Modifying of Cotton Fabric Surface with Nano-ZnO Multilayer Films by Layer-by-Layer Deposition Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarıışık Merih

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract ZnO nanoparticle–based multilayer nanocomposite films were fabricated on cationized woven cotton fabrics via layer-by-layer molecular self-assembly technique. For cationic surface charge, cotton fabrics were pretreated with 2,3-epoxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride (EP3MAC by pad-batch method. XPS and SEM were used to examine the deposited nano-ZnO multilayer films on the cotton fabrics. The nano-ZnO films deposited on cotton fabrics exhibited excellent antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The results also showed that the coated fabrics with nano-ZnO multilayer films enhanced the protection of cotton fabrics from UV radiation. Physical tests (tensile strength of weft and warp yarns, air permeability and whiteness values were performed on the fabrics before and after the treatment with ZnO nanoparticles to evaluate the effect of layer-by-layer (LbL process on cotton fabrics properties.

Hetero-Colloidal Metal Particle Multilayer Films Grown Using Electrostatic Interactions at the Air-water Interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sastry, Murali; Mayya, K.S.

2000-01-01

The formation of nanoparticle multilayer films by electrostatic immobilization of surface-modified colloidal particles at the air-water interface has been recently demonstrated by us. In this paper, we extend our study to show that multilayer assemblies consisting of metal particles of different chemical nature (hetero-colloidal particle superlattices) and size can be deposited by the versatile Langmuir-Blodgett technique. Multilayer films consisting of a different number of bilayers of gold and silver colloidal particles have been deposited and characterized using quartz crystal microgravimetry and UV-visible spectroscopy measurements. It is observed that while layer-by-layer deposition of the different colloidal particle assemblies is possible by this technique without a detectable variation in the cluster density in the different layers, a degree of post-deposition reorganization of the clusters occurs in the film. In addition to this aging behavior, the effect of different organic solvents on the reorganization process has also been studied

Development of neutron diffuse scattering analysis code by thin film and multilayer film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soyama, Kazuhiko

2004-01-01

To research surface structure of thin film and multilayer film by neutron, a neutron diffuse scattering analysis code using DWBA (Distorted-Wave Bron Approximation) principle was developed. Subjects using this code contain the surface and interface properties of solid/solid, solid/liquid, liquid/liquid and gas/liquid, and metal, magnetism and polymer thin film and biomembran. The roughness of surface and interface of substance shows fractal self-similarity and its analytical model is based on DWBA theory by Sinha. The surface and interface properties by diffuse scattering are investigated on the basis of the theoretical model. The calculation values are proved to be agreed with the experimental values. On neutron diffuse scattering by thin film, roughness of surface of thin film, correlation function, neutron propagation by thin film, diffuse scattering by DWBA theory, measurement model, SDIFFF (neutron diffuse scattering analysis program by thin film) and simulation results are explained. On neutron diffuse scattering by multilayer film, roughness of multilayer film, principle of diffuse scattering, measurement method and simulation examples by MDIFF (neutron diffuse scattering analysis program by multilayer film) are explained. (S.Y.)To research surface structure of thin film and multilayer film by neutron, a neutron diffuse scattering analysis code using DWBA (Distorted-Wave Bron Approximation) principle was developed. Subjects using this code contain the surface and interface properties of solid/solid, solid/liquid, liquid/liquid and gas/liquid, and metal, magnetism and polymer thin film and biomembran. The roughness of surface and interface of substance shows fractal self-similarity and its analytical model is based on DWBA theory by Sinha. The surface and interface properties by diffuse scattering are investigated on the basis of the theoretical model. The calculation values are proved to be agreed with the experimental values. On neutron diffuse scattering

Nanostructured composite films of ceria nanoparticles with anti-UV and scratch protection properties constructed using a layer-by-layer strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Songsong; Li, Jie; Guo, Xianpeng; Liu, Lianhe; Wei, Hao; Zhang, Yingwei

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The fabrication of LbL multilayers used functional nanoparticles. • The film structure can be controlled in the nanoscopic range. • The constructed multilayers were transparent in the visible spectral region and presented anti-UV properties. • The multilayers presented scratch protection properties. - Abstract: Rare earth cerium oxide (ceria) nanoparticles have attracted extensive research attention due to their advantageous anti-UV and anti-scratch properties. However, a general and facile method for the fabrication of composite films using ceria and possessing these advantages is still lacking. Here, we report the fabrication of multilayers of ceria and polymeric species poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) and poly(diallyl-dimethyl ammonium) (PDDA) via the layer-by-layer deposition strategy. The thickness of the multilayers increased linearly with the number of bilayers, indicating accurate control of the film structure in the nanoscopic range. The constructed multilayers were transparent in the visible spectral region and at the same time presented anti-UV properties. In addition, the multilayers also presented scratch protection properties.

Assembly of tantalum porous films with graded oxidation profile from size-selected nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Vidyadhar; Grammatikopoulos, Panagiotis; Cassidy, Cathal; Benelmekki, Maria; Bohra, Murtaza; Hawash, Zafer; Baughman, Kenneth W.; Sowwan, Mukhles

2014-05-01

Functionally graded materials offer a way to improve the physical and chemical properties of thin films and coatings for different applications in the nanotechnology and biomedical fields. In this work, design and assembly of nanoporous tantalum films with a graded oxidation profile perpendicular to the substrate surface are reported. These nanoporous films are composed of size-selected, amorphous tantalum nanoparticles, deposited using a gas-aggregated magnetron sputtering system, and oxidized after coalescence, as samples evolve from mono- to multi-layered structures. Molecular dynamics computer simulations shed light on atomistic mechanisms of nanoparticle coalescence, which govern the films porosity. Aberration-corrected (S) TEM, GIXRD, AFM, SEM, and XPS were employed to study the morphology, phase and oxidation profiles of the tantalum nanoparticles, and the resultant films.

Multilayer Integrated Film Bulk Acoustic Resonators

CERN Document Server

Zhang, Yafei

2013-01-01

Multilayer Integrated Film Bulk Acoustic Resonators mainly introduces the theory, design, fabrication technology and application of a recently developed new type of device, multilayer integrated film bulk acoustic resonators, at the micro and nano scale involving microelectronic devices, integrated circuits, optical devices, sensors and actuators, acoustic resonators, micro-nano manufacturing, multilayer integration, device theory and design principles, etc. These devices can work at very high frequencies by using the newly developed theory, design, and fabrication technology of nano and micro devices. Readers in fields of IC, electronic devices, sensors, materials, and films etc. will benefit from this book by learning the detailed fundamentals and potential applications of these advanced devices. Prof. Yafei Zhang is the director of the Ministry of Education’s Key Laboratory for Thin Films and Microfabrication Technology, PRC; Dr. Da Chen was a PhD student in Prof. Yafei Zhang’s research group.

Fabrication and performance characterization of Al/Ni multilayer energetic films

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Cheng; Hu, Yan; Shen, Ruiqi; Ye, Yinghua; Wang, Shouxu; Hua, Tianli

2014-02-01

Al/Ni multilayer bridge films, which were composed of alternate Al and Ni layers with bilayer thicknesses of 50, 100 and 200 nm, were prepared by RF magnetron sputtering. In each bilayer, the thickness ratio of Al to Ni was maintained at 3:2 to obtain an overall 1:1 atomic composition. The total thickness of Al/Ni multilayer films was 2 μm. XRD measurements show that the compound of AlNi is the final product of the exothermic reactions. DSC curves show that the values of heat release in Al/Ni multilayer films with bilayer thicknesses of 50, 100 and 200 nm are 389.43, 396.69 and 409.92 J g-1, respectively. The temperatures of Al/Ni multilayer films were obviously higher than those of Al bridge film and Ni bridge film. Al/Ni multilayer films with modulation of 50 nm had the highest electrical explosion temperature of 7000 K. The exothermic reaction in Al/Ni multilayer films leads to a more intense electric explosion. Al/Ni multilayer bridge films with modulation period of 50 nm explode more rapidly and intensely than other bridge films because decreasing the bilayer thickness results in an increased reaction velocity.

Gold nanoparticle/nickel oxide/poly(pyrrole-N-propionic acid hybrid multilayer film: Electrochemical study and its application in biosensing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Karazehir

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The present study describes the fabrication of Indium Tin Oxide /gold nanoparticles/nickel oxide/poly(Pyrrole-N-propionic acid (ITO/GNPs/NiO/poly(PPA multilayered film, and its modification with Tyrosinase (Ty. The ITO/GNPs/NiO/poly(PPA electrode was fabricated by sequential electrochemical assembly onto ITO substrate which electrochemical deposition provides a facile, inexpensive technique for synthesis of multilayered film within the adherent morphology with controllable film thickness. Cyclic voltammetry (CV, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR, scanning electron microcopy (SEM, and atomic force microcopy (AFM were used to characterize the film assembly processes. The properties of a semiconductor/electrolyte interface were investigated based on the Mott–Schottky (M-S approach for the modified electrodes, with the flat band potential (EFB according to the potential intercept and the carrier density (ND according to the linear slopes. The ND and EFB of ITO/GNPs/NiO/poly(PPA were obtained as 2.48·1021 cm–3 and 0.26 V, respectively. Tyrosinase was immobilized using carbodiimide coupling reaction. The bioelectrode was characterized by FTIR-ATR, SEM, AFM, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS. A Randles equivalent circuit was introduced for modeling the performance of impedimetric biosensing for the detection of the dopamine (DP and the interface of bioelectrode/electrolyte. The EIS of the ITO/GNPs/NiO/poly(PPA-Ty exhibited significant changes in the charge transfer resistance (RCT value toward the detection of dopamine over a linear range of 80 µM to 0.2 mM with a limit of detection (LOD of 5.46 µM.

Magnetic damping phenomena in ferromagnetic thin-films and multilayers

Science.gov (United States)

Azzawi, S.; Hindmarch, A. T.; Atkinson, D.

2017-11-01

Damped ferromagnetic precession is an important mechanism underpinning the magnetisation processes in ferromagnetic materials. In thin-film ferromagnets and ferromagnetic/non-magnetic multilayers, the role of precession and damping can be critical for spintronic device functionality and as a consequence there has been significant research activity. This paper presents a review of damping in ferromagnetic thin-films and multilayers and collates the results of many experimental studies to present a coherent synthesis of the field. The terms that are used to define damping are discussed with the aim of providing consistent definitions for damping phenomena. A description of the theoretical basis of damping is presented from early developments to the latest discussions of damping in ferromagnetic thin-films and multilayers. An overview of the time and frequency domain methods used to study precessional magnetisation behaviour and damping in thin-films and multilayers is also presented. Finally, a review of the experimental observations of magnetic damping in ferromagnetic thin-films and multilayers is presented with the most recent explanations. This brings together the results from many studies and includes the effects of ferromagnetic film thickness, the effects of composition on damping in thin-film ferromagnetic alloys, the influence of non-magnetic dopants in ferromagnetic films and the effects of combining thin-film ferromagnets with various non-magnetic layers in multilayered configurations.

Reusable fluorescent sensor for captopril based on energy transfer from photoluminescent graphene oxide self-assembly multilayers to silver nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Xiangying; Liu, Bin; Li, Shuchun; Li, Fang

2016-05-15

In this work we designed a self-assembly multilayers, in which photoluminescent graphene oxide was employed as a fluorescence probe. This multilayers film can effectively recognize captopril by resonance energy transfer from graphite oxide to silver nanoparticles. A new interfacial sensing method for captopril with high signal to noise ratio was established, by means of that multilayers was quenched by silver nanoparticles and subsequently recovered by adding captopril. The linear relation between intensity and captopril concentration was good, and the detection limit was found to be 0.1578 μM. Also, this novel detection platform demonstrated intriguing reusable properties, and the sensor could be repeated more than ten times without obviously losing its sensing performance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Oromucosal multilayer films for tailor-made, controlled drug delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindert, Sandra; Breitkreutz, Jörg

2017-11-01

The oral mucosa has recently become increasingly important as an alternative administration route for tailor-made, controlled drug delivery. Oromucosal multilayer films, assigned to the monograph oromucosal preparations in the Ph.Eur. may be a promising dosage form to overcome the requirements related to this drug delivery site. Areas covered: We provide an overview of multilayer films as drug delivery tools, and discuss manufacturing processes and characterization methods. We focus on the suitability of characterization methods for particular requirements of multilayer films. A classification was performed covering indication areas and APIs incorporated in multilayer film systems for oromucosal use in order to provide a summary of data published in this field. Expert opinion: The shift in drug development to high molecular weight drugs will influence the field of pharmaceutical development and delivery technologies. For a high number of indication areas, such as hormonal disorders, cardiovascular diseases or local treatment of infections, the flexible layer design of oromucosal multilayer films provides a promising option for tailor-made, controlled delivery of APIs to or through defined surfaces in the oral cavity. However, there is a lack of discriminating or standardized testing methods to assess the quality of multilayer films in a reliable way.

Influence of Fe nanoparticles diameters on the structure and electron emission studies of carbon nanotubes and multilayer graphene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, Himani; Shukla, A.K.; Vankar, V.D.

2013-01-01

In this paper we report the effect of Fe film thickness on the growth, structure and electron emission characteristics of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and multilayer graphene deposited on Si substrate. It is observed that the number of graphitic shells in carbon nanostructures (CNs) varies with the thickness of the catalyst depending on the average size of nanoparticles. Further, the Fe nanoparticles do not catalyze beyond a particular size of nanoclusters leading to the formation of multilayer graphene structure, instead of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). It is observed that the crystallinity of CNs enhances upon increasing the catalyst thickness. Multilayer graphene structures show improved crystallinity in comparison to CNTs as graphitic to defect mode intensity ratio (I D /I G ) decreases from 1.2 to 0.8. However, I 2D /I G value for multilayer graphene is found to be 1.1 confirming the presence of at least 10 layers of graphene in these samples. CNTs with smaller diameter show better electron emission properties with enhancement factor (γ C = 2.8 × 10 3 ) in comparison to multilayer graphene structure (γ C = 1.5 × 10 3 ). The better emission characteristics in CNTs are explained due to combination of electrons from edges as well as centers in comparison to the multilayer graphene. Highlights: ► Graphitic shells in CNTs and graphene depend on the size of Fe nanoparticles. ► The diameter of nanoparticles decides the morphology of CNTs and graphene. ► Multilayer graphene structures show improved crystallinity in comparison to CNTs. ► Multilayer graphene (MLG) has the γ C factor of 1.5 × 10 3 and CNTs has 2.8 × 10 3 . ► The nonlinearity in MLG may occur through change in work function.

Layer-by-layer strippable Ag multilayer films fabricated by modular assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yan; Chen, Xiaoyan; Li, Qianqian; Song, Kai; Wang, Shihui; Chen, Xiaoyan; Zhang, Kai; Fu, Yu; Jiao, Yong-Hua; Sun, Ting; Liu, Fu-Chun; Han, En-Hou

2014-01-21

We have developed a new method to fabricate multilayer films, which uses prepared thin films as modular blocks and transfer as operation mode to build up multilayer structures. In order to distinguish it from the in situ fabrication manner, this method is called modular assembly in this study. On the basis of such concept, we have fabricated a multilayer film using the silver mirror film as the modular block and poly(lactic acid) as the transfer tool. Due to the special double-layer structure of the silver mirror film, the resulting multilayer film had a well-defined stratified architecture with alternate porous/compact layers. As a consequence of the distinct structure, the interaction between the adjacent layers was so weak that the multilayer film could be layer-by-layer stripped. In addition, the top layer in the film could provide an effective protection on the morphology and surface property of the underlying layers. This suggests that if the surface of the film was deteriorated, the top layer could be peeled off and the freshly exposed surface would still maintain the original function. The successful preparation of the layer-by-layer strippable silver multilayer demonstrates that modular assembly is a feasible and effective method to build up multilayer films capable of creating novel and attractive micro/nanostructures, having great potential in the fabrication of nanodevices and coatings.

Electrostatically assisted fabrication of silver-dielectric core/shell nanoparticles thin film capacitor with uniform metal nanoparticle distribution and controlled spacing.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xue; Niitsoo, Olivia; Couzis, Alexander

2016-03-01

An electrostatically-assisted strategy for fabrication of thin film composite capacitors with controllable dielectric constant (k) has been developed. The capacitor is composed of metal-dielectric core/shell nanoparticle (silver/silica, Ag@SiO2) multilayer films, and a backfilling polymer. Compared with the simple metal particle-polymer mixtures where the metal nanoparticles (NP) are randomly dispersed in the polymer matrix, the metal volume fraction in our capacitor was significantly increased, owing to the densely packed NP multilayers formed by the electrostatically assisted assembly process. Moreover, the insulating layer of silica shell provides a potential barrier that reduces the tunneling current between neighboring Ag cores, endowing the core/shell nanocomposites with a stable and relatively high dielectric constant (k) and low dielectric loss (D). Our work also shows that the thickness of the SiO2 shell plays a dominant role in controlling the dielectric properties of the nanocomposites. Control over metal NP separation distance was realized not only by variation the shell thickness of the core/shell NPs but also by introducing a high k nanoparticle, barium strontium titanate (BST) of relatively smaller size (∼8nm) compared to 80-160nm of the core/shell Ag@SiO2 NPs. The BST assemble between the Ag@SiO2 and fill the void space between the closely packed core/shell NPs leading to significant enhancement of the dielectric constant. This electrostatically assisted assembly method is promising for generating multilayer films of a large variety of NPs over large areas at low cost. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Addition of silica nanoparticles to tailor the mechanical properties of nanofibrillated cellulose thin films.

Science.gov (United States)

Eita, Mohamed; Arwin, Hans; Granberg, Hjalmar; Wågberg, Lars

2011-11-15

Over the last decade, the use of nanocellulose in advanced technological applications has been promoted both due the excellent properties of this material in combination with its renewability. In this study, multilayered thin films composed of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC), polyvinyl amine (PVAm) and silica nanoparticles were fabricated on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) using a layer-by-layer adsorption technique. The multilayer build-up was followed in situ by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation, which indicated that the PVAm-SiO(2)-PVAm-NFC system adsorbs twice as much wet mass material compared to the PVAm-NFC system for the same number of bilayers. This is accompanied with a higher viscoelasticity for the PVAm-SiO(2)-PVAm-NFC system. Ellipsometry indicated a dry-state thickness of 2.2 and 3.4 nm per bilayer for the PVAm-NFC system and the PVAm-SiO(2)-PVAm-NFC system, respectively. Atomic force microscopy height images indicate that in both systems, a porous network structure is achieved. Young's modulus of these thin films was determined by the Strain-Induced Elastic Buckling Instability for Mechanical Measurements (SIEBIMM) technique. The Young's modulus of the PVAm/NFC films was doubled, from 1 to 2 GPa, upon incorporation of silica nanoparticles in the films. The introduction of the silica nanoparticles lowered the refractive index of the films, most probably due to an increased porosity of the films. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Polyelectrolyte multilayer film-assisted formation of zero-valent iron nanoparticles onto polymer nanofibrous mats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao Shili; Shi Xiangyang; Wu Siqi; Shen Mingwu; Guo Rui; Wang Shanyuan

2009-01-01

A facile approach that combines the electrospinning technique and layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly method has been developed to synthesize and immobilize zero-valent iron nanoparticles (ZVI NPs) onto the surface of nanofibers for potential environmental applications. In this approach, negatively charged cellulose acetate (CA) nanofibers fabricated by electrospinning CA solution were modified with bilayers composed of positively charged poly(diallyl-dimethyl-ammoniumchloride) (PDADMAC) and negatively charged poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) through electrostatic LbL assembly approach to form composite nanofibrous mats. The composite nanofibrous mats were immersed into the ferrous iron solution to allow Fe(II) ions to complex with the free carboxyl groups of PAA, and then ZVI NPs were immobilized onto the composite nanofibrous mats instantly by reducing the ferrous cations. Combined scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and thermogravimetry analysis demonstrated that the ZVI NPs are successfully synthesized and uniformly distributed into the polyelectrolyte (PE) multilayer films assembled onto the CA nanofibers. The present approach to synthesis ZVI NPs opens a new avenue to fabricating various materials with high surface area for environmental, catalytic, and sensing applications.

Soft Magnetic Multilayered Thin Films for HF Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Loizos, George; Giannopoulos, George; Serletis, Christos; Maity, Tuhin; Roy, Saibal; Lupu, Nicoleta; Kijima, Hanae; Yamaguchi, Masahiro; Niarchos, Dimitris

Multilayered thin films from various soft magnetic materials were successfully prepared by magnetron sputtering in Ar atmosphere. The magnetic properties and microstructure were investigated. It is found that the films show good soft magnetic properties: magnetic coercivity of 1-10 Oe and saturation magnetization higher than 1T. The initial permeability of the films is greater than 300 and flattens up to 600 MHz. The multilayer thin film properties in combination with their easy, fast and reproducible fabrication indicate that they are potential candidates for high frequency applications.

Au Nanoparticle Sub-Monolayers Sandwiched between Sol-Gel Oxide Thin Films

Science.gov (United States)

Della Gaspera, Enrico; Menin, Enrico; Sada, Cinzia

2018-01-01

Sub-monolayers of monodisperse Au colloids with different surface coverage have been embedded in between two different metal oxide thin films, combining sol-gel depositions and proper substrates functionalization processes. The synthetized films were TiO2, ZnO, and NiO. X-ray diffraction shows the crystallinity of all the oxides and verifies the nominal surface coverage of Au colloids. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of the metal nanoparticles is affected by both bottom and top oxides: in fact, the SPR peak of Au that is sandwiched between two different oxides is centered between the SPR frequencies of Au sub-monolayers covered with only one oxide, suggesting that Au colloids effectively lay in between the two oxide layers. The desired organization of Au nanoparticles and the morphological structure of the prepared multi-layered structures has been confirmed by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analyses that show a high quality sandwich structure. The multi-layered structures have been also tested as optical gas sensors. PMID:29538338

Enhancement of electroluminescence from embedded Si quantum dots/SiO2multilayers film by localized-surface-plasmon and surface roughening.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wei; Wang, Shaolei; Hu, Mingyue; He, Sufeng; Ge, Pengpeng; Wang, Jing; Guo, Yan Yan; Zhaowei, Liu

2015-07-03

In this paper, we prepared a novel structure to enhance the electroluminescence intensity from Si quantum dots/SiO2multilayers. An amorphous Si/SiO2 multilayer film was fabricated by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition on a Pt nanoparticle (NP)-coated Si nanopillar array substrate. By thermal annealing, an embedded Si quantum dot (QDs)/SiO2 multilayer film was obtained. The result shows that electroluminescence intensity was significantly enhanced. And, the turn-on voltage of the luminescent device was reduced to 3 V. The enhancement of the light emission is due to the resonance coupling between the localized-surface-plasmon (LSP) of Pt NPs and the band-gap emission of Si QDs/SiO2 multilayers. The other factors were the improved absorption of excitation light and the increase of light extraction ratio by surface roughening structures. These excellent characteristics are promising for silicon-based light-emitting applications.

Collective mechanical behavior of multilayer colloidal arrays of hollow nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Jie; Retsch, Markus; Thomas, Edwin L; Boyce, Mary C

2012-04-03

The collective mechanical behavior of multilayer colloidal arrays of hollow silica nanoparticles (HSNP) is explored under spherical nanoindentation through a combination of experimental, numerical, and theoretical approaches. The effective indentation modulus E(ind) is found to decrease with an increasing number of layers in a nonlinear manner. The indentation force versus penetration depth behavior for multilayer hollow particle arrays is predicted by an approximate analytical model based on the spring stiffness of the individual particles and the multipoint, multiparticle interactions as well as force transmission between the layers. The model is in good agreement with experiments and with detailed finite element simulations. The ability to tune the effective indentation modulus, E(ind), of the multilayer arrays by manipulating particle geometry and layering is revealed through the model, where E(ind) = (0.725m(-3/2) + 0.275)E(mon) and E(mon) is the monolayer modulus and m is number of layers. E(ind) is seen to plateau with increasing m to E(ind_plateau) = 0.275E(mon) and E(mon) scales with (t/R)(2), t being the particle shell thickness and R being the particle radius. The scaling law governing the nonlinear decrease in indentation modulus with an increase in layer number (E(ind) scaling with m(-3/2)) is found to be similar to that governing the indentation modulus of thin solid films E(ind_solid) on a stiff substrate (where E(ind_solid) scales with h(-1.4) and also decreases until reaching a plateau value) which also decreases with an increase in film thickness h. However, the mechanisms underlying this trend for the colloidal array are clearly different, where discrete particle-to-particle interactions govern the colloidal array behavior in contrast to the substrate constraint on deformation, which governs the thickness dependence of the continuous thin film indentation modulus.

Lamellar multilayer hexadecylaniline-modified gold nanoparticle ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

standard Wilhelmy plate was used for surface pressure sensing. Multilayer ... carried out on a JEOL model 1200EX instrument operated at an accelerating voltage of ... the gold nanoparticles within domains (and reorganization of the domains ...

The immobilization of titania nanoparticles on hyaluronan films and their photocatalytic properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasqui, Daniela; Atrei, Andrea; Barbucci, Rolando

2009-01-01

We have developed a method to bind titania nanoparticles onto hyaluronic films (HA) photoimmobilized on silanized glass. Titania nanoparticles were deposited on the HA films from commercially available dispersions by casting and dip-coating methods at various pH values. XPS was used to monitor the deposition of titania and to estimate the surface coverage of the nanoparticles. The topography of the titania-modified HA films was investigated by means of AFM. XPS results indicate that the titania surface coverage depends on the preparation method and the pH of the dispersion. We found that the maximum titania nanoparticle surface coverage was obtained by the casting method with the formation of aggregates and multilayers of particles. The titania surface coverage for the surfaces prepared by the dip-coating method is pH-dependent. The surfaces prepared at pH 2 show a surface coverage of 65% and a rather uniform distribution of particles. We found that titania nanoparticles are anchored in a stable way to the HA substrate in a phosphate buffer solution (PBS) and that the interaction between the HA and the titania is through the carbonyl group of carboxylates and amidic groups of the polymer. AFM images clearly show that titania nanoparticles are uniformly distributed over the HA films. By measuring the average diameter and the average height of the nanoparticles deposited on HA films it appears that the particles are partially embedded in the polysaccharide films. The results of the study on the photobleaching of methylene blue indicate that the characteristic photocatalytic activity of titania is maintained when the nanoparticles are anchored to the HA substrate.

Self-assembled metal nano-multilayered film prepared by co-sputtering method

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Tianle; Fu, Licai; Qin, Wen; Zhu, Jiajun; Yang, Wulin; Li, Deyi; Zhou, Lingping

2018-03-01

Nano-multilayered film is usually prepared by the arrangement deposition of different materials. In this paper, a self-assembled nano-multilayered film was deposited by simultaneous sputtering of Cu and W. The Cu/W nano-multilayered film was accumulated by W-rich layer and Cu-rich layer. Smooth interfaces with consecutive composition variation and semi-coherent even coherent relationship were identified, indicating that a spinodal-like structure with a modulation wavelength of about 20 nm formed during co-deposition process. The participation of diffusion barrier element, such as W, is believed the essential to obtain the nano-multilayered structure besides the technological parameters.

Electrical resistivity of thin metal films and multilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fenn, M.

1999-01-01

The electrical resistivity and temperature coefficient of resistivity (TCR) of thin films and multilayers of Cu, Nb and Zr have been measured over a wide range of layer thicknesses. The structure of the films has been characterised using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and x-ray reflectivity. The experimental results have been compared with the semiclassical theory due to Dimmich. The values of the grain boundary reflectivity, R, in the single films has been found to be approximately 0.35 for Cu in agreement with the literature. The value of R for Nb and Zr has been found to vary with grain size, although it is approximately 0.55 for Nb and 0.925 for Zr over a wide range of grain sizes, and this is believed to be presented for the first time. The value of the interfacial specularity parameter, p, is not found to have a significant effect compared to R in the single films. Dimmich's theoretical expression for the TCR does not match experiment, but by adapting the resistivity expression of the theory to different temperatures a satisfactory fit has been obtained. It has been concluded that the assumption of the free electron model in the presence of grain boundary scattering is in error. The adapted theory predicts negative TCR in sufficiently thin films with experimentally plausible values of the input parameters, and this is believed to be demonstrated for the first time. The experimental resistivity of the multilayers was much lower than expected from the resistivity of the single films. A theoretical fit to the experimental resistivity and TCR of the multilayers was obtained by adjusting the parameter values obtained from single films, and the value of p was found to be significant. This procedure leads to a contradiction in the value of R for Nb. With a view to extending the above work to magnetic multilayers, an AC susceptometer has been designed, built and tested. The results indicate that this instrument would be suitable for work on magnetic

Alternating stacking of ferromagnetic nanosheet and nanoparticle films: heteroassembly and magneto-optical Kerr effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jia, Baoping; Zhang, Wei; Liu, Hui; Lin, Bencai; Ding, Jianning

2016-01-01

Heterostructured multilayer films of two different nanocrystals have been successfully fabricated by layer-by-layer stacking of Ti_0_._8Co_0_._2O_2 nanosheet and Fe_3O_4 nanoparticle films. UV–Vis spectroscopy and AFM observation confirmed the successful alternating deposition in the multilayer buildup process. The average thickness of both Ti_0_._8Co_0_._2O_2 nanosheet and Fe_3O_4 nanoparticle layers was determined to be about 1.4–1.7 and 5 nm, which was in good agreement with TEM results. Magneto-optical Kerr effect measurements demonstrated that the heteroassemblies exhibit gigantic magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) (2 × 10"4 deg/cm) at 320–360 nm, deriving from strong interlayer [Co"2"+]t_2_g–[Fe"3"+]e_g d–d charge transfer which was further confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Their structure-dependent MCD showed high potential in rational design and construction of high-efficiency magneto-optical devices.

Realistic absorption coefficient of each individual film in a multilayer architecture

Science.gov (United States)

Cesaria, M.; Caricato, A. P.; Martino, M.

2015-02-01

A spectrophotometric strategy, termed multilayer-method (ML-method), is presented and discussed to realistically calculate the absorption coefficient of each individual layer embedded in multilayer architectures without reverse engineering, numerical refinements and assumptions about the layer homogeneity and thickness. The strategy extends in a non-straightforward way a consolidated route, already published by the authors and here termed basic-method, able to accurately characterize an absorbing film covering transparent substrates. The ML-method inherently accounts for non-measurable contribution of the interfaces (including multiple reflections), describes the specific film structure as determined by the multilayer architecture and used deposition approach and parameters, exploits simple mathematics, and has wide range of applicability (high-to-weak absorption regions, thick-to-ultrathin films). Reliability tests are performed on films and multilayers based on a well-known material (indium tin oxide) by deliberately changing the film structural quality through doping, thickness-tuning and underlying supporting-film. Results are found consistent with information obtained by standard (optical and structural) analysis, the basic-method and band gap values reported in the literature. The discussed example-applications demonstrate the ability of the ML-method to overcome the drawbacks commonly limiting an accurate description of multilayer architectures.

High proton conductivity in the molecular interlayer of a polymer nanosheet multilayer film.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Takuma; Hayasaka, Yuta; Mitsuishi, Masaya; Miyashita, Tokuji; Nagano, Shusaku; Matsui, Jun

2015-05-12

High proton conductivity was achieved in a polymer multilayer film with a well-defined two-dimensional lamella structure. The multilayer film was prepared by deposition of poly(N-dodecylacryamide-co-acrylic acid) (p(DDA/AA)) monolayers onto a solid substrate using the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. Grazing-angle incidence X-ray diffraction measurement of a 30-layer film of p(DDA/AA) showed strong diffraction peaks in the out-of-plane direction at 2θ = 2.26° and 4.50°, revealing that the multilayer film had a highly uniform layered structure with a monolayer thickness of 2.0 nm. The proton conductivity of the p(DDA/AA) multilayer film parallel to the layer plane direction was 0.051 S/cm at 60 °C and 98% relative humidity with a low activation energy of 0.35 eV, which is comparable to perfluorosulfonic acid membranes. The high conductivity and low activation energy resulted from the formation of uniform two-dimensional proton-conductive nanochannels in the hydrophilic regions of the multilayer film. The proton conductivity of the multilayer film perpendicular to the layer plane was determined to be 2.1 × 10(-13) S/cm. Therefore, the multilayer film showed large anisotropic conductivity with an anisotropic ratio of 2.4 × 10(11).

Nanoparticle layer deposition for highly controlled multilayer formation based on high-coverage monolayers of nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Yue; Williams, Mackenzie G.; Miller, Timothy J.; Teplyakov, Andrew V.

2016-01-01

This paper establishes a strategy for chemical deposition of functionalized nanoparticles onto solid substrates in a layer-by-layer process based on self-limiting surface chemical reactions leading to complete monolayer formation within the multilayer system without any additional intermediate layers — nanoparticle layer deposition (NPLD). This approach is fundamentally different from previously established traditional layer-by-layer deposition techniques and is conceptually more similar to well-known atomic and molecular layer deposition processes. The NPLD approach uses efficient chemical functionalization of the solid substrate material and complementary functionalization of nanoparticles to produce a nearly 100% coverage of these nanoparticles with the use of “click chemistry”. Following this initial deposition, a second complete monolayer of nanoparticles is deposited using a copper-catalyzed “click reaction” with the azide-terminated silica nanoparticles of a different size. This layer-by-layer growth is demonstrated to produce stable covalently-bound multilayers of nearly perfect structure over macroscopic solid substrates. The formation of stable covalent bonds is confirmed spectroscopically and the stability of the multilayers produced is tested by sonication in a variety of common solvents. The 1-, 2- and 3-layer structures are interrogated by electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy and the thickness of the multilayers formed is fully consistent with that expected for highly efficient monolayer formation with each cycle of growth. This approach can be extended to include a variety of materials deposited in a predesigned sequence on different substrates with a highly conformal filling. - Highlights: • We investigate the formation of high-coverage monolayers of nanoparticles. • We use “click chemistry” to form these monolayers. • We form multiple layers based on the same strategy. • We confirm the formation of covalent bonds

Interface alloying in multilayer thin films using polarized neutron reflectometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basu, Saibal

2013-01-01

Polarized Neutron Reflectometry (PNR) is an excellent tool to probe magnetic depth profile in multilayer thin film samples. In case of multilayer films with alternating magnetic and non-magnetic layers, PNR can provide magnetic depth profile at the interfaces with better than nanometer resolution. Using PNR and Xray Reflectometry (XRR) together one can obtain chemical composition and magnetic structure, viz. magnetic moment density at interfaces in multilayer films. We have used these two techniques to obtain kinetics of alloy formation at the interfaces and the magnetic nature of the alloy at the interfaces in several important thin films with magnetic/non-magnetic bilayers. These include Ni/Ti, Ni/Al and Si/Ni pairs. Results obtained from these studies will be presented in this talk. (author)

Neutron diffraction studies of thin film multilayer structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majkrzak, C.F.

1985-01-01

The application of neutron diffraction methods to the study of the microscopic chemical and magnetic structures of thin film multilayers is reviewed. Multilayer diffraction phenomena are described in general and in particular for the case in which one of the materials of a bilayer is ferromagnetic and the neutron beam polarized. Recent neutron diffraction measurements performed on some interesting multilayer systems are discussed. 70 refs., 5 figs

Determination of magnetic properties of multilayer metallic thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Birlikseven, C.

2000-01-01

In recent year, Giant Magnetoresistance Effect has been attracting an increasingly high interest. High sensitivity magnetic field detectors and high sensitivity read heads of magnetic media can be named as important applications of these films. In this work, magnetic and electrical properties of single layer and thin films were investigated. Multilayer thin films were supplied by Prof. Dr. A. Riza Koeymen from Texas University. Multilayer magnetic thin films are used especially for magnetic reading and magnetic writing. storing of large amount of information into small areas become possible with this technology. Single layer films were prepared using the electron beam evaporation technique. For the exact determination of film thicknesses, a careful calibration of the thicknesses was made. Magnetic properties of the multilayer films were studied using the magnetization, magnetoresistance measurements and ferromagnetic resonance technique. Besides, by fitting the experimental results to the theoretical models, effective magnetization and angles between the ferromagnetic layers were calculated. The correspondence between magnetization and magnetoresistance was evaluated. To see the effect of anisotropic magnetoresistance in the magnetoresistance measurements, a new experimental set-up was build and measurements were taken in this set-up. A series of soft permalloy thin films were made, and temperature dependent resistivity, magnetoresistance, anisotropic magnetoresistance and magnetization measurements were taken

Optical and AFM study of electrostatically assembled films of CdS and ZnS colloid nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suryajaya; Nabok, A.; Davis, F.; Hassan, A.; Higson, S.P.J.; Evans-Freeman, J.

2008-01-01

CdS and ZnS semiconducting colloid nanoparticles coated with the organic shell, containing either SO 3 - or NH 2 + groups, were prepared using the aqueous phase synthesis. The multilayer films of CdS (or ZnS) were deposited onto glass, quartz and silicon substrates using the technique of electrostatic self-assembly. The films produced were characterized with UV-vis spectroscopy, spectroscopic ellipsometry and atomic force microscopy. A substantial blue shift of the main absorption band with respect to the bulk materials was found for both CdS and ZnS films. The Efros equation in the effective mass approximation (EMA) theoretical model allowed the evaluation of the nanoparticle radius of 1.8 nm, which corresponds well to the ellipsometry results. AFM shows the formation of larger aggregates of nanoparticles on solid surfaces

Gold-coated iron nanoparticles in transparent Si3N4 matrix thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez-Marcos, J.; Céspedes, E.; Jiménez-Villacorta, F.; Muñoz-Martín, A.; Prieto, C.

2013-06-01

A new method to prepare thin films containing gold-coated iron nanoparticles is presented. The ternary Fe-Au-Si3N4 system prepared by sequential sputtering has revealed a progressive variation of microstructures from Au/Fe/Au/Si3N4 multilayers to iron nanoparticles. Microstructural characterization by transmission electron microscopy, analysis of the magnetic properties and probing of the iron short-range order by X-ray absorption spectroscopy confirm the existence of a gold-coated iron nanoparticles of 1-2 nm typical size for a specific range of iron and gold contents per layer in the transparent silicon nitride ceramic matrix.

Synchronous determination of mercury (II) and copper (II) based on quantum dots-multilayer film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Qiang; Ha Enna; Yang Fengping; Su Xingguang

2011-01-01

Graphical abstract: We developed a sensitive sensor for synchronous detection of Hg (II) and Cu (II) based on the quenchedand recovered PL intensity of QDs-multilayer films. Solutions containing Hg (II) or Cu (II) were used to quench the fluorescence of the QDs-multilayer films firstly. Then, glutathione (GSH) was used to remove Hg (II) or Cu (II) from the QDs-multilayer films due to stronger affinity of GSH-metal ions than that of QDs metal ions. Thus, the fluorescence of QDs-multilayer films was recovered. Highlights: → QDs-multilayer films were developed for synchronous detection of Hg (II) and Cu (II). → Hg (II) and Cu (II) could quench the photoluminescence of the QDs-multilayer films. → Glutathione was used to remove metal ions and recovery photoluminescence of QDs-multilayer films. - Abstract: A sensitive sensor for mercury (II) and copper (II) synchronous detection was established via the changed photoluminescence of CdTe quantum dots (QDs) multilayer films in this work. QDs were deposited on the quartz slides to form QDs-multilayer films by electrostatic interactions with poly(dimethyldiallyl ammonium chloride) (PDDA). Hg 2+ or Cu 2+ could quench the photoluminescence of the QDs-multilayer films, and glutathione (GSH) was used to remove Hg 2+ or Cu 2+ from QDs-multilayer films due to strong affinity of GSH-metal ions, which resulted in the recovered photoluminescence of QDs-multilayer films. There are good linear relationships between the metal ions concentration and the photoluminescence intensity of QDs in the quenched and recovered process. It was found that the Stern-Volmer constants for Hg 2+ are higher than that for Cu 2+ . Based on different quenching and recovery constant between Hg 2+ and Cu 2+ , the synchronous detection of Hg 2+ and Cu 2+ can be achieved. The linear ranges of this assay were obtained from 0.005 to 0.5 μM for Hg 2+ and from 0.01 to 1 μM for Cu 2+ , respectively. And the artificial water samples were determined by this

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.

Construction of conductive multilayer films of biogenic triangular gold nanoparticles and their application in chemical vapour sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Amit; Chaudhari, Minakshi; Sastry, Murali

2006-05-01

Metal nanoparticles are interesting building blocks for realizing films for a number of applications that include bio- and chemical sensing. To date, spherical metal nanoparticles have been used to generate functional electrical coatings. In this paper we demonstrate the synthesis of electrically conductive coatings using biologically prepared gold nanotriangles as the building blocks. The gold nanotriangles are prepared by the reduction of aqueous chloroaurate ions using an extract of the lemongrass plant (Cymbopogon flexuosus) which are thereafter assembled onto a variety of substrates by simple solution casting. The conductivity of the film shows a drastic fall upon mild heat treatment, leading to the formation of electrically conductive thin films of nanoparticles. We have also investigated the possibility of using the gold nanotriangle films in vapour sensing. A large fall in film resistance is observed upon exposure to polar molecules such as methanol, while little change occurs upon exposure to weakly polar molecules such as chloroform.

Multilayer thin films: sequential assembly of nanocomposite materials

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Decher, Gero; Schlenoff, Joseph B

2003-01-01

... polymeric or nanoparticulate building blocks, understanding the polymer physical chemistry of multilayers, or characterizing their optical, electrical or biological activities. The reasons for the intense interest in the field are also clearly evident: multilayers bridge the gap between monolayers and spun-on or dip-coated films, ...

Decomposition of multilayer benzene and n-hexane films on vanadium.

Science.gov (United States)

Souda, Ryutaro

2015-09-21

Reactions of multilayer hydrocarbon films with a polycrystalline V substrate have been investigated using temperature-programmed desorption and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. Most of the benzene molecules were dissociated on V, as evidenced by the strong depression in the thermal desorption yields of physisorbed species at 150 K. The reaction products dehydrogenated gradually after the multilayer film disappeared from the surface. Large amount of oxygen was needed to passivate the benzene decomposition on V. These behaviors indicate that the subsurface sites of V play a role in multilayer benzene decomposition. Decomposition of the n-hexane multilayer films is manifested by the desorption of methane at 105 K and gradual hydrogen desorption starting at this temperature, indicating that C-C bond scission precedes C-H bond cleavage. The n-hexane dissociation temperature is considerably lower than the thermal desorption temperature of the physisorbed species (140 K). The n-hexane multilayer morphology changes at the decomposition temperature, suggesting that a liquid-like phase formed after crystallization plays a role in the low-temperature decomposition of n-hexane.

Characterization of casein and poly-l-arginine multilayer films

Science.gov (United States)

Szyk-Warszyńska, Lilianna; Kilan, Katarzyna; Socha, Robert P.

2014-06-01

Thin films containing casein appear to be a promising material for coatings used in the medical area to promote biomineralization. alfa- and beta-casein and poly-L-arginine multilayer films were formed by the layer-by layer technique and their thickness and mass were analyzed by ellipsometry and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). We investigated the effect of the type of casein used for the film formation and of the polyethyleneimine anchoring layer on the thickness and mass of adsorbed films. The analysis of the mass of films during their post-treatment with the solutions of various ionic strength and pH provided the information concerning films stability, while the XPS elemental analysis confirmed binding of calcium ions by the casein embedded in the multilayers.

Simultaneous measurements of top surface and its underlying film surfaces in multilayer film structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghim, Young-Sik; Rhee, Hyug-Gyo; Davies, Angela

2017-09-19

With the growth of 3D packaging technology and the development of flexible, transparent electrodes, the use of multilayer thin-films is steadily increasing throughout high-tech industries including semiconductor, flat panel display, and solar photovoltaic industries. Also, this in turn leads to an increase in industrial demands for inspection of internal analysis. However, there still remain many technical limitations to overcome for measurement of the internal structure of the specimen without damage. In this paper, we propose an innovative optical inspection technique for simultaneous measurements of the surface and film thickness corresponding to each layer of multilayer film structures by computing the phase and reflectance over a wide range of wavelengths. For verification of our proposed method, the sample specimen of multilayer films was fabricated via photolithography process, and the surface profile and film thickness of each layer were measured by two different techniques of a stylus profilometer and an ellipsometer, respectively. Comparison results shows that our proposed technique enables simultaneous measurements of the top surface and its underlying film surfaces with high precision, which could not be measured by conventional non-destructive methods.

Alternating stacking of ferromagnetic nanosheet and nanoparticle films: heteroassembly and magneto-optical Kerr effect

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jia, Baoping, E-mail: baoping.jia@cczu.edu.cn [Changzhou University, School of Materials Science and Engineering (China); Zhang, Wei, E-mail: wei.zhang@unisa.edu.au [University of Tokyo, Department of Urban Engineering (Japan); Liu, Hui [Central South University, School of Metallurgy and Environment, National Engineering Research Center for Control & Treatment of Heavy Metal Pollution (China); Lin, Bencai; Ding, Jianning [Changzhou University, School of Materials Science and Engineering (China)

2016-09-15

Heterostructured multilayer films of two different nanocrystals have been successfully fabricated by layer-by-layer stacking of Ti{sub 0.8}Co{sub 0.2}O{sub 2} nanosheet and Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticle films. UV–Vis spectroscopy and AFM observation confirmed the successful alternating deposition in the multilayer buildup process. The average thickness of both Ti{sub 0.8}Co{sub 0.2}O{sub 2} nanosheet and Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticle layers was determined to be about 1.4–1.7 and 5 nm, which was in good agreement with TEM results. Magneto-optical Kerr effect measurements demonstrated that the heteroassemblies exhibit gigantic magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) (2 × 10{sup 4} deg/cm) at 320–360 nm, deriving from strong interlayer [Co{sup 2+}]t{sub 2g}–[Fe{sup 3+}]e{sub g} d–d charge transfer which was further confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Their structure-dependent MCD showed high potential in rational design and construction of high-efficiency magneto-optical devices.

Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembled Ferrite Multilayer Nanofilms for Microwave Absorption

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiwoong Heo

2015-01-01

Full Text Available We demonstrate a simple method for fabricating multilayer thin films containing ferrite (Co0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles, using layer-by-layer (LbL self-assembly. These films have microwave absorbing properties for possible radar absorbing and stealth applications. To demonstrate incorporation of inorganic ferrite nanoparticles into an electrostatic-interaction-based LbL self-assembly, we fabricated two types of films: (1 a blended three-component LbL film consisting of a sequential poly(acrylic acid/oleic acid-ferrite blend layer and a poly(allylamine hydrochloride layer and (2 a tetralayer LbL film consisting of sequential poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride, poly(sodium-4-sulfonate, bPEI-ferrite, and poly(sodium-4-sulfonate layers. We compared surface morphologies, thicknesses, and packing density of the two types of ferrite multilayer film. Ferrite nanoparticles (Co0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 were prepared via a coprecipitation method from an aqueous precursor solution. The structure and composition of the ferrite nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction patterns of ferrite nanoparticles indicated a cubic spinel structure, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed their composition. Thickness growth and surface morphology were measured using a profilometer, atomic force microscope, and scanning electron microscope.

Host thin films incorporating nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Qureshi, Uzma

The focus of this research project was the investigation of the functional properties of thin films that incorporate a secondary nanoparticulate phase. In particular to assess if the secondary nanoparticulate material enhanced a functional property of the coating on glass. In order to achieve this, new thin film deposition methods were developed, namely use of nanopowder precursors, an aerosol assisted transport technique and an aerosol into atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition system. Aerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition (AACVD) was used to deposit 8 series of thin films on glass. Five different nanoparticles silver, gold, ceria, tungsten oxide and zinc oxide were tested and shown to successfully deposit thin films incorporating nanoparticles within a host matrix. Silver nanoparticles were synthesised and doped within a titania film by AACVD. This improved solar control properties. A unique aerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition (AACVD) into atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition (APCVD) system was used to deposit films of Au nanoparticles and thin films of gold nanoparticles incorporated within a host titania matrix. Incorporation of high refractive index contrast metal oxide particles within a host film altered the film colour. The key goal was to test the potential of nanopowder forms and transfer the suspended nanopowder via an aerosol to a substrate in order to deposit a thin film. Discrete tungsten oxide nanoparticles or ceria nanoparticles within a titanium dioxide thin film enhanced the self-cleaning and photo-induced super-hydrophilicity. The nanopowder precursor study was extended by deposition of zinc oxide thin films incorporating Au nanoparticles and also ZnO films deposited from a ZnO nanopowder precursor. Incorporation of Au nanoparticles within a VO: host matrix improved the thermochromic response, optical and colour properties. Composite VC/TiC and Au nanoparticle/V02/Ti02 thin films displayed three useful

The microstructure and mechanical properties of multilayer diamond-like carbon films with different modulation ratios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Zhaoying; Zheng, Y.J.; Jiang, F.; Leng, Y.X.; Sun Hong; Huang Nan

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► The multilayer DLC films with different modulation ratios have been fabricated by FCVA. ► The multilayer DLC films can effectively decrease the residual stress of the DLC films. ► The multilayer DLC film with modulation ratio of 1:1 shows the best wear resistance. - Abstract: The multilayer DLC films consisting of sp 2 -rich DLC layers (soft DLC) and sp 3 -rich DLC layers (hard DLC) with different modulation ratios (thickness ratio of the hard DLC to soft DLC) ranging from 2:1, 1:1 to 1:2 had been deposited on Si (1 0 0) wafer and Ti–6Al–4V alloy substrates by filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) deposition. The effect of modulation ratio on the microstructure and properties of the multilayer DLC films including sp 3 content, residual stress, mechanical properties, adhesion strength and wear resistance were studied by Raman spectroscopy, profilometry technique, nanoindenter, Vickers indentation test, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and ball-on-disc reciprocating friction test. The results showed that the sp 3 content and the hardness of the multilayer DLC films decreased with modulation ratios decreasing. The stress of the multilayer DLC films could be effectively reduced and the stress decreased with the modulation ratio decreasing. The multilayer DLC film with modulation ratio of 1:1 had the best wear resistance due to a balance between hardness and residual stress.

