Search

In the pursuit of low‐dose flat‐panel X‐ray detection and imaging, controlling dark current is pivotal. Modulating the bandgap and resistivity of photosensitive materials is one of the methods to reduce dark current. The study introduces a novel approach by first demonstrating a non‐perovskite orthorhombic phase δ‐CsPbI2Br thick film, fabricated using an innovative elastic molecular‐assisted coating strategy. This technique results in a material with an optimized bandgap of 2.30 eV and a significantly elevated resistivity of 2.42 × 10¹⁰ Ω cm. Consequently, this leads to an ultralow dark current of 1.34 nA cm⁻2. Leveraging this advancement, the developed X‐ray detectors showcase a groundbreaking low detection limit of 53 nGyair s⁻¹, surpassing the performance of their cubic‐phase counterparts. Remarkably, the material exhibits excellent phase stability, maintaining its properties for up to 80 days. By integrating with a thin‐film transistor array, a flat‐panel X‐ray detector that delivers high‐quality 8‐bit imaging across a 64 × 64 matrix is successfully engineered. This work not only presents a transformative approach to substantially reduce dark current in low‐dose X‐ray detection but also sets a new benchmark in the field by combining enhanced imaging capability with robust long‐term stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

La0.6Sr0.4CoO3 (LSC) coatings with a thickness of 50–100 µm were deposited on Fe-25Cr ferritic stainless steel (DIN 50049) via screen printing. The required suspension had been prepared using fine LSC powders synthesised using EDTA gel processes. In its bulk form, the LSC consisted entirely of the rhombohedral phase with space group R-3c, and it exhibited high electrical conductivity (~144 S·cm−1). LSC-coated steel was oxidised in air at 1073 K, i.e., under conditions corresponding to SOFC cathode operation, for times of up to 144 h. The in situ electrical resistance of the steel/La0.6Sr0.4CoO3 layered system during oxidation was measured. The products formed on the samples after the oxidation reaction resulting from exposure to the corrosive medium were investigated using XRD, SEM-EDS, and TEM-SAD. The microstructural, nanostructural, phase, and chemical analysis of films was performed with a focus on the film/substrate interface. It was determined that the LSC coating interacts with the oxidised steel in the applied conditions, and a multi-layer interfacial zone is formed. Detailed TEM-SAD observations indicated the formation of a main layer consisting of SrCrO4, which was the reaction product of (La,Sr)CoO3, and the Cr2O3 scale formed on the metal surface. The formation of the SrCrO4 phase resulted in improved electrical conductivity of the investigated metal/ceramics layered composite material, as demonstrated by the low area-specific resistance values of 5 mΩ·cm2, thus making it potentially useful as a SOFC interconnect material operating at the tested temperature. In addition, the evaporation rate of chromium measured for the uncoated steel and the steel/La0.6Sr0.4CoO3 layered system likewise indicates that the coating is capable of acting as an effective barrier against the formation of volatile compounds of chromium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research introduces a hydrogen sensor made from a thin film of magnesium zinc oxide (MgZnO) deposited using a technique called radiofrequency co-sputtering (RF co-sputtering). Separate magnesium oxide (MgO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) targets were used to deposit the MgZnO film, experimenting with different deposition times and power levels. The sensor performed best (reaching a sensing response of 2.46) when exposed to hydrogen at a concentration of 1000 parts per million (ppm). This peak performance occurred with a MgZnO film thickness of 432 nanometers (nm) at a temperature of 300 °C. Initially, the sensor's responsiveness increased as the film thickness grew. This is because thicker films tend to have more oxygen vacancies, which are imperfections that play a role in the sensor's function. However, further increases in film thickness beyond the optimal point harmed performance. This is attributed to the growth of grains within the film, which hindered its effectiveness. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) were employed to thoroughly characterize the quality of the MgZnO thin film. These techniques provided valuable insights into the film's crystal structure and morphology, crucial factors influencing its performance as a hydrogen sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thin film hybrid nanofluid (HNF) flow over a rotating stretching disk is considered for heat transfer (HT) enhancement applications. The water-based HNF consists of Ag and TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs). The film thickness is kept variable and the flow medium is also considered porous and variable. The variable porous space for the variable thickness of the thin film is the main focus of the present analysis. The variable thickness of the thin film improves heat transfer (HT) between the rotating disk and the surrounding fluid. Thicker film layers provide increased thermal resistance, reducing the (HT) rate, while thinner film layers enhance (HT) by minimizing the thermal resistance. Controlling the thickness of the film through the variable porous space allows for the optimization of (HT) in various engineering applications. Additionally, the presence of Ag and TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) in the water-based HNF further enhances the heat transfer properties, making it an attractive option for heat transfer (HT) enhancement applications. Moreover, the stability of the variable thin film is more adjustable in the variable porous space. The artificial neural network is used to solve the problem and validate the obtained results, through Training, Testing, and error estimations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The movement of multiple liquid droplets within steam flow constitutes a commonplace and noteworthy phenomenon across a spectrum of disciplines, including environmental science, chemical engineering, and energy studies. To simulate the dynamic behavior of these droplets, the methodology of Euler grid approximation, along with the Eulerian wall film (EWF) coupled with the volume-of-fluid (VOF) method, was successfully employed to simulate the steam-liquid separation and liquid film processes within the swirl-vane separator. The trajectory of droplets within the gas phase field was constructed using the Euler grid approximation methodology, while the flow of liquid film formed by droplet–wall collision was modeled based on the coupled EWF and VOF liquid film model. The investigation of two-phase flow and liquid film flow within the swirl-vane separator under high temperature and pressure conditions was conducted utilizing the proposed model, with subsequent analysis of the pertinent characteristics of droplets and liquid film. Specifically, the thickness and velocity of the liquid film significantly increased with the increase in droplet mass flow rate, with larger droplets more prone to concentrate and form stable flow of thick liquid film. The study results may hold significant implications for the design, operation, and optimization of separators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel flexible piezoelectric thick-film generator is proposed to address the challenges caused by flexible deformation and high piezoelectricity. This improves the output charge of the generator, which breaks the limitation imposed by the rigid and brittle nature of traditional piezoelectric bulks on elastic strain and piezoelectric performance. Additionally, the low piezoelectric coefficient of piezoelectric polymer-based piezoelectric generators is also resolved. Given the high thickness precision of electrohydrodynamic jet printing technology, the facile production of 10-μm thick film components is achieved through a process of printing and layer-by-layer accumulation on a flexible substrate, which ensures the flexible deformation and piezoelectric characteristics of the functional film. To ensure that AC is converted into stable DC output, a bipolar charge collection circuit is developed. The printed thick film produces an excellent performance in surface uniformity and smoothness. Notably, the piezoelectric constant d 33 is measured to be approximately 80 pC/N, which is five times higher than the d 33 value of flexible PVDF films. Additionally, the strength of adhesion between the printed thick film and the flexible substrate is remarkably high, reaching up to 20 N, which is an order of magnitude higher than the magnetron sputtering