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Molybdenum Trioxide (MoO3) is a promising candidate as an anode material for lithium‐ion batteries (LIB), with a theoretical capacity of 1 117 mAhg−1. Nevertheless, MoO3 has inherent lower electronic conductivity and suffers from significant volume expansion during the charge–discharge cycle, which hinders its ability to attain a substantial capacity and cyclability for practical applications. In this study, a novel material design strategy is reported for LIB anodes containing MoO3 and hard carbon (HC) architecture fabricated using a Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) technique. MoO3/HC as anode materials are evaluated for LIBs, which demonstrate an exceptional performance with a capacity of 953 mAhg−1 at a discharging rate of 0.2 C. Additionally, MoO3/HC anode demonstrated exceptional rate capability during fast charging at 5 C and achieved a capacity of 342 mAhg−1. The MoO3/HC anode demonstrates remarkable cycle life, retaining over > 99% Coulombic efficiency after 3 000 cycles at a rate of 0.2 C. The exceptional performance of MoO3/HC anode can be attributed to the novel material design strategy based on a multi‐layered structure where HC provides a barrier against the possible volumetric expansion of LIB anode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen and renewable fuels were generated using cost‐effective and efficient electrocatalysts for water splitting. In this work, a CuO‐based photocathode is used for the water splitting to generate hydrogen energy by PVD technique. The XRD analysis reveals the deposition of CuO thin film on ITO substrates, which is monoclinic. The XRD and LSV analysis of CuO confirmed the type of semiconductor and observed to be P‐type semiconductor. SEM study of CuO confirmed the shape, morphology to be a circular and regular shape. The grain size of deposited CuO thin film was found to be 18 nm. The absorption and transmission of CuO thin film were observed through UV spectroscopy analysis and were found to be better photocatalyst in visible range 415–425 nm. The transmittance of the prepared thin film was noted to be maximum 7.6% in the UV range (280–300 nm). The band gap was also measured employing the Tauc plot and found to be 2.98 eV, which is most favorable for water splitting application. FTIR study showed the stretching, vibration, and the functional group of the deposited CuO thin film; the broad band of stretching of Cu‐O in monoclinic CuO was observed at the range of 500–700 cm−1, and further peaks were also noted at the range of 1500–1600 cm−1. The linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) of CuO thin film was calculated in the absence of solar spectra and the presence of solar spectra and observed to be enhanced in current under solar spectra. The solar light to hydrogen emission percentage (STH %) of CuO through LSV was observed to be 2.04% under solar spectra. The low Nyquist curve of blank ITO and CuO‐coated ITO substrate via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analysis was observed, which confirmed the enhancement of EIS of CuO‐coated ITO. The hydrogen generation rate was also calculated by electrochemical cell and observed to be 5325.21 mol g−1 for 6 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chromium‐based coatings have been of interest to researchers for the last two decades because of their extraordinary properties like high hardness, high wear, and corrosion resistance properties. However, it is in practice and research to increase the properties of Cr‐based coatings for high‐temperature applications. Numerous dopants like silicon (Si), titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), aluminum (Al), and zirconium (Zr) have been used together with Cr to achieve enhanced properties. The plasma‐based sputtering process is one of the popular and reliable techniques to deposit thin film coatings. The substrate material, processed gas and pressure, substrate temperature, film thickness, and so on also play a significant role in varying the properties and microstructure of the deposited film. Several researchers have deposited Cr/CrN‐based thin films via the chemical vapor deposition technique (CVD) and physical vapor deposition technique (PVD) to study their properties and behavior at room temperature as well as for high‐temperature applications. This work reflects the review of work done to deposit Cr/CrN‐based coatings deposited via PVD: more specifically sputtering technique. The effect of doping in the CrN matrix and variation in sputtering parameters on the properties of CrN‐based coatings have also been studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a novel additive manufacturing technique for MEMS devices using newly developed APSLD (atmospheric pressure sputtering layer deposition) technology. It uses a microplasma at atmospheric pressure to deposit microstructures with defined properties, such as conducting or isolating directly at different surfaces additively without complex and time‐consuming manufacturing routes like planar technology. Feasibility tests have been successfully done to deposit metal lines, isolating and metal oxide layers on 3D surfaces to manufacture high stable MEMS sensor system for harsh environments. This is a promising technology in the field of MEMS manufacturing, as it can simplify the manufacturing process and reduce the cost. The ability to deposit different materials can expand the design possibilities for MEMS devices. