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Magnetostrictive bimorphs consisting of positive and negative magnetostrictive materials such as FeGa and Ni respectively were made in the form of (a) multilayers containing Si/Ni/FeGa and (b) stacking consisting of Ni/Si/FeGa by sputtering technique on Si substrates. While the thickness of the FeGa film was maintained at 200 nm for all the films, Ni films were grown with two different thicknesses, viz., 100 and 200 nm. Magnetostrictive response of these bimorphs was compared with FeGa unimorph deposited on Si. Structural studies indicated FCC and BCC structure for Ni and FeGa films respectively. Magnetization studies showed a decrease in saturation magnetization with increase in Ni content owing to the lower magnetization of Ni when compared to FeGa. Considerable enhancement in tip deflection has been observed in the bimorph structure when compared with pure FeGa film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrogenolysis of polymers is emerging as a promising approach to deconstruct plastic waste into valuable chemicals. Yet, the complexity of plastic waste, including multilayer packaging, is a significant barrier to handling realistic waste streams. Herein, we reveal fundamental insights into a new chemical route for transforming a previously unaddressed fraction of plastic waste – poly(ethylene‐co‐vinyl alcohol) (EVOH) and related polymer blends – into alkane products. We report that Ru/ZrO2 is active for the concurrent hydrogenolysis, hydrogenation, and hydrodeoxygenation of EVOH and its thermal degradation products into alkanes (C1−C35) and water. Detailed reaction data, product analysis, and catalyst characterization reveal that the in‐situ thermal degradation of EVOH forms aromatic intermediates that are detrimental to catalytic activity. Increased hydrogen pressure promotes hydrogenation of these aromatics, preventing catalyst deactivation and improving alkane product yields. Calculated apparent rates of C−C scission reveal that the hydrogenolysis of EVOH is slower than low‐density polyethylene. We apply these findings to achieve hydrogenolysis of EVOH/polyethylene blends and elucidate the sensitivity of hydrogenolysis catalysts to such blends. Overall, we demonstrate progress towards efficient catalytic processes for the hydroconversion of waste multilayer film plastic packaging into valuable products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multilayer films of diamond‐like carbon (DLC) on monocrystalline diamond substrates have been for the first time obtained by plasma‐chemical deposition. Their chemical composition and structural and morphological properties are studied. The DLC individual layers differ in their sp3 carbon content. The multilayer nature of the resulting coatings is confirmed by periodic density modulation on the small‐angle X‐ray reflectometry curve and modulations in the CsC8, CsC6, CsC4 lines on the crater depth profile of secondary ions of elements (secondary ion mass spectrometry). The dependence of the deposition rate of multilayer DLC films on diamond, their composition and properties on the argon additive to the reaction gas mixture, as well as on methane flow, pressure and growth time, are studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of the concentration of various ethylene–vinyl alcohol (EVAlC) and ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymers on the properties of high-density and low-density polyethylenes is studied to develop compositions for utilization and recycling of polymer multilayer films containing EVAlCs as a barrier layer. It was found that EVAlCs have a lesser negative effect on the properties of mixtures based on high-density polyethylene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti reflection coating with high hardness on the OLED display surface was studied to improve the wear resistance and visibility of OLED. However, the high residual stress inside the multilayer thin film configuration of anti reflection coating has been a problem and the improvement is necessary. In this study, the residual stress and optical properties variation on various deposition conditions on the thin film were investigated. In addition, we suggested new coating structure using nanocomposites to overcome the residual stress of films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multilayer structures based on the In‐Zn‐O (IZO) system with modulated oxygen doping have been developed as a TCF (transparent conductive film) alternative to ITO or IGZO layers in the LC and OLED displays. The minimum resistivity (3.37 Ohm*cm) and the maximum concentration of free charge carriers correspond to the layers synthesized in an atmosphere of pure argon, while the maximum mobility (39.18 cm2/V*s) corresponds to the layers synthesized in the atmosphere of both argon and oxygen 99.6%/0.4% mixture. Thin‐film periodic structures with gradient modulation of oxygen content in thickness have been fabricated by periodically changing the oxygen concentration in the composition of the working gas during spraying at a substrate temperature of 100 °C. The structures consist of alternating layers with a high concentration of free charge carriers and layers with high mobility. As a result of the single layers' thicknesses optimization the thin‐film periodic structures with a minimum resistivity of 2.89 Ohm*cm have been made. The resistivity is lower than in homogeneous layers of the same composition. The alternation of layers of optimal thickness provides high carrier mobility, it is inherent to layers synthesized in the atmosphere of 99.6/0.4 argon and oxygen mixture at high concentration. The mobility value is close to the value achieved in the layers synthesized in the pure argon atmosphere. This material provides fabrication of high quality, stable and low cost transparent electrodes or TFT layers with performances corresponding to parameters of traditional materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Rubber Industry is the property of Editorial Office of China Rubber Industry and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this study, poly(ethylene terephthalate)‐block‐polyethylene (PET‐PE) multiblock copolymers (MBCPs) with block molar masses of ~4 or 7 kg mol−1 and either alternating or random block sequencing, and a PE‐PET‐PE triblock copolymer (TBCP) of comparable total molar mass, were synthesized. To explore the effect of molecular architecture on compatibilization, both MBCPs and TBCPs were blended into 80/20 wt/wt mixtures of PET/linear low‐density PE (LLDPE). Compatibilization was remarkably efficient for all MBCP types, with the addition of 0.2 wt% yielding blends nearly as tough as PET homopolymer. Addition of MBCP also significantly decreases LLDPE dispersed phase sizes compared to PET/LLDPE neat blends, as much as 80% in as‐mixed blends and by a factor of 10 in post‐mixing thermally annealed samples. Conversely, the TBCP was less efficient at decreasing domain sizes of the blends and improving the mechanical properties, requiring