential (Anderson-type, and illustrate how density of states of zigzag nanoribbons was affected.

  18. Using mid-Infrared External Reflectance Spectroscopy to Distinguish Between Different Commercially Produced Poly[Methyl MethAcrylate] (PMMA) Samples - A Null Result

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fajardo, Mario; Neel, Christopher; Lacina, David

    2017-06-01

    We report (null) results of experiments testing the hypothesis that mid-infrared (mid-IR) spectroscopy can be used to distinguish samples of poly[methyl methacrylate] (PMMA) obtained from different commercial suppliers. This work was motivated by the desire for a simple non-destructive and non-invasive test for pre-sorting PMMA samples prior to use in shock and high-strain-rate experiments, where PMMA is commonly used as a standard material. We discuss: our choice of mid-IR external reflectance spectroscopy, our approach to recording reflectance spectra at near-normal (θ = 0 + / - 5 degree) incidence and for extracting the wavelength-weighted absorption spectrum from the raw reflectance data via a Kramers-Krönig analysis. We employ extensive signal, which necessitates adopting a special experimental protocol to mitigate the effects of instrumental drift. Finally, we report spectra of three PMMA samples with different commercial pedigrees, and show that they are virtually identical (+ / - 1 % error, 95% confidence); obviating the use of mid-IR reflectance spectroscopy to tell the samples apart.

  19. Advanced Mirror & Modelling Technology Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Effinger, Michael; Stahl, H. Philip; Abplanalp, Laura; Maffett, Steven; Egerman, Robert; Eng, Ron; Arnold, William; Mosier, Gary; Blaurock, Carl

    2014-01-01

    The 2020 Decadal technology survey is starting in 2018. Technology on the shelf at that time will help guide selection to future low risk and low cost missions. The Advanced Mirror Technology Development (AMTD) team has identified development priorities based on science goals and engineering requirements for Ultraviolet Optical near-Infrared (UVOIR) missions in order to contribute to the selection process. One key development identified was lightweight mirror fabrication and testing. A monolithic, stacked, deep core mirror was fused and replicated twice to achieve the desired radius of curvature. It was subsequently successfully polished and tested. A recently awarded second phase to the AMTD project will develop larger mirrors to demonstrate the lateral scaling of the deep core mirror technology. Another key development was rapid modeling for the mirror. One model focused on generating optical and structural model results in minutes instead of months. Many variables could be accounted for regarding the core, face plate and back structure details. A portion of a spacecraft model was also developed. The spacecraft model incorporated direct integration to transform optical path difference to Point Spread Function (PSF) and between PSF to modulation transfer function. The second phase to the project will take the results of the rapid mirror modeler and integrate them into the rapid spacecraft modeler.

  20. Synthesis, toxicity, biocompatibility, and biomedical applications of graphene and graphene-related materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gurunathan S

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Sangiliyandi Gurunathan, Jin-Hoi Kim Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea Abstract: Graphene is a two-dimensional atomic crystal, and since its development it has been applied in many novel ways in both research and industry. Graphene possesses unique properties, and it has been used in many applications including sensors, batteries, fuel cells, supercapacitors, transistors, components of high-strength machinery, and display screens in mobile devices. In the past decade, the biomedical applications of graphene have attracted much interest. Graphene has been reported to have antibacterial, antiplatelet, and anticancer activities. Several salient features of graphene make it a potential candidate for biological and biomedical applications. The synthesis, toxicity, biocompatibility, and biomedical applications of graphene are fundamental issues that require thorough investigation in any kind of applications related to human welfare. Therefore, this review addresses the various methods available for the synthesis of graphene, with special reference to biological synthesis, and highlights the biological applications of graphene with a focus on cancer therapy, drug delivery, bio-imaging, and tissue engineering, together with a brief discussion of the challenges and future perspectives of graphene. We hope to provide a comprehensive review of the latest progress in research on graphene, from synthesis to applications. Keywords: biomedical applications, cancer therapy, drug delivery, graphene, graphene-related materials, tissue engineering, toxicity 

  1. Promoção da saúde, qualidade de vida e iniquidade em saúde: reflexões para a saúde pública.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aline Rodrigues de ALMEIDA

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available A ideia de promover saúde tem se tornado uma energia fundamental no movimento de saúde coletiva, no qual saúde é um fenômeno social e marcado por iniquidades. Este trabalho teve como objetivo compreender as relações entre promoção da saúde e iniquidades de acesso e assistência em saúde, identificandoos entraves para uma prática equânime da saúde pública com ênfase à qualidade de vida. Os diferentes perfis de doença e suas mediações sociais ultrapassam os estudos de variação biológica e incorpora o foco na dimensão social das vulnerabilidades. Para promover saúde no Brasil, é indissociável do enfrentamento de uma realidade de iniquidades históricas de grandes proporções que impõem desafios cotidianos não apenas ao setor de saúde, mas a todos aqueles que constroem políticas públicas. A qualidade de vida depende da satisfação das necessidades básicas de todos os cidadãos, propondo uma gestão baseada na solidariedade social, uma visão holística dos problemas e a redução das iniquidades. A promoção da saúde em um país tão desigual como o Brasil propõe um desafio constante aos atores envolvidos no sistema de saúde. A compreensão das iniquidades em saúde para estabelecer uma assistência holística é um processo difícil, mas extremamente relevante para a saúde pública.

  2. Issues facing the U. S. mirror program

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    George, T.V.

    1978-07-01

    Some of the current issues associated with the U.S. Magnetic Mirror Program are analyzed. They are presented as five separate papers entitled: (1) Relevant Issues Broughtup by the Mirror Reactor Design Studies. (2) An Assessment of the Design Study of the 1 MeV Neutral Beam Injector Required for a Tandem Mirror Reactor. (3) The Significance of the Radial Plasma Size Measured in Units of Ion Gyroradii in Tandem Mirrors and Field Reversed Mirrors. (4) Producing Field Reversed Mirror Plasmas by Methods used in Field Reversed Theta Pinch. (5) RF Stoppering of Mirror Confined Plasma.

  3. Mirror reactor surface study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hunt, A. L.; Damm, C. C.; Futch, A. H.; Hiskes, J. R.; Meisenheimer, R. G.; Moir, R. W.; Simonen, T. C.; Stallard, B. W.; Taylor, C. E.

    1976-09-01

    A general survey is presented of surface-related phenomena associated with the following mirror reactor elements: plasma first wall, ion sources, neutral beams, director converters, vacuum systems, and plasma diagnostics. A discussion of surface phenomena in possible abnormal reactor operation is included. Several studies which appear to merit immediate attention and which are essential to the development of mirror reactors are abstracted from the list of recommended areas for surface work. The appendix contains a discussion of the fundamentals of particle/surface interactions. The interactions surveyed are backscattering, thermal desorption, sputtering, diffusion, particle ranges in solids, and surface spectroscopic methods. A bibliography lists references in a number of categories pertinent to mirror reactors. Several complete published and unpublished reports on surface aspects of current mirror plasma experiments and reactor developments are also included.

  4. Transmission X-ray mirror

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lairson, B.M.; Bilderback, D.H.

    1982-01-01

    Transmission X-ray mirrors have been made from 400 A to 10 000 A thick soap films and have been shown to have novel properties. Using grazing angles of incidence, low energy X-rays were reflected from the front surface while more energetic X-rays were transmitted through the mirror largely unattenuated. A wide bandpass monochromator was made from a silicon carbide mirror followed by a soap film transmission mirror and operated in the white beam at the cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS). Bandpasses of ΔE/E=12% to 18% were achieved at 13 keV with peak efficiencies estimated to be between 55% and 75%, respectively. Several wide angle scattering photographs of stretched polyethylene and a phospholipid were obtained in 10 s using an 18% bandpass. (orig.)

  5. Mirror reactor surface study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hunt, A.L.; Damm, C.C.; Futch, A.H.; Hiskes, J.R.; Meisenheimer, R.G.; Moir, R.W.; Simonen, T.C.; Stallard, B.W.; Taylor, C.E.

    1976-01-01

    A general survey is presented of surface-related phenomena associated with the following mirror reactor elements: plasma first wall, ion sources, neutral beams, director converters, vacuum systems, and plasma diagnostics. A discussion of surface phenomena in possible abnormal reactor operation is included. Several studies which appear to merit immediate attention and which are essential to the development of mirror reactors are abstracted from the list of recommended areas for surface work. The appendix contains a discussion of the fundamentals of particle/surface interactions. The interactions surveyed are backscattering, thermal desorption, sputtering, diffusion, particle ranges in solids, and surface spectroscopic methods. A bibliography lists references in a number of categories pertinent to mirror reactors. Several complete published and unpublished reports on surface aspects of current mirror plasma experiments and reactor developments are also included

  6. Introduction to tandem mirror physics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kesner, J.; Gerver, M.J.; Lane, B.G.; McVey, B.D.; Catto, P.J.; D'Ippolito, D.A.; Myra, J.R.

