Significantly Improved High-Temperature Energy Storage Performance of BOPP Films by Coating Nanoscale Inorganic Layer

Biaxially oriented polypropylene(BOPP)is one of the most commonly used commercial capacitor films,but its upper operating temperature is below 105℃due to the sharply increased electrical conduction loss at high temperature.In this study,growing an inorganic nanoscale coating layer onto the BOPP film's surface is proposed to suppress electrical conduction loss at high temperature,as well as increase its upper operating temperature.Four kinds of inorganic coating layers that have different energy band structure and dielectric property are grown onto the both surface of BOPP films,respectively.The effect of inorganic coating layer on the high-temperature energy storage performance has been systematically investigated.The favorable coating layer materials and appropriate thickness enable the BOPP films to have a significant improvement in high-temperature energy storage performance.Specifically,when the aluminum nitride(AIN)acts as a coating layer,the AIN-BOPP-AIN sandwich-structured films possess a discharged energy density of 1.5 J cm^(-3)with an efficiency of 90%at 125℃,accompanying an outstandingly cyclic property.Both the discharged energy density and operation temperature are significantly enhanced,indicating that this efficient and facile method provides an important reference to improve the high-temperature energy storage performance of polymer-based dielectric films.

Biopolymer Films and Coatings in Packaging Applications--A Review of Recent Developments

This review covers the recent developments in the field of biobased packaging materials. Special emphasis is placed on the barrier properties, which are crucial in terms of food packaging. The state-of-the-art of several biopolymers including pectin, starch, chitosan, xylan, galactoglucomannan, lignin and cellulose nanofibrils is discussed. As in most cases the packaging related properties of single layer biopolymer films are inadequate, the thin film coatings, such as sol-gel and ALD (atomic layer deposition), as well as the multilayer coatings are also briefly touched.

Preparation of CuInSe_2 thin films by paste coating

Precursor pastes were obtained by milling Cu-In alloys and Se powders. CulnSe2 thin films were successfully prepared by precursor layers, which were coated using these pastes, and were annealed in a H2 atmosphere. The pastes were tested by laser particle diameter analyzer, simultaneous thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis instruments （TG-DTA）, and X-ray diffractometry （XRD）. Selenized films were characterized by XRD, scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, and energy dispersive spectroscopy （EDS）. The results indicate that chalcopyrite CuInSe2 is formed at 180℃ and the crystallinity of this phase is improved as the temperature rises. All the CuInSe2 thin films, which were annealed at various temperatures, exhibit the preferred orientation along the （112） plane. The compression of precursor layers before selenization step is one of the most essential factors for the preparation of perfect CuInSe2 thin films.

Preparation and optical properties of Nb-NbN multilayer films as solar selective absorptive coatings

Based on the cermet double layer structure, Nb-NbN multi-layer films for solar selective coatings were deposited by direct current reactive magnetron sputtering. The Nb/Nb-NbN/Al2O3 trilayered structure was deposited on a stainless steel (SS) substrate by using a single niobium target. The expected components were adjusted by changing the gas flowing ratios of Ar: N2. The Al2O3 antireflective layer on the top of the film was produced by r. f. magnetron sputtering using Al2O3 ceramic target. A solar absorptivity of 0.94 and a normal emissivity of 0.16 at room temperature have been achieved for the coating. Thermal vacuum aging to the samples was carried out at 350 and 500 ℃ for 1 h. The results show a good thermal stability. Microstructure and its dependence on temperature of the Nb, NbN and Nb-NbN single layers were investigated, respectively.

Structure distortion, optical and electrical properties of ZnO thin films co-doped with Al and Sb by sol-gel spin coating

ZnO thin films co-doped with A1 and Sb with different concentrations and a fixed molar ratio of AlCl3 to SbCl3 at 1：2, are prepared by a sol-gel spin-coating method on glass annealed at 550 ℃ for 2 h in air. The x-ray diffraction results confirm that the ZnO thin films co-doped with Al distortion, and the biaxial stresses are 1.03× 10^8. 3.26× 10^8 and Sb are of wurtzite hexagonal ZnO with a very small 5.23 × 10^8, and 6.97× 10^8 Pa, corresponding to those of the ZnO thin films co-doped with Al and Sb in concentrations of 1.5, 3.0, 4.5, 6.0 at% respectively. The optical properties reveal that the ZnO thin films co-doped with Al and Sb have obviously enhanced transmittance in the visible region. The electrical properties show that ZnO thin film co-doped with Al and Sb in a concentration of 1.5 at% has a lowest resistivity of 2.5 Ω·cm.