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work proposes a semi‐analytical solution for a double‐layered elliptical cylindrical soft foundation improved by prefabricated vertical drains. The governing equations, continuity conditions are boundary conditions in the elliptical cylindrical system are introduced first. The Laplace transform is employed to convert the time variable t in partial differential equations into the Laplace complex argument s. Based on the boundary condition and continuity condition, the solution in the frequency domain is derived. By using Abate's fixed Euler Algorithm, the solutions in the time domain are obtained. A finite element analysis is performed to demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed solution. Then, parametric studies reveal that soil permeability and soil compressibility have great influences on the second layer of soil in the elliptical cylindrical system, but relatively small effects on the first layer. Neglecting differences in the hydraulic conductivity and the coefficient of volume compressibility of multi‐layered soil in the elliptical cylindrical system could not predict the excess pore pressure in the second layer correctly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All‐solid‐state batteries (ASSB) require stable and safe lithium (Li) metal anode, which needs surface preparation to increase lithium diffusion and impede the formation of dendrites. In this work, the formation of a thin LiZn layer on lithium metal using sputter deposition is reported. This method was selected due to the absence of solvents and by‐products generated during the modification, for its rapidity and because the formation of the alloy is performed in a clean and controlled atmosphere. Zinc has been chosen for its low cost and high Li+ ion diffusion coefficient of the corresponding LiZn alloy that is 1000 times higher than Li. Different parameters for the Zn deposition were investigated such as the distance between the Zn target and Li foil, the effect of substrate tilt and the direct current applied to the target. Electrochemical performance of LiFePO4/solid polymer electrolyte/Li ASSB demonstrated the superiority of the LiZn anodes and the clear influence of deposition parameters on the durability and performance at high C‐rates. Scanning electron microscopy images of the cross‐sectional view of LFP/SPE/Li stackings extracted from pouch cells after cycling showed an evident migration of Zn into the bulk Li metal anode as well as the formation of AlZn nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To increase the tool life of fine blanking punches, this work investigates a combined solution approach consisting of increasing the mechanical strength of the substrate material by shot peening and deposition of physical vapor deposition (PVD) hard coatings. A powder metallurgical high‐speed steel (HSS) is used as a substrate material. First, the temperature‐dependent relaxation behavior of residual stresses and strain‐hardening of the shot‐peened substrate is analyzed. Subsequently, the coating process for deposition of the wear‐resistant hard coating TiAlCrSiN is adjusted regarding the substrate temperature to prevent the heat input from causing significant relaxation of the shot peening effects. After shot peening, the substrate exhibits an increased hardness of ΔHIT ≈+10% and compressive residual stresses of σ ≈−1700 MPa. Significant relaxation after heat treaent occurs between T = 300 and T = 400 °C. Thus, the substrate temperature does not exceed TS ≈ 300 °C during coating deposition due to process adjusents. Shot peening leads to an increased substrate and coating roughness as well as a slightly higher indentation hardness of the TiAlCrSiN coating. Moreover, the coatings deposited on shot‐peened substrate exhibit enhanced adhesion strength to the substrate and improved impact resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene and polycarbonate substrates plastics were coated with aluminum by physical vapor deposition method in order to determine which one is a better choice for outdoor reflector technology. This investigation has been done by applying the coating on a reflector that is already been used in the lighting industry. Scraping