method. In a single cycle, the forward charge output reaches an impressively high level of 260 nC, which is approximately thirteen times the charge transfer capability of PVDF flexible generator. Furthermore, a bipolar charge collection circuit is applied to convert AC into DC effectively. This increases the output voltage from 2 V to 4 V. The illumination of commercial electronic screens and 39 LED lights demonstrates the applicability of micron-scale jet-printed thick films in micro-energy harvesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties of aerosol deposited (AD) thick ceramic films are significantly reduced in comparison to bulk materials, which is assumed to be largely related to the nanometer-sized grains (∼0.01 μm) observed in the resulting microstructures. This work, therefore, focuses on understanding the role of grain size in electromechanical properties within the range of AD films based on Ba 0.85 Ca 0.15 Zr 0.1 Ti 0.9 O 3 (BCZT). In a comprehensive compilation of the piezoelectric constant (d 33) of samples from various studies the grain size dependency of the d 33 was shown for the lead-free ferroelectrics BCZT, BaTiO 3 , and (K,Na)NbO 3. In this, it can be seen that no BCZT sample with a grain size below 0.4 μm was analyzed regarding their d 33 before, thereby leaving a gap to the grain size of AD films. In this study, the grain size of ceramic bulk samples was varied using spark plasma and conventional sintering (0.1 μm – 11 μm) and their properties compared to those of AD films. To enable the fabrication of bulk samples in the same range as AD films, a hydrothermal powder with an average particle size of 0.075 μm was synthesized. A continuous increase of the permittivity, the polarization, and the piezoelectric coefficient was observed through grain size increase. These results suggest that the grain size of AD films needs to be enhanced to improve their properties. Importantly, the insights of this multiscale analysis on the grain size can help to tailor also the properties of other BCZT films and bulk samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most studies of liquid lubricants were carried out at temperatures below 200 °C. However, the service temperature of lubricants for aerospace and aeroengine has reached above 300 °C. In order to investigate the friction mechanism and provide data for high temperature lubrication, the friction and wear properties of chlorophenyl silicone oil (CPSO)-lubricated M50 steel and Si3N4 friction pairs were investigated herein. Ball-on-disk experimental results show that the lubrication performance of CPSO varies significantly with temperature. Below 150 °C, coefficient of friction (COF) remains at 0.13–0.15 after the short running-in stage (600 s), while the COF in the running-in stage is 0.2–0.3. At 200 °C and above, the running-in time is much longer (1,200 s), and the initial instantaneous maximum COF can reach 0.5. Under this condition, the COF gradually decreases and finally stabilizes at around 0.16–0.17 afterwards. This phenomenon is mainly due to the different thickness of boundary adsorption film. More importantly, the wear rate of M50 steel increases significantly with the temperature, while the wear rate barely changes at temperatures above 200 °C. The anti-wear mechanism is explained as tribochemical reactions are more likely to occur between CPSO and steel surface with the increased temperature, generating the FeCl2 protective film on the metal surface. Accordingly, FeCl2 tribochemical film improves the lubrication and anti-wear capacity of the system. At high temperatures (200–350 °C), FeCl2 film becomes thicker, and the contact region pressure becomes lower due to the larger wear scar size, so the wear rate growth of M50 steel is much smaller compared with that of low temperatures (22–150 °C). The main findings in this study demonstrate that CPSO lubricant has good anti-wear and lubrication capacity, which is capable of working under temperatures up to 350 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical Solution Deposition enables low‐cost fabrication of ferroelectric HfO2 films suitable for piezoelectric applications. Control of processing parameters is of utmost importance to obtain high‐quality functional films. However, the impact of the annealing atmosphere on ferroelectric properties of solution‐processed HfO2 films is not clear. In this work, the influence of annealing atmosphere and growth methods on orientation, density and electrical properties of La:HfO2 films is studied. The 45 nm‐thick films are grown by two routes, conventional (crystallization of the final 45 nm‐thick film) and layer‐by‐layer (intermediate crystallizations of 5 nm‐thick films). Annealing is performed in N2:O2 and Ar atmosphere. Films grown by layer‐by‐layer method in an oxygen‐rich atmosphere tend to have higher density (87% of theoretical density) and remanent polarization (15 µC cm–2) than the conventional films (density and remanent polarization of 80% and 7.5 µC cm‐2). Secondary ion mass spectrometry reveals higher amounts of carbon presence in the conventional films annealed in Ar. For layer‐by‐layer films, the ability to control the preferential out‐of‐plane orientation from (111) to (002) simply by changing the annealing atmosphere, is demonstrated. The results can guide the path toward high‐quality thicker films for piezoelectric applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wafer-scale rare-earth iron garnet (RIG) single crystal thick films were fabricated on 3-in. gadolinium gallium garnet (GGG) substrates using liquid phase epitaxy. The terahertz transmittance of the RIG crystals improved after removing the GGG substrate by polishing. The time-domain spectra at Terahertz (THz) frequencies indicate the existence of a magneto-optical effect in RIG samples. The results indicate that the RIG samples exhibit a high refractive index of ∼4.50 within the 0.1–1.0 THz frequency range, a transmittance of around 40%, and an absorption rate of only 10–50 cm−1. The Faraday rotation angles of the thick single-crystal films of the RIG samples were measured using a THz-TDS system. The RIG has a thickness of ∼330 μm. The Faraday rotation angles of RIG crystals at THz frequencies can reach up to 16° when an external magnetic field of 0.18 T is applied. The Verdet constants of the RIG sample were calculated to be ∼120°/mm/T. To improve the transmittance of the RIG sample, epoxy resin and polymethylpentene (TPX) were used as anti-reflective films. The transmittance of the RIG sample increased by ∼5% for the 80 μm thick epoxy and about 10% for the 320 μm thick TPX. Therefore, this RIG single crystal thick film can achieve a low loss, a high transmittance, and a strong magneto-optical effect in the terahertz region with the cooperation of a reflection-reducing film. It is expected to have wide applications in terahertz magnetic polarization conversion, non-reciprocal phase shifters, and isolators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quasi‐2D perovskite quantum wells are increasingly recognized as promising candidates for direct‐conversion X‐ray detection. However, the fabrication of oriented and uniformly thick quasi‐2D perovskite films, crucial for effective high‐energy X‐ray detection, is hindered by the inherent challenges of preferential crystallization at the gas‐liquid interface, resulting in poor film quality. In addressing this limitation, a carbonyl array‐synergized crystallization (CSC) strategy is employed for the fabrication of thick films of a quasi‐2D Ruddlesden‐Popper (RP) phase perovskite, specifically PEA2MA4Pb5I16. The CSC strategy involves incorporating two forms of carbonyls in the perovskite precursor, generating large and dense intermediates. This design reduces the nucleation rate at the gas‐liquid interface, enhances the binding energies of Pb2+ at (202) and (111) planes, and passivates ion vacancy defects. Consequently, the construction of high‐quality thick films of PEA2MA4Pb5I16 RP perovskite quantum wells is achieved and characterized by vertical orientation and a pure well‐width distribution. The corresponding PEA2MA4Pb5I16 RP perovskite X‐ray detectors exhibit multi‐dimensional advantages in performance compared to previous approaches and commercially available a‐Se detectors. This CSC strategy promotes 2D perovskites as a candidate for next‐generation large‐area flat‐panel X‐ray detection systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible nanocomposite thick films consisting of PVA0.7PANi0.3 polymer blend doped with different concentrations of nanoplatelets functionalized Graphene (NPFGx) (where x = 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 wt.%) were fabricated using the solution cast technique. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis (EDX), and Fourier-transform infrared spectra (FT-IR) were used to study the structure of the samples. The results showed that the ordered structure, its orientation, the PANis' well dispersion, and the electrostatic forces play a significant role in enhancing the interfaces between the polymer blend and the NPFG. Thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) and Thermoelectrical analyses (TE) showed that the PVA-PANi conducts a promised conjugated blend for thermoelectric applications. The introduction of the NPFG contents into the blend increased the TE measurements as the DC electrical conductivity ≈ 0.0114 (S cm−1), power factor ≈ 3.93 × 10–3 (W m−1 K−2), and Z.T. ≈ 8.4 × 10–7, for the 25 wt.% NPFG nanocomposite film. The effect of the polymers' phonon contribution in the thermal conductivity controlling and enhancing the thermal stability of the prepared nanocomposite films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multi-layer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) is prepared with Bi 1.5 MgNb 1.5 O 7 (BMN) pyrochlores, which has medium dielectric constant, large dielectric tunability, and especially the very small dielectric loss. The multilayer ceramic capacitors with Bi 1.5 MgNb 1.5 O 7 as the dielectric material are prepared by a tape-casting method. The dielectric constant of the BMN thick film was observed to be superior to that of the bulk material, indicating its potential application in electronic devices. The increase in dielectric constant during the preparation of multilayer ceramic capacitors was explained by investigating the interdiffusion between the ceramic thick films and the electrodes. The BMN thick films and Ag 0.7 /Pd 0.3 electrodes showed a dense microstructure and serial interfaces when sintering at 1050 °C for 1.5 h. The capacitor exhibited good temperature stability with a dielectric constant temperature coefficient of −249.94 ppm/°C, a relative dielectric constant of 216, and a dielectric loss of 0.00036. Provides insights for the development and optimization of high-performance dielectric tunable electronic device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purely organic molecules with room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP) are potential luminescent materials with high exciton utilization for organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs), but those exhibiting superb electroluminescence (EL) performances are rarely explored, mainly due to their long phosphorescence lifetimes. Herein, a robust purely organic RTP molecule, 3,6‐bis(5‐phenylindolo[3,2‐a]carbazol‐12(5H)‐yl)‐xanthen‐9‐one (3,2‐PIC‐XT), is developed. The neat film of 3,2‐PIC‐XT shows strong green RTP with a very short lifetime (2.9 μs) and a high photoluminescence quantum yield (72 %), and behaviors balanced bipolar charge transport. The RTP nature of 3,2‐PIC‐XT is validated by steady‐state and transient absorption and emission spectroscopies, and the working mechanism is deciphered by theoretical simulation. Non‐doped multilayer OLEDs using thin neat films of 3,2‐PIC‐XT furnish an outstanding external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 24.91 % with an extremely low roll‐off (1.6 %) at 1000 cd m−2. High‐performance non‐doped top‐emitting and tandem OLEDs are also achieved, providing remarkable EQEs of 24.53 % and 42.50 %, respectively. Delightfully, non‐doped simplified OLEDs employing thick neat films of 3,2‐PIC‐XT are also realized, furnishing an excellent EQE of 17.79 % and greatly enhanced operational lifetime. The temperature‐dependent and transient EL spectroscopies demonstrate the electrophosphorescence attribute of 3,2‐PIC‐XT. These non‐doped OLEDs are the best devices based on purely organic RTP materials reported so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The orientation and shape of ceramics grains was always neglected, resulting in a lot of information during sintering has not been excavated. In this study, a modified phase-field model in order to express the anisotropy of grain boundary energy is developed. The effects of the anisotropy of grain boundary energy on the grain orientation and shape evolution are investigated in detail. The ferroelectric ceramic thick films are prepared by tape casting. The comparison of experiment and simulation results shows that the anisotropy of grain boundary energy results in uneven grain orientation and bimodal grain size distribution. The quantitative analysis of grain microstructures helps to establish a relationship with the degree of anisotropy of grain boundary energy. Our findings provide a new way to judge the degree of anisotropy by calculating the relevant parameters in the SEM images of ceramics materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present communication reports on the effect of the sprayed solution volume variation (as a thickness variation element) on the detailed Raman spectroscopy for WO3 thin films with different thicknesses grown from precursor solutions with two different concentrations. Walls-like structured monoclinic WO3 thin films were obtained by the spray deposition method for further integration in gas sensors. A detailed analysis of the two series of samples shows that the increase in thickness strongly affects the films' morphology, while their crystalline structure is only slightly affected. The Raman analysis contributes to refining the structural feature clarifications. It was observed that, for 0.05 M precursor concentration series, thinner films (lower volume) show less intense peaks, indicating more defects and lower crystallinity, while thicker films (higher volume) exhibit sharper and more intense peaks, suggesting improved crystallinity and structural order. For higher precursor concentration 0.1 M series, films at higher precursor concentrations show overall more intense and sharper peaks across all thicknesses, indicating higher crystallinity and fewer defects. Differences in peak intensity and presence reflect variations in film morphology and structural properties due to increased precursor concentration. Further studies are ongoing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium alginate (NaAlg) is widely used as a food additive. To study the effect of irradiation with X-ray quanta with energies of 1253.6 eV and 1486.6 eV on the composition of NaAlg, thick films with a smooth surface were prepared, which did not differ in IR spectra from the original powders. The films were irradiated in a high vacuum (3 × 10−10 mbar) in the chamber of a Specs PHOIBOS 150 MCD9 XPS spectrometer with an X-ray source power of 150 W and an irradiation duration of up to 300 min, which significantly exceeded the time required to obtain an XPS spectrum. This made it possible to use XPS to monitor changes in the composition of the NaAlg surface directly during irradiation. As a result of the research, it has been established that NaAlg degrades with prolonged irradiation, which is accompanied by a significant decrease in the O/C ratio. When analyzing the dependence of the intensities of individual peaks in the C1s spectrum on the irradiation time, it was found that after 100 min of irradiation, a peak due to the carbonate group appears in the spectrum. The decomposition was also accompanied by a change in the color of NaAlg from white to yellow-brown. In the IR spectrum of the NaAlg film irradiated for 300 min, an absorption band was detected at 1910 cm−1, which is usually associated with the presence of allene groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of high‐power electronics in aerospace, communication, and energy storage systems, the huge heat flux poses an increasing threat to the safety of electronic devices. Compared with thin films of a few micro thicknesses, high‐quality graphene thick film (GTF) exceeding hundreds of microns thickness is a promising candidate to solve thermal management challenges owing to higher heat‐flux. However, traditional GTF usually has lower thermal conductivity and weak mechanical properties attributed to disordered sheet alignment and frail interfacial adhesion. Here, a seamless bonding assembly (SBA) strategy is proposed to attain GTF over record hundreds of microns with robust coalescence interfaces. For the GTF‐SBA with ≈250 µm thickness, the in‐plane and through‐plane thermal conductivities are 925.75 and 7.03 W m−1 K−1, approximately two times and 12 times those of the GTF prepared by traditional adhesive assembly method, respectively. Furthermore, the GTF‐SBA demonstrates remarkable stability even after cycled harsh temperature shocks from 77 to 573 K, ensuring its environmental adaptability for long‐term service in extreme conditions. These