Thermally stimulated dielectric properties of polyvinylidenefluoride–zinc oxide nanocomposites

Thirty-micrometer thick polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF)–zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocomposite samples in the mass ratio of ZnO (1–6% (w/w)) have been prepared by solution mixing method. The nano- and microstructures of PVDF–ZnO nanocomposite of different mass ratios were characterized by using high-resolution techniques such as atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The SEM and AFM images show the presence of different components such as nanoparticles, amorphous and crystalline phases in nanocomposite samples. Dielectric properties of polymer nanocomposite based on PVDF and ZnO of different mass/% compositions have been studied to understand the molecular motion at different frequencies in the temperature range from 300 to 500 K. The permittivity of the nanocomposites decreases with frequency, while increases with the increasing temperature and ZnO content. The loss peak that disappeared at higher frequency is the remarkable result of this study.     

Completeness of β-phase decomposition reaction in Cu–Al–Ag alloys

The completeness of ??-phase decomposition reaction in the Cu?C11wt%Al?Cxwt%Ag alloys (x?=?0, 1, 2, and 3) was studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and optical microscopy (OM). The results indicated that ??-phase transformations are highly dependent on cooling rate and on the presence of Ag. On slow cooling, the silver presence prevents the ??- and ??₁-phase decomposition; thus, inducing the martensitic phase formation. After rapid cooling, a new thermal event is observed and the reverse martensitic transformation is shifted to lower temperatures.     

Investigating the local structure of B-site cations in (1-x)BaTiO3–xBiScO3 and (1-x)PbTiO3–xBiScO3 using X-ray absorption spectroscopy

The structural properties of (1-x)BaTiO₃–xBiScO₃ and (1-x)PbTiO₃–xBiScO₃ were investigated using powder X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Diffraction measurements confirmed that substituting small amounts of BiScO₃ into BaTiO₃ initially stabilizes a cubic phase at x = 0.2 before impurity phases begin to form at x = 0.5. BiScO₃ substitution also resulted in noticeable changes in the local coordination environment of Ti⁴⁺. X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) analysis showed that replacing Ti⁴⁺ with Sc³⁺ results in an increase in the off-centre displacement of Ti⁴⁺ cations. Surprisingly, BiScO₃ substitution has no effect on the displacement of the Ti⁴⁺ cation in the (1-x)PbTiO₃–xBiScO₃ solid solution.     

Constraints in post-synthesis ligand exchange for hybrid organic (MEH-PPV)–inorganic (CdSe) nanocomposites

For an optimum charge/energy transfer performance of hybrid organic–inorganic colloidal nanocrystals for applications such as photonic devices and solar cells, the determining factors are the distance between the nanocrystal and polymer which greatly depends upon nanocrystal size/nanocrystal ligands. Short chain ligands are preferred to ensure a close contact between the donor and acceptor as a result of the tunnelling probability of the charges and the insulating nature of long alkyl chain molecules. Short distances increase the probability for tunnelling to occur as compared to long distances induced by long alkyl chains of bulky ligands which inhibit tunnelling altogether. The ligands on the as-synthesized nanocrystals can be exchanged for various other ligands to achieve desirable charge/energy transfer properties depending on the bond strength of the ligand on the nanocrystal compared to the replacement ligand. In this work, the constraints involved in post-synthesis ligand exchange process have been evaluated, and these factors have been tuned via wet chemistry to tailor the hybrid material properties via appropriate selection of the nanocrystal capping ligands. It has been found that both oleic acid and oleylamine (OLA)-capped cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots (QDs) as compared with trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO)-passivated CdSe QDs are of high quality, and they provide better steric stability against coagulation, homogeneity, and photostability to their respective polymer:CdSe nanocomposites. CdSe QDs particularly with OLA capping have relatively smaller surface energies, and thus, lesser quenching capabilities show dominance of photoinduced Forster energy transfer between donors (polymer) and acceptors (CdSe nanocrystals) as compared to charge transfer mechanism as observed in polymer:CdSe (TOPO) composites. It is conjectured that size quantization effects, stereochemical compatibility of ligands (TOPO, oleic acid, and oleyl amine), and polymer MEH-PPV stability greatly influence the photophysics and photochemistry of hybrid polymer–semiconductor nanocomposites.     

