Ion beam analysis of a-C:H films on alloy steel substrate

An a-C:H thin film deposited by plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition on alloy steel (16MnCr5) was analyzed using a self-consistent ion beam analysis technique.In the self-consistent analysis, the results of each individual technique are combined in a unique model, increasing confidence and reducing simulation errors.Self-consistent analysis, then, is able to improve the regular ion beam analysis since several analyses commonly used to process ion beam data still rely on handling each spectrum independently.The sample was analyzed by particle-induced x-ray emission (for trace elements), elastic backscattering spectrometry (for carbon), forward recoil spectrometry (for hydrogen) and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (for film morphology).The self-consistent analysis provided reliable chemical information about the film, despite its heavy substrate.As a result, we could determine precisely the H/C ratio, contaminant concentration and some morphological characteristics of the film, such as roughness and discontinuities.© 2013 Elsevier B.V.All rights reserved.

Nanoindentation mechanical properties characterization of glassy polymeric carbon treated with ion beam

Phenolic resins when heat treated in inert atmosphere up to 1000 degreesC become glassy polymeric carbon (GPC), a chemically inert and biocompatible material useful for medical applications, such as in the manufacture of heart valves and prosthetic devices. In earlier work we have shown that ion bombardment can modify the surface of GPC, increasing its roughness. The enhanced roughness, which depends on the species, energy and fluence of the ion beam, can improve the biocompatibility of GPC prosthetic artifacts. In this work, ion bombardment was used to make a layer of implanted ions under the surface to avoid the propagation of microcracks in regions where cardiac valves should have pins for fixation of the leaflets. GPC samples prepared at 700 and 1500 degreesC were bombarded with ions of silicon. carbon, oxygen and gold at energies of 5, 6, 8 and 10 MeV, respectively, and fluences between 1.0 x 10(13) and 1.0 x 10(16) ions/cm(2). Nanoindentation hardness characterization was used to compare bombarded with non-bombarded samples prepared at temperatures up to 2500 degreesC. The results with samples not bombarded showed that the hardness of GPC increases strongly with the heat treatment temperature. Comparison with ion bombarded samples shows that the hardness changes according to the ion used, the energy and fluence. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of ion beam on nanoindentation characteristics of glassy polymeric carbon surface

Glassy polymeric carbon (GPC) is a useful material for medical applications due to its chemical inertness and biocompatible characteristics. Mitral and aortic and hydrocephalic valves are examples of GPC prosthetic devices that have been fabricated and commercialized in Brazil. In this work, ion beam was used to improve the mechanical characteristics of GPC surface and therefore to avoid the propagation of microcracks where the cardiac valves are more fragile. A control group of phenolic resin samples heat-treated at 300, 400, 700, 1000, 1500, and 2500 degrees C was characterized by measuring their hardness and Young's reduced elastic modulus with the depth of indentation. The control group was compared to results obtained with samples heat-treated at 700, 1000, and 1500 degrees C and bombarded with energetic ions of silicon, carbon, oxygen, and gold at energies of 5, 6, 8, and 10 MeV, respectively, with fluences between 10x10(13) and 10x10(16) ions/cm(2). GPC nonbombarded samples showed that hardness depends on the heat treatment temperature (HTT), with a maximum hardness for heat treatment at 1000 degrees C. The comparison between the control group and bombarded group also showed that hardness, after bombardment, had a greater increase for samples prepared at 700 degrees C than for samples prepared at higher temperatures. The Young's elastic modulus presents an exponential relationship with depth. The parameters obtained by fitting depend on the HTT and on the ion used in the bombardment more than on energy and fluence. The hardness results show clearly that bombardment can promote carbonization, increase the linkage between the chains of the polymeric material, and promote recombination of broken bonds in lateral groups that are more numerous for samples heat-treated at 700 degrees C. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Corrosion resistance enhancement of SAE 1020 steel after Chromium implantation by nitrogen ion recoil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Helium ion irradiation of polymer films deposited from TMS-Ar plasmas

Polymer films synthesized from plasmas of a tetramethylsilane - Ar mixture were modified by irradiation with 170 keV He ions at fluences ranging from 1 x 10(14) to 1 x 10(16) cm(-2). As revealed by infrared spectroscopy, the ion beam produced intense bond rearrangements, such as the depletion of bonding groups (C-H and Si-H), and induced the formation of new ones, such as O-H and Si-O. From the nanoindentation measurements, a remarkable increase in the surface hardness of the films was observed as the ion fluence was increased. The increases in hardness were accompanied by an increase in the film compaction as shown by using a combination of RBS and film thickness measurements. From both hardness and infrared measurements A was concluded that, under the He ion bombardment, the polymer structure is transformed into a silicon oxycarbide network.

XPS investigation of plasma-deposited polysiloxane films irradiated with helium ions

This work describes an XPS investigation of plasma-deposited polysiloxane films irradiated with 170 keV He+ ions at fluences, Phi, ranging from 1 x 10(14) to 1 x 10(16) cm(-2). Modifications in the atomic concentrations of the surface atoms with (D were revealed by changes in the [O]/[Si], [O]/[C] and [C]/[Si] atomic ratios. Surface chemical structure modifications were evidenced by the increasing C1s peak width and asymmetry as Phi was increased, due to the formation of ether and carboxyl functionalities. Moreover, structural transformations were indicated by the positive binding energy shift of the Si2p peaks, due to the increasing Si oxidation. Correlations of the XPS data with other results from previous work on polysiloxanes illustrate the role of ion beam-induced bond breaking on the structural modifications.

