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    The influence of partial replacement of Cu with Ga on the corrosion behavior of Ti40Zr10Cu36PD14 metallic glasses
    (Bristol : IOP Publishing, 2019) Wei, Qi; Gostin, Petre Flaviu; Addison, Owen; Reed, Daniel; Calin, Mariana; Bera, Supriya; Ramasamy, Parthiban; Davenport, Alison
    TiZrCuPdGa metallic glasses are under consideration for small dental biomedical implants. There is interest in replacing some of the Cu with Ga to improve the glass-forming ability and biocompatibility. Ti40Zr10Cu36-xPd14Gax (x = 0, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 10 at.%) metallic glasses in rod and ribbon forms were fabricated by mould casting and melt spinning, respectively, and electrochemically tested in a 0.9wt.% NaCl (0.154 M) solution. It has been shown that for both rod and ribbon samples Ga levels up to 8% have no significant effect on passive current density, pitting potential or cathodic reactivity in 0.9% NaCl at 37°C. Different pitting potential and corrosion potential values were found when ribbon and rod samples of the same composition were compared for all compositions apart from the one containing the highest Ga level (10%). This was attributed to structural relaxation occurring as a result of the slower cooling rates during casting rods compared with melt-spinning ribbons. Substitution of Ga for Cu in these metallic glasses therefore expected to have no significant effect on corrosion susceptibility. © The Author(s) 2019.
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    On the anomalous optical conductivity dispersion of electrically conducting polymers: Ultra-wide spectral range ellipsometry combined with a Drude-Lorentz model
    (London [u.a.] : RSC, 2019) Chen, Shangzhi; Kühne, Philipp; Stanishev, Vallery; Knight, Sean; Brooke, Robert; Petsagkourakis, Ioannis; Crispin, Xavier; Schubert, Mathias; Darakchieva, Vanya; Jonsson, Magnus P.
    Electrically conducting polymers (ECPs) are becoming increasingly important in areas such as optoelectronics, biomedical devices, and energy systems. Still, their detailed charge transport properties produce an anomalous optical conductivity dispersion that is not yet fully understood in terms of physical model equations for the broad range optical response. Several modifications to the classical Drude model have been proposed to account for a strong non-Drude behavior from terahertz (THz) to infrared (IR) ranges, typically by implementing negative amplitude oscillator functions to the model dielectric function that effectively reduce the conductivity in those ranges. Here we present an alternative description that modifies the Drude model via addition of positive-amplitude Lorentz oscillator functions. We evaluate this so-called Drude-Lorentz (DL) model based on the first ultra-wide spectral range ellipsometry study of ECPs, spanning over four orders of magnitude: from 0.41 meV in the THz range to 5.90 eV in the ultraviolet range, using thin films of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):tosylate (PEDOT:Tos) as a model system. The model could accurately fit the experimental data in the whole ultrawide spectral range and provide the complex anisotropic optical conductivity of the material. Examining the resonance frequencies and widths of the Lorentz oscillators reveals that both spectrally narrow vibrational resonances and broader resonances due to localization processes contribute significantly to the deviation from the Drude optical conductivity dispersion. As verified by independent electrical measurements, the DL model accurately determines the electrical properties of the thin film, including DC conductivity, charge density, and (anisotropic) mobility. The ellipsometric method combined with the DL model may thereby become an effective and reliable tool in determining both optical and electrical properties of ECPs, indicating its future potential as a contact-free alternative to traditional electrical characterization. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2019.
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    Lithium metal penetration induced by electrodeposition through solid electrolytes: Example in single-crystal Li6La3ZrTaO12 garnet
    (Pennington, NJ : Electrochemical Society, 2018) Swamy, Tushar; Park, Richard; Sheldon, Brian W.; Rettenwander, Daniel; Porz, Lukas; Berendts, Stefan; Uecker, Reinhard; Carter, W. Craig; Chiang, Yet-Ming
    Solid electrolytes potentially enable rechargeable batteries with lithium metal anodes possessing higher energy densities than today’s lithium ion batteries. To do so the solid electrolyte must suppress instabilities that lead to poor coulombic efficiency and short circuits. In this work, lithium electrodeposition was performed on single-crystal Li6La3ZrTaO12 garnets to investigate factors governing lithium penetration through brittle electrolytes. In single crystals, grain boundaries are excluded as paths for lithium metal propagation. Vickers microindentation was used to introduce surface flaws of known size. However, operando optical microscopy revealed that lithium metal penetration propagates preferentially from a different, second class of flaws. At the perimeter of surface current collectors smaller in size than the lithium source electrode, an enhanced electrodeposition current density causes lithium filled cracks to initiate and grow to penetration, even when large Vickers defects are in proximity. Modeling the electric field distribution in the experimental cell revealed that a 5-fold enhancement in field occurs within 10 micrometers of the electrode edge and generates high local electrochemomechanical stress. This may determine the initiation sites for lithium propagation, overriding the presence of larger defects elsewhere.
