On-Chip Micro Temperature Controllers Based on Freestanding Thermoelectric Nano Films for Low-Power Electronics

Multidimensional integration and multifunctional com-ponent assembly have been greatly explored in recent years to extend Moore’s Law of modern microelectronics.However,this inevitably exac-erbates the inhomogeneity of temperature distribution in microsystems,making precise temperature control for electronic components extremely challenging.Herein,we report an on-chip micro temperature controller including a pair of thermoelectric legs with a total area of 50×50μm^(2),which are fabricated from dense and flat freestanding Bi2Te3-based ther-moelectric nano films deposited on a newly developed nano graphene oxide membrane substrate.Its tunable equivalent thermal resistance is controlled by electrical currents to achieve energy-efficient temperature control for low-power electronics.A large cooling temperature difference of 44.5 K at 380 K is achieved with a power consumption of only 445μW,resulting in an ultrahigh temperature control capability over 100 K mW^(-1).Moreover,an ultra-fast cooling rate exceeding 2000 K s^(-1) and excellent reliability of up to 1 million cycles are observed.Our proposed on-chip temperature controller is expected to enable further miniaturization and multifunctional integration on a single chip for microelectronics.

Active Micro-Nano-Collaborative Bioelectronic Device for Advanced Electrophysiological Recording

The development of precise and sensitive electrophysiological recording platforms holds the utmost importance for research in the fields of cardiology and neuroscience.In recent years,active micro/nano-bioelectronic devices have undergone significant advancements,thereby facilitating the study of electrophysiology.The distinctive configuration and exceptional functionality of these active micro-nano-collaborative bioelectronic devices offer the potential for the recording of high-fidelity action potential signals on a large scale.In this paper,we review three-dimensional active nano-transistors and planar active micro-transistors in terms of their applications in electroexcitable cells,focusing on the evaluation of the effects of active micro/nano-bioelectronic devices on electrophysiological signals.Looking forward to the possibilities,challenges,and wide prospects of active micro-nano-devices,we expect to advance their progress to satisfy the demands of theoretical investigations and medical implementations within the domains of cardiology and neuroscience research.

Ignition processes and characteristics of charring conductive polymers with a cavity geometry in precombustion chamber for applications in micro/nano satellite hybrid rocket motors

The arc ignition system based on charring polymers has advantages of simple structure,low ignition power consumption and multiple ignitions,which bringing it broadly application prospect in hybrid propulsion system of micro/nano satellite.However,charring polymers alone need a relatively high input voltage to achieve pyrolysis and ignition,which increases the burden and cost of the power system of micro/nano satellite in practical application.Adding conductive substance into charring polymers can effectively decrease the conducting voltage which can realize low voltage and low power consumption repeated ignition of arc ignition system.In this paper,a charring conductive polymer ignition grain with a cavity geometry in precombustion chamber,which is composed of PLA and multiwall carbon nanotubes(MWCNT)was proposed.The detailed ignition processes were analyzed and two different ignition mechanisms in the cavity of charring conductive polymers were revealed.The ignition characteristics of charring conductive polymers were also investigated at different input voltages,ignition grain structures,ignition locations and injection schemes in a visual ignition combustor.The results demonstrated that the ignition delay and external energy required for ignition were inversely correlated with the voltages applied to ignition grain.Moreover,the incremental depth of cavity shortened the ignition delay and external energy required for ignition while accelerated the propagation of flame.As the depth of cavity increased from 2 to 6 mm(at 50 V),the time of flame propagating out of ignition grain changed from 235.6 to 108 ms,and values of mean ignition delay time and mean external energy required for ignition decreased from 462.8 to 320 ms and 16.2 to 10.75 J,respectively.The rear side of the cavity was the ideal ignition position which had a shorter ignition delay and a faster flame propagation speed in comparison to other ignition positions.Compared to direct injection scheme,swirling injection provided a more favorable flow field environment in the cavity,which was beneficial to ignition and initial flame propagation,but the ignition position needed to be away from the outlet of swirling injector.At last,the repeated ignition characteristic of charring conductive polymers was also investigated.The ignition delay time and external energy required for ignition decreased with repeated ignition times but the variation was decreasing gradually.

