Comprehensiveness and uniqueness of commercial databases and open access systems

Scientometrics - In this study, scholarly communication systems provided by commercial services and open access systems are examined on the basis of the comprehensiveness and uniqueness of their...     

Making reusable reaction-bonded silicon nitride crucibles for silicon casting from kerf-loss silicon waste

Silicon kerf loss during wafer slicing and the broken quartz crucibles after silicon casting are two major solid wastes from photovoltaic (PV) industry. Especially, the recycle of kerf-loss silicon has become an urgent issue because near 100 000 t of solid wastes are generated every year. One of the most meaningful recycle routes of the kerf-loss silicon is to make silicon nitride crucibles to replace the quartz crucibles. In this study, we demonstrated how this is feasible through acid leaching refining, slip casting, and nitridation. The reaction-bonded silicon nitride (RBSN) crucibles after oxidation were found pure enough for silicon ingot growth. More importantly, they could be reused after ingot growth. With the present examples, the potential of using the kerf-loss silicon for fine ceramics is prominent.     

Enhanced dielectric properties of three phase dielectric MWCNTs/BaTiO3/PVDF nanocomposites for energy storage using fused deposition modeling 3D printing

This research studied the effect of fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing on three phase dielectric nanocomposites using poly(vinylidene) fluoride (PVDF), BaTiO₃ (BT), and multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNTs). PVDF polymer and BT ceramics are piezo-, pyro- and di-electric materials extensively used for sensor and energy storage/harvesting applications due to their unique characteristic of dipole polarization. To increase dielectric property, CNTs have been recently utilized for uniform dispersion of BT nanoparticles, ultrahigh polarization density, and local micro-capacitor among matrix. It was proved that 3D printing process provides homogeneous dispersion of nanoparticles, alleviating agglomeration of nanoparticles and reducing micro-crack/voids in matrix which can potentially enhance their dielectric property than traditional methods. In this research, these three-phase nanocomposites are fabricated through FDM 3D printing process and characterized for dielectric property. Increasing both BT and CNT nanoparticles improves dielectric properties, while CNTs have a percolation threshold near 1.7?wt%. The most desirable combination of dielectric constant and loss properties (118 and 0.11 at 1?kHz) is achieved with nanocomposites containing 1.7?wt%-CNT/45?wt%-BT/PVDF. These results provide not only a technique to 3D print dielectric nanocomposites with improved dielectric property but also large-scale electronic device manufacturing possibility with freedom of design, low cost, and faster process.     

Fabrication and Thermal Dissipation Properties of Carbon Nanofibers Derived from Electrospun Poly(Amic Acid) Carboxylate Salt Nanofibers

Polyimides (PIs) possess excellent mechanical properties, thermal stability, and chemical resistance and can be converted to carbon materials by thermal carbonization. The preparation of carbon nanomaterials by carbonizing PI‐based nanomaterials, however, has been less studied. In this work, the fabrication of PI nanofibers is investigated using electrospinning and their transformation to carbon nanofibers. Poly(amic acid) carboxylate salts (PAASs) solutions are first electrospun to form PAAS nanofibers. After the imidization and carbonization processes, PI and carbon nanofibers can then be obtained, respectively. The Raman spectra reveal that the carbon nanofibers are partially graphitized by the carbonization process. The diameters of the PI nanofibers are observed to be smaller than those of the PAAS nanofibers because of the formation of the more densely packed structures after the imidization processes; the diameters of the carbon nanofibers remain similar to those of the PI nanofibers after the carbonization process. The thermal dissipation behaviors of the PI and carbon nanofibers are also examined. The infrared images indicate that the transfer rates of thermal energy for the carbon nanofibers are higher than those for the PI nanofibers, due to the better thermal conductivity of carbon caused by the covalent sp² bonding between carbon atoms.     

