Nanoscale Structures Research Articles

Sustainability-driven atomistic model for exploring the mechanical properties of low carbon limestone calcined clay cement (LC3)

Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3) is identified as a promising alternative to cement blends, and it has become an effective way to alleviate the environmental burdens in the cement industry due to its sustainable nature. In this work, we developed the first molecular model to describe the optimized properties of LC3 blend considering its natural sustainability. The proposed model entails the atomistic structures of Calcium-aluminate-silicate-hydrate (C-A-S-H) in LC3, identifying its mechanical properties, tensile deformation behaviors and failure mechanisms. We revealed that the natural atomistic origins contributing to the superior mechanical properties of C-A-S-H in LC3 compared to that in plain cement are: (1) highly polymerized aluminate-silica chain in C-A-S-H enhances its mean chain length and reduces its porosity; and (2) highly activated aluminate monomer strengthens the cross-linked network in C-A-S-H through a series of pozzolanic reactions. Furthermore, we elucidated the failure mechanisms including aluminate-silica chain breakage, nanopore expansion and microcrack evolution of C-A-S-H under tensile loading. Our findings provide atomic insights to uncover the nanoscale structures of C-A-S-H in sustainable LC3, portraying new understandings of their complicated molecular interactions and structural-failure mechanisms and paving ways for the development of sustainable cementitious composites for construction industry with lower environmental impacts.

Crystallographic characterization of U2CrN3: A neutron diffraction and transmission electron microscopy approach

In this study, neutron diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) have been implemented to study the crystallographic structure of the ternary phase U2CrN3 from pellet to nano scale respectively. Recently microstructural evaluation of this ternary phase has been performed for the first time in pellet condition, overcoming the Cr evaporation issue during the conventional sintering process. In this work for the first time, the crystallographic structure of the ordered ternary U2CrN3 phase, stabilized in pellet condition, has been obtained by implementing neutron diffraction. For this study, pellets of the composite material UN with 20 vol% CrN were fabricated by powder metallurgy by mixing UN and CrN powders followed by Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS). TEM was used to investigate the nanoscale structure with a thin lamella of the order of 100–140 nm produced by focused ion beam (FIB). The neutron data revealed the phase composition of the pellet to be primarily 54(8) wt.% U2CrN3, in good agreement with the stoichiometry of starting reagents (UN and CrN powder) and metallographic analysis. Neutron data analysis confirms that all the crystallographic sites in U2CrN3 phase are fully occupied reinforcing the fully stoichiometric composition of this phase, however, the position of the N at the 4i site was found to be closer to the Cr than previously thought. TEM and selected area electron diffraction rendered nano-level information and revealed the presence of nano domains along grain boundaries of UN and U2CrN3, indicating a formation mechanism of the ternary phase, where the phase likely nucleates as nano domains in UN grains from migration of Cr.

Bismuth oxychloride microcrystals decorated carbon foams based on waste polyurethane elastomer for enhanced removal of methylene blue

Multicomponent materials containing nanoscale structures, the so-called “nanocomposites” are one of the fastest-growing areas of photocatalytic research. In this study, the nanocomposites of bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) with porous carbon foam (CF) derived from waste polyurethane (PU) elastomers were developed by a simple hydrothermal method, and the photocatalytic performance of the as-prepared materials was investigated. The structure, morphology and optical properties of the composites were characterized in detail. The photocatalytic activity of the samples was evaluated by studying the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under UV-A irradiation. Even at a high MB concentration (0.5 mmol/L), excellent photocatalytic activity was observed, with an overall removal efficiency of 99.0% in 100 min of irradiation. Kinetic studies were also carried out for the degradation of MB by pristine BiOCl and CF-BiOCl. The photodegradation rate constants were evaluated by fitting the kinetic data with a pseudo-first-order model, and the rate constants of CF-BiOCl composites were higher than that of pristine BiOCl. The enhanced activity of the composites was due to the well-connected heterojunction interface, improved hydrophilicity, more reactive sites, and effective separation of photo-generated charges. Thus, our work combines the valuable waste PU-derived CFs with BiOCl, which provides a strategy to achieve circular economy and environmental remediation objectives.

Optimizing the Ultrashort Laser Pulses for In Situ Nanostructure Generation Technique for High-Performance Supercapacitor Electrodes Using Artificial Neural Networks and Simulated Annealing Algorithms.

