Encapsulation Structure Research Articles

Hierarchical macro-microporous ZIF-8 nanostructures as efficient nano-lipase carriers for rapid and direct electrochemical detection of nitrogenous diphenyl ether pesticides

Free biocatalyst such as lipase cannot be recovered and reused; and is extremely unstable in harsh reaction condition. Present study aimed to synthesize hierarchical ordered macro-microporous ZIF-8 structures (MAC-ZIF-8) for encapsulation of nano-Burkholderia cepacia lipase (nano BCL). The synthesized MAC-ZIF-8 has good crystallinity, thermal stability and high surface area which made it suitable for immobilization of nano-BCL. The MAC-ZIF-8 immobilized nano-BCL (nano-BCL@MAC-ZIF-8) demonstrated high enzyme activity (4.3778 U) and can be recovered and reused for consecutive hydrolysis reaction. It is found that the nano-BCL is well encapsulated with the macropores of the MAC-ZIF-8 structures and they are able to preserve their native configuration with high affinity for substrates (lower Km of 1.068 mM as compared to that of nano-BCL@ZIF-8). The nano-BCL@MAC-ZIF-8 can also be used to fabricate electrochemical biosensors for detection of nitrogenous diphenyl ether pesticides (nitrofen) in real food systems (apricots). The fabricated biosensors demonstrated wide linear range (0−114µM), low limit of detection (0.46µM) and good recovery rate. In comparison to conventional detection method, the fabricated biosensor also has added advantages in the form of easy and convenient operation, low cost, and better linear range.

Enhanced active site extraction from perovskite LaCoO3 using encapsulated PdO for efficient CO2 methanation

The extraction of metallic nanoparticles from perovskite-type oxides (ABO3) under mild reducing conditions is a novel way to prepare well-dispersed supported catalysts (B/AOδ). Herein, we found that the encapsulated PdO in perovskite LaCoO3 ([email protected]3) could facilitate the phase transformation of the perovskite structure at a low temperature owing to both strong H2 spillover of Pd and intimate interaction between the encapsulated PdO and LaCoO3. The pure LaCoO3 without PdO was relatively inert to CO2 hydrogenation (CO2 conversion <4%). In contrast, [email protected]3 exhibited excellent CO2 methanation performance with 62.3% CO2 conversion and >99% CH4 selectivity. The characterization results demonstrated that the catalytically active Co2C was in-situ formed by carburization of the extracted Co0 during CO2 methanation for the [email protected]3 sample. Whereas, the LaCoO3 with surface supported PdO (PdO/LaCoO3) showed a weak interaction and remained a perovskite structure with few Co2C active centers after the catalytic reaction, which was similar to the parent LaCoO3. Accordingly, the PdO/LaCoO3 showed an inferior catalytic performance with 31.8% CO2 conversion and 87.4% CH4 selectivity. Therefore, the designed encapsulation structure of PdO within perovskite is critical to extract metallic NPs from perovskite-type oxides, which has the potential to prepare other integrated nanocatalysts based on perovskite-type oxides.

Cobalt-Based Multicomponent Oxygen Reduction Reaction Electrocatalysts Generated by Melamine Thermal Pyrolysis with High Performance in an Alkaline Hydrogen/Oxygen Microfuel Cell.

A series of cobalt-based multicomponent electrocatalysts (Co-Cat-T) for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) were synthesized by thermal pyrolysis of activated carbon-supported cobalt and melamine mixture from 500 to 800 °C. Their corresponding electrocatalytic performance was systematically investigated toward ORR in an alkaline electrolyte. The electrocatalyst chemical composition and structure evolution (e.g., microstrain, crystallite size, and cell volume) were confirmed by X-ray diffraction Rietveld analyses. The material generated at 550 °C (Co-Cat-T550) showed the largest cell volume of the C3N4 phase with a crystallite size of 4.1 ± 0.1 nm. Independent of the heat-treatment temperature, the cobalt atom was coordinated to nitrogen moieties. The following findings: cobalt inserted in the carbon nitride framework (Co-g-C3N4), abundant Co-Nx and pyridinic-N species, unique encapsulated cross-tubular structure, and disordered carbon domains performed better in the ORR with Co-Cat-T550 among the obtained electrocatalysts. In addition, Co-Cat-T550 showed performance comparable to Pt/C in an alkaline hydrogen/oxygen microfuel cell platform.

