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Lead‐free tin perovskite solar cells (PKSCs) have attracted tremendous interest as a replacement for toxic lead‐based PKSCs. Nevertheless, the efficiency is significantly low due to the rough surface morphology and high number of defects, which are caused by the fast crystallization and easy oxidization. In this study, a facile and universal posttreatment strategy of sequential passivation with acetylacetone (ACAC) and ethylenediamine (EDA) is proposed. The results show that ACAC can reduce the trap density and enlarge the grain size (short‐circuit current (Jsc) enhancement), while EDA can bond the undercoordinated tin and regulate the energy level (open‐circuit voltage (Voc) enhancement). A promising 13 % efficiency is achieved with better stability. In addition, other combinations of diketones or amines are selected, with similar effects. This study provides a universal strategy to enhance the crystallinity and passivate defects while fabricating stable PKSCs with high efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have attracted increasing interest as promising candidates for large-scale energy storage due to their low cost, natural abundance and similar chemical intercalation mechanism with lithium-ion batteries. However, achieving superior rate capability and long-life for SIBs remains a major challenge owing to the limitation of favorable anode materials selection. Herein, an elegant one-step solvothermal method was used to synthesize VS4 nanorods and VS4 nanorods/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanocomposites. The effects of ethylene carbonate/diethyl carbonate(EC/DEC), ethylene carbonate/dimethyl carbonate(EC/DMC), and tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (TEGDME) electrolytes on the electrochemical properties of VS4 nanorods were investigated. The VS4 nanorods electrodes exhibit high specific capacity in EC/DMC electrolytes. A theoretical calculation confirms the advance of EC/DMC electrolytes for VS4 nanorods. Significantly, the discharge capacity of VS4/RGO nanocomposites remains 100 mAh/g after 2000 cycles at a large current density of 2 A/g, indicating their excellent cycling stability. The nanocomposites can improve the electronic conductivity and reduce the Na+ diffusion energy barrier, thereby effectively improving the sodium storage performance of the hybrid material. This work offers great potential for exploring promising anode materials for electrochemical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrafast-laser irradiated surfaces are self-organizing systems that form intricated micropatterns and nanopatterns. Different shapes of randomly and periodically dispersed nanostructures emerge from a homogenous metal surface, resulting in a remarkable display of dissipative structures. Under femtosecond laser irradiation with a controlled amount of energy, the formation of nanobreath-figure, nanocrosshatch, nanopeaks, nanohumps, nanobumps, nanocavities and nanolabyrinthine patterns are reported. The fabrication of these 2D different nanostructures may allow for novel surface functionalizations aimed at controlling mechanical, biological, optical, or chemical surface characteristics on a nanometric scale. We demonstrate that using crossed-polarized double laser pulses adds a new dimension to the nanostructuring process since the laser energy dose and multi-pulse feedback modify the energy gradient distribution, crossing key levels for surface self-organization regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural and food products are highly perishable, which require advanced detection methods to monitor their quality. Electrospinning technology is a novel fiber production technique using electric force to draw charged threads of polymer solutions, leading to the elongation and thinning of the fiber and forming uniform fibers with nanometer-scale diameters. Electrospun nanofibers have unique surface properties such as high specific surface area and porosity, which can increase their potential for use as sensors for rapid detection with high accuracy and sensitivity. This review summarizes recent advances in using electrospinning technology to synthesize nanofibers with high porous and rough surfaces. The nanofibers can be used in rapid sensing methods to monitor food quality and safety attributes, including contaminants such as pesticide residues. The morphological control of electrospun nanofibers to increase the resolution of rapid detection sensors was discussed. Some recent achievements in identifying different analytes using electrospinning technology are elaborated, including SERS, aptamer-based biosensors, surface plasmon resonance sensors, and the direct electron transfer method. Electrospinning technology can be used to control the surface properties of nanofibers to design sensors and substrates for the rapid detection of various contaminants. Recent studies showed an improvement in the performance of sensors, such as higher accuracy, a lower limit of detection, and higher resolution due to the use of electrospun scaffolds in the design of sensors. The combination of electrospinning technology with sensors has great potential for applications in the food industry. • Electrospinning concept is reviewed from the perspective of sensing systems. • A detailed guidance and workflow are elucidated based on designing high-porous electrospun nanofibers. • The use of electrospun structures in sensors significantly increases the speed, accuracy, and efficiency of sensors. • Electrospinning applications are summarized from the perspective of different classifications of sensor techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid submerged fermentation is an effective strategy to achieve large-scale production of active ingredients by macrofungi, and controlling mycelium morphology is a key factor restricting the development of this technology. Mining for superior morphological regulatory factors and elucidation of their regulatory mechanisms are vital for the further development of macrofungal fermentation technology. In this study, microparticles were used to control the morphology of Paraisaria dubia (P. dubia) in submerged fermentation, and the underlying regulatory mechanisms were revealed by transcriptomic. The relative frequency of S-type pellet diameter increased significantly from 7.14 to 88.31%, and biomass increased 1.54 times when 15 g/L talc was added. Transcriptome analysis showed that the morphological regulation of filamentous fungi was a complex biological process, which involved signal transduction, mycelium polar growth, cell wall synthesis and cell division, etc. It also showed a positive impact on the basic and secondary metabolism of P. dubia. We provided a theoretical basis for controlling the mycelium morphology of P. dubia in submerged fermentation, which will promote the development of macrofungal fermentation technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in the development of organic solar cells (OSCs) have produced power conversion efficiency (PCE) of over 19%. Various studies have been conducted on scalable coating methods that are compatible with large‐area production of organic photovoltaic modules. However, it is still difficult to control the bulk heterojunction (BHJ) morphology of the active layer during large‐scale fabrication of OSCs. This study reports a morphology‐controllable