Vanadiumdioxide is the most widely researched thermochromic materialwith a phase transition temperature (τc) of around68 °C, and its thermochromic performance can be enhanced by addingnanoporosity. Freeze-drying has been employed to fabricate nanostructureswith different porosities from 16 to 45% by varying the prefreezingtemperature and precursor concentration. The luminous transmittance(Tlum) and solar modulating ability (ΔTsol) are greatly enhanced as a result of increasingpore size and pore density. The freeze-dried sample with 7.5 mL ofH2O2precursor dip-coated at 300 mm/min givesthe best combination of thermochromic properties (Tlum≈ 50%, ΔTsol= 14.7%), which surpasses the best combined thermochromic performancereported to date that we are aware of (Tlum≈ 41%, ΔTsol= 14.1%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]Copyright of Langmuir is the property of American Chemical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder’s express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Printed electrochromic flexible films were obtained by combining transparent silver grid electrodes formed by self-assembly and inkjet printed WO3 nanoparticles. Concd. dispersions of WO3 nanoparticles were inkjet printed on transparent plastic silver grid electrodes with a high transparency of 83% in the spectral range of 400-800 nm, and a low sheet resistance in the range of 1-5 Ω sq-1. These electrodes were used for electrochromic applications for the first time. The resultant patterned nanostructured electrochromic films maintained their coloring and bleaching performance after bending of the flexible films. [on SciFinder(R)]

A method for preparing a novel bixbyite non-selective coating for solar thermal conversion is described. The coating is formed by a thermal reaction between a titania sol–gel precursor with a copper manganese spinel to form a new material, Cu0.44Ti0.44Mn0.84Fe0.28O3, with a bixbyite structure. The effect of temperature and ratio between the two components on the formation of the bixbyite layer (deposited on Inconel by spray-coating) was studied. The absorptance of the films (AM 1.5; 335–2500nm) with a thickness of 10±2µm after annealing at 2h at 650°C and 750°C was 97.4% and 94.7%, respectively. This synthesis represents a novel approach in which the final solar thermal coating is formed as a continuous and uniform layer which combines both the absorber and the ceramic binder. The developed material shows promising results for future applications as absorber in solar thermal energy conversion.•A new material combining the absorber and a ceramic matrix was formed.•This material was used for solar thermal application with high absorptivity.•The formation of the material occurred by thermal treatment of a sprayed thin film.

Neurodegenerative diseases generate the accumulation of specific misfolded proteins, such as PrPSc prions or A-beta in Alzheimer’s diseases, and share common pathological features, like neuronal death and oxidative damage. To test whether reduced oxidation alters disease manifestation, we treated TgMHu2ME199K mice, modeling for genetic prion disease, with Nano-PSO, a nanodroplet formulation of pomegranate seed oil (PSO). PSO comprises large concentrations of a unique polyunsaturated fatty acid, Punicic acid, among the strongest natural antioxidants. Nano-PSO significantly delayed disease presentation when administered to asymptomatic TgMHu2ME199K mice and postponed disease aggravation in already sick mice. Analysis of brain samples revealed that Nano-PSO treatment did not decrease PrPSc accumulation, but rather reduced lipid oxidation and neuronal loss, indicating a strong neuroprotective effect. We propose that Nano-PSO and alike formulations may be both beneficial and safe enough to be administered for long years to subjects at risk or to those already affected by neurodegenerative conditions.From the Clinical Editor This team of authors report that a nanoformulation of pomegranade seed oil, containing high levels of a strong antioxidant, can delay disease onset in a mouse model of genetic prion diseases, and the formulation also indicates a direct neuroprotective effect.

In recent years carbon based devices are exploited for a wide range of applications related to electronics and optoelectronics, due to their unique electrical, optical and mechanical properties. Many sensors, emitters, transistors and logic devices use carbon nanotubes as their major building block. Here we present a technology for inkjet printing of a hybrid tunable detector composed of carbon nanotubes and nanocrystals. The printing can be performed on flexible elastic transparent substrates, as well as on a rigid semiconductor or dielectric substrates. The presented detector is low cost, operates at room temperature and can be printed easily in a large format. We show that these types of sensor function with high quantum efficiency due to a gating effect induced by the light excitation.

