Article
Chemistry, Physical
Zhongxiang Peng, Kui Jiang, Yunpeng Qin, Miaomiao Li, Nrup Balar, Brendan T. O'Connor, Harald Ade, Long Ye, Yanhou Geng
Summary: Ternary solar cells with both fullerene and nonfullerene acceptors have shown rapid efficiency improvement. Incorporating 20% by weight of PC71BM into the PM6:N3 blend can yield the best device efficiency and ductility. The elastic modulus of ternary blends can be accurately predicted using an extended Halpin-Tsai model, offering potential for various electronic applications.
ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Priyesh Paremmal, Anirudha Karati, Ritu Das, R. Seshadri, H. Raghothaman, S. Loganathan, M. S. Ramachandra Rao, B. S. Murty
Summary: This study demonstrates the tight composition control of sputtered TiZr-Cu-Ni-Al thin film metallic glasses (TFMGs) using a spark plasma sintered multicomponent target. The research investigates the structural and nanoscratch properties of TFMGs and optimizes their nano scratch resistance by tuning the radio frequency (RF) power and argon (Ar) pressure. The study provides insight into the scratch mechanism and suggests guidelines for developing TFMGs as scratch-resistant protective coatings.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Jianhua Tang, Lezhang Liu, Li Jiang, Hui Huang, Qiongyao Wang
Summary: This paper introduces a novel elastic modulus measurement method for small irregular thin-film specimens through bending, with the accuracy validated by uniaxial tensile tests. The proposed method shows good agreement with traditional tensile test methods, with a relative error of less than 2.0%, confirming its accuracy and effectiveness.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Pei Bai, Mingchao Ma, Li Sui, Yunlong Guo
Summary: This study demonstrates significant changes in stiffness and the ratio between elastic and viscous responses in thin PDMS films under nanoconfinement, with an enhanced elastic modulus and increased viscous response observed. The results contribute to a better understanding of the nanoconfinement effect on viscoelastic properties of soft matter.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Jiawen Chen, Seyed Mohammad Mir, Meghan R. Pinezich, John D. O'Neill, Brandon A. Guenthart, Matthew Bacchetta, Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic, Sarah X. L. Huang, Jinho Kim
Summary: Mechanical stiffness and biological function in living tissues are closely connected. Accurate measurement of tissue stiffness is crucial for understanding diseases and developing therapies. Non-destructive vacuum-assisted methods can be used to assess soft biomaterials' mechanical properties effectively.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Miguel Trejo, Victor Romero, Eugenio Hamm, Enrique Cerda
Summary: The study focuses on indentation technique to investigate the mechanical properties of thin-film materials, revealing the bending and stretching effects that lead to a wrinkled state. Experimental tests and numerical simulations are used to verify the analysis on various films and define the response characteristics of thin-film materials.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Xianfeng Xin, Shuang Zhang, Peng Wan, Lingen Liu, Wanyu Ding, Jun Li, Qizhen Wang, Chuang Dong
Summary: This paper presents a detailed description of the magnetron sputtering preparation of a single-phase quasicrystalline film, focusing on target composition, process parameters, and subsequent heat treatment scheme. The obtained high-quality film exhibits properties close to those of bulk quasicrystals, making it suitable for various applications.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
N. Makarova, I Sokolov
Summary: The brush model provides a consistent interpretation of AFM indentation data by considering a non-Hertzian deformation of the pericellular brush-like layer and provides a less depth-dependent measurement of the effective Young's modulus of the cell body. The model is robust and the errors due to uncertainties in the model and experimental data are within 4%.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Young-Rae Kim, Jineun Lee, Heesang Kim, Yooseop Jeon, Young-Su Kim, Hoon-Moh Seong, Giseop Kwak
Summary: Polyamideimides were synthesized via high-temperature reactions, and the acid byproduct generated during the reaction was removed using propylene oxide as an additive. The obtained polymers had suitable solubility parameters and the polymer films exhibited excellent mechanical properties and thermal stability. A colorless and transparent film could be obtained by adding a bluing agent.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Z. Alihemati, S. A. Hashemifard, T. Matsuura, A. F. Ismail
