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As the semiconductor industry enters the post‐Moore era, reconfigurability on the device level, that incorporates multifunction in a device unit to realize more complex systems with more compact logic gates, is a promising methodology to extend the development of integrated circuit industry. Here, a reconfigurable carbon nanotube (CNT) barristor is developed on the basis of a Schottky barrier (SB) CNT transistor. The device shows a significant rectifying characteristic and can be reconfigured to a forward rectifying mode or a backward rectifying mode by applying an appropriate gate voltage. The reconfigurability originates from the ambipolar characteristics of the CNT channel, and the rectification behaviors can be attributed to the drain‐induced self‐gating effect. Additional experiments reveal that it is the interfacial charge redistribution that plays the role of an additional gate on the SB near the drain. A gate‐controllable half‐wave rectifier has been fabricated by using the reconfigurable CNT barristor. The CNT barristor brings new functions to CNT electronic devices and also opens up a new methodology for future reconfigurable device design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrathin MnO2/graphene oxide/carbon nanotube (G/M@CNT) interlayers are developed as efficient polysulfide-trapping shields for high-performance Li-S batteries. A simple layer-by-layer procedure is used to construct a sandwiched vein-membrane interlayer of thickness 2 µm and areal density 0.104 mg cm−2 by loading MnO2 nanoparticles and graphene oxide (GO) sheets on superaligned carbon nanotube films. The G/M@CNT interlayer provides a physical shield against both polysulfide shuttling and chemical adsorption of polysulfides by MnO2 nanoparticles and GO sheets. The synergetic effect of the G/M@CNT interlayer enables the production of Li-S cells with high sulfur loadings (60-80 wt%), a low capacity decay rate (−0.029% per cycle over 2500 cycles at 1 C), high rate performance (747 mA h g−1 at a charge rate of 10 C), and a low self-discharge rate with high capacity retention (93.0% after 20 d rest). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and scanning electron microscopy observations of the Li anodes after cycling confirm the polysulfide-trapping ability of the G/M@CNT interlayer and show its potential in developing high-performance Li-S batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon nanotube (CNT) current collectors with excellent flexibility, extremely low density (0.04 mg cm−2), and tunable thickness are fabricated by cross-stacking continuous CNT films drawn from super-aligned CNT arrays. Compared with metal current collectors, better wetting, stronger adhesion, greater mechanical durability, and lower contact resistance are demonstrated at the electrode/CNT interface. Electrodes with CNT current collectors show improvements in cycling stability, rate capability, and gravimetric energy density over those with metal current collectors. These results suggest that CNT films can function as a promising type of current collector for lightweight and flexible lithium ion batteries with high energy density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible actuators have important applications in artificial muscles, robotics, optical devices, and so on. However, most of the conventional actuators have only actuation function, lacking in real‐time sensing signal feedbacks. Here, to break the limitation and add functionality in conventional actuators, a graphene‐based actuator with integrated‐sensing function is reported, which avoids the dependence on image post‐processing for actuation detection and realizes real‐time measurement of the shape‐deformation amplitudes of the actuator. The actuator is able to show a large bending actuation (curvature of 1.1 cm−1) based on a dual‐mode actuation mechanism when it is driven by near infrared light. Meanwhile, the relative resistance change of the actuator is −17.5%. The sensing function is attributed to piezoresistivity and thermoresistivity of the reduced graphene oxide and paper composite. This actuator can be used as a strain sensor to monitor human motions. A smart gripper based on the actuators demonstrates perfect integration of the actuating and sensing functions, which can not only grasp and release an object, but also sense every actuation state of the actuator. The developed integrated‐sensing actuator is hopeful to open new application fields in soft robotics, artificial muscles, flexible wearable devices, and other integrated‐multifunctional devices. A graphene‐based actuator with integrated‐sensing function is developed. It realizes real‐time measurements of the shape deformation of the actuator. A smart gripper based on the actuator demonstrates perfect integration of actuating and sensing functions. It can not only grasp and release an object, but also sense every actuation state of the actuator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]