Plasmonic structures fabricated by interference lithography for sensor applications

In this work we demonstrate the use of holographic lithography for generation of large area plasmonic periodic structures. Submicrometric array of holes, with different periods and thickness, were recorded in gold films, in areas of about 1 cm2, with homogeneity similar to that of samples recorded by Focused Ion Beam. In order to check the plasmonic properties, we measured the transmission spectra of the samples. The spectra exhibit the typical surface plasmon resonances (SPR) in the infrared whose position and width present the expected behavior with the period of the array and film thickness. The shift of the peak position with the permittivity of the surrounding medium demonstrates the feasebility of the sample as large area sensors. © 2009 SPIE.

Development of an electrochemical sensor based on nanostructured hausmannite-type manganese oxide for detection of sodium ions

The preparation and electrochemical characterization of hausmannite-type manganese oxide to use as a sensing material for sodium ion is described. This paper reports a new via synthetic to obtain of the hausmannite-type manganese oxide and its application in the construction of modified electrode as a voltammetric sensor. The electrochemical activity of hausmannite-type manganese oxide is controlled by intercalation/deintercalation of the sodium ions within the oxide lattice. The detection is based on the measurement of anodic current generated by oxidation of MnIII-MnIV at electrode surface. The best electrochemical response was obtained for a sensor composition of 20% (w/w) hausmannite oxide in the paste, a TRIS buffer solution of pH 6.0-7.0 and a scan rate of 50 mV s-1. A sensitive linear voltammetric response for sodium ions was obtained in the concentration range of 2.01 × 10 -5-2.09 × 10-4 mol L-1 with a slope of 355 μA L mmol-1 and a detection limit of 7.50 × 10 -6 mol L-1 using cyclic voltammetry. The use of hausmannite has significantly improved the selectivity of the sensor compared to the birnessite-type manganese oxide modified electrode. Under the working conditions, the proposed method was successfully applied to determination of sodium ions in urine samples. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Ab initio study and NMR analysis of the complexion of citric acid with ion lithium

Quantum mechanics calculations at the ab initio HF/3-21G* level were carried out with Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) measurements to characterize citric acid and lithium interactions. The results indicate the formation of a tridentate organometallic compound with one lithium and one citric acid molecule and a tridentate and bidentate compound of two lithium atoms and one citric acid molecule. The results are in agreement with the experimental and theoretical data. (C) 1999 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Application of low-pressure gas chromatography-ion-trap mass spectrometry to the analysis of the essential oil of Turnera diffusa (Ward.) Urb.

Turnera diffusa Willd. var. afrodisiaca (Ward) Urb. (syn. T. aphrodisiaca) belongs to the family of Turneraceae and is an aromatic plant growing wild in the subtropical regions of America and Africa. It is widely used in the traditional medicine as e.g. anti-cough, diuretic, and aphrodisiac agent. This work presents a 3 min chromatographic analysis using low-pressure (LP) gas chromatography (GC)-ion-trap (IT) mass spectrometry (MS). The combination of a deactivated 0.6 m x 0.10 mm i.d., restrictor with a wide-bore CP-Wax 52 capillary column (10 m x 0.53 mm i.d., 1 mum) reduces the analysis time by a factor of 3-7 in comparison to the use of a conventional narrow bore column. Chromatographic conditions have been optimized to achieve the fastest separation with the highest signal/noise ratio in MS detection. These results allow fast and reliable quality control of the essential oil to be achieved. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of gallotannins from Astronium species by flow injection analysis-electrospray ionization-ion trap-tandem mass spectrometry and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Modal Analysis of a Beam with a Tip Rotor by Using a Fundamental Response

The shape modes of a damped-free beam model with a tip rotor are determined by using a dynamical basis that is generated by a fundamental spatial free response. This is a non-classical distributed model for the displacements in the transverse directions of the beam which turns out to be coupled through boundary conditions due to rotation. Numerical calculations are performed by using the Ritz-Rayleigh method with several approximating basis.

Adsorption of dihydrogen phosphate ion on platinum electrodes in aqueous media monitored by probe-beam deflection

Probe-beam deflection (PBD) was used to monitor concentration gradients of anions adjacent to the surface of a platinum electrode in acidic aqueous media containing H3PO4. PBD can measure the potential-dependent extent of adsorption of H2PO4- on the Pt electrode surface and permits the Langmuir isotherm to be fitted to the experimental data. The value thus obtained for the surface concentration was 1.3 × 10-11 mol mm -2, or 1.7 atoms of Pt per H2PO4-. Also, the electron transfer number obtained was 0.24, signifying an incomplete transfer of charge, and the equilibrium constant is 1.80 suggesting a reversible adsorption process. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Theoretical model and experimental analysis of glulam beam reinforced with FRP

This work present a study of glulam beams reinforced with FRP. It was developed a theoretical model that calculates strength and stiffness of the beams. The model allows for the calculation of the bending moment, the hypothetical distribution of linear strains along the height of the beam, and considers the wood has a linear elastic fragile behavior in tension parallel to the fibers and bilinear in compression parallel to the fibers, initially elastic and subsequently inelastic, with a negative decline in the stress-strain diagram. The stiffness was calculated by the transformed section method. Twelve non-reinforced and fiberglass reinforced glulam beams were evaluated experimentally to validate the proposed theoretical model. The results obtained indicate good congruence between the experimental and theoretical values.

On the analytical solution for the slewing flexible beam-like system: analysis of the linear part of the perturbed problem

The dynamical system investigated in this work is a nonlinear flexible beam-like structure in slewing motion. Non-dimensional and perturbed governing equations of motion are presented. The analytical solution for the linear part of these perturbed equations for ideal and for non-ideal cases are obtained. This solution is necessary for the investigation of the complete weak nonlinear problem where all nonlinearities are small perturbations around a linear known solution. This investigation shall help the analyst in the modelling of dynamical systems with structure- actuator interactions.