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Zinc ion batteries have been extensively studied with an aqueous electrolyte system. However, the batteries suffer from a limited potential window, gas evolution, cathode dissolution, and dendrite formation on the anode. Considering these limitations, we developed an alternative electrolyte system based on deep eutectic solvents (DESs) because of their low cost, high stability, biodegradability, and non-flammability, making them optimal candidates for sustainable batteries. The DES electrolyte enables reversible Zn plating/stripping and effectively suppresses zinc dendrite formation. Furthermore, in-depth characterizations reveal that the energy storage mechanism can be attributed to [ZnCl]

In this work, we, for the first time, observed the remarkable thermoelectric properties of a few high-quality PtSe2 layered films fabricated by a post selenization of Pt thin films. An excellent po...

Real-time, daily health monitoring can provide large amounts of patient data, which may greatly improve the likelihood of diagnosing health conditions at an early stage. One potential sensor is a flexible humidity sensor to monitor moisture and humidity information such as dehydration. However, achieving a durable functional nanomaterial-based flexible humidity sensor remains a challenge due to partial desorption of water molecules during the recovery process, especially at high humidities. In this work, we demonstrate a highly stable resistive-type Pd/HNb3O8 humidity sensor, which exhibits a perdurable performance for over 100 h of cycle tests under a 90% relative humidity (RH) without significant performance degradation. One notable advantage of the Pd/HNb3O8 humidity sensor is its ability to regulate hydroniums due to the strong reducibility of H atoms dissociated on the Pd surface. This feature realizes a high stability even at a high humidity (99.9% RH). Using this superior performance, the Pd/HNb3O8 humidity sensor realizes wireless monitoring of the changes in the fingertip humidity of an adult under different physiological states, demonstrating a facile and reliable path for dehydration diagnosis.

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have recently attracted a tremendous amount of attention owing to their superior optical and electrical properties as well as the interesting and various na...

In this work, we demonstrated nano-scaled Laue diffractions by a focused polychromatic synchrotron radiation beam to discover what happens in MoS2 when van der Waals epitaxy is locally invalid. A stronger exciton recombination with a local charge depletion in the density of 1 × 1013 cm-2, extrapolated by Raman scattering and photoluminescence, occurs in grains, which exhibits a preferred orientation of 30° rotation with respect to the c-plane of a sapphire substrate. Else, the charge doping and trion recombination dominate instead. In addition to the breakthrough in extrapolating mesoscopic crystallographic characteristics, this work opens the feasibility to manipulate charge density by the selection of the substrate-induced disturbances without external treatment and doping. Practically, the 30° rotated orientation in bilayer MoS2 films is promoted on inclined facets in the patterned sapphire substrate, which exhibits a periodic array of charge depletion of about 1.65 × 1013 cm-2. The built-in manipulation of carrier concentrations could be a potential candidate to lateral and large-area electronics based on 2D materials.

Aluminum-sulfur batteries (ASBs) have attracted substantial interest due to their high theoretical specific energy density, low cost, and environmental friendliness, while the traditional sulfur cathode and ionic liquid have very fast capacity decay, limiting cycling performance because of the sluggishly electrochemical reaction and side reactions with the electrolyte. Herein, we demonstrate, for the first time, excellent rechargeable aluminum-selenium batteries (ASeBs) using a new deep eutectic solvent, thiourea-AlCl3, as an electrolyte and Se nanowires grown directly on a flexible carbon cloth substrate (Se NWs@CC) by a low-temperature selenization process as a cathode. Selenium (Se) is a chemical analogue of sulfur with higher electronic conductivity and lower ionization potential that can improve the battery kinetics on the sluggishly electrochemical reaction and the reduction of the polarization where the thiourea-AlCl3 electrolyte can stabilize the side reaction during the reversible conversion reaction of Al-Se alloying processes during the charge-discharge process, yielding a high specific capacity of 260 mAh g-1 at 50 mA g-1 and a long cycling life of 100 times with a high Coulombic efficiency of nearly 93% at 100 mA g-1. The working mechanism based on the reversible conversion reaction of the Al-Se alloying processes, confirmed by the ex situ Raman, XRD, and XPS measurements, was proposed. This work provides new insights into the development of rechargeable aluminum-chalcogenide (S, Se, and Te) batteries.