strategy in OSCs using water treatment (WT) in the stirring process of the active solution, thus resulting in vortex agitation. The effects of WT and water injection volume are investigated based on three reference cells for the optimization of small‐ and large‐area devices, and the physicochemical and optical properties of the films are compared with those without WT. The thin films with WT exhibit a smoother morphology than those without WT, indicating well‐dispersed donor–acceptor phases. Therefore, enhanced efficiencies of the films are achieved via WT. Furthermore, large‐area solar cell modules with a total effective area of 10 cm2 are fabricated, and they exhibit superior PCEs as high as 11.92% (H‐NF‐DIW10), indicating that the WT method is a simple and effective strategy to fabricate large‐area organic photovoltaic modules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preparing a high-performance Ni-rich single-crystal cathode for Li-ion batteries is challenging. This is because calcination must be performed at a high temperature to achieve particle sintering; however, Ni-rich layered cathode materials are damaged if calcination is performed at very high temperatures. Therefore, reducing the calcination temperature required for the synthesis of single-crystal cathodes can improve the performance of the cathode. In this study, a Ni-rich single-crystal Li[Ni0.9Co0.05Mn0.05]O2 (NCM90) cathode was successfully synthesized at a calcination temperature 50 °C lower than its optimal calcination temperature by introducing a Ce dopant. Depending on their properties, dopants affect the growth and sintering behaviors of cathode materials during calcination. W prevents the formation of single-crystal particles by retarding the growth and sintering of grains, whereas Ce promotes the formation of single-crystal particles. Leveraging this feature of Ce, a Ce-doped NCM90 cathode was synthesized at a calcination temperature of 800 °C; at this temperature, the pristine (undoped) NCM90 cathode remains polycrystalline. The Ce-doped NCM90 cathode delivers an initial capacity of 199.7 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C; moreover, cycled at 0.5 C, it retains 80.5% of its initial capacity after 100 cycles, demonstrating better cycling stability than a pristine NCM90 cathode. The reduced capacity loss of the Ce-doped NCM90 cathode is due to the protraction of the detrimental H2–H3 phase transition, as revealed by differential capacity analysis, and its superior thermal stability, which is attributed to the presence of Ce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effect of KBr salt on the growth of TiO2 nanorods (NRs) was systematically studied. The addition of KBr with different concentrations provides a controllable growth of TiO2 NRs using hydrothermal method. The results revealed that the presence of KBr molecules affects the growth rate by suppressing the growth in the lateral direction and allowing for axial growth. This results in affecting the morphology by decreasing the diameter of the nanorods, and increasing the free space between them. Enhancing the free spaces between the adjacent nanorods gives rise to remarkable increase in the internal surface area, with more exposure side surface. To obtain benefit from the enlargement in the inner surface area, TiO2 NRs were used for the preparation of MoS2/TiO2 heterostructures. To study the influence of the morphology on their activity, TiO2 NRs samples with different KBr concentrations as well as the MoS2/TiO2 heterostructures were evaluated towards the photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zeolites, an important class of microporous crystals, have been widely utilized in the fields of catalysis, ion-exchange, separation, and sorption for a long time. In general, zeolites are synthesized in the presence of costly organic templates under hydrothermal conditions by trial-and-error method, which is not only environmentally unfriendly but also labor-intensive. In recent years, novel concepts of design for zeolite synthesis, which are sustainable, cheap, simple, and efficient, have been developed. In this review, the recent advances in design for zeolite synthesis will be briefly summarized, mainly including the design of organic templates for directing the formation of zeolites, design of organotemplate-free route for zeolite synthesis, design of solvent-free strategy for zeolite synthesis, design for novel interzeolite transformation, and targeted control of zeolite morphologies. This review might be helpful for developing sustainable routes for targeted synthesis of zeolites in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Platinum–carbon catalysts are widely used in the manufacturing of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells. Increasing Pt/C activity and stability is an urgent task and the optimization of their structure seems to be one of the possible solutions. In the present paper, Pt/C electrocatalysts containing small (2–2.6 nm) nanoparticles (NPs) of a similar size, uniformly distributed over the surface of a carbon support, were obtained by the original method of liquid-phase synthesis. A comparative study of the structural characteristics, catalytic activity in the oxygen electroreduction reaction (ORR), and durability of the synthesized catalysts, as well as their commercial analogs, was carried out. It was shown that the uniformity of the structural and morphological characteristics of Pt/C catalysts makes it possible to reduce the negative effect of the small size of NPs on their stability. As a result, the obtained catalysts were significantly superior to their commercial analogs regarding ORR activity, but not inferior to them in terms of stability.

Dopamine (DA) plays a crucial role in the functioning of the human central nervous system, participating in both physiological and psychological processes. It is an important research topic in biomedical science. However, we need to constantly monitor the concentration of dopamine in the body, and the sensors required for this usually require good sensitivity in order to achieve fast and accurate measurements. In this research project, a CeO2 and CuCrO2 composite nanofiber was prepared for the electrochemical detection of dopamine. Coaxial electrospinning techniques were used to prepare CeO2–CuCrO2 composite nanofibers. The characterization techniques of X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Raman, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to analyze the composite’s crystal structure, vibrational bonds, and elemental composition, while SEM and TEM were used to analyze the composite’s surface structure, morphology, and microstructure. The prepared nanofiber outer layer was found to have an average thickness of 70.96 nm, average fiber diameter of 192.49 nm, and an average grain size of about ~12.5 nm. The BET analysis was applied to obtain the specific surface area (25.03 m2/gm). The proposed nanofiber-decorated disposable screen-printed carbon electrode acted as a better electrochemical sensor for the detection of dopamine. Moreover, the electrocatalyst had a better limit of detection, 36 nM with a linear range of 10 to 100 μM, and its sensitivity was 6.731 μA μM−1 cm−2. In addition, the proposed electrocatalyst was successfully applied to real-time potential applications, namely, to the analysis of human urine samples in order to obtain better recovery results.

