Fast Characterization of Moving Samples with Nano-Textured Surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Morten Hannibal; Hansen, Poul-Erik; Zalkovskij, Maksim

2015-01-01

Characterization of structures using conventional optical microscopy is restricted by the diffraction limit. Techniques like atomic force and scanning electron microscopy can investigate smaller structures but are very time consuming. We show that using scatterometry, a technique based on optical...... diffraction, integrated into a commercial light microscope we can characterize nano-textured surfaces in a few milliseconds. The adapted microscope has two detectors, a CCD camera used to easily find an area of interest and a spectrometer for the measurements. We demonstrate that the microscope has...

Surface Characterization of Nanoparticles: Critical Needs and Significant Challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baer, Donald R.

2011-01-01

There is a growing recognition that nanoparticles and other nanostructured materials are sometimes inadequately characterized and that this may limit or even invalidate some of the conclusions regarding particle properties and behavior. A number of international organizations are working to establish the essential measurement requirements that enable adequate understanding of nanoparticle properties for both technological applications and for environmental health issues. Our research on the interaction of iron metal-core oxide-shell nanoparticles with environmental contaminants and studies of the behaviors of ceria nanoparticles, with a variety of medical, catalysis and energy applications, have highlighted a number of common nanoparticle characterization challenges that have not been fully recognized by parts of the research community. This short review outlines some of these characterization challenges based on our research observations and using other results reported in the literature. Issues highlighted include: (1) the importance of surfaces and surface characterization, (2) nanoparticles are often not created equal - subtle differences in synthesis and processing can have large impacts; (3) nanoparticles frequently change with time having lifetime implications for products and complicating understanding of health and safety impacts; (4) the high sensitivity of nanoparticles to their environment complicates characterization and applications in many ways; (5) nanoparticles are highly unstable and easily altered (damaged) during analysis.

Characterizing the surface forces between two individual nanowires using optical microscopy based nanomanipulation

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Hongtao; Mead, James L.; Wang, Shiliang; Fatikow, Sergej; Huang, Han

2018-06-01

The adhesion and friction between two Al2O3 nanowires (NWs) was characterized by the use of optical microscopy based nanomanipulation, with which peeling, shearing and sliding was performed. The elastically deformed shape of the NWs during peeling and shearing was used to calculate the adhesion and frictional forces; force sensing was not required. The obtained adhesion stress between two Al2O3 NWs varied from 0.14 to 0.25 MPa, lower than that observed for carbon nanotube junctions, and was attributed to van der Waals attraction. Stick-slip was observed during the shearing and sliding of two NWs, and was the consequence of discrete contact between surface asperities. The obtained static and kinetic frictional stresses varied from 0.7 to 1.3 MPa and 0.4 to 0.8 MPa, respectively; significantly greater than the obtained adhesion stress.

Surfaced-based investigations plan, Volume 4: Yucca Mountain Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-12-01

This document represents a detailed summary of design plans for surface-based investigations to be conducted for site characterization of the Yucca Mountain site. These plans are current as of December 1988. The description of surface-based site characterization activities contained in this document is intended to give all interested parties an understanding of the current plans for site characterization of Yucca Mountain. The maps presented in Volume 4 are products of the Geographic Information System (GIS) being used by the Yucca Mountain Project. The ARC/INFO GIS software, developed by Environmental Systems Research Institute, was used to digitize and process these SBIP maps. The maps were prepared using existing US Geological Survey (USGS) maps as a planimetric base. Roads and other surface features were interpreted from a variety of sources and entered into the GIS. Sources include the USGS maps, 1976 USGS orthophotoquads and aerial photography, 1986 and 1987 aerial photography, surveyed coordinates of field sites, and a combination of various maps, figures, descriptions and approximate coordinates of proposed locations for future activities

Characterization of triboelectrically charged particles deposited on dielectric surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Nesterov, A.; Löffler, F.; Cheng, Yun-Chien; Torralba, G.; König, K.; Hausmann, M.; Lindenstruth, V.; Stadler, V.; Bischoff, F. R.; Breitling, F.

2010-04-01

A device for the measurement of q/m-values and charge degradation of triboelectrically charged particles deposited on a surface was developed. The setup is based on the integration of currents, which are induced in a Faraday cage by insertion of a solid support covered with charged particles. The conductivity of different particle supports was taken into account. The 'blow-off' method, in which the particles are first deposited, and then blown off using an air stream, can be used for characterization of triboelectric properties of particles relative to different surfaces.

Characterization of triboelectrically charged particles deposited on dielectric surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nesterov, A; Torralba, G; Hausmann, M; Lindenstruth, V [Kirchhoff Institute of Physics, In Neuenheimer Feld 227, Heidelberg (Germany); Loeffler, F; Cheng, Yun-Chien; Koenig, K; Stadler, V; Bischoff, F R [German Cancer Research Centre, In Neuenheimer Feld 280, Heidelberg (Germany); Breitling, F, E-mail: Frank.Breitling@KIT.ed, E-mail: alexander.nesterov-mueller@kit.ed [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Microstructure Technology, Herrmann von Helmholtzplatz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany)

2010-04-28

A device for the measurement of q/m-values and charge degradation of triboelectrically charged particles deposited on a surface was developed. The setup is based on the integration of currents, which are induced in a Faraday cage by insertion of a solid support covered with charged particles. The conductivity of different particle supports was taken into account. The 'blow-off' method, in which the particles are first deposited, and then blown off using an air stream, can be used for characterization of triboelectric properties of particles relative to different surfaces.

Characterization of a surface dielectric barrier discharge

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pemen, A.J.M.; Beckers, F.J.C.M.; Heesch, van E.J.M.

2009-01-01

A surface dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) reactor provides a homogeneous plasma over a large surface area. This allows surface treatments of foils, textiles or fibers. Here we present results of a study to characterize the AC and pulsed performance of SDBD with regard to ozone production,

uleSIMS characterization of silver reference surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Palitsin, V. V.; Dowsett, M. G.; Mata, B. Guzmán de la; Oloff, I. W.; Gibbons, R.

2006-07-01

Ultra low energy SIMS (uleSIMS) is a high sensitivity analytical technique that is normally used for ultra shallow profiling at a depth resolution of up to1 nm. This work describes the use of uleSIMS as both a spectroscopic and depth-profiling tool for the characterization of the early stages of corrosion formed on reference surfaces of silver. These samples are being developed to help with the characterization of tarnished surfaces in a cultural heritage context, and uleSIMS enables the tarnishing to be studied from its very earliest stages due to its high sensitivity (ppm-ppb) and surface specificity. We show that, uleSIMS can be used effectively to study the surface chemistry and aid the development of reference surfaces themselves. In particular, handling contaminants, surface dust, and residues from polishing are relatively easy to identify allowing them to be separated from the parts of the mass spectrum specific to the early stages of corrosion.

Integrated biomechanical and topographical surface characterization (IBTSC)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Löberg, Johanna, E-mail: Johanna.Loberg@dentsply.com [Dentsply Implants, Box 14, SE-431 21 Mölndal (Sweden); Mattisson, Ingela [Dentsply Implants, Box 14, SE-431 21 Mölndal (Sweden); Ahlberg, Elisabet [Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, SE-41296 Gothenburg (Sweden)

2014-01-30

In an attempt to reduce the need for animal studies in dental implant applications, a new model has been developed which combines well-known surface characterization methods with theoretical biomechanical calculations. The model has been named integrated biomechanical and topographical surface characterization (IBTSC), and gives a comprehensive description of the surface topography and the ability of the surface to induce retention strength with bone. IBTSC comprises determination of 3D-surface roughness parameters by using 3D-scanning electron microscopy (3D-SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), and calculation of the ability of different surface topographies to induce retention strength in bone by using the local model. Inherent in this integrated approach is the use of a length scale analysis, which makes it possible to separate different size levels of surface features. The IBTSC concept is tested on surfaces with different level of hierarchy, induced by mechanical as well as chemical treatment. Sequential treatment with oxalic and hydrofluoric acid results in precipitated nano-sized features that increase the surface roughness and the surface slope on the sub-micro and nano levels. This surface shows the highest calculated shear strength using the local model. The validity, robustness and applicability of the IBTSC concept are demonstrated and discussed.

Characterization of holding brake friction pad surface after pin-on-plate wear test

Science.gov (United States)

Drago, N.; Gonzalez Madruga, D.; De Chiffre, L.

2018-03-01

This article concerns the metrological characterization of the surface on a holding brake friction material pin after a pin-on-plate (POP) wear test. The POP test induces the formation of surface plateaus that affect brake performances such as wear, friction, noise and heat. Three different materials’ surfaces have been characterized after wear from data obtained with a focus variation 3D microscope. A new surface characterization approach with plateau identification is proposed, using the number of plateau on the surface, equivalent diameter, length and breadth as measurands. The identification method is based on determining and imposing ISO 27158-2 lower plateau limit (LPL) in material probability curves; and on applying a combined criterion of height segmentation threshold and equivalent diameter threshold. The method determines the criterion thresholds for each material since LPL appears typical by material. The proposed method has allowed quantifying the surface topography at two different levels of wear. An expanded measurement uncertainty of 3.5 µm for plateau dimensions in the range 50–2000 µm and one of 0.15 µm for plateau heights up to 10 µm have been documented.

Characterizing Pavement Surface Distress Conditions with Hyper-Spatial Resolution Natural Color Aerial Photography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Su Zhang

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Roadway pavement surface distress information is critical for effective pavement asset management, and subsequently, transportation management agencies at all levels (i.e., federal, state, and local dedicate a large amount of time and money to routinely evaluate pavement surface distress conditions as the core of their asset management programs. However, currently adopted ground-based evaluation methods for pavement surface conditions have many disadvantages, like being time-consuming and expensive. Aircraft-based evaluation methods, although getting more attention, have not been used for any operational evaluation programs yet because the acquired images lack the spatial resolution to resolve finer scale pavement surface distresses. Hyper-spatial resolution natural color aerial photography (HSR-AP provides a potential method for collecting pavement surface distress information that can supplement or substitute for currently adopted evaluation methods. Using roadway pavement sections located in the State of New Mexico as an example, this research explored the utility of aerial triangulation (AT technique and HSR-AP acquired from a low-altitude and low-cost small-unmanned aircraft system (S-UAS, in this case a tethered helium weather balloon, to permit characterization of detailed pavement surface distress conditions. The Wilcoxon Signed Rank test, Mann-Whitney U test, and visual comparison were used to compare detailed pavement surface distress rates measured from HSR-AP derived products (orthophotos and digital surface models generated from AT with reference distress rates manually collected on the ground using standard protocols. The results reveal that S-UAS based hyper-spatial resolution imaging and AT techniques can provide detailed and reliable primary observations suitable for characterizing detailed pavement surface distress conditions comparable to the ground-based manual measurement, which lays the foundation for the future application

Global characterization of surface soil moisture drydowns

Science.gov (United States)

McColl, Kaighin A.; Wang, Wei; Peng, Bin; Akbar, Ruzbeh; Short Gianotti, Daniel J.; Lu, Hui; Pan, Ming; Entekhabi, Dara

2017-04-01

Loss terms in the land water budget (including drainage, runoff, and evapotranspiration) are encoded in the shape of soil moisture "drydowns": the soil moisture time series directly following a precipitation event, during which the infiltration input is zero. The rate at which drydowns occur—here characterized by the exponential decay time scale τ—is directly related to the shape of the loss function and is a key characteristic of global weather and climate models. In this study, we use 1 year of surface soil moisture observations from NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive mission to characterize τ globally. Consistent with physical reasoning, the observations show that τ is lower in regions with sandier soils, and in regions that are more arid. To our knowledge, these are the first global estimates of τ—based on observations alone—at scales relevant to weather and climate models.

Evolution of the transfer function characterization of surface scatter phenomena

Science.gov (United States)

Harvey, James E.; Pfisterer, Richard N.

2016-09-01

Based upon the empirical observation that BRDF measurements of smooth optical surfaces exhibited shift-invariant behavior when plotted versus    o , the original Harvey-Shack (OHS) surface scatter theory was developed as a scalar linear systems formulation in which scattered light behavior was characterized by a surface transfer function (STF) reminiscent of the optical transfer function (OTF) of modern image formation theory (1976). This shift-invariant behavior combined with the inverse power law behavior when plotting log BRDF versus log   o was quickly incorporated into several optical analysis software packages. Although there was no explicit smooth-surface approximation in the OHS theory, there was a limitation on both the incident and scattering angles. In 1988 the modified Harvey-Shack (MHS) theory removed the limitation on the angle of incidence; however, a moderate-angle scattering limitation remained. Clearly for large incident angles the BRDF was no longer shift-invariant as a different STF was now required for each incident angle. In 2011 the generalized Harvey-Shack (GHS) surface scatter theory, characterized by a two-parameter family of STFs, evolved into a practical modeling tool to calculate BRDFs from optical surface metrology data for situations that violate the smooth surface approximation inherent in the Rayleigh-Rice theory and/or the moderate-angle limitation of the Beckmann-Kirchhoff theory. And finally, the STF can be multiplied by the classical OTF to provide a complete linear systems formulation of image quality as degraded by diffraction, geometrical aberrations and surface scatter effects from residual optical fabrication errors.

Microanalytical characterization of surface decoration in Majolica pottery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Padilla, R.; Schalm, O.; Janssens, K.; Arrazcaeta, R.; Espen, P. van

2005-01-01

This paper presents the results of the characterization of the surface finishing works in archaeological pottery fragments belonging to several Majolica types. The homogeneity, thickness and inclusions of both ground glaze and color decorations were, among other characteristics, inspected by scanning electron microscopy X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX). The identification of the main constituents in the decoration motifs was performed by means of scanning micro X-ray fluorescence analysis. Additionally, compositional classification based on non-destructive quantitative analysis of the ground glaze was performed

Preparation and surface characterization of plasma-treated and biomolecular-micropatterned polymer substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Langowski, Bryan Alfred

A micropatterning process creates distinct microscale domains on substrate surfaces that differ from the surfaces' original chemical/physical properties. Numerous micropatterning methods exist, each having relative advantages and disadvantages in terms of cost, ease, reproducibility, and versatility. Polymeric surfaces micropatterned with biomolecules have many applications, but are specifically utilized in tissue engineering as cell scaffolds that attempt to controlled tissue generation in vivo and ex vivo. As the physical and chemical cues presented by micropatterned substrates control resulting cellular behavior, characterization of these cues via surface-sensitive analytical techniques is essential in developing cell scaffolds that mimic complex in vivo physicochemical environments. The initial focus of this thesis is the chemical and physical characterization of plasma-treated, microcontact-printed (muCP) polymeric substrates used to direct nerve cell behavior. Unmodified and oxygen plasma-treated poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) substrates were analyzed by surface sensitive techniques to monitor plasma-induced chemical and physical modifications. Additionally, protein-micropattern homogeneity and size were microscopically evaluated. Lastly, poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) stamps and contaminated PMMA substrates were characterized by spectroscopic and microscopic methods to identify a contamination source during microcontact printing. The final focus of this thesis is the development of microscale plasma-initiated patterning (muPIP) as a versatile, reproducible micropatterning method. Using muPIP, polymeric substrates were micropatterned with several biologically relevant inks. Polymeric substrates were characterized following muPIP by surface-sensitive techniques to identify the technique's underlying physical and chemical bases. In addition, neural stem cell response to muPIP-generated laminin micropatterns was microscopically and biologically evaluated

Scattered surface charge density: A tool for surface characterization

KAUST Repository

Naydenov, Borislav

2011-11-28

We demonstrate the use of nonlocal scanning tunneling spectroscopic measurements to characterize the local structure of adspecies in their states where they are significantly less perturbed by the probe, which is accomplished by mapping the amplitude and phase of the scattered surface charge density. As an example, we study single-H-atom adsorption on the n-type Si(100)-(4 × 2) surface, and demonstrate the existence of two different configurations that are distinguishable using the nonlocal approach and successfully corroborated by density functional theory. © 2011 American Physical Society.

Scattered surface charge density: A tool for surface characterization

KAUST Repository

Naydenov, Borislav; Mantega, Mauro; Rungger, Ivan; Sanvito, Stefano; Boland, John J.

2011-01-01

We demonstrate the use of nonlocal scanning tunneling spectroscopic measurements to characterize the local structure of adspecies in their states where they are significantly less perturbed by the probe, which is accomplished by mapping the amplitude and phase of the scattered surface charge density. As an example, we study single-H-atom adsorption on the n-type Si(100)-(4 × 2) surface, and demonstrate the existence of two different configurations that are distinguishable using the nonlocal approach and successfully corroborated by density functional theory. © 2011 American Physical Society.

Characterization of surface charge and mechanical properties of chitosan/alginate based biomaterials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verma, Devendra; Desai, Malav S.; Kulkarni, Namrata; Langrana, Noshir

2011-01-01

This study aims to examine mechanical properties and surface charge characteristics of chitosan/alginate-based films for biomedical applications. By varying the concentrations of chitosan and alginate, we have developed films with varying surface charge densities and mechanical characteristics. The surface charge densities of these films were determined by applying an analytical model on force curves derived from an atomic force microscope (AFM). The average surface charge densities of films containing 60% chitosan and 80% chitosan were found to be - 0.46 mC/m 2 and - 0.32 mC/m 2 , respectively. The surface charge density of 90% chitosan containing films was found to be neutral. The elastic moduli and the water content were found to be decreasing with increasing chitosan concentration. The films with 60%, 80% and 90% chitosan gained 93.5 ± 6.6%, 217.1 ± 22.1% and 396.8 ± 67.5% of their initial weight, respectively. Their elastic moduli were found to be 2.6 ± 0.14 MPa, 1.9 ± 0.27 MPa and 0.93 ± 0.12 MPa, respectively. The trend observed in the mechanical response of these films has been attributed to the combined effect of the concentration of polyelectrolyte complexes (PEC) and the amount of water absorbed. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy experiments indicate the presence of higher alginate on the surface of the films compared to the bulk in all films. The presence of higher alginate on surface is consistent with negative surface charge densities of these films, determined from AFM experiments. Highlights: → Chitosan/alginate based fibrous polyelectrolyte complex films were developed. → The average surface charge density of the films was determined using AFM. → Elastic modulus of the films increased with increase in PEC content. → FTIR analysis indicated higher alginate content on surface compared to bulk.

Synthesis and characterization of novel curing agents for surface coatings based on acrylamide copolymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patel, N. V.; Parmar, R. J.; Parmar, J. S.

2003-01-01

The acrylamide based curing agents were prepared form methyl methacrylate-acrylamide copolymers by further methylolation and subsequent etherification with butanol. These were characterized for their various physico-chemical characteristics. Various sets of these ACAs were blended with hydroxyl functional acrylic resin to prepare the staving compared with the conventional melamine-formaldehyde based curing agent containing compositions. The films were also characterized thermogravimetric analysis and IR-spectra. The result reveals that the properties of certain compositions based on ACAs were remarkably better than those of conventional melamine-formaldehyde based curing agent based coatings

Atomic force microscopy characterization of the surface wettability of natural fibres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pietak, Alexis; Korte, Sandra; Tan, Emelyn; Downard, Alison; Staiger, Mark P.

2007-01-01

Natural fibres represent a readily available source of ecologically friendly and inexpensive reinforcement in composites with degradable thermoplastics, however chemical treatments of fibres are required to prepare feasible composites. It is desirable to characterize the surface wettability of fibres after chemical treatment as the polarity of cellulose-based fibres influences compatibility with a polymer matrix. Assessment of the surface wettability of natural fibres using conventional methods presents a challenge as the surfaces are morphologically and chemically heterogeneous, rough, and can be strongly wicking. In this work it is shown that under atmospheric conditions the adhesion force between an atomic force microscopy (AFM) tip and the fibre surface can estimate the water contact angle and surface wettability of the fibre. AFM adhesion force measurements are suitable for the more difficult surfaces of natural fibres and in addition allow for correlations between microstructural features and surface wettability characteristics

Surface modification and characterization Collaborative Research Center at ORNL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-01-01

The Surface Modification and Characterization Collaborative Research Center (SMAC/CRC) is a unique facility for the alteration and characterization of the near-surface properties of materials. The SMAC/CRC facility is equipped with particle accelerators and high-powered lasers which can be used to improve the physical, electrical, and/or chemical properties of solids and to create unique new materials not possible to obtain with conventional ''equilibrium'' processing techniques. Surface modification is achieved using such techniques as ion implantation doping, ion beam mixing, laser mixing, ion deposition, and laser annealing

PNIPAAm-grafted thermoresponsive microcarriers: Surface-initiated ATRP synthesis and characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Çakmak, Soner [Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine Department, Hacettepe University, 06800, Beytepe, Ankara (Turkey); Çakmak, Anıl S. [Bioengineering Department, Hacettepe University, 06800, Beytepe, Ankara (Turkey); Gümüşderelioğlu, Menemşe, E-mail: menemse@hacettepe.edu.tr [Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine Department, Hacettepe University, 06800, Beytepe, Ankara (Turkey); Bioengineering Department, Hacettepe University, 06800, Beytepe, Ankara (Turkey); Chemical Engineering Department, Hacettepe University, 06800, Beytepe, Ankara (Turkey)

2013-07-01

In this study, we developed novel thermoresponsive microcarriers as a powerful tool for cell culture and tissue engineering applications. For this purpose, two types of commercially available spherical microparticles (approximately 100 μm in diameter), dextran-based Sephadex® and vinyl acetate-based VA-OH (Biosynth®), were used and themoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) was grafted to the beads' surfaces by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP). Initially, hydroxyl groups of microbeads were reacted with 2-bromopropionyl bromide to form ATRP macroinitiator. Then, NIPAAm was successfully polymerized from the initiator attached microbeads by ATRP with CuBr/2,2′-dipyridyl, catalyst complex. Furthermore, grafted and ungrafted microbeads were characterized by attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA). The results of characterization studies confirmed that PNIPAAm was successfully grafted onto both dextran and vinyl acetate-based beads by means of ATRP reaction and thus, grafted microbeads gained thermoresponsive characteristics which will be evaluated for cell harvesting in further studies. Highlights: • PNIPAAm was grafted to the hydroxyl group carrying polymer beads by SI-ATRP. • Dex-g-PNIPAAm and VA-OH-g-PNIPAAm beads exhibited thermoresponsive characteristics. • They are appropriate candidates for microcarrier-facilitated cell cultures.

PNIPAAm-grafted thermoresponsive microcarriers: Surface-initiated ATRP synthesis and characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Çakmak, Soner; Çakmak, Anıl S.; Gümüşderelioğlu, Menemşe

2013-01-01

In this study, we developed novel thermoresponsive microcarriers as a powerful tool for cell culture and tissue engineering applications. For this purpose, two types of commercially available spherical microparticles (approximately 100 μm in diameter), dextran-based Sephadex® and vinyl acetate-based VA-OH (Biosynth®), were used and themoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) was grafted to the beads' surfaces by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP). Initially, hydroxyl groups of microbeads were reacted with 2-bromopropionyl bromide to form ATRP macroinitiator. Then, NIPAAm was successfully polymerized from the initiator attached microbeads by ATRP with CuBr/2,2′-dipyridyl, catalyst complex. Furthermore, grafted and ungrafted microbeads were characterized by attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA). The results of characterization studies confirmed that PNIPAAm was successfully grafted onto both dextran and vinyl acetate-based beads by means of ATRP reaction and thus, grafted microbeads gained thermoresponsive characteristics which will be evaluated for cell harvesting in further studies. Highlights: • PNIPAAm was grafted to the hydroxyl group carrying polymer beads by SI-ATRP. • Dex-g-PNIPAAm and VA-OH-g-PNIPAAm beads exhibited thermoresponsive characteristics. • They are appropriate candidates for microcarrier-facilitated cell cultures

Characterization of Pectin Nanocoatings at Polystyrene and Titanium Surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gurzawska, Katarzyna; Dirscherl, Kai; Yihua, Yu

2013-01-01

. To characterize, compare and visualize the surface nanocoatings measurements of contact angle measurements and surface roughness with atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and confocal microscopy was performed. We found that, both unmodified and enzymatic modified RG-Is influenced surface...

An expert system to characterize the surface morphological properties according to their functionalities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bigerelle, M; Mathia, T; Iost, A; Correvits, T; Anselme, K

2011-01-01

In this paper we propose a new methodology to characterize the morphological properties of a surface in relation with its functionality (tribological properties, surface coating adhesion, brightness, wettability...). We create a software based on experimental design and surface profile recording. Using an appropriate database structure, the roughness parameters are automatically computed at different scales. The surface files are saved in a hard disk directory and roughness parameters are computed at different scales. Finally, a statistical analysis system proposes the roughness parameter (or the pair of roughness parameters) that better describe(s) the functionality of the surface and the spatial scales at which the parameter(s) is (are) the more relevant.

An expert system to characterize the surface morphological properties according to their functionalities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bigerelle, M [Laboratoire Roberval, UMR 6253, UTC/CNRS, UTC Centre de Recherches de Royallieu BP 20529, 60205 Compiegne France stol BS1 6BE (United Kingdom); Mathia, T [Laboratoire de Tribologie et Dynamique des Systemes, UMR 5513, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, 36 Av Guy de Collongue, 69134 Ecully Cedex (France); Iost, A [Laboratoire de Mecanique de Lille, UMR CNRS 8107, Arts et Metiers ParisTech - Lille, 8, boulevard Louis XIV 59046 Lille (France); Correvits, T [Laboratoire de Metrologie. Arts et Metiers ParisTech, ENSAM, 8 boulevard Louis XIV, 59046 LILLE Cedex (France); Anselme, K, E-mail: maxence.bigerelle@utc.fr [Institut De Sciences Des Materiaux De Mulhouse, CNRS LRC 7228, 15, rue Jean Starcky, Universite De Haute-Alsace, BP 2488, 68057 Mulhouse (France)

2011-08-19

In this paper we propose a new methodology to characterize the morphological properties of a surface in relation with its functionality (tribological properties, surface coating adhesion, brightness, wettability...). We create a software based on experimental design and surface profile recording. Using an appropriate database structure, the roughness parameters are automatically computed at different scales. The surface files are saved in a hard disk directory and roughness parameters are computed at different scales. Finally, a statistical analysis system proposes the roughness parameter (or the pair of roughness parameters) that better describe(s) the functionality of the surface and the spatial scales at which the parameter(s) is (are) the more relevant.

Surface modification and characterization of basalt fibers as potential reinforcement of concretes

Science.gov (United States)

Iorio, M.; Santarelli, M. L.; González-Gaitano, G.; González-Benito, J.

2018-01-01

Basalt fibers were surface treated with silane coupling agents as a method to enhance the adhesion and durability of fiber-matrix interfaces in concrete based composite materials. In particular, this work has been focused on the study of basalt fibers chemical coatings with aminosilanes and their subsequent characterization. Surface treatments were carried out after removing the original sizing applied by manufacturer and pretreating them with an activation process of surface silanol regeneration. Different samples were considered to make convenient comparisons: as received fibers (commercial), calcinated fibers (without commercial sizing), activated samples (calcinated fibers subjected to an acid process for hydroxyl regeneration), and silanized fibers with γ-aminopropiltriethoxysilane, γ-aminopropilmethyldiethoxysilane and a mixture of 50% by weight of both silanes. A deep characterization was carried out in terms of structure using X-ray diffraction, XRD, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, FTIR, thermal properties by thermogravimetric analysis, TGA, coupled with single differential thermal analysis, SDTA, and morphology by scanning electron microscopy, SEM, and atomic force microscopy, AFM.

Acid/base bifunctional carbonaceous nanomaterial with large surface area: Preparation, characterization, and adsorption properties for cationic and anionic compounds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Kai; Ma, Chun–Fang; Ling, Yuan; Li, Meng [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Material Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074 (China); Gao, Qiang, E-mail: gaoqiang@cug.edu.cn [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Material Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074 (China); Engineering Research Center of Nano-Geo Materials of Ministry of Education, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074 (China); Luo, Wen–Jun, E-mail: heartnohome@yahoo.com.cn [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Material Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074 (China)

2015-07-15

Nanostructured carbonaceous materials are extremely important in the nano field, yet developing simple, mild, and “green” methods that can make such materials possess large surface area and rich functional groups on their surfaces still remains a considerable challenge. Herein, a one-pot and environment-friendly method, i.e., thermal treatment (180 °C; 18 h) of water mixed with glucose and chitosan (CTS), has been proposed. The resultant carbonaceous nanomaterials were characterized by field emitting scanning electron microscope, N{sub 2} adsorption/desorption, Fourier transform infrared spectroscope, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and zeta-potential analysis. It was found that, in contrast to the conventional hydrothermally carbonized product from pure glucose, with low surface area (9.3 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}) and pore volume (0.016 cm{sup 3} g{sup −1}), the CTS-added carbonaceous products showed satisfactory textural parameters (surface area and pore volume up to 254 m{sup 2} g{sup −1} and 0.701 cm{sup 3} g{sup −1}, respectively). Moreover, it was also interestingly found that these CTS-added carbonaceous products possessed both acidic (–COOH) and basic (–NH{sub 2}) groups on their surfaces. Taking the advantages of large surface area and –COOH/–NH{sub 2} bifunctional surface, the carbonaceous nanomaterials exhibited excellent performance for adsorptions of cationic compound (i.e., methylene blue) at pH 10 and anionic compound (i.e., acid red 18) at pH 2, respectively. This work not only provides a simple and green route to prepare acid/base bifunctional carbonaceous nanomaterials with large surface area but also well demonstrates their potential for application in adsorption. - Highlights: • A simple and green method was proposed to prepare carbon nanomaterials. • The carbon product showed acid/base bifunctional surface with large surface area. • The carbon material could efficiently adsorb both cationic and anionic compounds.

Investigation on the micromilled surface characterization through replica technology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baruffi, Federico; Parenti, P.; Cacciatore, F.

2016-01-01

for the indirect measurement of micromilled surfaces, characterized by submicrometer roughness levels. The study assesses the performance of the replication method by measuring the surface roughness (in terms of Sa) of specifically designed micromilled flat surfaces. A 3D confocal optical microscope is employed...

Hydrothermal synthesis and characterization of zirconia based catalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Caillot, T.; Salama, Z.; Chanut, N.; Cadete Santos Aires, F. J.; Bennici, S.; Auroux, A.

2013-07-01

In this work, three equimolar mixed oxides ZrO2/CeO2, ZrO2/TiO2, ZrO2/La2O3 and a reference ZrO2 have been synthesized by hydrothermal method. The structural and surface properties of these materials have been fully characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, surface area measurement, chemical analysis, XPS, infrared spectroscopy after adsorption of pyridine and adsorption microcalorimetry of NH3 and SO2 probe molecules. All investigated mixed oxides are amphoteric and possess redox centers on their surface. Moreover, hydrothermal synthesis leads to catalysts with higher surface area and with better acid-base properties than classical coprecipitation method. Both Lewis and Brønsted acid sites are present on the surface of the mixed oxides. Compared to the other samples, the ZrO2/TiO2 material appears to be the best candidate for further application in acid-base catalysis.

Facile creation of bio-inspired superhydrophobic Ce-based metallic glass surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Kesong; Li, Zhou; Wang, Weihua; Jiang, Lei

2011-12-01

A bio-inspired synthesis strategy was conducted to fabricate superhydrophobic Ce-based bulk metallic glass (BMG) surfaces with self-cleaning properties. Micro-nanoscale hierarchical structures were first constructed on BMG surfaces and then modified with the low surface energy coating. Surface structures, surface chemical compositions, and wettability were characterized by combining scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and contact angle measurements. Research indicated that both surface multiscale structures and the low surface free energy coating result in the final formation of superhydrophobicity.

Spinorial characterizations of surfaces into 3-dimensional psuedo-Riemannian space forms

OpenAIRE

Lawn , Marie-Amélie; Roth , Julien

2011-01-01

9 pages; We give a spinorial characterization of isometrically immersed surfaces of arbitrary signature into 3-dimensional pseudo-Riemannian space forms. For Lorentzian surfaces, this generalizes a recent work of the first author in $\\mathbb{R}^{2,1}$ to other Lorentzian space forms. We also characterize immersions of Riemannian surfaces in these spaces. From this we can deduce analogous results for timelike immersions of Lorentzian surfaces in space forms of corresponding signature, as well ...

Surface spectroscopic characterization of a model methane-activation catalyst

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, J.G.; Weisel, M.D.; Hoffmann, F.M.; Hall, R.B.

1992-01-01

In an effort to understand the details concerning the alkali-promoted selectivity for the oxidative coupling of methane, the authors have carried out a detailed characterization of a model K/NiO/Ni(100) catalyst under well-controlled, ultrahigh vacuum conditions. The authors' systematic approach involved the following procedures: detailed investigation of the formation and structure of NiO on a clean Ni(100) surface; spectroscopic characterization of K-doped NiO by in situ deposition of potassium onto well-characterized NiO/Ni(100) substrate; and determination of the reactivities of NiO/Ni(100) and K/NiO/Ni(100) towards H 2 and CH 4 . In this paper, the authors will use the model K/NiO/Ni(100) system as an example to demonstrate that a detailed, complementary characterization of the model catalyst could best be achieved by using a combination of a variety of surface techniques: The methods of HREELS, LEED, XPS and AES could be applied to obtain properties on and near the surface regions; the technique of FYNES, being a photon-in/photon-out method could be utilized to investigate the bulk properties up to 2000 Angstrom below the surface; the method of FTIR using CO as a probing molecule is, on the other hand, sensitive only to the properties of the top-most surface layer. The result is to be presented in this paper will be mainly those obtained by using the two vibrational spectroscopies (HREELS and FTIR). Results from other surface techniques will also be discussed or presented when they provide additional information to the vibrational data

In-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterization of Si interlayer based surface passivation process for AlGaAs/GaAs quantum wire transistors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akazawa, Masamichi; Hasegawa, Hideki; Jia, Rui [Research Center for Integrated Quantum Electronics and Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Hokkaido University, N-13, W-8, Sapporo 060-8628 (Japan)

2007-04-15

Detailed properties of the Si interface control layer (Si ICL)-based surface passivation structure are characterized by in-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) in an ultra-high vacuum multi-chamber system. Si ICLs were grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on GaAs and AlGaAs(001) and (111)B surfaces, and were partially converted to SiN{sub x} by nitrogen radical beam. Freshly MBE-grown clean GaAs and AlGaAs surfaces showed strong Fermi level pinning. Large shifts of the surface Fermi level position corresponding to reduction of pinning took place after Si ICL growth, particularly on (111)B surface (around 500 meV). However, subsequent surface nitridation increased pinning again. Then, a significant reduction of pinning was obtained by changing SiN{sub x} to silicon oxynitride by intentional air-exposure and subsequent annealing. This has led to realization of a stable passivation structure with an ultrathin oxynitride/Si ICL structure which prevented subcutaneous oxidation during further device processing under air-exposure. The Si-ICL-based passivation process was applied to surface passivation of quantum wire (QWR) transistors where anomalously large side-gating phenomenon was completely eliminated. (copyright 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Synthesis, surface characterization and optical properties of 3

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

3-Thiopropionic acid (TPA) capped ZnS:Cu nanocrystals have been successfully synthesized by simple aqueous method. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies revealed the particle size to be 4.2 nm. Surface characterization of the nanocrystals by FTIR spectroscopy has been done and the structure for surface bound TPA ...

Characterization of metal additive manufacturing surfaces using synchrotron X-ray CT and micromechanical modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Kantzos, C. A.; Cunningham, R. W.; Tari, V.; Rollett, A. D.

2018-05-01

Characterizing complex surface topologies is necessary to understand stress concentrations created by rough surfaces, particularly those made via laser power-bed additive manufacturing (AM). Synchrotron-based X-ray microtomography (μ XCT) of AM surfaces was shown to provide high resolution detail of surface features and near-surface porosity. Using the CT reconstructions to instantiate a micromechanical model indicated that surface notches and near-surface porosity both act as stress concentrators, while adhered powder carried little to no load. Differences in powder size distribution had no direct effect on the relevant surface features, nor on stress concentrations. Conventional measurements of surface roughness, which are highly influenced by adhered powder, are therefore unlikely to contain the information relevant to damage accumulation and crack initiation.

Surface characterization of Ag/Titania adsorbents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samokhvalov, Alexander; Nair, Sachin; Duin, Evert C.; Tatarchuk, Bruce J.

2010-01-01

The Ag/Titania adsorbent for selective removal of the desulfurization-refractive polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles (PASHs) from liquid hydrocarbon fuels was prepared, its total and the Ag specific surface area were determined and the surface reaction sites in the sorbent that may be active in the adsorptive selective desulfurization were characterized by several spectroscopic and surface science techniques. The sorbent contains Ag, Ti, O and spurious C on its surface, as by the XPS measurements. Silver is present as an oxide, as judged by the XPS Auger parameter (AP). The complementary electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy confirms that the majority of Ag is present in the diamagnetic Ag 1+ form, with the minor concentration (∼0.1% of total Ag) present as Ag 2+ . The findings by XPS and ESR are confirmed by the XRD, UV-vis spectroscopy and thermodynamic considerations. The supported Ag is highly dispersed on the surface of the titania support, with the particle size of ∼30-60 A depending on Ag content, with an Ag specific surface area of ∼7-14 m 2 /g, vs. the total surface area of ∼114-58 m 2 /g.

Theoretical Study on Synchronous Characterization of Surface and Interfacial Mechanical Properties of Thin-Film/Substrate Systems with Residual Stress Based on Pressure Blister Test Technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhi-xin Yang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In this study, based on the pressure blister test technique, a theoretical study on the synchronous characterization of surface and interfacial mechanical properties of thin-film/substrate systems with residual stress was presented, where the problem of axisymmetric deformation of a blistering film with initial stress was analytically solved and its closed-form solution was presented. The expressions to determine Poisson’s ratios, Young’s modulus, and residual stress of surface thin films were derived; the work done by the applied external load and the elastic energy stored in the blistering thin film were analyzed in detail and their expressions were derived; and the interfacial adhesion energy released per unit delamination area of thin-film/substrate (i.e., energy release rate was finally presented. The synchronous characterization technique presented here has theoretically made a big step forward, due to the consideration for the residual stress in surface thin films.

NMR characterization of hydrocarbon adsorption on calcite surfaces: A first principles study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bevilaqua, Rochele C. A.; Miranda, Caetano R. [Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, UFABC, Santo André, SP (Brazil); Rigo, Vagner A. [Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, UFABC, Santo André, SP (Brazil); Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, UTFPR, Cornélio Procópio, PR (Brazil); Veríssimo-Alves, Marcos [Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, UFABC, Santo André, SP (Brazil); Departamento de Física, ICEx, Universidade Federal Fluminense, UFF, Volta Redonda, RJ (Brazil)

2014-11-28

The electronic and coordination environment of minerals surfaces, as calcite, are very difficult to characterize experimentally. This is mainly due to the fact that there are relatively few spectroscopic techniques able to detect Ca{sup 2+}. Since calcite is a major constituent of sedimentary rocks in oil reservoir, a more detailed characterization of the interaction between hydrocarbon molecules and mineral surfaces is highly desirable. Here we perform a first principles study on the adsorption of hydrocarbon molecules on calcite surface (CaCO{sub 3} (101{sup ¯}4)). The simulations were based on Density Functional Theory with Solid State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (SS-NMR) calculations. The Gauge-Including Projector Augmented Wave method was used to compute mainly SS-NMR parameters for {sup 43}Ca, {sup 13}C, and {sup 17}O in calcite surface. It was possible to assign the peaks in the theoretical NMR spectra for all structures studied. Besides showing different chemical shifts for atoms located on different environments (bulk and surface) for calcite, the results also display changes on the chemical shift, mainly for Ca sites, when the hydrocarbon molecules are present. Even though the interaction of the benzene molecule with the calcite surface is weak, there is a clearly distinguishable displacement of the signal of the Ca sites over which the hydrocarbon molecule is located. A similar effect is also observed for hexane adsorption. Through NMR spectroscopy, we show that aromatic and alkane hydrocarbon molecules adsorbed on carbonate surfaces can be differentiated.

Characterization of a Laser Surface-Treated Martensitic Stainless Steel.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Sayed, S R; Hussein, A A; Nofal, A A; Hassab Elnaby, S I; Elgazzar, H

2017-05-29

Laser surface treatment was carried out on AISI 416 machinable martensitic stainless steel containing 0.225 wt.% sulfur. Nd:YAG laser with a 2.2-KW continuous wave was used. The aim was to compare the physical and chemical properties achieved by this type of selective surface treatment with those achieved by the conventional treatment. Laser power of different values (700 and 1000 W) with four corresponding different laser scanning speeds (0.5, 1, 2, and 3 m•min-1) was adopted to reach the optimum conditions for impact toughness, wear, and corrosion resistance for laser heat treated (LHT) samples. The 0 °C impact energy of LHT samples indicated higher values compared to the conventionally heat treated (CHT) samples. This was accompanied by the formation of a hard surface layer and a soft interior base metal. Microhardness was studied to determine the variation of hardness values with respect to the depth under the treated surface. The wear resistance at the surface was enhanced considerably. Microstructure examination was characterized using optical and scanning electron microscopes. The corrosion behavior of the LHT samples was also studied and its correlation with the microstructures was determined. The corrosion data was obtained in 3.5% NaCl solution at room temperature by means of a potentiodynamic polarization technique.

Spinorial Characterizations of Surfaces into 3-dimensional Pseudo-Riemannian Space Forms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lawn, Marie-Amélie; Roth, Julien

2011-01-01

We give a spinorial characterization of isometrically immersed surfaces of arbitrary signature into 3-dimensional pseudo-Riemannian space forms. This generalizes a recent work of the first author for spacelike immersed Lorentzian surfaces in ℝ 2,1 to other Lorentzian space forms. We also characterize immersions of Riemannian surfaces in these spaces. From this we can deduce analogous results for timelike immersions of Lorentzian surfaces in space forms of corresponding signature, as well as for spacelike and timelike immersions of surfaces of signature (0, 2), hence achieving a complete spinorial description for this class of pseudo-Riemannian immersions.

Characterization of metallic surfaces in phosphorous-bronze ordered packings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandru, Claudia; Titescu, Gh.

1997-01-01

Copper and its alloys, particularly the phosphorous bronze, are characterized by a high water wettability as compared with other materials. This feature led to utilization of phosphorous bronze in fabrication of contact elements, a packing type equipping the distillation columns. For heavy water separation by isotopic distillation under vacuum, ordered packings of phosphorous bronze networks were fabricated. The superior performances of these packings are determined by the material and also by the geometrical form and the state of the metallic surface. Thus, a procedure of evaluating the wettability has been developed, based on tests of the network material. The results of the tests constitute a criterion of rating the functional performances of packings, particularly of their efficiencies. Also, investigation techniques of the chemical composition and of the thickness of superficial layer on the packing were developed. It was found that the packing surface presents a layer of about 5-20 μm formed mainly by oxides of copper, tin, and, depending on the packing treatment, of oxides of other elements coming from the treatment agent. The paper presents characterization of phosphorous bronze treated with potassium permanganate, a specific treatment for improving the functional performances of the packings used in the heavy water concentration and re-concentration installations

Surface science tools for nanomaterials characterization

CERN Document Server

2015-01-01

Fourth volume of a 40volume series on nano science and nanotechnology, edited by the renowned scientist Challa S.S.R. Kumar. This handbook gives a comprehensive overview about Surface Science Tools for Nanomaterials Characterization. Modern applications and state-of-the-art techniques are covered and make this volume an essential reading for research scientists in academia and industry.

Analysis of atomic force microscopy data for surface characterization using fuzzy logic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Mousa, Amjed; Niemann, Darrell L.; Niemann, Devin J.; Gunther, Norman G.; Rahman, Mahmud

2011-01-01

In this paper we present a methodology to characterize surface nanostructures of thin films. The methodology identifies and isolates nanostructures using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) data and extracts quantitative information, such as their size and shape. The fuzzy logic based methodology relies on a Fuzzy Inference Engine (FIE) to classify the data points as being top, bottom, uphill, or downhill. The resulting data sets are then further processed to extract quantitative information about the nanostructures. In the present work we introduce a mechanism which can consistently distinguish crowded surfaces from those with sparsely distributed structures and present an omni-directional search technique to improve the structural recognition accuracy. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach we present a case study which uses our approach to quantitatively identify particle sizes of two specimens each with a unique gold nanoparticle size distribution. - Research Highlights: → A Fuzzy logic analysis technique capable of characterizing AFM images of thin films. → The technique is applicable to different surfaces regardless of their densities. → Fuzzy logic technique does not require manual adjustment of the algorithm parameters. → The technique can quantitatively capture differences between surfaces. → This technique yields more realistic structure boundaries compared to other methods.

Characterization of the intrinsic density profiles for liquid surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chacon, Enrique; Tarazona, Pedro

2005-01-01

This paper presents recent advances in the characterization of the intrinsic structures in computer simulations of liquid surfaces. The use of operational definitions for the intrinsic surface, associated with each molecular configuration of a liquid slab, gives direct access to the intrinsic profile and to the wavevector dependent surface tension. However, the characteristics of these functions depend on the definition used for the intrinsic surface. We discuss the pathologies associated with a local Gibbs dividing surface definition, and consider the alternative definition of a minimal area surface, going though a set of surface pivots, self-consistently chosen to represent the first liquid layer

Characterization of technical surfaces by structure function analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Kalms, Michael; Kreis, Thomas; Bergmann, Ralf B.

2018-03-01

The structure function is a tool for characterizing technical surfaces that exhibits a number of advantages over Fourierbased analysis methods. So it is optimally suited for analyzing the height distributions of surfaces measured by full-field non-contacting methods. The structure function is thus a useful method to extract global or local criteria like e. g. periodicities, waviness, lay, or roughness to analyze and evaluate technical surfaces. After the definition of line- and area-structure function and offering effective procedures for their calculation this paper presents examples using simulated and measured data of technical surfaces including aircraft parts.

On-Surface Synthesis and Characterization of Honeycombene Oligophenylene Macrocycles.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Min; Shang, Jian; Wang, Yongfeng; Wu, Kai; Kuttner, Julian; Hilt, Gerhard; Hieringer, Wolfgang; Gottfried, J Michael

2017-01-24

We report the on-surface formation and characterization of [30]-honeycombene, a cyclotriacontaphenylene, which consists of 30 phenyl rings (C 180 H 120 ) and has a diameter of 4.0 nm. This shape-persistent, conjugated, and unsubstituted hexagonal hydrocarbon macrocycle was obtained by solvent-free synthesis on a silver (111) single-crystal surface, making solubility-enhancing alkyl side groups unnecessary. Side products include strained macrocycles with square, pentagonal, and heptagonal shape. The molecules were characterized by scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. On the Ag(111) surface, the macrocycles act as molecular quantum corrals and lead to the confinement of surface-state electrons inside the central cavity. The energy of the confined surface state correlates with the size of the macrocycle and is well described by a particle-in-the-box model. Tunneling spectroscopy suggests conjugation within the planar rings and reveals influences of self-assembly on the electronic structure. While the adsorbed molecules appear to be approximately planar, the free molecules have nonplanar conformation, according to DFT.

Characterization of a Laser Surface-Treated Martensitic Stainless Steel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S.R. Al-Sayed

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Laser surface treatment was carried out on AISI 416 machinable martensitic stainless steel containing 0.225 wt.% sulfur. Nd:YAG laser with a 2.2-KW continuous wave was used. The aim was to compare the physical and chemical properties achieved by this type of selective surface treatment with those achieved by the conventional treatment. Laser power of different values (700 and 1000 W with four corresponding different laser scanning speeds (0.5, 1, 2, and 3 m•min−1 was adopted to reach the optimum conditions for impact toughness, wear, and corrosion resistance for laser heat treated (LHT samples. The 0 °C impact energy of LHT samples indicated higher values compared to the conventionally heat treated (CHT samples. This was accompanied by the formation of a hard surface layer and a soft interior base metal. Microhardness was studied to determine the variation of hardness values with respect to the depth under the treated surface. The wear resistance at the surface was enhanced considerably. Microstructure examination was characterized using optical and scanning electron microscopes. The corrosion behavior of the LHT samples was also studied and its correlation with the microstructures was determined. The corrosion data was obtained in 3.5% NaCl solution at room temperature by means of a potentiodynamic polarization technique.

Characterization of complementary electric field coupled resonant surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Hand, Thomas H.; Gollub, Jonah; Sajuyigbe, Soji; Smith, David R.; Cummer, Steven A.

2008-11-01

We present angle-resolved free-space transmission and reflection measurements of a surface composed of complementary electric inductive-capacitive (CELC) resonators. By measuring the reflection and transmission coefficients of a CELC surface with different polarizations and particle orientations, we show that the CELC only responds to in-plane magnetic fields. This confirms the Babinet particle duality between the CELC and its complement, the electric field coupled LC resonator. Characterization of the CELC structure serves to expand the current library of resonant elements metamaterial designers can draw upon to make unique materials and surfaces.

Surface properties of copper based cermet materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voinea, M.; Vladuta, C.; Bogatu, C.; Duta, A.

2008-01-01

The paper presents the characterization of the surface properties of copper based cermets obtained by two different techniques: spray pyrolysis deposition (SPD) and electrodeposition. Copper acetate was used as precursor of Cu/CuO x cermet. The surface morphology was tailored by adding copolymers of maleic anhydride with controlled hydrophobia. The films morphology of Cu/CuO x was assessed using contact angle measurements and AFM analysis. The porous structures obtained via SPD lead to higher liquid adsorption rate than the electrodeposited films. A highly polar liquid - water is recommended as testing liquid in contact angle measurements, for estimating the porosity of copper based cermets, while glycerol can be used to distinguish among ionic and metal predominant structures. Thus, contact angle measurements can be used for a primary evaluation of the films morphology and, on the other hand, of the ratio between the cermet components

Surface characterization of silver and palladium modified glassy ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

WINTEC

The morphology of metal coatings was characterized by ... face of sample containing the highest quantity of surface oxide complexes. It has been concluded that ..... Environment Protection of the Republic of Serbia for financial support.

Microstructural characterization of Ni-based self-fluxing alloy after selective surface-engineering using diode laser

Science.gov (United States)

Chun, Eun-Joon; Park, Changkyoo; Nishikawa, Hiroshi; Kim, Min-Su

2018-06-01

The microstructural characterization of thermal-sprayed Ni-based self-fluxing alloy (Metco-16C®) after laser-assisted homogenization treatment was performed. To this end, a high-power diode laser system was used. This supported the real-time control of the target homogenization temperature at the substrate surface. Non-homogeneities of the macrosegregation of certain elements (C and Cu) and the local concentration of Cr-based carbides and borides in certain regions in the as-sprayed state could be enhanced with the application of homogenization. After homogenization at 1423 K, the hardness of the thermal-sprayed layer was found to have increased by 1280 HV from the as-sprayed state (750 HV). At this homogenization temperature, the microstructure of the thermal-sprayed layer consisted of a lamellar structuring of the matrix phase (austenite and Ni3Si) with fine (<5 μm) carbides and borides (the rod-like phase of Cr5B3, the lumpy phase of M23C6, and the extra-fine phase of M7C3). Despite the formation of several kinds of carbides and borides during homogenization at 1473 K, the lowest hardness level was found to be less than that of the as-sprayed state, because of the liquid-state homogenization treatment without formation of lamellar structuring between austenite and Ni3Si.

Micro- and nanoscale characterization of hydrophobic and hydrophilic leaf surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhushan, Bharat; Jung, Yong Chae

2006-01-01

Superhydrophobic surfaces as well as low adhesion and friction are desirable for various industrial applications. Certain plant leaves are known to be hydrophobic in nature due to their roughness and the presence of a thin wax film on the surface of the leaf. The purpose of this study is to fully characterize the leaf surfaces on the micro- and nanoscale while separating out the effects of the micro- and the nanobumps of hydrophobic leaves on the hydrophobicity. Hydrophilic leaves were also studied to better understand the role of wax and roughness. Furthermore, the adhesion and friction properties of hydrophobic and hydrophilic leaves were studied. Using an optical profiler and an atomic/friction force microscope (AFM/FFM), measurements were made to fully characterize the leaf surfaces. It is shown that the nanobumps play a more important role than the microbumps in the hydrophobic nature as well as friction of the leaf. This study will be useful in developing superhydrophobic surfaces

Characterizing Surfaces of the Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Ilmenite with Scanning Probe Microcopies

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkins, R.; Powell, Kirk St. A.

1997-01-01

Ilmenite (FeTiO3) is a wide bandgap semiconductor with an energy gap of about 2.5eV. Initial radiation studies indicate that ilmenite has properties suited for radiation tolerant applications, as well as a variety of other electronic applications. Two scanning probe microscopy methods have been used to characterize the surface of samples taken from Czochralski grown single crystals. The two methods, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), are based on different physical principles and therefore provide different information about the samples. AFM provides a direct, three-dimensional image of the surface of the samples, while STM give a convolution of topographic and electronic properties of the surface. We will discuss the differences between the methods and present preliminary data of each method for ilmenite samples.

