Effects of temperature and dispersants on the phases and morphology of Ag–Cu nanoparticles

Ultrafine Ag–Cu nanoparticles (NPs) have been synthesized by a rapid one-step reduction within only 10 min. Effects of temperature and dispersants on the phases and morphology of Ag–Cu NPs were investigated. Results showed that citric acid exhibited an advantageous nature to avoid the formation of Cu₂O and form uniform morphology over PVP. The average particle size of the Ag–Cu NPs synthesized simply in ice-cubes bath could be controlled in 8.6 nm about a quarter of that synthesized at room temperature. The synthesized Ag–Cu NPs presented alloy states near the eutectic composition of 72:28. Due to the lower Ostwald ripening rate and citric acid protection, smaller Ag–Cu NPs were achieved in ice-cube bath. Results also showed that the ultrafine Ag–Cu NPs could be expected to sinter at about 330 °C which was much lower than the eutectic temperature (779 °C) of bulk Ag–Cu alloy. The ultrafine Ag–Cu NPs could be applied as potential die attach materials for SiC power devices.     

Synthesis of anisotropic NaNbO<Subscript>3</Subscript> seed crystals and fabrication of textured (K<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Na<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>)NbO<Subscript>3</Subscript>-based ceramics

High aspect ratio patelike NaNbO₃ particles with pure perovskite structure have been successfully synthesized by topochemical microcrystal conversion (TMC) from plate-like precursor particles of the layer-structured Bi_2.5Na_3.5Nb₅O₁₈. By changing the Bi_2.5Na_3.5Nb₅O₁₈/Na₂CO₃ ratio, large and thin NaNbO₃ particles with a thickness of approximately 0.5 μm and a width of approximately 20 μm were obtained. The obtained NaNbO₃ particles is quite suitable for fabricating textured (K_0.5Na_0.5)NbO₃-based ceramics. Using the fine platelike NaNbO₃ particles as templates, dense <001> -oriented (K_0.5Na_0.5)NbO₃-0.5 mol %MnO₂ ceramics with high texture quality (Lotgering factor F ₀₀₁ = 87 %) and excellent piezoelectric properties were produced by templated grain growth. Compared with randomly oriented ceramics, textured samples show greatly enhanced properties. The room-temperature strain S, the piezoelectric coefficient d ₃₃ ^* and d ₃₃ reach up to 0.093 %, 233 pm/V and 195pC/N, respectively, which are all about 1.5 times larger than those of non-textured ceramics.     

UHMWPE/SiO2渔用纳米复合单丝的力学性能与动态力学行为研究

采用熔融纺丝法制备超高分子量聚乙烯(UHMWPE)/二氧化硅(SiO_2)渔用纳米复合单丝,并研究了牵伸倍数和纳米粒子含量对UHMWPE单丝结构、热性能、力学性能及动态力学行为的影响。结果表明,纳米SiO_2在UHMWPE单丝基体中的分散为纳米级分散,且分布均匀。当纳米SiO_2含量增加时,熔点和结晶度基本不变,而UHMWPE/SiO_2纳米复合单丝的取向度增大,断裂强度和结节强度增大。动态力学分析表明,当纳米SiO_2含量增加时,纳米粒子与聚乙烯链段相互作用力增强,晶区附近受限的非晶区链段增多,α转变峰逐渐增强增宽。通过纳米改性技术,能够显著改变聚乙烯单丝的粘弹性能,并使聚乙烯单丝的力学性能提高,为实现渔用聚乙烯纤维材料的改性与高性能化提供了理论和技术支撑。     

Monitoring the Dynamic Process of Formation of Plasmonic Molecular Junctions during Single Nanoparticle Collisions

The capability to study the dynamic formation of plasmonic molecular junction is of fundamental importance, and it will provide new insights into molecular electronics/plasmonics, single‐entity electrochemistry, and nanooptoelectronics. Here, a facile method to form plasmonic molecular junctions is reported by utilizing single gold nanoparticle (NP) collision events at a highly curved gold nanoelectrode modified with a self‐assembled monolayer. By using time‐resolved electrochemical current measurement and surface‐enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy, the current changes and the evolution of interfacial chemical bonding are successfully observed in the newly formed molecular tunnel junctions during and after the gold NP “hit‐n‐stay” and “hit‐n‐run” collision events. The results lead to an in‐depth understanding of the single NP motion and the associated molecular level changes during the formation of the plasmonic molecular junctions in a single NP collision event. This method also provides a new platform to study molecular changes at the single molecule level during electron transport in a dynamic molecular tunnel junction.     