In order to develop a prediction model for resistivity evolution during isothermal sintering, a commercial silver nanoparticle ink was characterized for its metal content, particle size and behavior upon heating. Electrical properties, mass loss behavior, grain size development and material densification were studied for thermal sintering at 175 °C. The correlation between mass loss, height loss of the resulting sintered structures, grain size and electrical resistivity was investigated to gain further understanding of the silver nanoparticle sintering process. The results of thermal sintering were used to calibrate a discrete element sintering model that provides microstructural properties with which the resistivity development at 150 and 200 °C was successfully predicted. The model was validated by experimental data obtained at these temperatures. A variation of particle size and particle size distribution in the simulations furthermore illustrate their influence on final resistivity showing that using small particles with a broad distribution are preferable for reducing the final resistivity of the inkjet-printed pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]Copyright of Journal of Materials Chemistry C is the property of Royal Society of Chemistry and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder’s express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Paint formulations having a high absorptivity with respect to solar radiation are described. The paint formulations are also thermally and mech. durable, enabling the paint formulations to be used on components in solar thermal applications where exposure to high temps. and environmental conditions may be an issue. The paint formulation can include an oxide-based pigment, an org. binder, >=1 additives, an inorg. filler, and/or an org. solvent. The pigment can have a relatively high absorptivity with respect to light having a wavelength in the range 250-3000 nm. Curing of the paint formulation can irreversibly convert the org. binder into an inorg. binder. [on SciFinder(R)]

•Copper nanoparticles increase the fluorescence in doped glasses.•Increase the emission of Rh B is result of its interaction with Cu NPs surface plasmons.•Optimal distances would be increase of fluorescence by orders of magnitude.We present the possibility to increase the emission of Rhodamine B (Rh B) as a result of its interaction with surface plasmons (SF) created by copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs). The optical absorption and emission of Rh B with Cu NPs incorporated into glass films formed by sol–gel method were studied by steady state and picosecond spectroscopy. The observed increased luminescence is the result of interaction of the excited state of the dye with scattered light created by copper plasmons and possible energy transfer from the excited Cu NPs which occur at femptosecond time range. The steady state absorption, excitation, fluorescence and lifetimes excited by picosecond pulses were measured. The quantum efficiencies of the films were obtained by comparative method.

The invention generally relates to polymerizable conductive ink formulations comprising at least one metal source, at least one monomer and/or oligomer and a polymn. initiator, and uses thereof for printing three-dimensional functional structures. In particular a method of fabricating a three-dimensional conductive pattern on a substrate is disclosed, the method comprising: (a) forming a pattern on a surface region of a substrate by using an ink comprising at least one metal source, at least one liq. polymerizable monomer and/or oligomer, and at least one polymn. initiator; (b) polymg. at least a portion of said liq. monomer and/or oligomer; (c) rendering the metal source a continuous percolation path for elec. cond. (sintering); (d) repeating steps (a), (b) and optionally (c) to obtain a three-dimensional conductive pattern. [on SciFinder(R)]

This is a review on recent developments in the field of transparent conductive coatings (TCCs) for ITO replacement. The review describes the basic properties of conductive nanomaterials suitable for fabrication of such TCCs (metallic nanoparticles and nanowires, carbon nanotubes and graphene sheets), various methods of patterning the metal nanoparticles with formation of conductive transparent metallic grids, honeycomb structures and 2D arrays of interconnected rings as well as fabrication of TCCs based on graphene and carbon nanotubes. Applications of TCCs in electronic and optoelectronic devices, such as solar cells, electroluminescent and electrochromic devices, touch screens and displays, and transparent EMI shielders, are discussed. [on SciFinder(R)]

In recent years carbon based devices are exploited for a wide range of applications related to electronics and optoelectronics, due to their unique electrical, optical and mechanical properties. Many sensors, emitters, transistors and logic devices use carbon nanotubes as their major building block. Here we present a technology for inkjet printing of a hybrid tunable detector composed of carbon nanotubes and nanocrystals. The printing can be performed on flexible elastic transparent substrates, as well as on a rigid semiconductor or dielectric substrates. The presented detector is low cost, operates at room temperature and can be printed easily in a large format. We show that these types of sensor function with high quantum efficiency due to a gating effect induced by the light excitation.

