Controlled structure and density of “living” polystyrene brushes on flat silica surfaces

Thin layers of polystyrene were grown from surface-grafted nitroxide initiators via controlled “living” free radical polymerization. The “reactive” Langmuir-Blodgett deposition method allowed an effective control of the initiator layer density leading to PS brushes with different and high grafting density and stretching. The influence of the grafting density on the layer structure was studied. Comparison with theoretical predictions for monodispersed brushes in bad solvent was discussed. The thickness was found to vary linearly with molecular weight and the density dependence was shown using wetting measurements. Special features of controlled radical nitroxide polymerization from a surface were discussed. A direct comparison of the molecular weight and polydispersity between surface and bulk polymers was made by de-grafting the brushes into a toluene/HF solution. Finally, some evidence of a “surface Fischer” effect was shown from re-initiated layers. Received 20 December 2001     

Magnetic properties of the Cr(0 0 1) surface studied by spin-polarized scanning tunneling spectroscopy

The magnetic properties of the Cr(0 0 1) surface have been studied by spin-polarized scanning tunneling spectroscopy (SP-STS). Spatially resolved mapping of the spectroscopic dI/dU signal at an energy close to the spin-polarized Cr(0 0 1) surface state allows the confirmation of the topological antiferromagnetic order of the Cr(0 0 1) surface. It is shown that the presence of screw dislocations leads to the formation of domain walls which exhibit a width of 120–170 nm. A long-period modulation of the SP-STS signal was not observed indicating that the bulk spin-density wave is modified at the surface due to symmetry breaking.     

表面活性剂对均相沉淀法制备单晶Ce2O(CO3)2￠H2O微粉形貌及 形成机理的影响

在尿素及硝酸铈的混合溶液中分别加入表面活性剂CTAB、 PEG19000、OP-10,利用均相沉淀法合成了不同形貌的CeO2超细前驱体Ce2O(COa)2·H2O,采用X射线衍射及透射电子显微镜等测试手段,对产品的物相和形貌进行了表征．实验结果表明,所得产品均为斜方晶系的单晶Ce2O(CO3)2·H2O,且表面活性剂的加入使晶体的晶化程度明显提高;添加不同的表面活性剂得到不同形貌尺寸的产物: 阳离子型表面活性剂CTAB对Ce2O(CO3)2·H2O晶体的形貌影响不大,所得产物尺寸变小,且分散性得到一定的改善;非离子型表面活性剂对所得产物的形貌影响显著．加入PEG19000和OP-10分别得到了形状排列有序的、尺寸较均匀的、较规则无团聚的微米棒及具有紧密结合中心的发散状的花样微粒．不同形貌前驱体的形成与晶粒形成生长机理的改变有关．     

Site segregation in size-mismatched nanoalloys: Application to Cu-Ag

In order to determine the energetic driving forces for surface segregation in bimetallic clusters, we use a combined approach coupling numerical simulations within an N-body interatomic potential and a lattice-gas model. This approach, which has been used successfully to study both the superficial segregation in semi-infinite alloys and the intergranular segregation, allows us to determine the relative contributions of the three elementary driving forces for the different sites of the cluster surface (vertices, edges and facets) in both dilute limits for the Cu-Ag system. We show that the segregation hierarchy based on broken-bond arguments (preferential segregation to the vertex sites, less to edge sites, and least to facet sites) is not at all universal. In particular, unusual hierarchies are predicted when the sizes of the constituents are strongly different. Furthermore, we compare the segregation driving forces for cubo-octahedral and icosahedral clusters. They are similar for the vertex sites and edge sites, whereas they differ significantly for the sites of the triangular facets. The segregation of the species with the largest atomic radius (Ag) is indeed largely enhanced in the icosahedral structure due to dilations of the orthoradial distances.     

Surface free energy of CrNx films deposited using closed field unbalanced magnetron sputtering

CrN_x thin films have attracted much attention for semiconductor IC packaging molding dies and forming tools due to their excellent hardness, thermal stability and non-sticking properties (low surface free energy). However, few data has been published on the surface free energy (SFE) of CrN_x films at temperatures in the range 20-170 °C. In this study CrN_x thin films with CrN, Cr(N), Cr₂N (and mixture of these phases) were prepared using closed field unbalanced magnetron sputtering at a wide range of Cr⁺² emission intensity. The contact angles of water, di-iodomethane and ethylene glycol on the coated surfaces were measured at temperatures in the range 20-170 °C using a Dataphysics OCA-20 contact angle analyzer. The surface free energy of the CrN_x films and their components (e.g., dispersion, polar) were calculated using the Owens-Wendt geometric mean approach. The influences of CrN_x film surface roughness and microstructure on the surface free energy were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The experimental results showed that the lowest total SFE was obtained corresponding to CrN at temperature in 20 °C. This is lower than that of Cr(N), Cr₂N (and mixture of these phases). The total SFE, dispersive SFE and polar SFE of CrN_x films decreased with increasing surface temperature. The film roughness has an obvious effect on the SFE and there is tendency for the SFE to increase with increasing film surface roughness.     