Summary: In this study, thin film composite forward osmosis membranes with polycarbonate and polyether sulfone substrates were fabricated to investigate their performance. The results showed that PC has good hydrophilic properties but larger gas permeability compared to PES, with larger surface pore size and higher effective surface porosity.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Laura Paz-Artigas, Kaoutar Ziani, Clara Alcaine, Claudia Baez-Diaz, Virginia Blanco-Blazquez, Jose Luis Pedraz, Ignacio Ochoa, Jesus Ciriza
Summary: This study evaluated the effects of long-term cryopreservation on CDCs, as well as the mechanical stability of microcapsules. The results suggest that cryopreservation may better ensure the stability of both CDCs and microcapsules, making it a suitable technique for long-term storage of encapsulated cells.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Dichu Xu, Maria Luisa Hernandez Miranda, Nicholas D. Evans, Bram G. Sengers, Martin Browne, Richard B. Cook
Summary: This study investigated the mechanical properties of thin PAAm hydrogel layers adherent to stiff substrate supports using depth profiling nanoindentation and a poroelastic model for spherical indentation. The results showed that the apparent stiffness and hydraulic conductivity of the thin hydrogel layers were influenced by the constraint of the impermeable substrate. The study also established the relationship between geometrical confinement and the mechanical properties of the thin hydrogel layers.
JOURNAL OF THE MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
A. B. Batibay, F. Erci, H. Kotan, Z. Karavelioglu, R. Cakir Koc, I. Oral, A. Evcin
Summary: In this research, TixNbxSn (x = 5, 10, 15, 20 wt%) alloys were synthesized and their potential as biomaterials was investigated. The results showed the presence of α-Ti, β-Ti, and TiC phases in the microstructure after high-temperature sintering. The hardness and elastic modulus of the alloys varied depending on their compositions, with Ti15Nb15Sn alloy having the closest elastic modulus to bone. The TiNbSn alloys exhibited antibacterial properties against S. aureus and were not cytotoxic to healthy cells, with noticeable enhancement in cell proliferation and viability.
MATERIALS TODAY COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Tianren Zhang, Robert A. Riggleman
Summary: The addition of diluent polymers leads to thinner polymer films becoming more brittle, and the dependence of mechanical properties on thickness is weak when the film is larger than 20 sigma. Furthermore, there is a competing effect between the free surface and entanglement network, contributing to different mechanical behaviors in films of different thicknesses.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Adrian-Nicolae Rotariu, Eugen Trana, Liviu Matache
Summary: This paper investigates the effect of mechanical impedance mismatch at the bar/specimen interface on the calculation of Young's modulus in compression SHPB tests. By using long and thin specimens and recording multistep signals, the elastic modulus is calculated based on the ratio between the heights of two successive steps, with fine tuning based on the characteristic time. Finite Element Method simulations are also employed to calculate the Poisson coefficient of the tested complex concentrated alloy.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tommaso Nicolini, Jokubas Surgailis, Achilleas Savva, Alberto D. Scaccabarozzi, Rana Nakar, Damien Thuau, Guillaume Wantz, Lee J. Richter, Olivier Dautel, Georges Hadziioannou, Natalie Stingelin
Summary: Organic mixed conductors are utilized in various applications, however, polymer-based conductors often experience significant volumetric changes during ion uptake/rejection. The new material P3HHT shows low swelling behavior and has potential for applications in bioelectronics and beyond.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ian Pelse, Austin L. Jones, Lee J. Richter, John R. Reynolds
Summary: Control of polymer aggregation by selective introduction of backbone disorder through random copolymerization has been effective for optimizing the coating of fullerene-based bulk-heterojunction photovoltaics. A new terpolymer composition, PffBT4T(80)-co-3T(20)-2OD (80-20), shows good processability and solid-state performance when processing IDTBR blend films, achieving power conversion efficiencies approaching 9%. However, IDTBR delays polymer solidification, disrupts polymer crystallization, and compromises the overall crystallinity in the blend, leading to lower power conversion efficiencies compared to PC71BM devices.
CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Margherita Biondi, Min-Jae Choi, Seungjin Lee, Koen Bertens, Mingyang Wei, Ahmad R. Kirmani, Geonhui Lee, Hao Ting Kung, Lee J. Richter, Sjoerd Hoogland, Zheng-Hong Lu, F. Pelayo Garcia de Arquer, Edward H. Sargent
Summary: This study reports a strategy to reduce trap states in quantum dot solar cells by changing the solvent type, leading to higher power conversion efficiency.
ACS ENERGY LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Peter J. Dudenas, Eliot Gann, Guillaume Freychet, Lee J. Richter, Dean M. DeLongchamp
Summary: The study found that using polymer-polymer blends and meniscus-guided coating to tailor semiconducting materials in printed electronics can lead to long-wavelength instabilities during coating, which directly affect the alignment of semiconducting polymer nanofibrils and the performance of electronic devices. This highlights the need to consider the potential impact of these instabilities when optimizing coating conditions.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Ryan C. Nieuwendaal, Jeffrey D. Wilbur, Dean Welsh, Velencia Witherspoon, Christopher M. Stafford
Summary: A method for harvesting and purifying thin polyamide active layer from thin-film composite reverse osmosis membranes was developed, allowing for quantitative measurement of composition and cross-linking related to membrane performance. Results show that decreasing cross-link density increases salt passage while reducing water permeance.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
William D. Mulhearn, Christopher M. Stafford
Summary: A series of polyamide membranes were synthesized via molecular layer-by-layer deposition, and the effects of different monomer combinations on water permeance, NaCl rejection, and water swelling were compared. The results demonstrate that water permeance is more strongly influenced by the concentration of hydrophilic moieties in the membrane.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Lucas Q. Flagg, Lauren E. Asselta, Nicholas D'Antona, Tommaso Nicolini, Natalie Stingelin, Jonathan W. Onorato, Christine K. Luscombe, Ruipeng Li, Lee J. Richter
Summary: Organic mixed ionic electronic conductors (OMIECs) have great potential in various new technologies, but studying them in their operating state is difficult. This study presents a new approach to investigate the electrochemical switching of a prototypical OMIEC and finds that the crystalline regions are relatively hydrophobic and the potential-induced changes in crystal structure do not clearly correlate with the transistor performance.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lidia Kuo, Vinod K. Sangwan, Sonal Rangnekar, Ting-Ching Chu, David Lam, Zhehao Zhu, Lee J. Richter, Ruipeng Li, Beata M. Szydlowska, Julia R. Downing, Benjamin J. Luijten, Lincoln J. Lauhon, Mark C. Hersam
Summary: Aerosol-jet printing technology is utilized to achieve highly responsive photodetectors with superior optoelectronic properties, surpassing previously reported devices by three orders of magnitude. Properly designed processing and ink formulations enable the processing and application of ultrathin MoS2 nanosheets, providing a new approach for scalable manufacturing in mechanically flexible optoelectronics.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Bin Sun, Amin Morteza Najarian, Laxmi Kishore Sagar, Margherita Biondi, Min-Jae Choi, Xiyan Li, Larissa Levina, Se-Woong Baek, Chao Zheng, Seungjin Lee, Ahmad R. Kirmani, Randy Sabatini, Jehad Abed, Mengxia Liu, Maral Vafaie, Peicheng Li, Lee J. Richter, Oleksandr Voznyy, Mahshid Chekini, Zheng-Hong Lu, F. Pelayo Garcia de Arquer, Edward H. Sargent
Summary: Colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) have tunable bandgap and solution processing, making them promising materials for infrared (IR) light detection. However, the time response of CQD IR photodiodes is currently inferior to that of Si and InGaAs. The high permittivity of II-VI CQDs leads to slow charge extraction, while III-Vs offer low permittivity and potential for high-speed operation. By managing the surface using amphoteric ligand coordination, the performance of InAs CQD solids is improved, achieving fast response time and high external quantum efficiency.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Christopher M. Stafford, Xun Guan, Yarong Qi, Yue Zhang, Xitong Liu