Evaluation of shot peened surfaces using characterization technique of three-dimensional surface topography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurokawa, S; Ariura, Y

2005-01-01

Objective parameters to characterize global topography of three-dimensional surfaces have been derived. The idea of this evaluation is to separate the topography into two global form deviations and residual ones according to the degree of curved surfaces. A shot peened Almen strip is measured by profilometer and concrete parameters of inclination and circular-arc shaped global topography are extracted using the characterization technique. The arc height is calculated using the circular arc-shaped part and compared with a value measured by an Almen gauge. The relation between the coverage and roughness parameters is also investigated. The advantage of this evaluation is that it is possible to determine the arc height and the coverage at the same time from single measured topography. In addition, human error can be excluded from measurement results. This method has the wide application in the field of measurement

Facile fabrication of iron-based superhydrophobic surfaces via electric corrosion without bath

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Qinghe [College of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116 (China); Liu, Hongtao, E-mail: liuht100@126.com [College of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116 (China); Chen, Tianchi [College of Mechanical & Electrical Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116 (China); Wei, Yan; Wei, Zhu [College of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116 (China)

2016-04-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • This paper investigates the fabrication techniques towards superhydrophobic surface on carbon steel substrate via electric corrosion without a bath. • It has a vital significance to the industrialization of the fabrication of superhydrophobic surface on hard metal due to the advantages such as low cost, high efficiency, can be prepared in a large area, easy to construct in the field. • The preparation approach is so facile and time-saving that it delivers an opportunity to construct a superhydrophobic surface on carbon steel substrate and provides the feasibility for industrial application of superhydrophobic surface. • The as-prepared surface has many excellent properties, like low adhesive property, anti-corrosion ability, mechanical durability and anti-icing performance. - Abstract: Superhydrophobic surface is of wide application in the field of catalysis, lubrication, waterproof, biomedical materials, etc. The superhydrophobic surface based on hard metal is worth further study due to its advantages of high strength and wear resistance. This paper investigates the fabrication techniques towards superhydrophobic surface on carbon steel substrate via electric corrosion and studies the properties of as-prepared superhydrophobic surface. The hydrophobic properties were characterized by a water sliding angle (SA) and a water contact angle (CA) measured by the Surface tension instrument. A Scanning electron microscope was used to analyze the structure of the corrosion surface. The surface compositions were characterized by an Energy Dispersive Spectrum. The Electrochemical workstation was used to measure its anti-corrosion property. The anti-icing performance was characterized by a steam-freezing test in Environmental testing chamber. The SiC sandpaper and 500 g weight were used to test the friction property. The research result shows that the superhydrophobic surface can be successfully fabricated by electrocorrosion on

Characterization and robust filtering of multifunctional surfaces using ISO standards

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Friis, Kasper Storgaard; Godi, Alessandro; De Chiffre, Leonardo

2011-01-01

Engineered surfaces containing lubrication pockets and directional surface texture can decrease wear and friction in sliding or rolling contacts. A new generation of multifunctional (MUFU) surfaces has been created by hard machining followed by robot-assisted polishing. The production method allows...... for a large degree of freedom in specifying surface topography defined by frequency, depth and volume of the lubricant retention valleys, as well as the amount of load bearing area and the surface roughness. The surfaces cannot readily be characterized by means of conventional roughness parameters due...

Laser-based characterization and decontamination of contaminated facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leong, K.H.; Hunter, B.V.; Grace, J.E.; Pellin, M.J.; Leidich, H.F.; Kugler, T.R.

1996-01-01

This study examines the application of laser ablation to the characterization and decontamination of painted and unpainted concrete and metal surfaces that are typical of many facilities within the US Department of Energy complex. The utility of this promising technology is reviewed and the essential requirements for efficient ablation extracted. Recent data obtained on the ablation of painted steel surfaces and concrete are presented. The affects of beam irradiance, ablation speed and efficiency, and characteristics of the aerosol effluent are discussed. Characterization of the ablated components of the surface offers the ability of concurrent determination of the level of contamination. This concept can be applied online where the ablation endpoint can be determined. A conceptual system for the characterization and decontamination of surfaces is proposed

Microstructural evolution and surface properties of nanostructured Cu-based alloy by ultrasonic nanocrystalline surface modification technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amanov, Auezhan, E-mail: amanov_a@yahoo.com [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sun Moon University, Asan 336-708 (Korea, Republic of); Cho, In-Sik [R& D Group, Mbrosia Co., Ltd., Asan 336-708 (Korea, Republic of); Pyun, Young-Sik [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sun Moon University, Asan 336-708 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-12-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A nanostructured surface was produced by UNSM technique. • Porosities were eliminated from the surface by UNSM technique. • Extremely high hardness obtained at the top surface after UNSM treatment. • Friction and wear behavior was improved by UNSM technique. • Resistance to scratch behavior was improved by UNSM technique. - Abstract: A nanostructured surface layer with a thickness of about 180 μm was successfully produced in Cu-based alloy using an ultrasonic nanocrystalline surface modification (UNSM) technique. Cu-based alloy was sintered onto low carbon steel using a powder metallurgy (P/M) method. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) characterization revealed that the severe plastic deformation introduced by UNSM technique resulted in nano-sized grains in the topmost surface layer and deformation twins. It was also found by atomic force microscope (AFM) observations that the UNSM technique provides a significant reduction in number of interconnected pores. The effectiveness of nanostructured surface layer on the tribological and micro-scratch properties of Cu-based alloy specimens was investigated using a ball-on-disk tribometer and micro-scratch tester, respectively. Results exhibited that the UNSM-treated specimen led to an improvement in tribological and micro-scratch properties compared to that of the sintered specimen, which may be attributed to the presence of nanostructured surface layer having an increase in surface hardness and reduction in surface roughness. The findings from this study are expected to be implemented to the automotive industry, in particular connected rod bearings and bushings in order to increase the efficiency and performance of internal combustion engines (ICEs).

Map of natural gamma radiation in Spain: radiometric characterization of different types of surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suarez Mahou, E.; Fernandez Amigot, J.A.; Botas Medina, J.

1997-01-01

The gamma radioactivity flowing from ground and rocks is due to the presence in these of uranium, thorium and potassium-40. The method of radiometric characterization depends on the purpose of the undertaking. Radiometric characterization can be realized on big surfaces (tens or hundreds of square kilometres studied on a national scale), medium size surfaces (50 to 1000 square kilometres, for example, in epidemiological or biological studies in areas with a determined radiometric background) small surfaces of less than 50 square kilometres (industrial sites, pre-operational studies, etc.). This article considers aspects of radiometric characterization on surfaces of interest and describes the contribution of the MARNA (Natural Provisional Radiation Map of Spain) Project selection and radiometric characterization

Surface characterization of pretreated and microbial-treated populus cross-sections

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tolbert, Allison K. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2017-05-01

The first objective of this thesis is to illustrate the advantages of surface characterization in biomass utilization studies. The second objective is to gain insight into the workings of potential consolidated bioprocessing microorganisms on the surface of poplar samples. The third objective is to determine the impact biomass recalcitrance has on enzymatic hydrolysis and microbial fermentation in relation to the surface chemistry.

Characterization of Polymer Surfaces by the Use of Different Wetting Theories Regarding Acid-Base Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduard Kraus

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The existing wetting methods for the determination of acid-base properties on solid surfaces are discussed. Striving for a better understanding of the adhesive polymer interactions in adhesively joined polymers, the methods of Berger and van Oss-Chaudhury-Good were found as the most suitable methods for the investigation of wetting on solid polymer surfaces. Methods of nonlinear systems by Della Volpe and Siboni were adapted and evaluated on plastic surfaces. In the context of these investigations various data of the surface free energy as well as its components have been identified for a number of polymer surfaces by application of spatial equation solutions.

Characterization of Nanodiamond-based anti-HIV drug Delivery to the Brain.

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, Upal; Drozd, Vadym; Durygin, Andriy; Rodriguez, Jesse; Barber, Paul; Atluri, Venkata; Liu, Xiaohua; Voss, Thomas G; Saxena, Surendra; Nair, Madhavan

2018-01-25

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Present combination antiretroviral therapy has substantially improved HIV-1 related pathology. However, delivery of therapeutic agents to the HIV reservoir organ like Central nervous system (CNS) remains a major challenge primarily due to the ineffective transmigration of drugs through Blood Brain Barrier (BBB). The recent advent of nanomedicine-based drug delivery has stimulated the development of innovative systems for drug delivery. In this regard, particular focus has been given to nanodiamond due to its natural biocompatibility and non-toxic nature-making it a more efficient drug carrier than other carbon-based materials. Considering its potential and importance, we have characterized unmodified and surface-modified (-COOH and -NH 2 ) nanodiamond for its capacity to load the anti-HIV-1 drug efavirenz and cytotoxicity, in vitro. Overall, our study has established that unmodified nanodiamond conjugated drug formulation has significantly higher drug loading capacity than surface-modified nanodiamond with minimum toxicity. Further, this nanodrug formulation was characterized by its drug dissolution profile, transmigration through the BBB, and its therapeutic efficacy. The present biological characterizations provide a foundation for further study of in-vivo pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of nanodiamond-based anti-HIV drugs.

Functional properties of bio-inspired surfaces: characterization and technological applications

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Favret, Eduardo A; Fuentes, Néstor O

2009-01-01

... technological materials. It analyses how such surfaces can be described and characterized using microscopic techniques and thus reproduced, encompassing the important areas of current surface replication techniques and the associated acquisition of good master structures. It is well known that biological systems have the ability to sense, ...

Anisotropic characterization of rock fracture surfaces subjected to profile analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, H.W.; Xie, H.

2004-01-01

The mechanical parameters of a rock fracture are dependent on its surface roughness anisotropy. In this Letter, we show how quantitatively describe the anisotropy of a rock fracture surface. A parameter, referred to as the index for the accumulation power spectral density psd*, is proposed to characterize the anisotropy of a rock fracture surface. Variation of psd*, with orientation angle θ of sampling, is also discussed

Surface characterization of nanomaterials and nanoparticles: Important needs and challenging opportunities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baer, Donald R.; Engelhard, Mark H.; Johnson, Grant E.; Laskin, Julia; Lai, Jinfeng; Mueller, Karl; Munusamy, Prabhakaran; Thevuthasan, Suntharampillai; Wang, Hongfei; Washton, Nancy; Elder, Alison; Baisch, Brittany L.; Karakoti, Ajay; Kuchibhatla, Satyanarayana V. N. T.; Moon, DaeWon

2013-01-01

This review examines characterization challenges inherently associated with understanding nanomaterials and the roles surface and interface characterization methods can play in meeting some of the challenges. In parts of the research community, there is growing recognition that studies and published reports on the properties and behaviors of nanomaterials often have reported inadequate or incomplete characterization. As a consequence, the true value of the data in these reports is, at best, uncertain. With the increasing importance of nanomaterials in fundamental research and technological applications, it is desirable that researchers from the wide variety of disciplines involved recognize the nature of these often unexpected challenges associated with reproducible synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials, including the difficulties of maintaining desired materials properties during handling and processing due to their dynamic nature. It is equally valuable for researchers to understand how characterization approaches (surface and otherwise) can help to minimize synthesis surprises and to determine how (and how quickly) materials and properties change in different environments. Appropriate application of traditional surface sensitive analysis methods (including x-ray photoelectron and Auger electron spectroscopies, scanning probe microscopy, and secondary ion mass spectroscopy) can provide information that helps address several of the analysis needs. In many circumstances, extensions of traditional data analysis can provide considerably more information than normally obtained from the data collected. Less common or evolving methods with surface selectivity (e.g., some variations of nuclear magnetic resonance, sum frequency generation, and low and medium energy ion scattering) can provide information about surfaces or interfaces in working environments (operando or in situ) or information not provided by more traditional methods. Although these methods may

Modeling the Acid-Base Properties of Montmorillonite Edge Surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Tournassat, Christophe; Davis, James A; Chiaberge, Christophe; Grangeon, Sylvain; Bourg, Ian C

2016-12-20

The surface reactivity of clay minerals remains challenging to characterize because of a duality of adsorption surfaces and mechanisms that does not exist in the case of simple oxide surfaces: edge surfaces of clay minerals have a variable proton surface charge arising from hydroxyl functional groups, whereas basal surfaces have a permanent negative charge arising from isomorphic substitutions. Hence, the relationship between surface charge and surface potential on edge surfaces cannot be described using the Gouy-Chapman relation, because of a spillover of negative electrostatic potential from the basal surface onto the edge surface. While surface complexation models can be modified to account for these features, a predictive fit of experimental data was not possible until recently, because of uncertainty regarding the densities and intrinsic pK a values of edge functional groups. Here, we reexamine this problem in light of new knowledge on intrinsic pK a values obtained over the past decade using ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, and we propose a new formalism to describe edge functional groups. Our simulation results yield reasonable predictions of the best available experimental acid-base titration data.

Isolation, screening, and characterization of surface-active agent-producing, oil-degrading marine bacteria of Mumbai Harbor.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohanram, Rajamani; Jagtap, Chandrakant; Kumar, Pradeep

2016-04-15

Diverse marine bacterial species predominantly found in oil-polluted seawater produce diverse surface-active agents. Surface-active agents produced by bacteria are classified into two groups based on their molecular weights, namely biosurfactants and bioemulsifiers. In this study, surface-active agent-producing, oil-degrading marine bacteria were isolated using a modified Bushnell-Haas medium with high-speed diesel as a carbon source from three oil-polluted sites of Mumbai Harbor. Surface-active agent-producing bacterial strains were screened using nine widely used methods. The nineteen bacterial strains showed positive results for more than four surface-active agent screening methods; further, these strains were characterized using biochemical and nucleic acid sequencing methods. Based on the results, the organisms belonged to the genera Acinetobacter, Alcanivorax, Bacillus, Comamonas, Chryseomicrobium, Halomonas, Marinobacter, Nesterenkonia, Pseudomonas, and Serratia. The present study confirmed the prevalence of surface-active agent-producing bacteria in the oil-polluted waters of Mumbai Harbor. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of surface properties of glass vials used as primary packaging material for parenterals.

Science.gov (United States)

Ditter, Dominique; Mahler, Hanns-Christian; Roehl, Holger; Wahl, Michael; Huwyler, Joerg; Nieto, Alejandra; Allmendinger, Andrea

2018-04-01

different vial types may serve as basis to further guide the selection of adequate primary packaging based on the desired quality target product profile and to support studies of glass surface interactions with formulations. The proposed analytical method panel can be used for characterization of future glass vials either before delivery to the manufacturer or drug product manufacturing. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A new systematic and quantitative approach to characterization of surface nanostructures using fuzzy logic

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Mousa, Amjed A.

Thin films are essential constituents of modern electronic devices and have a multitude of applications in such devices. The impact of the surface morphology of thin films on the device characteristics where these films are used has generated substantial attention to advanced film characterization techniques. In this work, we present a new approach to characterize surface nanostructures of thin films by focusing on isolating nanostructures and extracting quantitative information, such as the shape and size of the structures. This methodology is applicable to any Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) data, such as Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) data which we are presenting here. The methodology starts by compensating the AFM data for some specific classes of measurement artifacts. After that, the methodology employs two distinct techniques. The first, which we call the overlay technique, proceeds by systematically processing the raster data that constitute the scanning probe image in both vertical and horizontal directions. It then proceeds by classifying points in each direction separately. Finally, the results from both the horizontal and the vertical subsets are overlaid, where a final decision on each surface point is made. The second technique, based on fuzzy logic, relies on a Fuzzy Inference Engine (FIE) to classify the surface points. Once classified, these points are clustered into surface structures. The latter technique also includes a mechanism which can consistently distinguish crowded surfaces from those with sparsely distributed structures and then tune the fuzzy technique system uniquely for that surface. Both techniques have been applied to characterize organic semiconductor thin films of pentacene on different substrates. Also, we present a case study to demonstrate the effectiveness of our methodology to identify quantitatively particle sizes of two specimens of gold nanoparticles of different nominal dimensions dispersed on a mica surface. A comparison

Tile-based rigidization surface parametric design study

Science.gov (United States)

Giner Munoz, Laura; Luntz, Jonathan; Brei, Diann; Kim, Wonhee

2018-03-01

Inflatable technologies have proven useful in consumer goods as well as in more recent applications including civil structures, aerospace, medical, and robotics. However, inflatable technologies are typically lacking in their ability to provide rigid structural support. Particle jamming improves upon this by providing structures which are normally flexible and moldable but become rigid when air is removed. Because these are based on an airtight bladder filled with loose particles, they always occupy the full volume of its rigid state, even when not rigidized. More recent developments in layer jamming have created thin, compact rigidizing surfaces replacing the loose volume of particles with thinly layered surface materials. Work in this area has been applied to several specific applications with positive results but have not generally provided the broader understanding of the rigidization performance as a function of design parameters required for directly adapting layer rigidization technology to other applications. This paper presents a parametric design study of a new layer jamming vacuum rigidization architecture: tile-based vacuum rigidization. This form of rigidization is based on layers of tiles contained within a thin vacuum bladder which can be bent, rolled, or otherwise compactly stowed, but when deployed flat, can be vacuumed and form a large, flat, rigid plate capable of supporting large forces both localized and distributed over the surface. The general architecture and operation detailing rigidization and compliance mechanisms is introduced. To quantitatively characterize the rigidization behavior, prototypes rigidization surfaces are fabricated and an experimental technique is developed based on a 3-point bending test. Performance evaluation metrics are developed to describe the stiffness, load-bearing capacity, and internal slippage of tested prototypes. A set of experimental parametric studies are performed to better understand the impact of

Surface characterization of self-assembled N-Cu nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cristina, Lucila J.; Moreno-Lopez, Juan C. [Laboratorio de Superficies e Interfaces, Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnologico para la Industria Quimica (CONICET-UNL), Gueemes 3450, (S3000GLN) Santa Fe (Argentina); Sferco, Silvano J. [Laboratorio de Superficies e Interfaces, Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnologico para la Industria Quimica (CONICET-UNL), Gueemes 3450, (S3000GLN) Santa Fe (Argentina); Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Bioquimica y Ciencias Biologicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Ciudad Universitaria, C.C. 242, (S3000ZAA) Santa Fe (Argentina); Passeggi, Mario C.G.; Vidal, Ricardo A. [Laboratorio de Superficies e Interfaces, Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnologico para la Industria Quimica (CONICET-UNL), Gueemes 3450, (S3000GLN) Santa Fe (Argentina); Ferron, Julio, E-mail: jferron@intec.unl.edu.ar [Laboratorio de Superficies e Interfaces, Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnologico para la Industria Quimica (CONICET-UNL), Gueemes 3450, (S3000GLN) Santa Fe (Argentina); Departamento de Materiales, Facultad de Ingenieria Quimica, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santiago del Estero 2829,(S3000AOM) Santa Fe (Argentina)

2012-01-01

We report on the process of low energy N{sub 2}{sup +} implantation and annealing of a Cu(0 0 1) surface. Through AES we study the N diffusion process as a function of the substrate temperature. With STM and LEIS we characterize the surface morphology and the electronic structure is analyzed with ARUPS. Under annealing (500 < T < 700 K) N migrates to the surface and reacts forming a Cu{sub x}N compound that decomposes at temperatures above 700 K. LEIS measurements show that N locates on the four-fold hollow sites of the Cu(0 0 1) surface in a c(2 Multiplication-Sign 2) arrangement. Finally, a gap along the [0 0 1] azimuthal direction is determined by ARUPS. DFT calculations provide support to our conclusions.

Characterization techniques for graphene-based materials in catalysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maocong Hu

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Graphene-based materials have been studied in a wide range of applications including catalysis due to the outstanding electronic, thermal, and mechanical properties. The unprecedented features of graphene-based catalysts, which are believed to be responsible for their superior performance, have been characterized by many techniques. In this article, we comprehensively summarized the characterization methods covering bulk and surface structure analysis, chemisorption ability determination, and reaction mechanism investigation. We reviewed the advantages/disadvantages of different techniques including Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR and Diffuse Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (DRIFTS, X-Ray diffraction (XRD, X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS, atomic force microscopy (AFM, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis, X-ray fluorescence (XRF, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET, and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM. The application of temperature-programmed reduction (TPR, CO chemisorption, and NH3/CO2-temperature-programmed desorption (TPD was also briefly introduced. Finally, we discussed the challenges and provided possible suggestions on choosing characterization techniques. This review provides key information to catalysis community to adopt suitable characterization techniques for their research.

Surface characterization of retinal tissues for the enhancement of vitreoretinal surgical methods

Science.gov (United States)

Valentin-Rodriguez, Celimar

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common ophthalmic complication of diabetes and the leading cause of blindness among adults, ages 30 to 70. Surgery to remove scar tissue in the eye is the only corrective treatment once the retina is affected. Visual recovery is often hampered by retinal trauma during surgery and by low patient compliance. Our work in this project aimed to improve vitreoretinal surgical methods from information gathered by sensitive surface analysis of pre-retinal tissues found at the vitreoretinal interface. Atomic force microscopy characterization of human retinal tissues revealed that surgically excised inner limiting membrane (ILM) has a heterogeneous surface and is mainly composed of globular and fibrous structures. ILM tissues also show low adhesion for clean unmodified surfaces as opposed to those with functional groups attractive to those on the ILM surface, due to their charge. Based on these observations, layer-by-layer films with embedded gold nanoparticles with a positive outer charge were designed. These modifications increased the adhesion between surgical instruments and ILM by increasing the roughness and tuning the film surface charge. These films proved to be stable under physiological conditions. Finally, the effect of vital dyes on the topographical characteristics of ILMs was characterized and new imaging modes to further reveal ILM topography were utilized. Roughness and adhesion force data suggest that second generation dyes have no effect on the surface nanostructure of ILMs, but increase adhesion at the tip sample interface. This project clearly illustrates that physicochemical information from tissues can be used to rationally re-design surgical procedures, in this case for tissue removal purposes. This rational design method can be applied to other soft tissue excision procedures as is the case of cataract surgery or laparoscopic removal of endometrial tissue.

Derivatization, characterization, and tribological behavior of an amine-terminated polymer surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ren, S.L.; Yang, S.R.; Zhao, Y.P.

2004-01-01

The derivatization, characterization, and micro-tribological behavior of an amine-terminated polymer surface were investigated. Thus, the heptafluorobutyric anhydride (HFBA) derivatized film was characterized by means of contact-angle measurement and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It was found that the HFBA-derivatized film was generated on the PEI surface in the presence of a chemical amide bond. The tribological properties were characterized as well. The polymer PEI film had relative high adhesion, friction, and poor anti-wear ability, while the HFBA-derivatized polymer film possessed a very low adhesive force of only about 5.5 nN (a pyramidal Si 3 N 4 tip with radius of curvature about 50 nm was used to measure the adhesion), which was more than an order of magnitude lower than that of the silicon substrate surface. Besides, the HFBA-derivatized film registered good friction-reducing ability and thermal stability. Thus, a good alternative method was presented to improve the tribological properties of polymer film by chemisorbing molecules with low surface energy. This makes it feasible for the derivatized polymer film to find promising application in resolving the tribological problems of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS)

Surface characterization of low-temperature grown yttrium oxide

Science.gov (United States)

Krawczyk, Mirosław; Lisowski, Wojciech; Pisarek, Marcin; Nikiforow, Kostiantyn; Jablonski, Aleksander

2018-04-01

The step-by-step growth of yttrium oxide layer was controlled in situ using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The O/Y atomic concentration (AC) ratio in the surface layer of finally oxidized Y substrate was found to be equal to 1.48. The as-grown yttrium oxide layers were then analyzed ex situ using combination of Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), elastic-peak electron spectroscopy (EPES) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in order to characterize their surface chemical composition, electron transport phenomena and surface morphology. Prior to EPES measurements, the Y oxide surface was pre-sputtered by 3 kV argon ions, and the resulting AES-derived composition was found to be Y0.383O0.465C0.152 (O/Y AC ratio of 1.21). The SEM images revealed different surface morphology of sample before and after Ar sputtering. The oxide precipitates were observed on the top of un-sputtered Y oxide layer, whereas the oxide growth at the Ar ion-sputtered surface proceeded along defects lines normal to the layer plane. The inelastic mean free path (IMFP) characterizing electron transport was evaluated as a function of energy in the range of 0.5-2 keV from the EPES method. Two reference materials (Ni and Au) were used in these measurements. Experimental IMFPs determined for the Y0.383O0.465C0.152 and Y2O3 surface compositions, λ, were uncorrected for surface excitations and approximated by the simple function λ = kEp at electron energies E between 500 eV and 2000 eV, where k and p were fitted parameters. These values were also compared with IMFPs resulting from the TPP-2 M predictive equation for both oxide compositions. The fitted functions were found to be reasonably consistent with the measured and predicted IMFPs. In both cases, the average value of the mean percentage deviation from the fits varied between 5% and 37%. The IMFPs measured for Y0.383O0.465C0.152 surface composition were found to be similar to the IMFPs for Y2O3.

Multiscale analysis of replication technique efficiency for 3D roughness characterization of manufactured surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Jolivet, S.; Mezghani, S.; El Mansori, M.

2016-09-01

The replication of topography has been generally restricted to optimizing material processing technologies in terms of statistical and single-scale features such as roughness. By contrast, manufactured surface topography is highly complex, irregular, and multiscale. In this work, we have demonstrated the use of multiscale analysis on replicates of surface finish to assess the precise control of the finished replica. Five commercial resins used for surface replication were compared. The topography of five standard surfaces representative of common finishing processes were acquired both directly and by a replication technique. Then, they were characterized using the ISO 25178 standard and multiscale decomposition based on a continuous wavelet transform, to compare the roughness transfer quality at different scales. Additionally, atomic force microscope force modulation mode was used in order to compare the resins’ stiffness properties. The results showed that less stiff resins are able to replicate the surface finish along a larger wavelength band. The method was then tested for non-destructive quality control of automotive gear tooth surfaces.

Laser surface textured titanium alloy (Ti–6Al–4V): Part 1 – Surface characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pfleging, Wilhelm [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, IAM-AWP, P.O. Box 3640, 76021 Karlsruhe (Germany); Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility, H.-von-Helmholtz-Pl. 1, 76344 Egg.-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Kumari, Renu [Department of Metal. and Maters. Eng., I. I. T. Kharagpur, WB 721302 (India); Besser, Heino [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, IAM-AWP, P.O. Box 3640, 76021 Karlsruhe (Germany); Scharnweber, Tim [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, IBG-1, P.O. Box 3640, 76021 Karlsruhe (Germany); Majumdar, Jyotsna Dutta, E-mail: jyotsna@metal.iitkgp.ernet.in [Department of Metal. and Maters. Eng., I. I. T. Kharagpur, WB 721302 (India)

2015-11-15

Highlights: • Texturing of Ti–6Al–4V with linear and dimple patterns are developed with ArF laser. • Linear textures have width of 25 μm and are at an interval of 20 μm. • Dimple textures are equi-spaced and have a diameter of 60 μm. • Significant refinement of microstructure in textured zone as compared to substrate. • Increased wettability of the textured surface against simulated body fluid. - Abstract: In the present study, a detailed study of the characterization of laser-surface textured titanium alloy (Ti–6Al–4V) with line and dimple geometry developed by using an ArF excimer laser operating at a wavelength of 193 nm with a pulse length of 5 ns is undertaken. The characterization of the textured surface (both the top surface and cross section) is carried out by scanning electron microscopy, electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD) technique and X-ray diffraction techniques. There is refinement of microstructure along with presence of titanium oxides (rutile, anatase and few Ti{sub 2}O{sub 3} phase) in the textured surface as compared to as-received one. The area fractions of linear texture and dimple texture measured by image analysis software are 45% and 20%, respectively. The wettability is increased after laser texturing. The total surface energy is decreased due to linear (29.6 mN/m) texturing and increased due to dimple (67.6 mN/m) texturing as compared to as-received Ti–6Al–4V (37 mN/m). The effect of polar component is more in influencing the surface energy of textured surface.

Laser surface textured titanium alloy (Ti–6Al–4V): Part 1 – Surface characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pfleging, Wilhelm; Kumari, Renu; Besser, Heino; Scharnweber, Tim; Majumdar, Jyotsna Dutta

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Texturing of Ti–6Al–4V with linear and dimple patterns are developed with ArF laser. • Linear textures have width of 25 μm and are at an interval of 20 μm. • Dimple textures are equi-spaced and have a diameter of 60 μm. • Significant refinement of microstructure in textured zone as compared to substrate. • Increased wettability of the textured surface against simulated body fluid. - Abstract: In the present study, a detailed study of the characterization of laser-surface textured titanium alloy (Ti–6Al–4V) with line and dimple geometry developed by using an ArF excimer laser operating at a wavelength of 193 nm with a pulse length of 5 ns is undertaken. The characterization of the textured surface (both the top surface and cross section) is carried out by scanning electron microscopy, electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD) technique and X-ray diffraction techniques. There is refinement of microstructure along with presence of titanium oxides (rutile, anatase and few Ti_2O_3 phase) in the textured surface as compared to as-received one. The area fractions of linear texture and dimple texture measured by image analysis software are 45% and 20%, respectively. The wettability is increased after laser texturing. The total surface energy is decreased due to linear (29.6 mN/m) texturing and increased due to dimple (67.6 mN/m) texturing as compared to as-received Ti–6Al–4V (37 mN/m). The effect of polar component is more in influencing the surface energy of textured surface.

Preparation of ceramic materials for surface characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zipperian, D.C.

1989-01-01

This paper discusses how microstructural preparation permits a microscopic analysis of a material's internal structure, which is related to the physical properties of the material. Today, numerous microstructural quantitative and qualitative measurements are commonly utilized. Several of these include phase determination, phase hardness, phase distribution, grain size and shape, and porosity and size distribution. The most widely used surface characterization techniques are optical microscopy, electron microscopy, and x-ray microscopy. Optical microscopy includes both transmitted-and reflected-light techniques and requires a surface preparation prior to analysis. Transmitted-light microscopy samples require thinning and polishing of both sides of the sample, whereas reflected light techniques require polishing of only one side of the sample

Remote Determination of Time-Dependent Stiffness of Surface-Degrading-Polymer Scaffolds Via Synchrotron-Based Imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Bawolin, N K; Chen, X B

2017-04-01

Surface-degrading polymers have been widely used to fabricate scaffolds with the mechanical properties appropriate for tissue regeneration/repair. During their surface degradation, the material properties of polymers remain approximately unchanged, but the scaffold geometry and thus mechanical properties vary with time. This paper presents a novel method to determine the time-dependent mechanical properties, particularly stiffness, of scaffolds from the geometric changes captured by synchrotron-based imaging, with the help of finite element analysis (FEA). Three-dimensional (3D) tissue scaffolds were fabricated from surface-degrading polymers, and during their degradation, the tissue scaffolds were imaged via the synchrotron-based imaging to characterize their changing geometry. On this basis, the stiffness behavior of scaffolds was estimated from the FEA, and the results obtained were compared to the direct measurements of scaffold stiffness from the load-displacement material testing. The comparison illustrates that the Young's moduli estimated from the FEA and characterized geometry are in agreement with the ones of direct measurements. The developed method of estimating the mechanical behavior was also demonstrated effective with a nondegrading scaffold that displays the nonlinear stress-strain behavior. The in vivo monitoring of Young's modulus by morphology characterization also suggests the feasibility of characterizing experimentally the difference between in vivo and in vitro surface degradation of tissue engineering constructs.

Characterization and anti-settlement aspects of surface micro-structures from Cancer pagurus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sullivan, T; Regan, F; McGuinness, K; Connor, N E O’

2014-01-01

Tuning surface and material properties to inhibit or prevent settlement and attachment of microorganisms is of interest for applications such as antifouling technologies. Here, optimization of nano- and microscale structures on immersed surfaces can be utilized to improve cell removal while reducing adhesion strength and the likelihood of initial cellular attachment. Engineered surfaces capable of controlling cellular behaviour under natural conditions are challenging to design due to the diversity of attaching cell types in environments such as marine waters, where many variations in cell shape, size and adhesion strategy exist. Nevertheless, understanding interactions between a cell and a potential substrate for adhesion, including topographically driven settlement cues, offers a route to designing surfaces capable of controlling cell settlement. Biomimetic design of artificial surfaces, based upon microscale features from natural surfaces, can be utilized as model surfaces to understand cell–surface interactions. The microscale surface features of the carapace from the crustacean Cancer pagurus has been previously found to influence the rate of attachment of particular organisms when compared to smooth controls. However, the nature of microscale topographic features from C. pagurus have not been examined in sufficient detail to allow design of biomimetic surfaces. In this work, the spatial distribution, chemical composition, size and shape descriptors of microscale surface features from C. pagurus are characterized in detail for the first time. Additionally, the influence of topography from C. pagurus on the settlement of marine diatoms is examined under field conditions. (paper)

Surface-treated commercially pure titanium for biomedical applications: Electrochemical, structural, mechanical and chemical characterizations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogawa, Erika S.; Matos, Adaias O.; Beline, Thamara; Marques, Isabella S.V.; Sukotjo, Cortino; Mathew, Mathew T.; Rangel, Elidiane C.; Cruz, Nilson C.; Mesquita, Marcelo F.; Consani, Rafael X.

2016-01-01

Modified surfaces have improved the biological performance and biomechanical fixation of dental implants compared to machined (polished) surfaces. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the surface properties of titanium (Ti) as a function of different surface treatment. This study investigated the role of surface treatments on the electrochemical, structural, mechanical and chemical properties of commercial pure titanium (cp-Ti) under different electrolytes. Cp-Ti discs were divided into 6 groups (n = 5): machined (M—control); etched with HCl + H_2O_2 (Cl), H_2SO_4 + H_2O_2 (S); sandblasted with Al_2O_3 (Sb), Al_2O_3 followed by HCl + H_2O_2 (SbCl), and Al_2O_3 followed by H_2SO_4 + H_2O_2 (SbS). Electrochemical tests were conducted in artificial saliva (pHs 3; 6.5 and 9) and simulated body fluid (SBF—pH 7.4). All surfaces were characterized before and after corrosion tests using atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive microscopy, X-ray diffraction, surface roughness, Vickers microhardness and surface free energy. The results indicated that Cl group exhibited the highest polarization resistance (R_p) and the lowest capacitance (Q) and corrosion current density (I_c_o_r_r) values. Reduced corrosion stability was noted for the sandblasted groups. Acidic artificial saliva decreased the R_p values of cp-Ti surfaces and produced the highest I_c_o_r_r values. Also, the surface treatment and corrosion process influenced the surface roughness, Vickers microhardness and surface free energy. Based on these results, it can be concluded that acid-etching treatment improved the electrochemical stability of cp-Ti and all treated surfaces behaved negatively in acidic artificial saliva. - Highlights: • Characterization of surface treatment for biomedical implants was investigated. • Sandblasting reduced the corrosion stability of cp-Ti. • Acid etching is a promising dental implants surface treatment.

Surface-treated commercially pure titanium for biomedical applications: Electrochemical, structural, mechanical and chemical characterizations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ogawa, Erika S.; Matos, Adaias O.; Beline, Thamara [Department of Prosthodontics and Periodontology, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Av Limeira, 901, Piracicaba, São Paulo 13414-903 (Brazil); IBTN/Br—Institute of Biomaterials, Tribocorrosion and Nanomedicine—Brazilian Branch (Brazil); Marques, Isabella S.V. [Department of Prosthodontics and Periodontology, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Av Limeira, 901, Piracicaba, São Paulo 13414-903 (Brazil); Sukotjo, Cortino [Department of Restorative Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Dentistry, 801 S Paulina, Chicago, IL, USA, 60612 (United States); IBTN—Institute of Biomaterials, Tribocorrosion and Nanomedicine (United States); Mathew, Mathew T. [IBTN—Institute of Biomaterials, Tribocorrosion and Nanomedicine (United States); Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois, College of Medicine at Rockford, 1601 Parkview Avenue, Rockford, IL, USA, 61107 (United States); Rangel, Elidiane C.; Cruz, Nilson C. [IBTN/Br—Institute of Biomaterials, Tribocorrosion and Nanomedicine—Brazilian Branch (Brazil); Laboratory of Technological Plasmas, Engineering College, Univ Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Av Três de Março, 511, Sorocaba, São Paulo 18087-180 (Brazil); Mesquita, Marcelo F.; Consani, Rafael X. [Department of Prosthodontics and Periodontology, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Av Limeira, 901, Piracicaba, São Paulo 13414-903 (Brazil); and others

2016-08-01

Modified surfaces have improved the biological performance and biomechanical fixation of dental implants compared to machined (polished) surfaces. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the surface properties of titanium (Ti) as a function of different surface treatment. This study investigated the role of surface treatments on the electrochemical, structural, mechanical and chemical properties of commercial pure titanium (cp-Ti) under different electrolytes. Cp-Ti discs were divided into 6 groups (n = 5): machined (M—control); etched with HCl + H{sub 2}O{sub 2} (Cl), H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} + H{sub 2}O{sub 2} (S); sandblasted with Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (Sb), Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} followed by HCl + H{sub 2}O{sub 2} (SbCl), and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} followed by H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} + H{sub 2}O{sub 2} (SbS). Electrochemical tests were conducted in artificial saliva (pHs 3; 6.5 and 9) and simulated body fluid (SBF—pH 7.4). All surfaces were characterized before and after corrosion tests using atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive microscopy, X-ray diffraction, surface roughness, Vickers microhardness and surface free energy. The results indicated that Cl group exhibited the highest polarization resistance (R{sub p}) and the lowest capacitance (Q) and corrosion current density (I{sub corr}) values. Reduced corrosion stability was noted for the sandblasted groups. Acidic artificial saliva decreased the R{sub p} values of cp-Ti surfaces and produced the highest I{sub corr} values. Also, the surface treatment and corrosion process influenced the surface roughness, Vickers microhardness and surface free energy. Based on these results, it can be concluded that acid-etching treatment improved the electrochemical stability of cp-Ti and all treated surfaces behaved negatively in acidic artificial saliva. - Highlights: • Characterization of surface treatment for biomedical implants was investigated. • Sandblasting reduced the corrosion stability of cp

Multi-scale characterization of surface blistering morphology of helium irradiated W thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, J.J.; Zhu, H.L.; Wan, Q.; Peng, M.J.; Ran, G.; Tang, J.; Yang, Y.Y.; Liao, J.L.; Liu, N.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Multi-scale blistering morphology of He irradiated W film was studied. • This complex morphology was first characterized by wavelet transform approach. - Abstract: Surface blistering morphologies of W thin films irradiated by 30 keV He ion beam were studied quantitatively. It was found that the blistering morphology strongly depends on He fluence. For lower He fluence, the accumulation and growth of He bubbles induce the intrinsic surface blisters with mono-modal size distribution feature. When the He fluence is higher, the film surface morphology exhibits a multi-scale property, including two kinds of surface blisters with different characteristic sizes. In addition to the intrinsic He blisters, film/substrate interface delamination also induces large-sized surface blisters. A strategy based on wavelet transform approach was proposed to distinguish and extract the multi-scale surface blistering morphologies. Then the density, the lateral size and the height of these different blisters were estimated quantitatively, and the effect of He fluence on these geometrical parameters was investigated. Our method could provide a potential tool to describe the irradiation induced surface damage morphology with a multi-scale property

Design and characterization of textured surfaces for applications in the food industry

Science.gov (United States)

Lazzini, G.; Romoli, L.; Blunt, L.; Gemini, L.

2017-12-01

The aim of this work is to design, manufacture and characterize surface morphologies on AISI 316L stainless steel produced by a custom designed laser-texturing strategy. Surface textures were characterized at a micrometric dimension in terms of areal parameters compliant with ISO 25178, and correlations between these parameters and processing parameters (e.g. laser energy dose supplied to the material, repetition rate of the laser pulses and scanning velocity) were investigated. Preliminary efforts were devoted to the research of special requirements for surface morphology that, according to the commonly accepted research on the influence of surface roughness on cellular adhesion on surfaces, should discourage the formation of biofilms. The topographical characterization of the surfaces was performed with a coherence scanning interferometer. This approach showed that increasing doses of energy to the surfaces increased the global level of roughness as well as the surface complexity. Moreover, the behavior of the parameters S pk, S vk also indicates that, due to the ablation process, an increase in the energy dose causes an average increase in the height of the highest peaks and in the depth of the deepest dales. The study of the density of peaks S pd showed that none of the surfaces analyzed here seem to perfectly match the conditions dictated by the theories on cellular adhesion to confer anti-biofouling properties. However, this result seems to be mainly due to the limits of the resolving power of coherence scanning interferometry, which does not allow the resolution of sub-micrometric features which could be crucial in the prevention of cellular attachment.

A simple surface treatment and characterization of AA 6061 aluminum alloy surface for adhesive bonding applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saleema, N.; Sarkar, D.K.; Paynter, R.W.; Gallant, D.; Eskandarian, M.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► A very simple surface treatment method to achieve excellent and durable aluminum adhesive bonding. ► Our method involves simple immersion of aluminum in very dilute NaOH solution at room temperature with no involvement of strong acids or multiple procedures. ► Surface analysis via various surface characterization techniques showed morphological and chemical modifications favorable for obtaining highly durable bond strengths on the treated surface. ► Safe, economical, reproducible and simple method, easily applicable in industries. - Abstract: Structural adhesive bonding of aluminum is widely used in aircraft and automotive industries. It has been widely noted that surface preparation of aluminum surfaces prior to adhesive bonding plays a significant role in improving the strength of the adhesive bond. Surface cleanliness, surface roughness, surface wettability and surface chemistry are controlled primarily by proper surface treatment methods. In this study, we have employed a very simple technique influencing all these criteria by simply immersing aluminum substrates in a very dilute solution of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and we have studied the effect of varying the treatment period on the adhesive bonding characteristics. A bi-component epoxy adhesive was used to join the treated surfaces and the bond strengths were evaluated via single lap shear (SLS) tests in pristine as well as degraded conditions. Surface morphology, chemistry, crystalline nature and wettability of the NaOH treated surfaces were characterized using various surface analytical tools such as scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM/EDX), optical profilometry, infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and contact angle goniometry. Excellent adhesion characteristics with complete cohesive failure of the adhesive were encountered on the NaOH treated surfaces that are comparable to the benchmark

Statistical characterization of surface features from tungsten-coated divertor inserts in the DIII-D Metal Rings Campaign

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Jacob; Unterberg, Ezekial; Chrobak, Christopher; Stahl, Brian; Abrams, Tyler

2017-10-01

Continuing analysis of tungsten-coated inserts from the recent DIII-D Metal Rings Campaign utilizes a statistical approach to study carbon migration and deposition on W surfaces and to characterize the pre- versus post-exposure surface morphology. A TZM base was coated with W using both CVD and PVD and allowed for comparison between the two coating methods. The W inserts were positioned in the lower DIII-D divertor in both the upper (shelf) region and lower (floor) region and subjected to multiple plasma shots, primarily in H-mode. Currently, the post-exposure W inserts are being characterized using SEM/EDX to qualify the surface morphology and to quantify the surface chemical composition. In addition, profilometry is being used to measure the surface roughness of the inserts both before and after plasma exposure. Preliminary results suggest a correlation between the pre-exposure surface roughness and the level of carbon deposited on the surface. Furthermore, ongoing in-depth analysis may reveal insights into the formation mechanism of nanoscale bumps found in the carbon-rich regions of the W surfaces that have not yet been explained. Work supported in part by US DoE under the Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) program and under DE-FC02-04ER54698.

Effects of acid and alkaline based surface preparations on spray deposited cerium based conversion coatings on Al 2024-T3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pinc, W. [Department of Materials Science Engineering, Materials Research Center, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO 65409 (United States)], E-mail: wrphw5@mst.edu; Geng, S.; O' Keefe, M.; Fahrenholtz, W.; O' Keefe, T. [Department of Materials Science Engineering, Materials Research Center, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO 65409 (United States)

2009-01-15

Cerium based conversion coatings were spray deposited on Al 2024-T3 and characterized to determine the effect of surface preparation on the deposition rate and surface morphology. It was found that activation of the panel using a 1-wt.% sulfuric acid solution increased the coating deposition rate compared to alkaline cleaning alone. Analysis of the surface morphology of the coatings showed that the coatings deposited on the acid treated panels exhibited fewer visible cracks compared to coatings on alkaline cleaned panels. Auger electron spectroscopy depth profiling showed that the acid activation decreased the thickness of the aluminum oxide layer and the concentration of magnesium on the surface of the panels compared to the alkaline treatment. Additionally, acid activation increased the copper concentration at the surface of the aluminum substrate. Based on the results, the acid based surface treatment appeared to expose copper rich intermetallics, thus increasing the number of cathodic sites on the surface, which led to an overall increase in the deposition rate.

Near-surface processing on AlGaN/GaN heterostructures: a nanoscale electrical and structural characterization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Greco Giuseppe

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract The effects of near-surface processing on the properties of AlGaN/GaN heterostructures were studied, combining conventional electrical characterization on high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs, with advanced characterization techniques with nanometer scale resolution, i.e., transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM and conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM. In particular, a CHF3-based plasma process in the gate region resulted in a shift of the threshold voltage in HEMT devices towards less negative values. Two-dimensional current maps acquired by C-AFM on the sample surface allowed us to monitor the local electrical modifications induced by the plasma fluorine incorporated in the material. The results are compared with a recently introduced gate control processing: the local rapid thermal oxidation process of the AlGaN layer. By this process, a controlled thin oxide layer on surface of AlGaN can be reliably introduced while the resistance of the layer below increase locally.

Near-surface processing on AlGaN/GaN heterostructures: a nanoscale electrical and structural characterization.

Science.gov (United States)

Greco, Giuseppe; Giannazzo, Filippo; Frazzetto, Alessia; Raineri, Vito; Roccaforte, Fabrizio

2011-02-11

The effects of near-surface processing on the properties of AlGaN/GaN heterostructures were studied, combining conventional electrical characterization on high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs), with advanced characterization techniques with nanometer scale resolution, i.e., transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM). In particular, a CHF3-based plasma process in the gate region resulted in a shift of the threshold voltage in HEMT devices towards less negative values. Two-dimensional current maps acquired by C-AFM on the sample surface allowed us to monitor the local electrical modifications induced by the plasma fluorine incorporated in the material.The results are compared with a recently introduced gate control processing: the local rapid thermal oxidation process of the AlGaN layer. By this process, a controlled thin oxide layer on surface of AlGaN can be reliably introduced while the resistance of the layer below increase locally.

Method and apparatus for surface characterization and process control utilizing radiation from desorbed particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feldman, L.C.; Kraus, J.S.; Tolk, N.H.; Traum, M.M.; Tully, J.C.

1983-01-01

Emission of characteristic electromagnetic radiation in the infrared, visible, or UV from excited particles, typically ions, molecules, or neutral atoms, desorbed from solid surfaces by an incident beam of low-momentum probe radiation has been observed. Disclosed is a method for characterizing solid surfaces based on the observed effect, with low-momentum probe radiation consisting of electrons or photons. Further disclosed is a method for controlling manufacturing processes that is also based on the observed effect. The latter method can, for instance, be advantageously applied in integrated circuit-, integrated optics-, and magnetic bubble device manufacture. Specific examples of applications of the method are registering of masks, control of a direct-writing processing beam, end-point detection in etching, and control of a processing beam for laser- or electron-beam annealing or ion implantation

Multifunctional Surface Modification of Nanodiamonds Based on Dopamine Polymerization.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Yun; Liu, Wenyan; Wang, Zheyu; Singamaneni, Srikanth; Wang, Risheng

2018-04-03

Surface functionalization of nanodiamonds (NDs), which is of great interest in advanced material and therapeutic applications, requires the immobilization of functional species, such as nucleic acids, bioprobes, drugs, and metal nanoparticles, onto NDs' surfaces to form stable nanoconjugates. However, it is still challenging to modify the surface of NDs due to the complexity of their surface chemistry and the low density of each functional group on the surfaces of NDs. In this work, we demonstrate a general applicable surface functionalization approach for the preparation of ND-based core-shell nanoconjugates using dopamine polymerization. By taking advantage of the universal adhesion and versatile reactivity of polydopamine, we have effectively conjugated DNA and silver nanoparticles onto NDs. Moreover, the catalytic activity of ND-supported silver nanoparticle was characterized by the reduction of 4-nitrophenol, and the addressability of NDs was tested through DNA hybridization that formed satellite ND-gold nanorod conjugation. This simple and robust method we have presented may significantly improve the capability for attaching various functionalities onto NDs and open up new platforms for applications of NDs.

Multifunctional methacrylate-based coatings for glass and metal surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Pospiech, Doris; Jehnichen, Dieter; Starke, Sandra; Müller, Felix; Bünker, Tobias; Wollenberg, Anne; Häußler, Liane; Simon, Frank; Grundke, Karina; Oertel, Ulrich; Opitz, Michael; Kruspe, Rainer

2017-03-01

In order to prevent freshwater biofouling glass and metal surfaces were coated with novel transparent methacrylate-based copolymers. The multifunctionality of the copolymers, such as adhesion to the substrate, surface polarity, mechanical long-term stability in water, and ability to form metal complexes was inserted by the choice of suitable comonomers. The monomer 2-acetoacetoxy ethyl methacrylate (AAMA) was used as complexing unit to produce copper(II) complexes in the coating's upper surface layer. The semifluorinated monomer 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyl methacrylate was employed to adjust the surface polarity and wettability. Comprehensive surface characterization techniques, such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle measurements showed that surface compositions and properties can be easily adjusted by varying the concentrations of the comonomers. The formation of copper(II) complexes along the copolymer chains and their stability against washing out with plenty of water was proven by XPS. Copolymers containing semifluorinated comonomers significantly inhibited the growth of Achnanthidium species. Copolymers with copper-loaded AAMA-sequences were able to reduce both the growth of Achnanthidium spec. and Staphylococcus aureus.

Surface characterization and surface electronic structure of organic quasi-one-dimensional charge transfer salts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sing, M.; Schwingenschlögl, U.; Claessen, R.

2003-01-01

We have thoroughly characterized the surfaces of the organic charge-transfer salts TTF-TCNQ and (TMTSF)(2)PF6 which are generally acknowledged as prototypical examples of one-dimensional conductors. In particular x-ray-induced photoemission spectroscopy turns out to be a valuable nondestructive...

Characterization of polymer surface structure and surface mechanical behaviour by sum frequency generation surface vibrational spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Opdahl, Aric; Koffas, Telly S; Amitay-Sadovsky, Ella; Kim, Joonyeong; Somorjai, Gabor A

2004-01-01

Sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) have been used to study polymer surface structure and surface mechanical behaviour, specifically to study the relationships between the surface properties of polymers and their bulk compositions and the environment to which the polymer is exposed. The combination of SFG surface vibrational spectroscopy and AFM has been used to study surface segregation behaviour of polyolefin blends at the polymer/air and polymer/solid interfaces. SFG surface vibrational spectroscopy and AFM experiments have also been performed to characterize the properties of polymer/liquid and polymer/polymer interfaces, focusing on hydrogel materials. A method was developed to study the surface properties of hydrogel contact lens materials at various hydration conditions. Finally, the effect of mechanical stretching on the surface composition and surface mechanical behaviour of phase-separated polyurethanes, used in biomedical implant devices, has been studied by both SFG surface vibrational spectroscopy and AFM. (topical review)

Multifunctional methacrylate-based coatings for glass and metal surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pospiech, Doris, E-mail: pospiech@ipfdd.de [Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V., Dresden (Germany); Jehnichen, Dieter [Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V., Dresden (Germany); Starke, Sandra; Müller, Felix [Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V., Dresden (Germany); Technische Universität Dresden, Organic Chemistry of Polymers, Dresden (Germany); Bünker, Tobias [Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V., Dresden (Germany); Wollenberg, Anne [Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V., Dresden (Germany); Technische Universität Dresden, Organic Chemistry of Polymers, Dresden (Germany); Häußler, Liane; Simon, Frank; Grundke, Karina; Oertel, Ulrich [Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V., Dresden (Germany); Opitz, Michael; Kruspe, Rainer [IDUS Biologisch Analytisches Umweltlabor GmbH, Ottendorf-Okrilla (Germany)

2017-03-31

Highlights: • New methacrylate-based copolymers synthesized by free radical polymerization. • Comonomer AAMA was able to complex Cu (II) ions in solvent annealing procedure. • Coatings had efficient anti-biofouling efficacy. - Abstract: In order to prevent freshwater biofouling glass and metal surfaces were coated with novel transparent methacrylate-based copolymers. The multifunctionality of the copolymers, such as adhesion to the substrate, surface polarity, mechanical long-term stability in water, and ability to form metal complexes was inserted by the choice of suitable comonomers. The monomer 2-acetoacetoxy ethyl methacrylate (AAMA) was used as complexing unit to produce copper(II) complexes in the coating’s upper surface layer. The semifluorinated monomer 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyl methacrylate was employed to adjust the surface polarity and wettability. Comprehensive surface characterization techniques, such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle measurements showed that surface compositions and properties can be easily adjusted by varying the concentrations of the comonomers. The formation of copper(II) complexes along the copolymer chains and their stability against washing out with plenty of water was proven by XPS. Copolymers containing semifluorinated comonomers significantly inhibited the growth of Achnanthidium species. Copolymers with copper-loaded AAMA-sequences were able to reduce both the growth of Achnanthidium spec. and Staphylococcus aureus.

Multifunctional methacrylate-based coatings for glass and metal surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pospiech, Doris; Jehnichen, Dieter; Starke, Sandra; Müller, Felix; Bünker, Tobias; Wollenberg, Anne; Häußler, Liane; Simon, Frank; Grundke, Karina; Oertel, Ulrich; Opitz, Michael; Kruspe, Rainer

2017-01-01

Highlights: • New methacrylate-based copolymers synthesized by free radical polymerization. • Comonomer AAMA was able to complex Cu (II) ions in solvent annealing procedure. • Coatings had efficient anti-biofouling efficacy. - Abstract: In order to prevent freshwater biofouling glass and metal surfaces were coated with novel transparent methacrylate-based copolymers. The multifunctionality of the copolymers, such as adhesion to the substrate, surface polarity, mechanical long-term stability in water, and ability to form metal complexes was inserted by the choice of suitable comonomers. The monomer 2-acetoacetoxy ethyl methacrylate (AAMA) was used as complexing unit to produce copper(II) complexes in the coating’s upper surface layer. The semifluorinated monomer 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyl methacrylate was employed to adjust the surface polarity and wettability. Comprehensive surface characterization techniques, such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle measurements showed that surface compositions and properties can be easily adjusted by varying the concentrations of the comonomers. The formation of copper(II) complexes along the copolymer chains and their stability against washing out with plenty of water was proven by XPS. Copolymers containing semifluorinated comonomers significantly inhibited the growth of Achnanthidium species. Copolymers with copper-loaded AAMA-sequences were able to reduce both the growth of Achnanthidium spec. and Staphylococcus aureus.

