Ion engine grids：Function,main parameters,issues,configurations,geometries,materials and fabrication methods

Ion optics are crucial components of ion thrusters and the study of the different ion extraction solutions used since the beginning of the electric propulsion era is essential to understand the evolution of ion engines. This work describes ion engine grids＇ main functions, parameters and issues related to thermal expansion and sputter erosion, and then introduces a review of ion optics used for significant launched and tested ion thrusters since 1970. Configurations, geometries, materials and fabrication methods are analyzed to understand when typical ion thrusters use two or three grids, what are the thicknesses and aperture sizes of the screen, accelerator and decelerator grids, why molybdenum and carbon-based materials such as pyrolytic graphite and carbon–carbon are the best available options for ion optics and what is the manufacturing method for each material.

Recent Advances in One‑Dimensional Micro/Nanomotors:Fabrication,Propulsion and Application

Due to their tiny size,autonomous motion and functionalize modifications,micro/nanomotors have shown great potential for environmental remediation,biomedicine and micro/nano-engineering.One-dimensional(1D)micro/nanomotors combine the characteristics of anisotropy and large aspect ratio of 1D materials with the advantages of functionalization and autonomous motion of micro/nanomotors for revolutionary applications.In this review,we discuss current research progress on 1D micro/nanomotors,including the fabrication methods,driving mechanisms,and recent advances in environmental remediation and biomedical applications,as well as discuss current challenges and possible solutions.With continuous attention and innovation,the advancement of 1D micro/nanomotors will pave the way for the continued development of the micro/nanomotor field.

A Review of Nano/Micro/Milli Needles Fabrications for Biomedical Engineering

Needles,as some of the most widely used medical devices,have been effectively applied in human disease prevention,diagnosis,treatment,and rehabilitation.Thin 1D needle can easily penetrate cells/organs by generating highly localized stress with their sharp tips to achieve bioliquid sampling,biosensing,drug delivery,surgery,and other such applications.In this review,we provide an overview of multiscale needle fabrication techniques and their biomedical applications.Needles are classified as nanoneedles,microneedles and millineedles based on the needle diameter,and their fabrication techniques are highlighted.Nanoneedles bridge the inside and outside of cells,achieving intracellular electrical recording,biochemical sensing,and drug delivery.Microneedles penetrate the stratum corneum layer to detect biomarkers/bioelectricity in interstitial fluid and deliver drugs through the skin into the human circulatory system.Millineedles,including puncture,syringe,acupuncture and suture needles,are presented.Finally,conclusions and future perspectives for next-generation nano/micro/milli needles are discussed.

Fabrication,magnetostriction properties and applications of Tb-Dy-Fe alloys:a review

As an excellent giant-magnetostrictive material, Tb-Dy-Fe alloys(based on Tb0.27-0.30Dy0.73-0.70Fe1.9-2Laves compound) can be applied in many engineering fields, such as sonar transducer systems, sensors, and micro-actuators. However, the cost of the rare earth elements Tb and Dy is too high to be widely applied for the materials. Nowadays, there are two different ways to substitute for these alloying elements. One is to partially replace Tb or Dy by cheaper rare earth elements, such as Pr, Nd, Sm and Ho; and the other is to use non-rare earth elements, such as Co, Al, Mn, Si, Ce, B, Be and C, to substitute Fe to form single MgCu_2-type Laves phase and a certain amount of Re-rich phase, which can reduce the brittleness and improve the corrosion resistance of the alloy. This paper systemically introduces the development, the fabrication methods and the corresponding preferred growth directions of Tb-Dy-Fe alloys. In addition, the effects of alloying elements and heat treatment on magnetostrictive and mechanical properties of Tb-Dy-Fe alloys are also reviewed, respectively. Finally, some possible applications of Tb-Dy-Fe alloys are presented.