Recently, extracting hot electrons from plasmonic nanostructures and utilizing them to enhance the optical quantum yield of two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have been topics ...

Unlike common TMDCs such as MoS2, PtSe2 can be fabricated at temperatures below 600 °C, or even as low as 300 °C, while still maintaining high quality. By varying the selenization temperature from 300 °C to 600 °C, the electrical properties were changed significantly, resulting in superior gas sensing performance. Through comprehensive material analysis, an interesting phenomenon was found, namely that strain along the [001] direction existed in films grown at a low temperature rather than at a high temperature. Moreover, due to the layer-dependent property of PtSe2, a phase transition from metal-to-semiconductor occurs as the thickness is reduced. Hybridization of phase engineering and thermal strain engineering significantly enhances the gas sensing performance, resulting in PtSe2 with a dramatic increase in the response to 1 ppm NO2 from 25% to 550% once the thickness was reduced from 10 to 5 layers. In addition, PtSe2 showed good stability during exposure to not only 1 ppm but also 50 ppb NO2 for more than 5 cycles with responses of over 550% and 60%, respectively.

Background Redirection of natural killer (NK) cells with chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) is attractive in developing off-the-shelf CAR therapeutics for cancer treatment. However, the site-specific integration of a CAR gene into NK cells remains challenging. Methods In the present study, we genetically modified human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) with a zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) technology to introduce a cDNA encoding an anti-EpCAM CAR into the adeno-associated virus integration site 1, a “safe harbour” for transgene insertion into human genome, and next differentiated the modified iPSCs into CAR-expressing iNK cells. Results We detected the targeted integration in 4 out of 5 selected iPSC clones, 3 of which were biallelically modified. Southern blotting analysis revealed no random integration events. iNK cells were successfully derived from the modified iPSCs with a 47-day protocol, which were morphologically similar to peripheral blood NK cells, displayed NK phenotype (CD56+CD3-), and expressed NK receptors. The CAR expression of the iPSC-derived NK cells was confirmed with RT-PCR and flow cytometry analysis. In vitro cytotoxicity assay further confirmed their lytic activity against NK cell-resistant, EpCAM-positive cancer cells, but not to EpCAM-positive normal cells, demonstrating the retained tolerability of the CAR-iNK cells towards normal cells. Conclusion Looking ahead, the modified iPSCs generated in the current study hold a great potential as a practically unlimited source to generate anti-EpCAM CAR iNK cells.

Two-dimensional Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), have now attracted much attention due to their unique layered structure and physical properties. Up to date, several studies have demonstrated monolayered and few-layered TMDC-based photodetectors with good stability, photo-switching time and broadband detectivity from UV to infrared light region. However, the reported responsivity is not as high as the theoretical expectation, indicating that the light absorption is limited by the atomic thickness of 2D-TMDCs and could still be improved. To overcome the drawback of low absorption in 2D TMDC materials, previous reports have revealed several strategies to enhance the electric field and light-harvesting in these atomically thin TMDC layers by hybridizing plasmonic noble-metal nanoparticles, such as Pt, Au and Ag, to facilitate the light-matter interaction at the surface of semiconductors. In this regard, we aim to combine highly absorptive CuInS2(CIS) nanocrystals with noble metal nanoparticles as the photosensitizer to enhance the intrinsic absorptivity and promote the performance of MoS2-based photodetectors. The interests of noble nanocrystals such as platinum and gold are featured for their distinctive properties of the carrier transportation and the storage when combined with semiconductor materials. The strategy described here acts as a perspective to significantly improve the performance of MoS2-based photodetectors with outstanding detection responsivity with selectable wavelengths by further controlling the size and material of the decorated CIS nanocrystals. In addition to optical sensing, TMDCs have also been developed as a promising candidate for gas-molecule detection. Different from commercial metal oxide gas sensors, TMDCs as sensing materials can be operated at room temperature with good performance, increasing its reliability for future industrial applications. Nevertheless, the relatively low response and long response/recovery time are the main drawbacks of these promising devices. Therefore, we proposed the approach to successfully increase the surface area of TMDCs by a one-step synthesis from WO3 into three-dimensional (3D) WS2 nanowalls through a rapid heating and rapid cooling process. Moreover, the combination of CdS/ZnS or CdSe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots (QDs) with different emission wavelengths and WS2 nanowalls will further improve the performance of WS2-based photodetector devices, including 3.5~4.7 times photocurrent enhancement and shorter response time. The remarkable results of the QD-WS2 hybrid devices to the high non-radiative energy transfer (NRET) efficiency between QDs and our nanostructured material are caused by the spectral overlap between the emission of QDs as the donors and the absorption of WS2 as the acceptors. Additionally, the outstanding NO2 gas-sensing properties of QDs/WS2 devices were demonstrated with a remarkably low detection limit down to 50 ppb with a fast response time of 26.8 s, contributed by tremendous local p-n junctions generated from p-type WS2 nanowalls and n-type CdSe-ZnS QDs in this hybrid system. Our strategies to combine 0D nanoparticles or quantum dots and 2D TMDC materials can significantly enhance the optical sensing and gas molecule sensing properties compared to pristine TMDC-based devices, resulting from the efficient charge or energy transfer between the multi-dimension material system and the creation of local p-n junctions. Moreover, the scalability of these hybrid nanostructures allows our devices to exhibit much more possibilities in advanced multifunctional applications.

