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In the field of robot thermosensitive touch recognition systems, it is a major challenge to achieve high thermal conductivity and adhesion properties simultaneously in thermosensitive touch sensors to improve their sensitivity. To address this challenge, this study synthesized a copolymer of polydimethylsiloxane-co-poly([[(butylamino)carbonyl]oxy]ethylester) (PDMSPBA) using UV light polymerization. Then, a core–shell LABN filler was prepared using the principle of electronic hole coordination by combining boron nitride (BN) particles with liquid alloy (LA). The LABN core–shell structured filler was introduced into the PDMSPBA copolymer matrix to prepare PDMSPBA/LABN composite material. The LABN core–shell structure can reduce the distance of phonon transfer inside the composite material and promote the formation of a continuous heat channel. A series of tests showed that the thermal conductivity of PDMSPBA/LABN composite material was 3.75 W m−1 K−1, the electrical conductivity value was 10–6–10–8 S/m, and the surface adhesion was 1.23 × 104 N/m2. Most importantly, the PDMSPBA/LABN composite material was used as the core thermal interface material in the robot thermosensitive touch recognition system. Surprisingly, this intelligent touch recognition system can distinguish rock types in the dark within a specific range using the PDMSPBA/LABN composite material. In summary, the PDMSPBA/LABN composite material has great potential for application in the field of tactile perception of mining robots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, high temperature resistant materials based on waste electrical porcelain were prepared successfully by pressureless sintering method using waste electrical porcelain with different particle sizes, flint clay and dolomite as raw materials. Effects of sintering temperature and different amounts of flint clay on the properties of the prepared high temperature resistant materials were investigated. The analysis of XRD suggested that the temperature promoted the calcium aluminum silicate → gehlenite → anorthite phases transformation, which can also be proved from SEM images. The mechanical properties and volume stability of materials were improved by the formation of a large amount of interwoven plate-like anorthite. Besides, excessive sintering temperature (1300 °C) had adverse effects on microstructure and mechanical properties. The appropriate amount of flint clay additions led to more plate-like anorthite productions. With 30 wt% addition of flint clay, the sample exhibited the optimum comprehensive performance after sintering at 1250 °C showing the highest flexural and compressive strengths of 32.83 MPa and 89.59 MPa. The bulk density and apparent porosity of samples were 2.21 g/cm3 and 3.27%, respectively. This study provides an experimental basis for the large-scale high-value utilization and recycling of waste electric porcelain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase change materials (PCMs) have high energy storage density and stable phase transition temperature, and are one of the most promising thermal storage and management materials. However, the PCMs' shape instability, poor light absorption, low electrical and thermal conductivity seriously hinder their multi-functional application. Herein, a three-dimensional carbon aerogel with grid structure, large porosity, and hierarchical porous structure was prepared from resource-rich plant straw for supporting PCMs. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) as thermal energy guest was encapsulated into carbon aerogel by simple vacuum impregnation. The obtained PEG/carbon aerogel composites show high loading rate of PCMs（＞97%), high thermal storage density (＞185 J g−1), stable shape, and effective solar/electro-thermal conversion. The grid structure carbon aerogel as efficient thermal and electron transfer pathways guarantee effective solar/electro-thermal conversion of composites. PEG encapsulated in each lattice as a thermal functional unit realizes the thermal storage and management. Especially, grid-structure composites realized fast and uniform electro-thermal conversion and storage under low voltage. This work provides a feasible, economic, and large-scale preparation strategy for the multi-functional PCMs. The multi-functional composites have broad application prospects in solar energy capture and storage, waste power recycling, building energy saving, smart thermal management and so on. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome the poor shape stability, low thermal conductivity, and weak photo response of phase change materials (PCMs), we designed a kind of Gelatin@nanoGraphite aerogel with aligned channel structure of graphite nanosheets and a new type of stable Paraffin/Gelatin@nanoGraphite composite PCMs was fabricated in this work. The graphite nanosheets were used as thermal conduction and photon absorption fillers. The microstructure, thermal conductivity, thermal stability, and solar-thermal conversion of the composite PCMs have been investigated. The results show that the rich porosity of the prepared Gelatin@nanoGraphite aerogel effectively loads a large amount of paraffin wax (>93.2 wt%). Meanwhile, the composite PCMs had anisotropic solar-thermal conversion and thermal conductivity (radial 3.75 and axial 2.59 W/(m·K)), high melting enthalpy (>146.4 J/g), and excellent phase change cycle and shape stability. This material has intensive application prospects in the fields of building energy saving, human body hyperthermia and solar energy collection system. Paraffin/Gelatin@nanoGraphite PCMs with anisotropic thermal conduction capacity and solar-thermal conversion ability were prepared by directional freeze-drying process and vacuum impregnation. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy on the incidence of pseudophakic retinal detachment (RD). The PubMed and Embase databases were searched for meta-analysis. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to study location, number of cases, mean follow-up time, and cataract procedure. The final analysis included 11 studies with 309 cases of RD in 65 117 eyes undergoing cataract surgery. Among them, 8232 eyes underwent Nd:YAG capsulotomy. This analysis demonstrated an increased risk for RD with Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy (relative risk [RR], 1.57; 95% CI, 1.17-2.12; P =.003; hazard ratio, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.03-2.62; P =.04). Subgroup analysis suggested somewhat stronger associations in Asian (RR, 4.54; 95% CI, 2.20-9.38; P <.0001) than in non-Asian populations (Americans, P =.12; Europeans and others, P =.21) and with extracapsular cataract extraction (RR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.83-4.83; P <.0001) than with phacoemulsification (P =.95). To conclude, Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy may be associated with an increased risk for pseudophakic RD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Nano-confined rGO/CuCo-MOF membrane was synthesized by stacked self-assembly. • Analyses confirmed the rGO membrane-confined growth of CuCo-MOF crystal. • Nano-confined membrane can achieve rapid destruction of organic pollutants. • The degradation path of OTC was proposed via DFT calculation and LC-MS analysis. Fenton-like processes generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) to achieve degradation of organic pollutants, however, practical water treatment processes suffer from low ROS utilization owing to its ultra-short lifetime and mass transfer limitations. To solve these problems, a nano-confined reaction space was designed to facilitate a fast mass transfer process for efficient removal of organic pollutants. Herein, the CuCo-based bimetallic organic framework (CuCo-MOF) was loaded in the water-transporting interlayer nanochannels of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) membrane. Membrane-confined CuCo-MOF with multiple exposed reaction sites activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS), generating ROS for ultrafast removal of oxytetracycline (OTC) at a water fluxes of 87.3 L·m−2·h−1. Notably, this membrane can continuously and stably degrade OTC (100 %) within 30 h. In addition, free radical capture experiments and EPR analysis indicated that the main ROS of the reaction system