We study finite-size effects in superconducting metallic grains and determine the BCS order parameter and the low energy excitation spectrum in terms of the size and shape of the grain. Our approach combines the BCS self-consistency condition, a semiclassical expansion for the spectral density and interaction matrix elements, and corrections to the BCS mean field. In chaotic grains mesoscopic f...

Many metallic alloys contain nanoparticles created by solidstate precipitation and, to date, these nanoparticles show simple chemical structures (either homogenous or core–shell). Creating more-complex nanoparticles in metallic alloys (e.g., particles with a core surrounded by multiple concentric shells) would be interesting for two reasons. First, this would represent a proof of concept of a g...

The build-up of biofilms on metals surfaces may lead to severe corrosion, especially in the presence of sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB). To prevent the deterioration of material caused by biofilms it is necessary to understand the processes governing biofilm development including mechanisms of cell adhesion. Additionally, corrosion of metallic surfaces due to bacteria may lead to the dissoluti...

To better understand the partitioning behavior of elements during the formation and evolution of iron meteorites, two sets of experiments were conducted at 1 atm in the Fe–Ni–P system. The first set examined the effect of P on solid metal/liquid metal partitioning behavior of 22 elements, while the other set explored the effect of the crystal structures of body-centered cubic (a)and face-center...

Metallic nanoparticles suspended in aqueous solutions and functionalized with chemical and biological surface coatings are important elements in basic and applied nanoscience research. Many applications require an understanding of the electrokinetic or colloidal properties of such particles. We describe the results of experiments to measure the zeta potential of metallic nanorod particles in aq...

Conventional lithographic methods (e.g., electron-beam lithography, photolithography) are capable of producing high-resolution structures over large areas but are generally limited to large (>1 cm(2)) planar substrates. Incorporation of these features on unconventional substrates (i.e., small (<1 mm(2)) and/or non-planar substrates) would open possibilities for many applications, including remo...

The main objective of this paper is to provoke and stimulate debate on the health effects of long-term, low-level exposure of human populations to toxic metals. Over one billion (10(9)) human guinea pigs are now being exposed to elevated levels of toxic metals and metalloids in the environment. The number of persons suffering from subclinical metal poisoning is believed to be several million. A...

Shielding radiation from both x-rays and gamma-rays is important for personnel in medical fields e.g. interventional radiology, nuclear power stations, and other inspection facilities where radiation is involved. Lead is known for its effective shielding property against these high energy radiations, however heaviness and toxicity are its main drawback. In this study effectiveness of non-lead p...