No abstract is available for this article.

Raman spectroscopy, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) were used to study pigments on an Egyptian cartonnage from the Ptolemaic period (305–30 bc ). The surface morphology of each color region was examined using backscattering (BS) and secondary electron imaging. SEM X‐ray energy dispersive spectrometry and EPMA wavelength dispersive spectroscopy

Reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy (REELS) has been used to study the optical and electronic properties of semi‐infinite solid samples, aided by a theoretical model of the interaction between electrons and a solid. However, REELS has not been used to its full capacity in studying nanomaterial samples because of the difficulty in modeling the electron interaction with a layered nanostructure

This study provides details of the electronic and optical structures and binding energies of sarin (SF) and chlorosarin (SC) with Al–N and Al–P surfaces of Al12N12 and Al12P12 nanoclusters in the gas phase. The adsorption mechanism of SF and SC on these nanoclusters containing the Al3+ central cation was studied. Optimized geometries and thermodynamic parameters of SF and SC adsorption complexes were

In this work, a study of the secondary porosity of two zeolite‐based composites is carried out by small angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) and N2 adsorption at 77 K. The composites were obtained by the inclusion of ZnO nanoparticles in a Cuban natural clinoptilolite by mechanosynthesis and ‘in situ’ methods. It was observed a decrease in the specific surface area as a result of ZnO nanoparticles inclusion

Electron beam melting is an additive manufacturing technology in vacuum that suits Ti‐6Al‐4V parts, which has a high affinity with oxygen. Since the high cost of the feedstock powder, the un‐melted powder is often recycled in the subsequent process. In this study, the influence of powder reuse on the surface characteristics of Ti‐6Al‐4V powder is examined using a variety of technology including scanning

No abstract is available for this article.

The authors of Gnacdja et al.1 have identified the following error in their paper. In Table 4, the values of a 2 and a 3 were reversed. The corrected Table 4 is provided here: B C a 1 a 2 a 3 2192.8 1643.1 0.082 0.0695 0.8217

This study describes the use of inkjet printing for the preparation of test materials containing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on a biologically relevant matrix and discusses the methods of using time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS) for their spatially resolved quantification. Evaluation of test materials containing AuNPs with nominal diameters of (30, 80, 100, and 150) nm deposited

In the present work, we explore in photoanodes of dye‐sensitized solar cell (DSSC) the co‐sensitization of the red protein phycoerythrin extracted from Antarctic algae with spherical silver nanoparticles between 10 and 200 nm and triangular nanoparticles of ~100 nm. We found that the order of addition of the sensitizers matters. Best results achieved for a sequential approach was phycoerythrin used

Surface analysis of biological systems using XPS often requires dehydration of the sample for it to be compatible with the ultrahigh vacuum of the spectrometer. However, if samples are frozen to liquid‐nitrogen temperature prior to and during analysis, water can be retained in the sample and the organization of the sample surface should be preserved to a higher degree than in desiccated samples. This

Thin films of barium fluorides with different thicknesses were deposited on GaAs substrate by electron beam evaporation. The aim of the work was to identify the best growth conditions for the production of coatings with a low work function suitable for the anode of hybrid thermionic‐photovoltaic (TIPV) devices. The chemical composition and work function ϕ of the films with different thicknesses were

We present a study of buried GaP/Si(001) heterointerfaces by hard X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Well‐defined thin (4–50 nm) GaP films were grown on Si(001) substrates with 2° miscut orientations by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. Core level photoelectron intensities and valence band spectra were measured on heterostructures as well as on the corresponding reference (bulk) substrates. Detailed

The initial oxide state of powder is essential to the robust additive manufacturing of metal components using powder bed fusion processes. However, the variation of the powder surface oxide composition as a function of the atomizing medium is not clear. This work summarizes a detailed surface characterization of three 316L powders, produced using water atomization (WA), vacuum melting inert gas atomization

Carbon beam writing was employed as a method for maskless production of microscale capacitors in both insulating graphene oxide (GO) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix. The GO and PMMA foils were irradiated using a 5‐MeV C3+ beam with micrometer scale resolution. As follows, the shape of the created microstructures and compositional changes was studied using the scanning electron microsco

Combined chemical analyses of both the surface and bulk of industrial catalysts is a significant challenge, because all microanalysis methods reveal either the surface or the bulk properties but not both. We demonstrate the combined use of hard and soft X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) as a powerful, practical, and nondestructive tool to quantitatively analyze the chemical composition at the

