High Compatibility Research Articles

Titanium Carbide (Ti3C2Tx) MXene for Sequestration of Aquatic Pollutants.

The rapid expansion of industrialization has resulted in the release of multiple ecological contaminants in gaseous, liquid, and solid forms, which pose significant environmental risks to many different ecosystems. The efficient and cost-effective removal of these environmental pollutants has attracted global attention. This growing concern has prompted the synthesis and optimization of nanomaterials and their application as potential pollutant removal. In this context, MXene is considered an outstanding photocatalytic candidate due to its unique physicochemical and mechanical properties, which include high specific surface area, physiological compatibility, and robust electrodynamics. This review highlights recent advances in shaping titanium carbide (Ti3C2Tx) MXenes, emphasizing the importance of termination groups to boost photoactivity and product selectivity, with a primary focus on engineering aspects. First, a broad overview of Ti3C2Tx MXene is provided, delving into its catalytic properties and the formation of surface termination groups to establish a comprehensive understanding of its fundamental catalytic structure. Subsequently, the effects of engineering the morphology of Ti3C2Tx MXene into different structures, such as two-dimensional (2D) accordion-like forms, monolayers, hierarchies, quantum dots, and nanotubes. Finally, a concise overview of the removal of different environmental pollutants is presented, and the forthcoming challenges, along with their prospective outlooks, are delineated.

Unlocking the decomposition limitations of the Li2C2O4 for highly efficient cathode preliathiations

The development of high-energy-density Li-ion batteries is hindered by the irreversible capacity loss during the initial charge-discharge process. Therefore, pre-lithiation technology has emerged in the past few decades as a powerful method to supplement the undesired lithium loss, thereby maximizing the energy utilization of LIBs and extending their cycle life. Lithium oxalate (Li2C2O4), with a high lithium content and excellent air stability, has been considered one of the most promising materials for lithium compensation. However, the sluggish electrochemical decomposition kinetics of the material severely hinders its further commercial application. Here, we introduce a recrystallization strategy combined with atomic Ni catalysts to modulate the mass transport and decomposition reaction kinetics. The decomposition potential of Li2C2O4 is significantly decreased from ∼4.90V to ∼4.30V with a high compatibility with the current battery systems. In compared to the bare NCM//Li cell, the Ni/N-rGO and Li2C2O4 composite (Ni-LCO) modified cell releases an extra capacity of ∼11.7 ​%. Moreover, this ratio can be magnified in the NCM//SiOx full cell, resulting in a 30.4 ​% higher reversible capacity. Overall, this work brings the catalytic paradigm into the pre-lithiation technology, which opens another window for the development of high-energy-density battery systems.

Structure and properties of surface layer of TiNi alloy subjected to ion-plasma- and ultrasonic treatment

The paper presents the results of research on morphology, elemental composition, microhardness, corrosion properties of the surface layer of TiNi alloy subjected to ion-plasma (vacuum-arc method) deposition of TiN coating and ultrasonic treatment (UT) with different number of passes (n). The SEM method showed that ultrasonic treatment provides a significant reduction in the amount of the droplet phase on the TiN coating surface. The surface discontinuity of TiN coating at local points was observed with an increase in the number of passes during ultrasonic treatment. The effect of combined processing methods on the microhardness of TiNi sample was studied. It was shown that the synergistic effect can be observed for two hardening methods. The combined strengthening method increased the microhardness of TiNi alloy (1.6 GPa in the as-received state): due to the deposition of a TiN coating – up to 10.9 GPa, due to subsequently ultrasonic treatment – up to 14.5–18.4 GPa depending on the number of passes. For UT + TiN scheme, it was shown that the open circuit potential Ecorr was about –250 mV which is practically independent of the number of passes and determined by the potential value of TiN coating. For TiN + UT scheme, it was found that with an increase in the number of passes, the value of Ecorr shifts towards more negative values approaching the open circuit potential value of the TiNi sample in the as-received state (–350 mV). The analysis of Scanning Vibrating Electrode Technique (SVET) results showed high electrochemical compatibility of substrate (TiNi) and coating (TiN) materials in a chloride environment with minimal current density fluctuations for the samples subjected to UT + TiN and TiN + UT (n = 1). The proposed method for TiNi alloy treatment according to TiN + UT scheme (n = 1) promotes an improvement of surface morphology and corrosion resistance.

