Hybrid Surface Research Articles

Sn/Graphite/Cu reinforced aluminum: An experimental study on fabrication of hybrid surface composite as journal bearing material by friction stir processing

Friction stir processing (FSP) is an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly technique that provides tailored manufacturing possibilities for surface composites in solid-state conditions. This study focuses on manufacturing solid lubricant-reinforced aluminum matrix surface composite (AMSC) through FSP, which can be used as a journal-bearing material. Composite fabrications are performed utilizing Sn, Cu, and graphite particles (hybrid powder) with four passes of FSP. The cross-sectional macro and microstructures of obtained surface composites are investigated via optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The stir zone (SZ) chemistry is analyzed with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The microhardness measurements show the effects of hybrid powder as reinforcement and FSP parameters on the mechanical features of the composite cross-sections. Wettability and tribological tests are also conducted to determine the surface properties of the fabricated composites. According to the findings, the wear rate is decreased by 8 % with the reduction of average CoF to 0.75, while a hardness increment is achieved over ∼35 % in manufactured surface composites compared to the base material. It is observed that the content and amount of the hybrid powder and FSP parameters employed can ensure the fabrication of desired characteristics compatible with the aim in surface composites.

An electro-optic half subtractor from a silicon-based hybrid surface plasmon polariton waveguide

Abstract In order to solve the problems of low transmission rate and large device size of electro-optical modulator, an electro-optic half subtractor based on silicon-based hybrid surface plasmon polariton waveguide is proposed in this study. The proposed device utilizes three units metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitor structure to achieve the half subtractor logic function of electro-optic control, improving the transmission rate of the electro-optic half subtractor while also reducing the device size using surface plasmon polariton technology, with a size of only 32 μm × 4.3 μm. At the same time, the use of hybrid silicon waveguides reduces the sharp Ohmic attenuation caused by surface plasmon polaritons and reduces optical insertion losses (ILs). The simulation results show that when the electro-optic half subtractor operates at the wavelength of 1,550 nm, the IL difference is 1.0 dB in each state, the transmission rate of the device is 0.75 Tbit/s, and the energy consumption is 12.69 fj/bit.

Hybrid Micro-/Nanoprotein Platform Provides Endocrine-like and Extracellular Matrix-like Cell Delivery of Growth Factors.

Protein materials are versatile tools in diverse biomedical fields. Among them, artificial secretory granules (SGs), mimicking those from the endocrine system, act as mechanically stable reservoirs for the sustained release of proteins as oligomeric functional nanoparticles. Only validated in oncology, the physicochemical properties of SGs, along with their combined drug-releasing and scaffolding abilities, make them suitable as smart topographies in regenerative medicine for the prolonged delivery of growth factors (GFs). Thus, considering the need for novel, safe, and cost-effective materials to present GFs, in this study, we aimed to biofabricate a protein platform combining both endocrine-like and extracellular matrix fibronectin-derived (ECM-FN) systems. This approach is based on the sustained delivery of a nanostructured histidine-tagged version of human fibroblast growth factor 2. The GF is presented onto polymeric surfaces, interacting with FN to spontaneously generate nanonetworks that absorb and present the GF in the solid state, to modulate mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) behavior. The results show that SGs-based topographies trigger high rates of MSCs proliferation while preventing differentiation. While this could be useful in cell therapy manufacture demanding large numbers of unspecialized MSCs, it fully validates the hybrid platform as a convenient setup for the design of biologically active hybrid surfaces and in tissue engineering for the controlled manipulation of mammalian cell growth.