findings provide valuable insights into the interfacial design of graphene bulk materials and highlight the potential applications of high‐performance graphene‐based materials for extreme thermal management demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a 200 nm thick films of p−$\text{p} -$SnO2 are deposited onto p−$\text{p} -$Nb2O5 thin substrates (100 nm) to construct an isotype p−$\text{p} -$Nb2O5/p−$\text{p} -$SnO2 (NSO) heterojunction devices. The device is constructed using a thermal coating method in a vacuum media of low pressure reaching 10−5 mbar. NSO heterojunctions represent two amorphous/amorphous‐stacked layers that exhibit enhanced light absorption exceeding 170% and 120% in the visible and infrared regions of light spectrum, respectively. In addition, the interface under study displays band conduction offset of 0.60–0.90 eV and valence bad offset of 0.53–0.83 eV, respectively. The NSO device, which is treated as a planner microwaves resonators by contacting it with two Ohmic Pt electrodes, shows AC electrical conduction by the correlated barrier hopping within correlated barriers of average heights of 0.127 eV. Electrical conduction is actualized within scattering time constant of 0.27 ns. NSO microwaves resonators display gigahertz cutoff frequency spectra that suit 6G technology applications. The cutoff limit can be engineered in the range of 1.0–12.0 GHz by altering the driving frequency value. The features of the NSO heterojunctions nominate them for use in optoelectronic, which require high light absorption. The heterojunction devices are also promising for potential use in microwave technology a 6G bands filters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper-manganese (Cu-Mn) alloys are usually used in resistance materials with a low resistance and low temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR). In the study, two kinds of electrochemical deposition methods were used to prepare a Cu-Mn structure. Firstly, high conductivity Cu film with preferred (111) orientation was prepared based on the Al thick film as the sacrificial layer by screen printing on the Al2O3 substrate, and then transformed the Al thick film into the Cu thick film by the galvanic displacement reaction at 80 °C for 75 min. Secondly, the electroplating method was used to deposit Mn on the as-replaced Cu film. it could be seen that a high quality and desired Cu-Mn 9:1 ratio could be obtained by depositing at 1.6 V for 10 min in MnCl2 electrolyte with (NH4)2SO4. Sequentially, annealing under normal pressure in reducing the atmosphere was done to make the Cu and Mn interdiffusion into the alloy phase. Both x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman confirmed that annealing at 900 °C in a nitrogen-hydrogen (95/5) atmosphere could extremely reduce the possibility of manganese oxidation and showed promising electrical properties including of the low temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR = 150 ppm) with resistivity of 1000 μΩ-cm, which are comparable to that of CuMn deposited by sputtering in vacuum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesium and its alloys are attractive temporary implants due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. Moreover, Mg has good mechanical and osteoinductive properties. But magnesium and Mg alloys have one significant disadvantage: poor corrosion resistance in a physiological environment. Hence, a deposition of various layers on the surface of Mg alloys seems to be a good idea. The purpose of the article is to analyze the structure and morphology of two MgCa2Zn1 and MgCa2Zn1Gd3 alloys coated by SnO2 ALD (atomic layer deposition) films of various thickness. The studies were performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and an X-ray diffractometer. The corrosion activity of the thin films and substrate alloys in a chloride-rich Ringer's solution at 37 °C was also observed. The corrosion tests that include electrochemical, immersion measurements, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were evaluated. The results indicated that SnO2 had a heterogeneous crystal structure. The surfaces of the thin films were rough with visible pores. The corrosion resistance of SnO2 measured in all corrosion tests was higher for the thicker films. The observations of corrosion products after immersion tests indicated that they were lamellar-shaped and mainly contained Mg, O, Ca, and Cl in a lower concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural white pollution is a pressing concern in China. However, the efficiency and rationality of the government's subsidies for mulch film management remain ambiguous. To formulate reasonable policies for mulch film management and optimize fiscal resource allocation, the study employs cost–benefit analysis to evaluate the economic performance of mulch film management. Two environmentally friendly measures being primarily proposed in China, namely the application of thicker mulch film (hereinafter referred to as thicker film) and the substitution of biodegradable mulch film (hereinafter referred to as biodegradable film), are selected for analysis, with conventional mulch film (hereinafter referred to as conventional film) serving as the benchmark for comparison. Primary data obtained through field surveys, supplemented by secondary data from national statistics, industry reports, and literature reviews, are used for the study. Results show that thicker film application is cost-effective, with a net benefit of CNY 3208.8/ha (USD 449.2/ha; 1 CNY = 0.14 USD), which is CNY 253.8/ha (USD 35.5/ha) higher than that of conventional film. The net benefit for biodegradable film application is lower than that for conventional film, at CNY 2244.6/ha (USD 314.2/ha). The results reveal the significant potential of promoting the use of thicker film due to its recycling and economic advantages. Findings imply that the further promotion of its use lies in improving farmers' cognition and optimizing subsidy dimensions to allocate government financial resources more effectively. On the contrary, biodegradable film utilization is unprofitable and relies on continuous external subsidies. The government can optimize the subsidy standard based on the cost–benefit performance of different mulch films applied and provide incentives to promote cost reductions and efficiency increases. Further analysis indicates that sustainable mulch film management entails developing mechanisms to internalize the external benefits of management and innovating a new governance landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolutions of chip thermal management and micro energy harvesting put forward urgent need for micro thermoelectric devices. Nevertheless, low‐performance thermoelectric thick films as well as the complicated precision cutting process for hundred‐micron thermoelectric legs still remain the bottleneck hindering the advancement of micro thermoelectric devices. In this work, an innovative direct melt‐calendaring manufacturing technology is first proposed with specially designed and assembled equipment, that enables direct, rapid, and cost‐effective continuous manufacturing of Bi2Te3‐based films with thickness of hundred microns. Based on the strain engineering with external glass coating confinement and controlled calendaring deformation degree, enhanced thermoelectric performance has been achieved for (Bi,Sb)2Te3 thick films with highly textured nanocrystals, which can promote carrier mobility over 182.6 cm2 V−1 s−1 and bring out a record‐high zT value of 0.96 and 1.16 for n‐type and p‐type (Bi,Sb)2Te3 thick films, respectively. The nanoscale interfaces also further improve the mechanical strength with excellent elastic modules (over 42.0 GPa) and hardness (over 1.7 GPa), even superior to the commercial zone‐melting ingots and comparable to the hot‐extrusion (Bi,Sb)2Te3 alloys. This new fabrication strategy is versatile to a wide range of inorganic thermoelectric thick films, which lays a solid foundation for the development of micro thermoelectric devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conjugated polymers with p‐orbital overlap show intramolecular‐conformation‐dependent photophysical and electrical properties. Compared to the non‐planar segments, the planar conformation segments have a relatively long effective conjugated length and rigid backbone structure, which are beneficial for the enhancement of optoelectronic properties. Herein, the effect of film thickness on the formation capacity of planar (β) conformations in polyfluorene (poly[4‐(octyloxy)‐9,9‐diphenylfluorene‐2,7‐diyl]‐co‐[5‐(octyloxy)‐9,9‐diphenylfluorene‐2,7‐diyl], PODPF) for the fabrication of stable deep‐blue polymer light‐emitting