Artificial ageing of polymeric insulation jackets is routinely performed in order to assess end‐of‐life material characteristics. Practical constraints including high temperatures/short times ageing treatments lead to strong influence of diffusion‐limited oxidation (DLO) resulting in unreliable life‐time predictions. This study proposes a new experimental approach to the investigation of cable insulation

Silicon nanopowders with nitrogen heterocyclic carbene (NHC) and butyl as stabilizing ligands were synthesized by bottom up chemical methods. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to obtain nanoparticle size distribution with 1.8–2.5 mm average diameter. Optical characteristics (photoluminescence and infrared (IR) absorption spectra) of samples were investigated as fabricated and on different

The interactions between oxidised tantalum and methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) have been investigated by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS). Thin (approximately 2 nm) and thick layers of polymeric MDI were deposited on tantalum; one set was cured at 200°C, the other dried at ambient temperature (20°C). The thick layers serve as

Small‐area/spot photoelectron spectroscopy (SAXPS) is a powerful tool for the investigation of small surface features like microstructures of electronic devices, sensors or other functional surfaces, and so forth. For evaluating the quality of such microstructures, it is often crucial to know whether a small signal in a spectrum is an unwanted contamination of the field of view (FoV), defined by the

Laser nitridation of a pure iron (Fe) surface was conducted using a focused pulsed Nd:YAG laser under a nitrogen atmosphere, and the effects of nitrogen gas pressure, laser power, and repetition number of laser shots on the surface characteristics were analyzed using XPS. The laser‐irradiated surface consisted of the topmost surface layer of Fe oxynitride (FeOxNy) and the underlayer beneath, which

During high‐electron‐mobility transistor elaboration process, a thermal treatment of In0.2Al0.8N (InAlN) barrier layer is performed in order to improve electrical performances. We showed previously that In0.2Al0.8N/GaN heterostructures, annealed at 850°C under O2 partial pressure, present a specific in‐depth organization. Angle‐resolved X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy is a powerful tool to precisely

The outstanding mechanical strength of as‐deposited DC‐electrodeposited nanocrystalline (nc) Ni‐Fe alloys has been the subject of numerous researches in view of their scientific and practical interest. However, recent studies have reported a dramatic drop in ductility upon annealing above 350°C, associated with a concomitant abnormal rapid grain growth. The inherent cause has been ascribed to the presence

Water‐atomized iron and steel powder is commonly used as the base material for powder metallurgy (PM) of ferrous components. The powder surface chemistry is characterized by a thin surface oxide layer and more thermodynamically stable oxide particulates whose extent, distribution, and composition change during the sintering cycle due to a complex set of oxidation–reduction reactions. In this study

In this study, surface modification of coal gangue (CG) was performed with titanate coupling agent 201 (isopropyl tri(dioctylpyrophosphate) titanate), and the effects of surface modifier on mechanical properties and thermal stability of high‐density polyethylene filled with CG (HDPE/CG) and high‐density polyethylene filled with modified CG (HDPE/mCG) composites were investigated. The coupling agent

The interaction of the 4,5‐bis(diphenylthiophosphinoyl)‐1,2,3‐triazolate (SPTz−) with different gold surfaces was investigated (nanoparticles, an electrode, and flat sheets). Studies on binding affinity of this dithiophosphin‐triazolate on a gold electrode were performed by cyclic voltammetry (CV). Voltammograms exhibit two reductive desorption and only one oxidative readsorption, indicating that once

Empirical relative sensitivity factors (RSFs) for the 1s, 2p3/2, and 3d5/2 levels relative to O1s were derived from the hard X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements with photon energies of 3.00, 5.95, 7.94, and 9.92 keV. The data for 5.95, 7.94, and 9.92 keV were obtained at BL46XU in SPring‐8, and those for 3.00 keV were obtained at BL6N1 in AichiSR (note that the measurement conditions, i.e

Additive manufacturing (AM) has during years gained significant interest owing to its endless component design possibilities. One of the most popular AM techniques is laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), which selectively melts metal powder layer‐by‐layer in a chamber with protective argon atmosphere. This technique is attractive for realizing Cu‐based products in which the high electrical conductivity

We investigated the adsorption of heavy metal ions on a nanostructured coating of zinc‐aluminum layered double hydroxides (Zn‐Al LDHs) grown on aluminum foam by one‐step hydrothermal process. This approach aimed to increase the interactive surface and provide a more practical medium for removal of toxic heavy metals from aqueous media. The foam coated with LDH was characterized by using scanning electron

