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At least 253 records · Page 14

PDADMAC/PSS Oligoelectrolyte Multilayers: Internal Structure and Hydration Properties at Early Growth Stages from Atomistic Simulations

We analyze the internal structure and hydration properties of poly(diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride)/poly(styrene sulfonate sodium salt) oligoelectrolyte multilayers at early stages of their layer-by-layer growth process. Our study is based on large-scale molecular dynamics simulations with atomistic resolution that we presented recently [Sánchez et al., Soft Matter 2019, 15, 9437], in which we produced the first four deposition cycles of a multilayer obtained by alternate exposure of a flat silica substrate to aqueous electrolyte solutions of such polymers at 0.1M of NaCl. In contrast to any previous work, here we perform a local structural analysis that allows us to determine the dependence of the multilayer properties on the distance to the substrate. We prove that the large accumulation of water and ions next to the substrate observed in previous overall measurements actually decreases the degree of intrinsic charge compensation, but this remains as the main mechanism within the interface region. We show that the range of influence of the substrate reaches approximately 3 nm, whereas the structure of the outer region is rather independent from the position. This detailed characterization is essential for the development of accurate mesoscale models able to reach length and time scales of technological interest.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Large Aperture and Wedged Multilayer Laue Lens for X-ray Nanofocusing

Diffraction optics fabricated from multilayers offer an intriguing alternative to lithography-based zone plates due to their advantages of virtually limitless aspect ratio and extremely small feature size. However, other issues, intrinsic to thin-film deposition, such as film stress and deposition rate instability, for example, limit the total achievable aperture. Over the last decade, Multilayer Laue Lens (MLLs) have progressed from a mere curiosity with initial aperture sizes in the 3–10 μm range, to real beamline-deployed optics with apertures in the 40–50 μm range (X. Huang, et al., Scientific Reports 3, 3562 (2013); E. Nazaretski, et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 85, 033707 (2014); E. Nazaretski, et al., Journal of Synchrotron Radiation 24, 1113 (2017)). By optimizing deposition conditions and incorporating new materials, MLLs have now broken the 100 μm thickness milestone. A flat WSi 2 /Al–Si MLL with a deposition thickness of 102 μm, the largest MLL to date, is reviewed. New large aperture wedged MLLs (wMLL), which were first fabricated by APS in 2006 using the WSi 2 /Si material system, are presented which demonstrate high focusing efficiency across a broad energy range. Furthermore, these results confirm findings by other groups who have also independently fabricated wMLL (A. J. Morgan, et al., Scientific Reports 5, 9892 (2015); S. Bajt, et al., Nature Light: Science and Applications 7, 17162 (2017)) based on a similar material system.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Unveiling the Emergent Traits of Chiral Spin Textures in Magnetic Multilayers

Abstract Magnetic skyrmions are topologically wound nanoscale textures of spins whose ambient stability and electrical manipulation in multilayer films have led to an explosion of research activities. While past efforts focused predominantly on isolated skyrmions, recently ensembles of chiral spin textures, consisting of skyrmions and magnetic stripes, are shown to possess rich interactions with potential for device applications. However, several fundamental aspects of chiral spin texture phenomenology remain to be elucidated, including their domain wall (DW) structure, thermodynamic stability, and morphological transitions. Here the evolution of these textural characteristics are unveiled on a tunable multilayer platform—wherein chiral interactions governing spin texture energetics can be widely varied—using a combination of full‐field electron and soft X‐ray microscopies with numerical simulations. With increasing chiral interactions, the emergence of Néel helicity, followed by a marked reduction in domain compressibility, and finally a transformation in the skyrmion formation mechanism are demonstrated. Together with an analytical model, these experiments establish a comprehensive microscopic framework for investigating and tailoring chiral spin texture character in multilayer films.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Stabilizing Li–S Battery Through Multilayer Encapsulation of Sulfur

Abstract Advancements in portable electronic devices and electric powered transportation has drawn more attention to high energy density batteries, especially lithium–sulfur batteries due to the low cost of sulfur and its high energy density. However, the lithium–sulfur battery is still quite far from commercialization mostly because of incompatibility between all major components of the battery—the cathode, anode, and electrolyte. Here a methodology is demonstrated that shows promise in significantly improving battery stability by multilayer encapsulation of sulfur particles, while using conventional electrolytes, which allows a long cycle life and an improved Coulombic efficiency battery at low electrolyte feeding. The multilayer encapsulated sulfur battery demonstrates a Coulombic efficiency as high as 98%, when a binder‐free electrode is used. It is also shown that the all‐out self‐discharge of the cell after 168 h can be reduced from 34% in the regular sulfur battery to less than 9% in the battery with the multilayer encapsulated sulfur electrode.