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have been made in improving the NRR for the significant effort in catalytic activity due to its unique crystal structures, electronic properties, and promising nonprecious catalysts. However, many studies have provided solutions to activate the inert basal plane with low improvement. With highly asymmetric configuration, Janus monolayer with intrinsic strain and electric field can enable a way to tune the activity in TMDs-based catalysts. Although the first successful experimental synthesis of Janus structure (MoSSe) has gained significant interest and become a fast-growing TMDs-based material, the structure remains limited in the low dimensional and hard to expose the edges site to enhance the catalytic activity. Besides the common benefits of 2D TMDs, such as high surface area, short carrier migration distance, and tunable electronic structure. In this regard, the inherent structural asymmetry of Janus WSSe nanowalls as a new means to enhance the NRR activity was investigated. Janus TMDs nanowalls as the catalyst by taking advantage of its introduction of in-gap states with a shift in the Fermi level in nitrogen adsorbed system because of Janus asymmetry from the origin of stimulating NRR activity. Raman spectra showthe related main modes for WSSe Janus structure as shown in Fig. 1a, for which peaks at 271 and 333 nm can be found, respectively. The linear sweep voltammetric (LSV) curves of the catalysts as shown in Fig. 1b confirm the onset potential of the NRR, which increases with the different materials. Janus WSSe Janus nanowalls exhibit outstanding NRR performance over its parent materials (WS2 and WSe2). The results should propose a new path to design high performance and a novel structure for Janus TMD-based catalysts. Fig1. (a) Evolution of Raman spectra in the WSSe nanowalls as a function of chemical composition (b) LSV curves for WS2, WSe2, WS2-XSe2-2X alloy, and WSSe Janus nanowalls Figure 1

The multilayer 1T-TaSe2 is successfully synthesized by annealing a Se-implanted Ta thin film on the SiO2/Si substrate. Material analyses confirm the 1T (octahedral) structure and the quasi-2D nature of the prepared TaSe2. Temperature-dependent resistivity reveals that the multilayer 1T-TaSe2 obtained by our method undergoes a commensurate charge-density wave (CCDW) transition at around 500 K. This synthesis process has been applied to synthesize MoSe2 and HfSe2 and expanded for synthesis of one more transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) material. In addition, the main issue of the process, that is, the excess metal capping on the TMD layers, is solved by the reduction of thickness of the as-deposited metal thin film in this work.

Non-layered e-Ti2N with a work function of ∼4.75 eV, synthesized by a rapid process assisted by N2 plasma immersion, is successfully applied as the anode material of lithium-ion batteries with good performance; it exhibits discharge capacity of ∼450 mA h g−1, which is close to the theoretical value, coulombic efficiencies of >85%, and capacity retentions (≥80%).

