We report here partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ) matrix deposited with nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films on its surface as an alternative material for pulverization disk with a potential of substituting high cost synthetic single crystal diamond. The deposition of NCD films on PSZ improved the characterization of the desorption-oxygen from PSZ matrix and enhanced the poor adhesion strength between NCD film and PSZ when N2 was used as doping gas. The results for X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy confirmed that with increasing N2 flow rate, nitrogen and desorption-oxygen were incorporated into film. The adhesion test and the pulverization test showed that enhancement in the adhesion strength as well as in the pulverization performance with increasing nitrogen and oxygen concentration in the NCD films. The results proposed to substitute a synthetic single crystal diamond with PSZ by coating nitrogen-doped NCD film.

Lithium ion batteries are becoming more important because of their high energy density and design flexibility. The capacity of these batteries is usually cathode limited; so, it follows that increasing the capacity of the cathode is essential to raise the performance of such batteries. In this work, fractal dimension study is used to understand the behavior of a Li2TiO3 made by mechanical milling, as a way to improve their uses in energy storage. Digital image analysis allows the study of fractal dimension; X-ray, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis were used to analyze changes on the surface of samples from the current results the distinctive characteristics of the surfaces for each sample may be obtained, making it possible to predict a future behavior of the samples. MATLAB software FRACLAB 2.03 developed by INRIA was used as a tool.

Here we report the preparation of functionalized latexes with isocyanate groups through an emulsion terpolymerization of BA/St/TMI. The emulsions were stabilized with two surfactants, EF-800 or MA-80; the TMI acted as a self crosslinked promoter during the film formation. We found a strong dependence of surfactant type in particle size and particle number. Moreover colloidal stability of latexes by a period of time was different, and the best colloidal stability was obtained with EF-800 surfactant. Swell index and mechanical properties of latex films were studied.

In-situ x-ray scattering methodology is discussed, in order to analyze the microstructure development of soft functional materials during coating, annealing, and drying processes in real-time. The relevance of a fundamental understanding of coating processes for future industrial production is pointed out.

We review recent progresses on in-situ observation of lattice relaxation of III-V lattice-mismatched system and analyses of defect properties in III-V-N solar cell materials. We found that there were five phases during the InGaAs growth on GaAs substrate. The transition point of the dominant dislocation behavior could be determined precisely. We also found that compositionally step-graded InGaAs/GaAs(001) buffers with overshooting (OS) layers were effective to control the strain of the top layer from tensile to compression. To understand the defect properties that dominate the electrical property of CBE-grown GaAsN films, we characterized deep levels in CBE-grown GaAsN films by DLTS. In this characterization, a well-known electron trap E1 (Ec-0.33eV) center in n-GaAsN and p-GaAsN was confirmed to be non-radiative recombination center by using double-carrier pulse DLTS.

We report a change in the dielectric response of AlGaInP based multi quantum well diodes with the onset of modulated light emission. Observed variation in junction capacitance and modulated light emission, with frequency and temperature, suggests participation of slow defect channels in fast radiative recombination dynamics. Our work establishes prominent connection between electrical and optical properties of light emitting diodes and provides a tool to investigate the interesting condensed matter physics of these structures. Our observations demand a generalized physical framework, beyond conventional models, to understand an active light emitting diode under charge carrier injection. We suggest that the low frequency response can compromise the performance of these diodes under high frequency applications. We also suggest how internal quantum well structure can affect modulated light output efficiency of the device.

In the present work nanostructures of manganese dioxide have been synthesized and characterized as potential catalysts for Li-air batteries. The R-MnO2 nanourchin-shaped catalyst was synthesized by mild hydrothermal conditions under autogeneous pressure. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) was used to confirm the formation of single R-MnO2. The microstructure of the obtained nanostructures was investigated by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) showing the presence of acicular manganese oxide aggregates (5-10 nm wide) which tend to form spherical clusters, taking on an urchin-shaped form of roughly 6 microns diameter. The cyclability analyses reveal an enhanced performance and efficiency for the batteries with higher amounts of catalyst. This catalyst is thought to promote alternative reaction pathways in the Li2CO3 decomposition which attenuate the instability of the electrolyte and/or carbon electrode during the discharge resulting in an improved cyclability.

The 4-benzyloxy-1-oxaspiro-[4.6]-undec-3-en-2-one (C17H20O3) was prepared through a domino reaction from benzyl α-hydroxycycloheptanecarboxylate and the cumulated ylide Ph3P=C=C=O by: (i) addition and (ii) intramolecular Wittig Olefination reaction. The reaction was carried out using anhydrous toluene as solvent under an argon atmosphere in a Schlenk flask. Molecular characterization was performed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, (1H,13C – mono and bidimensional) nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; crystallographic characterization was completed by X-ray diffraction of polycrystalline samples (XRPD). The title compound crystallized in a monoclinical system and unit-cell parameters are reported [a = 13.207(3) Å, b = 5.972(1) Å, c = 19.719(4) Å, β = 105.67(2)°, unit-cell volume V = 1497.5 (4) Å3, Z = 4]. All of the measured lines were indexed with the P21/n (No. 14) space group.