Phase behavior and interfacial properties of nonadditive mixtures of Onsager rods

Within a second virial theory, we study bulk phase diagrams as well as the free planar isotropic-nematic interface of binary mixtures of nonadditive thin and thick hard rods. For species of the same type, the excluded volume is determined only by the dimensions of the particles, whereas for dissimilar ones it is taken to be larger or smaller than that, giving rise to a nonadditivity that can be positive or negative. We argue that such a nonadditivity can result from modeling of soft interactions as effective hard-core interactions. The nonadditivity enhances or reduces the fractionation at isotropic-nematic (IN) coexistence and may induce or suppress a demixing of the high-density nematic phase into two nematic phases of different composition (N(1) and N(2)), depending on whether the nonadditivity is positive or negative. The interfacial tension between coexisting isotropic and nematic phases shows an increase with increasing fractionation at the IN interface, and complete wetting of the IN(2) interface by the N(1) phase upon approach of the triple-point coexistence. In all explored cases bulk and interfacial properties of the nonadditive mixtures exhibit a striking and quite unexpected similarity with the properties of additive mixtures of different diameter ratio.     

The Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann law in the elastic theory of glass transition

We propose that the origin of the Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann law is the increase of the range of elastic interaction between local relaxation events in a liquid. In this picture, we discuss the origin of cooperativity of relaxation, the absence of divergence of relaxation time at a finite temperature and the crossover to a more Arrhenius behavior at low temperature.     

Diffusivity of adatoms on plasma-exposed surfaces determined from the ionization energy approximation and ionic polarizability

Microscopic surface diffusivity theory based on atomic ionization energy concept is developed to explain the variations of the atomic and displacement polarizations with respect to the surface diffusion activation energy of adatoms in the process of self-assembly of quantum dots on plasma-exposed surfaces. These polarizations are derived classically, while the atomic polarization is quantized to obtain the microscopic atomic polarizability. The surface diffusivity equation is derived as a function of the ionization energy. The results of this work can be used to fine-tune the delivery rates of different adatoms onto nanostructure growth surfaces and optimize the low-temperature plasma based nanoscale synthesis processes.     

Graphene: materials in the Flatland (Nobel lecture)

Much like the world described in Abbott's "Flatland", graphene is a two-dimensional object. And, as "Flatland" is "A Romance of Many Dimensions", graphene is much more than just a flat crystal. It possesses a number of unusual properties which are often unique or superior to those in other materials. In this brief lecture I would like to explain the reason for my (and many other people's) fascination with this material, and invite the reader to share some of the excitement I've experienced while researching it.     

Size-selected Ni catalyst islands for single-walled carbon nanotube arrays

Many properties of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) arrays are determined by the size and surface coverage of the metal catalyst islands from which they are nucleated. Methods using thermal fragmentation of continuous metal films frequently fail to produce size-uniform islands. Hybrid numerical simulations are used to propose a new approach to controlled self-assembly of Ni islands of the required size and surface coverage using tailored gas-phase generated nanocluster fluxes and adjusted surface temperatures. It is shown that a maximum surface coverage of 0.359 by 0.96–1.02 nm Ni catalyst islands can be achieved at a low surface temperature of 500 K. Optimized growth of Ni catalyst islands can lead to fabrication of size-uniform SWCNT arrays, suitable for numerous nanoelectronic applications. This approach is deterministic and is applicable to a range of nanoassemblies where high surface coverage and island size uniformity are required.

     

Multidimensional Continued Fractions,Dynamical Renormalization and KAM Theory

The disadvantage of ‘traditional’ multidimensional continued fraction algorithms is that it is not known whether they provide simultaneous rational approximations for generic vectors. Following ideas of Dani, Lagarias and Kleinbock-Margulis we describe a simple algorithm based on the dynamics of flows on the homogeneous space (the space of lattices of covolume one) that indeed yields best possible approximations to any irrational vector. The algorithm is ideally suited for a number of dynamical applications that involve small divisor problems. As an example, we explicitly construct a renormalization scheme for the linearization of vector fields on tori of arbitrary dimension.     

Self-organized Au nanoarrays on vertical graphenes: an advanced three-dimensional sensing platform

A three-dimensional surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)/plasmonic sensing platform based on plasma-enabled, catalyst-free, few-layer vertical graphenes decorated with self-organized Au nanoparticle arrays is demonstrated. This platform is viable for multiple species detection and overcomes several limitations of two-dimensional sensors.     

Designing Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma Sources for Surface Engineering of Nanomaterials

Atmospheric-pressure plasma processing techniques emerge as efficient and convenient tools to engineer a variety of nanomaterials for advanced applications in nanoscience and nanotechnology. This work presents different methods, including using a quasi-sinusoidal high-voltage generator, a radio-frequency power supply, and a uni-polar pulse generator, to generate atmospheric-pressure plasmas in the jet or dielectric barrier discharge configurations. The applicability of the atmospheric-pressure plasma is exemplified by the surface modification of nanoparticles for polymeric nanocomposites. Dielectric measurements reveal that representative nanocomposites with plasma modified nanoparticles exhibit notably higher dielectric breakdown strength and a significantly extended lifetime.     

Dissipative quantum hall effect in graphene near the Dirac point

We report on the unusual nature of the nu=0 state in the integer quantum Hall effect (QHE) in graphene and show that electron transport in this regime is dominated by counterpropagating edge states. Such states, intrinsic to massless Dirac quasiparticles, manifest themselves in a large longitudinal resistivity rho(xx) > or approximately h/e(2), in striking contrast to rho(xx) behavior in the standard QHE. The nu=0 state in graphene is also predicted to exhibit pronounced fluctuations in rho(xy) and rho(xx) and a smeared zero Hall plateau in sigma(xy), in agreement with experiment. The existence of gapless edge states puts stringent constraints on possible theoretical models of the nu=0 state.