Real-time, daily health monitoring can provide large amounts of patient data, which may greatly improve the likelihood of diagnosing health conditions at an early stage. One potential sensor is a flexible humidity sensor to monitor moisture and humidity information such as dehydration. However, achieving a durable functional nanomaterial-based flexible humidity sensor remains a challenge due to partial desorption of water molecules during the recovery process, especially at high humidities. In this work, we demonstrate a highly stable resistive-type Pd/HNb

Atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDC) have received much attention due to their wide variety of optical and electronic properties. Among various TMDC materials, molybdenum disulfide (MoS

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have recently attracted a tremendous amount of attention owing to their superior optical and electrical properties as well as the interesting and various nanostructures that are created by different synthesis processes. However, the atomic thickness of TMDCs limits the light absorption and results in the weak performance of optoelectronic devices, such as photodetectors. Here, we demonstrate the approach to increase the surface area of TMDCs by a one-step synthesis process of TMDC nanowalls from WO

The rechargeable aluminum-ion battery (AIB) is a promising candidate for next-generation high-performance batteries, but its cathode materials require more development to improve their capacity and cycling life. We have demonstrated the growth of MoSe

In this work, we demonstrated nano-scaled Laue diffractions by a focused polychromatic synchrotron radiation beam to discover what happens in MoS

Aluminum-sulfur batteries (ASBs) have attracted substantial interest due to their high theoretical specific energy density, low cost, and environmental friendliness, while the traditional sulfur cathode and ionic liquid have very fast capacity decay, limiting cycling performance because of the sluggishly electrochemical reaction and side reactions with the electrolyte. Herein, we demonstrate, for the first time, excellent rechargeable aluminum-selenium batteries (ASeBs) using a new deep eutectic solvent, thiourea-AlCl

A suitable electrocatalyst plays an essential role in room-temperature Na–S (RT/Na–S) batteries owing to the more severe dissolution of polysulfides and sluggish kinetics of the conversion of polysulfides during charging and discharging processes. In this study, a novel MoS2/MoN heterostructure synthesized via NH3 annealing was introduced as an electrocatalyst into RT/Na–S batteries to promote the evolution of polysulfides in the catholyte with an initial specific capacity of 703 mA h g–1 and retains 392 mA h g–1 after 300 cycles. The density-functional theory (DFT) calculations, ex-situ XPS and Raman spectra were utilized to reveal moderate anchoring and the fast redox kinetics of polysulfides, significantly enhancing the cycling performance and electrochemical performance of the RT-Na/S batteries when compared with those of the RT-Na/S batteries containing pure MoS2 or MoN as the catalyst. The work provides a new strategy for guiding the design of high‐performance catalysts with manipulated chemical components and optimized adsorption ability.

Summary Current donor cell-dependent strategies can only produce limited “made-to-order” therapeutic natural killer (NK) cells for limited patients. To provide unlimited “off-the-shelf” NK cells that serve many recipients, we designed and demonstrated a holistic manufacturing scheme to mass-produce NK cells from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Starting with a highly accessible human cell source, peripheral blood cells (PBCs), we derived a good manufacturing practice-compatible iPSC source, PBC-derived iPSCs (PBC-iPSCs) for this purpose. Through our original protocol that excludes CD34+ cell enrichment and spin embryoid body formation, high-purity functional and expandable NK cells were generated from PBC-iPSCs. Above all, most of these NK cells expressed no killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs), which renders them unrestricted by recipients' human leukocyte antigen genotypes. Hence, we have established a practical “from blood cell to stem cells and back with less (less KIRs)” strategy to generate abundant “universal” NK cells from PBC-iPSCs for a wide range of patients., Highlights • A GMP-compatible iPSC source has been generated from peripheral blood cells • An industry-friendly protocol has been developed to produce NK cells from iPSCs • These iPSC-derived NK cells are high-purity, functional, and KIR negative • These iPSC-derived NK cells recognize and kill a wide variety of cancer cells, To provide unlimited “off-the-shelf” NK cells that serve many recipients, Zeng and colleagues demonstrate a manufacturing scheme to mass-produce NK cells from peripheral blood cell-derived iPSCs (PBC-iPSCs). Through their original protocol, high-purity functional NK cells are generated from PBC-iPSCs. Most of these NK cells express no killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors, which renders them unrestricted by recipients' HLA genotypes.

