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Background: Liver cancer is the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fourth most common cause of cancer death. The purpose of this work is to find new diagnostic biomarkers or prognostic biomarkers and explore the biological functions related to the prognosis of liver cancer.Methods: GSE25097 datasets were firstly obtained and compared with TCGA LICA datasets and an analysis of the overlapping differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was conducted. Cytoscape was used to screen out the Hub Genes among the DEGs. ROC curve analysis was used to screen the Hub Genes to determine the genes that could be used as diagnostic biomarkers. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards model screened genes associated with prognosis biomarkers, and further Gene Set Enrichment Analysis was performed on the prognosis genes to explore the mechanism affecting the survival and prognosis of liver cancer patients.Results: 790 DEGs and 2162 DEGs were obtained respectively from the GSE25097 and TCGA LIHC data sets, and 102 Common DEGs were identified by overlapping the two DEGs. Further screening identified 22 Hub Genes from 102 Common DEGs. ROC and survival curves were used to analyze these 22 Hub Genes and it was found that there were 16 genes with a value of AUC > 90%. Among these, the expression levels of ESR1,SPP1 and FOSB genes were closely related to the survival time of liver cancer patients. Three common pathways of ESR1, FOBS and SPP1 genes were identified along with seven common pathways of ESR1 and SPP1 genes and four common pathways of ESR1 and FOSB genes.Conclusions: SPP1, AURKA, NUSAP1, TOP2A, UBE2C, AFP, GMNN, PTTG1, RRM2, SPARCL1, CXCL12, FOS, DCN, SOCS3, FOSB and PCK1 can be used as diagnostic biomarkers for liver cancer, among which FOBS and SPP1 genes can also be used as prognostic biomarkers. Activation of the cell cycle-related pathway, pancreas beta cells pathway, and the estrogen signaling pathway, while on the other hand inhibition of the hallmark heme metabolism pathway, hallmark coagulation pathway, and the fat metabolism pathway may promote prognosis in liver cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Large-area Bi 2 O 2 Se film composed of many single crystal nanosheets was synthesized. • The layered Bi 2 O 2 Se film features a sharp interface with the SrTiO 3 substrate. • Bi 2 O 2 Se photodetector exhibits excellent cycling stability and long-term stability. • Bi 2 O 2 Se photodetector displays good imaging capability and rapid light extraction. Two-dimensional (2D) materials have proven to be a highly promising candidate for applications in electronic and optoelectronic devices due to their attractive structure and properties. However, the micron-scale dimensions, random distribution on the substrate, and complex transfer processes of 2D materials inevitably cause difficulties in device integration, which limits practical applications in photodetection. Herein, high-quality 2D Bi 2 O 2 Se film (2×2 cm) composed of numerous single crystal nanosheets on SrTiO 3 substrate was prepared employing the chemical vapor deposition method. The layered Bi 2 O 2 Se film features a perfect atomic alignment free of lattice mismatch and a sharp interface with the SrTiO 3 substrate. Afterward, a broadband photodetector based on 2D Bi 2 O 2 Se film was directly constructed, which covered the ultraviolet, visible and infrared range from 365 to 940 nm and demonstrated a fast response speed of 32 ms and 44 ms, maximum responsivity and detectivity of 136 mA/W and 2×109 Jones. Importantly, fast on/off behavior for 100 cycles and reliable photoresponse after storage in air for 1 year confirmed the excellent cycling stability and air stability of the Bi 2 O 2 Se photodetector. Furthermore, the Bi 2 O 2 Se photodetector as a single point sensing pixel was capable to perform high-resolution imaging of "H, I, T" patterns. This research affirms the huge potential of Bi 2 O 2 Se photodetectors to perform as reliable multi-band detection units in complex systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, bismuth oxychalcogenide family (Bi 2 O 2 X, X S, Se, Te), led by Bi 2 O 2 Se with unique characteristics, have emerged as promising candidates for high-performance optoelectronic devices. Herein, the novel Bi 2 O 2 S flowers with hierarchical structure have been successfully prepared via a facile hydrothermal method with only 3 h of reaction. The as-prepared Bi 2 O 2 S flower is composed of many ultrathin nanosheets (NSs) with a thickness of about 12–16 nm. And the possible formation mechanism of ultrathin NSs self-assembled