Heterostructured Nanomaterials Research Articles

Preparation of Amorphous SnO2 -Encapsulated Multiphased Crystalline Cu Heterostructures for Highly Efficient CO2 Reduction.

Controlling the architectures and crystal phases of metal@semiconductor heterostructures is very important for modulating their physicochemical properties and enhancing their application performances. Here, a facile one-pot wet-chemical method to synthesize three types of amorphous SnO2 -encapsulated crystalline Cu heterostructures, i.e., hemicapsule, yolk-shell, and core-shell nanostructures, in which unconventional crystal phases (e.g., 2H, 4H, and 6H) and defects (e.g., stacking faults and twin boundaries) are observed in the crystalline Cu cores, is reported. The hemicapsule Cu@SnO2 heterostructures, with voids that not only expose the Cu core with unconventional phases but also retain the interface between Cu and SnO2 , show an excellent electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2 RR) selectivity toward the production of CO and formate with high Faradaic efficiency (FE) above 90% in a wide potential window from -1.05 to -1.55V (vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)), and the highest FE of CO2 RR (95.3%) is obtained at -1.45V (vs RHE). This work opens up a new way for the synthesis of new heterostructured nanomaterials with promising catalytic application.

Role of Heterojunctions of Core-Shell Heterostructures in Gas Sensing.

Heterostructures made from metal oxide semiconductors (MOS) are fundamental for the development of high-performance gas sensors. Since their importance in real applications, a thorough understanding of the transduction mechanism is vital, whether it is related to a heterojunction or simply to the shell and core materials. A better understanding of the sensing response of heterostructured nanomaterials requires the engineering of heterojunctions with well-defined core and shell layers. Here, we introduce a series of prototypes CNT-nMOS, CNT-pMOS, CNT-pMOS-nMOS, and CNT-nMOS-pMOS hierarchical core-shell heterostructures (CSHS) permitting us to directly relate the sensing response to the MOS shell or to the p-n heterojunction. The carbon nanotubes are here used as highly conductive substrates permitting operation of the devices at relatively low temperature and are not involved in the sensing response. NiO and SnO2 are selected as representative p- and n-type MOS, respectively, and the response of a set of samples is studied toward hydrogen considered as model analyte. The CNT-n,pMOS CSHS exhibit response related to the n,pMOS-shell layer. On the other hand, the CNT-pMOS-nMOS and CNT-nMOS-pMOS CSHS show sensing responses, which in certain cases are governed by the heterojunctions between nMOS and pMOS and strongly depends on the thickness of the MOS layers. Due to the fundamental nature of this study, these findings are important for the development of next generation gas sensing devices.

Synthesis of Sn and Zr‐Doped BiVO4 Nanocatalyst with Enhanced Photocatalytic and Photoelectrochemical Activity

AbstractHerein, a facile microwave route to synthesized of Tin (Sn) and Zirconium (Zr) doped BiVO4 with enhanced photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical performance are demonstrated. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) studies confirmed the monoclinic‐tetragonal structure of metal doped BiVO4. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE‐SEM) images confirmed the sphere like morphology while bare is in floral structure. The Raman (RS) and Fourier Transform Infra‐Red (FT‐IR) Spectroscopy indicate the functional group of composition. Photoluminance (PL) spectroscopy revealed that the doped BiVO4 showed better excitation then the bare BiVO4. The UV‐Visible diffused reflectance (UV‐vis‐DRS) spectroscopy exposed improved visible light driven by narrow band gap of metal doped BiVO4. Further Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Linear Sweep voltammetry characterization (LSV) report that the metal doped BiVO4 established better photoelectrochemical activity in water splitting. The impact of metal doping in the crystallinity, optical properties, electrical properties and photocatalytic activity were evaluated using model pollutant of azo dyes and gaseous acetaldehyde under visible light irradiation. The Zr doped BiVO4 exhibit better performance for degradation of dyes, acetaldehyde decomposition and water splitting properties then the Sn doped BiVO4 and bare BiVO4. This work founds that the metal doping with semiconductor is effective in creating heterostructured nanomaterials, which result in reduce the recombination processes, leading to improved photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical performance.