loadings of 1 wt% to produce comparably tough blends. Peel tests of PET/BCP/LLDPE trilayer films showed that both MBCPs and TBCP all improve interfacial strength over a PET‐PE bilayer film by two orders of magnitude; however, when the BCPs were preloaded into LLDPE, only the MBCP containing films showed strong adhesion highlighting their potential utility as adhesive agents in multilayer films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abuse of plastic food packaging has brought about severe white pollution issues around the world. Developing green and sustainable biomass packaging is an effective way to solve this problem. Hence, a chitosan/sodium alginate- based multilayer film is fabricated via a layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly method. With the help of superior interaction between the layers, the multilayer film possesses excellent mechanical properties (with a tensile strength of 50 MPa). Besides, the film displays outstanding water retention property (blocking moisture of 97.56%) and ultraviolet blocking property. Anthocyanin is introduced into the film to detect the food quality since it is one natural plant polyphenol that is sensitive to the pH changes ranging from 1 to 13 in food when spoilage occurs. It is noted that the film is also bacteriostatic which is desired for food packaging. This study describes a simple technique for the development of advanced multifunctional and fully biodegradable food packaging film and it is a sustainable alternative to plastic packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Structural Integrity & Life / Integritet i vek Konstrukcija is the property of University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

With the evolution of new polymers and an increase in their scope of applications, the use of natural resources such as petroleum products for polymer production has seen a drastic increase in the past few years. With production rates higher than ever and rapid, unsafe disposal of used polymers has taken a toll on the environment and other species through pollution. Even though there are alternative solutions, including bioplastics manufactured from greener sources and biodegradable plastics that can disintegrate in a shorter time period, these alternatives are currently in their early stages and hence expensive. It is also more challenging for them to meet the high demands in terms of both quantity and properties. The next nearest alternative, recycling, is the best available solution to avoid plastic waste entering landfills and to reduce raw material demands. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of a newly introduced styrene–ethylene–butadiene block copolymer (SEBS)-based property enhancer (WinMod 300) with disposed high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) and a maleic anhydride-grafted SEBS compatibilizer (WinMod 110) with disposed multilayer films (low-density polyethylene and polyester layers). Recycled compounds were tested for necessary and significant mechanical properties and subjected to material characterization, and the results are presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article performs computer simulations of the change in magnetization in the ferromagnetic film when polarized electric current passes through it. The model examines multilayer structures from ferromagnetic and nonmagnetic films. A sandwich system comprises two ferromagnetic layers separated by a nonmagnetic gasket. Ferromagnetic films have different magnetic susceptibility. The first ferromagnetic film is magnetically hard and acts as a fixed layer. The second ferromagnetic film is magnetically soft, with a switched direction of magnetization. The current direction is perpendicular to the film plane (CPP geometry). Spin transfer is carried out by electrons that polarize in the first ferromagnetic film and transmit spin to the second ferromagnetic film. We use the Ising model to describe the magnetic properties of the system and the Metropolis algorithm to form the thermodynamic states of the spin system. Simulations are performed at temperatures below the Curie points for both materials. The result of computer simulation is the dependence of magnetization in the magnetically soft film on the current strength in the system. Calculations show that there is a critical value of the current at which the magnetization sign of the controlled film changes. The magnetization versus current plot is stepwise. The change in the magnetization sign is due to an increase in the polarization of the electron gas. The plot of electron gas polarization versus current is also stepwise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene oxide (GO) has arisen as an effective adsorbent for water treatment owing to its high removal efficiency for water pollutants. However, separating GO adsorbents from the pollutant solution is difficult after adsorption. The GO adsorbents are unsuitable for various dyes, and can only remove cationic dyes from an aqueous solution. To address these issues, this study utilized a simple and cost-effective layer-by-layer assembly technique to deposit multilayer films onto solid substrates. These films were composed of poly(allylamine hydrochloride)–dextran (PAHD) microgels and GO, and were designed to be highly effective while remaining affordable. The PAHD/GO multilayer films obtained produced an effortless separation process and demonstrated exceptional adsorption capabilities for cationic, anionic and non-ionic dyes. Specifically, the adsorption capacities for carmine and mulberry red were notably high, measuring 337.4 and 417.7 mg g−1, respectively. In addition, the PAHD/GO multilayer films could be regenerated well in sodium chloride solution without obvious compromise of removal efficiency. The adsorption kinetics, isotherms and thermodynamics of dyes on the PAHD/GO multilayer films were also studied. Thanks to the straightforward manufacturing process and outstanding adsorption capabilities of PAHD/GO multilayer films, this study presents a significant opportunity to advance the practical application of GO in water treatment. A composite film composed of poly(allylamine hydrochloride)–dextran microgels and graphene oxide can be employed repeatedly to remove cationic, anionic and non-ionic dyes in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of an investigation of direct laser writing on a titanium film with an antireflection capping silicon coating. Bi-layer films were deposited on fused silica substrates using an e-beam evaporation system. Modeling predicted that optical absorption for a bi-layer Si/Ti material can be increased by a factor of ~2 compared to a single-layer Ti film at 532 nm laser writing beam wavelength. It is experimentally proved that rate of thermochemical laser writing on Si/Ti films is at least 3 times higher than that on a single-layer Ti film with comparable thickness. The silicon layer was found to participate in the thermochemical reaction (silicide formation) under laser beam heating, which allows one to obtain