We fabricate nanosized superconducting YBa(2)Cu(3)O(7-δ) (Y-123) and nonsuperconducting Y(2)BaCuO(5) (Y-211) powders using carbon nanotubes as template. The mean particle size of Y-123 and Y-211 is 12 and 30 nm, respectively. The superconducting transition temperature of the Y-123 nanopowder is 90.9 K, similar to that of commercial, micrometer-scale powders fabricated by conventional processing...

Nanosized amorphous alloy powders of Fe20Ni80 , Fe40Ni60 , and Fe60Ni40 were prepared by sonochemical decomposition of solutions of volatile organic precursors, Fe~CO!5 and Ni~CO!4 in decalin, under an argon pressure of 100 to 150 kPa at 273 K. Magnetic susceptibility of Fe40Ni60 and Fe60Ni40 indicates blocking temperatures of 35 K and a magnetic particle size of about 6 nm. Thermogravimetric m...

The triblock 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid-poly(ethylene glycol)18β-glycyrrhetinic acid conjugates (GA-PEG-GA) based self-assembled micelles were synthesized and characterized by FTIR, NMR, transmission electron microscopy, and particle size analysis. The GA-PEG-GA conjugates having the critical micelle concentration of 6 × 10(-5) M were used to form nanosized micelles, with mean diameters of 159.21 ...

Manipulating particle size is a powerful means of creating unprecedented optical properties in metals and semiconductors. Here we report an insulator system composed of NaYbF4:Tm in which size effect can be harnessed to enhance multiphoton upconversion. Our mechanistic investigations suggest that the phenomenon stems from spatial confinement of energy migration in nanosized structures. We show ...

Since its original conception in 1959, by Nobel physicist Richard P Feynman, the notion of nanotechnology and its potential ramifications have not only created fascination,but also intense scientific efforts and scrutiny. One of the most promising applications of nanotechnology is in the context of medicine. Due to their unique size-dependent properties nanomaterials such as nanoparticles offer...

Laser damage phenomena in fused silica are currently under study because of numerous related high power laser applications. Nanosized defects are believed to be responsible for some laser damage initiation. In order to predict and to quantify this initiation process, engineered submicronic gold defects were embedded in silica. The study of these samples by localized pulsed irradiation of isolat...

Metal oxide sensors were created using nanosized tin dioxide obtained by a sol-gel method. Gas-sensitive layers of the sensors were impregnated with PdCl2 solutions of different concentrations to increase sensitivities of the proposed sensors. Influence of different temperature conditions of the sensor formation on the sensor properties was studied. It was found that decreasing duration of high...

During the last decades it has become evident that novel lithographic techniques are required in order to fabricate nanosized devices. It has been shown that non-contact AFM is an efficient technique, capable of manufacturing nanometer sized devices on the surface of a silicon wafer. The AFM nanooxidation approach is based on generating a potential difference between a cantilever needle tip and...

Semiconductor sensors based on nanosized Pd-containing tin dioxide have been obtained by a sol-gel technique. Semiconductor gas-sensitive materials were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. Influence of Pd additives on sensitivity of the sensors to methane has been studied. Temperature dependences of electrical resistance in air and sensor...

We study theoretically and by means of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations the generation of mechanical force by grafted polyelectrolytes in an external electric field, which favors its adsorption on the grafting plane. The force arises in deformable bodies linked to the free end of the chain. Varying the field, one controls the length of the nonadsorbed part of the chain and hence the deformat...