The surfaces of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles were modified with octadecyl trichlorosilane (OTS) as a coupling agent in different conditions. In order to improve the nanoparticles' dispersion and transform the interactions between nanoparticles in different conditions, the grafting of OTS on the TiO₂ nanoparticles' surface was characterised by thermogravimetric analysis and Fourier transform infrared techniques. An ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometer was employed to evaluate the absorbance of UV-light in the wavelength range of 200–900 nm. To assess the light catalytic activity, UV/vis diffuse reflectance spectra were applied to detect the absorbance of Rhodamine B, which was absorbed in the dark and degraded under a lamp. An effective method has been provided to improve photocatalytic activity, which may also be applied to the modification of other nanomaterials.

High-quality Al-doped ZnO nanosheet arrays have been prepared by hydrothermal methods assisted with the pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF). These effects of PEMF on the morphology and structural properties of Al-doped ZnO nanosheet arrays were studied in detail. Results showed Al-doped ZnO nanosheet arrays with PEMF had better orientation, more density, a greater ratio of diameter to thickness and stronger ultraviolet emission peak than those without PEMF. Finally, a possible mechanism of PEMF acting on Al-doped ZnO nanosheet arrays is proposed.

Presented is an SU-8 microcantilever sensor with integrated piezoresistors made of a mixture of SU-8 polymer and silver nanoparticles. The resulting composite is a spin-coatable and ultraviolet patternable conductive polymer, which can be easily incorporated with any SU-8-based microdevice. The microfabrication technique used in this work is based on adhesive bonding of the cantilever layers with the thick support base to obtain a three-dimensional structures device, which is a cost-effective and fast fabrication process. Based on the current–voltage (I–V) test, the fabricated piezoresistors exhibit a linear resistance characteristic with good conductivity. The gauge factor calculated from the deflection test was obtained to be as high as 26.3, demonstrating the capability for embedded SU-8/Ag piezoresistors to improve sensitivity when using polymeric material as a sensor platform.

Investigations have been carried out on laser-beam-induced nanoparticle (NP) formation in thin (5 nm) Au and Ag films on indium–tin-oxide substrate. After the irradiation the films were observed to break-up into NPs through a dewetting mechanism. This mechanism was investigated as a Rayleigh-instability-driven process. In fact, for each used laser fluence, the resulting Au and Ag NPs' mean size and surface-to-surface mean distance were quantified and correlated between them in the framework of the Rayleigh-instability theory showing an excellent agreement.

The preparation and properties of multiple shell hollow SiO₂@CeO₂ hybrid microspheres through a novel and facile method of layer-by-layer sol–gel carbon templating is presented. The whole process involves three key strategies: the loading of silica precursor into the carbon templates, the coating of cerium precursor nanocrystals upon the template, and formation of the final product after calcination. The presented approach may suggest a novel general route towards the preparation of a series of multiple shell hollow hybrid microspheres, which would show great potential for applications in drug delivery systems, catalysis, gas-sensing and so on.

Presented is a novel non-resonant electrostatic energy harvester targeted at the wideband frequency response for micro-system powering. To boost non-resonance power output under low frequency, the vertical gap changing method is adopted to induce variable charges, which generates approximately 17 times of charge change compared with the conventional method of laterally changing overlap area (at 1 mm gap). Further, to boost the low frequency and non-resonant power generating capability, the differential structure is adopted to achieve doubled output voltages. Testing results reveal that optimal output power occurs when the inner plate is of large effective movement range and large relative displacement with surrounding electrets. Maximally, 3.9–7.0 V voltage and 0.2–0.7 μW power are achieved over the 5–120 Hz frequency range.

In this work, a hydrophobic self-assembled monolayer, perfluorodecyltrichlorosilane (FDTS) (CF₃(CF₂)₇(CH2)₂SiCl₃), was proposed as a sacrificial layer for a lift-off process of a piezoelectric lead–zirconate–titanate (PZT) thin film on a Pt/Ti/SiO₂/Si substrate. A FDTS fine pattern was firstly vapour deposited on a Pt/Ti/SiO₂/Si substrate by a lift-off process, and then the PZT precursor was spin-coated on the Pt/Ti/SiO₂/Si substrate, post-baked so the solvent decomposed and evaporated and annealed for crystallisation. The experimental results demonstrated that the super-hydrophobic FDTS with a contact angle of >120° is effective in preventing PZT crystallisation because of its thermal stability during PZT post-baking, and its barrier-effects between the spin-coated PZT precursor and the Pt/Ti substrate. After removing the FDTS and the PZT which is on top of the FDTS by a second lift-off process using ultrasonic agitation, a PZT fine pattern was successfully obtained on the Pt/Ti/SiO₂/Si substrate with a thickness of 200–300 nm and feature size of a few tens of microns. In this Letter, the hydrophobic properties and surface morphology of different types of FDTS were studied and its barrier-effect on PZT crystallisation were analysed. The effects of PZT thickness in each spin-coating to lift-off the and PZT properties were investigated. The obtained PZT pattern was evaluated by an X-ray diffraction measurement.

