Hybrid dextran-iron oxide thin films deposited by laser techniques for biomedical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Predoi, D.; Ciobanu, C.S.; Radu, M.; Costache, M.; Dinischiotu, A.; Popescu, C.; Axente, E.; Mihailescu, I.N.; Gyorgy, E.

2012-01-01

Iron oxide nanoparticles were prepared by chemical co-precipitation method. The nanoparticles were mixed with dextran in distilled water. The obtained solutions were frozen in liquid nitrogen and used as targets during matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation for the growth of hybrid, iron oxide nanoparticles-dextran thin films. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction investigations revealed that the obtained films preserve the structure and composition of the initial, non-irradiated iron oxide-dextran composite material. The biocompatibility of the iron oxide-dextran thin films was demonstrated by 3-(4.5 dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2.5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide-based colorimetric assay, using human liver hepatocellular carcinoma cells. - Highlights: ► Hybrid, dextran-iron oxide nanoparticles and thin films. ► Laser immobilization. ► Biocompatibility of dextran-iron oxide nanoparticles.

Ultrasound assisted synthesis of nanocrystalline zinc oxide: Experiments and modelling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hosni, Mongia [Laboratoire des Sciences des Procédés et des Matériaux, LSPM-CNRS, Université Paris 13, 99 av. J.B. Clément, 93430 Villetaneuse (France); Farhat, Samir, E-mail: farhat@lspm.cnrs.fr [Laboratoire des Sciences des Procédés et des Matériaux, LSPM-CNRS, Université Paris 13, 99 av. J.B. Clément, 93430 Villetaneuse (France); Schoenstein, Frederic; Karmous, Farah; Jouini, Noureddine [Laboratoire des Sciences des Procédés et des Matériaux, LSPM-CNRS, Université Paris 13, 99 av. J.B. Clément, 93430 Villetaneuse (France); Viana, Bruno [LCMCP Chimie-Paristech, UPMC, Collège de France, 11 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75231 Paris Cedex 05 (France); Mgaidi, Arbi [Laboratoire de chimie minérale industrielle université Tunis el Manar (Tunisia)

2014-12-05

Highlights: • ZnO nanospheres and nanowires were grown using ultrasound and thermal activation techniques. • The growth uses forced hydrolysis of zinc acetate in diethylene glycol (DEG). • A thermochemical model was developed based on thermodynamic equilibrium calculations. • We estimate species distribution in the bubble in temperature range from 5000 K to ambient. • We propose a new mechanism for ZnO growth assisted by ultrasound irradiation. - Abstract: A fast and green approach is proposed for the preparation of nanocrystalline zinc oxide (ZnO) via ultrasonic (US) irradiation in polyol medium. The process uses forced hydrolysis of zinc acetate in diethylene glycol (DEG). The protocol is compared to thermal activation under the same chemical environment. The activation method is found to be playing a critical role in the selective synthesis of morphologically distinct nanostructures. As compared to thermally activated conventional polyol process, (US) permits to considerably reduce reaction time as well as size of particles. In addition, the shape of these nanoparticles was changed from long nanowires to small nanospheres, indicating different reaction mechanisms. To explain this difference, a thermochemical model was developed based on thermodynamic equilibrium calculations. The model estimate species distribution in the bubble in temperature range from 5000 K to ambient simulating quenching process during bubble formation and collapse. Our results indicate the presence of high density of zinc atoms that could be responsible of a high density of nucleation as compared to thermal activation.

Ultrasound assisted synthesis of nanocrystalline zinc oxide: Experiments and modelling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hosni, Mongia; Farhat, Samir; Schoenstein, Frederic; Karmous, Farah; Jouini, Noureddine; Viana, Bruno; Mgaidi, Arbi

2014-01-01

Highlights: • ZnO nanospheres and nanowires were grown using ultrasound and thermal activation techniques. • The growth uses forced hydrolysis of zinc acetate in diethylene glycol (DEG). • A thermochemical model was developed based on thermodynamic equilibrium calculations. • We estimate species distribution in the bubble in temperature range from 5000 K to ambient. • We propose a new mechanism for ZnO growth assisted by ultrasound irradiation. - Abstract: A fast and green approach is proposed for the preparation of nanocrystalline zinc oxide (ZnO) via ultrasonic (US) irradiation in polyol medium. The process uses forced hydrolysis of zinc acetate in diethylene glycol (DEG). The protocol is compared to thermal activation under the same chemical environment. The activation method is found to be playing a critical role in the selective synthesis of morphologically distinct nanostructures. As compared to thermally activated conventional polyol process, (US) permits to considerably reduce reaction time as well as size of particles. In addition, the shape of these nanoparticles was changed from long nanowires to small nanospheres, indicating different reaction mechanisms. To explain this difference, a thermochemical model was developed based on thermodynamic equilibrium calculations. The model estimate species distribution in the bubble in temperature range from 5000 K to ambient simulating quenching process during bubble formation and collapse. Our results indicate the presence of high density of zinc atoms that could be responsible of a high density of nucleation as compared to thermal activation

Hybrid dextran-iron oxide thin films deposited by laser techniques for biomedical applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Predoi, D.; Ciobanu, C.S. [National Institute for Physics of Materials, P.O. Box MG 07, Bucharest, Magurele (Romania); Radu, M.; Costache, M.; Dinischiotu, A. [Molecular Biology Center, University of Bucharest, 91-95 Splaiul Independentei, 76201, Bucharest 5 (Romania); Popescu, C.; Axente, E.; Mihailescu, I.N. [National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiations Physics, P. O. Box MG 36, 77125 Bucharest (Romania); Gyorgy, E., E-mail: egyorgy@cin2.es [National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiations Physics, P. O. Box MG 36, 77125 Bucharest (Romania); Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Centre d' Investigacions en Nanociencia i Nanotecnologia (CSIC-CIN2), Campus UAB, 08193 Bellaterra (Spain)

2012-02-01

Iron oxide nanoparticles were prepared by chemical co-precipitation method. The nanoparticles were mixed with dextran in distilled water. The obtained solutions were frozen in liquid nitrogen and used as targets during matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation for the growth of hybrid, iron oxide nanoparticles-dextran thin films. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction investigations revealed that the obtained films preserve the structure and composition of the initial, non-irradiated iron oxide-dextran composite material. The biocompatibility of the iron oxide-dextran thin films was demonstrated by 3-(4.5 dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2.5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide-based colorimetric assay, using human liver hepatocellular carcinoma cells. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Hybrid, dextran-iron oxide nanoparticles and thin films. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Laser immobilization. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Biocompatibility of dextran-iron oxide nanoparticles.

Role of Antioxidants in Assisted Reproductive Techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ashok Agarwal

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Oxidative stress (OS has been recognized as a significant cause of suboptimal assisted reproductive outcome. Many of the sperm preparation and manipulation procedures that are necessary in the in vitro environment can result in excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS thereby exposing the gametes and growing embryos to significant oxidative damage. Antioxidants have long been utilized in the management of male subfertility as they can counterbalance the elevated levels of ROS inducing a high state of OS. Few studies have looked into the clinical effectiveness of antioxidants in patients undergoing assisted reproduction. While an overall favorable outcome has been perceived, the specific clinical indication and optimal antioxidant regimen remain unknown. The goal of our review is to explore the sources of ROS in the in vitro environment and provide a clinical scenario-based approach to identify the circumstances where antioxidant supplementation is most beneficial to enhance the outcome of assisted reproduction.

Oxidation of zirconium alloys in steam: influence of tetragonal zirconia on oxide growth mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Godlewski, J.

1990-07-01

The oxidation of zirconium alloys in presence of steam, presents after a 'parabolic' growth law, an acceleration of the oxidation velocity. This phenomenon limits the use of zirconium alloys as nuclear fuel cladding element. In order to determine the physico-chemical process leading to this kinetic transition, two approaches have been carried out: the first one has consisted to determine the composition of the oxide layer and its evolution with the oxidation time; and the second one to determine the oxygen diffusion coefficients in the oxide layers of pre- and post-transition as well as their evolution with the oxidation time. The composition of the oxide layers has been determined by two analyses techniques: the X-ray diffraction and the laser Raman spectroscopy. This last method has allowed to confirm the presence of tetragonal zirconium oxide in the oxide layers. Analyses carried out by laser Raman spectroscopy on oxides oblique cuttings have revealed that the tetragonal zirconium oxide is transformed in monoclinic phase during the kinetic transition. A quantitative approach has allowed to corroborate the results obtained by these two techniques. In order to determine the oxygen diffusion coefficients in the oxides layers, two diffusion treatments have been carried out: 1)under low pressure with D 2 18 O 2 ) under high pressure in an autoclave with H 2 18 O. The oxygen 18 concentration profiles have been obtained by two analyses techniques: the nuclear microprobe and the secondary ions emission spectroscopy. The obtained profiles show that the mass transport is made by the volume and particularly by the grain boundaries. The corresponding diffusion coefficients have been calculated with the WHIPPLE and LE CLAIRE solution. The presence of tetragonal zirconium oxide, its relation with the kinetic transition, and the evolution of the diffusion coefficients with the oxidation time, are discussed in terms of internal stresses in the oxide layer and of the oxide layer

Research status in ultra-precision machining of silicon carbide parts by oxidation-assisted polishing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xinmin SHEN

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Oxidation-assisted polishing is an important machining method for obtaining SiC parts with high precision. Through plasma oxidation, thermal oxidation, and anodic oxidation, soft oxide can be obtained on the RS-SiC substrate. With the assistance of abrasive polishing to remove the oxide rapidly, the material removal rate can be increased and the surface quality can be improved. The research results indicate that the surface roughness root-mean-square (RMS and roughness-average (Ra can reach 0.626 nm and 0.480 nm by plasma oxidation-assisted polishing; in thermal oxidation-assisted polishing, the RMS and Ra can be 0.920 nm and 0.726 nm; in anodic oxidation, the calculated oxidation rate is 5.3 nm/s based on Deal-Grove model, and the RMS and Ra are 4.428 nm and 3.453 nm respectively in anodic oxidation-assisted polishing. The oxidation-assisted polishing can be propitious to improve the process level in machining RS-SiC, which would promote the application of SiC parts in optics and ceramics fields.

solution growth and characterization of copper oxide thin films ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Thin films of copper oxide (CuO) were grown on glass slides by using the solution growth technique. Copper cloride (CuCl ) and potassium telluride (K T O ) were used. Buffer 2 2e 3 solution was used as complexing agent. The solid state properties and optical properties were obtained from characterization done using PYE ...

Clinical and molecular analyses of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome: Comparison between spontaneous conception and assisted reproduction techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Tenorio, Jair; Romanelli, Valeria; Martin-Trujillo, Alex; Fernández, García-Moya; Segovia, Mabel; Perandones, Claudia; Pérez Jurado, Luis A; Esteller, Manel; Fraga, Mario; Arias, Pedro; Gordo, Gema; Dapía, Irene; Mena, Rocío; Palomares, María; Pérez de Nanclares, Guiomar; Nevado, Julián; García-Miñaur, Sixto; Santos-Simarro, Fernando; Martinez-Glez, Víctor; Vallespín, Elena; Monk, David; Lapunzina, Pablo

2016-10-01

Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is an overgrowth syndrome characterized by an excessive prenatal and postnatal growth, macrosomia, macroglossia, and hemihyperplasia. The molecular basis of this syndrome is complex and heterogeneous, involving genes located at 11p15.5. BWS is correlated with assisted reproductive techniques. BWS in individuals born following assisted reproductive techniques has been found to occur four to nine times higher compared to children with to BWS born after spontaneous conception. Here, we report a series of 187 patients with to BWS born either after assisted reproductive techniques or conceived naturally. Eighty-eight percent of BWS patients born via assisted reproductive techniques had hypomethylation of KCNQ1OT1:TSS-DMR in comparison with 49% for patients with BWS conceived naturally. None of the patients with BWS born via assisted reproductive techniques had hypermethylation of H19/IGF2:IG-DMR, neither CDKN1 C mutations nor patUPD11. We did not find differences in the frequency of multi-locus imprinting disturbances between groups. Patients with BWS born via assisted reproductive techniques had an increased frequency of advanced bone age, congenital heart disease, and decreased frequency of earlobe anomalies but these differences may be explained by the different molecular background compared to those with BWS and spontaneous fertilization. We conclude there is a correlation of the molecular etiology of BWS with the type of conception. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Formation of silicon Oxide nano thickness on Si (III) with the assistance of Cs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bahari, A.; Bagheri, M.

2006-01-01

: The possibility of controlling the growth of a uniform ultra thin oxide on silicon via oxygen dosing at low temperatures, would be a great interest for the projected further development of nano electronics. One way to achieve this is to be able to control the conversion of chemically adsorbed oxygen and retained at room temperature into oxide during subsequent heating. Oxygen is chemisorbed at room temperature on Si(111) surface to saturation ( >100 L O 2 ), and the experimental chamber is then evacuated. This leaves adsorbed oxygen as atomically inserted on Si surface which sits on the back bonds. This surface is then used as a base for further processing which in one case consists of annealing to 600- 700 d eg C and subsequent exposures equivalent to the first step. This is repeated again. As the focus of this work, a series of experiments are done with adsorbed Cs, which assists in retaining oxygen and in transforming the adsorbed oxygen into oxide upon heating. It was found that the oxide formed on the surface at low coverage clusters. Without any external influence, the clusters may be made to coalesce upon further oxygen adsorption at room temperature, and annealing terminates as a continuous monolayer of amorphous oxide on top of a well-ordered silicon substrate. This configuration is inert to further uptake of oxygen. A higher oxide thickness could be obtained with Cs. Also in this case, the oxide growth saturates in an inert oxide Iayer

In situ studies of oxide nucleation, growth, and transformation using slow electrons

Science.gov (United States)

Flege, Jan Ingo; Grinter, David C.

2018-05-01

Surface processes such as metal oxidation and metal oxide growth invariably influence the physical and chemical properties of materials and determine their interaction with their surroundings and hence their functionality in many technical applications. On a fundamental level, these processes are found to be governed by a complex interplay of thermodynamic variables and kinetic constraints, resulting in a rich variety of material-specific phenomena. In this review article, we discuss recent results and insights on transition metal oxidation and rare-earth oxide growth acquired by low-energy electron microscopy and related techniques. We demonstrate that the use of in situ surface sensitive methods is a prerequisite to gaining a deeper understanding of the underlying concepts and the mechanisms responsible for the emerging oxide structure and morphology. Furthermore, examples will be provided on how structural and chemical modifications of the oxide films and nanostructures can be followed in real-time and analyzed in terms of local reactivity and cooperative effects relevant for heterogeneous model catalysis.

Potential drop technique for monitoring stress corrosion cracking growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neves, Celia F.C.; Schvartzman, Monica M.A.M.; Moreira, Pedro A.L.D.P.L.P.

2002-01-01

Stress corrosion cracking is one of most severe damage mechanisms influencing the lifetime of components in the operation of nuclear power plants. To assess the initiation stages and kinetics of crack growth as the main parameters coming to residual lifetime determination, the testing facility should allow active loading of specimens in the environment which is close to the real operation conditions of assessed component. Under cooperation of CDTN/CNEN and International Atomic Energy Agency a testing system has been developed by Nuclear Research Institute, Czech Republic, that will be used for the environmentally assisted cracking testing at CDTN/CNEN. The facility allows high temperature autoclave corrosion mechanical testing in well-defined LWR water chemistry using constant load, slow strain rate and rising displacement techniques. The facility consists of autoclave and refreshing water loop enabling testing at temperatures up to 330 deg C. Active loading system allows the maximum load on a specimen as high as 60 kN. The potential drop measurement is used to determine the instant crack length and its growth rate. The paper presents the facility and describes the potential drop technique, that is one of the most used techniques to monitor crack growth in specimens under corrosive environments. (author)

Template assisted self-assembly of iron oxide nanoparticles: An x-ray structural analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mishra, D.; Zabel, H.; Ulyanov, S. V.; Romanov, V. P.; Uzdin, V. M.

2014-01-01

We have fabricated by e-beam lithography periodic arrays of rectangular shaped trenches of different widths into Si substrates. The trenches were filled with iron oxide nanoparticles, 20 nm in diameter, by spin-coating them onto the Si substrate. The trenches have the purpose to assist the self-assembly of the iron oxide nanoparticles. Using x-ray scattering techniques, we have analyzed the structure factor of the trenches before and after filling in order to determine the filling factor. We present a theoretical analysis of the x-ray scattering function within the distorted-wave Born approximation and we present a quantitative comparison between theory and experiment

Template assisted self-assembly of iron oxide nanoparticles: An x-ray structural analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mishra, D. [Department of Physics, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780 Bochum (Germany); Institut fuer Optik und Atomare Physik, Technische Universitaet Berlin, Strasse des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin (Germany); Zabel, H. [Department of Physics, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780 Bochum (Germany); Ulyanov, S. V. [St.-Petersburg State University, Ul' yanovskaya ul.1, Petrodvorets, St.-Petersburg 198904 (Russian Federation); St.-Petersburg University of Commerce and Economics, St.-Petersburg 194018 (Russian Federation); Romanov, V. P. [St.-Petersburg State University, Ul' yanovskaya ul.1, Petrodvorets, St.-Petersburg 198904 (Russian Federation); Uzdin, V. M. [St.-Petersburg State University, Ul' yanovskaya ul.1, Petrodvorets, St.-Petersburg 198904 (Russian Federation); St.-Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics, 49, Kronverkskij, St.-Petersburg 197101 (Russian Federation)

2014-02-07

We have fabricated by e-beam lithography periodic arrays of rectangular shaped trenches of different widths into Si substrates. The trenches were filled with iron oxide nanoparticles, 20 nm in diameter, by spin-coating them onto the Si substrate. The trenches have the purpose to assist the self-assembly of the iron oxide nanoparticles. Using x-ray scattering techniques, we have analyzed the structure factor of the trenches before and after filling in order to determine the filling factor. We present a theoretical analysis of the x-ray scattering function within the distorted-wave Born approximation and we present a quantitative comparison between theory and experiment.

The competing oxide and sub-oxide formation in metal-oxide molecular beam epitaxy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vogt, Patrick; Bierwagen, Oliver

2015-01-01

The hetero-epitaxial growth of the n-type semiconducting oxides β-Ga 2 O 3 , In 2 O 3 , and SnO 2 on c- and r-plane sapphire was performed by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The growth-rate and desorbing flux from the substrate were measured in-situ under various oxygen to metal ratios by laser reflectometry and quadrupole mass spectrometry, respectively. These measurements clarified the role of volatile sub-oxide formation (Ga 2 O, In 2 O, and SnO) during growth, the sub-oxide stoichiometry, and the efficiency of oxide formation for the three oxides. As a result, the formation of the sub-oxides decreased the growth-rate under metal-rich growth conditions and resulted in etching of the oxide film by supplying only metal flux. The flux ratio for the exclusive formation of the sub-oxide (e.g., the p-type semiconductor SnO) was determined, and the efficiency of oxide formation was found to be the highest for SnO 2 , somewhat lower for In 2 O 3 , and the lowest for Ga 2 O 3 . Our findings can be generalized to further oxides that possess related sub-oxides

Template-Assisted Hydrothermal Growth of Aligned Zinc Oxide Nanowires for Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Ou, Canlin; Sanchez-Jimenez, Pedro E; Datta, Anuja; Boughey, Francesca L; Whiter, Richard A; Sahonta, Suman-Lata; Kar-Narayan, Sohini

2016-06-08

A flexible and robust piezoelectric nanogenerator (NG) based on a polymer-ceramic nanocomposite structure has been successfully fabricated via a cost-effective and scalable template-assisted hydrothermal synthesis method. Vertically aligned arrays of dense and uniform zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires (NWs) with high aspect ratio (diameter ∼250 nm, length ∼12 μm) were grown within nanoporous polycarbonate (PC) templates. The energy conversion efficiency was found to be ∼4.2%, which is comparable to previously reported values for ZnO NWs. The resulting NG is found to have excellent fatigue performance, being relatively immune to detrimental environmental factors and mechanical failure, as the constituent ZnO NWs remain embedded and protected inside the polymer matrix.

Trends in the Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nano tubes and Their Applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Motshekga, S.C.; Pillai, S.K.; Ray, S.S.; Motshekga, S.C.; Ray, S.S.; Jalama, K.; Krause, Rui.W.M.

2012-01-01

The study of coating carbon nano tubes with metal/oxides nanoparticles is now becoming a promising and challenging area of research. To optimize the use of carbon nano tubes in various applications, it is necessary to attach functional groups or other nano structures to their surface. The combination of the distinctive properties of carbon nano tubes and metal/oxides is expected to be applied in field emission displays, nano electronic devices, novel catalysts, and polymer or ceramic reinforcement. The synthesis of these composites is still largely based on conventional techniques, such as wet impregnation followed by chemical reduction of the metal nanoparticle precursors. These techniques based on thermal heating can be time consuming and often lack control of particle size and morphology. Hence, there is interest in microwave technology recently, where using microwaves represents an alternative way of power input into chemical reactions through dielectric heating. This paper covers the synthesis and applications of carbon-nano tube-coated metal/oxides nanoparticles prepared by a microwave-assisted method. The reviewed studies show that the microwave-assisted synthesis of the composites allows processes to be completed within a shorter reaction time with uniform and well-dispersed nanoparticle formation.

Recent Trends in the Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotubes and Their Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah C. Motshekga

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The study of coating carbon nanotubes with metal/oxides nanoparticles is now becoming a promising and challenging area of research. To optimize the use of carbon nanotubes in various applications, it is necessary to attach functional groups or other nanostructures to their surface. The combination of the distinctive properties of carbon nanotubes and metal/oxides is expected to be applied in field emission displays, nanoelectronic devices, novel catalysts, and polymer or ceramic reinforcement. The synthesis of these composites is still largely based on conventional techniques, such as wet impregnation followed by chemical reduction of the metal nanoparticle precursors. These techniques based on thermal heating can be time consuming and often lack control of particle size and morphology. Hence, there is interest in microwave technology recently, where using microwaves represents an alternative way of power input into chemical reactions through dielectric heating. This paper covers the synthesis and applications of carbon-nanotube-coated metal/oxides nanoparticles prepared by a microwave-assisted method. The reviewed studies show that the microwave-assisted synthesis of the composites allows processes to be completed within a shorter reaction time with uniform and well-dispersed nanoparticle formation.

Growth of wrinkle-free graphene on texture-controlled platinum films and thermal-assisted transfer of large-scale patterned graphene.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Jae-Kyung; Kwak, Jinsung; Park, Soon-Dong; Yun, Hyung Duk; Kim, Se-Yang; Jung, Minbok; Kim, Sung Youb; Park, Kibog; Kang, Seoktae; Kim, Sung-Dae; Park, Dong-Yeon; Lee, Dong-Su; Hong, Suk-Kyoung; Shin, Hyung-Joon; Kwon, Soon-Yong

2015-01-27

Growth of large-scale patterned, wrinkle-free graphene and the gentle transfer technique without further damage are most important requirements for the practical use of graphene. Here we report the growth of wrinkle-free, strictly uniform monolayer graphene films by chemical vapor deposition on a platinum (Pt) substrate with texture-controlled giant grains and the thermal-assisted transfer of large-scale patterned graphene onto arbitrary substrates. The designed Pt surfaces with limited numbers of grain boundaries and improved surface perfectness as well as small thermal expansion coefficient difference to graphene provide a venue for uniform growth of monolayer graphene with wrinkle-free characteristic. The thermal-assisted transfer technique allows the complete transfer of large-scale patterned graphene films onto arbitrary substrates without any ripples, tears, or folds. The transferred graphene shows high crystalline quality with an average carrier mobility of ∼ 5500 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) at room temperature. Furthermore, this transfer technique shows a high tolerance to variations in types and morphologies of underlying substrates.

One-step microwave-assisted colloidal synthesis of hybrid silver oxide/silver nanoparticles: characterization and catalytic study

Science.gov (United States)

Prakoso, S. P.; Taufik, A.; Saleh, R.

2017-04-01

This study reports the characterization and catalytic activities of silver-oxide/silver nanoparticles (Ag2O/Ag NPs) synthesized by microwave-assisted colloidal method in the presence of anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactant. To promote different contents of silver in silver oxide, the volume ratio (VR) of ethylene glycol (EG) was varied (VR: 10% to 14%) in relation to the total volume of distilled water solvent. The plasmonic resonance of Ag2O/Ag NPs could be detected around a wavelength of 350 nm, and it is suggested that Ag2O/Ag NPs were successfully formed in the colloid solution following exposure to microwaves. Additionally, the growth rate for each crystal phase within Ag2O and Ag was influenced by an increase of EG as revealed by x-ray diffraction patterns. The morphology, average diameter, and uniformity of Ag2O/Ag NPs were studied simultaneously by transmission electron microscopy. Infrared absorption measurement of Ag2O/Ag NPs confirmed the existence of SDS surfactant as a protective agent. Based on the characterization data, Ag2O/Ag NPs synthesized using this technique exhibited good properties, with high-yield production of NPs. The photocatalytic experiments demonstrate the key role of the crystal phase of Ag2O/Ag NPs in photocatalytic efficiency.

Plasma-deposited aluminum-doped zinc oxide : controlling nucleation, growth and electrical properties

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ponomarev, M.

2012-01-01

In this work, the Expanding Thermal Plasma (ETP) deposition technique was employed to study the growth development of ZnO:Al thin film as a transparent conductive oxide layer for sustainable applications. Characteristic for ETP-grown ZnO:Al is a gradually reducing resistivity of the growing layer

Test Concept for Advanced Oxidation Techniques

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bennedsen, Lars Rønn; Søgaard, Erik Gydesen; Mortensen, Lars

advanced on-site oxidation tests. The remediation techniques included are electrochemical oxidation, photochemical/photocatalytic oxidation, ozone, hydrogen peroxide, permanganate, and persulfate among others. A versatile construction of the mobile test unit makes it possible to combine different...

Report on assessment of the mechanism of bacterially assisted oxidation of pyritic uranium tailings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halbert, B.B.; Scharer, J.M.; Knapp, R.A.

1984-07-01

The oxidation of pyritic minerals has been shown to be catalyzed by the presence of iron- and sulphur-oxidizing bacteria. Thiobacillus ferroxidans plays the most significant role in the formation and propagation of acidic conditions. Optimum growth conditions for the T. ferroxidans occurs at a temperature of 35 degrees C and pH of 2 to 3. Bacterially assisted oxidation of pyrite involves both direct and indirect contact mechanisms. The direct contact mechanism entails enzymatic oxidation of the insoluble sulphide moiety. The indirect mechanism involves bacterial oxidation of the dissolved ferrous component to the ferric state. The ferric iron, in turn, acts as the prime oxidant of pyrite and is reduced to ferrous iron. The re-oxidation of the dissolved ferrous component which is catalyzed by bacterial activity, completes the cyclic process. The rate of bacterial oxidation is affected by: the geochemistry and reactivity of the pyritic material; the amount of pyrite present in the waste material and the exposed surface area of the pyritic component; the availability of oxygen and carbon dioxide; the pH and temperature of the leach solution; and the presence (or absence) of organic inhibitors. Of the above factors, oxygen has been frequently identified as the rate limiting reactant in tailings

Nitrous oxide-based techniques versus nitrous oxide-free techniques for general anaesthesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Rao; Jia, Wen Qin; Zhang, Peng; Yang, KeHu; Tian, Jin Hui; Ma, Bin; Liu, Yali; Jia, Run H; Luo, Xiao F; Kuriyama, Akira

2015-11-06

Nitrous oxide has been used for over 160 years for the induction and maintenance of general anaesthesia. It has been used as a sole agent but is most often employed as part of a technique using other anaesthetic gases, intravenous agents, or both. Its low tissue solubility (and therefore rapid kinetics), low cost, and low rate of cardiorespiratory complications have made nitrous oxide by far the most commonly used general anaesthetic. The accumulating evidence regarding adverse effects of nitrous oxide administration has led many anaesthetists to question its continued routine use in a variety of operating room settings. Adverse events may result from both the biological actions of nitrous oxide and the fact that to deliver an effective dose, nitrous oxide, which is a relatively weak anaesthetic agent, needs to be given in high concentrations that restrict oxygen delivery (for example, a common mixture is 30% oxygen with 70% nitrous oxide). As well as the risk of low blood oxygen levels, concerns have also been raised regarding the risk of compromising the immune system, impaired cognition, postoperative cardiovascular complications, bowel obstruction from distention, and possible respiratory compromise. To determine if nitrous oxide-based anaesthesia results in similar outcomes to nitrous oxide-free anaesthesia in adults undergoing surgery. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2014 Issue 10); MEDLINE (1966 to 17 October 2014); EMBASE (1974 to 17 October 2014); and ISI Web of Science (1974 to 17 October 2014). We also searched the reference lists of relevant articles, conference proceedings, and ongoing trials up to 17 October 2014 on specific websites (http://clinicaltrials.gov/, http://controlled-trials.com/, and http://www.centerwatch.com). We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing general anaesthesia where nitrous oxide was part of the anaesthetic technique used for the induction or maintenance of general

Investigation of SiO{sub 2} film growth on 4H-SiC by direct thermal oxidation and postoxidation annealing techniques in HNO{sub 3} and H{sub 2}O vapor at varied process durations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poobalan, Banu [Electronic Materials Research Group, School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Seberang Perai Selatan, Penang (Malaysia); Moon, Jeong Hyun; Kim, Sang-Cheol; Joo, Sung-Jae; Bahng, Wook; Kang, In Ho; Kim, Nam-Kyun [Power Semiconductor Research Centre, Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute, PO Box 20, Changwon, Gyungnam 641120 (Korea, Republic of); Cheong, Kuan Yew, E-mail: cheong@eng.usm.my [Electronic Materials Research Group, School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Seberang Perai Selatan, Penang (Malaysia)

2014-11-03

This study has revealed that HNO{sub 3} and H{sub 2}O vapors can be utilized as direct thermal oxidation or postoxidation annealing agents at a temperature above 1000 °C; as they play a major role in simultaneous oxidation/nitridation/hydrogenation processes at the bulk oxide and SiO{sub 2}/SiC interface. The varied process durations of the above-mentioned techniques contribute to the development of thicker gate oxides for high power device applications with improved electrical properties, lower interface-state density and higher breakdown voltage as compared to oxides grown through a more conventional wet (H{sub 2}O vapor only) oxidation technique. The study highlights the effects of hydrogen and nitrogen species on the passivation of structural defects at the bulk oxide and the SiO{sub 2}/SiC interface, which are revealed through the use of Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. The physical properties of the substrate after oxide removal show that the surface roughness decreases as the process durations increase with longer hours of H{sub 2}O and HNO{sub 3} vapor exposures on the samples, which is mainly due to the significant reduction of carbon content at the SiO{sub 2}/SiC interface. - Highlights: • Direct thermal oxidation and postoxidation annealing techniques in HNO{sub 3}/H{sub 2}O vapor • SiO{sub 2} film growth in H{sub 2}O/HNO{sub 3}vapor at varied process durations • Thicker SiO{sub 2} film growth via annealing than direct growth in HNO{sub 3}/H{sub 2}O vapor • Nitrogen and hydrogen as passivation elements in SiO{sub 2}/SiC interface and SiO{sub 2} bulk • Significant reduction of carbon and Si-dangling bonds at the SiC/SiO{sub 2} interface.

Ultrasound-assisted oxidative desulfurization of bitumen

Science.gov (United States)

Kamal, Wan Mohamad Ikhwan bin Wan; Okawa, Hirokazu; Kato, Takahiro; Sugawara, Katsuyasu

2017-07-01

Bitumen contains a high percentage of sulfur (about 4.6 wt %). A hydrodesulfurization method is used to remove sulfur from bitumen. The drawback of this method is the requirement for a high temperature of >300 °C. Most of the sulfur in bitumen exists as thiophene. Oxidative desulfurization (ODS), involving oxidizing sulfur using H2O2, then removing it using NaOH, allows the removal of sulfur in thiophene at low temperatures. We removed sulfur from bitumen using ODS treatment under ultrasound irradiation, and 52% of sulfur was successfully removed. Additionally, the physical action of ultrasound assisted the desulfurization of bitumen, even at low H2O2 concentrations.

Ultrasound assisted, thermally activated persulfate oxidation of coal tar DNAPLs.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Libin; Wang, Li; Hu, Xingting; Wu, Peihui; Wang, Xueqing; Huang, Chumei; Wang, Xiangyang; Deng, Dayi

2016-11-15

The feasibility of ultrasound assisted, thermally activated persulfate for effective oxidation of twenty 2-6 ringed coal tar PAHs in a biphasic tar/water system and a triphasic tar/soil/water system were investigated and established. The results indicate that ultrasonic assistance, persulfate and elevated reaction temperature are all required to achieve effective oxidation of coal tar PAHs, while the heating needed can be provided by ultrasonic induced heating as well. Further kinetic analysis reveals that the oxidation of individual PAH in the biphasic tar/water system follows the first-order kinetics, and individual PAH oxidation rate is primary determined by the mass transfer coefficients, tar/water interfacial areas, the aqueous solubility of individual PAH and its concentration in coal tar. Based on the kinetic analysis and experimental results, the contributions of ultrasound, persulfate and elevated reaction temperature to PAHs oxidation were characterized, and the effects of ultrasonic intensity and oxidant dosage on PAHs oxidation efficiency were investigated. In addition, the results indicate that individual PAH degradability is closely related to its reactivity as well, and the high reactivity of 4-6 ringed PAHs substantially improves their degradability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improved Ohmic-contact to AlGaN/GaN using Ohmic region recesses by self-terminating thermal oxidation assisted wet etching technique

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, J.; Wang, J.; Wang, H.; Zhu, L.; Wu, W.

2017-06-01

Lower Ti/Al/Ni/Au Ohmic contact resistance on AlGaN/GaN with wider rapid thermal annealing (RTA) temperature window was achieved using recessed Ohmic contact structure based on self-terminating thermal oxidation assisted wet etching technique (STOAWET), in comparison with conventional Ohmic contacts. Even at lower temperature such as 650°C, recessed structure by STOAWET could still obtain Ohmic contact with contact resistance of 1.97Ω·mm, while conventional Ohmic structure mainly featured as Schottky contact. Actually, both Ohmic contact recess and mesa isolation processes could be accomplished by STOAWET in one process step and the process window of STOAWET is wide, simplifying AlGaN/GaN HEMT device process. Our experiment shows that the isolation leakage current by STOAWET is about one order of magnitude lower than that by inductivity coupled plasma (ICP) performed on the same wafer.

Behaviour of zirconium oxidation and is oxide films in alkali halide solutions as studied by electrochemical techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saleh, H.E.M.

1996-01-01

Study of the properties of Zr electrode and the oxide films that cover the metal surface is of extreme importance due to their wide applications in chemical and nuclear industry. In this thesis the electrochemical behaviour of Zr electrode in alkali halide solutions and with various surface conditions was studied, Also the galvanostatic oxidation of the metal in addition to the open circuit and impedance measurements were employed. Chapter I is a literature survey of the electrochemistry of Zr metal with particular emphasis on the stability and growth process of Zr in different media. Chapter II contains the experimental part, including details of the electrochemical techniques used in the measurements. The electrode impedance was always balanced as a series capacitance Cs and resistance Rs.Chapter III includes the experimental results and discussion. It is divide into sections, A and B. Section A includes the results of some experimental parameters which affect the reactivity of the oxide growth process on the zirconium surface, such as surface pre - treatment, electrolyte composition, the effect of different alkali halide anions, as well as the triiodide ion. 9 tabs.,26 figs.,67 refs

Oxidation-assisted graphene heteroepitaxy on copper foil.

Science.gov (United States)

Reckinger, Nicolas; Tang, Xiaohui; Joucken, Frédéric; Lajaunie, Luc; Arenal, Raul; Dubois, Emmanuel; Hackens, Benoît; Henrard, Luc; Colomer, Jean-François

2016-11-10

We propose an innovative, easy-to-implement approach to synthesize aligned large-area single-crystalline graphene flakes by chemical vapor deposition on copper foil. This method doubly takes advantage of residual oxygen present in the gas phase. First, by slightly oxidizing the copper surface, we induce grain boundary pinning in copper and, in consequence, the freezing of the thermal recrystallization process. Subsequent reduction of copper under hydrogen suddenly unlocks the delayed reconstruction, favoring the growth of centimeter-sized copper (111) grains through the mechanism of abnormal grain growth. Second, the oxidation of the copper surface also drastically reduces the nucleation density of graphene. This oxidation/reduction sequence leads to the synthesis of aligned millimeter-sized monolayer graphene domains in epitaxial registry with copper (111). The as-grown graphene flakes are demonstrated to be both single-crystalline and of high quality.

Microwave-assisted Facile and Ultrafast Growth of ZnO Nanostructures and Proposition of Alternative Microwave-assisted Methods to Address Growth Stoppage

Science.gov (United States)

Rana, Abu Ul Hassan Sarwar; Kang, Mingi; Kim, Hyun-Seok

2016-04-01

The time constraint in the growth of ZnO nanostructures when using a hydrothermal method is of paramount importance in contemporary research, where a long fabrication time rots the very essence of the research on ZnO nanostructures. In this study, we present the facile and ultrafast growth of ZnO nanostructures in a domestic microwave oven within a pressurized environment in just a few minutes. This method is preferred for the conventional solution-based method because of the ultrafast supersaturation of zinc salts and the fabrication of high-quality nanostructures. The study of the effect of seed layer density, growth time, and the solution’s molar concentration on the morphology, alignment, density, and aspect ratio of ZnO nanorods (ZNRs) is explored. It is found in a microwave-assisted direct growth method that ~5 mins is the optimum time beyond which homogeneous nucleation supersedes heterogeneous nucleation, which results in the growth stoppage of ZNRs. To deal with this issue, we propound different methods such as microwave-assisted solution-replacement, preheating, and PEI-based growth methods, where growth stoppage is addressed and ZNRs with a high aspect ratio can be grown. Furthermore, high-quality ZnO nanoflowers and ZnO nanowalls are fabricated via ammonium hydroxide treatment in a very short time.

Beginner’s guide to flux crystal growth

CERN Document Server

Tachibana, Makoto

2017-01-01

This book introduces the principles and techniques of crystal growth by the flux method, which is arguably the most useful way to obtain millimeter- to centimeter-sized single crystals for physical research. As it is possible to find an appropriate solvent (“flux”) for nearly all inorganic materials, the flux method can be applied to the growth of many crystals ranging from transition metal oxides to intermetallic compounds. Both important principles and experimental procedures are described in a clear and accessible manner. Practical advice on various aspects of the experiment, which is not readily available in the literature, will assist the beginning graduate students in setting up the lab and conducting successful crystal growth. The mechanisms of crystal growth at an elementary level are also provided to better understand the techniques and to help in assessing the quality of the crystals. The book also contains many photographs of beautiful crystals with important physical properties of current inte...

Rapid synthesis of tantalum oxide dielectric films by microwave microwave-assisted atmospheric chemical vapor deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ndiege, Nicholas; Subramanian, Vaidyanathan; Shannon, Mark A.; Masel, Richard I.

2008-01-01

Microwave-assisted chemical vapor deposition has been used to generate high quality, high-k dielectric films on silicon at high deposition rates with film thicknesses varying from 50 nm to 110 μm using inexpensive equipment. Characterization of the post deposition products was performed by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Film growth was determined to occur via rapid formation and accumulation of tantalum oxide clusters from tantalum (v) ethoxide (Ta(OC 2 H 5 ) 5 ) vapor on the deposition surface

Thin films of metal oxides on metal single crystals: Structure and growth by scanning tunneling microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galloway, H.C.

1995-12-01

Detailed studies of the growth and structure of thin films of metal oxides grown on metal single crystal surfaces using Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) are presented. The oxide overlayer systems studied are iron oxide and titanium oxide on the Pt(III) surface. The complexity of the metal oxides and large lattice mismatches often lead to surface structures with large unit cells. These are particularly suited to a local real space technique such as scanning tunneling microscopy. In particular, the symmetry that is directly observed with the STM elucidates the relationship of the oxide overlayers to the substrate as well as distinguishing, the structures of different oxides

Ultrasound-Assisted Oxidative Desulfurization of Diesel

OpenAIRE

Niran K. Ibrahim; Walla A. Noori; Jaffar M. Khasbag

2016-01-01

Due to the dramatic environmental impact of sulfur emissions associated with the exhaust of diesel engines, last environmental regulations for ultra-low-sulfur diesel require a very deep desulfurization (up to 15 ppm), which cannot be met by the conventional hydrodesulfurization units alone. The proposed method involves a batch ultrasound-assisted oxidative desulfurization (UAODS) of a previously hydrotreated diesel (containing 480 ppm sulfur) so as to convert the residual sulfur-bearing comp...

Computer Assisted Audit Techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eugenia Iancu

2007-01-01

Full Text Available From the modern point of view, audit takes intoaccount especially the information systems representingmainly the examination performed by a professional asregards the manner for developing an activity by means ofcomparing it to the quality criteria specific to this activity.Having as reference point this very general definition ofauditing, it must be emphasized that the best known segmentof auditing is the financial audit that had a parallel evolutionto the accountancy one.The present day phase of developing the financial audithas as main trait the internationalization of the accountantprofessional. World wide there are multinational companiesthat offer services in the financial auditing, taxing andconsultancy domain. The auditors, natural persons and auditcompanies, take part at the works of the national andinternational authorities for setting out norms in theaccountancy and auditing domain.The computer assisted audit techniques can be classified inseveral manners according to the approaches used by theauditor. The most well-known techniques are comprised inthe following categories: testing data techniques, integratedtest, parallel simulation, revising the program logics,programs developed upon request, generalized auditsoftware, utility programs and expert systems.

Radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma: assistant techniques for difficult cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Inoue, Tatsuo; Minami, Yasunori; Chung, Hobyung; Hayaishi, Sousuke; Ueda, Taisuke; Tatsumi, Chie; Takita, Masahiro; Kitai, Satoshi; Hatanaka, Kinuyo; Ishikawa, Emi; Yada, Norihisa; Hagiwara, Satoru; Ueshima, Kazuomi; Kudo, Masatoshi

2010-07-01

To confirm the safety and effectiveness of techniques to assist radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for difficult cases, we retrospectively evaluated successful treatment rates, early complications and local tumor progressions. Between June 1999 and April 2009, a total of 341 patients with 535 nodules were treated as difficult cases. Artificial pleural effusion assisted ablation was performed on 64 patients with 82 nodules. Artificial ascites-assisted ablation was performed on 11 patients with 13 nodules. Cooling by endoscopic nasobiliary drainage (ENBD) tube-assisted ablation was performed on 6 patients with 8 nodules. When the tumors were not well visualized with conventional B-mode ultrasonography (US), contrast-enhanced US-assisted ablation with Levovist or Sonazoid or virtual CT sonography-assisted ablation was performed. Contrast-enhanced US-assisted ablation was performed on 139 patients with 224 nodules and virtual CT sonography-assisted ablation was performed on 121 patients with 209 nodules. In total, complete ablation was achieved in 514 of 535 (96%) nodules in difficult cases. For RFA with artificial pleural effusion, artificial ascites and ENBD, complete response was confirmed in all cases. For contrast-enhanced US- and CT sonography-assisted ablation, complete response was 95%. Early complications were recognized in 24 cases (4.5%). All cases recovered with no invasive treatment. Local tumor recurrence was investigated in 377 nodules of 245 patients, and 69 (18%) nodules were positive. Tumor recurrences in each assisted technique were 14.7% in artificial pleural effusion cases, 7% in artificial ascites, 12.5% in ENBD tube cases, 31% in virtual CT sonography, and 8.5% in contrast-enhanced US. Although local tumor progression needs to be carefully monitored, assisted techniques of RFA for difficult cases are well tolerated and expand the indications of RFA. Copyright (c) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Ultrasound-Assisted Oxidative Desulfurization of Diesel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niran K. Ibrahim

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Due to the dramatic environmental impact of sulfur emissions associated with the exhaust of diesel engines, last environmental regulations for ultra-low-sulfur diesel require a very deep desulfurization (up to 15 ppm, which cannot be met by the conventional hydrodesulfurization units alone. The proposed method involves a batch ultrasound-assisted oxidative desulfurization (UAODS of a previously hydrotreated diesel (containing 480 ppm sulfur so as to convert the residual sulfur-bearing compounds into their corresponding highly polar oxides, which can be eliminated easily by extraction with a certain highly polar solvent. The oxidizing system utilized was H2O2 as an oxidant, CH3COOH as a promoter, with FeSO4 as a catalyst; whereas acetonitrile was used as extractant. The major influential parameters related to UAODS process have been investigated, namely: ratio of oxidant/fuel, ratio of the promoter/oxidant, dose of catalyst, reaction temperature, and intensity of ultrasonic waves. Kinetics of the reaction has been also studied; it was observed that the UAODS of diesel fuels fitted pseudo-first-order kinetics under the best experimental conditions, whereas values of the apparent rate constant and activation energy were 0.373 min-1 and 24 KJ/mol, respectively. The oxidation treatment, in combination with ultrasonic irradiation, revealed a synergistic effect for diesel desulfurization. The experimental results showed that sulfur removal efficiency could amount to 98% at mild operating conditions (70 ○C and 1 bar. This indicates that the process is efficient and promising for the production of ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuels.

A redox-assisted molecular assembly of molybdenum oxide amine composite nanobelts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo Haiyan; Wei Mingdeng; Wei Kemei

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Nanobelts of molybdenum oxide amine were first synthesized via a redox-assisted molecular assembly route. → These nanobelts are highly crystalline with a several tens of micrometers in length and 20-30 nm in thickness. - Abstract: In this paper, the nanobelts of molybdenum oxide amine composite were successfully synthesized via a redox-assisted molecular assembly route under the hydrothermal conditions. The synthesized nanobelts were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, TG and FT-IR measurements. The thickness of nanobelts is found to be ca. 20-30 nm and their lengths are up to several tens of micrometers. Based on a series of the experimental results, a possible model, redox-intercalation-exfoliation, was suggested for the formation of nanobelts of molybdenum oxide amine composite.

Ion assisted deposition of refractory oxide thin film coatings for improved optical and structural properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1999-03-01

Ion assisted deposition technique (IAD) has emerged as a powerful tool to control the optical and structural properties of thin film coatings. Keeping in view the complexity of the interaction of ions with the films being deposited, sophisticated ion sources have been developed that cater to the need of modern optical coatings with stringent spectral and environmental specifications. In the present work, the results of ion assisted deposition (IAD) of two commonly used refractory oxides, namely TiO 2 and ZrO 2 , using cold cathode ion source (CC-102R) are presented. Through successive feedback and calibration techniques, various ion beams as well as deposition parameters have been optimized to achieve the best optical and structural film properties in the prevalent deposition geometry of the coating system. It has been possible to eliminate the unwanted optical and structural inhomogeneities from these films using and optimized set of process parameters. Interference modulated spectrophotometric and phase modulated ellipsometric techniques have been very successfully utilized to analyze the optical and structural parameters of the films. Several precision multilayer coatings have been developed and are being used for laser and spectroscopic applications. (author)

Karolinska prostatectomy: a robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Nilsson, Andreas E; Carlsson, Stefan; Laven, Brett A; Wiklund, N Peter

2006-01-01

The last decade has witnessed an increasing trend towards minimally invasive management of prostate cancer, including laparoscopic and, more recently, robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy. Several different laparoscopic approaches have been continuously developed during the last 5 years and it is still unclear which technique yields the best outcome. We present our current technique of robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. The technique described has evolved during the course of >400 robotic prostatectomies performed by the robotic team since the robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy program was introduced at Karolinska University Hospital in January 2002. Our procedure comprises several modifications of previously reported ones, and we utilize fewer robotic instruments to reduce costs. An extended posterior dissection is performed to aid in the bladder neck-sparing dissection. In nerve-sparing procedures the vesicles are divided to avoid damage to the erectile nerves. In order to preserve the apical anatomy the dorsal venous complex is incised sharply and is first over-sewn after the apical dissection is completed. Our technique enables a more fluent dissection than previously described robotic techniques. Minimizing changes of instruments and the camera not only cuts costs but also reduces inefficient operating maneuvers, such as switching between 30 degrees and 0 degrees lenses during the procedure. We present a technique which in our hands has achieved excellent functional and oncological results.

Power-assisted liposuction and the pull-through technique for the treatment of gynecomastia.

Science.gov (United States)

Lista, Frank; Ahmad, Jamil

2008-03-01

Gynecomastia is a common condition affecting many adolescent and adult males. Surgical techniques utilizing a variety of incisions, excisions, suction-assisted lipectomy, ultrasound-assisted liposuction, power-assisted liposuction, or some combination of these methods have been used in the treatment of gynecomastia. This article describes the authors' method of using power-assisted liposuction and the pull-through technique to treat gynecomastia. This technique involves the use of power-assisted liposuction to remove fatty breast tissue. The pull-through technique is then performed utilizing several instruments to sever the subdermal attachments of fibroglandular breast tissue; this tissue is removed through the incision used for liposuction. Finally, power-assisted liposuction is performed again to contour the remaining breast tissue. A chart review of 99 consecutive patients (197 breasts) treated between January of 2003 and November of 2006 was performed. Ninety-six patients (192 breasts) were successfully treated using this technique. Power-assisted liposuction was performed in all cases, and the average volume aspirated per breast was 459 ml (range, 25 to 1400 ml). Using the pull-through technique, the authors were able to remove between 5 and 70 g of tissue per breast. Complications were minimal (1.0 percent of breasts), and no revisions were required. Since January of 2003, the authors have used this technique to successfully treat 97 percent of their gynecomastia patients. Combining power-assisted liposuction and the pull-through technique has proven to be a versatile approach for the treatment of gynecomastia and consistently produces a naturally contoured male breast while resulting in a single inconspicuous scar.

Microwave-assisted synthesis of metal oxide/hydroxide composite electrodes for high power supercapacitors - A review

Science.gov (United States)

Faraji, Soheila; Ani, Farid Nasir

2014-10-01

Electrochemical capacitors (ECs), also known as pseudocapacitors or supercapacitors (SCs), is receiving great attention for its potential applications in electric and hybrid electric vehicles because of their ability to store energy, alongside with the advantage of delivering the stored energy much more rapidly than batteries, namely power density. To become primary devices for power supply, supercapacitors must be developed further to improve their ability to deliver high energy and power simultaneously. In this concern, a lot of effort is devoted to the investigation of pseudocapacitive transition-metal-based oxides/hydroxides such as ruthenium oxide, manganese oxide, cobalt oxide, nickel oxide, cobalt hydroxide, nickel hydroxide, and mixed metal oxides/hydroxides such as nickel cobaltite and nickel-cobalt oxy-hydroxides. This is mainly due to the fact that they can produce much higher specific capacitances than typical carbon-based electric double-layer capacitors and electronically conducting polymers. This review presents supercapacitor performance data of metal oxide thin film electrodes by microwave-assisted as an inexpensive, quick and versatile technique. Supercapacitors have established the specific capacitance (Cs) principles, therefore, it is likely that metal oxide films will continue to play a major role in supercapacitor technology and are expected to considerably increase the capabilities of these devices in near future.

Oxidation phase growth diagram of vanadium oxides film fabricated by rapid thermal annealing

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Tamura KOZO; Zheng-cao LI; Yu-quan WANG; Jie NI; Yin HU; Zheng-jun ZHANG

2009-01-01

Thermal evaporation deposited vanadium oxide films were annealed in air by rapid thermal annealing (RTP). By adjusting the annealing temperature and time, a series of vanadium oxide films with various oxidation phases and surface morphologies were fabricated, and an oxidation phase growth diagram was established. It was observed that different oxidation phases appear at a limited and continuous annealing condition range, and the morphologic changes are related to the oxidation process.

Steam assisted oxide growth on aluminium alloys using oxidative chemistries: Part I Microstructural investigation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Din, Rameez Ud; Piotrowska, Kamila; Gudla, Visweswara Chakravarthy

2015-01-01

The surface treatment of aluminium alloys under steam containing KMnO4 and HNO3resulted in the formation of an oxide layer having a thickness of up to 825 nm. The use of KMnO4 and HNO3 in the steam resulted in incorporation of the respective chemical species into the oxide layer. Steam treatment ...

Plasma-assisted synthesis of MoS2

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Philip M.; Perini, Christopher J.; Chiu, Johannes; Gupta, Atul; Ray, Hunter S.; Chen, Hang; Wenzel, Kevin; Snyder, Eric; Wagner, Brent K.; Ready, Jud; Vogel, Eric M.

2018-03-01

There has been significant interest in transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), including MoS2, in recent years due to their potential application in novel electronic and optical devices. While synthesis methods have been developed for large-area films of MoS2, many of these techniques require synthesis temperatures of 800 °C or higher. As a result of the thermal budget, direct synthesis requiring high temperatures is incompatible with many integrated circuit processes as well as flexible substrates. This work explores several methods of plasma-assisted synthesis of MoS2 as a way to lower the synthesis temperature. The first approach used is conversion of a naturally oxidized molybdenum thin film to MoS2 using H2S plasma. Conversion is demonstrated at temperatures as low as 400 °C, and the conversion is enabled by hydrogen radicals which reduce the oxidized molybdenum films. The second method is a vapor phase reaction incorporating thermally evaporated MoO3 exposed to a direct H2S plasma, similar to chemical vapor deposition (CVD) synthesis of MoS2. Synthesis at 400 °C results in formation of super-stoichiometric MoS2 in a beam-interrupted growth process. A final growth method relies on a cyclical process in which a small amount of Mo is sputtered onto the substrate and is subsequently sulfurized in a H2S plasma. Similar results could be realized using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process to deposit the Mo film. Compared to high temperature synthesis methods, the lower temperature samples are lower quality, potentially due to poor crystallinity or higher defect density in the films. Temperature-dependent conductivity measurements are consistent with hopping conduction in the plasma-assisted synthetic MoS2, suggesting a high degree of disorder in the low-temperature films. Optimization of the plasma-assisted synthesis process for slower growth rate and better stoichiometry is expected to lead to high quality films at low growth temperature.

Syntheses of rare-earth metal oxide nanotubes by the sol-gel method assisted with porous anodic aluminum oxide templates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuang Qin; Lin Zhiwei; Lian Wei; Jiang Zhiyuan; Xie Zhaoxiong; Huang Rongbin; Zheng Lansun

2007-01-01

In this paper, we report a versatile synthetic method of ordered rare-earth metal (RE) oxide nanotubes. RE (RE=Y, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Yb) oxide nanotubes were successfully prepared from corresponding RE nitrate solution via the sol-gel method assisted with porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) have been employed to characterize the morphology and composition of the as-prepared nanotubes. It is found that as-prepared RE oxides evolve into bamboo-like nanotubes and entirely hollow nanotubes. A new possible formation mechanism of RE oxide nanotubes in the AAO channels is proposed. These high-quantity RE oxide nanotubes are expected to have promising applications in many areas such as luminescent materials, catalysts, magnets, etc. - Graphical abstract: A versatile synthetic method for the preparation of ordered rare-earth (RE) oxide nanotubes is reported, by which RE (RE=Y, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Yb) oxide nanotubes were successfully prepared from corresponding RE nitrate solution via the sol-gel method assisted with porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates

Equine Assisted Psychotherapy: The Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association's Model Overview of Equine-Based Modalities

Science.gov (United States)

Notgrass, Clayton G.; Pettinelli, J. Douglas

2015-01-01

This article describes the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association's (EAGALA) experiential model called "Equine Assisted Psychotherapy" (EAP). EAGALA's model is based on the Association for Experiential Education's (AEE) tenets and is focused on the learner's experience with horses. Drawing on the historical use of equines in the…

Growth of micrometric oxide layers to explore laser decontamination of metallic surfaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carvalho Luisa

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The nuclear industry produces a wide range of radioactive waste in terms of hazard level, contaminants and material. For metallic equipment like steam generators, the radioactivity is mainly located in the oxide surface. In order to study and develop safe techniques for dismantling and for decontamination, it is important to have access to oxide layers with a representative distribution of non-radioactive contaminants. In this paper we propose a method for the creation of oxide layers on stainless steel 304L with europium (Eu as contaminant. This technique consists in spraying an Eu-solution on stainless steel samples. The specimens are firstly treated with a pulsed nanosecond laser after which the steel samples are placed in a 873 K furnace for various durations in order to grow an oxide layer. The oxide structure and in-depth distribution of Eu in the oxide layer were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy coupled to an energy-dispersive X-ray microanalyzer, as well as by glow discharge optical emission or mass spectrometry. The oxide layers were grown to thicknesses in the range of 200 nm–4.5 μm depending on the laser treatment parameters and the heating duration. These contaminated oxides had a ‘duplex structure’ with a mean concentration of the order of 6 × 1016 atoms/cm2 (15 μg/cm2 of europium in the volume of the oxide layer. It appears that europium implementation prevented the oxide growth in the furnace. Nevertheless, the presence of the contamination had no impact on the thickness of the oxide layers obtained by preliminary laser treatment. These oxide layers were used to study the decontamination of metallic surfaces such as stainless steel 304L using a nanosecond pulsed laser.

Hand-assisted laparoscopic liver resection using Habib's technique: early experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Vávra, Petr; Ihnat, Peter; Vavrova, Michaela; Martinek, Lubomir; Dostalik, Jan; Habib, Nagy

2012-03-01

Hand-assisted laparoscopic liver surgery, a newly developed technique based on an innovative concept, has proved useful and safe for a variety of less invasive hepatectomies. Radiofrequency-assisted hepatic resection has been reported to be safe, associated with minimal morbidity and mortality and decreased intraoperative blood loss and transfusion requirements. We describe how we perform hand-assisted laparoscopic radiofrequency-assisted hepatic resection using a bipolar radiofrequency device. The use of the hand port has allowed the surgeon to use his hand in direct liver manipulation, mobilization, and retraction. It was also useful for tactile tumour localization. Radiofrequency-assisted hepatic parenchymal transection was performed on 15 patients using a bipolar device (Habib 4X) with minimal blood loss (74 ml), and very decent operative and resection times (92 min, 33 min respectively). This combined procedure offers a safe, effective and rapid liver resection technique. This might encourage surgeons to perform a minimally invasive approach for liver resection more frequently.

