Abstract: Methods of obtaining a titanium dioxide nanofilm or microfilm are provided herein. A pure sheet of titanium is irradiated with a CO2 laser to produce the titanium dioxide nanofilm or microfilm. The titanium sheet can optionally be doped with an oxide, such as barium oxide. The method produces titanium dioxide nanofilms or microfilms that can be produced in more than one phase, such as a rutile phase, an anatase phase, or both combined. The titanium dioxide nanofilms or microfilms can be directly fabricated with high purity without any further processing.

Abstract: The device for monitoring internal pipe deposit accumulation is a capacitance-based sensor for monitoring changes in thickness of deposits accumulating on an internal surface of a pipe. The device includes a pipe segment having opposed first and second open ends with at least one valve releasably sealing at least one of the first and second open ends. A first electrode, in the form of an electrically conductive cylindrical shell, is mounted on and surrounds a portion of an external surface of the pipe segment. A second electrode, in the form of an electrically conductive rod, is mounted coaxially within an interior of the pipe segment. An electrical power source is electrically connected across the first and second electrodes to form a cylindrical capacitor and changes in capacitance of the cylindrical capacitor are monitored by a controller.

Abstract: An electrode for a photovoltaic device such as a dye sensitized solar cell includes a uniform layer of ZnO nanorods formed on a transparent conductive substrate and a natural dye, such as pigments from a natural source like coffee, on the ZnO nanorods. A dye sensitized solar cell formed from the electrode as a working electrode and a carbon-based counter electrode, such as a carbon soot layer on a transparent conductive substrate. The electrode and dye sensitized solar cell are formed by a simple, cost effective, environmentally friendly and easily scalable method.