Physical Properties of Nanostructured CdO Films from Alkaline Baths Containing Saccharin as Additive

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bünyamin Şahin

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Nanostructured cadmium oxide (CdO films were fabricated on glass substrates from alkaline baths containing saccharin as an additive by a successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR method. The effects of saccharin concentration in the bath on the structural, morphological, and optical properties were studied by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM, X-ray diffraction (XRD, photoluminescence, and Raman spectroscopy. The analyses showed that the surface morphologies, XRD peak intensities, Raman spectroscopy, and photoluminescence properties of CdO films changed with saccharin concentration. From the results, it can be said that morphological characteristic and optical properties of the films could be calibrated by adding various saccharin percentages in the growth bath.

Platinum-based electrocatalysts synthesized by depositing contiguous adlayers on carbon nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Adzic, Radoslav; Harris, Alexander

2013-03-26

High-surface-area carbon nanostructures coated with a smooth and conformal submonolayer-to-multilayer thin metal films and their method of manufacture are described. The preferred manufacturing process involves the initial oxidation of the carbon nanostructures followed by immersion in a solution with the desired pH to create negative surface dipoles. The nanostructures are subsequently immersed in an alkaline solution containing non-noble metal ions which adsorb at surface reaction sites. The metal ions are then reduced via chemical or electrical means and the nanostructures are exposed to a solution containing a salt of one or more noble metals which replace adsorbed non-noble surface metal atoms by galvanic displacement. Subsequent film growth may be performed via the initial quasi-underpotential deposition of a non-noble metal followed by immersion in a solution comprising a more noble metal. The resulting coated nanostructures may be used, for example, as high-performance electrodes in supercapacitors, batteries, or other electric storage devices.

Supersonic cluster beams: a powerful method for the deposition of nanostructured thin films with tailored properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milani, P.

2002-01-01

By using a pulsed micro-plasma cluster source and by exploiting aero-dynamical effects typical of supersonic beams it is possible to obtain very high deposition rates with a control on neutral cluster mass distribution, allowing the deposition of thin films with controlled nanostructure. Due to high deposition rates, high lateral resolution, low temperature processing supersonic cluster beams can also be used for the micro and nano-patterning of cluster-assembled films when little or no post-growth manipulation or assembly is required. For example the nano and meso-structure of films obtained by carbon cluster beam deposition can be controlled by selecting in the beam the elemental building blocks, moreover functional properties such as field emission can be controlled and tailored. The use of supersonic cluster beams opens also new perspectives for the production of nano-structured films with novel physico-chemical and topological properties such as nano-structured carbon matrices containing carbide and transition metal particles. (Author)

RHEED transmission mode and pole figures thin film and nanostructure texture analysis

CERN Document Server

Wang, Gwo-Ching

2014-01-01

This unique book covers the fundamental principle of electron diffraction, basic instrumentation of RHEED, definitions of textures in thin films and nanostructures, mechanisms and control of texture formation, and examples of RHEED transmission mode measurements of texture and texture evolution of thin films and nanostructures. Also presented is a new application of RHEED in the transmission mode called RHEED pole figure technique that can be used to monitor the texture evolution in thin film growth and nanostructures and is not limited to single crystal epitaxial film growth. Details of the construction of RHEED pole figures and the interpretation of observed pole figures are presented.  Materials covered include metals, semiconductors, and thin insulators. This book also: Presents a new application of RHEED in the transmission mode Introduces a variety of textures from metals, semiconductors, compound semiconductors, and their characteristics in RHEED pole figures Provides examples of RHEED measurements o...

Metal oxide nanostructures and their gas sensing properties: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yu-Feng; Liu, Shao-Bo; Meng, Fan-Li; Liu, Jin-Yun; Jin, Zhen; Kong, Ling-Tao; Liu, Jin-Huai

2012-01-01

Metal oxide gas sensors are predominant solid-state gas detecting devices for domestic, commercial and industrial applications, which have many advantages such as low cost, easy production, and compact size. However, the performance of such sensors is significantly influenced by the morphology and structure of sensing materials, resulting in a great obstacle for gas sensors based on bulk materials or dense films to achieve highly-sensitive properties. Lots of metal oxide nanostructures have been developed to improve the gas sensing properties such as sensitivity, selectivity, response speed, and so on. Here, we provide a brief overview of metal oxide nanostructures and their gas sensing properties from the aspects of particle size, morphology and doping. When the particle size of metal oxide is close to or less than double thickness of the space-charge layer, the sensitivity of the sensor will increase remarkably, which would be called "small size effect", yet small size of metal oxide nanoparticles will be compactly sintered together during the film coating process which is disadvantage for gas diffusion in them. In view of those reasons, nanostructures with many kinds of shapes such as porous nanotubes, porous nanospheres and so on have been investigated, that not only possessed large surface area and relatively mass reactive sites, but also formed relatively loose film structures which is an advantage for gas diffusion. Besides, doping is also an effective method to decrease particle size and improve gas sensing properties. Therefore, the gas sensing properties of metal oxide nanostructures assembled by nanoparticles are reviewed in this article. The effect of doping is also summarized and finally the perspectives of metal oxide gas sensor are given.

Fabrication of large area homogeneous metallic nanostructures for optical sensing using colloidal lithography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eriksen, René Lynge; Pors, Anders; Dreier, Jes

2010-01-01

We propose a simple and reproducible method for fabricating large area metal films with inter-connected nanostructures using a combination of colloidal lithography, metal deposition and a template stripping technique. The method is generic in the sense that it is possible to produce a variety...... to fabricate metal films with inter-connected nanostructures consisting of either partial spherical shells or the inverted structures: spherical cavities. The substrates are characterized by optical reflectance and transmittance spectroscopy. We demonstrate, in the case of partial spherical shells...

Characterization of the porous anodic alumina nanostructures with a metal interlayer on Si substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fang, Chia-Hui; Chen, Hung-Ing; Hsiao, Jui-Ju; Wang, Jen-Cheng; Nee, Tzer-En, E-mail: neete@mail.cgu.edu.tw

2014-04-15

Porous anodic alumina (PAA) films produced by the anodization technique have made possible the mass production of porous nano-scale structures where the pore height and diameter are controllable. A metal interlayer is observed to have a significant influence on the characteristics of these PAA nanostructures. In this study, we investigate in-depth the effect of the current density on the properties of porous anodic alumina nanostructures with a metal interlayer. A thin film layer of tungsten (W) and titanium (Ti) was sandwiched between a porous anodic alumina film and a silicon (Si) substrate to form PAA/W/Si and PAA/Ti/Si structures. The material and optical characteristics of the porous anodic alumina nanostructures, with and without a metal interlayer, on silicon substrates were studied using the scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The current densities of the porous anodic alumina nanostructures with the metal interlayer are higher than for the PAA/Si, resulting in an increase of the growth rate of the oxide layer. It can be observed from the X-ray diffraction curves that there is more aluminum oxide inside the structure with the metal interlayer. Furthermore, it has been found that there is a reduction in the photoluminescence intensity of the oxygen vacancy with only one electron due to the formation of oxygen vacancies inside the aluminum oxide during the re-crystallization process. This leads to competition between the two kinds of different oxygen-deficient defect centers (F+ and F centers) in the carrier recombination mechanism from the PL spectra of the porous anodic alumina nanostructures, with and without a metal interlayer, on silicon substrates. -- Highlights: • Study of porous anodic alumina (PAA) films with metal interlayers on silicon. • The highly ordered PAA film with a fairly regular nano-porous structure. • The luminescence properties of PAA films were

Ultrathin and Nanostructured Au Films with Gradient of Effective Thickness. Optical and Plasmonic Properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tomilin, S V; Berzhansky, V N; Shaposhnikov, A N; Prokopov, A R; Milyukova, E T; Karavaynikov, A V; Tomilina, O A

2016-01-01

In present work the results of investigation of optical (transmission spectra) and plasmonic (surface plasmon-polariton resonance) properties of ultrathin and nanostructured Au films are presents. Methods and techniques for the syntheses of samples of ultrathin and nanostructured metallic films, and for the experimental studies of optical and plasmonic properties are representative. Au films on SiO 2 (optic glass) substrates were investigated. (paper)

Nanostructured tungsten trioxide thin films synthesized for photoelectrocatalytic water oxidation: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Tao; Chong, Meng Nan; Chan, Eng Seng

2014-11-01

The recent developments of nanostructured WO3 thin films synthesized through the electrochemical route of electrochemical anodization and cathodic electrodeposition for the application in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting are reviewed. The key fundamental reaction mechanisms of electrochemical anodization and cathodic electrodeposition methods for synthesizing nanostructured WO3 thin films are explained. In addition, the effects of metal oxide precursors, electrode substrates, applied potentials and current densities, and annealing temperatures on size, composition, and thickness of the electrochemically synthesized nanostructured WO3 thin films are elucidated in detail. Finally, a summary is given for the general evaluation practices used to calculate the energy conversion efficiency of nanostructured WO3 thin films and a recommendation is provided to standardize the presentation of research results in the field to allow for easy comparison of reported PEC efficiencies in the near future. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Self-Assembly, Interfacial Nanostructure, and Supramolecular Chirality of the Langmuir-Blodgett Films of Some Schiff Base Derivatives without Alkyl Chain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tifeng Jiao

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A special naphthyl-containing Schiff base derivative, N,N′-bis(2-hydroxy-1-naphthylidene-1,2-phenylenediamine, was synthesized, and its coordination with various metal ions in situ at the air/water interface has been investigated. Although the ligand contains no alkyl chain, it can be spread on water surface. When metal ions existed in the subphase, an interfacial coordination between the ligand and different metal ions occurred in the spreading film, while different Nanostructures were fabricated in the monolayers. Interestingly to note that among various metal ions, only the in situ coordination-induced Cu(II-complex film showed supramolecular chirality, although the multilayer films from the ligand or preformed complex are achiral. The chirality of the in situ Cu(II-coordinated Langmuir film was developed due to the special distorted coordination reaction and the spatial limitation at the air/water interface. A possible organization mechanism at the air/water interface was suggested.

Nanostructured metal foams: synthesis and applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luther, Erik P [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Tappan, Bryce [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Mueller, Alex [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Mihaila, Bogdan [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Volz, Heather [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Cardenas, Andreas [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Papin, Pallas [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Veauthier, Jackie [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Stan, Marius [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2009-01-01

Fabrication of monolithic metallic nanoporous materials is difficult using conventional methodology. Here they report a relatively simple method of synthesizing monolithic, ultralow density, nanostructured metal foams utilizing self-propagating combustion synthesis of novel metal complexes containing high nitrogen energetic ligands. Nanostructured metal foams are formed in a post flame-front dynamic assembly with densities as low as 0.011 g/cc and surface areas as high as 270 m{sup 2}/g. They have produced metal foams via this method of titanium, iron, cobalt, nickel, zirconium, copper, palladium, silver, hafnium, platinum and gold. Microstructural features vary as a function of composition and process parameters. Applications for the metal foams are discussed including hydrogen absorption in palladium foams. A model for the sorption kinetics of hydrogen in the foams is presented.

Recent advances in ZnO nanostructures and thin films for biosensor applications: Review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arya, Sunil K.; Saha, Shibu; Ramirez-Vick, Jaime E.; Gupta, Vinay; Bhansali, Shekhar; Singh, Surinder P.

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: ZnO nanostructures have shown binding of biomolecules in desired orientation with improved conformation and high biological activity, resulting in enhanced sensing characteristics. Furthermore, their compatibility with complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology for constructing integrated circuits makes them suitable candidate for future small integrated biosensor devices. This review highlights various approaches to synthesize ZnO nanostructures and thin films, and their applications in biosensor technology. Highlights: ► This review highlights various approaches to synthesize ZnO nanostructures and thin films. ► Article highlights the importance of ZnO nanostructures as biosensor matrix. ► Article highlights the advances in various biosensors based on ZnO nanostructures. ► Article describes the potential of ZnO based biosensor for new generation healthcare devices. - Abstract: Biosensors have shown great potential for health care and environmental monitoring. The performance of biosensors depends on their components, among which the matrix material, i.e., the layer between the recognition layer of biomolecule and transducer, plays a crucial role in defining the stability, sensitivity and shelf-life of a biosensor. Recently, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures and thin films have attracted much interest as materials for biosensors due to their biocompatibility, chemical stability, high isoelectric point, electrochemical activity, high electron mobility, ease of synthesis by diverse methods and high surface-to-volume ratio. ZnO nanostructures have shown the binding of biomolecules in desired orientations with improved conformation and high biological activity, resulting in enhanced sensing characteristics. Furthermore, compatibility with complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology for constructing integrated circuits makes ZnO nanostructures suitable candidate for future small integrated biosensor devices. This review

Recent advances in ZnO nanostructures and thin films for biosensor applications: Review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arya, Sunil K., E-mail: sunilarya333@gmail.com [Bioelectronics Program, Institute of Microelectronics, A-Star 11 Science Park Road, Singapore Science Park II, Singapore 117685 (Singapore); Saha, Shibu [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007 (India); Ramirez-Vick, Jaime E. [Engineering Science and Materials Department, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, PR 00681 (United States); Gupta, Vinay [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007 (India); Bhansali, Shekhar [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, FL (United States); Singh, Surinder P., E-mail: singh.uprm@gmail.com [National Physical Laboratory, Dr K.S. Krishnan Marg, New Delhi 110012 (India)

2012-08-06

Graphical abstract: ZnO nanostructures have shown binding of biomolecules in desired orientation with improved conformation and high biological activity, resulting in enhanced sensing characteristics. Furthermore, their compatibility with complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology for constructing integrated circuits makes them suitable candidate for future small integrated biosensor devices. This review highlights various approaches to synthesize ZnO nanostructures and thin films, and their applications in biosensor technology. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This review highlights various approaches to synthesize ZnO nanostructures and thin films. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Article highlights the importance of ZnO nanostructures as biosensor matrix. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Article highlights the advances in various biosensors based on ZnO nanostructures. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Article describes the potential of ZnO based biosensor for new generation healthcare devices. - Abstract: Biosensors have shown great potential for health care and environmental monitoring. The performance of biosensors depends on their components, among which the matrix material, i.e., the layer between the recognition layer of biomolecule and transducer, plays a crucial role in defining the stability, sensitivity and shelf-life of a biosensor. Recently, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures and thin films have attracted much interest as materials for biosensors due to their biocompatibility, chemical stability, high isoelectric point, electrochemical activity, high electron mobility, ease of synthesis by diverse methods and high surface-to-volume ratio. ZnO nanostructures have shown the binding of biomolecules in desired orientations with improved conformation and high biological activity, resulting in enhanced sensing characteristics. Furthermore, compatibility with complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology for constructing integrated circuits makes Zn

Broadband THz pulse emission and transmission properties of nanostructured Pt thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Mingzhe [Department of Physics and Electronics, Liupanshui Normal University, Liupanshui, Guizhou 553004 (China); College of Electronics and Information, Guizhou University, Huaxi 550025, Guiyang, Guizhou (China); Mu, Kaijun; Zhang, Cunlin [Department of Physics, Capital Normal University, Yuquan Road 100082, Beijing (China); Gu, Haoshuang, E-mail: guhs@hubu.edu.cn [Department of Electronic Sci& Tech, Hubei University, Xueyuan Road 430062, Wuhan, Hubei (China); Ding, Zhao [College of Electronics and Information, Guizhou University, Huaxi 550025, Guiyang, Guizhou (China)

2015-10-01

The THz transmission and emitting properties of a composite metallic nanostructure, composed of Ag nanowires electrodeposited in an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template and a Pt thin film, were investigated by using a femtosecond pulse laser irradiation. The microstructure of the above sub-wavelength nanostructure was investigated by XRD, SEM, AFM and TEM. The results indicated that the thickness of the Pt thin film was about 200 nm and the Ag nanowire array had a sparse and random distribution inside the AAO template, with a length distribution in the range of 10–25 μm. The THz radiation properties of above sub-wavelength nanostructure indicated that the generated THz fluence from the Pt film was a magnitude of μW scale with a broadband frequency range and its subsequent transmission could be significantly improved by the better impedance matching property of the Ag nanowire embedded AAO film compared with that of the empty AAO film.

Structural studies of Langmuir-Blodgett films containing rare-earth metal cations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Khomutov, G.B.; Antipina, M.N.; Bykov, I.V.

2002-01-01

Comparative structural study of gadolinium stearate Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films formed by monolayer deposition from either aqueous gadolinium acetate or gadolinium chloride solutions have been carried out. Structure of the films was characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared...... spectroscopy, high-energy electron diffraction, atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. It was found that when subphase pH had a value at which all monolayer stearic acid molecules were ionized and bound with Gd3+ cations (pH > 5), the LB films deposited from gadolinium acetate and gadolinium....... The data obtained indicate that the control of multivalent metal cations complexes formation in the subphase and at the monolayer surface can be an instrument for optimization, the conditions to form metal-containing LB film with regulated structure and properties....

Facile conversion of bulk metal surface to metal oxide single-crystalline nanostructures by microwave irradiation: Formation of pure or Cr-doped hematite nanostructure arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Seungho; Jeong, Haeyoon; Lee, Kun-Hong

2010-01-01

We report a method for converting the surfaces of bulk metal substrates (pure iron or stainless steel) to metal oxide (hematite or Cr-doped hematite) nanostructures using microwave irradiation. When microwave radiation (2.45 GHz, single-mode) was applied to a metal substrate under the flow of a gas mixture containing O 2 and Ar, metal oxide nanostructures formed and entirely covered the substrate. The nanostructures were single crystalline, and the atomic ratios of the substrate metals were preserved in the nanostructures. When a pure iron sheet was used as a substrate, hematite nanowires (1000 W microwave radiation) or nanosheets (1800 W microwave radiation) formed on the surface of the substrate. When a SUS410 sheet was used as a substrate, slightly curved rod-like nanostructures were synthesized. The oxidation states of Fe and Cr in these nanorods were Fe 3+ and Cr 3+ . Quantitative analyses revealed an average Fe/Cr atomic ratio of 9.2, nearly identical to the ratio of the metals in the SUS410 substrate.

Synthesis of vertically aligned metal oxide nanostructures

KAUST Repository

Roqan, Iman S.

2016-03-03

Metal oxide nanostructure and methods of making metal oxide nanostructures are provided. The metal oxide nanostructures can be 1 -dimensional nanostructures such as nanowires, nanofibers, or nanotubes. The metal oxide nanostructures can be doped or undoped metal oxides. The metal oxide nanostructures can be deposited onto a variety of substrates. The deposition can be performed without high pressures and without the need for seed catalysts on the substrate. The deposition can be performed by laser ablation of a target including a metal oxide and, optionally, a dopant. In some embodiments zinc oxide nanostructures are deposited onto a substrate by pulsed laser deposition of a zinc oxide target using an excimer laser emitting UV radiation. The zinc oxide nanostructure can be doped with a rare earth metal such as gadolinium. The metal oxide nanostructures can be used in many devices including light-emitting diodes and solar cells.

Nanostructured thin films and coatings functional properties

CERN Document Server

Zhang, Sam

2010-01-01

The second volume in ""The Handbook of Nanostructured Thin Films and Coatings"" set, this book focuses on functional properties, including optical, electronic, and electrical properties, as well as related devices and applications. It explores the large-scale fabrication of functional thin films with nanoarchitecture via chemical routes, the fabrication and characterization of SiC nanostructured/nanocomposite films, and low-dimensional nanocomposite fabrication and applications. The book also presents the properties of sol-gel-derived nanostructured thin films as well as silicon nanocrystals e

Nanostructured layer-by-layer films containing phaeophytin-b: Electrochemical characterization for sensing purposes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nunes Pauli, Gisele Elias; Araruna, Felipe B.; Eiras, Carla; Leite, José Roberto S.A.; Chaves, Otemberg Souza; Filho, Severino Gonçalves Brito; Vanderlei de Souza, Maria de Fátima; Chavero, Lucas Natálio; Sartorelli, Maria Luisa

2015-01-01

This paper reports the study and characterization of a new platform for practical applications, where the use of phaeophytin-b (phaeo-b), a compound derived from chlorophyll, was characterized and investigated for sensing purposes. Modified electrodes with nanostructured phaeo-b films were fabricated via the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique, where phaeo-b was assembled with cashew gum, a polysaccharide, or with poly(allylamine) hydrochloride (PAH). The multilayer formation was investigated with UV–Vis spectroscopy by monitoring the absorption band associated to phaeo-b at approximately 410 nm, where distinct molecular interactions between the materials were verified. The morphology of the films was analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The electrochemical properties through redox behavior of phaeo-b were studied with cyclic voltammetry. The produced films were applied as sensors for hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) detection. In terms of sensing, the cashew/phaeo-b film exhibited the most promising result, with a fast response and broad linear range upon the addition of H 2 O 2 . This approach provides a simple and inexpensive method for development of a nonenzymatic electrochemical sensor for H 2 O 2 . - Highlights: • Potential applications of phaeophytin-b • Low-cost method to produce sensitive nanostructured films • Electrochemical sensor based on phaeophytin-b and cashew gum

Analysis of periodically patterned metallic nanostructures for infrared absorber

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Sha; Yuan, Ying; Long, Huabao; Liu, Runhan; Wei, Dong; Zhang, Xinyu; Wang, Haiwei; Xie, Changsheng

2018-02-01

With rapid advancement of infrared detecting technology in both military and civil domains, the photo-electronic performances of near-infrared detectors have been widely concerned. Currently, near-infrared detectors demonstrate some problems such as low sensitivity, low detectivity, and relatively small array scale. The current studies show that surface plasmons (SPs) stimulated over the surface of metallic nanostructures by incident light can be used to break the diffraction limit and thus concentrate light into sub-wavelength scale, so as to indicate a method to develop a new type of infrared absorber or detector with very large array. In this paper, we present the design and characterization of periodically patterned metallic nanostructures that combine nanometer thickness aluminum film with silicon wafer. Numerical computations show that there are some valleys caused by surface plasmons in the reflection spectrum in the infrared region, and both red shift and blue shift of the reflection spectrum were observed through changing the nanostructural parameters such as angle α and diameters D. Moreover, the strong E-field intensity is located at the sharp corner of the nano-structures.

Nanostructured layer-by-layer films containing phaeophytin-b: Electrochemical characterization for sensing purposes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nunes Pauli, Gisele Elias [Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040900 (Brazil); Araruna, Felipe B. [Núcleo de Pesquisa em Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia, BIOTEC, Campus Ministro Reis Velloso, CMRV, Universidade Federal do Piauí, UFPI, Parnaíba (Brazil); Eiras, Carla [Núcleo de Pesquisa em Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia, BIOTEC, Campus Ministro Reis Velloso, CMRV, Universidade Federal do Piauí, UFPI, Parnaíba (Brazil); Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Materiais Avançados, LIMAV, CCN, UFPI, Teresina, PI 64049-550 (Brazil); Leite, José Roberto S.A. [Núcleo de Pesquisa em Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia, BIOTEC, Campus Ministro Reis Velloso, CMRV, Universidade Federal do Piauí, UFPI, Parnaíba (Brazil); Chaves, Otemberg Souza; Filho, Severino Gonçalves Brito; Vanderlei de Souza, Maria de Fátima [Programa de Pós-Graduação em Produtos Naturais e Sintéticos Bioativos, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, 58051-970 João Pessoa, Paraíba (Brazil); Chavero, Lucas Natálio; Sartorelli, Maria Luisa [Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040900 (Brazil); and others

2015-02-01

This paper reports the study and characterization of a new platform for practical applications, where the use of phaeophytin-b (phaeo-b), a compound derived from chlorophyll, was characterized and investigated for sensing purposes. Modified electrodes with nanostructured phaeo-b films were fabricated via the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique, where phaeo-b was assembled with cashew gum, a polysaccharide, or with poly(allylamine) hydrochloride (PAH). The multilayer formation was investigated with UV–Vis spectroscopy by monitoring the absorption band associated to phaeo-b at approximately 410 nm, where distinct molecular interactions between the materials were verified. The morphology of the films was analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The electrochemical properties through redox behavior of phaeo-b were studied with cyclic voltammetry. The produced films were applied as sensors for hydrogen peroxide (H{sub 2}O{sub 2}) detection. In terms of sensing, the cashew/phaeo-b film exhibited the most promising result, with a fast response and broad linear range upon the addition of H{sub 2}O{sub 2}. This approach provides a simple and inexpensive method for development of a nonenzymatic electrochemical sensor for H{sub 2}O{sub 2}. - Highlights: • Potential applications of phaeophytin-b • Low-cost method to produce sensitive nanostructured films • Electrochemical sensor based on phaeophytin-b and cashew gum.

Plasmons in N-doped graphene nanostructures tuned by Au/Ag films: a time-dependent density functional theory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Shu, Xiaoqin; Cheng, Xinlu; Zhang, Hong

2018-04-18

The energy resonance point of the prominent peak of the absorption spectrum of nitrogen-doped graphene is in the ultraviolet region. This limits its application as a co-catalyst in renewable hydrogen evolution through photocatalytic water splitting in the visible light region. It is well known that noble metal films show active absorption in the visible region due to the existence of the unique feature known as surface plasmon resonance. Here we report tunable plasmons in nitrogen-doped graphene nanostructures using noble metal (Au/Ag) films. The energy resonance point of the prominent peak of the composite nanostructure is altered by changing the separation space of two-layered nanostructures. We found the strength of the absorption spectrum of the composite nanostructure is much stronger than the isolated N-doped graphene monolayer. When the separation space is decreased, the prominent peak of the absorption spectrum is red-shifted to the visible light region. Moreover, currents of several microamperes exist above the surface of the N-doped graphene and Au film composite nanostructure. In addition, the field enhancement exceeds 1000 when an impulse excitation polarized in the armchair-edge direction (X-axis) when the separation space is decreased to 3 Å and is close to 100 when an impulse excitation polarized in the zigzag-edge direction (Y-axis). The N-doped graphene and noble metal film composite nanostructure is a good candidate material as a co-catalyst in renewable hydrogen production by photocatalytic water splitting in the visible light region.

Enhanced Absorption in Organic Thin-Films from Imprinted Concave Nanostructures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Goszczak, Arkadiusz Jaroslaw; Rubahn, Horst-Günter; Madsen, Morten

2017-01-01

In this work, a rapid, replicable method for imprinting concave nanostructures to be used as functional light-trapping nanostructures in organic thin-films is presented. Porous anodic alumina templates were fabricated both by anodization of thick Al foils and by anodization of submicrometer thin Al...... patterns and used for imprinting of spin coated photoresist on glass substrates. We have investigated semi-periodic and aperiodic imprinted large concave patterns fabricated from rigid masters after anodization of Al in H3PO4. We show that metal covered imprinted concaves show enhancement in absorption...

Porous nanostructured ZnO films deposited by picosecond laser ablation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sima, Cornelia; Grigoriu, Constantin; Besleaga, Cristina; Mitran, Tudor; Ion, Lucian; Antohe, Stefan

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► We deposite porous nanostructured ZnO films by picoseconds laser ablation (PLA). ► We examine changes of the films structure on the experimental parameter deposition. ► We demonstrate PLA capability to produce ZnO nanostructured films free of particulates. - Abstract: Porous nanostructured polycrystalline ZnO films, free of large particulates, were deposited by picosecond laser ablation. Using a Zn target, zinc oxide films were deposited on indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates using a picosecond Nd:YVO 4 laser (8 ps, 50 kHz, 532 nm, 0.17 J/cm 2 ) in an oxygen atmosphere at room temperature (RT). The morpho-structural characteristics of ZnO films deposited at different oxygen pressures (150–900 mTorr) and gas flow rates (0.25 and 10 sccm) were studied. The post-deposition influence of annealing (250–550 °C) in oxygen on the film characteristics was also investigated. At RT, a mixture of Zn and ZnO formed. At substrate temperatures above 350 °C, the films were completely oxidized, containing a ZnO wurtzite phase with crystallite sizes of 12.2–40.1 nm. At pressures of up to 450 mTorr, the porous films consisted of well-distinguished primary nanoparticles with average sizes of 45–58 nm, while at higher pressures, larger clusters (3.1–14.7 μm) were dominant, leading to thicker films; higher flow rates favored clustering.

Nanostructured diamond film deposition on curved surfaces of metallic temporomandibular joint implant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fries, Marc D; Vohra, Yogesh K [Department of Physics, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL (United States)

2002-10-21

Microwave plasma chemical vapour deposition of nanostructured diamond films was carried out on curved surfaces of Ti-6Al-4V alloy machined to simulate the shape of a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dental implant. Raman spectroscopy shows that the deposited films are uniform in chemical composition along the radius of curvature of the TMJ condyle. Thin film x-ray diffraction reveals an interfacial carbide layer and nanocrystalline diamond grains in this coating. Nanoindentation hardness measurements show an ultra-hard coating with a hardness value of 60{+-}5 GPa averaged over three samples. (rapid communication)

Electrochromic device containing metal oxide nanoparticles and ultraviolet blocking material

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Guillermo; Koo, Bonil; Gregoratto, Ivano; Basu, Sourav; Rosen, Evelyn; Holt, Jason; Thomsen, Scott

2017-10-17

An electrochromic device includes a nanostructured transition metal oxide bronze layer that includes one or more transition metal oxide and one or more dopant. The electrochromic device also includes nanoparticles containing one or more transparent conducting oxide (TCO), a solid state electrolyte, a counter electrode, and at least one protective layer to prevent degradation of the one or more nanostructured transition metal oxide bronze. The nanostructured transition metal oxide bronze selectively modulates transmittance of near-infrared (NIR) and visible radiation as a function of an applied voltage to the device.

Size-dependent electronic properties of metal nanostructures

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Table of contents. Size-dependent electronic properties of metal nanostructures · Slide 2 · Slide 3 · Slide 4 · Slide 5 · Slide 6 · Slide 7 · Slide 8 · Slide 9 · Slide 10 · Slide 11 · Slide 12 · Slide 13 · Slide 14 · Slide 15 · Slide 16 · Slide 17 · Slide 18 · Slide 19 · Nanocrystalline film at liquid-liquid interface · Slide 21 · Slide 22.

Metal nanostructures for non-enzymatic glucose sensing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tee, Si Yin; Teng, Choon Peng; Ye, Enyi

2017-01-01

This review covers the recent development of metal nanostructures in electrochemical non-enzymatic glucose sensing. It highlights a variety of nanostructured materials including noble metals, other transition metals, bimetallic systems, and their hybrid with carbon-based nanomaterials. Particularly, attention is devoted to numerous approaches that have been implemented for improving the sensors performance by tailoring size, shape, composition, effective surface area, adsorption capability and electron-transfer properties. The correlation of the metal nanostructures to the glucose sensing performance is addressed with respect to the linear concentration range, sensitivity and detection limit. In overall, this review provides important clues from the recent scientific achievements of glucose sensor nanomaterials which will be essentially useful in designing better and more effective electrocatalysts for future electrochemical sensing industry. - Highlights: • Overview of recent development of metal nanostructures in electrochemical non-enzymatic glucose sensing. • Special attention is focussed on noble metals, other transition metals, bimetallic systems, and their hybrid with carbon-based nanomaterials. • Merits and limitations of various metal nanostructures in electrochemical non-enzymatic glucose sensing. • Strategies to improve the glucose sensing performance of metal nanostructures as electrocatalysts.

Features of Magnetorefractive Effect in a [CoFe/Cu] n Multilayer Metallic Nanostructure

Science.gov (United States)

Yurasov, A. N.; Telegin, A. V.; Bannikova, N. S.; Milyaev, M. A.; Sukhorukov, Yu. P.

2018-02-01

The features of magnetorefractive effect (MRE) in metallic multilayer film Ni48Fe12Cr40(50 Å)/[Co90Fe10(14 Å)/Cu(22 Å)]8/Cr(20 Å) nanostructures, which exhibit giant magnetoresistance at room temperature, are investigated experimentally and theoretically. We show that the MRE in these structures reaches 1.5% in an applied magnetic field of 3.5 kOe, in a broad part of the IR region, and can change sign for both transmission and reflection of light. The refraction and extinction coefficients that are calculated for the nanostructures in an external magnetic field are in good agreement with our experimental data. The deduced formulas can be applied to estimating the MRE in multilayer metallic nanostructures.

Metallic Nanostructures Based on DNA Nanoshapes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boxuan Shen

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Metallic nanostructures have inspired extensive research over several decades, particularly within the field of nanoelectronics and increasingly in plasmonics. Due to the limitations of conventional lithography methods, the development of bottom-up fabricated metallic nanostructures has become more and more in demand. The remarkable development of DNA-based nanostructures has provided many successful methods and realizations for these needs, such as chemical DNA metallization via seeding or ionization, as well as DNA-guided lithography and casting of metallic nanoparticles by DNA molds. These methods offer high resolution, versatility and throughput and could enable the fabrication of arbitrarily-shaped structures with a 10-nm feature size, thus bringing novel applications into view. In this review, we cover the evolution of DNA-based metallic nanostructures, starting from the metallized double-stranded DNA for electronics and progress to sophisticated plasmonic structures based on DNA origami objects.

Synthesis and characterization of ZnO nanostructures on noble-metal coated substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dikovska, A.Og. [Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tsarigradsko Chaussee, Sofia 1784 (Bulgaria); Atanasova, G.B. [Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev str., bl. 11, 1113 Sofia (Bulgaria); Avdeev, G.V. [Rostislaw Kaischew Institute of Physical Chemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev str., bl. 11, 1113 Sofia (Bulgaria); Nedyalkov, N.N. [Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tsarigradsko Chaussee, Sofia 1784 (Bulgaria)

2016-06-30

Highlights: • ZnO nanostructures were fabricated on Au–Ag alloy coated silicon substrates by applying pulsed laser deposition. • Morphology of the ZnO nanostructures was related to the Au–Ag alloy content in the catalyst layer. • Increasing the Ag content in Au–Ag catalyst layer changes the morphology of the ZnO nanostructures from nanorods to nanobelts. - Abstract: In this work, ZnO nanostructures were fabricated on noble-metal (Au, Ag and Au–Ag alloys) coated silicon substrates by applying pulsed laser deposition. The samples were prepared at a substrate temperature of 550 °C, an oxygen pressure of 5 Pa, and a laser fluence of 2 J cm{sup −2} – process parameters usually used for deposition of smooth and dense thin films. The metal layer's role is substantial for the preparation of nanostructures. Heating of the substrate changed the morphology of the metal layer and, subsequently, nanoparticles were formed. The use of different metal particles resulted in different morphologies and properties of the ZnO nanostructures synthesized. The morphology of the ZnO nanostructures was related to the Au–Ag alloy's content of the catalyst layer. It was found that the morphology of the ZnO nanostructures evolved from nanorods to nanobelts as the ratio of Au/Ag in the alloy catalyst was varied. The use of a small quantity of Ag in the Au–Ag catalyst (Au{sub 3}Ag) layer resulted predominantly in the deposition of ZnO nanorods. A higher Ag content in the catalyst alloy (AuAg{sub 2}) layer resulted in the growth of a dense structure of ZnO nanobelts.

Nanostructured Zn and ZnO nanowire thin films for mechanical and self-cleaning applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shaik, Ummar Pasha [Advanced Centre of Research in High Energy Materials, University of Hyderabad, Prof. C R Rao Road, Gachibowli, Hyderabad 500046 (India); Purkayastha, Debarun Dhar, E-mail: ddebarun@yahoo.com [Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology Nagaland, Chumukedima, Dimapur 797103 (India); Krishna, M. Ghanashyam [Advanced Centre of Research in High Energy Materials, University of Hyderabad, Prof. C R Rao Road, Gachibowli, Hyderabad 500046 (India); School of Physics, University of Hyderabad, Prof. C R Rao Road, Gachibowli, Hyderabad 500046 (India); Madhurima, V. [Department of Physics, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur 610004 (India)

2015-03-01

Highlights: • Zn metal films were deposited by thermal evaporation, on various substrates. • Upon annealing Zn there is transformation of the Zn nanosheets into ZnO nanowires. • ZnO nanowires are superhydrophobic and exhibit wetting transition on UV exposure. • ZnO will be useful in self-cleaning, mechanical and oxidation resistance surfaces. - Abstract: Nanostructured Zn metal films were deposited by thermal evaporation, on borosilicate glass, Quartz, sapphire, lanthanum aluminate and yttria stabilized zirconia substrates. The as-deposited films are nanocrystalline and show a morphology that consists of triangular nanosheets. The films are hydrophobic with contact angles between 102° and 120° with hardness and Young's modulus between 0.15–0.8 GPa and 18–300 GPa, respectively. Thermal annealing of the films at 500 °C results only in partial oxidation of Zn to ZnO, which indicates good oxidation resistance. Annealing also causes transformation of the Zn nanosheets into ZnO nanowires that are polycrystalline in nature. The ZnO nanowires are superhydrophobic with contact angles between 159° and 162°, contact angle hysteresis between 5° and 10° and exhibit a reversible superhydrophobic–hydrophilic transition under UV irradiation. The nanowires are much softer than the as-deposited Zn metal films, with hardness between 0.02 and 0.4 GPa and Young's modulus between 3 and 35 GPa. The current study thus demonstrates a simple process for fabrication of nanostructured Zn metal films followed by a one-step transformation to nanowires with properties that will be very attractive for mechanical and self-cleaning applications.

Surface plasmon microscopy with low-cost metallic nanostructures for biosensing I

Science.gov (United States)

Lindquist, Nathan; Oh, Sang-Hyun; Otto, Lauren

2012-02-01

The field of plasmonics aims to manipulate light over dimensions smaller than the optical wavelength by exploiting surface plasmon resonances in metallic films. Typically, surface plasmons are excited by illuminating metallic nanostructures. For meaningful research in this exciting area, the fabrication of high-quality nanostructures is critical, and in an undergraduate setting, low-cost methods are desirable. Careful optical characterization of the metallic nanostructures is also required. Here, we present the use of novel, inexpensive nanofabrication techniques and the development of a customized surface plasmon microscopy setup for interdisciplinary undergraduate experiments in biosensing, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, and surface plasmon imaging. A Bethel undergraduate student performs the nanofabrication in collaboration with the University of Minnesota. The rewards of mentoring undergraduate students in cooperation with a large research university are numerous, exposing them to a wide variety of opportunities. This research also interacts with upper-level, open-ended laboratory projects, summer research, a semester-long senior research experience, and will enable a large range of experiments into the future.

Investigation of morphological changes in platinum-containing nanostructures created by electron-beam-induced deposition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Botman, A.; Hesselberth, M.; Mulders, J.J.L.

2008-01-01

Focused electron-beam-induced deposition (EBID) allows the rapid fabrication of three-dimensional nanodevices and metallic wiring of nanostructures, and is a promising technique for many applications in nanoresearch. The authors present two topics on platinum-containing nanostructures created by

Carbon nanostructured films modified by metal nanoparticles supported on filtering membranes for electroanalysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Paramo, Erica; Palmero, Susana; Heras, Aranzazu; Colina, Alvaro

2018-02-01

A novel methodology to prepare sensors based on carbon nanostructures electrodes modified by metal nanoparticles is proposed. As a proof of concept, a novel bismuth nanoparticle/carbon nanofiber (Bi-NPs/CNF) electrode and a carbon nanotube (CNT)/gold nanoparticle (Au-NPs) have been developed. Bi-NPs/CNF films were prepared by 1) filtering a dispersion of CNFs on a polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) filter, and 2) filtering a dispersion of Bi-NPs chemically synthesized through this CNF/PTFE film. Next the electrode is prepared by sticking the Bi-NPs/CNF/PTFE film on a PET substrate. In this work, Bi-NPs/CNF ratio was optimized using a Cd 2+ solution as a probe sample. The Cd anodic stripping peak intensity, registered by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV), is selected as target signal. The voltammograms registered for Cd stripping with this Bi-NPs/CNF/PTFE electrode showed well-defined and highly reproducible electrochemical. The optimized Bi-NPs/CNF electrode exhibits a Cd 2+ detection limit of 53.57 ppb. To demonstrate the utility and versatility of this methodology, single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) were selected to prepare a completely different electrode. Thus, the new Au-NPs/SWCNT/PTFE electrode was tested with a multiresponse technique. In this case, UV/Vis absorption spectroelectrochemistry experiments were carried out for studying dopamine, demonstrating the good performance of the Au-NPs/SWCNT electrode developed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analytical model of the optical response of periodically structured metallic films.

Science.gov (United States)

Benabbas, A; Halté, V; Bigot, J-Y

2005-10-31

In this paper we investigate the optical response of periodically structured metallic films constituted of sub-wavelength apertures. Our approach consists in studying the diffraction of transverse magnetic polarized electromagnetic waves by a one-dimensional grating. The method that we use is the Rigorous Coupled Waves Analysis allowing us to obtain an analytical model to calculate the diffraction efficiencies. The zero and first order terms allow determining the transmission, reflectivity and absorption of symmetric or asymmetric nanostructures surrounded either by identical or different dielectric media. For both type of nanostructures the spectral shape of the enhanced resonant transmission associated to surface plasmons displays a Fano profile. In the case of symmetric nanostructures, we study the conditions of formation of coupled surface plasmon-polaritons as well as their effect on the optical response of the modulated structure. For asymmetric nanostructures, we discuss the non-reciprocity of the reflectivity and we investigate the spectral dependency of the enhanced resonant transmission on the refractive index of the dielectric surrounding the metal film.

The role of film composition and nanostructuration on the polyphenol sensor performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cibely Silva Martin

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The recent advances in the supramolecular control in nanostructured films have improved the performance of organic-based devices. However, the effect of different supramolecular arrangement on the sensor or biosensor performance is poorly studied yet. In this paper, we show the role of the composition and nanostructuration of the films on the impedance and voltammetric-based sensor performance to catechol detection. The films here studied were composed by a perylene derivative (PTCD-NH2 and a metallic phthalocyanine (FePc, using Langmuir-Blodgett (LB and physical vapor deposition (PVD techniques. The deposition technique and intrinsic properties of compounds showed influence on electrical and electrocatalytic responses. The PVD PTCD-NH2 shows the best sensor performance to the detection of catechol. Quantification of catechol contents in mate tea samples was also evaluated, and the results showed good agreement compared with Folin-Ciocalteu standard method for polyphenol detection.

Method for nanomodulation of metallic thin films following the replica-antireplica process based on porous alumina membranes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palma, J.L. [Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Central de Chile, Santa Isabel 1186, 8330601 Santiago (Chile); Center for the Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CEDENNA), 9170124 Santiago (Chile); Denardin, J.C.; Escrig, J. [Departamento de Física, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Avda. Ecuador 3493, 9170124 Santiago (Chile); Center for the Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CEDENNA), 9170124 Santiago (Chile)

2017-03-15

In this paper we have introduced a method for modulation of metallic thin films by sputtering of metals on anodized aluminum templates. Using a high deposition rate during deposition of the non-magnetic metal on the Al pattern, we have separated the two metallic surfaces and, thus, imprinted a pattern of nanohills on a non-magnetic metallic film, such as Au, Ag or Cu. The morphology of the nanostructured metallic films was determined by scanning electron microscopy. Thus, we have confirmed that the ordering degree of the Al template remained after the replication process. Additionally, and as an example of use of these films, we have prepared Supermalloy thin films deposited by sputtering onto these nanostructured non-magnetic metals. The room temperature magnetic behavior of these thin films is also studied. Interestingly, we have found that when the external magnetic field is applied out of plane of the substrate, the coercivity increases linearly as we increase the radius of the nanohills. These soft magnetic films can open new opportunities for magnetic field sensor applications. - Highlights: • A very soft magnetic film is investigated on ordered nanohills. • It is possible to imprint a metallic pattern directly from the etched aluminum foil. • These nanopatterned substrates add an additional degree of freedom. • A method for modulation of metallic thin films.

Commercial Implementation of Model-Based Manufacturing of Nanostructured Metals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lowe, Terry C. [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2012-07-24

Computational modeling is an essential tool for commercial production of nanostructured metals. Strength is limited by imperfections at the high strength levels that are achievable in nanostructured metals. Processing to achieve homogeneity at the micro- and nano-scales is critical. Manufacturing of nanostructured metals is intrinsically a multi-scale problem. Manufacturing of nanostructured metal products requires computer control, monitoring and modeling. Large scale manufacturing of bulk nanostructured metals by Severe Plastic Deformation is a multi-scale problem. Computational modeling at all scales is essential. Multiple scales of modeling must be integrated to predict and control nanostructural, microstructural, macrostructural product characteristics and production processes.

Ultrafast direct imprinting of nanostructures in metals by pulsed laser melting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cui Bo; Keimel, Chris; Chou, Stephen Y

2010-01-01

We report a method of one-step direct patterning of metallic nanostructures. In the method, termed laser assisted direct imprinting (LADI), the surface of a metal film on a substrate is melted by a single excimer laser pulse and subsequently imprinted within ∼100 ns using a transparent quartz mold, while the substrate is kept at a low temperature and in a solid phase. Using LADI, we imprinted gratings with ∼100 nm linewidth, 100 nm depth, and 200 nm pitch, as well as isolated mesas of ∼20 μm size, in Al, Au, Cu and Ni thin films. We found that the quartz mold was able to imprint metals even at temperatures higher than its melting point. The technique could be extended to other metals regardless of their ductility and hardness, and would find applications in photonic and plasmonic device production.

Nanostructured hybrid films containing nanophosphor: Fabrication and electronic spectral properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Camacho, S.A. [Instituto de Biociencias, Letras e Ciencias Exatas, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Rua Cristovao Colombo, 2265, 15054-000 Sao Jose do Rio Preto, SP (Brazil); Aoki, P.H.B.; Constantino, C.J.L. [Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Rua Roberto Simonsen, 305, 19060-900 Presidente Prudente, SP (Brazil); Aroca, R.F. [Materials and Surface Science Group, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ont., Canada N9B3P4 (Canada); Pires, A.M., E-mail: anapires@fct.unesp.br [Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Rua Roberto Simonsen, 305, 19060-900 Presidente Prudente, SP (Brazil)

2012-11-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Hybrid film containing the cationic polyelectrolyte PAH and Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}: Er, Yb nanophosphor. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer LbL film growth was monitored by absorbance x concentration in UV-Vis absorption. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer FTIR indicated existence of secondary interactions between PAH - nanophosphor layers. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The morphology and the spatial distribution of the LbL film were analyzed by Raman. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We observed intense electronic emission lines from doping ions in the micro-Raman. - Abstract: The intensive research of the optical properties of rare-earth ions is due to the high quantum efficiency of their emission, very narrow bands, and excellent fluorescence monochromaticity. The photoluminescence data presented here show that the nanophosphor remains a green emitter in Layer-by-Layer (LbL) films leading to potential application in optical devices or biological labeling. The LbL technique, an established method for thin film fabrication with molecular architecture control, is used in the manufacture of a hybrid film containing the cationic polyelectrolyte poly (allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}: Er, Yb nanophosphor. The spectroscopic properties of this luminescent nanomaterial are extracted from the spectral data of the powder, cast film and LbL films. The growth of the LbL film was monitored by absorbance versus concentration plots in ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopy. The presence of both PAH and nanophosphor in the LbL film was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) absorption spectroscopy. The FTIR data also ruled out the existence of chemical interactions between the PAH and nanophosphor layers, which means that secondary interactions (like Van der Waals forces) might be the driving forces for LbL film growth. The morphology and the spatial distribution of the LbL film components along the film surface were

Structured nanoporous surfaces from hybrid block copolymer micelle films with metal ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Minsoo P; Yi, Gi-Ra; Kim, Hyeong Jun; Kim, Bumjoon J

2015-01-01

We present a novel method for producing structured nanoporous thin films using block copolymer (BCP) micelles loaded with metallic ions. The BCP micellar thin films containing gold (Au) ions were prepared by spin-coating poly(styrene-block-4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) micelle solutions in which Au precursors (AuCl 4 − ) were selectively loaded onto the P4VP core. When the micellar films were exposed to cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) solutions, the Au precursors were selectively extracted from the P4VP domains due to their strong electrostatic interaction with CTAB, leading to the formation of pores in the micelles. Consequently, regularly patterned nanoporous surfaces were formed. By controlling the molecular weight (M n ) of PS-b-P4VP and the amount of Au precursors (λ) that were loaded in the P4VP domains, the pore size and depth could be tuned precisely. In particular, when a sufficient amount of Au precursors was loaded (λ  ≥ 0.3), the porous surface nanostructure was well developed. In addition, the pore size and depth of the nanostructure increased as the λ value increased. For instance, when the λ value increased from 0.3 to 1.0, the pore size increased from 22.8 nm to 28.8 nm, and the pore depth increased from 2.1 nm to 3.2 nm. Interestingly, the transition from the nonporous structures to the porous structures in the micellar film could be reversibly controlled by adding and removing the Au precursors in the film. Moreover, our method for the preparation of nanoporous films can be extended to micellar film by incorporating other metal ions such as silver (Ag) and iron (Fe). (paper)

Stress reduction in tungsten films using nanostructured compliant layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karabacak, Tansel; Picu, Catalin R.; Senkevich, Jay J.; Wang, G.-C.; Lu, T.-M.

2004-01-01

The residual stress in thin films is a major limiting factor for obtaining high quality films. We present a strategy for stress reduction in sputter deposited films by using a nanostructured compliant layer obtained by the oblique angle deposition technique, sandwiched between the film and the substrate. The technique is all in situ, does not require any lithography steps, and the nanostructured layer is made from the same material as the deposited thin film. By using this approach we were able to reduce stress values by approximately one order of magnitude in sputter deposited tungsten films. These lower stress thin films also exhibit stronger adhesion to the substrate, which retards delamination buckling. This technique allows the growth of much thicker films and has enhanced structural stability. A model is developed to explain the stress relief mechanism and the stronger adhesion associated with the presence of the nanostructured compliant layer

Unexpected formation by pulsed laser deposition of nanostructured Fe/olivine thin films on MgO substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Legrand, C.; Dupont, L.; Davoisne, C.; Le Marrec, F.; Perriere, J.; Baudrin, E.

2011-01-01

Olivine-type LiFePO 4 thin films were grown on MgO (1 0 0) substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The formation of an original nanostructure is evidenced by transmission electron microscopy measurements. Indeed, on focused ion beam prepared cross sections of the thin film, we observe, the amazing formation of metallic iron/olivine nanostructures. The appearance of such a structure is explained owing to a topotactic relation between the two phases as well as a strong Mg diffusion from the substrate to the film surface. Magnesium migration is thus concomitant with the creation of metallic iron domains that grow from the core of the film to the surface leading to large protuberances. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on iron extrusion from the olivine-type LiFePO 4 . -- Graphical Abstract: HRTEM image of olivine/Fe nanostructure obtained by PLD. Display Omitted Research highlights: → This manuscript describes the attempt to prepare textured LiFePO 4 by PLD. This is presently a challenge to better understand the physical properties of the material, used as cathode in lithium ion batteries. → We describe for the first time the iron extrusion from this material. Indeed, there were recent reports on the possible non-stoichiometry, i.e. lithium or oxygen. However, on the iron side, only some defect were observed for hydrothermally prepared material but the extrusion is new in this paper. → We prepared interesting nanostructures which could be used for different fundamental studies: electric and magnetic measurements.

Transparent and conductive electrodes by large-scale nanostructuring of noble metal thin-films

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Linnet, Jes; Runge Walther, Anders; Wolff, Christian

grid, and nano-wire thin-films [1]. The indium and carbon films do not match the chemical stability nor the electrical performance of the noble metals, and many metal films are not uniform in material distribution leading to significant surface roughness and randomized transmission haze. We demonstrate...

