STEM in situ thermal wave observations for investigating thermal diffusivity in nanoscale materials and devices.

Practical techniques to identify heat routes at the nanoscale are required for the thermal control of microelectronic, thermoelectric, and photonic devices. Nanoscale thermometry using various approaches has been extensively investigated, yet a reliable method has not been finalized. We developed an original technique using thermal waves induced by a pulsed convergent electron beam in a scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) mode at room temperature.

Adenocarcinoma in situ admixed with small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix: A case report with cytological features.

Primary cervical small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (SCNEC) is a rare and aggressive tumor. Herein, we describe the first cytological case of adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) admixed with SCNEC. A 65-year-old postmenopausal Japanese female presented with abnormal genital bleeding.

Surfactant-Triggered Nanoarchitectonics of Fullerene C Crystals at a Liquid-Liquid Interface.

Here, we report the structural and morphological modulation of fullerene C crystals induced by nonionic surfactants diglycerol monolaurate (CG) and monomyristate (CG). C crystals synthesized at a liquid-liquid interface comprising isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and a saturated solution of C in ethylbenzene (EB) exhibited a one-dimensional (1D) morphology with well-defined faceted structure. Average length and diameter of the faceted rods were ca.

Nanoporous carbon tubes from fullerene crystals as the π-electron carbon source.

Here we report the thermal conversion of one-dimensional (1D) fullerene (C60) single-crystal nanorods and nanotubes to nanoporous carbon materials with retention of the initial 1D morphology. The 1D C60 crystals are heated directly at very high temperature (up to 2000 °C) in vacuum, yielding a new family of nanoporous carbons having π-electron conjugation within the sp(2)-carbon robust frameworks. These new nanoporous carbon materials show excellent electrochemical capacitance and superior sensing properties for aromatic compounds compared to commercial activated carbons.

The origin of the n-type behavior in rare earth borocarbide Y1-xB28.5C4.

Synthesis conditions, morphology, and thermoelectric properties of Y1-xB28.5C4 were investigated. Y1-xB28.

Microstructure and high-temperature strength of textured and non-textured ZrB ceramics.

Zirconium diboride (ZrB) ceramic possesses a unique combination of nice mechanical performance, high melting point (> 3000 °C) and great high-temperature oxidation resistance (up to 1600 °C), which makes it a promising material system for ever-increasing ultra-high temperature (UHT) applications. However, ZrB suffers from poor mechanical performance at UHTs, which could strongly limit its applications at UHT. Here, we successfully demonstrate that texturing is an effective strategy to greatly enhance the flexural strength of monolithic ZrB, reaching a high value of 810 ± 60 MPa at 1600 °C when loaded in -axis direction.

Physical and mechanical properties of highly textured polycrystalline NbAlC ceramic.

Highly textured polycrystalline NbAlC ceramic was fabricated by slip casting in a strong magnetic field followed by spark plasma sintering. Its Lotgering orientation factor was determined on the textured top and side surfaces as ∼1.0 and =0.

Effect of Zn doping on improving crystal quality and thermoelectric properties of borosilicides.

Transition-metal (Mo, Mn, Fe, Rh, Ti, Cu, Zn) doping was carried out on the borosilicide compound REB(44)Si(2) (RE = rare earth). REB(44)Si(2) compounds exhibit Seebeck coefficients greater than 200 microV K(-1) at high temperatures and unlike most compounds, the figure of merit shows a steep increase at T > 1000 K making them promising high-temperature thermoelectric materials. Although zinc itself does not remain in the final product, zinc doping was found to improve the crystal quality, which has been a long-standing problem for the borosilicides.

Aqueous colloidal processing of single-wall carbon nanotubes and their composites with ceramics.

A unique combination of acid treatment, aqueous colloidal processing, and spark-plasma sintering (SPS) has been used to fabricate high-density Al2O3 /single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) composites with well-distributed SWNTs and other carbon nanostructures ('nano-onions', diamond) at Al2O3 grain boundaries. This approach could be used to obtain well-controlled microstructures of ceramic/SWNT composites for tailored mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties. In addition, the colloidal approach for dispersing SWNTs presented here could be used for the controlled manipulation of SWNTs.