Optical Properties of Plasmon Resonances with Ag/SiO2/Ag Multi-Layer Composite Nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ye-Wan, Ma; Li-Hua, Zhang; Zhao-Wang, Wu; Jie, Zhang

2010-01-01

Optical properties of plasmon resonance with Ag/SiO 2 /Ag multi-layer nanoparticles are studied by numerical simulation based on Green's function theory. The results show that compared with single-layer Ag nanoparticles, the multi-layer nanoparticles exhibit several distinctive optical properties, e.g. with increasing the numbers of the multi-layer nanoparticles, the scattering efficiency red shifts, and the intensity of scattering enhances accordingly. It is interesting to find out that slicing an Ag-layer into multi-layers leads to stronger scattering intensity and more 'hot spots' or regions of stronger field enhancement. This property of plasmon resonance of surface Raman scattering has greatly broadened the application scope of Raman spectroscopy. The study of metal surface plasmon resonance characteristics is critical to the further understanding of surface enhanced Raman scattering as well as its applications. (fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications))

Nanoscale Heterogeneity of Multilayered Si Anodes with Embedded Nanoparticle Scaffolds for Li-Ion Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Haro, Marta; Singh, Vidyadhar; Steinhauer, Stephan; Toulkeridou, Evropi; Grammatikopoulos, Panagiotis; Sowwan, Mukhles

2017-10-01

A new approach on the synthesis of Si anodes for Li-ion batteries is reported, combining advantages of both nanoparticulated and continuous Si films. A multilayered configuration prototype is proposed, comprising amorphous Si arranged in nanostructured, mechanically heterogeneous films, interspersed with Ta nanoparticle scaffolds. Particular structural features such as increased surface roughness, nanogranularity, and porosity are dictated by the nanoparticle scaffolds, boosting the lithiation process due to fast Li diffusion and low electrode polarization. Consequently, a remarkable charge/discharge speed is reached with the proposed anode, in the order of minutes (1200 mAh g -1 at 10 C). Moreover, nanomechanical heterogeneity self-limits the capacity at intermediate charge/discharge rates; as a consequence, exceptional cycleability is observed at 0.5 C, with 100% retention over 200 cycles with 700 mAh g -1 . Higher capacity can be obtained when the first cycles are performed at 0.2 C, due to the formation of microislands, which facilitate the swelling of the active Si. This study indicates a method to tune the mechanical, morphological, and electrochemical properties of Si electrodes via engineering nanoparticle scaffolds, paving the way for a novel design of nanostructured Si electrodes for high-performance energy storage devices.

Synthesis and characterization of Cu–Al–Ni shape memory alloy multilayer thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gómez-Cortés, J.F.; San Juan, J.; López, G.A.; Nó, M.L.

2013-01-01

Among active materials, shape memory alloys are well recognized for their work output density. Because of that, these alloys have attracted much attention to be used in micro/nano electromechanical systems. In the present work, the electron beam evaporation technique has been used to growth, by a multilayer method, two shape memory alloy thin films with different Cu–Al–Ni composition. Multilayers have been further thermally treated to produce the alloys by solid solution diffusion. The produced multilayers have been characterized and the presence of the martensite phase in the obtained thin films was studied. Furthermore, the influence of two different coatings onto the Si substrates, namely Si/SiO 2 and Si/Si 3 N 4 , was investigated. Mechanically stable, not detaching from the substrates, Cu–Al–Ni shape memory alloy thin films, about 1 micrometre thick, showing a martensitic transformation have been produced. - Highlights: ► Multilayer thin films of Cu–Al–Ni shape memory alloys produced by e-beam evaporation. ► SiN X 200 nm thick coating is good for high quality Cu–Al–Ni shape memory thin films. ► Thermal treatment renders Cu–Al–Ni multilayer in homogeneous martensite thin film

Optical nonlinearities in Ag/BaTiO{sub 3} multi-layer nanocomposite films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang Guang [Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics and School of Optoelectronics Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China)], E-mail: gyang@hust.edu.cn; Zhou Youhua [Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics and School of Optoelectronics Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China); School of Physics and Information Engineering, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056 (China); Long Hua; Li Yuhua; Yang Yifa [Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics and School of Optoelectronics Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China)

2007-07-31

The multi-layer structure of barium titanate composite thin films containing Ag nanoparticles were grown on MgO (100) substrates using pulsed laser deposition technique under the nitrogen pressure of 7.4 Pa. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicated that the samples were composed of metal Ag embedded in the BaTiO{sub 3} matrices. The optical absorption properties were measured from 300 nm to 800 nm, and the absorption peaks due to the surface plasmon resonance of Ag particles were observed. With the increasing of Ag concentration in composite films, the peak absorption increased and shifted to longer wavelength (red-shift). Furthermore, the third-order optical nonlinearities of the films were determined by z-scan method and the nonlinear refractive index, n{sub 2}, and nonlinear absorption coefficient, {beta}, were determined to be about - 1.91 x 10{sup -13} m{sup 2}/W and - 5.80 x 10{sup -7} m/W, respectively.

Synthesis and properties of chemical bath deposited ZnS multilayer films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamoun Allouche, N.; Ben Nasr, T.; Turki Kamoun, N.; Guasch, C.

2010-01-01

Zinc sulphide multilayer films are prepared by chemical bath deposition from different host solutions. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy are used to characterize the structural properties of the films. The surface composition of the films is studied by Auger electrons spectroscopy, and optical properties are studied by spectrophotometric measurements. X-ray diffraction patterns reveal distinct single crystalline phase with preferential orientation along the (1 1 1) plane of the zinc blende structure for the ZnS multilayer. The spacing between (1 1 1) planes of ZnS is well matched to the spacing between (1 1 2) planes of the chalcopyrite CuInS 2 . After heat treatment all films show a near stoichiometric surface composition as indicated in their AES data. UV-vis measurements show that ZnS multilayer films prepared from the zinc sulphate solution have more than 70% transmission in the wavelengths above 350 nm and an optical band gap of about 3.76 eV.

Ferroelectric properties of PZT/BFO multilayer thin films prepared using the sol-gel method.

Science.gov (United States)

Jo, Seo-Hyeon; Lee, Sung-Gap; Lee, Young-Hie

2012-01-05

In this study, Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3/BiFeO3 [PZT/BFO] multilayer thin films were fabricated using the spin-coating method on a Pt(200 nm)/Ti(10 nm)/SiO2(100 nm)/p-Si(100) substrate alternately using BFO and PZT metal alkoxide solutions. The coating-and-heating procedure was repeated several times to form the multilayer thin films. All PZT/BFO multilayer thin films show a void-free, uniform grain structure without the presence of rosette structures. The relative dielectric constant and dielectric loss of the six-coated PZT/BFO [PZT/BFO-6] thin film were approximately 405 and 0.03%, respectively. As the number of coatings increased, the remanent polarization and coercive field increased. The values for the BFO-6 multilayer thin film were 41.3 C/cm2 and 15.1 MV/cm, respectively. The leakage current density of the BFO-6 multilayer thin film at 5 V was 2.52 × 10-7 A/cm2.

Characterizations of multilayer ZnO thin films deposited by sol-gel spin coating technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.I. Khan

Full Text Available In this work, zinc oxide (ZnO multilayer thin films are deposited on glass substrate using sol-gel spin coating technique and the effect of these multilayer films on optical, electrical and structural properties are investigated. It is observed that these multilayer films have great impact on the properties of ZnO. X-ray Diffraction (XRD confirms that ZnO has hexagonal wurtzite structure. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM showed the crack-free films which have uniformly distributed grains structures. Both micro and nano particles of ZnO are present on thin films. Four point probe measured the electrical properties showed the decreasing trend between the average resistivity and the number of layers. The optical absorption spectra measured using UV–Vis. showed the average transmittance in the visible region of all films is 80% which is good for solar spectra. The performance of the multilayer as transparent conducting material is better than the single layer of ZnO. This work provides a low cost, environment friendly and well abandoned material for solar cells applications. Keywords: Multilayer films, Semiconductor, ZnO, XRD, SEM, Optoelectronic properties

Gallic Acid as an Oxygen Scavenger in Bio-Based Multilayer Packaging Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Pant, Astrid F; Sängerlaub, Sven; Müller, Kajetan

2017-05-03

Oxygen scavengers are used in food packaging to protect oxygen-sensitive food products. A mixture of gallic acid (GA) and sodium carbonate was used as an oxygen scavenger (OSc) in bio-based multilayer packaging films produced in a three-step process: compounding, flat film extrusion, and lamination. We investigated the film surface color as well as oxygen absorption at different relative humidities (RHs) and temperatures, and compared the oxygen absorption of OSc powder, monolayer films, and multilayer films. The films were initially brownish-red in color but changed to greenish-black during oxygen absorption under humid conditions. We observed a maximum absorption capacity of 447 mg O₂/g GA at 21 °C and 100% RH. The incorporation of GA into a polymer matrix reduced the rate of oxygen absorption compared to the GA powder because the polymer acted as a barrier to oxygen and water vapor diffusion. As expected, the temperature had a significant effect on the initial absorption rate of the multilayer films; the corresponding activation energy was 75.4 kJ/mol. Higher RH significantly increased the oxygen absorption rate. These results demonstrate for the first time the production and the properties of a bio-based multilayer packaging film with GA as the oxygen scavenger. Potential applications include the packaging of food products with high water activity (a w > 0.86).

Dual-bath electrodeposition of n-type Bi–Te/Bi–Se multilayer thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsuoka, Ken; Okuhata, Mitsuaki; Takashiri, Masayuki, E-mail: takashiri@tokai-u.jp

2015-11-15

N-type Bi–Te/Bi–Se multilayer thin films were prepared by dual-bath electrodeposition. We varied the number of layers from 2 to 10 while the total film thickness was maintained at approximately 1 μm. All the multilayer films displayed the X-ray diffraction peaks normally observed from individual Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} and Bi{sub 2}Se{sub 3} crystal structures, indicating that both phases coexist in the multilayer. The cross-section of the 10-layer Bi–Te/Bi–Se film was composed of stacked layers with nano-sized grains but the boundaries between the layers were not planar. The Seebeck coefficient was almost constant throughout the entire range of our experiment, but the electrical conductivity of the multilayer thin films increased significantly as the number of layers was increased. This may be because the electron mobility increases as the thickness of each layer is decreased. As a result of the increased electrical conductivity, the power factor also increased with the number of layers. The maximum power factor was 1.44 μW/(cm K{sup 2}) for the 10-layer Bi–Te/Bi–Se film, this was approximately 3 times higher than that of the 2-layer sample. - Highlights: • N-type Bi–Te/Bi–Se multilayer thin films were deposited by electrodeposition. • We employed a dual-bath electrodeposition process for preparing the multilayers. • The Bi–Te/Bi–Se film was composed of stacked layers with nano-sized grains. • The electrical conductivity increased as the number of layers was increased. • The power factor improved by 3 times as the number of layers was increased.

Synthesis and characterization of Cu–Al–Ni shape memory alloy multilayer thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gómez-Cortés, J.F. [Dpt. Física Materia Condensada, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco, Apdo. 644, 48080 Bilbao (Spain); San Juan, J., E-mail: jose.sanjuan@ehu.es [Dpt. Física Materia Condensada, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco, Apdo. 644, 48080 Bilbao (Spain); López, G.A.; Nó, M.L. [Dpt. Física Aplicada II, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco, Apdo. 644, 48080 Bilbao (Spain)

2013-10-01

Among active materials, shape memory alloys are well recognized for their work output density. Because of that, these alloys have attracted much attention to be used in micro/nano electromechanical systems. In the present work, the electron beam evaporation technique has been used to growth, by a multilayer method, two shape memory alloy thin films with different Cu–Al–Ni composition. Multilayers have been further thermally treated to produce the alloys by solid solution diffusion. The produced multilayers have been characterized and the presence of the martensite phase in the obtained thin films was studied. Furthermore, the influence of two different coatings onto the Si substrates, namely Si/SiO{sub 2} and Si/Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}, was investigated. Mechanically stable, not detaching from the substrates, Cu–Al–Ni shape memory alloy thin films, about 1 micrometre thick, showing a martensitic transformation have been produced. - Highlights: ► Multilayer thin films of Cu–Al–Ni shape memory alloys produced by e-beam evaporation. ► SiN{sub X} 200 nm thick coating is good for high quality Cu–Al–Ni shape memory thin films. ► Thermal treatment renders Cu–Al–Ni multilayer in homogeneous martensite thin film.

Transport, mechanical and global migration data of multilayer copolyamide nanocomposite films with different layouts.

Science.gov (United States)

Scarfato, P; Garofalo, E; Di Maio, L; Incarnato, L

2017-06-01

Transport, mechanical and global migration data concern multilayer food packaging films with different layouts, all incorporating a layered silicate/polyamide nanocomposite as oxygen barrier layer, and a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) as moisture resistant layer in direct contact with food. The data are related to "Tuning of co-extrusion processing conditions and film layout to optimize the performances of PA/PE multilayer nanocomposite films for food packaging" by Garofalo et al. (2017) [1]. Nanocomposite multilayer films, with different relative layer thicknesses and clay types, were produced using a laboratory scale co-extrusion blown-film equipment and were analyzed in terms of transport to oxygen and water vapor, mechanical properties and overall migration. The results have shown that all the multilayer hybrid films, based on the copolyamide layer filled with Cloisite 30B, displayed the most significant oxygen barrier improvements and the best mechanical properties compared to the unfilled films. No significant alteration of the overall migration values was observed, as expectable [2], [3], [4]. The performance improvement was more relevant in the case of the film with the thinner nanocomposite layer.

Covalentely Attached Multilayer Films Comprising Phthalocyanine and Their Photoelectron Conversion Properties

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

ZANG Mao-feng; YAO Qiao-hong; YANG Zhao-hui; HUANG Chun-hui; CAO Wei-xiao

2004-01-01

The photosensitive multilayer films from sulfonated metal-free, sulfonated copper-, and sulfonated nickel-phthalocyanines were fabricated with diazoresin layer by layer on a substrate via electrostatic interaction by the self-assembly technique. Under UV irradiation, the linkage nature between the layers of the film is converted from the electrostatic bonding to covalent bonding. The covalently attached multilayer films are very stable towards polar solvents and salt aqueous solutions. The photovoltaic properties of the covalently attached film can be determined by means of a traditional three-electrode photoelectrochemical cell in aqueous solutions with KCl as the supporting electrolyte. The photocurrent determination has shown that the sulfonated copper-containing phthalocyanine films possess a higher photocurrent value than sulfonated metalfree and sulfonated nickel-containing phthalocyanine films.

Effect of antiferromagnetic interfacial coupling on spin-wave resonance frequency of multi-layer film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qiu, Rong-ke, E-mail: rkqiu@163.com; Cai, Wei

2017-08-15

Highlights: • A quantum approach is developed to study the SWR of a bicomponent multi-layer films. • The comparison of the SWR in films with FM and AFM interfacial coupling has been made. • The present results show the method to enhance and adjust the SWR frequency of films. - Abstract: We investigate the spin-wave resonance (SWR) frequency in a bicomponent bilayer and triple-layer films with antiferromagnetic or ferromagnetic interfacial couplings, as function of interfacial coupling, surface anisotropy, interface anisotropy, thickness and external magnetic field, using the linear spin-wave approximation and Green’s function technique. The microwave properties for multi-layer magnetic film with antiferromagnetic interfacial coupling is different from those for multi-layer magnetic film with ferromagnetic interfacial coupling. For the bilayer film with antiferromagnetic interfacial couplings, as the lower (upper) surface anisotropy increases, only the SWR frequencies of the odd (even) number modes increase. The lower (upper) surface anisotropy does not affect the SWR frequencies of the even (odd) number modes{sub .} For the multi-layer film with antiferromagnetic interfacial coupling, the SWR frequency of modes m = 1, 3 and 4 decreases while that of mode m = 2 increases with increasing thickness of the film within a proper parameter region. The present results could be useful in enhancing our fundamental understanding and show the method to enhance and adjust the SWR frequency of bicomponent multi-layer magnetic films with antiferromagnetic or ferromagnetic interfacial coupling.

Formation and enzymatic degradation of poly-l-arginine/fucoidan multilayer films.

Science.gov (United States)

Webber, Jessie L; Benbow, Natalie L; Krasowska, Marta; Beattie, David A

2017-11-01

A polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) system based on biopolymers has been constructed and studied in its formation and enzymatic breakdown. The multilayer is composed of fucoidan (a proven antimicrobial/anti-inflammatory seaweed-based polysaccharide) and poly-l-arginine (a polypeptide that can be readily degraded with trypsin to yield arginine, a known NO donor), thus making the multilayer a potential dual action surface treatment for wound dressings. Studies on the formation of the multilayer revealed that the film built-up in the expected stepwise manner with consistent reversal of the zeta potential upon the adsorption of each subsequent polyion. The completed film (8 bilayers) was seen to have low hydration (30% water), as determined by H 2 O/D 2 O solvent replacement studies using the quartz crystal microbalance, with an adsorbed mass (without hydration water) of approx. 4.8μgcm -2 , as determined by quantitative attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR FTIR) spectroscopy. The enzymatic breakdown of the film in response to exposure to trypsin was also investigated, and the film was seen to release both polymers over time, with a projected complete film removal period of approximately 24h. Critically, this information was determined using ATR FTIR spectroscopy experiments, which allowed unambiguous deconvolution of the removal rates of the two polyions, which is information that cannot be obtained from other methodologies used to study enzymatic breakdown of surface films. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gold-coated iron nanoparticles in transparent Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} matrix thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanchez-Marcos, J. [Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (Spain); Cespedes, E. [Keele University, Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine, Guy Hilton Research Centre (United Kingdom); Jimenez-Villacorta, F. [Northeastern University, Department of Chemical Engineering (United States); Munoz-Martin, A. [Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Centro de Microanalisis de Materiales (Spain); Prieto, C., E-mail: cprieto@icmm.csic.es [Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (Spain)

2013-06-15

A new method to prepare thin films containing gold-coated iron nanoparticles is presented. The ternary Fe-Au-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} system prepared by sequential sputtering has revealed a progressive variation of microstructures from Au/Fe/Au/Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} multilayers to iron nanoparticles. Microstructural characterization by transmission electron microscopy, analysis of the magnetic properties and probing of the iron short-range order by X-ray absorption spectroscopy confirm the existence of a gold-coated iron nanoparticles of 1-2 nm typical size for a specific range of iron and gold contents per layer in the transparent silicon nitride ceramic matrix.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2013-03-01

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

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

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2013-01-01

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

Nanomechanical Behavior of High Gas Barrier Multilayer Thin Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Humood, Mohammad; Chowdhury, Shahla; Song, Yixuan; Tzeng, Ping; Grunlan, Jaime C; Polycarpou, Andreas A

2016-05-04

Nanoindentation and nanoscratch experiments were performed on thin multilayer films manufactured using the layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly technique. These films are known to exhibit high gas barrier, but little is known about their durability, which is an important feature for various packaging applications (e.g., food and electronics). Films were prepared from bilayer and quadlayer sequences, with varying thickness and composition. In an effort to evaluate multilayer thin film surface and mechanical properties, and their resistance to failure and wear, a comprehensive range of experiments were conducted: low and high load indentation, low and high load scratch. Some of the thin films were found to have exceptional mechanical behavior and exhibit excellent scratch resistance. Specifically, nanobrick wall structures, comprising montmorillonite (MMT) clay and polyethylenimine (PEI) bilayers, are the most durable coatings. PEI/MMT films exhibit high hardness, large elastic modulus, high elastic recovery, low friction, low scratch depth, and a smooth surface. When combined with the low oxygen permeability and high optical transmission of these thin films, these excellent mechanical properties make them good candidates for hard coating surface-sensitive substrates, where polymers are required to sustain long-term surface aesthetics and quality.

Preparation of multi-layer film consisting of hydrogen-free DLC and nitrogen-containing DLC for conductive hard coating

Science.gov (United States)

Iijima, Yushi; Harigai, Toru; Isono, Ryo; Degai, Satoshi; Tanimoto, Tsuyoshi; Suda, Yoshiyuki; Takikawa, Hirofumi; Yasui, Haruyuki; Kaneko, Satoru; Kunitsugu, Shinsuke; Kamiya, Masao; Taki, Makoto

2018-01-01

Conductive hard-coating films have potential application as protective films for contact pins used in the electrical inspection process for integrated circuit chips. In this study, multi-layer diamond-like carbon (DLC) films were prepared as conductive hard-coating films. The multi-layer DLC films consisting of DLC and nitrogen-containing DLC (N-DLC) film were prepared using a T-shape filtered arc deposition method. Periodic DLC/N-DLC four-layer and eight-layer films had the same film thickness by changing the thickness of each layer. In the ball-on-disk test, the N-DLC mono-layer film showed the highest wear resistance; however, in the spherical polishing method, the eight-layer film showed the highest polishing resistance. The wear and polishing resistance and the aggressiveness against an opponent material of the multi-layer DLC films improved by reducing the thickness of a layer. In multi-layer films, the soft N-DLC layer between hard DLC layers is believed to function as a cushion. Thus, the tribological properties of the DLC films were improved by a multi-layered structure. The electrical resistivity of multi-layer DLC films was approximately half that of the DLC mono-layer film. Therefore, the periodic DLC/N-DLC eight-layer film is a good conductive hard-coating film.

Docetaxel-loaded multilayer nanoparticles with nanodroplets for cancer therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oh KS

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Keun Sang Oh,1,* Kyungim Kim,1,* Byeong Deok Yoon,1 Hye Jin Lee,1 Dal Yong Park,1 Eun-yeong Kim,1 Kiho Lee,1 Jae Hong Seo,2 Soon Hong Yuk1,2 1College of Pharmacy, Korea University, Sejong, 2Biomedical Research Center, Korea University Guro Hospital, Guro-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: A mixture of docetaxel (DTX and Solutol® HS 15 (Solutol transiently formed nanodroplets when it was suspended in an aqueous medium. However, nanodroplets that comprised DTX and Solutol showed a rapid precipitation of DTX because of their unstable characteristics in the aqueous medium. The incorporation of nanodroplets that comprised DTX and Solutol through vesicle fusion and subsequent stabilization was designed to prepare multilayer nanoparticles (NPs with a DTX-loaded Solutol nanodroplet (as template NPs core for an efficient delivery of DTX as a chemotherapeutic drug. As a result, the DTX-loaded Solutol nanodroplets (~11.7 nm were observed to have an increased average diameter (from 11.7 nm to 156.1 nm and a good stability of the hydrated NPs without precipitation of DTX by vesicle fusion and multilayered structure, respectively. Also, a long circulation of the multilayer NPs was observed, and this was due to the presence of Pluronic F-68 on the surface of the multilayer NPs. This led to an improved antitumor efficacy based on the enhanced permeation and retention effect. Therefore, this study indicated that the multilayer NPs have a considerable potential as a drug delivery system with an enhanced therapeutic efficacy by blood circulation and with low side effects. Keywords: multilayer nanoparticles, Solutol, Pluronic F-68, docetaxel, cancer therapy

Electric and ferroelectric properties of PZT/BLT multilayer films prepared by photochemical metal-organic deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Hyeong-Ho; Lee, Hong-Sub; Park, Hyung-Ho; Hill, Ross H.; Hwang, Yun Taek

2009-01-01

The electric and ferroelectric properties of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) and lanthanum-substituted bismuth titanate (BLT) multilayer films prepared using photosensitive precursors were characterized. The electric and ferroelectric properties were investigated by studying the effect of the stacking order of four ferroelectric layers of PZT or BLT in 4-PZT, PZT/2-BLT/PZT, BLT/2-PZT/BLT, and 4-BLT multilayer films. The remnant polarization values of the 4-BLT and BLT/2-PZT/BLT multilayer films were 12 and 17 μC/cm 2, respectively. Improved ferroelectric properties of the PZT/BLT multilayer films were obtained by using a PZT intermediate layer. The films which contained a BLT layer on the Pt substrate had improved leakage currents of approximately two orders of magnitude and enhanced fatigue resistances compared to the films with a PZT layer on the Pt substrate. These improvements are due to the reduced number of defects and space charges near the Pt electrodes. The PZT/BLT multilayer films prepared by photochemical metal-organic deposition (PMOD) possessed enhanced electric and ferroelectric properties, and allow direct patterning to fabricate micro-patterned systems without dry etching.

Electric and ferroelectric properties of PZT/BLT multilayer films prepared by photochemical metal-organic deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Hyeong-Ho; Lee, Hong-Sub; Park, Hyung-Ho; Hill, Ross H.; Hwang, Yun Taek

2009-01-01

The electric and ferroelectric properties of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) and lanthanum-substituted bismuth titanate (BLT) multilayer films prepared using photosensitive precursors were characterized. The electric and ferroelectric properties were investigated by studying the effect of the stacking order of four ferroelectric layers of PZT or BLT in 4-PZT, PZT/2-BLT/PZT, BLT/2-PZT/BLT, and 4-BLT multilayer films. The remnant polarization values of the 4-BLT and BLT/2-PZT/BLT multilayer films were 12 and 17 μC/cm 2 , respectively. Improved ferroelectric properties of the PZT/BLT multilayer films were obtained by using a PZT intermediate layer. The films which contained a BLT layer on the Pt substrate had improved leakage currents of approximately two orders of magnitude and enhanced fatigue resistances compared to the films with a PZT layer on the Pt substrate. These improvements are due to the reduced number of defects and space charges near the Pt electrodes. The PZT/BLT multilayer films prepared by photochemical metal-organic deposition (PMOD) possessed enhanced electric and ferroelectric properties, and allow direct patterning to fabricate micro-patterned systems without dry etching.

Study of the photophysical properties of composite film assembled of porphyrin and TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feng, X -S; Kang, S -Z; Liu, H -G; Mu, J [Shandong Univ., Jinan (China). Key Lab. for Colloid and Interface Chem. of Education Ministry

1999-09-08

In this paper, the formation, structure, and photophysical properties of functional mixed film of 5,10,15,20-tetra-4-(2-decanoic acid)phenyl porphyrin (TDPP) with TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles formed from the 2D sol-gel process of tetrabutoxyltitanium (TBT) at the air/water interface is reported. The composite multilayer films were assembled by transferring the mixed monolayer onto quartz plates. The diameter distribution and crystallinity of TiO{sub 2} particles were estimated by TEM observation and electron diffraction. The sensitization of TDPP upon TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles was confirmed by the spectral changes of UV-visible absorption and fluorescence of TDPP in the composite films. Furthermore the photosensitization greatly affected the photocatalytic activity of TiO{sub 2} particles with respect to the degradation of methylene blue (MO). (orig.)

Metal–organic coordinated multilayer film formation: Quantitative analysis of composition and structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Benson, Alexandra S.; Elinski, Meagan B.; Ohnsorg, Monica L.; Beaudoin, Christopher K.; Alexander, Kyle A.; Peaslee, Graham F.; DeYoung, Paul A.; Anderson, Mary E., E-mail: meanderson@hope.edu

2015-09-01

Metal–organic coordinated multilayers are self-assembled thin films fabricated by alternating solution–phase deposition of bifunctional organic molecules and metal ions. The multilayer film composed of α,ω-mercaptoalkanoic acid and Cu (II) has been the focus of fundamental and applied research with its robust reproducibility and seemingly simple hierarchical architecture. However, internal structure and composition have not been unambiguously established. The composition of films up to thirty layers thick was investigated using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and particle induced X-ray emission. Findings show these films are copper enriched, elucidating a 2:1 ratio for the ion to molecule complexation at the metal–organic interface. Results also reveal that these films have an average layer density similar to literature values established for a self-assembled monolayer, indicating a robust and stable structure. The surface structures of multilayer films have been characterized by contact angle goniometry, ellipsometry, and scanning probe microscopy. A morphological transition is observed as film thickness increases from the first few foundational layers to films containing five or more layers. Surface roughness analysis quantifies this evolution as the film initially increases in roughness before obtaining a lower roughness comparable to the underlying gold substrate. Quantitative analysis of topographical structure and internal composition for metal–organic coordinated multilayers as a function of number of deposited layers has implications for their incorporation in the fields of photonics and nanolithography. - Highlights: • Layer-by-layer deposition is examined by scanning probe microscopy and ion beam analysis. • Film growth undergoes morphological evolution during foundational layer deposition. • Image analysis quantified surface features such as roughness, grain size, and coverage. • Molecular density of each film layer is found to

Nanostructured titanium/diamond-like carbon multilayer films: deposition, characterization, and applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Dwivedi, Neeraj; Kumar, Sushil; Malik, Hitendra K

2011-11-01

Titanium/diamond-like carbon multilayer (TDML) films were deposited using a hybrid system combining radio frequency (RF)-sputtering and RF-plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) techniques under a varied number of Ti/diamond-like carbon (DLC) bilayers from 1 to 4, at high base pressure of 1 × 10(-3) Torr. The multilayer approach was used to create unique structures such as nanospheres and nanorods in TDML films, which is confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis and explained by a hypothetical model. Surface composition was evaluated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), whereas energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometer (ToF-SIMS) measurements were performed to investigate the bulk composition. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to evaluate the phase and crystallinity of the deposited TDML films. Residual stress in these films was found to be significantly low. These TDML films were found to have excellent nanomechanical properties with maximum hardness of 41.2 GPa. In addition, various nanomechanical parameters were calculated and correlated with each other. Owing to metallic interfacial layer of Ti in multilayer films, the optical properties, electrical properties, and photoluminescence were improved significantly. Due to versatile nanomechanical properties and biocompatibility of DLC and DLC based films, these TDML films may also find applications in biomedical science.

Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in granular multilayers of CoPd alloyed nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Vivas, L. G.; Rubín, J.; Figueroa, A. I.; Bartolomé, F.; García, L. M.; Deranlot, C.; Petroff, F.; Ruiz, L.; González-Calbet, J. M.; Pascarelli, S.; Brookes, N. B.; Wilhelm, F.; Chorro, M.; Rogalev, A.; Bartolomé, J.

2016-05-01

Co-Pd multilayers obtained by Pd capping of pre-deposited Co nanoparticles on amorphous alumina are systematically studied by means of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, extended x-ray absorption fine structure, SQUID-based magnetometry, and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism. The films are formed by CoPd alloyed nanoparticles self-organized across the layers, with the interspace between the nanoparticles filled by the non-alloyed Pd metal. The nanoparticles show atomic arrangements compatible with short-range chemical order of L 10 strucure type. The collective magnetic behavior is that of ferromagnetically coupled particles with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, irrespective of the amount of deposited Pd. For increasing temperature three magnetic phases are identified: hard ferromagnetic with strong coercive field, soft-ferromagnetic as in an amorphous asperomagnet, and superparamagnetic. Increasing the amount of Pd in the system leads to both magnetic hardness increment and higher transition temperatures. Magnetic total moments of 1.77(4) μB and 0.45(4) μB are found at Co and Pd sites, respectively, where the orbital moment of Co, 0.40(2) μB, is high, while that of Pd is negligible. The effective magnetic anisotropy is the largest in the capping metal series (Pd, Pt, W, Cu, Ag, Au), which is attributed to the interparticle interaction between de nanoparticles, in addition to the intraparticle anisotropy arising from hybridization between the 3 d -4 d bands associated to the Co and Pd chemical arrangement in a L 10 structure type.

Multilayered gold/silica nanoparticulate bilayer devices using layer-by-layer self organisation for flexible bending and pressure sensing applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shah Alam, Md. [Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology, Rajshahi 6204 (Bangladesh); Center of Excellence in Nanotechnology, Asian Institute of Technology, 12120 Pathumthani (Thailand); Mohammed, Waleed S., E-mail: waleed.m@bu.ac.th [Center of Research in Optoelectronics, Communication and Control System (BU-CROCCS), School of Engineering, Bangkok University, Pathumthani 12120 (Thailand); Dutta, Joydeep, E-mail: dutta@squ.edu.om [Center of Excellence in Nanotechnology, Asian Institute of Technology, 12120 Pathumthani (Thailand); Chair in Nanotechnology, Water Research Center, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 33, Al Khoud 123 (Oman)

2014-02-17

A pressure and bending sensor was fabricated using multilayer thin films fabricated on a flexible substrate based on layer-by-layer self-organization of 18 nm gold nanoparticles separated by a dielectric layer of 30 nm silica nanoparticles. 50, 75, and 100 gold-silica bi-layered films were deposited and the device characteristics were studied. A threshold voltage was required for electron conduction which increases from 2.4 V for 50 bi-layers to 3.3 V for 100 bi-layers. Upon bending of the device up to about 52°, the threshold voltage and slope of the I-V curves change linearly. Electrical characterization of the multilayer films was carried out under ambient conditions with different pressures and bending angles in the direct current mode. This study demonstrates that the developed multilayer thin films can be used as pressure as well as bending sensing applications.

Fabrication of graphene/polyaniline composite multilayer films by electrostatic layer-by-layer assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Cong, Jiaojiao; Chen, Yuze; Luo, Jing; Liu, Xiaoya

2014-10-01

A novel graphene/polyaniline composite multilayer film was fabricated by electrostatic interactions induced layer-by-layer self-assembly technique, using water dispersible and negatively charged chemically converted graphene (CCG) and positively charged polyaniline (PANI) as building blocks. CCG was achieved through partly reduced graphene oxide, which remained carboxyl group on its surface. The remaining carboxyl groups not only retain the dispersibility of CCG, but also allow the growth of the multilayer films via electrostatic interactions between graphene and PANI. The structure and morphology of the obtained CCG/PANI multilayer film are characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, Ultraviolet-visible absorption spectrum (UV-vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The electrochemical properties of the resulting film are studied using cyclic voltammetry (CV), which showed that the resulting CCG/PANI multilayer film kept electroactivity in neutral solution and showed outstanding cyclic stability up to 100 cycles. Furthermore, the composite film exhibited good electrocatalytic ability toward ascorbic acid (AA) with a linear response from 1×10-4 to 1.2×10-3 M with the detect limit of 5×10-6 M. This study provides a facile and effective strategy to fabricate graphene/PANI nanocomposite film with good electrochemical property, which may find potential applications in electronic devices such as electrochemical sensor.

Thermoluminescent properties of LiF:NaF multilayers thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mauricio, Claudia Lucia P.; Mauricio, Marcos H.P.; Nunes, Raul A.

1996-01-01

LiF and NaF and LiF:NaF multilayer films were grown by the assisted physical deposition method of beam evaporation. All films were grown by the assisted physical deposition method of e-beam evaporation. All films were made with a deposition rate of 10 A/s on aluminium and stainless steel substrates. Both substrates were kept at room temperature, 150 deg C and 300 deg C. The films were irradiated with 10 Gy in a 60 Co source. The thermoluminescence (TL) glow curves are similar for both substrates, with only a small dislocation in temperature of about 10 deg C. This dislocation in temperature are supposed to be related with its different thermal conductivity. The TL glow curves of films grown on aluminium substrates are more intense. TL of LiF films are similar of the TL of LiF crystals. The TL glow curves of multilayer LiF:NaF films can not be explained as a simple superposition of the glow curves of individual LiF and NaF layers. Thin layers of NaF seems not change very much the glow peaks structure of LiF films. (author)

Hardness enhancement and oxidation resistance of nanocrystalline TiN/Mo xC multilayer films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Q.; Wang, X.P.; Liang, F.J.; Wang, J.X.; Fang, Q.F.

2006-01-01

In this paper the influence of the layer's microstructure on the hardness enhancement in multilayer nanocrystalline films and the oxidation resistance are studied. The TiN/Mo x C multilayer films at different modulation period, and Mo x C and TiN monolayer films were deposited on the (0 0 1) silicon wafers and molybdenum sheets by rf and dc magnetron sputtering. The monolayer TiN films with a thickness of about 2 μm are of pure face-center cubic TiN phase, while the monolayer Mo x C films consist of two phases, one of which is body-center cubic Mo and the other is hexagonal Mo 2 C as determined by XRD. The coarse columnar grains of about 200 nm in the monolayer TiN films become much smaller or disappear in the multilayer films. The hardness enhancement of the multilayer films takes place at the modulation period of 320 nm, which can reach to 26 GPa and is much higher than the values of Mo x C and TiN monolayer films. This enhancement in hardness can be explained as the decrease in the size and/or disappearance of columnar grains in the TiN layer. The Young's modulus in the temperature range from 100 to 400 deg. C increases with decreasing modulation period. It is found that about 100 nm thick TiN films can increase largely the oxidation resistance of Mo x C films

Ballistic current transport studies of ferromagnetic multilayer films and tunnel junctions (invited)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rippard, W. H.; Perrella, A. C.; Buhrman, R. A.

2001-01-01

Three applications of ballistic electron microscopy are used to study, with nanometer-scale resolution, the magnetic and electronic properties of magnetic multilayer thin films and tunnel junctions. First, the capabilities of ballistic electron magnetic microscopy are demonstrated through an investigation of the switching behavior of continuous Ni 80 Fe 20 /Cu/Co trilayer films in the presence of an applied magnetic field. Next, the ballistic, hot-electron transport properties of Co films and multilayers formed by thermal evaporation and magnetron sputtering are compared, a comparison which reveals significant differences in the ballistic transmissivity of thin film multilayers formed by the two techniques. Finally, the electronic properties of thin aluminum oxide tunnel junctions formed by thermal evaporation and sputter deposition are investigated. Here the ballistic electron microscopy studies yield a direct measurement of the barrier height of the aluminum oxide barriers, a result that is invariant over a wide range of oxidation conditions. [copyright] 2001 American Institute of Physics

Enhancing proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of HMSCs on casein/chitosan multilayer films.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yan; Zheng, Zebin; Cao, Zhinan; Zhuang, Liangting; Xu, Yong; Liu, Xiaozhen; Xu, Yue; Gong, Yihong

2016-05-01

Creating a bioactive surface is important in tissue engineering. Inspired by the natural calcium binding property of casein (CA), multilayer films ((CA/CS)n) with chitosan (CS) as polycation were fabricated to enhance biomineralization, cell adhesion and differentiation. LBL self-assembly technique was used and the assembly process was intensively studied based on changes of UV absorbance, zeta potential and water contact angle. The increasing content of chitosan and casein with bilayers was further confirmed with XPS and TOF-SIMS analysis. To improve the biocompatibility, gelatin was surface grafted. In vitro mineralization test demonstrated that multilayer films had more hydroxyapatite crystal deposition. Human mesenchymal stem cells (HMSCs) were seeded onto these films. According to fluorescein diacetate (FDA) and cell cytoskeleton staining, MTT assay, expression of osteogenic marker genes, ALP activity, and calcium deposition quantification, it was found that these multilayer films significantly promoted HMSCs attachment, proliferation and osteogenic differentiation than TCPS control. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Epitaxial growth of "infinite layer” thin films and multilayers by rf magnetron sputtering

OpenAIRE

Fàbrega, L.; Koller, E.; Triscone, J. M.; Fischer, Ø.

2017-01-01

We report on the preparation and characterization of epitaxial ACuO2 (A = Sr, Ca, Ba) thin films and multilayers with the so- called infinite layer (IL) structure, by rf magnetron sputtering. Films and multilayers without Ba have a remarkable crystal quality, whereas those containing this large ion are often multiphased and unstable. In spite of the excellent crystalline quality of these samples, obtaining thin films having both IL structure and displaying superconducting properties has not s...

Nanomechanical investigation of thin-film electroceramic/metal-organic framework multilayers

Science.gov (United States)

Best, James P.; Michler, Johann; Liu, Jianxi; Wang, Zhengbang; Tsotsalas, Manuel; Maeder, Xavier; Röse, Silvana; Oberst, Vanessa; Liu, Jinxuan; Walheim, Stefan; Gliemann, Hartmut; Weidler, Peter G.; Redel, Engelbert; Wöll, Christof

2015-09-01

Thin-film multilayer stacks of mechanically hard magnetron sputtered indium tin oxide (ITO) and mechanically soft highly porous surface anchored metal-organic framework (SURMOF) HKUST-1 were studied using nanoindentation. Crystalline, continuous, and monolithic surface anchored MOF thin films were fabricated using a liquid-phase epitaxial growth method. Control over respective fabrication processes allowed for tuning of the thickness of the thin film systems with a high degree of precision. It was found that the mechanical indentation of such thin films is significantly affected by the substrate properties; however, elastic parameters were able to be decoupled for constituent thin-film materials (EITO ≈ 96.7 GPa, EHKUST-1 ≈ 22.0 GPa). For indentation of multilayer stacks, it was found that as the layer thicknesses were increased, while holding the relative thickness of ITO and HKUST-1 constant, the resistance to deformation was significantly altered. Such an observation is likely due to small, albeit significant, changes in film texture, interfacial roughness, size effects, and controlling deformation mechanism as a result of increasing material deposition during processing. Such effects may have consequences regarding the rational mechanical design and utilization of MOF-based hybrid thin-film devices.

Multilayered films of cobalt oxyhydroxide nanowires/manganese oxide nanosheets for electrochemical capacitor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zheng, Huajun [State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Chemistry Synthesis Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014 (China); ARC Centre of Excellence for Functional Nanomaterials, School of Chemical Engineering and AIBN, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072 (Australia); Tang, Fengqiu; Mukherji, Aniruddh; Yan, Xiaoxia; Wang, Lianzhou (Max) Lu, Gao Qing [ARC Centre of Excellence for Functional Nanomaterials, School of Chemical Engineering and AIBN, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072 (Australia); Lim, Melvin [Division of Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 639798 (Singapore)

2010-01-15

Multilayered films of cobalt oxyhydroxide nanowires (CoOOHNW) and exfoliated manganese oxide nanosheet (MONS) are fabricated by potentiostatic deposition and electrostatic self-assembly on indium-tin oxide coated glass substrates. The morphology and chemical composition of these films are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) and the potential application as electrochemical supercapacitors are investigated using cyclic voltammetry and charge-discharge measurements. These ITO/CoOOHNW/MONS multilayered film electrodes exhibit excellent electrochemical capacitance properties, including high specific capacitance (507 F g{sup -1}) and long cycling durability (less 2% capacity loss after 5000 charge/discharge cycles). These characteristics indicate that these newly developed films may find important application for electrochemical capacitors. (author)

Orientation and magnetic properties of the thick multilayered [NdFeBxTby]n films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Weifang; Suzuki, Shunji; Machida, Kenichi

2007-01-01

Multilayered [NdFeB x /Tb y ] n films were prepared by a three-demensional sputtering system. From the thickness of NdFeB layer dependence on the orientation and magnetic properties of multilayered [NdFeB (xμm)/Tb (50nm)] n films with 7.2μm as a total thickness of NdFeB layers, it was found that the orientation of NdFeB grains was maintained. However, the coercivity was enhanced with decreasing the thickness of each NdFeB thin layer. The (BH) max value of 240kJ/m 3 was obtained on the layered [NdFeB (1.2μm)/Tb (50 nm)] 6 film as an optimal value. For the multilayered [NdFeB (1.2μm)/Tb (50 nm)] n films with various multiple layer sets (n), the coercivity value increased with the film thickness without any deterioration of the c-axis texture and consequently, multilayered NdFeB/Tb film magnets with total thickness values around 70μm showed the superior magnetic properties (H cj approx. = 1360kA/m, I r approx.= 1.05T, and (BH) max approx.= 202kJ/m 3 ). (author)

The study on the electrical resistivity of Cu/V multilayer films subjected to helium (He) ion irradiation

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, P. P.; Xu, C.; Fu, E. G.; Du, J. L.; Gao, Y.; Wang, X. J.; Qiu, Y. H.

2018-05-01

Sputtering-deposited Cu/V multilayer films with the individual layer thickness varying from 2.5 nm to 100 nm were irradiated by 1 MeV helium (He) ion at the fluence of 6 ×1016 ions ·cm-2 at room temperature. The resistivity of Cu/V multilayer films after ion irradiation was evaluated as a function of individual layer thickness at 300 K and compared with their resistivity before ion irradiation. The results show that the resistivity change before and after ion irradiation is largely determined by the interface structure, grain boundary and radiation induced defects. A model amended based on the model used in describing the resistivity of as-deposited Cu/V multilayer films was proposed to describe the resistivity of ion irradiated Cu/V multilayer films by considering the point defects induced by ion irradiation, the effect of interface absorption on defects and the effect of interface microstructure in the multilayer films.

Fabrication of graphene/polyaniline composite multilayer films by electrostatic layer-by-layer assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cong, Jiaojiao; Chen, Yuze; Luo, Jing; Liu, Xiaoya

2014-01-01

A novel graphene/polyaniline composite multilayer film was fabricated by electrostatic interactions induced layer-by-layer self-assembly technique, using water dispersible and negatively charged chemically converted graphene (CCG) and positively charged polyaniline (PANI) as building blocks. CCG was achieved through partly reduced graphene oxide, which remained carboxyl group on its surface. The remaining carboxyl groups not only retain the dispersibility of CCG, but also allow the growth of the multilayer films via electrostatic interactions between graphene and PANI. The structure and morphology of the obtained CCG/PANI multilayer film are characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, Ultraviolet–visible absorption spectrum (UV–vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The electrochemical properties of the resulting film are studied using cyclic voltammetry (CV), which showed that the resulting CCG/PANI multilayer film kept electroactivity in neutral solution and showed outstanding cyclic stability up to 100 cycles. Furthermore, the composite film exhibited good electrocatalytic ability toward ascorbic acid (AA) with a linear response from 1×10 −4 to 1.2×10 −3 M with the detect limit of 5×10 −6 M. This study provides a facile and effective strategy to fabricate graphene/PANI nanocomposite film with good electrochemical property, which may find potential applications in electronic devices such as electrochemical sensor. - Graphical abstract: A novel graphene/polyaniline (CCG/PANI) film was prepared by layer-by-layer assembly. - Highlights: • A novel graphene/polyaniline (CCG/PANI) film was prepared by layer-by-layer assembly. • The water dispersible and negatively charged graphene (CCG) was used as building block. • CCG was achieved through partly reduced graphene oxide with carboxyl group on its surface. • CCG/PANI film kept electroactivity in

Effect of Ag film thickness on the optical and the electrical properties in CuAlO2/Ag/CuAlO2 multilayer films grown on glass substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Dohyun; No, Young Soo; Kim, Su Youn; Cho, Woon Jo; Kwack, Kae Dal; Kim, Tae Whan

2011-01-01

Research highlights: The CuAlO 2 /Ag/CuAlO 2 multilayer films were grown on glass substrates using radio-frequency magnetron sputtering at room temperature. Effects of Ag film thickness on the optical and the electrical properties in CuAlO 2 /Ag/CuAlO 2 multilayer films grown on glass substrates were investigated. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that the phase of the CuAlO 2 layer was amorphous. Atomic force microscopy images showed that Ag films with a thickness of a few nanometers had island structures. The morphology Ag films with a thickness of 8 nm was uniform. The morphology of the Ag films inserted in the CuAlO 2 films significantly affected the optical transmittance and the resistivity of the CuAlO 2 films deposited on glass substrates. The maximum transmittance of the CuAlO 2 /Ag/CuAlO 2 multilayer films with a thickness of 8 nm was 89.16%. The resistivity of the CuAlO 2 /Ag/CuAlO 2 multilayer films with an Ag film thickness of 18 nm was as small as about 2.8 x 10 -5 Ω cm. The resistivity of the CuAlO 2 /Ag/CuAlO 2 multilayer films was decreased as a result of the thermal annealing treatment. These results indicate that CuAlO 2 /Ag/CuAlO 2 multilayer films grown on glass substrates hold promise for potential applications as TCO films in solar cells. - Abstract: Effects of Ag film thickness on the optical and the electrical properties in CuAlO 2 /Ag/CuAlO 2 multilayer films grown on glass substrates were investigated. Atomic force microscopy images showed that Ag films with a thickness of a few nanometers had island structures. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that the phase of the CuAlO 2 layer was amorphous. The resistivity of the 40 nm-CuAlO 2 /18 nm-Ag/40 nm-CuAlO 2 multilayer films was 2.8 x 10 -5 Ω cm, and the transmittance of the multilayer films with an Ag film thickness of 8 nm was approximately 89.16%. These results indicate that CuAlO 2 /Ag/CuAlO 2 multilayer films grown on glass substrates hold promise for potential applications as

Ordering phenomena in FeCo-films and Fe/Cr-multilayers: an X-ray and neutron scattering study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nickel, B.

2001-07-01

The following topics are covered: critical phenomena in thin films, critical adsorption, finite size scaling, FeCo Ising model, kinematical scattering theory for thin films, FeCo thin films, growth and characterisation of single crystal FeCo thin films, X-ray study of ordering in FeCo films, antiferromagnetic coupling in Fe/Cr multilayers, neutron scattering on Fe/Cr multilayers (WL)

Spectroscopic ellipsometry study of FePt nanoparticle films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, S.J.; Lo, C.C.H. [Ames Laboratory, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011 (United States); Yu, A.C.C. [Sony Corporation, Sendai Technology Center, 3-4-1 Sakuragi, Miyagi 985-0842 (Japan); Fan, M. [School of Materials Science and Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332 (United States)

2006-12-15

The optical properties of a FePt nanoparticle film were investigated using spectroscopic ellipsometry. The FePt nanoparticle film of thickness about 15 nm was prepared by deposition of FePt nanoparticles directly on a Si substrate. The nanoparticle film was annealed at 600 C in vacuum for two hours before the measurements. The optical properties of the FePt nanoparticle film showed distinctively different spectra from those obtained from the bulk and thin film FePt samples, in particular in the low photon energy range (below 3.5 eV) where the nanoparticle film exhibited a relatively flat refractive index and a substantially lower extinction coefficient than the bulk and epitaxial thin film samples. (copyright 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Nanomechanical investigation of thin-film electroceramic/metal-organic framework multilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Best, James P., E-mail: james.best@empa.ch, E-mail: engelbert.redel@kit.edu, E-mail: christof.woell@kit.edu; Michler, Johann; Maeder, Xavier [Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for Mechanics of Materials and Nanostructures, Feuerwerkerstrasse 39, CH-3602 Thun (Switzerland); Liu, Jianxi; Wang, Zhengbang; Tsotsalas, Manuel; Liu, Jinxuan; Gliemann, Hartmut; Weidler, Peter G.; Redel, Engelbert, E-mail: james.best@empa.ch, E-mail: engelbert.redel@kit.edu, E-mail: christof.woell@kit.edu; Wöll, Christof, E-mail: james.best@empa.ch, E-mail: engelbert.redel@kit.edu, E-mail: christof.woell@kit.edu [Institute of Functional Interfaces (IFG), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Röse, Silvana [Preparative Macromolecular Chemistry, Institute for Chemical Technology and Polymer Chemistry (ICTP), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Engesserstrasse 18, 76128 Karlsruhe (Germany); Institute for Biological Interfaces (IBG), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Herrmann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Oberst, Vanessa [Institute of Applied Materials (IAM), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Walheim, Stefan [Institute of Nanotechnology (INT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany)

2015-09-07

Thin-film multilayer stacks of mechanically hard magnetron sputtered indium tin oxide (ITO) and mechanically soft highly porous surface anchored metal-organic framework (SURMOF) HKUST-1 were studied using nanoindentation. Crystalline, continuous, and monolithic surface anchored MOF thin films were fabricated using a liquid-phase epitaxial growth method. Control over respective fabrication processes allowed for tuning of the thickness of the thin film systems with a high degree of precision. It was found that the mechanical indentation of such thin films is significantly affected by the substrate properties; however, elastic parameters were able to be decoupled for constituent thin-film materials (E{sub ITO} ≈ 96.7 GPa, E{sub HKUST−1} ≈ 22.0 GPa). For indentation of multilayer stacks, it was found that as the layer thicknesses were increased, while holding the relative thickness of ITO and HKUST-1 constant, the resistance to deformation was significantly altered. Such an observation is likely due to small, albeit significant, changes in film texture, interfacial roughness, size effects, and controlling deformation mechanism as a result of increasing material deposition during processing. Such effects may have consequences regarding the rational mechanical design and utilization of MOF-based hybrid thin-film devices.