Impacts of Micro- and Nano-Plastics on Soil Properties and Plant Production in Agroecosystems: A Mini-Review

Micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs) are tiny plastic particles resulting from plastic product degradation. Soil MNPs have been identified as potential influential factors affecting various soil properties and crop biomass productivity. This mini-review provides a synthesis of recent findings concerning their effects on soil physicochemical properties, microorganisms, organic carbon content, soil nutrients, greenhouse gas emissions, soil fauna, and their impacts on plant ecophysiology, growth, and production. The results indicate that MNPs may markedly impede soil aggregation ability, increase porosity, decrease soil bulk density, enhance water retention capacity, influence soil pH and electrical conductivity, and escalate soil water evaporation. Exposure to MNPs may predominantly induce changes in soil microbial composition, reducing the diversity and complexity of microbial communities and microbial activity while enhancing soil organic carbon stability, influencing soil nutrient dynamics, and stimulating organic carbon decomposition and denitrification processes, leading to elevated soil respiration and methane emissions, and potentially decreasing soil nitrous oxide emission. Additionally, MNPs may adversely affect soil fauna, diminish seed germination rates, promote plant root growth, yet impair plant photosynthetic efficacy and biomass productivity. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the impacts and mechanistic foundations of MNPs. Future research avenues are suggested to further explore the impacts and economic implications.

TPU/Nano-ZnO复合改性沥青的性能研究及微观机制

为促进聚合物/纳米改性沥青在耐久性路面中的应用,在实验室将不同掺量的聚氨酯及纳米氧化锌添加到A-70#基质沥青中制备了复合改性沥青。采用传统物理性能试验、动态剪切流变试验(DSR)、弯曲梁流变试验(BBR)研究了其物理性能与流变特性,基于响应面法的优化设计来明确两种改性剂的最佳掺量。借助傅里叶红外光谱试验(FTIR)对其微观改性机理进行探讨。采用高压紫外汞灯环境箱对改性沥青进行不同时间的紫外老化,分析其抗紫外老化能力,并基于主成分分析法评价了老化性能测试指标的显著性。结果表明:聚氨酯与纳米氧化锌的共同作用提高了基质沥青的高温稳定性及低温抗裂性,两种改性剂的最佳掺量分别为5%、3%。根据FTIR结果,复合改性沥青的改性过程既存在物理共混,又有化学加成反应。聚氨酯及纳米氧化锌的加入在基质沥青紫外老化过程中能够抑制羰基、亚砜基等极性基团的生成,复数剪切模量、羰基指数、劲度模量及亚砜基指数对沥青紫外老化性能的影响最为显著。

“Smart”micro/nano container-based self-healing coatings on magnesium alloys:A review

Coating technologies are a commonly used way to protect metals against corrosion.However,with more and more severe service environments of materials,many protective coating systems often are not environmentally friendly or toxic as in the case of chromates.Based on the world’s abundant ideal magnesium(Mg)and its alloy,the smart self-healing anticorrosive coating can autonomously restore the damaged part of the coating according to the environmental changes,strengthen the corrosion protection ability,and prolong its service life.This paper reviews the research progress of smart self-healing coatings on Mg alloys.These coatings mostly contain suitable corrosion inhibitors encapsulated into micro/nano containers.Moreover,the different self-healing mechanisms and functionalities of micro/nano containers are discussed.The micro/nano containers range from inorganic nanocontainers such as mesoporous nanoparticles(silica(SiO_(2)),titanium dioxide(TiO_(2)),etc.),over inorganic clays(halloysite,hydrotalcite-like,zeolite),to organic nanocontainers such as polymer microcapsules,nanofibers,chitosan(CS)and cyclodextrin(CD),as well as,carbon materials such as graphene and carbon nanotubes and hybrids such as metal organic frameworks.The functioning of micro/nano containers can be divided in two principal groups:autonomous(based on defect filling and corrosion inhibition)and non-autonomous(based on dynamic bonds and shape memory polymers).Moreover,multi functionalities and composite applications of various micro/nano containers are summarized.At present,significant progress has been made in the preparation methods and technologies of micro/nano containers.Achieving long-term self-healing properties of coatings sensing of coating failure and early warning after self-healing function failure can be expected as the main development direction of self-healing corrosion protection coatings in the future.