    1983-09-01

    This monograph, prepared jointly by the MIT Plasma Fusion Center Mirror Fusion group and SAI, Boulder, Colorado, presents a review of the development of mirror fusion theory from its conception some thirty years ago to the present. Pertinent historic experiments and their contribution are discussed to set the stage for a detailed analysis of current experiments and the problems which remain to be solved in bringing tandem mirror magnetic confinement fusion to fruition. In particular, Chapter III discusses in detail the equilibrium and stability questions which must be dealt with before tandem mirror reactors become feasible, while Chapters IV and V discuss some of the current machines and those under construction which will help to resolve critical issues in both physics and engineering whose solutions are necessary to the commercialization of tandem mirror fusion

  7. LLL mirror fusion program: summary

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fowler, T.K.

    1977-01-01

    During 1976, new Mirror Program plans have been laid out to take into account the significant advances during the last 18 months. The program is now focused on two new mirror concepts, field reversal and the tandem mirror, that can obtain high Q, defined as the ratio of fusion power output to the neutral-beam power injected to sustain the reaction. Theoretically, both concepts can attain Q = 5 or more, as compared to Q = 1 in previous mirror designs. Experimental planning for the next 5 years is complete in broad outline, and we are turning attention to what additional steps are necessary to reach our long-range goal of an experimental mirror reactor operating by 1990. Highlights of the events that have led to the above circumstance are listed, and experimental program plans are outlined

  8. Properties of electrospun CdS and CdSe filled poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanofibres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mthethwa, T.P. [University of Johannesburg, Department of Chemical Technology, P.O. Box 17011, Doornfontein 2028 (South Africa); Moloto, M.J., E-mail: mmoloto@uj.ac.za [University of Johannesburg, Department of Chemical Technology, P.O. Box 17011, Doornfontein 2028 (South Africa); De Vries, A.; Matabola, K.P. [CSIR Materials Science and Manufacturing, 4 Gomery avenue, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth 6000 (South Africa)

    2011-04-15

    Graphical abstract: SEM images of CdS/PMMA showing coiling as loading of CdS nanoparticles is increased. Thermal stability is increased with increase in %loading of both CdS and CdSe nanoparticles. Research highlights: {yields} TOPO-capped CdS and HDA-capped CdSe nanoparticles were synthesized and fully characterized. {yields} The nanoparticles were mixed with the polymer, PMMA using electrospinning technique using 2, 5 and 10% weight loadings. {yields} The mixture was spun to produce fibres with optical and thermal properties showing significant change and also the increase in loading causing bending or spiraling. {yields} Both TEM images for nanoparticles and SEM for fibres shows the morphology and sizes of the particles. -- Abstract: Electrospinning technique was used to fabricate poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) fibres incorporating CdS and CdSe quantum dots (nanoparticles). Different nanoparticle loadings (2, 5 and 10 wt% with respect to PMMA) were used and the effect of the quantum dots on the properties of the fibres was studied. The optical properties of the hybrid composite fibres were investigated by photoluminescence and UV-vis spectrophotometry. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectrophotometry were also used to investigate the morphology and structure of the fibres. The optical studies showed that the size-tunable optical properties can be achieved in the polymer fibres by addition of quantum dots. SEM images showed that the morphologies of the fibres were dependent on the added amounts of quantum dots. A spiral type of morphology was observed with an increase in the concentration of CdS and CdSe nanoparticles. Less beaded structures and bigger diameter fibres were obtained at higher quantum dot concentrations. X-ray diffractometry detected the amorphous peaks of the polymer and even after the quantum dots were added and the FTIR analysis shows that there was no considerable interaction between the quantum dots and the

  9. Properties of electrospun CdS and CdSe filled poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanofibres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mthethwa, T.P.; Moloto, M.J.; De Vries, A.; Matabola, K.P.

    2011-01-01

    Graphical abstract: SEM images of CdS/PMMA showing coiling as loading of CdS nanoparticles is increased. Thermal stability is increased with increase in %loading of both CdS and CdSe nanoparticles. Research highlights: → TOPO-capped CdS and HDA-capped CdSe nanoparticles were synthesized and fully characterized. → The nanoparticles were mixed with the polymer, PMMA using electrospinning technique using 2, 5 and 10% weight loadings. → The mixture was spun to produce fibres with optical and thermal properties showing significant change and also the increase in loading causing bending or spiraling. → Both TEM images for nanoparticles and SEM for fibres shows the morphology and sizes of the particles. -- Abstract: Electrospinning technique was used to fabricate poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) fibres incorporating CdS and CdSe quantum dots (nanoparticles). Different nanoparticle loadings (2, 5 and 10 wt% with respect to PMMA) were used and the effect of the quantum dots on the properties of the fibres was studied. The optical properties of the hybrid composite fibres were investigated by photoluminescence and UV-vis spectrophotometry. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectrophotometry were also used to investigate the morphology and structure of the fibres. The optical studies showed that the size-tunable optical properties can be achieved in the polymer fibres by addition of quantum dots. SEM images showed that the morphologies of the fibres were dependent on the added amounts of quantum dots. A spiral type of morphology was observed with an increase in the concentration of CdS and CdSe nanoparticles. Less beaded structures and bigger diameter fibres were obtained at higher quantum dot concentrations. X-ray diffractometry detected the amorphous peaks of the polymer and even after the quantum dots were added and the FTIR analysis shows that there was no considerable interaction between the quantum dots and the polymer fibres at low

  10. Advances in telescope mirror cleaning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blanken, Maarten F.; Chopping, Alan K.; Dee, Kevin M.

    2004-09-01

    Metrology and cleaning techniques for telescope mirrors are generally well established. CO2 cleaning and water washing are mainly used. Water washing has proven to be the best method of removing oil and water stains and restoring the aluminium to nearly fresh values. The risk of water getting to unwanted places such as electronics or other optics prevents this method from being employed more often. Recently the Isaac Newton Group introduced a new cleaning technique for their telescope mirrors, which reduces the risks discussed above. This technique uses water vapour instead of water to wash the mirror. The advantage of this method is that the amount of water needed is drastically reduced. In addition the pressure of the vapour will blow away any large dust particles on the mirror and the temperature shock between the vapour and the mirror will help to de-bond the dust particles. Adding a soapy solution will help to clean oil and watermarks of the mirror. This paper describes the vapour cleaning method, tests that have been done and the overall findings.

  11. Fast Bragg Grating Inscription in PMMA Polymer Optical Fibres: Impact of Thermal Pre-Treatment of Preforms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos A. F. Marques

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available In this work, fibre Bragg gratings (FBGs were inscribed in two different undoped poly- (methyl methacrylate (PMMA polymer optical fibres (POFs using different types of UV lasers and their inscription times, temperature and strain sensitivities are investigated. The POF Bragg gratings (POFBGs were inscribed using two UV lasers: a continuous UV HeCd @325 nm laser and a pulsed UV KrF @248 nm laser. Two PMMA POFs are used in which the primary and secondary preforms (during the two-step drawing process have a different thermal treatment. The PMMA POFs drawn in which the primary or secondary preform is not specifically pre-treated need longer inscription time than the fibres drawn where both preforms have been pre-annealed at 80 °C for 2 weeks. Using both UV lasers, for the latter fibre much less inscription time is needed compared to another homemade POF. The properties of a POF fabricated with both preforms thermally well annealed are different from those in which just one preform step process is thermally treated, with the first POFs being much less sensitive to thermal treatment. The influence of annealing on the strain and temperature sensitivities of the fibres prior to FBG inscription is also discussed, where it is observed that the fibre produced from a two-step drawing process with well-defined pre-annealing of both preforms did not produce any significant difference in sensitivity. The results indicate the impact of preform thermal pre-treatment before the PMMA POFs drawing, which can be an essential characteristic in the view of developing POF sensors technology.