Surface microstructure of bitumen characterized by atomic force microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Xiaokong; Burnham, Nancy A; Tao, Mingjiang

2015-04-01

Bitumen, also called asphalt binder, plays important roles in many industrial applications. It is used as the primary binding agent in asphalt concrete, as a key component in damping systems such as rubber, and as an indispensable additive in paint and ink. Consisting of a large number of hydrocarbons of different sizes and polarities, together with heteroatoms and traces of metals, bitumen displays rich surface microstructures that affect its rheological properties. This paper reviews the current understanding of bitumen's surface microstructures characterized by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Microstructures of bitumen develop to different forms depending on crude oil source, thermal history, and sample preparation method. While some bitumens display surface microstructures with fine domains, flake-like domains, and dendrite structuring, 'bee-structures' with wavy patterns several micrometers in diameter and tens of nanometers in height are commonly seen in other binders. Controversy exists regarding the chemical origin of the 'bee-structures', which has been related to the asphaltene fraction, the metal content, or the crystallizing waxes in bitumen. The rich chemistry of bitumen can result in complicated intermolecular associations such as coprecipitation of wax and metalloporphyrins in asphaltenes. Therefore, it is the molecular interactions among the different chemical components in bitumen, rather than a single chemical fraction, that are responsible for the evolution of bitumen's diverse microstructures, including the 'bee-structures'. Mechanisms such as curvature elasticity and surface wrinkling that explain the rippled structures observed in polymer crystals might be responsible for the formation of 'bee-structures' in bitumen. Despite the progress made on morphological characterization of bitumen using AFM, the fundamental question whether the microstructures observed on bitumen surfaces represent its bulk structure remains to be addressed. In addition

Facet Model and Mathematical Morphology for Surface Characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abidi, B.R.; Goddard, J.S.; Hunt, M.A.; Sari-Sarraf, H.

1999-11-13

This paper describes an algorithm for the automatic segmentation and representation of surface structures and non-uniformities in an industrial setting. The automatic image processing and analysis algorithm is developed as part of a complete on-line web characterization system of a papermaking process at the wet end. The goal is to: (1) link certain types of structures on the surface of the web to known machine parameter values, and (2) find the connection between detected structures at the beginning of the line and defects seen on the final product. Images of the pulp mixture (slurry), carried by a fast moving table, are obtained using a stroboscopic light and a CCD camera. This characterization algorithm succeeded where conventional contrast and edge detection techniques failed due to a poorly controlled environment. The images obtained have poor contrast and contain noise caused by a variety of sources. After a number of enhancement steps, conventional segmentation methods still f ailed to detect any structures and are consequently discarded. Techniques tried include the Canny edge detector, the Sobel, Roberts, and Prewitt's filters, as well as zero crossings. The facet model algorithm, is then applied to the images with various parameter settings and is found to be successful in detecting the various topographic characteristics of the surface of the slurry. Pertinent topographic elements are retained and a filtered image computed. Carefully tailored morphological operators are then applied to detect and segment regions of interest. Those regions are then selected according to their size, elongation, and orientation. Their bounding rectangles are computed and represented. Also addressed in this paper are aspects of the real time implementation of this algorithm for on-line use. The algorithm is tested on over 500 images of slurry and is found to segment and characterize nonuniformities on all 500 images.

Surface-based test plan, Deaf Smith County, Texas Site: Draft

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-01-01

The Surface-Based Test Plan (SBTP) is the plan which accounts for all surface-based site field work to be conducted at the Permian salt site selected for characterization. The SBTP relates data needs from program requirement documents and presents plans to satisfy the data needs. The SBTP excludes plans for construction of the Exploratory Shaft Facility (ESF) and plans for the in situ testing. The SBTP is a hierarchical plan stemming from the Technical Program Plan. The SBTP describes in detail the process by which surface-based study plans are defined, developed, and controlled. The plans hierarchy extends downward thru subordinate Site Study Plans (SSPs), which describe in detail elements of field work to be done, to detailed Procedures which document the exact methodologies to be employed in the conduct of field work. The plan is a QA level S document, although some of its elements are at lower QA levels. The plan is a controlled document, and any proposed amendments to the plan or subordinate documents can only be implemented through the specified change control procedure

Characterizing the effects of regolith surface roughness on photoemission from surfaces in space

Science.gov (United States)

Dove, A.; Horanyi, M.; Wang, X.

2017-12-01

Surfaces of airless bodies and spacecraft in space are exposed to a variety of charging environments. A balance of currents due to plasma bombardment, photoemission, electron and ion emission and collection, and secondary electron emission determines the surface's charge. Photoelectron emission is the dominant charging process on sunlit surfaces in the inner solar system due to the intense solar UV radiation. This can result in a net positive surface potential, with a cloud of photoelectrons immediately above the surface, called the photoelectron sheath. Conversely, the unlit side of the body will charge negatively due the collection of the fast-moving solar wind electrons. The interaction of charged dust grains with these positively and negatively charged surfaces, and within the photoelectron and plasma sheaths may explain the occurrence of dust lofting, levitation and transport above the lunar surface. The surface potential of exposed objects is also dependent on the material properties of their surfaces. Composition and particle size primarily affect the quantum efficiency of photoelectron generation; however, surface roughness can also control the charging process. In order to characterize these effects, we have conducted laboratory experiments to examine the role of surface roughness in generating photoelectrons in dedicated laboratory experiments using solid and dusty surfaces of the same composition (CeO2), and initial comparisons with JSC-1 lunar simulant. Using Langmuir probe measurements, we explore the measured potentials above insulating surfaces exposed to UV and an electric field, and we show that the photoemission current from a dusty surface is largely reduced due to its higher surface roughness, which causes a significant fraction of the emitted photoelectrons to be re-absorbed within the surface. We will discuss these results in context of similar situations on planetary surfaces.

Further investigation of surface velocity measurements for material characterization in laser shockwave experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, James A.; Lacy, Jeffrey M.; Scott, Clark L.; Benefiel, Bradley C.; Lévesque, Daniel; Monchalin, Jean-Pierre; Lord, Martin

2018-04-01

As part of the U.S. High Performance Research Reactor program, a laser shock test system is being developed by the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to characterize interface strength in innovative plate fuel for research reactors around the world. The INL has been working with National Research Council Canada (NRC) on this project for the last five years. One of the concerns is the difficulty of calibrating and standardizing the laser shock technique. A recent analytical study and testing support the use of the Hugoniot Elastic Limit (HEL) in materials as a robust and simple benchmark to compare stresses generated by different laser shock systems. Using a non-contact laser velocimeter based on a solid Fabry-Perot etalon, the systems at NRC and INL show that the back-surface velocity reached at the HEL is consistent, and independent of the laser power used. In this work, the laser velocimeter of the NRC system is tested against a fast rotating wheel to verify accuracy and determine best operating conditions. A round robin test between the two laser shock systems on plates of different aluminum alloys is presented that shows the consistent characterization of the aluminum alloys based on the HEL velocities as well as determines the bias between the systems. The effects of setup parameters on other characteristics of the back-surface velocity trace and corresponding stress wave are also discussed.

3D scanning electron microscopy applied to surface characterization of fluorosed dental enamel.

Science.gov (United States)

Limandri, Silvina; Galván Josa, Víctor; Valentinuzzi, María Cecilia; Chena, María Emilia; Castellano, Gustavo

2016-05-01

The enamel surfaces of fluorotic teeth were studied by scanning electron stereomicroscopy. Different whitening treatments were applied to 25 pieces to remove stains caused by fluorosis and their surfaces were characterized by stereomicroscopy in order to obtain functional and amplitude parameters. The topographic features resulting for each treatment were determined through these parameters. The results obtained show that the 3D reconstruction achieved from the SEM stereo pairs is a valuable potential alternative for the surface characterization of this kind of samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surface Characterization and Electrochemical Oxidation of Metal Doped Uranium Dioxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jeongmook; Kim, Jandee; Youn, Young-Sang; Kim, Jong-Goo; Ha, Yeong-Keong; Kim, Jong-Yun [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

Trivalent element in UO{sub 2} matrix makes the oxygen vacancy from loss of oxygen for charge compensation. Tetravalent element alters lattice parameter of UO{sub 2} due to diameter difference between the tetravalent element and replaced U. These structural changes have significant effect on not only relevant fuel performance but also the kinetics of fuel oxidation. Park and Olander explained the stabilization of Ln (III)-doped UO{sub 2} against oxidation based on oxygen potential calculations. In this work, we have been investigated the effect of Gd{sup 3+} and Th{sup 4+} doping on the UO{sub 2} structure with Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction to characterize the surface structure of nuclear fuel material. For Gd doped UO{sub 2}, its electrochemical oxidation behaviors are also investigated. The Gd and Th doped uranium dioxide solid solution pellets with various doping level were investigated by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, SEM, electrochemical experiments to investigate surface structure and electro chemical oxidation behaviors. The lattice parameter evaluated from XRD spectra indicated the formation of solid solutions. Raman spectra showed the existence of the oxygen vacancy. SEM images showed the grain structure on the surface of Gd doped uranium dioxide depending on doping level and oxygen-to-metal ratio.

Characterizing the statistical properties of protein surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Bak, Ji Hyun; Bitbol, Anne-Florence; Bialek, William

Proteins and their interactions form the body of the signaling transduction pathway in many living systems. In order to ensure the accuracy as well as the specificity of signaling, it is crucial that proteins recognize their correct interaction partners. How difficult, then, is it for a protein to discriminate its correct interaction partner(s) from the possibly large set of other proteins it may encounter in the cell? An important ingredient of recognition is shape complementarity. The ensemble of protein shapes should be constrained by the need for maintaining functional interactions while avoiding spurious ones. To address this aspect of protein recognition, we consider the ensemble of proteins in terms of the shapes of their surfaces. We take into account the high-resolution structures of E.coli non-DNA-binding cytoplasmic proteins, retrieved from the Protein Data Bank. We aim to characterize the statistical properties of the protein surfaces at two levels: First, we study the intrinsic dimensionality at the level of the ensemble of the surface objects. Second, at the level of the individual surfaces, we determine the scale of shape variation. We further discuss how the dimensionality of the shape space is linked to the statistical properties of individual protein surfaces. Jhb and WB acknowledge support from National Science Foundation Grants PHY-1305525 and PHY-1521553. AFB acknowledges support from the Human Frontier Science Program.

Characterization of lipid films by an angle-interrogation surface plasmon resonance imaging device.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Linlin; Wang, Qiong; Yang, Zhong; Wang, Wangang; Hu, Ning; Luo, Hongyan; Liao, Yanjian; Zheng, Xiaolin; Yang, Jun

2015-04-01

Surface topographies of lipid films have an important significance in the analysis of the preparation of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). In order to achieve accurately high-throughput and rapidly analysis of surface topographies of lipid films, a homemade SPR imaging device is constructed based on the classical Kretschmann configuration and an angle interrogation manner. A mathematical model is developed to accurately describe the shift including the light path in different conditions and the change of the illumination point on the CCD camera, and thus a SPR curve for each sampling point can also be achieved, based on this calculation method. The experiment results show that the topographies of lipid films formed in distinct experimental conditions can be accurately characterized, and the measuring resolution of the thickness lipid film may reach 0.05 nm. Compared with existing SPRi devices, which realize detection by monitoring the change of the reflective-light intensity, this new SPRi system can achieve the change of the resonance angle on the entire sensing surface. Thus, it has higher detection accuracy as the traditional angle-interrogation SPR sensor, with much wider detectable range of refractive index. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Surface topography and morphology characterization of PIII irradiated silicon surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, Satinder K.; Barthwal, Sumit

2008-01-01

The effect of plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) treatment on silicon surfaces was investigated by micro-Raman and atomic force microscopy (AFM) technique. The surface damage was given by the implantation of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and argon ions using an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source at low pressure. AFM studies show that surface topography of the PIII treated silicon wafers depend on the physical and chemical nature of the implanted species. Micro-Raman spectra indicate that the significant reduction of intensity of Raman peak after PIII treatment. Plasma immersion ion implantation is a non-line-of-sight ion implantation method, which allows 3D treatment of materials. Therefore, PIII based surface modification and plasma immersion ion deposition (PIID) coatings are applied in a wide range of situations.

Surface wave photonic device based on porous silicon multilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guillermain, E.; Lysenko, V.; Benyattou, T.

2006-01-01

Porous silicon is widely studied in the field of photonics due to its interesting optical properties. In this work, we present theoretical and first experimental studies of a new kind of porous silicon photonic device based on optical surface wave. A theoretical analysis of the device is presented using plane-wave approximation. The porous silicon multilayered structures are realized using electrochemical etching of p + -type silicon. Morphological and optical characterizations of the realized structures are reported

Formation and surface characterization of nanostructured Al2O3 ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Administrator

Page 1. Electronic Supplementary Material. Graphical abstract. Formation and surface characterization of nanostructured Al2O3–TiO2 coatings by Vairamuthu Raj and Mohamed Sirajudeen Mumjitha. (pp 1411–1418).

Surface characterization of adsorbed asphaltene on a stainless steel surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdallah, W.A.; Taylor, S.D.

2007-01-01

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to characterize a single layer of adsorbed asphaltene on a metallic surface. The deposits were created by immersing a stainless steel disc into a dilute asphaltene solution with either toluene or dichloromethane as the solvent, although the toluene solution allowed for better control of the adsorbed asphaltene layer and less atmospheric oxygen contamination. The analyses for C 1s, S 2p 3/2 , N 1s and O 1s photoemission peaks indicated that different functional groups are present in the asphaltene layer including carboxylic, pyrrolic, pyridininc, thiophenic and sulfite, with slight differences in their binding energies

Surface Characterization of a Paper Web at the Wet End

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abidi, B.R.; Goddard, J.S.; Sari-Sarraf, H.

1999-01-01

We present an algorithm for the detection and representation of structures and non-uniformities on the surface of a paper web at the wet end (slurry). This image processing/analysis algorithm is developed as part of a complete on-line web characterization system. Images of the slurry, carried by a fast moving table, are obtained using a stroboscopic light and a CCD camera. The images have very poor contrast and contain noise from a variety of sources. Those sources include the acquisition system itself, the lighting, the vibrations of the moving table being imaged, and the scattering water from the same table's movement. After many steps of enhancement, conventional edge detection methods were still inconclusive and were discarded. The facet model algorithm, is applied to the images and is found successful in detecting the various topographic characteristics of the surface of the slurry. Pertinent topographic elements are retained and a filtered image is computed based on the general appearance and characteristics of the structures in question. Morphological operators are applied to detect and segment regions of interest. Those regions are then filtered according to their size, elongation, and orientation.Their bounding rectangles are computed and superimposed on the original image. Real time implementation of this algorithm for on-line use is also addressed in this paper. The algorithm is tested on over 500 images of slurry and is found to detect nonuniformities on all 500 images. Locating and characterizing all different size structures is also achieved on all 500 images of the web

Electrochemical characterization of organosilane-functionalized nanostructured ITO surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

2016-08-08

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

Electrochemical characterization of organosilane-functionalized nanostructured ITO surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2016-01-01

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

Hydrogeological characterization on surface-based investigation phase in the Mizunami underground research laboratory project, in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saegusa, Hiromitsu; Onoe, Hironori; Takeuchi, Shinji; Takeuchi, Ryuji; Ohyama, Takuya

2007-01-01

The Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory (MIU) project is being carried out by Japan Atomic Energy Agency in the Cretaceous Toki granite in the Tono area, central Japan. The MIU project is a purpose-built generic underground research laboratory project that is planned for a broad scientific study of the deep geological environment as a basis of research and development for geological disposal of nuclear wastes. One of the main goals of the MIU project is to establish comprehensive techniques for investigation, analysis, and assessment of the deep geological environment. The MIU project has three overlapping phases: Surface-based Investigation (Phase I), Construction (Phase II) and Operation (Phase III). Hydrogeological investigations using a stepwise process in Phase I have been carried out in order to obtain information on important properties such as, location of water conducting features, hydraulic conductivity and so on. Hydrogeological modeling and groundwater flow simulations in Phase I have been carried out in order to synthesize these investigation results, to evaluate the uncertainty of the hydrogeological model and to identify the main issues for further investigations. Using the stepwise hydrogeological characterization approach and combining the investigation with modeling and simulation, understanding of the hydrogeological environment has been progressively improved. (authors)

Particle desorption mass spectrometric surface characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Summers, W.R.

1986-01-01

The feasibility of utilizing 252 Cf-Particle Desorption Mass Spectrometry (PDMS) to characterize the surface region of solid samples has been evaluated. The PDMS experiment was adapted to an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) environment and was configured so as to allow the analysis of thick as well as thin samples. This apparatus included an in situ sputter cleaning/depth profiling facility. The mass resolution was variable from 300 to 200 at 133 daltons by changing the drift length from 27 cm to 20 cm. Desorbed ions were focused by using either a dual grid assembly or an einzel lens. The overall instrumental transmission efficiency with the einzel lens operative was approximately 50%. The applicability of 252 Cf-PDMS to samples that were thick and insulating was demonstrated in the analysis of geological specimens. Pollucite, Microcline, Amblygonite, and Lepidolite were analyzed without complications associated with sample thickness or charge accumulation. Substitution occurring between the alkali metals in the environment was observed by PDMS and was corroborated by SIMS, XPS, and EMP analyses. The analysis of NBM SRM glasses addressed the suitability of combining the PDMS technique was sputter etching. This application demonstrated the ability of this technique to sense changes in the chemical environment brought about by sputter cleaning. The analysis of these samples also allowed the estimation of detection limits for lithium, rubidium, and cesium in a glass matrix as 300 ppm, 400 ppm, and 400 ppm, respectively. Sputter depth profiling combined with 252 Cf-PDMS analysis of an aluminum layer on a silicon substrate established the utility of the PDMS technique in surface characterization

Facile Fabrication and Characterization of a PDMS-Derived Candle Soot Coated Stable Biocompatible Superhydrophobic and Superhemophobic Surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Iqbal, R; Majhy, B; Sen, A K

2017-09-13

We report a simple, inexpensive, rapid, and one-step method for the fabrication of a stable and biocompatible superhydrophobic and superhemophobic surface. The proposed surface comprises candle soot particles embedded in a mixture of PDMS+n-hexane serving as the base material. The mechanism responsible for the superhydrophobic behavior of the surface is explained, and the surface is characterized based on its morphology and elemental composition, wetting properties, mechanical and chemical stability, and biocompatibility. The effect of %n-hexane in PDMS, the thickness of the PDMS+n-hexane layer (in terms of spin coating speed) and sooting time on the wetting property of the surface is studied. The proposed surface exhibits nanoscale surface asperities (average roughness of 187 nm), chemical compositions of soot particles, very high water and blood repellency along with excellent mechanical and chemical stability and excellent biocompatibility against blood sample and biological cells. The water contact angle and roll-off angle is measured as 160° ± 1° and 2°, respectively, and the blood contact angle is found to be 154° ± 1°, which indicates that the surface is superhydrophobic and superhemophobic. The proposed superhydrophobic and superhemophobic surface offers significantly improved (>40%) cell viability as compared to glass and PDMS surfaces.

Modeling and evaluating of surface roughness prediction in micro-grinding on soda-lime glass considering tool characterization

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Jun; Gong, Yadong; Wang, Jinsheng

2013-11-01

The current research of micro-grinding mainly focuses on the optimal processing technology for different materials. However, the material removal mechanism in micro-grinding is the base of achieving high quality processing surface. Therefore, a novel method for predicting surface roughness in micro-grinding of hard brittle materials considering micro-grinding tool grains protrusion topography is proposed in this paper. The differences of material removal mechanism between convention grinding process and micro-grinding process are analyzed. Topography characterization has been done on micro-grinding tools which are fabricated by electroplating. Models of grain density generation and grain interval are built, and new predicting model of micro-grinding surface roughness is developed. In order to verify the precision and application effect of the surface roughness prediction model proposed, a micro-grinding orthogonally experiment on soda-lime glass is designed and conducted. A series of micro-machining surfaces which are 78 nm to 0.98 μm roughness of brittle material is achieved. It is found that experimental roughness results and the predicting roughness data have an evident coincidence, and the component variable of describing the size effects in predicting model is calculated to be 1.5×107 by reverse method based on the experimental results. The proposed model builds a set of distribution to consider grains distribution densities in different protrusion heights. Finally, the characterization of micro-grinding tools which are used in the experiment has been done based on the distribution set. It is concluded that there is a significant coincidence between surface prediction data from the proposed model and measurements from experiment results. Therefore, the effectiveness of the model is demonstrated. This paper proposes a novel method for predicting surface roughness in micro-grinding of hard brittle materials considering micro-grinding tool grains protrusion

NEXAFS characterization of DNA components and molecular-orientation of surface-bound DNA oligomers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samuel, Newton T.; Lee, C.-Y.; Gamble, Lara J.; Fischer, Daniel A.; Castner, David G.

2006-01-01

Single stranded DNA oligomers (ssDNA) immobilized onto solid surfaces forms the basis for several biotechnological applications such as DNA microarrays, affinity separations, and biosensors. Surface structure of Surface-bound oligomers is expected to significantly influence their biological activity and interactions with the environment. In this study near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS) is used to characterize the components of DNA (nucleobases, nucleotides and nucleosides) and the orientation information of surface-bound ssDNA. The K-edges of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen have spectra with features that are characteristic of the different chemical species present in the nucleobases of DNA. The effect of addition of the DNA sugar and phosphate components on the NEXAFS K-edge spectra was also investigated. The polarization-dependent nitrogen K-edge NEXAFS data show significant changes for different orientations of surface bound ssDNA. These results establish NEXAFS as a powerful technique for chemical and structural characterization of surface-bound DNA oligomers

Surface characterization of modern resin composites: a multitechnique approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Silikas, Nick; Kavvadia, Katerina; Eliades, George; Watts, David

2005-04-01

To characterize the surface properties of some modern resin composites employing a series of physicochemical methods. Specimens from three microhybrid (Palfique Estellite-PE, Z250 Filtek-ZF, Tetric Ceram-TC) and one nanofilled (Supreme Filtek-SF) conventionally photo-cured resin composites polished with Soflex disks were studied for the following properties: Surface chemical composition and degree of C=C conversion (FTIR), surface energetics (contact angles), surface texture (AFM), surface roughness (AFM, stylus profilometry) and gloss (60 degrees-, 20 degrees-angle specular gloss). Polar and non polar molecular groups were identified in all products including NH and CONH (SF, ZF, TC). SF and ZF demonstrated higher conversion than PE and TC (P 0.05) were found in critical surface tension, total work of adhesion and its polar and dispersion components, the latter being the highest in all products. AFM showed the smoothest surface texture in PE. The ranking of Sa, Sq, Ra and Rz roughness parameters was PEgloss measurements (PE, SF>ZF>TC, PTC, Pgloss differences. A positive correlation was found between Sa and Ra and a negative one between Sa and 20 degree-angle gloss.

Plastic antibody based surface plasmon resonance nanosensors for selective atrazine detection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yılmaz, Erkut [Department of Chemistry, Aksaray University, 68100 Aksaray (Turkey); Özgür, Erdoğan; Bereli, Nilay; Türkmen, Deniz [Department of Chemistry, Hacettepe University, 06800 Ankara (Turkey); Denizli, Adil, E-mail: denizli@hacettepe.edu.tr [Department of Chemistry, Hacettepe University, 06800 Ankara (Turkey)

2017-04-01

This study reports a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based affinity sensor system with the use of molecular imprinted nanoparticles (plastic antibodies) to enhance the pesticide detection. Molecular imprinting based affinity sensor is prepared by the attachment of atrazine (chosen as model pesticide) imprinted nanoparticles onto the gold surface of SPR chip. Recognition element of the affinity sensor is polymerizable form of aspartic acid. The imprinted nanoparticles were characterized via FTIR and zeta-sizer measurements. SPR sensors are characterized with atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry (FTIR) and contact angle measurements. The imprinted nanoparticles showed more sensitivity to atrazine than the non-imprinted ones. Different concentrations of atrazine solutions are applied to SPR system to determine the adsorption kinetics. Langmuir adsorption model is found as the most suitable model for this affinity nanosensor system. In order to show the selectivity of the atrazine-imprinted nanoparticles, competitive adsorption of atrazine, simazine and amitrole is investigated. The results showed that the imprinted nanosensor has high selectivity and sensitivity for atrazine. - Highlights: • SPR based affinity sensor system was developed via molecular imprinting. • Recognition element of the affinity sensor is polymerizable form of an amino acid. • Combination of SPR and MIP offers highly selective sensor with long shelf-life. • Plastic antibody based biomimetic sensors offer relatively cheaper production. • Plastic antibody based biomimetic sensors offer high physical, chemical stability.

Plastic antibody based surface plasmon resonance nanosensors for selective atrazine detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yılmaz, Erkut; Özgür, Erdoğan; Bereli, Nilay; Türkmen, Deniz; Denizli, Adil

2017-01-01

This study reports a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based affinity sensor system with the use of molecular imprinted nanoparticles (plastic antibodies) to enhance the pesticide detection. Molecular imprinting based affinity sensor is prepared by the attachment of atrazine (chosen as model pesticide) imprinted nanoparticles onto the gold surface of SPR chip. Recognition element of the affinity sensor is polymerizable form of aspartic acid. The imprinted nanoparticles were characterized via FTIR and zeta-sizer measurements. SPR sensors are characterized with atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry (FTIR) and contact angle measurements. The imprinted nanoparticles showed more sensitivity to atrazine than the non-imprinted ones. Different concentrations of atrazine solutions are applied to SPR system to determine the adsorption kinetics. Langmuir adsorption model is found as the most suitable model for this affinity nanosensor system. In order to show the selectivity of the atrazine-imprinted nanoparticles, competitive adsorption of atrazine, simazine and amitrole is investigated. The results showed that the imprinted nanosensor has high selectivity and sensitivity for atrazine. - Highlights: • SPR based affinity sensor system was developed via molecular imprinting. • Recognition element of the affinity sensor is polymerizable form of an amino acid. • Combination of SPR and MIP offers highly selective sensor with long shelf-life. • Plastic antibody based biomimetic sensors offer relatively cheaper production. • Plastic antibody based biomimetic sensors offer high physical, chemical stability.

Preparation and characterization of ethylenediamine and cysteamine plasma polymerized films on piezoelectric quartz crystal surfaces for a biosensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mutlu, Selma; Coekeliler, Dilek; Shard, Alex; Goktas, Hilal; Ozansoy, Berna; Mutlu, Mehmet

2008-01-01

This paper describes a method for the modification of quartz crystal surfaces to be used as a transducer in biosensors that allow recognition and quantification of certain biomolecules (antibodies, enzymes, proteins, etc). Quartz crystal sensors were modified by a plasma based electron beam generator in order to detect the level of the toxin histamine within biological liquids (blood, serum) and food (wine, cheese, fish etc.). Cysteamine and ethylenediamine were used as precursors in the plasma. After each modification step, the layers on the quartz crystal were characterized by frequency measurements. Modified surfaces were also characterized by contact angle, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy to determine the physical and chemical characteristics of the surfaces after each modification. Finally, the performance of the sensors were tested by the response to histamine via frequency shifts. The frequency shifts of the sensors prepared by plasma polymerization of ethylenediamine and cysteamine were approximately 3230 Hz and 5630 Hz, respectively, whereas the frequency change of the unmodified crystal surface was around 575 Hz

Surface stress-based biosensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Sang, Shengbo; Zhao, Yuan; Zhang, Wendong; Li, Pengwei; Hu, Jie; Li, Gang

2014-01-15

Surface stress-based biosensors, as one kind of label-free biosensors, have attracted lots of attention in the process of information gathering and measurement for the biological, chemical and medical application with the development of technology and society. This kind of biosensors offers many advantages such as short response time (less than milliseconds) and a typical sensitivity at nanogram, picoliter, femtojoule and attomolar level. Furthermore, it simplifies sample preparation and testing procedures. In this work, progress made towards the use of surface stress-based biosensors for achieving better performance is critically reviewed, including our recent achievement, the optimally circular membrane-based biosensors and biosensor array. The further scientific and technological challenges in this field are also summarized. Critical remark and future steps towards the ultimate surface stress-based biosensors are addressed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification and characterization of the surface proteins of Clostridium difficile

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dailey, D.C.

1988-01-01

Several clostridial proteins were detected on the clostridial cell surface by sensitive radioiodination techniques. Two major proteins and six minor proteins comprised the radioiodinated proteins on the clostridial cell surface. Cellular fractionation of surface radiolabeled C. difficile determined that the radioiodinated proteins were found in the cell wall fraction of C. difficile and surprisingly were also present in the clostridial membrane. Furthermore, an interesting phenomenon of disulfide-crosslinking of the cell surface proteins of C. difficile was observed. Disulfide-linked protein complexes were found in both the membrane and cell wall fractions. In addition, the cell surface proteins of C. difficile were found to be released into the culture medium. In attempts to further characterize the clostridial proteins recombinant DNA techniques were employed. In addition, the role of the clostridial cell surface proteins in the interactions of C. difficile with human PMNs was also investigated

Surface characterization

Science.gov (United States)

Mandla A. Tshabalala

2005-01-01

Surface properties of wood play an important role when wood is used or processed into different commodities such as siding, joinery, textiles, paper, sorption media or wood composites. Thus, for example, the quality and durability of a wood coating are determined by the surface properties of the wood and the coating. The same is true for wood composites, as the...

Wavelet-fractal approach to surface characterization of nanocrystalline ITO thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raoufi, Davood; Kalali, Zahra

2012-01-01

In this study, indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films were prepared by electron beam deposition method on glass substrates at room temperature (RT). Surface morphology characterization of ITO thin films, before and after annealing at 500 °C, were investigated by analyzing the surface profile of atomic force microscopy (AFM) images using wavelet transform formalism. The wavelet coefficients related to the thin film surface profiles have been calculated, and then roughness exponent (α) of the films has been estimated using the scalegram method. The results reveal that the surface profiles of the films before and after annealing process have self-affine nature.

Surface characterization of nickel titanium orthodontic arch wires

Science.gov (United States)

Krishnan, Manu; Seema, Saraswathy; Tiwari, Brijesh; Sharma, Himanshu S.; Londhe, Sanjay; Arora, Vimal

2015-01-01

Background Surface roughness of nickel titanium orthodontic arch wires poses several clinical challenges. Surface modification with aesthetic/metallic/non metallic materials is therefore a recent innovation, with clinical efficacy yet to be comprehensively evaluated. Methods One conventional and five types of surface modified nickel titanium arch wires were surface characterized with scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive analysis, Raman spectroscopy, Atomic force microscopy and 3D profilometry. Root mean square roughness values were analyzed by one way analysis of variance and post hoc Duncan's multiple range tests. Results Study groups demonstrated considerable reduction in roughness values from conventional in a material specific pattern: Group I; conventional (578.56 nm) > Group V; Teflon (365.33 nm) > Group III; nitride (301.51 nm) > Group VI (i); rhodium (290.64 nm) > Group VI (ii); silver (252.22 nm) > Group IV; titanium (229.51 nm) > Group II; resin (158.60 nm). It also showed the defects with aesthetic (resin/Teflon) and nitride surfaces and smooth topography achieved with metals; titanium/silver/rhodium. Conclusions Resin, Teflon, titanium, silver, rhodium and nitrides were effective in decreasing surface roughness of nickel titanium arch wires albeit; certain flaws. Findings have clinical implications, considering their potential in lessening biofilm adhesion, reducing friction, improving corrosion resistance and preventing nickel leach and allergic reactions. PMID:26843749

Theoretical studies of the work functions of Pd-based bimetallic surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding, Zhao-Bin; Wu, Feng; Wang, Yue-Chao; Jiang, Hong

2015-01-01

Work functions of Pd-based bimetallic surfaces, including mainly M/Pd(111), Pd/M, and Pd/M/Pd(111) (M = 4d transition metals, Cu, Au, and Pt), are studied using density functional theory. We find that the work function of these bimetallic surfaces is significantly different from that of parent metals. Careful analysis based on Bader charges and electron density difference indicates that the variation of the work function in bimetallic surfaces can be mainly attributed to two factors: (1) charge transfer between the two different metals as a result of their different intrinsic electronegativity, and (2) the charge redistribution induced by chemical bonding between the top two layers. The first factor can be related to the contact potential, i.e., the work function difference between two metals in direct contact, and the second factor can be well characterized by the change in the charge spilling out into vacuum. We also find that the variation in the work functions of Pd/M/Pd(111) surfaces correlates very well with the variation of the d-band center of the surface Pd atom. The findings in this work can be used to provide general guidelines to design new bimetallic surfaces with desired electronic properties

Characterization of electrochemically modified polycrystalline platinum surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krebs, L.C.; Ishida, Takanobu.

1991-12-01

The characterization of electrochemically modified polycrystalline platinum surfaces has been accomplished through the use of four major electrochemical techniques. These were chronoamperometry, chronopotentiommetry, cyclic voltammetry, and linear sweep voltammetry. A systematic study on the under-potential deposition of several transition metals has been performed. The most interesting of these were: Ag, Cu, Cd, and Pb. It was determined, by subjecting the platinum electrode surface to a single potential scan between {minus}0.24 and +1.25 V{sub SCE} while stirring the solution, that the electrocatalytic activity would be regenerated. As a consequence of this study, a much simpler method for producing ultra high purity water from acidic permanganate has been developed. This method results in water that surpasses the water produced by pyrocatalytic distillation. It has also been seen that the wettability of polycrystalline platinum surfaces is greatly dependent on the quantity of oxide present. Oxide-free platinum is hydrophobic and gives a contact angle in the range of 55 to 62 degrees. We have also modified polycrystalline platinum surface with the electrically conducting polymer poly-{rho}-phenylene. This polymer is very stable in dilute sulfuric acid solutions, even under applied oxidative potentials. It is also highly resistant to electrochemical hydrogenation. The wettability of the polymer modified platinum surface is severely dependent on the choice of supporting electrolyte chosen for the electrochemical polymerization. Tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate produces a film that is as hydrophobic as Teflon, whereas tetraethylammonium perchlorate produces a film that is more hydrophilic than oxide-free platinum.

Characterization of electrochemically modified polycrystalline platinum surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krebs, Leonard C. [State Univ. of New York (SUNY), Stony Brook, NY (United States); Ishida, Takanobu [State Univ. of New York (SUNY), Stony Brook, NY (United States)

1991-12-01

The characterization of electrochemically modified polycrystalline platinum surfaces has been accomplished through the use of four major electrochemical techniques. These were chronoamperometry, chronopotentiommetry, cyclic voltammetry, and linear sweep voltammetry. A systematic study on the under-potential deposition of several transition metals has been performed. The most interesting of these were: Ag, Cu, Cd, and Pb. It was determined, by subjecting the platinum electrode surface to a single potential scan between -0.24 and +1.25 V_SCE while stirring the solution, that the electrocatalytic activity would be regenerated. As a consequence of this study, a much simpler method for producing ultra high purity water from acidic permanganate has been developed. This method results in water that surpasses the water produced by pyrocatalytic distillation. It has also been seen that the wettability of polycrystalline platinum surfaces is greatly dependent on the quantity of oxide present. Oxide-free platinum is hydrophobic and gives a contact angle in the range of 55 to 62 degrees. We have also modified polycrystalline platinum surface with the electrically conducting polymer poly-ρ-phenylene. This polymer is very stable in dilute sulfuric acid solutions, even under applied oxidative potentials. It is also highly resistant to electrochemical hydrogenation. The wettability of the polymer modified platinum surface is severely dependent on the choice of supporting electrolyte chosen for the electrochemical polymerization. Tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate produces a film that is as hydrophobic as Teflon, whereas tetraethylammonium perchlorate produces a film that is more hydrophilic than oxide-free platinum.

Surface and electrochemical characterization of electrodeposited PtRu alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Richarz, Frank; Wohlmann, Bernd; Vogel, Ulrich; Hoffschulz, Henning; Wandelt, Klaus

1995-07-01

PtRu alloys of different compositions were electrodeposited on Au. Twelve alloys between 0% and 100% Pt were characterized with surface sensitive spectroscopies (XPS, LEIS) after transfer from an electrochemical cell to an ultra high vaccum chamber without contact to air. The composition of the thus prepared alloys showed a linear dependence on the concentrations of the deposition solution, but was Pt-enriched both in the bulk and (even more so) at the surface. During the electrochemical reduction of the metal cations, sulfur from the supporting electrolyte 1N H 2SO 4 was found to be incorporated into the electrodes. Cyclic voltammetry was used for the determination of the electrocatalytic activity of the electrodes for the oxidation of carbon monoxide. The highest activity for this oxidation as measured by the (peak) potential of the CO oxidation cyclovoltammograms was found for a surface concentration of ˜ 50%Pt. The asymmetry of this "activity curve" (oxidation potential versus Pt surface concentration) is tentatively explained in terms of a surface structural phase separation.

Surface characterization of titanium based dental implants; Caracterizacao de implantes odontologicos a base de titanio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castilho, Guilherme Augusto Alcaraz

2006-07-01

Dental implantology uses metallic devices made of commercially pure titanium in order to replace lost teeth. Titanium presents favorable characteristics as bio material and modern implants are capable of integrate, witch is the union between bone and implant without fibrous tissue development. Three of the major Brazilian implant manufacturers were chosen to join the study. A foreign manufacturer participated as standard. The manufacturers had three specimens of each implant with two different surface finishing, as machined and porous, submitted to analysis. Surface chemical composition and implant morphology were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XP S), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and microprobe. Implant surface is mainly composed of titanium, oxygen and carbon. Few contaminants commonly present on implant surface were found on samples. Superficial oxide layer is basically composed of titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}), another oxides as Ti O and Ti{sub 2}O{sub 3} were also found in small amount. Carbon on implant surface was attributed to manufacturing process. Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Silicon appeared in smaller concentration on surface. There was no surface discrepancy among foreign and Brazilian made implants. SEM images were made on different magnification, 35 X to 3500 X, and showed similarity among as machined implants. Porous surface finishing implants presented distinct morphology. This result was attributed to differences on manufacturing process. Implant bioactivity was accessed through immersion on simulated body solution (SBF) in order to verify formation of an hydroxyapatite (HA) layer on surface. Samples were divided on three groups according to immersion time: G1 (7 days), G2 (14 days), G3 (21 days), and deep in SBF solution at 37 deg C. After being removed from solution, XPS analyses were made and then implants have been submitted to microprobe analysis. XPS showed some components of SBF solution on sample surface but microprobe

Surface characterization and stability of an epoxy resin surface modified with polyamines grafted on polydopamine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schaubroeck, David, E-mail: David.Schaubroeck@elis.ugent.be [Center for Microsystems Technology (CMST), imec and Ghent University, Technologiepark 914A, B-9052 Ghent (Belgium); Vercammen, Yannick; Van Vaeck, Luc [Biomolecular and Analytical Mass Spectrometry, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk (Belgium); Vanderleyden, Els; Dubruel, Peter [Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials Research Group, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 S4 bis, B-9000 Ghent (Belgium); Vanfleteren, Jan [Center for Microsystems Technology (CMST), imec and Ghent University, Technologiepark 914A, B-9052 Ghent (Belgium)

2014-06-01

This paper reports on polydopamine and polyamine surface modifications of an etched epoxy cresol novolac (ECN) resin using the ‘grafting to’ method. Three different polyamines are used for the grafting reactions: branched polyethyleneimine (B-PEI), linear polyethyleneimine (L-PEI) and diethylenetriamine (DETA). These modifications are compared to control materials prepared via direct deposition of polyamines. The stability of the modifications toward a concentrated hydrochloric acid (HCl) environment is evaluated. The modified surfaces are characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time-of-flight static secondary ion mass spectroscopy (TOF-S-SIMS).

Characterization of Modified and Polymer Coated Alumina Surfaces by Infrared Spectroscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ashraf Yehia El-Naggar

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The prepared, modified, and coated alumina surfaces were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR to investigate the surface properties of the individual and double modified samples. FTIR helps in reporting the changes occurred in hydroxyl groups as well as the structure changes as a result of thermal treating, hydrothermal treating, silylation treating, alkali metal treating, coating, and bonding with polymer. FTIR spectroscopy represents the strength and abundance of surface acidic OH which determine the adsorption properties of polar and nonpolar sorbents. Generally, all treated samples exhibit decrease of OH groups compared with those of parent ones producing alumina surfaces of different adsorptive powers.

Surface modification and characterization of magnesium hydroxide sulfate hydrate nanowhiskers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao Chuanhui [Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100 (China); Li Xianguo, E-mail: chuanhuigao@foxmail.com [Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100 (China); Feng Lijuan; Lu Shaoyan; Liu Jinyan [Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100 (China)

2010-03-01

In order to enhance the compatibility with plastic polymers, magnesium hydroxide sulfate hydrate (MHSH) nanowhiskers were modified through grafting methyl methacrylate (MMA) on the surface of the nanowhiskers by emulsion polymerization. The influences of the reaction time, MMA monomer content, adding speed of monomer and the reaction temperature on the grafting ratio were investigated. Thermogravimetry (TG), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy and surface contact angle measurement were used to characterize the effect of surface modification. The results showed that the MHSH nanowhiskers were uniformly coated by polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and a well-defined core-shell hybrid structure of MHSH/PMMA was obtained. The surface contact angle of the hybrid whiskers increased to 87.32 deg. from 12.71 deg. and the whiskers surface was changed from hydrophilic to lipophilic.

Nanoscale surface characterization using laser interference microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Ignatyev, Pavel S.; Skrynnik, Andrey A.; Melnik, Yury A.

2018-03-01

Nanoscale surface characterization is one of the most significant parts of modern materials development and application. The modern microscopes are expensive and complicated tools, and its use for industrial tasks is limited due to laborious sample preparation, measurement procedures, and low operation speed. The laser modulation interference microscopy method (MIM) for real-time quantitative and qualitative analysis of glass, metals, ceramics, and various coatings has a spatial resolution of 0.1 nm for vertical and up to 100 nm for lateral. It is proposed as an alternative to traditional scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods. It is demonstrated that in the cases of roughness metrology for super smooth (Ra >1 nm) surfaces the application of a laser interference microscopy techniques is more optimal than conventional SEM and AFM. The comparison of semiconductor test structure for lateral dimensions measurements obtained with SEM and AFM and white light interferometer also demonstrates the advantages of MIM technique.

Surface and microstructural characterization of commercial breeder reactor candidate alloys exposed to 7000C sodium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anantatmula, R.P.; Brehm, W.F.

1979-03-01

Sodium compatibility screening tests were performed on several commercial austenitic alloys at 700 0 C for 2000 hours for applications as breeder reactor fuel cladding. The sodium-exposed surfaces were characterized by Optical Metallography, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Electron Probe Micro Analysis (EPMA). Sodium exposure generally resulted in the depletion of Ni, Cr, Ti, Si, Mn and Nb, and enrichment of Fe and Mo at the surface. The average thickness of the depleted zone was 5 μm. The alloys can be divided into three groups based on corrosion rate, and each group has its own characteristic surface structure. Grain-orientation dependent striations were seen in alloys with low corrosion rates, while alloys with intermediate corrosion rates displayed micron-size nodes enriched with Fe and Mo. The high corrosion rate alloys exhibited scale-like formations on the surface with irregularly shaped holes. In addition, the data importantly point out that a ferrite layer will form at the sodium-exposed surface of these austenitic alloys after prolonged exposure

Characterization of the silicon nanopillar-surface filled and grafted with nanomaterials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He, Yuan; Che, Xiangchen; Que, Long

2014-01-01

This paper reports the characterization of the silicon nanopillar-surface filled and grafted with nanomaterials. Usually a silicon nanopillar-surface contains nanopillars and air among them. The air is not a good medium to absorb and trap the incoming photons. In order to improve this capability, the air should be replaced with other material. To this end, copper sulfide–gold (CuS–Au) core–shell nanostructures and silver nanoplates are used as two representative substitutes for air among the nanopillars. Experiments find that the reflectance of the nanomaterial-coated nanopillar-surface can be reduced at least 50% compared to that of the bare nanopillar-surface. Different nanomaterial-coated nanopillar-surface can tune the optical reflectance and absorption profile, thereby trapping photons in different wavelength ranges. (paper)

Characterization of the solar climate in Malawi using NASA's surface ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

Characterization of the solar climate in Malawi using. NASA's surface meteorology and solar energy. (SSE) model. Senganimalunje, T. C.1 and Tenthani, C. M. 2*. 1Malawi Bureau of Standards, Metrology Services Department, Box 946, Blantyre, Malawi. 2Physics and Biochemical Sciences Department, Malawi Polytechnic, ...

Comparison of optical methods for surface roughness characterization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Feidenhans'l, Nikolaj Agentoft; Hansen, Poul Erik; Pilny, Lukas

2015-01-01

We report a study of the correlation between three optical methods for characterizing surface roughness: a laboratory scatterometer measuring the bi-directional reflection distribution function (BRDF instrument), a simple commercial scatterometer (rBRDF instrument), and a confocal optical profiler....... For each instrument, the effective range of spatial surface wavelengths is determined, and the common bandwidth used when comparing the evaluated roughness parameters. The compared roughness parameters are: the root-mean-square (RMS) profile deviation (Rq), the RMS profile slope (Rdq), and the variance...... of the scattering angle distribution (Aq). The twenty-two investigated samples were manufactured with several methods in order to obtain a suitable diversity of roughness patterns.Our study shows a one-to-one correlation of both the Rq and the Rdq roughness values when obtained with the BRDF and the confocal...

The Mobile Surface Contamination Monitor II environmental radiological characterization utilizing GPS/GIS technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wendling, M.A.

1993-05-01

Time, cost, and most importantly quality of data are the three factors to measure the success of field radiological characterizations. The application of coupling radiation detection instrumentation to a GPS receiver has dramatically increased the data quality achievable compared to traditional environmental radiological survey methods. Improvements in verifying adequate spatial coverage of an area while collecting data and at,the same time reducing field time requirements can be realized. Data acquired during the recent implementation of the Mobile Surface Contamination Monitor 11 (MSCM-11) will be presented to demonstrate the advantages of this system over traditional radiological survey methods. The comparison will include time and manpower requirements. Linking the complimentary GPS, GIS and radiation detection technologies on a mobile tractor based platform has provided a tool to provide radiological characterization data faster, cheaper, and better to assist in the Environmental Restoration Mission of the Hanford Site

Analytical characterization using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and microfluidic sampling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Chao; Yu, Chenxu

2015-01-01

With the rapid development of analytical techniques, it has become much easier to detect chemical and biological analytes, even at very low detection limits. In recent years, techniques based on vibrational spectroscopy, such as surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), have been developed for non-destructive detection of pathogenic microorganisms. SERS is a highly sensitive analytical tool that can be used to characterize chemical and biological analytes interacting with SERS-active substrates. However, it has always been a challenge to obtain consistent and reproducible SERS spectroscopic results at complicated experimental conditions. Microfluidics, a tool for highly precise manipulation of small volume liquid samples, can be used to overcome the major drawbacks of SERS-based techniques. High reproducibility of SERS measurement could be obtained in continuous flow generated inside microfluidic devices. This article provides a thorough review of the principles, concepts and methods of SERS-microfluidic platforms, and the applications of such platforms in trace analysis of chemical and biological analytes. (topical review)

Surface effects on static bending of nanowires based on non-local elasticity theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Quan Wu

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The surface elasticity and non-local elasticity effects on the elastic behavior of statically bent nanowires are investigated in the present investigation. Explicit solutions are presented to evaluate the surface stress and non-local elasticity effects with various boundary conditions. Compared with the classical Euler beam, a nanowire with surface stress and/or non-local elasticity can be either stiffer or less stiff, depending on the boundary conditions. The concept of surface non-local elasticity was proposed and its physical interpretation discussed to explain the combined effect of surface elasticity and non-local elasticity. The effect of the nanowire size on its elastic bending behavior was investigated. The results obtained herein are helpful to characterize mechanical properties of nanowires and aid nanowire-based devices design.

COLUROUTE : a mobile gonio-reflectometer to characterize the road surface photometry

OpenAIRE

MUZET, Valérie; PAUMIER, Jean Luc; GUILLARD, Yannick

2008-01-01

Designing a lighting installation involves accounting for site-specific geometric parameters and photometric characteristics of both the light sources and the road surface. The standard tool for characterizing road surface photometry is the reduced luminance coefficient table (or R-table), as defined in the 70's by the CIE. However, recent studies have shown that these tables are no longer representative. In this context, measuring road photometry is necessary for optimizing a lighting ins...

Characterization of mild steel pre rusted and rust converted surfaces through advanced electrochemical analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riaz, F.; Rizvi, Z.H.; Arshad, K.

2008-01-01

The present work evaluates the anti corrosive properties of a tannin based rust converter applied on the pre rusted steel coupons as compared with the grit blasted bare metal and pre rusted steel coupons. The mechanism and the corrosion control behaviour of the rust converter are characterized and monitored using EIS technique. The result suggested that when the tannin based rust converter applied on the pre rusted/corroded coupon, the protection properties of the mild steel coupon clearly improved because of the more compact conversion layer being formed on the coupon. It is inferred that the rust converter can be applied on the pre rusted samples as an alternative technique to the surface preparation for protection purpose. (author)

Formation and Characterization of Stacked Nanoscale Layers of Polymers and Silanes on Silicon Surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Ochoa, Rosie; Davis, Brian; Conley, Hiram; Hurd, Katie; Linford, Matthew R.; Davis, Robert C.

2008-10-01

Chemical surface patterning at the nanoscale is a critical component of chemically directed assembly of nanoscale devices or sensitive biological molecules onto surfaces. Complete and consistent formation of nanoscale layers of silanes and polymers is a necessary first step for chemical patterning. We explored methods of silanizing silicon substrates for the purpose of functionalizing the surfaces. The chemical functionalization, stability, flatness, and repeatability of the process was characterized by use of ellipsometry, water contact angle, and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). We found that forming the highest quality functionalized surfaces was accomplished through use of chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Specifically, surfaces were plasma cleaned and hydrolyzed before the silane was applied. A polymer layer less then 2 nm in thickness was electrostatically bound to the silane layer. The chemical functionalization, stability, flatness, and repeatability of the process was also characterized for the polymer layer using ellipsometry, water contact angle, and AFM.

Finite Elements on Point Based Surfaces

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Clarenz, U.; Rumpf, M.; Telea, A.

2004-01-01

We present a framework for processing point-based surfaces via partial differential equations (PDEs). Our framework efficiently and effectively brings well-known PDE-based processing techniques to the field of point-based surfaces. Our method is based on the construction of local tangent planes and

Characterization of holding brake friction pad surface after pin-on-plate wear test

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Drago, N.; Gonzalez Madruga, D.; De Chiffre, L.

2018-01-01

This article concerns the metrological characterization of the surface on a holding brake friction material pin after a pin-on-plate (POP) wear test. The POP test induces the formation of surface plateaus that affect brake performances such as wear, friction, noise and heat. Three different...

Surface microstructures of daisy florets (Asteraceae) and characterization of their anisotropic wetting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koch, Kerstin; Bennemann, Michael; Bohn, Holger F; Barthlott, Wilhelm; Albach, Dirk C

2013-01-01

The surface microstructures on ray florets of 62 species were characterized and compared with modern phylogenetic data of species affiliation in Asteraceae to determine sculptural patterns and their occurrence in the tribes of Asteraceae. Their wettability was studied to identify structural-induced droplet adhesion, which can be used for the development of artificial surfaces for water harvesting and passive surface water transport. The wettability was characterized by contact angle (CA) and tilt angle measurements, performed on fresh ray florets and their epoxy resin replica. The CAs on ray florets varied between 104° and 156°, but water droplets did not roll off when surface was tilted at 90°. Elongated cell structures and cuticle folding orientated in the same direction as the cell elongation caused capillary forces, leading to anisotropic wetting, with extension of water droplets along the length axis of epidermis cells. The strongest elongation of the droplets was also supported by a parallel, cell-overlapping cuticle striation. In artificial surfaces made of epoxy replica of ray florets, this effect was enhanced. The distribution of the identified four structural types exhibits a strong phylogenetic signal and allows the inference of an evolutionary trend in the modification of floret epidermal cells. (paper)

Surface microstructures of daisy florets (Asteraceae) and characterization of their anisotropic wetting.

Science.gov (United States)

Koch, Kerstin; Bennemann, Michael; Bohn, Holger F; Albach, Dirk C; Barthlott, Wilhelm

2013-09-01

The surface microstructures on ray florets of 62 species were characterized and compared with modern phylogenetic data of species affiliation in Asteraceae to determine sculptural patterns and their occurrence in the tribes of Asteraceae. Their wettability was studied to identify structural-induced droplet adhesion, which can be used for the development of artificial surfaces for water harvesting and passive surface water transport. The wettability was characterized by contact angle (CA) and tilt angle measurements, performed on fresh ray florets and their epoxy resin replica. The CAs on ray florets varied between 104° and 156°, but water droplets did not roll off when surface was tilted at 90°. Elongated cell structures and cuticle folding orientated in the same direction as the cell elongation caused capillary forces, leading to anisotropic wetting, with extension of water droplets along the length axis of epidermis cells. The strongest elongation of the droplets was also supported by a parallel, cell-overlapping cuticle striation. In artificial surfaces made of epoxy replica of ray florets, this effect was enhanced. The distribution of the identified four structural types exhibits a strong phylogenetic signal and allows the inference of an evolutionary trend in the modification of floret epidermal cells.

Sensitivity analysis of brain morphometry based on MRI-derived surface models

Science.gov (United States)

Klein, Gregory J.; Teng, Xia; Schoenemann, P. T.; Budinger, Thomas F.

