To date only few low-cost bio-based materials have been reported to be useful as TENGs. However, they still keep employing costly nanofabrication techniques. Herein, a new bio-based starch-cellulose TENG is fabricated without using complex equipment for the first time. Our results showed that, depending on the film thickness, electric outputs varied from 60 mV to 300 mV per 4 cm2 area. The thicker the film, the lower the electrical outputs, and vice versa. Moreover, FTIR-ATR analysis also showed that no chemical modification was made on the surface of starch after casting. Therefore, starch remained unmodified at the time of characterization, being this performance proper of a pristine starch. In addition, though organic starch isolation, fabrication of the proposed TENG was entirely handmade, thus avoiding use of complex equipment of nano- and micro-fabrication which resulted in the development of an eco-friendly TENG with very good performance according to the state-of-the-art.

Transport mechanisms in structurally ordered piezoelectric Ca3TaGa3Si2O14 (CTGS) single crystals are studied in the temperature range of 1000-1300 °C by application of the isotope 18O as a tracer and subsequent analysis of diffusion profiles of this isotope using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Determined oxygen self-diffusion coefficients enable calculation of oxygen ion contribution to the total conductivity, which is shown to be small. Since very low contributions of the cations have to be expected, the total conductivity must be dominated by electron transport. Ion and electron conductivities are governed by different mechanisms with activation energies (1.9±0.1) eV and (1.2±0.07) eV, respectively. Further, the electromechanical losses are studied as a function of temperature by means of impedance spectroscopy on samples with electrodes and a contactless tone-burst excitation technique. At temperatures above 650 °C the conductivity-related losses are dominant. Finally, the operation of CTGS resonators is demonstrated at cryogenic temperatures and materials piezoelectric strain constants are determined from 4.2 K to room temperature.

We use ultrafast coherent two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy (2DES) to study the ultrafast spectral diffusion dynamics of colloidal CdSe quantum dots (QDs) and CdSe nanoplatelets (NPLs). The Center Line Slope (CLS) and Nodal Line Slope (NLS) techniques were employed to analyse the 2DES spectra. We show that no spectral diffusion dynamics occurs for the CdSe QDs. On the other hand, spectral diffusion was observed in the CdSe 5 mono-layers NPLs heavy-hole transition. The normalized Frequency Fluctuation Correlation Function (FFCF) of the CdSe NPLs heavy-hole transition was measured to have a major fast decay component at 140 fs.

The photophysical properties of lead halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) are critical to their potential application in light emitting devices and other optoelectronics, and are typically characterized using optical spectroscopies. Measurements of nuclei and nascent NC photophysics during synthesis provide insight into how the reaction can be changed to control the properties of the resulting NCs. However, these measurements are typically only performed ex situ after growth is halted by centrifuging the reaction mixture for several minutes. Here, a method is reported to rapidly sample the reaction mixture during a solvation-limited synthesis to enable multiple spectroscopic measurements during nucleation and NC growth. Absorbance and fluorescence measurements of a reaction mixture during the formation of methylammonium lead triiodide perovskite NCs are reported. The changing positions of spectral features as a function of reaction time show the expected weakening of exciton confinement during NC growth. The evolving fluorescence spectra demonstrate that the capping and surface passivation of nascent NCs changes during the reaction. The species in the reaction mixture, particularly during the early stages of the synthesis, are shown to be unstable. This indicates that, even for a relatively slow solvation-limited reaction, the photophysics of the reaction mixture can only be accurately captured if spectroscopic measurements are completed within seconds of sampling. The common use of centrifugation to quench NC syntheses prior to spectroscopic measurement biases the NC population towards more stable, well-capped NCs and does not accurately report on the full NC population in a reaction mixture.

We demonstrate a suspended graphene-(poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymer angular displacement actuator enabled by variable elastic modulus of the perforated stacked structure. Azimuthal flexures support a central disc-shaped membrane, and compression of the membrane can be used to control the rotation of the entire structure. Irradiating the PMMA on graphene stack with 5 kV electrons in a convention scanning electron microscope reduces the elastic modulus of the PMMA and allows graphene’s built in strain to dominate and compress the flexures, thus rotating the actuator.

