We report on electronic properties of water-filled fullerenes [H2O(n)@C60, H2O(n)@C180, and H2O(n)@C240] under mechanical deformation using density functional theory. Under a point load, energy gap change of empty and water-filled fullerenes is investigated. For C60 and H2O(n)@C60, the energy gap decreases as the tensile strain increases. For H2O(n)@C60, under compression, the energy gap decreases monotonously while for C60, it first decreases and then increases. Similar behavior is observed for other empty (C180 and C240) and water-filled [H2O(n)@C180 and H2O(n)@C240] fullerenes. The energy gap decrease of water-filled fullerenes is due to the increased interaction between water and carbon wall under deformation.

A bimodal mixture of silver nanoparticles consisting of spheres and triangular nanoplates was synthesized from silver nitrate (AgNO3) and polyvinylpyrrolidone with the aid of a microwave reactor system, reducing total reaction time from days to minutes; a specific shape-directing reagent was not used. It is known that freshly prepared solutions of AgNO3 contain a high population of Ag3+, while aged solutions contain fewer trimers. We propose that the product ratios of spheroidal to triangular particles are proportional to the relative population of trimers in solution prior to initiation of the microwave reaction.

Catalyst development is needed to enable the use of renewable electricity to chemically convert carbon dioxide (CO2) and water into fuels and chemicals, a more sustainable, lower-carbon alternative to conventional processes that produce fuels and chemicals based on fossil resources. In this study, the catalytic activity and selectivity of polycrystalline platinum (Pt) is thoroughly characterized for the CO2 reduction reaction, based on an electrochemical cell design that offers high sensitivity for product detection. Thin polyaniline films are then electrodeposited onto polycrystalline Pt foils to form hybrid organic–inorganic surfaces. The addition of the polymer is observed to have an impact on the catalytic chemistry, yielding up to a fivefold enhancement in formate and CO production over pure Pt foils. This work elucidates new strategies to perturb interfacial chemistry in a manner that could help steer CO2 electro-reduction catalysis in desired directions.

Dielectric thin films of high- and low-refractive index are the essential components for optical coatings. To achieve high sputtering rates and superior film quality, the authors have developed novel conductive SiO2:Si and ZnO:Zn composites that become conductive once the doped silicon and metal Zn reach a critical ratio. The sputtering characteristics of the composite targets in direct current and radio-frequency (RF) plasma discharge are quite different from the corresponding element targets. The optical properties of the RF sputtered SiO2 and ZnO films from the composite targets is comparable with the films obtained from RF sputtering of pure oxide targets.

The formation of a metastable Cu–Ta solid solution in a mechanically alloyed Cu–10 at.%Ta alloy and its subsequent decomposition during annealing was investigated by atom probe tomography. During annealing, the as-milled Cu-rich alloy undergoes phase separation; Ta atoms diffuse out of the Cu lattice to form Ta clusters and particles along grain boundaries and within the Cu grains. The role of the Ta clusters and the nature of the solid solution as a potential strengthening mechanism for these alloys are discussed.

Additive manufacturing, also known as three-dimensional printing, has provided a promising solution to produce near-net shape components directly from metallic powder. However, their surface roughness still prevents them from immediate use; finish machining is usually required. This study has investigated the grain size variation and saw-tooth/shear-band spacing during the machining of titanium alloy (Ti–6Al–4V) printed using direct metal deposition. Grain refinement was observed within both the printed and substrate regions, and their grain structures retained the basket-weave Widmanstätten and bimodal structures, respectively. The saw-tooth spacing decreased as the build height increased.

We demonstrate that fluorescence properties of organic fluors embedded in a porous polystyrene matrix are highly sensitive to the average pore size and pore-size distribution of the matrix. The effect can be understood as two different types of confinement imposed to the fluor molecules by the matrix. First, there is geometrical confinement that restricts the fluor oscillations due to its physical contact with a pore wall. Second, there is an electronic confinement due to a local polarization of the wall material by molecular dipoles. The effects lead to a spectral shift and enhancement of the fluorescence intensity of the material.