Induced Fit of Crown Cavity to Ammonium Ion Guests and Photoinduced Intracavity Reactions: Cold Gas-Phase Spectroscopy of Dibenzo-18-Crown-6 Complexes with NH4+, CH3NH3+, and CH3CH2NH3.

Ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD) spectra of dibenzo-18-crown-6 (DB18C6) complexes with NH4+, CH3NH3+ (MeNH3+), and CH3CH2NH3+ (EtNH3+) [NH4+(DB18C6), MeNH3+(DB18C6), and EtNH3+(DB18C6), respectively] were observed under cold gas-phase conditions. We also measured the infrared (IR)-UV double-resonance spectra of these complexes in the NH stretching region to examine the encapsulation structure. The UVPD and IR-UV spectra were analyzed using quantum chemical calculations. All the ammonium complexes show sharp 0-0 bands at positions close to that of the K+(DB18C6) complex; the conformation of the DB18C6 component in the ammonium complexes is similar to that in K+(DB18C6). In addition, the ammonium complexes each have another type of isomer that the K+(DB18C6) complex does not show in the gas phase. In these isomers, the conformation of the DB18C6 cavity changes, and the strength of the NH···O hydrogen bond increases. During the UVPD, the NH4+(DB18C6) complex provides various photofragment species, such as the C8H9O2+ ion, resulting from cleavage of the DB18C6 component, whereas the dominant fragment ion for the MeNH3+(DB18C6) and EtNH3+(DB18C6) complexes is the ammonium ion itself. The UVPD investigation of deuterated systems suggests that after UV excitation of the NH4+(DB18C6) complex, the dissociation process is initiated by proton transfer from NH4+ to DB18C6, followed by the migration of hydrogen atoms in the crown cavity and the cleavage of the ether ring.

Stacked Encapsulation Structure for Discretely Distributed Quantum Dot Array

The performances of quantum-dot (QD) based photoluminescent devices are highly restricted by the application environment, especially the moisture and oxygen. However, current external encapsulation structures are not applicable to the devices with discrete QD distribution, especially for some rough profiles. To address this issue, an encapsulation method for discretely distributed quantum-dot arrays (DQDA) is proposed for liquid crystal display (LCD) backlight applications, in which the DQDA can be well fabricated by printing the QD slurry onto a light guiding substrate (LGS), and then covered with a thin UV glue layer and a barrier film. By specially optimizing the UV glue and barrier film, this ultra-thin encapsulation structure cannot only improve the surface defects of the QD morphology without affecting the original light path and the output optical performance, but also significantly suppress the fluorescence decay and isolate moisture and oxygen by almost 100 times compared with unencapsulated one. The water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) was measured to be 1.29 × 10−4 g/m2/day after fabricated the stacked encapsulation structure. After a long period of aging test, the encapsulated sample kept its luminance for 1000 hours. This method also has potential to widely used for discrete structures in other device applications due to its easy fabrication process, high reliability, and low manufacturing costs.

Coating for preventing nonspecific adhesion mediated biofouling in salty systems: Effect of the electrostatic and van der waals interactions.

Development of anti-biofouling coating has attracted immense attention for reducing the massively detrimental effects of biofouling in systems ranging from ship hulls and surgical instruments to catheters, implants, and stents. In this paper, we propose a model to quantify the role of electrostatic and van der Waals (vdW) forces in dictating the efficacy of dielectric coating for preventing the nonspecific adhesion mediated biofouling in salty systems. The model considers a generic charged lipid-bilayer encapsulated vesicle-like structure representing the bio-organism. Also, we consider the fouling caused by the nonspecific adhesion of the bio-organism on the substrate, without accounting for the explicit structures (e.g., pili, appendages) or conditions (e.g., surface adhesins secreted by the organisms) involved in the adhesion of specific microorganism. The model is tested by considering the properties of actual coating materials and biofouling causing microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, algae). Results show that while the electrostatic-vdW effect can be significant in anti-biofouling action for cases where the salt concentration is relatively low (e.g., saline solution for surgical instruments), it might not be effective for marine environment where the salt concentration is much higher. The findings, therefore, point to a hitherto unexplored driving mechanism of anti-biofouling action of the coating. Such an identification will also enable the appropriate choices of the coating materials (e.g., possible dielectric material with volume charge) and other system parameters (e.g., salinity of the solution for storing the surgical instruments) that will significantly improve the efficiency of the coatings in preventing the nonspecific adhesion mediated biofouling.

