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The plasma duty cycle, in addition to power and exposure time, affects the surface atomic composition of thiophene plasma-treated paper. The elemental carbon and sulfur concentration increased from 56.7% to 78.6% and 0% to 13.4%, respectively, while oxygen decreased from 43.3% to 8.0% with the plasma treatment. Relatively large variations in the deposited film-like layer composition could be realized by changing plasma external parameters. The high-resolution (HR) C1s spectra of the thiophene plasma-treated paper clearly exhibit plasma-induced rearrangements and new sulfur functionalities on the paper surface. After a five-hourex situdoping of thiophene plasma-treated papers with iodine, conductivity ranging from δ = 4.2E-2 to 4.1 S/cm was obtained. The low relative F/C atomic ratio after TFAA derivatization indicates that no hydroxyl groups were present on the paper surface after the thiophene plasma treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Highlights: [•] We deposited IZO by DC Sputtering on heat sensitive substrates such as paper. [•] The materials displayed high electric conductivity and optical transparency. [•] Electrochromic materials were deposited using screen-printing. [•] Solid-state electrochromic devices were assembled, showing an excellent performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An alternative, new approach to improve the hydrophobicity and barrier properties of paper was evaluated by radio-frequency (RF) plasma octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (OMCTSO) vapor treatment. The interaction between OMCTSO and paper, causing the increased hydophobicity, is likely through covalent bonding. The deposited thin silicone-like polymeric layer from OMCTSO plasma treatment possessed desirable hydrophobic properties. The SEM micrographs showed uniformly distributed grainy particles with various shapes on the paper surface. Deposition of the silicone polymer-like layer with the plasma treatment affects the distribution of voids in the network structure and increases the barrier against water intake and air. The water absorptivity was reduced by 44% for the OMCTSO plasma treated sheet. The highest resistance to air flow was an approximately 41% lower air permeability than virgin paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, the feasibility of inkjet printing of circuit and microwave structures on paper-based substrates is investigated for the first time in the implementation of a complete low-cost wireless platform for sensors. First, the system-level design of the module including the amplifier characterization were carried out to ensure optimum performance of the sensor modules in the UHF bands used in RF identification communication. These results were then used to design two different antenna structures, which are printed on paper along with their respective circuit layouts using inket-printing technology. Different techniques were investigated for the assembly of circuit components on the silver printed layouts. Finally, wireless link measurements on the assembled prototypes verified the good performance on the wireless and sensing sides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The radio frequency (RF) argon plasma induced surface modification of paper revealed novel surface characteristics and substantially changed surface topography. It was found that RF-argon glow discharge affects surface properties resulting in photo-degradation and chain-scission mechanism on paper network structure. High-power and extended treatment time caused increasing elemental carbon, while decreasing the oxygen concentration on paper surface. However, increased hydroxyls and the creation of new carbonyl functionalities were verified by trifluoroacetoanhydride and pentafluorophenylhydrazine in vapor-phase derivatization reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, inkjet-printed UHF and microwave circuits fabricated on paper substrates are investigated for the first time as an approach that aims for a system-level solution for fast and ultra-low-cost mass production. First, the RF characteristics of the paper substrate are studied by using the microstrip ring resonator in order to characterize the relative permittivity (ϵτ) and loss tangent (tan δ) of the substrate at the UHF band for the first time reported. A UHF RFID tag module is then developed with the inkjet-printing technology, proving this approach could function as an enabling technology for much simpler and faster fabrication on/in paper. Simulation and well-agreed measurement results, which show very good agreement, verify a good performance of the tag module. In addition, the possibility of multilayer RF structures on a paper substrate is explored, and a multilayer patch resonator bandpass filter demonstrates the feasibility of ultra-low-cost 3-D paper-on-paper RF/wireless structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new portable nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) device allows in situ non-invasive investigation of paper in order to examine some aspects of the microscopic healthy state of documents of historical and artistic interest. The apparatus has a NMR surface probe, which permits to perform most of the NMR relaxometric measurements on objects of almost every size and shape. It uses non-ionizing radio frequency electromagnetic waves and is easily transportable without hazard for people or environment. Some results obtained with this device on the pages of the Codex Major, a manuscript musical anthology that belongs to the Collectio Altaempsiana (1600–1610) of Palazzo Altaemps in Rome, are here presented. The NMR results provide indications about the spread of the deterioration process of the paper and of the corrosion effect caused by the iron-gall ink. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]