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Inverse opals (IO) based functional materials show potential in photocatalysis due to their unique light interaction properties. This study presents a low-temperature plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) method for synthesizing TiO 2 , ZnO, and composite IOs using a polystyrene nanoparticle-based opal template. We comprehensively characterized the obtained materials using SEM-EDX, TSEM, TG, FTIR, XRD, Raman, ellipsometry, photoluminescence (PL), and UV–Visible spectroscopy. SEM analysis confirmed the successful formation of PEALD IOs with a periodically ordered structure, enabling conformal coating while preserving their original architecture. XRD and Raman analysis also confirmed that the IOs consisted of anatase for TiO 2 and hexagonal wurtzite for ZnO. UV–Vis reflectance spectroscopy revealed strong UV absorption and modified photonic bandgaps (PBGs) for all materials. The bare and composite IOs exhibited PBGs in the visible region, suggesting that the arising "slow photon" effect might enhance photocatalysis. This study explored the photocatalytic degradation of 4-Nitrophenol (4-NP) and Rhodamine 6G (Rh6G) using pristine and composite IO photocatalysts under UV and visible light irradiation. Pristine TiO 2 and ZnO IOs demonstrated superior performance for 4-NP degradation under UV light. This can be attributed to two key factors: their highly ordered macroporous structure (with a large surface area for efficient dye adsorption, and their band gaps (3.0 eV for TiO 2 and 3.2 eV for ZnO) that enable strong absorption of UV light photons for effective pollutant degradation. Conversely, composite IOs (TiO 2 /ZnO and ZnO/TiO 2) displayed higher activity for both test molecules under visible light due to a synergistic effect between bandgap harmonization and the PBG effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the solid‐state synthesis of layered oxides, achieving cathode powder with precise morphology, crystal structure, and surface properties demands a delicate balance between thermodynamics and kinetics. Elevated temperatures are indispensable for driving the reaction toward completion, facilitating the formation of ordered layered structures essential for efficient lithium‐ion transportation in Li‐ion batteries. However, high temperatures risk inducing Li/Ni mixing and rock‐salt formation, particularly pronounced in layered oxides rich in Ni content, detrimentally impacting their performance. To address this challenge, the approach involves a precisely designed conformal coating with a high affinity for oxygen atoms, strategically employed to pin the surface layered oxide structure even under elevated temperatures. By preventing undesired surface decomposition during the high‐temperature lithiation process, this innovation fosters the formation of well‐ordered layered structures on the surface. Consequently, this pioneering strategy substantially mitigated phase separation during high‐rate cycling, thereby unlocking exceptional rate capability and cycle stability in layered oxide cathodes. The strategy establishes a new pathway for synthesizing next‐generation, high‐power density battery materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ablative materials are widely employed to protect space vehicles from the extreme thermal conditions experienced during their flight into a planetary atmosphere. Carbon-phenolic ablators are composed of a phenolic matrix and a fibrous carbon reinforcement. In the present study, the fibrous reinforcement has been modified through the deposition of thin protective layers of zirconium oxide and aluminum oxide, with the objective of reducing fiber recession and oxidation. The depositions were carried out via atomic layer deposition (ALD), a method that allows for the controlled deposition of uniform and conformal coatings on the carbon felt fibers. The depositions were subsequently evaluated through SEM-EDS analysis. Pristine and ALD-modified felts were impregnated with a phenolic resin matrix and the ablation performance of the composite materials was evaluated through oxyacetylene flame tests. The results demonstrated that, in comparison to uncoated ablators, the ALD-modified samples exhibited enhanced performance in terms of mass loss and surface recession: compared to uncoated ablators, the former was 14% lower and the latter was diminished by 50%. Moreover, the morphological characterization of the tested specimens revealed a significantly reduced degree of oxidation of the coated fibers which were directly exposed to the flame. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium solid-state batteries offer improved safety and energy density. However, the limited stability of solid electrolytes (SEs), as well as irreversible structural and chemical changes in the cathode active material, can result in inferior electrochemical performance, particularly during high-voltage cycling (>4.3 V vs Li/Li+). Therefore, new materials and strategies are needed to stabilize the cathode/SE interface and preserve the cathode material structure during high-voltage cycling. Here, we introduce a thin (~5 nm) conformal coating of amorphous Nb2O5 on single-crystal LiNi0.5Mn0.3Co0.2O2 cathode particles using rotary-bed atomic layer deposition (ALD). Full cells with Li4Ti5O12 anodes and Nb2O5-coated cathodes demonstrate a higher initial Coulombic efficiency of 91.6% ± 0.5% compared to 82.2% ± 0.3% for the uncoated samples, along with improved rate capability (10x higher accessible capacity at 2C rate) and remarkable capacity retention during extended cycling (99.4% after 500 cycles at 4.7 V vs Li/Li+). These improvements are associated with reduced cell polarization and interfacial impedance for the coated samples. Post-cycling electron microscopy analysis reveals that the Nb2O5 coating remains intact and prevents the formation of spinel and rock-salt phases, which eliminates intra-particle cracking of the single-crystal cathode material. These findings demonstrate a potential pathway towards stable and high-performance solid-state batteries during high-voltage operation. Improving interfacial stability during high-voltage cycling is essential for lithium solid-state batteries. Here, authors develop a thin, conformal Nb2O5 coating on LiNi0.5Mn0.3Co0.2O2 particles using atomic layer deposition to limit chemo-mechanical degradation during high-voltage cycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionogels are emerging as high‐potential pseudosolid electrolytes for lithium‐metal batteries (LMBs), leveraging their intrinsic high ionic conductivity from entrapped ionic liquid (IL) electrolytes. However, their practical application is hindered by poor mechanical strength stemming from the confinement of ILs within a polymer matrix. To address this challenge, the formation of conformal polyion coatings with functional groups is reported to be relevant to LMBs’ application on ionogels, utilizing a layer‐by‐layer (LbL) assembly strategy. This approach significantly enhances the mechanical strength (Young's modulus and tensile strength) and electrochemical performance of ionogels, owing to the tailored interface modifications introduced by functional groups’ specific conformal polyion coatings. The core of this methodology leverages the inherent ionic structure of ionogels to enable facile interface modification through Coulombic interactions between polyanions and polycations. These conformally coated interface functionalized membranes show improved electrochemical performance when integrated with cathode materials such as LiFePO4 (LFP) and LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 (NMC811) in an LMB configuration, underscoring their potential for robust, high‐conductivity, pseudosolid membranes for LMB applications. These innovative pseudosolid membranes offer improved mechanical and electrochemical properties, leading to higher battery efficiency and safety, making them promising candidates for next‐generation LMB technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface modification of separators with inorganic oxide ceramics such as SiOx, Al2O3, and TiO2 has emerged as a promising strategy to suppress lithium dendrite growth in lithium metal batteries, thereby enhancing safety and extending battery life. However, the binder‐dependent