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Line pattern replication process through nanoimprint lithography (NIL) method has been used in numerous of research fields. NIL technology is not yet utilized for displays industry, and we propose an alignment layer of the sol-gel process using NIL. One-dimensionally nanopatterned by polydimethylsiloxane sheets cause surface changes in hybrid SnGaO thin films mixed in a 3:7 ratio, which aligns the liquid crystals (LCs) uniformly in the line pattern direction. These surface changes are confirmed through atomic force microscopy data analysis, and changes in surface shapes for different the curing temperatures in the furnace are analyzed. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows that the chemical composition of the thin films changes according to curing temperatures, and the intensities of SnO and GaO increase exponentially at 200 °C compared to those at 50 °C. Through this, the van der Waals force increases between surface molecules, in the anisotropic direction to help align the LCs. Furthermore, we performed polarized optical microscopy and pre-tilt angle analysis confirm that the LCs are energized uniformly. Finally, the performance of an actual display device transmittance and electro-optical properties; the transmittance of SnGaO is 4.51p% higher than that of the currently commercialized PI-rubbing, and the voltage-transmittance curve is a perfect graph.

In this study, a hybrid thin film was fabricated by doping graphene oxide in a bismuth tantalum oxide solution in the sol–gel state. The thin film was produced by a brush-coating process. The graphene oxide doping ratios used were 0, 5, and 15 wt %. In the process of producing the thin film, the prepared sol–gel solution generates contraction forces, owing to the shear stress from the bristles of the brush, forming a microgroove structure. This structure was confirmed through atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy analyses. As a result of line profile analysis in atomic force microscopy, the groove heights of the thin film surface at 0, 5, and 15 wt % doping were 110, 130, and 160 nm, respectively, and the width of all grooves was 1 μm. The width of all thin films was approximately 1 μm, and microgrooves were confirmed. Moreover, the hybrid thin-film formation was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. By comparing the electrical properties of the bismuth tantalum oxide thin film without graphene oxide doping and the thin film doped with 15 wt % graphene oxide, it was demonstrated that the electro-optical properties increased excellently with graphene oxide doping. Typically, the threshold voltage was reduced by approximately 0.26 V. Based on these observations, graphene oxide doped bismuth tantalum oxide hybrid thin films can be considered as promising candidates for thin-film applications in next-generation displays.

In this study, production of Si-Al-Fe alloy with coal fly ash and bauxite as the major raw materials in the induction furnace at high temperatures were studied. The results show that carbothermal reduction of mixture of coal fly ash, bauxite, hematite, silica and CaF2 in the induction furnace can produce Si-Al-Fe alloy, and it can therefore improve the utilization value of fly ash and reduce its pollution to the environment. The reduced alloy phase mainly contains ~23% Si, ~19% Al and ~52% Fe, and small amounts of P and S. The main phases of alloy are Al0.5Fe3Si0.5, FeSi, SiC, Si5C3, FeC, and TiC.