It is feasible and effective to regulate the impedance matching of materials by constructing heterogeneous interfaces. Besides, materials with adjustable morphology such as hollow structure can improve the capacity to absorb microwave. Therefore, in this work, MoS 2 /CuS heterojunctions with hollow structure have been prepared by a simple one-step hydrothermal approach. By varying the quantity of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), the composite's shape and structure may be modified. The results manifest that the existence of defects, lamellar and heterogeneous structures is conducive to improve the polarization and impedance matching of materials. In addition, the introduction of hollow structure can not only reduce the weight of the material, but also significantly improve the microwave absorbing abilities of the MoS 2 /CuS composite. Also, such metal-sulfide semiconductor junctions lead to the formation of a built-in electric field, which can hugely enhance the absorbing properties synergizing with other dielectric polarization mechanisms. For MoS 2 /CuS-1 sample, the minimum reflection loss (RL min) can reach up to −64.01 dB when the thickness is 2.39 mm, and the broadest effective absorbing bandwidth (EAB) is 5.64 GHz at 2.22 mm. This work puts up a simple and useful method to synthesize hollow structural materials with heterojunctions and plumbs the influence of modified morphology on the microwave absorbing performance of materials. [Display omitted] • MoS 2 /CuS composites was prepared by a facial and convenient one-step hydrothermal method. • This work adjusts the morphology from solid spheres to hollow spheres, which contributes to the absorbing performance. • Two kinds of metal-sulfide semiconductor junctions provide micro built-in electric fields to enhance absorbing properties. • The introduction of hollow structure provides an effective strategy to lightweight microwave absorbing materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fabricating covalent organic frameworks with different morphologies based on the same structural motifs is both interesting and challenging. Here, a TTA-TFP-COF was synthesized by both solvothermal and room temperature methods, with 2,4,6-Tris(4-aminophenyl)-1,3,5-triazine (TTA) and 1,3,5-tris(4-formylphenyl)-benzene (TFP) as raw material. Using different synthesis conditions and adding aniline and benzaldehyde as regulators in the synthesis process, we found that these processes could slow down the reaction speed, increase the exchange and metathesis reactions of dynamic reversible reactions, and improve the reversibility of the reaction system. Thus, controllable synthesis of TTA-TFP-COF with different morphologies, including micro-particles, hollow tubes with controllable diameters, and micro-flowers was achieved. Our further study found that metal ions, Fe3+ and Cr3+ ions, could coordinate with N and O in TTA-TFP-COF and partially destroy the structure of TTA-TFP-COF. The particle size of the TTA-TFP-COF became smaller, thus resulting in the decrease of the light scattering intensity of the COF. An excellent linear relationship exists between the light scattering changes (Δ I) and metal ions concentration (c) from 2.0 to 350.0 μM for Fe3+ and 40.0–800.0 μM for Cr3+, respectively. Thus, rapid and selective analytical methods for detecting metal ions were developed by TTA-TFP-COF here. [Display omitted] • Different morphologies of TTA-TFP-COF were precisely controllable synthesized. • Found that iron and chromium ions could weaken the light scattering signal of the TTA-TFP-COF. • Established a light scattering analytical method for rapid and selective detection of Fe3+ and Cr3+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Predominantly VO₂ phase obtained by easy and fast chemical synthesis. • A good quality precursor solution to obtain a stable phase of vanadium. • Dispersing precursor-solution medium influences the final vanadium phase. • Same concentration in different dispersing mediums provides different morphologies. • The VO 2 active layer device showed a write-once-read-many memory behavior. This study explores the influence of precursor solution composition and solvent selection on the synthesis of vanadium oxide (VO 2) thin films tailored for resistive memory applications. The vanadium pentoxide and oxalic acid molar ratio and the dispersing medium (ethanol, water, and their mixture) were varied. Water content significantly influenced the VO 2 phase, morphology, and film thickness. Ethanol yielded mixed vanadium oxide phases VO 2 − Tetragonal, V 2 O 5 − Orthorhombic, and Monoclinic) and a film with minor imperfections. Conversely, the active layer prepared using an aqueous medium showed a predominant VO 2 − Monoclinic phase, albeit with a non-uniform film. An ethanol–water mixture produced the most uniform morphology and a mixture of vanadium oxide phases (VO 2 − Tetragonal, V 2 O 5 - Orthorhombic). All devices displayed resistive switching behavior. VO 2 -containing devices exhibited a more pronounced transition from an ohmic conduction state to a space-charge-limited conduction mechanism. ON-state currents remained consistent, while OFF-state currents varied notably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Struvite microspheres with outstanding morphological characteristics are fabricated. • Struvite microspheres have more excellent performances in multiple applications. • The dissolution rates of struvite microsphere both in water and soil decrease by 20%. • Mesoporous phosphate prepared by struvite microsphere has twice the loading capacity. Phosphorus (P) recovery from wastewater as struvite not only alleviates global P resource shortages but also prevents water eutrophication caused by wastewater discharge. This study presents a sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS)-assisted struvite crystallization method (SASC method) to recover P as the struvite crystalline microspheres with uniform particle size (27.51 ± 3.60 μm), high sphericity (roundness = 0.91 ± 0.04), and good dispersibility (no aggregation) under various operating conditions with different N/P/Mg molar ratios and magnesium sources. Mechanism of microsphere formation and the regulation of modifier type and process parameters (SDBS concentration, initial pH, and stirring rate) on microsphere formation are explored in detail to realize the controllable fabrication of microspheres. Compared with common struvite crystals, microspheres have more outstanding performance in multiple applications. Specifically, microspheres have improved powder properties including bulk density and fluidity, better slow-release fertilizer performance, that is, slower dissolution in water and soil, and the ability to prepare superior mesoporous phosphate materials with better macroscopic morphology and higher loading capacity. Thus, this study markedly improves the multiple application performance of struvite by designing and controlling the product morphology based on its simplicity and efficiency. These provide new insights into recovering P in the form of struvite with excellent quality, thereby enhancing the economic value of the recycled products of P recovery from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The pore microstructure and surface-interface coupled to mediate the morphology-performance relationship. • Quantitatively analyzed the driven effect of the pore size and micromorphology on EDL progress. • Elucidated the ions storage behaviors mediated by surface-interface characteristics. • Electrodes with high-energy crystal facets and 3D porous structure performed good cycling stability. Manganese dioxide (MnO 2) materials are one of promising cathode candidates for capacitive deionization (CDI) applications, with their morphology significantly impacting the performance of the electrode material itself. Therefore, this study systematically investigates the structure-performance relationships and the micro-interface ion storage mechanisms of four morphologies of MnO 2 (1D nanorods (NNMO), nanowires (NWMO), 3D microspheres (MMO), and hollow urchin-like spheres (HUMO)) in relation to their capacitive deionization