Article
Polymer Science
Aurora Magnani, Simone Capaccioli, Bahareh Azimi, Serena Danti, Massimiliano Labardi
Summary: This study demonstrated the mapping of effective converse piezoelectric coefficient in poly(vinylidene fluoride) nanofibers with BaTiO3 nanoparticles using piezoresponse force microscopy. The analysis was conducted in a peculiar dynamic mode suitable for compliant materials. The results revealed a decreased piezoelectric activity at the nanoparticle site compared to the polymeric fiber, indicating a tradeoff between the dielectric constants and piezoelectric coefficients of the materials, as well as the orientation of polar axes.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Swati Deswal, Rishukumar Panday, Dipti R. Naphade, Pierre-Andre Cazade, Sarah Guerin, Jan K. Zareba, Alexander Steiner, Satishchandra Ogale, Thomas D. Anthopoulos, Ramamoorthy Boomishankar
Summary: Cyclophosphazenes have been found to be a versatile platform for various functional systems, and this study reports the first supramolecular ferroelectric compound based on an organophosphazene. The compound exhibits multiaxial polarization and shows potential for piezoelectric energy harvesting applications. The high performance of the compound is attributed to the flexible layered supramolecular assembly, which allows for mechanical stress-induced distortions.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Zongmo Shi, Shuyao Cao, Allan J. M. Araujo, Ping Zhang, Zhihao Lou, Mengjie Qin, Jie Xu, Feng Gao
Summary: Large-size Ca3Co4O9 microplates were prepared using molten salt synthesis method, and its piezoelectric properties were reported for the first time. The in situ PFM measurements showed a maximum piezoelectric strain coefficient of 95.1 pm/V, attributed to the non-centrosymmetric and anisotropic crystalline structure. This work suggests that misfit-layered cobaltite oxides could be a promising alternative lead-free piezoelectric material.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Andrei Kholkin, Denis Alikin, Vladimir Shur, Shiri Dishon, David Ehre, Igor Lubomirsky
Summary: Piezoelectricity is the ability of certain crystals to generate mechanical strain proportional to an external electric field. The induction of piezoelectricity in biomolecular crystals can be achieved through stereospecific doping. The study using piezoresponse force microscopy demonstrates that doping with amino acids significantly affects the shear piezoelectric response of alpha-glycine crystals.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jaime Gonzalez, Ali Ghaffarinejad, Maxim Ivanov, Paula Ferreira, Paula M. Vilarinho, Ana Borras, Harvey Amorin, Bernd Wicklein
Summary: In this study, the effect of combining nanosized carbon fillers with natural polymers such as cellulose on the enhancement of electrical properties in nanogenerator devices was investigated. It was found that the highest output voltage in triboelectric mode was obtained from cellulose films with carbon nanotubes and carbon black, while the highest piezoelectric voltage was produced in cellulose nanofiber-carbon nanotube films. The increased electricity generated from cellulose nanocomposites may lead to more efficient and biodegradable nanogenerators.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Vladimir N. Popok, Manohar Chirumamilla, Tobias Krekeler, Martin Ritter, Kjeld Pedersen
Summary: Piezoelectric AlN nanostructures with bud-like shape consisting of individual pillars/lamellae are fabricated using reactive magnetron sputter deposition technique. These nanostructures exhibit a wurtzite-like hexagonal lattice with preferential growth direction along the c-axis. Piezoresponse force microscopy characterization reveals giant values of the piezoresponse coefficient, up to 6 times higher than AlN bulk and thin films. The results provide a basis for optimizing fabrication parameters, tuning AlN piezoelectric properties, and developing energy generation technology with large-area nanoscale matrices.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shan He, Mengfan Guo, Zhenkang Dan, Shun Lan, Weibin Ren, Le Zhou, Yue Wang, Yuhan Liang, Yunpeng Zheng, Jiayu Pan, Yang Shen
Summary: In this study, a hot-pressing strategy was utilized to prepare large-area PVDF LB film with ultra-smooth surface, improved structure uniformity, and enhanced ferroelectric and piezoelectric responses. The research also revealed a coupling effect between surface potential distribution and nanoscale non-uniform switching behavior, providing insights for local transport characterization and charge research in ferroelectric materials.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Chin Chyi Loo, Sha Shiong Ng, Wei Sea Chang
Summary: The recent progress in piezotronics and piezo-phototronics has revealed new methods for adjusting/enhancing the performance of GaN-based devices, and the photostrictive effect in GaN samples with InGaN/GaN MQWs can be elucidated through the combination of light-induced surface electric field and converse piezoelectric effect. The enhanced piezoelectric coefficient under laser illumination suggests the potential for adjustable photostrictive responses in optomechanical sensors/actuators by manipulating the strain state of MQWs.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
L. Jaloustre, S. Le Denmat, T. Auzelle, M. Azadmand, L. Geelhaar, F. Dahlem, R. Songmuang
Summary: This study demonstrates semi-quantitative PFM can be achieved on low piezocoefficient III-nitrides in high-aspect-ratio nanostructures, and improved electric field distribution in nanowires minimizes measurement artifacts. Contrary to previous reports, giant piezoelectricity was not observed in III-N nanowires with diameters ranging from 30-80 nm.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Siying Wu, Fatemeh Zabihi, Rou Yi Yeap, Mohammad Reza Yousefi Darestani, Addie Bahi, Zeyu Wan, Shengyuan Yang, Peyman Servati, Frank K. Ko