Ultrasound-Assisted Preparation of Exopolysaccharide/Nystatin Nanoemulsion for Treatment of Vulvovaginal Candidiasis.

PurposeAs one of the classic anti-Canidia albicans (CA) and vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) drugs, nystatin (NYS) is limited by poor water solubility and easy aggregation. Traditional NYS vaginal delivery formulations do not fully adapt to the specific environment of the vaginal cavity. The use of exopolysaccharides (EPS) has great application potential in emulsifiers, but its use has not been reported in nanoemulsions. In this work, an EPS/NYS nanoemulsion (ENNE) was developed to improve the activities of NYS against CA and VVCMethodsThe ENNE was prepared by ultrasonic method using EPS as an emulsifier, liquid paraffin oil as an oil phase, PEG400 as a co-emulsifier, and NYS as the loaded drug. ENNE preparation was optimized by response surface method. After optimization, in vitro and in vivo analysis of the anti-CA activity; animal experiments; staining with propidium iodide (PI), periodic acid-schiff (PAS), and hematoxylin-eosin (H&E); and cytokine experiments were performed to investigate the therapeutic ability against VVC.ResultsThe optimal formulation and preparation parameters of ENNE were determined as follows: EPS content of 1.5%, PEG400 content of 3.2%, NYS content of 700 μg/mL, paraffin oil content of 5.0%, ultrasonic time of 15 min, and ultrasonic amplitude of 35%. The ENNE showed an encapsulated structure with an average particle size of 131.1 ± 4.32 nm. ENNE exhibited high storage and pH stability, as well as slow release. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of ENNE against CA was only 0.125 μg/mL and the inhibition zone was 19.0 ± 0.5 mm, for greatly improved anti-CA effect. The prepared ENNE destroyed the membrane of CA cells, and exhibited good anti-CA effect in vivo and therapeutic ability against VVC.ConclusionThe results of this study will promote the application of EPS in nanotechnology, which should lead to new and effective local drug formulations for treating VVC.

Hybrid Thin-Film Encapsulation for All-Solid-State Thin-Film Batteries.

All-solid-state thin-film batteries have been actively investigated as a power source for various microdevices. However, insufficient research has been conducted on thin-film encapsulation, which is an essential element of these batteries as solid electrolytes and Li anodes are vulnerable to moisture in the atmosphere. In this study, a hybrid thin-film encapsulation structure of hybrid SiOy/SiNxOy/a-SiNx:H/Parylene is suggested and investigated. The water-vapor transmission rate of hybrid thin-film encapsulation is estimated to be 4.9 × 10-3 g m-2·day-1, a value that is applicable to batteries as well as flexible solar cells, thin-film transistor liquid-crystal display, and E-papers. As a result of hybrid thin-film encapsulation, it is confirmed that the all-solid-state thin-film batteries are stable even after 100 charge/discharge cycles in the air atmosphere for 30 days and present a Coulombic efficiency of 99.8% even after 100 cycles in the air atmosphere. These results demonstrate that the thin-film encapsulation structure of hybrid SiOy/SiNxOy/a-SiNx:H/Parylene can be employed in thin-film batteries while retaining long-term stability.

Hydroisomerization of n-heptane on a new kind of bifunctional catalysts with palladium nanoparticles encapsulating inside zeolites

The bifunctional catalysts capable of regulating the metal dispersion and location through encapsulating palladium (Pd) nanoparticles inside Beta and mordenite (MOR) zeolites were used for n-heptane hydroisomerization. Several characterizations such as X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), N2-adsorption and so on suggested that the difference in the phase, textural property, morphology, and acidity of zeolites between the catalysts with encapsulation structure and prepared by impregnation method was negligible whether Beta- or MOR-series catalysts. Nevertheless, the higher Pd dispersion, smaller Pd particle size, and higher aggregation resistance can be achieved on the encapsulation catalysts as determined by H2-pulse and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Compared to the palladium-loading catalyst prepared by conventional impregnation method, the encapsulation structure guaranteed the higher selectivity and yield in n-heptane isomerization due to the significantly improved balance and intimacy. Furthermore, the catalyst with the complete encapsulation structure for the Beta-series catalysts and the catalyst with partial encapsulation structure for the MOR-series catalysts respectively exhibited the highest isomer selectivity and yield. All results may be resulted from that the zeolite topology and crystal size acted a significant role in determining the intimacy of the bifunctional catalysts with encapsulation structure, due to the different diffusion hurdles of the channels structure.