Photoinduced Low‐Valent Zirconium Catalysis for Cross‐Electrophile Coupling of Ethers

AbstractAccessing versatile C(sp3)−C(sp3) bond through the cross‐electrophile coupling of two distinct etheric C−O bonds is crucial in organic synthesis but remains barely explored. Herein, we report an innovative photoinduced low‐valent zirconocene catalysis enabling the reductive coupling of ethers with high activity and cross‐selectivity. Mechanistic investigation suggests that photoexcitation of low‐valent zirconocene facilitates the C(sp3)−O bond scission of benzylic ethers, leading to the benzylic radicals intermediate via a single‐electron reduction pathway. The subsequent recombination of this benzylic radical with the Zr center followed by carbomagnesiation generates benzylic Grignard reagents for downstream coupling with aliphatic ethers through an SN2‐like mechanism. In application, a wide range of ethers readily in situ derived from aldehydes and ketones becomes feasible with high functional group compatibility as well as excellent cross‐selectivity.

Photoinduced Low-Valent Zirconium Catalysis for Cross-Electrophile Coupling of Ethers.

Accessing versatile C(sp3)-C(sp3) bond through the cross-electrophile coupling of two distinct etheric C-O bonds is crucial in organic synthesis but remains barely explored. Herein, we report an innovative photoinduced low-valent zirconocene catalysis enabling the reductive coupling of ethers with high activity and cross-selectivity. Mechanistic investigation suggests that photoexcitation of low-valent zirconocene facilitates the C(sp3)-O bond scission of benzylic ethers, leading to the benzylic radicals intermediate via a single-electron reduction pathway. The subsequent recombination of this benzylic radical with the Zr center followed by carbomagnesiation generates benzylic Grignard reagents for downstream coupling with aliphatic ethers through an SN2-like mechanism. In application, a wide range of ethers readily in situ derived from aldehydes and ketones becomes feasible with high functional group compatibility as well as excellent cross-selectivity.

Construction of X-Co-tri@SSNF reinforced PPS composite proton exchange membranes and their performance in fuel cells

In this study, we pioneered the introduction of benzophenone (DPK) as a solid solvent into polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) melt-blown, which effectively reduced the PPS melt-blown processing temperature and significantly improved the coefficients of variation of PPS melt-blown nonwoven materials. X-Co-tri@SSNF proton exchange membranes with excellent performance were prepared by functionalized modification of PPS melt-blown fabric as a substrate. The structure and properties of X-Co-tri@SSNF proton exchange membranes were systematically characterized. The results demonstrate that the 1-Co-tri@SSNF PEM exhibited a high proton conductivity of 0.183 S cm−1 at 80 °C and high humidity, significantly higher than the commercial Nafion 117 (0.135 S cm−1). Due to the heat resistance of PPS itself and the continuous dense network structure substrate of PPS nonwoven fabrics as well as the high compatibility with the membrane casting liquid, the hybrid membrane interfaces were tightly connected, so it makes the hybrid membrane perform better in terms of mechanical stability (tensile strength of 36.7 MPa), methanol permeability (4.78 × 10−7 cm2 s−1), selectivity (16.32 × 104 S s cm−3), and thermal stability (thermal decomposition temperature of around 450 °C). In addition, the 1-Co-tri@SSNF membrane electrode module exhibited excellent single-cell performance with an open-circuit voltage of 629.91 V and a peak power density of 96.29 mW cm−2 (162.9 % higher than that of Nafion 117). Therefore, the composite PEM with PPS melt-blown fabric as the matrix has a more environmentally friendly process than the commercial Nafion 117 membrane, a theoretical guidance for advancing the large-scale production of low-cost PEM.

Electrochemical dehydrogenative phosphorothiolation of heteroarenes

An electrochemical dehydrogenative phosphorothiolation of heteroarenes for the synthesis of S-heteroaryl phosphorothioates has been developed. The reaction employs elemental sulfur as the S-source. By avoiding the use of transition-metal catalysts, base, external oxidants, highly toxicity and sensitivity of the reagents, a variety of S-heteroaryl phosphorothioates have been prepared. This phosphorothiolation reaction shows high functional group compatibility, and can be easily scaled-up to gram quantities.