were singlet oxygen (1O 2) and sulfate radical (SO 4 −). Based on Fukui index results and LC-MS analysis, reaction sites of OTC attacked by ROS were identified and it's possible degradation pathways were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • UO 2 were dominated by U(V) after exposure to γ-ray in either H 2 O or 1 M Cl- / Br-. • XPS shows (meta)-studtite formed on UO 2 after exposure to γ-ray in H 2 O. • UPS shows U(VI) on UO 2 after exposure to γ-ray in either H 2 O or 1 M Cl- / Br-. • Br 3 - was observed in 1 M Br- solution exposed to γ-radiation. In this work, we have experimentally studied UO 2 dissolution in pure water and in 1 M aqueous solutions of either Cl- or Br- exposed to γ-radiation. It has previously been found that high ionic strength can facilitate adsorption of dissolved UO 2 2+ on UO 2 surfaces. The adsorption is also affected by the solution pH relative to the point of zero charge of UO 2. In our experiments, Br 3 - was observed in 1 M Br- solution exposed to γ-radiation. Experiments confirmed that Br 3 - can quantitively oxidize UO 2. XPS and UPS were used to characterize potential surface modifications after exposure. The XPS results show that the UO 2 surfaces after exposure to γ-radiation in pure water and in 1 M aqueous solutions of either Cl- or Br- were significantly oxidized with U(V) as the dominating state. U 4f 7/2 and O 1 s spectra of the UO 2 surface after exposure to γ-radiation in pure water demonstrates the formation of uranyl peroxide secondary phases. UPS results indicate that there is a large percentage of U(VI) on the ultra-thin outer layer of UO 2 after exposure to γ-radiation in 1 M aqueous solutions of Br- and Cl-, and 100 % of U(VI) in the pure water case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Butterfly Optimisation Algorithm (BOA) is a kind of meta-heuristic swarm intelligence algorithm based on butterfly foraging strategy, but it still needs to be improved in the aspects of convergence speed and accuracy when solving with high-dimensional optimisation problems. In this paper, an improved butterfly optimisation algorithm is proposed, in which guiding weight and population restart strategy are applied to the original algorithm. By adding guiding weight to the global search equation, the convergence speed and accuracy of the algorithm are improved, and the possibility of jumping out of the local optimal solution is increased by the population restart strategy. In order to verify the performance of the proposed algorithm, 24 benchmark functions commonly used for optimisation algorithm experiments are applied in this paper, including 12 unimodal functions and 12 multimodal functions. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm improves the convergence speed, accuracy and the ability to jump out of the local optimal solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A universal method to obtain record‐high electronic Seebeck coefficients is demonstrated while preserving reasonable conductivities in doped blends of organic semiconductors through rational design of the density of states (DOSs). A polymer semiconductor with a shallow highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level‐poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) is mixed with materials with a deeper HOMO (PTB7, TQ1) to form binary blends of the type P3HTx:B1‐x (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) that is p‐type doped by F4TCNQ. For B = PTB7, a Seebeck coefficient S = 1100 µV K−1 with conductivity σ = 0.3 S m−1 at x = 0.10 is achieved, while for B = TQ1, S = 2000 µV K−1 and σ = 0.03 S m−1 at x = 0.05 is found. Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations with parameters based on experiments show good agreement with the experimental results, confirming the intended mechanism. The simulations are used to derive a design rule for parameter tuning. These results can become relevant for low‐power, low‐cost applications like (providing power to) autonomous sensors, in which a high Seebeck coefficient translates directly to a proportionally reduced number of legs in the thermogenerator, and hence in reduced fabrication cost and complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CuCo-based MOF was prepared via a facile solvothermal method. • CuCo-MOF displays excellent activity for NIM degradation. • The synergy between the Cu-Co dual active centers enhanced the activation of PMS. • The NIM reaction site was revealed and its degradation path was proposed. • Cu and Co dual active sites to favor Cu and Co-PMS adsorption and charge transfer. Regulation of active sites is of significant importance for boosting the catalytic properties of metal–organic frameworks (MOF). Herein, we developed a one-pot strategy to construct bimetallic organic frameworks with Cu-Co double sites (CuCo-MOF) for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation. CuCo-MOF exhibits excellent active oxidation capacity, enabling complete removal of NIM within 25 min (0.227 min−1). Its NIM degradation rate was 7.3 and 2.4 times higher than that of Cu-MOF and Co-MOF, respectively. The theoretical simulations unravel that doping Co into the lattice structure of Cu-MOF promotes electron transfer from the electron-rich region (benzene ring) to the electron-deficient regions around metal sites, which facilitated the optimization of the adsorption energy for PMS activation and boosted the breakage of O O bond in PMS. According to LC-MS analysis and DFT calculation, the NIM degradation pathways were proposed, and its degradation intermediates were conducted for toxicity evaluation. The findings, revealing the synergistic effect of bimetals, open a new avenue for the rational design of highly efficient MOF-based Fenton-like catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a prevalent and severe complication characterized by high diagnostic challenges. Currently, a unified diagnostic standard incorporating both computed tomography (CT) images and numerical text data for PJI remains unestablished, owing to the substantial noise in CT images and the disparity in data volume between CT images and text data. This study introduces a diagnostic method, HGT, based on deep learning and multimodal techniques. It effectively merges features from CT scan images and patients' numerical text data via a Unidirectional Selective Attention (USA) mechanism and a graph convolutional network (GCN)-based Feature Fusion network. We evaluated the proposed method on a custom-built multimodal PJI dataset, assessing its performance through ablation experiments and interpretability evaluations. Our method achieved an accuracy (ACC) of 91.4% and an area under the curve (AUC) of 95.9%, outperforming recent multimodal approaches by 2.9% in ACC and 2.2% in AUC, with a parameter count of only 68 M. Notably, the interpretability results highlighted our model's strong focus and localization capabilities at lesion sites. This proposed method could provide clinicians with additional diagnostic tools to enhance accuracy and efficiency in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • CuFe 2 O 4 /biochar/Ag 3 PO 4 heterojunction photocatalyst was successfully prepared. • DFT calculations revealed the charge transfer mechanism. • The photo-generated hole protective mechanism was proposed. • The degradation path of phenol is proposed via DFT calculation and GC–MS analysis. Ag 3 PO 4 has an excellent visible light response, but its serious photocorrosion has limited its application in environmental remediation. Here, we constructed a ternary heterojunction photocatalyst (CuFe 2 O 4 /Biochar/Ag 3 PO 4) to inhibit its photocorrosion and enhance photocatalytic activity. Notably, the composite catalyst (0.5 g/L) thoroughly degraded phenol (20 mg/L) at 18 min, and its apparent kinetic constant is fivefold that of pure Ag 3 PO 4. The analysis of XPS, XRD, and cyclic degradation experiments confirmed that the photocorrosion of the heterojunction photocatalyst was significantly suppressed. The enhanced photocorrosion resistance of Ag 3 PO 4 can be ascribed to the rapid transfer and consumption of photoelectrons on the Ag 3 PO 4 surface by biochar and CuFe 2 O 4 , thereby avoiding photocorrosion. Especially, Ag 3 PO 4 as a hole-rich region can protect Ag+ from being reduced. DFT calculations further revealed the electron transfer and anti-photocorrosion mechanism of Ag 