A concept of patternable top-coats dedicated to directed self-assembly high-? block copolymers is detailed, where the design enables a crosslinking reaction triggered by thermal or photo-activation. Nanostructured BCP areas with controlled domains orientation are selected through straightforward top-coat lithography step unique integration pathways. Additionally, crosslinked nature material sup...

INTRODUCTION Recently, we introduced a new deposition method, based on Ion Plating Plasma Assisted technology, to coat titanium implants with a thin but hard nanostructured layer composed of titanium carbide and titanium oxides, clustered around graphitic carbon. The nanostructured layer has a double effect: protects the bulk titanium against the harsh conditions of biological tissues and in th...

The directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymers (BCPs) is a powerful method for the manufacture high-resolution features. Critical issues remain to be addressed successful implementation DSA, such as dewetting and controlled orientation BCP domains through physicochemical manipulations at interfaces, spatial positioning registration Here, we introduce novel top-coat (TC) materials designed...

In this work, the effects of strontium addition on the structure and optical properties of nanostructured bismuth silicate (Bi4Si3O12) thin films prepared via sol-gel were studied. At first, different sols containing the optimum ratio of precursors were synthesized, and then, the prepared sols were coated on the substrate via dip coating. The dip coated samples were dried at 100oC and, in order...

One of the main problems with current vascular stents is a lack of endothelial cell interactions, which if sufficient, would create a uniform healthy endothelium masking the underlying foreign metal from inflammatory cell interference. Moreover, if endothelial cells from the arterial wall do not adhere to the stent, the stent can become loose and dislodge. Therefore, the objective of this in vi...

Phase change cooling schemes involving passive heat spreading devices, such as heat pipes and vapor chambers, are widely adopted for thermal management of high heat-flux technologies. In this study, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are fabricated on a 200 lm thick sintered copper powder wick layer using microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique. A physical vapor deposition process is...

The use of biomolecules to direct nanomaterial synthesis has been an area of growing interest due to the complexity of structures that can be achieved in naturally occurring systems. We previously reported the functionalization of self-assembled clathrin protein cages to enable synthesis of nanoparticles from a range of inorganic materials. Here, we investigate the ability of this engineered bi...

This paper reviews the development of coronary stents from a polymer scientist's view point, and presents the first results of an interdisciplinary team assembled for the development of new stent systems. Poly(styrene-b-isobutylene-b-styrene) block copolymer (SIBS), a nanostructured thermoplastic elastomer, is used in clinical practice as the drug-eluting polymeric coating on the Taxus coronary...

Development of materials that deliver more energy at high rates is important for high-power applications, including portable electronic devices and hybrid electric vehicles. For lithium-ion (Li+) batteries, reducing material dimensions can boost Li+ ion and electron transfer in nanostructured electrodes. By manipulating two genes, we equipped viruses with peptide groups having affinity for sing...