nature of these modifications often leads to increased separator thickness and a heightened risk of detachment during lithium plating, ultimately compromising both battery performance and energy density. In this study, a conformal, ultrathin (≈20 nm) SiOx coating with strong covalent bonding is grown on a porous separator through a liquid polymer‐derived method. Compared to the pristine polyethylene (PE) separators, this SiOx‐co‐PE separator exhibits significantly improved electrolyte wettability, mechanical strength, and thermal stability without any increase in thickness, leading to vastly enhanced cycling stability and dendrite resistance in cells with Li metal anodes. In a practical demonstration, a 402.9 Wh·kg−1 Li‐S pouch cell, with a high sulfur loading of 9 mg cm−2 and a low E/S ratio of 3.3 µL mg−1, is assembled with the SiOx‐co‐PE separator, achieving stable cycling over 70 cycles at 25 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite tandem solar cells on textured silicon hold potential for surpassing single‐junction limits and industrial compatibility. However, integrating hole‐transporting layers (HTLs) onto textured silicon poses challenges in conformal coating, low‐temperature fabrication, and perovskite solution process compatibility. Here, an atomic layer deposition (ALD) copper‐doping process is introduced to fabricate low‐temperature NiOx HTLs (ALD Cu:NiOx), tailored for textured tandems. Copper‐doping reduces hydroxyl group content and Ni3+ defects, addressing the challenge of enhancing hole conductivity while mitigating recombination loss. This advancement enables to lower the post‐annealing temperature from >300 to 200 °C, achieving compatibility with silicon heterojunction (SHJ) cells and boosting the power‐conversion efficiency (PCE) of 1.65‐eV p–i–n perovskite solar cells to 22.47%. Integrating ALD Cu:NiOx beneath conventional self‐assembled monolayer HTL on textured SHJ leads to notable PCE enhancements, from 28.6% to 30.5% for 1‐cm2 tandems (certified stabilized PCE of 30.04%) and from 23.9% to 26.4% for 8.89‐cm2 tandems. Following 1000 h of maximum‐power‐point (MPP) tracking, tandems maintain 95% of initial efficiency. Notably, losses in open‐circuit voltage and PCE due to area upscaling reduced by over 20%, attributed to ALD Cu:NiOx's ability to enhance perovskite film wettability and minimize shunting on silicon pyramid texture, underscoring its impacts for textured tandem upscaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐entropy materials have drawn much attention as battery materials due to their distinctive properties. Lithiated high‐entropy oxide (Li0.33(MgCoNiCuZn)0.67O, LiHEO) exhibits both high lithium‐ion and electronic conductivity, making it a potential coating material for layered Ni‐rich oxide cathodes (Li1+x(Ni1−y−zCoyMnz)1−xO2, NCM or NMC) in conventional Li‐ion battery cells; however, high‐temperature synthesis limits its application. Therefore, a photonic curing strategy is used for synthesizing LiHEO and the non‐lithiated form (denoted as high‐entropy oxide [HEO]), and nanoscale coatings are successfully produced on LiNi0.85Co0.1Mn0.05O2 (NCM851005) particles. To one's knowledge, this is the first report on particle coating with high‐entropy materials using photonic curing. NCM851005 with LiHEO‐modified surface shows good cycling stability, with a capacity retention of 97% at 1 C rate after 200 cycles. The improvement in electrochemical performance is attributed to the conformal coating that prevents structural changes caused by the reaction between cathode material and liquid electrolyte. Compared to bare NCM851005, the coated material shows a significantly reduced tendency for intergranular cracking, successfully preventing electrolyte penetration and suppressing side reactions. Overall, photonic curing presents a novel cost‐ and energy‐efficient synthesis and coating procedure that paves the way for surface modification of any heat‐sensitive material for a wide range of applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conformal coatings are used to protect microelectronic circuitry and increasingly optoelectronics and photonics from detrimental effects of the environment, such as moisture, dust, gasses, and mechanical abrasion. The conventional approach to determine the mean time to failure of conformally coated microelectronic components is usually labor-intensive and time-consuming. We recently showed (Shi et al., 2024) that the quasi-optical approach terahertz (THz) time-of-flight tomography (TOFT) could in principle be used to map conformal-coating thickness over a sample of dimensions on the scale of square centimeters. In this study, we employ THz TOFT to characterize several conformal-coating types on microelectronic test samples in a nondestructive and noncontact manner. This study extends previous work on acrylic conformal coatings. THz TOFT is shown to be effective in the thickness characterization of silicone and acrylic conformal coatings, but not nanometric atomic-layer-deposition metal-oxide coating, which is too thin for the technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CuBi 2 O 4 exhibits a high onset potential and theoretically high photocurrent density due to its well-matched bandgap for solar water splitting. However, factors such as low charge carrier mobility and severe charge recombination prevent CuBi 2 O 4 from reaching its ideal photoelectrochemical performance, while photocorrosion of the Cu element severely compromises its stability. Herein, a convenient and low-cost chemical bath deposition method has been employed to combine carbon quantum dots (CQDs) with Ni(OH) 2 , resulting in the preparation of a conformal CQD@Ni(OH) 2 layer-coated CuBi₂O₄/CuO heterojunction photocathode. Under AM 1.5G illumination, CuBi 2 O 4 /CuO/CQD@Ni(OH) 2 illustrates a photocurrent density of −1.36 mA cm−2, which is 2.12 times higher than that of CuBi 2 O 4 /CuO. More importantly, the conformal coating of CQD@Ni(OH) 2 effectively prevents photocorrosion induced by oxidation-reduction reactions of Cu2+/Cu. At 0.3 V RHE , the photocurrent of CuBi 2 O 4 /CuO/CQD@Ni(OH) 2 remains at 76.4% after 10000 s of chopped light illumination, significantly outperforming the 48.9% retention observed for CuBi 2 O 4 /CuO photocathode after 3600 s of chopped light illumination. This work demonstrates that the CQDs and Ni(OH) 2 are good candidates for the photoelectrode overlayer with significant synergetic effects. • CQD@Ni(OH) 2 is conformally coated on the CuBi 2 O 4 /CuO photocathode via a chemical bath deposition. • This composite photocathode exhibits a 2.12-folds photocurrent and good anti-photocorrosion. • CQDs and Ni(OH) 2 synergistically serve as charge transporter and cocatalyst, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract Impacted by heavy corrosion and poor connections, zinc (Zn) powders have rarely been considered as the raw materials of Zn‐ion aqueous batteries (ZABs). Nonetheless, the ease of controlling loadings of Zn powders entitles ZABs to better capacity match between negative and positive electrodes. Here, a simple and rapid chemical solution passivation method is reported, which leads to a thin, dense, and conformal passivation layer on Zn powder surface. The passivation layer suppresses parasitic reactions of Zn powder anode, mitigates corrosions, and extends the calendar life. Mixing with well‐dispersed carbon nanotubes, the passivated Zn powder anode is able to cycle 100 h under 3 mA cm−2 and 3 mAh cm−2 at depth of discharge of 41.3%. Besides, the anode with negative/positive electrode capacity ratio of 5.95 improves the energy density of the Zn powder||MnO2 full cell to 70 Wh Kg−1. Such a simple “one‐step” passivation method is believed to be a “drop‐in” technique applied in the scalable manufacture of ZABs.

