Using molecular dynamics simulations, we investigated an integrated bio-nano interface consisting of a β-sheet protein stacked onto graphene. We found that the stacking assembly of the model protein on graphene could be controlled by water molecules. The interlayer water filled within interstices of the bio-nano interface could suppress the molecular vibration of surface groups on protein, and ...

Various micromachining techniques exist to realize integrated microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), which include sensors, signal processing and/or driving circuits, and/or actuators in one small die. Post-processing techniques performed on foundry-fabricated circuits (e.g., MOSIS) are attractive since such an approach eliminates the need for an in-house integrated circuit fabrication line to ...

We present results on the rates of interlayer energy transfer between excitons in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). We consider both radiative (mediated by real photons) and non-radiative (mediated by virtual photons) mechanisms of energy transfer using a unified Green’s function approach that takes into account modification of the exciton energy dispersions as a result o...

Functional organic thin films often demand precise control over the nanometer-level structure. Interlayer diffusion of materials may destroy this precise structure; therefore, a better understanding of when interlayer diffusion occurs and how to control it is needed. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy paired with C60(+) cluster ion sputtering enables high-resolution analysis of the atomic composi...

The complex modulation characteristics of a light field through an amplitude-phase double-layer spatial light modulator are analyzed based on the wave-optic numerical model, and the structural conditions for the optimal double-layer complex modulation structure are investigated. The relationships of interlayer distance, pixel size, and complex light modulation performance are analyzed. The main...

Graphene nanoribbons (GNR) were generated in ethanol solution by unzipping pyrrolidine-functionalized carbon nanotubes under mild conditions. Evaporation of the solvent resulted in regular few-layer stacks of graphene nanoribbons observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction. The experimental interlayer distance (0.49-0.56 nm) was confirmed by computer modelling (0.51...

Layered molybdenum disulfide has demonstrated great promise as a low-cost alternative to platinum-based catalysts for electrochemical hydrogen production from water. Research effort on this material has focused mainly on synthesizing highly nanostructured molybdenum disulfide that allows the exposure of a large fraction of active edge sites. Here we report a promising microwave-assisted strateg...

Transmission and analytical electron microscopy have been used to characterize the numerous lenticular fissures which were observed in electron micrographs of paragonite. Observations with a very weak electron beam revealed that there were no fissures in the original paragonite and that the degree of damage is a function of exposure to the beam. AEM analysis revealed that there is significant l...

Water diffusion within smectite clay interlayers is reduced by confinement and hence is highly determined by the interlayer spacings that are adopted during swelling. However, a molecular understanding of the short- and long-range forces governing interlayer water structure and dynamics is lacking. Using molecular dynamics simulations of water intercalated between pyrophyllite (smectite prototy...

Manipulation of lattice strain is emerging as a powerful means to modify the properties of low-dimensional materials. Most approaches rely on external forces to induce strain, and the role of interlayer van der Waals (vdW) coupling in generating strain profiles in homobilayer transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) films is rarely considered. Here, by applying atomic-resolution electron microsco...