Summary: Piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs) convert mechanical energy from body movement to electricity. Flexible piezoelectric yarns assembled with cesium lead halide perovskite decorated polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanofibers offer a comfortable and efficient solution for wearable energy harvesting. Optimal performance was achieved with CsPbI2Br decorated PVDF nanofibers, producing an output voltage of 8.3 V and current of 1.91 mu A, and maintaining performance after 19,200 cycles of mechanical stresses. The flexibility of piezoelectric yarns enables various textile integrations, demonstrating the potential for wearable mechanical energy harvesting.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
R. Eslami, A. Malekkhouyan, P. Santhirakumaran, M. Mehrvar, H. Zarrin
Summary: Flexible piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs) incorporating functionalized mono-/few-layered hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets (F-hBNNS) in a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) matrix were fabricated for clean energy harvesting and powering low-power modules. The F-hBNNS showed enhanced piezoelectric properties compared to non-functionalized hBN, resulting in a 5.5 times increase in energy harvesting performance. The PENGs exhibited stable voltage output even after 1000 cycles of bending-unbending, making them compatible with wearable devices.
MATERIALS TODAY CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
C. S. Feng, R. K. Zhu, W. J. Ming, K. Pan, J. L. Peng, Y. Y. Liu, C. H. Lei
Summary: This paper utilizes the differential evolution algorithm to quantitatively analyze the piezoelectric properties of transversely isotropic piezoelectric mediums through PFM experiments. By extending the fully coupled theory to calculate the electromechanical responses, the study observes the relationships among electromechanical responses, intrinsic piezoelectric properties, and measurement conditions, providing guidance for choosing proper measurement conditions and optimization strategies during the resolving process.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Qibin Zeng, Qicheng Huang, Hongli Wang, Caiwen Li, Zhen Fan, Deyang Chen, Yuan Cheng, Kaiyang Zeng
Summary: The study introduces a high-resolution non-contact measurement technique, NC-HEsFM, for nanoscale ferroelectric characterization, offering better performance compared to traditional PFM. By utilizing a QTF sensor, multi-frequency operation, and heterodyne detection schemes, NC-HEsFM achieves true non-contact yet non-destructive ferroelectric characterization, while providing ideal conditions for investigating ferroelectric phenomena.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhuzhu Shao, Xuan Zhang, Zihan Song, Jingfeng Liu, Xingang Liu, Chuhong Zhang
Summary: This study fabricates PVDF hollow fibers with adjustable wall thickness by using coaxial electrospinning. Simulation analysis shows that enlarging the inner diameter of the hollow fiber increases its effective deformation, resulting in enhanced piezoelectric output, which is consistent with the experimental results. This study is the first to reveal the influence mechanism of morphology regulation on the piezoelectric performance of PVDF hollow fibers from both simulation and experimental aspects. The optimal PVDF hollow fiber piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH) delivers a piezoelectric output voltage of 32.6 V, approximately 3 times that of the solid PVDF fiber PEH. Furthermore, the electrical output of the hollow fiber PEH can be stably stored in secondary energy storage systems to power microelectronics. This study provides an efficient approach for reconciling simulation and tailoring fiber PEH morphology to enhance performances for future self-powered systems.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Pratyush Buragohain, Adam Erickson, Takanori Mimura, Takao Shimizu, Hiroshi Funakubo, Alexei Gruverman
Summary: This study investigates the mechanism of polarization reversal in yttrium-doped HfO2 by studying the switching behavior in epitaxial and polycrystalline thin film capacitors. It is found that the film microstructure affects the nucleation process, and under external fields approaching the activation field value, the switching kinetics can be described by both nucleation limited switching and the Kolmogorov-Avrami-Ishibashi models.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Alessio Tamburrano, Alessandro Proietti, Marco Fortunato, Nicola Pesce, Maria Sabrina Sarto
Summary: This study presents the development of a piezoresistive coating made from graphene nanoplatelets dispersed in a commercial water-based polyurethane paint. The coating shows potential for highly sensitive strain sensors and spatial strain measurement. Experimental investigations were conducted to optimize the production process and characterize the material's structural and functional properties. The coating exhibited good dispersion of graphene nanoplatelets and demonstrated effective electrical conductivity.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Carla Fanizza, Mara Stefanelli, Anna Risuglia, Erika Bruni, Federica Ietto, Federica Incoronato, Fabrizio Marra, Adele Preziosi, Patrizia Mancini, Maria Sabrina Sarto, Daniela Uccelletti
Summary: In this study, smart fabrics were produced by depositing two types of water-based inks mixed with graphene nanoplatelets on a fabric. The biocompatibility and effects on cells were evaluated, and it was found that P2GNP fabric showed non-toxic properties and can be used for the development of piezoresistive sensors in the future.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Joao Fernandes, Siva Sankar Nemala, Giovanni De Bellis, Andrea Capasso
Summary: Liquid phase exfoliation (LPE) enables large-scale and cost-effective production of graphene materials, with applications in various fields. However, the use of current solvents poses health and environmental risks, highlighting the need for green solvents.