sufficient position-dependent phase change (PDPC) of light reflected from exposed and unexposed areas. This results in much larger profile depth measured with a white light interferometer (up to 150 nm) than with an atomic force microscope (up to 25 nm). During direct laser writing on Si/Ti films, there is a broad range of writing beam power within which the PDPC and reflection coefficient for the exposed areas change insignificantly. The possibility of selective development of a thermochemically written pattern on a Ti film by removing the capping silicon layer on unexposed areas in a hot KOH solution is shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infrared selective emitters are attracting more and more attention due to their modulation ability of infrared radiance, which provides an efficient ability to blend objects into the surrounding environment. In this paper, an Ag/ZnS/Si/Ag/Si multilayered emitter is proposed by virtue of impedance matching as well as Fabry-Perot cavity effect to achieve selective radiation in the infrared band. The emissivity of the fabricated selective emitter is measured to be ε3–5μm = 0.16 and ε8–14μm = 0.23 in the atmosphere windows, respectively, meeting the requirements of infrared stealth. Meanwhile, the emissivity at the non-atmospheric window (5–8 μm) is as high as 0.78, which allows efficient heat dissipation to achieve radiative cooling. Furthermore, the selective emitter maintains excellent stealth performance until 350 °C, indicating its good heat resistance and dissipation at medium temperature. The proposed emitter with spectral selectivity provides a new strategy for the facile fabrication of mid-/low-temperature infrared stealth devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comparison between the magnetic properties of materials with different curvature and spatial distribution of nanograins, such as particles (3D spatial distribution) and multilayer films (2D) was carried out. Functionally graded Co(P)/Ni(P) and Co(P)/CoNi(P) specimens have been fabricated by electroless deposition. The magnetic and structural properties are characterized by electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, ferromagnetic resonance spectroscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometer. It was demonstrated that the interaction between the Ni(P) core and Co(P) shell of particles could form the functionally graded materials with tailored structure and coercive force. Furthermore, it was found that the magnetic parameters (the local anisotropy field, ferromagnetic resonance linewidth, and coercivity) are mainly determined by the artificially created interface boundaries for all grains' spatial distribution. The magnetic anisotropy field and coercivity of Co(P)/Ni(P) flat films were characterized by lower values than those for spherical shell of particles with the same composition, produced by the same method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small plastic packaging films make up a quarter of all packaging waste generated annually in Austria. As many plastic packaging films are multilayered to give barrier properties and strength, this fraction is considered hardly recyclable and recovered thermally. Besides, they can not be separated from recyclable monolayer films using near-infrared spectroscopy in material recovery facilities. In this paper, an experimental sensor-based sorting setup is used to demonstrate the effect of adapting a near-infrared sorting rig to enable measurement in transflection. This adaptation effectively circumvents problems caused by low material thickness and improves the sorting success when separating monolayer and multilayer film materials. Additionally, machine learning approaches are discussed to separate monolayer and multilayer materials without requiring the near-infrared sorter to explicitly learn the material fingerprint of each possible combination of layered materials. Last, a fast Fourier transform is shown to reduce destructive interference overlaying the spectral information. Through this, it is possible to automatically find the Fourier component at which to place the filter to regain the most spectral information possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this review, the principles of the formation of polyelectrolyte microcapsules by the layer-by-layer assembly method have been considered, the intermolecular interactions that take part in the systems have been described, and the factors that affect the parameters of the resulting structures have been listed. Works devoted to tuning the internal structure of polyelectrolyte shells by means of variations in environmental conditions have been presented, in particular, the effect of temperature on polyelectrolyte shells of various compositions has been considered. Examples of changing the permeability of the shells, as well as imparting desired optical properties to the capsules by incorporating dyes and nanoparticles into polyelectrolyte multilayers have been presented. Possible approaches to remote control of shell permeability under the action of external physical stimuli, such as laser and microwave radiations and a low-frequency magnetic field, have been described. One of the sections of the review has been devoted to the methods of encapsulating emulsion droplets via layer-by-layer deposition of polyelectrolytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multilayer films are widely used in flexible packaging to provide an optimum balance of performance and cost. Orientation in the semi-solid state via tenter frame, double bubble, and machine direction orientation processes enhances barrier and mechanical properties and offers a means toward light weighting packaging structures. Interlayer adhesion of coextruded films, however, substantially decreases during the orientation as the generated new interfacial area decreases bond density and chain segments are stressed. A guideline is proposed that provides insight into how changes during orientation in chain segment penetration, entanglement, bond orientation, and density affect peel strength because of semi-solid state orientation. Examples are provided that use these insights to design novel tie resins with improved performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the structural, optical, and electrical properties of molybdenum and zirconium-doped zinc oxide (ZZO) with a purity of 99.99% deposited on a glass substrate by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering and annealed at different temperatures. The doping amount of zirconium on ZnO was 3 wt%. The optimal resistivity of the multilayers, 5.1 x 10-3 Q-cm, was observed for an annealing temperature of 400 °C. This film also had the highest transmittance of 93%. Moreover, the optimal figure of merit, 4.6 x 10-6 Ω-1, was observed for an annealing temperature of 400 °C. Furthermore, the grain size also increased with the annealing temperature, as observed by scanning electron microscopy. Mo/ZZO multilayer thin films with such excellent optical and electrical properties