Northwestern University

Columbia University

Battelle Memorial Institute

California Institute of Technology

Franz M Geiger

Kenneth B Eisenthal

Mavis D Boamah

Paul E Ohno

Hong-fei Wang

Massimiliano Delferro

Thomas F Miller, Iii

Jeongmin Kim

Regan James Thomson

Benjamin F Strick

Danielle Faurie-Wisniewski

Energy harvesting devices and methods for converting the mechanical energy of a flowing ionic solution, such as rainwater or seawater, into electric energy are provided. The energy harvesting devices include an electric current generating device that includes a metal layer and an amphoteric metal oxide film disposed over a surface of the metal layer. By moving an electric double layer across the surface of the amphoteric metal oxide film, an electric current is generated in the metal layer.

Liquid flow induced power generation using nanoscale metal layers

An apparatus for probing an interface via second harmonic generation (SHG) spectroscopy is provided. The apparatus comprises a sample cell comprising a noncentrosymmetric material having a selected orientation angle with respect to a reference axis; optics configured to illuminate an interface formed between the noncentrosymmetric material and a different material, or formed between two different materials and disposed over the noncentrosymmetric material, with light having a frequency &#x3c9; under conditions to generate a second harmonic generation (SHG) signal having frequency 2&#x3c9;; a detector configured to detect the SHG signal, the SHG signal comprising a bulk second harmonic signal from the noncentrosymmetric material and an interfacial second harmonic signal from the interface; and a device comprising a processor and a computer-readable medium operably coupled to the processor, the computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to: illuminate the interface to generate the SHG signal and detect the SHG signal.

Optical quantification of interfacial charge states

Methods of generating second harmonic generation (SHG) signals from interfaces formed with, or formed over, a noncentrosymmetric material, e.g., &#x3b1;-quartz, are provided. The methods make use of the noncentrosymmetric material as an internal phase reference for the determination of a variety of interfacial electrostatic parameters, including interfacial potential, interfacial charge density, and the sign of the interfacial charge (i.e., net positive or net negative).

Ring-opening metathesis polymerization of apopinene and related functionalized monomers and corresponding polymer products.

Apopinene as a biorenewable monomer for ring-opening metathesis polymerization

Methods of forming chemically pure metal films are provided. The methods use electron beam deposition at a high mean deposition rate to form high purity metal films on deposition substrates. By using a high mean deposition rate, the melting point of the metal to be deposited is reached at the metal source surface during the deposition. As a result, the rate of transfer of impurities present in the metal source to the surface of the deposition substrate is so small that the deposited metal films are substantially free of impurity elements.

Growing community of inventors

Evanston, IL, United States of America

Franz M Geiger