Probing the local structure of crystalline ZITO: In2−2xSnxZnxO3 (x≤0.4)

The local structure of In₂O₃ cosubstituted with Zn and Sn (In_2−2xSn_xZn_xO₃, x≤0.4 or ZITO) was determined by extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) for x=0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4. The host bixbyite In₂O₃ structure is maintained up to the enhanced substitution limit (x=0.4). The EXAFS spectra are consistent with random substitution of In by the smaller Zn and Sn cations, a result that is consistent with the “good-to-excellent” conductivities reported for ZITO.     

Novel Bottom‐Up SERS Substrates for Quantitative and Parallelized Analytics

Surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is an emerging technology in the field of analytics. Due to the high sensitivity in connection with specific Raman molecular fingerprint information SERS can be used in a variety of analytical, bioanalytical, and biosensing applications. However, for the SERS effect substrates with metal nanostructures are needed. The broad application of this technology is greatly hampered by the lack of reliable and reproducible substrates. Usually the activity of a given substrate has to be determined by time‐consuming experiments such as calibration or ultramicroscopic studies. To use SERS as a standard analytical tool, cheap and reproducible substrates are required, preferably with a characterization technique that does not interfere with the subsequent measurements. Herein we introduce an innovative approach to produce low‐cost and large‐scale reproducible substrates for SERS applications, which allows easy and economical production of micropatterned SERS active surfaces on a large scale. This approach is based on an enzyme‐induced growth of silver nanostructures. The special structural feature of the enzymatically deposited silver nanoparticles prevents the breakdown of SERS activity even at high particle densities (particle density >60 %) that lead to a conductive layer. In contrast to other approaches, this substrate exhibits a relationship between electrical conductivity and the resulting SERS activity of a given spot. This enables the prediction of the SERS activity of the nanostructure ensemble and therewith the controllable and reproducible production of SERS substrates of enzymatic silver nanoparticles on a large scale, utilizing a simple measurement of the electrical conductivity. Furthermore, through a correlation between the conductivity and the SERS activity of the substrates it is possible to quantify SERS measurements with these substrates.     

Nanofibrous polyaniline thin film prepared by plasma‐induced polymerization technique for detection of NO2 gas

A nanofibrous polyaniline (PANI) thin film was fabricated using plasma‐induced polymerization method and explored its application in the fabrication of NO₂ gas sensor. The effects of substrate position, pressure, and the number of plasma pulses on the PANI film growth rate were monitored and an optimum condition for the PANI thin film preparation was established. The resulting PANI film was characterized with UV–visible spectrophotometer, FTIR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The PANI thin film possessed nanofibers with a diameter ranging from 15 to 20 nm. The NO₂ gas sensing behavior was studied by measuring the change in electrical conductivity of PANI film with respect to NO₂ gas concentration and exposure time. The optimized sensor exhibited a sensitivity factor of 206 with a response time of 23 sec. The NO₂ gas sensor using nanofibrous PANI thin film as sensing probe showed a linear current response to the NO₂ gas concentration in the range of 10–100 ppm. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Barrier height and ideality factor dependency on identically produced small Au/p-Si Schottky barrier diodes

Small high-quality Au/P-Si Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) with extremely low reverse leakage current using wet lithography were produced. Their effective barrier heights (BHs) and ideality factors from current–voltage (I-V) characteristics were measured by a conducting probe atomic force microscope (C-AFM). In spite of identical preparation of the diodes there was a diode-to-diode variation in ideality factor and barrier height Parameters. By extrapolating of the plots the built in potential of the Au /p-Si contact was obtained as Vbi=0.5425 V and the barrier height value (ФB(C-V)) was calculated to be ФB(C-V)=0.7145 V for Au/p-Si. It is found that for the diodes with diameters smaller than 100 µm the diode barrier height and ideality factor dependency to their diameters and correlation between the diode barrier height and its ideality factor are nonlinear, where similar to the earlier reported different metal semiconductor diodes in the literature, these parameters for the here manufactured diodes with diameters more than 100 µm are also linear. Based on the very obvious sub-nanometer C-AFM produced pictures the scientific evidence behind this controversy is also explained.     