3 PO 4. The photogenerated O 2 – and h+ played a major role in phenol degradation. A possible degradation pathway was proposed by DFT calculations and GC–MS analysis. This study provides a novel ternary heterojunction photocatalyst to improve the catalytic performance and photocorrosion resistance of Ag 3 PO 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A low cost hydrothermal synthesis method to synthesize Mn-doped ZnO nanorods (NRs) with controllable morphology and structure has been developed. Ammonia is used to tailor the ammonium hydroxide concentration, which provides a source of OH- for hydrolysis and precipitation during the growth instead of HMT. The morphological, chemical composition, structural, and electronic structure studies of the Mn-doped ZnO NRs show that the Mn-doped ZnO NRs have a hexagonal wurtzite ZnO structure along the c-axis and the Mn ions replace the Zn sites in the ZnO NRs matrix without any secondary phase of metallic manganese element and manganese oxides observed. The fabricated PEDOT:PSS/Zn0.85Mn0.15O Schottky diode based piezoresistive sensor and UV photodetector shows that the piezoresistive sensor has pressure sensitivity of 0.00617 kPa-1 for the pressure range from 1 kPa to 20 kP and 0.000180 kPa-1for the pressure range from 20 kPa to 320 kPa with relatively fast response time of 0.03 s and the UV photodetector has both relatively high responsivity and fast response time of 0.065 A/W and 2.75 s, respectively. The fabricated Schottky diode can be utilized as a very useful human-friendly interactive electronic device for mass/force sensor or UV photodetector in everyday living life. This developed device is very promising for small-size, low-cost and easy-to-customize application-specific requirements. (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of in situ oxygen/water exposure on the energetics of [6,6]‐phenyl‐C61‐butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) films are presented. For oxygen exposure, the work function is downshifted by ≈0.15 eV compared to the ideal integer charge transfer (ICT) curve for pristine PCBM, which is incompatible with significant introduction of electron trap states or p‐doping. Water induces the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) structure to undergo strong, irreversible modifications accompanied by a chemical interaction with PCBM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nature of the electronic and local magnetic properties of ferrocene (FeCp2) filled single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) has been investigated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). Metallic, semiconducting, and unsorted ferrocene-filled tubes have been studied in different conditions of temperature and magnetic field. XMCD signal becomes evident with the application of a magnetic field at low temperature. We find that the molecular states of ferrocene interact with SWCNT of different metallicities. A paramagnetic behavior of encapsulated ferrocene is observed from the magnetic field dependent XMCD measurements which is consistent with theoretical predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasingly isolated frequency of antibiotic-resistant V. alginolyticus strains in clinic and aquaculture has been reported, but the mechanisms of V. alginolyticus antibiotic resistance are largely absent. In the present study, native/SDS-PAGE based proteomics, which may provide information on protein–protein interaction, was utilized to investigate differential proteins of V. alginolyticus in resistance to balofloxacin. Ten proteins were altered, in which V12G01_04671, V12G01_00457, V12G01_15927, V12G01_15240, NqrA (spot 26), and NqrF (spot 30) were downregulated, while V12G01_22043, TolC, V12G01_15130, V12G01_19297 were upregulated. Importantly, the two components of Na(+)–NQR complex, NqrA and NqrF, were vertically lined and was further investigated. Western blotting assay indicated that downregulation of the two proteins contrasted sharply with upregulation of a control protein TolC, which was consistent with the result obtained from 2-DE gel analysis. Furthermore, overexpression of NqrA, NqrF and TolC resulted in decrease and elevation of bacterial survival ability in medium with balofloxacin, respectively. These results indicate that downregulation of Na(+)–NQR complex is essential for V. alginolyticus resistance to balofloxacin. This is the first report on the role of Na(+)–NQR complex in antibiotic resistance. This finding highlights the way to an understanding of antibiotic-resistant mechanisms in content of metabolic regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalysis coupled with sulfate radical-based advanced oxidation process (SR-AOPs) is an efficient strategy to enhance the degradation efficiency of organic pollution. Herein, a Z-scheme CuFe 2 O 4 /MnO 2 composite catalyst was successfully fabricated by the hydrothermal method. A series of characterizations demonstrated that the higher CuFe 2 O 4 particle dispersion and larger BET surface area of CuFe 2 O 4 /MnO 2 catalyst contributed to a high catalytic activity toward the phenol removal compared with pure CuFe 2 O 4. The effects of catalyst concentration, pH, and peroxymonosulfate (PMS) concentration were studied according to the Box-Behnken Design (BBD) method. The results indicated that 100 mg/L 100 mL phenol could be degraded completely at 0.5 g/L CuFe 2 O 4 /MnO 2 catalyst, pH = 4.8 and 0.5 mM PMS within 30 min. Moreover, the excellent reusability and stability of CuFe 2 O 4 /MnO 2 were indicated by the results of recycling degradation and ion leaching test. The free radical quenching experiments and electron spin resonance (ESR) confirmed that h+, SO 4 •-, and •OH were the main reaction species for phenol oxidation. Based on the results of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and ion chromatography, the degradation pathway of phenol was proposed, and the toxicity of phenol degradation intermediates was evaluated. This work may provide new insights into the design of heterojunction photocatalysts for PMS activation to remove organic pollutants. • The Z-scheme CuFe2O4/MnO2 heterojunction was constructed via hydrothermal method. • The photocatalytic coupled with SR-AOPs significantly improves the removal efficiency of phenol. • The h+, SO4.•-, and •OH were the main reaction species for phenol oxidation. • The optimization operation of removal phenol according to RSM based on BBD. • The degradation intermediates of phenol were evaluated toxicity analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The structure, morphology and composition of pure WO3 thin films deposited onto vacuum-cleaved NaCl(001) single crystals have been studied at different substrate temperatures up to 580 K and under different oxidative and reductive treatments in the temperature range 373–873 K by Transmission Electron Microscopy, Selected-Area Electron Diffraction and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). A transition from an amorphous structure obtained after deposition at 298 K to a more porous structure with small crystallites at the highest substrate temperatures has been observed. XPS spectra reveal the presence of W6+ irrespective of the preparation procedure. Significant changes in the film structure were only observed after an oxidative treatment in 1 bar O2 at 673 K, which induces crystallization of a monoclinic WO3 structure. After raising the oxidation temperature to 773 K, the film shows additional reconstruction and a hexagonal WO3 structure becomes predominant. This hexagonal structure persists at least up to 873 K oxidation temperature. However, these structural transformations observed upon oxidation were almost completely suppressed by mixing the WO3 thin film with a second oxide, e.g. Ga2O3. Reduction of the WO3 films in 1 bar H2 at 723–773 K eventually induced the formation of the β-W metal structure, as evidenced by electron diffraction and XPS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • An efficient CuHCF/C electrode was prepared for Cu2+ removal by CDI. • CuHCF/C achieved high Cu2+ adsorption capacity of 134.47 mg g−1 at low applied voltage of 0.8 V. • CuHCF/C manifested excellent Cu2+ selectivity in multi-ion coexisting solution. • The mechanism of removing Cu2+ by Faradaic pseudocapacitance was explained. The efficient capture of copper ions (Cu2+) in wastewater has dual significance in pollution control and resource recovery. Prussian blue analog (PBA)-based pseudocapacitive materials with open frameworks and abundant metal sites have attracted considerable attention as capacitive deionization (CDI) electrodes for copper removal. In this study, the efficiency of copper hexacyanoferrate (CuHCF) as CDI electrode for Cu2+ treating was evaluated for the first time upon the successful synthesis of copper hexacyanoferrate/carbon sheet combination (CuHCF/C) by introducing carbon sheet as conductive substrate. CuHCF/C exhibited significant pseudocapacitance and high specific capacitance (52.92 F g−1) through the intercalation, deintercalation, and coupling of Cu+/Cu2+ and Fe2+/Fe3+ redox pairs. At 0.8 an applied voltage and CuSO 4 feed liquid concentration of 100 mg L−1, the salt adsorption capacity was 134.47 mg g−1 higher than those of most reported electrodes. Moreover, CuHCF/C demonstrated excellent Cu2+ selectivity in multi-ion coexisting solutions and in actual wastewater experiments. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were employed to elucidate the mechanism. This study not only reveals the essence of Cu2+ deionization by PBAs pseudocapacitance with promising potential applications but also provides a new strategy for selecting efficient CDI electrodes for Cu2+ removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process cementing of deep water, cement particles react with water to produce a lot of hydration heat, which can lead to decomposition of natural gas hydrate. We synthesized a kind of micro-capsule thermal control material with paraffin wax as the base material and calcium carbonate as the skeleton support material. At first, the chemical structure and chemical element composition of thermal control material were obtained by FTIR and EDS, respectively. Secondly, the phase change properties of MPCM-1 were measured by using DSC. As a result, it was shown that phase change temperature and phase change enthalpy of thermal control material is 31.11 °C and 88.59 J/g, respectively. Simultaneously, the thermal stability of IPCM-1 was obtained by using a synchronous thermal analyzer. Then, the micro-encapsulated thermal control material is introduced into the cement slurry system, and the hydration heat and maximum hydration temperature rise of the cement slurry were investigated by a self-made hydration heat test device. As a result, compared with cement slurry CB, the hydration heat released to the environment by cement slurry CS 12.0% decreased by 44.16% (at 48 h), and the maximum hydration temperature of cement slurry CS12.0% is reduced by 25.4 °C. Besides, compared with cement slurry CB, the compressive strength of cement slurry CS 12.0% increased by 5.9% (24 h) and 9.8% (48 h). The thermal control material was added into the cement slurry, and a low hydration heat cement slurry system was successfully prepared. • Microcapsule thermal control material of inorganic wall material was synthesized. • Microcapsule thermal control material can control the hydration heat and temperature rise of cement slurry. • A low hydration heat cement slurry successfully prepared by applying microcapsule thermal control material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on perovskites has grown exponentially in the past decade due to the potential of methyl ammonium lead iodide in photovoltaics. Although these devices have achieved remarkable and competitive power conversion efficiency, concerns have been raised regarding the toxicity of lead and its impact on scaling up the technology. Eliminating lead while conserving the performance of photovoltaic devices is a great challenge. To achieve this goal, the research has been expanded to thousands of compounds with similar or loosely related crystal structures and compositions. Some materials are "re-discovered", and some are yet unexplored, but predictions suggest that their potential applications may go beyond photovoltaics, for example, spintronics, photodetection, photocatalysis, and many other areas. This short review aims to present the classification, some current mapping strategies, and advances of lead-free halide double perovskites, their derivatives, lead-free perovskitoid, and low-dimensional related crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the need to cultivate a new type of peasantry in China. Linking of schools with agriculture; Pressures for promotion rates; Implementation of a system of assessments and rewards for teachers and students.

Comprehensive Summary: Energy levels and energy level alignment at interfaces play a decisive role in designing efficient and stable organic solar cells (OSCs). In this review two usually used technologies in organic photovoltaic communities for measuring energy levels of organic semiconductors, photoelectron spectroscopy and electrochemical methods, are introduced, and the relationships between the values obtained from the corresponding techniques are compared. The energy level and energy level alignment across the interfaces involved in solution processed organic photovoltaics are described, and the corresponding integer charge transfer model for predicting and explaining energy level alignment is presented. The effects of the interface properties in designing efficient binary and ternary OSCs were discussed. The effects of environmental factors mainly including water vapor, oxygen gas and thermal annealing on energy levels and energy level alignment involved in photoactive layers, and the subsequent effects on the corresponding OSC properties are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solution-based deposition, with its simplicity and possibility for upscaling through printing, is a promising process for low-cost electronics. Metal oxide semiconductor devices, especially indium oxide with its excellent electrical properties, offer high performance compared to amorphous Si-based rivals, and with a form factor conducive to flexible and wearable electronics. Here, rectifying diodes based on an amorphous spin-coated indium oxide are fabricated for high-speed applications. We report a solution-processed diode approaching the UHF range, based on indium oxide, with aluminum and gold as the electrodes. The device was spin-coated from a precursor material and configured into a half-wave rectifier. The J – V and frequency behavior of the diodes were studied, and the material composition of the diode was investigated by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). The 3-dB point was found to be over 700 MHz. The results are promising for the development of autonomously powered wireless Internet-of-Things systems based on scalable, low-cost processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have demonstrated a high power conversion efficiency, however, the large energy loss due to non‐radiative recombination is the main challenge for further performance enhancement. Here, a surface treatment strategy is developed by heat‐induced decomposition of a thin interlayer 2,7‐Naphthaleneditriflate (NAP) to in situ reconstruct perovskite energetics. It is verified that the reconstructed perovskite surface energetics match better with the upper hole transport layer compared to the intrinsic condition. Spontaneous generation of n/n− homojunctions between the perovskite film bulk and the surface region promotes hole extraction, enhancing built‐in electric field, and thus significantly suppresses charge recombination at such perovskite hole‐selective heterojunctions. Moreover, the surface decomposed fluorine‐rich complexes passivate the defects and improve the crystallinity of the perovskite film. These advantages are confirmed by a remarkably improved efficiency from 20.52% for the control device to 23.37% for the treated one with excellent stability. The work provides a promising approach of in situ reconstructing perovskite surface and interface for the design of highly efficient and stable PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Interfacial compatibility between the electrode and organic semiconductor plays a critical role in controlling the charge transport and hence efficiency of organic solar cell. Here, we introduce a novel small-molecule zwitterionic electrolyte (S1) combined with ZnO as electron transporting interlayer employed for the inverted PTB7:PC 71 BM bulk heterojunction solar cell. The resulting device with the S1/ZnO stacked interlayer achieves a high PCE of 8.59%, obtaining a 16.2% improvement over the control device performance of 7.4% without the S1 attributed to the significant increased short-circuit current density and fill factor. The interfacial properties are investigated. It is found that the S1/ZnO interlayer possess an ultralow work function of 3.6 eV, which originates from the interfacial double dipole step induced by the zwitterionic side chain electrostatic realignment at interface. The S1/ZnO interlayer exhibits the excellent charge extraction ability, suppresses the charge recombination loss and decreases the series resistance at the active layer/electrode contact. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • S1 coated ZnO layer is employed as electron transporting layer for inverted organic solar cell. • S1/ZnO stacked interlayer exhibits the excellent charge extraction ability. • ZnO/S1 stacked interlayer has an ultralow work function of 3.6 eV. • The efficiency of the device with the S1/ZnO interlayer constitutes a 16.2% improvement over that of the controlled device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile gas-steamed strategy is reported for preparing heteroatom dual-doped hierarchical porous hollow carbon catalysts via carbonization of a mixture of carbon sphere precursor and ammonium fluoride (NH 4 F). Notably, NH 4 F can be decomposed into NH 3 and HF by pyrolysis, in which HF gas can etch SiO 2 pellets to form hollow structure while the N and F atoms can be introduced at the same time. The FCS-900 exhibits admirable electrocatalytic properties with the highest onset potential and limiting current density in neutral electrolytes (0.944 V vs. RHE and 6.44 mA cm−2). In comparison to MFC-Pt, much higher output voltage and power density (0.617 V and 1093.6 ± 6.26 mW m−2) are obtained by MFC-900. Such results can be attributed to the largest specific surface area of FCS-900 to supply exposed active sites and fast transportation channels. Based on X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the FCS-900 catalyst possesses the active substances of pyridinic/graphitic N and C-F bonds. The synergism of N and F can effectively facilitate the adsorption of O 2 during ORR, as further supported by density functional theory calculation. The facile and green synthesis strategy can be extended to design metal-free carbon-based electrocatalysts with superior electrocatalytic performance. [Display omitted] • A gas-steamed strategy is proposed to prepare N-F co-doped hollow carbon spheres. • NH 4 F is endowed with dual functions of etching SiO 2 and N-F co-doping. • The FCS-900 has highly active substances of pyridinic/graphitic N, C-F bonds. • The MFC-900 shows the highest power density of 1093.6 ± 6.26 mW m−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

No abstract is available for this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability of organic electrochromic devices is a crucial issue for their applications. However, until now the degradation mechanism of electrochromic materials are still not fully understood especially for electrochromic conjugated polymers (ECPs). To improve device stability, intensive investigation on the degradation mechanism of ECPs is urgently needed. Here we report our study on the electrochromic degradation in a thiophene–quinoxaline copolymer: poly [2,3-bis-(3-octyloxyphenyl)quinoxaline-5,8-diyl-alt-thiophene-2,5-diyl] (TQ1). The results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet photoelectron spectra (UPS) and UV–vis transmission spectra reveal that there are three main factors during the electrochromic degradation of TQ1. The first one is anion ( Cl O 4 − ) irreversibly deep trapped, while the second is peroxidation of the thiophene group in TQ1. Both factors reduce the conductivity and electrochromism of TQ1. The third is structural relaxation resulting lager conjugated system of TQ1 molecules in film, which is gradually developed during 400 cycling of CV at a narrow potential range (0–1 V). When a potential range 0–0.7 V is applied, all three factors are prohibited, no electrochromism degradation is observed anymore, although the contrast becomes smaller. Our investigation systematically discloses the degradation mechanism during the electrochemistry processing of a ECP (TQ1), demonstrating the significance of trade-off between the electrochromic stability and contrast of the ECP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of novel polymeric materials with variable heat transport properties could revolutionize the utilization and manipulation of thermal energy to keep devices working optimally. Here, we synthesized a poly-1-butyl-5-((4-(phenyldiazenyl)phenoxy)methyl)2-ethyl-2,4,4-trimethylpentanedioate (AzoBmapolymer) containing photoisomerization's groups through reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization. Firstly, using a thermal conductivity (TC)-measuring instrument, we demonstrate the TC of photoresponsive AzoBmapolymer that reversibly switches between low (0.13 ± 0.02 Wm−1 K−1) and high (0.24 ± 0.02 Wm−1 K−1) states. And surprisingly, the 84.6% change of TC was achieved by the modulation of the AzoBmapolymer containing photoisomerization's groups through green and ultraviolet photoirradiation. What is more, our synthesized photosensitive AzoBmapolymer is capable of TC transition within 7 s controlled by photoirradiation, and its photoregulated TC transition rate is dozens or hundreds of times higher than that driven by magnetic field molecular orientation (0.17 h), electrochemical oxygenation (0.5 h), or temperature modulation (1 h). Theoretically, the photoisomerization's groups of AzoBmapolymer can lead to different spatial configurations of macromolecules. Meanwhile, this conformational transition results in a change in the π–π stacking (dπ–π) spatial configuration and an amorphous-to-crystal transition. More importantly, X-ray diffraction, crosspolarized optical microscopy, and TC-measuring instrument jointly demonstrate that photoirradiation reversibly change the thermophysical properties of AzoBmapolymer phonon transport. In other words, this result illustrates a powerful manipulation of the thermophysical properties of the polymers by photoirradiation. The AzoBmapolymer could complement traditional metal heat transfer materials used in applications; for instance, heat exchangers, electronic packaging, and heat sink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of highly efficient blue perovskite light‐emitting diodes (PeLEDs) remains a big challenge, requiring more fundamental investigations. In this work, significant photoluminescence enhancement in mixed halide blue perovskite films is demonstrated by using a molecule, benzylphosphonic acid, which eventually doubles the external quantum efficiency to 6.3% in sky‐blue PeLEDs. The photoluminescence enhancement is achieved by forming an oxide‐bonded perovskite surface at grain boundaries and suppressing electron–phonon interaction, which enhances the radiative recombination rate and reduces the nonradiative recombination rate, respectively. Moreover, severe thermal quenching is observed in the blue perovskite films, which can be explained by a two‐step mechanism involving exciton dissociation and electron–phonon interaction. The results suggest that enhancing the radiative recombination rate and reducing the electron–phonon interaction‐induced nonradiative recombination rate are crucial for achieving blue perovskite films with strong emission at or above room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective electron transport and extraction are essential to the operation of photovoltaic devices. Electron transport layer (ETL) is therefore critical to organic photovoltaics (OPV). Herein, an ETL configuration is presented comprising a solution‐processed n‐n organic heterojunction to enhance electron transport and hole blocking, and boost power conversion efficiency (PCE) in OPV. Specifically, the n‐n heterojunction is constructed by stacking a narrow‐band n‐type conjugated polymer layer (PNDIT‐F3N) and a wide‐band n‐type conjugated molecule layer (Phen‐NaDPO). Based on the ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy measurement and numerical simulation of current density‐voltage characteristics, the formation of the built‐in potential is investigated. In