| 1. |
- Fritze, Stefan, et al.
(författare)
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Elemental distribution and fracture properties of magnetron sputtered carbon supersaturated tungsten films
- 2024
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Ingår i: Surface & Coatings Technology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0257-8972 .- 1879-3347. ; 477
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The combination of strength and toughness is a major driving force for alloy design of protective coatings, and nanocrystalline tungsten (W)-alloys have shown to be promising candidates for combining strength and toughness. Here we investigate the elemental distribution and the fracture toughness of carbon (C) alloyed W thin films prepared by non-reactive magnetron sputtering. W:C films with up to ~4 at.% C crystallize in a body-centered-cubic structure with a strong 〈hh0〉texture, and no additional carbide phases are observed in the diffraction pattern. Atom probe tomography and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the formation of such a supersaturated solid solution. The pure W film has a hardness ~13 GPa and the W:C films exhibit a peak hardness of ~24 GPa. In-situ micromechanical cantilever bending tests show that the fracture toughness decreases from ~4.5 MPa·m1/2 for the W film to ~3.1 MPa·m1/2 for W:C films. The results show that C can significantly enhance the hardness of W thin films while retaining a high fracture toughness.
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| 2. |
- Bericat Vadell, Robert, et al.
(författare)
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Single-electron transfer reactions on surface-modified gold plasmons
- 2023
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Ingår i: Materials Today Chemistry. - : Elsevier. - 2468-5194. ; 34
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Photoredox catalysis's relevance in organic synthesis research and innovation will increase in the coming decades. However, the processes rely almost exclusively on expensive noble metal complexes, most notably iridium complexes, to absorb light and transfer a single charge to a substrate or a catalyst to initiate cascade transformations. Light-triggered plasmon resonances generate a non-Fermi-Dirac energy distribution with many hot carriers that decay in similar to 1 ps. Their ultrafast relaxation makes performing single electron transfer (SET) transformations challenging. Herein, a novel photosystem is proposed based on surface-modified gold nanoparticles (aka plasmon "molecularization"), which improved charge separation and, more importantly, enabled SET reactions, expanding the portfolio of photocatalysts available for photoredox catalysis. The photosystem was made into an electrode, permitting its use in photoelectrochemical arrangements that leverage electro- and photo-chemical approaches' benefits and chemical engineering solutions, helping the synthetic chemistry efforts towards greener synthesis and synthesis of more complex structures on a scale.
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| 3. |
- Casillas Trujillo, Luis, et al.
(författare)
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Experimental and theoretical evidence of charge transfer in multi-component alloys : how chemical interactions reduce atomic size mismatch
- 2021
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Ingår i: Materials Chemistry Frontiers. - : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 2052-1537. ; 5:15, s. 5746-5759
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Ab initio simulations of a multi-component alloy using density functional theory (DFT) were combined with experiments on thin films of the same material using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to study the connection between the electronic and atomic structures of multi-component alloys. The DFT simulations were performed on an equimolar HfNbTiVZr multi-component alloy. Structure and charge transfer were evaluated using relaxed, non-relaxed, as well as elemental reference structures. The use of a fixed sphere size model allowed quantification of charge transfer, and separation into different contributions. The charge transfer was generally found to follow electronegativity trends and results in a reduced size mismatch between the elements, and thus causes a considerable reduction of the lattice distortions compared to a traditional assumption based on tabulated atomic radii. A calculation of the average deviation from the average radius (i.e. the so-called δ-parameter) based on the atomic Voronoi volumes gave a reduction of δ from ca. 6% (using the volumes in elemental reference phases) to ca. 2% (using the volumes in the relaxed multi-component alloy phase). The reliability of the theoretical results was confirmed by XPS measurements of a Hf22Nb19Ti18V19Zr21 thin film deposited by sputter deposition. The experimentally observed core level binding energy shifts (CLS), as well as peak broadening due to a range of chemical surroundings, for each element showed good agreement with the calculated DFT values. The single solid solution phase of the sample was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) including energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) with nm-resolution. These observations show that the HfNbTiVZr solid solution phase is non-ideal, and that chemical bonding plays an important part in the structure formation, and presumably also in the properties. Our conclusions should be transferable to other multi-component alloy systems, as well as some other multi-component material systems, and open up interesting possibilities for the design of material properties via the electronic structure and controlled charge transfer between selected metallic elements in the materials.
