ChemInform Abstract: Zinc Oxide: An Outstanding Example of a Binary Compound Semiconductor

As the size of material decreases to nanoscale, fundamental material properties such as Young’s modulus are different from bulk values. In this paper, we propose a new mechanism to explain the difference in experimentally observed Young’s modulus values between zinc oxide nanowires and bulk zinc oxide. As a binary compound material (such as zinc oxide) is strained, the effective charge on the ionic constituents of the material changes (in this case zinc and oxygen). The strain induced charge redistribution effect is more significant in nanostructures (such as nanowires) because of their higher fracture strains compared to their bulk counterparts. Since the Young’s modulus of a material is related to the effective charge, we observe differences in modulus values between nanowires and their bulk equivalent. The strain induced charge redistribution phenomenon can also be used to explain variation in modulus values between bulk and nanoscale for other single crystal piezoelectric materials such as silicon carbide.

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Friedel'S law breakdown and interpretation of stacking fault images in tetrahedral semiconductors

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100126408 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 45 ◽

pp. 318-319

Author(s):

Rob. W. Glaisher ◽

A.E.C. Spargo

Keyword(s):

Relative Phase ◽

Point Group ◽

Binary Compound ◽

Stacking Fault ◽

Fold Axis ◽

Atom Pair ◽

Tetrahedral Semiconductors ◽

Group Symmetries ◽

Thin Crystal ◽

Phase Differences

Images of <11> oriented crystals with diamond structure (i.e. C,Si,Ge) are dominated by white spot contrast which, depending on thickness and defocus, can correspond to either atom-pair columns or tunnel sites. Olsen and Spence have demonstrated a method for identifying the correspondence which involves the assumed structure of a stacking fault and the preservation of point-group symmetries by correctly aligned and stigmated images. For an intrinsic stacking fault, a two-fold axis lies on a row of atoms (not tunnels) and the contrast (black/white) of the atoms is that of the {111} fringe containing the two-fold axis. The breakdown of Friedel's law renders this technique unsuitable for the related, but non-centrosymmetric binary compound sphalerite materials (e.g. GaAs, InP, CdTe). Under dynamical scattering conditions, Bijvoet related reflections (e.g. (111)/(111)) rapidly acquire relative phase differences deviating markedly from thin-crystal (kinematic) values, which alter the apparent location of the symmetry elements needed to identify the defect.

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Extraction and identification of fillers and pigments from pyrolyzed rubber and tire samples

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100163332 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 54 ◽

pp. 174-175

Author(s):

P. Sadhukhan ◽

J. B. Zimmerman

Keyword(s):

Zinc Oxide ◽

Electron Microscope ◽

Carbon Black ◽

Natural Rubber ◽

Transmission Electron Microscope ◽

Rolling Resistance ◽

Synthetic Polymers ◽

Nitrogen Atmosphere ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Curing Agents

Rubber stocks, specially tires, are composed of natural rubber and synthetic polymers and also of several compounding ingredients, such as carbon black, silica, zinc oxide etc. These are generally mixed and vulcanized with additional curing agents, mainly organic in nature, to achieve certain “designing properties” including wear, traction, rolling resistance and handling of tires. Considerable importance is, therefore, attached both by the manufacturers and their competitors to be able to extract, identify and characterize various types of fillers and pigments. Several analytical procedures have been in use to extract, preferentially, these fillers and pigments and subsequently identify and characterize them under a transmission electron microscope.Rubber stocks and tire sections are subjected to heat under nitrogen atmosphere to 550°C for one hour and then cooled under nitrogen to remove polymers, leaving behind carbon black, silica and zinc oxide and 650°C to eliminate carbon blacks, leaving only silica and zinc oxide.

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Microstructural characterization of a cast RENi5-based alloy

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100151714 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 51 ◽

pp. 1176-1177

Author(s):

G. M. Micha ◽

L. Zhang

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Rare Earth ◽

Microstructural Characterization ◽

Binary Compound ◽

Nickel Metal ◽

Cast Material ◽

Nickel Metal Hydride ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Cast Condition

RENi5 (RE: rare earth) based alloys have been extensively evaluated for use as an electrode material for nickel-metal hydride batteries. A variety of alloys have been developed from the prototype intermetallic compound LaNi5. The use of mischmetal as a source of rare earth combined with transition metal and Al substitutions for Ni has caused the evolution of the alloy from a binary compound to one containing eight or more elements. This study evaluated the microstructural features of a complex commercial RENi5 based alloy using scanning and transmission electron microscopy.The alloy was evaluated in the as-cast condition. Its chemistry in at. pct. determined by bulk techniques was 12.1 La, 3.2 Ce, 1.5 Pr, 4.9 Nd, 50.2 Ni, 10.4 Co, 5.3 Mn and 2.0 Al. The as-cast material was of low strength, very brittle and contained a multitude of internal cracks. TEM foils could only be prepared by first embedding pieces of the alloy in epoxy.

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Analysis of Sputtered Zinc Oxide Films

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s1431927600001781 ◽

1980 ◽

Vol 38 ◽

pp. 416-417

Author(s):

T. A. Emma ◽

M. P. Singh

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Zinc Oxide ◽

Piezoelectric Materials ◽

Oxide Films ◽

Optical Quality ◽

Zno Films ◽

Rf Power ◽

X Ray Diffraction ◽

Sputtered Films ◽

Zinc Oxide Films

Optical quality zinc oxide films have been characterized using reflection electron diffraction (RED), replication electron microscopy (REM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Significant microstructural differences were observed between rf sputtered films and planar magnetron rf sputtered films. Piezoelectric materials have been attractive for applications to integrated optics since they provide an active medium for signal processing. Among the desirable physical characteristics of sputtered ZnO films used for this and related applications are a highly preferred crystallographic texture and relatively smooth surfaces. It has been found that these characteristics are very sensitive to the type and condition of the substrate and to the several sputtering parameters: target, rf power, gas composition and substrate temperature.

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