Nanoparticles and nanopores of iron oxide were synthesized by electrochemical anodization, in an electrolytic medium of ammonium fluoride (NH4F), deionized water and ethylene glycol. After anodization, the Fe foils were annealed at 450 °C for 2 hours. Different anodization times and two concentrations of NH4F (0.1 M and 1.2 M) were evaluated, under static conditions at room temperature. Scanning Electron Microscopy showed nanopores (0.1 M) and nanoparticles (1.2 M). Eight vibration modes characteristic of α-Fe2O3 were found with Raman spectroscopy technique. Relationship between the modes Eu(LO) and 2Eu(LO) was found, therefore, their association with the disorder in the crystalline structure can be determined and it was also found that 2Eu(LO) intensity mode at a concentration of 1.2 M is larger than 0.1 M nanostructures, the FWHM of the A1g mode at 227 cm-1 corresponding to the Fe3+ ions and the Eg at 293 cm-1 mode caused by the O2- ions was also analyzed and founded that the crystalline structure of hematite can be determined by the A1g mode at 227 cm-1.

Selective solar absorbers comprised of plasmonic materials offer great flexibility in design along with a highly promising optical performance. However, the nanopattern generation, typically done with electron beam writing, is a very time-intensive process. In this work, we present a fast, scalable, and flexible method for the fabrication of plasmonic materials by the combination of a deposition mask prepared by nanoimprint lithography and thin film deposition by magnetron sputtering. The fabrication process was first performed on silicon wafer substrates using AFM and SEM measurements to calibrate the deposition time, determine maximal deposition height, and characterize samples. Afterwards, the process was transferred to polished Inconel NiCr-alloy substrates used in high temperature solar absorbers. To investigate the adhesion properties of the nanostructure on the substrate, two different deposition methods were investigated: DC magnetron sputtering and High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HiPIMS).

The role that changes in the crystal temperature and the doping concentration play in shaping the character of the steady-state and transient transport response of electrons within bulk wurtzite zinc oxide will be examined. Monte Carlo electron transport simulations are drawn upon for the purposes of this analysis. We find that both the crystal temperature and the doping concentration greatly influence the character of the steady-state and transient electron transport response. In particular, for the case of steady-state electron transport, the peak drift velocity decreases by 30% as the crystal temperature is increased from 100 to 700 K, this decrease in velocity being only 20% as the doping concentration is increased from 1015 to 1019 cm-3. The impact on the transient electron drift velocity is not as acute.

Controlling microscopic morphology of energetic materials is of significant interest for the improvement of their performance and production consistency. As an important insensitive high explosive material, triaminotrinitrobenzene (TATB) has attracted tremendous research effort for military grade explosives and propellants. In this study, a new, rapid and inexpensive synthesis method for monodispersed TATB microparticles based on micelle-confined precipitation was developed. Surfactant with proper hydrophilic-lipophilic balance value was found to be critical to the success of this synthesis. The morphology of the TATB microparticles can be tuned between quasi-spherical and faceted by controlling the speed of recrystallization.

Thin films of haycockite Cu4Fe5S8 on glass substrates were deposited by flash evaporation technique from powders of this compound. The composition of thin films correspond to the atomic content of Cu, Fe, and S of 24.13, 27.90, and 47.97 at.% with the Cu/ Fe and S/ (Cu + Fe) atomic ratios of 0.87 and 0.92 respectively, whereas the corresponding theoretical values for this material amount to 0.80 and 0.89. The as-prepared thin films of haycockite consist of a set of separate fractions of approximately identical areas of about 400 - 600 μm2. It can be assumed that this structure evolved during cooling down of thin films since it completely covers the surface of thin films. A small inclusion of a second phase with the chemical composition close to talnakhite Cu9Fe8S16 is also observed. Haycockite Cu4Fe5S8 is found to be a direct gap semiconductor with the energy band gap Eg equal to 1.26 eV as determined using both transmission and surface photovoltage methods.

Cu films are widely used in electronics for interconnections. In some applications, reliable thin-film connecting elements having high electrical conductivity, mechanical stability and adhesion to a glass substrate are required. In this case the length of the elements amounts to tens of centimetres. In this paper, Cu was used as the basis for the connecting elements. To ensure high adhesion Cr was used as an underlayer. The paper investigates the structure, electrical conductivity, adhesion, defect formation of Cu, Cu-Cr, Cr-Cu-Cr thin-film conductors. As a result of the performed research, the regularities of changes of the film structure, electrical conductivity, adhesion, defect formation depending on the technological process parameters were established. Physical and technological mechanisms determining the observed patterns are considered. The research results are used in the device production technology.