Nanostructured films of inorganic-organic hybrid materials for application in photovoltaics; Nanostrukturierte Filme aus anorganisch-organischen Hybridmaterialien fuer die Photovoltaik

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perlich, Jan

2009-06-25

Nanostructured thin films of crystalline TiO{sub 2} for applications in photovoltaics were studied. The fabrication of the thin films is based on a hybrid approach. The anorganic metal oxide prepared via a sol-gel synthesis is structurated by the template properties of the applied organic block-copolymer. Via the film epitaxy by means of centrifugal coating first hybrid films (polymer-nanocomposite films) were fabricated, which were changed by calcination into crystalline TiO{sub 2} films with taylored morphology. The successful development of novel preparation approaches to the adaption to consisting conditions in the application field of photovoltaics contains a route to the fine-tuning of the morphology as well as the fabrication of hierarchical morphologies in different configurations. The structural study of the single nanostructurated TiO{sub 2} films up to the functional multilayer arrangement as photovoltaic demonstration cell was performed with conventionally imaging methods, as for instance scanning force microscopy and electron microscopy as well as the special small-angle X-ray scattering method under rigid incident angle (GISAXS). [German] Es wurden nanostrukturierte duenne Filme aus kristallinem TiO{sub 2} fuer Anwendungen in der Photovoltaik untersucht. Die Herstellung der duennen Filme basiert auf einem Hybridansatz. Das ueber eine Sol-Gel-Synthese bereitgestellte anorganische Metalloxid wird durch die Template-Eigenschaften des eingesetzten organischen Block-Copolymers strukturiert. Ueber die Filmaufbringung mittels Schleuderbeschichtung wurden zunaechst Hybridfilme (Polymer-Nanokompositfilme) hergestellt, die durch Kalzinierung in kristalline TiO{sub 2}-Filme mit massgeschneiderter Morphologie umgewandelt werden. Die erfolgreiche Entwicklung von neuartigen Praeparationsansaetzen zur Adaption an bestehende Gegebenheiten im Anwendungsgebiet der Photovoltaik beinhaltet eine Route zur Feineinstellung der Morphologie sowie die Herstellung von

Coupled Optical Tamm States in a Planar Dielectric Mirror Structure Containing a Thin Metal Film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Hai-Chun; Yang Guang; Lu Pei-Xiang; Wang Kai; Long Hua

2012-01-01

The coupling between two optical Tamm states (OTSs) with the same eigenenergy is numerically investigated in a planar dielectric mirror structure containing a thin metal film. The reflectivity map in this structure at normal incidence is obtained by applying the transfer matrix method. Two splitting branches appear in the photonic bandgap region when both adjacent dielectric layers of metal film are properly set. The splitting energy of two branches strongly depends on the thickness of the metal film. According to the electric field distribution in this structure, it is found that the high-energy branch corresponds to the antisymmetric coupling between two OTSs, while the low-energy branch is associated with the symmetric coupling between two OTSs. Moreover, the optical difference frequency of two branches is located in a broad terahertz region. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

Metal chalcogenide nanostructures for renewable energy applications

CERN Document Server

Qurashi, Ahsanulhaq

2014-01-01

This first ever reference book that focuses on metal chalcogenide semiconductor nanostructures for renewable energy applications encapsulates the state-of-the-art in multidisciplinary research on the metal chalcogenide semiconductor nanostructures (nanocrystals, nanoparticles, nanorods, nanowires,  nanobelts, nanoflowers, nanoribbons and more).  The properties and synthesis of a class of nanomaterials is essential to renewable energy manufacturing and this book focuses on the synthesis of metal chalcogendie nanostructures, their growth mechanism, optical, electrical, and other important prop

Percolation-enhanced nonlinear scattering from semicontinuous metal films

Science.gov (United States)

Breit, M.; von Plessen, G.; Feldmann, J.; Podolskiy, V. A.; Sarychev, A. K.; Shalaev, V. M.; Gresillon, S.; Rivoal, J. C.; Gadenne, P.

2001-03-01

Strongly enhanced second-harmonic generation (SHG), which is characterized by nearly isotropic distribution, is observed for gold-glass films near the percolation threshold. The diffuse-like SHG scattering, which can be thought of as nonlinear critical opalescence, is in sharp contrast with highly collimated linear reflection and transmission from these nanostructured semicontinuous metal films. Our observations, which can be explained by giant fluctuations of local nonlinear sources for SHG, verify recent predictions of percolation-enhanced nonlinear scattering.

Numerical simulations of nanostructured gold films

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Repän, Taavi; Frydendahl, Christian; Novikov, Sergey M.

2017-01-01

We present an approach to analyse near-field effects on nanostructured gold films by finite element simulations. The studied samples are formed by fabricating gold films near the percolation threshold and then applying laser damage. Resulting samples have complicated structures, which...

A general strategy toward the rational synthesis of metal tungstate nanostructures using plasma electrolytic oxidation method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, Yanan; Liu, Baodan, E-mail: baodanliu@imr.ac.cn; Zhai, Zhaofeng; Liu, Xiaoyuan; Yang, Bing; Liu, Lusheng; Jiang, Xin, E-mail: xjiang@imr.ac.cn

2015-11-30

Graphical abstract: A general strategy for the rational synthesis of tungstate nanostructure has been developed based on plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) technology (up). Using this method, ZnWO{sub 4} and NiWO{sub 4} nanostructures with controllable morphologies and superior crystallinity can be easily obtained (down), showing obvious advantage in comparison with conventional hydrothermal and sol–gel methods. - Highlights: • Plasma electrolyte oxidation (PEO) method has been used for the rational synthesis of tungstate nanostructures. • ZnWO{sub 4} nanoplates have strong mechanical adhesion with porous TiO{sub 2} film substrate. • The morphology and dimensional size of ZnWO{sub 4} nanostructures can be selectively tailored by controlling the annealing temperature and growth time. • The PEO method can be widely applied to the growth of various metal oxides. - Abstract: A new method based on conventional plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) technology has been developed for the rational synthesis of metal tungstate nanostructures. Using this method, ZnWO{sub 4} and NiWO{sub 4} nanostructures with controllable morphologies (nanorods, nanosheets and microsheets) and superior crystallinity have been synthesized. It has been found that the morphology diversity of ZnWO{sub 4} nanostructures can be selectively tailored through tuning the electrolyte concentration and annealing temperatures, showing obvious advantages in comparison to traditional hydrothermal and sol–gel methods. Precise microscopy analyses on the cross section of the PEO coating and ZnWO{sub 4} nanostructures confirmed that the precursors initially precipitated in the PEO coating and its surface during plasma discharge process are responsible for the nucleation and subsequent growth of metal tungstate nanostructures by thermal annealing. The method developed in this work represents a general strategy toward the rational synthesis of metal oxide nanostructures and the formation mechanism of

A general strategy toward the rational synthesis of metal tungstate nanostructures using plasma electrolytic oxidation method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, Yanan; Liu, Baodan; Zhai, Zhaofeng; Liu, Xiaoyuan; Yang, Bing; Liu, Lusheng; Jiang, Xin

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: A general strategy for the rational synthesis of tungstate nanostructure has been developed based on plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) technology (up). Using this method, ZnWO 4 and NiWO 4 nanostructures with controllable morphologies and superior crystallinity can be easily obtained (down), showing obvious advantage in comparison with conventional hydrothermal and sol–gel methods. - Highlights: • Plasma electrolyte oxidation (PEO) method has been used for the rational synthesis of tungstate nanostructures. • ZnWO 4 nanoplates have strong mechanical adhesion with porous TiO 2 film substrate. • The morphology and dimensional size of ZnWO 4 nanostructures can be selectively tailored by controlling the annealing temperature and growth time. • The PEO method can be widely applied to the growth of various metal oxides. - Abstract: A new method based on conventional plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) technology has been developed for the rational synthesis of metal tungstate nanostructures. Using this method, ZnWO 4 and NiWO 4 nanostructures with controllable morphologies (nanorods, nanosheets and microsheets) and superior crystallinity have been synthesized. It has been found that the morphology diversity of ZnWO 4 nanostructures can be selectively tailored through tuning the electrolyte concentration and annealing temperatures, showing obvious advantages in comparison to traditional hydrothermal and sol–gel methods. Precise microscopy analyses on the cross section of the PEO coating and ZnWO 4 nanostructures confirmed that the precursors initially precipitated in the PEO coating and its surface during plasma discharge process are responsible for the nucleation and subsequent growth of metal tungstate nanostructures by thermal annealing. The method developed in this work represents a general strategy toward the rational synthesis of metal oxide nanostructures and the formation mechanism of metal tungstate nanostructures fabricated by

Transparent and conductive electrodes by large-scale nano-structuring of noble metal thin-films

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Linnet, Jes; Runge Walther, Anders; Wolff, Christian

2018-01-01

grid, and nano-wire thin-films. The indium and carbon films do not match the chemical stability nor the electrical performance of the noble metals, and many metal films are not uniform in material distribution leading to significant surface roughness and randomized transmission haze. We demonstrate...... solution-processed masks for physical vapor-deposited metal electrodes consisting of hexagonally ordered aperture arrays with scalable aperture-size and spacing in an otherwise homogeneous noble metal thin-film that may exhibit better electrical performance than carbon nanotube-based thin-films...... for equivalent optical transparency. The fabricated electrodes are characterized optically and electrically by measuring transmittance and sheet resistance. The presented methods yield large-scale reproducible results. Experimentally realized thin-films with very low sheet resistance, Rsh = 2.01 ± 0.14 Ω...

Nanostructured thin film coatings with different strengthening effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Panfilov Yury

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A number of articles on strengthening thin film coatings were analyzed and a lot of unusual strengthening effects, such as super high hardness and plasticity simultaneously, ultra low friction coefficient, high wear-resistance, curve rigidity increasing of drills with small diameter, associated with process formation of nanostructured coatings by the different thin film deposition methods were detected. Vacuum coater with RF magnetron sputtering system and ion-beam source and arc evaporator for nanostructured thin film coating manufacture are represented. Diamond Like Carbon and MoS2 thin film coatings, Ti, Al, Nb, Cr, nitride, carbide, and carbo-nitride thin film materials are described as strengthening coatings.

Antimicrobial and anti-biofilm properties of polypropylene meshes coated with metal-containing DLC thin films.

Science.gov (United States)

Cazalini, Elisa M; Miyakawa, Walter; Teodoro, Guilherme R; Sobrinho, Argemiro S S; Matieli, José E; Massi, Marcos; Koga-Ito, Cristiane Y

2017-06-01

A promising strategy to reduce nosocomial infections related to prosthetic meshes is the prevention of microbial colonization. To this aim, prosthetic meshes coated with antimicrobial thin films are proposed. Commercial polypropylene meshes were coated with metal-containing diamond-like carbon (Me-DLC) thin films by the magnetron sputtering technique. Several dissimilar metals (silver, cobalt, indium, tungsten, tin, aluminum, chromium, zinc, manganese, tantalum, and titanium) were tested and compositional analyses of each Me-DLC were performed by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. Antimicrobial activities of the films against five microbial species (Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis) were also investigated by a modified Kirby-Bauer test. Results showed that films containing silver and cobalt have inhibited the growth of all microbial species. Tungsten-DLC, tin-DLC, aluminum-DLC, zinc-DLC, manganese-DLC, and tantalum-DLC inhibited the growth of some strains, while chromium- and titanium-DLC weakly inhibited the growth of only one tested strain. In-DLC film showed no antimicrobial activity. The effects of tungsten-DLC and cobalt-DLC on Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation were also assessed. Tungsten-DLC was able to significantly reduce biofilm formation. Overall, the experimental results in the present study have shown new approaches to coating polymeric biomaterials aiming antimicrobial effect.

Failure of metals III: Fracture and fatigue of nanostructured metallic materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pineau, André; Amine Benzerga, A.; Pardoen, Thomas

2016-01-01

Pushing the internal or external dimensions of metallic alloys down to the nanometer scale gives rise to strong materials, though most often at the expense of a low ductility and a low resistance to cracking, with negative impact on the transfer to engineering applications. These characteristics are observed, with some exceptions, in bulk ultra-fine grained and nanocrystalline metals, nano-twinned metals, thin metallic coatings on substrates and freestanding thin metallic films and nanowires. This overview encompasses all these systems to reveal commonalities in the origins of the lack of ductility and fracture resistance, in factors governing fatigue resistance, and in ways to improve properties. After surveying the various processing methods and key deformation mechanisms, we systematically address the current state of the art in terms of plastic localization, damage, static and fatigue cracking, for three classes of systems: (1) bulk ultra-fine grained and nanocrystalline metals, (2) thin metallic films on substrates, and (3) 1D and 2D freestanding micro and nanoscale systems. In doing so, we aim to favour cross-fertilization between progress made in the fields of mechanics of thin films, nanomechanics, fundamental researches in bulk nanocrystalline metals and metallurgy to impart enhanced resistance to fracture and fatigue in high-strength nanostructured systems. This involves exploiting intrinsic mechanisms, e.g. to enhance hardening and rate-sensitivity so as to delay necking, or improve grain-boundary cohesion to resist intergranular cracks or voids. Extrinsic methods can also be utilized such as by hybridizing the metal with another material to delocalize the deformation - as practiced in stretchable electronics. Fatigue crack initiation is in principle improved by a fine structure, but at the expense of larger fatigue crack growth rates. Extrinsic toughening through hybridization allows arresting or bridging cracks. The content and discussions are based on

Modes of interaction between nanostructured metal and a conducting mirror as a function of separation and incident polarization

Science.gov (United States)

Bonnie, F.; Arnold, M. D.; Smith, G. B.; Gentle, A. R.

2013-09-01

The optical resonances that occur in nanostructured metal layers are modulated in thin film stacks if the nanostructured layer is separated from a reflecting conducting layer by various thicknesses of thin dielectric. We have measured and modeled the optical response of interacting silver layers, with alumina spacer thickness ranging from a few nm to 50 nm, for s- and p-polarized incident light, and a range of incident angles. Standard thin film models, including standard effective medium models for the nanostructured layer, will break down for spacer thickness below a critical threshold. For example, with polarisation in the film plane and some nano-islands, it may occur at around 10 nm depending on spacer refractive index. Of particular interest here are novel effects observed with the onset of percolation in the nanolayer. Hot spot effects can be modified by nearby mirrors. Other modes to consider include (a) a two-particle mode involving a particle and its mirror image (b) A Fano resonance from hybridisation of localized and de-localised plasmon modes (c) a Babinet's core-(partial) shell particle with metal core-dielectric shell in metal (d) spacing dependent phase modulation (e) the impact of field gradients induced by the mirror at the nano-layer.

Nanostructures via DNA scaffold metallization

OpenAIRE

Ning, C.; Zinchenko, A.; Baigl, D.; Pyshkina, O.; Sergeyev, V.; Endo, Kazunaka; Yoshikawa, K.

2005-01-01

The critical role of polymers in process of noble metals nanostructures formation is well known, however, the use of DNA chain template in this process is yet largely unknown. In this study we demonstrate different ways of silver deposition on DNA template and report the influence of silver nanostructures formation on DNA conformational state. Metallization of DNA chain proceeds by two different scenarios depending on DNA conformation. If DNA chain is unfolded (elongated) chain, silver reduct...

Composition and morphology of metal-containing diamond-like carbon films obtained by reactive magnetron sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corbella, C.; Pascual, E.; Oncins, G.; Canal, C.; Andujar, J.L.; Bertran, E.

2005-01-01

The addition of metal atoms within the matrix of diamond-like carbon films leads to the improvement of their mechanical properties. The present paper discusses the relationship between the composition and morphology of metal-containing (W, Nb, Mo, Ti) diamond-like carbon thin films deposited at room temperature by reactive magnetron sputtering from a metal target in an argon and methane atmosphere. Composition was measured either by electron microprobe technique or by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and shows a smooth variation with relative methane flow. High relative methane flows lead to a bulk saturation of carbon atoms, which leads to a lack of homogeneity in the films as confirmed by secondary ion mass spectrometry. Cross-section micrographs were observed by transmission electron microscopy and revealed a structure strongly influenced by the metal inserted and its abundance. The surface pattern obtained by scanning electrochemical potential microscopy provided the metallicity distribution. These measurements were completed with atomic force microscopy of the surface. Selected area electron diffraction and X-ray diffraction measurements provided data of the crystalline structure along with nano-crystallite size. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy provided images of these crystallites

Self-organized formation of metal-carbon nanostructures by hyperthermal ion deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hannstein, I.K.

2006-04-26

The quasi-simultaneous deposition of mass-selected hyperthermal carbon and metal ions results in a variety of interesting film morphologies, depending on the metal used and the deposition conditions. The observed features are of the order of a few nanometres and are therefore interesting for future potential applications in the various fields of nanotechnology. The present study focuses on the structural analysis of amorphous carbon films containing either copper, silver, gold, or iron using amongst others Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy, High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy, and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy. The film morphologies found are as follows: copper-containing films consist of copper nanoclusters with sizes ranging from about 3 to 9 nm uniformly distributed throughout the amorphous carbon matrix. The cluster size hereby rises with the copper content of the films. The silver containing films decompose into a pure amorphous carbon film with silver agglomerates at the surface. Both, the gold- and the iron-containing films show a multilayer structure of metal-rich layers with higher cluster density separated by metal-depleted amorphous carbon layers. The layer distances are of the order of up to 15 nm in the case of gold-carbon films and 7 nm in the case of iron-carbon films. The formation of theses different structures cannot be treated in the context of conventional self-organization mechanisms basing upon thermal diffusion and equilibrium thermodynamics. Instead, an ion-induced atomic transport, sputtering effects, and the stability of small metal clusters were taken into account in order to model the structure formation processes. A similar multilayer morphology was recently also reported in the literature for metal-carbon films grown by magnetron sputtering techniques. In order to investigate, whether the mechanisms are the same as in the case of the ion beam deposited films described above, first experiments were conducted

Enhanced Absorption in Organic Thin-Films from Imprinted Concave Nanostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arkadiusz Jarosław GOSZCZAK

2017-02-01

Full Text Available In this work, a rapid, replicable method for imprinting concave nanostructures to be used as functional light-trapping nanostructures in organic thin-films is presented. Porous anodic alumina templates were fabricated both by anodization of thick Al foils and by anodization of submicrometer thin Al films evaporated via e-beam evaporation on Si substrates. The template formation leads to natural patterning of the underlying Al layers that are used as rigid masters for stamp fabrication, after selective etching of the porous anodic alumina. PDMS stamps were made after replicating the Al concave patterns and used for imprinting of spin coated photoresist on glass substrates. We have investigated semi-periodic and aperiodic imprinted large concave patterns fabricated from rigid masters after anodization of Al in H3PO4. We show that metal covered imprinted concaves show enhancement in absorption that is attributed to field enhancement and diffuse scattering, leading to efficient light trapping for a selected active layer material (P3HT:PCBM.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.23.1.14188

Electronic Tongue Based on Nanostructured Hybrid Films of Gold Nanoparticles and Phthalocyanines for Milk Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luiza A. Mercante

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The use of gold nanoparticles combined with other organic and inorganic materials for designing nanostructured films has demonstrated their versatility for various applications, including optoelectronic devices and chemical sensors. In this study, we reported the synthesis and characterization of gold nanoparticles stabilized with poly(allylamine hydrochloride (Au@PAH NPs, as well as the capability of this material to form multilayer Layer-by-Layer (LbL nanostructured films with metal tetrasulfonated phthalocyanines (MTsPc. Film growth was monitored by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR. Once LbL films have been applied as active layers in chemical sensors, Au@PAH/MTsPc and PAH/MTsPc LbL films were used in an electronic tongue system for milk analysis regarding fat content. The capacitance data were treated using Principal Component Analysis (PCA, revealing the role played by the gold nanoparticles on the LbL films electrical properties, enabling this kind of system to be used for analyzing complex matrices such as milk without any prior pretreatment.

Transparent and conductive electrodes by large-scale nano-structuring of noble metal thin-films

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Linnet, Jes; Runge Walther, Anders; Wolff, Christian

2018-01-01

grid, and nano-wire thin-films. The indium and carbon films do not match the chemical stability nor the electrical performance of the noble metals, and many metal films are not uniform in material distribution leading to significant surface roughness and randomized transmission haze. We demonstrate...

Growth of metal and semiconductor nanostructures using localized photocatalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shelnutt, John A. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Wang, Zhongchun [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Medforth, Craig J. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2006-03-08

Our overall goal has been to understand and develop a light-driven approach to the controlled growth of novel metal and semiconductor nanostructures and nanomaterials. In this photochemical process, bio-inspired porphyrin-based photocatalysts reduce metal salts in aqueous solutions at ambient temperatures when exposed to visible light, providing metal nucleation and growth centers. The photocatalyst molecules are pre-positioned at the nanoscale to control the location of the deposition of metal and therefore the morphology of the nanostructures that are grown. Self-assembly, chemical confinement, and molecular templating are some of the methods we are using for nanoscale positioning of the photocatalyst molecules. When exposed to light, each photocatalyst molecule repeatedly reduces metal ions from solution, leading to deposition near the photocatalyst and ultimately the synthesis of new metallic nanostructures and nanostructured materials. Studies of the photocatalytic growth process and the resulting nanostructures address a number of fundamental biological, chemical, and environmental issues and draw on the combined nanoscience characterization and multi-scale simulation capabilities of the new DOE Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies at Sandia National Laboratories and the University of Georgia. Our main goals are to elucidate the processes involved in the photocatalytic growth of metal nanomaterials and provide the scientific basis for controlled nanosynthesis. The nanomaterials resulting from these studies have applications in nanoelectronics, photonics, sensors, catalysis, and micromechanical systems. Our specific goals for the past three years have been to understand the role of photocatalysis in the synthesis of dendritic metal (Pt, Pd, Au) nanostructures grown from aqueous surfactant solutions under ambient conditions and the synthesis of photocatalytic porphyrin nanostructures (e.g., nanotubes) as templates for fabrication of photo-active metal

Characterization of nanostructured ZnO thin films deposited through vacuum evaporation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jose Alberto Alvarado

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This work presents a novel technique to deposit ZnO thin films through a metal vacuum evaporation technique using colloidal nanoparticles (average size of 30 nm, which were synthesized by our research group, as source. These thin films had a thickness between 45 and 123 nm as measured by profilometry. XRD patterns of the deposited thin films were obtained. According to the HRSEM micrographs worm-shaped nanostructures are observed in samples annealed at 600 °C and this characteristic disappears as the annealing temperature increases. The films obtained were annealed from 25 to 1000 °C, showing a gradual increase in transmittance spectra up to 85%. The optical band gaps obtained for these films are about 3.22 eV. The PL measurement shows an emission in the red and in the violet region and there is a correlation with the annealing process.

Towards Near-Infrared Photosensitization of Tungsten Trioxide Nanostructured Films by Upconverting Nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Venne, Frederic

Nanostructured metal oxides semiconductors are widely used in solar energy related applications, such as in dye-sensitized solar cells. Tungsten trioxide (WO3) is an electrochromic material, extensively investigated in solar energy conversion (e.g. photoelectrochemistry) and conservation (e.g. electrochromism). However, WO3, because of its wide bandgap (≈ 2.5 eV), is transparent to an important portion of the solar spectrum and can effectively absorb light only up to ca. 500 nm, which limits the power conversion efficiency of devices based thereon. Upconverting materials can absorb several low-energy photons to emit one high-energy photon. In particular, upconverting nanoparticles are widely studied in biomedical and solar energy applications, as they can transform two or several infrared photons in a visible photon. As the Sun contains important NIR and IR portion, UCNPs are interesting candidates to transform NIR or IR light into visible light to be absorbed by wide bandgap semiconductor, such as metal oxides. The work presented in this master's thesis consists in embedding NaGdF4:Er3+, Yb3+ UCNPs into a nanostructured WO3 matrix. The objective is to increase the power conversion efficiency of WO3 after solar light harvesting. The integration of two materials with nanostructured nature has the potential to lead to a good synergy between them. We include an article in this master's thesis. In this article, we report on the mixing of NaGdF4:Er3+, Yb 3+ UCNPs with WO3 in solution and on the deposition of the two-component solution on ITO-patterned electrodes. After engineering the fabrication and deposition of the thin nanocomposite films, they were systematically studied. Morphology was studied by atomic force microscopy, structure by X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence by fluorescence hyperspectral microscopy, and charge carrier transport under NIR irradiation by current-time measurements. Notably, we observed an increase in the value of the current with

Engineering metallic nanostructures for plasmonics and nanophotonics

Science.gov (United States)

Lindquist, Nathan C.; Nagpal, Prashant; McPeak, Kevin M.; Norris, David J.; Oh, Sang-Hyun

2012-03-01

Metallic nanostructures now play an important role in many applications. In particular, for the emerging fields of plasmonics and nanophotonics, the ability to engineer metals on nanometric scales allows the development of new devices and the study of exciting physics. This review focuses on top-down nanofabrication techniques for engineering metallic nanostructures, along with computational and experimental characterization techniques. A variety of current and emerging applications are also covered.

Surface Nanostructures Formed by Phase Separation of Metal Salt-Polymer Nanocomposite Film for Anti-reflection and Super-hydrophobic Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Con, Celal; Cui, Bo

2017-12-01

This paper describes a simple and low-cost fabrication method for multi-functional nanostructures with outstanding anti-reflective and super-hydrophobic properties. Our method employed phase separation of a metal salt-polymer nanocomposite film that leads to nanoisland formation after etching away the polymer matrix, and the metal salt island can then be utilized as a hard mask for dry etching the substrate or sublayer. Compared to many other methods for patterning metallic hard mask structures, such as the popular lift-off method, our approach involves only spin coating and thermal annealing, thus is more cost-efficient. Metal salts including aluminum nitrate nonahydrate (ANN) and chromium nitrate nonahydrate (CNN) can both be used, and high aspect ratio (1:30) and high-resolution (sub-50 nm) pillars etched into silicon can be achieved readily. With further control of the etching profile by adjusting the dry etching parameters, cone-like silicon structure with reflectivity in the visible region down to a remarkably low value of 2% was achieved. Lastly, by coating a hydrophobic surfactant layer, the pillar array demonstrated a super-hydrophobic property with an exceptionally high water contact angle of up to 165.7°.

Understanding the biological responses of nanostructured metals and surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Lowe, Terry C.; Reiss, Rebecca A.

2014-08-01

Metals produced by Severe Plastic Deformation (SPD) offer distinct advantages for medical applications such as orthopedic devices, in part because of their nanostructured surfaces. We examine the current theoretical foundations and state of knowledge for nanostructured biomaterials surface optimization within the contexts that apply to bulk nanostructured metals, differentiating how their microstructures impact osteogenesis, in particular, for Ultrafine Grained (UFG) titanium. Then we identify key gaps in the research to date, pointing out areas which merit additional focus within the scientific community. For example, we highlight the potential of next-generation DNA sequencing techniques (NGS) to reveal gene and non-coding RNA (ncRNA) expression changes induced by nanostructured metals. While our understanding of bio-nano interactions is in its infancy, nanostructured metals are already being marketed or developed for medical devices such as dental implants, spinal devices, and coronary stents. Our ability to characterize and optimize the biological response of cells to SPD metals will have synergistic effects on advances in materials, biological, and medical science.

Understanding the biological responses of nanostructured metals and surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lowe, Terry C; A Reiss, Rebecca

2014-01-01

Metals produced by Severe Plastic Deformation (SPD) offer distinct advantages for medical applications such as orthopedic devices, in part because of their nanostructured surfaces. We examine the current theoretical foundations and state of knowledge for nanostructured biomaterials surface optimization within the contexts that apply to bulk nanostructured metals, differentiating how their microstructures impact osteogenesis, in particular, for Ultrafine Grained (UFG) titanium. Then we identify key gaps in the research to date, pointing out areas which merit additional focus within the scientific community. For example, we highlight the potential of next-generation DNA sequencing techniques (NGS) to reveal gene and non-coding RNA (ncRNA) expression changes induced by nanostructured metals. While our understanding of bio-nano interactions is in its infancy, nanostructured metals are already being marketed or developed for medical devices such as dental implants, spinal devices, and coronary stents. Our ability to characterize and optimize the biological response of cells to SPD metals will have synergistic effects on advances in materials, biological, and medical science

Direct writing of metal nanostructures: lithographic tools for nanoplasmonics research.

Science.gov (United States)

Leggett, Graham J

2011-03-22

Continued progress in the fast-growing field of nanoplasmonics will require the development of new methods for the fabrication of metal nanostructures. Optical lithography provides a continually expanding tool box. Two-photon processes, as demonstrated by Shukla et al. (doi: 10.1021/nn103015g), enable the fabrication of gold nanostructures encapsulated in dielectric material in a simple, direct process and offer the prospect of three-dimensional fabrication. At higher resolution, scanning probe techniques enable nanoparticle particle placement by localized oxidation, and near-field sintering of nanoparticulate films enables direct writing of nanowires. Direct laser "printing" of single gold nanoparticles offers a remarkable capability for the controlled fabrication of model structures for fundamental studies, particle-by-particle. Optical methods continue to provide a powerful support for research into metamaterials.

Biomimetic synthesis and morphological control of metal carbonates at the air/solution interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Shichoon; Cho, Kilwon; Son, Younggon

2012-01-01

Biomimetic approaches can provide a means of fabricating nanostructured materials under environmentally benign conditions. In this paper, we synthesized metal carbonate films, such as calcite, strontianite, malachite, and hydrozincite films, at the air-solution interface of solutions containing corresponding metal ions by using inflowing CO 2 from the atmosphere. The addition of acidic polymers, fulfilling the role of an acidic protein in biomineralization, provided CaCO 3 nanofibers, SrCO 3 nanofibers oriented in a specific direction, and copper carbonate and zinc carbonate hydroxide thin films. The metal carbonates prepared in this study were used as precursors for the formation of metal oxide nanocrystals via pyrolysis. This work showed that various metal carbonates and metal oxides with nanostructures can be prepared by using atmospheric CO 2 . - Highlights: ► Biomimetic synthesis of metal carbonate nanofilms at the air/solution interface. ► The reaction between metal ions and carbonate ions derived from CO 2 in the air. ► Calcium, strontium, copper and zinc carbonates were formed. ► The morphologies of the nanofilms were controlled by adding the acidic polymer. ► Nanostructured metal oxides were prepared by pyrolysis of the metal carbonates.

Wettability control of micropore-array films by altering the surface nanostructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Chi-Jung; Hung, Shao-Tsu

2010-07-01

By controlling the surface nanostructure, the wettability of films with similar pore-array microstructure can be tuned from hydrophilic to nearly superhydrophobic without variation of the chemical composition. PA1 pore-array film consisting of the horizontal ZnO nanosheets was nearly superhydrophobic. PA2 pore-array film consisting of growth-hindered vertically-aligned ZnO nanorods was hydrophilic. The influences of the nanostructure shape, orientation and the micropore size on the contact angle of the PA1 films were studied. This study provides a new approach to control the wettability of films with similar pore-array structure at the micro-scale by changing their surface nanostructure. PA1 films exhibited irradiation induced reversible wettability transition. The feasibility of creating a wetted radial pattern by selective UV irradiation of PA1 film through a mask with radial pattern and water vapor condensation was also evaluated.

Suspended polytetrafluoroethylene nanostructure electret film in dual variable cavities for self-powered micro-shock sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Jianxiong; Chen, Cong; Guo, Xiaoyu

2018-04-01

We report a suspended polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) nanostructure electret film in dual variable cavities for a self-powered micro-shock sensing application. The prototype contained series variable air cavities, a suspended nanostructure PTFE electret film and independent electrode films. The charges on the suspended nanostructure PTFE electret film provided the electrostatic field around the electret film in the series variable air cavities. When the reported device was driven by a micro-shock pressure, the inducted electrostatic charges on both the top and bottom electrodes would vary as the micro-shock pressing or releasing. Experimental results showed that the maximum of a short-circuit current density (J sc ) and an open-circuit voltage (V oc ) reached 3 ± 0.1 nA cm‑2 and 3.6 ± 0.1 V, respectively. It was found that the parameter J sc was more advantageous in identifying stronger shocks (parameter acceleration a bigger than 0.1 m s‑2), whereas the parameter V oc was more sensitive for weaker shocks, such as acceleration a smaller than 0.1 m s‑2. Moreover, finger continuous micro-shock pressure taps application was used to demonstrate the mechanical energy conversion performance with 4.5 ± 0.2 V open-circuit voltages. The research on the nanostructure electret PTFE film in series dual variable air cavities not only gave us a fresh idea about the principle and design of the shocking sensor, but also provided an easy fabrication and a low cost shocking sensor for the Internet of Things (IoT) systems.

Manipulation of plasmonic wavefront and light–matter interaction in metallic nanostructures: A brief review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Jia-Fang; Li Zhi-Yuan

2014-01-01

The control and application of surface plasmons (SPs), is introduced with particular emphasis on the manipulation of the plasmonic wavefront and light–matter interaction in metallic nanostructures. We introduce a direct design methodology called the surface wave holography method and show that it can be readily employed for wave-front shaping of near-infrared light through a subwavelength hole, it can also be used for designing holographic plasmonic lenses for SPs with complex wavefronts in the visible band. We also discuss several issues of light–matter interaction in plasmonic nanostructures. We show theoretically that amplification of SPs can be achieved in metal nanoparticles incorporated with gain media, leading to a giant reduction of surface plasmon resonance linewidth and enhancement of local electric field intensity. We present an all-analytical semiclassical theory to evaluate spaser performance in a plasmonic nanocavity incorporated with gain media described by the four-level atomic model. We experimentally demonstrate amplified spontaneous emission of SP polaritons and their amplification at the interface between a silver film and a polymer film doped with dye molecules. We discuss various aspects of microscopic and macroscopic manipulation of fluorescent radiation from gold nanorod hybrid structures in a system of either a single nanoparticle or an aligned group of nanoparticles. The findings reported and reviewed here could help others explore various approaches and schemes to manipulate plasmonic wavefront and light–matter interaction in metallic nanostructures for potential applications, such as optical displays, information integration, and energy harvesting technologies. (topical review - plasmonics and metamaterials)

Low-Cost and Rapid Fabrication of Metallic Nanostructures for Sensitive Biosensors Using Hot-Embossing and Dielectric-Heating Nanoimprint Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuang-Li Lee

2017-07-01

Full Text Available We propose two approaches—hot-embossing and dielectric-heating nanoimprinting methods—for low-cost and rapid fabrication of periodic nanostructures. Each nanofabrication process for the imprinted plastic nanostructures is completed within several seconds without the use of release agents and epoxy. Low-cost, large-area, and highly sensitive aluminum nanostructures on A4 size plastic films are fabricated by evaporating aluminum film on hot-embossing nanostructures. The narrowest bandwidth of the Fano resonance is only 2.7 nm in the visible light region. The periodic aluminum nanostructure achieves a figure of merit of 150, and an intensity sensitivity of 29,345%/RIU (refractive index unit. The rapid fabrication is also achieved by using radio-frequency (RF sensitive plastic films and a commercial RF welding machine. The dielectric-heating, using RF power, takes advantage of the rapid heating/cooling process and lower electric power consumption. The fabricated capped aluminum nanoslit array has a 5 nm Fano linewidth and 490.46 nm/RIU wavelength sensitivity. The biosensing capabilities of the metallic nanostructures are further verified by measuring antigen–antibody interactions using bovine serum albumin (BSA and anti-BSA. These rapid and high-throughput fabrication methods can benefit low-cost, highly sensitive biosensors and other sensing applications.

Metal oxide nanostructures as gas sensing devices

CERN Document Server

Eranna, G

2016-01-01

Metal Oxide Nanostructures as Gas Sensing Devices explores the development of an integrated micro gas sensor that is based on advanced metal oxide nanostructures and is compatible with modern semiconductor fabrication technology. This sensor can then be used to create a compact, low-power, handheld device for analyzing air ambience. The book first covers current gas sensing tools and discusses the necessity for miniaturized sensors. It then focuses on the materials, devices, and techniques used for gas sensing applications, such as resistance and capacitance variations. The author addresses the issues of sensitivity, concentration, and temperature dependency as well as the response and recovery times crucial for sensors. He also presents techniques for synthesizing different metal oxides, particularly those with nanodimensional structures. The text goes on to highlight the gas sensing properties of many nanostructured metal oxides, from aluminum and cerium to iron and titanium to zinc and zirconium. The final...

Nanostructured Diamond-Like Carbon Films Grown by Off-Axis Pulsed Laser Deposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seong Shan Yap

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Nanostructured diamond-like carbon (DLC films instead of the ultrasmooth film were obtained by pulsed laser ablation of pyrolytic graphite. Deposition was performed at room temperature in vacuum with substrates placed at off-axis position. The configuration utilized high density plasma plume arriving at low effective angle for the formation of nanostructured DLC. Nanostructures with maximum size of 50 nm were deposited as compared to the ultrasmooth DLC films obtained in a conventional deposition. The Raman spectra of the films confirmed that the films were diamond-like/amorphous in nature. Although grown at an angle, ion energy of >35 eV was obtained at the off-axis position. This was proposed to be responsible for subplantation growth of sp3 hybridized carbon. The condensation of energetic clusters and oblique angle deposition correspondingly gave rise to the formation of nanostructured DLC in this study.

Electronic transport properties of nanostructured MnSi-films

Science.gov (United States)

Schroeter, D.; Steinki, N.; Scarioni, A. Fernández; Schumacher, H. W.; Süllow, S.; Menzel, D.

2018-05-01

MnSi, which crystallizes in the cubic B20 structure, shows intriguing magnetic properties involving the existence of skyrmions in the magnetic phase diagram. Bulk MnSi has been intensively investigated and thoroughly characterized, in contrast to MnSi thin film, which exhibits widely varying properties in particular with respect to electronic transport. In this situation, we have set out to reinvestigate the transport properties in MnSi thin films by means of studying nanostructure samples. In particular, Hall geometry nanostructures were produced to determine the intrinsic transport properties.

Terahertz-field-induced photoluminescence of nanostructured gold films

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iwaszczuk, Krzysztof; Malureanu, Radu; Zalkovskij, Maksim

2013-01-01

We experimentally demonstrate photoluminescence from nanostructured ultrathin gold films subjected to strong single-cycle terahertz transients with peak electric field over 300 kV/cm. We show that UV-Vis-NIR light is being generated and the efficiency of the process is strongly enhanced at the pe......We experimentally demonstrate photoluminescence from nanostructured ultrathin gold films subjected to strong single-cycle terahertz transients with peak electric field over 300 kV/cm. We show that UV-Vis-NIR light is being generated and the efficiency of the process is strongly enhanced...

Self-organized synthesis of silver dendritic nanostructures via an electroless metal deposition method

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, T.; Wu, X. L.; Mei, Y. F.; Chu, P. K.; Siu, G. G.

2005-09-01

Unique silver dendritic nanostructures, with stems, branches, and leaves, were synthesized with self-organization via a simple electroless metal deposition method in a conventional autoclave containing aqueous HF and AgNO3 solution. Their growth mechanisms are discussed in detail on the basis of a self-assembled localized microscopic electrochemical cell model. A process of diffusion-limited aggregation is suggested for the formation of the silver dendritic nanostructures. This nanostructured material is of great potential to be building blocks for assembling mini-functional devices of the next generation.

Annealing induced structural evolution and electrochromic properties of nanostructured tungsten oxide films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Ching-Lin [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan, ROC (China); Lin, Chung-Kwei [School of Dental Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City 110, Taiwan, ROC (China); Wang, Chun-Kai [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan, ROC (China); Wang, Sheng-Chang [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Southern Taiwan University, Tainan 710, Taiwan, ROC (China); Huang, Jow-Lay, E-mail: JLH888@mail.ncku.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan, ROC (China); Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National University of Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung 81148, Taiwan, ROC (China); Research Center for Energy Technology and Strategy, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan, ROC (China)

2013-12-31

The effect of microstructure on the optical and electrochemical properties of nanostructured tungsten oxide films was evaluated as a function of annealing temperature. The films using block copolymer as the template were prepared from peroxotungstic acid (PTA) by spin-coating onto the substrate and post-annealed at 250–400 °C to form tungsten oxide films with nanostructure. The microstructure of the films was measured by X-ray diffraction and surface electron microscopy. The films annealed at temperatures below 300 °C are characterized by amorphous or nanocrystalline structures with a pore size of less than 10 nm. The evaluated annealing temperature caused a triclinic crystalline structure and microcracks. Cyclic voltammetry measurements were performed in a LiClO{sub 4}-propylene carbonate electrolyte. The results showed that the ion inserted capacity were maximized for films annealed at 300 °C and decreased with the increasing of annealing temperature. The electrochromic properties of the nanostructured tungsten oxide films were evaluated simultaneously by potentiostat and UV–vis spectroscopy. The films annealed at 300 °C exhibit high transmission modulation (∆T ∼ 40%) at λ = 633 nm and good kinetic properties. As a result, the correlation between the microstructure and kinetic properties was established, and the electrochromic properties have been demonstrated. - Highlights: • Surfactant-assisted WO{sub 3} films have been prepared by sol–gel method. • Nanostructure of porous WO{sub 3} film is retained after crystallization. • Kinetic properties of WO{sub 3} can be improved by nanostructure and crystallinity.

Photocatalytic Activity of Nanostructured Titanium Dioxide Thin Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zdenek Michalcik

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to investigate the properties and photocatalytic activity of nanostructured TiO2 layers. The glancing angle deposition method with DC sputtering at low temperature was applied for deposition of the layers with various columnar structures. The thin-film structure and surface morphology were analyzed by XRD, SEM, and AFM analyses. The photocatalytic activity of the films was determined by the rate constant of the decomposition of the Acid Orange 7. In dependence on the glancing angle deposition parameters, three types of columnar structures were obtained. The films feature anatase/rutile and/or amorphous structures depending on the film architecture and deposition method. All the films give the evidence of the photocatalytic activity, even those without proved anatase or rutile structure presence. The impact of columnar boundary in perspective of the photocatalytic activity of nanostructured TiO2 layers was discussed as the possible factor supporting the photocatalytic activity.

Insights into the superhydrophobicity of metallic surfaces prepared by electrodeposition involving spontaneous adsorption of airborne hydrocarbons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Peng; Cao, Ling; Zhao, Wei; Xia, Yue; Huang, Wei; Li, Zelin

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Several superhydrophobic metallic surfaces were fabricated by fast electrodeposition. • Both micro/nanostructures and adsorption of airborne hydrocarbons make contributions. • XPS analyses confirm presence of airborne hydrocarbons on these metallic surfaces. • The adsorption of airborne hydrocarbons on the clean metal Au surface was very quick. • UV-O 3 treatment oxidized the hydrocarbons to hydrophilic oxygen-containing organics. - Abstract: Electrochemical fabrication of micro/nanostructured metallic surfaces with superhydrophobicity has recently aroused great attention. However, the origin still remains unclear why smooth hydrophilic metal surfaces become superhydrophobic by making micro/nanostructures without additional surface modifications. In this work, several superhydrophobic micro/nanostructured metal surfaces were prepared by a facile one-step electrodeposition process, including non-noble and noble metals such as copper, nickel, cadmium, zinc, gold, and palladium with (e.g. Cu) or without (e.g. Au) surface oxide films. We demonstrated by SEM and XPS that both hierarchical micro/nanostructures and spontaneous adsorption of airborne hydrocarbons endowed these surfaces with excellent superhydrophobicity. We revealed by XPS that the adsorption of airborne hydrocarbons at the Ar + -etched clean Au surface was rather quick, such that organic contamination can hardly be prevented in practical operation of surface wetting investigation. We also confirmed by XPS that ultraviolet-O 3 treatment of the superhydrophobic metal surfaces did not remove the adsorbed hydrocarbons completely, but mainly oxidized them into hydrophilic oxygen-containing organic substances. We hope our findings here shed new light on deeper understanding of superhydrophobicity for micro/nanostructured metal surfaces with and without surface oxide films

Chemistry of surface nanostructures in lead precursor-rich PbZr{sub 0.52}Ti{sub 0.48}O{sub 3} sol–gel films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gueye, I.; Le Rhun, G.; Gergaud, P.; Renault, O. [Univ. Grenoble Alpes, F-38000 Grenoble (France); CEA, LETI, MINATEC Campus, F-38054 Grenoble (France); Defay, E. [Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, Materials Research and Technology Department, 41 Rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux (Luxembourg); Barrett, N., E-mail: nick.barrett@cea.fr [SPEC, CEA, CNRS, Université Paris Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette (France)

2016-02-15

Highlights: • We have studied the effect of lead excess on the surface of PZT sol–gel films. • For low lead excess (10%) nanostructured surface phase is observed. • X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows that the surface phase is Zr oxide. - Abstract: We present a study of the chemistry of the nanostructured phase at the surface of lead zirconium titanate PbZr{sub 0.52}Ti{sub 0.48}O{sub 3} (PZT) films synthesized by sol–gel method. In sol–gel synthesis, excess lead precursor is used to maintain the target stoichiometry. Surface nanostructures appear at 10% excess whereas 30% excess inhibits their formation. Using the surface-sensitive, quantitative X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and glancing angle X-ray diffraction we have shown that the chemical composition of the nanostructures is ZrO{sub 1.82−1.89} rather than pyrochlore often described in the literature. The presence of a possibly discontinuous layer of wide band gap ZrO{sub 1.82−1.89} could be of importance in determining the electrical properties of PZT-based metal-insulator-metal heterostructures.

Electrical Transport Ability of Nanostructured Potassium-Doped Titanium Oxide Film

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, So-Yoon; Matsuno, Ryosuke; Ishihara, Kazuhiko; Takai, Madoka

2011-02-01

Potassium-doped nanostructured titanium oxide films were fabricated using a wet corrosion process with various KOH solutions. The doped condition of potassium in TiO2 was confirmed by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Nanotubular were synthesized at a dopant concentration of 0.27%, these structures disappeared. To investigate the electrical properties of K-doped TiO2, pseudo metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) samples were fabricated. The samples exhibited a distinct electrical behavior and p-type characteristics. The electrical behavior was governed by the volume of the dopant when the dopant concentration was 0.18%.

Engineering Metal Nanostructure for SERS Application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yanqin Cao

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS has attracted great attention due to its remarkable enhancement and excellent selectivity in the detection of various molecules. Noble metal nanomaterials have usually been employed for producing substrates that can be used in SERS because of their unique local plasma resonance. As the SERS enhancement of signals depends on parameters such as size, shape, morphology, arrangement, and dielectric environment of the nanostructure, there have been a number of studies on tunable nanofabrication and synthesis of noble metals. In this work, we will illustrate progress in engineering metallic nanostructures with various morphologies using versatile methods. We also discuss their SERS applications in different fields and the challenges.

Electrodeposition synthesis and electrochemical properties of nanostructured γ-MnO 2 films

Science.gov (United States)

Chou, Shulei; Cheng, Fangyi; Chen, Jun

The thin films of carambola-like γ-MnO 2 nanoflakes with about 20 nm in thickness and at least 200 nm in width were prepared on nickel sheets by combination of potentiostatic and cyclic voltammetric electrodeposition techniques. The as-prepared MnO 2 nanomaterials, which were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), were used as the active material of the positive electrode for primary alkaline Zn/MnO 2 batteries and electrochemical supercapacitors. Electrochemical measurements showed that the MnO 2 nanoflake films displayed high potential plateau (around 1.0 V versus Zn) in primary Zn/MnO 2 batteries at the discharge current density of 500 mA g -1 and high specific capacitance of 240 F g -1 at the current density of 1 mA cm -2. This indicated the potential application of carambola-like γ-MnO 2 nanoflakes in high-power batteries and electrochemical supercapacitors. The growth process for the one- and three-dimensional nanostructured MnO 2 was discussed on the basis of potentiostatic and cyclic voltammetric techniques. The present synthesis method can be extended to the preparation of other nanostructured metal-oxide films.

One-process fabrication of metal hierarchical nanostructures with rich nanogaps for highly-sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Gui-qiang; Yu, Mei-dong; Liu, Zheng-qi; Liu, Xiao-shan; Huang, Shan; Pan, Ping-ping; Wang, Yan; Liu, Mu-lin; Gu, Gang

2015-01-01

One-process fabrication of highly active and reproducible surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates via ion beam deposition is reported. The fabricated metal–dielectric–metal (MDM) hierarchical nanostructure possesses rich nanogaps and a tunable resonant cavity. Raman scattering signals of analytes are dramatically strengthened due to the strong near-field coupling of localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) and the strong interaction of LSPRs of metal NPs with surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) on the underlying metal film by crossing over the dielectric spacer. The maximum Raman enhancement for the highest Raman peak at 1650 cm −1 is 13.5 times greater than that of a single metal nanoparticle (NP) array. Moreover, the SERS activity can be efficiently tailored by varying the size and number of voids between adjacent metal NPs and the thickness of the dielectric spacer. These findings may broaden the scope of SERS applications of MDM hierarchical nanostructures in biomedical and analytical chemistry. (paper)

Nanostructured porous ZnO film with enhanced photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Lina; Zheng Yingying; Li Xiaoyun; Dong Wenjun; Tang Weihua; Chen Benyong; Li Chaorong; Li Xiao; Zhang Tierui

2011-01-01

Well-defined ZnO nanostructured films have been fabricated directly on Zn foil via hydrothermal synthesis. During the fabrication of the ZnO nanostructured films, the Zn foil serves as the Zn source and also the substrate. Porous nanosheet-based, nanotube-based and nanoflower-based ZnO films can all be easily prepared by adjusting the alkali type, reaction time and reaction temperature. The composition, morphology and structure of ZnO films are characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope and high-resolution transmission electron microscope. The porous ZnO nanosheet-based film exhibits enhanced photocatalytic activity in the degradation of Rhodamine B under UV light irradiation. This can be attributed to the high surface area of the ZnO nanosheet and the large percentage of the exposed [001] facet. Moreover, the self-supporting, recyclable and stable ZnO photocatalytic film can be readily recovered and potentially applied for pollution disposal.

Structural and optical properties of cobalt doped multiferroics BiFeO3 nanostructure thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Prasannakumara, R.; Naik, K. Gopalakrishna

2018-05-01

Bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3) and Cobalt doped BiFeO3 (BiFe1-XCoXO3) nanostructure thin films were deposited on glass substrates by the sol-gel spin coating method. The X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD) of the grown BiFeO3 and BiFe1-XCoXO3 nanostructure thin films showed distorted rhombohedral structure. The shifting of peaks to higher angles was observed in cobalt doped BiFeO3. The surface morphology of the BiFeO3 and BiFe1-XCoXO3 nanostructure thin films were studied using FESEM, an increase in grain size was observed as Co concentration increases. The thickness of the nanostructure thin films was examined using FESEM cross-section. The EDX studies confirmed the elemental composition of the grown BiFeO3 and BiFe1-XCoXO3 nanostructure thin films. The optical characterizations of the grown nanostructure thin films were carried out using FTIR, it confirms the existence of Fe-O and Bi-O bands and UV-Visible spectroscopy shows the increase in optical band gap of the BiFeO3 nanostructure thin films with Co doping by ploting Tauc plot.

Near-field scanning optical microscopy based nanostructuring of glass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chimmalgi, A; Hwang, D J; Grigoropoulos, C P

2007-01-01

Nanofabrication, at lateral resolutions beyond the capability of conventional optical lithography techniques, is demonstrated here. Femtosecond laser was used in conjunction with Near-field Scanning Optical Microscopes (NSOMs) to nanostructure thin metal films. Also, the possibility of using these nanostructured metal films as masks to effectively transfer the pattern to the underlying substrate by wet etching process is shown. Two different optical nearfiled processing schemes were studied for near-field nanostructuring. In the first scheme, local field enhancement in the near-field of a scanning probe microscope (SPM) probe tip irradiated with femtosecond laser pulses was utilized (apertureless NSOM mode) and as a second approach, femtosecond laser beam was spatially confined by cantilevered NSOM fiber tip (apertured NOSM mode). The minimized heat- and shock-affected areas introduced during ultrafast laser based machining process, allows processing of even high conductivity thin metal films with minimized formation of any interfacial compounds between the metal films and the underlying substrate. Potential applications of this method may be in the fields of nanolithography, nanofluidics, nanoscale chemical and gas sensors, high-density data storage, nano-opto-electronics, as well as biotechnology related applications

Engineered Metallic Nanostructures: Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Bohloul, Arash

Metallic nanostructures have garnered a great deal of attention due to their fascinating optical properties, which differ from the bulk metal. They have been proven to exceed expectations in wide variety of applications including chemical and biological sensing. Nevertheless, high-throughput and low cost nanofabrication techniques are required to implant metallic nanostructures in widespread applications. With that vision, this thesis presents a versatile and reliable method for scalable fabrication of gold nanostructures. In this approach, a plasma-treated ordered array of polystyrene nanospheres acts as an initial mask. The key step in this process is the vapor-deposition of nickel as a sacrificial mask. Thereby, gold nanostructures are directly formed on the substrate through the nickel mask. This is an easy, powerful, and straightforward method that offers several degrees of freedom to precisely control the shape and size of nanostructures. We made a library of nanostructures including gold nanocrescents, double crescents, nanorings, and nanodisks with the ability to tune the size in the range of 150 to 650 nm. The fabricated nanostructures are highly packed and uniformly cover the centimeter scale substrate. The optical properties of metallic nanostructures were extensively studied by a combination of UV-Vis-NIR and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies, and correlation between optical response and geometrical parameters were investigated. In the next part of this thesis, highly sensitive surface enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA) analysis was demonstrated on gold nanocrescent arrays. Theoretical modeling was confirmed that these substrates provide highly dense and strong hot-spots over the substrate, which is required for surface enhanced spectroscopic studies. Gold nanocrescent arrays exhibit highly tunable plasmon resonance to cover desired molecular vibrational bands. These substrates experimentally illustrated 3 orders of magnitude

Solution precursor plasma deposition of nanostructured CdS thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tummala, Raghavender; Guduru, Ramesh K.; Mohanty, Pravansu S.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Inexpensive process with capability to produce large scale nanostructured coatings. ► Technique can be employed to spray the coatings on any kind of substrates including polymers. ► The CdS coatings developed have good electrical conductivity and optical properties. ► Coatings possess large amount of particulate boundaries and nanostructured grains. -- Abstract: Cadmium sulfide (CdS) films are used in solar cells, sensors and microelectronics. A variety of techniques, such as vapor based techniques, wet chemical methods and spray pyrolysis are frequently employed to develop adherent CdS films. In the present study, rapid deposition of CdS thin films via plasma spray route using a solution precursor was investigated, for the first time. Solution precursor comprising cadmium chloride, thiourea and distilled water was fed into a DC plasma jet via an axial atomizer to create ultrafine droplets for instantaneous and accelerated thermal decomposition in the plasma plume. The resulting molten/semi-molten ultrafine/nanoparticles of CdS eventually propel toward the substrate to form continuous CdS films. The chemistry of the solution precursor was found to be critical in plasma pyrolysis to control the stoichiometry and composition of the films. X-ray diffraction studies confirmed hexagonal α-CdS structure. Surface morphology and microstructures were investigated to compare with other synthesis techniques in terms of process mechanism and structural features. Transmission electron microscopy studies revealed nanostructures in the atomized particulates. Optical measurements indicated a decreasing transmittance in the visible light with increasing the film thickness and band gap was calculated to be ∼2.5 eV. The electrical resistivity of the films (0.243 ± 0.188 × 10 5 Ω cm) was comparable with the literature values. These nanostructured polycrystalline CdS films could be useful in sensing and solar applications.

