Multifunctional tunable CuO and CuInS quantum dots on TiO nanotubes for efficient chemical oxidation of cholesterol and ibuprofen.

In this study, a CuInS/CuO/TiO nanotube (TNT) heterojunction-based hybrid material is reported for the selective detection of cholesterol and ibuprofen. Anodic TNTs were co-decorated with CuO and CuInS quantum dots (QDs) using a modified chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. QDs help trigger the chemical oxidation of cholesterol by cathodically generating hydroxyl radicals (˙OH).

Tin Oxide/Vertically Aligned Graphene Hybrid Electrodes Prepared by Sonication-Assisted Sequential Chemical Bath Deposition for High-Performance Supercapacitors.

Hybrid electrodes comprising metal oxides and vertically aligned graphene (VAG) are promising for high-performance supercapacitor applications because they enhance the synergistic effect owing to the large contact area between the two constituent materials. However, it is difficult to form metal oxides (MOs) up to the inner surface of a VAG electrode with a narrow inlet using conventional synthesis methods. Herein, we report a facile approach to fabricate SnO nanoparticle-decorated VAG electrodes (SnO@VAG) with excellent areal capacitance and cyclic stability using sonication-assisted sequential chemical bath deposition (S-SCBD).

Anodic SnO Nanoporous Structure Decorated with CuO Nanoparticles for Sensitive Detection of Creatinine: Experimental and DFT Study.

Advanced anodic SnO nanoporous structures decorated with CuO nanoparticles (NPs) were employed for creatinine detection. Anodization of electropolished Sn sheets in 0.3 M aqueous oxalic acid electrolyte under continuous stirring produced complete open top, crack-free, and smooth SnO nanoporous structures.

A Transparent Nano-Polycrystalline ZnWO Thin-Film Scintillator for High-Resolution X-ray Imaging.

Facile approaches for creating thin-film scintillators with high spatial resolutions and variable shapes are required to broaden the applicability of high-resolution X-ray imaging. In this study, a transparent nano-polycrystalline ZnWO thin-film scintillator was fabricated by thermal evaporation for high-resolution X-ray imaging. The scintillator is composed of nano-sized grains smaller than the optical wavelength range to minimize optical scattering.

Wetting Property Modification of AlO by Helium Ion Irradiation: Effects of Beam Energy and Fluence on Contact Angle.

In imparting wetting properties, a fabrication process without the addition of new compounds and deposition of coating layers would be the most desirable because it does not introduce additional complexities. Hence, the ion beam irradiation technique is used as it enables the chemistry of materials to be modified through simple adjustments of irradiation parameters such as the type of accelerated particles, beam energy, and fluence. In this study, the hydrophilicity of alumina surfaces was weakened by irradiating He ion beams of different energy levels (200 keV and 20 MeV).

tailoring the morphology of In(OH)nanostructures via surfactants during anodization and their transformation into InOnanoparticles.

The present work reports the effect of various surfactants on the morphology of In(OH)nanostructures prepared via anodization. In-sheets were anodized in an environmentally benign electrolyte containing a small quantity of CTAB, CTAC, and PDDA surfactants at room temperature. The produced nanostructures were characterized using XRD, HRTEM, SAED, and EDAX.

Improvement of Corrosion Resistance of Stainless Steel Welded Joint Using a Nanostructured Oxide Layer.

In this study, we fabricated a nanoporous oxide layer by anodization to improve corrosion resistance of type 304 stainless steel (SS) gas tungsten arc weld (GTAW). Subsequent heat treatment was performed to eliminate any existing fluorine in the nanoporous oxide layer. Uniform structures and compositions were analyzed with field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and X-ray diffractometer (XRD) measurements.

Effects of Electron Beam Irradiation on Mechanical and Thermal Shrinkage Properties of Boehmite/HDPE Nanocomposite Film.

Nanocomposites comprising high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and boehmite (BA) nanoparticles were prepared by melt blending and subsequently irradiated with electrons. Electron irradiation of HDPE causes crosslinking and, in the presence of BA, generates ketone functional groups. The functional groups can then form hydrogen bonds with the hydroxyl groups on the surface of the BA.

