Graphene Oxide-Assisted Morphology and Structure of Electrodeposited ZnO Nanostructures.

In this paper, ZnO electrodeposition was studied with the presence of graphene oxide (GO) exploited as a possible structure-directing agent. The effect of deposition potential and duration on the morphology and structure of ZnO was analyzed. The morphology and structure of the hybrids was analyzed by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).

The CeFeTi permanent magnet: a closer look at the microstructure of the compound.

High-performance permanent magnets (PM) are compounds with outstanding intrinsic magnetic properties. Most PMs are obtained from a favorable combination of rare earth metals (RE  =  Nd, Pr, Ce) with transition metals (TM  =  Fe, Co). Amongst them, CeFeTi claims considerable attention due to its large Curie temperature, saturation magnetization, and significant magnetocrystalline anisotropic energy.

In vitro and environmental toxicity of reduced graphene oxide as an additive in automotive lubricants.

Despite the ground-breaking potential of nanomaterials, their safe and sustainable incorporation into an array of industrial markets prompts a deep and clear understanding of their potential toxicity for both humans and the environment. Among the many materials with great potential, graphene has shown promise in a variety of applications; however, the impact of graphene based products on living systems remains poorly understood. In this paper, we illustrate that via exploiting the tribological properties of graphene nanosheets, we can successfully improve both the frictional behaviour and the anti-wear capacity of lubricant oil for mechanical transmission.

One Step Toward a New Generation of C-MOS Compatible Oxide P-N Junctions: Structure of the LSMO/ZnO Interface Elucidated by an Experimental and Theoretical Synergic Work.

Heterostructures formed by LaSrMnO/ZnO (LSMO/ZnO) interfaces exhibit extremely interesting electronic properties making them promising candidates for novel oxide p-n junctions, with multifunctional features. In this work, the structure of the interface is studied through a combined experimental/theoretical approach. Heterostructures were grown epitaxially and homogeneously on 4″ silicon wafers, characterized by advanced electron microscopy imaging and spectroscopy and simulated by ab initio density functional theory calculations.

Seed layer technique for high quality epitaxial manganite films.

We introduce an innovative approach to the simultaneous control of growth mode and magnetotransport properties of manganite thin films, based on an easy-to-implement film/substrate interface engineering. The deposition of a manganite seed layer and the optimization of the substrate temperature allows a persistent bi-dimensional epitaxy and robust ferromagnetic properties at the same time. Structural measurements confirm that in such interface-engineered films, the optimal properties are related to improved epitaxy.

The unique Raman fingerprint of boron nitride substitution patterns in graphene.

Boron nitride-substituted graphene (BNsG) two-dimensional structures are new materials of wide technological interest due to the rich variety of electronic structures and properties they can exploit. The ability to accurately characterize them is key to their future success. Here we show, by means of ab initio simulations, that the vibrational Raman spectra of such compounds are extremely sensitive to substitution motifs and concentration, and that each structure has unique and distinct features.

Benchmarking dispersion and geometrical counterpoise corrections for cost-effective large-scale DFT calculations of water adsorption on graphene.

The physisorption of water on graphene is investigated with the hybrid density functional theory (DFT)-functional B3LYP combined with empirical corrections, using moderate-sized basis sets such as 6-31G(d). This setup allows to model the interaction of water with graphene going beyond the quality of classical or semiclassical simulations, while still keeping the computational costs under control. Good agreement with respect to Coupled Cluster with singles and doubles excitations and perturbative triples (CCSD(T)) results is achieved for the adsorption of a single water molecule in a benchmark with two DFT-functionals (Perdew/Burke/Ernzerhof (PBE), B3LYP) and Grimme's empirical dispersion and counterpoise corrections.

Surface nanostructures in manganite films.

Ultrathin manganite films are widely used as active electrodes in organic spintronic devices. In this study, a scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) investigation with atomic resolution revealed previously unknown surface features consisting of small non-stoichiometric islands. Based upon this evidence, a new mechanism for the growth of these complex materials is proposed.

Mechanical properties of low-density polyethylene filled by graphite nanoplatelets.

The mechanical properties of GNP/LDPE nanocomposites (graphite nanoplatelets/low density polyethylene) have been investigated, in order to establish the effect of nanoscale reinforcement within the polymer matrix. Results show that the presence of the filler does not involve a change in the microscopic structure of the polymer. However, on a macroscopic scale, GNPs limit the mobility of the polymer chains, resulting in an increase in stiffness for the final composite.

Electrodeposition efficiency of Co and Cu in the fabrication of multilayer nanowires by polymeric track-etched templates.

Co/Cu-multilayer nanowires can be exploited to develop magnetoresistive sensors. One of the easiest methods for their production is filling nanoporous templates by pulsed-electrodeposition (PED) from a single bath. Multiple parameters effecting the growth of these nano-objects must be controlled to tailor their properties.

Rigorous calculations and fabrication by self-assembly techniques of 2D subwavelength structures of gold for photonic applications.

The use of metal 2D subwavelength structures (SWSs) is a promising solution for all those applications where a selective emission from a thermal source is desirable, e.g., photovoltaic and blackbody emission.