can be applied in photosensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Österreichische Wasser- und Abfallwirtschaft is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this work, peel tests inside the chamber of an ESEM (in situ peel tests) are described with heat-sealed test specimens of packaging systems made of multilayer films that simulate different flexible packaging types, according to the packaging line used. The in situ peel tests provided evidence to describe the influence of three different main aspects of the packaging process in relation to the opening behavior of the sealing packages. The investigated aspects are the peel angle, the alignment angle between the orientation of the multilayer films and the seal, and the bulge formation as a consequence of inadequate sealing parameters. In situ peel tests enabled the differentiation between peel angle and local (micro) peel angle, which results from the overall stiffness of the multilayer structure film. Alignment angles of 90° and 45° were found to produce similar opening forces. Images showing the formation of various new local micro fissures on new planes during the in situ peel test explained how the opening force can be dramatically increased during the tearing of two sealed multilayer films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenomenon of physical aging of glassy polymers in confined environments has been extensively studied over the last few decades due to its numerous technological and fundamental implications. Understanding aging in confined environments is vital for predicting the long-term performances in applicative conditions for confined glassy polymers. The physical aging of PC/PMMA multilayer films, with layer thicknesses ranging from micro-to-nanoscale, was explored using the Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) technique. Reducing the layer thickness down to 12 nm was shown to have a very different effect on the structural relaxation parameters of the above-mentioned polymers. Recovered enthalpy data for aged films exhibited an acceleration in physical aging under confinement for PC (rigid backbone and rubbery environments), while no change was noted for PMMA (flexible backbone and amorphous environments). A large effect in the amplitude of the structural relaxation process has also been evidenced for confined PC layers. These observations have thoroughly been discussed with respect to the impact of the chemical structure (entanglement), adjacent polymer state (rubbery and amorphous environments) and the nature of molecular mobility (the CRR shape and length are both related to intra-chain and inter-chain relaxation during glass transition),. Moreover, it was found that the accelerated aging of PC was mainly attributed to the dynamic relaxation related to its chemical structure and local modification of intermolecular interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, the influence of material parameters on the core diameter of the artificial skyrmions in hard magnetic/soft magnetic bilayer thin film is investigated. It is found that the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) constant and the interlayer exchange constant play a key role in the realization of artificial skyrmions. Through simulation, the PMA constant of the hard magnetic materials should be between 1.0 × 105 and 4.5 × 105 J m−3. Therefore, some rare earth materials with high magnetic anisotropy or other materials with low magnetic anisotropy do not meet the requirement. The initial skyrmion spin texture is Bloch‐type artificial skyrmion in the hard/soft magnetic bilayer system. In the presence of 1.0–1.5 × 105 J m−3 PMA constant and 0 J m−1 interlayer exchange constant, the Néel‐type artificial skyrmions are formed in the hard/soft magnetic bilayer system. The size of the hard magnetic layer material has little effect on the stability of skyrmions, so the stability of skyrmions should mainly be adjusted with the PMA of the hard magnetic materials or by changing the material types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leakage currents in InAlN/GaN‐based high‐electron‐mobility transistors considered for normally‐off devices critically depend on the oxidation behavior of InAlN thin films. Herein, lattice‐matched InAlN thin films deposited on GaN (0001) are rapid thermally annealed at 800 °C in an oxygen‐rich environment. Aberration‐corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy combined with electron energy‐loss spectroscopy is used to systematically characterize the oxidation behavior of InAlN films as a function of annealing time. Initial growth of oxide layers is found to be reaction limited, which is replaced by a diffusion limited growth process once a critical thickness of the oxide layer is obtained. Growing oxide layers are amorphous and become porous with increasing annealing time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bacterial proliferation on the endosseous implants surface presents a new threat to the using of the bone implants. Unfortunately, there is no effective constructed antibacterial coating which is bacterial anti-adhesion substrate-independent or have long-term biofilm inhibition functions. Methods: Drug release effect was tested in Chymotrypsin (CMS) solution and S. aureus. We used bacterial inhibition rate assays and protein leakage experiment to analyze the in vitro antibacterial effect of (Montmorillonite/Poly-l-lysine-Chlorhexidine)10 [(MMT/PLL-CHX)10] multilayer film. We used the CCK-8 assay to analyze the effect of (MMT/PLL-CHX)10 multilayer films on the growth and proliferation of rat osteoblasts. Rat orthopaedic implant-related infections model was constructed to test the antimicrobial activity effect of (MMT/PLL-CHX)10 multilayer films in vivo. Results: In this study, the (MMT/PLL-CHX)10 multilayer films structure were progressively degraded and showed well concentration-dependent degradation characteristics following incubation with Staphylococcus aureus and CMS solution. Bacterial inhibition rate assays and protein leakage experiment showed high levels of bactericidal activity. While the CCK-8 analysis proved that the (MMT/PLL-CHX)10 multilayer films possess perfect biocompatibility. It is somewhat encouraging that in the in vivo antibacterial tests, the K-wires coated with (MMT/PLL-CHX)10 multilayer films showed lower infections incidence and inflammation than the unmodified group, and all parameters are close to SHAM group. Conclusion: (MMT/PLL-CHX)10 multilayer films provides a potential therapeutic method for orthopaedic implant-related infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the synthesized thermoplastic polyimide (TPI) precursor is coated on both surfaces of the surface-treated polyimide (PI) base film, and the TPI/PI/TPI multilayer films is obtained by thermal imidization. The mechanical properties, heat resistance, water absorption of the multilayer film and the interface between the TPI and the PI base film were investigated in detail. Then, multilayer film-2 (MF-2) with excellent