Dynamically reversible cross-linked polymer electrolytes with highly ionic conductivity for dendrite-free lithium metal batteries

High-safety PEO-based electrolytes have attracted widespread attention, but their inefficient conduction of Li ions and poor contact with electrode interfaces deteriorate the performances of rechargeable lithium metal batteries. Herein, we design a vitrimer polymer electrolyte (V-SPE-PEG) with abundant dynamic imine bonds via Schiff base reaction between aldehyde and ammonia, which achieves high ionic conductivity and good interfacial compatibility with lithium anode. The dynamic polymer network in V-SPE-PEG exhibits solid-state plasticity because reversible imine bonding reactions enable the integrity of the polymer network to be maintained while altering the cross-linked points under external stimuli. Therefore, this 3D dynamic cross-linked network effectively facilitates the polymer chain dynamics and meanwhile enhances ionic conductivity. Additionally, dynamic bond exchange fosters electrolyte flowability and self-healing during lithium deposition, promoting a tightly integrated electrode/electrolyte interface while inhibiting lithium dendrites growth. Consequently, lithium symmetric cells utilizing the V-SPE-PEG electrolyte demonstrate exceptional long-term cycling stability, surpassing 1100 h and exhibit outstanding ionic conductivity of 2.7 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 30 °C. The LiFePO4||Li battery maintains stable cycling performance at both 40 °C and 60 °C. This study introduces an innovative approach to designing solid-state electrolytes for lithium-metal batteries.

Suspended nanomembrane silicon photonic integrated circuits

Leveraging the low linear and nonlinear absorption loss of silicon at mid-infrared (mid-IR) wavelengths, silicon photonic integrated circuits (PICs) have attracted significant attention for mid-IR applications including optical sensing, spectroscopy, and nonlinear optics. However, mid-IR silicon PICs typically show moderate performance compared to state-of-the-art silicon photonic devices operating in the telecommunication band. Here, we proposed and demonstrated suspended nanomembrane silicon (SNS) PICs with light guiding within deep-subwavelength waveguide thickness for operation in the short wavelength mid-IR region. We demonstrated key building components, namely, grating couplers, waveguide arrays, micro-resonators, etc., exhibiting excellent performances in bandwidths, back reflections, quality factors, and fabrication tolerance. Moreover, we show that the proposed SNS PICs have high compatibility with the multi-project wafer foundry services. Our study provides an unprecedented platform for mid-IR integrated photonics and applications.

Three-dimensional high-aspect-ratio microarray thick electrodes for high-rate hybrid supercapacitors

Hybrid supercapacitors (HSCs) with facile integration and high process compatibility are considered ideal power sources for portable consumer electronics. However, as a crucial component for storing energy, traditional thin-film electrodes exhibit low energy density. Although increasing the thickness of thin films can enhance the energy density of the electrodes, it gives rise to issues such as poor mechanical stability and long electron/ion transport pathways. Constructing a stable three-dimensional (3D) ordered thick electrode is considered the key to addressing the aforementioned contradictions. In this work, a manufacturing process combining lithography and chemical deposition techniques is developed to produce large-area and high-aspect-ratio 3D nickel ordered cylindrical array (NiOCA) current collectors. Positive electrodes loaded with nickel–cobalt bimetallic hydroxide (NiOCA/NiCo-LDH) are constructed by electrodeposition, and HSCs are assembled with NiOCA/nitrogen-doped porous carbon (NiOCA/NPC) as negative electrodes. The HSCs exhibits 55% capacity retention with the current density ranging from 2 to 50 mA cm−2. Moreover, it maintains 98.2% of the initial capacity after long-term cycling of 15,000 cycles at a current density of 10 mA cm−2. The manufacturing process demonstrates customizability and favorable repeatability. It is anticipated to provide innovative concepts for the large-scale production of 3D microarray thick electrodes for high-performance energy storage system.