Recent progress in semiconductor materials with minor nonradiative recombination has stimulated investigations of novel photovoltaic (PV) converters with optical control of radiative emission. Angle restricted emission was experimentally demonstrated in PV devices with external photon recycling due to specific photonic crystals or mirrors. In this work we investigate the power beam conversion by the cell with front “greenhouse” filter, which transmits the laser light, but recycles the low energy bandgap quanta emitted by the semiconductor cell. We calculate the limiting characteristics of the greenhouse PV converters and optimize design of the converter taking into account the nonradiative recombination processes. In optimized devices addition of the greenhouse filter can increase power beam conversion efficiency by several percent.

In order to begin to evaluate and model the suitability of high temperature ceramic composites, such as AlN:Mo, as susceptor materials for power beaming applications, the electromagnetic, thermal, and mechanical properties of the material must be known at elevated temperatures. Work reported here focuses on the development of thermal property datasets for AlN:Mo composites ranging from 0.25% to 4.0% Mo by volume. To calculate thermal conductivity of the AlN:Mo composite series, specific heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, and density data were acquired. The calculated specific heat capacity, Cp, of the set of AlN:Mo composites was, on average, found to be approximately 803 J/kgK at 100 °C and to increase to approximately 1133 J/kgK at 1000 °C, with all values to be within +/- 32 J/kgK of the average at a given temperature. These calculated specific heat capacity values matched values derived from DSC measurements to within the expected error of the measurements. Measured thermal diffusivity, α, of the set of AlN:Mo composites was, on average, found to be approximately 3.93 x 10-1 cm2/s at 100 °C and to increase to approximately 9.80 x 10-2 cm2/s at 1000 °C, with all values within +/- 1.84 x 10-2 cm2/s of the average at a given temperature. Thermal conductivity, k, for the set of AlN:Mo composites was found to be approximately 108 W/mK at 100 °C and to decrease to approximately 38 W/mK at 1000 °C, with all values within +/- 5.3 W/mK of the average at a given temperature. Data trends show that increasing Mo content correlates to lower values of of Cp, α, and k at a given temperature.

Doping, as a primary technique to modify semiconductor transport, has achieved tremendous success in the past decades. For example, boron and phosphorus doping of Si modulates the dominant carrier type between p-type and n-type, serving as the backbone for the modern microelectronic technologies. Doped III-V semiconducting systems exhibit phenomenal optoelectronic properties. Magnesium doped gallium nitride plays an important role to build efficient blue light-emitting diode (LED), which won Nobel Prize in physics in 2014. The rise of two-dimensional (2D) materials sheds light on their potential in next generation electronic, optoelectronic, and quantum applications. These properties can further be controlled via doping of 2D materials, however, many challenges still remain in this field. Here, we present a rapid review on the recent achievements and challenges in the metastable and substitutional doping of 2D materials, followed by providing an outlook on integrating 2D materials into more advanced electronic architectures.

Dicationic cobalt(II) complexes of the type [Co(fterpy)2]c(X)2·nH2O·mCH3OH (fterpy = 4′-(2-furyl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine; 1: X = PF6-, n = 1.5, m = 0; 2: X = ClO4-, n = 1, m = 1) have been isolated using self-assembly method and characterized by various spectroscopic techniques. In crystalline states both compounds exhibit gradual and incomplete spin crossover (SCO) behaviour in the temperature range 2-320 K. Various spin states of cobalt(II) in 1 have been confirmed by crystallographic evidences at 150 K and 293 K. A variation in counter anions and solvent molecules from 1 to 2 substantially improves the cooperativity among the spin active metal centres and thereby changing the nature of SCO behaviour.

Composite actuators consisting of magnetic nanoparticles dispersed in a crystallizable multiphase polymer system can be remotely controlled by alternating magnetic fields (AMF). These actuators contain spatially segregated crystalline domains with chemically different compositions. Here, the crystalline domain associated to low melting transition range is responsible for actuation while the crystalline domain associated to the higher melting transition range determines the geometry of the shape change. This paper reports magneto-mechanical actuators which are based on a single crystalline domain of oligo(ω-pentadecalactone) (OPDL) along with covalently integrated iron(III) oxide nanoparticles (ioNPs). Different geometrical modes of actuation such as a reversible change in length or twisting were implemented by a magneto-mechanical programming procedure. For an individual actuation mode, the degree of actuation could be tailored by variation of the magnetic field strengths. This material design can be easily extended to other composites containing other magnetic nanoparticles, e.g. with a high magnetic susceptibility.

