Sharif Digital Repository

Core/shell structure of ZnO nanowires coated with a monolayer of TiO 2 is investigated using Density Functional Theory (DFT). The electronic states of the semiconductor is calculated and compared before and after coating of the TiO2 monolayer on a ZnO [101 0] surface. The effect of TiO2 coating induce surface states changes and shifts the conduction and valence band edges to higher energies. Our results, in qualitative agreement with the experimental work of Matt Law et al. (J. Phys. Chem. B, 110, 22652), show an increase in open circuit voltage and a decrease in short circuit current in ZnO/TiO2 core shell dye sensitized solar cells. Regarding the semiconductor density of states (DOS), TiO2... 

In this paper, we report on a periodic metallo-dielectric structure that supports geometry-induced surface plasmons in the sub-terahertz regime. The proposed structure is made up of a dielectric-coated metallic grating sandwiched by parallel metal plates. Based on the modal analysis of 2D and 3D structures, the impact of a metal cladding and a customized dielectric coating on the dispersion relation and field distribution of the guided surface wave is investigated. It is found that modal field confinement is improved in the presence of a metal cladding without narrowing the operational bandwidth of the waveguide. Moreover, a customized subwavelength-sized dielectric coating based on... 

In this paper, we report on a periodic metallo-dielectric structure that supports geometry-induced surface plasmons in the sub-terahertz regime. The proposed structure is made up of a dielectric-coated metallic grating sandwiched by parallel metal plates. Based on the modal analysis of 2D and 3D structures, the impact of a metal cladding and a customized dielectric coating on the dispersion relation and field distribution of the guided surface wave is investigated. It is found that modal field confinement is improved in the presence of a metal cladding without narrowing the operational bandwidth of the waveguide. Moreover, a customized subwavelength-sized dielectric coating based on... 

Developments of sensitive, rapid, and cheap systems for identification of a wide range of biomolecules have been recognized as a critical need in the biology field. Here, we introduce a simple colorimetric sensor array for detection of biological thiols, based on aggregation of three types of surface engineered gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The low-molecular-weight biological thiols show high affinity to the surface of AuNPs; this causes replacement of AuNPs' shells with thiol containing target molecules leading to the aggregation of the AuNPs through intermolecular electrostatic interaction or hydrogen-bonding. As a result of the predetermined aggregation, color and UV-vis spectra of AuNPs... 

HVOF-sprayed coatings (WC-17%Co) and hard chromium coatings corrosion resistances have been compared through electrochemical polarization test in 3.5% NaCl solution. WC-17%Co alloy coatings were deposited on mild steel substrates by High Velocity Oxy-Fuel (HVOF) spray process. The layers of standard and crack free hard chromium coatings were prepared by using Direct Current (DC) and Pulse Current (PC) electroplating process on the mild steel substrates. Hard chromium coatings was characterized as a reference material, to verify whether HVOF-sprayed coatings are suitable as a hard chromium coatings replacement. The microstructure of the coatings was examined by OM, SEM and XRD. Standard hard... 

Nowadays, superhydrophobic surfaces have attracted a lot of interest because of the wide range of applications in industries. These surfaces can significantly reduce the drag force due to the formation of air gaps between the substrate and liquid interface. The present review mainly focuses on the very recent progresses in the drag reduction studies using superhydrophobic surfaces. Also, a brief discussion about the mathematical modeling and the theories of superhydrophobic surfaces, natural water repellent surfaces, various fabrication techniques with advantages and disadvantages of each method and different properties of the fabricated surfaces in industrial applications is presented.... 

Laser Powder Deposition technique is an advanced production method with many applications. Despite this fact, reliable and accurate control schemes have not yet fully developed for this method. This article presents method for in time identification of the process for modeling and adaptation of proper control strategy. ARMAX structure is chosen for system model. Recursive least square method and Kalman Filter methods are adopted for system identification, and their performance are compared. Experimental data was used for system identification, and proper filtering schemes are devised here for noise elimination and increased estimation results. It was concluded that although both methods... 

Adhesive and cohesive properties of the plasma-sprayed hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings, deposited on Ti-6Al-4V substrates by varying the plasma power level and spray distance (SD), were evaluated by an indentation method. The crystallinity and the porosity decreased with increasing both of these two parameters. The microhardness value, Young's modulus (E) and coating fracture toughness (K C ) were found to increase with a combinational increase in spray power and SD. The Knoop and Vickers indentation methods were used to estimate E and K C , respectively. The critical point at which no crack appears at the interface was determined by the interface indentation test. This was used to define the... 

Titania was deposited on glass fibers with a partial epoxy layer coating from a solution containing TiO2 nanoparticles at T = 90°C, and the adsorption process was examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and photocatalytic activity measurements. XPS data demonstrated that about 25% of the surface was covered with TiO2 nanoparticles, with 10% on the epoxy layer and 15% on the glass body. It was found that TiO2 nanoparticles can be readily adsorbed on epoxy groups, whereas they have a low tendency to adsorb on carbon polymer chains. This difference can be... 

The present paper addresses an analytical method to determine the electroelastic fields over a double-phase piezoelectric reinforcement interacting with an ellipsoidal single-inhomogeneity. The approach is based on the extension of the electro-mechanical equivalent inclusion method (EMEIM) to the piezoelectric double-inhomogeneity system. Accordingly, the double-inhomogeneity is replaced by an electroelastic double-inclusion problem with proper polynomial eigenstrains-electric fields. The long- and short-range interaction effects are intrinsically incorporated by the homogenizing eigenfields. The equivalent double-inclusion is subsequently decomposed to the single-inclusion problems by means... 

