Search Results (653)

Thin-film detection technology plays a significant role in particle physics, X-ray imaging and radiation monitoring. In this paper, the detection capability of a Cs₃Cu₂I₅ thin-film scintillator toward α particles is investigated. The flexible thin-film scintillator is fabricated by a facile and cost-effective in situ strategy, exhibiting excellent scintillation properties. Upon α-particle excitation, the light yield of the Cs₃Cu₂I₅ thin-film is 2400 photons/MeV, which greatly benefits its application for single-particle events detection. Moreover, it shows linear energy response within the range of 4.7–5.5 MeV and moderate decay time of 667 ns. We further explored the cryogenic scintillation performance of Cs₃Cu₂I₅@PMMA film. As the temperature decreases from 300 K to 50 K, its light yield gradually increases to 1.3 fold of its original value, while its decay time remains almost unchanged. This scintillator film also shows excellent low-temperature stability and flexible operational stability. This work demonstrates the great potential of the Cs₃Cu₂I₅@PMMA film for the practical utilization in α-particle detection application. Full article

In high energy density physics, the demand for precise detection of nanosecond-level fast physical processes is high. Ga:ZnO (GZO), GaN, and other fast scintillators are widely used in pulsed signal detection. However, many of them, especially wide-bandgap materials, still face issues of low luminous intensity and significant self-absorption. Therefore, an enhanced method was proposed to tune the wavelength of materials via coating perovskite quantum dot (QD) films. Three-layer samples based on GZO were primarily investigated and characterized. Radioluminescence (RL) spectra from each face of the samples, as well as their decay times, were obtained. Lower temperatures further enhanced the luminous intensity of the samples. Its overall luminous intensity increased by 2.7 times at 60 K compared to room temperature. The changes in the RL processes caused by perovskite QD and low temperatures were discussed using the light tuning and transporting model. In addition, an experiment under a pico-second electron beam was conducted to verify their pulse response and decay time. Accordingly, the samples were successfully applied in beam state monitoring of nanosecond pulsed proton beams, which indicates that GZO wafer coating with perovskite QD films has broad application prospects in pulsed radiation detection. Full article

Potassium bromide (KBr) thin films were deposited by resistive thermal evaporation at substrate temperatures ranging from 50 °C to 250 °C to systematically elucidate the temperature-dependent evolution of their physical properties. Structural, morphological, and optical characteristics were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results reveal a complex, non-monotonic response to temperature rather than a simple linear trend. As the substrate temperature increases, growth evolves from a mixed polycrystalline texture to a pronounced (200) preferred orientation. Morphological analysis shows that the film surface is smoothest at 150 °C, while the microstructure becomes densest at 200 °C. These structural variations directly modulate the optical constants: the refractive index attains its highest values in the 150–200 °C window, approaching that of bulk KBr. Cryogenic temperature (6 K) FTIR measurements further demonstrate that suppression of multi-phonon absorption markedly enhances the infrared transmittance of the films. Taken together, the data indicate that 150–200 °C constitutes an optimal process window for fabricating KBr films that combine superior crystallinity, low defect density, and high packing density. This study elucidates the temperature-driven structure–property coupling and offers valuable guidance for optimizing high-performance infrared and cryogenic optical components. Full article

Dopamine (DA) is a neurotransmitter responsible for important functions in mammals’ bodies, including mood, movement and motivation. High or low dopamine levels are associated mainly with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and depression. Therefore, contributing to the development of electrochemical devices to precisely determine the DA levels in urine samples, a simple and low-cost sensor is proposed in this work. The proposed sensor design is based on crosslinked chitosan films combining carbon black (CB) and deep eutectic solvents (DESs), incorporated onto the surface of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) was applied to characterize the produced DESs and their precursors, while the films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The sensor modified with CB and DES–ethaline (DES (ETHA)-CB/GCE) showed a significantly enhanced analytical signal for DA using differential pulse voltammetry under the optimized working conditions. Moreover, a better heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (k⁰) was obtained, about 45 times higher than that of the bare GCE. The proposed sensor achieved a linear response range of 0.498 to 26.8 µmol L⁻¹ and limits of detection and quantification of 80.7 and 269 nmol L⁻¹, respectively. Moreover, the sensor was successfully applied in the quantification of DA in the synthetic urine samples, with recovery results close to 100%. Furthermore, the sensor presented good precision, as shown from the repeatability tests. The presented method to electrochemically detect DA has proven to be efficient and simple compared to the conventional methods commonly reported. Full article

