Controlled partial embedding of carbon nanotubes within flexible transparent layers

Applications of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) like field emission displays, super-capacitors, and cell growth scaffolds can benefit from controllable embedding of the CNTs in a material such that the CNTs are anchored and protrude a desired length. We demonstrate a simple method for anchoring densely packed, vertically aligned arrays of CNTs into silicone layers using spin-coating, CNT insertion, curing, and growth substrate removal. CNT arrays of 51 and 120 µm in height are anchored into silicone layers of thickness 26 and 36 µm, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy are used to characterize the sample morphology, a 5.5 m s^-1 impinging water jet is used to apply shear stress, and a tensile test shows that the silicone layer detaches from the substrate before the CNTs are ripped from the layer. The CNTs are thus well anchored in the silicone layers. The spin-coating process gives control over layer thickness, and the method should have general applicability to various nanostructures and anchoring materials

A valveless micro impedance pump driven by electromagnetic actuation

Over the past two decades, a variety of micropumps have been explored for various applications in microfluidics such as control of pico- and nanoliter flows for drug delivery as well as chemical mixing and analysis. We present the fabrication and preliminary experimental studies of flow performance on the micro impedance pump, a previously unexplored method of pumping fluid on the microscale. The micro impedance pump was constructed of a simple thin-walled tube coupled at either end to glass capillary tubing and actuated electromagnetically. Through the cumulative effects of wave propagation and reflection originating from an excitation located asymmetrically along the length of the elastic tube, a pressure head can be established to drive flow. Flow rates were observed to be reversible and highly dependent on the profile of the excitation. Micro impedance pump flow studies were conducted in open and closed circuit flow configurations. Maximum flow rates of 16 ml min-1 have been achieved under closed loop flow conditions with an elastic tube diameter of 2 mm. Two size scales with channel diameters of 2 mm and 250 µm were also examined in open circuit flow, resulting in flow rates of 191 µl min-1 and 17 µl min-1, respectively

Phase formation and size effects in nanoscale silicide layers for the sub-100 nm microprocessor technology

Silizide spielen ein wesentliche Rolle in den technologisch fortschrittlichsten CMOS Bauteilen. Sie finden Verwendung als Kontaktmaterial auf den Aktivgebieten und dem Silizium Gatter von Transistoren. Diese Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit den Systemen: Co-Si, Co-Ni-Si und Ni-Si. Sowohl in situ Hochtemperatur-SR-XRD Experimente als auch CBED wurden zur Phasenidentifikation herangezogen. AES erlaubte es, Elementverteilungen in Schichtstapeln zu bestimmen. Für Studien über Agglomerationserscheinungen wurde REM eingesetzt. TEM und analytisches TEM trugen nicht nur zu Einblicken in Schichtstrukturen und Kornformen bei, sondern lieferten auch Daten zu Elementverteilungen in Silizidschichten. Diese Dissertation gliedert sich in zwei Hauptteile. Der erste Teil beschäftigt sich mit den Phasenbildungsabfolgen und den Phasenbildungs- und Umwandlungstemperaturen in nanoskaligen dünnen Schichten. Als Trägermaterial wurden einkristalline und polykristalline Siliziumsubstrate verwendet. Der Einfluß verschiedener Dotierungen im Vergleich zu undotierten Substraten sowie die Beeinflussung der Silizidierung durch eine Deckschicht wurden untersucht. Im zweiten Teil waren Größeneffekte verschiedener Schichtdicken und Agglomerationserscheinungen Gegenstand von Untersuchungen. Unterschiede bei der Silizidierung in Zusammenhang mit unterschiedlichen Schichtdicken wurden bestimmt. Darüberhinaus wurde eine ternäre CoTiSi Phase gefunden und identifiziert. Außerdem konnte die stark eingeschränkte Mischbarkeit der Monosilizide CoSi und NiSi gezeigt werden. Der thermische Ausdehnungskoeffizient von NiSi im Temperaturbereich 400?700°C und sein nicht-lineares Verhalten wurden bestimmt.Silicides are an essential part of state-of-the-art CMOS devices. They are used as contact material on the active regions as well as on the Si gate of a transistor. In this work, investigations were performed in the systems Co-Si, Co-Ni-Si, and Ni-Si. In situ high temperature SR-XRD and CBED techniques were used for phase identification. AES enabled the determination of elemental concentrations in layer stacks. SEM was applied to agglomeration studies. TEM imaging and analytical TEM provided insights into layer structures, grain morphology as well as information about the distribution of chemical elements within silicide layers. This thesis is divided into two main parts. The first part deals with the phase formation sequences and the phase formation and conversion temperatures in nanoscale thin films on either single crystal or polycrystalline Si substrates. The effect of different types of dopants vs. no doping and the impact of a capping layer on the phase formation and conversion temperatures were studied. In the second part, size effects and agglomeration of thin silicide films were investigated. The effect of different layer thicknesses on the silicidation process was studied. Additionally, the degree of agglomeration of silicide films was calculated. Furthermore, the ternary CoTiSi phase was found and identified as well as the severely limited miscibility of the monosilicides CoSi and NiSi could be shown. The CTE of NiSi between 400?700 ±C and its non-linear behavior was determined

Skin Necrosis Distal to a Rapid Infusion Catheter: Understanding Possible Complications of Large-bore Vascular Access Devices.