Ansari, Younes↗

Reducing Antisolvent Use in the STRAP Process by Enabling a Temperature–Controlled Polymer Dissolution and Precipitation for the Recycling of Multilayer Plastic Films

The recently reported processing strategy called solvent-targeted recovery and precipitation (STRAP) enables deconstruction of multilayer plastic packaging films into their constituent resins by selective dissolution. It uses a series of solvent washes that are guided by thermodynamic calculations of polymer solubility. In this work, the use of antisolvents in the STRAP process was reduced and solvent mixtures were considered to enable the temperature-controlled dissolution and precipitation of the target polymers in multilayer films. This was considered as a means to further improve the STRAP process and its estimated costs. Two STRAP approaches were compared based on different polymer precipitation techniques: precipitation by the addition of an antisolvent (STRAP-A) and precipitation by decreasing the solvent temperature (STRAP-B). Both approaches were able to separate the constituent polymers in a post-industrial film composed primarily of polyethylene (PE), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with near 100 % material efficiency. Technoeconomic analysis indicates that the minimum selling price (MSP) of the recycled resins with STRAP-B is 21.0 % lower than that achieved with STRAP-A. This provides evidence that thermally driven polymer precipitation is an option to reduce the use of antisolvents, making the STRAP process more economically and environmentally attractive. A third process, STRAP-C, was demonstrated with another post-industrial multilayer film of a different composition. Here, the results demonstrate that this process can also recover polymers at similar costs to those of virgin resins, indicating that the STRAP technology is flexible and can remain economically competitive as the plastic feed complexity is increased.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Extracting interface locations in multilayer polymer waveguide films using scanning angle Raman spectroscopy

There is an increasing demand for nondestructive in situ techniques that measure chemical content, total thickness, and interface locations for multilayer polymer films, and SA Raman spectroscopy in combination with appropriate data models can provide this information. A scanning angle (SA) Raman spectroscopy method was developed to measure the chemical composition of multilayer polymer waveguide films and to extract the location of buried interfaces between polymer layers with 7–80-nm axial spatial resolution. The SA Raman method measures Raman spectra as the incident angle of light upon a prism-coupled thin film is scanned. Six multilayer films consisting of poly(methyl methacrylate)/polystyrene or poly(methyl methacrylate)/polystyrene/poly(methyl methacrylate) were prepared with total thicknesses ranging from 330-1260 nm. The interface locations were varied by altering the individual layer thicknesses between 140-680 nm. The Raman amplitude ratio of the 1605 cm -1 peak for PS and 812 cm -1 peak for PMMA was used in calculations of the electric field intensity within the polymer layers to model the SA Raman data and extract the total thickness and interface locations. There is an average 8% and 7% difference in the measured thickness between the SA Raman and profilometry measurements for bilayer and trilayer films, respectively.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

A prediction of dislocation‐free CdTe/CdS photovoltaic multilayers via nano‐patterning and composition grading

Abstract Defects in multilayered films have long been a performance‐limiting problem for the semiconductor industry. For instance, CdTe/CdS solar cell efficiencies have had significant improvement in the past 15years or more without addressing the problem of high misfit dislocation densities. Overcoming this stagnation requires a fundamental understanding of interfacial defect formation. Herein, we demonstrate a new first principles‐based CdTe bond‐order approach that enables efficient molecular dynamics to approach the fidelity of density functional theory. Stringent quantum‐mechanical verification and experimental validation tests reveal that our new approach provides an accurate prediction of defects that earlier methods cannot. Using this new capability, we show that misfit dislocations in CdTe/CdS multilayers can be significantly reduced via nano‐patterning and composition grading and more importantly, dislocation‐free multilayers naturally arise when the pattern dimension is reduced below 90nm. Our predictive methods are generally applicable to other materials, highlighting a rational approach towards low‐defect semiconductor films. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Zhou, Xiao Wang↗