Voltage-Switchable Biosensor with Gold Nanoparticles on TiO Nanotubes Decorated with CdS Quantum Dots for the Detection of Cholesterol and HO.

A thin layer of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) sputtered on cadmium sulfide quantum dots (CdS QDs) decorated anodic titanium dioxide nanotubes (TNTs) (Au/CdS QDs/TNTs) was fabricated and explored for the nonenzymatic detection of cholesterol and hydrogen peroxide (HO). Morphological studies of the sensor revealed the formation of uniform nanotubes decorated with a homogeneously dispersed CdS QDs and Au NPs layer. The electrochemical measurements showed an enhanced electrocatalytic performance with a fast electron transfer (∼2 s) between the redox centers of each analyte and electrode surface.

Hydrophilicity Improvement of Polymer Surfaces Induced by Simultaneous Nuclear Transmutation and Oxidation Effects Using High-Energy and Low-Fluence Helium Ion Beam Irradiation.

Two commodity polymers, polystyrene (PS) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE), were irradiated by high-energy He ion beams at low fluence to examine the wettability changes at different fluences. The water contact angles of the PS and HDPE surfaces were reduced from 78.3° to 46.

Oxygen Content-Controllable Synthesis of Non-Stoichiometric Silicon Suboxide Nanoparticles by Electrochemical Anodization.

A facile route to producing non-stoichiometric silicon suboxide nanoparticles (SiO NPs, 0 < x < 1) with an adjustable oxygen content is proposed. The process is based on electrochemical anodization involving the application of a strong electric field near the surface of a Si electrode to directly convert the Si electrode into SiO NPs. The difference in ion mobility between oxygen species (O and OH), formed during anodization, causes the production of non-stoichiometric SiO on the surface of the Si while, simultaneously, fluoride ions in the electrolyte solution etch the formed SiO layer, generating NPs under the intense electric field.

ZnWO Nanoparticle Scintillators for High Resolution X-ray Imaging.

The effect of scintillator particle size on high-resolution X-ray imaging was studied using zinc tungstate (ZnWO) particles. The ZnWO particles were fabricated through a solid-state reaction between zinc oxide and tungsten oxide at various temperatures, producing particles with average sizes of 176.4 nm, 626.

Development of a high resolution x-ray inspection system using a carbon nanotube based miniature x-ray tube.

A new concept for a non-destructive testing device using a novel carbon nanotube (CNT) based miniature x-ray tube is proposed. The device can be used for small-scale internal inspection of objects. To investigate the effectiveness of the proposed concept, the device was fabricated and its performance was systematically analyzed.

Formation of a self-organized nanoporous structure with open-top morphology on 304L austenitic stainless steel.

A novel and simple method is reported for producing a self-organized nanoporous structure on austenitic stainless steel (SUS-304L) with open-top morphology. Uniform nanopores with a quasi-hexagonal arrangement were obtained on a very large scale with no crack formation by using single-step anodization. Electropolishing of SUS-304L in ethylene glycol monobutyl ether and perchloric acid electrolyte prior to anodization was the key factor to obtain self-organized and regularly ordered nanopores.

A Novel Route to High-Quality Graphene Quantum Dots by Hydrogen-Assisted Pyrolysis of Silicon Carbide.

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) can be highly beneficial in various fields due to their unique properties, such as having an effective charge transfer and quantum confinement. However, defects on GQDs hinder these properties, and only a few studies have reported fabricating high-quality GQDs with high crystallinity and few impurities. In this study, we present a novel yet simple approach to synthesizing high-quality GQDs that involves annealing silicon carbide (SiC) under low vacuum while introducing hydrogen (H) etching gas; no harmful chemicals are required in the process.

Biocompatible UV-absorbing polymer nanoparticles prepared by electron irradiation for application in sunscreen.

We present a novel approach to preparing non-toxic sunscreen active ingredients by electron irradiation of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles (NPs). Electron irradiation modifies the molecular structure of the polymers, generating conjugated aliphatic carbon-carbon double bonds in PMMA and conjugated aromatic rings in PS. The conjugation length increases as the electron fluence increases, leading to hyperchromic and bathochromic shifts in the UV-vis absorption spectra of the irradiated polymer NPs.