Encapsulated three-dimensional bioprinted structure seeded with urothelial cells: a new construction technique for tissue-engineered urinary tract patch.

Background:Traditional tissue engineering methods to fabricate urinary tract patch have some drawbacks such as compromised cell viability and uneven cell distribution within scaffold. In this study, we combined three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting and tissue engineering method to form a tissue-engineered urinary tract patch, which could be employed for the application on Beagles urinary tract defect mode to verify its effectiveness on urinary tract reconstruction.Methods:Human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) were dropped into smooth muscle differentiation medium to generate induced microtissues (ID-MTs), flow cytometry was utilized to detect the positive percentage for CD44, CD105, CD45, and CD34 of hADSCs. Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and tumor necrosis factor-stimulated gene-6 (TSG-6) in hADSCs and MTs were identified by Western blotting. Then the ID-MTs were employed for 3D bioprinting. The bioprinted structure was encapsulated by transplantation into the subcutaneous tissue of nude mice for 1 week. After retrieval of the encapsulated structure, hematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichrome staining were performed to demonstrate the morphology and reveal collagen and smooth muscle fibers, integral optical density (IOD) and area of interest were calculated for further semi-quantitative analysis. Immunofluorescent double staining of CD31 and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were used to reveal vascularization of the encapsulated structure. Immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate the expression of interleukin-2 (IL-2), α-SMA, and smoothelin of the MTs in the implanted structure. Afterward, the encapsulated structure was seeded with human urothelial cells. Immunofluorescent staining of cytokeratins AE1/AE3 was applied to inspect the morphology of seeded encapsulated structure.Results:The semi-quantitative assay showed that the relative protein expression of VEGFA was 0.355 ± 0.038 in the hADSCs vs. 0.649 ± 0.150 in the MTs (t = 3.291, P = 0.030), while TSG-6 expression was 0.492 ± 0.092 in the hADSCs vs. 1.256 ± 0.401 in the MTs (t = 3.216, P = 0.032). The semi-quantitative analysis showed that the mean IOD of IL-2 in the MT group was 7.67 ± 1.26, while 12.6 ± 4.79 in the hADSCs group, but semi-quantitative analysis showed that there was no statistical significance in the difference between the two groups (t = 1.724, P = 0.16). The semi-quantitative analysis showed that IOD was 71.7 ± 14.2 in non-induced MTs (NI-MTs) vs. 35.7 ± 11.4 in ID-MTs for collagen fibers (t = 3.428, P = 0.027) and 12.8 ± 1.9 in NI-MTs vs. 30.6 ± 8.9 in ID-MTs for smooth muscle fibers (t = 3.369, P = 0.028); furthermore, the mean IOD was 0.0613 ± 0.0172 in ID-MTs vs. 0.0017 ± 0.0009 in NI-MTs for α-SMA (t = 5.994, P = 0.027), while 0.0355 ± 0.0128 in ID-MTs vs. 0.0035 ± 0.0022 in NI-MTs for smoothelin (t = 4.268, P = 0.013), which indicate that 3D bioprinted structure containing ID-MTs could mimic the smooth muscle layer of native urinary tract. After encapsulation of the urinary tract patch for additional cell adhesion, urothelial cells were seeded onto the encapsulated structures, and a monolayer urothelial cell was observed.Conclusion:Through 3D bioprinting and tissue engineering methods, we provided a promising way to fabricate tissue-engineered urinary tract patch for further investigation.

Selective steam reforming of n‐dodecane over stable subnanometric NiPt clusters encapsulated in Silicalite‐1 zeolite

AbstractMultimetallic nanocatalysts have attracted increasing attention for steam reforming owing to highly exposed active sites, but often suffering from severe sintering. Herein, we design subnanometric Ni‐Pt bimetal clusters (ca. 1.7 nm) encapsulated in Silicalite‐1 zeolite (2Ni0.5Pt@S‐1) through ligand‐stabilized method to prevent sintering by fixing the metal into microporous channels. In the steam reforming of n‐dodecane test, 2Ni0.5Pt@S‐1 gave an excellent activity and stability with a decrease of conversion only 4% at 600°C for 4 hr, which was about a quarter that of 2Ni0.5Pt/S‐1 synthesized by co‐impregnation method, ascribing to superior sinter‐resistance of encapsulation structure. Moreover, 2Ni0.5Pt@S‐1 exhibited a higher H2 selectivity up to 69.9% than that of 2Ni0.5Pt/S‐1 (64.4%), owing to suppressed methanation reaction based on subnanometric clusters. Shape‐selective steam reforming of n‐dodecane and ofm‐xylene was also observed, because of m‐xylene could hardly diffuse into the zeolite channels due to its bulky molecular size, further preventing potential deactivation by tars in reforming process.