Transition metals (TMs) are being investigated as electrodes for pseudocapacitors, where an oxide layer is necessary to allow for rapid redox reactions. In this work, we utilized an in situ, rapid, binder-free, and green method for the fast fabrication of pseudocapacitor electrodes called ultrashort laser pulses for in situ nanostructure generation (ULPING) to form oxide layers on a titanium sheet. By utilizing this fabrication technique on a titanium sheet, a specific areal capacitance of 0.3579 mF cm-2 was achieved at a current density of 0.25 mA cm-2. However, the laser fabrication parameters were selected experimentally and resulted in low performance of pseudocapacitors. Therefore, one of the main objectives of this study was to find the optimal laser fabrication parameters to achieve the highest specific areal capacitance. A large dataset was generated to find the relationship between the laser fabrication parameters and the electrochemical behavior performance (impedance and specific areal capacitance) of the fabricated electrodes by using an artificial neural network (ANN). We used an optimization algorithm (simulated annealing-SA) to overlook the trained ANN model as a black box and try to maximize the objective function, which in our case is a specific capacitance value, to find the most optimal laser fabrication parameters. Using SA, optimal laser fabrication parameters were found, which increased the specific areal capacitance to 0.9999 mF cm-2 at a current density of 0.25 mA cm-2. The results demonstrated that the conducted study has the potential to introduce effective techniques for utilizing ULPING to produce nanoscale structures on TMs. These structures have the potential to be employed as electrodes in pseudocapacitors. Additionally, the research underscores the significance of employing data-driven approaches in electrode design procedures.

Copper nanoparticles encapsulated in a nanoporous carbon-based catalyst in the upgradation of γ-valerolactone to 1,4-pentanediol by selective hydrogenation

This research work introduces highly dispersed Cu nanoparticles encapsulated into a nanoporous carbon (Cu@C) structure as an efficient catalytic system in selective hydrogenation of γ-valerolactone (GVL) to 1,4-pentanediol. The nanoporous carbon support and the catalysts were synthesized by sequential novel methods and characterized extensively by using a combination of different analytical techniques to determine the phase, textural, morphology, nanoparticles size, and distribution analysis, and redox behavior. The designed Cu@C embedded catalysts show moderately high activity in GVL hydrogenation with different Cu loadings. The effect of copper loadings was found to be a significant parameter in gaining the best performance in GVL conversion. The copper nanoparticles were uniformly distributed over the nano-scaled carbon structure with active metallic Cu(111) sites with high dispersion and promote GVL hydrogenation, efficiently. Over a 5Cu@C catalyst exhibited the highest GVL conversion (∼91%) and 1,4-pentanediol selectivity (∼97%) at 200 °C for a 5 h reaction time under a 5 MPa H2 pressure. The dispersion of the active copper phase in combination with a smaller particle size and surface acidity is directly correlated with the catalytic performance activity. The effects of reaction parameters such as the reaction time, temperature, and H2 pressure were systematically investigated. Overall, Cu@C is a promising non-noble metal-based catalytic system for the upgradation of biomass-based platform molecules via selective hydrogenation.

Dynamics of three-dimensional electrohydrodynamic instabilities on Taylor cone jets using a numerical approach

Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) jets are a highly promising technology for the generation of three-dimensional micro- and nanoscale structures, but the advancement of this technology is hindered by the insufficient understanding of many aspects of its flow mechanisms, such as the whipping behavior under larger electric potentials. A fully coupled numerical simulation of the three-dimensional electrohydrodynamic jet flow is used here since non-symmetric effects govern most of their EHD regimes. By applying considerable electric capillary numbers (CaE>0.25), we capture radial instabilities that until now no other numerical simulation was able to present. A comparison against previous two-dimensional axis-symmetric and validation with experimental studies of the Taylor cone jet is initially done. An exciting gain in accuracy was obtained, having an error of around 1.101% on the morphology against experimental results. Moreover, our numerical model takes into consideration the contact angle between the surface of the nozzle and the liquid, which is shown to be a very important variable for improved accuracy in the morphologic shape of the Taylor cone. Moreover, the three-dimensional structures and flow dynamics, under different electric capillary numbers, and their connection to the instabilities of the jet are studied. We present a novel visualization of the formation of droplet generation with the receded Taylor cone and the whipping dynamics.

Surface plasmon coupling effects on the photon color conversion behaviors of colloidal quantum dots in a GaN nanoscale hole with a nearby quantum-well structure.