Nanomechanical investigation of thin-film electroceramic/metal-organic framework multilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Best, James P.; Michler, Johann; Maeder, Xavier; Liu, Jianxi; Wang, Zhengbang; Tsotsalas, Manuel; Liu, Jinxuan; Gliemann, Hartmut; Weidler, Peter G.; Redel, Engelbert; Wöll, Christof; Röse, Silvana; Oberst, Vanessa; Walheim, Stefan

2015-01-01

Thin-film multilayer stacks of mechanically hard magnetron sputtered indium tin oxide (ITO) and mechanically soft highly porous surface anchored metal-organic framework (SURMOF) HKUST-1 were studied using nanoindentation. Crystalline, continuous, and monolithic surface anchored MOF thin films were fabricated using a liquid-phase epitaxial growth method. Control over respective fabrication processes allowed for tuning of the thickness of the thin film systems with a high degree of precision. It was found that the mechanical indentation of such thin films is significantly affected by the substrate properties; however, elastic parameters were able to be decoupled for constituent thin-film materials (E ITO  ≈ 96.7 GPa, E HKUST−1  ≈ 22.0 GPa). For indentation of multilayer stacks, it was found that as the layer thicknesses were increased, while holding the relative thickness of ITO and HKUST-1 constant, the resistance to deformation was significantly altered. Such an observation is likely due to small, albeit significant, changes in film texture, interfacial roughness, size effects, and controlling deformation mechanism as a result of increasing material deposition during processing. Such effects may have consequences regarding the rational mechanical design and utilization of MOF-based hybrid thin-film devices

Cucurbit[8]uril-Containing Multilayer Films for the Photocontrolled Binding and Release of a Guest Molecule.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicolas, Henning; Yuan, Bin; Zhang, Xi; Schönhoff, Monika

2016-03-15

The powerful host-guest chemistry of cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]) was employed to obtain photoresponsive polyelectrolyte multilayer films for the reversible and photocontrolled binding and release of an organic guest molecule. For this purpose, we designed and synthesized a polyelectrolyte with azobenzene side groups. Then, CB[8] was associated with the azo side group to obtain a supramolecular host-guest complex that was further used as building block in order to prepare photoresponsive and CB[8]-containing polyelectrolyte multilayer films. Ultraviolet spectroscopy and a dissipative quartz crystal microbalance are employed to monitor the formation of the host-guest complex and the layer-by-layer self-assembly of the multilayer films, respectively. We demonstrate that the photoresponsive properties of the azo side groups are maintained before and after host-guest complexation with CB[8] in solution and within the multilayer films, respectively. A guest molecule was then specifically included as second binding partner into the CB[8]-containing multilayer films. Subsequently, the release of the guest was performed by UV light irradiation due to the trans-cis isomerization of the adjacent azo side groups. Re-isomerization of the azo side groups was achieved by VIS light irradiation and enabled the rebinding of the guest into CB[8]. Finally, we demonstrate that the photocontrolled binding and release within CB[8]-containing multilayer films can reliably and reversibly be performed over a period of more than 2 weeks with constant binding efficiency. Therefore, we expect such novel type of photosensitive films to have promising future applications in the field of stimuli-responsive nanomaterials.

Integration of gas phase condensed nanoparticles in YBa_2Cu_3O_7_-_δ multilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sparing, Maria

2012-01-01

The control and targeted variation of nanoparticles properties is a central challenge in research on particle induced defects in YBa_2Cu_3O_7_-_δ. Using a combined Sputter-PLD system with inert gas condensation particle size and density integrated into the YBCO multilayers were varied independently. The cooling process influences the electrical properties of the multilayers. The effect of HfO2 and FePt nanoparticles on the structural and electrical properties was studied.

Elasticity, biodegradability and cell adhesive properties of chitosan/hyaluronan multilayer films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schneider, Aurore; Richert, Ludovic; Francius, Gregory; Voegel, Jean-Claude; Picart, Catherine [Present address: Universite de Montpellier II, CNRS-UMR 5539, cc107, Place Eugene Bataillon, 34 095 Montpellier Cedex 5 (France)

2007-03-01

In the bioengineering field, a recent and promising approach to modifying biomaterial surfaces is the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique used to build thin polyelectrolyte multilayer films. In this work, we focused on polyelectrolyte multilayer films made of two polysaccharides, chitosan (CHI) and hyaluronan (HA), and on the control of their physico-chemical and cell adhesive properties by chemical cross-linking. CHI/HA films were cross-linked using a water soluble carbodiimide and observed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) with a fluorescently labeled CHI. Film thicknesses were similar for native and cross-linked films. The film nanometer roughness was measured by atomic force microscopy and was found to be higher for cross-linked films. Cross-linking the films also leads to a drastic change in film stiffness. The elastic modulus of the films (Young's modulus) as measured by AFM nano-indentation was about tenfold increased for cross-linked films as compared to native ones. From a biological point of view, cross-liked films are more resistant to enzymatic degradation by hyaluronidase. Furthermore, the increase in film stiffness has a favorable effect on the adhesion and spreading of chondrosarcoma cells. Thus, the CHI/HA cross-linked films could be used for various applications due to their adhesive properties and to their mechanical properties (including stability in enzymatic media)

Chemical vapor deposition of Si/SiC nano-multilayer thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weber, A.; Remfort, R.; Woehrl, N.; Assenmacher, W.; Schulz, S.

2015-01-01

Stoichiometric SiC films were deposited with the commercially available single source precursor Et_3SiH by classical thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) as well as plasma-enhanced CVD at low temperatures in the absence of any other reactive gases. Temperature-variable deposition studies revealed that polycrystalline films containing different SiC polytypes with a Si to carbon ratio of close to 1:1 are formed at 1000 °C in thermal CVD process and below 100 °C in the plasma-enhanced CVD process. The plasma enhanced CVD process enables the reduction of residual stress in the deposited films and offers the deposition on temperature sensitive substrates in the future. In both deposition processes the film thickness can be controlled by variation of the process parameters such as the substrate temperature and the deposition time. The resulting material films were characterized with respect to their chemical composition and their crystallinity using scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (XRD), atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, secondary ion mass spectrometry and Raman spectroscopy. Finally, Si/SiC multilayers of up to 10 individual layers of equal thickness (about 450 nm) were deposited at 1000 °C using Et_3SiH and SiH_4. The resulting multilayers features amorphous SiC films alternating with Si films, which feature larger crystals up to 300 nm size as measured by transmission electron microscopy as well as by XRD. XRD features three distinct peaks for Si(111), Si(220) and Si(311). - Highlights: • Stoichiometric silicon carbide films were deposited from a single source precursor. • Thermal as well as plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition was used. • Films morphology, crystallinity and chemical composition were characterized. • Silicon/silicon carbide multilayers of up to 10 individual nano-layers were deposited.

Organic and Inorganic Dyes in Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Films

Science.gov (United States)

Ball, Vincent

2012-01-01

Polyelectrolyte multilayer films are a versatile functionalization method of surfaces and rely on the alternated adsorption of oppositely charged species. Among such species, charged dyes can also be alternated with oppositely charged polymers, which is challenging from a fundamental point of view, because polyelectrolytes require a minimal number of charges, whereas even monovalent dyes can be incorporated during the alternated adsorption process. We will not only focus on organic dyes but also on their inorganic counterparts and on metal complexes. Such films offer plenty of possible applications in dye sensitized solar cells. In addition, dyes are massively used in the textile industry and in histology to stain textile fibers or tissues. However, the excess of non bound dyes poses serious environmental problems. It is hence of the highest interest to design materials able to adsorb such dyes in an almost irreversible manner. Polyelectrolyte multilayer films, owing to their ion exchange behavior can be useful for such a task allowing for impressive overconcentration of dyes with respect to the dye in solution. The actual state of knowledge of the interactions between charged dyes and adsorbed polyelectrolytes is the focus of this review article.

Preparation of multilayered nanocrystalline thin films with composition-modulated interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biro, D.; Barna, P.B.; Szekely, L.; Geszti, O.; Hattori, T.; Devenyi, A.

2008-01-01

The properties of multilayer thin film structures depend on the morphology and structure of interfaces. A broad interface, in which the composition is varying, can enhance, e.g., the hardness of multilayer thin films. In the present experiments multilayers of TiAlN and CrN as well as TiAlN, CrN and MoS 2 were studied by using unbalanced magnetron sputter sources. The sputter sources were arranged side by side on an arc. This arrangement permits development of a transition zone between the layers, where the composition changes continuously. The multilayer system was deposited by one-fold oscillating movement of substrates in front of sputter sources. Thicknesses of layers could be changed both by oscillation frequency and by the power applied to sputter sources. Ti/Al: 50/50 at%, pure chromium and MoS 2 targets were used in the sputter sources. The depositions were performed in an Ar-N 2 mixture at 0.22 Pa working pressure. The sputtering power of the TiAl source was feed-back adjusted in fuzzy-logic mode in order to avoid fluctuation of the TiAl target sputter rate due to poisoning of the target surface. Structure characterization of films deposited on Si wafers covered by thermally grown SiO 2 was performed by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. At first a 100 nm thick Cr base layer was deposited on the substrate to improve adhesion, which was followed by a CrN transition layer. The CrN transition layer was followed by a 100 nm thick TiAlN/CrN multilayer system. The TiAlN/CrN/MoS 2 multilayer system was deposited on the surface of this underlayer system. The underlayer systems Cr, CrN and TiAlN/CrN were crystalline with columnar structure according to the morphology of zone T of the structure zone models. The column boundaries contained segregated phases showing up in the under-focused TEM images. The surface of the underlayer system was wavy due to dome-shaped columns. The nanometer-scaled TiAlN/CrN/MoS 2 multilayer system followed this waviness

Mechanical properties of polyelectrolyte multilayer self-assembled films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dai Xinhua; Zhang Yongjun; Guan Ying; Yang Shuguang; Xu Jian

2005-01-01

The mechanical properties of electrostatic self-assembled multilayer films from polyacrylic acid (PAA) and C 60 -ethylenediamine adduct (C 60 -EDA) or poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) were evaluated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) wear experiments. Because of the higher molecular weight of PAH, the wear resistance of the (PAH/PAA) 10 film is higher than that of the (PAH/PAA) 2 (C 60 -EDA/PAA) 8 film; that is, the former is mechanically more stable than the latter. The mechanical stability of both films can be improved significantly by heat treatment, which changes the nature of the linkage from ionic to covalent. The AFM measurement also reveals that the (PAH/PAA) 2 (C 60 -EDA/PAA) 8 film is softer than the (PAH/PAA) 10 film. The friction properties of the heated films were measured. These films can be developed as potential lubrication coatings for microelectromechanical systems

Conducting polymer-based multilayer films for instructive biomaterial coatings

OpenAIRE

Hardy, John G; Li, Hetian; Chow, Jacqueline K; Geissler, Sydney A; McElroy, Austin B; Nguy, Lindsey; Hernandez, Derek S; Schmidt, Christine E

2015-01-01

Aim: To demonstrate the design, fabrication and testing of conformable conducting biomaterials that encourage cell alignment. Materials & methods: Thin conducting composite biomaterials based on multilayer films of poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) derivatives, chitosan and gelatin were prepared in a layer-by-layer fashion. Fibroblasts were observed with fluorescence microscopy and their alignment (relative to the dipping direction and direction of electrical current passed through the films)...

Docetaxel-loaded multilayer nanoparticles with nanodroplets for cancer therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Keun Sang; Kim, Kyungim; Yoon, Byeong Deok; Lee, Hye Jin; Park, Dal Yong; Kim, Eun-Yeong; Lee, Kiho; Seo, Jae Hong; Yuk, Soon Hong

2016-01-01

A mixture of docetaxel (DTX) and Solutol(®) HS 15 (Solutol) transiently formed nanodroplets when it was suspended in an aqueous medium. However, nanodroplets that comprised DTX and Solutol showed a rapid precipitation of DTX because of their unstable characteristics in the aqueous medium. The incorporation of nanodroplets that comprised DTX and Solutol through vesicle fusion and subsequent stabilization was designed to prepare multilayer nanoparticles (NPs) with a DTX-loaded Solutol nanodroplet (as template NPs) core for an efficient delivery of DTX as a chemotherapeutic drug. As a result, the DTX-loaded Solutol nanodroplets (~11.7 nm) were observed to have an increased average diameter (from 11.7 nm to 156.1 nm) and a good stability of the hydrated NPs without precipitation of DTX by vesicle fusion and multilayered structure, respectively. Also, a long circulation of the multilayer NPs was observed, and this was due to the presence of Pluronic F-68 on the surface of the multilayer NPs. This led to an improved antitumor efficacy based on the enhanced permeation and retention effect. Therefore, this study indicated that the multilayer NPs have a considerable potential as a drug delivery system with an enhanced therapeutic efficacy by blood circulation and with low side effects.

Influences of layer thickness on the compatibility and physical properties of polycarbonate/polystyrene multilayered film via nanolayer coextrusion

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Junfeng; Chen, Zhiru; Zhou, Jiaqi; Cao, Zheng; Wu, Dun; Liu, Chunlin; Pu, Hongting

2018-05-01

The effects of layer thickness on the compatibility between polycarbonate (PC) and polystyrene (PS) and physical properties of PC/PS multilayered film via nanolayer coextrusion are studied. The morphology of multilayered structure is observed using a scanning electron microscope. This multilayered structure may have a negative impact on the transparency, but it can improve the water resistance and heat resistance of film. To characterize the compatibility between PC and PS, differential scanning calorimetry is used to measure the glass transition temperature. The compatibility is found to be improved with the decrease of layer thickness. Therefore, the viscosity of multilayered film is also reduced with the decrease of layer thickness. In addition, the multilayered structure can improve the tensile strength with the increase of layer numbers. Because of the complete and continuous layer structure of PC, the PC/PS multilayered film can retain its mechanical strength at the temperature above Tg of PS.

Roll-to-Roll sputtered ITO/Cu/ITO multilayer electrode for flexible, transparent thin film heaters and electrochromic applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Sung-Hyun; Lee, Sang-Mok; Ko, Eun-Hye; Kim, Tae-Ho; Nah, Yoon-Chae; Lee, Sang-Jin; Lee, Jae Heung; Kim, Han-Ki

2016-09-22

We fabricate high-performance, flexible, transparent electrochromic (EC) films and thin film heaters (TFHs) on an ITO/Cu/ITO (ICI) multilayer electrode prepared by continuous roll-to-roll (RTR) sputtering of ITO and Cu targets. The RTR-sputtered ICI multilayer on a 700 mm wide PET substrate at room temperature exhibits a sheet resistance of 11.8 Ω/square and optical transmittance of 73.9%, which are acceptable for the fabrication of flexible and transparent EC films and TFHs. The effect of the Cu interlayer thickness on the electrical and optical properties of the ICI multilayer was investigated in detail. The bending and cycling fatigue tests demonstrate that the RTR-sputtered ICI multilayer was more flexible than a single ITO film because of high strain failure of the Cu interlayer. The flexible and transparent EC films and TFHs fabricated on the ICI electrode show better performances than reference EC films and TFHs with a single ITO electrode. Therefore, the RTR-sputtered ICI multilayer is the best substitute for the conventional ITO film electrode in order to realize flexible, transparent, cost-effective and large-area EC devices and TFHs that can be used as flexible and smart windows.

Structure and tribological behavior of Pb-Ti/MoS2 nanoscaled multilayer films deposited by magnetron sputtering method

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hao; Xie, Mingling; Zhang, Guangan; Fan, Xiaoqiang; Li, Xia; Zhu, Minhao; Wang, Liping

2018-03-01

The Pb-Ti/MoS2 nanoscaled multilayer films with different bilayer period were deposited by unbalanced magnetron sputtering system. The morphology, microstructure, mechanical and tribological properties of the films were investigated. It was found that the film changed from multilayer structure to composite structure as the bilayer period decreased from 25 nm to 6 nm, due to the diffusion effect. The multilayer film showed a pronounced (002) diffraction peak, the growth of the MoS2 platelets below the interface were affected by Pb and Ti, and the c-axis of MoS2 platelets were inclined to the substrate at an angle of -30° to 30°. The hardness of the film ranged from 5.9 to 7.2 GPa depending on the bilayer period. The tribological behavior of the films was performed under vacuum, and the friction coefficient were typically below 0.25. Furthermore, the nanoscale multilayer film with a bilayer period of 20 nm exhibits much better mechanical and tribological properties than pure MoS2. The result indicates that the nanoscale multilayer is a design methodology for developing high basal plane oriented and vacuum solid lubricating MoS2 based materials.

Carbon and nitrogen co-doping self-assembled MoS{sub 2} multilayer films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Xiaoqin [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); School of Materials Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050 (China); Xu, Jiao; Chai, Liqiang [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); He, Tengfei [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); School of Materials Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050 (China); Yu, Fucheng [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050 (China); Wang, Peng, E-mail: pengwang@licp.cas.cn [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China)

2017-06-01

Highlights: • Mo–S–C–N composite films were synthesized by using reactive magnetron sputtering. • A self-assembled multilayer structure with periodicity in the nanometer scale was formed in the composite film. • The hardness of Mo–S–C–N film deposited at optimized parameter reaches up to 9.76 GPa. • The wear rate of deposited Mo–S–C–N film both in vacuum and ambient atmosphere decreases dramatically. - Abstract: Mo–S–C–N composite films were prepared using reactive magnetron sputtering of graphite and MoS{sub 2} targets in argon and nitrogen atmospheres. The effects of carbon/nitrogen co-doping and carbon concentration on the composition, microstructure, mechanical and tribological properties of deposited films have been investigated by various characterization techniques. The results show that the deposited films comprise MoS{sub 2} nanocrystalline and amorphous carbon, and the incorporating nitrogen forms Mo-N and C–N chemical bonds. Increasing carbon concentration leads to the increase of sp{sup 2} carbon fraction in the films. Furthermore, the high-resolution transmission electron microscopy reveals that a self-assembled multilayer structure with periodicity in the nanometer scale is formed in the Mo–S–C–N film. Benefiting from the composite and self-assembled multilayer structures, the hardness of Mo–S–C–N film deposited at optimized parameter reaches up to 9.76 GPa, and corresponding friction experiment indicates that this composite films display low friction coefficient and high wear resistance both in vacuum and ambient air conditions.

Fabrication of graphene/polyaniline composite multilayer films by electrostatic layer-by-layer assembly

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cong, Jiaojiao; Chen, Yuze; Luo, Jing, E-mail: jingluo19801007@126.com; Liu, Xiaoya

2014-10-15

A novel graphene/polyaniline composite multilayer film was fabricated by electrostatic interactions induced layer-by-layer self-assembly technique, using water dispersible and negatively charged chemically converted graphene (CCG) and positively charged polyaniline (PANI) as building blocks. CCG was achieved through partly reduced graphene oxide, which remained carboxyl group on its surface. The remaining carboxyl groups not only retain the dispersibility of CCG, but also allow the growth of the multilayer films via electrostatic interactions between graphene and PANI. The structure and morphology of the obtained CCG/PANI multilayer film are characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, Ultraviolet–visible absorption spectrum (UV–vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The electrochemical properties of the resulting film are studied using cyclic voltammetry (CV), which showed that the resulting CCG/PANI multilayer film kept electroactivity in neutral solution and showed outstanding cyclic stability up to 100 cycles. Furthermore, the composite film exhibited good electrocatalytic ability toward ascorbic acid (AA) with a linear response from 1×10{sup −4} to 1.2×10{sup −3} M with the detect limit of 5×10{sup −6} M. This study provides a facile and effective strategy to fabricate graphene/PANI nanocomposite film with good electrochemical property, which may find potential applications in electronic devices such as electrochemical sensor. - Graphical abstract: A novel graphene/polyaniline (CCG/PANI) film was prepared by layer-by-layer assembly. - Highlights: • A novel graphene/polyaniline (CCG/PANI) film was prepared by layer-by-layer assembly. • The water dispersible and negatively charged graphene (CCG) was used as building block. • CCG was achieved through partly reduced graphene oxide with carboxyl group on its surface. • CCG/PANI film kept

Highly ductile multilayered films by layer-by-layer assembly of oppositely charged polyurethanes for biomedical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Podsiadlo, Paul; Qin, Ming; Cuddihy, Meghan; Zhu, Jian; Critchley, Kevin; Kheng, Eugene; Kaushik, Amit K; Qi, Ying; Kim, Hyoung-Sug; Noh, Si-Tae; Arruda, Ellen M; Waas, Anthony M; Kotov, Nicholas A

2009-12-15

Multilayered thin films prepared with the layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly technique are typically "brittle" composites, while many applications such as flexible electronics or biomedical devices would greatly benefit from ductile, and tough nanostructured coatings. Here we present the preparation of highly ductile multilayered films via LBL assembly of oppositely charged polyurethanes. Free-standing films were found to be robust, strong, and tough with ultimate strains as high as 680% and toughness of approximately 30 MJ/m(3). These results are at least 2 orders of magnitude greater than most LBL materials presented until today. In addition to enhanced ductility, the films showed first-order biocompatibility with animal and human cells. Multilayered structures incorporating polyurethanes open up a new research avenue into the preparation of multifunctional nanostructured films with great potential in biomedical applications.

Niobium Nitride Thin Films and Multilayers for Superconducting Radio Frequency Cavities

Science.gov (United States)

Roach, William; Beringer, Douglas; Li, Zhaozhu; Clavero, Cesar; Lukaszew, Rosa

2013-03-01

Niobium nitride in thin film form has been considered for a number of applications including multi-layered coatings onto superconducting radio frequency cavities which have been proposed to overcome the fundamental accelerating gradient limit of ~50 MV/m in niobium based accelerators. In order to fulfill the latter application, the selected superconductor's thermodynamic critical field, HC, must be larger than that of niobium and separated from the Nb surface by an insulating layer in order to shield the Nb cavity from field penetration and thus allow higher field gradients. Thus, for the successful implementation of such multilayered stack it is important to consider not just the materials inherent properties but also how these properties may be affected in thin film geometry and also by the specific deposition techniques used. Here, we show the results of our correlated study of structure and superconducting properties in niobium nitride thin films and discuss the shielding exhibited in NbN/MgO/Nb multilayer samples beyond the lower critical field of Nb for the first time. This work was funded by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (HDTRA-10-1-0072).

Engineering functional nanothin multilayers on food packaging: ice-nucleating polyethylene films.

Science.gov (United States)

Gezgin, Zafer; Lee, Tung-Ching; Huang, Qingrong

2013-05-29

Polyethylene is the most prevalent plastic and is commonly used as a packaging material. Despite its common use, there are not many studies on imparting functionalities to those films which can make them more desirable for frozen food packaging. Here, commercial low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films were oxidized by UV-ozone (UVO) treatment to obtain a negatively charged hydrophilic surface to allow fabrication of functional multilayers. An increase in hydrophilicity was observed when films were exposed to UVO for 4 min and longer. Thin multilayers were formed by dipping the UVO-treated films into biopolymer solutions, and extracellular ice nucleators (ECINs) were immobilized onto the film surface to form a functional top layer. Polyelectrolyte adsorption was studied and confirmed on silicon wafers by measuring the water contact angles of the layers and investigating the surface morphology via atomic force microscopy. An up to 4-5 °C increase in ice nucleation temperatures and an up to 10 min decrease in freezing times were observed with high-purity deionized water samples frozen in ECIN-coated LDPE films. Films retained their ice nucleation activity up to 50 freeze-thaw cycles. Our results demonstrate the potential of using ECIN-coated polymer films for frozen food application.

Highly stable thin film transistors using multilayer channel structure

KAUST Repository

Nayak, Pradipta K.; Wang, Zhenwei; Anjum, Dalaver H.; Hedhili, Mohamed N.; Alshareef, Husam N.

2015-01-01

We report highly stable gate-bias stress performance of thin film transistors (TFTs) using zinc oxide (ZnO)/hafnium oxide (HfO2) multilayer structure as the channel layer. Positive and negative gate-bias stress stability of the TFTs was measured

Electro-Caloric Properties of BT/PZT Multilayer Thin Films Prepared by Sol-Gel Method.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Min-Su; Lee, Sung-Gap; Kim, Kyeong-Min

2018-09-01

In this study, Barium Titanate (BT)/Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) multilayer thin films were fabricated by the spin-coating method on Pt (200 nm)/Ti (10 nm) SiO2 (100 nm)/P-Si (100) substrates using BaTiO3 and Pb(Zr0.90Ti0.10)O3 metal alkoxide solutions. The coating and heating procedure was repeated several times to form the multilayer thin films. All of BT/PZT multilayer thin films show X-ray diffraction patterns typical to a polycrystalline perovskite structure and a uniform and void free grain microstructure. The thickness of the BT and PZT film by one-cycle of drying/sintering was approximately 50 nm and all of the films consisted of fine grains with a flat surface morphology. The electrocaloric properties of BT/PZT thin films were investigated by indirect estimation. The results showed that the temperature change ΔT can be calculated as a function of temperature using Maxwell's relation; the temperature change reaches a maximum value of ~1.85 °C at 135 °C under an applied electric field of 260 kV/cm.

Critical currents in multilayered superconducting films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raffy, Helene

1977-01-01

The superconducting critical currents Isub(c) were measured as a function of magnetic field H and temperature T, on multilayered films. These films consist of alternating layers of two different superconductors S 1 and S 2 being a weaker superconductor acting as a flux pinning barrier region. A strong anisotropy was observed between the two situations where the magnetic field H is applied parallel or perpendicular to the layers. In the case discussed, there is a peak effect in the curves Isub(c)H well defined at the highest temperatures, and disappearing at low temperatures. The anisotropy of the critical current at constant field presents a maximum at a temperature T* close to the critical temperature Tsub(c 2 ) of S 2 [fr

Preparation and Properties of Ti-TiN-Zr-ZrN Multilayer Films on Titanium Alloy Surface

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LIN Song-sheng

2017-06-01

Full Text Available 24 cycles Ti-TiN-Zr-ZrN soft-hard alternating multilayer film was deposited on TC11 titanium alloy by vacuum cathodic arc deposition method. The structure and performance of the multilayer film, especially wear and sand erosion resistance were investigated by various analytical methods including pin on disc wear tester, sand erosion tester, 3D surface topography instrument, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, X-ray diffraction(XRD, micro-hardness tester and scratch adhesion tester. The results indicate that the Vickers-hardness of the multilayer film with thickness of 5.8μm can reach up to 28.10GPa. The adhesive strength of these coatings can be as high as 56N. Wear rate of the multilayer coated alloy is one order of magnitude smaller than bare one, which decreased from 7.06×10-13 m3·N-1·m-1 to 3.03×10-14m3·N-1·m-1. Multilayer films can play the role in hindering the extension of cracks, and thus sand erosion properties of the TC11 titanium alloy substrates are improved.

Transitions of microstructure and photoluminescence properties of the Ge/ZnO multilayer films in certain annealing temperature region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng Tianhang; Li Ziquan; Chen Jiankang; Shen Kai; Sun Kefei

2006-01-01

The Ge/ZnO multilayer films have been prepared by rf magnetron sputtering. The effects of annealing on the microstructure and photoluminescence properties of the multilayers have been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry and photoluminescence (PL) spectrometry. The investigation of structural properties indicates that Zn 2 GeO 4 has been formed with (220) texture and Zn deficiency from Ge/ZnO multilayer films in the process of annealing. However, lower Zn/Ge ratio can be improved by annealing. The annealed multilayers show three main emission bands at 532, 700, and 761nm, which originate from the transition between oxygen vacancy (V o * ) and Zn vacancies (V Zn ), the radiative recombination of quantum-confined excitons (QCE) in Ge nanocrystals, and the optical transition in the GeO color centers, respectively. Finally, the fabrication of thin film Zn 2 GeO 4 from Ge/ZnO multilayer films by annealing at low temperature provides another approach to prepare the green-emitting oxide phosphor film:Zn 2 GeO 4 :Mn

Formation and Properties of Multilayer Films Based on Polyethyleneimine and Bovine Serum Albumin

Science.gov (United States)

Kulikouskaya, V. I.; Lazouskaya, M. E.; Kraskouski, A. N.; Agabekov, V. E.

2018-01-01

(Polyethyleneimine/bovine serum albumin) n ((PEI/BSA) n) multilayer films ( n = 1-10) are produced via the layer-by-later deposition of polyelectrolytes. It is shown that thickness and morphology of the formed coatings can be controlled by varying the solution's ionic strength during alternating adsorption of the components. (PEI/BSA)10 multilayer systems that contain up to 0.6 mg of antiseptic miramistin per 1 cm2 of film were created. It is established that the kinetics of miramistin release from (PEI/BSA)10 films in phosphate buffers and physiological solutions obey the Korsmeyer-Peppas equation with a high degree of accuracy ( R 2 > 0.95).

Surface self-organization in multilayer film coatings

Science.gov (United States)

Shuvalov, Gleb M.; Kostyrko, Sergey A.

2017-12-01

It is a recognized fact that during film deposition and subsequent thermal processing the film surface evolves into an undulating profile. Surface roughness affects many important aspects in the engineering application of thin film materials such as wetting, heat transfer, mechanical, electromagnetic and optical properties. To accurately control the morphological surface modifications at the micro- and nanoscale and improve manufacturing techniques, we design a mathematical model of the surface self-organization process in multilayer film materials. In this paper, we consider a solid film coating with an arbitrary number of layers under plane strain conditions. The film surface has a small initial perturbation described by a periodic function. It is assumed that the evolution of the surface relief is governed by surface and volume diffusion. Based on Gibbs thermodynamics and linear theory of elasticity, we present a procedure for constructing a governing equation that gives the amplitude change of the surface perturbation with time. A parametric study of the evolution equation leads to the definition of a critical undulation wavelength that stabilizes the surface. As a numerical result, the influence of geometrical and physical parameters on the morphological stability of an isotropic two-layered film coating is analyzed.

Improving multilayer films endurance by photoinduced interaction between Dawson-type polyoxometalate and diazo resin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Jishuang; Xu Lin; Cui Yang; Cao Weixiao; Li Zhuang

2005-01-01

A composite multilayer film constructed of Dawson anion [P 2 Mo 18 O 62 ] 6- and diazo resin (DR) was prepared by the electrostatic layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly method. The film could be stabilized by the photoinduced interaction between Dawson anion and diazo resin. IR spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectra revealed the possible occurrence of partial transformation from electrostatic interaction to covalent interaction between layers of the film after irradiation by UV light. Such transformation evidently increases the endurance of the film, which was demonstrated by AFM images and etching experiments with organic solvent. This study provides a new route to stabilze the polyoxometalate-based multilayer film by virtue of the photoinduced reaction with photosensitive polymer

Improving multilayer films endurance by photoinduced interaction between Dawson-type polyoxometalate and diazo resin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang Jishuang [Department of Chemistry, Northeast Normal University, Renmin Street 5268, Changchun 130024 (China); Xu Lin [Department of Chemistry, Northeast Normal University, Renmin Street 5268, Changchun 130024 (China)]. E-mail: linxu@nenu.edu.cn; Cui Yang [Department of Chemistry, Northeast Normal University, Renmin Street 5268, Changchun 130024 (China); Cao Weixiao [College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Li Zhuang [Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Changchun 130022 (China)

2005-03-15

A composite multilayer film constructed of Dawson anion [P{sub 2}Mo{sub 18}O{sub 62}]{sup 6-} and diazo resin (DR) was prepared by the electrostatic layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly method. The film could be stabilized by the photoinduced interaction between Dawson anion and diazo resin. IR spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectra revealed the possible occurrence of partial transformation from electrostatic interaction to covalent interaction between layers of the film after irradiation by UV light. Such transformation evidently increases the endurance of the film, which was demonstrated by AFM images and etching experiments with organic solvent. This study provides a new route to stabilze the polyoxometalate-based multilayer film by virtue of the photoinduced reaction with photosensitive polymer.

Protein-tannic acid multilayer films: A multifunctional material for microencapsulation of food-derived bioactives.

Science.gov (United States)

Lau, Hooi Hong; Murney, Regan; Yakovlev, Nikolai L; Novoselova, Marina V; Lim, Su Hui; Roy, Nicole; Singh, Harjinder; Sukhorukov, Gleb B; Haigh, Brendan; Kiryukhin, Maxim V

2017-11-01

The benefits of various functional foods are often negated by stomach digestion and poor targeting to the lower gastrointestinal tract. Layer-by-Layer assembled protein-tannic acid (TA) films are suggested as a prospective material for microencapsulation of food-derived bioactive compounds. Bovine serum albumin (BSA)-TA and pepsin-TA films demonstrate linear growth of 2.8±0.1 and 4.2±0.1nm per bi-layer, correspondingly, as shown by ellipsometry. Both multilayer films are stable in simulated gastric fluid but degrade in simulated intestinal fluid. Their corresponding degradation constants are 0.026±0.006 and 0.347±0.005nm -1 min -1 . Milk proteins possessing enhanced adhesion to human intestinal surface, Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and β-Lactoglobulin (BLG), are explored to tailor targeting function to BSA-TA multilayer film. BLG does not adsorb onto the multilayer while IgG is successfully incorporated. Microcapsules prepared from the multilayer demonstrate 2.7 and 6.3 times higher adhesion to Caco-2 cells when IgG is introduced as an intermediate and the terminal layer, correspondingly. This developed material has a great potential for oral delivery of numerous active food-derived ingredients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Self-assembled graphene/azo polyelectrolyte multilayer film and its application in electrochemical energy storage device.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Dongrui; Wang, Xiaogong

2011-03-01

Graphene/azo polyelectrolyte multilayer films were fabricated through electrostatic layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly, and their performance as electrochemical capacitor electrode was investigated. Cationic azo polyelectrolyte (QP4VP-co-PCN) was synthesized through radical polymerization, postpolymerization azo coupling reaction, and quaternization. Negatively charged graphene nanosheets were prepared by a chemically modified method. The LbL films were obtained by alternately dipping a piece of the pretreated substrates in the QP4VP-co-PCN and nanosheet solutions. The processes were repeated until the films with required numbers of bilayers were obtained. The self-assembly and multilayer surface morphology were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, AFM, SEM, and TEM. The performance of the LbL films as electrochemical capacitor electrode was estimated using cyclic voltammetry. Results show that the graphene nanosheets are densely packed in the multilayers and form random graphene network. The azo polyelectrolyte cohesively interacts with the nanosheets in the multilayer structure, which prevents agglomeration of graphene nanosheets. The sheet resistance of the LbL films decreases with the increase of the layer numbers and reaches the stationary value of 1.0 × 10(6) Ω/square for the film with 15 bilayers. At a scanning rate of 50 mV/s, the LbL film with 9 bilayers shows a gravimetric specific capacitance of 49 F/g in 1.0 M Na(2)SO(4) solution. The LbL films developed in this work could be a promising type of the electrode materials for electric energy storage devices.

Development of an ion-beam sputtering system for depositing thin films and multilayers of alloys and compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, Mukul; Gupta, Ajay; Phase, D.M.; Chaudhari, S.M.; Dasannacharya, B.A.

2002-01-01

An ion-beam sputtering (IBS) system has been designed and developed for preparing thin films and multilayers of various elements, alloys and compounds. The ion source used is a 3 cm diameter, hot-cathode Kaufman type 1.5 kV ion source. The system has been successfully tested with the deposition of various materials, and the deposition parameters were optimised for achieving good quality of thin films and multilayers. A systematic illustration of the versatility of the system to produce a variety of structures is done by depositing thin film of pure iron, an alloy film of Fe-Zr, a compound thin film of FeN, a multilayer of Fe-Ag and an isotopic multilayer of 57 FeZr/FeZr. Microstructural measurements on these films using X-ray and neutron reflectivity, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray diffraction are presented and discussed to reveal the quality of the microstructures obtained with the system. It is found that in general, the surface roughnesses of the film deposited by IBS are significantly smaller as compared to those for films deposited by e-beam evaporation. Further, the grain size of the IBS crystalline films is significantly refined as compared to the films deposited by e-beam evaporation. Grain refinement may be one of the reasons for reduced surface roughness. In the case of amorphous films, the roughness of the films does not increase appreciably beyond that of the substrate even after depositing thicknesses of several hundred angstroms

Effect of modulation periods on the microstructure and mechanical properties of DLC/TiC multilayer films deposited by filtered cathodic vacuum arc method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Zhaoying; Sun, H.; Leng, Y.X.; Li, Xueyuan; Yang, Wenmao; Huang, N.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • DLC/TiC multilayer films with different modulation periods at same modulation ratio 1:1 were deposited by FCVA. • The residual stress of DLC/TiC multilayer films decreases with the modulation periods decrease. • The hardness of the multilayer DLC films decreases with modulation periods increasing. - Abstract: The high stress of diamond-like carbon (DLC) film limits its thickness and adhesion on substrate. Multilayer structure is one approach to overcome this disadvantage. In this paper, the DLC/TiC multilayer films with different modulation periods (80 nm, 106 nm or 160 nm) at same modulation ratio of 1:1 were deposited on Si(1 0 0) wafer and Ti-6Al-4V substrate by filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) technology. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nanoindention and wear test were employed to investigate the effect of modulation periods on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the multilayer films. The results showed that the residual stress of the DLC/TiC multilayer films could be effectively reduced and the residual stress decreased with the modulation periods decreasing. The hardness of the DLC/TiC multilayer films increased with modulation periods decreasing. The DLC/TiC multilayer film with modulation period of 106 nm had the best wear resistance due to the good combination of hardness, ductility and low compressive stress

Extracting interface locations in multilayer polymer waveguide films using scanning angle Raman spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bobbitt, Jonathan M.; Smith, Emily A.

2017-01-01

There is an increasing demand for nondestructive in situ techniques that measure chemical content, total thickness, and interface locations for multilayer polymer films, and SA Raman spectroscopy in combination with appropriate data models can provide this information. A scanning angle (SA) Raman spectroscopy method was developed to measure the chemical composition of multilayer polymer waveguide films and to extract the location of buried interfaces between polymer layers with 7–80-nm axial spatial resolution. The SA Raman method measures Raman spectra as the incident angle of light upon a prism-coupled thin film is scanned. Six multilayer films consisting of poly(methyl methacrylate)/polystyrene or poly(methyl methacrylate)/polystyrene/poly(methyl methacrylate) were prepared with total thicknesses ranging from 330-1260 nm. The interface locations were varied by altering the individual layer thicknesses between 140-680 nm. The Raman amplitude ratio of the 1605 cm -1 peak for PS and 812 cm -1 peak for PMMA was used in calculations of the electric field intensity within the polymer layers to model the SA Raman data and extract the total thickness and interface locations. There is an average 8% and 7% difference in the measured thickness between the SA Raman and profilometry measurements for bilayer and trilayer films, respectively.

Conductive, magnetic and structural properties of multilayer films

Science.gov (United States)

Kotov, L. N.; Turkov, V. K.; Vlasov, V. S.; Lasek, M. P.; Kalinin, Yu E.; Sitnikov, A. V.

2013-12-01

Composite-semiconductor and composite-dielectric multilayer films were obtained by the ion beam sputtering method in the argon and hydrogen atmospheres with compositions: {[(Co45-Fe45-Zr10)x(Al2O3)y]-[α-Si]}120, {[(Co45-Ta45-Nb10)x(SiO2)y]-[SiO2]}56, {[(Co45-Fe45-Zr10)x(Al2O3)y]-[α-Si:H]}120. The images of surface relief and distribution of the dc current on composite layer surface were obtained with using of atomic force microscopy (AFM). The dependencies of specific electric resistance, ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) fields and width of line on metal (magnetic) phase concentration x and nanolayers thickness of multilayer films were obtained. The characteristics of FMR depend on magnetic interaction among magnetic granules in the composite layers and between the layers. These characteristics depend on the thickness of composite and dielectric or semiconductor nanolayers. The dependences of electric microwave losses on the x and alternating field frequency were investigated.

Prolonged reorganization of thiol-capped Au nanoparticles layered structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarathi Kundu

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Prolonged reorganization behaviour of mono-, di-, tri- and multi-layer films of Au nanoparticles prepared by Langmuir-Blodgett method on hydrophobic Si(001 substrates have been studied by using X-ray scattering techniques. Out-of-plane study shows that although at the initial stage the reorganization occurs through the compaction of the films keeping the layered structure unchanged but finally all layered structures modify to monolayer structure. Due to this reorganization the Au density increases within the nanometer thick films. In-plane study shows that inside the reorganized films Au nanoparticles are distributed randomly and the particle size modifies as the metallic core of Au nanoparticles coalesces.

Quantitative analysis of Moessbauer backscatter spectra from multilayer films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bainbridge, J.

1975-01-01

The quantitative interpretation of Moessbauer backscatter spectra with particular reference to internal conversion electrons has been treated assuming that electron attenuation in a surface film can be satisfactorily described by a simple exponential law. The theory of Krakowski and Miller has been extended to include multi-layer samples, and a relation between the Moessbauer spectrum area and an individual layer thickness derived. As an example, numerical results are obtained for a duplex oxide film grown on pure iron. (Auth.)

Spacer layer effect and microstructure on multi-layer [NdFeB/Nb]n films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsai, J.-L.; Yao, Y.-D.; Chin, T.-S.; Kronmueller, H.

2002-01-01

Spacer layer effect on multi-layer [NdFeB/Nb] n films has been investigated from the variation of magnetic properties and microstructure of the films. From a HRTEM cross-section view observation, the average grain size of [NdFeB/Nb] n multi-layers was controlled by both annealing temperature and thickness of NdFeB layer. Selected area diffraction pattern indicated that the structure of Nb spacer layer was amorphous. The grain size and coercivity of [NdFeB x /Nb] n films change from 50 nm and 16.7 kOe to 167 nm and 9 kOe for films with x=40 nm, n=10 and x=200 nm, n=2, respectively

Ordered conducting polymer multilayer films and its application for hole injection layers in organic light-emitting devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Jianhua; Yang Yajie; Yu Junsheng; Jiang Yadong

2009-01-01

We reported a controlled architecture growth of layer-ordered multilayer film of poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT) via a modified Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) method. An in situ polymerization of 3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene (EDOT) monomer in multilayer LB film occurred for the formation of ordered conducting polymer embedded multilayer film. The well-distribution of conducting polymer particles was characterized by secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The conducting film consisting of ordered PEDOT ultrathin layers was investigated as a hole injection layer for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). The results showed that, compared to conventional spin-coating PEDOT film and electrostatic self-assembly (ESA) film, the improved performance of OLEDs was obtained after using ordered PEDOT LB film as hole injection layer. It also indicated that well-ordered structure of hole injection layer was attributed to the improvement of OLED performance, leading to the increase of charged carrier mobility in hole injection layer and the recombination rate of electrons and holes in the electroluminescent layer.

Surface alignment of liquid crystal multilayers evaporated on a photoaligned polyimide film observed by surface profiler

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oo, T.N.; Iwata, T.; Kimura, M.; Akahane, T.

2005-01-01

The investigation of the surface alignment of liquid crystal (LC) multilayers evaporated on a photoaligned polyimide vertical alignment (PI-VA) film was carried out by means of a novel three-dimensional (3-D) surface profiler. The photoinduced anisotropy of the partially UV-exposed PI-VA film can be visualized as a topological image of LC multilayers. It seems that the topology of LC multilayers is indicating the orientational distribution of LC molecules on the treated film. Moreover, it was shown that the surface profiler can be used to produce non-contact images with high vertical resolution (∼ 0.01 nm). Copyright (2003) AD-TECH - International Foundation for the Advancement of Technology Ltd

High Transparent and Conductive TiO2/Ag/TiO2 Multilayer Electrode Films Deposited on Sapphire Substrate

Science.gov (United States)

Loka, Chadrasekhar; Moon, Sung Whan; Choi, YiSik; Lee, Kee-Sun

2018-03-01

Transparent conducting oxides attract intense interests due to its diverse industrial applications. In this study, we report sapphire substrate-based TiO2/Ag/TiO2 (TAT) multilayer structure of indium-free transparent conductive multilayer coatings. The TAT thin films were deposited at room temperature on sapphire substrates and a rigorous analysis has been presented on the electrical and optical properties of the films as a function of Ag thickness. The optical and electrical properties were mainly controlled by the Ag mid-layer thickness of the TAT tri-layer. The TAT films showed high luminous transmittance 84% at 550 nm along with noteworthy low electrical resistance 3.65 × 10-5 Ω-cm and sheet resistance of 3.77 Ω/square, which is better are than those of amorphous ITO films and any sapphire-based dielectric/metal/dielectric multilayer stack. The carrier concentration of the films was increased with respect to Ag thickness. We obtained highest Hackke's figure of merit 43.97 × 10-3 Ω-1 from the TAT multilayer thin film with a 16 nm thick Ag mid-layer.

Influence of modulation periods on the tribological behavior of Si/a-C: H multilayer film

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Linan; Wu, Yanxia; Zhang, Shujiao; Yu, Shengwang; Tang, Bin; Liu, Ying; Zhou, Bing; Shen, Yanyan

2018-01-01

A series of Si/a-C: H multilayer films with different modulation periods were fabricated on stainless steel and silicon substrates by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. The influence of the modulation period on the structure, morphology, mechanical properties and tribological behaviors in different environments (air, simulated acid rain, and NaCl solution) was investigated. The results show that the content of the sp2 hybrid carbon, surface roughness and hardness of the multilayer film increased firstly and then decreased with the decreased modulation period. Furthermore, the combination of the sublayer agrees well with the formation of the SiC crystal at the interface. Interestingly, the films show quite substantially different tribological properties in various test environments. The lowest friction coefficient is 0.2 for the S1 film in air. However, the lowest friction coefficient can reach 0.13 in solution. Importantly, the tribological behavior of the multilayer film is mainly determined by its hardness, as well as surface roughness in air while it is closely related with modulation period and interface structure in solution.

Photoluminescence from Au nanoparticles embedded in Au:oxide composite films

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Hongbo; Wen, Weijia; Wong, George K.

2006-12-01

Au:oxide composite multilayer films with Au nanoparticles sandwiched by oxide layers (such as SiO2, ZnO, and TiO2) were prepared in a magnetron sputtering system. Their photoluminescence (PL) spectra were investigated by employing a micro-Raman system in which an Argon laser with a wavelength of 514 nm was used as the pumping light. Distinct PL peaks located at a wavelength range between 590 and 680 nm were observed in most of our samples, with Au particle size varying from several to hundreds of nanometers. It was found that the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in these composites exerted a strong influence on the position of the PL peaks but had little effect on the PL intensity.

Photoluminescence from Au nanoparticles embedded in Au:oxide composite films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liao Hongbo; Wen Weijia; Wong, George K. L.

2006-01-01

Au:oxide composite multilayer films with Au nanoparticles sandwiched by oxide layers (such as SiO 2 , ZnO, and TiO 2 ) were prepared in a magnetron sputtering system. Their photoluminescence (PL) spectra were investigated by employing a micro-Raman system in which an Argon laser with a wavelength of 514 nm was used as the pumping light. Distinct PL peaks located at a wavelength range between 590 and 680 nm were observed in most of our samples, with Au particle size varying from several to hundreds of nanometers. It was found that the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in these composites exerted a strong influence on the position of the PL peaks but had little effect on the PL intensity

The effect of Cu on the properties of CdO/Cu/CdO multilayer films for transparent conductive electrode applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raaif, M.; Mohamed, S.H. [Sohag University, Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Sohag (Egypt)

2017-06-15

Transparent conductive CdO/Cu/CdO multilayer films were prepared using rf plasma magnetron sputtering and electron beam evaporation techniques. The CdO layers were prepared using rf plasma magnetron sputtering, while the Cu interlayer was prepared by electron beam evaporation technique. The Cu layer thickness was varied between 1 and 10 nm. The structural and optical properties as well as the sheet resistance of the multilayer films were studied. X-ray diffraction measurements revealed the presence of cubic CdO structure and the Cu peak was only observed for the multilayers prepared with 10 nm of Cu. It has been observed that the Cu interlayer thickness has a great influence on the optical and electrical properties of the multilayers. The transmittance of the multilayer films decreased while the reflectance increased with increasing Cu interlayer thickness. The refractive index and the extinction coefficient of the multilayer films were calculated. The estimated optical band gap values were found to be decreased from 2.75 ± 0.02 to 2.40 ± 0.02 eV as the Cu interlayer thickness increased from 1 to 10 nm. The sheet resistance was sensitive to the Cu interlayer thickness and it decreased with increasing Cu interlayer thickness. A sheet resistSSance of 21.7 Ω/sq, an average transmittance (between 700 and 1000 nm) of 77%, and an optical band gap of 2.5 ± 0.02 eV were estimated for the multilayer film with 2 nm Cu layer. The multilayer film with 2 nm Cu layer has the highest figure of merit value of 3.2 x 10{sup -3} Ω{sup -1}. This indicates that the properties of this multilayer film are suitable for transparent conductive electrode applications. (orig.)

Construction of Zn-incorporated multilayer films to promote osteoblasts growth and reduce bacterial adhesion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Peng, E-mail: liupeng79@cqu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China); State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China); Zhao, Yongchun; Yuan, Zhang [Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China); Ding, Hongyan [Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory for Interventional Medical Devices, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huaian, Jiangsu Province 223003 (China); Hu, Yan; Yang, Weihu [Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China); Cai, Kaiyong, E-mail: kaiyong_cai@cqu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China)

2017-06-01

To improve the biological performance of titanium substrates, a bioactive multilayered structure of chitosan/gelatin pair, containing zinc ions, was constructed via a layer-by-layer self-assembly technique. The successful preparation of zinc ions incorporated multilayer films was demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and contact angle measurements, respectively. The biological behaviors of osteoblasts adhered to modified Ti substrates were investigated in vitro via cytoskeleton observation, cell viability measurement, and alkaline phosphatase activity assay. The cytocompatibility evaluation verified that the present system was capable of promoting the growth of osteoblasts. In addition, Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria were used to evaluate antibacterial property of modified Ti substrates. Bacterial adhesion and viability assay confirmed that Zn-loaded multilayer films were able to inhibit the adhesion and growth of bacteria. The approach presented here affords an alternative to reduce bacterial infection and promote osteoblast growth for titanium-based implants. - Highlights: • Polyelectrolyte multilayer films containing Zn ions were fabricated on Ti substrate. • Modified Ti substrate stimulated the biological responses of osteoblast. • Antibacterial property of Ti substrate was significantly improved. • The resulting material thus has potential application in orthopedic field.

Critical Temperature tuning of Ti/TiN multilayer films suitable for low temperature detectors

OpenAIRE

Giachero, A.; Day, P.; Falferi, P.; Faverzani, M.; Ferri, E.; Giordano, C.; Marghesin, B.; Mattedi, F.; Mezzena, R.; Nizzolo, R.; Nucciotti, A.

2013-01-01

We present our current progress on the design and test of Ti/TiN Multilayer for use in Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KIDs). Sensors based on sub-stoichiometric TiN film are commonly used in several applications. However, it is difficult to control the targeted critical temperature $T_C$, to maintain precise control of the nitrogen incorporation process and to obtain a production uniformity. To avoid these problems we investigated multilayer Ti/TiN films that show a high uniformity coupled wit...

Mechanical and tribological properties of a-C/a-C:Ti multilayer films with various bilayer periods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bai, W.Q.; Cai, J.B.; Wang, X.L., E-mail: wangxl@zju.edu.cn; Wang, D.H.; Gu, C.D.; Tu, J.P., E-mail: tujp@zju.edu.cn

2014-05-02

Thick a-C/a-C:Ti multilayer films with bilayer periods of 12–70 nm were deposited on Ti6Al4V alloy substrate by means of closed field unbalance magnetron sputtering. The morphology and microstructure of the multilayer films were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Nanocrystalline TiC was distributed in the a-C:Ti layer and at the interface between the two adjacent layers. The mechanical and tribological properties were evaluated by Rockwell and scratch tests, a nanoindentor and a ball-on-disk tribometer. The multilayer film with a bilayer period of 12 nm showed the highest adhesion strength, hardness (26 GPa) and elastic modulus (232 GPa); it also had the lowest average coefficient of friction (0.09) and a wear rate of 8.06 × 10{sup −17} m{sup 3} N{sup −1} m{sup −1}. - Highlights: • a-C/a-C:Ti multilayers with various bilayer periods were prepared. • Nanocrystalline TiCs were confirmed in the a-C:Ti layer and at the interface. • These multilayers show fine ability to comply with substrate deformation. • The multilayer with a bilayer period of 12 nm exhibits the best properties.

