Assembly Of Spheres Research Articles

Spherical resonators from π-conjugated polymers

Optical resonators have an important role in optical devices; they confine, sharpen and amplify light. Self-assembled polymer resonators are advantageous for their simple fabrication processes with low cost and low energy consumption. In this focus review, we show recent advances in the self-assembly of π-conjugated polymers to form microspheres that act as optical resonators. The key factors in sphere assembly are low crystallinity of the polymers and slow diffusion of polar nonsolvent during the assembling process. Focused laser irradiation of a single isolated microsphere excites whispering gallery modes (WGMs), in which sharp and periodic lines are observed in the photoluminescence (PL) spectrum; these are characterized as transverse electric and magnetic modes. Efficient intrasphere energy transfer occurs in the case of microspheres composed of energy-donating and -accepting polymer blends. Furthermore, WGM-mediated long-range intersphere PL propagation and subsequent color conversion were observed in the case of linearly coupled microspheres. Conjugated polymer microspheres are beneficial as optical resonators in terms of their high refractive indices, high absorptivity and high PL efficiency, which are achieved by using simple fabrication processes. Various conjugated polymers self-assemble to form well-defined microspheres that act as optical resonators. Upon focused laser irradiation, the single isolated microspheres exhibit whispering gallery mode photoluminescence (PL), where sharp and periodic emission lines appear in the PL spectra. Efficient and long-range intersphere light energy transfer is demonstrated using coupled microspheres. Conjugated polymer microspheres are advantageous as optical resonators in terms of their high refractive index, photoabsorptivity, and PL efficiency, as well as simple and low-energy fabrication processes, beneficial for the practical application.

Assembly of magnetic spheres in strong homogeneous magnetic field

The self-assembly in two dimensions of spherical magnets in strong magnetic field is addressed theoretically. %% It is shown that the attraction and assembly of parallel magnetic chains is the result of a delicate interplay of dipole-dipole interactions and short ranged excluded volume correlations. %% Minimal energy structures are obtained by numerical optimization procedure as well as analytical considerations. For a small number of constitutive magnets $N_{\rm tot}\leq26$, a straight chain is found to be stable. In the regime of larger $N_{\rm tot}\geq27$, the magnets form \textit{two touching} chains with equally long tails at both ends. We succeed to identify the transition from \textit{two} to \textit{three} touching chains at $N_{\rm tot}=129$.

Highly Tunable Complementary Micro/Submicro-Nanopatterned Surfaces Combining Block Copolymer Self-Assembly and Colloidal Lithography.

Two kinds of large-area ordered and highly tunable micro/submicro-nanopatterned surfaces in a complementary manner were successfully fabricated by elaborately combining block copolymer self-assembly and colloidal lithography. Employing a monolayer of polystyrene (PS) colloidal spheres assembled on top as etching mask, polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) or polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) micelle films were patterned into micro/submicro patches by plasma etching, which could be further transferred into micropatterned metal nanoarrays by subsequent metal precursor loading and a second plasma etching. On the other hand, micro/submicro-nanopatterns in a complementary manner were generated via preloading a metal precursor in initial micelle films before the assembly of PS colloidal spheres on top. Both kinds of micro/submicro-nanopatterns showed good fidelity at the micro/submicroscale and nanoscale; meanwhile, they could be flexibly tuned by the sample and processing parameters. Significantly, when the PS colloidal sphere size was reduced to 250 nm, a high-resolution submicro-nanostructured surface with 3-5 metal nanoparticles in each patch or a single-nanoparticle interconnected honeycomb network was achieved. Moreover, by applying gold (Au) nanoparticles as anchoring points, micronanopatterned Au arrays can serve as a flexible template to pattern bovine serum albumin (BSA) molecules. This facile and cost-effective approach may provide a novel platform for fabrication of micropatterned nanoarrays with high tunability and controllability, which are promising in the applications of biological and microelectronic fields.

Hierarchical Assembly of Tungsten Spheres and Epoxy Composites in Three-Dimensional Graphene Foam and Its Enhanced Acoustic Performance as a Backing Material.