1998-07-01

Quantification of brain structure is important for evaluating changes in brain size with growth and aging and for characterizing neurodegeneration disorders. Previous quantification efforts using ex vivo techniques suffered considerable error due to shrinkage of the cerebrum after extraction from the skull, deformation of slices during sectioning, and numerous other factors. In vivo imaging studies of brain anatomy avoid these problems and allow repetitive studies following progression of brain structure changes due to disease or natural processes. We have developed a methodology for obtaining triangular mesh models of the cortical surface from MRI brain datasets. The cortex is segmented from nonbrain tissue using a 2D region-growing technique combined with occasional manual edits. Once segmented, thresholding and image morphological operations (erosions and openings) are used to expose the regions between adjacent surfaces in deep cortical folds. A 2D region- following procedure is then used to find a set of contours outlining the cortical boundary on each slice. The contours on all slices are tiled together to form a closed triangular mesh model approximating the cortical surface. This model can be used for calculation of cortical surface area and volume, as well as other parameters of interest. Except for the initial segmentation of the cortex from the skull, the technique is automatic and requires only modest computation time on modern workstations. Though the use of image data avoids many of the pitfalls of ex vivo and sectioning techniques, our MRI-based technique is still vulnerable to errors that may impact the accuracy of estimated brain structure parameters. Potential inaccuracies include segmentation errors due to incorrect thresholding, missed deep sulcal surfaces, falsely segmented holes due to image noise and surface tiling artifacts. The focus of this paper is the characterization of these errors and how they affect measurements of cortical surface

Synthesis and characterization of homogeneous interstitial solutions of nitrogen and carbon in iron-based lattices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brink, Bastian Klüge

work in synthesis and characterization of interstitial solutions ofnitrogen and carbon in iron-based lattices. In order to avoid the influences of gradients incomposition and residual stresses, which are typically found in treated surface layers,homogenous samples are needed. These were prepared from...

Validation of in-line surface characterization by light scattering in Robot Assisted Polishing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pilny, Lukas; Bissacco, Giuliano; De Chiffre, Leonardo

2014-01-01

The suitability of a commercial scattered light sensor for in-line characterization of fine surfaces in the roughness range Sa 1 – 30 nm generated by the Robot Assisted Polishing (RAP) was investigated and validated. A number of surfaces were generated and directly measured with the scattered light...

3D facial expression recognition based on histograms of surface differential quantities

KAUST Repository

Li, Huibin

2011-01-01

3D face models accurately capture facial surfaces, making it possible for precise description of facial activities. In this paper, we present a novel mesh-based method for 3D facial expression recognition using two local shape descriptors. To characterize shape information of the local neighborhood of facial landmarks, we calculate the weighted statistical distributions of surface differential quantities, including histogram of mesh gradient (HoG) and histogram of shape index (HoS). Normal cycle theory based curvature estimation method is employed on 3D face models along with the common cubic fitting curvature estimation method for the purpose of comparison. Based on the basic fact that different expressions involve different local shape deformations, the SVM classifier with both linear and RBF kernels outperforms the state of the art results on the subset of the BU-3DFE database with the same experimental setting. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.

Surface characterization of insulin protofilaments and fibril polymorphs using tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS).

Science.gov (United States)

Kurouski, Dmitry; Deckert-Gaudig, Tanja; Deckert, Volker; Lednev, Igor K

2014-01-07

Amyloid fibrils are β-sheet-rich protein aggregates that are strongly associated with a variety of neurodegenerative maladies, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Even if the secondary structure of such fibrils is well characterized, a thorough understanding of their surface organization still remains elusive. Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) is one of a few techniques that allow the direct characterization of the amino acid composition and the protein secondary structure of the amyloid fibril surface. Herein, we investigated the surfaces of two insulin fibril polymorphs with flat (flat) and left-twisted (twisted) morphology. It was found that the two differ substantially in both amino acid composition and protein secondary structure. For example, the amounts of Tyr, Pro, and His differ, as does the number of carboxyl groups on the respective surfaces, whereas the amounts of Phe and of positively charged amino and imino groups remain similar. In addition, the surface of protofilaments, the precursors of the mature flat and twisted fibrils, was investigated using TERS. The results show substantial differences with respect to the mature fibrils. A correlation of amino acid frequencies and protein secondary structures on the surface of protofilaments and on flat and twisted fibrils allowed us to propose a hypothetical mechanism for the propagation to specific fibril polymorphs. This knowledge can shed a light on the toxicity of amyloids and define the key factors responsible for fibril polymorphism. Finally, this work demonstrates the potential of TERS for the surface characterization of amyloid fibril polymorphs. Copyright © 2014 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characterizing boundary layer height using surface and column measurements of NO2 and formaldehyde

Science.gov (United States)

Valin, L.; Szykman, J.; Long, R.; Whitehill, A.; Williams, D. J.; Knepp, T. N.; Crawford, J. H.; Al-Saadi, J. A.; Judd, L.; Brown, S.; Matichuk, R.; Tonnesen, G.; Appel, W.; Hogrefe, C.; Abuhassan, N.; Cede, A.; Spinei, E.; Herman, J. R.; Swap, R.; Cohen, R. C.; Fried, A.; Weinheimer, A. J.

2017-12-01

The rate of vertical mixing near the surface determines the rate of human exposure to emitted pollutants and also influences the rate at which ozone and particulate matter are formed. To characterize the variability of atmospheric composition near the surface and above, the EPA Office of Research and Development has deployed instruments to measure surface and column concentrations of NO2, an emitted species, and formaldehyde (HCHO) during KORUS-AQ (May - June 2016, Seoul, Korea), UWFPS (Jan-Feb 2016, Salt Lake City) and LMOS (May - June, 2017, Lake Michigan). We compare the mixed layer height determined by aerosol backscatter profiles to a value determined by dividing the NO2 and HCHO column density (molecule cm-2) by its surface concentration (molecule cm-3), using linear regression to remove influence of layers aloft (y-intercept), such as subtraction of the stratospheric NO2 column. We evaluate our findings by using aircraft soundings of NO2 and HCHO and discuss the implications with respect to photochemical transport modeling results from CMAQ and space-based satellite retrievals. Finally we discuss an overall strategy to make these measurements part of routine monitoring at Photochemical Assessment Monitoring System locations (PAMS).

Surface characterization of alloy Ti-6Al-7Nb treated plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moura, J.K.L.; Macedo, H.R.A.; Brito, E.M.; Brandim, A.S.

2014-01-01

Plasma surface modifications are subject of numerous studies to improve the quality of a given material. Titanium and its alloys are widely used in biomedical applications and plasma treatment technique is increasingly used to improve the surface properties thereof. The research have a objective in the comparative analysis of the change in microstructure of Ti-6Al-7Nb alloys after treatment of plasma nitriding. The technical are: nitriding with cathode cage (NGC) and planar discharge. The characterization was obtained by MEV (Scanning Electronic Microscope) and hardness. The results was compared about the better surface modification that meets future prospects of the biocompatibility of the alloy.(author)

A high surface area Zr(IV)-based metal–organic framework showing stepwise gas adsorption and selective dye uptake

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lv, Xiu-Liang [Beijing Key Laboratory for Green Catalysis and Separation, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124 (China); Tong, Minman; Huang, Hongliang [College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); Wang, Bin; Gan, Lei [Beijing Key Laboratory for Green Catalysis and Separation, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124 (China); Yang, Qingyuan [College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); Zhong, Chongli [College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); State Key Laboratory of Organic–Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); Li, Jian-Rong, E-mail: jrli@bjut.edu.cn [Beijing Key Laboratory for Green Catalysis and Separation, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124 (China); State Key Laboratory of Organic–Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China)

2015-03-15

Exploitation of new metal–organic framework (MOF) materials with high surface areas has been attracting great attention in related research communities due to their broad potential applications. In this work, a new Zr(IV)-based MOF, [Zr{sub 6}O{sub 4}(OH){sub 4}(eddb){sub 6}] (BUT-30, H{sub 2}eddb=4,4′-(ethyne-1,2-diyl)dibenzoic acid) has been solvothermally synthesized, characterized, and explored for gases and dyes adsorptions. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis demonstrates a three-dimensional cubic framework structure of this MOF, in which each Zr{sub 6}O{sub 4}(OH){sub 4} building unit is linked by 12 linear eddb ligands. BUT-30 has been found stable up to 400 °C and has a Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area as high as 3940.6 m{sup 2} g{sup −1} (based on the N{sub 2} adsorption at 77 K) and total pore volume of 1.55 cm{sup 3} g{sup −1}. It is more interesting that this MOF exhibits stepwise adsorption behaviors for Ar, N{sub 2}, and CO{sub 2} at low temperatures, and selective uptakes towards different ionic dyes. - Graphical abstract: A new Zr(IV)-based MOF with high surface area has been synthesized and structurally characterized, which shows stepwise gas adsorption at low temperature and selective dye uptake from solution. - Highlights: • A new Zr-based MOF was synthesized and structurally characterized. • This MOF shows a higher surface area compared with its analogous UiO-67 and 68. • This MOF shows a rare stepwise adsorption towards light gases at low temperature. • This MOF performs selective uptakes towards cationic dyes over anionic ones. • Using triple-bond spacer is confirmed feasible in enhancing MOF surface areas.

New Method to Characterize Degradation of First Surface Aluminum Reflectors: Preprint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sutter, F.; Heller, P.; Meyen, S.; Pitz-Paal, R.; Kennedy, C.; Fernandez-Garcia, A.; Schmucker, M.

2010-10-01

This paper reports the development of a new optical instrument capable of characterizing the aging process of enhanced first surface aluminum reflectors for concentrating solar power (CSP) application. Samples were exposed outdoors at different sites and in accelerated exposure tests. All samples exposed outdoors showed localized corrosion spots. Degradation originated from points of damage in the protective coating, but propagated underneath the protective coating. The degraded samples were analyzed with a microscope and with a newly designed space-resolved specular reflectometer (SR)2 that is capable of optically detecting and characterizing the corrosion spots. The device measures the specular reflectance at three acceptance angles and the wavelengths with spatial resolution using a digital camera's CMOS sensor. It can be used to measure the corrosion growth rate during outdoor and accelerated exposure tests. These results will allow a correlation between the degraded mirror surface and its specular reflectance.

Spectroscopic characterization of the on-surface induced (cyclo) dehydrogenation of a N-heteroaromatic compound on noble metal surfaces

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Palacio, I.; Pinardi, A. L.; Martínez, J. I.; Preobrajenski, A.; Cossaro, A.; Jančařík, Andrej; Stará, Irena G.; Starý, Ivo; Méndez, J.; Martín-Gago, J.A.; López, M.F.

2017-01-01

Roč. 19, č. 33 (2017), s. 22454-22461 ISSN 1463-9076 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : dibenzohelicene * on-surface (cyclo)dehydrogenation * spectroscopic characterization Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry OBOR OECD: Organic chemistry Impact factor: 4.123, year: 2016

Characterization of surface modifications by white light interferometry: applications in ion sputtering, laser ablation, and tribology experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Baryshev, Sergey V; Erck, Robert A; Moore, Jerry F; Zinovev, Alexander V; Tripa, C Emil; Veryovkin, Igor V

2013-02-27

In materials science and engineering it is often necessary to obtain quantitative measurements of surface topography with micrometer lateral resolution. From the measured surface, 3D topographic maps can be subsequently analyzed using a variety of software packages to extract the information that is needed. In this article we describe how white light interferometry, and optical profilometry (OP) in general, combined with generic surface analysis software, can be used for materials science and engineering tasks. In this article, a number of applications of white light interferometry for investigation of surface modifications in mass spectrometry, and wear phenomena in tribology and lubrication are demonstrated. We characterize the products of the interaction of semiconductors and metals with energetic ions (sputtering), and laser irradiation (ablation), as well as ex situ measurements of wear of tribological test specimens. Specifically, we will discuss: i. Aspects of traditional ion sputtering-based mass spectrometry such as sputtering rates/yields measurements on Si and Cu and subsequent time-to-depth conversion. ii. Results of quantitative characterization of the interaction of femtosecond laser irradiation with a semiconductor surface. These results are important for applications such as ablation mass spectrometry, where the quantities of evaporated material can be studied and controlled via pulse duration and energy per pulse. Thus, by determining the crater geometry one can define depth and lateral resolution versus experimental setup conditions. iii. Measurements of surface roughness parameters in two dimensions, and quantitative measurements of the surface wear that occur as a result of friction and wear tests. Some inherent drawbacks, possible artifacts, and uncertainty assessments of the white light interferometry approach will be discussed and explained.

Characterization and flip angle calibration of 13C surface coils for hyperpolarization studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Rie Beck; Gutte, Henrik; Larsen, Majbrit M E

The aim of the present work is to address the challenge of optimal The aim of the present work is to address the challenge of optimal flflip angle calibration of ip angle calibration of C surface coils in C surface coils in hyperpolarization studies. To this end, we characterize the spatial pro h...

Surface characterization of polyethylene terephthalate/silica nanocomposites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parvinzadeh, Mazeyar, E-mail: mparvinzadeh@gmail.com [Department of Textile, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Moradian, Siamak [Department of Polymer and Color Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, P.O. Box 15875-4413, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Rashidi, Abosaeed [Department of Textile, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Yazdanshenas, Mohamad-Esmail [Department of Textile, Islamic Azad University, Yazd Branch, Yazd (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2010-02-15

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) based nanocomposites containing hydrophilic (i.e. Aerosil 200 or Aerosil TT 600) or hydrophobic (i.e. Aerosil R 972) nano-silica were prepared by melt compounding. Influence of nano-silica type on surface properties of the resultant nanocomposites was investigated by the use of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), atomic force microscopy (AFM), contact angle measurement (CAM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and reflectance spectroscopy (RS). The possible interaction between nano-silica particles and PET functional groups at bulk and surface were elucidated by transmission FTIR and FTIR-ATR spectroscopy, respectively. AFM studies of the resultant nanocomposites showed increased surface roughness compared to pure PET. Contact angle measurements of the resultant PET composites demonstrated that the wettability of such composites depends on surface treatment of the particular nano-silica particles used. SEM images illustrated that hydrophilic nano-silica particles tended to migrate to the surface of the PET matrix.

Electronic and structural characterizations of unreconstructed {0001} surfaces and the growth of graphene overlayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Emtsev, Konstantin

2009-01-01

The present work is focused on the characterization of the clean unreconstructed SiC{0001} surfaces and the growth of graphene overlayers thereon. Electronic properties of SiC surfaces and their interfaces with graphene and few layer graphene films were investigated by means of angle resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and low energy electron diffraction. Structural characterizations of the epitaxial graphene films grown on SiC were carried out by atomic force microscopy and low energy electron microscopy. Supplementary data was obtained by scanning tunneling microscopy. (orig.)

Characterization of thermomechanical damage on tungsten surfaces during long-duration plasma transients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rivera, David, E-mail: david.rivera.ucla@gmail.com; Crosby, Tamer; Sheng, Andrew; Ghoniem, Nasr M.

2014-12-15

A new experimental facility constructed at UCLA for the simulation of high heat flux effects on plasma-facing materials is described. The High Energy Flux Test Facility (HEFTY) is equipped with a Praxair model SG-100 plasma gun, which is nominally rated at 80 kW of continuous operation, of which approximately 30 kW reaches the target due to thermal losses. The gun is used to impart high intermittent heat flux to metal samples mounted within a cylindrical chamber. The system is capable of delivering an instantaneous heat flux in the range of 30–300 MW/m{sup 2}, depending on sample proximity to the gun. The duration of the plasma heat flux is in the range of 1–1000 s, making it ideal for studies of mild plasma transients of relatively long duration. Tungsten and tungsten-copper alloy metal samples are tested in these transient heat flux conditions, and the surface is characterized for damage evaluation using optical, SEM, XRD, and micro-fabrication techniques. Results from a Finite Element (FE) thermo-elastoplasticity model indicate that during the heat-up phase of a plasma transient pulse, the majority of the sample surface is under compressive stresses leading to plastic deformation of the surface. Upon sample cooling, the recovered elastic strain of cooler parts of the sample exceeds that from parts that deformed plastically, resulting in a tensile surface self-stress (residual surface stress). The intensity of the residual tensile surface stress is experimentally correlated with the onset of complex surface fracture morphology on the tungsten surface, and extending below the surface region. Micro-compression mechanical tests of W micro-pillars show that the material has significant plasticity, failing by a “barreling” mode before plasma exposure, and by normal dislocation slip and localized shear after plasma exposure. Ongoing modeling of the complex thermo-fracture process, coupled with elasto-plasticity is based on a phase field approach for distributed

Thermodynamic analysis of water molecules at the surface of proteins and applications to binding site prediction and characterization.

Science.gov (United States)

Beuming, Thijs; Che, Ye; Abel, Robert; Kim, Byungchan; Shanmugasundaram, Veerabahu; Sherman, Woody

2012-03-01

Water plays an essential role in determining the structure and function of all biological systems. Recent methodological advances allow for an accurate and efficient estimation of the thermodynamic properties of water molecules at the surface of proteins. In this work, we characterize these thermodynamic properties and relate them to various structural and functional characteristics of the protein. We find that high-energy hydration sites often exist near protein motifs typically characterized as hydrophilic, such as backbone amide groups. We also find that waters around alpha helices and beta sheets tend to be less stable than waters around loops. Furthermore, we find no significant correlation between the hydration site-free energy and the solvent accessible surface area of the site. In addition, we find that the distribution of high-energy hydration sites on the protein surface can be used to identify the location of binding sites and that binding sites of druggable targets tend to have a greater density of thermodynamically unstable hydration sites. Using this information, we characterize the FKBP12 protein and show good agreement between fragment screening hit rates from NMR spectroscopy and hydration site energetics. Finally, we show that water molecules observed in crystal structures are less stable on average than bulk water as a consequence of the high degree of spatial localization, thereby resulting in a significant loss in entropy. These findings should help to better understand the characteristics of waters at the surface of proteins and are expected to lead to insights that can guide structure-based drug design efforts. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Characterization of a Soybean Oil-based Biosurfactant and Evaluation of its Ability to Form Microbubbles

Science.gov (United States)

This paper characterizes the physio-chemical properties of the soybean oil (SBO)-based polymeric surfactant, Palozengs R-004 (hereafter referred to as R-004). The surface activity of R-004 is comparable to the reported activities of biosurfactants produced by microorganisms and higher than some of ...

Characterization of Boroaluminosilicate Glass Surface Structures by B k-edge NEXAFS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

R Schaut; R Lobello; K Mueller; C Pantano

2011-12-31

Techniques traditionally used to characterize bulk glass structure (NMR, IR, etc.) have improved significantly, but none provide direct measurement of local atomic coordination of glass surface species. Here, we used Near-Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (NEXAFS) as a direct measure of atomic structure at multicomponent glass surfaces. Focusing on the local chemical structure of boron, we address technique-related issues of calibration, quantification, and interactions of the beam with the material. We demonstrate that beam-induced adsorption and structural damage can occur within the timeframe of typical measurements. The technique is then applied to the study of various fracture surfaces where it is shown that adsorption and reaction of water with boroaluminosilicate glass surfaces induces structural changes in the local coordination of boron, favoring B{sup IV} species after reaction.

Surface Characterization for Land-Atmosphere Studies of CLASIC

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, T. J.; Kustas, W.; Torn, M. S.; Meyers, T.; Prueger, J.; Fischer, M. L.; Avissar, R.; Yueh, S.; Anderson, M.; Miller, M.

2006-12-01

The Cloud and Land Surface Interaction Campaign will focus on interactions between the land surface, convective boundary layer, and cumulus clouds. It will take place in the Southern Great Plains (SGP) area of the U.S, specifically within the US DOE ARM Climate Research Facility. The intensive observing period will be June of 2007, which typically covers the winter wheat harvest in the region. This region has been the focus of several related experiments that include SGP97, SGP99, and SMEX03. For the land surface, some of the specific science questions include 1) how do spatial variations in land cover along this trajectory modulate the cloud structure and the low-level water vapor budget, 2) what are the relationships between land surface characteristics (i.e., soil texture, vegetation type and fractional cover) and states (particularly soil moisture and surface temperature) and the resulting impact of the surface energy balance on boundary layer and cloud structure and dynamics and aerosol loading; and 3) what is the interplay between cumulus cloud development and surface energy balance partitioning between latent and sensible heat, and implications for the carbon flux? Most of these objectives will require flux and state measurements throughout the dominant land covers and distributed over the geographic domain. These observations would allow determining the level of up- scaling/aggregation required in order to understand the impact of landscape changes affecting energy balance/flux partitioning and impact on cloud/atmospheric dynamics. Specific contributions that are planned to be added to CLASIC include continuous tower-based monitoring of surface fluxes for key land cover types prior to, during, and post-IOP, replicate towers to quantify flux variance within each land cover, boundary layer properties and fluxes from a helicopter-based system, airplane- and satellite-based flux products throughout the region, aircraft- and tower-based concentration data for

Short communication: Unexpected findings on the physicochemical characterization of the silver nanoparticle surface

Science.gov (United States)

Loran, S.; Yelon, A.; Sacher, E.

2018-01-01

The bactericidal properties of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) have been variously attributed to the action of the NP surface and/or the Ag ions released therefrom. However, the published literature does not appear to contain any information on the physicochemical characterization of the NP surface. Herein, we report on the surprisingly reactive surface of the Ag NP, which has an almost total lack of free Ag on atmospheric exposure. Rather, an abundance of surface hydrocarbons, hydrides and oxides, as well as amines and oxidized N, argues for a reinterpretation of their bactericidal action.

A method for the characterization of the reflectance of anisotropic functional surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Regi, Francesco; Nielsen, J B; Li, Dongya

2018-01-01

The functional properties of micro-structured surfaces have gained increasing interest thanks to many applications such as wetting, adhesion, thermal and/or electrical conductivity. In this study, directional optical properties, i.e. contrast between two regions of a surface, were achieved...... reflectance of the surface for a range of design-specific view-illumination configurations was determined using a method that involves a Hirox RH-2000 digital microscope, used as a gonioreflectometer. This method allows the empirical determination of the optimum surface microstructure for maximizing contrast...... between two horizontally orthogonal views. The results show that even if the uncertainty related to the instrumentation is up to 20% in some cases, this procedure is suitable for the characterization of the surface of both metal and plastic counterpart....

A waveless free surface flow past a submerged triangular obstacle in presence of surface tension

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hakima Sekhri

2016-07-01

Full Text Available We consider the Free surface flows passing a submerged triangular obstacle at the bottom of a channel. The problem is characterized by a nonlinear boundary condition on the surface of unknown configuration. The analytical exact solutions for these problems are not known. Following Dias and Vanden Broeck [6], we computed numerically the solutions via a series truncation method. These solutions depend on two parameters: the Weber number $\\alpha$ characterizing the strength of the surface tension and the angle $\\beta$ at the base characterizing the shape of the apex. Although free surface flows with surface tension admit capillary waves, it is found that solution exist only for values of the Weber number greater than $\\alpha_0$ for different configurations of the triangular obstacle.

Potentialities of some surface characterization techniques for the development of titanium biomedical alloys

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P.S. Vanzillotta

2004-09-01

Full Text Available Bone formation around a metallic implant is a complex process that involves micro- and nanometric interactions. Several surface treatments, including coatings were developed in order to obtain faster osseointegration. To understand the role of these surface treatments on bone formation it is necessary to choose adequate characterization techniques. Among them, we have selected electron microscopy, profilometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS to describe them briefly. Examples of the potentialities of these techniques on the characterization of titanium for biomedical applications were also presented and discussed. Unfortunately more than one technique is usually necessary to describe conveniently the topography (scanning electron microsocopy, profilometry and/or AFM and the chemical state (XPS of the external layer of the material surface. The employment of the techniques above described can be useful especially for the development of new materials or products.

Influence of kinetics on the determination of the surface reactivity of oxide suspensions by acid-base titration.

Science.gov (United States)

Duc, M; Adekola, F; Lefèvre, G; Fédoroff, M

2006-11-01

The effect of acid-base titration protocol and speed on pH measurement and surface charge calculation was studied on suspensions of gamma-alumina, hematite, goethite, and silica, whose size and porosity have been well characterized. The titration protocol has an important effect on surface charge calculation as well as on acid-base constants obtained by fitting of the titration curves. Variations of pH versus time after addition of acid or base to the suspension were interpreted as diffusion processes. Resulting apparent diffusion coefficients depend on the nature of the oxide and on its porosity.

Fabrication and surface characterization of photopatterned encapsulated micromagnets for microrobotics and microfluidics applications

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hui; Leachman, William; Kershaw, Joe

2016-11-01

In this paper, encapsulated micromagnets with magnetic core surrounded by pure SU-8 were fabricated utilizing multilayer photolithography with a middle NdFeB magnetic composite layer. Various geometries of micromagnets were fabricated with high density magnetic core and high resolution features, showing magnetically response while still being biocompatible and chemically resistant and making them suitable for a wide range of microrobotics and microfluidics applications. Especially, crescent and C-channel micromagnets showed potential of microtransportation devices because of their interior reservoirs. Surface characterization of the micromagnets was conducted using closed-form solutions derived from the general biplanar surface characterization method. The fabrication method was evaluated and the process errors were found less than 1%.

Microcontroller-based system for analyzing and characterizing solar panels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jabbar, Muhandis Abdul; Prawito

2016-01-01

A solar cell is one of many alternative energy which is still being developed and it works by converting sunlight into electricity. In order to use a solar cell, a deep knowledge about the solar cell’s characteristics is needed. The current and voltage (I-V) produced when the light hits the solar cell surface with a certain value of intensity and at a certain value of temperature becomes the basic study to determine solar cell characteristics. In the past decade, there were so many developments of devices to characterize solar cells and solar panels. One of them used a MOSFET device for varying electronic load to observe solar cell current and voltage responses. However, many devices which have been developed even device on the market using many expensive tools and quite complex. Therefore in this research, a simple low cost electronic controlled device for solar cell characterization is built based on MOSFET method and a microcontroller but still has high reliability and accuracy.

Microcontroller-based system for analyzing and characterizing solar panels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jabbar, Muhandis Abdul, E-mail: muhandis.abdul@sci.ui.ac.id; Prawito [System and Instrumentation, Departemen Fisika, FMIPA Universitas Indonesia, Kampus UI Depok (Indonesia)

2016-04-19

A solar cell is one of many alternative energy which is still being developed and it works by converting sunlight into electricity. In order to use a solar cell, a deep knowledge about the solar cell’s characteristics is needed. The current and voltage (I-V) produced when the light hits the solar cell surface with a certain value of intensity and at a certain value of temperature becomes the basic study to determine solar cell characteristics. In the past decade, there were so many developments of devices to characterize solar cells and solar panels. One of them used a MOSFET device for varying electronic load to observe solar cell current and voltage responses. However, many devices which have been developed even device on the market using many expensive tools and quite complex. Therefore in this research, a simple low cost electronic controlled device for solar cell characterization is built based on MOSFET method and a microcontroller but still has high reliability and accuracy.

UAS-Borne Photogrammetry for Surface Topographic Characterization: A Ground-Truth Baseline for Future Change Detection and Refinement of Scaled Remotely-Sensed Datasets

Science.gov (United States)

Coppersmith, R.; Schultz-Fellenz, E. S.; Sussman, A. J.; Vigil, S.; Dzur, R.; Norskog, K.; Kelley, R.; Miller, L.

2015-12-01

While long-term objectives of monitoring and verification regimes include remote characterization and discrimination of surficial geologic and topographic features at sites of interest, ground truth data is required to advance development of remote sensing techniques. Increasingly, it is desirable for these ground-based or ground-proximal characterization methodologies to be as nimble, efficient, non-invasive, and non-destructive as their higher-altitude airborne counterparts while ideally providing superior resolution. For this study, the area of interest is an alluvial site at the Nevada National Security Site intended for use in the Source Physics Experiment's (Snelson et al., 2013) second phase. Ground-truth surface topographic characterization was performed using a DJI Inspire 1 unmanned aerial system (UAS), at very low altitude (clouds. Within the area of interest, careful installation of surveyed ground control fiducial markers supplied necessary targets for field collection, and information for model georectification. The resulting model includes a Digital Elevation Model derived from 2D imagery. It is anticipated that this flexible and versatile characterization process will provide point cloud data resolution equivalent to a purely ground-based LiDAR scanning deployment (e.g., 1-2cm horizontal and vertical resolution; e.g., Sussman et al., 2012; Schultz-Fellenz et al., 2013). In addition to drastically increasing time efficiency in the field, the UAS method also allows for more complete coverage of the study area when compared to ground-based LiDAR. Comparison and integration of these data with conventionally-acquired airborne LiDAR data from a higher-altitude (~ 450m) platform will aid significantly in the refinement of technologies and detection capabilities of remote optical systems to identify and detect surface geologic and topographic signatures of interest. This work includes a preliminary comparison of surface signatures detected from varying

An AFM-based pit-measuring method for indirect measurements of cell-surface membrane vesicles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Xiaojun; Chen, Yuan; Chen, Yong

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Air drying induced the transformation of cell-surface membrane vesicles into pits. • An AFM-based pit-measuring method was developed to measure cell-surface vesicles. • Our method detected at least two populations of cell-surface membrane vesicles. - Abstract: Circulating membrane vesicles, which are shed from many cell types, have multiple functions and have been correlated with many diseases. Although circulating membrane vesicles have been extensively characterized, the status of cell-surface membrane vesicles prior to their release is less understood due to the lack of effective measurement methods. Recently, as a powerful, micro- or nano-scale imaging tool, atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been applied in measuring circulating membrane vesicles. However, it seems very difficult for AFM to directly image/identify and measure cell-bound membrane vesicles due to the similarity of surface morphology between membrane vesicles and cell surfaces. Therefore, until now no AFM studies on cell-surface membrane vesicles have been reported. In this study, we found that air drying can induce the transformation of most cell-surface membrane vesicles into pits that are more readily detectable by AFM. Based on this, we developed an AFM-based pit-measuring method and, for the first time, used AFM to indirectly measure cell-surface membrane vesicles on cultured endothelial cells. Using this approach, we observed and quantitatively measured at least two populations of cell-surface membrane vesicles, a nanoscale population (<500 nm in diameter peaking at ∼250 nm) and a microscale population (from 500 nm to ∼2 μm peaking at ∼0.8 μm), whereas confocal microscopy only detected the microscale population. The AFM-based pit-measuring method is potentially useful for studying cell-surface membrane vesicles and for investigating the mechanisms of membrane vesicle formation/release

Surface Coating of Gypsum-Based Molds for Maxillofacial Prosthetic Silicone Elastomeric Material: The Surface Topography.

Science.gov (United States)

Khalaf, Salah; Ariffin, Zaihan; Husein, Adam; Reza, Fazal

2015-07-01

This study aimed to compare the surface roughness of maxillofacial silicone elastomers fabricated in noncoated and coated gypsum materials. This study was also conducted to characterize the silicone elastomer specimens after surfaces were modified. A gypsum mold was coated with clear acrylic spray. The coated mold was then used to produce modified silicone experimental specimens (n = 35). The surface roughness of the modified silicone elastomers was compared with that of the control specimens, which were prepared by conventional flasking methods (n = 35). An atomic force microscope (AFM) was used for surface roughness measurement of silicone elastomer (unmodified and modified), and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to evaluate the topographic conditions of coated and noncoated gypsum and silicone elastomer specimens (unmodified and modified) groups. After the gypsum molds were characterized, the fabricated silicone elastomers molded on noncoated and coated gypsum materials were evaluated further. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis of gypsum materials (noncoated and coated) and silicone elastomer specimens (unmodified and modified) was performed to evaluate the elemental changes after coating was conducted. Independent t test was used to analyze the differences in the surface roughness of unmodified and modified silicone at a significance level of p SEM analysis results showed evident differences in surface smoothness. EDX data further revealed the presence of the desired chemical components on the surface layer of unmodified and modified silicone elastomers. Silicone elastomers with lower surface roughness of maxillofacial prostheses can be obtained simply by coating a gypsum mold. © 2014 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Spinorial characterizations of surfaces into three-dimensional homogeneous manifolds

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, Julien

2010-06-01

We give spinorial characterizations of isometrically immersed surfaces into three-dimensional homogeneous manifolds with four-dimensional isometry group in terms of the existence of a particular spinor field. This generalizes works by Friedrich for R3 and Morel for S3 and H3. The main argument is the interpretation of the energy-momentum tensor of such a spinor field as the second fundamental form up to a tensor depending on the structure of the ambient space.

Characterization and reactivity of sodium aluminoborosilicate glass fiber surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ortiz Rivera, Lymaris, E-mail: luo105@psu.edu [Materials Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Bakaev, Victor A.; Banerjee, Joy [Materials Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Mueller, Karl T. [Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Pantano, Carlo G. [Materials Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States)

2016-05-01

Highlights: • XPS revealed that these fiber surfaces contain sodium carbonate weathering products. • IGC–MS data confirms the products of acetic acid reaction with sodium carbonate. • NMR data shows two closely spaced, but distinct sodium carboxylate peaks. • Acetic acid reacts with both sodium in the glass and sodium in the sodium carbonate. - Abstract: Multicomponent complex oxides, such as sodium aluminoborosilicate glass fibers, are important materials used for thermal insulation in buildings and homes. Although the surface properties of single oxides, such as silica, have been extensively studied, less is known about the distribution of reactive sites at the surface of multicomponent oxides. Here, we investigated the reactivity of sodium aluminoborosilicate glass fiber surfaces for better understanding of their interface chemistry and bonding with acrylic polymers. Acetic acid (with and without a {sup 13}C enrichment) was used as a probe representative of the carboxylic functional groups in many acrylic polymers and adhesives. Inverse gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer (IGC–MS), and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), were used to characterize the fiber surface reactions and surface chemical structure. In this way, we discovered that both sodium ions in the glass surface, as well as sodium carbonate salts that formed on the surface due to the intrinsic reactivity of this glass in humid air, are primary sites of interaction with the carboxylic acid. Surface analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the presence of sodium carbonates on these surfaces. Computer simulations of the interactions between the reactive sites on the glass fiber surface with acetic acid were performed to evaluate energetically favorable reactions. The adsorption reactions with sodium in the glass structure provide adhesive bonding sites, whereas the reaction with the sodium carbonate consumes the acid to form sodium-carboxylate, H

Nonlaser-based 3D surface imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lu, Shin-yee; Johnson, R.K.; Sherwood, R.J. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)

1994-11-15

3D surface imaging refers to methods that generate a 3D surface representation of objects of a scene under viewing. Laser-based 3D surface imaging systems are commonly used in manufacturing, robotics and biomedical research. Although laser-based systems provide satisfactory solutions for most applications, there are situations where non laser-based approaches are preferred. The issues that make alternative methods sometimes more attractive are: (1) real-time data capturing, (2) eye-safety, (3) portability, and (4) work distance. The focus of this presentation is on generating a 3D surface from multiple 2D projected images using CCD cameras, without a laser light source. Two methods are presented: stereo vision and depth-from-focus. Their applications are described.

Dental hard tissue characterization using laser-based ultrasonics

Science.gov (United States)

Blodgett, David W.; Massey, Ward L.

2003-07-01

Dental health care and research workers require a means of imaging the structures within teeth in vivo. One critical need is the detection of tooth decay in its early stages. If decay can be detected early enough, the process can be monitored and interventional procedures, such as fluoride washes and controlled diet, can be initiated to help re-mineralize the tooth. Currently employed x-ray imaging is limited in its ability to visualize interfaces and incapable of detecting decay at a stage early enough to avoid invasive cavity preparation followed by a restoration. To this end, non-destructive and non-contact in vitro measurements on extracted human molars using laser-based ultrasonics are presented. Broadband ultrasonic waves are excited in the extracted sections by using a pulsed carbon-dioxide (CO2) laser operating in a region of high optical absorption in the dental hard tissues. Optical interferometric detection of the ultrasonic wave surface displacements in accomplished with a path-stabilized Michelson-type interferometer. Results for bulk and surface in-vitro characterization of caries are presented on extracted molars with pre-existing caries.

Development and surface characterization of a glucose biosensor based on a nanocolumnar ZnO film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodrigues, A., E-mail: adriana.rodrigues@partner.kit.edu [Instituto de Física − UFRGS, P.O. Box 15051, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Castegnaro, M.V. [Instituto de Física − UFRGS, P.O. Box 15051, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Arguello, J.; Alves, M.C.M. [Instituto de Química − UFRGS, P.O. Box 15003, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Morais, J., E-mail: jonder@if.ufrgs.br [Instituto de Física − UFRGS, P.O. Box 15051, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil)

2017-04-30

Highlights: • Glucose biosensor based on self-assembled nanocolumnar ZnO deposited on stainless steel. • XPS applied to investigate the GOx immobilization on the ZnO nanocolumns surface. • Observable chemical shifts on O1s and Zn2p corroborates enzime immobilization. - Abstract: Highly oriented nanostructured ZnO films were grown on the surface of stainless steel plates (ZnO/SS) by chemical bath deposition (CBD). The films consisted of vertically aligned ZnO nanocolumns, ∼1 μm long and ∼80 nm wide, as observed by SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and FIB (focused ion beam). XRD (X-ray diffraction) confirmed the c-axis preferred orientation of the ZnO columns, which were functionalized with the glucose oxidase (GOx) enzyme into a biosensor of glucose. The electrochemical response studied by CV (cyclic voltammetry) proved that the biosensor was capable of detecting glucose from 1.5 up to 16 mM concentration range. XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) analysis, excited with synchrotron radiation, probed the atom specific chemical environment at the electrode’s surface and shed some light on the nature of the ZnO-GOx interaction.

Multifractal characterization of single wall carbon nanotube thin films surface upon exposure to optical parametric oscillator laser irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ţălu, Ştefan; Marković, Zoran; Stach, Sebastian; Todorović Marković, B.; Ţălu, Mihai

2014-01-01

This study presents a multifractal approach, obtained with atomic force microscopy analysis, to characterize the structural evolution of single wall carbon nanotube thin films upon exposure to optical parametric oscillator laser irradiation at wavelength of 430 nm. Microstructure and morphological changes of carbon nanotube films deposited on different substrates (mica and TGX grating) were recorded by atomic force microscope. A detailed methodology for surface multifractal characterization, which may be applied for atomic force microscopy data, was presented. Multifractal analysis of surface roughness revealed that carbon nanotube films surface has a multifractal geometry at various magnifications. The generalized dimension D q and the singularity spectrum f(α) provided quantitative values that characterize the local scale properties of carbon nanotube films surface morphology at nanometer scale. Multifractal analysis provides different yet complementary information to that offered by traditional surface statistical parameters.

The Characterization of Surface Acoustic Wave Devices Based on AlN-Metal Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lin Shu

2016-04-01

Full Text Available We report in this paper on the study of surface acoustic wave (SAW resonators based on an AlN/titanium alloy (TC4 structure. The AlN/TC4 structure with different thicknesses of AlN films was simulated, and the acoustic propagating modes were discussed. Based on the simulation results, interdigital transducers with a periodic length of 24 μm were patterned by lift-off photolithography techniques on the AlN films/TC4 structure, while the AlN film thickness was in the range 1.5–3.5 μm. The device performances in terms of quality factor (Q-factor and electromechanical coupling coefficient (k2 were determined from the measure S11 parameters. The Q-factor and k2 were strongly dependent not only on the normalized AlN film thickness but also on the full-width at half-maximum (FWHM of AlN (002 peak. The dispersion curve of the SAW phase velocity was analyzed, and the experimental results showed a good agreement with simulations. The temperature behaviors of the devices were also presented and discussed. The prepared SAW resonators based on AlN/TC4 structure have potential applications in integrated micromechanical sensing systems.

III-V semiconductors for photoelectrochemical applications: surface preparation and characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fertig, Dominic; Schaechner, Birgit; Calvet, Wofram; Kaiser, Bernhard; Jaegermann, Wolfram [TU Darmstadt, Fachbereich Materialwissenschaft, Fachgebiet Oberflaechenforschung (Germany)

2011-07-01

III-V semiconductors are promising reference systems for photoelectrochemical energy conversion. Therefore we have studied the influence of different acids and acidic solutions on the etching of p-doped gallium-arsenide and gallium-phosphide single crystal surfaces. From our experiments we conclude, that etching with HCl and subsequent annealing up to 450 C gives the best results for the removal of the carbonates and the oxides without affecting the quality of the sample. By treating the surfaces with ''piranha''-solution (H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}:H{sub 2}O{sub 2}:H{sub 2}O/7:2:1), the creation of an oxide layer with well defined thickness can be achieved. For the creation of an efficient photoelectrochemical cell, Pt nanoparticles have been deposited from solution. These surfaces are then characterized by photoelectron spectroscopy and AFM. Further electrochemical measurements try to correlate the effect of the surface cleaning and the Pt deposition on the photoactivity of the GaAs- and GaP-semiconductors.

Characterization of iron surface modified by 2-mercaptobenzothiazole self-assembled monolayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feng Yuanyuan [Department of Chemistry, Shandong University, Jinan 250100 (China); Chen Shenhao [Department of Chemistry, Shandong University, Jinan 250100 (China) and State Key Laboratory for Corrosion and Protection, Shenyang 110016 (China)]. E-mail: shchen@sdu.edu.cn; Zhang Honglin [Department of Chemistry, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165 (China); Li Ping [Department of Chemistry, Shandong University, Jinan 250100 (China); Wu Ling [Department of Chemistry, Shandong University, Jinan 250100 (China); Guo Wenjuan [Department of Chemistry, Shandong University, Jinan 250100 (China)

2006-12-30

A self-assembled monolayer of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) adsorbed on the iron surface was prepared. The films were characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared reflection spectroscopy (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Besides, the microcalorimetry method was utilized to study the self-assembled process on iron surface and the adsorption mechanism was discussed from the power-time curve. The results indicated that MBT was able to form a film spontaneously on iron surface and the presence of it could protect iron from corrosion effectively. However, the assembling time and the concentration influence the protection efficiency. Quantum chemical calculations, according to which adsorption mechanism was discussed, could explain the experimental results to some extent.

Graphene oxide/carbon nanoparticle thin film based IR detector: Surface properties and device characterization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farzana Aktar Chowdhury

2015-10-01

Full Text Available This work deals with the synthesis, characterization, and application of carbon nanoparticles (CNP adorned graphene oxide (GO nanocomposite materials. Here we mainly focus on an emerging topic in modern research field presenting GO-CNP nanocomposite as a infrared (IR radiation detector device. GO-CNP thin film devices were fabricated from liquid phase at ambient condition where no modifying treatments were necessary. It works with no cooling treatment and also for stationary objects. A sharp response of human body IR radiation was detected with time constants of 3 and 36 sec and radiation responsivity was 3 mAW−1. The current also rises for quite a long time before saturation. This work discusses state-of-the-art material developing technique based on near-infrared photon absorption and their use in field deployable instrument for real-world applications. GO-CNP-based thin solid composite films also offer its potentiality to be utilized as p-type absorber material in thin film solar cell, as well.

Graphene oxide/carbon nanoparticle thin film based IR detector: Surface properties and device characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chowdhury, Farzana Aktar [Experimental Physics Division, Atomic Energy Centre, 4, Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Dhaka-1000 (Bangladesh); Hossain, Mohammad Abul [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000 (Bangladesh); Uchida, Koji; Tamura, Takahiro; Sugawa, Kosuke; Mochida, Tomoaki; Otsuki, Joe [College of Science and Technology, Nihon University, 1-8-14 Kanda Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8308 (Japan); Mohiuddin, Tariq [Department of Physics, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat (Oman); Boby, Monny Akter [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000 (Bangladesh); Alam, Mohammad Sahabul, E-mail: msalam@ksu.edu.sa [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000 (Bangladesh); Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering & King Abdullah Institute for Nanotechnology, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451 (Saudi Arabia)

2015-10-15

This work deals with the synthesis, characterization, and application of carbon nanoparticles (CNP) adorned graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposite materials. Here we mainly focus on an emerging topic in modern research field presenting GO-CNP nanocomposite as a infrared (IR) radiation detector device. GO-CNP thin film devices were fabricated from liquid phase at ambient condition where no modifying treatments were necessary. It works with no cooling treatment and also for stationary objects. A sharp response of human body IR radiation was detected with time constants of 3 and 36 sec and radiation responsivity was 3 mAW{sup −1}. The current also rises for quite a long time before saturation. This work discusses state-of-the-art material developing technique based on near-infrared photon absorption and their use in field deployable instrument for real-world applications. GO-CNP-based thin solid composite films also offer its potentiality to be utilized as p-type absorber material in thin film solar cell, as well.

Characterizing groundwater/surface-water interactions in the interior of Jianghan Plain, central China

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Yao; Ma, Teng; Deng, Yamin; Shen, Shuai; Lu, Zongjie

2018-01-01

Quantifying groundwater/surface-water interactions is essential for managing water resources and revealing contaminant fate. There has been little concern on the exchange between streams and aquifers through an extensive aquitard thus far. In this study, hydrogeologic calculation and tritium modeling were jointly applied to characterize such interactions through an extensive aquitard in the interior of Jianghan Plain, an alluvial plain of Yangtze River, China. One groundwater simulation suggested that the lateral distance of influence from the river was about 1,000 m; vertical flow in the aquitard followed by lateral flow in the aquifer contributed significantly more ( 90%) to the aquifer head change near the river than lateral bank storage in the aquitard followed by infiltration. The hydrogeologic calculation produced vertical fluxes of the order 0.01 m/day both near and farther from the river, suggesting that similar shorter-lived (half-monthly) vertical fluxes occur between the river and aquitard near the river, and between the surface end members and aquitard farther from the river. Tritium simulation based on the OTIS model produced an average groundwater residence time of about 15 years near the river and a resulting vertical flux of the order 0.001 m/day. Another tritium simulation based on a dispersion model produced a vertical flux of the order 0.0001 m/day away from the river, coupled with an average residence time of around 90 years. These results suggest an order of magnitude difference for the longer-lived (decadal) vertical fluxes between surface waters and the aquifer near and away from the river.

Self-cleaning Foliar Surfaces Characterization using RIMAPS Technique and Variogram Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosi, Pablo E.

2002-01-01

Along the last ten years many important studies about characterization of self-cleaning foliar surfaces have been done and focused new interest on this kind of surfaces.These studies were possible due to the development of a novel preparation technique for this biological material that let us observe the delicate structures of a foliar surface under scanning electron microscope (S.E.M.).This technique consists of replacing the natural water of the specimen by glycerol. Digital S.E.M. images from both self-cleaning and non-self-cleaning foliar surfaces were obtained and analyzed using RIMAPS technique and Variograms method. Our results revealed the existence of a common and exclusive geometrical pattern that is found in species which present self-cleaning foliar surfaces.This pattern combines at least nine different directions.The results from the Variograms method showed that the stomata play a key role in the determination of foliar surface roughness. In addition, spectra from RIMAPS technique constitute a fingerprint of a foliar surface so they can be used to find evolutionary relationships among species.Further studies will provide more detailed information to fully elucidate the self-cleaning pattern, so it might be possible to reproduce it on an artificial surface and make it self-cleaning

Surface characterization of polyethylene terephthalate films treated by ammonia low-temperature plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng Zhiwen; Ren Li; Feng Wenjiang; Zhai Zhichen; Wang Yingjun

2012-01-01

In order to study the surface characterization and protein adhesion behavior of polyethylene terephthalate film, low temperature ammonia plasma was used to modify the film. Effects of plasma conditions of the surface structures and properties were investigated. Results indicated that surface hydrophilicity of polyethylene terephthalate was significantly improved by ammonia plasma treatment. Ammonia plasma played the role more important than air treatment in the process of modification. Furthermore, by Fourier Transform Infrared spectra some new bonds such as -N=O and N-H which could result in the improvement of the surface hydrophilicity were successfully grafted on the film surface. Atom force microscope experiments indicated that more protein adsorbed on hydrophobic surfaces than hydrophilic ones, and the blobs arranged in a straight line at etching surface by plasma. Modified membrane after ammonia plasma treatment had a good cell affinity and could be effective in promoting the adhesion and growth of cells on the material surface. Timeliness experiments showed that the plasma treatment gave the material a certain performance only in a short period of time and the hydrophobicity recovered after 12 days.

Statistical analysis of surface lineaments and fractures for characterizing naturally fractured reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, Genliang; George, S.A.; Lindsey, R.P.

1997-08-01

Thirty-six sets of surface lineaments and fractures mapped from satellite images and/or aerial photos from parts of the Mid-continent and Colorado Plateau regions were collected, digitized, and statistically analyzed in order to obtain the probability distribution functions of natural fractures for characterizing naturally fractured reservoirs. The orientations and lengths of the surface linear features were calculated using the digitized coordinates of the two end points of each individual linear feature. The spacing data of the surface linear features within an individual set were, obtained using a new analytical sampling technique. Statistical analyses were then performed to find the best-fit probability distribution functions for the orientation, length, and spacing of each data set. Twenty-five hypothesized probability distribution functions were used to fit each data set. A chi-square goodness-of-fit test was used to rank the significance of each fit. A distribution which provides the lowest chi-square goodness-of-fit value was considered the best-fit distribution. The orientations of surface linear features were best-fitted by triangular, normal, or logistic distributions; the lengths were best-fitted by PearsonVI, PearsonV, lognormal2, or extreme-value distributions; and the spacing data were best-fitted by lognormal2, PearsonVI, or lognormal distributions. These probability functions can be used to stochastically characterize naturally fractured reservoirs.

Ion beam-based characterization of multicomponent oxide thin films and thin film layered structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krauss, A.R.; Rangaswamy, M.; Lin, Yuping; Gruen, D.M.; Schultz, J.A.; Schmidt, H.K.; Chang, R.P.H.

1992-01-01

Fabrication of thin film layered structures of multi-component materials such as high temperature superconductors, ferroelectric and electro-optic materials, and alloy semiconductors, and the development of hybrid materials requires understanding of film growth and interface properties. For High Temperature Superconductors, the superconducting coherence length is extremely short (5--15 Angstrom), and fabrication of reliable devices will require control of film properties at extremely sharp interfaces; it will be necessary to verify the integrity of thin layers and layered structure devices over thicknesses comparable to the atomic layer spacing. Analytical techniques which probe the first 1--2 atomic layers are therefore necessary for in-situ characterization of relevant thin film growth processes. However, most surface-analytical techniques are sensitive to a region within 10--40 Angstrom of the surface and are physically incompatible with thin film deposition and are typically restricted to ultra high vacuum conditions. A review of ion beam-based analytical methods for the characterization of thin film and multi-layered thin film structures incorporating layers of multicomponent oxides is presented. Particular attention will be paid to the use of time-of-flight techniques based on the use of 1- 15 key ion beams which show potential for use as nondestructive, real-time, in-situ surface diagnostics for the growth of multicomponent metal and metal oxide thin films

Characterizing Spatial Organization of Cell Surface Receptors in Human Breast Cancer with STORM

Science.gov (United States)

Lyall, Evan; Chapman, Matthew R.; Sohn, Lydia L.

2012-02-01

Regulation and control of complex biological functions are dependent upon spatial organization of biological structures at many different length scales. For instance Eph receptors and their ephrin ligands bind when opposing cells come into contact during development, resulting in spatial organizational changes on the nanometer scale that lead to changes on the macro scale, in a process known as organ morphogenesis. One technique able to probe this important spatial organization at both the nanometer and micrometer length scales, including at cell-cell junctions, is stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM). STORM is a technique that localizes individual fluorophores based on the centroids of their point spread functions and then reconstructs a composite image to produce super resolved structure. We have applied STORM to study spatial organization of the cell surface of human breast cancer cells, specifically the organization of tyrosine kinase receptors and chemokine receptors. A better characterization of spatial organization of breast cancer cell surface proteins is necessary to fully understand the tumorigenisis pathways in the most common malignancy in United States women.

A Statistics-Based Material Property Analysis to Support TPS Characterization

Science.gov (United States)

Copeland, Sean R.; Cozmuta, Ioana; Alonso, Juan J.

2012-01-01

Accurate characterization of entry capsule heat shield material properties is a critical component in modeling and simulating Thermal Protection System (TPS) response in a prescribed aerothermal environment. The thermal decomposition of the TPS material during the pyrolysis and charring processes is poorly characterized and typically results in large uncertainties in material properties as inputs for ablation models. These material property uncertainties contribute to large design margins on flight systems and cloud re- construction efforts for data collected during flight and ground testing, making revision to existing models for entry systems more challenging. The analysis presented in this work quantifies how material property uncertainties propagate through an ablation model and guides an experimental test regimen aimed at reducing these uncertainties and characterizing the dependencies between properties in the virgin and charred states for a Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA) based TPS. A sensitivity analysis identifies how the high-fidelity model behaves in the expected flight environment, while a Monte Carlo based uncertainty propagation strategy is used to quantify the expected spread in the in-depth temperature response of the TPS. An examination of how perturbations to the input probability density functions affect output temperature statistics is accomplished using a Kriging response surface of the high-fidelity model. Simulations are based on capsule configuration and aerothermal environments expected during the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) entry sequence. We identify and rank primary sources of uncertainty from material properties in a flight-relevant environment, show the dependence on spatial orientation and in-depth location on those uncertainty contributors, and quantify how sensitive the expected results are.

Synthesis, Characterization, Topographical Modification, and Surface Properties of Copoly(Imide Siloxane)s

Science.gov (United States)

Wohl, Christopher J.; Atkins, Brad M.; Belcher, Marcus A.; Connell, John W.

2012-01-01

Novel copoly(imide siloxane)s were synthesized from commercially available aminopropyl terminated siloxane oligomers, aromatic dianhydrides, and diamines. This synthetic approach produced copolymers with well-defined siloxane blocks linked with imide units in a random fashion. The copoly(amide acid)s were characterized by solution viscosity and subsequently used to cast thin films followed by thermal imidization in an inert atmosphere. Thin films were characterized using contact angle goniometry, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, confocal and optical microscopy, and tensile testing. Adhesion of micronsized particles was determined quantitatively using a sonication device. The polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) moieties lowered the copolymer surface energy due to migration of siloxane moieties to the film s surface, resulting in a notable reduction in particle adhesion. A further reduction in particle adhesion was achieved by introducing topographical features on a scale of several to tens of microns by a laser ablation technique.

