Nanostructured Aluminum Research Articles

Plasmonic Aluminum Nanostructures Synergizing with Oxygen Vacancies in Zinc Oxides for Enhanced Photoelectrocatalysis

Designing a highly efficient and stable electrode is of great importance for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting, which is limited by light absorption and charge separation. Herein, a unique ZnO1–x/3D-Al composite photoanode consisting of low-cost 3D aluminum (3D-Al) plasmonic material and oxygen-vacant zinc oxide (ZnO1–x) nanoparticles was prepared for efficient PEC water splitting for the first time. The plasmonic 3D-Al nanostructure significantly improves the light absorption of the photoanode, which increases the number of photo-generated electron–hole pairs. Meanwhile, the presence of oxygen vacancies further facilitates the generation and separation of photon-induced electron–hole pairs in ZnO1–x. As a result, the integrated ZnO1–x/3D-Al photoanode delivers an enhanced photocurrent density of 70.1 μA cm–2 at 1.23 V versus RHE, 2.9 times greater than that of pristine ZnO/Al, attributed to the synergy effect between plasmon resonance in 3D aluminum nanostructures and oxygen vacancies in zinc oxides.

Study of Tribological Properties of Bulk Nanostructured Aluminum and Copper Samples Applicable in Automotive Bearing Application

Using lightweight systems and friction reduction approaches are two main contributors towards modern and efficient powertrains in the automotive industry. New materials and processes are required to achieve the demanding and ever-increasing performance requirement of automotive systems. Nanostructure induced by severe plastic deformation methods involves bimodal microstructures and hence, shows exceptional mechanical characteristics which can be exploited for automotive application. Through this study, samples were prepared using pure copper, aluminum alloy (series 7000) and were processed to attain bulk nanostructured samples using a Single Step High Pressure Torsion technique with appropriate dimensions applicable as the rolling elements of automotive bearings. The induced nanostructures resulted micro hardness and frictional characteristics of the bulk samples were assessed using transmission electron (TEM) and atomic force (AFM) microscopies as well as microhardness evaluations. The results revealed that a fully refined nanostructured samples were achieved with 90% increase in the hardness at the outer diameter of the sample. The AFM measurements indicated that the friction coefficient of nanostructured copper and aluminum samples were ~ 25 and ~ 45% less than that of both the unprocessed samples, respectively. Characteristics of treated samples suggest that these processes can be potentially used in demanding conditions of rolling element bearings with reduced weight and frictional losses.

Study of the Mechanical Properties and Thermal Control Performance of Plasma-Sprayed Alumina Coating on Aluminum Alloy Surface

Thermal control coating is an important means of ensuring that a spacecraft remains operational at high temperatures. Due to limitations regarding preparation technology and material properties, the mechanical properties of the conventional thermal control coatings still need to be improved. To solve this problem, nanostructured alumina coatings (NCs) and conventional alumina coatings (CCs) were prepared using plasma-spraying technology. The microscopic morphology, phase structure, hardness, and thermal control properties (solar absorptance (αs) and emissivity (ε)) of the nanostructured alumina coatings were investigated and compared with those of conventional alumina coatings. The results show that the NC has a higher hardness value (1168.8 HV) and that its reflectivity exceeds 75% in the wavelength range of 446–1586 nm, while a high degree of emissivity of 0.863–0.87 is still maintained at 300–393 K. Furthermore, the results show that these highly reflective properties are related to the phase composition and internal micromorphology of the NC, whereby the solar absorption of the coating is reduced due to the increase in the alpha phase content (21.4%), the high porosity (5.21%) and the nanoparticles favoring the internal scattering. All these properties can improve the performance of this CC coating with low solar absorptance (αs) and high emissivity (ε).

Perovskite Nanowire Laser for Hydrogen Chloride Gas Sensing.