Metal oxide targets produced by the polymer-assisted deposition method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia, Mitch A., E-mail: mitch@berkeley.ed [Department of Chemistry, Room 446 Latimer Hall, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-1460 (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Ali, Mazhar N.; Chang, Noel N.; Parsons-Moss, T. [Department of Chemistry, Room 446 Latimer Hall, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-1460 (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Ashby, Paul D. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Gates, Jacklyn M. [Department of Chemistry, Room 446 Latimer Hall, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-1460 (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Stavsetra, Liv [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Gregorich, Kenneth E.; Nitsche, Heino [Department of Chemistry, Room 446 Latimer Hall, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-1460 (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

2010-02-11

The polymer-assisted deposition (PAD) method was used to create crack-free homogenous metal oxide films for use as targets in nuclear science applications. Metal oxide films of europium, thulium, and hafnium were prepared as models for actinide oxides. Films produced by a single application of PAD were homogenous and uniform and ranged in thickness from 30 to 320 nm. Reapplication of the PAD method (six times) with a 10% by weight hafnium(IV) solution resulted in an equally homogeneous and uniform film with a total thickness of 600 nm.

Metal oxide targets produced by the polymer-assisted deposition method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia, Mitch A.; Ali, Mazhar N.; Chang, Noel N.; Parsons-Moss, T.; Ashby, Paul D.; Gates, Jacklyn M.; Stavsetra, Liv; Gregorich, Kenneth E.; Nitsche, Heino

2010-01-01

The polymer-assisted deposition (PAD) method was used to create crack-free homogenous metal oxide films for use as targets in nuclear science applications. Metal oxide films of europium, thulium, and hafnium were prepared as models for actinide oxides. Films produced by a single application of PAD were homogenous and uniform and ranged in thickness from 30 to 320 nm. Reapplication of the PAD method (six times) with a 10% by weight hafnium(IV) solution resulted in an equally homogeneous and uniform film with a total thickness of 600 nm.

Rapid synthesis of tin oxide nanostructures by microwave-assisted thermal oxidation for sensor applications

Science.gov (United States)

Phadungdhitidhada, S.; Ruankham, P.; Gardchareon, A.; Wongratanaphisan, D.; Choopun, S.

2017-09-01

In the present work nanostructures of tin oxides were synthesized by a microwave-assisted thermal oxidation. Tin precursor powder was loaded into a cylindrical quartz tube and further radiated in a microwave oven. The as-synthesized products were characterized by scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, and x-ray diffractometer. The results showed that two different morphologies of SnO2 microwires (MWs) and nanoparticles (NPs) were obtained in one minute of microwave radiation under atmospheric ambient. A few tens of the SnO2 MWs with the length of 10-50 µm were found. Some parts of the MWs were decorated with the SnO2 NPs. However, most of the products were SnO2 NPs with the diameter ranging from 30-200 nm. Preparation under loosely closed system lead to mixed phase SnO-SnO2 NPs with diameter of 30-200 nm. The single-phase of SnO2 could be obtained by mixing the Sn precursor powders with CuO2. The products were mostly found to be SnO2 nanowires (NWs) and MWs. The diameter of SnO2 NWs was less than 50 nm. The SnO2 NPs, MWs, and NWs were in the cassiterite rutile structure phase. The SnO NPs was in the tetragonal structure phase. The growth direction of the SnO2 NWs was observed in (1 1 0) and (2 2 1) direction. The ethanol sensor performance of these tin oxide nanostructures showed that the SnO-SnO2 NPs exhibited extremely high sensitivity. Invited talk at 5th Thailand International Nanotechnology Conference (Nano Thailand-2016), 27-29 November 2016, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.

SIMS studies of oxide growth on beta-NiAl

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, D. F.; Prescott, R.; Graham, M. J.; Doychak, J.

1992-01-01

This paper reports on a study of the growth of aluminum oxide on beta-NiAl at temperatures up to 1200 C. The scales have been formed in two-stage experiments using O2-16 and O2-18 gases, and the various isotopic species have been located by direct imaging using SIMS. Supplementary information on oxide morphologies and structures has been obtained by SEM. SIMS images and depth profiles indicate where oxidation has taken place predominantly by cation or anion diffusion at different stages of the growth process. The way in which the presence of small amounts of reactive elements can affect scale growth is also considered. These results help to provide an improved understanding of the mechanism of alumina scale formation, which is of benefit in the development of oxidation-resistant alloys and intermetallics for service at high temperatures.

Preferred hydride growth orientations on oxide-coated gadolinium surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benamar, G.M.; Schweke, D.; Kimmel, G.; Mintz, M.H.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► The preferred hydride growth orientations on gadolinium metal coated by a thin oxide layer are presented. ► A preferred growth of the (1 0 0) h plane of the face centered cubic (FCC) GdH 2 is observed for the hydride spots forming below the oxidation layer. ► A change to the (1 1 1) h plane of the cubic hydride dominates for the hydride's Growth Centers. ► The texture change is attributed to the surface normal compressive stress component exerted by the oxidation layer on the developing hydride. - Abstract: The initial development of hydrides on polycrystalline gadolinium (Gd), as on some other hydride forming metals, is characterized by two sequential steps. The first step involves the rapid formation of a dense pattern of small hydride spots (referred to as the “small family” of hydrides) below the native oxidation layer. The second stage takes place when some of the “small family” nucleants (referred to as “growth centers”, GCs) break the oxide layer, leading to their rapid growth and finally to the massive hydriding of the sample. In the present study, the texture of the two hydride families was studied, by combining X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis with a microscopic analysis of the hydride, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). It has been observed that for the “small family”, a preferred growth of the (1 0 0) h plane of the cubic GdH 2 takes place, whereas for the GCs, a change to the (1 1 1) h plane of the cubic hydride dominates. These preferred growth orientations were analyzed by their structure relation with the (0 0 .1) m basal plane of the Gd metal. It has been concluded that the above texture change is due to the surface normal compressive stress component exerted by the oxidation overlayer on the developing hydride, preventing the (0 0 .1) m ||(1 1 1) h growth orientation. This stress is relieved upon the rupture of that overlayer and the development of the GCs, leading to

Synthesis of cobalt-containing mesoporous catalysts using the ultrasonic-assisted “pH-adjusting” method: Importance of cobalt species in styrene oxidation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Baitao, E-mail: btli@scut.edu.cn; Zhu, Yanrun; Jin, Xiaojing

2015-01-15

Cobalt-containing SBA-15 and MCM-41 (Co-SBA-15 and Co-MCM-41) mesoporous catalysts were prepared via ultrasonic-assisted “pH-adjusting” technique in this study. Their physiochemical structures were comprehensively characterized and correlated with catalytic activity in oxidation of styrene. The nature of cobalt species depended on the type of mesoporous silica as well as pH values. The different catalytic performance between Co-SBA-15 and Co-MCM-41 catalysts originated from cobalt species. Cobalt species were homogenously incorporated into the siliceous framework of Co-SBA-15 in single-site Co(II) state, while Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} particles were loaded on Co-MCM-41 catalysts. The styrene oxidation tests showed that the single-site Co(II) state was more beneficial to the catalytic oxidation of styrene. The higher styrene conversion and benzaldehyde selectivity over Co-SBA-15 catalysts were mainly attributed to single-site Co(II) state incorporated into the framework of SBA-15. The highest conversion of styrene (34.7%) with benzaldehyde selectivity of 88.2% was obtained over Co-SBA-15 catalyst prepared at pH of 7.5, at the mole ratio of 1:1 (styrene to H{sub 2}O{sub 2}) at 70 °C. - Graphical abstract: Cobalt-containing mesoporous silica catalysts were developed via ultrasonic-assisted “pH-adjusting” technique. Compared with Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} in Co-MCM-41, the single-site Co(II) state in Co-SBA-15 was more efficient for the styrene oxidation. - Highlights: • Fast and cost-effective ultrasonic technique for preparing mesoporous materials. • Incorporation of Co via ultrasonic irradiation and “pH-adjusting”. • Physicochemical comparison between Co-SBA-15 and Co-MCM-41. • Correlation of styrene oxidation activity and catalyst structural property.

Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome in assisted reproductive techniques

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) is a crucial treatment for infertile couples and is frequently common. ART entails manipulation of oocyte and sperm in a laboratory: in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).The key objective of ART is to yield superior quality embryos that are competent for ...

Surfactant-assisted ultrasonic spray pyrolysis of nickel oxide and lithium-doped nickel oxide thin films, toward electrochromic applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Denayer, Jessica [Group of Research in Energy and Environment for MATerials (GREENMAT), University of Liège, allée de la chimie 3, 4000 Liège (Belgium); Bister, Geoffroy [Environmental and Material Research Association (CRIBC-INISMa), avenue gouverneur cornez 4, 7000 Mons (Belgium); Simonis, Priscilla [Laboratory LPS, University of Namur, rue de bruxelles 61, 5000 Namur (Belgium); Colson, Pierre; Maho, Anthony [Group of Research in Energy and Environment for MATerials (GREENMAT), University of Liège, allée de la chimie 3, 4000 Liège (Belgium); Aubry, Philippe [Environmental and Material Research Association (CRIBC-INISMa), avenue gouverneur cornez 4, 7000 Mons (Belgium); Vertruyen, Bénédicte [Group of Research in Energy and Environment for MATerials (GREENMAT), University of Liège, allée de la chimie 3, 4000 Liège (Belgium); Henrist, Catherine, E-mail: catherine.henrist@ulg.ac.be [Group of Research in Energy and Environment for MATerials (GREENMAT), University of Liège, allée de la chimie 3, 4000 Liège (Belgium); Lardot, Véronique; Cambier, Francis [Environmental and Material Research Association (CRIBC-INISMa), avenue gouverneur cornez 4, 7000 Mons (Belgium); Cloots, Rudi [Group of Research in Energy and Environment for MATerials (GREENMAT), University of Liège, allée de la chimie 3, 4000 Liège (Belgium)

2014-12-01

Highlights: • Surfactant-assisted USP: a novel and low cost process to obtain high quality nickel oxide films, with or without lithium dopant. • Increased uniformity and reduced light scattering thanks to the addition of a surfactant. • Improved electrochromic performance (coloration efficiency and contrast) for lithium-doped films by comparison with the undoped NiO film. - Abstract: Lithium-doped nickel oxide and undoped nickel oxide thin films have been deposited on FTO/glass substrates by a surfactant-assisted ultrasonic spray pyrolysis. The addition of polyethylene glycol in the sprayed solution has led to improved uniformity and reduced light scattering compared to films made without surfactant. Furthermore, the presence of lithium ions in NiO films has resulted in improved electrochromic performances (coloration contrast and efficiency), but with a slight decrease of the electrochromic switching kinetics.

Electrospinning: A versatile technique for making of 1D growth of nanostructured nanofibers and its applications: An experimental approach

Science.gov (United States)

Patil, Jyoti V.; Mali, Sawanta S.; Kamble, Archana S.; Hong, Chang K.; Kim, Jin H.; Patil, Pramod S.

2017-11-01

One dimensional (1D) metal oxide nanostructures (1D-MONS) play a key role in the development of functional devices including energy conversion, energy storage and environmental devices. They are also used for some important biomedical products like wound dressings, filter media, drug delivery and tissue engineering. The electrospinning (ES) is the versatile technique for making of 1D growth of nanostructured nanofibers, an experimental approach and its applications. The present review is focused on the 1D growth of nanostructured nanofibers in different applications like dye sensitized solar cells, perovskite solar cells, fuel cells, lithium ion batteries, redox flow batteries, supercapacitor, photocatalytic, and gas sensors based on ZnO, TiO2, MnO2, WO3, V2O5, NiO, SnO2, Fe2O3 etc. metal oxides, their composites and carbon. This review article presents an introduction to various types of ES techniques and their technical details. Also, the advantages and disadvantages of each ES technique are summarized. The various technical details such as preparative parameters, post-deposition methods, applied electric field, solution feed rate and a distance between a tip to the collector are the key factors in order to obtain exotic 1D nanostructured materials. Also, the lucid literature survey on the growth of nanostructures of various metal oxides and application in different fields are covered in this review. Further, the future perspectives has also been discussed.

Epitaxial thin film growth and properties of unconventional oxide superconductors. Cuprates and cobaltates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krockenberger, Y.

2006-01-01

The discovery of high-temperature superconductors has strongly driven the development of suited thin film fabrication methods of complex oxides. One way is the adaptation of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) for the growth of oxide materials. Another approach is the use of pulsed laser deposition (PLD) which has the advantage of good stoichiometry transfer from target to the substrate. Both techniques are used within this thesis. Epitaxial thin films of new materials are of course needed for future applications. In addition, the controlled synthesis of thin film matter which can be formed far away from thermal equilibrium allows for the investigation of fundamental physical materials properties. (orig.)

Epitaxial thin film growth and properties of unconventional oxide superconductors. Cuprates and cobaltates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krockenberger, Y.

2006-07-01

The discovery of high-temperature superconductors has strongly driven the development of suited thin film fabrication methods of complex oxides. One way is the adaptation of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) for the growth of oxide materials. Another approach is the use of pulsed laser deposition (PLD) which has the advantage of good stoichiometry transfer from target to the substrate. Both techniques are used within this thesis. Epitaxial thin films of new materials are of course needed for future applications. In addition, the controlled synthesis of thin film matter which can be formed far away from thermal equilibrium allows for the investigation of fundamental physical materials properties. (orig.)

A Biochemical Approach to Detect Oxidative Stress in Infertile Women Undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technology Procedures

Science.gov (United States)

Becatti, Matteo; Fucci, Rossella; Mannucci, Amanda; Barygina, Victoria; Mugnaini, Marco; Criscuoli, Luciana; Giachini, Claudia; Bertocci, Francesco; Picone, Rita; Emmi, Giacomo; Evangelisti, Paolo; Rizzello, Francesca; Cozzi, Cinzia; Taddei, Niccolò; Coccia, Maria Elisabetta

2018-01-01

Oxidative stress plays a major role in critical biological processes in human reproduction. However, a reliable and biologically accurate indicator of this condition does not yet exist. On these bases, the aim of this study was to assess and compare the blood and follicular fluid (FF) redox status of 45 infertile subjects (and 45 age-matched controls) undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF), and explore possible relationships between the assessed redox parameters and IVF outcomes. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production, assessed by flow cytometry analysis in blood leukocytes and granulosa cells, significantly increased (p assisted reproductive techniques and infertility management is recommended. PMID:29462946

Growth of monodisperse nanocrystals of cerium oxide during synthesis and annealing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghosh, Swapankumar; Divya, Damodaran; Remani, Kottayilpadi C.; Sreeremya, Thadathil S.

2010-01-01

Monodisperse cerium oxide nanocrystals have been successfully synthesised using simple ammonia precipitation technique from cerium(III) nitrate solution at different temperatures in the range 35-80 o C. The activation energy for growth of CeO 2 nanocrystals during the precipitation is calculated as 11.54 kJ/mol using Arrhenius plot. Average crystal diameter was obtained from XRD analysis, HR-TEM and light scattering (PCS). The analysis of size data from HR-TEM images and PCS clearly indicated the formation of highly crystalline CeO 2 particles in narrow size range. CeO 2 nanocrystals precipitated at 35 o C were further annealed at temperatures in the range 300-700 o C. The activation energy for crystal growth during annealing is also calculated and is close to the reported values. An effort is made to predict the mechanism of crystal growth during the precipitation and annealing.

Hydrogen assisted growth of high quality epitaxial graphene on the C-face of 4H-SiC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cai, Tuocheng; Jia, Zhenzhao; Yan, Baoming; Yu, Dapeng; Wu, Xiaosong, E-mail: xswu@pku.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory for Artificial Microstructure and Mesoscopic Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter, Beijing 100871 (China)

2015-01-05

We demonstrate hydrogen assisted growth of high quality epitaxial graphene on the C-face of 4H-SiC. Compared with the conventional thermal decomposition technique, the size of the growth domain by this method is substantially increased and the thickness variation is reduced. Based on the morphology of epitaxial graphene, the role of hydrogen is revealed. It is found that hydrogen acts as a carbon etchant. It suppresses the defect formation and nucleation of graphene. It also improves the kinetics of carbon atoms via hydrocarbon species. These effects lead to increase of the domain size and the structure quality. The consequent capping effect results in smooth surface morphology and suppression of multilayer growth. Our method provides a viable route to fine tune the growth kinetics of epitaxial graphene on SiC.

Template-assisted growth of nano structured functional materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ying, K.K.; Nur Ubaidah Saidin; Khuan, N.I.; Suhaila Hani Ilias; Foo, C.T.

2012-01-01

Template-assisted growth is an important nano electrochemical deposition technique for synthesizing one-dimensional (1-D) nano structures with uniformly well-controlled shapes and sizes. A good template with well-defined dimensions is imperative for realizing this task. Porous anodic alumina (PAA) has been a favorable candidate for this purpose as it can be tailor-made with precise pore geometries, such as pore length and diameter as well as inter-pore distances, via the anodization of pure aluminium. This paper reports the fabrication of PAA templates and electrochemical synthesis of functional nano structures in the form of nano wires using PAA templates as scaffolds. Axial heterostructure and homogeneous nano wires formed by engineering materials configuration via composition and/ or layer thickness variations were fabricated for different functionalities. X-ray diffraction and imaging techniques were used to alucidate the microstructures, morphologies and chemical compositions of the nano wires produced. Due to their large surface area-to-volume ratios, and therefore high sensitivities, these functional nano structures have useful applications as critical components in nano sensor devices and various areas of nano technology. Potential applications include as hydrogen gas sensors in nuclear power plant for monitoring structural integrity of reactor components and containment building, as well as environmental monitoring of air pollution and leakages of toxic gases and chemicals. (Author)

Copper oxide assisted cysteine hierarchical structures for immunosensor application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pandey, Chandra Mouli [Biomedical Instrumentation Section, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi 110012 (India); Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005 (India); Sumana, Gajjala, E-mail: sumanagajjala@gmail.com [Biomedical Instrumentation Section, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi 110012 (India); Tiwari, Ida [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005 (India)

2014-09-08

The present work describes the promising electrochemical immunosensing strategy based on copper (II) assisted hierarchical cysteine structures (CuCys) varying from star to flower like morphology. The CuCys having average size of 10 μm have been synthesised using L-Cysteine as initial precursor in presence of copper oxide under environmentally friendly conditions in aqueous medium. To delineate the synthesis mechanism, detailed structural investigations have been carried out using characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The electrochemical behaviour of self-assembled CuCys on gold electrode shows surface controlled electrode reaction with an apparent electron transfer rate constant of 3.38 × 10{sup −4 }cm s{sup −1}. This innovative platform has been utilized to fabricate an immunosensor by covalently immobilizing monoclonal antibodies specific for Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli). Under the optimal conditions, the fabricated immunosensor is found to be sensitive and specific for the detection of E. coli with a detection limit of 10 cfu/ml.

Surfactant-assisted growth of anodic nanoporous niobium oxide with a grained surface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoo, Jeong Eun [Department of Chemical Engineering, Inha University, 253 Yonghyun Dong, Nam-Gu, Incheon 402-751 (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Jinsub, E-mail: jinsub@inha.ac.k [Department of Chemical Engineering, Inha University, 253 Yonghyun Dong, Nam-Gu, Incheon 402-751 (Korea, Republic of)

2010-07-15

Nanoporous niobium oxide film with a maximum thickness of 520 nm was prepared by anodizing niobium in a mixture of 1 wt% HF, 1 M H{sub 3}PO{sub 4}, and a small amount of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS) surfactant. The porosity of the anodic niobium oxide prepared without SDS is irregular with the surface of the oxide suggesting a grained surface pattern rather than an ordered porous structure. A proper amount of SDS addition can prepare a pore arrangement with stripe patterns. The pore depth and surface pattern were strongly affected by the concentration of SDS and bath temperature. We found that the addition of SDS surfactant facilitated improvement in the chemical resistance of niobium oxide, leading to the formation of pores with a longer length compared to those prepared without a SDS surfactant. This can be in part ascribed to the protection of the surface by the physical adsorption of SDS on the surface due to a charge-charge interaction and be in part attributed to the formation of Nb=O bonding on the outermost oxide layer by SDS. When anodization was carried out for 4 h, the surface dissolution of niobium oxide was observed, which means that the maximum tolerance time against chemical dissolution was less than 4 h.

Protein Annotators' Assistant: A Novel Application of Information Retrieval Techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Wise, Michael J.

2000-01-01

Protein Annotators' Assistant (PAA) is a software system which assists protein annotators in assigning functions to newly sequenced proteins. PAA employs a number of information retrieval techniques in a novel setting and is thus related to text categorization, where multiple categories may be suggested, except that in this case none of the…

Growth of langasite via Bridgman technique along [ 0 0 0 1], [ 2 1¯ 1¯ 0] and [ 0 1 1¯ 1] for piezoelectric applications

Science.gov (United States)

Uda, Satoshi; Inaba, Hitoshi; Harada, Jiro; Hoshikawa, Keigo

2004-10-01

2-inch langasite (La 3Ga 5SiO 14) single crystals were grown for the first time via a vertical Bridgman method, assisted by the accelerated crucible rotation technique (ACRT) along [ 0 0 0 1] ( Z-axis), [ 2 1¯ 1¯ 0] ( X-axis) and [ 0 1 1¯ 1] (54°-rotated Y-axis) for piezoelectric applications. Because of the possible liquid immiscibility, incongruency and segregation, secondary phases other than langasite are formed during growth. The mode of occurrence of these phases was closely related to the interface instability that was specific to the growth direction. The formation of inclusions consisting of lanthanum gallate (LaGaO 3), aligned parallel to ( 0 1 1¯ 0), was associated with the constitutional supercooling. The residual products during the terminal transient were the mixture of gallium oxide (Ga 2O 3) and lanthanum gallate (LaGaO 3) or the mixture of gallium oxide and lanthanum silicate (La 2Si 2O 7) reflecting the position of the initial melt, relative to the tie line connecting the langasite solid solution with gallium oxide in the system of La 2O 3-Ga 2O 3-SiO 2. The homogeneity of the grown crystal was evaluated by the distribution of SAW velocities of the devices fabricated on the ( 0 1 1¯ 0) wafer, as well as by the uniformity of d-spacing of 0 5 5¯ 5.

[Clinical analysis of 12 cases of orthognathic surgery with digital computer-assisted technique].

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Xin-ying; Hu, Min; Liu, Chang-kui; Liu, Hua-wei; Liu, San-xia; Tao, Ye

2014-06-01

This study was to investigate the effect of the digital computer-assisted technique in orthognathic surgery. Twelve patients from January 2008 to December 2011 with jaw malformation were treated in our department. With the help of CT and three-dimensional reconstruction technique, 12 patients underwent surgical treatment and the results were evaluated after surgery. Digital computer-assisted technique could clearly show the status of the jaw deformity and assist virtual surgery. After surgery all patients were satisfied with the results. Digital orthognathic surgery can improve the predictability of the surgical procedure, and to facilitate patients' communication, shorten operative time, and reduce patients' pain.

Edge reactivity and water-assisted dissociation on cobalt oxide nanoislands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fester, J.; García-Melchor, M.; Walton, A. S.; Bajdich, M.

2017-01-01

Here, transition metal oxides show great promise as Earth-abundant catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction in electrochemical water splitting. However, progress in the development of highly active oxide nanostructures is hampered by a lack of knowledge of the location and nature of the active sites. Here we show, through atom-resolved scanning tunnelling microscopy, X-ray spectroscopy and computational modelling, how hydroxyls form from water dissociation at under coordinated cobalt edge sites of cobalt oxide nanoislands. Surprisingly, we find that an additional water molecule acts to promote all the elementary steps of the dissociation process and subsequent hydrogen migration, revealing the important assisting role of a water molecule in its own dissociation process on a metal oxide. Inspired by the experimental findings, we theoretically model the oxygen evolution reaction activity of cobalt oxide nanoislands and show that the nanoparticle metal edges also display favourable adsorption energetics for water oxidation under electrochemical conditions.

The influence of energetic bombardment on the structure formation of sputtered zinc oxide films. Development of an atomistic growth model and its application to tailor thin film properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koehl, Dominik

2011-02-17

The focus of this work is the investigation of the growth of zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films. It is demonstrated that with a modified, ion beam assisted sputtering (IBAS) process, zinc oxide films can be deposited which exhibit a markedly improved crystalline order. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that intense energetic oxygen ion bombardment can be utilized to change film texture from the typical (002)-self-texture to an a-axis texture where the (002)-planes are perpendicular to the substrate surface. An understanding of the underlying mechanisms is developed which also facilitates a more detailed understanding of the action of ion bombardment during zinc oxide film growth. It is shown that zinc oxide films are susceptible to the influence of ion bombardment particularly in the nucleation regime of growth and that this finding is generally true for all observed structural changes induced by ion bombardment with various species, energies and flux densities. It is demonstrated not only that the initial growth stage plays an important role in the formation of a preferred growth orientation but also that the action of texture forming mechanisms in subsequent growth stages is comparatively weak. (orig.)

The influence of energetic bombardment on the structure formation of sputtered zinc oxide films. Development of an atomistic growth model and its application to tailor thin film properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koehl, Dominik

2011-01-01

The focus of this work is the investigation of the growth of zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films. It is demonstrated that with a modified, ion beam assisted sputtering (IBAS) process, zinc oxide films can be deposited which exhibit a markedly improved crystalline order. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that intense energetic oxygen ion bombardment can be utilized to change film texture from the typical (002)-self-texture to an a-axis texture where the (002)-planes are perpendicular to the substrate surface. An understanding of the underlying mechanisms is developed which also facilitates a more detailed understanding of the action of ion bombardment during zinc oxide film growth. It is shown that zinc oxide films are susceptible to the influence of ion bombardment particularly in the nucleation regime of growth and that this finding is generally true for all observed structural changes induced by ion bombardment with various species, energies and flux densities. It is demonstrated not only that the initial growth stage plays an important role in the formation of a preferred growth orientation but also that the action of texture forming mechanisms in subsequent growth stages is comparatively weak. (orig.)

Growth of monodisperse nanocrystals of cerium oxide during synthesis and annealing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ghosh, Swapankumar, E-mail: swapankumar.ghosh2@mail.dcu.ie; Divya, Damodaran [National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) (India); Remani, Kottayilpadi C. [Sree Neelakanda Government Sanskrit College, Department of Chemistry (India); Sreeremya, Thadathil S. [National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) (India)

2010-06-15

Monodisperse cerium oxide nanocrystals have been successfully synthesised using simple ammonia precipitation technique from cerium(III) nitrate solution at different temperatures in the range 35-80 {sup o}C. The activation energy for growth of CeO{sub 2} nanocrystals during the precipitation is calculated as 11.54 kJ/mol using Arrhenius plot. Average crystal diameter was obtained from XRD analysis, HR-TEM and light scattering (PCS). The analysis of size data from HR-TEM images and PCS clearly indicated the formation of highly crystalline CeO{sub 2} particles in narrow size range. CeO{sub 2} nanocrystals precipitated at 35 {sup o}C were further annealed at temperatures in the range 300-700 {sup o}C. The activation energy for crystal growth during annealing is also calculated and is close to the reported values. An effort is made to predict the mechanism of crystal growth during the precipitation and annealing.

Growth of monosex hybrid tilapia in the labortory and sewage oxidation ponds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suffern, J.S.; Adams, S.M.; Blaylock, B.G.; Coutant, C.C.; Guthrie, C.A.

1978-01-01

Studies were conducted to evaluate the potential of monosex hybrid tilapia (female T. mossambica x male T. hornorum) in waste-heat polyculture systems. The optimum growth temperature for this hybrid was found to be 32 0 C in laboratory experiments. Experiments in sewage pond cage culture in the temperature range of 23 to 33 0 C at stocking densities of approximately 53 fish/m 3 were also conducted. At fish sizes between 5 and 12 cm TL, estimated annual production is approximately 50,000 kg/ha/yr (50,000 lb/acre/yr). Fish in the sewage oxidation ponds grew significantly faster than fish fed trout chow at optimum temperature in the laboratory, even though temperatures in the sewage ponds averaged below the optimum growth temperature. Techniques to accelerate growth rates are being explored. Exposure to gamma radiation (500 rads), known to cause significant increases in channel catfish growth rate, was found to have a similar effect on tilapia. After a 20-week growth period, exposed fish weighed an average of 20% more than controls

Growth kinetics of hydrogen sulfide oxidizing bacteria in corroded concrete from sewers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jensen, Henriette Stokbro; Lens, Piet N.L.; Nielsen, Jeppe L.; Bester, Kai; Nielsen, Asbjorn Haaning; Hvitved-Jacobsen, Thorkild; Vollertsen, Jes

2011-01-01

Hydrogen sulfide oxidation by microbes present on concrete surfaces of sewer pipes is a key process in sewer corrosion. The growth of aerobic sulfur oxidizing bacteria from corroded concrete surfaces was studied in a batch reactor. Samples of corrosion products, containing sulfur oxidizing bacteria, were suspended in aqueous solution at pH similar to that of corroded concrete. Hydrogen sulfide was supplied to the reactor to provide the source of reduced sulfur. The removal of hydrogen sulfide and oxygen was monitored. The utilization rates of both hydrogen sulfide and oxygen suggested exponential bacterial growth with median growth rates of 1.25 d -1 and 1.33 d -1 as determined from the utilization rates of hydrogen sulfide and oxygen, respectively. Elemental sulfur was found to be the immediate product of the hydrogen sulfide oxidation. When exponential growth had been achieved, the addition of hydrogen sulfide was terminated leading to elemental sulfur oxidation. The ratio of consumed sulfur to consumed oxygen suggested that sulfuric acid was the ultimate oxidation product. To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first study to determine the growth rate of bacteria involved in concrete corrosion with hydrogen sulfide as source of reduced sulfur.

Ultrasound assisted synthesis of ZnO/reduced graphene oxide composites with enhanced photocatalytic activity and anti-photocorrosion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng, Yonggang; Ji, Junling; Chen, Dajun

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • ZnO/reduced graphene oxide composites were prepared by in situ growth with ultrasound assisted method. • A plausible formation mechanism of ZnO/rGO composites was deduced. • After hybridization with rGO, the photocatalytic activity of ZnO was improved and its photocorrosion was inhibited obviously. - Abstract: A method to improve the photocatalytic activity and suppress the photocorrosion of ZnO was developed by depositing ZnO nanoparticles onto the surface of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) via in situ growth with ultrasound assisted synthesis. The optimum synergetic effect of ZnO/rGO composite was found at a weight ratio of 2% (rGO/ZnO). Compared with ZnO, the photocatalytic activities of ZnO/rGO composite for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) and C.I. acid red 249 (AR249) aqueous solutions under UV light irradiation were increased by 8.6% and 14.7%, respectively. The improved photocatalytic activity was originated from the rapid separation of photogenerated electrons and holes on the interface of rGO and ZnO. The photocorrosion of ZnO was inhibited obviously after hybridization with rGO. Even after six successive cycles under UV irradiation, the photocatalytic activities of ZnO/rGO composite for MB and AR249 still retained 92.9% and 94.8% of that for the first cycling run, while that of ZnO obviously decreased due to serious photocorrosion. The photocorrosion inhibition of ZnO by rGO was attributed to the reduced activation of surface oxygen atom on the surface of ZnO.

Growth and characterization of oxide layers on zirconium alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maroto, A.J.G.; Bordoni, R.; Villegas, M.; Olmedo, A.M.; Blesa, M.A.; Iglesias, A.; Koenig, P.

1996-01-01

In the range 265-435 C Zr-2.5Nb corrosion takes place in two stages, as opposed to the cyclic behaviour of Zry-4. The Zry-4 corrosion stages are described by a single equation, in terms of the dense oxide layer thickness that decreases sharply at each transition. Tetragonal zirconia is present in the oxide layers of both alloys. In Zry-4, its volume fraction decreases as the oxide grows; it is barely discernible in Zr-2.5Nb in films below 1 μm, to later increase up to the transition. In both alloys, compressive stresses are developed associated with the oxide growth. Their relaxation at the transition correlates with the transformation of ZrO 2 (t) to ZrO 2 (m) and with the decrease of the dense oxide layer. In Zr-2.5Nb, oxide ridges form on the β-Zr phase filaments, at the very onset of film growth. The cyclic behaviour associated with the periodical breakdown of the dense oxide layer is therefore blurred, although optical microscopy shows that the scale retains the multilayered structure typical of Zry-4. (orig.)

VUV photo-oxidation of gaseous benzene combined with ozone-assisted catalytic oxidation: Effect on transition metal catalyst

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Haibao; Lu, Haoxian; Zhan, Yujie; Liu, Gaoyuan; Feng, Qiuyu; Huang, Huiling; Wu, Muyan; Ye, Xinguo

2017-01-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) cause the major air pollution concern. In this study, a series of ZSM-5 supported transition metals were prepared by impregnation method. They were combined with vacuum UV (VUV) photo-oxidation in a continuous-flow packed-bed reactor and used for the degradation of benzene, a typical toxic VOCs. Compared with VUV photo-oxidation alone, the introduction of catalysts can greatly enhance benzene oxidation under the help of O3, the by-products from VUV irradiation, via ozone-assisted catalytic oxidation (OZCO). The catalytic activity of transition metals towards benzene oxidation followed the order: Mn > Co > Cu > Ni > Fe. Mn achieved the best catalytic activity due to the strongest capability for O3 catalytic decomposition and utilization. Benzene and O3 removal efficiency reached as high as 97% and 100% after 360 min, respectively. O3 was catalytically decomposed, generating highly reactive oxidants such as rad OH and rad O for benzene oxidation.

The initial growth of complex oxides : study and manipulation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rijnders, Augustinus J.H.M.

2001-01-01

In this thesis, the initial growth stage, i.e., nucleation and growth of the first few unit cell layers, of complex oxides was studied in real time during pulsed laser deposition (PLD). These studies were performed at their optimal epitaxial growth conditions, i.e., high temperature and high oxygen

Growth Stresses in Thermally Grown Oxides on Nickel-Based Single-Crystal Alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Rettberg, Luke H.; Laux, Britta; He, Ming Y.; Hovis, David; Heuer, Arthur H.; Pollock, Tresa M.

2016-03-01

Growth stresses that develop in α-Al2O3 scale that form during isothermal oxidation of three Ni-based single crystal alloys have been studied to elucidate their role in coating and substrate degradation at elevated temperatures. Piezospectroscopy measurements at room temperature indicate large room temperature compressive stresses in the oxides formed at 1255 K or 1366 K (982 °C or 1093 °C) on the alloys, ranging from a high of 4.8 GPa for René N4 at 1366 K (1093 °C) to a low of 3.8 GPa for René N5 at 1255 K (982 °C). Finite element modeling of each of these systems to account for differences in coefficients of thermal expansion of the oxide and substrate indicates growth strains in the range from 0.21 to 0.44 pct at the oxidation temperature, which is an order of magnitude higher than the growth strains measured in the oxides on intermetallic coatings that are typically applied to these superalloys. The magnitudes of the growth strains do not scale with the parabolic oxidation rate constants measured for the alloys. Significant spatial inhomogeneities in the growth stresses were observed, due to (i) the presence of dendritic segregation and (ii) large carbides in the material that locally disrupts the structure of the oxide scale. The implications of these observations for failure during cyclic oxidation, fatigue cycling, and alloy design are considered.

Comparison of Ultrasound-Guided and Fluoroscopy-Assisted Antegrade Common Femoral Artery Puncture Techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Slattery, Michael M.; Goh, Gerard S.; Power, Sarah; Given, Mark F.; McGrath, Frank P.; Lee, Michael J., E-mail: mlee@rcsi.ie [Beaumont Hospital, Department of Radiology (Ireland)

2015-06-15

PurposeTo prospectively compare the procedural time and complication rates of ultrasound-guided and fluoroscopy-assisted antegrade common femoral artery (CFA) puncture techniques.Materials and MethodsHundred consecutive patients, undergoing a vascular procedure for which an antegrade approach was deemed necessary/desirable, were randomly assigned to undergo either ultrasound-guided or fluoroscopy-assisted CFA puncture. Time taken from administration of local anaesthetic to vascular sheath insertion in the superficial femoral artery (SFA), patients’ age, body mass index (BMI), fluoroscopy radiation dose, haemostasis method and immediate complications were recorded. Mean and median values were calculated and statistically analysed with unpaired t tests.ResultsSixty-nine male and 31 female patients underwent antegrade puncture (mean age 66.7 years). The mean BMI was 25.7 for the ultrasound-guided (n = 53) and 25.3 for the fluoroscopy-assisted (n = 47) groups. The mean time taken for the ultrasound-guided puncture was 7 min 46 s and for the fluoroscopy-assisted technique was 9 min 41 s (p = 0.021). Mean fluoroscopy dose area product in the fluoroscopy group was 199 cGy cm{sup 2}. Complications included two groin haematomas in the ultrasound-guided group and two retroperitoneal haematomas and one direct SFA puncture in the fluoroscopy-assisted group.ConclusionUltrasound-guided technique is faster and safer for antegrade CFA puncture when compared to the fluoroscopic-assisted technique alone.

Structure and growth of oxide on iron-chromium alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cox, M.G.C.; McEnaney, B.; Scott, V.D.

1974-01-01

Several oxides form during the initial stages of oxidation of iron-chromium alloys at 400 to 600 0 C in CO 2 -1%CO gas. The nature of the oxidation product depends upon crystallographic orientation and composition of the substrate, and can be explained by considering the maximum solubility of chromium in different oxide phases together with interfacial and strain energy factors. Kinetics of oxidation together with micrographic observations indicate that, as oxidation proceeds spinel oxide M 3 O 4 nucleates at sites on the substrate surface associated with asperities. The spinel nuclei grow laterally and vertically until they coalesce and the scale subsequently thickens according to a parabolic rate law. The duplex structure of scales is interpreted in terms of an outward diffusion of cations together with simultaneous growth of an inner layer in the space created by this outward movement. Scale porosity provides a route for gas-phase transport of oxidant to support the growth of the inner layer. Regularly spaced lamellar voids which may form in the inner layer are believed to be associated with a cyclic vacancy condensation process. Enrichment of the inner layer in chromium is explained by analysis of the possible diffusion path networks in close-packed oxides. Some comments are made concerning possible practical applications of these data. (author)

Effect of Growth Parameters on SnO2 Nanowires Growth by Electron Beam Evaporation Method

Science.gov (United States)

Rakesh Kumar, R.; Manjula, Y.; Narasimha Rao, K.

2018-02-01

Tin oxide (SnO2) nanowires were synthesized via catalyst assisted VLS growth mechanism by the electron beam evaporation method at a growth temperature of 450 °C. The effects of growth parameters such as evaporation rate of Tin, catalyst film thickness, and different types of substrates on the growth of SnO2 nanowires were studied. Nanowires (NWs) growth was completely seized at higher tin evaporation rates due to the inability of the catalyst particle to initiate the NWs growth. Nanowires diameters were able to tune with catalyst film thickness. Nanowires growth was completely absent at higher catalyst film thickness due to agglomeration of the catalyst film. Optimum growth parameters for SnO2 NWs were presented. Nanocomposites such as Zinc oxide - SnO2, Graphene oxide sheets- SnO2 and Graphene nanosheets-SnO2 were able to synthesize at a lower substrate temperature of 450 °C. These nanocompsoites will be useful in enhancing the capacity of Li-ion batteries, the gas sensing response and also useful in increasing the photo catalytic activity.

Aerosol - assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition of Metal Oxide Structures: Zinc Oxide Rods

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vallejos, S.; Pizúrová, Naděžda; Čechal, J.; Grácia, I.; Cané, C.

2017-01-01

Roč. 2017, Č. 127 (2017), č. článku e56127. ISSN 1940-087X Institutional support: RVO:68081723 Keywords : Zinc oxide * columnar structures * rods * AACVD * non-catalyzed growth * vapor-solid mechanism Subject RIV: CA - Inorganic Chemistry OBOR OECD: Polymer science Impact factor: 1.232, year: 2016 https://www.jove.com/video/56127

Effects of tungsten and titanium oxide nanoparticles on the diazotrophic growth and metals acquisition by Azotobacter vinelandii under molybdenum limiting condition.

Science.gov (United States)

Allard, Patrick; Darnajoux, Romain; Phalyvong, Karine; Bellenger, Jean-Philippe

2013-02-19

The acquisition of essential metals, such as the metal cofactors (molybdenum (Mo) and iron (Fe)) of the nitrogenase, the enzyme responsible for the reduction of dinitrogen (N(2)) to ammonium, is critical to N(2) fixing bacteria in soil. The release of metal nanoparticles (MNPs) to the environment could be detrimental to N(2) fixing bacteria by introducing a new source of toxic metals and by interfering with the acquisition of essential metals such as Mo. Since Mo has been reported to limit nonsymbiotic N(2) fixation in many ecosystems from tropical to cold temperate, this question is particularly acute in the context of Mo limitation. Using a combination of microbiology and analytical chemistry techniques, we have evaluated the effect of titanium (Ti) and tungsten (W) oxide nanoparticles on the diazotrophic growth and metals acquisition in pure culture of the ubiquitous N(2) fixing bacterium Azotobacter vinelandii under Mo replete and Mo limiting conditions. We report that under our conditions (≤10 mg·L(-1)) TiO(2) NPs have no effects on the diazotrophic growth of A. vinelandii while WO(3) NPs are highly detrimental to the growth especially under Mo limiting conditions. Our results show that the toxicity of WO(3) NPs to A. vinelandii is due to an interference with the catechol-metalophores assisted uptake of Mo.

Use of acoustic emission technique to study the spalling behaviour of oxide scales on Ni-10Cr-8Al containing sulphur and/or yttrium impurity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khanna, A.S.; Quadakkers, W.J.; Jonas, H.

1989-01-01

It is now well established that the presence of small amounts of sulphur impurity in a NiCrAl-based alloy causes a deleterious effect on their high temperature oxidation behaviour. It is, however, not clear whether the adverse effect is due to a decrease in the spalling resistance of the oxide scale or due to an enhanced scale growth. In order to confirm which of the factors is dominating, two independent experimental techniques were used in the investigation of the oxidation behaviour of Ni-10Cr-8Al containing sulphur- and/or yttrium additions: conventional thermogravimetry, to study the scale growth rates and acoustic emission analysis to study the scale adherence. The results indicated that the dominant factor responsible for the deleterious effect of sulphur impurity on the oxidation of a Ni-10Cr-8Al alloy, was a significant change in the growth rate and the composition of the scale. Addition of yttrium improved the oxidation behaviour, not only by increasing the scale adherence, but also by reducing the scale growth due to gettering of sulphur. (orig.) [de

Growth and thermal oxidation of Ru and ZrO2 thin films as oxidation protective layers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Coloma Ribera, R.

2017-01-01

This thesis focuses on the study of physical and chemical processes occurring during growth and thermal oxidation of Ru and ZrO2 thin films. Acting as oxidation resistant capping materials to prevent oxidation of layers underneath, these films have several applications, i.e., in microelectronics

Direct growth of self-crystallized graphene and graphite nanoballs with Ni vapor-assisted growth: from controllable growth to material characterization.

Science.gov (United States)

Yen, Wen-Chun; Chen, Yu-Ze; Yeh, Chao-Hui; He, Jr-Hau; Chiu, Po-Wen; Chueh, Yu-Lun

2014-05-09

A directly self-crystallized graphene layer with transfer-free process on arbitrary insulator by Ni vapor-assisted growth at growth temperatures between 950 to 1100 °C via conventional chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system was developed and demonstrated. Domain sizes of graphene were confirmed by Raman spectra from ~12 nm at growth temperature of 1000 °C to ~32 nm at growth temperature of 1100 °C, respectively. Furthermore, the thickness of the graphene is controllable, depending on deposition time and growth temperature. By increasing growth pressure, the growth of graphite nano-balls was preferred rather than graphene growth. The detailed formation mechanisms of graphene and graphite nanoballs were proposed and investigated in detail. Optical and electrical properties of graphene layer were measured. The direct growth of the carbon-based materials with free of the transfer process provides a promising application at nanoelectronics.

Advanced crystal growth techniques for thallium bromide semiconductor radiation detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Datta, Amlan; Becla, Piotr; Guguschev, Christo; Motakef, Shariar

2018-02-01

Thallium Bromide (TlBr) is a promising room-temperature radiation detector candidate with excellent charge transport properties. Currently, Travelling Molten Zone (TMZ) technique is widely used for growth of semiconductor-grade TlBr crystals. However, there are several challenges associated with this type of crystal growth process including lower yield, high thermal stress, and low crystal uniformity. To overcome these shortcomings of the current technique, several different crystal growth techniques have been implemented in this study. These include: Vertical Bridgman (VB), Physical Vapor Transport (PVT), Edge-defined Film-fed Growth (EFG), and Czochralski Growth (Cz). Techniques based on melt pulling (EFG and Cz) were demonstrated for the first time for semiconductor grade TlBr material. The viability of each process along with the associated challenges for TlBr growth has been discussed. The purity of the TlBr crystals along with its crystalline and electronic properties were analyzed and correlated with the growth techniques. Uncorrected 662 keV energy resolutions around 2% were obtained from 5 mm x 5 mm x 10 mm TlBr devices with virtual Frisch-grid configuration.

Ultrasound-assisted oxidative process for sulfur removal from petroleum product feedstock.

Science.gov (United States)

Mello, Paola de A; Duarte, Fábio A; Nunes, Matheus A G; Alencar, Mauricio S; Moreira, Elizabeth M; Korn, Mauro; Dressler, Valderi L; Flores, Erico M M

2009-08-01

A procedure using ultrasonic irradiation is proposed for sulfur removal of a petroleum product feedstock. The procedure involves the combination of a peroxyacid and ultrasound-assisted treatment in order to comply with the required sulfur content recommended by the current regulations for fuels. The ultrasound-assisted oxidative desulfurization (UAOD) process was applied to a petroleum product feedstock using dibenzothiophene as a model sulfur compound. The influence of ultrasonic irradiation time, oxidizing reagents amount, kind of solvent for the extraction step and kind of organic acid were investigated. The use of ultrasonic irradiation allowed higher efficiency for sulfur removal in comparison to experiments performed without its application, under the same reactional conditions. Using the optimized conditions for UAOD, the sulfur removal was about 95% after 9min of ultrasonic irradiation (20kHz, 750W, run at 40%), using hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid, followed by extraction with methanol.

New arthroscopic assisted technique for ankle instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerstner Garces, Juan Ricardo

2004-01-01

An assisted arthroscopic technique for chronic ankle instability is presented by the author, together with his results for 27 patients treated between January 2000 and February 2004, with a minimum follow-up of six months. Indications for his technique, according to the rehabilitation protocol of the Medical Centre, included patients with chronic subjective and objective ankle instability, anteroposterior instability, associated anteromedical impingement syndromes, non competitive athletes, patients not displaying defects in the alignment of the axis of foot and ankle, or systemic disorders such as diabetes mellitus, collagenisis or hyperelasticity. Patients were evaluated according to the AOFAS scale for the outcome of ankle procedures, and followed up for a minimum period of six months. Positive results confirm an efficient and effective technique, simple and easy to reproduce, that does not hinder future open anatomical or non-anatomical reconstruction, and in which complications are minimal

Direct growth of self-crystallized graphene and graphite nanoballs with Ni vapor-assisted growth: From controllable growth to material characterization

Science.gov (United States)

Yen, Wen-Chun; Chen, Yu-Ze; Yeh, Chao-Hui; He, Jr-Hau; Chiu, Po-Wen; Chueh, Yu-Lun

2014-01-01

A directly self-crystallized graphene layer with transfer-free process on arbitrary insulator by Ni vapor-assisted growth at growth temperatures between 950 to 1100°C via conventional chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system was developed and demonstrated. Domain sizes of graphene were confirmed by Raman spectra from ~12 nm at growth temperature of 1000°C to ~32 nm at growth temperature of 1100°C, respectively. Furthermore, the thickness of the graphene is controllable, depending on deposition time and growth temperature. By increasing growth pressure, the growth of graphite nano-balls was preferred rather than graphene growth. The detailed formation mechanisms of graphene and graphite nanoballs were proposed and investigated in detail. Optical and electrical properties of graphene layer were measured. The direct growth of the carbon-based materials with free of the transfer process provides a promising application at nanoelectronics. PMID:24810224

On the mechanism of self-deceleration of the thin oxide film growth

CERN Document Server

Mukhambetov, D G

2002-01-01

The objective of this work was to investigate the kinetics of the two-phase oxide film growth on the alpha-Fe surface at temperatures of 650-750 K. We experimentally determined that the film thickness (h)-time oxidation (tau) relationship in the range denoted above is a logarithmic function, whereas Cabrera and Mott's theory gives a square law of film growth. In our work, analytical treatment of experimental data was made based on this theory, but we propose that self-deceleration of the film growth is caused not by attenuation of the electric intensity in the film because of an increase of h but by the shielding influence of the space charge of diffusing ions and electrons in that oxide film. With that purpose in view, the Debye shielding distance for plasma substance state in the oxide film was taken into consideration. The logarithmic law of oxide film growth was derived. Estimated calculations of this law's parameters were made that quantitatively correspond with literature data. The results obtained were...

The influence of ion implantation on the oxidation of nickel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goode, P.D.

1975-11-01

The effects of ion implantation on the oxidation of polycrystalline nickel have been studied for a range of implanted species: viz. He, Li, Ne, Ca, Ti, Ni, Co, Xe, Ce and Bi. The oxides were grown in dry oxygen at 630 0 C and the 16 O(d,p) 17 O nuclear reaction technique used to determine the amount of oxygen taken up. The influence of atomic and ionic size, valency and electronegativity of the implanted impurities was studied as also were the effects of ion bombardment damage and the influence of sputtering during implantation. Atomic size and the annealing of disorder were found to have a marked influence on oxide growth rate. The dependence of oxidation on annealing was further studied by implanting polycrystalline specimens with self ions and observing the oxide growth rate as a function of annealing temperature. A peak in the curve was found at 400 0 C and a similar peak observed at a somewhat higher temperature for oxidised single crystals. It is concluded that the oxidation rate will be influenced by those factors which alter the epitaxial relationship between metal and growing oxide. Such factors include atomic size of the implanted species, surface strain induced by implantation and changes in surface topography as a result of sputtering. In addition a model based on vacancy assisted cation migration is proposed to explain enhanced oxidation observed over a limited temperature range. (author)

Sublimation-assisted graphene transfer technique based on small polyaromatic hydrocarbons

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Mingguang; Stekovic, Dejan; Li, Wangxiang; Arkook, Bassim; Haddon, Robert C.; Bekyarova, Elena

2017-06-01

Advances in the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth of graphene have made this material a very attractive candidate for a number of applications including transparent conductors, electronics, optoeletronics, biomedical devices and energy storage. The CVD method requires transfer of graphene on a desired substrate and this is most commonly accomplished with polymers. The removal of polymer carriers is achieved with organic solvents or thermal treatment which makes this approach inappropriate for application to plastic thin films such as polyethylene terephthalate substrates. An ultraclean graphene transfer method under mild conditions is highly desired. In this article, we report a naphthalene-assisted graphene transfer technique which provides a reliable route to residue-free transfer of graphene to both hard and flexible substrates. The quality of the transferred graphene was characterized with atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Field effect transistors, based on the naphthalene-transfered graphene, were fabricated and characterized. This work has the potential to broaden the applications of CVD graphene in fields where ultraclean graphene and mild graphene transfer conditions are required.

Applications of NLP Techniques to Computer-Assisted Authoring of Test Items for Elementary Chinese

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chao-Lin; Lin, Jen-Hsiang; Wang, Yu-Chun

2010-01-01

The authors report an implemented environment for computer-assisted authoring of test items and provide a brief discussion about the applications of NLP techniques for computer assisted language learning. Test items can serve as a tool for language learners to examine their competence in the target language. The authors apply techniques for…

A redox-assisted supramolecular assembly of manganese oxide nanotube

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tao Li; Sun Chenggao; Fan Meilian; Huang Caijuan; Wu Hailong; Chao Zisheng; Zhai Hesheng

2006-01-01

In this paper, we report the hydrothermal synthesis of manganese oxide nanotube from an aqueous medium of pH 7, using KMnO 4 and MnCl 2 as inorganic precursors, polyoxyethylene (10) nonyl phenyl ether (TX-10) a surfactant and acetaldehyde an additive. The characterization of X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and N 2 adsorption at 77 K (BET) reveals that the synthesized manganese oxide nanotube has a mesopore size of ca. 3.65 nm and a wall thickness of ca. 12 nm, with the wall being composed of microporous crystals of monoclinic manganite. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) result demonstrates a decrease of the binding energy of the Mn 3+ in the manganese oxide nanotube, which may be related to both the nanotubular morphology and the crystalline pore wall. A mechanism of a redox-assisted supramolecular assembly, regulated by acetaldehyde, is postulated

Intrinsic stress evolution during amorphous oxide film growth on Al surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flötotto, D.; Wang, Z. M.; Jeurgens, L. P. H.; Mittemeijer, E. J.

2014-01-01

The intrinsic stress evolution during formation of ultrathin amorphous oxide films on Al(111) and Al(100) surfaces by thermal oxidation at room temperature was investigated in real-time by in-situ substrate curvature measurements and detailed atomic-scale microstructural analyses. During thickening of the oxide a considerable amount of growth stresses is generated in, remarkably even amorphous, ultrathin Al 2 O 3 films. The surface orientation-dependent stress evolutions during O adsorption on the bare Al surfaces and during subsequent oxide-film growth can be interpreted as a result of (i) adsorption-induced surface stress changes and (ii) competing processes of free volume generation and structural relaxation, respectively

Synthesis of Graphite Oxide with Different Surface Oxygen Contents Assisted Microwave Radiation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana Ibarra-Hernández

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Graphite oxide is synthesized via oxidation reaction using oxidant compounds that have lattice defects by the incorporation of unlike functional groups. Herein, we report the synthesis of the graphite oxide with diverse surface oxygen content through three (B, C, D different modified versions of the Hummers method assisted microwave radiation compared with the conventional graphite oxide sample obtained by Hummers method (A. These methods allow not only the production of graphite oxide but also reduced graphene oxide, without undergoing chemical, thermal, or mechanical reduction steps. The values obtained of C/O ratio were ~2, 3.4, and ~8.5 for methodologies C, B, and D, respectively, indicating the presence of graphite oxide and reduced graphene oxide, according to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Raman spectroscopy of method D shows the fewest structural defects compared to the other methodologies. The results obtained suggest that the permanganate ion produces reducing species during graphite oxidation. The generation of these species is attributed to a reversible reaction between the permanganate ion with π electrons, ions, and radicals produced after treatment with microwave radiation.

Oxide surfaces and metal/oxide interfaces studied by grazing incidence X-ray scattering

Science.gov (United States)

Renaud, Gilles

Experimental determinations of the atomic structure of insulating oxide surfaces and metal/oxide interfaces are scarce, because surface science techniques are often limited by the insulating character of the substrate. Grazing incidence X-ray scattering (GIXS), which is not subject to charge effects, can provide very precise information on the atomic structure of oxide surfaces: roughness, relaxation and reconstruction. It is also well adapted to analyze the atomic structure, the registry, the misfit relaxation, elastic or plastic, the growth mode and the morphology of metal/oxide interfaces during their growth, performed in situ. GIXS also allows the analysis of thin films and buried interfaces, in a non-destructive way, yielding the epitaxial relationships, and, by variation of the grazing incidence angle, the lattice parameter relaxation along the growth direction. On semi-coherent interfaces, the existence of an ordered network of interfacial misfit dislocations can be demonstrated, its Burger's vector determined, its ordering during in situ annealing cycles followed, and sometimes even its atomic structure can be addressed. Careful analysis during growth allows the modeling of the dislocation nucleation process. This review emphasizes the new information that GIXS can bring to oxide surfaces and metal/oxide interfaces by comparison with other surface science techniques. The principles of X-ray diffraction by surfaces and interfaces are recalled, together with the advantages and properties of grazing angles. The specific experimental requirements are discussed. Recent results are presented on the determination of the atomic structure of relaxed or reconstructed oxide surfaces. A description of results obtained during the in situ growth of metal on oxide surfaces is also given, as well as investigations of thick metal films on oxide surfaces, with lattice parameter misfit relaxed by an array of dislocations. Recent work performed on oxide thin films having

Surface morphology study on chromium oxide growth on Cr films by Nd-YAG laser oxidation process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong Qizhi; Hu Jiandong; Guo Zuoxing; Lian Jianshe; Chen Jiwei; Chen Bo

2002-01-01

Grain sized (60-100 nm) Cr 2 O 3 thin films were prepared on Cr thin film surfaces by Nd-YAG laser photothermal oxidation process. Surface morphology study showed crack-free short plateau-like oxide films formed. Increase of dislocation density after pulsed laser irradiation was found. Thin film external surfaces, grain boundaries and dislocations are main paths of laser surface oxidation. Pinning and sealing of grain boundary was the reason that deeper oxidation did not produce. Grain growth and agglomeration of Cr sub-layer yielded tensile stress on the surface Cr 2 O 3 thin film. It was the reason that short plateau-like surface morphology formed and cracks appeared sometimes. In oxygen annealing at 700 deg. C, grain boundaries were considered not to be pinned at the surface, mixture diffusion was main mechanism in growth of oxide. Compression stress development in whole film led to extrusion of grains that was the reason that multiple appearances such as pyramid-like and nutshell-like morphology formed

Steam Assisted Accelerated Growth of Oxide Layer on Aluminium Alloys

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Din, Rameez Ud; Yuksel, Serkan; Jellesen, Morten Stendahl

2013-01-01

Corrosion resistance of aluminium alloys is related to the composition and morphology of the oxide film on the surface of aluminium. In this paper we investigated the use of steam on the surface modification of aluminium to produce boehmite films. The study reveals a detailed investigation...... of the effect of vapour pressure, structure of intermetallic particles and thickness of boehmite films on the corrosion behaviour of aluminium alloys....