Electrochemical characterization of Zr-based thin film metallic glass in hydrochloric aqueous solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chuang, Ching-Yen; Liao, Yi-Chia; Lee, Jyh-Wei; Li, Chia-Lin; Chu, Jinn P.; Duh, Jenq-Gong

2013-01-01

Recently thin film metallic glass represents a class of promising engineering materials for structural applications. In this work, the Zr-based thin film metallic glass (TFMG) was fabricated on the Si and AISI 420 substrates using a Zr–Cu–Ni–Al alloy and pure Zr metal targets by a pulsed DC magnetron sputtering system. The chemical compositions, crystalline structures, microstructures and corrosion behavior in hydrochloric (HCl) aqueous solutions of Zr-based TFMGs were investigated. The results showed that the surface morphologies of Zr-based TFMG were very smooth. A compact and dense structure without columnar structure was observed. The amorphous structure of Zr-based TFMG was characterized by the X-ray diffractometer and transmission electron microscopy analyses. After the potentiodynamic polarization test, the better corrosion resistance was achieved for the Zr-based TFMG coated AISI 420 in 1 mM HCl aqueous solution. Based on the surface morphologies and chemical analysis results of the corroded surfaces, the pitting, crevice corrosion and filiform corrosion were found. The corrosion mechanisms of the Zr-based TFMG were discussed in this work. - Highlights: ► Zr-based thin film metallic glass with amorphous structure. ► Better corrosion resistance of Zr-based thin film metallic glass observed. ► Pitting, crevice and filiform corrosion reactions revealed. ► The Cu-rich corrosion products found in the pit. ► Nanowire and flaky corrosion products formed adjacent to the filiform corrosion path

Morpho-chemical characterization and surface properties of carcinogenic zeolite fibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Mattioli, Michele; Giordani, Matteo; Dogan, Meral; Cangiotti, Michela; Avella, Giuseppe; Giorgi, Rodorico; Dogan, A Umran; Ottaviani, Maria Francesca

2016-04-05

Erionite belonging to the zeolite family is a human health-hazard, since it was demonstrated to be carcinogenic. Conversely, offretite family zeolites were suspected carcinogenic. Mineralogical, morphological, chemical, and surface characterizations were performed on two erionites (GF1, MD8) and one offretite (BV12) fibrous samples and, for comparison, one scolecite (SC1) sample. The specific surface area analysis indicated a larger availability of surface sites for the adsorption onto GF1, while SC1 shows the lowest one and the presence of large pores in the poorly fibrous zeolite aggregates. Selected spin probes revealed a high adsorption capacity of GF1 compared to the other zeolites, but the polar/charged interacting sites were well distributed, intercalated by less polar sites (Si-O-Si). MD8 surface is less homogeneous and the polar/charged sites are more interacting and closer to each other compared to GF1. The interacting ability of BV12 surface is much lower than that found for GF1 and MD8 and the probes are trapped in small pores into the fibrous aggregates. In comparison with the other zeolites, the non-carcinogenic SC1 shows a poor interacting ability and a lower surface polarity. These results helped to clarify the chemical properties and the surface interacting ability of these zeolite fibers which may be related to their carcinogenicity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Study of measurement methods of ultrafine aerosols surface-area for characterizing occupational exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bau, S.

2008-12-01

This work aims at improving knowledge on ultrafine aerosols surface-area measurement. Indeed, the development of nano-technologies may lead to occupational exposure to airborne nano-structured particles, which involves a new prevention issue. There is currently no consensus concerning what parameter (mass, surface-area, number) should be measured. However, surface-area could be a relevant metric, since it leads to a satisfying correlation with biological effects when nano-structured particles are inhaled. Hence, an original theoretical work was performed to position the parameter of surface-area in relation to other aerosol characteristics. To investigate measurement techniques of nano-structured aerosols surface-area, the experimental facility CAIMAN (Characterization of Instruments for the Measurement of Aerosols of Nano-particles) was designed and built. Within CAIMAN, it is possible to produce nano-structured aerosols with varying and controlled properties (size, concentration, chemical nature, morphology, state-of-charge), stable and reproducible in time. The generated aerosols were used to experimentally characterize the response of the instruments in study (NSAM and AeroTrak 9000 TSI, LQ1-DC Matter Engineering). The response functions measured with monodisperse aerosols show a good agreement with the corresponding theoretical curves in a large size range, from 15 to 520 nm. Furthermore, hypotheses have been formulated to explain the reasonable biases observed when measuring poly-disperse aerosols. (author)

Characterizing bars in low surface brightness disc galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, Wesley; Kuzio de Naray, Rachel

2018-05-01

In this paper, we use B-band, I-band, and 3.6 μm azimuthal light profiles of four low surface brightness galaxies (LSBs; UGC 628, F568-1, F568-3, F563-V2) to characterize three bar parameters: length, strength, and corotation radius. We employ three techniques to measure the radius of the bars, including a new method using the azimuthal light profiles. We find comparable bar radii between the I-band and 3.6 μm for all four galaxies when using our azimuthal light profile method, and that our bar lengths are comparable to those in high surface brightness galaxies (HSBs). In addition, we find the bar strengths for our galaxies to be smaller than those for HSBs. Finally, we use Fourier transforms of the B-band, I-band, and 3.6 μm images to characterize the bars as either `fast' or `slow' by measuring the corotation radius via phase profiles. When using the B- and I-band phase crossings, we find three of our galaxies have faster than expected relative bar pattern speeds for galaxies expected to be embedded in centrally dense cold dark matter haloes. When using the B-band and 3.6 μm phase crossings, we find more ambiguous results, although the relative bar pattern speeds are still faster than expected. Since we find a very slow bar in F563-V2, we are confident that we are able to differentiate between fast and slow bars. Finally, we find no relation between bar strength and relative bar pattern speed when comparing our LSBs to HSBs.

An adhesive contact mechanics formulation based on atomistically induced surface traction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fan, Houfu [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Ren, Bo [Livermore Software Technology Corporation, 7374 Las Positas Road, Livermore, CA 94551 (United States); Li, Shaofan, E-mail: shaofan@berkeley.edu [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

2015-12-01

In this work, we have developed a novel multiscale computational contact formulation based on the generalized Derjuguin approximation for continua that are characterized by atomistically enriched constitutive relations in order to study macroscopic interaction between arbitrarily shaped deformable continua. The proposed adhesive contact formulation makes use of the microscopic interaction forces between individual particles in the interacting bodies. In particular, the double-layer volume integral describing the contact interaction (energy, force vector, matrix) is converted into a double-layer surface integral through a mathematically consistent approach that employs the divergence theorem and a special partitioning technique. The proposed contact model is formulated in the nonlinear continuum mechanics framework and implemented using the standard finite element method. With no large penalty constant, the stiffness matrix of the system will in general be well-conditioned, which is of great significance for quasi-static analysis. Three numerical examples are presented to illustrate the capability of the proposed method. Results indicate that with the same mesh configuration, the finite element computation based on the surface integral approach is faster and more accurate than the volume integral based approach. In addition, the proposed approach is energy preserving even in a very long dynamic simulation.

Nanostructured enzymatic biosensor based on fullerene and gold nanoparticles: preparation, characterization and analytical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Lanzellotto, C; Favero, G; Antonelli, M L; Tortolini, C; Cannistraro, S; Coppari, E; Mazzei, F

2014-05-15

In this work a novel electrochemical biosensing platform based on the coupling of two different nanostructured materials (gold nanoparticles and fullerenols) displaying interesting electrochemical features, has been developed and characterized. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) exhibit attractive electrocatalytic behavior stimulating in the last years, several sensing applications; on the other hand, fullerene and its derivatives are a very promising family of electroactive compounds although they have not yet been fully employed in biosensing. The methodology proposed in this work was finalized to the setup of a laccase biosensor based on a multilayer material consisting in AuNPs, fullerenols and Trametes versicolor Laccase (TvL) assembled layer by layer onto a gold (Au) electrode surface. The influence of different modification step procedures on the electroanalytical performance of biosensors has been evaluated. Cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) were used to characterize the modification of surface and to investigate the bioelectrocatalytic biosensor response. This biosensor showed fast amperometric response to gallic acid, which is usually considered a standard for polyphenols analysis of wines, with a linear range 0.03-0.30 mmol L(-1) (r(2)=0.9998), with a LOD of 0.006 mmol L(-1) or expressed as polyphenol index 5.0-50 mg L(-1) and LOD 1.1 mg L(-1). A tentative application of the developed nanostructured enzyme-based biosensor was performed evaluating the detection of polyphenols either in buffer solution or in real wine samples. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of the surface of Fe–19Mn–18Cr–C–N during heat treatment in a high vacuum — An XPS study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zumsande, K.; Weddeling, A.; Hryha, E.; Huth, S.; Nyborg, L.; Weber, S.; Krasokha, N.; Theisen, W.

2012-01-01

Nitrogen-containing CrMn austenitic stainless steels offer evident benefits compared to CrNi-based grades. The production of high-quality parts by means of powder metallurgy could be an appropriate alternative to the standard molding process leading to improved properties. The powder metallurgical production of CrMn austenitic steel is challenging on account of the high oxygen affinity of Mn and Cr. Oxides hinder the densification processes and may lower the performance of the sintered part if they remain in the steel after sintering. Thus, in evaluating the sinterability of the steel Fe–19Mn–18Cr–C–N, characterization of the surface is of great interest. In this study, comprehensive investigations by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were performed to characterize the surface during heat treatment in a high vacuum. The results show a shift of oxidation up to 600 °C, meaning transfer of oxygen from the iron oxide layer to Mn-based particulate oxides, followed by progressive reduction and transformation of the Mn oxides into stable Si-containing oxides at elevated temperatures. Mass loss caused by Mn evaporation was observed accompanied by Mn oxide decomposition starting at 700 °C. - Highlights: ► Surface characterization by means of XPS, SEM, and EDX analyses. ► Heat treatment of a high CrMn powder. ► Transfer of oxygen from the iron oxide layer to manganese-based particulate oxides. ► Progressive reduction of Mn oxides. ► Transformation of the Mn oxides into stable Si-containing oxides.

Biomimetic surface modification of polypropylene by surface chain transfer reaction based on mussel-inspired adhesion technology and thiol chemistry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Niu, Zhijun; Zhao, Yang; Sun, Wei; Shi, Suqing, E-mail: shisq@nwu.edu.cn; Gong, Yongkuan

2016-11-15

Highlights: • Biomimetic surface modification of PP was successfully conducted by integrating mussel-inspired technology, thiol chemistry and cell outer membranes-like structures. • The resultant biomimetic surface exhibits good interface and surface stability. • The obvious suppression of protein adsorption and platelet adhesion is also achieved. • The residue thoil groups on the surface could be further functionalized. - Abstract: Biomimetic surface modification of polypropylene (PP) is conducted by surface chain transfer reaction based on the mussel-inspired versatile adhesion technology and thiol chemistry, using 2-methacryloyloxyethylphosphorylcholine (MPC) as a hydrophilic monomer mimicking the cell outer membrane structure and 2,2-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as initiator in ethanol. A layer of polydopamine (PDA) is firstly deposited onto PP surface, which not only offers good interfacial adhesion with PP, but also supplies secondary reaction sites (-NH{sub 2}) to covalently anchor thiol groups onto PP surface. Then the radical chain transfer to surface-bonded thiol groups and surface re-initiated polymerization of MPC lead to the formation of a thin layer of polymer brush (PMPC) with cell outer membrane mimetic structure on PP surface. X-ray photoelectron spectrophotometer (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and water contact angle measurements are used to characterize the PP surfaces before and after modification. The protein adsorption and platelet adhesion experiments are also employed to evaluate the interactions of PP surface with biomolecules. The results show that PMPC is successfully grafted onto PP surface. In comparison with bare PP, the resultant PP-PMPC surface exhibits greatly improved protein and platelet resistance performance, which is the contribution of both increased surface hydrophilicity and zwitterionic structure. More importantly, the residue thiol groups on PP-PMPC surface create a new pathway to further functionalize such

Biomimetic surface modification of polypropylene by surface chain transfer reaction based on mussel-inspired adhesion technology and thiol chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niu, Zhijun; Zhao, Yang; Sun, Wei; Shi, Suqing; Gong, Yongkuan

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Biomimetic surface modification of PP was successfully conducted by integrating mussel-inspired technology, thiol chemistry and cell outer membranes-like structures. • The resultant biomimetic surface exhibits good interface and surface stability. • The obvious suppression of protein adsorption and platelet adhesion is also achieved. • The residue thoil groups on the surface could be further functionalized. - Abstract: Biomimetic surface modification of polypropylene (PP) is conducted by surface chain transfer reaction based on the mussel-inspired versatile adhesion technology and thiol chemistry, using 2-methacryloyloxyethylphosphorylcholine (MPC) as a hydrophilic monomer mimicking the cell outer membrane structure and 2,2-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as initiator in ethanol. A layer of polydopamine (PDA) is firstly deposited onto PP surface, which not only offers good interfacial adhesion with PP, but also supplies secondary reaction sites (-NH 2 ) to covalently anchor thiol groups onto PP surface. Then the radical chain transfer to surface-bonded thiol groups and surface re-initiated polymerization of MPC lead to the formation of a thin layer of polymer brush (PMPC) with cell outer membrane mimetic structure on PP surface. X-ray photoelectron spectrophotometer (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and water contact angle measurements are used to characterize the PP surfaces before and after modification. The protein adsorption and platelet adhesion experiments are also employed to evaluate the interactions of PP surface with biomolecules. The results show that PMPC is successfully grafted onto PP surface. In comparison with bare PP, the resultant PP-PMPC surface exhibits greatly improved protein and platelet resistance performance, which is the contribution of both increased surface hydrophilicity and zwitterionic structure. More importantly, the residue thiol groups on PP-PMPC surface create a new pathway to further functionalize such

Characterization of SCC crack tips and surface oxide layers in alloy 600

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fujii, Katsuhiko; Fukuya, Koji [Inst. of Nuclear Safety System Inc., Mihama, Fukui (Japan)

2002-09-01

In order to investigate the mechanism of primary water stress corrosion cracking (SCC), direct observation of microstructures of SCC crack tips and surface oxide layers in alloy 600 were carried out. A focused-ion beam (FIB) micro-processing technique was applied to prepare electron transparent foils including the crack tip and the surface oxide layer without any damage to those microstructures. Transmission electron microscopy and analysis were used to characterize the crack tips and surface oxide layers. Cr-rich oxides and a metal-Ni phase were identified in the crack tips and grain boundaries ahead of the crack tips independent of dissolved hydrogen concentrations. >From the fact that the Cr-rich oxides and metal-Ni phase were observed in the inner surface oxide layer, the same oxidation mechanism as the surface is proposed for the crack tip region and internal oxidation accompanying selective Cr oxidation is suggested as the mechanism. (author)

Comparison of optical methods for surface roughness characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feidenhans’l, Nikolaj A; Hansen, Poul-Erik; Madsen, Morten H; Petersen, Jan C; Pilný, Lukáš; Bissacco, Giuliano; Taboryski, Rafael

2015-01-01

We report a study of the correlation between three optical methods for characterizing surface roughness: a laboratory scatterometer measuring the bi-directional reflection distribution function (BRDF instrument), a simple commercial scatterometer (rBRDF instrument), and a confocal optical profiler. For each instrument, the effective range of spatial surface wavelengths is determined, and the common bandwidth used when comparing the evaluated roughness parameters. The compared roughness parameters are: the root-mean-square (RMS) profile deviation (Rq), the RMS profile slope (Rdq), and the variance of the scattering angle distribution (Aq). The twenty-two investigated samples were manufactured with several methods in order to obtain a suitable diversity of roughness patterns.Our study shows a one-to-one correlation of both the Rq and the Rdq roughness values when obtained with the BRDF and the confocal instruments, if the common bandwidth is applied. Likewise, a correlation is observed when determining the Aq value with the BRDF and the rBRDF instruments.Furthermore, we show that it is possible to determine the Rq value from the Aq value, by applying a simple transfer function derived from the instrument comparisons. The presented method is validated for surfaces with predominantly 1D roughness, i.e. consisting of parallel grooves of various periods, and a reflectance similar to stainless steel. The Rq values are predicted with an accuracy of 38% at the 95% confidence interval. (paper)

Using the Geminids to Characterize the Surface Response of an Airless Body to Meteoroid Bombardment

Science.gov (United States)

Szalay, J.; Pokorny, P.; Jenniskens, P. M. M.; Horanyi, M.

2017-12-01

All airless bodies in the solar system are exposed to the continual bombardment by interplanetary meteoroids. These impacts can eject orders of magnitude more mass than the primary impactors, sustaining bound and/or unbound ejecta clouds that vary both spatially and temporally from changes in impactor fluxes. The dust environment in the vicinity of an airless body provides both a scientific resource and a hazard for exploration. Characterizing the spatial and temporal variability of the dust environment of airless planetary bodies provides a novel way to understand their meteoroid environment by effectively using these objects as large surface area meteoroid detectors. Additionally, were a dust detector with chemical sensing capability to be flown near such a body, it would be able to directly measure the composition of the body without requiring the mission design complexity involved in landing and sampling surface material. Paramount to understanding the current and future impact ejecta measurements is a sufficient understanding of the impact ejecta processes at the surface. In this presentation, we focus on data taken by the Lunar Dust Experiment (LDEX), an impact ionization dust detector onboard the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) mission, designed to measure impact ejecta around the Moon. We use the Geminids meteoroid shower as a well constrained input function, and via comparison to existing ground-based measurements of this shower, to "calibrate" the response of the lunar surface to meteoroid bombardment. Understanding the response of the lunar surface to meteoroid bombardment can by extension allow us to better understand the ejecta response at other regolith airless bodies in the solar system. Future missions equipped with dust detectors sent to the Moon, large Near Earth Asteroids, the Martian moons Phobos and Deimos, or many other airless bodies in the solar system would greatly improve our knowledge of their local meteoroid

Solid-phase microextraction/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method optimization for characterization of surface adsorption forces of nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Omanovic-Miklicanin, Enisa; Valzacchi, Sandro; Simoneau, Catherine; Gilliland, Douglas; Rossi, Francois

2014-10-01

A complete characterization of the different physico-chemical properties of nanoparticles (NPs) is necessary for the evaluation of their impact on health and environment. Among these properties, the surface characterization of the nanomaterial is the least developed and in many cases limited to the measurement of surface composition and zetapotential. The biological surface adsorption index approach (BSAI) for characterization of surface adsorption properties of NPs has recently been introduced (Xia et al. Nat Nanotechnol 5:671-675, 2010; Xia et al. ACS Nano 5(11):9074-9081, 2011). The BSAI approach offers in principle the possibility to characterize the different interaction forces exerted between a NP's surface and an organic--and by extension biological--entity. The present work further develops the BSAI approach and optimizes a solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME/GC-MS) method which, as an outcome, gives a better-defined quantification of the adsorption properties on NPs. We investigated the various aspects of the SPME/GC-MS method, including kinetics of adsorption of probe compounds on SPME fiber, kinetic of adsorption of probe compounds on NP's surface, and optimization of NP's concentration. The optimized conditions were then tested on 33 probe compounds and on Au NPs (15 nm) and SiO2 NPs (50 nm). The procedure allowed the identification of three compounds adsorbed by silica NPs and nine compounds by Au NPs, with equilibrium times which varied between 30 min and 12 h. Adsorption coefficients of 4.66 ± 0.23 and 4.44 ± 0.26 were calculated for 1-methylnaphtalene and biphenyl, compared to literature values of 4.89 and 5.18, respectively. The results demonstrated that the detailed optimization of the SPME/GC-MS method under various conditions is a critical factor and a prerequisite to the application of the BSAI approach as a tool to characterize surface adsorption properties of NPs and therefore to draw any further

Characterization of chemical composition, surface area pore, and thermal properties of zeolites from Bayah, Tasikmalaya, and Lampung

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ginting, Aslina Br.; Dian Anggraini; Sutri Indaryati; Rosika Kriswarini

2007-01-01

Characterization of chemical composition, surface area, pore radius, adsorption, and thermal properties of zeolites from Bayah, Tasikmalaya, and Lampung have been performed. The purpose of the characterization is to understand the characteristics of the three zeolites since different types of zeolite will yield different chemical composition, surface area, pore radius, and adsorption. The analysis shows that zeolites from Bayah, Tasikmalaya, and Lampung consist of chemical elements Al, Si, P, K, Ca, Ti, Fe, and S. The analysis of the surface area indicates that zeolite from Lampung has surface area of 10.0477 m 2 , pore radius of 16.0653 Å, and adsorption of 24.500 ml/g, which are greater than those of zeolite from Tasikmalaya with surface area of 6.3319 m2, pore radius of 16.2350 Å, adsorption of 13.2500 ml/g, zeolite from Bayah with surface area of 8.3528 m2, pore radius of 16.2350 Å, and adsorption of 13.250 ml/g. From of the thermal properties characterization it is shown the three zeolites experienced weight reduction from 5.93% to 8.33%, which results in the formation of new phases as indicated by endothermic reactions from 150 °C to 600 °C and from 850 °C to 1000 °C. The three zeolites experienced a decrease in heat capacity up to temperature of 199.96 °C, whereas at temperatures above 216.66 °C the zeolites experienced an increase in heat capacity up to 437.78 °C. The results of the characterization indicate that different types of zeolite do not yield significant difference in chemical composition and thermal characteristics as proven with F test, however different surface area, pore radius, and adsorption characteristics are observed. The characterization results are expected to be the first step in determining the characteristics of the three zeolites that are to be used for cesium ion exchange in the incoming research. (author)

Phase diagrams for surface alloys

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Asbjørn; Ruban, Andrei; Stoltze, Per

1997-01-01

We discuss surface alloy phases and their stability based on surface phase diagrams constructed from the surface energy as a function of the surface composition. We show that in the simplest cases of pseudomorphic overlayers there are four generic classes of systems, characterized by the sign...... is based on density-functional calculations using the coherent-potential approximation and on effective-medium theory. We give self-consistent density-functional results for the segregation energy and surface mixing energy for all combinations of the transition and noble metals. Finally we discuss...

SEM, Scanning Auger and XPS characterization of chemically pretreated Ti surfaces intended for biomedical applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pisarek, M. [Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Woloska 141, 02-507 Warsaw (Poland); Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw (Poland)], E-mail: marcinp@ichf.edu.pl; Lewandowska, M. [Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Woloska 141, 02-507 Warsaw (Poland); Roguska, A. [Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Woloska 141, 02-507 Warsaw (Poland); Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw (Poland); Kurzydlowski, K.J. [Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Woloska 141, 02-507 Warsaw (Poland); Janik-Czachor, M. [Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw (Poland)

2007-07-15

Titanium is known as a biocompatible metal characterized by biological and corrosion immunity and good mechanical properties, including a high fracture toughness. In a variety of environments, this metal undergoes 'natural' oxidation which determine its resistance to corrosion. It can also be exposed to chemical treatments in acidic or alkaline solutions which 'enforces' chemical and morphological changes of Ti surface. Those methods, if well controlled, may increase the effective Ti surface area, making it more biocompatible. However, the morphological and chemical factors responsible for their interactions with biological cells are still not well known. The aim of this work was to compare surface chemical and morphological changes introduced by commonly used aqueous NaOH pretreatment with those occurring in a new 'piranha' acidic solution. Particular attention was paid to possible changes which may be decisive for the biocompatibility of the Ti-elements subjected to these surface modifications. Surface analytical techniques such as Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) or X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) combined with Ar{sup +} ion sputtering allowed us to investigate in detail the chemical composition of Ti oxide layers. SEM examinations provided morphological characterization of the surface of Ti samples. The results revealed large difference in morphology of Ti surfaces pretreated with different procedures whereas only minor difference in the chemistry of the surfaces were detected.

Investigation on the surface characterization of Ga-faced GaN after chemical-mechanical polishing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gong, Hua [State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Micro/nano Manufacturing, Research Institute of Tsinghua University in Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518057 (China); Pan, Guoshun, E-mail: pangs@tsinghua.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Micro/nano Manufacturing, Research Institute of Tsinghua University in Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518057 (China); Zhou, Yan; Shi, Xiaolei; Zou, Chunli; Zhang, Suman [State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Micro/nano Manufacturing, Research Institute of Tsinghua University in Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518057 (China)

2015-05-30

Highlights: • Tiny-sized nanoparticles were introduced in GaN CMP to realize a good surface. • The relationship between surface characterization and abrasive size was conducted. • An atomic step-terrace structure was achieved on GaN surface after CMP. • Pt/C catalyst nanoparticles were used in GaN CMP to get a higher MRR. - Abstract: The relationship between the surface characterization after chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) and the size of the silica (SiO{sub 2}) abrasive used for CMP of gallium nitride (GaN) substrates was investigated in detail. Atomic force microscope was used for measuring the surface morphology, pit feature, pit depth distribution, and atomic step-terrace structure. With the decrease of SiO{sub 2} abrasive size, the pit depth reduced and the atomic step-terrace structure became more whole with smaller damage area, resulting in smaller roughness. For tiny-sized SiO{sub 2} abrasive, an almost complete atomic step-terrace structure with 0.0523 nm roughness was achieved. On the other hand, in order to acquire higher removal, Pt/C nanoparticle was employed as a catalyst in CMP slurry. The result indicates that when Pt/C catalyst content was reached to 1.0 ppm, material removal rate was increased by 47.69% compared to that by none of the catalyst, and besides, the pit depth reduced and the surface atomic step-terrace structure was not destroyed. The Pt/C nanoparticle is proved to be the promising catalyst to the surface preparation of super-hard and inert materials with high efficiency and good surface.

‘Action’ on structured freeform surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Whitehouse, David J.

2018-06-01

Surfaces are becoming more complex partly due to the more complicated function required of them and partly due to the introduction of different manufacturing processes. These have thrown into relief the need to consider new ways of measuring and characterizing such surfaces and more importantly to make such characterization more relevant by tying together the geometry and the function more closely. The surfaces which have freeform and structure have been chosen to be a carrier for this investigation because so far there has been little work carried out in this neglected but potentially important area. This necessitates the development of a strategy for their characterization. In this article, some ways have been found of identifying possible strategies for tackling this characterization problem but also linking this characterization to performance and manufacture, based in part on the principles of least action and on the way that nature has evolved to solve the marriage of flexible freeform geometry, structure and function. Recommendations are made for the most suitable surface parameter to use which satisfies the requirement for characterizing structured freeform surfaces as well as utilizing ‘Action’ to predict functionality.

Characterization of the Micro-shell Surface Using Holographic Measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sandras, F.; Hermerel, C.; Choux, A.; Merillot, P.; Pin, G.; Jeannot, L. [CEA Valduc, Dept Rech Mat Nucl, Serv Microcibles, 21 - Is-sur-Tille (France)

2009-05-15

To characterize the shape, the quality, and the roughness of micro-shells, typically used technologies are scanning electron microscopy, scanning interferometric microscopy, or atomic force microscopy. One of the drawbacks of these techniques is that they are generally slow because of their scanning process. Digital holographic microscopy technology is an innovation that can offer ability adapted to these studies. It captures holograms instead of intensity images, as done by conventional microscopes. The holograms are then digitally interpreted (10 per second) to reconstruct a double image, one for the intensity and another one for the phase. Using a rotation axis, the bump counting for the complete micro-shell surface is possible with a very high speed. Using an image stitching software, mapping can be done in a few minutes. Wavelets such as 'Mexican hat' are used to model the bumps. Each bump can then be characterized on the map by its position, diameter, and height. (authors)

Field emission from the surface of highly ordered pyrolytic graphite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knápek, Alexandr, E-mail: knapek@isibrno.cz [Institute of Scientific Instruments of the ASCR, v.v.i., Královopolská 147, Brno (Czech Republic); Sobola, Dinara; Tománek, Pavel [Department of Physics, FEEC, Brno University of Technology, Technická 8, Brno (Czech Republic); Pokorná, Zuzana; Urbánek, Michal [Institute of Scientific Instruments of the ASCR, v.v.i., Královopolská 147, Brno (Czech Republic)

2017-02-15

Highlights: • HOPG shreds were created and analyzed in the UHV conditions. • Current-voltage measurements have been done to confirm electron tunneling, based on the Fowler-Nordheim theory. • Surface was characterized by other surface evaluation methods, in particular by: SNOM, SEM and AFM. - Abstract: This paper deals with the electrical characterization of highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surface based on field emission of electrons. The effect of field emission occurs only at disrupted surface, i.e. surface containing ripped and warped shreds of the uppermost layers of graphite. These deformations provide the necessary field gradients which are required for measuring tunneling current caused by field electron emission. Results of the field emission measurements are correlated with other surface characterization methods such as scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM) or atomic force microscopy.

Field emission from the surface of highly ordered pyrolytic graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knápek, Alexandr; Sobola, Dinara; Tománek, Pavel; Pokorná, Zuzana; Urbánek, Michal

2017-01-01

Highlights: • HOPG shreds were created and analyzed in the UHV conditions. • Current-voltage measurements have been done to confirm electron tunneling, based on the Fowler-Nordheim theory. • Surface was characterized by other surface evaluation methods, in particular by: SNOM, SEM and AFM. - Abstract: This paper deals with the electrical characterization of highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surface based on field emission of electrons. The effect of field emission occurs only at disrupted surface, i.e. surface containing ripped and warped shreds of the uppermost layers of graphite. These deformations provide the necessary field gradients which are required for measuring tunneling current caused by field electron emission. Results of the field emission measurements are correlated with other surface characterization methods such as scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM) or atomic force microscopy.

Characterization of local hydrophobicity on sapphire (0001) surfaces in aqueous environment by colloidal probe atomic force microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wada, Tomoya; Yamazaki, Kenji; Isono, Toshinari; Ogino, Toshio, E-mail: ogino-toshio-rx@ynu.ac.jp

2017-02-28

Highlights: • Local hydrophobicity of phase-separated sapphire (0001) surfaces was investigated. • These surfaces are featured by coexistence of hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains. • Each domain was characterized by colloidal probe atomic force microscopy in water. • Both domains can be distinguished by adhesive forces of the probe to the surfaces. • Characterization in aqueous environment is important in bio-applications of sapphire. - Abstract: Sapphire (0001) surfaces exhibit a phase-separation into hydrophobic and hydrophilic domains upon high-temperature annealing, which were previously distinguished by the thickness of adsorbed water layers in air using atomic force microscopy (AFM). To characterize their local surface hydrophobicity in aqueous environment, we used AFM equipped with a colloidal probe and measured the local adhesive force between each sapphire domain and a hydrophilic SiO{sub 2} probe surface, or a hydrophobic polystyrene one. Two data acquisition modes for statistical analyses were used: one is force measurements at different positions of the surface and the other repeated measurement at a fixed position. We found that adhesive force measurements using the polystyrene probe allow us to distinctly separate the hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains. The dispersion in the force measurement data at different positions of the surface is larger than that in the repeated measurements at a fixed position. It indicates that the adhesive force measurement is repeatable although their data dispersion for the measurement positions is relatively large. From these results, we can conclude that the hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains on the sapphire (0001) surfaces are distinguished by a difference in their hydration degrees.

Verification of a characterization method of the laser-induced selective activation based on industrial lasers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Yang; Hansen, Hans Nørgaard; Tang, Peter T.

2013-01-01

In this article, laser-induced selective activation (LISA) for subsequent autocatalytic copper plating is performed by several types of industrial scale lasers, including a Nd:YAG laser, a UV laser, a fiber laser, a green laser, and a short pulsed laser. Based on analysis of all the laser......-machined surfaces, normalized bearing area curves and parameters are used to characterize the surface quantitatively. The range of normalized bearing area curve parameters for plate-able surface is suggested. PBT/PET with 40 % glass fiber was used as the substrate material. For all of the studied lasers......, the parameters were varied in a relatively large range, and matrixes of the laser-machined surface were obtained. The topography of those laser-machined surfaces was examined by scanning electronic microscope (SEM). For each sample examined by SEM, there was an identical workpiece plated by for 90 min...

Anisotropic wetting properties on a precision-ground micro-V-grooved Si surface related to their micro-characterized variables

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, P; Xie, J; Cheng, J; Wu, K K

2014-01-01

Micro-characterized variables are proposed to precisely characterize a micro-V-grooved Si surface through the 3D measured topography rather than the designed one. In this study, level and gradient micro-grooved surfaces with depth of 25–80 µm were precisely and smoothly fabricated using a new micro-grinding process rather than laser machining and chemical etching. The objective is to investigate how these accurate micro-characterized variables systematically influence anisotropic wetting and droplet self-movement on such regular micro-structured surfaces without surface chemical modification. First, the anisotropic wetting, droplet sliding, pinning effect and droplet impact were experimentally investigated; then, theoretical anisotropic wetting models were constructed to predict and design the anisotropic wetting. The experiments show that the level micro-V-grooved surface produces the anisotropic wetting and pinning effects. It not only approximates superhydrophobicity but also produces high surface free energy. Moreover, the gradient micro-V-grooved surface with large pitch may lead to much easier droplet sliding than the level one along the micro-groove. The droplet self-movement trend increases with increasing the micro-groove gradient and micro-V-groove ratio. The micro-groove pitch and depth also influence the droplet impact. Theoretical analyses show that the wetting anisotropy and the droplet anisotropy both reach their largest value and disappear for a sharp micro-groove top when the micro-V-groove ratio is equal to 0.70 and 2.58, respectively, which may change the wetting between the composite state and the non-composite state. It is confirmed that the wetting behavior may be designed and predicted by the accurate micro-characterized variables of a regular micro-structured surface. (paper)

Anisotropic wetting properties on a precision-ground micro-V-grooved Si surface related to their micro-characterized variables

Science.gov (United States)

Li, P.; Xie, J.; Cheng, J.; Wu, K. K.

2014-07-01

Micro-characterized variables are proposed to precisely characterize a micro-V-grooved Si surface through the 3D measured topography rather than the designed one. In this study, level and gradient micro-grooved surfaces with depth of 25-80 µm were precisely and smoothly fabricated using a new micro-grinding process rather than laser machining and chemical etching. The objective is to investigate how these accurate micro-characterized variables systematically influence anisotropic wetting and droplet self-movement on such regular micro-structured surfaces without surface chemical modification. First, the anisotropic wetting, droplet sliding, pinning effect and droplet impact were experimentally investigated; then, theoretical anisotropic wetting models were constructed to predict and design the anisotropic wetting. The experiments show that the level micro-V-grooved surface produces the anisotropic wetting and pinning effects. It not only approximates superhydrophobicity but also produces high surface free energy. Moreover, the gradient micro-V-grooved surface with large pitch may lead to much easier droplet sliding than the level one along the micro-groove. The droplet self-movement trend increases with increasing the micro-groove gradient and micro-V-groove ratio. The micro-groove pitch and depth also influence the droplet impact. Theoretical analyses show that the wetting anisotropy and the droplet anisotropy both reach their largest value and disappear for a sharp micro-groove top when the micro-V-groove ratio is equal to 0.70 and 2.58, respectively, which may change the wetting between the composite state and the non-composite state. It is confirmed that the wetting behavior may be designed and predicted by the accurate micro-characterized variables of a regular micro-structured surface.

3D SEM for surface topography quantification – a case study on dental surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glon, F; Flys, O; Lööf, P-J; Rosén, B-G

2014-01-01

3D analysis of surface topography is becoming a more used tool for industry and research. New ISO standards are being launched to assist in quantifying engineering surfaces. The traditional optical measuring instrumentation used for 3D surface characterization has been optical interferometers and confocal based instrumentation. However, the resolution here is limited in the lateral dimension to the wavelength of visible light to about 500 nm. The great advantage using the SEM for topography measurements is the high flexibility to zoom from low magnifications and locating interesting areas to high magnification of down to nanometer large surface features within seconds. This paper presents surface characterization of dental implant micro topography. 3D topography data was created from SEM images using commercial photogrammetric software. A coherence scanning interferometer was used for reference measurements to compare with the 3D SEM measurements on relocated areas. As a result of this study, measurements emphasizes that the correlation between the accepted CSI measurements and the new technology represented by photogrammetry based on SEM images for many areal characterization parameters are around or less than 20%. The importance of selecting sampling and parameter sensitivity to varying sampling is high-lighted. Future work includes a broader study of limitations of the photogrammetry technique on certified micro-geometries and more application surfaces at different scales

Characterizing water surface elevation under different flow conditions for the upcoming SWOT mission

Science.gov (United States)

Domeneghetti, A.; Schumann, G. J.-P.; Frasson, R. P. M.; Wei, R.; Pavelsky, T. M.; Castellarin, A.; Brath, A.; Durand, M. T.

2018-06-01

The Surface Water and Ocean Topography satellite mission (SWOT), scheduled for launch in 2021, will deliver two-dimensional observations of water surface heights for lakes, rivers wider than 100 m and oceans. Even though the scientific literature has highlighted several fields of application for the expected products, detailed simulations of the SWOT radar performance for a realistic river scenario have not been presented in the literature. Understanding the error of the most fundamental "raw" SWOT hydrology product is important in order to have a greater awareness about strengths and limits of the forthcoming satellite observations. This study focuses on a reach (∼140 km in length) of the middle-lower portion of the Po River, in Northern Italy, and, to date, represents one of the few real-case analyses of the spatial patterns in water surface elevation accuracy expected from SWOT. The river stretch is characterized by a main channel varying from 100 to 500 m in width and a large floodplain (up to 5 km) delimited by a system of major embankments. The simulation of the water surface along the Po River for different flow conditions (high, low and mean annual flows) is performed with inputs from a quasi-2D model implemented using detailed topographic and bathymetric information (LiDAR, 2 m resolution). By employing a simulator that mimics many SWOT satellite sensor characteristics and generates proxies of the remotely sensed hydrometric data, this study characterizes the spatial observations potentially provided by SWOT. We evaluate SWOT performance under different hydraulic conditions and assess possible effects of river embankments, river width, river topography and distance from the satellite ground track. Despite analyzing errors from the raw radar pixel cloud, which receives minimal processing, the present study highlights the promising potential of this Ka-band interferometer for measuring water surface elevations, with mean elevation errors of 0.1 cm and 21

Optical switches based on surface plasmons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Cong; Wang Pei; Yuan Guanghui; Wang Xiaolei; Min Changjun; Deng Yan; Lu Yonghua; Ming Hai

2008-01-01

Great attention is being paid to surface plasmons (SPs) because of their potential applications in sensors, data storage and bio-photonics. Recently, more and more optical switches based on surface plasmon effects have been demonstrated either by simulation or experimentally. This article describes the principles, advantages and disadvantages of various types of optical switches based on SPs, in particular the all-optical switches. (authors)

Characterization of Qatar's surface carbonates for CO2 capture and thermochemical energy storage

Science.gov (United States)

Kakosimos, Konstantinos E.; Al-Haddad, Ghadeer; Sakellariou, Kyriaki G.; Pagkoura, Chrysa; Konstandopoulos, Athanasios G.

2017-06-01

Samples of surface carbonates were collected from three different areas of the Qatar peninsula. We employed material characterization techniques to examine the morphology and composition of the samples, while their CO2 capture capacity was assessed via multiple successive calcination-carbonation cycles. Our samples were mainly calcite and dolomite based. Calcite samples showed higher initial capacity of around 11 mmol CO2 g-1 which decayed rapidly to less than 2 mmol CO2 g-1. On the other hand, dolomite samples showed an excellent stability (˜15 cycles) with a capacity of 6 mmol CO2 g-1. The performance of the dolomite samples is better compared to other similar natural samples, from literature. A promising result for future studies towards improving their performance by physical and chemical modification.

Designing N-halamine based antibacterial surface on polymers: Fabrication, characterization, and biocidal functions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen Yong, E-mail: ychen168@126.com [Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, 579 Qianwangang Rd., Huangdao Zone, Qingdao 266510 (China); Han Qiuxia [Department of Biological Engineering, College of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266510 (China)

2011-05-01

We demonstrate a valuable method to generate reactive groups on inert polymer surfaces and bond antibacterial agents for biocidal ability. Polystyrene (PS) surfaces were functionalized by spin coating of sub-monolayer and monolayer films of poly(styrene-b-tert-butyl acrylate) (PS-PtBA) block copolymer from solutions in toluene. PS-PtBA self-assembled to a bilayer structure on PS that contains a surface layer of the PtBA blocks ordering at the air-polymer interface and a bottom layer of the PS blocks entangling with the PS substrate. The thickness of PtBA layer could be linearly controlled by the concentration of the spin coating solution and a 2.5 nm saturated monolayer coverage of PtBA was achieved at 0.35% (w/w). Carboxyl groups were generated by exposing the tert-butyl ester groups of PtBA on saturated surface to trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) to bond tert-butylamine via amide bonds that were further chlorinated to N-halamine with NaOCl solution. The density of N-halamine on the chlorinated surface was calculated to be 1.05 x 10{sup -5} mol/m{sup 2} by iodimetric/thiosulfate titration. Presented data showed the N-halamine surface provided powerful antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Over 50% of the chlorine lost after UVA irradiation could be regained upon rechlorination. This design concept can be virtually applied to any inert polymer by choosing appropriate block copolymers and antibacterial agents to attain desirable biocidal activity.

Molecular recognition of chromophore molecules to amine terminated surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flores-Perez, Rosangelly; Ivanisevic, Albena

2007-01-01

We report the design and characterization of quartz surfaces that can bind to three retinal based chromophores. The amine terminated surfaces were engineered in order to mimic the environment of the opsin protein that accommodates binding of chromophore molecules in the human eye. Each surface coupling step was characterized by water contact angle measurements, ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and transmission infrared spectroscopy. The spectroscopic techniques confirmed that the three chromophore molecules can bind to the surface using a Schiff base mode. Our data suggests that the availability of the amine groups on the surface is critical in the accommodation of the binding of different chromophores

The Chameleon Effect: characterization challenges due to the variability of nanoparticles and their surfaces of nanoparticles and their surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Baer, Donald R.

2018-05-01

Nanoparticles in a variety of forms are increasing important in fundamental research, technological and medical applications, and environmental or toxicology studies. Physical and chemical drivers that lead to multiple types of particle instabilities complicate both the ability to produce, appropriately characterize, and consistently deliver well-defined particles, frequently leading to inconsistencies and conflicts in the published literature. This perspective suggests that provenance information, beyond that often recorded or reported, and application of a set of core characterization methods, including a surface sensitive technique, consistently applied at critical times can serve as tools in the effort minimize reproducibility issues.

Hydrodynamic Characterization of a Surface Storage Zone in a Natural Stream

Science.gov (United States)

Sandoval Ulloa, J. C.; Escauriaza, C. R.; Mignot, E.; Mao, L.

2015-12-01

Flow developed in surface storage zones in rivers is very important for many physical and biogeochemical processes. These regions are characterized by low velocities compared to the flow in the main channel and long residence times that favor the deposition of contaminants, nutrient uptake and interactions with reactive sediments. The dynamics of the turbulent flows in these zones is very complex, typically characterized by a shear layer that induces a recirculating area, with multiple large-scale coherent structures of different temporal and spatial scales. In this work we present the methodology and analysis of measurements in a natural surface storage zone. We report detailed information of a field campaign carried out in the Lluta River, located in northern Chile in the high altitude Andean environment known as the Altiplano (~4,000 masl). The area of study has great interest for the river ecosystem, since the water has high concentration levels of arsenic and other metals. The Lluta River is also a water source for many agricultural communities and urban centers located in the lower parts of the watershed. Field information obtained was: detailed topography, 3D velocity components in several points, and sediment arsenic concentration in the main channel and in the recirculating region of the natural surface storage zone. Topography was obtained through DGPS and digital image processing. The 3D velocity field was measured with an acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV) and surface velocity data was obtained through the LSPIV technique. Arsenic concentration was obtained by sediment sampling analysis. With this data we analyze the flow topology and characteristics features of the velocity, which constitute the controlling mechanisms of contaminant transport in the field. In addition, we contrast with preliminary results of a three-dimensional (3D) numerical simulation, to determine the influence of different parameters on the transport and mixing processes in natural

Quantitative roughness characterization and 3D reconstruction of electrode surface using cyclic voltammetry and SEM image

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dhillon, Shweta; Kant, Rama, E-mail: rkant@chemistry.du.ac.in

2013-10-01

Area measurements from cyclic voltammetry (CV) and image from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are used to characterize electrode statistical morphology, 3D surface reconstruction and its electroactivity. SEM images of single phased materials correspond to two-dimensional (2D) projections of 3D structures, leading to an incomplete characterization. Lack of third dimension information in SEM image is circumvented using equivalence between denoised SEM image and CV area measurements. This CV-SEM method can be used to estimate power spectral density (PSD), width, gradient, finite fractal nature of roughness and local morphology of the electrode. We show that the surface morphological statistical property like distribution function of gradient can be related to local electro-activity. Electrode surface gradient micrographs generated here can provide map of electro-activity sites. Finally, the densely and uniformly packed small gradient over the Pt-surface is the determining criterion for high intrinsic electrode activity.

Quantitative roughness characterization and 3D reconstruction of electrode surface using cyclic voltammetry and SEM image

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dhillon, Shweta; Kant, Rama

2013-01-01

Area measurements from cyclic voltammetry (CV) and image from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are used to characterize electrode statistical morphology, 3D surface reconstruction and its electroactivity. SEM images of single phased materials correspond to two-dimensional (2D) projections of 3D structures, leading to an incomplete characterization. Lack of third dimension information in SEM image is circumvented using equivalence between denoised SEM image and CV area measurements. This CV-SEM method can be used to estimate power spectral density (PSD), width, gradient, finite fractal nature of roughness and local morphology of the electrode. We show that the surface morphological statistical property like distribution function of gradient can be related to local electro-activity. Electrode surface gradient micrographs generated here can provide map of electro-activity sites. Finally, the densely and uniformly packed small gradient over the Pt-surface is the determining criterion for high intrinsic electrode activity.

Surface characterization after subaperture reactive ion beam etching

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miessler, Andre; Arnold, Thomas; Rauschenbach, Bernd [Leibniz-Institut fuer Oberflaechenmodifizierung (IOM), Leipzig (Germany)

2010-07-01

In usual ion beam etching processes using inert gas (Ar, Xe, Kr..) the material removal is determined by physical sputtering effects on the surface. The admixture of suitable gases (CF{sub 4}+O{sub 2}) into the glow discharge of the ion beam source leads to the generation of reactive particles, which are accelerated towards the substrate where they enhance the sputtering process by formation of volatile chemical reaction products. During the last two decades research in Reactive Ion Beam Etching (RIBE) has been done using a broad beam ion source which allows the treatment of smaller samples (diameter sample < diameter beam). Our goal was to apply a sub-aperture Kaufman-type ion source in combination with an applicative movement of the sample with respect to the source, which enables us to etch areas larger than the typical lateral dimensions of the ion beam. Concerning this matter, the etching behavior in the beam periphery plays a decisive role and has to be investigated. We use interferometry to characterize the final surface topography and XPS measurements to analyze the chemical composition of the samples after RIBE.

Morpho-chemical characterization and surface properties of carcinogenic zeolite fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mattioli, Michele; Giordani, Matteo; Dogan, Meral; Cangiotti, Michela; Avella, Giuseppe; Giorgi, Rodorico; Dogan, A. Umran; Ottaviani, Maria Francesca

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Differently carcinogenic zeolite fibers were investigated combining physico-chemical methods. • For the first time, zeolite fibers were studied by means of the EPR technique using different spin probes. • The structural properties and the adsorption capability are function of different types and distributions of adsorption sites. • The interacting ability of erionite is higher than that of other fibrous zeolites. • The surface interacting properties may be related with the carcinogenicity of the zeolite fibers. - Abstract: Erionite belonging to the zeolite family is a human health-hazard, since it was demonstrated to be carcinogenic. Conversely, offretite family zeolites were suspected carcinogenic. Mineralogical, morphological, chemical, and surface characterizations were performed on two erionites (GF1, MD8) and one offretite (BV12) fibrous samples and, for comparison, one scolecite (SC1) sample. The specific surface area analysis indicated a larger availability of surface sites for the adsorption onto GF1, while SC1 shows the lowest one and the presence of large pores in the poorly fibrous zeolite aggregates. Selected spin probes revealed a high adsorption capacity of GF1 compared to the other zeolites, but the polar/charged interacting sites were well distributed, intercalated by less polar sites (Si–O–Si). MD8 surface is less homogeneous and the polar/charged sites are more interacting and closer to each other compared to GF1. The interacting ability of BV12 surface is much lower than that found for GF1 and MD8 and the probes are trapped in small pores into the fibrous aggregates. In comparison with the other zeolites, the non-carcinogenic SC1 shows a poor interacting ability and a lower surface polarity. These results helped to clarify the chemical properties and the surface interacting ability of these zeolite fibers which may be related to their carcinogenicity.

PL-PatchSurfer: A Novel Molecular Local Surface-Based Method for Exploring Protein-Ligand Interactions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bingjie Hu

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Structure-based computational methods have been widely used in exploring protein-ligand interactions, including predicting the binding ligands of a given protein based on their structural complementarity. Compared to other protein and ligand representations, the advantages of a surface representation include reduced sensitivity to subtle changes in the pocket and ligand conformation and fast search speed. Here we developed a novel method named PL-PatchSurfer (Protein-Ligand PatchSurfer. PL-PatchSurfer represents the protein binding pocket and the ligand molecular surface as a combination of segmented surface patches. Each patch is characterized by its geometrical shape and the electrostatic potential, which are represented using the 3D Zernike descriptor (3DZD. We first tested PL-PatchSurfer on binding ligand prediction and found it outperformed the pocket-similarity based ligand prediction program. We then optimized the search algorithm of PL-PatchSurfer using the PDBbind dataset. Finally, we explored the utility of applying PL-PatchSurfer to a larger and more diverse dataset and showed that PL-PatchSurfer was able to provide a high early enrichment for most of the targets. To the best of our knowledge, PL-PatchSurfer is the first surface patch-based method that treats ligand complementarity at protein binding sites. We believe that using a surface patch approach to better understand protein-ligand interactions has the potential to significantly enhance the design of new ligands for a wide array of drug-targets.

PL-PatchSurfer: a novel molecular local surface-based method for exploring protein-ligand interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Bingjie; Zhu, Xiaolei; Monroe, Lyman; Bures, Mark G; Kihara, Daisuke

2014-08-27

Structure-based computational methods have been widely used in exploring protein-ligand interactions, including predicting the binding ligands of a given protein based on their structural complementarity. Compared to other protein and ligand representations, the advantages of a surface representation include reduced sensitivity to subtle changes in the pocket and ligand conformation and fast search speed. Here we developed a novel method named PL-PatchSurfer (Protein-Ligand PatchSurfer). PL-PatchSurfer represents the protein binding pocket and the ligand molecular surface as a combination of segmented surface patches. Each patch is characterized by its geometrical shape and the electrostatic potential, which are represented using the 3D Zernike descriptor (3DZD). We first tested PL-PatchSurfer on binding ligand prediction and found it outperformed the pocket-similarity based ligand prediction program. We then optimized the search algorithm of PL-PatchSurfer using the PDBbind dataset. Finally, we explored the utility of applying PL-PatchSurfer to a larger and more diverse dataset and showed that PL-PatchSurfer was able to provide a high early enrichment for most of the targets. To the best of our knowledge, PL-PatchSurfer is the first surface patch-based method that treats ligand complementarity at protein binding sites. We believe that using a surface patch approach to better understand protein-ligand interactions has the potential to significantly enhance the design of new ligands for a wide array of drug-targets.

Note: Radio frequency surface impedance characterization system for superconducting samples at 7.5 GHz.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, B P; Reece, C E; Phillips, H L; Geng, R L; Wang, H; Marhauser, F; Kelley, M J

2011-05-01

A radio frequency (RF) surface impedance characterization (SIC) system that uses a novel sapphire-loaded niobium cavity operating at 7.5 GHz has been developed as a tool to measure the RF surface impedance of flat superconducting material samples. The SIC system can presently make direct calorimetric RF surface impedance measurements on the central 0.8 cm(2) area of 5 cm diameter disk samples from 2 to 20 K exposed to RF magnetic fields up to 14 mT. To illustrate system utility, we present first measurement results for a bulk niobium sample.

Surface-based prostate registration with biomechanical regularization

Science.gov (United States)

van de Ven, Wendy J. M.; Hu, Yipeng; Barentsz, Jelle O.; Karssemeijer, Nico; Barratt, Dean; Huisman, Henkjan J.

2013-03-01

Adding MR-derived information to standard transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) images for guiding prostate biopsy is of substantial clinical interest. A tumor visible on MR images can be projected on ultrasound by using MRUS registration. A common approach is to use surface-based registration. We hypothesize that biomechanical modeling will better control deformation inside the prostate than a regular surface-based registration method. We developed a novel method by extending a surface-based registration with finite element (FE) simulation to better predict internal deformation of the prostate. For each of six patients, a tetrahedral mesh was constructed from the manual prostate segmentation. Next, the internal prostate deformation was simulated using the derived radial surface displacement as boundary condition. The deformation field within the gland was calculated using the predicted FE node displacements and thin-plate spline interpolation. We tested our method on MR guided MR biopsy imaging data, as landmarks can easily be identified on MR images. For evaluation of the registration accuracy we used 45 anatomical landmarks located in all regions of the prostate. Our results show that the median target registration error of a surface-based registration with biomechanical regularization is 1.88 mm, which is significantly different from 2.61 mm without biomechanical regularization. We can conclude that biomechanical FE modeling has the potential to improve the accuracy of multimodal prostate registration when comparing it to regular surface-based registration.

Alpha detection on moving surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacArthur, D.; Orr, C.; Luff, C.