Detection of hazardous volatile organic and inorganic species is a crucial task for addressing human safety in the chemical industry. Among these species, there are hydrogen halides (HX, X = Cl, Br, I) vastly exploited in numerous technological processes. Therefore, the development of a cost-effective, highly sensitive detector selective to any HX gas is of particular interest. Herein, we demonstrate the optical detection of hydrogen chloride gas with solution-processed halide perovskite nanowire lasers grown on a nanostructured alumina substrate. An anion exchange reaction between a CsPbBr3 nanowire and vaporized HCl molecules results in the formation of a structure consisting of a bromide core and thin mixed-halide CsPb(Cl,Br)3 shell. The shell has a lower refractive index than the core does. Therefore, the formation and further expansion of the shell reduce the field confinement for experimentally observed laser modes and provokes an increase in their frequency. This phenomenon is confirmed by the coherency of the data derived from XPS spectroscopy, EDX analysis, in situ XRD experiments, HRTEM images, and fluorescent microspectroscopy, as well as numerical modeling for Cl- ion diffusion and the shell-thickness-dependent spectral position of eigenmodes in a core-shell perovskite nanowire. The revealed optical response allows the detection of HCl molecules in the 5-500 ppm range. The observed spectral tunability of the perovskite nanowire lasers can be employed not only for sensing but also for their precise spectral tuning.

Осаждение прозрачных покрытий Al-=SUB=-2-=/SUB=-O-=SUB=-3-=/SUB=- с экстремальными свойствами смачивания методом наносекундной лазерной абляции алюминия в фоновом кислороде

Transparent aluminum oxide nanostructures with extreme wetting properties were synthesized by nanosecond laser deposition in background oxygen. The transparency and morphology of the samples have been analyzed. Non-monotonic behavior of the transmittance coefficient was found when varying the background oxygen pressure in the range of 20-140 Pa due to differences in the kinetics of ablation product dispersion. The evolution of the contact wetting angle from ~ 5 to ~ 120◦ when the coatings are stored in air under normal conditions was investigated.

Ice resistance of hydrophobic fluoropolymerized nanostructured alumina films for antireflective coatings

The functionality and durability of nanostructured alumina coatings exposed to atmospheric icing has been assessed to probe their usability in practical applications and to estimate the need for further development of the coatings. In particular, the changes in surface microstructure and in optical performance as well as in the wetting characteristics of the surfaces are reported. Without a hydrophobicity treatment the alumina nanostructures are superhydrophilic and do not endure large environmental changes. Hydrophobicity treated fluoropolymerized nanostructured alumina provides characteristics with partial anti-icing capabilities, enhanced durability, and excellent transmission levels of >95%, but the performance degrades in cyclic icing/de-icing. However, the hydrophobic nanostructured alumina outperforms both the nanostructured and planar alumina coatings and possesses increased durability and stability even under harsh conditions, such as the atmospheric icing. This indicates a clear need to use a hydrophobicity treatment for the nanostructured alumina antireflection coatings to be used in any environments. Therefore, its utilization in applications where little or occasional exposure to icing or other humidity and temperature changes is favorable over standard planar coatings. Further process optimization of the hydrophobicity treatment is still needed for better durability for cyclical icing exposure.

Fabrication of Block Copolymer Templated Extended Surface Model Electrocatalysts By Atomic Layer Deposition and Physical Vapor Deposition

Templating platinum group metal (PGM) nanostructures from microphase separated block copolymers (BCPs) allows for electrocatalytic activity to be studied on highly ordered, model surfaces with precisely controlled feature sizes and morphologies, thereby allowing catalyst electroactivity and stability to be probed as a function of nanoscale geometry. In our previous work [1], BCP templated electrocatalysts fabricated via incipient wetness impregnation of PGM precursors were tested for hydrogen oxidation/evolution and water-splitting activity on interdigitated electrodes using liquid and solid polymer electrolytes. This talk presents the fabrication of such electrocatalysts via Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) and Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) techniques (e-beam evaporation and sputtering). Self-assembled lamellae of poly-(styrene-block-methylmethacrylate) (PSbPMMA) thin films on Si wafer and glassy carbon substrates were subjected to 5 - 15 ALD cycles with trimethylaluminium (TMA) precursor to induce selective growth of alumina in the PMMA domains via Sequential Infiltration Synthesis. Thereafter, the polymer template was removed via Reactive Ion Etching (RIE) with oxygen plasma. The resultant alumina nanostructures templated from self-assembled PSbPMMA was then used as a substrate either for Platinum ALD with (trimethyl)methylcyclopentadienylplatinum(IV) precursor atop a Titanium Nitride adhesive layer, or for sputtering of Pt atop a Ti adhesive layer to obtain conformal Pt coatings of up to 20 nm in thickness. When e-beam evaporation was used, The PMMA domains were selectively removed by successive wet and dry etch steps, followed by deposition and lift-off. The PGM electrocatalyst nanostructures were characterized via a combination of electron microcopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and the Pt content of the catalysts were determined via microwave leaching and digestion of the electrocatalyst thin film followed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy. The nanostructured electrocatalysts were tested for oxygen reduction (ORR) activity in a conventional rotating disk electrode setup using 0.1 M perchloric acid electrolyte, and the ORR mass activities and active surface area were obtained.[1] Bhattacharya, D., Arges, C. G., et al., Small, 2021, 17, 2100437