Bi 2 O 2 S flowers is further analyzed. In addition, a self-powered infrared photodetector based on Bi 2 O 2 S flowers, which can work without an external power, is designed. Under illumination at 850 nm light, the Bi 2 O 2 S flowers photodetector exhibits well photoresponse switching behaviors, of which the high responsivity, specific detectivity and fast response time reach up to 9.48 mA/W, 9.96 × 1010 Jones and 227.7 ms, respectively. Of particular note, the Bi 2 O 2 S flowers photodetector also possesses the eximious stability. [Display omitted] ● The Bi 2 O 2 S flowers composed of 2D ultrathin nanosheets were prepared on the fluorine-doped tin oxide substrate. ● The Bi 2 O 2 S flowers infrared photodetector exhibits a high responsivity of 9.48 mA/W and detectivity of 9.96 × 1010 Jones. ● The Bi 2 O 2 S flowers infrared photodetector possesses eximious stability, and can operated without an external power source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A facile hydrothermal method has been developed to grow large-scale ZnO nanorods arrays (NRs) on boron-doped diamond (BDD) films at a low temperature of 95°C. The ZnO nanorods with average diameter of 200nm are single-crystal hexagonal structure and grow along the [001] direction. The thin ZnO film plays a key role in driving the nucleation and growth of the ZnO NRs on BDD films. It has been demonstrated that the ZnO nanorods are grown vertically on diamond facets, and this growth behavior is independent of types of diamond facets. The growth mechanism and room temperature photoluminescence (PL) properties of ZnO NRs are investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

By adopting the alkali metal sodium ion (Na+) doping strategy, the grain size of Cs 3 Bi 2 I 9 (CBI) thin film is significantly increased and the non-radiative recombination defects are effectively passivated. Therefore, the self-powered broadband detection performance of photoelectrochemical detector based on the high-quality CBIN x thin films is greatly enhanced. [Display omitted] • Defect passivated lead-free Cs 3 Bi 2 I 9 polycrystalline perovskite thin film was prepared by alkali metal sodium cation doping. • A simple self-powered broadband photoelectrochemical detector based on Cs 3 Bi 2 I 9 thin film was fabricated. • The detector exhibits excellent photodetection performance without bias at UV, visible and near-infrared region. All-inorganic lead-free bismuth-based perovskites have attracted great interest in the optoelectronic applications due to their low toxicity and excellent stability. However, the inherent polycrystalline (PC) of perovskite films suffers severe charge recombination due to the large numbers of trap density. Herein, high-quality Cs 3 Bi 2 I 9 (CBI) PC thin films are prepared by solution process with alkali sodium (Na+) cation doping strategy, resulting large grain size and lower trap density. Afterward, the photoelectrochemical-type detectors based on Na+ doped CBI thin film is constructed for the first time. The photodetector displays a broadband photoresponse covering ultraviolet (UV), visible and near-infrared (NIR) ranges. Significantly, by precisely controlling Na+ doping concentration, the performance of photodetector can be largely enhanced with the highest responsivity of 53.38 mA/W and detectivity of 5.99 × 109 Jones without bias, and these results exceed the performance of most reported CBI PC thin film based photodetectors. In addition, the photodetector exhibits an obvious increase in photoresponse and outstanding photo-stability after more than 150 on/off cycles. Finally, the mechanism of Na+ doping is further discussed. These results provide an outstanding example for the preparing high-quality CBI PC thin film and also demonstrate the great potential of CBI in the application of self-powered broadband photodetectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

B-doped ZnO (B-ZnO) microspheres have been fabricated on PET-ITO flexible substrate by hydrothermal method. The B atoms play an important role in the formation of ZnO microspheres. The results of first-principles calculations demonstrate that the B atoms prefer to occupy the octahedral interstice positions as the interstitial atoms, which can lead to the decrease of band gap. The B-ZnO/PET-ITO shows significantly enhanced efficiency of photocatalytic activities with good recyclable behavior. The corresponding mechanism is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional photoelectrochemical-type (PEC-type) photodetectors have encountered several obstacles in practical application, such as the loss of photoelectrons due to interface charge recombination, short-term