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    Layered manganese bismuth tellurides with GeBi4Te7- and GeBi6Te10-type structures: Towards multifunctional materials
    (London : RSC Publ., 2019) Souchay, Daniel; Nentwig, Markus; Günther, Daniel; Keilholz, Simon; de Boor, Johannes; Zeugner, Alexander; Isaeva, Anna; Ruck, Michael; Wolter, Anja U.B.; Büchnerde, Bernd; Oeckler, Oliver
    The crystal structures of new layered manganese bismuth tellurides with the compositions Mn0.85(3)Bi4.10(2)Te7 and Mn0.73(4)Bi6.18(2)Te10 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, including the use of microfocused synchrotron radiation. These analyses reveal that the layered structures deviate from the idealized stoichiometry of the 12P-GeBi4Te7 (space group P3m1) and 51R-GeBi6Te10 (space group R3m) structure types they adopt. Modified compositions Mn1-xBi4+2x/3Te7 (x = 0.15-0.2) and Mn1-xBi6+2x/3Te10 (x = 0.19-0.26) assume cation vacancies and lead to homogenous bulk samples as confirmed by Rietveld refinements. Electron diffraction patterns exhibit no diffuse streaks that would indicate stacking disorder. The alternating quintuple-layer [M2Te3] and septuple-layer [M3Te4] slabs (M = mixed occupied by Bi and Mn) with 1 : 1 sequence (12P stacking) in Mn0.85Bi4.10Te7 and 2 : 1 sequence (51R stacking) in Mn0.81Bi6.13Te10 were also observed in HRTEM images. Temperature-dependent powder diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry show that the compounds are high-temperature phases, which are metastable at ambient temperature. Magnetization measurements are in accordance with a MnII oxidation state and point at predominantly ferromagnetic coupling in both compounds. The thermoelectric figures of merit of n-type conducting Mn0.85Bi4.10Te7 and Mn0.81Bi6.13Te10 reach zT = 0.25 at 375 °C and zT = 0.28 at 325 °C, respectively. Although the compounds are metastable, compact ingots exhibit still up to 80% of the main phases after thermoelectric measurements up to 400 °C. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2019.
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    Correction: Electrochemically deposited nanocrystalline InSb thin films and their electrical properties (Journal of Materials Chemistry C (2016) 4 (1345-1350) DOI: 10.1039/C5TC03656A)
    (London : RSC Publ., 2019) Hnida, K.E.; Bäßler, S.; Mech, J.; Szaciłowski, K.; Socha, R.P.; Gajewska, M.; Nielsch, K.; Przybylski, M.; Sulka, G.D.
    There was an error in eqn (3) which was reproduced from the literature and used for the interpretation of the results. The calculations (using the equations from an original work from 1987) were done according the correct version of eqn (3) presented below:. (Table Presented). © 2019 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
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    Tuning the magneto-optical response of TbPc2 single molecule magnets by the choice of the substrate
    (London [u.a.] : RSC, 2015) Robaschik, Peter; Fronk, Michael; Toader, Marius; Klyatskaya, Svetlana; Ganss, Fabian; Siles, Pablo F.; Schmidt, Oliver G.; Albrecht, Manfred; Hietschold, Michael; Ruben, Mario; Zahn, Dietrich R.T.; Salvan, Georgeta
    In this work, we investigated the magneto-optical response of thin films of TbPc2 on substrates which are relevant for (spin) organic field effect transistors (SiO2) or vertical spin valves (Co) in order to explore the possibility of implementing TbPc2 in magneto-electronic devices, the functionality of which includes optical reading. The optical and magneto-optical properties of TbPc2 thin films prepared by organic molecular beam deposition (OMBD) on silicon substrates covered with native oxide were investigated by variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE) and magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) spectroscopy at room temperature. The magneto-optical activity of the TbPc2 films can be significantly enhanced by one to two orders of magnitude upon changing the molecular orientation (from nearly standing molecules on SiO2/Si substrates to nearly lying molecules on perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA) templated SiO2/Si substrates) or by using metallic ferromagnetic substrates (Co).