diodes (PLEDs) is explored. Thickness‐tunable films with thicknesses ranging from 15 to 270 nm by controlling the concentration of precursor solution are prepared. The main observations are as follows. The PODPF chains in thin films are less likely to adopt the β conformations associated with the loose interchain packing in nano‐aggregates than those in thick films. Red‐shifted and well‐resolved emission spectra are observed for the annealed film with a high thickness, indicating the greater presence of β‐conformation segments. More interestingly, interchain aggregation is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the formation of β conformations. Finally, PLEDs based on β‐conformation segments have outstanding brightness, low turn‐on voltage, and stable deep‐blue electroluminescent behavior, confirming the unique advantage of planar conformation for optoelectronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractLiquid nitrogen spray cooling is crucial in cryogenic wind tunnels, while the understanding of its basic phenomenon, liquid nitrogen droplet impact, remains elusive. In this study, a numerical model of a liquid nitrogen droplet impacting on a liquid nitrogen film is established, and the impact mechanisms and influencing factors are analyzed. The dynamic behavior of the liquid nitrogen droplets reveals that as the dimensionless liquid film thickness varies from 0.1 to 0.8, the droplet impact behavior changes from deposition, and crown formation to splash with the Weber number increasing from 0 to 1000. The variation of the dimensionless crown diameter with the dimensionless time solely negatively correlated with liquid film thickness. The maximum dimensionless crown height increases approximately linearly with the Weber number. The splash characteristics indicate that the lower surface tension and viscosity of liquid nitrogen make the droplet easier to exhibit splash as compared with water droplets. As the dimensionless liquid film thickness increases from 0.1 to 0.4, the critical Weber number enabling splash to occur increases from 170 to 375, indicating that a thick liquid film suppresses the splash. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an electrode slurry composed of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and vapor-grown carbon fiber (VGCF) prepared through a solid-phase synthesis method was blade-coated onto copper foil to form a thick film as the anode for lithium-ion batteries. In previously reported work, MoS2-based lithium-ion batteries have experienced gradual deformation, fracture, and pulverization of electrode materials during the charge and discharge cycling process. This leads to an unstable electrode structure and rapid decline in battery capacity. Furthermore, MoS2 nanosheets tend to aggregate over charge and discharge cycles, which diminishes the surface activity of the material and results in poor electrochemical performance. In this study, we altered the density of the MoS2–carbon fiber/Cu foil anode electrode by rolling. Three different densities of electrode sheets were obtained through varying rolling repetitions. Our study shows the best electrochemical performance was achieved at a material density of 2.2 g/cm3, maintaining a capacity of 427 mAh/g even after 80 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-thermal-budget, electrically active, and thick polysilicon films are necessary for building a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) on top of a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS). However, the formation of these polysilicon films is a challenge in this field. Herein, for the first time, the development of in situ phosphorus-doped silicon films deposited under ultrahigh-vacuum conditions (~10−9 Torr) using electron-beam evaporation (UHVEE) is reported. This process results in electrically active, fully crystallized, low-stress, smooth, and thick polysilicon films with low thermal budgets. The crystallographic, mechanical, and electrical properties of phosphorus-doped UHVEE polysilicon films are studied. These films are compared with intrinsic and boron-doped UHVEE silicon films. Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) are used for crystallographic and surface morphological investigations. Wafer curvature, cantilever deflection profile and resonance frequency measurements are employed to study the mechanical properties of the specimens. Moreover, resistivity measurements are conducted to investigate the electrical properties of the films. Highly vertical, high-aspect-ratio micromachining of UHVEE polysilicon has been developed. A comb-drive structure is designed, simulated, fabricated, and characterized as an actuator and inertial sensor comprising 20-μm-thick in situ phosphorus-doped UHVEE films at a temperature less than 500 °C. The results demonstrate for the first time that UHVEE polysilicon uniquely allows the realization of mechanically and electrically functional MEMS devices with low thermal budgets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the composite films of chitosan (Ch) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) biosynthesized by the Aspergillus niger on the chemical qualities and microbial content of chicken breasts meat during storage at 4°C for 28 days. Over storage time pH, moisture content, chicken breast meat peroxide number were analyzed. The results indicated that the films of Ch alone or Ch-AgNPs had increased the values of all parameters during the preservation periods. Regarding the microbial content, the total bacterial count decreased in both Ch and Ag-NPs over time compared to the control. The lowest level was found in ChAgNPs samples. These findings demonstrated that the meat samples coated with either Ch or Ch-AgNPs performed better than those without coating during storage time. The Ch-AgNPs film became thicker after AgNPs were added. The chicken breast sample coated with Ch-AgNPs preserved the moisture content, pH values, peroxide number, percentage of F.F.A and bacterial counts better compared to the Ch sample and compared after 28 days of preservation, the values were %75.91, 6.9, 0.42 (mgO2/100g), %0.95, 5.08 (log10 cfu/g) respectively, which caused prolongation of the shelf life of the Ch-AgNPs sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work investigates optical parameters of Polyvinyl alcohol / Methyl red (PVA/MR) thick films. The work aims to enhance the optical properties of a PVA/MR composite by laser irradiation. The composite has been deposited on a petri dish by casting method with 9000 nm thickness. The PVA/MR thick films were irradiated by a violet laser with wavelength is 405 nm. and 20 mW power for different irradiation intervals (0, 20, 30 and 40) minutes. The optical properties were investigated in the spectral range (190-1100) nm as a function of the irradiating time. The absorption coefficient and the optical bandgap (Eg) increased while refractive index (n) and extinction coefficient (kex) values, dielectric constants (εi, εr) and the optical conductivity decreased with increasing the laser exposure time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the use of stretchable electronic devices increases, the importance of flexible electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding films is emerging. In this study, a highly flexible shielding film was fabricated using poly(styrene-co-butyl acrylate) (p(St-co-BA)) latex as a matrix and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) as a conductive filler, and then the mechanical properties and EMI shielding performance of the film were examined. Styrene and butyl acrylate were copolymerized to lower the high glass transition temperature and increase the ductility of brittle polystyrene. The latex blending technique was used to produce a shielding film in which the aqueous filler dispersion was uniformly dispersed in the emulsion polymerized resin. To determine the phase change in the copolymer matrix with temperature, the storage modulus was measured, and a time–temperature superposition master curve was constructed. The drying temperature of water-based copolymer resin suitable for film fabrication was set based on this curve. The glass transition temperature and flexibility of the blends were determined by evaluating the thermomechanical analysis and tensile tests. The EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of the films was analyzed at frequencies from 50 MHz to 1.5 GHz, covering the VHF and UHF ranges. As the filler content increased, the SE of the blend film increased, but the elongation increased until a certain content and then decreased. The optimal content of PEDOT:PSS that satisfied both the ductility and shielding performance of the film was found to be 10 wt%. In this case, the elongation at break reached 300%, and the SE of a 1.6 mm thick film was about 35 dB. The film developed in this study can be used as an EMI shielding material that requires high flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both experimental and theoretical works have demonstrated that two-dimensional materials exhibit strong thickness-dependent electronic and linear optical properties. However, the nonlinear optical (NLO) effect with respect to the thickness still needs to be further investigated, which is of great significance to design different photonic devices. Herein, we develop the physical vapor deposition technique to prepare a series of antimony selenide (Sb2Se 3) films. The relationship between the thickness of Sb2Se3 film and the NLO absorption was investigated by a Z -scan system under 35 fs, 800 nm laser excitation. The result shows the thicker Sb2Se3 film (∼ 50 nm) performs a larger third-order NLO susceptibility (Im χ (3)) approximately − 4. 