Robert Cormia | Foothill De Anza Community College District (original) (raw)

Papers by Robert Cormia

International Journal …, 2008

National Center for Learning and Teaching (NCLT) in Nanoscale Science and Engineering 1 Dept. of ... more National Center for Learning and Teaching (NCLT) in Nanoscale Science and Engineering 1 Dept. of Materials Science & Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208 2 Searle Center for Teaching Excellence, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208 3 Physical ...

Progress in Materials Analysis, 1985

Fig. 1 displays a schematic diagram of the small spot ESCA system SSX100. This instrument has the... more Fig. 1 displays a schematic diagram of the small spot ESCA system SSX100. This instrument has the special capability for obtaining spectra from areas as small as 150 µm, which is used in this experiment. The system itself is very handy, nevertheless it can accomodate simultaneously 6 specimen each 173 mm diameter, or, alternatively, more than 500 samples of standard dimensions (10 mm diameter), or, if required, extremely small samples with typically few micrometer diameter. In the instrument an electron beam of 50–250 W is focused on an aluminium anode. The X-rays impinging on a 40 mm monochromatizing crystal 19 cm away are 40% reflected and focussed on the specimen surface in an area 0.15–1 mm diameter. The smaller diameter requires the lower beam power. The photon flux on the sample is about 109 photons per square millimeter per second. The electrons which emit from the entire irradiated area in a 30° cone are taken by a lens system to the analyzer and detected by a multi-channel detector. The exact location of the sample area analyzed is established by viewing the analysis area through a microscope mounted over the specimen, and adjustment is made by micrometer screws with three degrees of freedom. Charging of insulators is compensated by a flood gun.

Optical Materials, Dec 1, 2019

Aluminum nitride (AlN) films with controlled oxygen content were deposited on silicon substrates,... more Aluminum nitride (AlN) films with controlled oxygen content were deposited on silicon substrates, and optical properties studied with dependency on film morphology. Combinations of argon (Ar) and nitrogen (N 2) gases were used in RF magnetron sputtering of an AlN target. The resulting refractive index ranging from 1.6 to 2.0 at 400 nm was tuned by controlling the sputter gas flow rate ratio of Ar and N 2. The resulting refractive index is associated with density and aluminum nitride content of the thin films. Distributed Bragg Reflectors (DBRs) optimized for ultraviolet-A reflectivity were fabricated with pairs of alternating AlN thin films using an explicit combination of low-n and high-n to further investigate the thin film optical properties. The effect of structural transformation in the DBR stack on the progress of optical properties was studied. The DBRs exhibit a negligible extinction coefficient, utilizing precise control of oxygen incorporation with one sputtering target.

Polymer, Sep 1, 1989

The ESCA (electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis) spectra of films of poly(vinyl fluoride) (... more The ESCA (electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis) spectra of films of poly(vinyl fluoride) (Tedlar), tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer (in the form of a Teflon FEP coating on Kapton H, i.e. Kapton F) and polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon or Teflon TFE) exposed to atomic oxygen (O(3p))either in low Earth orbit (LEO) on the STS-8 Space Shuttle or within or downstream from a radio-frequency oxygen plasma-were compared. The major difference in surface chemistry of Tedlar induced by the various exposures to O(3P) was a much larger uptake of oxygen when etched either in or out of the glow of an 0 2 plasma than when etched in LEO. In contrast, Kapton F exhibited very little surface oxidation during any of the three different exposures to O(3p), while Teflon was scarcely oxidized.

AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts, Dec 1, 2019

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Mar 20, 2023

Applied Sciences, 2019

Microporous nanocarbon spheres were prepared by using a microwave assisted solvothermal method. T... more Microporous nanocarbon spheres were prepared by using a microwave assisted solvothermal method. To improve the carbon dioxide adsorption properties, potassium oxalate monohydrate and ethylene diamine (EDA) were employed, and the influence of carbonization temperature on adsorption properties was investigated. For nanocarbon spheres containing not only activator, but also EDA, an increase in the carbonization temperature from 600 • C to 800 • C resulted in an increase of the specific surface area of nearly 300% (from 439 to 1614 m 2 /g) and an increase of the CO 2 adsorption at 0 • C and 1 bar (from 3.51 to 6.21 mmol/g).