Fabrication and Investigation of the Magnetic Properties of Co and Co3O4 Nanoparticles

The nanoparticles exhibit some novel optical and magnetic properties, which are different from its bulk material. Cobalt oxide has been known as a semi-conductor compound of p type with a Spinel structure. Therefore, they are used as gas sensor and absorbent of solar energy. Furthermore, they are employed as an effective catalyzer in environmental clearing. In the thermal gradation method, carbonyl cobalt Co2(CO)8 is often used as a precursor, though cobalt carbonyl is very toxic and expensive. Magnetic compounds have been among interesting issues for human beings for over 4000 years. In large societies, magnetic compounds including computer disks, credit cards, speakers, coolers, automatic doors, and many other devices can be observed on a daily basis. The structure and morphology of as-prepared Co3O4 nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The TEM images showed that the product nanoparticles consisted of dispersive quasi- spherical particles with a narrow size distribution ranged from 5 to 15 nm and an average size around 10 nm. The magnetic measurements confirmed that the Co3O4 nanoparticles show a little ferromagnetic behavior which could be attributed to the uncompensated surface spins and finite size effects. The ferromagnetic order of the Co3O4 nanoparticles is raised with increasing the decomposition temperature.

Advances in biocermets for bone implant applications

As two promising biomaterials for bone implants,biomedical metals have favorable mechanical properties and good machinability but lack of bioactivity;while bioceramics are known for good biocompatibility or even bioactivity but limited by their high brittleness.Biocermets,a kind of composites composing of bioceramics and biomedical metals,have been developed as an effective solution by combining their complementary advantages.This paper focused on the recently studied biocermets for bone implant applications.Concretely,biocermets were divided into ceramic-based biocermets and metal-based biocermets according to the phase percentages.Their characteristics were systematically summarized,and the fabrication methods for biocermets were reviewed and compared.Emphases were put on the interactions between bioceramics and biomedical metals,as well as the performance improvement mechanisms.More importantly,the main methods for the interfacial reinforcing were summarized,and the corresponding interfacial reinforcing mechanisms were discussed.In addition,the in vitro and in vivo biological performances of biocermets were also reviewed.Finally,future research directions were proposed on the advancement in component design,interfacial reinforcing and forming mechanisms for the fabrication of high-performance biocermets.

Processing and characterization of C_f/SiC composites

Carbon fiber-reinforced SiC composites were prepared by precursor pyrolysis-hot pressing （PP-HP） and precursor impregnation-pyrolysis （PIP）, respectively. The effect of fabrication methods on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the composites was investigated. It was found that the composite prepared by PP-HP exhibits a brittle fracture behavior, which is mainly ascribed to a strongly bonded fiber/matrix interface and the degradation of the fibers caused by a higher processing temperature. On the contrary, the composite prepared by PIP shows a tough fracture behavior, which could be rationalized on the basis of a weakly bonded fiber/matrix interface as well as a higher strength retention of the fibers. As a result, in comparison with the composite prepared by PP-HP, the composite prepared by PIP achieves better mechanical properties with a flexural strength of 573.4 MPa and a fracture toughness of 17.2 MPa.m^1/2.

Development in p-type Doping of ZnO

Zinc oxide （ZnO） is a wide band-gap material of the Ⅱ-Ⅵ group with excellent optical properties for optoelectronics applications, such as the flat panel displays and solar cells used in sports tournament. Despite its advantages, the application of ZnO is hampered by the lack of stable p-type doping. In this paper, the recent progress in this field was briefly reviewed, and a comprehensive summary of the research was carded out on ZnO fabrication methods and its electrical, optical, and magnetic properties were presented.

A Novel Method of Fabricating Flexible Transparent Conductive Large Area Graphene Film

We fabricate flexible conductive and transparent graphene films on position-emission-tomography substrates and prepare large area graphene films by graphite oxide sheets with the new technical process. The multi-layer graphene oxide sheets can be chemically reduced by HNO3 and HI to form a highly conductive graphene film on a substrate at lower temperature. The reduced graphene oxide sheets show a high conductivity sheet with resistance of 476Ω/sq and transmittance of 76% at 550nm （6 layers）. The technique used to produce the transparent conductive graphene thin film is facile, inexpensive, and can be tunable for a large area production applied for electronics or touch screens.

Simple Method to Fabricate Au Nanoparticle-Decorated TiO2 Nanotube Arrays for Enhanced Visible Light Photocurrent

Au nanoparticle-decorated TiO2 nanotube arrays are prepared by a simple method, which is a thermal annealing thin gold film deposited on anodie oxidized TiO2 nanotube arrays. These electron microscope images present that Au nanoparticles are well dispersed within the wall and on the surface of the XiO2 nanotubes. Meanwhile, the morphologies of Au nanoparticles can be controlled by changing the thickness of the deposited gold film. Associ- ated with the excitation of localized surface plasmon resonances, the prepared Au nanoparticle-decorated TiO2 nanotube arrays could work as visible light responsive photocatalysts to produce a greatly enhanced photocurrent density. By varying the initial gold film thickness, such Au nanoparticle-decorated TiO2 nanotube arrays could be optimized to obtain the highest photocurrent generation efficiency in the visible and UV light regions.