comprehensive performance and the two copper foils were pressed together to prepare a double-sided flexible copper clad laminate (FCCL) by thermal lamination method, and the properties of FCCL were studied in detail. The results show that the FCCL has a high peel strength of 1.22 N/mm, passed a solder bath test of 288°C, and the surface condition was good under hot-pressing temperature of 360°C, hot-pressing pressure of 15 MPa and hot-pressing time of 60 s. In addition, the SEM and EDS spectra of the stripped copper foil confirmed that the TPI layer was immersed into the interstitial space of the Cu nodules, forming a strong physical bite with the copper foil. The current work provides a promising solution for the design and fabrication of multilayer printed circuit boards with excellent performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WS2/a‐C multilayer films exhibit good friction reduction but relatively low hardness and load‐bearing capacity. To further enhance the tribological properties of WS2/a‐C films, Mo layers with different thicknesses are introduced into WSx/a‐C multilayer films to fabricate WSx/Mo/a‐C/Mo multilayer films by magnetron sputtering. The microstructure and tribological properties of the films are characterized by X‐ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, nanoindentation, and ball‐on‐disk tribotesting. The results show that the WSx/Mo/a‐C/Mo multilayer films have better mechanical and tribological properties than WSx/a‐C multilayer films. With increasing Mo single‐layer thickness, the hardness of the multilayer films initially increases and then decreases slightly; moreover, an increased elastic modulus and decreased adhesion are observed. The multilayer film with an Mo single‐layer thickness of 2 nm demonstrates the optimal set of comprehensive properties (i.e., a maximum hardness (H)/elastic modulus (E) ratio of 0.0793, H3/E2 ratio of 0.0812 GPa, binding force of 30.4 N, minimum friction coefficient of 0.187, and wear rate of 1.01 × 10−14 m3 N−1 m−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a significant part in optical computation, analogue optical spatial/temporal differentiators could play a great role in all‐optical signal processing, feature extraction, and optical storage. In the past few years, they have experienced rapid development but mostly for a single function. For many scenarios, optical computation with integrated functionalities is highly desired. In this work, an analogue optical spatiotemporal differentiator utilizing all‐dielectric multilayer is proposed. The film stack is specifically engineered to satisfy the requirements for both spatial and temporal transfer functions of the ideal differentiator. The time‐space performance of the device is numerically examined from the output field profile of the classical Gaussian beam or pulse. A wavelength‐scale high resolution for edge detection is attained using the integrated differentiator. This work may pave a potential way to establish ultracompact, high‐bandwidth, and real‐time optical multiple functional computation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the increasingly pressing context of improving recycling, optical technologies present a broad potential to support the adequate sorting of plastics. Nevertheless, the commercially available solutions (for example, employing near-infrared spectroscopy) generally focus on identifying mono-materials of a few selected types which currently have a market-interest as secondary materials. Current progress in photonic sciences together with advanced data analysis, such as artificial intelligence, enable bridging practical challenges previously not feasible, for example in terms of classifying more complex materials. In the present paper, the different techniques are initially reviewed based on their main characteristics. Then, based on academic literature, their suitability for monitoring the composition of multi-materials, such as different types of multi-layered packaging and fibre-reinforced polymer composites as well as black plastics used in the motor vehicle industry, is discussed. Finally, some commercial systems with applications in those sectors are also presented. This review mainly focuses on the materials identification step (taking place after waste collection and before sorting and reprocessing) but in outlook, further insights on sorting are given as well as future prospects which can contribute to increasing the circularity of the plastic composites' value chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnetic properties of the [Tb–Co/Si]n films are studied at temperatures of 5–300 K. The regularities of changing the effective magnetic moment of terbium and the average magnetic moment of cobalt with decreasing magnetic layer thickness are determined. In this case, interlayer interfaces are shown to play the active role. A decrease in the Tb–Co layer thickness is accompanied by an increase in the opening angle of sperimagnetic cone and the transition from the sperimagnetic to speromagetic structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A star‐shaped N C N‐pincer tri‐RuII complex 3 with a triarylamine core, capped with three 2,2':6',2''‐terpyridine‐4,4',4''‐tricarboxylic acid terminal ligands, has been synthesized. The single‐crystal X‐ray structure of a precursor ester complex 7 is presented. By using the Zr‐mediated layer‐by‐layer assembly, multilayer films FTO/SnO2:Sb/(3)n(Zr)n‐1 (n = 1–4) have been prepared on Sb‐doped SnO2 nanocrystalline substrates. These films have been characterized by XPS and SEM analysis. The electrochromism of these films in the near‐infrared region were examined by oxidative spectroelectrochemical measurements and douple‐potential‐step chronoamperometry. The two‐layered film displays the best overall performance with a contrast ratio (ΔT%) of 36 % at 1550 nm and response time of shorter than 2 s. After 1000 switching cycles, around 11 % loss of the contrast ratio is observed, suggesting good cyclic stability of these films. In addition, a comparison of the electrochromic performance of these multilayer films with respect to the previously reported electropolymerized films of a related tri‐RuII complex and monolayer films of two mono‐RuII complexes on SnO2:Sb is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of application of multilayer polymer films ranges from the packaging of food and other goods to medical technology and the encapsulation of organic electronics. The layer structure of the polymer films is adapted to the respective areas of application. Usually, polymer film systems contain several individual layers. A trend toward more flexible production and batch sizes down to one can be identified in all the above-mentioned areas of application. This requires new production processes. Laser transmission welding with adapted laser beam sources represents a promising approach for this. It is characterized by a contactless and a locally limited energy position. A very high degree of format flexibility is also possible, thanks to a purely