Multilayer TiC/TiN diffusion barrier films for copper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoganand, S.N.; Raghuveer, M.S.; Jagannadham, K.; Wu, L.; Karoui, A.; Rozgonyi, G.

2002-01-01

TiC/TiN thin films deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering on Si (100) substrates were investigated by transmission electron microscopy for microstructure and by deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) for diffusion barrier against copper. TiN thin films deposited on Si substrates at a substrate temperature of 600 deg. C were textured, and TiC thin films deposited at the same temperature were polycrystalline. TiC/TiN multilayer films also showed the same characteristics with the formation of an additional interaction layer. The diffusion barrier characteristics of the TiC/TiN/Si were determined by DLTS and the results showed that the films completely prevented diffusion of copper into Si

Preparation and tribological behavior of Cu-nanoparticle polyelectrolyte multilayers obtained by spin-assisted layer-by-layer assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Guangbin; Geng Zhengang; Ma Hongxia; Wu Zhishen; Zhang Pingyu

2009-01-01

Polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) fabricated by spin-assisted layer-by-layer assembly technique were used as nanoreactors for in-situ synthesis Cu nanoparticles. Chemical reaction within the PEMs was initiated by a reaction cycle in which Cu 2+ was absorbed into the polymer-coated substrate and then reduced in NaBH 4 solutions. Repeating the above process resulted in an increase in density of the nanoparticles and further growth in the dimension of the particles initially formed. So, different Cu-nanoparticle polyelectrolyte multilayers were formed in the process. The friction and wear properties of Cu-nanoparticle PEMs formed by different reaction cycles were investigated on a microtribometer against a stainless steel ball. The PEMs reinforced with Cu nanoparticles, prepared under the best preparation conditions, possess good tribological behavior, because of the weakened adhesion between the PEMs and the substrate and decreased mobility of the polymeric chains in the presence of excessive Cu nanoparticles generated at larger reaction cycles

ZnO/Cu/ZnO multilayer films: Structure optimization and investigation on photoelectric properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Xiaoyu; Li Yingai; Liu Shi; Wu Honglin; Cui Haining

2012-01-01

A series of ZnO/Cu/ZnO multilayer films has been fabricated from zinc and copper metallic targets by simultaneous RF and DC magnetron sputtering. Numerical simulation of the optical properties of the multilayer films has been carried out in order to guide the experimental work. The influences of the ZnO and Cu layer thicknesses, and of O 2 /Ar ratio on the photoelectric and structural properties of the films were investigated. The optical and electrical properties of the multilayers were studied by optical spectrometry and four point probe measurements, respectively. The structural properties were investigated using X-ray diffraction. The performance of the multilayers as transparent conducting coatings was compared using a figure of merit. In experiments, the thickness of the ZnO layers was varied between 4 and 70 nm and those of Cu were between 8 and 37 nm. The O 2 /Ar ratios range from 1:5 to 2:1. Low sheet resistance and high transmittance were obtained when the film was prepared using an O 2 /Ar ratio of 1:4 and a thickness of ZnO (60 nm)/Cu (15 nm)/ZnO (60 nm). - Highlights: ► ZnO/Cu/ZnO films were fabricated from zinc and copper targets by sputtering. ► Transmittance reaches maximum when top and bottom ZnO thicknesses are nearly equal. ► Sheet resistance increases with increasing ZnO layer thickness. ► Variation in sheet resistance with oxygen/argon ratio is due to interface effect.

Novel Luminescent Multilayer Films Containing π-Conjugated Anionic Polymer with Electronic Microenvironment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tianlei Wang

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Layered double hydroxides (LDHs, luminescent π-conjugated anionic polymer and montmorillonite (MMT were orderly assembled into luminescent multilayer films via layer-by-layer self-assembly method. The electronic microenvironment (EME, the structure of which is like a traditional capacitor, can be constructed by exfoliated LDHs or MMT nanosheets. In addition, the rigid inorganic laminated configuration can offer stable surroundings between the interlayers. As a result, we conclude that EME can extend the luminescent lifespans of multilayer films substantially, due to affecting relaxation times of π-conjugated anionic polymer. Consequently, because of the remarkable impact on better photoemission behaviors of luminescent π-conjugated anionic polymer, EME assembled by LDHs or MMT nanosheets have had high hopes attached to them. They are expected to have the potential for designing, constructing, and investigating novel light-emitting thin films.

The multilayer nanoparticles formed by layer by layer approach for cancer-targeting therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Keun Sang; Lee, Hwanbum; Kim, Jae Yeon; Koo, Eun Jin; Lee, Eun Hee; Park, Jae Hyung; Kim, Sang Yoon; Kim, Kwangmeyung; Kwon, Ick Chan; Yuk, Soon Hong

2013-01-10

The multilayer nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared for cancer-targeting therapy using the layer by layer approach. When drug-loaded Pluronic NPs were mixed with vesicles (liposomes) in the aqueous medium, Pluronic NPs were incorporated into the vesicles to form the vesicle NPs. Then, the multilayer NPs were formed by freeze-drying the vesicle NPs in a Pluronic aqueous solution. The morphology and size distribution of the multilayer NPs were observed using a TEM and a particle size analyzer. In order to apply the multilayer NPs as a delivery system for docetaxel (DTX), which is a model anticancer drug, the release pattern of the DTX was observed and the tumor growth was monitored by injecting the multilayer NPs into the tail veins of tumor (squamous cell carcinoma)-bearing mice. The cytotoxicity of free DTX (commercial DTX formulation (Taxotere®)) and the multilayer NPs was evaluated using MTT assay. We also evaluated the tumor targeting ability of the multilayer NPs using magnetic resonance imaging. The multilayer NPs showed excellent tumor targetability and antitumor efficacy in tumor-bearing mice, caused by the enhanced permeation and retention (EPR) effect. These results suggest that the multilayer NPs could be a potential drug delivery system for cancer-targeting therapy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multilayered Magnetic Nanoparticles Fabricated by Nanoimprint Lithography for Magnetomechanical Treatment of Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Byung Seok

Fe3O4-magetite nanoparticles have received wide interest as prominent agents for various biomedical applications, ranging from target-specific cancer treatment, gene therapy, and Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI). However, Fe3O4-magnetite nanoparticles, synthesized by chemical methods beyond a certain size, present challenges in controlling size distribution and shape. Similarly, Fe3O 4-magnetite nanoparticles fabricated by conventional top-down lithographic methods present difficulty of controlling defects and lead to agglomeration due to large size. In order to overcome the difficulties associated with the conventional chemical and top-down lithographic methods, it is critical to develop a fabrication method which produces homogeneous nanoparticles in large quantities with the control of size, defects, and structure. Furthermore, the concept of cell death induced by mechanical perturbation has received wide attention as a way to maximize the cancer cell death with minimal side effects. Previous study has proposed the use of permalloy disk-shaped vortex state microparticles, in order to create cancer cell death by mechanical force. However, insufficient biocompatibility, inadequate mechanical force created by vortex switching, and inability to control the particle size have been critical issues to be further researched and proceeded for in vivo application. Hence, we studied physical and magnetic properties of Fe3O 4 as a material in thin film form and proceeded to develop Fe3 O4 based synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) thin films. Then, we combined these favorable physical/magnetic properties with nanoimprint lithography to fabricate homogeneously patterned synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) nanoparticles (wafer area >1 x 1 cm2) with the control of size, shape and structure. Then we demonstrated the release of these particles in an aqueous environment. The fabrication process combines a tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) "working stamp", a bi-layer resist lift-off, defect

Gallic acid as an oxygen scavenger in bio-based multilayer packaging films

OpenAIRE

Pant, Astrid; Sängerlaub, Sven; Müller, Kajetan

2017-01-01

Oxygen scavengers are used in food packaging to protect oxygen-sensitive food products. A mixture of gallic acid (GA) and sodium carbonate was used as an oxygen scavenger (OSc) in bio-based multilayer packaging films produced in a three-step process: compounding, flat film extrusion, and lamination. We investigated the film surface color as well as oxygen absorption at different relative humidities (RHs) and temperatures, and compared the oxygen absorption of OSc powder, monolayer films, and ...

High conductivity and transparent aluminum-based multi-layer source/drain electrodes for thin film transistors

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Rihui; Zhang, Hongke; Fang, Zhiqiang; Ning, Honglong; Zheng, Zeke; Li, Xiaoqing; Zhang, Xiaochen; Cai, Wei; Lu, Xubing; Peng, Junbiao

2018-02-01

In this study, high conductivity and transparent multi-layer (AZO/Al/AZO-/Al/AZO) source/drain (S/D) electrodes for thin film transistors were fabricated via conventional physical vapor deposition approaches, without toxic elements or further thermal annealing process. The 68 nm-thick multi-layer films with excellent optical properties (transparency: 82.64%), good electrical properties (resistivity: 6.64  ×  10-5 Ω m, work function: 3.95 eV), and superior surface roughness (R q   =  0.757 nm with scanning area of 5  ×  5 µm2) were fabricated as the S/D electrodes. Significantly, comprehensive performances of AZO films are enhanced by the insertion of ultra-thin Al layers. The optimal transparent TFT with this multi-layer S/D electrodes exhibited a decent electrical performance with a saturation mobility (µ sat) of 3.2 cm2 V-1 s-1, an I on/I off ratio of 1.59  ×  106, a subthreshold swing of 1.05 V/decade. The contact resistance of AZO/Al/AZO/Al/AZO multi-layer electrodes is as low as 0.29 MΩ. Moreover, the average visible light transmittance of the unpatterned multi-layers constituting a whole transparent TFT could reach 72.5%. The high conductivity and transparent multi-layer S/D electrodes for transparent TFTs possessed great potential for the applications of the green and transparent displays industry.

Construction of covalently attached enzyme multilayer films based on the photoreaction of diazo-resins and glucose oxidase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang Suxia [Key Lab of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, 119 Jie Fang Road, Changchun 130023 (China); Niu Yaming [Key Lab of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, 119 Jie Fang Road, Changchun 130023 (China); Sun Changqing [Key Lab of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, 119 Jie Fang Road, Changchun 130023 (China)]. E-mail: sunchq@mail.jlu.edu.cn

2004-10-15

A novel and facile approach to construct multilayered glucose oxidase (GOx) films on the surface of quartz or CaF{sub 2} slides as well as gold electrodes for use as biosensing interfaces is described. Diazo-resins (DAR) as polycation and glucose oxidase as polyanion were alternately deposited into a multilayer structure using layer-by-layer self-assembly technique based on electrostatic interaction as driving force. Upon near UV irradiation, the adjacent interfaces of the multilayer reacted to form a crosslinking structure which greatly improved the stability of the enzyme films. These changes was monitored and confirmed by UV-vis and IR spectroscopy. Ellipsometric measurements reveal that the enzymes formed sub-molecule layers, and the thickness of the film shows a linear relationship with the number of assembled layers, demonstrating a spatially well-ordered manner in multilayer structure. The covalently attached enzyme multilayer film has a highly permeable structure, and can be used as biosensing interface. Electrochemical and analytical behavior of the enzyme electrodes was studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) in the presence or absence of glucose. The sensitivity of the enzyme-modified electrodes was estimated through the analysis of voltammetric signals, which can be fine turned to the desired level by adjusting the number of attached bilayers.

Construction of covalently attached enzyme multilayer films based on the photoreaction of diazo-resins and glucose oxidase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Suxia; Niu Yaming; Sun Changqing

2004-01-01

A novel and facile approach to construct multilayered glucose oxidase (GOx) films on the surface of quartz or CaF 2 slides as well as gold electrodes for use as biosensing interfaces is described. Diazo-resins (DAR) as polycation and glucose oxidase as polyanion were alternately deposited into a multilayer structure using layer-by-layer self-assembly technique based on electrostatic interaction as driving force. Upon near UV irradiation, the adjacent interfaces of the multilayer reacted to form a crosslinking structure which greatly improved the stability of the enzyme films. These changes was monitored and confirmed by UV-vis and IR spectroscopy. Ellipsometric measurements reveal that the enzymes formed sub-molecule layers, and the thickness of the film shows a linear relationship with the number of assembled layers, demonstrating a spatially well-ordered manner in multilayer structure. The covalently attached enzyme multilayer film has a highly permeable structure, and can be used as biosensing interface. Electrochemical and analytical behavior of the enzyme electrodes was studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) in the presence or absence of glucose. The sensitivity of the enzyme-modified electrodes was estimated through the analysis of voltammetric signals, which can be fine turned to the desired level by adjusting the number of attached bilayers

Sprayed and Spin-Coated Multilayer Antireflection Coating Films for Nonvacuum Processed Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdullah Uzum

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Using the simple and cost-effective methods, spin-coated ZrO2-polymer composite/spray-deposited TiO2-compact multilayer antireflection coating film was introduced. With a single TiO2-compact film on the surface of a crystalline silicon wafer, 5.3% average reflectance (the reflectance average between the wavelengths of 300 nm and 1100 nm was observed. Reflectance decreased further down to 3.3% after forming spin-coated ZrO2 on the spray-deposited TiO2-compact film. Silicon solar cells were fabricated using CZ-Si p-type wafers in three sets: (1 without antireflection coating (ARC layer, (2 with TiO2-compact ARC film, and (3 with ZrO2-polymer composite/TiO2-compact multilayer ARC film. Conversion efficiency of the cells improved by a factor of 0.8% (from 15.19% to 15.88% owing to the multilayer ARC. Jsc was improved further by 2 mA cm−2 (from 35.3 mA cm−2 to 37.2 mA cm−2 when compared with a single TiO2-compact ARC.

Surface vertical deposition for gold nanoparticle film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diao, J J; Qiu, F S; Chen, G D; Reeves, M E

2003-01-01

In this rapid communication, we present the surface vertical deposition (SVD) method to synthesize the gold nanoparticle films. Under conditions where the surface of the gold nanoparticle suspension descends slowly by evaporation, the gold nanoparticles in the solid-liquid-gas junction of the suspension aggregate together on the substrate by the force of solid and liquid interface. When the surface properties of the substrate and colloidal nanoparticle suspension define for the SVD, the density of gold nanoparticles in the thin film made by SVD only depends on the descending velocity of the suspension surface and on the concentration of the gold nanoparticle suspension. (rapid communication)

Modeling and sensitivity analysis of mass transfer in active multilayer polymeric film for food applications

Science.gov (United States)

Bedane, T.; Di Maio, L.; Scarfato, P.; Incarnato, L.; Marra, F.

2015-12-01

The barrier performance of multilayer polymeric films for food applications has been significantly improved by incorporating oxygen scavenging materials. The scavenging activity depends on parameters such as diffusion coefficient, solubility, concentration of scavenger loaded and the number of available reactive sites. These parameters influence the barrier performance of the film in different ways. Virtualization of the process is useful to characterize, design and optimize the barrier performance based on physical configuration of the films. Also, the knowledge of values of parameters is important to predict the performances. Inverse modeling and sensitivity analysis are sole way to find reasonable values of poorly defined, unmeasured parameters and to analyze the most influencing parameters. Thus, the objective of this work was to develop a model to predict barrier properties of multilayer film incorporated with reactive layers and to analyze and characterize their performances. Polymeric film based on three layers of Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), with a core reactive layer, at different thickness configurations was considered in the model. A one dimensional diffusion equation with reaction was solved numerically to predict the concentration of oxygen diffused into the polymer taking into account the reactive ability of the core layer. The model was solved using commercial software for different film layer configurations and sensitivity analysis based on inverse modeling was carried out to understand the effect of physical parameters. The results have shown that the use of sensitivity analysis can provide physical understanding of the parameters which highly affect the gas permeation into the film. Solubility and the number of available reactive sites were the factors mainly influencing the barrier performance of three layered polymeric film. Multilayer films slightly modified the steady transport properties in comparison to net PET, giving a small reduction

Effect of annealing on the magnetic properties and microstructure of NdFeB/Tb multilayered films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, D S; Suzuki, S; Liu, W F; Horikawa, T; Machida, K [Center for Advanced Science and Innovation, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan)], E-mail: machida@casi.osaka-u.ac.jp

2009-02-01

The magnetic properties of NdFeB/Tb multilayered films annealed at 773-1273K were investigated by evaluating the effect of Tb spacer layer and comparing them with those of NdFeB single layered films. The as-deposited NdFeB/Tb film with a amorphous structure was crystallized at the higher annealing temperature than 923K and Nd-rich phases were formed at 1073 K, meanwhile the coercivity increased substantially. By observations of the microstructure, Tb element was found to diffuse into the Nd-rich phases to form a Tb-enriched phase around the Nd{sub 2}Fe{sub 14}B primary phase particles in the multilayered films.

Effect of annealing on the magnetic properties and microstructure of NdFeB/Tb multilayered films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, D S; Suzuki, S; Liu, W F; Horikawa, T; Machida, K

2009-01-01

The magnetic properties of NdFeB/Tb multilayered films annealed at 773-1273K were investigated by evaluating the effect of Tb spacer layer and comparing them with those of NdFeB single layered films. The as-deposited NdFeB/Tb film with a amorphous structure was crystallized at the higher annealing temperature than 923K and Nd-rich phases were formed at 1073 K, meanwhile the coercivity increased substantially. By observations of the microstructure, Tb element was found to diffuse into the Nd-rich phases to form a Tb-enriched phase around the Nd 2 Fe 14 B primary phase particles in the multilayered films.

Silica nanoparticles for the layer-by-layer assembly of fully electro-active cytochrome c multilayers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feifel Sven C

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background For bioanalytical systems sensitivity and biomolecule activity are critical issues. The immobilization of proteins into multilayer systems by the layer-by-layer deposition has become one of the favorite methods with this respect. Moreover, the combination of nanoparticles with biomolecules on electrodes is a matter of particular interest since several examples with high activities and direct electron transfer have been found. Our study describes the investigation on silica nanoparticles and the redox protein cytochrome c for the construction of electro-active multilayer architectures, and the electron transfer within such systems. The novelty of this work is the construction of such artificial architectures with a non-conducting building block. Furthermore a detailed study of the size influence of silica nanoparticles is performed with regard to formation and electrochemical behavior of these systems. Results We report on interprotein electron transfer (IET reaction cascades of cytochrome c (cyt c immobilized by the use of modified silica nanoparticles (SiNPs to act as an artificial matrix. The layer-by-layer deposition technique has been used for the formation of silica particles/cytochrome c multilayer assemblies on electrodes. The silica particles are characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR, Zeta-potential and transmission electron microscopy (TEM. The modified particles have been studied with respect to act as an artificial network for cytochrome c and to allow efficient interprotein electron transfer reactions. We demonstrate that it is possible to form electro-active assemblies with these non-conducting particles. The electrochemical response is increasing linearly with the number of layers deposited, reaching a cyt c surface concentration of about 80 pmol/cm2 with a 5 layer architecture. The interprotein electron transfer through the layer system and the

Extraordinary Hall-effect in colloidal magnetic nanoparticle films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ben Gur, Leah; Tirosh, Einat [School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801 (Israel); Segal, Amir [School of Physics, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801 (Israel); Markovich, Gil, E-mail: gilmar@post.tau.ac.il [School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801 (Israel); Gerber, Alexander, E-mail: gerber@post.tau.ac.il [School of Physics, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801 (Israel)

2017-03-15

Colloidal nickel nanoparticles (NPs) coated with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) were synthesized. The nanoparticle dispersions were deposited on substrates and dried under mild heating to form conductive films. The films exhibited very small coercivity, nearly metallic conductivity, and a significant extraordinary Hall effect signal. This method could be useful for preparing simple, printed magnetic field sensors with the advantage of relatively high sensitivity around zero magnetic field, in contrast to magnetoresistive sensors, which have maximal field sensitivity away from zero magnetic field. - Highlights: • Ni nanoparticle ink capable of forming conductive films on drying. • The Ni nanoparticle films exhibit significant extraordinary Hall effect. • This system could be used for preparing printed magnetic field sensors integrated in 3D printed structures.

Thermal analysis of continuous and patterned multilayer films in the presence of a nanoscale hot spot

Science.gov (United States)

Juang, Jia-Yang; Zheng, Jinglin

2016-10-01

Thermal responses of multilayer films play essential roles in state-of-the-art electronic systems, such as photo/micro-electronic devices, data storage systems, and silicon-on-insulator transistors. In this paper, we focus on the thermal aspects of multilayer films in the presence of a nanoscale hot spot induced by near field laser heating. The problem is set up in the scenario of heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR), the next-generation technology to overcome the data storage density limit imposed by superparamagnetism. We characterized thermal responses of both continuous and patterned multilayer media films using transient thermal modeling. We observed that material configurations, in particular, the thermal barriers at the material layer interfaces crucially impact the temperature field hence play a key role in determining the hot spot geometry, transient response and power consumption. With a representative generic media model, we further explored the possibility of optimizing thermal performances by designing layers of heat sink and thermal barrier. The modeling approach demonstrates an effective way to characterize thermal behaviors of micro and nano-scale electronic devices with multilayer thin film structures. The insights into the thermal transport scheme will be critical for design and operations of such electronic devices.

Design guidelines for advanced LSI microcircuit packaging using thick film multilayer technology

Science.gov (United States)

Peckinpaugh, C. J.

1974-01-01

Ceramic multilayer circuitry results from the sequential build-up of two or more layers of pre-determined conductive interconnections separated by dielectric layers and fired at an elevated temperature to form a solidly fused structure. The resultant ceramic interconnect matrix is used as a base to mount active and passive devices and provide the necessary electrical interconnection to accomplish the desired electrical circuit. Many methods are known for developing multilevel conductor mechanisms such as multilayer printed circuits, welded wire matrices, flexible copper tape conductors, and thin and thick-film ceramic multilayers. Each method can be considered as a specialized field with each possessing its own particular set of benefits and problems. This design guide restricts itself to the art of design, fabrication and assembly of ceramic multilayer circuitry and the reliability of the end product.

Photolithographically patterened thin-film multilayer devices of YBa2Cu3O7-x

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kingston, J.J.; Wellstood, F.C.; Quan, D.; Clarke, J.

1990-09-01

We have fabricated thin-film YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x -SrTiO 3 -YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x multilayer interconnect structures in which each in situ laser-deposited film is independently patterned by photolithography. In particular, we have constructed the two key components necessary for a superconducting multilayer interconnect technology, crossovers and window contacts. As a further demonstration of the technology, we have fabricated a thin-film flux transformer, suitable for use with a Superconducting QUantum Interference Device (SQUID), that includes a ten-turn input coil with 6μm linewidth. Transport measurements showed that the critical temperature was 87K and the critical current was 135 μA at 82K. 7 refs., 6 figs

Multilayer SnSb4-SbSe Thin Films for Phase Change Materials Possessing Ultrafast Phase Change Speed and Enhanced Stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Ruirui; Zhou, Xiao; Zhai, Jiwei; Song, Jun; Wu, Pengzhi; Lai, Tianshu; Song, Sannian; Song, Zhitang

2017-08-16

A multilayer thin film, comprising two different phase change material (PCM) components alternatively deposited, provides an effective means to tune and leverage good properties of its components, promising a new route toward high-performance PCMs. The present study systematically investigated the SnSb 4 -SbSe multilayer thin film as a potential PCM, combining experiments and first-principles calculations, and demonstrated that these multilayer thin films exhibit good electrical resistivity, robust thermal stability, and superior phase change speed. In particular, the potential operating temperature for 10 years is shown to be 122.0 °C and the phase change speed reaches 5 ns in the device test. The good thermal stability of the multilayer thin film is shown to come from the formation of the Sb 2 Se 3 phase, whereas the fast phase change speed can be attributed to the formation of vacancies and a SbSe metastable phase. It is also demonstrated that the SbSe metastable phase contributes to further enhancing the electrical resistivity of the crystalline state and the thermal stability of the amorphous state, being vital to determining the properties of the multilayer SnSb 4 -SbSe thin film.

Thermal, mechanical and permeation properties of gamma-irradiated multilayer food packaging films containing a buried layer of recycled low-density polyethylene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chytiri, Stavroula; Goulas, Antonios E.; Riganakos, Kyriakos A.; Kontominas, Michael G.

2006-01-01

The effect of gamma radiation (doses 5-60kGy) on the thermal, mechanical and permeation properties, as well as on IR-spectra of experimental five-layer food packaging films were studied. Films contained a middle buried layer of recycled low-density polyethylene (LDPE) comprising 25-50% by weight of the multilayer structure. Representative films containing 100% virgin LDPE as the buried layer were taken as controls. Results showed that the percentage of recycled LDPE in the multilayer structure did not significantly (p<0.05) affect the melting temperature, tensile strength, percent elongation at break, Young's modulus, oxygen, carbon dioxide and water vapour transmission rate values and the IR-spectra of the non-irradiated and irradiated multilayer films. Irradiation (mainly the higher dose of 60kGy) induced certain small, but statistically significant (p<0.05) differences in the mechanical properties of multilayer films (with or without recycled LDPE layer) while no significant differences were observed in the thermal properties and in the gas and water vapour permeability of multilayer films. The above findings are discussed in relation to the good quality of the pre-consumer scrap used in the present study

Influence of layer thickness on the structure and the magnetic properties of Co/Pd epitaxial multilayer films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tobari, Kousuke, E-mail: tobari@futamoto.elect.chuo-u.ac.jp [Faculty of Science and Engineering, Chuo University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-8551 (Japan); Ohtake, Mitsuru; Nagano, Katsumasa; Futamoto, Masaaki [Faculty of Science and Engineering, Chuo University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-8551 (Japan)

2012-03-15

Co/Pd epitaxial multilayer films were prepared on Pd(111){sub fcc} underlayers hetero-epitaxially grown on MgO(111){sub B1} single-crystal substrates at room temperature by ultra-high vacuum RF magnetron sputtering. In-situ reflection high energy electron diffraction shows that the in-plane lattice spacing of Co on Pd layer gradually decreases with increasing the Co layer thickness, whereas that of Pd on Co layer remains unchanged during the Pd layer formation. The CoPd alloy phase formation is observed around the Co/Pd interface. The atomic mixing is enhanced for thinner Co and Pd layers in multilayer structure. With decreasing the Co and the Pd layer thicknesses and increasing the repetition number of Co/Pd multilayer film, stronger perpendicular magnetic anisotropy is observed. The relationships between the film structure and the magnetic properties are discussed. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Epitaxial Co/Pd multilayer films are prepared on Pd(111){sub fcc} underlayers. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Lattice strain in Co layer and CoPd-alloy formation are noted around the interface. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Magnetic property dependence on layer thickness is reported.

Epitaxial growth and magnetic properties of ultraviolet transparent Ga2O3/(Ga1-xFex)2O3 multilayer thin films.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Daoyou; An, Yuehua; Cui, Wei; Zhi, Yusong; Zhao, Xiaolong; Lei, Ming; Li, Linghong; Li, Peigang; Wu, Zhenping; Tang, Weihua

2016-04-28

Multilayer thin films based on the ferromagnetic and ultraviolet transparent semiconductors may be interesting because their magnetic/electronic/photonic properties can be manipulated by the high energy photons. Herein, the Ga2O3/(Ga1-xFex)2O3 multilayer epitaxial thin films were obtained by alternating depositing of wide band gap Ga2O3 layer and Fe ultrathin layer due to inter diffusion between two layers at high temperature using the laser molecular beam epitaxy technique. The multilayer films exhibits a preferred growth orientation of crystal plane, and the crystal lattice expands as Fe replaces Ga site. Fe ions with a mixed valence of Fe(2+) and Fe(3+) are stratified distributed in the film and exhibit obvious agglomerated areas. The multilayer films only show a sharp absorption edge at about 250 nm, indicating a high transparency for ultraviolet light. What's more, the Ga2O3/(Ga1-xFex)2O3 multilayer epitaxial thin films also exhibits room temperature ferromagnetism deriving from the Fe doping Ga2O3.

Nanoparticles doped film sensing based on terahertz metamaterials

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Weimin; Fan, Fei; Chang, Shengjiang; Hou, Jiaqing; Chen, Meng; Wang, Xianghui; Bai, Jinjun

2017-12-01

A nanoparticles concentration sensor based on doped film and terahertz (THz) metamaterial has been proposed. By coating the nanoparticles doped polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film on the surface of THz metamaterial, the effects of nanoparticle concentration on the metamaterial resonances are investigated through experiments and numerical simulations. Results show that resonant frequency of the metamaterial linearly decreases with the increment of doping concentration. Furthermore, numerical simulations illustrate that the redshift of resonance results from the changes of refractive index of the doped film. The concentration sensitivity of this sensor is 3.12 GHz/0.1%, and the refractive index sensitivity reaches 53.33 GHz/RIU. This work provides a non-contact, nondestructive and sensitive method for the detection of nanoparticles concentration and brings out a new application on THz film metamaterial sensing.

Characterization of amorphous multilayered ZnO-SnO2 heterostructure thin films and their field effect electronic properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Su-Jae; Hwang, Chi-Sun; Pi, Jae-Eun; Yang, Jong-Heon; Oh, Himchan; Cho, Sung Haeng; Cho, Kyoung-Ik; Chu, Hye Yong

2014-01-01

Multilayered ZnO-SnO 2 heterostructure thin films were produced using pulsed laser ablation of pie-shaped ZnO-SnO 2 oxides target, and their structural and field effect electronic transport properties were investigated as a function of the thickness of the ZnO and SnO 2 layers. The films have an amorphous multilayered heterostructure composed of the periodic stacking of the ZnO and SnO 2 layers. The field effect electronic properties of amorphous multilayered ZnO-SnO 2 heterostructure thin film transistors (TFTs) are highly dependent on the thickness of the ZnO and SnO 2 layers. The highest electron mobility of 37 cm 2 /V s, a low subthreshold swing of a 0.19 V/decade, a threshold voltage of 0.13 V, and a high drain current on-to-off ratio of ∼10 10 obtained for the amorphous multilayered ZnO(1.5 nm)-SnO 2 (1.5 nm) heterostructure TFTs. These results are presumed to be due to the unique electronic structure of an amorphous multilayered ZnO-SnO 2 heterostructure film consisting of ZnO, SnO 2 , and ZnO-SnO 2 interface layers

Effects of the APC materials on c-axis correlated pinning effects in a-axis oriented Y123/2D APC multilayer films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takamura, M.; Mukaida, M.; Horii, S.; Ichinose, A.; Kita, R.; Namba, M.; Awaji, S.; Watanabe, K.; Matsumoto, K.; Yoshida, Y.; Teranishi, R.; Yamada, K.; Mori, N.

2009-01-01

For a-axis oriented and c-axis in-plane aligned YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ /artificial pinning center (Y123/APC) alternately-layered thin films, effects of the APC materials on the multilayer structures are discussed. Pr123, (Y 1-x Pr x )123 and Gd 2 CuO 4 (Gd214) were used as APCs. The multilayer structure was observed for Y123/Pr123 films and Y123/Gd214 films. However, some grains are also grown in the Y123/Gd214 film. For the Y123/Pr123 multilayer film, each Pr123 layer act as two-dimensional APCs (2D APCs) in the magnetic field angular dependences of the critical current density. The growth mechanism of the multilayer structure in the Y123/2D APC films is discussed by a transmission electron microscopy and an atomic force microscope. It is found that two conditions are needed to obtain the c-axis correlated pinning effects by 2D APC in the a-axis oriented and c-axis in-plane aligned Y123/APC multilayer films: the same structure as Y123; Y-free APC materials.

Preparation and layer-by-layer solution deposition of Cu(In,GaO2 nanoparticles with conversion to Cu(In,GaS2 films.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Walter J Dressick

Full Text Available We present a method of Cu(In,GaS2 (CIGS thin film formation via conversion of layer-by-layer (LbL assembled Cu-In-Ga oxide (CIGO nanoparticles and polyelectrolytes. CIGO nanoparticles were created via a novel flame-spray pyrolysis method using metal nitrate precursors, subsequently coated with polyallylamine (PAH, and dispersed in aqueous solution. Multilayer films were assembled by alternately dipping quartz, Si, and/or Mo substrates into a solution of either polydopamine (PDA or polystyrenesulfonate (PSS and then in the CIGO-PAH dispersion to fabricate films as thick as 1-2 microns. PSS/CIGO-PAH films were found to be inadequate due to weak adhesion to the Si and Mo substrates, excessive particle diffusion during sulfurization, and mechanical softness ill-suited to further processing. PDA/CIGO-PAH films, in contrast, were more mechanically robust and more tolerant of high temperature processing. After LbL deposition, films were oxidized to remove polymer and sulfurized at high temperature under flowing hydrogen sulfide to convert CIGO to CIGS. Complete film conversion from the oxide to the sulfide is confirmed by X-ray diffraction characterization.

Interfacial characteristics of polyethylene terephthalate-based piezoelectric multi-layer films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Z.H.; Pan, C.T.; Chen, Y.C.; Liang, P.H.

2013-01-01

The study examines the deformation between interfaces and the adhesion mechanism of multi-layer flexible electronic composites. Indium tin oxide (ITO), aluminum (Al), and zinc oxide (ZnO) were deposited on a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate using radio frequency magnetron sputtering at room temperature to form flexible structures (e.g., ITO/PET, Al/PET, ZnO/ITO/PET, and ZnO/Al/PET) for piezoelectric transducers. ITO and Al films are used as the conductive layers. A ZnO thin film shows a high (002) c-axis preferred orientation at 2θ = 34.45° and excellent piezoelectric properties. Nanoscratching and nano-indention testing were conducted to analyze the adhesion following periodic mechanical stress. Additionally, two Berkovich and conical probes with a curvature radius of 40 nm and 10 μm are examined for the scratching test. A 4-point probe is used to measure the conductive properties. The plastic deformation between the ductile Al film and PET substrate is observed using scanning electron microscopy to examine the chip formation on the ITO/PET. Delamination between the ZnO and Al/PET substrate was not observed. The result suggests that ZnO film has excellent adhesion with Al/PET compared to ITO/PET. - Highlights: ► Interfaces and adhesion mechanism of multi-layer flexible electronic composites ► Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) based flexible structures ► Nano-scratching and nano-indention tests were used to analyze adhesion. ► Using two various probes of Berkovich and conical ► Piezoelectric zinc oxide film has excellent adhesion with aluminum/PET

Anomalous Nernst Effects of [CoSiB/Pt] Multilayer Films

OpenAIRE

Kelekci, O.; Lee, H. N.; Kim, T. W.; Noh, H.

2013-01-01

We report a measurement for the anomalous Nernst effects induced by a temperature gradient in [CoSiB/Pt] multilayer films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The Nernst voltage shows a characteristic hysteresis which reflects the magnetization of the film as in the case of the anomalous Hall effects. With a local heating geometry, we also measure the dependence of the anomalous Nernst voltage on the distance d from the heating element. It is roughly proportional to 1/d^1.3, which can be c...

Alloying process of sputter-deposited Ti/Ni multilayer thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, H.; Kim, H.Y.; Miyazaki, S.

2006-01-01

Alloying process of a Ti/Ni multilayer thin film was investigated in detail by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The Ti/Ni multilayer thin film was prepared by depositing Ti and Ni layers alternately on a SiO 2 /Si substrate. The number of each metal layer was 100, and the total thickness was 3 μm. The alloy composition was determined as Ti-51 at.%Ni by electron probe micro analysis (EPMA). The DSC curve exhibited three exothermic peaks at 621, 680 and 701 K during heating the as-sputtered multilayer thin film. In order to investigate the alloying process, XRD and TEM observation was carried out for the specimens heated up to various temperatures with the heating rate same as the DSC measurement. The XRD profile of the as-sputtered film revealed only diffraction peaks of Ti and Ni. But reaction layers of 3 nm in thickness were observed at the interfaces of Ti and Ni layers in cross-sectional TEM images. The reaction layer was confirmed as an amorphous phase by the nano beam diffraction analysis. The XRD profiles exhibited that the intensity of Ti diffraction peak decreased in the specimen heat-treated above 600 K. The peak from Ni became broad and shifted to lower diffraction angle. The amorphous layer thickened up to 6 nm in the specimen heated up to 640 K. The diffraction peak corresponding to Ti-Ni B2 phase appeared and the peak from Ni disappeared for the specimen heated up to 675 K. The Ti-Ni B2 crystallized from the amorphous reaction layer. After further heating above the third exothermic peak, the intensity of the peak from the Ti-Ni B2 phase increased, the peak from Ti disappeared and the peaks corresponding to Ti 2 Ni appeared. The Ti 2 Ni phase was formed by the reaction of the Ti-Ni B2 and Ti

Highly flexible transparent and conductive ZnS/Ag/ZnS multilayer films prepared by ion beam assisted deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Zhinong; Leng, Jian; Xue, Wei; Zhang, Ting; Jiang, Yurong; Zhang, Jie; Zhang, Dongpu

2012-01-01

ZnS/Ag/ZnS (ZAZ) multilayer films were prepared on polyethene terephthalate (PET) by ion beam assisted deposition at room temperature. The structural, optical and electrical characteristics of ZAZ multilayers dependent on the thickness of silver layer were investigated. The ZAZ multilayers exhibit a low sheet resistance of about 10 Ω/sq., a high transmittance of 92.1%, and the improved resistance stabilities when subjected to bending. When the inserted Ag thickness is over 12 nm, the ZAZ multilayers show good resistance stabilities due to the existence of a ductile Ag metal layer. The results suggest that ZAZ film has better optoelectrical and anti-deflection characteristics than conventional indium tin oxide (ITO) single layer.

Magnetoelectric properties of magnetic/ferroelectric multilayer thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hwang, Sung-Ok; Eum, You-Jeong; Koo, Chang-Young; Lee, Hee-Young [Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan (Korea, Republic of); Park, Jung-Min [Osaka University, Osaka (Japan); Ryu, Jung-Ho [Korea Institute of Materials Science, Changwon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-07-15

Magnetic/ferroelectric multilayer thin films using PbZr{sub 0.52}Ti{sub 0.48}O{sub 3} (PZT) and two different magnetic materials, i.e., Terfenol-D and CuFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} (CuFO) layers, were fabricated, and their magnetoelectric (ME) coupling behavior was investigated. The PZT layer was first coated onto Pt/Ti/SiO{sub 2}/Si substrate by sol-gel spin coating method. Pt layer, which served as an electrode and a diffusion barrier, was grown on the PZT layer by using the ion-beam sputtering method. The ME voltage coefficients were calculated from the ME voltage data measured utilizing a magnetoelectric test system. The Terfenol-D/Pt/PZT films were found to show a higher in-plane ME voltage coefficient than that the CuFO/Pt/PZT films due primarily to the higher magnetostriction coefficient of Terfenol-D.

Surface structure, optoelectronic properties and charge transport in ZnO nanocrystal/MDMO-PPV multilayer films.

Science.gov (United States)

Lian, Qing; Chen, Mu; Mokhtar, Muhamad Z; Wu, Shanglin; Zhu, Mingning; Whittaker, Eric; O'Brien, Paul; Saunders, Brian R

2018-05-07

Blends of semiconducting nanocrystals and conjugated polymers continue to attract major research interest because of their potential applications in optoelectronic devices, such as solar cells, photodetectors and light-emitting diodes. In this study we investigate the surface structure, morphological and optoelectronic properties of multilayer films constructed from ZnO nanocrystals (NCs) and poly[2-methoxy-5-(3',7'-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MDMO-PPV). The effects of layer number and ZnO concentration (C ZnO ) used on the multilayer film properties are investigated. An optimised solvent blend enabled well-controlled layers to be sequentially spin coated and the construction of multilayer films containing six ZnO NC (Z) and MDMO-PPV (M) layers (denoted as (ZM) 6 ). Contact angle data showed a strong dependence on C ZnO and indicated distinct differences in the coverage of MDMO-PPV by the ZnO NCs. UV-visible spectroscopy showed that the MDMO-PPV absorption increased linearly with the number of layers in the films and demonstrates highly tuneable light absorption. Photoluminescence spectra showed reversible quenching as well as a surprising red-shift of the MDMO-PPV emission peak. Solar cells were constructed to probe vertical photo-generated charge transport. The measurements showed that (ZM) 6 devices prepared using C ZnO = 14.0 mg mL -1 had a remarkably high open circuit voltage of ∼800 mV. The device power conversion efficiency was similar to that of a control bilayer device prepared using a much thicker MDMO-PPV layer. The results of this study provide insight into the structure-optoelectronic property relationships of new semiconducting multilayer films which should also apply to other semiconducting NC/polymer combinations.

Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembled Graphene Multilayer Films via Covalent Bonds for Supercapacitor Electrodes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xianbin Liu

2015-05-01

Full Text Available To maximize the utilization of its single-atom thin nature, a facile scheme to fabricate graphene multilayer films via a layer-by-layer self-assembled process was presented. The structure of multilayer films was constructed by covalently bonding graphene oxide (GO using p-phenylenediamine (PPD as a covalent cross-linking agent. The assembly process was confirmed to be repeatable and the structure was stable. With the π-π conjugated structure and a large number of spaces in the framework, the graphene multi‐ layer films exhibited excellent electrochemical perform‐ ance. The uniform ultrathin electrode exhibited a capacitance of 41.71 μF/cm2 at a discharge current of 0.1 μA/cm2, and displayed excellent stability of 88.9 % after 1000 charge-discharge cycles.

Layer-by-Layer Motif Architectures: Programmed Electrochemical Syntheses of Multilayer Mesoporous Metallic Films with Uniformly Sized Pores.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Bo; Li, Cuiling; Qian, Huayu; Hossain, Md Shahriar A; Malgras, Victor; Yamauchi, Yusuke

2017-06-26

Although multilayer films have been extensively reported, most compositions have been limited to non-catalytically active materials (e.g. polymers, proteins, lipids, or nucleic acids). Herein, we report the preparation of binder-free multilayer metallic mesoporous films with sufficient accessibility for high electrocatalytic activity by using a programmed electrochemical strategy. By precisely tuning the deposition potential and duration, multilayer mesoporous architectures consisting of alternating mesoporous Pd layers and mesoporous PdPt layers with controlled layer thicknesses can be synthesized within a single electrolyte, containing polymeric micelles as soft templates. This novel architecture, combining the advantages of bimetallic alloys, multilayer architectures, and mesoporous structures, exhibits high electrocatalytic activity for both the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) and the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Epitaxial growth and magnetic properties of ultraviolet transparent Ga2O3/(Ga1−xFex)2O3 multilayer thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Daoyou; An, Yuehua; Cui, Wei; Zhi, Yusong; Zhao, Xiaolong; Lei, Ming; Li, Linghong; Li, Peigang; Wu, Zhenping; Tang, Weihua

2016-01-01

Multilayer thin films based on the ferromagnetic and ultraviolet transparent semiconductors may be interesting because their magnetic/electronic/photonic properties can be manipulated by the high energy photons. Herein, the Ga2O3/(Ga1−xFex)2O3 multilayer epitaxial thin films were obtained by alternating depositing of wide band gap Ga2O3 layer and Fe ultrathin layer due to inter diffusion between two layers at high temperature using the laser molecular beam epitaxy technique. The multilayer films exhibits a preferred growth orientation of crystal plane, and the crystal lattice expands as Fe replaces Ga site. Fe ions with a mixed valence of Fe2+ and Fe3+ are stratified distributed in the film and exhibit obvious agglomerated areas. The multilayer films only show a sharp absorption edge at about 250 nm, indicating a high transparency for ultraviolet light. What’s more, the Ga2O3/(Ga1−xFex)2O3 multilayer epitaxial thin films also exhibits room temperature ferromagnetism deriving from the Fe doping Ga2O3. PMID:27121446

Analysis of the influence of structure on mechanical properties of multilayer Ni/Cu thin films for use in microelectronic technologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lamovec Jelena S.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Multilayer Ni/Cu thin films were produced by dual-bath electrodeposition technique (DBT on polycrystalline cold-rolled Cu substrate. Different Ni/Cu multilayer structures were realized by changing of process parameters such as total film thickness, sublayer thickness and Ni/Cu sublayer thickness ratio. The mechanical properties of Vickers microhardness and interfacial adhesion in the films were investigated. Decreasing of sublayer thickness down to 300 nm and increasing of Ni:Cu sublayer thickness ratio to 1:4, lead to higher values of Vickers microhardness compared to monolayer metal films. Thin films with sublayer thicknesses from 75 nm to 5 μm show strong interfacial adhesion. A weak adhesion and sublayer exfoliation for the films with sublayer thickness greater than 5μm were found. Three-dimensional Ni microstructures can be fabricated using multilayer Ni/Cu film by selective etching of Cu layers in an acidic thiourea solution ('surface micromachining' technique.

Effects of Interphase Modification and Biaxial Orientation on Dielectric Properties of Poly(ethylene terephthalate)/Poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) Multilayer Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Kezhen; Zhou, Zheng; Schuele, Donald E; Wolak, Mason; Zhu, Lei; Baer, Eric

2016-06-01

Recently, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)-based multilayer films have demonstrated enhanced dielectric properties, combining high energy density and high dielectric breakdown strength from the component polymers. In this work, further enhanced dielectric properties were achieved through interface/interphase modulation and biaxial orientation for the poly(ethylene terephthalate)/poly(methyl methacrylate)/poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) [PET/PMMA/P(VDF-HFP)] three-component multilayer films. Because PMMA is miscible with P(VDF-HFP) and compatible with PET, the interfacial adhesion between PET and P(VDF-HFP) layers should be improved. Biaxial stretching of the as-extruded multilayer films induced formation of highly oriented fibrillar crystals in both P(VDF-HFP) and PET, resulting in improved dielectric properties with respect to the unstretched films. First, the parallel orientation of PVDF crystals reduced the dielectric loss from the αc relaxation in α crystals. Second, biaxial stretching constrained the amorphous phase in P(VDF-HFP) and thus the migrational loss from impurity ions was reduced. Third, biaxial stretching induced a significant amount of rigid amorphous phase in PET, further enhancing the breakdown strength of multilayer films. Due to the synergistic effects of improved interfacial adhesion and biaxial orientation, the PET/PMMA/P(VDF-HFP) 65-layer films with 8 vol % PMMA exhibited optimal dielectric properties with an energy density of 17.4 J/cm(3) at breakdown and the lowest dielectric loss. These three-component multilayer films are promising for future high-energy-density film capacitor applications.

Deodorisation effect of diamond-like carbon/titanium dioxide multilayer thin films deposited onto polypropylene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ozeki, K., E-mail: ozeki@mx.ibaraki.ac.jp [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ibaraki University, 4-12-1, Nakanarusawa, Hitachi, Ibaraki 316-8511 (Japan); Frontier Research Center for Applied Atomic Sciences, 162-1 Shirakata, Toukai, Ibaraki 319-1106 (Japan); Hirakuri, K.K. [Applied Systems Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Denki University, Ishizaka, Hatoyama, Hiki, Saitama 350-0394 (Japan); Masuzawa, T. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ibaraki University, 4-12-1, Nakanarusawa, Hitachi, Ibaraki 316-8511 (Japan)

2011-04-15

Many types of plastic containers have been used for the storage of food. In the present study, diamond-like carbon (DLC)/titanium oxide (TiO{sub 2}) multilayer thin films were deposited on polypropylene (PP) to prevent flavour retention and to remove flavour in plastic containers. For the flavour removal test, two types of multilayer films were prepared, DLC/TiO{sub 2} films and DLC/TiO{sub 2}/DLC films. The residual gas concentration of acetaldehyde, ethylene, and turmeric compounds in bottle including the DLC/TiO{sub 2}-coated and the DLC/TiO{sub 2}/DLC-coated PP plates were measured after UV radiation, and the amount of adsorbed compounds to the plates was determined. The percentages of residual gas for acetaldehyde, ethylene, and turmeric with the DLC/TiO{sub 2} coated plates were 0.8%, 65.2% and 75.0% after 40 h of UV radiation, respectively. For the DLC/TiO{sub 2}/DLC film, the percentages of residual gas for acetaldehyde, ethylene and turmeric decreased to 34.9%, 76.0% and 85.3% after 40 h of UV radiation, respectively. The DLC/TiO{sub 2}/DLC film had a photocatalytic effect even though the TiO{sub 2} film was covered with the DLC film.

Deodorisation effect of diamond-like carbon/titanium dioxide multilayer thin films deposited onto polypropylene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozeki, K.; Hirakuri, K.K.; Masuzawa, T.

2011-01-01

Many types of plastic containers have been used for the storage of food. In the present study, diamond-like carbon (DLC)/titanium oxide (TiO 2 ) multilayer thin films were deposited on polypropylene (PP) to prevent flavour retention and to remove flavour in plastic containers. For the flavour removal test, two types of multilayer films were prepared, DLC/TiO 2 films and DLC/TiO 2 /DLC films. The residual gas concentration of acetaldehyde, ethylene, and turmeric compounds in bottle including the DLC/TiO 2 -coated and the DLC/TiO 2 /DLC-coated PP plates were measured after UV radiation, and the amount of adsorbed compounds to the plates was determined. The percentages of residual gas for acetaldehyde, ethylene, and turmeric with the DLC/TiO 2 coated plates were 0.8%, 65.2% and 75.0% after 40 h of UV radiation, respectively. For the DLC/TiO 2 /DLC film, the percentages of residual gas for acetaldehyde, ethylene and turmeric decreased to 34.9%, 76.0% and 85.3% after 40 h of UV radiation, respectively. The DLC/TiO 2 /DLC film had a photocatalytic effect even though the TiO 2 film was covered with the DLC film.

Improved polymer thin-film wetting behavior through nanoparticle segregation to interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krishnan, R S; Mackay, M E; Duxbury, P M; Hawker, C J; Asokan, Suba; Wong, Michael S; Goyette, Rick; Thiyagarajan, P

2007-01-01

We report a systematic study of improved wetting behavior for thin polymer films containing nanoparticles, as a function of nanoparticle size and concentration, the energy of the substrate and the dielectric properties of the nanoparticles. An enthalpy matched system consisting of polystyrene nanoparticles in linear polystyrene is used to show that nanoparticles are uniformly distributed in the film after spin coating and drying. However, on annealing the film above its bulk glass transition temperature these nanoparticles segregate strongly to the solid substrate. We find that for a wide range of film thicknesses and nanoparticle sizes, a substrate coverage of nanoparticles of approximately a monolayer is required for dewetting inhibition. Cadmium selenide quantum dots also inhibit dewetting of polystyrene thin films, again when a monolayer is present. Moreover, TEM microscopy images indicate that CdSe quantum dots segregate primarily to the air interface. Theoretical interpretation of these phenomena suggests that gain of linear chain configurational entropy promotes segregation of nanoparticles to the solid substrate, as occurs for polystyrene nanoparticles; however, for CdSe nanoparticles this is offset by surface energy or enthalpic terms which promote segregation of the nanoparticles to the air interface

Synthesis of dense TiO2 nanoparticle multilayers using spin coating technique

Science.gov (United States)

DeSilva, L. Ajith; Thakurdesai, Madhavi; Bandara, T. M. W. J.; Preston, Joshua; Johnson, Wyatt; Gaquere-Parker, Anne; Survase, Smita

2018-04-01

A stack of nine layers is prepared by sequential spun casting of commercially available colloidal TiO2 nanoparticles of average size of 10-15 nm. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is employed to investigate the surface morphology of the multilayers. SEM micrographs exhibit formation of highly uniform and dense TiO2 nanoparticle layers. The uniformity and density is found to be increasing with layer thickness. Structural characterization is carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. XRD spectra indicate improvement in crystalline quality of all the layers with increasing layer thickness. All the layers are having mainly the anatase phase of TiO2. Optical characterization is carried out by UV-visible spectroscopy. The value of bandgap estimated on the basis of absorption coefficient is found to be 3.26 eV and approximately remains the same for the layers. The electrical characterization suggests that multilayer resistivity increases with increasing layer thickness. The good quality spin coated thin dense TiO2 layers have many applications in optoelectronics.

