Crystal Arrangement Research Articles

Higher-order multipoles in metaphotonic structures: reviewing symmetric approaches and constructing a comprehensive theoretical method

This research explores localized electric fields in two-dimensional (2D) photonic crystals, focusing on higher-order multipoles. Novel formulas are developed to accurately describe and analyze these complex electromagnetic modes. By considering various crystal element arrangements, we investigate the formation and interactions of electric, magnetic, and toroidal moments. We examine the effects of symmetry on the localized electromagnetic fields in 2D periodic structures and explain how bound states in the continuum (BICs) arise and behave in different symmetry classes. It is important to point out that every singularity point that occurs in multipolar series expansions depends on a BIC point, and it inspires us to study the characteristics of them. Furthermore, we analyze a variety of BICs and use perturbed and degeneracy breaking to investigate high-Q-factor quasi-BICs. The results provide a thorough understanding of how symmetry and multipolar interactions affect potential applications in cutting-edge metasurfaces and photonic devices (metaphotonic).

A new mixed-ligand mononuclear Co(II) complex derived from 4,4,4-trifluoro-1-phenylbutane-1,3-dione and 1,10-phenanthroline: Synthesis, structural elucidation and quantum-computational studies

In this study, a novel mixed-ligand mononuclear Co(II) complex, denoted as {[Co(TFPBD)2(PHE)]DMF}, was synthesized and characterized using single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The central cobalt atom coordinated with two 4,4,4-trifluoro-1-phenylbutane-1,3-dione ligands (TFPBD1 and TFPBD2) and a 1,10-phenanthrene (PHE) ligand, adopting a slightly distorted octahedral geometry. Notably, the non-planar characteristics of the ligands led to the manifestation of non-covalent interactions within the molecular structure, further enhanced by the involvement of the lattice DMF solvent. The crystal lattice arrangement in the {[Co(TFPBD)2(PHE)]DMF} complex was a result of diverse non-covalent interactions, including hydrogen bonds, C-F…π, and Π…π stacking interactions, influenced the crystal's stability. Additionally, the study delved into the unique lattice arrangement consisted of pairwise R12(5) ring motifs along with one-dimensional molecular arrays formed along the crystallographic axes. Furthermore, intermolecular C-F…π Cg…Cg interactions resulting in two-dimensional linear molecular arrays along the a- and b-axes. Quantum computational studies using density functional theory (DFT) were employed to examine the complex's electronic structure and stability and reactivity, highlighting electron-rich and electron-deficient regions. Hirshfeld surface analysis (HSA) and Non-covalent interaction analysis confirmed the significance of intermolecular interactions where 2D fingerprint plots emphasized the prominence of CH…F interactions within the crystal structure. These findings contribute significantly to our understanding of mixed-ligand metal complexes and their potential applications in various scientific domains.

A Fresh Perspective on the Impact of ZnTiO3 Coupling on the Microstructure and Photocatalytic Properties of TiO2 Fabricated at Varied Temperatures.

ZnTiO3/TiO2 composite photocatalysts were synthesized via the sol-gel technique, and the impact of varying heat treatment temperatures (470, 570, 670 °C) on their crystalline arrangement, surface morphology, elemental composition, chemical state, specific surface area, optical characteristics, and photocatalytic efficacy was systematically investigated. The outcomes revealed that, as the temperature ascends, pure TiO2 undergoes a transition from anatase to rutile, ultimately forming a hybrid crystal structure at 670 °C. The incorporation of ZnTiO3 engenders a reduction in the TiO2 grain dimensions and retards the anatase-to-rutile phase transition. Consequently, the specimens manifest a composite constitution of anatase and ZnTiO3. In contrast, for pure TiO2, the specimen subjected to 670 °C annealing demonstrates superior photocatalytic performance due to its amalgamated crystal arrangement. The degradation efficacy of methylene blue (MB) aqueous solution attains 91% within a 60-min interval, with a calculated first-order reaction rate constant of 0.039 min-1. Interestingly, the ZnTiO3/TiO2 composite photocatalysts exhibit diminished photocatalytic activity in comparison to pristine TiO2 across all three temperature variations. Elucidation of the photocatalytic mechanism underscores that ZnTiO3 coupling augments the generation of photogenerated charge carriers. Nonetheless, concurrently, it undermines the crystalline integrity of the composite, yielding an excess of amorphous constituents that impede the mobility of photoinduced carriers. This dual effect also fosters escalated recombination of photogenerated charges, culminating in diminished quantum efficiency and reduced photocatalytic performance.

