Nanomechanical properties of dip coated indium tin oxide films on glass

Nanomechanical properties of indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films dip coated from precursor sols of varying equivalent oxideweight percentage (wt.%) onto commercial soda lime silica (SLS) glass substrate were evaluated by nanoindentation technique at an ultralowload of 50 mu N. Itwas found that the increase in wt.% beyond 6 in the precursor sols, had an adverse effect on nanohardness and Young's modulus of the films. Moreover, relatively thicker triple layered film (about 240 nm) had inferior nanomechanical properties as compared to the single layered film. Interestingly, the ITO foam coating on SLS glass substrate had nanomechanical properties nearly as good as those of the single layered films. These observations are explained in terms of the relative differences in crystallinity, stiffness and elastic deformation ability of the films. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Cordierite based glass-ceramic glazed floor tiles by microwave processing

Cordierite based glass-ceramics were used to glaze floor tiles by microwave and conventional processing techniques. The surface roughness (R-a) values of the microwave and conventionally processed glazes were similar to 3.73 mu m and similar to 11.96 mu m, respectively. The Vickers hardness value for the conventionally processed glaze was similar to 1.63 GPa while it was similar to 5.04 GPa for the microwave processed glaze. Gradual transition of nanohardness and Young's modulus values was observed from the substrate to glaze for both conventional and microwave processed glazed tiles. Scratch and impact resistance of the microwave processed glass-ceramic glaze was superior to those of the conventionally processed one. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Phase pure, high hardness, biocompatible calcium silicates with excellent anti-bacterial and biofilm inhibition efficacies for endodontic and orthopaedic applications

Here we report for the very first time the synthesis of 100% phase pure calcium silicate nanoparticles (CSNPs) of the alpha-wollastonite phase without using any surfactant or peptizer at the lowest ever reported calcination temperature of 850 degrees C. Further, the phase purity is confirmed by quantitative phase analysis. The nano-network like microstructure of the CSNPs is characterized by FTIR, Raman, XRD, FESEM, TEM, TGA, DSC etc. techniques to derive the structure property correlations. The performance efficacies of the CSNPs against gram-positive e.g., S. pyogenes and S. aureus (NCIM2127) and gram-negative e.g., E. coli (NCIM2065) bacterial strains are studied. The biocompatibility of the CSNPs is established by using the conventional mouse embryonic osteoblast cell line (MC3T3). In addition, the biofilm inhibition efficacies of two varieties of CSNPs e.g., CSNPs(W) and CSNPs(WC) are investigated. Further, the interconnection between ROS e.g., superoxide (O2(center dot-)) and hydroxyl radical ((OH)-O-center dot) generation capabilities of CSNPs and their biofilm inhibition efficacies is clearly established for the very first time. Finally, the mechanical responses of the CSNPs at the microstructural length scale are investigated by nanoindentation. The results confirm that the alpha-wollastonite phases present in CSNPs(W) and CSNPs(WC) possess extraordinarily high nanohardness and Young's moduli values. Therefore, these materials are well suited for orthopaedic and endodontic applications