Molecules

The adsorption properties of microporous spherical carbon materials obtained from the resorcinol-... more The adsorption properties of microporous spherical carbon materials obtained from the resorcinol-formaldehyde resin, treated in a solvothermal reactor heated with microwaves and then subjected to carbonization, are presented. The potassium-based activation of carbon spheres was carried out in two ways: solution-based and solid-based methods. The effect of various factors, such as chemical agent selection, chemical activating agent content, and the temperature or time of activation, was investigated. The influence of microwave treatment on the adsorption properties was also investigated and described. The adsorption performance of carbon spheres was evaluated in detail by examining CO2 adsorption from the gas phase.

Applied Sciences, 2019

Microporous nanocarbon spheres were prepared by using a microwave assisted solvothermal method. T... more Microporous nanocarbon spheres were prepared by using a microwave assisted solvothermal method. To improve the carbon dioxide adsorption properties, potassium oxalate monohydrate and ethylene diamine (EDA) were employed, and the influence of carbonization temperature on adsorption properties was investigated. For nanocarbon spheres containing not only activator, but also EDA, an increase in the carbonization temperature from 600 °C to 800 °C resulted in an increase of the specific surface area of nearly 300% (from 439 to 1614 m2/g) and an increase of the CO2 adsorption at 0 °C and 1 bar (from 3.51 to 6.21 mmol/g).

Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 2021

Abstract In this work, production and characterization of carbon spheres from resorcinol and form... more Abstract In this work, production and characterization of carbon spheres from resorcinol and formaldehyde, using a microwave assisted solvothermal reactor, is presented. The influence of different experimental conditions, e.g., reaction time, pressure, and power, on the structure of the obtained materials, and carbon dioxide adsorption properties, was studied. Using the method described in this work, it is possible to significantly reduce the reaction time, to as low as 10 min, compared with widely described processes carried out in autoclaves, requiring several hours. Simultaneously, it was discovered that the application of higher reactor pressures, over 3 MPa, resulted in the destruction of spherical shape and the formation of graphitic layers. The importance of micropores below 0.4 nm, for adsorption of carbon dioxide, was also shown in this work. Microporous carbon spheres with efficient CO2 adsorption properties (nearly 7 mmol/g at 1 bar and 0 °C) were synthesized using this process.

The presence of hydrocarbon contamination on the surface of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) marked... more The presence of hydrocarbon contamination on the surface of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) markedly affects the oxygen uptake, and hence the wettability, of this polymer when exposed to an oxygen plasma. As revealed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, the oxygen-to-carbon ratio (O/C) for such a polymer can increase sharply, and correspondingly the fluorine-to-carbon ratio (F/C) can decrease sharply, at very short exposure times; at longer times, however, such changes in the O/C and F/C ratios reverse direction, and these ratios then assume values similar to those of the unexposed PTFE. The greater the extent of hydrocarbon contamination in the PTFE, the larger are the amplitudes of the 'spikes' in the O/C- and F/C-exposure time plots. In contrast, a pristine PTFE experiences a very small, monotonic increase of surface oxidation or O/C ratio with time of exposure to oxygen atoms, while the F/C ratio is virtually unchanged from that of the unexposed polymer (2....

Polymer communications, 1988

The ESCA spectra of Kapton polyimide film exposed to atomic oxygen O(3P), either in low earth orb... more The ESCA spectra of Kapton polyimide film exposed to atomic oxygen O(3P), either in low earth orbit (LEO) on the STS-8 Space Shuttle or downstream from a radio-frequency oxygen plasma, were compared. The major difference in surface chemistry induced by the two types of exposure to O(3P), both of which caused surface recession (etching), was a much larger uptake of oxygen by Kapton etched in the O2 plasma than in LEO. This difference is attributed to the presence of molecular oxygen in the plasma reactor and its absence in LEO: in the former case, O2 can react with radicals generated in the Kapton molecule as it etches, become incorporated in the etched polymer, and thereby yield a higher steady-state 'surface oxidation' level than in LEO.

