Abstract: A procedure for the synthesis of monodisperse spherical mesoporous silica particles (MSMSPs) via the controlled coagulation of silica/surfactant clusters into spherical aggregates with mean diameters of 250-1500 nm has been developed. The synthesis is fast (taking less than 1 h) because identical clusters are simultaneously formed in the reaction mixture. The results of microscopic, x-ray diffraction, adsorption and optical measurements allowed us to conclude that the clusters are similar to 15 nm in size and have hexagonally packed cylindrical pore channels. The channel diameters in MSMSPs obtained with cethyltrimethylammonium bromide and decyltrimethylammonium bromide as structure-directing agents were 3.1 +/- 0.15 and 2.3 +/- 0.12 nm, respectively. The specific surface area and the pore volume of MSMSP were, depending on synthesis conditions, 480-1095 m(2) g(-1) and 0.50-0.65 cm(3) g(-1). The MSMSP were used to grow opal-like photonic-crystal films possessing a hierarchical macro-mesoporous structure, with pores within and between the particles. A selective filling of mesopore channels with glycerol, based on the difference between the capillary pressures in macro- and mesopores, was demonstrated. It is shown that this approach makes it possible to control the photonic bandgap position in mesoporous opal films by varying the degree of mesopore filling with glycerol. Online supplementary data available from stacks.iop.org/Nano/24/155601/mmedia

Abstract: The electronic properties of the two-dimensional material silicene are strongly influenced by the application of a perpendicular electric field E-z and of an exchange field M due to adatoms positioned on the surface or a ferromagnetic substrate. Within the random phase approximation, we investigate how electron-electron interactions are affected by these fields and present analytical and numerical results for the dispersion of plasmons, their lifetime, and their oscillator strength. We find that the combination of the fields E-z and M brings a spin and valley texture to the particle-hole excitation spectrum and allows the formation of spin-and valley-polarized plasmons. When the Fermi level lies in the gap of one spin in one valley, the intraband region of the corresponding spectrum disappears. For zero E-z and finite M the spin symmetry is broken and spin polarization is possible. The lifetime and oscillator strength of the plasmons are shown to depend strongly on the number of spin and valley type electrons that form the electron-hole pairs.

Abstract: We report on the electrical, optical and physical properties of Cu2ZnSnSe4 solar cells using an absorber layer fabricated by selenization of sputtered Cu, Zn and Cu10Sn90 multilayers. A maximum active-area conversion efficiency of 10.4% under AM1.5G was measured with a maximum short circuit current density of 39.7 mA/cm(2), an open circuit voltage of 394 mV and a fill factor of 66.4%. We perform electrical and optical characterization using photoluminescence spectroscopy, external quantum efficiency, current-voltage and admittance versus temperature measurements in order to derive information about possible causes for the low open circuit voltage values observed. The main defects derived from these measurements are strong potential fluctuations in the absorber layer as well as a potential barrier of the order of 133 meV at the back side contact. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract: Recent experimental studies showed that formation of a two-dimensional crystal structure of nitrogenated holey graphene (NHG) is possible. Similar to graphene, NHGs have an atomically thin and strong crystal structure. Using first-principles calculations, we investigate the structural, phononic, and thermal properties of monolayer NHG crystal. Our charge analysis reveals that the charged holey sites of NHG provide a reactive ground for further functionalization by adatoms or molecules. We also found that similar to graphene, the NHG structure has quite high-frequency phonon modes and the presence of nitrogen atoms leads to the emergence of additional vibrational modes. Our phonon analysis reveals the presence of three characteristic Raman-active modes of NHG. Furthermore, the analysis of constant-volume heat capacity showed that the NHG structure has a linear temperature dependence in the low-temperature region. The strong lattice structure and unique thermal properties of the NHG crystal structure are desirable in nanoscale device applications.

Abstract: Plasma catalysis is gaining increasing interest for CO2 conversion, but the interaction between the plasma and catalyst is still poorly understood. This is caused by limited systematic materials research, since most works combine a plasma with commercial supported catalysts and packings. In the present paper, we study the influence of specific material and reactor properties, as well as reactor/bead configuration, on the conversion and energy efficiency of CO2 dissociation in a packed bed dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor. Of the various packing materials investigated, BaTiO3 yields the highest conversion and energy efficiency, i.e., 25% and 4.5%.
Our results show that, when evaluating the influence of catalysts, the impact of the packing (support) material itself cannot be neglected, since it can largely affect the conversion and energy efficiency. This shows the large potential for further improvement of packed bed plasma reactors for CO2 conversion and other chemical conversion reactions by adjusting both packing (support) properties and catalytically active sites. Moreover, we clearly prove that comparison of results obtained in different reactor setups should be done with care, since there is a large effect of the reactor setup and reactor/bead configuration.