In this work, three-dimensional (3D) CoMoSe4 nanosheet arrays on network fibers of a carbon cloth denoted as CoMoSe4@C converted directly from CoMoO4 nanosheet arrays prepared by a hydrothermal process followed by the plasma-assisted selenization at a low temperature of 450 °C as an anode for sodium-ion battery (SIB) were demonstrated for the first time. With the plasma-assisted treatment on the selenization process, oxygen (O) atoms can be replaced by selenium (Se) atoms without the degradation on morphology at a low selenization temperature of 450 °C. Owing to the high specific surface area from the well-defined 3D structure, high electron conductivity, and bi-metal electrochemical activity, the superior performance with a large sodium-ion storage of 475 mA h g−1 under 0.5–3 V potential range at 0.1 A g−1 was accomplished by using this CoMoSe4@C as the electrode. Additionally, the capacity retention was well maintained over 80 % from the second cycle, exhibiting a satisfied capacity of 301 mA h g−1 even after 50 cycles. The work delivered a new approach to prepare a binary transition metallic selenide and definitely enriches the possibilities for promising anode materials in SIBs with high performances. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s11671-019-3035-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Figure S1. SEM-energy dispersive spectra (EDS) of (a) CoMoO4@C and (b) CoMoSe4@C. Figure S2. Raman spectra of (a) CoMoO4 before and after the plasma-assisted selenization process without plasma treatment and (b) CoMoO4 before and after the plasma-assisted selenization process with plasma treatment. Figure S3. XRD spectra of (a) CoMoO4 and (b) CoMoSe4 nanosheet arrays. Figure S4. Cycling performance of pure carbon cloth. Figure S5. (a) Cyclic voltammograms and (b) discharge/charge profiles of the CoMoO4@C. Figure S6. EIS of CoMoSe4@C and CoMoO4@C. (DOCX 357 kb)

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have not only recently attracted tremendous attention due to their unique optical and electrical properties but also the interesting and various nanostructures created by different synthesis process. These atomically thin TMDCs materials possess great potential in sensing, optoelectronic, energy harvesting and Li-ion battery applications. However, the atomic thickness of TMDCs will limit the light absorption and result in weak performance of optoelectronic devices, such as photodetectors. Here, we demonstrate a novel approach to increase the surface area of TMDCs in the one-step synthesis process of TMDC nanowalls from WOx into WS2 nanowalls. By utilizing the rapid heating and rapid cooling process, we can achieve the formation of nanowalls with the height of ~150 nm standing perpendicularly on top of the substrate. Our method provides a rapid synthesis process with enhanced aspect ratio compared to the conventional solid-vapor phase CVD process, which is commonly used for the synthesis of planar TMDCs with few atomic layers. Moreover, the combination of colloidal quantum dots (QDs) with three different emission wavelength and WS2 nanowalls will further improve the performance of WS2-based photodetector devices, including 3.5~4 times photocurrent enhancement and shorter response time. The remarkable results of the QD-WS2 hybrid devices to the high NRET efficiency between QDs and our nanostructured material are caused by the spectral overlap between the emission of QDs and the absorption of WS2. Additionally, the outstanding NO2 gas-sensing properties of QDs/WS2 devices were demonstrated with a remarkably low detection limit down to 50 ppb with a fast response time of 26.8 s contributed by tremendous local p-n junctions generated from p-type WS2 nanowalls and n-type CdSe-ZnS QDs. Our work successfully reveals the energy transfer phenomenon in QD-WS2 hybrid devices and shows great potential in commercial multifunctional sensing applications.

Recently, two-dimensional materials are considered as potential materials for future electronic devices. Moreover, fabrication of two-dimensional heterojunction attract lots of attention. Here, we use a laser with metal-assisted oxidation method to construct WSe2/WO3 heterostructure. In the experiment, a plasma-assisted chemical vapor reduction (PACVR) process was applied to synthesis large area WSe2 layer. A layer of nickel metal was deposited as a first layer which will absorb the heat of laser and oxidize the top WSe2 layer, then a additional oxide layer was deposited between nickel layer and WSe2 layer to prevent the nickel metal layer from getting selenized when we used PACVR process to selenize the amorphous WO3 precursor. In the laser oxidation process, we choose 808 nm wavelength continuous wave laser as the laser source which will not absorb by WSe2 layer cause the laser energy is lower than bandgap of WSe2. Therefore, the nickel metal layer will absorb most of the laser energy then heat the top WSe2 layer under atmosphere. The top area of WSe2 heated by the metal layer will get oxidized into WO3 hence formed a heterojunction with the outer area which was not expose by laser. We also used photolithography to get different pattern of nickel layer which could control and limit the oxidized area by the metal layer but not by the laser exposure area. After the laser oxidation process, this WSe2/WO3 structure was further fabricated into photodetector showed its great possibility in future electronic applications.