numerical adjustment of the welding contour. In many applications, it is desired to keep the polymer film as it is available on the market. If two multilayer polymer films should be welded with laser radiation in an overlapping arrangement, sufficient absorption of the laser radiation in the material is required. Each individual polymer layer has wavelength-dependent material-specific optical properties. Due to the vibrations of polymer chains, polymers have absorption peaks in the near infrared range. If a suitable laser beam source is now used for the welding process, the energy can be deposited directly in the material without modifying it beforehand. The energy input should be the highest at the point of contact or in the sealing layers of the two polymer films so that it is locally heated and melted. The surrounding film layers are also thermally influenced by heat conduction processes. In addition, the optical properties of the other layers influence the propagation of the laser radiation through the multilayer polymer film. For a comprehensive understanding of the process, it is imperative to examine these processes in detail. Therefore, the interaction process is considered in depth and, especially, the propagation of the temperature field within the material, which is not directly accessible for real measurements, is analyzed exactly. For this purpose, on the one hand, a numerical temperature model is set up, which depicts the real experimental setup and takes into account the optical properties and heat conduction variables of the individual layers. The numerical model allows the temporal resolution of interaction processes within the multilayer polymer film to be viewed from different angles. On the other hand, thermographic images of the real samples are taken during the welding process. For this purpose, the emitted heat radiation of the polymer films is measured off-axis. The data obtained are evaluated and compared with each other. For the final discussion of the results, additional analyses of the weld specimens microscopy and thin sections are used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contact recombination at the interface between the selective contact material and electrode interface is one of the most pressing issues limiting most photovoltaic technologies. The results indicate that the high work function of the capping contact metal electrode has a negative influence on MgFx/Mg as the electron‐selective contact. Although the exact mechanism is still unclear, low‐work function metals appear to perform better. The contact stacks devised with these novel insights (1.5 nm MgFx/20 nm Mg/100 nm Al) and MoOx are applied as well to dopant‐free multilayer back‐contact (MLBC) solar cells to achieve an efficiency of 22.1% with an aperture area of 4.5 cm2 by directional evaporation for patterning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The specifics of hysteresis properties of antiferro-/ferromagnetic exchange-coupled film structures of the Fe50Mn50/FM type, where FM = Co, Fe, Ni, Fe20Ni80, Fe11Ni89, and Co30Ni70, are investigated. The angular dependences of the exchange bias fields and coercive force in ferromagnetic layers with different crystal structures, crystal magnetic anisotropy, and magnetostriction are obtained. Using a modified Stoner–Wohlfarth model, a computer simulation of hysteresis loops that allows for evaluation of the influence of various factors on the character of the magnetization reversal process is performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cyclometalated diruthenium complex 2 bridged by 1,2,4,5-tetra(pyrid-2-yl)benzene with six carboxylic acid groups at two ends was synthesized. Monolayer and multilayer films FTO/TiO2/(2)n(Zr) (n=1,2) and FTO/SnO2:Sb/(2)n(Zr) (n=1–4) have been prepared via interfacial layer-by-layer coordination assembly of 2 with zirconium(IV) ions. All films show two consecutive redox couples in the potential range between 0 and +1.0 V vs. Ag/AgCl. These films exhibit reversible near-infrared electrochromism upon switching of redox potential. The response time of the films on SnO2:Sb is around a few seconds, while that on TiO2 is around a few tens of seconds. The film deposition cycles were found to have a great impact on the electrochromic performance. Among six films examined, the two-layered film on SnO2:Sb displays the best balanced performance with a contrast ratio of 56% at 1,150 nm and good cyclic stability (9% loss of contrast ratio after 1,000 continuous double-potential-switching cycles), which is superior to that of the previously reported electropolymerized films of a related diruthenium complex with the same bridging ligand. In addition, the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and electron transfer mechanism of these films have been investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spin‐contrast‐variation neutron reflectometry technique was developed for the structural analysis of multilayer films. Polarized‐neutron reflectivity curves of film samples vary as a function of their proton polarization (PH). The PH‐dependent reflectivity curves of a polystyrene monolayer film were precisely reproduced using a common set of structural parameters and the PH‐dependent neutron scattering length density of polystyrene. This result ensures that these curves are not deformed by inhomogeneous PH but can be used for structural analysis. Unpolarized reflectivity curves of poly(styrene‐block‐isoprene) films were reproduced using a flat free‐surface model but PH‐dependent polarized reflectivity curves were not. The global fit of the PH‐dependent multiple reflectivity curves revealed that holes with a depth corresponding to one period of the periodic lamellae of microphase‐separated polystyrene and polyisoprene domains were produced on the surface of the films, which agrees with the microscopic results. In this manner, the spin‐contrast‐variation neutron reflectometry technique determines the structure of multiple surfaces and interfaces in a film sample while excluding the incorrect structure that accidentally accounts for a single unpolarized reflectivity curve only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon oxide/hydrogenated amorphous silicon oxide (nc-SiOx:H/a-SiOx:H) multilayer films were fabricated using very-high-frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (VHF-PECVD) technique by alternate deposition of nc-SiOx:H and a-SiOx:H at a low substrate temperature of 220 °C. The effects of the amount of oxygen incorporation in the nc-SiOx:H sublayers on the structural and photoluminescence (PL) properties of nc-SiOx:H/a-SiOx:H multilayer films were investigated by transmission electron microscopy, Raman scattering, UV–VIS-NIR absorption spectra, steady and time-resolved PL spectra. As the amount of oxygen incorporation increases, the crystalline volume fraction of multilayer films decreases, while the intermediate-range order of multilayer films firstly increases and then decreases. Strong room temperature PL has been observed in the multilayer