International Journal of Engineering Education, 2009

Based upon a set of `big ideas' identified by recent workshops and a study report, a broad cu... more Based upon a set of `big ideas' identified by recent workshops and a study report, a broad curriculum framework has been developed for degree programs in nanoscale science and engineering (NSE). The framework is built around four essential areas or nodes in NSE that includeÐProcessing (how nano-entities are fabricated), Nanostructure (how the structure of nano-entities can be imaged and characterized), Properties (the resulting size-dependent and surface-related properties of nanostructured materials/devices), and Applications (how nanomaterials and nanodevices can be designed and engineered for the benefit of society), which can be abbreviated as `P-N-P-A'. This paper argues that the P-N-P-A rubric provides a tool for program and course construction and evaluation in higher education. An analysis of emerging NSE degree programs in the US suggests that improvements need to be made in the programmatic balance among the P-N-P-A nodes, with particular attention being paid to es...

Journal of Polymer …, 1992

Page 1. Plasma Copolymerization of Ethylene and Tetrafluoroethylene MORTON A. GOLUB,'” THEOD... more Page 1. Plasma Copolymerization of Ethylene and Tetrafluoroethylene MORTON A. GOLUB,'” THEODORE WYDEVEN,' and ROBERT D. CORMlA* 'NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California 94035, *Surface Science ...

Molecules

In this work, low-pressure synthesis of carbon spheres from resorcinol and formaldehyde using an ... more In this work, low-pressure synthesis of carbon spheres from resorcinol and formaldehyde using an autoclave is presented. The influence of reaction time and process temperature as well as the effect of potassium oxalate, an activator, on the morphology and CO2 adsorption properties was studied. The properties of materials produced at pressureless (atmospheric) conditions were compared with those synthesized under higher pressures. The results of this work show that enhanced pressure treatment is not necessary to produce high-quality carbon spheres, and the morphology and porosity of the spheres produced without an activation step at pressureless conditions are not significantly different from those obtained at higher pressures. In addition, CO2 uptake was not affected by elevated pressure synthesis. It was also demonstrated that addition of the activator (potassium oxalate) had much more effect on key properties than the applied pressure treatment. The use of potassium oxalate as an ...

Low-Dimensional Materials and Devices 2016

Materials Science and Engineering: C

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2016

International Journal …, 2008

National Center for Learning and Teaching (NCLT) in Nanoscale Science and Engineering 1 Dept. of ... more National Center for Learning and Teaching (NCLT) in Nanoscale Science and Engineering 1 Dept. of Materials Science & Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208 2 Searle Center for Teaching Excellence, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208 3 Physical ...

Progress in Materials Analysis, 1985

Fig. 1 displays a schematic diagram of the small spot ESCA system SSX100. This instrument has the... more Fig. 1 displays a schematic diagram of the small spot ESCA system SSX100. This instrument has the special capability for obtaining spectra from areas as small as 150 µm, which is used in this experiment. The system itself is very handy, nevertheless it can accomodate simultaneously 6 specimen each 173 mm diameter, or, alternatively, more than 500 samples of standard dimensions (10 mm diameter), or, if required, extremely small samples with typically few micrometer diameter. In the instrument an electron beam of 50–250 W is focused on an aluminium anode. The X-rays impinging on a 40 mm monochromatizing crystal 19 cm away are 40% reflected and focussed on the specimen surface in an area 0.15–1 mm diameter. The smaller diameter requires the lower beam power. The photon flux on the sample is about 109 photons per square millimeter per second. The electrons which emit from the entire irradiated area in a 30° cone are taken by a lens system to the analyzer and detected by a multi-channel detector. The exact location of the sample area analyzed is established by viewing the analysis area through a microscope mounted over the specimen, and adjustment is made by micrometer screws with three degrees of freedom. Charging of insulators is compensated by a flood gun.

Optical Materials, Dec 1, 2019

Aluminum nitride (AlN) films with controlled oxygen content were deposited on silicon substrates,... more Aluminum nitride (AlN) films with controlled oxygen content were deposited on silicon substrates, and optical properties studied with dependency on film morphology. Combinations of argon (Ar) and nitrogen (N 2) gases were used in RF magnetron sputtering of an AlN target. The resulting refractive index ranging from 1.6 to 2.0 at 400 nm was tuned by controlling the sputter gas flow rate ratio of Ar and N 2. The resulting refractive index is associated with density and aluminum nitride content of the thin films. Distributed Bragg Reflectors (DBRs) optimized for ultraviolet-A reflectivity were fabricated with pairs of alternating AlN thin films using an explicit combination of low-n and high-n to further investigate the thin film optical properties. The effect of structural transformation in the DBR stack on the progress of optical properties was studied. The DBRs exhibit a negligible extinction coefficient, utilizing precise control of oxygen incorporation with one sputtering target.