Synthesis and in vacuo deposition of iron oxide nanoparticles by microplasma-assisted decomposition of ferrocene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schaefer, Michael; Kumar, Ajay; Mohan Sankaran, R.; Schlaf, Rudy

2014-01-01

Microplasma-assisted gas-phase nucleation has emerged as an important new approach to produce high-purity, nanometer-sized, and narrowly dispersed particles. This study aims to integrate this technique with vacuum conditions to enable synthesis and deposition in an ultrahigh vacuum compatible environment. The ultimate goal is to combine nanoparticle synthesis with photoemission spectroscopy-based electronic structure analysis. Such measurements require in vacuo deposition to prevent surface contamination from sample transfer, which can be deleterious for nanoscale materials. A homebuilt microplasma reactor was integrated into an existing atomic layer deposition system attached to a surface science multi-chamber system equipped with photoemission spectroscopy. As proof-of-concept, we studied the decomposition of ferrocene vapor in the microplasma to synthesize iron oxide nanoparticles. The injection parameters were optimized to achieve complete precursor decomposition under vacuum conditions, and nanoparticles were successfully deposited. The stoichiometry of the deposited samples was characterized in situ using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicating that iron oxide was formed. Additional transmission electron spectroscopy characterization allowed the determination of the size, shape, and crystal lattice of the particles, confirming their structural properties.

Percutaneous Sacroiliac Screw Placement: A Prospective Randomized Comparison of Robot-assisted Navigation Procedures with a Conventional Technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun-Qiang Wang

2017-01-01

Conclusions: Accuracy of the robot-assisted technique was superior to that of the freehand technique. Robot-assisted navigation is safe for unstable posterior pelvic ring stabilization, especially in S1, but also in S2. SI screw insertion with robot-assisted navigation is clinically feasible.

On the Influence of Nb/Ti Ratio on Environmentally-Assisted Crack Growth in High-Strength Nickel-Based Superalloys

Science.gov (United States)

Németh, A. A. N.; Crudden, D. J.; Collins, D. M.; Kuksenko, V.; Liebscher, C. H.; Armstrong, D. E. J.; Wilkinson, A. J.; Reed, R. C.

2018-05-01

The effect of Nb/Ti ratio on environmentally-assisted crack growth of three prototype Ni-based superalloys is studied. For these alloys, the yield strength is unaltered with increasing Nb/Ti ratio due to an increase in grain size. This situation has allowed the rationalization of the factors influencing damage tolerance at 700 °C. Primary intergranular cracks have been investigated using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy in a scanning transmission electron microscope and the analysis of electron back-scatter diffraction patterns. Any possible detrimental effect of Nb on the observed crack tip damage due to Nb-rich oxide formation is not observed. Instead, evidence is presented to indicate that the tertiary γ'-precipitates are dissolving ahead of the crack consistent with the formation of oxides such as alumina and rutile. Our results have implications for alloy design efforts; at any given strength level, both more and less damage-tolerant variants of these alloys can be designed.

Rapid microwave-assisted synthesis of dextran-coated iron oxide nanoparticles for magnetic resonance imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osborne, Elizabeth A; Atkins, Tonya M; Kauzlarich, Susan M; Gilbert, Dustin A; Liu Kai; Louie, Angelique Y

2012-01-01

Currently, magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are the only nanosized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents approved for clinical use, yet commercial manufacturing of these agents has been limited or discontinued. Though there is still widespread demand for these particles both for clinical use and research, they are difficult to obtain commercially, and complicated syntheses make in-house preparation unfeasible for most biological research labs or clinics. To make commercial production viable and increase accessibility of these products, it is crucial to develop simple, rapid and reproducible preparations of biocompatible iron oxide nanoparticles. Here, we report a rapid, straightforward microwave-assisted synthesis of superparamagnetic dextran-coated iron oxide nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were produced in two hydrodynamic sizes with differing core morphologies by varying the synthetic method as either a two-step or single-step process. A striking benefit of these methods is the ability to obtain swift and consistent results without the necessity for air-, pH- or temperature-sensitive techniques; therefore, reaction times and complex manufacturing processes are greatly reduced as compared to conventional synthetic methods. This is a great benefit for cost-effective translation to commercial production. The nanoparticles are found to be superparamagnetic and exhibit properties consistent for use in MRI. In addition, the dextran coating imparts the water solubility and biocompatibility necessary for in vivo utilization. (paper)

Rapid microwave-assisted synthesis of dextran-coated iron oxide nanoparticles for magnetic resonance imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Osborne, Elizabeth A; Atkins, Tonya M; Gilbert, Dustin A; Kauzlarich, Susan M; Liu, Kai; Louie, Angelique Y

2012-06-01

Currently, magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are the only nanosized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents approved for clinical use, yet commercial manufacturing of these agents has been limited or discontinued. Though there is still widespread demand for these particles both for clinical use and research, they are difficult to obtain commercially, and complicated syntheses make in-house preparation unfeasible for most biological research labs or clinics. To make commercial production viable and increase accessibility of these products, it is crucial to develop simple, rapid and reproducible preparations of biocompatible iron oxide nanoparticles. Here, we report a rapid, straightforward microwave-assisted synthesis of superparamagnetic dextran-coated iron oxide nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were produced in two hydrodynamic sizes with differing core morphologies by varying the synthetic method as either a two-step or single-step process. A striking benefit of these methods is the ability to obtain swift and consistent results without the necessity for air-, pH- or temperature-sensitive techniques; therefore, reaction times and complex manufacturing processes are greatly reduced as compared to conventional synthetic methods. This is a great benefit for cost-effective translation to commercial production. The nanoparticles are found to be superparamagnetic and exhibit properties consistent for use in MRI. In addition, the dextran coating imparts the water solubility and biocompatibility necessary for in vivo utilization.

In Situ Study of Noncatalytic Metal Oxide Nanowire Growth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rackauskas, Simas; Jiang, Hua; Wagner, Jakob Birkedal

2014-01-01

a catalyst is still widely disputed and unclear. Here, we show that the nanowire growth during metal oxidation is limited by a nucleation of a new layer. On the basis of in situ transmission electron microscope investigations we found that the growth occurs layer by layer at the lowest specific surface...

Native oxide formation on pentagonal copper nanowires: A TEM study

Science.gov (United States)

Hajimammadov, Rashad; Mohl, Melinda; Kordas, Krisztian

2018-06-01

Hydrothermally synthesized copper nanowires were allowed to oxidize in air at room temperature and 30% constant humidity for the period of 22 days. The growth of native oxide layer was followed up by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and diffraction to reveal and understand the kinetics of the oxidation process. Copper oxides appear in the form of differently oriented crystalline phases around the metallic core as a shell-like layer (Cu2O) and as nanoscopic islands (CuO) on the top of that. Time dependent oxide thickness data suggests that oxidation follows the field-assisted growth model at the beginning of the process, as practically immediately an oxide layer of ∼2.8 nm thickness develops on the surface. However, after this initial rapid growth, the local field attenuates and the classical parabolic diffusion limited growth plays the main role in the oxidation. Because of the single crystal facets on the side surface of penta-twinned Cu nanowires, the oxidation rate in the diffusion limited regime is lower than in polycrystalline films.

Structural and photoluminescence investigation on the hot-wire assisted plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition growth silicon nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chong, Su Kong; Goh, Boon Tong; Wong, Yuen-Yee; Nguyen, Hong-Quan; Do, Hien; Ahmad, Ishaq; Aspanut, Zarina; Muhamad, Muhamad Rasat; Dee, Chang Fu; Rahman, Saadah Abdul

2012-01-01

High density of silicon nanowires (SiNWs) were synthesized by a hot-wire assisted plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique. The structural and optical properties of the as-grown SiNWs prepared at different rf power of 40 and 80 W were analyzed in this study. The SiNWs prepared at rf power of 40 W exhibited highly crystalline structure with a high crystal volume fraction, X C of ∼82% and are surrounded by a thin layer of SiO x . The NWs show high absorption in the high energy region (E>1.8 eV) and strong photoluminescence at 1.73 to 2.05 eV (red–orange region) with a weak shoulder at 1.65 to 1.73 eV (near IR region). An increase in rf power to 80 W reduced the X C to ∼65% and led to the formation of nanocrystalline Si structures with a crystallite size of <4 nm within the SiNWs. These NWs are covered by a mixture of uncatalyzed amorphous Si layer. The SiNWs prepared at 80 W exhibited a high optical absorption ability above 99% in the broadband range between 220 and ∼1500 nm and red emission between 1.65 and 1.95 eV. The interesting light absorption and photoluminescence properties from both SiNWs are discussed in the text. - Highlights: ► Growth of random oriented silicon nanowires using hot-wire assisted plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. ► Increase in rf power reduces the crystallinity of silicon nanowires. ► High density and nanocrystalline structure in silicon nanowires significant enhance the near IR light absorption. ► Oxide defects and silicon nanocrystallites in silicon nanowires reveal photoluminescence in red–orange and red regions.

Chemical solution deposition techniques for epitaxial growth of complex oxides

NARCIS (Netherlands)

ten Elshof, Johan E.; Koster, G.; Huijben, Mark; Rijnders, G.

2015-01-01

The chemical solution deposition (CSD) process is a wet-chemical process that is employed to fabricate a wide variety of amorphous and crystalline oxide thin films. This chapter describes the typical steps in a CSD process and their influence on the final microstructure and properties of films, and

Growth of tin oxide thin films composed of nanoparticles on hydrophilic and hydrophobic glass substrates by spray pyrolysis technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paloly, Abdul Rasheed; Satheesh, M. [Nano Functional Materials Lab, Department of Physics, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi 682022, Kerala (India); Martínez-Tomás, M. Carmen; Muñoz-Sanjosé, Vicente [Departamento de Física Aplicada y Electromagnetismo, Universitat de Valencia, c/Dr Moliner 50, Burjassot, Valencia 46100 (Spain); Rajappan Achary, Sreekumar [Nano Functional Materials Lab, Department of Physics, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi 682022, Kerala (India); Bushiri, M. Junaid, E-mail: junaidbushiri@gmail.com [Nano Functional Materials Lab, Department of Physics, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi 682022, Kerala (India)

2015-12-01

Highlights: • SnO{sub 2} thin films were grown on hydrophilic and hydrophobic glass substrates. • Samples on hydrophobic substrates are having comparatively larger lattice volume. • Films on hydrophobic substrates have larger particles and low density distribution. • Substrate dependent photoluminescence emission is observed and studied. • SnO{sub 2} thin films grown over hydrophobic substrates may find potential applications. - Abstract: In this paper, we have demonstrated the growth of tin oxide (SnO{sub 2}) thin films composed of nanoparticles on hydrophobic (siliconized) and hydrophilic (non-siliconized) glass substrates by using the spray pyrolysis technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the formation of SnO{sub 2} thin films with tetragonal rutile-phase structure. Average particle size of nanoparticles was determined to be in the range of 3–4 nm measured from the front view images obtained by a field emission gun scanning electron microscope (FESEM), while the size of nanoparticle clusters, when present, were in the range of 11–20 nm. Surface morphology of SnO{sub 2} films grown over hydrophobic substrates revealed larger isolated particles which are less crowded compared to the highly crowded and agglomerated smaller particles in films on hydrophilic substrates. Blue shift in the band gap is observed in samples in which the average particle size is slightly larger than the exciton Bohr radius. Photoluminescence (PL) analysis of samples grown over hydrophobic substrates exhibited an intense defect level emission and a weak near band edge emission. The enhanced visible emission from these SnO{sub 2} thin films is attributed to lattice defects formed during the film growth due to the mismatch between the film and the hydrophobic substrate surface.

Ultrasound-assisted oxidative desulfurization and denitrogenation of liquid hydrocarbon fuels: A critical review.

Science.gov (United States)

Ja'fari, Mahsa; Ebrahimi, Seyedeh Leila; Khosravi-Nikou, Mohammad Reza

2018-01-01

Nowadays, a continuously worldwide concern for development of process to produce ultra-low sulfur and nitrogen fuels have been emerged. Typical hydrodesulfurization and hydrodenitrogenation technology deals with important difficulties such as high pressure and temperature operating condition, failure to treat some recalcitrant compounds and limitations to meet the stringent environmental regulations. In contrary an advanced oxidation process that is ultrasound assisted oxidative desulfurization and denitrogenation satisfies latest environmental regulations in much milder conditions with more efficiency. The present work deals with a comprehensive review on findings and development in the ultrasound assisted oxidative desulfurization and denitrogenation (UAOD) during the last decades. The role of individual parameters namely temperature, residence time, ultrasound power and frequency, pH, initial concentration and types of sulfur and nitrogen compounds on the efficiency are described. What's more another treatment properties that is role of phase transfer agent (PTA) and solvents of extraction step, reaction kinetics, mechanism of the ultrasound, fuel properties and recovery in UAOD are reviewed. Finally, the required future works to mature this technology are suggested. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound-assisted oxidative desulfurization of bunker-C oil using tert-butyl hydroperoxide.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Qiong; Lin, Song; Cheng, Ying; Liu, Sujun; Xiong, Jun-Ru

2013-09-01

This work investigated the ultrasonic assisted oxidative desulfurization of bunker-C oil with TBHP/MoO3 system. The operational parameters for the desulfurization procedure such as ultrasonic irradiation time, ultrasonic wave amplitude, catalyst initial concentration and oxidation agent initial concentration were studied. The experimental results show that the present oxidation system was very efficient for the desulfurization of bunker-C oil and ~35% sulfur was removed which was dependent on operational parameters. The application of ultrasonic irradiation allowed sulfur removal in a shorter time. The stronger the solvent polarity is, the higher the sulfur removal rate, but the recovery rate of oil is lower. The sulfur compounds in bunker-C oil reacted with TBHP to produce corresponding sulfoxide, and further oxidation produced the corresponding sulfone. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

VUV photo-oxidation of gaseous benzene combined with ozone-assisted catalytic oxidation: Effect on transition metal catalyst

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Haibao; Lu, Haoxian; Zhan, Yujie; Liu, Gaoyuan; Feng, Qiuyu; Huang, Huiling; Wu, Muyan; Ye, Xinguo

2017-01-01

Graphical abstract: Mn nanoparticles are highly dispersed on ZSM-5 and most efficient in benzene degradation in the VUV-OZCO process. - Highlights: • Vacuum UV irradiation is well combined with O_3 catalytic oxidation. • O_3 byproducts was used to enhance catalytic oxidation of VOCs. • Mn/ZSM-5 achieved the best catalytic activity for benzene degradation. - Abstract: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) cause the major air pollution concern. In this study, a series of ZSM-5 supported transition metals were prepared by impregnation method. They were combined with vacuum UV (VUV) photo-oxidation in a continuous-flow packed-bed reactor and used for the degradation of benzene, a typical toxic VOCs. Compared with VUV photo-oxidation alone, the introduction of catalysts can greatly enhance benzene oxidation under the help of O_3, the by-products from VUV irradiation, via ozone-assisted catalytic oxidation (OZCO). The catalytic activity of transition metals towards benzene oxidation followed the order: Mn > Co > Cu > Ni > Fe. Mn achieved the best catalytic activity due to the strongest capability for O_3 catalytic decomposition and utilization. Benzene and O_3 removal efficiency reached as high as 97% and 100% after 360 min, respectively. O_3 was catalytically decomposed, generating highly reactive oxidants such as ·OH and ·O for benzene oxidation.

VUV photo-oxidation of gaseous benzene combined with ozone-assisted catalytic oxidation: Effect on transition metal catalyst

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Haibao, E-mail: seabao8@gmail.com [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University (China); Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology (Sun Yat-sen University) (China); Lu, Haoxian; Zhan, Yujie; Liu, Gaoyuan; Feng, Qiuyu; Huang, Huiling; Wu, Muyan; Ye, Xinguo [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University (China)

2017-01-01

Graphical abstract: Mn nanoparticles are highly dispersed on ZSM-5 and most efficient in benzene degradation in the VUV-OZCO process. - Highlights: • Vacuum UV irradiation is well combined with O{sub 3} catalytic oxidation. • O{sub 3} byproducts was used to enhance catalytic oxidation of VOCs. • Mn/ZSM-5 achieved the best catalytic activity for benzene degradation. - Abstract: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) cause the major air pollution concern. In this study, a series of ZSM-5 supported transition metals were prepared by impregnation method. They were combined with vacuum UV (VUV) photo-oxidation in a continuous-flow packed-bed reactor and used for the degradation of benzene, a typical toxic VOCs. Compared with VUV photo-oxidation alone, the introduction of catalysts can greatly enhance benzene oxidation under the help of O{sub 3}, the by-products from VUV irradiation, via ozone-assisted catalytic oxidation (OZCO). The catalytic activity of transition metals towards benzene oxidation followed the order: Mn > Co > Cu > Ni > Fe. Mn achieved the best catalytic activity due to the strongest capability for O{sub 3} catalytic decomposition and utilization. Benzene and O{sub 3} removal efficiency reached as high as 97% and 100% after 360 min, respectively. O{sub 3} was catalytically decomposed, generating highly reactive oxidants such as ·OH and ·O for benzene oxidation.

Experience with the vacuum assisted closure negative pressure technique in the treatment of non-healing diabetic and dysvascular wounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Clare, Michael P; Fitzgibbons, Timothy C; McMullen, Scott T; Stice, R Colleen; Hayes, Dennis F; Henkel, Loree

2002-10-01

The purpose of this study is to report our experience with the Vacuum Assisted Closure (VAC) negative pressure technique in patients with non-healing wounds of the foot, ankle, and lower limb. We retrospectively reviewed 17 patients with non-healing wounds of the lower extremity who underwent treatment using the Vacuum Assisted Closure (VAC) device. Thirteen of 17 (76%) had diabetes mellitus, nine of whom were insulin-dependent, and 10 of whom had associated peripheral neuropathy. Eight of 17 (47%) had severe peripheral vascular disease. All had failed previous management with serial wound debridements and dressing changes; 15 of 17 (88%) had previously completed at least one course of oral antibiotics. Thirteen of 17 (76%) had previously undergone operative irrigation and debridement of the wounds; six of 17 (35%) had previously undergone revascularization procedures of the involved extremity. Five of 17 (29%) had wounds necessitating an amputation procedure prior to the present treatment; seven of 17 (41%) had failed treatment with local growth factors prior to the present treatment. Average length of treatment with the VAC device was 8.2 weeks. Fourteen of 17 (82%) wounds successfully healed; four underwent split-thickness skin grafting for wound closure; four were briefly treated with local growth factors; six were treated with only dressing changes following VAC treatment. Three of 17 (18%) wounds failed VAC treatment; all three patients had diabetes and had wounds located in the midfoot or forefoot; two of three had severe peripheral vascular disease. Our results indicate that the Vacuum Assisted Closure negative pressure technique is emerging as an acceptable option for wound care of the lower extremity. Not all patients are candidates for such treatment; those patients with severe peripheral vascular disease or smaller forefoot wounds may be best treated by other modalities. Larger wounds seem to be better suited for skin grafting or two-stage primary

Evolution of robotic nephrectomy for living donation: from hand-assisted to totally robotic technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Giacomoni, Alessandro; Di Sandro, Stefano; Lauterio, Andrea; Concone, Giacomo; Mangoni, Iacopo; Mihaylov, Plamen; Tripepi, Matteo; De Carlis, Luciano

2014-09-01

The application of robotic-assisted surgery offers EndoWrist instruments and 3-D visualization of the operative field, which are improvements over traditional laparoscopy. The results of the few studies published so far have shown that living donor nephrectomy using the robot-assisted technique is safe, feasible, and offers advantages to patients. Since November 2009, 16 patients have undergone robotic-assisted living donor nephrectomy at our Institute. Patients were divided into two groups according to the surgical technique adopted for the procedure: Group A, hand-assisted robotic nephrectomy (eight patients); Group B, totally robotic nephrectomy (eight patients). Intra-operative bleeding was similar in the two groups (90 vs 100 mL for Group A and B, respectively). Median warm ischemia time was significantly shorter in Group A (2.3 vs 5.1 min for Group A and B, respectively, P-value = 0.05). Switching to the open procedure was never required. Median operative time was not significantly longer in Group A than Group B (275 min vs 250 min, respectively). Robotic assisted living kidney recovery is a safe and effective procedure. Considering the overall technical, clinical, and feasibility aspects of living kidney donation, we believe that the robotic assisted technique is the method of choice for surgeon's comfort and donors' safety. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Single Crystal Growth of Pure Co3+ Oxidation State Material LaSrCoO4

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanjie Guo

2016-08-01

Full Text Available We report on the single crystal growth of the single-layer perovskite cobaltate LaSrCoO4 that was grown by the optical floating zone method using high oxygen pressures. Phase purity and single crystallinity were confirmed by X-ray diffraction techniques. The pure Co3+ oxidation state was confirmed by X-ray absorbtion spectroscopy measurements. A transition to a spin glass state is observed at ∼7 K in magnetic susceptibility and specific heat measurements.

Growth of micrometric oxide layers for the study of metallic surfaces decontamination by laser

Science.gov (United States)

Carvalho, Luisa; Pacquentin, Wilfried; Tabarant, Michel; Maskrot, Hicham; Semerok, Alexandre

2017-09-01

The nuclear industry produces a wide range of radioactive waste in term of level of hazard, contaminants and material. For metallic equipment like steam generators, the radioactivity is mainly located in the oxide surface. In order to study and develop techniques for dismantling and for decontamination in a safe way, it is important to have access to oxide layers with a representative distribution of non-radioactive contaminants. We propose a method of formation of oxide layer on stainless steel 304L with europium (Eu) as contaminant marker. In this method, an Eu-solution is sprayed on the stainless steel samples. The specimen are firstly treated with a pulsed nanosecond laser and secondly the steel samples are exposed to a 600°C furnace for various durations in order to grow an oxide layer. The oxide structure and in-depth distribution of Eu in the oxide layer are analysed by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray microanalyzer, and by glow discharge optical emission or mass spectrometry. The oxide layers were grown to thicknesses in the range of 200 nm to 4.5 μm regarding to the laser treatment parameters and the heating duration. These contaminated oxides have a `duplex structure' with a mean weight percentage of 0.5% of europium in the volume of the oxide layer. It appears that europium implementation prevents the oxide growth by furnace but has no impact on laser heating. These oxide layers are used to study the decontamination of metallic surfaces such as stainless steel 304L using a nanosecond pulsed laser.

Uranium oxide nanocrystals by microwave-assisted thermal decomposition. Electronic and structural properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leduc, Jennifer; Mathur, Sanjay [Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Cologne (Germany); Pacold, Joseph I.; Shuh, David K. [Chemical Sciences Division, The Glenn T. Seaborg Center, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (United States); Dong, Chung-Li [Department of Physics, Tamkang University, Tamsui, Taiwan (China)

2018-01-17

Uranium oxides have attracted much attention not only in the context of nuclear energy generation but also for their application as pristine catalysts or as supports for other (transition metal) oxides and (precious) metals. Their propensity to adopt high coordination numbers and manifest multiple oxidation states (from +II to +VI) makes them attractive candidates for catalyzed transformation reactions. Herein, we report a new synthesis route to phase-pure, crystalline UO{sub 2} nanoparticles via microwave-assisted decomposition of a molecular uranium(IV) precursor. The electronic structure and optical absorption properties of these nanocrystals were investigated using spectroscopic methods to evaluate their suitability for photo(electro)catalytic applications. (copyright 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Uranium oxide nanocrystals by microwave-assisted thermal decomposition. Electronic and structural properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leduc, Jennifer; Mathur, Sanjay; Pacold, Joseph I.; Shuh, David K.; Dong, Chung-Li

2018-01-01

Uranium oxides have attracted much attention not only in the context of nuclear energy generation but also for their application as pristine catalysts or as supports for other (transition metal) oxides and (precious) metals. Their propensity to adopt high coordination numbers and manifest multiple oxidation states (from +II to +VI) makes them attractive candidates for catalyzed transformation reactions. Herein, we report a new synthesis route to phase-pure, crystalline UO 2 nanoparticles via microwave-assisted decomposition of a molecular uranium(IV) precursor. The electronic structure and optical absorption properties of these nanocrystals were investigated using spectroscopic methods to evaluate their suitability for photo(electro)catalytic applications. (copyright 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Epitaxy-enabled vapor-liquid-solid growth of tin-doped indium oxide nanowires with controlled orientations

KAUST Repository

Shen, Youde

2014-08-13

Controlling the morphology of nanowires in bottom-up synthesis and assembling them on planar substrates is of tremendous importance for device applications in electronics, photonics, sensing and energy conversion. To date, however, there remain challenges in reliably achieving these goals of orientation-controlled nanowire synthesis and assembly. Here we report that growth of planar, vertical and randomly oriented tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) nanowires can be realized on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) substrates via the epitaxy-assisted vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism, by simply regulating the growth conditions, in particular the growth temperature. This robust control on nanowire orientation is facilitated by the small lattice mismatch of 1.6% between ITO and YSZ. Further control of the orientation, symmetry and shape of the nanowires can be achieved by using YSZ substrates with (110) and (111), in addition to (100) surfaces. Based on these insights, we succeed in growing regular arrays of planar ITO nanowires from patterned catalyst nanoparticles. Overall, our discovery of unprecedented orientation control in ITO nanowires advances the general VLS synthesis, providing a robust epitaxy-based approach toward rational synthesis of nanowires. © 2014 American Chemical Society.

Growth of monosex hybrid tilapia in the labortory and sewage oxidation ponds. [Effects of water temperature, nutrient level, and. gamma. rays on growth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suffern, J.S.; Adams, S.M.; Blaylock, B.G.; Coutant, C.C.; Guthrie, C.A.

1978-01-01

Studies were conducted to evaluate the potential of monosex hybrid tilapia (female T. mossambica x male T. hornorum) in waste-heat polyculture systems. The optimum growth temperature for this hybrid was found to be 32/sup 0/C in laboratory experiments. Experiments in sewage pond cage culture in the temperature range of 23 to 33/sup 0/C at stocking densities of approximately 53 fish/m/sup 3/ were also conducted. At fish sizes between 5 and 12 cm TL, estimated annual production is approximately 50,000 kg/ha/yr (50,000 lb/acre/yr). Fish in the sewage oxidation ponds grew significantly faster than fish fed trout chow at optimum temperature in the laboratory, even though temperatures in the sewage ponds averaged below the optimum growth temperature. Techniques to accelerate growth rates are being explored. Exposure to gamma radiation (500 rads), known to cause significant increases in channel catfish growth rate, was found to have a similar effect on tilapia. After a 20-week growth period, exposed fish weighed an average of 20% more than controls.

On the fission gas release from oxide fuels during normal grain growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paraschiv, M.C.; Paraschiv, A.; Glodeanu, F.

1997-01-01

A mathematical formalism for calculating the fission gas release from oxide fuels considering an arbitrary distribution of fuel grain size with only zero boundary condition for gas diffusion at the grain boundary is proposed. It has also been proved that it becomes unnecessary to consider the grain volume distribution function for fission products diffusion when the grain boundary gas resolution is considered, if thermodynamic forces on grain boundaries are only time dependent. In order to highlight the effect of the normal grain growth on fission gas release from oxide fuels Hillert's and Lifshitz and Slyozov's theories have been selected. The last one was used to give an adequate treatment of normal grain growth for the diffusion-controlled grain boundary movement in oxide fuels. It has been shown that during the fuel irradiation, the asymptotic form of the grain volume distribution functions given by Hillert and Lifshitz and Slyozov models can be maintained but the grain growth rate constant becomes time dependent itself. Experimental results have been used to correlate the two theoretical models of normal grain growth to the fission gas release from oxide fuels. (orig.)

Exercise promotes collateral artery growth mediated by monocytic nitric oxide.

Science.gov (United States)

Schirmer, Stephan H; Millenaar, Dominic N; Werner, Christian; Schuh, Lisa; Degen, Achim; Bettink, Stephanie I; Lipp, Peter; van Rooijen, Nico; Meyer, Tim; Böhm, Michael; Laufs, Ulrich

2015-08-01

Collateral artery growth (arteriogenesis) is an important adaptive response to hampered arterial perfusion. It is unknown whether preventive physical exercise before limb ischemia can improve arteriogenesis and modulate mononuclear cell function. This study aimed at investigating the effects of endurance exercise before arterial occlusion on MNC function and collateral artery growth. After 3 weeks of voluntary treadmill exercise, ligation of the right femoral artery was performed in mice. Hindlimb perfusion immediately after surgery did not differ from sedentary mice. However, previous exercise improved perfusion restoration ≤7 days after femoral artery ligation, also when exercise was stopped at ligation. This was accompanied by an accumulation of peri-collateral macrophages and increased expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in hindlimb collateral and in MNC of blood and spleen. Systemic monocyte and macrophage depletion by liposomal clodronate but not splenectomy attenuated exercise-induced perfusion restoration, collateral artery growth, peri-collateral macrophage accumulation, and upregulation of iNOS. iNOS-deficient mice did not show exercise-induced perfusion restoration. Transplantation of bone marrow-derived MNC from iNOS-deficient mice into wild-type animals inhibited exercise-induced collateral artery growth. In contrast to sedentary controls, thrice weekly aerobic exercise training for 6 months in humans increased peripheral blood MNC iNOS expression. Circulating mononuclear cell-derived inducible nitric oxide is an important mediator of exercise-induced collateral artery growth. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

Influence of heterotrophic microbial growth on biological oxidation of pyrite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marchand, E.A.; Silverstein, J. [University of Nevada, Reno, NV (United States). Dept. of Civil Engineering

2002-12-15

Experiments were carried out to examine the possibility that enhanced growth of heterotrophic (non-iron-oxidising) bacteria would inhibit pyrite oxidation by Acidithiobacillus ferroxidans by out-competing the more slowly growing autotrophs for oxygen, nutrients or even attachment sites on the mineral surface. Glucose was added to microcosms containing pyrite, acidic mineral solution and cultures of A-ferrooxidans and Acidiphilium acidophilus under various experimental conditions. Results suggest that encouraging the growth of heterotrophic microorganisms under acid mine drainage conditions may be a feasible strategy for decreasing both the rate and the extent of sulfide mineral oxidation. 43 refs., 8 figs., 3 tabs.

Waste treatment in NUCEF facility with silver mediated electrochemical oxidation technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Umeda, M.; Sugikawa, S.

2000-01-01

Silver mediated electrochemical oxidation technique has been considered one of promising candidates for alpha-bearing waste treatment. Destruction tests of organic compounds, such as insoluble tannin, TBP and dodecane, were carried out by this technique and the experimental data such as destruction rates, current efficiencies and intermediates were obtained. These compounds could be completely mineralized without the formation of reactive organic nitrate associated to safety hazards. On the basis of these results, the applicability of silver mediated electrochemical oxidation technique to waste treatment in NUCEF was evaluated. (authors)

Automatic diameter control system applied to the laser heated pedestal growth technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreeta M.R.B.

2003-01-01

Full Text Available We described an automatic diameter control system (ADC, for the laser heated pedestal growth technique, that reduces the diameter fluctuations in oxide fibers grown from unreacted and non-sinterized pedestals, to less than 2% of the average fiber diameter, and diminishes the average diameter fluctuation, over the entire length of the fiber, to less than 1%. The ADC apparatus is based on an artificial vision system that controls the pulling speed and the height of the molten zone within a precision of 30 mum. We also show that this system can be used for periodic in situ axial doping the fiber. Pure and Cr3+ doped LaAlO3 and pure LiNbO3 were usedas model materials.

Graphene synthesis by laser-assisted chemical vapor deposition on Ni plate and the effect of process parameters on uniform graphene growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, Juan; Lin, Zhe; Ye, Xiaohui; Zhong, Minlin; Huang, Ting; Zhu, Hongwei

2014-01-01

A fast, simple technique was developed to fabricate few-layer graphene films at ambient pressure and room temperature by laser-assisted chemical vapor deposition on polycrystalline Ni plates. Laser scanning speed was found as the most important factor in the production of few-layer graphene. The quality of graphene films was controlled by varying the laser power. Uniform graphene ribbons with a width of 1.5 mm and a length of 16 mm were obtained at a scanning speed of 1.3 mm/s and a laser power of 600 W. The developed technique provided a promising application of a high-power laser system to fabricate a graphene film. - Highlights: • Uniform few-layer graphene was fabricated at room temperature and ambient conditions. • Laser-assisted chemical vapor deposition was used to grow the layers in a few seconds. • The effect of process parameters on graphene growth was discussed. • This cost effective method could facilitate the integration of graphene in electronic devices

Growth and characterization of oxide layers on zirconium alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maroto, A.J.G.; Bordoni, R.; Villegas, M.; Blesa, M.A.; Olmedo, A.M.; Iglesias, A.; Rigotti, G.

1997-01-01

Corrosion behaviour in aqueous media at high temperature of zirconium alloys has been extensively studied in order to elucidate the corrosion mechanism and kinetics. The characterization of the morphology and microstructure of these oxides through the different stages of oxide growth may contribute to understand their corrosion mechanism. Argentina has initiated a research program to correlate long term in and out-reactor corrosion of these alloys. This paper reports a comparative study of out of pile oxidation of Zr-2.5Nb and Zry-4, which are structural materials of in-core components of nuclear power plants. Kinetic data at different temperatures and microstructural characterization of the oxide films are presented. (author). 25 refs, 18 figs, 1 tab

Growth and characterization of oxide layers on zirconium alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maroto, A J.G.; Bordoni, R; Villegas, M; Blesa, M A; Olmedo, A M; Iglesias, A; Rigotti, G [Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, Buenos Aires (Argentina)

1997-02-01

Corrosion behaviour in aqueous media at high temperature of zirconium alloys has been extensively studied in order to elucidate the corrosion mechanism and kinetics. The characterization of the morphology and microstructure of these oxides through the different stages of oxide growth may contribute to understand their corrosion mechanism. Argentina has initiated a research program to correlate long term in and out-reactor corrosion of these alloys. This paper reports a comparative study of out of pile oxidation of Zr-2.5Nb and Zry-4, which are structural materials of in-core components of nuclear power plants. Kinetic data at different temperatures and microstructural characterization of the oxide films are presented. (author). 25 refs, 18 figs, 1 tab.

Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Co3(PO42 Nanospheres for Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Methanol in Alkaline Media

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prabhakarn Arunachalam

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Low-cost and high-performance advanced electrocatalysts for direct methanol fuel cells are of key significance for the improvement of environmentally-pleasant energy technologies. Herein, we report the facile synthesis of cobalt phosphate (Co3(PO42 nanospheres by a microwave-assisted process and utilized as an electrocatalyst for methanol oxidation. The phase formation, morphological surface structure, elemental composition, and textural properties of the synthesized (Co3(PO42 nanospheres have been examined by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR, field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm investigations. The performance of an electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol over a Co3(PO42 nanosphere-modified electrode was evaluated in an alkaline solution using cyclic voltammetry (CV and chronopotentiometry (CP techniques. Detailed studies were made for the methanol oxidation by varying the experimental parameters, such as catalyst loading, methanol concentration, and long-term stability for the electro-oxidation of methanol. The good electrocatalytic performances of Co3(PO42 should be related to its good surface morphological structure and high number of active surface sites. The present investigation illustrates the promising application of Co3(PO42 nanospheres as a low-cost and more abundant electrocatalyst for direct methanol fuel cells.

Grain growth kinetics in uranium-plutonium mixed oxides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sari, C.

1986-01-01

Grain growth rates were investigated in uranium-plutonium mixed oxide specimens with oxygen-to-metal ratios 1.97 and 2.0. The specimens in the form of cylindrical pellets were heated in a temperature gradient similar to that existing in a fast reactor. The results are in agreement with the cubic rate law. The mean grain size D(μm) after annealing for time t (min) is represented by D 3 -D 0 3 =1.11x10 12 . exp(-445870/RT).t and D 3 -D 0 3 =2.55x10 9 .exp(-319240/RT).t for specimens with overall oxygen-to-metal ratios 1.97 and 2.0, respectively (activation energies expressed in J/mol). An example for the influence of the oxygen-to-metal ratio on the grain growth in mixed oxide fuel during operation in a fast reactor is also given. (orig.)

Ion-substituted calcium phosphate coatings deposited by plasma-assisted techniques: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Graziani, Gabriela; Bianchi, Michele; Sassoni, Enrico; Russo, Alessandro; Marcacci, Maurilio

2017-05-01

One of the main critical aspects behind the failure or success of an implant resides in its ability to fast bond with the surrounding bone. To boost osseointegration, the ideal implant material should exhibit composition and structure similar to those of biological apatite. To this aim, the most common approach is to coat the implant surface with a coating of hydroxyapatite (HA), resembling the main component of mineralized tissues. However, bone apatite is a non-stoichiometric, multi-substituted poorly-crystalline apatite, containing significant amounts of foreign ions, with high biological relevance. Ion-substituted HAs can be deposited by so called "wet methods", which are however poorly reproducible and hardly industrially feasible; at the same time bioactive coatings realized by plasma assisted method, interesting for industrial applications, are generally made of stoichiometric (i.e. un-substituted) HA. In this work, the literature concerning plasma-assisted deposition methods used to deposit ion-substituted HA was reviewed and the last advances in this field discussed. The ions taken into exam are those present in mineralized tissues and possibly having biological relevance. Notably, literature about this topic is scarce, especially relating to in vivo animal and clinical trials; further on, available studies evaluate the performance of substituted coatings from different points of view (mechanical properties, bone growth, coating dissolution, etc.) which hinders a proper evaluation of the real efficacy of ion-doped HA in promoting bone regeneration, compared to stoichiometric HA. Moreover, results obtained for plasma sprayed coatings (which is the only method currently employed for deposition at the industrial scale) were collected and compared to those of novel plasma-assisted techniques, that are expected to overcome its limitations. Data so far available on the topic were discussed to highlight advantages, limitations and possible perspectives of these

Growth of micrometric oxide layers for the study of metallic surfaces decontamination by laser

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carvalho Luisa

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The nuclear industry produces a wide range of radioactive waste in term of level of hazard, contaminants and material. For metallic equipment like steam generators, the radioactivity is mainly located in the oxide surface. In order to study and develop techniques for dismantling and for decontamination in a safe way, it is important to have access to oxide layers with a representative distribution of non-radioactive contaminants. We propose a method of formation of oxide layer on stainless steel 304L with europium (Eu as contaminant marker. In this method, an Eu-solution is sprayed on the stainless steel samples. The specimen are firstly treated with a pulsed nanosecond laser and secondly the steel samples are exposed to a 600°C furnace for various durations in order to grow an oxide layer. The oxide structure and in-depth distribution of Eu in the oxide layer are analysed by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray microanalyzer, and by glow discharge optical emission or mass spectrometry. The oxide layers were grown to thicknesses in the range of 200 nm to 4.5 μm regarding to the laser treatment parameters and the heating duration. These contaminated oxides have a ‘duplex structure’ with a mean weight percentage of 0.5% of europium in the volume of the oxide layer. It appears that europium implementation prevents the oxide growth by furnace but has no impact on laser heating. These oxide layers are used to study the decontamination of metallic surfaces such as stainless steel 304L using a nanosecond pulsed laser.

Oxidative Degradation of Phenol containing Wastewater using Fenton Reagent, Permanganate and Ultraviolet Radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abd El-Rahman, N.M.; Talaat, H.A.; Sorour, M.H.

1999-01-01

Phenol containing wastewaters are generated by numerous industrial units including integrated steel mills, textile mills, plastic production, etc. The present work is targeted to explore the viable oxidation techniques for degradation of phenolic wastewater. Three modes of treatment have been adopted in this study, namely, sole oxidant mode using Fenton reagent or permanganate, UV-assisted oxidation and two consequent chemical oxidation steps. Results indicated the superiority of fenton reagent over KMnO 4 oxidation in the sole oxidant mode. On the other hand, UV-assisted KMnO 4 oxidation enables almost complete COD reduction. Dual chemical oxidation mode employing KMnO 4 oxidation followed by Fenton reagent is also an efficient oxidative degradation system

Dense CdS thin films on fluorine-doped tin oxide coated glass by high-rate microreactor-assisted solution deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Su, Yu-Wei, E-mail: suyuweiwayne@gmail.com [School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97330 (United States); Microproducts Breakthrough Institute and Oregon Process Innovation Center, Corvallis, Oregon 97330 (United States); Ramprasad, Sudhir [Energy Processes and Materials Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Corvallis, OR 9730 (United States); Microproducts Breakthrough Institute and Oregon Process Innovation Center, Corvallis, Oregon 97330 (United States); Han, Seung-Yeol; Wang, Wei [School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97330 (United States); Microproducts Breakthrough Institute and Oregon Process Innovation Center, Corvallis, Oregon 97330 (United States); Ryu, Si-Ok [School of Display and Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, 214-1 Dae-dong, Gyeonsan, Gyeongbuk 712-749 (Korea, Republic of); Palo, Daniel R. [Barr Engineering Co., Hibbing, MN 55747 (United States); Paul, Brian K. [School of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97330 (United States); Microproducts Breakthrough Institute and Oregon Process Innovation Center, Corvallis, Oregon 97330 (United States); Chang, Chih-hung [School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97330 (United States); Microproducts Breakthrough Institute and Oregon Process Innovation Center, Corvallis, Oregon 97330 (United States)

2013-04-01

Continuous microreactor-assisted solution deposition is demonstrated for the deposition of CdS thin films on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass. The continuous flow system consists of a microscale T-junction micromixer with the co-axial water circulation heat exchanger to control the reacting chemical flux and optimize the heterogeneous surface reaction. Dense, high quality nanocrystallite CdS thin films were deposited at an average rate of 25.2 nm/min, which is significantly higher than the reported growth rate from typical batch chemical bath deposition process. Focused-ion-beam was used for transmission electron microscopy specimen preparation to characterize the interfacial microstructure of CdS and FTO layers. The band gap was determined at 2.44 eV by UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. X-ray photon spectroscopy shows the binding energies of Cd 3d{sub 3/2}, Cd 3d{sub 5/2}, S 2P{sub 3/2} and S 2P{sub 1/2} at 411.7 eV, 404.8 eV, 162.1 eV and 163.4 eV, respectively. - Highlights: ► CdS films deposited using continuous microreactor-assisted solution deposition (MASD) ► Dense nanocrystallite CdS films can be reached at a rate of 25.2 [nm/min]. ► MASD can approach higher film growth rate than conventional chemical bath deposition.

Growth mechanisms of oxide scales on ODS alloys in the temperature range 1000-1100deg C

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quadakkers, W.J.

1990-01-01

After a short overview of the production, microstructure and mechanical properties of nickel- and iron-based oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys, the oxidation properties of this class of materials is extensively discussed. The excellent oxidation resistance of ODS alloys is illustrated by comparing their behaviour with conventional chromia and alumina forming wrought alloys of the same base composition. ODS alloys exhibit improved scale adherence, decreased oxide growth rates, enhanced selective oxidation and decreased oxide grain size compared to corresponding non-ODS alloys. It is shown, that these experimental observations can be explained by a change in oxide growth mechanism. The presence of the oxide dispersion reduces cation diffusion in the scale, causing the oxides on the ODS alloys to grow mainly by oxygen grain boundary transport. As oxide grain size increases with time, the oxide growth kinetics obey a sub-parabolic time dependence especially in the case of the alumina forming iron-based ODS alloy. (orig.) [de

Plasma assisted growth of MoO{sub 3} films on different substrate locations relative to sublimation source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharma, Rabindar K., E-mail: rkrksharma6@gmail.com; Saini, Sujit K.; Kumar, Prabhat; Singh, Megha; Reddy, G. B. [Thin film laboratory, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi – 110016 (India)

2016-05-06

In the present paper, we reported the role of substrate locations relative to source on the growth of MoO{sub 3} films deposited on Ni coated glass substrates using plasma assisted sublimation process (PASP). According to the XRD and SEM results, substrate location is very crucial factor to control the morphology of MoO{sub 3} films and the best nanostructure growth (in terms of alignments and features) is obtained in case of Sample B (in which substrate is placed on source). The structural results point out that all films exhibit only orthorhombic phase of molybdenum oxide (i.e. α-MoO{sub 3})but the most preferential growth is recorded in Sample B due to the presence of intense peaks crossponding to only (0 k 0) family of crystal planes (k = 2, 4,6..). The Raman analysis again confirms the orthorhombic nature of MoO{sub 3} NFs and details of vibrational bondsin Sample B have been given in the present report. The MoO{sub 3} NFs show intense PL emission in wavelength range of 300-700 nm with three peaks located at 415, 490, and 523 nm in accordance to the improved crystallinity in Sample B.

METAL OXIDE NANOPARTICLES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

FERNANDEZ-GARCIA,M.; RODGRIGUEZ, J.A.

2007-10-01

This chapter covers the fundamental science, synthesis, characterization, physicochemical properties and applications of oxide nanomaterials. Explains fundamental aspects that determine the growth and behavior of these systems, briefly examines synthetic procedures using bottom-up and top-down fabrication technologies, discusses the sophisticated experimental techniques and state of the art theory results used to characterize the physico-chemical properties of oxide solids and describe the current knowledge concerning key oxide materials with important technological applications.

Initial stages of the ion-beam assisted epitaxial GaN film growth on 6H-SiC(0001)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neumann, L.; Gerlach, J.W.; Rauschenbach, B.

2012-01-01

Ultra-thin gallium nitride (GaN) films were deposited using the ion-beam assisted molecular-beam epitaxy technique. The influence of the nitrogen ion to gallium atom flux ratio (I/A ratio) during the early stages of GaN nucleation and thin film growth directly, without a buffer layer on super-polished 6H-SiC(0001) substrates was studied. The deposition process was performed at a constant substrate temperature of 700 °C by evaporation of Ga and irradiation with hyperthermal nitrogen ions from a constricted glow-discharge ion source. The hyperthermal nitrogen ion flux was kept constant and the kinetic energy of the ions did not exceed 25 eV. The selection of different I/A ratios in the range from 0.8 to 3.2 was done by varying the Ga deposition rate between 5 × 10 13 and 2 × 10 14 at. cm −2 s −1 . The crystalline surface structure during the GaN growth was monitored in situ by reflection high-energy electron diffraction. The surface topography of the films as well as the morphology of separated GaN islands on the substrate surface was examined after film growth using a scanning tunneling microscope without interruption of ultra-high vacuum. The results show, that the I/A ratio has a major impact on the properties of the resulting ultra-thin GaN films. The growth mode, the surface roughness, the degree of GaN coverage of the substrate and the polytype mixture depend notably on the I/A ratio. - Highlights: ► Ultra-thin epitaxial GaN films prepared by hyperthermal ion-beam assisted deposition. ► Surface structure and topography studied during and after initial growth stages. ► Growth mode dependent on nitrogen ion to gallium atom flux ratio. ► Change from three-dimensional to two-dimensional growth for Ga-rich growth conditions.

Computer-Assisted Technique for Surgical Tooth Extraction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hosamuddin Hamza

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Surgical tooth extraction is a common procedure in dentistry. However, numerous extraction cases show a high level of difficulty in practice. This difficulty is usually related to inadequate visualization, improper instrumentation, or other factors related to the targeted tooth (e.g., ankyloses or presence of bony undercut. Methods. In this work, the author presents a new technique for surgical tooth extraction based on 3D imaging, computer planning, and a new concept of computer-assisted manufacturing. Results. The outcome of this work is a surgical guide made by 3D printing of plastics and CNC of metals (hybrid outcome. In addition, the conventional surgical cutting tools (surgical burs are modified with a number of stoppers adjusted to avoid any excessive drilling that could harm bone or other vital structures. Conclusion. The present outcome could provide a minimally invasive technique to overcome the routine complications facing dental surgeons in surgical extraction procedures.

Investigation and comparison of GaN nanowire nucleation and growth by the catalyst-assisted and self-induced approaches

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheze, Caroline

2010-03-04

This work focuses on the nucleation and growth mechanisms of GaN nanowires (NWs) by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The two main novelties of this study are the intensive employment of in-situ techniques and the direct comparison of selfinduced and catalyst-induced NWs. On silicon substrates, GaN NWs form in MBE without the use of any external catalyst seed. On sapphire, in contrast, NWs grow under identical conditions only in the presence of Ni seeds. NW nucleation was studied in situ by reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) in correlation with line-of-sight quadrupole mass spectrometry (QMS). The latter technique allows to monitor the incorporated amount of Ga. For the catalyst-assisted approach, three nucleation stages were identified: first incorporation of Ga into the Ni seeds, second transformation of the seed crystal structure due to Ga accumulation, and last GaN growth under the seeds. The crystalline structure of the seeds during the first two stages is in accord with the Ni-Ga binary phase diagram and evidenced that only Ga incorporates into the Ni particles. GaN forms only after the Ga concentration is larger than the one of Ni. The observation of diffraction patterns generated by the Ni-Ga seed particles during the whole nucleation evidences the solid state of the seeds. Moreover, the QMS study showed that it is not Ga incorporation into Ni but GaN nucleation itself that limits the growth processes. For the self-induced NWs, QMS and RHEED investigations indicate very similar nucleation processes on Si(001) and Si(111) and two nucleation stages were identified. Transmission electron microscopy on samples grown on Si(001) revealed that the first stage is characterized by the competition between the nucleation of crystalline Si{sub x}N{sub y} and GaN. During this stage, the Si surface strongly roughens by the formation of pits and Si mounds. At the same time, very few GaN islands nucleate. During the second stage, the amorphization of the Si

Template-assisted electrostatic spray deposition as a new route to mesoporous, macroporous, and hierarchically porous oxide films.

Science.gov (United States)

Sokolov, S; Paul, B; Ortel, E; Fischer, A; Kraehnert, R

2011-03-01

A novel film coating technique, template-assisted electrostatic spray deposition (TAESD), was developed for the synthesis of porous metal oxide films and tested on TiO(2). Organic templates are codeposited with the titania precursor by electrostatic spray deposition and then removed during calcination. Resultant films are highly porous with pores casted by uniformly sized templates, which introduced a new level of control over the pore morphology for the ESD method. Employing the amphiphilic block copolymer Pluronic P123, PMMA latex spheres, or a combination of the two, mesoporous, macroporous, and hierarchically porous TiO(2) films are obtained. Decoupled from other coating parameters, film thickness can be controlled by deposition time or depositing multiple layers while maintaining the coating's structure and integrity.

Potassium-cobalt sulphate crystal growth assisted by low frequency vibrations

Science.gov (United States)

Sadovsky, A.; Ermochenkov, I.; Dubovenko, E.; Sukhanova, E.; Bebyakin, M.; Dubov, V.; Avetissov, I.

2018-02-01

Single crystals of K2Co(SO4)2·6H2O were grown from solution using the temperature reduction method enhanced by the axial low frequency vibration control technique (AVC-technique). Physical modeling of heat-mass transfer in solution under the AVC action was performed. The growth rate of the AVC grown crystal was found to be twice that of the crystal grown under natural convection conditions. Analysis of spectral characteristics (absorption and Raman spectra) as well as structural properties (dislocation density and microhardness) of the grown crystals showed the significant superiority of the AVC technique for the growth of K2Co(SO4)2·6H2O crystals.

Epitaxial growth of manganese oxide films on MgAl2O4 (001) substrates and the possible mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Lizhu; Wu, Shuxiang; Zhou, Wenqi; Li, Shuwei

2014-03-01

Three types of manganese oxide films were grown on MgAl2O4 (001) substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PA-MBE) under different growth rates and substrate temperatures. The structural characteristics and chemical compositions of the films were investigated by using in-situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED), ex-situ X-ray diffraction, Raman, and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS). At a lower substrate temperature (730 K), the epitaxial film tends to form mixed phases with a coexistence of Mn3O4 and Mn5O8 in order to relieve the mismatch-strain. However, at a higher substrate temperature (750 K), all of the films crystallize into Mn3O4; the critical thickness of the film grown under a lower growth rate (7 Å/min) is much larger than that under a high growth rate (10 Å/min). When the film reaches a certain critical thickness, the surface will become fairly rough, and another oriented phase Mn3O4 would crystallize on such a surface.

The development of latent fingerprints by zinc oxide and tin oxide nanoparticles prepared by precipitation technique

Science.gov (United States)

Luthra, Deepali; Kumar, Sacheen

2018-05-01

Fingerprints are the very important evidence at the crime scene which must be developed clearly with shortest duration of time to solve the case. Metal oxide nanoparticles could be the mean to develop the latent fingerprints. Zinc oxide and Tin Oxide Nanoparticles were prepared by using chemical precipitation technique which were dried and characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV-Visible spectroscopy and FTIR. The size of zinc oxide crystallite was found to be 14.75 nm with minimum reflectance at 360 nm whereas tin oxide have the size of 90 nm and reflectance at minimum level 321 nm. By using these powdered samples on glass, plastic and glossy cardboard, latent fingerprints were developed. Zinc oxide was found to be better candidate than tin oxide for the fingerprint development on all the three types of substrates.

Growth mechanism of silver nanowires synthesized by polyvinylpyrrolidone-assisted polyol reduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Yan; Jiang Peng; Song Li; Liu Lifeng; Yan Xiaoqin; Zhou Zhenping; Liu Dongfang; Wang Jianxiong; Yuan Huajun; Zhang Zengxing; Zhao Xiaowei; Dou Xinyuan; Zhou Weiya; Wang Gang; Xie Sishen

2005-01-01

Silver (Ag) nanowires with a pentagonal cross section have been synthesized by polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-assisted polyol reduction in the presence of Pt nanoparticle seeds. The UV-visible absorption spectra and scanning electron microscopy have been used to trace the growth process of the Ag nanowires. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy investigation further shows that the PVP molecules are adsorbed on the surface of the Ag nanowires through Ag : O coordination. Comparing with the growth process of Ag nanoparticles, a possible growth mechanism of the Ag nanowires has been proposed. It is implied that the PVP molecules are used as both a protecting agent and a structure-directing agent for the growth of Ag nanowires. It is concluded that the five-fold twinning Ag nanoparticles are formed through heterogenous nucleation after the introduction of Pt nanoparticle seeds and then grow anisotropically along the (110) direction, while the growth along (100) is relatively depressed

Zinc Oxide Nano crystals Synthesized by Quenching Technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Norhayati Abu Bakar; Akrajas Ali Umar; Muhamad Mat Salleh; Muhammad Yahya

2011-01-01

This paper reports an attempt to synthesize non toxic zinc oxide (ZnO) nano crystals using a simple quenching technique. The hot zinc oxide powder was quenched in hexane solution to obtain ZnO nano crystals. As the result, diameter size of the synthesized ZnO is 200 nm. It was also exhibited a good crystalline with wurtzite phase. The nano crystals properties of ZnO were revealed from good absorbance and green luminescence under UV exposure. This may be related with oxygen vacancy ionization during the annealing process. (author)

Direct growth of cerium oxide nanorods on diverse substrates for superhydrophobicity and corrosion resistance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Young Jun; Jang, Hanmin; Lee, Kwan-Soo; Kim, Dong Rip

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Cerium oxide nanorods were uniformly grown on diverse substrates. • Changes in growth conditions led to morphology evolution of cerium oxide nanostructures. • The grown cerium oxide nanostructures were single or poly crystalline. • Direct growth of cerium oxide nanorods made the diverse substrates superhydrophobic and anti-corrosive without any surface modifiers. - Abstract: Superhydrophobic surfaces with anti-corrosion properties have attracted great interest in many industrial fields, particularly to enhance the thermal performance of offshore applications such as heat exchangers, pipelines, power plants, and platform structures. Nanostructures with hydrophobic materials have been widely utilized to realize superhydrophobicity of surfaces, and cerium oxide has been highlighted due to its good corrosion resistive and intrinsically hydrophobic properties. However, few studies of direct growth of cerium oxide nanostructures on diverse substrates have been reported. Herein we report a facile hydrothermal method to directly grow cerium oxide nanorods on diverse substrates, such as aluminum alloy, stainless steel, titanium, and silicon. Diverse substrates with cerium oxide nanorods exhibited superhydrophobicity with no hydrophobic modifiers on their surfaces, and showed good corrosion resistive properties in corrosive medium. We believe our method could pave the way for realization of scalable and sustainable corrosion resistive superhydrophobic surfaces in many industrial fields

Direct growth of cerium oxide nanorods on diverse substrates for superhydrophobicity and corrosion resistance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Young Jun; Jang, Hanmin; Lee, Kwan-Soo [School of Mechanical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Dong Rip, E-mail: dongrip@hanyang.ac.kr [School of Mechanical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-06-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Cerium oxide nanorods were uniformly grown on diverse substrates. • Changes in growth conditions led to morphology evolution of cerium oxide nanostructures. • The grown cerium oxide nanostructures were single or poly crystalline. • Direct growth of cerium oxide nanorods made the diverse substrates superhydrophobic and anti-corrosive without any surface modifiers. - Abstract: Superhydrophobic surfaces with anti-corrosion properties have attracted great interest in many industrial fields, particularly to enhance the thermal performance of offshore applications such as heat exchangers, pipelines, power plants, and platform structures. Nanostructures with hydrophobic materials have been widely utilized to realize superhydrophobicity of surfaces, and cerium oxide has been highlighted due to its good corrosion resistive and intrinsically hydrophobic properties. However, few studies of direct growth of cerium oxide nanostructures on diverse substrates have been reported. Herein we report a facile hydrothermal method to directly grow cerium oxide nanorods on diverse substrates, such as aluminum alloy, stainless steel, titanium, and silicon. Diverse substrates with cerium oxide nanorods exhibited superhydrophobicity with no hydrophobic modifiers on their surfaces, and showed good corrosion resistive properties in corrosive medium. We believe our method could pave the way for realization of scalable and sustainable corrosion resistive superhydrophobic surfaces in many industrial fields.

Surface-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry techniques for application in forensics.