Ductilization of Nanoporous Ceramics by Crystallinity Control.

Synthesizing ceramic materials with a significant amount of deformability is one of the most important engineering pursuits. In this study, we demonstrate the emergence of metal-like plasticity through the crystallinity control in the monolithic zirconia with the vertically aligned honeycomb-like periodic nanopore structures fabricated using the anodizing technique. The crystalline orders of the nanoporous zirconia films vary between monoclinic, tetragonal, and amorphous phases after the heat treatment and/or proton irradiation, whereas the vertical pore structures are maintained.

Three-dimensional-printed vaginal applicators for electronic brachytherapy of endometrial cancers.

Purpose: Vaginal applicators for a novel miniature x-ray tube were developed using three-dimensional (3D) printing to be used in brachytherapy of endometrial cancers.

Methods: Cylindrical vaginal applicators with various diameters, lengths, and infill percentages (IFPs) were fabricated using a 3D printer. X-ray dose distributions and depth-dose profiles were calculated using a Monte Carlo simulation.

A novel route to the formation of 3D nanoflower-like hierarchical iron oxide nanostructure.

The present work reports the formation of 3D nanoflower-like morphology of iron alkoxide via the anodization of Fe sheet in ethylene glycol (EG) electrolyte. XRD, FESEM, EDX, XPS, Raman and FTIR are applied to characterize the samples. SEM results show that the as-anodized sample is composed of 3D nanoflowers with hierarchical nanosheets beneath it.

Patterning of Wrinkled Polymer Surfaces by Single-Step Electron Irradiation.

A novel yet simple approach to fabricate and pattern wrinkled surfaces on polymers is presented. Only by irradiating an electron beam onto a polymer, wrinkles are created on the polymer surface. Electron irradiation produces a bilayer polymeric structure comprising a degrading upper layer and a pristine bottom layer.

Synthesis of a Graphene-Like Nanofilm from Polyacrylonitrile.

There are various different approaches in synthesizing graphene including chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and solid-phase method, where gas or solid type carbon source, to be converted into graphene, interacts with transition metals such as nickel and copper. When any thin nickel layer coated atop the polyacrylonitrile (PAN) film is pyrolyzed at a sufficiently high temperature, it is impossible to grow a continuous graphene film with a large area owing to dewetting, which has restricted the subsequent utilization in practical applications. Herein, we suggest a method to synthesize a continuous graphene-like nanofilm with a nickel coated thin PAN film through pyrolysis at 750 to 800 °C in a high-vacuum furnace without a reductive gas flow.

Surface applicator of a miniature X-ray tube for superficial electronic brachytherapy of skin cancer.

Purpose: We designed and fabricated a surface applicator of a novel carbon nanotube (CNT)-based miniature X-ray tube for the use in superficial electronic brachytherapy of skin cancer. To investigate the effectiveness of the surface applicator, the performance of the applicator was numerically and experimentally analyzed.

Methods: The surface applicator consists of a graphite flattening filter and an X-ray shield.

Fabrication of Uniform Nanoporous Oxide Layers on Long Cylindrical Zircaloy Tubes by Anodization Using Multi-Counter Electrodes.

We have presented a method to prepare a uniform anodic nanoporous oxide film on the surface of a cylindrical zircaloy (Zr) tube. The distribution of the electric field around the Zr tube determines the distribution of the thickness of the anodic nanoporous oxide film. The electric field generated when a cylindrical Zr tube is electrochemically anodized was simulated by using commercial code COMSOL.

Effect of Electron-Beam Irradiation on Organic Semiconductor and Its Application for Transistor-Based Dosimeters.

The effects of electron-beam irradiation on the organic semiconductor rubrene and its application as a dosimeter was investigated. Through the measurements of photoluminescence and the ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, we found that electron-beam irradiation induces n-doping of rubrene. Additionally, we fabricated rubrene thin-film transistors with pristine and irradiated rubrene, and discovered that the decrease in transistor properties originated from the irradiation of rubrene and that the threshold voltages are shifted to the opposite directions as the irradiated layers.