1998-01-01

Both environmental restoration (ER) and decontamination and decommissioning (D and D) require characterization of large surface areas (walls, floors, in situ soil, soil and rubble on a conveyor belt, etc.) for radioactive contamination. Many facilities which have processed alpha active material such as plutonium or uranium require effective and efficient characterization for alpha contamination. Traditional methods for alpha surface characterization are limited by the short range and poor penetration of alpha particles. These probes are only sensitive to contamination located directly under the probe. Furthermore, the probe must be held close to the surface to be monitored in order to avoid excessive losses in the ambient air. The combination of proximity and thin detector windows can easily cause instrument damage unless extreme care is taken. The long-range alpha detection (LRAD) system addresses these problems by detecting the ions generated by alpha particles interacting with ambient air rather than the alpha particle directly. Thus, detectors based on LRAD overcome the limitations due to alpha particle range (the ions can travel many meters as opposed to the several-centimeter alpha particle range) and penetrating ability (an LRAD-based detector has no window). Unfortunately, all LRAD-based detectors described previously are static devices, i.e., these detectors cannot be used over surfaces which are continuously moving. In this paper, the authors report on the first tests of two techniques (the electrostatic ion seal and the gridded electrostatic LRAD detector) which extend the capabilities of LRAD surface monitors to use over moving surfaces. This dynamic surface monitoring system was developed jointly by Los Alamos National Laboratory and at BNFL Instruments. All testing was performed at the BNFL Instruments facility in the UK

Micro and nanostructural characterization of surfaces and interfaces of Portland cement mortars using atomic force microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barreto, M.F.O.; Brandao, P.R.G.

2014-01-01

The characterization of Portland cement mortars is very important in the study the interfaces and surfaces that make up the system grout/ceramic block. In this sense, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive (X-ray) spectrometer are important tools in investigating the morphology and chemical aspects. However, more detailed topographic information can be necessary in the characterization process. In this work, the aim was to characterize topographically surfaces and interfaces of mortars applied onto ceramic blocks. This has been accomplished by using the atomic force microscope (AFM) - MFP-3D-SA Asylum Research. To date, the results obtained from this research show that the characterization of cementitious materials with the help of AFM has an important contribution in the investigation and differentiation of hydrated calcium silicates (CSH), calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2, ettringite and calcium carbonate by providing morphological and micro topographical data, which are extremely important and reliable for the understanding of cementitious materials. (author)

Surface characterization of poly(methylmethacrylate) based nanocomposite thin films containing Al2O3 and TiO2 nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewis, S.; Haynes, V.; Wheeler-Jones, R.; Sly, J.; Perks, R.M.; Piccirillo, L.

2010-01-01

Poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) based nanocomposite electron beam resists have been demonstrated by spin coating techniques. When TiO 2 and Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles were directly dispersed into the PMMA polymer matrix, the resulting nanocomposites produced poor quality films with surface roughnesses of 322 and 402 nm respectively. To improve the surface of the resists, the oxide nanoparticles were encapsulated in toluene and methanol. Using the zeta potential parameter, it was found that the stabilities of the toluene/oxide nanoparticle suspensions were 7.7 mV and 19.4 mV respectively, meaning that the suspension was not stable. However, when the TiO 2 and Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles were encapsulated in methanol the zeta potential parameter was 31.9 mV and 39.2 mV respectively. Therefore, the nanoparticle suspension was stable. This method improved the surface roughness of PMMA based nanocomposite thin films by a factor of 6.6 and 6.4, when TiO 2 and Al 2 O 3 were suspended in methanol before being dispersed into the PMMA polymer.

3D Human cartilage surface characterization by optical coherence tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brill, Nicolai; Riedel, Jörn; Schmitt, Robert; Tingart, Markus; Jahr, Holger; Nebelung, Sven; Truhn, Daniel; Pufe, Thomas

2015-01-01

Early diagnosis and treatment of cartilage degeneration is of high clinical interest. Loss of surface integrity is considered one of the earliest and most reliable signs of degeneration, but cannot currently be evaluated objectively. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is an arthroscopically available light-based non-destructive real-time imaging technology that allows imaging at micrometre resolutions to millimetre depths. As OCT-based surface evaluation standards remain to be defined, the present study investigated the diagnostic potential of 3D surface profile parameters in the comprehensive evaluation of cartilage degeneration. To this end, 45 cartilage samples of different degenerative grades were obtained from total knee replacements (2 males, 10 females; mean age 63.8 years), cut to standard size and imaged using a spectral-domain OCT device (Thorlabs, Germany). 3D OCT datasets of 8  ×  8, 4  ×  4 and 1  ×  1 mm (width  ×  length) were obtained and pre-processed (image adjustments, morphological filtering). Subsequent automated surface identification algorithms were used to obtain the 3D primary profiles, which were then filtered and processed using established algorithms employing ISO standards. The 3D surface profile thus obtained was used to calculate a set of 21 3D surface profile parameters, i.e. height (e.g. Sa), functional (e.g. Sk), hybrid (e.g. Sdq) and segmentation-related parameters (e.g. Spd). Samples underwent reference histological assessment according to the Degenerative Joint Disease classification. Statistical analyses included calculation of Spearman’s rho and assessment of inter-group differences using the Kruskal Wallis test. Overall, the majority of 3D surface profile parameters revealed significant degeneration-dependent differences and correlations with the exception of severe end-stage degeneration and were of distinct diagnostic value in the assessment of surface integrity. None of the 3D

Nanophotonic force microscopy: characterizing particle-surface interactions using near-field photonics.

Science.gov (United States)

Schein, Perry; Kang, Pilgyu; O'Dell, Dakota; Erickson, David

2015-02-11

Direct measurements of particle-surface interactions are important for characterizing the stability and behavior of colloidal and nanoparticle suspensions. Current techniques are limited in their ability to measure pico-Newton scale interaction forces on submicrometer particles due to signal detection limits and thermal noise. Here we present a new technique for making measurements in this regime, which we refer to as nanophotonic force microscopy. Using a photonic crystal resonator, we generate a strongly localized region of exponentially decaying, near-field light that allows us to confine small particles close to a surface. From the statistical distribution of the light intensity scattered by the particle we are able to map out the potential well of the trap and directly quantify the repulsive force between the nanoparticle and the surface. As shown in this Letter, our technique is not limited by thermal noise, and therefore, we are able to resolve interaction forces smaller than 1 pN on dielectric particles as small as 100 nm in diameter.

Synthesis and Characterization of the Hybrid Clay- Based Material Montmorillonite-Melanoidin: A Potential Soil Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

V Vilas; B Matthiasch; J Huth; J Kratz; S Rubert de la Rosa; P Michel; T Schäfer

2011-12-31

The study of the interactions among metals, minerals, and humic substances is essential in understanding the migration of inorganic pollutants in the geosphere. A considerable amount of organic matter in the environment is associated with clay minerals. To understand the role of organic matter in the environment and its association with clay minerals, a hybrid clay-based material (HCM), montmorillonite (STx-1)-melanoidin, was prepared from L-tyrosine and L-glutamic acid by the Maillard reaction. The HCM was characterized by elemental analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning transmission x-ray microscopy (STXM), and thermal analysis. The presence of organic materials on the surface was confirmed by XPS and STXM. The STXM results showed the presence of organic spots on the surface of the STx-1 and the characterization of the functional groups present in those spots. Thermal analysis confirmed the existence of organic materials in the montmorillonite interlayer, indicating the formation of a composite of melanoidin and montmorillonite. The melanoidin appeared to be located partially between the layers of montmorillonite and partially at the surface, forming a structure that resembles the way a cork sits on the top of a champagne bottle.

Characterization of polyurethane based on polyol synthesized from glycerol and hexamethylene diisocyanate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carvalho, Sabrina M.; Weber, Vanessa; Silva, Tailu N.; Barreto, Pedro L.M.

2009-01-01

A new polyol based on glycerol was synthesized and used in the production of polyurethane by reaction with hexamethylene diisocyanate. The polyol was characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The polyurethane produced was characterized by FTIR, thermogravimetry (TG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The polyol was shown to be reactive with hexamethylene diisocyanate, as the FTIR spectrum showed no free isocyanate groups and identified the presence of group -C=O of urethane groups. Analysis by DSC showed that the sample of polyurethane has a glass transition temperature around -8.53 deg C and SEM micrographs showed fracture and surface continuous and not broken. The thermogravimetric analysis showed that the polyurethane produced has a high thermal stability with a temperature of maximum degradation around 430 deg C. (author)

Extended volume and surface scatterometer for optical characterization of 3D-printed elements

Science.gov (United States)

Dannenberg, Florian; Uebeler, Denise; Weiß, Jürgen; Pescoller, Lukas; Weyer, Cornelia; Hahlweg, Cornelius

2015-09-01

The use of 3d printing technology seems to be a promising way for low cost prototyping, not only of mechanical, but also of optical components or systems. It is especially useful in applications where customized equipment repeatedly is subject to immediate destruction, as in experimental detonics and the like. Due to the nature of the 3D-printing process, there is a certain inner texture and therefore inhomogeneous optical behaviour to be taken into account, which also indicates mechanical anisotropy. Recent investigations are dedicated to quantification of optical properties of such printed bodies and derivation of corresponding optimization strategies for the printing process. Beside mounting, alignment and illumination means, also refractive and reflective elements are subject to investigation. The proposed measurement methods are based on an imaging nearfield scatterometer for combined volume and surface scatter measurements as proposed in previous papers. In continuation of last year's paper on the use of near field imaging, which basically is a reflective shadowgraph method, for characterization of glossy surfaces like printed matter or laminated material, further developments are discussed. The device has been extended for observation of photoelasticity effects and therefore homogeneity of polarization behaviour. A refined experimental set-up is introduced. Variation of plane of focus and incident angle are used for separation of various the images of the layers of the surface under test, cross and parallel polarization techniques are applied. Practical examples from current research studies are included.

Characterization of cement-based materials using a reusable piezoelectric impedance-based sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Tawie, R.; Lee, H. K.

2011-08-01

This paper proposes a reusable sensor, which employs a piezoceramic (PZT) plate as an active sensing transducer, for non-destructive monitoring of cement-based materials based on the electromechanical impedance (EMI) sensing technique. The advantage of the sensor design is that the PZT can be easily removed from the set-up and re-used for repetitive tests. The applicability of the sensor was demonstrated for monitoring of the setting of cement mortar. EMI measurements were performed using an impedance analyzer and the transformation of the specimen from the plastic to solid state was monitored by automatically measuring the changes in the PZT conductance spectra with respect to curing time using the root mean square deviation (RMSD) algorithm. In another experiment, drying-induced moisture loss of a hardened mortar specimen at saturated surface dry (SSD) condition was measured, and monitored using the reusable sensor to establish a correlation between the RMSD values and moisture loss rate. The reusable sensor was also demonstrated for detecting progressive damages imparted on a mortar specimen attached with the sensor under several loading levels before allowing it to load to failure. Overall, the reusable sensor is an effective and efficient monitoring device that could possibly be used for field application in characterization of cement-based materials.

Characterization of cement-based materials using a reusable piezoelectric impedance-based sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tawie, R; Lee, H K

2011-01-01

This paper proposes a reusable sensor, which employs a piezoceramic (PZT) plate as an active sensing transducer, for non-destructive monitoring of cement-based materials based on the electromechanical impedance (EMI) sensing technique. The advantage of the sensor design is that the PZT can be easily removed from the set-up and re-used for repetitive tests. The applicability of the sensor was demonstrated for monitoring of the setting of cement mortar. EMI measurements were performed using an impedance analyzer and the transformation of the specimen from the plastic to solid state was monitored by automatically measuring the changes in the PZT conductance spectra with respect to curing time using the root mean square deviation (RMSD) algorithm. In another experiment, drying-induced moisture loss of a hardened mortar specimen at saturated surface dry (SSD) condition was measured, and monitored using the reusable sensor to establish a correlation between the RMSD values and moisture loss rate. The reusable sensor was also demonstrated for detecting progressive damages imparted on a mortar specimen attached with the sensor under several loading levels before allowing it to load to failure. Overall, the reusable sensor is an effective and efficient monitoring device that could possibly be used for field application in characterization of cement-based materials

Dynamic tunneling force microscopy for characterizing electronic trap states in non-conductive surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, R.; Williams, C. C., E-mail: clayton@physics.utah.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 (United States)

2015-09-15

Dynamic tunneling force microscopy (DTFM) is a scanning probe technique for real space mapping and characterization of individual electronic trap states in non-conductive films with atomic scale spatial resolution. The method is based upon the quantum mechanical tunneling of a single electron back and forth between a metallic atomic force microscopy tip and individual trap states in completely non-conducting surface. This single electron shuttling is measured by detecting the electrostatic force induced on the probe tip at the shuttling frequency. In this paper, the physical basis for the DTFM method is unfolded through a physical model and a derivation of the dynamic tunneling signal as a function of several experimental parameters is shown. Experimental data are compared with the theoretical simulations, showing quantitative consistency and verifying the physical model used. The experimental system is described and representative imaging results are shown.

A nitride-based epitaxial surface layer formed by ammonia treatment of silicene-terminated ZrB{sub 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wiggers, F. B., E-mail: F.B.Wiggers@utwente.nl; Van Bui, H.; Schmitz, J.; Kovalgin, A. Y.; Jong, M. P. de [MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, 7500 AE Enschede (Netherlands); Friedlein, R.; Yamada-Takamura, Y. [School of Materials Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Nomi, Ishikawa 923-1292 (Japan)

2016-04-07

We present a method for the formation of an epitaxial  surface layer involving B, N, and Si atoms on a ZrB{sub 2}(0001) thin film on Si(111). It has the potential to be an insulating growth template for 2D semiconductors. The chemical reaction of NH{sub 3} molecules with the silicene-terminated ZrB{sub 2}  surface was characterized by synchrotron-based, high-resolution core-level photoelectron spectroscopy and low-energy electron diffraction. In particular, the dissociative chemisorption of NH{sub 3} at 400 °C leads to surface  nitridation, and subsequent annealing up to 830 °C results in a solid phase reaction with the ZrB{sub 2} subsurface layers. In this way, a new nitride-based epitaxial  surface layer is formed with hexagonal symmetry and a single in-plane crystal orientation.

Chapter 8:Surface Characterization

Science.gov (United States)

Mandla A. Tshabalala; Joseph Jakes; Mark R. VanLandingham; Shaoxia Wang; Jouko. Peltonen

2013-01-01

Surface properties of wood play an important role when wood is used or processed into different commodities such as siding, joinery, textiles, paper, sorption media, or wood composites. Thus, for example, the quality and durability of a wood coating are determined by the surface properties of the wood and the coating. The same is true for wood composites where the...

Charging effects and surface potential variations of Cu-based nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nunes, D., E-mail: daniela.gomes@fct.unl.pt [i3N/CENIMAT, Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Calmeiro, T.R.; Nandy, S.; Pinto, J.V.; Pimentel, A.; Barquinha, P. [i3N/CENIMAT, Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Carvalho, P.A. [SINTEF Materials and Chemistry, PB 124 Blindern, NO-0314, Oslo (Norway); CeFEMA, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001, Lisboa (Portugal); Walmsley, J.C. [SINTEF Materials and Chemistry, Materials and Nanotechnology, Høgskoleringen 5, 7034 Trondheim (Norway); Fortunato, E., E-mail: emf@fct.unl.pt [i3N/CENIMAT, Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Martins, R., E-mail: rm@uninova.pt [i3N/CENIMAT, Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal)

2016-02-29

The present work reports charging effects and surface potential variations in pure copper, cuprous oxide and cupric oxide nanowires observed by electrostatic force microscopy (EFM) and Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). The copper nanowires were produced by wet synthesis, oxidation into cuprous oxide nanowires was achieved through microwave irradiation and cupric oxide nanowires were obtained via furnace annealing in atmospheric conditions. Structural characterization of the nanowires was carried out by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. During the EFM experiments the electrostatic field of the positive probe charged negatively the Cu-based nanowires, which in turn polarized the SiO{sub 2} dielectric substrate. Both the probe/nanowire capacitance as well as the substrate polarization increased with the applied bias. Cu{sub 2}O and CuO nanowires behaved distinctively during the EFM measurements in accordance with their band gap energies. The work functions (WF) of the Cu-based nanowires, obtained by KPFM measurements, yielded WF{sub CuO} > WF{sub Cu} > WF{sub Cu{sub 2O}}. - Highlights: • Charge distribution study in Cu, Cu{sub 2}O and CuO nanowires through electrostatic force microscopy • Structural/surface defect role on the charge distribution along the Cu nanowires • Determination of the nanowire work functions by Kelvin probe force microscopy • Three types of nanowires give a broad idea of charge behavior on Cu based-nanowires.

Site characterization field manual for near surface geologic disposal of low-level radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCray, J.G.; Nowatzki, E.A.

1985-01-01

This field manual has been developed to aid states and regions to do a detailed characterization of a proposed near-surface low-level waste disposal site. The field manual is directed at planners, staff personnel and experts in one discipline to acquaint them with the requirements of other disciplines involved in site characterization. While it can provide a good review, it is not designed to tell experts how to do their job within their own discipline

Surface characterization and corrosion behavior of micro-arc oxidized Ti surface modified with hydrothermal treatment and chitosan coating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neupane, Madhav Prasad; Park, Il Song; Lee, Min Ho

2014-01-01

In the present work, we describe the surface modification of commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti) by a composite/multilayer coating approach for biomedical applications. CP-Ti samples were treated by micro-arc oxidation (MAO) and subsequently some of the samples were coated with chitosan (Chi) by dip coating method, while others were subjected to hydrothermal treatment (HT) followed by chitosan coating. The MAO, MAO/Chi, and MAO/HT/Chi coated Ti were characterized and their characteristics were compared with CP-Ti. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were used to assess the structural and morphological characteristics. The average surface roughness was determined using a surface profilometer. The corrosion resistance of untreated and surface modified Ti in commercial saline at 298 K was evaluated by potentiodynamic polarization test. The results indicated that the chitosan coating is very well integrated with the MAO and MAO/HT coating by physically interlocking itself with the coated layer and almost sealed all the pores. The surface roughness of hydrothermally treated and chitosan coated MAO film was superior evidently to that with other sample groups. The corrosion studies demonstrated that the MAO, hydrothermally treated and chitosan coated sample enhanced the corrosion resistance of titanium. The result indicates that fabrication of hydrothermally treated MAO surface coatings with chitosan is a significant approach to protect the titanium from corrosion, hence enhancing the potential use of titanium as bio-implants. - Highlights: • Micro-arc oxidized (MAO) and hydrothermally treated (HT) Ti surfaces are coated with chitosan (Chi). • The MAO/HT/Chi surface exhibits pores sealing and enhanced the surface roughness. • The MAO/HT/Chi surface significantly increase the corrosion resistance. • The MAO/HT/Chi can be a potential surface of titanium for bio-implants

Boron-based nanostructures: Synthesis, functionalization, and characterization

Science.gov (United States)

Bedasso, Eyrusalam Kifyalew

Boron-based nanostructures have not been explored in detail; however, these structures have the potential to revolutionize many fields including electronics and biomedicine. The research discussed in this dissertation focuses on synthesis, functionalization, and characterization of boron-based zero-dimensional nanostructures (core/shell and nanoparticles) and one-dimensional nanostructures (nanorods). The first project investigates the synthesis and functionalization of boron-based core/shell nanoparticles. Two boron-containing core/shell nanoparticles, namely boron/iron oxide and boron/silica, were synthesized. Initially, boron nanoparticles with a diameter between 10-100 nm were prepared by decomposition of nido-decaborane (B10H14) followed by formation of a core/shell structure. The core/shell structures were prepared using the appropriate precursor, iron source and silica source, for the shell in the presence of boron nanoparticles. The formation of core/shell nanostructures was confirmed using high resolution TEM. Then, the core/shell nanoparticles underwent a surface modification. Boron/iron oxide core/shell nanoparticles were functionalized with oleic acid, citric acid, amine-terminated polyethylene glycol, folic acid, and dopamine, and boron/silica core/shell nanoparticles were modified with 3-(amino propyl) triethoxy silane, 3-(2-aminoethyleamino)propyltrimethoxysilane), citric acid, folic acid, amine-terminated polyethylene glycol, and O-(2-Carboxyethyl)polyethylene glycol. A UV-Vis and ATR-FTIR analysis established the success of surface modification. The cytotoxicity of water-soluble core/shell nanoparticles was studied in triple negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 and the result showed the compounds are not toxic. The second project highlights optimization of reaction conditions for the synthesis of boron nanorods. This synthesis, done via reduction of boron oxide with molten lithium, was studied to produce boron nanorods without any

Surface characterization of lignocellulosics for composite manufacture

Science.gov (United States)

Iyer, Ananth V.

The objectives of this research were to form moisture resistant wheat strawboards, either by altering the straw surface characteristics or by changing the chemistry of the polymeric 4, 4' diphenylmethane diisocyanate (PMDI)-based matrix and interface. Part I compared the surface characteristics of wheat, barley, oat, rice, kenaf, hemp and softwood particles. All cereal straws had two surfaces: epidermis and brittle-pith unlike one heterogeneous type observed for bast fibers and softwood particles. The epidermis of cereal straws was not wet by water or aqueous binders, whereas the pith surface allowed the penetration of water, but was not readily wetted by aqueous binders. Between the different surface treatments evaluated for wheat straw in Part II, NaOH selectively peeled-off the epidermis and pith layers. The treated straw particles were formable into strawboards using aqueous phenol-formaldehyde, urea-formaldehyde, and duroplastic acrylic acid binders with good internal bond strength (IBS) and adequate water resistance. In Part III it was shown that, decreasing straw particle sizes and bleaching worsened the mechanical properties of strawboards, but the moisture absorption properties of bleached strawboards were lower than the unbleached ones. Layering of straw particles in strawboards did not seem to affect their mechanical or moisture absorption properties. Part IV showed that the pith surface of wheat straw was fractured on curing with PMDI, providing hollow microcrevices for water accumulation. Furthermore, the cured PMDI formed a network polyurea/polyuretonimine/polycarbodiimide/polyisocyanurate polymer on straw surfaces whose properties dictated the properties of strawboards. Among the different mono-, bi-, and tri-functional alcohols, amines and carboxylic acids evaluated in Part V as H-donor substitutes to moisture for reaction with PMDI on straw surfaces, ethylene glycol, resorcinol, glycerin and citric acid provided IBS values greater than the ANSI

Surface characterization and chemical analysis of bamboo substrates pretreated by alkali hydrogen peroxide.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Xueping; Jiang, Yan; Rong, Xianjian; Wei, Wei; Wang, Shuangfei; Nie, Shuangxi

2016-09-01

The surface characterization and chemical analysis of bamboo substrates by alkali hydrogen peroxide pretreatment (AHPP) were investigated in this study. The results tended to manifest that AHPP prior to enzymatic and chemical treatment was potential for improving accessibility and reactivity of bamboo substrates. The inorganic components, organic solvent extractives and acid-soluble lignin were effectively removed by AHPP. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicated that the surface of bamboo chips had less lignin but more carbohydrate after pre-treatment. Fiber surfaces became etched and collapsed, and more pores and debris on the substrate surface were observed with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Brenauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) results showed that both of pore volume and surface area were increased after AHPP. Although XRD analysis showed that AHPP led to relatively higher crystallinity, pre-extraction could overall enhance the accessibility of enzymes and chemicals into the bamboo structure. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Migration characterization of Ga and In adatoms on dielectric surface in selective MOVPE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Wei-Jie; Han Xiao-Biao; Lin Jia-Li; Hu Guo-Heng; Liu Ming-Gang; Yang Yi-Bin; Chen Jie; Wu Zhi-Sheng; Zhang Bai-Jun; Liu Yang

2015-01-01

Migration characterizations of Ga and In adatoms on the dielectric surface in selective metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) were investigated. In the typical MOVPE environment, the selectivity of growth is preserved for GaN, and the growth rate of GaN micro-pyramids is sensitive to the period of the patterned SiO 2 mask. A surface migration induced model was adopted to figure out the effective migration length of Ga adatoms on the dielectric surface. Different from the growth of GaN, the selective area growth of InGaN on the patterned template would induce the deposition of InGaN polycrystalline particles on the patterned SiO 2 mask with a long period. It was demonstrated with a scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectroscopy that the In adatoms exhibit a shorter migration length on the dielectric surface. (paper)

Surface and Electrical Characterization of Conjugated Molecular Wires

Science.gov (United States)

Demissie, Abel Tesfahun

This thesis describes the surface and electrical characterization of ultrathin organic films and interfaces. These films were synthesized on the surface of gold by utilizing layer by layer synthesis via imine condensation. Film growth by imine click (condensation) chemistry is particularly useful for molecular electronics experiments because it provides a convenient means to obtain and extend ?-conjugation in the growth direction. However, in the context of film growth from a solid substrate, the reaction yield per step has not been characterized previously, though it is critically important. To address these issues, my research focused on a comprehensive characterization of oligophenyleneimine (OPI) wires via Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS), and cyclic voltammetry (CV). In addition, we had the unique opportunity of developing the first of its kind implementation of nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) to probe the intensity of carbon atoms after each addition step. Overall the combination of various techniques indicated that film growth proceeds in a quantitative manner. Furthermore, the NRA experiment was optimized to measure the carbon content in self-assembled monolayers of alkyl thiols. The results indicated well-resolved coverage values for ultrathin films with consecutive steps of 2 carbon atoms per molecule. Another fundamental problem in molecular electronics is the vast discrepancy in the values of measured resistance per molecule between small and large area molecular junctions. In collaboration with researchers at the National University of Singapore, we addressed these issues by comparing the electrical properties of OPI wires with the eutectic gallium indium alloy (EGaIn) junction (1000 mum2), and conducting probe atomic force microscopy (CP-AFM) junction (50 nm2). Our results showed that intensive (i.e., area

MEMS-based dynamic cell-to-cell culture platforms using electrochemical surface modifications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Jiyoung; Lin, Liwei; Yoon, Sang-Hee; Mofrad, Mohammad R K

2011-01-01

MEMS-based biological platforms with the capability of both spatial placements and time releases of living cells for cell-to-cell culture experiments have been designed and demonstrated utilizing electrochemical surface modification effects. The spatial placement is accomplished by electrochemical surface modification of substrate surfaces to be either adhesive or non-adhesive for living cells. The time control is achieved by the electrical activation of the selective indium tin oxide co-culture electrode to allow the migration of living cells onto the electrode to start the cell-to-cell culture studies. Prototype devices have a three-electrode design with an electrode size of 50 × 50 µm 2 and the separation gaps of 2 µm between them. An electrical voltage of −1.5 V has been used to activate the electrodes independently and sequentially to demonstrate the dynamic cell-to-cell culture experiments of NIH 3T3 fibroblast and Madin Darby canine kidney cells. As such, this MEMS platform could be a basic yet versatile tool to characterize transient cell-to-cell interactions

Spectroscopic characterization of schiff base-copper complexes immobilized in smectite clays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrícia M. Dias

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Herein, the immobilization of some Schiff base-copper(II complexes in smectite clays is described as a strategy for the heterogenization of homogeneous catalysts. The obtained materials were characterized by spectroscopic techniques, mostly UV/Vis, EPR, XANES and luminescence spectroscopy. SWy-2 and synthetic Laponite clays were used for the immobilization of two different complexes that have previously shown catalytic activity in the dismutation of superoxide radicals, and disproportionation of hydrogen peroxide. The obtained results indicated the occurrence of an intriguing intramolecular redox process involving copper and the imine ligand at the surface of the clays. These studies are supported by computational calculations.

Radioactive Ions for Surface Characterization

CERN Multimedia

2002-01-01

The collaboration has completed a set of pilot experiments with the aim to develop techniques for using radioactive nuclei in surface physics. The first result was a method for thermal deposition of isolated atoms (Cd, In, Rb) on clean metallic surfaces. \\\\ \\\\ Then the diffusion history of deposited Cd and In atoms on two model surfaces, Mo(110) and Pd(111), was followed through the electric field gradients (efg) acting at the probe nuclei as measured with the Perturbed Angular Correlation technique. For Mo(110) a rather simple history of the adatoms was inferred from the experiments: Atoms initially landing at terrace sites diffuse from there to ledges and then to kinks, defects always present at real surfaces. The next stage is desorption from the surface. For Pd a scenario that goes still further was found. Following the kink stage the adatoms get incorporated into ledges and finally into the top surface layer. For all these five sites the efg's could be measured.\\\\ \\\\ In preparation for a further series o...

Surface parameter characterization of surface vibrations in linear chains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majlis, N.; Selzer, S.; Puszkarski, H.; Diep-The-Hung

1982-12-01

We consider the vibrations of a linear monatomic chain with a complex surface potential defined by the surface pinning parameter a=Aesup(-i psi). It is found that in the case of a semi-infinite chain a is connected with the surface vibration wave number k=s+it by the exact relations: s=psi, t=lnA. We also show that the solutions found can be regarded as approximate ones (in the limit L>>1) for surface vibrations of a finite chain consisting of L atoms. (author)

Characterization of internal surface finishing of tubes for CAREM 25 fuel rods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loureiro, N.V; Juarez, G; Bianchi, D; Flores, A; Vizcaino, P

2012-01-01

One of the factors that ensure the good behavior of the fuel claddings of the nuclear power reactors is the internal surface quality. In the present work has been carried out a study of the internal surface of the tube after a cold rolling process developed in the Departamento de Tecnologia de Aleaciones de Circonio and applied by FAE-SA and PPFAE-CNEA in each rolling stage to obtain the fuel claddings for the reactor CAREM 25. The inner surface has been observed by scanning electron microscopy, SEM, being the objective of this study to verify not only the good internal surface but also infer about how starting from tubes of different initial diameter reduction the quality of the final product will be affected. The manufacturing process of the tubes for this new fuel went through modifications during the development, adding intermediate chemical pickling stages in order to improve the internal surface quality of the final product. From determinations made with ultrasound, the defects charts obtained made it possible to compare the observed signals more relevant and the micrographs in these areas in order to characterize possible defects (author)

Characterization of uranium in surface-waters collected at the Rocky Flats Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Efurd, D.W.; Rokop, D.J.; Aguilar, R.D.; Roensch, F.R.; Perrin, R.E.; Banar, J.C.

1994-01-01

The Rocky Flats Plant (RFP) is a Department of Energy (DOE) facility where plutonium and uranium components were manufactured for nuclear weapons. During plant operations radioactivity was inadvertently released into the environment. This study was initiated to characterize the uranium present in surface-waters at RFP. Three drainage basins and natural ephemeral streams transverse RFP. The Woman Creek drainage basin traverses and drains the southern portion of the site. The Rock Creek drainage basin drains the northwestern portion of the plant complex. The Walnut Creek drainage basin traverses the western, northern, and northeastern portions of the RFP site. Dams, detention ponds, diversion structures, and ditches have been constructed at RFP to control the release of plant discharges and surface (storm water) runoff. The ponds located downstream of the plant complex on North Walnut Creek are designated A-1 through A-4. Ponds on South Walnut Creek are designated B-1 through B-5. The ponds in the Woman Creek drainage basin are designated C-1 and C-2. Water samples were collected from each pond and the uranium was characterized by TIMS measurement techniques

A Lagrangian cylindrical coordinate system for characterizing dynamic surface geometry of tubular anatomic structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Lundh, Torbjörn; Suh, Ga-Young; DiGiacomo, Phillip; Cheng, Christopher

2018-03-03

Vascular morphology characterization is useful for disease diagnosis, risk stratification, treatment planning, and prediction of treatment durability. To quantify the dynamic surface geometry of tubular-shaped anatomic structures, we propose a simple, rigorous Lagrangian cylindrical coordinate system to monitor well-defined surface points. Specifically, the proposed system enables quantification of surface curvature and cross-sectional eccentricity. Using idealized software phantom examples, we validate the method's ability to accurately quantify longitudinal and circumferential surface curvature, as well as eccentricity and orientation of eccentricity. We then apply the method to several medical imaging data sets of human vascular structures to exemplify the utility of this coordinate system for analyzing morphology and dynamic geometric changes in blood vessels throughout the body. Graphical abstract Pointwise longitudinal curvature of a thoracic aortic endograft surface for systole and diastole, with their absolute difference.

Inhomogeneity Based Characterization of Distribution Patterns on the Plasma Membrane.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Paparelli

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Cell surface protein and lipid molecules are organized in various patterns: randomly, along gradients, or clustered when segregated into discrete micro- and nano-domains. Their distribution is tightly coupled to events such as polarization, endocytosis, and intracellular signaling, but challenging to quantify using traditional techniques. Here we present a novel approach to quantify the distribution of plasma membrane proteins and lipids. This approach describes spatial patterns in degrees of inhomogeneity and incorporates an intensity-based correction to analyze images with a wide range of resolutions; we have termed it Quantitative Analysis of the Spatial distributions in Images using Mosaic segmentation and Dual parameter Optimization in Histograms (QuASIMoDOH. We tested its applicability using simulated microscopy images and images acquired by widefield microscopy, total internal reflection microscopy, structured illumination microscopy, and photoactivated localization microscopy. We validated QuASIMoDOH, successfully quantifying the distribution of protein and lipid molecules detected with several labeling techniques, in different cell model systems. We also used this method to characterize the reorganization of cell surface lipids in response to disrupted endosomal trafficking and to detect dynamic changes in the global and local organization of epidermal growth factor receptors across the cell surface. Our findings demonstrate that QuASIMoDOH can be used to assess protein and lipid patterns, quantifying distribution changes and spatial reorganization at the cell surface. An ImageJ/Fiji plugin of this analysis tool is provided.

Surface modification, characterization and adsorptive properties of a coconut activated carbon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lu Xincheng [Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, CAF, National Engineering Lab. for Biomass Chemical Utilization, Key and Open Lab. of Forest Chemical Engineering, SFA, Key Lab. of Biomass Energy and Material, Jiangsu Province, Suojin wucun 16, Nanjing 210042 (China); Jiang Jianchun, E-mail: lhs_ac2011@yahoo.cn [Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, CAF, National Engineering Lab. for Biomass Chemical Utilization, Key and Open Lab. of Forest Chemical Engineering, SFA, Key Lab. of Biomass Energy and Material, Jiangsu Province, Suojin wucun 16, Nanjing 210042 (China); Sun Kang; Xie Xinping; Hu Yiming [Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, CAF, National Engineering Lab. for Biomass Chemical Utilization, Key and Open Lab. of Forest Chemical Engineering, SFA, Key Lab. of Biomass Energy and Material, Jiangsu Province, Suojin wucun 16, Nanjing 210042 (China)

2012-08-01

A coconut activated carbon was modified using chemical methods. Different concentration of nitric acid oxidation of the conventional sample produced samples with weakly acidic functional groups. The oxidized samples were characterized by scanning electron micrograph, nitrogen absorption-desorption, Fourier transform infra red spectroscopy, Bothem method, pH titration, adsorption capacity of sodium and formaldehyde, and the adsorption mechanism of activated carbons was investigated. The results showed that BET surface area and pore volume of activated carbons were decreased after oxidization process, while acidic functional groups were increased. The surface morphology of oxidized carbons looked clean and eroded which was caused by oxidization of nitric acid. The oxidized carbons showed high adsorption capacity of sodium and formaldehyde, and chemical properties of activated carbon played an important role in adsorption of metal ions and organic pollutants.

Surface-electronic-state effects in electron emission from the Be(0001) surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Archubi, C. D.; Gravielle, M. S.; Silkin, V. M.

2011-01-01

We study the electron emission produced by swift protons impinging grazingly on a Be(0001) surface. The process is described within a collisional formalism using the band-structure-based (BSB) approximation to represent the electron-surface interaction. The BSB model provides an accurate description of the electronic band structure of the solid and the surface-induced potential. Within this approach we derive both bulk and surface electronic states, with these latter characterized by a strong localization at the crystal surface. We found that such surface electronic states play an important role in double-differential energy- and angle-resolved electron emission probabilities, producing noticeable structures in the electron emission spectra.

Surface-electronic-state effects in electron emission from the Be(0001) surface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Archubi, C. D. [Instituto de Astronomia y Fisica del Espacio, casilla de correo 67, sucursal 28, C1428EGA, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Gravielle, M. S. [Instituto de Astronomia y Fisica del Espacio, casilla de correo 67, sucursal 28, C1428EGA, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Silkin, V. M. [Donostia International Physics Center, E-20018 San Sebastian (Spain); Departamento de Fisica de Materiales, Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas, Universidad del Pais Vasco, Apartado 1072, E-20080 San Sebastian (Spain); IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, E-48011 Bilbao (Spain)

2011-07-15

We study the electron emission produced by swift protons impinging grazingly on a Be(0001) surface. The process is described within a collisional formalism using the band-structure-based (BSB) approximation to represent the electron-surface interaction. The BSB model provides an accurate description of the electronic band structure of the solid and the surface-induced potential. Within this approach we derive both bulk and surface electronic states, with these latter characterized by a strong localization at the crystal surface. We found that such surface electronic states play an important role in double-differential energy- and angle-resolved electron emission probabilities, producing noticeable structures in the electron emission spectra.

AlScN thin film based surface acoustic wave devices with enhanced microfluidic performance

OpenAIRE

Wang, Wenbo; Fu, Yong Qing; Chen, Jinju; Xuan, Weipeng; Chen, Jinkai; Mayrhofer, Paul; Duan, Pengfei; Bittner, Elmar; Luo, Jikui

2016-01-01

This paper reports the characterization of scandium aluminum nitride (Al1−x Sc x N, x  =  27%) films and discusses surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices based on them. Both AlScN and AlN films were deposited on silicon by sputtering and possessed columnar microstructures with (0 0 0 2) crystal orientation. The AlScN/Si SAW devices showed improved electromechanical coupling coefficients (K 2, ~2%) compared with pure AlN films (

Preparation and characterization of titania based nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stengl, Vaclav; Bakardjieva, Snejana; Murafa, Natalie; Vecernikova, Eva; Subrt, Jan; Balek, Vladimir

2007-01-01

A new method for preparation of titania nanowires with diameter around 10 nm and length up to 2-3 μm is described. The precursor was prepared from sodium titanate by adding ethylene glycole (EG) and heating at temperature of 198 deg. C for 6 h under reflux. The sodium titanate glycolate formed by this way aggregated into 1D nanostructures and was subsequently transformed into titania glycolate during a chemical treatment with 98% sulfuric acid. Titania nanowires with variable amount of anatase and rutile were prepared by heating to temperatures in the range 350-1000 deg. C. The precursor as well as titania based samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Infrared spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy, High resolution transmission microscopy, Thermogravimetry, Differential thermal analysis, Evolved gas analysis and Emanation thermal analysis. The nitrogen adsorption/desorption was used for surface area and porosity determination. The photoactivity of the prepared titania samples was assessed by the photocatalytic decomposition of 4-chlorophenol in an aqueous slurry under UV irradiation of 365 nm wavelength

Biocompatibility of the titanium-based implant surfaces: Effect of the calcium dihydrogen phosphate on osteoblast cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaluđerović Milena R.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The influence of the presence of calcium dihydrogen phosphate in acid media on titanium-based implant surfaces, Ticer, employed in clinics, and its white form (Ticer white, on osteoblast cells was investigated. Novel surfaces M1 and M2 were obtained by immersing Ticer and Ticer white surfaces in calcium dihydrogen phosphate solution at pH 3.5. The surfaces were characterized by SEM, EDS and X-ray diffraction. The results related to interaction of investigated surfaces and human osteoblast cells from indirect biocompatibility (MTT and SRB assays, proliferation (DAPI assay and mode of cell death (acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB double staining were found to be in good agreement, as well as findings from osteocalcin (OC and bone sialoprotein (BSP expression. Surfaces were obtained by employing anodic plasma-electrochemical oxidation with spark discharges without subsequent surface modifications were found to be more compatible. Soaking of Ticer and Ticer white in phosphate solution gave toxic materials (M1 and M2 which induced apoptosis and secondary necrosis in osteoblast cells.

Surface topography characterization using an atomic force microscope mounted on a coordinate measuring machine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

De Chiffre, Leonardo; Hansen, H.N; Kofod, N

1999-01-01

The paper describes the construction, testing and use of an integrated system for topographic characterization of fine surfaces on parts having relatively big dimensions. An atomic force microscope (AFM) was mounted on a manual three-coordinate measuring machine (CMM) achieving free positioning o...

Organic surfaces exposed by self-assembled organothiol monolayers: Preparation, characterization, and application

Science.gov (United States)

Kind, Martin; Wöll, Christof

2009-07-01

Organic surfaces play a major role in materials science. Most surfaces that we touch in our daily lives are made from organic materials, e.g., vegetables, fruit, skin, wood, and textiles made from natural fibers. In the context of biology, organic surfaces play a prominent role too, proteins docking onto cell surfaces are a good example. To better understand the characteristics of organic surfaces, including physico-chemical properties like wettability or chemical reactivities and physical properties like friction and lubrication, a structurally well-defined model system that can be investigated with numerous analytical techniques is desirable. In the last two decades, one particular system, self-assembled monolayers or SAMs, have demonstrated their suitability for this purpose. In particular, organothiols consisting of an organic molecule with an attached SH-group are well suited to fabricating structurally well-defined adlayers of monolayer thickness on gold substrates using a simple preparation procedure. These ultrathin monolayers expose an organic surface with properties that can be tailored by varying the type of organothiol employed. After a short introduction into the preparation of SAMs, this article provides an overview of the possibilities and limitations of organic surfaces exposed by Au-thiolate SAMs. Applications are as diverse as the metallization of organic surfaces, a fundamental problem in materials science, and the fabrication of surfaces that resist the adsorption of proteins. In addition to a number of different case studies, we will also discuss the most powerful analytical techniques needed to characterize these important model systems.

Low density lipoprotein sensor based on surface plasmon resonance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matharu, Zimple; Sumana, G.; Pandey, M.K.; Gupta, Vinay; Malhotra, B.D.

2009-01-01

Biotinylated heparin has been immobilized onto self-assembled monolayer of 4-aminothiophenol using avidin-biotin specific binding. The modified electrodes have been characterized using surface plasmon resonance technique (SPR), cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and contact angle (CA) measurements. The interaction of immobilized biotinylated heparin with low density lipoprotein (LDL) has been studied using surface plasmon resonance technique. The biotinylated heparin modified electrode can be used to detect LDL in the range of 20 to 100 mg/dl with the sensitivity of 513.3 m o /μM.

Low density lipoprotein sensor based on surface plasmon resonance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matharu, Zimple [Department of Science and Technology Centre on Biomolecular Electronics, National Physical Laboratory, Dr. K. S. Krishnan Marg, New Delhi-110012 (India); Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, New Delhi-110007 (India); Sumana, G.; Pandey, M.K. [Department of Science and Technology Centre on Biomolecular Electronics, National Physical Laboratory, Dr. K. S. Krishnan Marg, New Delhi-110012 (India); Gupta, Vinay [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, New Delhi-110007 (India); Malhotra, B.D., E-mail: bansi.malhotra@gmail.co [Department of Science and Technology Centre on Biomolecular Electronics, National Physical Laboratory, Dr. K. S. Krishnan Marg, New Delhi-110012 (India)

2009-11-30

Biotinylated heparin has been immobilized onto self-assembled monolayer of 4-aminothiophenol using avidin-biotin specific binding. The modified electrodes have been characterized using surface plasmon resonance technique (SPR), cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and contact angle (CA) measurements. The interaction of immobilized biotinylated heparin with low density lipoprotein (LDL) has been studied using surface plasmon resonance technique. The biotinylated heparin modified electrode can be used to detect LDL in the range of 20 to 100 mg/dl with the sensitivity of 513.3 m{sup o}/{mu}M.

Surface and subsurface characterization of uranium contamination at the Fernald environmental management site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schilk, A.J.; Perkins, R.W.; Abel, K.H.; Brodzinski, R.L.

1993-04-01

The past operations of uranium production and support facilities at several Department of Energy (DOE) sites have occasionally resulted in the local contamination of some surface and subsurface soils, and the three-dimensional distribution of the uranium at these sites must be thoroughly characterized before any effective remedial protocols can be established. To this end, Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) has been tasked by the DOE's Office of Technology Development with adapting, developing, and demonstrating technologies for the measurement of uranium in surface and subsurface soils at the Fernald Uranium in Soils Integrated Demonstration site. These studies are detailed in this report

Characterization of Emissions and Residues from Simulations of the Deepwater Horizon Surface Oil Burns

Science.gov (United States)

The surface oil burns conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard from April to July 2010 during the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico were simulated by small scale burns to characterize the pollutants, determine emission factors, and gather particulate matter for subsequent...

Contribution of multi-temporal remote sensing images to characterize landslide slip surface ‒ Application to the La Clapière landslide (France

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Casson

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Landslide activity is partly controlled by the geometry of the slip surface. This activity is traduced at the surface by displacements and topographic variations. Consequently, multi-temporal remote sensing images can be used in order to characterize the geometry of landslide slip surface and its spatial and temporal evolution. Differential Digital Elevation Models (DEMs are obtained by subtracting two DEMs of different years. A method of multi-temporal images correlation allows to generate displacement maps that can be interpreted in terms of velocity and direction of movements. These data are then used to characterize qualitatively the geometry of the slip surface of the la Clapière landslide (French Southern Alps. Distribution of displacement vectors and of topographic variations are in accordance with a curved slip surface, characterizing a preferential rotational behaviour of this landslide. On the other hand, a spatial and temporal evolution of the geometry of the slip surface is pointed out. Indeed, a propagation of the slip surface under the Iglière bar, in the W part of the landslide, is suspected and can be linked to the acceleration of the landslide in 1987. This study shows the high potential of multi-temporal remote sensing images for slip surface characterization. Although this method could not replace in situ investigations, it can really help to well distribute geophysical profiles or boreholes on unstable areas.

Advanced Surface and Microstructural Characterization of Natural Graphite Anodes for Lithium Ion Batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gallego, Nidia C [ORNL; Contescu, Cristian I [ORNL; Meyer III, Harry M [ORNL; Howe, Jane Y [ORNL; Meisner, Roberta Ann [ORNL; Payzant, E Andrew [ORNL; Lance, Michael J [ORNL; Yoon, Steve [A123 Systems, Inc.; Denlinger, Matthew [A123 Systems, Inc.; Wood III, David L [ORNL

2014-01-01

Natural graphite powders were subjected to a series of thermal treatments in order to improve the anode irreversible capacity loss (ICL) and capacity retention during long-term cycling of lithium ion batteries. A baseline thermal treatment in inert Ar or N2 atmosphere was compared to cases with a proprietary additive to the furnace gas environment. This additive substantially altered the surface chemistry of the natural graphite powders and resulted in significantly improved long-term cycling performance of the lithium ion batteries over the commercial natural graphite baseline. Different heat-treatment temperatures were investigated ranging from 950-2900 C with the intent of achieving the desired long-term cycling performance with as low of a maximum temperature and thermal budget as possible. A detailed summary of the characterization data is also presented, which includes X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, and temperature-programed desorption mass spectroscopy (TPD-MS). This characterization data was correlated to the observed capacity fade improvements over the course of long-term cycling at high charge-discharge rates in full lithium-ion coin cells. It is believed that the long-term performance improvements are a result of forming a more stable solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layer on the anode graphite surfaces, which is directly related to the surface chemistry modifications imparted by the proprietary gas environment during thermal treatment.

Surface Properties of PAN-based Carbon Fibers Modified by Electrochemical Oxidization in Organic Electrolyte Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

WU Bo

2016-09-01

Full Text Available PAN-based carbon fibers were modified by electrochemical oxidization using fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether phosphate (O3P, triethanolamine (TEOA and fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether ammonium phosphate (O3PNH4 as organic electrolyte respectively. Titration analysis, single fiber fracture strength measurement and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM were used to evaluate the content of acidic functional group on the surface, mechanical properties and surface morphology of carbon fiber. The optimum process of electrochemical treatment obtained is at 50℃ for 2min and O3PNH4 (5%, mass fraction as the electrolyte with current density of 2A/g. In addition, the surface properties of modified carbon fibers were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and single fiber contact angle test. The results show that the hydrophilic acidic functional groups on the surface of carbon fiber which can enhance the surface energy are increased by the electrochemical oxidation using O3PNH4 as electrolyte, almost without any weakening to the mechanical properties of carbon fiber.

SEM-based characterization techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russell, P.E.

1986-01-01

The scanning electron microscope is now a common instrument in materials characterization laboratories. The basic role of the SEM as a topographic imaging system has steadily been expanding to include a variety of SEM-based analytical techniques. These techniques cover the range of basic semiconductor materials characterization to live-time device characterization of operating LSI or VLSI devices. This paper introduces many of the more commonly used techniques, describes the modifications or additions to a conventional SEM required to utilize the techniques, and gives examples of the use of such techniques. First, the types of signals available from a sample being irradiated by an electron beam are reviewed. Then, where applicable, the type of spectroscopy or microscopy which has evolved to utilize the various signal types are described. This is followed by specific examples of the use of such techniques to solve problems related to semiconductor technology. Techniques emphasized include: x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, electron beam induced current (EBIC), stroboscopic voltage analysis, cathodoluminescnece and electron beam IC metrology. Current and future trends of some of the these techniques, as related to the semiconductor industry are discussed

N and Cr ion implantation of natural ruby surfaces and their characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rao, K. Sudheendra; Sahoo, Rakesh K.; Dash, Tapan [CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology, Bhubaneswar 751013 (India); Magudapathy, P.; Panigrahi, B.K. [Materials Science Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam 603102 (India); Nayak, B.B.; Mishra, B.K. [CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology, Bhubaneswar 751013 (India)

2016-04-15

Highlights: • Cr and N ion implantation on natural rubies of low aesthetic quality. • Cr-ion implantation improves colour tone from red to deep red (pigeon eye red). • N-ion implantation at fluence of 3 × 10{sup 17} causes blue coloration on surface. • Certain extent of amorphization is observed in the case of N-ion implantation. - Abstract: Energetic ions of N and Cr were used to implant the surfaces of natural rubies (low aesthetic quality). Surface colours of the specimens were found to change after ion implantation. The samples without and with ion implantation were characterized by diffuse reflectance spectra in ultra violet and visible region (DRS-UV–Vis), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and nano-indentation. While the Cr-ion implantation produced deep red surface colour (pigeon eye red) in polished raw sample (without heat treatment), the N-ion implantation produced a mixed tone of dark blue, greenish blue and violet surface colour in the heat treated sample. In the case of heat treated sample at 3 × 10{sup 17} N-ions/cm{sup 2} fluence, formation of colour centres (F{sup +}, F{sub 2}, F{sub 2}{sup +} and F{sub 2}{sup 2+}) by ion implantation process is attributed to explain the development of the modified surface colours. Certain degree of surface amorphization was observed to be associated with the above N-ion implantation.

Surface modification and characterization of indium-tin oxide for organic light-emitting devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Z Y; Jiang, Y D

2006-10-15

In this work, we used different treatment methods (ultrasonic degreasing, hydrochloric acid treatment, and oxygen plasma) to modify the surfaces of indium-tin oxide (ITO) substrates for organic light-emitting devices. The surface properties of treated ITO substrates were studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), sheet resistance, contact angle, and surface energy measurements. Experimental results show that the ITO surface properties are closely related to the treatment methods, and the oxygen plasma is more efficient than the other treatments since it brings about smoother surfaces, lower sheet resistance, higher work function, and higher surface energy and polarity of the ITO substrate. Moreover, polymer light-emitting electrochemical cells (PLECs) with differently treated ITO substrates as device electrodes were fabricated and characterized. It is found that surface treatments of ITO substrates have a certain degree of influence upon the injection current, brightness, and efficiency, but hardly upon the turn-on voltages of current injection and light emission, which are in agreement with the measured optical energy gap of the electroluminescent polymer. The oxygen plasma treatment on the ITO substrate yields the best performance of PLECs, due to the improvement of interface formation and electrical contact of the ITO substrate with the polymer blend in the PLECs.

Characterization of deep nanoscale surface trenches with AFM using thin carbon nanotube probes in amplitude-modulation and frequency-force-modulation modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solares, Santiago D

2008-01-01

The characterization of deep surface trenches with atomic force microscopy (AFM) presents significant challenges due to the sharp step edges that disturb the instrument and prevent it from faithfully reproducing the sample topography. Previous authors have developed AFM methodologies to successfully characterize semiconductor surface trenches with dimensions on the order of tens of nanometers. However, the study of imaging fidelity for features with dimensions smaller than 10 nm has not yet received sufficient attention. Such a study is necessary because small features in some cases lead to apparently high-quality images that are distorted due to tip and sample mechanical deformation. This paper presents multi-scale simulations, illustrating common artifacts affecting images of nanoscale trenches taken with fine carbon nanotube probes within amplitude-modulation and frequency-force-modulation AFM (AM-AFM and FFM-AFM, respectively). It also describes a methodology combining FFM-AFM with a step-in/step-out algorithm analogous to that developed by other groups for larger trenches, which can eliminate the observed artifacts. Finally, an overview of the AFM simulation methods is provided. These methods, based on atomistic and continuum simulation, have been previously used to study a variety of samples including silicon surfaces, carbon nanotubes and biomolecules

Microstructural characterization and formation mechanism of 21° top facets of ZnO-based nanowall structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Ju Ho [Reliability Technology Research Institute, Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI), 68 Yatap-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam 463-816 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Dong Chan [OLED Research Team 2, Samsung Mobile Display, San 24 Nonseo-dong, Giheung-gu, Yongin 446-711 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Sang Yun [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, KAIST and Center for Nanomaterials and Chemical Reactions, IBS, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of); Choi, SungSoon [Reliability Technology Research Institute, Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI), 68 Yatap-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam 463-816 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Kwan-Hun [Electronics and Communication Engineering, Kwangwoon University, 447-1 Wolgye-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul 139-701 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jeong Yong, E-mail: j.y.lee@kaist.ac.kr [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, KAIST and Center for Nanomaterials and Chemical Reactions, IBS, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of); Koun Cho, Hyung, E-mail: chohk@skku.edu [School of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, 300 Cheoncheon-dong, Jangan-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do 440-746 (Korea, Republic of)

2013-03-01

This study reports the microstructural characterization and formation mechanism of the 21° top facets of ZnO-based nanowall structures. The ZnO-based nanowall structures reported previously by many other research groups have {112"¯0} planes as major planes and top facets with a specific angle in common, irrespective of the growth techniques and growth conditions. These nanowalls were found to exist between two adjacent nanowires with a c-axis preferred orientation, and the atoms at the junction of the nanowalls and nanowires perfectly coincided with each other at an atomic level, without any defects. The top facets of the nanowalls showed periodically stepped surfaces and were identified as {011"¯5} planes, which were perpendicular to the {112"¯0} major planes. On the basis of the microstructural characterization of the synthesized ZnO-based nanowall structures, the formation mechanism and atomic structure model of the 21° top facets of the nanowall structures are proposed.

