We demonstrate a mechanism of solid-phase crystallization (SPC) enabled by nanoscale cavities formed at the interface between an hydrogenated amorphous silicon film and embedded 30 to 40 nm Si nanocrystals. The nanocavities, 10 to 25 nm across, have the unique property of an internal surface that is part amorphous and part crystalline, enabling capillarity-driven diffusion from the amorphous to...

We investigate color superconducting phases of cold quark matter at densities relevant for the interiors of compact stars. At these densities, electrically neutral and weak-equilibrated quark matter can have unequal numbers of up, down, and strange quarks. The QCD interaction favors Cooper pairs that are antisymmetric in color and in flavor, and a crystalline color superconducting phase can occ...

Lipids that are found in cell membranes form a variety of self-assembled phases in the presence of water. Many of these structures are liquid-crystalline with structural motifs mirrored in cells and organelles and can be exploited in the delivery of drugs and genes. We report the discovery of a lyotropic liquid crystalline phase based on a 3-D hexagonal close-packed arrangement of inverse micel...

Host molecules with U-shaped receptor cavities have been derivatized at their convex side with two n-hydrocarbon tails (1), two first-generation (2), and two second-generation (3) monodendritic hydrocarbon tails. Although hosts 1 and 2 display plastic-crystalline behavior, evidence suggests that host 3 forms a cubic liquid-crystalline phase. In this phase, molecules of 3 are arranged in spheric...

Monolithic bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) exhibit a unique combination of mechanical properties, such as high strength and large elasticity limits, but the lack of ductility is considered the main Achilles’ heel of BMG systems. To increase the competitiveness of BMGs vis-à-vis conventional structural materials, the problem of catastrophic failure via intense plastic strain localization (‘shear ba...

Recent simulations predict that aggregating nanospheres functionalized with polymer "tethers" can self-assemble to form a cylinder, perforated lamellae, lamellae, and even the double gyroid phase, which are phases also seen in block copolymer and surfactant systems. Nanoparticle size polydispersity is likely to be a characteristic of these systems. If too high, polydispersity may destabilize a ...

The microstructure and magnetic properties, I,e. the initial susceptibility, coercivity and saturation magnetic polarization of nanocrystalline Fe73.5-~CoxCuiNb3Sii3.5Bi (x = 0 or 7) alloys with different volume fractions of crystalline and amorphous phases, are investigated. The crystalline phase in both conventionally annealed alloys (823 K for 1 h) has D03 ordered structure. However, after t...

The structural and mechanical properties of 2D crystalline surface phases that form at the surface of liquid eutectic Au82Si18 are studied using synchrotron x-ray scattering over a large temperature range. In the vicinity of the eutectic temperature the surface consists of a 2D atomic bilayer crystalline phase that transforms into a 2D monolayer crystalline phase during heating. The latter phas...

The electron beam welding technique was used to join Zr41Ti14Cu12Ni10Be23 bulk metallic glass (BMG) to crystalline pure Zr. Compositional, microstructural, and mechanical property variations across the welded interface were evaluated. It is shown that a crystalline layer develops close to the welding interface. Transmission electron microscopy of this layer indicates the crystalline phase to be...

in this study, a feasible green method for the synthesis of copper oxide nanocrystalline is described by using sour cherry juice which has a significant effect on crystalline size, and morphology. the benefits of the green method, not only nanometer scale are formed but also low-cost method are obtained in a normal atmosphere which it has been used (ch3coo)2cu.h2o individually as cu sources. al...