Fabrication of synthetic opals composed of mesoporous SnO2 spheres with an anodization-assisted double template process

Synthetic opals composed of mesoporous SnO₂ spheres were successfully fabricated from anodization of Sn opals, double templated from polystyrene opals. The mesoporous SnO₂ spheres were 440 nm in diameter containing mesopores of 20–40 nm. The resultant mesoporous SnO₂ opals possessed a high specific surface area of 196 m²/g and a grain size of 12 nm as estimated from XRD patterns. Such a hierarchical structure of SnO₂ is a promising candidate for applications in gas sensors, catalysts, and electrode materials since the regularity of the sub-micron opal structure eases transfers of relevant chemical species within the structure while the mesoporosity of the constituent SnO₂ spheres offers sufficient functioning surfaces for targeted applications.     

Macroporous fluoropolymeric films templated by silica colloidal assembly: A possible route to super-hydrophobic surfaces

A super-hydrophobic surface was obtained on a three-dimensional (3D) polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) macroporous film. The porous films were fabricated through self-assembled silica colloidal templates. The apparent water contact angle of the surface can be tuned from 106° to 153° through altering the sintering temperature and the diameter of the colloidal templates. A composite structure of micro-cavities and nanoholes on the PVDF surface was responsible for the super-hydrophobicity. The wettability of the porous surfaces was described by the use of the Cassie-Baxter model and Wenzel's equation.     

PAM-PAA microgel inverse opal photonic crystal and pH response

The colloidal crystal template or opal with a closed-packed face-centered cubic (fcc) lattice was prepared from monodisperse polystyrene (PS) spheres by vertical sedimentation.The template provided void space for infiltration of monomer precursor composed of acrylate acid,acrylamide and ammonium persulfate,as well as microgel from the subsequent copolymerization.The sample was immersed in dimethylbenzene for completely removing PS spheres to form PAM inverse opal hydrogels (IOH_(PAM)) or PAM/PAA inverse opal hydrogels (IOH_(PAM/PAA)) photonic crystals.The PS spheres were replaced by air spheres,which interconnected each other through the windows.The study of responses to pH show that there are two peaks for both IOH_(PAM) and IOH_(PAM/PAA) films,but the IOH(PAM/PAA) peaks shift to higher pH,and the peaks are independent with the AA content. (?)2007 Xiao Dong Wang.Published by Elsevier B.V.on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society.All rights reserved.     

TL and OSL dosimetric properties of Opal gemstone for gamma radiation dosimetry

In this work, the response of the natural material Opal was studied in relation to its thermoluminescence (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), after exposure to the gamma radiation of a ⁶⁰Co source. The structure of the powdered Opal was verified using the X-ray diffraction, scanning electronic microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy techniques. The material, in its stone form, was turned into powder and mixed to Teflon (also in powder) in three different concentrations, and then pellets were manufactured. The aim of this work was to evaluate the response of these pellets in high-doses of gamma radiation beams, and to observe their possible application as dosimeters, using the TL and OSL techniques. The dosimetric properties of the samples were analyzed by means of different tests, as: TL emission curves and OSL signal decay curves, reproducibility of TL and OSL response, minimum detectable dose, TL and OSL dose–response curves (5 Gy–10 kGy), and fading. The results obtained in this work, for the TL and OSL phenomena, demonstrated that the pellets of Opal + Teflon present an adequate performance e possibility of use as dosimeters in beams of high-dose gamma radiation.     

Electromagnetic and magnetic properties of magnetophotonic crystal based on opal matrix with Co and CoO nanoparticles

Magnetic properties of magnetophotonic crystals based on opal matrices have been studied as well as their electromagnetic properties in millimeter waveband. The particles of cobalt oxide are embedded into the inter-sphere voids of the matrix. After annealing in hydrogen the cobalt oxide particles transform to metallic cobalt. It has been shown that if antiferromagnetic cobalt oxide remains besides ferromagnetic cobalt, the low-temperature magnetic hysteresis loop is shifted along the field axis. Magnetic field influences essentially on the microwave transmission and reflection coefficients only after annealing in hydrogen that is if the ferromagnetic phase presents in the sample. The spectra of magnetic resonance and antiresonance are studied.     

Homogenization of nanostructured media in magnetic field

Problem of homogenization of nanostructured media in magnetic field has been considered. Possibility of introduction of effective material parameters dielectric permittivity and magnetic permeability for three classes of media such as magnetic metal nanostructures, film metal–dielectric composite media and 3D-nanocomposites on the base of opal matrices has been investigated. It has been stated that the introduction of effective parameters far from magnetic resonance conditions is possible at millimeter waveband frequencies. Strict introduction of effective magnetic permeability of nanostructured media near magnetic resonance is not possible.     

红外区金属氧化物反蛋白石光子晶体的安德森定域化研究

根据Mie散射理论,在低浓度近似下,对中红外区由金属氧化物构成的反蛋白石光子晶体的禁带的存在区域,即光子定域化区进行了研究。发现在浓度为10%,此类晶体在中红外区将出现多个光子禁带区域,并且计算了影响定域化区域的各种因素。由此可知利用材料在剩余射线带内折射率小于1的特性,我们可以制备出中红外区和远红外区存在禁带的光子晶体。这一结果为反蛋白石晶体的研究提供了理论方法。     

Broadening of band-gap in photonic crystals with optically saturated media

Due to strong absorption of the incident light, the media with high refractive index are considered restrictive for applications in photonic crystals (PhCs). The possibility to resolve this problem by optical saturation effectively minimizing the absorption of the PhC medium is discussed. Such approach might be promising for the significant broadening of the photonic band-gap.     

Photo- and electroluminescence of sulfide and silicate phosphors embedded in synthetic opal

The sulfide (ZnS:Mn, Zn_xCd_1−xS:Mn, Zn_xCd_1−xS:Ag) and silicate (Zn₂SiO₄:Mn) phosphors were synthesized directly inside the pores of synthetic opal by chemical bath deposition. These composites are perfect three-dimensional photonic crystals, which produce effective photo- and electroluminescence at room temperature. The emission spectra are considerably modified by the photonic crystal structure to become anisotropic in accordance with the photonic band gap angular dispersion.     

三维SiO2欧泊模板溶剂热法制备硫化锌光子晶体

以单分散二氧化硅微球在重力场下自组装得到的三维有序欧泊(opal)为模板，采用溶剂热法在模板空隙内生长ZnS晶体，从而制备高质量的硫化锌基光子晶体. 通过X射线衍射(XRD)和Raman光谱证明ZnS晶体为闪锌矿结构且晶体质量较好，并对其生长机理进行了讨论. 通过场发射扫描电子显微镜(FESEM)和紫外-可见分光光度计对所合成的ZnS/opal复合物与ZnS反欧泊结构进行了表征，结果表明两种结构都保持了欧泊三维有序性，并且在Г-L方向(垂直于(111)方向)上出现了布拉格衍射峰，说明其具有良好的光子晶体特性.