Recent advances in the use of organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites have been investigated in a variety of applications, such as solar cells, photodetector, light emitting devices (LEDs), and lasers because of their outstanding semiconductor properties. Furthermore, the perovskite structure has the ability to host extrinsic elements, making it a promising candidate for battery field. Previous studies have shown that organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites can be a suitable anode material for both lithium- and sodium-ion batteries. However, the multivalent rechargeable batteries with perovskite material have not yet been realized. Herein, we studied the electrochemical performance of three-dimensional (3D) CH3NH3PbI3 and quasi-two dimensional (C4H9NH3)2(CH3NH3)3Pb4I13 thin films as electrode materials for rechargeable Al-ion batteries. In this work, these electrodes were successfully synthesis on carbon cloth through a feasible solution process. The (C4H9NH3)2(CH3NH3)3Pb4I13 electrode yield a specific capacity of 210 mAh g–1 at the current density of 50mA g−1 . It still delivered 81 mAh g–1 after 250 cycles at the current density of 200mA g−1 with a retention of as high as 95%, indicating a long cycling stability. Compared with the CH3NH3PbI3, the (C4H9NH3)2(CH3NH3)3Pb4I13 presented higher initial capacities, better reversibility, and more excellent high-rate capabilities, all demonstrating the vitally prominent role of isobutyl amine (C4H9NH3). which can be attributed to the unique hydrogen-bonding interaction of isobutyl amine could effectively hinder the shuttle effect of polyiodide. We anticipate that these results open a new direction for the use of organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites for new secondary aluminum ion batteries.

A facile approach for the synthesis of Au- and Pt-decorated CuInS

Using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to derive chimeric antigen receptor-modified T (CAR-T) cells has great industrial potential. A previous study used αβ T cell-derived CAR-modified iPSCs to produce CAR-T cells. However, these αβ T cells are restricted to autologous use and only recognize single cancer antigen. To make CAR-T alternative for allogeneic use, we reprogrammed γδ T cell into iPSCs (γδ T-iPSCs) to circumvent the risk of graft-versus-host disease. To target multiple cancer-associated antigens, we used an "NK cell-promoting" protocol to differentiate γδ T-iPSCs and to induce expression of natural killer receptors (NKRs). Through such two-step strategy, mimetic γδ T cells endowed with an array of NKRs and thus designated as "γδ natural killer T (γδ NKT) cells" were derived. With no/low-level expression of inhibitory killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and immune checkpoint receptors, γδ NKT cells may provide a potent "off-the-shelf" cytotoxic cell source to recognize multiple ubiquitous antigens in a broad spectrum of cancers.

A facile approach for the synthesis of Au- and Pt-decorated CuInS2 nanocrystals (CIS NCs) as sensitizer materials on the top of MoS2 bilayers is demonstrated. A single surfactant (oleylamine) is used to prepare such heterostructured noble metal decorated CIS NCs from the pristine CIS. Such a feasible way to synthesize heterostructured noble metal decorated CIS NCs from the single surfactant can stimulate the development of the functionalized heterostructured NCs in large scale for practical applications such as solar cells and photodetectors. Photodetectors based on MoS2 bilayers with the synthesized nanocrystals display enhanced photocurrent, almost 20-40 times higher responsivity and the On/Off ratio is enlarged one order of magnitude compared with the pristine MoS2 bilayers-based photodetectors. Remarkably, by using Pt- or Au-decorated CIS NCs, the photocurrent enhancement of MoS2 photodetectors can be tuned between blue (405 nm) to green (532 nm). The strategy described here acts as a perspective to significantly improve the performance of MoS2 -based photodetectors with the controllable absorption wavelengths in the visible light range, showing the feasibility of the possible color detection.