Studies on one‐dimensional polyanilines prepared with n‐dodecylbenzenesulfonic and camphorsulfonic acids

Anilinium salts complexed with n‐dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (DBSA) and camphorsulfonic acid (CSA) were found to self‐assemble into cylindrical micelles with bigger diameters than those complexed with only DBSA or CSA. These cylindrical micelles were polymerized into one‐dimensional copolyaniline nanotubes (PANIDBSACSA) via emulsion polymerization, demonstrating various morphologies depending on the ratio of DBSA to CSA. The UV?visible?NIR spectra of neat PANICSA and PANIDBSACSAs illustrate significant free carrier tails in the NIR region and conductivity 10–20 times higher than that of neat PANIDBSA whose UV?visible?NIR spectrum does not illustrate significant carrier tails. When the number of moles of DBSA is equivalent to or exceeds that of CSA in the polymerization mixture, SEM and TEM micrographs of the PANIDBSACSAs reveal that they have larger diameters than that of neat PANIDBSA. Besides, some of the surfaces of the big nanotubes were implanted and mounted with lots of small nanofibers of neat PANICSA polymerized from some of the CSA‐complexed aniliniums which were excluded from the cylindrical micelles before polymerization. TGA thermograms of PANIDBSACSAs show an intimate relationship between thermal deprotonation and the DBSA to CSA ratio. X‐ray diffraction patterns demonstrate a layered structure arrangement of polyaniline molecules of all one‐dimensional nanofibers. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry     

α-Alumina and spinel react into single-phase high-alumina spinel in <3 seconds during flash sintering

In situ X-ray diffraction measurements at the Advanced Photon Source show that α-Al₂O₃ and MgAl₂O₄ react nearly instantaneously and completely, and nearly completely to form single-phase high-alumina spinel during voltage-to-current type of flash sintering experiments. The initial sample was constituted from powders of α-Al₂O₃, MgAl₂O₄ spinel, and cubic 8 mol% Y₂O₃-stabilized ZrO₂ (8YSZ) mixed in equal volume fractions, the spinel to alumina molar ratio being 1:1.5. Specimen temperature was measured by thermal expansion of the platinum standard. These measurements correlated well with a black-body radiation model, using appropriate values for the emissivity of the constituents. Temperatures of 1600-1736°C were reached during the flash, which promoted the formation of alumina-rich spinel. In a second set of experiments, the flash was induced in a current-rate method where the current flowing through the specimen is controlled and increased at a constant rate. In these experiments, we observed the formation of two different compositions of spinel, MgO•3Al₂O₃ and MgO•1.5Al₂O₃, which evolved into a single composition of MgO•2.5Al₂O₃ as the current continued to increase. In summary, flash sintering is an expedient way to create single-phase, alumina-rich spinel.     

Improved thin film stability of differently formulated,printed, and crosslinked polymer layers against successive solvent printing

Interface control remains a top challenge of solution-processed organic light emitting diodes (OLED) stacks since the device performance heavily relies on it. Film stability of an inkjet deposited and crosslinked layer against subsequent exposure to a suitable inkjet printed solvent has been investigated. Impact of processing solvent (solvent used to prepare the polymer layer) on solution-cast thin film properties has already been shown for polymer films. To our knowledge, this study is the first one analyzing thin films stability against solvent exposure using technology relevant materials processed via inkjet printing (IJP). The outcome of this research showed that the stability of the crosslinked films is affected by the solvent used for ink formulation. These findings are of great interest for multilayered semiconductors devices, such as OLEDs, field-effect transistors and dye-sensitized solar cells. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to quantify the efficiency of the polymer crosslinking reaction in pure powder and in thin films, as processed from different solvents. Crosslinking efficiency measured by DSC correlated well with the deformation induced by the solvent and observed on layer surfaces. The interaction in solution between polymer and solvent has also been evaluated to explain its impact on thin film stability against successive solvent printing. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48895.     

Facilitation of consumer loyalty toward branded applications: The dual-route perspective

Although many brands develop mobile applications (apps) to build relationships with consumers, most branded apps fail to retain consumers’ loyalty. This study examines the facilitation of consumer loyalty toward branded apps (continuance intention, in-app purchase intention, and word-of-mouth intention) from the dual-route perspective. One route is the affective (relationship) route, where brand benefits (functional benefits, experiential benefits, symbolic benefits, and monetary benefits) drive parasocial interactions between consumers and the brand, which, in turn, influences branded app loyalty. The other route is the utility route, where system characteristics (system quality and information quality) affect perceived usefulness, which, in turn, facilitates branded app loyalty. An online survey was conducted, and the research model was empirically tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The findings support the dual-route perspective according to which both affective and utilitarian paths facilitate branded app loyalty. The key theoretical contribution of this study is that it moves beyond the utilitarian path and finds the affective (relationship) path to give a more complete picture of the facilitation of consumer loyalty in the branded app context. A strategy is provided to suggest to practitioners how to design branded apps to facilitate consumer loyalty.