To improve color conversion performance for color display application, we study the near-field-induced nanoscale-cavity effects on the emission efficiency and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) under the condition of surface plasmon (SP) coupling by inserting colloidal quantum dots (QDs) and synthesized Ag nanoparticles (NPs) into surface nano-holes fabricated on a GaN template and an InGaN/GaN quantum-well (QW) template. In the QW template, the inserted Ag NPs are close to either QWs or QDs for producing three-body SP coupling to enhance color conversion. Time-resolved and continuous-wave photoluminescence (PL) behaviors of the QW- and QD-emitting lights are investigated. The comparison between the nano-hole samples and the reference samples of surface QD/Ag NP shows that the nanoscale-cavity effect of the nano-hole leads to the enhancements of QD emission, FRET between QDs, and FRET from QW into QD. The SP coupling induced by the inserted Ag NPs can enhance the QD emission and FRET from QW into QD. Its result is further enhanced through the nanoscale-cavity effect. The relative continuous-wave PL intensities among different color components also show the similar behaviors. By introducing SP coupling to a color conversion device with the FRET process in a nanoscale cavity structure, we can significantly improve the color conversion efficiency. Simulation results confirm the basic observations in experiment.

The Degradation of Daguerreotypes and the Relationship with Their Multi-Material Structure: A Multimodal Investigation.

Preserving and analytically examining daguerreotypes is particularly challenging because of their multi-material and multi-component structure. Various sensors have been exploited to examine mainly the image plates of the daguerreotypes even though the degradation goes beyond this component. Micro-analyses have been the preferred method due to the nanoscale structure of the image particles. In this work, we propose comprehensive multi-modal non-invasive sensing to investigate the corrosion products present in nine daguerreotypes from the Fondazione Alinari per la Fotografia (FAF, Florence, Italy). The methodology proposed includes chemical and morphological analyses: portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (pXRF), Raman microspectroscopy (μ-Raman), and micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in reflection mode (μ-rFTIR) for the chemical identification. For the first time, optical coherence tomography (OCT) was deployed to record the cross-sectional and morphological data of the relevant corrosion formations on daguerreotypes in a contactless way. The results allowed the characterization, in a non-invasive mode at a microscopic level, of a wide range of degradation products produced by the interaction of the different elements present in the structure of the daguerreotypes. The aim was to verify the performance of the proposed methodology and to link the chemical and physical complexity of the entire structure, disclosed by the state-of-art sensors, to the daguerreotype degradation. The results draw attention to the need to monitor not only the image condition but the whole object as a partially closed system in constant interaction internally and with the environment.

Methods of Preparation of Nanoparticles

The size, shape, and material qualities of nanoparticles can be used to classify them into several categories. Some classifications distinguish between organic and inorganic nanoparticles; nevertheless, the classification of nanoparticles is often determined by their applications or may be connected to how they were formed. Nanoparticles can be found in nature and are also produced as a result of human activity. Nanoparticles have unique material properties due to their sub-microscopic size, and they may find practical uses in a range of fields. A nanoparticle is a distinct nano-object with all three Cartesian dimensions smaller than 100 nm, according to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Two-dimensional nano-objects and one-dimensional nano-objects are both described in the ISO standard. However, the definition is later changed. Nanoparticles can also be classed as hard, such as silica particles and fullerenes, or soft, such as nanodroplets. For millennia, nanometreshave been used to study biological systems and to develop a variety of materials such as colloidal dispersions, metallic quantum dots, and catalysts. For example, more than a thousand years ago, the Chinese used Au nanoparticles as an inorganic dye to provide red colour to their ceramic porcelains. Although a complete study on the creation and properties of colloidal gold was only published in the middle of the nineteenth century, its use has a long history. Colloidal Faraday's gold dispersion, was created in 1857. Nanotechnology is a technology for designing, fabricating, and applying nanostructures and nanomaterials in general. Fundamental knowledge of the physical properties and phenomena of nanomaterials and nanostructures is also required for nanotechnology. Nanoscience is the study of basic links between physical characteristics and events in nanoscale scale materials. Nanotechnology is described in the United States as materials and systems with nanoscale structures and components that display innovative and considerably improved physical, chemical, and biological properties, phenomena, and processes. Here are some of the techniques for making nanomaterials.