performance, and the problem of liquid electrolyte leakage. Herein, a novel quasi-solid-state polysulfide gel electrolyte (QSSPGE) is developed through the integration of liquid polysulfide into the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) gel matrix. The PVA gel plays the dual function of passivating the surface trap states of bismuth telluride (Bi 2 Te 3) nanosheets and suppressing the leakage and volatilization of the liquid polysulfide electrolyte. Impressively, the PEC-type Bi 2 Te 3 photodetector based on the QSSPGE exhibits a boosted responsivity of 4.91 mA W−1 and a fast rise/decay time of 14/99 ms under 365 nm illumination, outperforming the responsivity (4.32 mA W−1) of PEC-type Bi 2 Te 3 photodetector based on liquid polysulfide. More importantly, the photocurrent density of the device remains at 95% and 81% of the initial value after being stored in air for one month and heated at 80 ℃ for 240 min, respectively, demonstrating excellent long-term stability and thermal stability. Additionally, the high-resolution imaging capacity of the device is demonstrated. This work provides an effective strategy for fabricating high-performance, stable PEC-type optoelectronic devices. [Display omitted] • A novel quasi-solid-state polysulfide gel electrolyte (QSSPGE) is developed. • Interface charge recombination between Bi 2 Te 3 and QSSPGE is suppressed. • Responsivity of the device is boosted from 4.32 mA W−1 to 4.91 mA W−1. • The device based on QSSPGE exhibits excellent thermal and long-term stability. • The stable imaging capacity of the device is demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel molecular design strategy of "LRCT-enhanced RISC process" has been demonstrated to be effective to overcome the potential limit of MR-TADF emitters, namely tCzBN-PQ and tCzBN-PQCz. The secondary donor–acceptor unit in tCzBN-PQCz provides dual LRCT channels to further enhance RISC and suppress intermolecular aggregation, and also the largely improve EQE with small efficiency roll-off. [Display omitted] • Two novel MR-TADF emitters with secondary acceptor unit or donor–acceptor unit. • The dual LRCT channels enhance RISC and suppress intermolecular aggregation. • Achieving large EQE of 35.1% with small roll-off and small FWHM in green OLED. Multi-resonance thermally activated delayed fluorescence (MR-TADF) presents great potential for applications in high-quality organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) displays due to their superb properties of high color purity and high quantum efficiencies. Nonetheless, most reported MR-TADF emitters show unsatisfactory devices performances with severe efficiency roll-off resulted from their inherent issues of slow reverse intersystem crossing rate (k RISC) and aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ). Herein, we propose a novel strategy by employing quinazoline derivatives as secondary acceptor (PQ) and secondary donor–acceptor (PQCz) to provide intermediate locally excited triplet (3LE) states and then enhance spin-orbital coupling (SOC). In addition, the secondary donor–acceptor group PQCz in tCzBN-PQCz can suppress intermolecular interaction and provide dual long-range charge transfer (LRCT) channels to further enhance k RISC. Therefore, tCzBN-PQ and tCzBN-PQCz exhibit high k RISC of 5.6 × 105 s−1 and 7.3 × 105 s−1 with large photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 89 % and 95 % respectively. Consequently, OLED based on tCzBN-PQ and tCzBN-PQCz show excellent external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 30.2 % and 35.1 % with small efficiency roll-off and small full width at half maxima (FWHM) of 37 nm and 34 nm respectively. Especially, tCzBN-PQCz exhibits better performances and less-sensitive to the doping concentration which proves the effectiveness of this secondary donor–acceptor group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Scaly-like hollow SnSe nanotubes (NTs) were synthesized by a green and rapid solution method. • Light utilization efficiency is improved due to unique scaly-like hollow structure and large surface area of the SnSe NTs. • SnSe NTs infrared photodetector can realize efficient and stable IR light detection free of the external power. [Display omitted] SnSe nanotubes (NTs) have been successfully synthesized via a simple solution method. The as-synthesized tubular crystals with orthorhombic structure are composed of numerous scaly nanosheets which distributed hierarchically. The average diameter of the SnSe NTs is roughly 180 nm and length primarily concentrate in the range of 1–3 µm. It was found that Se nanowires were served as a template and as an only