Superamphiphobic,light-trapping FeSe2 particles with a micro-nano hierarchical structure obtained by an improved solvothermal method

Wettability and the light-trapping effect of FeSe2particles with a micro-nano hierarchical structure have been investigated. Particles are synthesized by an improved solvothermal method, wherein hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide(CTAB) is employed as a surfactant. After modifying the particles with heptadecafluorodecyltrimethoxy-silane(HTMS), we find that the water contact angle(WCA) of the FeSe2 particles increases by 6.1 and the water sliding angle(WSA) decreases by 2.5 respectively, and the diffuse reflectivity decreases 29.4% compared with similar FeSe2 particles synthesized by the conventional method. The growth process of the particles is analyzed and a growth scenario is given. Upon altering the PH values of the water, we observe that the superhydrophobic property is maintained quite consistently across a wide PH range of 1–14. Moreover, the modified particles were also found to be superoleophobic. To the best of our knowledge, there is no systematic research on the wettability of FeSe2 particles, so our research provides a reference for other researchers.     

Super-hydrophobic nickel films with micro-nano hierarchical structure prepared by electrodeposition

Super-hydrophobic nickel films were prepared by a simple and low cost electrodepositing method. The surface morphologies of the films characterized by scanning electronic microscope exhibit hierarchical structure with micro-nanocones array, which can be responsible for their super-hydrophobic characteristic (water contact angle over 150°) without chemical modification. The wettability of the film can be varied from super-hydrophobic (water contact angle 154°) to relatively hydrophilic (water contact angle 87°) by controlling the size of the micro-nanocones. The mechanism of the hydrophobic characteristic of nickel films with this unique structure was illustrated by several models. Such micro-nanostructure and its special wettability are expected to be applied in the practical industry.     

Surface characterization and H2S-sensing potential of iron molybdate particles produced by supercritical solvothermal method and subsequent oxidation

The mostly crystalline polymorph β-FeMoO₄ was prepared by solvothermal synthesis from organic precursors, followed by high temperature supercritical drying in an autoclave. Crystallization of the synthesized particles occurred during subsequent heat treatment at 350 °C, confirmed by X-ray diffraction pattern analysis. The presence of Fe³⁺ ions in the powder, both well-crystallized and amorphous after heat treatment at 500 °C, was confirmed by room temperature Mössbauer spectrum. Thick-film gas sensors were prepared by conventional hand coating of a paste, the Fe₂(MoO₄)₃ powder mixed with an α-terpineol-based solvent, over the Au electrodes. The response of the prepared sensors to H₂S gas in the low concentration range 1–10 ppm in air was investigated. Moderately fast response and recovery times were observed. The iron molybdate, produced at low temperature, may be successfully used in the preparation of a H₂S gas sensor.     

Stable superhydrophobic surface with hierarchical mesh-porous structure fabricated by a femtosecond laser

Inspired by the lotus leaf, a new superhydrophobic surface with hierarchical mesh-porous structure is fabricated by femtosecond laser irradiation on silicon. The fabricated surface shows a superhydrophobic character with water contact angle being found to reach up to 158^°±1^° and sliding angle of 4^°±0.5^°. The superhydrophobicity is stable even if the PH of solution changes from 1 to 14. And the surface also exhibits excellent self-cleaning effect and bouncing behavior, implying that the adhesion of the surface is extremely low. This work will enhance further understanding of the wettability of a solid surface with special surface morphology.     

Algorithms for restoring the structure of nanosized particles by the method of the revealing an imaginary atom

Iteration algorithms for directly determining the atomic-spatial structure of molecules or nanoparticles by means of data on the intensity of diffuse X-ray scattering are proposed. The method is based on introducing an imaginary atom in order to reveal the particle structure on the Paterson function.     

Electrochemical supercapacitor studies of hierarchical structured Co2+-substituted SnO2 nanoparticles by a hydrothermal method

Hierarchical structured Co-doped SnO₂ nanoparticles are prepared by a low temperature hydrothermal process. The structural and surface morphologies of the SnO₂ and Sn_1?xCo_xO₂ nanoparticles are studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The Sn_1?xCo_xO₂ nanoparticles form with a tetragonal rutile structure during the hydrothermal process without further calcination. The pseudocapacitance behavior of the Sn_1?xCo_xO₂ nanoparticles is characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) in 1.0 M H₂SO₄ electrolyte. The specific capacitance (SC) is found to increase with an increase in cobalt content. A maximum SC of 840 F g^?1 is obtained for a Sn_0.96Co_0.04O₂ composite at a 10 mV s^?1 scan rate.     

Tribological coatings with a chromium-based composite structure obtained by reactive deposition in vacuum

The peculiarities inherent to the chemical and phase compositions, microstructure, and tribological behavior of Cr-O, Cr-C-O, Cr-C-H and Cr-C-N-H coatings, obtained by plasma-assisted physical vapor deposition in a chemically active gas atmospheres (activated reactive deposition and magnetron sputtering methods), have been studied. It has been demonstrated that all coatings have a micro- and/or nanocomposite structure comprising nanoscale chromium-based domains, as well as chromium oxide, carbide and nitride phases with different stoichiometries. The tribological properties of the coatings investigated in a broad temperature range under unlubricated friction contact conditions, as well as their correlation with microstructures and reactive-deposition technology parameters, are discussed.     