Precise surface reflectance control at specific deep‐ultraviolet (DUV) wavelengths across wide angles is crucial for semiconductor inspection and lithography tools. The inherent challenges in designing DUV antireflective multilayers stem from limited transparent materials and the resultant fabrication complexity owing to numerous interfaces. Here, wide‐angle antireflective multilayers finely tuned to 248 nm designed using an active learning scheme is presented. The active learning scheme employing factorization machines (FM) identifies the optimal configurations for binary‐material‐based multilayers (AlF3/LaF3, AlF3/MgF2, and AlF3/Al2O3) with varying index contrasts, achieving minimal figure‐of‐merit (i.e., average angular reflectance) values at predetermined total thicknesses. High‐index‐contrast AlF3/Al2O3 multilayers are fabricated via atomic layer deposition, thus enabling the conformal coating of high‐numerical‐aperture (NA) lenses with atomic precision. An optimized AlF3/Al2O3 tri‐layer with a total thickness of 180 nm results in an average (0°–45°) reflectance of 0.4% on a CaF2 planar substrate and 0.6% on a CaF2 convex lens (NA = 0.47), similar to the performance of an ideal single‐layer coating requiring a practically unavailable refractive index. Phasor analysis, which considers only first‐order reflections between adjacent layers, supports the benefits of high‐index‐contrast binary materials and the use of the FM‐based active learning scheme in antireflective multilayer design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovative research on metal‐oxide gas sensors involves nanostructuring and surface modification as key elements to tailor sensitivity and selectivity. This work addresses a ZnO nanowire‐based sensing device obtained by coupling a lithographically prepared substrate with hydrothermal ZnO growth, to align and interconnect the nanowires between two electrical contacts. Furthermore, conformal coating by atomic layer deposition technique allows functionalization of the surface of the nanowires with sub‐monolayers of Al2O3 and TiO2. A detailed analysis is carried out from a morphological and structural point of view with photoluminescence and Raman spectroscopy and electron microscopy. The material characterization results are analyzed in comparison with the functional characterization in gases toward reducing (NO2) and oxidizing (H2S) gases. Unparalleled sensing enhancement with Atomic Layer Deposition functionalization is obtained for NO2 detection. The passivation role of surface states is discussed combining information from experimental techniques with a proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc (Zn) metal batteries are very attractive owing to the high theoretical capacity (820 mAh g−1), meritable electrode potential (−0.76 V vs SHE), low cost, and environmental friendliness of Zn metal anodes. However, the dendrite formation, corrosion, and water decomposition on Zn metal anodes should be resolved for their practical applications. Herein, conformally coated multifunctional organic/inorganic hybrid artificial layers are demonstrated for the reversible and stable Zn deposition. These hybrid layers are synthesized through polyoxometalate (POM) initiated polymerization into poly(1,3‐dioxolane) (Poly(DOL)) and directly coated onto the Zn surface. Moreover, POM acted as chemical bridge connecting Poly(DOL) with Zn metal anode to construct mechanically robust layers with a thickness of ≈40 nm. The fast and selective Zn2+ ion transport of multifunctional POM/Poly(DOL) hybrid layer (POMDOL) and their preferential growth into (002) crystalline plane are attributed to the reversible Zn deposition. Accordingly, POMDOL coated Zn (PDOLZn) anodes achieves an extended cycling period up to 2,876 hours with a cumulative capacity of 29 Ah g−1 at 20 mA cm−2 and 1 mAh cm−2. Moreover, depth of discharge (DOD) of 40% is achieved. Consequently, the PDOLZn || β‐MnO2 full cells delivered the high specific capacity of 245 mAh g−1 and long‐term stability over 1 000 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to finely tune/balance the structure and rigidity of enzymes to realize both high enzymatic activity and long‐term stability is highly desired but highly challenging. Herein, we propose the concept of the "silicazyme", where solid inorganic silica undergoes controlled hybridization with the fragile enzyme under moderate conditions at the single‐enzyme level, thus enabling simultaneous structure augmentation, long‐term stability, and high enzymatic activity preservation. A multivariate silicification approach was utilized and occurred around individual enzymes to allow conformal coating. To realize a high activity–stability trade‐off the structure flexibility/rigidity of the silicazyme was optimized by a component adjustment ternary (CAT) plot method. Moreover, the multivariate organosilica frameworks bring great advantages, including surface microenvironment adjustability, reversible modification capability, and functional extensibility through the rich chemistry of silica. Overall silicazymes represent a new class of enzymes with promise for catalysis, separations, and nanomedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon cloth shows potential for flexible energy storage electrodes but encounters challenges such as low specific capacitance and limited wettability. This study addresses these limitations by fabricating a highly conformal coating of poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) around 3D carbon fibers via the oxidative chemical vapor deposition (oCVD) method, employing antimony pentachloride (SbCl5) as the oxidant. The oCVD stands out as a robust manufacturing technique for fabricating highly conformal conducting polymer films on porous structures, ensuring the preservation of geometric features and the maintenance of active sites for redox reactions. The resulting PEDOT‐coated carbon cloth electrodes exhibit improved pseudocapacitance and specific capacitance compared to their pristine counterparts. Particularly, oCVD PEDOT‐coated carbon cloth fabricated at various deposition temperatures exhibit a substantial 1.5‐ to 2.3‐fold enhancement in specific capacitance compared to pristine carbon cloth. The highest specific capacitance (170.94 F g⁻¹) is attained in the oCVD PEDOT‐coated carbon cloth fabricated at a deposition temperature of 80 °C, representing a 2.3‐fold enhancement over its pristine counterpart. The PEDOT‐coated carbon cloths demonstrate lower charge transfer resistance compared to their pristine counterparts, further confirming their superior electrochemical performance. This investigation highlights oCVD's effectiveness in fabricating highly conformal PEDOT coating on carbon cloth electrodes for electrochemical energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of smart materials is attaining global industrial importance rapidly. The ionic polymer metal composites withheld there importance in this field. They are not only used as biocompatible devices but also in the field of thin and conformal bio coatings. The nafion 117 is unstable at elevated temperatures and its water intake resistance is low, so the nafion 117 is coated with the noble material to increase its thermal stability and water resistant property. The high cost of noble metal make it's too costly to use in day to day applications so parylene has been used as substitute for noble metal in order to reduce the cost. The high thermal stability and water intake property if parylene make its suitable for the same. Multiple chemical treatments like plasma ionization and others have been done on the parylene coated nafion to increase its desirable properties considerably. The low adhesion rate between parylene and nafion 117 has been increased up to the certain extend by the use of ionized plasma. This paper reviewed the plasma chemical treatment of paryelene coatings for the biocompatible devices and provides an insight knowledge on classification, structure and thermal stability of the parylene coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Stöber method is a widely-used sol-gel route for synthesizing amorphous SiO2 colloids and conformal coatings. However, the material systems compatible with this method are still limited. Herein, we have extended the approach to metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and coordination polymers (CPs) by mimicking the Stöber method. We introduce a general synthesis route to amorphous MOFs or CPs by making use of a base-vapor diffusion method, which allows to precisely control the growth kinetics. Twenty-four different amorphous CPs colloids were successfully synthesized by selecting 12 metal ions and 17 organic ligands. Moreover, by introducing functional nanoparticles (NPs), a conformal amorphous MOFs coating with controllable thickness can be grown on NPs to form core-shell colloids. The