Backing materials play important role in enhancing the acoustic performance of an ultrasonic transducer. Most backing materials prepared by conventional methods failed to show both high acoustic impedance and attenuation, which however determine the bandwidth and axial resolution of acoustic transducer, respectively. In the present work, taking advantage of the structural feature of 3D graphene foam as a confined space for dense packing of tungsten spheres with the assistance of centrifugal force, the desired structural requirement for high impedance is obtained. Meanwhile, superior thermal conductivity of graphene contributes to the acoustic attenuation via the conversion of acoustic waves to thermal energy. The tight contact between tungstate spheres, epoxy matrix, or graphene makes the acoustic wave depleted easily for the absence of air barrier. The as-prepared 3DG/W80wt%/epoxy film in 1 mm, prepared using ∼41 μm W spheres in diameter, not only displays acoustic impedance of 13.05 ± 0.11 MRayl but also illustrates acoustic attenuation of 110.15 ± 1.23 dB/cm MHz. Additionally, the composite film exhibits a high acoustic absorption coefficient, which is 94.4% at 1 MHz and 100% at 3 MHz, respectively. Present composite film outperforms most of the reported backing materials consisting of metal fillers/polymer blending in terms of the acoustic impedance and attenuation.

Prediction and Control of Slip-Free Rotation States in Sphere Assemblies.

We study fixed assemblies of touching spheres that can individually rotate. From any initial state, sliding friction drives an assembly toward a slip-free rotation state. For bipartite assemblies, which have only even loops, this state has at least four degrees of freedom. For exactly four degrees of freedom, we analytically predict the final state, which we prove to be independent of the strength of sliding friction, from an arbitrary initial one. With a tabletop experiment, we show how to impose any slip-free rotation state by only controlling two spheres, regardless of the total number.

Direct fabrication of metal-free hollow graphene balls with a self-supporting structure as efficient cathode catalysts of fuel cell

Despite the good progress in developing carbon catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), the current metal-free carbon catalysts are still far from satisfactory for large-scale applications of fuel cell. Developing hollow graphene balls with a self-supporting structure is considered to be an ideal method to inhibit graphene stacking and improve their catalytic performance. Herein, we fabricated metal-free hollow graphene balls with a self-supporting structure, through using a new strategy that involves direct metal-free catalytic growth from assembly of SiO2 spheres. To our knowledge, although much researches involving the synthesis of graphene balls have been reported, investigations into the direct metal-free catalytic growth of hollow graphene balls are rare. Furthermore, the electrocatalytic performance shows that the resulting hollow graphene balls have significantly high catalytic activity. More importantly, such catalysts also possess much improved stability and better methanol tolerance in alkaline media during the ORR compared with commercial Pt/C catalysts. The outstanding performances coupled with an easy and inexpensive preparing method indicated the great potential of the hollow graphene balls with a self-supporting structure in large-scale applications of fuel cell. Hollow graphene balls with a self-supporting structure have been successfully fabricated, through using a new strategy that involves direct metal-free catalytic growth from 3D assembly of SiO2 spheres. The hollow graphene balls can exhibit a high catalytic activity, long-term stability, and an excellent methanol tolerance for the oxygen reduction reaction

Effective potential method for active particles

ABSTRACTWe investigate the steady-state properties of an active fluid modelled as an assembly of soft repulsive spheres subjected to Gaussian coloured noise. Such a noise captures one of the salient aspects of active particles, namely the persistence of their motion and determines a variety of novel features with respect to familiar passive fluids. We show that within the so-called multidimensional unified coloured noise approximation, recently introduced in the field of active matter, the model can be treated by methods similar to those employed in the study of standard molecular fluids. The system shows a tendency of the particles to aggregate even in the presence of purely repulsive forces because the combined action of coloured noise and interactions enhances the effective friction between nearby particles. We also discuss whether an effective two-body potential approach, which would allow to employ methods similar to those of density functional theory, is appropriate. The limits of such an approximation are discussed.

Slip in Flow through Assemblages of Spherical Particles at Low to Moderate Reynolds Numbers

AbstractEffects of slip velocity and volume fraction of slip spheres on the momentum transfer characteristics of assemblages of slip spheres are numerically investigated. The fluid slip along the surface of the sphere is considered by Navier's linear slip model. The dimensionless governing continuity and momentum equations are solved using a semi‐implicit marker and cell method implemented on a staggered grid arrangement in spherical coordinates. The convection and viscous terms of momentum equations are discretized by means of the QUICK scheme and a second‐order central differencing scheme, respectively. The present numerical solver is benchmarked via grid independence and comparisons with the existing literature values. Results were obtained over a wide range of pertinent dimensionless numbers such as the Reynolds number, volume fraction of the dispersed phase, and dimensionless slip parameter.

