A chamber and surrounding system for the assembly of high yielding, high density, accurately and deterministically placed discrete nano or microparticles or particle arrays are provided, where the positioning of the particles is maintained during a supercritical drying process. The nanoparticle assembly chamber is based upon the dielectrophoretic force generated AC electrodes patterned on a substrate and contacted with electrical feedthroughs, a secondary electrophoretic force generated by a DC electrode opposite the substrate to force particles from the bulk solution near the substrate surface to increase deposition rate, and a fluidic pump to flow solution containing nanoparticles over the substrate surface. The magnitude of the dielectrophoretic forces and electrophoretic force can be adjusted by the geometric parameters, the bias potential applied to the DC bias electrode, and the magnitude of the AC electric field applied to the substrate electrodes.

Techniques regarding nanofluidic chips with a plurality of inlets and/or outlets in fluid communication with one or more nanoDLD arrays are provided. For example, one or more embodiments described herein can comprise a nanoscale deterministic lateral displacement array between and in fluid communication with a global inlet and a global outlet. The nanoscale deterministic lateral displacement array can further be between and in fluid communication with a local inlet and a local outlet. Also, the nanoscale deterministic lateral displacement array can laterally displace a particle comprised within a sample fluid supplied from the global inlet to a collection region that directs the particle to the local outlet. An advantage of such an apparatus can be the expanded versatility of the nanoscale deterministic lateral displacement array for sample preparation applications involving nanoparticles not accessible to other higher throughput microscale microfluidic technologies.

Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to vibration sensors. The vibration sensors can include a vibration sensor including at least an aperture. A polymer including a n elastomer is disposed on the frame. A nanoribbon network is disposed on the polymer. Two or more electrodes are disposed on the nanoribbon network. The two or more electrodes have a spacing of about 500 nm to about 2000 m.

A selectively-absorbing material includes a silicone polymer and transition-metal oxide nanoparticles dispersed therein. Each of the transition-metal oxide nanoparticles includes manganese. A solar receiver includes (i) a metal substrate including an etched surface having a microroughness between 0.05 micrometers and two micrometers; (ii) a polymer matrix disposed on the etched surface; and (iii) transition-metal oxide nanoparticles dispersed within the polymer matrix. A method for producing transition-metal oxide nanoparticles includes recrystallizing a plurality of two-element nanoparticles at a temperature between 300 and 700 C. The plurality of two-element nanoparticles includes at least two of (i) copper oxide nanoparticles, (ii) manganese oxide nanoparticles, and (iii) iron oxide nanoparticles. A method for fabricating a selective-absorber includes etching a top surface of a metal substrate; depositing a polymer-matrix composite on the etched top surface; and interdiffusing the polymer-matrix composite and the metal substrate. The polymer-matrix composite includes transition-metal oxide nanoparticles dispersed therein.

The present disclosure provides an article including an organic layer having a nanostructured first surface including nanofeatures defining nanorecesses and an opposing second surface; and a ceramic layer disposed on the nanostructured first surface of the organic layer and filling at least a portion of the nanorecesses. The ceramic layer has a nanostructured first surface including nanofeatures and an opposing second surface, and the nanostructured first surface of the ceramic layer is interpenetrated with the nanostructured first surface of the organic layer. The present disclosure also provides a method of making the article. The method includes obtaining an organic layer having a nanostructured first surface including nanofeatures defining nanorecesses and an opposing second surface; and filling at least a portion of the nanorecesses of the nanostructured first surface of the organic layer with a ceramic material to form the article. In addition, the present disclosure provides articles including interpenetrating layers having different elastic storage moduli, such as non-metallic layers, and methods of making the articles. The articles can exhibit high abrasion resistance.

A method of fabricating an array on nanoparticles includes forming a solution containing a material precursor and an electrolyte. The solution is laded into a pipet and a wire is inserted into the solution. The pipet is brought into contact with a substrate and an electrical bias is applied between the substrate and the wire. A nanoparticle is formed via electrodeposition. The steps of bring a pipet into contact with the substrate, applying an electrical bias, and forming a nanoparticle across an array of contact points to create the array of nanoparticles. The substrate is rinsed with a solvent to remove residual electrolytes.

A new class of ordered functional nanoporous material (OFNMs) with a unique combination of electronic conductivity, gas transport ability, and ion transport properties are provided. The OFNM provided is highly ordered and contains nanometer scale pores lined with nitrogen atoms. The pores have dimensions of from 1.2 nm to 82 nm of longest linear extent across the pore. The functionality within the pore is controlled through selection of groups that extend into the pore. The degree of conjugated aromaticity is readily controlled to adjust the electrical conductivity properties of the resulting structure. By adjusting the groups external to the pore, three-dimensional structures are formed that are organic mimics of zeolites, metal organic frameworks (MOF), or perovskites.