National Institute Of Materials Physics - Romania

Durable biocompatible metal vascular implants are still one of the significant challenges of contemporary medicine. This work presents the preparation of ferromagnetic biomaterials with shape memory in metal strips based on FePd (30 at% Pd) that is either not doped or doped with Ga and Mn, coated with poly(benzofuran-co-arylacetic acid) or polyglutamic acid. The coating of the metal strips with polymers was achieved after the metal surface had been previously treated with open-air cold plasma. The final functionalization was performed to induce anti-thrombogenic/thrombolytic properties in the resulting materials. SEM-EDX microscopy and X-ray photoelectron microscopy (XPS) determined the morphology and composition of the metal strips covered with polymers. In vitro tests of standardized thromboplastin time (PTT) and prothrombin time (PT) were performed to evaluate the thrombogenicity of these biofunctionalized materials for future possible monitoring of the implant in patients.

Boron powders with Mg were coated with polytrifluorochloroethylene (PCTFE, fluorine content is 52.6 wt%) and perfluoropelargonic acid (PFPA, fluorine content is 69.6 wt%). They were used to fabricate propellants that were burnt in a reaction chamber designed and fabricated in our lab. Combustion products were studied by Raman spectroscopy, powder agglomeration analysis, electron microscopy, and thermal analysis. Results indicate that surface modification of the initial powder by fluorine-containing components decrease the agglomeration of the combustion products and the strongest effect is for PCTFE. Powders microstructural features and thermal stability of the coatings are discussed as being at the origin of different behavior during combustion of the propellants.(c) 2021 The Combustion Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The present work provides a new approach to the water denitration process and a facile strategy of catalyst preparation for the efficient hydrogen generation. The main focus of the research reported here was nitrate removal from aqueous solutions and simultaneous hydrogen generation under UV-Vis-light irradiation. This is a very important aspect in case of practical applications, eliminating the external source of hydrogen. Aiming to get a deeper understanding on the role of surface structures (size and shape of nanoparticles) towards the reduction mechanism and to establish basic principles for an efficient process, Pt-Cu/TiO2 and Pt-Cu/TiO2 modified with well-defined Pt nanoparticles were employed. The synthesized materials were characterized using various physicochemical techniques and tested comparatively for: (i) nitrate catalytic reduction by hydrogen (dark reaction) and (ii) nitrate photocatalytic reduction by in-situ generated solar hydrogen. In order to enhance overall denitration reaction by combined photocatalytic and catalytic processes, photo-generated charges and in-situ generated H-2 as reducing agent were used. Improvement of catalytic performances of nitrate hydrogenation reaction (~100% NO3 over line conversion) related to intimate contact between Pt and Cu was obtained. The in-situ generated H-2 by water splitting over the studied catalysts reduces efficiently NO3 over line ions. Enhanced photo-catalytic activity toward solar H-2 production by deposited well-defined Pt nanoparticles (~10 nm) was achieved. In order to make possible decontamination of polluted waters using in-situ generated H-2 under light exposure, the future optimization of such photo-catalytic systems looks promising.

The current study aims to present and discuss the results obtained by complementary archaeometric methods applied for the first time on white pigments inlaid on excised pottery of the Boian-Vidra tradition (Early Chalcolithic, c. 4900-4600 BCE). The samples came from three settlements located in Southern Romania (Sultana-Ghetarie, Vidra, and Vladiceasca). They were selected considering that the pottery was produced in approximately contemporary sites, located relatively close to each other in the same geographical region, namely the Romanian Plain. The experimental part included the analysis of local samples of carbonate concretions and prehistoric animal bone ash as reference materials. Archaeometric investigations consisted in applying "in-air" PIXE and EDX methods for the chemical composition, XRD and FTIR for mineralogical data, SEM for microstructure observation, and EPR for the characterisation of the paramagnetic centres. Calcite, bone ash, and silica rich sediments were identified as the primary decorating pigments. The mixtures of calcite and bone-ash observed in 13 samples were specific to the sites at Vidra and Vladiceasca. Silica-rich sediments from distant sources were the main whitening materials in two samples from Vladiceasca, while for the samples from Sultana-Ghetarie, calcite was the only whitening mineral. The results show with a high degree of confidence the use of both local (i.e., carbonate neo-formations and bone ash) and exotic (silica-rich sediments) raw materials to obtain the white pigment applied to Boian-Vidra pottery. Thus, the current data show the adaptability of the potters with respect to the surrounding resources and also provide new evidence for a vast trade network of raw materials and/or finished products in the Lower Danube area during the Early Chalcolithic. The deliberate mixing of two whitening materials from different sources could be a technological choice and may highlight complex symbolic behaviours.

The deposition of a ferromagnetic layer can affect the properties of high-temperature superconductors underneath. We investigated the influence of ferromagnetic CaRuO3 on the properties of YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) superconducting thin films when the layers are either in direct contact or separated by a barrier layer of 5 nm SrTiO3. Detailed measurements of the magnetic moment of the superconductor and ferromagnet as a function of temperature and magnetic field have been performed using SQUID magnetometry. Magnetometry and relaxation measurements show that the modification of the superconducting properties of YBCO strongly depends on the interaction with the ferromagnetic layer on top. The barrier layer has a significant impact on both the supercon-ducting properties of the YBCO film and the ferromagnetic ordering of CaRuO3. The physical properties mentioned above were discussed in correlation with the materials' structure determined by XRD analysis.