Synthetic polymer fluids are increasingly being applied to support excavations in deep foundations. As these fluids are molecularly engineered, their underlying microstructure interaction with in situ soils significantly affect excavation stability and soil dispersion. However, little molecular‐scale research has been done on the rheological behavior of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamides (PHPA) polymer

X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra of chromium monosilicide (CrSi) and disilicide (CrSi2) were collected from a clean surface prepared by fracturing the bulk silicide compound in a spectrometer under ultrahigh vacuum; the analytical procedure for the phase identification of the Cr–Si system was examined. A negligible binding energy shift was observed in the Cr 2p3/2 level between elemental Cr

Diffusion of Li ions in thin sandwich films with copper or lead encompassing layers (obtained by ion beam sputtering deposition technique) has been studied. These metals are promising candidates for electrodes in lithium‐ion batteries. It is because they exhibit an ability to store and release Li ions during charging and discharging processes. Lithium diffusion was induced in samples by thermal annealing

The preservation of bronze and copper heritage objects is challenging. Exposure to water or pollution in outdoor conditions leads to corrosion phenomena, which can highly degrade the objects or structures. We aim to develop an alternative nontoxic corrosion inhibiting treatment, based on the use of a carboxylate (HC10) treatment. Electron spectroscopies (X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning

A novel Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) method is presented to investigate the interface between a solid surface and a surrounding liquid. The introduced measurement system allows to observe and quantify adsorption at the solid–liquid interface and the formation of the electrochemical double layer (EDL). BaCl2 as a bicomponent electrolyte and a Si3N4 membrane surface are chosen as a model

We investigated the migration of Li ions at an interface between a Lix Ti5O12 (LTO) and a solid electrolyte in an all‐solid Li‐ion battery. The optical reflection of LTO changes with variations in the Li content because the band structures of LTO vary with the changes in the Li content. This enables us to observe Li‐ion migration in the interface between the LTO and the solid electrolyte using an optical

The present study reports on results of analysis of the elemental composition of thin films by electron probe microanalysis with energy dispersive (ED‐EPMA) X‐ray spectrometry in conjunction with the dedicated thin‐film analysis software package Stratagem and by X‐ray fluorescence in its version with a micro‐focus X‐ray fluorescence (μ‐XRF) source attached to a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Two

Fe–Ga alloys are functional magnetostrictive materials, which are promising for application in actuators and sensors. Because surface properties of these alloys such as corrosion resistance are important in technological applications, it is required to characterize the chemical composition and state of the surface of these alloys, which depend on annealing conditions. In this study, X‐ray absorption

Two tetradrachms from the Diniacopoulos collection housed at Queen's University are the subject of this study. Previously, a protocol had been developed for a coin of the Emperor Claudius from the same collection, which showed that a combination of Time‐of‐Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (TOF‐SIMS), Energy Dispersive X‐ray Spectroscopy (EDX), and X‐ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) could

In this paper, the frequency‐based decomposition approach (FBDA) for preprocessing of surface texture parameters calculation/assessment was proposed. Two types of textures were analysed: turned or grinded details. They were measured with interferometric method. For detection/minimization of high‐frequency measuring errors (HFME) the wavelets, Haar, Daubechies, Coiflet, biorthogonal or reverse‐biorthogonal

The lateral resolution of an X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy instrument, which is equipped with a focused X‐ray beam, is limited by the nominal X‐ray beam diameter and the long tail intensity distribution of the X‐ray beam. The long tail intensity distribution of the X‐ray beam impedes to perform a measurement with good lateral resolution and low detection limits at the same time. Two experimental

We demonstrate the potential of using plasma profiling time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (PP‐TOFMS) to accelerate process developments for phase‐change random access memory (PCRAM) applications, which require advanced materials with composition‐driven properties. We assess the performances of PP‐TOFMS for the chemical depth‐profiling of GeSbTe phase change materials, first after deposition steps to

Structural coloration frequently originates from the interaction of light with multilayers of thin films in living organisms. One example where structural colors are created by multilayers is the jewel beetle, Chrysochroa fulgidissima , which has highly iridescent green elytra with longitudinal red stripes. We examine the structure, chemical information, and physical properties of the epicuticle of

No abstract is available for this article.