  12. Silver release and antimicrobial properties of PMMA films doped with silver ions, nano-particles and complexes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lyutakov, O., E-mail: lyutakoo@vscht.cz [Department of Solid State Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, Prague (Czech Republic); Goncharova, I. [Department of Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Technology, Prague (Czech Republic); Rimpelova, S. [Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Prague (Czech Republic); Kolarova, K.; Svanda, J.; Svorcik, V. [Department of Solid State Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, Prague (Czech Republic)

    2015-04-01

    Materials prepared on the base of bioactive silver compounds have become more and more popular due to low microbial resistance to silver. In the present work, the efficiency of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) thin films doped with silver ions, nanoparticles and silver–imidazole polymer complex was studied by a combination of AAS, XPS and AFM techniques. The biological activities of the proposed materials were discussed in view of the rate of silver releasing from the polymer matrix. Concentrations of Ag active form were estimated by its ability to interact with L-cysteine using electronic circular dichroism spectroscopy. Rates of the released silver were compared with the biological activity in dependence on the form of embedded silver. Antimicrobial properties of doped polymer films were studied using two bacterial strains: Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli. It was found that PMMA films doped with Ag{sup +} had greater activity than those doped with nanoparticles and silver–imidazole polymeric complexes. However, the antimicrobial efficiency of Ag{sup +} doped films was only short-term. Contrary, the antimicrobial activity of silver–imidazole/PMMA films increased in time of sample soaking. - Highlights: • PMMA thin films doped with silver ions, nanoparticles (AgNPs) and silver–imidazole helical complexes (AgIm) were studied. • Silver release from doped polymer films and its biological activity were estimated. • Antimicrobial properties of doped polymer films were also studied. • Ag ions doped films showed the strongest antimicrobial activity, which quickly disappeared. • AgIm and AgNPs doped films showed more stable antimicrobial properties. • AgIm complexes conserve their structure after addition into polymer and after leaching.

  13. Silver release and antimicrobial properties of PMMA films doped with silver ions, nano-particles and complexes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lyutakov, O.; Goncharova, I.; Rimpelova, S.; Kolarova, K.; Svanda, J.; Svorcik, V.

    2015-01-01

    Materials prepared on the base of bioactive silver compounds have become more and more popular due to low microbial resistance to silver. In the present work, the efficiency of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) thin films doped with silver ions, nanoparticles and silver–imidazole polymer complex was studied by a combination of AAS, XPS and AFM techniques. The biological activities of the proposed materials were discussed in view of the rate of silver releasing from the polymer matrix. Concentrations of Ag active form were estimated by its ability to interact with L-cysteine using electronic circular dichroism spectroscopy. Rates of the released silver were compared with the biological activity in dependence on the form of embedded silver. Antimicrobial properties of doped polymer films were studied using two bacterial strains: Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli. It was found that PMMA films doped with Ag + had greater activity than those doped with nanoparticles and silver–imidazole polymeric complexes. However, the antimicrobial efficiency of Ag + doped films was only short-term. Contrary, the antimicrobial activity of silver–imidazole/PMMA films increased in time of sample soaking. - Highlights: • PMMA thin films doped with silver ions, nanoparticles (AgNPs) and silver–imidazole helical complexes (AgIm) were studied. • Silver release from doped polymer films and its biological activity were estimated. • Antimicrobial properties of doped polymer films were also studied. • Ag ions doped films showed the strongest antimicrobial activity, which quickly disappeared. • AgIm and AgNPs doped films showed more stable antimicrobial properties. • AgIm complexes conserve their structure after addition into polymer and after leaching

  14. A tunable sub-100 nm silicon nanopore array with an AAO membrane mask: reducing unwanted surface etching by introducing a PMMA interlayer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Namsoo; Pak, Yusin; Kim, Jin Tae; Hwang, Youngkyu; Lee, Ryeri; Kumaresan, Yogeenth; Myoung, Nosoung; Ko, Heung Cho; Jung, Gun Young

    2015-08-01

    Highly ordered silicon (Si) nanopores with a tunable sub-100 nm diameter were fabricated by a CF4 plasma etching process using an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane as an etching mask. To enhance the conformal contact of the AAO membrane mask to the underlying Si substrate, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was spin-coated on top of the Si substrate prior to the transfer of the AAO membrane. The AAO membrane mask was fabricated by two-step anodization and subsequent removal of the aluminum support and the barrier layer, which was then transferred to the PMMA-coated Si substrate. Contact printing was performed on the sample with a pressure of 50 psi and a temperature of 120 °C to make a conformal contact of the AAO membrane mask to the Si substrate. The CF4 plasma etching was conducted to transfer nanopores onto the Si substrate through the PMMA interlayer. The introduced PMMA interlayer prevented unwanted surface etching of the Si substrate by eliminating the etching ions and radicals bouncing at the gap between the mask and the substrate, resulting in a smooth Si nanopore array.Highly ordered silicon (Si) nanopores with a tunable sub-100 nm diameter were fabricated by a CF4 plasma etching process using an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane as an etching mask. To enhance the conformal contact of the AAO membrane mask to the underlying Si substrate, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was spin-coated on top of the Si substrate prior to the transfer of the AAO membrane. The AAO membrane mask was fabricated by two-step anodization and subsequent removal of the aluminum support and the barrier layer, which was then transferred to the PMMA-coated Si substrate. Contact printing was performed on the sample with a pressure of 50 psi and a temperature of 120 °C to make a conformal contact of the AAO membrane mask to the Si substrate. The CF4 plasma etching was conducted to transfer nanopores onto the Si substrate through the PMMA interlayer. The introduced PMMA interlayer

  15. Mirror fusion--fission hybrids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, J.D.

    1978-01-01

    The fusion-fission concept and the mirror fusion-fission hybrid program are outlined. Magnetic mirror fusion drivers and blankets for hybrid reactors are discussed. Results of system analyses are presented and a reference design is described

  16. Varyasyong Leksikal sa mga Dayalektong Mandaya

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dr. Raymund M. Pasion

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Layuning panlahat sa pag-aaral na ito na tuklasin ang varyasyong leksikalsa Wikang Mandaya na matatagpuan sa Probinsyang Davao Oriental. Bilang lunsaran sa paglilikom ng mga datos, ginamit ang mga terminong kultural na pangkabuhayan tulad ng pagsasaka, pangangaso, pangingisda at paghahayupan nanababatay sa Indigenous Knowledge System and Practices (IKSP.Sinikap sagutin sa pagaaral ang suliraning ano-anong varyasyong liksikal ang makikita sa mga terminong kultural na pangkabuhayan ng Mandaya na makikita sa munisipalidad ng Caraga, Manay, Bagangaat Cateel? Disenyong kwalitatibo ginamit.Metodong indehinusat deskriptibo naman ang ginamit mula sa paglilikom hanggang sa pag-aanalisa ng mga datos. Samantalang, ang mga impormante ay pinilisa pamamagitan ng kombinasyong purposive at snow-ball sampling. Natuklasan, na ang wikang Mandaya ay nakitaan ng varyasyong lekisikal ayon sa magkakaiba ang anyo, may pagkakatulad ang anyo, at magkakatulad ang anyo subalit magkakaiba ang bigkas. Gayunpaman, pinaniniwalaang dahil sa paktor na heograpikal, sikolohikal at sosyolohikal na nagaganap sa kanilang kultura ay hindi rin maipagkailang nagyari ang varyasyong leksikal na aspekto nito.

  17. Spontaneous expression of mirror self-recognition in monkeys after learning precise visual-proprioceptive association for mirror images.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Liangtang; Zhang, Shikun; Poo, Mu-Ming; Gong, Neng

    2017-03-21

    Mirror self-recognition (MSR) is generally considered to be an intrinsic cognitive ability found only in humans and a few species of great apes. Rhesus monkeys do not spontaneously show MSR, but they have the ability to use a mirror as an instrument to find hidden objects. The mechanism underlying the transition from simple mirror use to MSR remains unclear. Here we show that rhesus monkeys could show MSR after learning precise visual-proprioceptive association for mirror images. We trained head-fixed monkeys on a chair in front of a mirror to touch with spatiotemporal precision a laser pointer light spot on an adjacent board that could only be seen in the mirror. After several weeks of training, when the same laser pointer light was projected to the monkey's face, a location not used in training, all three trained monkeys successfully touched the face area marked by the light spot in front of a mirror. All trained monkeys passed the standard face mark test for MSR both on the monkey chair and in their home cage. Importantly, distinct from untrained control monkeys, the trained monkeys showed typical mirror-induced self-directed behaviors in their home cage, such as using the mirror to explore normally unseen body parts. Thus, bodily self-consciousness may be a cognitive ability present in many more species than previously thought, and acquisition of precise visual-proprioceptive association for the images in the mirror is critical for revealing the MSR ability of the animal.