versatility of this amorphous coating technology was demonstrated by synthesizing over 100 core-shell composites from 20 amorphous CPs shells and over 30 different NPs. Besides, various multifunctional nanostructures, such as conformal yolk-amorphous MOF shell, core@metal oxides, and core@carbon, can be obtained through one-step transformation of the core@amorphous MOFs. This work significantly enriches the Stöber method and introduces a platform, enabling the systematic design of colloids exhibiting different level of functionality and complexity. What happens when the classical and famous Stöber method collides with popular Metal-Organic Frameworks and Coordination Polymers? The answer is Big Bang of the Amorphous Functional Colloids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, many research efforts have been dedicated to improving light coupling into solar cells and reducing optical losses. Promising candidates regarding scalability include direct nano‐structuring of the absorber layer, anti‐reflective (AR) coatings, or combining both, e.g., pyramidal textures with a conformal coating. However, many of these methods are either insufficient or infeasible for application in thin solar cells. Moreover, approaches based on directly texturing the silicon interface simultaneously strongly increase surface recombination, thus degrading the electronic properties of the solar cell. To circumvent these issues, conformal graded‐index metasurfaces with a correlated positional disorder for light trapping in solar cells are proposed and experimentally demonstrated in this contribution. When considered as a part of a prototypical solar cell geometry, a broadband reduction in reflection is observed that results in photocurrent enhancement. The combined consideration of disorder and conformal graded‐index layers outperforms structures containing only one of these components. The computational guidance toward optimized designs promises to adjust the framework to other settings. The possibility for large‐scale fabrication of the samples paves the way toward a future generation of supporting photonic structures in solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All‐solid‐state lithium batteries (ASSLBs) are promising energy‐storage devices with high energy density and safety. However, the discharge capacity of ASSLBs that use sulfide solid electrolytes (SEs) and Ni‐rich cathode active materials (CAMs) deteriorates significantly during electrochemical cycling. Interfacial coatings between CAM and sulfide SEs are known to effectively alleviate capacity deterioration. Among the various coating materials, lithium phosphate (LPO) was selected and synthesized via atomic layer deposition (ALD). The crystal phase of the LPO thin film irreversibly changed, and the Li‐ion conductivity deteriorated after heat treatment. Additionally, particle ALD (P‐ALD) of LPO was successfully performed to completely passivate the CAM particles. Torque cells with the LPO‐coated CAMs showed excellent capacity retention, whereas the cells without the LPO coating showed a significantly deteriorated discharge capacity with increased internal resistances. The passivation effect of the LPO coating was confirmed by the cross‐sectional images from a FIB and scanning electron microscopy with energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDS) dual system. We believe that the study will help us investigate the effects of side reactions between sulfide SEs and CAMs on the performance and stability of P‐ALD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrospray deposition (ESD) is a technique with emerging relevance for applications requiring micro‐/nano‐scaled coatings. Self‐limiting electrospray deposition (SLED) is a regime of ESD where upon satisfying the criteria for self‐limiting behavior, the charge buildup of the material will eventually begin to repel itself until an asymptotic thickness is achieved, based primarily on the properties of the spray solution and deposited material. This work focuses on controlling the coating thickness further to achieve sub‐micron thicknesses. By applying a voltage bias of the same polarity of the spray onto the target substrate while providing a secondary grounded surface, the thickness of a payload can be manipulated for thinner and more precise thicknesses. The magnitude of the voltage bias is varied to show the effect of voltage bias on thickness, and 2‐D and 3‐D structures are used to demonstrate the generality of this technique for complex substrates. The results show how SLED can be included as a potential alternative for conformal coatings deposited at ambient conditions at the sub‐micron scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, bioinspired chitinous manufacturing is leveraged to artificially reproduce iridescent gratings found in the cuticles of beetles living in concealed environments. Combining this with a melanin‐like background achieves a vibrant iridescence, similar to that produced by the multilayer reflectors in leaf beetles. In this process, the controlled production of optical structures is allowed using chitinous polymers, the same components that produce color in arthropod cuticles. This not only aids in understanding the functionality and evolutionary advantages of these structures without being limited to the existing solutions in animals—which entangle the solutions for several problems with the rubble of past functionalities—but also enables the creation of color with the second most abundant organic material on Earth, only surpassed in its ubiquity by cellulose. However, unlike cellulose‐based materials, the chitinous optical structures are produced by avoiding the use of strong organic solvents, representing a simplified approach to producing vibrant, iridescent, fully biodegradable, and ecologically integrated colors. Herein, the production of hundreds of square centimeters of iridescent chitinous surfaces, a scale suitable for imparting biodegradable color to large 3D objects, is demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Islet transplantation is a curative treatment for patients suffering from type 1 diabetes and has the potential to replace current treatment strategies involving the exogenous administration of insulin. Despite this potential, there are many hurdles in achieving successful long‐term graft survival due to autoimmune and foreign body reactions leading to graft rejection coupled with donor shortage and potential adverse effects from the need for long‐term administration of immunosuppressive drugs. As a result, various approaches have been proposed to increase the viability and function of islet grafts during isolation and ex vivo culture with the use of growth factors, hormones, and other therapeutic agents. In addition, other strategies have addressed how to enhance or maintain islet graft performance after implantation with improvements on immunosuppressive drug regimens and the use of biomaterials to encapsulate and protect the cells from graft rejection. This review focuses on the recent advances in strategies to improve islet viability and function with the addition of exogenous compounds and the implementation of conformal coating as a promising tool for immunoprotection of islet transplants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featuring of high theoretical capacity, non-toxic, low-cost, and environmental benignity, metal silicates attract great attention as viable alternative anodes of lithium-ion battery. But, they show serious electrochemical irreversibility during cycle due to large volume variation and low conductivity. Herein, a novel and facile method is developed to synthesize a quasi-2 dimensional (2D) amorphous MnSiO 3 /C composite (A-MnSiO 3 @C), consisting of ultra-thin conformal carbon coated amorphous MnSiO 3 quasi-nanosheets. Therefore, the A-MnSiO 3 @C innovatively integrates the structural characteristics of amorphous structure, 2D nanostructure and ultra-thin conformal carbon coating through a simple process. The structure-property correlations of the A-MnSiO 3 @C during lithium storage have been expounded systematically. The findings indicate that these structural characteristics offer A-MnSiO 3 @C enhanced electrical conductivity, improved Li+ transport kinetics, high capacitive contribution and good structural stability during cycle, and