Ultralow‐Threshold and High‐Quality Whispering‐Gallery‐Mode Lasing from Colloidal Core/Hybrid‐Shell Quantum Wells (Adv. Mater. 13/2022)

Microlasers A self-assembled CdSe/CdS@Cd1-xZnxS core/buffer-shell@graded-shell nanoplatelets whispering-gallery-mode microlaser with ultralow lasing threshold, high quality factor, and stable single-frequency operation is proposed by Jun Yang, Van Duong Ta, Handong Sun in article number 2108884. The results highlight the significance of interface engineering on the optimization of gain properties of heterostructured nanomaterials and shed light on developing future miniaturized tunable coherent light sources.

The Exchange-Correlation Effects on the Electronic Bands of Hybrid Armchair Single-Walled Carbon Boron Nitride Nanostructure

This study investigates the effect of exchange-correlation on the electronic properties of hybridized hetero-structured nanomaterials, called single-walled carbon boron nitride nanotubes (SWCBNNT). A first principles (ab initio) method implemented in Quantum ESPRESSO codes, together with different parametrizations (local density approximation (LDA) formulated by Perdew Zunga (PZ) and the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) proposed by Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof (PBE) and Perdew–Wang 91 (PW91)), were used in this study. It has been observed that the disappearance of interface states in the band gap was due to the discontinuity of the π–π bonds in some segments of SWCNT, which resulted in the asymmetric distribution in the two segments. This work has successfully created a band gap in SWCBNNT, where the PBE exchange-correlation functional provides a well-agreed band gap value of 1.8713 eV. Effects of orbitals on electronic properties have also been studied elaborately. It has been identified that the Py orbital gives the largest contribution to the electrical properties of our new hybrid SWCBNNT nanostructures. This study may open a new avenue for tailoring bandgap in the hybrid heterostructured nanomaterials towards practical applications with next-generation optoelectronic devices, especially in LED nanoscience and nanotechnology.

Interface enhancement effect of hierarchical In2S3/In2O3 nanoflower heterostructures on NO2 gas sensitivity

Cocatalysts have been extensively employed to improve gas sensing performance in gas detection. However, the interface effect of the heterojunction on gas sensing has rarely been addressed. This study investigated the interface effect of constructive hierarchical In2S3/In2O3 nanoflowers on NO2 gas sensitivity using a rapid and facile microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. The structure was then modulated from In2S3, to In2S3/In2O3 heterostructures, and finally In2O3 alone by increasing the calcination time. In2S3/In2O3 heterostructures with an appropriate interface were found to significantly promote NO2 gas sensitivity with a high gas-sensing selectivity compared with pure In2S3 and In2O3. An interface enhancement model has also been developed. The strong interfacial coupling effect was key to high gas sensitivity, which likely originated from hole–electron pair separation through tuning of the interfacial electronic structure of In2S3/In2O3 nanoflowers using different calcination times. This resulted in improved charge separation efficiency and carrier collection efficiency of electrons from In2S3 to In2O3, and increased active sites. This boosted gas diffusion and adsorption, accelerated surface chemical reactions, and expedited charge transport and kinetic processes. This work provides a new approach for designing high-performance sensor using the interface effect of heterostructure nanomaterials.

Ultralow-Threshold and High-Quality Whispering-Gallery-Mode Lasing from Colloidal Core/Hybrid-Shell Quantum Wells.

The realization of efficient on-chip microlasers with scalable fabrication, ultralow threshold, and stable single-frequency operation is always desired for a wide range of miniaturized photonic systems. Herein, an effective way to fabricate nanostructures- whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) lasers by drop-casting CdSe/CdS@Cd1- x Znx S core/buffer-shell@graded-shell nanoplatelets (NPLs) dispersion onto silica microspheres is presented. Benefiting from the excellent gain properties from the interface engineered core/hybrid shell NPLs and high-quality factor WGM resonator from excellent optical field confinement, the proposed room-temperature NPLs-WGM microlasers show a record-low lasing threshold of 3.26 µJ cm-2 under nanosecond laser pumping among all colloidal NPLs-based lasing demonstrations. The presence of sharp discrete transverse electric- and magnetic-mode spikes, the inversely proportional dependence of the free spectra range on microsphere sizes and the polarization anisotropy of laser output represent the first direct experimental evidence for NPLs-WGM lasing nature, which is verified theoretically by the computed electric-field distribution inside the microcavity. Remarkably, a stable single-mode lasing output with an ultralow lasing threshold of 3.84 µJ cm-2 is achieved by the Vernier effect through evanescent field coupling. The results highlight the significance of interface engineering on the optimization of gain properties of heterostructured nanomaterials and shed light on developing future miniaturized tunable coherent light sources.

