A CMOS Ripple Detector for Voltage Regulator Testing

This paper presents an RMS based ripple sensor for testing of fully integrated voltage regulators. A DC signal which is proportional to the input ripple amplitude is generated. Final digital pass/fail signal is obtained with a clocked comparator. The sensor can detect a peak-to-peak ripple voltage of up to 50 millivolts on the 1.2 V supply rail and has 220 MHz bandwidth. The sensor is designed using IBM 90 nm CMOS technology and its functionality is verified in Cadence Virtuoso simulation environment.     

Poly ionic liquid cryogel of polyethyleneimine: Synthesis,characterization, and testing in absorption studies

Here, we report the synthesis of polyethyleneimine (PEI) cryogels for the first time via cryopolymerization technique. The crosslinking of amine groups on the branched PEI chains is accomplished with epoxy groups of glycerol diglycidyl ether (GDE) based on epoxy–amine reactions in excess water at ?18 °C in about 16 h. Superporous PEI cryogels with pore sizes >100 μm were shown to have very fast equilibrium swelling behavior, e.g., 10 s to reach maximum swelling in DI water. Furthermore, the synthesized PEI cryogels were exposed to anion exchange reaction after protonation by HCl treatments to generate PEI ionic liquid cryogels containing hexafluorophosphate, thiocyanate, dicyanamide, and tetrafluoroborate. It was also demonstrated that PEI cryogels modified with [PF₆]^? absorbed 47.8 ± 5.7 mg/g of bovine serum albumin (BSA). Moreover, PEI cryogels were shown to be very useful as simple filtration filling materials for the direct removal of organic dyes such as methyl orange (MO) and eosin Y (EY) from their corresponding aqueous solutions with 98.5 and 98.6% yields, respectively. The separation of methylene blue (MB) from MO and EY mixture by using PEI cryogels as column filler materials was also demonstrated. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43478.     

Superporous P(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) cryogel-M (M:Co,Ni, Cu) composites as highly effective catalysts in H2 generation from hydrolysis of NaBH4 and NH3BH3

Highly porous p(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) p(HEMA) cryogels were synthesized via cryopolymerization technique and used as template for Co, Ni, and Cu nanoparticle preparation, then as composite catalyst systems in H₂ generation from hydrolysis of both NaBH₄ and NH₃BH₃. Due to their highly porous and open microstructures, p(HEMA)-Co cryogel composites showed very effective performances in H₂ production from hydrolysis of both chemical hydrides. The characterization of p(HEMA) cryogels, and their metal composites was determined via various techniques including swelling experiments, digital camera images, SEM and TEM images, AAS and TGA measurements. The effect of various parameters on the hydrolysis reaction of NaBH₄ such as metal types, concentration of chemical hydrides, amounts of catalyst, alkalinity of reaction medium and temperature were investigated in detail. It was found that Co nanoparticles are highly active catalysts in H₂ generation reactions from both hydrides. The hydrogen generation rate (HGR) of p(HEMA)-Co was 1596 (mL H₂) (min)⁻¹ (g of Co)⁻¹ which is quite good in comparison to reported values in the literature. Furthermore, kinetic parameters of p(HEMA)-Co metal composites such as energy, enthalpy and entropy were determined as Ea = 37.01 kJmol⁻¹, ΔH# = 34.26 kJmol⁻¹, ΔS# = −176,43 Jmol⁻¹ K⁻¹, respectively.     