Solution precursor plasma deposition of nanostructured CdS thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tummala, Raghavender [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Dearborn, MI 48128 (United States); Guduru, Ramesh K., E-mail: rkguduru@umich.edu [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Dearborn, MI 48128 (United States); Mohanty, Pravansu S. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Dearborn, MI 48128 (United States)

2012-03-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Inexpensive process with capability to produce large scale nanostructured coatings. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Technique can be employed to spray the coatings on any kind of substrates including polymers. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The CdS coatings developed have good electrical conductivity and optical properties. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Coatings possess large amount of particulate boundaries and nanostructured grains. -- Abstract: Cadmium sulfide (CdS) films are used in solar cells, sensors and microelectronics. A variety of techniques, such as vapor based techniques, wet chemical methods and spray pyrolysis are frequently employed to develop adherent CdS films. In the present study, rapid deposition of CdS thin films via plasma spray route using a solution precursor was investigated, for the first time. Solution precursor comprising cadmium chloride, thiourea and distilled water was fed into a DC plasma jet via an axial atomizer to create ultrafine droplets for instantaneous and accelerated thermal decomposition in the plasma plume. The resulting molten/semi-molten ultrafine/nanoparticles of CdS eventually propel toward the substrate to form continuous CdS films. The chemistry of the solution precursor was found to be critical in plasma pyrolysis to control the stoichiometry and composition of the films. X-ray diffraction studies confirmed hexagonal {alpha}-CdS structure. Surface morphology and microstructures were investigated to compare with other synthesis techniques in terms of process mechanism and structural features. Transmission electron microscopy studies revealed nanostructures in the atomized particulates. Optical measurements indicated a decreasing transmittance in the visible light with increasing the film thickness and band gap was calculated to be {approx}2.5 eV. The electrical resistivity of the films (0.243 {+-} 0.188 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 5} {Omega} cm) was comparable with the literature

An environment-dependent semi-empirical tight binding model suitable for electron transport in bulk metals, metal alloys, metallic interfaces, and metallic nanostructures. I. Model and validation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hegde, Ganesh, E-mail: ghegde@purdue.edu; Povolotskyi, Michael; Kubis, Tillmann; Klimeck, Gerhard, E-mail: gekco@purdue.edu [Network for Computational Nanotechnology (NCN), Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907 (United States); Boykin, Timothy [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alabama, Huntsville, Alabama (United States)

2014-03-28

Semi-empirical Tight Binding (TB) is known to be a scalable and accurate atomistic representation for electron transport for realistically extended nano-scaled semiconductor devices that might contain millions of atoms. In this paper, an environment-aware and transferable TB model suitable for electronic structure and transport simulations in technologically relevant metals, metallic alloys, metal nanostructures, and metallic interface systems are described. Part I of this paper describes the development and validation of the new TB model. The new model incorporates intra-atomic diagonal and off-diagonal elements for implicit self-consistency and greater transferability across bonding environments. The dependence of the on-site energies on strain has been obtained by appealing to the Moments Theorem that links closed electron paths in the system to energy moments of angular momentum resolved local density of states obtained ab initio. The model matches self-consistent density functional theory electronic structure results for bulk face centered cubic metals with and without strain, metallic alloys, metallic interfaces, and metallic nanostructures with high accuracy and can be used in predictive electronic structure and transport problems in metallic systems at realistically extended length scales.

An environment-dependent semi-empirical tight binding model suitable for electron transport in bulk metals, metal alloys, metallic interfaces, and metallic nanostructures. I. Model and validation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hegde, Ganesh; Povolotskyi, Michael; Kubis, Tillmann; Klimeck, Gerhard; Boykin, Timothy

2014-01-01

Semi-empirical Tight Binding (TB) is known to be a scalable and accurate atomistic representation for electron transport for realistically extended nano-scaled semiconductor devices that might contain millions of atoms. In this paper, an environment-aware and transferable TB model suitable for electronic structure and transport simulations in technologically relevant metals, metallic alloys, metal nanostructures, and metallic interface systems are described. Part I of this paper describes the development and validation of the new TB model. The new model incorporates intra-atomic diagonal and off-diagonal elements for implicit self-consistency and greater transferability across bonding environments. The dependence of the on-site energies on strain has been obtained by appealing to the Moments Theorem that links closed electron paths in the system to energy moments of angular momentum resolved local density of states obtained ab initio. The model matches self-consistent density functional theory electronic structure results for bulk face centered cubic metals with and without strain, metallic alloys, metallic interfaces, and metallic nanostructures with high accuracy and can be used in predictive electronic structure and transport problems in metallic systems at realistically extended length scales

An environment-dependent semi-empirical tight binding model suitable for electron transport in bulk metals, metal alloys, metallic interfaces, and metallic nanostructures. I. Model and validation

Science.gov (United States)

Hegde, Ganesh; Povolotskyi, Michael; Kubis, Tillmann; Boykin, Timothy; Klimeck, Gerhard

2014-03-01

Semi-empirical Tight Binding (TB) is known to be a scalable and accurate atomistic representation for electron transport for realistically extended nano-scaled semiconductor devices that might contain millions of atoms. In this paper, an environment-aware and transferable TB model suitable for electronic structure and transport simulations in technologically relevant metals, metallic alloys, metal nanostructures, and metallic interface systems are described. Part I of this paper describes the development and validation of the new TB model. The new model incorporates intra-atomic diagonal and off-diagonal elements for implicit self-consistency and greater transferability across bonding environments. The dependence of the on-site energies on strain has been obtained by appealing to the Moments Theorem that links closed electron paths in the system to energy moments of angular momentum resolved local density of states obtained ab initio. The model matches self-consistent density functional theory electronic structure results for bulk face centered cubic metals with and without strain, metallic alloys, metallic interfaces, and metallic nanostructures with high accuracy and can be used in predictive electronic structure and transport problems in metallic systems at realistically extended length scales.

Corundum nanostructure ITO film fabrication: An approach for physical properties assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solieman, A.; Zayed, M.K.; Alamri, S.N.; Al-Dahoudi, N.; Aegerter, M.A.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Transparent conductive nanostructured ITO films. ► Synthesis of ITO nanoparticles with corundum structure phase by the hydrothermal process. ► Deposition of nanoparticulate ITO films by spin coating technique. ► Curing of ITO films using UV irradiation at low temperatures. - Abstract: Corundum (hexagonal) structure indium tin oxide (h-ITO) nanocrystals have been synthesized by subjecting an aqueous solution of In and Sn chlorides (Sn/In 8 wt.%) to a hydrothermal process followed by annealing at 450 °C in forming gas for 1 h. The annealing temperature was selected based on thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) of the dried precipitated powder, which showed a stable weight and phase at temperatures above 420 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns showed the formation of orthorhombic InOOH precipitates that is transformed, after annealing, into h-ITO nanocrystals with 32 nm average crystal size. For nanostructure film deposition, dispersed sols of the prepared nanocrystals were spun coated on glass substrates. The films were densified by UV irradiation, whilst four-probe method was used to measure its sheet resistance. A sheet resistance as low as 10.6 kΩ □ have been reached. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) showed that the films have high surface roughness and nanopores. The transmittance spectra of the nanostructure films were measured in the UV–vis–NIR wavelength range. In addition to its low resistivity, nanostructure h-ITO films showed a wide range of transparency.

Reversible mechano-electrochemical writing of metallic nanostructures with the tip of an atomic force microscope

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian Obermair

2012-12-01

Full Text Available We recently introduced a method that allows the controlled deposition of nanoscale metallic patterns at defined locations using the tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM as a “mechano-electrochemical pen”, locally activating a passivated substrate surface for site-selective electrochemical deposition. Here, we demonstrate the reversibility of this process and study the long-term stability of the resulting metallic structures. The remarkable stability for more than 1.5 years under ambient air without any observable changes can be attributed to self-passivation. After AFM-activated electrochemical deposition of copper nanostructures on a polycrystalline gold film and subsequent AFM imaging, the copper nanostructures could be dissolved by reversing the electrochemical potential. Subsequent AFM-tip-activated deposition of different copper nanostructures at the same location where the previous structures were deleted, shows that there is no observable memory effect, i.e., no effect of the previous writing process on the subsequent writing process. Thus, the four processes required for reversible information storage, “write”, “read”, “delete” and “re-write”, were successfully demonstrated on the nanometer scale.

Reversible mechano-electrochemical writing of metallic nanostructures with the tip of an atomic force microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Obermair, Christian; Kress, Marina; Wagner, Andreas; Schimmel, Thomas

2012-01-01

We recently introduced a method that allows the controlled deposition of nanoscale metallic patterns at defined locations using the tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM) as a "mechano-electrochemical pen", locally activating a passivated substrate surface for site-selective electrochemical deposition. Here, we demonstrate the reversibility of this process and study the long-term stability of the resulting metallic structures. The remarkable stability for more than 1.5 years under ambient air without any observable changes can be attributed to self-passivation. After AFM-activated electrochemical deposition of copper nanostructures on a polycrystalline gold film and subsequent AFM imaging, the copper nanostructures could be dissolved by reversing the electrochemical potential. Subsequent AFM-tip-activated deposition of different copper nanostructures at the same location where the previous structures were deleted, shows that there is no observable memory effect, i.e., no effect of the previous writing process on the subsequent writing process. Thus, the four processes required for reversible information storage, "write", "read", "delete" and "re-write", were successfully demonstrated on the nanometer scale.

Electrodeposition synthesis and electrochemical properties of nanostructured {gamma}-MnO{sub 2} films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chou, Shulei; Cheng, Fangyi; Chen, Jun [Institute of New Energy Material Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China)

2006-11-08

The thin films of carambola-like {gamma}-MnO{sub 2} nanoflakes with about 20nm in thickness and at least 200nm in width were prepared on nickel sheets by combination of potentiostatic and cyclic voltammetric electrodeposition techniques. The as-prepared MnO{sub 2} nanomaterials, which were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), were used as the active material of the positive electrode for primary alkaline Zn/MnO{sub 2} batteries and electrochemical supercapacitors. Electrochemical measurements showed that the MnO{sub 2} nanoflake films displayed high potential plateau (around 1.0V versus Zn) in primary Zn/MnO{sub 2} batteries at the discharge current density of 500mAg{sup -1} and high specific capacitance of 240Fg{sup -1} at the current density of 1mAcm{sup -2}. This indicated the potential application of carambola-like {gamma}-MnO{sub 2} nanoflakes in high-power batteries and electrochemical supercapacitors. The growth process for the one- and three-dimensional nanostructured MnO{sub 2} was discussed on the basis of potentiostatic and cyclic voltammetric techniques. The present synthesis method can be extended to the preparation of other nanostructured metal-oxide films. (author)

High-pressure catalytic chemical vapor deposition of ferromagnetic ruthenium-containing carbon nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khavrus, Vyacheslav O., E-mail: V.Khavrus@ifw-dresden.de; Ibrahim, E. M. M.; Bachmatiuk, Alicja; Ruemmeli, Mark H.; Wolter, A. U. B.; Hampel, Silke; Leonhardt, Albrecht [IFW Dresden (Germany)

2012-06-15

We report on the high-pressure catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD) of ruthenium nanoparticles (NPs) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) by means of gas-phase decomposition of acetonitrile and ruthenocene in a tubular quartz flow reactor at 950 Degree-Sign C and at elevated pressures (between 2 and 8 bar). The deposited material consists of Ru metal cores with sizes ranging between 1 and 3 nm surrounded by a carbon matrix. The high-pressure CCVD seems to be an effective route to obtain composite materials containing metallic NPs, Ru in this work, inside a nanostructured carbon matrix protecting them from oxidation in ambient air. We find that in contradiction to the weak paramagnetic properties characterizing bulk ruthenium, the synthesized samples are ferromagnetic as predicted for nanosized particles of nonmagnetic materials. At low pressure, the very small ruthenium catalyst particles are able to catalyze growth of SWCNTs. Their yield decreases with increasing reaction pressure. Transmission electron microscopy, selected area energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, Raman spectroscopy, and magnetic measurements were used to analyze and confirm properties of the synthesized NPs and nanotubes. A discussion on the growth mechanism of the Ru-containing nanostructures is presented.

Experimental observation of percolation-enhanced nonlinear light scattering from semicontinuous metal films

Science.gov (United States)

Breit, M.; Podolskiy, V. A.; Grésillon, S.; von Plessen, G.; Feldmann, J.; Rivoal, J. C.; Gadenne, P.; Sarychev, Andrey K.; Shalaev, Vladimir M.

2001-09-01

Strongly enhanced second-harmonic generation (SHG), which is characterized by a nearly isotropic intensity distribution, is observed for gold-glass films near the percolation threshold. The diffuselike SHG scattering, which can be thought of as nonlinear critical opalescence, is in sharp contrast with highly collimated linear reflection and transmission from these nanostructured semicontinuous metal films. Our observations, which can be explained by giant fluctuations of local nonlinear sources for SHG due to plasmon localization, verify recent predictions of percolation-enhanced nonlinear scattering.

Fullerene nanostructures, monolayers and thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cotier, B.N.

2000-10-01

The interaction of submonolayer, monolayer and multilayer coverages of C 60 with the Ag/Si(111)-(√3x√3)R30 deg. (√3Ag/Si) and Si(111)-7x7 surfaces has been investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM), photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) and ultra high vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy (UHV-STM). It is shown that it is possible to preserve the √3Ag/Si surface, normally corrupted by exposure to air, in ambient conditions when immersed beneath a few layers of C 60 molecules. Upon removal of the fullerene layers in the UHV-STM some corruption is observed which is linked to the morphology of the fullerene film (defined by the nature of the interaction of C 60 with √3Ag/Si). This technique opens up the possibility of performing experiments on the clean √3Ag/Si surface outside of UHV conditions. With the discovery of techniques whereby structures may be formed that are composed of only a few atoms/molecules, there is a need to perform electrical measurements in order to probe the fascinating properties of these 'nano-scale' devices. Using AFM, PES and STM evaporated metals and ion implantation have been investigated as materials for use in forming sub-micron scale contacts to nanostructures. It is found that ion implantation is a more promising approach after studying the response to annealing of treated surfaces. Electrical measurements between open/short circuited contacts and through Ag films clearly demonstrate the validity of the method, further confirmed by a PES study which probes the chemical nature of the near surface region of ion-implanted samples. Attempts have been made to form nanostructure templates between sub-micron scale contacts as a possible precursor to forming nanostructures. The bonding state of C 60 molecules on the Si(111)-7x7 surface has been in dispute for many years. To properly understand the system a comprehensive AFM, PES and STM study has been performed. PES results indicate covalent bond formation, with the number of bonds

Chemically Designed Metallic/Insulating Hybrid Nanostructures with Silver Nanocrystals for Highly Sensitive Wearable Pressure Sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Haneun; Lee, Seung-Wook; Joh, Hyungmok; Seong, Mingi; Lee, Woo Seok; Kang, Min Su; Pyo, Jun Beom; Oh, Soong Ju

2018-01-10

With the increase in interest in wearable tactile pressure sensors for e-skin, researches to make nanostructures to achieve high sensitivity have been actively conducted. However, limitations such as complex fabrication processes using expensive equipment still exist. Herein, simple lithography-free techniques to develop pyramid-like metal/insulator hybrid nanostructures utilizing nanocrystals (NCs) are demonstrated. Ligand-exchanged and unexchanged silver NC thin films are used as metallic and insulating components, respectively. The interfaces of each NC layer are chemically engineered to create discontinuous insulating layers, i.e., spacers for improved sensitivity, and eventually to realize fully solution-processed pressure sensors. Device performance analysis with structural, chemical, and electronic characterization and conductive atomic force microscopy study reveals that hybrid nanostructure based pressure sensor shows an enhanced sensitivity of higher than 500 kPa -1 , reliability, and low power consumption with a wide range of pressure sensing. Nano-/micro-hierarchical structures are also designed by combining hybrid nanostructures with conventional microstructures, exhibiting further enhanced sensing range and achieving a record sensitivity of 2.72 × 10 4 kPa -1 . Finally, all-solution-processed pressure sensor arrays with high pixel density, capable of detecting delicate signals with high spatial selectivity much better than the human tactile threshold, are introduced.

Fabrication of metallic nanoparticles by spinodal dewetting of thin films: A high-throughput approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michalak, William D.; Miller, James B. [U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA 15262 (United States); Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (United States); Yolcu, Cem [Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (United States); Gellman, Andrew J., E-mail: gellman@cmu.edu [U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA 15262 (United States); Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (United States)

2012-11-01

Metal nanoparticles on structured supports are used in a variety of technological applications including biosensing, energy harvesting, and electronics. In every case, the functions and properties of the metallic nanostructures depend on both their composition and structure (i.e. size, shape, and spatial distribution). Among the challenges to the development of metal nanoparticles for these applications is the characterization of relationships between their structure and their functional properties over multiple structural degrees of freedom spanning a large range of values. In this work, a method for creating a morphological gradient of metal nanoparticles on a substrate is described. The approach, suited for high-throughput fabrication and characterization, is based on spinodal dewetting of a metallic thin film from its substrate. Through control of initial film thickness, anneal temperature, and anneal time, spinodal dewetting results in supported nanoparticles with well-defined and controlled structure. The approach is demonstrated through its application to preparation of Pd nanoparticles on a silicon nitride substrate. The morphologies of the particles were characterized by scanning electron and atomic force microscopies. Free energy-based stability and topological analyses were used to confirm the dewetting mechanism. In addition, the stability theory provides a connection to the thermophysical properties of the resulting nanoparticle array. The dewetting approach is general to any metal/support system and provides an alternative, inexpensive, and robust means to rapidly create metal nanostructures with control of morphology. It shows promise for large scale production of metal nanoparticles structures, as well as understanding basic stability properties of thin metal films. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Pd dewetting from SiN occurs by a spinodal dewetting mechanism. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Dewetting occurs at temperatures well below the

Fabrication of metallic nanoparticles by spinodal dewetting of thin films: A high-throughput approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michalak, William D.; Miller, James B.; Yolcu, Cem; Gellman, Andrew J.

2012-01-01

Metal nanoparticles on structured supports are used in a variety of technological applications including biosensing, energy harvesting, and electronics. In every case, the functions and properties of the metallic nanostructures depend on both their composition and structure (i.e. size, shape, and spatial distribution). Among the challenges to the development of metal nanoparticles for these applications is the characterization of relationships between their structure and their functional properties over multiple structural degrees of freedom spanning a large range of values. In this work, a method for creating a morphological gradient of metal nanoparticles on a substrate is described. The approach, suited for high-throughput fabrication and characterization, is based on spinodal dewetting of a metallic thin film from its substrate. Through control of initial film thickness, anneal temperature, and anneal time, spinodal dewetting results in supported nanoparticles with well-defined and controlled structure. The approach is demonstrated through its application to preparation of Pd nanoparticles on a silicon nitride substrate. The morphologies of the particles were characterized by scanning electron and atomic force microscopies. Free energy-based stability and topological analyses were used to confirm the dewetting mechanism. In addition, the stability theory provides a connection to the thermophysical properties of the resulting nanoparticle array. The dewetting approach is general to any metal/support system and provides an alternative, inexpensive, and robust means to rapidly create metal nanostructures with control of morphology. It shows promise for large scale production of metal nanoparticles structures, as well as understanding basic stability properties of thin metal films. - Highlights: ► Pd dewetting from SiN occurs by a spinodal dewetting mechanism. ► Dewetting occurs at temperatures well below the melting point of Pd. ► Spinodal dewetting allows

Pseudocapacitive properties of nano-structured anhydrous ruthenium oxide thin film prepared by electrostatic spray deposition and electrochemical lithiation/delithiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, S.H.; Kim, J.Y.; Kim, K.B. [Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2010-10-15

Nano-structured anhydrous ruthenium oxide (RuO{sub 2}) thin films were prepared using an electrostatic spray deposition (ESD) technique followed by electrochemical lithiation and delithiation. During the electrochemical lithiation process, RuO{sub 2} decomposed to nano-structured metallic ruthenium Ru with the concomitant formation of Li{sub 2}O. Nano-structured RuO{sub 2} was formed upon subsequent electrochemical extraction of Li from the Ru/Li{sub 2}O nanocomposite. Electrochemical lithiation/deliathiation at different charge/discharge rates (C-rate) was used to control the nano-structure of the anhydrous RuO{sub 2}. Electrochemical lithiation/delithiation of the RuO{sub 2} thin film electrode at different C-rates was closely related to the specific capacitance and high rate capability of the nano-structured anhydrous RuO{sub 2} thin film. Nano-structured RuO{sub 2} thin films prepared by electrochemical lithiation and delithiation at 2C rate showed the highest specific capacitance of 653 F g{sup -1} at 20 mV s{sup -1}, which is more than two times higher than the specific capacitance of 269 F g{sup -1} for the as-prepared RuO{sub 2}. In addition, it showed 14% loss in specific capacitance from 653 F g{sup -1} at 20 mV s{sup -1} to 559 F g{sup -1} at 200 mV s{sup -1}, indicating significant improvement in the high rate capability compared to the 26% loss of specific capacitance of the as-prepared RuO{sub 2} electrode from 269 F g{sup -1} at 20 mV s{sup -1} to 198 F g{sup -1} at 200 mV s{sup -1} for the same change in scan rate. (Abstract Copyright [2010], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Antimicrobial nanostructured starch based films for packaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Abreu, Ana S; Oliveira, M; de Sá, Arsénio; Rodrigues, Rui M; Cerqueira, Miguel A; Vicente, António A; Machado, A V

2015-09-20

Montmorillonite modified with a quaternary ammonium salt C30B/starch nanocomposite (C30B/ST-NC), silver nanoparticles/starch nanocomposite (Ag-NPs/ST-NC) and both silver nanoparticles/C30B/starch nanocomposites (Ag-NPs/C30B/ST-NC) films were produced. The nanoclay (C30B) was dispersed in a starch solution using an ultrasonic probe. Different concentrations of Ag-NPs (0.3, 0.5, 0.8 and 1.0mM) were synthesized directly in starch and in clay/starch solutions via chemical reduction method. Dispersion of C30B silicate layers and Ag-NPs in ST films characterized by X-ray and scanning electron microscopy showed that the presence of Ag-NPs enhanced clay dispersion. Color and opacity measurements, barrier properties (water vapor and oxygen permeabilities), dynamic mechanical analysis and contact angle were evaluated and related with the incorporation of C30B and Ag-NPs. Films presented antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans without significant differences between Ag-NPs concentrations. The migration of components from the nanostructured starch films, assessed by food contact tests, was minor and under the legal limits. These results indicated that the starch films incorporated with C30B and Ag-NPs have potential to be used as packaging nanostructured material. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hollow metal nanostructures for enhanced plasmonics (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Genç, Aziz; Patarroyo, Javier; Sancho-Parramon, Jordi; Duchamp, Martial; Gonzalez, Edgar; Bastus, Neus G.; Houben, Lothar; Dunin-Borkowski, Rafal; Puntes, Victor F.; Arbiol, Jordi

2016-03-01

Complex metal nanoparticles offer a great playground for plasmonic nanoengineering, where it is possible to cover plasmon resonances from ultraviolet to near infrared by modifying the morphologies from solid nanocubes to nanoframes, multiwalled hollow nanoboxes or even nanotubes with hybrid (alternating solid and hollow) structures. We experimentally show that structural modifications, i.e. void size and final morphology, are the dominant determinants for the final plasmonic properties, while compositional variations allow us to get a fine tuning. EELS mappings of localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) reveal an enhanced plasmon field inside the voids of hollow AuAg nanostructures along with a more homogeneous distributions of the plasmon fields around the nanostructures. With the present methodology and the appropriate samples we are able to compare the effects of hybridization at the nanoscale in hollow nanostructures. Boundary element method (BEM) simulations also reveal the effects of structural nanoengineering on plasmonic properties of hollow metal nanostructures. Possibility of tuning the LSPR properties of hollow metal nanostructures in a wide range of energy by modifying the void size/shell thickness is shown by BEM simulations, which reveals that void size is the dominant factor for tuning the LSPRs. As a proof of concept for enhanced plasmonic properties, we show effective label free sensing of bovine serum albumin (BSA) with some of our hollow nanostructures. In addition, the different plasmonic modes observed have also been studied and mapped in 3D.

Patterned Diblock Co-Polymer Thin Films as Templates for Advanced Anisotropic Metal Nanostructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, Stephan V; Santoro, Gonzalo; Risch, Johannes F H; Yu, Shun; Schwartzkopf, Matthias; Boese, Torsten; Döhrmann, Ralph; Zhang, Peng; Besner, Bastian; Bremer, Philipp; Rukser, Dieter; Rübhausen, Michael A; Terrill, Nick J; Staniec, Paul A; Yao, Yuan; Metwalli, Ezzeldin; Müller-Buschbaum, Peter

2015-06-17

We demonstrate glancing-angle deposition of gold on a nanostructured diblock copolymer, namely polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) thin film. Exploiting the selective wetting of gold on the polystyrene block, we are able to fabricate directional hierarchical structures. We prove the asymmetric growth of the gold nanoparticles and are able to extract the different growth laws by in situ scattering methods. The optical anisotropy of these hierarchical hybrid materials is further probed by angular resolved spectroscopic methods. This approach enables us to tailor functional hierarchical layers in nanodevices, such as nanoantennae arrays, organic photovoltaics, and sensor electronics.

Synchrotron X-ray studies of epitaxial ferroelectric thin films and nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Klug, Jeffrey A.

The study of ferroelectric thin films is a field of considerable scientific and technological interest. In this dissertation synchrotron x-ray techniques were applied to examine the effects of lateral confinement and epitaxial strain in ferroelectric thin films and nanostructures. Three materials systems were investigated: laterally confined epitaxial BiFeO3 nanostructures on SrTiO3 (001), ultra-thin commensurate SrTiO 3 films on Si (001), and coherently strained films of BaTiO3 on DyScO3 (110). Epitaxial films of BiFeO3 were deposited by radio frequency magnetron sputtering on SrRuO3 coated SrTiO 3 (001) substrates. Laterally confined nanostructures were fabricated using focused ion-beam processing and subsequently characterized with focused beam x-ray nanodiffraction measurements with unprecedented spatial resolution. Results from a series of rectangular nanostructures with lateral dimensions between 500 nm and 1 mum and a comparably-sized region of the unpatterned BiFeO3 film revealed qualitatively similar distributions of local strain and lattice rotation with a 2-3 times larger magnitude of variation observed in those of the nanostructures compared to the unpatterned film. This indicates that lateral confinement leads to enhanced variation in the local strain and lattice rotation fields in epitaxial BiFeO3 nanostructures. A commensurate 2 nm thick film of SrTiO3 on Si was characterized by the x-ray standing wave (XSW) technique to determine the Sr and Ti cation positions in the strained unit cell in order to verify strain-induced ferroelectricity in SrTiO3/Si. A Si (004) XSW measurement at 10°C indicated that the average Ti displacement from the midpoint between Sr planes was consistent in magnitude to that predicted by a density functional theory (DFT) calculated ferroelectric structure. The Ti displacement determined from a 35°C measurement better matched a DFT-predicted nonpolar structure. The thin film extension of the XSW technique was employed to

Leading research on super metal. 3. Amorphous and nanostructured metallic materials; Super metal no sendo kenkyu. 3. Kogata buzai

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-03-01

Very fine structure control technique for amorphous and nanostructured metallic materials was reviewed to exceed the marginal performance of small metallic member materials. In Japan, high strength alloys and anticorrosion alloys are currently developed as an amorphous structure control technique, and ultra fine powder production and nano-compaction molding are studied for nanostructured materials. Fabrication of amorphous alloy wire materials and metal glass in USA are also introduced. Fabrication of metallic nanocrystals deposited within gas phase in Germany are attracting attention. The strength and abrasion resistance are remarkably enhanced by making nanostructured crystals and dispersing them. It may be most suitable to utilize amorphous and nanostructured metallic materials for earth-friendly materials having anticorrosion, and catalyst and biomaterial affinities, and also for magnetic materials. It is important for controlling micro-structures to clarify the formation mechanism of structures. For their processing techniques, the diversity and possibility are suggested, as to the condensation and solidification of gaseous and liquid phase metals, the molding and processing of very fine solid phase alloys, and the manufacturing members by heat treatment. 324 refs., 109 figs., 21 tabs.

Silicon-embedded copper nanostructure network for high energy storage

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Tianyue

2016-03-15

Provided herein are nanostructure networks having high energy storage, electrochemically active electrode materials including nanostructure networks having high energy storage, as well as electrodes and batteries including the nanostructure networks having high energy storage. According to various implementations, the nanostructure networks have high energy density as well as long cycle life. In some implementations, the nanostructure networks include a conductive network embedded with electrochemically active material. In some implementations, silicon is used as the electrochemically active material. The conductive network may be a metal network such as a copper nanostructure network. Methods of manufacturing the nanostructure networks and electrodes are provided. In some implementations, metal nanostructures can be synthesized in a solution that contains silicon powder to make a composite network structure that contains both. The metal nanostructure growth can nucleate in solution and on silicon nanostructure surfaces.

Silicon-embedded copper nanostructure network for high energy storage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Tianyue

2018-01-23

Provided herein are nanostructure networks having high energy storage, electrochemically active electrode materials including nanostructure networks having high energy storage, as well as electrodes and batteries including the nanostructure networks having high energy storage. According to various implementations, the nanostructure networks have high energy density as well as long cycle life. In some implementations, the nanostructure networks include a conductive network embedded with electrochemically active material. In some implementations, silicon is used as the electrochemically active material. The conductive network may be a metal network such as a copper nanostructure network. Methods of manufacturing the nanostructure networks and electrodes are provided. In some implementations, metal nanostructures can be synthesized in a solution that contains silicon powder to make a composite network structure that contains both. The metal nanostructure growth can nucleate in solution and on silicon nanostructure surfaces.

Highly coercive thin-film nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, J.; Skomski, R.; Kashyap, A.; Sorge, K.D.; Sui, Y.; Daniil, M.; Gao, L.; Yan, M.L.; Liou, S.-H.; Kirby, R.D.; Sellmyer, D.J.

2005-01-01

The processing, structure, and magnetism of highly coercive Sm-Co and FePt thin-film nanostructures are investigated. The structures include 1:5 based Sm-Co-Cu-Ti magnets, particulate FePt:C thin films, and FePt nanotubes. As in other systems, the coercivity depends on texture and imperfections, but there are some additional features. A specific coercivity mechanism in particulate media is a discrete pinning mode intermediate between Stoner-Wohlfarth rotation and ordinary domain-wall pinning. This mechanism yields a coercivity maximum for intermediate intergranular exchange and explains the occurrence of coercivities of 5 T in particulate Sm-Co-Cu-Ti magnets

Oxidation of nanostructured Ti films produced by low energy cluster beam deposition: An X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simone, Monica de; Snidero, Elena; Coreno, Marcello; Bongiorno, Gero; Giorgetti, Luca; Amati, Matteo; Cepek, Cinzia

2012-01-01

We used in-situ X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) to study the oxidation process of a cluster-assembled metallic titanium film exposed to molecular oxygen at room temperature. The nanostructured film has been grown on a Si(111) substrate, in ultra high vacuum conditions, by coupling a supersonic cluster beam deposition system with an XPS experimental chamber. Our results show that upon in-situ oxygen exposure Ti 3+ is the first oxidation state observed, followed by Ti 4+ , whereas Ti 2+ is practically absent during the whole process. Our results compare well with the existing literature on Ti films produced using other techniques.

Measurement of benzenethiol adsorption to nanostructured Pt, Pd, and PtPd films using Raman spectroelectrochemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Pomfret, Michael B; Pietron, Jeremy J; Owrutsky, Jeffrey C

2010-05-04

Raman spectroscopy and electrochemical methods were used to study the behavior of the model adsorbate benzenethiol (BT) on nanostructured Pt, Pd, and PtPd electrodes as a function of applied potential. Benzenethiol adsorbs out of ethanolic solutions as the corresponding thiolate, and voltammetric stripping data reveal that BT is oxidatively removed from all of the nanostructured metals upon repeated oxidative and reductive cycling. Oxidative stripping potentials for BT increase in the order Pt oxidizing potentials via cleavage of the Pt-S bond. In contrast, on nanoscale Pd and PtPd, BT is irreversibly lost due to cleavage of BT C-S bonds at oxidizing potentials, which leaves adsorbed sulfur oxides on Pd and PtPd films and effects the desulfurization of BT. While Pd and PtPd films are less sulfur-resistant than Pt films, palladium oxides, which form at higher potentials than Pt oxides, oxidatively desulfurize BT. In situ spectroelectrochemical Raman spectroscopy provides real-time, chemically specific information that complements the cyclic voltammetric data. The combination of these techniques affords a powerful and convenient method for guiding the development of sulfur-tolerant PEMFC catalysts.

Optical and structural properties of nanostructured CeO2:Tb3+ film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ansari, Anees A.; Singh, S.P.; Malhotra, B.D.

2011-01-01

Nanostructured CeO 2 :Tb 3+ film has been fabricated on glass substrate through sol-gel technique via dip-coating process. (NH 4 ) 2 Ce(NO 3 ) 6 , Tb(NO 3 ) 3 .6H 2 O, ethylene glycol have been used as precursors for sol preparation. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV/VIS and photoluminescence (PL) spectral studies have been employed to analyze the structural and optical properties of the film. XRD pattern has been used to analyze the crystallite nature and calculated particle size by Scherrer equation of nanostructured CeO 2 :Tb 3+ film, found in the range 3-4 nm. SEM image has been observed to analyze the surface topography of the film which is well porous, highly agglomerated and uniformly distributed nanoparticles on the film surface. Optical band gap of nanostructured CeO 2 :Tb 3+ film has been estimated as 3.57 eV. A significant enhancement in band shape of CeO 2 :Tb 3+ spectrum has been observed in PL spectra, showed their promising usages as optical materials in optoelectronic devices.

LPG ammonia and nitrogen dioxide gas sensing properties of nanostructured polypyrrole thin film

Science.gov (United States)

Bagul, Sagar B.; Upadhye, Deepak S.; Sharma, Ramphal

2016-05-01

Nanostructured Polypyrrole thin film was synthesized by easy and economic chemical oxidative polymerization technique on glass at room temperature. The prepared thin film of Polypyrrole was characterized by optical absorbance study by UV-visible spectroscopy and electrical study by I-V measurement system. The optical absorbance spectrum of Polypyrrole shows two fundamental peaks in region of 420 and 890 nm, which confirms the formation of Polypyrrole on glass substrate. The I-V graph of nanostructured Polypyrrole represents the Ohmic nature. Furthermore, the thin film of Polypyrrole was investigated by Scanning electron microscopy for surface morphology study. The SEM micrograph represents spherical nanostructured morphology of Polypyrrole on glass substrate. In order to investigate gas sensing properties, 100 ppm of LPG, Ammonia and Nitrogen Dioxide were injected in the gas chamber and magnitude of resistance has been recorded as a function of time in second. It was observed that nanostructured Polypyrrole thin film shows good sensing behavior at room temperature.

LPG ammonia and nitrogen dioxide gas sensing properties of nanostructured polypyrrole thin film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bagul, Sagar B., E-mail: nano.sbbagul@gmail.com; Upadhye, Deepak S.; Sharma, Ramphal, E-mail: rps.phy@gmail.com [Thin Film and Nanotechnology Laboratory, Department of Nanotechnology, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad (India)

2016-05-06

Nanostructured Polypyrrole thin film was synthesized by easy and economic chemical oxidative polymerization technique on glass at room temperature. The prepared thin film of Polypyrrole was characterized by optical absorbance study by UV-visible spectroscopy and electrical study by I-V measurement system. The optical absorbance spectrum of Polypyrrole shows two fundamental peaks in region of 420 and 890 nm, which confirms the formation of Polypyrrole on glass substrate. The I-V graph of nanostructured Polypyrrole represents the Ohmic nature. Furthermore, the thin film of Polypyrrole was investigated by Scanning electron microscopy for surface morphology study. The SEM micrograph represents spherical nanostructured morphology of Polypyrrole on glass substrate. In order to investigate gas sensing properties, 100 ppm of LPG, Ammonia and Nitrogen Dioxide were injected in the gas chamber and magnitude of resistance has been recorded as a function of time in second. It was observed that nanostructured Polypyrrole thin film shows good sensing behavior at room temperature.

Guided aggregation of three-dimensional nanostructures in stressed thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi, Qiwei; Bassani, John L; Lou, Yucun

2012-01-01

Stress fields induced by external loads can alter the energy landscape in alloy systems and direct precipitation to form organized nanostructures. The aggregation of periodically patterned nanostructures via surface indentation on thin films is investigated using a phase-field model, which includes chemical, interfacial and elastic energies coupled with externally imposed stress fields. Both cylindrical and spherical indenters are considered, which lead to the formation of nanorods and nanodots, respectively, in the film, and the effects of loading geometry and material properties are systematically studied through 3D simulations. Nanostructures can be formed with varying precipitate morphologies. The results are shown to be consistent with estimates of elastic interaction energies associated with transformation strain, contrast in elastic properties and external loading. (paper)

Gold coated metal nanostructures grown by glancing angle deposition and pulsed electroplating

Science.gov (United States)

Grüner, Christoph; Reeck, Pascal; Jacobs, Paul-Philipp; Liedtke, Susann; Lotnyk, Andriy; Rauschenbach, Bernd

2018-05-01

Nickel based nanostructures are grown by glancing angle deposition (GLAD) on flat and pre-patterned substrates. These fabricated porous thin films were subsequently coated by pulsed electroplating with gold. The morphology and conformity of the gold coating were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Controlled growth of closed gold layers on the nanostructures could be achieved, while the open-pore structure of the nanosculptured thin films was preserved. Such gold coated nanostructures are a candidate for optical sensing and catalysis applications. The demonstrated method can be applied for numerous material combinations, allowing to provide GLAD thin films with new surface properties.

Metal Surface Modification for Obtaining Nano- and Sub-Nanostructured Protective Layers

Science.gov (United States)

Ledovskykh, Volodymyr; Vyshnevska, Yuliya; Brazhnyk, Igor; Levchenko, Sergiy

2017-03-01

Regularities of the phase protective layer formation in multicomponent systems involving inhibitors with different mechanism of protective action have been investigated. It was shown that optimization of the composition of the inhibition mixture allows to obtain higher protective efficiency owing to improved microstructure of the phase layer. It was found that mechanism of the film formation in the presence of NaNO2-PHMG is due to deposition of slightly soluble PHMG-Fe complexes on the metal surface. On the basis of the proposed mechanism, the advanced surface engineering methods for obtaining nanoscaled and sub-nanostructured functional coatings may be developed.

Micro- and Nanostructured Metal Oxide Chemical Sensors for Volatile Organic Compounds

Science.gov (United States)

Alim, M. A.; Penn, B. G.; Currie, J. R., Jr.; Batra, A. K.; Aggarwal, M. D.

2008-01-01

Aeronautic and space applications warrant the development of chemical sensors which operate in a variety of environments. This technical memorandum incorporates various kinds of chemical sensors and ways to improve their performance. The results of exploratory investigation of the binary composite polycrystalline thick-films such as SnO2-WO3, SnO2-In2O3, SnO2-ZnO for the detection of volatile organic compound (isopropanol) are reported. A short review of the present status of the new types of nanostructured sensors such as nanobelts, nanorods, nanotube, etc. based on metal oxides is presented.

Superhydrophobic films and methods for making superhydrophobic films

Science.gov (United States)

Aytug, Tolga; Paranthaman, Mariappan Parans; Simpson, John T.; Bogorin, Daniela Florentina

2017-09-26

This disclosure relates to methods that include depositing a first component and a second component to form a film including a plurality of nanostructures, and coating the nanostructures with a hydrophobic layer to render the film superhydrophobic. The first component and the second component can be immiscible and phase-separated during the depositing step. The first component and the second component can be independently selected from the group consisting of a metal oxide, a metal nitride, a metal oxynitride, a metal, and combinations thereof. The films can have a thickness greater than or equal to 5 nm; an average surface roughness (Ra) of from 90 to 120 nm, as measured on a 5 .mu.m.times.5 .mu.m area; a surface area of at least 20 m.sup.2/g; a contact angle with a drop of water of at least 120 degrees; and can maintain the contact angle when exposed to harsh conditions.

Energy driven self-organization in nanoscale metallic liquid films.

Science.gov (United States)

Krishna, H; Shirato, N; Favazza, C; Kalyanaraman, R

2009-10-01

Nanometre thick metallic liquid films on inert substrates can spontaneously dewet and self-organize into complex nanomorphologies and nanostructures with well-defined length scales. Nanosecond pulses of an ultraviolet laser can capture the dewetting evolution and ensuing nanomorphologies, as well as introduce dramatic changes to dewetting length scales due to the nanoscopic nature of film heating. Here, we show theoretically that the self-organization principle, based on equating the rate of transfer of thermodynamic free energy to rate of loss in liquid flow, accurately describes the spontaneous dewetting. Experimental measurements of laser dewetting of Ag and Co liquid films on SiO(2) substrates confirm this principle. This energy transfer approach could be useful for analyzing the behavior of nanomaterials and chemical processes in which spontaneous changes are important.

Nanostructured metal sulfides for energy storage

Science.gov (United States)

Rui, Xianhong; Tan, Huiteng; Yan, Qingyu

2014-08-01

Advanced electrodes with a high energy density at high power are urgently needed for high-performance energy storage devices, including lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and supercapacitors (SCs), to fulfil the requirements of future electrochemical power sources for applications such as in hybrid electric/plug-in-hybrid (HEV/PHEV) vehicles. Metal sulfides with unique physical and chemical properties, as well as high specific capacity/capacitance, which are typically multiple times higher than that of the carbon/graphite-based materials, are currently studied as promising electrode materials. However, the implementation of these sulfide electrodes in practical applications is hindered by their inferior rate performance and cycling stability. Nanostructures offering the advantages of high surface-to-volume ratios, favourable transport properties, and high freedom for the volume change upon ion insertion/extraction and other reactions, present an opportunity to build next-generation LIBs and SCs. Thus, the development of novel concepts in material research to achieve new nanostructures paves the way for improved electrochemical performance. Herein, we summarize recent advances in nanostructured metal sulfides, such as iron sulfides, copper sulfides, cobalt sulfides, nickel sulfides, manganese sulfides, molybdenum sulfides, tin sulfides, with zero-, one-, two-, and three-dimensional morphologies for LIB and SC applications. In addition, the recently emerged concept of incorporating conductive matrices, especially graphene, with metal sulfide nanomaterials will also be highlighted. Finally, some remarks are made on the challenges and perspectives for the future development of metal sulfide-based LIB and SC devices.

Nanostructure sensitization of transition metal oxides for visible-light photocatalysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongjun Chen

2014-05-01

Full Text Available To better utilize the sunlight for efficient solar energy conversion, the research on visible-light active photocatalysts has recently attracted a lot of interest. The photosensitization of transition metal oxides is a promising approach for achieving effective visible-light photocatalysis. This review article primarily discusses the recent progress in the realm of a variety of nanostructured photosensitizers such as quantum dots, plasmonic metal nanostructures, and carbon nanostructures for coupling with wide-bandgap transition metal oxides to design better visible-light active photocatalysts. The underlying mechanisms of the composite photocatalysts, e.g., the light-induced charge separation and the subsequent visible-light photocatalytic reaction processes in environmental remediation and solar fuel generation fields, are also introduced. A brief outlook on the nanostructure photosensitization is also given.

Ag- and Cu-doped multifunctional bioactive nanostructured TiCaPCON films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shtansky, D.V., E-mail: shtansky@shs.misis.ru [National University of Science and Technology “MISIS”, Leninsky prospekt 4, Moscow 119049 (Russian Federation); Batenina, I.V.; Kiryukhantsev-Korneev, Ph.V.; Sheveyko, A.N.; Kuptsov, K.A. [National University of Science and Technology “MISIS”, Leninsky prospekt 4, Moscow 119049 (Russian Federation); Zhitnyak, I.Y.; Anisimova, N.Yu.; Gloushankova, N.A. [N.N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center of RAMS, Kashirskoe shosse 24, Moscow 115478 (Russian Federation)

2013-11-15

A key property of multicomponent bioactive nanostructured Ti(C,N)-based films doped with Ca, P, and O (TiCaPCON) that can be improved further is their antibacterial effect that should be achieved without compromising the implant bioactivity and biocompatibility. The present work is focused on the study of structure, chemical, mechanical, tribological, and biological properties of Ag- and Cu-doped TiCaPCON films. The films with Ag (0.4–4 at.%) and Cu (13 at.%) contents were obtained by simultaneous sputtering of a TiC{sub 0.5}–Ca{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2} target and either an Ag or a Cu target. The film structure was studied using X-ray diffraction, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy, and Raman-shift and IR spectroscopy. The films were characterized in terms of their hardness, elastic modulus, dynamic impact resistance, friction coefficient and wear rate (both in air and normal saline), surface wettability, electrochemical behavior and Ag or Cu ion release in normal saline. Particular attention was paid to the influence of inorganic bactericides (Ag and Cu ions) on the bactericidal activity against unicellular yeast fungus Saccharomyces cerevisiae and gram-positive bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus, as well as on the attachment, spreading, actin cytoskeleton organization, focal adhesions, and early stages of osteoblastic cell differentiation. The obtained results show that the Ag-doped films are more suitable for the protection of metallic surfaces against bacterial infection compared with their Cu-doped counterpart. In particular, an excellent combination of mechanical, tribological, and biological properties makes Ag-doped TiCaPCON film with 1.2 at.% of Ag very attractive material for bioengineering and modification of load-bearing metal implant surfaces.

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy on nanostructured carbon electrodes grown by supersonic cluster beam deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bettini, Luca Giacomo; Bardizza, Giorgio; Podestà, Alessandro; Milani, Paolo; Piseri, Paolo

2013-01-01

Nanostructured porous films of carbon with density of about 0.5 g/cm 3 and 200 nm thickness were deposited at room temperature by supersonic cluster beam deposition (SCBD) from carbon clusters formed in the gas phase. Carbon film surface topography, determined by atomic force microscopy, reveals a surface roughness of 16 nm and a granular morphology arising from the low kinetic energy ballistic deposition regime. The material is characterized by a highly disordered carbon structure with predominant sp2 hybridization as evidenced by Raman spectroscopy. The interface properties of nanostructured carbon electrodes were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy employing KOH 1 M solution as aqueous electrolyte. An increase of the double layer capacitance is observed when the electrodes are heat treated in air or when a nanostructured nickel layer deposited by SCBD on top of a sputter deposited film of the same metal is employed as a current collector instead of a plain metallic film. This enhancement is consistent with an improved charge injection in the active material and is ascribed to the modification of the electrical contact at the interface between the carbon and the metal current collector. Specific capacitance values up to 120 F/g have been measured for the electrodes with nanostructured metal/carbon interface.

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy on nanostructured carbon electrodes grown by supersonic cluster beam deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bettini, Luca Giacomo; Bardizza, Giorgio; Podesta, Alessandro; Milani, Paolo; Piseri, Paolo, E-mail: piseri@mi.infn.it [Universita degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Fisica and CIMaINa (Italy)

2013-02-15

Nanostructured porous films of carbon with density of about 0.5 g/cm{sup 3} and 200 nm thickness were deposited at room temperature by supersonic cluster beam deposition (SCBD) from carbon clusters formed in the gas phase. Carbon film surface topography, determined by atomic force microscopy, reveals a surface roughness of 16 nm and a granular morphology arising from the low kinetic energy ballistic deposition regime. The material is characterized by a highly disordered carbon structure with predominant sp2 hybridization as evidenced by Raman spectroscopy. The interface properties of nanostructured carbon electrodes were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy employing KOH 1 M solution as aqueous electrolyte. An increase of the double layer capacitance is observed when the electrodes are heat treated in air or when a nanostructured nickel layer deposited by SCBD on top of a sputter deposited film of the same metal is employed as a current collector instead of a plain metallic film. This enhancement is consistent with an improved charge injection in the active material and is ascribed to the modification of the electrical contact at the interface between the carbon and the metal current collector. Specific capacitance values up to 120 F/g have been measured for the electrodes with nanostructured metal/carbon interface.

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy on nanostructured carbon electrodes grown by supersonic cluster beam deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Bettini, Luca Giacomo; Bardizza, Giorgio; Podestà, Alessandro; Milani, Paolo; Piseri, Paolo

2013-02-01

Nanostructured porous films of carbon with density of about 0.5 g/cm3 and 200 nm thickness were deposited at room temperature by supersonic cluster beam deposition (SCBD) from carbon clusters formed in the gas phase. Carbon film surface topography, determined by atomic force microscopy, reveals a surface roughness of 16 nm and a granular morphology arising from the low kinetic energy ballistic deposition regime. The material is characterized by a highly disordered carbon structure with predominant sp2 hybridization as evidenced by Raman spectroscopy. The interface properties of nanostructured carbon electrodes were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy employing KOH 1 M solution as aqueous electrolyte. An increase of the double layer capacitance is observed when the electrodes are heat treated in air or when a nanostructured nickel layer deposited by SCBD on top of a sputter deposited film of the same metal is employed as a current collector instead of a plain metallic film. This enhancement is consistent with an improved charge injection in the active material and is ascribed to the modification of the electrical contact at the interface between the carbon and the metal current collector. Specific capacitance values up to 120 F/g have been measured for the electrodes with nanostructured metal/carbon interface.

The Process of Nanostructuring of Metal (Iron Matrix in Composite Materials for Directional Control of the Mechanical Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Zemtsova

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We justified theoretical and experimental bases of synthesis of new class of highly nanostructured composite nanomaterials based on metal matrix with titanium carbide nanowires as dispersed phase. A new combined method for obtaining of metal iron-based composite materials comprising the powder metallurgy processes and the surface design of the dispersed phase is considered. The following stages of material synthesis are investigated: (1 preparation of porous metal matrix; (2 surface structuring of the porous metal matrix by TiC nanowires; (3 pressing and sintering to give solid metal composite nanostructured materials based on iron with TiC nanostructures with size 1–50 nm. This material can be represented as the material type “frame in the frame” that represents iron metal frame reinforcing the frame of different chemical compositions based on TiC. Study of material functional properties showed that the mechanical properties of composite materials based on iron with TiC dispersed phase despite the presence of residual porosity are comparable to the properties of the best grades of steel containing expensive dopants and obtained by molding. This will solve the problem of developing a new generation of nanostructured metal (iron-based materials with improved mechanical properties for the different areas of technology.

Hardening by annealing and softening by deformation in nanostructured metals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Huang, X.; Hansen, N.; Tsuji, N.

2006-01-01

We observe that a nanostructured metal can be hardened by annealing and softened when subsequently deformed, which is in contrast to the typical behavior of a metal. Microstructural investigation points to an effect of the structural scale on fundamental mechanisms of dislocation-dislocation and ......We observe that a nanostructured metal can be hardened by annealing and softened when subsequently deformed, which is in contrast to the typical behavior of a metal. Microstructural investigation points to an effect of the structural scale on fundamental mechanisms of dislocation....... As a consequence, the strength decreases and the ductility increases. These observations suggest that for materials such as the nanostructured aluminum studied here, deformation should be used as an optimizing procedure instead of annealing....

