Review
Materials Science, Coatings & Films
Laurenz Thyen, Daniel Splith, Max Kneiss, Marius Grundmann, Holger von Wenckstern
Summary: We introduce a new technique, MARS-PLD, for area-selective physical vapor deposition. By using a movable mask, we can selectively mask any desired area on a substrate to create multinary material composition gradients. We demonstrated the capabilities of this method by fabricating material gradients in (Mg,Zn)O thin films and on predefined two-dimensional patterns.
JOURNAL OF VACUUM SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY A
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Valentina Grumezescu, Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu, Anton Ficai, Irina Negut, Bogdan Stefan Vasile, Bianca Galateanu, Ariana Hudita
Summary: This article presents the preparation and characterization of composite coatings based on hydroxyapatite (HAp), chitosan (CS), and FGF2, and investigates their effects on attachment, growth, and differentiation of cells through in vitro experiments. The results suggest that these coatings are suitable for bone tissue engineering applications.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
A. Maffini, D. Orecchia, A. Pazzaglia, M. Zavelani-Rossi, M. Passoni
Summary: In this study, porous, fractal-like nanostructured carbon materials, known as carbon nanofoam, were fabricated using Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) technique. The role of key PLD parameters on nanofoam characteristics was investigated, and a comparison between nanosecond (ns-PLD) and femtosecond (fs-PLD) regimes was drawn. New insights about carbon nanofoam deposition and characterization were gained, opening new perspectives in the fabrication of nanostructured films with precisely controlled properties.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Luminita Nicoleta Dumitrescu, Eusebiu-Rosini Ionita, Ruxandra Birjega, Andrada Lazea-Stoyanova, Maria-Daniela Ionita, George Epurescu, Ana-Maria Banici, Simona Brajnicov, Florin Andrei, Andreea Matei
Summary: This study presents the deposition of thin films of lamellar clays using laser techniques, focusing on the optimization of deposition parameters to achieve highly oriented crystalline films. The films were characterized using various techniques and different wetting properties were achieved by adjusting the deposition techniques and parameters.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Yimin Lu, Chunlai Yang, Hai Wang, Lifang Ma, Manman Xu, Lin Xi
Summary: One of the most significant developments in pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technology is the introduction of external magnetic fields to affect the generation, expansion, diffusion, and nucleation of particles during deposition, which is completely different from its counterpart in magnetron sputtering (MS) and filtered vacuum cathode arc (FVCA). This overview summarizes the various structures and principles of the magnetic field introduced in PLDs, reviews the effects of the magnetic field on the various properties of the PLD-grown nanomaterials, and analyzes the reasons or probable causes. These grown materials were applied in the different fields due to their novel optical, magnetic, and mechanical properties, which was overviewed emphatically in this manuscript. This overview intends to assist researchers working on PLD-grown materials.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Maciej J. Glowacki, Mateusz Cieslik, Miroslaw Sawczak, Adrian Koterwa, Iwona Kaczmarzyk, Rafal Jendrzejewski, Lukasz Szynkiewicz, Tadeusz Ossowski, Robert Bogdanowicz, Pawel Niedzialkowski, Jacek Ryl
Summary: Fused filament fabrication is a rapidly developing 3D printing technique, and the use of conductive carbon black polylactic acid (CB-PLA) as an electrode material requires an activation process. Research has shown that CB-PLA electrodes activated in a helium atmosphere have a relatively high electrochemically active surface area.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Michela Alfe, Giuseppina Minopoli, Massimiliano Tartaglia, Valentina Gargiulo, Ugo Caruso, Giovanni Piero Pepe, Giovanni Ausanio
Summary: In this study, graphene-like materials were deposited on silicone slices using matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) technique. The deposited materials showed maintained chemical-physical features and did not cause any perturbations in biological parameters. This opens up possibilities for practical applications of these materials in medical devices and prevention of nosocomial infections.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Mariapompea Cutroneo, Letteria Silipigni, Anna Mackova, Petr Malinsky, Romana Miksova, Vaclav Holy, Jan Maly, Marcel Stofik, Petr Aubrecht, Dominik Fajstavr, Petr Slepicka, Lorenzo Torrisi
Summary: Cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) is a thermoplastic polymer with potential applications in electronic, optoelectronic, biomedicine and packaging industries. However, its hydrophobicity limits its practical uses. In this study, Ti was deposited on selected areas of COC films using pulsed lased deposition. The Ti/COC film showed a 20% decrease in transmittance and reduced hydrophilicity compared to the pristine polymer. The morphology of the deposited Ti was assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM).
