Class Of Materials Research Articles

Nanoconfinement Effect in Water Processable Discrete Molecular Complex-Based Hybrid Piezo- and Thermo-Electric Nanogenerator.

Water-processable hybrid piezo- and thermo-electric materials have an increasing range of applications. We use the nanoconfinement effect of ferroelectric discrete molecular complex [Cu(l-phe)(bpy)(H2O)]PF6·H2O (1) in a nonpolar polymer 1D-nanofiber to envision the high-performance flexible hybrid piezo- and thermo-electric nanogenerator (TEG). The 1D-nanoconfined crystallization of 1 enhances piezoelectric throughput with a high degree of mechano-sensitivity, i.e., 710 mV/N up to 3 N of applied force with 10,000 cycles of unaffected mechanical endurance. Thermoelectric properties analysis shows a noticeable improvement in Seebeck coefficient (∼4 fold) and power factor (∼6 fold) as compared to its film counterpart, which is attributed to the enhanced density of states near the Fermi edges as evidenced by ultraviolet photoelectric spectroscopy and density functional based theoretical calculations. We report an aqueous processable hybrid TEG that provides an impressive magnitude of Seebeck coefficient (∼793 μV/K) and power factor (∼35 mWm-1K-2) in comparison to a similar class of materials.

PIGMENTS AS A MASS MATERIAL: DISCUSSION OF THE METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH IN RESEARCH

PIGMENTS AS A MASS MATERIAL: DISCUSSION OF THE METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH IN RESEARCH

The Quest for Two-Dimensional MBenes: From Structural Evolution to Solar-Driven Hybrid Systems for Water-Fuel-Energy Generation and Phototherapy.

The field of 2D materials has advanced significantlywith the emergence of MBenes, a newmaterial derived from the MAX phases family, a novel class of materials that originates from the MAX phases family. Herein, this article explores the unique characteristics and morphological variations of MBenes, offering a comprehensive overview of their structural evolution. First, the discussion explores the evolutionary period of 2D MBenes associated with the several techniques for synthesizing, modifying, and characterizing MBenes to tailor their structure and enhance their functionality. The focus then shifts to the defect chemistry of MBenes, electronic, catalytic, and photothermal properties which play a crucial role in designing multifunctional solar-driven hybrid systems. Second, the recent advancements and potentials of 2D MBenes in solar-driven hybrid systems e.g. photo-electro catalysis, hybrid solar evaporators for freshwater and thermoelectric generators, and phototherapy, emphasizing their crucial significance in tackling energy and environmental issues, are explored. The study further explores the fundamental principles that regulate the improved photocatalytic and photothermal characteristics of MBenes, highlighting their promise for effective utilization of solar energy and remediation of the environment. The study also thoroughly assesses MBenes' scalability, stability, and cost effectiveness in solar-driven systems. Current insights and future directions allow researchers toutilize MBenes for sustainable and varied applications. This review regarding MBenes will be valuable to early researchers intrigued with synthesizing and utilizing 2D materials for solar-powered water-energy-fuel and phototherapy systems.

Porous Crystalline Organic Cages Made by Design

AbstractShape‐persistent organic cages are an intriguing class of molecular porous materials. Through hierarchical molecular design, size and shape of the intrinsic molecular voids are controlled by dynamic covalent chemistry, while pore structure and topology are governed by noncovalent alignment in the solid state. However, the predictable and reliable crystallization of organic cages is still challenging since long‐range superstructures are solely based on weak and rather unidirectional supramolecular interactions. In this tutorial review, we provide a general classification of porous solid‐state materials and discuss specific design principles regarding the dynamic covalent reactions, the small‐molecule building blocks and solid‐state engineering. Furthermore, we introduce the most important analytical techniques for porous materials with a special focus on organic cages.

Enhancing energy storage property of polypropylene‐based sandwich composites with surface‐modified nonzero dimensional nanomaterials

AbstractPolypropylene (PP) is a classical organic material for dielectric capacitor, exhibiting typical linear charge–discharge characteristics. However, its low energy density fails to meet the operating requirements of high‐power and energy storage systems. In this study, techniques such as spray‐coating, lamination hot‐pressing, melt blending, and in situ melt‐drawing are employed to fabricate PP‐based sandwich‐structured composite dielectrics. The outer layers consist of BN nanosheets (BNNSs)/PP composite, while the middle layer comprises Ba0.7Sr0.3TiO3@Polydopamine (BST@PDA)/PP. The introduction of BNNSs with a wide bandgap improves the breakdown strength of composites. BST@PDA increases the overall polarization of the composites and alleviates the local electric field concentration caused by hetero‐interfacial field distortion. When the filling concentration of BNNSs is 0.10 wt% and that of BST@PDA nanowires is 3 wt%, the composite demonstrates a high dielectric constant and low dielectric loss. Additionally, the sandwich‐structured composite, exhibiting a high charge–discharge efficiency of 97.80%, presents enhanced breakdown strength (Eb ~ 453 MV/m) and increased energy storage density (Ue ~ 5.67 J/cm3), which are 39.38% and 189.29% higher than neat PP (325 MV/m, 1.96 J/cm3), respectively. This study offers a viable and efficient approach to augment the energy storage density of PP‐based dielectrics.