This study presents colorless polyimides (PIs) suitable for use as plastic substrates in flexible displays, designed to be compatible with controlled soft adhesion and easy delamination (temporary adhesion) processes. For this purpose, we focused on a PI system derived from norbornane-2-spiro-α-cyclopentanone-α′-spiro-2″-norbornane-5,5″,6,6″-tetracarboxylic dianhydride (CpODA) and 2,2′-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzidine (TFMB). This system was selected with the aim of exhibiting excellent optical transparency and low linear coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) properties. However, fabricating this PI film via the conventional two-step process was challenging because of crack formation. In contrast, modified one-pot polymerization at 200 °C using a combined catalyst resulted in a homogeneous solution of PI with an exceptionally high molecular weight, yielding a flexible cast film. The solubility of PI plays a crucial role in its success. This study delves into the mechanism behind the significant catalytic effect on enhancing molecular weight. The CpODA/TFMB PI cast film simultaneously achieved very high optical transparency, an extremely high glass transition temperature (T_g = 411 °C), a significantly low linear coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE = 16.7 ppm/K), and sufficient film toughness, despite the trade-off between low CTE and high film toughness. The CpODA/TFMB system was modified by copolymerization with minor contents of another cycloaliphatic tetracarboxylic dianhydride, 5,5′-(1,4-phenylene)-exo-bis(hexahydro-4,7-methanoisobenzofuran-cis-exo-1,3-dione) (BzDAxx). This approach was effective in improving the film toughness without sacrificing the low CTE and other target properties. The peel strengths (σ_peel) of laminates comprising surface-modified glass substrates and various colorless PI films were measured to evaluate the compatibility with the temporary adhesion process. Most colorless PI films studied were found to be incompatible. Additionally, no correlation between σ_peel and PI structure was observed, making it challenging to identify the structural factors influencing σ_peel control. Surprisingly, a strong correlation was observed between σ_peel and CTE of the PI films, suggesting that the observed solid–solid lamination is closely linked to the unexpectedly high surface mobility of the PI films. The laminate using CpODA(90);BzDAxx(10)/TFMB copolymer exhibited suitable adhesion strength for the temporary adhesion process, while meeting other target properties. The modified one-pot polymerization method significantly contributed to the development of colorless PIs suitable for plastic substrates. Full article

Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSSs) produced via ultrafast laser-induced oxidation offer a promising route for high-quality nanostructuring, with reduced thermal damage compared to conventional ablation-based methods. However, the influence of laser repetition frequency on the formation and morphology of oxidized LIPSSs remains insufficiently explored. In this study, we systematically investigate the effects of varying the femtosecond laser repetition frequency from 1 kHz to 100 kHz while keeping the total pulse number constant on the oxidation-induced LIPSSs formed on amorphous silicon films. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier analysis reveal a transition between two morphological regimes with increasing repetition frequency: at low frequencies, the long inter-pulse intervals result in irregular, disordered oxidation patterns; at high frequencies, closely spaced pulses promote the formation of highly ordered, periodic surface structures. Statistical measurements show that the laser-modified area decreases with frequency, while the LIPSS period remains relatively stable and the ridge width exhibits a peak at 10 kHz. Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) and finite-element simulations suggest that the observed patterns result from a dynamic balance between light-field modulation and oxidation kinetics, rather than thermal accumulation. These findings advance the understanding of oxidation-driven LIPSS formation dynamics and provide guidance for optimizing femtosecond laser parameters for precise surface nanopatterning. Full article