Layer-by-layer self-assembled multilayer films composed of graphene/polyaniline bilayers: high-energy electrode materials for supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarker, Ashis K; Hong, Jong-Dal

2012-08-28

Multilayer assemblies of uniform ultrathin film electrodes with good electrical conductivity and very large surface areas were prepared for use as electrochemical capacitors. A layer-by-layer self-assembly approach was employed in an effort to improve the processability of highly conducting polyaniline (PANi) and chemically modified graphene. The electrochemical properties of the multilayer film (MF-) electrodes, including the sheet resistance, volumetric capacitance, and charge/discharge ratio, were determined by the morphological modification and the method used to reduce the graphene oxide (GO) to reduced graphene oxide (RGO) in the multilayer films. The PANi and GO concentrations could be modulated to control the morphology of the GO monolayer film in the multilayer assemblies. Optical ellipsometry was used to determine the thickness of the GO film in a single layer (1.32 nm), which agreed well with the literature value (~1.3 nm). Hydroiodic acid (HI), hydrazine, or pyrolysis were tested for the reduction of GO to RGO. HI was found to be the most efficient technique for reducing the GO to RGO in the multilayer assemblies while minimizing damage to the virgin state of the acid-doped PANi. Ultimately, the MF-electrode, which could be optimized by fine-tuning the nanostructure and selecting a suitable reduction method, exhibited an excellent volumetric capacitance, good cycling stability, and a rapid charge/discharge rate, which are required for supercapacitors. A MF-electrode composed of 15 PANi/RGO bilayers yielded a volumetric capacitance of 584 F/cm(3) at a current density of 3.0 A/cm(3). Although this value decreased exponentially as the current density increased, approaching a value of 170 F/cm(3) at 100 A/cm(3), this volumetric capacitance is one of the best yet reported for the other carbon-based materials. The intriguing features of the MF-electrodes composed of PANi/RGO multilayer films offer a new microdimensional design for high energy storage devices

Neutron optics with multilayer monochromators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saxena, A.M.; Majkrzak, C.F.

1984-01-01

A multilayer monochromator is made by depositing thin films of two materials in an alternating sequence on a glass substrate. This makes a multilayer periodic in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the films, with a d-spacing equal to the thickness of one bilayer. Neutrons of wavelength λ incident on a multilayer will be reflected at an angle phi given by the Bragg relation nλ = 2d sinphi, where n is the order of reflection. The use of thin-film multilayers for monochromating neutrons is discussed. Because of the low flux of neutrons, the samples have to be large, and the width of the incident beam can be as much as 2 cm. Multilayers made earlier were fabricated by resistive heating of the materials in a vacuum chamber. Because of geometrical constraints imposed by the size of the vacuum chamber, limits on the amount of material that can be loaded in a boat, and finite life of the boats, this method of preparation limits the length of a multilayer to ∼ 15 cm and the total number of bilayers in a multilayer to about 200. This paper discusses a thin-film deposition system using RF sputtering for depositing films

Iron-platinum multilayer thin film reactions to form L1(0) iron-platinum and exchange spring magnets

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Bo

FePt films with the L10 phase have potential applications for magnetic recording and permanent magnets due to its high magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy density. Heat treatment of [Fe/Pt] n multilayer films is one approach to form the L10 FePt phase through a solid state reaction. This thesis has studied the diffusion and reaction of [Fe/Pt]n multilayer films to form the L10 FePt phase and has used this understanding to construct exchange spring magnets. The process-structure-property relations of [Fe/Pt] n multilayer films were systematically examined. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) study of the annealed multilayers indicates that the Pt layer grows at the expense of Fe during annealing, forming a disordered fcc FePt phase by the interdiffusion of Fe into Pt. This thickening of the fcc Pt layer can be attributed to the higher solubilities of Fe into fcc Pt, as compared to the converse. For the range of film thickness studied, a continuous L10 FePt product layer that then thickens with further annealing is not found. Instead, the initial L10 FePt grains are distributed mainly on the grain boundaries within the fcc FePt layer and at the Fe/Pt interfaces and further transformation of the sample to the ordered L10 FePt phase proceeds coupled with the growth of the initial L10 FePt grains. A comprehensive study of annealed [Fe/Pt]n films is provided concerning the phase fraction, grain size, nucleation/grain density, interdiffusivity, long-range order parameter, and texture, as well as magnetic properties. A method based on hollow cone dark field TEM is introduced to measure the volume fraction, grain size, and density of ordered L10 FePt phase grains in the annealed films, and low-angle X-ray diffraction is used to measure the effective Fe-Pt interdiffusivity. The process-structure-properties relations of two groups of samples with varying substrate temperature and periodicity are reported. The results demonstrate that the processing parameters

Multilayer Films and Capsules of Sodium Carboxymethylcellulose and Polyhexamethylenguanidine Hydrochloride

Science.gov (United States)

Guzenko, Nataliia; Gabchak, Oleksandra; Pakhlov, Evgenij

The complexation of polyhexamethylenguanidine hydrochloride (PHMG) and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) was investigated for different conditions. Mixing of equiconcentrated aqueous solutions of the polyelectrolytes was found to result in the formation of an insoluble interpolyelectrolyte complex with an overweight of carboxymethylcellulose. A step-by-step formation of stable, irreversibly adsorbed multilayer film of the polymers was demonstrated using the quartz crystal microbalance method. Unusually thick polymer shells with a large number of loops and tails of the polyanion were formed by the method of layer-by-layer self-assembly of PHMG and CMC on spherical CaCO3 particles. Hollow multilayer capsules stable in neutral media were obtained by dissolution of the inorganic matrix in EDTA solution.

Preparation and properties of [(NdFeB)x/(Nb)z]n multi-layer films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsai, J.-L.; Chin, T.-S.; Yao, Y.-D.; Melsheimer, A.; Fisher, S.; Drogen, T.; Kelsch, M.; Kronmueller, H.

2003-01-01

Multi-layer [(NdFeB) x /(Nb) z ] n films with 200 nm≥x≥10 nm, 10 nm≥z≥0, 40≥n≥2, prepared by ion beam sputtering and subsequent annealing, show significantly enhanced coercivity due to the reduced grain size that enhances the anisotropy of individual grains. After annealing at 630 deg. C, some Nd 2 Fe 14 B grains were enriched with Nb and isolated as the thickness of the Nb spacer layer increases. For multi-layer (NdFeB x /Nb z ) n films with 100 nm ≥x≥25 nm, 5 nm≥z≥2 nm, their coercivity and remanence ratio are better than that of a single NdFeB film. Up to 17.8 kOe room temperature coercivity has been obtained for a sample with x=25 nm, z=5 nm and n=16

Bacterial self-defense antibiotics release from organic-inorganic hybrid multilayer films for long-term anti-adhesion and biofilm inhibition properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Qingwen; Li, Xi; Jin, Yingying; Sun, Lin; Ding, Xiaoxu; Liang, Lin; Wang, Lei; Nan, Kaihui; Ji, Jian; Chen, Hao; Wang, Bailiang

2017-12-14

Implant-associated bacterial infections pose serious medical and financial issues due to the colonization and proliferation of pathogens on the surface of the implant. The as-prepared traditional antibacterial surfaces can neither resist bacterial adhesion nor inhibit the development of biofilm over the long term. Herein, novel (montmorillonite/poly-l-lysine-gentamicin sulfate) 8 ((MMT/PLL-GS) 8 ) organic-inorganic hybrid multilayer films were developed to combine enzymatic degradation PLL for on-demand self-defense antibiotics release. Small molecule GS was loaded into the multilayer films during self-assembly and the multilayer films showed pH-dependent and linear growth behavior. The chymotrypsin- (CMS) and bacterial infections-responsive film degradation led to the peeling of the films and GS release. Enzyme-responsive GS release exhibited CMS concentration dependence as measured by the size of the inhibition zone and SEM images. Notably, the obtained antibacterial films showed highly efficient bactericidal activity which killed more than 99.9% of S. aureus in 12 h. Even after 3 d of incubation in S. aureus, E. coli or S. epidermidis solutions, the multilayer films exhibited inhibition zones of more than 1.5 mm in size. Both in vitro and in vivo antibacterial tests indicated good cell compatibility, and anti-inflammatory, and long-term bacterial anti-adhesion and biofilm inhibition properties.

Nanostructure characterization of Ni and B layers as artificial pinning centers in multilayered MgB2/Ni and MgB2/B superconducting thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sosiati, H.; Hata, S.; Doi, T.; Matsumoto, A.; Kitaguchi, H.; Nakashima, H.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Nanostructure characterization of Ni and B layers as artificial pinning centers (APCs). ► Relationship between nanostructure and J c property. ► Enhanced J c in parallel field by parallel APCs within the MgB 2 film. -- Abstract: Research on the MgB 2 /Ni and MgB 2 /B multilayer films fabricated by an electron beam (EB) evaporation technique have been extensively carried out. The critical current density, J c of MgB 2 /Ni and MgB 2 /B multilayer films in parallel fields has been suggested to be higher than that of monolayer MgB 2 film due to introducing the artificial pinning centers of nano-sized Ni and B layers. Nanostructure characterization of the artificial pinning centers in the multilayer films were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning TEM (STEM-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (STEM-EDS))–EDS to understand the mechanism of flux pinning. The growth of columnar MgB 2 grains along the film-thickness direction was recognized in the MgB 2 /Ni multilayer film, but not in the MgB 2 /B multilayer film. Nano-sized Ni layers were present as crystalline epitaxial layers which is interpreted that Ni atoms might be incorporated into the MgB 2 lattice to form (Mg,Ni)B 2 phase. On the other hand, nano-sized B layers were amorphous layers. Crystalline (Mg,Ni)B 2 layers worked more effectively than amorphous B-layers, providing higher flux-pinning force that resulted in higher J c of the MgB 2 /Ni multilayer film than the MgB 2 /B multilayer film

Characterization of Corn Starch Films Reinforced with CaCO3 Nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Qingjie; Xi, Tingting; Li, Ying; Xiong, Liu

2014-01-01

The characterization of corn starch (CS) films impregnated with CaCO3 nanoparticles was investigated. Criteria such as morphology, crystallinity, water vapor permeability (WVP), opacity, and mechanical properties were the focus of the investigation. It was found that the CaCO3 contents had significant effects on the tensile properties of the nanocomposite films. The addition of CaCO3 nanoparticles to the CS films significantly increased tensile strength from 1.40 to 2.24 MPa, elongation from 79.21 to 118.98%, and Young’s modulus from 1.82 to 2.41 MPa. The incorporation of CaCO3 nanoparticles increased the opacity of films, lowered the degree of WVP and film solubility value compared to those of the CS films. The results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that with the increase of CaCO3 nanoparticles content in starch films, the roughness of the films increased, and pores or cavities were found on the surface of the films, while small cracks were observed in the structures of the fractured surfaces. X-ray diffraction showed that the addition of nanoparticles increased the peaks in the intensity of films. PMID:25188503

Layer-by-layer assembled multilayers using catalase-encapsulated gold nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Sungwoo; Park, Jeongju; Cho, Jinhan

2010-01-01

We introduce a novel and versatile approach for the preparation of multilayers, based on catalase-encapsulated gold nanoparticles (CAT-Au NP ), allowing electrostatic charge reversal and structural transformation through pH adjustment. CAT-Au NP , which are synthesized directly from CAT stabilizer, can be electrostatically assembled with anionic and cationic PEs as a result of the charge reversal of the catalase stabilizers through pH control. In particular, at pH 5.2, near the pI of catalase, dispersed CAT-Au NP are structurally transformed into colloidal or network CAT-Au NP nanocomposites. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the layer-by-layer assembled multilayers composed of PEs and CAT-Au NP induce an effective electron transfer between CAT and the electrode as well as a high loading of CAT and Au NP , and resultantly exhibit a highly catalytic activity toward H 2 O 2 .

Optical properties of metallic multi-layer films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dimmich, R.

1991-09-01

Optical properties of multi-layer films consisting of alternating layers of two different metals are studied on the basis of the Maxwell equations and the Boltzmann transport theory. The influence of free-electron scattering at the film external surface and at the interfaces is taken into account and considered as a function of the electromagnetic field frequency and the structure modulation wavelength. Derived formulas for optical coefficients are valid at low frequencies, where the skin effect is nearly classical, as well as in the near-infrared, visible and ultraviolet spectral ranges, where the skin effect has the anomalous nature. It is shown that the obtained results are apparently dependent on the values of the scattering parameters. What is more, the oscillatory nature of analyzed spectra is observed, where the two oscillation periods may appear on certain conditions. The oscillations result from the electron surface and interface scattering and their amplitudes and periods depend on the boundary conditions for free-electron scattering. Finally, the application of the interference phenomenon in dielectric layers is proposed to obtain the enhancement of the non distinct details which can appear in optical spectra of metallic films. (author). 31 refs, 6 figs

Multi-layer film flow down an inclined plane: experimental investigation

KAUST Repository

Henry, Daniel

2014-11-19

We report the results from an experimental study of the flow of a film down an inclined plane where the film itself is comprised of up to three layers of different liquids. By measuring the total film thickness for a broad range of parameters including flow rates and liquid physical properties, we provide a thorough and systematic test of the single-layer approximation for multi-layer films for Reynolds numbers Re = ρQ/μ≈0.03-60. In addition, we also measure the change in film thickness of individual layers as a function of flow rates for a variety of experimental configurations. With the aid of high-speed particle tracking, we derive the velocity fields and free-surface velocities to compare to the single-layer approximation. Furthermore, we provide experimental evidence of small capillary ridge formations close to the point where two layers merge and compare our experimental parameter range for the occurrence of this phenomenon to those previously reported.

Pulsed laser deposition and characterization of multilayer metal-carbon thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Siraj, K., E-mail: khurram.uet@gmail.com [Advance Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore (Pakistan); Khaleeq-ur-Rahman, M.; Rafique, M.S.; Munawar, M.Z. [Advance Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore (Pakistan); Naseem, S.; Riaz, S. [Center for Solid State Physics, University of Punjab, Lahore (Pakistan)

2011-05-15

Cobalt-DLC multilayer films were deposited with increasing content of cobalt, keeping carbon content constant by pulsed laser deposition technique. A cobalt free carbon film was also deposited for comparison. Excimer laser was employed to ablate the materials onto silicon substrate, kept at 250 deg. C, while post-deposition annealing at 400 deg. C was also performed in situ. The formation of cobalt grains within the carbon matrix in Co-DLC films can be seen through scanning electron and atomic force micrographs while no grains on the surface of the cobalt-free DLC film were observed. Raman spectra of all the films show D- and G-bands, which is a confirmation that the films are DLC in nature. According to Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) measurements, the DLC films with cobalt revealed ferromagnetic behaviour whereas the cobalt free DLC film exhibited diamagnetic behaviour. The pure DLC film also shows ferromagnetic nature when diamagnetic background is subtracted. Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (SE) analysis showed that the optical band gaps, refractive indices and extinction coefficients of Co-DLC films can be effectively tuned with increasing content of cobalt.

Pulsed laser deposition and characterization of multilayer metal-carbon thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siraj, K.; Khaleeq-ur-Rahman, M.; Rafique, M.S.; Munawar, M.Z.; Naseem, S.; Riaz, S.

2011-01-01

Cobalt-DLC multilayer films were deposited with increasing content of cobalt, keeping carbon content constant by pulsed laser deposition technique. A cobalt free carbon film was also deposited for comparison. Excimer laser was employed to ablate the materials onto silicon substrate, kept at 250 deg. C, while post-deposition annealing at 400 deg. C was also performed in situ. The formation of cobalt grains within the carbon matrix in Co-DLC films can be seen through scanning electron and atomic force micrographs while no grains on the surface of the cobalt-free DLC film were observed. Raman spectra of all the films show D- and G-bands, which is a confirmation that the films are DLC in nature. According to Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) measurements, the DLC films with cobalt revealed ferromagnetic behaviour whereas the cobalt free DLC film exhibited diamagnetic behaviour. The pure DLC film also shows ferromagnetic nature when diamagnetic background is subtracted. Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (SE) analysis showed that the optical band gaps, refractive indices and extinction coefficients of Co-DLC films can be effectively tuned with increasing content of cobalt.

On-chip highly sensitive saliva glucose sensing using multilayer films composed of single-walled carbon nanotubes, gold nanoparticles, and glucose oxidase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenjun Zhang

2015-06-01

Full Text Available It is very important for human health to rapidly and accurately detect glucose levels in biological environments, especially for diabetes mellitus. We proposed a simple, highly sensitive, accurate, convenient, low-cost, and disposable glucose biosensor on a single chip. A working (sensor electrode, a counter electrode, and a reference electrode are integrated on a single chip through micro-fabrication. The working electrode is functionalized through a layer-by-layer (LBL assembly of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs and multilayer films composed of chitosan (CS, gold nanoparticles (GNp, and glucose oxidase (GOx to obtain high sensitivity and accuracy. The glucose sensor has following features: (1 direct electron transfer between GOx and the electrode surface; (2 on-a-chip; (3 glucose detection down to 0.1 mg/dL (5.6 μM; (4 good sensing linearity over 0.017–0.81 mM; (5 high sensitivity (61.4 μA/mM-cm2 with a small reactive area (8 mm2; (6 fast response; (7 high reproducibility and repeatability; (8 reliable and accurate saliva glucose detection. Thus, this disposable biosensor will be an alternative for real time tracking of glucose levels from body fluids, e.g. saliva, in a noninvasive, pain-free, accurate, and continuous way. In addition to being used as a disposable glucose biosensor, it also provides a suitable platform for on-chip electrochemical sensing for other chemical agents and biomolecules.

Ordered organic-organic multilayer growth

Science.gov (United States)

Forrest, Stephen R; Lunt, Richard R

2015-01-13

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

Properties of Exchange Coupled All-garnet Magneto-Optic Thin Film Multilayer Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Nur-E-Alam, Mohammad; Vasiliev, Mikhail; Kotov, Viacheslav A.; Balabanov, Dmitry; Akimov, Ilya; Alameh, Kamal

2015-01-01

The effects of exchange coupling on magnetic switching properties of all-garnet multilayer thin film structures are investigated. All-garnet structures are fabricated by sandwiching a magneto-soft material of composition type Bi1.8Lu1.2Fe3.6Al1.4O12 or Bi3Fe5O12:Dy2O3 in between two magneto-hard garnet material layers of composition type Bi2Dy1Fe4Ga1O12 or Bi2Dy1Fe4Ga1O12:Bi2O3. The fabricated RF magnetron sputtered exchange-coupled all-garnet multilayers demonstrate a very attractive combination of magnetic properties, and are of interest for emerging applications in optical sensors and isolators, ultrafast nanophotonics and magneto-plasmonics. An unconventional type of magnetic hysteresis behavior not observed previously in magnetic garnet thin films is reported and discussed. PMID:28788043

Properties of Exchange Coupled All-garnet Magneto-Optic Thin Film Multilayer Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Nur-E-Alam

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The effects of exchange coupling on magnetic switching properties of all-garnet multilayer thin film structures are investigated. All-garnet structures are fabricated by sandwiching a magneto-soft material of composition type Bi1.8Lu1.2Fe3.6Al1.4O12 or Bi3Fe5O12:Dy2O3 in between two magneto-hard garnet material layers of composition type Bi2Dy1Fe4Ga1O12 or Bi2Dy1Fe4Ga1O12:Bi2O3. The fabricated RF magnetron sputtered exchange-coupled all-garnet multilayers demonstrate a very attractive combination of magnetic properties, and are of interest for emerging applications in optical sensors and isolators, ultrafast nanophotonics and magneto-plasmonics. An unconventional type of magnetic hysteresis behavior not observed previously in magnetic garnet thin films is reported and discussed.

Layer-by-layer modification of thin-film metal-semiconductor multilayers with ultrashort laser pulses

Science.gov (United States)

Romashevskiy, S. A.; Tsygankov, P. A.; Ashitkov, S. I.; Agranat, M. B.

2018-05-01

The surface modifications in a multilayer thin-film structure (50-nm alternating layers of Si and Al) induced by a single Gaussian-shaped femtosecond laser pulse (350 fs, 1028 nm) in the air are investigated by means of atomic-force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and optical microscopy (OM). Depending on the laser fluence, various modifications of nanometer-scale metal and semiconductor layers, including localized formation of silicon/aluminum nanofoams and layer-by-layer removal, are found. While the nanofoams with cell sizes in the range of tens to hundreds of nanometers are produced only in the two top layers, layer-by-layer removal is observed for the four top layers under single pulse irradiation. The 50-nm films of the multilayer structure are found to be separated at their interfaces, resulting in a selective removal of several top layers (up to 4) in the form of step-like (concentric) craters. The observed phenomenon is associated with a thermo-mechanical ablation mechanism that results in splitting off at film-film interface, where the adhesion force is less than the bulk strength of the used materials, revealing linear dependence of threshold fluences on the film thickness.

Plasma-activated core-shell gold nanoparticle films with enhanced catalytic properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Llorca, Jordi, E-mail: jordi.llorca@upc.edu; Casanovas, Albert; Dominguez, Montserrat; Casanova, Ignasi [Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Institut de Tecniques Energetiques (Spain); Angurell, Inmaculada; Seco, Miquel; Rossell, Oriol [Universitat de Barcelona, Departament de Quimica Inorganica (Spain)

2008-03-15

Catalytically active gold nanoparticle films have been prepared from core-shell nanoparticles by plasma-activation and characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Methane can be selectively oxidized into formic acid with an O{sub 2}-H{sub 2} mixture in a catalytic wall reactor functionalized with plasma-activated gold nanoparticle films containing well-defined Au particles of about 3.5 nm in diameter. No catalytic activity was recorded over gold nanoparticle films prepared by thermal decomposition of core-shell nanoparticles due to particle agglomeration.

Plasma-activated core-shell gold nanoparticle films with enhanced catalytic properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Llorca, Jordi; Casanovas, Albert; Dominguez, Montserrat; Casanova, Ignasi; Angurell, Inmaculada; Seco, Miquel; Rossell, Oriol

2008-01-01

Catalytically active gold nanoparticle films have been prepared from core-shell nanoparticles by plasma-activation and characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Methane can be selectively oxidized into formic acid with an O 2 -H 2 mixture in a catalytic wall reactor functionalized with plasma-activated gold nanoparticle films containing well-defined Au particles of about 3.5 nm in diameter. No catalytic activity was recorded over gold nanoparticle films prepared by thermal decomposition of core-shell nanoparticles due to particle agglomeration

Laser-Induced, Local Oxidation of Copper Nanoparticle Films During Raman Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Hight Walker, Angela R.; Cheng, Guangjun; Calizo, Irene

2011-03-01

The optical properties of gold and silver nanoparticles and their films have been thoroughly investigated as surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates and chemical reaction promoters. Similar to gold and silver nanoparticles, copper nanoparticles exhibit distinct plasmon absorptions in the visible region. The work on copper nanoparticles and their films is limited due to their oxidization in air. However, their high reactivity actually provides an opportunity to exploit the laser-induced thermal effect and chemical reactions of these nanoparticles. Here, we present our investigation of the local oxidation of a copper nanoparticle film induced by a visible laser source during Raman spectroscopic measurements. The copper nanoparticle film is prepared by drop-casting chemically synthesized copper colloid onto silicon oxide/silicon substrate. The local oxidation induced by visible lasers in Raman spectroscopy is monitored with the distinct scattering peaks for copper oxides. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy have been used to characterize the laser-induced morphological changes in the film. The results of this oxidation process with different excitation wavelengths and different laser powers will be presented.

Ultrathin free-standing close-packed gold nanoparticle films: Conductivity and Raman scattering enhancement

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Qing; Huang, Hongwen; Peng, Xinsheng; Ye, Zhizhen

2011-09-01

A simple filtration technique was developed to prepare large scale free-standing close-packed gold nanoparticle ultrathin films using metal hydroxide nanostrands as both barrier layer and sacrificial layer. As thin as 70 nm, centimeter scale robust free-standing gold nanoparticle thin film was obtained. The thickness of the films could be easily tuned by the filtration volumes. The electronic conductivities of these films varied with the size of the gold nanoparticles, post-treatment temperature, and thickness, respectively. The conductivity of the film prepared from 20 nm gold nanoparticles is higher than that of the film prepared from 40 nm gold nanoparticle by filtering the same filtration volume of their solution, respectively. Their conductivities are comparable to that of the 220 nm thick ITO film. Furthermore, these films demonstrated an average surface Raman scattering enhancement up to 6.59 × 105 for Rhodamine 6 G molecules on the film prepared from 40 nm gold nanoparticles. Due to a lot of nano interspaces generated from the close-packed structures, two abnormal enhancements and relative stronger intensities of the asymmetrical vibrations at 1534 and 1594 cm-1 of R6G were observed, respectively. These robust free-standing gold nanoparticle films could be easily transferred onto various solid substrates and hold the potential application for electrodes and surface enhanced Raman detectors. This method is applicable for preparation of other nanoparticle free-standing thin films.A simple filtration technique was developed to prepare large scale free-standing close-packed gold nanoparticle ultrathin films using metal hydroxide nanostrands as both barrier layer and sacrificial layer. As thin as 70 nm, centimeter scale robust free-standing gold nanoparticle thin film was obtained. The thickness of the films could be easily tuned by the filtration volumes. The electronic conductivities of these films varied with the size of the gold nanoparticles, post

Thermal dewetting behavior of polystyrene composite thin films with organic-modified inorganic nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Kubo, Masaki; Takahashi, Yosuke; Fujii, Takeshi; Liu, Yang; Sugioka, Ken-ichi; Tsukada, Takao; Minami, Kimitaka; Adschiri, Tadafumi

2014-07-29

The thermal dewetting of polystyrene composite thin films with oleic acid-modified CeO2 nanoparticles prepared by the supercritical hydrothermal synthesis method was investigated, varying the nanoparticle concentration (0-30 wt %), film thickness (approximately 50 and 100 nm), and surface energy of silanized silicon substrates on which the composite films were coated. The dewetting behavior of the composite thin films during thermal annealing was observed by an optical microscope. The presence of nanoparticles in the films affected the morphology of dewetting holes, and moreover suppressed the dewetting itself when the concentration was relatively high. It was revealed that there was a critical value of the surface energy of the substrate at which the dewetting occurred. In addition, the spatial distributions of nanoparticles in the composite thin films before thermal annealing were investigated using AFM and TEM. As a result, we found that most of nanoparticles segregated to the surface of the film, and that such distributions of nanoparticles contribute to the stabilization of the films, by calculating the interfacial potential of the films with nanoparticles.

Self-assembled iron oxide nanoparticle multilayer: x-ray and polarized neutron reflectivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mishra, D; Benitez, M J; Petracic, O; Badini Confalonieri, G A; Szary, P; Brüssing, F; Devishvili, A; Toperverg, B P; Zabel, H; Theis-Bröhl, K; Vorobiev, A; Konovalov, O; Paulus, M; Sternemann, C

2012-01-01

We have investigated the structure and magnetism of self-assembled, 20 nm diameter iron oxide nanoparticles covered by an oleic acid shell for scrutinizing their structural and magnetic correlations. The nanoparticles were spin-coated on an Si substrate as a single monolayer and as a stack of 5 ML forming a multilayer. X-ray scattering (reflectivity and grazing incidence small-angle scattering) confirms high in-plane hexagonal correlation and a good layering property of the nanoparticles. Using polarized neutron reflectivity we have also determined the long range magnetic correlations parallel and perpendicular to the layers in addition to the structural ones. In a field of 5 kOe we determine a magnetization value of about 80% of the saturation value. At remanence the global magnetization is close to zero. However, polarized neutron reflectivity reveals the existence of regions in which magnetic moments of nanoparticles are well aligned, while losing order over longer distances. These findings confirm that in the nanoparticle assembly the magnetic dipole–dipole interaction is rather strong, dominating the collective magnetic properties at room temperature. (paper)

Self-assembled iron oxide nanoparticle multilayer: x-ray and polarized neutron reflectivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, D; Benitez, M J; Petracic, O; Badini Confalonieri, G A; Szary, P; Brüssing, F; Theis-Bröhl, K; Devishvili, A; Vorobiev, A; Konovalov, O; Paulus, M; Sternemann, C; Toperverg, B P; Zabel, H

2012-02-10

We have investigated the structure and magnetism of self-assembled, 20 nm diameter iron oxide nanoparticles covered by an oleic acid shell for scrutinizing their structural and magnetic correlations. The nanoparticles were spin-coated on an Si substrate as a single monolayer and as a stack of 5 ML forming a multilayer. X-ray scattering (reflectivity and grazing incidence small-angle scattering) confirms high in-plane hexagonal correlation and a good layering property of the nanoparticles. Using polarized neutron reflectivity we have also determined the long range magnetic correlations parallel and perpendicular to the layers in addition to the structural ones. In a field of 5 kOe we determine a magnetization value of about 80% of the saturation value. At remanence the global magnetization is close to zero. However, polarized neutron reflectivity reveals the existence of regions in which magnetic moments of nanoparticles are well aligned, while losing order over longer distances. These findings confirm that in the nanoparticle assembly the magnetic dipole-dipole interaction is rather strong, dominating the collective magnetic properties at room temperature.

Feasibility of X-ray analysis of multi-layer thin films at a single beam voltage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Statham, P J

2010-01-01

Multi-layer analysis using electron beam excitation and X-ray spectrometry is a powerful tool for characterising layers down to 1 nm thickness and with typically 1 μm lateral resolution but does not always work. Most published applications have used WDS with many measurements at different beam voltages and considerable experience has been needed to choose lines and voltages particularly for complex multi-layer problems. A new objective mathematical approach is described which demonstrates whether X-ray analysis can obtain reliable results for an arbitrary multi-layer problem. A new algorithm embodied in 'ThinFilmID' software produces a single plot that shows feasibility of achieving results with a single EDS spectrum and suggests the optimal beam voltage. Synthesis of EDS spectra allows the precision in results to be estimated and acquisition conditions modified before wasting valuable instrument time. Thus, practicality of multi-layer thin film analysis at a single beam voltage can now be established without the extensive experimentation that was previously required by a microanalysis expert. Examples are shown where the algorithm discovers viable single-voltage conditions for applications that experts previously thought could only be addressed using measurements at more than one beam voltage.

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.

Preparation and Characterization of Silver Liquid Thin Films for Magnetic Fluid Deformable Mirror

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lianchao Zhang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Silver liquid thin film, formed by silver nanoparticles stacking and spreading on the surface of the liquid, is one of the important parts of magnetic fluid deformable mirror. First, silver nanoparticles were prepared by liquid phase chemical reduction method using sodium citrate as reducing agent and stabilizer and silver nitrate as precursor. Characterization of silver nanoparticles was studied using X-ray diffractometer, UV-vis spectrophotometer, and transmission electron microscope (TEM. The results showed that silver nanoparticles are spherical and have a good monodispersity. Additionally, the effect of the reaction conditions on the particle size of silver is obvious. And then silver liquid thin films were prepared by oil-water two-phase interface technology using as-synthesized silver nanoparticles. Properties of the film were investigated using different technology. The results showed that the film has good reflectivity and the particle size has a great influence on the reflectivity of the films. SEM photos showed that the liquid film is composed of multilayer silver nanoparticles. In addition, stability of the film was studied. The results showed that after being stored for 8 days under natural conditions, the gloss and reflectivity of the film start to decrease.

Evaluation of the sealing properties and TMA study of multilayer PA/PE film treated with e-beam radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortiz, Angel V.; Gargalaka Junior, Joao; Wiebeck, Helio

2007-01-01

Multilayer films are widely used in the food industry as thermoforming as well as non thermoforming vacuum packaging. In this study a PA6/LDPE multilayer film underwent E-beam radiation and its sealing properties were evaluated over 3 years after the film was irradiated. Packaging materials have been widely processed by ionizing radiation in order to improve their chemical and physical properties and also for sterilization purposes. Basically, flexible packaging manufacturers apply specific radiation doses to promote cross-linking and scission of the polymeric chains and thus obtain alterations in certain properties. While enhancing a specific property, significant losses may result in others. We examined the effects of E-beam radiation on the sealing properties of the multilayer film irradiated with doses up to 127 kGy. Results showed that as doses go up, the sealing strength goes down. The TMA study shows that the softening/melting temperatures of the LDPE layer (sealing layer) varies according to the irradiation doses and helps explain the results of the sealing strength tests. (author)

Electrochemical Behavior of TiO2 Nanoparticle Doped WO3 Thin Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suvarna R. Bathe

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Nanoparticle TiO2 doped WO3 thin films by pulsed spray pyrolysis technique have been studied on fluorine tin doped (FTO and glass substrate. XRD shows amorphous nature for undoped and anatase phase of TiO2 having (101 plane for nanoparticle TiO2 doped WO3 thin film. SEM shows microfibrous reticulated porous network for WO3 with 600 nm fiber diameter and nanocrystalline having size 40 nm for TiO2 nanoparticle doped WO3 thin film. TiO2 nanoparticle doped WO3 thin film shows ~95% reversibility due to may be attributed to nanocrystalline nature of the film, which helpful for charge insertion and deinsertion process. The diffusion coefficient for TiO2 nanoparticle doped WO3 film is less than undoped WO3.

Design and development of an in-line sputtering system and process development of thin film multilayer neutron supermirrors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Biswas, A.; Sampathkumar, R.; Kumar, Ajaya; Bhattacharyya, D.; Sahoo, N. K. [Atomic and Molecular Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085 (India); Lagoo, K. D.; Veerapur, R. D.; Padmanabhan, M.; Puri, R. K. [Division of Remote Handling and Robotics, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085 (India); Bhattacharya, Debarati; Singh, Surendra; Basu, S. [Solid State Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085 (India)

2014-12-15

Neutron supermirrors and supermirror polarizers are thin film multilayer based devices which are used for reflecting and polarizing neutrons in various neutron based experiments. In the present communication, the in-house development of a 9 m long in-line dc sputtering system has been described which is suitable for deposition of neutron supermirrors on large size (1500 mm × 150 mm) substrates and in large numbers. The optimisation process of deposition of Co and Ti thin film, Co/Ti periodic multilayers, and a-periodic supermirrors have also been described. The system has been used to deposit thin film multilayer supermirror polarizers which show high reflectivity up to a reasonably large critical wavevector transfer of ∼0.06 Å{sup −1} (corresponding to m = 2.5, i.e., 2.5 times critical wavevector transfer of natural Ni). The computer code for designing these supermirrors has also been developed in-house.

Temperature dependent magnetic coupling between ferromagnetic FeTaC layers in multilayer thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Akhilesh Kumar; Hsu, Jen-Hwa; Perumal, Alagarsamy

2016-01-01

We report systematic investigations on temperature dependent magnetic coupling between ferromagnetic FeTaC layers and resulting magnetic properties of multilayer structured [FeTaC (~67 nm)/Ta(x nm)] 2 /FeTaC(~67 nm)] thin films, which are fabricated directly on thermally oxidized Si substrate. As-deposited amorphous films are post annealed at different annealing temperatures (T A =200, 300 and 400 °C). Structural analyzes reveal that the films annealed at T A ≤200 °C exhibit amorphous nature, while the films annealed above 200 °C show nucleation of nanocrystals at T A =300 °C and well-defined α-Fe nanocrystals with size of about 9 nm in amorphous matrix for 400 °C annealed films. Room temperature and temperature dependent magnetic hysteresis (M–H) loops reveal that magnetization reversal behaviors and magnetic properties are strongly depending on spacer layer thickness (x), T A and temperature. A large reduction in coercivity (H C ) was observed for the films annealed at 200 °C and correlated to relaxation of stress quenched in during the film deposition. On the other hand, the films annealed at 300 °C exhibit unusual variation of H C (T), i.e., a broad minimum in H C (T) vs T curve. This is caused by change in magnetic coupling between ferromagnetic layers having different microstructure. In addition, the broad minimum in the H C (T) curve shifts from 150 K for x=1 film to 80 K for x=4 film. High-temperature thermomagnetization data show a strong (significant) variation of Curie temperature (T C ) with T A (x). The multilayer films annealed at 200 °C exhibit low value of T C with a minimum of 350 K for x=4 film. But, the films annealed at 400 °C show largest T C with a maximum of 869 K for x=1 film. The observed results are discussed on the basis of variations in magnetic couplings between FeTaC layers, which are majorly driven by temperature, spacer layer thickness, annealing temperature and nature of interfaces. - Highlights: • Preparation and

Cell surface engineering with polyelectrolyte multilayer thin films.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, John T; Cui, Wanxing; Kozlovskaya, Veronika; Kharlampieva, Eugenia; Pan, Di; Qu, Zheng; Krishnamurthy, Venkata R; Mets, Joseph; Kumar, Vivek; Wen, Jing; Song, Yuhua; Tsukruk, Vladimir V; Chaikof, Elliot L

2011-05-11

Layer-by-layer assembly of polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) films represents a bottom-up approach for re-engineering the molecular landscape of cell surfaces with spatially continuous and molecularly uniform ultrathin films. However, fabricating PEMs on viable cells has proven challenging owing to the high cytotoxicity of polycations. Here, we report the rational engineering of a new class of PEMs with modular biological functionality and tunable physicochemical properties which have been engineered to abrogate cytotoxicity. Specifically, we have discovered a subset of cationic copolymers that undergoes a conformational change, which mitigates membrane disruption and facilitates the deposition of PEMs on cell surfaces that are tailorable in composition, reactivity, thickness, and mechanical properties. Furthermore, we demonstrate the first successful in vivo application of PEM-engineered cells, which maintained viability and function upon transplantation and were used as carriers for in vivo delivery of PEMs containing biomolecular payloads. This new class of polymeric film and the design strategies developed herein establish an enabling technology for cell transplantation and other therapies based on engineered cells. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Thin films of metal-organic compounds and metal nanoparticle ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Optical limiting capability of the nanoparticle-embedded polymer film is demonstrated. Keywords. Polar crystal; uniaxial orientational order; thin film; second harmonic gen- eration; silver ... able content of metal nanoparticles would be of considerable value from an appli- ... polar chain and perpendicular to it [10].

Layer-by-layer assembled multilayers using catalase-encapsulated gold nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Sungwoo; Park, Jeongju [School of Advanced Materials Engineering, Kookmin University, Jeongneung-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-702 (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Jinhan, E-mail: jinhan71@korea.ac.kr [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, Anam-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-701 (Korea, Republic of)

2010-09-17

We introduce a novel and versatile approach for the preparation of multilayers, based on catalase-encapsulated gold nanoparticles (CAT-Au{sub NP}), allowing electrostatic charge reversal and structural transformation through pH adjustment. CAT-Au{sub NP}, which are synthesized directly from CAT stabilizer, can be electrostatically assembled with anionic and cationic PEs as a result of the charge reversal of the catalase stabilizers through pH control. In particular, at pH 5.2, near the pI of catalase, dispersed CAT-Au{sub NP} are structurally transformed into colloidal or network CAT-Au{sub NP} nanocomposites. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the layer-by-layer assembled multilayers composed of PEs and CAT-Au{sub NP} induce an effective electron transfer between CAT and the electrode as well as a high loading of CAT and Au{sub NP}, and resultantly exhibit a highly catalytic activity toward H{sub 2}O{sub 2}.

Photoluminescence properties of perovskite multilayer thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Macario, Leilane Roberta; Longo, Elson, E-mail: leilanemacario@gmail.com [Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos (UFSCar), SP (Brazil); Mazzo, Tatiana Martelli [Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo (UNIFESP), SP (Brazil); Bouquet, Valerie; Deputier, Stephanie; Ollivier, Sophie; Guilloux-Viry, Maryline [Universite de Rennes (France)

2016-07-01

Full text: The knowledge of the optical properties of thin films is important in many scientific, technological and industrial applications of thin films such as photoconductivity, solar energy, photography, and numerous other applications [1]. In this study, perovskite type oxides were grown by pulsed laser deposition [2] in order to obtain thin films with applicable optical properties. The LaNiO{sub 3} (LN), BaTiO{sub 3} (BT) and KNbO{sub 3} (KNb) targets were prepared by solid-state reaction. The X-ray Diffraction revealed the presence of the desired phases, containing the elements of interest in the targets and in the thin films that were produced. The LN, BT and KNb thin films were polycrystalline and the corresponding diffraction peaks were indexed in the with JCPDS cards n. 00-033-0711, n. 00-005-0626, and n. 00-009-0156, respectively. The multilayers films were polycrystalline. The majority of the micrographs obtained by scanning electron microscopy presented films with a thickness from 100 to 400 nm. The photoluminescent (PL) emission spectra of thin films show different broad bands that occupies large region of the visible spectrum, ranging from about 300-350 to 600-650 nm of the electromagnetic spectrum. The PL emission is associated with the order-disorder structural, even small structural changes can modify the interactions between electronic states. The structural disorder results in formation of new energy levels in the forbidden region. The proximity or distance of these new energy levels formed in relation to valence band and to the conduction band results in PL spectra located at higher or lower energies. These interactions change the electronic states which can be influenced by defects, particularly the interface defects between the layers of the thin films. The presence of defects results in changes in the broad band matrix intensity and in displacement of the PL emission maximum. (author)

Synergistic interaction between gold nanoparticles and nickel phthalocyanine in layer-by-layer (LbL) films: evidence of constitutional dynamic chemistry (CDC).

Science.gov (United States)

Alencar, Wagner S; Crespilho, Frank N; Martins, Marccus V A; Zucolotto, Valtencir; Oliveira, Osvaldo N; Silva, Welter C

2009-07-07

The concept of constitutional dynamic chemistry (CDC) based on the control of non-covalent interactions in supramolecular structures is promising for having a large impact on nanoscience and nanotechnology if adequate nanoscale manipulation methods are used. In this study, we demonstrate that the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique may be used to produce electroactive electrodes with ITO coated by tetrasulfonated nickel phthalocyanine (NiTsPc) alternated with poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) incorporating gold nanoparticles (AuNP), in which synergy has been achieved in the interaction between the nanoparticles and NiTsPc. The catalytic activity toward hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) in multilayer films was investigated using cyclic voltammetry, where oxidation of H(2)O(2) led to increased currents in the PAH-AuNP/NiTsPc films for the electrochemical processes associated with the phthalocyanine ring and nickel at 0.52 and 0.81 V vs. SCE, respectively, while for PAH/NiTsPc films (without AuNP) only the first redox process was affected. In control experiments we found out that the catalytic activity was not solely due to the presence of AuNP, but rather to the nanoparticles inducing NiTsPc supramolecular structures that favored access to their redox sites, thus yielding strong charge transfer. The combined effects of NiTsPc and AuNP, which could only be observed in nanostructured LbL films, point to another avenue to pursue within the CDC paradigm.

Multilayered Films Produced by Layer-by-Layer Assembly of Chitosan and Alginate as a Potential Platform for the Formation of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cell aggregates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javad Hatami

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The construction of multilayered films with tunable properties could offer new routes to produce biomaterials as a platform for 3D cell cultivation. In this study, multilayered films produced with five bilayers of chitosan and alginate (CHT/ALG were built using water-soluble modified mesyl and tosyl–CHT via layer-by-layer (LbL self-assembly. NMR results demonstrated the presences of mesyl (2.83 ppm and tosyl groups (2.39, 7.37 and 7.70 ppm in the chemical structure of modified chitosans. The buildup of multilayered films was monitored by quartz-crystal-microbalance (QCM-D and film thickness was estimated using the Voigt-based viscoelastic model. QCM-D results demonstrated that CHT/ALG films constructed using mesyl or tosyl modifications (mCHT/ALG were significantly thinner in comparison to the CHT/ALG films constructed with unmodified chitosan (p < 0.05. Adhesion analysis demonstrated that human adipose stem cells (hASCs did not adhere to the mCHT/ALG multilayered films and formed aggregates with sizes between ca. 100–200 µm. In vitro studies on cell metabolic activity and live/dead staining suggested that mCHT/ALG multilayered films are nontoxic toward hACSs. Multilayered films produced via LbL assembly of ALG and off-the-shelf, water-soluble modified chitosans could be used as a scaffold for the 3D aggregates formation of hASCs in vitro.

A surface-mediated siRNA delivery system developed with chitosan/hyaluronic acid-siRNA multilayer films through layer-by-layer self-assembly

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Lijuan [Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062 (China); Suzhou Novovita Bio-products Co., Ltd., Suzhou 215300 (China); Wu, Changlin, E-mail: Ph.Dclwu1314@sina.cn [Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062 (China); Suzhou Novovita Bio-products Co., Ltd., Suzhou 215300 (China); Liu, Guangwan [Suzhou Novovita Bio-products Co., Ltd., Suzhou 215300 (China); Liao, Nannan [Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062 (China); Suzhou Novovita Bio-products Co., Ltd., Suzhou 215300 (China); Zhao, Fang; Yang, Xuxia; Qu, Hongyuan [Suzhou Novovita Bio-products Co., Ltd., Suzhou 215300 (China); Peng, Bo [Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062 (China); Chen, Li [Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062 (China); Suzhou Novovita Bio-products Co., Ltd., Suzhou 215300 (China); Yang, Guang [Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062 (China)

2016-12-15

Highlights: • We prepared Chitosan/Hyaluronic acid-siRNA multilayer as carrier to effectively load and protect siRNAs. • The stability and integrity of the siRNA was verified in the siRNA-loaded films. • The siRNA-loaded films showed good cells adhesion and gene silencing effect in eGFP-HEK 293T cells. • This is a new type of surface-mediated non-viral multilayer films. - Abstract: siRNA delivery remains highly challenging because of its hydrophilic and anionic nature and its sensitivity to nuclease degradation. Effective siRNA loading and improved transfection efficiency into cells represents a key problem. In our study, we prepared Chitosan/Hyaluronic acid-siRNA multilayer films through layer-by-layer self-assembly, in which siRNAs can be effectively loaded and protected. The construction process was characterized by FTIR, {sup 13}C NMR (CP/MAS), UV–vis spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). We presented the controlled-release performance of the films during incubation in 1 M NaCl solution for several days through UV–vis spectroscopy and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Additionally, we verified the stability and integrity of the siRNA loaded on multilayer films. Finally, the biological efficacy of the siRNA delivery system was evaluated via cells adhesion and gene silencing analyses in eGFP-HEK 293T cells. This new type of surface-mediated non-viral multilayer films may have considerable potential in the localized and controlled-release delivery of siRNA in mucosal tissues, and tissue engineering application.

Non-monotonic wetting behavior of chitosan films induced by silver nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Praxedes, A.P.P.; Webler, G.D.; Souza, S.T. [Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, 57072-970 Maceió, AL (Brazil); Ribeiro, A.S. [Instituto de Química e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, 57072-970 Maceió, AL (Brazil); Fonseca, E.J.S. [Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, 57072-970 Maceió, AL (Brazil); Oliveira, I.N. de, E-mail: italo@fis.ufal.br [Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, 57072-970 Maceió, AL (Brazil)

2016-05-01

Highlights: • The addition of silver nanoparticles modifies the morphology of chitosan films. • Metallic nanoparticles can be used to control wetting properties of chitosan films. • The contact angle shows a non-monotonic dependence on the silver concentration. - Abstract: The present work is devoted to the study of structural and wetting properties of chitosan-based films containing silver nanoparticles. In particular, the effects of silver concentration on the morphology of chitosan films are characterized by different techniques, such as atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). By means of dynamic contact angle measurements, we study the modification on surface properties of chitosan-based films due to the addition of silver nanoparticles. The results are analyzed in the light of molecular-kinetic theory which describes the wetting phenomena in terms of statistical dynamics for the displacement of liquid molecules in a solid substrate. Our results show that the wetting properties of chitosan-based films are high sensitive to the fraction of silver nanoparticles, with the equilibrium contact angle exhibiting a non-monotonic behavior.

Thin films on the basis of magnetic nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Alimbekova

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The present work is to study the adsorption of magnetic nanoparticles in the structure of nanohybrid films by layer-by-layer (LbL method. Obtained by UV-VIS absorption spectra of 5% magnetic nanoparticles and the aqueous solution polyvinyl alcohol consisting of 5 and 10 nanohybrid layers. Analysis of the optical absorption spectra shows the homogeneity and mechanical stability of the nanohybrid films.

Characterization of starch films containing starch nanoparticles: part 1: physical and mechanical properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Ai-Min; Wang, Li-Jun; Li, Dong; Adhikari, Benu

2013-07-25

We report, for the first time, the preparation method and characteristics of starch films incorporating spray dried and vacuum freeze dried starch nanoparticles. Physical properties of these films such as morphology, crystallinity, water vapor permeability (WVP), opacity, and glass transition temperature (Tg) and mechanical properties (strain versus temperature, strain versus stress, Young's modulus and toughness) were measured. Addition of both starch nanoparticles in starch films increased roughness of surface, lowered degree of crystallinity by 23.5%, WVP by 44% and Tg by 4.3°C, respectively compared to those of starch-only films. Drying method used in preparation of starch nanoparticles only affected opacity of films. The incorporation of nanoparticles in starch films resulted into denser films due to which the extent of variation of strain with temperature was much lower. The toughness and Young's modulus of films containing both types of starch nanoparticles were lower than those of control films especially at <100°C. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recyclability of PET/WPI/PE Multilayer Films by Removal of Whey Protein Isolate-Based Coatings with Enzymatic Detergents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrizia Cinelli

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Multilayer plastic films provide a range of properties, which cannot be obtained from monolayer films but, at present, their recyclability is an open issue and should be improved. Research to date has shown the possibility of using whey protein as a layer material with the property of acting as an excellent barrier against oxygen and moisture, replacing petrochemical non-recyclable materials. The innovative approach of the present research was to achieve the recyclability of the substrate films by separating them, with a simple process compatible with industrial procedures, in order to promote recycling processes leading to obtain high value products that will beneficially impact the packaging and food industries. Hence, polyethyleneterephthalate (PET/polyethylene (PE multi-layer film was prepared based on PET coated with a whey protein layer, and then the previous structure was laminated with PE. Whey proteins, constituting the coating, can be degraded by enzymes so that the coating films can be washed off from the plastic substrate layer. Enzyme types, dosage, time, and temperature optima, which are compatible with procedures adopted in industrial waste recycling, were determined for a highly-efficient process. The washing of samples based on PET/whey and PET/whey/PE were efficient when performed with enzymatic detergent containing protease enzymes, as an alternative to conventional detergents used in recycling facilities. Different types of enzymatic detergents tested presented positive results in removing the protein layer from the PET substrate and from the PET/whey/PE multilayer films at room temperature. These results attested to the possibility of organizing the pre-treatment of the whey-based multilayer film by washing with different available commercial enzymatic detergents in order to separate PET and PE, thus allowing a better recycling of the two different polymers. Mechanical properties of the plastic substrate, such as stress at

Recyclability of PET/WPI/PE Multilayer Films by Removal of Whey Protein Isolate-Based Coatings with Enzymatic Detergents

Science.gov (United States)

Cinelli, Patrizia; Schmid, Markus; Bugnicourt, Elodie; Coltelli, Maria Beatrice; Lazzeri, Andrea

2016-01-01

Multilayer plastic films provide a range of properties, which cannot be obtained from monolayer films but, at present, their recyclability is an open issue and should be improved. Research to date has shown the possibility of using whey protein as a layer material with the property of acting as an excellent barrier against oxygen and moisture, replacing petrochemical non-recyclable materials. The innovative approach of the present research was to achieve the recyclability of the substrate films by separating them, with a simple process compatible with industrial procedures, in order to promote recycling processes leading to obtain high value products that will beneficially impact the packaging and food industries. Hence, polyethyleneterephthalate (PET)/polyethylene (PE) multi-layer film was prepared based on PET coated with a whey protein layer, and then the previous structure was laminated with PE. Whey proteins, constituting the coating, can be degraded by enzymes so that the coating films can be washed off from the plastic substrate layer. Enzyme types, dosage, time, and temperature optima, which are compatible with procedures adopted in industrial waste recycling, were determined for a highly-efficient process. The washing of samples based on PET/whey and PET/whey/PE were efficient when performed with enzymatic detergent containing protease enzymes, as an alternative to conventional detergents used in recycling facilities. Different types of enzymatic detergents tested presented positive results in removing the protein layer from the PET substrate and from the PET/whey/PE multilayer films at room temperature. These results attested to the possibility of organizing the pre-treatment of the whey-based multilayer film by washing with different available commercial enzymatic detergents in order to separate PET and PE, thus allowing a better recycling of the two different polymers. Mechanical properties of the plastic substrate, such as stress at yield, stress and

Oxygen barrier of multilayer thin films comprised of polysaccharides and clay.