5 9 × 1 0 − 8 esu, which can be interpreted by the stronger photon absorption, lower saturable intensity, and larger absorption cross-section of ground-state. More importantly, the Im χ (3) absolute value of thick Sb2Se3 film is also far larger than those of graphene, black phosphorus, transition metal dichalcogenide, MXenes, and heterostructure. This work demonstrates that Sb2Se3 film is an excellent saturable absorber and provides a promising application in nonlinear photonics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we successfully deposited highly dense BaTiO 3 thick films at room temperature on kovar® substrates using aerosol deposition method (AD). As-deposited films exhibited non-ferroelectric behavior due to grain size effect. Post-annealing below 800 °C released residual stress without promoting grain growth for both air and argon annealing atmospheres. Hence, it enhanced relative permittivity, electrical resistivity (1012 Ω.cm) and reduced leakage currents (<1 µA.cm−2). Annealing at 800 and 900 °C induced significant grain growth, favoring the recovery of ferroelectric properties. Grain growth was further enhanced for argon-annealed BT films. For annealing temperatures ≥ 800 °C, both air and argon annealing induced a piezoelectric behavior, clearly evidenced by the strain – field (S-E) cycles. The 900 °C argon-annealed film exhibited the highest properties, with a P r of ∼6.6 µC.cm−2 and a maximum strain of 0.04% under 10 kV.mm−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temperature instability of piezoelectric properties in KNN-based ceramics has been a major bottleneck impeding them toward practical applications. Herein, we prepared multilayer composite ceramics using two kinds of textured thick films with different polymorphic phase transition temperatures. The composite ceramics simultaneously exhibited outstanding piezoelectric properties (d 33 = 400 ± 20 pC/N; S = 0.18 % at 40 kV/cm) and piezoelectric temperature stability (d 33 and S variation within 5 % and 2 %, respectively over the temperature range of room temperature to 180 °C). The synergistic contribution of slightly fluctuating ε r ·P r values, the robust phase and domain structures, and the complementary effect of piezoelectric fluctuation between the two composite layers led to the outstanding temperature stability of piezoelectric properties. Furthermore, the piezoelectric energy harvester produced using KNN-T 1 /T 2 composite ceramics exhibits a large power density of 5.4 mW/cm3. These results prove great potential of KNN-T 1 /T 2 ceramics in high temperature piezoelectric devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ITHfO slurry was prepared by doping HfO 2 into ITO, and In 2 O 3 -ITHfO thermocouples were fabricated using screen printing on Al 2 O 3 ceramic substrates. These thermocouples exhibit a temperature limit of 1600 ℃. Post-annealing at 1250 °C resulted in more crystalline films with increased particle size. During this process, Sn2+ in the films oxidised to Sn4+, and the valence of Hf increased. The high-temperature volatilisation of Sn led to a decrease in carrier concentration. However, Hf4+ can substitute for In3+, thereby providing a free electron. This substitution mitigates the reduction in carrier concentration and enhances the upper-temperature measurement capability of the thermocouple. These experimental findings offer a novel approach to doping ITO, aimed at improving the electrical performance of ceramic thermocouples. • Preparation of In 2 O 3 /ITHfO thermocouples by doping HfO 2 in ITO to test electrical performance. • In 2 O 3 /ITHfO thermocouple have a high temperature limit of 1600 ℃. • The temperature drift of In 2 O 3 /ITHfO thermocouples is smaller than that of ordinary In 2 O 3 -ITO thermocouples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metasurfaces are an excellent platform for terahertz (THz) sensing applications, enabling highly efficient light–matter interaction and overcoming the fundamental disadvantage of the relatively long-wavelength THz range (30–3000 μm), which limits sensing of small features. The current focus in developing metasurfaces is mostly directed toward single-resonance metasurfaces and reconstruction of the dielectric constants of analyte from the saturation mode induced by the limited sensing volume of the metasurface. This paper presents a numerical demonstration of using a multiresonance metasurface to extract the thickness and refractive index of a deposited film without saturation of the sensor. It was shown that the multiresonance property enables determination of the analyte characteristic via measurements with two different thicknesses and tracking changes in two resonances. High-accuracy parameter retrieval is achieved when there are large differences in the thicknesses. In contrast to the established approach, this method provides an efficient way to avoid using relatively thick films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) cantilever resonators suffer from high motional impedance (Rm). This paper investigates the use of mechanically coupled multi-cantilever piezoelectric MEMS resonators in the resolution of this issue. A double-sided actuating design, which utilizes a resonator with a 2.5 μm thick AlN film as the passive layer, is employed to reduce Rm. The results of experimental and finite element analysis (FEA) show agreement regarding single- to sextuple-cantilever resonators. Compared with a standalone cantilever resonator, the multi-cantilever resonator significantly reduces Rm; meanwhile, the high quality factor (Q) and effective electromechanical coupling coefficient (Kteff2) are maintained. The 30 μm wide quadruple-cantilever resonator achieves a resonance frequency (fs) of 55.8 kHz, a Q value of 10,300, and a series impedance (Rs) as low as 28.6 kΩ at a pressure of 0.02 Pa; meanwhile, the smaller size of this resonator compared to the existing multi-cantilever resonators is preserved. This represents a significant advancement in MEMS resonators for miniaturized ultra-low-power oscillator applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amorphous interfacial complexions are particularly resistant to radiation damage and have been primarily studied in alloys with good glass-forming ability, yet recent reports suggest that these features can form even in immiscible alloys such as Cu-Ta under irradiation. In this study, the mechanisms of damage production and annihilation due to primary knock-on atom collisions are investigated for amorphous interphase and grain boundaries in a Cu-Ta alloy using atomistic simulations. Amorphous complexions, in particular amorphous interphase complexions that separate Cu and Ta grains, result in less residual defect damage than their ordered counterparts. Stemming from the nanophase chemical separation in this alloy, the amorphous complexions exhibit a highly heterogeneous distribution of atomic excess volume, as compared to a good glass former like Cu-Zr. Complexion thickness, a tunable structural descriptor, plays a vital role in damage resistance. Thicker interfacial films are more damage-tolerant because they alter the defect production rate due to differences in intrinsic displacement threshold energies during the collision cascade. Overall, the findings of this work highlight the importance of interfacial engineering in enhancing the properties of materials operating in radiation-prone environments and the promise of amorphous complexions as particularly radiation damage-tolerant microstructural features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to expand the application of 3D printing technology to the thick-film hybrid integrated circuits and to improve sintering efficiency