performance with typical heavy metal ions (Cd2+) through experimental and theoretical calculations. In terms of pore morphology, capacitance significantly increases with increasing surface curvature of materials, demonstrating a clear pore structure-dependent characteristic. NNMO, with the smallest pore size, has much lower surface capacitance (∼0.15 μF cm−2) than other materials (∼0.33 μF cm−2). As pore size increases, the capacitance distribution difference driven by pore structure size gradually disappears. Regarding surface and interface characteristics, high-energy crystal facets facilitate electron transfer ({310}>{200}≈{211}>{100}) and increase the proportion of surface active sites (O sur), thus promoting CDI absorption kinetics. During the capacitive deionization process, the pore structure (∼77 %) and surface-interface characteristics (∼23 %) exhibit highly coupled features and the driving force for interfacial ion storage among the four materials is in the order of HUMO>MMO>NWMO>NNMO. This work elucidates the morphology-dependent capacitive processes of MnO 2 nanomaterials, enhancing the understanding of structure- electrochemical process at the nanoscale but also providing effective guidance for the design and development of practical, high-performance CDI electrode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The effects of laser parameters on the surface temperature field were evaluated. • The phase transition in the processed region was analytically modelled. • The effects of the process parameters on the geometrical features were analyzed. Surface micro-texturing paves the way for surface functionalization of material and engineering parts with abrasion resistance, hydrophilicity, anti-reflectivity, and antimicrobial properties. Nevertheless, the morphological control of micro-textures with high precision and efficiency is still challenging for advanced applications, especially for lightweight design and corrosion resistance in aerospace and transportation. Despite many stumbling blocks in achieving high-precision micro-textures, the serviced surface properties relate to their surface asperities and micro-textures. Laser surface texturing can be used for surface-functionalization and structuration control of counterparts with textured micro-pits and micro-grooves. With the interaction of pulse laser and materials, the influence of the laser process on the geometrical configuration of the alloy's surface micro-textures was investigated by altering the laser processing parameters. We found that the depth and width of micro-textures are positively correlated with the laser power and scanning times, and negatively correlated with the laser frequency and scanning speed. This research is significant in enabling the active design of non-ferrous metal surface micro-textures, regulating surface properties, and enhancing unique applications in mechanics, biology, medicine, and physiochemistry fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chromium, in some forms and large amounts, can be hazardous to human health and the environment. In particular, hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) and its derivatives are the most poisonous forms of Cr, whose toxicity depends on its oxidation state. Herein, cerium tungstate (CeW) is demonstrated as an efficient sensing material for Cr(VI) detection in aqueous medium. Two different surfactants are used to hydrothermally synthesize flake-like and sphere-like morphology. The flake-like morphology shows excellent Cr(VI) detection ability owing to its larger surface area, oxygen vacancy defects, and electrochemically active surface area. The sensitivity and limit of detection (LoD) value of the CeW nanoflakes are found to be 0.71 μA/ppb and 6.1 ppb, respectively. The LoD is lower than the WHO recommended standard value, which suggests that the synthesized material can be used for determining Cr(VI) concentration in domestic and potable water. The presence of different ions, such as Fe3+, Zn2+, Cu2+, Hg2+and Pb2+in the medium is found not interfere the Cr(VI) detection ability of CeW nanoflakes and thereby enhancing its practical applicability in Cr(VI) detection. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The weak interaction of covalent organic framework (COF) nanoparticles makes the preparation of self‐standing COF films difficult. Herein, a modulated strategy for the facile synthesis of self‐standing COF films with good crystallinity and tunable thickness is reported. As compared with the non‐modulated approach, the modulated strategy changes the COF morphology from nanoparticles to nanofibers, enabling the facile preparation of self‐standing COF films with improved mechanical properties. The Young's modulus of the self‐standing COF film obtained via the modulated strategy could increase by 26 times. Moreover, self‐standing LZU‐8 film can be used as a membrane for efficient removal of 99 % mercury ions from aqueous solution. Our results open up a new approach to prepare self‐standing COF thin films for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs) have significantly improved long-term stability and mechanical stretchability. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of all-PSCs has been rapidly improved from ∼1% to now over ∼17%, driven by rational molecular design, blend morphology optimization, and device engineering. However, most all-PSCs are generally processed with halogenated solvents, hazardous for human health and the global environment. Achieving high-performance all-PSCs with halogen-free solvent processing remains a challenge. This feature article presents recent advances in green-solvent-processable all-PSCs from the material design and morphological control perspective, and further reviews progress in using more environmentally friendly solvents (i.e., water or alcohol) to achieve genuinely sustainable and environmentally friendly manufacturing all-PSCs. Finally, we provide an outlook on the challenges and opportunities for large-scale manufacturing of green-solvent-processable all-PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multi branched spherical MnCO3 was synthesized by solvothermal method with MnSO4 as manganese source and sodium citrate as surfactant. The morphology of the materials was characterized electron microscopy (SEM). The electrochemical properties of the materials were characterized by constant current charge discharge method. The electrochemical properties of the materials were characterized by constant current charge discharge method. The morphology of multi branched spherical MnCO3 is affected by CA(citric acid)/OH– molar ratio, reaction temperature and time, the type of solvent. The result shows, the multi branched spherical MnCO3 with a diameter of about 1–2 μm is obtained when CA/OH– is 1/2.5, reaction temperature and time is 180°C/18 h, added 30 mL deionized water. The sample synthesized at the optimized condition exhibited the first specific capacity of 2301.6 mA h g–1 at the current density of 100 mA g–1 and a good rate performance. The morphology of manganese carbonate is expected to be used as the precursor of anode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an n-type semiconductor with typical perovskite structure, SrTiO 3 has broad research prospects in photochemical cathodic protection because of its suitable energy band structure. However, there is a lack of research on the effect of SrTiO 3 micro morphology on Photoelectrochemical cathodic protection performance. In this paper, a series of SrTiO 3 samples with controllable morphology were designed and prepared by changing the ratio of alcohol to water in the solvent, including nanoparticles (NPs), nano ball (NBs), nano rod (NRs), coral stone-like microspheres (CSLMs) and flower-like microspheres (FLMs). The experimental results show that FLMs samples have better photochemical cathodic protection performance. Under the condition of on light, the photocurrent density of FLMs samples reaches 9.2 μA. The photocurrent density of NPs samples is only 2.5 μA. The former is about 3.6 times that of the latter. The open circuit potential of FLMs samples has shifted from −0.18 V to −0.42 V, with a negative shift of 240 mV, while CSLMs samples have only a negative shift of 180 mV. In contrast, FLMs samples have a more negative shift of 60 mV. After four light cycle experiments, the performance of FLMs samples is stable without obvious change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] In this work, 3D ordered nano-micro hierarchical ammonium oxofluorotitanates are synthesized by in-situ dissolution of anodically grown TiO 2 nanotubes and subsequent hydrolysis of (NH 4) 2 TiF 6 in an electrochemical cell via a nonclassical crystallization process by external electric field driven oriented particle attachment. The obtained ammonium oxofluorotitanate products are of mesocrystalline structure consisting of nanocrystalline building units oriented aligned at atomic level. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) characterizations are applied to reveal the morphology, structure and crystal phase of grown samples. By controlling the current density or/and content of ammonium fluoride, it is able to grow well-defined (NH 4) 3 TiOF 5 octahedrons and truncated octahedrons, (NH 4) 2 TiOF 4 nanorods and NH 4 TiOF 3 disks. The transformation from (NH 4) 3 TiOF 5 octahedrons to truncated octahedrons is ascribed to the different ratios of growth rate for {1 1 1} planes and {1 0 0} planes. While the decrease of concentration of ammonium fluoride accounts for the crystal phase changes from (NH 4) 3 TiOF 5 to (NH 4) 2 TiOF 4 and finally to NH 4 TiOF 3 disks. Upon thermal annealing, all these ammonium oxofluorotitanates could be converted to mesoporous hierarchical anatase TiO 2 retaining their exterior morphology and keeping the orientation ordering of subunit nanoparticles, which could exhibit excellent photocatalytic activity when acting as photocatalyst in the photo-degradation of methylene blue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a fibre laser, the effect law of laser cladding process parameters on the morphology quality and dilution rate of Ni60 alloy powder clad onto H13 steel was examined. Laser power, scanning speed, powder feeding voltage, clad layer width, clad layer height, meltpool depth, the ratio of width to height and the dilution rate were established by response surface methodology (RSM) though a central composite design (CCD). The correctness of the mathematical model was verified by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and test index. The results show that the width of the laser clad layer is negatively correlated with the scanning speed, and the influence of laser power and powder feeding voltage is not significant. The height of the laser clad layer is positively correlated with the powder feeding voltage and negatively correlated with the scanning speed, and the laser power has no significant effect on it. The depth of the meltpool is positively correlated with laser power and negatively correlated with scanning speed and powder feeding voltage. The aspect ratio and dilution rate are positively correlated with the laser power and scanning speed, and negatively correlated with the powder feeding voltage, and the influence of the powder feeding voltage on them is the most significant. The process parameters were optimized with the fixed range of aspect ratio and the minimum dilution rate as the objectives. Through experiments, the average errors of predicted and actual value of aspect ratio and dilution rate are 8.1 and 11.1%, respectively. The research results provide a theoretical basis for the morphology control of single laser clad coating and the optimization of process parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lewis pair polymerization has demonstrated its unique advantages and powerful capability in polymer synthesis. Here we employ strong nucleophilic N‐heterocyclic olefin (NHO) and bulky organoaluminum to construct a frustrated Lewis pair, which can realize the compounded sequence control (CSC) copolymerization and self‐assembly the mixture of dimethylaminoethyl acrylate and fluoride‐functionalized methacrylate into diblock copolymers (di‐BCPs) nano‐assemblies through polymerization‐induced self‐assembly in one‐pot, single‐step manner within minutes. These di‐BCPs were characterized by 1H and 13C NMR, GPC, DSC, and TEM. By utilizing appropriate solvophilic block and solvophobic block, such Lewis pair polymerization‐induced self‐assembly strategy enables the expeditious, room‐temperature synthesis of di‐BCP nanoparticles with different morphologies, including spheres, worms, vesicles, and even fibers, thus suggesting the great application potential of such method in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon dots (CDs) are considered as excellent structural regulator for metal oxides (MOs) due to their abundant functional groups, superior dispersibility, and ultrasmall size (<10 nm). Herein, a new approach is proposed to construct porous pomegranate‐like MOs/CDs composite based on the CDs‐induced in situ growth mechanism of ion adsorption–multipoint surface nucleation–crosslinking agglomeration. The proposed methodology is successfully applied to prepare SnO2/CDs, Cu2O/CDs, and Fe2O3/CDs composites, respectively, demonstrating its universality to metal oxides. Taking SnO2/CDs composite as a case study for anode material in lithium‐ion batteries, it exhibits high lithium storage capacity, excellent cycling stability, and a special feature of capacity increase upon cycling. This study provides a new idea for the design of metal oxides materials tuned by CDs and broadens the application of CDs in the field of material synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glass is used for various substrates, but its thermal conductivity and mechanical properties are lower than ceramics. In this paper, we propose a new process for fabricating heat conduction paths using a small amount of metal. Au was coated on soda-lime glass powder via ion sputtering for 0, 20, 40, and 60 min, and the resultant powders were sintered via spark plasma sintering. The Au nanolayers precipitated between the soda-lime glass domains and were well connected to each other. Their thickness increased with increasing sputtering time. The thermal conductivity was enhanced by 10% with a small amount of precipitation less than 0.28 vol%, mainly resulting from the well-connected highly conductive Au nanolayers. The hardness and toughness were hardly affected by the precipitation of Au. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinel LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4, which is considered as one of the most attractive candidates for high energy density battery due to its high voltage platform over 4.7 V, suffers from the side reactions with electrolyte, strong oxidability of Ni4+ and therefore the complicated and frangible Solid Electrolyte Interfaces (SEI) layer that hinders the practical application of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4. In this work, traditional co-precipitation method is applied and improved by anion and cation doping method to construct superior interface on the surface of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 to suppress side reactions especially at high temperature. Detailed properties including structure, morphology and electrochemical performance of pristine sample, single-doped and co-doped samples are probed. Physical characterizations reveal that the co-doped sample with regular octahedron has a moderate grain size and specific surface area between Al and F single doping, and holds the advantages of rate performance and capacity retention causing by Al doping and better stability under high temperature constructing by F. It exhibits the best capacity retention of 92% after 200 cycles under 55 °C, which is higher than that of the pristine sample (87%). Analysis of the electrode after cycling shows that doping reduces the thickness of the electrode interface film and the content of inorganic substances such as LiF to improve the interface characteristics and the high temperature cycling performance. This work has certain significance for the commercial application of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4.