Mechanical Behavior Monitored by Acoustic Emission of Nanostructured Alumina–Titania Coatings

Mechanical Behavior Monitored by Acoustic Emission of Nanostructured Alumina–Titania Coatings

Hybrid Graphene-Supported Aluminum Plasmonics.

Controlled fabrication of devices for plasmonics on suspended graphene enables obtaining tunable localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs), reducing the red-shift of LSPRs, and creating hybrid 3D–2D systems promising for adjustable dipole–dipole coupling and plasmon-mediated catalysis. Here, we apply a low-cost fabrication methodology to produce patterned aluminum nanostructures (bowties and tetramers) on graphene monolayers via electron-beam lithography and trap platinum (Pt) nanoclusters (NCs) within their hotspots by thermal annealing. We reveal the LSPRs of aluminum plasmonics on graphene using electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) and energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM) in a monochromated scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). The LSPRs of these nanostructures are measured to be between visible and ultraviolet regions of the spectrum and are confirmed by electromagnetic simulations. The antibonding dipole and bonding dipole modes of both structures are tuned by controlling their gap size. The tetramers enable the simultaneous excitation of both antibonding and bonding dipole modes at the poles of nanoprisms, while bowties allow us to excite these modes separately either at the poles or within the hotspot. We further show that the hybrid nanocavity–NC systems are in the intermediate coupling regime providing an enhanced plasmon absorption in the Pt NCs via the energy transfer from the antibonding dipole mode to the Pt NCs. The dipole LSPR of Pt NCs also couples to the bonding-type breathing mode in bowties. Our findings suggest that these hybrid nanocavity–graphene systems are of high application potential for plasmon-mediated catalysis, surface-enhanced fluorescence, and quantum technologies.

Molybdenum Oxide Functional Passivation of Aluminum Dimers for Enhancing Optical-Field and Environmental Stability

In this contribution, we present an experimental and numerical study on the coating of Al plasmonic nanostructures through a conformal layer of high-refractive-index molybdenum oxide. The investigated structures are closely coupled nanodisks where we observe that the effect of the thin coating is to help gap narrowing down to the sub-5-nm range, where a large electromagnetic field enhancement and confinement can be achieved. The solution represents an alternative to more complex and challenging lithographic approaches, and results are also advantageous for enhancing the long-term stability of aluminum nanostructures.

Extremely narrow resonant linewidths in metal-dielectric heterostructures

Plasmonic high-quality factor resonators with narrow surface plasmon resonance (SPR) linewidths are extremely significant for surface-enhanced Raman scattering, optical sensors, imaging, and color filters. Unfortunately, extensive research on narrowing SPR linewidths is mainly based on noble metal nanostructures that are restricted by intrinsic loss. Here, heterostructures consisting of metal and dielectric metaphotonics are experimentally designed and fabricated for elaborating SPR linewidths. The results demonstrate that the SPR linewidths can be narrowed by 66.7% relative to that of aluminum nanostructures. The resonant linewidths are directly shrunk due to the interaction between low loss in the semiconductor nanostructures and electromagnetic confinement in the metal counterparts. Meanwhile, the resonant wavelength governed by heterostructure configurations shifts from 600 to 930 nm. This work will pave an avenue toward controlling resonant linewidths of metal-dielectric heterostructures for numerous applications.

Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity and Photoluminescence of ZnO Nano-Wires Coupled with Aluminum Nanostructures.