Hidden Impurities Generate False Positives in Single Atom Catalyst Imaging

Single‐atom catalysts (SACs) are an emerging class of materials, leveraging maximum atom utilization and distinctive structural and electronic properties to bridge heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis. Direct imaging methods, such as aberration‐corrected high‐angle annular dark‐field scanning transmission electron microscopy, are commonly applied to confirm the atomic dispersion of active sites. However, interpretations of data from these techniques can be challenging due to simultaneous contributions to intensity from impurities introduced during synthesis processes, as well as any variation in position relative to the focal plane of the electron beam. To address this matter, this paper presents a comprehensive study on two representative SACs containing isolated nickel or copper atoms. Spectroscopic techniques, including X‐ray absorption spectroscopy, were employed to prove the high metal dispersion of the catalytic atoms. Employing scanning transmission electron microscopy imaging combined with single‐atom‐sensitive electron energy loss spectroscopy, we scrutinized thin specimens of the catalysts to provide an unambiguous chemical identification of the observed single‐atom species and thereby distinguish impurities from active sites at the single‐atom level. Overall, the study underscores the complexity of SACs characterization and establishes the importance of the use of spectroscopy in tandem with imaging at atomic resolution to fully and reliably characterize single‐atom catalysts.

Spatially Confined Microcells: A Path toward TMD Catalyst Design.

With the ability to maximize the exposure of nearly all active sites to reactions, two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) has become a fascinating new class of materials for electrocatalysis. Recently, electrochemical microcells have been developed, and their unique spatial-confined capability enables understanding of catalytic behaviors at a single material level, significantly promoting this field. This Review provides an overview of the recent progress in microcell-based TMD electrocatalyst studies. We first introduced the structural characteristics of TMD materials and discussed their site engineering strategies for electrocatalysis. Later, we comprehensively described two distinct types of microcells: the window-confined on-chip electrochemical microcell (OCEM) and the droplet-confined scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM). Their setups, working principles, and instrumentation were elucidated in detail, respectively. Furthermore, we summarized recent advances of OCEM and SECCM obtained in TMD catalysts, such as active site identification and imaging, site monitoring, modulation of charge injection and transport, and electrostatic field gating. Finally, we discussed the current challenges and provided personal perspectives on electrochemical microcell research.

Hidden Impurities Generate False Positives in Single Atom Catalyst Imaging.

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) are an emerging class of materials, leveraging maximum atom utilization and distinctive structural and electronic properties to bridge heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis. Direct imaging methods, such as aberration-corrected high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy, are commonly applied to confirm the atomic dispersion of active sites. However, interpretations of data from these techniques can be challenging due to simultaneous contributions to intensity from impurities introduced during synthesis processes, as well as any variation in position relative to the focal plane of the electron beam. To address this matter, this paper presents a comprehensive study on two representative SACs containing isolated nickel or copper atoms. Spectroscopic techniques, including X-ray absorption spectroscopy, were employed to prove the high metal dispersion of the catalytic atoms. Employing scanning transmission electron microscopy imaging combined with single-atom-sensitive electron energy loss spectroscopy, we scrutinized thin specimens of the catalysts to provide an unambiguous chemical identification of the observed single-atom species and thereby distinguish impurities from active sites at the single-atom level. Overall, the study underscores the complexity of SACs characterization and establishes the importance of the use of spectroscopy in tandem with imaging at atomic resolution to fully and reliably characterize single-atom catalysts.

Effect of Ni-Doping on Seebeck Coefficient of LaCoO<sub>3</sub> System

The aim of this study is discussing the results achieved on undoped and Ni-doped bulk LaCoO3 samples synthesized by solid-state reaction. The crystal structures of the samples were analyzed by x – ray diffraction (XRD) and Rietveld refinement of the XRD patterns was used to test the quality of the samples, the results of this procedure confirmed a single phase of LaCo1-xNixO3 for (x=0 and 0.05) with rhombohedral crystal structure (space group :). The main interest in this class of materials is the possibility of improving the values of Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity through chemical doping. The Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity were investigated from room temperature (RT) to 450 K, near RT the LaCoO3 system showed a large negative Seebeck coefficient, but it changed to positive value with increasing temperature while the LaCo0.95Ni0.05O3 composition showed a positive Seebeck coefficient throughout all the temperature range. Hence, within this study the Ni substitution led to decrease the electrical resistivity of the samples to one order of magnitude as a result of the partial substitution of Co3+ in LaCoO3 by Ni2+. LaCoO3 was chosen for this thermoelectric test because cobalt oxides have extensive applications.