Heusler Co₂FeSn nanoparticles in a B2-type cubic structure were synthesised for the first time using a simple solution reduction method. X-ray diffraction, a scanning electron microscope, an energy dispersive spectrometer and a vibrating sample magnetometer were used to characterise the synthesised products. The crystal structure and composition of the samples vary with the concentration of potassium hydroxide, synthesis temperature and reaction time. Magnetic measurement reveals that the obtained Co₂FeSn nanoparticles are soft magnetic at room temperature. The Co₂FeSn nanoparticles synthesised in this work are magnetically superior and economically feasible for spintronic applications.

A method that combines model calculations with X-ray diffraction analyses on prepared nanocrystalline samples has been developed to determine the excess volume and its dependence on grain size in nanocrystalline anode materials. In the model calculations, the geometry of grains in nanocrystalline systems is treated as a spherical shape for simplicity. It has been determined that the excess volume depends on grain size and atomic density at grain boundaries. The nanocrystalline Li₂C₂ alloy was taken as an example of the nanostructured anodes and its grain boundary expansion was generated by the excess volume at different grain size levels.

Integrated carbon spheres in the manner of agglomerate of joined ones were grown on nickel foam substrates by a hydrothermal technique, which could be directly used as an electrode for supercapacitors. This avoided the exploitation of adhesive and thereby significantly decreased the resistance of the electrode. The electrode exhibited a rectangular cyclic voltammogram even at a high scan rate of 10 mV/s and its specific capacitance was as high as 196.43 F/g at the current density of 1 A/g.

A study is presented on effects of the adenovirus-mediated human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (Ad-BMP-2) expression vector's transfection into rabbit bone marrow stromal cells (rBMSCs) and the subsequent composition to nanohydroxyapatite (Nano-HA) for the construction of biomimetic artificial bone in vitro. The adenovirus vector was constructed by Gateway TM technology, and the rBMSCs transfected by Ad-BMP-2 were cultured in vitro. Immunohistochemistry, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot were used to detect the bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) expression. After culture for 48 h, the transfected cells were seeded onto the Nano-HA scaffold. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the growth and attachment of cells on the composite scaffold on the third and fifth days. After transfection, the hBMP-2 gene showed high expressions in mRNA and protein levels. SEM revealed even distribution and fine adherence of the cells in the composite scaffold. The Western blot showed high expression of BMP-2 in the transfected and compound cells. The target cells that were transfected with the adenovirus vector that contained the genes, were bonded to the Nano-HA scaffold, and therefore the cell carrier complexes became stable and effectively secreted growth factors, and the biomimetic artificial bones were successfully constructed in vitro.

Silica-coated magnetite nanoparticles (Mn-L₁-NPs), modified by a Mn complex of N, N′-bis(3-formyl-5-methylsalicylidene)ethylenediimine (L₁), have been synthesised and characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic absorption spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis techniques. The catalase-like activity of Mn-L₁-NPs was evaluated by its ability to catalytically decompose hydrogen peroxide in aqueous solution. The results indicated that the nanoparticles have higher catalase-like activity.

Flower-like molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) nanostructures with high purity were successfully synthesised via a facile surfactant-assisted hydrothermal route. The structure and morphology of the as-prepared products were characterised by X-ray powder diffraction, energy dispersive spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The influence of the surfactant and the pH value of the initial mixture on the formation of the MoS₂ nanostructures was investigated. A possible evolutionary process of the flower-like MoS₂ nanostructures is proposed to explain the formation of various MoS₂ nanostructures on the basis of the experimental results. In addition, the tribological properties of the as-prepared MoS₂ powders as additives in HVI500 base oil were investigated on an UMT-2 multispecimen tribo-tester. The topography of worn scars was obtained using a common SEM. It is found that the addition of MoS₂ nanoflowers can improve the tribological properties of the base oil.