Low-dimensional heterostructures for advanced electrocatalysis: an experimental and computational perspective.

Low dimensional electrocatalytic heterostructures have recently attracted significant attention in the catalysis community due to their highly tuneable interfaces and exciting electronic features, opening up new possibilities for effective nanometric control of both the charge carriers and energetic states of several intermediate catalytic species. In-depth understanding of electrocatalytic routes at the interface between two or more low-dimensional nanostructures has triggered the development of heterostructure nanocatalysts with extraordinary properties for water splitting reactions, NRR and CO2RR. This tutorial review provides an overview of the most recent advances in synthetic strategies for 0D-1D, 0D-2D, and 2D-2D nanoheterostructures, discussing key aspects of their electrocatalytic performances from experimental and computational perspectives as well as their applications towards the development of overall water splitting and Zn-air battery devices.

Facile stepwise hydrothermal synthesis of hierarchical CoMoO4/CoMoO4 core/shell dandelion-like nanoarrays: A promising binder-free positive electrode for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitors

In this study, we have fabricated a flexible supercapacitor with outstanding pseudocapacitive performance using hierarchical CoMoO4/CoMoO4 core/shell dandelion-like nanoarrays. The dandelion-like CoMoO4/CoMoO4 nanostructure electrode yields a high specific capacitance (1548 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1) and superior cycling stability performance (94% capability retention after 5000 cycles at 8 A g−1) in the 3 mol L–1 KOH solution. Furthermore, a flexible asymmetric supercapacitor device was assembled based on nickel foam/CoMoO4/CoMoO4 dandelion-like as positive electrode and activated carbon (AC) as negative electrode. The CoMoO4/CoMoO4 nanostructure//AC asymmetric supercapacitor device represents remarkable electrochemical performance such as good specific capacitance of 152 F g−1 and maximum energy and power densities of 54.04 Wh kg−1 and 8.83 kW kg−1, respectively. These encouraging results depict great potential in developing energy storage devices by making heterostructure nanomaterials.

Laccase Immobilization on Sandwich-Like Heterostructured Nanomaterials for the Degradation of Phenolic Organics with Improved Active Sites and Stability

Laccase Immobilization on Sandwich-Like Heterostructured Nanomaterials for the Degradation of Phenolic Organics with Improved Active Sites and Stability

Core-shell structured MoS2/Ni9S8 electrocatalysts for high performance hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions

It is well known that traditional electrocatalysts usually show high overpotential and poor cycling stability. Therefore, it is crucial to design high efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts for sustainable energy conversion. In this study, we synthesize several heterostructured MoS2 nanomaterials by a simple one-pot hydrothermal approach. MoS2 nanosheets are anchored on the surface of Ni9S8 nanorods to form a novel 3D structure. This high active heterogeneous interface benefit to exposing many active sites and facilitating the charge transfer along the Ni9S8 nanorods vertically grown on conductive nickel foam. During water splitting process, the MoS2/Ni9S8 sample shows a low overpotential (hydrogen evolution reaction, HER) at 10 mA cm−2 and (oxygen evolution reaction, OER) at 50 mA cm−2. Moreover, the as-assembled cell delivers a voltage of 1.72 V at 50 mA cm−2.

Chrysanthemum-like FeS/Ni3S2 heterostructure nanoarray as a robust bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting

The development of a scalable strategy to prepare highly efficient and stable bifunctional electrocatalysts is the key to industrial electrocatalytic water splitting cycles to produce clean hydrogen. Here, a simple and quick one-step hydrothermal method was used to successfully fabricate a three-dimensional core chrysanthemum-like FeS/Ni3S2 heterogeneous nanoarray (FeS/Ni3S2@NF) on a porous nickel foam skeleton. Compared with the monomer Ni3S2@NF, the chrysanthemum-like FeS/ Ni3S2@NF heterostructure nanomaterials have improved catalytic performance in alkaline media, showing low overpotentials of 192 mV (η10) and 130 mV (η-10) for OER and HER, respectively. This study attests that integrated interface engineering and precise morphology control are effective strategies for activating the Ni3+/Ni2+ coupling, promoting charge transfer and improving the intrinsic activity of the material to accelerate the OER reaction kinetics and promote the overall water splitting performance. The scheme can be reasonably applied to the design and development of transition metal sulfide-based electrocatalysts to put into industrial practice of electrochemical water oxidation.