hence alleviate the issues MnSiO 3 suffered from. As a result, the A-MnSiO 3 @C demonstrates outstanding lithium storage properties such as high capacity, good rate capability and long cycle durability, with 511.2 and 416.5 mAh g−1 after 400 and 600 cycles at 200 and 1000 mA g−1, respectively. Finally, this work offers a constructive reference for improving electrochemical performance of the other promising metal silicate anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research pioneers the application of artificial intelligence (AI) methodologies--machine learning, deep learning, hybrid models, transfer learning, and edge AI deployment--in enhancing bubble detection within conformal coatings, a critical as- pect of electronics manufacturing quality control. By addressing the limitations of traditional detection methods, our work offers a novel approach that significantly improves automation, accuracy, and speed, thereby ensuring the reliability of electronic assemblies and contributing to economic and safety benefits. We navigate through the challenges of creating diverse datasets, system robustness, and the imperative for industry-wide standardization, proposing strategies for overcoming these obstacles. Our findings highlight the transformative impact of AI on quality control processes, demonstrating substantial advancements in detection capabilities. Furthermore, we advocate for future research, development, and collaboration to extend these AI-driven improvements across the manufacturing spectrum. This study underscores the potential of AI to revolutionize electronics manufacturing, emphasizing the need for continued innovation and standardization to realize safer, more efficient, and costeffective production methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large amount of multi-layer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) is mounted inside a printed circuit board (PCB) constituting electronic components. The use of MLCC in electric vehicles and the latest mobile phones is rapidly increasing with the latest technology. Environments in which electronic components are used are becoming more diverse and conformal coatings are being applied to protect mounted components from these environments. In particular, MLCCs in electronic components mainly have voltage applied. They might be used in environments where humidity exists for various reasons. In a humid environment, electrochemical migration (ECM) will occur, with the cathode and anode on the surface of the MLCC encountering each other. This can result in product damage due to a short circuit. In this study, the effects of voltage, NaCl concentration, and distance between electrodes on a non-mount MLCC, surface mount MLCC, and solder pad pattern were evaluated using a water drop test (WDT). Based on the analysis of the effects of the presence of conformal coating, applied voltage, concentration of NaCl, and the distance between electrodes, a mechanism model for ECM behavior in MLCCs was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generation of high-speed laser pulses is essential for sustaining today's global, hyper-connected society. One approach for achieving high spectral and temporal purity is to combine optical nonlinear materials with spectral filtering devices. In this work, a graphene-coated microresonator integrates a nonlinear material and a spectral filtering platform into a single device, creating a tunable GHz repetition rate mode-locked fiber laser. The graphene is directly synthesized on the non-planar surface of microresonator, resulting in a uniform, conformal coating with minimal optical loss in the device. The whispering gallery modes of the resonator filter the propagating modes, and the remaining modes from the interaction with graphene lock their relative phases to form short pulses at an elevated repetition rate relying on inter-modal spectral distance. Additionally, by leveraging the photo-thermal effect, all-optical tuning of the repetition rate is demonstrated. With optimized device parameters, repetition rates of 150 GHz and tuning of 6.1 GHz are achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conformal atomic layer deposition (ALD) inside macroscopic nanoporous solids with aspect ratios greater than 103 can require ALD reactant exposures on the order of 103 Torr-s or greater. For some ALD chemistries, such large exposures raise the concern of non-self-limiting deposition. In the case of ZnO ALD from diethylzinc (DEZ) and H2O, exposures in the 10–103 Torr-s range have resulted in metallic Zn deposition at typical temperatures used for ZnO ALD on wafers (e.g., ∼180 °C). This Zn deposition can be suppressed by lowering the deposition temperature, but this slows H2O desorption and, thus, can necessitate impractically long purge times. In this work, we use static-dose ALD with DEZ and H2O exposures >104 Torr-s to deposit ZnO inside Al2O3 nanoparticle compacts (NPCs) with 50.5 ± 0.3% porosity, 100 nm NP diameter, 1.55 ± 0.05 mm thickness, and an aspect ratio of 7800 ± 200 (based on the half-thickness), and we explore a novel approach to the deposition temperature, T: T is cycled between 160 °C (for H2O purges) and 120 °C (for all other steps). For comparison, we also deposit ZnO with T held constant at 120 or 160 °C. Whereas the T = 160 °C process results in Zn metal deposition and nonuniform infiltration, the temperature-cycled process yields apparently self-limiting ZnO deposition at a growth per cycle (GPC) of ∼2.1 Å/cyc, forming an electrically conductive ZnO network that is uniform throughout the thickness of the NPC, with the exception of some ZnO depletion near the NPC surfaces, possibly due to the (unoptimized) long DEZ purge time. The T = 120 °C process produces similar results, although the GPC is slightly elevated, indicating diminished removal of H2O and/or OH during purges. We employ scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, x-ray diffractometry, electrical resistivity measurements, and ALD chamber pressure analysis in our comparison of the three ALD processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rational assembling of different noble metal nanocrystals with controlled nanogaps in one entity allows the efficient coupling of electromagnetic fields of each component and versatile manipulation over the overall physiochemical properties. In the present study, we report a stepwise synthetic strategy to hybridlike assemble Au nanoplate and Ag nanoparticles without direct physical contact. Particularly, the success of current work relies on the conformal coating of Cu2O over the Au nanoplate as an intermediate layer, followed by the in situ formation of Ag nanoparticles via the galvanic replacement reaction between Cu2O and Ag+. With the anchoring of Ag nanoparticles over the Cu2O‐wrapped Au nanoplate, the resulting hybrid nanostructures exhibit noticeable multiple plasmonic absorptions across the UV‐vis‐NIR region. The potential use as the plasmonic catalyst for current Au@Cu2O‐Ag hybrid products is validated using reduction of 4‐nitrophenol as the model reaction, where the catalytic performance is greatly improved by the UV‐vis light irradiation. They also exhibit satisfactory photothermal conversion performance under the irradiation of Xe lamp. The current work provides a niche strategy to create noble‐metal hybrid nanostructures with controlled interparticle distance and tunable plasmonic properties, could be extended to other noble metal or alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparent electrodes (TE) based on silver nanowire (AgNW) exhibit good physical properties and constitute a promising alternative to transparent conductive oxides due to their low cost, flexibility, and low toxicity. Nevertheless, they suffer from stability issues over harsh conditions, and encapsulation allows to overcome these limitations. Herein, the low‐cost, scalable fabrication and study of transparent electrodes based on sprayed AgNW networks coated with MgO thin films deposited by atmospheric pressure spatial atomic layer deposition (AP‐SALD) at mild deposition temperature (≤220 °C) is reported. Fabrication of MgO thin films by AP‐SALD is reported here for the first time, and their deposition on different substrates is optimized. MgO exhibits a pure phase and conformal growth with a preferential (220) crystalline