test, caustic soda and caustic potash test, reflection efficiency performance test and surface roughness test methods were used to determine the selection. Coatings on acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene and polycarbonate plastic materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x‐ray spectrometry. Although acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene plastic material is easier for injection molding and cheaper than polycarbonate material, the results showed that polycarbonate plastic material is more efficient than acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene plastic material, especially in terms of surface roughness and reflection efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CaMnO3 is a perovskite with attractive magnetic and thermoelectric properties. CaMnO3 films are usually grown by pulsed laser deposition or radio frequency magnetron sputtering from ceramic targets. Herein, epitaxial growth of CaMnO3–y (002) films on a (112¯0)‐oriented LaAlO3 substrate using pulsed direct current reactive magnetron sputtering is demonstrated, which is more suitable for industrial scale depositions. The CaMnO3–y shows growth with a small in‐plane tilt of <≈0.2° toward the (200) plane of CaMnO3–y and the (1¯104) with respect to the LaAlO3(112¯0) substrate. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy of the electronic core levels shows an oxygen deficiency described by CaMnO2.58 that yields a lower Seebeck coefficient and a higher electrical resistivity when compared to stoichiometric CaMnO3. The LaAlO3(112¯0) substrate promotes tensile‐strained growth of single crystals. Scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy reveal antiphase boundaries composed of Ca on Mn sites along <101> and <002>, forming stacking faults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tin‐based perovskites provide environmentally less problematic alternatives to established lead halide‐based absorbers used in today's most efficient perovskite solar cells. However, tin‐based cells still suffer from reduced power conversion efficiency and stability when compared to lead‐based analogues. To facilitate the adoption of the very successful n–i–p cell geometry, efficient contact to hole transport materials (HTMs) is needed that can be deposited on top of the tin‐based perovskite layer, ideally by physical vapor deposition to protect the underlying perovskite. As possible candidates for such HTMs, the growth and the interface formation of 4,4',4''‐tris[phenyl(m‐tolyl)amino]triphenylamine (m‐MTDATA), pentacene, and copper phthalocyanine with formamidinium tin iodide by Kelvin probe force microscopy are systematically studied. For the contact to m‐MTDATA, the formation of a Mott–Schottky junction is revealed, whereas an interfacial dipole is formed for the latter two. Doping densities within the organic semiconductor are determined and indicate ion migration from the perovskite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, multilayered Cr–N/Cr–Al–N coatings were prepared by cathodic arc physical vapor deposition (PVD) with different numbers of layers and the same total thickness on AISI 630 steel in an attempt to improve the wear and erosion–corrosion resistance. Structural analysis of the coatings was performed by field scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and energy‐dispersive spectroscopy. Depth profiles and roughness parameters of worn surfaces were calculated after erosion and wear tests. XRD indicated that nitride compounds were formed in multilayer coatings by PVD. The Cr–N/Cr–Al–N coating exhibited superior corrosion resistance compared with AISI 630 substrate. The erosion–corrosion results revealed that the smoothest wear track with the minimum erosion rate and wear depth was obtained for five‐ and seven‐layered coatings. The failure mechanism of the bare substrate was influenced by plastic deformation via cutting and plowing, while the failure mechanism for coated samples was chipping and delamination. According to the wear results, the multilayer coatings showed a lower friction coefficient and better surface morphology that demonstrated their high ability for wear protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of single‐phase and catalytically active GaPd2 coatings was accomplished via DC magnetron sputtering using an intermetallic sputter target. Thin and uniform layers were deposited on borosilicate glass, Si(111) and planar as well as micro‐structured stainless steel foils. The specimens were examined regarding their phase composition, film morphology and microstructure. Thin films of different layer thickness were catalytically characterized in the semi‐hydrogenation of acetylene, which was conducted at 473 K and a feed gas composition of 0.5 vol.% C2H2, 5 vol.% H2 as well as 50 vol.