Biotic-Abiotic Radial-Acicular Crystal Fan Fabrics with Rosickýite at the Angel Springs Tufa-Travertine Deposit in Southern British Columbia

Abstract The tufa-travertine deposit at Angel Springs developed through the interaction of thermal waters with bedrock of the Proterozoic Okanagan Gneiss, which extends along the eastern margin of the Okanagan Valley fault system in south-central British Columbia. This warm spring is proximal to Miocene plateau basalt flows that cut the Okanagan Gneiss bedrock eastward of the Okanagan Valley. The carbonate deposit, which is widely referenced as tufa, consists of a tufa and an overlying travertine. These texturally and petrographically different deposits developed in response to a shift in the groundwater pathway wherein the surface discharge transitioned from multiple vents of the tufa to a single downslope vent pool of the overlying travertine. Lower interval tufa fabrics are characterized by networks of fenestral-type porosity supported by a framework of curvilinear stromatolitic sheets of calcite that resulted from the partial coalescence of sub-horizontal arrays of calcite-encrusted cyanobacteria. These tufa fabrics aligned with the strong stream flow emanating from multiple vents. In contrast, radial crystal fan fabrics of the upper interval travertine developed with the transition from biotic calcite encrustations of upward branching cyanobacteria to the abiotic development of radial crystal fans. Length-long mouldic porosity tubules were occluded as the abiotic sheaf- and fan-shaped crystal growth surfaces expanded radially with rapid degassing. Core areas of the radial crystal arrays coalesced and were partially recrystallized, resulting in spheroidal crystalline fabrics that preserve inclusion-delineated concentric growth surfaces. Syntaxial overgrowths of radially aligned acicular crystals rapidly expanded from these core areas of coalesced calcite, resulting in the formation of abiotic radial-acicular and starburst crystal arrangements. The biotic–abiotic transition resulted in the rapid growth of abiotic crystal fans as the dominant deposition process of the upper interval travertine fabrics, but not in the lower interval tufa fabrics. Activities of sulfate-reducing bacteria in the sulfate-rich thermal water of both intervals resulted in precipitation of rosickýite, the monoclinic polymorph of S, as nanocrystalline globular protuberances on surfaces of calcite crystals. This is the first recorded occurrence of rosickýite in a tufa-travertine deposit and the first recognition of this mineral in Canada.

Mechanism of the anisotropic nitroguanidine crystal arrangement on triple-base propellant failure by impact and strategy of structural enhancement

Nitroguanidine (NQ) in solvent-based triple-base propellants (STP) has a propensity to peel off and detach from the matrix, leading to significant defects, such as interface debonding within the propellant’s microstructure. This ultimately results in reduced and unstable mechanical properties. To address this critical issue, an efficient and eco-friendly manufacturing process was employed to successfully produce solventless triple-base propellants (SLTPs) as a comparison to conventional STPs. SLTP samples exhibit a mutually supportive three-dimensional spatial structure, with NQ crystals within the propellant matrix more securely bonded to the interface. They also demonstrate higher relative density (1.68 g·cm−3), more stable molding dimensions (no contraction), and enhanced tensile strength (41.92 MPa). Quasi-static structural failure tests reveal that the standard deviation of compressive strength for SLTP samples in three axes is smaller, registering at 1.10. The dynamic structural damage performance analysis indicates that the failure of energetic composite materials is attributable to separation fracture damage after the appearance of cracks on the tensile surface at −40 and 25 °C. Furthermore, the structural failure of these materials occurs due to significant collapse failure after the compression surface bends inward at 50 °C. Consequently, the present study offers a reliable theoretical foundation and procedural strategy for enhancing the structural strength of triple-base propellants.

Effect of Plasma Etching Depth on Subsurface Defects in Quartz Crystal Elements

After the plasma etching of quartz crystal, the crystal lattice underwent changes in response to the length of plasma etching time. The lattice arrangement of quartz crystal was the most orderly after plasma etching for 1000 nm, and with the increase in etching time, the lattice arrangement became less orderly again. The weak absorption value of quartz crystal was also consistent with this conclusion. In this paper, we investigated the effect of lattice changes on the damage threshold of quartz crystals by characterizing the quartz crystals using Reactive Ion Etching (RIE). We also examined the effect of lattice variation on roughness and surface topography.