The characteristics of TiO2 coatings can greatly influence their final performance in large‐scale applications. In the present study, self‐assembly of TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) in multiple layers was selected as a deposition procedure on various substrates. For this, the main prerequisite constitutes the surface modification of both NPs and substrate with, for example, silane coupling agents. A set

The determination of cement and sand content in an aged cement mortar is a challenging problem for civil engineers. Techniques like x‐ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) are well established, which can give some insight of the hydrated products. The present study is an attempt to use x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) technique

3D microstructures in pure poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) and PDMS with embedded Au nanoparticles were prepared by ion beam lithography without any further etching. Two mega‐electron volts helium and 10 MeV oxygen ions were used for ion microstructuring. Parallel lines of 1 mm in length and 10 μm in thickness were fabricated for investigation of the effect of the nanoparticles presence in the polymer

The W‐1%La2O3 alloy has been irradiated by a single laser pulse (λ = 1064 nm) to simulate transient thermal loads of high energy occurring in a tokamak under operative conditions. A zone with a diameter of ~2 mm, namely, much larger than the focal spot, results to be affected by the pulse, and a crater of about 300 μm is observed in its center. La2O3 particles are not present inside the crater. The

Biodegradable polymers such as poly‐l ‐lactic acid (PLLA) are essential tools for a wide range of medical applications because of their mechanical robustness and bio‐affinity. Laser processing is commonly used to construct various structures from biodegradable polymers. However, in general, polymers deteriorate rapidly owing to laser‐induced heating effects. In this study, we investigate the optimum

Corrosion and kinetics of partial electrode reactions on carbon steel St3 with superhydrophobic coatings of three types were studied in 0.5 M NaCl and 50 g/L NaCl +400 mg/L H2S solutions. The investigations were carried out on electrodes made of carbon steel St3 with a chemical composition, wt. %: C – 0.20; Mn – 0.50; Si – 0.15; P – 0.04; S – 0.05; Cr – 0.30; Ni – 0.20; Cu – 0.20, and Fe – 98.36. To

For the application of surface acoustic wave sensors at high temperatures, both a high‐temperature stable piezoelectric substrate and a suitable metallization for the electrodes are needed. Our current attempt is to use TiAl thin films as metallization because this material is also known to be high temperature stable. In this study, Ti/Al multilayers and Ti‐Al alloy layers were prepared in combination

Trace analysis of nuclear materials in solid particles collected in the environment or particles in liquid slurry generated in nuclear material manufacturing processes can pinpoint elemental, organic, and isotopic signatures of nuclear fuel cycle activities and processes. Such information can support nuclear safeguards programs by increasing our ability to detect undeclared nuclear materials, routine

Recently, most of the researchers focused on investigating the superlubricity of glycerol or glycerin/water solutions, yet all of them have no attempt to follow with performance about their lubricity under high load and fast rotational speed. In this article, the lubricity of glycerol was systematically investigated under 98 N and 1,450 rpm using a four‐ball wear machine. Interestingly, results showed

In the present work, electropolymerized polypyrrole (PPy) films were obtained on the surface of the surgical ISO 5832‐1 stainless steel. The films were obtained from solutions containing 0.1M and 0.5M of the monomer by cyclic voltammetry deposition. The correlation between the surface chemistry of the as‐deposited films and the corrosion behavior of the coated substrate is explored. X‐ray photoelectron

In order to widen the application of iron oxide yellow pigments (α‐FeOOH) in high temperature industry, α‐FeOOH coated with calcium phosphate (α‐FeOOH/Ca) were modified with stearic acid (Sa) through dry process. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)

We hereby report detailed structural and morphological studies for an ultrathin NiO/ZnO bilayer structure grown on sapphire (001) substrate using pulsed laser deposition technique. The combined X‐ray reflectivity (XRR) and grazing incidence X‐ray fluorescence (GIXRF) studies revealed formation of a low‐density defective ZnO interfacial layer of thickness ~32 Å at the ZnO/sapphire interface prior to

The aim of this work was the wettability improvement of clay‐coated paper by ambient air plasma exposure. Industrial corona with a volume dielectric barrier discharge in cylindrical configuration was used as a plasma source; the exposure times varied from 0.25 up to 5 s. Water contact angle (WCA) measurement and surface free energy (SFE) evaluation were carried out for the estimation of wettability

Local AFM‐IR analysis is performed on the organic coating residues remaining on carbon steel substrates after pull‐off adhesion tests. This approach provides unique spectral information, because scattering from these rough substrates has previously prohibited transflectance FTIR analysis of such regions. The AFM‐IR spectra of epoxy‐amine residues display characteristic oxidation bands, which can only

Cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) containing wastewater from dressing plant may pose a detrimental threaten to mineral beneficiation and environment. The adsorption of CTAB in aqueous solutions by graphene oxide (GO) has been studied in this work. X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier‐transform infrared spectrometer, and atomic force spectroscopy were used to characterize