TiO2/graphene nano platelets (GNP) nanocomposite cathodes have been synthesized through a simple ball mill process. TiO2 anatase nanoparticles, around 16 nm in size, were encapsulated in the 2D graphene matrix. The synthesized samples are characterized using x-ray diffraction (XRD), DSC, impedance spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The graphene nano platelets act not only to ...

The elastic properties of dentin, a biological composite consisting of stiff hydroxyapatite (HAP) nano-platelets within a compliant collagen matrix, are determined by the volume fraction of these two phases and the load transfer between them. We have measured the elastic strains in situ within the HAP phase of bovine dentine by high energy X-ray diffraction for a series of static compressive st...

Platelet- and fibrillar-structured V2O5 films have been prepared by solution methods, and their electrochemical Li+ intercalation properties have been studied. Platelet film consists of 20-30 nm sized V2O5 particles with random orientation, whereas fibrillar film is comprised of randomly oriented fibers though most of them protrude from the substrate surface. These platelet- and fibrillar-struc...

Polymer-clay nanocomposites are more popular in many industries and applications due to improved mechanical gas barrier properties over pure polymers classical polymer-based composites. The mechanism by which clay platelets, with thicknesses the nanometer range, as opposed hundred-nanometer range other two dimensions, introduce improvement can be attributed their high efficiency creating discon...

We propose a novel template-assisted strategy to prepare nanometer-sized manganese oxide (nano-MnO2) by self-assembly of some MnO2 platelets and demonstrate its application as a new class of biosensing platform for probing DNA hybridization and aptamer-target interaction in a homogeneous solution.

In this thesis, we report on a process to obtain yttrium oxide nanosized particles doped with ytterbium and a sintering method that leads to transparent polycrystalline ceramics. First, nano-powder of yttria was fabricated from a precursor with transient morphology, i.d. yttrium hydroxynitrate platelets that decompose into spherical yttria nano-particles during calcination. The influence of dif...

Nacre, the crown jewel of natural materials, has been extensively studied owing to its remarkable physical properties for over 160 years. Yet, the precise structural features governing its extraordinary strength and its growth mechanism remain elusive. In this paper, we present a series of observations pertaining to the red abalone (Haliotis rufescens) shell's organic-inorganic interface, organ...

The crevice correction is a common type of localized corrosion which costs multibillion dollar losses in many different fields including aerospace, automobile, and building structures. The crevice geometry can easily catch moisture and impurity which accelerates the chemical corrosion. It is one of the dangerous corrosions that can cause sudden failure of the products and involve the human inju...