Improving the intestinal lipidome coverage in a gnotobiotic mouse model using UHPLC-MS-based approach through optimization of mobile phase modifiers and column selection

Lipidomics is focusing on the screening of lipid species in complex mixtures using mass spectrometry-based approaches. In this work, we aim to enhance the intestinal lipidome coverage within the Oligo-Mouse-Microbiota (OMM12) colonized mouse model by testing eight mobile phase conditions on five reversed-phase columns. Our selected mobile phase modifiers included two ammonium salts, two concentrations, and the addition of respective acids at 0.1 %. We compared two columns with hybrid surface technology, two with ethylene bridged hybrid technology and one with core–shell particles. Best performance was attained for standards and intestinal lipidome, using either ammonium formate or acetate in ESI(+) or ammonium acetate in ESI(−) for all column technologies. Notably, a concentration of 5 mM ammonium salt showed optimal results for both modes, while the addition of acids had a negligible effect on lipid ionization efficiency. The HST BEH C18 column improved peak width and tailing factor parameters compared to other technologies. We achieved the highest lipid count in colon and ileum content, including ceramides, phosphatidylethanolamines and phosphatidylcholines, when using 5 mM ammonium acetate in ESI(−). Conversely, in ESI(+) 5 mM ammonium formate demonstrated superior coverage for diacylglycerols and triacylglycerols.

Experimental study of pool boiling heat transfer on hybrid surface coupled micro-pin-finned

The performance of identical hydrophilic-hydrophobic coupled micro-pin-finned surfaces was evaluated using FC-72 as the working fluid in pool boiling experiments. Three hydrophilic and hydrophobic coupled rectangular copper column surfaces (HH4, HH9, and HH16) were constructed to analyze their boiling heat transfer properties. By integrating the micro-pin-finned surface (PF) and the smooth surface (SS), the impact of various subcoolings (0 K, 15 K, and 25 K) on the critical heat flux (CHF) was explored. Surface HH16 showed the greatest sensitivity to subcooling effects on CHF, followed by HH9 and HH4, respectively. For HH9, the CHF at ΔTsub = 0 K, 15 K, and 25 K, reached 69.6 W·cm−2, 84.2 W·cm−2, and 93.7 W·cm−2, respectively. In comparison to other surfaces (PF, HH4, HH16), the CHF of HH9 climbs by 19.32 %, 8.75 %, and 10.8 % at saturated boiling, respectively. A high-quality camera captured bubble dynamics during the experiments. The results reveal that the hydrophilic and hydrophobic coupled micro-pin-finned copper surface has a greater critical heat flux (CHF) than the standard rectangular micro-pin-finned surface, although heat transfer performance (HTC) drops marginally (both saturated and subcooled boiling). Visual monitoring demonstrates that these coupled surfaces effectively prevent bubble coalescence during subcooled boiling. Additionally, this novel surface design may serve as an effective strategy to reduce drying and delay the onset of boiling crises. The CHF improvement of the HH9 on SS surface was 313.06 %, significantly higher than the 246.17 % of PF on SS, marking a performance increase of 66.89 %. The influence mechanism of the Lattice width coefficient and the Vapor column spacing coefficient on CHF were analyzed. Fluid replenishment and bubble formation behavior were applied to clarify the strengthened heat transfer and CHF triggering mechanism on the surface of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic coupled rectangular micro-pin-finned copper column surface.

Hybrid seismic vulnerability models for regional structures considering bivariate intensity measures

The multiple-probability decision-making method for earthquake hazards considers multiple performance indicators and can be used to effectively estimate the seismic risk of structures. The seismic vulnerability model directly affects the development of the earthquake risk distribution in regional structures. This paper innovatively developed a bivariate intensity measurement method based on macroscopic and instrumental seismic intensities. An optimized instrument intensity calculation model was established considering the actual monitoring data of historical earthquakes in China. A hybrid seismic vulnerability quantification method based on empirical, expert judgement and analysis has been proposed and applied to evaluate the vulnerability levels of three types of building clusters in two typical earthquakes in Qinghai Province, China (the 2008 Dachaidan (DCD) earthquake and the 2009 Haixi (HX) earthquake). A structural hybrid vulnerability matrix and surface for nine zones based on bivariate intensity measures were developed. A synthetic vulnerability membership index considering fuzzy failure criteria and decision theory was proposed, and vulnerability membership curves for different vulnerability levels were established. An improved earthquake economic loss prediction function is proposed, and synthetic economic vulnerability index prediction models for three typical buildings in different regions are established. The estimated and calculated results of the developed multiscale variable parameter synthetic vulnerability model are highly consistent with the actual earthquake loss observations.

