Low‐Power Nonvolatile Charge Storage Memory Based on MoS2 and an Ultrathin Polymer Tunneling Dielectric

Low‐power, nonvolatile memory is an essential electronic component to store and process the unprecedented data flood arising from the oncoming Internet of Things era. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) is a 2D material that is increasingly regarded as a promising semiconductor material in electronic device applications because of its unique physical characteristics. However, dielectric formation of an ultrathin low‐k tunneling on the dangling bond‐free surface of MoS₂ is a challenging task. Here, MoS₂‐based low‐power nonvolatile charge storage memory devices are reported with a poly(1,3,5‐trimethyl‐1,3,5‐trivinyl cyclotrisiloxane) (pV3D3) tunneling dielectric layer formed via a solvent‐free initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) process. The surface‐growing polymerization and low‐temperature nature of the iCVD process enable the conformal growing of low‐k (≈2.2) pV3D3 insulating films on MoS₂. The fabricated memory devices exhibit a tunable memory window with high on/off ratio (≈10⁶), excellent retention times of 10⁵ s with an extrapolated time of possibly years, and an excellent cycling endurance of more than 10³ cycles, which are much higher than those reported previously for MoS₂‐based memory devices. By leveraging the inherent flexibility of both MoS₂ and polymer dielectric films, this research presents an important milestone in the development of low‐power flexible nonvolatile memory devices.     

Adaptive Speech Streaming Based on Packet Loss Prediction Using Support Vector Machine for Software‐Based Multipoint Control Unit over IP Networks

An adaptive speech streaming method to improve the perceived speech quality of a software‐based multipoint control unit (SW‐based MCU) over IP networks is proposed. First, the proposed method predicts whether the speech packet to be transmitted is lost. To this end, the proposed method learns the pattern of packet losses in the IP network, and then predicts the loss of the packet to be transmitted over that IP network. The proposed method classifies the speech signal into different classes of silence, unvoiced, speech onset, or voiced frame. Based on the results of packet loss prediction and speech classification, the proposed method determines the proper amount and bitrate of redundant speech data (RSD) that are sent with primary speech data (PSD) in order to assist the speech decoder to restore the speech signals of lost packets. Specifically, when a packet is predicted to be lost, the amount and bitrate of the RSD must be increased through a reduction in the bitrate of the PSD. The effectiveness of the proposed method for learning the packet loss pattern and assigning a different speech coding rate is then demonstrated using a support vector machine and adaptive multirate‐narrowband, respectively. The results show that as compared with conventional methods that restore lost speech signals, the proposed method remarkably improves the perceived speech quality of an SW‐based MCU under various packet loss conditions in an IP network.     

High efficiency red phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes using a spirobenzofluorene type phosphine oxide as a host material

High efficiency red phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes have been developed using a spirobenzofluorene type phosphine oxide (SPPO2) as a host material. The SPPO2 had a high glass transition temperature of 119 °C and a smooth surface morphology with a surface roughness less than 1 nm. The red device with the SPPO2 as a host showed a quantum efficiency of 14.3% with a current efficiency of 20.4 cd/A.     

Farbication of Optically Transparent Lead Magnesium Niobate Polycrystalline Ceramics Using Hot Isostatic Pressing

The physical, dielectric, and optical properties of hot isostatically pressed lead magnesium niobate polycrystalline ceramics modified with 1/2 mol% La₂O₃, Pb_{1–3/2 x} La _x □ _{x /2}-(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃, have been investigated. Methods used to characterize the ceramics included determination of the dielectric permittivity, optical transmittance, and refractive index dispersion. The materials exhibited relaxor ferroelectric type behavior with a peak dielectric constant K > 14000 and average T _c ∼−35°C. Various sintering, hot isostatic pressing, and annealing conditions were examined to produce highly dense and optically transparent materials. Through the use of hot isostatic pressing, densities more than 99.5% theoretical and transmittance greater than 50% at 633-nm wavelength were obtained. Hot isostatic pressing technique appears to be a good alternative to hot uniaxial pressing without the associated problem of PbO volatility, reactivity with the pressure vessel, and geometrical constraints.     