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The introduction of nanostructures has been considered as one of the promising strategies to enhance the thermoelectric performance of bulk materials. In this work, we report a low-cost and facile aqueous solution method to prepare (Sb, Bi)2(Te, Se)3 nanocrystals with controllable composition and morphology by using short ligands containing thiol, acid and amine groups. The control of the morphology of the nanostructures such as nanowires and nanosheets is studied, and both n-type and p-type nanoparticles have been prepared successfully. The results show that the thermal conductivities of these nanocrystals are effectively reduced due to phonon scattering and the thermoelectric performance is affected greatly by the morphology. TE measurements show that the electrical conductivity can be enhanced significantly by using Bi2Te3 nanosheets, and as a result, a maximum thermoelectric figure-of-merit (ZT) of 0.86 is obtained for Bi2Te3 nanosheets at 225 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]Copyright of Journal of Materials Chemistry C is the property of Royal Society of Chemistry and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder’s express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The present study investigated the influence of a covalently grown polythiophene (polyTh)-based adlayer on the N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) dispersion of chemically modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Poly(thiophen-3-yl-acetic acid) (PTAA), poly(ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), and PTAA/PEDOT co-polymer have been oxidatively grown from the surface of functional MWCNTs afforded corresponding polyThA-, polyThB-, and polyThA/B-MWCNTs, respectively. To study and quantify the MWCNT particle sedimentation behavior of corresponding dispersion systems, an analytical centrifuge system was used. Comparison of dispersion quality of such polyTh-MWCNT composites with both commercial MWCNTs (COM-MWCNTs) and oxidized MWCNTs (polyCOOH-MWCNTs) was established. Analysis of sedimentation results combined with TGA, Elemental Analysis (EA), and Kaiser Test data showed that the COOH groups present on the surface of MWCNTs strongly promote the dispersability much beyond current sedimentation rate observed for COM-MWCNTs, – sedimentation rates were higher than 80% and below 2% for oxidized polyCOOH-MWCNTs. However, regarding MWCNTs coated with polyTh polymers in a core (MWCNT)–shell (polyTh) structure, outer functional groups are not the only influential factor for promoting high dispersion qualities. For these dual phase composite systems, the weight and thickness of polyTh-shell on the composite must be considered.

The present disclosure is directed to dispersions of a Dead Sea material in oil, the Dead Sea material is present in the dispersions in the form of solid nanoparticles. Further disclosed are formulations comprising the dispersions, method of treating and/or preventing diseases or disorders of the skin comprising topical application of the dispersions or formulations thereof onto a skin of a subject, method of inducing a heat sensation on the skin of a subject by topically applying the dispersions or formulations thereof onto a skin of a subject and methods of prepg. the dispersions. Thus, an oil phase was prepd. by dissolving 1.8 g (9 wt%) Abil Em 90 in 11.48 g (57.4 wt%) cyclomethicone, 1 g (5 wt%) DOW 9041, 0.02 g (0.1 wt%) Vitamin E Acetate and 0.2 g (1 wt%) Retinyl palmitate mixt.; an aq. phase was prepd. by adding a 0.5 g (2.5 wt%) Dead Sea water (40 % dead sea salt, 1 % DSS final concn.) to 4.2 g (21 wt%) deionized water, 0.2 g (1 wt%) glycerol, 0.4 g (2 wt%) 1,3-propane diol and 0.2 g (1 wt%) PVP (MW = 40000); the total wt. of water and oil phase was 20 g; the aq. phase was added to the oil phase while being mixed for 10 min with a high speed homogenizer at a speed of 13000 rpm with or without addnl. sonication; the nanoparticles were obtained by water evapn. at reduced pressure (15 mbar, 50 °C for 40 min); the nanoparticles size obtained in the two processes, with and without sonication, measured by DLS was 99 nm and 255 nm, resp. [on SciFinder(R)]