Syntesis of carbon nanostructures near room temperature using microwave PECVD

Carbon nanostructures (nanotubes, nanofibers and nanosponges) were synthesized onto Si (001) substrates using a microwave assisted plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) from C2H2-Ar mixtures at low substrate temperatures (120 °C). Catalytic films (Ni and Cu) 3 nm thick were used. Different structures were formed, depending on the C2H2 partial pressure. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron spectroscopy (SEM) were employed for the morphological characterization of the catalytic films and the carbon nanostructures, respectively. Raman spectroscopy was used to identify carbon hybridization states. AFM was used to observe the morphology of the catalytic films. At low C2H2 partial pressures, nanotubes with nanospheres in their tips, growing from nanoholes were seen. With increasing C2H2 pressures, longer nanotubes were observed, reaching lengths from 300 to 500 nm. In their growth, the nanotubes laterally touch each other, forming nanotube bundles, or nanofibers. For the higher C2H2 partial pressures, dense sponge-like (nanosponge) structures, consisting of a large number of bundles, are formed. From the Raman spectra, a mixture of sp2 and sp3 hybridizations were identified. Furthermore, the low substrate temperature at which depositions can be carried out, makes possible growth of carbon nanostructures on materials to which high temperatures would be deleterious.18486086

Electrical Manipulation of a Single Nanowire by Dielectrophoresis

Nanowires (NWs), due to their unique highly anisotropic characteristics, hold a great promise to be used in wide technological fields, such as building blocks for data storage and memory, advanced scanning probes, and biotechnological applications. In addition, given the high sensitivity to their environment, NWs can be used as sensor for a number of applications. The fabrication and electrical characterization of NW‐based devices can be achieved after proper placing of NWs between electrodes, which represents one of the major challenges in this field. The dielectrophoresis (DEP) method can be used to trap electrically neutral NWs by the application of an alternating electric field between a pair of electrodes. Here, we present a systematic study of DEP parameters as well as electrodes geometry for NW deposition. This method presents a suitable protocol for deposition in a useful and coherent fashion of post‐growth electrodeposited NWs and further electrical characterization. This can be used for investigation of the fundamental transport properties of individual NWs and fabrication of NW‐based devices, such as sensors and field‐effect transistors

Flexible highly conductive films based on expanded graphite /polymer nanocomposites

Highly electrically and thermally conducting films of expanded graphite/polymer nanocomposites were fabricated using an approach based on solution mixing methods. The use of Hydroxyethylcellulose and benzylic alcohol based solutions provides efficient dispersion and better exfoliation of multilayer graphene (nanographite) flakes that are further aligned in extended 2D layers forming continuous conductive pathways during lamination (hot calendering) process. Very high electrical conductivity (190 S/cm) was obtained for fabricated layered films. In contrast, for films produced by a conventional mixing and deposition method with acrylic copolymer and the same nanographitic material, with flakes randomly distributed within the composite, much lower conductivities (2.4 S/cm) were obtained

Plasma treatment of poly(dimethylsiloxane) surfaces using a compact atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge device for adhesion improvement

CNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOResults of the treatment of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) surfaces using novel atmospheric pressure pulsed dielectric barrier discharge plasmas are presented. Different gases (argon, helium, nitrogen) as well as their mixtures with water vapor were compared in terms of the improvement of adhesion between two PDMS samples after processing by plasma. The plasma was characterized by optical emission spectroscopy to identify the emitting species and determine the plasma temperatures. For all the gases studied, plasma processing resulted in increase of adhesion between PDMS samples if long exposure time (larger than 150 s) is applied. However, for very short treatment times (20 plasma pulses, total processing time about 3 s) the highest efficiency was found for helium plasmas. Water contact angles at PDMS surfaces as function of plasma processing time was analyzed. Atomic force microscopy analysis was performed to show reduction in the surface roughness after plasma treatment, which is likely to be the responsible for increase of the surface contact area and thus the adhesion between two PDMS surfaces. The role of the two mechanisms in the improvement of adhesion (enhanced wettability and changes in the surface morphology), for different time scales, is discussed. Interestingly, for the minimum processing time (20 plasma pulses), the improvement in adhesion and reduction of surface roughness are observed although the changes in the water contact angle are insignificant. (C) 2016 The Japan Society of Applied PhysicsResults of the treatment of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) surfaces using novel atmospheric pressure pulsed dielectric barrier discharge plasmas are presented. Different gases (argon, helium, nitrogen) as well as their mixtures with water vapor were compared in terms of the improvement of adhesion between two PDMS samples after processing by plasma. The plasma was characterized by optical emission spectroscopy to identify the emitting species and determine the plasma temperatures. For all the gases studied, plasma processing resulted in increase of adhesion between PDMS samples if long exposure time (larger than 150 s) is applied. However, for very short treatment times (20 plasma pulses, total processing time about 3 s) the highest efficiency was found for helium plasmas. Water contact angles at PDMS surfaces as function of plasma processing time was analyzed. Atomic force microscopy analysis was performed to show reduction in the surface roughness after plasma treatment, which is likely to be the responsible for increase of the surface contact area and thus the adhesion between two PDMS surfaces. The role of the two mechanisms in the improvement of adhesion (enhanced wettability and changes in the surface morphology), for different time scales, is discussed. Interestingly, for the minimum processing time (20 plasma pulses), the improvement in adhesion and reduction of surface roughness are observed although the changes in the water contact angle are insignificant.55217CNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOSem informaçãoSem informaçãoThe authors thank M. A. Canesqui (CCS, UNICAMP) for the AFM images. This work was supported by CNPq and FAPESP