Recyclable soft photonic crystal film with overall improved circularly polarized luminescence

Existing circularly polarized luminescence materials can hardly satisfy the requirements of both large luminescence dissymmetry factor and high luminescent quantum yield, which hinders their practical applications. Here, we present a soft photonic crystal film embedded with chiral nanopores that possesses excellent circularly polarized luminescence performance with a high luminescence dissymmetry factor as well as a large luminescent quantum yield when loaded with various luminescent dyes. Benefitting from the retention of chiral nanopores imprinted from a chiral liquid crystal arrangement, the chiral soft photonic crystal film can not only endow dyes with chiral properties, but also effectively avoid severe aggregation of guest dye molecules. More importantly, the soft photonic crystal film can be recycled many times by loading and eluting guest dye molecules while retaining good stability as well as circularly polarized luminescence performance, enabling various applications, including smart windows, multi-color circularly polarized luminescence and anticounterfeiting.

Bendable transparent films from cellulose nanocrystals–Study of surface and microstructure-property relationship

The presented work focuses on preparing transparent bendable films from nanocellulose. In comparison to cellulose nanofibrils and bacterial cellulose, nanocrystalline cellulose are shorter and have higher crystallinity (CI<95 %). Sulfated CNC (CNCIH-OSO3H) were prepared, and by changing their counter ions from H+ to Na+ and Et4N+ (Tetraethyl ammonium) flexible films were prepared with a strength of 70.5 MPa and 2.6 % elongation at break. The CNC suspensions showed excellent dispersibility in DI water with Zeta-potential (ζ) values > -35 mV. In the preparation of films, pre-sonication was key in improving the tensile strength and improved elongation (>30 % increase compared to films prepared without sonication) and hydrophobicity. The change of counter ion, H+ to Na+ or Et4N+, improved the thermal and mechanical properties of CNC films. The films were investigated with UV–Vis spectroscopy and optical polarized spectroscopy to explain the arrangement of nanocellulose crystals in correlation with the mechanical properties. The wettability of CNC samples was also studied and explained in detail. CNC from CelluForce was also studied as commercial reference samples. The modified CNC films have adequate properties for application in flexible electronics, energy storage, and biodegradable smart packaging.

Regulation of phase arrangement in 2D ruddlesden-popper perovskite films via anti-solvent method for efficient solar cells

Recently, quasi-two-dimensional RP(Ruddlesden-Popper)-based perovskite solar cells have attracted a wide range of research interest. However, two-dimensional layered perovskites have disordered phase distribution and multi-quantum well structure that are adversely to charge transport and extraction, resulting in the inability to obtain relatively satisfactory photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE). Here, we fabricated an 2D RP perovskite solar cell with reversely graded phase arrangement by friendly antisolvent method, and obtained the PCE of 14.45%. The dependence of efficiency on device architecture according to the vertical growth direction is further revealed and discussed. To investigate the effect of different antisolvents on crystal orientation and phase arrangement of GA-based 2D RP perovskites, we applied IPA as antisolvent and found that IPA not only significantly improved the surface roughness, quality and crystallinity of 2D perovskites but also reduce or even eliminate lower-n (n = 1, 2) phases and improve the vertical orientation of 2D phases in perovskites films, thereby improving charge transport and extraction. In the end, we achieved a champion PCE of 15.80%. These findings provide an effective guidance for developing GA-based organic spacers toward highly efficient and stable 2D PSCs with less quantum confinement.

Pore Characteristics, Oil Contents and Factors Influencing Laminated Shale in the First Member of the Qingshankou Formation in the Gulong Sag, Northern Songliao Basin