Abstract: A combination of synchrotron radiation based X-ray microscopic techniques (ì-XRF, ì-XANES, ì-XRD) applied on single depleted uranium (DU) particles and semi-bulk leaching experiments has been employed to link the potential bioavailability of DU particles to site-specific particle characteristics. The oxidation states and crystallographic forms of U in DU particles have been determined for individual particles isolated from selected samples collected at different sites in Kosovo and Kuwait that were contaminated by DU ammunition during the 1999 Balkan conflict and the 1991 Gulf war. Furthermore, small soil or sand samples heavily contaminated with DU particles were subjected to simulated gastrointestinal fluid (0.16 M HCl) extractions. Characteristics of DU particles in Kosovo soils collected in 2000 and in Kuwait soils collected in 2002 varied significantly depending on the release scenario and to some extent on weathering conditions. Oxidized U (+6) was determined in large, fragile and bright yellow DU particles released during fire at a DU ammunition storage facility and crystalline phases such as schoepite (UO3·2.25H2O), dehydrated schoepite (UO3·0.75H2O) and metaschoepite (UO3·2.0H2O) were identified. As expected, these DU particles were rapidly dissolved in 0.16 M HCl (84 ± 3% extracted after 2 h) indicating a high degree of potential mobility and bioavailability. In contrast, the 2 h extraction of samples contaminated with DU particles originating either from corrosion of unspent DU penetrators or from impacted DU ammunition appeared to be much slower (2030%) as uranium was less oxidized (+4 to +6). Crystalline phases such as UO2, UC and metallic U or UTi alloy were determined in impacted DU particles from Kosovo and Kuwait, while the UO2,34 phase, only determined in particles from Kosovo, could reflect a more corrosive environment. Although the results are based on a limited number of DU particles, they indicate that the structure and extractability of DU particles released from similar sources (metallic U penetrators) will depend on the release scenarios (fire, impact) and to some extent environmental conditions. However, most of the DU particles (7396%) in all investigated samples were dissolved in 0.16 M HCl after one week indicating that a majority of the DU material is bioaccessible.

Abstract: Sustainability assessment is needed to build sustainable farming systems. A broad range of sustainability concepts, methodologies and applications already exists. They differ in level, focus, orientation, measurement, scale, presentation and intended end-users. In this paper we illustrate that a smart combination of existing methods with different levels of application can make sustainability assessment more profound, and that it can broaden the insights of different end-user groups. An overview of sustainability assessment tools on different levels and for different end-users shows the complementarities and the opportunities of using different methods. In a case-study, a combination of the sustainable value approach (SVA) and MOTIFS is used to perform a sustainability evaluation of farming systems in Flanders. SVA is used to evaluate sustainability at sector level, and is especially useful to support policy makers, while MOTIFS is used to support and guide farmers towards sustainability at farm level. The combined use of the two methods with complementary goals can widen the insights of both farmers and policy makers, without losing the particularities of the different approaches. To stimulate and support further research and applications, we propose guidelines for multilevel and multi-user sustainability assessments.

Abstract: When two-dimensional (2D) atomic crystals are brought into close proximity to form a van der Waals heterostructure, neighbouring crystals may influence each other's properties. Of particular interest is when the two crystals closely match and a moire pattern forms, resulting in modified electronic and excitonic spectra, crystal reconstruction, and more. Thus, moire patterns are a viable tool for controlling the properties of 2D materials. However, the difference in periodicity of the two crystals limits the reconstruction and, thus, is a barrier to the low-energy regime. Here, we present a route to spectrum reconstruction at all energies. By using graphene which is aligned to two hexagonal boron nitride layers, one can make electrons scatter in the differential moire pattern which results in spectral changes at arbitrarily low energies. Further, we demonstrate that the strength of this potential relies crucially on the atomic reconstruction of graphene within the differential moire super cell.