Low-temperature deposition of transparent conducting Mn-W co-doped ZnO thin films

Mn-W co-doped ZnO(ZMWO) thin films with low resistivity and high transparency were successfully prepared on glass substrate by direct current(DC) magnetron sputtering at low temperature.The sputtering power was varied from 65 to 150 W.The crystallinity and resistivity of ZMWO films greatly depend on sputtering power while the optical transmittance and optical band gap are not sensitive to sputtering power.All the deposited films are polycrystalline with a hexagonal structure and have a preferred orientat...     

Preparation of Surfactants Directed PANI/In2O3 Nanocomposite Thin Films and Its NH3-Sensing Properties

Polyaniline/indium oxide (PANI/In2O3) nanocomposite thin films have been prepared in water-dispersed medium with the presence of different surfactants by an in-situ self-assembly technique. A cationic surfactant TTAB (tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide) and a non-ionic surfactant tween- 20 (poly (ethylene oxide) (20) sorbitan monolaurate) are used as additives. The nanocomposites and thin films are characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The optical properties reveal the interaction between PANI/In2O3 nanocomposites and surfactants, and PANI/In2O3 thin films prepared in the presence of surfactants exhibits the finer nanofiber than the surfactants free PANI/In2O3 thin film. The ammonia (NH3) gas-sensing characteristic of PANI/In2O3 thin films and the effect of different surfactants on the gas-sensing property are studied. The results indicated that the film processed in the presence of TTAB has the highest gas sensitivity among all the prepared films.     

脉冲激光法制备修饰纳米Eu_2O_3/聚苯胺导电杂化薄膜

采用聚焦脉冲激光法(PLA-IT/SFL)制备修饰纳米Eu2O3/聚苯胺有机溶胶及其杂化薄膜材料。考察了制备条件对修饰纳米Eu2O3/聚苯胺有机溶胶荧光性能的影响。TEM显示Eu2O3粒子粒径约为15 nm且其在聚苯胺中有较高的稳定性。荧光光谱表明该杂化薄膜材料在紫外光照射下发出强烈的红光,且荧光强度达2.53×105a.u。杂化薄膜材料的电导率为1.13×10-2S.cm-1。热分析表明该杂化薄膜比导电性聚苯胺(PAN-HCSA)薄膜具有更好的热稳定性。该杂化薄膜材料可望用于电致发光领域。     

有限长带电导体直线的电荷分布

通过3种方式给出有限长带电导体直线的电荷密度分布,结果表明电荷分布并不均匀.     

On the reversibility of anode supported proton conducting solid oxide cells

Reversible proton conducting solid oxide cells (SOCs) off a highly efficient route to matching supply from intermittent, renewable resources, with power demand by consumers. The cells would store excess electrical energy as chemical fuel during times of peak production, and operate in reverse during times of peak demand. In this study we examine the operation of anode supported proton conducting SOCs in electrolysis mode. The required overpotential for a given current density decreases with increasing humidity at the anode and increasing temperature. All of the V-I curves show distinct curvature. The electrode polarization resistance increases and electrolyte ohmic resistance decreases with increasing current density. This is accompanied by a deviation below the theoretical rate of hydrogen production. We interpret these changes as resulting from deviation away from pure proton conduction in the cell with increasing polarization.     

Synthesis of Poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) latexes using poly(N‐vinylpyrrolidone)‐based copolymers as reactive stabilizers

The synthesis by oxidative polymerization of well‐defined poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) nano‐objects in the presence of modified and unmodified poly(N‐vinylpyrrolidone)‐based copolymers used as stabilizers in aqueous media is reported. Ammonium persulfate or a mixture of ammonium persulfate with CuCl₂ or CuBr₂ was used as oxidants. The effects of several parameters such as the molar mass and the concentration of the stabilizer as well as the nature of the oxidants on the size, morphology, and the conductivity of the PEDOT particles have been investigated. The distribution of the reactive moieties along the copolymer stabilizer backbone was shown to be crucial to get well‐defined PEDOT nano‐objects. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 3841–3855, 2010