Characterization of Functionalized Self-Assembled Monolayers and Surface-Attached Interlocking Molecules Using Near-Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Willey, T; Willey, T

2004-01-01

Quantitative knowledge of the fundamental structure and substrate binding, as well as the direct measurement of conformational changes, are essential to the development of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and surface-attached interlocking molecules, catenanes and rotaxanes. These monolayers are vital to development of nano-mechanical, molecular electronic, and biological/chemical sensor applications. This dissertation investigates properties of functionalized SAMs in sulfur-gold based adsorbed molecular monolayers using quantitative spectroscopic techniques including near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The stability of the gold-thiolate interface is addressed. A simple model SAM consisting of dodecanethiol adsorbed on Au(111) degrades significantly in less than 24 hours under ambient laboratory air. S 2p and O 1s XPS show the gold-bound thiolates oxidize to sulfinates and sulfonates. A reduction of organic material on the surface and a decrease in order are observed as the layer degrades. The effect of the carboxyl vs. carboxylate functionalization on SAM structure is investigated. Carboxyl-terminated layers consisting of long alkyl-chain thiols vs. thioctic acid with short, sterically separated, alkyl groups are compared and contrasted. NEXAFS shows a conformational change, or chemical switchability, with carboxyl groups tilted over and carboxylate endgroups more upright. Surface-attached loops and simple surface-attached rotaxanes are quantitatively characterized, and preparation conditions that lead to desired films are outlined. A dithiol is often insufficient to form a molecular species bound at each end to the substrate, while a structurally related disulfide-containing polymer yields surface-attached loops. Similarly, spectroscopic techniques show the successful production of a simple, surface-attached rotaxane that requires a ''molecular riveting'' step to hold the mechanically attached

Electronic and structural characterizations of unreconstructed {l_brace}0001{r_brace} surfaces and the growth of graphene overlayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Emtsev, Konstantin

2009-06-03

The present work is focused on the characterization of the clean unreconstructed SiC{l_brace}0001{r_brace} surfaces and the growth of graphene overlayers thereon. Electronic properties of SiC surfaces and their interfaces with graphene and few layer graphene films were investigated by means of angle resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and low energy electron diffraction. Structural characterizations of the epitaxial graphene films grown on SiC were carried out by atomic force microscopy and low energy electron microscopy. Supplementary data was obtained by scanning tunneling microscopy. (orig.)

Fast protein tertiary structure retrieval based on global surface shape similarity.

Science.gov (United States)

Sael, Lee; Li, Bin; La, David; Fang, Yi; Ramani, Karthik; Rustamov, Raif; Kihara, Daisuke

2008-09-01

Characterization and identification of similar tertiary structure of proteins provides rich information for investigating function and evolution. The importance of structure similarity searches is increasing as structure databases continue to expand, partly due to the structural genomics projects. A crucial drawback of conventional protein structure comparison methods, which compare structures by their main-chain orientation or the spatial arrangement of secondary structure, is that a database search is too slow to be done in real-time. Here we introduce a global surface shape representation by three-dimensional (3D) Zernike descriptors, which represent a protein structure compactly as a series expansion of 3D functions. With this simplified representation, the search speed against a few thousand structures takes less than a minute. To investigate the agreement between surface representation defined by 3D Zernike descriptor and conventional main-chain based representation, a benchmark was performed against a protein classification generated by the combinatorial extension algorithm. Despite the different representation, 3D Zernike descriptor retrieved proteins of the same conformation defined by combinatorial extension in 89.6% of the cases within the top five closest structures. The real-time protein structure search by 3D Zernike descriptor will open up new possibility of large-scale global and local protein surface shape comparison. 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Characterization of size, surface charge, and agglomeration state of nanoparticle dispersions for toxicological studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Jingkun; Oberdoerster, Guenter; Biswas, Pratim

2009-01-01

Characterizing the state of nanoparticles (such as size, surface charge, and degree of agglomeration) in aqueous suspensions and understanding the parameters that affect this state are imperative for toxicity investigations. In this study, the role of important factors such as solution ionic strength, pH, and particle surface chemistry that control nanoparticle dispersion was examined. The size and zeta potential of four TiO 2 and three quantum dot samples dispersed in different solutions (including one physiological medium) were characterized. For 15 nm TiO 2 dispersions, the increase of ionic strength from 0.001 M to 0.1 M led to a 50-fold increase in the hydrodynamic diameter, and the variation of pH resulted in significant change of particle surface charge and the hydrodynamic size. It was shown that both adsorbing multiply charged ions (e.g., pyrophosphate ions) onto the TiO 2 nanoparticle surface and coating quantum dot nanocrystals with polymers (e.g., polyethylene glycol) suppressed agglomeration and stabilized the dispersions. DLVO theory was used to qualitatively understand nanoparticle dispersion stability. A methodology using different ultrasonication techniques (bath and probe) was developed to distinguish agglomerates from aggregates (strong bonds), and to estimate the extent of particle agglomeration. Probe ultrasonication performed better than bath ultrasonication in dispersing TiO 2 agglomerates when the stabilizing agent sodium pyrophosphate was used. Commercially available Degussa P25 and in-house synthesized TiO 2 nanoparticles were used to demonstrate identification of aggregated and agglomerated samples.

Near-surface characterization for seismic exploration based on gravity and resistivity data

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mrlina, Jan

(2016), č. článku 41892. [Middle East Geoscience Conference and Exhibition /12./. Manama, 07.03.2016-10.03.2016] Institutional support: RVO:67985530 Keywords : gravity and resistivity surveys * near-surface formations * seismic velocity Subject RIV: DC - Siesmology, Volcanology, Earth Structure

In vitro cell-biological performance and structural characterization of selective laser sintered and plasma surface functionalized polycaprolactone scaffolds for bone regeneration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Bael, Simon, E-mail: simon.vanbael@mech.kuleuven.be [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Division of Production Engineering, Machine Design and Automation, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 300b, 3001 Leuven (Belgium); Department of Mechanical Engineering, Division of Biomechanics and Engineering Design, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 300c, bus 2419, 3001 Heverlee (Belgium); Prometheus, Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, O and N 1, Herestraat 49, bus 813, 3000 Leuven (Belgium); Desmet, Tim [Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials Research Group, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 S4 Bis, Ghent, 9000 (Belgium); Research Unit Plasma Technology (RUPT), Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Engineering, Ghent University, Jozef Plateaustraat 22, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); Chai, Yoke Chin [Prometheus, Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, O and N 1, Herestraat 49, bus 813, 3000 Leuven (Belgium); Pyka, Gregory [Prometheus, Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, O and N 1, Herestraat 49, bus 813, 3000 Leuven (Belgium); Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 44, bus 2450, 3001 Leuven (Belgium); Dubruel, Peter [Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials Research Group, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 S4 Bis, Ghent, 9000 (Belgium); Research Unit Plasma Technology (RUPT), Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Engineering, Ghent University, Jozef Plateaustraat 22, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); Kruth, Jean-Pierre [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Division of Production Engineering, Machine Design and Automation, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 300b, 3001 Leuven (Belgium); Schrooten, Jan [Prometheus, Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, O and N 1, Herestraat 49, bus 813, 3000 Leuven (Belgium)

2013-08-01

In the present study a structural characterization and in vitro cell-biological evaluation was performed on polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds that were produced by the additive manufacturing technique selective laser sintering (SLS), followed by a plasma-based surface modification technique, either non-thermal oxygen plasma or double protein coating, to functionalize the PCL scaffold surfaces. In the first part of this study pore morphology by means of 2D optical microscopy, surface chemistry by means of hydrophilicity measurement and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, strut surface roughness by means of 3D micro-computed tomography (CT) imaging and scaffold mechanical properties by means of compression testing were evaluated before and after the surface modifications. The results showed that both surface modifications increased the PCL scaffold hydrophilicity without altering the morphological and mechanical properties. In the second part of this study the in vitro cell proliferation and differentiation of human osteoprogenitor cells, over 14 days of culture in osteogenic and growth medium were investigated. The O{sub 2} plasma modification gave rise to a significant lower in vitro cell proliferation compared to the untreated and double protein coated scaffolds. Furthermore the double protein coating increased in vitro cell metabolic activity and cell differentiation compared to the untreated and O{sub 2} plasma PCL scaffolds when OM was used. - Highlights: • Polycaprolactone scaffolds are produced with selective laser sintering. • 2 types of plasma based surface functionalization were applied. • Plasma had no significant effect on strut roughness and pore morphology. • Plasma improved surface hydrophilicity. • In vitro cell differentiation increased with plasma protein coated functionalization.

In vitro cell-biological performance and structural characterization of selective laser sintered and plasma surface functionalized polycaprolactone scaffolds for bone regeneration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Bael, Simon; Desmet, Tim; Chai, Yoke Chin; Pyka, Gregory; Dubruel, Peter; Kruth, Jean-Pierre; Schrooten, Jan

2013-01-01

In the present study a structural characterization and in vitro cell-biological evaluation was performed on polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds that were produced by the additive manufacturing technique selective laser sintering (SLS), followed by a plasma-based surface modification technique, either non-thermal oxygen plasma or double protein coating, to functionalize the PCL scaffold surfaces. In the first part of this study pore morphology by means of 2D optical microscopy, surface chemistry by means of hydrophilicity measurement and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, strut surface roughness by means of 3D micro-computed tomography (CT) imaging and scaffold mechanical properties by means of compression testing were evaluated before and after the surface modifications. The results showed that both surface modifications increased the PCL scaffold hydrophilicity without altering the morphological and mechanical properties. In the second part of this study the in vitro cell proliferation and differentiation of human osteoprogenitor cells, over 14 days of culture in osteogenic and growth medium were investigated. The O 2 plasma modification gave rise to a significant lower in vitro cell proliferation compared to the untreated and double protein coated scaffolds. Furthermore the double protein coating increased in vitro cell metabolic activity and cell differentiation compared to the untreated and O 2 plasma PCL scaffolds when OM was used. - Highlights: • Polycaprolactone scaffolds are produced with selective laser sintering. • 2 types of plasma based surface functionalization were applied. • Plasma had no significant effect on strut roughness and pore morphology. • Plasma improved surface hydrophilicity. • In vitro cell differentiation increased with plasma protein coated functionalization

Surface chemical characterization of PM{sub 10} samples by XPS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Atzei, Davide, E-mail: datzei@unica.it [Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università di Cagliari, Complesso Universitario di Monserrato, S.S. 554 Bivio per Sestu, I-09042 Monserrato, Cagliari (Italy); Fantauzzi, Marzia; Rossi, Antonella [Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università di Cagliari, Complesso Universitario di Monserrato, S.S. 554 Bivio per Sestu, I-09042 Monserrato, Cagliari (Italy); Fermo, Paola [Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi Milano, Via Golgi 19, I-20133 Milano (Italy); Piazzalunga, Andrea [Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi Milano, Via Golgi 19, I-20133 Milano (Italy); Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Ambiente e del territorio, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, I-20122 Milano (Italy); Valli, Gianluigi; Vecchi, Roberta [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 16, I-20133 Milano (Italy)

2014-07-01

Samples of particulate matter (PM) collected in the city of Milan during wintertime were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermal optical transmittance (TOT), ionic chromatography (IC) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) in order to compare quantitative bulk analysis and surface analysis. In particular, the analysis of surface carbon is here presented following a new approach for the C1s curve fitting aiming this work to prove the capability of XPS to discriminate among elemental carbon (EC) and organic carbon (OC) and to quantify the carbon-based compounds that might be present in the PM. Since surface of urban PM is found to be rich in carbon it is important to be able to distinguish between the different species. XPS results indicate that aromatic and aliphatic species are adsorbed on the PM surface. Higher concentrations of (EC) are present in the bulk. Also nitrogen and sulfur were detected on the surfaces and a qualitative and quantitative analysis is provided. Surface concentration of sulfate ion is equal to that found by bulk analysis; moreover surface analysis shows an additional signal due to organic sulfur not detectable by the other methods. Surface appears to be also enriched in nitrogen.

Surface, interface and bulk materials characterization using Indus synchrotron sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phase, Deodatta M.

2014-01-01

Synchrotron radiation sources, providing intense, polarized and stable beams of ultra violet, soft and hard x-ray photons, are having great impact on physics, chemistry, biology, materials science and other areas research. In particular synchrotron radiation has revolutionized materials characterization techniques by enhancing its capabilities for investigating the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of solids. The availability of synchrotron sources and necessary instrumentation has led to considerable improvements in spectral resolution and intensities. As a result, application scope of different materials characterization techniques has tremendously increased particularly in the analysis of solid surfaces, interfaces and bulk materials. The Indian synchrotron storage ring, Indus-1 and Indus-2 are in operation at RRCAT, Indore. The UGC-DAE CSR with the help of university scientist had designed and developed an angle integrated photoelectron spectroscopy (AlPES) beam line on Indus-1 storage ring of 450 MeV and polarized light beam line for soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy (SXAS) on Indus-2 storage ring of 2.5 GeV. (author)

Surface characterization of Nb samples electropolished with real superconducting rf accelerator cavities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xin Zhao

2010-12-01

Full Text Available We report the results of surface characterizations of niobium (Nb samples electropolished together with a single cell superconducting radio-frequency accelerator cavity. These witness samples were located in three regions of the cavity, namely at the equator, the iris, and the beam pipe. Auger electron spectroscopy was utilized to probe the chemical composition of the topmost four atomic layers. Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x ray for elemental analysis was used to observe the surface topography and chemical composition at the micrometer scale. A few atomic layers of sulfur (S were found covering the samples nonuniformly. Niobium oxide granules with a sharp geometry were observed on every sample. Some Nb-O granules appeared to also contain sulfur.

Plasma based Ar+ beam assisted poly(dimethylsiloxane) surface modification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vladkova, T.G.; Keranov, I.L.; Dineff, P.D.; Youroukov, S.Y.; Avramova, I.A.; Krasteva, N.; Altankov, G.P.

2005-01-01

Plasma based Ar + beam performed in RF (13.56 MHz) low-pressure (200 mTorr) glow discharge (at 100 W, 1200 W and 2500 W) with a serial capacitance was employed for surface modification of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) aimed at improvement of its interactions with living cells. The presence of a serial capacitance ensures arise of an ion-flow inside the plasma volume directed toward the treated sample and the vary of the discharge power ensures varied density of the ion-flow. XPS analysis was performed to study the changes in the surface chemical composition of the modified samples and the corresponding changes in the surface energy were monitored by contact angle measurements. We found that plasma based Ar + beam transforms the initially hydrophobic PDMS surface into a hydrophilic one mainly due to a raising of the polar component of the surface tension, this effect being most probably due to an enrichment of the modified surface layer with permanent dipoles of a [SiO x ]-based network and elimination of the original methyl groups. The initial adhesion of human fibroblast cells was studied on the described above plasma based Ar + beam modified and acrylic acid (AA) grafted or not fibronectin (FN) pre-coated or bare surfaces. The cell response seems to be related with the peculiar structure and wettability of the modified PDMS surface layer after plasma based Ar + beam treatment followed or not by AA grafting

Transient Convection, Diffusion, and Adsorption in Surface-Based Biosensors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Rasmus; Bruus, Henrik; Callisen, Thomas H.

2012-01-01

This paper presents a theoretical and computational investigation of convection, diffusion, and adsorption in surface-based biosensors. In particular, we study the transport dynamics in a model geometry of a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor. The work, however, is equally relevant for other...... microfluidic surface-based biosensors, operating under flow conditions. A widely adopted approximate quasi-steady theory to capture convective and diffusive mass transport is reviewed, and an analytical solution is presented. An expression of the Damköhler number is derived in terms of the nondimensional...... concentration to the maximum surface capacity is critical for reliable use of the quasi-steady theory. Finally, our results provide users of surface-based biosensors with a tool for correcting experimentally obtained adsorption rate constants....

Hydrogenation of nitriles on a well-characterized nickel surface: From surface science studies to liquid phase catalytic activity measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gardin, Denis Emmanuel [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

1993-12-01

Nitrile hydrogenation is the most commonly used method for preparing diverse amines. This thesis is aimed at the mechanism and factors affecting the performance of Ni-based catalysts in nitrile hydrogenations. Surface science techniques are used to study bonding of nitriles and amines to a Ni(111) surface and to identify surface intermediates. Liquid-phase hydrogenations of cyclohexene and 1-hexene on a Pt foil were carried out successfully. Finally, knowledge about the surface structure, surface chemical bond, dynamics of surface atoms (diffusion, growth), and reactivity of metal surfaces from solid-gas interface studies, is discussed.

Energy distributions of neutral species ejected from well-characterized surfaces measured by means of multiphoton resonance ionization spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ishikawa, D.; Ishigami, R.; Dhole, S.D.; Morita, K. E-mail: k-morita@mail.nucl.nagoya-u.ac.jp

2000-04-01

The energy distributions of neutral atoms ejected from the polycrystalline Cu target, the Si(1 1 1)-7x7 surface, and the Si(1 1 1)-''5 x 5''-Cu surface by 5 keV Ar{sup +} ion bombardment have been measured with very high efficiency by means of the multi-photon resonance ionization spectroscopy, in order to obtain the surface binding energies. The energy distributions for Cu from polycrystalline Cu target, Si from the Si(1 1 1)-7x7 surface, and Cu from the Si(1 1 1)-''5 x 5''-Cu surface have been found to have a peak at energies of around 3.0, 5.0 and 1.5 eV, and the function shapes of high energy tails to be proportional to E{sup -1.9}, E{sup -1.2} and E{sup -1.3}, respectively. Based on the linear collision cascade theory, the surface binding energies are determined to be 5.7, 6.0 and 2.0 eV, and the power factor m in the power law approximation to the Thomas-Fermi potential are determined to be 0.1, 0.4 and 0.3 for Cu from the Cu polycrystalline, Si from the Si(1 1 1)-7x7 surface, and Cu from the Si(1 1 1)-''5 x 5''-Cu surface, respectively. In conclusion, the results indicate that the energy distributions of ejected particles are well characterized by the linear collision cascade theory developed by Sigmund.

Surface modification and characterization for dispersion stability of inorganic nanometer-scaled particles in liquid media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamiya, Hidehiro; Iijima, Motoyuki

2010-01-01

Inorganic nanoparticles are indispensable for science and technology as materials, pigments and cosmetics products. Improving the dispersion stability of nanoparticles in various liquids is essential for those applications. In this review, we discuss why it is difficult to control the stability of nanoparticles in liquids. We also overview the role of surface interaction between nanoparticles in their dispersion and characterization, e.g. by colloid probe atomic force microscopy (CP-AFM). Two types of surface modification concepts, post-synthesis and in situ modification, were investigated in many previous studies. Here, we focus on post-synthesis modification using adsorption of various kinds of polymer dispersants and surfactants on the particle surface, as well as surface chemical reactions of silane coupling agents. We discuss CP-AFM as a technique to analyze the surface interaction between nanoparticles and the effect of surface modification on the nanoparticle dispersion in liquids. (topical review)

Surface modification and characterization for dispersion stability of inorganic nanometer-scaled particles in liquid media

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hidehiro Kamiya and Motoyuki Iijima

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Inorganic nanoparticles are indispensable for science and technology as materials, pigments and cosmetics products. Improving the dispersion stability of nanoparticles in various liquids is essential for those applications. In this review, we discuss why it is difficult to control the stability of nanoparticles in liquids. We also overview the role of surface interaction between nanoparticles in their dispersion and characterization, e.g. by colloid probe atomic force microscopy (CP-AFM. Two types of surface modification concepts, post-synthesis and in situ modification, were investigated in many previous studies. Here, we focus on post-synthesis modification using adsorption of various kinds of polymer dispersants and surfactants on the particle surface, as well as surface chemical reactions of silane coupling agents. We discuss CP-AFM as a technique to analyze the surface interaction between nanoparticles and the effect of surface modification on the nanoparticle dispersion in liquids.

Surface chemical and biological characterization of flax fabrics modified with silver nanoparticles for biomedical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paladini, F.; Picca, R.A.; Sportelli, M.C.; Cioffi, N.; Sannino, A.; Pollini, M.

2015-01-01

Silver nanophases are increasingly used as effective antibacterial agent for biomedical applications and wound healing. This work aims to investigate the surface chemical composition and biological properties of silver nanoparticle-modified flax substrates. Silver coatings were deposited on textiles through the in situ photo-reduction of a silver solution, by means of a large-scale apparatus. The silver-coated materials were characterized through X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), to assess the surface elemental composition of the coatings, and the chemical speciation of both the substrate and the antibacterial nanophases. A detailed investigation of XPS high resolution regions outlined that silver is mainly present on nanophases' surface as Ag 2 O. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were also carried out, in order to visualize the distribution of silver particles on the fibers. The materials were also characterized from a biological point of view in terms of antibacterial capability and cytotoxicity. Agar diffusion tests and bacterial enumeration tests were performed on Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria, namely Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. In vitro cytotoxicity tests were performed through the extract method on murine fibroblasts in order to verify if the presence of the silver coating affected the cellular viability and proliferation. Durability of the coating was also assessed, thus confirming the successful scaling up of the process, which will be therefore available for large-scale production. - Highlights: • Silver nanophases are increasingly used as effective antibacterial agent for biomedical applications. • Silver coatings were deposited on textiles through the in situ photo-reduction of a silver solution. • Flax fabrics were characterized from a biological and surface chemical point of view. • Scaling up of the process was confirmed

Unobstructed electron transfer on porous polyelectrolyte nanostructures and its characterization by electrochemical surface plasmon resonance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davis, Bryce W.; Linman, Matthew J.; Linley, Kamara S.; Hare, Christopher D. [Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521 (United States); Cheng Quan, E-mail: quan.cheng@ucr.ed [Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521 (United States)

2010-06-01

Thin organic films with desirable redox properties have long been sought in biosensor research. We report here the development of a polymer thin film interface with well-defined hierarchical nanostructure and electrochemical behavior, and its characterization by electrochemical surface plasmon resonance (ESPR) spectroscopy. The nano-architecture build-up is monitored in real time with SPR, while the redox response is characterized by cyclic voltammetry in the same flow cell. The multilayer assembly is built on a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of 1:1 (molar ratio) 11-ferrocenyl-1-undecanethiolate (FUT) and mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA), and constructed using a layer-by-layer deposition of cationic poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and anionic poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS). Electron transfer (ET) on the mixed surface and the effect of the layer structures on ET are systematically studied. Under careful control, multiple layers can be deposited onto the 1:1 FUT/MUA SAM that presents unobstructed redox chemistry, indicating a highly ordered, extensively porous structure obtained under this condition. The use of SPR to trace the minute change during the electrochemical process offers neat characterization of local environment at the interface, in particular double layer region, allowing for better control over the redox functionality of the multilayers. The 1:1 SAM has a surface coverage of 4.1 +- 0.3 x 10{sup -10} mol cm{sup -2} for ferrocene molecules and demonstrates unperturbed electrochemistry activity even in the presence of a 13 nm polymer film adhered to the electrode surface. This thin layer possesses some desirable properties similar to those on a SAM while presenting approx15 nm exceedingly porous structure for high loading capacity. The high porosity allows perchlorate to freely partition into the film, leading to high current density that is useful for sensitive electrochemical measurements.

Bio-Inspired Functional Surfaces Based on Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, Frank A; Kunz, Clemens; Gräf, Stephan

2016-06-15

Nature developed numerous solutions to solve various technical problems related to material surfaces by combining the physico-chemical properties of a material with periodically aligned micro/nanostructures in a sophisticated manner. The utilization of ultra-short pulsed lasers allows mimicking numerous of these features by generating laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS). In this review paper, we describe the physical background of LIPSS generation as well as the physical principles of surface related phenomena like wettability, reflectivity, and friction. Then we introduce several biological examples including e.g., lotus leafs, springtails, dessert beetles, moth eyes, butterfly wings, weevils, sharks, pangolins, and snakes to illustrate how nature solves technical problems, and we give a comprehensive overview of recent achievements related to the utilization of LIPSS to generate superhydrophobic, anti-reflective, colored, and drag resistant surfaces. Finally, we conclude with some future developments and perspectives related to forthcoming applications of LIPSS-based surfaces.

Surface characterization of hydrophobic core-shell QDs using NMR techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Chengqi; Zeng, Birong; Palui, Goutam; Mattoussi, Hedi

2018-02-01

Using a few solution phase NMR spectroscopy techniques, including 1H NMR and 31P NMR, we have characterized the organic shell on CdSe-ZnS core-shell quantum dots and tracked changes in its composition when the QD dispersions are subjected to varying degrees of purification. Combining solution phase NMR with diffusion ordered spectroscopy (DOSY), we were able to distinguish between freely diffusing ligands in the sample from those bound on the surfaces. Additionally, matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) and FTIR measurements were used to provide complementary and supporting information on the organic ligand coating for these nanocrystals. We found that the organic shell is dominated by monomeric or oligomeric n-hexylphosphonic acid (HPA), along with small portion of 1-hexadecyl amine (HDA). The presence of TOP/TOPO (tri-n-octylphosphine / tri-noctylphosphine oxide) molecules is much smaller, even though large excess of TOP/TOPO were used during the QD growth. These results indicate that HPA (alkyl phosphonate) exhibits the strongest coordination affinity to ZnS-rich QD surfaces grown using the high temperature injection route.

Thiolated poly(ɛ-caprolactone) macroligand with vacant coordination sites on gold substrate: Synthesis and surface characterization

Science.gov (United States)

Farah, Abdiaziz A.; Zheng, Susan H.; Morin, Sylvie; Bensebaa, Farid; Pietro, William J.

2007-04-01

Surface-confined telechelic poly(ɛ-caprolactone) macroligand with two distinct functional groups per polymeric chain has been synthesized and characterized. The molecular microstructure of the macroligand with regard to the properties of the end-capped functionalities and with those on surface substrate has been studied by solution and surface analytical methods (i.e., X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), grazing angle reflectance-Fourier transform IR spectroscopy (GA-FTIR), water contact angle measurements, and atomic force microscopy (AFM)) to elucidate the structure and properties of such multifunctional polymer on gold (1 1 1) substrate.

Waste Volume Reduction Using Surface Characterization and Decontamination By Laser Ablation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pellin, Michael J.; Savina, Michael R.; Reed, Claude B.; Zhiyue, Xu; Yong, Wang

2000-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy's nuclear complex, a nation-wide system of facilities for research and production of nuclear materials and weapons, contains large amounts of radioactively contaminated concrete[1]. This material must be disposed of prior to the decommissioning of the various sites. Often the radioactive contaminants in concrete occupy only the surface and near-surface (∼3-6 mm deep) regions of the material. Since many of the structures such as walls and floors are 30 cm or more thick, it makes environmental and economic sense to try to remove and store only the thin contaminated layer rather than to treat the entire structure as waste. Current mechanical removal methods, known as scabbling, are slow and labor intensive, suffer from dust control problems, and expose workers to radiation fields. Improved removal methods are thus in demand[2-5]. Prior to decontamination, the surface must be characterized to determine the types and amounts of contaminants present i n order to decide on an appropriate cleaning strategy. Contamination occurs via exposure to air and water-borne radionuclides and by neutron activation. The radionuclides of greatest concern are (in order of abundance) [1]: 137Cs and 134Cs, 238U, 60Co, and 90Sr, followed by 3H, radioactive iodine, and a variety of Eu isotopes and transuranics. A system capable of on- line analysis is valuable since operators can determine the type of contaminants in real time and make more efficient use of costly sampling and characterization techniques. Likewise, the removed waste itself must be analyzed to insure that proper storage and monitoring techniques are used. The chemical speciation of radionuclides in concrete is largely unknown. Concrete is a complex material comprising many distinct chemical and physical phases on a variety of size scales[6-8]. Most studies of radionuclides in cements and concrete are for the most part restricted to phenomenological treatments of diffusion of ion s, particularly

Nanoscale Structural/Chemical Characterization of Manganese Oxide Surface Layers and Nanoparticles, and the Associated Implications for Drinking Water

Science.gov (United States)

Michel Eduardo Vargas Vallejo

Water treatment facilities commonly reduce soluble contaminants, such as soluble manganese (Mn2+), in water by oxidation and subsequent filtration. Previous studies have shown that conventional porous filter system removes Mn2+ from drinking water by developing Mn-oxides (MnO x(s)) bearing coating layers on the surface of filter media. Multiple models have been developed to explain this Mn2+ removal process and the formation mechanism of MnOx(s) coatings. Both, experimental and theoretical studies to date have been largely focused on the micrometer to millimeter scale range; whereas, coating layers are composed of nanoscale particles and films. Hence, understanding the nanoscale particle and film formation mechanisms is essential to comprehend the complexity of soluble contaminant removal processes. The primary objective of this study was to understand the initial MnOx(s) coating formation mechanisms and evaluate the influence of filter media characteristics on these processes. We pursued this objective by characterizing at the micro and nanoscale MnO x(s) coatings developed on different filter media by bench-scale column tests with simulating inorganic aqueous chemistry of a typical coagulation fresh water treatment plant, where free chlorine is present across filter bed. Analytical SEM and TEM, powder and synchrotron-based XRD, XPS, and ICPMS were used for characterization of coatings, filter media and water solution elemental chemistry. A secondary objective was to model how surface coating formation occurred and its correlation with experimentally observed physical characteristics. This modeling exercise indicates that surface roughness and morphology of filtering media are the major contributing factors in surface coating formation process. Contrary to previous models that assumed a uniform distribution and growth of surface coating, the experimental results showed that greater amounts of coating were developed in rougher areas. At the very early stage of

The Chameleon Effect: characterization challenges due to the variability of nanoparticles and their surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baer, Donald R.

2018-05-07

Nanoparticles in a variety of forms are of increasing importance in fundamental research, technological and medical applications, and environmental or toxicology studies. Physical and chemical drivers that lead to multiple types of particle instabilities complicate both the ability to produce and consistently deliver well defined particles and their appropriate characterization, frequently leading to inconsistencies and conflicts in the published literature. This perspective suggests that provenance information, beyond that often recorded or reported, and application of a set of core characterization methods, including a surface sensitive technique, consistently applied at critical times can serve as tools in the effort minimize reproducibility issues.

The Chameleon Effect: Characterization Challenges Due to the Variability of Nanoparticles and Their Surfaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Donald R. Baer

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Nanoparticles in a variety of forms are increasing important in fundamental research, technological and medical applications, and environmental or toxicology studies. Physical and chemical drivers that lead to multiple types of particle instabilities complicate both the ability to produce, appropriately characterize, and consistently deliver well-defined particles, frequently leading to inconsistencies, and conflicts in the published literature. This perspective suggests that provenance information, beyond that often recorded or reported, and application of a set of core characterization methods, including a surface sensitive technique, consistently applied at critical times can serve as tools in the effort minimize reproducibility issues.

Repercussion of noni mouthwash on surface characterization of Nickel-Titanium archwire

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dhivya Dilipkumar

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: Maintaining oral hygiene is very important during orthodontic therapy mouthwashes are prescribed as an adjunct to improve patient's oral hygiene. Commercially available mouthwashes e.g. Chlorhexidine, Listerine, fluoride containing mouthwashes have shown to alter the surface characteristics of orthodontic wires. Hence the purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of Noni mouthwash on surface quality and compositional changes of Nickel Titanium orthodontic wires. Materials and Methods: In this in vitro study pre-formed 0.014 inch NiTi arch wire was used. The study comprised of two samples, one control and one test sample which were 25mm in length. Control sample was stored at room temperature without any manipulation while test sample was immersed in Noni mouthwash solution for 1.5 hours, after which the test specimen was removed from the mouthwash solution and rinsed with distilled water. Both control and test samples were sent for scanning electron microscopy analysis, to qualitatively characterize the topography of the wire surface. Electron dispersion spectrum analysis was done to evaluate the various components of both the wires. Results: No significant difference in the average surface roughness for both wire samples was observed. There was no significant difference seen in the composition of wire after immersion in Noni mouthwash. Conclusion: Noni mouthwash did not have significant influence on the surface roughness or altered the composition of the Ni-Ti wire. Hence Noni mouthwash may be prescribed as a natural, non-destructive prophylactic agent for orthodontic patients.

Bio-Inspired Functional Surfaces Based on Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frank A. Müller

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Nature developed numerous solutions to solve various technical problems related to material surfaces by combining the physico-chemical properties of a material with periodically aligned micro/nanostructures in a sophisticated manner. The utilization of ultra-short pulsed lasers allows mimicking numerous of these features by generating laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS. In this review paper, we describe the physical background of LIPSS generation as well as the physical principles of surface related phenomena like wettability, reflectivity, and friction. Then we introduce several biological examples including e.g., lotus leafs, springtails, dessert beetles, moth eyes, butterfly wings, weevils, sharks, pangolins, and snakes to illustrate how nature solves technical problems, and we give a comprehensive overview of recent achievements related to the utilization of LIPSS to generate superhydrophobic, anti-reflective, colored, and drag resistant surfaces. Finally, we conclude with some future developments and perspectives related to forthcoming applications of LIPSS-based surfaces.

Surface analysis of Dicrocoelium dendriticum. The molecular characterization of exosomes reveals the presence of miRNAs.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernal, Dolores; Trelis, Maria; Montaner, Sergio; Cantalapiedra, Fernando; Galiano, Alicia; Hackenberg, Michael; Marcilla, Antonio

2014-06-13

With the aim of characterizing the molecules involved in the interaction of Dicrocoelium dendriticum adults and the host, we have performed proteomic analyses of the external surface of the parasite using the currently available datasets including the transcriptome of the related species Echinostoma caproni. We have identified 182 parasite proteins on the outermost surface of D. dendriticum. The presence of exosome-like vesicles in the ESP of D. dendriticum and their components has also been characterized. Using proteomic approaches, we have characterized 84 proteins in these vesicles. Interestingly, we have detected miRNA in D. dendriticum exosomes, thus representing the first report of miRNA in helminth exosomes. In order to identify potential targets for intervention against parasitic helminths, we have analyzed the surface of the parasitic helminth Dicrocoelium dendriticum. Along with the proteomic analyses of the outermost layer of the parasite, our work describes the molecular characterization of the exosomes of D. dendriticum. Our proteomic data confirm the improvement of protein identification from "non-model organisms" like helminths, when using different search engines against a combination of available databases. In addition, this work represents the first report of miRNAs in parasitic helminth exosomes. These vesicles can pack specific proteins and RNAs providing stability and resistance to RNAse digestion in body fluids, and provide a way to regulate host-parasite interplay. The present data should provide a solid foundation for the development of novel methods to control this non-model organism and related parasites. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Proteomics of non-model organisms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of a complex near-surface structure using well logging and passive seismic measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Benjumea, Beatriz; Macau, Albert; Gabàs, Anna; Figueras, Sara

2016-04-01

We combine geophysical well logging and passive seismic measurements to characterize the near-surface geology of an area located in Hontomin, Burgos (Spain). This area has some near-surface challenges for a geophysical study. The irregular topography is characterized by limestone outcrops and unconsolidated sediments areas. Additionally, the near-surface geology includes an upper layer of pure limestones overlying marly limestones and marls (Upper Cretaceous). These materials lie on top of Low Cretaceous siliciclastic sediments (sandstones, clays, gravels). In any case, a layer with reduced velocity is expected. The geophysical data sets used in this study include sonic and gamma-ray logs at two boreholes and passive seismic measurements: three arrays and 224 seismic stations for applying the horizontal-to-vertical amplitude spectra ratio method (H/V). Well-logging data define two significant changes in the P-wave-velocity log within the Upper Cretaceous layer and one more at the Upper to Lower Cretaceous contact. This technique has also been used for refining the geological interpretation. The passive seismic measurements provide a map of sediment thickness with a maximum of around 40 m and shear-wave velocity profiles from the array technique. A comparison between seismic velocity coming from well logging and array measurements defines the resolution limits of the passive seismic techniques and helps it to be interpreted. This study shows how these low-cost techniques can provide useful information about near-surface complexity that could be used for designing a geophysical field survey or for seismic processing steps such as statics or imaging.

3D, chemical and electrochemical characterization of blasted TI6Al4V surfaces: Its influence on the corrosion behaviour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barranco, V.; Escudero, M.L.; Garcia-Alonso, M.C.

2007-01-01

The blasting process to increase the roughness of the surface of metallic biomaterials is widely used. As a consequence, one can produce a renewed surface with different topography and chemical composition compared to the original one, which can alter the general corrosion behaviour of the samples. With this idea, the aim of this work is not only the topographical and compositional characterization of blasted surfaces of Ti6Al4V alloy but mainly its influence on the corrosion behaviour of these modified surfaces. The surfaces of Ti6Al4V alloys were blasted with SiO 2 /ZrO 2 and Al 2 O 3 particles of different size in order to obtain different roughnesses. To carry out the microstructural and topographical characterization of the blasted surfaces, the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with an energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), the contact profilometry method and the 3D characterization by means of stereo-Fe-SEM have been used. By means of stereo-Fe-SEM, the roughness and the real surface area of the rough surfaces have been calculated. The microstructural, topographical and compositional results have been correlated with the corrosion behaviour of the samples immersed in Hank's solution and studied by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The blasting process alters topographical and chemically the surface of the samples. These modifications induce to an increase in the capacitance values of the roughened samples due to the prevalence of the effect of electrochemically active areas of Ti6Al4V surface over the effect of the presence of Al 2 O 3 and ZrO 2 particles on the blasted surfaces. However, the general corrosion behaviour of the samples is not drastically changed

Characterization for DRX and FTIR of the surface of UWMWPE for critical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Medeiros, Keila M. de; Araujo, E.M.; Lira, H.L.; Patricio, Aline C.L.; Lima, Carlos A.P. de

2009-01-01

Biomaterials is the result of the application of the science of the materials to the medicine, understands a new and important spectrum of the knowledge - Science of Biomaterials. The principal aspects that determine the acting of a bio material in the human body are three: biocompatibility, mechanical properties and degradation. This work had the objective to modify and to oxidate the surface of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). It was utilized for this modification water sandpapers and for oxidation the hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ). The surface of UHMWPE it was modified with water sandpapers of numbers 180, 600 and 1200 mesh and oxidated with the H 2 O 2 in different concentrations of 35 and 60%. The samples already with its modified surfaces had been submitted to the characterization using itself the following techniques: diffraction de ray-X and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy. The physical modification (sanded) and chemistry (H 2 O 2 ) of the surface of UHMWPE was important because it looks for improving the interaction techniques of the implants with the bone. (author)

Transient space-time surface waves characterization using Gabor analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martinez, L; Wilkie-Chancellier, N; Caplain, E [Universite de Cergy Pontoise, ENS Cachan, UMR CNRS 8029, Laboratoire Systemes et Applications des Techniques de l' Information et de l' Energie (SATIE), 5 mail Gay-Lussac, F 9500 Cergy-Pontoise (France); Glorieux, C; Sarens, B, E-mail: nicolas.wilkie-chancellier@u-cergy.f [Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Laboratorium voor Akoestiek en Thermische Fysica (LATF), Celestijnenlaan 200D, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium)

2009-11-01

Laser ultrasonics allow the observation of transient surface waves along their propagation media and their interaction with encountered objects like cracks, holes, borders. In order to characterize and localize these transient aspects in the Space-Time-Wave number-Frequency domains, the 1D, 2D and 3D Gabor transforms are presented. The Gabor transform enables the identification of several properties of the local wavefronts such as their shape, wavelength, frequency, attenuation, group velocity and the full conversion sequence along propagation. The ability of local properties identification by Gabor transform is illustrated by two experimental studies: Lamb waves generated by an annular source on a circular quartz and Lamb wave interaction with a fluid droplet. In both cases, results obtained with Gabor transform enable ones to identify the observed local waves.

Development of a Constitutive Friction Law based on the Frictional Interaction of Rough Surfaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Beyer

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Friction has a considerable impact in metal forming. This is in particular true for sheet-bulk metal-forming (SBMF in which local highly varying contact loads occur. A constitutive friction law suited to the needs of SBMF is necessary, if numerical investigations in SBMF are performed. The identification of the friction due to adhesion and ploughing is carried out with an elasto-plastic half-space model. The normal contact is verified for a broad range of normal loads. In addition, the model is used for the characterization of the occurring shear stress. Ploughing is determined by the work which is necessary to plastically deform the surface asperities of the new area that gets into contact during sliding. Furthermore, the surface patches of common half-space models are aligned orthogonally to the direction in which the surfaces approach when normal contact occurs. For a better reflection of the original surfaces, the element patches become inclined. This leads to a geometric share of lateral forces which also contribute to friction. Based on these effects, a friction law is derived which is able to predict the contact conditions especially for SBMF.

Surface modification of carbon fibers and its effect on the fiber–matrix interaction of UHMWPE based composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chukov, D.I.; Stepashkin, A.A.; Gorshenkov, M.V.; Tcherdyntsev, V.V.; Kaloshkin, S.D.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Both chemical and thermal treatments of UKN 5000 carbon fibers allow one to obtain well-developed surface. • The changes of structure and properties of VMN-4 fibers after both thermal and chemical oxidation are insignificant due to more perfect initial structure of these fibers. • The oxidative treatment of carbon fibers allows one to improve the interfacial interaction in the UHMWPE-based composites. • The oxidative treatment of the fibers allows one to a triple increase of Young’s modulus of the modified fibers reinforced UHMWPE composites. -- Abstract: The PAN-based carbon fibers (CF) were subjected to thermal and chemical oxidation under various conditions. The variation in the surface morphology of carbon fibers after surface treatment was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that the tensile strength of carbon fibers changed after surface modification. The interaction between the fibers and the matrix OF ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) was characterized by the Young modulus of produced composites. It was shown that the Young modulus of composites reinforced with modified carbon fibers was significantly higher than that of composites reinforced with non-modified fibers

Characterization and analysis of sub-micron surface roughness of injection moulded microfluidic systems using White Light Interferometry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tosello, Guido; Marinello, Francesco; Hansen, Hans Nørgaard

2009-01-01

Surface topography is of great importance in polymer micro fluidics, therefore the replication capability of the process and the surface quality of the tool has to be suitably optimized. In this paper, optical profilometry (white light interferometry, WLI) is implemented for topographical...... characterization of polymer surfaces. In particular the study considers replication performance of injection moulding applied for the realization of microfluidic systems for blood analysis. Parts were produced by means of a series of statistically designed injection moulding experiments. Three process parameters...

SURFACE GEOPHYSICAL EXPLORATION OF TX-TY TANK FARMS AT THE HANFORD SITE: RESULTS OF BACKGROUND CHARACTERIZATION WITH GROUND PENETRATING RADAR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MYERS DA; CUBBAGE R; BRAUCHLA R; O'BRIEN G

2008-01-01

Ground penetrating radar surveys of the TX and TY tank farms were performed to identify existing infrastructure in the near surface environment. These surveys were designed to provide background information supporting Surface-to-Surface and Well-to-Well resistivity surveys of Waste Management Area TX-TY. The objective of the preliminary investigation was to collect background characterization information with GPR to understand the spatial distribution of metallic objects that could potentially interfere with the results from high resolution resistivity(trademark) surveys. The results of the background characterization confirm the existence of documented infrastructure, as well as highlight locations of possible additional undocumented subsurface metallic objects

Applying tensor-based morphometry to parametric surfaces can improve MRI-based disease diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yalin; Yuan, Lei; Shi, Jie; Greve, Alexander; Ye, Jieping; Toga, Arthur W; Reiss, Allan L; Thompson, Paul M

2013-07-01

Many methods have been proposed for computer-assisted diagnostic classification. Full tensor information and machine learning with 3D maps derived from brain images may help detect subtle differences or classify subjects into different groups. Here we develop a new approach to apply tensor-based morphometry to parametric surface models for diagnostic classification. We use this approach to identify cortical surface features for use in diagnostic classifiers. First, with holomorphic 1-forms, we compute an efficient and accurate conformal mapping from a multiply connected mesh to the so-called slit domain. Next, the surface parameterization approach provides a natural way to register anatomical surfaces across subjects using a constrained harmonic map. To analyze anatomical differences, we then analyze the full Riemannian surface metric tensors, which retain multivariate information on local surface geometry. As the number of voxels in a 3D image is large, sparse learning is a promising method to select a subset of imaging features and to improve classification accuracy. Focusing on vertices with greatest effect sizes, we train a diagnostic classifier using the surface features selected by an L1-norm based sparse learning method. Stability selection is applied to validate the selected feature sets. We tested the algorithm on MRI-derived cortical surfaces from 42 subjects with genetically confirmed Williams syndrome and 40 age-matched controls, multivariate statistics on the local tensors gave greater effect sizes for detecting group differences relative to other TBM-based statistics including analysis of the Jacobian determinant and the largest eigenvalue of the surface metric. Our method also gave reasonable classification results relative to the Jacobian determinant, the pair of eigenvalues of the Jacobian matrix and volume features. This analysis pipeline may boost the power of morphometry studies, and may assist with image-based classification. Copyright © 2013

Characterization of the thrombogenic potential of surface oxides on stainless steel for implant purposes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shih, C.-C.; Shih, C.-M.; Su, Y.-Y.; Chang, M.-S.; Lin, S.-J.

2003-01-01

Marketed stents are manufactured from various metals and passivated with different degrees of surface oxidation. The functional surface oxides on the degree of antithrombotic potential were explored through a canine femoral extracorporeal circuit model. Related properties of these oxide films were studied by open-circuit potential, current density detected at open-circuit potential, the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Auger spectroscopy (AES), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy. Experimental evidences showed that blood clot weight after a 30-min follow-up was significantly lower for the stainless steel wire passivated with amorphous oxide (AO) compared to the wire passivated with polycrystalline oxide (PO) or commercial as-received wire coils (AS). Surface characterizations showed that a stable negative current density at open-circuit potential and a significant lower potential were found for the wire surface passivated with AO than for the surface passivated with PO. Time constant of AO is about 25 times larger than that of polycrystalline oxide. Significant difference in oxide grain sizes was found between PO and AO. Surface chemistries revealed by the AES and XPS spectra indicated the presence of a Cr- and oxygen-rich surface oxide for AO, and a Fe-rich and oxygen-lean surface oxide for PO. These remarkable characteristics of AO surface film might have a potential to provide for excellent antithrombotic characteristics for the 316L stainless steel stents

Characterizing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon build-up processes on urban road surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Liang; Liu, An; Li, Dunzhu; Zhang, Lixun; Guan, Yuntao

2016-01-01

Reliable prediction models are essential for modeling pollutant build-up processes on urban road surfaces. Based on successive samplings of road deposited sediments (RDS), this study presents empirical models for mathematical replication of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) build-up processes on urban road surfaces. The contaminant build-up behavior was modeled using saturation functions, which are commonly applied in US EPA's Stormwater Management Model (SWMM). Accurate fitting results were achieved in three typical urban land use types, and the applicability of the models was confirmed based on their acceptable relative prediction errors. The fitting results showed high variability in PAH saturation value and build-up rate among different land use types. Results of multivariate data and temporal-based analyses suggested that the quantity and property of RDS significantly influenced PAH build-up. Furthermore, pollution sources, traffic parameters, road surface conditions, and sweeping frequency could synthetically impact the RDS build-up and RDS property change processes. Thus, changes in these parameters could be the main reason for variations in PAH build-up in different urban land use types. - Highlights: • Sufficient robust prediction models were established for analysis of PAH build-up on urban road surfaces. • PAH build-up processes showed high variability among different land use types. • Pollution sources as well as the quantity and property of RDS mainly influenced PAH build-up. - Sufficient robust prediction models were established for analysis of PAH build-up on urban road surfaces. Pollution sources as well as the quantity and property of RDS mainly influenced PAH build-up.

Modification and characterization of the AISI 410 martensitic stainless steels surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bincoleto, A.V.L.; Nascente, P.A.P.

2010-01-01

Steam turbines are used in the generation of more than half the electric energy produced in the world nowadays. It is important the study which aims to improve the efficiency by means of the optimization of leaks and of the aerodynamic profiles, as well as to maintain the integrity of the components. The martensitic stainless steels are widely employed due to the combination of their good mechanical properties with higher corrosion resistance. However, their lower wear resistance and their poor tribological behavior limit their use, since they decrease the component life time. In order to evaluate the improvement in the performance of the AISI 410 stainless steel, several process of surface modification were employed. Five samples were produced: the first one was not treated, the second one received liquid nitriding, the third, gas nitriding, the forth, thermal aspersion of tungsten carbide, and the fifth, boronizing. The samples were characterized by optical microscopy, surface microhardness, and X-ray diffractometry. (author)

Characterization of Tar Deposits, Extraction and Sorption Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pryszcz Adrian

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The main goal of this paper was to characterize and find a useful solution for the decomposition of tar deposits. For the experimental part, tar deposits, formed by polymerization and condensation reactions, were chosen from a storage tank for tars. At first the initial analyses of tar deposits (elemental, thermogravimetric, and calorimetric analyses were performed. After the characterization, the tar deposits were extracted in the Soxhlet extractor by acetone, toluene, and quinolone and activated with potassium hydroxide. As the final step of this work, the sorption characterization on the 3Flex Surface Characterization Analyzer (Micromeritics was performed. The specific surface area of the samples was evaluated using two methods - a single point measurement at p/p0=0.2 and BET method. Micropore and external surface areas were calculated based on a t-plot analysis (carbon black model.

Surface Characterization of Impurities in Superconducting Niobium for Radio Frequency (RF) Cavities used in Particle Accelerators

Science.gov (United States)

Maheshwari, Prateek

Niobium (Nb) is the material of choice for Superconducting Radio Frequency (SRF) Cavities used in particle accelerators owing to its high critical temperature (Tc = 9.2 K) and critical magnetic field (≈ 200mT). However, niobium tends to harbor interstitial impurities such as H, C, O and N, which are detrimental to cavity performance. Since the magnetic field penetration depth (lambda) of niobium is 40nm, it is important to characterize these impurities using surface characterization techniques. Also, it is known that certain heat treatments improve cavity efficiency via interstitial impurity removal from the surface of niobium. Thus, a systematic study on the effect of these heat treatments on the surface impurity levels is needed. In this work, surface analysis of both heat treated and non heat treated (120°C-1400°C) large grain (single crystal) bulk niobium samples was performed using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Impurity levels were compared on the surface using SIMS after various types of heat treatments expected to improve cavity performance, and the effect of these heat treatments on the surface impurities were examined. SIMS characterization of ion implanted standards of C, N, O, D showed that quantification of C, N and O impurities in Nb is achievable and indicated that H is very mobile in Nb. It was hence determined that quantification of H in Nb is not possible using SIMS due to its high diffusivity in Nb. However, a comparative study of the high temperature heat treated (600°C-1400°C) and non heat treated (control) samples revealed that hydrogen levels decreased by upto a factor of 100. This is attributed to the dissociation of the niobium surface oxide layer, which acts as a passivating film on the surface, and subsequent desorption of hydrogen. Reformation of this oxide layer on cool down disallows any re-absorption of hydrogen, indicating that the oxide acts as a surface barrier for

A terrain-based site characterization map of California with implications for the contiguous United States

Science.gov (United States)

Yong, Alan K.; Hough, Susan E.; Iwahashi, Junko; Braverman, Amy

2012-01-01

We present an approach based on geomorphometry to predict material properties and characterize site conditions using the VS30 parameter (time‐averaged shear‐wave velocity to a depth of 30 m). Our framework consists of an automated terrain classification scheme based on taxonomic criteria (slope gradient, local convexity, and surface texture) that systematically identifies 16 terrain types from 1‐km spatial resolution (30 arcsec) Shuttle Radar Topography Mission digital elevation models (SRTM DEMs). Using 853 VS30 values from California, we apply a simulation‐based statistical method to determine the mean VS30 for each terrain type in California. We then compare the VS30 values with models based on individual proxies, such as mapped surface geology and topographic slope, and show that our systematic terrain‐based approach consistently performs better than semiempirical estimates based on individual proxies. To further evaluate our model, we apply our California‐based estimates to terrains of the contiguous United States. Comparisons of our estimates with 325 VS30 measurements outside of California, as well as estimates based on the topographic slope model, indicate our method to be statistically robust and more accurate. Our approach thus provides an objective and robust method for extending estimates of VS30 for regions where in situ measurements are sparse or not readily available.