Synergistic potential of gellan gum methacrylate and keratin hydrogel for visceral hemostasis and skin tissue regeneration

In recent years, the development of biodegradable hydrogels as an alternative over the traditional wound dressing has become increasingly significant. These specific hydrogels are able to offer suitable microenvironments to further aid the process of tissue or organ regeneration. However, application of biodegradable hydrogels in clinical medicine remains uncommon due to most biodegradable hydrogels struggle with achieving satisfactory adhesiveness property, high mechanical support and cell compatibility simultaneously. In order to overcome these constraints and enhance the applicability of biodegradable hydrogels, methods have been employed in this study.By reacting gellan gum with methacrylic anhydride and incorporating a biodegradable protein, keratin, we endowed the hydrogels with high pliability via photo-polymerization chain extension, thereby obtaining a biodegradable hydrogel with exceptional properties. Through a series of in vitro tests, GGMA/keratin hydrogels exhibited great cell compatibility via providing an appropriate environment for cell proliferation. Furthermore, this hydrogel not only exhibits extraordinary adhesive ability on visceral tissues but also extends to scenarios involving skin or organ damage, offering valuable assistance in wound healing. Our design provides a suitable platform for cell proliferation and tissue regeneration, which shows prospects for future medical research and clinical applications.

Experimental demonstration of tunable hybrid improper ferroelectricity in double-perovskite superlattice films

Hybrid improper ferroelectricity can effectively avoid the intrinsic chemical incompatibility of electronic mechanism for multiferroics. Perovskite superlattices, as theoretically proposed hybrid improper ferroelectrics with simple structure and high technological compatibility, are conducive to device integration and miniaturization, but the experimental realization remains elusive. Here, we report a strain-driven oxygen octahedral distortion strategy for hybrid improper ferroelectricity in La2NiMnO6/La2CoMnO6 double-perovskite superlattices. The epitaxial growth mode with mixed crystalline orientations maintains a large strain transfer distance more than 90 nm in the superlattice films with lattice mismatch less than 1%. Such epitaxial strain permits sustainable long-range modulation of oxygen octahedral rotation and tilting, thereby inducing and regulating hybrid improper ferroelectricity. A robust room-temperature ferroelectricity with remnant polarization of ~ 0.16 μC cm−2 and piezoelectric coefficient of 2.0 pm V−1 is obtained, and the density functional theory calculations and Landau-Ginsburg-Devonshire theory reveal the constitutive correlations between ferroelectricity, octahedral distortions, and strain. This work addresses the gap in experimental studies of hybrid improper ferroelectricity for perovskite superlattices and provides a promising research platform and idea for designing and exploring hybrid improper ferroelectricity.

Conductive NR/PMMA-RAFT-CNT-rGO composites and their morphological, mechanical, and electrical properties

This study reports the synthesis of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-carbon nanotube (CNT)-reduced graphene oxide (rGO) emulsions via reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT)-mediated surfactant-free emulsion polymerization using a hydrophilic chain transfer agent. The rGO was prepared by the modified Hummers method and reduced with L-ascorbic acid. The effects of the CNT:rGO ratios and CNT and rGO contents on the conversion and stability of emulsion were investigated. Increasing the CNT and rGO contents from 1 to 4 wt% decreased the monomer conversion, while all the samples remained as colloidal dispersions. The morphology of PMMA-CNT-rGO composites showed the incorporated arrangement of a linear CNT portion connected with the rGO sheet dependent on the CNT:rGO ratio. Various PMMA-CNT-rGO filled natural rubber (NR) cast films were prepared. The NR/PMMA-CNT-rGO composite film with a 1 wt% filler loading at a CNT:rGO ratio of 1:1 presented a quite high modulus value (3.08 MPa) and sufficient intrinsic electrical conductivity (1.36 S/m) due to its strong filler-matrix interaction. Thus, the PMMA-RAFT-CNT-rGO composites at a very low filler content can be used as an effective reinforcement to enhance the mechanical and electrical properties of NR films with a high compatibility between the fillers and NR matrix.