films and the correlation between structural and PL properties is discussed. This low-temperature procedure for fabricating nc-SiOx:H/a-SiOx:H multilayer films can provide powerful impetus for the further development of optoelectronic devices based on Si-NCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low-density polyethylene films used for greenhouse roof were naturally weathered for 9 months in harsh climatic conditions (Tiaret region, Algeria). The changes in the mechanical properties have been measured by tensile and creep-recovery tests. The measurements were carried out for both monolayer and tri-layer films. The anisotropic character of the films is preserved during ageing. The improvement in the creep resistance via cross-linking for both monolayer and tri-layer films affects different deformations. The results revealed that the degradation performance of these new tri-layer films is found to be quite better than that of the monolayer film, with regard to the mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High dielectric constant ceramics fillers are widely used as fillers in polymer matrix to prepare high performance dielectric composites. Homogeneous filler distribution in these composites films is found to be quite difficult to achieve balance between high dielectric constant and high breakdown strength. Herein, multilayer structured composites films containing nickelous hydroxide (Ni(OH)2) as fillers, with different multilayered structures were designed and prepared, including 2–5 layers structure with various filler distribution. The effects of multilayer structure on the dielectric performance are explored by keeping the overall filler content constant. Combined with computer simulation, it is suggested that the variation in filler distribution in these films can effectively redistribute electric field intensity. Meanwhile, the dielectric constant and breakdown strength of the overall composites can be adjusted by changing the volume ratio between high filler content layer and low filler content layer. It is noted that at least 1/3 of the overall film volume should be occupied by a high breakdown strength layer to keep rather high overall breakdown strength. Moreover, high dielectric constant layer should be the outer layers to achieve overall high dielectric constant. Among all the layered structures investigated, the maximum energy density of 6.03 J/cm3 is obtained for film with a 3-layer nonsequential arrangement structure, which is 68% higher than single layer film with identical composition. This study provides some reference value for the preparation of multilayered dielectric polymer composites films for energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: The electrospinning coating technology is herein proposed to develop multilayer polylactide (PLA) films with controlled release rates of gallic acid (GA), a natural antioxidant, into saline medium. The bioactivity of the PLA films described here is based on their potential capacity to incorporate a large amount of GA into the packaging structure until its eventual release into the food product either through fast release, by means of coatings, or sustained release, in the form of interlayers, during storage. Therefore, their application in bioactive packaging for both short- and long-term storage of food products can advantageously permit the development of functional food, enhancing the food impact over the consumer's health. The present research reports on the development of bi- and multilayer polylactide (PLA) films by the incorporation of electrospun nanostructured PLA coatings and interlayers containing the antioxidant gallic acid (GA) at 40 wt% onto cast-extruded PLA films. To achieve the bilayer structures, submicron GA-loaded PLA fibers were applied on 200-µm cast PLA films in the form of coatings by electrospinning for 1, 2, and 3 h. For the multilayers, the cast PLA films were first coated on one side by electrospinning, then sandwiched with 10-µm PLA film on the other side, and the resultant whole structure was finally thermally post-treated at 150 °C without pressure. Whereas the bilayer PLA films easily delaminated and lacked transparency, the multilayers showed sufficient adhesion between layers and high transparency for deposition times during electrospinning of up to 2 h. The incorporation of GA positively contributed to delaying the thermal degradation of PLA for approximately 10 °C, as all films were thermally stable up to 345 °C. The in vitro release studies performed in saline medium indicated that the GA released from the bilayer PLA films rapidly increased during the first 5 h of immersion while it stabilized after 45–250 h. Interestingly, the PLA multilayers offered a high sustained release of GA, having the capacity to deliver the bioactive for over 1000 h. In addition, in the whole tested period, the GA released from the PLA films retained most of its antioxidant functionality. Thus, during the first days, the bilayer PLA films can perform as potent vehicles to deliver GA while the multilayer PLA films are able to show a sustained release of the natural antioxidant for extended periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, protein‐based high‐oxygen barrier multilayer films were manufactured at a pilot plant scale by a roll‐to‐roll coating process and an adhesive lamination process. Also, their characteristics were examined to evaluate their industrial feasibility. Oxygen transmission rates (OTRs) of the protein‐based films (polyethylene terephthalate [PET]/pea protein isolate [PPI]/nylon/cast polypropylene [CPP], PET/whey protein isolate [WPI]/CPP, PET/WPI/nylon/CPP, and PET/PPI/nylon/low‐density polyethylene [LDPE]) were significantly lower than OTR of the PET/nylon/CPP film without a protein‐coating layer and that of the commercial high‐barrier multilayer film copolymer (PET/aluminum/CPP). In addition, water vapor transmission rates of the films containing protein layer were significantly lower than that of the commercial high‐barrier film containing ethylene vinyl alcohol [nylon/nylon/EVOH/easy peel layer [EPL]). Among the tested polymers, the PET/WPI/nylon/LDPE film showed the highest heat‐sealing ability, tensile strength, and elastic modulus. Moreover, transparency and haze of the PET/WPI/nylon/CPP film were similar to the film without WPI coating. Taken together, our results indicate that the protein‐based coating films showing high‐oxygen and high‐water barrier properties can be manufactured using industrial facilities and could replace commercial multilayer films based on synthetic materials. Practical Application: Oxygen barrier property is an important feature in food packaging materials. Therefore, protein‐coated high‐oxygen barrier multilayer films were manufactured at a pilot scale to verify the possibility of their mass production. Specifically, high‐oxygen and high‐moisture barrier coating was produced by pea and whey proteins. Finally, the protein‐based multilayer films made by an industrial facility were confirmed to be able to replace