  18. Design and fabrication of PMMA-micromachined fluid lens based on electromagnetic actuation on PMMA–PDMS bonded membrane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, June Kyoo; Park, Kyung-Woo; Choi, Ju Chan; Kim, Hak-Rin; Kong, Seong Ho

    2012-01-01

    The fabrication of a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-micromachined fluid lens with an optimally designed built-in electromagnetic actuator was demonstrated in this study. Through a finite element method, the number of winding turns and the distance between magnetic moments were estimated to design an effective and miniaturized electromagnetic actuator. The lens body composed of PMMA structures was simply and rapidly micromachined using computer numerical control micro-milling. The poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) membranes for electromagnetic actuation were bonded to the PMMA structures by using the proposed PMMA–PDMS bonding technique, which uses an SiO 2 intermediate layer. A physical repulsive force produced by the electromagnetic actuator applies a controllable fluidic pressure to a fluidic chamber that is sealed with the PDMS membrane, thus allowing dynamic focusing. The focus tunability of the fabricated lens was 67 diopters with a focus hysteresis of less than 1 mm and a response time of 2 ms. The solenoid of the built-in actuator showed negligible thermal crosstalk to the lens. (paper)

  19. Design of a tunable graphene plasmonic-on-white graphene switch at infrared range

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farmani, Ali; Zarifkar, Abbas; Sheikhi, Mohammad H.; Miri, Mehdi

    2017-12-01

    A tunable Y-branch graphene plasmonic switch operating at the wavelength of 1.55 μm is proposed in which graphene is placed on white graphene. The switch structure is investigated analytically and numerically by the finite difference time domain method. The graphene plasmonic switch considered here supports both transverse magnetic and transverse electric graphene plasmons whose propagation characteristics can be controlled by modulating the external electric field and the temperature of graphene. Our calculations show that by strong coupling between the incident waves and the graphene plasmons of the structure, a high polarization extinction ratio of 45 dB and relatively large bandwidth of 150 nm around the central wavelength of 1.55 μm are achievable. Furthermore, the application of white graphene as the substrate of graphene decreases the propagation loss of the graphene plasmons and the required applied electric field. It is also shown that the propagation mode of the graphene plasmons can be tuned by changing the temperature and the calculated threshold temperature is 650 K.

  20. Where do mirror neurons come from?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heyes, Cecilia

    2010-03-01

    Debates about the evolution of the 'mirror neuron system' imply that it is an adaptation for action understanding. Alternatively, mirror neurons may be a byproduct of associative learning. Here I argue that the adaptation and associative hypotheses both offer plausible accounts of the origin of mirror neurons, but the associative hypothesis has three advantages. First, it provides a straightforward, testable explanation for the differences between monkeys and humans that have led some researchers to question the existence of a mirror neuron system. Second, it is consistent with emerging evidence that mirror neurons contribute to a range of social cognitive functions, but do not play a dominant, specialised role in action understanding. Finally, the associative hypothesis is supported by recent data showing that, even in adulthood, the mirror neuron system can be transformed by sensorimotor learning. The associative account implies that mirror neurons come from sensorimotor experience, and that much of this experience is obtained through interaction with others. Therefore, if the associative account is correct, the mirror neuron system is a product, as well as a process, of social interaction. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Mirror matter as self-interacting dark matter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohapatra, R.N.; Nussinov, S.; Teplitz, V.L.

    2002-01-01

    It has been argued that the observed core density profile of galaxies is inconsistent with having a dark matter particle that is collisionless and that alternative dark matter candidates which are self-interacting may explain observations better. One new class of self-interacting dark matter that has been proposed in the context of mirror universe models of particle physics is the mirror hydrogen atom, whose stability is guaranteed by the conservation of mirror baryon number. We show that the effective transport cross section for mirror hydrogen atoms has the right order of magnitude for solving the 'cuspy' halo problem. Furthermore, the suppression of dissipation effects for mirror atoms due to a higher mirror mass scale prevents the mirror halo matter from collapsing into a disk, strengthening the argument for mirror matter as galactic dark matter

  2. Graphene-Molybdenum Disulfide-Graphene Tunneling Junctions with Large-Area Synthesized Materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joiner, Corey A; Campbell, Philip M; Tarasov, Alexey A; Beatty, Brian R; Perini, Chris J; Tsai, Meng-Yen; Ready, William J; Vogel, Eric M

    2016-04-06

    Tunneling devices based on vertical heterostructures of graphene and other 2D materials can overcome the low on-off ratios typically observed in planar graphene field-effect transistors. This study addresses the impact of processing conditions on two-dimensional materials in a fully integrated heterostructure device fabrication process. In this paper, graphene-molybdenum disulfide-graphene tunneling heterostructures were fabricated using only large-area synthesized materials, unlike previous studies that used small exfoliated flakes. The MoS2 tunneling barrier is either synthesized on a sacrificial substrate and transferred to the bottom-layer graphene or synthesized directly on CVD graphene. The presence of graphene was shown to have no impact on the quality of the grown MoS2. The thickness uniformity of MoS2 grown on graphene and SiO2 was found to be 1.8 ± 0.22 nm. XPS and Raman spectroscopy are used to show how the MoS2 synthesis process introduces defects into the graphene structure by incorporating sulfur into the graphene. The incorporation of sulfur was shown to be greatly reduced in the absence of molybdenum suggesting molybdenum acts as a catalyst for sulfur incorporation. Tunneling simulations based on the Bardeen transfer Hamiltonian were performed and compared to the experimental tunneling results. The simulations show the use of MoS2 as a tunneling barrier suppresses contributions to the tunneling current from the conduction band. This is a result of the observed reduction of electron conduction within the graphene sheets.

  3. Electrical percolation, morphological and dispersion properties of MWCNT/PMMA nanocomposites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Coelho, Paulo Henrique da Silva Leite; Marchesin, Marcel Silva; Morales, Ana Rita; Bartoli, Julio Roberto, E-mail: piyke.coelho@gmail.com [Universidade de Campinas (UNICAMP), SP (Brazil). Escola de Engenharia Quimica

    2014-08-15

    Nanocomposites of poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and carbon nanotubes have a high potential for applications where conductivity and low specific weight are required. This piece of work concerns investigations of the level of dispersion and morphology on the electrical properties of in situ polymerized nanocomposites in different concentrations of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) in a PMMA matrix. The electrical conductivity was measured by the four point probe. The morphology and dispersion was analyzed by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS). The correlation between electrical conductivity and the MWCNT amount, presented a typical percolation behavior, whose electrical percolation threshold determined by power law relationship was 0.2 vol. (%) The exponent t from the percolation power law indicated the formation of a 3D network of randomly arranged MWCNT. SAXS detected that the structures are intermediate to disks or spheres indicating fractal geometry for the MWCNT aggregates instead of isolated rods. HR-TEM images allowed us to observe the MWCNT individually dispersed into the matrix, revealing their distribution without preferential space orientation and absence of significant damage to the walls. The combined results of SAXS and HR-TEM suggest that MWCNT into the polymeric matrix might present interconnected aggregates and some dispersed single structures. (author)

  4. Electrical percolation, morphological and dispersion properties of MWCNT/PMMA nanocomposites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Coelho, Paulo Henrique da Silva Leite; Marchesin, Marcel Silva; Morales, Ana Rita; Bartoli, Julio Roberto

    2014-01-01

    Nanocomposites of poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and carbon nanotubes have a high potential for applications where conductivity and low specific weight are required. This piece of work concerns investigations of the level of dispersion and morphology on the electrical properties of in situ polymerized nanocomposites in different concentrations of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) in a PMMA matrix. The electrical conductivity was measured by the four point probe. The morphology and dispersion was analyzed by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS). The correlation between electrical conductivity and the MWCNT amount, presented a typical percolation behavior, whose electrical percolation threshold determined by power law relationship was 0.2 vol. (%) The exponent t from the percolation power law indicated the formation of a 3D network of randomly arranged MWCNT. SAXS detected that the structures are intermediate to disks or spheres indicating fractal geometry for the MWCNT aggregates instead of isolated rods. HR-TEM images allowed us to observe the MWCNT individually dispersed into the matrix, revealing their distribution without preferential space orientation and absence of significant damage to the walls. The combined results of SAXS and HR-TEM suggest that MWCNT into the polymeric matrix might present interconnected aggregates and some dispersed single structures. (author)

  5. Enhanced Red Emission in Ultrasound-Assisted Sol-Gel Derived ZnO/PMMA Nanocomposite

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Van-Tuan Mai

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Cost-effective methods for preparing ZnO nanostructures are of importance for the deployment of ZnO in many applications including n-type conduits, catalysts, nanophosphor, and optoelectronics. Herein, we present a room-temperature sol-gel method with the aid of ultrasonication to prepare white-emitting ZnO nanoparticles (NPs. X-ray diffraction and electron microscopic analyses revealed that the size and shape of ZnO NPs can be controlled simply by changing the concentration of the Zn precursor. The ZnO NPs had a broad photoluminescence emission, ranging from 450 nm to 800 nm, while their composite in PMMA matrix showed an enhancement in the red region induced by ZnO-PMMA interfacial band-bending effects. The results demonstrated herein promise a simple tool for control over size, shape, and emission of ZnO materials for diverse applications.