Design of Fe_(3–x)O_4 raspberry decorated graphene nanocomposites with high performances in lithium-ion battery

Fe_(3–x)O_4 raspberry shaped nanostructures/graphene nanocomposites were synthesized by a one-step polyol-solvothermal method to be tested as electrode materials for Li-ion battery(LIB). Indeed, Fe_(3–x)O_4 raspberry shaped nanostructures consist of original oriented aggregates of Fe_(3–x)O_4 magnetite nanocrystals, ensuring a low oxidation state of magnetite and a hollow and porous structure, which has been easily combined with graphene sheets. The resulting nanocomposite powder displays a very homogeneous spatial distribution of Fe_(3–x)O_4 nanostructures at the surface of the graphene sheets. These original nanostructures and their strong interaction with the graphene sheets resulted in very small capacity fading upon Li+ion intercalation. Reversible capacity, as high as 660 m Ah/g, makes this material promising for anode in Li-ion batteries application.     

Increases in reaction rates and improvement of current–potential characteristics in the electrochemical oxidation of formic acid

In current-control experiments, perturbing an aqueous solution containing 0.10 M formic acid and 0.50 M HClO₄ by including a small amount of HBF₄ causes more than a 60% increase in the value of the applied current for which low-valued stationary potentials remain stable. The current increases by more than 50% at relevant potential values in potential-control experiments. Current–potential characteristics inferior to those of the HCOOH + HClO₄ solution are obtained with other solutions made by adding small amounts of a strong acid or salt. Properties that exist among the anions present in the latter solutions are possessed by BF₄⁻. Nonlinear behavior exhibited by formic acid oxidation is changed drastically by the presence of a small amount of any one of the anions studied. These results and other arguments support the hypothesis that HBF₄ enhances current–potential characteristics by causing the formation of surface anion complexes possessing OH components at low potentials.     

Dielectric,pyroelectric and piezoelectric properties in the (1 − x)(0.1BaTiO3–0.9NaNbO3)–xLiNbO3 system

New lead free piezoceramics with the given compositions (1 − x)(0.1BaTiO₃–0.9NaNbO₃)–xLiNbO₃(0.01 ≤ x ≤ 0.125) were prepared by solid–state reaction technique. XRD patterns revealed a single perovskite-structured phase only for 0.01 ≤ x < 0.05. The dielectric, pyroelectric and piezoelectric responses were investigated for compositions with x = 0.01 and 0.02. For both compositions, ɛ’_r exhibited a sharp peak with no frequency dependence (classical ferroelectrics). Losses displayed a strong dispersion at low frequencies in the paraelectric phase which was attributed to Li ionic conductivity in these compositions. The spontaneous polarization was found to be 35 and ≈22 μC cm⁻² for x = 0.01 and 0.02 respectively. The transverse piezoelectric coefficient d₃₁ measured for x = 0.01 reached value of 37 pC/N at room temperature while the planar coupling factor was about 0.23.     

Vibrational analysis of N2(B 3Πg and C 3Πu) and CO(X) excited in N2 discharge and post discharge

A spectroscopic characterization of a N₂ radiofrequency discharge and N₂CO post discharge has been performed. The relative vibrational distribution of the excited B ³Π_g and C ³Π_u states of nitrogen and their correlation with the ground state have been analyzed. The analysis confirms the importance of the metastable molecules. N₂(A ³Σ⁺_u), in affecting the vibrational distribution of nitrogen in its ground state in the discharge and post discharge. The vibrational analysis of the CO ground state, excited in the post discharge by vibrationally excited N₂ molecules, confirms the high degree of vibrational non-equilibrium in the ground state of nitrogen, in the presence of a low first-level vibrational temperature.     

Collisional–radiative model for the sputtered copper atoms and ions in a direct current argon glow discharge

A collisional–radiative model is developed for various levels of the sputtered copper (Cu) atoms and their ions in an argon (Ar) direct current glow discharge, used as an analytical source for optical emission spectrometry. In this application, attention is paid to the photons emitted by sputtered atoms and ions, and hence to the behavior of excited levels of these species. 8 Cu atomic and 7 Cu⁺ ionic levels are considered in the model, as well as the Cu²⁺ ions. Typical results of the model are the level populations (in two dimensions) of the various levels, and the relative contributions of the different populating and depopulating processes. This model is not only of interest for analytical glow discharge optical emission spectrometry, but also for plasma diagnostic tools and for copper–vapor lasers.     

Polybenzoxazine–silica (PBZ–SiO2) hybrid nanocomposites through in situ sol–gel method

New type of Polybenzoxazine–silica (PBZ–SiO₂) hybrid nanocomposites was prepared through in situ sol–gel method. Benzoxazine was synthesized using bisphenol-A, trans-4-aminocyclohexanol hydrochloride and formaldehyde solution through Mannich condensation reaction and was characterized by FT-IR, ¹HNMR and ¹³CNMR spectroscopy. The methodology adopted in the present study involves to formation of hydrogen bond interaction between the benzoxazine monomer and the silica matrix, followed by the ring opening polymerization of benzoxazine monomer through thermal curing to obtain a red brown transparent PBZ–SiO₂ hybrid. The formation of hybrid nanocomposites was confirmed by FT-IR. Thermal and morphological properties of the hybrid materials were investigated by the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The PBZ–SiO₂ hybrids show improved thermal properties and glass transition (Tg) temperature. The nitrogen porosimetry study was carried out to confirm the nanometer level integration of polybenzoxazine in the PBZ–SiO₂ hybrid nanocomposites.     