Growth of anodic oxide films on oxygen-containing niobium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Habazaki, H. [Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628 (Japan)]. E-mail: habazaki@eng.hokudai.ac.jp; Ogasawara, T. [Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628 (Japan); Konno, H. [Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628 (Japan); Shimizu, K. [University Chemical Laboratory, Keio University, Yokohama 223-8522 (Japan); Asami, K. [Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); Saito, K. [Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); Nagata, S. [Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); Skeldon, P. [Corrosion and Protection Centre, School of Materials, The University of Manchester, P.O. Box 88, Manchester M60 1QD (United Kingdom); Thompson, G.E. [Corrosion and Protection Centre, School of Materials, The University of Manchester, P.O. Box 88, Manchester M60 1QD (United Kingdom)

2005-09-20

The present study is directed at understanding of the influence of oxygen in the metal on anodic film growth on niobium, using sputter-deposited niobium containing from about 0-52 at.% oxygen, with anodizing carried out at high efficiency in phosphoric acid electrolyte. The findings reveal amorphous anodic niobia films, with no significant effect of oxygen on the field strength, transport numbers, mobility of impurity species and capacitance. However, since niobium is partially oxidized due to presence of oxygen in the substrate, less charge is required to form the films, hence reducing the time to reach a particular film thickness and anodizing voltage. Further, the relative thickness of film material formed at the metal/film interface is increased by the incorporation of oxygen species into the films from the substrate, with an associated altered depth of incorporation of phosphorus species into the films.

Preparation and characterization of flexible asymmetric supercapacitors based on transition-metal-oxide nanowire/single-walled carbon nanotube hybrid thin-film electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Po-Chiang; Shen, Guozhen; Shi, Yi; Chen, Haitian; Zhou, Chongwu

2010-08-24

In the work described in this paper, we have successfully fabricated flexible asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) based on transition-metal-oxide nanowire/single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) hybrid thin-film electrodes. These hybrid nanostructured films, with advantages of mechanical flexibility, uniform layered structures, and mesoporous surface morphology, were produced by using a filtration method. Here, manganese dioxide nanowire/SWNT hybrid films worked as the positive electrode, and indium oxide nanowire/SWNT hybrid films served as the negative electrode in a designed ASC. In our design, charges can be stored not only via electrochemical double-layer capacitance from SWNT films but also through a reversible faradic process from transition-metal-oxide nanowires. In addition, to obtain stable electrochemical behavior during charging/discharging cycles in a 2 V potential window, the mass balance between two electrodes has been optimized. Our optimized hybrid nanostructured ASCs exhibited a superior device performance with specific capacitance of 184 F/g, energy density of 25.5 Wh/kg, and columbic efficiency of approximately 90%. In addition, our ASCs exhibited a power density of 50.3 kW/kg, which is 10-fold higher than obtained in early reported ASC work. The high-performance hybrid nanostructured ASCs can find applications in conformal electrics, portable electronics, and electrical vehicles.

Geometrically induced surface polaritons in planar nanostructured metallic cavities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davids, P. S. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Intravia, F [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Dalvit, Diego A. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2014-01-14

We examine the modal structure and dispersion of periodically nanostructured planar metallic cavities within the scattering matrix formulation. By nanostructuring a metallic grating in a planar cavity, artificial surface excitations or spoof plasmon modes are induced with dispersion determined by the periodicity and geometric characteristics of the grating. These spoof surface plasmon modes are shown to give rise to new cavity polaritonic modes at short mirror separations that modify the density of modes in nanostructured cavities. The increased modal density of states form cavity polarirons have a large impact on the fluctuation induced electromagnetic forces and enhanced hear transfer at short separations.

A Review on the Low-Dimensional and Hybridized Nanostructured Diamond Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongdong Li

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In the last decade, besides the breakthrough of high-rate growth of chemical vapor deposited single-crystal diamonds, numerous nanostructured diamond films have been rapidly developed in the research fields of the diamond-based sciences and industrial applications. The low-dimensional diamonds of two-dimensional atomic-thick nanofilms and nanostructural diamond on the surface of bulk diamond films have been theoretically and experimentally investigated. In addition, the diamond-related hybrid nanostructures of n-type oxide/p-type diamond and n-type nitride/p-type diamond, having high performance physical and chemical properties, are proposed for further applications. In this review, we first briefly introduce the three categories of diamond nanostructures and then outline the current advances in these topics, including their design, fabrication, characterization, and properties. Finally, we address the remaining challenges in the research field and the future activities.

Chemical Sensors Based on Metal Oxide Nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Hunter, Gary W.; Xu, Jennifer C.; Evans, Laura J.; VanderWal, Randy L.; Berger, Gordon M.; Kulis, Mike J.; Liu, Chung-Chiun

2006-01-01

This paper is an overview of sensor development based on metal oxide nanostructures. While nanostructures such as nanorods show significan t potential as enabling materials for chemical sensors, a number of s ignificant technical challenges remain. The major issues addressed in this work revolve around the ability to make workable sensors. This paper discusses efforts to address three technical barriers related t o the application of nanostructures into sensor systems: 1) Improving contact of the nanostructured materials with electrodes in a microse nsor structure; 2) Controling nanostructure crystallinity to allow co ntrol of the detection mechanism; and 3) Widening the range of gases that can be detected by using different nanostructured materials. It is concluded that while this work demonstrates useful tools for furt her development, these are just the beginning steps towards realizati on of repeatable, controlled sensor systems using oxide based nanostr uctures.

Nanocarbon-copper thin film as transparent electrode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isaacs, R. A.; Zhu, H.; Preston, Colin; LeMieux, M.; Jaim, H. M. Iftekhar; Hu, L.; Salamanca-Riba, L. G.; Mansour, A.; Zavalij, P. Y.; Rabin, O.

2015-01-01

Researchers seeking to enhance the properties of metals have long pursued incorporating carbon in the metallic host lattice in order to combine the strongly bonded electrons in the metal lattice that yield high ampacity and the free electrons available in carbon nanostructures that give rise to high conductivity. The incorporation of carbon nanostructures into the copper lattice has the potential to improve the current density of copper to meet the ever-increasing demands of nanoelectronic devices. We report on the structure and properties of carbon incorporated in concentrations up to 5 wt. % (∼22 at. %) into the crystal structure of copper. Carbon nanoparticles of 5 nm–200 nm in diameter in an interconnecting carbon matrix are formed within the bulk Cu samples. The carbon does not phase separate after subsequent melting and re-solidification despite the absence of a predicted solid solution at such concentrations in the C-Cu binary phase diagram. This material, so-called, Cu covetic, makes deposition of Cu films containing carbon with similar microstructure to the metal possible. Copper covetic films exhibit greater transparency, higher conductivity, and resistance to oxidation than pure copper films of the same thickness, making them a suitable choice for transparent conductors

Nanocarbon-copper thin film as transparent electrode

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Isaacs, R. A.; Zhu, H.; Preston, Colin; LeMieux, M.; Jaim, H. M. Iftekhar; Hu, L., E-mail: binghu@umd.edu; Salamanca-Riba, L. G., E-mail: riba@umd.edu [Materials Science and Engineering Department, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742 (United States); Mansour, A. [Carderock Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center, West Bethesda, Maryland 20817 (United States); Zavalij, P. Y. [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742 (United States); Rabin, O. [Materials Science and Engineering Department, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742 (United States); Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742 (United States)

2015-05-11

Researchers seeking to enhance the properties of metals have long pursued incorporating carbon in the metallic host lattice in order to combine the strongly bonded electrons in the metal lattice that yield high ampacity and the free electrons available in carbon nanostructures that give rise to high conductivity. The incorporation of carbon nanostructures into the copper lattice has the potential to improve the current density of copper to meet the ever-increasing demands of nanoelectronic devices. We report on the structure and properties of carbon incorporated in concentrations up to 5 wt. % (∼22 at. %) into the crystal structure of copper. Carbon nanoparticles of 5 nm–200 nm in diameter in an interconnecting carbon matrix are formed within the bulk Cu samples. The carbon does not phase separate after subsequent melting and re-solidification despite the absence of a predicted solid solution at such concentrations in the C-Cu binary phase diagram. This material, so-called, Cu covetic, makes deposition of Cu films containing carbon with similar microstructure to the metal possible. Copper covetic films exhibit greater transparency, higher conductivity, and resistance to oxidation than pure copper films of the same thickness, making them a suitable choice for transparent conductors.

Fabrication of nanostructured Al-doped ZnO thin film for methane sensing applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shafura, A. K., E-mail: shafura@ymail.com; Azhar, N. E. I.; Uzer, M.; Mamat, M. H. [NANO-ElecTronic Centre (NET), Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor (Malaysia); Sin, N. D. Md. [NANO-ElecTronic Centre (NET), Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor (Malaysia); Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Johor, Kampus Pasir Gudang, 81750 Masai, Johor (Malaysia); Saurdi, I. [NANO-ElecTronic Centre (NET), Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor (Malaysia); Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA Sarawak, Kampus Kota Samarahan Jalan Meranek, Sarawak (Malaysia); Shuhaimi, A. [Dimensional Materials Research Centre (LDMRC), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University ofMalaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Alrokayan, Salman A. H.; Khan, Haseeb A. [Research Chair of Targeting and Treatment Cancer Using Nanoparticles, Department Of Biochemistry, College Of Science, King Saud University, P.O: 2454 Riyadh 11451 (Saudi Arabia); Rusop, M., E-mail: nanouitm@gmail.com [NANO-ElecTronic Centre (NET), Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor (Malaysia); NANO-SciTech Centre (NST), Institute of Science, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor (Malaysia)

2016-07-06

CH{sub 4} gas sensor was fabricated using spin-coating method of the nanostructured ZnO thin film. Effect of annealing temperature on the electrical and structural properties of the film was investigated. Dense nanostructured ZnO film are obtained at higher annealing temperature. The optimal condition of annealing temperature is 500°C which has conductivity and sensitivity value of 3.3 × 10{sup −3} S/cm and 11.5%, respectively.

Controlled nanostructuration of polycrystalline tungsten thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Girault, B. [Institut P' (UPR 3346 CNRS), Universite de Poitiers, ENSMA, Bd Pierre et Marie Curie, 86962 Futuroscope Cedex (France); Institut de Recherche en Genie Civil et Mecanique (UMR CNRS 6183), LUNAM Universite, Universite de Nantes, Centrale Nantes, CRTT, 37 Bd de l' Universite, BP 406, 44602 Saint-Nazaire Cedex (France); Eyidi, D.; Goudeau, P.; Guerin, P.; Bourhis, E. Le; Renault, P.-O. [Institut P' (UPR 3346 CNRS), Universite de Poitiers, ENSMA, Bd Pierre et Marie Curie, 86962 Futuroscope Cedex (France); Sauvage, T. [CEMHTI/CNRS (UPR 3079 CNRS), Universite d' Orleans, 3A rue de la Ferollerie, 45071 Orleans Cedex 2 (France)

2013-05-07

Nanostructured tungsten thin films have been obtained by ion beam sputtering technique stopping periodically the growing. The total thickness was maintained constant while nanostructure control was obtained using different stopping periods in order to induce film stratification. The effect of tungsten sublayers' thicknesses on film composition, residual stresses, and crystalline texture evolution has been established. Our study reveals that tungsten crystallizes in both stable {alpha}- and metastable {beta}-phases and that volume proportions evolve with deposited sublayers' thicknesses. {alpha}-W phase shows original fiber texture development with two major preferential crystallographic orientations, namely, {alpha}-W<110> and unexpectedly {alpha}-W<111> texture components. The partial pressure of oxygen and presence of carbon have been identified as critical parameters for the growth of metastable {beta}-W phase. Moreover, the texture development of {alpha}-W phase with two texture components is shown to be the result of a competition between crystallographic planes energy minimization and crystallographic orientation channeling effect maximization. Controlled grain size can be achieved for the {alpha}-W phase structure over 3 nm stratification step. Below, the {beta}-W phase structure becomes predominant.

Phase-selective staining of metal salt for scanning electron microscopy imaging of block copolymer film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Jing Ze, E-mail: Lijinge@uestc.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Microelectronic and Solid-state Electronic, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054 (China); State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering (Sichuan University), Chengdu 610054 (China); Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Electronic Information Materials and Devices, Urumuqi 830011 (China); Wang, Ying; Hong Wang, Zhi; Mei, Di; Zou, Wei [State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Microelectronic and Solid-state Electronic, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054 (China); Min Chang, Ai [State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering (Sichuan University), Chengdu 610054 (China); Wang, Qi [Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Electronic Information Materials and Devices, Urumuqi 830011 (China); Komura, Motonori; Ito, Kaori [Division of Integrated Molecular Engineering, Chemical Resources Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8503 (Japan); Iyoda, Tomokazu, E-mail: Iyoda.t.aa@m.titech.ac.jp [Division of Integrated Molecular Engineering, Chemical Resources Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8503 (Japan)

2010-09-15

Three metal salts, i.e., AgNO{sub 3}, HAuCl{sub 4}, and KCl, were proposed as novel staining reagents instead of traditional RuO{sub 4} and OsO{sub 4} labeled with expensive price and extreme toxicity for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging of microphase separated block copolymer film. A simple and costless aqueous solution immersion procedure could ensure selective staining of the metal slat in specific phase of the nanostructured copolymer film, leading to a clear phase contrasted SEM image. The heavy metal salt has better staining effect, demonstrating stable and high signal-to-noise SEM image even at an acceleration voltage as high as 30 kV and magnification up to 250,000 times.

Electrically excited hot-electron dominated fluorescent emitters using individual Ga-doped ZnO microwires via metal quasiparticle film decoration.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yang; Jiang, Mingming; Zhang, Zhenzhong; Li, Binghui; Zhao, Haifeng; Shan, Chongxin; Shen, Dezhen

2018-03-28

The generation of hot electrons from metal nanostructures through plasmon decay provided a direct interfacial charge transfer mechanism, which no longer suffers from the barrier height restrictions observed for metal/semiconductor interfaces. Metal plasmon-mediated energy conversion with higher efficiency has been proposed as a promising alternative to construct novel optoelectronic devices, such as photodetectors, photovoltaic and photocatalytic devices, etc. However, the realization of the electrically-driven generation of hot electrons, and the application in light-emitting devices remain big challenges. Here, hybrid architectures comprising individual Ga-doped ZnO (ZnO:Ga) microwires via metal quasiparticle film decoration were fabricated. The hottest spots could be formed towards the center of the wires, and the quasiparticle films were converted into physically isolated nanoparticles by applying a bias onto the wires. Thus, the hot electrons became spatially localized towards the hottest regions, leading to a release of energy in the form of emitting photons. By adjusting the sputtering times and appropriate alloys, such as Au and Ag, wavelength-tunable emissions could be achieved. To exploit the EL emission characteristics, metal plasmons could be used as active elements to mediate the generation of hot electrons from metal nanostructures, which are located in the light-emitting regions, followed by injection into ZnO:Ga microwire-channels; thus, the production of plasmon decay-induced hot-electrons could function as an efficient approach to dominate emission wavelengths. Therefore, by introducing metal nanostructure decoration, individual ZnO:Ga microwires can be used to construct wavelength-tunable fluorescent emitters. The hybrid architectures of metal-ZnO micro/nanostructures offer a fantastic candidate to broaden the potential applications of semiconducting optoelectronic devices, such as photovoltaic devices, photodetectors, optoelectronic sensors, etc.

Femtosecond laser-induced periodic surface nanostructuring of sputtered platinum thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodríguez, Ainara, E-mail: airodriguez@ceit.es [CIC microGUNE, Goiru Kalea 9 Polo Innovación Garaia, 20500 Arrasate-Mondragón (Spain); CEIT-IK4 & Tecnun (University of Navarra), Paseo Manuel Lardizábal 15, 20018 San Sebastián (Spain); Morant-Miñana, Maria Carmen; Dias-Ponte, Antonio; Martínez-Calderón, Miguel; Gómez-Aranzadi, Mikel; Olaizola, Santiago M. [CIC microGUNE, Goiru Kalea 9 Polo Innovación Garaia, 20500 Arrasate-Mondragón (Spain); CEIT-IK4 & Tecnun (University of Navarra), Paseo Manuel Lardizábal 15, 20018 San Sebastián (Spain)

2015-10-01

Highlights: • Femtosecond laser-induced surface nanostructures on sputtered platinum thin films. • Three types of structures obtained: random nanostructures, LSFL and HSFL. • Two different modification regimes have been established based on laser fluence. - Abstract: In this work, submicro and nanostructures self-formed on the surface of Platinum thin films under femtosecond laser-pulse irradiation are investigated. A Ti:Sapphire laser system was used to linearly scan 15 mm lines with 100 fs pulses at a central wavelength of 800 nm with a 1 kHz repetition rate. The resulting structures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and 2D-Fast Fourier Transform (2D-FFT) analysis. This analysis of images revealed different types of structures depending on the laser irradiation parameters: random nanostructures, low spatial frequency LIPSS (LSFL) with a periodicity from about 450 to 600 nm, and high spatial frequency LIPSS (HSFL) with a periodicity from about 80 to 200 nm. Two different modifications regimes have been established for the formation of nanostructures: (a) a high-fluence regime in which random nanostructures and LSFL are obtained and (b) a low-fluence regime in which HSFL and LSFL are obtained.

Electrochemical preparation of hematite nanostructured films for solar hydrogen production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ebadzadeh T.

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Photoelectrochemical water splitting is a clean and promising technique for using a renewable source of energy, i.e., solar energy, to produce hydrogen. In this work electrochemical formation of iron oxyhydroxide and its conversion to hematite (α- Fe2O3 through thermal treatment have been studied. Oxyhydroxide iron compounds have been prepared onto SnO2/F covered glass substrate by potential cycling with two different potential sweep rate values; then calcined at 520 °C in air to obtain α-Fe2O3 nanostrutured films for their implementation as photoanode in a photoelectrochemical cell. X-ray diffraction analysis allowed finding that iron oxides films have nanocrystalline character. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that films have nanostructured morphology. The obtained results are discussed considering the influence of potential sweep rate employed during the preparation of iron oxyhydroxide film on optical, structural and morphological properties of hematite nanostructured films. Results show that films have acceptable characteristics as photoanode in a photoelectrochemical cell for hydrogen generation from water.

Growth of α-V{sub 2}O{sub 5} nanostructured thin films as a function of deposition process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Megha, E-mail: meghasingh.life@gmail.com; Sharma, Rabindar K.; Reddy, G. B. [Thin film Laboratory, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi -110016 (India)

2016-05-23

In this communication, we synthesizedvanadium pentoxide (α-V{sub 2}O{sub 5}) nanostructured thin films (NSTs) using four different methods for obtaining vanadate species namely thermal evaporation (source of vanadate species are V{sub 2}O{sub 5} powder and vanadium metal foil) and plasma assisted sublimation process (source of vanadate species are V{sub 2}O{sub 5} powder and vanadium metal foil). The effect of plasmaon morphological and structural propertieshave been systematicallystudied. XRD revealed thermal evaporation process yielded amorphous films whereassublimation process yielded highly crystalline α-V{sub 2}O{sub 5} films. HRTEM of nanobelts show, the growth is preferred in (001) crystallographic direction with interplanar distance of 0.43 nm. XPS revealed O/V ratio of ~2.4, which nearly agrees with standard V{sub 2}O{sub 5} stoichiometry. SEM revealed deposition process affect morphology of films; thermal evaporation results in smoother film while plasma assisted sublimation process reveals nanoflakes and nanobelts (NBs). All the results are inconcordance with each other.

Positioning of Carbon nanostructures on metal surfaces using laser acceleration and the Raman analyses of the patterns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karmenyan, A; Perevedentseva, E; Chiou, A; Cheng, C-L

2007-01-01

The laser-induced acceleration of nanoparticles using intense light irradiation was used for positioning and ordering of carbon nanomaterials to form periodical surface structures. Such systems are of interest for different nanotechnology applications. The nanodiamond with averaged size 100 nm, and fullerene (C 60 ) suspended in distilled water were accelerated using high focused laser beam and attached onto metal surface of silver and gold thin films evaporated on Si substrate. The laser was operating both in CW and femtosecond modes with the wavelength of ∼800 nm, pulse duration 150 fs, and average laser power of 300-600 mW. In case of pulse irradiation the repetition rate of 76 MHZ was applied. The nanoparticles were positioned on the metal surface in accordance with a predetermined program to allow patterning of the nanoparticles. The positioning was analyzed for different treatment conditions and compared to the calculated data. To investigate the obtained nanoparticles/metal structures, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) was used utilizing its high sensitivity on the local properties of the nanostructures. SERS allows the observing of carbon nanostructures with their characteristic peculiarities, such as blinking effect and selective enhancement. Here we try to explain the spectral and spatial peculiarities occurring during the laser acceleration process and the interaction of attached carbon nanostructures with metal surface

Photocatalytic performance of Sn-doped TiO2 nanostructured thin films for photocatalytic degradation of malachite green dye under UV and VIS-lights

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sayilkan, F.; Asiltuerk, M.; Tatar, P.; Kiraz, N.; Sener, S.; Arpac, E.; Sayilkan, H.

2008-01-01

Sn-doped and undoped nano-TiO 2 particles have been synthesized by hydrotermal process without acid catalyst at 225 deg. C in 1 h. Nanostructure-TiO 2 based thin films, contain at different solid ratio of TiO 2 in coating, have been prepared on glass surfaces by spin-coating technique. The structure, surface morphology and optical properties of the thin films and the particles have been investigated by element analysis and XRD, BET and UV/VIS/NIR techniques. The photocatalytic performance of the films was tested for degradation of malachite green dye in solution under UV and VIS-lights. The results showed that the hydrothermally synthesized nano-TiO 2 particles are fully anatase crystalline form and are easily dispersed in water, the coated surfaces have nearly super-hydrophilic properties and, the doping of transition metal ion efficiently improved the photocatalytic performance of the TiO 2 thin film. The results also proved that malachite green is decomposed catalytically due to the pseudo first-order reaction kinetics

Hydrophobic ZnO nanostructured thin films on glass substrate by simple successive ionic layer absorption and reaction (SILAR) method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, P. Suresh; Raj, A. Dhayal [Thin Film and Nanomaterials Laboratory, Department of Physics, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore-641046 (India); Mangalaraj, D., E-mail: dmraj800@yahoo.co [Department of Nanoscience and Technology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore-641046 (India); Nataraj, D. [Thin Film and Nanomaterials Laboratory, Department of Physics, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore-641046 (India)

2010-10-01

In the present work, ZnO nanostructured thin films were grown on glass substrates by a simple successive ionic layer absorption and reaction method (SILAR) process at relatively low temperature for its self cleaning application. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and Photoluminescence (PL) spectra were used to characterize the prepared ZnO nanostructured film. XRD pattern clearly reviles that the grown ZnO nanostructure film reflect (002) orientation with c-direction. SEM image clearly shows the surface morphology with cluster of spindle and flower-like nanostructured with diameter various around 350 nm. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of ZnO nanostructures film exhibit a UV emission around 385nm and visible emission in the range around 420-500 nm. Good water repellent behavior were observed for ZnO nanostructured film without any surface modification.

Hydrophobic ZnO nanostructured thin films on glass substrate by simple successive ionic layer absorption and reaction (SILAR) method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, P. Suresh; Raj, A. Dhayal; Mangalaraj, D.; Nataraj, D.

2010-01-01

In the present work, ZnO nanostructured thin films were grown on glass substrates by a simple successive ionic layer absorption and reaction method (SILAR) process at relatively low temperature for its self cleaning application. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and Photoluminescence (PL) spectra were used to characterize the prepared ZnO nanostructured film. XRD pattern clearly reviles that the grown ZnO nanostructure film reflect (002) orientation with c-direction. SEM image clearly shows the surface morphology with cluster of spindle and flower-like nanostructured with diameter various around 350 nm. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of ZnO nanostructures film exhibit a UV emission around 385nm and visible emission in the range around 420-500 nm. Good water repellent behavior were observed for ZnO nanostructured film without any surface modification.

Nanostructured thin films as functional coatings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lazar, Manoj A; Tadvani, Jalil K; Tung, Wing Sze; Lopez, Lorena; Daoud, Walid A, E-mail: Walid.Daoud@sci.monash.edu.au [School of Applied Sciences and Engineering, Monash University, Churchill, VIC 3842 (Australia)

2010-06-15

Nanostructured thin films is one of the highly exploiting research areas particularly in applications such as photovoltaics, photocatalysis and sensor technologies. Highly tuned thin films, in terms of thickness, crystallinity, porosity and optical properties, can be fabricated on different substrates using the sol-gel method, chemical solution deposition (CSD), electrochemical etching, along with other conventional methods such as chemical vapour deposition (CVD) and physical vapour deposition (PVD). The above mentioned properties of these films are usually characterised using surface analysis techniques such as XRD, SEM, TEM, AFM, ellipsometry, electrochemistry, SAXS, reflectance spectroscopy, STM, XPS, SIMS, ESCA, X-ray topography and DOSY-NMR. This article presents a short review of the preparation and characterisation of thin films of nanocrystalline titanium dioxide and modified silicon as well as their application in solar cells, water treatment, water splitting, self cleaning fabrics, sensors, optoelectronic devices and lab on chip systems.

A Comprehensive Review of Semiconductor Ultraviolet Photodetectors: From Thin Film to One-Dimensional Nanostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liwen Sang

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Ultraviolet (UV photodetectors have drawn extensive attention owing to their applications in industrial, environmental and even biological fields. Compared to UV-enhanced Si photodetectors, a new generation of wide bandgap semiconductors, such as (Al, In GaN, diamond, and SiC, have the advantages of high responsivity, high thermal stability, robust radiation hardness and high response speed. On the other hand, one-dimensional (1D nanostructure semiconductors with a wide bandgap, such as β-Ga2O3, GaN, ZnO, or other metal-oxide nanostructures, also show their potential for high-efficiency UV photodetection. In some cases such as flame detection, high-temperature thermally stable detectors with high performance are required. This article provides a comprehensive review on the state-of-the-art research activities in the UV photodetection field, including not only semiconductor thin films, but also 1D nanostructured materials, which are attracting more and more attention in the detection field. A special focus is given on the thermal stability of the developed devices, which is one of the key characteristics for the real applications.

Near-field effects and energy transfer in hybrid metal-oxide nanostructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Herr, Ulrich; Kuerbanjiang, Balati; Benel, Cahit; Papageorgiou, Giorgos; Goncalves, Manuel; Boneberg, Johannes; Leiderer, Paul; Ziemann, Paul; Marek, Peter; Hahn, Horst

2013-01-01

One of the big challenges of the 21st century is the utilization of nanotechnology for energy technology. Nanoscale structures may provide novel functionality, which has been demonstrated most convincingly by successful applications such as dye-sensitized solar cells introduced by M. Grätzel. Applications in energy technology are based on the transfer and conversion of energy. Following the example of photosynthesis, this requires a combination of light harvesting, transfer of energy to a reaction center, and conversion to other forms of energy by charge separation and transfer. This may be achieved by utilizing hybrid nanostructures, which combine metallic and nonmetallic components. Metallic nanostructures can interact strongly with light. Plasmonic excitations of such structures can cause local enhancement of the electrical field, which has been utilized in spectroscopy for many years. On the other hand, the excited states in metallic structures decay over very short lifetimes. Longer lifetimes of excited states occur in nonmetallic nanostructures, which makes them attractive for further energy transfer before recombination or relaxation sets in. Therefore, the combination of metallic nanostructures with nonmetallic materials is of great interest. We report investigations of hybrid nanostructured model systems that consist of a combination of metallic nanoantennas (fabricated by nanosphere lithography, NSL) and oxide nanoparticles. The oxide particles were doped with rare-earth (RE) ions, which show a large shift between absorption and emission wavelengths, allowing us to investigate the energy-transfer processes in detail. The main focus is on TiO2 nanoparticles doped with Eu(3+), since the material is interesting for applications such as the generation of hydrogen by photocatalytic splitting of water molecules. We use high-resolution techniques such as confocal fluorescence microscopy for the investigation of energy-transfer processes. The experiments are

Metal-polymer composites comprising nanostructures and applications thereof

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hsing-Lin [Los Alamos, NM; Jeon, Sea Ho [Dracut, MA; Mack, Nathan H [Los Alamos, NM

2011-08-02

Metal-polymer composites, and methods of making and use thereof, said composites comprising a thermally-cured dense polyaniline substrate; an acid dopant; and, metal nanostructure deposits wherein the deposits have a morphology dependent upon the acid dopant.

Methods of making metal oxide nanostructures and methods of controlling morphology of same

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Stanislaus S; Hongjun, Zhou

2012-11-27

The present invention includes a method of producing a crystalline metal oxide nanostructure. The method comprises providing a metal salt solution and providing a basic solution; placing a porous membrane between the metal salt solution and the basic solution, wherein metal cations of the metal salt solution and hydroxide ions of the basic solution react, thereby producing a crystalline metal oxide nanostructure.

Topographically Engineered Large Scale Nanostructures for Plasmonic Biosensing

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Bo; Pradhan, Sangram K.; Santiago, Kevin C.; Rutherford, Gugu N.; Pradhan, Aswini K.

2016-04-01

We demonstrate that a nanostructured metal thin film can achieve enhanced transmission efficiency and sharp resonances and use a large-scale and high-throughput nanofabrication technique for the plasmonic structures. The fabrication technique combines the features of nanoimprint and soft lithography to topographically construct metal thin films with nanoscale patterns. Metal nanogratings developed using this method show significantly enhanced optical transmission (up to a one-order-of-magnitude enhancement) and sharp resonances with full width at half maximum (FWHM) of ~15nm in the zero-order transmission using an incoherent white light source. These nanostructures are sensitive to the surrounding environment, and the resonance can shift as the refractive index changes. We derive an analytical method using a spatial Fourier transformation to understand the enhancement phenomenon and the sensing mechanism. The use of real-time monitoring of protein-protein interactions in microfluidic cells integrated with these nanostructures is demonstrated to be effective for biosensing. The perpendicular transmission configuration and large-scale structures provide a feasible platform without sophisticated optical instrumentation to realize label-free surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensing.

Nanostructured manganese oxide thin films as electrode material for supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Hui; Lai, Man On; Lu, Li

2011-01-01

Electrochemical capacitors, also called supercapacitors, are alternative energy storage devices, particularly for applications requiring high power densities. Recently, manganese oxides have been extensively evaluated as electrode materials for supercapacitors due to their low cost, environmental benignity, and promising supercapacitive performance. In order to maximize the utilization of manganese oxides as the electrode material for the supercapacitors and improve their supercapacitive performance, the nanostructured manganese oxides have therefore been developed. This paper reviews the synthesis of the nanostructured manganese oxide thin films by different methods and the supercapacitive performance of different nanostructures.

Boron doped nanostructure ZnO films deposited by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karakaya, Seniye, E-mail: seniyek@ogu.edu.tr; Ozbas, Omer

2015-02-15

Highlights: • Nanostructure undoped and boron doped ZnO films were deposited by USP technique. • Influences of doping on the surface and optical properties of the ZnO films were investigated. • XRD spectra of the films exhibited a variation in crystalline quality depending on the B content. - Abstract: ZnO is an II–VI compound semiconductor with a wide direct band gap of 3.3 eV at room temperature. Doped with group III elements (B, Al or Ga), it becomes an attractive candidate to replace tin oxide (SnO{sub 2}) or indium tin oxide (ITO) as transparent conducting electrodes in solar cell devices and flat panel display due to competitive electrical and optical properties. In this work, ZnO and boron doped ZnO (ZnO:B) films have been deposited onto glass substrates at 350 ± 5 °C by a cost-efficient ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique. The optical, structural, morphological and electrical properties of nanostructure undoped and ZnO:B films have been investigated. Electrical resistivity of films has been analyzed by four-probe technique. Optical properties and thicknesses of the films have been examined in the wavelength range 1200–1600 nm by using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) measurements. The optical constants (refractive index (n) and extinction coefficient (k)) and the thicknesses of the films have been fitted according to Cauchy model. The optical method has been used to determine the band gap value of the films. Transmission spectra have been taken by UV spectrophotometer. It is found that both ZnO and ZnO:B films have high average optical transmission (≥80%). X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns indicate that the obtained ZnO has a hexagonal wurtzite type structure. The morphological properties of the films were studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The surface morphology of the nanostructure films is found to depend on the concentration of B. As a result, ZnO:B films are promising contender for their potential use as transparent window layer and

Nanostructural characterization of amorphous diamondlike carbon films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Siegal, M. P. [Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185 (United States); Tallant, D. R. [Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185 (United States); Martinez-Miranda, L. J. [University of Maryland, Department of Materials and Nuclear Engineering, College Park, Maryland 20742 (United States); Barbour, J. C. [Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185 (United States); Simpson, R. L. [Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185 (United States); Overmyer, D. L. [Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185 (United States)

2000-04-15

Nanostructural characterization of amorphous diamondlike carbon (a-C) films grown on silicon using pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) is correlated to both growth energetics and film thickness. Raman spectroscopy and x-ray reflectivity probe both the topological nature of three- and four-fold coordinated carbon atom bonding and the topographical clustering of their distributions within a given film. In general, increasing the energetics of PLD growth results in films becoming more ''diamondlike,'' i.e., increasing mass density and decreasing optical absorbance. However, these same properties decrease appreciably with thickness. The topology of carbon atom bonding is different for material near the substrate interface compared to material within the bulk portion of an a-C film. A simple model balancing the energy of residual stress and the free energies of resulting carbon topologies is proposed to provide an explanation of the evolution of topographical bonding clusters in a growing a-C film. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.

Nanostructural characterization of amorphous diamondlike carbon films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

SIEGAL,MICHAEL P.; TALLANT,DAVID R.; MARTINEZ-MIRANDA,L.J.; BARBOUR,J. CHARLES; SIMPSON,REGINA L.; OVERMYER,DONALD L.

2000-01-27

Nanostructural characterization of amorphous diamondlike carbon (a-C) films grown on silicon using pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) is correlated to both growth energetic and film thickness. Raman spectroscopy and x-ray reflectivity probe both the topological nature of 3- and 4-fold coordinated carbon atom bonding and the topographical clustering of their distributions within a given film. In general, increasing the energetic of PLD growth results in films becoming more ``diamondlike'', i.e. increasing mass density and decreasing optical absorbance. However, these same properties decrease appreciably with thickness. The topology of carbon atom bonding is different for material near the substrate interface compared to material within the bulk portion of an a-C film. A simple model balancing the energy of residual stress and the free energies of resulting carbon topologies is proposed to provide an explanation of the evolution of topographical bonding clusters in a growing a-C film.

Nanostructured hematite thin films for photoelectrochemical water splitting

Science.gov (United States)

Maabong, Kelebogile; Machatine, Augusto G. J.; Mwankemwa, Benard S.; Braun, Artur; Bora, Debajeet K.; Toth, Rita; Diale, Mmantsae

2018-04-01

Nanostructured hematite thin films prepared by dip coating technique were investigated for their photoelectrochemical activity for generation of hydrogen from water splitting. Structural, morphological and optical analyses of the doped/undoped films were performed by X-ray diffraction, high resolution field emission-scanning electron microscopy, UV-vis spectrophotometry and Raman spectroscopy. The photoelectrochemical measurements of the films showed enhanced photoresponse and cathodic shift of the onset potential upon Ti doping indicating improved transfer of photoholes at the semiconductor-electrolyte interface. Films doped with 1 at% Ti produced 0.72 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V vs RHE which is 2 times higher than current density for the pure film (0.30 mA/cm2, at 1.23 V vs RHE). Gas chromatography analysis of the films also showed enhanced hydrogen evolution at 1 at% Ti with respect to pure film.

Synthesis of biocidal polymers containing metal NPs using an electron beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Kwonyong; Kim, Seong-Eun; Kim, Hee-Yeon; Yoon, Jeyong; Lee, Jong-Chan

2012-01-01

Metal containing antibacterial polymers were prepared by the polymerization of methylmethacrylate and methacrylic acid with copper or zinc. When the thin film of the polymers coated on a glass was irradiated with an electron beam, nanoparticles were obtained. It was found that these polymers exhibited a potent antibacterial activity against the Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli. The metal containing polymers showed a 99.999% (5.0 logs) reduction in E. coli at a contact time of 12 h. In addition, polymers had a good antifouling effect against marine organisms. - Graphical abstract: Biocidal activity of Cu nanoparticle/polymer composite film against Gram-negative bacteria. Highlights: ► Metal containing antibacterial polymers were prepared with copper. ► Using the electron beam, nanoparticles were obtained. ► It was found that these polymers exhibited potent biocidal activity against E. coli. ► The metal containing polymers showed a 99.999% reduction of E. coli.

Metal Fluorides, Metal Chlorides and Halogenated Metal Oxides as Lewis Acidic Heterogeneous Catalysts. Providing Some Context for Nanostructured Metal Fluorides.

Science.gov (United States)

Lennon, David; Winfield, John M

2017-01-28

Aspects of the chemistry of selected metal fluorides, which are pertinent to their real or potential use as Lewis acidic, heterogeneous catalysts, are reviewed. Particular attention is paid to β-aluminum trifluoride, aluminum chlorofluoride and aluminas γ and η, whose surfaces become partially fluorinated or chlorinated, through pre-treatment with halogenating reagents or during a catalytic reaction. In these cases, direct comparisons with nanostructured metal fluorides are possible. In the second part of the review, attention is directed to iron(III) and copper(II) metal chlorides, whose Lewis acidity and potential redox function have had important catalytic implications in large-scale chlorohydrocarbons chemistry. Recent work, which highlights the complexity of reactions that can occur in the presence of supported copper(II) chloride as an oxychlorination catalyst, is featured. Although direct comparisons with nanostructured fluorides are not currently possible, the work could be relevant to possible future catalytic developments in nanostructured materials.

The influence of nanoscale morphology on the resistivity of cluster-assembled nanostructured metallic thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barborini, E; Bertolini, G; Repetto, P; Leccardi, M; Vinati, S; Corbelli, G; Milani, P

2010-01-01

We have studied in situ the evolution of the electrical resistivity of Fe, Pd, Nb, W and Mo cluster-assembled films during their growth by supersonic cluster beam deposition. We observed resistivity of cluster-assembled films several orders of magnitude larger than the bulk, as well as an increase in resistivity by increasing the film thickness in contrast to what was observed for atom-assembled metallic films. This suggests that the nanoscale morphological features typical of ballistic films growth, such as the minimal cluster-cluster interconnection and the evolution of surface roughness with thickness, are responsible for the observed behaviour.

Thermal Conductivity in Nanostructured Films: From Single Cellulose Nanocrystals to Bulk Films

Science.gov (United States)

Jairo A. Diaz; Zhijiang Ye; Xiawa Wu; Arden L. Moore; Robert J. Moon; Ashlie Martini; Dylan J. Boday; Jeffrey P. Youngblood

2014-01-01

We achieved a multiscale description of the thermal conductivity of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) from single CNCs (~­0.72−5.7 W m−1 K−1) to their organized nanostructured films (~­0.22−0.53 W m−1 K−1) using...

Ion beam assisted deposition of nano-structured C:Ni films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abrasonis, G.; Muecklich, A.; Heller, R.; Heinig, K.H.; Gemming, S.; Moeller, W. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden (Germany); Krause, M. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden (Germany); Institute of Physics, TU Dresden (Germany)

2012-07-01

Nanostructures influence material properties dramatically due to size, shape and interface effects. Thus the control of the structure at the nanoscale is a key issue in nanomaterials science. The interaction of hyperthermal ions with solids is confined to the nanometer scale. Thus, it can be used to control the morphology evolution during multiphase film deposition. Ion-induced displacements occur in a thin surface layer of the growing film where they increase the atomic mobility for the phase separation. Here the growth-structure relationship of C:Ni (15 at.%) nanocomposite films grown by oblique incidence (45 ) ion beam assisted deposition is reported. The influences of the flux of an assisting Ar+ ion beam (0-140 eV) as well as of an elevated substrate temperature have been studied. The formation of elongated nickel nanoparticles is strongly promoted by the ion beam assistance. Moreover, the metal nanocolumns no longer align with the advancing surface, but with the incoming ions. A window of conditions is established within which the ion assistance leads to the formation of regular composition modulations with a well defined periodicity and tilt. As the dominating driving force for the pattern formation is of physical origin, this approach might be applicable to other immiscible systems.

Hydrogen Gas Sensing Characteristics of Nanostructured NiO Thin Films Synthesized by SILAR Method

Science.gov (United States)

Karaduman, Irmak; Çorlu, Tugba; Yıldırım, M. Ali; Ateş, Aytunç; Acar, Selim

2017-07-01

Nanostructured NiO thin films have been synthesized by a facile, low-cost successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method, and the effects of the film thickness on their hydrogen gas sensing properties investigated. The samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and energy-dispersive x-ray analysis. The XRD results revealed that the crystallinity improved with increasing thickness, exhibiting polycrystalline structure. SEM studies showed that all the films covered the glass substrate well. According to optical absorption measurements, the optical bandgap decreased with increasing film thickness. The gas sensing properties of the nanostructured NiO thin films were studied as a function of operating temperature and gas concentration. The samples showed good sensing performance of H2 gas with high response. The maximum response was 75% at operating temperature of 200°C for hydrogen gas concentration of 40 ppm. These results demonstrate that nanostructured NiO thin films synthesized by the SILAR method have potential for application in hydrogen detection.

Optical response of heterogeneous polymer layers containing silver nanostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miriam Carlberg

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This work is focused on the study of the optical properties of silver nanostructures embedded in a polymer host matrix. The introduction of silver nanostructures in polymer thin films is assumed to result in layers having adaptable optical properties. Thin film layers with inclusions of differently shaped nanoparticles, such as nanospheres and nanoprisms, and of different sizes, are optically characterized. The nanoparticles are produced by a simple chemical synthesis at room temperature in water. The plasmonic resonance peaks of the different colloidal solutions range from 390 to 1300 nm. The non-absorbing, transparent polymer matrix poly(vinylpyrrolidone (PVP was chosen because of its suitable optical and chemical properties. The optical studies of the layers include spectrophotometry and spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements, which provide information about the reflection, transmission, absorption of the material as well as the complex optical indices, n and k. Finite difference time domain simulations of nanoparticles in thin film layers allow the visualization of the nanoparticle interactions or the electric field enhancement on and around the nanoparticles to complete the optical characterization. A simple analysis method is proposed to obtain the complex refractive index of nanospheres and nanoprisms in a polymer matrix.

Saccharide-based Approach to Green Metallic Nanostructure Synthesis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Engelbrekt, Christian; Sørensen, Karsten Holm; Jensen, Palle Skovhus

A green approach to solution synthesis of metallic nanoparticles has been developed using harmless and bioapplicable chemicals as well as moderate temperatures. Metal precursors are reduced by glucose/buffers and sterically stabilized by starch. The saccharide based procedure is highly diverse pr...... producing specifically a wide range of spherical, anisotropic, metallic, semi - conductor and core-shell nanostructures....

Optimization of synthesis protocols to control the nanostructure and the morphology of metal oxide thin films for memristive applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baldi, G., E-mail: giacomo.baldi@cnr.it; Bosi, M.; Attolini, G.; Berzina, T.; Mosca, R.; Ponraj, J. S.; Iannotta, S. [IMEM-CNR Institute, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, I-43124 Parma (Italy); Giusti, G.; Nozar, P.; Toccoli, T.; Verucchi, R. [IMEM-CNR Institute, Via alla Cascata 56/C, Povo – I-38123 Trento (Italy); Collini, C.; Lorenzelli, L. [FBK Bruno Kessler Foundation, Via Sommarive 18, I-38123 Trento (Italy)

2015-03-10

We propose a multi-technique approach based on in-vacuum synthesis of metal oxides to optimize the memristive properties of devices that use a metal oxide thin film as insulating layer. Pulsed Microplasma Cluster Source (PMCS) is based on supersonic beams seeded by clusters of the metal oxide. Nanocrystalline TiO{sub 2} thin films can be grown at room temperature, controlling the oxide stoichiometry from titanium metal up to a significant oxygen excess. Pulsed Electron beam Deposition (PED) is suitable to grow crystalline thin films on large areas, a step towards producing device arrays with controlled morphology and stoichiometry. Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is a powerful technique to grow materials layer-by-layer, finely controlling the chemical and structural properties of the film up to thickness of 50-80 nm. We will present a few examples of metal-insulator-metal structures showing a pinched hysteresis loop in their current-voltage characteristic. The structure, stoichiometry and morphology of the metal oxide layer, either aluminum oxide or titanium dioxide, is investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and by Raman scattering.

TiO2 and SiC nanostructured films, organized CNT structures

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

sized nanostructured TiO2 films through hydrolysis of titanium tetra-isopropoxide. (TTIP) [9 ... structured TiO2 as a photocatalyst is as follows [15]:. TiO2(ns) ... The deposited films were easily detached from the silica tube and subjected to. SEM.

A comparative study on omnidirectional anti-reflection SiO2 nanostructure films coating by glancing angle deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Prachachet, R.; Samransuksamer, B.; Horprathum, M.; Eiamchai, P.; Limwichean, S.; Chananonnawathorn, C.; Lertvanithphol, T.; Muthitamongkol, P.; Boonruang, S.; Buranasiri, P.

2018-02-01

Fabricated omnidirectional anti-reflection nanostructure films as a one of the promising alternative solar cell applications have attracted enormous scientific and industrial research benefits to their broadband, effective over a wide range of incident angles, lithography-free and high-throughput process. Recently, the nanostructure SiO2 film was the most inclusive study on anti-reflection with omnidirectional and broadband characteristics. In this work, the three-dimensional silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanostructured thin film with different morphologies including vertical align, slant, spiral and thin films were fabricated by electron beam evaporation with glancing angle deposition (GLAD) on the glass slide and silicon wafer substrate. The morphological of the prepared samples were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). The transmission, omnidirectional and birefringence property of the nanostructure SiO2 films were investigated by UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometer and variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometer (VASE). The spectrophotometer measurement was performed at normal incident angle and a full spectral range of 200 - 2000 nm. The angle dependent transmission measurements were investigated by rotating the specimen, with incidence angle defined relative to the surface normal of the prepared samples. This study demonstrates that the obtained SiO2 nanostructure film coated on glass slide substrate exhibits a higher transmission was 93% at normal incident angle. In addition, transmission measurement in visible wavelength and wide incident angles -80 to 80 were increased in comparison with the SiO2 thin film and glass slide substrate due to the transition in the refractive index profile from air to the nanostructure layer that improve the antireflection characteristics. The results clearly showed the enhanced omnidirectional and broadband characteristic of the three dimensional Si

Mesoporous magnetic secondary nanostructures as versatile adsorbent for efficient scavenging of heavy metals

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattacharya, Kakoli; Parasar, Devaborniny; Mondal, Bholanath; Deb, Pritam

2015-01-01

Porous magnetic secondary nanostructures exhibit high surface area because of the presence of plentiful interparticle spaces or pores. Mesoporous Fe3O4 secondary nanostructures (MFSNs) have been studied here as versatile adsorbent for heavy metal scavenging. The porosity combined with magnetic functionality of the secondary nanostructures has facilitated efficient heavy metal (As, Cu and Cd) remediation from water solution within a short period of contact time. It is because of the larger surface area of MFSNs due to the porous network in addition to primary nanostructures which provides abundant adsorption sites facilitating high adsorption of the heavy metal ions. The brilliance of adsorption property of MFSNs has been realized through comprehensive adsorption studies and detailed kinetics. Due to their larger dimension, MFSNs help in overcoming the Brownian motion which facilitates easy separation of the metal ion sorbed secondary nanostructures and also do not get drained out during filtration, thus providing pure water. PMID:26602613

Cycling behaviour of sponge-like nanostructured ZnO as thin-film Li-ion battery anodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garino, Nadia; Lamberti, Andrea; Gazia, Rossana; Chiodoni, Angelica; Gerbaldi, Claudio

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Zn is thermally oxidized in ambient air to obtain sponge-like ZnO film. • Polycrystalline, transparent, porous thin film is obtained. • Film exhibits stabile specific capacity (∼300 mAh g −1 ) after prolonged cycling. • Sponge-like ZnO film shows promising prospects as Li-ion battery anode. - Abstract: Single phase wurtzitic porous ZnO thin films are obtained by a simple two-step method, involving the sputtering deposition of a sponge-like metallic Zn layer, followed by a moderately low temperature treatment for the complete zinc oxidation. Thanks to its 3D nanostructuration, the superimposition of small branches able to grow in length almost isotropically and forming a complex topography, sponge-like ZnO can combine the fast transport properties of one dimensional material and the high surface area usually provided by nanocrystalline electrodes. When galvanostatically tested in lithium cell, after the initial decay, it can provide an almost stable specific capacity higher than 50 μAh cm −2 after prolonged cycling at estimated 0.7 C, with very high Coulombic efficiency

Cycling behaviour of sponge-like nanostructured ZnO as thin-film Li-ion battery anodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garino, Nadia, E-mail: nadia.garino@iit.it [Center for Space Human Robotics @Polito, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Corso Trento, 21, 10129 Turin (Italy); Lamberti, Andrea; Gazia, Rossana; Chiodoni, Angelica [Center for Space Human Robotics @Polito, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Corso Trento, 21, 10129 Turin (Italy); Gerbaldi, Claudio, E-mail: claudio.gerbaldi@polito.it [Center for Space Human Robotics @Polito, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Corso Trento, 21, 10129 Turin (Italy); GAME Lab, Department of Applied Science and Technology – DISAT, Politecnico di Torino, C.so Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Turin (Italy)

2014-12-05

Highlights: • Zn is thermally oxidized in ambient air to obtain sponge-like ZnO film. • Polycrystalline, transparent, porous thin film is obtained. • Film exhibits stabile specific capacity (∼300 mAh g{sup −1}) after prolonged cycling. • Sponge-like ZnO film shows promising prospects as Li-ion battery anode. - Abstract: Single phase wurtzitic porous ZnO thin films are obtained by a simple two-step method, involving the sputtering deposition of a sponge-like metallic Zn layer, followed by a moderately low temperature treatment for the complete zinc oxidation. Thanks to its 3D nanostructuration, the superimposition of small branches able to grow in length almost isotropically and forming a complex topography, sponge-like ZnO can combine the fast transport properties of one dimensional material and the high surface area usually provided by nanocrystalline electrodes. When galvanostatically tested in lithium cell, after the initial decay, it can provide an almost stable specific capacity higher than 50 μAh cm{sup −2} after prolonged cycling at estimated 0.7 C, with very high Coulombic efficiency.

Structure-related antibacterial activity of a titanium nanostructured surface fabricated by glancing angle sputter deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sengstock, Christina; Borgmann, Anna; Schildhauer, Thomas A; Köller, Manfred; Lopian, Michael; Motemani, Yahya; Khare, Chinmay; Buenconsejo, Pio John S; Ludwig, Alfred

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to reproduce the physico-mechanical antibacterial effect of the nanocolumnar cicada wing surface for metallic biomaterials by fabrication of titanium (Ti) nanocolumnar surfaces using glancing angle sputter deposition (GLAD). Nanocolumnar Ti thin films were fabricated by GLAD on silicon substrates. S. aureus as well as E. coli were incubated with nanostructured or reference dense Ti thin film test samples for one or three hours at 37 °C. Bacterial adherence, morphology, and viability were analyzed by fluorescence staining and scanning electron microscopy and compared to human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Bacterial adherence was not significantly different after short (1 h) incubation on the dense or the nanostructured Ti surface. In contrast to S. aureus the viability of E. coli was significantly decreased after 3 h on the nanostructured film compared to the dense film and was accompanied by an irregular morphology and a cell wall deformation. Cell adherence, spreading and viability of hMSCs were not altered on the nanostructured surface. The results show that the selective antibacterial effect of the cicada wing could be transferred to a nanostructured metallic biomaterial by mimicking the natural nanocolumnar topography. (papers)

Nanostructural origin of semiconductivity and large magnetoresistance in epitaxial NiCo2O4/Al2O3 thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Zhen, Congmian; Zhang, XiaoZhe; Wei, Wengang; Guo, Wenzhe; Pant, Ankit; Xu, Xiaoshan; Shen, Jian; Ma, Li; Hou, Denglu

2018-04-01

Despite low resistivity (~1 mΩ cm), metallic electrical transport has not been commonly observed in inverse spinel NiCo2O4, except in certain epitaxial thin films. Previous studies have stressed the effect of valence mixing and the degree of spinel inversion on the electrical conduction of NiCo2O4 films. In this work, we studied the effect of nanostructural disorder by comparing the NiCo2O4 epitaxial films grown on MgAl2O4 (1 1 1) and on Al2O3 (0 0 1) substrates. Although the optimal growth conditions are similar for the NiCo2O4 (1 1 1)/MgAl2O4 (1 1 1) and the NiCo2O4 (1 1 1)/Al2O3 (0 0 1) films, they show metallic and semiconducting electrical transport, respectively. Post-growth annealing decreases the resistivity of NiCo2O4 (1 1 1)/Al2O3 (0 0 1) films, but the annealed films are still semiconducting. While the semiconductivity and the large magnetoresistance in NiCo2O4 (1 1 1)/Al2O3 (0 0 1) films cannot be accounted for in terms of non-optimal valence mixing and spinel inversion, the presence of anti-phase boundaries between nano-sized crystallites, generated by the structural mismatch between NiCo2O4 and Al2O3, may explain all the experimental observations in this work. These results reveal nanostructural disorder as being another key factor for controlling the electrical transport of NiCo2O4, with potentially large magnetoresistance for spintronics applications.