Three-dimensional ordered TiO2 hollow spheres as scattering layer in dye-sensitized solar cells

TiO2 nanostructure was constructed to obtain an improved photoelectric conversion performance. The design was based on the three-dimensional ordered assembly of TiO2 hollow spheres (3D-TiO2 HPs), which were synthesized using polystyrene colloidal crystals as sacrificial templates. Owing to this highly periodic structure and high specific surface area, the double-layered photoanode films derived from 3D-TiO2 HPs as light scattering layer exhibited enhanced conversion efficiency (7.0 %), thus leading to a 46 % increment of photovoltaic performance compared to the cell based on P25 TiO2 photoanode (4.8 %).

Disentangling the role of structure and friction in shear jamming

Amorphous packings of spheres have been intensely investigated in order to understand the mechanical and flow behaviour of dense granular matter, and to explore universal aspects of the transition from fluid to structurally arrested or jammed states. Considerable attention has recently been focussed on anisotropic packings of frictional grains generated by shear deformation leading to shear jamming, which occurs below the jamming density for isotropic packings of frictionless grains. With the aim of disentangling the role of shear deformation induced structures and friction in generating shear jamming, we study sheared assemblies of frictionless spheres computationally, over a wide range of densities, extending far below the isotropic jamming point. We demonstrate the emergence of a variety of geometric features characteristic of jammed packings with the increase of shear strain. The average contact number and the distributions of contact forces suggest the presence of a threshold density, well below the isotropic jamming point, above which a qualitative change occurs in the jamming behaviour of sheared configurations. We show that above this threshold density, friction stabilizes the sheared configurations we generate. Our results thus reveal the emergence of geometric features characteristic of jammed states as a result of shear deformation alone, while friction is instrumental in stabilising packings over a range of densities below the isotropic jamming point.

Controlled superficial assembly of DNA–amorphous calcium phosphate nanocomposite spheres for surface-mediated gene delivery

Surface-mediated gene delivery systems have many potential applications in tissue engineering. We recently fabricated an assembly consisting of DNA–amorphous calcium phosphate (DNA–ACP) nanocomposite spheres on a polymer substrate via coprecipitation in a labile supersaturated calcium phosphate (CaP) solution and demonstrated the assembly’s high gene delivery efficacy. In this study, we conducted a detailed investigation of the coprecipitation process in solution and revealed that the negatively charged DNA molecules were immobilized in the ACP spheres during the initial stage of coprecipitation and functioned as both sphere-dispersing and size-regulating agents. As a result, the DNA–ACP nanocomposites grew into size-regulated submicrospheres in solution and assembled onto the substrate via gravity sedimentation. The assembled nanocomposite spheres were chemically anchored to the substrate surface through an intermediate layer of CaP-based nanoparticles that was formed heterogeneously at the substrate surface. The coprecipitation conditions, i.e., coprecipitation time and Ca and P concentrations in solution, greatly affected the state of assembly of the nanocomposite spheres, thereby influencing the gene expression level of the cells cultured on the substrate. Increasing the number density and decreasing the size of the nanocomposite spheres did not always increase the assembly’s gene delivery efficacy (per surface area of the substrate) due to adverse effects on cellular viability. As demonstrated herein, controlling the coprecipitation conditions is important for designing a cell-stimulating and biocompatible scaffold surface consisting of an assembly of DNA–ACP nanocomposite spheres.

Paramagnetic spherical nanoparticles by the self-assembly of persistent trityl radicals.

Spherical nanoparticles and fibres observable by cryo-electron microscopy are spontaneously formed by the Finland trityl radical at concentrations above 15 mM. These species represent a new class of paramagnetic, metal-free, nanoscale supramolecular materials. Self-association was observed under a variety of experimental conditions, including aqueous solution at room temperature, low temperature frozen glasses and the gas phase. Oligomers formed by at least 5 Finland radicals were detected by ion-mobility mass spectrometry. Magnetic susceptibility data as well as low temperature EPR spectra show coupling between electronic spins in the self-assembled species. Quantum chemical calculations show stacking along the C3 symmetry axis. Nanoparticle formation requires additional lateral packing that can be provided by hydrogen bonding involving the triangular array of carboxylic acid groups leading to the assembly of geodesic spheres.