orientation and a higher growth rate as compared to conventional atomic layer deposition (ALD). Furthermore, thanks to the conformal coating of MgO on AgNW, the obtained nanocomposites exhibit great optical transparency of ≈85% and flexibility while maintaining high stability under thermal and electrical stress. Indeed, this study shows a clear enhancement of the stability of AgNW networks for thin MgO coatings of only a few nanometers thick. Finally, a proof‐of‐concept transparent heater is fabricated to melt a piece of cheese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly stable and patterned silver nanowire (AgNW) networks are essential and challenging for flexible or wearable electronics. In this work, TiO2 coatings by atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique were introduced for the fabrication of highly stable and patterned AgNW/TiO2 composites for flexible transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs). It was found that TiO2 coating could not only enhance the adhesion of AgNWs to the substrate, but also improve the flexibility of AgNW networks. This phenomenon was owed to the stability enhancement by the three-dimensional conformal deposition of TiO2 coatings. What's more, the thermal and oxidation stabilities of AgNW networks could be greatly improved because of the barrier performance of TiO2 coating layer. Based on the stability enhancement by TiO2 coatings, a novelty patterning method of the AgNW networks was implemented by cooperating with photolithography and ultrasonic concussion process. AgNW networks with the strip width of 200 μm were well patterned without defects. Finally, highly stable and patterned AgNW/TiO2 composites were applied as flexible TCEs for alternating current electroluminescent (ACEL) devices. The whole ACEL device showed a high transparency of around 40%, and the flexibility and the lifetime of ACEL devices were correspondingly improved owe to the enhancement by TiO2 coatings. These results indicated the prospects of the AgNW/TiO2 composites on the applications to flexible or wearable electronics. TiO2 coatings by atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique were introduced for the fabrication of highly stable and patterned AgNW/TiO2 composites for flexible transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small, low-power, and inexpensive marine depth sensors are of interest for a myriad of applications from maritime security to environmental monitoring. Recently, laser-induced graphene (LIG) piezoresistive pressure sensors have been proposed given their rapid fabrication and large dynamic range. In this work, the practicality of LIG integration into fieldable deep ocean (1 km) depth sensors in bulk is explored. Initially, a design of experiments (DOEs) approach evaluated laser engraver fabrication parameters such as line length, line width, laser speed, and laser power on resultant resistances of LIG traces. Next, uniaxial compression and thermal testing at relevant ocean pressures up to 10.3 MPa and temperatures between 0 and 25 °C evaluated the piezoresistive response of replicate sensors and determined the individual characterization of each, which is necessary. Additionally, bare LIG sensors showed larger resistance changes with temperature (ΔR ≈ 30 kΩ) than pressure (ΔR ≈ 1–15 kΩ), indicating that conformal coatings are required to both thermally insulate and electrically isolate traces from surrounding seawater. Sensors encapsulated with two dip-coated layers of 5 wt% polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) silicone and submerged in water baths from 0 to 25 °C showed significant thermal dampening (ΔR ≈ 0.3 kΩ), indicating a path forward for the continued development of LIG/PDMS composite structures. This work presents both the promises and limitations of LIG piezoresistive depth sensors and recommends further research to validate this platform for global deployment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In‐liquid plasma (ILP) process has been an attractive route for nanomaterial synthesis due to its high‐yield production in low‐temperature atmospheric pressure conditions. In comparison with conventional ILP synthesis that produces free‐standing nanomaterials, this work brings a new perspective on the application of the ILP process through carbon formation directly on ethanol‐immersed two‐dimensional (foil) and three‐dimensional (3D) (foam) metal substrates. Three types of carbon, including graphene, graphitic carbon, and amorphous carbon, were simultaneously produced during plasma discharge. Graphitic and amorphous carbon formed radially and coexisted on the metal substrate surface, while free‐standing graphene was produced in ethanol. A conformal coating was achieved on the exterior surface of the 3D‐networked substrate. The proposed mechanism for carbon formation on metal substrates is presented here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc powder is promising for rechargeable zinc‐ion batteries due to its low cost and well tunability. However, the corrosion and the dendrite growth are much more serious in zinc powder than those in conventional zinc foils, which poses a significant obstacle to wide utilization. Herein, an ultra‐stable Zn powder‐based anode constructed by coating a conformal ion‐conductive hydrogel layer on 3D‐printed Zn scaffolds is reported. The interconnected hydrogel effectively redistributes the zinc ion flux and homogenizes the surface electric field, while the 3D architecture alleviates the stress from volume change at high current densities/capacities. As a result, the 3D Zn powder‐based symmetric cell steadily works for over 4700 h (>6 months) at a high current density/capacity of 5 mA cm−2/5 mAh cm−2, which is superior to previously reported Zn powder‐based anodes and bare Zn foil, providing a promising route for practical applications of low‐cost and large‐scale zinc‐ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, there is considerable interest in seeking an environmentally friendly technique that is neither thermally nor organic solvent-dependent for producing advanced polymer films for food-packaging applications. Among different approaches, plasma polymerization is a promising method that can deposit biodegradable coatings on top of polymer films. In this study, an atmospheric-pressure aerosol-assisted plasma deposition method was employed to develop a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-like coating, which can act as a potential matrix for antimicrobial agents, by envisioning controlled-release food-packaging applications. Different plasma operating parameters, including the input power, monomer flow rate, and gap between the edge of the plasma head and substrate, were optimized to produce a PEG-like coating with a desirable water stability level and that can be biodegradable. The findings revealed that increased distance between the plasma head and substrate intensified gas-phase nucleation and diluted the active plasma species, which in turn led to the formation of a non-conformal rough coating. Conversely, at short plasma–substrate distances, smooth conformal coatings were obtained. Furthermore, at low input powers (<250 W), the chemical structure of the precursor was mostly preserved with a high retention of C-O functional groups due to limited monomer fragmentation. At the same time, these coatings exhibit low stability in water, which could be attributed to their low cross-linking degree. Increasing the power to 350 W resulted in the loss of the PEG-like chemical structure, which is due to the enhanced monomer fragmentation at high power. Nevertheless, owing to the enhanced cross-linking degree, these coatings were more stable in water. Finally, it could be concluded that a moderate input power (250–300 W) should be applied to obtain an acceptable tradeoff between the coating stability and PEG resemblance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microparticles have been applied in many areas, ranging from drug delivery, diagnostics, cosmetics, personal care, and the food industry to chemical and catalytic reactions, sensing, and environmental remediation. Coating further provides additional functionality to the microparticles, such as controlled release, surface modification, bio-fouling resistance, stability, protection, etc. In this