Science.gov (United States)

Laufer, Galina; Kirkland, Christopher; Cain, Amanda A; Grunlan, Jaime C

2013-06-05

Multilayered thin films of chitosan (CH), carrageenan (CR) and montmorillonite (MMT) clay, deposited using the layer-by-layer technique, were studied in an effort to produce fully renewable polysaccharide-based thin films with low oxygen permeability. Ten 'trilayers' of CH/MMT/CR (film reduced its oxygen permeability (1.76×10(-15) cm(3) cm/cm(2) s Pa) by an order of magnitude under dry conditions. By adding an additional layer of CH to the trilayer sequence, a 'quadlayer' film of CH/CR/CH/MMT (barrier is believed to be due to the unique nanostructure of these films, often referred to as a "nanobrick wall" structure, as well as a strong association amongst the oppositely charged polysaccharides. Combining fully renewable and food contact approved ingredients with high gas barrier and optical transparency makes this technology promising as a foil replacement for food packaging. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Non-localized deformation in Cu−Zr multi-layer amorphous films under tension

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhong, C. [International Center for New-Structured Materials (ICNSM), Laboratory of New-Structured Materials, State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China); Zhang, H. [International Center for New-Structured Materials (ICNSM), Laboratory of New-Structured Materials, State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China); Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9 (Canada); Cao, Q.P.; Wang, X.D. [International Center for New-Structured Materials (ICNSM), Laboratory of New-Structured Materials, State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China); Zhang, D.X. [State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentation, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China); Hu, J.W. [Hangzhou Workers Amateur University, Hangzhou 310027 (China); Liaw, P.K. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996 (United States); Jiang, J.Z., E-mail: jiangjz@zju.edu.cn [International Center for New-Structured Materials (ICNSM), Laboratory of New-Structured Materials, State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China)

2016-09-05

In metallic glasses (MGs), plastic deformation at room temperature is dominated by highly localized shear bands. Here we report the non-localized deformation under tension in Cu−Zr multi-layer MGs with a pure amorphous structure using large-scale atomistic simulations. It is demonstrated that amorphous samples with high layer numbers, composed of Cu{sub 64}Zr{sub 36} and Cu{sub 40}Zr{sub 60}, or Cu{sub 64}Zr{sub 36} and Cu{sub 50}Zr{sub 50}, present obviously non-localized deformation behavior. We reveal that the deformation behavior of the multi-layer-structured MG films is related but not determined by the deformation behavior of the composed individual layers. The criterion for the deformation mode change for MGs with a pure amorphous structure, in generally, was suggested, i.e., the competition between the elastic-energy density stored and the energy density needed for forming one mature shear band in MGs. Our results provide a promising strategy for designing tensile ductile MGs with a pure amorphous structure at room temperature. - Highlights: • Tensile deformation behaviors in multi-layer MG films. • Films with high layer numbers confirmed with a non-localized deformation behavior. • The deformation mode is reasonably controlled by whether U{sub p} larger than U{sub SB.}.

Formation and dielectric properties of polyelectrolyte multilayers studied by a silicon-on-insulator based thin film resistor.

Science.gov (United States)

Neff, Petra A; Wunderlich, Bernhard K; Klitzing, Regine V; Bausch, Andreas R

2007-03-27

The formation of polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) is investigated using a silicon-on-insulator based thin film resistor which is sensitive to variations of the surface potential. The buildup of the PEMs at the silicon oxide surface of the device can be observed in real time as defined potential shifts. The influence of polymer charge density is studied using the strong polyanion poly(styrene sulfonate), PSS, combined with the statistical copolymer poly(diallyl-dimethyl-ammoniumchloride-stat-N-methyl-N-vinylacetamide), P(DADMAC-stat-NMVA), at various degrees of charge (DC). The multilayer formation stops after a few deposition steps for a DC below 75%. We show that the threshold of surface charge compensation corresponds to the threshold of multilayer formation. However, no reversion of the preceding surface charge was observed. Screening of polyelectrolyte charges by mobile ions within the polymer film leads to a decrease of the potential shifts with the number of layers deposited. This decrease is much slower for PEMs consisting of P(DADMAC-stat-NMVA) and PSS as compared to PEMs consisting of poly(allylamine-hydrochloride), PAH, and PSS. From this, significant differences in the dielectric constants of the polyelectrolyte films and in the concentration of mobile ions within the films can be derived.

Magnetic and structural studies on nanostructured Gd/Cr multilayer films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gadioli, G.Z.; Rouxinol, F.P.; Gelamo, R.V.; Cardoso, L.P.; Gama, S.; Bica de Moraes, M.A.

2013-01-01

Investigations of magnetic phases, transition temperatures and coercivity were performed in multilayered Gd/Cr films as a function of the crystalline state and morphology of the Gd layers. The films were deposited by dc magnetron sputtering at three substrate temperatures, T s , (room temperature, 300 and 500 °C). The Gd and Cr thicknesses were of 10 and 30 nm, respectively. Two series of three films were prepared. In one of the series, the films had a single Gd/Cr bilayer; in the other, 15 bilayers. The discontinuous or granular nature of the Gd layers was revealed by scanning electron microscopy Grazing incidence angle x-ray diffraction was used to investigate the crystalline state of the Gd and Cr layers. These techniques revealed that grain average size and crystalline order increase with increasing T s . From dc magnetic measurements, the co-existence of ferromagnetic and superferromagnetic phases in the Gd layers was observed, and Curie transition temperatures, T C , were determined. High coercive fields at low temperature (2 K) were measured in hysteresis cycles. Field-cooled and zero field-cooled magnetizations as functions of temperature curves exhibited, for some of the samples, a low temperature peak suggesting a freezing transition to a cluster glass state. This was confirmed by complementary ac-susceptibility measurements carried out as a function of temperature, for various frequencies of the ac field. Some results of this work – the decline in T C for decreasing Gd grain size, the high coercive field and its dependence on particle size, and the behavior of the magnetization at low temperatures for the sample deposited at room temperature – are discussed in terms of finite size and surface effects in nanosized particles. - Highlights: • Sputter-deposited Gd/Cr multilayer films with nanostructured Gd layers • Ferromagnetic and superferromagnetic phases are observed. • Ferromagnetic phase dependent of the deposition temperature • Improved

Sol-gel deposition and electrical properties of laser irradiated Cu doped TiO2 multilayer thin films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.I. Khan

Full Text Available Multilayer thin films (3, 5 and 7 of 20% copper doped titanium dioxide (Cu:TiO2 have been deposited on glass substrates by sol-gel spin coating method. After deposition, films have been irradiated by a beam of continuous wave diode laser (532 nm for two minutes at the angle of 45°. Structural, surface morphology and electrical properties of films have been investigated by X-rays diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscope (SEM and four point probe technique respectively. XRD shows the formation of titanium copper oxide. Surface morphology of thin films indicated that the average grain size is increased by increasing the number of layers. The average sheet resistivity of 3, 5 and 7 layers of thin films measured by four point probe technique is 2.2 × 104, 1.2 × 104 and 1.0 × 104 (Ohm-cm respectively. The present study will facilitate a cost effective and environmental friendly study for several properties of materials. Keywords: Cu:TiO2, Multilayer thin films, Diode laser

Temperature dependent magnetic coupling between ferromagnetic FeTaC layers in multilayer thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Akhilesh Kumar [Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039 (India); Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Hsu, Jen-Hwa [Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Perumal, Alagarsamy, E-mail: perumal@iitg.ernet.in [Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039 (India)

2016-11-15

We report systematic investigations on temperature dependent magnetic coupling between ferromagnetic FeTaC layers and resulting magnetic properties of multilayer structured [FeTaC (~67 nm)/Ta(x nm)]{sub 2}/FeTaC(~67 nm)] thin films, which are fabricated directly on thermally oxidized Si substrate. As-deposited amorphous films are post annealed at different annealing temperatures (T{sub A}=200, 300 and 400 °C). Structural analyzes reveal that the films annealed at T{sub A}≤200 °C exhibit amorphous nature, while the films annealed above 200 °C show nucleation of nanocrystals at T{sub A}=300 °C and well-defined α-Fe nanocrystals with size of about 9 nm in amorphous matrix for 400 °C annealed films. Room temperature and temperature dependent magnetic hysteresis (M–H) loops reveal that magnetization reversal behaviors and magnetic properties are strongly depending on spacer layer thickness (x), T{sub A} and temperature. A large reduction in coercivity (H{sub C}) was observed for the films annealed at 200 °C and correlated to relaxation of stress quenched in during the film deposition. On the other hand, the films annealed at 300 °C exhibit unusual variation of H{sub C}(T), i.e., a broad minimum in H{sub C}(T) vs T curve. This is caused by change in magnetic coupling between ferromagnetic layers having different microstructure. In addition, the broad minimum in the H{sub C}(T) curve shifts from 150 K for x=1 film to 80 K for x=4 film. High-temperature thermomagnetization data show a strong (significant) variation of Curie temperature (T{sub C}) with T{sub A} (x). The multilayer films annealed at 200 °C exhibit low value of T{sub C} with a minimum of 350 K for x=4 film. But, the films annealed at 400 °C show largest T{sub C} with a maximum of 869 K for x=1 film. The observed results are discussed on the basis of variations in magnetic couplings between FeTaC layers, which are majorly driven by temperature, spacer layer thickness, annealing temperature and

Intrinsic and extrinsic permeability of ferromagnetic thin films and multilayers for frequency dependence: comparison between theory and experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berthault, A.; Durbin, F.; Russat, J.

1992-01-01

Soft ferromagnetic thin films are attractive materials for read/write head applications because they exhibit a high magnetic permeability in the hundred MHz range. By contrast, due to their low electrical resistivity, their processability at higher frequency is somewhat limited. Using Maxwell equations and the geometry of the processed material, we have developed a theoretical model of the frequency-dependent magnetic permeability useful for multilayers design. We have distinguished different cases: - extrinsic (measured) vs intrinsic permeability in magnetic thin films and magnetic-insulator multilayers, - intrinsic vs extrinsic permeability in magnetic thin films, computes by the Newton iterative method. Using the well-know Landau-Lifshitz model for high frequency permeability, we have compared experimental and theoretical results. (orig.)

Interfacial Phonon Transport Through Si/Ge Multilayer Film Using Monte Carlo Scheme With Spectral Transmissivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xin Ran

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The knowledge of interfacial phonon transport accounting for detailed phonon spectral properties is desired because of its importance for design of nanoscale energy systems. In this work, we investigate the interfacial phonon transport through Si/Ge multilayer films using an efficient Monte Carlo scheme with spectral transmissivity, which is validated for cross-plane phonon transport through both Si/Ge single-layer and Si/Ge bi-layer thin films by comparing with the discrete-ordinates solution. Different thermal boundary conductances between even the same material pair are declared at different interfaces within the multilayer system. Furthermore, the thermal boundary conductances at different interfaces show different trends with varying total system size, with the variation slope, very different as well. The results are much different from those in the bi-layer thin film or periodic superlattice. These unusual behaviors can be attributed to the combined interfacial local non-equilibrium effect and constraint effect from other interfaces.

Super Oxygen and Improved Water Vapor Barrier of Polypropylene Film with Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Nanocoatings.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Yixuan; Tzeng, Ping; Grunlan, Jaime C

2016-06-01

Biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) is widely used in packaging. Although its orientation increases mechanical strength and clarity, BOPP suffers from a high oxygen transmission rate (OTR). Multilayer thin films are deposited from water using layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly. Polyethylenimine (PEI) is combined with either poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) or vermiculite (VMT) clay to impart high oxygen barrier. A 30-bilayer PEI/VMT nanocoating (226 nm thick) improves the OTR of 17.8 μm thick BOPP by more than 30X, rivaling most inorganic coatings. PEI/PAA multilayers achieve comparable barrier with only 12 bilayers due to greater thickness, but these films exhibit increased oxygen permeability at high humidity. The PEI/VMT coatings actually exhibit improved oxygen barrier at high humidity (and also improve moisture barrier by more than 40%). This high barrier BOPP meets the criteria for sensitive food and some electronics packaging applications. Additionally, this water-based coating technology is cost effective and provides an opportunity to produce high barrier polypropylene film on an industrial scale. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

High-quality CdTe films from nanoparticle precursors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schulz, D.L.; Pehnt, M.; Urgiles, E. [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)] [and others

1996-05-01

In this paper the authors demonstrate that nanoparticulate precursors coupled with spray deposition offers an attractive route into electronic materials with improved smoothness, density, and lower processing temperatures. Employing a metathesis approach, cadmium iodide was reacted with sodium telluride in methanol solvent, resulting in the formation of soluble NaI and insoluble CdTe nanoparticles. After appropriate chemical workup, methanol-capped CdTe colloids were isolated. CdTe thin film formation was achieved by spray depositing the nanoparticle colloids (25-75 {Angstrom} diameter) onto substrates at elevated temperatures (T = 280-440{degrees}C) with no further thermal treatment. These films were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Cubic CdTe phase formation was observed by XRD, with a contaminant oxide phase also detected. XPS analysis showed that CdTe films produced by this one-step method contained no Na or C and substantial O. AFM gave CdTe grain sizes of {approx}0.1-0.3 {mu}m for film sprayed at 400{degrees}C. A layer-by-layer film growth mechanism proposed for the one-step spray deposition of nanoparticle precursors will be discussed.

Highly conductive and flexible color filter electrode using multilayer film structure

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Jun Hee; Kim, Dong-Young; Kim, Dohong; Choi, Kyung Cheol

2016-07-01

In this paper, a high performance flexible component that serves as a color filter and an electrode simultaneously is suggested. The suggested highly conductive and flexible color filter electrode (CFE) has a multilayer film structure composed of silver (Ag) and tungsten trioxide (WO3). The CFE maintained its color filtering capability even when the films were bent on a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film. Low sheet resistance of the CFE was obtained using WO3 as a bridge layer that connects two Ag layers electrically. The sheet resistance was less than 2 Ω/sq. and it was negligibly changed after bending the film, confirming the flexibility of the CFE. The CFE can be easily fabricated using a thermal evaporator and is easily patterned by photolithography or a shadow mask. The proposed CFE has enormous potential for applications involving optical devices including large area devices and flexible devices.

Dielectric enhancement of PbZr{sub 0.3}Ti{sub 0.7}O{sub 3}/LaNiO{sub 3} multilayer thick film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fan, Yasong; Chen, Xiaoyang; Habibul, Arzigul; Zhang, Danyang; Yu, Ping [College of Materials Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064 (China)

2016-08-15

Multilayer thick films (∝4 μm) with compositional PbZr{sub 0.3}Ti{sub 0.7}O{sub 3}/LaNiO{sub 3} layers and one-layer PZT thick films were prepared on the silicon substrate by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. PbZr{sub 0.3}Ti{sub 0.7}O{sub 3}/LaNiO{sub 3} multilayer thick film are characterized by highly preferential (100)-oriented growth and columnar microstructure due to alternately introducing LaNiO{sub 3} seeding layers. The effects of LaNiO{sub 3} layers on microstructure and electrical properties of PbZr{sub 0.3}Ti{sub 0.7}O{sub 3} thick films were investigated in detail. The results show that both PZT and PbZr{sub 0.3}Ti{sub 0.7}O{sub 3}/LaNiO{sub 3} multilayer thick film were pure perovskite crystalline phase. The PbZr{sub 0.3}Ti{sub 0.7}O{sub 3} film texture was dense and well adhered on the LaNiO{sub 3} layer. PbZr{sub 0.3}Ti{sub 0.7}O{sub 3}/LaNiO{sub 3} multilayer thick film possessed obvious enhanced dielectric properties compared with PZT thick film: ε{sub r} ∝2450 (10 kHz) and tanδ ∝0.02 (10 kHz). Rayleigh law was used to analysis the behavior of the enhanced dielectric properties and the pinched-shaped polarization-electric field hysteresis loops. The larger Rayleigh parameter, α ∝51.1408 cm kV{sup -1} (1 kHz) indicates the larger extrinsic contribution to permittivity and strong domain-wall-defect charge interaction. The leakage current behaviors of the multilayer thick film were also investigated in detail. (copyright 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Multilayer bioactive glass/zirconium titanate thin films in bone tissue engineering and regenerative dentistry

Science.gov (United States)

Mozafari, Masoud; Salahinejad, Erfan; Shabafrooz, Vahid; Yazdimamaghani, Mostafa; Vashaee, Daryoosh; Tayebi, Lobat

2013-01-01

Surface modification, particularly coatings deposition, is beneficial to tissue-engineering applications. In this work, bioactive glass/zirconium titanate composite thin films were prepared by a sol-gel spin-coating method. The surface features of the coatings were studied by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and spectroscopic reflection analyses. The results show that uniform and sound multilayer thin films were successfully prepared through the optimization of the process variables and the application of carboxymethyl cellulose as a dispersing agent. Also, it was found that the thickness and roughness of the multilayer coatings increase nonlinearly with increasing the number of the layers. This new class of nanocomposite coatings, comprising the bioactive and inert components, is expected not only to enhance bioactivity and biocompatibility, but also to protect the surface of metallic implants against wear and corrosion. PMID:23641155

Fabrication and surface transformation of FePt nanoparticle monolayer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Ying; Ding Baojun; Li Hua; Zhang Xiaoyan; Cai Bingchu; Zhang Yafei

2007-01-01

The monolayer of FePt nanoparticles with the mean size of ∼4 nm was fabricated on a glass substrate by the Langmuir--Blodgett (LB) technology. The monolayer of FePt nanoparticles has a smooth surface and a high density structure as shown by the AFM image. The array structure of FePt nanoparticles on the surface of the film is clearly with a cubic symmetry in appropriate condition. Small-angle X-ray diffraction (SXRD) measurement of multilayer structure for the FePt nanoparticles has indicated that the superlattices consist of well-defined smooth layers. The transfer of nanoparticle layers onto a solid substrate surface was quite efficient for the first few layers, exhibiting a proportional increase of optical absorption in the UV-vis range. This results potentially opens up a new approach to the long-range ordered array of FePt nanoparticles capped by organic molecules on substrate and provide a promising thin film, which may exhibit the excellent ultra-high density magnetic recording properties

The (PrS/HGF-pDNA) multilayer films for gene-eluting stent coating: Gene-protecting, anticoagulation, antibacterial properties, and in vivo antirestenosis evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Hao; Ren, Ke-feng; Zhang, He; Wang, Jin-lei; Wang, Bai-liang; Ji, Jian

2015-02-01

Vascular gene-eluting stents (GES) is a promising strategy for treatment of cardiovascular disease. Very recently, we have proved that the (protamine sulfate/plasmid DNA encoding hepatocyte growth factor) (PrS/HGF-pDNA) multilayer can serve as a powerful tool for enhancing competitiveness of endothelial cell over smooth muscle cell, which opens perspectives for the regulation of intercellular competitiveness in the field of interventional therapy. However, before the gene multilayer films could be used in vascular stents for real clinical application, the preservation of gene bioactivity during the industrial sterilization and the hemocompatibility of film should be taken into account. Actually, both are long been ignored issues in the field of gene coating for GES. In this study, we demonstrate that the (PrS/HGF-pDNA) multilayer film exhibits the good gene-protecting abilities, which is confirmed by using the industrial sterilizations (gamma irradiation and ethylene oxide) and a routine storage condition (dry state at 4°C for 30 days). Furthermore, hemocompatible measurements (such as platelet adhesion and whole blood coagulation) and antibacterial assays (bacteria adhesion and growth inhibition) indicate the good anticoagulation and antibacterial properties of the (PrS/HGF-pDNA) multilayer film. The in vivo preliminary data of angiography and histological analysis suggest that the (PrS/HGF-pDNA) multilayer coated stent can reduce the in-stent restenosis. This work reveals that the (PrS/HGF-pDNA) multilayer film could be a promising candidate as coating for GES, which is of great potential in future clinic application. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

TAPE CALENDERING MANUFACTURING PROCESS FOR MULTILAYER THIN-FILM SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELLS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nguyen Minh; Kurt Montgomery

2004-10-01

This report summarizes the work performed by Hybrid Power Generation Systems, LLC during the Phases I and II under Contract DE-AC26-00NT40705 for the U. S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory (DOE/NETL) entitled ''Tape Calendering Manufacturing Process For Multilayer Thin-Film Solid Oxide Fuel Cells''. The main objective of this project was to develop the manufacturing process based on tape calendering for multilayer solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC's) using the unitized cell design concept and to demonstrate cell performance under specified operating conditions. Summarized in this report is the development and improvements to multilayer SOFC cells and the unitized cell design. Improvements to the multilayer SOFC cell were made in electrochemical performance, in both the anode and cathode, with cells demonstrating power densities of nearly 0.9 W/cm{sup 2} for 650 C operation and other cell configurations showing greater than 1.0 W/cm{sup 2} at 75% fuel utilization and 800 C. The unitized cell design was matured through design, analysis and development testing to a point that cell operation at greater than 70% fuel utilization was demonstrated at 800 C. The manufacturing process for both the multilayer cell and unitized cell design were assessed and refined, process maps were developed, forming approaches explored, and nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques examined.

High thermoelectric power factor from multilayer solution-processed organic films

Science.gov (United States)

Zuo, Guangzheng; Andersson, Olof; Abdalla, Hassan; Kemerink, Martijn

2018-02-01

We investigate the suitability of the "sequential doping" method of organic semiconductors for thermoelectric applications. The method consists of depositing a dopant (F4TCNQ) containing solution on a previously cast semiconductor (P3HT) thin film to achieve high conductivity, while preserving the morphology. For very thin films (˜25 nm), we achieve a high power factor around 8 μW/mK-2 with a conductivity over 500 S/m. For the increasing film thickness, conductivity and power factor show a decreasing trend, which we attribute to the inability to dope the deeper parts of the film. Since thick films are required to extract significant power from thermoelectric generators, we developed a simple additive technique that allows the deposition of an arbitrary number of layers without significant loss in conductivity or power factor that, for 5 subsequent layers, remain at ˜300 S/m and ˜5 μW/mK-2, respectively, whereas the power output increases almost one order of magnitude as compared to a single layer. The efficient doping in multilayers is further confirmed by an increased intensity of (bi)polaronic features in the UV-Vis spectra.

Synthesis and characterization of multilayered BaTiO3/NiFe2O4 thin films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Branimir Bajac

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Presented research was focused on the fabrication of multiferroic thin film structures, composed of ferrielectric barium titanate perovskite phase and magnetostrictive nickel ferrite spinel phase. The applicability of different, solution based, deposition techniques (film growth from solution, dip coating and spin coating for thefabrication of multilayered BaTiO3 /NiFe2O4 thin films was investigated. It was shown that only spin coating produces films of desired nanostructure, thickness and smooth and crackfree surfaces.

Organic nonvolatile memory devices with charge trapping multilayer graphene film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ji, Yongsung; Choe, Minhyeok; Cho, Byungjin; Song, Sunghoon; Yoon, Jongwon; Ko, Heung Cho; Lee, Takhee

2012-01-01

We fabricated an array-type organic nonvolatile memory device with multilayer graphene (MLG) film embedded in polyimide (PI) layers. The memory devices showed a high ON/OFF ratio (over 10 6 ) and a long retention time (over 10 4 s). The switching of the Al/PI/MLG/PI/Al memory devices was due to the presence of the MLG film inserted into the PI layers. The double-log current–voltage characteristics could be explained by the space-charge-limited current conduction based on a charge-trap model. A conductive atomic force microscopy found that the conduction paths in the low-resistance ON state were distributed in a highly localized area, which was associated with a carbon-rich filamentary switching mechanism. (paper)

Structure and frictional properties of Langmuir-Blodgett films of Cu nanoparticles modified by dialkyldithiophosphate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Jun; Dai Shuxi; Cheng Gang; Jiang Xiaohong; Tao Xiaojun; Zhang Pingyu; Du Zuliang

2006-01-01

Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of dialkyldithiophosphate (DDP) modified Cu nanoparticles were prepared. The structure, microfrictional behaviors and adhesion of the LB films were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic/friction force microscopy (AFM/FFM). Our results showed that the modified Cu nanoparticles have a typical core-shell structure and fine film-forming ability. The images of AFM/FFM showed that LB films of modified Cu nanoparticles were composed of many nanoparticles arranged closely and orderly and the nanoparticles had favorable behaviors of lower friction. The friction loop of the films indicated that the friction force was affected prominently by the surface slope of the Cu nanoparticles and the microfrictional behaviors showed obvious 'ratchet effect'. The adhesion experiment showed that the modified Cu nanoparticle had a very small adhesive force

Reflectivity quenching of ESR multilayer polymer film reflector in optically bonded scintillator arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Loignon-Houle, Francis; Pepin, Catherine M.; Charlebois, Serge A.; Lecomte, Roger

2017-04-01

The 3M-ESR multilayer polymer film is a widely used reflector in scintillation detector arrays. As specified in the datasheet and confirmed experimentally by measurements in air, it is highly reflective (> 98 %) over the entire visible spectrum (400-1000 nm) for all angles of incidence. Despite these outstanding characteristics, it was previously found that light crosstalk between pixels in a bonded LYSO scintillator array with ESR reflector can be as high as ∼30-35%. This unexplained light crosstalk motivated further investigation of ESR optical performance. Analytical simulation of a multilayer structure emulating the ESR reflector showed that the film becomes highly transparent to incident light at large angles when surrounded on both sides by materials of refractive index higher than air. Monte Carlo simulations indicate that a considerable fraction (∼25-35%) of scintillation photons are incident at these leaking angles in high aspect ratio LYSO scintillation crystals. The film transparency was investigated experimentally by measuring the scintillation light transmission through the ESR film sandwiched between a scintillation crystal and a photodetector with or without layers of silicone grease. Strong light leakage, up to nearly 30%, was measured through the reflector when coated on both sides with silicone, thus elucidating the major cause of light crosstalk in bonded arrays. The reflector transparency was confirmed experimentally for angles of incidence larger than 60 ° using a custom designed setup allowing illumination of the bonded ESR film at selected grazing angles. The unsuspected ESR film transparency can be beneficial for detector arrays exploiting light sharing schemes, but it is highly detrimental for scintillator arrays designed for individual pixel readout.

Angular dependencies of longitudinal magnetoresistivity and planar Hall effect of single and multilayered thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ko, T.W.; Lee, J.H.; Park, B.K.; Rhie, K.; Jang, P.W.; Hwang, D.G.; Lee, S.S.; Kim, M.Y.; Rhee, J.R.

1998-01-01

Magnetoresistivity and planar Hall effect of a Glass/Fe70A/[Co21A/Cu25A] 20 multilayer coupled antiferromagnetically a single layer (Co81Nb19) thin film, and NiO based Glass/Ni350A/Py50A/Cu20A/Py50A (Py = Ni 83 Fe 17 ) spin value are studied. Planar Hall resistivity is analysed concurrently with the resistivity of the sample. With variation of direction and strength of the applied fields, we found that the magnetization process affects significantly the planar Hall effect. We developed a simple method to find the easy axis of single layer magnetic thin films. We also observed the variation of magnetization of each layer separately for an antiferromagnetically coupled multilayer, and a NiO-based spin value with the planar Hall effect. (author)

The influence of thin film grain size on the size of nanoparticles generated during UV femtosecond laser ablation of thin gold films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haustrup, N.; O’Connor, G.M.

2013-01-01

The upsurge in the number of thin film products has encouraged studies into every aspect of their fabrication and application. An additional source of industrial interest is the laser ablation of thin films to generate nanoparticles. This technique offers advantages over other fabrication methods, as no chemical pre-cursers are required, thereby giving rise to a pure product. The main disadvantage lies in the difficulty with controlling the size of the nanoparticles. This study aims to clarify the influence of the microstructure of a thin film on its optical properties and also to establish the size relationship between the film grain and the nanoparticles generated during laser ablation. A comprehensive sample set of Gold (Au) films with different grain sizes was achieved using different deposition rates, temperatures, film thicknesses (<100 nm) and substrates: Silica, Quartz and Sapphire. The microstructure of each film was analyzed using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Single femtosecond laser pulses, above the ablation threshold fluence of each film, were applied to generate nanoparticles. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used to image the re-deposited nanoparticles, from which the nanoparticle size distribution was established. Results confirm that the film microstructure is directly linked to the nanoparticles generated during laser ablation.

The influence of thin film grain size on the size of nanoparticles generated during UV femtosecond laser ablation of thin gold films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haustrup, N., E-mail: natalie.haustrup@nuigalway.ie [National Centre for Laser Applications, School of Physics, National University of Ireland, Galway (Ireland); O’Connor, G.M. [National Centre for Laser Applications, School of Physics, National University of Ireland, Galway (Ireland)

2013-08-01

The upsurge in the number of thin film products has encouraged studies into every aspect of their fabrication and application. An additional source of industrial interest is the laser ablation of thin films to generate nanoparticles. This technique offers advantages over other fabrication methods, as no chemical pre-cursers are required, thereby giving rise to a pure product. The main disadvantage lies in the difficulty with controlling the size of the nanoparticles. This study aims to clarify the influence of the microstructure of a thin film on its optical properties and also to establish the size relationship between the film grain and the nanoparticles generated during laser ablation. A comprehensive sample set of Gold (Au) films with different grain sizes was achieved using different deposition rates, temperatures, film thicknesses (<100 nm) and substrates: Silica, Quartz and Sapphire. The microstructure of each film was analyzed using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Single femtosecond laser pulses, above the ablation threshold fluence of each film, were applied to generate nanoparticles. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used to image the re-deposited nanoparticles, from which the nanoparticle size distribution was established. Results confirm that the film microstructure is directly linked to the nanoparticles generated during laser ablation.

Covalently attached multilayer assemblies of diazo-resins and binuclear cobalt phthalocyanines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xiaofang; Zhao Shuang; Yang Min; Sun Changqing; Guo, Liping

2005-01-01

By using the ionic self-assembly technique, ordered multilayer thin films composed of diazo-resin (DAR) as polycation and water-soluble binuclear cobalt phthalocyaninehexasulfonate (Bi-CoPc) as polyanion were alternately fabricated on quartz, CaF 2 and glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs). Upon ultraviolet irradiation, the adjacent interface of the multilayer films reacted to form a covalently cross-linking structure. The obtained thin films were characterized by ultraviolet (UV)-vis, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscope (AFM), surface photovoltage spectra (SPS), and cyclic voltammetry. The results show that the uniform, highly stable and ordered multilayer thin films were formed. The linkage nature between the adjacent interface of the multilayer films converts from ionic to covalent, and, as a result, the stability of the multilayer thin films dramatically improved. The multilayer thin films on GCEs also exhibited excellent electrochemical behavior

Covalently attached multilayer assemblies of diazo-resins and binuclear cobalt phthalocyanines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li Xiaofang [Key Lab of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130023 (China); Zhao Shuang [Key Lab of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130023 (China); Yang Min [Key Lab of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130023 (China); Sun Changqing [Key Lab of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130023 (China)]. E-mail: sunchq@mail.jlu.edu.cn; Guo, Liping [Department of Chemistry, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024 (China)

2005-05-01

By using the ionic self-assembly technique, ordered multilayer thin films composed of diazo-resin (DAR) as polycation and water-soluble binuclear cobalt phthalocyaninehexasulfonate (Bi-CoPc) as polyanion were alternately fabricated on quartz, CaF{sub 2} and glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs). Upon ultraviolet irradiation, the adjacent interface of the multilayer films reacted to form a covalently cross-linking structure. The obtained thin films were characterized by ultraviolet (UV)-vis, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscope (AFM), surface photovoltage spectra (SPS), and cyclic voltammetry. The results show that the uniform, highly stable and ordered multilayer thin films were formed. The linkage nature between the adjacent interface of the multilayer films converts from ionic to covalent, and, as a result, the stability of the multilayer thin films dramatically improved. The multilayer thin films on GCEs also exhibited excellent electrochemical behavior.

Morphology and growing of nanometric multilayered films formed by alternated layers of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) and poly(N-methylpyrrole)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aradilla, David [Departament d' Enginyeria Quimica, E. T. S. d' Enginyers Industrials, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Diagonal 647, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Center for Research in Nano-Engineering, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Campus Sud, Edifici C' , C/Pasqual i Vila s/n, Barcelona E-08028 (Spain); Estrany, Francesc, E-mail: francesc.estrany@upc.ed [Center for Research in Nano-Engineering, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Campus Sud, Edifici C' , C/Pasqual i Vila s/n, Barcelona E-08028 (Spain); Unitat de Quimica Industrial, Escola Universitaria d' Enginyeria Tecnica Industrial de Barcelona, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Comte d' Urgell 187, 08036 Barcelona (Spain); Armelin, Elaine [Departament d' Enginyeria Quimica, E. T. S. d' Enginyers Industrials, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Diagonal 647, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Center for Research in Nano-Engineering, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Campus Sud, Edifici C' , C/Pasqual i Vila s/n, Barcelona E-08028 (Spain); Aleman, Carlos, E-mail: carlos.aleman@upc.ed [Departament d' Enginyeria Quimica, E. T. S. d' Enginyers Industrials, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Diagonal 647, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Center for Research in Nano-Engineering, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Campus Sud, Edifici C' , C/Pasqual i Vila s/n, Barcelona E-08028 (Spain)

2010-05-31

Multilayered nanometric films formed by alternated layers of conducting poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) and poly(N-methylpyrrole) doped with perchlorate anions (ml-PEDOT/PNMPy) have been prepared using a layer-by-layer electrodeposition technique combined with a very small polymerization time. The mechanisms of formation and growth of the resulting multilayered systems have been investigated using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and compared with those obtained for the corresponding homopolymers, which were prepared using identical experimental conditions. Furthermore, the local conductivity, electroactivity and electrostability have been also examined. Analyses of the morphology, topography and roughness of the surfaces indicate that the formation and growth of the multilayered films strongly depend on the number of layers as well as on the chemical nature of the conducting polymer. Interestingly, AFM reflects that the formation and growth of the ml-PEDOT/PNMPy films are significantly different from those of PEDOT and PNMPy homopolymers. The electrical and electrochemical properties of the systems under study are fully consistent with the proposed mechanisms. Results evidenced that multilayered systems formed by two conducting polymers are more advantageous from a technological point of view than the corresponding copolymers.

Morphology and growing of nanometric multilayered films formed by alternated layers of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) and poly(N-methylpyrrole)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aradilla, David; Estrany, Francesc; Armelin, Elaine; Aleman, Carlos

2010-01-01

Multilayered nanometric films formed by alternated layers of conducting poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) and poly(N-methylpyrrole) doped with perchlorate anions (ml-PEDOT/PNMPy) have been prepared using a layer-by-layer electrodeposition technique combined with a very small polymerization time. The mechanisms of formation and growth of the resulting multilayered systems have been investigated using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and compared with those obtained for the corresponding homopolymers, which were prepared using identical experimental conditions. Furthermore, the local conductivity, electroactivity and electrostability have been also examined. Analyses of the morphology, topography and roughness of the surfaces indicate that the formation and growth of the multilayered films strongly depend on the number of layers as well as on the chemical nature of the conducting polymer. Interestingly, AFM reflects that the formation and growth of the ml-PEDOT/PNMPy films are significantly different from those of PEDOT and PNMPy homopolymers. The electrical and electrochemical properties of the systems under study are fully consistent with the proposed mechanisms. Results evidenced that multilayered systems formed by two conducting polymers are more advantageous from a technological point of view than the corresponding copolymers.

Layer-by-layer assembled TiO2 films with high ultraviolet light-shielding property

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Xiaozhou; Wang, Lin; Pei, Yuxin; Jiang, Jinqiang

2014-01-01

Ultraviolet (UV) B is hazardous to human, plants and animals. With the rapid growth of ozone holes over the earth, the exploration of optical materials that can cut off harmful UV radiation is important. In this work, fusiform TiO 2 nanoparticles were synthesized by a hydrothermal synthesis method. The thin films assembled with TiO 2 nanoparticles and oppositely charged polyelectrolytes were fabricated via a layer-by-layer assembly method. The fabrication of poly(ethylene imine) (PEI)/TiO 2 multilayer films was verified by ultraviolet–visible spectra measurements, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The as-prepared PEI/TiO 2 multilayer films can effectively absorb harmful UVB light and filter off visible light. Most importantly, the PEI/TiO 2 films can be deposited directly on various kinds of hydrophilic substrates such as quartz, glass, silicon and hydrophobic substrates such as polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene and polymethyl methacrylate when the hydrophilic substrates were modified to obtain a hydrophilic surface. - Highlights: • PEI/TiO 2 films were fabricated via a layer-by-layer self-assembly method. • The films could effectively absorb harmful UVB light and filter off visible light. • The films could deposit directly on either hydrophilic or hydrophobic substrates

X-ray scattering from thin organic films and multilayer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pietsch, U.; Barberka, T. A.; Geue, Th.; Stoemmer, R.

1997-01-01

The real structure of LB-multilayers prepared with fatty-acid salts is dominated by finite-sized scattering aggregates. Their different length scales become visible using AFM. It shows that not the whole substrate is wetted by the film. The molecular order is restricted into domains. These micrometer domains are not homogeneous. They contain mesoscopic subdomains of different heights which vary in steps of double layers. Finally high-resolution AFM-maps display a nearly hexagonal arrangement of molecules within subgrains with a diameter of several 10 nm. This domain structure has to be taken into account when interpreting X-ray diffraction data. The size of the crystalline aggregates is obtained by means of X-ray grazing incidence diffraction. On the mesoscopic scale the domain size is determined by X-ray diffuse scattering experiments. Because Sinha's model fails for the present kind of multilayers, they used another approach for data analysis. The lateral correlation length caused by height fluctuations is estimated without knowledge of a definite correlation function. Additionally the mosaicity of the domain orientation can be taken into account

Material influence on hot spot distribution in the nanoparticle heterodimer on film

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Fang; Huang, Yingzhou; Wei, Hua; Wang, Shuxia; Zeng, Xiping; Cao, Wenbin; Wen, Weijia

2018-04-01

The metal nanoparticle aggregated on film, as an effective plasma enhancement pathway, has been widely used in various surface plasmon-related fields. In this study, the hot spots on the metal nanoparticle dimer composed of different materials (Agsbnd Au, Agsbnd Pd, and Agsbnd Cu) on metal (Au) film were investigated with finite element method. Based on the results, the hot spot distribution affected by the material can be confirmed by the electric field distribution of the metal nanoparticle dimer on the film. The aggregation effects of Au and Ag nanoparticles in Ausbnd Ag dimer system are not significant. However, for the Pdsbnd Ag dimer system, the hot spot aggregation effect is slightly larger than that of the Pd nanoparticle under the Ag nanoparticle. Besides, the non-uniform hot spots would bring about the light focusing phenomenon that the light intensity under Ag nanoparticle is almost 100 times greater than that under Cu nanoparticle in Agsbnd Cu dimer system. These results were further confirmed by the surface charge distribution, and analyzed based on the plasmonic hybridization theory. The data about the nanoparticle dimer on the dielectric (Si) film demonstrate the importance of induced image charges on the film surface in such a light focusing phenomenon. Our findings can enhance the understanding of the surface plasmon coupling in different materials, which may have great application prospects in surface plasmon-related fields, such as SERS, plasmonic enhanced solar cell, and plasmonic sensoring, etc.

A novel biological active multilayer film based on polyoxometalate with pendant support-ligand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Huiyuan; Peng Jun; Han Zhangang; Yu Xia; Dong Baoxia

2005-01-01

A novel nanosized biological active multilayer film composed of polyoxometalate (POM) anion α-[SiW 11 O 39 Co(H 2 PO 4 )] 7- (abbr. SiW 11 Co-PO 4 ) and poly(diallyldi methylammonium chloride) (abbr. PDDA) was fabricated by layer-by-layer self-assembly (LBL). The composition and growth processes of the films have been determined by X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) and ultraviolet-visible absorption spectra (UV). The composite film was formed by the alternate adsorption of SiW 11 Co-PO 4 and PDDA, and the deposition process was quantitative and highly reproducible from layer to layer. The morphology of the film was studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM), which showed that the film was relatively uniform and smooth, and POM anions aggregated into nanoclusters distributing on the surface uniformly. The film exhibited favorable electrochemical behavior of POM indicated by cyclic voltammetry (CV). The film can immobilize the DNA molecules via Mg 2+ -bridging medium

Film Formation of Ag Nanoparticles at the Organic-Aqueous Liquid Interface

Science.gov (United States)

Vigorita, John

2005-03-01

A wet-chemical method to make films by spontaneous assembly of passivated Ag nanoparticles at the organic-aqueous liquid interface is presented. The interfacial films exhibit a blue opalescence, or in other cases a silvery color, and are characterized with transmission electron microscopy and UV-visible spectrophotometry. Measurements indicate that nanoparticles in the interfacial film can form superlattices and in some cases nanostructures.

Effect of Ti seed and spacer layers on structure and magnetic properties of FeNi thin films and FeNi-based multilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Svalov, A.V., E-mail: andrey.svalov@ehu.es [Departamento de Electricidad y Electrónica, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), 48080 Bilbao (Spain); Department of Magnetism and Magnetic Nanomaterials, Ural Federal University, 620002 Ekaterinburg (Russian Federation); Larrañaga, A. [SGIker, Servicios Generales de Investigación, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), 48080 Bilbao (Spain); Kurlyandskaya, G.V. [Departamento de Electricidad y Electrónica, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), 48080 Bilbao (Spain); Department of Magnetism and Magnetic Nanomaterials, Ural Federal University, 620002 Ekaterinburg (Russian Federation)

2014-10-15

Highlights: • Fe{sub 19}Ni{sub 81} films and FeNi-based multilayers were prepared by magnetron sputtering. • The samples were deposited onto glass substrates at room temperature. • Ti/FeNi films exhibit good (1 1 1) texture and crystallinity. • The thick Cu seed increases the coercive force of the magnetic layer. • The thin Ti spacer restores the magnetic softness of the Cu/Ti/FeNi multilayers. - Abstract: The microstructure and magnetic properties of sputtered permalloy films and FeNi-based multilayers prepared by magnetron sputtering have been studied. X-ray diffraction measurements indicate that Ti/FeNi films exhibit good (1 1 1) texture and crystallinity. Ti/FeNi bilayers with high crystallographic quality have relatively low resistivity. The Ti seed layer does not influence the magnetic properties of FeNi film in Ti/FeNi bilayers, but the thick Cu seed layer leads to an increase of the coercive force of the magnetic layer. For the FeNi films deposited on thick Cu seed layer, the (0 1 0) and (0 0 2) diffraction peaks of hcp nickel were clearly observed. The thin Ti spacer between Cu and FeNi layers prevents the formation of the nickel phase and restores the magnetic softness of the FeNi layer in the Cu/Ti/FeNi sample. Obtained results can be important for the development of multilayer sensitive elements for giant magnetoimpedance or magnetoresistance detectors.

Dewetting dynamics of a gold film on graphene: implications for nanoparticle formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Namsani, Sadanandam; Singh, Jayant K

2016-01-01

The dynamics of dewetting of gold films on graphene surfaces is investigated using molecular dynamics simulation. The effect of temperature (973-1533 K), film diameter (30-40 nm) and film thickness (0.5-3 nm) on the dewetting mechanism, leading to the formation of nanoparticles, is reported. The dewetting behavior for films ≤5 Å is in contrast to the behavior seen for thicker films. The retraction velocity, in the order of ∼300 m s(-1) for a 1 nm film, decreases with an increase in film thickness, whereas it increases with temperature. However at no point do nanoparticles detach from the surface within the temperature range considered in this work. We further investigated the self-assembly behavior of nanoparticles on graphene at different temperatures (673-1073 K). The process of self-assembly of gold nanoparticles is favorable at lower temperatures than at higher temperatures, based on the free-energy landscape analysis. Furthermore, the shape of an assembled structure is found to change from spherical to hexagonal, with a marked propensity towards an icosahedral structure based on the bond-orientational order parameters.

The fabrication and characterization of inkjet-printed polyaniline nanoparticle films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morrin, Aoife; Ngamna, Orawan; O'Malley, Eimer; Kent, Nigel; Moulton, Simon E.; Wallace, Gordon G.; Smyth, Malcolm R.; Killard, Anthony J.

2008-01-01

This paper reports on the fabrication and characterization of electrodes modified with conducting polymer nanoparticle films, produced via inkjet printing. The polyaniline nanoparticle formulations were deposited via a desktop inkjet printer onto screen-printed carbon-paste electrodes (SPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and gold-PET and their morphology studied at a range of length scales using profilometry, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The deposited films were found to form continuous polymer films depending upon film thickness, which was in turn dependent on the number of prints performed. The inkjet-printed films exhibited a smooth morphology on the SPEs at the micro-dimensional scale, as a result of the aggradation and coalescing of the nanoparticles upon deposition. The resulting modified electrodes were both conductive and electroactive, possessing good reversible polyaniline electrochemistry. Such a combination of materials and processing offers the potential of producing a range of low cost, solid state devices such as sensors, actuators and electrochromic devices

ZnO/Cu2S/ZnO Multilayer Films: Structure Optimization and Its Detail Data for Applications on Photoelectric and Photocatalytic Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhenxing Wang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Monolayer Cu2S and ZnO, and three kinds of complex films, Cu2S/ZnO, ZnO/Cu2S, and ZnO/Cu2S/ZnO, were deposited on glass substrates by means of radio frequency (RF magnetron sputtering device. The impact of the thickness of ZnO and Cu2S on the whole transmittance, conductivity, and photocatalysis was investigated. The optical and electrical properties of the multilayer were studied by optical spectrometry and four point probes. Numerical simulation of the optical transmittance of the multilayer films has been carried out in order to guide the experimental work. The comprehensive performances of the multilayers as transparent conductive coatings were compared using the figure of merit. Compared with monolithic Cu2S and ZnO films, both the optical transmission property and photocatalytic performance of complex films such as Cu2S/ZnO and ZnO/Cu2S/ZnO change significantly.

Preparation and antibacterial properties of hybrid-zirconia films with silver nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azócar, Ignacio; Vargas, Esteban; Duran, Nicole; Arrieta, Abel; González, Evelyn

2012-01-01

The antimicrobial effect of incorporating silver nanoparticles (AgNps) into zirconia matrix–polyether glycol was studied. AgNps of 4–6 nm in size were synthesized using the inverse micelles method, and different doses of metallic nanoparticles were incorporated into zirconia–polyether glycol mixtures during the ageing procedure. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) of the modified hybrid film showed a homogenous distribution of 20–80 nm diameter AgNps, indicating agglomeration of these structures during film modification; such agglomerations were greater when increasing the dosage of the colloidal system. The AgNps-hybrid films showed higher antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria than for Gram-negative bacteria. Hybrid films prepared with dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (AOT) stabilized AgNps presented enhanced antibacterial activity compared to that obtained through the addition of a high AgNO 3 concentration (0.3 wt%). -- Graphical abstract: Atomic Force Micrographs, top and cross section view, showing silver nanoparticles embedded in a zirconia–polyether glycol hybrid film. Highlights: ► Antibacterial activity of films (zirconia–polyether glycol) modified with silver nanoparticles. ► Biofilm formation is prevented. ► High sensibility against gram positive bacteria.

Preparation and antibacterial properties of hybrid-zirconia films with silver nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Azocar, Ignacio, E-mail: manuel.azocar@usach.cl [Departamento de Quimica de los Materiales, Facultad de Quimica y Biologia, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, USACH, Avenida Bernardo O' Higgins 3363, Casilla 40, Correo 33, Santiago (Chile); Vargas, Esteban [Facultad de Ingenieria, Departamento de Metalurgia, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, USACH (Chile); Duran, Nicole [Departamento de Quimica de los Materiales, Facultad de Quimica y Biologia, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, USACH, Avenida Bernardo O' Higgins 3363, Casilla 40, Correo 33, Santiago (Chile); Arrieta, Abel [Departamento de Biologia, Facultad de Quimica y Biologia, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, USACH (Chile); Gonzalez, Evelyn [Departamento de Quimica de los Materiales, Facultad de Quimica y Biologia, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, USACH, Avenida Bernardo O' Higgins 3363, Casilla 40, Correo 33, Santiago (Chile); Facultad de Ingenieria, Departamento de Metalurgia, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, USACH (Chile); Departamento de Biologia, Facultad de Quimica y Biologia, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, USACH (Chile); Departamento de Quimica Farmacologica y Toxicologica, Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas, Universidad de Chile, Sergio Livingstone Polhammer 1007, Santiago (Chile); and others

2012-11-15

The antimicrobial effect of incorporating silver nanoparticles (AgNps) into zirconia matrix-polyether glycol was studied. AgNps of 4-6 nm in size were synthesized using the inverse micelles method, and different doses of metallic nanoparticles were incorporated into zirconia-polyether glycol mixtures during the ageing procedure. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) of the modified hybrid film showed a homogenous distribution of 20-80 nm diameter AgNps, indicating agglomeration of these structures during film modification; such agglomerations were greater when increasing the dosage of the colloidal system. The AgNps-hybrid films showed higher antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria than for Gram-negative bacteria. Hybrid films prepared with dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (AOT) stabilized AgNps presented enhanced antibacterial activity compared to that obtained through the addition of a high AgNO{sub 3} concentration (0.3 wt%). -- Graphical abstract: Atomic Force Micrographs, top and cross section view, showing silver nanoparticles embedded in a zirconia-polyether glycol hybrid film. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Antibacterial activity of films (zirconia-polyether glycol) modified with silver nanoparticles. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Biofilm formation is prevented. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer High sensibility against gram positive bacteria.