Abstract: Different factors such as the way of incorporating the Y2O3 stabilizer, alumina addition and sintering temperature were assessed with the goal to improve the low temperature degradation (LTD) resistance of 3Y-TZP without compromising on the mechanical properties. The degradation of hydrothermally treated specimens was studied by X-ray diffraction, micro-Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Decreasing the sintering temperature decreased the LTD susceptibility of 3Y-TZPs but did not allow to obtain a LTD resistant 3Y-TZP with optimized mechanical properties. Alumina addition along with the use of Y2O3 stabilizer coated starting powder allowed to combine both an excellent toughness and LTD resistance, as compared to alumina-free and stabilizer co-precipitated powder based equivalents. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the improved LTD resistance could be attributed to the segregation of Al3+ at the grain boundary and the heterogeneously distributed Y3+ stabilizer.

Abstract: Hybrid titania films have been prepared using an adapted sol-gel method for obtaining well-dispersed hydrogen plasma-treated multiwall carbon nanotubes in either pure titania or Nb-doped titania. The drop-coating method has been used to fabricate resistive oxygen sensors based on titania or on titania and carbon nanotube hybrids. Morphology and composition studies have revealed that the dispersion of low amounts of carbon nanotubes within the titania matrix does not significantly alter its crystallization behaviour. The gas sensitivity studies performed on the different samples have shown that the hybrid layers based on titania and carbon nanotubes possess an unprecedented responsiveness towards oxygen (i.e. more than four times higher than that shown by optimized Nb-doped TiO(2) films). Furthermore, hybrid sensors containing carbon nanotubes respond at significantly lower operating temperatures than their non-hybrid counterparts. These new hybrid sensors show a strong potential for monitoring traces of oxygen (i.e. <= 10 ppm) in a flow of CO(2), which is of interest for the beverage industry.

Abstract: Magnetic skyrmions are topological spin configurations in materials with chiral Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI), that are potentially useful for storing or processing information. To date, DMI has been found in few bulk materials, but can also be induced in atomically thin magnetic films in contact with surfaces with large spin-orbit interactions. Recent experiments have reported that isolated magnetic skyrmions can be stabilized even near room temperature in few-atom-thick magnetic layers sandwiched between materials that provide asymmetric spin-orbit coupling. Here we present the minimum-energy path analysis of three distinct mechanisms for the skyrmion collapse, based on ab initio input and the performed atomic-spin simulations. We focus on the stability of a skyrmion in three atomic layers of Co, either epitaxial on the Pt(111) surface or within a hybrid multilayer where DMI nontrivially varies per monolayer due to competition between different symmetry breaking from two sides of the Co film. In laterally finite systems, their constrained geometry causes poor thermal stability of the skyrmion toward collapse at the boundary, which we show to be resolved by designing the high-DMI structure within an extended film with lower or no DMI.

Abstract: Graphene, a new carbon material, is attracting presently an increasing research interest. It stems from the unique electrical and mechanical properties of graphene predicted by theory. Experimental studies of graphene are, however, severely curtailed by a lack of an appropriate technique for its preparation. Mechanical cleavage of graphite proved to be ineffective, since it yields only very small (a few microns in size) particles of monolayer graphene. The rapidly developing approach based on chemical exfoliation of graphite produces large-area coatings composed primarily of arbitrarily oriented multilayer graphene particles. We have developed a technique for preparation of monolayer graphene sheets involving liquid exfoliation of crystalline graphite, which includes synthesis of graphite oxide by deep oxidation as an intermediate stage. Electron diffraction traces, as well as the variation of diffracted intensities with local orientation of graphene sheets, AFM, and HRTEM images testify to a remarkably good monolayer structure of the graphite oxide particles obtained by our technique. These results open a way to setting up high-efficiency production of monolayer graphene sheets appropriate for electrical and optical measurements and fabrication of structures for use in the field of applications.

Abstract: A semiconductor quantum dot model accounting for single exciton as well as biexciton states coupled to phonons and laser light is investigated in the limit of strong electronic confinement. For an arbitrary sequence of excitations with ultrafast pulses analytical solutions are obtained for all density-matrix elements. The results are nonperturbative with respect to both the carrier-phonon and the carrier-light coupling. Numerical results for a single pulse excitation are presented illustrating spectral features of our solution as well as pulse area and temperature dependences.