Effect of a surface tension imbalance on a partly submerged cylinder

We perform a static analysis of a circular cylinder that forms a barrier between surfactant-laden and surfactant-free portions of a liquid$-$gas interface. In addition to determining the general implications of the balances for forces and torques, we quantify how the imbalance $\Delta\gamma=\gamma_a-\gamma_b$ between the uniform surface tension $\gamma_a$ of the surfactant-free portion of the interface and the uniform surface tension $\gamma_b$ of the surfactant-laden portion of the interface influences the load-bearing capacity of a hydrophobic cylinder. Moreover, we demonstrate that the difference between surface tensions on either side of a cylinder with a cross-section of arbitrary shape induces a horizontal force component $f^h$ equal to $\Delta \gamma$ in magnitude, when measured per unit length of the cylinder. With an energetic argument, we show that this relation also applies to rod-like barriers with cross-sections of variable shape. In addition, we apply our analysis to amphiphilic Janus cylinders and we discuss practical implications of our findings for Marangoni propulsion and surface pressure measurements

Behavior of self-propelled acetone droplets in a Leidenfrost state on liquid substrates

It is demonstrated that non-coalescent droplets of acetone can be formed on liquid substrates. The fluid flows around and in an acetone droplet hovering on water are recorded to shed light on the mechanisms which might lead to non-coalescence. For sufficiently low impact velocities, droplets undergo a damped oscillation on the surface of the liquid substrate but at higher velocities clean bounce-off occurs. Comparisons of experimentally observed static configurations of floating droplets to predictions from a theoretical model for a small non-wetting rigid sphere resting on a liquid substrate are made and a tentative strategy for determining the thickness of the vapor layer under a small droplet on a liquid is proposed. This strategy is based on the notion of effective surface tension. The droplets show self-propulsion in straight line trajectories in a manner which can be ascribed to a Marangoni effect. Surprisingly, self-propelled droplets can become immersed beneath the undisturbed water surface. This phenomenon is reasoned to be drag-inducing and might provide a basis for refining observations in previous work

Nanocrystalline diamond-glass platform for the development of three-dimensional micro- and nanodevices

Low-cost and robust platforms are key for the development of next-generation 3D micro- and nanodevices. To fabricate such platforms, nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) is a highly appealing material due to its biocompatibility, robustness, and mechanical, electrical, electrochemical, and optical properties, while glass substrates with through vias are ideal interposers for 3D integration due to the excellent properties of glass. However, developing devices that comprise NCD films and through glass vias (TGVs) has rarely been attempted due to a lack of effective process strategies. In this work, a low-cost process - free of photolithography and transfer-printing - for fabricating arrays of TGVs that are sealed with suspended portions of an ultra-thin NCD film on one side is presented. These highly transparent structures may serve as a platform for the development of microwells for single-cell culture and analysis, 3D integrated devices such as microelectrodes, and quantum technologies. The process is demonstrated by fabricating TGVs that are sealed with an NCD film of thickness 175 nm and diameter 60 mu m. The technology described can be extended by replacing NCD with silicon nitride or silicon carbide, allowing for the development of complex heterogeneous structures on the small scale

Boundary curvature effect on the wrinkling of thin suspended films

A relation between the boundary curvature κ and the wrinkle wavelength λ of a thin suspended film under boundary confinement is demonstrated. Experiments were performed with nanocrystalline diamond films of approximate thickness 184nm grown on glass substrates. By removing portions of the substrates after growth, suspended films with circular boundaries of radius 30–811 μm were fabricated. Due to residual stresses, the portions of the film bonded to the substrate are of approximate compressive prestrain 11×10⁻⁴ and the suspended portions of the film are azimuthally wrinkled at their boundary. Measurements show that λ decreases monotonically with κ, and a simple model that is in line with this trend is proposed. The model can be applied to design devices with functional wrinkles and can be adapted to gain insight into other systems such as plant leaves. A method for measuring residual compressive strain in thin films, which complements standard strain characterization methods, is also described