Article
Physics, Applied
Albert Queralto, Max Sieger, Kapil Gupta, Alexander Meledin, Pedro Barusco, Lavinia Saltarelli, Mariona de Palau, Xavier Granados, Xavier Obradors, Teresa Puig
Summary: This study investigates the integration of the transient liquid-assisted growth (TLAG) approach with physical deposition methodologies for high-throughput growth of YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) films. YBCO precursor films were deposited on different substrates using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) at temperatures below 400 degrees C. The growth of high-quality c-axis YBCO films was controlled by the transformation of Ba-Cu-O (s) to a transient liquid. The optimized experimental conditions resulted in YBCO films with critical temperature (T (c)) values up to 90 K and high critical current densities.
SUPERCONDUCTOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yu Hui, Yingbin Wu, Wenping Sun, Xudong Sun, Gang Huang, Zhaolin Na
Summary: In this study, a copper-tin-tin oxide 3D mesh skeleton bonded to copper foam through Cu3Sn alloy was designed and prepared using a nanosecond-pulsed-laser-assisted deposition strategy. This skeleton provides homogeneous Li nucleation sites to inhibit Li dendrites growth and the porous space and strong bonding of the Cu3Sn layer prevent structural deterioration of the anodes. As a result, symmetric cells based on this material demonstrate excellent cycling stability and capacity retention. Moreover, the versatility of the pulsed-laser-assisted deposition strategy for preparing battery materials was demonstrated through the successful preparation of other composite materials on various substrates.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Physics, Applied
A. Osada, R. Tamaki, W. Lin, I. Nakamura, A. Noguchi
Summary: We developed a fiber-based pulsed laser ablation method to generate a jet of neutral strontium atoms. The generated strontium beam was characterized to have a transverse temperature of 800 K and a longitudinal velocity of 2300 m/s. Our device provides a compact and cryo-compatible atom source with minimized device footprints and reduced complexity of vacuum systems, which is beneficial for cold-atom experiments and potential applications in atomic and molecular sciences.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Liping Liu, Yaru Jia, Shanxia Jin, Xiangdong Chen, Ping Zhou
Summary: A new strategy for the analysis of small biomolecules and drugs by LDI MS is presented, using in situ polymerized poly(L-dopa) film on standard stainless steel MALDI plate. This method has high sensitivity and good salt tolerance, allowing detection of amino acids even in saturated salt solution, and has the potential to be a practical solution for small biomolecule analysis.
MICROCHEMICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Nick A. Shepelin, Zahra P. Tehrani, Natacha Ohannessian, Christof W. Schneider, Daniele Pergolesi, Thomas Lippert
Summary: Nanoscale thin films have a wide range of applications in various fields, and their functional tunability based on chemical composition has driven human progress. Pulsed laser deposition is an important method for fabricating thin films, using laser energy to form a plasma and deposit material onto a substrate. This technique allows for the production of crystalline films with a wide range of atmospheric conditions and chemical complexity. However, achieving high quality films with desired composition requires rigorous optimization of growth parameters. This tutorial review provides an overview of pulsed laser deposition, discusses the effects of growth parameters on film properties, and explores in situ monitoring techniques.
CHEMICAL SOCIETY REVIEWS
(2023)
Review
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Yongxia Wang, Hua Tan, Zhe Feng, Fengying Zhang, Weixun Shang, Adam T. Clare, Xin Lin
Summary: The study synthesizes TiC reinforced titanium matrix composites by introducing nano carbon decorated CP-Ti powder in the Pulsed Laser Directed Energy Deposition (PLDED) process. The results show that an appropriate carbon content can significantly improve the mechanical properties of the material and effectively solve the contradiction between strength and ductility. In addition, the friction and wear properties of the composites are also improved.
MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING A-STRUCTURAL MATERIALS PROPERTIES MICROSTRUCTURE AND PROCESSING
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Roman Romanov, Vyacheslav Fominski, Maxim Demin, Dmitry Fominski, Oxana Rubinkovskaya, Sergey Novikov, Valentin Volkov, Natalia Doroshina
Summary: Research has shown that the MoSx/WSe2 heterostructure formed by pulsed laser deposition on a dielectric substrate can be used for effective solar water splitting to produce hydrogen, with the formation conditions of the WSe2 film and the separation of electrons and holes playing crucial roles in the reaction.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Miao He, Eaman T. Karim, Maxim Shugaev, Leonid Zhigilei
Summary: Molecular dynamics simulations were used to investigate the generation of vacancies at a crystal-liquid interface under conditions of undercooling for bcc Cr and fcc Ni metals. The results show that the vacancy concentrations produced can exceed equilibrium values by orders of magnitude. Different trends in vacancy concentration with temperature for Ni and Cr are related to the temperature dependences of the crystallization front velocity predicted for the two metals.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Cheng-Yu Shih, Chaobo Chen, Christoph Rehbock, Anna Tymoczko, Ulf Wiedwald, Marius Kamp, Ulrich Schuermann, Lorenz Kienle, Stephan Barcikowski, Leonid Zhigilei
Summary: Pulsed laser ablation in liquids (PLAL) is a promising technique for generating colloidal alloy nanoparticles needed in various fields. The study combines computational and experimental methods to investigate the limited mixing of components and formation of different composition nanoparticles in the PLAL process from bilayer films.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Edina Rusen, Alexandra Mocanu, Raluca Somoghi, Daniela C. Culita, Raul Augustin Mitran, Adrian Dinescu, Andreea Matei, Aurel Diacon
Summary: This study synthesized a terpolymer containing styrene, acrylic acid, and N-(isopropyl acrylamide) using a soap-free emulsion process, and investigated the influence of AA/NiPAM ratio on reaction mechanism and kinetics. Different polymerization mechanisms were confirmed for AA-rich and NiPAM-rich substrates through various analyses, with the formation of two distinct types of polymer particles observed at higher NiPAM concentrations. The stability of the latexes and the humidity responsive characteristics of the obtained PCs were also evaluated for potential applications.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Adrian Ionut Bercea, Corinne Champeaux, Catalin Daniel Constantinescu, Frederic Dumas-Bouchiat
Summary: This study successfully developed a Vanadium dioxide (VO2)-Iridium composite utilizing self-assembly and Pulsed Laser Deposition processes, achieving control over the optical properties of the composite. The composite, featuring localized surface plasmon resonance properties due to the unique shape and size of Iridium micro-triangles, demonstrates potential applications with tunable properties.
JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Toxicology
Ninell P. Mortensen, Rodney W. Snyder, Wimal Pathmasiri, Maria Moreno Caffaro, Susan J. Sumner, Timothy R. Fennell
Summary: The study found that the size of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) has a significant impact on their biodistribution and perturbation of endogenous metabolite profiles. While all MWCNTs were observed in the liver, different-sized MWCNTs showed variations in distribution in other tissues. The perturbation of endogenous metabolite profiles was more profound at Day 7, indicating a delayed biological response to MWCNTs.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Toxicology
Ninell P. Mortensen, Wimal Pathmasiri, Rodney W. Snyder, Maria Moreno Caffaro, Scott L. Watson, Purvi R. Patel, Lakshmi Beeravalli, Sharmista Prattipati, Shyam Aravamudhan, Susan J. Sumner, Timothy R. Fennell
Summary: This study investigates the effects of early life exposure to orally ingested TiO2 NP. The findings suggest that these nanoparticles can impact cardiac and neurobehavioral performance, neurotransmitters concentration in brain tissue, and the biochemical profiles of plasma. Furthermore, female pups are more likely to experience adverse outcomes compared to male pups.