FRONTIERS IN CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Claudio Natale, Riccardo Ferrante, Fabio Boccuni, Francesca Tombolini, Maria Sabrina Sarto, Sergio Iavicoli
Summary: This study used laboratory simulation techniques to reproduce a critical work activity in order to study occupational exposure during the handling of nanoparticles. Real-time instrumentation was used to calculate particle concentration, size distribution, and surface area, while time-integrated instrumentation was used for offline dust analysis.
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Alessandro Giuseppe D'Aloia, Marcello D'Amore, Maria Sabrina Sarto
Summary: This study proposes a new analytical approach to optimize the thicknesses of a two-layer absorbing structure made of a graphene-based composite and a polymer dielectric spacer, backed by a metallic layer acting as perfect electric conductor (PEC). The lossy sheet is made of an epoxy-based vinyl ester resin filled with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) characterized by known frequency spectra of the complex permittivity. The optimal thicknesses are computed at different target frequencies to cover the 5G frequency bands, and the resulting absorbing structures show high absorption performances in the 5G high frequency range.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
F. Bardelli, C. Giacobbe, P. Ballirano, V. Borelli, F. Di Benedetto, G. Montegrossi, D. Bellis, A. Pacella
Summary: Asbestos bodies (AB) are formed in the lungs by a biomineralization process initiated by alveolar macrophages. This study reveals that AB in former asbestos plant workers contain Fe-oxy(hydroxides) in the form of ferrihydrite and goethite. The presence of goethite suggests acidic conditions induced by macrophages, which have toxicological implications discussed in the paper.
ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Andrea Amaro, Adrian Suarez, Alessio Tamburrano, Jose Torres, Fabrizio Marra, Pedro A. A. Martinez, Begona Galindo, Neus Soriano, Jorge Victoria, Antonio Alcarria
Summary: This research extends the studies on electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) to the frequency regions of fifth-generation (5G) technology for broadband cellular networks. It focuses on the management of EMC in electric autonomous vehicles (EAVs), which utilize 5G technology and require proper EMC to prevent malfunctions. The research explores new materials and solutions for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding that reduce interference in the frequency regions of 5G technology. The use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as an alternative to conventional EMI shielding materials is investigated due to their lightweight condition, flexibility, cost-effectiveness, easy processing, and resistance to corrosion.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ELECTROMAGNETIC COMPATIBILITY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Michele Aventaggiato, Adele Preziosi, Hossein Cheraghi Bidsorkhi, Emily Schifano, Simone Vespa, Stefania Mardente, Alessandra Zicari, Daniela Uccelletti, Patrizia Mancini, Lavinia Vittoria Lotti, Maria Sabrina Sarto, Marco Tafani
Summary: Nanomaterials, particularly zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures, are being widely studied in medicine due to their unique properties. However, recent research has shown that ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) and ZnO nanorods (ZnO-NRs) can induce cellular toxicity. This study aimed to investigate the effects of ZnO-NR treatment on normal and cancer cells. The results demonstrated that ZnO-NR treatments led to cell death, activation of hypoxia response, and induction of autophagy and mitophagy. While ZnO-NRs showed potential in reducing cancer growth, concerns were raised regarding their impact on normal cells in the long term.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Rui M. R. Pinto, Siva Sankar Nemala, Mohammadmahdi Faraji, Joao Fernandes, Clara Ponte, Giovanni De Bellis, Aritz Retolaza, K. B. Vinayakumar, Andrea Capasso
Summary: Material jetting techniques allow selective deposition of droplets of materials in liquid or powder form by drop-on-demand printing. This study printed zero-dimensional multi-layer shell-structured fullerene material on polyethylene terephthalate substrates using drop-on-demand inkjet printing. The printed CNO structures showed high sensitivity to temperature and humidity, making them potential candidates for inkjet-printed technologies such as environmental and gas sensors.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Irene Bellagamba, Fabio Boccuni, Riccardo Ferrante, Francesca Tombolini, Claudio Natale, Fabrizio Marra, Maria Sabrina Sarto, Sergio Iavicoli
Summary: This study evaluates the release of nanomaterials during the production of graphene-based polymer coatings. The results indicate potential release of graphene nanoplatelets near the operator, but the use of a ventilated hood reduces particle concentration levels. These findings help identify high-risk exposure phases and determine proper risk mitigation strategies.
