Nanoscale Transformations in Metastable, Amorphous, Silicon-Rich Silica.

Electrically biasing thin films of amorphous, substoichiometric silicon oxide drives surprisingly large structural changes, apparent as density variations, oxygen movement, and ultimately, emission of superoxide ions. Results from this fundamental study are directly relevant to materials that are increasingly used in a range of technologies, and demonstrate a surprising level of field-driven local reordering of a random oxide network.

Strategies for the chemical analysis of highly porous bone scaffolds using secondary ion mass spectrometry.

Understanding the distribution of critical elements (e.g. silicon and calcium) within silica-based bone scaffolds synthesized by different methods is central to the optimization of these materials.

A novel route for the inclusion of metal dopants in silicon.

We report a new method for introducing metal atoms into silicon wafers, using negligible thermal budget. Molecular thin films are irradiated with ultra-violet light releasing metal species into the semiconductor substrate. Secondary ion mass spectrometry and x-ray absorption spectroscopy show that Mn is incorporated into Si as an interstitial dopant.

Why stainless steel corrodes.

Stainless steels are used in countless diverse applications for their corrosion resistance. Although they have extremely good general resistance, they are nevertheless susceptible to pitting corrosion. This localized dissolution of an oxide-covered metal in specific aggressive environments is one of the most common and catastrophic causes of failure of metallic structures.