To clarify the reservoir characteristics of laminated shale, the occurrence mechanism of shale oil and its influencing factors in the Gulong Sag, northern Songliao Basin, are studied to better guide the exploration and development of shale oil there. First, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) are used to characterize the pore types, pore geneses and factors influencing the pore volume in the study area. Second, the organic matter of the samples is extracted with a mixture of dichloromethane and methanol. Total organic carbon (TOC), nitrogen adsorption and Rock-Eval tests are performed on the samples before and after extraction to reveal the pore size distribution after extraction. The factors influencing free and adsorbed shale oil and the lower limit of pore size are discussed in detail. The results show that interparticle pores (interP pores), intraparticle pores (intraP pores), organic matter pores (OM pores) and microfractures can be found in the laminated shale (Q1) in the Gulong Sag, Songliao Basin, and that the interP pores and intercrystalline pores in clay minerals are the main pores. The FE-SEM results show that the diameters of interP pores vary from several hundred nanometers to several microns, and their morphologies are mainly triangular, strip-shaped or irregular. The morphology of the intercrystalline pores in the clay minerals is generally irregular, depending on the crystal type and arrangement of clay minerals. According to the characteristics of the nitrogen adsorption and desorption curves, the pore morphologies are mainly slit-shaped pores, parallel-plate-shaped pores and ink-bottle-shaped pores. The pore size distribution is mostly bimodal, and the pore volume contribution is the greatest in the pore size range of 10~20 nm. Before and after extraction, the overall characteristics of the pore size distribution change only slightly, but the number of micropores increases significantly. Different minerals have different degrees of influence on the proportions of micropores, mesopores and macropores. Quartz mainly inhibits the formation of micropores, while the overall effect on mesopores and macropores is positive depending on the diagenetic period. Feldspar has a strong positive correlation with the micropore and mesopore proportions but is not highly correlated with the macropore proportions. The influence of the carbonate mineral content on the pore volume is not obvious because of its complex composition. The TOC content and vitrinite reflectance (Ro) are the two most important factors controlling free oil and adsorbed oil, and the contents of mineral components, such as felsic minerals, carbonate minerals and clay minerals, have no obvious correlation with shale oil content. With increasing pore volume, the contents of free oil and adsorbed oil increase, but the proportion of adsorbed oil decreases gradually. The correlation between the specific surface area and adsorbed oil content is poor. At normal temperatures and pressures, the lower limit of the pore diameters that can contain free oil is 4 nm, and the lower limit of the pore diameters that can contain movable oil is 10 nm.

Synthesis, crystal structure study, thermal, Hirshfeld surface, optical and photoluminescence properties of new organic-inorganic hybrid material: (C6H5CH2N(C2H5)3)[Cd3Cl7

This work describes a new two-dimensional chlorocadmate (II) compound formulated us (C6H5CH2N(C2H5)3)[Cd3Cl7] has been synthesized by slow evaporation method at room temperature and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Structural analysis reveals that this compound crystallizes in the triclinic system with centrosymetric P−1 space group. The molecular arrangement of the crystal displays a two-dimensional (2D) structure which consist in one (C6H5CH2N(C2H5)3)+cation and one anionic layers [Cd3Cl7]‒. The various components are interconnected through non-classical C–H…Cl hydrogen bonds, Coulombic attractions, and van der Waals interactions, which collectively secure the unity and stability of the crystal arrangement. This interaction ensemble contributes to the formation of a three-dimensional (3D) supramolecular network. The examination of the crystal structure provides a new interesting example of covalent polymeric layers of [Cd3Cl7]n. The intermolecular interactions were identified using Hirshfeld surfaces as well 2D-fingerprint plots. Furthermore, Infrared (IR) spectrum was analyzed, confirming the presence of the organic cation. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) reveals that the studied compound remains stable up to 266 °C. DSC thermogram shows that it undergoes two endothermic anomalies around 79.6 °C and 139 °C. Diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) method was used to study the optical properties and shows that there is a strong absorption in the UV region for Cd hybrid. Kubelka–Munk equation has been used to calculate the band gap energy indicating that the material is a direct type (4.25 eV). Photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) proves that the title material was well structured.

Steccherinum filiferum sp. nov. from the neotropics, and a new combination for Odontia laxa

The new species Steccherinum filiferum, from Puerto Rico and Amazonian rainforests of Ecuador, is described. It is characterized by effused basidiomata with hyphal cords, a monomitic hyphal system, simple-septate hyphae, and minute hymenophoral aculei with encrusted, septate, Candelabrochaete -like cystidia. Because Odontia laxa [ ? Odonticium laxum ] is morphologically and phylogenetically similar to S. filiferum, the new combination Steccherinum laxum is proposed, after studying its type. Scanning electron microscopy studies show that S. filiferum and S. laxum can be differentiated by crystal size and arrangement on the cystidia. A key to the Steccherinum species with simple-septate generative hyphae is provided.

Controlling the Surface Morphology of Two-Dimensional Nano-Materials upon Molecule-Mediated Crystal Growth.

