Jozef Stefan Institute

University Of Louisville Research Foundation, Inc.

Tokai National Higher Education and Research System

University of Ljubljana

National Institute of Biology

Joz̃stefan Institute

National University Corporation Tokai National Higher Education and Research System

University of Maribor

Univerza V Ljubljani

Institute Jozef Stefan

Tik D.o.o.

Tomas Bata University in Zlín

Eiselt, Primoz

Mozetic, Miran

Cvelbar, Uros

Miran Mozetic

Rok Zaplotnik

Gregor Primc

Alenka Vesel

Uros Cvelbar

Masaru Hori

Mahendra Kumar Sunkara

Martin Petkovsek

Matevz Dular

Sreeram Vaddiraju

Nina Recek

Ita Junkar

Metka Bencina

David Dobnik

Arijana Filipic

Ion Gutierrez Aguirre

A method for deposition of nitrogen-doped nanocarbon comprises disposing molten polymer and a heated substrate in a plasma reactor; providing dense nitrogen-containing plasma in the plasma reactor in a space between the molten polymer and the heated substrate; and allowing the dense nitrogen-containing plasma to interact with both the molten polymer and the heated substrate to form a film of nitrogen-containing nanocarbon on the heated substrate.

Method for producing N-doped carbon nanomesh

An energy-efficient disinfection or sterilisation of contaminated liquid, such as water contaminated with viruses or microbes includes an asymmetric configuration of a cavitation nozzle made from dielectric material that enables the formation of a single, stable cavitation bubble of a large volume. A low-pressure gaseous plasma is continuously formed inside the cavitation bubble by electrodes to prevent contact of the metallic electrode with liquid water and Ohmic heating of the contaminated water. The electrodes are connected to a high voltage power supply. The power supply enables formation of a continuous stable gaseous discharge inside the cavitation bubble and radicals and radiation useful for destruction of viruses to the levels below the current US EPA standard in few minutes, while the temperature of liquid water remains practically unchanged. Use is not only for hospitals and pharmaceutical companies but the food industry and agriculture as well.

Method and device for disinfection of liquid

The present disclosure relates to methods for depositing vertically oriented carbon nanowalls (CNWs) using non-equilibrium gases such as gaseous plasma. Methods are disclosed for rapid deposition of uniformly distributed nanowalls on large surfaces of substrates using ablation of bulk carbon materials by reactive gaseous species, formation of oxidized carbon-containing gaseous molecules, ionization of said molecules and interacting said molecules, neutral or positively charged, with a substrate. The CNWs prepared are useful in different applications such as fuel cells, lithium ion batteries, photovoltaic devices and sensors of specific gaseous molecules.

Carbon nanostructured materials and methods for forming carbon nanostructured materials

Methods for modification of surface wettability of fluorine-containing polymers by sequential treatments first with gaseous plasma rich in ultraviolet radiation, and then oxidation using neutral reactive oxidative species. The methods are rapid and permit treatment of fluorine-containing polymers of any shape and size including 'infinite' materials such as foils. A surface layer of an object made from a fluorine-containing polymer is depleted of fluorine upon interaction with gaseous plasma rich in ultraviolet radiation. The depleted surface layer is then exposed to reactive oxygen species such as neutral oxygen atoms in the ground state. The wettability of objects made from or containing fluorine-containing polymers treated according to the methods of the present disclosure is close to the theoretical limit for smooth polymers well functionalized with polar functional groups. Unlike conventional treatment of fluorine-containing polymers with oxygen plasma, the methods of the present disclosure do not produce hazardous gases such as oxy or peroxy fluorinated carbon compounds.

Method of increasing the hydrophilicity of a fluorine-containing polymer

The present invention improves the surface modification of NiTi alloys used for instance in medical devices through treatment with hydrogen particles in a suitable gaseous discharge and with oxygen atoms. The technique according to the present invention provides the formation of biocompatible solely titanium oxide layer thus preventing nickel to be present in the top surface layer. Furthermore this enables nanostructuring of the surface which depends on the treatment conditions. Devices made from NiTi alloys treated with the method according to the present invention have improved biocompatibility; platelets do not readily attach and activate on such surfaces and the thrombus formation rate is reduced in comparison with extensively used untreated NiTi alloys.

Method for treatment medical devices made from nickel-titanium (NiTi) alloys

A method for the partial or total modification of functional groups on the surface of polymeric materials or polymer-containing materials, by means of combined plasma functionalization and localized thermal defunctionalization, is disclosed. At first, a surface of a polymer material is exposed to a cold plasma, whereby a desired polymer functionalization is achieved. After the plasma treatment, the surface is locally heated in an optional manner, primarily by means of an electron beam, resulting in local defunctionalization of the heated surface area. The directing of the electron beam across the surface of the material results in any desired distribution of functional groups on the surface. Also disclosed is a device for performing such a treatment.

Method and device for local functionalization of polymer materials

A method and a device for measuring ultrahigh vacuum are disclosed. The method includes providing a vacuum cold cathode pressure gauge and varying a voltage on an anode of the pressure cell with pressure in such a way that an ion current flow is maintained substantially at its maximum value at all times. A voltage-controlled source either (1) preliminarily scans a whole voltage range, for example, between 1 kV and 12 kV, in a relatively short time, and subsequently sets the source to the voltage, at which the current is substantially at its maximum value or (2) based on a calibration of the gauge, sets the voltage, for a given pressure, to the value that has been previously stored as substantially optimal. The device operates at a voltage that varies with pressure in such a way that the ion current is maintained substantially at its maximum value at all times. The device is characterized in that an anode of the pressure gauge cell is connected to a voltage-controlled source capable of providing a varying voltage.

Method and device for measuring ultrahigh vacuum

A process for the rapid synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles at low temperatures and methods which facilitate the fabrication of long metal oxide nanowires. The method is based on treatment of metals with oxygen plasma. Using oxygen plasma at low temperatures allows for rapid growth unlike other synthesis methods where nanomaterials take a long time to grow. Density of neutral oxygen atoms in plasma is a controlling factor for the yield of nanowires. The oxygen atom density window differs for different materials. By selecting the optimal oxygen atom density for various materials the yield can be maximized for nanowire synthesis of the metal.

Method for the rapid synthesis of large quantities of metal oxide nanowires at low temperatures

Growing community of inventors

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Miran Mozetic