Synthesis and characterization of polyaniline/graphite conducting nanocomposites

A new method for the synthesis of exfoliated graphite and polyaniline (PANI)/graphite nanocomposites was developed. Exfoliated graphite nanosheets were prepared through the microwave irradiation and sonication of synthesized expandable graphite. The nanocomposites were fabricated via the in situ polymerization of the monomer at the presence of graphite nanosheets. The as-synthesized graphite nanosheets and PANI/graphite nanocomposite materials were characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The conductivity of the PANI/graphite nanocomposites was dramatically increased over that of pure PANI. TGA indicated that the incorporation of graphite greatly improved the thermal stability of PANI. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 1972–1978, 2004     

Self-organized ZnAl2O4 nanostructures grown on -sapphire

Self-organized ZnAl₂O₄ nanostructures with the appearance (in SEM) of high aspect ratio horizontal nanowires are grown on uncatalysed c-sapphire by vapour phase transport. The nanostructures grow as three equivalent crystallographic variants on c-sapphire. Raman and cathodoluminescence spectroscopy confirm that the nanostructures are not ZnO and TEM shows that they are the cubic spinel, zinc aluminate, ZnAl₂O₄, formed by the reaction of Zn and O with the sapphire substrate.     

Flame Temperature Effect on the Structure of SiC Nanoparticles Grown by Laser Pyrolysis

Small SiC nanoparticles (10 nm diameter) have been grown in a flow reactor by CO₂ laser pyrolysis from a C₂H₂ and SiH₄ mixture. The laser radiation is strongly absorbed by SiH₄ vibration. The energy is transferred to the reactive medium and leads to the dissociation of molecules and the subsequent growth of the nanoparticles. The reaction happens with a flame. The purpose of the experiments reported in this paper is to limit the size of the growing particles to the nanometric scale for which specific properties are expected to appear. Therefore the effects of experimental parameters on the structure and chemical composition of nanoparticles have been investigated. For a given reactive mixture and gas velocity, the flame temperature is governed by the laser power. In this study, the temperature was varied from 875°C to 1100°C. The chemical analysis of the products indicate that their composition is a function of the temperature. For the same C/Si atomic ratio in the gaseous phase, the C/Si ratio in the powder increases from 0.7 at 875°C up to 1.02 at 1100°C, indicating a growth mechanism limited by C₂H₂ dissociation. As expected, X-ray diffraction has shown an improved crystallisation with increasing temperature. Transmission electron microscopy observations have revealed the formation of 10 nm grains for all values of laser power (or flame temperature). These grains appear amorphous at low temperature, whereas they contain an increasing number of nanocrystals (2 nm diameter) when the temperature increases. These results pave the way to a better control of the structure and chemical composition of laser synthesised SiC nanoparticles in the 10 nm range.     

Self-organized amorphous material in silicon (0 0 1) by focused ion beam (FIB) system

A method using a focused ion beam (FIB) to prepare a silicon amorphous material is presented. The method involves the redeposition of sputtered material generated during the interaction of the Ga⁺ ion beam with a silicon substrate material. The shape and dimensions of this amorphous material are self-organized and reproducible. The stability of this amorphous material under electron irradiation was investigated in the transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Electron irradiation can induce recrystallization of the amorphous material, resulting in the lateral and vertical growth, starting at an amorphous-crystalline interface, of polysilicon containing defects.     

