Nanoartography 2019
Image credit: Sina Abdolhosseinzadeh, EPFL-Empa, NanoArtography 2019
2019 Award Winners
Click on the images to see them in full size.
FIRST PLACE
Nanopetals
Mamidi Suresh, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, India
This colored SEM image shows cobalt oxide nano pedals derived from Metal-Organic Framework. The unique morphology enables an ultra-fast charging with outstanding specific capacities when tested as an anode in Li-Ion batteries. The image width is 0.09 mm.
SECOND PLACE (tie three ways)
2D Liquid Crystalline World
Emma Ward, University of Brighton, UK
An electro-active thermotropic liquid crystal layer was sandwiched between titanium carbide (Ti3C2Tx MXene) spin-coated glass. With the MXene coating acting as a transparent conductive electrode, an electric field was applied causing the optical effect observed using a polarizing optical microscope with x40 magnification.
SECOND PLACE (tie three ways)
Fiber Knot
Ariana Levitt, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
The image shows a Ti3C2Tx MXene composite fiber prepared via electrospinning after uniaxial tensile testing. Before stretching, the fiber was straight and rod-like. After stretching until failure (over 60% strain), the fiber naturally coiled onto itself, creating a MXene fiber knot. Image width is ~0.35 mm, and fiber diameter is ~0.03 mm.
SECOND PLACE (tie three ways)
Sweet Tubes
Ricardo Tranquilin, Federal University of Sao Carlos, Brazil
The general idea of this work is the association of nature with microscopic images, both in their shapes and colors, so it is possible to converge the microscopic world to the common world, where so we can show that this small world works with the same forms of the macro world. Also take a special look at the images that exhibit abstract forms. The material presented in this image is tungsten trioxide.
THIRD PLACE (tie four ways)
Heather
Irene Heggstad, University of Bergen, Norway
Photography of heather-in collage with micrography of pollen of heather. Pollen size is about 0.025 mm.
THIRD PLACE (tie four ways)
Landscape of a Wasp
Daniel Minner, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, IN, USA
Images obtained from the head of a wasp using field emission scanning electron microscopy.
THIRD PLACE (tie four ways)
Crystal Harvest
Sarah Gleeson, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Calcium phosphate mineral grows into large, plate-like sheets from the polymer substrate it was deposited onto. These flat, jagged crystalline sheets grow outwards surrounding a center of smaller mineral crystals. Image width is 0.008 mm.
THIRD PLACE (tie four ways)
Starry Night with PMMA Ghost
Kanit Hantanasirisakul, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
This is an SEM image of PMMA residual on Si/SiO2 wafer. Usually, Si wafer is coated with a thin layer of PMMA to protect it from being scratched and deposition of dust. This protective layer is supposed to be removed by cleaning the wafer in acetone prior to being used. This particular wafer, however, was not cleaned properly. As a result, the remaining PMMA ghosts are haunting me the rest of the Starry Night for not being careful with my experiments. Image width is 0.05 mm.
PEOPLE'S CHOICE
NiO Nano-urchins
Meenaketan Sethi, National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK) Surathkal, India
This type of pretty array of nanourchins was formed while attempting to synthesize NiO. The high-temperature calcination (400 ºC for 6hours) of Ni(OH)2 leads to the formation of porous urchin shape. This image was captured using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM)and false colors were added by using computer graphics software. The sea and fish are the only things added to the image. We believe that this kind of unique morphology will be highly beneficial for energy and environmental applications. The image width is 0.001 mm.
INDIANA UNIVERSITY-PURDUE UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS (IUPUI) PEOPLE'S CHOICE
Sea Flowers Leaves
Pias Kumar Biswas, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, IN, USA
This image represents an Air baked Vanadium Pentoxide (V2O5) which is one of the potential cathode materials for Lithium-ion batteries. Xerogel of V2O5 is freeze-dried followed by annealing process which possesses the shape of underwater sea flowers leaves. Image width is 0.001 mm.
DREXEL PEOPLE'S CHOICE
Dragon’s Feast
Zhengtao Chen, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
The image presents the cross-sectional area of a semicrystalline poly(fluoroalkylacrylate) coating on a silicon substrate. The polymer crystals provide a unique morphology with a base layer under a vacuum system. Image width is ~0.005mm.
HONORABLE MENTION
The Lost Flower of Snegurochka (“Snow Maiden”)
Rajashree Konar and Gilbert Daniel Nessim, Bar-Ilan University, Israel
The flowers are of Silver Sulfide synthesized using an Atmospheric Pressure CVD. The microstructure has unique flowers growing at the tip of the hollows. Image size is about 0.004 mm.
HONORABLE MENTION
Zinc Oxide Sunflower
Sina Abdolhosseinzadeh, EPFL-Empa, Zurich, Switzerland
A sol-gel deposited thin film of zinc oxide has cracked upon fast cooling. The image width is ~ 0.15 mm.
HONORABLE MENTION
Nanogalaxy
Susanna Gevorgyan; Robin Schubert, Yerevan State University, Armenia
The image presents Ag nanoparticles (NPs) in a polymer. The Ag NPs were synthesized using the Green Synthesis method. As a source of oxidizing and reducing agents was used Royal Jelly –honey-bee product. Image width is 0.0001 mm.
HONORABLE MENTION
Sweet Fragrance by spring flower of ZnO
Sonia Siwatch, Kurukshetra University, Haryana, India
ZnO spring flower was grown by a simple chemical bath deposition method. The synthesis solution contains zinc nitrate hexahydrate as a source of zinc, ammonium hydroxide as a strong base and hexamethylinetetramine (HMTA) as a weak base. Tremendous amount of ZnO Kernel clumps with each other and appear as a broad root for the growing of ZnO spring flower-like structure, which is ready to spread fragrance all around. Image width is about 0.012 mm.
A complete list of 2019 finalists is available on NanoArtography facebook page.
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