In this study, we fabricated a hybrid plasmonic/semiconductor material by combining the chemical bath deposition of zinc oxide nanowires (ZnONWs) with the physical vapor deposition of aluminum nanostructures (AlNSs) under controlled temperature and atmosphere. The morphological and the optical properties of the ZnONWs/AlNSs hybrid material fabricated at different temperatures (250, 350, and 450 °C) and thicknesses (5, 7, and 9 nm) of Al layers were investigated. By adjusting the deposition and annealing parameters, it was possible to tune the size distribution of the AlNSs. The resonant coupling between the plasmonic AlNSs and ZnONWs leads to an enhanced photoluminescence response. The photocatalytic activity was studied through photodegradation under UV-light irradiation of methylene blue (MB) adsorbed at the surface of ZnO. The MB photodegradation experiment reveals that the ZnONWs covered with 7 nm aluminum film and annealed at 450 °C exhibit the highest degradation efficiency. The comparison between ZnONws and ZnONws/AlNSs shows a photoluminescence enhancement factor of 1.7 and an increase in the kinetics constant of photodegradation with a factor of 4.

Enhanced Resonant Raman Scattering of GaN Functional Layers Using Al Thin Films - A Versatile Tool for Multilayer Structure Analysis

In order to selectively analyze active thin layers close to surface in power devices structures, Raman scattering is necessary with UV excitation. However, the Raman spectra of GaN are usually affected by the direct bandgap photoluminescence of the material, which interferes with the Raman measurements and decreases the quality and resolution of the Raman spectra. In this work, we demonstrate experimentally that nanostructured aluminum films deposed on GaN epitaxial layers decrease the influence of the photoluminescence on the resonant Raman spectra and increase its overall spatial resolution under UV illumination.

Investigation of mechanical properties and fatigue crack growth in nanostructured aluminum by ECAP process

Investigation of mechanical properties and fatigue crack growth in nanostructured aluminum by ECAP process

Optical Performance Assessment of Nanostructured Alumina Multilayer Antireflective Coatings Used in III-V Multijunction Solar Cells.

The optical performance of a multilayer antireflective coating incorporating lithography-free nanostructured alumina is assessed. To this end, the performance of single-junction GaInP solar cells and four-junction GaInP/GaAs/GaInNAsSb/GaInNAsSb multijunction solar cells incorporating the nanostructured alumina is compared against the performance of similar solar cells using conventional double-layer antireflective coating. External quantum efficiency measurements for GaInP solar cells with the nanostructured coating demonstrate angle-independent operation, showing only a marginal difference at 60° incident angle. The average reflectance of the nanostructured antireflective coating is ∼3 percentage points smaller than the reflectance of the double-layer antireflective coating within the operation bandwidth of the GaInP solar cell (280–710 nm), which is equivalent of ∼0.2 mA/cm2 higher current density at AM1.5D (1000 W/m2). When used in conjunction with the four-junction solar cell, the nanostructured coating provides ∼0.8 percentage points lower average reflectance over the operation bandwidth from 280 to 1380 nm. However, it is noted that only the reflectance of the bottom GaInNAsSb junction is improved in comparison to the planar coating. In this respect, since in such solar cells the bottom junction typically is limiting the operation, the nanostructured coating would enable increasing the current density ∼0.6 mA/cm2 in comparison to the standard two-layer coating. The light-biased current–voltage measurements show that the fabrication process for the nanostructured coating does not induce notable recombination or loss mechanisms compared to the established deposition methods. Angle-dependent external quantum efficiency measurements incline that the nanostructured coating excels in oblique angles, and due to low reflectance at a 1000–1800 nm wavelength range, it is very promising for next-generation broadband multijunction solar cells with four or more junctions.

Cross-polarized surface lattice resonances in a rectangular lattice plasmonic metasurface.

Multiresonant metasurfaces could enable many applications in filtering, sensing, and nonlinear optics. However, developing a metasurface with more than one high-quality-factor or high-Q resonance at designated resonant wavelengths is challenging. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a plasmonic metasurface exhibiting different, narrow surface lattice resonances by exploiting the polarization degree of freedom where different lattice modes propagate along different dimensions of the lattice. The surface consists of aluminum nanostructures in a rectangular periodic lattice. The resulting surface lattice resonances were measured around 640 nm and 1160 nm with Q factors of ∼50 and ∼800, respectively. The latter is a record-high plasmonic Q factor within the near-infrared type-II window. Such metasurfaces could benefit such applications as frequency conversion and all-optical switching.

