A modified scratch test for the mechanical characterization of scratch resistance and adhesion of thin hard coatings on soft substrates

The scratch resistance of coatings and the adhesion between coating and substrate are usually determined in model experiments performed with sharp diamond indenters. These common methods as described for example in EN 1071-3 often fail for the combination of hard coatings on soft substrates due to very small critical loads or no detectable failure modes at all. Hence in the industry a lot of highly subjective and provisional test methods are used. On the one hand, quantitative comparability is difficult with common methods since defects already occur at very small loads for ductile and relative soft substrate materials like plastics. On the other hand, wear of the indenter in contact with hard coatings like pure diamond coatings requires its cost-intensive replacement.In this article a macroscopic tribological–mechanical test method is suggested which uses balls of hardened steel as indenters. A wide scope can be applied for both soft and hard coatings and different substrate materials. By variation of the ball-diameter, the normal contact force and the sliding speed different levels of stress and wear can be induced to analyze the tribological and mechanical behavior between body and counterpart as well as the interface of coating and substrate. To determine scratch resistance close to reality as usual scratch conditions on consumer products are better represented by a small ball than a sharp diamond indenter. Another benefit of the presented test method is the cost saving acquisition of the balls for indentation in very high quality as they are standard parts in the ball bearing industry. For every test on very hard coatings a new ball can be used with the possibility to detect the wear both on the base object and the counterpart. The occurring failure modes of coating and substrate also can be compared with comparatively easy numerical models to verify the results. Additionally to the test concept, first results of different coatings will be presented in this paper and compared with the results of common scratch tests.     

不同配比有机基质养分转化与甜瓜生长发育关系

以厚皮甜瓜“优选早蜜”为材料,研究了牛粪和麦秸混合腐熟物与沙化土不同体积配比基质中有机肥养分转化及其与甜瓜生长发育的关系。结果表明:在甜瓜生长过程中有机肥养分转化百分率为氮素呈线性上升、磷素呈先下降后缓慢上升、钾素为先降低后急剧上升的变化规律,其中磷、钾元素随着基质中有机肥含量的增加而增加。基质中速效氮的变化规律为先增高后降低,速效磷、钾则一直呈下降趋势;总氮、磷、钾和有机质均呈下降趋势,但均随基质中有机肥含量的增高而增大。甜瓜植株高度、茎粗、根系活力和叶片叶绿素含量等在甜瓜生长发育前期均随着基质中有机肥含量的增高而降低,但在中后期则随着其含量的增加而增大。从满足甜瓜生长过程中营养需求的角度综合考虑,以混合腐熟物与沙化土体积1∶1配比最佳,其次为0.75∶1,0.5∶1和0.25∶1。     

Chemical vapor deposition synthesis of self-aligned carbon nanotube arrays

A procedure for producing arrays of self-aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using standard chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is reported. Using UV photolithography, silicon substrates are patterned with a thin layer of thermally evaporated iron as a CNT catalyst. The CVD synthesis was carried out over a small temperature range (700°C–800°C) using acetylene and methane gasses, producing aligned CNT towers. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis shows a relationship between CNT tower height and synthesis time. Additionally, results show that impurity particles dramatically effect CNT tower growth. These results indicate that aligned CNTs can be produced in a desired pattern with height control.     

Excimer laser processing of inkjet-printed and sputter-deposited transparent conducting SnO2:Sb for flexible electronics

The feasibility of low-temperature fabrication of transparent electrode elements from thin films of antimony-doped tin oxide (SnO₂:Sb, ATO) has been investigated via inkjet printing, rf magnetron sputtering and post-deposition excimer laser processing. Laser processing of thin films on both glass and plastic substrates was performed using a Lambda Physik 305i excimer laser, with fluences in the range 20-100 mJ cm^− 2 reducing sheet resistance from as-deposited values by up to 3 orders of magnitude. This is consistent with TEM analysis of the films that shows a densification of the upper 200 nm of laser-processed regions.     

IC封装载板的新型表面涂饰层——ENEPIG

文章介绍一种新型的化学镀镍化学镀钯与浸金表面涂饰层,克服了化学镀镍浸金涂层的缺点,更加适合于IC封装载板上应用。     

100‐MHz CMOS circuits directly fabricated on plastic using sequential laterally solidified silicon

Abstract— CMOS TFT circuits were fabricated on plastic using sequential laterally solidified silicon combined with a low‐temperature CMOS process. The unity‐gain frequencies of the best of NMOS TFTs are greater than 250 MHz, and the CMOS ring oscillators operate at 100 MHz. To the best of the authors' knowledge, these are the highest‐frequency circuits ever fabricated directly on plastic. This high‐performance CMOS‐on‐plastic process can be applied to the fabrication of AMLCD integrated drivers and AMOLED pixels on plastic substrates.     