Electrochemical Properties of Poly(ethylene oxide)(PEO) Doped TiO_2-PEO Films Prepared by Sol-gel Dip Coating Technique

PEO modified Ti02 -PEO organic-inorganic hybrid thin films were prepared via, sol-gel dipping process on glass substrate pre-coated with ITO. The preparation parameters were studied. Electrochemical and optical properties of the films were characterized by cyclic voltammetric response and visible transmittance. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to determined the crystalline structure of the gel. The results show the sols added with PEO have acceptable stable periods for practical use. The PEO modified optical transitivity of the hybrid films has heavy effects on the crystallization of TiO2 during structural evolution because of the interaction between PEO and Ti02 . PEO-TiO2 films have better electrochemical activity than the TiO2 equivalent behaved as higher Li + insertion/extraction current density and cyclic reversibility.

MgO and ZnO Composite Thin Films Using the Spin Coating Method on Microscope Glasses

In this study, a new route to produce pure and composite ZnO-MgO thin films has been presented. In the process the pure ZnO thin films were the starting point, ending up with MgO by doping various percentages (from 0% to 100%) of Mg with the help of sol-gel spin coating technique. The crystal phases in all doping levels have been obtained when the samples annealed at 600℃ for a duration of 6 hours. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra, the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs and UV-Vis absorption spectra have been performed to elucidate the composed film structures.

Suppression of flux avalanches in YBCO superconducting thin films by coating metal investigated using magneto-optical imaging

Flux avalanches,prevalently existing in superconducting thin films,can cause catastrophic breakdowns of electromagnetic properties and even irreversible damage to superconducting materials.Metal coating is an effective way to suppress the flux avalanches in superconducting thin films.Nevertheless,it is difficult to reveal the suppression mechanisms due to the challenge of effectively separating the simultaneous eddy currents and heat exchange in the metal coating.In this work,the eddy currents and heat exchange in the Ag metal coating are separated by setting a thermal insulation layer,and its inhibiting effect on the flux avalanches of the YBCO superconducting thin films is elucidated.The results indicate that eddy currents play an important part in suppressing magnetic flux avalanches,and their effect strengthens with increasing Ag thickness.Meanwhile,employing the double-exposure method,the flux avalanche velocity of YBCO superconducting thin films was measured,revealing a significant decrease in the magnetic flux avalanche velocity due to suppression by eddy currents.Moreover,a theoretical model was established to investigate the influence of eddy currents on the motion of a single vortex,and the calculated results showed good agreement with the experiments.These findings provide a better understanding of the flux avalanches and their suppression in YBCO superconducting thin films.

Structural and optical properties of nano-spin coated sol-gel porous TiO_2 films

Three thicknesses of TiO2 films, 174, 195, and 229 nm, were deposited onto quartz substrates by sol–gel spin coating method. The as-deposited thin films were characterized by nano-crystallite with different sizes (19–46 nm) and relatively high porous structure. Optical constants were determined and showed the lowest refractive index of 1.66 for the as-prepared films that ever reported till now. Obtained results were discussed through current theoretical ideas.

Structural, Optical and Luminescence Properties of ZnO Thin Films Prepared by Sol-Gel Spin-Coating Method： Effect of Precursor Concentration

Transparent zinc oxide（ZnO） thin films are fabricated by a simple sol-gel spin-coating technique on glass substrates with different solution concentrations（0.3-1.2 M） using zinc acetate dehydrate [Zn（CH_3COO）_2·2H_2O] as precursor and isopropanol and monoethanolamine（MEA） as solvent and stabilizer, respectively. The molar ratio of zinc acetate dehydrate to MEA is 1.0. X-ray diffraction, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy are employed to investigate the effect of solution concentration on the structural and optical properties of the ZnO thin films. The obtained results of all thin films are discussed in detail and are compared with other experimental data.