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Babar Ali, Negin Faramarzi, Umar Farooq, Hossein Cheraghi Bidsorkhi, Alessandro Giuseppe D'Aloia, Alessio Tamburrano, Maria Sabrina Sarto
Summary: Pedobarography and gait analysis play vital roles in healthcare, especially for chronic illnesses. The development of wearable electronics, like smart insole systems, has shown promise in remote and long-term gait monitoring by providing accurate real-time data. This study presents a flexible piezoresistive pressure sensor, which was fabricated using low-cost and rapid prototyping techniques. The sensor, spray-deposited with a graphene nanoplatelet/polycaprolactone composite on a fiber-based commercial insole, demonstrated a pressure range of up to 400 kPa and high linear sensitivity (approximately 0.376 kPa(-1)), making it suitable for pedobarography. The practical application of the sensor was also tested, where it was connected to a low-power programmable data logging and transmitting device for data acquisition through a custom-designed Android application. The sensor showed the ability to differentiate various motion states and exhibited potential for long-term stability.
IEEE SENSORS LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jasmine R. Petriglieri, Luca Barale, Cecilia Viti, Paolo Ballirano, Elena Belluso, Maria R. Bruno, Antonella Campopiano, Annapaola Cannizzaro, Marzia Fantauzzi, Flaminia Gianchiglia, Maria R. Montereali, Elisa Nardi, Angelo Olori, Fabrizio Piana, Maura Tomatis, Antonella Rossi, Henrik Skogby, Alessandro Pacella, Francesco Turci
Summary: The environmental impact of natural occurrences of asbestos and asbestos-like minerals is a growing concern. The lack of shared sampling and analytical procedures hinders addressing this issue effectively. A multidisciplinary approach was proposed and demonstrated to investigate the hazard posed by natural occurrences of asbestos.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Marco Fortunato, Luca Pacitto, Nicola Pesce, Alessio Tamburrano
Summary: Researchers have developed piezoresistive pressure sensors using 3D porous flexible open-cell foams, which can be used for health monitoring, illness prevention, and human motion detection. By controlling the shape and size of the foam through additive manufacturing, the sensors' piezoresistive response can be adjusted by varying the concentration of the infiltrated graphene nanoplatelets. The optimized grid-based structure sensors exhibit the highest sensitivity for pressures below 10 kPa.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Paolo Ballirano, Beatrice Celata, Ferdinando Bosi, Christopher E. Beckett -Brown, Giovanni B. Andreozzi
Summary: Through in-situ powder X-ray diffraction (in situ pXRD), the breakdown temperature of schorl with the richest Fe2+ content was determined to be 850 degrees Celsius, with the first appearance of hematite and dominant B-mullite phase. The breakdown process was completed at 950 degrees Celsius, with no residual tourmaline found. Annealing the schorl at 450 degrees Celsius in air resulted in the oxidation of Fe, counterbalanced by the deprotonation reaction.
PERIODICO DI MINERALOGIA
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Paolo Ballirano, Henrik Skogby, Flaminia Gianchiglia, Maria Cristina Di Carlo, Antonella Campopiano, Annapaola Cannizzaro, Angelo Olori, Alessandro Pacella
Summary: In this study, a complete structural and spectroscopic characterization of an UICC amosite standard sample from Penge mine (South Africa) was reported. The chemical composition and cation site partition were determined using SEM-EDS, Mossbauer, and X-ray powder diffraction data. The results showed that Fe2+ is mainly allocated in the octahedral layer, while Mg is preferentially ordered at a specific site. The obtained results provide a basis for further investigation into the physico-chemical features, chemical reactivity, and toxicity of the fibers.
PERIODICO DI MINERALOGIA
(2022)