Study of the nanostructure of Gum Metal using energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yano, T.; Murakami, Y.; Shindo, D.; Kuramoto, S.

2009-01-01

The nanostructure of Gum Metal, which has many anomalous mechanical properties, was investigated using transmission electron microscopy with energy filtering. A precise analysis of the weak diffuse electron scattering that was observed in the electron diffraction patterns of the Gum Metal specimen revealed that Gum Metal contains a substantial amount of the nanometer-sized ω phase. The morphology of the ω phase appeared to have a correlation with the faulting in the {2 1 1} planes, which are one of the characteristic lattice imperfections of the Gum Metal specimen. It is likely that the nanometer-sized ω phase may be a type of obstacle related to the restriction of the dislocation movement, which has been a significant problem in research on Gum Metal

Thin films by metal-organic precursor plasma spray

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schulz, Douglas L.; Sailer, Robert A.; Payne, Scott; Leach, James; Molz, Ronald J.

2009-01-01

While most plasma spray routes to coatings utilize solids as the precursor feedstock, metal-organic precursor plasma spray (MOPPS) is an area that the authors have investigated recently as a novel route to thin film materials. Very thin films are possible via MOPPS and the technology offers the possibility of forming graded structures by metering the liquid feed. The current work employs metal-organic compounds that are liquids at standard temperature-pressure conditions. In addition, these complexes contain chemical functionality that allows straightforward thermolytic transformation to targeted phases of interest. Toward that end, aluminum 3,5-heptanedionate (Al(hd) 3 ), triethylsilane (HSi(C 2 H 5 ) 3 or HSiEt 3 ), and titanium tetrakisdiethylamide (Ti(N(C 2 H 5 ) 2 ) 4 or Ti(NEt 2 ) 4 ) were employed as precursors to aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, and titanium nitride, respectively. In all instances, the liquids contain metal-heteroatom bonds envisioned to provide atomic concentrations of the appropriate reagents at the film growth surface, thus promoting phase formation (e.g., Si-C bond in triethylsilane, Ti-N bond in titanium amide, etc.). Films were deposited using a Sulzer Metco TriplexPro-200 plasma spray system under various experimental conditions using design of experiment principles. Film compositions were analyzed by glazing incidence x-ray diffraction and elemental determination by x-ray spectroscopy. MOPPS films from HSiEt 3 showed the formation of SiC phase but Al(hd) 3 -derived films were amorphous. The Ti(NEt 2 ) 4 precursor gave MOPPS films that appear to consist of nanosized splats of TiOCN with spheres of TiO 2 anatase. While all films in this study suffered from poor adhesion, it is anticipated that the use of heated substrates will aid in the formation of dense, adherent films.

A comparative study: Effect of plasma on V{sub 2}O{sub 5} nanostructured thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Megha; Kumar, Prabhat; Sharma, Rabindar K., E-mail: rkrksharma6@gmail.com; Reddy, G. B. [Thin film laboratory, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Delhi (India)

2016-05-06

Vanadium pentoxide nanostructured thin films (NSTs) have been studied to analyze the effect of plasma on nanostructures grown and morphology of films deposited using sublimation process. Nanostructured thin films were deposited on glass substrates, one in presence of oxygen plasma and other in oxygen environment (absence of plasma). Films were characterized using XRD, Raman spectroscopy, SEM and HRTEM. XRD studies revealed α-V{sub 2}O{sub 5} films (orthorhombic phase) with good crystallinity. However, film deposited in presence of plasma have higher peak intensities as compared to those deposited in absence of plasma. Raman studies also support these finding following same trends of considerable increase in intensity in case of film deposited in presence of plasma. SEM micrographs makes the difference more visible, as film deposited in plasma have well defined plate like structures whereas other film have not-clearly-defined petal-like structures. HRTEM results show orthorhombic phase with 0.39 nm interplanar spacing, as reported by XRD. Results are hereby in good agreement with each other.

Nanostructured thin films of indium oxide nanocrystals confined in alumina matrixes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bouifoulen, A.; Edely, M.; Errien, N.; Kassiba, A.; Outzourhit, A.; Makowska-Janusik, M.; Gautier, N.; Lajaunie, L.; Oueriagli, A.

2011-01-01

Nanocrystals of indium oxide (In 2 O 3 ) with sizes below 10 nm were prepared in alumina matrixes by using a co-pulverization method. The used substrates such as borosilicate glasses or (100) silicon as well as the substrate temperatures during the deposition process were modified and their effects characterized on the structural and physical properties of alumina-In 2 O 3 films. Complementary investigation methods including X-ray diffraction, optical transmittance in the range 250-1100 nm and transmission electron microscopy were used to analyze the nanostructured films. The crystalline order, morphology and optical responses were monitored as function of the deposition parameters and the post-synthesis annealing. The optimal conditions were found and allow realizing suitable nanostructured films with a major crystalline order of cubic phase for the In 2 O 3 nanocrystals. The optical properties of the films were analyzed and the key parameters such as direct and indirect band gaps were evaluated as function of the synthesis conditions and the crystalline quality of the films.

Micro/Nanostructured Films and Adhesives for Biomedical Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jungkyu K; Kang, Sung Min; Yang, Sung Ho; Cho, Woo Kyung

2015-12-01

The advanced technologies available for micro/nanofabrication have opened new avenues for interdisciplinary approaches to solve the unmet medical needs of regenerative medicine and biomedical devices. This review highlights the recent developments in micro/nanostructured adhesives and films for biomedical applications, including waterproof seals for wounds or surgery sites, drug delivery, sensing human body signals, and optical imaging of human tissues. We describe in detail the fabrication processes required to prepare the adhesives and films, such as tape-based adhesives, nanofilms, and flexible and stretchable film-based electronic devices. We also discuss their biomedical functions, performance in vitro and in vivo, and the future research needed to improve the current systems.

Layer-by-layer deposition of nanostructured CsPbBr3 perovskite thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Reshetnikova, A. A.; Matyushkin, L. B.; Andronov, A. A.; Sokolov, V. S.; Aleksandrova, O. A.; Moshnikov, V. A.

2017-11-01

Layer-by-layer deposition of nanostructured perovskites cesium lead halide thin films is described. The method of deposition is based on alternate immersion of the substrate in the precursor solutions or colloidal solution of nanocrystals and methyl acetate/lead nitrate solution using the device for deposition of films by SILAR and dip-coating techniques. An example of obtaining a photosensitive structure based on nanostructures of ZnO nanowires and layers of CsBbBr3 nanocrystals is also shown.

Relationships among surface processing at the nanometer scale, nanostructure and optical properties of thin oxide films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Losurdo, Maria

2004-05-01

Spectroscopic ellipsometry is used to study the optical properties of nanostructured semiconductor oxide thin films. Various examples of models for the dielectric function, based on Lorentzian oscillators combined with the Drude model, are given based on the band structure of the analyzed oxide. With this approach, the optical properties of thin films are determined independent of the dielectric functions of the corresponding bulk materials, and correlation between the optical properties and nanostructure of thin films is investigated. In particular, in order to discuss the dependence of optical constants on grain size, CeO{sub 2} nanostructured films are considered and parameterized by two-Lorentzian oscillators or two-Tauc-Lorentz model depending on the nanostructure and oxygen deficiency. The correlation among anisotropy, crystalline fraction and optical properties parameterized by a four-Lorentz oscillator model is discussed for nanocrystalline V{sub 2}O{sub 5} thin films. Indium tin oxide thin films are discussed as an example of the presence of graded optical properties related to interfacial reactivity activated by processing conditions. Finally, the example of ZnO shows the potential of ellipsometry in discerning crystal and epitaxial film polarity through the analysis of spectra and the detection of surface reactivity of the two polar faces, i.e. Zn-polarity and O-polarity.

A novel hierarchical ZnO disordered/ordered bilayer nanostructured film for dye sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feng, Yamin, E-mail: yaminfengccnuphy@outlook.com; Wu, Fei; Jiang, Jian; Zhu, Jianhui; Fodjouong, Ghislain Joel; Meng, Gaoxiang; Xing, Yanmin; Wang, Wenwu; Huang, Xintang, E-mail: xthuang@phy.ccnu.edu.cn

2013-12-25

Graphical abstract: A novel hierarchical disordered/ordered bilayer ZnO nanostructured film in the length of 18 μm have been successfully synthesized on the FTO substrate; the hierarchical ZnO nanostructured film electrodes applied in DSSCs exhibit photoelectric conversion efficiency as high as 5.16%. Highlights: •A novel hierarchical ZnO structure film was fabricated on a FTO substrate. •Hierarchical ZnO film is applied as the electrodes for dye sensitized solar cells. •The film possess high specific surface area and fast electron transport effect. •The light-scattering effect of the hierarchical film is pronounced. •The energy conversion efficiency of hierarchical ZnO electrode reaches to 5.16%. -- Abstract: A novel hierarchical ZnO nanostructured film is synthesized via a chemical bath deposition (CBD) method followed by a treatment of thermal decomposition onto a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate. This hierarchical film is composed of disordered ZnO nanorods (NRs) (top layer) and ordered ZnO nanowires (NWs) (bottom layer). The products possess the following features such as high specific surface area, fast electron transport, and pronounced light-scattering effect, which are quite suitable for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) applications. A light-to-electricity conversion efficiency of 5.16% is achieved when the hierarchical ZnO nanostructured film is used as the photoanode under 100 mW cm{sup −2} illumination. This efficiency is found to be much higher than that of the DSSCs with pure ordered ZnO NWs (1.45%) and disordered ZnO NRs (3.31%) photoanodes.

A novel hierarchical ZnO disordered/ordered bilayer nanostructured film for dye sensitized solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Yamin; Wu, Fei; Jiang, Jian; Zhu, Jianhui; Fodjouong, Ghislain Joel; Meng, Gaoxiang; Xing, Yanmin; Wang, Wenwu; Huang, Xintang

2013-01-01

Graphical abstract: A novel hierarchical disordered/ordered bilayer ZnO nanostructured film in the length of 18 μm have been successfully synthesized on the FTO substrate; the hierarchical ZnO nanostructured film electrodes applied in DSSCs exhibit photoelectric conversion efficiency as high as 5.16%. Highlights: •A novel hierarchical ZnO structure film was fabricated on a FTO substrate. •Hierarchical ZnO film is applied as the electrodes for dye sensitized solar cells. •The film possess high specific surface area and fast electron transport effect. •The light-scattering effect of the hierarchical film is pronounced. •The energy conversion efficiency of hierarchical ZnO electrode reaches to 5.16%. -- Abstract: A novel hierarchical ZnO nanostructured film is synthesized via a chemical bath deposition (CBD) method followed by a treatment of thermal decomposition onto a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate. This hierarchical film is composed of disordered ZnO nanorods (NRs) (top layer) and ordered ZnO nanowires (NWs) (bottom layer). The products possess the following features such as high specific surface area, fast electron transport, and pronounced light-scattering effect, which are quite suitable for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) applications. A light-to-electricity conversion efficiency of 5.16% is achieved when the hierarchical ZnO nanostructured film is used as the photoanode under 100 mW cm −2 illumination. This efficiency is found to be much higher than that of the DSSCs with pure ordered ZnO NWs (1.45%) and disordered ZnO NRs (3.31%) photoanodes

Fabrication of nanostructured ZnO film as a hole-conducting layer of organic photovoltaic cell

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hyomin; Kwon, Yiseul; Choe, Youngson

2013-05-01

We have investigated the effect of fibrous nanostructured ZnO film as a hole-conducting layer on the performance of polymer photovoltaic cells. By increasing the concentration of zinc acetate dihydrate, the changes of performance characteristics were evaluated. Fibrous nanostructured ZnO film was prepared by sol-gel process and annealed on a hot plate. As the concentration of zinc acetate dihydrate increased, ZnO fibrous nanostructure grew from 300 to 600 nm. The obtained ZnO nanostructured fibrous films have taken the shape of a maze-like structure and were characterized by UV-visible absorption, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction techniques. The intensity of absorption bands in the ultraviolet region was increased with increasing precursor concentration. The X-ray diffraction studies show that the ZnO fibrous nanostructures became strongly (002)-oriented with increasing concentration of precursor. The bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cells were fabricated using poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) and indene-C60 bisadduct as active layer, and their electrical properties were investigated. The external quantum efficiency of the fabricated device increased with increasing precursor concentration.

Photocatalytic activity of galvanically synthesized nanostructure SnO{sub 2} thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jana, Sumanta, E-mail: sumantajana85@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry, Bengal Engineering and Science University, Botanic Garden, Howrah 711103, WB (India); Mitra, Bibhas Chandra [Department of Physics, Bengal Engineering and Science University, Botanic Garden, Howrah 711103, WB (India); Bera, Pulakesh [Department of Chemistry, Panskura Banamali College, Purba Medinipur, Panskura 721152, WB (India); Sikdar, Moushumi [Department of Chemistry, Bengal Engineering and Science University, Botanic Garden, Howrah 711103, WB (India); Mondal, Anup, E-mail: anupmondal2000@yahoo.co.in [Department of Chemistry, Bengal Engineering and Science University, Botanic Garden, Howrah 711103, WB (India)

2014-07-25

Graphical abstract: Nanostructured porous tin dioxide (SnO{sub 2}) thin films have been synthesized by simple and cost effective galvanic technique. The synthesized porous SnO{sub 2} thin films show excellent photocatalytic activity for degrading methyl orange (MO) dye under light irradiation. The porous morphological grain growth due to annealing is likely to play an active role for this degradation. - Highlights: • SnO{sub 2} thin films have been successfully synthesized by galvanic technique. • A drastic morphological change occurs after annealing as deposited SnO{sub 2} thin films. • Morphological advantage results enhanced photodegradation of dye. - Abstract: The study demonstrates an approach to synthesize nanostructure SnO{sub 2} thin films on TCO (transparent conducting oxide) coated glass substrates by galvanic technique. Aqueous solution of hydrated stannic chloride (SnCl{sub 4}⋅5H{sub 2}O) in potassium nitrate (KNO{sub 3}) solution was used as the working solution. The process involves no sophisticated reactor or toxic chemicals, and proceeds continuously under ambient condition; it provides an economic way of synthesizing nanostructure SnO{sub 2} semiconductor thin films. The influence of sintering temperature on crystalline structure, morphology, electrical and dielectric properties has been studied. A detail analysis of I−V, C−V and dielectrics for annealed SnO{sub 2} thin films have been carried out. The morphological advantage i.e. nanoporous flake like structure allows more efficient transport of reactant molecules to the active interfaces and results a strong photocatalytic activity for degrading methyl orange (MO) dye.

MnSi nanostructures obtained from epitaxially grown thin films: magnetotransport and Hall effect

Science.gov (United States)

Schroeter, D.; Steinki, N.; Schilling, M.; Fernández Scarioni, A.; Krzysteczko, P.; Dziomba, T.; Schumacher, H. W.; Menzel, D.; Süllow, S.

2018-06-01

We present a comparative study of the (magneto)transport properties, including Hall effect, of bulk, epitaxially grown thin film and nanostructured MnSi. In order to set our results in relation to published data we extensively characterize our materials, this way establishing a comparatively good sample quality. Our analysis reveals that in particular for thin film and nanostructured material, there are extrinsic and intrinsic contributions to the electronic transport properties, which by modeling the data we separate out. Finally, we discuss our Hall effect data of nanostructured MnSi under consideration of the extrinsic contributions and with respect to the question of the detection of a topological Hall effect in a skyrmionic lattice.

Design of Novel Metal Nanostructures for Broadband Solar Energy Conversion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristine A. Zhang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Solar power holds great potential as an alternative energy source, but current photovoltaic cells have much room for improvement in cost and efficiency. Our objective was to develop metal nanostructures whose surface plasmon resonance (SPR spectra closely match the solar spectrum to enhance light absorption and scattering. We employed the finite-difference time-domain simulation method to evaluate the effect of varying key parameters. A novel nanostructure with SPR absorption matching a region of the solar spectrum (300 to 1500 nm that contains 90% of solar energy was successfully designed. This structure consists of a large gold-silica core-shell structure with smaller gold nanoparticles and nanorods on its surface. Such complex nanostructures are promising for broad and tunable absorption spectra. In addition, we investigated the SPR of silver nanoparticle arrays, which can achieve scattering close to the solar spectrum. We demonstrated an improvement in efficiency of over 30% with optimal nanoparticle radius and periods of 75 nm and 325 nm, respectively. In combination, our studies enable high-efficiency, tunable, and cost-effective enhancement of both light absorption and scattering, which has potential applications in solar energy conversion as well as biomedical imaging.

Nanostructured Thin Film Synthesis by Aerosol Chemical Vapor Deposition for Energy Storage Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Chadha, Tandeep S.

Renewable energy sources offer a viable solution to the growing energy demand while mitigating concerns for greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. This has led to a tremendous momentum towards solar and wind-based energy harvesting technologies driving efficiencies higher and costs lower. However, the intermittent nature of these energy sources necessitates energy storage technologies, which remain the Achilles heel in meeting the renewable energy goals. This dissertation focusses on two approaches for addressing the needs of energy storage: first, targeting direct solar to fuel conversion via photoelectrochemical water-splitting and second, improving the performance of current rechargeable batteries by developing new electrode architectures and synthesis processes. The aerosol chemical vapor deposition (ACVD) process has emerged as a promising single-step approach for nanostructured thin film synthesis directly on substrates. The relationship between the morphology and the operating parameters in the process is complex. In this work, a simulation based approach has been developed to understand the relationship and acquire the ability of predicting the morphology. These controlled nanostructured morphologies of TiO2 , compounded with gold nanoparticles of various shapes, are used for solar water-splitting applications. Tuning of light absorption in the visible-light range along with reduced electron-hole recombination in the composite structures has been demonstrated. The ACVD process is further extended to a novel single-step synthesis of nanostructured TiO2 electrodes directly on the current collector for applications as anodes in lithium-ion batteries, mainly for electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles. The effect of morphology of the nanostructures has been investigated via experimental studies and electrochemical transport modelling. Results demonstrate the exceptional performance of the single crystal one-dimensional nanostructures over granular

Size-dependent electronic properties of metal nanostructures

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

First page Back Continue Last page Overview Graphics. Size-dependent electronic properties of metal nanostructures. G.U. Kulkarni. Chemistry and Physics of Materials Unit. Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research. Bangalore, India. kulkarni@jncasr.ac.in.

Strong, ductile, and thermally stable Cu-based metal-intermetallic nanostructured composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Dusoe, Keith J; Vijayan, Sriram; Bissell, Thomas R; Chen, Jie; Morley, Jack E; Valencia, Leopolodo; Dongare, Avinash M; Aindow, Mark; Lee, Seok-Woo

2017-01-09

Bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) and nanocrystalline metals (NMs) have been extensively investigated due to their superior strengths and elastic limits. Despite these excellent mechanical properties, low ductility at room temperature and poor microstructural stability at elevated temperatures often limit their practical applications. Thus, there is a need for a metallic material system that can overcome these performance limits of BMGs and NMs. Here, we present novel Cu-based metal-intermetallic nanostructured composites (MINCs), which exhibit high ultimate compressive strengths (over 2 GPa), high compressive failure strain (over 20%), and superior microstructural stability even at temperatures above the glass transition temperature of Cu-based BMGs. Rapid solidification produces a unique ultra-fine microstructure that contains a large volume fraction of Cu 5 Zr superlattice intermetallic compound; this contributes to the high strength and superior thermal stability. Mechanical and microstructural characterizations reveal that substantial accumulation of phase boundary sliding at metal/intermetallic interfaces accounts for the extensive ductility observed.

Photocatalytic performance of Sn-doped and undoped TiO2 nanostructured thin films under UV and vis-lights

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arpac, E.; Sayilkan, F.; Asiltuerk, M.; Tatar, P.; Kiraz, Nadir; Sayilkan, H.

2007-01-01

Sn-doped and undoped nano-TiO 2 particles have been synthesized by hydrotermal process without solvent at 200 deg. C in 1 h. Nanostructure-TiO 2 based thin films have been prepared on glass substrate by spin-coating technique. The structure, surface morphology and optical properties of the thin films and the particles have been investigated by element analysis and XRD, SEM, BET and UV-vis-NIR techniques. The photocatalytic performance of the films were tested for degradation of Malachite Green dye in solution under UV and vis-lights. The results showed that (a) hydrothermally synthesized nano-TiO 2 particles are fully anatase crystalline form and are easily dispersed in water, (b) the coated surfaces have nearly super-hydrophilic properties and (c) the doping of transition metal ion efficiently improved the photocatalytic performance of the TiO 2 thin film

Magnetic properties of thin films obtained by ion implantation of 3d metals in polyethylene-terephthalate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petukhov, V.Yu.; Ibragimova, M.I.; Khabibullina, N.R; Zheglov, E.P.; Muller, R.

2002-01-01

Polymer films containing small metal particles have been attracting particular interest because of their unique properties. Implantation of metal ions in polymers is one of the methods to synthesize metal-polymer nano-composite materials. Ion implantation makes possible the magnetic nano-structures with controlled parameters. Previously, we showed that 3d-metal implantation into numerous polymers (polymethylmethacrylate, phosphorus containing polymethylmethacrylate) resulted in the formation of a composite film consisting of metal nanoparticles buried in an implanted layer. The particles are usually found to be distributed randomly in the surface layer. It has been established that structural peculiarities, phase composition, and magnetic properties of synthesized metal-polymer systems depend on the type of the initial polymer matrix, ion types, as well as conditions of ion implantation. In the present study we have been prepared thin metal-polymer composite films by ion-beam implantation of Fe + and Co + ions in polyethylene terephthalate. The implantation of 40 keV ions at room temperature with doses from 2·10 1 6 to 3·10 17 cm -2 have been performed, with the ion current density not exceeding 10 μA/cm 2 . The magnetic properties have been investigated both by ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). FMR spectra were recorded using magnetic radio spectrometer Varian E-12 with frequency of 9.5 GHz at room temperature. The dependencies of FMR spectra on orientation have been measured for all samples. Measurements were carried out for two orientations of the sample, normal direction of the films being either parallel or perpendicular to dc magnetic field. The values of the effective magnetization were calculated from orientation dependencies. Thin ferromagnetic films (TFF) have been shown to form for samples with both implanted ions. For samples implanted with Co + ions, the appearance of FMR lines occurs at doses markedly greater

3D visualization of the internal nanostructure of polyamide thin films in RO membranes

KAUST Repository

Pacheco Oreamuno, Federico

2015-11-02

The front and back surfaces of fully aromatic polyamide thin films isolated from reverse osmosis (RO) membranes were characterized by TEM, SEM and AFM. The front surfaces were relatively rough showing polyamide protuberances of different sizes and shapes; the back surfaces were all consistently smoother with very similar granular textures formed by polyamide nodules of 20–50 nm. Occasional pore openings of approximately the same size as the nodules were observed on the back surfaces. Because traditional microscopic imaging techniques provide limited information about the internal morphology of the thin films, TEM tomography was used to create detailed 3D visualizations that allowed the examination of any section of the thin film volume. These tomograms confirmed the existence of numerous voids within the thin films and revealed structural characteristics that support the water permeance difference between brackish water (BWRO) and seawater (SWRO) RO membranes. Consistent with a higher water permeance, the thin film of the BWRO membrane ESPA3 contained relatively more voids and thinner sections of polyamide than the SWRO membrane SWC3. According to the tomograms, most voids originate near the back surface and many extend all the way to the front surface shaping the polyamide protuberances. Although it is possible for the internal voids to be connected to the outside through the pore openings on the back surface, it was verified that some of these voids comprise nanobubbles that are completely encapsulated by polyamide. TEM tomography is a powerful technique for investigating the internal nanostructure of polyamide thin films. A comprehensive knowledge of the nanostructural distribution of voids and polyamide sections within the thin film may lead to a better understanding of mass transport and rejection mechanisms in RO membranes.

3D visualization of the internal nanostructure of polyamide thin films in RO membranes

KAUST Repository

Pacheco Oreamuno, Federico; Sougrat, Rachid; Reinhard, Martin; Leckie, James O.; Pinnau, Ingo

2015-01-01

The front and back surfaces of fully aromatic polyamide thin films isolated from reverse osmosis (RO) membranes were characterized by TEM, SEM and AFM. The front surfaces were relatively rough showing polyamide protuberances of different sizes and shapes; the back surfaces were all consistently smoother with very similar granular textures formed by polyamide nodules of 20–50 nm. Occasional pore openings of approximately the same size as the nodules were observed on the back surfaces. Because traditional microscopic imaging techniques provide limited information about the internal morphology of the thin films, TEM tomography was used to create detailed 3D visualizations that allowed the examination of any section of the thin film volume. These tomograms confirmed the existence of numerous voids within the thin films and revealed structural characteristics that support the water permeance difference between brackish water (BWRO) and seawater (SWRO) RO membranes. Consistent with a higher water permeance, the thin film of the BWRO membrane ESPA3 contained relatively more voids and thinner sections of polyamide than the SWRO membrane SWC3. According to the tomograms, most voids originate near the back surface and many extend all the way to the front surface shaping the polyamide protuberances. Although it is possible for the internal voids to be connected to the outside through the pore openings on the back surface, it was verified that some of these voids comprise nanobubbles that are completely encapsulated by polyamide. TEM tomography is a powerful technique for investigating the internal nanostructure of polyamide thin films. A comprehensive knowledge of the nanostructural distribution of voids and polyamide sections within the thin film may lead to a better understanding of mass transport and rejection mechanisms in RO membranes.

UV laser deposition of metal films by photogenerated free radicals

Science.gov (United States)

Montgomery, R. K.; Mantei, T. D.

1986-01-01

A novel photochemical method for liquid-phase deposition of metal films is described. In the liquid phase deposition scheme, a metal containing compound and a metal-metal bonded carbonyl complex are dissolved together in a polar solvent and the mixture is irradiated using a UV laser. The optical arrangement consists of a HeCd laser which provides 7 mW of power at a wavelength of 325 nm in the TEM(OO) mode. The beam is attenuated and may be expanded to a diameter of 5-20 mm. Experiments with photochemical deposition of silver films onto glass and quartz substrates are described in detail. Mass spectrometric analysis of deposited silver films indicated a deposition rate of about 1 A/s at incident power levels of 0.01 W/sq cm. UV laser-induced copper and palladium films have also been obtained. A black and white photograph showing the silver Van Der Pauw pattern of a solution-deposited film is provided.

Composite silicon nanostructure arrays fabricated on optical fibre by chemical etching of multicrystal silicon film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuo, Zewen; Zhu, Kai; Ning, Lixin; Cui, Guanglei; Qu, Jun; Huang, Wanxia; Shi, Yi; Liu, Hong

2015-01-01

Integrating nanostructures onto optical fibers presents a promising strategy for developing new-fashioned devices and extending the scope of nanodevices’ applications. Here we report the first fabrication of a composite silicon nanostructure on an optical fiber. Through direct chemical etching using an H 2 O 2 /HF solution, multicrystal silicon films with columnar microstructures are etched into a vertically aligned, inverted-cone-like nanorod array embedded in a nanocone array. A faster dissolution rate of the silicon at the void-rich boundary regions between the columns is found to be responsible for the separation of the columns, and thus the formation of the nanostructure array. The morphology of the nanorods primarily depends on the microstructure of the columns in the film. Through controlling the microstructure of the as-grown film and the etching parameters, the structural control of the nanostructure is promising. This fabrication method can be extended to a larger length scale, and it even allows roll-to-roll processing. (paper)

Composite silicon nanostructure arrays fabricated on optical fibre by chemical etching of multicrystal silicon film.

Science.gov (United States)

Zuo, Zewen; Zhu, Kai; Ning, Lixin; Cui, Guanglei; Qu, Jun; Huang, Wanxia; Shi, Yi; Liu, Hong

2015-04-17

Integrating nanostructures onto optical fibers presents a promising strategy for developing new-fashioned devices and extending the scope of nanodevices' applications. Here we report the first fabrication of a composite silicon nanostructure on an optical fiber. Through direct chemical etching using an H2O2/HF solution, multicrystal silicon films with columnar microstructures are etched into a vertically aligned, inverted-cone-like nanorod array embedded in a nanocone array. A faster dissolution rate of the silicon at the void-rich boundary regions between the columns is found to be responsible for the separation of the columns, and thus the formation of the nanostructure array. The morphology of the nanorods primarily depends on the microstructure of the columns in the film. Through controlling the microstructure of the as-grown film and the etching parameters, the structural control of the nanostructure is promising. This fabrication method can be extended to a larger length scale, and it even allows roll-to-roll processing.

Conductive transition metal oxide nanostructured electrochromic material and optical switching devices constructed thereof

Science.gov (United States)

Mattox, Tracy M.; Koo, Bonil; Garcia, Guillermo; Milliron, Delia J.; Trizio, Luca De; Dahlman, Clayton

2017-10-10

An electrochromic device includes a nanostructured transition metal oxide bronze layer that includes one or more transition metal oxide and one or more dopant, a solid state electrolyte, and a counter electrode. The nanostructured transition metal oxide bronze selectively modulates transmittance of near-infrared (NIR) spectrum and visible spectrum radiation as a function of an applied voltage to the device.

Synthesis of vertically aligned metal oxide nanostructures

KAUST Repository

Roqan, Iman S.; Flemban, Tahani H.

2016-01-01

ablation of a target including a metal oxide and, optionally, a dopant. In some embodiments zinc oxide nanostructures are deposited onto a substrate by pulsed laser deposition of a zinc oxide target using an excimer laser emitting UV radiation. The zinc

Interfacial scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) of chalcogenide/metal hybrid nanostructure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saad, Mahmoud M.; Abdallah, Tamer [Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Abbassia, Cairo (Egypt); Easawi, Khalid; Negm, Sohair [Department of Physics and Mathematics, Faculty of Engineering (Shoubra), Benha University (Egypt); Talaat, Hassan, E-mail: hassantalaat@hotmail.com [Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Abbassia, Cairo (Egypt)

2015-05-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Comparing band gaps values obtained optically with STS. • Comparing direct imaging with calculated dimensions. • STS determination of the interfacial band bending of metal/chalcogenide. - Abstract: The electronic structure at the interface of chalcogenide/metal hybrid nanostructure (CdSe–Au tipped) had been studied by UHV scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) technique at room temperature. This nanostructure was synthesized by a phase transfer chemical method. The optical absorption of this hybrid nanostructure was recorded, and the application of the effective mass approximation (EMA) model gave dimensions that were confirmed by the direct measurements using the scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) as well as the high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). The energy band gap obtained by STS agrees with the values obtained from the optical absorption. Moreover, the STS at the interface of CdSe–Au tipped hybrid nanostructure between CdSe of size about 4.1 ± 0.19 nm and Au tip of size about 3.5 ± 0.29 nm shows a band bending about 0.18 ± 0.03 eV in CdSe down in the direction of the interface. Such a result gives a direct observation of the electron accumulation at the interface of CdSe–Au tipped hybrid nanostructure, consistent with its energy band diagram. The presence of the electron accumulation at the interface of chalcogenides with metals has an important implication for hybrid nanoelectronic devices and the newly developed plasmon/chalcogenide photovoltaic solar energy conversion.

Fabrication of conductive metallized nanostructures from self-assembled amphiphilic triblock copolymer templates: Nanospheres, nanowires, nanorings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Jintao; Jiang Wei

2007-01-01

Various metallized nanostructures (such as rings, wires with controllable lengths, spheres) have been successfully fabricated by coating metallic nanolayers onto soft nanotemplates through simple electroless methods. In particular, bimetallic nanostructures have been obtained by using simple methods. The multiple functional polymeric nanostructures were obtained through the self-assembly of polystyrene/poly(4-vinyl pyridine) triblock copolymer (P4VP-b-PS-b-P4VP) in selective media by changing the common solvent properties. By combining field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterization, it was confirmed that polymer/metal and bimetallic (Au at Ag) core-shell nanostructures could be achieved by chemical metal deposition method

Electric properties and fabrication of IMI-O LB films containing the imidazole group

CERN Document Server

Yoo, S Y; Kwon, Y S; Park, J C

1999-01-01

We fabricated an IMI-O polymer containing an imidazole group that could form a complex structure between the monolayer and the metal ions at the air-water interface. Also, the monolayer behavior at the air-water interface and the electrical properties of metal-complexed Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films were investigated by using Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) and current-voltage(I-V) measurements. The difference in the BAM images between the pure water and the aqueous metal ions is attributed to the interactions of the copolymers with the metal ions at the interface and the consequent change of the monolayer organization. In the I-V characteristics, the current for LB films with different metal ion depended on the quantity of the metal-ion complexed with the LB film due to the interaction between the metal ion and the IMI-O polymer.

Phase-Separated, Epitaxial, Nanostructured LaMnO₃+MgO Composite Cap Layer Films for Propagation of Pinning Defects in YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x Coated Conductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wee, Sung Hun [ORNL; Shin, Junsoo [ORNL; Cantoni, Claudia [ORNL; Meyer III, Harry M [ORNL; Cook, Sylvester W [ORNL; Zuev, Yuri L [ORNL; Specht, Eliot D [ORNL; Xiong, Xuming [ORNL; Paranthaman, Mariappan Parans [ORNL; Selvamanickam, V. [SuperPower Incorporated, Schenectady, New York; Goyal, Amit [ORNL

2009-01-01

Nanostructural modulation in the cap layer used in coated conductors can be a potential source for nucleating microstructural defects into the superconducting layer for improving the flux-pinning. We report on the successful fabrication of phase separated, epitaxial, nanostructured films comprised of LaMnO{sub 3} (LMO) and MgO via pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on biaxially-textured MgO metallic templates with a LMO buffer layer. Scanning Auger compositional mapping and transmission electron microscopy cross sectional images confirm the nanoscale, spatial modulation corresponding to the nanostructured phase separation in the film. YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7-{delta}} films (0.8 {micro}m thick) grown using PLD on such phase separated, nanostructured cap layers show reduced field dependence of the critical current density with an ? value of -0.38 (in J{sub c}-H{sup -{alpha}}).

Ultrasonic spray pyrolysis growth of ZnO and ZnO:Al nanostructured films: Application to photocatalysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kenanakis, G., E-mail: gkenanak@iesl.forth.gr [Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas, P.O. Box 1385, Vassilika Vouton, 711 10 Heraklion, Crete (Greece); Center of Materials Technology and Photonics, School of Applied Technology, Technological Educational Institute of Crete, 710 04 Heraklion, Crete (Greece); Katsarakis, N. [Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas, P.O. Box 1385, Vassilika Vouton, 711 10 Heraklion, Crete (Greece); Center of Materials Technology and Photonics, School of Applied Technology, Technological Educational Institute of Crete, 710 04 Heraklion, Crete (Greece)

2014-12-15

Highlights: • Al–ZnO thin films and nanostructures were obtained by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis. • The texture and morphology of the samples depend on the deposition parameters. • The photocatalytic degradation of stearic acid was studied upon UV-A irradiation. - Abstract: Pure and Al-doped ZnO (Al = 1, 3, 5%) nanostructured thin films were grown at 400 °C on glass substrates by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis, a simple, environmental-friendly and inexpensive method, using aqueous solutions as precursors. The structural and morphological characteristics of the samples depend drastically on deposition parameters; ZnO nanostructured films, nanopetals and nanorods were systematically obtained by simply varying the precursor solution and/or the spraying time. Transmittance measurements have shown that all samples are transparent in the visible wavelength region. Finally, the photocatalytic properties of the samples were investigated against the degradation of stearic acid under UV-A light illumination (365 nm); both pure and Al-doped ZnO nanostructured thin films show good photocatalytic activity regarding the degradation of stearic acid, due to their good crystallinity and large surface area.

Physical properties of chemical vapour deposited nanostructured carbon thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahadik, D.B.; Shinde, S.S.; Bhosale, C.H.; Rajpure, K.Y.

2011-01-01

Research highlights: In the present paper, nanostructured carbon films are grown using a natural precursor 'turpentine oil (C 10 H 16 )' as a carbon source in the simple thermal chemical vapour deposition method. The influence of substrate surface topography (viz. stainless steel, fluorine doped tin oxide coated quartz) and temperature on the evolution of carbon allotropes surfaces topography/microstructural and structural properties are investigated and discussed. - Abstract: A simple thermal chemical vapour deposition technique is employed for the deposition of carbon films by pyrolysing the natural precursor 'turpentine oil' on to the stainless steel (SS) and FTO coated quartz substrates at higher temperatures (700-1100 deg. C). In this work, we have studied the influence of substrate and deposition temperature on the evolution of structural and morphological properties of nanostructured carbon films. The films were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle measurements, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy techniques. XRD study reveals that the films are polycrystalline exhibiting hexagonal and face-centered cubic structures on SS and FTO coated glass substrates respectively. SEM images show the porous and agglomerated surface of the films. Deposited carbon films show the hydrophobic nature. FTIR study displays C-H and O-H stretching vibration modes in the films. Raman analysis shows that, high ID/IG for FTO substrate confirms the dominance of sp 3 bonds with diamond phase and less for SS shows graphitization effect with dominant sp 2 bonds. It reveals the difference in local microstructure of carbon deposits leading to variation in contact angle and hardness, which is ascribed to difference in the packing density of carbon films, as observed also by Raman.

Kingfisher feathers--colouration by pigments, spongy nanostructures and thin films.

Science.gov (United States)

Stavenga, Doekele G; Tinbergen, Jan; Leertouwer, Hein L; Wilts, Bodo D

2011-12-01

The colours of the common kingfisher, Alcedo atthis, reside in the barbs of the three main types of feather: the orange breast feathers, the cyan back feathers and the blue tail feathers. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the orange barbs contain small pigment granules. The cyan and blue barbs contain spongy nanostructures with slightly different dimensions, causing different reflectance spectra. Imaging scatterometry showed that the pigmented barbs create a diffuse orange scattering and the spongy barb structures create iridescence. The extent of the angle-dependent light scattering increases with decreasing wavelength. All barbs have a cortical envelope with a thickness of a few micrometres. The reflectance spectra of the cortex of the barbs show oscillations when measured from small areas, but when measured from larger areas the spectra become wavelength independent. This can be directly understood with thin film modelling, assuming a somewhat variable cortex thickness. The cortex reflectance appears to be small but not negligible with respect to the pigmentary and structural barb reflectance.

Properties of Nanostructure Bismuth Telluride Thin Films Using Thermal Evaporation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Swati Arora

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Bismuth telluride has high thermoelectric performance at room temperature; in present work, various nanostructure thin films of bismuth telluride were fabricated on silicon substrates at room temperature using thermal evaporation method. Tellurium (Te and bismuth (Bi were deposited on silicon substrate in different ratio of thickness. These films were annealed at 50°C and 100°C. After heat treatment, the thin films attained the semiconductor nature. Samples were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD and scanning electron microscopy (SEM to show granular growth.

Elucidation of the electrochromic mechanism of nanostructured iron oxides films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia-Lobato, M.A.; Martinez, Arturo I.; Castro-Roman, M. [Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Cinvestav Campus Saltillo, Carr. Saltillo-Monterrey Km. 13, Ramos Arizpe, Coah. 25900 (Mexico); Perry, Dale L. [Mail Stop 70A1150, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Zarate, R.A. [Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Catolica del Norte, Casilla 1280, Antofagasta (Chile); Escobar-Alarcon, L. (Departamento de Fisica, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, A.P. 18-1027, 11801 Mexico)

2011-02-15

Nanostructured hematite thin films were electrochemically cycled in an aqueous solution of LiOH. Through optical, structural, morphological, and magnetic measurements, the coloration mechanism of electrochromic iron oxide thin films was elucidated. The conditions for double or single electrochromic behavior are given in this work. During the electrochemical cycling, it was found that topotactic transformations of hexagonal crystal structures are favored; i.e. {alpha}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} to Fe(OH){sub 2} and subsequently to {delta}-FeOOH. These topotactic redox reactions are responsible for color changes of iron oxide films. (author)

Synthesis and Antibacterial Activity of Metal(loid Nanostructures by Environmental Multi-Metal(loid Resistant Bacteria and Metal(loid-Reducing Flavoproteins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maximiliano Figueroa

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Microbes are suitable candidates to recover and decontaminate different environments from soluble metal ions, either via reduction or precipitation to generate insoluble, non-toxic derivatives. In general, microorganisms reduce toxic metal ions generating nanostructures (NS, which display great applicability in biotechnological processes. Since the molecular bases of bacterial reduction are still unknown, the search for new -environmentally safe and less expensive- methods to synthesize NS have made biological systems attractive candidates. Here, 47 microorganisms isolated from a number of environmental samples were analyzed for their tolerance or sensitivity to 19 metal(loids. Ten of them were highly tolerant to some of them and were assessed for their ability to reduce these toxicants in vitro. All isolates were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, fatty acids composition, biochemical tests and electron microscopy. Results showed that they belong to the Enterobacter, Staphylococcus, Acinetobacter, and Exiguobacterium genera. Most strains displayed metal(loid-reducing activity using either NADH or NADPH as cofactor. While Acinetobacter schindleri showed the highest tellurite (TeO32- and tetrachloro aurate (AuCl4- reducing activity, Staphylococcus sciuri and Exiguobacterium acetylicum exhibited selenite (SeO32- and silver (Ag+ reducing activity, respectively. Based on these results, we used these bacteria to synthetize, in vivo and in vitro Te, Se, Au, and Ag-containing nanostructures. On the other hand, we also used purified E. cloacae glutathione reductase to synthesize in vitro Te-, Ag-, and Se-containing NS, whose morphology, size, composition, and chemical composition were evaluated. Finally, we assessed the putative anti-bacterial activity exhibited by the in vitro synthesized NS: Te-containing NS were more effective than Au-NS in inhibiting Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes growth. Aerobically synthesized TeNS using MF09 crude

Emerging Science and Research Opportunities for Metals and Metallic Nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Handwerker, Carol A.; Pollock, Tresa M.

2014-07-01

During the next decade, fundamental research on metals and metallic nanostructures (MMNs) has the potential to continue transforming metals science into innovative materials, devices, and systems. A workshop to identify emerging and potentially transformative research areas in MMNs was held June 13 and 14, 2012, at the University of California Santa Barbara. There were 47 attendees at the workshop (listed in the Acknowledgements section), representing a broad range of academic institutions, industry, and government laboratories. The metals and metallic nanostructures (MMNs) workshop aimed to identify significant research trends, scientific fundamentals, and recent breakthroughs that can enable new or enhanced MMN performance, either alone or in a more complex materials system, for a wide range of applications. Additionally, the role that MMN research can play in high-priority research and development (R&D) areas such as the U.S. Materials Genome Initiative, the National Nanotechnology Initiative, the Advanced Manufacturing Initiative, and other similar initiatives that exist internationally was assessed. The workshop also addressed critical issues related to materials research instrumentation and the cyberinfrastructure for materials science research and education, as well as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce development, with emphasis on the United States but with an appreciation that similar challenges and opportunities for the materials community exist internationally. A central theme of the workshop was that research in MMNs has provided and will continue to provide societal benefits through the integration of experiment, theory, and simulation to link atomistic, nanoscale, microscale, and mesoscale phenomena across time scales for an ever-widening range of applications. Within this overarching theme, the workshop participants identified emerging research opportunities that are categorized and described in more detail in the

Growth of α-sexithiophene nanostructures on C60 thin film layers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Radziwon, Michal Jędrzej; Madsen, Morten; Balzer, Frank

2014-01-01

Organic molecular beam grown -sexithiophene (-6T) forms nanostructured thin films on buckminsterfullerene (C60) thin film layers. At substrate temperatures of 300K during growth a rough continuous film is observed, which develop to larger elongated islands and dendritic- as well as needle like ...... fluorescence polarimetry measurements the in-plane orientation of the crystalline sites within the needle like structures is determined. The polarimetry investigations strongly indicate that the needle like structures consist of lying molecules....

Natural polysaccharides as active biomaterials in nanostructured films for sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Eiras, Carla; Santos, Amanda C; Zampa, Maysa F; de Brito, Ana Cristina Facundo; Leopoldo Constantino, Carlos J; Zucolotto, Valtencir; dos Santos, José R

2010-01-01

The search for natural, biocompatible and degradable materials amenable to be used in biomedical/analytical applications has attracted attention, either from the environmental or medical point of view. Examples are the polysaccharides extracted from natural gums, which have found applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries as stabilizers or thickening agent. In a previous paper, however, it was shown that a Brazilian natural gum, chicha (Sterculia striata), is suitable for application as building block for nanostructured film fabrication in conjunction with phthalocyanines. The films displayed electroactivity and could be used in sensing. In the present paper, we introduce the use of two different natural gums, viz., angico (Anadenanthera colubrina) and caraia (Sterculia urens), as active biomaterials to be used to modification layers, in the form of nanostructured thin films, including the study of dopamine detection. The multilayer films were assembled in conjunction with nickel tetrasulfonated phthalocyanines (NiTsPC) and displayed good chemical and electrochemical stability, allowing their use as transducer elements in sensors for detection of specific neurotransmitters. It is suggested here that nanoscale manipulation of new biodegradable natural polymers opens up a variety of new opportunities for the use of these materials in advanced biomedical and analytical devices.

Deposition and microstructure of Ti-containing diamond-like carbon nanocomposite films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Won Jae; Sekino, Tohru; Shim, Kwang Bo; Niihara, Koichi; Auh, Keun Ho

2005-01-01

Ti-containing diamond-like carbon (DLC) films were deposited by plasma decomposition of CH 4 /Ar gas mixtures with an introduction of tetrakis(dimethylamino)titanium (TDMAT, Ti[(CH 3 ) 2 N] 4 ), which was used as a precursor of titanium. The films deposited were found to be nanocomposite coatings consisting of TiN nanocrystalline clusters and amorphous hydrocarbon (a-C:H), indicating that the nanocrystalline clusters were embedded in the DLC matrix. The crystallinity of TiN clusters, as well as the Ti atomic concentrations in the films, increased with an increase of substrate temperature. The substrate temperature applied to form a crystalline phase in the DLC matrix induced a graphitization of amorphous hydrocarbon matrix. The increase of volume fraction of TiN nanocrystalline clusters in the DLC matrix enhanced the mechanical properties of nanostructured coatings, although the graphite-like structural transition of DLC matrix happened due to the applied heating

Characterization of highly anisotropic three-dimensionally nanostructured surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, Daniel

2014-01-01

Generalized ellipsometry, a non-destructive optical characterization technique, is employed to determine geometrical structure parameters and anisotropic dielectric properties of highly spatially coherent three-dimensionally nanostructured thin films grown by glancing angle deposition. The (piecewise) homogeneous biaxial layer model approach is discussed, which can be universally applied to model the optical response of sculptured thin films with different geometries and from diverse materials, and structural parameters as well as effective optical properties of the nanostructured thin films are obtained. Alternative model approaches for slanted columnar thin films, anisotropic effective medium approximations based on the Bruggeman formalism, are presented, which deliver results comparable to the homogeneous biaxial layer approach and in addition provide film constituent volume fraction parameters as well as depolarization or shape factors. Advantages of these ellipsometry models are discussed on the example of metal slanted columnar thin films, which have been conformally coated with a thin passivating oxide layer by atomic layer deposition. Furthermore, the application of an effective medium approximation approach to in-situ growth monitoring of this anisotropic thin film functionalization process is presented. It was found that structural parameters determined with the presented optical model equivalents for slanted columnar thin films agree very well with scanning electron microscope image estimates. - Highlights: • Summary of optical model strategies for sculptured thin films with arbitrary geometries • Application of the rigorous anisotropic Bruggeman effective medium applications • In-situ growth monitoring of atomic layer deposition on biaxial metal slanted columnar thin film

Nanostructured carbon-metal oxide composite electrodes for supercapacitors: a review

Science.gov (United States)

Zhi, Mingjia; Xiang, Chengcheng; Li, Jiangtian; Li, Ming; Wu, Nianqiang

2012-12-01

This paper presents a review of the research progress in the carbon-metal oxide composites for supercapacitor electrodes. In the past decade, various carbon-metal oxide composite electrodes have been developed by integrating metal oxides into different carbon nanostructures including zero-dimensional carbon nanoparticles, one-dimensional nanostructures (carbon nanotubes and carbon nanofibers), two-dimensional nanosheets (graphene and reduced graphene oxides) as well as three-dimensional porous carbon nano-architectures. This paper has described the constituent, the structure and the properties of the carbon-metal oxide composites. An emphasis is placed on the synergistic effects of the composite on the performance of supercapacitors in terms of specific capacitance, energy density, power density, rate capability and cyclic stability. This paper has also discussed the physico-chemical processes such as charge transport, ion diffusion and redox reactions involved in supercapacitors.

Nanostructured carbon-metal oxide composite electrodes for supercapacitors: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhi, Mingjia; Xiang, Chengcheng; Li, Jiangtian; Li, Ming; Wu, Nianqiang

2013-01-07

This paper presents a review of the research progress in the carbon-metal oxide composites for supercapacitor electrodes. In the past decade, various carbon-metal oxide composite electrodes have been developed by integrating metal oxides into different carbon nanostructures including zero-dimensional carbon nanoparticles, one-dimensional nanostructures (carbon nanotubes and carbon nanofibers), two-dimensional nanosheets (graphene and reduced graphene oxides) as well as three-dimensional porous carbon nano-architectures. This paper has described the constituent, the structure and the properties of the carbon-metal oxide composites. An emphasis is placed on the synergistic effects of the composite on the performance of supercapacitors in terms of specific capacitance, energy density, power density, rate capability and cyclic stability. This paper has also discussed the physico-chemical processes such as charge transport, ion diffusion and redox reactions involved in supercapacitors.

Biaxially oriented CdTe films on glass substrate through nanostructured Ge/CaF2 buffer layers

Science.gov (United States)

Lord, R. J.; Su, P.-Y.; Bhat, I.; Zhang, S. B.; Lu, T.-M.; Wang, G.-C.

2015-09-01

Heteroepitaxial CdTe films were grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition on glass substrates through nanostructured Ge/CaF2 buffer layers which were biaxially oriented. It allows us to explore the structural properties of multilayer biaxial semiconductor films which possess small angle grain boundaries and to test the principle of a solar cell made of such low-cost, low-growth-temperature semiconductor films. Through the x-ray diffraction and x-ray pole figure analysis, the heteroepitaxial relationships of the mutilayered films are determined as [111] in the out-of-plane direction and CdTe//Ge//{ }{{{CaF}}2} in the in-plane direction. The I-V curves measured from an ITO/CdS/CdTe/Ge/CaF2/glass solar cell test structure shows a power conversion efficiency of ˜η = 1.26%, illustrating the initial success of such an approach. The observed non-ideal efficiency is believed to be due to a low shunt resistance and high series resistance as well as some residual large-angle grain boundary effects, leaving room for significant further improvement.

Mimetic marine antifouling films based on fluorine-containing polymethacrylates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Qianhui [College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Donghua University, 2999 North Renmin Road, Shanghai 201620 (China); Li, Hongqi, E-mail: hongqili@dhu.edu.cn [College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Donghua University, 2999 North Renmin Road, Shanghai 201620 (China); Xian, Chunying; Yang, Yihang [College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Donghua University, 2999 North Renmin Road, Shanghai 201620 (China); Song, Yanxi [School of Environmental Science and Technology, Donghua University, 2999 North Renmin Road, Shanghai 201620 (China); State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, Shanghai 200433 (China); Cong, Peihong [State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, Shanghai 200433 (China)

2015-07-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Copolymers containing catechol and trifluoromethyl groups were prepared. • The copolymers could adhere to surfaces of glass, plastics and metals. • The polymer films showed excellent resistance to water, salt, base and acid. • The polymer films displayed good antifouling property. - Abstract: Novel methacrylate copolymers containing catechol and trifluoromethyl pendant side groups were synthesized by free radical polymerization of N-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethyl methacrylamide (DMA) and 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl methacrylate (TFME) with α,α′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as initiator. A series of copolymers with different content of TFME ranging from 3% to 95% were obtained by changing the molar ratio of DMA to TFME from 25:1 to 1:25. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the copolymers, which displayed a certain degree of hardness and outstanding thermostability reflected from their high glass transition temperatures. The copolymers could adhere to surfaces of glass, plastics and metals due to introduction of catechol groups as multivalent hydrogen bonding anchors. Water contact angle on the polymer films was up to 117.4°. Chemicals resistance test manifested that the polymer films possessed excellent resistance to water, salt, acid and alkali. Moreover, the polymer films displayed fair antifouling property and might be used as promising environmentally friendly marine antifouling coatings.