Science.gov (United States)

Guinan, Taryn; Kirkbride, Paul; Pigou, Paul E; Ronci, Maurizio; Kobus, Hilton; Voelcker, Nicolas H

2015-01-01

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry (MS) is an excellent analytical technique for the rapid and sensitive analysis of macromolecules (>700 Da), such as peptides, proteins, nucleic acids, and synthetic polymers. However, the detection of smaller organic molecules with masses below 700 Da using MALDI-MS is challenging due to the appearance of matrix adducts and matrix fragment peaks in the same spectral range. Recently, nanostructured substrates have been developed that facilitate matrix-free laser desorption ionization (LDI), contributing to an emerging analytical paradigm referred to as surface-assisted laser desorption ionization (SALDI) MS. Since SALDI enables the detection of small organic molecules, it is rapidly growing in popularity, including in the field of forensics. At the same time, SALDI also holds significant potential as a high throughput analytical tool in roadside, work place and athlete drug testing. In this review, we discuss recent advances in SALDI techniques such as desorption ionization on porous silicon (DIOS), nano-initiator mass spectrometry (NIMS) and nano assisted laser desorption ionization (NALDI™) and compare their strengths and weaknesses with particular focus on forensic applications. These include the detection of illicit drug molecules and their metabolites in biological matrices and small molecule detection from forensic samples including banknotes and fingerprints. Finally, the review highlights recent advances in mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) using SALDI techniques. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Role of oxidative stress in female reproduction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sharma Rakesh K

2005-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract In a healthy body, ROS (reactive oxygen species and antioxidants remain in balance. When the balance is disrupted towards an overabundance of ROS, oxidative stress (OS occurs. OS influences the entire reproductive lifespan of a woman and even thereafter (i.e. menopause. OS results from an imbalance between prooxidants (free radical species and the body's scavenging ability (antioxidants. ROS are a double-edged sword – they serve as key signal molecules in physiological processes but also have a role in pathological processes involving the female reproductive tract. ROS affect multiple physiological processes from oocyte maturation to fertilization, embryo development and pregnancy. It has been suggested that OS modulates the age-related decline in fertility. It plays a role during pregnancy and normal parturition and in initiation of preterm labor. Most ovarian cancers appear in the surface epithelium, and repetitive ovulation has been thought to be a causative factor. Ovulation-induced oxidative base damage and damage to DNA of the ovarian epithelium can be prevented by antioxidants. There is growing literature on the effects of OS in female reproduction with involvement in the pathophsiology of preeclampsia, hydatidiform mole, free radical-induced birth defects and other situations such as abortions. Numerous studies have shown that OS plays a role in the pathoysiology of infertility and assisted fertility. There is some evidence of its role in endometriosis, tubal and peritoneal factor infertility and unexplained infertility. This article reviews the role OS plays in normal cycling ovaries, follicular development and cyclical endometrial changes. It also discusses OS-related female infertility and how it influences the outcomes of assisted reproductive techniques. The review comprehensively explores the literature for evidence of the role of oxidative stress in conditions such as abortions, preeclampsia, hydatidiform mole, fetal

Controllable Growth of Large-Size Crystalline MoS2 and Resist-Free Transfer Assisted with a Cu Thin Film

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Ziyuan; Zhao, Yuda; Zhou, Changjian; Zhong, Ren; Wang, Xinsheng; Tsang, Yuen Hong; Chai, Yang

2015-12-01

Two-dimensional MoS2 is a promising material for future nanoelectronics and optoelectronics. It has remained a great challenge to grow large-size crystalline and high surface coverage monolayer MoS2. In this work, we investigate the controllable growth of monolayer MoS2 evolving from triangular flakes to continuous thin films by optimizing the concentration of gaseous MoS2, which has been shown a both thermodynamic and kinetic growth factor. A single-crystal monolayer MoS2 larger than 300 μm was successfully grown by suppressing the nuclei density and supplying sufficient source. Furthermore, we present a facile process of transferring the centimeter scale MoS2 assisted with a copper thin film. Our results show the absence of observable residues or wrinkles after we transfer MoS2 from the growth substrates onto flat substrates using this technique, which can be further extended to transfer other two-dimensional layered materials.

Precision of lumbar intervertebral measurements: does a computer-assisted technique improve reliability?

Science.gov (United States)

Pearson, Adam M; Spratt, Kevin F; Genuario, James; McGough, William; Kosman, Katherine; Lurie, Jon; Sengupta, Dilip K

2011-04-01

Comparison of intra- and interobserver reliability of digitized manual and computer-assisted intervertebral motion measurements and classification of "instability." To determine if computer-assisted measurement of lumbar intervertebral motion on flexion-extension radiographs improves reliability compared with digitized manual measurements. Many studies have questioned the reliability of manual intervertebral measurements, although few have compared the reliability of computer-assisted and manual measurements on lumbar flexion-extension radiographs. Intervertebral rotation, anterior-posterior (AP) translation, and change in anterior and posterior disc height were measured with a digitized manual technique by three physicians and by three other observers using computer-assisted quantitative motion analysis (QMA) software. Each observer measured 30 sets of digital flexion-extension radiographs (L1-S1) twice. Shrout-Fleiss intraclass correlation coefficients for intra- and interobserver reliabilities were computed. The stability of each level was also classified (instability defined as >4 mm AP translation or 10° rotation), and the intra- and interobserver reliabilities of the two methods were compared using adjusted percent agreement (APA). Intraobserver reliability intraclass correlation coefficients were substantially higher for the QMA technique THAN the digitized manual technique across all measurements: rotation 0.997 versus 0.870, AP translation 0.959 versus 0.557, change in anterior disc height 0.962 versus 0.770, and change in posterior disc height 0.951 versus 0.283. The same pattern was observed for interobserver reliability (rotation 0.962 vs. 0.693, AP translation 0.862 vs. 0.151, change in anterior disc height 0.862 vs. 0.373, and change in posterior disc height 0.730 vs. 0.300). The QMA technique was also more reliable for the classification of "instability." Intraobserver APAs ranged from 87 to 97% for QMA versus 60% to 73% for digitized manual

Reviewing effectiveness of ankle assessment techniques for use in robot-assisted therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Mingming; Davies, T Claire; Zhang, Yanxin; Xie, Shane

2014-01-01

This article provides a comprehensive review of studies that investigated ankle assessment techniques to better understand those that can be used in the real-time monitoring of rehabilitation progress for implementation in conjunction with robot-assisted therapy. Seventy-six publications published between January 1980 and August 2013 were selected based on eight databases. They were divided into two main categories (16 qualitative and 60 quantitative studies): 13 goniometer studies, 18 dynamometer studies, and 29 studies about innovative techniques. A total of 465 subjects participated in the 29 quantitative studies of innovative measurement techniques that may potentially be integrated in a real-time monitoring device, of which 19 studies included less than 10 participants. Results show that qualitative ankle assessment methods are not suitable for real-time monitoring in robot-assisted therapy, though they are reliable for certain patients, while the quantitative methods show great potential. The majority of quantitative techniques are reliable in measuring ankle kinematics and kinetics but are usually available only for use in the sagittal plane. Limited studies determine kinematics and kinetics in all three planes (sagittal, transverse, and frontal) where motions of the ankle joint and the subtalar joint actually occur.

Games as Growth and Evaluation Techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, Michael; Allen, Richard

This paper describes the gaming techniques used at the University of San Francisco Counseling Center to enhance growth and to evaluate the training of professional and paraprofessional staff in the areas of crisis intervention, student services, and self-awareness. Gaming is defined as an exercise in which people either act as themselves or play…

Room temperature deposition of crystalline indium tin oxide films by cesium-assisted magnetron sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Deuk Yeon; Baik, Hong-Koo

2008-01-01

Indium tin oxide (ITO) films were deposited on a Si (1 0 0) substrate at room temperature by cesium-assisted magnetron sputtering. Including plasma characteristics, the structural, electrical, and optical properties of deposited films were investigated as a function of cesium partial vapor pressure controlled by cesium reservoir temperature. We calculated the cesium coverage on the target surface showing maximum formation efficiency of negative ions by means of the theoretical model. Cesium addition promotes the formation efficiency of negative ions, which plays important role in enhancing the crystallinity of ITO films. In particular, the plasma density was linearly increased with cesium concentrations. The resultant decrease in specific resistivity and increase in transmittance (82% in the visible region) at optimum cesium concentration (4.24 x 10 -4 Ω cm at 80 deg. C of reservoir temperature) may be due to enhanced crystallinity of ITO films. Excess cesium incorporation into ITO films resulted in amorphization of its microstructure leading to degradation of ITO crystallinity. We discuss the cesium effects based on the growth mechanism of ITO films and the plasma density

Solid solutions of gadolinium doped zinc oxide nanorods by combined microwave-ultrasonic irradiation assisted crystallization

Science.gov (United States)

Kiani, Armin; Dastafkan, Kamran; Obeydavi, Ali; Rahimi, Mohammad

2017-12-01

Nanocrystalline solid solutions consisting of un-doped and gadolinium doped zinc oxide nanorods were fabricated by a modified sol-gel process utilizing combined ultrasonic-microwave irradiations. Polyvinylpyrrolidone, diethylene glycol, and triethylenetetramine respectively as capping, structure directing, and complexing agents were used under ultrasound dynamic aging and microwave heating to obtain crystalline nanorods. Crystalline phase monitoring, lattice parameters and variation, morphology and shape, elemental analysis, functional groups, reducibility, and the oxidation state of emerged species were examined by PXRD, FESEM, TEM, EDX, FTIR, micro Raman, H2-TPR, and EPR techniques. Results have verified that irradiation mechanism of gelation and crystallization reduces the reaction time, augments the crystal quality, and formation of hexagonal close pack structure of Wurtzite morphology. Besides, dissolution of gadolinium within host lattice involves lattice deformation, unit cell distortion, and angular position variation. Structure related shape and growth along with compositional purity were observed through microscopic and spectroscopic surveys. Furthermore, TPR and EPR studies elucidated more detailed behavior upon exposure to the exerted irradiations and subsequent air-annealing including the formed oxidation states and electron trapping centers, presence of gadolinium, zinc, and oxygen disarrays and defects, as well as alteration in the host unit cell via gadolinium addition.

Growth techniques for monolithic YBCO solenoidal magnets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scruggs, S.J.; Putman, P.T.; Fang, H.; Alessandrini, M.; Salama, K.

2006-01-01

The possibility of growing large single domain YBCO solenoids by the use of a large seed has been investigated. There are two known methods for producing a similar solenoid. This first is a conventional top seeded melt growth process followed by a post processing machining step to create the bore. The second involves using multiple seeds spaced around the magnet bore. The appeal of the new technique lies in decreasing processing time compared to the single seed technique, while avoiding alignment problems found in the multiple seeding technique. By avoiding these problems, larger diameter monoliths can be produced. Large diameter monoliths are beneficial because the maximum magnetic field produced by a trapped field magnet is proportional to the radius of the sample. Furthermore, the availability of trapped field magnets with large diameter could enable their use in applications that traditionally have been considered to require wound electromagnets, such as beam bending magnets for particle accelerators or electric propulsion. A comparison of YBCO solenoids grown by the use of a large seed and grown by the use of two small seeds simulating multiple seeding is made. Trapped field measurements as well as microstructure evaluation were used in characterization of each solenoid. Results indicate that high quality growth occurs only in the vicinity of the seeds for the multiple seeded sample, while the sample with the large seeded exhibited high quality growth throughout the entire sample

Growth techniques for monolithic YBCO solenoidal magnets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scruggs, S.J. [Texas Center for Superconductivity at University of Houston, 4800 Calhoun, Houston, TX 77204 (United States)]. E-mail: Sscruggs2@uh.edu; Putman, P.T. [Texas Center for Superconductivity at University of Houston, 4800 Calhoun, Houston, TX 77204 (United States); Fang, H. [Texas Center for Superconductivity at University of Houston, 4800 Calhoun, Houston, TX 77204 (United States); Alessandrini, M. [Texas Center for Superconductivity at University of Houston, 4800 Calhoun, Houston, TX 77204 (United States); Salama, K. [Texas Center for Superconductivity at University of Houston, 4800 Calhoun, Houston, TX 77204 (United States)

2006-10-01

The possibility of growing large single domain YBCO solenoids by the use of a large seed has been investigated. There are two known methods for producing a similar solenoid. This first is a conventional top seeded melt growth process followed by a post processing machining step to create the bore. The second involves using multiple seeds spaced around the magnet bore. The appeal of the new technique lies in decreasing processing time compared to the single seed technique, while avoiding alignment problems found in the multiple seeding technique. By avoiding these problems, larger diameter monoliths can be produced. Large diameter monoliths are beneficial because the maximum magnetic field produced by a trapped field magnet is proportional to the radius of the sample. Furthermore, the availability of trapped field magnets with large diameter could enable their use in applications that traditionally have been considered to require wound electromagnets, such as beam bending magnets for particle accelerators or electric propulsion. A comparison of YBCO solenoids grown by the use of a large seed and grown by the use of two small seeds simulating multiple seeding is made. Trapped field measurements as well as microstructure evaluation were used in characterization of each solenoid. Results indicate that high quality growth occurs only in the vicinity of the seeds for the multiple seeded sample, while the sample with the large seeded exhibited high quality growth throughout the entire sample.

Lipase biofilm deposited by Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A lipase film was deposited with Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation technique. • FTIR spectra show that laser irradiation do not damage lipase molecule. • Laser fluence controls the characteristics of complex structure generated by MAPLE. - Abstract: Lipase is an enzyme that finds application in biodiesel production and for detection of esters and triglycerides in biosensors. Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation (MAPLE), a technique derived from Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) for deposition of undamaged biomolecules or polymers, is characterized by the use of a frozen target obtained from a solution/suspension of the guest material (to be deposited) in a volatile matrix (solvent). The presence of the solvent avoids or at least reduces the potential damage of guest molecules by laser radiation but only the guest material reaches the substrate in an essentially solvent-free deposition. MAPLE can be used for enzymes immobilization, essential for industrial application, allowing the development of continuous processes, an easier separation of products, the reuse of the catalyst and, in some cases, enhancing enzyme properties (pH, temperature stability, etc.) and catalytic activity in non-aqueous media. Here we show that MAPLE technique can be used to deposit undamaged lipase and that the complex structure (due to droplets generated during extraction from target) of the deposited material can be controlled by changing the laser beam fluence

Lipase biofilm deposited by Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aronne, Antonio [Department of Chemical Engineering, Materials and Industrial Production, University of Naples “Federico II”, Napoli (Italy); Bloisi, Francesco, E-mail: bloisi@na.infn.it [SPIN – CNR, Naples (Italy); Department of Physics, University of Naples “Federico II”, Napoli (Italy); Calabria, Raffaela; Califano, Valeria [Istituto Motori – CNR, Naples (Italy); Depero, Laura E. [Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Brescia (Italy); Fanelli, Esther [Department of Chemical Engineering, Materials and Industrial Production, University of Naples “Federico II”, Napoli (Italy); Federici, Stefania [Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Brescia (Italy); Massoli, Patrizio [Istituto Motori – CNR, Naples (Italy); Vicari, Luciano R.M. [SPIN – CNR, Naples (Italy); Department of Physics, University of Naples “Federico II”, Napoli (Italy)

2015-05-01

Highlights: • A lipase film was deposited with Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation technique. • FTIR spectra show that laser irradiation do not damage lipase molecule. • Laser fluence controls the characteristics of complex structure generated by MAPLE. - Abstract: Lipase is an enzyme that finds application in biodiesel production and for detection of esters and triglycerides in biosensors. Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation (MAPLE), a technique derived from Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) for deposition of undamaged biomolecules or polymers, is characterized by the use of a frozen target obtained from a solution/suspension of the guest material (to be deposited) in a volatile matrix (solvent). The presence of the solvent avoids or at least reduces the potential damage of guest molecules by laser radiation but only the guest material reaches the substrate in an essentially solvent-free deposition. MAPLE can be used for enzymes immobilization, essential for industrial application, allowing the development of continuous processes, an easier separation of products, the reuse of the catalyst and, in some cases, enhancing enzyme properties (pH, temperature stability, etc.) and catalytic activity in non-aqueous media. Here we show that MAPLE technique can be used to deposit undamaged lipase and that the complex structure (due to droplets generated during extraction from target) of the deposited material can be controlled by changing the laser beam fluence.

Stoichiometry control of complex oxides by sequential pulsed-laser deposition from binary-oxide targets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herklotz, A. [ORNL, Materials Science and Technology Division, Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6056 (United States); Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Institute for Physics, Von-Danckelmann-Platz 3, 06120 Halle (Germany); Dörr, K. [Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Institute for Physics, Von-Danckelmann-Platz 3, 06120 Halle (Germany); Ward, T. Z.; Eres, G. [ORNL, Materials Science and Technology Division, Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6056 (United States); Christen, H. M.; Biegalski, M. D. [ORNL, Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6496 (United States)

2015-03-30

To have precise atomic layer control over interfaces, we examine the growth of complex oxides through the sequential deposition from binary targets by pulsed laser deposition. In situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) is used to control the growth and achieve films with excellent structural quality. The growth from binary oxide targets is fundamentally different from single target growth modes and shows more similarities to shuttered growth by molecular beam epitaxy. The RHEED intensity oscillations of non-stoichiometric growth are consistent with a model of island growth and accumulation of excess material on the surface that can be utilized to determine the correct stoichiometry for growth. Correct monolayer doses can be determined through an envelope frequency in the RHEED intensity oscillations. In order to demonstrate the ability of this growth technique to create complex heterostructures, the artificial n = 2 and 3 Sr{sub n+1}Ti{sub n}O{sub 3n+1} Ruddlesden-Popper phases are grown with good long-range order. This method enables the precise unit-cell level control over the structure of perovskite-type oxides, and thus the growth of complex materials with improved structural quality and electronic functionality.

Ferro-manganese oxide growth on shark teeth from cenral Indian Ocean basin

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Banakar, V.K.; Sudhakar, M.

the growth history of these oxides. Though the nature of substrates does not have any control over the mineralogy and chemistry of Fe-Mn oxides, an active sink like loose sediment or altered basaltic coat appears to be the primary requirement before ferric...

Tin-Assisted Synthesis of ɛ -Ga2O3 by Molecular Beam Epitaxy

Science.gov (United States)

Kracht, M.; Karg, A.; Schörmann, J.; Weinhold, M.; Zink, D.; Michel, F.; Rohnke, M.; Schowalter, M.; Gerken, B.; Rosenauer, A.; Klar, P. J.; Janek, J.; Eickhoff, M.

2017-11-01

The synthesis of ɛ -Ga2O3 and β -Ga2O3 by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on (001 )Al2O3 substrates is studied. The growth window of β -Ga2O3 in the Ga-rich regime, usually limited by the formation of volatile gallium suboxide, is expanded due to the presence of tin during the growth process, which stabilizes the formation of gallium oxides. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy are used to analyze the influence of tin on the layer formation. We demonstrate that it allows the synthesis of phase-pure ɛ -Ga2O3 . A growth model based on the oxidation of gallium suboxide by reduction of an intermediate sacrificial tin oxide is suggested.

Novel posterior reconstruction technique during robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy: description and comparative outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Chang Wook; Oh, Jong Jin; Jeong, Seong Jin; Hong, Sung Kyu; Byun, Seok-Soo; Choe, Gheeyoung; Lee, Sang Eun

2012-07-01

The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of a novel posterior reconstruction technique during robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy on continence recovery. A total of 116 consecutive patients who received the novel posterior reconstruction (case group) were retrospectively compared with a cohort of 126 patients who did not receive posterior reconstruction (control group). The primary end-point was the duration of continence recovery (no pad use) after robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy. The posterior reconstruction was obtained by opposing the median dorsal fibrous raphe to the posterior counterpart of the detrusor apron, rather than the Denonvilliers' fascia. The case group showed higher continence rates at all points of evaluation, which were 2 weeks (30.1% vs 19.8%), 1 month (58.4% vs 45.7%), 3 months (82.7% vs 70.5%) and 6 months postoperatively (95.3% vs 86.4%) (P = 0.007). Application of the novel posterior reconstruction technique, age and length of membranous urethra were significant variables for the complete recovery of continence on multivariable analysis. This study shows that the application of this novel PR technique significantly improves the recovery of continence in patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy. © 2012 The Japanese Urological Association.

Assisted Reproduction Techniques (Art): The State of the Art in Nigeria

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Infertility has become a social stigma in our environment because of the erroneous belief that a childless marriage is a failed marriage. This has placed a lot of marriages under pressure. Therefore any solution to infertility is a welcome relief. This is where Assisted Reproduction Techniques (ART) belongs.

Real time ellipsometry for monitoring plasma-assisted epitaxial growth of GaN

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruno, Giovanni [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and of Plasmas, IMIP-CNR and INSTM UdR Bari, via Orabona, 4, 70126 Bari (Italy); Losurdo, Maria [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and of Plasmas, IMIP-CNR and INSTM UdR Bari, via Orabona, 4, 70126 Bari (Italy)]. E-mail: maria.losurdo@ba.imip.cnr.it; Giangregorio, Maria M. [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and of Plasmas, IMIP-CNR and INSTM UdR Bari, via Orabona, 4, 70126 Bari (Italy); Capezzuto, Pio [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and of Plasmas, IMIP-CNR and INSTM UdR Bari, via Orabona, 4, 70126 Bari (Italy); Brown, April S. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, 128 Hudson Hall, Durham, NC (United States); Kim, Tong-Ho [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, 128 Hudson Hall, Durham, NC (United States); Choi, Soojeong [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, 128 Hudson Hall, Durham, NC (United States)

2006-10-31

GaN is grown on Si-face 4H-SiC(0 0 0 1) substrates using remote plasma-assisted methods including metalorganic chemical vapour deposition (RP-MOCVD) and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Real time spectroscopic ellipsometry is used for monitoring all the steps of substrate pre-treatments and the heteroepitaxial growth of GaN on SiC. Our characterization emphasis is on understanding the nucleation mechanism and the GaN growth mode, which depend on the SiC surface preparation.

Morphology and grain structure evolution during epitaxial growth of Ag films on native-oxide-covered Si surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hur, Tae-Bong; Kim, Hong Koo; Perello, David; Yun, Minhee; Kulovits, Andreas; Wiezorek, Joerg

2008-01-01

Epitaxial nanocrystalline Ag films were grown on initially native-oxide-covered Si(001) substrates using radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. Mechanisms of grain growth and morphology evolution were investigated. An epitaxially oriented Ag layer (∼5 nm thick) formed on the oxide-desorbed Si surface during the initial growth phase. After a period of growth instability, characterized as kinetic roughening, grain growth stagnation, and increase of step-edge density, a layer of nanocrystalline Ag grains with a uniform size distribution appeared on the quasi-two-dimensional layer. This hierarchical process of film formation is attributed to the dynamic interplay between incoming energetic Ag particles and native oxide. The cyclic interaction (desorption and migration) of the oxide with the growing Ag film is found to play a crucial role in the characteristic evolution of grain growth and morphology change involving an interval of grain growth stagnation

Case Studies of Successful Assistance in Urban School Improvement Programs. I. The Teacher Growth Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Piety-Jacobs, Sharon R.

As part of a research project on "Patterns of Successful Assistance in Urban School Programs," this paper presents a case study of an assister's work in a Teacher Growth Program (TGP) at an elementary school in Staten Island, New York. The school has an experienced teaching staff, a supportive principal, a cross-sectional student…

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF USING TEAM ASSISTED INDIVIDUALIZATION TECHNIQUE ON THE STUDENT’S ACHIEVEMENT OF SIMPLE PAST TENSE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luluk Nur Hamidah

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Grammar is the description of the ways in which words are formed and can change their form and can be combined into sentences in order to express different meanings.The students need ability how to have a good grammar especially in simple past tense. Simple past tense is the form of a verb used to describe actions in the past. After knowing the highly complex grammar especially in simple past tense, teacher needs to move to how to select the materials and activities to be used in grammar class. One of techniques used in teaching grammar is Team Assisted Individualization technique, Team Assisted Individualization technique belongs to the cooperative learning. Team Assisted Individualization technique is a technique in which the students are placed into the small groups and then followed by the giving the help individually for the student who need it. The score “t” at the signifcance level of 5%, the calculation t-count is 9.49, and the value of “t” on the t-table with the signifcance 5% with the value of Df = 50, it can be found that t-table = 2.01. It means that there is difference grammar score between experimental and control class. Based on the explanation above, the Team Assisted Individualization technique surely shows the real effectiveness.

Perovskite Oxide Thin Film Growth, Characterization, and Stability

Science.gov (United States)

Izumi, Andrew

Studies into a class of materials known as complex oxides have evoked a great deal of interest due to their unique magnetic, ferroelectric, and superconducting properties. In particular, materials with the ABO3 perovskite structure have highly tunable properties because of the high stability of the structure, which allows for large scale doping and strain. This also allows for a large selection of A and B cations and valences, which can further modify the material's electronic structure. Additionally, deposition of these materials as thin films and superlattices through techniques such as pulsed laser deposition (PLD) results in novel properties due to the reduced dimensionality of the material. The novel properties of perovskite oxide heterostructures can be traced to a several sources, including chemical intermixing, strain and defect formation, and electronic reconstruction. The correlations between microstructure and physical properties must be investigated by examining the physical and electronic structure of perovskites in order to understand this class of materials. Some perovskites can undergo phase changes due to temperature, electrical fields, and magnetic fields. In this work we investigated Nd0.5Sr 0.5MnO3 (NSMO), which undergoes a first order magnetic and electronic transition at T=158K in bulk form. Above this temperature NSMO is a ferromagnetic metal, but transitions into an antiferromagnetic insulator as the temperature is decreased. This rapid transition has interesting potential in memory devices. However, when NSMO is deposited on (001)-oriented SrTiO 3 (STO) or (001)-oriented (LaAlO3)0.3-(Sr 2AlTaO6)0.7 (LSAT) substrates, this transition is lost. It has been reported in the literature that depositing NSMO on (110)-oriented STO allows for the transition to reemerge due to the partial epitaxial growth, where the NSMO film is strained along the [001] surface axis and partially relaxed along the [11¯0] surface axis. This allows the NSMO film enough

Characteristics of growth of complex ferroelectric oxide films by plasma-ion sputtering

Science.gov (United States)

Mukhortov, V. M.; Golovko, Yu. I.; Mukhortov, Vl. M.; Dudkevich, V. P.

1981-02-01

An experimental investigation was made of the process of growth of a complex oxide film, such as BaTiO3 or (Ba, Sr)TiO3, by plasma-ion sputtering. It was found that ion bombardment of a ceramic target knocked out neutral excited atoms. These atoms lost energy away from the target by collisions and at a certain critical distance hcr they were capable of oxidation to produce BaO, TiO, TiO2, and SrO. Therefore, depending on the distance between the cathode and the substrate, the “construction” material arrived in the form of atoms or molecules of simple oxides. These two (atomic and molecular) deposition mechanisms corresponded to two mechanisms of synthesis and crystallization differing in respect of the dependences of the growth rate, unit cell parameters, and other structural properties on the deposition temperature. The role of re-evaporation and of oxidation-reduction processes was analyzed.

Ultrasound-assisted oxidative desulfurization of liquid fuels and its industrial application.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Zhilin; Ondruschka, Bernd

2010-08-01

Latest environmental regulations require a very deep desulfurization to meet the ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD, 15 ppm sulfur) specifications. Due to the disadvantages of hydrotreating technology on the slashing production conditions, costs and safety as well as environmental protection, the ultrasound-assisted oxidative desulfurization (UAOD) as an alternative technology has been developed. UAOD process selectively oxidizes sulfur in common thiophenes in diesel to sulfoxides and sulfones which can be removed via selective adsorption or extractant. SulphCo has successfully used a 5000 barrel/day mobile "Sonocracking" unit to duplicate on a commercial scale its proprietary process that applies ultrasonics at relatively low temperatures and pressures. The UAOD technology estimate capital costs less than half the cost of a new high-pressure hydrotreater. The physical and chemical mechanisms of UAOD process are illustrated, and the effective factors, such as ultrasonic frequency and power, oxidants, catalysts, phase-transfer agent, extractant and adsorbent, on reaction kinetics and product recovery are discussed in this review. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In situ observation techniques of protective oxide layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doi, Takashi; Adachi, Takeharu; Usuki, Noriaki

2015-01-01

In situ analyzing techniques for investigating a surface and interface change during corrosion and oxidation of metals by using Raman scattering spectroscopy (Raman), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) are present. The Raman spectra revealed that a crystal structure and distribution of corrosion products varied during corrosion progress at elevated temperature and high pressure electrolyte. Time dependent XRD measurements made clear the behavior of the electrochemical reduction of a rust and the iso thermal transformation of a scale on a steel. It was demonstrated that XPS was capable of the in-situ measurements for initial stage of high temperature oxidation. (author)

Structural characterization of selective area growth GaN nanowires by non-destructive optical and electrical techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Secco, Eleonora; Minj, Albert; Garro, Núria; Cantarero, Andrés; Colchero, Jaime; Urban, Arne; Oppo, Carla Ivana; Malindretos, Joerg; Rizzi, Angela

2015-01-01

The growth selectivity and structural quality of GaN nanowires obtained by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on pre-patterned GaN(0001) templates are investigated by means of non-destructive techniques. Optimum control over the nanowire arrangement and size requires a pitch between the mask apertures below twice the diffusion length of Ga atoms. Lower pitches, however, seem to slightly diminish the structural quality of the material, as revealed by the increase of the Raman peak linewidths. The photoluminescence spectra of the nanowires show a considerable presence of basal plane stacking faults, whose density increases for decreasing nanowire diameter. The capabilities of Kelvin probe force microscopy for imaging these kind of defects are also demonstrated. (paper)

Structural characterization of selective area growth GaN nanowires by non-destructive optical and electrical techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Secco, Eleonora; Minj, Albert; Garro, Núria; Cantarero, Andrés; Colchero, Jaime; Urban, Arne; Ivana Oppo, Carla; Malindretos, Joerg; Rizzi, Angela

2015-08-01

The growth selectivity and structural quality of GaN nanowires obtained by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on pre-patterned GaN(0001) templates are investigated by means of non-destructive techniques. Optimum control over the nanowire arrangement and size requires a pitch between the mask apertures below twice the diffusion length of Ga atoms. Lower pitches, however, seem to slightly diminish the structural quality of the material, as revealed by the increase of the Raman peak linewidths. The photoluminescence spectra of the nanowires show a considerable presence of basal plane stacking faults, whose density increases for decreasing nanowire diameter. The capabilities of Kelvin probe force microscopy for imaging these kind of defects are also demonstrated.

Synergetic effects during sputter-assisted depth profiling: growth-dominated topography development on InP and a model of the atomic mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gries, W.H.; Miethe, K.

1987-01-01

Growth-dominated extreme topography development on ion-bombarded wafers of InP is reported and is explained in terms of the micro region model presented in summary form. This model postulates the existence of an ion-bombardment-produced ensemble of crystallites and non-crystalline aggregations of atoms (composed of the substrate material, of dopant and of oxygen from the native oxide layer) where the majority of InP micro regions is so small (nanometer dimensions) that most interstitials created in collision events between bombarding ions and atoms of the micro region can reach an interfacial boundary rather than recombine with a vacancy from the same or another collision event. These atoms are then transported via interfacial boundaries and over the surface to screw dislocations where crystal stubs proceed to grow until the damage rate by ion bombardment overtakes the growth rate. Ion-bombardment-induced compressive stresses favour diffusion towards the surface. Temperature transients within micro regions assist both interfacial diffusion and damage repair. The topography is a result of competition between growth and sputtering. Different growth rates cause different topographies. The development of an extreme topography can be suppressed by oxygen flooding of the sputtered surface, by simultaneous electron beam scanning, as well as by Cs + ion bombardment. (Author)

Role of plasma activation in tailoring the nanostructure of multifunctional oxides thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giangregorio, Maria M.; Losurdo, Maria; Capezzuto, Pio [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and Plasmas, IMIP-CNR, and Department of Chemistry, University of Bari, via Orabona, 4-70125 Bari (Italy); Bruno, Giovanni [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and Plasmas, IMIP-CNR, and Department of Chemistry, University of Bari, via Orabona, 4-70125 Bari (Italy)], E-mail: giovanni.bruno@ba.imip.cnr.it

2009-03-01

Potential of O{sub 2} remote plasmas for improving structural, morphological and optical properties of various multifunctional oxides thin films both during plasma assisted growth as well as by post-growth treatments is discussed. In particular, an O{sub 2} remote plasma metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (RP-MOCVD) route is presented for tailoring the structural, morphological and optical properties of Er{sub 2}O{sub 3} and ZnO films. Furthermore, post-growth room-temperature remote O{sub 2} plasma treatments of indium-tin-oxides (ITO) films are demonstrated to be effective in improving morphology of ITO films.

Facet-Dependent Oxidative Goethite Growth As a Function of Aqueous Solution Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Strehlau, Jennifer H; Stemig, Melissa S; Penn, R Lee; Arnold, William A

2016-10-04

Nitroaromatic compounds are groundwater pollutants that can be degraded through reactions with Fe(II) adsorbed on iron oxide nanoparticles, although little is known about the evolving reactivity of the minerals with continuous pollutant exposure. In this work, Fe(II)/goethite reactivity toward 4-chloronitrobenzene (4-ClNB) as a function of pH, organic matter presence, and reactant concentrations was explored using sequential-spike batch reactors. Reaction rate constants were smaller with lower pH, introduction of organic matter, and diluted reactant concentrations as compared to a reference condition. Reaction rate constants did not change with the number of 4-ClNB spikes for all reaction conditions. Under all conditions, oxidative goethite growth was demonstrated through X-ray diffraction, magnetic characterization, and transmission electron microscopy. Nonparametric statistics were applied to compare histograms of lengths and widths of goethite nanoparticles as a function of varied solution conditions. The conditions that slowed the reaction also resulted in statistically shorter and wider particles than for the faster reactions. Additionally, added organic matter interfered with particle growth on the favorable {021} faces to a greater extent, with statistically reduced rate of growth on the tip facets and increased rate of growth on the side facets. These data demonstrate that oxidative growth of goethite in aqueous systems is dependent on major groundwater variables, such as pH and the presence of organic matter, which could lead to the evolving reactivity of goethite particles in natural environments.

Aqueous phase oxidation techniques as an alternative to incineration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, L.W.; Adamson, M.G.; Hickman, R.G.; Farmer, J.C.; Chiba, Z.; Gregg, D.W.; Wang, F.T.

1992-03-01

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has three aqueous phase techniques under development for oxidation of high value or high risk waste steams. One is direct electrochemical oxidation and one is mediated electrochemical oxidation utilizing regenerable, strongly oxidizing cations such as Ag(II), Co (III), Ce(IV), etc. These cations can either attack oxidizable materials directly and/or indirectly via first reacting with water to generate OH radicals which then attack the oxidizable materials. The third system utilizes H 2 O 2 and UV light to generate OH radicals directly which in turn attack the oxidizable materials. All systems have the advantage of a chemical off-switch in that when the power is turned off, the reaction quickly subsides. All systems operate with low concentrations (typically <5 wt %) of oxidizable materials, therefore, the stored energy for possible run-away reactions is very low. 15 figures, 22 references

Understanding the growth mechanism of stabilizer-free Ag nanoparticles on reduced graphene oxide: the role of CO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Weiyin; Ran Chenxin; Wang Minqiang; Yao Xi; He Delong; Bai Jinbo

2013-01-01

In this study, one-step approach to prepare stabilizer-free Ag–graphene nanocomposites using DMAc-assisted thermal reduction method with uniform distribution of “near spherical” Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in the range of 16–20 nm is reported. Interestingly, from the change of absorption spectrum as a function of reaction time, we observed that the characteristic absorption peak of Ag NPs shows no peak position shift in a quite long time without extra stabilizer while red-shift and broaden after continuous reaction. To explain this phenomenon, we further proposed a growth mechanism that CO, which is generated from reduction of functional groups on GO, adsorbed on the surface of Ag NPs and leaded to growth cease of Ag NPs into a narrow size distribution during the reduction of GO. Meanwhile, Ag NPs can catalyze the oxidation of adsorbed-CO to CO 2 in the presence of O 2 which can easily desorb from Ag surfaces. Hence, after fully removal of functional groups on GO, continuous supply of CO was cutoff while the desorption of adsorbed-CO was still happening continually, so Ag NPs start to gradually grow and resulting in aggregation. Moreover, the dosage of less DMAc or more AgNO 3 would cause the anisotropic growth and form multiply twinned structure of Ag NPs. Our study presents a useful understanding on the growth of Ag NPs on graphene.

Development of examination technique for oxide layer thickness measurement of irradiated fuel rods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koo, D. S.; Park, S. W.; Kim, J. H.; Seo, H. S.; Min, D. K.; Kim, E. K.; Chun, Y. B.; Bang, K. S.

1999-06-01

Technique for oxide layer thickness measurement of irradiated fuel rods was developed to measure oxide layer thickness and study characteristic of fuel rods. Oxide layer thickness of irradiated fuels were measured, analyzed. Outer oxide layer thickness of 3 cycle-irradiated fuel rods were 20 - 30 μm, inner oxide layer thickness 0 - 10 μm and inner oxide layer thickness on cracked cladding about 30 μm. Oxide layer thickness of 4 cycle-irradiated fuel rods were about 2 times as thick as those of 1 cycle-irradiated fuel rods. Oxide layer on lower region of irradiated fuel rods was thin and oxide layer from lower region to upper region indicated gradual increase in thickness. Oxide layer thickness from 2500 to 3000 mm showed maximum and oxide layer thickness from 3000 to top region of irradiated fuel rods showed decreasing trend. Inner oxide layer thicknesses of 4 cycle-irradiated fuel rod were about 8 μm at 750 - 3500 mm from the bottom end of fuel rod. Outer oxide layer thickness were about 8 μm at 750 - 1000 mm from the bottom end of fuel rod. These indicated gradual increase up to upper region from the bottom end of fuel rod. These indicated gradual increase up to upper region from the bottom end of fuel. Oxide layer thickness technique will apply safety evaluation and study of reactor fuels. (author). 6 refs., 14 figs

Fe-Chlorophyllin Promotes the Growth of Wheat Roots Associated with Nitric Oxide Generation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hui Jiang

2010-12-01

Full Text Available : Effects of Fe-chlorophyllin on the growth of wheat root were investigated in this study. We found that Fe-chlorophyllin can promote root growth. The production of nitric oxide in wheat root was detected using DAF-2DA fluorescent emission. The intensity of fluorescent in the presence of 0.1 mg/L Fe-chlorophyllin was near to that observed with the positive control of sodium nitroprusside (SNP, the nitric oxide donor. IAA oxidase activity decreased with all treatments of Fe-chlorophyllin from 0.01 to 10 mg/L. At the relatively lower Fe-chlorophyllin concentration of 0.1 mg/L, the activity of IAA oxidase displayed a remarkable decrease, being 40.1% lower than the control. Meanwhile, Fe-chlorophyllin treatment could increase the activities of reactive oxygen scavenging enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD and peroxidase (POD, as determined using non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These results indicate that Fe-chlorophyllin contributes to the growth of wheat root associated with nitric oxide generation.

Photographic appraisal of crystal lattice growth technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kapoor D

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Concept of creating mechanical retention for bonding through crystal growth has been successfully achieved in the present study. By using polyacrylic acid, sulphated with sulphuric acid as etchant, abundant crystal growth was demonstrated. Keeping in view the obvious benefits of crystal growth technique, the present SEM study was aimed to observe and compare the changes brought about by different etching agents (phosphoric acid, polyacrylic acid and polyacrylic acid sulphated and to evaluate their advantages and disadvantages in an attempt to reduce iatrogenic trauma caused due to surface enamel alteration. Control and experimental groups were made of 24 and 30 premolars, respectively, for scanning electron microscopic appraisal of normal unetched and etched enamel surface and fracture site and finished surface evaluation. When compared with conventional phosphoric acid and weaker polyacrylic acid, investigations indicated that crystal growth treatment on enamel surface caused minimal iatrogenic trauma and surface alteration were restored to the original untreated condition to a large extent.

Comparison of Three Epithelial Removal Techniques in PRK: Mechanical, Alcohol-assisted, and Transepithelial Laser.

Science.gov (United States)

Shapira, Yinon; Mimouni, Michael; Levartovsky, Shmuel; Varssano, David; Sela, Tzahi; Munzer, Gur; Kaiserman, Igor

2015-11-01

To compare the visual and refractive results obtained after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in patients who underwent one of three different epithelial removal techniques. The authors reviewed the medical files of consecutive eyes with myopia and myopic astigmatism that were treated during a 10-year period by mechanical PRK, alcohol-assisted PRK, or transepithelial PRK (in the phototherapeutic keratectomy mode), and observed for more than 1 year. A total of 3,417 patients (3,417 eyes) were included in this study. At 3 and 6 months postoperatively, the outcome of alcohol-assisted PRK was superior both in efficacy (P PRK and transepithelial PRK, which were similar. At more than 1 year postoperatively, the mean efficacy index was still high for alcohol-assisted PRK, but low for the transepithelial PRK, corresponding to a mean uncorrected visual acuity of more than one Snellen line lower than those of the other two techniques (P PRK (P PRK. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

Robot-assisted pyeloplasty: review of the current literature, technique and outcome.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Iqbal; Hemal, Ashok K

2010-04-01

To review the global select data on the current technique, perioperative outcome and literature on the robot-assisted pyeloplasty (RAP). The published English literature (PubMed) was extensively searched using the key words; robot, robot-assisted pyeloplasty, laparoscopy, laparoscopic pyeloplasty and ureteropelvic junction obstruction. The selected studies were then reviewed, tracked and analyzed in order to determine the current role, outcome and status of robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty. The search yielded about 25 published series on RAP comprising about 740 cases with a mean operative time, estimated blood loss, crossing vessel prevalence, hospital stay,perioperative complication rate and follow up duration of 194 min, 50 mL, 47%, 2.3 days, 6% and 14.9 months respectively. The initial peri-operative results and intermediate follow up of cases of repair of the ureteropelvic junction obstruction with robot-assisted pyeloplasty appear to be favorable and comparable to that of open pyeloplasty, while long term outcome data is still awaited. The da Vinci surgical robotic system is a promising surgical armamentarium in the hands of the modern day urologist for the minimally invasive definitive surgical management of both primary and secondary ureteropelvic junction obstruction.

NUMERICAL TECHNIQUES TO SOLVE CONDENSATIONAL AND DISSOLUTIONAL GROWTH EQUATIONS WHEN GROWTH IS COUPLED TO REVERSIBLE REACTIONS (R823186)

Science.gov (United States)

Noniterative, unconditionally stable numerical techniques for solving condensational anddissolutional growth equations are given. Growth solutions are compared to Gear-code solutions forthree cases when growth is coupled to reversible equilibrium chemistry. In all cases, ...

Analysis of chemical dissolution of the barrier layer of porous oxide on aluminum thin films using a re-anodizing technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vrublevsky, I. [Department of Microelectronics, Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics, 6 Brovka street, Minsk 220013 (Belarus)]. E-mail: nil-4-2@bsuir.edu.by; Parkoun, V. [Department of Microelectronics, Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics, 6 Brovka street, Minsk 220013 (Belarus); Sokol, V. [Department of Microelectronics, Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics, 6 Brovka street, Minsk 220013 (Belarus); Schreckenbach, J. [Institut fuer Chemie, Technische Universitaet Chemnitz, Chemnitz D-09107 (Germany)

2005-09-30

Chemical dissolution of the barrier layer of porous oxide formed on thin aluminum films (99.9% purity) in the 4% oxalic acid after immersion in 2 mol dm{sup -3} sulphuric acid at 50 deg. C has been studied. The barrier layer thickness before and after dissolution was calculated using a re-anodizing technique. It has been shown that above 57 V the change in the growth mechanism of porous alumina films takes place. As a result, the change in the amount of regions in the barrier oxide with different dissolution rates is observed. The barrier oxide contains two layers at 50 V: the outer layer with the highest dissolution rate and the inner layer with a low dissolution rate. Above 60 V the barrier oxide contains three layers: the outer layer with a high dissolution rate, the middle layer with the highest dissolution rate and the inner layer with a low dissolution rate. We suggest that the formation of the outer layer of barrier oxide with a high dissolution rate is linked with the injection of protons or H{sub 3}O{sup +} ions from the electrolyte into the oxide film at the anodizing voltages above 57 V.

Microwave-assisted one-pot synthesis of metal/metal oxide nanoparticles on graphene and their electrochemical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Shuangyin; Jiang San Ping; Wang Xin

2011-01-01

Graphical abstract: Display Omitted Research highlights: → Microwave polyol method is efficient to deposit nanoparticles on graphene. → SnO 2 /graphene is more efficient than graphene for supercapacitor. → PtRu/graphene is more active than commercial PtRu/C for methanol oxidation. - Abstract: An effective synthesis strategy of hybrid metal (PtRu)/metal oxide (SnO 2 ) nanoparticles on graphene nanocomposites is developed using a microwave-assisted one-pot reaction process. The mixture of ethylene glycol (EG) and water is used as both solvent and reactant. In the reaction system for the synthesis of SnO 2 /graphene nanocomposite, EG not only reduces graphene oxide (GO) to graphene, but also results in the formation of SnO 2 facilitated by the presence of a small amount of water. On the other hand, in the reaction system for preparation of PtRu/graphene nanocomposites, EG acts as solvent and reducing agent for reduction of PtRu nanoparticles from their precursors and reduction of graphene from graphene oxide. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterizations confirm the feasibility of the microwave-assisted reaction system to simultaneously reduce graphene oxide and to form SnO 2 or PtRu nanoparticles. The as-synthesized SnO 2 /graphene hybrid composites show a much higher supercapacitance than the pure graphene, and the as-prepared PtRu/graphene show much better electrocatalytic activity for methanol oxidation compared to the commercial E-TEK PtRu/C electrocatalysts.

Thermal oxidation of seeds for the hydrothermal growth of WO3 nanorods on ITO glass substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ng, Chai Yan; Abdul Razak, Khairunisak; Lockman, Zainovia

2015-01-01

This work reports a simple seed formation method for the hydrothermal growth of tungsten oxide (WO 3 ) nanorods. A WO 3 seed layer was prepared by thermal oxidation, where a W-sputtered substrate was heated and oxidized in a furnace. Oxidation temperatures and periods were varied at 400–550 °C and 5–60 min, respectively, to determine an appropriate seed layer for nanorod growth. Thermal oxidation at 500 °C for 15 min was found to produce a seed layer with sufficient crystallinity and good adhesion to the substrate. These properties prevented the seed from peeling off during the hydrothermal process, thereby allowing nanorod growth on the seed. The nanorod film showed better electrochromic behavior (higher current density of − 1.11 and + 0.65 mA cm −2 ) than compact film (lower current density of − 0.54 and + 0.28 mA cm −2 ). - Highlights: • A simple seed formation method (thermal oxidation) on sputtered W film is reported. • Crystalline seed with good adhesion to substrate is required for nanorod growth. • The appropriate temperature and period for seed formation were 500 °C and 15 min. • WO 3 nanorods exhibited higher electrochromic current density than WO 3 compact film.

One-pot synthesis of reduced graphene oxide@boron nitride nanosheet hybrids with enhanced oxidation-resistant properties

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Guoxun; Bi, Jianqiang; Wang, Weili; Zhang, Jingde

2017-12-01

Reduced graphene oxide@boron nitride nanosheet (RGO@BNNS) hybrids were prepared for the first time using template-assisted autoclave pyrolysis technique at the temperature as low as 600 °C. The developed method can be scaled into gram-scale synthesis of the material. The BNNSs combine with RGO through van der Waals interplanar interaction without damaging the structures of RGO. Such ultrathin BNNSs on the surface of RGO can serve as high-performance oxidation-resistant coatings in oxidizing atmospheres at high temperatures. The RGO@BNNS hybrids can sustain up to 800 °C over a relatively long period of time.

Ultrasound assisted extraction of food and natural products. Mechanisms, techniques, combinations, protocols and applications. A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Chemat, Farid; Rombaut, Natacha; Sicaire, Anne-Gaëlle; Meullemiestre, Alice; Fabiano-Tixier, Anne-Sylvie; Abert-Vian, Maryline

2017-01-01

This review presents a complete picture of current knowledge on ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) in food ingredients and products, nutraceutics, cosmetic, pharmaceutical and bioenergy applications. It provides the necessary theoretical background and some details about extraction by ultrasound, the techniques and their combinations, the mechanisms (fragmentation, erosion, capillarity, detexturation, and sonoporation), applications from laboratory to industry, security, and environmental impacts. In addition, the ultrasound extraction procedures and the important parameters influencing its performance are also included, together with the advantages and the drawbacks of each UAE techniques. Ultrasound-assisted extraction is a research topic, which affects several fields of modern plant-based chemistry. All the reported applications have shown that ultrasound-assisted extraction is a green and economically viable alternative to conventional techniques for food and natural products. The main benefits are decrease of extraction and processing time, the amount of energy and solvents used, unit operations, and CO 2 emissions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Novel Method for Exchange of Impella Circulatory Assist Catheter: The "Trojan Horse" Technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, Colin T; Tamez, Hector; Tu, Thomas M; Yeh, Robert W; Pinto, Duane S

2017-07-01

Patients with an indwelling Impella may require escalation of hemodynamic support or exchange to another circulatory assistance platform. As such, preservation of vascular access is preferable in cases where anticoagulation cannot be discontinued or to facilitate exchange to an alternative catheter or closure device. Challenges exist in avoiding bleeding and loss of wire access in these situations. We describe a single-access "Trojan Horse" technique that minimizes bleeding while maintaining arterial access for rapid exchange of this percutaneous ventricular assist device.

Annealing effects on the structural and optical properties of vanadium oxide film obtained by the hot-filament metal oxide deposition technique (HFMOD)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scarminio, Jair; Silva, Paulo Rogerio Catarini da, E-mail: scarmini@uel.br, E-mail: prcsilva@uel.br [Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL), PR (Brazil). Departamento de Fisica; Gelamo, Rogerio Valentim, E-mail: rogelamo@gmail.com [Universidade Federal do Triangulo Mineiro (UFTM), Uberaba, MG (Brazil); Moraes, Mario Antonio Bica de, E-mail: bmoraes@mailhost.ifi.unicamp.br [Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), SP (Brazil)

2017-01-15

Vanadium oxide films amorphous, nonstoichiometric and highly absorbing in the optical region were deposited on ITO-coated glass and on silicon substrates, by the hot-filament metal oxide deposition technique (HFMOD) and oxidized by ex-situ annealing in a furnace at 200, 300, 400 and 500 deg C, under an atmosphere of argon and rarefied oxygen. X-ray diffraction, Raman and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy as well as optical transmission were employed to characterize the amorphous and annealed films. When annealed at 200 and 300 deg C the as-deposited opaque films become transparent but still amorphous. Under treatments at 400 and 500 deg C a crystalline nonstoichiometric V{sub 2}O{sub 5} structure is formed. All the annealed films became semiconducting, with their optical absorption coefficients changing with the annealing temperature. An optical gap of 2.25 eV was measured for the films annealed at 400 and 500 deg C. The annealing in rarefied oxygen atmosphere proved to be a useful and simple ex-situ method to modulate the structural and optical properties of vanadium oxide films deposited by HFMOD technique. This technique could be applied to other amorphous and non-absorbing oxide films, replacing the conventional and sometimes expensive method of modulate desirable film properties by controlling the film deposition parameters. Even more, the HFMOD technique can be an inexpensive alternative to deposit metal oxide films. (author)

Selective tuning of high-Q silicon photonic crystal nanocavities via laser-assisted local oxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Charlton J; Zheng, Jiangjun; Gu, Tingyi; McMillan, James F; Yu, Mingbin; Lo, Guo-Qiang; Kwong, Dim-Lee; Wong, Chee Wei

2011-06-20

We examine the cavity resonance tuning of high-Q silicon photonic crystal heterostructures by localized laser-assisted thermal oxidation using a 532 nm continuous wave laser focused to a 2.5 μm radius spot-size. The total shift is consistent with the parabolic rate law. A tuning range of up to 8.7 nm is achieved with ∼ 30 mW laser powers. Over this tuning range, the cavity Qs decreases from 3.2×10(5) to 1.2×10(5). Numerical simulations model the temperature distributions in the silicon photonic crystal membrane and the cavity resonance shift from oxidation.

Enhanced photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue by ZnO-reduced graphene oxide composite synthesized via microwave-assisted reaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lv Tian [Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics and Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062 (China); Pan Likun, E-mail: lkpan@phy.ecnu.edu.cn [Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics and Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062 (China); Liu Xinjuan; Lu Ting; Zhu Guang; Sun Zhuo [Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics and Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062 (China)

2011-10-13

Highlights: > ZnO-reduced graphene oxide composite is synthesized via microwave assisted reaction. > The method allows a facile, safe and rapid reaction in aqueous media. > A high dye degradation efficiency is achieved under UV light irradiation. - Abstract: A quick and facile microwave-assisted reaction is used to synthesize ZnO-reduced graphene oxide (RGO) hybrid composites by reducing graphite oxide dispersion with zinc nitrate using a microwave synthesis system. Their photocatalytic performance in degradation of methylene blue is investigated and the results show that the RGO plays an important role in the enhancement of photocatalytic performance and the ZnO-RGO composite with 1.1 wt. % RGO achieves a maximum degradation efficiency of 88% in a neutral solution under UV light irradiation for 260 min as compared with pure ZnO (68%) due to the increased light absorption, the reduced charge recombination with the introduction of RGO.

Titanium modified with layer-by-layer sol-gel tantalum oxide and an organodiphosphonic acid: a coating for hydroxyapatite growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnould, C; Volcke, C; Lamarque, C; Thiry, P A; Delhalle, J; Mekhalif, Z

2009-08-15

Titanium and its alloys are widely used in surgical implants due to their appropriate properties like corrosion resistance, biocompatibility, and load bearing. Unfortunately when metals are used for orthopedic and dental implants there is the possibility of loosening over a long period of time. Surface modification is a good way to counter this problem. A thin tantalum oxide layer obtained by layer-by-layer (LBL) sol-gel deposition on top of a titanium surface is expected to improve biocorrosion resistance in the body fluid, biocompatibility, and radio-opacity. This elaboration step is followed by a modification of the tantalum oxide surface with an organodiphosphonic acid self-assembled monolayer, capable of chemically binding to the oxide surface, and also improving hydroxyapatite growth. The different steps of this proposed process are characterized by surfaces techniques like contact angle, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM).

Substrate engineering for Ni-assisted growth of carbon nano-tubes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kolahdouz, Z.; Kolahdouz, M. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Nano-electronic Laboratory, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ghanbari, H. [Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mohajerzadeh, S. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Nano-electronic Laboratory, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Naureen, S. [School of Information and Communication Technology, KTH (Royal Institute of Technology) Kista (Sweden); Radamson, H.H., E-mail: rad@kth.se [School of Information and Communication Technology, KTH (Royal Institute of Technology) Kista (Sweden)

2012-10-01

The growth of carbon multi-walled nano-tubes (MWCNTs) using metal catalyst (e.g. Ni, Co, and Fe) has been extensively investigated during the last decade. In general, the physical properties of CNTs depend on the type, quality and diameter of the tubes. One of the parameters which affects the diameter of a MWCNT is the size of the catalyst metal islands. Considering Ni as the metal catalyst, the formed silicide layer agglomerates (island formation) after a thermal treatment. One way to decrease the size of Ni islands is to apply SiGe as the base for the growth. In this study, different methods based on substrate engineering are proposed to change/control the MWCNT diameters. These include (i) well-controlled oxide openings containing Ni to miniaturize the metal island size, and (ii) growth on strained or partially relaxed SiGe layers for smaller Ni silicide islands.

Simple and cost-effective fabrication of size-tunable zinc oxide architectures by multiple size reduction technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hyeong-Ho Park, Xin Zhang, Seon-Yong Hwang, Sang Hyun Jung, Semin Kang, Hyun-Beom Shin, Ho Kwan Kang, Hyung-Ho Park, Ross H Hill and Chul Ki Ko

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We present a simple size reduction technique for fabricating 400 nm zinc oxide (ZnO architectures using a silicon master containing only microscale architectures. In this approach, the overall fabrication, from the master to the molds and the final ZnO architectures, features cost-effective UV photolithography, instead of electron beam lithography or deep-UV photolithography. A photosensitive Zn-containing sol–gel precursor was used to imprint architectures by direct UV-assisted nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL. The resulting Zn-containing architectures were then converted to ZnO architectures with reduced feature sizes by thermal annealing at 400 °C for 1 h. The imprinted and annealed ZnO architectures were also used as new masters for the size reduction technique. ZnO pillars of 400 nm diameter were obtained from a silicon master with pillars of 1000 nm diameter by simply repeating the size reduction technique. The photosensitivity and contrast of the Zn-containing precursor were measured as 6.5 J cm−2 and 16.5, respectively. Interesting complex ZnO patterns, with both microscale pillars and nanoscale holes, were demonstrated by the combination of dose-controlled UV exposure and a two-step UV-NIL.

Simple and cost-effective fabrication of size-tunable zinc oxide architectures by multiple size reduction technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Hyeong-Ho; Hwang, Seon-Yong; Jung, Sang Hyun; Kang, Semin; Shin, Hyun-Beom; Kang, Ho Kwan; Ko, Chul Ki; Zhang Xin; Hill, Ross H; Park, Hyung-Ho

2012-01-01

We present a simple size reduction technique for fabricating 400 nm zinc oxide (ZnO) architectures using a silicon master containing only microscale architectures. In this approach, the overall fabrication, from the master to the molds and the final ZnO architectures, features cost-effective UV photolithography, instead of electron beam lithography or deep-UV photolithography. A photosensitive Zn-containing sol–gel precursor was used to imprint architectures by direct UV-assisted nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL). The resulting Zn-containing architectures were then converted to ZnO architectures with reduced feature sizes by thermal annealing at 400 °C for 1 h. The imprinted and annealed ZnO architectures were also used as new masters for the size reduction technique. ZnO pillars of 400 nm diameter were obtained from a silicon master with pillars of 1000 nm diameter by simply repeating the size reduction technique. The photosensitivity and contrast of the Zn-containing precursor were measured as 6.5 J cm −2 and 16.5, respectively. Interesting complex ZnO patterns, with both microscale pillars and nanoscale holes, were demonstrated by the combination of dose-controlled UV exposure and a two-step UV-NIL.

