In this work, temperature-dependent optical properties of a series of AlN thin films with different thickness are studied by spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) ranging from 300 to 825K. The fitted refractive index at 300K is in good agreement with the reported by others, which confirms the high accuracy of the optical model used in this work. The degradation of the absorption properties and the decrease of the bandgap become more pronounced with temperature increases above 475K. A larger change of bandgap at elevated temperature is observed for the thinner AlN epi-layer (300nm) than the thicker ones (404nm). This can be attributed to the poor surface morphologies and crystal qualities in the thinner AlN epi-layer.

Graphite nanoplates (GnP) have recently attracted attention as an economically viable alternative for the development of functional and structural nanocomposites. The incorporation of GnP into waterborne polyurethane (WPU) with loadings from 0.1 to 10 wt.% was studied. The mechanical properties of the composite films were assessed by tensile testing showing an increase of the Young’s modulus up to 48%. The electrical conductivity increased by 9 orders of magnitude and the water vapor permeability of the composite films decreased 57% for composites containing 5.0 wt.% of GnP.

Magnetic core-shell nanoparticles have the potential for numerous applications, such as in magnetic recording media, magnetic resonance imaging, drug delivery or hyperthermia, and spin valves. Inverse core-shell nanoparticles, comprised of an antiferromagnetic (AFM) core covered by a ferromagnetic (FM) or ferrimagnetic (FiM) shell, are of current interest due to the tunability of their magnetic properties. NiO is typically antiferromagnetic in nature and has a Néel temperature of 523 K. Our primary objective in this project is to synthesize and characterize inverted core-shell nanoparticles (CSNs) comprised of a NiO (AFM) core and a shell consisting of a NixMn1-xO (FM/FiM) compound. The synthesis of the CSNs was made using a two-step process. The NiO nanoparticles were synthesized using a chemical reaction method. Subsequently, the NiO nanoparticles were used to grow the NiO@NixMn1-xO CSNs using our hydrothermal nano-phase epitaxy method. XRD structural characterization shows that the NiO@NixMn1-xO CSNs have the rock salt cubic crystal structure throughout. SEM-EDS data indicates the presence of Mn in the CSNs. SQUID magnetic measurements show that the CSNs exhibit AFM/FM or AFM/FiM characteristics with a coercivity field of 425 Oe at 5 K. The field cooled vs zero field cooled hysteresis loop measurements show a significant exchange bias effect between the AFM NiO core and FM/FiM NixMn1-xO shell of the CSNs. The results of additional TEM and magnetic characterization are discussed.

To better stabilize the hydrogen-terminated surface, a diamond based metal-insulator-semiconductor field-effect transistor with Zr-Si-N dielectric layer has been investigated. On the diamond epitaxial layer grown by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition system, Pd films were patterned as the source and drain electrodes by photolithography and electron beam evaporation methods. Then, a Zr-Si-N dielectric layer and W metal film were fabricated as the gate structure by radio frequency magnetron sputtering technique. The device illustrates p-type depletion mode, in which the threshold voltage, maximum transconductance, drain current maximum, capacitance and dielectric constant were calculated to be 3.0V, 1.27mS/mm, -5.16 mA/mm, 0.275μF/cm2 and 7.8, respectively. The result suggest that Zr-Si-N dielectric layer is shown to have the ability to protect the two-dimensional hole gas.

TiO2 nanotubular structures were fabricated on Ti polished and unpolished foils exposed to H2O-Glycerol (50-50Vol.%)+0.27 M NH4F at 20V. The obtained TiO2 nanostructures were analyzed by SEM obtaining the morphological characterization, from which the roughness factors were calculated. Crystalline phases of both TiO2 nanotubular films were obtained by XRD after annealing at 450 °C and 600 °C for 2 h. The electrochemical stability of the TiO2 nanotubular films was obtained from the potentiodynamic polarization curves (PC) and the linear polarization resistance (Lpr) techniques, exposing the samples in 1M Na2SO4 + H2SO4 solution (pH = 3.2), such pH is in accordance with the acidic wastewater containing sulfur compounds coming from the industries or acid waters of the aquifers, which have been contaminated from the volcanoes nearby. It was concluded that the electrochemical stability of the crystallized nanotubular films is improved with the increase of the annealing temperature of the amorphous TiO2 arrays, which is associated to the higher composition of anatase and rutile, observing that the major amount of rutile improved the corrosion performance. The photoelectrochemical measurements were carried out in 0.5 M Na2SO4 solution using an 8 W UV lamp at a λ= 365 nm, whose results were recorded at zero bias during 10 min under darkness and illumination intervals of 1 min each. The obtained results were in agreement with the necessary features for being used in photocatalytic water remediation.