SORPTION EQUILIBRIUM OF COPPER BY PARTIALLY-COAGULATED CALCIUM ALGINATE GEL

The sorption equilibrium of dissolved copper by spherical partially-coagulated gels of calcium alginate was investigated in this work. The gels were formed by dispensing a viscous algin (food grade sodium alginate from kelp) solution with a multi-tip dispenser into 0.05 M CaCl₂ solution in a loop fluidized bed reactor. The resultant semi-rigid spherical gels were then transferred to another reactor operated batch wise to absorb dissolved copper at low concentrations (10-40 ppm). When the concentration of the inert neutral salt NaNO₃, added to the reactor fluid was 0.01 M, the amount of copper absorbed was found to be substantially higher than that at 0.1 MNaN0₃. The conventional Langmuir's model based on the concentration of copper in solution yielded different values of conditional stability constant at different ionic strengths in the reactor fluid. However, by defining the copper-binding stability constant on the basis of copper activity in the gel phase with the competition from calcium for metal binding sites taken into account, a unique copper-binding stability constant and a unique calcium-binding stability constant were obtained. The numerical procedure for estimating the activity of copper in the gel fluid was modified from Jang et al. Water Research, 1990, in press).     

A novel method of making PVF porous foam without using the pore forming agent

Different with the conventional method of manufacturing poly(vinyl formal) (PVF) porous foam by using the pore‐forming agents such as wheat or potato starches, a novel method without using the pore‐forming agent is introduced in this article. Through the help of images taken by a scanning electron microscope, the formation process of the present PVF foam will be discussed in terms of the spinodal decomposition (SD) phase separation principle. Additionally, the effect of poly(vinyl alcohol) concentration and reaction temperature on the pore structure of the PVF foam will be investigated. Moreover, the water adsorption capacities of the PVF foams obtained by the present method will be studied in details through the analyses of pore‐size distribution, mechanical modulus, and thermal property. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41270.     

A geometric approach to animating thin surface features in smoothed particle hydrodynamics water

We propose a geometric approach to animating thin surface features of smoothed particle hydrodynamics‐based water. Explicit interparticle connections are created among smoothed particle hydrodynamics particles to approximate the geometries of thin surfaces while addressing the issue of unresolved surface areas. The deformations measured on the connections actuate the animations of the surfaces by disconnecting the stretched and bent connections. The reconstruction of thin surfaces and the accuracy of the animation are improved by adding auxiliary particles over the connections via Poisson‐disk sampling. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Preparation of Pt/C cathode catalyst supported on chestnut-like mesoporous carbon for fuel cell applications

Fuel cells have received worldwide attention as a next-generation renewable energy technology. However, catalyst cost and durability are the main issue hampering the commercialization of fuel cells. Many studies have focused on the physicochemical properties of the carbon support to improve the catalyst’s properties. Mesoporous carbons are suitable candidates because of their appropriate structural characteristics, including high surface area, large pore size, and regularly interconnected mesopores that permit efficient diffusion of the reactants and by-products. In this study, supports made from chestnut-like carbon consisting of platelet carbon nanofibers were fabricated by selective catalytic gasification of activated carbon. Pt/C catalysts were synthesized from these support structures using the impregnation method. Catalyst performance and characteristics were investigated by N₂ adsorption/desorption isotherms, X-ray diffractions, and the rotating disk electrode technique for the oxygen reduction reaction.     

Simultaneous interpenetrating networks for tough matrix composites

Graphite fiber reinforced epoxy composites normally exhibit low impact strength, poor delamination resistance, and low damage tolerance. Because delamination is a matrix-dominated failure mode, tougher matrix resins may be utilized to reduce or eliminate the adverse effects of delamination on the structural integrity of fiber composites. The effects of modifying epoxy network morphology by introducing polyurethane in the form of an interpentrating network were studied. The compatibility, toughness, and tensile properties of the matrix as well as the properties of the resultant laminates were evaluated. One of the conclusions arising was that the interpenetrating network morphology results in superior resin and composites toughness with increasing polyurethane content. However, the benefits of increased resin toughness did not necessarily translate into proportionally increased composite owing to the geomertical limitations placed on the plastic deformation zones in laminates.