BACKGROUND Determination of quartz by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) is not specific: the obtained results are influenced by matrix components, some of which cause spectral interference. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of dust components responsible for spectral interference with quartz on the results of its determinations, and to develop methods to minimize the ...

AIMS To reanalyse exposure-response data from a Scottish colliery to gain a more detailed knowledge of the relations between exposure to quartz and risks of silicosis in coal miners, and hence inform the debate on an appropriate occupational standard for respirable quartz. METHODS Detailed data on working times at different quartz concentrations were combined to produce exposure profiles for ...

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of singlewalled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) has been improved in growth controllability for the practical application in electronic and optical devices. Vertically aligned growth of nitrogen-doped and small-diameter SWNTs and horizontally aligned growth on crystal quartz are described. By developing the patterned growth technique, transparent and flexible field effe...

Absorbance modulation is an approach that enables the localization of light to deep sub-wavelength dimensions by the use of photochromic materials. In this article, we demonstrate the application of absorbance modulation on a transparent (quartz) substrate, which enables patterning of isolated lines of width 60 nm for an exposure wavelength of 325 nm. Furthermore, by moving the optical pattern ...

We demonstrate the use of copolymer micelle lithography using polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) reverse micelle thin films in their as-coated form to create nanopillars with tunable dimensions and spacing, on different substrates such as silicon, silicon oxide, silicon nitride and quartz. The promise of the approach as a versatile application oriented platform is highlighted by demonstrat...

The high surface to volume ratio which is a property of nanoscale devices means the interfacial effects from these devices on the mass transport of analyte can be significant. Quartz nanopipette effect on the mass transport behavior of inorganic monovalent salts such as potassium chloride is shown to differ from those of conical nanopore. Quartz nanopipettes demonstrate a more significant inter...

From the first applications of AT-cut quartz crystals as sensors in solutionsmore than 20 years ago, the so-called quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor isbecoming into a good alternative analytical method in a great deal of applications such asbiosensors, analysis of biomolecular interactions, study of bacterial adhesion at specificinterfaces, pathogen and microorganism detection, study of ...

Nanostructured bupivacaine-selective molecularly imprinted 3-aminophenylboronic acid-p-phenylenediamine co-polymer (MIP) films have been prepared on gold-coated quartz (Au/quartz) resonators by electrochemical synthesis under cyclic voltammetric conditions in a liquid crystalline (LC) medium (triton X-100/water). Films prepared in water and in the absence of template were used for control studi...

A further comparison of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) standard quartz, A9950 (Sikron F600), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Standard Reference Material (SRM) 1878, standard respirable alpha-quartz, has been carried out for the four principal diffraction peaks. In the earlier comparison by Jeyaratnam and Nagar (1993, Ann Occup Hyg; 37: 167-79), the standards...

We report on a new wafer transfer technique that can remove and transfer surface-micromachined layers to application-specific substrates. This process, however, is not limited to only MEMS devices and can be applicable to other semiconductor devices. Successful transfer of a 1 cm x 1 cm MEMS chip with electrostatically actuated curled cantilever switches to a transparent quartz substrate has be...