% C2H4 in helium. Pre‐reduction of the catalyst was found to be essential to enhance the catalytic selectivity. Sputtered GaPd2 showed a high selectivity of 73 % for the hydrogenation to ethylene at conversion levels above 80 %. The surface‐specific activity was strongly increased to 8.97 molacetylene·(A0·h)–1 compared to bulk‐ or nanoscale GaPd2 (1.93 and 0.30 molacetylene·(A0·h)–1, respectively) caused by the high specific surface area of the thin films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coating of cutting tools has been contributing to improvements and performance increases in the machining technology. Al2O3 plays an important role due to its high hot hardness as well as high oxidation and diffusion resistance and chemical stability. Physical vapor deposition (PVD) aluminium oxide (Al2O3) coatings deposited by means of medium frequency magnetron sputtering (mfMS) have already proven their capabilities in the machining of hard‐to‐machine materials. The High Power Pulsed Magnetron Sputtering (HPPMS) technology could offer an improvement of the coating morphology and properties due to high ionization of the sputtered material. In this connection, deposition of the Al2O3 by means of HPPMS is not fundamentally researched so far. It is still unclear which phases could be deposited and how the process parameters affect the phase formation. The aim of the investigations is to transfer the knowledge about the deposition of HPPMS‐Al2O3 coatings and their application to the industrial level, to create new areas for promising coating systems and thus to contribute to the development of machining technology of the hard‐to‐machine materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the transition to ≤28-nm CMOS technology nodes, the surface analytical challenges with regard to steadily decreasing dimensions and still growing materials options raise the demand of high performing surface analysis techniques. Characterization of ultrathin films and multilayer stacks, especially in high-k metal gate stacks, by means of low energy ion scattering spectroscopy (LEIS) with its monolayer sensitivity has been established as a very useful analysis technique next to Auger electron spectroscopy, , and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. Questions regarding film nucleation, growth, coverage, and diffusion can be answered, thereby enabling those processes to be controlled appropriately. In this work, growth studies of ALD HfO2 and TiN are shown, as well as film thickness determination based on surface spectra. PVD aluminum and lanthanum, acting as work function metals on the gate oxide, were deposited, and their film formation and closure were investigated. Further application fields of LEIS have emerged from the characterization of in-die features on patterned wafers. As presented on test arrays, it is possible to detect material deep in trenches. This is an advantage if residues need to be identified after etch or clean processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, nanostructured silver-doped zinc oxide (Ag-ZnO) coating was prepared on Mg-2Ca-0.5Mn-6Zn alloy surface with improved corrosion resistance and antibacterial activity through physical vapor deposition (PVD). Microstructural analysis showed that the Ag-ZnO coating was adherent to the substrate with a thickness and particle size of 1 µm and 85 nm, respectively. The nanostructured Ag-ZnO coated specimens exhibited lower corrosion current density ( icorr), and higher charge-transfer resistance ( Rct) compared with the uncoated Mg alloy. Antimicrobial examination demonstrated that the Ag-ZnO coated specimen revealed a significantly better antimicrobial performance toward Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus compared to the uncoated sample. The results also showed that the Ag-ZnO coating considerably reduces the corrosion rate and improves antimicrobial performance of the Mg alloy substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work demonstrates a novel use of physical vapour deposition for grain-growth engineering by optimizing supersaturation, which led to the evolution of stoichiometric indium monoselenide crystals, employing a custom-fabricated dual-zone furnace. The growth zone was kept at a constant temperature for different experimental runs (673-883 K), while the source zone was kept at a stable temperature of 1123 K. In this way, the temperature difference Δ T = 240-450 K resulted in a significant increase of the mass transport between the zones so as to accomplish bulk crystallization. At comparatively low supersaturation (Δ T = 240 K), the presence of nodules and flakes was observed. When Δ T = 250 K, multiple grains were formed owing to temperature asymmetry at the rough vapour-solid interface. A further increase in supersaturation (Δ T = 330 K) facilitated polyhedral grain growth, with distinct grain boundaries. A subsequent increment in Δ T (400 K) led to