Critical evaluation of pressurized microwave-assisted digestion efficiency using nitric acid oxidizing systems (M7)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matusiewicz, H.

2002-01-01

Full text: The possibilities of enhancement of a medium-pressure microwave-assisted digestion system for sample preparation in trace element analysis of biological material was investigated. Based on optimal digestion conditions for oxidizing systems with nitric acid, different digestion procedures were examined to minimize residual carbon. The substitution of nitric acid and the addition of hydrogen peroxide and ozone to nitric acid was evaluated. The residual carbon content of the digestate was determined coulometrically. Addition of hydrogen peroxide during organic oxidation reactions does not lower the resolved carbon in the solution. Ozone was tested as an additional, potentially non-contaminating, digestion/oxidation system to the nitric acid used in the sample preparation method. (author)

Graphene growth from reduced graphene oxide by chemical vapour deposition: seeded growth accompanied by restoration

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Sung-Jin; Hyun, Moon Seop; Myung, Sung; Kang, Min-A.; Yoo, Jung Ho; Lee, Kyoung G.; Choi, Bong Gill; Cho, Youngji; Lee, Gaehang; Park, Tae Jung

2016-03-01

Understanding the underlying mechanisms involved in graphene growth via chemical vapour deposition (CVD) is critical for precise control of the characteristics of graphene. Despite much effort, the actual processes behind graphene synthesis still remain to be elucidated in a large number of aspects. Herein, we report the evolution of graphene properties during in-plane growth of graphene from reduced graphene oxide (RGO) on copper (Cu) via methane CVD. While graphene is laterally grown from RGO flakes on Cu foils up to a few hundred nanometres during CVD process, it shows appreciable improvement in structural quality. The monotonous enhancement of the structural quality of the graphene with increasing length of the graphene growth from RGO suggests that seeded CVD growth of graphene from RGO on Cu surface is accompanied by the restoration of graphitic structure. The finding provides insight into graphene growth and defect reconstruction useful for the production of tailored carbon nanostructures with required properties.

Multiphase layered oxide growth on pure metals. I. General formulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fromhold, A.T. Jr.

1982-01-01

A general formulation for the simultaneous growth of any number of layered planar oxide phases on a pure metal under diffusion-controlled conditions has been developed. Four individual situations have been developed in detail, namely, situations in which the predominant mode of ion transport is by cation interstitials, cation vacancies, anion interstitials, or anion vacancies. The generalized formulation enables the determination of quasi-steady-state growth kinetics following step function changes in the experimental conditions such as ambient oxygen pressure or temperature. Numerical evaluation of the coupled growth equations for the individual phases is required to deduce the general predictions of the theory. In the limit of two-layer growth by cation interstitial diffusion, the present formulation reproduces the earlier results of Fromhold and Sato

Peculiarities in film growth of ferroelectric complex oxides in ion-plasma sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mukhortov, V.M.; Golovko, Yu.I.; Mukhortov, Vl.M.; Dudkevich, V.P.

1981-01-01

Experimental investigation into the process of complex oxide film growth (using BaTiO 3 and (Ba,Sr)TiO 3 as an example) during ion-plasma sputtering has been carried out. It is shown that neutral excited atoms are knocked out of a ceramic target during its ion bombardment. Removing from the target they loss energy at the expence of collisions and at some distance hsub(cr) the oxidation reaction (BaO, TiO, TiO 2 , SrO) becomes possible. So the ''construction'' material comes in either in the form of atoms or in the form of molecules of simple oxides depending on a distance between cathode and substrate. Two mechanisms of synthesis and crystallization distinguished with dependences of growth rate, elementary cell parameters and other structure characteristics on precipitation temperature correspond to two precipitation mechanisms. Part of re-evaporation and reduction processes is discussed [ru

Quantitative and qualitative sensing techniques for biogenic volatile organic compounds and their oxidation products.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Saewung; Guenther, Alex; Apel, Eric

2013-07-01

The physiological production mechanisms of some of the organics in plants, commonly known as biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), have been known for more than a century. Some BVOCs are emitted to the atmosphere and play a significant role in tropospheric photochemistry especially in ozone and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) productions as a result of interplays between BVOCs and atmospheric radicals such as hydroxyl radical (OH), ozone (O3) and NOX (NO + NO2). These findings have been drawn from comprehensive analysis of numerous field and laboratory studies that have characterized the ambient distribution of BVOCs and their oxidation products, and reaction kinetics between BVOCs and atmospheric oxidants. These investigations are limited by the capacity for identifying and quantifying these compounds. This review highlights the major analytical techniques that have been used to observe BVOCs and their oxidation products such as gas chromatography, mass spectrometry with hard and soft ionization methods, and optical techniques from laser induced fluorescence (LIF) to remote sensing. In addition, we discuss how new analytical techniques can advance our understanding of BVOC photochemical processes. The principles, advantages, and drawbacks of the analytical techniques are discussed along with specific examples of how the techniques were applied in field and laboratory measurements. Since a number of thorough review papers for each specific analytical technique are available, readers are referred to these publications rather than providing thorough descriptions of each technique. Therefore, the aim of this review is for readers to grasp the advantages and disadvantages of various sensing techniques for BVOCs and their oxidation products and to provide guidance for choosing the optimal technique for a specific research task.

Ga-assisted catalyst-free growth mechanism of GaAs nanowires by molecular beam epitaxy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colombo, C.; Spirkoska, D.; Frimmer, M.; Abstreiter, G.; Fontcuberta i Morral, A.

2008-01-01

The mechanisms of Ga-assisted GaAs nanowires grown by molecular beam epitaxy are addressed. The axial and radial growth rates as a function of the Ga rate and As pressure indicate that on the opposite of what is observed in thin film epitaxy, the growth rate of the nanowires is arsenic limited. As a consequence, the axial growth rate of the wires can be controlled by the As 4 pressure. Additionally, due to the small As 4 pressure leading to nanowire growth, the deposition on the facets is very slow, leading to a much lower radial growth rate. Finally, we present a model that is able to accurately describe the presented observations and predicts a maximum length of nontapered nanowires of 40 μm

Superoxide radical and UV irradiation in ultrasound assisted oxidative desulfurization (UAOD): A potential alternative for greener fuels

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Ngo Yeung

This study is aimed at improving the current ultrasound assisted oxidative desulfurization (UAOD) process by utilizing superoxide radical as oxidant. Research was also conducted to investigate the feasibility of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation-assisted desulfurization. These modifications can enhance the process with the following achievements: (1) Meet the upcoming sulfur standards on various fuels including diesel fuel oils and residual oils; (2) More efficient oxidant with significantly lower consumption in accordance with stoichiometry; (3) Energy saving by 90%; (4) Greater selectivity in petroleum composition. Currently, the UAOD process and subsequent modifications developed in University of Southern California by Professor Yen's research group have demonstrated high desulfurization efficiencies towards various fuels with the application of 30% wt. hydrogen peroxide as oxidant. The UAOD process has demonstrated more than 50% desulfurization of refractory organic sulfur compounds with the use of Venturella type catalysts. Application of quaternary ammonium fluoride as phase transfer catalyst has significantly improved the desulfurization efficiency to 95%. Recent modifications incorporating ionic liquids have shown that the modified UAOD process can produce ultra-low sulfur, or near-zero sulfur diesels under mild conditions with 70°C and atmospheric pressure. Nevertheless, the UAOD process is considered not to be particularly efficient with respect to oxidant and energy consumption. Batch studies have demonstrated that the UAOD process requires 100 fold more oxidant than the stoichiometic requirement to achieve high desulfurization yield. The expected high costs of purchasing, shipping and storage of the oxidant would reduce the practicability of the process. The excess use of oxidant is not economically desirable, and it also causes environmental and safety issues. Post treatments would be necessary to stabilize the unspent oxidant residual to prevent the waste

Investigations of the kinetics of surfactant-assisted growth of cobalt/copper multilayers

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Brennan Lovelace

Surfactants---a term given to a broad family of surface additives used in thin film growth---provide a potentially useful tool for the deposition engineer. A long history of work on the field has produced a sometimes conflicting view of what surfactants do, and while their efficacy in improving magnetic films is well established, the attendant structural changes remain unclear. Early work on surfactant-assisted growth was generally confined to deposition at near equilibrium conditions: high temperature and very slow deposition rates on very smooth (single crystal) substrates. In the case of low temperature sputter deposition, the kinetic phenomena differ greatly from the near-equilibrium case: high rate, more interlayer diffusive pathways, high grain boundary density, and few well defined atomic steps. There are two major ideas which underlie and explain the use of surfactants. First, they are used to alter growth kinetics of a single material by changing the diffusion barriers on the growing surface. Second, surfactants alter the initial nucleation parameters in heteroepitaxial growth, which is often explained with reference to changes in the surface energy, gamma. Changes to these parameters result, in turn, to variations of the roughness and conformality of thin films grown with the assistance of surfactants. Finally, the roughness and conformality are critical for determining the performance of modern thin film magnetic sensors. As surfactants offer a way to alter the nucleation and growth kinetics, they offer tremendous potential benefits. However, before surfactants are trustworthy deposition tool, a better understanding of their structural effects and underlying surface energy and kinetic changes is necessary. In order to investigate these phenomena, DC magnetron sputtered [Co/Cu] multilayers were deposited on Si/SiO2 substrates using O2 , Ag, Pb, and In as surfactants. Oxygen was introduced during growth at partial pressures ranging from 10-9 to 10-6 Torr

Finite element modelling of the oxidation kinetics of Zircaloy-4 with a controlled metal-oxide interface and the influence of growth stress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zumpicchiat, Guillaume; Pascal, Serge; Tupin, Marc; Berdin-Méric, Clotilde

2015-01-01

Highlights: We developed two finite element models of zirconium-based alloy oxidation using the CEA Cast3M code to simulate the oxidation kinetics of Zircaloy-4: the diffuse interface model and the sharp interface model. We also studied the effect of stresses on the oxidation kinetics. The main results are: • Both models lead to parabolic oxidation kinetics in agreement with the Wagner’s theory. • The modellings enable to calculate the stress distribution in the oxide as well as in the metal. • A strong effect of the hydrostatic stress on the oxidation kinetics has been evidenced. • The stress gradient effect changes the parabolic kinetics into a sub-parabolic law closer to the experimental kinetics because of the stress gradient itself, but also because of the growth stress increase with the oxide thickness. - Abstract: Experimentally, zirconium-based alloys oxidation kinetics is sub-parabolic, by contrast with the Wagner theory which predicts a parabolic kinetics. Two finite element models have been developed to simulate this phenomenon: the diffuse interface model and the sharp interface model. Both simulate parabolic oxidation kinetics. The growth stress effects on oxygen diffusion are studied to try to explain the gap between theory and experience. Taking into account the influence of the hydrostatic stress and its gradient into the oxygen flux expression, sub-parabolic oxidation kinetics have been simulated. The sub-parabolic behaviour of the oxidation kinetics can be explained by a non-uniform compressive stress level into the oxide layer.

Comparison of the growth kinetics of In{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} and their suboxide desorption during plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vogt, Patrick, E-mail: vogt@pdi-berlin.de; Bierwagen, Oliver, E-mail: bierwagen@pdi-berlin.de [Paul-Drude-Institut für Festkörperelektronik, Hausvogteiplatz 5–7, D-10117 Berlin (Germany)

2016-08-08

We present a comprehensive study of the In{sub 2}O{sub 3} growth kinetics during plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy and compare it to that of the related oxide Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} [P. Vogt and O. Bierwagen, Appl. Phys. Lett. 108, 072101 (2016)]. The growth rate and desorbing fluxes were measured during growth in-situ by a laser reflectometry set-up and line-of-sight quadrupole mass spectrometer, respectively. We extracted the In incorporation as a function of the provided In flux, different growth temperatures T{sub G}, and In-to-O flux ratios r. The data are discussed in terms of the competing formation of In{sub 2}O{sub 3} and desorption of the suboxide In{sub 2}O and O. The same three growth regimes as in the case of Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} can be distinguished: (i) In-transport limited, O-rich (ii) In{sub 2}O-desorption limited, O-rich, and (iii) O-transport limited, In-rich. In regime (iii), In droplets are formed on the growth surface at low T{sub G}. The growth kinetics follows qualitatively that of Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} in agreement with their common oxide and suboxide stoichiometry. The quantitative differences are mainly rationalized by the difference in In{sub 2}O and Ga{sub 2}O desorption rates and vapor pressures. For the In{sub 2}O, Ga{sub 2}O, and O desorption, we extracted the activation energies and frequency factors by means of Arrhenius-plots.

Role of high-temperature creep stress in thermally grown oxide growth of thermal barrier coatings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ogawa, K.; Nakao, Y.; Seo, D.; Miura, H.; Shoji, T. [Tohoku Univ., Sendai (Japan)

2008-07-01

Thermally grown oxide (TGO) grows at the top / bond coating interface of the thermal barrier coating (TBC) in service. It is supposed that the failures of the TBC occur due to thermal stress and the decrease of adhesive strength caused by the TGO growth. Recently, large local stress has been found to change both the diffusion constant of oxygen through an existing oxide and the rate of chemical reaction at the oxide / oxidized material interface. Since high thermal stress occurs in the TBC, the volume expansion of the newly grown oxide, and centrifugal force, the growth rate of the TGO may change depending on not only temperature but also the stress. The aim of this study is to make clear the influence of stress on the growth rate of the TGO quantitatively. As a result, the thickness of the TGO clearly increases with increase of the amplitude of the applied stress and temperature. The increase rate of the TGO thickness is approximately 23% when the applied stress is increased from 0 to 205 MPa at 900 C, and approximately 29% when the stress is increased from 0 to 150 MPa at 950 C. (orig.)

Mixing-assisted oxidative desulfurization of model sulfur compounds using polyoxometalate/H2O2 catalytic system

OpenAIRE

Angelo Earvin Sy Choi; Susan Roces; Nathaniel Dugos; Meng-Wei Wan

2016-01-01

Desulfurization of fossil fuel derived oil is needed in order to comply with environmental regulations. Dibenzothiophene and benzothiophene are among the predominant sulfur compound present in raw diesel oil. In this study, mixing-assisted oxidative desulfurization of dibenzothiophene and benzothiophene were carried out using polyoxometalate/H2O2 systems and a phase transfer agent. The effects of reaction time (2–30 min) and temperature (30–70 °C) were examined in the oxidation of model sulfu...

Microwave-assisted in situ synthesis of reduced graphene oxide-BiVO{sub 4} composite photocatalysts and their enhanced photocatalytic performance for the degradation of ciprofloxacin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yan, Yan [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Xuefu Road 301, Zhenjiang, 212013 (China); Sun, Shaofang [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Xuefu Road 301, Zhenjiang, 212013 (China); School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Chang’an University, Yanta Road 126, Xi’an, 710054 (China); Song, Yang; Yan, Xu [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Xuefu Road 301, Zhenjiang, 212013 (China); Guan, Weisheng [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Chang’an University, Yanta Road 126, Xi’an, 710054 (China); Liu, Xinlin [School of Material Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Xuefu Road 301, Zhenjiang, 212013 (China); Shi, Weidong, E-mail: swd1978@ujs.edu.cn [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Xuefu Road 301, Zhenjiang, 212013 (China)

2013-04-15

Highlights: ► Microwave-assisted in situ growth of RGO-BiVO{sub 4} composite was proposed. ► A relatively small particle size with organic-additives free. ► Graphene was formed during the microwave-heating by oxygen capture. ► GB-2 sample exhibits the highest CIP degradation ratio (3 times over pure BiVO{sub 4}). ► The enhancements of activities result from the effective charge separation. -- Abstract: To improve the photodegradation efficiency for ciprofloxacin (CIP), a new-type microwave-assisted in situ growth method is developed for the preparation of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) -BiVO{sub 4} composite photocatalysts. The as-produced RGO-BiVO{sub 4} composite photocatalysts show extremely high enhancement of CIP degradation ratio over the pure BiVO{sub 4} photocatalyst under visible light. Specially, the 2 wt% RGO-BiVO{sub 4} composite photocatalyst exhibits the highest CIP degradation ratio (68.2%) in 60 min, which is over 3 times than that (22.7%) of the pure BiVO{sub 4} particles. The enhancement of photocatalytic activities of RGO-BiVO{sub 4} photocatalysts can be attributed to the effective separation of electron–hole pairs rather than the improvement of light absorption.

Metal Inhibition of Growth and Manganese Oxidation in Pseudomonas putida GB-1

Science.gov (United States)

Pena, J.; Sposito, G.

2009-12-01

Biogenic manganese oxides (MnO2) are ubiquitous nanoparticulate minerals that contribute to the adsorption of nutrient and toxicant metals, the oxidative degradation of various organic compounds, and the respiration of metal-reducing bacteria in aquatic and terrestrial environments. The formation of these minerals is catalyzed by a diverse and widely-distributed group of bacteria and fungi, often through the enzymatic oxidation of aqueous Mn(II) to Mn(IV). In metal-impacted ecosystems, toxicant metals may alter the viability and metabolic activity of Mn-oxidizing organisms, thereby limiting the conditions under which biogenic MnO2 can form and diminishing their potential as adsorbent materials. Pseudomonas putida GB-1 (P. putida GB-1) is a model Mn-oxidizing laboratory culture representative of freshwater and soil biofilm-forming bacteria. Manganese oxidation in P. putida GB-1 occurs via two single-electron-transfer reactions, involving a multicopper oxidase enzyme found on the bacterial outer membrane surface. Near the onset of the stationary phase of growth, dark brown MnO2 particles are deposited in a matrix of bacterial cells and extracellular polymeric substances, thus forming heterogeneous biomineral assemblages. In this study, we assessed the influence of various transition metals on microbial growth and manganese oxidation capacity in a P. putida GB-1 culture propagated in a nutrient-rich growth medium. The concentration-response behavior of actively growing P. putida GB-1 cells was investigated for Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn at pH ≈ 6 in the presence and absence of 1 mM Mn. Toxicity parameters such as EC0, EC50 and Hillslope, and EC100 were obtained from the sigmoidal concentration-response curves. The extent of MnO2 formation in the presence of the various metal cations was documented 24, 50, 74 and 104 h after the metal-amended medium was inoculated. Toxicity values were compared to twelve physicochemical properties of the metals tested. Significant

Thermal oxidation of seeds for the hydrothermal growth of WO{sub 3} nanorods on ITO glass substrate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ng, Chai Yan [School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Penang (Malaysia); Department of Mechanical and Material Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Sungai Long, Bandar Sungai Long, Cheras, 43000 Kajang, Selangor (Malaysia); Abdul Razak, Khairunisak, E-mail: khairunisak@usm.my [School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Penang (Malaysia); NanoBiotechnology Research and Innovation (NanoBRI), Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Penang (Malaysia); Lockman, Zainovia, E-mail: zainovia@usm.my [School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Penang (Malaysia)

2015-11-30

This work reports a simple seed formation method for the hydrothermal growth of tungsten oxide (WO{sub 3}) nanorods. A WO{sub 3} seed layer was prepared by thermal oxidation, where a W-sputtered substrate was heated and oxidized in a furnace. Oxidation temperatures and periods were varied at 400–550 °C and 5–60 min, respectively, to determine an appropriate seed layer for nanorod growth. Thermal oxidation at 500 °C for 15 min was found to produce a seed layer with sufficient crystallinity and good adhesion to the substrate. These properties prevented the seed from peeling off during the hydrothermal process, thereby allowing nanorod growth on the seed. The nanorod film showed better electrochromic behavior (higher current density of − 1.11 and + 0.65 mA cm{sup −2}) than compact film (lower current density of − 0.54 and + 0.28 mA cm{sup −2}). - Highlights: • A simple seed formation method (thermal oxidation) on sputtered W film is reported. • Crystalline seed with good adhesion to substrate is required for nanorod growth. • The appropriate temperature and period for seed formation were 500 °C and 15 min. • WO{sub 3} nanorods exhibited higher electrochromic current density than WO{sub 3} compact film.

The effect of substrate orientation on the kinetics and thermodynamics of initial oxide-film growth on metals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reichel, Friederike

2007-11-19

This thesis addresses the effect of the parent metal-substrate orientation on the thermodynamics and kinetics of ultra-thin oxide-film growth on bare metals upon their exposure to oxygen gas at low temperatures (up to 650 K). A model description has been developed to predict the thermodynamically stable microstructure of a thin oxide film grown on its bare metal substrate as function of the oxidation conditions and the substrate orientation. For Mg and Ni, the critical oxide-film thickness is less than 1 oxide monolayer and therefore the initial development of an amorphous oxide phase on these metal substrates is unlikely. Finally, for Cu and densely packed Cr and Fe metal surfaces, oxide overgrowth is predicted to proceed by the direct formation and growth of a crystalline oxide phase. Further, polished Al single-crystals with {l_brace}111{r_brace}, {l_brace}100{r_brace} and {l_brace}110{r_brace} surface orientations were introduced in an ultra-high vacuum system for specimen processing and analysis. After surface cleaning and annealing, the bare Al substrates have been oxidized by exposure to pure oxygen gas. During the oxidation, the oxide-film growth kinetics has been established by real-time in-situ spectroscopic ellipsometry. After the oxidation, the oxide-film microstructures were investigated by angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and low energy electron diffraction. Finally, high-resolution transmission electron microscopic analysis was applied to study the microstructure and morphology of the grown oxide films on an atomic scale. (orig.)

Femtosecond laser-assisted deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty in phototherapeutic keratectomy versus the big-bubble technique in keratoconus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jarbas Pereira de Macedo

2018-05-01

Full Text Available AIM: To compare the functional and anatomic results of femtosecond laser (FSL-assisted deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK associated with phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK and FSL-assisted DALK performed using the big-bubble technique in keratoconus. METHODS: During the first phase of the study, an electron microscopy histopathology pilot study was conducted that included four unsuitable donor corneas divided into two groups: in FSL group, FSL lamellar cuts were performed on two corneas and in FSL+PTK group, PTK was performed at the stromal beds of two corneas after FSL lamellar cuts were made. During the second phase of the study, a randomized clinical trial was conducted that included two treatment groups of patients with keratoconus: group 1 (n=14 eyes underwent FSL-assisted DALK associated with PTK and group 2 (n=12 eyes underwent FSL-assisted DALK associated with the big-bubble technique. The main outcome measures were the postoperative visual acuity (VA and optical coherence tomography (OCT measurements, confocal microscopic findings, and contrast sensitivity. RESULTS: In the pilot study, histopathology showed a more regular stromal bed in the FSL+PTK group. In the clinical trial, group 1 had significantly worse best spectacle-corrected VA and contrast sensitivity (P<0.05 for both comparisons. The residual stromal bed measured by OCT was significantly (P<0.05 thicker in group 1. Confocal microscopy detected opacities only at the donor-receptor interface in group 1. CONCLUSION: Patients with keratoconus treated with FSL-assisted DALK performed using the big-bubble technique fare better than treated with FSL-assisted DALK associated with PTK.

Kinetics and mechanism of the oxidation of cerium in air at ambient temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wheeler, D.W.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • XRD and transverse sections suggest Ce_2O_3 forms on Ce before being overlaid by CeO_2. • XRD and oxide thickness measurements both indicate linear oxidation. • Extensive cracking on oxide surface which sustains continuing oxidation. • Electron microscopy has shown features indicative of nodular oxidation. • Oxide growth rate determined to be 0.1 μm day"−"1 under the conditions in this study. - Abstract: This paper describes a study of the oxidation of cerium in air at ambient temperature. Specimens were exposed for up to 60 days, during which they were analysed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) at regular intervals. Both XRD and oxide thickness measurements indicate linear oxidation over the duration of this study. Under the conditions employed in this study, the rate of oxide growth has been determined to be 0.1 μm day"−"1. The oxidation process appears to be assisted by extensive cracking in the oxide layer which acts as a non-protective film for the underlying metal.

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

Differential oxidative and antioxidative response of duckweed Lemna minor toward plant growth promoting/inhibiting bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishizawa, Hidehiro; Kuroda, Masashi; Morikawa, Masaaki; Ike, Michihiko

2017-09-01

Bacteria colonizing the plant rhizosphere are believed to positively or negatively affect the host plant productivity. This feature has inspired researchers to engineer such interactions to enhance crop production. However, it remains to be elucidated whether rhizobacteria influences plant oxidative stress vis-a-vis other environmental stressors, and whether such influence is associated with their growth promoting/inhibiting ability. In this study, two plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) and two plant growth-inhibiting bacteria (PGIB) were separately inoculated into axenic duckweed (Lemna minor) culture under laboratory conditions for 4 and 8 days in order to investigate their effects on plant oxidative stress and antioxidant activities. As previously characterized, the inoculation of PGPB and PGIB strains accelerated and reduced the growth of L. minor, respectively. After 4 and 8 days of cultivation, compared to the PGPB strains, the PGIB strains induced larger amounts of O 2 •- , H 2 O 2 , and malondialdehyde (MDA) in duckweed, although all bacterial strains consistently increased O 2 •- content by two times more than that in the aseptic control plants. Activities of five antioxidant enzymes were also elevated by the inoculation of PGIB, confirming the severe oxidative stress condition in plants. These results suggest that the surface attached bacteria affect differently on host oxidative stress and its response, which degree correlates negatively to their effects on plant growth. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Simulation of uranium oxides reduction kinetics by hydrogen. Reactivities of germination and growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brun, C.

1997-01-01

The aim of this work is to simulate the reduction by hydrogen of the tri-uranium octo-oxide U 3 O 8 (obtained by uranium trioxide calcination) into uranium dioxide. The kinetics curves have been obtained by thermal gravimetric analysis, the hydrogen and steam pressures being defined. The geometrical modeling which has allowed to explain the trend of the kinetics curves and of the velocity curves is an anisotropic germination-growth modeling. The powder is supposed to be formed of spherical grains with the same radius. The germs of the new UO 2 phase appear at the surface of the U 3 O 8 grains with a specific germination frequency. The growth reactivity is anisotropic and is very large in the tangential direction to the grains surface. Then, the uranium dioxide growths inside the grain and the limiting step is the grain surface. The variations of the growth reactivity and of the germination specific frequency in terms of the gases partial pressures and of the temperature have been explained by two different mechanisms. The limiting step of the growth mechanism is the desorption of water in the uranium dioxide surface. Concerning the germination mechanism the limiting step is a water desorption too but in the tri-uranium octo-oxide surface. The same geometrical modeling and the same germination and growth mechanisms have been applied to the reduction of a tri-uranium octo-oxide obtained by calcination of hydrated uranium trioxide. The values of the germination specific frequency of this solid are nevertheless weaker than those of the solid obtained by direct calcination of the uranium trioxide. (O.M.)

Catalyst free growth of ZnO nanowires on graphene and graphene oxide and its enhanced photoluminescence and photoresponse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biroju, Ravi K; Giri, P K; Tilak, Nikhil; Rajender, Gone; Dhara, S

2015-01-01

We demonstrate the graphene assisted catalyst free growth of ZnO nanowires (NWs) on chemical vapor deposited (CVD) and chemically processed graphene buffer layers at a relatively low growth temperature (580 °C) in the presence and absence of ZnO seed layers. In the case of CVD graphene covered with rapid thermal annealed ZnO buffer layer, the growth of vertically aligned ZnO NWs takes place, while the direct growth on CVD graphene, chemically derived graphene (graphene oxide and graphene quantum dots) without ZnO seed layer resulted in randomly oriented sparse ZnO NWs. Growth mechanism was studied from high resolution transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy of the hybrid structure. Further, we demonstrate strong UV, visible photoluminescence (PL) and enhanced photoconductivity (PC) from the CVD graphene–ZnO NWs hybrids as compared to the ZnO NWs grown without the graphene buffer layer. The evolution of crystalinity in ZnO NWs grown with ZnO seed layer and graphene buffer layer is correlated with the Gaussian line shape of UV and visible PL. This is further supported by the strong Raman mode at 438 cm −1 significant for the wurtzite phase of the ZnO NWs grown on different graphene substrates. The effect of the thickness of ZnO seed layers and the role of graphene buffer layers on the aligned growth of ZnO NWs and its enhanced PC are investigated systematically. Our results demonstrate the catalyst free growth and superior performance of graphene–ZnO NW hybrid UV photodetectors as compared to the bare ZnO NW based photodetectors. (paper)

Microwave assisted facile hydrothermal synthesis and characterization of zinc oxide flower grown on graphene oxide sheets for enhanced photodegradation of dyes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kashinath, L.; Namratha, K.; Byrappa, K.

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Synthesis of hybrid ZnO–GO nanocomposite via microwave assisted facile hydrothermal method. • The in situ flower like ZnO nano particles are densely decorated and anchored on the surfaces of graphene oxide sheets. • They exhibited high adsorption measurement, increase in surface area and meso/micro porous in nature. • The structure and morphology plays a vital role in enhancing the photo response activities of degradation of dyes. - Abstract: Microwave assisted hydrothermal process of synthesis of ZnO–GO nanocomposite by using ZnCl 2 and NaOH as precursors is being reported first time. In this investigation, a novel route to study on synthesis, interaction, kinetics and mechanism of hybrid zinc oxide–graphene oxide (ZnO–GO) nanocomposite using microwave assisted facile hydrothermal method has been reported. The results shows that the ZnO–GO nanocomposite exhibits an enhancement and acts as stable photo-response degradation performance of Brilliant Yellow under the UV light radiation better than pure GO and ZnO nanoparticles. The microwave exposure played a vital role in the synthesis process, it facilitates with well define crystalline structure, porosity and fine morphology of ZnO/GO nanocomposite. Different molar concentrations of ZnO precursors doped to GO sheets were been synthesized, characterized and their photodegradation performances were investigated. The optical studies by UV–vis and Photo Luminescence shows an increase in band gap of nanocomposite, which added an advantage in photodegradation performance. The in situ flower like ZnO nano particles are were densely decorated and anchored on the surfaces of graphene oxide sheets which aids in the enhancement of the surface area, adsorption, mass transfer of dyes and evolution of oxygen species. The nanocomposite having high surface area and micro/mesoporous in nature. This structure and morphology supports significantly in increasing photo catalytic

Continuous-flow ultrasound assisted oxidative desulfurization (UAOD) process: An efficient diesel treatment by injection of the aqueous phase.

Science.gov (United States)

Rahimi, Masoud; Shahhosseini, Shahrokh; Movahedirad, Salman

2017-11-01

A new continuous-flow ultrasound assisted oxidative desulfurization (UAOD) process was developed in order to decrease energy and aqueous phase consumption. In this process the aqueous phase is injected below the horn tip leading to enhanced mixing of the phases. Diesel fuel as the oil phase with sulfur content of 1550ppmw and an appropriate mixture of hydrogen peroxide and formic acid as the aqueous phase were used. At the first step, the optimized condition for the sulfur removal has been obtained in the batch mode operation. Hence, the effect of more important oxidation parameters; oxidant-to-sulfur molar ratio, acid-to-sulfur molar ratio and sonication time were investigated. Then the optimized conditions were obtained using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) technique. Afterwards, some experiments corresponding to the best batch condition and also with objective of minimizing the residence time and aqueous phase to fuel volume ratio have been conducted in a newly designed double-compartment reactor with injection of the aqueous phase to evaluate the process in a continuous flow operation. In addition, the effect of nozzle diameter has been examined. Significant improvement on the sulfur removal was observed specially in lower sonication time in the case of dispersion method in comparison with the conventional contact between two phases. Ultimately, the flow pattern induced by ultrasonic device, and also injection of the aqueous phase were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively by capturing the sequential images. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Monitoring the in-situ oxide growth on uranium by ultraviolet-visible reflectance spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Schweke, Danielle; Maimon, Chen; Chernia, Zelig; Livneh, Tsachi

2012-11-01

We demonstrate the in-situ monitoring of oxide growth on U-0.1 wt. % Cr by means of UV-visible reflectance spectroscopy in the thickness range of ˜20-150 nm. Two different approaches are presented: In the "modeling approach," we employ a model for a metallic substrate covered by a dielectric layer, while taking into account the buildup of oxygen gradient and surface roughness. Then, we fit the simulated spectra to the experimental one. In the "extrema analysis," we derive an approximated analytical expression, which relates the oxide thickness to the position of the extrema in the reflectance spectra based on the condition for optical interference of the reflected light. Good agreement is found between the values extracted by the two procedures. Activation energy of ˜21 kcal/mole was obtained by monitoring the oxide growth in the temperature range of 22-90 °C. The upper bound for the thickness determination is argued to be mostly dictated by cracking and detachment processes in the formed oxide.

Amino acid-assisted synthesis of zinc oxide nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Baljinder; Moudgil, Lovika; Singh, Gurinder; Kaura, Aman

2018-05-01

In this manuscript we have used experimental approach that can provide a fundamental knowledge about the role played by biomolecules in designing the shape of nanostructure (NS) at a microscopic level. The three different amino acids (AAs) - Arginine (Arg), Aspartic acid (Asp) and Histidine (His) coated Zinc oxide (ZnO) NSs to explain the growth mechanism of nanoparticles of different shapes. Based on the experimental methodology we propose that AA-ZnO (Asp and Arg) nanomaterials could form of rod like configuration and His-ZnO NPs could form tablet like configuration. The synthesized samples are characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Results reveal that AAs are responsible for formation of different NSs

Extraction of Dihydroquercetin from Larix gmelinii with Ultrasound-Assisted and Microwave-Assisted Alternant Digestion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuangang Zu

2012-07-01

Full Text Available An ultrasound and microwave assisted alternant extraction method (UMAE was applied for extracting dihydroquercetin (DHQ from Larix gmelinii wood. This investigation was conducted using 60% ethanol as solvent, 1:12 solid to liquid ratio, and 3 h soaking time. The optimum treatment time was ultrasound 40 min, microwave 20 min, respectively, and the extraction was performed once. Under the optimized conditions, satisfactory extraction yield of the target analyte was obtained. Relative to ultrasound-assisted or microwave-assisted method, the proposed approach provides higher extraction yield. The effect of DHQ of different concentrations and synthetic antioxidants on oxidative stability in soy bean oil stored for 20 days at different temperatures (25 °C and 60 °C was compared. DHQ was more effective in restraining soy bean oil oxidation, and a dose-response relationship was observed. The antioxidant activity of DHQ was a little stronger than that of BHA and BHT. Soy bean oil supplemented with 0.08 mg/g DHQ exhibited favorable antioxidant effects and is preferable for effectively avoiding oxidation. The L. gmelinii wood samples before and after extraction were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that the UMAE method is a simple and efficient technique for sample preparation.

Surface modification technique of structural ceramics: ion implantation-assisted multi-arc ion plating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng Zhijian; Miao Hezhuo; Si Wenjie; Qi Longhao; Li Wenzhi

2003-01-01

Through reviewing the advantages and disadvantages of the existed surface modification techniques, a new technique, ion implantation-assisted multi-arc ion plating, was proposed. Using the proposed technique, the surfaces of silicon nitride ceramics were modified by Ti ion implantation, and then three kinds of ternary coatings, (Ti,Al)N, (Ti,Zr)N and (Ti,Cr)N, were deposited on the as-implanted ceramics. The coatings prepared by this technique are of high-hardness and well adhesive to the ceramic substrates. The maximal hardness measured by nanoindentation tests is more than 40 GPa. The maximal critical load by nanoscratch tests is more than 60 mN. The cutting tools prepared by this technique with the presented coatings are of excellent performance in industrial applications. The technique may be promising for the surface modification of structural ceramics. (orig.)

Directing the Branching Growth of Cuprous Oxide by OH- Ions

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Kunfeng; Si, Yunfei; Xue, Dongfeng

The effect of OH- ions on the branching growth of cuprous oxide microcrystals was systematically studied by a reduction route, where copper-citrate complexes were reduced by glucose under alkaline conditions. Different copper salts including Cu(NO3)2, CuCl2, CuSO4, and Cu(Ac)2 were used in this work. The results indicate that the Cu2O branching growth habit is closely correlated to the concentration of OH- ions, which plays an important role in directing the diffusion-limited branching growth of Cu2O and influencing the reduction power of glucose. A variety of Cu2O branching patterns including 6-pod, 8-pod and 24-pod branches, have been achieved without using template and surfactant. The current method can provide a good platform for studying the growth mechanism of microcrystal branching patterns.

Assisted Reproduction Causes Reduced Fetal Growth Associated with Downregulation of Paternally Expressed Imprinted Genes That Enhance Fetal Growth in Mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Bo; Chen, Shuqiang; Tang, Na; Xiao, Xifeng; Huang, Jianlei; Jiang, Feng; Huang, Xiuying; Sun, Fangzhen; Wang, Xiaohong

2016-02-01

Alteration of intrauterine growth trajectory is linked to metabolic diseases in adulthood. In mammalian and, specifically, human species, pregnancies through assisted reproductive technology (ART) are associated with changes in intrauterine growth trajectory. However, it is still unclear how ART alters intrauterine growth trajectory, especially reduced fetal growth in early to midgestation. In this study, using a mouse model, it was found that ART procedures reduce fetal and placental growth at Embryonic Day 10.5. Furthermore, ART leads to decreased methylation levels at H19, KvDMR1, and Snrpn imprinting control regions in the placentae, instead of fetuses. Furthermore, in the placenta, ART downregulated a majority of parentally expressed imprinted genes, which enhance fetal growth, whereas it upregulated a majority of maternally expressed genes which repress fetal growth. Additionally, the expression of genes that regulate placental development was also affected by ART. ART also downregulated a majority of placental nutrient transporters. Disruption of genomic imprinting and abnormal expression of developmentally and functionally relevant genes in placenta may influence the placental development and function, which affect fetal growth and reprogramming. © 2016 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.

Impact of environmental tobacco smoke exposure in women on oxidative stress in the antral follicle and assisted reproduction outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kazemi, Ashraf; Ramezanzadeh, Fatemeh; Esfahani, Mohammad Hosein Nasr; Saboor-Yaraghi, Ali Akbar; Nejat, Saharnaz; Rahimi-Foroshani, Abbas

2013-08-01

Cigarette smoke contains many oxidants and may alter the human reproduction by inducing oxidative stress (OS) in both active and passive smokers. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure on oxidative stress in the follicular fluid and the assisted reproduction outcomes. An observational prospective study was carried out on 236 infertile women, who underwent assisted reproduction cycles. The ETS exposure was assessed using self-reported ETS exposure and the cotinine level in follicular fluid. To evaluate the OS in follicular fluid (FF) malon-di-aldehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were measured. The number of retrieved oocytes, rate of metaphase II stage oocytes, fertilization rate, good cleavage rate, and no-fragmented embryo rate were considered as the assisted reproduction outcomes. The results were adjusted for age, body mass index, duration, and etiology of infertility; P-values less than 0.05 were considered significant. The MDA and TAC levels in FF were not related to the self-report number of the weekly ETS exposure and cotinine levels in FF. Also, the number of retrieved oocytes, MII stage oocytes, fertilization rate, good cleavage rate, and no-fragmented embryo rate were not related to the cotinine level and weekly ETS exposure. However, in women whose cotinine levels in FF were lower and equal/above 3.5 ng/ml, the number of retrieved oocytes was higher (12.63 ± .71 vs. 9.28 ± 1.11, P = 0.01). The relationship between the MDA level and cleavage rate (Beta = -18.5, confidence interval-34.9 and-2.1, P assisted reproduction success by influencing the number of available oocytes. Although, the OS in a follicular environment affect the ability of oocytes to reach the specific cleavage stages at appropriate time intervals, it does not mediate poor-assisted reproduction outcomes due to ETS exposure.

Vapor deposition of molybdenum oxide using bis(ethylbenzene) molybdenum and water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drake, Tasha L.; Stair, Peter C.

2016-01-01

Three molybdenum precursors—bis(acetylacetonate) dioxomolybdenum, molybdenum isopropoxide, and bis(ethylbenzene) molybdenum—were tested for molybdenum oxide vapor deposition. Quartz crystal microbalance studies were performed to monitor growth. Molybdenum isopropoxide and bis(ethylbenzene) molybdenum achieved linear growth rates 0.01 and 0.08 Å/cycle, respectively, using atomic layer deposition techniques. Negligible MoO_x growth was observed on alumina powder using molybdenum isopropoxide, as determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. Bis(ethylbenzene) molybdenum achieved loadings of 0.5, 1.1, and 1.9 Mo/nm"2 on alumina powder after one, two, and five cycles, respectively, using atomic layer deposition techniques. The growth window for bis(ethylbenzene) molybdenum is 135–150 °C. An alternative pulsing strategy was also developed for bis(ethylbenzene) molybdenum that results in higher growth rates in less time compared to atomic layer deposition techniques. The outlined process serves as a methodology for depositing molybdenum oxide for catalytic applications. All as-deposited materials undergo further calcination prior to characterization and testing.

Magnetic properties of iron oxide nanoparticles prepared by seeded-growth route

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Espinosa, A.; Muñoz-Noval, A.; García-Hernández, M.; Serrano, A.; Jiménez de la Morena, J.; Figuerola, A.; Quarta, A.; Pellegrino, T.; Wilhelm, C.; García, M. A.

2013-01-01

In this work we investigate the magnetic properties of iron oxide nanoparticles obtained by two-step synthesis (seeded-growth route) with sizes that range from 6 to 18 nm. The initial seeds result monocrystalline and exhibit ferromagnetic behavior with low saturation field. The subsequent growth of a shell enhances the anisotropy inducing magnetic frustration, and, consequently, reducing its magnetization. This increase in anisotropy occurs suddenly at a certain size (∼10 nm). Electronic and structural analysis with X-ray absorption spectroscopy indicates a step reduction in the oxidation state as the particle reaches 10 nm size while keeping its overall structure in spite of the magnetic polydispersity. The formation of antiphase magnetic boundaries due to island percolation in the growing shells is hypothesized to be the mechanism responsible of the magnetic behavior, as a direct consequence of the two-step synthesis route of the nanoparticles.

Growth of cadmium oxide whiskers on cadmium sulphide single crystals with copper as growth activator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koparanova, N.; Simov, S. (Bylgarska Akademiya na Naukite, Sofia. Inst. po Fizika na Tvyrdoto Tyalo); Genchev, D. (Bylgarska Akademiya na Naukite, Sofia. Inst. za Yadrena Izsledvaniya i Yadrena Energetika); Metchenov, G. (Research Inst. of Criminalistics and Criminology, Sofia (Bulgaria))

1985-02-01

Some results on the growth and morphology of cadmium oxide whiskers, obtained on cadmium sulphide single crystals with copper as a growth activator, are presented in this work. Cadmium oxide whiskers have been obtained on brace 112-bar0 brace faces of cadmium sulphide plates with a copper layer deposited in advance. The whiskers grew during the annealing of the plates in a weak stream of technically pure argon at temperatures 670 to 730 deg C for 15 min to 3.5 h. Details about the procedure have been given elsewhere. The composition and morphology of the whiskers have been studied by an X-ray microanalyser JEOL 35 DDS and a scanning electron microscope JEOL, JSM 35. The optical microscopic observations have shown that after annealing, a gray-black granular layer is formed on the cadmium sulphide single crystals and this layer can easily be separated from the crystal substrate. Under the granular layer the crystal is heavily damaged. The whiskers grow on the granular layer and they are coloured yellow-brown or red-brown. The maximum whisker length attains several hundreds of micrometres and in some cases up to 1 mm or more.

Growth of cadmium oxide whiskers on cadmium sulphide single crystals with copper as growth activator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koparanova, N.; Simov, S.

1985-01-01

Some results on the growth and morphology of cadmium oxide whiskers, obtained on cadmium sulphide single crystals with copper as a growth activator, are presented in this work. Cadmium oxide whiskers have been obtained on brace 112-bar0 brace faces of cadmium sulphide plates with a copper layer deposited in advance. The whiskers grew during the annealing of the plates in a weak stream of technically pure argon at temperatures 670 to 730 deg C for 15 min to 3.5 h. Details about the procedure have been given elsewhere. The composition and morphology of the whiskers have been studied by an X-ray microanalyser JEOL 35 DDS and a scanning electron microscope JEOL, JSM 35. The optical microscopic observations have shown that after annealing, a gray-black granular layer is formed on the cadmium sulphide single crystals and this layer can easily be separated from the crystal substrate. Under the granular layer the crystal is heavily damaged. The whiskers grow on the granular layer and they are coloured yellow-brown or red-brown. The maximum whisker length attains several hundreds of micrometres and in some cases up to 1 mm or more. (author)

Ion-assisted deposition of thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnett, S.A.; Choi, C.H.; Kaspi, R.; Millunchick, J.M.

1993-01-01

Recent work on low-energy ion-assisted deposition of epitaxial films is reviewed. Much of the recent interest in this area has been centered on the use of very low ion energies (∼ 25 eV) and high fluxes (> 1 ion per deposited atom) obtained using novel ion-assisted deposition techniques. These methods have been applied in ultra-high vacuum, allowing the preparation of high-purity device-quality semiconductor materials. The following ion-surface interaction effects during epitaxy are discussed: improvements in crystalline perfection during low temperature epitaxy, ion damage, improved homogeneity and properties in III-V alloys grown within miscibility gaps, and changes in nucleation mechanism during heteroepitaxial growth

The Effect of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles on Safflower Plant Growth and Physiology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. Hafizi

2018-02-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a study of the effect of ZnO nanoparticles on safflower growth and physiology was performed. Each of these elements plays a particular role in the plant life, the presence of these elements is necessary for plant’s life cycle and growth. Zinc deficiency causes the biggest problems in safflower’s production. Considering the importance of nanoparticles in today's world, this research investigated the effect of Zinc oxide nanoparticles on the concentration of guaiacol peroxidase, polypeptide oxidase, dehydrogenase and malondialdehyde in four plant sample groups in greenhouse and laboratory conditions. Results of showed that malondialdehyde enzyme increased with different treatments of various concentrations of Zinc oxide. The enzyme guaiacol oxidase increased at concentrations of 100 mg/L and polyphenol oxide at concentrations of 10 and 500 mg/L and dehydrogenase in 1000 mg/L and decreased in other treatments. In addition to showing the effect of nanoparticles in plants, these findings determine the beneficial concentrations of nanoparticles that have a positive effect on the level of enzymes in plants.

Investigations in physical mechanism of the oxidative desulfurization process assisted simultaneously by phase transfer agent and ultrasound.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhasarkar, Jaykumar B; Chakma, Sankar; Moholkar, Vijayanand S

2015-05-01

This paper attempts to discern the physical mechanism of the oxidative desulfurization process simultaneously assisted by ultrasound and phase transfer agent (PTA). With different experimental protocols, an attempt is made to deduce individual beneficial effects of PTA and ultrasound on the oxidative desulfurization system, and also the synergy between the effects of PTA and ultrasound. Effect of PTA is more marked for mechanically stirred system due to mass transfer limitations, while intense emulsification due to ultrasound helps overcome the mass transfer limitations and reduces the extent of enhancement of oxidation by PTA. Despite application of PTA and ultrasound, the intrinsic factors and properties of the reactants such as polarity (and hence partition coefficient) and diffusivity have a crucial effect on the extent of oxidation. The intrinsic reactivity of the oxidant also plays a vital role, as seen from the extent of oxidation achieved with performic acid and peracetic acid. The interfacial transport of oxidant in the form of oxidant-PTA complex reduces the undesired consumption of oxidant by the reducing species formed during transient cavitation in organic medium, which helps effective utilization of oxidant towards desulfurization. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nitrogen Oxide Emission, Economic Growth and Urbanization in China: a Spatial Econometric Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Zhimin; Zhou, Yanli; Ge, Xiangyu

2018-01-01

This research studies the nexus of nitrogen oxide emissions and economic development/urbanization. Under the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis, we apply the analysis technique of spatial panel data in the STIRPAT framework, and thus obtain the estimated impacts of income/urbanization on nitrogen oxide emission systematically. The empirical findings suggest that spatial dependence on nitrogen oxide emission distribution exist at provincial level, and the inverse N-shape EKC describes both income-nitrogen oxide and urbanization-nitrogen oxide nexuses. In addition, some well-directed policy advices are made to reduce the nitrogen oxide emission in future.

Surface Preparation and Deposited Gate Oxides for Gallium Nitride Based Metal Oxide Semiconductor Devices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul C. McIntyre

2012-07-01

Full Text Available The literature on polar Gallium Nitride (GaN surfaces, surface treatments and gate dielectrics relevant to metal oxide semiconductor devices is reviewed. The significance of the GaN growth technique and growth parameters on the properties of GaN epilayers, the ability to modify GaN surface properties using in situ and ex situ processes and progress on the understanding and performance of GaN metal oxide semiconductor (MOS devices are presented and discussed. Although a reasonably consistent picture is emerging from focused studies on issues covered in each of these topics, future research can achieve a better understanding of the critical oxide-semiconductor interface by probing the connections between these topics. The challenges in analyzing defect concentrations and energies in GaN MOS gate stacks are discussed. Promising gate dielectric deposition techniques such as atomic layer deposition, which is already accepted by the semiconductor industry for silicon CMOS device fabrication, coupled with more advanced physical and electrical characterization methods will likely accelerate the pace of learning required to develop future GaN-based MOS technology.

Growth of micrometric oxide layers to explore laser decontamination of metallic surfaces

OpenAIRE

Carvalho Luisa; Pacquentin Wilfried; Tabarant Michel; Maskrot Hicham; Semerok Alexandre

2017-01-01

The nuclear industry produces a wide range of radioactive waste in terms of hazard level, contaminants and material. For metallic equipment like steam generators, the radioactivity is mainly located in the oxide surface. In order to study and develop safe techniques for dismantling and for decontamination, it is important to have access to oxide layers with a representative distribution of non-radioactive contaminants. In this paper we propose a method for the creation of oxide layers on stai...

Percutaneous Sacroiliac Screw Placement: A Prospective Randomized Comparison of Robot-assisted Navigation Procedures with a Conventional Technique

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jun-Qiang; Wang, Yu; Feng, Yun; Han, Wei; Su, Yong-Gang; Liu, Wen-Yong; Zhang, Wei-Jun; Wu, Xin-Bao; Wang, Man-Yi; Fan, Yu-Bo

2017-01-01

Background: Sacroiliac (SI) screw fixation is a demanding technique, with a high rate of screw malposition due to the complex pelvic anatomy. TiRobot™ is an orthopedic surgery robot which can be used for SI screw fixation. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of robot-assisted placement of SI screws compared with a freehand technique. Methods: Thirty patients requiring posterior pelvic ring stabilization were randomized to receive freehand or robot-assisted SI screw fixation, between January 2016 and June 2016 at Beijing Jishuitan Hospital. Forty-five screws were placed at levels S1 and S2. In both methods, the primary end point screw position was assessed and classified using postoperative computed tomography. Fisher's exact probability test was used to analyze the screws’ positions. Secondary end points, such as duration of trajectory planning, surgical time after reduction of the pelvis, insertion time for guide wire, number of guide wire attempts, and radiation exposure without pelvic reduction, were also assessed. Results: Twenty-three screws were placed in the robot-assisted group and 22 screws in the freehand group; no postoperative complications or revisions were reported. The excellent and good rate of screw placement was 100% in the robot-assisted group and 95% in the freehand group. The P value (0.009) showed the same superiority in screw distribution. The fluoroscopy time after pelvic reduction in the robot-assisted group was significantly shorter than that in the freehand group (median [Q1, Q3]: 6.0 [6.0, 9.0] s vs. median [Q1, Q3]: 36.0 [21.5, 48.0] s; χ2 = 13.590, respectively, P < 0.001); no difference in operation time after reduction of the pelvis was noted (χ2 = 1.990, P = 0.158). Time for guide wire insertion was significantly shorter for the robot-assisted group than that for the freehand group (median [Q1, Q3]: 2.0 [2.0, 2.7] min vs. median [Q1, Q3]: 19.0 [15.5, 45.0] min; χ2 = 20.952, respectively, P < 0.001). The number of guide

Increasing the Intelligence of Virtual Sales Assistants through Knowledge Modeling Techniques

OpenAIRE

Molina, Martin

2001-01-01

Shopping agents are web-based applications that help consumers to find appropriate products in the context of e-commerce. In this paper we argue about the utility of advanced model-based techniques that recently have been proposed in the fields of Artificial Intelligence and Knowledge Engineering, in order to increase the level of support provided by this type of applications. We illustrate this approach with a virtual sales assistant that dynamically configures a product according to the nee...

Excimer laser assisted re-oxidation of BaTiO3 thin films on Ni metal foils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bharadwaja, S. S. N.; Ko, S. W.; Qu, W.; Clark, T.; Rajashekhar, A.; Motyka, M.; Podraza, N.; Randall, C. A.; Trolier-McKinstry, S.

2016-01-01

Excimer laser assisted re-oxidation for reduced, crystallized BaTiO 3 thin films on Ni-foils was investigated. It was found that the BaTiO 3 can be re-oxidized at an oxygen partial pressure of ∼50 mTorr and substrate temperature of 350 °C without forming a NiO x interface layer between the film and base metal foil. The dielectric permittivity of re-oxidized films was >1000 with loss tangent values <2% at 100 Hz, 30 mV rms excitation signal. Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy indicated that BaTiO 3 thin films can be re-oxidized to an oxygen stoichiometry close to ∼3 (e.g., stoichiometric). High resolution cross sectional transmission electron microscopy showed no evidence of NiO x formation between the BaTiO 3 and the Ni foil upon excimer laser re-oxidation. Spectroscopic ellipsometry studies on laser re-oxidized [001] C and [111] C BaTiO 3 single crystals indicate that the re-oxidation of BaTiO 3 single crystals is augmented by photo-excitation of the ozone, as well as laser pulse induced temperature and local stress gradients

Growth behavior of surface oxide layer on SUS316L stainless steel at the early stage of exposure to 288degC water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soma, Yasutaka; Kato, Chiaki; Yamamoto, Masahiro

2012-01-01

Surface oxide layer on SUS316L stainless steels exposed to 288degC pure water with 2 ppm dissolved oxygen (DO) for 1-100 h were analyzed using Focused Ion Beam (FIB) and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (STEM) technique to understand the early stage of surface oxide layer formation. In order to analyze the multi layered surface oxide, the interfaces between the outer and the inner oxide layers and that between the inner oxide layer and SUS316L substrate were determined from Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) line profiles. At 1 h exposure, double oxide layer which is composed of compact inner oxide layer and outer oxide layer with Fe-rich and Ni-rich oxide particles was formed. At the outermost region of the SUS316L substrate, Ni and Cr were enriched. At 100 h exposure, growth of the inner oxide layer was suppressed and the Ni and Cr enriched region at the alloy substrate was preserved underneath the Ni-rich outer oxide particles. At 1 h exposure, most of the outer oxide particles were composed of Fe-rich ones, at 10 h exposure, another Ni-rich outer oxide particles were nucleated and grew faster than Fe-rich ones. Consequently, a part of pre-formed Fe-rich outer oxide particles were covered with Ni-rich ones. (author)

A thin-layer liquid culture technique for the growth of Helicobacter pylori.

Science.gov (United States)

Joo, Jung-Soo; Park, Kyung-Chul; Song, Jae-Young; Kim, Dong-Hyun; Lee, Kyung-Ja; Kwon, Young-Cheol; Kim, Jung-Min; Kim, Kyung-Mi; Youn, Hee-Shang; Kang, Hyung-Lyun; Baik, Seung-Chul; Lee, Woo-Kon; Cho, Myung-Je; Rhee, Kwang-Ho

2010-08-01

Several attempts have been successful in liquid cultivation of Helicobaccter pylori. However, there is a need to improve the growth of H. pylori in liquid media in order to get affluent growth and a simple approach for examining bacterial properties. We introduce here a thin-layer liquid culture technique for the growth of H. pylori. A thin-layer liquid culture system was established by adding liquid media to a 90-mm diameter Petri dish. Optimal conditions for bacterial growth were investigated and then viability, growth curve, and released proteins were examined. Maximal growth of H. pylori was obtained by adding 3 mL of brucella broth supplemented with 10% horse to a Petri dish. H. pylori grew in both DMEM and RPMI-1640 supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and 0.5% yeast extract. Serum-free RPMI-1640 supported the growth of H. pylori when supplemented with dimethyl-beta-cyclodextrin (200 microg/mL) and 1% yeast extract. Under optimal growth, H. pylori grew exponentially for 28 hours, reaching a density of 3.4 OD(600) with a generation time of 3.3 hours. After 24 hours, cultures at a cell density of 1.0 OD(600) contained 1.3 +/- 0.1 x 10(9 )CFU/mL. gamma-Glutamyl transpeptidase, nuclease, superoxide dismutase, and urease were not detected in culture supernatants at 24 hours in thin-layer liquid culture, but were present at 48 hours, whereas alcohol dehydrogenase, alkylhydroperoxide reductase, catalase, and vacuolating cytotoxin were detected at 24 hours. Thin-layer liquid culture technique is feasible, and can serve as a versatile liquid culture technique for investigating bacterial properties of H. pylori.

Electrical and optical performance of transparent conducting oxide films deposited by electrostatic spray assisted vapour deposition.

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Xianghui; Choy, Kwang-Leong; Liu, Jun-Peng

2011-09-01

Transparent conducting oxide (TCO) films have the remarkable combination of high electrical conductivity and optical transparency. There is always a strong motivation to produce TCO films with good performance at low cost. Electrostatic Spray Assisted Vapor Deposition (ESAVD), as a variant of chemical vapour deposition (CVD), is a non-vacuum and low-cost deposition method. Several types of TCO films have been deposited using ESAVD process, including indium tin oxide (ITO), antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO), and fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO). This paper reports the electrical and optical properties of TCO films produced by ESAVD methods, as well as the effects of post treatment by plasma hydrogenation on these TCO films. The possible mechanisms involved during plasma hydrogenation of TCO films are also discussed. Reduction and etching effect during plasma hydrogenation are the most important factors which determine the optical and electrical performance of TCO films.

Growth mechanisms of plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy of green emission InGaN/GaN single quantum wells at high growth temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, W. C.; Wu, C. H.; Tseng, Y. T.; Chiu, S. Y.; Cheng, K. Y.