Rapid infusion catheters (RICs) allow expedient conversion of peripheral intravenous (PIV) catheters to peripheral sheaths; however, little is known about potential complications. In this case, a 64-year-old male polytrauma patient had a 20-gauge PIV catheter in the right cephalic vein upsized to an 8.5 French (Fr) RIC without incident during an arrest with pulseless electrical activity (PEA). On RIC post-placement day two, the patient developed edema and ecchymosis extending from the right dorsal mid-hand to the antecubital fossa, just distal to the RIC insertion point. Compartments were soft; the volar surface (including an arterial line location), fingers, and upper arm were normal. The RIC flushed and returned blood appropriately. Ultrasound revealed a noncompressible cephalic vein either related to the catheter or thrombosis, and imaging of the hand showed an ulnar styloid fracture and a minimally displaced triquetral fracture. The RIC was removed immediately. Over the next week, the areas of ecchymosis developed bullae and then sloughed, leaving open wounds extending into the dermis. The patient later expired from unrelated causes. The area and timing of the skin necrosis were highly suspicious for a catheter-associated complication, despite the presence of the arterial line and small distal fractures. The necrosis was potentially due to thrombosis of the superficial venous outflow system, leading to congestion and skin compromise, but we found no similar reports. Alternatively, the catheter may have ruptured the vein and caused a gravity-dependent ecchymosis, but the volar surface was not impacted, and the catheter was functioning properly. The RIC may also have encroached on the arterial space, decreasing flow, but we would have expected distal hand changes. The only published reports we could find on RIC complications involved a lost guide wire, fragmentation of a catheter during placement, and a case of compartment syndrome, raising the question of whether skin necrosis is truly a rare event or simply underreported with the RIC. Although the exact causal relationship remains unknown in our case, RICs should be removed as soon as possible after immediate stabilization

A New Species of Neoglyptatelus (Mammalia, Xenarthra, Cingulata) from the Late Miocene of Uruguay Provides New Insights on the Evolution of the Dorsal Armor in Cingulates

The genus Neoglyptatelus Carlini, Vizcaíno and Scillato-Yané has been considered a member of Glyptatelinae, a group encompassing the purportedly basal-most glyptodonts. It is up to now represented by two species from Colombia: Neoglyptatelus originalis Carlini, Vizcaíno and Scillato-Yané, from the middle Miocene (a carapace fragment, isolated osteoderms and postcranial bones), and Neoglyptatelus sincelejanus Villarroel and Clavijo, from the middle or late Miocene (a partial carapace and a caudal armor). More scarce material assigned to this genus was recovered from the late Miocene of Uruguay and Brazil. In this article, we describe a new species, Neoglyptatelus uruguayensis, from the late Miocene Camacho Formation, Uruguay, based on an almost complete carapace and several postcranial bones. We conducted a phylogenetic analysis based on 167 morphological characters (23 new ones and 144 from previous analysis) scored for 19 taxa, encompassing some of the best known glyptodontid genera, one pampathere and four armadillos (including the enigmatic genus Pachyarmatherium Downing and White). In the most parsimonious tree that was obtained, Neoglyptatelus forms a clade with Pachyarmatherium (Pachyarmatheriidae), which is the sister group of the glyptodonts + pampatheres clade; consequently, it is not a glyptodont, as previously believed. This result, together with the known stratigraphic and geographic distribution of Neoglyptatelus and Pachyarmatherium, suggests that this new cingulate clade originated in South America and that Pachyarmatherium reached North America during the Plio--Pleistocene. The carapace of Neoglyptatelus and Pachyarmatherium comprises pelvic and scapular shields overlapping each other without separate intervening transverse mobile bands, an arrangement that differentiates both genera from the remaining cingulates.Fil: Fernicola, Juan Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Luján; ArgentinaFil: Rinderknecht, Andrés. Museo Nacional de Historia Natural; UruguayFil: Jones, Washington. Museo Nacional de Historia Natural; UruguayFil: Vizcaíno, Sergio Fabián. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Porpino, Kleberson de Oliveira. Universidade Do Estado Do Rio Grande Do Norte; Brasi

Foundations in Wisconsin: A Directory [32nd ed. 2013]

The 2013 edition of Foundations in Wisconsin marks the 32nd production of the print directory and the 13th year of the online version. The directory is designed as a research tool for grantseekers interested in locating information on private, corporate, and community foundations registered in Wisconsin. Each entry in this new edition has been updated or reviewed to provide the most current information available. Most of the data was drawn from IRS 990-PF tax returns filed by the foundations. Additional information was obtained from surveys, foundation websites, annual reports, and newsletters.https://epublications.marquette.edu/lib_fiw/1011/thumbnail.jp

Foundations in Wisconsin: A Directory [31st ed. 2012]

The 2012 release of Foundations in Wisconsin marks the 31st edition of the print directory and the twelfth year of the online version. The directory is designed as a research tool for grantseekers interested in locating information on private, corporate, and community foundations registered in Wisconsin. Each entry in this new edition has been updated or reviewed to provide the most current information available. Most of the data was drawn from IRS 990-PF tax returns filed by the foundations. Additional information was obtained from surveys, foundation Web sites, annual reports, and newsletters. Fortunately, Wisconsin foundations are rebounding from the recent economic downturn. While the total number of active foundations (1301) decreased slightly from 2011’s high number, 57 new foundations were identified and two key measures show positive growth. Total assets increased by 12% from last year to over $7 billion, and grants rose 7$490 million, close to pre-recession totals. The following table illustrates the 10-year financial pattern as documented in Foundations in Wisconsin.https://epublications.marquette.edu/lib_fiw/1010/thumbnail.jp

Free-piston linear generator and the development of a solid lubrication system

The free piston linear generator is a new electromechanical generator. It converts chemical energy into electrical energy by means of a combustion process, a linear generator and a gas spring. Thereby the technology aims to have better properties than other electromechanical generators. Therefore this publication deals with the explanation of the concept, the characteristics of a free piston linear generator and one of the challenges in the development. In order to use a port scavenging the emission issue is the challenge and has to be solved. One possible solution is the use of solid lubricants to substitute motor oil. The development methodology and one aspect of the development will be explained