evolution of the polycrystalline morphology to well developed hexagonal platelets owing to adsorption of atoms on surface steps and kinks in accordance with the leading-edge growth mechanism. Energy-dispersive analysis by X-rays and X-ray diffraction experiments were carried out to confirm the structure and phase of crystals. Microindentation studies were done to assess the hardness and mechanical stability of the as-grown crystals in response to external loads in order to explore their suitability for solar cell applications. The investigations of bulk vapour phase transport, morphology and strengthening of InSe platelets provide pathways for the production of crystalline textures with versatile properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the foregoing years, micro components were frequently employed in various sectors such as the electronics and medical industry. In order to produce these components in large amounts and satisfying quality, the production processes have to be improved constantly. Heat treatment represents a critical step in the production chain of micro components, since it can either soften the foils for micro forming or increase the hardness of the micro components after the cold forming process, provided those are made of hardenable materials. In the investigated Al-Zr alloy, the formation of small primary Al3Zr precipitations results in a considerable improvement of the material's hardness. However, the presence of precipitations in the Al-Zr foils drastically limits the formability. Additionally, the precipitations are nearly not avoidable in the casting of the raw material and irreversible due to the limited solubility of zirconium in aluminum (0.28 wt%) close to the melting point of the aluminum solution. To overcome this problem, magnetron sputtering was employed to fabricate zirconium supersaturated Al-Zr foils by taking advantage of a low substrate temperature (below 50 °C). In particular the plasma power seems to influence the aging behaviour of sputtered Al-Zr foils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In this work, we report on ion-implanted, high-efficiency n-type silicon solar cells fabricated on large area pseudosquare Czochralski wafers. The sputtering of aluminum (Al) via physical vapor deposition (PVD) in combination with a laser-patterned dielectric stack was used on the rear side to produce front junction cells with an implanted boron emitter and a phosphorus back surface field. Front and back surface passivation was achieved by thin thermally grown oxide during the implant anneal. Both front and back oxides were capped with SiNx, followed by screen-printed metal grid formation on the front side. An ultraviolet laser was used to selectively ablate the SiO2/SiNx passivation stack on the back to form the pattern for metal-Si contact. The laser pulse energy had to be optimized to fully open the SiO2/SiNx passivation layers, without inducing appreciable damage or defects on the surface of the n+ back surface field layer. It was also found that a low temperature annealing for less than 3 min after PVD Al provided an excellent charge collecting contact on the back. In order to obtain high fill factor of ~80%, an in situ plasma etching in an inert ambient prior to PVD was found to be essential for etching the native oxide formed in the rear vias during the front contact firing. Finally, through optimization of the size and pitch of the rear point contacts, an efficiency of 20.7% was achieved for the large area n-type passivated emitter, rear totally diffused cell. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal barrier coatings (TBC) generally consist of a metallic bond coat (BC) and a ceramic top coat (TC). Co-Ni-Cr-Al-Y metallic super alloys and Yttria stabilised zirconia (YSZ) have been widely used as bond coat and top coat for thermal barrier coatings systems, respectively. As a result of long-term exposure of thermal barrier coatings systems to oxygen-containing atmospheres at high temperatures, a diffusion of oxygen through the porous ceramic layer occurs and consequently an oxidation zone is formed in the interface between ceramic top coat and metallic bond coat. Alloying components of the BC layer create a so-called thermally grown oxides layer (TGO). One included oxide type is α-Al2O3. α-Al2O3 lowers oxygen diffusion and thus slows down the oxidation process of the bond coat and consequently affects the service life of the coating system positively. The distribution of the alloying elements in the bond coat layer, however, generally causes the formation of mixed oxide phases. The different oxide phases have different growth rates, which cause local stresses, micro-cracking and, finally, delamination and failure of the ceramic top coat layer. In the present study, a thin Al inter-layer was deposited by DC-Magnetron Sputtering on top of the Co-Ni-Cr-Al-Y