  6. Graded Mirror Self-Recognition by Clark's Nutcrackers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clary, Dawson; Kelly, Debbie M

    2016-11-04

    The traditional 'mark test' has shown some large-brained species are capable of mirror self-recognition. During this test a mark is inconspicuously placed on an animal's body where it can only be seen with the aid of a mirror. If the animal increases the number of actions directed to the mark region when presented with a mirror, the animal is presumed to have recognized the mirror image as its reflection. However, the pass/fail nature of the mark test presupposes self-recognition exists in entirety or not at all. We developed a novel mirror-recognition task, to supplement the mark test, which revealed gradation in the self-recognition of Clark's nutcrackers, a large-brained corvid. To do so, nutcrackers cached food alone, observed by another nutcracker, or with a regular or blurry mirror. The nutcrackers suppressed caching with a regular mirror, a behavioural response to prevent cache theft by conspecifics, but did not suppress caching with a blurry mirror. Likewise, during the mark test, most nutcrackers made more self-directed actions to the mark with a blurry mirror than a regular mirror. Both results suggest self-recognition was more readily achieved with the blurry mirror and that self-recognition may be more broadly present among animals than currently thought.

  7. Mirror neurons: from origin to function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cook, Richard; Bird, Geoffrey; Catmur, Caroline; Press, Clare; Heyes, Cecilia

    2014-04-01

    This article argues that mirror neurons originate in sensorimotor associative learning and therefore a new approach is needed to investigate their functions. Mirror neurons were discovered about 20 years ago in the monkey brain, and there is now evidence that they are also present in the human brain. The intriguing feature of many mirror neurons is that they fire not only when the animal is performing an action, such as grasping an object using a power grip, but also when the animal passively observes a similar action performed by another agent. It is widely believed that mirror neurons are a genetic adaptation for action understanding; that they were designed by evolution to fulfill a specific socio-cognitive function. In contrast, we argue that mirror neurons are forged by domain-general processes of associative learning in the course of individual development, and, although they may have psychological functions, they do not necessarily have a specific evolutionary purpose or adaptive function. The evidence supporting this view shows that (1) mirror neurons do not consistently encode action "goals"; (2) the contingency- and context-sensitive nature of associative learning explains the full range of mirror neuron properties; (3) human infants receive enough sensorimotor experience to support associative learning of mirror neurons ("wealth of the stimulus"); and (4) mirror neurons can be changed in radical ways by sensorimotor training. The associative account implies that reliable information about the function of mirror neurons can be obtained only by research based on developmental history, system-level theory, and careful experimentation.

  8. Graphene electrode modified with electrochemically reduced graphene oxide for label-free DNA detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Bing; Pan, Genhua; Avent, Neil D; Lowry, Roy B; Madgett, Tracey E; Waines, Paul L

    2015-10-15

    A novel printed graphene electrode modified with electrochemically reduced graphene oxide was developed for the detection of a specific oligonucleotide sequence. The graphene oxide was immobilized onto the surface of a graphene electrode via π-π bonds and electrochemical reduction of graphene oxide was achieved by cyclic voltammetry. A much higher redox current was observed from the reduced graphene oxide-graphene double-layer electrode, a 42% and 36.7% increase, respectively, in comparison with that of a bare printed graphene or reduced graphene oxide electrode. The good electron transfer activity is attributed to a combination of the large number of electroactive sites in reduced graphene oxide and the high conductivity nature of graphene. The probe ssDNA was further immobilized onto the surface of the reduced graphene oxide-graphene double-layer electrode via π-π bonds and then hybridized with its target cDNA. The change of peak current due to the hybridized dsDNA could be used for quantitative sensing of DNA concentration. It has been demonstrated that a linear range from 10(-7)M to 10(-12)M is achievable for the detection of human immunodeficiency virus 1 gene with a detection limit of 1.58 × 10(-13)M as determined by three times standard deviation of zero DNA concentration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Permeation through graphene ripples

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Tao; He, Guangyu; Wu, Xu; Ren, Jindong; Guo, Hongxuan; Kong, Yuhan; Iwai, Hideo; Fujita, Daisuke; Gao, Hongjun; Guo, Haiming; Liu, Yingchun; Xu, Mingsheng

    2017-06-01

    Real graphene sheets show limited anti-permeation performance deviating from the ideally flat honeycomb carbon lattice that is impermeable to gases. Ripples in graphene are prevalent and they could significantly influence carrier transport. However, little attention has been paid to the role of ripples in the permeation properties of graphene. Here, we report that gases can permeate through graphene ripples at room temperature. The feasibility of gas permeation through graphene ripples is determined by detecting the initial oxidation sites of Cu surface covered with isolated graphene domain. Nudged elastic band (NEB) calculations demonstrate that the oxygen atom permeation occurs via the formation of C-O-C bond, in which process the energy barrier through the rippled graphene lattice is much smaller than that through a flat graphene lattice, rendering permeation through ripples more favorable. Combining with the recent advances in atoms intercalation between graphene and metal substrate for transfer-free and electrically insulated graphene, this discovery provides new perspectives regarding graphene’s limited anti-permeation performance and evokes for rational design of graphene-based encapsulation for barrier and selective gas separation applications through ripple engineering.

  10. Graphene: corrosion-inhibiting coating.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prasai, Dhiraj; Tuberquia, Juan Carlos; Harl, Robert R; Jennings, G Kane; Rogers, Bridget R; Bolotin, Kirill I

    2012-02-28

    We report the use of atomically thin layers of graphene as a protective coating that inhibits corrosion of underlying metals. Here, we employ electrochemical methods to study the corrosion inhibition of copper and nickel by either growing graphene on these metals, or by mechanically transferring multilayer graphene onto them. Cyclic voltammetry measurements reveal that the graphene coating effectively suppresses metal oxidation and oxygen reduction. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements suggest that while graphene itself is not damaged, the metal under it is corroded at cracks in the graphene film. Finally, we use Tafel analysis to quantify the corrosion rates of samples with and without graphene coatings. These results indicate that copper films coated with graphene grown via chemical vapor deposition are corroded 7 times slower in an aerated Na(2)SO(4) solution as compared to the corrosion rate of bare copper. Tafel analysis reveals that nickel with a multilayer graphene film grown on it corrodes 20 times slower while nickel surfaces coated with four layers of mechanically transferred graphene corrode 4 times slower than bare nickel. These findings establish graphene as the thinnest known corrosion-protecting coating.

  11. Helically linked mirror arrangement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ranjan, P.

    1986-08-01

    A scheme is described for helical linking of mirror sections, which endeavors to combine the better features of toroidal and mirror devices by eliminating the longitudinal loss of mirror machines, having moderately high average β and steady state operation. This scheme is aimed at a device, with closed magnetic surfaces having rotational transform for equilibrium, one or more axisymmetric straight sections for reduced radial loss, a simple geometrical axis for the links and an overall positive magnetic well depth for stability. We start by describing several other attempts at linking of mirror sections, made both in the past and the present. Then a description of our helically linked mirror scheme is given. This example has three identical straight sections connected by three sections having helical geometric axes. A theoretical analysis of the magnetic field and single-particle orbits in them leads to the conclusion that most of the passing particles would be confined in the device and they would have orbits independent of pitch angle under certain conditions. Numerical results are presented, which agree well with the theoretical results as far as passing particle orbits are concerned

  12. Multiple-mirror plasma confinement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lichtenberg, A.J.; Lieberman, M.A.; Logan, B.G.