current commercial films containing synthetic barrier materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The results of investigating the microstructure and phase composition of AlN/SiNx multilayer films with alternating nanocrystalline aluminum nitride (nc-AlN) and amorphous silicon nitride (a-SiNx) phases, which were formed via magnetron sputtering, are presented. The layer thickness varies from 2 to 10 nm, the total film thickness is 300 nm, and the grain size of the AlN phase corresponds to the nc-AlN layer thickness. By means of transmission electron microscopy, it is revealed that, due to 30-keV He+ ion irradiation with a dose of 5 × 1016 cm-2, gas pores with an average size of 2.0-2.4 nm and localized mainly in a-SiNx layers are generated within the projective range of helium ions. The appearance of such inclusions is due to the fact that implanted helium atoms migrate into the formed vacancy complexes. In this case, the structural state of AlN crystal layers remains unchanged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymeric wastes have caused increasing environmental problems, mainly in oceans that accumulate large amounts of non-degradable plastic waste. Particularly, waste of polymeric multilayer films for packaging presents low interest for mechanical recycling due to the poor properties and low commercial value of the recycled material generated as polymeric blends. Multilayer films of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polyamide 6 (PA6) is a typical material used for packaging applications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the action of the concentration of maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (PE-g-MA) on the compatibilization of LDPE/PA6 blends generated from mechanical recycling of multilayer films containing both polymers. The action of the PE-g-MA on the properties of the LDPE/PA6 blends was evaluated by tensile tests, optical microscopy, melt flow rate, and scanning electron microscopy. The use of PE-g-MA at 2.5 wt% as a compatibilizer during reactive extrusion of the multilayer films waste has showed the best result for production of the respective recycled LDPE/PA6 blends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract—: The article deals with a study of interactions between permalloy layers separated by granular Со‒Al2O3 spacer. Multilayer Ta/FeNi/FeMn/FeNi/Co-Al2O3/FeNi/Ta films prepared by magnetron sputtering are the test object. The spacer thickness and content of metallic phase in the spacer have been varied from 0 to 8 nm and 0 to 40%, respectively. A correlation has been found between the Co concentration in the spacer and critical spacer thickness. When the thickness of the spacer exceeds a critical value, the independent magnetization reversal of the permalloy layers adjacent the spacer takes place. It has been shown that, in the case of both cooperative and independent magnetization reversal of permalloy layers, the presence of a spacer substantially affects the hysteretic properties of film structure. The data obtained can be useful when purposefully controlling the coercive force and exchange-bias field in film structures with the unidirectional anisotropy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid multilayer films system permits a lot of realization methods of tailoring of the magnetic properties. In this work, nanoporous hybrid multilayer system Ag was fabricated from anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) by a magnetron sputtering methods of room temperature. It is demonstrated that the magnetic properties can be flexibly manipulated by the substrate, noble metal (i.e. silver), the thickness of the ferromagnetic magnetic material (CoFeB) and the indium tin oxide (ITO). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: Shortly after processing, Polyethylene/Polypropylene (PE/PP) multilayer films demonstrate an increase in tensile modulus and other mechanical properties when the individual layer thickness is below 0.5 µm. Subsequent annealing at 60 °C for 16 h brings the properties of all other samples to similar values. WAXD characterization of the layered films identified a prevalence of mesophase in the thicker PP layers. In samples with increased layer numerosity or subjected to annealing, WAXD detected its conversion to α crystalline phase that correlates with improved mechanical properties. SSNMR and DSC detailed the defective nature of α iPP crystallites. Comonomers, detected by NMR in the commercial polymers used for the films, are the source of “tunable disorder” that dictates the formation of the PP mesophase and the low temperature of conversion to the mechanically stronger defective α phase. Soft intrafilm layer interfaces instead enable nucleation and localized polymer chain rearrangement even without annealing. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2018, 56, 520–531 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(Polyethyleneimine/bovine serum albumin)n ((PEI/BSA)n) multilayer films (n = 1-10) are produced via the layer-by-later deposition of polyelectrolytes. It is shown that thickness and morphology of the formed coatings can be controlled by varying the solution's ionic strength during alternating adsorption of the components. (PEI/BSA)10 multilayer systems that contain up to 0.6 mg of antiseptic miramistin per 1 cm2 of film were created. It is established that the kinetics of miramistin release from (PEI/BSA)10 films in phosphate buffers and physiological solutions obey the Korsmeyer-Peppas equation with a high degree of accuracy (R2 > 0.95). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was the development of a multifunctional, high-performance, fully biodegradable multilayer polylactic acid (PLA) film for food packaging applications. In particular, sealable multilayer PLA–clay nanocomposite systems with different layouts in terms of composition and relative thickness of the layers, all consisting of a PLA–clay nanocomposite layer between two pure PLA layers for direct food contact, were designed and produced by blown film co-extrusion. The films obtained were analysed for their morphology, functional properties and lactic acid (LA)-specific migration in 50% ethanol. The results showed that, with respect to the unfilled multilayer system, taken as a reference, the nanocomposite films had significant improvements, up to about 40%, in their barriers to oxygen and tensile strengths, and resulted in being more easily sealable over a wide heat-sealing temperature range (80–100°C) with higher seal strength. Moreover, all films had LA migrations always well below the former generic overall migration limit of 60 mg kg–1food (10 mg dm–2) of European Union Regulation No. 10/2011 (deleted by the amending Regulation No. 2016/1416), even if their morphology was strongly modified during the migration tests due to the strong swelling action of the used simulant (simulant D1 = 50% ethanol (aq.) (v/v)) towards PLA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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