2015-01-01

The results of the growth of thin (∼3 nm) InGaN/GaN single quantum wells (SQWs) with emission wavelengths in the green region by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy are present. An improved two-step growth method using a high growth temperature up to 650 °C is developed to increase the In content of the InGaN SQW to 30% while maintaining a strong luminescence intensity near a wavelength of 506 nm. The indium composition in InGaN/GaN SQW grown under group-III-rich condition increases with increasing growth temperature following the growth model of liquid phase epitaxy. Further increase in the growth temperature to 670 °C does not improve the photoluminescence property of the material due to rapid loss of indium from the surface and, under certain growth conditions, the onset of phase separation

Microwave-assisted synthesis of poly(3-hexylthiophene) via direct oxidation with FeCl{sub 3}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nicho, M.E., E-mail: menicho@uaem.mx [Centro de Investigacion en Ingenieria y Ciencias Aplicadas, Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Morelos (UAEM), Av. Universidad 1001, Col. Chamilpa, C.P. 62210 Cuernavaca, Morelos (Mexico); Garcia-Escobar, C.H.; Hernandez-Martinez, D. [Centro de Investigacion en Ingenieria y Ciencias Aplicadas, Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Morelos (UAEM), Av. Universidad 1001, Col. Chamilpa, C.P. 62210 Cuernavaca, Morelos (Mexico); Linzaga-Elizalde, I. [Centro de Investigaciones Quimicas (CIQ) de la UAEM (Mexico); Cadenas-Pliego, G. [Centro de Investigacion en Quimica Aplicada, Saltillo, Coahuila (Mexico)

2012-09-20

In this work, CoolMate microwave synthesis system was employed to synthesize soluble poly(3-hexylthiophene) by direct oxidation of 3-hexylthiophene monomer with FeCl{sub 3} as oxidant. P3HT was synthesized varying reaction time by 2 h, 1 h and 0.5 h. According to the results optimal microwave radiation time for synthesis was 1 h. On the other hand, P3HT was synthesized in two different solvents: chloroform (CHCl{sub 3}) and dichloromethane (CH{sub 2}Cl{sub 2}). The obtained yields depend on the solvent and the reaction time used in the synthesis, microwave-assisted synthesis leads to outstanding increase in yield (with dichloromethane solvent). Homogeneous thin films were prepared by spin-coating technique from toluene. Physicochemical characterization of P3HT polymers was carried out: changes in weight molecular distribution and polydispersity were obtained by HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography); dyads and triads percent were analyzed by NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance). Surface topographical changes were obtained by atomic force microscopy (AFM). AFM images revealed that the surface morphology depends on synthesis method, reaction time and solvent used. Finally the samples were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and ultraviolet-visible analysis (UV-vis). Compared with the traditional method (without microwave), this method provided considerable decrease in the reaction time, both lower polydispersity and molecular weight, less volume of solvents for the synthesis, as well as more alternatives for solvent choice. The results confirmed the versatility of the procedure by microwave, which yields polymeric materials in 1 h and has no adverse effects on the polymers quality.

Possible domestication of uranium oxides using biological assistance reduction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Slah Hidouri

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Uranium has been defined in material research engineering field as one of the most energetic radioactive elements in the entire Mendeleev periodic table. The manipulation of uranium needs higher theories and sophisticated apparatus even in nuclear energy extraction or in many other chemical applications. Above the nuclear exploitation level, the chemical conventional approaches used, require a higher temperature and pressure to control the destination of ionic form. However, it has been discovered later that at biological scale, the manipulation of this actinide is possible under friendly conditions. The review summarizes the relevant properties of uranium element and a brief characterization of nanoparticles, based on some structural techniques. These techniques reveal the common link between chemical approaches and biological assistance in nanoparticles. Also, those biological entities have been able to get it after reduction. Uranium is known for its ability to destroy ductile materials. So, if biological cell can really reduce uranium, then how does it work?

Prelinguistic Behavior of Infants of Assisted Reproductive Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Noori, Soudabeh; Nedaeifard, Leila; Agarasouli, Zahra; Koohpaiehzadeh, Jalil; Kermani, Ramin Mozafari; Fazeli, Abolhasan Shahzadeh

2012-01-01

Objective The aim of this study is assessment of effects of different assisted reproductive techniques (ART) like in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intra cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) on prelinguistic behavior of infants conceived by these techniques. Methods In this descriptive, cross sectional study, prelinguistic behavior of 151 full term ART infants of Royan Institute have been assessed in Children's Health and Development Research Center of Tehran from August 2007 until August 2009. Questionnaires were completed by parents at 9 months old. The questionnaire was standard according to Early Language Milestone Scale-2 (ELM-2). Data were analyzed by SPSS version 16 and using chi-square test. Findings Twenty-two (14.5%) of infants were conceived by IVF and 129 (85.4%) by ICSI. Number of infants with delay in reduplicated babbling in ICSI method was more than in IVF. There was only a significant difference in echolalia delay in the two sexes. Echolalia was delayed more in boys. Delay of reduplicated babbling was more in infants of younger mothers. There was no relation between speech and language defect of parents and infants. Conclusion This study showed that prelingustic behavior of ART infants are affected by kind of ART method, infant sex, and mother's age at the time of pregnancy. PMID:23431035

Synthesis and electrochemical properties of tin oxide-based composite by rheological technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Zeqiang; Li Xinhai; Xiong Lizhi; Wu Xianming; Xiao Zhuobing; Ma Mingyou

2005-01-01

Novel rheological technique was developed to synthesize tin oxide-based composites. The microstructure, morphology, and electrochemical performance of the materials were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical methods. The particles of tin oxide-based materials form an inactive matrix. The average size of the particles is about 150 nm. The material delivers a charge capacity of more than 570 mAh g -1 . The capacity loss per cycle is about 0.15% after being cycled 30 times. The good electrochemical performance indicates that this kind of tin oxide-based material is promising anode for lithium-ion battery

NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Thin Film Growth Techniques for Low-Dimensional Structures

CERN Document Server

Parkin, S; Dobson, P; Neave, J; Arrott, A

1987-01-01

This work represents the account of a NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "Thin Film Growth Techniques for Low Dimensional Structures", held at the University of Sussex, Brighton, England from 15-19 Sept. 1986. The objective of the workshop was to review the problems of the growth and characterisation of thin semiconductor and metal layers. Recent advances in deposition techniques have made it possible to design new material which is based on ultra-thin layers and this is now posing challenges for scientists, technologists and engineers in the assessment and utilisation of such new material. Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) has become well established as a method for growing thin single crystal layers of semiconductors. Until recently, MBE was confined to the growth of III-V compounds and alloys, but now it is being used for group IV semiconductors and II-VI compounds. Examples of such work are given in this volume. MBE has one major advantage over other crystal growth techniques in that the structure of the growi...

Zinc oxide nanorod based photonic devices: recent progress in growth, light emitting diodes and lasers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Willander, M; Nur, O; Zhao, Q X; Yang, L L [Department of Science and Technology, Linkoeping University, SE-601 74 Norrkoeping (Sweden); Lorenz, M; Cao, B Q; Zuniga Perez, J; Czekalla, C; Zimmermann, G; Grundmann, M [Institut fuer Experimentelle Physik II, Universitaet Leipzig, Linnestrasse 5, D-04103 Leipzig (Germany); Bakin, A; Behrends, A; Al-Suleiman, M; El-Shaer, A; Che Mofor, A; Postels, B; Waag, A [Institute of Semiconductor Technology, Technical University of Braunschweig, Hans-Sommer-Strasse 66, D-38106 Braunschweig (Germany); Boukos, N; Travlos, A [National Center for Scientific Research ' Demokritos' , Institute of Materials Science, GR 15310 Agia Paraskevi Attikis, Athens (Greece); Kwack, H S, E-mail: magwi@itn.liu.s [CEA-CNRS Group ' Nanophysique et Semiconducteurs' , Institut Neel, CNRS and Universit' e Joseph Fourier, F-38042 Grenoble (France)

2009-08-19

Zinc oxide (ZnO), with its excellent luminescent properties and the ease of growth of its nanostructures, holds promise for the development of photonic devices. The recent advances in growth of ZnO nanorods are discussed. Results from both low temperature and high temperature growth approaches are presented. The techniques which are presented include metal-organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD), vapour phase epitaxy (VPE), pulse laser deposition (PLD), vapour-liquid-solid (VLS), aqueous chemical growth (ACG) and finally the electrodeposition technique as an example of a selective growth approach. Results from structural as well as optical properties of a variety of ZnO nanorods are shown and analysed using different techniques, including high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), photoluminescence (PL) and cathodoluminescence (CL), for both room temperature and for low temperature performance. These results indicate that the grown ZnO nanorods possess reproducible and interesting optical properties. Results on obtaining p-type doping in ZnO micro- and nanorods are also demonstrated using PLD. Three independent indications were found for p-type conducting, phosphorus-doped ZnO nanorods: first, acceptor-related CL peaks, second, opposite transfer characteristics of back-gate field effect transistors using undoped and phosphorus doped wire channels, and finally, rectifying I-V characteristics of ZnO:P nanowire/ZnO:Ga p-n junctions. Then light emitting diodes (LEDs) based on n-ZnO nanorods combined with different technologies (hybrid technologies) are suggested and the recent electrical, as well as electro-optical, characteristics of these LEDs are shown and discussed. The hybrid LEDs reviewed and discussed here are mainly presented for two groups: those based on n-ZnO nanorods and p-type crystalline substrates, and those based on n-ZnO nanorods and p-type amorphous substrates. Promising electroluminescence

Synthesis and electrical characterization of tungsten oxide nanowires

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Huang Rui; Zhu Jing; Yu Rong

2009-01-01

Tungsten oxide nanowires of diameters ranging from 7 to 200 nm are prepared on a tungsten rod substrate by using the chemical vapour deposition (CVD) method with vapour-solid (VS) mechanism. Tin powders are used to control oxygen concentration in the furnace, thereby assisting the growth of the tungsten oxide nanowires. The grown tungsten oxide nanowires are determined to be of crystalline W18O49. Ⅰ-Ⅴ curves are measured by an in situ transmission electron microscope (TEM) to investigate the electrical properties of the nanowires. All of the Ⅰ-Ⅴ curves observed are symmetric, which reveals that the tungsten oxide nanowires are semiconducting. Quantitative analyses of the experimental I V curves by using a metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) model give some intrinsic parameters of the tungsten oxide nanowires, such as the carrier concentration, the carrier mobility and the conductivity.

Direct hydrothermal growth of GDC nanorods for low temperature solid oxide fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Soonwook; Lee, Dohaeng; Yang, Hwichul; Kim, Young-Beom

2018-06-01

We report a novel synthesis technique of gadolinia-doped ceria (GDC) nano-rod (NRs) via direct hydrothermal process to enhance performance of low temperature solid oxide fuel cell by increasing active reaction area and ionic conductivity at interface between cathode and electrolyte. The cerium nitrate hexahydrate, gadolinium nitrate hexahydrate and urea were used to synthesis GDC NRs for growth on diverse substrate. The directly grown GDC NRs on substrate had a width from 819 to 490 nm and height about 2200 nm with a varied urea concentration. Under the optimized urea concentration of 40 mMol, we confirmed that GDC NRs able to fully cover the substrate by enlarging active reaction area. To maximize ionic conductivity of GDC NRs, we synthesis varied GDC NRs with different ratio of gadolinium and cerium precursor. Electrochemical analysis revealed a significant enhanced performance of fuel cells applying synthesized GDC NRs with a ratio of 2:8 gadolinium and cerium precursor by reducing polarization resistance, which was chiefly attributed to the enlarged active reaction area and enhanced ionic conductivity of GDC NRs. This method of direct hydrothermal growth of GDC NRs enhancing fuel cell performance was considered to apply other types of catalyzing application using nano-structure such as gas sensing and electrolysis fields.

Bismuth Passivation Technique for High-Resolution X-Ray Detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Chervenak, James; Hess, Larry

2013-01-01

The Athena-plus team requires X-ray sensors with energy resolution of better than one part in 3,000 at 6 keV X-rays. While bismuth is an excellent material for high X-ray stopping power and low heat capacity (for large signal when an X-ray is stopped by the absorber), oxidation of the bismuth surface can lead to electron traps and other effects that degrade the energy resolution. Bismuth oxide reduction and nitride passivation techniques analogous to those used in indium passivation are being applied in a new technique. The technique will enable improved energy resolution and resistance to aging in bismuth-absorber-coupled X-ray sensors. Elemental bismuth is lithographically integrated into X-ray detector circuits. It encounters several steps where the Bi oxidizes. The technology discussed here will remove oxide from the surface of the Bi and replace it with nitridized surface. Removal of the native oxide and passivating to prevent the growth of the oxide will improve detector performance and insulate the detector against future degradation from oxide growth. Placing the Bi coated sensor in a vacuum system, a reduction chemistry in a plasma (nitrogen/hydrogen (N2/H2) + argon) is used to remove the oxide and promote nitridization of the cleaned Bi surface. Once passivated, the Bi will perform as a better X-ray thermalizer since energy will not be trapped in the bismuth oxides on the surface. A simple additional step, which can be added at various stages of the current fabrication process, can then be applied to encapsulate the Bi film. After plasma passivation, the Bi can be capped with a non-diffusive layer of metal or dielectric. A non-superconducting layer is required such as tungsten or tungsten nitride (WNx).

Life cycle assessment of facile microwave-assisted zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Papadaki, D

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The life cycle assessment of several zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures, fabricated by a facile microwave technique, is presented. Key synthesis parameters such as annealing temperature, varied from 90 °C to 220 °C, and microwave power, varied from 110...

Ultrasound-assisted oxidation of dibenzothiophene with phosphotungstic acid supported on activated carbon.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Liyan; Zhang, Yu; Tan, Wei

2014-05-01

Phosphotungstic acid (HPW) supported on activated carbon (AC) was applied to catalyze deep oxidation desulfurization of fuel oil with the assist of ultrasound. The sulfur-conversion rate was evaluated by measuring the concentration of dibenzothiophene (DBT) in n-octane before and after the oxidation. Supporting HPW on AC has been verified to play a positive role in UAOD process by a series of contrast tests, where only HPW, AC or a mixture of free HPW and AC was used. The influences of catalyst dose, ultrasound power, reaction temperature, H2O2:oil volume ratio and the reuse of catalyst on the catalytic oxidation desulfurization kinetics were investigated. The DBT conversion rate of the reaction catalyzed by supported HPW under ultrasound irradiation was higher than the summation of the reactions with HPW only and AC only as catalyst. With the increase of loading amount of HPW on AC, ultrasound power, H2O2:oil volume ratio and reaction temperature, the catalytic oxidation reactivity of DBT would be enhanced. The optimum loading amount of HPW was 10%, exceed which DBT conversion would no longer increase obviously. DBT could be completely converted under the optimized conditions (volume ratio of H2O2 to model oil: 1:10, mass ratio of the supported HPW to model oil: 1.25%, temperature: 70°C) after 9 min of ultrasound irradiation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Visualizing copper assisted graphene growth in nanoscale

Science.gov (United States)

Rosmi, Mohamad Saufi; Yusop, Mohd Zamri; Kalita, Golap; Yaakob, Yazid; Takahashi, Chisato; Tanemura, Masaki

2014-01-01

Control synthesis of high quality large-area graphene on transition metals (TMs) by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is the most fascinating approach for practical device applications. Interaction of carbon atoms and TMs is quite critical to obtain graphene with precise layer number, crystal size and structure. Here, we reveal a solid phase reaction process to achieve Cu assisted graphene growth in nanoscale by in-situ transmission electron microscope (TEM). Significant structural transformation of amorphous carbon nanofiber (CNF) coated with Cu is observed with an applied potential in a two probe system. The coated Cu particle recrystallize and agglomerate toward the cathode with applied potential due to joule heating and large thermal gradient. Consequently, the amorphous carbon start crystallizing and forming sp2 hybridized carbon to form graphene sheet from the tip of Cu surface. We observed structural deformation and breaking of the graphene nanoribbon with a higher applied potential, attributing to saturated current flow and induced Joule heating. The observed graphene formation in nanoscale by the in-situ TEM process can be significant to understand carbon atoms and Cu interaction. PMID:25523645

Disguised as a Sulfate Reducer: Growth of the Deltaproteobacterium Desulfurivibrio alkaliphilus by Sulfide Oxidation with Nitrate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Casper Thorup

2017-07-01

Full Text Available This study demonstrates that the deltaproteobacterium Desulfurivibrio alkaliphilus can grow chemolithotrophically by coupling sulfide oxidation to the dissimilatory reduction of nitrate and nitrite to ammonium. Key genes of known sulfide oxidation pathways are absent from the genome of D. alkaliphilus. Instead, the genome contains all of the genes necessary for sulfate reduction, including a gene for a reductive-type dissimilatory bisulfite reductase (DSR. Despite this, growth by sulfate reduction was not observed. Transcriptomic analysis revealed a very high expression level of sulfate-reduction genes during growth by sulfide oxidation, while inhibition experiments with molybdate pointed to elemental sulfur/polysulfides as intermediates. Consequently, we propose that D. alkaliphilus initially oxidizes sulfide to elemental sulfur, which is then either disproportionated, or oxidized by a reversal of the sulfate reduction pathway. This is the first study providing evidence that a reductive-type DSR is involved in a sulfide oxidation pathway. Transcriptome sequencing further suggests that nitrate reduction to ammonium is performed by a novel type of periplasmic nitrate reductase and an unusual membrane-anchored nitrite reductase.

UV irradiation assisted growth of ZnO nanowires on optical fiber surface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gong, Bo; Shi, Tielin; Liao, Guanglan; Li, Xiaoping; Huang, Jie; Zhou, Temgyuan; Tang, Zirong, E-mail: zirong@mail.hust.edu.cn

2017-06-01

Highlights: • A new fabrication process combined a hydrothermal process with UV irradiation from optical fiber is developed. • The growth of ZnO nanowires is efficient in the utilization of UV light. • A novel hybrid structure which integrates ZnO nanowires on optical fiber surface is synthesized. • The UV assisted growth of ZnO nanowires shows preferred orientation and better quality. • A mechanism of growing ZnO nanowires under UV irradiation is proposed. - Abstract: In this paper, a novel approach was developed for the enhanced growth of ZnO nanowires on optical fiber surface. The method combined a hydrothermal process with the efficient UV irradiation from the fiber core, and the effects of UV irradiation on the growth behavior of ZnO nanowires were investigated. The results show that UV irradiation had great effects on the preferred growth orientation and the quality of the ZnO nanowires. The crystallization velocity along the c-axis would increase rapidly with the increase of the irradiation power, while the growth process in the lateral direction was marginally affected by the irradiation. The structure of ZnO nanowires also shows less oxygen vacancy with UV irradiation of higher power. The developed approach is applicable for the efficient growth of nanowires on the fiber surface, and the ZnO nanowires/optical fiber hybrid structures have great potentials for a wide variety of applications such as optical fiber sensors and probes.

Vanadium and molybdenum oxide thin films on Au(111). Growth and surface characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guimond, Sebastien

2009-06-04

The growth and the surface structure of well-ordered V{sub 2}O{sub 3}, V{sub 2}O{sub 5} and MoO{sub 3} thin films have been investigated in this work. These films are seen as model systems for the study of elementary reaction steps occurring on vanadia and molybdena-based selective oxidation catalysts. It is shown that well-ordered V{sub 2}O{sub 3}(0001) thin films can be prepared on Au(111). The films are terminated by vanadyl groups which are not part of the V{sub 2}O{sub 3} bulk structure. Electron irradiation specifically removes the oxygen atoms of the vanadyl groups, resulting in a V-terminated surface. The fraction of removed vanadyl groups is controlled by the electron dose. Such surfaces constitute interesting models to probe the relative role of both the vanadyl groups and the undercoordinated V ions at the surface of vanadia catalysts. The growth of well-ordered V{sub 2}O{sub 5}(001) and MoO{sub 3}(010) thin films containing few point defects is reported here for the first time. These films were grown on Au(111) by oxidation under 50 mbar O{sub 2} in a dedicated high pressure cell. Contrary to some of the results found in the literature, the films are not easily reduced by annealing in UHV. This evidences the contribution of radiation and surface contamination in some of the reported thermal reduction experiments. The growth of ultrathin V{sub 2}O{sub 5} and MoO{sub 3} layers on Au(111) results in formation of interface-specific monolayer structures. These layers are coincidence lattices and they do not correspond to any known oxide bulk structure. They are assumed to be stabilized by electronic interaction with Au(111). Their formation illustrates the polymorphic character and the ease of coordination units rearrangement which are characteristic of both oxides. The formation of a second layer apparently precedes the growth of bulk-like crystallites for both oxides. This observation is at odds with a common assumption that crystals nucleate as soon as a

Vanadium and molybdenum oxide thin films on Au(111). Growth and surface characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guimond, Sebastien

2009-01-01

The growth and the surface structure of well-ordered V 2 O 3 , V 2 O 5 and MoO 3 thin films have been investigated in this work. These films are seen as model systems for the study of elementary reaction steps occurring on vanadia and molybdena-based selective oxidation catalysts. It is shown that well-ordered V 2 O 3 (0001) thin films can be prepared on Au(111). The films are terminated by vanadyl groups which are not part of the V 2 O 3 bulk structure. Electron irradiation specifically removes the oxygen atoms of the vanadyl groups, resulting in a V-terminated surface. The fraction of removed vanadyl groups is controlled by the electron dose. Such surfaces constitute interesting models to probe the relative role of both the vanadyl groups and the undercoordinated V ions at the surface of vanadia catalysts. The growth of well-ordered V 2 O 5 (001) and MoO 3 (010) thin films containing few point defects is reported here for the first time. These films were grown on Au(111) by oxidation under 50 mbar O 2 in a dedicated high pressure cell. Contrary to some of the results found in the literature, the films are not easily reduced by annealing in UHV. This evidences the contribution of radiation and surface contamination in some of the reported thermal reduction experiments. The growth of ultrathin V 2 O 5 and MoO 3 layers on Au(111) results in formation of interface-specific monolayer structures. These layers are coincidence lattices and they do not correspond to any known oxide bulk structure. They are assumed to be stabilized by electronic interaction with Au(111). Their formation illustrates the polymorphic character and the ease of coordination units rearrangement which are characteristic of both oxides. The formation of a second layer apparently precedes the growth of bulk-like crystallites for both oxides. This observation is at odds with a common assumption that crystals nucleate as soon as a monolayer is formed dur-ing the preparation of supported vanadia

Micelle-assisted signaling of peracetic acid by the oxidation of pyreneboronic acid via monomer-excimer switching.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Jiyoung; Lee, Hyo Jin; Cho, Min Jeoung; Chang, Suk-Kyu

2015-08-15

A simple fluorescent probe for the industrial oxidant peracetic acid (PAA) was investigated. PAA-assisted oxidative conversion of pyrene-1-boronic acid into 1-hydroxypyrene was used as the signaling tool. Pyreneboronic acid was found to display selective signaling behavior, being more responsive to PAA than to other commonly used practical oxidants such as H2O2 and HOCl. The changes in pyrene monomer fluorescence to excimer were used in the quantitative analysis of PAA. When using the surfactant hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide as a micellar additive, the signaling of PAA was markedly enhanced. Selective fluorescence signaling of PAA by pyrene-1-boronic acid with a detection limit of 1.5×10(-6)M in aqueous environment was successfully achieved. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High resolution and comprehensive techniques to analyze aerobic methane oxidation in mesocosm experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, E. W.; Kessler, J. D.; Redmond, M. C.; Shiller, A. M.; Arrington, E. C.; Valentine, D. L.; Colombo, F.

2015-12-01

Many studies of microbially mediated aerobic methane oxidation in oceanic environments have examined the many different factors that control the rates of oxidation. However, there is debate on how quickly methane is oxidized once a microbial population is established and what factor(s) are limiting in these types of environments. These factors include the availability of CH4, O2, trace metals, nutrients, and the density of cell population. Limits to these factors can also control the temporal aspects of a methane oxidation event. In order to look at this process in its entirety and with higher temporal resolution, a mesocosm incubation system was developed with a Dissolved Gas Analyzer System (DGAS) coupled with a set of analytical tools to monitor aerobic methane oxidation in real time. With the addition of newer laser spectroscopy techniques (cavity ringdown spectroscopy), stable isotope fractionation caused by microbial processes can also be examined on a real time and automated basis. Cell counting, trace metal, nutrient, and DNA community analyses have also been carried out in conjunction with these mesocosm samples to provide a clear understanding of the biology in methane oxidation dynamics. This poster will detail the techniques involved to provide insights into the chemical and isotopic kinetics controlling aerobic methane oxidation. Proof of concept applications will be presented from seep sites in the Hudson Canyon and the Sleeping Dragon seep field, Mississippi Canyon 118 (MC 118). This system was used to conduct mesocosm experiments to examine methane consumption, O2 consumption, nutrient consumption, and biomass production.

Synthesis spherical porous hydroxyapatite/graphene oxide composites by ultrasonic-assisted method for biomedical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Peizhen; Shen, Juan; Zou, Guohong; Xia, Xu; Jin, Bo; Yu, Jiaxin

2018-04-10

Spherical porous hydroxyapatite (SHA)/graphene oxide (GO) composites with different GO (w/w) content of 16%, 40%, and 71% have been fabricated through a facile and controllable ultrasonic-assisted method at room temperature. The products were characterized by x-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, mechanical testing and biomimetic mineralization. Results showed SHA were covered by GO, and SHA/GO composites had an irregular surface with different degrees of wrinkles. The elastic modulus and hardness of SHA/GO-3 composites were up to 12.45 ± 0.33 GPa and 686.67 ± 26.95 MPa, which indicated that the contents of GO had an effect on SHA/GO composites. And the mechanical properties of SHA/GO-2 composites were similar to SHA particles. The biomimetic mineralization in SBF solution showed the bone-like apatite layer on composites surface, which demonstrated that the SHA/GO materials had osseointegration property. Moreover, in vitro cytocompatibility of SHA/GO-2 composites and pure GO were evaluated by cell adhesion and proliferation tests using MC3T3-E1 cells, which demonstrated that the SHA/GO composites can act as a good template for the cells growth and adhesion. These results suggested that the SHA/GO composites will be a promising material for biomedical application.

Rapid growth of zinc oxide nanobars in presence of electric field by physical vapor deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Jouya, Mehraban; Taromian, Fahime; Siami, Simin

2017-12-01

In this contribution, electric field has some effects to increase growth for specific time duration on zinc oxide (ZnO) nanobars. First, the zinc (Zn) thin film has been prepared by 235,000 V/m electric field assisted physical vapor deposition (PVD) at vacuum of 1.33 × 10-5 mbar. Second, strong electric field of 134,000 V/m has been used in ambient for growing ZnO nanobars in term of the time include 2.5 and 10 h. The performances of the ZnO nanostructure in absence and presence of electric field have been determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results of XRD analysis showed that ZnO has a hexagonal bars structure and a strongly preferred (101) orientation which is strongest than without applying electric field. SEM analysis revealed that physical vapored ZnO thin film in presence of electric field are densely packed with uniform morphological, thinner and denser in distribution. Electric field effect for ZnO growth in 2.5 h is better than it in the 2.5 h without electric field but by passing the time the media influence has good power almost as same as electric field. Through this electric field in PVD, the compact and uniform Zn film has been achieved which is less diameter than ordinary PVD method. Finally, we carry out a series of experiments to grow different-orientation ZnO nanobars with less than 100 nm in diameter, which are the time saving process in base of PVD ever reported. Therefore, the significant conclusion in usage electric field is reducing time of growth.

In Vivo Imaging of Nitric Oxide by Magnetic Resonance Imaging Techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rakesh Sharma

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Nitric oxide (NO biosensors are novel tools for real-time bioimaging of tissue oxygen changes and physiological monitoring of tissue vasculature. Nitric oxide behavior further enhances its role in mapping signal transduction at the molecular level. Spectrometric electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR and fluorometric imaging are well known techniques with the potential for in vivo bioimaging of NO. In tissues, NO is a specific target of nitrosyl compounds for chemical reaction, which provides a unique opportunity for application of newly identified NO biosensors. However, the accuracy and sensitivity of NO biosensors still need to be improved. Another potential magnetic resonance technique based on short term NO effects on proton relaxation enhancement is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, and some NO biosensors may be used as potent imaging contrast agents for measurement of tumor size by MRI combined with fluorescent imaging. The present review provides supporting information regarding the possible use of nitrosyl compounds as NO biosensors in MRI and fluorescent bioimaging showing their measurement limitations and quantitative accuracy. These new approaches open a perspective regarding bioimaging of NO and the in vivo elucidation of NO effects by magnetic resonance techniques.

Effects of metal ions on growth, β-oxidation system, and thioesterase activity of Lactococcus lactis.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Liang; Ma, Ying

2014-10-01

The effects of divalent metal ions (Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Fe(2+), and Cu(2+)) on the growth, β-oxidation system, and thioesterase activity of Lactococcus lactis were investigated. Different metal ions significantly influenced the growth of L. lactis: Ca(2+) and Fe(2+) accelerated growth, whereas Cu(2+) inhibited growth. Furthermore, Mg(2+) inhibited growth of L. lactis at a low concentration but stimulated growth of L. lactis at a high concentration. The divalent metal ions had significant effects on activity of the 4 key enzymes of the β-oxidation system (acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, enoyl-CoA hydratase, L-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase, and thiolase) and thioesterase of L. lactis. The activity of acyl-CoA dehydrogenases increased markedly in the presence of Ca(2+) and Mg(2+), whereas it decreased with 1 mmol/L Fe(2+) or 12 mmol/L Mg(2+). All the metal ions could induce activity of enoyl-CoA hydratase. In addition, 12 mmol/L Mg(2+) significantly stimulated activity of L-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase, and all metal ions could induce activity of thiolase, although thiolase activity decreased significantly when 0.05 mmol/L Cu(2+) was added into M17 broth. Inhibition of thioesterase activity by all 4 metal ions could be reversed by 2 mmol/L Ca(2+). These results help us understand the effect of metal ions on the β-oxidation system and thioesterase activity of Lactococcus lactis. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Metal oxide collectors for storing matter technique applied in secondary ion mass spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miśnik, Maciej [Institute of Tele and Radio Technology, ul. Ratuszowa 11, 03-450 Warszawa (Poland); Gdańsk University of Technology (Poland); Konarski, Piotr [Institute of Tele and Radio Technology, ul. Ratuszowa 11, 03-450 Warszawa (Poland); Zawada, Aleksander [Institute of Tele and Radio Technology, ul. Ratuszowa 11, 03-450 Warszawa (Poland); Military University of Technology, Warszawa (Poland)

2016-03-15

We present results of the use of metal and metal oxide substrates that serve as collectors in ‘storing matter’, the quantitative technique of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). This technique allows separating the two base processes of secondary ion formation in SIMS. Namely, the process of ion sputtering is separated from the process of ionisation. The technique allows sputtering of the analysed sample and storing the sputtered material, with sub-monolayer coverage, onto a collector surface. Such deposits can be then analysed by SIMS, and as a result, the so called ‘matrix effects’ are significantly reduced. We perform deposition of the sputtered material onto Ti and Cu substrates and also onto metal oxide substrates as molybdenum, titanium, tin and indium oxides. The process of sputtering is carried within the same vacuum chamber where the SIMS analysis of the collected material is performed. For sputtering and SIMS analysis of the deposited material we use 5 keV Ar{sup +} beam of 500 nA. The presented results are obtained with the use of stationary collectors. Here we present a case study of chromium. The obtained results show that the molybdenum and titanium oxide substrates used as collectors increase useful yield by two orders, with respect to such pure elemental collectors as Cu and Ti. Here we define useful yield as a ratio of the number of detected secondary ions during SIMS analysis and the number of atoms sputtered during the deposition process.

Copper-assisted shape control in colloidal synthesis of indium oxide nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Selishcheva, Elena; Parisi, Juergen; Kolny-Olesiak, Joanna, E-mail: joanna.kolny@uni-oldenburg.de [University of Oldenburg, Energy and Semiconductor Research Laboratory, Institute of Physics (Germany)

2012-02-15

Indium oxide is an important n-type transparent semiconductor, finding application in solar cells, sensors, and optoelectronic devices. We present here a novel non-injection synthesis route for the preparation of colloidal indium oxide nanocrystals by using oleylamine (OLA) as ligand and as solvent. Indium oxide with cubic crystallographic structure is formed in a reaction between indium acetate and OLA, the latter is converted to oleylamide during the synthesis. The shape of the nanocrystals can be influenced by the addition of copper ions. When only indium (III) acetate is used as precursor flower-shaped indium oxide nanoparticles are obtained. Addition of copper salts such as copper (I) acetate, copper (II) acetate, copper (II) acetylacetonate, or copper (I) chloride, under otherwise identical reaction conditions changes the shape of nanoparticles to quasi-spherical or elongated. The anions, except for chloride, do not influence the shape of the resulting nanocrystals. This finding suggests that adsorption of copper ions on the In{sub 2}O{sub 3} surface during the nanoparticles growth is responsible for shape control, whereas changes in the reactivity of the In cations caused by the presence of different anions play a secondary role. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and UV-Vis-absorption spectroscopy are used to characterize the samples.

Copper-assisted shape control in colloidal synthesis of indium oxide nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selishcheva, Elena; Parisi, Jürgen; Kolny-Olesiak, Joanna

2012-01-01

Indium oxide is an important n-type transparent semiconductor, finding application in solar cells, sensors, and optoelectronic devices. We present here a novel non-injection synthesis route for the preparation of colloidal indium oxide nanocrystals by using oleylamine (OLA) as ligand and as solvent. Indium oxide with cubic crystallographic structure is formed in a reaction between indium acetate and OLA, the latter is converted to oleylamide during the synthesis. The shape of the nanocrystals can be influenced by the addition of copper ions. When only indium (III) acetate is used as precursor flower-shaped indium oxide nanoparticles are obtained. Addition of copper salts such as copper (I) acetate, copper (II) acetate, copper (II) acetylacetonate, or copper (I) chloride, under otherwise identical reaction conditions changes the shape of nanoparticles to quasi-spherical or elongated. The anions, except for chloride, do not influence the shape of the resulting nanocrystals. This finding suggests that adsorption of copper ions on the In 2 O 3 surface during the nanoparticles growth is responsible for shape control, whereas changes in the reactivity of the In cations caused by the presence of different anions play a secondary role. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and UV–Vis-absorption spectroscopy are used to characterize the samples.

Isotope labelling study of CO oxidation-assisted epoxidation of propene. Implications for oxygen activation on Au catalysts.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Jian; Oxford, Sean M; Fu, Baosong; Kung, Mayfair C; Kung, Harold H; Ma, Jiantai

2010-06-07

(18)O isotope labelling studies of the CO oxidation-assisted epoxidation of propene, catalyzed by a mixture of Au/TiO(2) and TS-1, using a methanol-H(2)O solvent showed the O in the epoxide was exclusively from O(2) and not H(2)O or methanol.

Evaluation of vacuum microwave-assisted extraction technique for the extraction of antioxidants from plant samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Xiao-Hua; Wang, Jun-Xia; Wang, Gang; Wang, Jia-Yue; Li, Gong-Ke

2009-12-18

In the present work, vacuum microwave-assisted extraction (VMAE) was to perform microwave-assisted extraction in vacuum. Two well-known antioxidants, vitamin C from guava and green pepper, and vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol) from soybean and tea leaves, which were easy to be oxidized, were chosen as representative target compounds for the evaluation of VMAE. The extraction yields of vitamin C, alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol in VMAE and those in MAE performed in atmosphere (air-MAE) were compared and the effects of extraction time, extraction temperature and sample matrix were studied. Moreover, the effects of the oxygen and subpressure invacuo were also discussed via performed MAE in N(2) atmosphere (N(2)-MAE). The extraction yields of vitamin C, alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol in VMAE were higher than that in air-MAE, 35% increments of vitamin C from green pepper, 22% increments of alpha-tocopherol and 47% increments of gamma-tocopherol from tea leaves were obtained, respectively. The comparable increased extraction yields of vitamin C, alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol in N(2)-MAE to that in air-MAE confirmed that oxygen in system was the crucial factor for the oxidation of vitamin C and vitamin E, VMAE was beneficial for the extraction of these oxygen-sensitive compounds. In addition, the subpressure invacuo in the VMAE system also showed positive affect on the extraction yields. On the basis of preventing oxidation and improving extraction efficiency of target compounds because of less oxygen and subpressure invacuo in the extraction system, VMAE has good potential for the extraction of oxygen-sensitive and thermosensitive compounds from plant samples.

Selective Oxidation and Reactive Wetting during Galvanizing of a CMnAl TRIP-Assisted Steel

Science.gov (United States)

Bellhouse, E. M.; McDermid, J. R.

2011-09-01

A transformation induced plasticity (TRIP)-assisted steel with 0.2 pct C, 1.5 pct Mn, and 1.5 pct Al was successfully galvanized using a thermal cycle previously shown to produce an excellent combination of strength and ductility. The steel surface chemistry and oxide morphology were determined as a function of process atmosphere oxygen partial pressure. For the 220 K (-53 °C) dew point (dp) + 20 pct H2 atmosphere, the oxide morphology was a mixture of films and nodules. For the 243 K (-30 °C) dp + 5 pct H2 atmosphere, nodules of MnO were found primarily at grain boundaries. For the 278 K (+5 °C) dp + 5 pct H2 atmosphere, nodules of metallic Fe were found on the surface as a result of alloy element internal oxidation. The steel surface chemistry and oxide morphology were then related to the reactive wetting behavior during continuous hot dip galvanizing. Good wetting was obtained using the two lower oxygen partial pressure process atmospheres [220 K dp and 243 K dp (-53 °C dp and -30 °C dp)]. An increase in the number of bare spots was observed when using the higher oxygen partial pressure process atmosphere (+5 °C dp) due to the increased thickness of localized oxide films.

Microwave-assisted microemulsion technique for production of miconazole nitrate- and econazole nitrate-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Rohan M; Eldridge, Daniel S; Palombo, Enzo A; Harding, Ian H

2017-08-01

The microwave-assisted production of solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) is a novel technique reported recently by our group. The small particle size, solid nature and use of physiologically well-tolerated lipid materials make SLNs an interesting and potentially efficacious drug carrier. The main purpose of this research work was to investigate the suitability of microwave-assisted microemulsion technique to encapsulate selected ionic drug substances such as miconazole nitrate and econazole nitrate. The microwave-produced SLNs had a small size (250-300nm), low polydispersity (microwave-produced SLNs. Data fitting of drug release data revealed that the release of both drugs from microwave-produced SLNs was governed by non-Fickian diffusion indicating that drug release was both diffusion- and dissolution- controlled. Anti-fungal efficacy of drug-loaded SLNs was evaluated on C. albicans. The cell viability studies showed that cytotoxicity of SLNs was concentration-dependent. These encouraging results suggest that the microwave-assisted procedure is suitable for encapsulation of ionic drugs and that microwave-produced SLNs can act as potential carriers of antifungal drugs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Interface engineering for oxide electronics: tuning electronic properties by atomically controlled growth

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huijben, Mark

2006-01-01

The main aim of this thesis is to develop a controlled growth with atomic precision for the realization of artificial perovskite structures, to exploit the exceptional physical properties of complex oxide materials such as high-temperature superconductors and conducting interfaces between band

Nicking endonuclease-assisted signal amplification of a split molecular aptamer beacon for biomolecule detection using graphene oxide as a sensing platform.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiang; Ding, Xuelian; Fan, Jing

2015-12-07

Sensitive and selective detection of ultralow concentrations of specific biomolecules is important in early clinical diagnoses and biomedical applications. Many types of aptasensors have been developed for the detection of various biomolecules, but usually suffer from false positive signals and high background signals. In this work, we have developed an amplified fluorescence aptasensor platform for ultrasensitive biomolecule detection based on enzyme-assisted target-recycling signal amplification and graphene oxide. By using a split molecular aptamer beacon and a nicking enzyme, the typical problem of false positive signals can be effectively resolved. Only in the presence of a target biomolecule, the sensor system is able to generate a positive signal, which significantly improves the selectivity of the aptasensor. Moreover, using graphene oxide as a super-quencher can effectively reduce the high background signal of a sensing platform. We select vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as model analytes in the current proof-of-concept experiments. It is shown that under optimized conditions, our strategy exhibits high sensitivity and selectivity for the quantification of VEGF and ATP with a low detection limit (1 pM and 4 nM, respectively). In addition, this biosensor has been successfully utilized in the analysis of real biological samples.

Improved enrichment culture technique for methane-oxidizing bacteria from marine ecosystems: the effect of adhesion material and gas composition.

Science.gov (United States)

Vekeman, Bram; Dumolin, Charles; De Vos, Paul; Heylen, Kim

2017-02-01

Cultivation of microbial representatives of specific functional guilds from environmental samples depends largely on the suitability of the applied growth conditions. Especially the cultivation of marine methanotrophs has received little attention, resulting in only a limited number of ex situ cultures available. In this study we investigated the effect of adhesion material and headspace composition on the methane oxidation activity in methanotrophic enrichments obtained from marine sediment. Addition of sterilized natural sediment or alternatively the addition of acid-washed silicon dioxide significantly increased methane oxidation. This positive effect was attributed to bacterial adhesion on the particles via extracellular compounds, with a minimum amount of particles required for effect. As a result, the particles were immobilized, thus creating a stratified environment in which a limited diffusive gas gradients could build up and various microniches were formed. Such diffusive gas gradient might necessitate high headspace concentrations of CH 4 and CO 2 for sufficient concentrations to reach the methane-oxidizing bacteria in the enrichment culture technique. Therefore, high concentrations of methane and carbon dioxide, in addition to the addition of adhesion material, were tested and indeed further stimulated methane oxidation. Use of adhesion material in combination with high concentrations of methane and carbon dioxide might thus facilitate the cultivation and subsequent enrichment of environmentally important members of this functional guild. The exact mechanism of the observed positive effects on methane oxidation and the differential effect on methanotrophic diversity still needs to be explored.

NaCl-assisted one-step growth of MoS2-WS2 in-plane heterostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhan; Xie, Yong; Wang, Haolin; Wu, Ruixue; Nan, Tang; Zhan, Yongjie; Sun, Jing; Jiang, Teng; Zhao, Ying; Lei, Yimin; Yang, Mei; Wang, Weidong; Zhu, Qing; Ma, Xiaohua; Hao, Yue

2017-08-01

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have attracted considerable interest for exploration of next-generation electronics and optoelectronics in recent years. Fabrication of in-plane lateral heterostructures between TMDs has opened up excellent opportunities for engineering two-dimensional materials. The creation of high quality heterostructures with a facile method is highly desirable but it still remains challenging. In this work, we demonstrate a one-step growth method for the construction of high-quality MoS2-WS2 in-plane heterostructures. The synthesis was carried out using ambient pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) with the assistance of sodium chloride (NaCl). It was found that the addition of NaCl played a key role in lowering the growth temperatures, in which the Na-containing precursors could be formed and condensed on the substrates to reduce the energy of the reaction. As a result, the growth regimes of MoS2 and WS2 are better matched, leading to the formation of in-plane heterostructures in a single step. The heterostructures were proved to be of high quality with a sharp and clear interface. This newly developed strategy with the assistance of NaCl is promising for synthesizing other TMDs and their heterostructures.

Fatigue crack growth characteristics of the pressure vessel steel SA 508 Cl. 3 in various environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, S. G.; Kim, I. S.; Park, Y. S.; Kim, J. W.; Park, C. Y.

2001-01-01

Fatigue tests in air and in room temperature water were performed to obtain comparable data and stable crack measuring conditions. In air environment, fatigue crack growth rate was increased with increasing temperature due to an increase in crack tip oxidation rate. In room temperature water, the fatigue crack growth rate was faster than in air and crack path varied on loading conditions. In simulated light water reactor (LWR) conditions, there was little environmental effect on the fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR) at low dissolved oxygen or at high loading frequency conditions. While the FCGR was enhanced at high oxygen condition, and the enhancement of crack growth rate increased as loading frequency decreased to a critical value. In fractography, environmentally assisted cracks, such as semi-cleavage and secondary intergranular crack, were found near sulfide inclusions only at high dissolved oxygen and low loading frequency condition. The high crack growth rate was related to environmentally assisted crack. These results indicated that environmentally assisted crack could be formed by the Electrochemical effect in specific loading condition

Exogenous nitric oxide improves sugarcane growth and photosynthesis under water deficit.

Science.gov (United States)

Silveira, Neidiquele M; Frungillo, Lucas; Marcos, Fernanda C C; Pelegrino, Milena T; Miranda, Marcela T; Seabra, Amedea B; Salgado, Ione; Machado, Eduardo C; Ribeiro, Rafael V

2016-07-01

Nitric oxide (NO)-mediated redox signaling plays a role in alleviating the negative impact of water stress in sugarcane plants by improving root growth and photosynthesis. Drought is an environmental limitation affecting sugarcane growth and yield. The redox-active molecule nitric oxide (NO) is known to modulate plant responses to stressful conditions. NO may react with glutathione (GSH) to form S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), which is considered the main reservoir of NO in cells. Here, we investigate the role of NO in alleviating the effects of water deficit on growth and photosynthesis of sugarcane plants. Well-hydrated plants were compared to plants under drought and sprayed with mock (water) or GSNO at concentrations ranging from 10 to 1000 μM. Leaf GSNO sprayed plants showed significant improvement of relative water content and leaf and root dry matter under drought compared to mock-sprayed plants. Additionally, plants sprayed with GSNO (≥ 100 μM) showed higher leaf gas exchange and photochemical activity as compared to mock-sprayed plants under water deficit and after rehydration. Surprisingly, a raise in the total S-nitrosothiols content was observed in leaves sprayed with GSH or GSNO, suggesting a long-term role of NO-mediated responses to water deficit. Experiments with leaf discs fumigated with NO gas also suggested a role of NO in drought tolerance of sugarcane plants. Overall, our data indicate that the NO-mediated redox signaling plays a role in alleviating the negative effects of water stress in sugarcane plants by protecting the photosynthetic apparatus and improving shoot and root growth.

Microwave-assisted in situ synthesis of reduced graphene oxide-BiVO4 composite photocatalysts and their enhanced photocatalytic performance for the degradation of ciprofloxacin.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Yan; Sun, Shaofang; Song, Yang; Yan, Xu; Guan, Weisheng; Liu, Xinlin; Shi, Weidong

2013-04-15

To improve the photodegradation efficiency for ciprofloxacin (CIP), a new-type microwave-assisted in situ growth method is developed for the preparation of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) -BiVO4 composite photocatalysts. The as-produced RGO-BiVO4 composite photocatalysts show extremely high enhancement of CIP degradation ratio over the pure BiVO4 photocatalyst under visible light. Specially, the 2 wt% RGO-BiVO4 composite photocatalyst exhibits the highest CIP degradation ratio (68.2%) in 60 min, which is over 3 times than that (22.7%) of the pure BiVO4 particles. The enhancement of photocatalytic activities of RGO-BiVO4 photocatalysts can be attributed to the effective separation of electron-hole pairs rather than the improvement of light absorption. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fast Growth of GaN Epilayers via Laser-Assisted Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition for Ultraviolet Photodetector Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Rabiee Golgir, Hossein; Li, Da Wei; Keramatnejad, Kamran; Zou, Qi Ming; Xiao, Jun; Wang, Fei; Jiang, Lan; Silvain, Jean-François; Lu, Yong Feng

2017-06-28

In this study, we successfully developed a carbon dioxide (CO 2 )-laser-assisted metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (LMOCVD) approach to fast synthesis of high-quality gallium nitride (GaN) epilayers on Al 2 O 3 [sapphire(0001)] substrates. By employing a two-step growth procedure, high crystallinity and smooth GaN epilayers with a fast growth rate of 25.8 μm/h were obtained. The high crystallinity was confirmed by a combination of techniques, including X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. By optimizing growth parameters, the ∼4.3-μm-thick GaN films grown at 990 °C for 10 min showed a smooth surface with a root-mean-square surface roughness of ∼1.9 nm and excellent thickness uniformity with sharp GaN/substrate interfaces. The full-width at half-maximum values of the GaN(0002) X-ray rocking curve of 313 arcsec and the GaN(101̅2) X-ray rocking curve of 390 arcsec further confirmed the high crystallinity of the GaN epilayers. We also fabricated ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors based on the as-grown GaN layers, which exhibited a high responsivity of 0.108 A W -1 at 367 nm and a fast response time of ∼125 ns, demonstrating its high optical quality with potential in optoelectronic applications. Our strategy thus provides a simple and cost-effective means toward fast and high-quality GaN heteroepitaxy growth suitable for fabricating high-performance GaN-based UV detectors.

Development of a membrane-assisted fluidized bed reactor - 2 - Experimental demonstration and modeling for the partial oxidation of methanol

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Deshmukh, S.A.R.K.; Laverman, J.A.; van Sint Annaland, M.; Kuipers, J.A.M.

2005-01-01

A small laboratory-scale membrane-assisted fluidized bed reactor (MAFBR) was constructed in order to experimentally demonstrate the reactor concept for the partial oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde. Methanol conversion and product selectivities were measured at various overall fluidization

Crystalline phase control and growth selectivity of β-MnO{sub 2} thin films by remote plasma assisted pulsed laser deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abi-Akl, M.; Tabbal, M., E-mail: malek.tabbal@aub.edu.lb; Kassem, W.

2016-08-01

In this paper, we exploit the effect of coupling an oxygen remote plasma source to Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) for the growth of pure and well crystallized β-MnO{sub 2} films. Films were grown on Si substrates by laser ablation of a MnO target in oxygen ambient and remote plasma. X-Ray Diffraction, Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectroscopy and Raman scattering were used to determine the crystalline structure and bonding in the grown layers, whereas Atomic Force Microscopy was used to study their morphology and surface roughness. Deposition at 500 °C and high oxygen pressure (33.3–66.6 Pa) resulted in the formation of films with roughness of 12 nm consisting of nsutite γ-MnO{sub 2}, a structure characterized by the intergrowth of the pyrolusite β-MnO{sub 2} in a ramsdellite R-MnO{sub 2} matrix. Deposition at the same temperature but low pressure (1.33–3.33 Pa) in oxygen ambient lead to the formation of Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3} whereas plasma activation within the same pressure range induced the growth of single phase highly crystalline β-MnO{sub 2} having smooth surfaces with a roughness value of 0.6 nm. Such results underline the capability of remote plasma assisted PLD in selecting and controlling the crystalline phase of manganese oxide layers. - Highlights: • MnO{sub 2} films were grown by Remote Plasma Assisted Pulsed Laser Deposition. • Crystalline MnO{sub 2} is formed at a substrate temperature of 500 °C. • Smooth crystalline single phase β-MnO{sub 2} films were obtained at 1.33–3.33 Pa. • Deposition at 1.33–3.33 Pa without plasma activation lead to the growth of Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3}. • Without plasma, mixed phases of MnO{sub 2} polymorphs are obtained at 33.3 Pa and above.

Review of the models and mechanisms for environmentally-assisted crack growth of pressure vessel and piping steels in PWR environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cullen, W.; Gabetta, G.; Hanninen, H.

1985-12-01

The crack-tip micromechanisms and the computational models for environmentally-assisted cracking in pressure vessel and piping steels in high-temperature, low-oxygen (PWR), reactor-grade water are described and evaluated in this report. The report begins with a brief description of the critical variables which are known to affect environmentally-assisted subcritical cracking in these metal/environment systems. The micromechanistic models are discussed in some detail, with anodic dissolution and hydrogen assistance being the prime candidates for the successful explanation of the observed phenomena. The anodic dissolution model offers far better quantification of the environmentally-assisted crack growth rates, but tends to overpredict the rates for a large number of conditions. The hydrogen assistance models qualitatively could account for a wider range of effects, but quantification of the model is virtually nonexistent. A variety of calculational models are in various stages of development; all of them are far from use as a predictive tool. Crack-tip strain rate models have received the most attention, and the approach to their use has been to partition the environmentally-assisted growth rates into a mechanically-driven component, with the environmental enhancement superposed. The environment component is then correlated with a calculated crack-tip strain rate. 141 refs., 59 figs

Study mechanism of growth and spallation of oxide scales formed after T91 steel oxidation in water vapor at 550 C

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demizieux, Marie-Christine

2015-01-01

In the framework of the development of Generation IV reactors and specifically in the new Sodium Fast Reactor (SFR) project, Fe-9Cr ferritic-martensitic steels are candidates as structural materials for steam generators. Indeed, Fe-9Cr steels are already widely used in high temperature steam environments - like boilers and steam turbines- for their combination of creep strength and high thermal properties. Many studies have been focused on Fe-9Cr steels oxidation behavior between 550 C-700 C.Depending on the oxidizing environment, formation of a triplex (Fe-Cr spinel/magnetite/hematite) or duplex (Fe-Cr spinel/magnetite) oxide scales are reported.. Besides, for long time exposure in steam, the exfoliation of oxide scales can cause serious problems such as tube obstruction and steam turbine erosion. Consequently, this work has been dedicated to study, on the one hand the oxidation kinetics of T91 steel in water vapor environments, and on the other hand, the mechanisms leading to the spallation of the oxide scale. Oxidation tests have been carried out at 550 C in pure water vapor and in Ar/D_2O/H_2 environments with different hydrogen contents. Based on an analytical resolution, a quantitative modeling has shown that the 'available space model' proposed in the literature for duplex oxide scale formation well reproduces both scales growth kinetics and spinel oxide stoichiometry. Then, oxidized samples have been precisely characterized and it turns out that buckling then spalling of the oxide scale is always located in the magnetite layer. Voids observed in the magnetite layer are major initiation sites of de-cohesion of the outer oxide scale. A mechanism of formation of these voids has been proposed, in accordance with the mechanism of duplex scale formation. The derived model based on the assumption that vacancies accumulate where the iron vacancies flux divergence is maximal gives a good estimation of the location of pores inside the magnetite layer. Then, in order

Surfactant-assisted carbon doping in ZnO nanowires using Poly Ethylene Glycol (PEG)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amanullah, Malik; Javed, Qurat-ul-Ain, E-mail: Quratulain@sns.nust.edu.pk; Rizwan, Syed

2016-09-01

Zinc Oxide (ZnO) provides unique properties owing to its wide bandgap, large resistivity range and possibility to tune the physical properties. The surfactant assisted carbon doping was made possible due to the lowering of surface energy. The ZnO and carbon doped ZnO (C-ZnO) nanowires fabricated by hydrothermal process, Poly Ethylene Glycol (PEG) is used as surfactant in hydrothermal synthesis followed by post growth annealing treatment at 600 °C–700 °C. At 5%–10% of diluted PEG carbon is doped in ZnO. The crystallinity, structural morphology and elemental composition analysis for ZnO and C-ZnO nanowires were carried out using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy techniques respectively. Carbon doping in ZnO nanowires in the presence of different percentage of surfactant is explained by calculating the change in surface energy with respect to change in PEG molecule concentration. It was found that the surface energy per molecule modulates from 3.92 × 10{sup −8} J/m{sup 2} to 8.16 × 10{sup −7} J/m{sup 2} in the PEG concentration range between 5% and 10%. Our results provides a new theoretical calculations, implemented on real system, to observe the details of PEG-assisted Carbon doping in II-VI semiconductor nanowires. - Highlights: • ZnO and C-ZnO was synthesized by PEG assisted post growth annealing process. • At 5% and 10% of PEG successful synthesis of C-ZnO was found. • XRD, SEM and EDX characterizations confirm the successful synthesis of ZnO and C-ZnO. • Change in surface energy with respect to PEG molecule concentration was calculated.

Heteroepitaxial Growth of Germanium-on-Silicon Using Ultrahigh-Vacuum Chemical Vapor Deposition with RF Plasma Enhancement

Science.gov (United States)

Alharthi, Bader; Grant, Joshua M.; Dou, Wei; Grant, Perry C.; Mosleh, Aboozar; Du, Wei; Mortazavi, Mansour; Li, Baohua; Naseem, Hameed; Yu, Shui-Qing

2018-05-01

Germanium (Ge) films have been grown on silicon (Si) substrate by ultrahigh-vacuum chemical vapor deposition with plasma enhancement (PE). Argon plasma was generated using high-power radiofrequency (50 W) to assist in germane decomposition at low temperature. The growth temperature was varied in the low range of 250°C to 450°C to make this growth process compatible with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology. The material and optical properties of the grown Ge films were investigated. The material quality was determined by Raman and x-ray diffraction techniques, revealing growth of crystalline films in the temperature range of 350°C to 450°C. Photoluminescence spectra revealed improved optical quality at growth temperatures of 400°C and 450°C. Furthermore, material quality study using transmission electron microscopy revealed existence of defects in the Ge layer grown at 400°C. Based on the etch pit density, the average threading dislocation density in the Ge layer obtained at this growth temperature was measured to be 4.5 × 108 cm-2. This result was achieved without any material improvement steps such as use of graded buffer or thermal annealing. Comparison between PE and non-plasma-enhanced growth, in the same machine at otherwise the same growth conditions, indicated increased growth rate and improved material and optical qualities for PE growth.

Surgical treatment of an acquired posterior urethral diverticulum with cystoscopy assisted robotic technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Guneri, Cagri; Kirac, Mustafa; Biri, Hasan

2017-03-01

A 42-year-old man with a history of recurrent urethral stenosis, recurrent urinary tract infection and macroscopic hematuria has referred to our clinic. He underwent several internal urethrotomies and currently using clean intermittent self-catheterization. During the internal urethrotomy, we noted a large posterior urethral diverticulum (UD) between verumontanum and bladder neck. His obstructive symptoms were resolved after the catheter removal. But perineal discomfort, urgency and dysuria were prolonged about 3-4 weeks. Urinalysis and urine culture confirmed recurrent urinary tract infections. Due to this conditions and symptoms, we planned a surgical approach which was planned as transperitoneal robotic-assisted laparoscopic approach. This technique is still applied for the diverticulectomy of the bladder. In addition to this we utilized the cystoscopy equipments for assistance. During this process, cystoscope was placed in the UD to help the identification of UD from adjacent tissues like seminal vesicles by its movement and translumination. Operating time was 185 min. On the post-operative third day he was discharged. Foley catheter was removed after 2 weeks. Urination was quite satisfactory. His perineal discomfort was resolved. The pathology report confirmed epidermoid (tailgut) cyst of the prostate. Urethrogram showed no radiologic signs of UD after 4 weeks. Irritative and obstructive symptoms were completely resolved after 3 months. No urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction or retrograde ejaculation was noted. While posterior UD is an extremely rare situation, surgical treatment of posterior UD remains uncertain. To our knowledge, no above-mentioned cystoscopy assisted robotic technique for the treatment was described in the literature.