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| 4. |
- Dey, Ananta, et al.
(författare)
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Exploiting hot electrons from a plasmon nanohybrid system for the photoelectroreduction of CO2
- 2024
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Ingår i: Communications Chemistry. - : Springer Nature. - 2399-3669. ; 7:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Plasmonic materials convert light into hot carriers and heat to mediate catalytic transformation. The participation of hot carriers (photocatalysis) remains a subject of vigorous debate, often argued on the basis that carriers have ultrashort lifetime incompatible with drive photochemical processes. This study utilises plasmon hot electrons directly in the photoelectrocatalytic reduction of CO2 to CO via a Ppasmonic nanohybrid. Through the deliberate construction of a plasmonic nanohybrid system comprising NiO/Au/ReI(phen-NH2)(CO)3Cl (phen-NH2 = 1,10-Phenanthrolin-5-amine) that is unstable above 580 K; it was possible to demonstrate hot electrons are the main culprit in CO2 reduction. The engagement of hot electrons in the catalytic process is derived from many approaches that cover the processes in real-time, from ultrafast charge generation and separation to catalysis occurring on the minute scale. Unbiased in situ FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the stepwise reduction of the catalytic system. This, coupled with the low thermal stability of the ReI(phen-NH2)(CO)3Cl complex, explicitly establishes plasmonic hot carriers as the primary contributors to the process. Therefore, mediating catalytic reactions by plasmon hot carriers is feasible and holds promise for further exploration. Plasmonic nanohybrid systems can leverage plasmon’s unique photophysics and capabilities because they expedite the carrier’s lifetime.
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| 5. |
- Gopakumar, Geethanjali, 1992-, et al.
(författare)
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X-ray Induced Fragmentation of Protonated Cystine
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Protein structure determination using high-intensity X-ray sources induces damage in the protein. Disulfide bridges, formed between two cysteine amino acid residues stabilize the protein structure. Owing to the higher absorption cross-section of sulfur for X-ray photons, and a large number of electrons released from sulfur atoms, these disulfide bridges are hot spots for a higher level of noise in structural studies. But it is yet to be understood how exactly the damage occurs through the interaction of the disulfide bridges with photons. Here we study the fragmentation of protonated cystine in the gas phase, which is the dimer of cysteine, by irradiation with X-rays across the sulfur L-edge using an electrospray ionization source (ESI) in combination with an ion trap. This is complemented with the calculation of the sulfur NEXAFS spectrum on the level of Restricted Open-Shell Configuration Interaction (ROCIS) and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations for molecular orbital visualization as well as Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations for the fragmentation of triply charged cystine ions. We have deduced a possible pathway of fragmentation upon excitation and ionization of S 2p electrons by combining the experiments and simulations. The disulfide bridge breaks for resonant excitation at lower energies but remains intact upon higher energy resonant excitation and upon ionization of S 2p. The larger fragments formed subsequently break into smaller fragments.
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| 6. |
- Kalha, Curran, et al.
(författare)
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Hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy : a snapshot of the state-of-the-art in 2020
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Physics. - : Institute of Physics Publishing (IOPP). - 0953-8984 .- 1361-648X. ; 33:23
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) is establishing itself as an essential technique for the characterisation of materials. The number of specialised photoelectron spectroscopy techniques making use of hard x-rays is steadily increasing and ever more complex experimental designs enable truly transformative insights into the chemical, electronic, magnetic, and structural nature of materials. This paper begins with a short historic perspective of HAXPES and spans from developments in the early days of photoelectron spectroscopy to provide an understanding of the origin and initial development of the technique to state-of-the-art instrumentation and experimental capabilities. The main motivation for and focus of this paper is to provide a picture of the technique in 2020, including a detailed overview of available experimental systems worldwide and insights into a range of specific measurement modi and approaches. We also aim to provide a glimpse into the future of the technique including possible developments and opportunities.
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| 7. |
- Osinger, Barbara, et al.