Al3Fe5O12 nanoparticles loaded electrospun PVDF fibres: An inorganic-organic material with multifunctional traits

In this paper, we report on the development of an organic-inorganic hybrid multiferroic material based on polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and nanostructured aluminium iron garnet (Al3Fe5O12) that is found to exhibit enhanced coupling between ferroelectric and magnetic orderings at room temperature. In addition to the promising multiferroic feature, PVDF-based multiferroics can display a remarkable degree of flexibility, giving increased advantage in device fabrication. With a view of extending the synthesis of the PVDF/Al3Fe5O12 hybrid material to a commercial level, in this work we adopted a simple strategy of electrospinning, and various degrees of Al3Fe5O12 nanoparticles incorporations have been tested to manipulate the strength of the interaction between the two diverse materials. Systematic studies have been conducted to elucidate the arrangement of PVDF chains in the electroactive β-phase configuration. Furthermore, magnetic studies have been conducted in this work to validate the existence of magnetic ordering in the PVDF/Al3Fe5O12 hybrid material systems. A high magnetoelectric coupling coefficient (6.19 mV cm−1 Oe−1) has been noticed for the PVDF/Al3Fe5O12 hybrid material containing 16 wt % Al3Fe5O12 nanoparticles. The evolution of defects with the incorporation of Al3Fe5O12 nanoparticles has been further explored using positron annihilation spectroscopy, which revealed the presence of free volume defects in large concentrations which evolve into Al3Fe5O12 nanoparticles decorated cavities with increased filler loading. The multifunctional nature enables the fabricated PVDF/Al3Fe5O12 hybrids as promising materials for the development of smart devices.

Microstructure and stress analyses in nano-structured alumina layers developed on Fe-Al single crystals

In the present work low index single crystal surfaces of a binary Fe-Al alloy were oxidized in atmospheric air at 700 °C. The oxide layer composition, microstructure and texture were investigated by XPS, TEM and XRD. The oxidation stresses were determined in situ by synchrotron XRD. The results revealed the presence of a dual layered oxide scale, consisting of an inner layer of α-Al2O3 and an external layer of α-Fe2O3 and α-Al2O3. Differences in crystal orientation led to variations in the internal stress distribution in the oxide scales, with compressive stress values α-Al2O3 following (110) > (111) > (100).

Electrochemically obtained Al2O3 nanoporous layers with increased anticorrosive properties of aluminum alloy

The nanoporous layers of aluminum oxide obtained by means of the anodic oxidation process, in 1 M H2SO4 in which 1 g/L Al2(SO4)3 × 18H2O was added, at constant potential and three oxidation times, are subjected to corrosion tests in 3.5% NaCl solution, pH = 5.75, to evaluate their anticorrosive properties compared to the unmodified surface of the Al1050 aluminum alloy. Electron microscopy and EDX compare the morphology of nanostructured aluminum oxide surfaces with their composition and layer thicknesses. Also, by analyzing the X-ray diffraction, the aluminum oxide is highlighted by the specific diffraction peaks. The evaluation of the corrosion resistance is performed by the electrochemical methods like evolution of the free potential depending on the immersion time and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. From the analysis of the obtained results, a uniform and size distribution of the nanopores is observed, between 17.8 nm and 47 nm, depending on the anodic oxidation time. All nanoporous layers of aluminum oxide obtained have improved anticorrosive properties compared to untreated aluminum alloy.

Wide-angle broadband antireflection coatings based on boomerang-like alumina nanostructures in visible region

A novel boomerang-like alumina based antireflective coating with ultra-low reflectance has been produced for light incidence angles form 0 up to 45°. Boomerang-like alumina nanostructures have been fabricated on the BK7 glass substrates by dip-coating and surface modification via hot water treatment. To achieve the lowest residual reflectance, the effect of dip-coating rate and hot-water temperature in the treatment process has been investigated and optimized. To further investigate the boomerang-like alumina nanostructure and extract its graded refractive index profile by fitting the measured reflectance spectrum with the simulated one, a simulation based on the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method has been performed. The average reflectance measured at normal incidence for double-sided coated BK7 glass substrates is only 0.3% in the visible spectral region. Considering both sides, the average reflectance of the substrate decreased in the spectral range of 400–700 nm down to 0.4% at incidence angles of 45° by applying the boomerang-like alumina antireflection coatings. The optimized single layer boomerang-like alumina coating on the curved aspheric lens exhibited a low average reflectance of less than 0.14% and an average transmittance of above 99.3% at normal incidence. The presented process is a simple and cost-effective route towards broadband and omnidirectional antireflection coatings, which have promising potential to be applied on substrates having large scales with complex geometric shapes.