source of Se ion for the formation of SnSe NTs. Furthermore, a novel self-powered infrared photodetector (IRPD) established on the SnSe NTs with desirable detection performance was fabricated. Exposed to IR illumination of 830 nm, the SnSe NTs IRPD displays a maximal photocurrent density of 46.46 nA/cm2 and a rapid photoresponse, together with the rise time and decay time approach up to 0.174 s and 0.349 s, respectively. Meanwhile, it can be recognized that the SnSe NTs IRPD remain consistent and repeatable at zero voltage. Moreover, a plausible mechanism for IR detection based on the SnSe NTs IRPD are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development trend of modern electronics and optoelectronics is constantly moving towards highly integrated, comprehensive, and miniaturized devices. Vertical configuration provides an easy means to achieve higher integration density than traditional planar configuration, and possess higher carrier generation capabilities and transfer speed, which can further enhance the performance of optoelectronic devices. This technology holds tremendous potential for designing the next generation of electronic/optoelectronic devices. In this work, we developed a vertical heterojunction photodetector, which combines narrow-bandgap 2D topological insulator Bi 2 Se 3 , ultra-wide-bandgap amorphous Ga 2 O 3 , and high-performance p-Si substrate, achieving broad-spectrum detection from 254 to 1000 nm and significantly shortened response time due to the advantage of carrier vertical transmission. The response time of the device is less than 50 ms under illumination with different wavelengths. Moreover, the device exhibits self-powered characteristics, with maximum responsivity and detectivity of 0.175 mA/W and 1.58 × 1010 Jones, respectively, under 365 nm light irradiation at zero bias. A switch ratio as high as 10 3 is demonstrated under 365 and 470 nm illumination, highlighting the high performance of device. Additionally, the device displays excellent stability and imaging capability. Our research provides a promising and instructive prospect for the practical application of vertical broadband self-powered heterojunction PDs in a wider range of fields. • A vertical self-powered Bi 2 Se 3 /a-Ga 2 O 3 /p-Si heterojunction PD was achieved. • The device showed broadband response (254–1000 nm) and imaging ability. • Switch ratio as high as 103 under 365 and 470 nm illumination was presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All-inorganic metal halide perovskite is considered as one of the most promising perovskite materials for photodetectors, because of its remarkable optoelectronic characteristics and stability. Whereas, it remains challenge to achieve both excellent photodetection performance and stability due to the multitudes of defects in perovskite films. Herein, an interface engineering based on surface passivation strategy to achieve high-quality CsPbBr 3 perovskite films by introducing thioacetamide (C 2 H 5 NS, abbreviated as TAA) as interface materials is reported. The interaction between TAA and perovskite passivates the uncoordinated Pb2+ on the surface of CsPbBr 3 film, suppress carrier non-recombination and accelerates carriers transfer. The self-powered photodetector based on the passivated CsPbBr 3 film prefers the maximum responsivity of 0.26 A W−1 and detectivity of 8.39 × 1012 Jones under 520 nm irradiation. In addition, the optimized photodetector exhibits excellent stability and maintains more than 98% of its initial photocurrent when operating over 8 h. This work demonstrates an alternative approach for the preparation of improved performance in CsPbBr 3 perovskite photodetectors and associated photoelectric devices. [Display omitted] • Introducing thioacetamide into the perovskite device as interface layer. • The device is self-powered, high-detectivity and rapidly detection to radiation. • The device achieved a champion responsivity of 0.26 A/W with excellent stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lycorine is an isoquinoline alkaloid in Amaryllidaceae with antitumor, antibacterial, antiviral, diuretic and cardiovascular effects. This study explored the antitumor mechanism of lycorine in vitro and in vivo by focusing on its effects on tumor cell membrane fraction and tumor cell membrane structure. The results showed that lycorine had antitumor effect on H22 tumor-bearing mice in vivo and could effectively prolong the survival time of H22 tumor-bearing mice. In vitro, lycorine inhibited the proliferation of HepG-2 cells and induced cell death significantly. Lycorine reduced the total protein content, sialic acid content and cholesterol