Effect of anodization voltage on electron field emission from carbon nanotubes in anodized alumina template

In this work, electron field emission from AAO-CNT structure is studied as a function of anodizing voltage. It is found that the turn-on electric field of AAO-CNTs reduces from 5 V/microm to 4 V/microm as anodization voltage increase from 20 to 30 V. On the other hand, CNTs the turn-on electric field of AAO-CNTs increases from 4 V/microm to 6 V/microm as anodization voltage increase from 30 to 40 V. Thus, anodization voltage of 30 V provides an optimal AAO-CNTs structure for electron field emission. The emission data have been analyzed based on the Fowler Nordhiem (F-N) model. AAO template prepared with 30 V anodization voltage is found to yield CNT nanoarray with optimum alignment and spacing that increase field enhancement factor by the lowering of field screening effect without significant lowering of CNTs density.     

Gas sensing properties of conducting polymer/Au-loaded ZnO nanoparticle composite materials at room temperature

In this work, a new poly (3-hexylthiophene):1.00 mol% Au-loaded zinc oxide nanoparticles (P3HT:Au/ZnO NPs) hybrid sensor is developed and systematically studied for ammonia sensing applications. The 1.00 mol% Au/ZnO NPs were synthesized by a one-step flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) process and mixed with P3HT at different mixing ratios (1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, and 1:2) before drop casting on an Al₂O₃ substrate with interdigitated gold electrodes to form thick film sensors. Particle characterizations by X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption analysis, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) showed highly crystalline ZnO nanoparticles (5 to 15 nm) loaded with ultrafine Au nanoparticles (1 to 2 nm). Film characterizations by XRD, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed the presence of P3HT/ZnO mixed phases and porous nanoparticle structures in the composite thick film. The gas sensing properties of P3HT:1.00 mol% Au/ZnO NPs composite sensors were studied for reducing and oxidizing gases (NH₃, C₂H₅OH, CO, H₂S, NO₂, and H₂O) at room temperature. It was found that the composite film with 4:1 of P3HT:1.00 mol% Au/ZnO NPs exhibited the best NH₃ sensing performances with high response (approximately 32 to 1,000 ppm of NH₃), fast response time (4.2 s), and high selectivity at room temperature. Plausible mechanisms explaining the enhanced NH₃ response by composite films were discussed.     

A cell-less BEM formulation for axisymmetric elastoplasticity via particular integrals

This study deals with the particular integral formulation for purely axisymmetric elastoplastic analysis. The axisymmetric elastostatic equation is used for the complementary solution. The axisymmetric particular integrals for displacement and strain rates are derived by integrating three-dimensional formulation along the circumferential direction leading to elliptic integrals. The particular integrals for stress and traction rates are obtained by using the stress–strain and traction–stress relations. The Newton–Raphson algorithm for the plastic multiplier is used to solve the system equation. The numerical results for four example problems are given and compared with their analytical solutions or those by other BEM and FEM programs to demonstrate the accuracy of the present formulation. Generally, agreement among all of those results is satisfactory.     

Segmented silicon-micromachined microelectromechanical deformablemirrors for adaptive optics

Deformable mirrors improve optical efficiency of a system by correcting the wave front aberration caused by imperfections in the system components or by turbulent atmosphere in case of telescope optics. Micromachined mirror technology has the potential to substantially reduce the cost of adaptive optics systems. First, a brief review of the work in this field is presented with the goal of informing the reader of the challenges in the micromachined adaptive optics and the implementation tradeoffs including stress-induced curvature of multilayer mirrors. Then, recent results on the silicon micromachined, hybrid integrated microelectromechanical deformable mirrors for adaptive optics developed at the University of Colorado are presented. Various microfabrication processes including surface micromachining, bulk micromachining, and flip-chip assembly are implemented to fabricate high optical fill factor and large-stroke piston-type micromirror arrays. The achieved micromirror deflection for some designs is in the range of 2 to 3.5 μm, which results in the operating wavelength within infrared spectrum. Techniques to integrate microlenses on top of the micromirrors using self-aligned solder or transfer of ultrasmooth mirror plates on top of the micromirror actuators using flip-chip create high optical fill factor devices. Experimental results of aberration correction with such devices are presented     

Characterization of n-type and p-type semiconductor gas sensors based on NiOx doped TiO2 thin films

This work presents the development of n-type and p-type gas-sensitive materials from NiO_x doped TiO₂ thin films prepared by ion-assisted electron-beam evaporation. TiO₂ gas-sensing layers have been deposited over a wide range of NiO_x content (0-10 wt.%). The material analysis by atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction suggests that NiO_x doping does not significantly affect surface morphology and Ni element may be a substitutional dopant of the TiO₂ host material. Electrical characterization shows that NiO_x content as high as 10% wt. is needed to invert the n-type conductivity of TiO₂ into p-type conductivity. There are notable gas-sensing response differences between n-type and p-type NiO_x doped TiO₂ thin film. The responses toward all tested reducing gases tend to increase with operating temperature for the n-type TiO₂ films while the response decreases with temperature for p-type TiO₂ film. In addition, the p-type NiO_x doping results in the significant response enhancement toward tested reducing gases such as acetone and ethanol at low operating temperature of 300 °C.     