Material,design,and fabrication of custom prosthetic liners for lower-extremity amputees:A review

As a physical interface,a prosthetic liner is commonly used as a transition material between the residual limb and the stiff socket.Typically made from a compliant material such as silicone,the main function of a prosthetic liner is to protect the residual limb from injuries induced by load-bearing normal and shear stresses.Compared to conventional liners,custom prosthetic lower-extremity(LE)liners have been shown to better relieve stress concentrations in painful and sensitive regions of the residual limb.Although custom LE liners have been shown to offer clinical benefits,no review article on their design and efficacy has yet been written.To address this shortcoming in the literature,this paper provides a comprehensive survey of custom LE liner materials,design,and fabrication methods.First,custom LE liner materials and components are summarized,including a description of commercial liners and their efficacy.Subsequently,digital methods used to design and fabricate custom LE liners are addressed,including residual limb biomechanical modeling,finite element-based design methods,and 3-D printing techniques.Finally,current evaluation methods of custom/commercial LE liners are presented and discussed.We hope that this review article will inspire further research and development into the design and manufacture of custom LE liners.

Fabrication of fiber-embedded multi-core photonic crystal fibers

A novel fabrication method of multi-core photonic crystal fibers is proposed on the basis of a fiber-embedded technique. A taper tower is used to modify the structures of the fiber preform, and four steps of fiber fabrication and different structures of fiber samples are given. The mode structures and beating characteristics of a photonic crystal fiber sample with two successive cores are investigated in detail with the help of a supercontinuum light source, a charge-coupled device （CCD） camera, and an optical spectrum analyzer. The test results show a clear beating phenomenon between two orthotropic polarization modes with a 2.8-nm peak interval in wavelength.

Fabrication,properties,and applications of open-cell aluminum foams:A review

Open-cell metallic foams or porous metals have a distinctive combination of excellent structural performance and superior functional characteristics,such as their light weight,energy absorption,sound absorption,heat dissipation,and electromagnetic shielding.As a primary representative of metallic foams,aluminum foam has developed into a new engineering material with many unique applications in the fields of aerospace,automotive industry,petrochemical industry,building materials,and etc.This paper summarizes the fabrication methods,properties,and applications of open-cell aluminum foams.The current status and development trends are also introduced.

Progress in 3D‑MXene Electrodes for Lithium/Sodium/Potassium/Magnesium/Zinc/Aluminum‑Ion Batteries

MXenes have attracted increasing attention because of their rich surface functional groups,high electrical conductivity,and outstanding dispersibility in many solvents,and have demonstrated competitive efficiency in energy storage and conversion applications.However,the restacking nature of MXene nanosheets like other two-dimensional(2D)materials through van der Waals forces results in sluggish ionic kinetics,restricted number of active sites,and ultimate deterioration of MXene mate-rial/device performance.The strategy of raising 2D MXenes into three-dimensional(3D)structures has been considered an efficient way for reducing restacking,providing greater porosity,higher surface area,and shorter distances for mass transport of ions,surpassing standard one-dimensional(1D)and 2D structures.In multivalent ion batteries,the positive multivalent ions combine with two or more electrons at the same time,so their capacities are two or three times that of lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)under the same conditions,e.g.,a magnesium ion battery has a high theoretical specific capacity of 2205 mAh g^(−1)and a high volumetric capacity of 3833 mAh cm^(−3).In this review,we summarize the most recent strategies for fabricating 3D MXene architectures,such as assembly,template,3D printing,electrospinning,aerogel,and gas foaming methods.Special consideration has been given to the applications of highly porous 3D MXenes in energy storage devices beyond LIBs,such as sodium ion batteries(SIBs),potassium ion batteries(KIBs),magnesium ion batteries(MIBs),zinc ion batteries(ZIBs),and aluminum ion batteries(AIBs).Finally,the authors provide a summary of the future opportunities and challenges for the construction of 3D MXenes and MXene-based electrodes for applications beyond LIBs.