PARTICLE AND FIBRE TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Physics, Multidisciplinary
A. Ziefuss, S. Barcikowski, L. Zhigilei
SCIENCE CHINA-PHYSICS MECHANICS & ASTRONOMY
(2022)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Hao Huang, Leonid Zhigilei
Summary: In this study, the effect of energy density on the fragmentation mechanisms in laser fragmentation in liquid was investigated. It was found that the decrease in absorbed laser energy led to the transition from strong phase explosion to nanoparticle fragmentation, resulting in the formation of a core-satellite structure. In the regime of mild phase explosion, some of the hot metal droplets generated by explosive decomposition were reflected back to form a central nanoparticle. At lower energy densities, intense evaporation from the nanoparticle surface and condensation of metal vapor led to the formation of a core-satellite structure.
SCIENCE CHINA-PHYSICS MECHANICS & ASTRONOMY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Optics
Chaobo Chen, Leonid V. Zhigilei
Summary: Ultrafast pump-probe microscopy has provided new insights into the complex dynamics of laser-induced explosive phase transformations and highlighted the importance of close integration of experimental, computational, and theoretical efforts.
LIGHT-SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Ninell P. Mortensen, Maria Moreno Caffaro, Klinton Davis, Shyam Aravamudhan, Susan J. Sumner, Timothy R. Fennell
Summary: Cellulose nanomaterials (CNMs) have the potential to be used as food additives or in food packaging, but their safety when ingested by humans is still unknown. This study found that some CNMs can disrupt intestinal barrier function and have cytotoxic effects on cells. The size and shape of the particles also play a role in their effects.
FOOD AND CHEMICAL TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sai Archana Krovi, Maria M. Moreno Caffaro, Shyam Aravamudhan, Ninell P. Mortensen, Leah M. Johnson
Summary: Microplastics and nanoplastics are found in certain environments, beverages, and food products, but their ultimate risk and consequences on human health are largely unknown. Previous studies have mainly focused on commercially available polystyrene beads, which cannot represent the range of plastics dominantly used globally. This study successfully fabricated well-characterized nylon-11 and nylon-6 nanoparticles that can be tracked intracellularly using fluorescent tracers. The findings support further assessment of how the composition and physicochemical properties of plastics may affect complex biological systems and human health.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Miao He, Mikhail I. Arefev, Kaushik Joshi, Leonid Zhigilei
Summary: The mechanisms of tensile deformation and fracture of carbon fibers were investigated through large-scale molecular dynamics simulations. The simulations revealed that the nanostructure of carbon fibers consists of a mixture of stiff and soft regions, allowing for continuous nanoscale load redistribution and enhancing the strength and fracture strain of the fibers.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mikhail I. Arefev, Maxim V. Shugaev, Leonid V. Zhigilei
Summary: Melting phenomenon, although well studied, still reveals new findings when triggered by laser excitation, as shown by experiments of nanosecond-scale melting. Atomistic simulations demonstrate that a combined effect of lattice superheating and relaxation of laser-induced stresses ensures the dominance of homogeneous melting mechanism. However, the much longer melting times and the contribution of heterogeneous melting observed in experiments cannot be explained by adjusting the electron-phonon coupling strength.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Chaobo Chen, Leonid V. Zhigilei
Summary: The mechanisms of picosecond pulse laser ablation in liquid were investigated through large-scale atomistic simulations on FeNi targets. Three fluence regimes were identified, each with different dominant mechanisms of material ejection and nanoparticle formation. The simulations provide a comprehensive understanding of the ablation dynamics and can aid in the interpretation of experimental results. Rating: 8/10
APPLIED PHYSICS A-MATERIALS SCIENCE & PROCESSING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Francesco Cordero, Floriana Craciun, Patrizia Imperatori, Venanzio Raglione, Gloria Zanotti, Antoniu Moldovan, Maria Dinescu
Summary: In this study, we measured the properties of a metal-free molecular perovskite material and found that it exhibits ferroelectricity below a certain temperature. We also observed that the material deteriorates and loses mass at high temperatures, leading to a decrease in performance. Unlike traditional ferroelectric materials, the elastic modulus of this material weakens before the ferroelectric phase. The degradation of the material is attributed to point defects, and a method for calculating the defect concentration is proposed.