An improved steady-state method for measuring the thermal contact resistance and bulk thermal conductivity of thin-walled materials having a sub-millimeter thickness

Thin-walled materials, such as alloys, polymers, and glasses, with a thickness between 0.1 and 1 mm have been widely utilized in the encapsulation structures of electronic devices (e.g., the shells of laptops, cellphones, and cameras). The thermal contact resistance (TCR) and bulk thermal conductivity of these thin-walled materials are the key parameters for thermal design of electronic devices. In order to measure the TCR of thin-walled materials having a sub-millimeter thickness, an improved steady-state method was proposed in this work, which is based on the ASTM D5470 standard with the improvement being relied on in situ detection on the sample thickness variations. Such an improved apparatus was designed and constructed, which is equipped with a high-precision laser displacement sensor for measuring the sample thickness. Numerical simulations were performed to verify the heat dissipation from the insulated rods and the experimental uncertainties were analyzed. The measured bulk thermal conductivity was compared with those obtained by traditional steady-state, laser flash and transient plane source methods. The overall TCR of thin-walled stainless steel (SS304) was determined to be of the order of 10-4 m2·K/W, which was in good agreement with that of bulk SS304 samples having similar surface roughness (TCR = 3.13 × 10−4 m2·K/W).

Additively Manufactured mm-Wave Multichip Modules With Fully Printed “Smart” Encapsulation Structures

This article presents the first time that an millimeter-wave (mm-wave) multichip module (MCM) with on-demand “smart” encapsulation has been fabricated utilizing additive manufacturing technologies. RF and dc interconnects were fabricated using inkjet printing, while the encapsulation was realized using 3-D printing. Inkjet-printed interconnects feature superior RF performance, better mechanical reliability, and on-demand, low-cost fabrication process. Numerous test vehicles were initially produced to evaluate these additive manufacturing technologies and compare them with traditional ribbon bonding, exhibiting a superior $|\text{S}21|$ performance throughout the whole operation range up to 40 GHz with a peak of 3.3 dB better gain for a Ka-band low noise amplifier (LNA). A fully functioning front-end MCM was fabricated using the same inkjet-printed interconnect technology, which features smart encapsulation technology fabricated using the 3-D printing and integrated on-demand “smart” encapsulation for electromagnetic interference (EMI) mitigation. The proof-of-concept MCM demonstrates exceptional performance taking advantage of a low-cost, on-demand additive manufacturing method that requires minimal tooling and process steps, which can drastically accelerate the time to market for future 5G and Internet-of-Things applications. The methodologies presented in this article could potentially enable rapid production of high-performance, high-frequency customizable circuit packaging structures with on-demand “smart” features, such as self-diagnostics, EMI/EMC filtering, and integrated sensors.

Ultrasound-assisted emulsion electrosprayed particles for the stabilization of β-carotene and its nutritional supplement potential

The development of carotenoid-enriched functional foods is limited by the low stability of these bioactive compounds. The main objective of this study was to improve the stability of β-carotene through its encapsulation within emulsion-electrosprayed particles. Further, the particles with higher encapsulation efficiency was incorporated in meal replacement bar and investigated for their impact on bar quality and β-carotene content after bar baking. Ultrasonic power had a significant effect on the properties of emulsion, which are important to the properties of the particles. Moreover, the morphology of solidification product is related to the applied voltage connected to the spinneret and collector. The highest encapsulation efficiency, up to 39 ± 4%, was exhibited in the electrosprayed particles obtained from the emulsions prepared using a power of 360 W. β-Carotene and encapsulates incorporated bar retained their sensory characteristics and almost similar to control. Moreover, the encapsulation structures increased the stability of β-carotene after incorporated meal replacement bar.

