Systems and methods are described for using microplasmas in 3D printing to deposit materials, remove materials, or modify the properties of materials deposited on a given substrate surface. The resulting microplasma-based 3D printing enables the integration of different types of materials into the same 3D printed structure that is not possible with current technology.

A method of producing a 3-dimensional (3-D) product from metals in the gaseous state includes the steps of providing a substrate of 3-D shape; providing a flow of a gaseous chemical compound(s) around the 3-D substrate, wherein the gaseous chemical compound(s) comprises a metal carbonyl gas; selectively heating the 3-D substrate to decompose the metal carbonyl gasses, wherein metal separated as a result of the decomposition is deposited on the 3-D substrate; selectively controlling the flow rate of one or more metal carbonyl gasses and the temporal and spatial temperature distribution throughout the 3-D substrate to achieve a desired thickness distribution of the metal or metals on the 3-D substrate; and removing the 3-D substrate to produce a resulting 3-D metal product with an complex geometry.

A method includes placing a first charged metal dot on a first position of a surface of a semiconductor substrate. A first charged region is formed on a second position of the surface of the semiconductor substrate. A precursor gas is flowed along a first direction from the first position toward the second position on the semiconductor substrate, thereby forming a first carbon nanotube (CNT) on the semiconductor substrate. A dielectric layer is deposited to cover the first CNT and the semiconductor substrate. A second charged metal dot is placed on a third position of a surface of the dielectric layer. A second charged region is formed on a fourth position of the surface of the dielectric layer. The precursor gas is flowed along a second direction from the third position toward the fourth position on the semiconductor substrate, thereby forming a second CNT on the first CNT.

An improved process control for a charged beam system is provided that allows the capability of accurately producing complex two and three dimensional structures from a computer generated model in a material deposition process. The process control actively monitors the material deposition process and makes corrective adjustments as necessary to produce a pattern or structure that is within an acceptable tolerance range with little or no user intervention. The process control includes a data base containing information directed to properties of a specific pattern or structure and uses an algorithm to instruct the beam system during the material deposition process. Feedback through various means such as image recognition, chamber pressure readings, and EDS signal can be used to instruct the system to make automatic system modifications, such as, beam and gas parameters, or other modifications to the pattern during a material deposition run.

A method of manufacturing a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell includes preparing an intermediate sheet comprising a fibrous carbon material, obtaining carbon sheets by performing at least one of heat treatment or acid treatment on the intermediate sheet, and manufacturing unit cells comprising an electrolyte membrane. Electrodes are located on a first surface and a second surface of the electrolyte membrane, gas diffusion layers are located on the electrodes, and the carbon sheets are interposed between the electrodes and the gas diffusion layers. Electrochemical performance of the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell is improved by removing impurities, such as Fe particles and amorphous carbon, from carbon sheets through heat treatment or acid treatment.

A seed layer for inducing nucleation to form a layer of material is described. In an embodiment, the seed layer comprising a layer of two-dimensional monolayer amorphous material having a disordered atomic structure adapted to create localised electronic states to form electric potential wells for bonding adatoms to a surface of the seed layer via van der Waals interaction to form the layer of material, wherein each of the electric potential wells has a potential energy larger in magnitude than surrounding thermal energy to capture adatoms on the surface of the seed layer. Embodiments in relation to a method for forming the seed layer, a heterostructure comprising the seed layer, a method for forming the heterostructure comprising the seed layer, a device comprising the heterostructure and a method of enhancing vdW interaction between adatoms and a surface of the seed layer are also described.

An aerosol-assisted chemical vapor-deposition (AACVD) method of making nickel sulfide (NiS) nanowires. The method includes depositing a nickel carbamate compound onto a conductive support by an AACVD technique to form nickel sulfide (NiS) nanowires on the conductive support, where the nanowires are present directly on a surface of the conductive support. The NiS electrode prepared by the process of the present disclosure showed excellent OER activity in 1.0 M KOH solution, with a low Tafel value (60 mV dec.sup.1) and good OER stability. The NiS nanowires, as prepared, can be used in energy conversion devices such as batteries, fuel cells, and supercapacitors.

The present disclosure provides a technique capable of controlling a shape of an SAM. Provided is a method of forming a target film on a substrate, wherein the method includes preparing a substrate including a layer of a first conductive material formed on a surface of a first region, and a layer of an insulating material formed on a surface of a second region; forming carbon nanotubes on a surface of the layer of the first conductive material; and supplying a raw material gas for a self-assembled film to form the self-assembled film in a region of the surface of the layer of the first conductive material in which the carbon nanotubes have not been formed.

A reagent cartridge for sublimation of a solid reagent includes a reagent chamber for holding the solid reagent and at least one pressure sensor for measuring pressure inside the reagent cartridge.

A method for manufacturing a structure by an additive manufacturing technique implementing a chemical vapor deposition assisted by focused energy radiation, includes the formation of a reinforcement which comprises a plurality of interconnected reinforcing elements made of ceramic or carbon, which define therebetween an interstitial volume having a tortuous shape along the deposition axis.