metallic bond coat, followed by thermal spraying of yttria-stabilised zirconia (YSZ) as a top coat layer. The deposited Al inter-layer is meant to transform under operating conditions into a closed layer with high share of α-Al2O3 that slows down the growth rate of the resulting thermally grown oxides layer. Surface morphology and microstructure characteristics as well as thermal cycling behaviour were investigated to study the effect of the intermediate Al layer on the oxidation of the bond coat compared to standard system. The system with Al inter-layer shows a smaller thermally grown oxides layer thickness compared to standard system after thermal cycling under same conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Joints manufactured by transient liquid phase bonding feature comparable properties as diffusion weldements, but considerably lower process temperatures and pressures have to be applied. The liquid phase, which is hereby used, occurs due to interdiffusion between the base and/or the filler materials at a constant temperature, which lies below the melting temperature of the substrates. An essential requirement for this diffusion-based melting is that the involved materials have low melting alloy-constitution areas, such as eutectics. The aim of the study, presented in this contribution, is to evaluate an approach, in which an active transient liquid is created by suitable interlayers, in order to facilitate the wetting of ceramics. The potential of this attempt will be illustrated on zirconia/stainless-steel-joints for high temperature applications, such as solid oxide fuel cells. In such applications, the used materials have to withstand harsh conditions, e.g. high operating temperatures, oxidizing or reducing environments, which represent a demanding challenge for joining technologies, even at the latest state of research. In this study interlayers, consisting of Zirconium, as the active element, in combination with Copper and/or Nickel, have been investigated. These systems exhibit a wide range of alloy-constitutions with low melting temperatures, which can be used for the formation of the transient liquid phase. For the application of the interlayers, physical vapor deposition as well as 75 µm-thick Nickel-foils have been used. The joining was carried out in high vacuum with changing holding times and temperatures. Additionally, the ratio of the thickness of the used interlayers was changed. Results of microstructural investigations, nano-hardness measurements of the joining area as well as shear strength and fractography are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ternary nitrides such as (Cr1-xAlx)N deposited via PVD find widespread application as hard protective coatings on cutting tools and as corrosion and wear resistant coatings on mechanical components due to their good tribological, mechanical and chemical properties. The combination of these properties makes (Cr1-xAlx)N coatings attractive for many applications. For an effective protection of coated parts a uniform layer of coating material is required. In this regard, the high power pulse magnetron sputtering (HPPMS) technology offers possibilities to improve coating thickness uniformity and to enhance mechanical properties. The present work deals with the investigation of the influence of process parameters on the properties of (Cr1-xAlx)N deposited at 200°C via DC-MSIP/HPPMS technology in an industrial coating unit. The Al content was varied between 22 at.% and 88 at.%. Further, the bias voltage was varied from 0 V up to -200 V. Chemical composition, morphology, mechanical properties and phase composition of the coatings were analyzed by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Nanoindentation and XRD (X-Ray diffraction), respectively. The maximum hardness of 20 GPa was achieved for the coatings with 31 at.% Al and 51 at.% Al. With increasing bias voltage a preferred (200) grain orientation and denser crystalline morphology are indentified. An improvement of coating thickness distribution is observed for the coatings deposited with a bias voltage of -100 V and -150 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoindentation is an often used method to characterize the hardness and the elastic modulus of thin coatings. Finding a method to determine the flow curve of thin coatings using analytical or numerical methods is one goal of actual nanoindenter research. In this work an approach is presented to determine the flow curve of materials using nanoindentation and finite element simulation (FEM). This method uses a FEM model of the indentation process. The determination of the flow curve is achieved by iteratively comparing experimental and simulated load-displacement curves and adapting the modelled plastic behaviour until both curves match. Analytical methods are used to determine boundary conditions for the flow curve