study, the conformal coating of microparticles with a positively charged polyelectrolyte (polyallylamine hydrochloride, PAH) by utilizing an acoustofluidic microchip was proposed and demonstrated. The multiple laminar streams, including the PAH solution, were formed inside the microchannel, and, under the traveling surface acoustic wave, the microparticles traversed through the streams, where they were coated with PAH. The results showed that the coating of microparticles can be achieved in a rapid fashion via a microfluidic approach compared to that obtained by the batch method. Moreover, the zeta potentials of the microparticles coated via the microfluidic approach were more uniform. For the unfunctionalized microparticles, the charge reversal occurred after coating, and the zeta potential increased as the width of the microchannel or the concentration of the PAH solution increased. As for the carboxylate-conjugated microparticles, the charge reversal again occurred after coating; however, the magnitudes of the zeta potentials were similar when using the microchannels with different widths or different concentrations of PAH solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon anodes for lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) have the potential for higher energy density compared to conventionally used graphite‐based LIB anodes. However, silicon anodes exhibit poor cycle and calendar lifetimes due to mechanical instabilities and high chemical and electrochemical reactivity with the carbonate‐based electrolytes that are typically used in LIBs. In this work, we synthesize a pitch carbon‐coated silicon nanoparticle composite active material for LIB anodes that exhibits reduced chemical reactivity with carbonate‐based electrolytes compared to an uncoated silicon anode. Silicon primary particle sizes less than 10 nm diameter minimize micro‐scale mechanical degradation of the anode composite, while conformal coatings of pitch carbon minimize the parasitic reactions between the silicon and the electrolyte. When matched with a high voltage NMC622 (LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2) cathode, the pitch carbon‐coated silicon anode retains ≈75 % of its initial capacity at the end of 1000 cycles. Increasing the areal loading of the pitch carbon‐coated silicon anodes to realize energy density improvements over graphite anodes results in severe mechanical degradation on the electrode level, highlighting a remaining challenge to be addressed in future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a widely recognized technique for depositing ultrathin conformal films with excellent thickness control at Ångström or (sub)monolayer level. Atmospheric-pressure ALD is an upcoming ALD process with a potentially lower ownership cost of the reactor. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the recent applications and development of ALD approaches emphasizing those based on operation at atmospheric pressure. Each application determines its own specific reactor design. Spatial ALD (s-ALD) has been recently introduced for the commercial production of large-area 2D displays, the surface passivation and encapsulation of solar cells and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays. Atmospheric temporal ALD (t-ALD) has opened up new emerging applications such as high-porosity particle coatings, functionalization of capillary columns for gas chromatography, and membrane modification in water treatment and gas purification. The challenges and opportunities for highly conformal coating on porous substrates by atmospheric ALD have been identified. We discuss in particular the pros and cons of both s-ALD and t-ALD in combination with their reactor designs in relation to the coating of 3D and high-porosity materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrospray deposition (ESD) is a promising technique for depositing micro-/nano-scale droplets and particles with high quality and repeatability. It is particularly attractive for surface coating of costly and delicate biomaterials and bioactive compounds. While high efficiency of ESD has only been successfully demonstrated for spraying surfaces larger than the spray plume, this work extends its utility to smaller surfaces. It is shown that by architecting the local "charge landscape", ESD coatings of surfaces smaller than plume size can be achieved. Efficiency approaching 100% is demonstrated with multiple model materials, including biocompatible polymers, proteins, and bioactive small molecules, on both flat and microneedle array targets. UV-visible spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography measurements validate the high efficiency and quality of the sprayed material. Here, we show how this process is an efficient and more competitive alternative to other conformal coating mechanisms, such as dip coating or inkjet printing, for micro-engineered applications. Electrospray deposition is a promising technique for depositing functional coatings at the micro-/nano-scale. Here, the authors establish the necessary conditions for high efficiency electrospray deposition of small targets, establishing promise as an alternative to other conformal coating methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon is ubiquitously used as catalyst supports in various clean energy technologies, particularly emerging electrocatalysis, yet it often suffers slow oxidation and corrosion along with performance degradation. The harmonious combination of refractory silicon carbide (SiC, chemically inert) with carbon is alluring but often a great challenge, particularly to achieve desirable nanostructures and strong interfaces. Herein, a shockwave‐type transient heating is designed (> 1750 °C for 1 s per pulse) for controllable growth of conformal SiC coating and massive SiC nanowires on carbon fibers (denoted as CF/SiC‐NW), which serves as a high surface area and durable support for catalysis under harsh environments. The transient heating in SiO vapor triggers in situ transformation of the carbon surface into a seamless SiC protective layer, while the following fast cooling is essential for the growth of numerous self‐assembled SiC nanowires. The CF/SiC‐NW exhibits excellent structural stability in the air at high temperatures, in concentrated acidic/alkaline solutions after electrochemical stressing for 2000 cycles, and in oxygen evolution reaction after 10 h of continuous operation. This strategy enables delicate structure control in refractory carbides and is also general for various carbon/carbide functional materials (e.g., C/TiC, C/WC) for electro‐ or electrified catalysis under harsh conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for high-throughput and scalable cell expansion platforms that can accommodate diverse cell types remains a critical requirement across various biomedical fields. Fibronectin (Fn), an essential component of the extracellular matrix (ECM), has been used as a conformal surface coating for two-dimensional (2D) cell culture systems. However, the soluble, globular Fn used for 2D coatings differs structurally from the native Fn, which possesses a three-dimensional (3D) fibrillar structure. Herein, a large-scale engineered ECM (EECM) cell expansion platform based on a 3D fibrillar Fn network spanning over centimeters is presented. Extended fibrillar networks are formed by shearing dilute Fn solutions over tessellated polymeric scaffolds, which are conveniently prepared by 3D printing. The structure and size of the Fn-based 3D EECM scaffold are optimized by evaluating the proliferation of a colorectal tumor cell line, CT26, commonly used in the in vivo tumor immunotherapy models. The 3D EECM scaffolds support a fourfold more efficient tumor cell expansion than a conventional 2D culture system, demonstrating the potential efficacy in supporting the robust expansion of cancer cells ex vivo with an eye on cancer immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic and optoelectronic devices often require multifunctional properties combined with conductivity that are not achieved from a single species of molecules. The capability to tune chain length, shape, and physicochemical characteristics of conductive copolymers provides substantial benefits for a wide range of scientific areas that require unique and engineered optical, electrical, or