Markku Heino

Significance of Nanotechnology for Future Wireless Devices and Communications

This paper reviews the expected wide and profound impact of nanotechnology for future wireless devices and communication technologies.

Cobalt Nanoparticle Langmuir−Schaefer Films on Ethylene Glycol Subphase

The Langmuir-Schaefer (LS) technique was applied to prepare two-dimensional films of tridodecylamine (TDA)-stabilized Co nanoparticles. Ethylene glycol was used as the subphase because the Co nanoparticles spread better on it than on water. Surface pressure-area isotherms provided very little information on the floating films, and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) was needed to characterize the film formation in situ. In addition to the subphase, various other experimental factors were tested in the LS film preparation, including solvent and presence of free TDA ligands and poly(styrene-b-ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO) in the nanoparticle dispersion. LS films deposited from dispersions from which the excess TDA ligands had been removed by washing the Co nanoparticles with 2-propanol consisted of hexagonally organized particles in rafts that were organized in necklace structures. The addition of PS-b-PEO to the deposition dispersion resulted in small nanoparticle rafts evenly distributed over the substrate surface. The best Co-nanoparticle-PS-b-PEO films were obtained with a mass ratio of 20:1 between Co (9 nm) and block copolymer (38 200 g/mol, PEO content 22 mass %). These films were successfully transferred onto Formvar-coated TEM grids and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. At room temperature the films showed superparamagnetic behavior with a saturation magnetization M(s) of 100 emu/g (Co). Our work indicates that it is possible to obtain thin superparamagnetic LS films of TDA-stabilized Co nanoparticles. This is an important result as the TDA-stabilized Co nanoparticles show a very good resistance to corrosion.

Bulk metallic glass coating of polymer substrates

Bulk Metallic Glass (BMG) alloy with the composition of Zr55Cu30Al10Ni5 was deposited by sputtering as thin films on several different engineering polymers and polymer composites. Polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, polyamide 12, polyarylamide (50GF=50 % glass fibers), polyphenylene sulfide (30GF) and polybutylene terephthalate (30GF) were used as substrates. The microstructure of the deposited BMG coatings was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results of XRD and SEM studies were consistent with amorphous microstructure. Elemental compositions of the coatings were verified by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Mechanical properties of the coatings were compared to copper mould cast BMG using nano- indentation tests with similar results. According to the cross-cut tape tests good adhesion was achieved between the studied BMG alloy and all other polymer substrates except polycarbonate. Nano-indentation results showed similar mechanical properties for coating and cast BMG. The results of this study look promising as they open new opportunities for BMG- polymer composite applications.