Interfacial Interaction Between Polyurethane/Poly(Methacrylateco-Styrene) Coating and the Regenerated Cellulose Film

Water-resistant films were prepared by coating the surface of regenerated cellulose films with castor oil-based polyurethane (PU)/ poly-(methacrylate-co-styrene) [P (MA-St)]. The effects of the ratio of PU to P (MA-St) copolymer on tensile strength (dry and wet states), vapor permeability, size stability, and water resistivity of the coated films were studied. The interfacial interaction between cellulose and the PU/P (MA-St) coating was analyzed using infrared (IR), ultraviolet (UV), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). The results indicated that the mechanical properties and water resistivity of the coated films significantly enhanced, and the biodegradability was displayed, when the ratio of PU to P (MA-St) was 8∶2 by weight. The chemical bonds and hydrogen bonds between the cellulose, PU, and the copolymer exist in the coated films. It is regarded that PU/P (MA-St) semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) were formed, and a shared network of PU with both the cellulose and the coating in the coated film occurred simultaneously resulting in a strong bonding between the coating layer and the film.

Magnetic Properties of Nanometer-Scale NiZnCu Ferrite Thin Films Fabricated by Spray-Spin-Heating-Coating Method

A new nanometer-scale ferrite thin film with excellent high-frequency characteristics has been developed by the spray-spin-heating-coating method. The effects of the ion synthesis mechanism, chemical stoichiometry, fabrication method, and doping content on the magnetic properties and microstructure of the thin films have been analyzed. The films formed between 75℃ and 90℃ by spray-spin-heating-coating methods was discovered with fine grain size of about 21 nm, high saturation magnetization (4πMs) of about 6.5 kGs, coercivity of about 9.8 Oe, as well as initial permeability of about 14.0. These films can be widely used in radio-frequency integrated circuit devices.

Influence of Sn Low Doping on the Morphological, Structural and Optical Properties of ZnO Films Deposited by Sol Gel Dip-Coating

In this work, Undoped Zinc Oxide (ZnO) and Sndoped Zinc Oxide (ZnO:Sn) films have been deposited by sol-gel dip coating method, where the Sn/Zn atomic ratio was 3% and 5% in the solution. The effects of Sn incorporation on morphological, structural and optical properties of ZnO films were investigated. The Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) showed that the morphological surface of the films was affected by Sn low doping. The X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) patterns showed that all films have polycrystalline structures, and the doping incorporation has not lead to substantial changes in the structural characteristics of ZnO films. The crystallite size was calculated using the well-known Scherrer’s formula and found to be in the range of 23 - 40 nm. The measurements from UV-Visible Spectrophotometer (U-Vis) indicated that the highest average optical transmittance in the visible region was related to Undoped ZnO film, then the optical band gap and Urbach energy values of thin films were calculated. The X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) has demonstrated that Sn is incorporated in ZnO lattice.

SnS thin films deposited by chemical bath deposition, dip coating and SILAR techniques

The SnS thin films were synthesized by chemical bath deposition （CBD）, dip coating and successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction （SILAR） techniques. In them, the CBD thin films were deposited at two tem- peratures： ambient and 70℃. The energy dispersive analysis of X-rays （EDAX）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and optical spectroscopy techniques were used to characterize the thin films. The electrical transport properties studies on the as-deposited thin films were done by measuring the I-V characteristics, DC electrical resistivity variation with temperature and the room temperature Hall effect. The obtained results are deliberated in this paper.

Carbon Film Coating Used in CdZnTe Crystal Growth

A simple method of carbon film coating used in CdZnTe crystal growth was developed. The optimum parameters were selected. Breakdown of carbon film was commonly seen if Cd reservoir was not used in the crystal growth. The carbon film was in good condition when the vapor pressure of Cd was kept around 0.1 MPa during crystal growth.