Enhancing the stability of Li2NiO2 cathode additive with polyborosiloxane coating for high-energy lithium-ion batteries

Li2NiO2 has garnered considerable interest as a Li-excess cathode additive for high-energy lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), attributed to its high irreversible capacity during the initial cycle and an operating voltage comparable with that of commercial cathode materials. However, its integration into practical applications is limited by its suboptimal cycling performance owing to moisture instability and gas evolution. To surmount these obstacles, we developed a hybrid surface coating strategy employing polyborosiloxane (PBS)—a structural derivative of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) synthesized with boric acid (H3BO3)—applied to a Li2NiO2 cathode additive. The bi-functional of the PBS layer enhances moisture resistance and ionic conductivity on the Li2NiO2 surface. A hydrophobic, elastic PDMS matrix offers conformal coverage, forestalling adverse moisture-induced side reactions. The introduction of H3BO3 into the PDMS matrix on the Li2NiO2 surface fosters the formation of Li–B–O bonds, thus augmenting the ionic conductivity of the coating. This innovative approach with the PBS layer significantly diminishes the interfacial resistance and improves the cycling performance of Li2NiO2 while preventing substantial structural degradation. In a full-cell configuration incorporating a PBS-coated Li2NiO2 cathode additive with a LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 cathode and a SiOx/Graphite anode, the enhanced energy density and sustained stable cycling performance exceed 300 cycles. This hybrid layer can aid in producing longer-lasting, more efficient LIBs that can fulfill the requirements for use in high-energy storage solutions.

Ammonium bicarbonate buffers combined with hybrid surface technology columns improve the peak shape of strongly tailing lipids

BackgroundLipids such as phosphatidic acids (PAs) and cardiolipins (CLs) present strongly tailing peaks in reversed phase liquid chromatography, which entails low detectability. They are usually analyzed by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC), which hampers high-throughput lipidomics. Thus, there is a great need for improved analytical methods in order to obtain a broader coverage of the lipidome in a single chromatographic method. We investigated the effect of ammonium bicarbonate (ABC) on peak asymmetry and detectability, in comparison with ammonium formate (AFO) on both a conventional BEH C18 column and an HST-CSH C18 column. ResultsThe combination of 2.5 mM ABC buffer pH 8 with an HST-CSH C18 column produced significantly improved results, reducing the asymmetry factor at 10 % peak height of PA 16:0/18:1 from 8.4 to 1.6. Furthermore, on average, there was up to a 54-fold enhancement in the peak height of its [M − H]- ion compared to AFO and the BEH C18 column. We confirmed this beneficial effect on other strongly tailing lipids, with accessible phosphate moieties e.g., cardiolipins, phosphatidylinositol phosphate, phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate, phosphorylated ceramide and phosphorylated sphingosine. Furthermore, we found an increased detectability of phospho- and sphingolipids up to 28 times in negative mode when using an HST-CSH C18 column. The method was successfully applied to mouse liver samples, where previously undetected endogenous phospholipids could be analyzed with improved chromatographic separation. SignificanceIn conclusion, the use of 2.5 mM ABC substantially improved the peak shape of PAs and enhanced the detectability of the lipidome in negative mode on an RPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS system on both BEH C18 and HST-CSH C18 columns. This method provides a wider coverage of the lipidome with one single injection for future lipidomic applications in negative mode.