of the thick films, four kinds of thick films including three conductor films and a dielectric film were prepared via 3D direct printing followed by laser sintering. Subsequently, microstructures and properties of the obtained films were compared with those of the thick films fabricated by commonly-used screen printing & high-temperature furnace sintering. The results show that the thick conductor and dielectric films produced by using the common method exhibit fine microstructures and good properties. In contrast, the thick conductor films prepared by the 3D direct printing & laser sintering are flat and continuous with a uniform thickness and good welding performance, but the density of the films is not large enough to ensure acceptable adhesion and square resistance. The relative density of the thick dielectric film is much lower than those of the thick conductor films. As a result, the insulation performance of the thick dielectric film does not meet the standard requirements. Overall, it is feasible to prepare the thick conductor/dielectric films via 3D direct writing, but the laser sintering parameters should be optimized to fulfill sintering densification of the thick films, and further to improve their bonding strengths with the ceramic substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, ZnO thick films were synthesized via two simple and easy methods, mechanochemical synthesis and screen-printing deposition. The ZnO powders were obtained through milling at low temperature with milling times of 20, 40, and 60 min. The ZnO thick films were fabricated by depositing 10 cycles of ZnO inks onto glass substrates. The characterization of ZnO thick films revealed a thickness ranging from 4.9 to 5.4 µm with a surface roughness between 85 and 88 nm. The structural analysis confirmed a hexagonal wurtzite crystalline structure of ZnO, both in powders and in thick films, with a preferred orientation on the (002) and (101) planes. Nanostructures with sizes ranging from 36 to 46 nm were observed, exhibiting irregular agglomerated shapes, with an energy band found between 2.77 and 3.02 eV. A static experimental set up was fabricated for gas sensing tests with continuous UV-LED illumination. The ZnO thick films, well adhered to the glass substrate, demonstrated high sensitivity and selectivity to H2S gas under continuous UV-LED illumination at low operating temperatures ranging from 35 to 80 °C. The sensitivity was directly proportional, ranging from 3.93% to 22.40%, when detecting H2S gas concentrations from 25 to 600 ppm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our work, a multi-layer topological insulator (TI) Bi2Se3 thin film was prepared by the chemical vapor deposition method (CVD), and its saturable absorption and damage characteristics were experimentally studied. The results show that when the wavelength is 1064 nm, the saturable absorption parameters of TI: Bi2Se3 film, including modulation depth αs, non-saturable loss αns, and saturation power intensity Isat, increase with the increase in film thickness, and the damage threshold is inversely proportional to the film thickness. The thicker the film layer, the lower the damage threshold. Among them, modulation depth αs is up to 51.2%, minimum non-saturable loss αns is 1.8%, maximum saturation power intensity Isat is 560.8 kW/cm2, and the damage threshold is up to 909 MW/cm2. The influence of the controllable thickness of TI: Bi2Se3 film on passive Q-switching and mode-locking performance of laser is discussed and analyzed when TI: Bi2Se3 film is prepared by the CVD method as a saturable absorber (SA). Finally, the performance of TI: Bi2Se3 thin film applied to nanosecond laser isolation at the 1064 nm band is simulated and analyzed. It has the natural advantage of polarization independence, and the maximum isolation can reach 16.4 dB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of the magnetic ground state of ultrathin 0–10 unit cells (uc) thick La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 films interfaced to an antiferromagnetic La0.45Sr0.55MnO3/SrTiO3(001) buffer layer was investigated with x-ray photoemission electron microscopy. For 0–3 uc La0.8Sr0.2MnO3, we observe antiferromagnetic domains but no ferromagnetic contrast, showing that nominally ferromagnetic La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 adopts the antiferromagnetic ground state of the buffer layer. For larger thicknesses, ferromagnetic domains emerge, confirming that the additional layers revert to the ferromagnetic ground state. We also observe a drastic increase in the complexity of the domain configuration between 3 and 5 uc, which we attribute to competing magnetic and electronic ground states in the system. We attribute the interfacial modified magnetic ground state to charge sharing at the interface due to the chemical potential mismatch, which leads to hole doping at the La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 interface. The present work sheds light on the impact of charge sharing at the interface of complex oxide materials, in particular on the magnetic and electronic states, and presents a strategy for modulating the electronic ground state properties at metallic interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study investigated gene polymorphisms in the interleukin-4 (IL-4) and its receptor alpha (IL-4Rα) gene regions in human hosts with uncomplicated malaria. Data description: Blood samples were obtained from a case-control study conducted at the Sogakope district hospital in the Volta region of Ghana. Thick blood films were made and used to detect the presence and levels of parasitaemia in the patient samples. Genotyping of IL-4 (150 C/T) and the IL-4Rα (Pro-478-Ser) polymorphisms in the promoter regions and receptor gene was performed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) after DNA extraction. The data are useful in determining genetic polymorphisms (allele and genotypic frequencies) of IL-4 and its alpha receptor. In addition, they are useful when comparing levels of parasite density and haematological parameters between genotypic variants of IL-4 and IL-4Rα. These data contribute to our understanding of the genetic basis of malaria susceptibility, particularly in the population of the Volta region of Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring thermal stability in magnetic random access memory devices is non-trivial. Recently, there has been much discussion on the appropriate model to use: single domain or domain wall nucleation. Of particular challenge is assessing the maximum size at which the single domain model can be assumed. Typically, this is estimated to be in the range of 20–30 nm based on a value of the exchange stiffness (A e x ) that is assumed, estimated using indirect measurements or derived from significantly thicker films. In this work, it is proposed that this maximum size can be measured directly via the "activation volume" (V a c t ) or the "activation diameter" (D a c t ), which originates from the concept of magnetic viscosity. This is conducted by measuring, using the time dependence of magnetization at different applied fields, D a c t in perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction pillars of varying effective anisotropy constant (K e f f ) and diameter. It is shown that the trend in D a c t follows 1 / K e f f dependence, in good agreement with the analytic model for the critical diameter of coherent switching. Critically, it is also found that the smallest size for which a single domain, with coherent reversal, occurs is 20 nm. Thus, in devices with technologically relevant values of K e f f , the macrospin model may only be used in 20 nm, or smaller, devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimization of the processing condition of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) plays a pivotal role in determining the structural, dielectric, and energy storage behavior. The present work addresses the effect of annealing on the structural, dielectric, piezoelectric, and energy storage behavior of the PVDF thick film. X-ray diffractogram/Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy/RAMAN reveals the enhancement in the β crystalline phase of PVDF with annealing temperature which is highest for the film annealed at 110 °C. The film annealed at 110 °C exhibited the dielectric constant, dielectric loss, and piezoelectric coefficient as 14.02, 0.05 at 100 Hz and 24 pC/N, respectively. A systematic enhancement of 21% in dielectric constant, 46% in discharge energy density, and 87% in piezoelectric coefficient is reported for the PVDF film annealed at 110 °C as compared to the film annealed at 50 °C. The enhancement in dielectric and energy