three OPVs with different active layers, substantial improvements are observed in performance following the introduction of this ETL configuration. The performance enhancement arises from the combination of selective carrier transport properties and reduced recombination. Another contributing factor is the good film‐forming quality of the new ETL configuration, where the surface energies of the related materials are well‐matched. The n‐n organic heterojunction represents a viable and promising ETL construction strategy for efficient OPV devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mullite–cordierite ceramic saggar is a necessary consumable material used in the synthesis process of LiCoO2 that is easily eroded during application. In our study, we systematically investigated the characteristics and surface corrosion behavior of waste saggar samples. We divided the cross sections of waste saggar into the attached layer, hardened layer, permeability layer, and matrix layer. Then, we examined the high-temperature solid-state reactions between saggar powder and lithium carbonate or cobalt oxide to identify erosion reactants correlating with an increase in the number of recycled saggars. The results of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometric analysis (TOF-SIMS) prove that the maximum erosion penetration of lithium can reach 2 mm. However, our morphology and elemental distribution analysis results show that the erosion penetration of cobalt was only 200 μm. When enough lithium carbonate reacted, lithium aluminate and lithium silicate were the main phases. Our X-ray computed tomography (X-ray CT) analysis results show that the change in phase volume before and after the reaction, including the generation of oxygen and carbon dioxide gas, led to the internal crack expansion of the material–saggar interface. Our results can contribute to improving saggar and upgrading waste saggar utilization technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tremendous growth of disposable electrode-based portable devices for point-of-care testing requires mass production of disposable electrodes in a low-cost and sustainable manner. Here, we demonstrate a green route for the conversion of biomass lignin, patterning, and reduction of the lignin-derived graphene electrodes by sequential laser lithography, water lift-off and sodium borohydride (NaBH 4) treatment, and their use for electrochemical lactate biosensors. Energy-saving and localized laser lithography converted the aromatic ring-rich lignin into porous laser-induced graphene (LIG). The conductivity and attachment of the LIG to the substrate were optimized in a factorial experiment with laser power and scan speed as variables. Characterization results revealed the conversion of partial heteroatoms (e.g., Na, S, O) into granular inorganic compounds on the LIG surface under laser treatment. Water was used as an eco-friendly solvent for the patterning of the LIG (P-LIG) by a lift-off process, where the inorganic residues and un-reacted lignin were dissolved, exposing the macro-/micro-pores in the P-LIG. NaBH 4 induced a reduction of the P-LIG (P-rLIG) resulting in improved electrochemical kinetics with lower charge transfer resistance (27.3 Ω) compared to the LIG (248.1 Ω) and the P-LIG (61.4 Ω). The porous P-rLIG served as a 3D electrode for the deposition of Prussian blue and lactate oxidase for disposable electrochemical lactate biosensors, delivering a good analytical performance towards lactate detection with a linear range up to 16 mM and a high sensitivity (1.21 μA mM−1). These lignin-derived disposable electrodes, utilizing renewable resources together with low-energy consumption fabrication and patterning, may contribute to the sustainable manufacturing of biosensors for point-of-care and point-of-use applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Fe, Cu co-doped promotes electron transfer of ORR. • Fe, Cu co-doped adjust d-band of elements. • Fe, Cu act synergistically through redox coupling. • FeCu@CN shows the remarkable stability in application of MFC. Air cathode microbial fuel cell (AC-MFC) cannot be used on a large scale because of its low oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) efficiency. Despite the fact that bimetallic catalysts can greatly enhance the oxygen reduction rate by regulating the electronic structure of the active site, the flaws of insufficient exposure of the active site and easy metal agglomeration limit its catalytic activity. Herein, we report on the preparation of a stable heteroatomic substrate using a copper material organic framework as a precursor, covered by Fe-based active sites. As a result of dipole-dipole interactions, the reduced product Fe2+ forms a weak Fe-O surface that is conducive to the adsorption of active substances. The presence of Fe0 enhances the electrical conductivity of the catalytic, thus promoting ORR efficiency. Through redox coupling, the D-band center of Fe at FeCu@CN is optimized and brought close to the Fermi level to facilitate electron transfer. Notably, FeCu@CN demonstrates a superior power density of 2796.23 ± 278.58 mW m−3, far exceeding that of Pt/C (1363.93 ± 102.56 mW m−3), in the application of microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Meanwhile, the MFC-loaded FeCu@CN maintains excellent stability and outstanding output voltage after 1000 h, which provides feasibility for large-scale application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) suffer from significant nonradiative recombination at perovskite/charge transport layer heterojunction, seriously limiting their power conversion efficiencies. Herein, solution‐processed chromium multioxide (CrOx) is judiciously selected to construct a MAPbI3/CrOx/Spiro‐OMeTAD hole‐selective heterojunction. It is demonstrated that the inserted CrOx not only effectively reduces defect sites via redox shuttle at perovskite contact, but also decreases valence band maximum (VBM)‐HOMO offset between perovskite and Spiro‐OMeTAD. This will diminish thermionic losses for collecting holes and thus promote charge transport across the heterojunction, suppressing both defect‐assisted recombination and interface carrier recombination. As a result, a remarkable improvement of 21.21% efficiency with excellent device stability is achieved compared to 18.46% of the control device, which is among the highest efficiencies for polycrystalline MAPbI3 based n–i–p planar PSCs reported to date. These findings of this work provide new insights into novel charge‐selective heterojunctions for further enhancing efficiency and stability of PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Record power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have been obtained with the organic hole transporter 2,2′,7,7′-tetrakis(N,N-di-p-methoxyphenyl-amine)9,9′-spirobifluorene (spiro-OMeTAD). Conventional doping of spiro-OMeTAD with hygroscopic lithium salts and volatile 4-tert-butylpyridine is a time-consuming process and also leads to poor device stability. We developed a new doping strategy for spiro-OMeTAD that avoids post-oxidation by using stable organic radicals as the dopant and ionic salts as the doping modulator (referred to as ion-modulated radical doping). We achieved PCEs of >25% and much-improved device stability under harsh conditions. The radicals provide hole polarons that instantly increase the conductivity and work function (WF), and ionic salts further modulate the WF by affecting the energetics of the hole polarons. This organic semiconductor doping strategy, which decouples conductivity and WF tunability, could inspire further optimization in other optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Preparation of NC-Co(PO 3) 2 adopted facile gas-solidified phosphating strategy. • NC-Co(PO 3) 2 electrode was used for the first time in the field of CDI. • NC-Co(PO 3) 2 showed better electrosorption capacity of 95.41 mg g−1. • NC-Co(PO 3) 2 had excellent selectivity in various ion-competitive environments. • Real copper-containing wastewater confirmed the great potential of NC-Co(PO 3) 2. The increasing amount of heavy metal copper ions (Cu2+) in industrial emissions, poses a serious threat to human health, biological environment, and resource scarcity. Capacitive deionization (CDI) is considered as a green and efficient method for desalination. It is crucial to develop