Optimization of Dropwise Condensation of Steam over Hybrid Hydrophobic–Hydrophilic Surfaces via Enhanced Statistically Based Heat Transfer Modelization

Steam condensation over a hybrid hydrophobic–hydrophilic surface is modeled via simplified heat transfer modelization. Filmwise condensation is assumed over the hydrophilic region. The standard film model is improved, accounting for the liquid flow rate crossing the hydrophobic–hydrophilic boundaries. A threshold for flooding occurrence is also presented. Dropwise condensation is assumed over the hydrophobic region. Compared to the heat transfer models in the literature, based on the statistical drop size distribution, a novel correlation is used for the size distribution of small droplets. The correlations of both the liquid flow rate crossing the hydrophobic–hydrophilic boundary and the size distribution of small drops are derived via Lagrangian simulations, using an in-house code previously developed and validated by the authors. The heat transfer model is validated with experimental data in the literature involving a hybrid surface, composed by alternate vertical hydrophobic–hydrophilic stripes. Then, the optimization of the hybrid surface geometry is performed in terms of hydrophobic width and hydrophilic width, with the aim of enhancing the heat flux.

Hybrid Surface Modification and Bulk Doping Enable Spent LiCoO2 Cathodes for High-Voltage Operation.

The emerging market demand for high-energy-density of energy storage devices is pushing the disposal of end-of-life LiCoO2 (LCO) to shift toward sustainable upgrading into structurally stable high-voltage cathode materials. Herein, an integrated bulk and surface commodification strategy is proposed to render spent LCO (S-LCO) to operate at high voltages, involving bulk Mn doping, near surface P gradient doping, and Li3PO4/CoP (LPO/CP) coating on the LCO surface to yield upcycled LCO (defined as MP-LCO@LPO/CP). Benefiting from hybrid surface coating with Li+-conductive Li3PO4 (LPO) and electron conductive CoP (CP) coupled with Mn and P co-doping, the optimized MP-LCO@LPO/CP cathode exhibits enhanced high-voltage performance, delivering an initial discharge capacity of 218.8 mAh g-1 at 0.2 C with excellent capacity retention of 80.9% (0.5 C) after 200 cycles at a cut-off voltage of 4.6V, along with 96.3% of capacity retention over 100 cycles at 4.5V. These findings may afford meaningful construction for the upcycling of commercial S-LCO into next-generation upmarket cathode materials through the elaborate surface and bulk modification design.

Near‐Field Coupling of Janus Dipoles Beyond Polarization Locking

AbstractPolarization, as a fundamental property of light, plays a key role in many phenomena of near‐field coupling, namely the coupling of source's evanescent waves into some guided modes. As a typical example of the polarization‐locked phenomenon in the near‐field coupling, the Janus dipole has the orientation of its near‐field coupling face intrinsically determined by the polarization state of linearly‐polarized surface waves, specifically whether they are transverse‐magnetic (TM) or transverse‐electric (TE) surface waves. Here, a mechanism to achieve the directional near‐field coupling of Janus dipoles beyond polarization locking by leveraging hybrid TM‐TE surface waves is presented. These hybrid surface waves, as eigenmodes with both TM and TE wave components, can be supported by optical interfaces between different filling materials inside a parallel‐plate waveguide. Under the excitation of hybrid surface waves, it is found that the coupling and non‐coupling face of a Janus dipole may be switched, if the Janus dipole itself rotates in a plane parallel to the designed optical interface between different filling materials, without resorting to the change of surface‐wave polarization. The underlying mechanism is due to the capability of hybrid surface waves to extract both the source's TM and TE evanescent waves, which offers an alternative paradigm to regulate the interference in the near‐field coupling.

Improved Fog Collection on a Hybrid Surface with Acylated Cellulose Coating.