Solvent-derived defects suppress adsorption in MOF-74

Defects in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have great impact on their nano-scale structure and physiochemical properties. However, isolated defects are easily concealed when the frameworks are interrogated by typical characterization methods. In this work, we unveil the presence of solvent-derived formate defects in MOF-74, an important class of MOFs with open metal sites. With multi-dimensional solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) investigations, we uncover the ligand substitution role of formate and its chemical origin from decomposed N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) solvent. The placement and coordination structure of formate defects are determined by 13C NMR and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The extra metal-oxygen bonds with formates partially eliminate open metal sites and lead to a quantitative decrease of N2 and CO2 adsorption with respect to the defect concentration. In-situ NMR analysis and molecular simulations of CO2 dynamics elaborate the adsorption mechanisms in defective MOF-74. Our study establishes comprehensive strategies to search, elucidate and manipulate defects in MOFs.

Intermetallic Compound TiM (M=Co, Fe) with a Layered Structure Prepared by Deoxidizing Ilmenite-type Oxides in Molten LiCl-CaH2 Mixtures.

CsCl-type intermetallic compounds TiM (M=Co, Fe) were obtained by deoxidizing trigonal ilmenite-type MTiO3 with a reducing agent CaH2 in molten LiCl at 600 °C. X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses revealed the formation of nanoscale layered structures, which enhanced specific surface areas (approximately 20 m2 /g) in the intermetallic compounds. In the initial deoxidation stage, Li2 TiO3 -like compounds were observed as an intermediate, suggesting the substitution of M in MTiO3 by Li from the molten LiCl. Compound MTiO3 has a layered structure perpendicular to the c axis of the trigonal structure, suggesting that the layered structures may originate from the crystal structure of the precursors. Formation of the Li2 TiO3 -like intermediate may help maintain the original layered structure during deoxidation and the subsequent alloying at temperatures as low as 600 °C.

Efficient bio-cementation between silicate tailings and biogenic calcium carbonate: Nano-scale structure and mechanism of the interface

Biogenic calcium carbonate (bio-CaCO3) cementing tailings is an efficient technology to immobilize heavy metals in waste tailings. However, the underlying mechanism of interface cementation has not yet been clearly established, which limits the technological development. In this study, we used advanced techniques, including atomic force microscopy-based Lorentz contact resonance (AFM-LCR) spectroscopy, AFM-based nanoscale infrared (AFM-IR) spectroscopy, and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR) spectroscopy, to reveal the structural, mechanical, and chemical properties of the interface on the nanoscale. Ureolytic bacteria produced bio-CaCO3 to fill in pore space and to bind cement tailings particles, which prevented the formation of leachate containing heavy metals. After cementation, a strong 40–300 nm thin interface was formed between the taillings and bio-CaCO3 particles. Unlike chemically synthesized CaCO3, bio-CaCO3 is strongly negatively charged, which gives it better adhesion ability. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), AFM-IR, and 29Si ssNMR spectra indicated that the Si–OH and Si–O–Si groups on the silicate surface were converted to deprotonated silanol groups (≡Si–O-) at a high pH and they formed strong chemical bonds of Si–O–Ca on the interface through a Ca ion bridge. In addition, hydrogen bonding with Si–OH also played a role at the cementation interface. These findings provide the nano-scale interfacial structure and mechanism of bio-CaCO3 cementing silicate tailings and accelerate the development of tailings disposal technology.

Background-Free Near-Infrared Biphoton Emission from Single GaAs Nanowires.

The generation of photon pairs from nanoscale structures with high rates is still a challenge for the integration of quantum devices, as it suffers from parasitic signals from the substrate. In this work, we report type-0 spontaneous parametric down-conversion at 1550 nm from individual bottom-up grown zinc-blende GaAs nanowires with lengths of up to 5 μm and diameters of up to 450 nm. The nanowires were deposited on a transparent ITO substrate, and we measured a background-free coincidence rate of 0.05 Hz in a Hanbury-Brown-Twiss setup. Taking into account transmission losses, the pump fluence, and the nanowire volume, we achieved a biphoton generation of 60 GHz/Wm, which is at least 3 times higher than that of previously reported single nonlinear micro- and nanostructures. We also studied the correlations between the second-harmonic generation and the spontaneous parametric down-conversion intensities with respect to the pump polarization and in different individual nanowires.

High numerical aperture imaging allows chirality measurement in individual collagen fibrils using polarization second harmonic generation microscopy.