This paper reports the synthesis and characterization of Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) absorber films, prepared by a two-step electrodeposition of a ZnS (zinc sulfide) binary and a CZT (copper, zinc and tin) ternary precursors on Mo/Ti/Si substrates. The as-electrodeposited ZnS/CZT and CZT/ZnS stacks were thermally treated in a tubular furnace in sulfur environment at 550 degrees C. The role of the ZnS buffer layer is to provide a zinc and sulfur reservoir, needed to complete the formation of kesterite phase. X-ray diffraction and Raman analyses revealed the formation of the CZTS phase. The surface morphology and chemical composition of the films were studied using a scanning electron microscope. The bandgap values inferred from diffuse reflectance data, are discussed with respect to the stoichiometry which is considerably affected by the order of the stacks. Room-temperature photoluminescence of the CZT/ZnS sample showed a board PL band of 1.51 eV. It was found that the film with a ZnS layer on top is preferred for the formation of a Zn-rich single CZTS phase.

Ferrofluids investigated along for about five decades are ultrastable colloidal suspensions of magnetic nanoparticles, which manifest simultaneously fluid and magnetic properties. Their magnetically controllable and tunable feature proved to be from the beginning an extremely fertile ground for a wide range of engineering applications. More recently, biocompatible ferrofluids attracted huge interest and produced a considerable increase of the applicative potential in nanomedicine, biotechnology and environmental protection. This paper offers a brief overview of the most relevant early results and a comprehensive description of recent achievements in ferrofluid synthesis, advanced characterization, as well as the governing equations of ferrohydrodynamics, the most important interfacial phenomena and the flow properties. Finally, it provides an overview of recent advances in tunable and adaptive multifunctional materials derived from ferrofluids and a detailed presentation of the recent progress of applications in the field of sensors and actuators, ferrofluid-driven assembly and manipulation, droplet technology, including droplet generation and control, mechanical actuation, liquid computing and robotics.

Complex ferroelectric structures with dielectric interlayers may become possible alternatives for neuromorphic computing and low-power field-effect transistors since they exhibit multiple polarization states and negative capacitance. However, the effects on the switching characteristics due to the electric properties of the nonferroelectric circuit element have not been clearly evaluated so far. A high-resistance or low-capacitance element is usually associated with an increased depolarization field and eventually with suppression of polarization but without further consideration of the electrostatic differences. Therefore, we show that switching behavior is dramatically changed if the non-FE element is a resistive component or a capacitive one. This is reflected by either an increased apparent coercive field or imprint, respectively. A negative capacitance regime was observed at different moments but strongly depends on the nature of the nonferroelectric element. The voltage on the ferroelectric component remains constant during switching, which is a fingerprint of the system passing through non-equilibrium states. Therefore, we propose an algorithm to recover the S-shape of polarization dependence on the ferroelectric internal voltage during the slowed transition between the two stable states of polarization.

Permanent localization of electrons inside a graphene quantum dot (GQD) is known to be forbidden, as a manifestation of Klein tunneling. However, an electron which scatters on a GQD may be transiently trapped inside and one known practice is the usage of magnetic field. These electronic states discussed here, called quasibound states, are scattering resonances typically characterized by a finite lifetime (trapping time). In this paper, we present a theoretical perspective concerning the opportunity to enhance the lifetime of quasibound states excited in a GQD placed in a uniform magnetic field, using circularly polarized light. Generally speaking, electron trapping inside GQDs is achievable for certain well-defined conditions, for instance, magnetic field intensity. We report here that the trapping time of an electron inside a GQD may be successfully enhanced by adjusting the light intensity while keeping the magnetic field constant.

Band bending at semiconductor surfaces and interfaces is the key to applications ranging from classical transistors to topological quantum computing. A semiconductor particularly important for optical as well as microwave devices is GaN. What makes the material useful is not only its large bandgap but also that it can be heavily doped to become metallic. Here, we apply soft-x-ray angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES) to metallic Si-doped GaN to explore the electron density and momentum-resolved band dispersions of the valence and conduction electrons varying through the surface band-bending region. We find an upward band bending, where the measured band occupation reduces toward the surface, as probed with low photon energies <0.5 keV. The band occupation approaches the bulk value, matching Hall effect measurements, as the photon energy increases to >1.4 keV, where the photoelectron mean free path exceeds the spatial extent of the band-bending region. Our quantitative analysis of the experimental data describes the potential variation in the band-bending region via self-consistent Poisson-Schrodinger equations. We put forward an insightful model to simulate the ARPES spectra from this region through summing up the contribution from all atomic layers, weighted by the photoelectron mean free path, under in-phase conditions achieved at particular values of the photoelectron out-of-plane momentum. The model adequately describes the peculiarities of the ARPES spectra caused by the surface band bending, including the photon-energy dependence of the apparent band occupation and Fermi-surface area, and allows accurate determination of the band-bending profile and values of the photoelectron mean free path. Finally, comparison of our data with supercell density functional theory calculations reveals the preferential location of Si atoms as substitutional for Ga, with the doped electrons entering the GaN conduction bands without formation of separate impurity states as would occur for Si interstitials. Our theoretical and experimental results resolve fundamental questions underpinning device performance of the GaN-based and other semiconductor materials in general and demonstrate a general methodology for quantitative studies of electron states in the band-bending region.