The surface morphology of Mg-Al-layered double hydroxide (LDH) was successfully controlled by reconstruction during systematic phase transformation from calcined LDH, which is referred to as layered double oxide (LDO). The LDH reconstructed its original phase by the hydration of LDO with expanded basal spacing when reacted with water, including carbonate or methyl orange molecules. During the reaction, the degree of crystal growth along the ab-plane and stacking along the c-axis was significantly influenced by the molecular size and the reaction conditions. The lower concentration of carbonate gave smaller particles on the surface of larger LDO (2000 nm), while the higher concentration induced a sand-rose structure. The reconstruction of smaller-sized LDH (350 nm) did not depend on the concentration of carbonate due to effective adsorption, and it gave a sand-rose structure and exfoliated the LDH layers. The higher the concentration of methyl orange and the longer the reaction time applied, the rougher the surface was obtained with a certain threshold point of the methyl orange concentration. The surface roughness generally increased with the loading mount of methyl orange. However, the degree of the surface roughness even increased after the methyl orange loading reached equilibrium. The result suggested that the surface roughening was mediated by not only the incorporation of guest molecules into the LDH but also a crystal arrangement after a sufficient amount of methyl orange was accommodated.

LifeSoaks: a tool for analyzing solvent channels in protein crystals and obstacles for soaking experiments.

Due to the structural complexity of proteins, their corresponding crystal arrangements generally contain a significant amount of solvent-occupied space. These areas allow a certain degree of intracrystalline protein flexibility and mobility of solutes. Therefore, knowledge of the geometry of solvent-filled channels and cavities is essential whenever the dynamics inside a crystal are of interest. Especially in soaking experiments for structure-based drug design, ligands must be able to traverse the crystal solvent channels and reach the corresponding binding pockets. Unsuccessful screenings are sometimes attributed to the geometry of the crystal packing, but the underlying causes are often difficult to understand. This work presents LifeSoaks, a novel tool for analyzing and visualizing solvent channels in protein crystals. LifeSoaks uses a Voronoi diagram-based periodic channel representation which can be efficiently computed. The size and location of channel bottlenecks, which might hinder molecular diffusion, can be directly derived from this representation. This work presents the calculated bottleneck radii for all crystal structures in the PDB and the analysis of a new, hand-curated data set of structures obtained by soaking experiments. The results indicate that the consideration of bottleneck radii and the visual inspection of channels are beneficial for planning soaking experiments.

3D Ag(I) coordination polymer sandwiched by water-muconate anionic layers: Synthesis, structure, Hirshfeld surface analysis, binding with BSA, and photocatalytic activity

The sonochemical reaction between silver salt, 1,3-bis(4-pyridylpropane (bpp) and trans,trans-muconic acid (H2muc) formed an Ag(I) coordination polymer with a 3D supramolecular sandwich architecture, {[Ag8(bpp)8(H2O)3].(muc)4.29(H2O)}n, (1) consisting of the silver-bpp cationic host that alternates with 2D water–muc guest anionic layers. The latter is formed by H-bonded water molecules-anions comprising hexagonal (H2O)6 clusters. The Hirshfeld surface and fingerprint plots have been used to quantify the weak intermolecular interactions in the crystal packing arrangement. The study showed that intermolecular hydrogen bonds are the most critical in constructing the titled supramolecular complex, accounting for 51.2% of the total Hirshfeld surface. Several spectrofluorimetric methods have been employed to investigate the binding interaction between Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) and the titled complex. The complex induced significant fluorescence quenching of BSA, indicating a strong binding affinity for the protein. Static or ground state complex formation was envisaged as the primary quenching mechanism when the complex interacts with BSA. In addition, the Ag compound also offers photocatalytic properties by degrading the toxic organic methylene blue dye.

Charge Transfer and Optical Characteristics of cyclopenta-diene based Oligomers

1,4-bis(2-(cyclopenta-1,3-dien-1-yl)ethyl)cyclopenta-1,3-diene [CCD] is one of the interesting oligomer with high charge carrier mobility and chemical stability. Based on the density functional theory (DFT), the electronic characteristics of four CCD molecules with various hetero atom substituents are investigated. The electronic of four CCD molecules with different hetero atom substituents are explored based on the density functional theory (DFT). The effects of substituents on the molecular structure, molecular orbitals, ionization energies, electron affinities, reorganization energy and crystal packing are analysed in detail to clarify the structure-property relationship of the studied molecules. The different crystal packing arrangements and intermolecular interactions of the studied molecules lead to differences in transfer integrals when introducing different substituents to the CCD molecule.