optoelectronic properties. Although efforts have been made to develop synthetic routes to realize such promising copolymers, an understanding of the process–structure–property relationship of the synthesis methods needs to be further enhanced. In addition, since traditional methods are often limited to achieving pinhole-free, large-area coverage, and conformal coating of copolymer films with thickness controllability, unconventional synthetic strategies to address these issues need to be established. This Perspective article intends to enhance knowledge on the process–structure–property relationship of functional copolymers by providing the definition of copolymers, polymerization mechanisms, and a comparison of traditional and emerging synthetic methods with reaction parameters and tuned physical properties. In parallel, practical applications featuring the desired copolymers in electronic, optical, and sensing devices are showcased. Last, a pathway toward further advancement of unique copolymers for next-generation device applications is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical metamaterials are attracting considerable attention due to their unique properties not found in natural materials. Advanced geometrical shapes such as Menger cubes, origami templates, and gyroids offer exciting avenues for device engineering. In addition, the recent developments of various additive manufacturing technologies have expanded materials selection and geometrical complexities. Herein, a piezoresistive pressure sensor based on a 3D‐printed gyroid structure with a conformal coating of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is presented. The gyroid structures are printed using fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), providing mechanical robustness even at low densities. By altering the relative density of the gyroid structure, Young's modulus can be tailored, ranging from 0.32 MPa at 30% relative density and 3.61 MPa at 80% relative density. The presented gyroid‐based pressure sensor achieves a wide sensing range of up to 1.45 MPa and a high sensitivity of 2.68 MPa−1. The sensor is integrated into a shoe for wearable applications, demonstrating its mechanical robustness and potential for human stance and motion monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Membranes can be defined as physical barriers allowing the selective transport of species. This tutorial aims to provide the basics of membrane technologies and materials, the fundamentals of the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique, and, most importantly, to describe how to efficiently perform ALD on different membrane substrates. Membrane devices enable a considerable reduction of costs and environmental impacts for many industries, and there is a constant need to improve their operational performance. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a deposition technique enabling the preparation of high quality thin films on extremely high-aspect-ratio substrates with an excellent conformality and a thickness control at the nanolevel, a unique capability. Therefore, this technology can be applied for both pore size tailoring and interface engineering in membrane structures. Certain important aspects that must be taken into consideration when carrying out ALD on these highly porous ceramic or polymeric membrane substrates will be addressed, in order to achieve a conformal coating of pore walls. Finally, this tutorial will also provide specific case studies to illustrate how ALD can be applied to various membrane devices and improve their operational performance. Thus, by providing this knowledge of ALD for membrane applications, this tutorial will permit us to better exploit this emerging and growing field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a vacuum impregnation process to eliminate the porosity at the ceramic-resin interface to optimize the reinforcement of a glass-ceramic by resin cementation. 100 leucite glass-ceramic disks (1.0 ± 0.1 mm thickness) were air-abraded, etched with 9.6 % HF acid, and silanated. Specimens were randomly allocated to 5 groups (n = 20). Group A received no further treatment (uncoated control). Groups B and D were resin-coated under atmospheric pressure, whereas groups C and E were resin-coated using vacuum impregnation. The polymerized resin-coating surfaces of specimens in groups B and C were polished to achieve a resin thickness of 100 ± 10 µm, while in groups D and E no resin-coating modification was performed prior to bi-axial flexure strength (BFS) determination. Optical microscopy was undertaken on the fracture fragments to identify the failure mode and origin. Comparisons of BFS group means were made by a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post-hoc Tukey test at α = 0.05. All resin-coated sample groups (B–E) showed a statistically significant increase in mean BFS compared with the uncoated control (p < 0.01). There was a significant difference in BFS between the ambient and vacuum impregnated unpolished groups (D and E) (p < 0.01), with the greatest strengthening achieved using a vacuum impregnation technique. Results highlight the opportunity to further develop processes to apply thin conformal resin coatings, applied as a pre-cementation step to strengthen dental glass-ceramics. • Vacuum impregnated resin-coating of glass-ceramic surfaces increases ceramic strength. • A ∼ 50 % increase in mean BFS was observed in vacuum-coated samples. • Results indicate much higher potential for reinforcement if system optimized. • If optimized process is feasible as a pre-cementation step laboratory step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gaseous promotors have readily been adopted during the direct synthesis of graphene over insulators to enhance the growth quality and/or boost the growth rate. The understanding of the real functions of carbon-containing promotors has still remained elusive. In this study, we identify the critical roles of a representative CO2 promotor played in the direct growth of graphene. The comparative experimental trials validate CO2 as an effective modulator to decrease graphene nucleation density, improve growth kinetics, and mitigate adlayer formation. The first-principles calculations illustrate that the generation of gas-phase OH species in CO2-assisted system helps decrease the energy barriers of CH4 decomposition and carbon attachment to the growth front, which might be the key factor to allow high-quality direct growth. Such a CO2-promoted strategy enables the conformal coating of graphene film over curved insulators, where the sheet resistance of grown graphene on quartz reaches as low as 1.26 kΩ·sq−1 at an optical transmittance of ∼ 95.8%. The fabricated endoscope lens based on our conformal graphene harvests an apoptosis of 82.8% for noninvasive thermal therapy. The work presented here is expected to motivate further investigations in the controllable growth of high-quality graphene on insulating substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy is used to investigate a composition of wash swabs from the Cu-TiO2/TiO2-modified filters with disinfecting ability. Macroporous Si chips coated with conformal 800 nm thick Ni layer and Ag particles (Ag/Ni) are engineered to act as SERS-active substrates. Such substrates are characterized by a moderate reflection band in the visible range and provide an improved heat dissipation from contaminants in wash swabs during SERS study. This prevents thermal-induced destruction of analyzing media for reliable assessment of its composition. The anatase Cu-TiO2 and TiO2 nanoparticles are synthesized using the sol-gel method and characterized via Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry. The filters are modified with Cu-TiO2/TiO2 nanoparticles and embedded in three-valve facial masks that are worn by a volunteer to breathe for 4 h. Comparative SERS analysis of the filters shows that they slightly destroy chemical bonds in the molecules constituting airborne contaminations upon ceiling day lights, which can be associated with Cu-TiO2 photocatalytic activity. The filters additionally exposed to near-ultraviolet light prominently decrease the intensity of Raman signatures of airborne contaminant due to the presence of pure TiO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]