Monodispersed p(2-VP) and p(2-VP-co-4-VP) particle preparation and their use as template for metal nanoparticle and as catalyst for H2 production from NaBH4 and NH3BH3 hydrolysis

The monodispersed poly(2-vinyl pyridine) (p(2-VP)) and poly(2-vinyl pyridine-co-4-vinyl pyridine) (p(2-VP-co-4-VP)) particles of different compositions were synthesized by a surfactant-free emulsion polymerization system using divinyl benzene (DVB) as cross-linker. The diameter of p(2-VP) and p(2-VP-co-4-VP) particles were measured between 370 and 530 nm. Co, Ni and Cu metal nanoparticles were prepared inside these microgels after quaternization with HCl and loading of metal salts, such as CoCl₂, NiCl₂, and CuCl₂, in ethyl alcohol followed by reduction with NaBH₄. The prepared metal nanoparticles within these particles were used as catalyst for H₂ production via hydrolysis of NaBH₄ and NH₃BH₃. Various parameters of the polymeric microgels such as template, metal types, reuse, the amount of NaOH, and temperature were investigated. From hydrolysis reactions the activation energy (E_a), enthalpy (ΔH), and entropy (ΔS) were calculated for Co metal nanoparticles as catalyst for the NaBH₄ hydrolysis reaction in the temperature range of 0–50 °C. The activation parameters of NaBH₄ hydrolysis catalyzed by Co nanoparticle composite systems were calculated as 46.44 ± 1.1 kJ mol⁻¹ for E_a, 36.39 ± 6.5 kJ mol⁻¹ for ΔH and −170.56 ± 20.1 kJ mol⁻¹ K⁻¹ for ΔS.     

Soft and flexible hydrogel templates of different sizes and various functionalities for metal nanoparticle preparation and their use in catalysis

Hydrogels are important functional materials with a myriad of potential applications. As the chemically stable and interlocked polymeric network retains vast amounts of water without dissolving, the use of hydrogel matrices for preparation of metal nanoparticles in situ is feasible, and readily applicable in the catalysis of various aquatic and non-aquatic reactions. The functional groups in the hydrogel network can act as both chelating and capping agents for metal nanoparticle preparation from metal ions and for their stabilization; thus, the metal particles are protected from the atmosphere hindering the oxidation/deactivation and aggregation, allowing an increase in their stability and longevity. The functional groups binding ability in hydrogel matrices allow metal ions with different oxidation state such as Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Ru, Au and so on, to be loaded into the hydrogel matrices. Then, these metal ions can be reduced/precipitated to their metallic particle forms inside hydrogels of different dimensions using green chemicals (those with no hazardous impact on the environment) or non-toxic chemical reducing agents such as NaBH₄, H₂, citrate, ethylene glycol, etc., depending upon the nature of the metal ions. The hydrogel-supported metal nanoparticles can be successfully used for the reduction of nitro compounds, hydrolysis of various hydrides and degradation of toxic species such as dyes, chlorohydrocarbons, pesticides, insecticides and so on. In this review, a flexible and highly adaptable platform for the design of soft and versatile interfaces with an outlook toward their use in material science, engineering and catalysis for in situ metal nanoparticle preparation within hydrogels for the catalysis purpose is addressed. In addition, even ex situ prepared metal nanoparticles can be readily incorporated within hydrogel matrices for various purposes are considered. The techniques outlined here afford robust hydrogel–metal composite systems with excellent control over size, composition and topography of the interfaces. Further directions from soft and flexible reactor of polymeric network at various dimensions, providing a continuously and environmentally workable milieu for designing and developing advanced technology are also addressed.     

Uranyl ion adsorptivity of N-vinyl 2-pyrrolidone/acrylonitrile copolymeric hydrogels containing amidoxime groups

Summary N-vinyl 2-pyrrolidone (VP) / Acrylonitrile (AN) copolymeric hydrogels were synthesized by using γ-radiation and amidoximated for the purpose of uranyl ion adsorption. Optimum amidoximation time was determined by following the uranyl ion, UO₂ ²⁺, adsorption capacity. The adsorption of amidoximated copolymers was studied from different uranyl ion solutions (1000–1850 ppm). The results of all adsorption studies showed that the interaction between UO₂ ²⁺ and amidoxime groups comply with Langmuir type isotherm. The adsorption capacity was found as 0.54 g UO₂ ²⁺ /g dry amidoximated copolymeric hydrogels. From the stoichiometric calculations, it was found that the bonding between UO₂ ²⁺ and amidoxime groups is 1 to 4. Received: 7 September 1999/Revised version: 21 February 2000/Accepted: 18 March 2000     