Carbon-coated silicon nanoparticle-embedded carbon sphere assembly electrodes with enhanced performance for lithium-ion batteries

We demonstrate carbon-coated silicon nanoparticles embedded in monodisperse carbon spheres for lithium-ion batteries with high capacity retention.

Self-Healing Underwater Superoleophobic and Antibiofouling Coatings Based on the Assembly of Hierarchical Microgel Spheres.

Marine biofouling has been plaguing people for thousands of years. While various strategies have been developed for antifouling (including superoleophobic) coatings, none of these exhibits self-healing properties because the bestowal of a zoetic self-repairing function to lifeless artificial water/solid interfacial materials is usually confronted with tremendous challenges. Here, we present a self-repairing underwater superoleophobic and antibiofouling coating through the self-assembly of hydrophilic polymeric chain modified hierarchical microgel spheres. The obtained surface material not only has excellent underwater superoleophobicity but also has very good subaqueous antibiofouling properties. More importantly, this surface material can recover the oil- and biofouling-resistant properties once its surface is mechanically damaged, similar to the skins of some marine organisms such as sharks or whales. This approach is feasible and easily mass-produced and could open a pathway and possibility for the fabrication of other self-healing functional water/solid interfacial materials.

Micromechanical Modeling of Yield in Isotropic Non-Cohesive Particulate Materials

We perform a micromechanical analysis of general isotropic non-cohesive particulate materials idealized as three-dimensional random assemblies of uniform spheres with a simple linear elastic inter-particle contact force law and inter-particle Coulomb friction law. We obtain analytical relationships between the inter-particle friction coefficient $$\mu$$ (or inter-particle friction angle $$\phi _\mu = \tan ^{-1} \mu$$ ) on the microscale and the material friction angle $$\phi$$ on the macroscale. Our micromechanical analysis directly employs force and moment equilibrium (together with compatibility and the contact constitutive assumptions noted) rather than energy methods, and thus can account for the effects of particle rotation, and in particular the effects of mechanisms or zero-energy modes due to particle rotation. To explore the effects of particle rotation, we perform analyses with particle rotation either allowed or prohibited. To validate the analytical results obtained here, we compare the $$\phi$$ versus $$\phi _\mu$$ curves determined theoretically to those obtained by the discrete element method (DEM) for six randomly packed specimens of 3430–29, 660 uniform spherical elements with uniform inter-element Coulomb friction in Fleischmann et al. in Geotech Geol Eng 32(4):1081–1100, (2014). The $$\phi$$ versus $$\phi _\mu$$ curves derived here show remarkable agreement with those obtained via DEM simulations in Fleischmann et al. in Geotech Geol Eng 32(4):1081–1100, (2014), especially for the case in which particle rotation is not artificially restrained.

Effect of inertia on laminar swimming and flying of an assembly of rigid spheres in an incompressible viscous fluid.

A mechanical model of swimming and flying in an incompressible viscous fluid in the absence of gravity is studied on the basis of assumed equations of motion. The system is modeled as an assembly of rigid spheres subject to elastic direct interactions and to periodic actuating forces which sum to zero. Hydrodynamic interactions are taken into account in the virtual mass matrix and in the friction matrix of the assembly. An equation of motion is derived for the velocity of the geometric center of the assembly. The mean power is calculated as the mean rate of dissipation. The full range of viscosity is covered, so that the theory can be applied to the flying of birds, as well as to the swimming of fish or bacteria. As an example a system of three equal spheres moving along a common axis is studied.

Heat Transfer Phenomena of Assemblages of Smooth Slip Spheres in Newtonian Fluids

Combined effects of slip velocity and volume fraction of slip spheres on the heat transfer characteristics of multiple slip spheres are numerically investigated within the framework of a free surface cell model combined with a linear slip velocity along the surface of the slip spheres. The governing conservation equations of the mass, momentum, and energy are solved by a segregated approach using a simplified marker and cell algorithm implemented on a staggered grid arrangement in spherical coordinates. The convection and diffusion terms of conservation equations are discretized using quadratic upstream interpolation for convective kinematics and second‐order central differencing schemes, respectively. Prior to obtaining new results, this numerical solver is validated by comparison of present results with the existing literature values. Further new results are obtained for a range of conditions as; Reynolds number, Re: 0.1–200; Prandtl number, Pr: 1–100; volume fraction of slip spheres, Φ: 0.1–0.5 and slip parameter, λ: 0.01–100. The effects of these dimensionless parameters on isotherm contours and local and average Nusselt numbers are thoroughly delineated. Finally, a new empirical correlation for the average Nusselt number of multiple smooth slip spheres is proposed on the basis of present numerical results.