Ultrahigh Charge Separation Achieved by Selective Growth of Bi4O5I2 Nanoplates on Electron-Accumulating Facets of Bi5O7I Nanobelts.

Ultrahigh charge separation was observed in Bi4O5I2/Bi5O7I two-dimensional (2D)/one-dimensional (1D) hierarchical structures (HSs) constructed by selective growth of 2D monocrystalline Bi4O5I2 nanoplates on the electron-accumulating (100) facet of 1D monocrystalline Bi5O7I nanobelts. In addition to the presence of type-II heterojunction between Bi4O5I2 and Bi5O7I elementary entities in 2D/1D HSs, the type-II (100)/(001) surface heterojunction in Bi5O7I nanobelt substrates was also confirmed by means of density functional theory (DFT) calculations and selective photoreduction/oxidation deposition experiments. The synergistic effect of two kinds of heterojunctions in Bi4O5I2/Bi5O7I 2D/1D HSs endowed them with ultrahigh charge carrier separation and transfer characteristics. In contrast with the control sample (BB40-C) constructed by growing Bi4O5I2 nanoplates on whole four sides of Bi5O7I nanobelts, Bi4O5I2/Bi5O7I 2D/1D HSs demonstrated significantly enhanced charge transfer between Bi5O7I nanobelt substrates and Bi4O5I2 nanoplates, owing to respective electron and hole accumulations on (100) and (001) facets of Bi5O7I substrates caused by (100)/(001) surface heterojunction. The enhanced separation behavior was successfully verified by steady/transient-state photoluminescence, electrochemical techniques, and photocatalytic degradation experiments. Based on the above effective charge separation of Bi4O5I2/Bi5O7I 2D/1D HSs as well as the routine advantages for 2D/1D HSs, such as the excellent charge transport in monocrystalline elementary entities, much higher specific surface area, and enhanced light absorption by multiple reflections, the optimal BB40 HSs demonstrated ultrahigh photocatalytic performance than the control samples, whose apparent rates for Rhodamine B [or tetracycline hydrochloride (TC)] degradation were 7.1 (2.9 for TC), 10.3 (4.7 for TC), and 2.2 (1.7 for TC) times those of pristine Bi5O7I nanobelts, Bi4O5I2 nanoplates, and BB40-C, respectively. It is hoped that this crystal facet selection during the heterostructure construction in this work could provide a new strategy or some enlightenment for the exploration of highly active 2D/1D HSs or other-dimensional heterostructure nanomaterials applied in the fields of photocatalysts, solar cells, sensors, and others.

Pyrocatechol violet sensitized cadmium and barium doped TiO2/ZnO nanostructures: As photoanode in DSSC

Cadmium and barium doped TiO2 nanoparticles and their respective heterostructured nanomaterials (TiO2/ZnO) were successfully synthesized through simple sol-gel and reflux methods respectively. Optical, structural and morphological analysis of as synthesized material were done by using UV–Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-Ray analysis (EDX). The band gap values were calculated from the optical absorption spectra of nanomaterials. The band gap of TiO2 NPs (3.10 eV) was effectively tuned up to 2.82 eV by doping it with different concentrations of cadmium and barium followed by coupling with ZnO nanoparticles. The crystalline nature and phase purity of the materials were confirmed through XRD. Morphological analysis and elemental composition studies were performed with the help of SEM and EDX. Functional groups were detected through FTIR analysis. The nanostructured materials were used in combination with P3HT (as a hole conducting polymer) to fabricate photoactive blend for dye sensitized solar cell. The photovoltaic performances of fabricated device were investigated by using current voltage (I–V) measurements. The results showed that metal doped TiO2 and their respective nano structures (TiO2/ZnO) showed better conversion efficiencies than undoped TiO2. The maximum conversion efficiency (ɳ) was observed for Pyrocatechol violet sensitized Cd–TiO2/ZnO heterostructured nanomaterial which is 1.84%. The corresponding current density was found to be 13.11 mA/cm2.