Polymer, Sep 1, 1989

The ESCA (electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis) spectra of films of poly(vinyl fluoride) (... more The ESCA (electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis) spectra of films of poly(vinyl fluoride) (Tedlar), tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer (in the form of a Teflon FEP coating on Kapton H, i.e. Kapton F) and polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon or Teflon TFE) exposed to atomic oxygen (O(3p))either in low Earth orbit (LEO) on the STS-8 Space Shuttle or within or downstream from a radio-frequency oxygen plasma-were compared. The major difference in surface chemistry of Tedlar induced by the various exposures to O(3P) was a much larger uptake of oxygen when etched either in or out of the glow of an 0 2 plasma than when etched in LEO. In contrast, Kapton F exhibited very little surface oxidation during any of the three different exposures to O(3p), while Teflon was scarcely oxidized.

AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts, Dec 1, 2019

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Mar 20, 2023

Applied Sciences, 2019

Microporous nanocarbon spheres were prepared by using a microwave assisted solvothermal method. T... more Microporous nanocarbon spheres were prepared by using a microwave assisted solvothermal method. To improve the carbon dioxide adsorption properties, potassium oxalate monohydrate and ethylene diamine (EDA) were employed, and the influence of carbonization temperature on adsorption properties was investigated. For nanocarbon spheres containing not only activator, but also EDA, an increase in the carbonization temperature from 600 • C to 800 • C resulted in an increase of the specific surface area of nearly 300% (from 439 to 1614 m 2 /g) and an increase of the CO 2 adsorption at 0 • C and 1 bar (from 3.51 to 6.21 mmol/g).

Molecules

The adsorption properties of microporous spherical carbon materials obtained from the resorcinol-... more The adsorption properties of microporous spherical carbon materials obtained from the resorcinol-formaldehyde resin, treated in a solvothermal reactor heated with microwaves and then subjected to carbonization, are presented. The potassium-based activation of carbon spheres was carried out in two ways: solution-based and solid-based methods. The effect of various factors, such as chemical agent selection, chemical activating agent content, and the temperature or time of activation, was investigated. The influence of microwave treatment on the adsorption properties was also investigated and described. The adsorption performance of carbon spheres was evaluated in detail by examining CO2 adsorption from the gas phase.

Applied Sciences, 2019

Microporous nanocarbon spheres were prepared by using a microwave assisted solvothermal method. T... more Microporous nanocarbon spheres were prepared by using a microwave assisted solvothermal method. To improve the carbon dioxide adsorption properties, potassium oxalate monohydrate and ethylene diamine (EDA) were employed, and the influence of carbonization temperature on adsorption properties was investigated. For nanocarbon spheres containing not only activator, but also EDA, an increase in the carbonization temperature from 600 °C to 800 °C resulted in an increase of the specific surface area of nearly 300% (from 439 to 1614 m2/g) and an increase of the CO2 adsorption at 0 °C and 1 bar (from 3.51 to 6.21 mmol/g).

Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 2021

Abstract In this work, production and characterization of carbon spheres from resorcinol and form... more Abstract In this work, production and characterization of carbon spheres from resorcinol and formaldehyde, using a microwave assisted solvothermal reactor, is presented. The influence of different experimental conditions, e.g., reaction time, pressure, and power, on the structure of the obtained materials, and carbon dioxide adsorption properties, was studied. Using the method described in this work, it is possible to significantly reduce the reaction time, to as low as 10 min, compared with widely described processes carried out in autoclaves, requiring several hours. Simultaneously, it was discovered that the application of higher reactor pressures, over 3 MPa, resulted in the destruction of spherical shape and the formation of graphitic layers. The importance of micropores below 0.4 nm, for adsorption of carbon dioxide, was also shown in this work. Microporous carbon spheres with efficient CO2 adsorption properties (nearly 7 mmol/g at 1 bar and 0 °C) were synthesized using this process.