Incorporation of malonic acid into acrylamide hydrogel by radiation technique and its effect on swelling behavior

Different amounts of malonic acid (MAc) containing acrylamide (AAm) hydrogels were obtained in the form of rods via a radiation technique. Swelling experiments were performed in water at 25°C, gravimetrically. The influence of absorbed dose and malonic acid content of the hydrogels on swelling properties were examined. Diffusion behaviour and network parameters were investigated. Swelling of AAm/MAc hydrogels is increased up to ca. 900%, while pure AAm hydrogels swelled up to ca. 700%. Water diffusion into hydrogels was found to be non-Fickian in character. Diffusion coefficients of AAm/MAc hydrogels were calculated by the short time approximation and found to be 6.4 ×10^–7–10.4 × 10^–7 cm² sec^–1. A possible mechanism for AAm/MAc hydrogels was also suggested.     

Local crystal structural modifications in pulsed laser deposited high-k dielectric thin films on silicon and germanium

The thin film growth conditions are correlated with the local structures formed in Hf_xZr_1−xO₂ (x=0.0–1.0) high-k dielectric thin films on Si and Ge substrates during deposition. Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique has been used in the synthesis of the thin films with systematic variations of substrate temperature, Zr content of the targets and substrate selection. The local structural information acquired from extended X-ray absorption spectroscopy (EXAFS) is correlated with the thin film growth conditions. The response of the local structure around Hf and Zr atoms to growth parameters was investigated by EXAFS experiments performed at the National Synchrotron Light Source of Brookhaven National Laboratory. The competing crystal phases of oxides of Hf were identified and the intricate relation between the stabilized phase and the parameters as: the substrate temperature; Hf to Zr ratio; have been revealed. Specifically, HfO₂ thin films on Si(1 0 0) exhibit a tetragonal to monoclinic phase transformation upon increase in the substrate temperature during deposition whereas, HfO₂ PLD films on Ge(1 0 0) substrates remain in tetragonal symmetry regardless of the substrate temperature.     

Leakage magnetic flux density in the vicinity of induction motor during operation

In this work, the low frequency electromagnetic flux density around induction motors is studied; the main objective is to provide safety regions for humans in the vicinity of these motors, especially in electrical vehicles, where high currents and hence high flux density emissions are expected. A new equivalent magnetic circuit which accounts for stray magnetic fields is developed. The analysis shows that the emission of the stray field in the radial directions depends on the permeability of the stator body as well as the ampere turn of the stator winding. Small values of stator body permeability may result in very high stray flux emissions at levels that may require shielding to protect passengers just above the motor. Relatively far away from the stator (e.g., 50 cm for the tested motors), the flux is normally of low level and may not represent an exposure threat.     

Highly porous acrylonitrile-based submicron particles for UO2(2+) absorption in an immunosensor assay

Our laboratory has previously reported an antibody-based assay for hexavalent uranium (UO(2)(2+)) that could be used on-site to rapidly assess uranium contamination in environmental water samples (Melton, S. J.; et al. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2009, 43, 6703-6709). To extend the utility of this assay to less-characterized sites of uranium contamination, we required a uranium-specific adsorbent that would rapidly remove the uranium from groundwater samples, while leaving the concentrations of other ions in the groundwater relatively unaltered. This study describes the development of hydrogel particles containing amidoxime groups that can rapidly and selectively facilitate the uptake of uranyl ions. A miniemulsion polymerization technique using SDS micelles was employed for the preparation of the hydrogel as linked submicrometer particles. In polymerization, acrylonitrile was used as the initial monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the crosslinker and 2-hydroxymethacrylate, 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone, acrylic acid, or methacrylic acid were added as co-monomers after the initial seed polymerization of acrylonitrle. The particles were characterized by transmission electron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and cryo-SEM. The amidoximated particles were superior to a commercially available resin in their ability to rapidly remove dissolved UO(2)(2+) from spiked groundwater samples.