Micro–Nano Water Film Enabled High‑Performance Interfacial Solar Evaporation

Interfacial solar evaporation holds great promise to address the freshwater shortage.However,most interfacial solar evaporators are always filled with water throughout the evaporation process,thus bringing unavoidable heat loss.Herein,we propose a novel interfacial evaporation structure based on the micro–nano water film,which demonstrates significantly improved evaporation performance,as experimentally verified by polypyrrole-and polydopamine-coated polydimethylsiloxane sponge.The 2D evaporator based on the as-prepared sponge realizes an enhanced evaporation rate of 2.18 kg m^(−2)h^(−1)under 1 sun by fine-tuning the interfacial micro–nano water film.Then,a homemade device with an enhanced condensation function is engineered for outdoor clean water production.Throughout a continuous test for 40 days,this device demonstrates a high water production rate(WPR)of 15.9–19.4 kg kW^(−1)h^(−1)m^(−2).Based on the outdoor outcomes,we further establish a multi-objective model to assess the global WPR.It is predicted that a 1 m^(2)device can produce at most 7.8 kg of clean water per day,which could meet the daily drinking water needs of 3 people.Finally,this technology could greatly alleviate the current water and energy crisis through further large-scale applications.

Research on Infrared Emissivity and Laser Reflectivity of Sn_(1−x)Er_(x)O_(2)Micro/Nanofibers Based on First-Principles

Sn_(1−x)Er_(x)O_(2)(x=0%,8%,16%,24%)micro/nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning combined with heat treatment using erbium nitrate,stannous chloride and polyvinylpyrrolidone(PVP)as raw materials.The target products were characterized by thermogravimetric analyzer,X-ray diffrotometer,fourier transform infrared spectrometer,scanning electron microscope,spectrophotometer and infrared emissivity tester,and the effects of Er^(3+)doping on its infrared and laser emissivity were studied.At the same time,the Sn_(1−x)Er_(x)O_(2)(x=0%,16%)doping models were constructed based on the first principles of density functional theory,and the related optoelectronic properties such as their energy band structure,density of states,reflectivity and dielectric constant were analyzed,and further explained the mechanism of Er^(3+)doping on SnO_(2)infrared emissivity and laser absorption from the point of electronic structure.The results showed that after calcination at 600℃,single rutile type SnO_(2)was formed,and the crystal structure was not changed by doping Er^(3+).The calcined products showed good fiber morphology,and the average fiber diameter was 402 nm.The infrared emissivity and resistivity of the samples both decreased first and then increased with the increase of Er^(3+)doping amount.When x=16%,the infrared emis-sivity of the sample was at least 0.71;and Er^(3+)doping can effectively reduce the reflectivity of SnO_(2)at 1.06μm and 1.55μm,when x=16%,its reflectivity at 1.06μm and 1.55μm are 50.5%and 40%,respectively,when x=24%,the reflectivity at 1.06μm and 1.55μm wavelengths are 47.3%and 42.1%,respectively.At the same time,the change of carrier concentration and electron transition before and after Er^(3+)doping were described by first-principle calculation,and the regulation mechanism of infrared emissivity and laser reflectivity was explained.This study provides a certain experimental and theoretical basis for the development of a single-type,light-weight and easily prepared infrared and laser compatible-stealth material.