Mimetic marine antifouling films based on fluorine-containing polymethacrylates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Qianhui; Li, Hongqi; Xian, Chunying; Yang, Yihang; Song, Yanxi; Cong, Peihong

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Copolymers containing catechol and trifluoromethyl groups were prepared. • The copolymers could adhere to surfaces of glass, plastics and metals. • The polymer films showed excellent resistance to water, salt, base and acid. • The polymer films displayed good antifouling property. - Abstract: Novel methacrylate copolymers containing catechol and trifluoromethyl pendant side groups were synthesized by free radical polymerization of N-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethyl methacrylamide (DMA) and 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl methacrylate (TFME) with α,α′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as initiator. A series of copolymers with different content of TFME ranging from 3% to 95% were obtained by changing the molar ratio of DMA to TFME from 25:1 to 1:25. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the copolymers, which displayed a certain degree of hardness and outstanding thermostability reflected from their high glass transition temperatures. The copolymers could adhere to surfaces of glass, plastics and metals due to introduction of catechol groups as multivalent hydrogen bonding anchors. Water contact angle on the polymer films was up to 117.4°. Chemicals resistance test manifested that the polymer films possessed excellent resistance to water, salt, acid and alkali. Moreover, the polymer films displayed fair antifouling property and might be used as promising environmentally friendly marine antifouling coatings

Metal/Carbon Hybrid Nanostructures Produced from Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition over Nafion-Supported Electrochemically Deposited Cobalt Nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Islam

2018-04-01

Full Text Available In this work, we report development of hybrid nanostructures of metal nanoparticles (NP and carbon nanostructures with strong potential for catalysis, sensing, and energy applications. First, the etched silicon wafer substrates were passivated for subsequent electrochemical (EC processing through grafting of nitro phenyl groups using para-nitrobenzene diazonium (PNBT. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS and atomic force microscope (AFM studies confirmed presence of few layers. Cobalt-based nanoparticles were produced over dip or spin coated Nafion films under different EC reduction conditions, namely CoSO4 salt concentration (0.1 M, 1 mM, reduction time (5, 20 s, and indirect or direct EC reduction route. Extensive AFM examination revealed NP formation with different attributes (size, distribution depending on electrochemistry conditions. While relatively large NP with >100 nm size and bimodal distribution were obtained after 20 s EC reduction in H3BO3 following Co2+ ion uptake, ultrafine NP (<10 nm could be produced from EC reduction in CoSO4 and H3BO3 mixed solution with some tendency to form oxides. Different carbon nanostructures including few-walled or multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNT and carbon nanosheets were grown in a C2H2/NH3 plasma using the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique. The devised processing routes enable size controlled synthesis of cobalt nanoparticles and metal/carbon hybrid nanostructures with unique microstructural features.

Nanostructured Metal Oxides for Stoichiometric Degradation of Chemical Warfare Agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Štengl, Václav; Henych, Jiří; Janoš, Pavel; Skoumal, Miroslav

2016-01-01

Metal oxides have very important applications in many areas of chemistry, physics and materials science; their properties are dependent on the method of preparation, the morphology and texture. Nanostructured metal oxides can exhibit unique characteristics unlike those of the bulk form depending on their morphology, with a high density of edges, corners and defect surfaces. In recent years, methods have been developed for the preparation of metal oxide powders with tunable control of the primary particle size as well as of a secondary particle size: the size of agglomerates of crystallites. One of the many ways to take advantage of unique properties of nanostructured oxide materials is stoichiometric degradation of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) pollutants on their surfaces.

Nanostructural self-organization and dynamic adaptation of metal-polymer tribosystems

Science.gov (United States)

Mashkov, Yu. K.

2017-02-01

The results of investigating the effect of nanosize modifiers of a polymer matrix on the nanostructural self-organization of polymer composites and dynamic adaptation of metal-polymer tribosystems, which considerably affect the wear resistance of polymer composite materials, have been analyzed. It has been shown that the physicochemical nanostructural self-organization processes are developed in metal-polymer tribosystems with the formation of thermotropic liquid-crystal structures of the polymer matrix, followed by the transition of the system to the stationary state with a negative feedback that ensures dynamic adaptation of the tribosystem to given operating conditions.

Membrane and Films Based on Novel Crown-Containing Dyes as Promising Chemosensoring Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergei Yu. Zaitsev

2010-12-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses several works on supramolecular systems such as monolayer and multilayer, polymer films of various crown-containing dyes, surface-active monomers and polymers. Design, production and investigation of the membrane nanostructures based on crown ethers is a rapidly developing field at the “junction” of materials sciences and nanotechnology. These nanostructures can serve as convenient models for studying the self-organization and molecular recognition processes at interfaces that are typical for biomembranes. Based on the results obtained for such structures by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, atomic force and Brewster-angle microscopy, surface pressure and surface potential isotherm measurements, the possibility of developing micro- and nanomaterials possessing a set of specified properties (including chemosensor, photochromic and photorefractive materials is demonstrated.

Noble metals nanoparticles on titanium dioxide nanostructured films and the influence of their photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, Liana Key Okada

2012-01-01

Currently, nanoscience and nanotechnology are considered an emerging field and continuously breaking the barrier among various disciplines. The main focus of study involves controlling structures at molecular level, arranging the atoms in order to achieve an understanding and controlling the fundamental properties of matter. In this study, molecular changes on the basis of morphology, optical and crystalline properties of TiO 2 hin films in order to increase their photon efficiency were proposed. The TiO 2 thin films were prepared by sol gel process evaluating the influence of different acids and templates to obtain the nano structured arrangements. Then, metal nanoparticles like Au, Ag, Pd and Pt were incorporated on TiO 2 thin films. This incorporation might minimize the electron-hole recombination, so it could improve the photon efficiency. From the several routes studied, the TiO 2 thin films prepared with acetic acid showed the best performance by the reason of low agglomeration of TiO 2 grains, which favors the exposure of the photoactive sites. The presence of template in the formulation had a slightly effect on photon efficiency, possible due to the higher agglomeration of the grains on the TiO 2 thin films. The addition of Pt and Au nanoparticles on TiO 2 thin films showed superior photon efficiency. The TiO 2 thin films with hexamine and metallic nanoparticles did not show the improvement on photon efficiency except for Pt and Au nanoparticles. On these situations, the improvement on photon efficiency is might be due to a possible decrease at the electron-hole recombination's velocity. Thus, the present work demonstrates the great influence of preparation conditions on the optical, morphological properties and the photon efficiency. In the future, with greater understanding of the mechanism of this influence, the properties of TiO 2 thin films will be able tailoring depending on the application. (author)

Characterization of Ag nanostructures fabricated by laser-induced dewetting of thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nikov, Ru.G., E-mail: rumen_nikov24@abv.bg [Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Tzarigradsko Chaussee 72, Sofia 1784 (Bulgaria); Nedyalkov, N.N.; Atanasov, P.A. [Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Tzarigradsko Chaussee 72, Sofia 1784 (Bulgaria); Hirsch, D.; Rauschenbach, B. [Leibniz Institute of Surface Modification (IOM), 15 Permoserstrasse, D-04318 Leipzig (Germany); Grochowska, K.; Sliwinski, G. [Centre for Plasma and Laser Engineering, The Szewalski Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, 14 Fiszera St., 80-231 Gdansk (Poland)

2016-06-30

Highlights: • Laser processing of Ag films produces nanoparticles with narrow size distribution. • The parameters of the nanoparticle array depend on the environment at annealing. • Raman analysis indicates that the fabricated structures can be used in SERS. - Abstract: The paper presents results on laser nanostructuring of Ag thin films. The thin films are deposited on glass substrates by pulsed laser deposition technology. The as fabricated films are then annealed by nanosecond laser pulses delivered by Nd:YAG laser system operated at λ = 355 nm. The film modification is studied as a function of the film thickness and the parameters of the laser irradiation as pulse number and laser fluence. In order to estimate the influence of the environment on the characteristics of the fabricated structures the Ag films are annealed in different surrounding media: water, air and vacuum. It is found that at certain conditions the laser treatment may lead to decomposition of the films into a monolayer of nanoparticles with narrow size distribution. The optical properties of the fabricated nanostructures are investigated on the basis of transmission spectra taken by optical spectrometer. In the measured spectra plasmon resonance band is observed as its shape and position vary depending on the processing conditions. The fabricated structures are covered with Rhodamine 6G and tested as active substrates for Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS).

Surface modification of cadmium sulfide thin film honey comb nanostructures: Effect of in situ tin doping using chemical bath deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilson, K.C., E-mail: wilsonphy@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Govt. Polytechnic College Kothamangalam, Chelad P O, Ernakulam, Kerala 686681 (India); Department of Physics, B. S. Abdur Rahman University, Vandaloor, Chennai, Tamilnadu 600048 (India); Basheer Ahamed, M. [Department of Physics, B. S. Abdur Rahman University, Vandaloor, Chennai, Tamilnadu 600048 (India)

2016-01-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Novel honey comb like cadmium sulfide thin film nanostructures prepared using chemical bath deposition on glass substrates. • Honey comb nanostructure found in two layers: an ultra thin film at bottom and well inter connected with walls of < 25 nm thick on top; hence maximum surface area possible for CdS nanostructure. • Shell size of the nanostructures and energy band gaps were controlled also an enhanced persistent conductivity observed on Sn doping. - Abstract: Even though nanostructures possess large surface to volume ratio compared to their thin film counterpart, the complicated procedure that demands for the deposition on a substrate kept them back foot in device fabrication techniques. In this work, a honey comb like cadmium sulfide (CdS) thin films nanostructure are deposited on glass substrates using simple chemical bath deposition technique at 65 °C. Energy band gaps, film thickness and shell size of the honey comb nanostructures are successfully controlled using tin (Sn) doping and number of shells per unit area is found to be maximum for 5% Sn doped (in the reaction mixture) sample. X-ray diffraction and optical absorption analysis showed that cadmium sulfide and cadmium hydroxide coexist in the samples. TEM measurements showed that CdS nanostructures are embedded in cadmium hydroxide just like “plum pudding”. Persistent photoconductivity measurements of the samples are also carried out. The decay constants found to be increased with increases in Sn doping.

Transparent electrode designs based on optimal nano-patterning of metallic films

KAUST Repository

Catrysse, Peter B.

2010-09-10

Transparent conductive electrodes are critical to the operation of optoelectronic devices, such as photovoltaic cells and light emitting diodes. Effective electrodes need to combine excellent electrical and optical properties. Metal oxides, such as indium tin oxide, are commonly used. There is substantial interest in replacing them, however, motivated by practical problems and recent discoveries regarding the optics of nano-patterned metals. When designing nano-patterned metallic films for use as electrodes, one needs to account for both optical and electrical properties. In general, it is insufficient to optimize nano-structured films based upon optical properties alone, since structural variations will also affect the electrical properties. In this work, we investigate the need for simultaneous optical and electrical performance by analyzing the optical properties of a class of nano-patterned metallic electrodes that is obtained by a constant-sheet-resistance transformation. Within such a class the electrical and optical properties can be separated, i.e., the sheet resistance can be kept constant and the transmittance can be optimized independently. For simple one-dimensional periodic patterns with constant sheet-resistance, we find a transmission maximum (polarization-averaged) when the metal sections are narrow (< 40 nm, ~ 10% metal fill-factor) and tall (> 100 nm). Our design carries over to more complex two-dimensional (2D) patterns. This is significant as there are no previous reports regarding numerical studies on the optical and electrical properties of 2D nano-patterns in the context of electrode design.

The prevalent synthesis of one-dimensional noble metal nanostructures based on sulfonated polyaniline at room temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xia Youyi

2011-01-01

We describe a prevalent method of synthesizing one-dimensional (1D) noble metal nanostructures (silver nanobelts and palladium nanowires) by treatment of corresponding noble metal ions only in the presence of the conductive sulfonated polyaniline without using any other reducing agents or energies. The results show that the sulfonated polyaniline provides the dual reductant and “soft template” roles to promoting noble metal ions to form shape-controlled 1D noble metal nanostructures in high yield. The employed approach may also shed some light on the preparation of other noble metal nanostructure by using conductive polymer.

Ellipsometric study of nanostructured carbon films deposited by pulsed laser deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bereznai, M.; Budai, J.; Hanyecz, I.; Kopniczky, J.; Veres, M.; Koos, M.; Toth, Z.

2011-01-01

When depositing carbon films by plasma processes the resulting structure and bonding nature strongly depends on the plasma energy and background gas pressure. To produce different energy plasma, glassy carbon targets were ablated by laser pulses of different excimer lasers: KrF (248 nm) and ArF (193 nm). To modify plume characteristics argon atmosphere was applied. The laser plume was directed onto Si substrates, where the films were grown. To evaluate ellipsometric measurements first a combination of the Tauc-Lorentz oscillator and the Sellmeier formula (TL/S) was applied. Effective Medium Approximation models were also used to investigate film properties. Applying argon pressures above 10 Pa the deposits became nanostructured as indicated by high resolution scanning electron microscopy. Above ∼ 100 and ∼ 20 Pa films could not be deposited by KrF and ArF laser, respectively. Our ellipsometric investigations showed, that with increasing pressure the maximal refractive index of both series decreased, while the optical band gap starts with a decrease, but shows a non monotonous course. Correlation between the size of the nanostructures, bonding structure, which was followed by Raman spectroscopy and optical properties were also investigated.

Metal-organic framework templated electrodeposition of functional gold nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Worrall, Stephen D.; Bissett, Mark A.; Hill, Patrick I.; Rooney, Aidan P.; Haigh, Sarah J.; Attfield, Martin P.; Dryfe, Robert A.W.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Electrodeposition of anisotropic Au nanostructures templated by HKUST-1. • Au nanostructures replicate ∼1.4 nm pore spaces of HKUST-1. • Encapsulated Au nanostructures active as SERS substrate for 4-fluorothiophenol. - Abstract: Utilizing a pair of quick, scalable electrochemical processes, the permanently porous MOF HKUST-1 was electrochemically grown on a copper electrode and this HKUST-1-coated electrode was used to template electrodeposition of a gold nanostructure within the pore network of the MOF. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrates that a proportion of the gold nanostructures exhibit structural features replicating the pore space of this ∼1.4 nm maximum pore diameter MOF, as well as regions that are larger in size. Scanning electron microscopy shows that the electrodeposited gold nanostructure, produced under certain conditions of synthesis and template removal, is sufficiently inter-grown and mechanically robust to retain the octahedral morphology of the HKUST-1 template crystals. The functionality of the gold nanostructure within the crystalline HKUST-1 was demonstrated through the surface enhanced Raman spectroscopic (SERS) detection of 4-fluorothiophenol at concentrations as low as 1 μM. The reported process is confirmed as a viable electrodeposition method for obtaining functional, accessible metal nanostructures encapsulated within MOF crystals.

Advantageous use of metallic cobalt in the target for pulsed laser deposition of cobalt-doped ZnO films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ying, Minju, E-mail: mjying@bnu.edu.cn, E-mail: g.gehring@sheffield.ac.uk [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH (United Kingdom); Key Laboratory of Beam Technology and Material Modification of Ministry of Education, College of Nuclear Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China); Blythe, Harry J.; Gerriu, Fatma M.; Fox, A. Mark; Gehring, Gillian A., E-mail: mjying@bnu.edu.cn, E-mail: g.gehring@sheffield.ac.uk [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH (United Kingdom); Dizayee, Wala [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH (United Kingdom); Department of Science, Salahaddin University, Erbil (Iraq); Heald, Steve M. [Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439 (United States)

2016-08-15

We investigate the magnetic properties of ZnCoO thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) from targets made containing metallic Co or CoO precursors instead of the usual Co{sub 3}O{sub 4}. We find that the films grown from metallic Co precursors in an oxygen rich environment contain negligible amounts of Co metal and have a large magnetization at room temperature. Structural analysis by X-ray diffraction and magneto-optical measurements indicate that the enhanced magnetism is due, in part, from Zn vacancies that partially compensate the naturally occurring n-type defects. We conclude that strongly magnetic films of Zn{sub 0.95}Co{sub 0.05}O that do not contain metallic cobalt can be grown by PLD from Co-metal-precursor targets if the films are grown in an oxygen atmosphere.

A highly selective and wide range ammonia sensor—Nanostructured ZnO:Co thin film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mani, Ganesh Kumar; Rayappan, John Bosco Balaguru

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Cobalt doped nanostructured ZnO thin films were spray deposited on glass substrates. • Co-doped ZnO film was highly selective towards ammonia than ethanol, methanol, etc. • The range of ammonia detection was improved significantly by doping cobalt in ZnO. - Abstract: Ammonia sensing characteristics of undoped and cobalt (Co)-doped nanostructured ZnO thin films were investigated. Polycrystalline nature with hexagonal wurtzite structure and high crystalline quality with dominant (0 0 2) plane orientation of Co-doped ZnO film were confirmed by the X-ray diffractogram. Scanning electron micrographs of the undoped film demonstrated the uniform deposition of sphere-shaped grains. But, smaller particles with no clear grain boundaries were observed for Co-doped ZnO thin film. Band gap values were found to be 3.26 eV and 3.22 eV for undoped and Co-doped ZnO thin films. Ammonia sensing characteristics of Co-doped ZnO film at room temperature were investigated in the concentration range of 15–1000 ppm. Variation in the sensing performances of Co-doped and pure ZnO thin films has been analyzed and compared

Nanostructured refractory thin films for solar applications

Science.gov (United States)

Ollier, E.; Dunoyer, N.; Dellea, O.; Szambolics, H.

2014-08-01

Selective solar absorbers are key elements of all solar thermal systems. Solar thermal panels and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) systems aim respectively at producing heat and electricity. In both cases, a surface receives the solar radiation and is designed to have the highest optical absorption (lowest optical reflectivity) of the solar radiation in the visible wavelength range where the solar intensity is the highest. It also has a low emissivity in the infrared (IR) range in order to avoid radiative thermal losses. Current solutions in the state of the art usually consist in deposited interferential thin films or in cermets [1]. Structured surfaces have been proposed and have been simulated because they are supposed to be more efficient when the solar radiation is not normal to the receiving surface and because they could potentially be fabricated with refractory materials able to sustain high operating temperatures. This work presents a new method to fabricate micro/nanostructured surfaces on molybdenum (refractory metal with a melting temperature of 2623°C). This method now allows obtaining a refractory selective surface with an excellent optical selectivity and a very high absorption in the visible range. This high absorption performance was obtained by achieving a double structuration at micro and nano scales thanks to an innovative process flow.

Ag-ZnO nanostructure for ANTA explosive molecule detection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shaik, Ummar Pasha [Advanced Center of Research in High Energy Materials, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500046 (India); Sangani, L. D. Varma [Centre for Advanced Studies in Electronics Science and Technology, School of Physics, University of Hyderabad (India); Gaur, Anshu [Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Via Sommarive9, Trento (Italy); Mohiddon, Md. Ahamad, E-mail: ahamed.vza@gmail.com [National Institute of Technology Andhra Pradesh, Tadepalliguem 534101, AP, India Phone : (+) 91-40-23134382, FAX: (+) 91-40-23010227 (India); Krishna, M. Ghanashyam [Advanced Center of Research in High Energy Materials, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500046 (India); Centre for Advanced Studies in Electronics Science and Technology, School of Physics, University of Hyderabad (India); National Institute of Technology Andhra Pradesh, Tadepalliguem 534101, AP, India Phone : (+) 91-40-23134382, FAX: (+) 91-40-23010227 (India)

2016-05-23

Ag/ZnO nanostructure for surface enhanced Raman scattering application in the detection of ANTA explosive molecule is demonstrated. A highly rough ZnO microstructure was achieved by rapid thermal annealing of metallic Zn film. Different thickness Ag nanostructures are decorated over these ZnO microstructures by ion beam sputtering technique. Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopic studies carried out over Ag/ZnO substrates have shown three orders higher enhancement compared to bare Ag nanostructure deposited on the same substrate. The reasons behind such huge enhancement are discussed based on the morphology of the sample.

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of the functionalization of carbon metal-containing nanotubes with phosphorus atoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shabanova, I.N.; Terebova, N.S.

2013-01-01

Highlights: •Carbon metal-containing nanotubes (Me–Cu, Ni, Fe) were functionalized with chemical groups containing different concentrations of phosphorous. •The C1s and Me3s spectra were measured by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy method. •The values of the atomic magnetic moment of the carbon metal-containing nanotubes were determined. -- Abstract: In the present paper, carbon metal-containing (Me: Cu, Ni, Fe) nanotubes functionalized with phosphorus atoms (ammonium polyphosphate) were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) on an X-ray electron magnetic spectrometer. It is found that the functionalization leads to the change of the metal atomic magnetic moment, i.e. the value of the atomic magnetic moment in the functionalized carbon metal-containing (Cu, Ni, Fe) nanotubes increases and is higher than that in pristine nanotubes. It is shown that the covalent bond of Me and P atoms is formed. This leads to an increase in the activity of the nanostructure surface which is necessary for the modification of materials

Effect of indium dopant on surface and mechanical characteristics of ZnO : In nanostructured films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fang, T.-H.; Kang, S.-H. [Institute of Mechanical and Electromechanical Engineering, National Formosa University, No 64, Wenhua Rd., Huwei, Yunlin 632, Taiwan (China)], E-mail: fang.tehua@msa.hinet.net

2008-12-21

Epitaxial ZnO : In nanorod films were grown on SiO{sub 2} substrates using a chemical solution method with a pre-coated ZnO sputtered seed layer. Structural and surface characterizations of the ZnO : In nanostructured films were achieved by means of x-ray diffraction, a scanning electron microscope, an atomic force microscope and contact angle measurements. The hardness and Young's modulus of the nanostructured films were investigated by nanoindentation measurements. The results showed that when the indium dopant was increased, the hardness and Young's modulus of the films also rose. The films exhibited hydrophobic behaviour with contact angles of about 128-138 deg., and a decrease in the hardness and Young's modulus with decreasing loads or indentation depths. Buckling behaviour took place during the indentation process, and the fracture strength of the films was also discussed.

Electrochemical and Antimicrobial Properties of Diamondlike Carbon-Metal Composite Films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

MORRISON, M. L.; BUCHANAN, R. A.; LIAW, P. K.; BERRY, C. J.; BRIGMON, R.; RIESTER, L.; JIN, C.; NARAYAN, R. J.

2005-05-11

Implants containing antimicrobial metals may reduce morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs associated with medical device-related infections. We have deposited diamondlike carbon-silver (DLC-Ag), diamondlike carbon-platinum (DLC-Pt), and diamondlike carbon-silver-platinum (DLC-AgPt) thin films using a multicomponent target pulsed laser deposition process. Transmission electron microscopy of the DLC-silver and DLC-platinum composite films revealed that the silver and platinum self-assemble into nanoparticle arrays within the diamondlike carbon matrix. The diamondlike carbon-silver film possesses hardness and Young's modulus values of 37 GPa and 331 GPa, respectively. The diamondlike carbon-metal composite films exhibited passive behavior at open-circuit potentials. Low corrosion rates were observed during testing in a phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) electrolyte. In addition, the diamondlike carbon-metal composite films were found to be immune to localized corrosion below 1000 mV (SCE). DLC-silver-platinum films demonstrated exceptional antimicrobial properties against Staphylococcus bacteria. It is believed that a galvanic couple forms between platinum and silver, which accelerates silver ion release and provides more robust antimicrobial activity. Diamondlike carbon-silver-platinum films may provide unique biological functionalities and improved lifetimes for cardiovascular, orthopaedic, biosensor, and implantable microelectromechanical systems.

Metal oxide nanostructures: preparation, characterization and functional applications as chemical sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Zappa, Dario; Bertuna, Angela; Comini, Elisabetta; Kaur, Navpreet; Poli, Nicola; Sberveglieri, Veronica; Sberveglieri, Giorgio

2017-01-01

Preparation and characterization of different metal oxide (NiO, WO 3 , ZnO, SnO 2 and Nb 2 O 5 ) nanostructures for chemical sensing are presented. p-Type (NiO) and n-type (WO 3 , SnO 2 , ZnO and Nb 2 O 5 ) metal oxide nanostructures were grown on alumina substrates using evaporation-condensation, thermal oxidation and hydrothermal techniques. Surface morphologies and crystal structures were investigated through scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Furthermore, different batches of sensors have been prepared, and their sensing performances towards carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide have been explored. Moreover, metal oxide nanowires have been integrated into an electronic nose and successfully applied to discriminate between drinking and contaminated water.

METALLIC AND HYBRID NANOSTRUCTURES: FUNDAMENTALS AND APPLICATIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murph, S.

2012-05-02

This book chapter presents an overview of research conducted in our laboratory on preparation, optical and physico-chemical properties of metallic and nanohybrid materials. Metallic nanoparticles, particularly gold, silver, platinum or a combination of those are the main focus of this review manuscript. These metallic nanoparticles were further functionalized and used as templates for creation of complex and ordered nanomaterials with tailored and tunable structural, optical, catalytic and surface properties. Controlling the surface chemistry on/off metallic nanoparticles allows production of advanced nanoarchitectures. This includes coupled or encapsulated core-shell geometries, nano-peapods, solid or hollow, monometallic/bimetallic, hybrid nanoparticles. Rational assemblies of these nanostructures into one-, two- and tridimensional nano-architectures is described and analyzed. Their sensing, environmental and energy related applications are reviewed.

Plasmonic hybrid nanostructure with controlled interaction strength

Science.gov (United States)

Grzelak, Justyna K.; Krajnik, Bartosz; Thoreson, Mark D.; Nyga, Piotr; Shalaev, Vladimir M.; Mackowski, Sebastian

2014-03-01

In this report we discuss the influence of plasmon excitations in a silver island film on the fluorescence of photosynthetic complex, peridinin-chlorophyll-protein (PCP). Control of the separation between these two components is obtained by fabricating a wedge layer of silica across the substrate, with a thickness from 0 to 46 nm. Continuous variation of the silica thickness allows for gradual change of interaction strength between plasmon excitations in the metallic film and the excited states of pigments comprising photosynthetic complexes. While the largest separation between the silver film and photosynthetic complexes results in fluorescence featuring a mono-exponential decay and relatively narrow distribution of intensities, the PCP complexes placed on thinner silica spacers show biexponential fluorescence decay and significantly broader distribution of total fluorescence intensities. This broad distribution is a signature of stronger sensitivity of fluorescence enhancement upon actual parameters of a hybrid nanostructure. By gradual change of the silica spacer thickness we are able to reproduce classical distance dependence of fluorescence intensity in plasmonic hybrid nanostructures on ensemble level. Experiments carried out for different excitation wavelengths indicate that the interaction is stronger for excitations resonant with plasmon absorption in the metallic layer.

Optical storage in azobenzene-containing epoxy polymers processed as Langmuir Blodgett films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernández, Raquel; Mondragon, Iñaki; Sanfelice, Rafaela C.; Pavinatto, Felippe J.; Oliveira, Osvaldo N.; Oyanguren, Patricia; Galante, María J.

2013-01-01

In this study, azocopolymers containing different main-chain segments have been synthesized with diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA, DER 332, n = 0.03) and the azochromophore Disperse Orange 3 (DO3) cured with two monoamines, viz. benzylamine (BA) and m-toluidine (MT). The photoinduced birefringence was investigated in films produced with these azopolymers using the spin coating (SC) and Langmuir Blodgett (LB) techniques. In the LB films, birefringence increased with the content of azochromophore and the film thickness, as expected. The nanostructured nature of the LB films led to an enhanced birefringence and faster dynamics in the writing process, compared to the SC films. In summary, the combination of azocopolymers and the LB method may allow materials with tuned properties for various optical applications, including in biological systems were photoisomerization may be used to trigger actions such as drug delivery. Highlights: ► Langmuir Blodgett (LB) films of epoxy-based azopolymers were obtained and analyzed. ► Optical properties of LB and spin coated (SC) films were compared. ► Azo content, structure, laser power and number of layers were main factors studied. ► LB films had larger free volume for the azobenzenes isomerization than SC. ► LB films led to higher birefringence and faster dynamics compared to SC

Optical storage in azobenzene-containing epoxy polymers processed as Langmuir Blodgett films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fernández, Raquel; Mondragon, Iñaki [‘Materials - Technologies’ Group, Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Polytechnic School, Universidad País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, Pza Europa 1, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián (Spain); Sanfelice, Rafaela C.; Pavinatto, Felippe J.; Oliveira, Osvaldo N. [Instituto de Física de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Trabalhador São Carlense, 400, Centro, CEP 13560-970, São Carlos (Brazil); Oyanguren, Patricia [Institute of Materials Science and Technology (INTEMA), University of Mar del Plata and National Research Council (CONICET), J. B. Justo 4302, 7600 Mar del Plata (Argentina); Galante, María J., E-mail: galant@fi.mdp.edu.ar [Institute of Materials Science and Technology (INTEMA), University of Mar del Plata and National Research Council (CONICET), J. B. Justo 4302, 7600 Mar del Plata (Argentina)

2013-04-01

In this study, azocopolymers containing different main-chain segments have been synthesized with diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA, DER 332, n = 0.03) and the azochromophore Disperse Orange 3 (DO3) cured with two monoamines, viz. benzylamine (BA) and m-toluidine (MT). The photoinduced birefringence was investigated in films produced with these azopolymers using the spin coating (SC) and Langmuir Blodgett (LB) techniques. In the LB films, birefringence increased with the content of azochromophore and the film thickness, as expected. The nanostructured nature of the LB films led to an enhanced birefringence and faster dynamics in the writing process, compared to the SC films. In summary, the combination of azocopolymers and the LB method may allow materials with tuned properties for various optical applications, including in biological systems were photoisomerization may be used to trigger actions such as drug delivery. Highlights: ► Langmuir Blodgett (LB) films of epoxy-based azopolymers were obtained and analyzed. ► Optical properties of LB and spin coated (SC) films were compared. ► Azo content, structure, laser power and number of layers were main factors studied. ► LB films had larger free volume for the azobenzenes isomerization than SC. ► LB films led to higher birefringence and faster dynamics compared to SC.

SAXS Studies of TiO2 Nanoparticles in Polymer Electrolytes and in Nanostructured Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sigrid Bernstorff

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Polymer electrolytes as nanostructured materials are very attractive components for batteries and opto-electronic devices. (PEO8ZnCl2 polymer electrolytes were prepared from PEO and ZnCl2. The nanocomposites (PEO8ZnCl2/TiO2 themselves contained TiO2 nanograins. In this work, the influence of the TiO2 nanograins on the morphology and ionic conductivity of the nanocomposite was systematically studied by transmission small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS simultaneously recorded with wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC at the synchrotron ELETTRA. Films containing nanosized grains of titanium dioxide (TiO2 are widely used in the research of optical and photovoltaic devices. The TiO2 films, prepared by chemical vapor deposition and e-beam epitaxy, were annealed in hydrogen atmospheres in the temperature range between 20 °C and 900 °C in order to study anatase-rutile phase transition at 740 °C. Also, grazing-incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS spectra for each TiO2 film were measured in reflection geometry at different grazing incident angles. Environmentally friendly galvanic cells, as well as solar cells of the second generation, are to be constructed with TiO2 film as working electrode, and nanocomposite polymer as electrolyte.

Plasmonic back contacts with non-ordered Ag nanostructures for light trapping in thin-film silicon solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paetzold, Ulrich W.; Meier, Matthias; Moulin, Etienne; Smirnov, Vladimir; Pieters, Bart E.; Rau, Uwe; Carius, Reinhard

2013-01-01

In this work, we investigate the light trapping of thin-film silicon solar cells which apply plasmonic Ag back contacts with non-ordered Ag nanostructures. The preparation, characterization and three-dimensional electromagnetic simulations of these back contacts with various distributions of non-ordered Ag nanostructures are presented. The measured reflectance spectra of the Ag back contacts with non-ordered nanostructures in air are well reproduced in reflectance spectra derived from the three-dimensional electromagnetic simulations of isolated nanostructures on Ag back contacts. The light–matter interaction of these nanostructures is given by localized surface plasmons and, thus, the measured diffuse reflectance of the back contacts is attributed to plasmon-induced light scattering. A significant plasmonic light-trapping effect in n-i-p substrate-type μc-Si:H thin-film solar cell prototypes which apply a Ag back contact with non-ordered nanostructures is identified when compared with flat reference solar cells

Plasmonic back contacts with non-ordered Ag nanostructures for light trapping in thin-film silicon solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paetzold, Ulrich W., E-mail: u.paetzold@fz-juelich.de [IEK5-Photovoltaik, Forschungszentrum Juelich, D-52425 Juelich (Germany); Meier, Matthias, E-mail: ma.meier@fz-juelich.de [IEK5-Photovoltaik, Forschungszentrum Juelich, D-52425 Juelich (Germany); Moulin, Etienne, E-mail: e.moulin@fz-juelich.de [IEK5-Photovoltaik, Forschungszentrum Juelich, D-52425 Juelich (Germany); Smirnov, Vladimir, E-mail: v.smirnov@fz-juelich.de [IEK5-Photovoltaik, Forschungszentrum Juelich, D-52425 Juelich (Germany); Pieters, Bart E., E-mail: b.pieters@fz-juelich.de [IEK5-Photovoltaik, Forschungszentrum Juelich, D-52425 Juelich (Germany); Rau, Uwe, E-mail: u.rau@fz-juelich.de [IEK5-Photovoltaik, Forschungszentrum Juelich, D-52425 Juelich (Germany); Carius, Reinhard, E-mail: r.carius@fz-juelich.de [IEK5-Photovoltaik, Forschungszentrum Juelich, D-52425 Juelich (Germany)

2013-05-15

In this work, we investigate the light trapping of thin-film silicon solar cells which apply plasmonic Ag back contacts with non-ordered Ag nanostructures. The preparation, characterization and three-dimensional electromagnetic simulations of these back contacts with various distributions of non-ordered Ag nanostructures are presented. The measured reflectance spectra of the Ag back contacts with non-ordered nanostructures in air are well reproduced in reflectance spectra derived from the three-dimensional electromagnetic simulations of isolated nanostructures on Ag back contacts. The light–matter interaction of these nanostructures is given by localized surface plasmons and, thus, the measured diffuse reflectance of the back contacts is attributed to plasmon-induced light scattering. A significant plasmonic light-trapping effect in n-i-p substrate-type μc-Si:H thin-film solar cell prototypes which apply a Ag back contact with non-ordered nanostructures is identified when compared with flat reference solar cells.

Thin films of metal-organic compounds and metal nanoparticle

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Thin films of metal-organic compounds and metal nanoparticle-embedded polymers for nonlinear optical applications. S Philip Anthony Shatabdi Porel D ... Thin films based on two very different metal-organic systems are developed and some nonlinear optical applications are explored. A family of zinc complexes which ...

Nanostructured ZnO thin films by chemical bath deposition in basic aqueous ammonia solutions for photovoltaic applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chu, J.B.; Huang, S.M.; Zhang, D.W.; Bian, Z.Q.; Li, X.D.; Sun, Z. [East China Normal University, Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics and Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, Department of Physics, Shanghai (China); Yin, X.J. [Singapore Polytechnic, Advanced Materials Technology Center, Singapore (Singapore)

2009-06-15

This paper presents further insights and observations of the chemical bath deposition (CBD) of ZnS thin films using an aqueous medium involving Zn-salt, ammonium sulfate, aqueous ammonia, and thiourea. Results on physical and chemical properties of the grown layers as a function of ammonia concentration are reported. Physical and chemical properties were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray energy dispersive (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Rapid growth of nanostructured ZnO films on fluorine-doped SnO{sub 2} (FTO) glass substrates was developed. ZnO films crystallized in a wurtzite hexagonal structure and with a very small quantity of Zn(OH){sub 2} and ZnS phases were obtained for the ammonia concentration ranging from 0.75 to 2.0 M. Flower-like and columnar nanostructured ZnO films were deposited in two ammonia concentration ranges, respectively: one between 0.75 and 1.0 M and the other between 1.4 and 2.0 M. ZnS films were formed with a high ammonia concentration of 3.0 M. The formation mechanisms of ZnO, Zn(OH){sub 2}, and ZnS phases were discussed in the CBD process. The developed technique can be used to directly and rapidly grow nanostructured ZnO film photoanodes. Annealed ZnO nanoflower and columnar nanoparticle films on FTO substrates were used as electrodes to fabricate the dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The DSSC based on ZnO-nanoflower film showed an energy conversion efficiency of 0.84%, which is higher compared to that (0.45%) of the cell being constructed using a photoanode of columnar nanoparticle ZnO film. The results have demonstrated the potential applications of CBD nanostructured ZnO films for photovoltaic cells. (orig.)

Low-energy ion beam synthesis of Ag endotaxial nanostructures in silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Nagarajappa, Kiran; Guha, Puspendu; Thirumurugan, Arun; Satyam, Parlapalli V.; Bhatta, Umananda M.

2018-06-01

Coherently, embedded metal nanostructures (endotaxial) are known to have potential applications concerning the areas of plasmonics, optoelectronics and thermoelectronics. Incorporating appropriate concentrations of metal atoms into crystalline silicon is critical for these applications. Therefore, choosing proper dose of low-energy ions, instead of depositing thin film as a source of metal atoms, helps in avoiding surplus concentration of metal atoms that diffuses into the silicon crystal. In this work, 30 keV silver negative ions are implanted into a SiO x /Si(100) at two different fluences: 1 × 1015 and 2.5 × 1015 Ag- ions/cm2. Later, the samples are annealed at 700 °C for 1 h in Ar atmosphere. Embedded silver nanostructures have been characterized using planar and cross-sectional TEM (XTEM) analysis. Planar TEM analysis shows the formation of mostly rectangular silver nanostructures following the fourfold symmetry of the substrate. XTEM analysis confirms the formation of prism-shaped silver nanostructures embedded inside crystalline silicon. Endotaxial nature of the embedded crystals has been discussed using selected area electron diffraction analysis.

Nanostructures from nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mendes, Paula M; Chen Yu; Palmer, Richard E; Nikitin, Kirill; Fitzmaurice, Donald; Preece, Jon A

2003-01-01

This paper reviews recent experimental approaches to the development of surface nanostructures from nanoparticles. The formation of nanowires by electron beam writing in films of gold nanoparticles passivated with a specially designed class of ligand molecules (dialkyl sulfides) is presented, together with illustrations of practical nanostructures. Potential applications of this methodology are discussed. Another alternative to the controlled fabrication of arrays of nanoparticles, based on nanocrystals which contain molecular recognition elements in the ligand shell, is also surveyed. These particles aggregate in the presence of specifically designed molecular dications which act as a molecular binder. Finally, recent work on the formation of nanoscale surface architectures using x-ray patterning of self-assembled monolayers is introduced. Current and potential future applications of these surface nanostructures are discussed

Structural and optical properties of ZnO nanostructures electrochemically synthesized on AZO/Ag/AZO-multilayer-film-coated polyethersulfone substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Dohyun; Yoo, Chanho; No, Youngsoo; Kim, Suyoun; Kim, Taewhan; Cho, Woonjo; Kim, Jinyoung

2012-01-01

ZnO nanostructures were formed on Al-doped ZnO (AZO)/Ag/AZO-multilayer-film-coated flexible polyethersulfone (PES) substrates at low temperature by using an electrochemical deposition method. The resistivity of the AZO/Ag/AZO multilayer films decreased with increasing thickness of the Ag film. X-ray diffraction patterns for the ZnO nanostructures showed that the crystal structure of the ZnO was hexagonal wurtzite and that the orientation was along the c-axis perpendicular to the substrate. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that the ZnO nanostructures grown at current densities of - 1.0 and - 1.5 mA/cm 2 were ZnO nanorods with diameters of 150 nm and ZnO nanoflowers with a planar dimension, respectively. Photoluminescence spectra showed that the band-edge emission peak of the ZnO nanostructures dominantly appeared in the ultraviolet region. These results showed that ZnO nanorods and nanoflowers with high quality were synthesized on AZO/Ag/AZO-multilayer-film-coated PES substrates.

Trade-off between Photon Management Efficacy and Material Quality in Thin-Film Solar Cells on Nanostructured Substrates of High Aspect Ratio Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alan H. Chin

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Although texturing of the transparent electrode of thin-film solar cells has long been used to enhance light absorption via light trapping, such texturing has involved low aspect ratio features. With the recent development of nanotechnology, nanostructured substrates enable improved light trapping and enhanced optical absorption via resonances, a process known as photon management, in thin-film solar cells. Despite the progress made in the development of photon management in thin-film solar cells using nanostructures substrates, the structural integrity of the thin-film solar cells deposited onto such nanostructured substrates is rarely considered. Here, we report the observation of the reduction in the open circuit voltage of amorphous silicon solar cells deposited onto a nanostructured substrate with increasing areal number density of high aspect ratio structures. For a nanostructured substrate with the areal number density of such nanostructures increasing in correlation with the distance from one edge of the substrate, a correlation between the open circuit voltage reduction and the increase of the areal number density of high aspect ratio nanostructures of the front electrode of the small-size amorphous silicon solar cells deposited onto different regions of the substrate with graded nanostructure density indicates the effect of the surface morphology on the material quality, i.e., a trade-off between photon management efficacy and material quality. This observed trade-off highlights the importance of optimizing the morphology of the nanostructured substrate to ensure conformal deposition of the thin-film solar cell.

Hydrogen-bonding effects on film structure and photoelectrochemical properties of porphyrin and fullerene composites on nanostructured TiO 2 electrodes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kira, Aiko; Tanaka, Masanobu; Umeyama, Tomokazu; Matano, Yoshihiro; Yoshimoto, Naoki; Zhang, Yi; Ye, Shen; Lehtivuori, Heli; Tkachenko, Nikolai V.; Lemmetyinen, Helge; Imahori, Hiroshi

2007-01-01

Hydrogen-bonding effects on film structures and photophysical, photoelectrochemical, and photovoltaic properties have been examined in mixed films of porphyrin and fullerene composites with and without hydrogen bonding on nanostructured TiO2 electrodes. The nanostructured TiO2 electrodes modified

Metal Oxide Nanostructures in Food Applications: Quality Control and Packaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vardan Galstyan

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Metal oxide materials have been applied in different fields due to their excellent functional properties. Metal oxides nanostructuration, preparation with the various morphologies, and their coupling with other structures enhance the unique properties of the materials and open new perspectives for their application in the food industry. Chemical gas sensors that are based on semiconducting metal oxide materials can detect the presence of toxins and volatile organic compounds that are produced in food products due to their spoilage and hazardous processes that may take place during the food aging and transportation. Metal oxide nanomaterials can be used in food processing, packaging, and the preservation industry as well. Moreover, the metal oxide-based nanocomposite structures can provide many advantageous features to the final food packaging material, such as antimicrobial activity, enzyme immobilization, oxygen scavenging, mechanical strength, increasing the stability and the shelf life of food, and securing the food against humidity, temperature, and other physiological factors. In this paper, we review the most recent achievements on the synthesis of metal oxide-based nanostructures and their applications in food quality monitoring and active and intelligent packaging.

High speed direct imaging of thin metal film ablation by movie-mode dynamic transmission electron microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Hihath, Sahar; Santala, Melissa K.; Cen, Xi; Campbell, Geoffrey; van Benthem, Klaus

2016-03-01

Obliteration of matter by pulsed laser beams is not only prevalent in science fiction movies, but finds numerous technological applications ranging from additive manufacturing over machining of micro- and nanostructured features to health care. Pulse lengths ranging from femtoseconds to nanoseconds are utilized at varying laser beam energies and pulse lengths, and enable the removal of nanometric volumes of material. While the mechanisms for removal of material by laser irradiation, i.e., laser ablation, are well understood on the micrometer length scale, it was previously impossible to directly observe obliteration processes on smaller scales due to experimental limitations for the combination of nanometer spatial and nanosecond temporal resolution. Here, we report the direct observation of metal thin film ablation from a solid substrate through dynamic transmission electron microscopy. Quantitative analysis reveals liquid-phase dewetting of the thin-film, followed by hydrodynamic sputtering of nano- to submicron sized metal droplets. We discovered unexpected fracturing of the substrate due to evolving thermal stresses. This study confirms that hydrodynamic sputtering remains a valid mechanism for droplet expulsion on the nanoscale, while irradiation induced stress fields represent limit laser processing of nanostructured materials. Our results allow for improved safety during laser ablation in manufacturing and medical applications.

pH effect on structural and optical properties of nanostructured zinc oxide thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Munef, R. A. [Kirkuk Iraq, Kirkuk university, college of science physics department, phone: 009647702180337, Iraq Rafeamonef@yahoo.com (Iraq)

2015-03-30

ZnO nanostructures were Deposited on Objekttrager glasses for various pH values by chemical bath deposition method using Zn (NO3)2·6H2O (zinc nitrate hexahydrate) solution at 75°C reaction temperature without any posterior treatments. The ZnO nanostructures obtained were characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD, UV). The structure was hexagonal and it was found that some peaks disappear with various pH values. The grain sizes of ZnO films increases from 22-to-29nm with increasing pH. The transmission of the films was (85-95%)

CARBON-CONTAINING COMPOSITES BASED ON METALS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

VAGANOV V. E.

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Problem statement Among the developed technologies metal-composites production,a special place takes powder metallurgy, having fundamental differences from conventionally used foundry technologies. The main advantages of this technology are: the possibility of sensitive control, the structure and phase composition of the starting components, and ultimately the possibility of obtaining of bulk material in nanostructured state with a minimum of processing steps. The potential reinforcers metals include micro and nano-sized oxides, carbides, nitrides, whiskers. The special position is occupied with carbon nanostructures (CNS: С60 fullerenes, single-layer and multi-layer nanotubes, onions (spherical "bulbs", nano-diamonds and graphite,their properties are being intensively studied in recent years. These objects have a high thermal and electrical conductivity values, superelasticity, and have a strength approximate to the theoretical value, which can provide an obtaining composite nanomaterial with a unique set of physical and mechanical properties. In creation of a metal matrix composite nanomaterials (CM, reinforced by various CNS, a special attention should be given to mechanical activation processes (MA already at the stage of preparation of the starting components affecting the structure, phase composition and properties of aluminum-matrix composites. Purpose. To investigate the influence of mechanical activation on the structure and phase composition of aluminum-matrix composites. Conclusion. The results of the study of the structure and phase composition of the initial and mechanically activated powders and bulk-modified metal-composites are shown, depending on the type and concentration of modifying varieties CNS, regimes of MA and parameters of compaction. The study is conducted of tribological properties of Al-CNS OF nanostructured materials.

High-capacity nanostructured germanium-containing materials and lithium alloys thereof

Science.gov (United States)

Graetz, Jason A.; Fultz, Brent T.; Ahn, Channing; Yazami, Rachid

2010-08-24

Electrodes comprising an alkali metal, for example, lithium, alloyed with nanostructured materials of formula Si.sub.zGe.sub.(z-1), where 0electrodes made from graphite. These electrodes are useful as anodes for secondary electrochemical cells, for example, batteries and electrochemical supercapacitors.

High-resolution electron-beam patternable nanocomposite containing metal nanoparticles for plasmonics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abargues, R; Marques-Hueso, J; Canet-Ferrer, J; Pedrueza, E; Valdes, J L; Jimenez, E; MartInez-Pastor, J P

2008-01-01

Polymer nanocomposites containing noble metal nanoparticles are promising materials for plasmonic applications. In this paper, we report on a high-resolution negative-tone nanocomposite resist based on poly(vinyl alcohol) where silver nanoparticles and nanopatterns are simultaneously generated by electron-beam lithography. Our results indicate nanostructures with a relatively high concentration of nanoparticles and, consequently, an electromagnetic coupling among the nanoparticles. Therefore, the patternable nanocomposite described in this work may be a suitable material for future plasmonic circuitry

Effects of annealing temperature on the physicochemical, optical and photoelectrochemical properties of nanostructured hematite thin films prepared via electrodeposition method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phuan, Yi Wen; Chong, Meng Nan; Zhu, Tao; Yong, Siek-Ting; Chan, Eng Seng

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Nanostructured hematite thin films were synthesized via electrodeposition method. • Effects of annealing on size, grain boundary and PEC properties were examined. • Photocurrents generation was enhanced when the thin films were annealed at 600 °C. • The highest photocurrent density of 1.6 mA/cm 2 at 0.6 V vs Ag/AgCl was achieved. - Abstract: Hematite (α-Fe 2 O 3 ) is a promising photoanode material for hydrogen production from photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting due to its wide abundance, narrow band-gap energy, efficient light absorption and high chemical stability under aqueous environment. The key challenge to the wider utilisation of nanostructured hematite-based photoanode in PEC water splitting, however, is limited by its low photo-assisted water oxidation caused by large overpotential in the nominal range of 0.5–0.6 V. The main aim of this study was to enhance the performance of hematite for photo-assisted water oxidation by optimising the annealing temperature used during the synthesis of nanostructured hematite thin films on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)-based photoanodes prepared via the cathodic electrodeposition method. The resultant nanostructured hematite thin films were characterised using field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) for their elemental composition, average nanocrystallites size and morphology; phase and crystallinity; UV-absorptivity and band gap energy; and the functional groups, respectively. Results showed that the nanostructured hematite thin films possess good ordered nanocrystallites array and high crystallinity after annealing treatment at 400–600 °C. FE-SEM images illustrated an increase in the average hematite nanocrystallites size from 65 nm to 95 nm when the annealing temperature was varied from 400 °C to 600 °C. As the

Effects of annealing temperature on the physicochemical, optical and photoelectrochemical properties of nanostructured hematite thin films prepared via electrodeposition method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Phuan, Yi Wen [School of Engineering, Chemical Engineering Discipline, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway 46150 Selangor DE (Malaysia); Chong, Meng Nan, E-mail: Chong.Meng.Nan@monash.edu [School of Engineering, Chemical Engineering Discipline, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway 46150 Selangor DE (Malaysia); Sustainable Water Alliance, Advanced Engineering Platform, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway 46150 Selangor DE (Malaysia); Zhu, Tao; Yong, Siek-Ting [School of Engineering, Chemical Engineering Discipline, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway 46150 Selangor DE (Malaysia); Chan, Eng Seng [School of Engineering, Chemical Engineering Discipline, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway 46150 Selangor DE (Malaysia); Sustainable Water Alliance, Advanced Engineering Platform, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway 46150 Selangor DE (Malaysia)

2015-09-15

Highlights: • Nanostructured hematite thin films were synthesized via electrodeposition method. • Effects of annealing on size, grain boundary and PEC properties were examined. • Photocurrents generation was enhanced when the thin films were annealed at 600 °C. • The highest photocurrent density of 1.6 mA/cm{sup 2} at 0.6 V vs Ag/AgCl was achieved. - Abstract: Hematite (α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}) is a promising photoanode material for hydrogen production from photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting due to its wide abundance, narrow band-gap energy, efficient light absorption and high chemical stability under aqueous environment. The key challenge to the wider utilisation of nanostructured hematite-based photoanode in PEC water splitting, however, is limited by its low photo-assisted water oxidation caused by large overpotential in the nominal range of 0.5–0.6 V. The main aim of this study was to enhance the performance of hematite for photo-assisted water oxidation by optimising the annealing temperature used during the synthesis of nanostructured hematite thin films on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)-based photoanodes prepared via the cathodic electrodeposition method. The resultant nanostructured hematite thin films were characterised using field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) for their elemental composition, average nanocrystallites size and morphology; phase and crystallinity; UV-absorptivity and band gap energy; and the functional groups, respectively. Results showed that the nanostructured hematite thin films possess good ordered nanocrystallites array and high crystallinity after annealing treatment at 400–600 °C. FE-SEM images illustrated an increase in the average hematite nanocrystallites size from 65 nm to 95 nm when the annealing temperature was varied from 400 °C to 600

Nanostructured thin film formation on femtosecond laser-textured Ti-35Nb-xZr alloy for biomedical applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeong, Yong-Hoon [Department of Dental Materials and Research Center of Nano-Interface Activation for Biomaterials, School of Dentistry, Chosun University, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of); Choe, Han-Cheol, E-mail: hcchoe@chosun.ac.kr [Department of Dental Materials and Research Center of Nano-Interface Activation for Biomaterials, School of Dentistry, Chosun University, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of); Brantley, William A. [Division of Restorative and Prosthetic Dentistry and Primary Care, College of Dentistry, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (United States)

2011-05-31

The aim of this study was to investigate the nanostructured thin film formation on femtosecond (FS) laser-textured Ti-35Nb-xZr alloy for biomedical applications. The initial surface roughening treatment involved irradiation with the FS laser in ambient air. After FS laser texturing, nanotubes were formed on the alloy surface using a potentiostat and a 1 M H{sub 3}PO{sub 4} solution containing 0.8 wt.% NaF with an applied cell voltage of 10 V for 2 h. The surface phenomena were investigated by FE-SEM, EDS, XRD, XPS and a cell proliferation test. It was found that nanostructured Ti-35Nb-xZr alloys after FS laser texturing had a hybrid surface topography with micro and nano scale structures, which should provide very effective osseointegration.