content on the surface of tumor cell membrane, and reduced the content of some main components of tumor cell membranes. Lycorine reduced the membrane fluidity and cell membrane integrity of tumor cells. In addition, the ion channel (Na+, K+-ATPase, Ca2+, Mg2+-ATPase) activity on the surface of the tumor cell membrane decreased. This contributed to a significant antitumor effect in vitro and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, (Al x Ga 1-x) 2 O 3 thin films were grown on Al 2 O 3 (0001) substrate by radio frequency magnetron sputtering using Al/Ga 2 O 3 target. The analysis of crystalline structure, morphology, transmittance and bandgap after various annealing temperatures were investigated in detail. The films were oriented along ( 2 — 01) plane, and the crystalline quality improved with increasing annealing temperature. The stoichiometries of films can be regard as (Al 0.33 Ga 0.67) 2 O 3 according to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and the additional compressive stress in the sample which annealed at 900 °C was certified. The bandgap of annealed films was totally decreased due to increasing magnitude of compressive stress and grain size. Therefore, these results may suggest the way to tune the band gap of β-(Al x Ga 1-x) 2 O 3 films by varying the residual stress through annealing and indicate the optimum annealing temperature for (Al 0.33 Ga 0.67) 2 O 3 thin films is about 800 °C. • The (Al x Ga 1-x) 2 O 3 films were deposited using Al/Ga 2 O 3 target. • All the samples were monoclinic structure with the (−201) preferred orientation. • Post-annealing can improve the crystalline of (Al x Ga 1-x) 2 O 3 thin films. • The remigration of Al atoms took place after annealing at 900 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Three novel MR-TADF emitters with secondary donors were designed to enhance RISC. • Rigid and steric molecular geometry greatly reduce intermolecular interactions. • OLEDs with large EQE of 34.1%∼36.5% are obtained with small FWHMs. Multi-resonance thermally activated delayed fluorescence (MR-TADF) emitters have been considered to be one of the most desirable materials for high-quality organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) owing to their small full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) and outstanding device performance. However, there are still some inherent issues that restrict their further practical applications, such as slow reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) rate (k RISC), and severe intermolecular aggregation. Herein, three MR-TADF emitters, SPAC-tCzBN, SPBAC-tCzBN and o-SPAC-tCzBN, were designed and synthesized by introducing the secondary donor into tCzBN, which successfully realized the modification of the excited states and therefore achieved the enhanced RISC process. Furthermore, the rigid and steric molecular geometry greatly block the intermolecular forces between adjacent molecule and then reduce the concentration-induced quenching and spectral broadening. Consequently, OLEDs based on these emitters showed state-of-the-art external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) of 34.1%∼36.5% with narrow FWHM of 24 nm ∼ 28 nm. Meanwhile, the emission peaks and FWHM in EL spectra show much-promised less-sensitive to the doping concentration owing to suppressed intermolecular interactions. This work demonstrates a novel and effective MR-TADF molecular design strategy to realize high-quality OLEDs with extreme color purity and remarkable device efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, Ga 2 O 3 thin films were grown on Al 2 O 3 (0001) substrate by radio frequency magnetron sputtering. The influence of sputtering power on crystalline structure, morphology, transmittance, band gap, and photoluminescence were investigated in detail. X-ray diffraction results showed that the β-Ga 2 O 3 films were oriented along ( 2 ¯ 01 ) plane, and the crystalline quality improved with increasing sputtering power. Scanning electron microscope images revealed that the proportion of large-size grain increased with increasing sputtering power. The β-Ga 2 O 3 films displayed very high transmittance close to 100% in visible region. Photoluminescence spectra showed that all the films exhibited intense blue and green emission centered at approximately 430 nm and 550 nm originated from the donor-acceptor pair recombination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perylene diimide-based small molecular (PDI-4N) was designed and synthesized through a smiple one-step reaction as efficient cathode interface layers (CIL) in inverted PVSC, and PDI-2N was also synthesized as a