Galvanostatic Rejuvenation of Electrochromic WO Thin Films: Ion Trapping and Detrapping Observed by Optical Measurements and by Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry.

Electrochromic (EC) smart windows are able to decrease our energy footprint while enhancing indoor comfort and convenience. However, the limited durability of these windows, as well as their cost, result in hampered market introduction. Here, we investigate thin films of the most widely studied EC material, WO.

Galvanostatic Ion Detrapping Rejuvenates Oxide Thin Films.

Ion trapping under charge insertion-extraction is well-known to degrade the electrochemical performance of oxides. Galvanostatic treatment was recently shown capable to rejuvenate the oxide, but the detailed mechanism remained uncertain. Here we report on amorphous electrochromic (EC) WO3 thin films prepared by sputtering and electrochemically cycled in a lithium-containing electrolyte under conditions leading to severe loss of charge exchange capacity and optical modulation span.

Mechanical and thermoelastic characteristics of optical thin films deposited by dual ion beam sputtering.

Mechanical and thermoelastic properties of optical films are very important to ensure the performance of optical interference filters and optical coating systems. We systematically study the growth and the mechanical and thermoelastic characteristics of niobium oxide (Nb(2)O(5)), tantalum oxide (Ta(2)O(5)), and silicon dioxide (SiO(2)) thin films prepared by dual ion beam sputtering. First, we investigate the stress (sigma), hardness (H), reduced Young's modulus (E(r)), and scratch resistance.

Solid emulsion gel as a novel construct for topical applications: synthesis, morphology and mechanical properties.

A series of the solid emulsion gels with the oil volume fraction in the range of 0-50% were synthesized through a polycondensation reaction between activated p-nitrophenyl carbonate poly(ethylene glycol) and protein-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions. The resultant structures were investigated in terms of swelling behavior, composition, morphology, mechanical and skin hydration properties. Solid emulsions gels share the properties of both hydrogel and emulsion.

Mechanical and microstructural properties of hybrid poly(ethylene glycol)-soy protein hydrogels for wound dressing applications.

Biomimetic hydrogel made of poly(ethylene glycol) and soy protein with a water content of 96% has been developed for moist wound dressing applications. In this study, such hybrid hydrogels were investigated by both tensile and unconfined compression measurements in order to understand the relationships between structural parameters of the network, its mechanical properties and protein absorption in vitro. Elastic moduli were found to vary from 1 to 17 kPa depending on the composition, while the Poisson's ratio (approximately 0.

Mechanical characteristics of optical coatings prepared by various techniques: a comparative study.

Good performance of optical coatings depends on the appropriate combination of optical and mechanical properties. Therefore, successful applications require good understanding of the relationship between optical microstructural and mechanical characteristics and film stability. In addition, there is a lack of standard mechanical tests that allow one to compare film properties measured in different laboratories.

Single-material inhomogeneous optical filters based on microstructural gradients in plasma-deposited silicon nitride.

Transparent hydrogenated amorphous silicon nitride (SiNx:H) coatings were prepared by dual-mode microwave-radio-frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. By controlling the effects of plasma density and ion energy on the film growth, it was possible to modify the microstructure of the coatings and hence the refractive index n. Using this method, we were able to vary n from 1.