Hermetic seal for perovskite solar cells: An improved plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition encapsulation

Unstable nature against moisture is one of the major issues of metallic halide perovskite solar cell application. Thin-film encapsulation is known as a powerful approach to notably enhance the operational stability of perovskite solar cells in humid environment. However, encapsulation layers with ideal gas barrier performance always require harsh fabrication conditions with high temperature and harmful precursors. For this reason, here we provide a mild encapsulation strategy to maintain the original performance of solar cell devices by utilization of ethylene glycol-induced immediate layer to minimize the damage of plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition to perovskite solar cells. The organic-inorganic alternating encapsulation structure has exhibited a water vapor transmittance rate of 1.3 × 10−5 g m−2·day−1, which is the lowest value among the reported thin film encapsulation layers of perovskite solar cells. Our perovskite solar cells have survived at 80% relative humidity and 30 °C for over 2000 h while preserving 96% of its initial performance.

Refurbishing the historic Old Tweed Bridge, Scotland – the challenges and innovations

The historic Old Tweed Bridge is a three-span listed masonry arch crossing the River Tweed. Structural integrity concerns resulted in the bridge being temporarily closed to the public and propped. This paper discusses the challenges associated with the construction works necessary to refurbish the bridge permanently. The works involved installing a temporary propping and encapsulation structure, excavating the bridge infill, taking down and rebuilding the walls, casting a concrete saddle above the arches, waterproofing and resurfacing. Other innovative works involved closing the gap between the voussoirs and arch barrel using a bespoke arch pulling system and repairing voussoir stones in situ with a lime-based material. There were significant environmental challenges on the project as the bridge is located in an ecologically sensitive area. The River Tweed is one of the UK's great salmon rivers, which restricted working in the river and required strict pollution controls. Alternative roosts for bats were provided and netting was required around the bridge as part of an advanced works contract to mitigate the risk of birds nesting in the bridge.

Accumulation of heavy metals in phytoliths from reeds growing on mining environments in Southern Europe

In Southern Europe, soil contamination by heavy metals (HM) due to mining and industrial activities is a long-known problem. Yet, despite soils being widely contaminated through decades, some plants are still able to grow. Some of these plants, like giant reed (Arundo donax) or common reed (Phragmites australis) are capable of accumulating substantial amount of HM. These reeds also contain small silica structures in their shoots, called phytoliths. However, the role of phytoliths in reducing stress caused by these HM remains unknown. The aim of this work is then to determine if phytoliths represent a preferential structure for the bioacccumulation of HM in plants. Therefore, plants from mining-contaminated sites in Spain and France were sampled and HM concentrations in total plant shoots were compared to those in phytoliths for eight metal(oid)s: As, Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb, Sb, Sn and Zn. Results show that Arundo donax and Phragmites australis tend to accumulate Cd, Sb and Sn but limit the uptake of As, Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn in plant shoots despite that the concentration of these HM in soil is quite high. Therefore, reeds appear as tolerant to high metal concentrations in soils, and phytoliths are identified as preferential structures for encapsulation of As, Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn, while Cd, Sb and Sn were mainly found to be accumulated in organic tissues rather than in phytoliths.

A Study of Encapsulation Structure for TFT Reliability in Top Emission OLED Display

A Study of Encapsulation Structure for TFT Reliability in Top Emission OLED Display

A Study of Encapsulation Structure for TFT Reliability in Top Emission OLED Display

A Study of Encapsulation Structure for TFT Reliability in Top Emission OLED Display

Electrocatalytic production of hydrogen over highly efficient ultrathin carbon encapsulated S, P co-existence copper nanorods composite

Electrocatalysis plays a key role in energy conversion processes (such as hydrogen evolution reaction-HER) to several renewable energy technologies developed to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. It is of great importance to design and develop robust electrocatalysts, for hydrogen production from water electrolysis, composed exclusively of low cost, non-precious elements that exhibit activity and stability comparable to those of the noble metals.In the present work, taking into account the high conductivity of carbon, a nitrogen-doped ultrathin carbon sheath covered Cu2S–Cu3P (Cu2S–Cu3P@C) as integrated architecture is synthesized. Remarkably, Cu2S–Cu3P@C, as a novel HER cathode operating in 0.5 M H2SO4 electrolyte exhibits a low onset potential of 48 mV, an overpotential of 85 mV at −10 mA cm−2 and a small Tafel slope of 34 mV dec−1. Meanwhile, after 80 h holding at −400 mA cm−2, the decrease in activity is negligible, demonstrating an excellent stability that outperforms most of the Cu-based electrocatalysts reported recently. The performance improvement is due to a unique carbon encapsulation structure, which could enhance the conductivity, facilitate the charge transfers and improve the corrosion resistance. This study will be beneficial to design and development of high performance non-precious metal electrocatalysts applied for electrocatalytic hydrogen generation.