Fog collection serves as an efficient method to alleviate water scarcity in foggy, water-stressed regions. Recent research has focused on constructing a hybrid surface to enhance fog collection efficiency, with one approach being the prevention of liquid film formation at hydrophilic sites. Inspired by the desert beetle, a coating (10-MCC) made by partially acylating microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) exhibits hydrophilic sites alongside a hydrophobic skeleton enabling rapid droplet capture despite its overall hydrophobicity. The captured droplets quickly coalesce into a large droplet driven by the wetting gradient created by the hydrophobic backbone and hydrophilic sites. To achieve greater fog collection efficiency, a hydrophobic-superhydrophobic hybrid surface is formed by combining a coating of 10-MCC with a superhydrophobic surface. The construction of superhydrophobic surfaces typically involves creating a rough surface with a distinctive structure produced by the anodization technique and modifying it with stearic acid. The superhydrophobic surface exhibits excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical stability. Moreover, the hybrid surface shows high efficiency in fog collection, with a tested maximum efficiency of approximately 1.5092 g/cm2/h, 1.77 times that of the original Al sheets. The results demonstrate a remarkable enhancement in fog collection capacity. Furthermore, this work serves as an inspiration for the low-cost and innovative design of engineered surfaces for efficient fog collection.

Hybrid Surfaces with Capillary Wick and Minichannels for Enhancement of Phase-Change Immersion Cooling of Power Electronics

Hybrid Surfaces with Capillary Wick and Minichannels for Enhancement of Phase-Change Immersion Cooling of Power Electronics

Effect of hydrophobic coating on optimization of dropwise condensation of steam on hybrid surfaces

Dropwise condensation of pure vapor on hybrid surfaces, characterized by alternate hydrophobic-hydrophilic regions, is numerically investigated via phenomenological, Lagrangian modelization of dropwise condensation on hydrophobic regions. The drop size distribution over the hydrophobic domain, which knowledge is crucial for development of accurate simplified, statistically based models, is computed. Comparison with literature correlations shows that the theoretical correlation for size distribution of small droplets gives an inaccurate estimate, while the improved correlation, derived from the droplet population balance, better describes the numerical size distribution and, if incorporated in the statistically based model, allows to accurately predict the condensing flux.

Grooved hybrid copper surfaces for condensation heat transfer.

Condensation is commonly utilized in numerous thermal management applications and has two modes termed filmwise and dropwise, the latter providing superior heat transfer performance. However dropwise condensation is usually limited by its dependence on gravitational shedding of condensate. To combat this, hybrid surfaces consisting of regions of different wettability have emerged as a promising solution. Of such designs, hybrid grooved surfaces consisting of grooves with varying wettability in the groove valleys and ridge tops are of current interest. To date, most such surfaces have been silicon-based and over flat substrates. In this work, condensation experiments are performed on a copper tube with fabricated grooved hybrid surfaces. The aim is to take advantage of anisotropic wetting due to the presence of grooves and condensate drainage from higher wettability regions. The experimental results quantify the heat transfer with the degree of subcooling. At the same time, droplet dynamics were studied on the hydrophobic-hydrophilic surfaces, showing several droplet growth and departure mechanisms leading to effective heat transfer.

Surface nano crystallization and nitriding on microstructure and properties of 304J1 stainless steel

To improve the mechanical and antibacterial properties of 304J1 stainless steel, hybrid surface treatments, which include nitriding combined with shot peening operations, are used. Shot peening with different sizes of steel balls makes the material’s surface nanocrystalline, providing more diffusion channels for subsequent nitrogenating, and the nitriding efficiency is improved. Nitrogen cannot only improve the antibacterial property but also significantly enhance the strength of 304J1. The experimental results show that within a certain depth, the surface of 304J1 can be nanosized by shot peening for 20 min with a projectile diameter of 0.2 mm. The depth of the nitriding layer reaches 0.6 um, the surface hardness increases from 560 HV to 1100 HV, and the antibacterial property against Escherichia coli increases from 10% to 85%.

