Composite materials with adjustable spectral properties comprised of IR-reflecting micro-domains overlaying an IR-transparent elastomeric matrix, and capable of dynamically controlling IR radiation transmission are described, as well as methods of fabrication thereof. Systems with capabilities to regulate IR radiation (including heat) transmission based thereon, and methods of regulating IR radiation transmission (including thermal regulation) using the same are also provided.

A new technique, referred to as PSBEE, is disclosed and enables fabrication of freestanding nanomembranes. The PSBEE technique enables fabrication and synthesis of nanomembranes comprising 2D high entropy alloys and 2D metallic glasses and may be extended to ceramics and semiconductors, thereby enabling the fabrication of large-scale freestanding nanomembranes across a wide range of materials, including those deemed to have a great potential for future functional and structural use. To form nanomembranes using PSBEE, a plurality of membranes may be prepared and subjected to thermoplastic compression. Afterwards, one of the membranes may be removed and the remaining membranes may undergo additional thermoplastic compression in the presence of a Si substrate. Once a threshold level of smoothness is achieved, a coating or film may be applied and then separated from the final plate.

A method for manufacturing a discontinuous vacuum-metalized thin film includes the following steps: step 1: coating a corona surface of a flexible thin film (1) with a longitudinal discontinuous stripping layer; step 2: coating the corona surface and the stripping layer with a metal layer (3); and step 3: removing the stripping layer and the metal layer (3) on the stripping layer to obtain a discontinuous vacuum-metalized thin film. A method for manufacturing a discontinuous vacuum-metalized wire, a discontinuous vacuum-metalized thin film and a discontinuous vacuum-metalized wire are further disclosed.

Methods and articles of manufacture for free-standing lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON) thin films are disclosed. The methods facilitate synthesizing the LiPON thin films in a free-standing form with controllable film thicknesses and areas. The free-standing LiPON thin films, absent a solid substrate contacting the LiPON thin films, enable studying fundamental properties of LiPON thin films including mechanical properties and glassy transition behavior. In some embodiments, the method includes modifying a surface of a substrate, forming a layer of LiPON on the modified surface of the substrate, and separating the layer of LiPON from the substrate. The free-standing LiPON thin films, no longer requiring solid substrates, may be used in applications requiring an ionically conductive or electronically insulating coating, film, or barrier layer.

The invention relates to a carrier substrate for transferring a transfer layer from the carrier substrate onto a product substrate and a method for the production of a carrier substrate and a method for transferring a transfer layer from a carrier substrate onto a product substrate.

An interference layer system includes a plurality of optically transparent layers. The interference layer system has no carrier substrate and the optically transparent layers are disposed extensively over one another. The optically transparent layers are selected from the group consisting of dielectrics, metals, and combinations thereof, with at least one first optically transparent layer having a refractive index n.sub.1 and at least one second optically transparent layer having a refractive index n.sub.2, and with the first refractive index n.sub.1 and the second refractive index n.sub.2 differing by at least 0.1. The disclosure further relates to the production and the use of the interference layer system.

The technique relates to a method for preparing a nanomesh metal membrane 5 transferable on a very wide variety of supports of different types and shapes comprising at least one step of de-alloying 1 a thin layer 6 of a metal alloy deposited on a substrate 7, said method being characterized in that said thin layer 6 has a thickness less than 100 nm, and in that said de-alloying step 1 is carried out by exposing said thin layer 6 to an acid vapor in the gas phase 8, in order to form said nanomesh metal membrane 5.

A method of depositing of a film on a substrate with controlled adhesion. The method comprises depositing the film including metal, wherein the metal is deposited on the substrate using physical vapor deposition at a pressure that achieves a pre-determined adhesion of the film to the substrate. The pre-determined adhesion allows processing of the film into a device while the film is adhered to the substrate but also allows removal of the device from the substrate.

[Problem to be solved] To produce an SiO powder having a rounded spherical particulate shape and a small particle diameter; and further having a low degree of impurity contamination, efficiently and economically.

[Solution] A mixture of Si and SiO.sub.2 as an SiO gas generation raw material 9 is loaded into a crucible 2. The mixture in the crucible 2 is heated under a reduced pressure so as to generate SiO gas. The generated SiO gas is accumulated on a deposition base 5 rotating on the crucible 2. When SiO deposit 10 accumulated on the deposition base 5 is scraped off with a blade 7, a tip of the blade 7 is separated from a surface of the deposition base 5, and in a state in which a portion of the SiO deposit 10 accumulated on the deposition base 5 is left on the deposition base 5, the remaining SiO deposit 10 is scraped off by the blade 7 and collected as an SiO powder 11.

Described is a fuel cell comprising an electrode catalyst assembly, and a two-dimensional (2D) amorphous carbon, wherein the 2D amorphous carbon has a crystallinity (C)≤0.8.