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Special high grade zinc and wrought zinc-aluminum (Zn-Al) alloys containing up to 5.5 wt % Al were processed, characterized, and implanted in rats in search of a new family of alloys with possible applications as bioabsorbable endovascular stents. These materials retained roll-induced texture with an anisotropic distribution of the second-phase Al precipitates following hot-rolling, and changes in lattice parameters were observed with respect to Al content. Mechanical properties for the alloys fell roughly in line with strength (190-240 MPa yield strength; 220-300 MPa ultimate tensile strength) and elongation (15-30%) benchmarks, and favorable elastic ranges (0.19-0.27%) were observed. Intergranular corrosion was observed during residence of Zn-Al alloys in the murine aorta, suggesting a different corrosion mechanism than that of pure zinc. This mode of failure needs to be avoided for stent applications because the intergranular corrosion caused cracking and fragmentation of the implants, although the composition of corrosion products was roughly identical between non- and Al-containing materials. In spite of differences in corrosion mechanisms, the cross-sectional reduction of metals in murine aorta was nearly identical at 30-40% and 40-50% after 4.5 and 6 months, respectively, for pure Zn and Zn-Al alloys. Histopathological analysis and evaluation of arterial tissue compatibility around Zn-Al alloys failed to identify areas of necrosis, though both chronic and acute inflammatory indications were present. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 245-258, 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The opportunity for substantial efficiency enhancements of thin film hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar photovoltaic (PV) cells using plasmonic absorbers requires ultra-thin transparent conducting oxide top electrodes with low resistivity and high transmittances in the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Fabricating ultra-thin indium tin oxide (ITO) films (sub-50 nm) using conventional methods has presented a number of challenges; however, a novel method involving chemical shaving of thicker (greater than 80 nm) RF sputter deposited high-quality ITO films has been demonstrated. This study investigates the effect of oxygen concentration on the etch rates of RF sputter deposited ITO films to provide a detailed understanding of the interaction of all critical experimental parameters to help create even thinner layers to allow for more finely tune plasmonic resonances. ITO films were deposited on silicon substrates with a 98-nm, thermally grown oxide using RF magnetron sputtering with oxygen concentrations of 0, 0.4 and 1.0 sccm and annealed at 300 °C air ambient. Then the films were etched using a combination of water and hydrochloric and nitric acids for 1, 3, 5 and 8 min at room temperature. In-between each etching process cycle, the films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, Raman Spectroscopy, 4-point probe (electrical conductivity), and variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry. All the films were polycrystalline in nature and highly oriented along the (222) reflection. Ultra-thin ITO films with record low resistivity values (as low as 5.83× 10-4 WΩcm) were obtained and high optical transparency is exhibited in the 300-1000 nm wavelength region for all the ITO films. The etch rate, preferred crystal lattice growth plane, d-spacing and lattice distortion were also observed to be highly dependent on the nature of growth environment for RF sputter deposited ITO films. The structural, electrical, and optical properties of the ITO films are discussed with respect to the oxygen ambient nature and etching time in detail to provide guidance for plasmonic enhanced a-Si:H solar PV cell fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of magnesium-based materials for bioabsorbable stents relies heavily on corrosion testing by immersion in pseudophysiological solutions, where magnesium degrades faster than it does in vivo. The quantitative difference in corrosion kinetics in vitro and in vivo is largely unknown, but, if determined, would help reduce dependence on animal models. In order to create a quantitative in vitro-in vivo correlation based on an accepted measure of corrosion (penetration rate), commercially pure magnesium wires were corroded in vivo in the abdominal aortas of rats for 5−32 days, and in vitro for up to 14 days using Dulbecco's modified eagle medium. Cross-sectioning, scanning electron microscopy, image analysis, a modified penetration rate tailored to degraded wires, and empirical modeling were used to analyze the corroded specimens. In vitro penetration rates were consistently higher than comparable in vivo rates by a factor of 1.2−1.9× (±0.2×). For a sample <20% corroded, an approximate in vitro-in vivo multiplier of 1.3 ± 0.2× was applied, whereas a multiplier of 1.8 ± 0.2× became appropriate when the magnesium specimen was 25−35% degraded. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 103A: 341-349, 2015. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]