Aggregate stability and magnetic characteristics of colloidal Fe m O n –SiO2 particles obtained by sol–gel method

Physics of the Solid State - Composite Fe m O n –SiO2 particles have been obtained by precipitation of iron oxide from aqueous solution with the addition of tetraethoxysilane. The shapes and...     

Parallelepipedally shaped ZnCo<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> particles with a hierarchical porous structure as an anode for lithium-ion batteries

The micrometer-sized ZnCo₂O₄ parallelepipeds with a hierarchical porous structure have been fabricated by a simple two-step procedure, i.e., the synthesis of the Zn_1/3Co_2/3CO₃ parallelepipeds and the subsequent calcination. When tested in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the hierarchical porous ZnCo₂O₄ parallelepipeds could exhibit a reversible capacity of >860 mAh g^?1 at a current density of 0.1 C. This clearly demonstrates the potential use of the hierarchical porous ZnCo₂O₄ parallelepipeds in LIBs. The high electrochemical performance of the hierarchical porous ZnCo₂O₄ parallelepipeds might originate from the unique porous structure which consists of the secondary ZnCo₂O₄ particles. First, the porous structure allows for a better accessibility of the active material to the Li⁺ ion storage, favoring easier diffusion of electrolyte in and out of electrode material. Second, the presence of the secondary particles shortens a pathway of Li⁺ diffusion in ZnCo₂O₄, facilitating the better utilization of the active material.     

Synthesis of Cu-modified Co2Z hexaferrite with planar structure by a citrate precursor method

Co₂Z hexaferrite is a planar anisotropic iron oxide which can present high values of permeability at high frequency. In this paper, Cu-modified Co₂Z hexaferrites powders were synthesized at a low temperature using a citrate precursor method. The formation of Z-type phases was characterized by X-ray diffraction and magnetization measurements. It is found that phase formation temperature and sintering temperature were influenced directly by the content of copper. The effects of Cu-substitution on the microstructure and high frequency properties of the ceramics have been investigated.     

BPSCCO-Ag powders obtained by a wet method and with a low carbon content for tape preparation

Il Nuovo Cimento D - High-T c superconductors with nominal composition Bi1.8Pb0.4Sr2Ca2.2Cu3O x and eventually admixed with metallic silver were prepared by an original version of the citrate route...     

Coherent interaction of an electromagnetic field with a medium of two-level particles and with a superconducting current in a Josephson structure

The propagation of electromagnetic pulses in Josephson structures is investigated theoretically. An analogy with interaction of light pulses with a twolevel medium is traced. Under certain conditions the propagation of electromagnetic radiation in a two-level medium and in a Josephson structure is described by the same wave equation.Lebedev Physics Institute, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Moscwow. Translated from Preprint No. 233 of the Lebedev Physics Institute, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Moscow, 1938.     

Effect of the structure of a graphite target on the parameters of carbon films obtained by the laser plasma method

We have used Raman light scattering and electron paramagnetic resonance methods to study carbon films obtained by laser plasma deposition, using different types of graphite targets. We have established that the films deposited in this way have a diamond-like structure and are a nanostructured composite containing clusters of both sp² and sp³-hybridized carbon. We have shown that an increase in structural perfection of the graphite target causes an improvement in the structure of the carbon films obtained from it and an increase in the content of sp³-hybridized carbon in it. Thermal stimulation of the substrate during application of a coating leads to the same effect. __________ Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 75, No. 4, pp. 539–546, July–August, 2008.     

Energy level of an electron in a saddle-potential quantum dot under a uniform magnetic field obtained by the invariant eigenoperator method

We show that the recently proposed invariant eigenoperator method can be successfully applied to solving the energy levels of an electron in a saddle-potential quantum dot under a uniform magnetic field. The Landau diamagnetism decreases with the value ω_y² - ω_x² due to the existence of the saddle potential.     

Energy level of an electron in a saddle-potential quantum dot under a uniform magnetic field obtained by the invariant eigenoperator method

We show that the recently proposed invariant eigenoperator method can be successfully applied to solving the energy levels of an electron in a saddle-potential quantum dot under a uniform magnetic field. The Landau diamagnetism decreases with the value ω_y² - ω_x² due to the existence of the saddle potential.     

New CW FIR laser lines obtained in ammonia pumped by a CO2 laser, using the Stark tuning method

We report fifty seven CW FIR emissions observed in NH₃, by resonant pumping with a CO₂ laser. Exact coincidences between IR absorption lines of the gas and emission lines of the CO₂ laser have been carried out by Stark tuning. IR frequency shifts, up to 30 GHz, have allowed the pumping of forty three NH₃ transitions.These FIR emissions correspond to thirty one different wavelengths in the 50–400 m range; eighteen ones of them are new emitted wavelengths by pumping with the CO₂ laser.     

Optical property of an antireflection coating fabricated by an optimal spin-coating method with a pH-modified SiO_2 nanoparticle solution

An antireflection(AR) coating is fabricated by applying an optimal spin-coating method and a p H-modified SiO_2 nanoparticle solution on a cover glass. Because the p H value of the solution will affect the aggregation and dispersion of the SiO_2 particles, the transmittance of the AR-treated cover glass will be enhanced under optimal fabricated conditions. The experimental results show that an AR coating fabricated by an SiO_2 nanoparticle solution of pH 11 enhances the transmittance approximately by 3% and 5% under normal and oblique incident conditions, respectively. Furthermore, the AR-treated cover glass exhibits hydrophobicity and shows a 65% enhancement at a contact angle to bare glass.