contrast. Multi-dimethyl amine groups in the N- and bay- positions of PDI-4N give PDI4N better alcohol solubility, higher conductivity, electron mobility, self-doping property. Corresponding inverted PVSC with PDI-4N CIL manifests a promising power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 21.33%, and synthetic complexity (SC) and industrial figure of merit (IFOM) of PDI-4N are very low than many other cathode interface materials having been reported. Moreover, good stability with a PCE loss of only ∼2.0 % after 600 h is also obtained for PDI-4N based device. [Display omitted] • Two PDI-based cathode interfacial materials were synthesized with a simple method. • The promising synthetic complexity (SC) of 13.95 % and IFOM of 0.65 are obtained. • PCEs of up to 21.33 % in perovskite solar cells were obtained with good stability. Interface engineering plays an important role in improving the performance of perovskite devices. Herein, we reported two perylenediimide small molecular cathode interface materials (CIMs), PDI-2N and PDI-4N, synthesized by a simple method and with good alcohol soluble, which could be used as cathode interfacial layer (CIL) for high-performance inverted perovskite solar cells (PVSCs). The PDI-4N exhibits larger electrical conductivity, electron mobility and self-doping properties than PDI-2N because of more dimethylamino functional groups in the amide positions. Based on these superiorities, a peak PCE of 21.33% with PDI-4N as CIL was achieved, which is the highest PCE for PDI-based interlayer materials as the cathode interlayer in inverted PVSCs. While the PCE with PDI-2N as CIL is only 17.41%. The significant improvement in device efficiency for PDI-4N based device is due to reduced defect density, lower dark current, larger recombination resistance and better surface morphology, which improved charge transport and collection at the PC 61 BM/Ag interface. Moreover, the ambient stabilities of PVSCs with PDI-2N and PDI-4N as CIL show that the CILs can effectively improve the device stability, and good stability with a PCE loss of only ∼3.0% after 600 h is also obtained. In a word, this work will provide us with molecular design approach by one-step to develop novel cathode interface materials with functional side chains for high-efficiency PVSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural and optical properties of In 0.20 Ga 0.80 N/Al x In y Ga 1− x − y N multiple quantum wells samples with varying Al content in barrier layers grown on sapphire substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition have been investigated by means of high-resolution X-ray diffraction, Raman scattering measurements and temperature-dependent photoluminescence. Raman measurements verified the existence of In-rich clusters in ternary and quaternary layers. At 10 K and 300 K, the PL spectrum of each sample is dominated by a sharp emission peak arising from In 0.20 Ga 0.80 N well layers. The anomalous temperature-dependent S-shaped behaviors of emission energies have been observed, indicating the presence of localized states induced by the potential fluctuations in the quantum wells due to the inhomogeneous distribution of In-rich clusters. The degree of the localization effect and the transition temperatures between different temperature regions can be enhanced by increasing Al content in barrier layers. The improvement of the localized states emission has been observed at the lower energy side of band gap emission of quantum wells with increasing Al content. The origin of the deep localized states could be attributed to the larger quantum-confined Stark effect in the quantum wells with higher Al content. The recombination mechanism of carriers between band edge and localized states was proposed for interpreting of the emission characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiO 2 /SnO 2 double-shelled hollow spheres are successfully synthesized by two-step liquid-phase deposition method using carbon sphere templates. The formation process of TiO 2 /SnO 2 hollow spheres is discussed. The samples are characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. The behavior of photogenerated charges in the TiO 2 /SnO 2 heterojunction structures has been investigated through surface photovoltage spectroscopy. The TiO 2 /SnO 2 hollow spheres which are realized show significantly enhanced photocatalytic activities, with respect to the cases of SnO 2 and TiO 2 hollow spheres. Furthermore, TiO 2 /SnO 2 hollow spheres show good recyclable photocatalytic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The blue and green emission in β-Ga 2 O 3 were modulated by intrinsic defects. • Green