Tracking nuclear motion in single-molecule magnets using femtosecond X-ray absorption spectroscopy

The development of new data storage solutions is crucial for emerging digital technologies. Recently, all-optical magnetic switching has been achieved in dielectrics, proving to be faster than traditional methods. Despite this, single-molecule magnets (SMMs), which are an important class of magnetic materials due to their nanometre size, remain underexplored for ultrafast photomagnetic switching. Herein, we report femtosecond time-resolved K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (TR-XAS) on a Mn(III)-based trinuclear SMM. Exploiting the elemental specificity of XAS, we directly track nuclear dynamics around the metal ions and show that the ultrafast dynamics upon excitation of a crystal-field transition are dominated by a magnetically active Jahn-Teller mode. Our results, supported by simulations, reveal minute bond length changes from 0.01 to 0.05 Å demonstrating the sensitivity of the method. These geometrical changes are discussed in terms of magneto-structural relationships and consequently our results illustrate the importance of TR-XAS for the emerging area of ultrafast molecular magnetism.

Rationally engineered core-shell structured Fe0@FeS towards the efficacious synergistic Cr(VI) and Ni(II) removal

As one category of promising and efficacious purification material toward environmentally harmful heavy metals, sulfidated amorphous zero-valent Iron (S@AZVI) exhibits unparalleled removal performance. Due to the disruptive crystal growth however, the irreversible loss of Fe0 component during conventional synthesis route poses a substantial hindrance to its industrial application. To address this, we propose a post-sulfidation strategy to hinder the transformation of Fe0 by altering the shell composition of AZVI from Fe2O3 to FeS, which maintains a remarkable Fe0 content up to 75.7 % over finally obtained S@AZVI, far higher than the material obtained through the one-step sulfidation. Attributing to the synergy of FeS shell and substantial Fe0, S@AZVI demonstrates impressive performance as the lowest free corrosion potential (−1.050 V) and work function (4.058 eV), and subsequently exhibits a notable enhancement in the removal efficiency of Cr(VI) and Ni(II), surpassing AZVI by 1.8 and 2.0 times, respectively. Results reveal that the adsorption, reduction, and coprecipitation constitute the mechanisms governing the removal of Cr(VI) and Ni(II). In practical electroplating wastewater experiments, S@AZVI effectively removes Cr(VI) and Ni(II) within a 60-min timeframe, meeting established emission standards. These findings provide valuable insights for future AZVI material synthesis for heavy metal elimination.

Reasonable regulation of carbon layers and micropores to promote the extreme capacity of hard carbons for sodium-ion batteries

Hard carbons are classic anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) with huge development potential. They have the advantages of high capacity and great stability. However, the complex and diverse structure poses a formidable challenge for the development of hard carbons. Carbon layers and pores are important components of hard carbons, they play important roles in sodium storage. Structural regulation is often used to improve the properties of hard carbons in order to enhance the sodium storage capacity. Hence, a series of hard carbons were prepared in this work. Zinc acetate was used to construct micropore structure, and the amount and morphology of micropores can be regulated by controlling the dosage of zinc acetate. The sodium storage capacity of hard carbons was maximized by adjusting the ratio of carbon layers to micropores reasonably. The optimized electrode can provide an ultra-high reversible capacity of 415.3 mAh/g. The amazing capacity can still maintain 292.2 mAh/g even at the high current of 2 A/g over 1000 cycles. This study regulates the proper control between carbon layers and micropores, which provides suitable insights for the research and development of hard carbons.