Polymer composites with high dielectric permittivity (>10) and low dielectric loss are critical for energy storage and microelectronic applications. This study reports on a semi-transparent composite of a PVDF copolymer filled with Cu₇S₄ nanoparticles synthesized via a wet chemical route. Only a small content (6%) of copper sulfide increases the dielectric permittivity of the material from 10.4 to 15.9 (1 kHz), maintaining a low dielectric loss coefficient (less than 0.1). The incorporated nanoparticles affect the morphology of the composite film surface and crystalline phases in the whole volume, which was studied with FTIR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and scanning probe microscopy. Full article

To address the resource utilization challenges of residual plastic film in Xinjiang and the issues of low reliability, poor cutting length qualification rates, and high energy consumption in existing film-mixed residue choppers, a rotary knife-type mixed film residue chopper was designed based on the “single support cutting + sliding cutting” principle. The device primarily consists of an adaptive feeding mechanism, a chopping mechanism, and a transmission system. The main structural and motion parameters of the mechanisms were determined through the analysis of feeding and chopping conditions. The primary factors affecting the cotton stalk chopping length qualification rate (CLCR-CS), residual film chopping length qualification rate (CFCR-RF), and specific energy consumption (SEC) were identified as the feeding roller speed, chopper speed, and the gap between the moving and fixed blades. Vibration characteristic analysis of the chopper was conducted using ANSYS software. The first six natural frequencies of the chopper were found to range from 112.54 to 186.65 Hz, with maximum deformation ranging from 0.885 to 1.237 mm. The excitation frequency was significantly lower than the first natural frequency, ensuring that the chopper met reliability and operational performance standards. A prototype was fabricated, and a second-order rotational orthogonal experiment was performed with CLCR-CS, CFCR-RF, and SEC as the test indicators and feeding roller speed, chopper speed, and the gap between the moving and fixed blades as the experimental factors. Variance and response surface analyses were conducted using Design-Expert software to clarify the effects and interactions of experimental factors on the test indicators. The second-order polynomial response surface model was optimized, and the optimal factor values were derived based on practical operational conditions. Verification experiments confirmed that the optimal operating parameters were a feeding roller speed of 32.40 r/min, a chopper speed of 222.0 r/min, and a blade gap of 1.0 mm. Under these conditions, CLCR-CS was 89.96%, CFCR-RF was 91.62%, and SEC was 5.36 kJ/kg, meeting the design specifications of the mixed film residue chopper. Full article

A dual-parameter optical fiber sensor for measuring the magnetic field and temperature based on the Fabry–Perot interferometer (FPI) and magnetic polymer film was proposed and designed, realizing dual-parameter measurement of temperature and the magnetic field. The sensor uses the excellent elasticity and thermal expansion coefficient of PDMS and the magnetostrictive effect of Fe₃O₄ magnetic polymer film to provide magnetic field and temperature detection while maintaining good reusability, achieving a magnetic field sensitivity and temperature sensitivity of 69 pm/mT and 390 pm/K, respectively. The sensor has the advantages of a low cost, a simple manufacturing process, good linearity, and a sensitive temperature response. It has broad application prospects in medicine, geography, aerospace, and other fields. Full article