emission in β-Ga 2 O 3 film originated from isolated gallium vacancies. • Isolated oxygen vacancies can't play the role in blue emission independently. • Blue emission resulted from complex oxygen-defects. In this work, the β-Ga 2 O 3 films were fabricated by radio frequency magnetron sputtering on the c-plane sapphire substrates with the (2 ¯ 01) preferred orientation. The blue and green luminescence of β-Ga 2 O 3 films have been systemically studied. By changing the concentration of intrinsic vacancies in β-Ga 2 O 3 films through increasing oxygen flow rate during sputtering, the intensity of blue and green luminescence were modulated. The maximum value of the intensity ratio for green luminescence to blue luminescence reached to 433.37% when the oxygen flow rate arrived at 6 sccm. Combining experiments with density functional theory calculations, this work had proved the green luminescence in β-Ga 2 O 3 mainly originated from the isolated gallium vacancies. While the isolated oxygen vacancies could not play the important roles in the blue emission independently. The blue luminescence most likely resulted from complex defects such as (V O I + V Ga I ) − or the optical transitions between V O and (V O , V Ga). Thus, changing the concentration of intrinsic vacancies is highly effective for β-Ga 2 O 3 to modulate the intensity of green luminescence and blue luminescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• MAPbCl 3 and amorphous Ga 2 O 3 formed a hybrid structure for the first time. • The responsivity enhanced nearly 70 times by inserting the amorphous Ga 2 O 3 layer. • The MAPbCl 3 /amorphous Ga 2 O 3 photodetector is sensitive with high-detectivity. • The performance of polycrystalline detector is comparable to single crystal device. • The detector is self-powered and realizes accurate detection of UVA radiation. [Display omitted] UVA radiation can survive from the absorption of atmospheric layer and reaches the terrestrial surface, which is harmful to human eyes, blood vessels, and elastic fibers. It is meaningful to detect the UVA radiation precisely. A sensitive, high-detectivity and self-powered UVA detector based on polycrystalline CH 3 NH 3 PbCl 3 /amorphous Ga 2 O 3 hybrid structure is presented in this work. Under zero bias, the rise/decay time of the photodetector are 56/67 ms, and the detectivity reaches up to 5.4 × 1010 Jones. The performance is even superior to most of the reported devices based on CH 3 NH 3 PbCl 3 single crystal. The heterojunction between amorphous Ga 2 O 3 and CH 3 NH 3 PbCl 3 accelerates the separation of photon-generated carrier and effectively reduces the recombination. In addition, the high resistivity and low surface roughness of the amorphous Ga 2 O 3 layer also contribute to the improvement of device parameters. This study offers new insights to improve the polycrystalline MAPbCl 3 devices by ultra-wide bandgap amorphous semiconductors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Our experiments show that cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) has an obvious effect on the particle size of the precipitation of Gd(OH)3. Without CTAB, the particle size of the Gd(OH)3 precipitation is about 50 nm, whereas with CTAB, the particle size is less than 5 nm. We propose a mechanism where CTAB micelles work as a catalyst for the nucleation process and result in the precipitation of 5 nm particles. These small particles, after heat treatment at 1073 K, did not result in small Gd2O3 nanoparticles of the same size, but instead, forming crystals of 30–80 nm size in both cubic and monoclinic phases. When monitoring the photoluminescence (PL) peak at 610 nm, we found that the charge transfer state (CTS) absorption amplitude of Eu–O is reduced in the mixed structures. We speculate that the mixed structures modify the surface properties of the Gd2O3:Eu nanoparticles, leading to the reduction of Eu–O CTS absorption. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Recently, different kinds of energy band structures have been utilized to improve the photoelectric properties of zinc oxide (ZnO). In this work, ZnO nanorods were prepared by the hydrothermal method and then decorated with silver sulfide (Ag2S)/zinc sulfide (ZnS) via two-step successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction method. The photoelectric properties of nanocomposites are investigated. The results show that ZnO decorated with Ag2S/ZnS can improve the photocurrent of photodetectors from 0.34 to 0.56 A at bias of 9 V. With the immersion time increasing from 15 to 60 minutes, the photocurrent of photodetectors increases by 0.22 A. The holes in the valence band of ZnO can be