Ultrafast study of phonon transport in isotopically controlled semiconductor nanostructures: Phonons in isotopically controlled multilayers

Isotopically modulated silicon and germanium multilayers are analyzed by means of femtosecond spectroscopy and pulsed X-ray scattering for determining thermal conductivity and phonon modes. Isotopic modulation decreases thermal conductivity stronger than expected from a band bending model in the coherent phonon transport regime, in particular for silicon. Femtosecond spectroscopy and X-ray scattering resolve zone-folded vibration modes, which are located at the edge of the new, smaller Brillouin zone due to the multilayer periodicity. These modes can contribute to the reduction of thermal conductivity by Umklapp processes within the zone-folded mini-bands. Color-coded increase in ultrafast X-ray scattering in vicinity to the mini-zone boundary of a germanium multilayer.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

TiN‐Au/HfO 2 ‐Au Multilayer Thin Films with Tunable Hyperbolic Optical Response

Abstract Hyperbolic metamaterials (HMM) possess significant anisotropic physical properties and tunability and thus find many applications in integrated photonic devices. HMMs consisting of metal and dielectric phases in either multilayer or vertically aligned nanocomposites (VAN) form are demonstrated with different hyperbolic properties. Herein, self‐assembled HfO 2 ‐Au/TiN‐Au multilayer thin films, combining both the multilayer and VAN designs, are demonstrated. Specifically, Au nanopillars embedded in HfO 2 and TiN layers forming the alternative layers of HfO 2 ‐Au VAN and TiN‐Au VAN. The HfO 2 and TiN layer thickness is carefully controlled by varying laser pulses during pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Interestingly, tunable anisotropic physical properties can be achieved by adjusting the bi‐layer thickness and the number of the bi‐layers. Type II optical hyperbolic dispersion can be obtained from high layer thickness structure (e.g., 20 nm), while it can be transformed into Type I optical hyperbolic dispersion by reducing the thickness to a proper value (e.g., 4 nm). This new nanoscale hybrid metamaterial structure with the three‐phase VAN design shows great potential for tailorable optical components in future integrated devices.

Chemistry↗

Endovascular Treatment of Multiple HIV-related Aneurysms Using Multilayer Stents

Complex peripheral aneurysm anatomy with major artery branches in the immediate vicinity and mycotic aneurysm often impede endovascular management using covered stent grafts. The Cardiatis Multilayer Stent (Cardiatis, Isnes, Belgium) is a recently approved innovative stent system for peripheral aneurysm management. Its multilayer design aims at decreasing mean velocity and vorticity within the aneurysm sac to cause thrombus formation while maintaining patency of branching vessels due to laminar flow. We present a case of bilateral subclavian artery aneurysms and perivisceral aortic aneurysms in an AIDS patient successfully treated with the Cardiatis Multilayer Stent at 18 months' follow-up.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

Thermo-mechanical modeling and experimental validation for multilayered metallic microstructures

This paper presents thermo-mechanical modeling on multilayered metallic microstructures consisting of two bilayers that enable 3D deployment once being Joule heated. Additionally, a representative design of such microstructures, as well as their working principle is introduced. Furthermore, a mathematical model is derived using Euler–Bernoulli beam theory, and analytical solutions describing out-of-plane displacement of the multilayered microstructures when uniformly heated, which is validated by finite element analysis. Parametric analysis on thermal load and dimensional change of beam shows a good agreement between the analytical solutions and results given by finite element analysis. The phases of the near-equiatomic NiTi layer are analyzed by EDS and XRD, which prove to be austenite during the Joule heating process. The mechanical properties of austenite NiTi are incorporated into the analytical solutions that provides a good estimation of 3D deployment of microstructures made of NiTi and aluminum. The experimental results provide an approximately 7 µm out-of-plane deployment by applying a uniform temperature increase of 132 K, and parametric analysis on the dimension of top aluminum beam offers another promising approach to larger 3D deployment. The proposed mathematical model provides an efficient tool for predicting the out-of-plane deployment of such multilayered microstructures.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Coupled Thermoelasticity Problem for Multilayer Composite Shells of Revolution. II. Applied Problems