storage properties is attributed to the alignment of CH2–CF2 by virtue of molecular motion in the PVDF chain. This work suggests the adaptation of annealing for modifying the dielectric and energy storage behavior which is momentous for various electronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under ambient atmospheric conditions, a thin film of water wets many solid surfaces, including insulators, ice, and salt. The film thickness as well as its transport behavior sensitively depend on the surrounding humidity. Understanding this intricate interplay is of the highest relevance for water transport through porous media, particularly in the context of soil salinization induced by evaporation. Here, we use molecular simulations to evaluate the transport properties of thin water films on prototypical salt and soil interfaces, namely NaCl and silica solid surfaces. Our results show two distinct regimes for water transport: at low water coverage, the film permeance scales linearly with the adsorbed amount, in agreement with the activated random walk model. For thicker water films, the permeance scales as the adsorbed amount to the power of 3, in line with the Stokes equation. By comparing results obtained for silica and NaCl surfaces, we find that, at low water coverage, water permeance at the silica surface is considerably lower than at the NaCl surface, which we attribute to difference in hydrogen bonding. We also investigate the effect of atomic surface defects on the transport properties. Finally, in the context of water transport through the porous material, we determine the humidity-dependent crossover between a vapor-dominated and a thin film-dominated transport regimes depending on the pore size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effects of incorporating halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) into polyetherimide (PEI) adhesive for carbon fiber/polyetherketoneketone (CF/PEKK) composite joints. The CF/PEKK substrate is fabricated through an oven consolidation process, while PEI adhesive films with varying HNTs loadings (0.5, 1 and 3 wt.%) are prepared using solvent casting with γ -butyrolactone. Homogeneous dispersion of HNTs in PEI is achieved through magnetic stirring and IR heating. The resulting film is hot pressed to form a 100 μ m thick film, and adhesive lap shear joint specimens are manufactured through oven consolidation. Morphology and dispersion of HNTs in PEI are analyzed using SEM and EDS, revealing favorable dispersion at 0.5 wt.% HNTs and aggregation at higher loadings. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is employed to study the glass transition temperature (Tg) of PEI, showing decreased Tg for solvent-cast PEI and increased Tg with HNTs incorporation. This increase is attributed to the constrained mobility of polymer chains due to HNTs' influence. Lap shear strength (LSS) is evaluated, demonstrating enhancement with HNTs incorporation: 0.5 wt.% HNTs (+12.5%) > 1 wt.% HNTs (+8.33%) > Pure PEI > 3 wt.% HNTs (−12.5%). The study attributes this enhancement to HNTs' reinforcement and chemical interactions with PEKK. Aggregation tendencies at 3 wt.% HNTs lead to decreased LSS. SEM-EDS analysis of fractured specimens indicates a multifaceted bonding joint interface involving PEKK, PEI and HNTs. CF/PEKK composites show adhesive, cohesive and adherend failure modes, with adherend failure being dominant. Notably, fabric-like textures and plastic deformations in PEI with 0.5 wt.% HNTs contribute to enhanced LSS, while higher HNTs content leads to cohesive failure due to aggregation. This study provides insights into optimizing composite adhesive systems by harnessing nanotube reinforcement and controlling dispersion, thereby influencing interfacial strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurately acquiring crucial data on tube furnaces and real-time temperature monitoring of different temperature zones is vital for material synthesis technology in production. However, it is difficult to achieve real-time monitoring of the temperature field of tube furnaces with existing technology. Here, we proposed a method to fabricate silver (Ag) resistance temperature detectors (RTDs) based on a blade-coating process directly on the surface of a quartz ring, which enables precise positioning and real-time temperature monitoring of tube furnaces within 100–600 °C range. The Ag RTDs exhibited outstanding electrical properties, featuring a temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of 2854 ppm/°C, an accuracy of 1.8% FS (full scale), and a resistance drift rate of 0.05%/h over 6 h at 600 °C. These features ensured accurate and stable temperature measurement at high temperatures. For demonstration purposes, an array comprising four Ag RTDs was installed in a tube furnace. The measured average temperature gradient in the central region of the tube furnace was 5.7 °C/mm. Furthermore, successful real-time monitoring of temperature during the alloy sintering process revealed approximately a 20-fold difference in resistivity for silver-palladium alloys sintered at various positions within the tubular furnace. The proposed strategy offers a promising approach for real-time temperature monitoring of tube furnaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc (Zn) distinguishes itself as an excellent candidate for temporary orthopaedic implants due to its advantageous corrosion rate compared to other biodegradable metallic materials like Mg and Fe. The present research involved the fabrication of a porous, corrosion-resistant, and biocompatible plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coating on a Zn–1Mg alloy. Bioactivity was imparted to the PEO coating by incorporating hydroxyapatite (HA) and silver-incorporated hydroxyapatite (SHA) nanoparticles into it by synergising the PEO process with electrophoretic deposition (EPD) in a single step. FESEM and EDS are utilised to confirm the porous PEO oxide layer formation and its sealing by HA and SHA particles in PEO-EPD coating. The coatings' phase composition, surface roughness, scratch resistance, and wettability were evaluated to assess their suitability for temporary implant applications. The coatings' wettability and roughness significantly improved compared to the untreated substrate, rendering it suitable for orthopaedic implant applications. The scratch resistance of the PEO coating was satisfactory and showed additional improvement in the thicker film with lower porosity, achieved through the combined PEO-EPD process. The electrochemical corrosion test in biological media revealed that the PEO coating enhanced the degradation resistance of Zn–1Mg, which was further enhanced by incorporating HA and SHA particles into the PEO coating. The in-vitro bioactivity test in simulated body fluid (SBF) and cytotoxicity test using L929 (Mouse fibroblast) cells proved that adding HA made the fabricated PEO coating biologically more favourable. Furthermore, the SHA-incorporated PEO coating is antibacterial against E. coli bacterial strains, enabling protection against post-implantation infections. • ZnO-HA ceramic composite coating developed on Zn–1Mg by PEO. • ZnO-HA coating showed 3 orders lower i corr compared to bare alloy. • Ceramic-composite coating proved to be bioactive and biocompatible. • Silver-incorporated coating exhibited the bactericidal property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of diamond allows the controllable formation of the material with desirable structure and elemental composition. In this study, Ge-doped microcrystalline and nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films are synthesized using microwave plasma-assisted CVD in CH4-H2-GeH4-N2 gas mixtures. We grow series of 2 μm thick NCD films with variations in gas composition [N2] = 0 − 4% and [CH4] = 10 − 15%. We investigate and compare the structure, phase composition, and luminescent characteristics of the grown films. The luminescent signals from Silicon vacancy (SiV, 738 nm) and Germanium vacancy (GeV, 602 nm) color centers in diamond are registered. The additional annealing of the as-grown films in air is used to remove the excessive sp2 phase that hinders their luminescent properties. For both SiV and GeV centers, we find conditions for CVD growth of NCD films that are as bright or even brighter than Si-doped and Ge-doped high-quality microcrystalline diamond films (MCD) grown without N2 additions. These results may be used for the fabrication of NCD films and plates with high concentrations of SiV and GeV centers, which may serve as source material for the fabrication of sub-micrometer-sized luminescent diamond particles for local optical thermometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]