Kinetic Monte Carlo simulation of nanoparticle film formation via nanocolloid drying

Science.gov (United States)

Kameya, Yuki

2017-06-01

A kinetic Monte Carlo simulation of nanoparticle film formation via nanocolloid drying is presented. The proposed two-dimensional model addresses the dynamics of nanoparticles in the vertical plane of a drying nanocolloid film. The gas-liquid interface movement due to solvent evaporation was controlled by a time-dependent chemical potential, and the resultant particle dynamics including Brownian diffusion and aggregate growth were calculated. Simulations were performed at various Peclet numbers defined based on the rate ratio of solvent evaporation and nanoparticle diffusion. At high Peclet numbers, nanoparticles accumulated at the top layer of the liquid film and eventually formed a skin layer, causing the formation of a particulate film with a densely packed structure. At low Peclet numbers, enhanced particle diffusion led to significant particle aggregation in the bulk colloid, and the resulting film structure became highly porous. The simulated results showed some typical characteristics of a drying nanocolloid that had been reported experimentally. Finally, the potential of the model as well as the remaining challenges are discussed.

Layer-by-layer assembled TiO{sub 2} films with high ultraviolet light-shielding property

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Xiaozhou [College of Science, Northwest A and F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100 (China); Wang, Lin, E-mail: wanglin0317@nwsuaf.edu.cn [College of Science, Northwest A and F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100 (China); Pei, Yuxin [College of Science, Northwest A and F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100 (China); Jiang, Jinqiang [State Key Lab of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi' an 710062 (China)

2014-11-28

Ultraviolet (UV) B is hazardous to human, plants and animals. With the rapid growth of ozone holes over the earth, the exploration of optical materials that can cut off harmful UV radiation is important. In this work, fusiform TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles were synthesized by a hydrothermal synthesis method. The thin films assembled with TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles and oppositely charged polyelectrolytes were fabricated via a layer-by-layer assembly method. The fabrication of poly(ethylene imine) (PEI)/TiO{sub 2} multilayer films was verified by ultraviolet–visible spectra measurements, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The as-prepared PEI/TiO{sub 2} multilayer films can effectively absorb harmful UVB light and filter off visible light. Most importantly, the PEI/TiO{sub 2} films can be deposited directly on various kinds of hydrophilic substrates such as quartz, glass, silicon and hydrophobic substrates such as polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene and polymethyl methacrylate when the hydrophilic substrates were modified to obtain a hydrophilic surface. - Highlights: • PEI/TiO{sub 2} films were fabricated via a layer-by-layer self-assembly method. • The films could effectively absorb harmful UVB light and filter off visible light. • The films could deposit directly on either hydrophilic or hydrophobic substrates.

Fabrication of molecular hybrid films of gold nanoparticle and polythiophene by covalent assembly

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sundaramurthy, Jayaraman, E-mail: jsu2@np.edu.sg [Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Block E5, 4 Engineering Drive 4, 117576 (Singapore); Environmental & Water Technology Centre of Innovation, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, 599489 (Singapore); Dharmarajan, Rajarathnam [CERAR, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095 (Australia); Srinivasan, M.P., E-mail: chesmp@nus.edu.sg [Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Block E5, 4 Engineering Drive 4, 117576 (Singapore)

2015-08-31

This work demonstrates the fabrication of molecular hybrid films comprising gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) incorporated in covalently assembled, substituted polythiophene (poly(3-(2-bromoethoxy)ethoxymethylthiophene-2,5-diyl (PBrEEMT))) films by different surface chemistry routes. AuNPs are incorporated in the immobilized polythiophene matrix due to its affinity for amine and sulfur. The amount of AuNPs present depends on the nature of the incorporation, the extent of film coverage and interaction of thiophene and amine groups. PBrEEMT films functionalized with amine rich polyallylamine immobilize greater numbers of AuNPs due to more extensive gold–amine interactions. Covalent binding between AuNP and PBrEEMT films was accomplished by using pre-functionalised AuNPs (4-aminothiophenol functionalized AuNPs). Atomic force microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to study the morphology and chemical constituents of assembled films. These approaches will pave the way for developing facile methods for nanoparticle incorporation and will also facilitate direct interaction of nanoparticles with the conducting polymer matrix and enhance the electrical properties of the films. - Highlights: • Covalent molecular assembly enabled the fabrication of molecular hybrid films. • Monomeric and polymeric species were employed as intermediate linkers. • Adopted approaches facilitated the direct interaction of gold nanoparticle in films. • The amount of nanoparticle incorporation depended on the extent of film coverage.

Syntheses and Tribological Property of CrMoN/MoS2 Multilayer Films on Piston Rings of Heavy Vehicle Engine

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

WANG Xiancheng; LI Qi; LI Ruoting; DI Yuelan

2016-01-01

In order to prolong the service life of piston rings of heavy vehicle engine and decrease the friction and wear of piston rings and cylinder liner, CrMoN/MoS2 multilayer iflms were deposited on the surface of rings by magnetron sputtering and low temperature ion sulfuration. FESEM equipped with EDX was adopted to analyze the compositions and morphologies of surface, cross-section, and wear scars of the multilayer iflms. The nano-hardness and Young’s modulus of the iflms were measured by a nano tester. Tribological properties of the iflms were tested by an SRV®4 wear tester. The experimental results indicate that the structures of the multilayer films are dense and compact. The films possess nano hardness value of approximately 26.7 GPa and superior ability of plastic deformation resistance. The multilayer iflms can activate solid lubricating, and possess an excellent antifriction and wear resistance under the conditions of heavy load, high frequency, high temperature, and dynamic load.

Stacking effect on the ferroelectric properties of PZT/PLZT multilayer thin films formed by photochemical metal-organic deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Hyeong-Ho; Park, Hyung-Ho; Hill, Ross H.

2004-01-01

The ferroelectric properties of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) and lanthanum-doped lead zirconate titanate (PLZT) multilayer films formed by photochemical metal-organic deposition (PMOD) using photosensitive precursors have been characterized. The substitution of La for Pb was reported to induce improved ferroelectric properties, especially fatigue resistance, through the reduction of oxygen vacancies. The relation between La-substitution and the ferroelectric properties was investigated by characterization of the effect of the order of stacking four ferroelectric layers of PZT or PLZT in the multilayer films 4-PZT, PZT/2-PLZT/PZT, PLZT/2-PZT/PLZT, and 4-PLZT. The films with the PLZT layer at the top and bottom showed an improvement in the fatigue resistance. It was revealed that defect dipole such as O vacancy was reduced at the ferroelectric/Pt interface by doping with La. Also, the bottom layer, just on Pt substrate had a significant influence on the surface microstructure and growth orientation of ferroelectric film

Ferromagnetic resonance linewidth and damping in perpendicular-anisotropy magnetic multilayers thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Beaujour, Jean-Marc

2010-03-01

Transition metal ferromagnetic films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) have ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) linewidths that are one order of magnitude larger than soft magnetic materials, such as pure iron (Fe) and permalloy (NiFe) thin films. We have conducted systematic studies of a variety of thin film materials with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy to investigate the origin of the enhanced FMR linewidths, including Ni/Co and CoFeB/Co/Ni multilayers. In Ni/Co multilayers the PMA was systematically reduced by irradiation with Helium ions, leading to a transition from out-of-plane to in-plane easy axis with increasing He ion fluence [1,2]. The FMR linewidth depends linearly on frequency for perpendicular applied fields and increases significantly when the magnetization is rotated into the film plane with an applied in-plane magnetic field. Irradiation of the film with Helium ions decreases the PMA and the distribution of PMA parameters, leading to a large reduction in the FMR linewidth for in-plane magnetization. These results suggest that fluctuations in the PMA lead to a large two magnon scattering contribution to the linewidth for in-plane magnetization and establish that the Gilbert damping is enhanced in such materials (α˜0.04, compared to α˜0.002 for pure Fe) [2]. We compare these results to those on CoFeB/Co/Ni and published results on other thin film materials with PMA [e.g., Ref. 3]. [1] D. Stanescu et al., J. Appl. Phys. 103, 07B529 (2008). [2] J-M. L. Beaujour, D. Ravelosona, I. Tudosa, E. Fullerton, and A. D. Kent, Phys. Rev. B RC 80, 180415 (2009). [3] N. Mo, J. Hohlfeld, M. ulIslam, C. S. Brown, E. Girt, P. Krivosik, W. Tong, A. Rebel, and C. E. Patton, Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 022506 (2008). *Research done in collaboration with: A. D. Kent, New York University, D. Ravelosona, Institut d'Electronique Fondamentale, UMR CNRS 8622, Universit'e Paris Sud, E. E. Fullerton, Center for Magnetic Recording Research, UCSD, and supported by NSF

Corrosion resistance of multilayered magnesium phosphate/magnesium hydroxide film formed on magnesium alloy using steam-curing assisted chemical conversion method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishizaki, Takahiro; Kudo, Ruriko; Omi, Takeshi; Teshima, Katsuya; Sonoda, Tsutomu; Shigematsu, Ichinori; Sakamoto, Michiru

2012-01-01

Anticorrosive multilayered films were successfully prepared on magnesium alloy AZ31 by chemical conversion treatment, followed by steam curing treatment. The crystal structures, chemical composition, surface morphologies, chemical bonding states of the film was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) measurements. All the films had thicknesses of ranging from 24 to 32 μm. The film had two layers that were composed of crystalline NH 4 MgPO 4 ·H 2 O, Mg 2 PO 4 OH·3H 2 O, Mg(OH) 2 and amorphous MgO. The outer layers include magnesium, oxygen, and phosphorous, and the inner layers include magnesium and oxygen. The corrosion resistant performances of the multilayered films in 5 wt% NaCl aqueous solution were investigated by electrochemical and gravimetric measurements. The potentiodynamic polarization curves revealed that the corrosion current density (j corr ) of all the film coated magnesium alloys decreased by more than four orders of magnitude as compared to that of the bare magnesium alloy, indicating that all the films had an inhibiting effect of corrosion reaction. Gravimetric measurements showed that the average corrosion rates obtained from the weight loss rates were estimated to be in the ranges of ca. 0.085–0.129 mm/y. American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard D 3359-02 cross cut tape test revealed that the adhesion of our anticorrosive multilayered film to the magnesium alloy surface was very good.

Improved wettability and adhesion of polylactic acid/chitosan coating for bio-based multilayer film development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gartner, Hunter [School of Packaging, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan (United States); Li, Yana [Mechanical Engineering College, Wuhan Polytechnic University (China); Almenar, Eva, E-mail: ealmenar@msu.edu [School of Packaging, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan (United States)

2015-03-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Surface tension between PLA/CS blend solution and PLA film modified by MDI. • Better wettability between PLA/CS blend solution and PLA film by increasing MDI. • Increased breaking strength by increasing MDI due to the increased H-bonding. • Increased number of physical entanglements between PLA/CS coating and PLA film. • Development of a suitable bio-based multilayer film for food packaging applications. - Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of methyldiphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) concentration (0, 0.2, 1, 2, and 3%) on the wettability and adhesion of blend solutions of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and chitosan (CS) when coated on PLA film for development of a bio-based multi-layer film suitable for food packaging and other applications. Characterization was carried out by attenuated total reflectance infrared spectrometry (ATR-FTIR), contact angle (θ), mechanical adhesion pull-off testing, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The θ of the PLA/CS blend shifted to a lower value (41–35°) with increasing MDI concentration showing that the surface tension was modified between the PLA/CS blend solution and PLA film and better wettability was achieved. The increase in MDI also resulted in an increased breaking strength (228–303 kPa) due to the increased H-bonding resulting from the more urethane groups formed within the PLA/CS blend as shown by ATR-FTIR. The improved adhesion was also shown by the increased number of physical entanglements observed by SEM. It can be concluded that MDI can be used to improve wettability and adhesion between PLA/CS coating and PLA film.

Improved wettability and adhesion of polylactic acid/chitosan coating for bio-based multilayer film development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gartner, Hunter; Li, Yana; Almenar, Eva

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Surface tension between PLA/CS blend solution and PLA film modified by MDI. • Better wettability between PLA/CS blend solution and PLA film by increasing MDI. • Increased breaking strength by increasing MDI due to the increased H-bonding. • Increased number of physical entanglements between PLA/CS coating and PLA film. • Development of a suitable bio-based multilayer film for food packaging applications. - Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of methyldiphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) concentration (0, 0.2, 1, 2, and 3%) on the wettability and adhesion of blend solutions of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and chitosan (CS) when coated on PLA film for development of a bio-based multi-layer film suitable for food packaging and other applications. Characterization was carried out by attenuated total reflectance infrared spectrometry (ATR-FTIR), contact angle (θ), mechanical adhesion pull-off testing, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The θ of the PLA/CS blend shifted to a lower value (41–35°) with increasing MDI concentration showing that the surface tension was modified between the PLA/CS blend solution and PLA film and better wettability was achieved. The increase in MDI also resulted in an increased breaking strength (228–303 kPa) due to the increased H-bonding resulting from the more urethane groups formed within the PLA/CS blend as shown by ATR-FTIR. The improved adhesion was also shown by the increased number of physical entanglements observed by SEM. It can be concluded that MDI can be used to improve wettability and adhesion between PLA/CS coating and PLA film

One-step aerosol synthesis of nanoparticle agglomerate films: simulation of film porosity and thickness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maedler, Lutz; Lall, Anshuman A; Friedlander, Sheldon K

2006-01-01

A method is described for designing nanoparticle agglomerate films with desired film porosity and film thickness. Nanoparticle agglomerates generated in aerosol reactors can be directly deposited on substrates to form uniform porous films in one step, a significant advance over existing technologies. The effect of agglomerate morphology and deposition mechanism on film porosity and thickness are discussed. Film porosity was calculated for a given number and size of primary particles that compose the agglomerates, and fractal dimension. Agglomerate transport was described by the Langevin equation of motion. Deposition enhancing forces such as thermophoresis are incorporated in the model. The method was validated for single spherical particles using previous theoretical studies. An S-shape film porosity dependence on the particle Peclet number typical for spherical particles was also observed for agglomerates, but films formed from agglomerates had much higher porosities than films from spherical particles. Predicted film porosities compared well with measurements reported in the literature. Film porosities increased with the number of primary particles that compose an agglomerate and higher fractal dimension agglomerates resulted in denser films. Film thickness as a function of agglomerate deposition time was calculated from the agglomerate deposition flux in the presence of thermophoresis. The calculated film thickness was in good agreement with measured literature values. Thermophoresis can be used to reduce deposition time without affecting the film porosity

Tunable thick porous silica coating fabricated by multilayer-by-multilayer bonding of silica nanoparticles for open-tubular capillary chromatographic separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, Qishu; Liu, Yuanyuan; Shi, Wenjun; Yan, Chao; Tang, Xiaoqing

2015-06-19

A simple coating procedure employing a multilayer-by-multilayer process to modify the inner surface of bare fused-silica capillaries with silica nanoparticles was established. The silica nanoparticles were adsorbed onto the capillary wall via a strong electrostatic interaction between amino functional groups and silica particles. The thickness of the coating could be tuned from 130 to 600 nm by increasing the coating cycles from one to three. Both the retention factor and the resolution were greatly increased with increasing coating cycles. The loading capacity determined by naphthalene in the column with three coating cycles is 152.1 pmol. The effects of buffer concentration and pH value on the stability of the coating were evaluated. The retention reproducibility of the separation of toluene was 0.8, 1.2, 2.3, and 4.5%, respectively, for run-to-run, day-to-day, column-to-column, and batch-to-batch, respectively. The chromatographic performance of these columns was evaluated by both capillary liquid chromatography and open-tubular capillary electrochromatography (OT-CEC). Separation of aromatic hydrocarbons in the column with three coating cycles provided high theoretical plate numbers (up to 269,280 plates m(-1) for toluene) and short separation time (<15 min) by using OT-CEC mode. The method was also used to separate egg white proteins. Both acidic and basic proteins as well as four glycoisoforms were separated in a single run. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterisation of different single and multilayer films using phase modulated spectroscopic ellipsometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Das, N.C.; Bhattacharyya, D.; Thakur, S.

1998-06-01

Different single layers and multilayer coatings deposited by e-beam evaporation and r.f. sputtering techniques have been characterised by the Phase Modulated Spectroscopic Ellipsometer, installed recently in the Spectroscopy Division, B.A.R.C. The Phase Modulated technique provides a faster and more accurate data acquisition process than the conventional ellipsometry. Measurements have been done on single layers of Cu, Si and ZrO 2 films and on multilayer thin films devices e.g., high reflectivity mirror, beam combiner, beam splitter, narrow band filter etc. consisting of several bilayers of TiO 2 /SiO 2 . The measured Ellipsometry spectra is then fitted with a theoretical spectra generated assuming an appropriate model regarding the sample. The layer thickness and composition have been used as fitting parameters. The optical constants of the substrates have been supplied and a trial dispersion relation have been used for the layers. In case of inhomogeneous layers, trial compositions have been given for the individual components for each layer. The roughness of the layers has been taken into account by assuming the film to be an inhomogeneous mixture of material and voids. The fittings have been done objectively by minimising the squared difference (χ 2 ) between the measured and calculated values of the ellipsometric parameters and thus accurate information have been derived regarding the thickness and optical constants (viz, the refractive index and extinction coefficient) of the different layers, the surface roughness and the inhomogeneities present in the layers. (author)

Dynamic mechanical behaviour of nanoparticle loaded biodegradable PVA films for vaginal drug delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Traore, Yannick L; Fumakia, Miral; Gu, Jijin; Ho, Emmanuel A

2018-03-01

In this study, we investigated the viscoelastic and mechanical behaviour of polyvinyl alcohol films formulated along with carrageenan, plasticizing agents (polyethylene glycol and glycerol), and when loaded with nanoparticles as a model for potential applications as microbicides. The storage modulus, loss modulus and glass transition temperature were determined using a dynamic mechanical analyzer. Films fabricated from 2% to 5% polyvinyl alcohol containing 3 mg or 5 mg of fluorescently labeled nanoparticles were evaluated. The storage modulus and loss modulus values of blank films were shown to be higher than the nanoparticle-loaded films. Glass transition temperature determined using the storage modulus, and loss modulus was between 40-50℃ and 35-40℃, respectively. The tensile properties evaluated showed that 2% polyvinyl alcohol films were more elastic but less resistant to breaking compared to 5% polyvinyl alcohol films (2% films break around 1 N load and 5% films break around 7 N load). To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the influence of nanoparticle and film composition on the physico-mechanical properties of polymeric films for vaginal drug delivery.

Multilayered metal oxide thin film gas sensors obtained by conventional and RF plasma-assisted laser ablation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitu, B.; Marotta, V.; Orlando, S.

2006-01-01

Multilayered thin films of In 2 O 3 and SnO 2 have been deposited by conventional and RF plasma-assisted reactive pulsed laser ablation, with the aim to evaluate their behaviour as toxic gas sensors. The depositions have been carried out by a frequency doubled Nd-YAG laser (λ = 532 nm, τ = 7 ns) on Si(1 0 0) substrates, in O 2 atmosphere. The thin films have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrical resistance measurements. A comparison of the electrical response of the simple (indium oxide, tin oxide) and multilayered oxides to toxic gas (nitric oxide, NO) has been performed. The influence on the structural and electrical properties of the deposition parameters, such as substrate temperature and RF power is reported

Compressive flow behavior of Cu thin films and Cu/Nb multilayers containing nanometer-scale helium bubbles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, N.; Mara, N.A.; Wang, Y.Q.; Nastasi, M.; Misra, A.

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Firstly micro-pillar compression technique has been used to measure the implanted metal films. → The magnitude of radiation hardening decreased with decreasing layer thickness. → When thickness decreases to 2.5 nm, no hardening and no loss in deformability after implantation. -- Focused-ion-beam machined compression specimens were used to investigate the effect of nanometer-scale helium bubbles on the strength and deformability of sputter-deposited Cu and Cu/Nb multilayers with different layer thickness. The flow strength of Cu films increased by more than a factor of 2 due to helium bubbles but in multilayers, the magnitude of radiation hardening decreased with decreasing layer thickness. When the layer thickness decreases to 2.5 nm, insignificant hardening and no measurable loss in deformability is observed after implantation.

Colloidal micro- and nano-particles as templates for polyelectrolyte multilayer capsules.

Science.gov (United States)

Parakhonskiy, Bogdan V; Yashchenok, Alexey M; Konrad, Manfred; Skirtach, Andre G

2014-05-01

Colloidal particles play an important role in various areas of material and pharmaceutical sciences, biotechnology, and biomedicine. In this overview we describe micro- and nano-particles used for the preparation of polyelectrolyte multilayer capsules and as drug delivery vehicles. An essential feature of polyelectrolyte multilayer capsule preparations is the ability to adsorb polymeric layers onto colloidal particles or templates followed by dissolution of these templates. The choice of the template is determined by various physico-chemical conditions: solvent needed for dissolution, porosity, aggregation tendency, as well as release of materials from capsules. Historically, the first templates were based on melamine formaldehyde, later evolving towards more elaborate materials such as silica and calcium carbonate. Their advantages and disadvantages are discussed here in comparison to non-particulate templates such as red blood cells. Further steps in this area include development of anisotropic particles, which themselves can serve as delivery carriers. We provide insights into application of particles as drug delivery carriers in comparison to microcapsules templated on them. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nanomechanical characterization of multilayered thin film structures for digital micromirror devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei Guohua; Bhushan, Bharat; Joshua Jacobs, S.

2004-01-01

The digital micromirror device (DMD), used for digital projection displays, comprises a surface-micromachined array of up to 2.07 million aluminum micromirrors (14 μm square and 15 μm pitch), which switch forward and backward thousands of times per second using electrostatic attraction. The nanomechanical properties of the thin-film structures used are important to the performance of the DMD. In this paper, the nanomechanical characterization of the single and multilayered thin film structures, which are of interest in DMDs, is carried out. The hardness, Young's modulus and scratch resistance of TiN/Si, SiO 2 /Si, Al alloy/Si, TiN/Al alloy/Si and SiO 2 /TiN/Al alloy/Si thin-film structures were measured using nanoindentation and nanoscratch techniques, respectively. The residual (internal) stresses developed during the thin film growth were estimated by measuring the radius of curvature of the sample before and after deposition. To better understand the nanomechanical properties of these thin film materials, the surface and interface analysis of the samples were conducted using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The nanomechanical properties of these materials are analyzed and the impact of these properties on micromirror performance is discussed

Hybrid composite thin films composed of tin oxide nanoparticles and cellulose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahadeva, Suresha K; Nayak, Jyoti; Kim, Jaehwan

2013-01-01

This paper reports the preparation and characterization of hybrid thin films consisting of tin oxide (SnO 2 ) nanoparticles and cellulose. SnO 2 nanoparticle loaded cellulose hybrid thin films were fabricated by a solution blending technique, using sodium dodecyl sulfate as a dispersion agent. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy studies revealed uniform dispersion of the SnO 2 nanoparticles in the cellulose matrix. Reduction in the crystalline melting transition temperature and tensile properties of cellulose was observed due to the SnO 2 nanoparticle loading. Potential application of these hybrid thin films as low cost, flexible and biodegradable humidity sensors is examined in terms of the change in electrical resistivity of the material exposed to a wide range of humidity as well as its response–recovery behavior. (paper)

Controlled specific placement of nanoparticles into microdomains of block copolymer thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bae, Joonwon, E-mail: joonwonbae@gmail.com [Department of Applied Chemistry, Dongduk Women' s University, Seoul 136-714 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jungwook [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul 121-742 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Jongnam, E-mail: jnpark@unist.ac.kr [Interdisciplinary School of Green Energy, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 689-798 (Korea, Republic of)

2014-07-01

Conceptually attractive hybrid materials composed of nanoparticles and elegant block copolymers have become important for diverse applications. In this work, controlled specific placement of nanoparticles such as gold (Au) and titania (TiO{sub 2}) into microphase separated domains in poly(styrene)-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) block copolymer thin films was demonstrated. The effect of nanoparticle surface functionality on the spatial location of particles inside polymer film was observed by transmission electron microscopy. It was revealed that the location of nanoparticles was highly dependent on the surface ligand property of nanoparticle. In addition, the microphase separation behavior of thin block copolymer film was also affected by the nanoparticle surface functional groups. This study might provide a way to understand the properties and behaviors of numerous block copolymer/nanoparticle hybrid systems. - Highlights: • Controlled location of nanoparticles in the block copolymer matrix • Tailoring surface functionality of metal nanocrystals • Fabrication of homogeneous nanocomposites using organic inorganic components • Possibility for the preparation of nanohybrids.

Controlled specific placement of nanoparticles into microdomains of block copolymer thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bae, Joonwon; Kim, Jungwook; Park, Jongnam

2014-01-01

Conceptually attractive hybrid materials composed of nanoparticles and elegant block copolymers have become important for diverse applications. In this work, controlled specific placement of nanoparticles such as gold (Au) and titania (TiO 2 ) into microphase separated domains in poly(styrene)-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) block copolymer thin films was demonstrated. The effect of nanoparticle surface functionality on the spatial location of particles inside polymer film was observed by transmission electron microscopy. It was revealed that the location of nanoparticles was highly dependent on the surface ligand property of nanoparticle. In addition, the microphase separation behavior of thin block copolymer film was also affected by the nanoparticle surface functional groups. This study might provide a way to understand the properties and behaviors of numerous block copolymer/nanoparticle hybrid systems. - Highlights: • Controlled location of nanoparticles in the block copolymer matrix • Tailoring surface functionality of metal nanocrystals • Fabrication of homogeneous nanocomposites using organic inorganic components • Possibility for the preparation of nanohybrids

Luminescence enhancement of ZnO-poly(methylmethacrylate) nanocomposite films by incorporation of crystalline BaTiO_3 nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanamori, Tsuyoshi; Han, Yu; Nagao, Daisuke; Kamezawa, Nao; Ishii, Haruyuki; Konno, Mikio

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Dielectric barium titanate (BT) nanoparticles incorporated into luminescence films. • Luminescence intensities increased by the BT nanoparticle incorporation. • Incorporation of highly dielectric nanoparticles effective for luminescence enhancement. - Abstract: Incorporation of highly dielectric nanoparticles into luminescent ZnO-polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) nanocomposite films was undertaken to examine the effect of nanoparticle incorporation on luminescence intensity of the nanocomposite films. ZnO nanoparticles were prepared as inorganic phosphors by a precipitation method. The ZnO nanoparticles were then surface-modified with 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS) to be used for fabrication of the ZnO-PMMA nanocomposite film. Barium titanate (BT) nanoparticles were synthesized with a sol-gel method as the highly dielectric nanoparticles, which were also surface-modified with the MPTMS for the incorporation into the nanocomposite films. Luminescence intensity of the nanocomposite films was successfully increased by the nanoparticle incorporation up to a BT content around 15 vol%. The luminescence intensity higher than that measured for the nanocomposite films incorporating SiO_2 nanoparticles indicated that the incorporation of highly dielectric nanoparticles was an effective approach to enhance the luminescence of ZnO nanoparticles in the polymer thin films.

Imprinting of metal receptors into multilayer polyelectrolyte films: fabrication and applications in marine antifouling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Puniredd, S.R.; Janczewski, D.; Go, D.P.; Zhu, X.; Guo, S.; Teo, S.L-M.; Lee, S.S.C.; Vancso, Gyula J.

2015-01-01

Polymeric films constructed using the layer-by-layer (LbL) fabrication process were employed as a platform for metal ion immobilization and applied as a marine antifouling coating. The novel Cu2+ ion imprinting process described is based on the use of metal ion templates and LbL multilayer covalent

Gold nanoparticles and films produced by a laser ablation/gas deposition (LAGD) method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawakami, Yuji; Seto, Takafumi; Yoshida, Toshinobu; Ozawa, Eiichi

2002-01-01

Gold nanoparticles have great potential for various nanoelectronic applications such as single electron transistors, an infrared absorption sensor and so on. It is very important to understand and control the size distribution of the particles for such a variety of applications. In this paper, we report the size distribution of gold nanoparticles and the relationship between the nanoparticle-films and the electrical property produced by a laser ablation method. Gold nanoparticle-films were prepared by a technique, which sprays nanoparticles on the substrate through a nozzle. We call it a gas deposition method. The nanoparticles were generated by the nanosecond pulsed Nd:YAG laser ablation of a gold substrate under a low-pressure inert gas atmosphere. The ambient pressure was changed to control the average size and their distribution. The particles produced in the generation chamber were transported by a helium carrier gas to the deposition chamber and deposited on a substrate to form the films composed of gold nanoparticles. The electrical resistivity of the generated gold nanoparticle-films on the glass substrates was measured using a four-probe method. The size distribution of the nanoparticles was examined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and a low-pressure differential mobility analyzer (LP-DMA). The relationship between the particle size and the electrical properties of each film made by the different synthesis conditions were analyzed. The electrical resistivity changed from the order of 10 -5 to 10 -1 Ω cm depending on the ambient pressure and the size distribution

Deposition of Nanostructured Thin Film from Size-Classified Nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Camata, Renato P.; Cunningham, Nicholas C.; Seol, Kwang Soo; Okada, Yoshiki; Takeuchi, Kazuo

2003-01-01

Materials comprising nanometer-sized grains (approximately 1_50 nm) exhibit properties dramatically different from those of their homogeneous and uniform counterparts. These properties vary with size, shape, and composition of nanoscale grains. Thus, nanoparticles may be used as building blocks to engineer tailor-made artificial materials with desired properties, such as non-linear optical absorption, tunable light emission, charge-storage behavior, selective catalytic activity, and countless other characteristics. This bottom-up engineering approach requires exquisite control over nanoparticle size, shape, and composition. We describe the design and characterization of an aerosol system conceived for the deposition of size classified nanoparticles whose performance is consistent with these strict demands. A nanoparticle aerosol is generated by laser ablation and sorted according to size using a differential mobility analyzer. Nanoparticles within a chosen window of sizes (e.g., (8.0 plus or minus 0.6) nm) are deposited electrostatically on a surface forming a film of the desired material. The system allows the assembly and engineering of thin films using size-classified nanoparticles as building blocks.

Elastic Characterization of Transparent and Opaque Films, Multilayers and Acoustic Resonators by Surface Brillouin Scattering: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giovanni Carlotti

2018-01-01

Full Text Available There is currently a renewed interest in the development of experimental methods to achieve the elastic characterization of thin films, multilayers and acoustic resonators operating in the GHz range of frequencies. The potentialities of surface Brillouin light scattering (surf-BLS for this aim are reviewed in this paper, addressing the various situations that may occur for the different types of structures. In particular, the experimental methodology and the amount of information that can be obtained depending on the transparency or opacity of the film material, as well as on the ratio between the film thickness and the light wavelength, are discussed. A generalization to the case of multilayered samples is also provided, together with an outlook on the capability of the recently developed micro-focused scanning version of the surf-BLS technique, which opens new opportunities for the imaging of the spatial profile of the acoustic field in acoustic resonators and in artificially patterned metamaterials, such as phononic crystals.

Controlling thin film structure for the dewetting of catalyst nanoparticle arrays for subsequent carbon nanofiber growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Randolph, S J; Fowlkes, J D; Melechko, A V; Klein, K L; III, H M Meyer; Simpson, M L; Rack, P D

2007-01-01

Vertically aligned carbon nanofiber (CNF) growth is a catalytic chemical vapor deposition process in which structure and functionality is controlled by the plasma conditions and the properties of the catalyst nanoparticles that template the fiber growth. We have found that the resultant catalyst nanoparticle network that forms by the dewetting of a continuous catalyst thin film is dependent on the initial properties of the thin film. Here we report the ability to tailor the crystallographic texture and composition of the nickel catalyst film and subsequently the nanoparticle template by varying the rf magnetron sputter deposition conditions. After sputtering the Ni catalyst thin films, the films are heated and exposed to an ammonia dc plasma, to chemically reduce the native oxide on the films and induce dewetting of the film to form nanoparticles. Subsequent nanoparticle treatment in an acetylene plasma at high substrate temperature results in CNF growth. Evidence is presented that the texture and composition of the nickel thin film has a significant impact on the structure and composition of the formed nanoparticle, as well as the resultant CNF morphology. Nickel films with a preferred (111) or (100) texture were produced and conditions favoring interfacial silicidation reactions were identified and investigated. Both compositional and structural analysis of the films and nanoparticles indicate that the properties of the as-deposited Ni catalyst film influences the subsequent nanoparticle formation and ultimately the catalytic growth of the carbon nanofibers

Fabrication and characterization of novel antimicrobial films derived from thymol-loaded zein-sodium caseinate (SC) nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Kang-Kang; Yin, Shou-Wei; Yang, Xiao-Quan; Tang, Chuan-He; Wei, Zi-Hao

2012-11-21

The objective of this research was to fabricate novel antimicrobial films based on zein colloidal nanoparticles coated with sodium caseinate (SC), an emulsifier/stabilizer. Thymol-loaded zein-SC nanoparticles were prepared using an antisolvent technique, with the average particle size and zeta potential about 200 ± 20 nm and -40 mV, respectively. Zein-SC nanoparticle-based films exhibited higher mechanical resistance and water barrier capacity than the SC films and concomitant good extensibility as compared with zein films. Thymol loadings endowed zein-SC nanoparticle-based films with antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Salmonella as well as DPPH radical scavenging activity. Water vapor permeability, microstructure, mechanical, and controlled release properties of the films were evaluated. The possible relationship between some selected physical properties and microstructure were also discussed. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis indicated that thymol loadings resulted in the emergence phenomena of the nanoparticles to form large particles or packed structure, consisting of clusters of nanoparticles, within the film matrix, in a thymol loading dependent manner. The appearance of large particles or an agglomerate of particles may weaken the compactness of protein network of films and thus impair the water barrier capacity, mechanical resistance, and extensibility of the films. The release kinetics of thymol from nanoparticle-based films can be described as a two-step biphasic process, that is, an initial burst effect followed by subsequent slower release, and zein-SC nanoparticles within the films matrices gave them the ability to sustain the release of thymol. In addition, a schematic illustration of the formation pathway of zein-SC nanoparticle-based films with or without thymol was proposed to illuminate the possible relationship between some selected physical properties and the microstructure of the films.

Convenient preparation of ITO nanoparticles inks for transparent conductive thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ito, Daisuke; Masuko, Keiichiro; Weintraub, Benjamin A.; McKenzie, Lallie C.; Hutchison, James E.

2012-01-01

Tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) nanoparticles are useful precursors to transparent electrodes in a variety of technologically important applications. We synthesized ITO nanoparticles from indium and tin acetylacetonates in oleyl alcohol using a novel temperature ramp profile. The monodispersed ITO nanoparticles have an average diameter of 8.6 nm and form dense, flat films by simple spin coating. The thickness of the film can be controlled by varying the number of additional depositions. The resulting ITO film is transparent and has a resistivity of 7 × 10 −3 Ω cm after sintering at 300 °C. Using a suitable solvent, it is possible to coat high-aspect-ratio structures with ITO nanoparticles. This approach to ITO coatings is greener and offers a number of advantages for transparent electrodes because it is highly versatile, easily scalable, and supports low-cost manufacturing.

Multi-layer thin-film electrolytes for metal supported solid oxide fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Haydn, Markus; Ortner, Kai; Franco, Thomas; Uhlenbruck, Sven; Menzler, Norbert H.; Stöver, Detlev; Bräuer, Günter; Venskutonis, Andreas; Sigl, Lorenz S.; Buchkremer, Hans-Peter; Vaßen, Robert

2014-06-01

A key to the development of metal-supported solid oxide fuel cells (MSCs) is the manufacturing of gas-tight thin-film electrolytes, which separate the cathode from the anode. This paper focuses the electrolyte manufacturing on the basis of 8YSZ (8 mol.-% Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2). The electrolyte layers are applied by a physical vapor deposition (PVD) gas flow sputtering (GFS) process. The gas-tightness of the electrolyte is significantly improved when sequential oxidic and metallic thin-film multi-layers are deposited, which interrupt the columnar grain structure of single-layer electrolytes. Such electrolytes with two or eight oxide/metal layers and a total thickness of about 4 μm obtain leakage rates of less than 3 × 10-4 hPa dm3 s-1 cm-2 (Δp: 100 hPa) at room temperature and therefore fulfill the gas tightness requirements. They are also highly tolerant with respect to surface flaws and particulate impurities which can be present on the graded anode underground. MSC cell tests with double-layer and multilayer electrolytes feature high power densities more than 1.4 W cm-2 at 850 °C and underline the high potential of MSC cells.

Reactive diffusion and superconductivity of Nb3Al multilayer films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vandenberg, J.M.; Hong, M.; Hamm, R.A.; Gurvitch, M.

1985-01-01

Thin films of A15 Nb 3 Al have been prepared by reactive diffusion of sputter-deposited Nb/Al multilayers. The diffusion reactions were studied by in situ annealing x-ray diffraction in the temperature range 50--950 0 C. Initially the Nb and Al sublayers react to form the phase NbAl 3 . This interface reaction prevents the formation of the sigma-phase Nb 2 Al, frequently found as a second phase in A15 Nb 3 Al materials; NbAl 3 reacts with the remaining Nb to form the A15 phase. The highest T/sub c/, 16.2 K measured resistively and 15.2 K inductively, was found in a Nb/Al multilayer with an A15 cell parameter a 0 = 5.195 A which corresponds to approx.20 at. % Al. From a comparison with previous investigations of the T/sub c/ dependence on Al concentration and A15 cell parameter, it is concluded that a small amount of the A15 phase has a higher composition of 22--23 at. % Al

Multilayer and functionally gradient films of plasma polymers intended as compatible interlayers for hybrid materials

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hoferek, L.; Mistřík, J.; Trivedi, R.; Chen, K. S.; Peřina, Vratislav; Čech, V.

2014-01-01

Roč. 254, SEP (2014), s. 49-53 ISSN 0257-8972 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(XE) LM2011019 Institutional support: RVO:61389005 Keywords : multilayer * Gradient film * Plasma polymerization * ellipsometry * nanoindentation Subject RIV: BG - Nuclear, Atomic and Molecular Physics, Colliders Impact factor: 1.998, year: 2014

Antibacterial performance on plasma polymerized heptylamine films loaded with silver nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yu-Chun; Lin, Chia-Chun; Lin, Chih-Hao; Wang, Meng-Jiy

2017-01-01

The antibacterial performance of the plasma-polymerized (pp) heptylamine thin films loaded with silver nanoparticles was evaluated against the colonization of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The properties including the thickness and chemical composition of the as deposited HApp films were modulated by adjusting plasma parameters. The acquired results showed that the film thickness was controlled in the range of 20 to 400 nm by adjusting deposition time. The subsequent immersion of the HApp thin films in silver nitrate solutions result in the formation of amine-metal complexes, in which the silver nanoparticles were reduced directly on the matrices to form Ag@HApp. The reduction reaction of silver was facilitated by applying NaBH4 as a reducing agent. The results of physicochemical analyses including morphological analysis and ellipsometry revealed that the silver nanoparticles were successfully reduced on the HApp films, and the amount of reduced silver was closely associated which the thickness of the plasma-polymerized films, the concentration of applied metal ions solutions, and the time of immobilization. Regarding the antibacterial performance, the Ag@HApp films reduced by NaBH4 showed antibacterial abilities of 70.1 and 68.2% against E. coli and S. aureus, respectively.

Anti-Oxidative and Antibacterial Self-Healing Edible Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Film in Fresh-Cut Fruits.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xuefan; Han, Wei; Zhu, Yanxi; Xuan, Hongyun; Ren, Jiaoyu; Zhang, Jianhao; Ge, Liqin

2018-04-01

The consumption of fresh-cut fruits is limited because of the oxidation browning and pathogenic bacteria's growth on the fruit surface. Besides, crack of the fresh-keeping film may shorten the preservation time of fruit. In this work, polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) film was fabricated by layer-by-layer (LBL) electrostatic deposition method. The film was made by carboxy methylcellulose sodium (CMC) and chitosan (CS). The as-prepared PEM film had good anti-oxidative and antibacterial capability. It inhibited the growth of Gram-negative bacteria and the antibacterial rate was more than 95%. The stratified structure and linear increase of the absorbance in the film verified a linear increase of film thickness. The slight scratched film could self-heal rapidly after the stimulation of water whatever the layer number was. Moreover, the film could heal cracks whose width was far bigger than the thickness. The application of PEM film on fresh-cut apples showed that PEM film had good browning, weight loss and metabolic activity inhibition ability. These results showed that the PEM film is a good candidate as edible film in fresh-cut fruits applications.

Electrocatalytic glucose oxidation at gold and gold-carbon nanoparticulate film prepared from oppositely charged nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karczmarczyk, Aleksandra; Celebanska, Anna; Nogala, Wojciech; Sashuk, Volodymyr; Chernyaeva, Olga; Opallo, Marcin

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Gold nanoparticulate film electrodes were prepared by layer-by-layer method from oppositely charged nanoparticles. • Positively charged nanoparticles play dominant role in glucose oxidation in alkaline solution. • Gold and gold-carbon nanoparticulate film electrodes exhibit similar glucose oxidation current and onset potential. - Abstract: Electrocatalytic oxidation of glucose was studied at nanoparticulate gold and gold-carbon film electrodes. These electrodes were prepared by a layer-by-layer method without application of any linker molecules. Gold nanoparticles were stabilized by undecane thiols functionalized by trimethyl ammonium or carboxylate groups, whereas the carbon nanoparticles were covered by phenylsulfonate functionalities. The gold nanoparticulate electrodes were characterized by UV-vis and XPS spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and voltammetry, before and after heat-treatment. Heat-treatment facilitates the aggregation of the nanoparticles and affects the structure of the film. The comparison of the results obtained with film electrodes prepared from gold nanoparticles with the same charge and with gold-carbon nanoparticulate electrodes, proved that positively charged nanoparticles are responsible for the high electrocatalytic activity, whereas negatively charged ones act rather as a linker of the film

An Observation of Diamond-Shaped Particle Structure in a Soya Phosphatidylcohline and Bacteriorhodopsin Composite Langmuir Blodgett Film Fabricated by Multilayer Molecular Thin Film Method

Science.gov (United States)

Tsujiuchi, Y.; Makino, Y.

A composite film of soya phosphatidylcohline (soya PC) and bacteriorhodopsin (BR) was fabricated by the multilayer molecular thin film method using fatty acid and lipid on a quartz substrate. Direct Force Microscopy (DFM), UV absorption spectra and IR absorption spectra of the film were characterized on the detail of surface structure of the film. The DFM data revealed that many rhombus (diamond-shaped) particles were observed in the film. The spectroscopic data exhibited the yield of M-intermediate of BR in the film. On our modelling of molecular configuration indicate that the coexistence of the strong inter-molecular interaction and the strong inter-molecular interaction between BR trimmers attributed to form the particles.

Poly(l-glutamic acid)-g-poly(ethylene glycol) external layer in polyelectrolyte multilayer films: Characterization and resistance to serum protein adsorption.

Science.gov (United States)

Szczepanowicz, Krzysztof; Kruk, Tomasz; Świątek, Wiktoria; Bouzga, Aud M; Simon, Christian R; Warszyński, Piotr

2018-06-01

Formation of protein-resistant surfaces is a major challenge in the design of novel biomaterials and an important strategy to prevent protein adsorption is the formation of protein-resistant coatings. It can be achieved by proper modification of surfaces, e.g., by immobilization of hydrophilic polymers such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). An appropriate method to immobilize PEG at charged surfaces is the adsorption of copolymers with PEG chains grafted onto polyelectrolyte backbone. The growing interest in the use of polyelectrolyte multilayer coatings in biomedical applications to improve biocompatibility and/or to prepare coating with antiadhesive properties has been the main reason for these studies. Therefore the aim was to produce protein resistant polyelectrolyte multilayer films. They were formed via the layer-by-layer approach, while their pegylation by the deposition of pegylated polyanion, PGA-g-PEG, as an external layer. The influence of PEG chain length and grafting density of PGA-g-PEG copolymers on the protein antiadhesive properties of pegylated polyelectrolyte multilayer films was investigated. To monitor the formation of pegylated and non-pegylated multilayer films, adsorption of the following proteins: HSA, Fibrinogen, and FBS were measured by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM - D). We found that protein adsorption onto all pegylated polyelectrolyte multilayers was significantly reduced in comparison to non-pegylated ones. Long-term performance tests confirmed the stability and the durability of the protein resistant properties of the pegylated multilayers. Antiadhesive properties of tested surfaces pegylated by PGA-g-PEG were compared to the available data for pegylated polycation PLL-g-PEG. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Silver nanoparticle–carbon nanotube hybrid films: Preparation and electrochemical sensing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Aimin; Wang, Qingxia; Yong, Jiawey; Mahon, Peter J.; Malherbe, Francois; Wang Feng; Zhang Haili; Wang, James

2012-01-01

Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) multilayer thin films with controlled thickness were pre-assembled on electrodes by alternatively depositing MWCNT and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) via a layer-by-layer self-assembly technique. Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were then electro-deposited on the MWCNT surface from AgNO 3 solution using a potentiostatic double pulse technique. The size, density and morphology of silver nanoparticles that electrodeposited on MWCNT were controlled by the pulse parameters. When a voltage pulse of −600 mV was used to nucleate silver nanoparticles and a growth pulse of −105 mV was applied to grow the particles, silver particles of 10–500 nm with varied density could be electro-generated on MWCNT surface. The formation of Ag NPs and the morphology of the MWCNT/Ag NP composite films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The MWCNT/Ag NP composite films exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity to the reduction of hydrogen peroxide which was also shown to be slightly affected by the size and density of Ag NPs on the film.

Interfacial Shear Strength of Multilayer Graphene Oxide Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Daly, Matthew; Cao, Changhong; Sun, Hao; Sun, Yu; Filleter, Tobin; Singh, Chandra Veer

2016-02-23

Graphene oxide (GO) is considered as one of the most promising layered materials with tunable physical properties and applicability in many important engineering applications. In this work, the interfacial behavior of multilayer GO films was directly investigated via GO-to-GO friction force microscopy, and the interfacial shear strength (ISS) was measured to be 5.3 ± 3.2 MPa. Based on high resolution atomic force microscopy images and the available chemical data, targeted molecular dynamics simulations were performed to evaluate the influence of functional structure, topological defects, and interlayer registry on the shear response of the GO films. Theoretical values for shear strength ranging from 17 to 132 MPa were predicted for the different structures studied, providing upper bounds for the ISS. Computational results also revealed the atomic origins of the stochastic nature of friction measurements. Specifically, the wide scatter in experimental measurements was attributed to variations in functional structure and topological defects within the sliding volume. The findings of this study provide important insight for understanding the significant differences in strength between monolayer and bulk graphene oxide materials and can be useful for engineering topological structures with tunable mechanical properties.

Luminescence enhancement of ZnO-poly(methylmethacrylate) nanocomposite films by incorporation of crystalline BaTiO{sub 3} nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kanamori, Tsuyoshi; Han, Yu; Nagao, Daisuke, E-mail: dnagao@tohoku.ac.jp; Kamezawa, Nao; Ishii, Haruyuki; Konno, Mikio

2016-09-15

Highlights: • Dielectric barium titanate (BT) nanoparticles incorporated into luminescence films. • Luminescence intensities increased by the BT nanoparticle incorporation. • Incorporation of highly dielectric nanoparticles effective for luminescence enhancement. - Abstract: Incorporation of highly dielectric nanoparticles into luminescent ZnO-polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) nanocomposite films was undertaken to examine the effect of nanoparticle incorporation on luminescence intensity of the nanocomposite films. ZnO nanoparticles were prepared as inorganic phosphors by a precipitation method. The ZnO nanoparticles were then surface-modified with 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS) to be used for fabrication of the ZnO-PMMA nanocomposite film. Barium titanate (BT) nanoparticles were synthesized with a sol-gel method as the highly dielectric nanoparticles, which were also surface-modified with the MPTMS for the incorporation into the nanocomposite films. Luminescence intensity of the nanocomposite films was successfully increased by the nanoparticle incorporation up to a BT content around 15 vol%. The luminescence intensity higher than that measured for the nanocomposite films incorporating SiO{sub 2} nanoparticles indicated that the incorporation of highly dielectric nanoparticles was an effective approach to enhance the luminescence of ZnO nanoparticles in the polymer thin films.

The microstructural evolution of nanometer ruthenium films in Ru/C multilayers with thermal treatments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen, T.D.; Gronsky, R.; Kortright, J.B.

1991-04-01

The evolution of nanometer Ru films sandwiched between various C layer thickness with thermal treatments was studied by plan-view and cross-sectional Transmission Electron Microscopy. Plan-view observation provides information on the Ru grain size, while cross- sectional studies allow examination of the multilayer morphology. After annealing at 800 degrees C for 30 minutes, the grain size in the 2 and 4 nm Ru layers show little difference from each other, while that in the 1 nm Ru layers depends strongly on the thickness of the C layers in the multilayers. It increases with decreasing C layer thickness. Agglomeration of the Ru layers is observed in 1nm Ru/1nm C multilayers after annealing at 600 degrees C for 30 minutes. The evolution of the microstructures and layered structure stability of the Ru/C system is compared to that of W/C and Ru/B 4 C systems. 10 refs., 2 figs

Hexagonally ordered nanoparticles templated using a block copolymer film through Coulombic interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Wonjoo; Lee, Seung Yong; Zhang Xin; Rabin, Oded; Briber, R M

2013-01-01

We present a novel and simple method for forming hexagonal gold nanoparticle arrays that uses Coulombic interactions between negatively charged gold nanoparticles on positively charged vertically oriented poly(4-vinylpyridine) cylinders formed in a spin cast polystyrene-b-poly(4-vinylpyridine) block copolymer film. Exposure of the block copolymer film to dibromobutane vapor quaternizes and crosslinks the poly(4-vinylpyridine) domains which allows for the templated deposition of gold nanoparticles into a self-assembled hexagonal array through electrostatic interactions. These systems can form the basis for sensors or next generation nanoparticle based electronics. (paper)

Electron transport in disordered films of metal nanoparticles linked by organic molecules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, K.H.; Wei, G.; Herrmann, J.; Raguse, B.; Baxter, G.

2004-01-01

Full text: We have investigated theoretically and experimentally the mechanism of electron transport in films made of ∼10 nm sized gold nanoparticles linked by alkanedithiol molecules. Conduction in these films is due to linker-molecule assisted single-electron tunnelling between neighbouring nanoparticles where electrons have to overcome the Coulomb blockade energy. Strong disorder in our films in the form of separation gap fluctuations between adjacent nanoparticles and variations in Coulomb blockade energies cause electron current percolation. We have found that the dependence of the conduction on the length of the alkanedithiol molecules is affected by the degree of disorder. In addition, we have observed that percolation leads to a non-Arrhenius-like temperature dependence of the conduction and to a film-thickness dependent conductivity. I-V characteristics at low temperatures reveal Coulomb blockade effects. The strong dependence of the electrical conduction on the separation gaps between adjacent nanoparticles can be utilized in strain gauge and gas sensor applications

Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and the magnetization process in CoFeB/Pd multilayer films

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ngo, Duc-The; Quach, Duy-Truong; Hung, Tran Quang

2014-01-01

The perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) and dynamic magnetization-reversal process in [CoFeB t nm/Pd 1.0 nm]n(t = 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2 nm; n = 2 − 20) multilayer films have been studied by means of magnetic hysteresis and Kerr effect measurements. Strong and controllable PMA with an eff...