The presence of hydrocarbon contamination on the surface of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) marked... more The presence of hydrocarbon contamination on the surface of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) markedly affects the oxygen uptake, and hence the wettability, of this polymer when exposed to an oxygen plasma. As revealed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, the oxygen-to-carbon ratio (O/C) for such a polymer can increase sharply, and correspondingly the fluorine-to-carbon ratio (F/C) can decrease sharply, at very short exposure times; at longer times, however, such changes in the O/C and F/C ratios reverse direction, and these ratios then assume values similar to those of the unexposed PTFE. The greater the extent of hydrocarbon contamination in the PTFE, the larger are the amplitudes of the 'spikes' in the O/C- and F/C-exposure time plots. In contrast, a pristine PTFE experiences a very small, monotonic increase of surface oxidation or O/C ratio with time of exposure to oxygen atoms, while the F/C ratio is virtually unchanged from that of the unexposed polymer (2....

Polymer communications, 1988

The ESCA spectra of Kapton polyimide film exposed to atomic oxygen O(3P), either in low earth orb... more The ESCA spectra of Kapton polyimide film exposed to atomic oxygen O(3P), either in low earth orbit (LEO) on the STS-8 Space Shuttle or downstream from a radio-frequency oxygen plasma, were compared. The major difference in surface chemistry induced by the two types of exposure to O(3P), both of which caused surface recession (etching), was a much larger uptake of oxygen by Kapton etched in the O2 plasma than in LEO. This difference is attributed to the presence of molecular oxygen in the plasma reactor and its absence in LEO: in the former case, O2 can react with radicals generated in the Kapton molecule as it etches, become incorporated in the etched polymer, and thereby yield a higher steady-state 'surface oxidation' level than in LEO.

International Journal of Engineering Education, 2009

Based upon a set of `big ideas' identified by recent workshops and a study report, a broad cu... more Based upon a set of `big ideas' identified by recent workshops and a study report, a broad curriculum framework has been developed for degree programs in nanoscale science and engineering (NSE). The framework is built around four essential areas or nodes in NSE that includeÐProcessing (how nano-entities are fabricated), Nanostructure (how the structure of nano-entities can be imaged and characterized), Properties (the resulting size-dependent and surface-related properties of nanostructured materials/devices), and Applications (how nanomaterials and nanodevices can be designed and engineered for the benefit of society), which can be abbreviated as `P-N-P-A'. This paper argues that the P-N-P-A rubric provides a tool for program and course construction and evaluation in higher education. An analysis of emerging NSE degree programs in the US suggests that improvements need to be made in the programmatic balance among the P-N-P-A nodes, with particular attention being paid to es...

Journal of Polymer …, 1992

Page 1. Plasma Copolymerization of Ethylene and Tetrafluoroethylene MORTON A. GOLUB,'” THEOD... more Page 1. Plasma Copolymerization of Ethylene and Tetrafluoroethylene MORTON A. GOLUB,'” THEODORE WYDEVEN,' and ROBERT D. CORMlA* 'NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California 94035, *Surface Science ...

Molecules

In this work, low-pressure synthesis of carbon spheres from resorcinol and formaldehyde using an ... more In this work, low-pressure synthesis of carbon spheres from resorcinol and formaldehyde using an autoclave is presented. The influence of reaction time and process temperature as well as the effect of potassium oxalate, an activator, on the morphology and CO2 adsorption properties was studied. The properties of materials produced at pressureless (atmospheric) conditions were compared with those synthesized under higher pressures. The results of this work show that enhanced pressure treatment is not necessary to produce high-quality carbon spheres, and the morphology and porosity of the spheres produced without an activation step at pressureless conditions are not significantly different from those obtained at higher pressures. In addition, CO2 uptake was not affected by elevated pressure synthesis. It was also demonstrated that addition of the activator (potassium oxalate) had much more effect on key properties than the applied pressure treatment. The use of potassium oxalate as an ...

Low-Dimensional Materials and Devices 2016

Materials Science and Engineering: C

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2016