Metal complexes with thiosemicarbazone derivative and isatine: A promising new class of materials for biomedical and environmental applications

Metal complexes with thiosemicarbazones and isatine have been shown to exhibit a wide range of biological activities, including antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer activity. These complexes have also been shown to be effective photocatalysts for degrading dyes, making them a subject of significant interest. This article presents the synthesis and characterization of mixed ligand complexes of isatine-thiosemicarbazones to explore their biological activity and potential for photocatalytic applications. In this study, we synthesized mixed ligand complexes of isatine-thiosemicarbazones with various metal ions, including Cu(II), Cd(II), and Fe(III). Characterization techniques such as elemental analysis, infrared (IR), mass spectrometry (MS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were utilized to understand their structural composition and morphological properties. The complexes exhibited remarkable antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutants, and antifungal effects on Candida albicans. Notably, the Fe-complex demonstrated the highest activity, followed by the Cu-complex and Cd-complex. Strong anticancer effects were observed against human liver HepG2 and breast MDA cancer cells, with the Fe-complex displaying the highest activity. Additionally, the complexes displayed significant photocatalytic activity in the decomposition of rose bengal dye using ultraviolet light irradiation, with the Cu-complex showing the highest degradation efficiency. The results indicate that these mixed ligand metal complexes have potential therapeutic applications as antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer agents. Moreover, they suggest their prospective utility as photocatalysts for the remediation of dye-contaminated wastewater.

Electrochemical Nitrogen Reduction to Ammonia at Ambient Condition on the (111) Facets of Transition Metal Carbonitrides.

We conducted Density Functional Theory calculations to investigate a class of materials with the goal of enabling nitrogen activation and electrochemical ammonia production under ambient conditions. The source of protons at the anode could originate from either water splitting or H2, but our specific focus was on the cathode reaction, where nitrogen is reduced into ammonia. We examined the conventional associative mechanism, dissociative mechanism, and Mars-van Krevelen mechanism on the (111) facets of the NaCl-type structure found in early transition metal carbonitrides, including Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta, Sc, Y, and W. We explored the catalytic activity by calculating the free energy of all intermediates along the reaction pathway and constructing free energy diagrams to identify the steps that determine the reaction's feasibility. Additionally, we closely examined the potential for catalyst poisoning within the electrochemical environment, considering the bias required to drive the reaction. Furthermore, we assessed the likelihood of catalyst decomposition and the potential for catalyst regeneration among the most intriguing carbonitrides. Our findings revealed that the only carbonitride catalyst considered here exhibiting both activity and stability, capable of self-regeneration and nitrogen-to-ammonia activation, is NbCN with a low potential-determining step energy of 0.58 eV. This material can facilitate ammonia formation via a mixed associative-MvK mechanism. In contrast, other carbonitrides of this crystallographic orientation are likely to undergo decomposition, reverting to their parent metals under operational conditions.

DFT studies on structural, electronic and optical properties of aluminum nitride nanotube doped by different concentrations of boron

Nanotubes are an exceptional class of materials whose unusual properties depend on geometry and composition. In this work, we have investigated the optoelectronic properties of aluminum nitride nanotube doped with boron in concentrations of 4.2 %, 8.3 %, and 12.5 % respectively. Analysis was done by considering the structural, electronic, and optical properties of the considered nanotubes using density functional theory implemented in quantum ESPRESSO and Yambo codes. Simulations revealed that doped aluminum nitride nanotube whose nitrogen atoms were replaced turned to metallic while doped aluminum nitride nanotube whose aluminum atoms were replaced retained its semiconducting characteristics showing various band gaps with different concentrations of dopants. Optical absorption behaviors revealed that 8.3 % B-doped aluminum nitride nanotube made better utilization of visible light than others and hence can be used as a candidate for dye degradation and wastewater treatment, solar cell, LED, and LASER. In the end, all the doped nanotubes were found to be worthy for various fields of science and technology.

Production of sub-micron-sized high-entropy alloy particles and nanoparticles via pulsed laser ablation of CrMnFeCoNi targets in water

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) are a class of materials known for their unique properties, including high strength, excellent wear resistance, and good corrosion resistance. Sub-micron- and nanosized HEA particles were fabricated via pulsed laser ablation in liquid using a Cantor alloy target. The Cr20Mn20Fe20Co20Ni20 target was immersed in pure water and ablated using a focused nanosecond-pulsed Nd: YAG laser. A dark solution containing HEA particles was obtained which was stable for about one week before agglomeration and precipitation was observed. The diameters of the obtained particles ranged from several tens of nanometers to several hundred nanometers. Increasing the laser power resulted in higher particle concentration and an increase in the intensity of UV-vis absorption spectra. Electron diffraction was used to confirm that the composition of the particles was close to that of the Cantor alloy, although the concentrations of Cr and Mn were slightly deficient. There was also a weak dependence of the composition on laser power, and all the particles also contained oxygen. Selected area electron diffraction revealed that the composition varied spatially within some particles and that they are mainly polycrystalline. This work shows that HEA particles can be quickly, safely, and effectively manufactured using liquid-based laser ablation, opening the pathway for mass manufacture and disruptive applications in, e.g., catalysis or tribology.