An in-depth look at diffusion mechanics within lithium-ion electrodes under fast charging conditions is presented. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is used as the primary technique to investigate lithium diffusion within electrode material and in electrolyte near the electrode-electrolyte interface. Half-cells of silicon are charged under varying galvanostatic rates while obtaining impedance data. Collected data is analyzed with the help of an electrical equivalent circuit model that provides mechanical and electrochemical parameters for each instance. The novelty of this equivalent circuit partly lies in its ability to resolve between solid-phase diffusion and liquid-phase diffusion, both of which occur during cycling of a lithium-ion electrode. Observed patterns in the parameters of this circuit provide insight into impact of fast charging on mechanics of lithium diffusion, both inside the electrode matrix and within electrolyte.

Thermoelectric materials have been of interest for several decades due to their ability to recapture waste heat of various systems and convert it to useful electricity. One method used to improve the thermoelectric efficiency of a material is to reduce the lattice thermal conductivity (k p ) while not affecting the other properties. In order to reduce the k p of the material, this paper introduces silicon (Si) nanoparticles (NPs) in Mg2Si to manipulate phonon scattering and mean free path. A series of simulations is performed with the metal silicide thermoelectric material MgxSix. The objective of this work is two-fold: 1) to determine the optimal Si nanoparticle (NP) concentration and 2) to determine the optimal MgxSix stoichiometry for minimizing the k p of the system. It should be noted, however, that the assumed reduction in thermal conductivity is only a result of reduced phonon transport and that minimal impact is made on the transport of electrons. Interestingly, the uniform off-stoichiometry (49.55 atomic percent (a/o) Si) sample of MgxSix resulted in a reduction of k p of 84.62 %, while the Si NP sample, with matching a/o Si, resulted in a reduction of k p of 78.82 %.

Herein, commercial Ni foam coated with self-assembled and linearly-aligned Ni wires is utilized as a cost-effective current collector for application in Li-O2 battery. The Ni wires are furthered deposited with graphene layers (g-Ni wire) to improve electrical conductivity. Multivalent Mn oxides consisting of Mn3O4, Mn2O3 and MnCO3 are used as effective oxygen reduction (ORR) and evolution reaction (OER) catalysts deposited on g-Ni wire current collectors. Specific capacities are respective ∼100 and ∼170 mAh g-1 without or with O2 introduction into the cell. The relative facile synthesis process requiring merely solution-based synthesis at ambient pressure, low temperature and short process time renders the Mn oxides/g-Ni wire electrode promising for Li-O2 battery application.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) is partnering with fuel vendors to develop enhanced accident tolerant nuclear fuels for Generation III water cooled reactors. In comparison with the standard current uranium dioxide and zirconium alloy system UO2-Zr), the proposed alternative accident tolerant fuel (ATF) should better tolerate loss of cooling in the core for a considerably longer time while maintaining or improving the fuel performance during normal operation conditions. General Electric, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and their partners have proposed to replace zirconium based alloy cladding in current commercial power reactors with an iron-chromium-aluminum (FeCrAl) alloy cladding such as APMT. The use of FeCrAl alloys will greatly reduce the risk of operating the power reactors to produce electricity.

Insects are recognized with their ability to efficiently move, operate, and function, and hence are inspiration for the design of micromechanical systems. This work deals with the structural, mechanical, and frictional characterization of the leg joint articulations of the katydid (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae). For the katydids, the tibia joints were found to show a nanosmooth texture while the femur joint had a micro/nanotextured surface characteristics. The nanotexture was a two-tone periodic patterns with the hierarchical structures involving cylindrical ridges that are covered with nanoscale lamellar patterns perpendicular to the long axis and valleys between ridges that are decorated with the hillock patterns. The tibia and femur contact regions showed the reduced elastic modulus (E r) values ranging from 0.88 ± 0.01 GPa to 3.90 ± 0.11 GPa. The friction coefficient (μ) value of 0.053 ± 0.001 was recorded for the sliding contact of the tibia joint against the femur joint in air under dry conditions. The low friction values are attributed to the reduced real area of contact between the joint pair due to the coupling of the nanosmooth surfaces against the hierarchically nanotextured surfaces.