transferred to the valence band of ZnS and Ag2S, which promotes the separation and suppresses the recombination of hole-electron pairs generated in ZnO. Moreover, electrons excited by ultraviolet (UV) light in Ag2S can also be injected into the conduction band of ZnO, which causes the photocurrent to increase more than the ZnO photodetector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-Assembly Synthesis of the MoS 2 /PtCo Alloy Counter Electrodes for High-Efficiency and Stable Low-Cost Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. The authors apologize for any inconvenience caused and state that the scientific conclusions are unaffected. Reference 1 Zeng Z., Wang D., Wang J., Jiao S., Huang Y., Zhao S., Zhang B., Ma M., Gao S., Feng X. Self-Assembly Synthesis of the MoS2/PtCo Alloy Counter Electrodes for High-Efficiency and Stable Low-Cost Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. [Extracted from the article]

Photocatalytic water splitting into hydrogen is regarded as one of the key solutions to the deterioration of the global environment and energy. Due to the significantly reduced grain boundaries, ZnO nanorods facilitate a fast electron transfer through their smooth tunnels and are well suited as a photocatalyst. However, the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance of pristine ZnO nanorods is still low due to the high recombination rate of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and the less light absorption. Here, a novel structure about black ZnO nanorods (NRs)/TiO2-X mesoporous spheres (MSs) heterojunction has been prepared and the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance has been explored. The photocatalytic activity test results showed that ZnO NRs/TiO2-X MSs exhibited higher catalytic activity than ZnO NRs for hydrogen production. Compared to the pure ZnO NRs photoanode, the photocurrent of ZnO NRs/TiO2-X MSs heterojunction photoanode could reach 0.41 mA/cm2 in view of the expanding spectral response region and effective inhibition of e−/h+ recombination at the same condition. Using a relatively integrated experimental investigation and mechanism analysis, we scrutinized that after being treated with NaBH4, TiO2 MSs introduce oxygen vacancies expanding the photocatalytic activity of pure TiO2, and improving conductivity and charge transport capabilities through coating on ZnO NRs. More importantly, the results provide a promising approach in the NRs/MSs composite structure serving as photoanodes for photocatalytic hydrogen production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, MoS2 microspheres/PtCo-alloy nanoparticles (MoS2/PtCo-alloy NPs) were composited via a novel and facile process which MoS2 is functionalized by poly (N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP) and self-assembled with PtCo-alloy NPs. This new composite shows excellent electrocatalytic activity and great potential for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) as a counter electrode (CE) material. Benefiting from heterostructure and synergistic effects, the MoS2/PtCo-alloy NPs exhibit high electrocatalytic activity, low charge-transfer resistance and stability in the cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) test. Meanwhile, a high power-conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.46% is achieved in DSSCs with MoS2/PtCo-alloy NP CEs, which are comparable to traditional Pt CEs (8.45%). This novel composite provides a new high-performance, stable and cheap choice for CEs in DSSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The (In x Ga 1-x) 2 O 3 thin films were deposited on sapphire substrates by radio frequency magnetron sputtering with increasing sputtering pressure from 0.6 Pa to 1.6 Pa. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated In composition of (In x Ga 1-x) 2 O 3 thin films maintained constant with the increase of sputtering pressure and In content and bandgaps of (In x Ga 1-x) 2 O 3 thin films were estimated to be 6% and 4.78 eV by Vegard's law, respectively. The influence of sputtering pressure on structural and optical properties was discussed in detail. Especially, the origin of different emission of (In x Ga 1-x) 2 O 3 thin films was investigated. The role of V Ga defects on the green emission centered at about 550 nm had been clarified. The energy band diagram of (In x Ga 1-x) 2 O 3 thin film was also proposed with intrinsic defect levels. • In content of (In x Ga 1-x) 2 O 3 films is 6% for all sputtering pressure condition. • Defects play an important role in luminescence. • Green luminescence is related to gallium vacancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]