and therefore reduce the number of possible solutions. The method is validated on material samples with known flow curves. The forecasted flow curves uniformly show good agreement with experimental measured flow curves. A critical discussion of the results and the future prospects is made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Despite the known significant morbidity and mortality associated with cardiovascular disease and peripheral vascular disease (PVD), contemporary data describing racial demographics in PVD mortality are scarce. Methods and Results Using the multiple causes of death file from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research, we analyzed the trends of age-adjusted mortality (AAMR) for PVD and its subtypes (aortic aneurysm/dissection, arterial thrombosis, venous thrombosis/disease, pulmonary embolism), by race and sex between 1999 and 2019. Of the 17 826 871 deaths attributed to cardiovascular disease, a total of 888 187 (5.0%) PVD deaths were analyzed during the study period (12.4% Black, 85.6% White). Between 1999 and 2019, AAMR for PVD decreased by 52% (24.8-11.8 per 100 000 people) in the overall population. Despite a decrease in the overall mortality across all race and sex groups, Black men and Black women continued to have higher mortality for PVD (1.5×), aortic dissection (1.8×), arterial thrombosis (1.3×), and venous thrombosis/disease (2.0×) mortality compared with White men and White women in 2019. While there was a 53% decrease in PVD among White individuals (AAMR 24.5-11.5 per 100 000), there was only a 43% decrease (30.0-17.1) in PVD AAMR in Black individuals between 1999 and 2019. The ratio of PVD AAMR increased from 1.2 (1999) to 1.5 (2019) in Black men/White men and from to 1.3 (1999) to 1.5 (2019) in Black women/White women. Similar trends were noted in aortic dissection (Black men/White men, 1.2-1.8; and Black women/White women, 1.5-1.7), arterial thrombosis (Black men/White men, 1.0-1.3; and Black women/White women, 0.9-1.3), and venous thrombosis/disease (Black men/White men, 1.7-1.8; and Black women/White women, 1.7-2.0). Conclusions In this retrospective review of death certificate data in the United States, we demonstrate continued significant disparities between Black and White populations in PVD mortality and its subtypes. Future studies should investigate etiologies and social determinants of PVD mortality.

Pulsed high power plasma discharges offer high potential by means of developing new coating systems with out-standing characteristics and enhanced application possibilities. To get high-performance materials the plasma physics of sputtering, transport and deposition during a High Power Pulse Magnetron Sputtering (HPPMS) process have to be investigated and correlated to coating characteristics as well as compound and system char-acteristics. Every coating has to be adapted to the specific application which it addresses. In the frame of this research project the HPPMS technology is used to investigate coating systems regarding their possibility to be used in injection molding processes. This manuscript shows a first comparison of conventional sputtered ternary Cr-Al-N by direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering (MS), pulsed middle frequency (MF) MS and Cr-Al-N deposited by HPPMS. The Cr:Al ratio was kept constant at about 75: 25 (at-%). All three coatings were analyzed regarding thickness, morphology, chemical composition, texturing and mechanical properties like hardness and Young's modulus. Furthermore, all three coatings were deposited on the complex structure of a gear wheel to obtain the uniformity of the coating. The results show that [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different morphologies of indium telluride (InTe) including novel spherulites were crystallized using the physical vapour deposition (PVD) method, by varying the difference in the growth and source zone temperature (Δ T) of a dual zone horizontal furnace assembled indigenously. Whiskers and kinked needles of InTewere grown at Δ T = 250 K and 300 K respectively, maintaining the growth zone at 500 °C. At high supersaturation ( Δ T = 400 K), spherulitic crystals were obtained. The stoichiometric composition of these crystals has been confirmed using energy dispersive analysis by x-rays (EDAX). The structure of β-InTe spherulitic crystals is identified as zinc blende with lattice parameter a = 6.159 Å, from x-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images revealed the radial structure of the grown spherulites. The growth mechanism for the spherulitic crystallization of β-InTe crystals has been discussed based on the theoretical models. (© 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of hot forging with permanent moulds is a challenge in respect to the very high thermal, mechanical and tribological loads on tools. Ensuring sufficient