Effects of aluminium oxide nanoparticles on bacterial growth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Doskocz Nina

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Production and wide application of nanomaterials have led to nanotechnology development but their release to environment and the induction of toxic reactions, affects the natural microbial communities. Therefore, studies on the impact of nanoparticles on microorganisms and environment are required and needed. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of aluminium oxide nanoparticles on the growth of Pseudomonas putida. To compare the harmfulness of different forms of aluminium oxide, the ecotoxicity of its macro-forms was also evaluated in the study. Research showed that the exposure to nanoparticles can negatively influence microorganisms. The EC50-16h determined in this study was 0.5 mg/l, and NOEC equaled 0.19 mg/l. Nano-Al2O3 proved to be more toxic to P. putida than aluminium oxide. This indicates that the nano-form of a given substance demonstrates different properties and may constitute a far greater danger for the environment than the same substance in the large form. According to EU and US EPA criteria, nano-Al2O3 proved to be very toxic and highly toxic, respectively. Changes in bacterial communities caused by nanoparticles may affect the normal biological, chemical and nutrient cycle in the ecosystem and the effect triggered by nanomaterials in relation to other organisms is unpredictable.

Thermally oxidized aluminum as catalyst-support layer for vertically aligned single-walled carbon nanotube growth using ethanol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Azam, Mohd Asyadi, E-mail: asyadi@jaist.ac.jp [School of Materials Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), 1-1 Asahidai, Nomi, Ishikawa 923-1292 (Japan); Fujiwara, Akihiko [Research and Utilization Division, Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI), 1-1-1, Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5198 (Japan); Shimoda, Tatsuya [School of Materials Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), 1-1 Asahidai, Nomi, Ishikawa 923-1292 (Japan)

2011-11-01

Characteristics and role of Al oxide (Al-O) films used as catalyst-support layer for vertical growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were studied. EB-deposited Al films (20 nm) were thermally oxidized at 400 deg. C (10 min, static air) to produce the most appropriate surface structure of Al-O. Al-O catalyst-support layers were characterized using various analytical measurements, i.e., atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and spectroscopy ellipsometry (SE). The thermally oxidized Al-O has a highly roughened surface, and also has the most suitable surface chemical states compared to other type of Al-O support layers. We suggest that the surface of thermally oxidized Al-O characterized in this work enhanced Co catalyst activity to promote the vertically aligned SWCNT growth.

A Biochemical Approach to Detect Oxidative Stress in Infertile Women Undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technology Procedures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matteo Becatti

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Oxidative stress plays a major role in critical biological processes in human reproduction. However, a reliable and biologically accurate indicator of this condition does not yet exist. On these bases, the aim of this study was to assess and compare the blood and follicular fluid (FF redox status of 45 infertile subjects (and 45 age-matched controls undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF, and explore possible relationships between the assessed redox parameters and IVF outcomes. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS production, assessed by flow cytometry analysis in blood leukocytes and granulosa cells, significantly increased (p < 0.05 in infertile patients. Also, oxidative stress markers—ThioBarbituric Acid-Reactive Substances (TBARS as an index of lipid peroxidation, and Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC to account for total antioxidant capacity, both assayed by fluorometric procedures—in blood and FF were significantly (p < 0.001 modified in infertile patients compared to the control group. Moreover, a significant correlation between blood redox markers and FF redox markers was evident. An ORAC/TBARS ratio, defined as the redox index (RI, was obtained in the plasma and FF of the patients and controls. In the patients, the plasma RI was about 3.4-fold (p < 0.0001 lower than the control, and the FF RI was about six-fold (p < 0.0001 lower than the control. Interestingly, both the plasma RI and FF RI results were significantly correlated (p < 0.05 to the considered outcome parameters (metaphase II, fertilization rate, and ongoing pregnancies. Given the reported findings, a strict monitoring of redox parameters in assisted reproductive techniques and infertility management is recommended.

Cystoscopic-assisted partial cystectomy: description of technique and results

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gofrit ON

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Ofer N Gofrit,1 Amos Shapiro,1 Ran Katz,1 Mordechai Duvdevani,1 Vladimir Yutkin,1 Ezekiel H Landau,1 Kevin C Zorn,2 Guy Hidas,1 Dov Pode1 1Department of Urology, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel; 2Department of Surgery, Section of Urology, Montreal, Canada Background: Partial cystectomy provides oncological results comparable with those of radical cystectomy in selected patients with invasive bladder cancer without the morbidity associated with radical cystectomy and urinary diversion. We describe a novel technique of partial cystectomy that allows accurate identification of tumor margins while minimizing damage to the rest of the bladder. Methods: During the study period, 30 patients underwent partial cystectomy for invasive high-grade cancer. In 19 patients, the traditional method of tumor identification was used, ie, identifying the tumor by palpation and cystotomy. In eleven patients, after mobilization of the bladder, flexible cystoscopy was done and the light of the cystoscope was pointed toward one edge of the planned resected ellipse around the tumor, thus avoiding cystotomy. Results: Patients who underwent partial cystectomy using the novel method were similar in all characteristics to patients operated on using the traditional technique except for tumor diameter which was significantly larger in patients operated on using the novel method (4.3±1.5 cm versus 3.11±1.18 cm, P=0.032. Complications were rare in both types of surgery. The 5-year local recurrence-free survival was marginally superior using the novel method (0.8 versus 0.426, P=0.088. Overall, disease-specific and disease-free survival rates were similar. Conclusion: The use of a flexible cystoscope during partial cystectomy is a simple, low-cost maneuver that assists in planning the bladder incision and minimizes injury to the remaining bladder by avoiding the midline cystotomy. Initial oncological results show a trend toward a lower rate of local

Photo-assisted electrochemical oxidation of the urea onto TiO2-nanotubes modified by hematite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Waleed M. Omymen

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The electrochemical oxidation of the urea in near neutral pH is investigated on platinum electrode. It is shown that oxidation reaction is practically inhibited up to the potentials of ∼0.9 V. The same reaction is investigated onto electrochemically obtained titanium dioxide nanotubes modified by hematite using facile, low-cost successive ion layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR method. It is shown that such system possesses electrocatalytic activity at very low potentials, and activity can be further improved by the illumination of the electrode in the photo-assisted reaction. The possible application of the photoactive anode is considered in the application of urea based water electrolysis and urea based fuel cell. Keywords: Photoelectrochemical cell, Water electrolysis, Fuel cell, SILAR

Application of high-pressure techniques: stabilization and oxidation-state control of novel superconductive and related multi-layered copper oxides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamauchi, H.; Karppinen, M.

2000-01-01

Copper oxide superconductors possess multi-layered structures with a layer sequence of -CuO 2 -(Q-CuO 2 ) n-1 -AO-(MO 1±δ ) m -AO- or -CuO 2 -B-(O 2 -B) s-1 -CuO 2 -AO-(MO 1±δ ) m -AO- along the elongated c axis. Based on this layer sequence, the known copper oxide structures are categorized as members of the homologous series, M m A r Q n-1 Cu n O m+r+2 +n ±δ (M-mr(n-1)n ; category A) or M m A 2k B s Cu 1+k O m +4k +2s±δ (M-m(2k)s (1+k ); category B). Stabilization of such structures especially in the case of high values of the n /s parameter, i.e. the higher members of the homologous series, has been demonstrated to be apparently promoted under high pressures and/or strongly oxidizing conditions. Consequently, techniques for applying both high oxygen gas pressures (10-2000 atm) and ultra-high solid-medium pressures (2-8 GPa) have been advantageously utilized in synthesizing various superconductive copper oxide phases. Especially the ultra-high solid-medium pressure synthesis carried out in the so-called cubic-anvil/belt-type apparatus has proven to be extremely successful in synthesizing novel superconductive phases. In order to achieve high partial pressures of oxygen in the solid-medium environment, 'external' oxygen-generating oxides such as KClO 4 , KClO 3 and Ag 2 O 2 are commonly added to the precursor mixtures. It is emphasized that in some cases it is possible to utilize 'internal' oxidizing agents alone, i.e. highly oxidized precursors such as BaCuO 2+δ and Ba 2 Cu 3 O 5+δ containing metal constituents common with the desired copper oxide phase only. In the present paper, the potential and applications of high-pressure techniques in synthesizing multi-layered copper oxides and related structures are reviewed and discussed with emphasis on the important 'historical' discoveries of novel phases and the present status of controlled production of high-quality samples of such phases. (author)

Exploring the potential of laser assisted flow deposition grown ZnO for photovoltaic applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodrigues, J., E-mail: joana.catarina@ua.pt [Departamento de Física & I3N, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro (Portugal); Cerqueira, A.F.R.; Sousa, M.G.; Santos, N.F. [Departamento de Física & I3N, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro (Portugal); Pimentel, A.; Fortunato, E. [CENIMAT/I3N, Departamento de Ciência dos Materiais, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Cunha, A.F. da; Monteiro, T.; Costa, F.M. [Departamento de Física & I3N, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro (Portugal)

2016-07-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a widely studied wide band gap semiconductor with applications in several fields, namely to enhance solar cells efficiency. Its ability to be grown in a wide variety of nanostructured morphologies, allowing the designing of the surface area architecture constitutes an important advantage over other semiconductors. Laser assisted flow deposition (LAFD) is a recently developed growth method, based on a vapour-solid mechanism, which proved to be a powerful approach in the production of ZnO micro/nanostructures with different morphologies as well as high crystallinity and optical quality. In the present work we report the use of the LAFD technique to grow functional ZnO nanostructures (nanoparticles and tetrapods) working as nano templates to improve the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) efficiency. The structural and morphological characterization of the as-grown ZnO crystals were performed by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy, respectively, and the optical quality was assessed by photoluminescence spectroscopy. DSSCs were produced using a combination of these nanostructures, which were subsequently sensitized with N719 dye. An efficiency of ∼3% was achieved under simulated AM 1.5 illumination conditions for a dye loading time of 1 h. - Highlights: • Laser assisted flow deposition proved to be an efficient technique to produce high quality ZnO. • Active layer formed by an interconnected network of tetrapods and a small amount of nanoparticles. • Efficiency of ∼3% obtained under simulated AM 1.5 illumination conditions.

PtNi alloy nanoparticles supported on carbon-doped TiO2 nanotube arrays for photo-assisted methanol oxidation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He, Huichao; Xiao, Peng; Zhou, Ming; Liu, Feila; Yu, Shujuan; Qiao, Lei; Zhang, Yunhuai

2013-01-01

To develop anode catalysts for photo-assisted direct methanol fuel cell (PDMFC), carbon-doped TiO 2 nanotube arrays-supported PtNi alloy nanoparticles with different Pt/Ni atomic ratio (PtNi/C-TiO 2 NTs) prepared by pulsed electrodeposition method are evaluated as catalysts for photo-assisted methanol oxidation. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry results show that the PtNi/C-TiO 2 NTs prepared at t onPt :t onNi : = 10:7 (t on is the current-on time) with a Pt:Ni atomic ratio of 6.1:5.7 presents the highest catalytic activity for methanol oxidation both in the dark and under illumination. In addition, according to the results obtained from the CO stripping voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests, it was found that the light play an accelerative role in the oxidation of methanol on PtNi/C-TiO 2 NTs under illumination. The effect of illumination which enhancing the catalytic activity of PtNi/C-TiO 2 NTs are attributed to (1) methanol and the intermediates be oxidized directly on C-TiO 2 NTs for the light-induced catalytic effect; (2) more abundant oxygen-donating species be produced on C-TiO 2 NTs in the presence of light; (3) less CO ads adsorbing on catalysts due to the presence of stronger metal–support interactions between PtNi alloy nanoparticles and C-TiO 2 NTs under illumination

Plasma-assisted partial oxidation of methane at low temperatures: numerical analysis of gas-phase chemical mechanism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goujard, Valentin; Nozaki, Tomohiro; Yuzawa, Shuhei; Okazaki, Ken [Department of Mechanical and Control Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 O-okayama, Meguro, 1528552, Tokyo (Japan); Agiral, Anil, E-mail: tnozaki@mech.titech.ac.jp [Mesoscale Chemical Systems, MESA Institute for Nanotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, PO Box 217, 7500 AE, Enschede (Netherlands)

2011-07-13

Methane partial oxidation was investigated using a plasma microreactor. The experiments were performed at 5 and 300 deg. C. Microreactor configuration allows an efficient evacuation of the heat generated by methane partial oxidation and dielectric barrier discharges, allowing at the same time a better temperature control. At 5 deg. C, liquid condensation of low vapour pressure compounds, such as formaldehyde and methanol, occurs. {sup 1}H-NMR analysis allowed us to demonstrate significant CH{sub 3}OOH formation during plasma-assisted partial oxidation of methane. Conversion and product selectivity were discussed for both temperatures. In the second part of this work, a numerical simulation was performed and a gas-phase chemical mechanism was proposed and discussed. From the comparison between the experimental results and the simulation it was found that CH{sub 3}OO{center_dot} formation has a determinant role in oxygenated compound production, since its fast formation disfavoured radical recombination. At 5 deg. C the oxidation leads mainly towards oxygenated compound formation, and plasma dissociation was the major phenomenon responsible for CH{sub 4} conversion. At 300 deg. C, higher CH{sub 4} conversion resulted from oxidative reactions induced by {center_dot}OH radicals with a chemistry predominantly oxidative, producing CO, H{sub 2}, CO{sub 2} and H{sub 2}O.

Ultrasound-assisted powder-coating technique to improve content uniformity of low-dose solid dosage forms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Genina, Natalja; Räikkönen, Heikki; Antikainen, Osmo

2010-01-01

An ultrasound-assisted powder-coating technique was used to produce a homogeneous powder formulation of a low-dose active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). The powdered particles of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC; Avicel® PH-200) were coated with a 4% m/V aqueous solution of riboflavin sodium...

Molybdenum oxide nanocolloids prepared by an external field-assisted laser ablation in water

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Spadaro Salvatore

2018-01-01

Full Text Available he synthesis of extremely stable molybdenum oxide nanocolloids by pulsed laser ablation was studied. This green technique ensures the formation of contaminant-free nanostructures and the absence of by-products. A focused picosecond pulsed laser beam was used to ablate a solid molybdenum target immersed in deionized water. Molybdenum oxide nearly spherical nanoparticles with dimensions within few nanometers (20-100 nm are synthesized when the ablation processes were carried out, in water, at room temperature and 80°C. The application of an external electric field during the ablation process induces a nanostructures reorganization, as indicated by Scanning-Transmission Electron Microscopy images analysis. The ablation products were also characterized by some spectroscopic techniques: conventional UV-vis optical absorption, atomic absorption, dynamic light scattering, micro-Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies. Finally, NIH/3T3 mouse fibroblasts were used to evaluate cell viability by the sulforhodamine B assay

Sn and Cu oxide nanoparticles deposited on TiO{sub 2} nanoflower 3D substrates by Inert Gas Condensation technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kusior, A., E-mail: akusior@agh.edu.pl [Faculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, AGH University of Science and Technology, al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow (Poland); Kollbek, K. [Academic Centre for Materials and Nanotechnology, AGH University of Science and Technology, al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow (Poland); Kowalski, K. [Faculty of Metals Engineering and Industrial Computer Science, AGH University of Science and Technology, al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow (Poland); Borysiewicz, M. [Institute of Electron Technology, al. Lotnikow 32/46, 02-668 Warszawa (Poland); Wojciechowski, T. [Institute of Physics Polish Academy of Science, al. Lotnikow 32/46, 02-668 Warszawa (Poland); Adamczyk, A.; Trenczek-Zajac, A.; Radecka, M. [Faculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, AGH University of Science and Technology, al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow (Poland); Zakrzewska, K. [Faculty of Computer Science, Electronics and Telecommunications, AGH University of Science and Technology, al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow (Poland)

2016-09-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Inert Gas Condensation method yields non-agglomerated nanoparticles. • The growth of nanoparticles is controllable at the level of deposition. • Electrical conductivity increases with respect to pure nanostructured TiO{sub 2}. - Abstract: Sn and Cu oxide nanoparticles were deposited by Inert Gas Condensation (IGC) technique combined with dc magnetron sputtering onto nanoflower TiO{sub 2} 3D substrates obtained in the oxidation process of Ti-foil in 30% H{sub 2}O{sub 2}. Sputtering parameters such as insertion length and Ar/He flow rates were optimized taking into account the nanostructure morphology. Comparative studies with hydrothermal method were carried out. Surface properties of the synthesized nanomaterials were studied by Scanning Electron Microscopy, SEM, Atomic Force Microscopy, AFM, and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, XPS. X-ray diffraction, XRD and Raman spectroscopy were performed in order to determine phase composition. Impedance spectroscopy demonstrated the influence of nanoparticles on the electrical conductivity.

Lithotrophic iron-oxidizing bacteria produce organic stalks to control mineral growth: implications for biosignature formation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chan, Clara S; Fakra, Sirine C; Emerson, David; Fleming, Emily J; Edwards, Katrina J

2011-07-01

Neutrophilic Fe-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB) are often identified by their distinctive morphologies, such as the extracellular twisted ribbon-like stalks formed by Gallionella ferruginea or Mariprofundus ferrooxydans. Similar filaments preserved in silica are often identified as FeOB fossils in rocks. Although it is assumed that twisted iron stalks are indicative of FeOB, the stalk's metabolic role has not been established. To this end, we studied the marine FeOB M. ferrooxydans by light, X-ray and electron microscopy. Using time-lapse light microscopy, we observed cells excreting stalks during growth (averaging 2.2 {micro}m h(-1)). Scanning transmission X-ray microscopy and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy show that stalks are Fe(III)-rich, whereas cells are low in Fe. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that stalks are composed of several fibrils, which contain few-nanometer-sized iron oxyhydroxide crystals. Lepidocrocite crystals that nucleated on the fibril surface are much larger ({approx}100 nm), suggesting that mineral growth within fibrils is retarded, relative to sites surrounding fibrils. C and N 1s NEXAFS spectroscopy and fluorescence probing show that stalks primarily contain carboxyl-rich polysaccharides. On the basis of these results, we suggest a physiological model for Fe oxidation in which cells excrete oxidized Fe bound to organic polymers. These organic molecules retard mineral growth, preventing cell encrustation. This model describes an essential role for stalk formation in FeOB growth. We suggest that stalk-like morphologies observed in modern and ancient samples may be correlated confidently with the Fe-oxidizing metabolism as a robust biosignature.

The growth and evolution of thin oxide films on delta-plutonium surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia Flores, Harry G [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Pugmire, David L [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2009-01-01

The common oxides of plutonium are the dioxide (PuO{sub 2}) and the sesquioxide (Pu{sub 2}O{sub 3}). The structure of an oxide on plutonium metal under air at room temperature is typically described as a thick PuO{sub 2} film at the gas-oxide interface with a thinner PuO{sub 2} film near the oxide-metal substrate interface. In a reducing environment, such as ultra high vacuum, the dioxide (Pu{sup 4+}; O/Pu = 2.0) readily converts to the sesquioxide (Pu{sup 3+}; O/Pu = 1.5) with time. In this work, the growth and evolution of thin plutonium oxide films is studied with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) under varying conditions. The results indicate that, like the dioxide, the sesquioxide is not stable on a very clean metal substrate under reducing conditions, resulting in substoichiometric films (Pu{sub 2}O{sub 3-y}). The Pu{sub 2}O{sub 3-y} films prepared exhibit a variety of stoichiometries (y = 0.2-1) as a function of preparation conditions, highlighting the fact that caution must be exercised when studying plutonium oxide surfaces under these conditions and interpreting resulting data.

Microstructural evolution and growth kinetics of thermally grown oxides in plasma sprayed thermal barrier coatings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoju Liu

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The formation of thermally grown oxide (TGO during high temperature is a key factor to the degradation of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs applied on hot section components. In the present study both the CoNiCrAlY bond coat and ZrO2-8 wt.% Y2O3 (8YSZ ceramic coat of TBCs were prepared by air plasma spraying (APS. The composition and microstructure of TGO in TBCs were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS and X-ray diffraction (XRD analysis. The growth rate of TGO for TBC and pure BC were gained after isothermal oxidation at 1100 °C for various times. The results showed that as-sprayed bond coat consisted of β and γ/γ′phases, β phase reducesd as the oxidation time increased. The TGO comprised α-Al2O3 formed in the first 2 h. CoO, NiO, Cr2O3 and spinel oxides appeared after 20 h of oxidation. Contents of CoO and NiO reduced while that of Cr2O3 and spinel oxides increased in the later oxidation stage. The TGO eventually consisted of a sub-Al2O3 layer with columnar microstructure and the upper porous CS clusters. The TGO growth kinetics for two kinds of samples followed parabolic laws, with oxidation rate constant of 0.344 μm/h0.5 for TBCs and 0.354 μm/h0.5 for pure BCs.

Atomic layer deposition: an enabling technology for the growth of functional nanoscale semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Biyikli, Necmi; Haider, Ali

2017-09-01

In this paper, we present the progress in the growth of nanoscale semiconductors grown via atomic layer deposition (ALD). After the adoption by semiconductor chip industry, ALD became a widespread tool to grow functional films and conformal ultra-thin coatings for various applications. Based on self-limiting and ligand-exchange-based surface reactions, ALD enabled the low-temperature growth of nanoscale dielectric, metal, and semiconductor materials. Being able to deposit wafer-scale uniform semiconductor films at relatively low-temperatures, with sub-monolayer thickness control and ultimate conformality, makes ALD attractive for semiconductor device applications. Towards this end, precursors and low-temperature growth recipes are developed to deposit crystalline thin films for compound and elemental semiconductors. Conventional thermal ALD as well as plasma-assisted and radical-enhanced techniques have been exploited to achieve device-compatible film quality. Metal-oxides, III-nitrides, sulfides, and selenides are among the most popular semiconductor material families studied via ALD technology. Besides thin films, ALD can grow nanostructured semiconductors as well using either template-assisted growth methods or bottom-up controlled nucleation mechanisms. Among the demonstrated semiconductor nanostructures are nanoparticles, nano/quantum-dots, nanowires, nanotubes, nanofibers, nanopillars, hollow and core-shell versions of the afore-mentioned nanostructures, and 2D materials including transition metal dichalcogenides and graphene. ALD-grown nanoscale semiconductor materials find applications in a vast amount of applications including functional coatings, catalysis and photocatalysis, renewable energy conversion and storage, chemical sensing, opto-electronics, and flexible electronics. In this review, we give an overview of the current state-of-the-art in ALD-based nanoscale semiconductor research including the already demonstrated and future applications.

Microwave-assisted synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles in biocompatible organic environment

Science.gov (United States)

Aivazoglou, E.; Metaxa, E.; Hristoforou, E.

2018-04-01

The development of magnetite and maghemite particles in uniform nanometer size has triggered the interest of the research community due to their many interesting properties leading to a wide range of applications, such as catalysis, nanomedicine-nanobiology and other engineering applications. In this study, a simple, time-saving and low energy-consuming, microwave-assisted synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles, is presented. The nanoparticles were prepared by microwave-assisted synthesis using polyethylene glycol (PEG) or PEG and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD)/water solutions of chloride salts of iron in the presence of ammonia solution. The prepared nano-powders were characterized using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Transition Electron Microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman Spectroscopy, Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM), X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Thermal analysis (TG/DSC). The produced nanoparticles are crystallized mostly in the magnetite and maghemite lattice exhibiting very similar shape and size, with indications of partial PEG coating. Heating time, microwave power and presence of PEG, are the key factors shaping the size properties of nanoparticles. The average size of particles ranges from 10.3 to 19.2 nm. The nanoparticles exhibit a faceted morphology, with zero contamination levels. The magnetic measurements indicate that the powders are soft magnetic materials with negligible coercivity and remanence, illustrating super-paramagnetic behavior.

EFFECTIVENESS OF INSTUMENTAL ASSISTED SOFT TISSUE MOBILIZATION TECHNIQUE WITH STATIC STRETCHING IN SUBJECTS WITH PLANTAR FASCIITIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vinod Babu. K

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Instrumental assisted soft tissue mobilization and static stretching found to be effective in plantar fasciitis, however the combined effectiveness of these techniques were unknown. The purpose of this study is to find the effect of Instrumental assisted soft tissue mobilization technique for plantar fascia combined with static stretching of triceps surae for subjects with chronic stage of Plantar Fasciitis on pain intensity, ankle dorsiflexion range of motion and functional disability. Methods: An experimental study design, selected subjects with chronic Plantar Fasciitis randomized subjects into each Study and Control group. Total of 40 subject’s data who completed study, 20 in each group, was used for analysis. Control group received conventional exercise while Study group received conventional exercises with Instrumental assisted soft tissue mobilization combined with static stretching of triceps surae muscle. Outcome measurements such as Intensity of pain using Numerical Pain Rating Scale-101 (NPRS-101, function disability using Foot Function Index Pain Subscale (FFI and ankle dorsiflexion active range of motion using Goniometer was measured before and after 2 weeks of intervention. Results: There is statistically significant improvement in means of NRS-101, ankle dorsiflexion active range of motion and Foot Function Index Pain Subscale after intervention in both groups. When the post-intervention means were compared between Study and Control group after 2 weeks of treatment there is statistically significant difference in means between the groups whereas study group showed greater percentage of improvement than control group. Conclusion: It is concluded that Instrumental assisted soft tissue mobilization technique combined with static stretching of triceps surae muscle is significantly effective than conventional exercises on reducing pain, improving ankle dorsiflexion range of motion and functional disability for subjects

Short review of high-pressure crystal growth and magnetic and electrical properties of solid-state osmium oxides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamaura, Kazunari, E-mail: YAMAURA.Kazunari@nims.go.jp [Superconducting Properties Unit, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044 (Japan); Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Hokkaido University, North 10 West 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0810 (Japan)

2016-04-15

High-pressure crystal growth and synthesis of selected solid-state osmium oxides, many of which are perovskite-related types, are briefly reviewed, and their magnetic and electrical properties are introduced. Crystals of the osmium oxides, including NaOsO{sub 3}, LiOsO{sub 3}, and Na{sub 2}OsO{sub 4}, were successfully grown under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions at 6 GPa in the presence of an appropriate amount of flux in a belt-type apparatus. The unexpected discovery of a magnetic metal–insulator transition in NaOsO{sub 3}, a ferroelectric-like transition in LiOsO{sub 3}, and high-temperature ferrimagnetism driven by a local structural distortion in Ca{sub 2}FeOsO{sub 6} may represent unique features of the osmium oxides. The high-pressure and high-temperature synthesis and crystal growth has played a central role in the development of solid-state osmium oxides and the elucidation of their magnetic and electronic properties toward possible use in multifunctional devices. - Graphical Abstract: Flux-grown crystals of NaOsO{sub 3} under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions in a belt-type apparatus. The crystal shows a magnetically driven metal–insulator transition at a temperature of 410 K. - Highlights: • Short review of high-pressure crystal growth of solid-state osmium oxides. • Wide variety of magnetic properties of solid-state osmium oxides. • Perovskite and related dense structures stabilized at 3–17 GPa.

Biodegradation improvement of poly(3-hydroxy-butyrate) films by entomopathogenic fungi and UV-assisted surface functionalization.

Science.gov (United States)

Kessler, Felipe; Marconatto, Leticia; Rodrigues, Roberta da Silva Bussamara; Lando, Gabriela Albara; Schrank, Augusto; Vainstein, Marilene Henning; Weibel, Daniel Eduardo

2014-01-05

Ultraviolet (UV)-assisted surface modification in the presence of oxygen was used as initial step to achieve controlled degradation of poly(3-hydroxy-butyrate), PHB, films by entomopathogenic fungi. Treated surfaces were investigated by surface analysis techniques (water contact angle, Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy in Attenuated Total Reflectance mode, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Near-edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure, Gel Permeation Chromatography, Optical Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, and weight loss). After the UV-assisted treatments, new carbonyl groups in new chemical environments were detected by XPS and NEXAFS spectroscopy. The oxidizing atmosphere did not allow the formation of CC bonds, indicating that Norrish Type II mechanism is suppressed during or by the treatments. The higher hydrophilicity and concentration of oxygenated functional groups at the surface of the treated films possibly improved the biodegradation of the films. It was observed a clear increase in the growth of this fungus when oxygenated groups were grafted on the polymers surfaces. This simple methodology can be used to improve and control the degradation rate of PHB films in applications that require a controllable degradation rate. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Solid source growth of Si oxide nanowires promoted by carbon nanotubes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lu, Congxiang [CINTRA CNRS/NTU/THALES, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637553 (Singapore); Novitas, Nanoelectronics Centre of Excellence, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Liu, Wen-wen; Wang, Xingli [Novitas, Nanoelectronics Centre of Excellence, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Li, Xiaocheng [Laboratory of clean energy chemistry and materials, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 18 Tianshui Middle Road, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Tan, Chong Wei [CINTRA CNRS/NTU/THALES, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637553 (Singapore); Novitas, Nanoelectronics Centre of Excellence, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Tay, Beng Kang, E-mail: ebktay@ntu.edu.sg [CINTRA CNRS/NTU/THALES, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637553 (Singapore); Novitas, Nanoelectronics Centre of Excellence, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Coquet, Philippe [CINTRA CNRS/NTU/THALES, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637553 (Singapore)

2014-09-30

Highlights: • An array of well aligned and uniform CNTs is successfully fabricated by PECVD. • SiONW growth utilizes Si substrate as the source, ruling out the usage of silane. • With CNT array on the substrate, SiONW growth is improved significantly. • CNTs help dispersion of the catalysts and diffusion of the Si atoms. - Abstract: We report a method to promote solid source growth of Si oxide nanowires (SiONWs) by using an array of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs). It starts with the fabrication of CNT array by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) on Si wafers, followed by growth of SiONWs. Herein, CNTs serve as a scaffold, which helps the dispersion of catalysts for SiONWs and also provides space for hydrogen which boosts the diffusion of Si atoms and hence formation of SiONWs. As the result, a three dimensional (3D) hybrid network of densely packed SiONWs and CNTs can be produced rapidly.

Stress-assisted grain growth in nanocrystalline metals: Grain boundary mediated mechanisms and stabilization through alloying

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Yang; Tucker, Garritt J.; Trelewicz, Jason R.

2017-01-01

The mechanisms of stress-assisted grain growth are explored using molecular dynamics simulations of nanoindentation in nanocrystalline Ni and Ni-1 at.% P as a function of grain size and deformation temperature. Grain coalescence is primarily confined to the high stress region beneath the simulated indentation zone in nanocrystalline Ni with a grain size of 3 nm. Grain orientation and atomic displacement vector mapping demonstrates that coalescence transpires through grain rotation and grain boundary migration, which are manifested in the grain interior and grain boundary components of the average microrotation. A doubling of the grain size to 6 nm and addition of 1 at.% P eliminates stress-assisted grain growth in Ni. In the absence of grain coalescence, deformation is accommodated by grain boundary-mediated dislocation plasticity and thermally activated in pure nanocrystalline Ni. By adding solute to the grain boundaries, the temperature-dependent deformation behavior observed in both the lattice and grain boundaries inverts, indicating that the individual processes of dislocation and grain boundary plasticity will exhibit different activity based on boundary chemistry and deformation temperature.

Sclerotial biomass and carotenoid yield of Penicillium sp. PT95 under oxidative growth conditions and in the presence of antioxidant ascorbic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, X L; Cui, X H; Han, J R

2006-09-01

To determine the effect of oxidative stress and exogenous ascorbic acid on sclerotial biomass and carotenoid yield of Penicillium sp. PT95. In this experiment, high oxidative stress was applied by the inclusion of FeSO(4) in the growth medium and exposure to light. Low oxidative stress was applied by omitting iron from the growth medium and by incubation in the dark. Supplementation of exogenous ascorbic acid (as antioxidant) to the basal medium caused a concentration-dependent delay of sclerotial differentiation (up to 48 h), decrease of sclerotial biomass (up to 40%) and reduction of carotenoid yield (up to 91%). On the contrary, the exogenous ascorbic acid also caused a concentration-dependent decrease of lipid peroxidation in colonies of this fungus. Under high oxidative stress growth condition, the sclerotial biomass and carotenoid yield of PT95 strain in each plate culture reached 305 mg and 32.94 microg, which were 1.23 and 3.71 times higher, respectively, than those at low oxidative stress growth condition. These data prompted us to consider that in order to attain higher sclerotial biomass and pigment yield, the strain PT95 should be grown under high oxidative stress and in the absence of antioxidants. These results suggest that strain PT95 may be used for solid-state fermentation of carotenoid production under high oxidative stress growth conditions.

Growth of ZnO heterostructures in an ultra compact MBE system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruth, Marcel [University of Duisburg-Essen, Institute of Experimental Physics, Duisburg (Germany); University of Paderborn (Germany). Group Nanophotonics and Nanomaterials; Meier, Cedrik [University of Paderborn (Germany). Group Nanophotonics and Nanomaterials

2009-07-01

Due to its unique properties such as the large direct bandgap of 3.37 eV and its high exciton binding energy, zinc oxide (ZnO) is a very promising semiconductor for optoelectronic and photonic applications even at room temperature. By adding cadmium (Cd) or magnesium (Mg) the bandgap can be tuned between 3.0 eV and 4.0 eV. It has already been shown that plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PA-MBE) is a very suitable technique for growing high-quality epilayers of ZnO. Especially for research issues small samples are often sufficient. By using ultra compact MBE-systems the running costs can be kept down. However, the special system geometry and the very compact design lead to high requirements on the system. It is not trivial that in such a system stoichiometric and homogeneous growth conditions be achieved anyway. Furthermore, very high growth-rates can be obtained. By working in the zinc- (Zn) or oxygen-rich (O) regime completely different surface morphologies free of any metallic clusters are created. We present a systematic study on the growth conditions in such a compact system. Especially, the determination of the flux is discussed, and the grown heterostructures are characterised for their usability for nanophotonic devices.

Assisted techniques for vertebral cementoplasty: Why should we do it?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muto, M., E-mail: mutomar@tiscali.it [Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Section of Neuroradiology—“A. Cardarelli” Hospital, Naples (Italy); Marcia, S. [Section of Radiology—Santissima Trinità Hospital, Cagliari (Italy); Guarnieri, G. [Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Section of Neuroradiology—“A. Cardarelli” Hospital, Naples (Italy); Pereira, V. [Unit of Interventional Neuroradiology–HUG, Geneva (Switzerland)

2015-05-15

Assisted techniques (AT) for vertebral cementoplasty include multiple mini-invasive percutaneous systems in which vertebral augmentation is obtained through mechanical devices with the aim to reach the best vertebral height restoration. As an evolution of the vertebroplasty, the rationale of the AT-treatment is to combine the analgesic and stability effect of cement injection with the restoration of a physiological height for the collapsed vertebral body. Reduction of the vertebral body kyphotic deformity, considering the target of normal spine biomechanics, could improve all systemic potential complications evident in patient with vertebral compression fracture (VCF). Main indications for AT are related to fractures in fragile vertebral osseous matrix and non-osteoporotic vertebral lesions due to spine metastasis or trauma. Many companies developed different systems for AT having the same target but different working cannula, different vertebral height restoration system and costs. Aim of this review is to discuss about vertebral cementoplasty procedures and techniques, considering patient inclusion and exclusion criteria as well as all related minor and/or major interventional complications.

Assisted techniques for vertebral cementoplasty: Why should we do it?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muto, M.; Marcia, S.; Guarnieri, G.; Pereira, V.

2015-01-01

Assisted techniques (AT) for vertebral cementoplasty include multiple mini-invasive percutaneous systems in which vertebral augmentation is obtained through mechanical devices with the aim to reach the best vertebral height restoration. As an evolution of the vertebroplasty, the rationale of the AT-treatment is to combine the analgesic and stability effect of cement injection with the restoration of a physiological height for the collapsed vertebral body. Reduction of the vertebral body kyphotic deformity, considering the target of normal spine biomechanics, could improve all systemic potential complications evident in patient with vertebral compression fracture (VCF). Main indications for AT are related to fractures in fragile vertebral osseous matrix and non-osteoporotic vertebral lesions due to spine metastasis or trauma. Many companies developed different systems for AT having the same target but different working cannula, different vertebral height restoration system and costs. Aim of this review is to discuss about vertebral cementoplasty procedures and techniques, considering patient inclusion and exclusion criteria as well as all related minor and/or major interventional complications

Molecular beam epitaxy growth of niobium oxides by solid/liquid state oxygen source and lithium assisted metal-halide chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Tellekamp, M. Brooks; Greenlee, Jordan D.; Shank, Joshua C.; Doolittle, W. Alan

2015-09-01

In order to consistently grow high quality niobium oxides and lithium niobium oxides, a novel solid/liquid state oxygen source, LiClO4, has been implemented in a molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) system. LiClO4 is shown to decompose into both molecular and atomic oxygen upon heating. This allows oxidation rates similar to that of molecular oxygen but at a reduced overall beam flux, quantified by in situ Auger analysis. LiClO4 operation is decomposition limited to less than 400 °C, and other material limitations are identified. The design of a custom near-ambient NbCl5 effusion cell is presented, which improves both short and long term stability. Films of Nb oxidation state +2, +3, and +5 are grown using these new tools, including the multi-functional sub-oxide LiNbO2.

Technique for axillary radiotherapy using computer-assisted planning for high-risk skin cancerΤ

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fogarty, G.B.; Martin, J.M.; Fay, M.; Ainslie J; Cassumbhoy, R.

2007-01-01

High-risk skin cancer arising on the upper limb or trunk can cause axillary nodal metastases. Previous studies have shown that axillary radiotherapy improves regional control. There is little published work on technique. Technique standardization is important in quality assurance and comparison of results especially for trials. Our technique, planned with CT assistance, is presented. To assess efficacy, an audit of patients treated in our institution over a 15-month period was conducted. Of 24 patients treated, 13 were treated with radical intent, 11 with this technique. With a follow up of over 2 years, the technique had more than a 90% (10/11) regional control in this radical group. Both of the radical patients who were not treated according to the technique had regional failure. One case of late toxicity was found, of asymptomatic lymphoedema in a radically treated patient. This technique for axillary radiotherapy for regional control of skin cancer is acceptable in terms of disease control and toxicity as validated by audit at 2 years

Growth study and photocatalytic properties of Co-doped tungsten oxide mesocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Shibin; Chang, Xueting; Li, Zhenjiang

2012-01-01

Cobalt-doped tungsten oxide mesocrystals with different morphologies have been successfully generated using a solvothermal method with tungsten hexachloride and cobalt chloride salts as precursors. The resulting mesocrystals were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Brunauer–Emmet–Teller analysis of nitrogen sorptometer, and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The photocatalytic properties of the cobalt-doped tungsten oxide mesocrystals were evaluated on the basis of their ability to degrade methyl orange in an aqueous solution under simulated sunlight irradiation. Results showed that the cobalt doping had obvious effect on the morphologies of the final products, and lenticular and blocky cobalt-doped tungsten oxide mesocrystals could be obtained with 1.0 wt.% and 2.0 wt.% cobalt doping, respectively. The cobalt-doped tungsten oxides exhibited superior photocatalytic activities to that of the undoped tungsten oxide. - Graphical abstract: Schematic illustrations of the growth of the bundled nanowires, lenticular mesocrystals, and blocky mesocrystals. Highlights: ► Co-doped W 18 O 49 mesocrystals were synthesized using a solvothermal method. ► The Co doping has obvious effect on the morphology of the final mesocrystals. ► The Co-doped W 18 O 49 exhibited superior photocatalytic activity to the undoped W 18 O 49 .

Effects of Nano-Zinc oxide and Seed Inoculation by Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR on Yield, Yield Components and Grain Filling Period of Soybean (Glycine max L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Seyed Sharifi

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction Utilizing biological fertilizer is a proper and cheap method for crop production. Potentially, soybean can be used as biological fertilizers and seed inoculation. Zinc is an essential element that have positive effects on plant growth and its development. Canola, sunflower, soybean and safflower are the main cultivated oilseeds in Iran. Soybean production in Iran is very low as compared to other countries. One of the most effective factor in increasing the soybean yield is seed inoculation with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR and application of Zinc fertilizer. Some of the benefits provided by PGPR are the ability to produce gibberellic acid, cytokinins and ethylene, N2 fixation, solubilization of mineral phosphates and other nutrients (56. Numerous studies have shown a substantial increase in dry matter accumulation and seed yield following inoculation with PGPR. Seyed Sharifi (45 reported that seed inoculation with Azotobacter chroococcum strain 5 increased all of the growth indices such as total dry matter, crop growth rate and relative growth rate. Increasing and extending the role of biofertilizers such as Rhizobium can reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and decrease adverse environmental effects. Therefore, in the development and implementation of sustainable agricultural techniques, biofertilization has great importance in alleviating environmental pollution and deterioration of the nature. As a legume, soybean can obtain a significant portion (4-85% of its nitrogen requirement through symbiotic N2 fixation when grown in association with effective and compatible Rhizobium strains. Since there is little available information on nano-zinc oxide and seed inoculation by plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR on yield in the agro-ecological growing zones of Ardabil province of Iran. Therefore, this research was conducted to investigate the effects of nano-zinc oxide and seed inoculation with plant growth

Charge separation technique for metal-oxide-silicon capacitors in the presence of hydrogen deactivated dopants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Witczak, Steven C.; Winokur, Peter S.; Lacoe, Ronald C.; Mayer, Donald C.

2000-01-01

An improved charge separation technique for metal-oxide-silicon (MOS) capacitors is presented which accounts for the deactivation of substrate dopants by hydrogen at elevated irradiation temperatures or small irradiation biases. Using high-frequency capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements, radiation-induced inversion voltage shifts are separated into components due to oxide trapped charge, interface traps and deactivated dopants, where the latter is computed from a reduction in Si capacitance. In the limit of no radiation-induced dopant deactivation, this approach reduces to the standard midgap charge separation technique used widely for the analysis of room-temperature irradiations. The technique is demonstrated on a p-type MOS capacitor irradiated with 60 Co γ-rays at 100 C and zero bias, where the dopant deactivation is significant

Evaluation of an endoscopically assisted gastropexy technique in dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Dujowich, Mauricio; Reimer, S Brent

2008-04-01

To evaluate the use of endoscopy in conjunction with a gastropexy technique in dogs as a potential means to aid prevention of gastric dilatation-volvulus. 12 healthy adult medium- and large-breed dogs. 12 adult research dogs that had no abnormal physical examination findings each underwent an endoscopically assisted gastropexy procedure. On completion of the procedure, the dogs were euthanized and exploratory laparotomies were performed to evaluate the surgical site. Data recorded included anatomic location of the gastropexy, gastropexy length, and duration of procedure as well as any complications. Mean+/-SD gastropexy length was 3.3+/-0.25 cm, and mean duration of surgery was 18+/-7 minutes. In each dog, the stomach was located in its normal anatomic position and all gastropexies were sutured to the abdominal wall at the level of the pyloric antrum. The only complications during the procedure were needle bending and breakage at the time of stay suture placement. On the basis of these findings, it appears that endoscopically assisted gastropexy is a simple, fast, safe, and reliable method of performing a prophylactic gastropexy in dogs when undertaken by a person who is skilled in endoscopy. Such a procedure maximizes the benefits of decreased morbidity and shorter duration of anesthesia associated with minimally invasive surgery. Further clinical studies are warranted to evaluate the long-term efficacy of this procedure in dogs at risk for development of gastric dilatation-volvulus.

Broadening the applications of the atom probe technique by ultraviolet femtosecond laser

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hono, K., E-mail: kazuhiro.hono@nims.go.jp [National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba 305-0047 (Japan); Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-0047 (Japan); CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (Japan); Ohkubo, T. [National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba 305-0047 (Japan); CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (Japan); Chen, Y.M.; Kodzuka, M. [Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-0047 (Japan); Oh-ishi, K. [National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba 305-0047 (Japan); CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (Japan); Sepehri-Amin, H. [Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-0047 (Japan); Li, F. [National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba 305-0047 (Japan); CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (Japan); Kinno, T. [Corporate R and D Center, Toshiba Corporation, Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki 212-8582 (Japan); CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (Japan); Tomiya, S.; Kanitani, Y. [Advanced Materials Laboratory, Sony Corporation, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0021 (Japan)

2011-05-15

Laser assisted field evaporation using ultraviolet (UV) wavelength gives rise to better mass resolution and signal-to-noise ratio in atom probe mass spectra of metals, semiconductors and insulators compared to infrared and green lasers. Combined with the site specific specimen preparation techniques using the lift-out and annular Ga ion milling in a focused ion beam machine, a wide variety of materials including insulating oxides can be quantitatively analyzed by the three-dimensional atom probe using UV laser assisted field evaporation. After discussing laser irradiation conditions for optimized atom probe analyses, recent atom probe tomography results on oxides, semiconductor devices and grain boundaries of sintered magnets are presented. -- Research highlights: {yields} Application of ultraviolet (UV) femtosecond pulsed laser in a three dimensional atom probe (3DAP). {yields} Improved mass resolution and signal-to-noise ratio in atom probe mass spectra using UV laser. {yields} UV laser facilitates 3DAP analysis of insulating oxides. {yields} Quantitative analysis of wide variety of materials including insulating oxides using UV femotosecond laser.

Plasma-assisted ALD for the conformal deposition of SiO2 : process, material and electronic properties

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dingemans, G.; Helvoirt, van C.A.A.; Pierreux, D.; Keuning, W.; Kessels, W.M.M.

2012-01-01

Plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition (ALD) was used to deposit SiO2 films in the temperature range of Tdep = 50–400°C on Si(100). H2Si[N(C2H5)2]2 and an O2 plasma were used as Si precursor and oxidant, respectively. The ALD growth process and material properties were characterized in detail.

The synthesis of α-aryl-α-aminophosphonates and α-aryl-α-aminophosphine oxides by the microwave-assisted Pudovik reaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erika Bálint

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A family of α-aryl-α-aminophosphonates and α-aryl-α-aminophosphine oxides was synthesized by the microwave-assisted solvent-free addition of dialkyl phosphites and diphenylphosphine oxide, respectively, to imines formed from benzaldehyde derivatives and primary amines. After optimization, the reactivity was mapped, and the fine mechanism was evaluated by DFT calculations. Two α-aminophosphonates were subjected to an X-ray study revealing a racemic dimer formation made through a N–H···O=P intermolecular hydrogen bridges pair.

Molecular beam epitaxy of GaAs nanowires and their sustainability for optoelectronic applications. Comparing Au- and self-assisted growth methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Breuer, Steffen

2011-09-28

In this work the synthesis of GaAs nanowires by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) using the vapour-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism is investigated. A comparison between Au- and self-assisted VLS growth is at the centre of this thesis. While the Au-assisted method is established as a versatile tool for nanowire growth, the recently developed self-assisted variation results from the exchange of Au by Ga droplets and thus eliminates any possibility of Au incorporation. By both methods, we achieve nanowires with epitaxial alignment to the Si(111) substrates. Caused by differences during nanowire nucleation, a parasitic planar layer grows between the nanowires by the Au-assisted method, but can be avoided by the self-assisted method. Au-assisted nanowires grow predominantly in the metastable wurtzite crystal structure, while their self-assisted counterparts have the zincblende structure. All GaAs nanowires are fully relaxed and the strain arising from the lattice mismatch between GaAs and Si of 4.1 % is accommodated by misfit dislocations at the interface. Self-assisted GaAs nanowires are generally found to have vertical and non-polar side facets, while tilted and polar nanofacets were described for Au-assisted GaAs nanowires. We employ VLS nucleation theory to understand the effect of the droplet material on the lateral facets. Optoelectronic applications require long minority carrier lifetimes at room temperature. We fabricate GaAs/(Al,Ga)As core-shell nanowires and analyse them by transient photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The results are 2.5 ns for the self-assisted nanowires as well as 9 ps for the Au-assisted nanowires. By temperature-dependent PL measurements we find a characteristic activation energy of 77 meV that is present only in the Au-assisted nanowires. We conclude that most likely Au is incorporated from the droplets into the GaAs nanowires and acts as a deep, non-radiative recombination centre.

The effect of copper deficiency on fetal growth and liver anti-oxidant capacity in the Cohen diabetic rat model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ergaz, Zivanit, E-mail: zivanit@hadassah.org.il [Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem (Israel); Shoshani-Dror, Dana [Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem (Israel); Guillemin, Claire [Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal (Canada); Neeman-azulay, Meytal; Fudim, Liza [Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem (Israel); Weksler-Zangen, Sarah [Diabetes Research Unit, Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School and Hospital, Jerusalem (Israel); Stodgell, Christopher J.; Miller, Richard K. [Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester, Rochester, MN (United States); Ornoy, Asher [Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem (Israel)

2012-12-01

High sucrose low copper diet induces fetal growth restriction in the three strains of the Cohen diabetic rats: an inbred copper deficient resistant (CDr), an inbred copper deficient sensitive (CDs that become diabetic on high sucrose low copper diet -HSD) and an outbred Wistar derived Sabra rats. Although those growth restricted fetuses also exhibit increased oxidative stress, antioxidants do not restore normal growth. In the present study, we evaluated the role of copper deficiency in the HSD induced fetal growth restriction by adding to the drinking water of the rats 1 ppm or 2 ppm of copper throughout their pregnancy. Fetal and placental growth in correlation with fetal liver copper content and anti-oxidant capacity was evaluated on day 21 of pregnancy. HSD compared to regular chow induced fetal growth restriction, which was most significant in the Cohen diabetic sensitive animals. The addition of 1 ppm and 2 ppm copper to the drinking water normalized fetal growth in a dose dependent manner and reduced the degree of hyperglycemia in the diabetes sensitive rats. The CDs fetuses responded to the HSD with lower catalase like activity, and less reduced superoxide dismutase levels compared to the Sabra strain, and had high malondialdehyde levels even when fed regular chow. Immunostaining was higher for nitrotyrosine among the CDr and higher for hypoxia factor 1 α among the CDs. We conclude that in our model of dietary-induced fetal growth restriction, copper deficiency plays a major etiologic role in the decrease of fetal growth and anti-oxidant capacity. -- Highlights: ► High sucrose low copper diet restricted fetal growth in the Cohen diabetic rat model ► Maternal copper blood levels directly correlated with fetal liver copper content ► Copper supplementation decreased embryonic resorption in the inbred strains ► Copper supplementation reduced hyperglycemia in the sucrose sensitive inbred strain ► Copper supplementation alleviated growth restriction and

The effect of copper deficiency on fetal growth and liver anti-oxidant capacity in the Cohen diabetic rat model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ergaz, Zivanit; Shoshani-Dror, Dana; Guillemin, Claire; Neeman-azulay, Meytal; Fudim, Liza; Weksler-Zangen, Sarah; Stodgell, Christopher J.; Miller, Richard K.; Ornoy, Asher

2012-01-01

High sucrose low copper diet induces fetal growth restriction in the three strains of the Cohen diabetic rats: an inbred copper deficient resistant (CDr), an inbred copper deficient sensitive (CDs that become diabetic on high sucrose low copper diet -HSD) and an outbred Wistar derived Sabra rats. Although those growth restricted fetuses also exhibit increased oxidative stress, antioxidants do not restore normal growth. In the present study, we evaluated the role of copper deficiency in the HSD induced fetal growth restriction by adding to the drinking water of the rats 1 ppm or 2 ppm of copper throughout their pregnancy. Fetal and placental growth in correlation with fetal liver copper content and anti-oxidant capacity was evaluated on day 21 of pregnancy. HSD compared to regular chow induced fetal growth restriction, which was most significant in the Cohen diabetic sensitive animals. The addition of 1 ppm and 2 ppm copper to the drinking water normalized fetal growth in a dose dependent manner and reduced the degree of hyperglycemia in the diabetes sensitive rats. The CDs fetuses responded to the HSD with lower catalase like activity, and less reduced superoxide dismutase levels compared to the Sabra strain, and had high malondialdehyde levels even when fed regular chow. Immunostaining was higher for nitrotyrosine among the CDr and higher for hypoxia factor 1 α among the CDs. We conclude that in our model of dietary-induced fetal growth restriction, copper deficiency plays a major etiologic role in the decrease of fetal growth and anti-oxidant capacity. -- Highlights: ► High sucrose low copper diet restricted fetal growth in the Cohen diabetic rat model ► Maternal copper blood levels directly correlated with fetal liver copper content ► Copper supplementation decreased embryonic resorption in the inbred strains ► Copper supplementation reduced hyperglycemia in the sucrose sensitive inbred strain ► Copper supplementation alleviated growth restriction and

Steel billet reheat simulation with growth of oxide layer and investigation on zone temperature sensitivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dubey, Satish Kumar; Srinivasan, P.

2014-01-01

This paper presents a three-dimensional heat conduction numerical model and simulation of steel billet reheating in a reheat furnace. The model considers the growth of oxide scale on the billet surfaces. Control-volume approach and implicit scheme of finite difference method are used to discretize the transient heat conduction equation. The model is validated with analytical results subject to limited conditions. Simulations are carried out for predictions of three-dimensional temperature filed in the billet and oxide scale growth on the billet surfaces. The model predictions are in agreement with expected trends. It was found that the effect of oxide scale on billet heating is considerable. In order to investigate the effect of zone temperatures on the responses, a parametric sensitivity subject to six responses of interest are carried out using analysis of mean approach. The simulation approach and parametric study presented will be useful and applicable to the steel industry.

Growth and surface characterization of sputter-deposited molybdenum oxide thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramana, Chintalapalle V.; Atuchin, Victor V.; Kesler, V. G.; Kochubey, V. A.; Pokrovsky, L. D.; Shutthanandan, V.; Becker, U.; Ewing, Rodney C.

2007-04-15

Molybdenum oxide thin films were produced by magnetron sputtering using a molybdenum (Mo) target. The sputtering was performed in a reactive atmosphere of argon-oxygen gas mixture under varying conditions of substrate temperature (Ts) and oxygen partial pressure (pO2). The effect of Ts and pO2 on the growth and microstructure of molybdenum oxide films was examined in detail using reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED), Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements. The analyses indicate that the effect of Ts and pO2 on the microstructure and phase of the grown molybdenum oxide thin films is remarkable. RHEED and RBS results indicate that the films grown at 445 *C under 62.3% O2 pressure were stoichiometric and polycrystalline MoO3. Films grown at lower pO2 were nonstoichiometric MoOx films with the presence of secondary phase. The microstructure of the grown Mo oxide films is discussed and conditions were optimized to produce phase pure, stoichiometric, and highly textured polycrystalline MoO3 films.

Growth of micrometric oxide layers for the study of metallic surfaces decontamination by laser

OpenAIRE

Carvalho Luisa; Pacquentin Wilfried; Tabarant Michel; Maskrot Hicham; Semerok Alexandre

2017-01-01

The nuclear industry produces a wide range of radioactive waste in term of level of hazard, contaminants and material. For metallic equipment like steam generators, the radioactivity is mainly located in the oxide surface. In order to study and develop techniques for dismantling and for decontamination in a safe way, it is important to have access to oxide layers with a representative distribution of non-radioactive contaminants. We propose a method of formation of oxide layer on stainless st...

Growth and characterization of III-N ternary thin films by plasma assisted atomic layer epitaxy at low temperatures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nepal, Neeraj; Anderson, Virginia R.; Hite, Jennifer K.; Eddy, Charles R.

2015-08-31

We report the growth and characterization of III-nitride ternary thin films (Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}N, In{sub x}Al{sub 1−x}N and In{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}N) at ≤ 500 °C by plasma assisted atomic layer epitaxy (PA-ALE) over a wide stoichiometric range including the range where phase separation has been an issue for films grown by molecular beam epitaxy and metal organic chemical vapor deposition. The composition of these ternaries was intentionally varied through alterations in the cycle ratios of the III-nitride binary layers (AlN, GaN, and InN). By this digital alloy growth method, we are able to grow III-nitride ternaries by PA-ALE over nearly the entire stoichiometry range including in the spinodal decomposition region (x = 15–85%). These early efforts suggest great promise of PA-ALE at low temperatures for addressing miscibility gap challenges encountered with conventional growth methods and realizing high performance optoelectronic and electronic devices involving ternary/binary heterojunctions, which are not currently possible. - Highlights: • III-N ternaries grown at ≤ 500 °C by plasma assisted atomic layer epitaxy • Growth of InGaN and AlInN in the spinodal decomposition region (15–85%) • Epitaxial, smooth and uniform III-N film growth at low temperatures.

Growth and characterization of III-N ternary thin films by plasma assisted atomic layer epitaxy at low temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nepal, Neeraj; Anderson, Virginia R.; Hite, Jennifer K.; Eddy, Charles R.

2015-01-01

We report the growth and characterization of III-nitride ternary thin films (Al x Ga 1−x N, In x Al 1−x N and In x Ga 1−x N) at ≤ 500 °C by plasma assisted atomic layer epitaxy (PA-ALE) over a wide stoichiometric range including the range where phase separation has been an issue for films grown by molecular beam epitaxy and metal organic chemical vapor deposition. The composition of these ternaries was intentionally varied through alterations in the cycle ratios of the III-nitride binary layers (AlN, GaN, and InN). By this digital alloy growth method, we are able to grow III-nitride ternaries by PA-ALE over nearly the entire stoichiometry range including in the spinodal decomposition region (x = 15–85%). These early efforts suggest great promise of PA-ALE at low temperatures for addressing miscibility gap challenges encountered with conventional growth methods and realizing high performance optoelectronic and electronic devices involving ternary/binary heterojunctions, which are not currently possible. - Highlights: • III-N ternaries grown at ≤ 500 °C by plasma assisted atomic layer epitaxy • Growth of InGaN and AlInN in the spinodal decomposition region (15–85%) • Epitaxial, smooth and uniform III-N film growth at low temperatures

Microwave assisted direct saponification for the simultaneous determination of cholesterol and cholesterol oxides in shrimp.