Nanostructured thin film formation on femtosecond laser-textured Ti-35Nb-xZr alloy for biomedical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Yong-Hoon; Choe, Han-Cheol; Brantley, William A.

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the nanostructured thin film formation on femtosecond (FS) laser-textured Ti-35Nb-xZr alloy for biomedical applications. The initial surface roughening treatment involved irradiation with the FS laser in ambient air. After FS laser texturing, nanotubes were formed on the alloy surface using a potentiostat and a 1 M H 3 PO 4 solution containing 0.8 wt.% NaF with an applied cell voltage of 10 V for 2 h. The surface phenomena were investigated by FE-SEM, EDS, XRD, XPS and a cell proliferation test. It was found that nanostructured Ti-35Nb-xZr alloys after FS laser texturing had a hybrid surface topography with micro and nano scale structures, which should provide very effective osseointegration.

Development and optimization of iron- and zinc-containing nanostructured powders for nutritional applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hilty, F M; Hurrell, R F; Zimmermann, M B [Human Nutrition Laboratory, Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, ETH Zurich (Switzerland); Teleki, A; Buechel, R; Pratsinis, S E [Particle Technology Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zurich (Switzerland); Krumeich, F, E-mail: michael.zimmermann@ilw.agrl.ethz.c [Electron Microscopy Center (EMEZ), ETH Zurich (Switzerland)

2009-11-25

Reducing the size of low-solubility iron (Fe)-containing compounds to nanoscale has the potential to improve their bioavailability. Because Fe and zinc (Zn) deficiencies often coexist in populations, combined Fe/Zn-containing nanostructured compounds may be useful for nutritional applications. Such compounds are developed here and their solubility in dilute acid, a reliable indicator of iron bioavailability in humans, and sensory qualities in sensitive food matrices are investigated. Phosphates and oxides of Fe and atomically mixed Fe/Zn-containing (primarily ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}) nanostructured powders were produced by flame spray pyrolysis (FSP). Chemical composition and surface area were systematically controlled by varying precursor concentration and feed rate during powder synthesis to increase solubility to the level of ferrous sulfate at maximum Fe and Zn content. Solubility of the nanostructured compounds was dependent on their particle size and crystallinity. The new nanostructured powders produced minimal color changes when added to dairy products containing chocolate or fruit compared to the changes produced when ferrous sulfate or ferrous fumarate were added to these foods. Flame-made Fe- and Fe/Zn-containing nanostructured powders have solubilities comparable to ferrous and Zn sulfate but may produce fewer color changes when added to difficult-to-fortify foods. Thus, these powders are promising for food fortification and other nutritional applications.

Development and optimization of iron- and zinc-containing nanostructured powders for nutritional applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hilty, F M; Hurrell, R F; Zimmermann, M B; Teleki, A; Buechel, R; Pratsinis, S E; Krumeich, F

2009-01-01

Reducing the size of low-solubility iron (Fe)-containing compounds to nanoscale has the potential to improve their bioavailability. Because Fe and zinc (Zn) deficiencies often coexist in populations, combined Fe/Zn-containing nanostructured compounds may be useful for nutritional applications. Such compounds are developed here and their solubility in dilute acid, a reliable indicator of iron bioavailability in humans, and sensory qualities in sensitive food matrices are investigated. Phosphates and oxides of Fe and atomically mixed Fe/Zn-containing (primarily ZnFe 2 O 4 ) nanostructured powders were produced by flame spray pyrolysis (FSP). Chemical composition and surface area were systematically controlled by varying precursor concentration and feed rate during powder synthesis to increase solubility to the level of ferrous sulfate at maximum Fe and Zn content. Solubility of the nanostructured compounds was dependent on their particle size and crystallinity. The new nanostructured powders produced minimal color changes when added to dairy products containing chocolate or fruit compared to the changes produced when ferrous sulfate or ferrous fumarate were added to these foods. Flame-made Fe- and Fe/Zn-containing nanostructured powders have solubilities comparable to ferrous and Zn sulfate but may produce fewer color changes when added to difficult-to-fortify foods. Thus, these powders are promising for food fortification and other nutritional applications.

Development and optimization of iron- and zinc-containing nanostructured powders for nutritional applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Hilty, F M; Teleki, A; Krumeich, F; Büchel, R; Hurrell, R F; Pratsinis, S E; Zimmermann, M B

2009-11-25

Reducing the size of low-solubility iron (Fe)-containing compounds to nanoscale has the potential to improve their bioavailability. Because Fe and zinc (Zn) deficiencies often coexist in populations, combined Fe/Zn-containing nanostructured compounds may be useful for nutritional applications. Such compounds are developed here and their solubility in dilute acid, a reliable indicator of iron bioavailability in humans, and sensory qualities in sensitive food matrices are investigated. Phosphates and oxides of Fe and atomically mixed Fe/Zn-containing (primarily ZnFe2O4) nanostructured powders were produced by flame spray pyrolysis (FSP). Chemical composition and surface area were systematically controlled by varying precursor concentration and feed rate during powder synthesis to increase solubility to the level of ferrous sulfate at maximum Fe and Zn content. Solubility of the nanostructured compounds was dependent on their particle size and crystallinity. The new nanostructured powders produced minimal color changes when added to dairy products containing chocolate or fruit compared to the changes produced when ferrous sulfate or ferrous fumarate were added to these foods. Flame-made Fe- and Fe/Zn-containing nanostructured powders have solubilities comparable to ferrous and Zn sulfate but may produce fewer color changes when added to difficult-to-fortify foods. Thus, these powders are promising for food fortification and other nutritional applications.

Electrochemical characterization of organosilane-functionalized nanostructured ITO surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pruna, R., E-mail: rpruna@el.ub.edu; Palacio, F.; López, M. [SIC, Departament d' Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain); Pérez, J. [Nanobioengineering Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Baldiri Reixac 15-21, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain); Mir, M. [Nanobioengineering Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Baldiri Reixac 15-21, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain); Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Monforte de Lemos 3-5 Pabellón 11, E-28029 Madrid (Spain); Blázquez, O.; Hernández, S.; Garrido, B. [MIND-IN" 2UB, Departament d' Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain)

2016-08-08

The electroactivity of nanostructured indium tin oxide (ITO) has been investigated for its further use in applications such as sensing biological compounds by the analysis of redox active molecules. ITO films were fabricated by using electron beam evaporation at different substrate temperatures and subsequently annealed for promoting their crystallization. The morphology of the deposited material was monitored by scanning electron microscopy, confirming the deposition of either thin films or nanowires, depending on the substrate temperature. Electrochemical surface characterization revealed a 45 % increase in the electroactive surface area of nanostructured ITO with respect to thin films, one third lower than the geometrical surface area variation determined by atomic force microscopy. ITO surfaces were functionalized with a model organic molecule known as 6-(ferrocenyl)hexanethiol. The chemical attachment was done by means of a glycidoxy compound containing a reactive epoxy group, the so-called 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxy-silane. ITO functionalization was useful for determining the benefits of nanostructuration on the surface coverage of active molecules. Compared to ITO thin films, an increase in the total peak height of 140 % was observed for as-deposited nanostructured electrodes, whereas the same measurement for annealed electrodes resulted in an increase of more than 400 %. These preliminary results demonstrate the ability of nanostructured ITO to increase the surface-to-volume ratio, conductivity and surface area functionalization, features that highly benefit the performance of biosensors.

Electrochemical characterization of organosilane-functionalized nanostructured ITO surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pruna, R.; Palacio, F.; López, M.; Pérez, J.; Mir, M.; 2UB, Departament d'Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain))" data-affiliation=" (MIND-IN2UB, Departament d'Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain))" >Blázquez, O.; 2UB, Departament d'Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain))" data-affiliation=" (MIND-IN2UB, Departament d'Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain))" >Hernández, S.; 2UB, Departament d'Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain))" data-affiliation=" (MIND-IN2UB, Departament d'Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain))" >Garrido, B.

2016-01-01

The electroactivity of nanostructured indium tin oxide (ITO) has been investigated for its further use in applications such as sensing biological compounds by the analysis of redox active molecules. ITO films were fabricated by using electron beam evaporation at different substrate temperatures and subsequently annealed for promoting their crystallization. The morphology of the deposited material was monitored by scanning electron microscopy, confirming the deposition of either thin films or nanowires, depending on the substrate temperature. Electrochemical surface characterization revealed a 45 % increase in the electroactive surface area of nanostructured ITO with respect to thin films, one third lower than the geometrical surface area variation determined by atomic force microscopy. ITO surfaces were functionalized with a model organic molecule known as 6-(ferrocenyl)hexanethiol. The chemical attachment was done by means of a glycidoxy compound containing a reactive epoxy group, the so-called 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxy-silane. ITO functionalization was useful for determining the benefits of nanostructuration on the surface coverage of active molecules. Compared to ITO thin films, an increase in the total peak height of 140 % was observed for as-deposited nanostructured electrodes, whereas the same measurement for annealed electrodes resulted in an increase of more than 400 %. These preliminary results demonstrate the ability of nanostructured ITO to increase the surface-to-volume ratio, conductivity and surface area functionalization, features that highly benefit the performance of biosensors.

A top-down approach for fabricating three-dimensional closed hollow nanostructures with permeable thin metal walls

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Angulo Barrios

2017-06-01

Full Text Available We report on a top-down method for the controlled fabrication of three-dimensional (3D, closed, thin-shelled, hollow nanostructures (nanocages on planar supports. The presented approach is based on conventional microelectronic fabrication processes and exploits the permeability of thin metal films to hollow-out polymer-filled metal nanocages through an oxygen-plasma process. The technique is used for fabricating arrays of cylindrical nanocages made of thin Al shells on silicon substrates. This hollow metal configuration features optical resonance as revealed by spectral reflectance measurements and numerical simulations. The fabricated nanocages were demonstrated as a refractometric sensor with a measured bulk sensitivity of 327 nm/refractive index unit (RIU. The pattern design flexibility and controllability offered by top-down nanofabrication techniques opens the door to the possibility of massive integration of these hollow 3D nano-objects on a chip for applications such as nanocontainers, nanoreactors, nanofluidics, nano-biosensors and photonic devices.

A top-down approach for fabricating three-dimensional closed hollow nanostructures with permeable thin metal walls.

Science.gov (United States)

Barrios, Carlos Angulo; Canalejas-Tejero, Víctor

2017-01-01

We report on a top-down method for the controlled fabrication of three-dimensional (3D), closed, thin-shelled, hollow nanostructures (nanocages) on planar supports. The presented approach is based on conventional microelectronic fabrication processes and exploits the permeability of thin metal films to hollow-out polymer-filled metal nanocages through an oxygen-plasma process. The technique is used for fabricating arrays of cylindrical nanocages made of thin Al shells on silicon substrates. This hollow metal configuration features optical resonance as revealed by spectral reflectance measurements and numerical simulations. The fabricated nanocages were demonstrated as a refractometric sensor with a measured bulk sensitivity of 327 nm/refractive index unit (RIU). The pattern design flexibility and controllability offered by top-down nanofabrication techniques opens the door to the possibility of massive integration of these hollow 3D nano-objects on a chip for applications such as nanocontainers, nanoreactors, nanofluidics, nano-biosensors and photonic devices.

Superhydrophobic ceramic coatings enabled by phase-separated nanostructured composite TiO2–Cu2O thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aytug, Tolga; Paranthaman, Parans M; Simpson, John T; Christen, David K; Bogorin, Daniela F; Mathis, John E

2014-01-01

By exploiting phase-separation in oxide materials, we present a simple and potentially low-cost approach to create exceptional superhydrophobicity in thin-film based coatings. By selecting the TiO 2 –Cu 2 O system and depositing through magnetron sputtering onto single crystal and metal templates, we demonstrate growth of nanostructured, chemically phase-segregated composite films. These coatings, after appropriate chemical surface modification, demonstrate a robust, non-wetting Cassie–Baxter state and yield an exceptional superhydrophobic performance, with water droplet contact angles reaching to ∼172° and sliding angles <1°. As an added benefit, despite the photo-active nature of TiO 2 , the chemically coated composite film surfaces display UV stability and retain superhydrophobic attributes even after exposure to UV (275 nm) radiation for an extended period of time. The present approach could benefit a variety of outdoor applications of superhydrophobic coatings, especially for those where exposure to extreme atmospheric conditions is required. (papers)

Synthesis of nanostructured CuInS{sub 2} thin films and their application in dye-sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Yu; Zhuang, Mixue; Liu, Zhen; Wei, Aixiang [Guangdong University of Technology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Soft Condensed Matter, School of Material and Energy, Guangzhou (China); Luo, Fazhi [Guangdong University of Technology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Soft Condensed Matter, School of Material and Energy, Guangzhou (China); The Fifth Electronics Research Institute of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Guangzhou (China); Liu, Jun [Guangdong University of Technology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Soft Condensed Matter, School of Material and Energy, Guangzhou (China); Zhejiang University, State Key Lab of Silicon Materials, Hangzhou (China)

2016-03-15

CuInS{sub 2} (CIS) nanostructure thin films were successfully synthesized on FTO conductive glass substrates by solvothermal method. It is found that the surface morphology and microstructure of CIS thin films can be tailored by simply adjusting the concentration of oxalic acid. CIS nanostructure films with texture of ''nanosheet array'' and ''flower-like microsphere'' were obtained and used as Pt-free counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The nanosheet array CIS was found to have a better electrocatalytic activity than the flower-like microsphere one. DSSCs based on nanosheet array CIS thin film counter electrode show conversion efficiency of 3.33 %, which is comparable to the Pt-catalyzed DSSCs. The easy synthesis, low cost, morphology tunable and excellent electrocatalytic property may make the CuInS{sub 2} nanostructure competitive as counter electrode in DSSCs. (orig.)

Structural and electrical studies on nanostructured InSe thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Darwish, A.A.A., E-mail: aaadarwish@gmail.com [Physics Department, Faculty of Science, University of Tabuk, Tabuk (Saudi Arabia); Physics Department, Faculty of Education at Al-Mahweet, Sana’a University, Al-Mahweet (Yemen); El-Nahass, M.M. [Physics Department, Faculty of Education, Ain Shams University, Rorxy, Cairo 11757 (Egypt); Bahlol, M.H. [Physics Department, Faculty of Education, Science and Arts at Sada’a, Amran University, Sada’a (Yemen)

2013-07-01

InSe powder was found to be polycrystalline with hexagonal system. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy results confirmed that the InSe films have nanostructure nature. The heat treatment enhance the crystallite size. The dark electrical conductivity of InSe films showed that the dominant conduction is through the extended states in the temperature range 293–473 K. Thermoelectric properties show a negative sign exhibiting n-type semiconductig nature of films. Current density–voltage characteristics of InSe films showed Ohmic conduction in the lower voltage range, and space charge limited conductivity (SCLC) in the relatively high-voltage range. The SCLC was controlled by an exponential distribution of traps below the conduction band. The temperature dependence of the current density allowed the calculation of some essential parameters.

Mesoporous silicon oxide films and their uses as templates in obtaining nanostructured conductive polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Salgado, R.; Arteaga, G. C.; Arias, J. M.

2018-04-01

Obtaining conductive polymers (CPs) for the manufacture of OLEDs, solar cells, electrochromic devices, sensors, etc., has been possible through the use of electrochemical techniques that allow obtaining films of controlled thickness with positive results in different applications. Current trends point towards the manufacture of nanomaterials, and therefore it is necessary to develop methods that allow obtaining CPs with nanostructured morphology. This is possible by using a porous template to allow the growth of the polymeric materials. However, prior and subsequent treatments are required to separate the material from the template so that it can be evaluated in the applications mentioned above. This is why mesoporous silicon oxide films (template) are essential for the synthesis of nanostructured polymers since both the template and the polymer are obtained on the electrode surface, and therefore it is not necessary to separate the material from the template. Thus, the material can be evaluated directly in the applications mentioned above. The dimensions of the resulting nanostructures will depend on the power, time and technique used for electropolymerization as well as the monomer and the surfactant of the mesoporous film.

Correlation Spectroscopy of Surfaces, Thin Films, and Nanostructures

CERN Document Server

Berakdar, Jamal

2004-01-01

Here, leading scientists present an overview of the most modern experimental and theoretical methods for studying electronic correlations on surfaces, in thin films and in nanostructures. In particular, they describe in detail coincidence techniques for studying many-particle correlations while. critically examining the informational content of such processes from a theoretical point viewpoint. Furthermore, the book considers the current state of incorporating many-body effects into theoretical approaches. Covered topics:. -Auger-electron photoelectron coincidence experiments and theories. -Co

Selective growth of ZnO thin film nanostructures: Structure, morphology and tunable optical properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krishnakanth, Katturi Naga; Sunandana, C. S. [School of Physics, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad-50046 (India); Rajesh, Desapogu, E-mail: rajesh.esapogu@gmail.com, E-mail: mperd@nus.edu.sg [School of Physics, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad-50046 (India); Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore (Singapore)

2016-05-23

The ZnO nanostructures (spherical, rod shape) have been successfully fabricated via a thermal evaporation followed by dip coating method. The pure, doped ZnO thin films were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and UV-Vis spectroscopy, respectively. A possible growth mechanism of the spherical, rod shape ZnO nanostructures are discussed. XRD patterns revealed that all films consist of pure ZnO phase and were well crystallized with preferential orientation towards (002) direction. Doping by PVA, PVA+Cu has effective role in the enhancement of the crystalline quality and increases in the band gap.

SWAXS investigations on diffuse boundary nanostructures of metallic nanoparticles synthesized by electrical discharges

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, Xiaoai, E-mail: xiaoai.guo@kit.edu; Gutsche, Alexander; Nirschl, Hermann [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Mechanical Process Engineering and Mechanics (Germany)

2013-11-15

Metallic nanoparticles have attracted a particular interest in scientific research and industrial applications due to their unique size-dependent physical and chemical properties. An eco-friendly and cost-effective synthesis method called electrical discharge enables large scale production of metallic nanoparticles. Systematic investigations of such synthesized metallic nanoparticles help to optimize the synthesis process and improve the product quality. In this work, for the first time we have investigated the diffuse interfacial boundary nanostructures of the metallic nanoparticles, which were synthesized under different conditions by electrical glow and arc discharges in the carrier gas, by means of a small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SWAXS) technique using a laboratory X-ray source. Meanwhile, this unique SWAXS technique allows simultaneous study of the primary particle size, morphology, and crystallinity. The metallic nanoparticles (copper and nickel) under investigation cover a size range of 10–80 nm, and the determined thickness of the diffuse boundary nanostructured layer of metallic nanoparticles is in the range of 1–3 nm. The experimental results obtained by SWAXS were compared to the TEM/EDX observation and the XRD reference patterns from RRUFF database, and a good agreement was found. Our SWAXS investigations indicated that the existence of a diffuse nanostructured solid layer on the synthesized metallic nanoparticle surface causes a negative deviation of the scattering intensity (Ι∝q{sup -α}, α>4) from Porod’s law which corresponds to the case of ideal two-phase particle systems with sharp boundaries (Ι∝q{sup -α}, α=4) . This implies that the electron density profile is not sharp but changes gradually between two phases, and hence the exponent α is greater than four. Two electron density profile models, sigmoidal electron-density gradient model and linear electron-density gradient model, have been taken into account in

Non-classical crystallization of thin films and nanostructures in CVD and PVD processes

CERN Document Server

Hwang, Nong Moon

2016-01-01

This book provides a comprehensive introduction to a recently-developed approach to the growth mechanism of thin films and nanostructures via chemical vapour deposition (CVD). Starting from the underlying principles of the low pressure synthesis of diamond films, it is shown that diamond growth occurs not by individual atoms but by charged nanoparticles. This newly-discovered growth mechanism turns out to be general to many CVD and some physical vapor deposition (PVD) processes. This non-classical crystallization is a new paradigm of crystal growth, with active research taking place on growth in solution, especially in biomineralization processes. Established understanding of the growth of thin films and nanostructures is based around processes involving individual atoms or molecules. According to the author’s research over the last two decades, however, the generation of charged gas phase nuclei is shown to be the rule rather than the exception in the CVD process, and charged gas phase nuclei are actively ...

Exploring ultrastability in nanostructured glassy polymer films by fast-scanning calorimetry.

Science.gov (United States)

Chowdhury, Mithun; Wang, Yucheng; Jeong, Hyuncheol; Cangialosi, Daniele; Priestley, Rodney

A decade ago ultra-stable small molecule glass formers were discovered. Since then a significant amount of research has been devoted to traverse down the energy landscape of such glass formers via physical vapor deposition (PVD). Matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) has the known ability to produce vapour deposited nanostructured polymer glass with exceptional kinetic stability. We explored the role of deposition temperature/ growth rate on thermodynamic and kinetic stabilities of poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films, deposited over a fast-scanning calorimetry sensor. We found in general any MAPLE deposited glass is kinetically more stable than bulk polymer and its spin-coated film. Moreover slow growth rate and optimum temperature during MAPLE deposition can additionally lead to thermodynamically stable (low-energy) glass. The role of interfaces formed through dramatic nanostructuring and packing of nanoglobules (removal of void space) may have additional role on such ultrastability. NSF-MRSEC through PCCM (Grant: DMR-1420541).

Optical negative refraction by four-wave mixing in thin metallic nanostructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Palomba, Stefano; Zhang, Shuang; Park, Yongshik; Bartal, Guy; Yin, Xiaobo; Zhang, Xiang

2011-10-30

The law of refraction first derived by Snellius and later introduced as the Huygens-Fermat principle, states that the incidence and refracted angles of a light wave at the interface of two different materials are related to the ratio of the refractive indices in each medium. Whereas all natural materials have a positive refractive index and therefore exhibit refraction in the positive direction, artificially engineered negative index metamaterials have been shown capable of bending light waves negatively. Such a negative refractive index is the key to achieving a perfect lens that is capable of imaging well below the diffraction limit. However, negative index metamaterials are typically lossy, narrow band, and require complicated fabrication processes. Recently, an alternative approach to obtain negative refraction from a very thin nonlinear film has been proposed and experimentally demonstrated in the microwave region. However, such approaches use phase conjugation, which makes optical implementations difficult. Here, we report a simple but different scheme to demonstrate experimentally nonlinear negative refraction at optical frequencies using four-wave mixing in nanostructured metal films. The refractive index can be designed at will by simply tuning the wavelengths of the interacting waves, which could have potential impact on many important applications, such as superlens imaging.

TEM of nanostructured metals and alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karnthaler, H.P.; Waitz, T.; Rentenberger, C.; Mingler, B.

2004-01-01

Nanostructuring has been used to improve the mechanical properties of bulk metals and alloys. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) including atomic resolution is therefore appropriate to study these nanostructures; four examples are given as follows. (1) The early stages of precipitation at RT were investigated in an Al-Mg-Si alloy. By high resolution TEM it is shown that the precipitates lie on (0 0 1) planes having an ordered structure. (2) In Co alloys the fronts of martensitic phase transformations were analysed showing that the transformation strains are very small thus causing no surface relief. (3) Re-ordering and recrystallization were studied by in situ TEM of an Ni 3 Al alloy being nanocrystalline after severe plastic deformation. (4) In NiTi severe plastic deformation is leading to the formation of amorphous shear bands. From the TEM analysis it is concluded that the amorphization is caused by plastic shear instability starting in the shear bands

Reliable fabrication of plasmonic nanostructures without an adhesion layer using dry lift-off

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yiqin; Li, Zhiqin; Xiang, Quan; Wang, Yasi; Zhang, Zhiqiang; Duan, Huigao

2015-10-01

Lift-off is the most commonly used pattern-transfer method to define lithographic plasmonic metal nanostructures. A typical lift-off process is realized by dissolving patterned resists in solutions, which has the limits of low yield when not using adhesion layers and incompatibility with the fabrication of some specific structures and devices. In this work, we report an alternative ‘dry’ lift-off process to obtain metallic nanostructures via mechanical stripping by using the advantage of poor adhesion between resists and noble metal films. We show that this dry stripping lift-off method is effective for both positive- and negative-tone resists to fabricate sparse and densely-packed plasmonic nanostructures, respectively. In particular, this method is achieved without using an adhesion layer, which enables the mitigation of plasmon damping to obtain larger field enhancement. Dark-field scattering, one-photon luminescence and surface-enhanced Raman scattering measurements were performed to demonstrate the improved quality factor of the plasmonic nanostructures fabricated by this dry lift-off process.

Reliable fabrication of plasmonic nanostructures without an adhesion layer using dry lift-off

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Yiqin; Li, Zhiqin; Xiang, Quan; Wang, Yasi; Duan, Huigao; Zhang, Zhiqiang

2015-01-01

Lift-off is the most commonly used pattern-transfer method to define lithographic plasmonic metal nanostructures. A typical lift-off process is realized by dissolving patterned resists in solutions, which has the limits of low yield when not using adhesion layers and incompatibility with the fabrication of some specific structures and devices. In this work, we report an alternative ‘dry’ lift-off process to obtain metallic nanostructures via mechanical stripping by using the advantage of poor adhesion between resists and noble metal films. We show that this dry stripping lift-off method is effective for both positive- and negative-tone resists to fabricate sparse and densely-packed plasmonic nanostructures, respectively. In particular, this method is achieved without using an adhesion layer, which enables the mitigation of plasmon damping to obtain larger field enhancement. Dark-field scattering, one-photon luminescence and surface-enhanced Raman scattering measurements were performed to demonstrate the improved quality factor of the plasmonic nanostructures fabricated by this dry lift-off process. (paper)

Benzyl Alcohol-Mediated Versatile Method to Fabricate Nonstoichiometric Metal Oxide Nanostructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Qamar, Mohammad; Adam, Alaaldin; Azad, Abdul-Majeed; Kim, Yong-Wah

2017-11-22

Nanostructured metal oxides with cationic or anionic deficiency find applications in a wide range of technological areas including the energy sector and environment. However, a facile route to prepare such materials in bulk with acceptable reproducibility is still lacking; many synthesis techniques are still only bench-top and cannot be easily scaled-up. Here, we report that the benzyl alcohol (BA)-mediated method is capable of producing a host of nanostructured metal oxides (MO x , where M = Ti, Zn, Ce, Sn, In, Ga, or Fe) with inherent nonstoichiometry. It employs multifunctional BA as a solvent, a reducing agent, and a structure-directing agent. Depending on the oxidation states of metal, elemental or nonstoichiometric oxide forms are obtained. Augmented photoelectrochemical oxidation of water under visible light by some of these nonstoichiometric oxides highlights the versatility of the BA-mediated synthesis protocol.

Synthesis, structure, and optical properties of manganese phthalocyanine thin films and nanostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lu Meng

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Manganese phthalocyanine (MnPc nanostructures with different morphologies were prepared on porous anodic alumina oxide (AAO at different substrate temperature (Ts=50 ℃, 80 ℃, 120 ℃, 180 ℃, 240 ℃ in an organic molecular beam deposition (OMBD system. The nanostructures morphologies were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM and the results showed that the nanostructures morphologies could be modulated by the control of Ts, as a result, the continuous film was obtained at 50 ℃, whereas the nanorods (NRs, nanoribbons (NBs, nanowires (NWs, nanosheets (NSs and nanoparticles (NPs were facilely generated as Ts increased. At the same time, the density and the uniformity of the nanostructures decreased. The results of X-ray diffraction (XRD indicated that only the β-phase polymorph formed throughout the growth process irrelevant to the Ts. Additionally, the ultraviolet visible (UV–Vis absorption spectra demonstrated that the main absorption bands of MnPc nanostructures showed a remarkable band broadening as the Ts was increased.

GISAXS view of induced morphological changes in nanostructured CeVO [sub] 4 thin films

OpenAIRE

Lučić Lavčević, Magdi; Dubček, Pavo; Bernstorff, Sigrid; Turković, Aleksandra; Orel, Bojan; Crnjak Orel, Zorica

2015-01-01

Nanostructured CeVO4 films, designed for applications in electrochemical cells and electrochromic devices, were obtained on glass substrates by the sol-gel process. An analysis of morphological modifications in these films, induced by ultrasonication, annealing, and introduction of lithium ions, was performed, using the grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering technique (GISAXS). The GISAXS results are discussed and related with complementary examinations of the same films in real space...

Carbon and oxide nanostructures. Synthesis, characterisation and applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yahya, Noorhana [Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Tronoh, Perak (Malaysia). Dept. of Fundamental and Applied Sciences

2010-07-01

This volume covers all aspects of carbon and oxide based nanostructured materials. The topics include synthesis, characterization and application of carbon-based namely carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibres, fullerenes, carbon filled composites etc. In addition, metal oxides namely, ZnO, TiO2, Fe2O3, ferrites, garnets etc., for various applications like sensors, solar cells, transformers, antennas, catalysts, batteries, lubricants, are presented. The book also includes the modeling of oxide and carbon based nanomaterials. The book covers the topics: - Synthesis, characterization and application of carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibres, fullerenes - Synthesis, characterization and application of oxide based nanomaterials. - Nanostructured magnetic and electric materials and their applications. - Nanostructured materials for petro-chemical industry. - Oxide and carbon based thin films for electronics and sustainable energy. - Theory, calculations and modeling of nanostructured materials. (orig.)

Optical transmission theory for metal-insulator-metal periodic nanostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Blanchard-Dionne Andre-Pierre

2016-11-01

Full Text Available A semi-analytical formalism for the optical properties of a metal-insulator-metal periodic nanostructure using coupled-mode theory is presented. This structure consists in a dielectric layer in between two metallic layers with periodic one-dimensional nanoslit corrugation. The model is developed using multiple-scattering formalism, which defines transmission and reflection coefficients for each of the interface as a semi-infinite medium. Total transmission is then calculated using a summation of the multiple paths of light inside the structure. This method allows finding an exact solution for the transmission problem in every dimension regime, as long as a sufficient number of diffraction orders and guided modes are considered for the structure. The resonant modes of the structure are found to be related to the metallic slab only and to a combination of both the metallic slab and dielectric layer. This model also allows describing the resonant behavior of the system in the limit of a small dielectric layer, for which discontinuities in the dispersion curves are found. These discontinuities result from the out-of-phase interference of the different diffraction orders of the system, which account for field interaction for both inner interfaces of the structure.

Microcavity-Free Broadband Light Outcoupling Enhancement in Flexible Organic Light-Emitting Diodes with Nanostructured Transparent Metal-Dielectric Composite Electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Lu-Hai; Ou, Qing-Dong; Li, Yan-Qing; Zhang, Yi-Bo; Zhao, Xin-Dong; Xiang, Heng-Yang; Chen, Jing-De; Zhou, Lei; Lee, Shuit-Tong; Tang, Jian-Xin

2016-01-26

Flexible organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) hold great promise for future bendable display and curved lighting applications. One key challenge of high-performance flexible OLEDs is to develop new flexible transparent conductive electrodes with superior mechanical, electrical, and optical properties. Herein, an effective nanostructured metal/dielectric composite electrode on a plastic substrate is reported by combining a quasi-random outcoupling structure for broadband and angle-independent light outcoupling of white emission with an ultrathin metal alloy film for optimum optical transparency, electrical conduction, and mechanical flexibility. The microcavity effect and surface plasmonic loss can be remarkably reduced in white flexible OLEDs, resulting in a substantial increase in the external quantum efficiency and power efficiency to 47.2% and 112.4 lm W(-1).

Synthesis of MoO 3 and its polyvinyl alcohol nanostructured film

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The solvent casting method is adopted for the synthesis of MoO3 dispersed polyvinyl alcohol nanostructured film (MoO3–PVA). These synthesized MoO3 and their composite samples are characterized for their structure, morphology, bonding and thermal behaviour by XRD, SEM, IR and DSC techniques, respectively.

Characterization of nanostructured photosensitive cadmium sulphide thin films grown by SILAR deposition technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ubale, A.U.; Bargal, A.N.

2010-01-01

This paper reports the preparation of photosensitive nanostructured CdS thin films by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method at room temperature. To obtain good quality CdS thin films, preparative conditions such as concentration of cationic and anionic precursors, adsorption and rinsing time durations etc. are optimized. The structural, optical and electrical characterizations of the as-deposited and annealed CdS thin films were carried out using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, optical absorption and electrical resistivity methods. The photoconductivity studies showed that the annealed films are more than that photosensitive. The TEP measurement shows that deposited films are of n-type. (author)

Nanostructure and bonding of zirconium diboride thin films studied by X-ray spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stewart, David M., E-mail: david.stewart@maine.edu; Meulenberg, Robert W.; Lad, Robert J., E-mail: rjlad@maine.edu

2015-12-01

Zirconium diboride (ZrB{sub 2}) is an important ceramic due to its extremely high melting temperature of 3245 °C and metallic electrical conductivity, properties that make it an ideal candidate thin film electrode material for high temperature electronics. In this report, thin films of varying B:Zr ratio ranging from 3–0.67 have been grown by e-beam evaporation from elemental sources. X-ray absorption spectra at the Zr K-edge were measured before and after annealing in ultra-high vacuum for 9 h at 1000 °C. Films with compositions near ZrB{sub 2} stoichiometry show X-ray absorption fine structure that can be well modeled by crystalline ZrB{sub 2} with a small portion of a coexisting tetragonal zirconia (t-ZrO{sub 2}) phase. Films far from stoichiometry show substantial disorder beyond the nearest-neighbor distances, and after vacuum annealing exhibit high levels of oxidation. Contributions to the X-ray absorption fine structure from a pure Zr phase are very small compared to ZrB{sub 2} and t-ZrO{sub 2} phases. The fact that nearly stoichiometric (3 < B:Zr < 1.6) as-deposited amorphous films form the same crystalline ZrB{sub 2} nanostructure after annealing is particularly encouraging for high temperature thin film electronics applications, because it would allow the production of highly stable electrodes with e-beam evaporation without the need of any high temperature heating during film growth. - Highlights: • Zr–B thin films of different compositions were grown at low substrate temperatures. • EXAFS analysis indicates a ZrB{sub 2} crystal structure after vacuum annealing. • The coexistence of crystalline and amorphous Zr–B phases is also observed. • Films with excess Zr readily form t-ZrO{sub 2} during deposition, which coexists with ZrB{sub 2}. • Low temperature synthesis routes are important for technological applications.

Sub-surface laser nanostructuring in stratified metal/dielectric media: a versatile platform towards flexible, durable and large-scale plasmonic writing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siozios, A; Bellas, D V; Lidorikis, E; Patsalas, P; Kalfagiannis, N; Cranton, W M; Koutsogeorgis, D C; Bazioti, C; Dimitrakopulos, G P; Vourlias, G

2015-01-01

Laser nanostructuring of pure ultrathin metal layers or ceramic/metal composite thin films has emerged as a promising route for the fabrication of plasmonic patterns with applications in information storage, cryptography, and security tagging. However, the environmental sensitivity of pure Ag layers and the complexity of ceramic/metal composite film growth hinder the implementation of this technology to large-scale production, as well as its combination with flexible substrates. In the present work we investigate an alternative pathway, namely, starting from non-plasmonic multilayer metal/dielectric layers, whose growth is compatible with large scale production such as in-line sputtering and roll-to-roll deposition, which are then transformed into plasmonic templates by single-shot UV-laser annealing (LA). This entirely cold, large-scale process leads to a subsurface nanoconstruction involving plasmonic Ag nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in a hard and inert dielectric matrix on top of both rigid and flexible substrates. The subsurface encapsulation of Ag NPs provides durability and long-term stability, while the cold character of LA suits the use of sensitive flexible substrates. The morphology of the final composite film depends primarily on the nanocrystalline character of the dielectric host and its thermal conductivity. We demonstrate the emergence of a localized surface plasmon resonance, and its tunability depending on the applied fluence and environmental pressure. The results are well explained by theoretical photothermal modeling. Overall, our findings qualify the proposed process as an excellent candidate for versatile, large-scale optical encoding applications. (paper)

Optoelectronic and thermoelectric properties in Ga doped {beta}- PbS{sub 2} nanostructured thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Geethu, R.; Jacob, Rajani [Thin Film Research Lab, U.C. College, Aluva, Cochin, Kerala (India); Shripathi, T.; Okram, G.S.; Ganesan, V.; Tripathi, Shilpa; Fatima, Anees [UGC-DAE CSR, Khandwa Road, Indore-452 001, Madhya Pradesh (India); Sreenivasan, P.V. [Department of Chemistry, U.C. College, Aluva, Cochin, Kerala (India); Urmila, K.S.; Pradeep, B. [Solid State Physics Laboratory, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin, Kerala (India); Philip, Rachel Reena, E-mail: reenatara@rediffmail.com [Thin Film Research Lab, U.C. College, Aluva, Cochin, Kerala (India)

2012-06-15

Lead sulphide nanostructured thin films were grown on soda lime glass substrates by chemical bath deposition. The films were then doped with gallium using vacuum evaporation technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) established the structural type of the host films to be tetragonal {beta}-PbS{sub 2} with average grain size of the order of 15 nm. The nanostructure of films was further confirmed from scanning electron and atomic force micrographs. The shift in the binding energies of the 4f and 4d states of lead, 2p state of sulphur and the 2p states of Ga from their elemental binding energy values, determined from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), indicated intact chemical bonding in the compound. Compositional analysis showed about 0.01% doping of Ga into PbS{sub 2}. Low temperature thermopower measurements indicated p-type conductivity for the films with Fermi level positioned at about 0.017 eV above the maxima of valence band. Optical absorption studies in conjunction with photo sensitivity measurements established its pertinence in junction formation in photovoltaic applications due to the blue shift in the band gap to 2.37 eV and the increased photoconductivity of the films.

Metal nanogrids, nanowires, and nanofibers for transparent electrodes

KAUST Repository

Hu, Liangbing; Wu, Hui; Cui, Yi

2011-01-01

Metals possess the highest conductivity among all room-temperature materials; however, ultrathin metal films demonstrate decent optical transparency but poor sheet conductance due to electron scattering from the surface and grain boundaries. This article discusses engineered metal nanostructures in the form of nanogrids, nanowires, or continuous nanofibers as efficient transparent and conductive electrodes. Metal nanogrids are discussed, as they represent an excellent platform for understanding the fundamental science. Progress toward low-cost, nano-ink-based printed silver nanowire electrodes, including silver nanowire synthesis, film fabrication, wire-wire junction resistance, optoelectronic properties, and stability, are also discussed. Another important factor for low-cost application is to use earth-abundant materials. Copper-based nanowires and nanofibers are discussed in this context. Examples of device integrations of these materials are also given. Such metal nanostructure-based transparent electrodes are particularly attractive for solar cell applications. © 2011 Materials Research Society.

Metal nanogrids, nanowires, and nanofibers for transparent electrodes

KAUST Repository

Hu, Liangbing

2011-10-01

Metals possess the highest conductivity among all room-temperature materials; however, ultrathin metal films demonstrate decent optical transparency but poor sheet conductance due to electron scattering from the surface and grain boundaries. This article discusses engineered metal nanostructures in the form of nanogrids, nanowires, or continuous nanofibers as efficient transparent and conductive electrodes. Metal nanogrids are discussed, as they represent an excellent platform for understanding the fundamental science. Progress toward low-cost, nano-ink-based printed silver nanowire electrodes, including silver nanowire synthesis, film fabrication, wire-wire junction resistance, optoelectronic properties, and stability, are also discussed. Another important factor for low-cost application is to use earth-abundant materials. Copper-based nanowires and nanofibers are discussed in this context. Examples of device integrations of these materials are also given. Such metal nanostructure-based transparent electrodes are particularly attractive for solar cell applications. © 2011 Materials Research Society.

Thin films of mixed metal compounds

Science.gov (United States)

Mickelsen, Reid A.; Chen, Wen S.

1985-01-01

A compositionally uniform thin film of a mixed metal compound is formed by simultaneously evaporating a first metal compound and a second metal compound from independent sources. The mean free path between the vapor particles is reduced by a gas and the mixed vapors are deposited uniformly. The invention finds particular utility in forming thin film heterojunction solar cells.

Nanostructuring on zinc phthalocyanine thin films for single-junction organic solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chaudhary, Dhirendra K.; Kumar, Lokendra, E-mail: lokendrakr@allduniv.ac.in [Department of Physics, University of Allahabad, Allahabad-211 002 (India)

2016-05-23

Vertically aligned and random oriented crystalline molecular nanorods of organic semiconducting Zinc Phthalocyanine (ZnPc) have been grown on ITO coated glass substrate using solvent volatilization method. Interesting changes in surface morphology were observed under different solvent treatment. Vertically aligned nanorods of ZnPc thin film were observed in the films treated with acetone, where as the random oriented nanorods were observed in the films treated with chloroform. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) have been used for characterization of nanostructures. The optical properties of the nanorods have been investigated by UV-Vis. absorption spectroscopy.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2013-08-14

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

GISAXS View of Induced Morphological Changes in Nanostructured CeVO4 Thin Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magdy Lučić Lavčević

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Nanostructured CeVO4 films, designed for applications in electrochemical cells and electrochromic devices, were obtained on glass substrates by the sol-gel process. An analysis of morphological modifications in these films, induced by ultrasonication, annealing, and introduction of lithium ions, was performed, using the grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering technique (GISAXS. The GISAXS results are discussed and related with complementary examinations of the same films in real space, performed by scanning electron microscopy on a different length scale.

Preface to the Viewpoint Set: Nanostructured metals - Advances in processing, characterization and application

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Huang, Xiaoxu

2009-01-01

with increasingly finer structures in order to improve properties and sustainability. The structural scale of interest in such materials is therefore reduced to the nanometer range, which means that characterization and modeling of nanostructured metals now address an audience including not only physicists...... and materials scientists but also technologists and engineers. The present Viewpoint Set therefore covers metallic materials with a structural scale ranging from micrometer to nanometer in dimensions and focuses on processing techniques such as plastic deformation and phase transformations. As a result......The theme of two viewpoint sets has been nanostructured metals: one in 2003 on “Mechanical properties of fully dense nanocrystalline metals” (Scripta Materialia 2003;49:625–680) and one in 2004 on “Metals and alloys with a structural scale from the micrometer to the atomic dimensions” (Scripta...

Voltage Controlled Hot Carrier Injection Enables Ohmic Contacts Using Au Island Metal Films on Ge.

Science.gov (United States)

Ganti, Srinivas; King, Peter J; Arac, Erhan; Dawson, Karl; Heikkilä, Mikko J; Quilter, John H; Murdoch, Billy; Cumpson, Peter; O'Neill, Anthony

2017-08-23

We introduce a new approach to creating low-resistance metal-semiconductor ohmic contacts, illustrated using high conductivity Au island metal films (IMFs) on Ge, with hot carrier injection initiated at low applied voltage. The same metallization process simultaneously allows ohmic contact to n-Ge and p-Ge, because hot carriers circumvent the Schottky barrier formed at metal/n-Ge interfaces. A 2.5× improvement in contact resistivity is reported over previous techniques to achieve ohmic contact to both n- and p- semiconductor. Ohmic contacts at 4.2 K confirm nonequilibrium current transport. Self-assembled Au IMFs are strongly orientated to Ge by annealing near the Au/Ge eutectic temperature. Au IMF nanostructures form, provided the Au layer is below a critical thickness. We anticipate that optimized IMF contacts may have applicability to many material systems. Optimizing this new paradigm for metal-semiconductor contacts offers the prospect of improved nanoelectronic systems and the study of voltage controlled hot holes and electrons.

The preparation and mechanical properties of Al-containing a-C : H thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Guangan; Yan Pengxun; Wang Peng; Chen Youming; Zhang Junyan

2007-01-01

Al-containing hydrogenated amorphous carbon (Al-C : H) films were deposited on silicon substrates using a mid frequency magnetron sputtering Al target in an argon and methane gas mixture. The composition, surface morphology, hardness and friction coefficient of the films were characterized using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, nanoindentation and tribological tester. The Al-C : H films deposited at low CH 4 content show high surface roughness, low hardness and high friction coefficient, similar to metallic Al films; in contrast, the Al-C : H films prepared under high CH 4 content indicate low surface roughness, high hardness and low friction coefficient, close to that of hard a-C : H films as wear-resistance films

A general soft-enveloping strategy in the templating synthesis of mesoporous metal nanostructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Jixiang; Zhang, Lingling; Li, Jiang; Lu, Lu; Ma, Chuansheng; Cheng, Shaodong; Li, Zhiyuan; Xiong, Qihua; You, Hongjun

2018-02-06

Metal species have a relatively high mobility inside mesoporous silica; thus, it is difficult to introduce the metal precursors into silica mesopores and suppress the migration of metal species during a reduction process. Therefore, until now, the controlled growth of metal nanocrystals in a confined space, i.e., mesoporous channels, has been very challenging. Here, by using a soft-enveloping reaction at the interfaces of the solid, liquid, and solution phases, we successfully control the growth of metallic nanocrystals inside a mesoporous silica template. Diverse monodispersed nanostructures with well-defined sizes and shapes, including Ag nanowires, 3D mesoporous Au, AuAg alloys, Pt networks, and Au nanoparticle superlattices are successfully obtained. The 3D mesoporous AuAg networks exhibit enhanced catalytic activities in an electrochemical methanol oxidation reaction. The current soft-enveloping synthetic strategy offers a robust approach to synthesize diverse mesoporous metal nanostructures that can be utilized in catalysis, optics, and biomedicine applications.

ZnO thin films and nanostructures for emerging optoelectronic applications

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, D. J.; Teherani, F. H.; Sandana, V. E.; Razeghi, M.

2010-02-01

ZnO-based thin films and nanostructures grown by PLD for various emerging optoelectronic applications. AZO thin films are currently displacing ITO for many TCO applications due to recent improvements in attainable AZO conductivity combined with processing, cost and toxicity advantages. Advances in the channel mobilities and Id on/off ratios in ZnO-based TTFTs have opened up the potential for use as a replacement for a-Si in AM-OLED and AM-LCD screens. Angular-dependent specular reflection measurements of self-forming, moth-eye-like, nanostructure arrays grown by PLD were seen to have green gap in InGaN-based LEDs was combated by substituting low Ts PLD n-ZnO for MOCVD n-GaN in inverted hybrid heterojunctions. This approach maintained the integrity of the InGaN MQWs and gave LEDs with green emission at just over 510 nm. Hybrid n-ZnO/p-GaN heterojunctions were also seen to have the potential for UV (375 nm) EL, characteristic of ZnO NBE emission. This suggests that there was significant hole injection into the ZnO and that such LEDs could profit from the relatively high exciton binding energy of ZnO.

Polyelectrolyte-assisted preparation and characterization of nanostructured ZnO thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jia, Shijun

2005-05-15

The present work focuses on the synthesis and characterization of nanostructured ZnO thin films onto silicon wafers modified by self-assembled-monolayers via chemical bath deposition. Two precursor solutions were designed and used for the film deposition, in which two different polymers were introduced respectively to control the growth of the ZnO colloidal particles in solution. ZnO films were deposited from an aqueous solution containing zinc salt and hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) in the presence of a graft-copolymer (P (MAA{sub 0.50}-co(MAA-EO{sub 20}){sub 0.50}){sub 70}). A film-formation-diagram was established based on the results obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), which describes the influence of the concentration of HMTA and copolymer on the ZnO film formation. According to the film morphology, film formation can be classified into three categories: (a) island-like films, (b) uniform films and (c) canyon-like films. The ZnO films annealed at temperatures of 450 C, 500 C, 600 C and 700 C were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). After annealing, the films are polycrystalline ZnO with wurtzite structure. XRD measurements indicate that with increasing annealing temperature, the average grain size increases accordingly and the crystallinity of the films is improved. Upon heating to 600 C, the ZnO films exhibit preferred orientation with c-axis normal to substrate, whereas the films annealed at 700 C even show a more explicit texture. By annealing at temperatures above 600 C the ZnO film reacts with the substrate to form an interfacial layer of Zn{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}, which grows thicker at elevated annealing temperatures. The ZnO films annealed at 600 C and 700 C show strong UV emission. Another non-aqueous solution system for ZnO thin film deposition was established, in which 2- propanol was used as a solvent and Zn(CH3COO){sub 2}.2H{sub 2}O as well as NaOH as reactants

Synthesis of metal-organic framework films by pore diffusion method

Science.gov (United States)

Murayama, Naohiro; Nishimura, Yuki; Kajiro, Hiroshi; Kishida, Satoru; Kinoshita, Kentaro; Tottori Univ Team; Nippon Steel; Sumitomo Metal Co. Collaboration; Tottori Integrated Frontier Resaerch Center (Tifrec) Collaboration; Tottori University Electronic Display Resaerch Center (Tedrec) Collaboration

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) presents high controllability in designing the nano-scale pore, and this enable molecular storages, catalysts, gas sensors, gas separation membranes, and electronic devices for next-generation. Therefore, a simple method for film synthesis of MOFs compared with conventional methods [1] is strongly required. In this paper, we provide pore diffusion method, in which a substrate containing constituent metals of MOF is inserted in solution that includes only linker molecules of MOF. As a result, 2D growth of MOF was effectively enhanced, and the formation of flat and dense MOF films was attained. The growth time, t, dependence of film thickness, d, can be expressed by the relation of d = Aln(t + 1) + B, where A and B are constants. It means that ionized coppers diffuse through the pores of MOFs and the synthesis reaction proceeds at the MOF/solvent interface. We demonstrated the fabrication of a HKUST-1/Cu-TPA hetero structure by synthesizing a Cu-TPA film continuously after the growth of a HKUST-1 film on the CuOx substrate.

Directed self-assembly of nanoporous metallic- and bimetallic nanoparticle thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pietsch, Torsten [Fachbereich Physik, Universitaet Konstanz (Germany); Gindy, Nabil; Fahmi, Amir [Department of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Nottingham (United Kingdom)

2010-07-01

Nanoporous thin films attracted considerable interest due to potential applications in optical coatings, catalysis, sensors as well as electronic devices. Recently, such films were prepared by post deposition treatments. The present study is focused on the fabrication of nanoporous thin films via directed self-assembly of hybrid materials. Due to the nature of this process no additional treatments are necessary to develop the pores. Hierarchical nanoporous structures are fabricated directly via deposition of polymer templated Au-nanoparticles onto hydrophilic substrates. These films exhibit two different pore diameters and a total pore density of more than 10{sup 10} holes per cm{sup 2}. Control over the pore size is achieved by changing the molecular weight of the PS-b-P4VP diblock copolymer. Moreover, the porous morphology is used as a template to fabricate bimetallic nanostructured thin films. Such well-defined nanostructures, not only exhibit unique physical properties but also provide control over the hydrophobicity of the coated surfaces.

Directed Self-Assembly of Diblock Copolymer Thin Films on Prepatterned Metal Nanoarrays.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Tongxin; Huang, Haiying; He, Tianbai

2016-01-01

The sequential layer by layer self-assembly of block copolymer (BCP) nanopatterns is an effective approach to construct 3D nanostructures. Here large-scale highly ordered metal nano-arrays prepared from solvent annealed thin films of polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) diblock copolymer are used to direct the assembly of the same BCP. The influence of initial loading concentration of metal precursor, the type of metal nanoparticle (gold, platinum, and silver), and the nanoparticle-substrate interaction on the directed assembly behavior of the upper BCP layer have been focused. It is found that the upper BCP film can be completely directed by the gold nanoarray with P2VP domain exclusively located between two adjacent gold nanowires or nanodots, which behaves the same way as on the platinum nanoarray. While the silver nanoarray can be destroyed during the upper BCP self-assembly with the silver nanoparticles assembled into the P2VP domain. Based on the discussions of the surface energy of nanoparticles and the interplay between nanoparticle-substrate interaction and nanoparticle-polymer interaction, it is concluded that the effect of immobilization of nanoparticles on the substrate, together with entropy effect to minimize the energetically unfavorable chain stretching contributes to the most effective alignment between each layer. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Mechanical properties of vapor-deposited thin metallic films: a status report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adler, P.H.