We deduce a system of nonclassical nonlinear differential equations of coupled thermoelasticity for multilayer composite anisotropic shells of revolution in a coordinate system connected with the lines of curvature of the reference surface. The constructed nonclassical model of deformation of a multilayer shell and the nonlinear model of distribution of heat fluxes over the thickness of the shell enable us to take into account the transverse shear strains and guarantee the validity of the conditions of thermal and mechanical conjugation of the layers and the conditions of thermomechanical loading on the faces of the shell. We deduce the linearized differential equations of the axisymmetric coupled problem of thermoelasticity for a conic reinforced multilayer shell and solve the quasistatic problem of thermoelasticity for a two-layer cylindrical shell cross-reinforced in the direction of helical lines. By using the structural approach to the formulation of the criteria of strength for composite materials, we determine the loads of the onset of fracture of the binder and reinforcing elements of a two-layer metal-composite cylindrical shell.

42 ENGINEERING↗

High-performance multilayer WSe 2 field-effect transistors with carrier type control

In this paper, high-performance multilayer WSe 2 field-effect transistor (FET) devices with carrier type control are demonstrated via thickness modulation and a remote oxygen plasma surface treatment. Carrier type control in multilayer WSe 2 FET devices with Cr/Au contacts is initially demonstrated by modulating the WSe 2 thickness. The carrier type evolves with increasing WSe 2 channel thickness, being p-type, ambipolar, and n-type at thicknesses <3, ~4, and >5 nm, respectively. The thickness-dependent carrier type is attributed to changes in the bandgap of WSe 2 as a function of the thickness and the carrier band offsets relative to the metal contacts. Furthermore, we present a strong hole carrier doping effect via remote oxygen plasma treatment. It non-degenerately converts n-type characteristics into p-type and enhances field-effect hole mobility by three orders of magnitude. Finally, this work demonstrates progress towards the realization of high-performance multilayer WSe 2 FETs with carrier type control, potentially extendable to other transition metal dichalcogenides, for future electronic and optoelectronic applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Multilayered triangular and quadrilateral flat shell elements based on the Refined Zigzag Theory

The paper presents a class of C 0 -continuous, flat shell elements based on the Refined Zigzag Theory (RZT) for the analysis of multilayered and curved composite and sandwich structures. In this study, the use of the interdependent interpolation strategy allows eliminating the shear-locking phenomenon and introducing the drilling rotation necessary to complete the set of classical nodal degrees of freedom (three displacements and three rotations). Additional kinematic variables are present in RZT, the zigzag rotations around the in-plane axes that measure the normal distortion typical of multilayered structures. An additional “drilling” zigzag rotation is therefore included among the nodal degrees of freedom in order to properly model curved and built-up structures. A stabilization procedure is adopted to suppress spurious zero-energy modes. A three-node triangular and a four-node quadrilateral flat shell element are formulated with 9 degrees of freedom per node. Example problems involving flat and curved multilayered structures are presented and discussed in order to assess the accuracy and convergence properties of the presented elements. Both static response predictions and free vibrations analyses are considered and the comparison is made with analytic RZT solutions, high-fidelity 3D finite element models and FSDT-based flat shell elements.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Multilayer shallow shelf approximation: Minimisation formulation, finite element solvers and applications

In this paper, a multilayer generalisation of the Shallow Shelf Approximation (SSA) is considered. In this recent hybrid ice flow model, the ice thickness is divided into thin layers, which can spread out, contract and slide over each other in such a way that the velocity profile is layer-wise constant. Like the SSA (1-layer model), the multilayer model can be reformulated as a minimisation problem. However, unlike the SSA, the functional to be minimised involves a new penalisation term for the interlayer jumps of the velocity, which represents the vertical shear stresses induced by interlayer sliding. Taking advantage of this reformulation, numerical solvers developed for the SSA can be naturally extended layer-wise or column-wise. Numerical results show that the column-wise extension of a Newton multigrid solver proves to be robust in the sense that its convergence is barely influenced by the number of layers and the type of ice flow. In addition, the multilayer formulation appears to be naturally better conditioned than the one of the first-order approximation to face the anisotropic conditions of the sliding-dominant ice flow of ISMIP-HOM experiments.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Local control of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of Pd/Co multilayers via ion bombardment