high-performance electrodes for efficient operation of CDI that go beyond conventional carbon and yield considerable environmental benefits. Here, metal organic frameworks (MOFs) derived carbon-loaded cobalt metaphosphate (NC-Co(PO 3) 2) was prepared by low-temperature gas–solid phosphating for Cu2+ removal as CDI electrode for the first time. NC-Co(PO 3) 2 demonstrated superior electrode structure and function due to the synergistic effects of electric double layer coupling P-O bonds, the binding tendency of metaphosphate groups with Cu2+, and interfacial redox reactions induced by the labile valence state of cobalt. The optimal electrosorption capacity of NC-Co(PO 3) 2 was 95.41 mg g−1 at 1 V in 50 mL Cu2+ solution with splendid cyclic regeneration capability. Moreover, NC-Co(PO 3) 2 exhibited excellent selectivity and outstanding electrosorption performance in the presence of multiple coexisting ions and this CDI system realized the purification of actual copper-containing wastewater. A series of characterizations further revealed the specific mechanism of Cu2+ in adsorption–desorption process. Our finding strongly supported NC-Co(PO 3) 2 electrode can extend the CDI platform's capability for effectively removing and retrieving Cu2+ from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We studied the effect of varying sonication and centrifugation parameters on double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNT) by measuring optical absorption and photoluminescence (PL) of the samples. We found that by using a low sonication intensity before applying density gradient ultracentrifugation (DGU), only inner tube species with a diameter 0.8nm can be identified in absorption measurements. This is in stark contrast to the result after sonicating at higher intensities, where also bigger inner tubes can be found. Furthermore, by comparing PL properties of samples centrifugated either with or without a gradient medium, we found that applying DGU greatly enhances the PL intensity, whereas centrifugation at even higher speeds but without a gradient medium results in lower intensities. This can be explained by extraction of inner tubes from their host outer tubes in a two-stage process: the different shearing forces from the sonication treatments result in some DWCNT to be opened, whereas others stay uncut. A subsequent application of DGU leads to the extraction of the inner tubes or not if the host nanotube stayed uncut or no gradient medium was used. This work shows a pathway to avoid this phenomenon to unravel the intrinsic PL from inner tubes of DWCNT. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In a quest to eliminate the bio-refractory organic pollutants in industrial wastewater, the NiFe 2 O 4 /SEP composites were synthesized via a sol-gel method and investigated by XRD, SEM, XPS, FTIR, VSM. The TOC removal increased from 16.82% to 69.35% in NiFe 2 O 4 /SEP+O 3 system using quinoline as a target contaminant after 30 min, which is about 4.12 times as that in O 3 system. The evolution of acetic acid, oxalic acid and formic acid in quinoline degradation was analyzed, saturated carboxylic acids were inertia to ozone molecules. However, 93.54% of oxalic acid was removed after 10 min, and 77.66% of acetic acid was degraded after 30 min in catalytic ozonation. The generation of small molecular organic acids could promote the Fe3+/Fe2+ redox cycle by complexing with Fe3+ on NiFe 2 O 4 /SEP, and then accelerated the formation of reactive oxygen species. In the presence of NiFe 2 O 4 /SEP, the high oxidation potential of •OH and •O 2 - contributed to an excellent TOC removal rate. Meanwhile, NiFe 2 O 4 /SEP was proved to be active for bio-treated coking wastewater in catalytic ozonation. The naturally fluorescent constituents in bio-treated coking wastewater were almost entirely removed by NiFe 2 O 4 /SEP+O 3 system in 60 min. These findings indicated the good potential of NiFe 2 O 4 /SEP for practical applications in industrial wastewater treatment. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to realize the large-scale and high-value utilization of waste architectural ceramics, high-temperature resistant materials based on waste architectural ceramics were prepared with sodium silicate as the binder, clay/bauxite and metakaolin/bauxite as coating materials, and the cold strength obtaining mechanism was explored. The phase composition, the microstructure and the mechanical properties of the high temperature resistant materials based on waste architectural ceramics were tested and analyzed. The results showed that when the heat treatment temperature was between 110-1 000, the strength of the samples mainly came from the physical adhesion of sodium silicate and fine powder. When the temperature rose to 1 100, the strength of the sample was improved since the internal low-melting-point components melted and promoted sintering. The addition of clay and bauxite can effectively enhance the flexural strength of the samples when the heat treatment temperature is 1 000. When the heat treatment temperature rises from 900 to 1 000, the flexural strength of the samples will be enhanced owing to the formation of silica alumina spinel and mullite from metakaolin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorescent nanohybrids, based on π‐extended hydroxyoxophosphole ligands grafted onto ZnO nanoparticles, are designed and studied. The restriction of the intramolecular motions of the organic fluorophore, through either aggregates' formation in solution or processing into thin films, forms highly emissive materials due to a strong aggregation induced emission effect. Theoretical calculations and XPS analyses were performed to analyze the interactions between the organic and inorganic counterparts. Preliminary results on the use of these nanohybrids as solution‐processed emissive layers in organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) illustrate their potential for lighting applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) have the potential to revolutionize the field of organic bioelectronics. To date, most of the reported OECTs include p‐type (semi‐)conducting polymers as the channel material, while n‐type OECTs are yet at an early stage of development, with the best performing electron‐transporting materials still suffering from low transconductance, low electron mobility, and slow response time. Here, the high electrical conductivity of multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and the large volumetric capacitance of the ladder‐type π‐conjugated redox polymer poly(benzimidazobenzophenanthroline) (BBL) are leveraged to develop n‐type OECTs with record‐high performance. It is demonstrated that the use of MWCNTs enhances the electron mobility by more than one order of magnitude, yielding fast transistor transient response (down to 15 ms) and high μC* (electron mobility × volumetric capacitance) of about 1 F cm−1 V−1 s−1. This enables the development of complementary inverters with a voltage gain of >16 and a large worst‐case noise margin at a supply voltage of <0.6 V, while consuming less than 1 µW of power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capacitive deionization (CDI) is a high-performance, low-energy consumption, and environmentally friendly water treatment technology with a broad application prospect in heavy metal removal. Selecting electrode materials with high capacitance and low resistance is essential for improving CDI's desalting efficiency. This article discusses the utilization of sugarcane bagasse (C-N-X) and the production procedures of CDI materials. The unique 3D cross-linked structure of C-N-X provides excellent mass transfer properties and significant advantages in capacitance and conductivity. The results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR) show that bagasse biochar with graphene-like structure and abundant functional groups provides active sites for Cu2+ removal. In this paper, C-N-X is first used as CDI electrode material to remove Cu2+. Electrochemical tests show that the specific capacitance of C-N-X is still stable at about 47 F g−1, and the removal capacity of Cu2+ (25 mg L−1) reaches 66.79 mg g−1 within 4 h after 700 cycles. The experimental results and DFT calculations confirm the adsorption selectivity of C-N-700 for Cu2+. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demonstration of an efficient nanostructure that provides acceptable photoelectrochemical water splitting properties using the sun visible radiation is an appealing issue. In this connection, a new ternary nanocomposite of Ag 2 S/MoS 2 /ZnO photoanode is subsequently fabricated via hydrothermal, solvothermal and SILAR methods. Different properties of the nanocomposite are characterized by XRD, SEM, EDX, XPS, UV–Vis-IR spectroscopy and electrochemical techniques. The post-grown annealed 8-Ag 2 S/MoS 2 /ZnO photoanode exhibits a good performance with a photocurrent density of 2 mA/cm2 at a bias potential 1.23 V vs. RHE. The photocurrent of the post-grown annealed 8-Ag 2 S/MoS 2 /ZnO photoanode is 71.42 times, 40 times and 2 times higher compares to the pure ZnO, post-grown annealed MoS 2 /ZnO, and post-grown annealed 8-Ag 2 S/ZnO photoanodes, respectively. The enhanced PEC performance may originate from the combination of different effects such as the expansion of light absorption and energy band alignment (type II heterostructures), [SO 4 ] acted as a charge-transfer medium, and electrode-electrolyte interface kinetic reactions. [Display omitted] • Ag 2 S/MoS 2 /ZnO ternary nanocomposite was successfully synthesized in three steps. • This ternary photoanode greatly improved the photocurrent of the PEC water splitting. • Ag 2 S components are utilized as light-absorption sensitizers. • The sacrificial reagent electrolyte is used to study the reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a promising energy storage/conversion technology, the microbial fuel cell (MFC) is generally restricted by the biofouling on the cathode and the sluggish kinetics of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Consequently, developing bacteriostatic and high-performance ORR catalysts is critical for the large-scale application of MFC. Herein, we prepare an electrocatalyst of porous octahedral zirconium-based metal organic framework (MOF) UiO-66-NH 2 with dispersed Ag and Fe 3 C nanoparticles (Ag/Fe–N–C) through a facile impregnation and pyrolysis method for an efficient alkaline and neutral ORR. Systematic experimental results demonstrate that the synergistic effect of Ag and Fe can optimize the d-band center of catalyst to boost the interfacial charge transfer, thus resulting in an increased ORR kinetics. As expected, the catalyst with Ag/Fe–N–C-2:1 exhibits outstanding onset potential (1.01 V vs. RHE) and half-wave potential (0.58 V vs. RHE) in neutral electrolyte, which is comparable to Pt/C catalyst. Meanwhile, Ag/Fe–N–C-2:1 indicates obvious antibacterial activity, inhibiting the biofouling on the cathode surface. The MFC with the Ag/Fe–N–C-2:1 as the cathode catalyst can achieve a maximum power density of 1261.1 ± 24 mW m−3, outperforms the MFC with Pt/C (1087.5 ± 14 mW m−3). In summary, Ag/Fe–N–C-2:1 composite can serve as a feasible alternative cathode catalyst for MFC. [Display omitted] • Efficient ORR catalysts based on UiO66-NH 2 with dispersed Ag and Fe 3 C nanoparticles. • Bimetallic active sites optimize the d-band center and promote charge transfer. • High ORR catalytic activity and antibacterial performance. • As bacteriostatic ORR catalyst applied to the air-cathode microbial fuel cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The limited light absorption, low thermal conductivity, and poor shape stability restrict the widespread application of organic phase change materials (PCMs). Herein, carbon foam (CF) with the light, inter-connective porous, and high-strength was developed based on the phenolic resin to encapsulate organic PCMs, and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were added to improve the compressive strength and light absorption at the same time. Then, the polyethylene glycol (PEG) was encapsulated in the CF/MWCNTs composite via a vacuum impregnation method. The modified CF composite could act as an efficient heat transfer channel to improve the thermal conductivity and light-thermal conversion efficiency of PEG. As a result, the PEG/CF composites displayed a high latent enthalpy (156.3 J/g to 170.9 J/g) and an excellent light-thermal conversion efficiency (61%–74%). Furthermore, the PEG/CF 10 exhibited the highest thermal conductivity of 0.68 W/(m∙K), which is about 2.24 times higher than that of pure PEG. The as-prepared PEG/CF composites with mechanical strength and thermal stability could exhibit great potential in solar energy utilization, building energy conservation, and waste heat recovery. [Display omitted] • A phenolic resin carbon foam modified by MWCNTs has been first designed by a simple template method. • The modified carbon foam with inter-connective porous act as a good supporting material to encapsulate organic PCMs. • PEG/CF composites displayed an enhanced thermal conductivity and light-thermal conversion efficiency. • The light-thermal conversion and storage mechanism has been investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defect passivation via additive and energetic modification via interface engineering are two effective strategies for achieving high‐performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Here, the synergies of pentafluorophenyl acrylate when used as additive, in which it not only passivates surface defect states but also simultaneously modifies the energetics at the perovskite/Spiro‐OMeTAD interface to promote charge transport, are shown. The additive‐induced synergy effect significantly suppresses both defect‐assisted recombination and interface carrier recombination, resulting in a device efficiency of 22.42% and an open‐circuit voltage of 1.193 V with excellent device stability. The two photovoltaic parameters are among the highest values for polycrystalline CsFormamidinium/Methylammonium (FAMA)/FAMA based n‐i‐p structural PSCs using low‐cost silver electrodes reported to date. The findings provide a promising approach by choosing the dual functional additive to enhance efficiency and stability of PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defect passivation via additive and energetic modification via interface engineering are two effective strategies for achieving high‐performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Here, the synergies of pentafluorophenyl acrylate when used as additive, in which it not only passivates surface defect states but also simultaneously modifies the energetics at the perovskite/Spiro‐OMeTAD interface to promote charge transport, are shown. The additive‐induced synergy effect significantly suppresses both defect‐assisted recombination and interface carrier recombination, resulting in a device efficiency of 22.42% and an open‐circuit voltage of 1.193 V with excellent device stability. The two photovoltaic parameters are among the highest values for polycrystalline CsFormamidinium/Methylammonium (FAMA)/FAMA based n‐i‐p structural PSCs using low‐cost silver electrodes reported to date. The findings provide a promising approach by choosing the dual functional additive to enhance efficiency and stability of PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite quick development of perovskite light‐emitting diodes (PeLEDs) during the past few years, the fundamental mechanisms on how ion migration affects device efficiency and stability remain unclear. Here, it is demonstrated that the dynamic redistribution of mobile ions in the emissive layer plays a key role in the performance of PeLEDs and can explain a range of abnormal behaviours commonly observed during the device measurement. The dynamic redistribution of mobile ions changes charge–carrier injection and leads to increased recombination current; at the same time, the ion redistribution also changes charge transport and results in decreased shunt resistance current. As a result, the PeLEDs show hysteresis in external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) and radiance, that is, higher EQEs and radiance during the reverse voltage scan than during the forward scan. In addition, the changes on charge injection and transport induced by the ion redistribution also well explain the rise of the EQE/radiance values under constant driving voltages. The argument is further rationalized by adding extra formamidinium iodide (FAI) into optimized PeLEDs based on FAPbI3, resulting in more significant hysteresis and shorter operational stability of the PeLEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]