A novel metal-organic framework (MOF), (Cu-S) n MOF, with a copper-sulfur planar structure was applied to photocatalytic H 2 production application. (Cu-S) n MOF@ZnS nanocomposite was synthesized using a microwave-assisted hydrothermal approach. The formation of (Cu-S) n MOF and wurtzite ZnS in the composite nanoparticles was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). The electron-hole separation and interfacial charge transfer resistance of (Cu-S) n MOF@ZnS were evaluated by photocurrent response, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), steady-state photoluminescence (PL), and time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) analysis. The photocatalytic activity can be tuned by changing the zinc acetate precursor/MOF ratio, reaction time, and reaction temperature. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) study and Zeta potential confirm the presence of S vacancies in the composite nanoparticles. The ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) and Tauc plots were measured to establish the band structure of the composite photocatalyst. A type-II heterojunction is formed at the interface, leading to improved electron-hole separation efficiency of the (Cu-S) n MOF@ZnS photocatalyst. The (Cu-S) n MOF@ZnS photocatalysts exhibit higher photocatalytic H 2 production activity than pristine (Cu-S) n MOF and ZnS nanoparticles. The optimal (Cu-S) n MOF@ZnS photocatalyst exhibits an improved H 2 generation rate of 33,912 μmolg -1 ·h -1 , which is 6.6 times that of pristine (Cu-S) n MOF (5138 μmolg -1 ·h -1 )., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Abstract The last decades have witnessed the rapid development and the gradually improved efficiencies of organic solar cells (OSCs), which show great potentials in the fabrication of eco‐friendly and flexible photovoltaic panels. Layer‐by‐layered (LBL) structure via sequential processing of the donor and acceptor layers becomes an advisable option to construct pseudo‐bilayer configurations in OSC active layer. Favorable vertical phase separation and sufficient exciton dissociation interfaces can be simultaneously realized in such aggregation morphology via different processing technologies and strategies. High efficiencies of over 18% in ternary LBL device and 11.9% in LBL‐processed module (11.52 cm2) have been successfully achieved in recent works. Moreover, the unique merits of LBL structure in individual layer processing enable it a promising candidate for large‐scale printing and further industrialization of OSCs. This perspective provides the recent advance of LBL OSCs with the focus on fabrication technologies and strategies for morphology control and also proposes the current thinking and perspective on LBL structures for future development.

Morphology-control, as a promising and effective strategy, is widely implemented to change surface atomic active sites and thus enhance the intrinsic electrocatalytic activity and selectivity. As a typical n-type semiconductor, a series of bismuth vanadate samples with tunable morphologies of clavate, fusiform, flowered, bulky, and nanoparticles were prepared to investigate the morphology effect. Among all the synthesized samples, the clavate shaped BiVO4 with high index facets of (112), (301), and (200) exhibited reduced extrinsic pseudocapacitance and enhanced redox response, which is beneficial for tackling the sluggish voltammetric response of the traditional nanoparticle on the electrode surface. Benefiting from the large surface-active area and favorable ion diffusion channels, the clavate shaped BiVO4 exhibited the best electrochemical sensing performance for paracetamol with a linear response in the range of 0.5–100 µmol and a low detection limit of 0.2 µmol. The enhanced electrochemical detection of paracetamol by bismuth vanadate nanomaterials with controllable shapes indicates their potential for applications as electrochemical sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, a model for electrodeposition of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures over indium-doped tin-oxide (ITO) glass using pulsed current and zinc chloride as source of zinc was proposed. For the model, reactions kinetics rate constants were evaluated by obtaining the reaction product solid mass of the various species through time using an electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM). To obtain a mathematical model of the electrodeposition using Ansys CFX 2D simulation software, the reaction kinetics rates were used to calculate mass transfer in the volume closest to the surface. The model was applied to the experimental electrodeposition conditions to validate its accuracy. Dense wurtzite nanostructures with controlled morphology were obtained on a indium-doped tin-oxide (ITO) glass. Sample characterization was performed using high-resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) on focused ion beam milled (FIBed) sheets from wurtzite mono-crystals. Average crystallite size was evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) using the Scherrer equation, and superficial areas were evaluated by Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) method. Through the experimental results, a chemical model was developed for the competing reactions based on the speciation of zinc considering pH evolution, and kinetic constants, on the oxygen rich aqueous environment. Owing to the model, an accurate prediction of thickness and type of electrodeposited layers, under given conditions, is achieved. This allows an excellent control of the optical properties of Wurtzite as a photon absorber, for an efficient separation of the electron-hole pair for conduction of the electric charges formed. The large surface area, and small wurtzite crystallites evenly distributed on the thin film electrodeposited over the ITO conductive layer are promising features for later dye-sensitized photovoltaic cell production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High conductivity, facilitating rapid electron transport and ion diffusion, is necessary for high‐performance lithium‐ion battery cathodes. At a given electrode formula, it is critical to tailor the distribution of conductive agents in the cathodes to achieve a highly conductive network.Herein, free‐standing LiFePO4‐based composite membranes with a high conductivity of 2.55 S cm−1 are obtained by adding alcohol in the aqueous slurry. The composite membranes have superior rate capability and a specific capacity of about 116 and 105 mAhg−1 is achieved at 5 C for a LiFePO4 mass loading of about 6 and 10 mg cm−2, respectively. Furthermore, a specific capacity is retained as 137.2 mAhg−1 after 300 cycles at 1 C, corresponding to excellent long‐term cyclic stability of the composite membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High purity ultrafine alumina powders with different crystalline phases and morphologies were prepared by solid-phase sintering method. The influence mechanism of halides on the particle characteristics of alumina powders was studied. The results showed that NH 4 F additives induced the conversion of metastable alumina to α-alumina at high temperature, lowered the phase transformation temperature of α-alumina by about 300 °C, increased the α-alumina conversion rate by about 11.6%, reduced the sodium oxide content by about 72.3 wt%, and caused the alumina crystals to grow in a platelet shape manner. By comparison, NH 4 Cl additives had less effect on the transition temperature of α-alumina and the impurity content, and the particle morphology of alumina was a mixture of vermicular and platelet shapes. This study revealed the influence mechanism of two kinds of halides on the phase conversion, morphology evolution, and sodium removal of alumina powders from sintering mechanism and the theories of crystal structure, adsorption on the solid surface, and electronegativity of atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chromium-benzenedicarboxylate metal–organic framework (MOF), MIL-101(Cr), is one of the most well-investigated and widely used prototypical MOFs. Regarding its synthesis, the use of a toxic modulator (usually HF) and high reaction temperature (220 °C) are the main factors hindering its further expansion of production and utilization. In fact, high quality MIL-101(Cr) crystals can be prepared at a much lower temperature (160 °C) with spherical morphology via an additive-free approach. Compared to traditional octahedral MIL-101(Cr), the spherical MIL-101(Cr) possesses higher adsorption performance toward dye molecules, including methyl orange (MO) and rhodamine B (RB). The results suggest that toxic additives and high reaction temperatures are not essential in the synthesis of MIL-101(Cr), and the fabrication of spherical MIL-101(Cr) may offer a facile and effective pathway for the large-scale industrial application of MIL-101(Cr). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electron donors and acceptors in organic solar cells (OSCs) shall strike a favorable vertical phase separation that acceptors and donors have sufficient contact and gradient accumulation near the cathodes and anodes, respectively. Random mixing of donors/acceptors at surface will result in charge accumulation and severe recombination for low carrier‐mobility organic materials. However, it is challenging to tune the vertical distribution in bulk‐heterojunction films as they are usually made from a well‐mixed donor/acceptor solution. Here, for the first time, it presents with solid evidence that the commonly used 1‐chloronaphthalene (CN) additive can tune the donor/acceptor vertical distribution and establish the mechanism. Different from the previous understanding that ascribed the efficiency enhancement brought by CN to the improved molecular stacking/crystallization, it is revealed that the induced vertical distribution is the dominant factor leading to the significantly increased performance. Importantly, the vertical distribution tunability is effective in various hot nonfullerene OSC systems and creates more channels for the collection of dissociated carriers at corresponding organic/electrode interfaces, which contributes the high efficiency of 18.29%. This study of the material vertical distribution and its correlation with molecular stacking offers methods for additives selection and provides insights for the understanding and construction of high‐performance OSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Doughnut-shaped t-LuPO4 microparticles (∼1.3−1.5 μm in diameter and 1.1–1.3 μm thick) were originally synthesized via lactic acid (LA) assisted solvothermal reaction, and the effects of LA content and PO43−/Lu3+ molar ratio on phase/morphology evolution were thoroughly investigated. It was demonstrated that LA significantly altered the intrinsic crystallization habit of t-LuPO4 and simultaneously promoted 2D growth and 3D self-assembly of the crystallites. The synthesis strategy was also shown to be well extendable to the other t-REPO4 of RE = Ho-Yb and Y. With t-LuPO4 as a representative host, the down-conversion photoluminescence properties (excitation/emission, florescence decay, quantum efficiency) of Sm3+, Dy3+, Tb3+, Eu3+ and Tb3+/Eu3+ pair were thoroughly investigated. For the series of t-(Lu0.98-xTb0.02Eux)PO4 (x = 0−0.12) ternary phosphors, color-tunable emission (from green to red) was obtained through Tb3+ → Eu3+ energy transfer, and the optimal Eu3+ content was determined to be x = 0.08 for the total luminescence of Eu3+ and Tb3+. Under 978 nm laser excitation, t-(Lu0.88Yb0.10Er0.02)PO4 phosphor was found to exhibit strong green (522/547 nm; 2H11/2/4S3/2 → 4I15/2) and red (655/665 nm; 4F9/2 → 4I15/2) up-conversion luminescence via a two-photon process. The merits of the morphology control of this work were also clearly demonstrated by comparing the luminescence performances of Eu3+ in microdoughnut particles and nanoparticles synthesized without LA.

Abstract It is challenging to explore and prepare polyoxometalates-based nanomaterials (PNMs) with controllable morphologies and diversiform components. Herein, 3d–4f metals are introduced into isopolyoxometalates and Anderson-type polyoxometalates, CeCdW12 nanoflower and EuCrMo6 microflaky have been fabricated respectively. A series of control experiments are carried out to identify the impact factors on the rare morphologies in PNMs. Furthermore, upon excitation at 396 nm, the emission spectrum of EuCrMo6 displays five prominent f − f emitting peaks at 674, 685, 690, 707, and 734 nm that are assigned to Eu3+ 5D0 → 7FJ (J = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4) transitions. Meanwhile, the VSM results show that the Cr+3 ions in EuCrMo6 display anti-ferromagnetic interactions when the temperature is lower than − 17.54 K. After rising temperature, this material exhibits paramagnetic property. This work opens up strategies toward the brand new morphologies and components of PNMs, endowing this kind of material with new functions.

Abstract The utilization of mixed cations is beneficial for taking the advantages of cations and achieving highly efficient perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, the precisely small incorporation of CH(NH2)2 (FA) cations in methyl ammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) enables the formation of compact, smooth perovskite film with high crystallinity. Consequently, the short-circuit current and the fill factor of the PSCs based on FA x MA1-x PbI3 perovskite are greatly improved, leading to the enhanced device efficiency. The champion PSC based on FA0.1MA0.9PbI3 exhibits a remarkably high efficiency of 22.02%. Furthermore, the PSCs based on FA0.1MA0.9PbI3 perovskite also show improved device stability. This work provides a simple approach to fabricate high-quality perovskite films and high-performance PSCs with better stability.

The wide bandgap CsPbI 2 Br perovskite materials have attracted significant attention due to their high thermal stability and compatibility with narrow bandgap materials in tandem devices. The performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is highly dependent on the quality of the perovskite layer, which is governed by the crystallization process during solution processing. However, the crystallization dynamics of CsPbI 2 Br thin films remain less explored compared to conventional organic-inorganic perovskites. Achieving high-quality CsPbI 2 Br films with uniform morphology and large perovskite grains remains challenging with standard solution techniques. This study applies the ionic liquid (IL) [EMIM] + [PF 6 ] - as an additive within the bulk CsPbI 2 Br absorber layer. Within our experimental regime, [EMIM] + [PF 6 ] - accelerates the crystallization process while promoting the formation of large perovskite grains, a feature not commonly observed in previous studies. Our experimental results suggest that the IL acts as heterogeneous nucleation sites, and varying IL incorporation amount significantly impacts the morphology of CsPbI 2 Br perovskite films. Consistent UV-vis and photoluminescence (PL) red-shifts are observed in the IL-incorporated CsPbI 2 Br films, with X-ray diffraction (XRD) data projecting an influence on the perovskite crystal structure. These findings provide new insights into the role of ILs in controlling crystallization and morphology that have been minimally discussed in the literature. The incorporation of an optimized amount of [EMIM] + [PF 6 ] - promotes the formation of highly crystalline perovskite thin films with excellent morphology, reducing defect density, enhancing carrier transport, and yielding large grain sizes. As a result, PSCs fabricated with [EMIM] + [PF 6 ] - achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 17.11% (stabilized at 15.87%) and an open-circuit voltage ( V OC ) of 1.39 V, along with improved stability compared to control devices. This work provides a straightforward approach for producing high-quality CsPbI 2 Br thin films with high reproducibility, contributing valuable advancements to Cs-based PSCs.