Structural and optical characterization of the propolis films

We have performed structural and optical characterizations of the propolis (an organic entity of biological nature) films grown on various non-organic substrates. The films were grown from a propolis melt or a propolis alcohol solution. The crystal structure has been observed in the films precipitated from the solution onto substrates such as an amorphous glass and sapphire or semiconductor indium monoselenide. For any growth method, the propolis film is a semiconductor with the bandgap of 3.07 eV at 300 K that is confirmed by a maximum in photoluminescence spectra at 2.86 eV. We argue that propolis films might be used in various optoelectronic device applications.     

Laser ablation lithography on thermoelectric semiconductor

In this paper, experimental results of the investigation of the periodic structure on thermoelectric semiconductor Cu₂Se are presented. Periodic structures were formed on surfaces of semiconductors due to multi-beam interaction of Q-switched Nd:YAG laser, which was operated in the lowest order of Gaussian mode and pulse duration 7 ns. Surface temperature evolution and transient reflectivity are studied during laser treatment. Creation of Cu islands in the maximal intensity of interference pattern was found.     

Continuous peeling extrusion of SEBS block copolymers

During continuous peeling, a central polymer rod free of visible defects was continuously extruded while being peeled at the die exit. Continuous peeling can occur at flow rates orders of magnitude higher than those at which initial surface cracking is observed. Thus, if continuous peeling can be controlled it may have potential industrial applications. The aim of this work was to study how different extrusion parameters (temperature, flow rate, die length and diameter) affect the presence of continuous peeling. The melt exiting the die has been filmed to link physical measurements and observations and to determine whether or not continuous peeling is present. Different criteria have been considered to represent the extrusion conditions under which continuous peeling may occur. Surface tension criteria can be used to try to predict the appearance and disappearance of continuous peeling. A correlation formula is also proposed for the rod diameter in terms of surface tension. Our results show that the ratio of the rod diameter to the die diameter is approximately 25% greater in the case of short-orifice dies (L/D ≈ 0) than for long capillaries (L/D ≈ 10). The correlations obtained allow analysis and discussion of flow regimes for possible applications.     

Validation of an optimization procedure to improve low frequency characteristics of rooms

A set of experiments was carried out to validate an optimization procedure based on finite element method (FEM). The idea of the procedure, fully presented in previous edition of this journal [Zhu X, Zhu Z, Cheng J. Using optimized surface modifications to improve low frequency response in a room. Appl Acoust 2004;65:841-60], is to produce an optimal geometry modification on the wall for improving low frequency sound uniformity in small rooms. Four experimental models were set up with a scale of 1:5. One was modified according to the optimized result and the others were treated with no optimization consideration. Measured frequency responses of four rooms were compared with numerical results calculated by FEM models. The transient responses in these rooms were also measured and analyzed. The agreements between calculation and measurement are satisfactory though the discrepancies due to the uncertainty of acoustic behavior of the room boundaries remain. The optimization procedure has been supported by the results that the optimized room produces the flattest frequency response and also the most smooth energy decay within the frequency range studied. The reductions of response fluctuation have reached 4.3 dB for prediction and 2.6 dB for measurement, respectively.     

Solved and unsolved problems in surface structure determination

The range of surface structural problems of interest in understanding the physics and chemistry of solid surfaces is reviewed with reference to the available methods and their strengths and limitations. Key challenges being addressed currently concern the achievable precision of measurements and their physical and chemical significance, and the complexity of the problems which may be solved. Past progress and future problems are illustrated with a series of examples ranging from the relaxation of simple clean metal surfaces through complex semiconductor reconstructions to large molecular adsorption and coadsorption systems and complex adsorbate-induced reconstructions. The strengths and limitations of scanning tunnelling microscopy as a complement to true quantitative structural methods are discussed, as is the role of chemical state specificity and elemental specificity in solving complex molecular adsorbate systems.