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    Boundary conditions for electrochemical interfaces
    (Bristol : IOP Publishing, 2017) Landstorfer, Manuel
    Consistent boundary conditions for electrochemical interfaces, which cover double layer charging, pseudo-capacitive effects and transfer reactions, are of high demand in electrochemistry and adjacent disciplines. Mathematical modeling and optimization of electrochemical systems is a strongly emerging approach to reduce cost and increase efficiency of super-capacitors, batteries, fuel cells, and electro-catalysis. However, many mathematical models which are used to describe such systems lack a real predictive value. Origin of this shortcoming is the usage of oversimplified boundary conditions. In this work we derive the boundary conditions for some general electrode-electrolyte interface based on non-equilibrium thermodynamics for volumes and surfaces. The resulting equations are widely applicable and cover also tangential transport. The general framework is then applied to a specific material model which allows the deduction of a current-voltage relation and thus a comparison to experimental data. Some simplified 1D examples show the range of applicability of the new approach.
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    Hybrid nanostructured particles via surfactant-free double miniemulsion polymerization
    ([London] : Nature Publishing Group UK, 2018) Zhao, Yongliang; Liu, Junli; Chen, Zhi; Zhu, Xiaomin; Möller, Martin
    Double emulsions are complex fluid systems, in which droplets of a dispersed liquid phase contain even smaller dispersed liquid droplets. Particularly, water-in-oil-in-water double emulsions provide significant advantages over simple oil-in-water emulsions for microencapsulation, such as carrier of both aqueous and oily payloads and sustained release profile. However, double emulsions are thermodynamically unstable systems consisting typically of relatively large droplets. Here we show that nanoscale water-in-oil-in-water double emulsions can be prepared by adding a silica precursor polymer, hyperbranched polyethoxysiloxane, to the oil phase without any additional surfactants. The resulting double miniemulsions are transformed to robust water@SiO2@polymer@SiO2 nanocapsules via conversion of the precursor to silica and polymerization of the oil phase. Other intriguing nanostructures like nanorattles and Janus-like nanomushrooms can also be obtained by changing preparation conditions. This simple surfactant-free double miniemulsion polymerization technique opens a promising avenue for mass production of various complex hybrid nanostructures that are amenable to numerous applications.
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    Large-area wet-chemical deposition of nanoporous tungstic silica coatings
    (London [u.a.] : RSC, 2015) Nielsen, K.H.; Wondraczek, K.; Schubert, U.S.; Wondraczek, L.
    We report on a facile procedure for synthesis of nanoporous coatings of tungstic silica through wet-chemical deposition and post-treatment of tungsten-doped potassium silicate solutions. The process relies on an aqueous washing and ion exchange step where dispersed potassium salt deposits are removed from a 150 nm silicate gel layer. Through an adjustment of the pH value of the washing agent within the solubility regime of a tungstic salt precursor, the tungsten content of the remaining nanostructured coating can be controlled. We propose this route as a universal approach for the deposition of large-area coatings of nanoporous silica with the potential for incorporating a broad variety of other dopant species. As for the present case, we observe, on the one hand, antireflective properties which enable the reduction of reflection losses from float glass by up to 3.7 percent points. On the other hand, the incorporation of nanoscale tungstic precipitates provides a lever for tailoring the coating hydrophilicity and, eventually, also surface acidity. This may provide a future route for combining optical performance with anti-fouling functionality.
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    Correction: Interface-engineered reliable HfO2-based RRAM for synaptic simulation (Journal of Materials Chemistry C (2019) DOI: 10.1039/c9tc04880d)
    (London [u.a.] : RSC, 2019) Wang, Qiang; Niu, Gang; Roy, Sourav; Wang, Yankun; Zhang, Yijun; Wu, Heping; Zhai, Shijie; Bai, Wei; Shi, Peng; Song, Sannian; Song, Zhitang; Xie, Ya-Hong; Ye, Zuo-Guang; Wenger, Christian; Meng, Xiangjian; Ren, Wei
    There was an error in the author list of this published article. The corresponding authors for this paper are Gang Niu (gangniu@xjtu.edu.cn) and Wei Ren (wren@mail.xjtu.edu.cn). The footnote indicating that Qiang Wang and Gang Niu contributed equally to the work was not intended. The corrected author list and notations are shown here. The Royal Society of Chemistry apologises for these errors and any consequent inconvenience to authors and readers. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2019.