    1975-01-01

    A large enhancement of the confinement time can be achieved in a straight system of multiple mirrors over an equal length uniform magnetic field. The scaling is diffusive rather than that of flow, thereby scaling the square of the system length rather than linear with system length. Probably the most economic mode of operation for a reactor occurs when lambda/M is approximately l/sub c/, where lambda is the mean free path, M the mirror ratio, and l/sub c/ the length between mirrors; but where the scale length of the mirror field l/sub m/ is much less than lambda. The axial confinement time has been calculated theoretically and numerically for all important parameter regimes, and confirmed experimentally. A typical reactor calculation gives Q/sub E/ = 2 for a 400 meter system with 3000 MW(e) output. The main concern of a multiple-mirror system is stability. Linked quadrupoles can achieve average minimum-B stabilization of flute modes, and experiments have demonstrated this stabilization. Localized instabilities at finite β and enhanced diffusion resulting from the distorted flux surfaces and possibly from turbulent higher order modes still remain to be investigated

  13. Magnetic mirror fusion: status and prospects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Post, R.F.

    1980-01-01

    Two improved mirror systems, the tandem mirror (TM) and the field-reversed mirror (FRM) are being intensively studied. The twin practical aims of these studies: to improve the economic prospects for mirror fusion power plants and to reduce the size and/or complexity of such plants relative to earlier approaches to magnetic fusion. While at the present time the program emphasis is still strongly oriented toward answering scientific questions, the emphasis is shifting as the data accumulates and as larger facilities - ones with a heavy technological and engineering orientation - are being prepared. The experimental and theoretical progress that led to the new look in mirror fusion research is briefly reviewed, the new TM and the FRM ideas are outlined, and the projected future course of mirror fusion research is discussed

  14. Electron Beam Lithography of HSQ and PMMA Resists and Importance of their Properties to Link the Nano World to the Micro World

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kaleli, B.; Aarnink, Antonius A.I.; Smits, Sander M.; Hueting, Raymond Josephus Engelbart; Wolters, Robertus A.M.; Schmitz, Jurriaan

    2010-01-01

    In this work we investigated the properties of HSQ and PMMA resists focusing on contrast and line width for ebeam lithography (EBL) application. HSQ was found to be a good candidate to have desired line widths but the contrast we obtained was less than it was for PMMA. Since the fluorine based

  15. Graphene based biosensors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gürel, Hikmet Hakan, E-mail: hhakan.gurel@kocaeli.edu.tr [Kocaeli University, Kocaeli (Turkey); Salmankurt, Bahadır [Sakarya University, Sakarya (Turkey)

    2016-03-25

    Nanometer-sized graphene as a 2D material has unique chemical and electronic properties. Because of its unique physical, chemical, and electronic properties, its interesting shape and size make it a promising nanomaterial in many biological applications. It is expected that biomaterials incorporating graphene will be developed for the graphene-based drug delivery systems and biomedical devices. The interactions of biomolecules and graphene are long-ranged and very weak. Development of new techniques is very desirable for design of bioelectronics sensors and devices. In this work, we present first-principles calculations within density functional theory to calculate effects of charging on nucleobases on graphene. It is shown that how modify structural and electronic properties of nucleobases on graphene by applied charging.

  16. Trifluoromethylation of graphene

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lin Zhou

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available We demonstrate trifluoromethylation of graphene by copper-catalyzed free radical reaction. The covalent addition of CF3 to graphene, which changes the carbon atom hybridization from sp2 to sp3, and modifies graphene in a homogeneous and nondestructive manner, was verified with Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals that CF3 groups are grafted to the basal plane of graphene, with about 4 at. % CF3 coverage. After trifluoromethylation, the average resistance increases by nearly one order of magnitude, and an energy gap of about 98 meV appears. The noninvasive and mild reaction to synthesize trifluoromethylated graphene paves the way for graphene's applications in electronics and biomedical areas.

  17. Trifluoromethylation of graphene

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou, Lin; Zhou, Lushan; Wang, Xi; Yu, Jingwen; Yang, Mingmei; Wang, Jianbo; Peng, Hailin, E-mail: zfliu@pku.edu.cn, E-mail: hlpeng@pku.edu.cn; Liu, Zhongfan, E-mail: zfliu@pku.edu.cn, E-mail: hlpeng@pku.edu.cn [Center for Nanochemistry, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China)

    2014-09-01

    We demonstrate trifluoromethylation of graphene by copper-catalyzed free radical reaction. The covalent addition of CF{sub 3} to graphene, which changes the carbon atom hybridization from sp{sup 2} to sp{sup 3}, and modifies graphene in a homogeneous and nondestructive manner, was verified with Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals that CF{sub 3} groups are grafted to the basal plane of graphene, with about 4 at. % CF{sub 3} coverage. After trifluoromethylation, the average resistance increases by nearly one order of magnitude, and an energy gap of about 98 meV appears. The noninvasive and mild reaction to synthesize trifluoromethylated graphene paves the way for graphene's applications in electronics and biomedical areas.

  18. Polymer-free graphene transfer for enhanced reliability of graphene field-effect transistors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Hamin; Park, Ick-Joon; Jung, Dae Yool; Lee, Khang June; Yang, Sang Yoon; Choi, Sung-Yool

    2016-01-01

    We propose a polymer-free graphene transfer technique for chemical vapor deposition-grown graphene to ensure the intrinsic electrical properties of graphene for reliable transistor applications. The use of a metal catalyst as a supporting layer avoids contamination from the polymer material and graphene films become free of polymer residue after the transfer process. Atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy indicate that the polymer-free transferred graphene shows closer properties to intrinsic graphene properties. The reliability of graphene field-effect transistors (GFETs) was investigated through the analysis of the negative gate bias-stress-induced instability. This work reveals the effect of polymer residues on the reliability of GFETs, and that the developed new polymer-free transfer method enhances the reliability. (letter)

  19. Green conversion of graphene oxide to graphene nanosheets and its biosafety study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adhiraj Dasgupta

    Full Text Available Chemical reduction of graphene oxide (GO to graphene employs the use of toxic and environmentally harmful reducing agents, hindering mass production of graphene which is of tremendous technological importance. In this study we report a green approach to the synthesis of graphene, bio-reduced by crude polysaccharide. The polysaccharide reduces exfoliated GO to graphene at room temperature in an aqueous medium. Transmission electron microscopy image provides clear evidence for the formation of few layer graphene. Characterization of the resulting polysaccharide reduced GO by Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Energy dispersive X-ray analysis confirms reduction of GO to graphene. We also investigated the degree of biosafety of the reduced GO and found it to be safe under 100 μg/ml.

  20. Transfer printing of graphene strip from the graphene grown on copper wires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Su, Ching-Yuan; Fu Dongliang; Lu, Ang-Yu; Liu, Keng-Ku; Xu Yanping; Juang, Zhen-Yu; Li, Lain-Jong

    2011-01-01

    A simple, cost-effective and lithography-free fabrication of graphene strips for device applications is demonstrated. The graphene thin layers were directly grown on Cu wires, followed by Cu etching and transfer printing to arbitrary substrates by a PDMS stamp. The Cu wires can be arranged on the PDMS stamp in a desired pattern; hence, the substrates can receive graphene strips with the same pattern. Moreover, the preparation of graphene strips does not involve conventional lithography; therefore, the surface of the graphene strip is free of residual photoresists, which may be useful for studies requiring clean graphene surfaces.

  1. Characterization and human gingival fibroblasts biocompatibility of hydroxyapatite/PMMA nanocomposites for provisional dental implant restoration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jingchao; Liao, Juan; Mo, Anchun; Li, Yubao; Li, Jidong; Wang, Xuejiang

    2008-11-01

    The aim of this study was to determine nHA/PMMA composites (H/P) in an optimal ratio with improved cytocompatibility as well as valid physical properties for provisional dental implant restoration. 20 wt.%, 30 wt.%, 40 wt.% and 50 wt.% H/P were developed and characterized using XPS, bending strength test and SEM. Human gingival fibroblasts cultured in extracts or directly on sample discs were investigated by fluorescent staining and MTT assay. Chemical integration in nHA/PMMA interface was indicated by XPS. Typical fusiform cells with adhesion spots were detected on H/P discs. MTT results also indicated higher cell viability in 30 wt.% and 40 wt.% H/P discs ( P provisional fixed crowns (PFC) is 0.4:1.

  2. Laser cleaning of ITER's diagnostic mirrors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skinner, C. H.; Gentile, C. A.; Doerner, R.

    2012-10-01

    Practical methods to clean ITER's diagnostic mirrors and restore reflectivity will be critical to ITER's plasma operations. We report on laser cleaning of single crystal molybdenum mirrors coated with either carbon or beryllium films 150 - 420 nm thick. A 1.06 μm Nd laser system provided 220 ns pulses at 8 kHz with typical power densities of 1-2 J/cm^2. The laser beam was fiber optically coupled to a scanner suitable for tokamak applications. The efficacy of mirror cleaning was assessed with a new technique that combines microscopic imaging and reflectivity measurements [1]. The method is suitable for hazardous materials such as beryllium as the mirrors remain sealed in a vacuum chamber. Excellent restoration of reflectivity for the carbon coated Mo mirrors was observed after laser scanning under vacuum conditions. For the beryllium coated mirrors restoration of reflectivity has so far been incomplete and modeling indicates that a shorter duration laser pulse is needed. No damage of the molybdenum mirror substrates was observed.[4pt][1] C.H. Skinner et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. at press.