Magnetic Field Effect and Heat Transfer of Nanofluids within Waveform Microchannel

In this research,a numerical study of mixed convection of non-Newtonian fluid and magnetic field effect along a vertical wavy surface was investigated.A simple coordinate transformation to transform wavy surface to a flat surface is employed.A cubic spline collocation numerical method is employed to analyze transformed equations.The effect of various parameters such as Reynolds number,volume fraction 0-,Hartmann number,and amplitude of wave length was evaluated in improving the performance of a wavy microchannel.According to the presented results,the sinusoidal shape of the microchannel has a direct impact on heat transfer.By increasing the microchannel wave amplitude,the Nusselt number has risen.On the other hand,increasing the heat transfer in the higher wavelength ratio corrugated channel is seen as an effective method of increasing the heat transfer,especially at higher Reynolds numbers.The results showed that with increasing Hartmann numbers,the flow line near thewall becomesmore regular and,according to the temperature gradient created,theNusselt number growth.

Modification of Nano-α-Al2O3 and Its Influence on the Surface Properties of Waterborne Polyurethane Resin Composite Passivation Films

Silane coupling agent KH560 was used to modify the surface of nano-α-Al2O3 in ethanol-aqueous solution with different proportions. The particle size of nano-α-Al2O3 was determined by nano-particle size analyzer, and the effects of nano-α-Al2O3 content, ethanol-aqueous solution ratio and KH560 dosage on the dispersion and particle size of nano-α-Al2O3 were investigated. The material structure before and after modification was determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Aqueous polyurethane resin and inorganic components are combined with modified nano-α-Al2O3 dispersion to form chromium-free passivation solution. The solution is coated on the galvanized sheet, the adhesion and surface hardness are tested, the bonding strength of the coating and the surface hardness of the substrate are discussed. The corrosion resistance and surface morphology of the matrix were investigated by electrochemical test, neutral salt spray test and scanning electron microscope test. The chromium-free passivation film formed after the modification of nano-α-Al2O3 increases the surface hardness of galvanized sheet by about 85%. The corrosion resistance of the film is better than that of a single polyurethane film. The results show that the surface hardness and corrosion resistance of polyurethane resin composite passivation film are significantly improved by the introduction of nano-α-Al2O3.

Recent development of LiNi_xCo_yMn_zO_2:Impact of micro/nano structures for imparting improvements in lithium batteries

The recent advancement in the design,synthesis,and fabrication of micro/nano structured LiNixCoyMnzO2 with one-,two-,and three-dimensional morphologies was reviewed.The major goal is to highlight LiNixCoyMnzO2 materials,which have been utilized in lithium ion batteries with enhanced energy and power density,high energy efficiency,superior rate capability and excellent cycling stability resulting from the doping,surface coating,nanocomposites and nano-architecturing.

Synthesis of porous nano/micro structured LiFePO_4/C cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries by spray-drying method

In order to enhance electrochemical properties of LiFePO4 （LFP） cathode materials, spherical porous nano/micro structured LFP/C cathode materials were synthesized by spray drying, followed by calcination. The results show that the spherical precursors with the sizes of 0.5-5 μm can be completely converted to LFP/C when the calcination temperature is higher than 500 ℃. The LFP/C microspheres obtained at calcination temperature of 700 ℃ are composed of numerous particles with sizes of -20 nm, and have well-developed interconnected pore structure and large specific surface area of 28.77 mE/g. The specific discharge capacities of the LFP/C obtained at 700 ℃ are 162.43, 154.35 and 144.03 mA.h/g at 0.5C, 1C and 2C, respectively. Meanwhile, the capacity retentions can reach up to 100% after 50 cycles. The improved electrochemical properties of the materials are ascribed to a small Li＋ diffusion resistance and special structure of LFP/C microspheres.