Different materials have been welded by laser beam. This process allows to obtain high quality welds with lower thermal effect. Laser beam welding produces narrow and high penetration welds without filler material. However, this process modifies the mechanical and microstructural properties of the welded joints. Therefore, this is currently a research topic, mainly using Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS). These materials are used in the automotive industry. As a result, it is important to study the thermometallurgical and mechanical behavior of welded steels. In addition, a tool used to approximate the thermal effect in the fusion zone (FZ) and heat affected zone (HAZ) has been the computational numerical simulation. In this work, two butt joints of DP600 steel plates of 200 mm x 150 mm and 2 mm thickness with different welding sequences were simulated using the SYSWELD finite element software. The results of both coupons were compared and it was determined that the distortion and residual stresses decreased in the second coupon by applying a different welding sequence with equal heat input.

The final disposal of nuclear waste is at the interface between the technologies of the nuclear fuel cycle that produce the waste and the natural hydrologic and geochemical cycles of geologic repositories. Despite this broad interdisciplinary scope, nuclear waste management, as practiced, remains “balkanized” among the relevant disciplines. The individual subdisciplines continue to work in relative isolation from one another: materials science dealing with the immobilization of nuclear waste; engineering science dealing with the design, construction and operation of the repository; geoscience dealing with the long-term behavior of host rocks and the hydrology; health science dealing with the effects of radiation; social sciences dealing with the issues of trust, risk and ethics. Understanding how these very different disciplines interact is fundamental to creating and managing a nuclear waste organization. Based on a comprehensive review of the scholarly and scientific literature of waste management, we have analyzed the evolution and structure of research in nuclear waste management between 1979 and 2017. Focusing on materials science, we show that some research themes have been isolated from the most central themes of nuclear waste management. Moreover, we observed a relative decline of the fundamental research in materials science. This decline was evidenced by a drop in the number of articles published in the proceedings of the MRS symposia “Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management” since 2000. We argue for the need to more precisely and inclusively define the field of nuclear waste management.

This work focuses on the development of a system to control the formation of bone to complement developments that have enabled potent regeneration of bony tissue. Scaffolds were fabricated with chemically modified RNA encoding for bone morphogenetic protein-9 (cmBMP9) and capped with salicylic acid (SA)-containing polymer (SAPAE). The goal was to determine if SAPAE could inhibit the formation of bone in a pilot animal study since cmBMP9 has been demonstrated to be highly effective in regenerating bone in a rat calvarial defect model. The results indicated that cmBMP9 increased bone formation (30% increase in area covered compared to control) and that SAPAE trended toward reducing the bone formation. These results suggest SAPAE could be useful as a chemical agent in reducing unwanted bone formation in implants loaded with cmBMP9.

Nanocomposites comprising of biopolymers and calcium phosphate cements (CaP) are promising due to their biocompatibility, non-toxicity, biodegradability and suitable mechanical properties for biomedical applications. In here, a new composite material was synthesized with carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and gelatin (GEL) as the liquid phase and CaP based powder as the solid phase. In this study, the effect of addition of different wt% of GEL including 0, 5, 10, 20 in the liquid phase was investigated on the physical properties of the nanocomposites. Physico-chemical characteristics of materials were determined by using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and mechanical tests. Swelling analysis was performed after 1, 8, 16, 24 and 48 hours and degradation of samples was studied after 7 and 14 days. FTIR results showed that there was physical interaction between CMC and GEL with H bonding which was evident from the peak at 3288cm-1. Disruption in GEL structure was observed from the band at 1600-1400 cm-1 Disruption of GEL structure may increase the interaction between CMC and GEL molecules. After mixing of solid and liquid phases, negative charged COO- groups on CMC and Ca2+ molecules from CaP start to interact with each other. This produces attraction sites for PO43- molecules. This lead to accumulation of hydroxyapatite-like structures. A homogenous and porous microstructure was observed by using SEM in all samples. Mechanical tests showed that GEL improved the strength of the samples up to 20 wt% of GEL. The addition of 20 wt% of GEL decreased the mechanical properties. The compressive strength values were found up to approximately 6 MPa. Swelling results revealed that increasing in GEL concentration cause decrease in swelling until the 16th hour, after that 10wt% GEL samples had the lowest swelling which was approximately 28%. Finally, degradation studies indicated that the highest degradation rate was for 10% GEL incorporated samples. Addition of further GEL also reduced the degradation rate. Overall, the addition of GEL improved physical properties of the samples for potential biomedical applications.