Microfluidic fabrication of β-phase enriched poly(vinylidene fluoride) microfibers toward flexible piezoelectric sensor

β-phase enriched piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) films/fibers are often prepared by high-energy costing methods, including mechanical stretching, high-electric field or electrospinning. In this study, PVDF piezoelectric microfibers, for the first time, were prepared by microfluidic spinning technology. The β-phase enriched PVDF microfibers with various diameters could be easily obtained inside the microfluidic channel due to the mass transfer induced phase inversion of the inner PVDF solution. The influence of diameter of the fibers, PVDF concentration of the inner phase and water content of the outer phase on the β-phase content and crystallinity degree of the obtained fibers was studied in detail. The obtained β-phase enriched fiber was weaved into meshes. Flexible piezoelectric fabrics were then developed based on these meshes, and further used as in-situ and real time human motion monitoring. This simple and effective strategy provides a promising microfluidic spinning technique toward the development of functional microfibers and wearable piezoelectric sensors, which may also give some implies for the industrial wet-spinning of piezoelectric PVDF fibers in the future.     

Relationship between side-chain branching and stoichiometry in β(3)-peptide bundles

The stability and stoichiometry of β(3)-peptide bundles is influenced by side-chain identity. β(3)-peptides containing β(3)-homoleucine on one helical face assemble into octamers, whereas those containing β(3)-homovaline form tetramers. From a structural perspective, the side chains of β(3)-homoleucine and β(3)-homovaline differ in terms of both side-chain length and γ-carbon branching. To evaluate the extent to which these two parameters control β(3)-peptide bundle stoichiometry, we synthesized the β(3)-peptide Acid-3Y, which contains β(3)-homoisoleucine in place of β(3)-homoleucine or β(3)-homovaline. Acid-3Y assembles into a stable tetramer whose stability resembles that of the previously characterized Acid-VY tetramer. These results suggest that β(3)-peptide bundle stoichiometry is dominated by the presence or absence of γ-carbon branching on core side chains.     

Polyurethane–poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PU–PVDF) thin film composite membranes for gas separation

Aqueous polyurethane dispersions (PUDs) with poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), or mixed poly(dimethylsiloxane)/poly(ethylene glycol) (PDMS/PEG) as the soft segment were synthesized, and made into thin films for characterization with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogarvimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Seven thin film composite (TFC) membranes prepared on PUDs and PVDF substrates were evaluated by the separation of air as well as hydrocarbon–nitrogen mixtures. A promising membrane was then selected for further investigation of the morphological structure and permselectivities, using pure gases and binary mixtures of ethylene, ethane, propylene and propane with nitrogen at ambient temperature. It was found that PDMS/PEG-based PU membrane was typically solubility-selective for condensable hydrocarbons, and nitrogen permeance was marginally enhanced in hydrocarbon–nitrogen mixtures. It appears that the copolymer membrane with both urethane and PEG segments can effectively tolerate the swelling caused by the condensable gases. As a result, the selectivities of propylene and propane to nitrogen were substantially improved, e.g., in a mixture containing 28% propylene and 72% nitrogen, the selectivity of propylene to nitrogen reached 29.2 with a propylene permeance of 34.4 gas permeation unit (GPU).     

The preparation of conducting polyaniline–silver and poly(p-phenylenediamine)–silver nanocomposites in liquid and frozen reaction mixtures

The oxidation of aniline with silver nitrate in 1 mol L⁻¹ acetic acid at 20 °C yielded a composite of two conducting components, polyaniline and silver; the acceleration with 1 mol% of p-phenylenediamine is needed for efficient synthesis. The yield and molecular weight increased when aniline was copolymerized with 10 mol% p-phenylenediamine. Such product displayed metallic conductivity below 180 K and semiconductor type above this temperature. As the result, the conductivity was the same at 100 and 300 K. The oxidation of p-phenylenediamine alone with silver nitrate also produced a conducting composite having the conductivity of 1,750 S cm⁻¹ despite the assumed nonconductivity of poly(p-phenylenediamine). The present study demonstrates that all oxidations proceeded also in frozen reaction mixtures at −24 °C, i.e., in the solid state. In most cases, molecular weights of polymer component increased, the conductivity of composites with silver improved, to 2,990 S cm⁻¹ for poly(p-phenylenediamine)–silver, and remained high after deprotonation with 1 mol L⁻¹ ammonium hydroxide.