Metastable five-fold twinned Ru incorporated Cu nanosheets with Pt-like hydrogen evolution kinetics

Precisely tuning the geometric and phase structure of noble metal-based heterostructure nanomaterials has been an effective way to induce a metastable defect interface system for the fast hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) kinetics in alkaline media. However, the unstable defect nature of metastable materials hinders their practical applications. Herein, as demonstrated by the theoretical calculation, the optimal Gibbs free energy of adsorbed H2O (ΔGH2O) and water dissociation (ΔGB) can be created for five-fold twinned Ru on Cu NSs with metastable interfaces. Thus, we successfully design and construct an in-situ metastable interface in five-fold twinned Ru supported on vertically oriented Cu nanosheets (Cu NSs) (devoted as CuRux NSs). Among them, CuRu8 NSs display unprecedented overpotentials of 8 and 39 mV at 10 and 100 mA cm−2, respectively. Furthermore, CuRu8 NSs also demonstrate high intrinsic mass activity of 77.528 A g−1 at an overpotential of 20 mV and a large exchange current density of 5.014 mA cm−2, with outstanding stability (almost no activity degradation for 130 h). These represent one of the best alkaline HER catalysts to date for Ru-based catalysts. Importantly, CuRu8 NSs possess nearly 100% Faradaic yield, confirming the high selectivity toward hydrogen evolution reaction. Furthermore, the fine structural analysis evidences that the in-situ incorporated five-fold twinned Ru nanoparticles coupled electronically with Cu NSs not only avoid migration and aggregation of the metal particles, but also effectively promote the formation of heterostructure nanosheet arrays with abundant active sites, enhancing the alkaline hydrogen evolution kinetics.

Tunable Heterostructured Nanomaterials for Efficient Hydrogenation Reactions at Intermediate Temperatures

To address rising environmental concerns and energy challenges, it is highly desirable to develop green technologies for a sustainable future. Hydrogenation reactions are essential processes in the chemical industry, giving access to a variety of valuable compounds. Electrochemical CO2 and N2 hydrogenation using renewable electricity is considered one of the most promising pathways to reach the environmental economics. Among various electrochemical devices, a solid state electrolyzer working at intermediate temperatures has the advantages of high reaction rates and low overpotentials. As CO2 and N2 molecules are quite stable, it is critical to develop electrocatalysts with high activity to reduce electricity engagement. Also, CO2 hydrogenation has multiple pathways which normally results in low selectivity for a target product. A tunable electrocatalyst with high selectivity to different products is desirable for CO2 hydrogenations. Heterostructured nanomaterials attracts great attentions in electrochemical systems. With careful design, they can show very high activity and selectivity towards an electrochemical reaction. In this work, we combine theoretical simulations, including density functional theory (DFT) and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) calculations, with experimental methods (characterizations and electrochemical measurements) for rational design of highly efficient heterostructured nanomaterials for CO2 and N2 hydrogenations.We studied the strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) in a doped CeO2 supported noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) system using theoretical calculations. The results indicate that SMSI largely depends on chemical conditions of the support and particle size of dispersed metal NPs. By tuning the SMSI, we can successfully change the catalytic activity and selectivity towards CO2 and N2 hydrogenation reactions. Based on these findings, we designed tunable heterostructured nanomaterials for efficient hydrogenation reactions at intermediate temperatures. These predictions were further confirmed by experimental method. By using a combination of high-throughput theoretical calculations and electrochemical measurements, we developed highly active catalysts for electrochemical CO2 and N2 hydrogenation reactions. This framework is also applicable to other electrochemical systems using heterostructured materials.