The effect of Pt nanoparticles loading on H2 sensing properties of flame-spray-made SnO2 sensing films

SnO₂ nanoparticles loaded with 0.2–2 wt% Pt have successfully been synthesized in a single step by flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) and investigated for gas sensing towards hydrogen (H₂). According to characterization results by X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption, scanning/high resolution-transmission electron microscopy and analyses based on Hume-Rothery rules using atomic radii, crystal structure, electronegativities, and valency/oxidation states of Pt and Sn, it is conclusive that Pt is not solute in SnO₂ crystal but forms nanoparticles loaded on SnO₂ surface. H₂ gas sensing was studied at 200–10,000 ppm and 150–350 °C in dry air. It was found that H₂ response was enhanced by more than one order of magnitude with a small Pt loading concentration of 0.2 wt% but further increase of Pt loading amount resulted in deteriorated H₂-sensing performance. The optimal SnO₂ sensing film (0.2 wt% Pt-loaded SnO₂, 20 μm in thickness) showed an optimum H₂ response of ∼150.2 at 10,000 ppm and very short response time in a few seconds at a low optimal operating temperature of 200 °C. In addition, the response tended to increase linearly and the response times decreased drastically with increasing H₂ concentration. Moreover, the selectivity against carbon monoxide (CO) and acetylene (C₂H₂) gases was also found to be considerably improved with the small amount of Pt loading. The H₂ response dependence on Pt concentration can be explained based on the spillover mechanism, which is highly effective only when Pt catalyst is well-dispersed at the low Pt loading concentration of 0.2 wt%.     

Electrolytically exfoliated graphene–polylactide‐based bioplastic with high elastic performance

This work reports an innovative way to prepare biopolymer composite by incorporating graphene (GP) synthesized from electrolytic exfoliation into biodegradable polymer blend (polylactide/epoxidized palm oil: PLA/EPO) based on melt‐blending method and studies their physical properties for food packaging and related applications. Multilayer GP structure synthesized by electrolytic exfoliation is confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, whereas homogeneous GP incorporation in PLA/EPO is verified by scanning electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction. From thermogravimetric analysis and heat deformation temperature (HDT) studies, the decomposition and HDTs of PLA/EPO/GP composites are higher than those of PLA/EPO but are lower than those of pristine PLA and tend to decrease with increasing GP content because of thermal conductivity effect. From standard tensile test, loading of GP in PLA/EPO at an optimal concentration of 0.6 wt % results in higher elongation at break by as much as 52%. The observed additional elongation under a given tension and the corresponding lower tensile strength/Young's modulus may be attributed to lower binding force of materials in the composite because of the presence of relatively weak GP–PLA/EPO interfaces. Moreover, oxygen permeability is found to decrease with increasing GP contents and oxygen permeability is reduced by 40.33% at the GP loading concentration of 0.6 wt %. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41439.     

Mathematical modelling of mass-transfer and hydrodynamics in CO2 absorbers packed with structured packings

This paper presents a mechanistic model that can predict mass-transfer performance and provide an insight into dynamic behavior within structured packings used for CO₂ absorption. The model was built upon the kinetics and thermodynamics of the absorption system, as well as the liquid irrigation features and the geometry of packing elements. A computer program (Fortran 90) was written to simulate CO₂ absorption into aqueous solutions of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and monoethanolamine (MEA) in a column packed with Gempak 4A, Mellapak 500Y and Mellapak 500X. The simulation gave essential information, including the concentration of CO₂ in gas-phase, concentration of reactive species in the liquid-phase, system temperature, mass-transfer coefficients (k_G and k_L), and effective interfacial area (a_e) for mass-transfer at different axial positions along the absorption column. The simulation also provided liquid distribution plots representing the quality of liquid distribution or maldistribution across the cross-section of the column. Verification of the model was achieved by comparing simulation results with experimental data. Very good agreement was found for wide ranges of operating and design parameters, including liquid load and initial liquid distribution pattern.     

An attempt to define the sodium requirement of lactating dairy cows in a tropical environment

BACKGROUND: Lactating dairy cattle in the tropics may require more sodium (Na) owing to the hot and humid climatic conditions. It is unknown whether the current recommendations on Na for lactating cows can be quantitatively used in tropical countries. This study attempted to define the Na requirement of lactating dairy cows under tropical conditions by measuring Na levels in saliva, milk and faeces. RESULTS: The concentrations of Na and potassium (K) in milk, faeces and serum were not affected by dietary treatments. The amount of Na absorbed by cows fed the basal (low‐Na) diet containing 0.4 g Na kg^?1 dry matter (DM) was equal to the amount of Na lost in the milk, showing that these animals were fed an Na‐deficient ration. This observation was corroborated by salivary Na and K levels, with the cows on the low‐Na diet having salivary Na concentrations below 120 mmol L^?1 in combination with salivary K concentrations above 20 mmol L^?1 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Consumption of a daily ration formulated to contain the current Na requirement set by the NRC appears to provide too much Na for lactating cows under tropical conditions. A tentative value of 1.2 g kg^?1 DM is proposed as the Na requirement for dairy cows under tropical conditions. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry