National Institute Of Materials Physics - Romania

The time-dependent transport of a 2D quantum wire (QW) connected to source/drain leads and electrostatically coupled to a singly-clamped InAs cantilever is investigated. The latter is placed above the nanowire and acts as a nanoresonator (NR) in the quantum regime. The vibron dynamics and the transport properties of this nano-electromechanical system (NEMS) are described within a generalized master equation approach which is exact with respect to the electron-vibron coupling. A detailed description of the electron-vibron coupling by taking into account its dependence on the wavefunctions of the quantum nanowire is introduced. It is shown that the tunneling processes in the QW trigger periodic oscillations of the average vibron number even in the absence of a bias. The time-dependent filling of the vibronic states changes as the nanoresonator is swept along the quantum wire.

NixCo1-xFe2O4/SiO(2)nanocomposites (x = 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.00) were synthetized by a modified solgel method. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns revealed the crystalline phases and the crystallite size variation with increasing annealing temperature and Ni content. The lattice constants, cell volume, X-ray density, hopping length in A and B sites, average crystallites size and relative crystallinity calculated from XRD data are consistent with the mixed spinel structure. The transmission electron microscopy images reveal the spherical shape of nanoparticles and their size increase with increasing annealing temperature. The magnetic properties such as saturation magnetization (M-s), remanent magnetization (M-r), coercivity (H-c), magnetic moments per unit cell (n(B)) and anisotropy (K) decrease with increasing Ni content, but they increase with the annealing temperature due to the influence of the cation stoichiometry and their specific sites occupancy. The Mossbauer spectra showed the characteristic magnetic patterns of Co and Ni spinels and revealed only the presence of Fe3+. The Ni-rich nanocomposites presented superparamagnetic behavior, while the Ni-poor nanocomposites ferromagnetic behavior. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Powders of molybdenum disulfide platelets strongly grafted on graphene have been prepared by pyrolysis of ammonium alginate containing adsorbed various proportions of (NH4)(2)MoS4. After pyrolysis, formation of MoS2 supported on graphene was determined by XRD and electron microscopy and spectroscopic techniques. MoS2/G exhibits catalytic activity for the methanation of CO2, the performance being optimal at intermediate loadings. The catalytic activity of sharply contrasts with that of bulk MoS2 that promotes the reverse water gas shift, affording CO as the main product. Characterization of the spent MoS2/G catalyst shows the partial conversion of external MoS2 into MoO3. Comparison of the catalytic activity of MoS2/G with that of MoO3/G shows that the latter is less efficient, but more selective for CO2 methanation.

In this work, the influence of silicotungstic acid concentration on the diphenylamine (DPA) electro-polymerization in the absence and the presence of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) is studied. The optical properties of the composites based on polydiphenylamine (PDPA) doped with the H4SiW12O40 heteropolyanions and RGO are investigated by Raman scattering, IR absorption spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL). The presence of RGO induces an up-shift of the oxidation maximum of the DPA, as a result of a covalent functionalization process of graphene sheets with the polymer in the doped state. The deposition of PDPA onto RGO sheets surface is confirmed by the Raman scattering studies. Regardless of the H4SiW12O40 concentration, an up-shift of the IR bands from 910 to 1014 cm(-1) to similar to 920 and 1022 cm(-1) is reported as a consequence of the compensation of positive charges of PDPA macromolecular chains with of the H4SiW12O40 heteropolyanions. An enhancement in the absorbance of the IR bands situated in the spectral range 750-1050 cm(-1) accompanied of a decrease in the relative intensity of the PL bands of PDPA and their composites with RGO, as increasing the H4SiW12O40 concentration, is reported. In the presence of RGO, a change in the PDPA PL spectra profile is also highlighted. (C) 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

We propose a simple strategy to obtain a luminescence intensity ratio nanothermometer operating in the near infrared range (1000-1700 nm) by use of binary mixtures of lanthanide doped Y2O3 selected as 1% Ho - Y2O3 + 1%Er - Y2O3 and 1%Ho - Y2O3 + 1%Nd - Y2O3. All nanoparticles were synthetized by citrate complexation method and thermally annealed at 800 degrees C. The temperature evolution of the emission properties was monitored in the range of 297-472 K and analyzed in terms of emission shape, intensity, dynamics, excitation wavelength, acquisition mode and weight ratio of the binary mixture. A maximum relative sensitivity of 1%K-1 at 297 K was recorded for the 3/1 weight ratio Ho - Y2O3 + Er - Y2O3 binary mixture upon excitation at 536.8 nm. For the more appropriate excitation wavelength for bioimaging applications at 649.7 nm, a relative sensitivity of 0.55-0.6% K-1 was recorded in the relevant physiological temperature range (300-320 K) for the 3/1 weight ratio Ho - Y2O3 + Er - Y2O3 binary mixture. To the best of our knowledge, our study also represents a first report on the near -infrared luminescence (around 1200 nm) lifetime thermometry for a Ho doped nanoparticle. Comparison with the literature demonstrates that our system represents a promising near-infrared thermometer, with a non-sophisticated and reproducible configuration that is open to multiple optimization routes. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

We investigate how far the hysteresis-free behavior of perovskite solar cells can be reproduced using particular pre-conditioning and measurement conditions. As there are currently more and more reports of perovskite solar cells without J-V hysteresis it is crucial to distinguish between genuine performance improvements and measurement artifacts. We focus on two of the parameters that influence the dynamic J-V scans, namely the bias scan rate and the bias poling voltage, and point out measurement conditions for achieving a hysteresis-free behavior. In this context we discuss the suitability of defining a hysteresis index (HI) for the characterization of dynamic J-V scans. Using HI, aging effects are also investigated, establishing a potential connection between the sample degradation and the variation of the maximal hysteresis on one hand, and the relaxation time scale of the slow process on the other hand. Pre-poling induced recombination effects are identified. In addition, our analysis based on sample pre-biasing reveals potential indications regarding two types of slow processes, with two different relaxation time scales, which provides further insight regarding ionic migration.

The influence of the B type cation from the ABO(3) perovskite formulation La0.75Sr0.25XO3 (LSX, where X is Fe, Mn or Cr) on the C and H2S tolerance and its catalytic activity for the methane/water reaction has been studied. The samples were prepared by a simple and cost-efficient citrate method. The exhaustive characterization of the bulk and surface properties of the catalysts has been accomplished by means of complementary methods: nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm measurements, XRD, TPR and XPS. Their catalytic properties in CH4/H2O reactions (CH4/H2O molar ratios of 10 and 1) were studied in the presence and absence of H2S in order to evaluate their potential use as anode materials in solid oxide fuel cells operated on natural gas. Before addition and upon suppression of H2S, the activity varied in the following order: LSF > LSM >> LSC. This correlates with the oxygen mobility determined by TPR. A strong promoting effect of H2S on the catalytic activity is observed for LSC, which makes this sample the most active of the series, while H2S has a weak influence on the other perovskites. The oxygen vacancies and the presence of S2- were identified as being responsible for the enhanced catalytic activity upon H2S addition.

The synthesis of semiconductor nanocrystals with controlled doping is highly challenging, as often a significant part of the doping ions are found segregated at nanocrystals surface, even forming secondary phases, rather than incorporated in the core. We have investigated the dopant distribution dynamics under slight changes in the preparation procedure of nanocrystalline ZnO doped with manganese in low concentration by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, paying attention to the formation of transient secondary phases and their transformation into doped ZnO. The acidification of the starting solution in the co-precipitation synthesis from nitrate precursors lead to the decrease of the Mn2+ ions concentration in the core of the ZnO nanocrystals and their accumulation in minority phases, until similar to 79% of the Mn2+ ions were localized in a thin disordered shell of zinc hydroxynitrate (ZHN). A lower synthesis temperature resulted in polycrystalline Mn-doped ZHN. Under isochronal annealing up to 250 degrees C the bulk ZHN and the minority phases from the ZnO samples decomposed into ZnO. The Mn2+ ions distribution in the annealed nanocrystals was significantly altered, varying from a uniform volume distribution to a preferential localization in the outer layers of the nanocrystals. Our results provide a synthesis strategy for tailoring the dopant distribution in ZnO nanocrystals for applications ranging from surface based to ones involving core properties.

This paper presents an evaluation regarding the influence of substrate material characteristics and deposition parameters on the tribological behaviour of carbon-based coatings. Chromium nitride ceramic interlayers and carbon-based thin films were deposited by magnetron sputtering on hardened AISI 5115 (16MnCr5) case hardening steel. The physical vapour deposition (PVD) deposition was performed at three different temperatures: 180 degrees C, 200 degrees C and 250 degrees C. The chemical composition of the samples was assessed by Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS), the structure by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and the surface morphology by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The surface chemistry was analysed by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman Spectroscopy. The coatings are homogeneous, amorphous, with a smooth surface. The mechanical behaviour has been assessed on a pin-on disk rotational tribometer (wear characteristics), on a micro scratch tester (adhesion to the substrate), by ball-cratering (film thickness) and by nanoindentation (hardness and the modulus of elasticity). A strong correlation has been observed between the substrate characteristics and, more importantly, the deposition temperature, and the mechanical properties of the assembly. The fracture toughness is positively influenced by the presence of the ceramic chromium nitride interlayer. The modulus of elasticity and friction coefficient (both in dry and lubricated conditions) are decreased for higher deposition temperatures, however the higher deposition temperature negatively affects the mechanical characteristics of the steel substrate.

Technologically relevant tetragonal/cubic phases of HfO2 can be stabilized at room temperature by doping with trivalent rare earths using various approaches denoted generically as bulk coprecipitation. Using in situ/ex situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and in situ/ex situ site-selective, time-gated luminescence spectroscopy, we show that wet impregnation of hafnia nanoparticles with 10% Eu oxide followed by mild calcination in air at 500 degrees C produces an efficient stabilization of the cubic phase, comparable to that obtained by bulk precipitation. The physical reasons behind the apparently conflictual data concerning the actual crystallographic phase and the local symmetry around the Eu stabilizer and how these can be mediated by luminescence analysis are also discussed. Apparently, the cubic crystal structure symmetry determined by XRD results in a pseudocubic/tetragonal local structure around Eu determined by luminescence. Considering the recent findings on wet impregnated CeO2 and ZrO2, it is concluded that CeO2, ZrO2, and HfO2 represent a unique case of a family of oxides that is extremely tolerant to heavy doping by wet impregnation. In this way, the same batch of preformed nanoparticles can be doped with different lanthanide concentrations or with various lanthanides at a fixed concentration, allowing a systematic and reliable investigation of the effect of doping, lanthanide type, and lanthanide concentration on the various functionalities of these technologically relevant oxides.