Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Frank Barrows, Hanu Arava, Chun Zhou, Paul Nealey, Tamar Segal-Peretz, Yuzi Liu, Saidur Bakaul, Charudatta Phatak, Amanda Petford-Long
Summary: This study investigates the confined electron and ion transport in oxide films, showing that confinement can modify electron transport mechanisms and increase conductivity by restricting charge density. Nanoscale confinement is found to be a way to control quantum interference, as demonstrated through electron holography and impedance spectroscopy characterization.
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
H. M. Ali, E. Kh. Shokr, Y. A. Taya, Sh. A. Elkot, M. F. Hasaneen, W. S. Mohamed
Summary: Uniform and smooth substoichiometric Molybdenum trioxide (MoO3-x) films were successfully obtained by thermal evaporation, showing sensitivity towards oxidizing CO2 and NO gases while exhibiting irreversibility and instability when used for detecting gaseous HCl. The sensors demonstrate high sensitivity to low gas flow rates and manifest the highest sensitivity values at relatively low temperatures, with short response and recovery times. The results indicate that the MoO3-x film on glass substrate of 500 nm thickness can effectively solve a variety of CO2 gas detection issues.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS A-PHYSICAL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
U. Urdiroz, F. J. Palomares, A. Mayoral, I. Soldatov, R. Schafer, J. M. Gonzalez, M. Sanchez-Agudo, E. Navarro, A. Ruiz, M. Alonso, L. Vazquez, F. Cebollada
Summary: This study investigates the crystallization processes and magnetic properties of two sets of amorphous Fe80B20 films deposited on substrates with different nature. The type of substrate impacts the crystallization temperature and mechanism, ultimately influencing the magnetic characteristics of the films.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Baran Sarac, Tolga Karazehir, Eray Yuce, Marlene Muehlbacher, A. Sezai Sarac, Juergen Eckert
Summary: Improving the efficiency of hydrogen storage and release using metallic glass nanofilms offers green solutions for nanoscale energy applications. Specific sizes and configurations of the hydrogen storage components demonstrate high electrochemical performance, with high specific pseudocapacitance and conductive behavior.
ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Lucia Bajtosova, Barbora Krivska, Rostislav Kralik, Jozef Vesely, Jan Hanus, Petr Harcuba, Jan Fikar, Ankit Yadav, Miroslav Cieslar
Summary: This study used molecular dynamics simulation method to investigate the mechanical properties of thin aluminum-based films, and compared the results with transmission electron microscope experiments. The simulation results matched well with the experimental results, revealing the importance of grain boundary processes in deformation.
SCRIPTA MATERIALIA
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Tatyana Kunkel, Yuri Vorobyov, Mikhail Smayev, Petr Lazarenko, Vladimir Veretennikov, Vladimir Sigaev, Sergey Kozyukhin
Summary: Crystallization of amorphous thin films of Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST225) under femtosecond pulses excitation can occur in two ways: formation of fine-grained polycrystalline material at moderate laser fluence levels, and production of larger grains closer to the beam axis at higher fluence levels, leading to inhibition of nucleation due to high cooling velocity. The type of substrate (metallic or oxide) and film thickness also affect the crystallization process due to light penetration depth and reflection from the film-substrate interface.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2021)
Article
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
K. Yoshihara, N. Nagaoka, A. Nakamura, T. Hara, Y. Yoshida, B. Van Meerbeek
Summary: X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy confirmed the self-assembly of functional monomer 10-MDP into nano-layers at adhesive-tooth interfaces, which contribute to the mechanical strength of adhesives. Focused-ion-beam milled cross sections and scanning probe microscopy were used to observe and evaluate the 3-dimensional spreading and mechanical properties of nano-layering. The formation of self-assembled nano-layering strengthens the adhesives and may improve the clinical longevity of the bond to dentin.
JOURNAL OF DENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Takamitsu Ishiyama, Kota Igura, Takashi Suemasu, Kaoru Toko
Summary: Recent advancements in polycrystalline Ge layers formed through solid-phase crystallization have demonstrated higher carrier mobilities than single-crystal Si. This study thoroughly examines the phenomenon of metal-induced lateral crystallization in Ge, finding that 20 out of 24 tested metals promote low-temperature lateral growth on glass. The results, categorized by reaction type and growth morphology, have broad implications for various materials, with potential applications in developing next-generation thin-film devices on common and inexpensive substrates.
MATERIALS & DESIGN
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Robert Streubel, D. Simca Bouma, Frank Bruni, Xiaoqian Chen, Peter Ercius, Jim Ciston, Alpha T. N'Diaye, Sujoy Roy, Steve D. Kevan, Peter Fischer, Frances Hellman
Summary: Experimental evidence of 3D chiral spin textures, including helical spins and skyrmions with different chirality and topological charge, has been reported in amorphous Fe-Ge thick films. These results demonstrate that structurally and chemically disordered materials can resemble inversion symmetry broken systems with similar magnetic properties, moments, and states, providing greater flexibility in materials synthesis, voltage, and strain manipulation.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Rene Sachse, Maelle Moor, Ralph Kraehnert, Vasile-Dan Hodoroaba, Andreas Hertwig
Summary: A hybrid measurement technique using ellipsometry together with other independent methods is demonstrated for accurate determination and quality assurance of properties of porous thin layer materials. The results show that ellipsometry can provide information about porosity, pore size, and electronic structure.
ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Poonam Shekhawat, Gunwant Sharma, Rao Martand Singh
Summary: The morphological and microstructural evolution of flyash (FA), eggshell powder (ESP), and soft soil (S) geo-polymer was studied. The effects of different synthesis parameters on the geopolymerization process were explained. The results showed the coexistence of calcium aluminate silicate hydrate gel and the highest cementitious product. The geopolymeric gel structure filled the voids between soft soil particles and reinforced the whole matrix.
Article
Microscopy
Rodney A. Herring
Summary: This article introduces the application of differential phase contrast based on diffracted beam interferometry in phase contrast imaging of amorphous thin film materials. By utilizing the Bragg diffraction effect of the Au crystal substrate and the different positions of the amorphous material on the substrate, differential phase contrast imaging of the amorphous material specimen is achieved.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Utkarsh Anand, Tanmay Ghosh, Zainul Aabdin, Siddardha Koneti, XiuMei Xu, Frank Holsteyns, Utkur Mirsaidov
Summary: Researchers have found that the wetting process of water on a surface patterned with a dense array of nanopillars occurs in two stages: first, an ultra-thin precursor water film forms on the surface, and then capillary action by the nanopillars pulls the water, increasing the overall thickness of the water film.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jarkko Etula, Niklas Wester, Touko Liljestrom, Sami Sainio, Tommi Palomaki, Kai Arstila, Timo Sajavaara, Jari Koskinen, Miguel A. Caro, Tomi Laurila
Summary: The experimental investigation enhanced by computational analyses reveals the significant impact of nitrogen doping on the structure and electrochemical performance of carbon films, including disruption of the C-C structure, increased surface roughness, and enhanced conductivity. These changes are associated with the increase in hydrogen and oxygen content in the films due to nitrogen doping.
CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jun Meng, Mehrdad Abbasi, Yutao Dong, Corey Carlos, Xudong Wang, Jinwoo Hwang, Dane Morgan
Summary: This study characterized the structural and electronic properties of a-TiO2 thin films grown on Si by ALD, revealing the medium-range ordering in the film and establishing a realistic atomic model. Additionally, an improved multi-objective optimization package, StructOpt, was provided for structure determination of complex materials.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiaohui Meng, Yan Qiao, Changwoo Do, Wim Bras, Chunyong He, Yubin Ke, Thomas P. Russell, Dong Qiu
Summary: This research successfully achieved a hysteresis-free material by using a low-crosslink-density polyacrylamide hydrogel with hyperbranched silica nanoparticles. These resilient hydrogels exhibit fatigue-free characteristics under large deformations and can accurately detect dynamic deformations.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tan Liu, Yixuan Yin, Yang Yang, Thomas P. Russell, Shaowei Shi
Summary: The immobilization of enzymes within microfluidic chips has proven to enhance biocatalysis and biomass conversion. A newly developed all-liquid microfluidic chip utilizes a layer-by-layer assembly strategy with polysaccharide multilayers to greatly improve mechanical properties of microchannels, creating a biocompatible environment for enzyme immobilization. This approach has been shown to enhance enzyme loading and catalytic efficiency in all-liquid microfluidic enzymatic and cascade reactors using horseradish peroxidase and glucose oxidase as model enzymes.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Nabila Tanjeem, Montana B. Minnis, Ryan C. Hayward, Charles Wyatt Shields
Summary: The demand for next-generation soft and responsive materials has led to a growing interest in the development of shape-changing particles and assemblies. Various mechanisms for shape change have been explored and integrated into particulate systems, extending from microscale to nanoscale capabilities. The emerging use of shape-morphing particles in photonics, microfluidics, microrobotics, and biomedicine is discussed, along with recent progress and challenges in the field.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Beibei Wang, Bangqi Yin, Zhao Zhang, Yixuan Yin, Yang Yang, Haiqiao Wang, Thomas P. Russell, Shaowei Shi
Summary: By using the interactions between nanoparticles and polymeric ligands, nanoparticle surfactants can be generated at the liquid-liquid interface, increasing the binding energy. Through a simplified model, it is found that competitive ligands can reduce the binding energy, leading to the dissociation and disassembly of the surfactants at the interface and allowing the construction of responsive and reconfigurable all-liquid systems.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Shuyan Yang, Shuyan Yang, Yuri Osipov, Yuri Osipov, Chengyuan Xu, Chengyuan Xu, Liudmila Kuzmina, Liudmila Kuzmina, Thomas Russell, Thomas Russell, Pavel Bedrikovetsky, Pavel Bedrikovetsky
Summary: This study discusses reactive flows in porous media with large solid-product deposition, deriving an exact analytical solution for the non-linear problem. The analytical model is validated through closely matching seven sets of experimental data, providing interpretation and type curves for measured values.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lichen Zhao, Qiuyang Li, Cheng-Hung Hou, Shunde Li, Xiaoyu Yang, Jiang Wu, Siyang Zhang, Qin Hu, Yanju Wang, Yuzhuo Zhang, Yufeng Jiang, Shuang Jia, Jing-Jong Shyue, Thomas P. Russell, Qihuang Gong, Xiaoyong Hu, Rui Zhu
Summary: A simple chemical polishing strategy was reported to remove PbI2 crystals from the perovskite surface, decoupling the effects of excess PbI in perovskite solar cells. This strategy resulted in improved perovskite surface properties, leading to increased photovoltages and fill factors, as well as enhanced device stability.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Marcel U. Brown, Hong-Gyu Seong, Khatcher O. Margossian, Lauren Bishop, Thomas P. Russell, Murugappan Muthukumar, Todd Emrick
Summary: Polymer zwitterions have various applications, but the variation in their chemical composition is limited. This article highlights the use of 4-vinylbenzyl sultone as a precursor to ammonium sulfonate zwitterionic monomers, which are then used to synthesize inverted sulfobetaine polymer zwitterions.
MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ganhua Xie, Pei Li, Paul Y. Kim, Pei-Yang Gu, Brett A. Helms, Paul D. Ashby, Lei Jiang, Thomas P. Russell
Summary: Water-walking insects use capillary forces to climb or descend the meniscus between water surface and a solid object by changing body posture, which inspired the development of autonomous aquatic synthetic systems that can shuttle cargo underground between landing and drop-off sites. By controlling the contact angle of a coacervate sac or hydrogel droplet, cyclic cargo shuttling can occur continuously as long as reactants from the surrounding aqueous phase are not depleted, potentially leading to applications in autonomously driven reaction or delivery systems and micro-/milli-robotics.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yecheng Wang, Kun Jia, Shuwen Zhang, Hyeong Jun Kim, Yang Bai, Ryan C. Hayward, Zhigang Suo
Summary: This article presents a stretchable and self-powered temperature sensing method that utilizes the charge imbalance between ions and electrons to detect temperature changes. It demonstrates high sensitivity and fast response time.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
David K. Limberg, Ji-Hwan Kang, Ryan C. Hayward
Summary: This study demonstrates a 3D printing method based on TTAP, which utilizes a continuous visible LED light source to achieve submicron resolution. This approach eliminates the need for high-intensity femtosecond laser pulses, offering the potential for low-cost 3D printing with high resolution.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Arjita Kulshreshtha, Ryan C. Hayward, Arthi Jayaraman
Summary: This study investigates the effects of the distribution of hydrogen bonding chemical groups in polymer blends on the morphology of the blend, finding that the strength of hydrogen bonding and the arrangement of groups can influence the blend morphology and microphase separation phenomena.
Article
Crystallography
Adam J. Berges, Wangxiang Li, Wenwen Xu, Fei Tong, Rabih O. Al-Kaysi, Ryan C. Hayward, Christopher J. Bardeen
Summary: This paper investigates the growth of 9-methylanthracene nanowires in anodic aluminum oxide templates and explores the potential of utilizing crystal expansion for generating motion. The study reveals that incomplete filling, crystal orientation, and debris on the template surface may hinder the observation of vertical actuation.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jesus Guillen Campos, Friedrich Stricker, Kyle D. Clark, Minwook Park, Sophia J. Bailey, Alexa S. Kuenstler, Ryan C. Hayward, Javier Read de Alaniz
Summary: In this work, a new protection-deprotection approach using a two-stage Diels-Alder cyclopentadiene-maleimide step-growth polymerization was introduced, enabling mild yet efficient, fast, controlled, reproducible and user-friendly polymerizations, broadening the scope of liquid crystal systems.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Hantao Zhou, Alexa S. Kuenstler, Wenwen Xu, Mingqiu Hu, Ryan C. Hayward
Summary: This study prepared a novel semicrystalline poly(azobenzene) material with lower Tg and Tm values and demonstrated its fast and reversible photomelting and photocrystallization abilities at room temperature, as well as controllable photoalignment.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yuzhen Chen, Alexa S. Kuenstler, Ryan C. Hayward, Lihua Jin
Summary: This article investigates the effective strategy of using liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) to create functional 3D structures. The focus is on the deformation and shape transformation of rectangular monodomain LCE thin sheets. An analytical model is derived to analyze the critical thickness in the deformation process and the influence of deformation parameters on the shape. These studies are important for designing the shape morphing of LCE thin sheets and predicting the 3D shapes they can form for various applications.