Emerging monoelemental 2D materials(Xenes)for biosensor applications

Currently,numerous monoelemental two-dimensional(2D)materials,called Xenes,have been discovered,including graphyne(GD),silicene,germanene,arsenene,borophene.Their structures,fabrication methods,as well as properties have been extensively explored.Based on their single-element composition,high optical response capability,excellent electrical-optical properties,large specific surface area(SSA)and easy modification,Xenes have been widely used in photoelectric applications(detection,modulation,light processing)and biomedicine(biological sensing,drug loading,bioimaging,etc.).Especially in the field of biomedicine,Xenes are expected to induce a great breakthrough.In this review,we introduce the structural characteristics,synthesis and modification methods of several common Xenes respectively.The general properties including optical,electronic,physical and chemical properties of Xenes are summarized.Their diverse utilization as biosensors for nucleic acid sequencing,bioactive detection,cancer diagnosis,etc.are also explicitly explored.Finally,the challenges and future perspectives of Xenes in biosensor are discussed.

Shape Memory Alloy-Reinforced Metal-Matrix Composites:A Review

Metal-matrix composites reinforced with shape memory alloys （SMA, including long fiber, short fiber, and particle） are ＂intelligent materials＂ with many special physical and mechanical properties, such as high damping property, high tensile strength, and fatigue resistance. In this review article, the fabrication method, microstructure, interface reaction, modeling, and physical and mechanical properties of the composites are addressed. Particular emphasis has been given to （a） fabrication and microstructure of aluminum matrix composites reinforced with SMAs, and （b） shape memory effect on the physical and mechanical properties of the composites. While the bulk of the information is related to aluminum matrix composites, important results are now available for other metal-matrix composites.

Low-cost method of fabricating large-aperture,high efficiency,Fresnel diffractive membrane optic using a modified moir technique

To reduce the cost and achieve high diffraction efficiency, a modified moir@ technique for fabricating a large- aperture multi-level Fresnel membrane optic by a novel design of alignment marks is proposed. The modified moire fringes vary more sensitively with the actual misalignment. Hence, the alignment accuracy is significantly improved. Using the proposed method, a 20 μm thick, four-level Fresnel diffractive polyimide membrane optic with a 200 mm diameter is made, which exhibits over 62% diffraction efficiency into the ＋1 order, and an efficiency root mean square of 0.051.

Crystal characterization and optical spectroscopy of Eu^(3+)-doped CaGdAlO_4 single crystal fabricated by the floating zone method

A highly transparent Eu3＋-doped CaGdA104 （CGA） single crystal is grown by the floating zone method. The segregation coefficient, x ray diffraction, and x ray rocking curve are detected, and the results reveal that the single crystal is of high quality. The f-f transitions of Eu3＋ in the host lattice are discussed. The 5D0-7F2 emis- sion transition at 621 nm （red light） is dominant over the 5D0-7F1 emission transitions at 591 and 599 nm （orange light）, agreeing well with the random crystal environment of Eu3＋ ions in a CGA crystal. The decay time of Eu：5D0 is measured to be 1.02 ms. All the results show that the Eu：CGA crystal has good optical char- acterization and promises to be an excellent red- fluorescence material.

Optical property of an antireflection coating fabricated by an optimal spin-coating method with a pH-modified SiO2 nanoparticle solution

An antireflection （AR） coating is fabricated by applying an optimal spin-coating method and a pH-modified SiO2 nanoparticle solution on a cover glass. Because the pH value of the solution will affect the aggregation and dispersion of the SiO2 particles, the transmittance of the AR-treated cover glass will be enhanced under optimal fabricated conditions. The experimental results show that an AR coating fabricated by an SiO2 nano- particle solution of pH 11 enhances the transmittance approximately by 3% and 5% under normal and oblique incident conditions, respectively. Furthermore, the AR-treated cover glass exhibits hydrophobicity and shows a 65% enhancement at a contact angle to bare glass.

Effect of Scanning Beam Profile to Fabricate Fused Fiber Tapers by CO_2 Laser Irradiation Method

Beam uniformity is a crucial building block of CO2 experiments aimed at fusing and stretching optical fibers in a lossless manner. When the irradiation beam is expanded through a galvanometer mirror, ways to achieve beam uniformity are investigated.