Theoretical study on the energy storage performance of Electrical double layer supercapacitors with choline amino acid ionic liquids electrolyte

Choline amino acid ionic liquids have attracted much attention in recent years due to their simple extraction process, rich sources, and easy degradation. Due to the high viscosity of such ionic liquids, the addition of organic solvents can adjust the transport performance of ionic liquids. Here, we explore the effects of different solvents (methanol, ethanol) and different temperatures on the diffusion properties and conductivity of ionic liquids through molecular dynamics simulations. The results showed that with the increase of temperature, the conductivity linearly increased. The addition of organic solvents can improve the conductivity of ionic liquids, and the addition of methanol solvent has a higher compatibility with choline amino acid ionic liquids. The conductivity after mixing methanol and choline glycine in a certain proportion is 5 times higher than before. In addition, this article investigated the performance of choline glycine ionic liquid electrolytes in Electrical Double Layers (EDLs) near planar graphene electrodes. The results indicate that similar double layer structures and double layer capacitors can be observed regardless of whether solvents are added.

Boosting carbon capture with CO2-Ultrapermeable molecularly imprinted membranes

Mixed matrix membrane (MMM) is one of the most promising candidates for exceeding the gas separation upper bound, while fillers can largely determine their ultimate performance. The molecular imprinting technique was first employed to prepare a layer containing rich CO2 adsorption sites on the UiO-66-NH2 surface for fabricating highly CO2-permeable PIM-1-based MMMs with higher selectivity. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and element mapping confirmed the successful formation of the core-shell structure for the imprinted metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The MMMs prepared with imprinted MOFs present enhanced CO2 permeability and CO2/N2 selectivity, higher compatibility between polymers and fillers, and better mechanical strength compared to the MMMs with the pristine UiO-66-NH2. The MMMs formed with 5 wt% imprinted MOFs showed superior CO2/N2 separation performance beyond the 2019 upper bound with an ultrahigh CO2 permeability of 13,000 barrer (increased twice compared to pristine PIM-1 membrane). Moreover, with a filler content of 13 wt%, the obtained membrane maintains good mechanical properties, which indicates the benefit of the imprinted layer for the improvement of the filler loading inside a PIM-1 matrix. The membranes showed decreased CO2 permeability and CO2/N2 selectivity under the wet conditions, but stable performances over 46 hours of dynamic testing. The results indicate the presented approach for filler modification via molecular imprinting is a promising strategy for the enhancement of the MMM separation performance.

Divesting or keeping overseas subsidiary production under rising production costs and uncertain market demands in host countries

This study examines whether overseas manufacturing subsidiaries are divested or kept under rising production costs and uncertain market demands in their host countries. We predict that even under increasing production costs, a subsidiary will not be divested but kept under high market demand uncertainty. A multinomial logit analysis of Korean overseas manufacturing subsidiaries finds that an overseas manufacturing subsidiary exposed to high labor cost growth in its host country is not divested but kept alive under high market demand uncertainty via cross-border production volume adjustments with other in-network subsidiaries in different countries. It also shows that the moderating impact of demand uncertainty on production shifts over divestment is pronounced more for the subsidiaries with low cross-country labor cost correlation, high product compatibility, and high ownership share. These findings imply that the longevity of subsidiary operations is shaped by geographic and organizational characteristics determining production shift conditions.

Modification Strategies of Hexagonal Boron Nitride Nanomaterials for Photocatalysis.

Although hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) was initially considered a less promising photocatalyst due to its large band gap and apparent chemical inertness, its unique two-dimensional lamellar structure coupled with high stability and environmental friendliness, as the second largest van der Waals material after graphene, provides a unique platform for photocatalytic innovation. This review not only highlights the intrinsic qualities of h-BN with photocatalytic potentials, such as high stability, environmental compatibility, and tunable bandgap through various modification strategies but also provides a comprehensive overview of the recent advances in h-BN-based nanomaterials for environmental and energy applications, as well as an in-depth description of the modification methods and fundamental properties for these applications. In addition, we discuss the challenges and prospects of h-BN-based nanomaterials for future photocatalysis.

