Triboelectric nanogenerator based on silane-coupled LTA/PDMS for physiological monitoring and biomechanical energy harvesting.

Energy harvesting from ambient sources present in the environment is essential to replace traditional energy sources. These strategies can diversify the energy sources, reduce maintenance, lower costs, and provide near-perpetual operation of the devices. In this work, a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) based on silane-coupled Linde type A/polydimethylsiloxane (LTA/PDMS) is developed for harsh environmental conditions.

A surface treatment method for improving the attachment of PDMS: acoustofluidics as a case study.

A method for a permanent surface modification of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is presented. A case study on the attachment of PDMS and the lithium niobate (LiNbO) wafer for acoustofluidics applications is presented as well. The method includes a protocol for chemically treating the surface of PDMS to strengthen its bond with the LiNbO surface.

Transparent, patterned graphene oxide films with tunable electrical conductivity using thermal, chemical, and photoreduction techniques for lab-on-a-chip applications.

This work demonstrates the fabrication of electrically tunable films of graphene oxide (GO). GO thin films were deposited and micropatterned on a cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) substrate using a plasma-enhanced liftoff technique. This article discusses thermal, chemical, and photoreduction methods for controlling the electrical conductivity of the patterned film.

Artificial Intelligence-Aided Low Cost and Flexible Graphene Oxide-Based Paper Sensor for Ultraviolet and Sunlight Monitoring.

The adverse effect of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on human beings has sparked intense interest in the development of new sensors to effectively monitor UV and solar exposure. This paper describes a novel low-cost and flexible graphene oxide (GO)-based paper sensor capable of detecting the total amount of UV or sun energy delivered per unit area. GO is incorporated into the structure of standard printing paper, cellulose, via a low-cost fabrication technique.

Tuning the Surface Wettability of Cyclic Olefin Copolymer by Plasma Treatment and Graphene Oxide Deposition and Reduction.

Selective altering of surface wettability in microfluidic channels provides a suitable platform for a large range of processes, such as the phase separation of multiphase systems, synthesis of reaction controlled, nanoliter sized droplet reactors, and catalyst impregnation. Herein we study the feasibility to tune the wettability of a flexible cyclic olefin copolymer (COC). Two methods were considered for enhancing the surface hydrophilicity.

A Review on New 3-D Printed Materials' Geometries for Catalysis and Adsorption: Paradigms from Reforming Reactions and CO Capture.

"Bottom-up" additive manufacturing (AM) is the technology whereby a digitally designed structure is built layer-by-layer, i.e., differently than by traditional manufacturing techniques based on subtractive manufacturing.

Droplet Coalescence by Selective Wettability Enhancement in Microfluidic Devices.

A new approach for droplet coalescence in microfluidic channels based on selective surface energy alteration is demonstrated. The proposed method involves patterning the surface of cyclic olefin copolymer (COC), a hydrophobic substrate attached to a polydimethylsiloxane hydrophobic microchannel, with graphene oxide (GO) using standard microfabrication techniques. Surface wettability and adhesion analyses confirmed the enhancement of the COC surface energy upon GO patterning and the stability of the GO film on COC.

Micro-Pattern of Graphene Oxide Films Using Metal Bonding.

Recently, graphene has been explored in several research areas according to its outstanding combination of mechanical and electrical features. The ability to fabricate micro-patterns of graphene facilitates its integration in emerging technologies such as flexible electronics. This work reports a novel micro-pattern approach of graphene oxide (GO) film on a polymer substrate using metal bonding.

Mesoporous Acidic Catalysts Synthesis from Dual-Stage and Rising Co-Current Gasification Char: Application for FAME Production from Waste Cooking Oil.

The main purpose of this work is to investigate the application options of the char produced from gasification plants. Two promising mesoporous acidic catalysts were synthesized using char as a support material. Two char samples were collected from either a dual-stage or a rising co-current biomass gasification plant.

Fabrication of Porous Gold Film Using Graphene Oxide as a Sacrificial Layer.

An original and simple fabrication process to produce thin porous metal films on selected substrates is reported. The fabrication process includes the deposition of a thin layer of gold on a substrate, spin coating of a graphene oxide dispersion, etching the gold film through the graphene oxide layer, and removing the graphene oxide layer. The porosity of the thin gold film is controlled by varying the etching time, the thickness of the gold film, and the concentration of the graphene oxide dispersion.