Synthesis of hierarchical dendritic micro–nano structure ZnFe_2O_4 and photocatalytic activities for water splitting

Hierarchical dendritic micro–nano structure Zn Fe_2O_4 have been prepared by electrochemical reduction and thermal oxidation method in this work. X-ray diffractometry, Raman spectra and field-emission scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the crystal structure, size and morphology. The results show that the sample(S-2) is composed of pure ZnFe_2O_4 when the molar ratio of Zn^(2+)/Fe^(2+)in the electrolyte is 0.35. Decreasing the molar ratio of Zn^(2+)/Fe^(2+), the sample(S-1) is composed of ZnFe_2O_4 and α-Fe_2O_3, whereas increasing the molar ratio of Zn^(2+)/Fe^(2+), the sample(S-3) is composed of ZnFe_2O_4 and Zn O. The lattice parameters of ZnFe_2O_4 are influenced by the molar ratio of Zn^(2+)/Fe: Zn at excess decreases the cell volume whereas Fe at excess increases the cell volume of Zn Fe_2O_4. All the samples have the dendritic structure, of which S-2 has micron-sized lush branches with nano-sized leaves. UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectra were acquired by a spectrophotometer. The absorption edges gradually blue shift with the increase of the molar ratio of Zn^(2+)/Fe^(2+). Photocatalytic activities for water splitting were investigated under Xe light irradiation in an aqueous olution containing 0.1 mol·L^(-1)Na_2S/0.02 mol·L^(-1)Na_2SO_3 in a glass reactor. The relatively highest photocatalytic activity with 1.41 μmol·h-1· 0.02 g^(-1)was achieved by pure ZnFe_2O_4sample(S-2). The photocatalytic activity of the mixture phase of Zn Fe_2O_4 and α-Fe_2O_3(S-1) is better than ZnF e_2O_4 and ZnO(S-3).

Micro/nano Indentation and Single Grit Diamond Grinding Mechanism on Ultra Pure Fused Silica

The existing research about ductile grinding of fused silica glass was mainly focused on how to carry out ductile regime material removal for generating very ＂smoothed＂ surface and investigate the machining-induced damage in the grinding in order to reduce or eliminate the subsurface damage.The brittle/ductile transition behavior of optical glass materials and the wear of diamond wheel are the most important factors for ductile grinding of optical glass.In this paper,the critical brittle/ductile depth,the influence factors on brittle/ductile transition behavior,the wear of diamond grits in diamond grinding of ultra pure fused silica（UPFS） are investigated by means of micro/nano indentation technique,as well as single grit diamond grinding on an ultra-stiff machine tool,Tetraform ＂C＂.The single grit grinding processes are in-process monitored using acoustic emission（AE） and force dynamometer simultaneously.The wear of diamond grits,morphology and subsurface integrity of the machined groves are examined with atomic force microscope（AFM） and scanning electron microscope（SEM）.The critical brittle/ductile depth of more than 0.5 μm is achieved.When compared to the using roof-like grits,by using pyramidal diamonds leads to higher critical depths of scratch with identical grinding parameters.However,the influence of grit shapes on the critical depth is not significant as supposed.The grinding force increased linearly with depth of cut in the ductile removal regime,but in brittle removal regime,there are large fluctuations instead of forces increase.The SEM photographs of the cross-section profile show that the median cracks dominate the crack patterns beneath the single grooves.Furthermore,The SEM photographs show multi worn patterns of diamond grits,indicating an inhomogeneous wear mechanism of diamond grits in grinding of fused silica with diamond grinding wheels.The proposed research provides the basal technical theory for improving the ultra-precision grinding of UPFS.