A 6,13-Bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene (TIPS-pentacene) based high-voltage organic thin film transistor (HVOTFT) has been demonstrated via a low temperature (< 100°C) solution-processed fabrication method on borosilicate glass. High-voltage is an area not well developed in the organic transistor field and can be of benefit to various applications requiring such an operating range beyond that of conventional thin film transistors. Here, our HVOTFT exhibited a mobility μ of 0.005 cm2 V-1 s-1 and a breakdown voltage of VDS > 120 V, the latter being due a space-charge limiting device architecture in which the channel is partially gated. Non-saturating I-V characteristic behavior was observed. This is in contrast with our vacuum-deposited pentacene HVOTFTs which exhibited breakdown voltages of VDS > 400 V. TIPS-pentacene was grown via a drop-casting deposition, with its crystallinity and grain size deduced under XRD and SEM analysis. The HVOTFT was fabricated with a dielectric stack of a high-k Bi1.5Zn1Nb1.5O7 (BZN) and parylene-C.

Concentrating Photovoltaics (CPV) field aims to integrate expensive high efficiency multi-junction cells into modules with low cost concentrating optics. The choice of the optics depends on different factors: easiness of fabrication and integration process, added costs, optical efficiency and the profile of the spot uniformity reaching the cell. Indeed, previous work has shown a dependence between electrical performance and spectral and spatial uniformities of the light on the cell. To analyze it, a solar CPV test bench is developed at CEA-INES facilities. Lens and cell temperature can be applied separately, in order to evaluate independently different test conditions, while electrical or optical parameters are recorded. The present work shows how temperature and mechanical variations on first stage concentrating optic affects module performances. Several optics and materials are compared, in order to present the tool capabilities.

Polymer nanocomposites (PNC) include a copolymer or polymer which has nanoparticles dispersed in the polymer matrix at the nano-level. One of the most common types of polymer nanocomposites contain smectic clays as the nanoparticles. These clay minerals increase the mechanical properties of standard polymers and improve barrier properties. For optimum barrier properties, Layer-by-Layer assembly (LbL) is one of the most effective methods for depositing thin films. LbL methods however, are quite tedious and produce large quantities of waste. A newly discovered phenomenon of self-assembled polymer nanocomposites utilizes entropic forces to drive the assembly to spontaneously form a larger nanostructured film. This approach allows polymers and nanoparticles with high particle loadings to be mixed, and create the super gas barrier films. We have developed a coating technique which can be employed to make self-assembled gas barrier films via inkjet printing. This technique is industrially scalable and efficient. This is because it does not need any rinsing step and drying steps as required in LbL. The influence of different polymers Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and Poly (acrylic acid) PAA with Montmorillonite (MMT) nanoclay solutions on Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate is examined to study their effectiveness as a gas barrier film. The results showing the excellent oxygen barrier behavior of a combination of PVP and MMT Nano clay nanocomposite with high transparency. These high barrier gas nanocomposite films are good candidates for a variety of food packaging applications.

In this paper, we have developed composites with Poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA) as the matrix material, while transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), MoS2 and WS2 and graphite served as the filler materials. The PMMA was chosen as the matrix material due to its low-cost, wide availability, as well as its promising mechanical and optical properties for enabling opto-electro-mechanical sensing devices. The amount of filler material used ranged from 100 mg/ml up to 400 mg/ml. With the aid of designed fixtures we related the electrical properties of the PMMA-based composite sensors to the degree of strain or deformation. Additionally, a nanoindenter was used to measure the modulus of elasticity, with values as low as 2 GPa and as high as 20 GPa for the graphite composites, and hardness values which ranged from 0.1 GPa to ∼ 1.6 GPa.

The Materials Genome Initiative (MGI) calls for the acceleration of the materials development cycle through the integration of experiments and simulations within a data-aware/enabling framework. To realize this vision, MGI recognizes the need for the creation of a new kind of workforce capable of creating and/or deploying advanced informatics tools and methods into the materials discovery/development cycle. An interdisciplinary team at Texas A&M seeks to address this challenge by creating an interdisciplinary program that goes beyond MGI in that it incorporates the discipline of engineering systems design as an essential component of the new accelerated materials development paradigm. The Data-Enabled Discovery and Development of Energy Materials (D3EM) program seeks to create an interdisciplinary graduate program at the intersection of materials science, informatics, and design. In this paper, we describe the rationale for the creation of such a program, present the pedagogical model that forms the basis of the program, and describe some of the major elements of the program.