     

Nano Au enhanced upconversion in dichroic Nd3+:Au–antimony glass nanocomposites

Dichroic Nd³⁺:Au–antimony glass (K₂O–B₂O₃–Sb₂O₃) nanocomposites (NCs) have been synthesized by single-step melt-quench thermochemical reduction process. The UV–Vis–NIR spectra show surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band of Au⁰ nanoparticles (NPs) and absorption peaks of Nd³⁺ ions. XRD and SAED results indicate growth of Au⁰ NPs along (200) plane. TEM image reveals elliptical Au⁰ NPs having sizes 12–21 nm (aspect ratio ～1.2) responsible for the dichroic behavior. Photoluminescent upconversion under excitation at 805 nm exhibit two emission bands of Nd³⁺ ions at 540 (green) and 650 (red) nm due to ⁴G_7/2 → ⁴I_9/2 and ⁴G_7/2 → ⁴I_13/2 transitions respectively. Both bands undergo maximum 8 and 11 fold intensity enhancements respectively at 0.03 wt% Au⁰ (4.1 × 10¹⁸ atoms/cm³). Local field enhancement (LFE) induced by Au⁰ SPR and energy transfer (ET) from Au⁰ → Nd³⁺ is found to be responsible for enhancement while ET from Nd³⁺ → Au⁰ and optical re-absorption due to Au⁰ SPR for quenching.     

Dry etching characteristics of III–V semiconductors in microwave BCl3 discharges

Electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) BCl₃ discharges with additional rf biasing of the sample position have been used to etch a variety of III–V semiconductors. GaAs and Al_xGa_1–xAs (x = 0–1) etch at equal rates in BCl₃ or BCl₃/Ar discharges, whereas SF₆ addition produces high selectivities for etching GaAs over AlGaAs. These selectivities are in excess of 600 for dc biases of –150 V, and fall to 6 for biases of –300 V. If the dc biases are kept to – 100 V, there is no measurable degradation of the optical properties of the GaAs and AlGaAs. The AlF₃ formed on the AlGaAs surface during exposure to BCl₃/SF₆ plasmas can be removed by sequential rinsing in dilute NH₄OH and water. In-based materials (InP, InAs, InSb, InGaAs) etch at slow rates with relatively rough morphologies in BCl₃ plasmas.     

Phase evolution,dielectric, ferroelectric,and piezoelectric properties of Bi(Mg0.5Hf0.5)O3–modified BiFeO3–BaTiO3

Bi(Mg_0.5Hf_0.5)O₃–modified BiFeO₃–BaTiO₃ ternary solid solutions of (0.725-x)BiFeO₃-0.275BaTiO₃-xBi(Mg_0.5Hf_0.5)O₃ (0 < x ≤ 0.05, abbreviated as BFO-BTO-xBMHO) were prepared for lead-free piezoelectrics. The addition of BMHO delivers a rhombohedral (R3c, denoted as R-phase) to tetragonal (P4mm, denoted as T-phase) phase transition at x = 0.05, giving the coexistence of R- and T-phase in intermediate compositions: R-phase dominated in x = 0.01–0.02 and T-phase dominated in x = 0.03–0.04. The increment of BMHO tunes the grain size, lowers the ferroelectric transition temperature (T_C) and dielectric loss (tanδ), and drives a gradually ferroelectric to relaxor transition. The morphotropic phase boundary between the R-and T-phases, together with the homogeneous morphology, results in the best performance for x = 0.04 case with piezoelectric d₃₃ of 130 pC/N, K_p of 0.286, Q_m of 58.993, electrostrain S_max of 0.18%, and T_C of 428 °C, showing potential applications for lead-free piezoelectric ceramics at considerably high temperature.     

Theoretical Investigations of the Inclusion Processes of (4-tert-butylphenyl) (3-sulfonatophenyl) (phenyl) Phosphine in β-Cyclodextrin

Quantum mechanical calculations on the (4-tert-butylphenyl)(3-sulfonatophenyl) (phenyl) phosphine/-cyclodextrin inclusion complex werecarried out using semi-empirical calculations. Inclusion process pathways are describedand the most probable structures of the 1:1 complex are sought through a global potentialenergy scan. The calculations suggest that the most stable structure is obtained whenthe aromatic ring bearing the tert-butyl group is includedinto the hydrophobic cavity of the -cyclodextrin from theside of the primary hydroxyl groups.