Polypy: A Framework to Interpret Polymer Properties from Mass Spectroscopy Data.

Mass spectroscopy (MS) is a robust technique for polymer characterization, and it can provide the chemical fingerprint of a complete sample regarding polymer distribution chains. Nevertheless, polymer chemical properties such as polydispersity (Pd), average molecular mass (Mn), weight average molecular mass (Mw) and others are not determined by MS, as they are commonly characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). In order to calculate polymer properties from MS, a Python script was developed to interpret polymer properties from spectroscopic raw data.

Aerosol Jet Printing of 3D Pillar Arrays from Photopolymer Ink.

An aerosol jet printing (AJP) printing head built on top of precise motion systems can provide positioning deviation down to 3 μm, printing areas as large as 20 cm × 20 cm × 30 cm, and five-axis freedom of movement. Typical uses of AJP are 2D printing on complex or flexible substrates, primarily for applications in printed electronics. Nearly all commercially available AJP inks for 2D printing are designed and optimized to reach desired electronic properties.

Inverted Hartmann mask made by deep X-ray lithography for single-shot multi-contrast X-ray imaging with laboratory setup.

This paper reports on the fabrication and characterization of an inverted Hartmann mask and its application for multi-contrast X-ray imaging of polymer composite material in a laboratory setup. Hartmann masks open new possibilities for high-speed X-ray imaging, obtaining orientation-independent information on internal structures without rotating the object. The mask was manufactured with deep X-ray lithography and gold electroplating on a low-absorbing polyimide substrate.

Oligocat: Oligoesters as Pseudo-Homogenous Catalysts for Biodiesel Synthesis.

Biodiesel production from first-generation feedstock has shown a strong correlation with the increase in deforestation and the necessity of larger areas for land farming. Recent estimation from the European Federation for Transport and Environment evidenced that since the 2000s decade, an area equal to the Netherlands was deforested to supply global biodiesel demand, mainly originating from first-generation feedstock. Nevertheless, biodiesel is renewable, and it can be a greener source of energy than petroleum.

Synthesis and Chemical Functionalization of Pseudo-Homogeneous Catalysts for Biodiesel Production-Oligocat.

With the increase in global demand for biodiesel, first generation feedstock has drawn the attention of governmental institutions due to the correlation with large land farming areas. The second and third feedstock generations are greener feedstock sources, nevertheless, they require different catalytic conditions if compared with first generation feedstock. In this work, we present the synthesis and characterization of oligoesters matrices and their functionalization to act as a pseudo-homogeneous acid catalyst for biodiesel production, named Oligocat.

Single-Shot Multicontrast X-ray Imaging for In Situ Visualization of Chemical Reaction Products.

We present the application of single-shot multicontrast X-ray imaging with an inverted Hartmann mask to the time-resolved in situ visualization of chemical reaction products. The real-time monitoring of an illustrative chemical reaction indicated the formation of the precipitate by the absorption, differential phase, and scattering contrast images obtained from a single projection. Through these contrast channels, the formation of the precipitate along the mixing line of the reagents, the border between the solid and the solution, and the presence of the scattering structures of 100-200 nm sizes were observed.

Lithographic Performance of Aryl Epoxy Thermoset Resins as Negative Tone Photoresist for Microlithography.

Photoresists (or photo-resins) are the main and most important raw material used for lithography techniques such as deep X-ray (DXRL), ultraviolet (UVL), deep-UV (DUVL), and extreme UV (EUVL). In previous work, we showed how complicated could be the synthesis of the resins used to produce photoresist. In this study, we follow up on the strategy of tuning deep and macro levels of properties to formulate photo-resins.

Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors based on 2D refractive lens arrays and super-resolution multi-contrast X-ray imaging.

Different approaches of 2D lens arrays as Shack-Hartmann sensors for hard X-rays are compared. For the first time, a combination of Shack-Hartmann sensors for hard X-rays (SHSX) with a super-resolution imaging approach to perform multi-contrast imaging is demonstrated. A diamond lens is employed as a well known test object.

Epoxy Resins for Negative Tone Photoresists.

One of the types of negative tone photoresists is composed of at least a catalyst, a solvent, and epoxy resin. This is the primary raw material for lithography technology. To ensure high-quality pattern transfer in the lithography process, it is crucial to control the properties of the photoresist.

Inverted Hartmann mask for single-shot phase-contrast x-ray imaging of dynamic processes.

In this Letter, we present the application of the inverted Hartmann mask for time-resolved single-shot phase-contrast x-ray imaging. The inverted Hartmann mask is a periodic array of free-standing gold pillars. The array is manufactured by UV lithography and electroplating.