For crop protection, electrostatic spraying technology significantly improves deposition uniformity and pesticide utilization through the “wraparound-adsorption” effect of charged droplets. However, existing electrostatic nozzles using hydraulic atomization suffer from low charge-to-mass ratios due to unclear principles for optimizing electrode parameters. To this end, this study designs and evaluates a novel air-assisted hydraulic-atomization hollow-cone electrostatic nozzle. First, the air-assisted hollow-cone nozzle was designed. High-speed imaging was then employed to obtain morphological parameters of the liquid film (length: 2.14 mm; width: 1.96 mm; and spray angle: 49.25°). Based on these parameters, an electric field simulation model of the electrostatic nozzle was established to analyze the influence of electrode parameters on the charging performance and identify the optimal parameter combination. Finally, feasibility and efficiency evaluation experiments were conducted on the designed electrostatic nozzle. The experimental results demonstrate that cross-sectional dimensions of the electrode exhibit a positive correlation with the surface charge density of the pesticide liquid film. In addition, optimal charging performance is obtained when the electrode plane coincides with the tangent plane of the liquid film leading edge. Based on these charging laws, the optimal electrode parameters were determined as follows: 2.0 × 2.0 mm cross-section with an electrode-to-nozzle tip distance of 3.8 mm. With these parameters, the nozzle achieved a droplet charge-to-mass ratio of 4.9 mC/kg at a charging voltage of 3.0 kV. These charged droplets achieved deposition coverages of 12.19%, 5.72%, and 5.91% on abaxial leaf surfaces in the upper, middle, and lower soybean canopies, respectively, which is a significant improvement in deposition uniformity. This study designed a novel air-assisted hollow-cone electrostatic nozzle, elucidated the optimization principles for annular induction electrodes, and achieved improved spraying performance. The findings contribute to enhanced pesticide application efficiency in crops, providing valuable theoretical guidance and technical references for electrostatic nozzle design and application. Full article

This study aims to enhance the understanding of film cooling performance in an actual turbine vane by investigating influencing factors and developing more precise numerical prediction methods. Pressure sensitive paint (PSP) testing and Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) simulations were conducted. The findings indicate that the current design blowing ratio of S1 holes (0.89) is too high, resulting in poor film cooling effectiveness. However, the blowing ratios of P3 (0.78) and P4 (0.69) holes are relatively low, suggesting that increasing the coolant flow could improve the film cooling effectiveness. It is not recommended to design an excessively low blowing ratio on the suction surface, as this can lead to poor wall adherence downstream of the film holes. A slight increase in turbulence intensity enhances the film covering effect, particularly on the suction surface. Additionally, a novel superposition method for multirow fan-shaped film cooling holes on an actual turbine vane is proposed, exhibiting better agreement with experimental data. Compared with experimental results, the numerical predictions tend to underestimate the film cooling effectiveness with the examined k-ε-based viscosity turbulence models and Reynolds stress turbulence models, while the SST demonstrates relatively higher accuracy owing to its hybrid k-ω/k-ε formulation that better resolves near-wall physics and separation flows characteristic of turbine cooling configurations. This study contributes to the advancement of turbine vane thermal analysis and design in engineering applications. Full article

This study aims to improve the performance of wood–plastic composites (WPCs) composed of cotton stalk powder and residual film particles. Additionally, it aims to promote the efficient utilization of cotton stalk biochar. The composites were prepared using modified cotton stalk biochar and xylem powder as the matrix, maleic anhydride grafted high-density polyethylene (MA-HDPE) as the coupling agent, and polyethylene (PE) residual film particles as the filler. The WPCs were fabricated through melt blending using a twin-screw extruder. Mechanical properties were evaluated using a universal testing machine and texture analyzer, Shore D hardness was measured using a durometer, and microstructure was analyzed using a high-resolution digital optical microscope. A systematic investigation was conducted on the effect of biochar content on material properties. The results indicated that modified biochar significantly enhanced the mechanical and thermal properties of the WPCs. At a biochar content of 80%, the material achieved optimal performance, with a hardness of 57.625 HD, a bending strength of 463.159 MPa, and a tensile strength of 13.288 MPa. Additionally, thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity decreased to 0.174 W/(m·K) and 0.220 mm²/s, respectively, indicating improved thermal insulation properties. This research provides a novel approach for the high-value utilization of cotton stalks and residual films, offering a potential solution to reduce agricultural waste pollution in Xinjiang and contributing to the development of low-cost and high-performance WPCs with wide-ranging applications. Full article