Efficient green light-emitting diodes based on alloy quantum dots with an organic/inorganic hybrid surface passivation

As we know, the ligands on the surface of core/shell structured quantum dots (QDs) play an important role. They not only bind with metal ions to passivate surface defects but also have a great influence on colloidal stability. All-organic or all-inorganic ligands afford QDs with some disadvantages such as low conductivity, poor dispersibility and undesirable stability. By combining with the advantages of organic and inorganic ligands, herein, we achieve an organic/inorganic hybrid surface passivation through exchanging partial oleic acid ligands with chlorine ions (Cl−), affording QD with a core/shell structure of CdZnSe/ZnSe/ZnS/OACl. It exhibits an excellent nanostructure with a mean size of around 11.6 nm. According to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectra, around 30% oleid acid ligands are removed by Cl−, resulting in the hybrid surface passivation. The CdZnSe/ZnSe/ZnS/OACl QD exhibit an efficient green emission at the wavelength of around 535 nm with a quantum yield of over 90%. The QD light-emitting diode (QLED) based on CdZnSe/ZnSe/ZnS/OACl exhibits a peak EQE of 15.6% and a brightness of over 1.1 × 105 cd m−2 at 6 V, corresponding to an efficient green emitting device. Therefore, we believe that the hybrid surface passivation could provid a reliable avenue to efficient QD materials.

Numerical study on the forced convective flow and heat transfer mechanism with macro-patterned hydrophilic-hydrophobic hybrid surfaces

Hydrophilic-hydrophobic hybrid surfaces can be used to harmonize the drag and heat transfer. However, the hybrid surfaces are almost microscopic scale and hardly used for forced convection at present. In this study, six macro-patterned hydrophilic-hydrophobic hybrid surfaces (square, diamond, circle, ellipse, triangle, and sector) and a no-slip surface are built. The performances are studied with the k-ε turbulent model by COMSOL, and the mechanism of performance change is analyzed with large eddy simulation (LES). The results show that macro-patterned hybrid surfaces can all reduce the flow drag but have different influences on heat transfer. With the increasing Reynolds number, the drag reduction rate (DR) declines. The largest DRs are 14.57% with the ellipse-patterned at lower Reynolds numbers, and 13.18% with the triangle-patterned at higher Reynolds numbers. For heat transfer capability, although adding hydrophobic parts, the square-patterned and diamond-patterned hybrid surfaces can raise Nusselt numbers. Combined above, the largest goodness factor (φ) enlarged rates are 16.43% (square-patterned) and 16.35% (diamond-patterned). Meanwhile, the influencing mechanism with the macro-patterned hybrid surface concludes four factors: the velocity slip, thermal resistance increases of air cavities, eddies of hydrophilic-hydrophobic interfaces, and the guiding effect of hydrophobic patterns' edges.

Different wettability surfaces composited by polydopamine-based SiO2/TiO2 coatings for efficient water collection and anti-corrosion application

Designing hybrid surfaces with superhydrophilic and superhydrophobic properties represents a promising approach for fog collection. Inspired by the adhesive properties of mussel proteins, a polydopamine (PDA) film was firmly attached to a brass surface through a combination of chemical etching and spontaneous dopamine polymerization. By harnessing the exceptional characteristics of PDA as a "double-sided adhesive," a hybrid surface with mixed wettability was created using a facile and cost-effective method involving SiO2 and TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs). The TiO2 NPs served as the hydrophilic sites for water capture, while the SiO2 NPs acted as the hydrophobic region to induce water droplet rolling. The resulting hybrid surface exhibited a significant improvement in water collection rate, measuring approximately 1.182 g/cm2/h, which was 1.84 times higher than that of the bare brass surface. This demonstrated a remarkable enhancement in fog collection capacity. Moreover, the hybrid surface demonstrated commendable corrosion resistance and remarkable durability, indicating its great potential for widespread application in practical scenarios.

Effect of Hybrid Surface Treatment Composed of Plasma Nitriding and DLC Coating on Friction-Wear Properties and Fatigue Strength of Alloy Tool Steel SKD11

Effect of Hybrid Surface Treatment Composed of Plasma Nitriding and DLC Coating on Friction-Wear Properties and Fatigue Strength of Alloy Tool Steel SKD11