Summary: Molecular layer-by-layer (mLbL) deposition allows for flexible control over the properties of polyamide-based membranes, including thickness, roughness, and chemistry of the selective layer. Surface chemistry can be tailored through termination reactions to create surfaces rich in specific functional groups. Surface wettability and adhesion can be measured using pH-dependent contact angle and carboxylate-modified colloidal probe AFM. This research enables the disentanglement of surface chemistry and roughness contributions to the overall performance and fouling of polyamide-based membranes.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jiajie Guo, Lucas Q. Flagg, Duyen K. Tran, Shinya E. Chen, Ruipeng Li, Nagesh B. Kolhe, Rajiv Giridharagopal, Samson A. Jenekhe, Lee J. Richter, David S. Ginger
Summary: In this study, the performance of ladder polymer BBL as an OECT in aqueous environment is investigated. The film swelling and structural changes during the electrochemical charge injection process are examined using various techniques. The results reveal that the BBL films undergo irreversible hydration and significant water retention, leading to a hydrophilic environment that facilitates efficient ion transport. The rigid ladder backbone of BBL maintains the crystalline order and allows the original dehydrated state to be recovered after drying.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Micah Barker, Tommaso Nicolini, Yasmina Al Yaman, Damien Thuau, Olga Siscan, Sasikumar Ramachandran, Eric Cloutet, Cyril Brochon, Lee J. Richter, Olivier J. Dautel, Georges Hadziioannou, Natalie Stingelin
Summary: A model mixed-conducting polymer blended with an amphiphilic block-copolymer shows significantly enhanced electro-chemical doping kinetics, resulting in faster electrochemical transistors with high transduction. This approach is robust, reproducible, and readily adaptable to other mixed conductors without exhaustive chemical modification.
MATERIALS HORIZONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ally Guo, Avery E. Baumann, Eric D. Rus, Christopher M. Stafford, David Raciti
Summary: This study investigates the influence of polymer overlayers on the catalytic activity of Ag for electrochemical CO2 reduction to CO. It is found that different thicknesses of polystyrene and poly(4-vinylpyridine) films can manipulate the reaction activity of CO2 reduction. Polystyrene significantly suppresses the CO2 reduction activity while enhancing the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), whereas the addition of a nitrogen heteroatom into polystyrene increases the conversion of CO2 to CO and suppresses HER. Block copolymers with both phenyl and pyridyl functionalities exhibit similar CO evolution activity but further suppress HER compared to the polymer layer containing only pyridine groups. The size of the blocks in the copolymers affects the catalytic output of the Ag electrode, suggesting that the hierarchical structure in the block copolymer layer plays a role in catalytic activity. Analysis of the polymer overlayers indicates that polystyrene inhibits ion transport to the metal electrode, while poly(4-vinylpyridine) enables CO2 transport and modifies the electronics of the Ag active site. Therefore, the engineered application of polymer overlayers, especially those containing heteroatoms, offers new avenues for electrochemical CO2 reduction.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Adrienne K. Blevins, Mengyuan Wang, Michelle L. Lehmann, Leiqing Hu, Shouhong Fan, Christopher M. Stafford, Jason P. Killgore, Haiqing Lin, Tomonori Saito, Yifu Ding
Summary: This study demonstrates the ability to program heterogeneity in two stage reactive polymer networks (TSRP), and investigates the effect of this heterogeneity on CO2/N-2 selectivity. A novel TSRP formulation with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) groups is designed, showing higher permeability, selectivity, and improved mechanical toughness compared to unpatterned materials. This highly customizable material system has the potential to simultaneously improve permselective performance and mechanical properties.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Giovanni Maria Matrone, Elizabeth Gutierrez-Meza, Alex H. Balzer, Aditi Khirbat, Artem Levitsky, Alexander B. Sieval, Gitti. L. Frey, Lee J. Richter, Carlos Silva, Natalie Stingelin
Summary: Polymer-based blend morphology in systems like organic photovoltaics typically deviates from equilibrium, impacting final device performance. By comparing different fullerenes with a specific polymer in blends, phase diagrams can provide insights into optoelectronic processes and structure-property relationships.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY C
(2021)