Preparation of micro/nano-structured ceramic coatings on Ti6Al4V alloy by plasma electrolytic oxidation process

In order to improve the osseointegration and antibacterial activity of titanium alloys,micro/nano-structured ceramic coatings doped with antibacterial element F were prepared by plasma electrolytic oxidation(PEO)process on Ti6Al4V alloy in NaF electrolyte.The influence of NaF concentration(0.15-0.50 mol/L)on the PEO process,microstructure,phase composition,corrosion resistance and thickness of the coatings was investigated using scanning/transmission electron microscopy,energy dispersive spectroscopy,atomic force microscopy,X-ray diffractometer,and potentiodynamic polarization.The results demonstrated that Ti6Al4V alloy had low PEO voltage(less than 200 V)in NaF electrolyte,which decreased further as the NaF concentration increased.A micro/nano-structured coating with 10-15μm pits and 200-800 nm pores was formed in NaF electrolyte;the morphology was different from the typical pancake structure obtained with other electrolytes.The coating formed in NaF electrolyte had low surface roughness and was thin(<4μm).The NaF concentration had a small effect on the phase transition from metastable anatase phase to stable rutile phase,but greatly affected the corrosion resistance.In general,as the NaF concentration increased,the surface roughness,phase(anatase and rutile)contents,corrosion resistance,and thickness of the coating first increased and then decreased,reaching the maximum values at 0.25 mol/L NaF.

PVDF-Based Micro Inorganic Fillers-Containing Polymer Electrolyte Membranes

Polymer electrolyte membranes based on poly （vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene） （PVDFHFP） with and without different types of micro inorganic fillers were prepared by phase-inversion process. Morphologies, porosities and electrochemical properties ＇of the as-prepared membranes were investigated by means of scanning electronic microscopy （SEM）, PC （propylene carbonate） uptake and alternating current （AC） impedance technique. Compared with other membranes, the membrane with micro SiO2 filler shows a dense morphology so that its PC uptake is the highest, namely, 339 %. The membrane filled with micro TiO2 exhibits good electrochemical performances： the ion conductivity is as high as 1.1 × 10^-3 S/cm at 18 ℃, which can meet the demand of lithium ion batteries. Moreover, its initial charge-discharge efficiency exceeds 89 %. The composite membranes with micro SiO2, TiO2 and Al2O3 are more suitable for the utilization in lithium ion batteries due to better cycle.ability, whereas the battery assembled with the blank membrane containing no inorganic fillers encounters a short circuit after the 5th cycle.

Dropwise condensation heat transfer enhancement on surfaces micro/nano structured by a two-step electrodeposition process

Condensation is an important regime of heat transfer which has wide applications in different industries such as power plants,heating,ventilating and air conditioning,and refrigeration.Condensation occurs in two different modes including filmwise (FWC) and dropwise (DWC) condensation.DWC occurring on hydrophobic and superhydrophobic surfaces has a much higher heat transfer capacity than FWC.Therefore,wide investigations have been done to produce DWC in recent years.Superhydrophobic surfaces have micro/nano structures with low surface energy.In this study,a two-step electrodeposition process is used to produce micro/nano structures on copper specimens.The surface energy of specimens is reduced by a self-assembled monolayer using ethanol and 1-octadecanethiol solution.The results show that there is an optimum condition for electrodeposition parameters.For example,a surface prepared by 2000 s step time has 5 times greater heat transfer than FWC while a surface with 4000 s step time has nearly the same heat transfer as FWC.The surfaces of the fabricated specimens are examined using XRD and SEM analyses.The SEM analyses of the surfaces show that there are some micro-structures on the surfaces and the surface porosities are reduced by increasing the second step electrodeposition time.

STRENGTH ANALYSIS OF CLAMPING IN MICRO/NANO SCALE EXPERIMENTS

Two kinds of clamping in micro/nano scale experiments are investigated in this paper, one based on electron-beam-induced deposition, and the other on the van der Waals interaction. The clamping strength and mechanism are analyzed both theoretically and experimentally. The influence of relative humidity on the micro/nano clamping and the method of electrostatic clamping are discussed. The clamping strength and performance of different clamping methods are compared considering the size and material of the clamped objects, and the application environments.