CaCO3-Encapsulated polydopamine with an adsorbed TLR7 agonist for improved tumor photothermal immunotherapy

Because of the tumor's recurrence and significant metastasis, the standard single-therapy paradigm has failed to meet clinical requirements. Recently, researchers have focused their emphasis on phototherapy and immunogenic cell death (ICD) techniques. In response to the current problems of immunotherapy, a multifunctional drug delivery nanosystem (PDA-IMQ@CaCO3-blinatumomab, PICB) was constructed by using high physiological compatibility of polydopamine (PDA) and calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) agonist imiquimod (IMQ) and bispecific antibody (BsAb) blinatumomab were loaded onto PDA-CaCO3 nanoparticles (NPs). The findings revealed that the system exhibited the advantages of good dispersion, high stability, excellent physiological compatibility, low toxicity, and high drug loading rate. Compared to the control group, it resulted in a 2.4-fold decrease in FOXP3+ regulatory T-cells within the tumor and a 5.0-fold increase in CD4+ effector T-cells, and promoted the production of damage-related molecular patterns to reinvigorate the ICD effect. PICB had a strong inhibitory effect on tumor growth in 4T1 tumor-bearing mice, and has no toxicity to other organs. Therefore, the multifunctional drug delivery nanosystem constructed in this study could effectively exert the properties of various components in vivo, fully demonstrate the synergistic effect between immunotherapy and photothermal therapy, thus significantly improving the tumor therapeutic efficacy, and has a promising clinical application.

The invasion threat of the emerging alien cactus Cylindropuntia pallida (Rosa), F.M. Knuth in South Africa and the potential for control using herbicides

The emerging alien cactus Cylindropuntia pallida (Rose) F.M. Knuth originates from northern Mexico and introduced into South Africa in 1940s as an ornamental plant. Multiple populations of C. pallida have been detected in various areas of South Africa. C. pallida has effective propagule dispersal and rapid recruitment making it a likely key future invader, and thus, is a target for eradication in South Africa. To eradicate C. pallida populations, a foliar spray (i.e. using a 2% concentration of herbicide with fluroxypyr and triclopyr) has been applied to plants in nine populations, with population sizes ranging between 535 and 2701 plants and populations covering areas of 100 –1000 ha. The aims of the study were to investigate the efficacy of the foliar spray method used to eradicate C. pallida; to investigate the impacts of C. pallida invasions on native vegetation integrity; to apply species distribution models (SDMs) to identify suitable climates for C. pallida in South Africa; and to document the biomes vulnerable to the negative impact of C. pallida in South Africa. Results show that foliar spray killed many C. pallida plants (mean percentage of dead plants ± SE, 83.3 ± 6.4; n = 9; range, 70–96%), with adult plants taking about 2 months to die completely. The efficacy of the herbicide was not affected by plant size or the concentration of the herbicide used. The invaded site had significantly greater vegetation cover which persisted across winter compared to the uninvaded site, but the latter site’s vegetation cover significantly dropped in winter. Also, the invaded site had lower plant species diversity than the uninvaded site and was dominated by species in the Poaceae and Asteraceae plant families. Additionally, a normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) analysis shows that the uninvaded site has higher vegetation cover and health than the invaded site wherein a notable decline in vegetation health was observed between 2019 and 2022. A large area (> 15 million hectares) was predicted to be suitable for invasion by C. pallida in provinces with arid and warm temperate climates - the fynbos and grassland biomes are the most vulnerable. Because of the observed negative impacts, high environmental compatibility, and high cost of clearing large infestations, we advocate for considering the biocontrol method for effectively managing C. pallida invasion in South Africa.

Construction of Co9S8/SnS heterostructures encapsulated in multi-channel carbon nanofibers as long-term stable anodes for sodium-ion batteries

This study presents the design and fabrication of multi-channel self-supported anode materials Co9S8/SnS@MCNFs, through the electrospinning technique. The high compatibility of Co9S8 and SnS at the interface enables the synthesis of a more complete heterostructure within the material, enhancing the electrochemical reaction process through rational heterostructure design. Additionally, the incorporation of high theoretical capacity SnS improves sodium storage performance. The design of multi-channel carbon nanofibers (MCNFs) effectively addresses challenges such as material volume expansion and metal particle aggregation during cycling by providing large specific surface areas and enabling carbon encapsulation. The resulting pore structure and heterostructure formation, coupled with introduction of more defects, enhance the availability of Na+ active sites for electrochemically reversible processes. As expected, Co9S8/SnS@MCNFs exhibit remarkable initial coulombic efficiency (ICE = 92.6 %) and demonstrate stable long-term cycling performance (222.5 mA h g−1 at 2 A g−1 after 400 cycles) for sodium storage, with only a 0.18 % decay rate per cycle. These findings suggest promising application for the electrode material in sustained high-current discharges and long-endurance performance.