Biodegradable magnesium implants possess excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility, which make them suitable candidates to be employed as temporary structures for the bone regeneration purposes. However, there are still important challenges which limit their extensive use in biomedical applications, where the most important ones include implant-associated infection, rapid degradation rate and the need for improved mechanical properties. Silver, which is a strong antimicrobial agent, has been extensively used for improving the mentioned challenges in biodegradable Mg alloys either as alloying element or incorporation in the protective coating. Ag addition has been reported to have... 

A high-temperature-resisant solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fiber was prepared based on polyetherimide (PEI) by the electrospinning method. The PEI polymeric solution was converted to nanofibers using high voltages and directly coated on a stainless steel SPME needle. The scanning electron microscopy images of PEI coating showed fibers with diameter range of 500-650 nm with a homogeneous and smooth surface morphology. The SPME nanofibers coating was optimized for PEI percentage, electrospinning voltage, and time. The extraction efficiency of the coating was investigated for headspace SPME of some environmentally important polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from aqueous samples followed by... 

An Al2O3/Si3N4 nanocomposite coating was successfully fabricated on commercial aluminum alloy. Hardness measurements, polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were employed to study the mechanical and corrosion behaviors of the coatings. Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) equipped with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were utilized to characterize the surface morphology and phase composition of the coatings. Also, coatings abrasive wear properties were evaluated with a modified ASTM G105 standard. FE-SEM image, EDS and XRD analysis revealed the presence of Si3N4 in the coating. Furthermore, the results showed hardness of... 

Alumina-zirconia nanostructured coatings were formed on 7075 Al alloy through Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO) operated in aDC potentiostatic mode. The composite coatings were produced in the range of 425-500 V in an alkaline electrolyte containing 4 g/LK2ZrF6. Tribological properties of coatings were investigated using dry sliding wear test against WC balls with a pin-on-disc tribometer. Wear rates were evaluated using optical profilometer. It was shown that the nanostructured alumina-zirconia composite coatings can be formed at voltages 450 V. The coating thickness and roughness were in the range of 15.2-24.2 μm and 0.68-2.35 μm, respectively. The distribution of Al, Zr and O in the... 

In composites, the stress intensity factors (SIFs) of a lamellar inhomogeneity near a multiphase reinforcement are of interest. Based on extension of Eshelby's equivalent inclusion method, a unified approach is presented to study the effect of a multiphase inhomogeneity on the SIF at the tip points of two- and threedimensional lamellar inhomogeneities under nonuniform far-field loadings. Alteration of the SIF due to the presence of a coating layer around the inhomogeneity is addressed. Furthermore, the effect of geometry and stiffness of each phase of a multiphase reinforcement on the mixed mode SIFs of a lamellar inhomogeneity is investigated. In contrast to cracks whose SIFs are the same... 

Nickel/silicon carbide composite electrodeposits were prepared on a rotating disk electrode (RDE), under pulse current condition. The effect of pulse parameters, current density, SiC content in the electrolyte on the codeposition of SiC were studied. Afterwards, the effect of codeposited SiC amount was investigated on electrochemical behavior and nanomechanical properties of coatings. The coatings were analyzed with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), linear polarization, nanoindentation and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The Ni-SiC electrocomposites, prepared at optimum conditions, exhibited improved nanomechanical properties in comparison to pure nickel electrodeposits. With increasing... 

A metal organic framework-polyaniline (MOF/PANI) nanocomposite was electrodeposited on a stainless steel wire and used as a solid phase microextraction (SPME) fiber coating. The electropolymerization process was carried out under a constant deposition potential and applied to the corresponding aqueous electrolyte containing aniline and MOF particles. The employment of MOFs with their large and small cages and 3-D structures in synthesizing a nanocomposite was assumed to be efficient constitutes to induce more non-smooth and porous structures, approved by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. Three different MOFs were incorporated to synthesize the desired nanocomposites and the... 

Finite element analysis is an effective tool to evaluate the material properties of living tissue. For an interactive optimization procedure, the finite element analysis usually needs many simulations to reach a reasonable solution. The metamodel analysis of finite element simulation can be used to reduce the computation of a structure with complex geometry or a material with composite constitutive equations. The intervertebral disc is a complex, heterogeneous, and hydrated porous structure. A poroelastic finite element model can be used to observe the fluid transferring, pressure deviation, and other properties within the disc. Defining reasonable poroelastic material properties of the... 

In this research, we investigate the effects of various microstructural features on the behavior of spherical steel sheets, using the crystal plasticity finite element method. The cementite phase ratio, the grain sizes of ferrite and cementite, and the percentage of residual pearlite in the steel structure due to incomplete annealing are the major microstructural parameters studied in this work. A grain generator software has been developed to generate hexagonal ferrite grains as well as circular cementite particles distributed in the ferrite matrix. We use a hard coating with special properties as an intermediate layer around the cementite grains to simulate the contact between ferrite... 

A gradient derived base layer extractive phase was synthesized and applied for the determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in saliva samples using the headspace cooled in–tube microextraction (HS–CITME) method. The base layers from three different sols of phenyltriethoxysilane (PTES), octyltrimethoxysilane (OTMS) and methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) as nonpolar precursors were individually dip coated on the stainless steel wires (SSW). Then, the hydrolyzed polar precursor aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) reacted with the silanol groups already formed on the surface of SSWs via controlled rate infusion (CRI) method. The presence of polar and non–polar functional groups on the...