Patterning and control of the nanostructure in plasma thin films with acoustic waves: mechanical vs. electrical polarization effects

The effect of high-frequency acoustic wave vibration pattern on HKUST's multi-level pore structure

The physical properties of materials are critical to their functionality, and the ability to control these properties using external forces is a significant challenge. In this study, we investigate the effect of three high frequency acoustic wave vibration patterns on the structure and morphology of MOF particles. Our results indicate that while regular vibration patterns generated by SAW can alter particle morphology, hybrid waves and Lamb waves with irregular vibration patterns can synthesise MOF crystals with multi-level pores. The vibration pattern of acoustic waves is shown to be a critical factor in controlling the particle morphology process. These results provide new insights into the precise control of crystal structure and the theory of crystallisation by particle attachment (CPA).

Influence of Deposition Parameters on Structural and Electrochemical Properties of Ti/Ti2N Films Deposited by RF-Magnetron Sputtering

The titanium nitride (Ti2N) films have good mechanical properties, such as high hardness and chemical stability, giving Ti2N good resistance to wear and corrosion. The properties of films deposited by PVD techniques are determined by their structure, microstructure, composition, and morphology that depend on the deposition parameters, such as substrate temperature, vacuum pressure, and the distance between the target and the substrate. The influence of these parameters has been studied individually. This work studied the structure, morphology, composition, and electrochemical behavior of Ti/Ti2N films deposited by RF-magnetron sputtering on carbon steel, such as a function of the power of the RF source, substrate temperature, and the target to substrate distance and the Ar/N2 ratio. The film structure was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), the morphology of cross-section by SEM, the semi-quantitative composition by EDS, and the electrochemical properties was studied by open circuit potential, potentiodynamic polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. The films showed two phases of Ti and Ti2N. The SEM-EDS exhibited a morphology according to the Stranski–Krastanov or layer-plus-island growth model. The substrate temperature of 450 °C strongly influences the electrochemical properties.

Tailoring Vibrational Signature and Functionality of 2D-Ordered Linear-Chain Carbon-Based Nanocarriers for Predictive Performance Enhancement of High-End Energetic Materials

A recently proposed, game-changing transformative energetics concept based on predictive synthesis and preprocessing at the nanoscale is considered as a pathway towards the development of the next generation of high-end nanoenergetic materials for future multimode solid propulsion systems and deep-space-capable small satellites. As a new door for the further performance enhancement of transformative energetic materials, we propose the predictive ion-assisted pulse-plasma-driven assembling of the various carbon-based allotropes, used as catalytic nanoadditives, by the 2D-ordered linear-chained carbon-based multicavity nanomatrices serving as functionalizing nanocarriers of multiple heteroatom clusters. The vacant functional nanocavities of the nanomatrices available for heteroatom doping, including various catalytic nanoagents, promote heat transfer enhancement within the reaction zones. We propose the innovative concept of fine-tuning the vibrational signatures, functionalities and nanoarchitectures of the mentioned nanocarriers by using the surface acoustic waves-assisted micro/nanomanipulation by the pulse-plasma growth zone combined with the data-driven carbon nanomaterials genome approach, which is a deep materials informatics-based toolkit belonging to the fourth scientific paradigm. For the predictive manipulation by the micro- and mesoscale, and the spatial distribution of the induction and energy release domains in the reaction zones, we propose the activation of the functionalizing nanocarriers, assembled by the heteroatom clusters, through the earlier proposed plasma-acoustic coupling-based technique, as well as by the Teslaphoresis force field, thus inducing the directed self-assembly of the mentioned nanocarbon-based additives and nanocarriers.