Elastic Moduli of Nanoparticle-Polymer Composite Thin Films via Buckling on Elastomeric Substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Hongyi; Karim, Alamgir; University of Akron Team

2011-03-01

Polymeric thin films find applications in diverse areas such as coatings, barriers and packaging. The dispersion of nanoparticles into the films was proven to be an effective method to generate tunable properties, particularly mechanical strength. However, there are very few methods for mechanical characterization of the composite thin films with high accuracy. In this study, nanometric polystyrene and polyvinyl alcohol films with uniformly dispersed cobalt and Cloisite nanoparticles at varying concentrations were synthesized via flow-coating and then transferred to crosslinked polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) flexible substrates. The technique of Strain-Induced Elastic Buckling Instability for Mechanical Measurements (SIEBIMM) was employed to determine the elastic moduli of the films, which were calculated from the buckling patterns generated by applying compressive stresses. Results on moduli of films as a function of the concentrations of nanoparticles and the thicknesses of the composite films will be presented. *Corresponding author: alamgir@uakron.edu

Evaluation of antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles for carboxymethylcellulose film applications in food packaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Siqueira, Maria C; Coelho, Gustavo F; de Moura, Márcia R; Bresolin, Joana D; Hubinger, Silviane Z; Marconcini, José M; Mattoso, Luiz H C

2014-07-01

In this study, silver nanoparticles were prepared and incorporated into carboxymethylcellulose films to evaluate the antimicrobial activity for food packaging applications. The techniques carried out for material characterization were: infrared spectroscopy and thermal analysis for the silver nanoparticles and films, as well as particle size distribution for the nanoparticles and water vapor permeability for the films. The antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles prepared by casting method was investigated. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of the silver nanoparticles to test Gram-positive (Enterococcus faecalis) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) microorganisms was carried out by the serial dilution technique, tested in triplicate to confirm the concentration used. The results were developed using the Mcfarland scale which indicates that the presence or absence of turbidity tube demonstrates the inhibition of bacteria in relation to the substance inoculated. It was found that the silver nanoparticles inhibited the growth of the tested microorganisms. The carboxymethylcellulose film embedded with silver nanoparticles showed the best antimicrobial effect against Gram-positive (E. faecalis) and Gram-negative (E. coli) bacteria (0.1 microg cm(-3)).

Performance properties, lactic acid specific migration and swelling by simulant of biodegradable poly(lactic acid)/nanoclay multilayer films for food packaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Scarfato, Paola; Di Maio, Luciano; Milana, Maria Rosaria; Giamberardini, Silvia; Denaro, Massimo; Incarnato, Loredana

2017-10-01

The aim of the study was the development of a multifunctional, high-performance, fully biodegradable multilayer polylactic acid (PLA) film for food packaging applications. In particular, sealable multilayer PLA-clay nanocomposite systems with different layouts in terms of composition and relative thickness of the layers, all consisting of a PLA-clay nanocomposite layer between two pure PLA layers for direct food contact, were designed and produced by blown film co-extrusion. The films obtained were analysed for their morphology, functional properties and lactic acid (LA)-specific migration in 50% ethanol. The results showed that, with respect to the unfilled multilayer system, taken as a reference, the nanocomposite films had significant improvements, up to about 40%, in their barriers to oxygen and tensile strengths, and resulted in being more easily sealable over a wide heat-sealing temperature range (80-100°C) with higher seal strength. Moreover, all films had LA migrations always well below the former generic overall migration limit of 60 mg kg -1 food (10 mg dm - 2 ) of European Union Regulation No. 10/2011 (deleted by the amending Regulation No. 2016/1416), even if their morphology was strongly modified during the migration tests due to the strong swelling action of the used simulant (simulant D1 = 50% ethanol (aq.) (v/v)) towards PLA.

Layer-by-Layer Nanoassembly of Copper Indium Gallium Selenium Nanoparticle Films for Solar Cell Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Hemati

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Thin films of CIGS nanoparticles interdigited with polymers have been fabricated through a cost-effective nonvacuum film deposition process called layer-by-layer (LbL nanoassembly. CIGS nanoparticles synthesized by heating copper chloride, indium chloride, gallium chloride, and selenium in oleylamine were dispersed in water, and desired surface charges were obtained through pH regulation and by coating the particles with polystyrene sulfonate (PSS. Raising the pH of the nanoparticle dispersion reduced the zeta-potential from +61 mV at pH 7 to −51 mV at pH 10.5. Coating the CIGS nanoparticles with PSS (CIGS-PSS produced a stable dispersion in water with −56.9 mV zeta-potential. Thin films of oppositely charged CIGS nanoparticles (CIGS/CIGS, CIGS nanoparticles and PSS (CIGS/PSS, and PSS-coated CIGS nanoparticles and polyethylenimine (CIGS-PSS/PEI were constructed through the LbL nanoassembly. Film thickness and resistivity of each bilayer of the films were measured, and photoelectric properties of the films were studied for solar cell applications. Solar cell devices fabricated with a 219 nm CIGS film, when illuminated by 50 W light-source, produced 0.7 V open circuit voltage and 0.3 mA/cm2 short circuit current density.

Structural and thermal properties of silk fibroin - Silver nanoparticles composite films

Science.gov (United States)

Shivananda, C. S.; Rao B, B. Lakshmeesha; Shetty, G. Rajesh; Sangappa, Y.

2018-05-01

In this work, silk fibroin-silver nanoparticles (SF-AgNPs) composite films have been prepared by simple solution casting method. The composite films were examined for structural and thermal properties using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimatric (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. The XRD results showed that with the introduction of AgNPs in the silk fibroin matrix the amorphous nature of the silk fibroin decreases with increasing nanoparticles concentration. The silk fibroin films possess good thermal stability with the presence of AgNPs.

MAPLE deposition and characterization of SnO2 colloidal nanoparticle thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caricato, A P; Martino, M; Romano, F; Tunno, T; Valerini, D; Epifani, M; Rella, R; Taurino, A

2009-01-01

In this paper we report on the deposition and characterization of tin oxide (SnO 2 ) nanoparticle thin films. The films were deposited by the matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) technique. SnO 2 colloidal nanoparticles with a trioctylphosphine capping layer were diluted in toluene with a concentration of 0.2 wt% and frozen at liquid nitrogen temperature. The frozen target was irradiated with a KrF (248 nm, τ = 20 ns) excimer laser (6000 pulses at 10 Hz). The nanoparticles were deposited on silica (SiO 2 ) and (1 0 0) Si substrates and submitted to morphological (high resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM)), structural Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and optical (UV-Vis transmission) characterizations. SEM and FTIR analyses showed that trioctylphosphine was the main component in the as-deposited films. The trioctylphosphine was removed after an annealing in vacuum at 400 0 C, thus allowing to get uniform SnO 2 nanoparticle films in which the starting nanoparticle dimensions were preserved. The energy gap value, determined by optical characterizations, was 4.2 eV, higher than the bulk SnO 2 energy gap (3.6 eV), due to quantum confinement effects.

Mercury adsorption to gold nanoparticle and thin film surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, Todd Ashley

Mercury adsorption to gold nanoparticle and thin film surfaces was monitored by spectroscopic techniques. Adsorption of elemental mercury to colloidal gold nanoparticles causes a color change from wine-red to orange that was quantified by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. The wavelength of the surface plasmon mode of 5, 12, and 31 nm gold particles blue-shifts 17, 14, and 7.5 nm, respectively, after a saturation exposure of mercury vapor. Colorimetric detection of inorganic mercury was demonstrated by employing 2.5 nm gold nanoparticles. The addition of low microgram quantities of Hg 2+ to these nanoparticles induces a color change from yellow to peach or blue. It is postulated that Hg2+ is reduced to elemental mercury by SCN- before and/or during adsorption to the nanoparticle surface. It has been demonstrated that surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy (SPRS) is sensitive to mercury adsorption to gold and silver surfaces. By monitoring the maximum change in reflectivity as a function of amount of mercury adsorbed to the surface, 50 nm Ag films were shown to be 2--3 times more sensitive than 50 nm Au films and bimetallic 15 nm Au/35 nm Ag films. In addition, a surface coverage of ˜40 ng Hg/cm2 on the gold surface results in a 0.03° decrease in the SPR angle of minimum reflectivity. SPRS was employed to follow Hg exposure to self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on Au. The data indicate that the hydrophilic or hydrophobic character of the SAM has a significant effect on the efficiency of Hg penetration. Water adsorbed to carboxylic acid end group of the hydrophilic SAMs is believed to slow the penetration of Hg compared to methyl terminated SAMs. Finally, two protocols were followed to remove mercury from gold films: immersion in concentrated nitric acid and thermal annealing up to 200°C. The latter protocol is preferred because it removes all of the adsorbed mercury from the gold surface and does not affect the morphology of the gold surface.

Targeted Functionalization of Nanoparticle Thin Films via Capillary Condensation

KAUST Repository

Gemici, Zekeriyya; Schwachulla, Patrick I.; Williamson, Erik H.; Rubner, Michael F.; Cohen, Robert E.

2009-01-01

Capillary condensation, an often undesired natural phenomenon in nanoporous materials, was used advantageously as a universal functionalization strategy in nanoparticle thin films assembled layer-by-layer. Judicious choice of nanoparticle (and therefore pore) size allowed targeted capillary condensation of chemical vapors of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecules across film thickness. Heterostructured thin films with modulated refractive index profiles produced in this manner exhibited broadband antireflection properties with an average reflectance over the visible region of the spectrum of only 0.4%. Capillary condensation was also used to modify surface chemistry and surface energy. Photosensitive capillary-condensates were UV-cross-linked in situ. Undesired adventitious condensation of humidity could be avoided by condensation of hydrophobic materials such as poly(dimethyl siloxane). © 2009 American Chemical Society.

Targeted Functionalization of Nanoparticle Thin Films via Capillary Condensation

KAUST Repository

Gemici, Zekeriyya

2009-03-11

Capillary condensation, an often undesired natural phenomenon in nanoporous materials, was used advantageously as a universal functionalization strategy in nanoparticle thin films assembled layer-by-layer. Judicious choice of nanoparticle (and therefore pore) size allowed targeted capillary condensation of chemical vapors of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecules across film thickness. Heterostructured thin films with modulated refractive index profiles produced in this manner exhibited broadband antireflection properties with an average reflectance over the visible region of the spectrum of only 0.4%. Capillary condensation was also used to modify surface chemistry and surface energy. Photosensitive capillary-condensates were UV-cross-linked in situ. Undesired adventitious condensation of humidity could be avoided by condensation of hydrophobic materials such as poly(dimethyl siloxane). © 2009 American Chemical Society.

Targeted functionalization of nanoparticle thin films via capillary condensation.

Science.gov (United States)

Gemici, Zekeriyya; Schwachulla, Patrick I; Williamson, Erik H; Rubner, Michael F; Cohen, Robert E

2009-03-01

Capillary condensation, an often undesired natural phenomenon in nanoporous materials, was used advantageously as a universal functionalization strategy in nanoparticle thin films assembled layer-by-layer. Judicious choice of nanoparticle (and therefore pore) size allowed targeted capillary condensation of chemical vapors of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecules across film thickness. Heterostructured thin films with modulated refractive index profiles produced in this manner exhibited broadband antireflection properties with an average reflectance over the visible region of the spectrum of only 0.4%. Capillary condensation was also used to modify surface chemistry and surface energy. Photosensitive capillary-condensates were UV-cross-linked in situ. Undesired adventitious condensation of humidity could be avoided by condensation of hydrophobic materials such as poly(dimethyl siloxane).

Synthesis and luminescent properties of PEO/lanthanide oxide nanoparticle hybrid films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goubard, F.; Vidal, F.; Bazzi, R.; Tillement, O.; Chevrot, C.; Teyssie, D.

2007-01-01

In this study, we investigate the optical properties of lanthanide oxide nanoparticles dispersed in poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) network as thermally stable polymeric films. The aim of this work is both to keep a good optical transparency in the visible domain and to obtain luminescent materials after incorporation of nanoparticles. For this purpose, we develop luminescent nanocrystals of oxides containing terbium ion as a doping element in Gd 2 O 3 . These sub-5-nm lanthanide oxides nanoparticles have been prepared by direct oxide precipitation in high-boiling polyalcohol solutions and characterized by luminescence spectroscopy. PEO/lanthanide oxide nanohybrid films are prepared by radical polymerization of poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate after introduction of lanthanide oxide particles. As a first result; the obtained films present interesting luminescence properties with a very low lanthanide oxide content (up to 0.29 wt%). Furthermore, these films are still transparent and keep their original mechanical properties. Prior to describe the specific applications to optical use, we report here the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and luminescent properties of. nanohybrid films

Multilayer films of cationic graphene-polyelectrolytes and anionic graphene-polyelectrolytes fabricated using layer-by-layer self-assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rani, Adila; Oh, Kyoung Ah; Koo, Hyeyoung; Lee, Hyung jung; Park, Min

2011-01-01

Extremely thin sheets of carbon atoms called graphene have been predicted to possess excellent thermal properties, electrical conductivity, and mechanical stiffness. To harness such properties in composite materials for multifunctional applications, one would require the incorporation of graphene. In this study, new thin film composites were created using layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly of polymer-coated graphitic nanoplatelets. The positive and negative polyelectrolytes used to cover graphene sheets were poly allylamine hydrochloride (PAH) and poly sodium 4-styrenesulfonate (PSS). The synthesized poly allylamine hydrochloride-graphene (PAH-G) and poly sodium 4-styrenesulfonate-gaphene (PSS-G) were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). The multilayer films created by spontaneous sequential adsorption of PAH-G and PSS-G were characterized by ultra violet spectroscopy (UV-vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and AFM. The electrical conductivity of the graphene/polyelectrolyte multilayer film composites measured by the four-point probe method was 0.2 S cm -1 , which was sufficient for the construction of advanced electro-optical devices and sensors.

The Effects of SiO2 Nanoparticles on Mechanical and Physicochemical Properties of Potato Starch Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. Torabi

2013-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper effect of SiO2 nanoparticles was investigated on potato starch films. Potato starch films were prepared by casting method with addition of nano-silicon dioxide and a mixture of sorbitol/glycerol (weight ratio of 3 to 1 as plasticizers. SiO2 nanoparticles incorporated to the potato starch films at different concentrations 0, 1, 2, 3, and 5% of total solid, and the films were dried under controlled conditions.  Physicochemical properties such as water absorption capacity (WAC, water vapor permeability (WVP and mechanical properties of the films were measured. Results show that by increasing the concentration of silicon dioxide nanoparticles, mechanical properties of films can be improved. Also incorporation of silicon dioxide nanoparticles in the structure of biopolymer decrease permeability of the gaseous molecules such as water vapor. In summary, addition of silicon dioxide nanoparticles improves functional properties of potato starch films and these bio Nano composites can be used in food packaging.

Magnetic Composite Thin Films of FexOy Nanoparticles and Photocrosslinked Dextran Hydrogels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brunsen, Annette; Utech, Stefanie; Maskos, Michael; Knoll, Wolfgang; Jonas, Ulrich

2012-01-01

Magnetic hydrogel composites are promising candidates for a broad field of applications from medicine to mechanical engineering. Here, surface-attached composite films of magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) and a polymeric hydrogel (HG) were prepared from magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles and a carboxymethylated dextran with photoreactive benzophenone substituents. A blend of the MNP and the dextran polymer was prepared by mixing in solution, and after spin-coating and drying the blend film was converted into a stable MNP–HG composite by photocrosslinking through irradiation with UV light. The bulk composite material shows strong mobility in a magnetic field, imparted by the MNPs. By utilizing a surface layer of a photoreactive adhesion promoter on the substrates, the MNP–HG films were covalently immobilized during photocrosslinking. The high stability of the composite was documented by rinsing experiments with UV–Vis spectroscopy, while surface plasmon resonance and optical waveguide mode spectroscopy was employed to investigate the swelling behavior in dependence of the nanoparticle concentration, the particle type, and salt concentration. - Highlights: ► blending of iron oxide nanoparticles with photocrosslinkable carboxymethyldextran. ► UV irradiation of blend yields surface-attached, magnetic hydrogel films. ► film characterization by surface plasmon resonance/optical waveguide spectroscopy. ► swelling decreases with increasing nanoparticle content. ► swelling decreases with increasing NaCl salt concentration in the aqueous medium.

Formulation and Characterization of Acetaminophen Nanoparticles in Orally Disintegrating Films

Science.gov (United States)

AI-Nemrawi, Nusaiba K.

The purpose of this study is to prepare acetaminophen loaded nanoparticles to be cast directly, while still in the emulsion form, into Orally Disintegrating Films (ODF). By casting the nanoparticles in the films, we expected to keep the particles in a stable form where the nanoparticles would be away from each other to prevent their aggregation. Once the films are applied on the buccal mucosa, they are supposed to dissolve within seconds, releasing the nanoparticles. Then the nanoparticles could be directly absorbed through the mucosa to the blood stream and deliver acetaminophen there. The oral cavity mucosa is one of the most attractive sites for systemic drug delivery due to its high permeability and blood supply. Furthermore, it is robust and shows short recovery times after stress or damage, and the drug bypasses first pass effect and avoids presystemic elimination in the GI tract. Nanoencapsulation increases drug efficacy, specificity, tolerability and therapeutic index. These Nanocapsules have several advantages in the protection of premature degradation and interaction with the biological environment, enhancement of absorption into a selected tissue, bioavailability, retention time and improvement of intracellular penetration. The most important characteristics of nanoparticles are their size, encapsulation efficiency (EE), zeta potential (surface charge), and the drug release profiles. Unfortunately, nanoparticles tend to precipitate or aggregate into larger particles within a short time after preparation or during storage. Some solutions for this problem were mentioned in literature including lyophilization and spray drying. These methods are usually expensive and give partial solutions that might have secondary problems; such as low re-dispersion efficacy of the lyophilized NPs. Furthermore, most of the formulations of NPs are invasive or topical. Few formulas are available to be given orally. Fast disintegrating films (ODFs) are rapidly gaining interest

The Effect of Modulation Ratio of Cu/Ni Multilayer Films on the Fretting Damage Behaviour of Ti-811 Titanium Alloy.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaohua; Liu, Daoxin; Li, Xiaoying; Dong, Hanshan; Xi, Yuntao

2017-05-26

To improve the fretting damage (fretting wear and fretting fatigue) resistance of Ti-811 titanium alloy, three Cu/Ni multilayer films with the same modulation period thickness (200 nm) and different modulation ratios (3:1, 1:1, 1:3) were deposited on the surface of the alloy via ion-assisted magnetron sputtering deposition (IAD). The bonding strength, micro-hardness, and toughness of the films were evaluated, and the effect of the modulation ratio on the room-temperature fretting wear (FW) and fretting fatigue (FF) resistance of the alloy was determined. The results indicated that the IAD technique can be successfully used to prepare Cu/Ni multilayer films, with high bonding strength, low-friction, and good toughness, which yield improved room-temperature FF and FW resistance of the alloy. For the same modulation period (200 nm), the micro-hardness, friction, and FW resistance of the coated alloy increased, decreased, and improved, respectively, with increasing modulation ratio of the Ni-to-Cu layer thickness. However, the FF resistance of the coated alloy increased non-monotonically with the increasing modulation ratio. Among the three Cu/Ni multilayer films, those with a modulation ratio of 1:1 can confer the highest FF resistance to the Ti-811 alloy, owing mainly to their unique combination of good toughness, high strength, and low-friction.

UV absorption by cerium oxide nanoparticles/epoxy composite thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dao, Ngoc Nhiem; Luu, Minh Dai; Nguyen, Quang Khuyen; Kim, Byung Sun

2011-01-01

Cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) nanoparticles have been used to modify properties of an epoxy matrix in order to improve the ultra-violet (UV) absorption property of epoxy thin films. The interdependence of mechanical properties, UV absorption property and the dispersed concentration of CeO 2 nanoparticles was investigated. Results showed that, by increasing the dispersed concentration of CeO 2 nanoparticles up to 3 wt%, tensile modulus increases while two other mechanical properties, namely tensile strength and elongation, decrease. The UV absorption peak and the absorption edges of the studied thin films were observed in the UV-Vis absorption spectra. By incorporating CeO 2 nanoparticles into the epoxy matrix, an absorption peak appears at around 318 nm in UV-Vis spectra with increasing CeO 2 concentration from 0.1 to 1.0 wt%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images revealed that a good dispersion of nanoparticles in the epoxy matrix by an ultrasonic method was achieved

Sintering effect on the optoelectronic characteristics of HgSe nanoparticle films on plastic substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byun, Kwangsub; Cho, Kyoungah; Kim, Sangsig

2010-01-01

The optoelectronic characteristics of HgSe nanoparticle films spin-coated on flexible plastic substrates are investigated under the illumination of 1.3 μm wavelength light. The sintering process improves the optoelectronic characteristics of the HgSe nanoparticle films. The photocurrent of the sintered HgSe nanoparticle films under the illumination of 1.3 μm wavelength light is approximately 20 times larger in magnitude than that of the non-sintered films in air at room temperature. Moreover, the endurance of the flexible optoelectronic device investigated by the continuous substrate bending test reveals that the photocurrent efficiency changes negligibly up to 250 cycles.

Structural studies of thin films of semiconducting nanoparticles in polymer matrices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Di Luccio, Tiziana; Piscopiello, Emanuela; Laera, Anna Maria; Antisari, Marco Vittori

2007-01-01

Ordered films of nanoscale materials are issue of wide interest for applications in several fields, such as optics, catalysis, and bioelectronics. In particular, semiconducting nanoparticles incorporation in a processable polymer film is an easy way to manipulate such materials for their application. We deposited thin layers of cadmium sulphide (CdS) and zinc sulphide (ZnS) nanoparticles embedded in a thermoplastic cyclo-olephin copolymer (COC) with elevated optical transparency and highly bio-compatible. The nanoparticles were obtained by thiolate precursors previously dispersed in the polymer upon thermal treatment at temperatures ranging between 200 and 300 deg. C depending on the desired size. The precursor/polymer solutions were spin-coated in order to get thin films. The spinning conditions were changed in order to optimise the layer thickness and uniformity. The samples were mainly characterised by X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) analyses. The thinnest layer we have deposited is 8 nm thick, as evaluated by XRR. The HRTEM measurements showed that the nanoparticles have quasi-spherical shape without evident microstructural defects. The size of the nanoparticles depends on the annealing temperature, e.g. at 232 deg. C the size of the CdS nanoparticles is about 4-5 nm

Structural studies of thin films of semiconducting nanoparticles in polymer matrices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Di Luccio, Tiziana [ENEA, Centro Ricerche Brindisi, SS7 Appia Km 706, I-72100 Brindisi (Italy)], E-mail: tiziana.diluccio@portici.enea.it; Piscopiello, Emanuela; Laera, Anna Maria [ENEA, Centro Ricerche Brindisi, SS7 Appia Km 706, I-72100 Brindisi (Italy); Antisari, Marco Vittori [ENEA, Centro Ricerche Casaccia, Via Anguillarese 301, I-00060 S. Maria di Galeria (Roma) (Italy)

2007-09-15

Ordered films of nanoscale materials are issue of wide interest for applications in several fields, such as optics, catalysis, and bioelectronics. In particular, semiconducting nanoparticles incorporation in a processable polymer film is an easy way to manipulate such materials for their application. We deposited thin layers of cadmium sulphide (CdS) and zinc sulphide (ZnS) nanoparticles embedded in a thermoplastic cyclo-olephin copolymer (COC) with elevated optical transparency and highly bio-compatible. The nanoparticles were obtained by thiolate precursors previously dispersed in the polymer upon thermal treatment at temperatures ranging between 200 and 300 deg. C depending on the desired size. The precursor/polymer solutions were spin-coated in order to get thin films. The spinning conditions were changed in order to optimise the layer thickness and uniformity. The samples were mainly characterised by X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) analyses. The thinnest layer we have deposited is 8 nm thick, as evaluated by XRR. The HRTEM measurements showed that the nanoparticles have quasi-spherical shape without evident microstructural defects. The size of the nanoparticles depends on the annealing temperature, e.g. at 232 deg. C the size of the CdS nanoparticles is about 4-5 nm.

Measuring sticking and stripping in muon catalyzed dt fusion with multilayer thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujiwara, M.C.; Bailey, J.M.; Beer, G.A.

1995-12-01

The authors propose a direct measurement of muon sticking to alpha particles in muon catalyzed dt fusion at a high density. Exploiting the features of a multilayer thin film target developed at TRIUMF, the sticking is determined directly by detection of charged fusion products. Experimental separation of initial ticking and stripping may become possible for the first time. Monte Carlo simulations, as well as preliminary results of test measurements are described

Unique interconnected graphene/SnO2 nanoparticle spherical multilayers for lithium-ion battery applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Qingguo; Tang, Jie; Sun, Yige; Li, Jing; Zhang, Kun; Yuan, Jinshi; Zhu, Da-Ming; Qin, Lu-Chang

2017-03-30

We have designed and synthesized a unique structured graphene/SnO 2 composite, where SnO 2 nanoparticles are inserted in between interconnected graphene sheets which form hollow spherical multilayers. The hollow spherical multilayered structure provides much flexibility to accommodate the configuration and volume changes of SnO 2 in the material. When it is used as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries, such a novel nanostructure can not only provide a stable conductive matrix and suppress the mechanical stress, but also eliminate the need of any binders for constructing electrodes. Electrochemical tests show that the unique graphene/SnO 2 composite electrode as designed could exhibit a large reversible capacity over 1000 mA h g -1 and long cycling life with 88% retention after 100 cycles. These results indicate the great potential of the composite for being used as a high performance anode material for lithium-ion batteries.

Obtaining and characterization of thin films polyelectrolyte with gold nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Popiolski, Tatiane M.; Crespo, Janaina S.; Silva, Renato B.

2011-01-01

Thin films of polyelectrolytes are manufactured via sequential adsorption of weak polyelectrolytes from aqueous solutions based on electrostatic interaction of oppositely charged polymers. Metal containing polymeric compounds are of particular interest to the production of materials with electrical interface and optical properties. In this sense, the objective of this study was to obtain thin films of weak polyelectrolytes and analyze the distribution of gold nanoparticles stabilized by sodium citrate and by poly (vinylpyrrolidone). The characterization was performed using UV-visible, X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy. The techniques of UV-visible and X-ray diffraction was confirmed the presence of gold in the films, the atomic force microscopy images were used to analyze the morphology of the films and check the behavior of the diffusion of gold nanoparticles. (author)

Antimicrobial Activity of TiO2 Nanoparticle-Coated Film for Potential Food Packaging Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siti Hajar Othman

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Recent uses of titanium dioxide (TiO2 have involved various applications which include the food industry. This study aims to develop TiO2 nanoparticle-coated film for potential food packaging applications due to the photocatalytic antimicrobial property of TiO2. The TiO2 nanoparticles with varying concentrations (0–0.11 g/ 100 mL organic solvent were coated on food packaging film, particularly low density polyethylene (LDPE film. The antimicrobial activity of the films was investigated by their capability to inactivate Escherichia coli (E. coli in an actual food packaging application test under various conditions, including types of light (fluorescent and ultraviolet (UV and the length of time the film was exposed to light (one–three days. The antimicrobial activity of the TiO2 nanoparticle-coated films exposed under both types of lighting was found to increase with an increase in the TiO2 nanoparticle concentration and the light exposure time. It was also found that the antimicrobial activity of the films exposed under UV light was higher than that under fluorescent light. The developed film has the potential to be used as a food packaging film that can extend the shelf life, maintain the quality, and assure the safety of food.

Development of polyelectrolyte multilayer thin film composite membrane for water desalination application

KAUST Repository

Fadhillah, F.; Zaidi, S.M.J.; Khan, Z.; Khaled, M.M.; Rahman, F.; Hammond, P.T.

2013-01-01

Thin film composite membranes were fabricated via spin assisted layer by layer (SA-LbL) assembly by depositing alternate layers of poly(allyl amine hydrochloride) (PAH) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) on a polysulfone (PSF) ultrafiltration membrane as support. The suitability of these membranes for potential water purification applications was explored by testing the stability of the deposited thin films and their permeation characteristic using cross-flow permeation cell. Permeation test conducted at a pressure of 40bar, temperature of 25°C, pH of 6 and feed water concentration of 2000ppm NaCl demonstrated that the PAH/PAA multilayer film deposited on polysulfone support remained stable and intact under long-term test conditions. The 120 bilayers of PAH/PAA membrane tested at the above condition showed flux of 15L/m2.h and salt rejection of 65%. The membrane performance evaluation also revealed that SA-LbL PAH/PAA membrane follows the characteristics of the solution diffusion membrane. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Development of polyelectrolyte multilayer thin film composite membrane for water desalination application

KAUST Repository

Fadhillah, F.

2013-06-01

Thin film composite membranes were fabricated via spin assisted layer by layer (SA-LbL) assembly by depositing alternate layers of poly(allyl amine hydrochloride) (PAH) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) on a polysulfone (PSF) ultrafiltration membrane as support. The suitability of these membranes for potential water purification applications was explored by testing the stability of the deposited thin films and their permeation characteristic using cross-flow permeation cell. Permeation test conducted at a pressure of 40bar, temperature of 25°C, pH of 6 and feed water concentration of 2000ppm NaCl demonstrated that the PAH/PAA multilayer film deposited on polysulfone support remained stable and intact under long-term test conditions. The 120 bilayers of PAH/PAA membrane tested at the above condition showed flux of 15L/m2.h and salt rejection of 65%. The membrane performance evaluation also revealed that SA-LbL PAH/PAA membrane follows the characteristics of the solution diffusion membrane. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

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 ...

Multilayered structures of (RE = rare earth)Ba2Cu3Ox films: an approach for the growth of superior quality large-area superconducting films on sapphire substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Develos-Bagarinao, K; Yamasaki, H; Ohki, K; Nakagawa, Y

2007-01-01

Relatively thick REBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ (RE = rare earth) films (thickness ∼400-600 nm) with significantly improved surface morphology and critical current properties using a multilayered structure which alternates main layers of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ (YBCO) with intermediate DyBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ (DyBCO) layers on CeO 2 -buffered sapphire substrates were investigated. The DyBCO layer, which has a close lattice matching with YBCO, functions as a good starting template for the growth of high-quality YBCO layers. Critical current density (J c ) drastically increased up to a factor of 2 for YBCO/DyBCO multilayer films, compared to YBCO monolayer films in both the self-field and applied magnetic field. The significant improvement in J c is attributed to the improvement of surface smoothness and enhanced flux pinning properties as revealed by the magnetic-field angular dependence of J c . (rapid communication)

Thermally induced formation of SiC nanoparticles from Si/C/Si multilayers deposited by ultra-high-vacuum ion beam sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, C-K; Wu, B-H

2006-01-01

A novel approach for the formation of SiC nanoparticles (np-SiC) is reported. Deposition of Si/C/Si multilayers on Si(100) wafers by ultra-high-vacuum ion beam sputtering was followed by thermal annealing in vacuum for conversion into SiC nanoparticles. The annealing temperature significantly affected the size, density, and distribution of np-SiC. No nanoparticles were formed for multilayers annealed at 500 0 C, while a few particles started to appear when the annealing temperature was increased to 700 0 C. At an annealing temperature of 900 0 C, many small SiC nanoparticles, of several tens of nanometres, surrounding larger submicron ones appeared with a particle density approximately 16 times higher than that observed at 700 0 C. The higher the annealing temperature was, the larger the nanoparticle size, and the higher the density. The higher superheating at 900 0 C increased the amount of stable nuclei, and resulted in a higher particle density compared to that at 700 0 C. These particles grew larger at 900 0 C to reduce the total surface energy of smaller particles due to the higher atomic mobility and growth rate. The increased free energy of stacking defects during particle growth will limit the size of large particles, leaving many smaller particles surrounding the large ones. A mechanism for the np-SiC formation is proposed in this paper

Temperature-responsive nanogel multilayers of poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) for topical drug delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Zavgorodnya, Oleksandra; Carmona-Moran, Carlos A; Kozlovskaya, Veronika; Liu, Fei; Wick, Timothy M; Kharlampieva, Eugenia

2017-11-15

We report nanothin temperature-responsive hydrogel films of poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) nanoparticles (νPVCL) with remarkably high loading capacity for topical drug delivery. Highly swollen (νPVCL) n multilayer hydrogels, where n denotes the number of nanoparticle layers, are produced by layer-by-layer hydrogen-bonded assembly of core-shell PVCL-co-acrylic acid nanoparticles with linear PVPON followed by cross-linking of the acrylic acid shell with either ethylene diamine (EDA) or adipic acid dihydrazide (AAD). We demonstrate that a (νPVCL) 5 film undergoes dramatic and reversible swelling up to 9 times its dry thickness at pH = 7.5, indicating 89v/v % of water inside the network. These hydrogels exhibit highly reversible ∼3-fold thickness changes with temperature variations from 25 to 50°C at pH = 5, the average pH of human skin. We also show that a (νPVCL) 30 hydrogel loaded with ∼120µgcm -2 sodium diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug used for osteoarthritis pain management, provides sustained permeation of this drug through an artificial skin membrane for up to 24h at 32°C (the average human skin surface temperature). The cumulative amount of diclofenac transported at 32°C from the (νPVCL) 30 hydrogel after 24h is 12 times higher than that from the (νPVCL) 30 hydrogel at 22°C. Finally, we demonstrate that the (νPVCL) hydrogels can be used for multiple drug delivery by inclusion of Nile red, fluorescein and DAPI dyes within the νPVCL nanoparticles prior to hydrogel assembly. Using confocal microscopy we observed the presence of separate dye-loaded νPVCL compartments within the hydrogel matrix with all three dyes confined to the nanogel particles without intermixing between the dyes. Our study provides opportunity for development of temperature-responsive multilayer hydrogel coatings made via the assembly of core-shell nanogel particles which can be used for skin-sensitive materials for topical drug delivery. Copyright © 2017

INVESTIGATION OF SANITARY-HYGIENIC CHARACTERISTICS OF MULTILAYER POLYMER FILMS USED FOR VACUUM PACKAGING MODIFIED BY NATIVE ANTIMICROBIAL COMPONENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. B. Fedotova

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The results of the research works related to investigation of sanitary-hygienic characteristics of multilayer polymer film materials where the inner layer contacting directly with food product is modified by native antimicrobial components.

Surface plasmon resonance-based fiber-optic hydrogen gas sensor utilizing palladium supported zinc oxide multilayers and their nanocomposite.

Science.gov (United States)

Tabassum, Rana; Gupta, Banshi D

2015-02-10

We analyze surface plasmon resonance-based fiber-optic sensor for sensing of small concentrations of hydrogen gas in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. One of the two probes considered has multilayers of zinc oxide (ZnO) and palladium (Pd) while the other has layer of their composite over a silver coated unclad core of the fiber. The analysis is carried out for different volume fractions of palladium nanoparticles dispersed in zinc oxide host material in the nanocomposite layer. For the analysis, a Maxwell-Garnett model is adopted for calculating the dielectric function of a ZnO:Pd nanocomposite having nanoparticles of dimensions smaller than the wavelength of radiation used. The effects of the volume fraction of the nanoparticles in the nanocomposite and the thickness of the nanocomposite layer on the figure of merit of the sensor have been studied. The film thickness of the layer and the volume fraction of nanoparticles in the ZnO:Pd nanocomposite layer have been optimized to achieve the maximum value of the figure of merit of the sensor. It has been found that the figure of merit of the sensing probe coated with ZnO:Pd nanocomposite is more than twofold of the sensing probe coated with multilayers of Pd and ZnO over a silver coated unclad core of the fiber; hence, the sensor with a nanocomposite layer works better than that with multilayers of zinc oxide and palladium. The sensor can be used for online monitoring and remote sensing of hydrogen gas.

Synthesis and luminescent properties of PEO/lanthanide oxide nanoparticle hybrid films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goubard, F. [LPPI, Universite de Cergy-Pontoise, 5 Mail Gay-Lussac, Neuville-sur-Oise, 95031 Cergy-Pontoise cedex (France)]. E-mail: fabrice.goubard@u-cergy.fr; Vidal, F. [LPPI, Universite de Cergy-Pontoise, 5 Mail Gay-Lussac, Neuville-sur-Oise, 95031 Cergy-Pontoise cedex (France); Bazzi, R. [LPCML, Universite Lyon 1, 43 Bd. du 11 Novembre 1918, 69622 Villeurbanne (France); Tillement, O. [LPCML, Universite Lyon 1, 43 Bd. du 11 Novembre 1918, 69622 Villeurbanne (France); Nano-H, 23 rue Royal, 69001 Lyon (France); Chevrot, C. [LPPI, Universite de Cergy-Pontoise, 5 Mail Gay-Lussac, Neuville-sur-Oise, 95031 Cergy-Pontoise cedex (France); Teyssie, D. [LPPI, Universite de Cergy-Pontoise, 5 Mail Gay-Lussac, Neuville-sur-Oise, 95031 Cergy-Pontoise cedex (France)

2007-10-15

In this study, we investigate the optical properties of lanthanide oxide nanoparticles dispersed in poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) network as thermally stable polymeric films. The aim of this work is both to keep a good optical transparency in the visible domain and to obtain luminescent materials after incorporation of nanoparticles. For this purpose, we develop luminescent nanocrystals of oxides containing terbium ion as a doping element in Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3}. These sub-5-nm lanthanide oxides nanoparticles have been prepared by direct oxide precipitation in high-boiling polyalcohol solutions and characterized by luminescence spectroscopy. PEO/lanthanide oxide nanohybrid films are prepared by radical polymerization of poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate after introduction of lanthanide oxide particles. As a first result; the obtained films present interesting luminescence properties with a very low lanthanide oxide content (up to 0.29 wt%). Furthermore, these films are still transparent and keep their original mechanical properties. Prior to describe the specific applications to optical use, we report here the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and luminescent properties of. nanohybrid films.

Sub-10 ohm resistance gold films prepared by removal of ligands from thiol-stabilized 6 nm gold nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Sugden, Mark W; Richardson, Tim H; Leggett, Graham

2010-03-16

The optical and electrical properties of dodecanethiol-stabilized nanoparticles (6 nm diameter gold core) have been investigated over a range of film thicknesses and temperatures. The surface plasmon resonance absorbance is found to be dependent on temperature. Heating of the nanoparticle film causes desorption of the thiol from the surface of the gold nanoparticle, resulting in irreversible changes to the absorption spectra of the nanoparticle film. Atomic force microscopy images of the samples before and after heating for different film thicknesses reveal structural changes and increased domain connectivity for thicker films leading to sub-10 ohm resistances measured for the 15-layer film.

Piezoelectric coefficients of multilayer Pb(Zr,Ti)O{sub 3} thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muensit, S. [Prince of Songkla University, Department of Physics, Songkhla (Thailand); NANOTEC Center of Excellence at Prince of Songkhla University, Songkhla (Thailand); Sukwisut, P.; Khaenamkeaw, P. [Prince of Songkla University, Department of Physics, Songkhla (Thailand); Lang, S.B. [Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Department of Chemical Engineering, Beer Sheva (Israel)

2008-08-15

Sol-gel techniques were used to prepare thin films of Pb(Zr{sub x},Ti{sub 1-x})O{sub 3} (PZT) with three different Zr/Ti ratios and a graded PZT film with three different compositional layers. A Michelson interferometer was used to measure the thickness strains due to an applied ac electric field. Effective d{sub 33} piezoelectric strain coefficients were computed from the experimental data. Interfacial pinning caused these coefficients to differ from the true ones. They were corrected for the pinning using both an analytical model and finite-element analysis. The corrected coefficients of the PZT(52/48) sample were in excellent agreement with values of bulk materials. The coefficients of the multilayer sample were very low, probably due to insufficient poling or domain switching. (orig.)

Structural and magnetic properties of granular CoPd multilayers

Science.gov (United States)

Vivas, L. G.; Figueroa, A. I.; Bartolomé, F.; Rubín, J.; García, L. M.; Deranlot, C.; Petroff, F.; Ruiz, L.; González-Calbet, J. M.; Brookes, N. B.; Wilhelm, F.; Rogalev, A.; Bartolomé, J.

2016-02-01

Multilayers of bimetallic CoPd alloyed and assembled nanoparticles, prepared by room temperature sequential sputtering deposition on amorphous alumina, were studied by means of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, SQUID-based magnetometry and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism. Alloying between Co and Pd in these nanoparticles gives rise to a high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Their magnetic properties are temperature dependent: at low temperature, the multilayers are ferromagnetic with a high coercive field; at intermediate temperature the behavior is of a soft-ferromagnet, and at higher temperature, the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in the nanoparticles disappears. The magnetic orbital moment to spin moment ratio is enhanced compared with Co bare nanoparticles and Co fcc bulk.

Multilayered Si nanoparticle/reduced graphene oxide hybrid as a high-performance lithium-ion battery anode.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Jingbo; Huang, Xingkang; Zhou, Guihua; Cui, Shumao; Hallac, Peter B; Jiang, Junwei; Hurley, Patrick T; Chen, Junhong

2014-02-01

Multilayered Si/RGO anode nanostructures, featuring alternating Si nanoparticle (NP) and RGO layers, good mechanical stability, and high electrical conductivity, allow Si NPs to easily expand between RGO layers, thereby leading to high reversible capacity up to 2300 mAh g(-1) at 0.05 C (120 mA g(-1) ) and 87% capacity retention (up to 630 mAh g(-1) ) at 10 C after 152 cycles. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Multiscale patterning of nanocomposite polyelectrolyte/nanoparticle films using inkjet printing and AFM scratching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leigh, S J; Bowen, J; Preece, J A

2015-01-01

The fabrication of structured polymer/nanoparticle composite films through a combination of additive, subtractive and self-assembly methodologies is investigated. Consumer grade inkjet printing hardware is employed to deposit cationic polyelectrolytes on (i) hydrophilic and (ii) hydrophobised glass substrates. The hydrophobisation process controls the spreading of the droplets and hence the lateral size of printed features. The printed cationic polyelectrolyte regions are used as a template to direct the self-assembly of negatively charged gold nanoparticles onto the surface. Micro-scale features are created in the polyelectrolyte/nanoparticle films using AFM scratching to selectively displace material. The effect of substrate wettability on film morphology is discussed. (paper)

The Study of Electrical Properties for Multilayer La2O3/Al2O3 Dielectric Stacks and LaAlO3 Dielectric Film Deposited by ALD.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Xing-Yao; Liu, Hong-Xia; Wang, Xing; Zhao, Lu; Fei, Chen-Xi; Liu, He-Lei

2017-12-01

The capacitance and leakage current properties of multilayer La 2 O 3 /Al 2 O 3 dielectric stacks and LaAlO 3 dielectric film are investigated in this paper. A clear promotion of capacitance properties is observed for multilayer La 2 O 3 /Al 2 O 3 stacks after post-deposition annealing (PDA) at 800 °C compared with PDA at 600 °C, which indicated the recombination of defects and dangling bonds performs better at the high-k/Si substrate interface for a higher annealing temperature. For LaAlO 3 dielectric film, compared with multilayer La 2 O 3 /Al 2 O 3 dielectric stacks, a clear promotion of trapped charges density (N ot ) and a degradation of interface trap density (D it ) can be obtained simultaneously. In addition, a significant improvement about leakage current property is observed for LaAlO 3 dielectric film compared with multilayer La 2 O 3 /Al 2 O 3 stacks at the same annealing condition. We also noticed that a better breakdown behavior for multilayer La 2 O 3 /Al 2 O 3 stack is achieved after annealing at a higher temperature for its less defects.

Flame spray pyrolysis synthesis and aerosol deposition of nanoparticle films

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tricoli, Antonio; Elmøe, Tobias Dokkedal

2012-01-01

The assembly of nanoparticle films by flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) synthesis and deposition on temperature‐controlled substrates (323–723 K) was investigated for several application‐relevant conditions. An exemplary SnO2 nanoparticle aerosol was generated by FSP and its properties (e.g., particle...

Cu-Al alloy formation by thermal annealing of Cu/Al multilayer films deposited by cyclic metal organic chemical vapor deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Moon, Hock Key; Yoon, Jaehong; Kim, Hyungjun; Lee, Nae-Eung

2013-05-01

One of the most important issues in future Cu-based interconnects is to suppress the resistivity increase in the Cu interconnect line while decreasing the line width below 30 nm. For the purpose of mitigating the resistivity increase in the nanoscale Cu line, alloying Cu with traces of other elements is investigated. The formation of a Cu alloy layer using chemical vapor deposition or electroplating has been rarely studied because of the difficulty in forming Cu alloys with elements such as Al. In this work, Cu-Al alloy films were successfully formed after thermal annealing of Cu/Al multilayers deposited by cyclic metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (C-MOCVD). After the C-MOCVD of Cu/Al multilayers without gas phase reaction between the Cu and Al precursors in the reactor, thermal annealing was used to form Cu-Al alloy films with a small Al content fraction. The resistivity of the alloy films was dependent on the Al precursor delivery time and was lower than that of the aluminum-free Cu film. No presence of intermetallic compounds were detected in the alloy films by X-ray diffraction measurements and transmission electron spectroscopy.

Electrophoretic Deposition of Hydroxyapatite Film Containing Re-Doped MoS₂ Nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Shalom, Hila; Feldman, Yishay; Rosentsveig, Rita; Pinkas, Iddo; Kaplan-Ashiri, Ifat; Moshkovich, Alexey; Perfilyev, Vladislav; Rapoport, Lev; Tenne, Reshef

2018-02-26

Films combining hydroxyapatite (HA) with minute amounts (ca. 1 weight %) of (rhenium doped) fullerene-like MoS₂ (IF) nanoparticles were deposited onto porous titanium substrate through electrophoretic process (EPD). The films were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The SEM analysis showed relatively uniform coatings of the HA + IF on the titanium substrate. Chemical composition analysis using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) of the coatings revealed the presence of calcium phosphate minerals like hydroxyapatite, as a majority phase. Tribological tests were undertaken showing that the IF nanoparticles endow the HA film very low friction and wear characteristics. Such films could be of interest for various medical technologies. Means for improving the adhesion of the film to the underlying substrate and its fracture toughness, without compromising its biocompatibility are discussed at the end.

Preparation of gelatin films incorporated with tea polyphenol nanoparticles for enhancing controlled-release antioxidant properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Fei; Antoniou, John; Li, Yue; Yi, Jiang; Yokoyama, Wallace; Ma, Jianguo; Zhong, Fang

2015-04-22

Gelatin films incorporated with chitosan nanoparticles in various free/encapsulated tea polyphenol (TP) ratios were prepared in order to investigate the influence of different ratios on the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of films. The TP-containing nanoparticles were prepared by cross-linking chitosan hydrochloride (CSH) with sulfobutyl ether-β-cyclodextrin sodium (SBE-β-CD) at three different encapsulation efficiencies (EE; ∼50%, ∼80%, and ∼100%) of TP. The stability of TP-loaded nanoparticles was maintained during the film drying process from the analysis of free TP content in the redissolved film solutions. Composite films showed no significant difference in visual aspects, while the light transmittance (250-550 nm) was decreased with incorporation of TP. Nanoparticles appeared to be homogeneously dispersed within the film matrix by microstructure analysis (SEM and AFM). TP-loaded films had ferric reducing and DPPH radical scavenging power that corresponded to the EEs. Sunflower oil packaged in bags made of gelatin films embedded with nanoparticles of 80% EE showed the best oxidation inhibitory effect, followed by 100% EE, 50% EE, and free TP, over 6 weeks of storage. However, when the gelatin film was placed over the headspace and was not in contact with the oil, the free TP showed the best effect. The results indicate that sustained release of TP in the contacting surface can ensure the protective effects, which vary with free/encapsulated mass ratios, thus improving antioxidant activities instead of increasing the dosage.

FEM numerical analysis of excimer laser induced modification in alternating multi-layers of amorphous and nano-crystalline silicon films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conde, J.C.; Martín, E.; Stefanov, S.; Alpuim, P.; Chiussi, S.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► nc-Si:H is a material with growing importance for a large-area of nano-electronic, photovoltaic or biomedical devices. ► UV-ELA technique causes a rapid heating that provokes the H 2 desorption from the Si surface and bulk material. ► Next, diffusion of P doped nc-Si films and eventually, for high energy densities would be possible to reach the melting point. ► These multilayer structures consisting of thin alternating a-Si:H(10 nm) and n-doped nc-Si:H(60 nm) films deposited on SiO 2 . ► To optimize parameters involved in this processing, FEM numerical analysis of multilayer structures have been performed. ► The numerical results are compared with exhaustive characterization of the experimental results. - Abstract: UV excimer laser annealing (UV-ELA) is an alternative annealing process that, during the last few years, has gained enormous importance for the CMOS nano-electronic technologies, with the ability to provide films and alloys with electrical and optical properties to fit the desired device performance. The UV-ELA of amorphous (a-) and/or doped nano-crystalline (nc-) silicon films is based on the rapid (nanoseconds) formation of temperature profiles caused by laser radiation that is absorbed in the material and lead to crystallisation, diffusion in solid or even in liquid phase. To achieve the desired temperature profiles and to optimize the parameters involved in the processing of hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) films with the UV-ELA, a numerical analysis by finite element method (FEM) of a multilayer structure has been performed. The multilayer structures, consisting of thin alternating a-Si:H(10 nm) and n-doped nc-Si:H(60 nm) layers, deposited on a glass substrate, has also been experimentally analyzed. Temperature profiles caused by 193 nm radiation with 25 ns pulse length and energy densities ranging from 50 mJ/cm 2 to 400 mJ/cm 2 have been calculated. Numerical results allowed us to estimate the dehydrogenation

Surface plasmon resonance caused by gold nanoparticles formed on sprayed TiO{sub 2} films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oja Acik, I., E-mail: ilona.oja@ttu.ee [Department of Materials Science, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn (Estonia); Dolgov, L. [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, Riia 142, 51014 Tartu (Estonia); Krunks, M.; Mere, A.; Mikli, V. [Department of Materials Science, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn (Estonia); Pikker, S.; Loot, A.; Sildos, I. [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, Riia 142, 51014 Tartu (Estonia)

2014-02-28

Titania films covered by gold nanoparticles are prepared by combination of spray pyrolysis and spin-coating methods. Proposed combination of techniques is prospective for photovoltaic coatings with plasmonic properties. The prepared TiO{sub 2} films with Au nanoparticles demonstrate variation in size of the gold nanocrystallites from 36 to 56 nm depending on the concentration of the HAuCl{sub 4}∙ 3H{sub 2}O solution and plasmonic light extinction in the spectral range of 600–650 nm. It is shown that gold nanocrystallites enhance Raman scattering from the underlying thin TiO{sub 2} film. - Highlights: • TiO{sub 2} thin films with Au-nanoparticles were produced by chemical solution methods. • The size and shape of Au-nanoparticles are controlled by the [HAuCl{sub 4}∙ 3H{sub 2}O]. • Plasmon light extinction was tuned from 600 to 650 nm by changing [HAuCl{sub 4}∙ 3H{sub 2}O]. • Raman scattering intensity of TiO{sub 2} films is enhanced by the Au-nanoparticles.