A general strategy for direct growth of yolk-shell MOF-on-MOF hybrids

Construction of metal–organic framework (MOF) hybrids with yolk-shell nanostructures via MOF-on-MOF growth is significant for MOF design toward elaborate properties and enhanced performances, while remains challenging. Here, we report the direct growth of yolk-shell MOF-on-MOF hybrids via an interfacial growth-reorganization strategy. The synthesis relies on the precise growth of guest CoZn-ZIF (ZIF = zeolite imidazole framework) with appropriate crystal diameter and arrangement on host MOFs, inducing an in-situ transformation of core–shell intermediate into yolk-shell product. This strategy can be generally applied to the growth of CoZn-ZIF onto various host MOFs with different shapes, crystal structures and compositions including rod-like and octahedral Fe-based NH2-MIL-88B (MIL = Material Institute Lavoisier) and cake-like Ti-based NH2-MIL-125 toward three kinds of yolk-shell MOF-on-MOF hybrids. Moreover, functional carbon materials with bridged yolk-shell architecture can be prepared by pyrolysis of MOF-on-MOF hybrids as precursors, exhibiting enhanced oxygen reduction reaction performance than their monomeric counterparts. Our work paves the way for the design and application of MOF based yolk-shell nanostructures.

Indium tin oxide nanoparticles induced molecular rearrangement in nematic liquid crystal material

In the present article, we report the influence of indium tin oxide (ITO) nanoparticles (NPs) on the macroscopic molecular arrangement of a nematic liquid crystal (NLC) material namely 4 cyano-4ʹ-pentylbiphenyl (5CB). To achieve the objective, we have adopted various concentrations (0.25, 0.5 and 1 wt%) of ITO NPs in 5CB and filled them in the homogeneously aligned sample cells to observe their influence on the dielectric and optical texture of the NLC under investigation. Firstly, polarizing optical micrographs under crossed polarizers were recorded to observe the uniform dispersion and miscibility of ITO NPs in the nematic phase of 5CB. These micrographs also infer the molecular rearrangement of 5CB material that is occurred under the simultaneous and cumulative anchoring effect induced by ITO NPs and aligning layers. Furthermore, the dielectric parameters (permittivity, loss and dielectric loss factor) of pristine and composites as the function of frequency, temperature and DC biasing have been studied. Surprisingly, dielectric permittivity and relaxation frequency of 0.25 wt% ITO NPs composite was found to be the maximum that is decreased with further increment in the concentration of ITO NPs. We have also confirmed the thermal stability of 0.25 wt% ITO NP-induced changes in 5CB. Apart from it, by virtue of temperature-dependent dielectric anisotropy and optical textures, we have reported a significant decrement (∼14 %) in clearing temperature of 5CB. These results will pave the way to devise a system with ITO NPs as the dopant in order to obtain desired phase transition temperature of liquid crystal materials.

A biocompatible lipid-based bigel for topical applications

The development of biocompatible delivery systems is a necessity for medical and topical applications. Herein, the development of a new bigel for topical application is described. It is composed of 40% colloidal lipid hydrogel and 60% olive oil and beeswax oleogel. Its characterization and the potential of the bigel as a drug carrier through the skin was evaluated in vitro using fluorescence microscopy and two phases of the bigel were labeled with two fluorescent probes: sodium fluorescein (hydrophilic phase) and Nile red (lipophilic phase). The structure of the bigel showed two phases with fluorescence microscopy in which the hydrogel phase was incorporated into a continuous oleogel matrix. Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) presented a combination of vibrations characteristic of the different molecules forming the bigel, and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) showed different transitions attributed to beeswax lipids. Small-angle and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS and WAXS) indicated a predominant lamellar structure with orthorhombic lateral packing that could be related to the arrangement of beeswax crystals. Bigel enables deeper penetration of hydrophilic and lipophilic probes into deeper layers, making it a promising candidate for effective topical carriers in medical and dermatological applications.

Unraveling the optical shape of snow

The reflection of sunlight off the snow is a major driver of the Earth’s climate. This reflection is governed by the shape and arrangement of ice crystals at the micrometer scale, called snow microstructure. However, snow optical models overlook the complexity of this microstructure by using simple shapes, and mainly spheres. The use of these various shapes leads to large uncertainties in climate modeling, which could reach 1.2 K in global air temperature. Here, we accurately simulate light propagation in three-dimensional images of natural snow at the micrometer scale, revealing the optical shape of snow. This optical shape is neither spherical nor close to the other idealized shapes commonly used in models. Instead, it more closely approximates a collection of convex particles without symmetry. Besides providing a more realistic representation of snow in the visible and near-infrared spectral region (400 to 1400 nm), this breakthrough can be directly used in climate models, reducing by 3 the uncertainties in global air temperature related to the optical shape of snow.