  3. Mirror image agnosia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chandra, Sadanandavalli Retnaswami; Issac, Thomas Gregor

    2014-10-01

    Gnosis is a modality-specific ability to access semantic knowledge of an object or stimulus in the presence of normal perception. Failure of this is agnosia or disorder of recognition. It can be highly selective within a mode. self-images are different from others as none has seen one's own image except in reflection. Failure to recognize this image can be labeled as mirror image agnosia or Prosopagnosia for reflected self-image. Whereas mirror agnosia is a well-recognized situation where the person while looking at reflected images of other objects in the mirror he imagines that the objects are in fact inside the mirror and not outside. Five patients, four females, and one male presented with failure to recognize reflected self-image, resulting in patients conversing with the image as a friend, fighting because the person in mirror is wearing her nose stud, suspecting the reflected self-image to be an intruder; but did not have prosopagnosia for others faces, non living objects on self and also apraxias except dressing apraxia in one patient. This phenomena is new to our knowledge. Mirror image agnosia is an unique phenomena which is seen in patients with parietal lobe atrophy without specificity to a category of dementing illness and seems to disappear as disease advances. Reflected self-images probably have a specific neural substrate that gets affected very early in posterior dementias specially the ones which predominantly affect the right side. At that phase most patients are mistaken as suffering from psychiatric disorder as cognition is moderately preserved. As disease becomes more widespread this symptom becomes masked. A high degree of suspicion and proper assessment might help physicians to recognize the organic cause of the symptom so that early therapeutic interventions can be initiated. Further assessment of the symptom with FMRI and PET scan is likely to solve the mystery of how brain handles reflected self-images. A new observation involving failure

  4. [Mirror, mirror of the wall: mirror therapy in the treatment of phantom limbs and phantom limb pain].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casale, Roberto; Furnari, Anna; Lamberti, Raul Coelho; Kouloulas, Efthimios; Hagenberg, Annegret; Mallik, Maryam

    2015-01-01

    Phantom limb and phantom limb pain control are pivotal points in the sequence of intervention to bring the amputee to functional autonomy. The alterations of perception and sensation, the pain of the residual limb and the phantom limb are therefore aspects of amputation that should be taken into account in the "prise en charge" of these patients. Within the more advanced physical therapies to control phantom and phantom limb pain there is the use of mirrors (mirror therapy). This article willfocus on its use and on the possible side effects induced by the lack of patient selection and a conflict of body schema restoration through mirror therapy with concurrent prosthetic training and trauma acceptance. Advice on the need to select patients before treatment decisions, with regard to their psychological as well as clinical profile (including time since amputation and clinical setting), and the need to be aware of the possible adverse effects matching different and somehow conflicting therapeutic approaches, are put forward. Thus a coordinated sequence of diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic procedures carried out by an interdisciplinary rehabilitation team that works globally on all patients' problems is fundamental in the management of amputees and phantom limb pain. Further studies and the development of a multidisciplinary network to study this and other applications of mirror therapy are needed.

  5. X-ray imaging with toroidal mirror

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aoki, Sadao; Sakayanagi, Yoshimi

    1978-01-01

    X-ray imaging is made with a single toroidal mirror or two successive toroidal mirrors. Geometrical images at the Gaussian image plane are described by the ray trace. Application of a single toroidal mirror to small-angle scattering is presented. (author)

  6. Enhancement of the Stability of Fluorine Atoms on Defective Graphene and at Graphene/Fluorographene Interface.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ao, Zhimin; Jiang, Quanguo; Li, Shuang; Liu, Hao; Peeters, Francois M; Li, Sean; Wang, Guoxiu

    2015-09-09

    Fluorinated graphene is one of the most important derivatives of graphene and has been found to have great potential in optoelectronic and photonic nanodevices. However, the stability of F atoms on fluorinated graphene under different conditions, which is essential to maintain the desired properties of fluorinated graphene, is still unclear. In this work, we investigate the diffusion of F atoms on pristine graphene, graphene with defects, and at graphene/fluorographene interfaces by using density functional theory calculations. We find that an isolated F atom diffuses easily on graphene, but those F atoms can be localized by inducing vacancies or absorbates in graphene and by creating graphene/fluorographene interfaces, which would strengthen the binding energy of F atoms on graphene and increase the diffusion energy barrier of F atoms remarkably.

  7. Rewritable 3D bit optical data storage in a PMMA-based photorefractive polymer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Day, D.; Gu, M. [Swinburne Univ. of Tech., Hawthorn, Vic. (Australia). Centre for Micro-Photonics; Smallridge, A. [Victoria Univ., Melbourne (Australia). School of Life Sciences and Technology

    2001-07-04

    A cheap, compact, and rewritable high-density optical data storage system for CD and DVD applications is presented by the authors. Continuous-wave illumination under two-photon excitation in a new poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) based photorefractive polymer allows 3D bit storage of sub-Tbyte data. (orig.)

  8. Dirac Material Graphene

    OpenAIRE

    Sheka, Elena F.

    2016-01-01

    The paper presents the author view on spin-rooted properties of graphene supported by numerous experimental and calculation evidences. Dirac fermions of crystalline graphene and local spins of graphene molecules are suggested to meet a strict demand - different orbitals for different spins- which leads to a large spectrum of effects caused by spin polarization of electronic states. The consequent topological non-triviality, making graphene topological insulator, and local spins, imaging graph...

  9. Enhanced performance of P(VDF-HFP)-based composite polymer electrolytes doped with organic-inorganic hybrid particles PMMA-ZrO2 for lithium ion batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Wei; Wang, Zhiyan; Zhang, Yan; Fang, Rui; Yuan, Zun; Miao, Chang; Yan, Xuemin; Jiang, Yu

    2018-04-01

    To improve the ionic conductivity as well as enhance the mechanical strength of the gel polymer electrolyte, poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoroprolene) (P(VDF-HFP))-based composite polymer electrolyte (CPE) membranes doped with the organic-inorganic hybrid particles poly(methyl methacrylate) -ZrO2 (PMMA-ZrO2) are prepared by phase inversion method, in which PMMA is successfully grafted onto the surface of the homemade nano-ZrO2 particles via in situ polymerization confirmed by FT-IR. XRD and DSC patterns show adding PMMA-ZrO2 particles into P(VDF-HFP) can significantly decrease the crystallinity of the CPE membrane. The CPE membrane doped with 5 wt % PMMA-ZrO2 particles can not only present a homogeneous surface with abundant interconnected micro-pores, but maintain its initial shape after thermal exposure at 160 °C for 1 h, in which the ionic conductivity and lithium ion transference number at room temperature can reach to 3.59 × 10-3 S cm-1 and 0.41, respectively. The fitting results of the EIS plots indicate the doped PMMA-ZrO2 particles can significantly lower the interface resistance and promote lithium ions diffusion rate. The Li/CPE-sPZ/LiCoO2 and Li/CPE-sPZ/Graphite coin cells can deliver excellent rate and cycling performance. Those results suggest the P(VDF-HFP)-based CPE doped with 5 wt % PMMA-ZrO2 particles can become an exciting potential candidate as polymer electrolyte for the lithium ion battery.

  10. Graphene field-effect devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Echtermeyer, T. J.; Lemme, M. C.; Bolten, J.; Baus, M.; Ramsteiner, M.; Kurz, H.

    2007-09-01

    In this article, graphene is investigated with respect to its electronic properties when introduced into field effect devices (FED). With the exception of manual graphene deposition, conventional top-down CMOS-compatible processes are applied. Few and monolayer graphene sheets are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The electrical properties of monolayer graphene sandwiched between two silicon dioxide films are studied. Carrier mobilities in graphene pseudo-MOS structures are compared to those obtained from double-gated Graphene-FEDs and silicon metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistors (MOSFETs).