Science.gov (United States)

Souza, Hugo A L; Mariutti, Lilian R B; Bragagnolo, Neura

2017-05-01

A novel microwave-assisted direct saponification method for the simultaneous determination of cholesterol and cholesterol oxides in shrimp was developed and validated. Optimal saponification conditions, determined by means of an experimental design, were achieved using 500mg of sample and 20mL of 1mol/L KOH ethanol solution for 16min at 45°C at maximum power at 200W and magnetic stirring at 120rpm. Higher extraction of cholesterol oxides in a reduced saponification time (∼75 times) was achieved in comparison with the direct cold saponification method. The new method showed low detection (≤0.57μg/mL) and quantification (≤1.73μg/mL) limits, good repeatability (≤10.50% intraday and ≤8.56% interday) and low artifact formation (evaluated by using a deuterated cholesterol-D6 standard). Raw, salted and dried-salted shrimps were successfully analyzed by the validated method. The content of cholesterol oxides increased after salting and decreased after drying. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dry corrosion prediction of radioactive waste containers in long term interim storage: mechanisms of low temperature oxidation of pure iron and numerical simulation of an oxide scale growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bertrand, N.

2006-10-01

In the framework of research on long term behaviour of radioactive waste containers, this work consists on the one hand in the study of low temperature oxidation of iron and on the other hand in the development of a numerical model of oxide scale growth. Isothermal oxidation experiments are performed on pure iron at 300 and 400 C in dry and humid air at atmospheric pressure. Oxide scales formed in these conditions are characterized. They are composed of a duplex magnetite scale under a thin hematite scale. The inner layer of the duplex scale is thinner than the outer one. Both are composed of columnar grains, that are smaller in the inner part. The outer hematite layer is made of very small equiaxed grains. Markers and tracers experiments show that a part of the scale grows at metal/oxide interface thanks to short-circuits diffusion of oxygen. A model for iron oxide scale growth at low temperature is then deduced. Besides this experimental study, the numerical model EKINOX (Estimation Kinetics Oxidation) is developed. It allows to simulate the growth of an oxide scale controlled by mixed mechanisms, such as anionic and cationic vacancies diffusion through the scale, as well as metal transfer at metal/oxide interface. It is based on the calculation of concentration profiles of chemical species and also point defects in the oxide scale and in the substrate. This numerical model does not use the classical quasi-steady-state approximation and calculates the future of cationic vacancies at metal/oxide interface. Indeed, these point defects can either be eliminated by interface motion or injected in the substrate, where they can be annihilated, considering sinks as the climb of dislocations. Hence, the influence of substrate cold-work can be investigated. The EKINOX model is validated in the conditions of Wagner's theory and is confronted with experimental results by its application to the case of high temperature oxidation of nickel. (author)

One-Pot Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Graphene/Layered Double Hydroxide (LDH) Nanohybrids

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Sunil P Lonkar; Jean-Marie Raquez; Philippe Dubois

2015-01-01

A facile and rapid method to synthesize graphene/layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanohybrids by a micro-wave technique is demonstrated. The synthesis procedure involves hydrothermal crystallization of Zn–Al LDH at the same time in situ reduction of graphene oxide (GO) to graphene. The microstructure, composition, and morphology of the resulting graphene/LDH nanohybrids were characterized. The results confirmed the formation of nanohybrids and the reduction of graphene oxide. The growth mechanism of LDH and in situ reduction of GO were discussed. The LDH sheet growth was found to prevent the scrolling of graphene layers in resulting hybrids. The electrochemical properties exhibit superior performance for graphene/Zn–Al LDH hybrids over pristine graphene. The present approach may open a strategy in hybridizing graphene with multimetallic nano-oxides and hydroxides using microwave method.

One-Pot Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Graphene/Layered Double Hydroxide(LDH) Nanohybrids

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Sunil P.Lonkar; Jean-Marie Raquez; Philippe Dubois

2015-01-01

A facile and rapid method to synthesize graphene/layered double hydroxide(LDH)nanohybrids by a microwave technique is demonstrated.The synthesis procedure involves hydrothermal crystallization of Zn–Al LDH at the same time in situ reduction of graphene oxide(GO)to graphene.The microstructure,composition,and morphology of the resulting graphene/LDH nanohybrids were characterized.The results confirmed the formation of nanohybrids and the reduction of graphene oxide.The growth mechanism of LDH and in situ reduction of GO were discussed.The LDH sheet growth was found to prevent the scrolling of graphene layers in resulting hybrids.The electrochemical properties exhibit superior performance for graphene/Zn–Al LDH hybrids over pristine graphene.The present approach may open a strategy in hybridizing graphene with multimetallic nano-oxides and hydroxides using microwave method.

Plasma processes and film growth of expanding thermal plasma deposited textured zinc oxide

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groenen, R.; Linden, J.L.; Sanden, van de M.C.M.

2005-01-01

Plasma processes and film growth of textured zinc oxide deposited from oxygen and diethyl zinc utilizing expanding thermal argon plasma created by a cascaded arc is discussed. In all conditions explored, an excess of argon ions and low temperature electrons is available, which represent the

Robot-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy: Current review of the technique and literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Iqbal

2009-10-01

To visit the operative technique and to review the current published English literature on the technique, and outcomes following robot-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (RPN). We searched the published English literature and the PubMed(()) for published series of 'robotic partial nephrectomy' (RPN) using the keywords; robot, robot-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, partial nephrectomy and laparoscopic surgery. The search yielded 15 major selected series of 'robotic partial nephrectomy'; these were reviewed, tracked and analysed in order to determine the current status and role of RPN in the management of early renal neoplasm(s), as a minimally invasive surgical alternative to open partial nephrectomy. A review of the initial peri-operative outcome of the 350 cases of select series of RPN reported in published English literature revealed a mean operating time, warm ischemia time, estimated blood loss and hospital stay, of 191 minutes, 25 minutes, 162 ml and 2.95 days, respectively. The overall computed mean complication rate of RPN in the present select series was about 7.4%. RPN is a safe, feasible and effective minimally invasive surgical alternative to laparoscopic partial nephrectomy for early stage (T(1)) renal neoplasm(s). It has acceptable initial renal functional outcomes without the increased risk of major complications in experienced hands. Prospective randomised, controlled, comparative clinical trials with laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) are the need of the day. While the initial oncological outcomes of RPN appear to be favourable, long-term data is awaited.

Urea assisted electrochemical synthesis of flower-like platinum arrays with high electrocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Ming; Lv, Jing-Jing; Li, Fang-Fang; Bao, Ning; Wang, Ai-Jun; Feng, Jiu-Ju; Zhou, Dan-Ling

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: A simple, facile, and controllable method was developed for preparation of well-defined flower-like Pt arrays via one-step electrodeposition, assisted with urea as a growth directing agent. The as-prepared Pt nanocrystals have a larger electroactive surface area and higher electrocatalytic activity toward ethylene glycol and methanol oxidation in acid media, compared with Pt nanoparticles and commercial Pt black catalysts. - Highlights: • Well-defined flower-like Pt arrays were prepared via one-step electrodeposition, assisted with urea as a growth directing agent. • This method is simple, facile, and controllable, without using any template, seed or surfactant. • The Pt arrays show an enhanced electrocatalytic activity toward ethylene glycol and methanol oxidation. - Abstract: In this paper, well-defined flower-like Pt arrays were prepared on the glassy carbon electrode by one-step electrodeposition at–0.3 V for 600 s in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 containing 5 mM H 2 PtCl 6 and 150 mM urea. This method is simple, facile, and controllable, without using any template, seed or surfactant. The experimental parameters were investigated and found urea acted as a growth directing agent. The as-prepared Pt nanocrystals were preferentially growing along the (111) directions, which were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). Moreover, the flower-like Pt nanoarrays exhibited a large effective surface area (EASA) and enhanced performance toward the oxidation of ethylene glycol and methanol in acid media, compared with Pt nanoparticles and commercial Pt black catalysts. This strategy can be extended to prepare other noble metal nanostructures as good electrocatalysts in fuel cells

Detection of defects in logs using computer assisted tomography (CAT) scanning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tonner, P.D.; Lupton, L.R.

1985-01-01

The Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories of AECL have performed a preliminary feasibility study on the applicability of computer assisted tomographic techniques to detect the internal structure of logs. Cross sections of three logs have been obtained using a medical CAT scanner. The results show that knots, rot and growth rings are easily recognized in both dry and wet logs

Impact of environmental tobacco smoke exposure in women on oxidative stress in the antral follicle and assisted reproduction outcomes

Science.gov (United States)

Kazemi, Ashraf; Ramezanzadeh, Fatemeh; Esfahani, Mohammad Hosein Nasr; Saboor-Yaraghi, Ali Akbar; Nejat, Saharnaz; Rahimi-Foroshani, Abbas

2013-01-01

Background: Cigarette smoke contains many oxidants and may alter the human reproduction by inducing oxidative stress (OS) in both active and passive smokers. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure on oxidative stress in the follicular fluid and the assisted reproduction outcomes. Materials and Methods: An observational prospective study was carried out on 236 infertile women, who underwent assisted reproduction cycles. The ETS exposure was assessed using self-reported ETS exposure and the cotinine level in follicular fluid. To evaluate the OS in follicular fluid (FF) malon-di-aldehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were measured. The number of retrieved oocytes, rate of metaphase II stage oocytes, fertilization rate, good cleavage rate, and no-fragmented embryo rate were considered as the assisted reproduction outcomes. The results were adjusted for age, body mass index, duration, and etiology of infertility; P-values less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results: The MDA and TAC levels in FF were not related to the self-report number of the weekly ETS exposure and cotinine levels in FF. Also, the number of retrieved oocytes, MII stage oocytes, fertilization rate, good cleavage rate, and no-fragmented embryo rate were not related to the cotinine level and weekly ETS exposure. However, in women whose cotinine levels in FF were lower and equal/above 3.5 ng/ml, the number of retrieved oocytes was higher (12.63 ± .71 vs. 9.28 ± 1.11, P = 0.01). The relationship between the MDA level and cleavage rate (Beta = −18.5, confidence interval-34.9 and-2.1, P reproduction success by influencing the number of available oocytes. Although, the OS in a follicular environment affect the ability of oocytes to reach the specific cleavage stages at appropriate time intervals, it does not mediate poor-assisted reproduction outcomes due to ETS exposure. PMID:24379845

ZrTiO4 nanowire growth using membrane-assisted Pechini route

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. R. de Lucena

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The high surface-to-volume ratio of nanowires makes them natural competitors as new device components. In this regard, a current major challenge is to produce quasi-one-dimensional nanostructures composed of well established oxide-based materials. This article reports the synthesis of ZrTiO4 nanowires on a silicon (100 wafer in a single-step deposition/thermal treatment. The template-directed membrane synthesis strategy was associated with the Pechini route and spin-coating deposition technique. ZrTiO4 nanowires were obtained at 700 ˚C with diameters in the range of 80-100 nm. FEG- SEM images were obtained to investigate ZrTiO4 nanowire formation on the silicon surface and energy dispersive x-ray detection (EDS and x-ray diffraction (XRD analyses were performed to confirm the oxide composition and structure.

ZrTiO4 Nanowire Growth Using Membrane-assisted Pechini Route

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Poty Rodrigues de Lucena

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The high surface-to-volume ratio of nanowires makes them natural competitors as newer device components. In this regard, a current major challenge is to produce quasi-one-dimensional nanostructures composed of well-established oxide-based materials. This article reports the synthesis of ZrTiO4 nanowires on a silicon (100 wafer in a single-step deposition/thermal treatment. The template-directed membrane synthesis strategy was associated with the Pechini route and spin-coating deposition technique. ZrTiO4 nanowires were obtained at 700 °C with diameters in the range of 80-100 nm. FEGSEM images were obtained to investigate ZrTiO4 nanowire formation on the silicon surface and energy dispersive X-ray detection (EDS and X-ray diffraction (XRD analyses were performed to confirm the oxide composition and structure. 

Platelet-released growth factors can accelerate tenocyte proliferation and activate the anti-oxidant response element.

Science.gov (United States)

Tohidnezhad, M; Varoga, D; Wruck, C J; Brandenburg, L O; Seekamp, A; Shakibaei, M; Sönmez, T T; Pufe, Thomas; Lippross, S

2011-05-01

Little is know about the pathophysiology of acute and degenerative tendon injuries. Although most lesions are uncomplicated, treatment is long and unsatisfactory in a considerable number of cases. Besides the common growth factors that were shown to be relevant for tendon integrity more recently protection against oxidative stress was shown to promote tendon healing. To improve tendon regeneration, many have advocated the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP), a thrombocyte concentrate that can serve as an autologous source of growth factors. In this study, we investigated the effect of platelet-released growth factors (PRGF) on tenocytes. Tenocytes were isolated from the Achilles tendon of postnatal rats. Tenocyte cell cultures were stimulated with PRGF. We used a CyQuant assay and WST assay to analyse tendon cell growth and viability in different concentrations of PRGF. Migration and proliferation of cells grown in PRGF were assessed by a scratch test. A dual-luciferase assay was used to demonstrate the activation of the anti-oxidant response element (ARE) in tenocytes. A positive effect of PRGF could be shown on tendon cell growth and migratory capacity. PRGF activated the Nrf2-ARE pathway in a dose-dependent manner. Here, we provide evidence of a biological effect of PRGF on tenocytes by the promotion of tenocyte growth and activation of the Nrf2-ARE pathway. This is a novel aspect of the action of platelet concentrates on tendon growth.

MOCVD Growth and Characterization of n-type Zinc Oxide Thin Films

Science.gov (United States)

Ben-Yaacov, Tammy

In the past decade, there has been widespread effort in the development of zinc oxide as a II-V1 semiconductor material. ZnO has potential advantages in optoelectronip device applications due to its unique electrical and optical properties. What stands out among these properties is its wide direct bandgap of 3.37 eV and its high electrical conductivity and transparency in the visible and near-UV regions of the spectrum. ZnO can be grown heteroepitaxially on GaN under near lattice-matched conditions and homoepitaxially as well, as high-quality bulk ZnO substrates are commercially available. This dissertation focuses on the development of the growth of high-quality, single crystal n-type ZnO films, control of n-type conductivity, as well as its application as a transparent contact material in GaN-based devices. The first part of this dissertation is an extensive heteroepitaxial and homoepitaxial growth study presenting the properties of ZnO(0001) layers grown on GaN(0001) templates and ZnO(0001) substrates. We show that deposition on GaN requires a two-step growth technique involving the growth of a low temperature nucleation layer before growing a high temperature epitaxial layer in order to obtain smooth ZnO films with excellent crystal quality and step-flow surface morphology. We obtained homoepitaxial ZnO(0001) films of structural quality and surface morphology that is comparable to the as-received substrates, and showed that a high growth temperature (≥1000°C) is needed in order to achieve step-flow growth mode. We performed n-type doping experiments, and established the conditions for which Indium effectively controls the n-type conductivity of ZnO films grown on GaN(0001) templates. A peak carrier concentration of 3.22x 10 19cm-3 and minimum sheet resistance of 97 O/square was achieved, while simultaneously maintaining good morphology and crystal quality. Finally, we present In-doped ZnO films implemented as p-contacts for GaN-based solar cells and LEDs

Assisted reproductive techniques and risk of exstrophy-epispadias complex: a German case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zwink, Nadine; Jenetzky, Ekkehart; Hirsch, Karin; Reifferscheid, Peter; Schmiedeke, Eberhard; Schmidt, Dominik; Reckin, Sabrina; Obermayr, Florian; Boemers, Thomas M; Stein, Raimund; Reutter, Heiko; Rösch, Wolfgang H; Brenner, Hermann; Ebert, Anne-Karoline

2013-04-01

We assessed the risk of exstrophy-epispadias complex in children conceived by in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Data from the German Network for Congenital Uro-REctal malformations were compared to nationwide data from the German In Vitro Fertilization Register and the German Federal Statistical Office. Odds ratios (95% CI) were determined to quantify associations using logistic regression. A total of 123 patients with exstrophy-epispadias complex born in Germany between 1997 and 2011 were recruited through participating departments of pediatric urology and pediatric surgery throughout the country as well as the German self-help organizations Blasenekstrophie/Epispadie e.V. and Kloakenekstrophie. All German live births (10,069,986) between 1997 and 2010 comprised the controls. Overall, 12 subjects (10%) and 129,982 controls (1%) were conceived by in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Conception by assisted reproductive technique was associated with a more than eightfold increased risk of exstrophy-epispadias complex compared to spontaneous conception (OR 8.3, 95% CI 4.6-15.0, p risk of exstrophy-epispadias complex in children conceived by in vitro fertilization (OR 14.0, 95% CI 6.5-30.0, p study provides evidence that assisted reproductive techniques such as in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection are associated with a markedly increased risk of having a child born with exstrophy-epispadias complex. However, it remains unclear whether this finding may be due to assisted reproduction per se and/or underlying infertility/subfertility etiology or parent characteristics. Copyright © 2013 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fatigue Crack Growth Mechanisms for Nickel-based Superalloy Haynes 282 at 550-750 °C

Science.gov (United States)

Rozman, Kyle A.; Kruzic, Jamie J.; Sears, John S.; Hawk, Jeffrey A.

2015-10-01

The fatigue crack growth rates for nickel-based superalloy Haynes 282 were measured at 550, 650, and 750 °C using compact tension specimens with a load ratio of 0.1 and cyclic loading frequencies of 25 and 0.25 Hz. The crack path was observed to be primarily transgranular for all temperatures, and the observed effect of increasing temperature was to increase the fatigue crack growth rates. The activation energy associated with the increasing crack growth rates over these three temperatures was calculated less than 60 kJ/mol, which is significantly lower than typical creep or oxidation mechanisms; therefore, creep and oxidation cannot explain the increase in fatigue crack growth rates. Transmission electron microscopy was done on selected samples removed from the cyclic plastic zone, and a trend of decreasing dislocation density was observed with increasing temperature. Accordingly, the trend of increasing crack growth rates with increasing temperature was attributed to softening associated with thermally assisted cross slip and dislocation annihilation.

Calibration of redox potential in sperm wash media and evaluation of oxidation-reduction potential values in various assisted reproductive technology culture media using MiOXSYS system.

Science.gov (United States)

Panner Selvam, M K; Henkel, R; Sharma, R; Agarwal, A

2018-03-01

Oxidation-reduction potential describes the balance between the oxidants and antioxidants in fluids including semen. Various artificial culture media are used in andrology and IVF laboratories for sperm preparation and to support the development of fertilized oocytes under in vitro conditions. The composition and conditions of these media are vital for optimal functioning of the gametes. Currently, there are no data on the status of redox potential of sperm processing and assisted reproduction media. The purpose of this study was to compare the oxidation-reduction potential values of the different media and to calibrate the oxidation-reduction potential values of the sperm wash medium using oxidative stress inducer cumene hydroperoxide and antioxidant ascorbic acid. Redox potential was measured in 10 different media ranging from sperm wash media, freezing media and assisted reproductive technology one-step medium to sequential media. Oxidation-reduction potential values of the sequential culture medium and one-step culture medium were lower and significantly different (p value to identify the physiological range of oxidation-reduction potential that does not have any adverse effect on normal physiological sperm function. © 2017 American Society of Andrology and European Academy of Andrology.

Microwave-assisted synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles in biocompatible organic environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Aivazoglou

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The development of magnetite and maghemite particles in uniform nanometer size has triggered the interest of the research community due to their many interesting properties leading to a wide range of applications, such as catalysis, nanomedicine-nanobiology and other engineering applications. In this study, a simple, time-saving and low energy-consuming, microwave-assisted synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles, is presented. The nanoparticles were prepared by microwave-assisted synthesis using polyethylene glycol (PEG or PEG and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD/water solutions of chloride salts of iron in the presence of ammonia solution. The prepared nano-powders were characterized using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD, Transition Electron Microscopy (TEM, Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR, Raman Spectroscopy, Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM, X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS and Thermal analysis (TG/DSC. The produced nanoparticles are crystallized mostly in the magnetite and maghemite lattice exhibiting very similar shape and size, with indications of partial PEG coating. Heating time, microwave power and presence of PEG, are the key factors shaping the size properties of nanoparticles. The average size of particles ranges from 10.3 to 19.2 nm. The nanoparticles exhibit a faceted morphology, with zero contamination levels. The magnetic measurements indicate that the powders are soft magnetic materials with negligible coercivity and remanence, illustrating super-paramagnetic behavior.

Growth study and photocatalytic properties of Co-doped tungsten oxide mesocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Shibin [College of Logistics Engineering, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 200135 (China); College of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266061 (China); Chang, Xueting, E-mail: xuetingchang@yahoo.cn [College of Logistics Engineering, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 200135 (China); Li, Zhenjiang [College of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266061 (China)

2012-11-15

Cobalt-doped tungsten oxide mesocrystals with different morphologies have been successfully generated using a solvothermal method with tungsten hexachloride and cobalt chloride salts as precursors. The resulting mesocrystals were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmet-Teller analysis of nitrogen sorptometer, and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The photocatalytic properties of the cobalt-doped tungsten oxide mesocrystals were evaluated on the basis of their ability to degrade methyl orange in an aqueous solution under simulated sunlight irradiation. Results showed that the cobalt doping had obvious effect on the morphologies of the final products, and lenticular and blocky cobalt-doped tungsten oxide mesocrystals could be obtained with 1.0 wt.% and 2.0 wt.% cobalt doping, respectively. The cobalt-doped tungsten oxides exhibited superior photocatalytic activities to that of the undoped tungsten oxide. - Graphical abstract: Schematic illustrations of the growth of the bundled nanowires, lenticular mesocrystals, and blocky mesocrystals. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Co-doped W{sub 18}O{sub 49} mesocrystals were synthesized using a solvothermal method. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The Co doping has obvious effect on the morphology of the final mesocrystals. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The Co-doped W{sub 18}O{sub 49} exhibited superior photocatalytic activity to the undoped W{sub 18}O{sub 49}.

X-ray structural analysis of plasma sprayed europium oxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gorshkov, B.N.; Loskutov, V.S.; Gavrish, A.A.; Shakh, G.E.

1981-12-01

An X-ray structure microanalysis is made for europium oxide powder produced by sintering and plasmic spheroidization for plasma spraying. The technique of concern is shown not to alter chemical composition of the powder. It is stated that a rise in the plasma jet enthalpy while spraying does not result in dissociation of europium oxide and its interaction with the plasma flux. The coating (to 15.2 kWxs/g) is found to have only a high-temperature (monoclinic) europium oxide phase and there appears a low-temperature (cubic) phase with a subsequent increase in the enthalpy. The plasma jet enthalpy increasing the grain size and the crystal lattice c parameter of the sprayed europium oxide are shown to decrease; the a parameter reduces with an enthalpy growth to 16.2 kW s/g and then smoothly increases with the enthalpy further growth. It is noticed that the europium oxide coating does not interact with an aluminium D16 alloy substrate.

Fuel removal from plasma-facing components by oxidation-based techniques. An overview of surface conditions after oxidation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rubel, M.J.; De Temmerman, G.; Sergienko, G.; Sundelin, P.; Emmoth, B.; Philipps, V.

2007-01-01

Oxygen-assisted fuel removal is reported for laboratory-prepared a-C:D films and for layers obtained by boronisation in a tokamak and then exposed to a helium-oxygen glow discharge in TEXTOR. Oxidation of thick mixed-material co-deposits under laboratory conditions is also presented. The essential results are following: (i) laboratory-prepared amorphous deuterated carbon (a-C:D) layers are decomposed efficiently by the He-O 2 glow: D and C contents are decreased by a factor of 45-220 and 25-60, respectively; (ii) the same treatment of the boronised films leads to the release of D but no removal of carbon is observed; (iii) the thermal oxidation (at 300 deg. C in air under laboratory conditions) of co-deposits on PFC and probes exposed to the SOL reduces the D content by a factor of 4-5 after 2 h, whereas nearly complete fuel removal (98%) occurs after 10 h at 300 deg. C. The study shows that the fuel removal efficiency is dependent on the overall composition of the mixed layer. It is high from pure a-C:D films but distinctly less efficient from real co-deposits

Growth and structure of rapid thermal silicon oxides and nitroxides studied by spectroellipsometry and Auger electron spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Gonon, N.; Gagnaire, A.; Barbier, D.; Glachant, A.

1994-11-01

Rapid thermal oxidation of Czochralski-grown silicon in either O2 or N2O atmospheres have been studied using spectroellipsometry and Auger electron spectroscopy. Multiwavelength ellipsometric data were processed in order to separately derive the thickness and refractive indexes of rapid thermal dielectrics. Results revealed a significant increase of the mean refractive index as the film thickness falls below 20 nm for both O2 or N2O oxidant species. A multilayer structure including an about 0.3-nm-thick interfacial region of either SiO(x) or nitroxide in the case of O2 and N2O growth, respectively, followed by a densified SiO2 layer, was found to accurately fit the experimental data. The interfacial region together with the densified state of SiO2 close to the interface suggest a dielectric structure in agreement with the continuous random network model proposed for classical thermal oxides. Auger electron spectroscopy analysis confirmed the presence of noncrystalline Si-Si bonds in the interfacial region, mostly in the case of thin oxides grown in O2. It was speculated that the initial fast growth regime was due to a transient oxygen supersaturation in the interfacial region. Besides, the self-limiting growth in N2O was confirmed and explained in agreement with several recently published data, by the early formation of a very thin nitride or oxynitride membrane in the highly densified oxide beneath the interface. The beneficial effect of direct nitrogen incorporation by rapid thermal oxidation in N2O instead of O2 for the electrical behavior of metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors is likely a better SiO2/Si lattice accommodation through the reduction of stresses and Si-Si bonds in the interfacial region of the dielectric.

Carbohydrate-Assisted Combustion Synthesis To Realize High-Performance Oxide Transistors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Binghao; Zeng, Li; Huang, Wei; Melkonyan, Ferdinand S; Sheets, William C; Chi, Lifeng; Bedzyk, Michael J; Marks, Tobin J; Facchetti, Antonio

2016-06-08

Owing to high carrier mobilities, good environmental/thermal stability, excellent optical transparency, and compatibility with solution processing, thin-film transistors (TFTs) based on amorphous metal oxide semiconductors (AOSs) are promising alternatives to those based on amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and low-temperature (IGZO) TFTs suffer from low carrier mobilities and/or inferior bias-stress stability versus their sputtered counterparts. Here we report that three types of environmentally benign carbohydrates (sorbitol, sucrose, and glucose) serve as especially efficient fuels for IGZO film combustion synthesis to yield high-performance TFTs. The results indicate that these carbohydrates assist the combustion process by lowering the ignition threshold temperature and, for optimal stoichiometries, enhancing the reaction enthalpy. IGZO TFT mobilities are increased to >8 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) on SiO2/Si gate dielectrics with significantly improved bias-stress stability. The first correlations between precursor combustion enthalpy and a-MO densification/charge transport are established.

Experimental investigations on a CRDI system assisted diesel engine fuelled with aluminium oxide nanoparticles blended biodiesel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Syed Aalam

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Experiments were conducted to determine engine performance, exhaust emissions and combustion characteristics of a single cylinder, common rail direct injection (CRDI system assisted diesel engine using diesel with 25 percentage of zizipus jujube methyl ester blended fuel (ZJME25. Along with this ZJME25 aluminium oxide nanoparticles were added as additive in mass fractions of 25 ppm (AONP 25 and 50 ppm (AONP 50 with the help of a mechanical Homogenizer and an ultrasonicator. It was observed that aluminium oxide nanoparticles blended fuel exhibits a significant reduction in specific fuel consumption and exhaust emissions at all operating loads. At the full load, the magnitude of HC and smoke emission for the ZJME25 before the addition of aluminium oxide nanoparticles was 13.459 g/kW h and 79 HSU, whereas it was 8.599 g/kW h and 49 HSU for the AONP 50 blended ZJME25 fuel respectively. The results also showed a considerable enhancement in brake thermal efficiency and heat release rate due to the influence of aluminium oxide nanoparticles addition in biodiesel–diesel blend.

Fracture and subcritical crack-growth behavior of Y-Si-Al-O-N glasses and Si3N4 ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhatnagar, A.; Hoffman, M.J.; Dauskardt, R.H.

2000-01-01

Fracture and environmentally assisted subcritical crack-growth processes are examined in bulk Y-Si-Al-O-N oxynitride glasses with compositions typical of the grain boundary phase of silicon nitride ceramics. Both long-crack (in compact tension specimens) as well as short-crack behavior (using indentation techniques) were investigated to establish a reliable fracture toughness and to elucidate the anomalous densification behavior of the oxynitride glass. Environmentally assisted subcritical crack-growth processes were studied in inert, moist, and wet environments under both cyclic and static loading conditions. Behavior is discussed in terms of the interaction of the environment with the crack tip. Likely mechanisms for environmentally assisted crack growth are discussed and related to the subcritical crack-growth behavior of silicon nitride ceramics

Activated carbon as catalyst for microwave-assisted wet peroxide oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia-Costa, Alicia L; Lopez-Perela, Lucia; Xu, Xiyan; Zazo, Juan A; Rodriguez, Juan J; Casas, Jose A

2018-05-21

This paper addresses the removal of four aromatic hydrocarbons typically found in petrochemical wastewater: benzene (B), toluene (T), o-xylene (X), and naphthalene (N), by microwave-assisted catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (MW-CWPO) using activated carbon (AC) as catalyst. Under the studied conditions, complete pollutant elimination (B, 1.28 mM; T, 1.09 mM; X, 0.94 mM; and N, 0.78 mM) was achieved, with more than 90% TOC removal after only 15-min reaction time, working at 120 °C, pH 0  = 3, AC at 1 g L -1 , and H 2 O 2 at the stoichiometric dose. Furthermore, in the case of toluene, naphthalene, and xylene, the hydroxylation and breakdown of the ring is very rapid and toxic intermediates were not detected. The process follows two steps: (i) pollutant adsorption onto AC followed by (ii) adsorbed compounds oxidation. Thus, MW-CWPO with AC as catalyst appears a promising way for a fast and effective process for B, T, X, and N removal in aqueous phase.

Recent Progress in Application of Internal Oxidation Technique in Nb3Sn Strands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Xingchen [Fermilab; Peng, Xuan [Hyper Tech Research Inc.; Sumption, Michael [Ohio State U.; Collings, E. W. [Ohio State U.

2016-10-13

The internal oxidation technique can generate ZrO2 nano particles in Nb3Sn strands, which markedly refine the Nb3Sn grain size and boost the high-field critical current density (Jc). This article summarizes recent efforts on implementing this technique in practical Nb3Sn wires and adding Ti as a dopant. It is demonstrated that this technique can be readily incorporated into the present Nb3Sn conductor manufacturing technology. Powder-in-tube (PIT) strands with fine subelements (~25 µm) based on this technique were successfully fabricated, and proper heat treatments for oxygen transfer were explored. Future work for producing strands ready for applications is proposed.

Auditors’ Usage of Computer Assisted Audit Tools and Techniques: Empirical Evidence from Nigeria

OpenAIRE

Appah Ebimobowei; G.N. Ogbonna; Zuokemefa P. Enebraye

2013-01-01

This study examines use of computer assisted audit tool and techniques in audit practice in the Niger Delta of Nigeria. To achieve this objective, data was collected from primary and secondary sources. The secondary sources were from scholarly books and journals while the primary source involved a well structured questionnaire of three sections of thirty seven items with an average reliability of 0.838. The data collected from the questionnaire were analyzed using relevant descriptive statist...

Effect of the tunnelling oxide growth by H{sub 2}O{sub 2} oxidation on the performance of a-Si:H MIS photodiodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aguas, H.; Perreira, L.; Silva, R.J.C.; Fortunato, E.; Martins, R

2004-06-15

In this work metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) photodiodes with a structure: Cr/a-Si:H(n{sup +})/a-Si:H(i)/oxide/Au were studied, where the main objective was to determine the influence of the oxide layer on the performance of the devices. The results achieved show that their performance is a function of both oxide thickness and oxide density. The a-Si:H oxidation method used was the immersion in H{sub 2}O{sub 2} solution. By knowledge of the oxide growth process it was possible to fabricate photodiodes exhibiting an open circuit voltage of 0.65 V and short circuit current density under AM1.5 illumination of 11 mA/cm{sup 2}, with a response times less than 1 {mu}s for load resistance <400 {omega}, and a signal to noise ratio of 1x10{sup 7}.

Plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition of TiN/Al2O3 stacks for metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitor applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoogeland, D.; Jinesh, K.B.; Roozeboom, F.; Besling, W.F.A.; Sanden, van de M.C.M.; Kessels, W.M.M.

2009-01-01

By employing plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition, thin films of Al2O3 and TiN are subsequently deposited in a single reactor at a single substrate temperature with the objective of fabricating high-quality TiN/Al2O3 / p-Si metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors. Transmission electron microscopy

Growth and etching characteristics of (001) β-Ga2O3 by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

Science.gov (United States)

Oshima, Yuichi; Ahmadi, Elaheh; Kaun, Stephen; Wu, Feng; Speck, James S.

2018-01-01

We investigated the homoepitaxial growth and etching characteristics of (001) β-Ga2O3 by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The growth rate of β-Ga2O3 increased with increasing Ga-flux, reaching a clear plateau of 56 nm h-1, and then decreased at higher Ga-flux. The growth rate decreased from 56 to 42 nm h-1 when the substrate temperature was increased from 750 °C to 800 °C. The growth rate was negative (net etching) when only Ga-flux was supplied. The etching rate proportionally increased with increasing the Ga-flux, reaching 84 nm h-1. The etching was enhanced at higher temperatures. It was found that Ga-etching of (001) β-Ga2O3 substrates prior to the homoepitaxial growth markedly improved the surface roughness of the film.

Disguised as a Sulfate Reducer: Growth of the Deltaproteobacterium Desulfurivibrio alkaliphilus by Sulfide Oxidation with Nitrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Thorup, Casper; Schramm, Andreas; Findlay, Alyssa J; Finster, Kai W; Schreiber, Lars

2017-07-18

This study demonstrates that the deltaproteobacterium Desulfurivibrio alkaliphilus can grow chemolithotrophically by coupling sulfide oxidation to the dissimilatory reduction of nitrate and nitrite to ammonium. Key genes of known sulfide oxidation pathways are absent from the genome of D. alkaliphilus Instead, the genome contains all of the genes necessary for sulfate reduction, including a gene for a reductive-type dissimilatory bisulfite reductase (DSR). Despite this, growth by sulfate reduction was not observed. Transcriptomic analysis revealed a very high expression level of sulfate-reduction genes during growth by sulfide oxidation, while inhibition experiments with molybdate pointed to elemental sulfur/polysulfides as intermediates. Consequently, we propose that D. alkaliphilus initially oxidizes sulfide to elemental sulfur, which is then either disproportionated, or oxidized by a reversal of the sulfate reduction pathway. This is the first study providing evidence that a reductive-type DSR is involved in a sulfide oxidation pathway. Transcriptome sequencing further suggests that nitrate reduction to ammonium is performed by a novel type of periplasmic nitrate reductase and an unusual membrane-anchored nitrite reductase. IMPORTANCE Sulfide oxidation and sulfate reduction, the two major branches of the sulfur cycle, are usually ascribed to distinct sets of microbes with distinct diagnostic genes. Here we show a more complex picture, as D. alkaliphilus , with the genomic setup of a sulfate reducer, grows by sulfide oxidation. The high expression of genes typically involved in the sulfate reduction pathway suggests that these genes, including the reductive-type dissimilatory bisulfite reductases, are also involved in as-yet-unresolved sulfide oxidation pathways. Finally, D. alkaliphilus is closely related to cable bacteria, which grow by electrogenic sulfide oxidation. Since there are no pure cultures of cable bacteria, D. alkaliphilus may represent an

Mechanism of growth, composition and structure of oxide films formed on ferrous alloys in molten salt electrolytes - a review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tzvetkoff, Tz.; Kolchakov, J.

2004-01-01

The growth kinetics, chemical composition and structure of scales formed during corrosion of Fe and its alloys in molten salts are reviewed. Special attention is paid to the effect of the composition of the molten salt mixture and the gas atmosphere on the stability and protective ability of corrosion layers. First, the thermodynamical background of the corrosion and oxidation of Fe-base engineering materials in molten salt media is briefly commented. A concise review of the growth kinetics of passivating oxide films is also presented. These two introductory chapters serve as a guide for the extensive survey of the growth mechanism, nature and properties of oxide and related scales on ferrous alloys in a range of molten electrolytes - chlorides, nitrates, sulphates, carbonates, hydroxides and mixtures thereof in gas atmospheres containing O 2 , CO 2 , SO 2 , SO 3 and HCl

Ultrasound-assisted oxidative desulfurization process of liquid fuel by phosphotungstic acid encapsulated in a interpenetrating amine-functionalized Zn(II)-based MOF as catalyst.

Science.gov (United States)

Afzalinia, Ahmad; Mirzaie, Abbas; Nikseresht, Ahmad; Musabeygi, Tahereh

2017-01-01

In this work, ultrasound-assisted oxidative desulfurization (UAOD) of liquid fuels performed with a novel heterogeneous highly dispersed Keggin-type phosphotungstic acid (H 3 PW 12 O 40 , PTA) catalyst that encapsulated into an amino-functionalized MOF (TMU-17-NH 2 ). The prepared composite exhibits high catalytic activity and reusability in oxidative desulfurization of model fuel. Ultrasound-assisted oxidative desulfurization (UAOD) is a new way to performed oxidation reaction of sulfur-contain compounds rapidly, economically, environment-friendly and safely, under mild conditions. Ultrasound waves can be apply as an efficient tool to decrease the reaction time and improves oxidative desulfurization system performance. PTA@TMU-17-NH 2 could be completely performed desulfurization of the model oil by 20mg of catalyst, O/S molar ratio of 1:1 in presence of MeCN as extraction solvent. The obtained results indicated that the conversions of DBT to DBTO 2 achieve 98% after 15min in ambient temperature. In this work, we prepared TMU-17-NH 2 and PTA/TMU-17-NH 2 composite by ultrasound irradiation for first time and employed in UAOD process. Prepared catalyst exhibit an excellent reusability without PTA leaching and loss of activity. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Environmentally assisted cracking of LWR materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chopra, O.K.; Chung, H.M.; Kassner, T.F.; Shack, W.J.

1995-12-01

Research on environmentally assisted cracking (EAC) of light water reactor materials has focused on (a) fatigue initiation in pressure vessel and piping steels, (b) crack growth in cast duplex and austenitic stainless steels (SSs), (c) irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) of austenitic SSs, and (d) EAC in high- nickel alloys. The effect of strain rate during different portions of the loading cycle on fatigue life of carbon and low-alloy steels in 289 degree C water was determined. Crack growth studies on wrought and cast SSs have been completed. The effect of dissolved-oxygen concentration in high-purity water on IASCC of irradiated Type 304 SS was investigated and trace elements in the steel that increase susceptibility to intergranular cracking were identified. Preliminary results were obtained on crack growth rates of high-nickel alloys in water that contains a wide range of dissolved oxygen and hydrogen concentrations at 289 and 320 degree C. The program on Environmentally Assisted Cracking of Light Water Reactor Materials is currently focused on four tasks: fatigue initiation in pressure vessel and piping steels, fatigue and environmentally assisted crack growth in cast duplex and austenitic SS, irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking of austenitic SSs, and environmentally assisted crack growth in high-nickel alloys. Measurements of corrosion-fatigue crack growth rates (CGRs) of wrought and cast stainless steels has been essentially completed. Recent progress in these areas is outlined in the following sections

A new concept of assistive virtual keyboards based on a systematic review of text entry optimization techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renato de Sousa Gomide

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction: Due to the increasing popularization of computers and the internet expansion, Alternative and Augmentative Communication technologies have been employed to restore the ability to communicate of people with aphasia and tetraplegia. Virtual keyboards are one of the most primitive mechanisms for alternatively entering text and play a very important role in accomplishing this task. However, the text entry for this kind of keyboard is much slower than entering information through their physical counterparts. Many techniques and layouts have been proposed to improve the typing performance of virtual keyboards, each one concerning a different issue or solving a specific problem. However, not all of them are suitable to assist seriously people with motor impairment. Methods: In order to develop an assistive virtual keyboard with improved typing performance, we performed a systematic review on scientific databases. Results: We found 250 related papers and 52 of them were selected to compose. After that, we identified eight essentials virtual keyboard features, five methods to optimize data entry performance and five metrics to assess typing performance. Conclusion: Based on this review, we introduce a concept of an assistive, optimized, compact and adaptive virtual keyboard that gathers a set of suitable techniques such as: a new ambiguous keyboard layout, disambiguation algorithms, dynamic scan techniques, static text prediction of letters and words and, finally, the use of phonetic and similarity algorithms to reduce the user's typing error rate.

Analysis of value added services on GDP Growth Rate using Data Mining Techniques

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Douglas KUNDA

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The growth of Information Technology has spawned large amount of databases and huge data in numerous areas. The research in databases and information technology has given rise to an approach to store and manipulate this data for further decision making. In this paper certain data mining techniques were adopted to analyze the data that shows relevance with desired attributes. Regression technique was adopted to help us find out the influence of Agriculture, Service and Manufacturing on the performance of gross domestic product (GDP. Trend and time series technique was applied to the data to help us find out what trend of GDP with respect to service, agriculture and manufacturing sector for the past decade has been. Finally Correlation was also used to help us analyze the relationship among the variables (service, agriculture and manufacturing sector. From the three techniques analyzed, service value added variable was the most prominent variable which showed the strong influence on GDP growth rate.

Preparation and characterization of VOx nanorods using pulsed laser deposition technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rama, N.; Senthil Kumar, E.; Ramachandra Rao, M.S.

2009-01-01

Full text: Vanadium oxide (VO x ) is one of the most functional oxides of the transition metal oxide family. This versatility comes because of the ability of Vanadium to exist as both monovalent and multivalent in these oxides. These oxides find potential usage in the field of thermochromism electrochromism catalysts, electrochemistry etc. especially in their nano-form because of their increased sensitivity to these applications. These nano-forms are usually prepared using conventional techniques such as solgel techniques, vapour phase transport, hydrothermal synthesis etc. In this work we have used pulsed laser deposition technique to fabricate vanadium oxide nanorods for the first time. The grown nanorods has a predominant VO 2 phase with a secondary phase of V 3 O 7 . The diameters of the rods were around 300 nm with Raman spectra showing all the group vibrations corresponding to VO x phase. The nanorods exhibited photoluminescence in the visible range due to the presence of oxygen defects. These results, including the mechanism of growth of these nanorods, will be discussed in detail. The existence of multivalence in these rods finds potential applications in electrochemistry while the visible photoluminescence in optical applications

Metabolomic Analysis of Oxidative and Glycolytic Skeletal Muscles by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/IonizationMass Spectrometric Imaging (MALDI MSI)

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Yu-Hsuan; Garrett, Timothy J.; Carter, Christy S.; Yost, Richard A.

2015-06-01

Skeletal muscles are composed of heterogeneous muscle fibers that have different physiological, morphological, biochemical, and histological characteristics. In this work, skeletal muscles extensor digitorum longus, soleus, and whole gastrocnemius were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry to characterize small molecule metabolites of oxidative and glycolytic muscle fiber types as well as to visualize biomarker localization. Multivariate data analysis such as principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were performed to extract significant features. Different metabolic fingerprints were observed from oxidative and glycolytic fibers. Higher abundances of biomolecules such as antioxidant anserine as well as acylcarnitines were observed in the glycolytic fibers, whereas taurine and some nucleotides were found to be localized in the oxidative fibers.

On the deposition parameters of indium oxide (IO) and tin oxide (TO) by reactive evaporation technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassan, F.; Abdullah, A.H.; Salam, R.

1990-01-01

Thin films of tin oxide (TO) and indium oxide (IO) are prepared by the reactive evaporation technique, where indium or tin sources are evaporated and made to react with oxygen gas injected close to the substrate. In both depositions a substrate temperature of 380 0 C and a chamber pressure of 2x10 -5 mbar are utilized, but however different oxygen flow rates has been maintained. For TO, the deposition rate is found to be constant up to about 55 minutes of deposition time with a deposition rate of about 0.10 A/s, but for longer deposition time the deposition rate increases rapidly up to about 0.30 A/s. The IO displays a higher deposition rate of about 0.80 A/s over a deposition time 30 minutes, beyond which the deposition rate increases gradually

The production of nitric oxide in EL4 lymphoma cells overexpressing growth hormone.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, Robyn E; Weigent, Douglas A

2003-01-01

Growth hormone (GH) is produced by immunocompetent cells and has been implicated in the regulation of a multiplicity of functions in the immune system involved in growth and activation. However, the actions of endogenous or lymphocyte GH and its contribution to immune reactivity when compared with those of serum or exogenous GH are still unclear. In the present study, we overexpressed lymphocyte GH in EL4 lymphoma cells, which lack the GH receptor (GHR), to determine the role of endogenous GH in nitric oxide (NO) production and response to genotoxic stress. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the levels of GH increased approximately 40% in cells overexpressing GH (GHo) when compared with cells with vector alone. The results also show a substantial increase in NO production in cells overexpressing GH that could be blocked by N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA), an L-arginine analogue that competitively inhibits all three isoforms of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). No evidence was obtained to support an increase in peroxynitrite in cells overexpressing GH. Overexpression of GH increased NOS activity, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) promoter activity, and iNOS protein expression, whereas endothelial nitric oxide synthase and neuronal nitric oxide synthase protein levels were essentially unchanged. In addition, cells overexpressing GH showed increased arginine transport ability and intracellular arginase activity when compared with control cells. GH overexpression appeared to protect cells from the toxic effects of the DNA alkylating agent methyl methanesulfonate. This possibility was suggested by maintenance of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential in cells overexpressing GH when compared with control cells that could be blocked by L-NMMA. Taken together, the data support the notion that lymphocyte GH, independently of the GH receptor, may play a key role in the survival of lymphocytes exposed to stressful stimuli via the production of NO.

Block-copolymer assisted synthesis of arrays of metal nanoparticles and their catalytic activities for the growth of SWNTs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhaviripudi, Sreekar; Reina, Alfonso; Qi, Jifa; Kong, Jing; Belcher, Angela M

2006-01-01

Block copolymer micellar templates were used for the controlled synthesis of large arrays of mono-metallic (Fe, Co, Ni, Mo) and bi-metallic (Fe-Mo) nanoparticles with average diameters ranging from 1 to 4 nm and the distance between the nanoparticles ranging from 40 to 45 nm. XPS data reveal the presence of mono-metallic nanoparticles in their oxidized states. These uniform arrays of nanoparticles serve as an excellent tool to investigate the catalytic effect of different metal/metal oxide nanoparticles for the growth of carbon nanotubes, and in this work, they were used to investigate the growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes with the chemical vapour deposition (CVD) process, using both ethanol and hydrocarbon (methane + ethylene) gases as carbon sources. The periodicity and the arrangement of nanoparticles were unaffected even at high growth temperatures, indicating that nanoparticle agglomeration on the Si substrate does not take place during growth. AFM and SEM results reveal uniform growth of nanotubes with diameters smaller than the initial size of the catalyst nanoparticles. The Fe, Co and Ni nanoparticles all serve as effective catalysts for nanotube growth with both types of carbon feed stock, and Co and Ni give rise to a relatively higher yield than Fe. The catalytic activity of Fe and bi-metallic Fe-Mo nanoparticles of similar size and identical densities using ethanol CVD are also compared

Investigation of growth, coverage and effectiveness of plasma assisted nano-films of fluorocarbon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joshi, Pratik P.; Pulikollu, Rajasekhar; Higgins, Steven R.; Hu Xiaoming; Mukhopadhyay, S.M.

2006-01-01

Plasma-assisted functional films have significant potential in various engineering applications. They can be tailored to impart desired properties by bonding specific molecular groups to the substrate surface. The aim of this investigation was to develop a fundamental understanding of the atomic level growth, coverage and functional effectiveness of plasma nano-films on flat surfaces and to explore their application-potential for complex and uneven shaped nano-materials. In this paper, results on plasma-assisted nano-scale fluorocarbon films, which are known for imparting inertness or hydrophobicity to the surface, will be discussed. The film deposition was studied as a function of time on flat single crystal surfaces of silicon, sapphire and graphite, using microwave plasma. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used for detailed study of composition and chemistry of the substrate and coating atoms, at all stages of deposition. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was performed in parallel to study the coverage and growth morphology of these films at each stage. Combined XPS and AFM results indicated complete coverage of all the substrates at the nanometer scale. It was also shown that these films grew in a layer-by-layer fashion. The nano-films were also applied to complex and uneven shaped nano-structured and porous materials, such as microcellular porous foam and nano fibers. It was seen that these nano-films can be a viable approach for effective surface modification of complex or uneven shaped nano-materials

Study on the PWSCC Crack Growth Rate for Steam Generator Tubing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Shin Hoo; Hwang, Il Soon; Lim, Jun; Lee, Seung Gi; Ryu, Kyung Ha

2008-03-01

Using in-situ Raman spectroscopy and crack growth rate lest system in simulated PWR primary water environment, the relationship between the oxide film chemistry and the PWSCC growth rate has been studied. We used I/2T compact tension specimen and disk specimen made of Alloy 182 and Alloy 600 for crack growth rate test and in-situ Raman spectroscopy measurement. Test was made in a refreshed autoclave with 30 cc STP / kg of dissolved hydrogen concentration. Conductivity, pH, dissolved hydrogen and oxygen concentration were continuously monitored at the outlet. The crack growth rate was measured by using switching DCPD technique under cyclinc triangular loading and at the same time oxide phase was determined by using in-situ Raman spectra at the elevation of the temperature. Additionally Raman spectroscopy was achieved for oxide phase transition of Alloy 600 according to the temperature and dissolved hydrogen concentration, 2 and 30cc STP / kg

Growth kinetics and morphology of plasma electrolytic oxidation coating on aluminum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erfanifar, Eliyas; Aliofkhazraei, Mahmood; Fakhr Nabavi, Houman; Sharifi, Hossein; Rouhaghdam, Alireza Sabour

2017-01-01

Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) was carried out on AA1190 aluminum alloy in mixed silicate-phosphate-based electrolyte in order to fabricate ceramic coating under constant current density. The variations of PEO coating duration with kinetics, surface roughness, amount and size of discharge channels were studied with respect to PEO processing time. The growth mechanism of the ceramic coating was described considering a variation of volume and diameters of discharge channels and pancakes during the PEO. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), and roughness tester were used to study the plasma discharge channels of the PEO coatings. In addition, the effect of alumina nanoparticles in the electrolyte as the suspension was studied on the geometric parameters of discharge channels. It seems that the nanoparticles are adsorbed to the locations of erupted molten oxide, where the dielectric breakdown occurs. Nanoparticles were embedded in the dense oxide layer and were adsorbed at the walls of voids and coatings surface. As a result, they caused significant changes in roughness parameters of the samples containing nanoparticles compared to those without nanoparticles. The obtained results showed that growth kinetics followed a linear trend with respect to PEO coating duration. It was also observed that in the absence of alumina nanoparticles, the average volume of the pancakes is 150% greater than the ones fabricated in the suspension of nanoparticles. Besides, increasing the PEO coating duration leads to adsorbing more nanoparticles on the coating surface, filling the voids, and flattening the surface, and alterations in R v , R sk , and R lo parameters. Correlation between the diameter of discharge channel (d c ) and thickness of the pancake (h) also showed a linear relation. - Highlights: • Precise calculation of thickness of pancake with AFM. • Study of different roughness parameters for PEO coating. • Calculation the amount of

Growth kinetics and morphology of plasma electrolytic oxidation coating on aluminum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Erfanifar, Eliyas; Aliofkhazraei, Mahmood, E-mail: maliofkh@gmail.com; Fakhr Nabavi, Houman; Sharifi, Hossein; Rouhaghdam, Alireza Sabour

2017-01-01

Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) was carried out on AA1190 aluminum alloy in mixed silicate-phosphate-based electrolyte in order to fabricate ceramic coating under constant current density. The variations of PEO coating duration with kinetics, surface roughness, amount and size of discharge channels were studied with respect to PEO processing time. The growth mechanism of the ceramic coating was described considering a variation of volume and diameters of discharge channels and pancakes during the PEO. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), and roughness tester were used to study the plasma discharge channels of the PEO coatings. In addition, the effect of alumina nanoparticles in the electrolyte as the suspension was studied on the geometric parameters of discharge channels. It seems that the nanoparticles are adsorbed to the locations of erupted molten oxide, where the dielectric breakdown occurs. Nanoparticles were embedded in the dense oxide layer and were adsorbed at the walls of voids and coatings surface. As a result, they caused significant changes in roughness parameters of the samples containing nanoparticles compared to those without nanoparticles. The obtained results showed that growth kinetics followed a linear trend with respect to PEO coating duration. It was also observed that in the absence of alumina nanoparticles, the average volume of the pancakes is 150% greater than the ones fabricated in the suspension of nanoparticles. Besides, increasing the PEO coating duration leads to adsorbing more nanoparticles on the coating surface, filling the voids, and flattening the surface, and alterations in R{sub v}, R{sub sk}, and R{sub lo} parameters. Correlation between the diameter of discharge channel (d{sub c}) and thickness of the pancake (h) also showed a linear relation. - Highlights: • Precise calculation of thickness of pancake with AFM. • Study of different roughness parameters for PEO coating. • Calculation

Inhibition of E. coli Growth by Nanodiamond and Graphene Oxide Enhanced by Luria-Bertani Medium.

Science.gov (United States)

Jira, Jaroslav; Rezek, Bohuslav; Kriha, Vitezslav; Artemenko, Anna; Matolínová, Iva; Skakalova, Viera; Stenclova, Pavla; Kromka, Alexander

2018-03-01

Nanodiamonds (NDs) and graphene oxide (GO) are modern carbon-based nanomaterials with promising features for the inhibition of microorganism growth ability. Here we compare the effects of nanodiamond and graphene oxide in both annealed (oxidized) and reduced (hydrogenated) forms in two types of cultivation media-Luria-Bertani (LB) and Mueller-Hinton (MH) broths. The comparison shows that the number of colony forming unit (CFU) of Escherichia coli is significantly lowered (45%) by all the nanomaterials in LB medium for at least 24 h against control. On the contrary, a significant long-term inhibition of E. coli growth (by 45%) in the MH medium is provided only by hydrogenated NDs terminated with C-H X groups. The use of salty agars did not enhance the inhibition effects of nanomaterials used, i.e. disruption of bacterial membrane or differences in ionic concentrations do not play any role in bactericidal effects of nanomaterials used. The specific role of the ND and GO on the enhancement of the oxidative stress of bacteria or possible wrapping bacteria by GO nanosheets, therefore isolating them from both the environment and nutrition was suggested. Analyses by infrared spectroscopy, photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering corroborate these conclusions.

Inhibition of E. coli Growth by Nanodiamond and Graphene Oxide Enhanced by Luria-Bertani Medium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaroslav Jira

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Nanodiamonds (NDs and graphene oxide (GO are modern carbon-based nanomaterials with promising features for the inhibition of microorganism growth ability. Here we compare the effects of nanodiamond and graphene oxide in both annealed (oxidized and reduced (hydrogenated forms in two types of cultivation media—Luria-Bertani (LB and Mueller-Hinton (MH broths. The comparison shows that the number of colony forming unit (CFU of Escherichia coli is significantly lowered (45% by all the nanomaterials in LB medium for at least 24 h against control. On the contrary, a significant long-term inhibition of E. coli growth (by 45% in the MH medium is provided only by hydrogenated NDs terminated with C-HX groups. The use of salty agars did not enhance the inhibition effects of nanomaterials used, i.e. disruption of bacterial membrane or differences in ionic concentrations do not play any role in bactericidal effects of nanomaterials used. The specific role of the ND and GO on the enhancement of the oxidative stress of bacteria or possible wrapping bacteria by GO nanosheets, therefore isolating them from both the environment and nutrition was suggested. Analyses by infrared spectroscopy, photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering corroborate these conclusions.

Growth and surface characterization of sputter-deposited molybdenum oxide thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramana, C.V. [Nanoscience and Surface Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States)]. E-mail: ramanacv@umich.edu; Atuchin, V.V. [Laboratory of Optical Materials and Structures, Institute of Semiconductor Physics, SB RAS, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Kesler, V.G. [Technical Centre, Institute of Semiconductor Physics, SB RAS, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Kochubey, V.A. [Laboratory of Optical Materials and Structures, Institute of Semiconductor Physics, SB RAS, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Pokrovsky, L.D. [Laboratory of Optical Materials and Structures, Institute of Semiconductor Physics, SB RAS, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Shutthanandan, V. [Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352 (United States); Becker, U. [Nanoscience and Surface Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Ewing, R.C. [Nanoscience and Surface Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States)

2007-04-15

Molybdenum oxide thin films were produced by magnetron sputtering using a molybdenum (Mo) target. The sputtering was performed in a reactive atmosphere of an argon-oxygen gas mixture under varying conditions of substrate temperature (T {sub s}) and oxygen partial pressure (pO{sub 2}). The effect of T {sub s} and pO{sub 2} on the growth and microstructure of molybdenum oxide films was examined in detail using reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED), Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements. The analyses indicate that the effect of T {sub s} and pO{sub 2} on the microstructure and phase of the grown molybdenum oxide thin films is remarkable. RHEED and RBS results indicate that the films grown at 445 deg. C under 62.3% O{sub 2} pressure were stoichiometric and polycrystalline MoO{sub 3}. Films grown at lower pO{sub 2} were non-stoichiometric MoO {sub x} films with the presence of secondary phase. The microstructure of the grown Mo oxide films is discussed and conditions were optimized to produce phase pure, stoichiometric, and highly textured polycrystalline MoO{sub 3} films.

Electrochemical oxidation of pulp and paper making wastewater assisted by transition metal modified kaolin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)