Owing to the exceptional physical properties and potential in sensor application, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have attracted much attention in recent years. When the thickness of TMDCs is reduced to only monolayer or few atomic layers, a bandgap enlargement and transition from indirect to direct happen. Recently, researchers focus on the creation of various interesting nanostructures by different synthesis processes. Here, we present a novel chemical vapor reaction (CVR) method for the one-step synthesis of TMDC nanowalls from the reduction of WOx into WSe2 and WS2 through the rapid diffusion and segregation of chalcogenides. By the rapid heating and rapid cooling procedure, we can achieve the formation of nanowalls standing perpendicularly on top of both SiO2/Si and cabin-fiber paper substrates. Compared to the conventional solid-vapor phase CVD process, our approach is able to provide TMDCs with vertical nanostructures and enhanced surface area. Furthermore, the stoichiometry of WS2xSe2(1-x) walls can be adjusted by controlling the concentration ratio of sulfur and selenium. We provide Raman spectrum and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopies results supported by SEM and TEM observations to confirm the successful synthesis of the nanowalls with atomic thickness and varied compositions. This approach can also be applied to the synthesis of other TMDC materials, giving a step forward on the 2D materials research development. The atomically thin TMDC materials are known for their great potential in sensing, optoelectronic, energy harvesting and Li-ion battery applications. Here, we demonstrate the catalytic property enhancement by utilizing WS2xSe2(1-x) on carbon-fiber paper as the cathode of hydrogen evolution reaction. In addition, due to the exposed edge sites of the TMDC nanowall structure, the application of gas sensing and photodetector was also investigated.

This research employs institutional characteristics and market‐related factors to predict undergraduate students' tuition at 190 private colleges and universities in the USA. Results showed that the strongest correlations among variables for college tuition were reputation ranking and SAT scores. Results of a hierarchical multiple regression revealed that the type of institution, academic reputation ranking, the annual expenditures, geographic region, the existence of professional schools, the size of the faculty and the undergraduate student body, and university presidents' pay and benefits are all significant predictors of college tuition. After controlling all other variables, the unique contribution made by reputation ranking is still a significant predictor of college tuition. Research institutions charged their students more than liberal arts colleges, which, in turn, charged more than doctoral granting I institutions. Implications for parents and students, private colleges and universities, human resource management, and the Matthew effect are discussed.

In this research, we used institutionalcharacteristics and market-related factors to predictuniversity president's pay, benefits, and totalcompensation at 190 private colleges and universities. Results showed that university CEOs' pay was relatedto the expenditures, type of institution, theexistence of professional schools, and academicreputation ranking, while their benefits package wasrelated to the expenditure, type of institution,reputation ranking, and undergraduate student'stuition. CEOs' total compensation (pay and benefitscombined) was related to the expenditures, type ofinstitution, reputation ranking, and tuition. Resultsof this study support the notion that agency theorycan be used to provide a theoretical framework topredict university CEOs' pay, benefits, and totalcompensation.

Virus-derived gene transfer vectors have been successfully employed to express the transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) in mammalian cells. Since the DNA-binding domains of TALENs consist of the variable di-residue (RVD)-containing tandem repeat modules and virus genome with repeated sequences is susceptible to genetic recombination, we investigated several factors that might affect TALEN cleavage efficiency of baculoviral vectors. Using a TALEN system designed to target the AAVS1 locus, we observed increased sequence instability of the TALE repeat arrays when a higher multiplicity of infection (MOI) of recombinant viruses was used to produce the baculoviral vectors. We also detected more deleterious mutations in the TALE DNA-binding domains when both left and right TALEN arms were placed into a single expression cassette as compared to the viruses containing one arm only. The DNA sequence changes in the domains included deletion, addition, substitution, and DNA strand exchange between the left and right TALEN arms. Based on these observations, we have developed a protocol using a low MOI to produce baculoviral vectors expressing TALEN left and right arms separately. Cotransduction of the viruses produced by this optimal protocol provided an improved TALEN cleavage efficiency and enabled effective site-specific transgene integration in human cells.