Imparting Designer Biorecognition Functionality to Metal–Organic Frameworks by a DNA‐Mediated Surface Engineering Strategy

Surface functionality is an essential component for processing and application of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). A simple and cost‐effective strategy for DNA‐mediated surface engineering of zirconium‐based nanoscale MOFs (NMOFs) is presented, capable of endowing them with specific molecular recognition properties and thus expanding their potential for applications in nanotechnology and biotechnology. It is shown that efficient immobilization of functional DNA on NMOFs can be achieved via surface coordination chemistry. With this strategy, it is demonstrated that such porphyrin‐based NMOFs can be modified with a DNA aptamer for targeting specific cancer cells. Furthermore, the DNA–NMOFs can facilitate the delivery of therapeutic DNA (e.g., CpG) into cells for efficient recognition of endosomal Toll‐like receptor 9 and subsequent enhanced immunostimulatory activity in vitro and in vivo. No apparent toxicity is observed with systemic delivery of the DNA–NMOFs in vivo. Overall, these results suggest that the strategy allows for surface functionalization of MOFs with different functional DNAs, extending the use of these materials to diverse applications in biosensor, bioimaging, and nanomedicine.     

Atomic disorders in layer structured topological insulator SnBi<Subscript>2</Subscript>Te<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanoplates

Identification of atomic disorders and their subsequent control has proven to be a key issue in predicting, understanding, and enhancing the properties of newly emerging topological insulator materials. Here, we demonstrate direct evidence of the cation antisites in single-crystal SnBi₂Te₄ nanoplates grown by chemical vapor deposition, through a combination of sub-ångström-resolution imaging, quantitative image simulations, and density functional theory calculations. The results of these combined techniques revealed a recognizable amount of cation antisites between Bi and Sn, and energetic calculations revealed that such cation antisites have a low formation energy. The impact of the cation antisites was also investigated by electronic structure calculations together with transport measurement. The topological surface properties of the nanoplates were further probed by angle-dependent magnetotransport, and from the results, we observed a two-dimensional weak antilocalization effect associated with surface carriers. Our approach provides a pathway to identify the antisite defects in ternary chalcogenides and the application potential of SnBi2Te4 nanostructures in next-generation electronic and spintronic devices.

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Three-Dimensional Analytical Modeling of Axial-Flux Permanent Magnet Drivers

In this paper, the axial-flux permanent magnet driver is modeled and analyzed in a simple and novel way under three-dimensional cylindrical coordinates. The inherent three-dimensional characteristics of the device are comprehensively considered, and the governing equations are solved by simplifying the boundary conditions. The axial magnetization of the sector-shaped permanent magnets is accurately described in an algebraic form by the parameters, which makes the physical meaning more explicit than the purely mathematical expression in general series forms. The parameters of the Bessel function are determined simply and the magnetic field distribution of permanent magnets and the air-gap is solved. Furthermore, the field solutions are completely analytical, which provides convenience and satisfactory accuracy for modeling a series of electromagnetic performance parameters, such as the axial electromagnetic force density, axial electromagnetic force, and electromagnetic torque. The correctness and accuracy of the analytical models are fully verified by three-dimensional finite element simulations and a 15 kW prototype and the results of calculations, simulations, and experiments under three methods are highly consistent. The influence of several design parameters on magnetic field distribution and performance is studied and discussed. The results indicate that the modeling method proposed in this paper can calculate the magnetic field distribution and performance accurately and rapidly, which affords an important reference for the design and optimization of axial-flux permanent magnet drivers.     

受模糊干扰的耦合型颤振的模糊稳定分析

在耦合型颤振的分析中考虑了模糊不确定性因素的影响,利用模糊数学分析方法详细探讨了受模糊干扰的耦合型颤振的模糊稳定性分析问题,给出了关于耦合型颤振的模糊稳定性切削阈的可能性分布及其置信水平表达式。     

Highly efficient, widely tunable, 10-Hz parametric amplifier pumped by frequency-doubled femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser pulses

We report a 10-Hz, highly efficient, widely tunable (from the visible to the IR), broadband femtosecond optical parametric generator and optical parametric amplifier (OPA) in BBO, LBO, and CBO crystals pumped by the frequency-doubled output of a regeneratively amplified Ti:sapphire laser at 400 nm. The output of the system is continuously tunable from 440 nm to 2.5 mum with a maximum overall efficiency of ~25% at 670 nm and an optical conversion efficiency of more than 36% in the OPA stage. The effects of the seed beam energy, the type of the crystal and the crystal length, and the pumping energy of the output of the OPA, such as the optical efficiency, the bandwidth, the pulse duration, and the group velocity mismatch between the signal and the idler and between the seeder and the pump, are investigated. The results provide useful information for optimization of the design of the system.