lifetime application of protective films can be beneficial. Initial screening experiments using PVD coated compression plates show that one of the metastable phases of alumina, the γ-phase, exhibits high strength and toughness and fulfils the requirements for a protective coating. The next important step in the development towards an industrial application is the implementation on complex tool shapes and verification in real forming experiments. After coating deposition using an industrial coating unit, coated dies were tested in forming experiments under industrial conditions. The forming experiments show an improvement of the wear resistance after 1000 forming cycles for the coated dies compared to the uncoated dies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Electronic portal imaging devices based on megavoltage (MV), active matrix, flat-panel imagers (AMFPIs) are presently regarded as the gold standard in portal imaging for external beam radiation therapy. These devices, employing indirect detection of incident radiation by means of a metal plate plus phosphor screen combination, offer a quantum efficiency of only ∼2% at 6 MV, leading to a detective quantum efficiency (DQE) of only ∼1%. In order to significantly improve the DQE performance of MV AMFPIs, a strategy based on the development of direct detection imagers incorporating thick films of polycrystalline mercuric iodide (HgI2) photoconductor was undertaken and is reported. Methods: Two MV AMFPI prototypes, one incorporating an ∼300 μm thick HgI2 layer created through physical vapor deposition (PVD) and a second incorporating an ∼460 μm thick HgI2 layer created through screen-printing of particle-in-binder (PIB) material, were quantitatively evaluated using a 6 MV photon beam. The reported measurements include empirical determination of x-ray sensitivity, lag, modulation transfer function (MTF), noise power spectrum, and DQE. Results: For both prototypes, MTF and DQE results were found to be consistent with theoretical expectations and the MTFs were also found to be higher than that measured from a conventional MV AMFPI. In addition, the DQE results exhibit input-quantum-limited behavior, even at extremely low doses. Compared to PVD, the PIB prototype exhibits much lower dark current, slightly higher lag, and similar DQE. Finally, the challenges associated with this approach, as well as strategies for achieving considerably higher DQE through thicker HgI2 layers, are discussed. Conclusions: The DQE of each of the prototypes is found to be comparable to that of conventional MV AMFPIs, commensurate with the modest photoconductor thicknesses of these early samples. It is anticipated that thicker layers of HgI2 based on PIB deposition can provide higher DQE while maintaining good material properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a research related to the production of reinforced high precision forging dies. It cites that high precision forging dies having a relatively low deterioration rate is required in an economical production of near-net-shape forging parts. It shows that through the combined applications of material science, metal forming, and production engineering, thin titanium-containing materials shaped in a multilayer structure can increase the wear resistance of forging dies.

The article discusses developments in the use of steel in the automobile industry. Some of new steel products for automotive use are a precoated steel suitable for hot stamping process and inorganic treated-steels. To offer steels with high stiffness but low weight, Arcelor has developed a multimaterial sandwich with potential use for large panels.

Summary Aims The aim of the study was to determine the profile of diabetes foot infections in south Indian diabetic subjects. The causative factors for delayed wound healing and the recurrence of infection were also studied. Methods During a period of 6 months, 374 patients who had undergone some surgical procedure for foot infection were available for follow-up (M : F 227 : 147, mean age 54.9 ± 9.4 years, diabetes duration 10.9 ± 7.7 years). All of them had records of clinical and treatment details, laboratory data including biothesiometry, Doppler tests and electrocardiogram (ECG) records. Foot ulcers were classified according to Wagner's classification. Results Majority of the patients had grade II and III ulcers (50% and 26.5%, respectively), grade IV was seen in another 21.9%. The median healing time was 44 days. Recurrence of infection which occurred in 53% was more common in patients with neuropathy and peripheral vascular disease (PVD). Conclusions Recurrence of foot infection was common among south Indian Type 2 diabetic subjects and was related to the presence of PVD and neuropathy. There is also a need for improvement in footwear and foot care education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]