(författare)
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Charge transfer effects in (HfNbTiVZr)C – shown by ab-initio calculations and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Considering charge transfer effects and the variability of the bonding between elements with different electronegativity opens up a deeper understanding of the electronic structure and as a result many of the properties in high entropy related materials. This study investigates the importance of the diverse bonding and chemical environments when discussing multicomponent carbide materials. A combination of ab initio calculations and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to investigate the electronic structure of multicomponent thin films based on the (HfNbTiVZr)C system. The charge transfer was quantified theoretically using relaxed and non-relaxed multicomponent as well as binary carbide reference structures, employing a fixed sphere model. High-resolution XPS spectra from (HfNbTiVZr)C magnetron sputtered thin films displayed core level binding energy shifts and broadening effects as a result of the complex chemical environment. Charge transfer effects and a changed electronic structure in the multicomponent material, compared with the reference binary carbides, are observed both experimentally and in the DFT simulations. The observed effects loosely follow electronegativity considerations, leading to a deviation from an ideal solid solution structure assuming non-distinguishable chemically equivalent environments.
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| 8. |
- Srinath, Aishwarya, et al.
(författare)
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Influence of the nitrogen content on the corrosion resistances of multicomponent AlCrNbYZrN coatings
- 2021
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Ingår i: Corrosion Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0010-938X .- 1879-0496. ; 188
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this study, the relationship between the nitrogen content and the corrosion resistances of non-equimolar multicomponent AlCrNbYZrN films (N = 13-49 at.%) is probed. While there was no linear relationship between nitrogen content and corrosion resistance, the results clearly show that the corrosion resistances of the films were instead determined by their nitrogen-induced porosities i.e. the less porous the sample, the higher the corrosion resistance. The 23, 30 and 37 at.% N samples were denser while the 13 at.% N sample was porous and the 49 at.% N film had an underdense nanocrystalline columnar cross section permitting the ingress of electrolyte.
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| 9. |
- Srinath, Aishwarya, et al.
(författare)
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Near-surface analysis of magnetron sputtered AlCrNbYZrNx high entropy materials resolved by HAXPES
- 2024
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Ingår i: Applied Surface Science. - : Elsevier. - 0169-4332 .- 1873-5584. ; 666
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) was used to perform a non-destructive depth profile of AlCrNbYZrNx (x = 0 to ∼50 at.%) thin films. The outermost native oxide of the pristine thin films contained the highest coordination oxides of every metal. Substoichiometric oxides or oxynitrides were found underneath. After exposure to 1.0 M HCl, increases in the most highly coordinated oxides of Cr, Nb, and Al in films with up to 37 at.% N were observed, suggesting that the low coordination oxides and oxynitrides in the subsurface had been further oxidised and were intermediary compounds in the passivation process. Al and Y oxides were lost to the HCl electrolyte, in agreement with their respective Pourbaix diagrams. The film with 49 at.% N showed little to no change in the data due to its high porosity which led to the oxide being detected at all probed depths. The metal core level spectra revealed a preferential order in which nitrogen bonded with the different metals. Nitrogen interacted first with Y, then Zr, then Al and Nb, and lastly Cr as the nitrogen content was increased.
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| 10. |
- Villamayor, Michelle Marie S., et al.
(författare)
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Wafer-sized WS2 monolayer deposition by sputtering
- 2022
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Ingår i: Nanoscale. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 2040-3364 .- 2040-3372. ; 14:17, s. 6331-6338
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We demonstrate that tungsten disulphide (WS2) with thicknesses ranging from monolayer (ML) to several monolayers can be grown on SiO2/Si, Si, and Al2O3 by pulsed direct current-sputtering. The presence of high quality monolayer and multilayered WS2 on the substrates is confirmed by Raman spectroscopy since the peak separations between the A(1g)-E-2g and A(1g)-2LA vibration modes exhibit a gradual increase depending on the number of layers. X-ray diffraction confirms a textured (001) growth of WS2 films. The surface roughness measured with atomic force microscopy is between 1.5 and 3 angstrom for the ML films. The chemical composition WSx (x = 2.03 +/- 0.05) was determined from X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. Transmission electron microscopy was performed on a multilayer film to show the 2D layered structure. A unique method for growing 2D layers directly by sputtering opens up the way for designing 2D materials and batch production of high-uniformity and high-quality (stochiometric, large grain sizes, flatness) WS2 films, which will advance their practical applications in various fields.
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