A three-fingered, touch-sensitive, metrological micro-robotic assembly tool

This article describes a metrological, robotic hand to manipulate and measure micrometer size objects. The presented work demonstrates not only assembly operations, but also positioning control and metrology capability. Sample motion is achieved by a commercial positioning stage, which provides XYZ-displacements for assembly of components. A designed and manufactured gripper tool that incorporates 21 degrees-of-freedom for independent alignment of actuators, sensors, and the three fingers of this hand is presented. These fingers can be opened and closed by piezoelectric actuators through levered flexures providing an 80 μm displacement range measured with calibrated opto-interrupter based, knife-edge sensors. The operational ends of the fingers comprise of a quartz tuning fork with a 7 μm diameter 3.2 mm long carbon fiber extending from the end of one tuning fork tine. Finger-tip force-sensing is achieved by the monitoring of individual finger resonances typically at around 32 kHz. Experimental results included are focused on probe performance analysis. Pick and place operation using the three fingers is demonstrated with all fingers being continuously oscillated, a capability not possible with the previous single or two finger tweezer type designs. By monitoring electrical feedback during pick and place operations, changes in the response of the three probes demonstrate the ability to identify both grab and release operations. Component metrology has been assessed by contacting different micro-spheres of diameters 50(±7.5) μm, 135(±20) μm, and 140(±20) μm. These were measured by the micro robot to have diameters of 67, 133, and 126 μm respectively with corresponding deviations of 4.2, 4.9, and 4.3 μm. This deviation in the measured results was primarily due to the manual, joystick-based, contacting of the fingers, difficulties associated with centering the components to the axis of the hand, and lower contact sensitivity for the smallest sphere. Finally, assemblies of spheres onto the edge of a razor blade plus assembly of spherical contact probes for micro-meter scale coordinate measurement applications are presented.

Synthesis and catalytic performance of hierarchical TiO2 hollow sphere/reduced graphene oxide hybrid nanostructures

Hierarchical TiO2 hollow spheres partially wrapped with reduced graphene oxide were synthesized through a facile three-step wet chemistry process. This method involves preparation of amine-modified TiO2 hollow spheres, assembly of amine-modified TiO2 hollow spheres and graphene oxide via peptide bond (–CONH–) formation, and final hydrothermal reduction of graphene oxide. The prepared hybrid composites could be used as photocatalysts to reduce 4-nitroaniline with excellent photocatalytic performance. This property is attributed to the efficient nanostructures of the composites, which result in obvious improvements in interfacial charge separation and transfer efficiency, reactant adsorptivity, and light harvesting. This study provides guidance for future designs of new graphene-based composites with enhanced photocatalytic reduction performance.

Pore shapes, volume distribution and orientations in monodisperse granular assemblies

The complex mechanical behaviour of granular materials is commonly studied by considering the evolving particle contact network. An often overlooked feature is the influence of micro-scale geometric configuration of pores on the macroscopic response. This paper presents a series of tools to quantify the shape, volume distribution and orientation characteristics of the pore space. The proposed approach is compared against data extracted from physical and numerical experiments with monodisperse assemblies of spheres. Individual pores are represented by polyhedral pore unit cells obtained by combining the Delaunay tessellation with an algorithm for merging Delaunay cells based on the concept of maximal inscribed sphere, after Al-Raoush et al. (Soil Sci Soc Am J 67(6):1687–1700, 2003). A pore shape parameter is proposed that considers pore volume and surface, and is analytically related to the void ratio and the number of edges forming the polyhedral pore unit cell. The pore volume distribution is shown to be uniquely described by the analytical k-gamma distribution proposed by Aste and Di Matteo (Phys Rev E 77(2):021309, 2008). A pore orientation tensor is introduced to define the principal orientation of individual pore units. This is subsequently used to define a global orientation tensor that reveals an isotropic pore network for the reference monodisperse assemblies. The global orientation tensor is analytically expressed in terms of the parameters defining the pore volume distribution.