Selective Metal Pattern Fabrication Through Micro-Contact or Ink-Jet Printing and Electroless Plating onto Polymer Surfaces Chemically Modified by Plasma Treatments

Simple versatile processes combining plasma treatments, micro-contact printing (µCP) or ink-jet printing (IJP), and electroless deposition (ELD) have been developed to produce micrometer and sub-micrometer scale metal (Ni, Ag) patterns at the surface of polymer substrates. Plasma treatments were mainly used to graft the substrate surfaces with either nitrogen-containing functionalities on which a palladium-based catalyst can be subsequently chemisorbed (case of Ni deposition through a tin-free process in solution) or oxygen-containing functionalities on which a tin-based sensitization agent can be subsequently chemisorbed (case of Ag deposition through a redox reaction). µCP of the catalyst or of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) as well as ink printing were used to obtain locally active or non-active areas at the polymer surfaces. The metal micro-patterns were characterized using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Surface chemical characterization was carried out by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).     

Chromophore‐Linked Substrate (CLS405): Probing Metallo‐β‐Lactamase Activity and Inhibition

Serine‐ and metallo‐β‐lactamases present a threat to the clinical use of nearly all β‐lactam antibiotics, including penicillins, cephalosporins, and carbapenems. Efforts to develop metallo‐β‐lactamase (MBL) inhibitors require suitable screening platforms to allow the rapid determination of β‐lactamase activity and efficient inhibition. Unfortunately, the platforms currently available are not ideal for this purpose. Further progress in MBL inhibitor identification requires inexpensive and widely applicable assays. Herein the identification of an inexpensive and stable chromogenic substrate suitable for use in assays of clinically relevant MBLs is described. (6R,7R)‐3‐((4‐Nitrophenoxy)methyl)‐8‐oxo‐7‐(2‐phenylacetamido)‐5‐thia‐1‐azabicyclo[4.2.0]oct‐2‐ene‐2‐carboxylic acid 5,5‐dioxide (CLS405) was synthesised in a three‐step protocol. CLS405 was then characterised spectroscopically, and its stability and kinetic properties evaluated. With a Δλ_max value of 100 nm between the parent and hydrolysis product, a higher analytical accuracy is possible with CLS405 than with commonly used chromogenic substrates. The use of CLS405 in assays was validated by MBL activity measurements and inhibitor screening that resulted in the identification of N‐hydroxythiazoles as new inhibitor scaffolds for MBLs. Further evaluation of the identified N‐hydroxythiazoles against a panel of clinically relevant MBLs showed that they possess inhibitory activities in the mid‐ to low‐micromolar range. The findings of this study provide both a useful tool compound for further inhibitor identification, and novel scaffolds for the design of improved MBL inhibitors with potential as antibiotics against resistant strains of bacteria.     

TCAD simulation of ion implantation test for controlling quality of GaAs substrates used for fabricating implanted devices

The quality of GaAs substrate material for manufacturing ion implanted devices is routinely determined by an ion implantation test. The test involves measuring an electrical quantity, such as sheet resistance, after implanting Si into the substrate. This work employs GaAs TCAD simulation to address the range of validity of the implantation test and the pitfalls associated with it. The results show that the electrical measurements are capable of discerning typical variation in the carbon concentration in the substrate. But, the surface or interface charge on GaAs, which may result from processing involved in wafer preparation, is also important. Therefore, while the implantation test in most cases is adequate to control the quality of the substrate, the test is susceptible to misinterpretation owing to the variations arising from the process involved in wafer preparation for the test.     

具有较低最低不结冰温度的结冰基体的选择

选择具有较低最低不结冰温度(possible lowest unfrozen temperature,θPLU)的结冰基体对于提高过冷水动态制冰系统的制冰率和能量效率以及防止热泵蒸发器结霜具有重要意义.本文从异质形核理论和估算两相间界面能的Good-Girifalco极性理论出发,研究了具有较低θPLU的结冰基体的性质,提出了选择方法.选择了几种具有较低θPLU的结冰基体,测量了其θPLU值.所选择结冰基体的θPLU值比通常使用的不锈钢表面低3℃以上.