Site descriptive modeling as a part of site characterization in Sweden - Concluding the surface based investigations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersson, Johan; Winberg, Anders; Skagius, Kristina; Stroem, Anders; Lindborg, Tobias

2007-01-01

The Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co., SKB, is currently finalizing its surface based site investigations for the final repository for spent nuclear fuel in the municipalities of Oestharmnar (the Forsmark area) and Oskarshamn (the Simpevar/Laxemar area). The investigation data are assessed into a Site Descriptive Model, constituting a synthesis of geology, rock mechanics, thermal properties, hydrogeology, hydro-geochemistry, transport properties and a surface system description. Site data constitute a wide range of different measurement results. These data both need to be checked for consistency and to be interpreted into a format more amenable for three-dimensional modeling. The three-dimensional modeling (i.e. estimating the distribution of parameter values in space) is made in a sequence where the geometrical framework is taken from the geological models and in turn used by the rock mechanics, thermal and hydrogeological modeling. These disciplines in turn are partly interrelated, and also provide feedback to the geological modeling, especially if the geological description appears unreasonable when assessed together with the other data. Procedures for assessing the uncertainties and the confidence in the modeling have been developed during the course of the site modeling. These assessments also provide key input to the completion of the site investigation program. (authors)

Nanoscale surface characterization of aqueous copper corrosion: Effects of immersion interval and orthophosphate concentration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Daniels, Stephanie L. [Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 (United States); United States Environmental Protection Agency, National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL), Water Supply and Water Resource Division (WSWRD), Cincinnati, OH 45268 (United States); Sprunger, Phillip T. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 (United States); Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices, Synchrotron Radiation Facility of Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 (United States); Kizilkaya, Orhan [Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices, Synchrotron Radiation Facility of Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 (United States); Lytle, Darren A. [United States Environmental Protection Agency, National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL), Water Supply and Water Resource Division (WSWRD), Cincinnati, OH 45268 (United States); Garno, Jayne C., E-mail: jgarno@lsu.edu [Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 (United States)

2013-11-15

Morphology changes for copper surfaces exposed to different water parameters were investigated at the nanoscale with atomic force microscopy (AFM), as influenced by changes in pH and the levels of orthophosphate ions. Synthetic water samples were designed to mimic physiological chemistries for drinking water, both with and without addition of orthophosphate over a pH range 6.5–9. Copper surfaces treated with orthophosphate as a corrosion inhibitor after 6 and 24 h were evaluated. Tapping mode AFM images revealed dosing of the water with 6 mg/L of orthophosphate was beneficial in retarding the growth of copper by-products. The chemical composition and oxidation state of the surface deposits were characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).

Development and characterization of new phosphorus based flame ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

A study was made in the present investigation on the development and characterization of triphenyl phosphine oxide based phosphorus tetraglycidyl epoxy nanocomposites denoted as 'C' and to find out its suitability for use in high performance applications. The synthesized resin was characterized by Fourier transform ...

Characterization of poly(Sodium Styrene Sulfonate) Thin Films Grafted from Functionalized Titanium Surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Zorn, Gilad; Baio, Joe E.; Weidner, Tobias; Migonney, Veronique; Castner, David G.

2011-01-01

Biointegration of titanium implants in the body is controlled by their surface properties. Improving surface properties by coating with a bioactive polymer is a promising approach to improve the biological performance of titanium implants. To optimize the grafting processes, it is important to fully understand the composition and structure of the modified surfaces. The main focus of this study is to provide a detailed, multi-technique characterization of a bioactive poly(sodium styrene sulfonate) (pNaSS) thin film grafted from titanium surfaces via a two-step procedure. Thin titanium films (~50 nm thick with an average surface roughness of 0.9±0.2nm) prepared by evaporation onto silicon wafers were used as smooth model substrates. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) showed that the titanium film was covered with a TiO2 layer that was at least 10nm thick and contained hydroxyl groups present at the outermost surface. These hydroxyl groups were first modified with a 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS) cross linker. XPS and ToF-SIMS showed that a monolayer of the MPS molecules were successfully attached onto the titanium surfaces. The pNaSS film was grafted from the MPS modified titanium through atom transfer radical polymerization. Again, XPS and ToF-SIMS were used to verify that the pNaSS molecules were successfully grafted onto the modified surfaces. Atomic force microscopy analysis showed that the film was smooth and uniformly covered the surface. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated an ordered array of grafted NaSS molecules were present on the titanium surfaces. Sum frequency generation vibration spectroscopy and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy illustrated that the NaSS molecules were grafted onto the titanium surface with a substantial degree of orientational order in the styrene rings. PMID:21892821

Effect of Surface Treatment on Performance of Electrode Material Based on Carbon Fiber Cloth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

XU Jian

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The carbon fiber cloth was treated by surface treatment, and then it was used as the electrode substrate. The electrode material based on carbon fibers was synthesized by a galvanostatic electrodeposition method. The interface resistivity, electrochemical property and corrosion resistance of the CF/β-PbO2 electrode were characterized by four-probe method and electrochemical workstation, respectively. The results show that the surface roughness and chemical activity of the carbon fibers can be significantly improved through surface treatment. The carbon fibers possess the best chemical activity on the surface at the hot-air oxidation temperature of 400℃. Joint hot-air and liquid-phase oxidations show that the chemical activity of the carbon fibers on the surface is further improved, the grooves and pits on the surface of the carbon fibers are more obvious, after this treatment, the interface resistivity of the CF/β-PbO2 electrode reaches the minimum value of 6.19×10-5Ω·m, meanwhile, the conductivity and the electrochemical property of the CF/β-PbO2 electrode reaches the best, and with the best corrosion resistance, the corrosion rate is only 1.44×10-3g·cm-2·h-1.Thus, the interface resistivity, electrochemical property and corrosion resistance of the CF/β-PbO2 electrode depend on the the interface structure of the CF/β-PbO2 electrode obtained under different surface treatments.

Lidar-Based Rock-Fall Hazard Characterization of Cliffs

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, Brian D.; Greg M.Stock,

2017-01-01

Rock falls from cliffs and other steep slopes present numerous challenges for detailed geological characterization. In steep terrain, rock-fall source areas are both dangerous and difficult to access, severely limiting the ability to make detailed structural and volumetric measurements necessary for hazard assessment. Airborne and terrestrial lidar survey methods can provide high-resolution data needed for volumetric, structural, and deformation analyses of rock falls, potentially making these analyses straightforward and routine. However, specific methods to collect, process, and analyze lidar data of steep cliffs are needed to maximize analytical accuracy and efficiency. This paper presents observations showing how lidar data sets should be collected, filtered, registered, and georeferenced to tailor their use in rock fall characterization. Additional observations concerning surface model construction, volumetric calculations, and deformation analysis are also provided.

Surface topography characterization using 3D stereoscopic reconstruction of SEM images

Science.gov (United States)

Vedantha Krishna, Amogh; Flys, Olena; Reddy, Vijeth V.; Rosén, B. G.

2018-06-01

A major drawback of the optical microscope is its limitation to resolve finer details. Many microscopes have been developed to overcome the limitations set by the diffraction of visible light. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) is one such alternative: it uses electrons for imaging, which have much smaller wavelength than photons. As a result high magnification with superior image resolution can be achieved. However, SEM generates 2D images which provide limited data for surface measurements and analysis. Often many research areas require the knowledge of 3D structures as they contribute to a comprehensive understanding of microstructure by allowing effective measurements and qualitative visualization of the samples under study. For this reason, stereo photogrammetry technique is employed to convert SEM images into 3D measurable data. This paper aims to utilize a stereoscopic reconstruction technique as a reliable method for characterization of surface topography. Reconstructed results from SEM images are compared with coherence scanning interferometer (CSI) results obtained by measuring a roughness reference standard sample. This paper presents a method to select the most robust/consistent surface texture parameters that are insensitive to the uncertainties involved in the reconstruction technique itself. Results from the two-stereoscopic reconstruction algorithms are also documented in this paper.

A possible experiment at LEUTL to characterize surface roughness Wakefield effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biedron, S.G.; Dattoli, G.; Fawley, W.M.; Freund, H.P.; Huang, Zhirong; Lewellen, J.W.; Milton, S.V.; Nuhn, H.D.

2001-01-01

Wakefield effects due to internal vacuum chamber roughness may increase the electron beam energy spread and so have become an immediate concern for future x-ray free-electron laser (FEL) project developments such as the SLAC Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) and the DESY TESLA x-ray FEL. We describe a possible experiment to characterize the effects of surface roughness on an FEL driven by self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) operation. Although the specific system described is not completely identical to the above-proposed projects, much useful scaling information could be obtained and applied to shorter wavelength systems

Feature-based handling of surface faults in compact disc players

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Odgaard, Peter Fogh; Stoustrup, Jakob; Andersen, Palle

2006-01-01

In this paper a novel method called feature-based control is presented. The method is designed to improve compact disc players’ handling of surface faults on the discs. The method is based on a fault-tolerant control scheme, which uses extracted features of the surface faults to remove those from...... the detector signals used for control during the occurrence of surface faults. The extracted features are coefficients of Karhunen–Loève approximations of the surface faults. The performance of the feature-based control scheme controlling compact disc players playing discs with surface faults has been...... validated experimentally. The proposed scheme reduces the control errors due to the surface faults, and in some cases where the standard fault handling scheme fails, our scheme keeps the CD-player playing....

Surface characterization of ZnO nanorods grown by chemical bath deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mbulanga, C.M., E-mail: crispin.mbulanga@nmmu.ac.za [Department of Physics, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, P.O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031 (South Africa); Urgessa, Z.N.; Tankio Djiokap, S.R.; Botha, J.R. [Department of Physics, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, P.O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031 (South Africa); Duvenhage, M.M.; Swart, H.C. [Department of Physics, University of the Free State, P.O Box 77000, Bloemfontein ZA9300 (South Africa)

2016-01-01

The surface composition of as-grown and annealed ZnO nanorods (ZNs) grown by a two-step chemical bath deposition method is investigated by the following surface-sensitive techniques: Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (TOF-SIMS), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES). The presence of H on the surface and throughout the entire thickness of ZNs is confirmed by TOF-SIMS. Based on TOF-SIMS results, the O2 XPS peak mostly observable at ~531.5 is assigned to O bound to H. Furthermore, it is found that the near surface region of as-grown ZNs is Zn-rich, and annealing at high temperature (~850 °C) removes H-related defects from the surface of ZNs and affect the balance of zinc and oxygen concentrations.

Spatially telescoping measurements for improved characterization of groundwater-surface water interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Kikuchi, Colin; Ferre, Ty P.A.; Welker, Jeffery M.

2012-01-01

The suite of measurement methods available to characterize fluxes between groundwater and surface water is rapidly growing. However, there are few studies that examine approaches to design of field investigations that include multiple methods. We propose that performing field measurements in a spatially telescoping sequence improves measurement flexibility and accounts for nested heterogeneities while still allowing for parsimonious experimental design. We applied this spatially telescoping approach in a study of ground water-surface water (GW-SW) interaction during baseflow conditions along Lucile Creek, located near Wasilla, Alaska. Catchment-scale data, including channel geomorphic indices and hydrogeologic transects, were used to screen areas of potentially significant GW-SW exchange. Specifically, these data indicated increasing groundwater contribution from a deeper regional aquifer along the middle to lower reaches of the stream. This initial assessment was tested using reach-scale estimates of groundwater contribution during baseflow conditions, including differential discharge measurements and the use of chemical tracers analyzed in a three-component mixing model. The reach-scale measurements indicated a large increase in discharge along the middle reaches of the stream accompanied by a shift in chemical composition towards a regional groundwater end member. Finally, point measurements of vertical water fluxes -- obtained using seepage meters as well as temperature-based methods -- were used to evaluate spatial and temporal variability of GW-SW exchange within representative reaches. The spatial variability of upward fluxes, estimated using streambed temperature mapping at the sub-reach scale, was observed to vary in relation to both streambed composition and the magnitude of groundwater contribution from differential discharge measurements. The spatially telescoping approach improved the efficiency of this field investigation. Beginning our assessment

Surface analytical characterization of Streptavidin/poly(3-hexylthiophene) bilayers for bio-electronic applications

Science.gov (United States)

Sportelli, M. C.; Picca, R. A.; Manoli, K.; Re, M.; Pesce, E.; Tapfer, L.; Di Franco, C.; Cioffi, N.; Torsi, L.

2017-10-01

The analytical performance of bioelectronic devices is highly influenced by their fabrication methods. In particular, the final architecture of field-effect transistor biosensors combining spin-cast poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) film and a biomolecule interlayer deposited on a SiO2/Si substrate can lead to the development of highly performing sensing systems, such as for the case of streptavidin (SA) used for biotin sensing. To gain a better understanding of the quality of the interfacial area, critical is the assessment of the morphological features characteristic of the adopted biolayer deposition protocol, namely: the layer-by-layer (LbL) approach and the spin coating technique. The present study relies on a combined surface spectroscopic and morphological characterization. Specifically, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy operated in the parallel angle-resolved mode allowed the non-destructive investigation of the in-depth chemical composition of the SA film, alone or in the presence of the P3HT overlayer. Spectroscopic data were supported and corroborated by the results obtained with a Scanning Electron and a Helium Ion microscope investigation performed on the SA layer that provided relevant information on the protein structural arrangement or on its surface morphology. Clear differences emerged between the SA layers prepared by the two approaches, with the layer-by-layer deposition resulting in a smoother and better defined bio-electronic interface. Such findings support the superior analytical performance shown by bioelectronic devices based on LbL-deposited protein layers over spin coated ones.

Characterization and noninvasive diagnosis of bladder cancer with serum surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy and genetic algorithms

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shaoxin; Li, Linfang; Zeng, Qiuyao; Zhang, Yanjiao; Guo, Zhouyi; Liu, Zhiming; Jin, Mei; Su, Chengkang; Lin, Lin; Xu, Junfa; Liu, Songhao

2015-05-01

This study aims to characterize and classify serum surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) spectra between bladder cancer patients and normal volunteers by genetic algorithms (GAs) combined with linear discriminate analysis (LDA). Two group serum SERS spectra excited with nanoparticles are collected from healthy volunteers (n = 36) and bladder cancer patients (n = 55). Six diagnostic Raman bands in the regions of 481-486, 682-687, 1018-1034, 1313-1323, 1450-1459 and 1582-1587 cm-1 related to proteins, nucleic acids and lipids are picked out with the GAs and LDA. By the diagnostic models built with the identified six Raman bands, the improved diagnostic sensitivity of 90.9% and specificity of 100% were acquired for classifying bladder cancer patients from normal serum SERS spectra. The results are superior to the sensitivity of 74.6% and specificity of 97.2% obtained with principal component analysis by the same serum SERS spectra dataset. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves further confirmed the efficiency of diagnostic algorithm based on GA-LDA technique. This exploratory work demonstrates that the serum SERS associated with GA-LDA technique has enormous potential to characterize and non-invasively detect bladder cancer through peripheral blood.

Development of an Organosilicon-Based Superhydrophobic/Icephobic Surface Using an Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet =

Science.gov (United States)

Asadollahi, Siavash

During the past few decades, plasma-based surface treatment methods have gained a lot of interest in various applications such as thin film deposition, surface etching, surface activation and/or cleaning, etc. Generally, in plasma-based surface treatment methods, high-energy plasma-generated species are utilized to modify the surface structure or the chemical composition of a substrate. Unique physical and chemical characteristics of the plasma along with the high controllability of the process makes plasma treatment approaches very attractive in several industries. Plasma-based treatment methods are currently being used or investigated for a number of practical applications, such as adhesion promotion in auto industry, wound management and cancer treatment in biomedical industry, and coating development in aerospace industry. In this study, a two-step procedure is proposed for the development of superhydrophobic/icephobic coatings based on atmospheric-pressure plasma treatment of aluminum substrates using air and nitrogen plasma. The effects of plasma parameters on various surface properties are studied in order to identify the optimum conditions for maximum coating efficiency against icing and wetting. In the first step, the interactions between air or nitrogen plasma and the aluminum surface are studied. It is shown that by reducing jet-to-substrate distance, air plasma treatment, unlike nitrogen plasma treatment, is capable of creating micro-porous micro-roughened structures on the surface, some of which bear a significant resemblance to the features observed in laser ablation of metals with short and ultra-short laser pulses. The formation of such structures in plasma treatment is attributed to a transportation of energy from the jet to the surface over a very short period of time, in the range of picoseconds to microseconds. This energy transfer is shown to occur through a streamer discharge from the rotating arc source in the jet body to a close proximity of

Expression robust 3D face recognition via mesh-based histograms of multiple order surface differential quantities

KAUST Repository

Li, Huibin

2011-09-01

This paper presents a mesh-based approach for 3D face recognition using a novel local shape descriptor and a SIFT-like matching process. Both maximum and minimum curvatures estimated in the 3D Gaussian scale space are employed to detect salient points. To comprehensively characterize 3D facial surfaces and their variations, we calculate weighted statistical distributions of multiple order surface differential quantities, including histogram of mesh gradient (HoG), histogram of shape index (HoS) and histogram of gradient of shape index (HoGS) within a local neighborhood of each salient point. The subsequent matching step then robustly associates corresponding points of two facial surfaces, leading to much more matched points between different scans of a same person than the ones of different persons. Experimental results on the Bosphorus dataset highlight the effectiveness of the proposed method and its robustness to facial expression variations. © 2011 IEEE.

Deposition and characterization of noble metal onto surfaces of 304l stainless steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Contreras R, A.; Arganis J, C. R.; Aguilar T, J. A.; Medina A, A. L.

2010-10-01

Noble metal chemical addition (NMCA) plus hydrogen water chemistry is an industry-wide accepted approach for potential intergranular stress corrosion cracking mitigation of BWR internals components. NMCA is a method of applying noble metal onto BWR internals surfaces using reactor water as the transport medium that causes the deposition of noble metal from the liquid onto surfaces. In this work different platinum concentration solutions were deposited onto pre-oxidized surfaces of 304l steel at 180 C during 48 hr in an autoclave. In order to simulate the zinc water conditions, deposits of Zn and Pt-Zn were also carried out. The solutions used to obtain the deposits were: sodium hexahydroxyplatinate (IV), zinc nitrate hydrate and zinc oxide. The deposits obtained were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Finally, the electrochemical corrosion potential of pre-oxidized samples with Pt deposit were obtained and compared with the electrochemical corrosion potential of only pre-oxidized samples. (Author)

Nanoscale fabrication and characterization of chemically modified silicon surfaces using conductive atomic force microscopy in liquids

Science.gov (United States)

Kinser, Christopher Reagan

This dissertation examines the modification and characterization of hydrogen-terminated silicon surfaces in organic liquids. Conductive atomic force microscope (cAFM) lithography is used to fabricate structures with sub-100 nm line width on H:Si(111) in n-alkanes, 1-alkenes, and 1-alkanes. Nanopatterning is accomplished by applying a positive (n-alkanes and 1-alkenes) or a negative (1-alkanes) voltage pulse to the silicon substrate with the cAFM tip connected to ground. The chemical and kinetic behavior of the patterned features is characterized using AFM, lateral force microscopy, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (TOF SIMS), and chemical etching. Features patterned in hexadecane, 1-octadecene, and undecylenic acid methyl ester exhibited chemical and kinetic behavior consistent with AFM field induced oxidation. The oxide features are formed due to capillary condensation of a water meniscus at the AFM tip-sample junction. A space-charge limited growth model is proposed to explain the observed growth kinetics. Surface modifications produced in the presence of neat 1-dodecyne and 1-octadecyne exhibited a reduced lateral force compared to the background H:Si(111) substrate and were resistant to a hydrofluoric acid etch, characteristics which indicate that the patterned features are not due to field induced oxidation and which are consistent with the presence of the methyl-terminated 1-alkyne bound directly to the silicon surface through silicon-carbon bonds. In addition to the cAFM patterned surfaces, full monolayers of undecylenic acid methyl ester (SAM-1) and undec-10-enoic acid 2-bromoethyl ester (SAM-2) were grown on H:Si(111) substrates using ultraviolet light. The structure and chemistry of the monolayers were characterized using AFM, TOF SIMS, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray reflectivity (XRR), X-ray standing waves (XSW), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). These combined analyses provide evidence that SAM-1 and SAM-2 form dense monolayers

Characterization of the rock joint surface. A contribution to DECOVALEX II Task 3 'Constitutive relationships of rock joints'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vuopio, J.; Poellae, J.

1997-12-01

In order to understand the effects of spent fuel on the hydraulical behaviour of the rock mass it is necessary to have knowledge about the relationship between the stresses and hydraulical properties of the fractures. The roughness of a fracture surface governs the dilatation of the fracture and the displacement of the fracture surface under shear stress. The peak shear strength and hydraulic flow properties of fractures depend very much on the surface roughness. This report describes different methods and techniques used in the characterization of rock joint surfaces and their applications in rock mechanics

Near-surface geophysical characterization of Holocene faults conducive to geothermal flow near Pyramid Lake, Nevada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dudley, Colton; Dorsey, Alison; Louie, John [UNR; Schwering, Paul; Pullammanappallil, Satish

2016-08-01

Colton Dudley, Alison Dorsey, Paul Opdyke, Dustin Naphan, Marlon Ramos, John Louie, Paul Schwering, and Satish Pullammanappallil, 2013, Near-surface geophysical characterization of Holocene faults conducive to geothermal flow near Pyramid Lake, Nevada: presented at Amer. Assoc. Petroleum Geologists, Pacific Section Annual Meeting, Monterey, Calif., April 19-25.

Preparation and characterization of nanostructured metal oxides for application to biomass upgrading Polar (111) metal oxide surfaces for pyrolysis oil upgrading and lignin depolymerization

Science.gov (United States)

Finch, Kenneth

2013-01-01

Pyrolysis oil, or bio-oil, is one of the most promising methods to upgrade a variety of biomass to transportation fuels. Moving toward a more "green" catalytic process requires heterogeneous catalysis over homogeneous catalysis to avoid extraction solvent waste. Nanoscale catalysts are showing great promise due to their high surface area and unusual surfaces. Base catalyzed condensation reactions occur much quicker than acid catalyzed condensation reactions. However, MgO is slightly soluble in water and is susceptible to degradation by acidic environments, similar to those found in fast-pyrolysis oil. Magnesium oxide (111) has a highly active Lewis base surface, which can catalyze Claisen-Schmidt condensation reactions in the organic phase. It has been shown previously that carbon coating a catalyst, such as a metal oxide, provides integrity while leaving the catalytic activity intact. Here, carbon-coated MgO(111) will be discussed with regards to synthesis, characterization and application to bio-oil upgrading through model compounds. Raman spectroscopy and HR-TEM are used to characterize the thickness and carbon-bonding environment of the carbon coating. Propanal self-condensation reactions have been conducted in the aqueous phase with varying amounts of acetic acid present. Quantitative analysis by gas chromatography was completed to determine the catalytic activity of CC-MgO(111). ICP-OES analysis has been conducted to measure the magnesium concentration in the product solution and give insight into the leaching of the catalyst into the reaction solution.

Characterization of as-grown and adsorbate-covered N-polar InN surfaces using in situ photoelectron spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eisenhardt, Anja; Himmerlich, Marcel; Krischok, Stefan

2012-01-01

The surface electronic properties and adsorption behaviour of as-grown and oxidized N-polar InN films are characterized by photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, UPS). The epitaxial growth of the InN layers was performed by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on GaN/6H-SiC(000-1). After growth and in situ characterization the InN surfaces were exposed to molecular oxygen to evaluate the adsorption behaviour of O 2 on N-polar InN and to study its impact on the surface electronic properties of the III-nitride material. The results are compared with studies on In-polar InN on GaN/sapphire templates. The as-grown N-polar InN surface exhibits a pronounced surface state at a binding energy of ∝1.6 eV. The valence band minimum lies about 0.8-1.0 eV below the surface Fermi level. Additionally, the XPS core level binding energies for InN(000-1) are reduced compared to InN(0001) films, indicating different surface band bending for clean N-polar and In-polar InN, respectively. The interaction of molecular oxygen with the InN(000-1) surface leads to a downward band bending by 0.1 eV compared to the initial state. Additional adsorption of species from the residual gas of the UHV chamber increases the surface downward band bending. Furthermore two pronounced oxygen related states with an energy distance of ∝5 eV could be detected in the valence band region. The adsorbed oxygen results in an additional component in the N1s core level spectra, which is interpreted as formation of NO x bonds. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Time-windows-based filtering method for near-surface detection of leakage from geologic carbon sequestration sites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pan, L.; Lewicki, J.L.; Oldenburg, C.M.; Fischer, M.L.

2010-02-28

We use process-based modeling techniques to characterize the temporal features of natural biologically controlled surface CO{sub 2} fluxes and the relationships between the assimilation and respiration fluxes. Based on these analyses, we develop a signal-enhancing technique that combines a novel time-window splitting scheme, a simple median filtering, and an appropriate scaling method to detect potential signals of leakage of CO{sub 2} from geologic carbon sequestration sites from within datasets of net near-surface CO{sub 2} flux measurements. The technique can be directly applied to measured data and does not require subjective gap filling or data-smoothing preprocessing. Preliminary application of the new method to flux measurements from a CO{sub 2} shallow-release experiment appears promising for detecting a leakage signal relative to background variability. The leakage index of ?2 was found to span the range of biological variability for various ecosystems as determined by observing CO{sub 2} flux data at various control sites for a number of years.

On the Feasibility of Eddy Current Characterization of the Near-Surface Residual Stress Distribution in Nickel-Base Superalloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blodgett, Mark P.; Nagy, Peter B.

2004-01-01

In light of its frequency-dependent penetration depth, the measurement of eddy current conductivity has been suggested as a possible means to allow the nondestructive evaluation of subsurface residual stresses in shot-peened specimens. This technique is based on the so-called electroelastic effect, i.e., the stress-dependence of the electrical conductivity. Unfortunately, the relatively small (∼1%) change in electrical conductivity caused by the presence of compressive residual stresses is often distorted, or even completely overshadowed, by the accompanying conductivity loss caused by cold work and surface roughness effects. Recently, it was observed that, in contrast with most other materials, shot-peened Waspaloy and IN100 specimens exhibit an apparent increase in electrical conductivity at increasing inspection frequencies. This observation by itself indicates that in these materials the measured conductivity change is probably dominated by residual stress effects, since both surface roughness and increased dislocation density are known to decrease rather than increase the conductivity and the presence of crystallographic texture does not affect the electrical conductivity of these materials, which crystallize in cubic symmetry. Our preliminary experiments indicate that probably there exists a unique 'window of opportunity' for eddy current NDE in nickel-base superalloys. We identified five major effects that contribute to this fortunate constellation of material properties, which will be reviewed in this presentation

Characterizing interactions between surface water and groundwater in the Jialu River basin using major ion chemistry and stable isotopes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Yang

2012-11-01

Full Text Available The Jialu River, a secondary tributary of the Huaihe River, has been severely contaminated from major contaminant sources, such as a number of untreated or lightly treated sewage waste in some cities. Groundwater along the river is not an isolated component of the hydrologic system, but is instead connected with the surface water. This study aims to investigate temporal and spatial variations in water chemistry affected by humans and to characterize the relationships between surface water (e.g. reservoirs, lakes and rivers and groundwater near the river in the shallow Quaternary aquifer. Concentration of Cl⁻ in north Zhengzhou City increased prominently due to the discharge of a large amount of domestic water. Nitrate and potassium show maximum concentrations in groundwater in Fugou County. These high levels can be attributed to the use of a large quantity of fertilizer over this region. Most surface water appeared to be continuously recharged from the surrounding groundwater (regional wells based on comparison surface water with groundwater levels, stable-isotopes and major ion signatures. However, the groundwater of a transitional well (location SY3 seemed to be recharged by river water via bank infiltration in September 2010. Fractional contributions of river water to the groundwater were calculated based on isotopic and chemical data using a mass-balance approach. Results show that the groundwater was approximately composed of 60–70% river water. These findings should be useful for a better understanding of hydrogeological processes at the river-aquifer interface and ultimately benefit water management in the future.

Cement-based materials' characterization using ultrasonic attenuation

Science.gov (United States)

Punurai, Wonsiri

The quantitative nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of cement-based materials is a critical area of research that is leading to advances in the health monitoring and condition assessment of the civil infrastructure. Ultrasonic NDE has been implemented with varying levels of success to characterize cement-based materials with complex microstructure and damage. A major issue with the application of ultrasonic techniques to characterize cement-based materials is their inherent inhomogeneity at multiple length scales. Ultrasonic waves propagating in these materials exhibit a high degree of attenuation losses, making quantitative interpretations difficult. Physically, these attenuation losses are a combination of internal friction in a viscoelastic material (ultrasonic absorption), and the scattering losses due to the material heterogeneity. The objective of this research is to use ultrasonic attenuation to characterize the microstructure of heterogeneous cement-based materials. The study considers a real, but simplified cement-based material, cement paste---a common bonding matrix of all cement-based composites. Cement paste consists of Portland cement and water but does not include aggregates. First, this research presents the findings of a theoretical study that uses a set of existing acoustics models to quantify the scattered ultrasonic wavefield from a known distribution of entrained air voids. These attenuation results are then coupled with experimental measurements to develop an inversion procedure that directly predicts the size and volume fraction of entrained air voids in a cement paste specimen. Optical studies verify the accuracy of the proposed inversion scheme. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of using attenuation to measure the average size, volume fraction of entrained air voids and the existence of additional larger entrapped air voids in hardened cement paste. Finally, coherent and diffuse ultrasonic waves are used to develop a direct

Theoretical and Experimental Analysis of Adsorption in Surface-based Biosensors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Rasmus

The present Ph.D. dissertation concerns the application of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy, which is a surface-based biosensor technology, for studies of adsorption dynamics. The thesis contains both experimental and theoretical work. In the theoretical part we develop the theory...... cell of the surface-based biosensor, in addition to the sensor surface, is investigated. In the experimental part of the thesis we use a Biacore SPR sensor to study lipase adsorption on model substrate surfaces, as well as competitive adsorption of lipase and surfactants. A part of the experimental...

Acid-base characteristics of powdered-activated-carbon surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reed, B.E. (West Virginia Univ., Morgantown (United States)); Jensen, J.N.; Matsumoto, M.R. (State Univ. of New York, Buffalo (United States))

Adsorption of heavy metals onto activated carbon has been described using the surface-complex-formation (SCF) model, a chemical equilibrium model. The SCF model requires a knowledge of the amphoteric nature of activated carbon prior to metal adsorption modeling. In the past, a single-diprotic-acid-site model had been employed to describe the amphoteric nature of activated-carbon surfaces. During this study, the amphoteric nature of two powdered activated carbons were investigated, and a three-monoprotic site surface model was found to be a plausible alternative. The single-diprotic-acid-site and two-monoprotic-site models did not describe the acid-base behavior of the two carbons studied adequately. The two-diprotic site was acceptable for only one of the study carbons. The acid-base behavior of activated carbon surfaces seem to be best modeled as a series of weak monoprotic acids.

Characterization of the Deep Water Surface Wave Variability in the California Current Region

Science.gov (United States)

Villas Bôas, Ana B.; Gille, Sarah T.; Mazloff, Matthew R.; Cornuelle, Bruce D.

2017-11-01

Surface waves are crucial for the dynamics of the upper ocean not only because they mediate exchanges of momentum, heat, energy, and gases between the ocean and the atmosphere, but also because they determine the sea state. The surface wave field in a given region is set by the combination of local and remote forcing. The present work characterizes the seasonal variability of the deep water surface wave field in the California Current region, as retrieved from over two decades of satellite altimetry data combined with wave buoys and wave model hindcast (WaveWatch III). In particular, the extent to which the local wind modulates the variability of the significant wave height, peak period, and peak direction is assessed. During spring/summer, regional-scale wind events of up to 10 m/s are the dominant forcing for waves off the California coast, leading to relatively short-period waves (8-10 s) that come predominantly from the north-northwest. The wave climatology throughout the California Current region shows average significant wave heights exceeding 2 m during most of the year, which may have implications for the planning and retrieval methods of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite mission.

MEMS-based platforms for mechanical manipulation and characterization of cells

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Peng; Wang, Wenhui; Ru, Changhai; Sun, Yu; Liu, Xinyu

2017-12-01

Mechanical manipulation and characterization of single cells are important experimental techniques in biological and medical research. Because of the microscale sizes and highly fragile structures of cells, conventional cell manipulation and characterization techniques are not accurate and/or efficient enough or even cannot meet the more and more demanding needs in different types of cell-based studies. To this end, novel microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based technologies have been developed to improve the accuracy, efficiency, and consistency of various cell manipulation and characterization tasks, and enable new types of cell research. This article summarizes existing MEMS-based platforms developed for cell mechanical manipulation and characterization, highlights their specific design considerations making them suitable for their designated tasks, and discuss their advantages and limitations. In closing, an outlook into future trends is also provided.

A computer-aided surface roughness measurement system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hughes, F.J.; Schankula, M.H.

1983-11-01

A diamond stylus profilometer with computer-based data acquisitions/analysis system is being used to characterize surfaces of reactor components and materials, and to examine the effects of surface topography on thermal contact conductance. The current system is described; measurement problems and system development are discussed in general terms and possible future improvements are outlined

Surface characterization of the cement for retention of implant supported dental prostheses: In vitro evaluation of cement roughness and surface free energy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brajkovic, Denis [Clinic for Dentistry, Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Svetozara Markovica 69, 34000 Kragujevac (Serbia); Antonijevic, Djordje; Milovanovic, Petar [Laboratory for Anthropology, Institute of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr. Subotica 4/2, 11000 Belgrade (Serbia); Kisic, Danilo [Laboratory for Atomic Physics, Institute of Nuclear Sciences “Vinca”, University of Belgrade, Belgrade (Serbia); Zelic, Ksenija; Djuric, Marija [Laboratory for Anthropology, Institute of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr. Subotica 4/2, 11000 Belgrade (Serbia); Rakocevic, Zlatko, E-mail: zlatkora@vinca.rs [Laboratory for Atomic Physics, Institute of Nuclear Sciences “Vinca”, University of Belgrade, Belgrade (Serbia)

2014-08-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Surface free energy and surface roughness influence bacterial adhesion. • Bacterial colonization causes periimplantitis and implant loss. • Zinc-based, glass-ionomers and resin-cements were investigated. • Glass-ionomers-cements present the lowest values of surface free energy and roughness. • Glass-ionomer-cements surface properties result with reduced bacterial adhesion. - Abstract: Background: Material surface free energy and surface roughness strongly influence the bacterial adhesion in oral cavity. The aim of this study was to analyze these two parameters in various commercial luting agents used for cementation of implant restorations. Materials and methods: Zinc-based, glass-ionomers, resin modified glass-ionomer and resin-cements were investigated. Contact angle and surface free energy were measured by contact angle analyzer using Image J software program. Materials’ average roughness and fractal dimension were calculated based on Atomic Force Microscope topography images. Results: Zinc phosphate cements presented significantly higher total surface free energy and significantly lower dispersive component of surface free energy compared to other groups, while resin-cements showed significantly lower polar component than other groups. The surface roughness and fractal dimension values were statistically the highest in the zinc phosphate cements and the lowest for the glass-ionomers cements. Conclusion: Glass-ionomers-cements presented lower values of surface free energy and surface roughness than zinc phosphate and resin cements, indicating that their surfaces are less prone to biofilm adhesion. Practical implications: Within limitations of an in vitro trial, our results indicate that glass-ionomers-cements could be the cements of choice for fixation of cement retained implant restorations due to superior surface properties compared to zinc phosphate and resin cements, which may result in reduced plaque formation

Surface characterization of the cement for retention of implant supported dental prostheses: In vitro evaluation of cement roughness and surface free energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brajkovic, Denis; Antonijevic, Djordje; Milovanovic, Petar; Kisic, Danilo; Zelic, Ksenija; Djuric, Marija; Rakocevic, Zlatko

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Surface free energy and surface roughness influence bacterial adhesion. • Bacterial colonization causes periimplantitis and implant loss. • Zinc-based, glass-ionomers and resin-cements were investigated. • Glass-ionomers-cements present the lowest values of surface free energy and roughness. • Glass-ionomer-cements surface properties result with reduced bacterial adhesion. - Abstract: Background: Material surface free energy and surface roughness strongly influence the bacterial adhesion in oral cavity. The aim of this study was to analyze these two parameters in various commercial luting agents used for cementation of implant restorations. Materials and methods: Zinc-based, glass-ionomers, resin modified glass-ionomer and resin-cements were investigated. Contact angle and surface free energy were measured by contact angle analyzer using Image J software program. Materials’ average roughness and fractal dimension were calculated based on Atomic Force Microscope topography images. Results: Zinc phosphate cements presented significantly higher total surface free energy and significantly lower dispersive component of surface free energy compared to other groups, while resin-cements showed significantly lower polar component than other groups. The surface roughness and fractal dimension values were statistically the highest in the zinc phosphate cements and the lowest for the glass-ionomers cements. Conclusion: Glass-ionomers-cements presented lower values of surface free energy and surface roughness than zinc phosphate and resin cements, indicating that their surfaces are less prone to biofilm adhesion. Practical implications: Within limitations of an in vitro trial, our results indicate that glass-ionomers-cements could be the cements of choice for fixation of cement retained implant restorations due to superior surface properties compared to zinc phosphate and resin cements, which may result in reduced plaque formation

NEWTON - NEW portable multi-sensor scienTific instrument for non-invasive ON-site characterization of rock from planetary surface and sub-surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Díaz-Michelena, M.; de Frutos, J.; Ordóñez, A. A.; Rivero, M. A.; Mesa, J. L.; González, L.; Lavín, C.; Aroca, C.; Sanz, M.; Maicas, M.; Prieto, J. L.; Cobos, P.; Pérez, M.; Kilian, R.; Baeza, O.; Langlais, B.; Thébault, E.; Grösser, J.; Pappusch, M.

2017-09-01

In space instrumentation, there is currently no instrument dedicated to susceptibly or complete magnetization measurements of rocks. Magnetic field instrument suites are generally vector (or scalar) magnetometers, which locally measure the magnetic field. When mounted on board rovers, the electromagnetic perturbations associated with motors and other elements make it difficult to reap the benefits from the inclusion of such instruments. However, magnetic characterization is essential to understand key aspects of the present and past history of planetary objects. The work presented here overcomes the limitations currently existing in space instrumentation by developing a new portable and compact multi-sensor instrument for ground breaking high-resolution magnetic characterization of planetary surfaces and sub-surfaces. This new technology introduces for the first time magnetic susceptometry (real and imaginary parts) as a complement to existing compact vector magnetometers for planetary exploration. This work aims to solve the limitations currently existing in space instrumentation by means of providing a new portable and compact multi-sensor instrument for use in space, science and planetary exploration to solve some of the open questions on the crustal and more generally planetary evolution within the Solar System.

Recent characterization activities of Midway Valley as a potential repository surface facility site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gibson, J.D.; Wesling, J.R.; Swan, F.H.; Bullard, T.F.

1992-01-01

Midway Valley, located at the eastern base of Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada, has been identified as a possible location for the surface facilities of a potential high-level nuclear-waste repository. This structural and topographic valley is bounded by two north- trending, down-to-the-west normal faults: the Paintbrush Canyon fault on the east and the Bow Ridge fault on the west. Surface and near-surface geological data have been acquired from Midway Valley during the past three years with particular emphasis on evaluating the existence of Quaternary faults. A detailed (1:6000) surficial geological map has been prepared based on interpretation of new and existing aerial photographs, field mapping, soil pits, and trenches. No evidence was found that would indicate displacement of these surficial deposits along previously unrecognized faults. However, given the low rates of Quaternary faulting and the extensive areas that are covered by late Pleistocene to Holocene deposits south of Sever Wash, Quaternary faulting between known faults cannot be precluded based on surface evidence alone. Middle to late Pleistocene alluvial fan deposits (Unit Q3) exist at or near the surface throughout Midway Valley. Confidence is increased that the potential for surface fault rupture in Midway Valley can be assessed by excavations that expose the deposits and soils associated with Unit Q3 or older units (middle Pleistocene or earlier)

T-style keratoprosthesis based on surface-modified poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogel for cornea repairs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiang, Jun; Sun, Jianguo; Hong, Jiaxu; Wang, Wentao; Wei, Anji; Le, Qihua; Xu, Jianjiang

2015-01-01

Corneal disease is a common cause of blindness, and keratoplasty is considered as an effective treatment method. However, there is a severe shortage of donor corneas worldwide. This paper presents a novel T-style design of a keratoprosthesis and its preparation methods, in which a mechanically and structurally effective artificial cornea is made based on a poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogel. The porous skirt was modified with hyaluronic acid and cationized gelatin, and the bottom of the optical column was coated with poly(ethylene glycol). The physical properties of the T-style Kpro were analyzed using ultraviolet and visible spectrophotometry and electron scanning microscopy. The surface chemical properties were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The surface modification in the spongy skirt promoted cell adhesion and produced a firm bond between the corneal tissue and the implant device, while the surface modification in the optic column resisted cell adhesion and prevented retroprosthetic membrane formation. Through improved surgical techniques, the novel T-style keratoprosthesis provides enough mechanical stability to facilitate long-term biointegration with the host environment. In vivo implantation experiments showed that the T-style keratoprosthesis is a promising cornea alternative for patients with severe limbal stem cell deficiency and corneal opacity. - Highlights: • T-style keratoprosthesis was designed and prepared based on a PHEMA hydrogel. • Selective surface modifications effectively regulated cells' selective adhesion. • T-style keratoprosthesis provides enough mechanical stability to facilitate long-term biointegration with host tissues

T-style keratoprosthesis based on surface-modified poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogel for cornea repairs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xiang, Jun [Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University (China); Key Laboratory of Myopia, Ministry of Health, Fudan University (China); Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Fudan University (China); Sun, Jianguo [Research Center, Eye & ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University (China); Key Laboratory of Myopia, Ministry of Health, Fudan University (China); Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Fudan University (China); State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Fudan University (China); Hong, Jiaxu [Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University (China); Key Laboratory of Myopia, Ministry of Health, Fudan University (China); Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Fudan University (China); Wang, Wentao [Research Center, Eye & ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University (China); Key Laboratory of Myopia, Ministry of Health, Fudan University (China); Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Fudan University (China); Wei, Anji [Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University (China); Key Laboratory of Myopia, Ministry of Health, Fudan University (China); Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Fudan University (China); Le, Qihua [Research Center, Eye & ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University (China); Key Laboratory of Myopia, Ministry of Health, Fudan University (China); Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Fudan University (China); Xu, Jianjiang, E-mail: jianjiang-xu@163.com [Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University (China); Key Laboratory of Myopia, Ministry of Health, Fudan University (China); Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Fudan University (China)

2015-05-01

Corneal disease is a common cause of blindness, and keratoplasty is considered as an effective treatment method. However, there is a severe shortage of donor corneas worldwide. This paper presents a novel T-style design of a keratoprosthesis and its preparation methods, in which a mechanically and structurally effective artificial cornea is made based on a poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogel. The porous skirt was modified with hyaluronic acid and cationized gelatin, and the bottom of the optical column was coated with poly(ethylene glycol). The physical properties of the T-style Kpro were analyzed using ultraviolet and visible spectrophotometry and electron scanning microscopy. The surface chemical properties were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The surface modification in the spongy skirt promoted cell adhesion and produced a firm bond between the corneal tissue and the implant device, while the surface modification in the optic column resisted cell adhesion and prevented retroprosthetic membrane formation. Through improved surgical techniques, the novel T-style keratoprosthesis provides enough mechanical stability to facilitate long-term biointegration with the host environment. In vivo implantation experiments showed that the T-style keratoprosthesis is a promising cornea alternative for patients with severe limbal stem cell deficiency and corneal opacity. - Highlights: • T-style keratoprosthesis was designed and prepared based on a PHEMA hydrogel. • Selective surface modifications effectively regulated cells' selective adhesion. • T-style keratoprosthesis provides enough mechanical stability to facilitate long-term biointegration with host tissues.

Physical-mechanical image of the cell surface on the base of AFM data in contact mode

Science.gov (United States)

Starodubtseva, M. N.; Starodubtsev, I. E.; Yegorenkov, N. I.; Kuzhel, N. S.; Konstantinova, E. E.; Chizhik, S. A.

2017-10-01

Physical and mechanical properties of the cell surface are well-known markers of a cell state. The complex of the parameters characterizing the cell surface properties, such as the elastic modulus (E), the parameters of adhesive (Fa), and friction (Ff) forces can be measured using atomic force microscope (AFM) in a contact mode and form namely the physical-mechanical image of the cell surface that is a fundamental element of the cell mechanical phenotype. The paper aims at forming the physical-mechanical images of the surface of two types of glutaraldehyde-fixed cancerous cells (human epithelial cells of larynx carcinoma, HEp-2c cells, and breast adenocarcinoma, MCF-7 cells) based on the data obtained by AFM in air and revealing the basic difference between them. The average values of friction, elastic and adhesive forces, and the roughness of lateral force maps, as well as dependence of the fractal dimension of lateral force maps on Z-scale factor have been studied. We have revealed that the response of microscale areas of the HEp-2c cell surface having numerous microvilli to external mechanical forces is less expressed and more homogeneous in comparison with the response of MCF-7 cell surface.

Surface plasmon resonance based optical fiber riboflavin sensor by using molecularly imprinted gel

Science.gov (United States)

Verma, Roli; Gupta, Banshi D.

2013-05-01

We report the fabrication and characterization of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based optical fiber riboflavin/vitamin B2 sensor using combination of colloidal crystal templating and molecularly imprinted gel. The sensor works on spectral interrogation method. The operating range of the sensor lies from 0 μg/ml to 320 μg/ml, the suitable amount of intakes of riboflavin recommended for different age group. The SPR spectra show blue shift with increasing concentration of riboflavin, which is due to the interaction of riboflavin molecule over specific binding sites caused by molecular imprinting. The present sensor has many advantageous features such as fast response, small probe size, low cost and can be used for remote/online monitoring.

Nanoparticle-Based Surface Modifications for Microtribology Control and Superhydrophobicity

Science.gov (United States)

Hurst, Kendall Matthew

2010-11-01

The emergence of miniaturization techniques for consumer electronics has brought forth the relatively new and exciting field of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). However, due to the inherent forces that exist between surfaces at the micro- and nanoscale, scientists and semiconductor manufacturers are still struggling to improve the lifetime and reliability of complex microdevices. Due to the extremely large surface area-to-volume ratio of typical MEMS and microstructured surfaces, dominant interfacial forces exist which can be detrimental to their operational lifetime. In particular, van der Waals, capillary, and electrostatic forces contribute to the permanent adhesion, or stiction , of microfabricated surfaces. This strong adhesion force also contributes to the friction and wear of these silicon-based systems. The scope of this work was to examine the effect of utilizing nanoparticles as the basis for roughening surfaces for the purpose of creating films with anti-adhesive and/or superhydrophobic properties. All of the studies presented in this work are focused around a gas-expanded liquid (GXL) process that promotes the deposition of colloidal gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) into conformal thin films. The GXL particle deposition process is finalized by a critical point drying step which is advantageous to the microelectromechanical systems and semiconductor (IC) industries. In fact, preliminary results illustrated that the GXL particle deposition process can easily be integrated into current MEMS microfabrication processes. Thin films of AuNPs deposited onto the surfaces of silicon-based MEMS and tribology test devices were shown to have a dramatic effect on the adhesion of microstructures. In the various investigations, the apparent work of adhesion between surfaces was reduced by 2-4 orders of magnitude. This effect is greatly attributed to the roughening of the typically smooth silicon oxide surfaces which, in turn, dramatically decreases the "real are of

Response mechanism for surface acoustic wave gas sensors based on surface-adsorption.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jiansheng; Lu, Yanyan

2014-04-16

A theoretical model is established to describe the response mechanism of surface acoustic wave (SAW) gas sensors based on physical adsorption on the detector surface. Wohljent's method is utilized to describe the relationship of sensor output (frequency shift of SAW oscillator) and the mass loaded on the detector surface. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) formula and its improved form are introduced to depict the adsorption behavior of gas on the detector surface. By combining the two methods, we obtain a theoretical model for the response mechanism of SAW gas sensors. By using a commercial SAW gas chromatography (GC) analyzer, an experiment is performed to measure the frequency shifts caused by different concentration of dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP). The parameters in the model are given by fitting the experimental results and the theoretical curve agrees well with the experimental data.

Luminance-based specular gloss characterization.

Science.gov (United States)

Leloup, Frédéric B; Pointer, Michael R; Dutré, Philip; Hanselaer, Peter

2011-06-01

Gloss is a feature of visual appearance that arises from the directionally selective reflection of light incident on a surface. Especially when a distinct reflected image is perceptible, the luminance distribution of the illumination scene above the sample can strongly influence the gloss perception. For this reason, industrial glossmeters do not provide a satisfactory gloss estimation of high-gloss surfaces. In this study, the influence of the conditions of illumination on specular gloss perception was examined through a magnitude estimation experiment in which 10 observers took part. A light booth with two light sources was utilized: the mirror image of only one source being visible in reflection by the observer. The luminance of both the reflected image and the adjacent sample surface could be independently varied by separate adjustment of the intensity of the two light sources. A psychophysical scaling function was derived, relating the visual gloss estimations to the measured luminance of both the reflected image and the off-specular sample background. The generalization error of the model was estimated through a validation experiment performed by 10 other observers. In result, a metric including both surface and illumination properties is provided. Based on this metric, improved gloss evaluation methods and instruments could be developed.

An Integrated Software Suite for Surface-based Analyses of Cerebral Cortex

Science.gov (United States)

Van Essen, David C.; Drury, Heather A.; Dickson, James; Harwell, John; Hanlon, Donna; Anderson, Charles H.

2001-01-01

The authors describe and illustrate an integrated trio of software programs for carrying out surface-based analyses of cerebral cortex. The first component of this trio, SureFit (Surface Reconstruction by Filtering and Intensity Transformations), is used primarily for cortical segmentation, volume visualization, surface generation, and the mapping of functional neuroimaging data onto surfaces. The second component, Caret (Computerized Anatomical Reconstruction and Editing Tool Kit), provides a wide range of surface visualization and analysis options as well as capabilities for surface flattening, surface-based deformation, and other surface manipulations. The third component, SuMS (Surface Management System), is a database and associated user interface for surface-related data. It provides for efficient insertion, searching, and extraction of surface and volume data from the database. PMID:11522765

An integrated software suite for surface-based analyses of cerebral cortex

Science.gov (United States)

Van Essen, D. C.; Drury, H. A.; Dickson, J.; Harwell, J.; Hanlon, D.; Anderson, C. H.

2001-01-01

The authors describe and illustrate an integrated trio of software programs for carrying out surface-based analyses of cerebral cortex. The first component of this trio, SureFit (Surface Reconstruction by Filtering and Intensity Transformations), is used primarily for cortical segmentation, volume visualization, surface generation, and the mapping of functional neuroimaging data onto surfaces. The second component, Caret (Computerized Anatomical Reconstruction and Editing Tool Kit), provides a wide range of surface visualization and analysis options as well as capabilities for surface flattening, surface-based deformation, and other surface manipulations. The third component, SuMS (Surface Management System), is a database and associated user interface for surface-related data. It provides for efficient insertion, searching, and extraction of surface and volume data from the database.

Quantitative characterization of the influence of the nanoscale morphology of nanostructured surfaces on bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ajay Vikram Singh

Full Text Available Bacterial infection of implants and prosthetic devices is one of the most common causes of implant failure. The nanostructured surface of biocompatible materials strongly influences the adhesion and proliferation of mammalian cells on solid substrates. The observation of this phenomenon has led to an increased effort to develop new strategies to prevent bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation, primarily through nanoengineering the topology of the materials used in implantable devices. While several studies have demonstrated the influence of nanoscale surface morphology on prokaryotic cell attachment, none have provided a quantitative understanding of this phenomenon. Using supersonic cluster beam deposition, we produced nanostructured titania thin films with controlled and reproducible nanoscale morphology respectively. We characterized the surface morphology; composition and wettability by means of atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy and contact angle measurements. We studied how protein adsorption is influenced by the physico-chemical surface parameters. Lastly, we characterized Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus adhesion on nanostructured titania surfaces. Our results show that the increase in surface pore aspect ratio and volume, related to the increase of surface roughness, improves protein adsorption, which in turn downplays bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation. As roughness increases up to about 20 nm, bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation are enhanced; the further increase of roughness causes a significant decrease of bacterial adhesion and inhibits biofilm formation. We interpret the observed trend in bacterial adhesion as the combined effect of passivation and flattening effects induced by morphology-dependent protein adsorption. Our findings demonstrate that bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation on nanostructured titanium oxide surfaces are significantly influenced by nanoscale morphological

3D facial expression recognition based on histograms of surface differential quantities

KAUST Repository

Li, Huibin; Morvan, Jean-Marie; Chen, Liming

2011-01-01

. To characterize shape information of the local neighborhood of facial landmarks, we calculate the weighted statistical distributions of surface differential quantities, including histogram of mesh gradient (HoG) and histogram of shape index (HoS). Normal cycle

Characterisation of surface roughness for ultra-precision freeform surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Huifen; Cheung, C F; Lee, W B; To, S; Jiang, X Q

2005-01-01

Ultra-precision freeform surfaces are widely used in many advanced optics applications which demand for having surface roughness down to nanometer range. Although a lot of research work has been reported on the study of surface generation, reconstruction and surface characterization such as MOTIF and fractal analysis, most of them are focused on axial symmetric surfaces such as aspheric surfaces. Relative little research work has been found in the characterization of surface roughness in ultra-precision freeform surfaces. In this paper, a novel Robust Gaussian Filtering (RGF) method is proposed for the characterisation of surface roughness for ultra-precision freeform surfaces with known mathematic model or a cloud of discrete points. A series of computer simulation and measurement experiments were conducted to verify the capability of the proposed method. The experimental results were found to agree well with the theoretical results

Surface phase transitions in cu-based solid solutions

Science.gov (United States)

Zhevnenko, S. N.; Chernyshikhin, S. V.

2017-11-01

We have measured surface energy in two-component Cu-based systems in H2 + Ar gas atmosphere. The experiments on solid Cu [Ag] and Cu [Co] solutions show presence of phase transitions on the surfaces. Isotherms of the surface energy have singularities (the minimum in the case of copper solid solutions with silver and the maximum in the case of solid solutions with cobalt). In both cases, the surface phase transitions cause deficiency of surface miscibility: formation of a monolayer (multilayer) (Cu-Ag) or of nanoscale particles (Cu-Co). At the same time, according to the volume phase diagrams, the concentration and temperature of the surface phase transitions correspond to the solid solution within the volume. The method permits determining the rate of diffusional creep in addition to the surface energy. The temperature and concentration dependence of the solid solutions' viscosity coefficient supports the fact of the surface phase transitions and provides insights into the diffusion properties of the transforming surfaces.