Search results for "amorphous"
showing 10 items of 790 documents
Strong stabilization of amorphous calcium carbonate emulsion by ovalbumin: gaining insight into the mechanism of 'polymer-induced liquid precursor' p…
2011
8 pages; International audience; The impact of the ovo proteins ovalbumin and lysozyme-present in the first stage of egg shell formation-on the homogeneous formation of the liquid amorphous calcium carbonate (LACC) precursor, was studied by a combination of complementing methods: in situ WAXS, SANS, XANES, TEM, and immunogold labeling. Lysozyme (pI = 9.3) destabilizes the LACC emulsion whereas the glycoprotein ovalbumin (pI = 4.7) extends the lifespan of the emulsified state remarkably. In the light of the presented data: (a) Ovalbumin is shown to behave commensurable to the 'polymer-induced liquid precursor' (PILP) process proposed by Gower et al. Ovalbumin can be assumed to take a key rol…
Molecular dynamics simulations of the nano-scale room-temperature oxidation of aluminum single crystals
2005
The oxidation of aluminum single crystals is studied using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with dynamic charge transfer between atoms. The simulations are performed on three aluminum low-index surfaces ((1 0 0), (1 1 0) and (1 1 1)) at room temperature. The results show that the oxide film growth kinetics is independent of the crystallographic orientation under the present conditions. Beyond a transition regime (100 ps) the growth kinetics follow a direct logarithmic law and present a limiting thickness of 3 nm. The obtained amorphous structure of the oxide film has initially Al excess (compared to the composition of Al2O3) and evolves, during the oxidation process, to an Al percentage …
Diffusion and Reactions of Photoinduced Interstitial Oxygen Atoms in Amorphous SiO2 Impregnated with 18O-Labeled Interstitial Oxygen Molecules
2014
Both diffusion and reactions of interstitial oxygen atoms (O0) in amorphous SiO2 (a-SiO2) were examined using oxygen-excess a-SiO2 containing 18O-labeled interstitial oxygen molecules (O2) and exposed to F2 laser light (hν = 7.9 eV). Both the F2 laser photolysis of interstitial O2 at 77 K and subsequent heat treatment at ≳200 °C give rise to oxygen exchange between residual interstitial O2 and oxygen atoms in the a-SiO2 network, and these temperatures are far lower than the temperature at which conventional thermal network-interstitial oxygen exchange in unirradiated a-SiO2 occurs (≳700 °C). However, at the initial stage of the low-temperature F2 laser photolysis, an efficient formation of …
Surface investigation of plasma HMDSO membranes post-treated by CF4/Ar plasma
2002
Fluorination treatment has been performed on polysiloxane membranes using a plasma glow discharge of a gases mixture CF4 and argon (plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition). Atomic force microscopy, XPS analyses and contact angle measurements have been undertaken to explain the surface transformation and behavior, which strongly depend on the morphology, the composition and the hydrophilic/hydrophobic character of the plasma-polymerized initial membranes. Main result is that fluorination, which leads to hydrophobic membranes, has a more relevant effect on amorphous silica-like membranes than on polymer-like ones, according to their chemical composition whereas the plasma surface reaction …
<title>Amorphous As-S-Se films for holographic recording</title>
2003
The amorphous As40S15Se45 films as recording media for optical holography were studied. The results on research of transmission and Bragg grating holographic recording and readout conditions are presented. The recording of transmission holographic gratings was performed by He-Ne (0.6328 μm) or Kr+ (0.6764 μm) laser beam, while the readout of the diffraction efficiency was made at Bragg angle using He-Ne (0.6328 and 1.15 μm) or diode (0.805 μm) laser lines. It is shown that self-enhancement of Bragg grating reflectors is possible. The influence of thin film interference conditions on holographic recording parameters is demonstrated.© (2003) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optic…
<title>Bragg and asymmetric-relief reflection gratings in As-S-Se thin films</title>
2005
Bragg and asymmetric-relief gratings and their formation in the amorphous As-S-Se films are discussed. Due to the high refractive index and its photoinduced change, the films are useful in holography. The thickness of the As0.4S0.15Se0.45 and As0.4S0.3Se0.3 films used in the Bragg gratings is optimized. The dependence of the dimaction efficiency of the asymmetric-relief gratings on the conditions of recording, chemical treating, and reading out (polarization and angle) is studied.© (2005) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Dielectric spectroscopy measurements of the sub-Tg relaxations in amorphous ethyl cellulose: A relaxation magnitude study
2005
Amorphous ethyl cellulose exhibits three secondary relaxations at temperatures below its glass transition. The fitted parameters that describe these processes and the comparison with other polysaccharides allow to ascribe the relaxations to lateral groups on one hand and to local main chain motion on the other hand. Their contributions to the dielectric constant overlap and induce a broad dielectric losses peak. The amplitude of one of these relaxations is found to decrease regularly with time. It is believed it comes from a gradual change of the polar groups chemical environment that constrains their motion.
Opportunities and Challenges of Fluorescent Carbon Dots in Translational Optical Imaging
2015
The fluorescent carbon dot (C-dot) is a new class of carbon nanomaterials. It has a discrete or quasispherical structure, typically measures less than 10 nm and contains sp(2)/sp(3) carbon, oxygen/nitrogen-based groups and surface-modified functional groups. Compared with semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), C-dots offer much lower toxicity and a better biocompatibility profile. Their other favorable features include easy and inexpensive synthesis and surface modification potential. C-dots can be morphologically classified into graphene-based quantum dots (GQDs) and amorphous carbon nanodots (ACNDs). Numerous methods have been developed to synthesize C-dots, and are mainly divided into 'top-do…
Conditioning following powder micronization: influence on particle growth of salbutamol sulfate.
2003
Micronization is a high-energy process that induces changes in the crystallinity of materials. As a result, the crystalline structures on the particles' surface are being destroyed and amorphous areas are formed. After micronization of salbutamol sulfate to be used in dry powder inhalers, only small amounts of amorphous material are produced. Nevertheless, even these small amounts can have important effects on the physical stability of the powder. The amorphous state is thermodynamically unstable and tends to convert to the stable, crystalline state. The recrystallization process of disordered regions on the particles' surface leads to particle growth of milled particles. In this case, brid…
Structural phase transitions on the nanoscale: The crucial pattern in the phase-change materialsGe2Sb2Te5and GeTe
2007
Phase-change materials are of immense importance for optical recording and computer memory, but the structure of the amorphous phases and the nature of the phase transition in the nanoscale bits pose continuing challenges. Massively parallel density functional simulations have been used to characterize the amorphous structure of the prototype materials ${\mathrm{Ge}}_{2}{\mathrm{Sb}}_{2}{\mathrm{Te}}_{5}$ and GeTe. In both, there is long-ranged order among Te atoms and the crucial structural motif is a four-membered ring with alternating atoms of types $A$ (Ge and Sb) and $B$ (Te), an ``$ABAB$ square.'' The rapid amorphous-to-crystalline phase change is a reorientation of disordered $ABAB$ …