Structure and defects at Y2BaCuO5 interfaces in melt-textured YBa2Cu3Ox superconductors

Y₂BaCuO₅ (211) inclusions are prominent microstructural features found in melt-textured YBa₂Cu₃O_x (123) superconductors. These particles are of interest because the 123/211 interfaces and the interface-associated defects have been proposed to be flux pinning centers. In addition, the 211 particles are believed to be heterogeneous nucleation centers of dislocation which can increase the critical current density of 123. Unfortunately, only limited studies have been performed on these particles to ascertain their roles in flux pinning. In this investigation, 211 particles, the interfacial structure and defects in undeformed and mechanically deformed melt-textured 123 have been studied by transmission electron microscopy. It was found that there appears to be a preferred orientation between large oblong 211 particles and the 123 matrix. In addition, while the 123/211 interfaces in undeformed 123 are sharp and relatively undistorted, the interfaces in deformed 123 samples are much thicker. Also, the distribution of strained regions and dislocations around oblong 211 particles in undeformed 123 is nonuniform; the interfaces of low surface curvature are relatively free of defects while the surfaces of high curvature are abundant in dislocations. In contrast, the 123/211 interfaces in deformed 123 samples contain high density of dislocations regardless of interface curvature.     

Directional crystallization and self-assembling initiated by mechanical shock or electron beam in nanocrystalline Co-C and Fe-C films

We investigated iron and cobalt films with 20% carbon concentration with nanocrystalline structure. One of the aims of this work is to analyze the physical nature of high-speed structural self-assembling as often happens in explosive crystallization processes in these films.     

Crystal structure and morphology of phenyl‐capped tetraaniline in the leucoemeraldine oxidation state

A series of crystals of phenyl‐capped tetraaniline in the leucoemeraldine oxidation state were obtained at different isothermal temperatures and were observed directly under transmission electron microscope. The crystals obtained at higher temperatures exhibit more perfect structures than those obtained at lower temperatures. Both the lamella thickness and the crystal size increase with crystallization temperature. The tetraaniline is apt to form larger scale crystals under lower degree of supercooling. However, their crystal structures keep steady with the crystallization temperature. The tetramer was found to adopt a monoclinic lattice with unit cell parameter of a = 13.93 Å, b = 8.82 Å, c = 23.20 Å, and β = 95.03°, as determined using electron diffraction tilting method combined with wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction experiment. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 764–769, 2006     

Structure of polynuclear palladium(ii) hydroxocomplexes formed upon alkaline hydrolysis of palladium(ii) chloride complexes

The structure of polynuclear Pd^II hydroxocomplexes (PHC) formed as a result of alkaline hydrolysis of Pd^II chloride complexes was studied by EXAFS, SAXS, and TEM methods. It is established that in aqueous solutions a hydroxocomplex particle is a filament curled into a ball containing about 100 Pd atoms. The filament consists of planar coordination squares of PdO₄ units linkedvia one or two oxygen bridges of different geometry. Aging of samples results in an increase in the number of single bridging ligands and a decrease in the diameter of particles. Interatomic distances around palladium atoms were determined.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimlcheskaya, No. 10, pp. 1901–1905, October, 1995.     

Visible Up-Conversion Luminescence in Ho3+: BaTiO3 Nano-Crystals Prepared by Sol Gel Technique

Visible up-conversion emissions at (435, 545, 580, 675 and 690 nm) and (437, 547 575 and 675 nm) have been observed from the sol-gel derived nano-crystalline Ho³⁺: BaTiO₃ powders and thin films respectively, under 808 nm laser diode excitation emissions. Combined with the energy level structure of Ho³⁺ ions and the kinetics of the visible emissions, the up-conversion mechanism has been analyzed and explained. The blue, green and red emissions of both samples has been attributed to the ground state-directed transition from (⁵F₁), (⁵S₂) and (⁵F₅), which are populated through excited state absorption (ESA) for 808 nm excitation. Nano-structure pure barium titanate and doped with different concentrations of Ho³⁺ ions in the from of powder and thin film have been prepared by sol-gel technique, using barium acetate (Ba(Ac)₂), and titanium butoxide (Ti(C₄H₉O)₄), as precursors. The thin films were prepared by sol-gel spin coating method. The as-grown thin films and powders were found to be amorphous, which crystallized to the tetragonal phase after heating at 750°C in air for 30 minutes. The crystallite sizes of the thin film and powder both doped with 4% Ho³⁺ ions was found to be equal to 11 and 16 nm, respectvely.