Tourmaline Modified BiFeO3 Based MEMS Sensor with Temperature-Dependent Dual Selectivity for Detecting Acetone and Hydrogen Sulfide

In recent years, design and synthesis of heterostructured nanomaterials with high gas-sensing performance for detection of flammable and toxic gases has attracted much research interest. In this paper, pristine and tourmaline-modified BiFeO3(BFO) nanomaterials were successfully synthesized via a sol-gel method. The BiFeO3 modified with tourmaline could remarkably enhance the gas response and exhibit some novel properties. The tourmaline/BiFeO3 3wt% (tourmaline/BiFeO3 composite with the 3wt% tourmaline) MEMS sensor exhibited temperature-dependent dual selectivity to CO at 150 °C and H2S at 225 °C. The tourmaline/BiFeO3 3wt% based MEMS sensor response toward 0.77 ppm of acetone (C3H6O) is 4.3 at 150 °C and toward 0.75 ppm of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) reaches 11.6 at 225 °C. Furthermore, the sensor possessed good repeatability and antihumidity interference. The dramatically improved sensing performance could be ascribed to the spontaneous polarity of tourmaline, the electron transfer was modulated by the heterojunction in the interface between the BiFeO3 and tourmaline nanostructure. The easy fabrication and good gas sensing performances make our sensors highly attractive for ultrasensitive C3H6O and H2S gas detection with less power consumption. Figure 1

Heterostructure-based devices with enhanced humidity stability for H2 gas sensing applications in breath tests and portable batteries

Semiconducting metal oxide - based gas sensors exhibit outstanding sensitivity, although humidity in the analyte typically hampers precise measurements. In this work it was shown that a 5−6 nm thin Al2O3 nano-layer is particularly beneficial in reducing the interference due to humidity of p-type conductivity copper oxide-based gas sensors. An effective approach from chemical solutions at 75 °C and thermal annealing at 600 °C was used to grow copper oxide nano-crystallite layers. The Al2O3 nano-layers were subsequently deposited on top of copper oxide by atomic layer deposition in a high-aspect-ratio regime at 75 °C. The morphological, structural, chemical, vibrational, electronical and sensor characteristics of the heterostructured nano-crystallite layers have been studied. The final nano-Al2O3/CuO heterostructure showed an increase in the response to H2 gas by 140 %, while long-term stability at low and high relative humidity was observed. The initial sensing response varied by only 10 % for an Al2O3 layer of 5−6 nm on top of CuO with a post-thermal annealing at 600 °C acting as an effective barrier for water vapor and oxygen. A comparison with CuO nanocrystallite layers covered by ALD with 6 nm and 15 nm of Al2O3 ultra-thin films on top demonstrates an exceptional stability of the hydrogen gas response at high relative humidity (84 % RH). Density functional theory-based calculations showed that the H2 molecule spontaneously dissociates over the formed Al2O3/CuO heterostructure, interacting strongly with the surface Al atoms, showing different behavior compared to the pristine CuO (111) surface, where H2 gas molecules are known to form water over the surface. The present study demonstrates that a thorough optimization of technology and surface properties due to coverage and formation of heterostructured nano-materials improves the humidity stability during H2 gas sensing applications which is important for real-world applications, e.g. portable battery analysis, H2 breath tests, along with environmental, medicine, security, and food safety diagnostic tests.

Organic superstructure microwires with hierarchical spatial organisation

Rationally designing and precisely constructing the dimensions, configurations and compositions of organic nanomaterials are key issues in material chemistry. Nevertheless, the precise synthesis of organic heterostructure nanomaterials remains challenging owing to the difficulty of manipulating the homogeneous/heterogeneous-nucleation process and the complex epitaxial relationships of combinations of dissimilar materials. Herein, we propose a hierarchical epitaxial-growth approach with the combination of longitudinal and horizontal epitaxial-growth modes for the design and synthesis of a variety of organic superstructure microwires with accurate spatial organisation by regulating the heterogeneous-nucleation crystallisation process. The lattice-matched longitudinal and horizontal epitaxial-growth modes are separately employed to construct the primary organic core/shell and segmented heterostructure microwires. Significantly, these primary organic core/shell and segmented microwires are further applied to construct the core/shell-segmented and segmented-core/shell type’s organic superstructure microwires through the implementation of multiple spatial epitaxial-growth modes. This strategy can be generalised to all organic microwires with tailored multiple substructures, which affords an avenue to manipulate their physical/chemical features for various applications.

Dual modulation of lattice strain and charge polarization induced by Co(OH)2/Ni(OH)2 interfaces for efficient oxygen evolution catalysis

Co(OH)2/Ni(OH)2 heterostructure nanomaterials were constructed by an in situ etching hydrothermal method and exhibited excellent oxygen evolution reaction activity due to the dual modulation of lattice strain and charge polarization induced by Co(OH)2/Ni(OH)2 interfaces.