Self-Powered Dye-Sensitized Solar-Cell-Based Synaptic Devices for Multi-Scale Time-Series Data Processing in Physical Reservoir Computing.

Physical reservoir computing (PRC) using synaptic devices has attracted attention as a promising edge artificial intelligence device. To handle time-series data on various time scales, it is necessary to fabricate devices with the desired time scale. In this study, we fabricated a dye-sensitized solar-cell-based synaptic device with controllable time constants by changing the light intensity.

Improving the Performance of a Triboelectric Nanogenerator by Using an Asymmetric TiO/PDMS Composite Layer.

To improve the output power of the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), we fabricated an asymmetric TiO/PDMS composite film in which a pure PDMS thin film was deposited as a capping layer on a TiO nanoparticles (NPs)-embedded PDMS composite film. Although in the absence of the capping layer, the output power decreased when the content of TiO NPs exceeded a certain value, the asymmetric TiO/PDMS composite films showed that the output power increased with increasing content. The maximum output power density was approximately 0.

Direct formation of carbon nanotube wiring with controlled electrical resistance on plastic films.

We have developed a simple method to fabricate multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) wiring on a plastic film at room temperature under atmosphere pressure. By irradiating a MWNT thin film coated on a polypropylene (PP) film with a laser, a conductive wiring made of a composite of MWNT and PP can be directly fabricated on the PP film. The resistance of MWNT wiring fabricated using this method were ranging from 0.

Light-Driven Flying Balloons Based on Hybrids of Carbon Nanotubes and Cellulose Nanofibers.

We have fabricated nanocarbon-based palm-sized cubic paper balloons that can be levitated by light irradiation. These paper balloons are composed of carbon nanotube (CNT) freestanding films and cellulose nanofiber (CNF) freestanding films. The number of CNT freestanding films () and the number of CNF freestanding films (6-) among the six walls of the cube were varied.

Freestanding Translucent ZnO-Cellulose Nanocomposite Films for Ultraviolet Sensor Applications.

The rapidly advancing technology of wearable and miniaturized electronics has increased the demand for low-cost high-performance flexible sensors. Herein, the preparation of translucent freestanding films consisting of cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) and ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) via a simple spray coating method is presented. The obtained nanocomposite films were thin (~10 µm) and flexible.

Fabrication of Eutectic Ga-In Nanowire Arrays Based on Plateau-Rayleigh Instability.

We have developed a simple method of fabricating liquid metal nanowire (NW) arrays of eutectic GaIn (EGaIn). When an EGaIn droplet anchored on a flat substrate is pulled perpendicular to the substrate surface at room temperature, an hourglass shaped EGaIn is formed. At the neck of the shape, based on the Plateau-Rayleigh instability, the EGaIn bridge with periodically varying thicknesses is formed.

Dispersion of Carbon Nanotubes with "Green" Detergents.

Solubilization of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is a fundamental technique for the use of CNTs and their conjugates as nanodevices and nanobiodevices. In this work, we demonstrate the preparation of CNT suspensions with "green" detergents made from coconuts and bamboo as fundamental research in CNT nanotechnology. Single-walled CNTs (SWNTs) with a few carboxylic acid groups (3-5%) and pristine multi-walled CNTs (MWNTs) were mixed in each detergent solution and sonicated with a bath-type sonicator.

Carbon nanotube/polydimethylsiloxane composite micropillar arrays using non-lithographic silicon nanowires as a template for performance enhancement of triboelectric nanogenerators.

Carbon nanotube/polydimethylsiloxane composite micropillar (CNT/PDMS MP) arrays were successfully fabricated using non-lithographic silicon nanowire (SiNW) arrays as a template for performance enhancement of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG). The CNT/PDMS MP arrays were obtained by pouring CNT/PDMS composites on the SiNW arrays and peeled off. Surface topology of CNT/PDMS composites directly depends on morphology of SiNW arrays, which can be varied by the etching time of the typical metal-assisted chemical etching process.

Preparation of alkyl-modified silicon nanosheets by hydrosilylation of layered polysilane (Si6H6).

Alkyl-modified crystalline silicon nanosheets 2 were synthesized and maintained the crystal structure of a Si(111) plane, in which the dangling silicon bond is stabilized by capping with the alkyl group. 2 was characterized using UV-vis, Fourier transform-infrared, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies; X-ray diffraction; and X-ray absorption near edge structure analysis. A model structure is proposed that has a periodicity through the nanosheet surface.