Thin film dynamics in coating problems using Onsager principle

A new variational method is proposed to investigate the dynamics of the thin film in a coating flow where a liquid is delivered through a fixed slot gap onto a moving substrate. A simplified ODE system has also been derived for the evolution of the thin film whose thickness hf is asymptotically constant behind the coating front. We calculate the phase diagram as well as the film profiles and approximate the film thickness theoretically, and agreement with the well-known scaling law as Ca2/3 is found.

Effect of substrate curvature on thickness distribution of polydimethylsiloxane thin film in spin coating process

The polymer spin coating is critical in flexible electronic manufaction and micro-electro-mechanical system（MEMS）devices due to its simple operation, and uniformly coated layers. Some researchers focus on the effects of spin coating parameters such as wafer rotating speed, the viscosity of the coating liquid and solvent evaporation on final film thickness.In this work, the influence of substrate curvature on film thickness distribution is considered. A new parameter which represents the edge bead effect ratio（re） is proposed to investigate the influence factor of edge bead effect. Several operation parameters including the curvature of the substrate and the wafer-spin speed are taken into account to study the effects on the film thickness uniformity and edge-bead ratio. The morphologies and film thickness values of the spin-coated PDMS films under various substrate curvatures and coating speeds are measured with laser confocal microscopy. According to the results, both the convex and concave substrate will help to reduce the edge-bead effect significantly and thin film with better surface morphology can be obtained at high spin speed. Additionally, the relationship between the edge-bead ratio and the thin film thickness is like parabolic curve instead of linear dependence. This work may contribute to the mass production of flexible electronic devices.

Phase Transformation and Optimized Growth of TFA-MOD REBa_2Cu_3O_(7-x) Films for Coated Conductors

Several types of REBa2Cu3O7-x （REBCO, RE=Y, Ho etc.） films are prepared on single crystal substrate LaAIO3 by TFA-MOD method. The phase transformation and optimized growth conditions in the crystallization are studied. Compared with SmBCO and GdBCO, high quality YBCO and HoBCO films are relatively easy to produce. It is revealed that the YBCO grains can form at low temperatures such as 730 ℃ during the initial heating ramp. With a high heating rate of 20 K/min and a low oxygen pressure of 100 ppm, the optimum growth temperature is around 780℃, at which the films show a Jc value of 2.88 MMcm2. Further decrease of the heating rate may produce the highquality YBCO Film with a higher Jc of 3.65 MA/cm2. The temperature dependence of resistances in various magnetic fields up to 9 T shows that the present TFAMOD YBCO and HoBCO films have similar superonducting transition temperature and magnetotransport properties.

Study progression in application of process analytical technologies on film coating

Film coating is an important unit operation to produce solid dosage forms,thereby,the monitoring of this process is helpful to find problems in time and improve the quality of coated products.Traditional methods adopted to monitor this process include measurement of coating weight gain,performance of disintegration and dissolution test,etc.However,not only do these methods cause destruction to the samples,but also consume time and energy.There have recently emerged the applications of process analytical technologies(PAT)on film coating,especially some novel spectroscopic and imaging technologies,which have the potential to real-time track the progress in film coating and optimize production efficiency.This article gives an overview on the application of such technologies for film coating,with the goal to provide a reference for the further researches.

Diamond Like Carbon Film Deposited on Porous Silicon as Passivation Coating

By depositing diamond like carbon (DLC) film with radio frequency plasma chemical vapor deposition (RFPCVD) method, a new surface passivation technique for photoluminescence porous silicon (PS) has been studied. The surface microstructure and photoelectric properties of both porous silicon and DLC coated PS have been analyzed by using AFM, FTIR and PL spectrotrieters. The results show the DLC film with dense and homogenous nanometer grains can be deposited on the PS used as passivation coating as it can terminate oxide reaction on the surface of the PS. Furthermore, certain ratio of hydrogen existed in the DLC film can be improved to form hydride species on the DLC/PS interface as the centers of the luminescence so that the DLC coating is of benefit not only to the passivation of the PS but also to the improvement of its luminescent intensity.