Early stages of polycrystalline diamond deposition: laser reflectance at substrates with growing nanodiamonds

The chemical vapor deposition of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) films is typically done on substrates seeded with diamond nanoparticles. Specular laser reflectance has been used in tandem with a continuous film model to monitor the thickness of these films during their deposition. However, approaches to gain information on properties that strongly affect film morphology, such as the areal density of seeds, remain largely unexplored. This work outlines a strategy for using laser reflectance measurements to refine the monitoring of film thickness during deposition, estimate the mean equivalent radii and the areal density of seeds, and estimate growth incubation periods. We present a general model based on the Rayleigh theory of scattering for laser reflectance at substrates with growing nanoparticles that captures the early stages of PCD deposition. We test our model experimentally by depositing diamond under identical conditions on silicon substrates with various seed densities and by comparing seed densities obtained by scanning electron microscopy to those determined by our strategy. We also explore the different deposition stages for which our model and a continuous film model can be used safely. In addition to providing guidelines for characterizing PCD deposition, this work may also advance the general understanding of nanoparticle growth and formation

Block copolymer–nanodiamond coassembly in solution: towards multifunctional hybrid materials

Polymer-nanodiamond composites are excellent candidates for the fabrication of multifunctional hybrid materials. They integrate polymer flexibility and exceptional properties of nanodiamonds (NDs), such as biocompatibility, mechanical strength, color centers, and chemically-tailored surfaces. However, their development is hindered by the challenge of ensuring that NDs are homogeneously distributed in the composites. Here, we exploit colloidal coassembly between poly(isoprene-b-styrene-b-2-vinyl pyridine) (ISV) block copolymers (BCPs) and NDs to avoid ND self-agglomeration and direct ND spatial distribution. NDs were first air oxidized at 450 degrees C to obtain stable dispersions in dimethylacetamide (DMAc). By adding ISV into the dispersions, patchy hybrid micelles were formed due to H-bonds between NDs and ISV. The ISV-ND coassembly in DMAc was then used to fabricate nanocomposite films with a uniform sub-50 nm ND distribution, which has never been previously reported for an ND loading [Formula: see text] of more than 50 wt%. The films exhibit good transparency due to their well-defined nanostructures and smoothness and also exhibit an improved UV-absorption and hydrophilicity compared to neat ISV. More intriguingly, at a [Formula: see text] of 22 wt%, ISV and NDs coassemble into a network-like superstructure with well-aligned ND strings via a dialysis method. Transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering measurements suggest a complex interplay between polymer-polymer, polymer-solvent, polymer-ND, ND-solvent, and ND-ND interactions during the formation of structures. Our work may provide an important foundation for the development of hierarchically ordered nanocomposites based on BCP-ND coassembly, which is beneficial for a wide spectrum of applications from biotechnology to quantum devices

Formation and morphology of closed and porous films grown from grains seeded on substrates: Two-dimensional simulations

Two-dimensional simulations are used to explore topological transitions that occur during the formation of films grown from grains that are seeded on substrates. This is done for a relatively large range of the initial value Φs of the grain surface fraction Φ. The morphology of porous films is captured at the transition when grains connect to form a one-component network using newly developed raster-free algorithms that combine computational geometry and network theory. Further insight on the morphology of porous films and their suspended counterparts is obtained by studying the pore surface fraction Φp, the pore over grain ratio, the pore area distribution, and the contribution of pores of certain chosen areas to Φp. Pinhole survival is evaluated at the transition when film closure occurs using survival function estimates. The morphology of closed films (Φ=1) is also characterized and is quantified by measuring grain areas and perimeters. The majority of investigated quantities are found to depend sensitively on Φs and the long-time persistence of pinholes exhibits critical behavior as a function of Φs. In addition to providing guidelines for designing effective processes for manufacturing thin films and suspended porous films with tailored properties, this work may advance the understanding of continuum percolation theory