1982-01-01

The mechanical properties of vapor-deposited thin metallic films are being studied in conjunction with the target fabrication group associated with the laser-fusion energy program. The purpose of the work is to gain an understanding as to which metals are structurally best suited to contain a glass microsphere filled with deuterium-tritium (D-T) gas at large internal pressures

Nanostructured carbon films with oriented graphitic planes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teo, E. H. T.; Kalish, R.; Kulik, J.; Kauffmann, Y.; Lifshitz, Y.

2011-01-01

Nanostructured carbon films with oriented graphitic planes can be deposited by applying energetic carbon bombardment. The present work shows the possibility of structuring graphitic planes perpendicular to the substrate in following two distinct ways: (i) applying sufficiently large carbon energies for deposition at room temperature (E>10 keV), (ii) utilizing much lower energies for deposition at elevated substrate temperatures (T>200 deg. C). High resolution transmission electron microscopy is used to probe the graphitic planes. The alignment achieved at elevated temperatures does not depend on the deposition angle. The data provides insight into the mechanisms leading to the growth of oriented graphitic planes under different conditions.

Plasmonic Nanostructures for Biosensor Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Gadde, Akshitha

Improving the sensitivity of existing biosensors is an active research topic that cuts across several disciplines, including engineering and biology. Optical biosensors are the one of the most diverse class of biosensors which can be broadly categorized into two types based on the detection scheme: label-based and label-free detection. In label-based detection, the target bio-molecules are labeled with dyes or tags that fluoresce upon excitation, indicating the presence of target molecules. Label-based detection is highly-sensitive, capable of single molecule detection depending on the detector type used. One method of improving the sensitivity of label-based fluorescence detection is by enhancement of the emission of the labels by coupling them with metal nanostructures. This approach is referred as plasmon-enhanced fluorescence (PEF). PEF is achieved by increasing the electric field around the nano metal structures through plasmonics. This increased electric field improves the enhancement from the fluorophores which in turn improves the photon emission from the fluorophores which, in turn, improves the limit of detection. Biosensors taking advantage of the plasmonic properties of metal films and nanostructures have emerged an alternative, low-cost, high sensitivity method for detecting labeled DNA. Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensors employing noble metal nanostructures have recently attracted considerable attention as a new class of plasmonic nanosensors. In this work, the design, fabrication and characterization of plasmonic nanostructures is carried out. Finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations were performed using software from Lumerical Inc. to design a novel LSPR structure that exhibit resonance overlapping with the absorption and emission wavelengths of quantum dots (QD). Simulations of a composite Au/SiO2 nanopillars on silicon substrate were performed using FDTD software to show peak plasmonic enhancement at QD emission wavelength

Studies on the adsorption of RuN{sub 3} dye on sheet-like nanostructured porous ZnO films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Rong; Pan, Jie; Briggs, Evan P.; Thrash, Marvin; Kerr, Lei L. [Department of Paper and Chemical Engineering, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056 (United States)

2008-04-15

The interface between the ZnO and dye directly impacts the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) performance. Nanostructured porous ZnO film was developed by a simple chemical solution process. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images demonstrated the uniform ZnO films with sheet-like nanostructure. Adsorption studies indicated that the maximum adsorption capacity of RuN{sub 3} dye on the surface of ZnO films was approximately 0.016 mmol RuN{sub 3}/g ZnO films. Adsorption studies were conducted at 25 and 40 C. The results showed that the dye adsorption was significantly influenced by temperatures. Moreover, the problem of the dye aggregation on the ZnO surface was reduced at higher adsorption temperatures. The adsorption chemistry was studied with Raman spectroscopy. (author)

Novel nanostructured materials to develop oxygen-sensitive films for optical sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandez-Sanchez, Jorge F.; Cannas, Rita; Spichiger, Stefan; Steiger, Rolf; Spichiger-Keller, Ursula E.

2006-01-01

Novel nanostructured materials, such as aluminum oxide (AlOOH), silicon oxide (SiO 2 ) or zirconium oxide (ZrO 2 ) embedded into PVA, were investigated as potential matrices to incorporate organometallic compounds (OMCs) for the development of optical oxygen-sensitive sensors which make use of the principle of luminescence quenching. In order to assess the benefits and drawbacks of the nanoporous material, the luminescence quantum yield and the Stern-Volmer constants were investigated and compared with the values shown for the same OMCs solubilized in polymer films (polystyrene). Referred to polymer films, the incorporation of the dyes into nanoporous membranes increased the Stern-Volmer constant by more than a factor of 100. Their response time was less than 1 s and the optode membranes were stable at room temperature for at least 9 months. Sterilization by autoclavation and gamma irradiation resulted in a marginal loss in activity. The photostability and sterilizability of the oxygen-sensitive membranes and the performance of the optodes with respect to of different types of metal oxides are discussed in the paper, as well as the influence of the total pore volume (TPV), the pore diameter (PD), the transparency of the film and the geometry of the pores. The OMCs used in this work were: ETH T -3003 (tris(4,7-bis(4-octylphenyl)-1,10-phenanthroline) ruthenium(II)), N-926 (bis(2-phenylpyridinyl)-N 4 ,N 4 ,N 4 ',N 4 '-tetramethyl-(4,4'-diamine-2,2'-bipyridine) iridium(III) chlorate), N-833 (tetrabutylammonium bis(isothiocyanate) bis(2-phenylpyridinyl)-iridium(III)) and N-837 (tetrabutylammonium bis(cyanate) bis(2-phenylpyridinyl)-iridium(III))

Design of hybrid two-dimensional and three-dimensional nanostructured arrays for electronic and sensing applications

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Hyunhyub

This dissertation presents the design of organic/inorganic hybrid 2D and 3D nanostructured arrays via controlled assembly of nanoscale building blocks. Two representative nanoscale building blocks such as carbon nanotubes (one-dimension) and metal nanoparticles (zero-dimension) are the core materials for the study of solution-based assembly of nanostructured arrays. The electrical, mechanical, and optical properties of the assembled nanostructure arrays have been investigated for future device applications. We successfully demonstrated the prospective use of assembled nanostructure arrays for electronic and sensing applications by designing flexible carbon nanotube nanomembranes as mechanical sensors, highly-oriented carbon nanotubes arrays for thin-film transistors, and gold nanoparticle arrays for SERS chemical sensors. In first section, we fabricated highly ordered carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays by tilted drop-casting or dip-coating of CNT solution on silicon substrates functionalized with micropatterned self-assembled monolayers. We further exploited the electronic performance of thin-film transistors based on highly-oriented, densely packed CNT micropatterns and showed that the carrier mobility is largely improved compared to randomly oriented CNTs. The prospective use of Raman-active CNTs for potential mechanical sensors has been investigated by studying the mechano-optical properties of flexible carbon nanotube nanomembranes, which contain freely-suspended carbon nanotube array encapsulated into ultrathin (optical waveguide properties of nano-canals. We demonstrated the ability of this SERS substrate for trace level sensing of nitroaromatic explosives by detecting down to 100 zeptogram (˜330 molecules) of DNT.

Nanostructure Engineered Chemical Sensors for Hazardous Gas and Vapor Detection

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jing; Lu, Yijiang

2005-01-01

A nanosensor technology has been developed using nanostructures, such as single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and metal oxides nanowires or nanobelts, on a pair of interdigitated electrodes (IDE) processed with a silicon based microfabrication and micromachining technique. The IDE fingers were fabricated using thin film metallization techniques. Both in-situ growth of nanostructure materials and casting of the nanostructure dispersions were used to make chemical sensing devices. These sensors have been exposed to hazardous gases and vapors, such as acetone, benzene, chlorine, and ammonia in the concentration range of ppm to ppb at room temperature. The electronic molecular sensing in our sensor platform can be understood by electron modulation between the nanostructure engineered device and gas molecules. As a result of the electron modulation, the conductance of nanodevice will change. Due to the large surface area, low surface energy barrier and high thermal and mechanical stability, nanostructured chemical sensors potentially can offer higher sensitivity, lower power consumption and better robustness than the state-of-the-art systems, which make them more attractive for defense and space applications. Combined with MEMS technology, light weight and compact size sensors can be made in wafer scale with low cost.

Nonlinear microscopy of localized field enhancements in fractal shaped periodic metal nanostructures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Beermann, I.; Evlyukhin, A.; Boltasseva, Alexandra

2008-01-01

Fractal shaped periodic nanostructures formed with a 100 nm period square lattice of gold nanoparticles placed on a gold film are characterized using far-field nonlinear scanning optical microscopy, in which two-photon photoluminescence (TPL) excited with a strongly focused femtosecond laser beam...

Preparation of nanostructured PbS thin films as sensing element for NO{sub 2} gas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaci, S., E-mail: k_samira05@yahoo.fr [Centre de Recherche en Technologie des Semi-conducteurs pour l’Energétique (CRTSE) Division Couches Minces et Interfaces, 02 Bd Frantz Fanon, B.P. 140, 7 Merveilles, 16038 Algiers (Algeria); Keffous, A.; Hakoum, S. [Centre de Recherche en Technologie des Semi-conducteurs pour l’Energétique (CRTSE) Division Couches Minces et Interfaces, 02 Bd Frantz Fanon, B.P. 140, 7 Merveilles, 16038 Algiers (Algeria); Trari, M. [Université des Sciences et Technologies Houari Boumediene (USTHB), Laboratoire de Stockage et de Valorisation des Eneriges Renouvelables, Faculté de Chimie, BP 32, EL Alia, 16111 Bab Ezzouar, Algiers (Algeria); Mansri, O.; Menari, H. [Centre de Recherche en Technologie des Semi-conducteurs pour l’Energétique (CRTSE) Division Couches Minces et Interfaces, 02 Bd Frantz Fanon, B.P. 140, 7 Merveilles, 16038 Algiers (Algeria)

2014-06-01

In this work, we demonstrate that semiconducting films of A{sub IV}B{sub VI} compounds, in particular, of nanostructured lead sulfide (PbS) which prepared by chemical bath deposition (CBD), can be used as a sensing element for nitrogen dioxide (NO{sub 2}) gas. The CBD method is versatile, simple in implementation and gives homogeneous semiconductor structures. We have prepared PbS nanocrystalline thin film at different reaction baths and temperatures. In the course of deposition, variable amounts of additives, such as organic substances among them, were introduced into the baths. The energy dispersive analysis (EDX) confirms the chemical composition of PbS films. A current–voltage (I–V) characterization of Pd/nc-PbS/a-SiC:H pSi(100)/Al Schottky diode structures were studied in the presence of NO{sub 2} gas. The gas sensing behavior showed that the synthesized PbS nanocrystalline thin films were influenced by NO{sub 2} gas at room temperature. The results can be used for developing an experimental sensing element based on chemically deposited nanostructured PbS films which can be applicable in gas sensors.

When lithography meets self-assembly: a review of recent advances in the directed assembly of complex metal nanostructures on planar and textured surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Robert A.; Menumerov, Eredzhep; Neretina, Svetlana

2017-07-01

One of the foremost challenges in nanofabrication is the establishment of a processing science that integrates wafer-based materials, techniques, and devices with the extraordinary physicochemical properties accessible when materials are reduced to nanoscale dimensions. Such a merger would allow for exacting controls on nanostructure positioning, promote cooperative phenomenon between adjacent nanostructures and/or substrate materials, and allow for electrical contact to individual or groups of nanostructures. With neither self-assembly nor top-down lithographic processes being able to adequately meet this challenge, advancements have often relied on a hybrid strategy that utilizes lithographically-defined features to direct the assembly of nanostructures into organized patterns. While these so-called directed assembly techniques have proven viable, much of this effort has focused on the assembly of periodic arrays of spherical or near-spherical nanostructures comprised of a single element. Work directed toward the fabrication of more complex nanostructures, while still at a nascent stage, has nevertheless demonstrated the possibility of forming arrays of nanocubes, nanorods, nanoprisms, nanoshells, nanocages, nanoframes, core-shell structures, Janus structures, and various alloys on the substrate surface. In this topical review, we describe the progress made in the directed assembly of periodic arrays of these complex metal nanostructures on planar and textured substrates. The review is divided into three broad strategies reliant on: (i) the deterministic positioning of colloidal structures, (ii) the reorganization of deposited metal films at elevated temperatures, and (iii) liquid-phase chemistry practiced directly on the substrate surface. These strategies collectively utilize a broad range of techniques including capillary assembly, microcontact printing, chemical surface modulation, templated dewetting, nanoimprint lithography, and dip-pen nanolithography and

Periodic nanostructures imprinted on high-temperature stable sol–gel films by ultraviolet-based nanoimprint lithography for photovoltaic and photonic applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Back, Franziska [Schott AG, Research and Technology Development, Hattenbergstraße 10, 55122 Mainz (Germany); Fraunhofer-Institut für Silicatforschung ISC, Neunerplatz 2, 97082 Würzburg (Germany); Bockmeyer, Matthias; Rudigier-Voigt, Eveline [Schott AG, Research and Technology Development, Hattenbergstraße 10, 55122 Mainz (Germany); Löbmann, Peer [Fraunhofer-Institut für Silicatforschung ISC, Neunerplatz 2, 97082 Würzburg (Germany)

2014-07-01

Nanostructured sol–gel films with high-temperature stability are used in the area of electronics, photonics or biomimetic materials as light-trapping architectures in solar cells, displays, waveguides or as superhydrophobic surfaces with a lotus effect. In this work, high-temperature stable 2-μm nanostructured surfaces were prepared by ultraviolet-based nanoimprint lithography using an alkoxysilane binder incorporating modified silica nanoparticles. Material densification during thermal curing and microstructural evolution which are destined for a high structural fidelity of nanostructured films were investigated in relation to precursor chemistry, particle morphology and particle content of the imprint resist. The mechanism for densification and shrinkage of the films was clarified and correlated with the structural fidelity to explain the influence of the geometrical design on the optical properties. A high internal coherence of the microstructure of the nanostructured films results in a critical film thickness of > 5 μm. The structured glassy layers with high inorganic content show thermal stability up to 800 °C and have a high structural fidelity > 90% with an axial shrinkage of 16% and a horizontal shrinkage of 1%. This material allows the realization of highly effective light-trapping architectures for polycrystalline silicon thin-film solar cells on glass but also for the preparation of 2D photonic crystals for telecommunication wavelengths. - Highlights: • Fundamental research • Hybrid sol–gel material with high-temperature stability and contour accuracy • Ensuring of cost-efficient and industrially feasible processing • Application in photonic and photovoltaic.

Morphology and thermodynamic characteristics of selenium-containing nanostructures based on polymethacrylic acid

Science.gov (United States)

Valueva, S. V.; Borovikova, L. N.; Vylegzhanina, M. E.; Sukhanova, T. E.

2010-09-01

The morphology and thermodynamic characteristics of nanostructures formed as a result of the reduction of the selenium ion in a selenite-ascorbate redox system in water solutions of polymethacrylic acid were studied by molecular optics and atomic-force microscopy. The dependence of the morphology of the selenium-containing nanostructures on the mass selenium-to-polymer ratio (ν) in solution was determined. It was established that a large number of macromolecules (up to 4300) is adsorbed on the selenium nanoparticles, leading to the formation of nanostructures with super-high molecular mass and an almost spherical form. It was shown that the density of the nanostructures, as calculated on the basis of the experimental data on the size and molecular mass of the nanocomposite, depends substantially on the selenium concentrations in the solution. The thermodynamic state of the solutions of nanostructures is described.

Do dielectric nanostructures turn metallic in high-electric dc fields?

Science.gov (United States)

Silaeva, E P; Arnoldi, L; Karahka, M L; Deconihout, B; Menand, A; Kreuzer, H J; Vella, A

2014-11-12

Three-dimensional dielectric nanostructures have been analyzed using field ion microscopy (FIM) to study the electric dc field penetration inside these structures. The field is proved to be screened within a few nanometers as theoretically calculated taking into account the high-field impact ionization process. Moreover, the strong dc field of the order of 0.1 V/Å at the surface inside a dielectric nanostructure modifies its band structure leading to a strong band gap shrinkage and thus to a strong metal-like optical absorption near the surface. This metal-like behavior was theoretically predicted using first-principle calculations and experimentally proved using laser-assisted atom probe tomography (APT). This work opens up interesting perspectives for the study of the performance of all field-effect nanodevices, such as nanotransistor or super capacitor, and for the understanding of the physical mechanisms of field evaporation of dielectric nanotips in APT.

Synthesis of nanostructured multiphase Ti(C,N)/a-C films by a plasma focus device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghareshabani, E.; Rawat, R.S.; Sobhanian, S.; Verma, R.; Karamat, S.; Pan, Z.Y.

2010-01-01

Nanostructured multiphase Ti(C,N)/a-C films were deposited using a 3.3 kJ pulsed plasma focus device onto silicon (1 0 0) substrates at room temperature. The plasma focus device, fitted with solid titanium anode instead of usual hollow copper anode, was operated with nitrogen and Ar/CH 4 as the filling gas. Films were deposited with different number of shots, at 80 mm from top of the anode and at zero angular position with respect to anode axis. X-ray diffraction results show the diffraction peaks related to different compounds such as TiC 2 , TiN, Ti 2 CN, Ti and TiC 0.62 confirming the deposition of multiphase titanium carbo-nitride composite films on silicon. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirms the formation of Ti-C, C-N, Ti-N, Ti-O and C-C bonds in the films. Scanning electron microscopy reveals that the nanostructure grains are agglomerates of smaller nanoparticles about 10-20 nm in size. Raman studies verify the formation of multiphase Ti(C,N) and also of amorphous graphite in the films. The maximum microhardness value of the composite film is 14.8 ± 1.3 GPa for 30 shots.

Ordered Nanomaterials Thin Films via Supported Anodized Alumina Templates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammed eES-SOUNI

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Supported anodized alumina template films with highly ordered porosity are best suited for fabricating large area ordered nanostructures with tunable dimensions and aspect ratios. In this paper we first discuss important issues for the generation of such templates, including required properties of the Al/Ti/Au/Ti thin film heterostructure on a substrate for high quality templates. We then show examples of anisotropic nanostructure films consisting of noble metals using these templates, discuss briefly their optical properties and their applications to molecular detection using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Finally we briefly address the possibility to make nanocomposite films, exemplary shown on a plasmonic-thermochromic nanocomposite of VO2-capped Au-nanorods.

Study of thin metal films and oxide materials for nanoelectronics applications

OpenAIRE

De Los Santos Valladares, Luis

2012-01-01

Appendix A Pages 132-134 have been removed from this online version of the thesis for publisher copyright reasons. These had contained page images from the cover of Nanotechnology, Vol. 21, Nov 2010 and its corresponding web alert Different types of thin metal films and oxide materials are studied for their potential application in nanoelectronics: gold and copper films, nickel nanoelectrodes, oxide nanograin superconductors, carboxyl ferromagnetic microspheres and graphene oxide...

Thin nanostructured crystalline TiO{sub 2} films and their applications in solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng Yajun

2007-06-15

Research on thin nanostructured crystalline TiO{sub 2} films has attracted considerable interests because of their intriguing physical properties and potential applications in photovoltaics. Nanostructured TiO{sub 2} film plays an important role in the TiO{sub 2} based dye-sensitized solar cells because they act as a substrate for the adsorption of dye molecules and a matrix for the transportation of electrons as well. Thus they can influence the solar cell performance significantly. Consequently, the control of the morphology including the shape, size and size distribution of the TiO{sub 2} nanostructures is critical to tune and optimize the performance of the solar cells. To control the TiO{sub 2} morphology, a strategy using amphiphilic block copolymer as templating agent coupled with sol-gel chemistry has been applied. Especially, a good-poor solvent pair induced phase separation process has been developed to guide the microphase separation behavior of the block copolymers. The amphiphilic block copolymers used include polystyrene-block-poly (ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO), poly (methyl methacrylate)-block-poly (ethylene oxide) (PMMA-b-PEO), and poly (ethylene oxide)-block-polystyrene-block-poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO-b-PS-b-PEO). The block copolymer undergoes a good-poor-solvent pair induced phase separation in a mixed solution of 1, 4-dioxane or N, N-dimethyl formamide (DMF), concentrated hydrochloric acid (HCl) and Titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP). Specifically, in the system of PS-b-PEO, a morphology phase diagram of the inorganic-copolymer composite films was mapped by adjusting the weight fractions among 1, 4-dioxane, HCl, and TTIP in solution. The amorphous TiO{sub 2} within the titania-block copolymer composite films was crystallized by calcination at temperatures above 400 C, where the organic block copolymer was simultaneously burned away. This strategy is further extended to other amphiphilic block copolymers of PMMA-b-PEO and PEO-b-PS-b-PEO, where the

CORROSION ANALYSIS OF METALLIZED FILMS AFTER PRINTING

OpenAIRE

Mr. Dhirender*1, Mr. Rajeev2 & Mr.Manoj3

2017-01-01

Print quality has always been a point of strong concern among printers and consumers. Metalized films have gain a wide spread popularity among printers because of its low cost and high usages in food packaging applications. But sometimes corrosion spoils the printed products causing huge financial loss to the printers or customers.This paper throws light on major causes of corrosion on metallized films and possible remedies for the same. The metallized films with polyester base were base coat...

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

Science.gov (United States)

Sarkar, Suman; Kundu, Sarathi

2018-04-01

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

Vicinal surfaces for functional nanostructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Tegenkamp, Christoph

2009-01-07

Vicinal surfaces are currently the focus of research. The regular arrangements of atomic steps on a mesoscopic scale reveal the possibility to functionalize these surfaces for technical applications, e.g. nanowires, catalysts, etc. The steps of the vicinal surface are well-defined defect structures of atomic size for nucleation of low-dimensional nanostructures. The concentration and therefore the coupling between the nanostructures can be tuned over a wide range by simply changing the inclination angle of the substrate. However, the coupling of these nano-objects to the substrate is just as important in controlling their electronic or chemical properties and making a functionality useable. On the basis of stepped insulating films, these aspects are fulfilled and will be considered in the first part of this review. Recent results for the epitaxial growth of wide bandgap insulating films (CaF(2), MgO, NaCl, BaSrO) on metallic and semiconducting vicinal substrates (Si(100), Ge(100), Ag(100)) will be presented. The change of the electronic structure, the adsorption behavior as well as the kinetics and energetics of color centers in the presence of steps is discussed. The successful bridging of the gap between the atomic and mesoscopic world, i.e. the functionalization of vicinal surfaces by nanostructures, is demonstrated in the second part by metal adsorption on semiconducting surfaces. For (sub)monolayer coverage these systems have in common that the surface states do not hybridize with the support, i.e. the semiconducting surfaces are insulating. Here I will focus on the latest results of macroscopic transport measurements on Pb quantum wires grown on vicinal Si(111) showing indeed a one-dimensional transport behavior.

Vicinal surfaces for functional nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tegenkamp, Christoph [Institut fuer Festkoerperphysik, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universitaet Hannover, Appelstrasse 2, D-30167 Hannover (Germany)], E-mail: tegenkamp@fkp.uni-hannover.de

2009-01-07

Vicinal surfaces are currently the focus of research. The regular arrangements of atomic steps on a mesoscopic scale reveal the possibility to functionalize these surfaces for technical applications, e.g. nanowires, catalysts, etc. The steps of the vicinal surface are well-defined defect structures of atomic size for nucleation of low-dimensional nanostructures. The concentration and therefore the coupling between the nanostructures can be tuned over a wide range by simply changing the inclination angle of the substrate. However, the coupling of these nano-objects to the substrate is just as important in controlling their electronic or chemical properties and making a functionality useable. On the basis of stepped insulating films, these aspects are fulfilled and will be considered in the first part of this review. Recent results for the epitaxial growth of wide bandgap insulating films (CaF{sub 2}, MgO, NaCl, BaSrO) on metallic and semiconducting vicinal substrates (Si(100), Ge(100), Ag(100)) will be presented. The change of the electronic structure, the adsorption behavior as well as the kinetics and energetics of color centers in the presence of steps is discussed. The successful bridging of the gap between the atomic and mesoscopic world, i.e. the functionalization of vicinal surfaces by nanostructures, is demonstrated in the second part by metal adsorption on semiconducting surfaces. For (sub)monolayer coverage these systems have in common that the surface states do not hybridize with the support, i.e. the semiconducting surfaces are insulating. Here I will focus on the latest results of macroscopic transport measurements on Pb quantum wires grown on vicinal Si(111) showing indeed a one-dimensional transport behavior. (topical review)

Vicinal surfaces for functional nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tegenkamp, Christoph

2009-01-01

Vicinal surfaces are currently the focus of research. The regular arrangements of atomic steps on a mesoscopic scale reveal the possibility to functionalize these surfaces for technical applications, e.g. nanowires, catalysts, etc. The steps of the vicinal surface are well-defined defect structures of atomic size for nucleation of low-dimensional nanostructures. The concentration and therefore the coupling between the nanostructures can be tuned over a wide range by simply changing the inclination angle of the substrate. However, the coupling of these nano-objects to the substrate is just as important in controlling their electronic or chemical properties and making a functionality useable. On the basis of stepped insulating films, these aspects are fulfilled and will be considered in the first part of this review. Recent results for the epitaxial growth of wide bandgap insulating films (CaF 2 , MgO, NaCl, BaSrO) on metallic and semiconducting vicinal substrates (Si(100), Ge(100), Ag(100)) will be presented. The change of the electronic structure, the adsorption behavior as well as the kinetics and energetics of color centers in the presence of steps is discussed. The successful bridging of the gap between the atomic and mesoscopic world, i.e. the functionalization of vicinal surfaces by nanostructures, is demonstrated in the second part by metal adsorption on semiconducting surfaces. For (sub)monolayer coverage these systems have in common that the surface states do not hybridize with the support, i.e. the semiconducting surfaces are insulating. Here I will focus on the latest results of macroscopic transport measurements on Pb quantum wires grown on vicinal Si(111) showing indeed a one-dimensional transport behavior. (topical review)

Determination of several trace metals in biological materials by PIXE analysis after solvent extraction and polystyrene-film collection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwata, Yoshihiro; Korenaga, Tatsumi; Suzuki, Nobuo

1991-01-01

Traces of vanadium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, and zinc were quantitatively extracted with diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC) in benzene from a digested solution of biological materials and the metal-DDTC complexes were collected into a small amount of polystyrene foam produced by lyophilization of the benzene extract after addition of polystyrene. The polystyrene foam was dissolved in benzene and spread on Mylar film. After drying, a polystyrene film containing metal-DDTC complexes was produced on Mylar film, and then the polystyrene film was peeled from the Mylar film. This film was subjected to PIXE analysis. This method was applied to NBS SRM 1572 citrus leaves and a marine macroalgal sample, and 6 trace metals were simultaneously and accurately determined. (author)

Functional nanostructured titanium nitride films obtained by sputtering magnetron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez, O.; Hernandez-Velez, M.; Navas, D.; Auger, M.A.; Baldonedo, J.L.; Sanz, R.; Pirota, K.R.; Vazquez, M.

2006-01-01

Development of new methods in the formation of hollow structures, in particular, nanotubes and nanocages are currently generating a great interest as a consequence of the growing relevance of these nanostructures on many technological fields, ranging from optoelectronics to biotechnology. In this work, we report the formation of titanium nitride (TiN) nanotubes and nanohills via reactive sputtering magnetron processes. Anodic Alumina Membranes (AAM) were used as template substrates to grow the TiN nanostructures. The AAM were obtained through electrochemical anodization processes by using oxalic acid solutions as electrolytes. The nanotubes were produced at temperatures below 100 deg. C, and using a pure titanium (99.995%) sputtering target and nitrogen as reactive gas. The obtained TiN thin films showed surface morphologies adjusted to pore diameter and interpore distance of the substrates, as well as ordered arrays of nanotubes or nanohills depending on the sputtering and template conditions. High Resolution Scanning Electron Microscopy (HRSEM) was used to elucidate both the surface order and morphology of the different grown nanostructures. The crystalline structure of the samples was examined using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) patterns and their qualitative chemical composition by using X-ray Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (XEDS) in a scanning electron microscopy

Inverse metal-assisted chemical etching produces smooth high aspect ratio InP nanostructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Seung Hyun; Mohseni, Parsian K; Song, Yi; Ishihara, Tatsumi; Li, Xiuling

2015-01-14

Creating high aspect ratio (AR) nanostructures by top-down fabrication without surface damage remains challenging for III-V semiconductors. Here, we demonstrate uniform, array-based InP nanostructures with lateral dimensions as small as sub-20 nm and AR > 35 using inverse metal-assisted chemical etching (I-MacEtch) in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and sulfuric acid (H2SO4), a purely solution-based yet anisotropic etching method. The mechanism of I-MacEtch, in contrast to regular MacEtch, is explored through surface characterization. Unique to I-MacEtch, the sidewall etching profile is remarkably smooth, independent of metal pattern edge roughness. The capability of this simple method to create various InP nanostructures, including high AR fins, can potentially enable the aggressive scaling of InP based transistors and optoelectronic devices with better performance and at lower cost than conventional etching methods.

Surfactant-assisted synthesis of Ag nanostructures and their self-assembled films on copper and aluminum substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhuo Yujiang; Sun Wendong; Dong Lihong; Chu Ying

2011-01-01

In this paper, silver nanostructures with controlled morphologies, such as plates, rods, belts, sheets and their self-assembled films have been prepared on copper and aluminum substrates by a surfactant-assisted colloidal chemical method. The X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and the selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns indicated that the Ag nanostructures grew on the substrates with cubic symmetry and single-crystalline in nature. An oriented attachment with surfactant-assisted mechanism and a cooperative effect of surfactant and chloride ion on the morphology of Ag nanostructures were investigated systematically and synthetically.

Theory of Quantum Transport in Metallic and Hybrid Nanostructures

CERN Document Server

Glatz, Andreas; Vinokur, Valerii M

2006-01-01

There is a major development emerging at the intersection of modern physics, computer science, and materials science, which struggles to squeeze more devices into a restricted volume and constitutes a central focus of modern nanotechnology. Utilizing the metal-based hybrid nanostructures may offer significant advantages over those exploiting purely semiconductor materials. First, the chemistry of metals is typically simpler than that of semiconductors. Second, the electric properties of metals are much less sensitive to the structural defects and impurities than those of semiconductors. Next, metallic devices allow better electric and thermal contacts. And, last but by no means least, the high electron velocity in metals promises to accelerate enormously operation rates with respect to those in semiconductor-based devices. The book reflects scientific developments in the physics of metallic compounds based nanodevices presented at the NATO-sponsored Workshop on nanophysics held in St. Petersburg, Russia in th...

Fabrication and characterization of nanostructured anatase TiO{sub 2} films prepared by electrochemical anodization and their photocatalytic properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yurddaskal, Metin [Dokuz Eylul University, The Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Buca 35390, Izmir (Turkey); Dokuz Eylul University, Center for Fabrication and Applications of Electronic Materials (EMUM), Buca, 35390, Izmir (Turkey); Dikici, Tuncay, E-mail: tuncay.dikici@ikc.edu.tr [Dokuz Eylul University, The Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Buca 35390, Izmir (Turkey); Izmir Katip Celebi University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cigli 35620, Izmir (Turkey); Yildirim, Serdar [Dokuz Eylul University, The Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Buca 35390, Izmir (Turkey); Dokuz Eylul University, Center for Fabrication and Applications of Electronic Materials (EMUM), Buca, 35390, Izmir (Turkey); Yurddaskal, Melis [Celal Bayar University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Muradiye, 45140 Manisa (Turkey); Toparli, Mustafa; Celik, Erdal [Dokuz Eylul University, Center for Fabrication and Applications of Electronic Materials (EMUM), Buca, 35390, Izmir (Turkey); Dokuz Eylul University, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Buca 35390, Izmir (Turkey)

2015-12-05

In this study, nanostructured anatase titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) films were fabricated by electrochemical anodization of titanium first, and then annealed at 500 °C for 2 h. Effect of electrolyte concentration, anodization time and electrolyte temperature on the surface morphology of the resulting TiO{sub 2} thin films were investigated. The phase structures, surface morphology and chemical composition were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The photocatalytic activity tests of the samples were evaluated by the degradation of aqueous methylene blue (MB) solutions under UV light illumination for different periods of time. The results showed that the structure of nanostructured TiO{sub 2} films depended strongly on the anodization parameters. It was found that there were micro-scale pores (<10 μm) and nano-scale pores (diameter in the range from 40 to 70 nm) on the anodized titanium surfaces. This study indicated that structures, surface morphology, and surface area of the nanostructured anatase TiO{sub 2} films played an important role on their photocatalytic performance. The results clearly proved that nanostructured anatase TiO{sub 2} film prepared with optimum process parameters resulted in enhancement of the photocatalytic activity. - Highlights: • TiO{sub 2} thin films were prepared on titanium substrates by electrochemical anodization at 30 V. • Effect of various anodization parameters on the photocatalytic activity of titanium was investigated. • Micro- and nanoscale TiO{sub 2} pores formed on the titanium by anodizing. • Surface morphology of the TiO{sub 2} films plays an important role on the photocatalytic performance. • The sample anodized for 240 min showed the highest photocatalytic activity.

Physical properties of nanostructured CeO2 thin films grown by SILAR method

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Ishaque Ahmed; Belkhedkar, M. R.; Salodkar, R. V.; Ubale, A. U.

2018-05-01

Nanostructured CeO2 thin films have been deposited by Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) method onto glass substrate using (CeNO3)3 6H2O and NaOH as cationic and anionic precursors respectively. The structural and morphological characterizations were carried out by means of X-ray diffraction, FTIR, FESEM and EDX studies. The highly resistive (1010 Ω cm) semiconducting CeO2 film exhibits 2.95 eV optical band gap.

Three-dimensional flowerlike iron oxide nanostructures: Morphology, composition and metal ion removal capability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Dan [School of Material Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, 250022 Jinan (China); Yang, Ping, E-mail: mse_yangp@ujn.edu.cn [School of Material Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, 250022 Jinan (China); Huang, Baibiao [State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, 250100 Jinan (China)

2016-01-15

Graphical abstract: The iron alkoxide precursors are calcined into α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} microstructures with different morphologies by changing calcination atmosphere, reaction time of precursors and calcination temperature simply. The Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Ag hybrid composites prepared through aqueous synthesis and light irradiation. - Highlights: • α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} microstructures with different morphologies were created. • Solvents play an important role for the solvothermal treatment of precursors. • The α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} microstructures show excellent adsorption properties. • Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Ag hybrid composites were prepared to improve their properties. - Abstract: The flower-like precursors of Fe alkoxide constructed by the self-assembly of nanoflakes were prepared. Time-dependent experiments confirmed the formation mechanism of flower-like precursors. After calcination, α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanostructures with different morphologies were created. Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanostructures containing blocks with a truncated octahedron structure were obtained under N{sub 2} protection. α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanostructures were prepared in an air atmosphere. The values of maximum adsorption capacity of α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanostructures for Cr{sup 6+} ions were much higher than that of commercial bulk α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}. Ag NPs were deposited on α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanostructures through an aqueous synthesis and light irradiation using L-cysteine as a linker. Such procedure is utilizable for the preparation of the composites of noble metals and magnetic materials.

Passive behavior of a bulk nanostructured 316L austenitic stainless steel consisting of nanometer-sized grains with embedded nano-twin bundles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Tianshu; Liu, Li; Zhang, Bin; Li, Ying; Yan, Fengkai; Tao, Nairong; Wang, Fuhui

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Nanometer-grains (NG) and bundles of nano-twins (NT) is synthesized in 316L. • (NG + NT) and NT enhance the concentration of active Fe Fe in the passive film. • (NG + NT) and NT enhance the passive ability. • A Cr 0 -enriched layer forms at the passive film/metal interface. - Abstract: The passive behavior of a bulk nanostructured 316L austenitic stainless steel consisting of nanometer-sized grains (NG) and nano-twin bundles (NT) are investigated. The electrochemical results indicate that the spontaneous passivation ability and growth rate of passive film are improved. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) shows that a Cr 0 -enriched layer forms at the passive film/metal interface. More nucleation sites afforded by the nanostructures and the enhanced diffusion rate of charged species across the passive film are believed to be responsible for the improved passive ability. The PDM model is introduced to elaborate the microscopic process of passivation

Particle stabilization of plastic flow in nanostructured Al-1 %Si Alloy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Huang, Tianlin; Li, Chao; Wu, Guilin

2014-01-01

A nanostructured Al-1 %Si alloy containing a dispersion of Si particles in ultrapure aluminum (99.9996 %) was produced by heavy cold rolling to study the effect of second-phase particles on the occurrence of plastic instability during tensile testing of a nanostructured metal. Tensile tests were...

Nanostructured Colloidal Particles by Confined Self-Assembly of Block Copolymers in Evaporative Droplets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Minsoo P. Kim

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Block copolymers (BCPs can create various morphology by self-assembly in bulk or film. Recently, using BCPs in confined geometries such as thin film (one-dimension, cylindrical template (two-dimension, or emulsion droplet (three-dimension, nanostructured BCP particles have been prepared, in which unique nanostructures of the BCP are formed via solvent annealing process and can be controlled depending on molecular weight ratio and interaction parameter of the BCPs, and droplet size. Moreover, by tuning interfacial property of the BCP particles, anisotropic particles with unique nanostructures have been prepared. Furthermore, for practical application such as drug delivery system, sensor, self-healing, metamaterial, and optoelectronic device, functional nanoparticles can be incorporated inside BCP particles. In this article, we summarize recent progress on the production of structured BCP particles and composite particles with metallic nanoparticles.

Controlled growth of epitaxial CeO2 thin films with self-organized nanostructure by chemical solution method

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yue, Zhao; Grivel, Jean-Claude

2013-01-01

Chemical solution deposition is a versatile technique to grow oxide thin films with self-organized nanostructures. Morphology and crystallographic orientation control of CeO2 thin films grown on technical NiW substrates by a chemical solution deposition method are achieved in this work. Based...

Characteristic structures and properties of nanostructured metals prepared by plastic deformation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Huang, Xiaoxu

2011-01-01

This chapter focuses on describing the characteristic microstructures of nanostructured metals produced by plastic deformation to ultrahigh strains and their correlation with hardening by annealing and softening by deformation. The results suggest that optimising microstructure and the mechanical...

Dynamics of ultrathin metal films on amorphous substrates under fast thermal processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Favazza, Christopher; Kalyanaraman, Ramki; Sureshkumar, Radhakrishna

2007-01-01

A mathematical model is developed to analyze the growth/decay rate of surface perturbations of an ultrathin metal film on an amorphous substrate (SiO 2 ). The formulation combines the approach of Mullins [W. W. Mullins, J. Appl. Phys. 30, 77 (1959)] for bulk surfaces, in which curvature-driven mass transport and surface deformation can occur by surface/volume diffusion and evaporation-condensation processes, with that of Spencer et al. [B. J. Spencer, P. W. Voorhees, and S. H. Davis, Phys. Rev. Lett. 67, 26 (1991)] to describe solid-state transport in thin films under epitaxial strain. Modifications of the Mullins model to account for thin-film boundary conditions result in qualitatively different dispersion relationships especially in the limit as kh o o is the unperturbed film height. The model is applied to study the relative rate of solid-state mass transport as compared to that of liquid phase dewetting in a thin film subjected to a fast thermal pulse. Specifically, we have recently shown that multiple cycles of nanosecond (ns) pulsed laser melting and resolidification of ultrathin metal films on amorphous substrates can lead to the formation of various types of spatially ordered nanostructures [J. Trice, D. Thomas, C. Favazza, R. Sureshkumar, and R. Kalyanaraman, Phys. Rev. B 75, 235439 (2007)]. The pattern formation has been attributed to the dewetting of the thin film by a hydrodynamic instability. In such experiments the film is in the solid state during a substantial fraction of each thermal cycle. However, results of a linear stability analysis based on the aforementioned model suggest that solid-state mass transport has a negligible effect on morphological changes of the surface. Further, a qualitative analysis of the effect of thermoelastic stress, induced by the rapid temperature changes in the film-substrate bilayer, suggests that stress relaxation does not appreciably contribute to surface deformation. Hence, surface deformation caused by liquid

Metal (Ag/Ti)-Containing Hydrogenated Amorphous Carbon Nanocomposite Films with Enhanced Nanoscratch Resistance: Hybrid PECVD/PVD System and Microstructural Characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Constantinou, Marios; Nikolaou, Petros; Koutsokeras, Loukas; Avgeropoulos, Apostolos; Moschovas, Dimitrios; Varotsis, Constantinos; Patsalas, Panos; Kelires, Pantelis; Constantinides, Georgios

2018-03-30

This study aimed to develop hydrogenated amorphous carbon thin films with embedded metallic nanoparticles (a-C:H:Me) of controlled size and concentration. Towards this end, a novel hybrid deposition system is presented that uses a combination of Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) and Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) technologies. The a-C:H matrix was deposited through the acceleration of carbon ions generated through a radio-frequency (RF) plasma source by cracking methane, whereas metallic nanoparticles were generated and deposited using terminated gas condensation (TGC) technology. The resulting material was a hydrogenated amorphous carbon film with controlled physical properties and evenly dispersed metallic nanoparticles (here Ag or Ti). The physical, chemical, morphological and mechanical characteristics of the films were investigated through X-ray reflectivity (XRR), Raman spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and nanoscratch testing. The resulting amorphous carbon metal nanocomposite films (a-C:H:Ag and a-C:H:Ti) exhibited enhanced nanoscratch resistance (up to +50%) and low values of friction coefficient (<0.05), properties desirable for protective coatings and/or solid lubricant applications. The ability to form nanocomposite structures with tunable coating performance by potentially controlling the carbon bonding, hydrogen content, and the type/size/percent of metallic nanoparticles opens new avenues for a broad range of applications in which mechanical, physical, biological and/or combinatorial properties are required.

Electrical transport and pinning properties of Nb films with washboard-like nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dobrovolskiy, Oleksandr V. [Physikalisches Institut Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Department of Physics, Kharkiv National University (Ukraine); Begun, Evgeniya; Huth, Michael [Physikalisches Institut Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Shklovskij, Valerij A. [Department of Physics, Kharkiv National University (Ukraine); Institute for Theoretical Physics NSC-KIPT, Kharkiv (Ukraine)

2013-07-01

A careful analysis of the magneto-transport properties of epitaxial nanostructured Nb thin films in the normal and the mixed state is performed. The nanopatterns were prepared by focused ion beam (FIB) milling. They provide a washboard-like pinning potential landscape for vortices in the mixed state and simultaneously cause a resistivity anisotropy in the normal state. Two matching magnetic fields for the vortex lattice with the underlying nanostructures have been observed. By applying these fields, the most likely pinning sites along which the flux lines move through the samples have been selected. By this, either the background isotropic pinning of the pristine film or the enhanced isotropic pinning originating from the nanoprocessing have been probed. Via an Arrhenius analysis of the resistivity data the pinning activation energies for three vortex lattice parameters have been quantified. The changes in the electrical transport and the pinning properties have been correlated with the results of the microstructural and topographical characterization of the FIB-patterned samples. The obtained results provide further insight into the pinning mechanisms at work in FIB-nanopatterned superconductors for fluxonic applications.

Combination process of diamond machining and roll-to-roll UV-replication for thin film micro- and nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Väyrynen, J.; Mönkkönen, K.; Siitonen, S.

2016-09-01

Roll-to-roll (R2R) ultraviolet (UV) curable embossing replication process is a highly accurate and cost effective way to replicate large quantities of thin film polymer parts. These structures can be used for microfluidics, LED-optics, light guides, displays, cameras, diffusers, decorative, laser sensing and measuring devices. In the R2R UV-process, plastic thin film coated with UV-curable lacquer, passes through an imprinting embossing drum and is then hardened by an UV-lamp. One key element for mastering this process is the ability to manufacture a rotating drum containing micro- and nanostructures. Depending on the pattern shapes, the drum can be directly machined by diamond machining or it can be done through wafer level lithographical process. Due to the shrinkage of UV-curable lacquer, the R2R drum pattern process needs to be prototyped few times, in order to get the desired performance and shape from the R2R produced part. To speed up the prototyping and overall process we have developed a combination process where planar diamond machining patterns are being turned into a drum roller. Initially diamond machined patterns from a planar surface are replicated on a polymer sheet using UV-replication. Secondly, a nickel stamper shim is grown form the polymer sheet and at the end the stamper is turned into a roller and used in the R2R process. This process allows various micro milled, turned, grooved and ruled structures to be made at thin film products through the R2R process. In this paper, the process flow and examples of fabricating R2R embossed UVcurable thin film micro- and nanostructures from planar diamond machined patterns, is reported.

Properties of plasmonic arrays produced by pulsed-laser nanostructuring of thin Au films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katarzyna Grochowska

2014-11-01

Full Text Available A brief description of research advances in the area of short-pulse-laser nanostructuring of thin Au films is followed by examples of experimental data and a discussion of our results on the characterization of structural and optical properties of gold nanostructures. These consist of partially spherical or spheroidal nanoparticles (NPs which have a size distribution (80 ± 42 nm and self-organization characterized by a short-distance order (length scale ≈140 nm. For the NP shapes produced, an observably broader tuning range (of about 150 nm of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR band is obtained by renewal thin film deposition and laser annealing of the NP array. Despite the broadened SPR bands, which indicate damping confirmed by short dephasing times not exceeding 4 fs, the self-organized Au NP structures reveal quite a strong enhancement of the optical signal. This was consistent with the near-field modeling and micro-Raman measurements as well as a test of the electrochemical sensing capability.

Photocatalytic degradation of Lissamine Green B dye by using nanostructured sol–gel TiO{sub 2} films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ćurković, Lidija, E-mail: lcurkov@fsb.hr [Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, University of Zagreb, Ivana Lučića 5, 10000 Zagreb (Croatia); Ljubas, Davor [Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, University of Zagreb, Ivana Lučića 5, 10000 Zagreb (Croatia); Šegota, Suzana [Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička 54, 10000 Zagreb (Croatia); Bačić, Ivana [Forensic Science Centre Ivan Vučetić, Ministry of the Interior, Ilica 335, Zagreb (Croatia)

2014-08-01

Highlights: • Nanostructured photocatalytic TiO{sub 2} films were prepared by sol–gel methods. • The addition of PEG to the TiO{sub 2} film changes the surface morphology and roughness parameters. • The addition of PEG to the initial sols increases photocatalytic properties of TiO{sub 2}. • LGB water solution could be decolourised within 2 h. • The influence of photolysis and adsorption on the LGB removal from the solution is negligible. - Abstract: Nanostructured sol–gel TiO{sub 2} films were prepared on a glass substrate by means of the dip-coating technique with titanium tetraisopropoxide as a precursor. TiO{sub 2} sols were synthesized with and without the addition of polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a structure-directing agent. The synthesized sol–gel TiO{sub 2} were characterized by XRD, AFM, FTIR and Micro-Raman spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of the films was evaluated by the photocatalytic degradation of Lissamine Green B (LGB) dye (dissolved in water) as a model pollutant with the predominant irradiation wavelength of 365 nm (UV-A). It was found that the addition of PEG to the initial sol affects the surface morphology and the photocatalytic properties of prepared sol–gel TiO{sub 2} films. AFM analysis confirmed the presence of nanostructured sol–gel titania films on the glass substrate. Roughness parameters (R{sub a}, R{sub q}, and Z{sub max}) of the sol–gel TiO{sub 2} film with the addition of PEG are higher than the parameters of the sol–gel TiO{sub 2} film without the addition of PEG. The TiO{sub 2} film prepared with the addition of PEG has a higher surface density (a larger active surface area) and better photocatalytic activity in the degradation of the LGB dye solution than the TiO{sub 2} film prepared without the addition of PEG.

Large-scale synthesis of Tellurium nanostructures via galvanic displacement of metals

Science.gov (United States)

Kok, Kuan-Ying; Choo, Thye-Foo; Ubaidah Saidin, Nur; Rahman, Che Zuraini Che Ab

2018-01-01

Tellurium (Te) is an attractive semiconductor material for a wide range of applications in various functional devices including, radiation dosimeters, optical storage materials, thermoelectric or piezoelectric generators. In this work, large scale synthesis of tellurium (Te) nanostructures have been successfully carried out in different concentrations of aqueous solutions containing TeO2 and NaOH, by galvanic displacements of Zn and Al which served as the sacrificial materials. Galvanic displacement process is cost-effective and it requires no template or surfactant for the synthesis of nanostructures. By varying the concentrations of TeO2 and NaOH, etching temperatures and etching times, Te nanostructures of various forms of nanostructures were successfully obtained, ranging from one-dimensional needles and rod-like structures to more complex hierarchical structures. Microscopy examinations on the nanostructures obtained have shown that both the diameters and lengths of the Te nanostructures increased with increasing etching temperature and etching time.

Structural and optical properties of WO{sub 3} sputtered thin films nanostructured by laser interference lithography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castro-Hurtado, I., E-mail: ichurtado@ceit.es [CEIT and Tecnun (University of Navarra), Manuel de Lardizábal 15, 20018 San Sebastián (Spain); Tavera, T.; Yurrita, P.; Pérez, N. [CEIT and Tecnun (University of Navarra), Manuel de Lardizábal 15, 20018 San Sebastián (Spain); Rodriguez, A. [CIC microGUNE Goiru kalea 9, Polo de Innovación Garaia, 20500 Arrasate-Mondragón (Spain); Mandayo, G.G.; Castaño, E. [CEIT and Tecnun (University of Navarra), Manuel de Lardizábal 15, 20018 San Sebastián (Spain)

2013-07-01

A study of the influence of annealing temperature on the structural, morphological and optical properties of WO{sub 3} thin films is presented. The coatings are deposited by RF reactive magnetron sputtering and characterized by XRD analysis and FESEM. The XRD diagrams of the samples show a phase transition from tetragonal to monoclinic when the annealing temperature is raised from 800 to 900 °C. Moreover, the increase of the annealing temperature to 800 °C favors the presence of a granular structure on the surface of the film. A decrease in the optical energy band gap (3.65–3.5 eV and 3.5–3.05 eV for direct and indirect transitions respectively) with annealing temperature has been measured employing Tauc's relation. Furthermore, WO{sub 3} thin films are processed by laser interference lithography (LIL) and periodic nanostructures are obtained. The processed films are characterized by a hexagonal symmetry with a period of 340 nm and the diameter of the nanostructured holes of 150 nm. These films show improved morphological properties of interest in several applications (gas sensors, photonic crystals, etc.) independent of the annealing temperature.

Characterization of nanostructured Mn3O4 thin films grown by SILAR method at room temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ubale, A.U.; Belkhedkar, M.R.; Sakhare, Y.S.; Singh, Arvind; Gurada, Chetan; Kothari, D.C.

2012-01-01

A novel successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction method has been successfully employed to grow nanostructured conducting nearly transparent thin films of Mn 3 O 4 on to glass substrates at room temperature using MnCl 2 and NaOH as cationic and anionic precursors. The structural and morphological characterizations of the as deposited Mn 3 O 4 films have been carried out by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Micrograph (FESEM), EDAX, Atomic Fore Microscopy (AFM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrum (FTIR) analysis. The optical absorption and electrical resistivity measurements were carried out to investigate optical band gap and activation energy of Mn 3 O 4 films deposited by SILAR method. The optical band gap and activation energy of the as deposited film is found to be 2.70 and 0.14 eV respectively. The thermo-emf measurements of Mn 3 O 4 thin film confirm its p-type semiconducting nature. Highlights: ► Nanostructured Mn 3 O 4 thin film is prepared by SILAR method at room temperature. ► The film is nanocrystalline with orthorhombic structure of Mn 3 O 4 . ► The XRD, FTIR, FESEM, EDX and AFM characterization confirms nanocrystalline nature. ► Optical band gap, electrical resistivity and activation energy of film is reported. ► A thermo-emf measurement confirms p-type conductivity of Mn 3 O 4 films.

Facile synthesis of nanostructured transition metal oxides as electrodes for Li-ion batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Opra, Denis P.; Gnedenkov, Sergey V.; Sokolov, Alexander A.; Minaev, Alexander N.; Kuryavyi, Valery G.; Sinebryukhov, Sergey L.

2017-09-01

At all times, energy storage is one of the greatest scientific challenge. Recently, Li-ion batteries are under special attention due to high working voltage, long cycle life, low self-discharge, reliability, no-memory effect. However, commercial LIBs usage in medium- and large-scale energy storage are limited by the capacity of lithiated metal oxide cathode and unsafety of graphite anode at high-rate charge. In this way, new electrode materials with higher electrochemical performance should be designed to satisfy a requirement in both energy and power. As it known, nanostructured transition metal oxides are promising electrode materials because of their elevated specific capacity and high potential vs. Li/Li+. In this work, the perspective of an original facile technique of pulsed high-voltage plasma discharge in synthesis of nanostructured transition metal oxides as electrodes for lithium-ion batteries has been demonstrated.