Estimating the Lifetime of Rotary Dryer Flights Based on Experimental Data

The studies carried out address an important problem for the concrete and asphalt industry, referring to the wear phenomena that affect the elements (flights) of rotary dryers used to dry mineral aggregates. In this article, the authors propose a lifetime estimation method for rotary dryer flights. In order to benefit from greater credibility, the proposed method was applied based on the experimental results obtained, by the authors, in the laboratory, on a stand that reproduces a portion of the real equipment. Starting from these results, the authors identified the mathematical functions used to model the failure rates (wear) of the flights by referring to characteristic quantities for wear evaluation: mass loss of material; reduction in the thickness of the part; surface affected by wear. The experimental data—the input data for the proposed algorithm—correspond to six steels used in industrial applications. The wear phenomenon was modeled considering both the situation of uniform wear and the situation of differentiated wear on the flight surface. Therefore, the steel type with the highest service life values could be identified, namely, steel grades E and G. The method proposed in this paper can be extended to any category of material or part provided that the failure rate function is identified beforehand, possibly based on a laboratory experiment.

Innovative Solid-Phase Extraction Strategies for Improving the Advanced Chromatographic Determination of Drugs in Challenging Biological Samples.

In the past few decades, considerable scientific strides have been made in the subject of drug analysis in human biological samples. However, the risk caused by incorrect drug plasma levels in patients still remains an important concern. This review paper attempts to investigate the advances made over the last ten years in common sample preparation techniques (SPT) for biological samples based on solid sorbents, including solid-phase extraction (SPE) and solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME), and in particular in the field of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), including non-stimuli-responsive and stimuli-responsive adsorbents. This class of materials is known as 'smart adsorbents', exhibiting tailored responses to various stimuli such as magnetic fields, pH, temperature, and light. Details are provided on how these advanced SPT are changing the landscape of modern drug analysis in their coupling with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analytical techniques, a general term that includes high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC), as well as any variation of MS, such as tandem (MS/MS), multiple-stage (MSn), and high-resolution (HRMS) mass spectrometry. Some notes are also provided on coupling with less-performing techniques, such as high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) and diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) detection. Finally, we provide a general review of the difficulties and benefits of the proposed approaches and the future prospects of this research area.

Nanostructural effects beyond Hall-Petch: Towards superhard tungsten carbide

Industrial application of superhard materials (Vickers hardness, HV > 40 GPa) such as diamond and cubic boron nitride is limited by high costs and complex routes of synthesis. Tungsten carbide (WC) is a common industrial material valued for its hardness, but falls well short of qualification as a superhard material even in its less common but harder binderless form (HV ∼ 26 GPa). Importantly, recent efforts have demonstrated the potential for alternative materials, such as WC, to achieve similar hardness to diamond and cubic boron nitride via microstructural refinement. However, despite recent advances in sintering technology, even the smallest grained binderless WC (< 100 nm) has failed to achieve HV values above 33 GPa. In this work, multiple hardening mechanisms are exploited through a unique sintering approach proving WC as a candidate superhard material. Environmentally Controlled – Pressure Assisted Sintering (EC-PAS) is utilized to produce > 99 % dense, binderless nanocrystalline WC ceramics with hardness as high as 39 GPa. The unprecedented WC hardness is attributed to the combined effects of small average crystallite size and, importantly, deformation-induced nanoscale intragranular defects including stacking faults. The demonstration of the superposition of multiple hardening mechanisms provides a new avenue to improve hardness of ceramics beyond traditional Hall-Petch hardening, yielding new classes of superhard materials.

AI-Driven Spectral Decomposition: Predicting the Most Probable Protein Compositions from Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Spectra of Amino Acids.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a powerful tool for elucidating the molecular makeup of materials. It possesses the unique characteristics of single-molecule sensitivity and extremely high specificity. However, the true potential of SERS, particularly in capturing the biochemical content of particles, remains underexplored. In this study, we harnessed transformer neural networks to interpret SERS spectra, aiming to discern the amino acid profiles within proteins. By training the network on the SERS profiles of 20 amino acids of human proteins, we explore the feasibility of predicting the predominant proteins within the µL-scale detection volume of SERS. Our results highlight a consistent alignment between the model's predictions and the protein's known amino acid compositions, deepening our understanding of the inherent information contained within SERS spectra. For instance, the model achieved low root mean square error (RMSE) scores and minimal deviation in the prediction of amino acid compositions for proteins such as Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA), ACE2 protein, and CD63 antigen. This novel methodology offers a robust avenue not only for protein analytics but also sets a precedent for the broader realm of spectral analyses across diverse material categories. It represents a solid step forward to establishing SERS-based proteomics.