  11. Rebar Graphene

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-01-01

    As the cylindrical sp2-bonded carbon allotrope, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been widely used to reinforce bulk materials such as polymers, ceramics, and metals. However, both the concept demonstration and the fundamental understanding on how 1D CNTs reinforce atomically thin 2D layered materials, such as graphene, are still absent. Here, we demonstrate the successful synthesis of CNT-toughened graphene by simply annealing functionalized CNTs on Cu foils without needing to introduce extraneous carbon sources. The CNTs act as reinforcing bar (rebar), toughening the graphene through both π–π stacking domains and covalent bonding where the CNTs partially unzip and form a seamless 2D conjoined hybrid as revealed by aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy analysis. This is termed rebar graphene. Rebar graphene can be free-standing on water and transferred onto target substrates without needing a polymer-coating due to the rebar effects of the CNTs. The utility of rebar graphene sheets as flexible all-carbon transparent electrodes is demonstrated. The in-plane marriage of 1D nanotubes and 2D layered materials might herald an electrical and mechanical union that extends beyond carbon chemistry. PMID:24694285

  12. Repairability of CAD/CAM high-density PMMA- and composite-based polymers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiegand, Annette; Stucki, Lukas; Hoffmann, Robin; Attin, Thomas; Stawarczyk, Bogna

    2015-11-01

    The study aimed to analyse the shear bond strength of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)- and composite-based polymer materials repaired with a conventional methacrylate-based composite after different surface pretreatments. Each 48 specimens was prepared from six different CAD/CAM polymer materials (Ambarino high-class, artBloc Temp, CAD-Temp, Lava Ultimate, Telio CAD, Everest C-Temp) and a conventional dimethacrylate-based composite (Filtek Supreme XTE, control) and aged by thermal cycling (5000 cycles, 5-55 °C). The surfaces were left untreated or were pretreated by mechanical roughening, aluminium oxide air abrasion or silica coating/silanization (each subgroup n = 12). The surfaces were further conditioned with an etch&rinse adhesive (OptiBond FL) before the repair composite (Filtek Supreme XTE) was adhered to the surface. After further thermal cycling, shear bond strength was tested, and failure modes were assessed. Shear bond strength was statistically analysed by two- and one-way ANOVAs and Weibull statistics, failure mode by chi(2) test (p ≤ 0.05). Shear bond strength was highest for silica coating/silanization > aluminium oxide air abrasion = mechanical roughening > no surface pretreatment. Independently of the repair pretreatment, highest bond strength values were observed in the control group and for the composite-based Everest C-Temp and Ambarino high-class, while PMMA-based materials (artBloc Temp, CAD-Temp and Telio CAD) presented significantly lowest values. For all materials, repair without any surface pretreatment resulted in adhesive failures only, which mostly were reduced when surface pretreatment was performed. Repair of CAD/CAM high-density polymers requires surface pretreatment prior to adhesive and composite application. However, four out of six of the tested CAD/CAM materials did not achieve the repair bond strength of a conventional dimethacrylate

  13. Passivation coating for flexible substrate mirrors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tracy, C. Edwin; Benson, David K.

    1990-01-01

    A protective diffusion barrier for metalized mirror structures is provided by a layer or coating of silicon nitride which is a very dense, transparent, dielectric material that is impervious to water, alkali, and other impurities and corrosive substances that typically attack the metal layers of mirrors and cause degradation of the mirrors' reflectivity. The silicon nitride layer can be deposited on the substrate before metal deposition thereon to stabilize the metal/substrate interface, and it can be deposited over the metal to encapsulate it and protect the metal from corrosion or other degradation. Mirrors coated with silicon nitride according to this invention can also be used as front surface mirrors. Also, the silver or other reflective metal layer on mirrors comprising thin, lightweight, flexible substrates of metal or polymer sheets coated with glassy layers can be protected with silicon nitride according to this invention.

  14. [Mirror neurons].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rubia Vila, Francisco José

    2011-01-01

    Mirror neurons were recently discovered in frontal brain areas of the monkey. They are activated when the animal makes a specific movement, but also when the animal observes the same movement in another animal. Some of them also respond to the emotional expression of other animals of the same species. These mirror neurons have also been found in humans. They respond to or "reflect" actions of other individuals in the brain and are thought to represent the basis for imitation and empathy and hence the neurobiological substrate for "theory of mind", the potential origin of language and the so-called moral instinct.

  15. Constraints on mirror models of dark matter from observable neutron-mirror neutron oscillation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohapatra, Rabindra N.; Nussinov, Shmuel

    2018-01-01

    The process of neutron-mirror neutron oscillation, motivated by symmetric mirror dark matter models, is governed by two parameters: n -n‧ mixing parameter δ and n -n‧ mass splitting Δ. For neutron mirror neutron oscillation to be observable, the splitting between their masses Δ must be small and current experiments lead to δ ≤ 2 ×10-27 GeV and Δ ≤10-24 GeV. We show that in mirror universe models where this process is observable, this small mass splitting constrains the way that one must implement asymmetric inflation to satisfy the limits of Big Bang Nucleosynthesis on the number of effective light degrees of freedom. In particular we find that if asymmetric inflation is implemented by inflaton decay to color or electroweak charged particles, the oscillation is unobservable. Also if one uses SM singlet fields for this purpose, they must be weakly coupled to the SM fields.

  16. Mirror Fusion Test Facility (MFTF)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomassen, K.I.

    1978-01-01

    A large, new Mirror Fusion Test Facility is under construction at LLL. Begun in FY78 it will be completed at the end of FY78 at a cost of $94.2M. This facility gives the mirror program the flexibility to explore mirror confinement principles at a signficant scale and advances the technology of large reactor-like devices. The role of MFTF in the LLL program is described here

  17. The mirror neuron system: new frontiers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keysers, Christian; Fadiga, Luciano

    2008-01-01

    Since the discovery of mirror neurons, much effort has been invested into studying their location and properties in the human brain. Here we review these original findings and introduce the main topics of this special issue of Social Neuroscience. What does the mirror system code? How is the mirror system embedded into the mosaic of circuits that compose our brain? How does the mirror system contribute to communication, language and social interaction? Can the principle of mirror neurons be extended to emotions, sensations and thoughts? Papers using a wide range of methods, including single cell recordings, fMRI, TMS, EEG and psychophysics, collected in this special issue, start to give us some impressive answers.

  18. Enabling graphene nanoelectronics.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pan, Wei; Ohta, Taisuke; Biedermann, Laura Butler; Gutierrez, Carlos; Nolen, C. M.; Howell, Stephen Wayne; Beechem Iii, Thomas Edwin; McCarty, Kevin F.; Ross, Anthony Joseph, III

    2011-09-01

    Recent work has shown that graphene, a 2D electronic material amenable to the planar semiconductor fabrication processing, possesses tunable electronic material properties potentially far superior to metals and other standard semiconductors. Despite its phenomenal electronic properties, focused research is still required to develop techniques for depositing and synthesizing graphene over large areas, thereby enabling the reproducible mass-fabrication of graphene-based devices. To address these issues, we combined an array of growth approaches and characterization resources to investigate several innovative and synergistic approaches for the synthesis of high quality graphene films on technologically relevant substrate (SiC and metals). Our work focused on developing the fundamental scientific understanding necessary to generate large-area graphene films that exhibit highly uniform electronic properties and record carrier mobility, as well as developing techniques to transfer graphene onto other substrates.

  19. Passive Q-switching of femtosecond-laser-written Tm:KLu(WO4)2 waveguide lasers by graphene and MoS2 saturable absorbers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kifle, Esrom; Mateos, Xavier; Vázquez de Aldana, Javier Rodríguez; Ródenas, Airan; Loiko, Pavel; Zakharov, Viktor; Veniaminov, Andrey; Yu, Haohai; Zhang, Huaijin; Chen, Yanxue; Aguiló, Magdalena; Díaz, Francesc; Griebner, Uwe; Petrov, Valentin

    2018-02-01

    A buried depressed-index channel waveguide with a circular cladding and a core diameter of 40 μm is fabricated in a bulk monoclinic 3 at.% Tm:KLu(WO4)2 crystal by femtosecond direct laser writing. In the continuous-wave regime, the Tm waveguide laser generates 210 mW at 1849.6 nm with a slope efficiency η of 40.8%. Passively Q-switched operation is achieved by inserting transmission-type 2D saturable absorbers (SAs) based on few-layer graphene and MoS2. Using the graphene-SA, a maximum average output power of 25 mW is generated at 1844.8 nm. The pulse characteristics (duration/energy) are 88 ns/18 nJ at a repetition rate of 1.39 MHz.

  20. The invention of graphene electronics and the physics of epitaxial graphene on silicon carbide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    De Heer, Walt A

    2012-01-01

    Graphene electronics was officially invented at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2003 after experimental and theoretical research on graphene properties starting from 2001. This paper focuses on the motivation and events leading to the invention of graphene electronics, as well as on recent developments. Graphene electronics was originally conceived as a new electronics paradigm to incorporate the room-temperature ballistic and coherent properties of carbon nanotubes in a patternable electronic material. Graphene on silicon carbide was chosen as the most suitable material. Other electronics schemes, involving transferred (exfoliated and chemical vapor deposition-produced) graphitic materials, that operate in the diffusive regime may not be competitive with standard methods and may therefore not significantly impact electronics. In recent years, epitaxial graphene has improved to the point where graphene electronics according to the original concept appears to be within reach. Beyond electronics, epitaxial graphene research has led to important developments in graphene physics in general and has become a leading platform for graphene science as well.