Volatile solid additive is an effective and simple strategy for morphology control in organic solar cells (OSCs). The development of environmentally friendly new additives which can also be easily removed without high-temperature thermal annealing treatment is currently a trend, and the working mechanism needs to be further studied. Herein, a highly volatile and non-halogenated solid additive 1-benzothiophene (BBT) is reported to regulate molecular aggregation and stacking of active layer components. According to the film-forming kinetics process, a momentary intermediate phase is formed during spin-coating, which slows down the film-forming process and leads to more ordered molecular stacking in the solid film after introducing solid additive BBT. Subsequently, after solvent vapor annealing (SVA) further treatment, the resultant blend films exhibit a tighter and more ordered molecular stacking. Consequently, the synergistic effect of solid additive BBT and SVA treatment can effectively control morphology of active layer and improve carrier transport characteristics, thereby enhancing the performance of OSCs. Finally, in D18-Cl:N3 system, an impressive power conversion efficiency of 19.53% is achieved. The work demonstrates that the combination of highly volatile solid additives and SVA treatment is an effective morphology control strategy, guiding the development of efficient OSCs., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Achieving the goal of generating all of the world's energy via renewable sources and significantly reducing the energy usage will require the development of novel, abundant, nontoxic energy conversion materials. Here, a cost-efficient and scalable continuous flow synthesis of Cs 3 Cu 2 I 5 nanocrystals is developed as a basis for the rapid advancement of novel nanomaterials. Ideal precursor solutions are obtained through a novel batch synthesis, whose product served as a benchmark for the subsequent flow synthesis. Realizing this setup enabled a reproducible fabrication of Cs 3 Cu 2 I 5 nanocrystals. The effect of volumetric flow rate and temperature on the final product's morphology and optical properties are determined, obtaining 21% quantum yield with the optimal configuration. Consequently, the size and morphology of the nanocrystals can be tuned with far more precision and in a much broader range than previously achievable. The flow setup is readily applicable to other relevant nanomaterials. It should enable a rapid determination of a material's potential and subsequently optimize its desired properties for renewable energy generation or efficient optoelectronics., (© 2024 The Author(s). Small published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The preparation of so-called hybrid nanomaterials has been widely developed in terms of functional and morphological complexity. However, the specific control of the arrangement of organic and inorganic species, which determines the properties of the final material, still remains a challenge. This article offers a review of the strategies that have been used for the preparation of polymer-inorganic hybrid nanoparticles and nanocapsules via processes involving miniemulsions. Different polymer-inorganic nanostructures are classified into four main groups according to the sequential order followed between the synthesis of the polymer and the inorganic species, and the presence or not of their counterpart precursors. The minimization of the energy of the system governs the self-assembly of the different material components and can be addressed by the miniemulsion formulation to reduce the interfacial tensions between the phases involved. The state of the art in the preparation of hybrid nanoparticles is reviewed, offering insight into the structural possibilities allowed by miniemulsion as a versatile synthetic technique.

Graphite is one of only a few layered materials that can be exfoliated into nanosheets with semimetallic properties, which limits the applications of nanosheet-based electrodes to material combinations compatible with the work function of graphene. It is therefore important to identify additional metallic or semimetallic two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials that can be processed in solution for scalable fabrication of printed electronic devices. Metal diborides represent a family of layered non-van der Waals crystals with semimetallic properties for all nanosheet thicknesses. While previous reports show that the exfoliated nanomaterial is prone to oxidation, we demonstrate a readily accessible inert exfoliation process to produce quasi-2D nanoplatelets with intrinsic material properties. For this purpose, we demonstrate the exfoliation of three representative metal diborides (MgB 2 , CrB 2 , and ZrB 2 ) under inert conditions. Nanomaterial is characterized using a combination of transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, IR, and UV-vis measurements, with only minimal oxidation indicated postprocessing. By depositing the pristine metal diboride nanoplatelets as thin films using a Langmuir-type deposition technique, the ohmic behavior of the networks is validated. Furthermore, the material decomposition is studied by using a combination of electrical and optical measurements after controlled exposure to ambient conditions. Finally, we report an efficient, low-cost approach for sample encapsulation to protect the nanomaterials from oxidation. This is used to demonstrate low-gauge factor strain sensors, confirming metal diboride nanosheets as a suitable alternative to graphene for electrode materials in printed electronics.

Achieving efficient and large-area organic solar modules via non-halogenated solution processing is vital for the commercialization yet challenging. The primary hurdle is the conservation of the ideal film-formation kinetics and bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) morphology of large-area organic solar cells (OSCs). A cutting-edge non-fullerene acceptor (NFA), Y6, shows efficient power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) when processed with toxic halogenated solvents, but exhibits poor solubility in non-halogenated solvents, resulting in suboptimal morphology. Therefore, in this study, the impact of modifying the inner and outer side-chains of Y6 on OSC performance is investigated. The study reveals that blending a polymer donor, PM6, with one of the modified NFAs, namely N-HD, achieved an impressive PCE of 18.3% on a small-area OSC. This modified NFA displays improved solubility in o-xylene at room temperature, which facilitated the formation of a favorable BHJ morphology. A large-area (55 cm 2 ) sub-module delivered an impressive PCE of 12.2% based on N-HD using o-xylene under ambient conditions. These findings underscore the significant impact of the modified Y6 derivatives on structural arrangements and film processing over a large-area module at room temperature. Consequently, these results are poised to deepen the comprehension of the scaling challenges encountered in OSCs and may contribute to their commercialization., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)