Tb doped CoNbZr soft magnetic films with high anisotropy field for applications in GHz frequency region

CoNbZr films for an adjustable magnetic anisotropy field H_k by doping with rare-earth of different atomic ratio Tb element were obtained in this work. The effect of Tb addition ranged from 0 to 4 at.% on the magnetic properties of the amorphous CoNbZr films was further investigated. The results show that the magnetic anisotropy field H_k increases sharply with the addition of Tb while the coercivity H_ch along the hard axis and H_ce along the easy axis change slightly with increasing Tb content in the films. As a consequence, CoNbZr film doped with 2 at.% of Tb exhibits excellent soft magnetic properties with a saturation magnetization 4πM_s of 8.9 kG, a hard axis coercivity H_ch of 1.79 Oe, a easy axis coercivity H_ce of 1.4 Oe and a magnetic anisotropy field H_k of 87 Oe. The measured ferromagnetic resonance frequency f_FMR of this film is 2.30 GHz. The real permeability μ′ is about 100, which is maintained up to 2 GHz. In addition, there is a broad band of the imaginary permeability μ″ over a large frequency band, indicating high losses. Therefore, Tb doped CoNbZr film is an excellent candidate for high frequency applications such as electromagnetic interference suppressors.     

Preparation and electrochromic properties of spin self-assembled polyelectrolyte multilayer films composed of PEDOT:PSS and PAH

Polyelectrolyte multilayer films composed of a polycation (poly(allylamine hydrochloride) PAH) and a polyanion (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) PEDOT:PSS) were prepared by a spin self-assembly method, and their electrochemical and electrochromic properties were investigated. The change in the surface charge and the optical absorption spectra of the multilayer films revealed that sequential deposition of polyelectrolyte was successfully achieved during the spin self-assembly. The electrochromic properties of 20-bilayered PAH/PEDOT:PSS were also investigated. The response time for the coloring and bleaching processes was 6.2 and 2.5 s, respectively, and the coloration efficiency was 199.3 cm²/C. These results indicate that a spin self-assembly process could be a viable alternative for the fabrication of electrochromic devices.     

New bleeding model of additives in a polypropylene film under atmospheric pressure II

Many additives are commercially used to add more favorable qualities to films. The bleeding process by which the additive in a film comes to the surface is considered. A new bleeding model of additives in a polypropylene film under atmospheric pressure was investigated. Solubility and diffusion are found to be important for explaining this bleeding process. It was found that the experimental results were explained more precisely by assuming a two‐step transport process between the crystalline regions and the amorphous ones. The solubilities and diffusion coefficients of UV‐stabilizers such as 2‐(2H‐benzotriazol‐2‐yl)‐4‐(1,1,3,3‐tetramethylbutyl)phenol and 2‐(2H‐benzotriazol‐2‐yl)‐4‐methylphenol were determined at 40°C. The difference between the saturation solubilities and the diffusion coefficients of UV‐stabilizers was discussed by comparing with the results of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007     

Antimicrobial properties of grape seed extracts and their effectiveness after incorporation into pea starch films

Chemical analysis and antimicrobial nature of grape seed extracts (GSE) and their Reisling Vitis vinifera L. application as fortificants for edible starch films were investigated. GSE possessed an antioxidant activity of 17.18 ± 1.29 mmol TROLOX equivalents g_extract⁻¹ and total phenolic content of 327.58 ± 7.24 mmol gallic acid equivalents g_extract⁻¹ mainly attributed to their flavonoid and phenolic acid composition determined by high-performance liquid chromatography accomplished to a diode array detector and a electrospray ionisation mass spectrometer in negative mode (HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS). GSE inhibited the growth of Gram-positive food-borne pathogens while Gram-negatives were not inhibited. After GSE were incorporated into pea starch films, thickness of enriched films increased and the puncture and tensile strength decreased compared to control films. Furthermore, migration of phenolic compounds from the films to different food simulants, aqueous, acidic and alcoholic solution was determined according to 89\109\EEC directive. A higher particle migration in acidic simulants was found. Finally, the effect of GSE incorporated pea starch films was tested in vitro with pork loins infected with Brochothrix thermosphacta. GSE films reduced the bacterial growth in 1.3 log colony forming units mL⁻¹ after 4 days incubation at 4 °C.     

Electronic transport properties of 1-(p-R-phenacyl)-4-{[(1′-ethylcarboxylate)-(3′-p-R′-phenacyl)]-7′-indolizinyl}pyridinium bromides in thin films

The temperature dependences of electrical conductivity, σ, and Seebeck coefficient, S, for some new pyridium monoquaternary salts derivatives, 1-(p-R-phenacyl)-4-{[(1′-ethylcarboxylate)-(3′-p-R′-phenacyl)]-7′-indolizinyl}pyridinium bromides have been studied.The film samples (d = 0.08-0.28 μm) have been deposited onto glass by an immersion technique (dimethylformamide was used as a solvent).The investigated compounds behave as typical p-type polycrystalline semiconductors. The activation energy of electrical conduction ranged between 0.65 and 1.72 eV, while the ratio of charge carrier mobilities laid in the range (0.60-0.83).The model based on band gap representation is suitable in explaining the electronic transport in present compounds in the higher temperature range (385-500 K).     

Anelastic properties of aluminium thin films on silicon cantilevers

Thin films (thickness 40 to 250 nm) of Al on microstructurized Si substrates have been investigated by the vibrating-reed technique (typical frequencies 100 Hz to 10 kHz) with strain amplitudes in the range of 10⁻⁷ to 10⁻⁴ and for temperatures up to 850 K. The combined evaluation of flexural and torsional vibrations permits to separate the complex shear modulus and biaxial modulus of the thin layer, which helps to identify the damping mechanisms. For Al thin films with thickness <200 nm, in addition to the well-known damping peak due to grain boundary sliding (peak temperature about 370 K), a further maximum of damping has been observed around 600 K, the nature of which is discussed.