Eco-Friendly and Low-Cost Synthesis of Transparent Antiviral- and Antibacterial-Coated Films Based on CuO and MIL-53(Al).

This research presents the development of an innovative antimicrobial coating consisting of cuprous oxide (CuO) integrated with the metal-organic framework MIL-53(Al) through an eco-friendly and low-cost synthesis method that employs glucose as a reducing agent under mild conditions. The microstructural properties of the composite materials were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The antibacterial efficacy of the CuO-MIL-53(Al) (CuM) composite was assessed against and , achieving a reduction efficacy of 99.

Improvement of optical properties of AISI 304 as a solar absorber using a pulsed fiber laser.

Solar energy is an environmentally friendly and inexhaustible natural resource. It can be converted into thermal energy by using concentrated solar power (CSP) methods. One of the key components of CSP is a solar absorber, which absorbs concentrated solar radiation and converts it into heat.

Anti-Icing Property of Superhydrophobic Nanostructured Brass via Deposition of Silica Nanoparticles and Nanolaser Treatment.

Ice accumulation on brass surfaces can lead to heat transfer inefficiency, equipment degradation, and potential accidents. To address this issue, superhydrophobic surface technology is utilized. This work aims to develop superhydrophobic nanostructured brass surfaces using the combination of nanolaser ablation and the deposition of silica nanoparticles to achieve the anti-icing property.

Enhanced Solar Reflectance and Superhydrophobic Properties of Functionalized Silica-Coated Copper Phthalocyanine Pigments by the Sol-Gel Process.

This research studies the physical, superhydrophobic, and optical properties of functionalized silica-coated copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) pigments. The silica coating was confirmed by the size increase and the atomic ratio of silicon and copper of the coated pigments. Under optimal conditions, the green and blue shades of the pigments were enhanced as indicated by the increase in solar reflectance at 450-540 nm for the CuPc green and 380-520 nm for the CuPc blue.

Template- and Magnetic Field-Free Chemical Reduction of Ni Nanochains for Ni-AlO Cermet Films: Growth Control, Characterization, and Application.

Cermet-based solar absorbers containing nickel (Ni) in a nanochain (NC) structure embedded in an aluminum oxide (AlO) film demonstrated a high absorptance of more than 90% of the solar spectrum. In this work, Ni NCs were successfully prepared by a simple chemical reduction method without the assistance of a template or magnetic field. The formation of Ni nanoparticles (NPs) in different configurations was controlled by adjusting the NaOH:NiCl molar ratio.

Opal-templated films for optical strain sensing.

A polydimethylsiloxane film patterned by a self-assembled array has been demonstrated as a strain sensor. A monolayer of 580 nm polystyrene spheres prepared by convective deposition was the template to transfer a periodic pattern to a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film. Optical diffraction through the stretched PDMS film, enabled strain sensing perpendicular and parallel to the stretching direction, with sensitivities of 1.

Low-Temperature Processed TiO/ZnCdS Nanocomposite for Efficient MAPbICl Perovskite and PCDTBT:PCBM Polymer Solar Cells.

The majority of high-performance perovskite and polymer solar cells consist of a TiO electron transport layer (ETL) processed at a high temperature (>450 °C). Here, we demonstrate that low-temperature (80 °C) ETL thin film of TiO:ZnCdS can be used as an effective ETL and its band energy can be tuned by varying the TiO:ZnCdS ratio. At the optimal ratio of 50:50 (vol%), the MAPbICl perovskite and PCBTBT:PCBM polymer solar cells achieved 9.

Preparation of Surlyn films reinforced with cellulose nanofibres and feasibility of applying the transparent composite films for organic photovoltaic encapsulation.

This research concerns the development of Surlyn film reinforced with micro-/nanofibrillated celluloses (MFC) for use as an encapsulant in organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells. The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of fibre types and the mixing methods on the structure-properties of the composite films. Three types of cellulose micro/nanofibrils were prepared: the as-received MFC, the dispersed MFC and the esterified MFC.

Effect of Ionic Strength and Surface Charge on Convective Deposition.

Particle-particle and particle-substrate interactions play a crucial role in capillary driven convective self-assembly for continuous deposition of particles. This systematic study demonstrates the nontrivial effects of varying surface charge and ionic strength of monosized silica microspheres in water on the quality of the deposited monolayer. Increase in particle surface charge results a broader range of parameters that result in monolayer deposition which can be explained considering the particle-substrate electrostatic repulsion in solution.

Spacing of Seeded and Spontaneous Streaks during Convective Deposition.

Convective deposition is widely used to deposit a highly ordered and uniform layer of monosized particles from solution by drawing the particles into an advancing thin film that uses capillary forces to define their local orientation. This process is often plagued by the formation of streaks, the regions where particles accumulate due to a local flux inhomogeneity. Flow occurs in the direction orthogonal to the deposition direction and parallel to the substrate near the streaks due to enhanced evaporation where particles have accumulated.

Flow-induced alignment of (100) fcc thin film colloidal crystals.

The realization of structural diversity in colloidal crystals obtained by self-assembly techniques remains constrained by thermodynamic considerations and current limits on our ability to alter structure over large scales using imposed fields and confinement. In this work, a convective-based procedure to fabricate multi-layer colloidal crystal films with extensive square-like symmetry is enabled by periodic substrate motion imposed during the continuous assembly. The formation of film-spanning domains of (100) fcc symmetry as a result of added vibration is robust across a range of micron-scale monosized spherical colloidal suspensions (e.