In this work, we have controlled locally the magnetic anisotropy of PdCo multilayers using ion beam modification. First, we have used techniques with different probing depths to confirm that cobalt is partially oxidized in the Pd/Co multilayers exhibiting PMA fabricated by sputtering, presumably due to the diffusion of atmospheric oxygen migrated through the Pd capping layer. Then, low energy ion bombardment has been employed to induce a structural disorder in the upper layers of the multilayer, gradually reducing the PMA at local scale with increasing ion doses. Medium ion doses lead to a marked decline in PMA, resulting in equivalent magnetic anisotropy directions and the loss of characteristic labyrinthine magnetic domain morphology. High ion doses completely suppress PMA, yielding a typical in-plane shape anisotropy. Furthermore, by combining controlled PMA reduction via lithographic techniques, we create elongated structures displaying distinct magnetic responses; bombarded regions exhibit reduced PMA, whereas adjacent regions maintain their PMA. Notably, regions with reduced PMA do not disrupt the distribution of perpendicular magnetic domains in neighboring PMA regions, even at widths as narrow as 500 nm, demonstrating the robustness of the PMA domain structure.

Sebastiani-Tofano, Eugenia [Universidad Complutens↗

Multilayered sandwich-like architecture containing large-scale faceted Al–Cu–Fe quasicrystal grains

Faceted quasicrystals are structurally special compared with traditional crystals. Although the application of faceted quasicrystals has been expected, wide-scale application has not occurred owing to the limited exposure of the facets. Using a facile method of heat treatment, we synthesize a multilayered sandwich-like structure with each layer composed of large-scale pentagonal-dodecahedra of Al–Cu–Fe quasicrystals. Moreover, there are channels between the adjacent Al–Cu–Fe layers that serve to increase the exposure of the facets of quasicrystals. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction are used to characterize the multilayered architecture, and the generation mechanisms of this special structure are also discussed. - Highlights: • A multilayered sandwich-like structure is produced by a facile method. • Each layer is covered by large-scale faceted Al–Cu–Fe quasicrystals. • There are channels between the adjacent Al–Cu–Fe layers.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Modification of microstructure and properties of Ti-47Al-2Cr-4Nb-0.3W alloys fabricated by SPS with trace multilayer graphene addition

Highlights: • The TiAl alloys with different content addition of multilayer graphene were fabricated. • When the graphene content is 0.8 at.%, the mean grain size decreases to 8.2 μm. • The bending and fracture strength increase to 1000 MPa and 2347 MPa, respectively. • The friction coefficient decreased from 0.6 to 0.4, with a decrease by 1/3. - Abstract: In this paper, Ti-47Al-2Cr-4Nb-0.3W alloys with trace multilayer graphene addition were fabricated by spark plasma sintering to enhance both mechanical properties and tribological property simultaneously. With the addition of multilayer graphene, bending strength, compressive strength and tribological property of TiAl alloys are all improved. When graphene content increases from zero to 0.8 at.%, the mean grain size decreases from 14.8 ± 1.4 μm to 8.2 ± 0.8 μm. The bending strength reaches almost 1000 MPa and the fracture strength increases to 2347 ± 12 MPa, an increase of 15% compared with TiAl alloy. The friction coefficient also decreases from about 0.6 to 0.4, a decrease by 1/3 compared with TiAl alloy. The reasons for the improved mechanical properties and tribological property are the in-situ reaction plate-shape Ti{sub 2}AlC phase, fine needle-like Ti{sub 3}AlC phase as well as fine and homogeneous microstructure. The wear mechanism changes from abrasive wear to abrasive wear plus adhesive wear with the increased graphene content.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