Second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy is a commonly used technique to study the organization of collagen within tissues. However, individual collagen fibrils, which have diameters much smaller than the resolution of most optical systems, have not been extensively investigated. Here we probe the structure of individual collagen fibrils using polarization-resolved SHG (PSHG) microscopy and atomic force microscopy. We find that longitudinally polarized light occurring at the edge of a focal volume of a high numerical aperture microscope objective illuminated with linearly polarized light creates a measurable variation in PSHG signal along the axis orthogonal to an individual collagen fibril. By comparing numerical simulations to experimental data, we are able to estimate parameters related to the structure and chirality of the collagen fibril without tilting the sample out of the image plane, or cutting tissue at different angles, enabling chirality measurements on individual nanostructures to be performed in standard PSHG microscopes. The results presented here are expected to lead to a better understanding of PSHG results from both collagen fibrils and collagenous tissues. Further, the technique presented can be applied to other chiral nanoscale structures such as microtubules, nanowires, and nanoribbons.

Aptamer-based expansion microscopy platform enables signal-amplified imaging of dendritic spines

Super-resolution imaging of dendritic spines (DS) can provide valuable information for mechanistic studies related to synaptic physiology and neural plasticity, but challenged by their small dimension (50–200 nm) below the spatial resolution of conventional optical microscopes. In this work, by combining the molecular recognition specificity of aptamer with high programmability of DNA nanotechnology, we developed an expansion microscopy (ExM) platform for imaging DS with enhanced spatial resolution and amplified signal output. Our results demonstrated that the aptamer probe could specifically bind to DS of primary hippocampal neurons. With physical expansion, the DS structure could be effectively enlarged by 4–5 folds, leading to the generation of more structural information. Meantime, the aptamer binding signal could be readily amplified by the introduction of DNA signal amplification strategy, overcoming the drawback of fluorescence dilution during the ExM treatment. This platform enabled evaluation of ischemia-induced early stroke based on the morphological change of DS, highlighting a promising avenue for studying nanoscale structures in biological systems.

Construction of layered double hydroxides on wood surfaces for wood coloring

Wood dyeing usually requires a large concentration of metal solution, which when released to the atmosphere as waste liquid, causes pollution. In this study, a metal-organic framework (MOF) with micron-size structure was in-situ grown on a wood surface as a template and precursor for a layered double hydroxide (LDH). The LDH had a nanoscale structure and was generated on the wood surface from ultra-low concentration NiCl2 solution. The generation was based on a hydrolytically induced exchange process between the MOF and hydroxide ions. The results of following this procedure showed that petal-like Co/Ni-LDH with micro-nano composite structure was formed on the wood surface. Due to the LDH, a uniform light green color was formed on the wood surface at a reaction temperature and time of 60 ℃ in 34 min, respectively. To improve the hydrophobicity of the LDH layer, a long chain alkyl with low surface energy was introduced into the lamellae from a sodium stearate solution, constructing a superhydrophobic layer on the wood surface. The modified wood surface showed excellent UV light aging and water resistances. Moreover, Ni2+ was replaced with Mn2+, Fe3+, Cu2+, and Zn2+ ions and dark brown, yellow, blue, and white colors, respectively, were formed on wood. The present method is also suitable for other wood. Wood surface color adjusted by LDH uses low concentration of metal salt solution and proved to be a mild and green wood color toning method.

Development of ε-poly(L-lysine) carbon dots-modified magnetic nanoparticles and their applications as novel antibacterial agents.

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are widely applied in antibacterial therapy owing to their distinct nanoscale structure, intrinsic peroxidase-like activities, and magnetic behavior. However, some deficiencies, such as the tendency to aggregate in water, unsatisfactory biocompatibility, and limited antibacterial effect, hindered their further clinical applications. Surface modification of MNPs is one of the main strategies to improve their (bio)physicochemical properties and enhance biological functions. Herein, antibacterial ε-poly (L-lysine) carbon dots (PL-CDs) modified MNPs (CMNPs) were synthesized to investigate their performance in eliminating pathogenic bacteria. It was found that the PL-CDs were successfully loaded on the surface of MNPs by detecting their morphology, surface charges, functional groups, and other physicochemical properties. The positively charged CMNPs show superparamagnetic properties and are well dispersed in water. Furthermore, bacterial experiments indicate that the CMNPs exhibited highly effective antimicrobial properties against Staphylococcus aureus. Notably, the in vitro cellular assays show that CMNPs have favorable cytocompatibility. Thus, CMNPs acting as novel smart nanomaterials could offer great potential for the clinical treatment of bacterial infections.

Boron Adsorption Kinetics of Microcrystalline Cellulose and Polymer Resin

Tailoring boron-polysaccharide interactions is an important strategy for developing functional soft materials such as hydrogels, fire retardants, and sorbents for environmental remediation, for example, using lignocellulosic biomass. For such applications to be realized, it is paramount to understand the adsorption kinetics of borate anions on cellulose and their local structures. Here, the kinetic aspects of boron adsorption by microcrystalline cellulose, lignin, and polymeric resin are investigated and compared. Borate anions interact with the vicinal diols in the glucopyranoside moieties of cellulose to yield chemisorbed boron chelate complexes. In contrast to cellulose, technical lignin contains fewer cis-vicinal diols, and it does not have a tendency to form such chelate complexes upon treatment with the aqueous boric acid solution. The formation kinetics and stability of these chelate complexes strongly depend on nanoscale structures, as well as reaction conditions such as pH and concentration of the sorbate and sorbent. Specifically, insights into the distinct boron adsorption sites were obtained by solid-state one-dimensional (1D) 11B magic-angle spinning NMR and the local structures and intermolecular interactions in the vicinities of boron chelate complexes are elucidated by analyzing two-dimensional (2D) 1H-13C and 11B-1H heteronuclear correlation NMR spectra. The total boron adsorption capacity of cellulose is estimated to be in the 1.3-3.0 mg range per gram of sorbent, which is lower than the boron adsorption capacity of a polystyrene-based resin, ∼17.2 mg of boron per gram of Amberlite IRA 743. Our study demonstrates that the local backbone and side chain flexibility as well as the structures of polyol groups play a significant role in determining the kinetic and thermodynamic stability of chelate complexes, yielding to different boron adsorption capabilities of lignocellulosic polymers.

Atomic-scale origin of the low grain-boundary resistance in perovskite solid electrolyte Li0.375Sr0.4375Ta0.75Zr0.25O3

Oxide solid electrolytes (OSEs) have the potential to achieve improved safety and energy density for lithium-ion batteries, but their high grain-boundary (GB) resistance generally is a bottleneck. In the well-studied perovskite oxide solid electrolyte, Li3xLa2/3-xTiO3 (LLTO), the ionic conductivity of grain boundaries is about three orders of magnitude lower than that of the bulk. In contrast, the related Li0.375Sr0.4375Ta0.75Zr0.25O3 (LSTZ0.75) perovskite exhibits low grain boundary resistance for reasons yet unknown. Here, we use aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy and spectroscopy, along with an active learning moment tensor potential, to reveal the atomic scale structure and composition of LSTZ0.75 grain boundaries. Vibrational electron energy loss spectroscopy is applied for the first time to reveal atomically resolved vibrations at grain boundaries of LSTZ0.75 and to characterize the otherwise unmeasurable Li distribution therein. We find that Li depletion, which is a major reason for the low grain boundary ionic conductivity of LLTO, is absent for the grain boundaries of LSTZ0.75. Instead, the low grain boundary resistivity of LSTZ0.75 is attributed to the formation of a nanoscale defective cubic perovskite interfacial structure that contained abundant vacancies. Our study provides new insights into the atomic scale mechanisms of low grain boundary resistivity.

Transient dynamic, energy absorption and out-phase/in-phase vibration response of coupled annular/circular SMA nanoplates assuming surface effects on frictional substrates

Shape and size are two important factors that affect the mechanical properties of nanostructures. Therefore, various forms of nano-scaled structures such as annular and circular ones have been applied in the engineering fields. Shape Memory Alloy (SMA), which can be used as the actuator because of its ability to change shapes, has potential applications in nano-electro mechanical system (NEMS). Dynamic behavior and the ability to absorb energy are two critical characteristics of advanced structures that are under static or various forms of dynamic loadings to be specific, this research numerically examined the in-phase/out-phase vibration, transient dynamic behavior under impulse load, and energy absorption in SMA annular/circular nanoplates with ferroelastic and pseudoelastic effects coupled together via damper and spring, placed between two frictional layers. In addition, an assumption of the Kuhn–Tucker phase transformation conditions was made. Moreover, the governing equations were derived based on Hyperbolic Higher Order Shear Deformation Theory (HHSDT) and solved using Differential Cubature Method (DCM). The constitutive equation of SMA proposed by Brinson was employed to model the pseudo-elastic behavior of SMA. Besides, Gurtin-Murdoch and modified couple stress theories were employed to calculate surface and micro-scale effects. As revealed by numerical achievements, under out-phase vibration mode, by increasing the surface effect coefficient to 0.4 when the annular nanoplate inner to outer radius ratio was 0.35, the natural frequency enhanced about 174%. As the material length scale parameter to thickness ratio was increased to 0.3 and the surface effects were considered, the energy absorption capacity was enhanced by nearly 28% and 23%, respectively.