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding is critical for maintaining signal integrity in high-speed electronic packaging. However, conventional shielding approaches face limitations in process complexity and spatial efficiency. In this study, an EMI shielding film based on trimodal silver (Ag) ink and low-dielectric polyimide (PI) resin was developed and comprehensively evaluated. The fabricated film exhibited an average shielding effectiveness (SE) of −99.7 dB in the 6–18 GHz frequency range and demonstrated a 50% increase in electrical conductivity after lamination (from 0.752 × 10⁵ S/m to 1.13 × 10⁵ S/m). The horizontal thermal conductivity reached 34.614 W/m·K, which was 3.4 times higher than the vertical value (10.249 W/m·K). Signal integrity simulations showed significant reductions in near-end crosstalk (NEXT, 77.8%) and far-end crosstalk (FEXT, 65%). Moreover, cyclic bending tests confirmed excellent mechanical durability, with a normalized resistance change below 0.6 after 1000 cycles at a bending radius of 4 mm. Notably, the film enabled a 50% reduction in signal line spacing while maintaining signal integrity, even without strict compliance with the 3W Rule. These results demonstrate the potential of the proposed EMI shielding film as a high-performance solution for advanced packaging applications requiring high-frequency operation, thermal management, and mechanical flexibility. Full article

Flexible thin-film capacitors have gained a lot of attention in energy storage applications because of their high energy storage densities and efficient charge–discharge performances. Among these materials, antiferroelectric compounds with low residual polarization and strong saturation polarization have shown great promise. However, their comparatively low breakdown strength continues to be a major issue restricting further developments in their energy storage performance. While La³⁺ doping has been explored as a means to enhance the energy storage capabilities of antiferroelectric thin films, the specific influence of La³⁺ on breakdown strength and the underlying mechanism of phase transitions have not been thoroughly investigated in existing research. In this study, Pb_1−3x/2La_xZrO₃ thin films were successfully synthesized and deposited on mica substrates via the sol–gel process. By varying the concentration of La³⁺ ions, a detailed examination of the films’ microstructures, electrical properties, and energy storage performances was carried out to better understand how La³⁺ doping influences both breakdown strength and energy storage characteristics. The results show that doping with La³⁺ significantly improves the breakdown strength of the films, reduces the critical phase transition electric field (E_F-E_A), and enhances their energy storage capabilities. Notably, the Pb_0.91La_0.06ZrO₃ thin film achieved an impressive energy storage density of 34.9 J/cm³ with an efficiency of 58.3%, and at the maximum electric field strength of 1541 kV/cm, the recoverable energy density (W_rec) was 385% greater than that of the PbZrO₃ film. Additionally, the film still maintains good energy storage performance after 10⁷ cycles and 10⁴ bending cycles. These findings highlight the potential of flexible antiferroelectric Pb_0.91La_0.06ZrO₃ thin films for future energy storage applications. Full article

Calcium ion sensors are essential in clinical diagnosis, particularly in the management of chronic kidney disease. Multiple approaches have been developed to measure calcium ions, including flame photometry and ion chromatography. However, these devices are bulky and require specialized staff for operation and evaluation. The integration of all-solid-state ion-selective determination allows the design of miniaturized and low-cost sensing that can be used for the continuous monitoring of electrolytes. However, clinical use has been limited due to the low electrochemical stability and selectivity and high noise rate. This manuscript reports for the first time a novel miniaturized Ca²⁺ ion-selective sensor, developed by using a two-layer nanocomposite thin film (5 µm thick). The device consists of functionalized silica nanoparticles embedded in a poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) film, which was deposited onto a nanoporous zirconium silicate nanoparticle layer that served as the sensing surface. Systematic evaluation revealed that perfluoroalkane-functionalized silica nanoparticles enhanced Ca²⁺ selectivity by minimizing K⁺ diffusion, confirmed by both potentiometric measurements and quartz microbalance studies. The final sensor demonstrated a super-Nernstian sensitivity of 37 mV/Log[Ca²⁺], a low signal drift of 28 µV/s, a limit of detection of 1 µM, and exceptional selectivity against Na⁺, K⁺, and Mg²⁺ ions. Long-term testing showed stable performance over three months of continuous operation. Clinical testing was conducted on patients with chronic kidney disease. An accurate real-time monitoring of electrolyte dynamics in dialysate samples was observed, where final concentrations matched those observed in physiological conditions. Full article